Who is the antichrist?

the long version

Almost from the beginning of the Church Age the people of God have shown a curious preoccupation with attempts to identify the antichrist. To date, every attempt has proved a failure. Yet some Bible teachers have apparently learned nothing from the follies of their predecessors, for they continue to hang the label "antichrist" on every likely political and/or religious prospect who comes along. The fact that no one can identify the antichrist with any contemporary world leader does not excuse students from trying to find out all that the Scripture has to say about this end-time character. - p. 5, 8.