Purim Parallels: How Haman Had the Spirit of the Antichrist

As the Jewish holiday of Purim approaches on March 20-21, the bravery of Esther and her uncle, Mordecai, is celebrated, as they helped stop a plan of the king’s adviser, Haman, to wipe out the Jewish people.

That page of history from 2,500 years ago has ties to today, especially as Haman had a spirit of the Antichrist and was intent on annihilating an entire population, says author and pastor Mark Biltz in his newest book, Decoding the Antichrist and the End Times: What the Bible Says and What the Future Holds.

But while there are parallels to Purim, namely in how that era was a time of “legalizing lawlessness” much like today, Biltz says the coming Antichrist’s mission will not be annihilation but assimilation.

“Even though Jesus was a prophet who did miracles and many wonderful works, He is disqualified, according to the Bible, if He removes one jot or tittle from the law,” Biltz says. “I believe the Antichrist and false prophet will actually claim to be the real Moses and Elijah and say the real Moses and Elijah are the Antichrist and the false prophet.

“The Antichrist and false prophet will have no problem letting you keep your Jesus,” he adds. “But for the sake of peace, everyone will also have to acknowledge another god. The ‘greasy grace’ message, as well as a false image of a Greek-minded Jesus who is not judgmental, will cause many to believe they can bow down to an idol and still be forgiven. Surely Jesus would understand, as He did away with all those archaic laws of the Old Testament!”

But knowing who the Antichrist will be is not as important as knowing his overall philosophy, Biltz continues.

“We need to know he wants to change the times and the seasons so we will be caught unaware,” he says. “We need to know God’s appointed times so we will know when to be watching and when to get on board. And we need to know that the Antichrist spirit is one of lawlessness—not only regarding the laws of the world, as many are really ‘lawless.’ The Antichrist is opposed to God’s laws! If we treat God’s laws as being done away with or to be disregarded and thrown into the trash bin of history, we are in big trouble.”

This is why it is so important, he says, to have an accurate understanding of the philosophy of the Antichrist rather than trying to figure out who it is.

“Unbeknownst to many,” Biltz concludes, “the Antichrist spirit that has been around for thousands of years has been seducing the multitudes with his spirit of lawlessness.”

Decoding the Antichrist and the End Times takes an in-depth look at some of the deepest questions surrounding the Antichrist, such as the following:

• What does the Bible say about the Antichrist’s tactics and his motivation?
• Will he be a Muslim, a Jew or a professed Christian—or something else?
• Will the Antichrist work through modern technology to seize control?

Mark Biltz is founder of El Shaddai Ministries and a well-known and popular commentator on the feasts of the Lord. In fact, he has produced a series of DVDs on the feasts that have gone around the world. Biltz is also the author of Blood Moons and God’s Day Timer. His research and theories have led to guest appearances on both radio and television as well as being featured on the covers of magazines.

Decoding the Antichrist and the End Times is published by Charisma House, which has published books that challenge, encourage, teach and equip Christians, including 14 New York Times’ best-sellers.