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A sign of the overthrow of Antichrist

Most Christians are still looking for a future Antichrist, when in fact, there have been many antichrists already (1 John 2:18). These were Christians who left the faith (1 John 2:19), or more accurately, they left apostolic teaching, perverted the word, and usurped authority by doing things not authorized by Jesus Christ.

The Greek word “anti” means “in place of” (not AGAINST). So we read in Matthew 2:22,

²² But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of [anti] his father Herod, he was afraid to go there…

You could say that Archelaus was an Anti-Herod, not because he was against Herod, but because he ruled in his place.

Likewise, when Absalom overthrew David and usurped the throne, Absalom became an Antichrist, not in a benevolent manner, but as a usurper.

On the other hand, David Himself ruled in Christ’s throne, so technically he too was an Antichrist—but in a good way. When someone exercises authority under another, he is expected to know the mind of his master and rule accordingly. If he rules by his own will and laws, he is an Antichrist usurper.

Pope Gregory I, who held the papacy from 590-604 A.D., stated that if any pope should lay claim to the title of Universal Bishop, he would be an antichrist. Two years after he died, Pope Boniface III did so in 606 A.D., and every pope since then has been what Pope Gregory called “Antichrist.”

 I have shown in my commentary on Daniel and in many other places that the little horn in Daniel 7 was the religious extension of the fourth beast (Roman Empire). We are now at the time when the beast’s mandate has expired, and God is now overthrowing this last beast, along with all the previous beasts.

So we should soon see the fall of Papal Rome as well. I have wondered if Pope Francis would be the one who would be overthrown or who would destroy Rome (as St. Malachy’s final pope was prophesied to do). We are now seeing one small sign of this, as reported from a breakaway Catholic group that disagrees with Pope Francis.

https://www.nowtheendbegins.com/vatican-watchers-are-stunned-as-pope-francis-drops-title-vicar-of-christ-jorge-mario-bergoglio-his-own-name/

Roman Catholics from deep within the Vatican are sounding the alarm bells today because Pope Francis is once again doing wacky, end times stuff. Today’s story comes from an article on the Catholic site Life Site News from a statement they received from Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò. Viganò is quite alarmed that Pope Francis has dropped the title ‘Vicar of Christ’ in the annual Vatican Yearbook, and instead has listed himself in ‘his own name’ of Jorge Mario Bergoglio. Life Site News and Viganò are rightly alarmed by this breach of long-standing Vatican protocol, but if they knew anything about bible prophecy, they’d really be quaking in their boots. What Pope Francis did is a prophecy of Antichrist!

This is an interesting development that they are reporting. However, I think they misunderstand prophecy and the meaning of Antichrist.

A “Vicar” is one who rules in place of, hence is “anti” (by Greek definition). A Vicar of Christ is an Anti-christ. Whether this is good or bad depends on whether or not the pope rules by the mind of Christ. If not, he usurps the place of Christ and is therefore a usurper type of Antichrist.

Every Pope since Boniface III in 606 A.D. has taken the title Universal Bishop, usurping power over the body of Christ and teaching them to be Hagars (bondwomen) in submission to men. As I showed in my third volume on Lessons in Church History, the Roman bishop first attempted to take this title in 192 A.D. He failed only because a fellow bishop, Irenaeus, scolded him and demanded that he drop that title.

But 414 years later, Boniface III usurped that title in 606, and this time he succeeded in being a full-time Antichrist. The 414-year cycle (Cursed Time) seems appropriate.

For Pope Francis to drop the term "Vicar of Christ" is more likely a sign of the overthrow of Antichrist, not the establishment of Antichrist.