Antichrist will also be the angel of the abyss (9:11), which is a deep shaft. We have seen that Antichrist will come out of the abyss (11:7; 17:8) and will possess the spirit of Nero. Some may wonder how we know that the resuscitated Antichrist will possess the spirit of Nero. On the one hand, as far as his physical origin is concerned, Antichrist will come from one of the four kingdoms of the empire of ancient Macedonia and Greece. On the other hand, the Bible clearly indicates that he will emerge out of the abyss. Furthermore, his name will have a number, six hundred sixty-six. According to the numerical evaluation of the Hebrew letters, the number of the name Caesar Nero equals six hundred sixty-six. This indicates that the coming Antichrist will be Caesar Nero. With the help of some of the foregoing teachers, we have seen that after Caesar Nero died his spirit undoubtedly went to the abyss for some future use. At a certain time, his spirit will be released from the abyss. We are told clearly in Revelation that the coming Antichrist will suffer a fatal blow. Although he will be killed, his fatal wound will be healed (13:3). This denotes resuscitation. When we come to chapter seventeen, we shall see that Antichrist will be resuscitated with the spirit of Caesar Nero. Antichrist will firstly be the seventh Caesar who will be assassinated, probably before the last three and a half years. Then the spirit of Nero will be released from the abyss to enter into the body of the seventh Caesar, who will then be resuscitated to become the eighth Caesar. This will be a counterfeit of the resurrection of Christ. Christians have been preaching that Christ was the only One to be crucified and resurrected. But the day is coming when another one will be killed and seemingly resurrected. Due to this counterfeit of the resurrection, the whole world will marvel after the beast (13:3), Antichrist, the counterfeit of Christ. He, the seventh, will become the eighth; yet he will have the body of the seventh and the spirit of the fifth. We all need the enlightenment of this proper understanding.
As the angel of the abyss, Antichrist will be the king of the demon-possessed locusts (9:1-11). At the sounding of the fifth trumpet, Satan will fall to the earth and will be given the key of the shaft of the abyss (9:1). The star in 9:1 refers to Satan, who will be cast down from heaven to earth. After Satan has been cast down to earth, he will use the key of the shaft of the abyss to release an army of extraordinary, demon-possessed locusts. At the time these locusts are released from the abyss, the spirit of Nero will probably be released with them. They may all come out of the abyss together, and Antichrist will become the king of this army of locusts. As we have seen, these locusts will torment men for five months. Satan, the dragon, and Antichrist, the beast, will collaborate to torment and injure man whom God created for Himself. This will be the fifth trumpet, the first of the three woes, the beginning of the great tribulation.
Revelation 9:11 says that the name of the angel of the abyss in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon. Abaddon means destruction, and Apollyon means destroyer. Antichrist will be both the destroyer and the destruction. He will be consumed with rage, will be obsessed with a satanic hatred, and will bring destruction wherever he goes. Satan will realize that his time is short, that he has just three and a half years to act on earth. Hence, working through Antichrist, he will do everything possible to damage mankind.
Antichrist will also be the man of sin (2 Thes. 2:3-10). When the apostle Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians, he must have been impressed regarding this man of sin from his knowledge of the book of Daniel. According to Daniel chapters eight and eleven, Antichrist will exalt himself above all gods and call himself God. Paul’s word concerning this in 2 Thessalonians 2 must refer to the book of Daniel.