The Reformers studied Daniel and Revelation and pointed to the office of the Papacy as "The Antichrist" ("false Christ") and "The Son of Perdition."
Here are a few quotes:
MARTIN LUTHER: "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.
JOHN CALVIN: "I deny him to be the vicar of Christ, who, in furiously persecuting the gospel, demonstrates by his conduct that he is Antichrist--I deny him to be the successor of Peter...I deny him to be the head of the church." "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 2 Thess 2) are not capable of any other interpretation than that which applies to the Papacy" John Calvin, Tracts, Vol.1, pp. 219,220.
JOHN WESLEY: "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 his followers...He it is...that exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped...claiming the highest power, and highest honor...claiming the perogatives that belong to God alone." Albert Close, Antichrist and His Ten Kingdoms, p. 110.
JOHN WYCLIF: "Why is it necessary in unbelief to look for another Antichrist? Hence in the seventh chapter of Daniel, Antichrist is forcefully described by a horn arising in the time of the 4th kingdom. For it grew from (among) our powerful ones, more horrible, more cruel, and more greedy, because by reckoning the pagans and our Christians by name, a lesser (greater?) struggle for the temporals is not recorded in any preceding time...and the horn has arisen from the ten horns, having eyes and a mouth speaking great things against the Lofty One, and wearing out the saints of the Most High, and thinking that he is able to change times and laws." (the Sabbath)(Daniel 7:8,25 quoted)..."for so our clergy foresee the lord pope, as it is said of the eighth blaspheming little head." Wyclif's De Veritate Sacrae Scripturae, vol. 3, pp. 262,263.
Similar statements were made by William Tyndale, King James, John Knox, Philipp Melancthon and Huldreich Zwingli.
Many of these men were martyred for such comments.
President Reagan and the Pope brought down communism in eastern Europe...a foreshadowing of things to come.
I have quotes by the RCC that state that the Pope is God and Jesus Christ behind the veil of flesh...Do you hear the voice of The Usurper? I do.
The Apostle Paul said, "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas (Peter); and I of Christ. IS CHRIST DIVIDED? Was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? 1 Cor 1:12,13.
The denominational system was never God's plan for His people. He calls this system, "The Mother of harlots." Rev 17. She has traded much of the Word of God for her traditions.
"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE, that ye be not partakers of her sins ("the transgression of the law" 1 John 3:4) and that ye receive not of HER PLAGUES. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." (lawlessness) Rev 18:4,5.
How do we "Come out?" By doing as the Bereans: "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, searching the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Acts 17:11.
Just as Judas arose from within the disciples, so The Antichrist will arise from within the apostate Catholic/Protestant religious system. There are born again Christians in both the Catholic and Protestant churches, but they are coming out.
Have you heard of St. Malachy's prophecy posted on the web by the Catholic Church? He was an Irish Catholic Bishop who visited Rome in 1139 and had a vision of all the popes until the time of the end. He gave details about many of them. He said, that, the last pope would "reign amidst many tribulations," and "the dreadful judge would come and destroy the city." (Jesus is coming back as The Judge.)
If this was a vision from God, there will be one more pope.
