Seeing as how DOUGG started this thread and brought up the antchrist I do not believe that if we continue this conversation about the antchrist we will not be derailing his thread.
I am going to respond to this issue "Would you Care to demonstrate how Luther (and therefore the Holy Spirit as you claim) were correct in claiming THE Pope of his day was THE antichrist"
Def antichrist
One who opposes Christ and even declare himself as God.
The 10 horns represent the 10 kings or kingdoms into which pagan Rome (the fourth kingdom) was eventually split (Daniel 7:24). (These 10 kingdoms are the same as the 10 toes of the image described in Daniel 2:41-44.) Roving barbarian tribes swept in upon the Roman empire and carved out land niches for their people.
- "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" (Daniel 7:8).
Seven of the 10 tribes developed into the countries of modern Western Europe, while three were uprooted and destroyed (“plucked up”) by a “little horn” that had “eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.”
We must identify this "little horn" power carefully, because God takes more space describing it than the other four kingdoms combined. Why? Because the biblical characteristics identify it as the Antichrist of prophecy and history. There must be no mistake in making this identification.
7. Does the Bible give clear points identifying antichrist?
Yes. God’s Word gives us nine characteristics of the antichrist in Daniel 7 so we can be certain of his identity. And even though some might find these truths painful, we must be honest enough to accept them as His revealed will. Now let’s discover these nine points.
A. The little horn would come “up among them”—that is, from among the 10 horns that were the kingdoms of Western Europe (Daniel 7:8). So it would be a little kingdom somewhere in Western Europe.
B. It would have a man at its head who could speak for it (Daniel 7:8).
C. It would pluck out or uproot three kingdoms (Daniel 7:8).
D. It would be different from the other 10 kingdoms (Daniel 7:24).
E. It would make war with and persecute the saints (Daniel 7:21, 25).
F. It would emerge from the pagan Roman Empire—the fourth kingdom (Daniel 7:7, 8).
G. God’s people (the saints) would “be given into his hand” for “a time and times and half a time” (Daniel 7:25).
H. It would “speak great words against” or blaspheme God (Daniel 7:25 KJV). In Revelation 13:5, the Bible says the same power speaks “great things and blasphemies.”
I. It would “intend to change times and law” (Daniel 7:25).
Don’t forget—all these identification points come directly from the Bible. They are not some human opinion or speculation. Historians could tell you quickly what power is being described, because
these points fit only one power—the papacy. But in order to be certain, let us carefully examine all nine points one by one. There must be no room left for doubt.
Does the papacy fit these points
Who Is the Antichrist? | Bible Study Guides | Amazing Facts
Yes, as you above said,
"the points fit only one power—the papacy." John the Apostle said:
1John 2:v.18-20:
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there
MANY antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
The birthplace /cradle of Antichrist
1 John 2:v.19
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
Very interesting this revelation of the Apostle John of the primitive Church. Who is the Apostle John talking about or to whom is he referring in the verse above?
We know that the book of Revelation was showed to John around year 95 AD, i.e. 65 years after the ascension of JESUS to the third heaven. And we know also that there are two distinct Beasts described in Revelation 13:v. 1 to 18. Today, after about 2,000 years, we can and should discern both Beasts will lead two distinct satanic religious systems in near future, but one, the FIRST Man Beast, he already exists, the another has not yet, but he will manifest in near future.
In fact one already exists since ancient time, it has existed for about two thousand years, that is, the Beast of sea, a satanic religious system developed by Satan within the Roman Empire, after he had corrupted the church of Rome that was established by the Apostles Peter and Paul, both were killed by persecution, and thus was developed satanic Antichrist's movements through the corrupt church of Rome, the Catholic Church. Notice that Revelation describes 7 churches, and the church of Rome would be the eighth, but it was left out because the church of Rome was already completely disapproved by JESUS.
In fact, the church of Rome developed a systematic opposition against to the Churches of the Lord that preached the Gospel of God's Kingdom, preached firstly by the Lord JESUS Christ, and continued by the Apostles and disciples of the Lord, by the way, it is preached yet until today.
The satanic religious structures and organizations of the Roman Catholic Church within the Roman Empire, which rides upon the Beast of sea, the Pope, since the confuse election of the first Pope in the first century after Christ, who can be Linus or Clement, and for to increase the confuse election of whom really is the first Pope, the own Satan, the main leader of the blasphemer movement of Antichrist of the Roman Catholic Church, he himself, time after, from the late 2nd or early 3rd century the convention began of regarding Peter as the first pope. Its more a satanic blasphemy.
About the events above described, and the corruption of the Church of Rome, see what the Word of GOD reveals by the VISUAL testimony of Apostle John: 1 John 2:v.18-21
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many Antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 They (the Church of Rome) went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
What we can say is that the woman, that is the Babylonian Roman Catholic Church, married to 266 Popes, currently Francis I is the Pope, she sits upon the scarlet colored Man Beast of sea, the Pope, the Papacy - from the Latin expression Pater Patrum - , full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns, reason by which the RCC is called Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth, which is drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
THE PUNISHMENT OF THE ANCIENT AND CORRUPT CHURCH OF ROME FROM NOW ON - THE WORD IS GOD
Revelation 18:v. 1 to 5
1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
(The Word is God)
In Christ JESUS, King of kings (kings made by Him - Revelation 5:v.10), and LORD of lords
The Antichrist was born from the church - see how | Friends Of Jesus (proboards.com)
