Gospel Order

THE ANTICHRIST

That Man Of Sin

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"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." 2 Thessalonians 2:3

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THE name "antichrist" appears in only three chapters of the Bible, and in each case it is clearly stated that he was already in the world. We read:

1. "Ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists... Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son." 1 John 2:18, 22.
2. "This is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." 1 John 4:3.
3. "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." 2 John 7.

How can anyone, in light of these plain texts, say that the antichrist has not yet come, since the texts themselves state that he has?

Moreover, the apostle did not believe antichrist to be a single person, but rather an organization dominated by "the spirit of antichrist," a hierchical form of system with a man at its head, so that when he died another would take his place, and the antichristian system would continue. As a result, there would be "many antichrists," as the apostle puts it, but only one system, and when the apostle died, this system began to develop to the point that it was about to dominate the church. Its leader refused to receive the Apostle John, one leader "forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church." 3 John 9, 10. This explains the warnings in John's epistles against these "many antichrists." 1 John 2:18.

During his last journey among the churches, the Apostle Paul gathered "the elders," or bishops, and warned them against the impending apostasy of the church, which would be caused by its leaders. He says:

• "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." Acts 20: 29, 30.

Later, the apostle warned the Christians that Christ's return was not near:

• "For that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God (the church, 1 Corinthians 3: 10, 16), showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? . . . For the mystery of iniquity doth already work." 2 Thessalonians 2: 3-7.

These prophecies clearly state that the "elders" (later called bishops) would "draw away" the people from the truth of the Bible to follow men, and that this "falling away," which had "already" begun in Paul's day, would develop, until a "man" exalts himself to take the place of Christ in the church. Every thoughtful student of prophecy can understand that this clearly points to the Papacy and is consistent with the meaning of the term "antichrist."

Strong's Concordance says that "antichrist" comes from two Greek words, antee and khristos, G500. The word "antee" means:

• G473 "Opposite, i.e. instead or because of... for, in the room of. Often used in composition to denote ... substitution."

Also, in Greek-English Lexicon means:

• "Anti, prep, over against; hence, in correspondence to; in place of..." - Greek-English Lexicon, p. 14. Boston, 1896.

Therefore, the meaning of "antichrist," as used in the New Testament, is a rival to Christ, or one who attempts to take the place of Christ as His "vicar." The relevance of the prefix "anti" can also be found in word "anti-pope."

We will now see that this is exactly the position that Catholics claim for the pope, that he holds the place of Christ on earth.

• "Our Holy Father the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the vicar of Christ on earth and the visible head of the Church."
  "'Vicar' - that is, one who holds another's place and acts in his name." - "Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism," p. 130. Benziger Brothers. (Sanctioned by Cardinal Gibbons, five archbishops, nineteen bishops, and other dignitaries.)

• "A vicar is put in the place of him whom he represents. He is invested with his power, he is furnished with his authority... He personates his principal... The master, by his appointment of a vicar, binds himself to ratify his vicar's acts, and to recognize them as his own." - "The Vicar of Christ," p. 4. New York: Benziger Brothers, 1892.

• "Vicarius, a, um. adj. That is in stead, or place of another; that supplies another's room; a deputy... One who performs the office, or duty, of another; a deputy, a substitute." - An Abridgement of Ainsworth's Latin Dictionary, Designed for the Use of Schools, p. 604. London: 1826.

When Cardinal Newman realized how much the antichrist of prophecy resembled the pope of Rome, he declared:

• "The gibe, 'If the Pope is not Antichrist, he has had bad luck to be so like him,' is really another argument in favor of the claims of the Pope; since Antichrist simulates Christ, and the Pope is an image of Christ, Antichrist must have some similarity to the Pope, if the latter be the true Vicar of Christ." - Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. I, p. 561, art. "Antichrist."

Thus it is said that the pope is the vicar of Christ on earth. But Christ left a completely Vicar, or Representative, in His place; namely, the Holy Spirit. (John 14: 15-18; 16:7.) Of this Representative, Christ says:

• "He shall teach you all things." John 14:26
• "He will guide you into all truth." John 16:13 (Compare 1 John 2:20, 27.)

Since the Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible (2 Peter 1:21), he should be the proper interpreter of it.

To this, the Roman church responds:

• "Nor can it be said that being a divinely inspired book, its prime Author, the Holy Spirit, will guide the reader to the right meaning.
  "The Church which made the Bible, likewise interprets the Bible." - "Things Catholics Are Asked About," Martin J. Scott, S. J., Litt. D., pp. 119, 120. N. Y.: Kenedy, 1927.

Pope Leo XIII says:

• "But the supreme teacher in the Church is the Roman Pontiff. Union of minds, therefore, requires, together with a perfect accord in the one faith, complete submission and obedience of will to the Church and to the Roman Pontiff, as to God Himself." - "The Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII," p. 193. New York: Benziger Bros., 1903.

He further says:

• "We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty." - Id., p. 304.

As we have seen from authentic Catholic sources, the pope assumes the "place of God Almighty," the office of Christ on earth, and the authority of the Holy Spirit, as the sole teacher of the faithful and the interpreter of the Holy Scriptures. What else is needed to fulfill the prediction of 2 Thessalonians 2: 3, 4, and the prophecies of the Antichrist?

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Here are PROPHECIES of ANTICHRIST which matches and pointing to one entity on earth

PROPHECY #1 - Antichrist will be a church and state combined

• Revelation 17:3 "So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns."

Since the Bible defines its own prophetic symbols, what does it say about a “woman” and a “beast?”

• WOMAN = CHURCH
  Jeremiah 6:2 "I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman."
• BEAST = NATION
  Daniel 7:23 "Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth...

Daniel says the woman (church) will join a beast (nation). Where on earth can we find a church and nation united as one political body today? Daniel 7:23 added that it would be "diverse" or unique from any nation before or after it. This fulfillment can only be seen in the nation called VATICAN CITY, which also serves as the Roman Catholic CHURCH.

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PROPHECY #2 - Antichrist will have his church and state sit on 7 hills

• Revelation 17:9 "And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth."

According to Apostle John, the beast (nation) that this woman (church) is seated on has seven heads which represent "mountains." According to Strong's #3735, "Mountain" is also defined as "hill."

The Roman Catholic Church admits:

• "It is within the city of Rome, called The City on Seven Hills, that the entire area of Vatican State Proper is now confined." The Catholic Encyclopedia, p. 529.

What are the seven hills of Rome?

"Rome is known to be built upon seven hills. Rome was said to have been founded when Romulus and Remus, twin sons of Mars, ended up at the foot of the hill Palatine and founded the city. The other six hills are Capitoline (the seat of government), Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline, Caelian, and Aventine. -"Geography.about.com"

Seven Hills of Rome
"...group of hills on or about which the ancient city of Rome was built. The original city of Romulus was built upon Palatine Hill (Latin: Mons Palatinus). The other hills are the Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline, Caelian, and Aventine (known respectively in Latin as the Mons Capitolinus, Mons Quirinalis, Mons Viminalis, Mons Esquilinus, Mons Caelius, and Mons Aventinus). -Britannica.com

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PROPHECY #3 - Antichrist has a name or title that will add to 666.

• Revelation 13:17-18 "And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six."

The prophecy states there will be a man at the head of this church & state entity that will have a name with a numeric value on it. That value will be 666. Truth is, the Vatican government must always have a pope stand as the leader. When a pope dies, a new pope is elected immediately to stand in the same position as the previous pope. He carries his office, his title, and his name beyond the grave. All popes have the exact same title in the office of pope. What is this name they must carry together?

“What are the letters on the Pope’s crown, and what do they signify, if anything?
The letters inscribed in the Pope’s miter are these: VICARIUS FILII DEI, which is the Latin for ‘VICAR OF THE SON OF GOD.’ Catholics hold that the church which is a visible society must have a visible head. Christ, before His ascension into heaven, appointed St. Peter to act as His representative. Upon the death of Peter the man who succeeded to the office of Peter as Bishop of Rome, was recognized as the head of the Church. Hence to the Bishop of Rome, as head of the Church, was given the title, "Vicar of Christ." Enemies of the Papacy denounce this title as a malicious assumption. But the Bible informs us that Christ did not only give His Church authority to teach, but also to rule. Laying claim to the authority to rule in Christ's spiritual kingdom, in Christ's stead, is not a whit more malicious than laying claim to the authority to teach in Christ's name. And this every Christian minister does.” - Our Sunday Visitor, (Catholic Weekly) "Bureau of information," Huntington, Ind., April 18, 1915 - (you can view it here OR view it here.)

The official language of the Vatican is Latin and just like roman letters hold a numerical value so it does in Latin alphabet. Can you guess what Vicarius Filli Dei equals out to be in Latin when you add it up?

V = 5	F = 0	D = 500
I = 1	I = 1	E = 0
C = 100	L = 50	I = 1
A = 0	I = 1	sub-total = 501
R = 0	I = 1
I = 1	sub-total= 53
V= 5
S = 0
sub-total = 112
[Total] 112 + 53 + 501 = 666

The popes’ name or title equals to 666. Please read here for more details on the number 666.

"He that hath all the characters of Antichrist’s doctrine, and hath a name which, in the numeral letters, makes up 666, he is Antichrist. But to the Pope both these do agree.” A Commentary Upon the Book of Revelation,” Rev. 13:18, p. 491. Glasgow: 1680. (M. James Durham, Professor of Divinity in Glasgow [1658]). -Source

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PROPHECY #4 - Antichrist is to be a blasphemous power.

• Revelation 13:1 "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy."

Blasphemy is defined in the Scriptures as follows:

1. When a man claims to be God Himself.
   John 10:33 “The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”
2. When a man claims ability to forgive sins.
   The word "forgive" in Strong's #G863 means omit, put away, remit.
   
   • Mark 2:7 “Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?”
   • Luke 5:21 "Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?"

Matthew 24:5 “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”

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PROPHECY #5 - Antichrist is the beast "that was, is not, yet is.

• Revelation 17:8 "The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is."

Let us note these three historical events as follows:

1.) The beast “that was" - This period began with the supremacy of the papacy. A.D. 538. and terminated in 1798. At that time the pope was made captive by the French army, the papal power received its deadly wound, and the prediction was fulfilled, 'He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity." Revelation 13:10.

According to the History of the Christian Church, Vol. 3, p 327, "Vigilius… ascended the papal chair (538 A.D.) under the military protection of Belisarius." This was the first phase when Vatican becomes a church and state power.

2. The beast “is not” -

The Encyclopedia Brittannica 1941 edition verified that “In 1798 General Berthier… abolished the papal government, and established a secular one."

At that time (1798) the French army under the generalship of Berthier entered Rome and made the pope a prisoner, where he died in exile. Though a new pope was soon afterward elected, the papal hierarchy has never since been able to wield the power which it before possessed.

The Vatican lost its papal power in 1798 A.D., hence, the Church and State power of Rome do not exist until the signing of the Lateran treaty in 1929. Therefore, the Roman church “is not” a ruling power at this time.

3. The beast “yet is” - means that the power which was lost will once again return.

The “yet is” aspect of the prophecy states that though this beast was mortally wounded, it will return and regain its former power. That day is upon us now. From 1929 to present the Roman church has been a church and state when the Lateran Treaty was signed.

The New York Times, July 7, 1929 published that “…this morning there was another sovereign independent State in the world… Premier Mussolini… and Cardinal Gasparri, signed… the sovereign independent State of Vatican City… into existence.”

On June 7, 1929, the sovereign state of Vatican City came into existence as copies of the Lateran Treaty were exchanged in Rome. - Pope Becomes Ruler Of A State Again - quote from New York Times.

“In 1929, with the Lateran Treaty the Italian state and the papacy agreed to recognise each other, with the state paying the Church compensation for the loss of the territories. The pope was recognised as sovereign of a new state: the Vatican City.” Wikipedia.org

In 1929 the Roman church regains its church and state power.

The Vatican “was” a power from 538AD to 1798AD. It was “not” a power from 1798AD to 1929AD. Then as of 1929AD, we see it “is” a power once again.

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PROPHECY #6 - Antichrist is the beast that makes war with the saints.

• Daniel 7:25, "And he shall ... shall wear out the saints of the most High,"
• Revelation 13:5-7 "... and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. ... And it was given unto him to make war with the saints..."

The beast had power 42 months to make war with the saints. A biblical month is actually 30 days which is different from the months we use today. Let’s take the duration of the flood for example and do the math:

Genesis 7:11 “In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.”

On the 2nd month and 17th day it began to flood the earth.

Genesis 8:3-4 “And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.”

After 150 days the waters subsided. The ark rested on the 7th month and 17th day. So from the 2nd month and 17th day and to the 7th month and 17th day is 150 days or 5 biblical months: 150 days divided by 5 months is 30 days.

Again, the beast made war with the saints for 42 months. So if we do the math, 30 x 42 = 1,260 days that this beast would make war against the saints. Now, 1 day in prophecy equals a year.

Ezekiel 4:6 "I have appointed thee each day for a year."

Numbers 14:34 “After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.”

So, the 42 months is equals to 1,260 days and equals to 1,260 years.

Historical facts confirms that the Roman church has shed blood for 1,260 years during the dark ages.

On March 12, 2000, Pope John Paul II admitted in a globally publicized "Mea Culpa" that the Vatican did in fact kill millions of people between the years 538 A.D. to 1798 A.D.

Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and the current Pope Francis made apologies for the Catholic church’s past record of persecution clearly proves what the scripture charges. In fact, these apologies were also predicted a century ago to conceal her plans – a revival of his lost supreme power in protestant America – the enforcement of Sunday enforcement!

"For teaching faith contrary to the teaching of the Church of Rome, history records the martyrdom of more than 100 million people." -Brief Bible Readings p. 16

"There are many unquestionable cases of Protestants punished as heretics in nearly all the lands where Roman Catholics have had power, right down to the French Revolution [right down to 1798]."--G. G. Coulton, The Death-Penalty for Heresy, Medieval Studies, No. 18, 1924 edition, pp. 62 [The author was a well-known member of the French Academy and an enthusiastic champion of Catholicism]

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PROPHECY #7 - Antichrist will think to change times and laws.

• 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."

As prophesied, the Roman Catholic Church admitted in writing that they changed the "times and laws".

"The Pope has the power to change times, to abrogate (change) laws." -Decretal, de Translatic Episcop. Cap. (The Pope can modify divine law.) Ferraris' Ecclesiastical Dictionary

"The Bible says, Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day. The Catholic church says, No! By my diving power I abolish the Sabbath day, and command you to keep the first day of the week. And lo, the entire civilized world bows down in reverent obedience to the command of the holy Catholic church! - Fr. Enright, C.S.S.R. of the Redemptoral College, Kansas City, Mo., History of the Sabbath, p. 802

Click here for more Catholic admission of change...

With regards to changing the "times", click here about short history of calendar change.

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PROPHECY #8 - Antichrist is a "mother" church that has many daughters.

• Revelation 17:5 "And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth."

The pope calls the Roman church the mother of all churches with presently 1.3+ billions followers worldwide to support that claim

NOTICE! "the proud title which may be read upon its walls, that it is "Omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater, et caput".
"Papal Archbasilica of Saint John in Lateran Major Papal and Roman Archbasilica of the Most Holy Savior and Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist in Lateran, Mother and Head of All Churches in Rome and in the World (full title)"
"Next to the formal entrance is the Archbasilica's claim to be the head, or Mother Church, of the entire world. Note the laurel wreath and the Papal tiara." - Wikipedia.com

"Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her; --she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority."-Rev. Stephan Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism, "On the Obedience Due to the Church," chap. 2, p. 174. (Imprimatur, John Cardinal McCloskey, archbishop of New York

“The Pope was recognized as the overall authority in the Christian world by an Anglican and Roman Catholic commission yesterday which described him as a "gift to be received by all the Churches"...if a new united Christian Church was created it would be the 'Bishop of Rome who would exercise a universal primacy.” The Rt Rev Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Bishop of Arundel and Brighton and the other co-chairman, added: "The primacy of the Pope is a gift to be shared." -Electronic Telegraph-UK News May 13, 1999 Oliver Poole

The UNITED RELIGIONS INITIATIVE was signed on June 26, 2000. At the siging of that document, the Pope became the global moral authority to all Christia denominations on earth. The Vatican is now controlling the One Worl Church that YOUR church denomation actually has membership in.

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PROPHECY #9 - Antichrist will generate a global rule structure by separating the world into ten kingdoms.

• Revelation 17:12-14 “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them:”

Adaptive Model of the Global World System
"The Club (of Rome) had its beginnings in April of 1968, when leaders from ten different countries gathered in Rome...The organization claims to have the solutions for world peace and prosperity... The Club of Rome has been charged with the task of overseeing the regionalization and unification of the entire world... "The Club's findings and recommendations are published from time to time in special, highly confidential reports, which are sent to the power-elite to be implemented.
On 17th of September 1973 the Club released one such report, entitled Regionalized and Adaptive Model of the Global World System... The document reveals that the Club has divided the world into ten political / economic regions, which it refers to as 'kingdoms.'
As of the last known meeting of the "Club of Rome," the planet has been quietly divided into TEN SEPARATE KINGDOMS.

The Ten Kingdoms of the New World Government
Kingdom 1:	Canada & United States of America
Kingdom 2:	European Union - Western Europe
Kingdom 3:	Japan
Kingdom 4:	Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Israel and Pacific Islands
Kingdom 5:	Eastern Europe
Kingdom 6:	Latin America - Mexico, Central and South America
Kingdom 7:	North Africa and the Middle East
Kingdom 8:	Central Africa
Kingdom 9:	South and Southeast Asia
Kingdom 10:	Central Asia

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2 Thessalonians 2:3 says, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed..."

Today's society proves there has been a "falling away" from the faith in all walks of life. Antichrist has been revealed to God's people exactly as prophesied.

... More to come

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