Daniel 7:21

Paul says further, "who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called god or that is worshiped," that is, above every divinity, so that antichrist will be the bitter foe of the idolatrous cults. He continues, "so that he sits in the temple of God." What temple is that? Paul says it is the destroyed temple of the Jews. For God forbid that it should be that temple of God in which we are! Why should I suggest such a thing? Lest you should think me complacent about us Christians. For if antichrist will come to the Jews as messiah and seek worship from the Jews, he will show great zeal for the temple so as to deceive them the more, hinting that he is that man of the house of David destined to rebuild the temple erected by Solomon. Antichrist will come at such a time as there shall not be left of the temple of the Jews "one stone on another," to quote the sentence pronounced by the Savior. For it is not until all the stones are overthrown, whether by the decay of age or through being pulled down for building material or in consequence of this or that other happening, and I do not mean merely the stones of the outer walls but the floor of the inner temple where the cherubim were, that antichrist will come "with all signs and lying wonders" treating all the idols with disdain, at first adopting a show of being humane but later displaying his ruthlessness, especially toward the holy people of God. For it says, "I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints," and in another Scripture it says, "And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time." Antichrist is the terrible wild beast, the great dragon unconquerable by people and ready to swallow them up.

For it is needful to observe what the prophet says, "And I precisely sought concerning the fourth beast, because he was different than every other beast, and was exceedingly fearful. His iron teeth and his bronze claws were eating and grinding and he tramples the remainder with his feet and concerning his ten horns which were on his head and concerning the other which arose and rooted out three former horns, the eyes and the mouth of whom were speaking great things and his appearance was greater than the rest. I was watching and that horn made war with the saints and prevailed upon them, until the Ancient of Days came and gave judgment to the saints of the Most High, and the season arrived and the saints possessed the kingdom." [Daniel 7:19-22] And so we already arrived at this point and said that it is clear that this is the fourth kingdom, from which no other greater kingdom or even such a kingdom like it has arisen on the earth, from which ten horns are about to spring forth. For it will be divided into ten kingdoms and in them another small horn shall arise, which is that of the Antichrist and he shall root out three who were before him, that is he shall destroy the three kings of Egypt and of the Libyans and of the Ethiopians, wishing to possess for himself every kingdom. Who having mastered the remaining seven horns, he rules the remainder, having in himself been endowed under an unnatural and evil spirit to rouse war against the saints and to persecute all of them everywhere, wishing to be glorified and to be worshipped as God by all. Just as also Ezekiel says concerning him, "Against whom your heart was lifted up and you have said 'I am God'" [Ezekiel 28:2] and again "Will you, while speaking to those whom are killing you, say 'I am a God'? You are a man and not God." [Ezekiel 28:9] And Isaiah says similarly, "But you say in your mind, 'I will ascend to heaven, I will set my throne upon the clouds of heaven, I will encamp on the holy mountain, I will be like the Most High.'" [Isaiah 14:13-14]