God's Word declares the coming Antichrist for the end of this world will be to mimic The MESSIAH. Where's that written, some might wonder?
By Lord Jesus Christ with His warning in Matthew 24:23-26 about a pseudo-Christ that others will claim, "Lo, Christ is here, or there", and Jesus said to BELIEVE IT NOT.
Matt 24:23-26
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, "Lo, here is Christ, or there"; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs (pseudochristos), and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, "Behold, He is in the desert"; go not forth: "behold, He is in the secret chambers"; believe it not.
KJV
The CONTEXT of all the above Scripture is about a SINGULAR false-Christ (Messiah). It is obvious Jesus was pointing to a SINGULAR pseudo-Christ in the above when some say unto you,
"Lo, here is Christ, or there", and
"Behold, He is in the desert", or
"behold, He is in the secret chambers."
And that Greek word pseudochristos in 'green' for "false Christs", Dr. James Strong in his Strong's Exhaustive Concordance defined to mean, "a spurious Messiah"...
NT:5580
pseudochristos (psyoo-dokh'-ris-tos); from NT:5571 and NT:5547;
a spurious Messiah:
KJV - false Christ.
(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006, 2010 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Thus the pointing to some Gentile as the coming Antichrist-false-Messiah is nothing but a HOAX!
Per the 2nd century Church father Hippolytus, BEFORE the office of a pope even existed...
6. Now, as our Lord Jesus Christ, who is also God, was prophesied of under the figure of a lion, on account of His royalty and glory, in the same way have the Scriptures also aforetime spoken of Antichrist as a lion, on account of his tyranny and violence. For the deceiver seeks to liken himself in all things to the Son of God. Christ is a lion, so Antichrist is also a lion; Christ is a king, so Antichrist is also a king. The Saviour was manifested as a lamb; so he too, in like manner, will appear as a lamb, though within he is a wolf. The Saviour came into the World in the circumcision, and he will come in the same manner. The Lord sent apostles among all the nations, and he in like manner will send false apostles. The Saviour gathered together the sheep that were scattered abroad, and he in like manner will bring together a people that is scattered abroad. The Lord gave a seal to those who believed on Him, and he will give one like manner. The Saviour appeared in the form of man, and he too will come in the form of a man. The Saviour raised up and showed His holy flesh like a temple, and he will raise a temple of stone in Jerusalem.
(Hippolytus of Rome, from Treatise On Christ And Antichrist.)
The early Christian Church recognized from Bible Scripture that the coming Antichrist at the end will try and place himself as MESSIAH, The Christ. Lord Jesus Christ was even emphatic that is what the Antichrist at the end of this world will do.
How then can a GENTILE ever pass himself off as The MESSIAH which refers ONLY to Jesus Christ Who was born of the tribe of Judah of the house of David? They are indirectly claiming that MESSIAH can be a Gentile by saying the Antichrist will be a Gentile. The devout Christian should well know... they are telling a LIE.
“The Pope is of so great dignity, and so exalted that he is not a mere man, but as it were God. and the vicar of God.”
Ferraris Ecclesiastical dictionary
“All names which in the Scriptures are applied to Christ, by virtue of which it is established that He is over the church, all the same names are applied to the Pope.”
On the Authority of the Councils, book 2, chapter 17
“The Pope and God are the same, so he has all power in Heaven and earth.”
Pope Pius V, quoted in Barclay, Chapter XXVII, p. 218, “Cities Petrus Bertanous”.”…the Pope is as it were God on earth, sole sovereign of the faithful of Christ, chief of kings, having plenitude of power.”
Lucius Ferraris, in “Prompta Bibliotheca Canonica, Juridica, Moralis, Theologica, Ascetica, Polemica, Rubristica, Historica”, Volume V, article on “Papa, Article II”, titled “Concerning the extent of Papal dignity, authority, or dominion and infallibility”, #1, 5, 13-15, 18, published in Petit-Montrouge (Paris) by J. P. Migne, 1858 edition.
“The Pope takes the place of Jesus Christ on earth…by divine right the Pope has supreme and full power in faith, in morals over each and every pastor and his flock. He is the true vicar, the head of the entire church, the father and teacher of all Christians. He is the infallible ruler, the founder of dogmas, the author of and the judge of councils; the universal ruler of truth, the arbiter of the world, the supreme judge of heaven and earth, the judge of all, being judged by no one, God himself on earth.” Quoted in the New York Catechism.
These words are written in the Roman Canon Law 1685: “To believe that our Lord God the Pope has not the power to decree as he is decreed, is to be deemed heretical.”Father A. Pereira says: “It is quite certain that Popes have never approved or rejected this title ‘Lord God the Pope,’ for the passage in the gloss referred to appears in the edition of the Canon Law published in Rome in 1580 by Gregory XIII.”
Writers on the Canon Law say, “The Pope and God are the same, so he has all power in heaven and earth.”
Barclay Cap. XXVII, p. 218. Cities Petrus Bertrandus, Pius V. – Cardinal Cusa supports his statement.
Pope Nicholas I declared: “the appellation of God had been confirmed by Constantine on the Pope, who, being God, cannot be judged by man.”
Labb IX Dist.: 96 Can. 7, Satis evidentur, Decret Gratian Primer Para.
“The pope is of so great dignity and so exalted that he is not a mere man …. he is as it were God on earth, sole sovereign of the faithful of Christ, chief of kings, having plenitude of power.” Lucius Ferraris, «Prompta Bibliotheca», 1763, Volume VI, ‘Papa II’, pp.25-29
“The supreme teacher in the Church is the Roman Pontiff. Union of minds, therefore, requires… complete submission and obedience of will to the Church and to the Roman Pontiff, as to God Himself.”
Leo VIII, «On the Chief Duties of Christians as Citizens», Encyclical letter, 1890
“God separates those whom the Roman Pontiff, who exercises the functions, not of mere man, but of the true God…dissolves, not by human but rather by divine authority.”
Decretals of Gregory IX», Book 1, Chapter 7.3
“Hence the Pope is crowned with a triple crown, as king of heaven and of earth and of the lower regions (infernorum).”
Lucius Ferraris, «Prompta Bibliotheca», 1763, Volume VI, ‘Papa II’, p.26)
“Innocent III has written: “Indeed, it is not to much to say that in view of the sublimity of their offices the priests are so many gods.”
The dignity of the priesthood by Liguori p, 36
“The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, he is Jesus Christ himself, hidden under the veil of flesh.”
Catholic National July 1895
“We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty”
Pope Leo XIII Encyclical Letter of June 20, 1894....