For every 'type of Christ' in the Scripture and history, there seems to be an equal and opposing 'type of antichrist'. The most apparent and entirely systematic first impression made by an antichrist was such that he could have been mistaken for a great king, a deliverer, or a messiah in at least some way. This 'mistaken-for-a- messiah' figure was not primarily known for being patently evil in the first instance. In the end, though, he was always marked by this feature: out of consuming jealousy and full of concern to protect his own position, he would try to murder the true 'messiah figure' at his appearance on the scene.

In the case of Abraham: Jewish tradition claims that when Abram was born in Ur, a star appeared in the sky signalling to astrologers that a mighty ruler of the future had been born. During this time, there was already a 'mighty ruler' on the throne of the land, Nimrod. As well as the scriptural description of Nimrod as 'the mighty hunter', there is traditional history that identifies Nimrod builder of the tower of Babel. In the period after the great Biblical flood, he was attempting to build higher than could be destroyed in a repeat deluge. He did this with a God-defying boast, and did not care how many innocent lives were destroyed during the course of the building. The traditions say that a star signified the birth of a child who would be more powerful than he was. Upon discovering that a potential ursurper of his throne was born, he ordered the death of any baby arriving at the significant time. Abram was the child whose birth was marked by the star, it is said, and his parents hid him away to escape the purge. An innocent baby, born at the same time, was mudered in his place.

In the case of Joseph: A younger son, more greatly beloved and signalled out for supreme favours by his father, was despatched by his own jealous older brothers. They initially intended his death, but sold him into slavery instead. By doing this, they spared their own saviour, as he became the chief administrator under the Egyptian Pharaoh's rule who was responsible for providing them with food in famine. Initially, when they were seeking their salvation at his hand, they did not recognise the powerful Egyptian administrator as their own brother.

In the case of Moses: The great pharaoh reigning at the time of his birth tried to destroy all the Jewish male children for purposes of population control and thus national security. Later, as it is recorded in Jewish tradition, the Jewish child who had been saved by being put into a basket in the river was rescued by the sister of Pharaoh and became her adopted son. Moes was thus regarded as 'a prince of Egypt'. He was too handsome and wonderful to be disregarded in terms of a threat to the ruling family, and was 'set up' by being sent out in a supposed 'suicide mission'. He survived to become the deliverer of his own original people, the Israelites.

In the case of David: Saul, the anointed king of Israel, who seemed to have been chosen by God as the nation's first king, originally enjoyed the popular approval of his people. (It seems strange that no one commented that earlier prophecies said the kings should come of the tribe of Judah while Saul was of the tribe of Benjamin.) During Saul's increasingly flawed reign, though, young David, who was secretly anointed to succeed him by Samuel, became popular with the people. Learning this, Saul turned murderous in his intentions toward David, his son-in-law and best friend of his own son, and tried repeatedly to kill him.

The Maccabees: There was a sense of messianic mission when the family delivered their nation of Israel from the determined attempts by Antiochus Ephiphanes to destroy them during his reign. (The cruel savagery of that ruler has caused many to regard him as an anti-christ figure, equalled only by Hitler in his ferocity against the Jews as a people and determination to exterminate them as a people. Strangely, in both these periods, an attempt to exterminate the Jews lead directly to their resurgence as a sovereign people in their former land.)

In the case of Jesus Christ Himself: The Edomite,Herod the Great, was declared by the Romans to be the King of Israel in an unexpected way, and in the earlier part of his reign was genuinely believed by some to be a candidate for the role of the promised and eagerly-awaited Messiah of the Jews. When the magi brought him the news of the birth of the child who would be 'the king of the Jews', he massacred all the children of Bethlehem who were born at the time designated.

In each of these examples, the antichrist figure took the stage as a man of power or natural superiority just before the later-acknowledged 'truly anointed' figure made his appearance. The 'jealous rage' at the coming of one 'greater than he' was also typical, as was the attempt to destroy the coming one in order to retain power.

Following this pattern, it is easy to see how the antichrist figure in end-time prophecies would be the same. He will seem to be the greatest power on earth, the long-awaited deliverer of mankind. It is said that he will exalt himself to the degree of even claiming to be a god. It is further written that he will become very evil when in his most powerful period, and that he will be destroyed by the coming of Jesus.

Since 'the type' of Messiah has commonly repeated features, is it not possible that there will be 'repeat features' in 'the type of the antichrist', making him recognisable in some ways? Also, as he is to be commonly mistaken as 'the true Messiah', is it not likely that there will be features about him, or his life history, that will seem to be fulfilling prophecies regarding the long-awaited return of Jesus the Christ?

Please consider the two tables below. The first one, relating to the past, shows that both Herod the Great and Jesus can be seen, in particular historical details, having shadowed the life of King David and/or his son King Solomon. It goes on to show how Herod the Great was believed by some to have been fulfilling the prophecies believed to relate to 'great David's greater Son', but how Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecies in a clearly different way.

The second table suggests how historical details of the life of Herod the Great might be shadowed in the development of the coming end-time antichrist. Also, it suggests how such a man could 'seem to be' fulfilling prophecies and expectations related to the Messiah, until the Second Coming of Jesus reveals His final purposes fully.

DAVID and SOLOMON:

Kingly line promised to be from the tribe of Judah; clear descent in records.

Born in Bethlehem.

Solomon married a daughter of Egypt's Pharaoh, a very unusual privilege. Egypt usually 'acquired' daughters of other kings for treaty alliances, but did not give their daughters to other nations.

David was anointed the king of Israel when he was just a shepherd boy, the youngest son of a large family.

When David was celebrating the coming of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, he stripped off his royal robes and danced in simple garments. For his 'undignified behaviour', his wife, the daughter of King Saul, despised him and mocked him.

Both David and Solomon made royal marriages.

When David had to flee from Saul's attempts to murder him, he was offered positions of power by the enemies of his people.

David ruled over only the southern part of the kingdom for the first 7 years, and then 33 years from Jerusalem. (Total of 40 years as king).

There are 'Solomon's Pools' in Bethlehem, from which water was taken by viaduct to Jerusalem.

People lost their lives for having provided David with bread when he was a fugitive.

In the reigns of David and Solomon, Israel was a larger kingdom than it had ever been.

The fame of both David and Solomon spread beyond their own lands. Hiram, the king of Tyre, was their friend and partner in enterprises, and the Queen of Sheba was one who came to see if the stories about Solomon were true.

David rebuilt the Jebusite fortress in Jerusalem, gaining for his palace the designation 'the citadel of David.'

David's greatest concern was for the placing of the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem, and then his desire to build a glorious temple there in honour of his God. This last privilege was denied, but was granted to his son and heir, Solomon, who built the first Jewish Temple there on a threshing floor purchased from a Jebusite.

David was rejected from his kingdom after a coup by his son Absalom. He wept as he left the city, just as he was halfway up the Mount of Olives making his escape toward the Jordan River. Just over the summit of the mountain, a man met him with some donkeys to aid him and his companions in their flight.

Solomon was regarded as David's greatest son and successor, but it was promised that he would one day have a 'greater son' whose kingdom would never end. This was to be Israel's Messiah.

There was great mourning at the death of King David. He is mourned still, on the first day of the Feast of Pentecost, (Shavuot) by the Jews at his supposed tomb on Mount Zion.

HEROD the GREAT:

An Edomite (descendant of Esau) but he claimed that he was of the tribe of Judah and burned genealogical records that might have proved otherwise.

Came from Ashkelon. A decisive battle, which ultimately brought him to the throne of the Jewish nation, was fought just outside Bethlehem. He built an artificial mountain on the spot, encompassing a palace, and named it Herodian. He was buried there.

Was promised a high position in the government of Egypt by Cleopatra, but fled from her to Rome, where he was pronounced king.

An elderly Essene prophesied to Herod, when he was but a child, that he would one day be the King of the Jews.

Herod's first position of power was as ruler of Galilee when he was a young man.

When Herod was called before the Sanhedrin to give an account for executing criminal robbers without their permission, he 'donned the purple', dressing himself in 'royal garments' to intimidate his accusers. They were cowed by his bearing and he went free.

Herod set aside his first, undistinguished, wife, and married a much-loved Hasmonean princess. This marriage conferred upon him a certain royal status in the minds of many in Israel.

When Herod had to flee from the Hasmonean link with the Parthians, he escaped to Egypt (on his way to Rome, ultimately) and was tempted by Cleopatra to remain there in a promised position of great power.

Herod was pronounced king in Rome, but had to fight for 3 years to establish this claim. He ruled from Jerusalem for 33 years.

Herod built massive viaducts and other channels to take water in abundance to where it was needed in his thirsty kingdom.

When there was a famine, Herod bought bread for the people from his own private funds.

Under the Romans, Herod was granted a larger extent of land than even David and Solomon had ruled.

Herod toured the Galilee area and the Decapolis in the company of his friend and patron Augustus Caesar, believed to be a god. He built pagan temples, including one at Caesarea Phillipi in honour of this visit and his friendship with Caesar.

One the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, in the area of the sometime-rebels the Gadarenes, the presence of Herod so frightened the people that some of them committed suicide by jumping off a cliff to escape his expected wrath.

Herod, as King of the Jews, was widely known in the Roman world of the eastern Mediterranean. He made beneficent gifts of towns, cities, and Roman-style buildings throughout the area. His name, as King of the Jews, became widely known among the gentile peoples.

Herod was justly famed for his great buildings, including palaces, fortresses, and even entirely new cities. Many still remain.

Herod's most famous building work was his Temple in Jerusalem. He greatly enlarged the area of the Temple Mount so that the structure and its surroundings could be very obviously greater in size and glory than the Temple built by David's son Solomon.

Herod was obsessed by his desire to be 'the greater son of David'. In the context of this understanding, it is little surprise to read of his rage when teh magi reported to him the news of the birth of a King of the Jews in Bethlehem.

As his death appeared imminent, Herod gave instructions that important men from cities throughout his kingdom be gathered together in a public arena. At the announcement of his death, they were to be slaughtered. This was to ensure that there would be cries of grief in his kingdom at the time of his death. The men were gathered, but his sister did not obey his command to kill the men when he died.

JESUS as PROMISED MESSIAH:

Recorded genealogical descent from the tribe of Judah.

Born in Bethlehem, as had been prophesied of the Messiah.

Taken by his parents into Egypt when a baby to escape Herod's Massacre of the Innocents.

Simeon and Anna in the Temple precincts at Jerusalem identified the new-born Jesus as the 'promised one' who would deliver his people.

Was raised in the Galilee after his parent moved there from his birth in Bethlehem.

It is written of Jesus that He humbled Himself, laid aside 'His glory' and took upon Himself the position of a servant in order to save mankind.

It is not believed that Jesus married.

After His baptism in the River Jordan, Jesus 'fled into the wilderness' where He was tempted by Satan to give up His purposes and serve those of Satan instead. He was promised 'all the kingdoms of the world' if He would do so.

Jesus lived for just 33 years, about 3 and 1/2 years of which were the years of His public ministry.

Jesus said that if people believed in Him, 'rivers of living water' would be within them.

Jesus said that He was the Bread of Life.

Jesus said that His kingdom was 'not of this world,' and indicated that His rule would encompass people from the whole earth, both Jew and gentile.

While in the area of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus prompted Peter to confess that He was the Christ, the Son of 'the living God.'

In the Gadarene region, Jesus healed a demented man. The spirits that had inhabited the man (who spoke to identify themselves in the name of 'Legion', went into a herd of swine (which were the 'mascot symbol' of the occupying Roman legion there) and the pigs rushed off a cliff to their deaths. The people of the place were so terrified by this event that they asked Jesus to leave the area.

It was written that the Messiah would make the name of the God of Israel great among the gentiles. Jesus instructed His disciples to go 'into all the world and make disciples of all nations.'

Jesus said that He did not even have a place of His own in which 'to lay His head.'

Jesus said that the true Temple was not of stone (Herod's). He referred to His own body as being the real Temple of God.

On the day known as Palm Sunday, Jesus arranged to take a donkey from Bethphage, very likely the exact same place where David had been provided with donkeys during his escape. He rode, then, in the opposite direction from David's flight, down the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem. His ride traditionally was past the tomb of the prophets, including that of Zechariah, who had prophesied to the nation of Israel that its king would come into the kingdom, humbly, riding on a donkey. Halfway down the mountain, Jesus paused to weep over the city and its fate, sealed by its rejection of Him. He was hailed, in this ride, as the 'Son of David.'

Jesus was not only hailed as the 'Son of David', and thus, the promised Messiah, but he was crucified under the Roman-inscribed title of 'King of the Jews'.

Jesus told His followers not to lose heart, and told the women not to weep for Him as He went toward His crucifixion. He prayed that those who killed Him might be forgiven, because they did not know what they were doing.