Summary:  The word "antichrist" is currently used and has been used to not only label the "man of sin", but institutions as well.

 

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;  II Thessalonians 2:3

 

Most notably the Catholic church, or as the Reformers and Protestants call it, the Papacy. 

 

The Bible clearly teaches that there is more than one Antichrist.  The four verses in the Bible where the term "antichrist" is found are:

 

 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.  I John 2:18

 

Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.  I John 2:22

 

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.  I John 4:3

 

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.  II John 1:7

 

Yet, ponder the description of this anticrhist:

 

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.  Revelation 17:3-5

 

As so many who have gone before us have pointed out, many who were martyred for doing so, the seven heads are seven mountains that make up Rome, and the papacy sits upon an eighth.  The ten horns are ten kingdoms that are the ten toes, that make the empire and the papacy holds more or less control over.  But note the last sentence which states, "THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS".  Even though the Reformers and Protestants have denounced and separated somewhat from the papacy, our mother, we have prostituted ourselves with the world to where there is little difference between us and the world.  In fact in some statistics such as divorce among those that identify themselves as born-again Christians, we actually lead.  We acknowledge our mother every time we recite the "apostles creed" where we say we believe in "the holy catholic church".  Although before the Civil War, many Protestants in the United States did not participate in what were considered the "popish" holidays of "Easter" and "Christmas", now to not celibrate these days is seen and portrayed by many of these same Protestants as un-Christian.  Yes, Her title is correct in being "Mystery, Babylon the Great", because the religion of Babylon is indeed celebrated with celebrating the day of the Sun.  And the papacy boasts that Her children that denounced her for being "THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS", still acknowledge her by trying to keep "Holy" the day of the Sun instead of the Sabbath.  And the true meaning of keeping the first day of the week Holy instead of the seventh, and keeping a fertility festival with eggs and rabbits, named after the first queen of Babylon, is a mystery, sadly, to most Christians.  That we as Christians, God's chosen, are part of THIS antichrist, is confirmed by God calling on us, His people, to come out of her.

 

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.  Revelation 18:4

 

 

God commands us, "Come out of her, my people!"

 

Shalom!