The Third Antichrist



Korihor

One of the clearest examples of an Antichrist in the Book of Mormon is Korihor.

 

An Antichrist is defined as anyone or anything that actively opposes Jesus Christ - either openly or secretly.  When people talk about the Antichrist, they are often referring to the servant of the “beast” described in the Book of Revelation who is to come.  While this is the most common use of the word, in truth, there have been Antichrists in the world ever since Cain. The scriptures and the pages of history are full of them; for example: the Apostle John refers to many antichrists (See the books of 1st and 2nd John in the New Testament).

The Book of Mormon is very clear in its description of several antichrists: men like Nehor, Zeezrom - whom we have already discussed - and Korihor, the Third Antichrist. If we carefully read about these men and the things they taught, we can see concepts and philosophies that are prevalent in our day and that are leading people astray and away from Jesus Christ. I want to spend some time with Korihor this week as his teachings resonate with the political and even spiritual arguments you hear each day through the media.  His is a cautionary tale that, if heeded, can keep us from being led astray.  I hope you will follow along as I tell the tragic story of Korihor as I point out some of the false doctrine he taught.  Perhaps you can recognize in the messages the philosophies of the world today.

Under Nephite law, men could be judged of crimes if they broke the law like Nehor when he murdered Gideon, but a man could not be tried because of his beliefs.  Korihor was very careful to keep himself just inside the law.  Let's look at the first of his arguments against the teachings of a coming Messiah/Christ:

For there was a law that men should be judged according to their crimes. Nevertheless, there was no law against a man’s belief; therefore, a man was punished only for the crimes which he had done; therefore all men were on equal grounds.  And this Anti-Christ, whose name was Korihor, (and the law could have no hold upon him) began to preach unto the people that there should be no [Messiah]/Christ. And after this manner did he preach, saying:  O ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things? Why do ye look for a Christ? For no man can know of anything which is to come. (Alma 30: 11-13)

• No one knew about a coming Messiah/Old Testament prophecies concerning His coming are false
• There is and never will be a Messiah/Christ
• Believing in the Son of God is foolish

Behold, these things which ye call prophecies, which ye say are handed down by holy prophets, behold, they are foolish traditions of your fathers.  How do ye know of their surety? Behold, ye cannot know of things which ye do not see; therefore ye cannot know that there shall be a [Messiah]/Christ. (Alma 30: 14-15)

• No one can predict the future; therefore, belief in prophets and prophecies are just foolish traditions. 
• The only things a person can know are those things he can see, touch, or hear.  Today, this philosophy is know as naturalistic empiricism and is very popular among humanists.

How often do we hear today?  If you can't see it, you can't know it.  Things of the spirit are foolish.  We need to grow up as a people and realize that everything we have is what we have created.  Earth wasn't created but is the result of a Big Bang.  No one can know the future.  Jesus was just a man, not a god; it was only his later followers who declared him a god.  If it isn't mentioned in the original book of Q (an hypothetical source for Matthew, Mark, and Luke that no one, by the way has any proof ever existed) then Jesus didn't say it.  He didn't say he was the son of god in Q so therefore he never said he was the son of god (note: all lower case!)  Or this one from the Koran: Allah has no son, has no need of a son, therefore Jesus was a prophet, but not the son of god. (I'm paraphrasing.)  A dear friend just told me three days ago: "Why should I believe in Christ?  I've never seen him."

Tomorrow: more about the teaching of Korihor and how similar they are to be belief of many in our day.  Follow along in Chapter 30 of Alma and see how many you recognize.

Text copyright September 2013, Gebara Education
Pictures: Korihor from www.bookofmormonbattles.com; Law and Gavel from www.healthcarereform.org