In 2 Samuel 15-18 we read how Absalom usurped the throne of David for a season.
First, he undermined David by spreading the word that David was incompetent and that he was not interested in establishing justice in the land (2 Sam. 15:3, 4). We read in verse 6 that “Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of Israel.”
When Absalom believed that he had sufficient support from the people, he was crowned king in Hebron (2 Sam. 15:10). As he prepared to march north to take Jerusalem, David left the city with his loyal men. David did not want to fight his son, nor did he want bloodshed.
David’s Sacrifice
On his way out of the city, he stopped at the summit of the Mount of Olives to make a final sacrifice to God. We read in 2 Sam. 15:30, 32,
30 And David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went, and his head was covered, and he walked barefoot… 32 It happened as David was coming to the summit [rosh, “head, skull”], where God was worshiped, that behold, Hushai the Archite met him with his coat torn and dust on his head.
The NASB translators did not seem to understand the prophetic significance of this story. They wrote of “the summit where God was worshiped,” implying that David walked past the place where he had worshiped God prior to this day. But the KJV says, “he came to the top of the mount, where he worshiped God.”
Young’s Literal Translation reads, “David hath come unto the top, where he boweth himself to God.”
Rotherham’s The Emphasized Bible reads, “David reached the summit, where he bowed himself down unto God.”
The Septuagint gives us the old rabbinic view in their translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek: “David came as far as Ros, where he worshiped God.” It seems clear that David actually offered a sacrifice to God on the Mount of Olives as he was leaving Jerusalem to go into exile.
The Prophetic Type
David’s sacrifice prophesied of Jesus’ own sacrifice on the cross a thousand years later. Jesus was crucified on the Mount of Olives next to the place where the ashes of the red heifer were stored to purify those who were unclean as they entered Jerusalem.
The traditional site within the walls of the city, where men say Jesus was crucified, was not the actual location. No one was crucified within the city walls. Heb. 13:11-14 says,
11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the gate. 12 Therefore, Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.
The author of the book of Hebrews was making the point that even as Jesus was crucified outside the gate of the city, so also should we “go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach,” for we seek a better city that is to come—the heavenly Jerusalem.
So it is clear that Jesus was crucified on the Mount of Olives. The location “outside the camp” was prophesied by the law of the red heifer (Num. 19:2, 3). The timing of His crucifixion was prophesied in the Passover law (Ex. 12:6).
All of this shows that David’s sacrifice on the Mount of Olives prophesied of Christ’s final Sacrifice on the cross. It also suggests that David left the city at Passover, when Absalom usurped his throne. A thousand years later, Caiaphas usurped Christ’s throne as well.
What is an Antichrist?
The Greek word antichristos is composed of two words: anti and christos. There is some confusion as to the meaning of anti. It can mean “to oppose,” but the primary meaning is to replace. Hence, it is rendered “in place of” in Matt. 2:22, where Archelaus replaced his father Herod.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of [anti] his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.
Archelaus was not opposed to his father, nor did he overthrow his father and usurp his throne. His father died of disease. But even if Archelaus had done so, he would have ruled anti-Herod, simply because he replaced him. The manner in which he replaced him cannot be seen purely from the word anti itself.
So also, an antichrist is simply one who rules in place of Christ. The word can refer to a vicar of Christ. However, Scripture sets forth Absalom as an anti-David, and because David was a type of Christ, Absalom is the model antichrist of prophecy.
Absalom opposed David and usurped his throne, ruling in place of David in a negative sense. By way of contrast, David himself ruled in place of Christ in a positive sense, because he understood that he was only a trustee, or agent of Christ.
Caiaphas, the Antichrist
Caiaphas played the role of Absalom when he usurped the throne of Christ with the help of Judas. So the Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Thess. 2:3, 4,
3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it [the day of the Lord] will not come unless the apostasy [apostasia, “defection”] comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction [or perdition], 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
Paul was teaching about “the day of the Lord,” which he described as a future event. That day will not come until a defection occurs—as seen in the case of Judas, who, in essence, defected to Christ’s enemies when he betrayed Him. We will have more to say about Judas shortly.
The “man of lawlessness” (anomia) was Caiaphas, who usurped the place of Christ, who, if it were possible, should have taken His throne on the mercy seat in the Most Holy Place. The mercy seat was the throne of God in the temple. When Caiaphas usurped the throne to rule as he saw fit, he became “the man of lawlessness” who had figuratively taken his seat of authority in the temple of God—as if he were God himself.
Anyone who usurps the throne of God and rules, not as a trustee or agent but by his own laws, is an antichrist.
In the 1850’s, Darby proposed his Dispensationalist theory which totally misunderstood Paul’s teaching about the man of lawlessness. Darby failed to understand the story of Absalom and Caiaphas. He failed to see how the day of the Lord had already been foreshadowed by prophetic types.
Just as Absalom was not the final manifestation of antichrist, neither was Caiaphas. However, both prophesied of greater things to come. Caiaphas was a type of a larger body of people that John called “many antichrists” (1 John 2:18). John was primarily speaking of those believers who had defected—those following the path of Judas, “the son of perdition” (John 17:12 KJV; 2 Thess. 2:3 KJV).
Judas, the Son of Perdition
Judas betrayed Christ, even as Ahithophel had betrayed David a thousand years earlier (2 Sam. 15:31). Jesus referred to Judas {“the son of perdition”) in John 17:12,
12 While I was with them [the disciples], I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
What Scripture? There are many in the psalms, because David often spoke of Ahithophel’s betrayal. One such Scripture is Psalm 41:9,
9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
Judas, the betrayer, was Jesus’ friend as well, for we read in Matt. 26:48-50,
48 Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him.” 49 Immediately, Judas went to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. 50 And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him.
Judas was from Hebron, the place where Absalom’s revolt took place (2 Sam. 15:9). The old name for Hebron was Kirjath-arba (Gen. 23:2). Judas Iscariot was from Hebron as well, for Iscariot is the Greek term Ish-Kirjath, “man from Kirjath,” that is, Kirjath-arba, or Hebron. We see, then, that even as Ahithophel had gone to Hebron in 2 Sam. 15:12 to betray David in Jerusalem, Judas came from Hebron to betray Jesus in Jerusalem (Matt. 20:18).
Both Ahithophel and Judas hanged themselves shortly after their acts of betrayal. 2 Sam. 17:23 KJV says,
23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city [Hebron], and put his household in order, and hanged himself…
Of Judas, we read in Matt. 27:5,
5 And he [Judas] threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.
Weeks later, while the 120 were in the upper room to await the outpouring of the Spirit, Peter felt it necessary to replace Judas. Apparently, they had been engaging in Bible study, and Peter found evidence in the psalms that Judas should be replaced. Acts 1:20 says,
20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, “Let his homestead be made desolate and let no one dwell in it,” and “Let another man take his office.”
The first reference is a quote from the Septuagint version of Psalm 69:25, 26,
25 Let their habitation be made desolate; and let there be no inhabitant in their tents, 26 because they have persecuted him whom Thou hast smitten, and they have added to the grief of my wounds.
The second reference that Peter found is from Psalm 109:8 (Septuagint), “Let his days be few; and let another take his office of overseer.”
Peter believed that both of these Scriptures applied to Judas, even though David had been referring to Ahithophel. Peter’s words in Acts 1:20 gave me the revelation which connected Ahithophel to Judas, and, by extension, Absalom to Caiaphas and David to Jesus.
This was how I came to see that the story of Absalom usurping David’s throne was a prophecy of the New Testament conflict between Caiaphas and Jesus. I was then amazed that no one had ever taught me this in all my years growing up in the church.
Darby’s view of “The Antichrist” had blinded the eyes of the church to the truth of Scripture. Prophecy teachers were straining their eyes in search of candidates for the role of Antichrist. They could not see the plain and simple truth.
The Second Coming of Christ
In order to understand how antichrist is to arise in the latter days, we must first understand the distinct purposes of Christ’s two appearances on earth and each mission that He must accomplish.
In Christ’s first appearance, He came through the tribe of Judah in order to lay claim to the Scepter that had been given to the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10). He was born in Bethlehem, “because He was of the house and family of David” (Luke 2:4).
Not just any member of the tribe of Judah had the calling to bring forth the Messiah. The Messiah was to come specifically through the house of David.
Jesus was of the right lineage to inherit the throne, and this lineage is given in the first 17 verses of Matthew. But more than that, the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him to do the work of the Messiah (Isaiah 61:1, 2; Luke 4:18-21).
In the second coming of Christ, He comes through the tribe of Joseph in order to have a rightful claim to the Joseph’s birthright (1 Chron. 5:1, 2). So we read in Rev. 19:13, “He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood.” This identifies Him with Joseph, for we read in Gen. 37:31,
31 So they took Joseph’s tunic and slaughtered a male goat and dipped the tunic in the blood.
Likewise, in the law of healing lepers, prophesying of the two comings of Christ, we find that it would take two birds to complete the process of bringing us into immortality. Lev. 14:4-7 says,
4 then the priest shall give orders to take two live clean birds and cedar wood and a scarlet string and hyssop for the one who is to be cleansed. 5 Then the priest shall also give orders to slay the one bird in an earthenware vessel over running water. 6 As for the live bird, he shall take it together with the cedar wood and the scarlet string and the hyssop and shall dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was slain over the running water. 7 He then shall sprinkle seven times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy and shall pronounce him clean and shall let the live bird go free into the open field.
The first bird was killed, because it represented Christ’s death in His first coming. The second bird was dipped in the blood of the first, and so Christ is said to come with His robe dipped in blood. Christ is then released into the “open field,” because He must appear again in the world. Matt. 13:38 says, “the field is the world.”
Hence, the law prophesies of two comings of Christ, each manifested by a different bird. The first bird had to die; the second was dipped in the blood of the first. Thus, Judah fulfilled its call in bringing forth the messiah; Joseph is now fulfilling his call in the second coming of Christ. Between the two comings, Christ unites the two sticks of Judah and Joseph, so that the Israelites (overcomers) may “appoint themselves one leader” (Hosea 1:11), that is, Christ.
Take note also that Jacob had given the scepter to Judah only temporarily “until Shiloh comes” (Gen. 49:10). We know this is a reference to Joseph, because in the end all of Joseph’s brothers—including Judah—were to bow before Joseph (Gen. 37:7, 9).
This occurred literally some years later when the brothers came to Egypt to buy grain (Gen. 42:6). However, this also prophesied of the day when the scepter of Judah would be transferred to Joseph, so that the scepter and the birthright might be reunited in the hand of Christ.
Modern Antichrist and Son of Perdition
I have already explained the mission of Christ in His second coming. It is to take the birthright and to reunite it with the scepter. Those who oppose this mission are the modern antichrists and the modern son of perdition.
Recall that the Old Testament presents the main type of antichrist in the story of Absalom, who was the anti-David. He usurped David’s throne with the help of Ahithophel. In the New Testament the role of Absalom was played by Caiaphas, and the role of Ahithophel was played by Judas, the son of perdition, Jesus’ “friend” who betrayed Him.
As we began to approach the time of Christ’s second coming, the Rothschild family of Satanists, pretending to be Jews, established and funded a movement called Zionism. This movement sought to fulfill Bible prophecy in a lawless manner that counterfeited the true move of God.
Zionism was designed to prepare the way for a false messiah, one who fulfilled the carnal expectations of Judaism. Having rejected the true Messiah (John 1:11), they are prepared to anoint a militant messiah who would conquer the world and enslave all non-Jews, subjecting all to the bondage of the Old Covenant.
Unfortunately, the creation of the state of “Israel” in 1948 convinced many Christians that the Jews were the holders of the birthright of Joseph. The name Israel had been given to the sons of Joseph (Gen. 48:16), not to Judah. Hence, during the Divided Kingdom, Israel consisted of the ten tribes, while Judah was limited to two tribes.
This was because the tribes of Joseph were in the north. Judah did not have the right to claim the name Israel.
Unfortunately, the church was largely ignorant of this biblical history. So they assumed that after the Israelites were taken to Assyria and “lost,” the prophecies given to Israel were given to the southern kingdom of Judah.
This misunderstanding has caused many believers (friends of Jesus Christ) to support the Zionist cause and thereby to support their false messiah. Darby even promoted the idea that the New Covenant would soon end and that the coming Kingdom would revert back to the Old Covenant forms of worship, complete with animal sacrifices.
This appalling defection has created a modern Judas company that (inadvertently) supports the man of sin, i.e., the man of lawlessness. Many of these “friends” of Jesus have even converted to Judaism in order to align themselves early with the Old Covenant order that they think is coming.
In doing so, they have fulfilled John’s description of the “many antichrists” in the early church who did the same. We read in 1 John 2:18, 19,
18 Children it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.
Toward the end of the first century, when John wrote his letter, many Christians had reverted back to temple worship, placing themselves under the authority of the antichrists that had usurped the throne of Christ. John took this as a sign that “it is the last hour.” Hence, when we see the multitude of Christian Zionists who have defected from Christ in His second appearance, we know that “it is the last hour.”
The Antichrist has been with us since the first coming of Christ. Antichrist is described in 1 John 2:22,
22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.
Jews who remain in Judaism deny that Jesus is the Son of God. These are the ones John calls “antichrist.” And those who defect are sons of perdition. Let us then support Jesus Christ’s claim to the birthright of Joseph.
