The King of Daniel 11

After the perfecting of the revolution of the fourth century, the issue was no longer the Saints versus Imperial Paganism; but "the Remnant of the Woman’s Seed" versus the Imperial Laodicean Apostasy, known in history as "The Holy Catholic Church." It assumed to itself this name after it had been "spued out of the mouth of the Spirit" as an unholy abomination beyond all possibility of redemption. Prosperity accelerated corruption with rapid strides until the patience of Deity had reached its limit. Consumption and utter destruction of the antichristian apostasy were predetermined at a time duly fixed and revealed. The Lawless Power, ho Anomos, "that opposeth and exalteth itself over all called god, or reverenced; so that he in the temple of the god as a god sitteth, showing forth himself that he is a god;" this absolute power, styled in Dan. xi. 36-39, "the king who does according to his will, and exalts himself and magnifies himself above every god," was to prosper till the indignation against Israel be accomplished. He is then to stand up against the Prince of princes (Dan. viii. 25), who will consume him with the Spirit of his mouth, and destroy him with the manifestation of his presence" (2 Thess. ii. 4-8). This is the consummation that presents itself as the completion of the Seventh Seal prophecy; during all of which this the Antichrist is seen developing itself with intense ferocity and impiety against "the Deity, his name, his tabernacle and them that dwell in the heaven" (Apoc. xiii. 6). It was not intended to permit the Mystery of Iniquity to attain to instantaneous maturity as soon as the Woman gave birth to her man-child. He had been nine months of years in coming to the birth, and it was determined that he should pass through youth and middle age to the decrepitude of all things human. But though the Antichrist was to prosper till the time appointed for his destruction by the saints, he was not to be free from the troubles and ills of "the present evil world," in which "there is no peace for the wicked, saith Yahweh; for they are like the troubled sea, which cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." It is not compatible with the honor and goodness of God to allow them to rest while they are blaspheming him and oppressing and destroying his people. In the absence, therefore, of "the Son of his handmaiden," Mary -- "the Son of man at his right hand whom he hath made strong for himself" -- He uses the wicked as his sword (Psa. xvii. 13) to torment one another for their abominations, until the time appointed for the sword of judgment to be committed to the saints, and the power of the wicked be by them destroyed.