It is this kind of leadership crisis that will ultimately create the political-
economic-ethnic vacuum that will open the way for the final antichrist of
history. This false political-spiritual leader will deceive the masses of
the world. The Bible warns that the “...spirit of antichrist...is coming
and even now is already in the world” (I Jn. 2:18-22; 4:3; II Jn. 7).
The primary way we can identify the “spirit of antichrist” is that it
is opposed to the ultimate authority of the Incarnate Christ – the Lord
Jesus! This is the spirit that rejects the historic Christ as God Incarnate
(Mtt. 24:5, 11, 24; II Thess. 2:5-12; Rev. 13:14; 20:7). At almost every
level of leadership in the world today, there is a growing hostility toward
the Lordship of Christ. World leaders may pay Jesus Christ lip service as
a great moral example – but they will never surrender their temporal
authority to His ultimate authority. They will not submit their thrones
to His throne! Whether on a personal or political level, the spirit of
antichrist will tolerate no rival to its total supremacy. Their name must
eclipse all other names – including that “...Name that is above every
name...the Name of Jesus” (Phil. 2:9-10). Their power must have
no limits, and their glory must outshine all. This is the tyranny of the
reign of ego in every heart! It is the enthronement of self that is the very
essence of sin. It is also the source of untold political intrigue...abuse of
power...continuous warfare...ethnic cleansing...and environmental plunder
the world over! It annually results in the disruption of nations...the
displacement of people...the starvation of masses...the disease of
multitudes...and murder of untold millions of people. This reign of
self reduces people to slaves...refugees...victims. It ultimately leads to
personal...emotional...mental...spiritual...relational...economic...
and environmental death! Truly, submitting to the wrong leadership –
whether personally or politically – has devastating consequences!
Richard Phillips, in his excellent book, The Heart of an Executive, said this
about the tragedy of false leaders:
It is painful to observe...men and women placed in the executive’s
chair – a seat of possibility, meaning and importance – only
to squander it all over tawdry ambition and shortsighted gain.
How hard it is to see the servant’s place taken by a charlatan...
The counterfeit leader is reprehensible in the extreme, just as
burdensome to the heart of God as he is to the backs of men.^2Jesus expressed this universal need for leadership when He said that
mankind are like “...sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). Jesus was