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Daniel 2:1-3

1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.

In Daniel chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and it foretold the history and nations that would come soon after. God gave the King of Babylon a dream, "In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him."

And the King "commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams", but none could tell him the dream. But God had Daniel at the right place and time and Daniel prayed for God to show him the dream and meaning, and He did so that Daniel was able to come before the King and tell him. We see it in the verses in Daniel 2:31-45...

Daniel 2:31-45
31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.
32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold
39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."

Notice these things about the image, the head was gold, then as you go down the chest and arms were of silver, his belly and thighs of brass, his legs of iron and his feet part iron and part clay. At the end, a giant stone, which the Bible is clear is Christ at the Second Coming, smites the image at its feet and destroys it all.

Now the bible interprets what these are. Each one of these parts of the body represents kings with kingdoms, and King Nebuchadnezzar and his Kingdom is the head of gold as we see in verse 38 of Daniel 2, "And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold."

When you look at who the next three kingdoms are, and you go over what is that the Image of the Kings dream, and the four beasts of Daniels dream in Daniel 7, you see they are the same. We see it in Daniel 7:17-23.

Daniel 7:17-23
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces."

The four beasts represent four kingdoms  they came up out of the sea. According to prophecy the sea or waters represent 'peoples, nations, multitudes and tongues', as we see in Revelation 17:15.

Revelation 17:15
And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

There are also four kingdoms in the Image the king dreamed We can see the last part of the Image is not not another world kingdom, but the same as the Iron kingdom, since the Iron of the legs extend all the way down and ends at the toes. Only at that point, that last stage of the last kingdom will be partly weak and party strong, represented by the Iron and the Clay, and divided into ten divisions when the Kingdom of Iron or Roman Empire falls apart.

Now you will find there are also four beasts in Daniels dream in chapter 7 verse 17, which are also four kingdoms.

 "17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth."

Notice also when you read Daniel 7 and 8, how each preceding Kingdom conquers the former Kingdom, an event also taking place among the Kingdoms of the image in Daniel 2. See also how the fourth kingdom in Daniel 2:40 "break in pieces and bruise." The fourth kingdom of Daniel 7:7 also "breaks in pieces." So both dreams are about the same thing, but with different symbols.

Now who are the next three kings which take over after Babylon, The second is the Kingdom of the Medes and Persians are the silver. One which history shows was the the Persians, being stronger then the other, which were the Medes, represented by the Bear beast, which rose up after the Lion beast on "one" side.  We see it in  Daniel 7:4-5.

Daniel 7:4-5
4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

Now after the "bear" beast rose up another beast, or kingdom and its represented as a "leopard" with four "wings" and four "heads". This beast is the kingdom of Greece, which conquered the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, as we find in Daniel 8:20-21...

Daniel 8:20-21
20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

Now we know that this kingdom of Greece was led by Alexander the Great, whose kingdom was divided into four section which history shows, with four of his generals as kings. This is represented by the four heads of the leopard. So now we have to identify the fourth beast, or fourth part of the image king Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of. Well think about this, what kingdom was in power when Jesus came as the promised Messiah? It was the kingdom of Rome, on this there is no question. And it was Rome that conquered the kingdom of Greece and began to rule the world, and we see the 'legs' of iron and clay in countries still here today. No other beast rose up after this beast, and the only kingdom that would rule after it would be the kingdom of God, as we see the Stone that crushes them at the end. So lets look at history and see what more it tells us.

Now we look at Daniel 7:7-8 which also talks about this beast which was Rome...
Daniel 7:7-8
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Now notice something peculiar about this last kingdom. Daniel speaks of it, "After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns."

Notice here that Daniel, while hearing the angels interpretation of this fourth beast, is told this beast (kingdom) has 10 horns, and one "little" horn came up out of these 10 horns and "plucked up" 3 of the preceding horns.

Now the Ten horns represent ten kings and an "extra" king rose up out of these Ten, and he "plucked up" or destroyed "three" preceding kings. We see something else..
Daniel 7:25
And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

Well out of this we can give the first identifying mark in finding out who the antichrist will be. So how do we know this "little horn" power is antichrist? Well, "Anti" means "opposite or "in place of" and this little horn king makes himself "opposite" of God by speaking "great words against the most high," trying to change God's laws, and by wearing "out the saints of the most high"

This little horn power is the antichrist.

So what are the Ten horns? Well remember how this beast power is Rome? And remember how a "horn" represents kings? Well the Roman Empire has been divided and now we have Western Europe. Here are the 10 divisions by ancient and modern name:

(1) Alemanni – Germany
(2) Franks – France
(3) Anglo-Saxons – England
(4) Burgundians – Switzerland
(5) Visigoths – Spain
(6) Suevi – Portugal
(7) Lombards – Italy
(8) Heruli
(9) Vandals
(10) Ostrogoths

Why don't you see the last three, Heruli, Vandals and the Ostrogoths, on your map? Simply because these are the 3 horns that the antichrist "plucked up."

So now we have FIVE identification marks to help us identify the Antichrist:

(1) He will rise up out of the Ten divisions of Rome
(2) He will destroy 3 of the kings among these Ten divisions
(3) He will "speak great words against the most high"
(4) He will "wear out" the saints of God. He is a persecuting power
(5) He "thinks to change times and laws" Daniel 7:25

We see Rome today, but it is not as strong as it was when it ruled the world before it was divided, but Rome still exists especially as we see the parts in Europe. That's why the feet of the image in Daniel 2 still have the same "iron" as the legs, except this time its only "partly" strong, as she is today. So we can see how we are at the last days, because in the dream we see a Stone which "smote" it at it's feet, and destroyed it. This stone is the kingdom of God.

If you look the timeline is sure and matches up to what scripture shows us. The kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome line up as prophecy shows actual events to occur throughout the history of Christianity from the time of Daniel until the end time. If you read your history, you will find that this understanding of who is the AntiChrist was the viewpoint of almost all Protestant Reformers and their churches from the Reformation into our era, but now is being twisted and distorted.

There are many people bringing in seeds of doubt which are wiping away the understanding Christians had. Bringing in false ideas that biblical prophecies concerning the Last Days refer to Preterism or events which took place in the first century after Christ's birth so thus nothing applies to the true history that prophecy shows. then you have others who use the twisting of Futurism, where it is clouded even more by those who say all or most of the prophecy the Bible gives us on this is in the future, right before the Second Coming. So it hides what points to the truth which history shows and we have nothing which we can apply as one has to wait, for essentially a lie.

Now if one follows what history gives us, suddenly the events line up, Alexander the Great is shown just when he appears in the flow of events given in prophecy, the Roman Empire comes right after, just as prophecy gave all the way to the Last Days. History shows us that the timeline in Biblical prophecy match up and are the Dark Ages in which the Roman Catholic Church did in fact "war against the saints". It was one of the major reason for the Protestant Reformation which come up to essentially 1260 years which ended when this entiry was wounded and basically set aside by this blow to its power.

The Protestants Reformers and theologians understood and saw that the Catholic Church in these 1260 years, from 538 AD to 1798 AD was in fact the antichrist power that Daniel prophesized about. Daniel said that that the saints would be given to his hand for "a time and times and half a time". A time represents a year in the Hebrew 360-day year. So 3 1/2 times is 3 1/2 years. This equals 42 months based on the biblical 30-day month--or 1,260 days. In Thessalonians 2 Paul told us when the 1260 years would begin. It was when the "restrainer" was removed.

So its clear what happened next in this timeline, the Roman Empire, the 'restrainer' of this antichrist entity came apart, we see what happens.
"I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words" (Daniel 7:8).

So it clearly says the "little horn" power appears next. We can now see who this "little horn" power is because the biblical characteristics identify it as the antichrist of prophecy and history.
Papal Rome comes at this time and fits all the given points.

Three kingdoms were plucked up to make way for the rise of the papacy.
The emperors of Western Europe were largely Catholic and supported the papacy. Three Arian kingdoms, however, did not—the Vandals, Heruli, and Ostrogoths. So the Catholic emperors decided they must be subdued or destroyed.
The kingdom of the Arian Heruls was eradicated in 493. Then Emperor Justinian (527–565) exterminated the Arian Vandals in 534 and slowly broke apart the Arian Ostrogoths in 538. Thus were Daniel's three horns—the Heruli, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoth, plucked up by the roots.

It would emerge from the fourth kingdom of iron—the pagan Roman Empire and would make war with and persecute the saints.
History definitely pinpoints this and then the warring on the saints, as the church did persecute the Christians who didnt follow its dictates as heretics, and the papacy admits doing so.
God's people (the saints) would "be given into his hand" for "a time and times and half a time."
Several things need clarification here:

1. A time is a year, times is two years, and half a time is half of a year. The Amplified Bible translates it: "Three and one-half years."

2. This same time period is mentioned seven times in the books of Daniel and Revelation (Daniel 7:25; 12:7; Revelation 11:2, 3; 12:6, 14; 13:5): three times as a "time, times, and half a time"; twice as 42 months; and twice as 1,260 days. Based on the 30-day calendar used by the Jews, these time periods are all the same amount of time: 3½ years = 42 months = 1,260 days.
With one prophetic day equals one literal year (Ezekiel 4:6; Numbers 14:34).

4. Thus, the little horn (antichrist) was to have power over the saints for 1,260 prophetic days; that is, 1,260 literal years.

5. The rule of the papacy began in ad 538, when the last of the three opposing Arian kingdoms was uprooted. Its rule continued until 1798 when Napoleon's general, Berthier, took the pope captive with hopes of destroying both Pope Pius VI and the political power of the papacy. This period of time is an exact fulfillment of the 1,260-year prophecy. The blow was a deadly wound for the papacy, but that wound began to heal and continues healing today.

6. This same period of persecution is mentioned in Matthew 24:21 as the worst period of persecution God's people experience. Verse 22 tells us it was so devastating that not one soul would have survived if God had not shortened it. But God did shorten it. The persecution ended long before the pope was taken captive in 1798. It is plain to see that this point, likewise, fits the papacy.

It would speak "pompous words" of blasphemy "against [God]."
Blasphemy has two definitions in Scripture:

1. Claiming to forgive sins (Luke 5:21).

2. Claiming to be God (John 10:33).

So does this point fit the papacy? Yes it does. So we can see who is this Antichrist power, and when it came up and is still with us.

The Pope is the Christian leader the world thinks to follow after these days, as scripture says 'wonder', check the news....

anti Christ another teaching authority  two anti'  working as one

Anti-Christ: singular(Satan)   One Spirit, Many Voices antichrists plural many  false apostles bringing oral traditions false prophecy
It is written to be understood—not isolated into one figure, but seen as a working pattern.
From experience, a careful approach is needed when reading the word antichrist.
Most look for one man.--One final figure-.One visible enemy.
Just as with the phrase "the man of sin,"it is often narrowed to a single person. But Scripture gives a wider witness.

1 John 2:18"Ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists..."
Here is the two-fold.Singular and plural. Not contradiction—but pattern.
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The singular points to the source.
The father of lies. The unseen power working behind the deception.
The spirit that opposes Christ—not by open denial alone, but by replacement.anti --Another teaching authority.
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The plural reveals the vessels.Many antichrists—false prophets, false apostles, bringing teachings not from the living Word, but from the traditions of dying mankind.
(Understanding: One lying spirit works through many voices.)
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This is how the attack comes.
Not always against Christ directly—but against His authority.the living word
Not removing the Word but adding to it,until its power is made void.
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The danger is subtle. Another voice standing beside the Word—equal in appearance, but different in source.
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This is why it is called"the man of sin."Not because sin is limited to one man—but because the spirit of error works in men to bring false prophecy.
(Understanding: The singular power works through plural instruments.)
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Even among the disciples,the pattern appeared.
Peter—a brother, a follower—yet in a moment, he spoke against the will of God.
He rebuked the path set before Christ.
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The answer came sharply:
Matthew 16:23"Get thee behind me, Satan..."
Not because Peter was the source—but because he was, in that moment, the vessel.
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(Understanding: The same opposing spirit can work through even those close to the truth if they speak apart from God's will.)
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Peter was forgiven. His failure was not final. But the moment stands as a witness. The danger is real. The voice can sound familiar—yet carry another authority.
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So the warning remains. Do not look only for one man. Do not wait for a final figure to appear.
The pattern is already here. One spirit—many voices.
One lie—many forms.
One opposition—working through many.

Not every voice that speaks of Christ comes from Christ.
Test the source. Hold to what is written. For the spirit that opposes Him does not always deny—it often imitates. And in imitation, seeks to replace.
Stand in the Word. Peter as a one of the antichrists in the catholic favorite foundational chapter "we are the rock hard headed we are sign and lying wonder seekers just as seeking true prophecy

Mathew 16 22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him(Christ not seen) , saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
In effect Christ giving words to Jesus the apostle .get behind me not seen not Peter seen walk by faith not by sight

Need to go deeper...

Who Did the Reformers Say Is Antichrist?

Take a look at these quotes from the great Protestant reformers showing who they believed the Bible antichrist was.

Nicolaus Von Amsdorf (1483 – 1565)

"He (the antichrist) will be revealed and come to naught before the last day, so that every man shall comprehend and recognize that the pope is the real, true antichrist and not the vicar of Christ ... Therefore those who consider the pope and his bishops as Christian shepherds and bishops are deeply in error, but even more are those who believe the the Turk (ISLAM) is the antichrist. Because the Turk (ISLAM) rules outside of the church and does not sit in the holy place, nor does he seek to bear the name of Christ, but is an open antagonist of Christ and His church. This does not need to be revealed, but it is clear and evident because he persecutes Christians openly and not as the pope does, secretly under the form of Godliness." (Nicolaus Von Amsdorf, Furnemliche und gewisse Zeichen, sig.A2r.,v.)

Martin Luther (1483 – 1546)

"nothing else than the kingdom of Babylon and of very Antichrist. For who is the man of sin and the son of perdition, but he who by his teaching and his ordinances increases the sin and perdition of souls in the church; while he yet sits in the church as if he were God? All these conditions have now for many ages been fulfilled by the papal tyranny." (Martin Luther, First Principles, pp. 196-197)

Flacius (1570)

"The sixth and last reason for our separation from the pope and his followers be this; By many writings of our church, by the Divinely inspired Word, by prophecies concerning the future and by the special characteristics of the Papacy, it has been profusely and thoroughly proved that the pope with his prelates and clergy is the real true great antichrist, that his kingdom is the real Babylon, a never ceasing fountain and a mother of all abominable idolatry." (Flacius, Etliche Hochwichtige Ursachen und Grunde, warum das siche alle Christen von dem Antichrist ... absondern sollen)

Georg Nigrinus (1530 – 1602)

"The Jesuits claim to be sorely offended and have taken my declarations as an insult and blasphemy in branding the Papacy as the antichrist of which Daniel, Paul, Peter, John and even Christ prophesied. But this is as true as it is that Jesus is the Messiah, and I am prepared to show it even by their own definition of the word 'antichrist'." (Translated from "Nigrinus, Antichrists Grundliche Offenbarung" fol. 6v.)

"This Jesuit further contends that the Papacy cannot be antichrist because the Papacy has lasted for centuries, but that the antichrist is supposed to reign only for 3 1/2 years ... But no one doubts today that Daniel spoke of YEAR-DAYS, not literal days ... The prophetic time-periods of forty-two months, 1260 days, 1, 2, 1/2 times are prophetic, and according to Ezekiel 4, a day must be taken for a year." (Translated from "Nigrinus, Antichrists Grundliche Offenbarung" fols.28v. 29r.)

John Calvin (1509 – 1564)

"Though it be admitted that Rome was once the mother of all Churches, yet from the time when it began to be the seat of Antichrist it has ceased to be what it was before. Some persons think us too severe and censorious when we call the Roman Pontiff Antichrist. But those who are of this opinion do not consider that they bring the same charge of presumption against Paul himself, after whom we speak and whose language we adopt .. I shall briefly show that (Paul's words in II Thess. 2) are not capable of any other interpretation than that which applies them to the Papacy." (Institutes of the Christian Religion, Vol.3, p.149)

John Knox (1505 – 1572)

Yea, to speak it in plain words; lest that we submit ourselves to Satan, thinking that we submit ourselves to Jesus Christ, for, as for your Roman kirk, as it is now corrupted, and the authority thereof, whereon stands the hope of your victory, I no more doubt but that it is the synagogue of Satan, and the head thereof, called the pope, to be that man of sin, of whom the apostle speaks." (John Knox, The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland, p.65)

Thomas Cranmer (1489 – 1556)

"Whereof it followeth Rome to be the seat of Antichrist, and the pope to be very antichrist himself. I could prove the same by many other scriptures, old writers, and strong reasons." (Works by Cranmer, vol.1, pp.6-7)

Roger Williams (1603 – 1683)

Pastor Williams spoke of the Pope as "the pretended Vicar of Christ on earth, who sits as God over the Temple of God, exalting himself not only above all that is called God, but over the souls and consciences of all his vassals, yea over the Spirit of Christ, over the Holy Spirit, yea, and God himself...speaking against the God of heaven, thinking to change times and laws; but he is the son of perdition." (The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers by Froom, Vol. 3, pg. 52)

The Baptist Confession of Faith (1689) *Not technically a Reformed document

"The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, in whom, by the appointment of the Father, all power for the calling, institution, order or government of the church, is invested in a supreme and sovereign manner; neither can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof, but is that antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ." (1689 Baptist Confession of Faith)

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646)

"There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ: nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition, that exalts himself in the Church against Christ, and all that is called God." (1646 Westminster Confession of Faith)

John Wesley (1703 – 1791)

"... In many respects, the Pope has an indisputable claim to those titles. He is, in an emphatical sense, the man of sin, as he increases all manner of sin above measure. And he is, too, properly styled, the son of perdition, as he has caused the death of numberless multitudes, both of his opposers and followers, destroyed innumerable souls, and will himself perish everlastingly. He it is that opposeth himself to the emperor, once his rightful sovereign; and that exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped – Commanding angels, and putting kings under his feet, both of whom are called gods in scripture; claiming the highest power, the highest honour; suffering himself, not once only, to be styled God or vice-God. Indeed no less is implied in his ordinary title, "Most Holy Lord," or, "Most Holy Father." So that he sitteth – Enthroned. In the temple of God – Mentioned Rev. xi, 1. Declaring himself that he is God – Claiming the prerogatives which belong to God alone." (John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon The New Testament, p.216)

Charles Spurgeon (1834 – 1892) *Not technically a Reformer

"It is the bounden duty of every Christian to pray against Antichrist, and as to what Antichrist is no sane man ought to raise a question. If it be not the popery in the Church of Rome there is nothing in the world that can be called by that name. If there were to be issued a hue and cry for Antichrist, we should certainly take up this church on suspicion, and it would certainly not be let loose again, for it so exactly answers the description."

"Popery is contrary to Christ's Gospel, and is the Antichrist, and we ought to pray against it. It should be the daily prayer of every believer that Antichrist might be hurled like a millstone into the flood and for Christ, because it wounds Christ, because it robs Christ of His glory, because it puts sacramental efficacy in the place of His atonement, and lifts a piece of bread into the place of the Saviour, and a few drops of water into the place of the Holy Ghost, and puts a mere fallible man like ourselves up as the vicar of Christ on earth; if we pray against it, because it is against Him, we shall love the persons though we hate their errors: we shall love their souls though we loath and detest their dogmas, and so the breath of our prayers will be sweetened, because we turn our faces towards Christ when we pray." (Michael de Semlyen, All Roads Lead to Rome)

Rev. J.A.Wylie (1808 – 1890)

"The same line of proof which establishes that Christ is the promised Messiah, conversely applied, establishes that the Roman system is the predicted Apostacy. In the life of Christ we behold the converse of what the Antichrist must be; and in the prophecy of the Antichrist we are shown the converse of what Christ must be, and was. And when we place the Papacy between the two, and compare it with each, we find, on the one hand, that it is the perfect converse of Christ as seen in his life; and on the other, that it is the perfect image of the Antichrist, as shown in the prophecy of him. We conclude, therefore, that if Jesus of Nazareth be the Christ, the Roman Papacy is the Antichrist." (J.A.Wylie, Preface to "The Papacy is the Antichrist, A Demonstration").

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