Northland45 (I believe it was) contends that Satan himself=the anti-Christ: thus the theories abounding as to his human identity are moot.

The poster believes this will antagonize mainstream eschatologists---yet the majority of them believe that Satan, subsequent to bing cast out of "heaven" (spirit/interdimensional realm), will require a host body. One will be found, they hypothesize, in the most powerful figure in the world at that moment (though not yet overtly evil), having received a "deadly wound". After Satan thus incarnates, the real reign of terror in the final 42 month cycle before Christ's return will occur.

I'm not going to waste time picking apart either theory, but I will make the following comments:

* The "great tribulation" ( First Five Seals,man nearly annihilating himself)is the first portion of the final 42 month period prior to Christ's return: followed by astrophysical upheavals that affect earth (Sixth Seal, asteroid impact/nucler-type winter, etc.) signaling the "Day of the LORD"
(7th Seal=Trumpets & Vials--warning & preventing humanity for m exterminating all life, and finally crushing human society) culminating in the Second Coming & God's Kingdom. The mysterious 7-year period of Daniel 9:27 is NOT the Tribulation, though it contains it.

* There has been some confusion over how many anti-Christs thare are. The prominent theory of the moment is that of Kathleen Keating (devout Catholic), promoting Benjamin Creme's Maitreya as the bona fide Beast, but with the speculation that another figure
(such as this guy: http://www.maitreya.org) set up as the devilish figure; so as to throw off suspicion from the real deal.
I agree in principle, but suspect that this world's nominal, paganized, solar, mysteries-infested "Christianity" and the opponents of what is termed the "Luciferian NWO" will band together to portray themselves as the "true Kingdom of God";
eliminate/assimilate the Anglo-American globalist cartel;
eliminate any genuine believers in Christ as heretics;

with the "state" element eventually destroying the "church" element once is use in these regards has been served (see Rev.17)
Finally, it will turn on Christ and His celestial armies (how right are Stichin & von Daniken?) as the "forces of Evil"--Zionist conspirators, bad "aliens", etc., banding together to "save" hmanity from this "menace" in a great, final holy war.
Of course it turns out to be the battle commonly termed Armageddon, and they have it all backwards.

But prior to this, I think Maitreya will fulfill the role of the last and greatest "False Christ", put down by the supposed Messiah who promises everlasting peace, but brings, as is the limitation of man, only the sword.

F4