The Cult of Personality and the Antichrist

The concept of a "cult of personality," which refers to the deliberate cultivation of a leader's image or persona to create a heroic or even god-like status, is not explicit in the Bible, but the idea of excessive adoration or worship of a person, rather than God, is a recurring theme clearly expuned as dangerous.

The Bible often portrays instances where people have placed excessive trust or faith in human leaders, which is often seen as a form of idolatry or a deviation from true worship. The 1st and 2nd commandments of God are quite explicit:

"You shall have no other gods before me.

"You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God." (Exo. 20:3-5)

The New Testament lists idolatry among the "works of the flesh", warning that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal. 5:19-21)

The term cult of personality is often used in a political or social context to describe an identity where a leader is portrayed as infallible, if not divine, and their followers exhibit excessive loyalty and devotion.

Throughout Bible history, there have been examples of leaders who have cultivated a cult of personality, often using propaganda and other techniques to create a heroic image. Cain's action in Gen. 4 can be seen as an originator of this movement towards self delusion and rebellion. The next infamous man in the Bible who was able to gather very loyal followings around him was Nimrod, who became a "mighty-hunter" before ('in place') of God, and established the first city-state, Babel (Gen. 12). The spirit behind all these is of course emanated from Lucifer himself. The prophet Isaiah once identified him:

“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’" (Isa. 44:12-14)

In the book of Ezekiel, the vanity of Lucifer was seen in the human representation of the "Prince of Tyre" (Ezek. 28:2). Hence, Lucifer became Satan the "Adversary" ('opposite' of God). As he gain followings, his rebellion led to his casting down to earth (Rev. 12). Through Satan's deception, the earth became full of his oozing personality (as 'tyrants'). The resulting effect, he is able to deceive and control the entire world (Rev. 12:9)!

Thus, as Wikipedia observes, "...monarchs and other heads of state were frequently treated with enormous reverence and they were also thought to be endowed with super-human qualities. Through the principle of the divine right of kings, notably in medieval Europe, rulers were said to hold office by the will of God or the will of the gods. Ancient Egypt, Imperial Japan, the Inca, the Aztecs, Tibet, Siam (now Thailand), and the Roman Empire are especially noted for their redefinition of monarchs as "god-kings".

The subsequent development of mass media, such as radio and television enabled cult personality leaders to project a positive yet deceptive image of themselves to the masses as never before. It was from these circumstances in the 20th century that the most notorious personality cults arose. Frequently, these cults are a form of political religion. No wonder deception have become rampant rather than contained or exposed.

It adds, "The advent of the internet and the World Wide Web in the 21st century has renewed the personality cult phenomenon. Disinformation via social media platforms and the twenty-four hour news cycle has enabled the widespread dissemination and acceptance of deceptive information and propaganda. As a result, personality cults have grown and remained popular in many places, corresponding with a marked rise in authoritarian government across the world."

Prophetically, the rise of cult personality will eventually lead to the thrusting and coming out of the Antichrist. He is seen as pompous and foul mouthed, yet very charismatic and charming. The prophet Daniel has this to say about his identity:

"He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law." (Dan.7:25)

Revelation 13, added:

"Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name." (Read the entire chapter.)

So as the End approaches, the Bible constantly emphasizes the importance of seeking and revering the true God. It warns us against idolatry and the worship of idols and false gods (acting as 'saviour') as the most predominant spirits in the last days.

"Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour." (1 John 2:18)