Characteristics of the Antichrist (Daniel 7)
A. The “little horn” or kingdom “came up among them “the 10 horns which 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 up or uproot three kingdoms (Daniel 7:8).
D. It would be “diverse” or different from the other 10 kingdoms (Daniel 7:24).
E. It would make war with and “wear out” or persecute the saints (Daniel 7:21, 25).
F. It would emerge from the pagan Roman empire, the fourth world kingdom (Daniel 7:7, 8).
G. God’s people (the saints) would “be given into his hand” for “a time and times and the dividing of time” (Daniel 7:25).
H. It would “speak great words against” or blaspheme God (Daniel 7:25). In Revelation 13:5, the Bible says the same power speaks “great things and blasphemies.”
I. It would “think to change times and laws” (Daniel 7:25).
Explanation
These points can fit only one power, the papacy. But in order to be certain, let us carefully examine them:
A. It “came up among” the 10 kingdoms of Western Europe.
The geographical location of the papal power was in Rome, Italy in Western Europe.
B. It would have a man at its head who speaks for it.
The papacy have one man at the head (the pope) who speaks for it.
C. It would uproot three kingdoms.
The emperors of Western Europe were largely Catholic and supported the papacy in its growth and authority. But three Arian kingdoms did not support the papacy, the Vandals, Heruli, and Ostrogoths. So, the Catholic emperors uprooted these kingdoms. (God Cares by Dr. Mervyn Maxwell, volume 1, page 129).
D. It would be “diverse” or different from the other kingdoms.
Unlike the other secular ten kingdoms, the papacy had a religious power.
E. It would make war with and persecute God’s saints.
Historians estimate that during the inquisition, Middle Ages, and Early Reformation Era, more than 50,000,000 martyrs perished for their faith at the decree of the Papacy. (Halley’s Bible Handbook, 1965 edition, page 726).
F. It would emerge from the fourth kingdom of iron – the pagan Roman Empire.
“The mighty Catholic Church was little more than the Roman Empire baptised … The very capital of the old Roman Empire became the capital of the Christian empire. The office of Pontifex Maximus was continued in that of the pope.” (Alexander Clarence Flick, The Rise of the Medieval Church, pp. 148, 149).
G. God’s people would “be given into his hand” for “a time and times and the dividing of time” (Daniel 7:25).
1. A time is a year, times is two years, and the dividing of time is a half-year. The Amplified Bible translates it: “Three and one-half years.” (The Amplified Bible, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 1962).
2. This same time period is mentioned seven times (Daniel 7:25; 12:7; Revelation 11:2, 3; 12:6, 14; 13:5) in the books of Daniel and Revelation: 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:
3 1/2 years = 42 months = 1,260 days.
3. 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 or 1,260 literal years.
5. The rule of the papacy began in A.D. 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 Pius VI captive with hopes of destroying him and the political, secular power of the papacy. This period of time is an exact fulfillment of the 1,260-year prophecy. This blow was a deadly wound for the papacy, but that wound began to heal and continues healing today.
H. It would speak “great words” of blasphemy “against the most High [God].”
Blasphemy has two definitions in Scripture:
1. Claiming to forgive sins (Luke 5:21).
2. Claiming to be God (John 10:33).
Let’s first look at the evidence for it claiming to forgive sins: “Does the Priest truly forgive the sins, or does he only declare that they are remitted? The Priest does really and truly forgive the sins in virtue of the power given to him by Christ.” (Joseph Deharbe, S.J., A Complete Catechism of the Catholic Religion (New York: Schwartz, Kirwin & Fauss, 1924), p. 279).
The papacy further undermines the ministry of Christ by setting up a system of confession to an earthly priest, thus bypassing Jesus, our High Priest (Hebrews 3:1 8:1, 2) and our only Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5).
The Catholic Church also claims that: “The pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ, Himself, hidden under the veil of flesh” (Catholic National, July 1895).
I. It would “think to change times and laws.”
In its catechisms, the papacy has omitted the second commandment against veneration of images and has shortened the fourth commandment from 94 words to eight and divided the tenth commandment into two commandments (Exodus 20).
The most bold change was regarding the weekly day of worship. The Catholic church openly admits it is responsible for Sunday worship. An authoritative catechism for priests says: “But the Church of God [the Catholic church] has in her wisdom ordained that the celebration of the Sabbath day should be transferred to ‘the Lord’s day’” (Catechism of the Council of Trent, Donovan translation, 1829 ed., p. 358). Compare the Ten Commandments in any Catholic catechism with God’s list of the commandments in Exodus 20:2-17.
The little horn power (The Antichrist) of Daniel chapter 7 is without a doubt the system of the papacy. No other organization could fit these nine points. All Reformers spoke of the papacy as Antichrist. (R. Allen Anderson, Unfolding the Revelation, p. 137).
Please note that there are sincere, devout Christians in all churches, including the Catholic faith. But God calls His children out of their corrupted systems of religion (Revelation 18:4) and the faithful will hear His words and follow Him (John 10:16).
Fore more on the beast of Revelation 13, check:
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
Disclaimer:
The contents of this article and website are not intended to accuse individuals. There are many priests and faithful believers in Roman Catholicism who serve God to the best of their ability and are seen by God as His children. The information contained herein is directed only towards the Roman Catholic religio-political system that has reigned in varying degrees of power for nearly two millennia. Under the influence of its successive popes, bishops, and cardinals, this system has established an increasing number of doctrines and statements that clearly go against Scripture.
It is our sincere desire to lay the clear Word of God before you, the truth-seeking reader, so you may decide for yourself what is truth and what is error. If you find herein anything contrary to the Word of God, you need not accept it. But if you desire to seek for Truth as for hidden treasure, and find herein something of that quality, we encourage you to make all haste to accept that Truth which is revealed to you by the Holy Spirit.
