The term “Son of man” typically refers to Jesus Christ

The term “Son of man” typically refers to Jesus Christ.

But “Son of man” sometimes refers to the Antichrist.

By Craig C. White

In several instances in the Bible God addresses men in general as “son of man” (Psa 8:4, Heb 2:6). God often addresses the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel as “son of man”. God calls the prophet Daniel “son of man” only one time in (Dan 8:17). When the word “Son” is capitalized in the Bible; most of the time the term “Son of man” refers to the Messiah (Dan 7:13). Occasionally the term “Son of man” is also used to describe the Antichrist (Luke 17:26 & 30). The two Greek words that are translated as “Son of man” are uihos (pronounced hwee-os’) meaning heir (or inheritor) and anthrōpos meaning human being. So the term “Son of man” literally means inheritor of humanity. Simply put the term “Son of man” describes a person who is born of human parents. In Jesus Christ’s case he was born to his mother Mary. He is truly a man. Of course Jesus Christ is also truly God. In the Antichrist’s case he will also be born of human parents. The Antichrist is only a man. In Luke chapter 17 the term “Son of man” is used in two different ways; both to describe Jesus Christ as well as to describe the man we call the Antichrist. In the following verses the term “Son of man” pertains to Jesus Christ.

Luke 17:22-25 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. 23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. 24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. 25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

In the Luke 17:26-31 the term “Son of man” is used twice (Luke 17:26 & 30) to describe the revealing of the Antichrist as he invades Jerusalem and Judea. This is a day of death and distress. Jesus warns people not to return to their homes.

Luke 17:26-31 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

In Matthew chapter 24 we are told who these people are that Jesus instructs not to return to their homes. They are the people of Jerusalem and Judea.

Mat 24:15-21 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Matthew 24:15-18 describes the same day as does Luke 17:30-31. The day that the “Son of man” is revealed in Luke 17:30 is the same as the day that the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stands in the holy place in Matthew 24:15. It is the very day that the armies of the Antichrist overrun Jerusalem and Judea. The “Son of man” in Luke 17:30 is not describing Jesus Christ but it is warning the citizens of Jerusalem and Judea about the coming Antichrist. The day that the “Son of man” is revealed in Luke 17:30 marks the beginning of Jerusalem’s and Judea’s great tribulation.

The term “Son of man” refers to the Antichrist as he invades Jerusalem and Judea in the following verses.

Luke 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

Luke 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

Mat 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Mat 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Mat 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

In the Bible the term “Son of man” usually refers to Jesus Christ. But in these few instances “Son of man” is warning the people in Jerusalem and Judea about the invading army of the Antichrist.