Types Of Antichrist Part 2 of 2 (Pharaoh, Goliath & Absalom)

Read the Introduction or read Part 1

PHARAOH...

We have in mind the Pharaoh of the book of Exodus. His history and character are described at much greater length than the other personal types of the Antichrist which have been before us, and therefore more parallelisms are to be found here. We shall aim to be suggestive rather than exhaustive.

- First, Pharaoh was king of Egypt which, in Scripture, is the lasting symbol of the world. In like manner, the one whom he so strikingly prefigured will be Head of the world-kingdom.

- Second, the Pharaoh of Exodus came from Assyria (Isa. 52:4); so also will the Antichrist first rise in that land.

- Third, Ex. 1 presents him to our view as the merciless persecutor of the Hebrews, embittering their lives by hard bondage.

- Fourth, he is next seen as the one who sought to cut off Israel from being a nation, giving orders that all the male children should be slain in infancy.

- Fifth, he blatantly defied God. When Moses and Aaron appeared before him and said, "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let My people go, that they may hold a feast unto Me in the wilderness," his arrogant reply was, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?" (Ex. 5:1, 2).

- Sixth, God's two witnesses performed miracles before Pharaoh (Ex. 7:10); so, too, will God's two witnesses in the Tribulation period work miracles before the Beast (Rev. 11:6, 7).

- Seventh, Pharaoh had magical resources at his disposal (Ex. 7:11), as the Antichrist will have at his (2 Thess. 2:9).

- Eighth, Pharaoh made fair promises to the Hebrews, only to break them (Ex. 8:8, 15). In this, too, he foreshadowed the Antichrist in his perfidy and treachery toward Israel.

- Ninth, he met with a drastic end at the hands of God (Psa. 136:15).

- Tenth, he was overthrown at the time that Israel started out for the promised land: so Antichrist will be cast into the Lake of Fire just before Israel enters into everlasting possession of their promised inheritance.

In all of these ten respects (and in others which the student may search out for himself) Pharaoh was a striking and accurate type of the Antichrist.

GOLIATH...

- First, his name means "Soothsayer" which at once connects him with the powers of evil.

- Second, he was a giant, and thus, like Saul, prefigured the Super-man.

- Third, he was the enemy of Israel.

- Fourth, his consuming egotism was displayed in his blatant challenge, "I defy the armies of Israel" (1 Sam. 17:10).

- Fifth, the mysterious number 666 (the number of the Antichrist) is connected with Goliath. Note the three sixes. (a) He was six cubits high (1 Sam. 17:4). (b) Six pieces of armor are enumerated -- helmet, coat of mail, greaves, target, staff, and shield (1 Sam. 17:5[ndash ]7). (c) His spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron (1 Sam. 17:7).

- Sixth, he was slain by the sword (see 1 Sam. 17:51).

- Seventh, he was slain by David -- type of Christ. In each of these respects he foreshadowed the Antichrist.

ABSALOM...

- First, the meaning of his name is very significant. "Absalom" means "father of peace." A careful reading of his history reveals the fact that, again and again, he posed as a man of peace, while war was in his heart. So the Antichrist will pose as the promised Prince of peace, and for a time it will appear that he has actually ushered in the Millennium. But ere long his violent and bloody character will be revealed.

- Second, Absalom was the son of David, and therefore a Jew. but Absalom was a son of David by Maacah, the daughter of the Gentile king of Jeshur (2 Sam. 3:3). So, too, will the Antichrist be a veritable king among men.

- Third, Absalom was a man of blood (2 Sam. 13, etc.).

- Fourth, Absalom sought to obtain the kingdom by flatteries (2 Sam. 15:2-6); cf Dan. 11:21, 23.

- Fifth, he cloaked his rebellion by a pretense of religion (read 2 Sam. 15:7, 8).

- Sixth, he was the immediate cause of the faithful followers of David being driven from Jerusalem into the wilderness (2 Sam. 15:14-16).

- Seventh, he reared up a pillar unto himself (2 Sam. 18:18), which clearly foreshadowed the image which the Antichrist will cause to be set up unto himself.

- Eighth, he met with a violent end (2 Sam. 18:14).

There are quite a number of others who foreshadowed the Antichrist in one or more of the outstanding features of his character and career. For instance, there is Balak who, accompanied by Baalam the prophet sought to curse and destroy Israel -- a striking foreshadowing of the Beast with his ally the False Prophet. There is Adoni-zedek, mentioned in Joshua 10, and who headed a federation of ten kings; it is remarkable that his name signifies "lord of righteousness" which is what the Antichrist will claim to be as he comes forth on the white horse (Rev. 6).

Almost every prominent feature of the Antichrist's person and career was foreshadowed by some Old Testament character. The subject is intensely interesting, and we trust that many of our readers will be encouraged to pursue it further for themselves.