Hundreds of years of Reformers had no problems identifying the AC power. That’s because the prophetic clues are clearly laid out in Daniel and Revelation. It can only be one “church” system.
Daniel 7 clearly states that the Little Horn power (Antichrist) comes out of the 4th beast, which is Rome.
1. It will rise to be a great power after the fall of the pagan Roman Empire (after 476 AD)
2. It would uproot three of the ten kingdoms the Roman Empire collapsed into
3. It will be a geographically small nation (a little horn)
4. It will rule over many people, nations and tongues (it will be universal)
5. It will be headquartered in the city of seven hills, Rome
6. It will be a religio-political entity - a political city-state ruled by a priest-king
7. Its priest-king will make great and blasphemous claims
8. It will claim authority over all kings
9. It will claim its power to change the holy times and laws of God as its mark of authority
10. It will be an apostate Church that makes the nations drink her cup of apostate doctrine
11. It will be a “mother” Church, with apostate daughters coming from her
12. It will be a persecuting power, killing the faithful saints of Jesus Christ as heretics
13. It will hold power and authority for 1260 years following the fall of pagan Rome
14. It will suffer a deadly wound that will end 1260 years of dominance and persecution
15. It will be revived after the deadly wound, and all the world would wonder at its revival
It’s a shame that everyone who believes in a false Pre-Trib Rapture, refuses to even acknowledge it (the truth). And unfortunately, they are in Harlot churches. God says “come out of her, my people” in Rev 18:4
Denying the truth only makes matters worse. The last pope standing is more than likely “THE” Antichrist.
https://www.who-is-the-antichrist.org/
http://www.redeemerfw.org/resources/reformers_antichrist.pdf
“Hundreds of years of Reformers had no problems identifying the AC power.”
Hundreds of years of Protestants were wrong - as admitted by other Protestants.