Who is this Man-god?
(excerpted and paraphrased from J.A. Wylies work call, "Antichrist")
It was not until the 13th century that the "man of sin" reached his maturity, and stood before the world full grown.
During all these ages (from the first Bishop of Rome and Constantine the self proclaimed world emperor/god/pope) to the 13th century, he (the popes of Rome) kept stretching himself higher and higher, piling assumption upon assumption, and prerogative upon prerogative, till at last he raised himself to a height from which he looked down not only upon all the churches, but upon all the kings and kingdoms. He claimed to be he world's one bishop and the world's one monarch. In the first century he is seen as a humble pastor, whose only care is to feed his flock, and who looks for no crown save that which the chief shepherd may be pleased to give him at his appearing.
In the 13th century he is beheld as a mighty potentate, who stands with his foot planted on every throne and realm of Christendom. he writes himself a "King of Kings," and he claims by Divine Right to administer all the affairs of earth.
If we accept Christianity, there is no similar example in history of what was at first so small, becoming in the end so great.
Each pope in succession takes up the plan at the point where his predecessors had left it, and carries it a stage nearer to its consumption. For 1300 years on end, we see the enterprise (the Church of Rome, Catholic) pushed forward with an undeviating constancy, and an unflinching courage, with a perseverance and a subtlety, -in short, a combination of powers never before seen working together for the realization of any other project. There is more than man here. The spirit who conceived this plan, who inspired the actors and kept them working century after century, on the same lines, till at last the goal was reached, was more than human. Paul tells us that it's author was Satan. 2 Thess. 2:2,3
Part 1
