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The Catholic Church
–
growing appearance of holy light
In Garner Ted Armstrong's booklet, "The
Mark of the Beast - What Is It?" he makes several statements about
false prophets. Notice just a sampling:
Quote One:
Now, just what IS the "image of the Beast"? As we read in Revelation 13,
it has two horns "like a lamb," yet "speaks as a "dragon," influenced by
Satan himself. Therefore, this beast masquerades as if it is of Christ,
yet is of Satan! Your Bible plainly warns against counterfeits! Jesus
Himself said: "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in
my name, saying I am Christ: and shall deceive MANY ... and MANY false
prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall
abound, the love of many shall wax cold..." -Matthew
24:4-12.
Paul wrote: "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers,
transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ, and no marvel; for
Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."
"Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be
transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be
according to their works" -2 Corinthians 11:
13-15.
The first of the famed "four horsemen of the Apocalypse" represents
false Christs and false prophets. John wrote, "And I saw when the Lamb
opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder,
one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
"And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a
bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and
to conquer" -Revelation 6:1-2.
Quote Two:
This second beast of Revelation 13 which has two horns "like a Lamb" and
yet speaks "as a dragon," with the forked tongue of Satan, is nothing
more than a great false religious system, called "Babylon the great,"
under the power of the false prophet of biblical prophecy.
Obviously, this second beast is able to CAUSE WORSHIP! It is
therefore a political and religious system! It encourages state
worship! It points to the great economic, industrial and MILITARY
power of the first beast! It urges loyalty, servitude, cooperation, and
worship upon all of its followers toward this great ten-nation combine.
The false prophet is imbued with satanic power so that "...he doeth
great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on earth in
the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the
means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the
beast, saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make
an image to the beast, which had the wound by the sword [reference
to the collapse of Rome in 476 until its restoration under General Belisarias in 554] and did live.
Quote Three:
The great false church has been constructed based upon the same old
politico/military system of the ancient Roman Empire! It includes the
old Roman Collegia, found in the "College of Cardinals," and rules over
great and lesser "dioceses," the Roman term applied to political regions
under Roman rulers.
Quote Four:
The coming super-state in Europe will be mostly of ONE RELIGION! And
what is the majority religion of Europe? In most cases, it is ROMAN
CATHOLIC.
Hitler brought about STATE WORSHIP! With his constant emphasis on the
"super race"; his carefully orchestrated nighttime torchlight parades;
his foam-flecked, shouting, mesmerizing speeches, he caused the German
people to utterly subject their personal will to Hitler's will. In the
infamous Nuremburg Nazi rally just before World War II, Rudolf Hess
shouted to the frenzied crowds, "Hitler IST Deutschland! Deutschland IST
Hitler!" "Hitler IS Germany! Germany IS Hitler!" Thus, the adoration of
the man and the state became one. Utter pagan idolatry. It will happen
again!
The coming "beast"; the dictator of a United States of Europe, will
be hailed as a "deliverer"; he will be worshiped! History proves that
many woman fainted at the sight of Adolf Hitler during one of his
parades! The adoration of the masses toward Hitler was a kind of pagan
idolatry! But the Bible says BOTH the Beast and the False Prophet will
be worshiped.
Already, there are countless MILLIONS of people in dozens of nations
who WORSHIP THE POPE! –end quote
We live in historic times and clearly prophetic tumblers are beginning
to fall into place. The EU super-state is becoming stronger
everyday. We have a new Pope that has hit the ground running and
already reaching out to both leaders and all of the daughter churches in
calls for peace, unity and love. It is about to become much more
astounding. The World will marvel and many will be astonished.
Without a great deal of rhetoric, let me just go ahead and make some
predictions. I have already made some in my Word from commentary,
"21st
Century Crusades?" Notice...
From the
Vatican and the Pope:
5) The Vatican becoming involved in
the political affairs of the EU, including a new constitution that will
be embraced by what German chancellor Gerard Schroeder is calling his
“inner circle” of fast-track European Union member states.
[ reference
Power of the Pope Word from]
6) The Pope laying even greater
emphasis than John Paul II on both doctrine and authority of the
Church.
7) The Pope taking radical steps to
bring all sheep back into the fold and filling the currently empty pews
of the Catholic Church.
8) The Vatican demonstrating
intolerance for the Muslims in Europe. Possibility of the Pope speaking
negatively toward the Muslim faith, its beliefs and the Qur’an. He
could conceivably call for a new "crusade" against Islam.
9) The Catholic Church getting
directly involved in the “Road to Peace” process.
10) A call by the Vatican for
Christians throughout the world to make pilgrimages to Jerusalem. This
may or may not be coupled with increased persecutions and attacks
against Christians in Jerusalem and throughout the Middle East.
11) The Vatican expressing special
interest in the Temple Mount and other holy sites in Jerusalem.
12) A visit by cardinals and/or the
Pope himself to Jerusalem.
Since the posting of this commentary in June of 2005, we have been
tracking the news to see these predictions being fulfilled. Here are more predictions.
1]
We are about to see a revitalized Catholic church that will demonstrate
great energy and involvement both politically and personally. You
might begin to see the phrase, "the New Catholic Church."
2]
Instead of pews being empty and the numbers of young members dwindling,
we will see this turn around and witness the church casting a net that
will appeal to millions.
3]
We are already witnessing and will see an increase of clergy from the
daughter churches converting to or back to Catholicism.
4]
We will begin to see the Pope championing Godly principles such as love,
joy, peace, forgiveness and compassion. Just yesterday, as I write
this [26 January 2006], the Pope issued his first encyclical [papal
letter], ‘Deus
Caritas Est’ [God is love]. Expect more just like it.
5]
"Feel good" emotions will begin to run high just at the mention of the
Pope. There is an account from the mid-thirties out of Germany
where a neighbor lady approached her friend next door and asked her to
accompany her to a parade which would feature Adolf Hitler
passing by in an open automobile. The neighbor lady, not a fan of
politics or Hitler, reluctantly agreed to go. Once there, she
would later write, she got caught up in an overwhelming frenzy and
adoration of the Chancellor as he passed by, standing at attention in
the rear seat with that well-known stiffed-arm German salute. We are
about to see this again. As Mr. Armstrong is quoted in quote four
above, "...the
adoration of the man and the state became one. Utter pagan idolatry."
6]
We will witness friends, families and acquaintances marveling at this
newly energized church and making statements reflective of the Vatican
or Pope believing and teaching the same values and principles they
embrace. You will see some of them converting from their
current faiths to the Catholic church and urging others to do the same.
7]
We may even see some in the Body of Christ [not necessarily the ICG]
falling away and getting caught up in this frenzy and adoration that
will only increase from week to week and year to year. Indeed, in
the last decade I have heard stories of those fallen away going to or
back to the Catholic Church. The Bible gives us a prophetic
statement in this regard...
And then if any man shall say to you, Lo,
here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: For false Christs
and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to
seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I
have foretold you all things.
–Mark
13:21-23
8]
Certainly, as time goes on we will begin to see signs and wonders
performed by the Pope and coming out of the Vatican. They will
shock and astonish the entire World.
A new and soft, glowing light is about to surround the Pope and the
Vatican and may even, for a period, spread throughout the EU as the
political beast power takes his position. As Jesus says above, "take
ye heed: I have foretold you all things."
––––
See also, "The
Power of the Pope" by Mark Armstrong
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