"We will begin in the book of Daniel, which gives us important information in a repeat and enlarge format regarding the Antichrist that is paralleled in Revelation.
Dan 7:8 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.
Dan 7:19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; Dan 7:20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, ...
Now to Daniel 8 for the parallel there:
Dan 8:9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, ...
Dan 8:10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
Dan 8:11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, ...
We continue to the willful king of Daniel 11:
Dan 11:36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods,
Next to Paul's second epistle to Thessalonica:
2 Th 2:3 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 Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
The key to understanding this important characteristic of the Antichrist is found in Revelation, where it is very clearly defined for us:
Rev 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.
Note that this "name of blasphemy" is associated with all the heads of the sea beast. The word translated "name" of blasphemy in Rev. 13:1 is onoma:
G3686. onoma, on'-om-ah; from a presumed der. of the base of G1097 (comp. G3685); a "name" (lit. or fig.) [authority, character]:--called, (+ sur-) name (-d).
The same word is translated "name" in the following verse:
Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Now, who cannot immediately see that in Daniel 7, 8, 11, and 2 Thes. 2:3-4 the great words, the words by which he, the Antichrist, magnifies himself, are blasphemous words, from Revelation 13? The Antichrist is not an open violent opposer of Christ, he is a subtle usurper within the church that is guilty of blasphemy. This "name of blasphemy" of the sea beast is again mentioned in the key verses that are the focus of this discussion:
Rev 13:17 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.
Rev 13:18 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.
So from the blasphemous name of the beast from the sea, the Antichrist, the number 666 can be counted.
The solution to the enigma:
- The mark of authority of the papal system is that it thinks to change times and laws of the most high (Dan. 7:25) This is defined clearly in Rev. 14:7 by the first angel's message as the pre-advent judgment and the Sabbath commandment.
- The blasphemous name of the beast, which is in fact a title, is Vicarius Filii Dei,by which the papal system usurps Christ's authority, claiming for itself the power to dispense with the law of God, or modify it at will. Two commandments of God's law have been altered by the papacy, the second regarding idolatry, and the fourth regarding the seventh day Sabbath. The title clearly reveals the character of the Antichrist, in fact Antichrist and Vicarius Filii Dei are synonymous, they both mean one who takes the place of Christ, a usurper.
- We are told to find a boastful blasphemous title that yields six hundred sixty six arithmetically. The number six hundred sixty six is the number of his name (arithmos G706 onoma G3686) mentioned in Rev. 13:17,18, and 15:2. The number is not readily apparent from the title, it must be counted or reckoned, as the text clearly indicates." BibleLight
