Before His Incarnation, when it was anticipated that God would be born of a Virgin, the adversary maliciously twisted this truth through the false teachings of idolaters, suggesting that false gods are born of women, with the hope that people would fall for this deception and not recognize the truth. Similarly, prior to the return of the true Christ, the enemy will take advantage of the expectations of the people, particularly those of the Jewish faith, by unveiling a certain sorcerer, adept in deceitful and nefarious magical arts. This impostor will claim the title of Christ, misleading the Jews longing for the Messiah and deceiving Gentiles through illusions of sorcery.
The foretold Antichrist will arise at the conclusion of the Roman empire's reign, coinciding with the end of the world. Ten kings of Rome will rule simultaneously, albeit in different locations. Subsequently, the eleventh will emerge as the Antichrist, who will seize control of the Roman kingdoms through wicked sorcery. He will overthrow three of these kings, while maintaining dominion over the remaining seven. Initially, he will present himself with the virtue and wisdom befitting a notable leader, deceiving the Jews as the anticipated Christ through miraculous signs and flattering enchantments. Eventually, however, he will reveal himself through profound inhumanity and wickedness, surpassing all who preceded him in malice. He will harbor murderous and cruel intentions against all, especially Christians, revealing his nature in various ways. This period of deception will last for three years and six months, after which he will be consumed at the glorious return of the only begotten Son of God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He will vanquish the Antichrist 'by the Spirit of his mouth' (2 Thess. 2:8) and cast him into the fires of Gehenna.
We derive this not from mere speculation, but from the Holy Scriptures read within the Church, particularly from the recently addressed prophecy of Daniel, as explained by the Archangel Gabriel, who stated: 'The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on earth, which will exceed all other kingdoms' (Dan. 7:23). Church interpreters regard this kingdom as the Roman kingdom. The first notable kingdom is Assyria, followed by Media and Persia as the second, then the third being Macedonia; the fourth kingdom is the existing Roman kingdom. Daniel also states that not only ten kings will arise, but all who came before. 'And three kings shall he humble' clearly refers to a portion of these ten. Following the overthrow of three of the ten, the eighth will ascend to power. 'And he shall speak words' that are 'against the Most High' (Dan. 7:23), denoting a blasphemer and lawbreaker who will usurp the kingdom not through heritage but through sorcery.
THEOSIS