he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.
"Archaeological material from Egypt, the Near East and the Greek Hellenistic world shows that sitting is a distinctive sign of deity" (Kittel, Vol III 441). Jesus also describes God as sitting upon a throne when He says, "But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King...And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon" (Matthew 5:34-35; Matthew 23:22). Also consider John’s vision of heaven: