A New World Order and the Catholic Church
A New World Order and the Catholic Church
There is much speculation and debate going on concerning a “One World Order” or “A New World Order”. And if one looks on the Internet-sites you will see much about this topic. For thousands of years man has somehow strived to bring such a world-rule into existence. There have been empires in the past such as the Babylonian, the Grecian, and the Romans who have tried to rule the whole world at any given time. Hitler tried to take over the whole world through brute force but failed. Even the USA today with all of its military might cannot take over and control the world. Some have had great success in the past but these empires mentioned have always come to an end. Why have they come to an end? My dear friend, it is and always has been the plan of God that these empires exist and have them control matters, but then He always brings them to a fall, so that His own plans may come to fruition. The very first attempt at such an undertaking from man came when they built the Tower of Babel. Let me first point out here, that Satan [Lucifer] is the instigator behind all of this. His aim is to set up a Global One World Order. So why is or does he [Satan] so desire to do this? If one follows the account of Isaiah 14, and Lucifer’s attempt to usurp God from the very beginning of time and take control of the universe, we see the ultimate goal is that he wants to be God, and thus mimic the Lord in every way possible. Men under the leadership of the emperor and occultist Nimrod started building a Tower that would “reach into the heavens”. Whereas many Bible scholars will debate this phrase, there is no debate as to the intention of Nimrod, and that God Almighty was strongly opposed to this. God saw this as an act of rebellion born out of pride, and a desire to “make a name” for himself. Genesis 11:1-9 reads as follows, “And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top [may reach] unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said Behold, the people [is] one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off too build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth”. God in His wisdom and fore-knowledge of all things created such confusion amongst the people that they scattered all over the world. Since then Satan through humans has been biding his time to once again create a society where “the people will once again be one”. And men have through the ages since that first attempt in the land of Shinar been moving right along with Satan’s plans for a “One World Order”, where he will assume the role as leader and god of all. As it was attempted with the Tower of Babel so today the European Union [EU] is moving in the right direction towards building once again a Tower of Babel. Those of you who have studied the Word and seen the formation of the Tower of Babel will also see that the EU Parliament in Strasbourg is very much in line with that same form. Of course we know that all these attempts to move in the direction once again of a united people of the world, that the world-powers and elitists are moving in the right direction for a common goal; and that is a takeover of power and control by the coming Antichrist. Of course the EU is one of the major steps towards ushering in a global government ruled by the man of sin, and that son of perdition himself, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition”, 2Thessalonians 2:3. As one looks at the formation of an African Union already in place today, a South American Trade Union in the developing stages already, and furthermore the rumblings of a North American Union; and must agree, can the ten regional governments that precede the final One World Government of the Antichrist be far away? I believe it is moving closer to that goal more than ever before since the first forming of the United Nations in 1945. A One World Government is coming sooner than you and I realize folks. A bit more than a year ago Pope Benedict XVI made an urgent appeal to the G8 countries [at their meetings] to address the possibility of a One World Government\Religion. This is all part of the plans of Satan himself to join the governments\religions of the world under one umbrella so that Lucifer through the Antichrist will be worshipped. There are many details in the Bible indicating the coming of a One World Order. Revelation 13 [please read this chapter] is a vivid description of this coming world order, and the last years of our society as we know it under the rule of The Beast, also known as the Antichrist. Read Revelation 17:7-13 as to the way of rule by the Antichrist. The Antichrist will not only have political and military control over the world, but he will have established a unified, global religious system. The source from which this man of sin is able to wield such authority\power comes from none other than Satan himself, 2Thessalonians 2:9. It is and always has been Satan’s goal since his original rebellion to imitate and replace the Lord our God, and his 5-point plan is described in Isaiah 14:13-14, “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High”. In Revelation 13: 11-15, we are introduced to the cohort of the Antichrist; the False Prophet. This is the 2nd beast that John sees in his vision, which is also responsible for setting up the religious system of the Antichrist. “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the 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 a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed”. As mentioned above, it is the devil’s ultimate goal to be on a throne exalted above all things and to be worshipped. Satan wants to sit upon a throne that is not just anywhere. His aim is to be seated on “Mount Zion”, literally in Jerusalem, Israel. Of course we know from the scriptures that mount Zion spoken of here is the ultimate prize that is at this writing being fought over. It is that beautiful city of God, the city of the great King, Jerusalem. Satan through the Antichrist will be seated on the Throne of David claiming for himself allegiance from the world, and promoting himself as the Christ, who is to rightfully be seated on the throne in the Temple. Satan through the Antichrist will try and [mostly] succeed in deceiving the world into a false religious-system centered on him. The Bible in 2Thessalonians 2:4 describes his goal: “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. He [Antichrist] will achieve his goals through his False Prophet who is pictured in Revelation 19 as having “horns like a lamb”. So the Antichrist will be the pawn that Satan uses for his own gain, and that is getting the people [especially the Jews] to believe that he is God [their Messiah] and having them believe that he is the salvation and answer to the world’s woes. The False Prophet will have the appearance of a peaceful religious leader [but his words will be directed by Satan], and he will also be able to win over the world by miracles and wonders.
Christianity has now for decades been the target of ridicule and skepticism and it has reached an all time high. As the world grows more skeptical toward Christianity as a whole, the lure of the occult and the New Age philosophy seems more inviting. Therefore society now is more susceptible to miracles. So as more supernatural [satanic] acts are performed, millions upon millions will clamor for “The One” the false “Messiah”, the one who can solve all the ills and woes of the world. By these so-called supernatural acts the False Prophet now is able in directing people to worship Satan himself through the Antichrist. Of course the Bible warns us of this deceit; as the False Prophet uses the tool of deception to the fullest. But thank God for the many who know the Bible truth and believe in the one true Savior Jesus Christ. My friends beware of the deceit that the Antichrist will initiate, and to blaspheme as the Apostle Paul declares in 2Thessalonians 2:3-4. Once the Antichrist has won over the trust not only of the Jews but also the world he will start clamping down on people’s free will. He will do this by changing the world currency. Even at this very moment of history the governments of the world are looking for ways to bring about a one-world currency. And the way to control the people of the world is to bring about a currency that will be used by everyone. Once again we have seen these past years how that the money markets fall and rise making trade between countries very unstable. Oil-prices rise and fall, gold prices are at an all time high, but for how long. The way that the Antichrist will control the population of the world is through a “mark”. Nothing can be bought and sold without this mark. The prophecy pertaining to this event was written almost 2,000 years ago. Barter was a very common system by which people traded with each other centuries ago. The Roman Empire instituted a coin currency, and even gold and silver was used to purchase goods. Paper currency was introduced not more than a century ago. But the Apostle John wrote about a system that would be introduced by a wicked world-ruler that would eventually control commerce and men. As little as 20 years ago computer technology was invented and eventually wireless communications. With electronic debit, credit, Wi-Fi shopping and now micro-chip technology, it is in every way conceivable that we can and are moving to a cashless society, in which all purchases and sales can be tracked. Just by the push of a button your whole existence comes up on a screen. God through the Apostle John in Revelation 13:16-18 reveals how that the Antichrist will control the spending and buying of most the population on planet earth, “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six. In other words the Antichrist is also known as 666. These 3 numbers are well known to most of the world, because it has been preached about through the ages, there have been enough movies made by Hollywood where this number is portrayed as evil and a soon to be rality. Satan through his puppets the Antichrist and the False Prophet wants a One World Order, therefore friends you must understand that instead of fighting it or grabbing it or planning a resistance movement, we need to understand that first this is a spiritual battle. A spiritual battle is fought on our knees in prayer. Also we are able to counter-attack Satan by the Word of God. In Revelation 12:11 John gives us the answer to our victory over Satan and every power of darkness, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony”.
Antichrist is not going to come into power by force, but rather he is going to deceive the world in wanting him, marveling at him and beloved by all men. This is the great deception. And neighbor, the only counter to this deception for us is to have and know Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. Having all the knowledge, even resisting it will not help. You will be faced with a decision before the Antichrist makes an appearance on the world-scene. Take a stand for Jesus now and make Heaven your eternal abode, or serve Satan and spend eternity in hell with Satan, Antichrist, and the False Prophet. Almost 90% of all prophecies which were predicted in the Bible and written by God’s prophets of old and the apostles have come into fulfillment. The other 10% is being and going to be fulfilled in the near future. The only way of escape for you and I is to have Jesus as Lord of our lives, and to trust God in all matters of the present and future. God gave these prophecies to us so that we can know that He is real and that He loves us.
Let me share with you some more on the matter of a One World Order. In 1992, a Dr John Coleman published a book, Conspirators’ Hierarchy: The Story of the Committee of 300. The following is an excerpt from his book, which Dr Coleman accurately summarizes the intent and purposes of the Committee of 300. “A One World Government and one-unit monetary system, under permanent non-elected hereditary oligarchists who self select from among their numbers in the form of a feudal system as it was in the Middle Ages. In this One World entity, population will be limited by restrictions on the number of children per family, diseases, wars, famines, until 1 billion people who are useful to the ruling class, in areas which will be strictly and clearly defined, remain as the total world population. There will be no middle class, only rulers and the servant. All laws will be uniform under a legal system of world courts practicing the same unified code of laws, backed by a One World Government police force and a One World unified military to enforce laws in all former countries where no national boundaries shall exist. The system will be on the basis of a welfare state, those who are obedient and subservient to the One World Government will be rewarded with the means to live; those who are rebellious will simply be starved to death or be declared outlaws, thus a target for anyone who wishes to kill them. Privately owned firearms or weapons of any kind will be prohibited”. Does all this sound familiar to you? Are we already seeing these matters coming to pass right before us each day as we look at our televisions? Are we reading about this everyday in the newspapers and hearing it on our radios? Yes, we are my friend. Prophecies predicted 2000 years ago and longer are coming to pass right before our eyes. The sheer magnitude and complex web of deceit surrounding the individuals and organizations involved in these conspiracies is too much to even comprehend. The ordinary citizens of the world are being lied to daily and are being programmed [brainwashed] by the media influences that are really pawns of such powerful organizations. The organization most recognized today as a frontrunner on all matters sinister, is the Illuminati. Most Illuminati members are also members of the highest ranks of numerous secretive and occult societies which in many cases go far back into the ancient world. The upper levels of compartmentalized [need-to-know-basis] Illuminati structural pyramid include planning committees and organizations that the public has little or no knowledge of. You see folks these sinister behind the scenes elitists within these secret societies have for ages past been working relentlessly to bring in the so-called “New World Order” but somehow I believe that God through the ages past has always held back the powers of darkness in their quest to succeed. They have always been there but the God of the universe has kept back the tide of darkness from engulfing mankind, until certain prophecies have been fulfilled. And as these prophecies have come to pass so the secret societies such as mentioned have become more determined in their hunger to rule the world at the behest of that great deceiver Lucifer. The upper levels of the Illuminati pyramid include secretive committees with names such as; the Council of 13, the Council of 5, the Council of 7, the Council of 9, the Council of 13, the Council of 33, the Grand Druid Council, the Committee of 300 [also known as the “Olympians”] and the Committee of 500 among others. Apart from other secret societies that are driven by the powers of darkness in their quest for world domination, there are the politicians of the major countries of the earth that control the economy, the food supply, the drug markets, and of course the media. It is one long chain reaction that is controlled by that sinister, deceiver, father of lies, and murderer of the ages, Lucifer himself. Most of the major wars, political upheavals, and economic depression\recessions of the past 100 years and earlier were carefully planned and instigated by the machinations of these powerful-elites. They include, The Spanish-American War [1898], World War 1 and 2; the Great Depression; the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917; the Rise of Nazi Germany; the Korean War; the Vietnam War; the 1989-91 fall of Soviet Communism, the 1991 Gulf War; the War in Kosovo. Even the French Revolution was orchestrated into existence by the Bavarian Illuminati and the House of Rothschild. Friends, the names that are written here are not strange to us, as we have these happenings recorded in our history books, in our libraries, we can read about them with the click of a few buttons of the internet. Most skeptics will write this off as just coincidence, but neighbor belief you me these things all happen for a reason; which we all know to be the build up to what we are seeing and have seen most likely for the past 6 decades since the great prophecy of Isaiah 66:8-9 was fulfilled. The Nation of Israel was born in a day. Yes my friend the stakes just got higher. In spite of overwhelming odds against her, the State of Israel became a nation on May 14, 1948. And the very next day six hostile Arab armies attacked the fledgling state. With little ammunition, soldiers [most of whom were refugees just off the ships from Nazi torn Europe], and an air-force that consisted of a few small planes, Israel defeated their enemies. The Arab-nations were stunned, and the nations of the world looked on in amazement. Several wars have been orchestrated against this tiny nation, but Praise God , Jehovah has protected her through it all because of a covenant that He made with a man [Abraham] who was willing to obey the voice of the Lord God. Yes, there has been loss of lives through the past 6 decades but only a minimum. This moment in our history was foretold almost 3000 years ago, “Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? [or] shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children”, Isaiah 66:8. For the past 60 years there is an ongoing battle [war] to annihilate the State of Israel. The world had all forsaken even a remote possibility of another Israel. But God had other plans. This tiny little piece of land has been contested since till this very moment in time. And whether you believe it or not the Bible is the only book where its prophecies predicted have come true. Israel [the Jewish people] has once again stood up from the barren land it was to a major player on the world scene. Once again we know through Bible prophecies of the past that Satan through the Antichrist will again try to defeat the plans of God. As 2Thessalonians 2:4 tells us that this man of sin will desecrate the Temple of God that will be built sometime in the near future. So Israel plays a mighty big role in the end-time prophecies, as we see the powers of darkness closing in on their efforts to control all mankind. And dear neighbor as we see these things coming to pass, do not for one moment think God is caught unawares. No, our God neither sleeps nor slumbers concerning his people [the Jews], Psalms 121:4, “Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep”. God does not sleep nor slumber concerning His children, “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; He that keepeth thee will not slumber”. Psalms 121:3. So we see the promises of God that He will protect His children and the chosen people of Israel. And my friend He is truly able to do just that.
Lets continue some more on the matter of a New World Order. As the 20th century idols of atheism, communism, and humanism have and are falling worldwide, a spiritual vacuum is left that must be filled. As the contest continues for control of the souls and minds of men across the earth in this new world order, the Church of Jesus Christ faces formidable godless opponents of collectivists, neo-conservative fascists, globalists, the New Age religion, Islam and Satanism. As we have been threatened through the past decades by a group of balding hard-lined Communists, we are now facing threats from within by a group of intelligent, well-dressed [and super-rich] globalists that are convincing the super-powers, America, Russia etc, and the nations of the world that the only way to everlasting world peace and stability is the establishment of a…New World Order. The term NWO is used to describe the uniting of the world’s superpowers to secure peace and maintain global safety and security for all its peoples. Mikhail Gorbachev was the first world leader to publicly come out with talk of a new order. Only two years later did Georg Bush [senior] catch the vision? In 1988, Gorbachev made this prophetic statement, “Further global progress is now possible only through a quest for universal consensus in the movement towards a new world order”. In 1990 Bush senior declared optimistically, “If the nations of the world, acting together, continue as they have been we will set in place the cornerstone of an international order more peaceful than any that we have known”.
Following George Bush senior’s footsteps was Bill Clinton who also was beholding to the same secret orders, codes and financiers as his predecessors. During Clintons reign, New World Order Socialists [in the US House of Representatives] came out of the closet, and openly began espousing the principles of socialism. Bill and Hillary Clinton during their presidency and thereafter were and are still introducing not only to the citizens of America but also the world to the 21st Century “Brave New World” where humanity lives in a carefree, healthy and technologically advanced society. Warfare and poverty are to be eliminated, and everyone is permanently happy due to government-provided conditioning and drugs. The results of these government funded ideals means eliminating many things that we consider to be central to our identity and existence, family, culture, art, literature, science, religion and philosophy. And of course most of the world’s population can and will accept this readily enough believing that a world-government that can establish world-peace and preventing a nuclear holocaust can not be considered evil. But hold on there! As wonderful as this may sound to everyone, the Bible warns us, “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” 1Thessalonians 5:3. Not only in the USA but in most governments of the world, the elected politicians no longer have respect for the people who elect them into office. Once they have made their so-called election promises, these politicians once in office throw everything that they have promised to the electorate out the window so to speak and do just as they please. They are in the position of authority and cater only for themselves, their families and the hangers-on who enrich themselves on the tax-payers hard earned money. Barack Obama who is portrayed as a Christian and the so-called savior of America has all but shown nothing of his image as a Christian\Bible believer as he says that he is. Yet this same man who so skillfully and subtly promoted himself as this “messiah type” has shown his disdain toward the majority of the religious-electorate by defending the homosexual community and supporting them; and even the murderous act of abortion using taxpayers’ money to do this. These same acts are occurring here in South Africa as the government has legalized homosexual partnerships as equal to that of the traditional [bible-based] marriages; and they have legalized the murder of babies through termination of choice [abortion]. God calls it murder my friend when innocent blood is shed, Jeremiah 7:6; 22:3, 7; 26:15 and Joel 3:19. Pro 6:17 declares, “A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood”, these are the things that God hates. And you who allow this to be done to you [mothers to be] are just as guilty of murder as the doctors who do it legal or illegal. You may be protected now by legislation but there is coming a day of reckoning when you stand before the Judgment Throne of the God of this universe and will answer for your actions.
Obama has now gone so far as to give his support to the Muslim community to build a mosque literally next to the place where the Twin towers were destroyed by terrorists in 2001. Following recent comments made to a Muslim group concerning their desire to build a mosque, clearly indicates Obama’s sentiments are with Islam. Once again proving that men in positions of power believe they are gods unto themselves, and do as they please. Barack Obama may be looked upon by many as a Christian and a “messiah”, but the Bible says otherwise, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness; and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14. Furthermore the Bible tells us, “that many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and false prophets will appear and deceive many people”, Matthew 24:11. I believe and so will you that when scripture talks about false prophets as mentioned in the above scripture, does not necessarily mean a biblical-prophet as we know one to be, but rather politicians who use the Bible and the Church to convince the electorate that they are sincere, upstanding and righteous individuals [who make promises only to get the votes], and then do not live up to those promises. Here in South Africa we have the same situation where politicians have used those tactics. Once they have come to power then they very conveniently forget 90% of the promises they made to the electorate, and only look out for number one, their families and their cronies. They abuse tax-payers money and when caught get a slap on the wrist or get a golden handshake for their efforts. Politicians are corrupt full stop and the majority of them are thiefs. This happens all over the world and in every country.
Coming back to the present reality, this New World Order is not some prophetically futuristic fairy tale or event, but it is a reality today. It is not a “conspiracy theory” as some would have the citizens of the world believe it to be. It is not a “conspiracy” but an agenda. The people of the world should unplug their delusional “matrix” and see the evidence all around them comparing it with scripture. The Bible by way of the prophets of old, inspired by the Holy Spirit predicted these events 2000 years ago and more. Its pieces falling into place by the machinations of divergent realms and different players. The gears and levers of history in the making have been moved and adjusted through the ages, and a very large game of monopoly has and is being played out, with very real currency and real assets shifting hands, where there will be real winners and losers. And for sure the very ordinary citizens of the world will be the losers. The world economic systems are threatened with catastrophic consequences [as we have experienced in recent years], unless international bankers are allowed to consolidate their powers into a global banking system. Their aim is nothing less than to create a world system of financial control in private hands able to dominate the political systems of each country on the planet, and the economy as a whole. This is all the forerunner or preparation for the Antichrist to come onto the world scene; and my friend we are moving closer and closer to the final climax of his appearance. The Apostle Paul tells us so clearly that there has and always will be false prophets in the world. But neighbor there is a man coming on the world-scene that will deceive the world like no other man or human-being has done before. There will be a falling away of the sound doctrine of the Bible, as men [so-called ministers, pastors and believers] deny the truth they once believed in and twist the Word of God to suit their evil lustful self for gain.
Paul states in 2Thessalonians 2:3-3, “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; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God”. Matthew Henry has this to say concerning this man of sin. “If errors arise among Christians, we should set them right; and good men will be careful to suppress errors which rise from mistaking their words and actions. We have a cunning adversary, who watches to do mischief, and will promote errors, even by the words of Scripture. Whatever uncertainty we are in, or whatever mistakes may arise about the time of Christ's coming, that coming itself is certain. This has been the faith and hope of all Christians, in all ages of the church; it was the faith and hope of the Old Testament saints. All believers shall be gathered together to Christ, to be with him, and to be happy in his presence for ever. We should firmly believe the second coming of Christ; but there was danger lest the Thessalonians, being mistaken as to the time, should question the truth or certainty of the thing itself. False doctrines are like the winds that toss the water to and fro; and they unsettle the minds of men, which are as unstable as water. It is enough for us to know that our Lord will come, and will gather all his saints unto him. A reason why they should not expect the coming of Christ, as at hand, is given. There would be a general falling away first, such as would occasion the rise of antichrist, that man of sin. There have been great disputes who or what is intended by this man of sin and son of perdition. The man of sin not only practices wickedness, but also promotes and commands sin and wickedness in others; and is the son of perdition, because he is devoted to certain destruction, and is the instrument to destroy many others, both in soul and body. As God was in the temple of old, and worshipped there, and is in and with his church now; so the antichrist here mentioned, is a usurper of God's authority in the Christian church, who claims Divine honors”. Yes, my friend there is coming a man as the Bible tells us who will rule this world but for a short while, first as “like unto a lamb” but who after three and half years will become another Hitler but only 100 times more evil. This time it will not only be the Jewish people but rather the whole world. The Church as a whole will usher in the coming of this man because of the falling away from the faith. And my friend, you better believe that this is happening right before our very eyes as more and more so-called Christian preachers and ministers of the gospel are denying the truth of God, such as the “virgin birth” of Christ, the “resurrection” of Christ from the dead, the “sudden catching away” of Christ’s bride [the rapture]. Prophet Kobus van Rensburg of Lofdal Ministries is a pro-ponent of this teaching by denying that an event such as the rapture will take place. More frequently we see and read of whole denominations falling apart because of theological differences concerning marriage by same sex partners, [homosexuals and lesbians], sex before marriage issues, abortion, homosexuals being ordained into ministry as leaders, etc. My friend it is a certainty these are things that stand out today that are the burning issues within the Church. There is much confusion coming forth as preachers mislead there congregants into believing all is well. All the time congregations must hear the love sermons, the all is well sermons, how we must tolerate other religions, and how we must love the homosexuals and accept their choice of lifestyle because they were born that way. No more or very seldom do we hear sermons of the Cross, sermons on the death and resurrection of Jesus from the dead, no longer or not at all are congregations taught about the end times, about the Tribulation, or the Antichrist, neither of heaven or hell. It is almost as if the Church has all but forsaken the truth of God’s Word concerning these matters. Nowadays it is as if people are exposed to the “seeker sensitive” movement; or the Faith Movement that teaches how rich you can be as a believer when you constantly sow into the Kingdom of God. In similar messages on this website [click onto the Sermons link on the homepage] you can read more concerning the prosperity gospel, so I won’t go into this now. Pastors no longer tell people about the possibility of eternal damnation without Christ, or that all men are sinners, because they might offend their congregants. Pastors are afraid of losing there financial status if they do this, because the wealthy people of the congregations might just decide to leave. Am I treading on some toes here today? That is my objective pastor. You who have watered down the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? and changed the truth of God into a lie so that you can appease some of your wealthy congregants. You were called by God to preach the truth concerning the Cross, the Blood of Jesus Christ, the death and resurrection of Jesus from the dead, the sudden catching away of the saints of all the ages according to 1Thessalonians 4:13-18. God has called you to preach the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But you sir, have chosen to preach another gospel. A gospel that no longer calls sin by its name; a gospel that no longer warns men [saved or unsaved] of eternal damnation; a gospel that no longer preaches the rapture of 1Thessalonians 4 or 1Corinthians 15:51-52; a gospel that no longer tells us to deny self; a gospel that compels us to be tolerant to the homosexuals because they were born that way, instead of warning them of their sinful lifestyles. If I am speaking to you Mr. Pastor then you have a lot of explaining to do [when these souls go to a lost eternity], too the many sheep under your care who you have told that all is well, it is not necessary to be worried about these scriptural-warnings. If these warnings were not to be worried about as your pastor has told you, why did God even bother to have them recorded in the Bible? No my friend these scriptures were placed there for a reason. They were recorded so that we as believers can familiarize ourselves with prophecies that warn us as to what is happening and what will happen as we come to the end of the ages as prophesied in the Bible so long ago.
I have no alternative but to write what I am reading and understanding what the Bible teaches, concerning the Mystery of Babylon. Who is the Bible speaking about? Who does the Bible refer to in Revelation 17:1-7? This is what the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary has to say, “THE HARLOT BABYLON'S GAUD: THE BEAST ON WHICH SHE RIDES, HAVING SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS, SHALL BE THE INSTRUMENT OF JUDGMENT ON HER”. (Rev. 17:1-18) unto me--A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic omit.
Many -- So A. But B, "the many waters" (Jer 51:13; Rev 17:15), below, explains the sense. The whore is the apostate Church, just as "the woman" (Rev 12:1-6) is the Church while faithful. Satan having failed by violence, tries too successfully to seduce her by the allurements of the world; unlike her Lord, she was overcome by this temptation; hence she is seen sitting on the scarlet-colored beast, no longer the wife, but the harlot; no longer Jerusalem, but spiritually Sodom (Rev 11:8). (Rev 17:2) - drunk with - Greek, "owing to." It cannot be pagan Rome, but papal Rome, if a particular seat of error be meant, but I incline to think that the judgment (Rev 18:2) and the spiritual fornication (Rev 18:3), though finding their culmination in Rome, are not restricted to it, but comprise the whole apostate Church, Roman, Greek, and even Protestant, so far as it has been seduced from its "first love" (Rev 2:4) to Christ, the heavenly Bridegroom, and given its affections to worldly pomps and idols. The woman (Rev 12:1) is the congregation of God in its purity under the Old and New Testament, and appears again as the Bride of the Lamb, the transfigured Church prepared for the marriage feast. The woman, the invisible Church, is latent in the apostate Church, and is the Church militant; the Bride is the Church triumphant.(Rev 17:3) the wilderness--Contrast her in (Rev 12:6, Rev 12:14), having a place in the wilderness-world, but not a home; a sojourner here, looking for the city to come. Now, on the contrary, she is contented to have her portion in this moral wilderness.
upon a scarlet . . . beast--The same as in (Rev 13:1), who there is described as here, "having seven heads and ten horns (therein betraying that he is representative of the dragon,(Rev 12:3), and upon his heads names (so the oldest manuscripts read) of blasphemy"; compare also (Rev 17:12-14), below, with (Rev 19:19-20), and (Rev 17:13-14, Rev 17:16). Rome, resting on the world power and ruling it by the claim of supremacy, is the chief, though not the exclusive, representative of this symbol. As the dragon is fiery-red, so the beast is blood-red in color; implying its blood-guiltiness, and also deep-dyed sin. The scarlet is also the symbol of kingly authority.
Full - all over; not merely "on his heads," as in (Rev 13:1), for its opposition to God is now about to develop itself in all its intensity. Under the harlot's superintendence, the world power puts forth blasphemous pretensions worse than in pagan days. So the Pope is placed by the cardinals in God's temple on the altar to sit there, and the cardinals kiss the feet of the Pope. This ceremony is called in Romish writers "the adoration." [Historie de Clerge, Amsterd., 1716; and LETTENBURGH'S Notitia Curiæ Romanæ, 1683, p. 125; HEIDEGGER, Myst. Bab., 1, 511, 514, 537]; a papal coin [Numismata Pontificum, Paris, 1679, p. 5] has the blasphemous legend, "Quem creant, adorant." Kneeling and kissing are the worship meant by John's word nine times used in respect to the rival of God (Greek, "proskunein"). Abomination, too, is the scriptural term for an idol, or any creature worshipped with the homage due to the Creator. Still, there is some check on the God-opposed world power while ridden by the harlot; the consummated Antichrist will be when, having destroyed her, the beast shall be revealed as the concentration and incarnation of all the self-deifying God-opposed principles which have appeared in various forms and degrees heretofore. "The Church has gained outward recognition by leaning on the world power which in its turn uses the Church for its own objects; such is the picture here of Christendom ripe for judgment" [AUBERLEN]. The seven heads in the view of many are the seven successive forms of government of Rome: kings, consuls, dictators, decemvirs, military tribunes, emperors, the German emperors [WORDSWORTH], of whom Napoleon is the successor (Rev 17:11). But see the view given, see on (Rev 17:9-10), which I prefer. The crowns formerly on the ten horns (Rev 13:1) have now disappeared, perhaps an indication that the ten kingdoms into which the Germanic-Slavonic world [the old Roman empire, including the East as well as the West, the two legs of the image with five toes on each, that is, ten in all] is to be divided, will lose their monarchical form in the end [AUBERLEN]; but see (Rev 17:12), which seems to imply crowned kings.
(Rev 17:4) The color scarlet, it is remarkable, is that reserved for popes and cardinals. Paul II made it penal for anyone but cardinals to wear hats of scarlet; compare Roman Ceremonial [3.5.5]. This book was compiled several centuries ago by MARCELLUS, a Romish archbishop, and dedicated to Leo X. In it are enumerated five different articles of dress of scarlet color. A vest is mentioned studded with pearls. The Pope's miter is of gold and precious stones. These are the very characteristics outwardly which Revelation thrice assigns to the harlot or Babylon. So Joachim an abbot from Calabria, about A.D. 1200, when asked by Richard of England, who had summoned him to Palestine, concerning Antichrist, replied that "he was born long ago at Rome, and is now exalting himself above all that is called God." ROGER HOVEDEN [Annals, 1.2], and elsewhere, wrote, "The harlot arrayed in gold is the Church of Rome." Whenever and wherever (not in Rome alone) the Church, instead of being “clothed as at first, (Rev 12:1) with the sun of heaven”, is arrayed in earthly meretricious gauds, compromising the truth of God through fear, or flattery, of the world's power, science, or wealth, she becomes the harlot seated on the beast, and doomed in righteous retribution to be judged by the beast (Rev 17:16). Soon, like Rome, and like the Jews of Christ's and the apostles' time leagued with the heathen Rome, she will then become the persecutor of the saints (Rev 17:6). Instead of drinking her Lord's "cup" of suffering, she has "a cup full of abominations and filthinesses." Rome, in her medals, represents herself holding a cup with the self-condemning inscription, "Sedet super universum." Meanwhile the world power gives up its hostility and accepts Christianity externally; the beast gives up its God-opposed character, the woman gives up her divine one. They meet halfway by mutual concessions; Christianity becomes worldly, the world becomes Christianized. The gainer is the world; the loser is the Church. The beast for a time receives a deadly wound (Rev 13:3), but is not really transfigured; he will return worse than ever (Rev 17:11-14). The Lord alone by His coming can make the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ. The "purple" is the badge of empire; even as in mockery it was put on our Lord.
decked--literally, "gilded."
stones--Greek, "stone."
filthiness--A, B, and ANDREAS read, "the filthy (impure) things."
(Rev 17:5) upon . . . forehead . . . name--as harlots usually had. What a contrast to "HOLINESS TO THE LORD," inscribed on the miter on the high priest's forehead!
mystery--implying a spiritual fact heretofore hidden, and incapable of discovery by mere reason, but now revealed. As the union of Christ and the Church is a "great mystery" (a spiritual truth of momentous interest, once hidden, now revealed, (Eph 5:31-32), so the Church conforming to the world and thereby becoming a harlot is a counter "mystery" (or spiritual truth, symbolically now revealed). As iniquity in the harlot is a leaven working in "mystery," and therefore called "the mystery of iniquity," so when she is destroyed, the iniquity heretofore working (comparatively) latently in her, shall be revealed in the man of iniquity, the open embodiment of all previous evil. Contrast the "mystery of God" and "godliness," (Rev 10:7; 1Tim 3:16). It was Rome that crucified Christ; that destroyed Jerusalem and scattered the Jews; that persecuted the early Christians in pagan times, and Protestant Christians in papal times; and probably shall be again restored to its pristine grandeur, such as it had under the Caesars, just before the burning of the harlot and of itself with her. So HIPPOLYTUS [On Antichrist], who lived in the second century, thought Popery cannot be at one and the same time the "mystery of iniquity," and the manifested or revealed Antichrist. Probably it will compromise for political power (Rev 17:3) the portion of Christianity still in its creed, and thus shall prepare the way for Antichrist's manifestation. The name Babylon, which in the image,(Dan 2:32, Dan 2:38), is given to the head, is here given to the harlot, which marks her as being connected with the fourth kingdom, Rome, the last part of the image. Benedict XIII, in his indiction for a jubilee, A.D. 1725, called Rome "the mother of all believers, and the mistress of all churches" (harlots like herself). The correspondence of syllables and accents in Greek is striking; "He porne kai to therion; He numphe kai to arnion." "The whore and the beast; the Bride and the Lamb."
of harlots--Greek, "of the harlots and of the abominations." Not merely Rome, but Christendom as a whole, even as formerly Israel as a whole, has become a harlot. The invisible Church of true believers is hidden and dispersed in the visible Church. The boundary lines which separate harlot and woman are not denominational nor drawn externally, but can only be spiritually discerned. If Rome were the only seat of Babylon, much of the spiritual profit of Revelation would be lost to us; but the harlot "sitteth upon many waters" (Rev 17:1), and "ALL nations have drunk of the wine of her fornication" (Rev 17:2; Rev 18:3); "the earth," (Rev 19:2). External extensiveness over the whole world and internal conformity to the world--worldliness in extent and contents--is symbolized by the name of the world city, "Babylon." As the sun shines on all the earth, thus the woman clothed with the sun is to let her light penetrate to the uttermost parts of the earth. But she, in externally Christianizing the world, permits herself to be seduced by the world; thus her universality or catholicity is not that of the Jerusalem which we look for "the MOTHER of us all", (Rev 21:2; Isa 2:2-4; Gal 4:26), but that of Babylon, the world-wide but harlot city! (As Babylon was destroyed, and the Jews restored to Jerusalem by Cyrus, so our Cyrus - a Persian name meaning the sun - the Sun of righteousness, shall bring Israel, literal and spiritual, to the holy Jerusalem at His coming. Babylon and Jerusalem are the two opposite poles of the spiritual world). Still, the Romish Church is not only accidentally and as a matter of fact, but in virtue of its very PRINCIPLE, a harlot, the metropolis of whoredom, "the mother of harlots"; whereas the evangelical Protestant Church is, according to her principle and fundamental creed, a chaste woman; the Reformation was a protest of the woman against the harlot. The spirit of the heathen world kingdom Rome had, before the Reformation, changed the Church in the West into a Church-State, Rome; and in the East, into a State-Church, fettered by the world power, having its center in Byzantium; the Roman and Greek churches have thus fallen from the invisible spiritual essence of the Gospel into the elements of the world [AUBERLEN]. Compare with the "woman" called "Babylon" here, the woman named "wickedness," or "lawlessness," "iniquity" (Zec 5:7-8,11), carried to Babylon: compare "the mystery of iniquity" and "the man of sin," "that wicked one," literally, "the lawless one" (2Th 2:7-8; also Mat 24:12).
(Rev 17:6) martyrs--witnesses.
I wondered with great admiration--As the Greek is the same in the verb and the noun, translate the latter "wonder." John certainly did not admire her in the modern English sense. Elsewhere (Rev 17:8; Rev 13:3), all the earthly-minded ("they that dwell on the earth") wonder in admiration of the beast. Here only is John's wonder called forth; not the beast, but the woman sunken into the harlot, the Church become a world-loving apostate, moves his sorrowful astonishment at so awful a change. That the world should be beastly is natural, but that the faithful bride should become the whore is monstrous, and excites the same amazement in him as the same awful change in Israel excited in Isaiah and Jeremiah. "Horrible thing" in them answers to "abominations" here. "Corruptio optimi pessima"; when the Church falls, she sinks lower than the godless world, in proportion as her right place is higher than the world. It is striking that in (Rev 17:3), "woman" has not the article, "the woman," as if she had been before mentioned: for though identical in one sense with the woman, (Rev 12:1-6), in another sense she is not. The elect are never perverted into apostates, and still remain as the true woman invisibly contained in the harlot; yet Christendom regarded as the woman has apostatized from its first faith.
Through the ages the one institution who has proven to be all that the Bible teaches it to be, is none other than the Roman Catholic Church. Now it must be said that not all its followers are aware of the state of apostasy of this so-called only true Church. Many believe it to be the only true church, but sadly my friend she is not. It has been proved in ages past that anyone who opposes Catholicism is immediately branded a bigot, and is intolerant of other faiths or a hatemonger. Martin Luther was almost killed by Rome when he stood up against her false doctrines and traditions. We just need to read “Foxe’s Book of Martyrs”, to see the intolerance of the Roman Catholic Church. I would recommend that you buy this book and read for yourself what Rome has done through centuries past. The very system who slings these accusations is the very same culprit whose intolerance and bigotry have choked the very freest of nations. Dear reader when we talk of freedom and that every man shall be permitted to worship God as his\her own conscience and personal convictions dictate such, Catholicism speaks of freedom not of the individual but rather the freedom of the papacy to govern the world through the pope and his agents. Pope Pius IX declared that he has, “full power over the whole world, both in ecclesiastical and civil affairs”, and for anyone to not accept this decree is impious and heretical. Remember how Pope John Paul 2 used to parade around the globe as a champion of freedom and truth for everyone, that is everyone only in his own Romish system, and when theologians dare to challenge Rome’s doctrine they are suppressed\silenced for their efforts. Look what happened to Jimmy Swaggart when he dared to make statements criticizing the Roman Catholic Church and their teachings. Swaggart became a target and had to be brought down. And it was an unpleasant bring-down as most of us know. Hans Kung a theologian and professor of history, when he challenged the doctrine of infallibility because history proved it to be wrong, was ostracized. Rome declares their Pope to be infallible [Not fallible; not capable of erring; entirely exempt from liability to mistake; applied to persons. No man is infallible]; to be infallible is the prerogative of God only. Furthermore the Catholic Church is stating there pope is not liable to fail, or to deceive confidence; certain; as infallible evidence; infallible success. This is like saying that the pope is on a par to perfection as Christ is. That is nothing less than blasphemy. Only Jesus Christ the faultless, perfect, sinless Son of God is infallible.
Rome jumps into action and silences anyone who dares to question such traditional man-made doctrine. No Catholic believer is to employ their individual reasoning on these matters to judge and examine for themselves, but must by decree be content to accept whatsoever is announced by “ecclesiastical authority”. They are told that they cannot interpret scripture; only the priest has that authority. Also when Catholicism speaks of liberty of conscience she is actually meaning, “the right to embrace, profess and practice the Catholic religion as she dictates it”. The Catholic Church will play a large role ushering in the Antichrist, and his False Prophet. The very fact that the powers to be in the Catholic hierarchy make statements such as the above is proof that they are forerunners to the Antichrist who will not tolerate anyone questioning his authority, which is to be bowed down too. Furthermore the Catholic Church decrees in the official, “Civilta Cattolica”, published in April 1948;
“The Roman Catholic Church, convinced through its divine prerogatives, of being the only true church, must demand the right of freedom for herself, because such a right can only be possessed by truth, never error. As for other religions, the Church will certainly never draw the sword [although she has forced the civil arm to do so], but she will require that by legitimate means they shall not be allowed to propagate false doctrine. Consequently, in a state where the majority of people are Catholic, the Church will require that legal existence be denied to error, and if religious minorities actually exist, they shall have only a de facto existence without opportunity to spread their beliefs. In some countries Catholics will be obliged to ask full religious freedom for all, resigned at being forced to co-habit where they alone should rightfully be allowed to live. But in doing this the Church does not renounce her thesis which remains the most imperative of her laws, but merely adapts herself to de facto conditions which must be taken into account in practical affairs. The Church cannot blush for her want of tolerance as she asserts it in principal and applies it in practice”. Now you tell me if this is a Church that contradicts its own laws, and statements of tolerance, unity and love toward others? In other words dear reader, the Catholic Church wears a mask as she always has through the centuries. Anyone that dares to oppose her by criticizing her traditions or laws and decrees are done away with. Those of you who have read “John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs” will read how the Roman Catholic leaders have killed and maimed and burned at the stakes anyone who dared to believe different than them. Have you seen Pat Robertson of the 700 Club join forces with the Whore of Babylon [Catholicism] to put an end to abortion, yet he will not stand against their idolatry or blasphemy? Sin is sin, whether it is physical murder or spiritual murder. We will eventually be persecuted as the rest of those living in Catholic controlled Brazil, Latin America, the Philippines and Mexico! Rome has one mission in mind and that is to control the peoples of the world, to get people to worship the pope and eventually the Antichrist. The present pope and those of centuries gone by, doesn’t allow freedom within his own church, so why must we the Protestant believers trust him to be sincere when he cries freedom for the world? The Pope can make and unmake laws for the entire Church; his authority is supreme and unquestioned. Every bishop, every priest, every member of the Catholic Church is subject to him….they must obey him as Christ commanded all to obey Peter. Yet there is no such biblical foundation for such statements. And because the pope has the right to change laws whenever he sees fit, he is able to overturn hundreds of years of tradition within their Romish system and traditions and make way for the One World Order. Does this shock you? Well here comes another shocker. Popes believe they have absolute power to make and unmake laws, so they believe they have the right and power to alter scripture as well. This is documented in their Confessio Romano Catholica, Articals IV, I and XXI. Yet you and I know that this is blasphemous! Proverbs 30:5-6; Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32 and Revelation 22:18-19 makes it very clear that we are not to add or take away from God’s Word. This is a spirit of the Antichrist! And 2Thessalonians 2 describes the true spirit of the papacy. History has proven and it is well documented that the Catholic Church hierarchy cannot be trusted. Friend, I find that most people do not want to hear truth; they would prefer to feel comfortable. Human beings naturally hide from unpleasant realities, and therefore refuse to investigate this particular reality of the Catholic Church. Another of the traits of Rome in the last few decades is to push the ecumenical gospel. And ecumenism is flourishing at grassroots level as Protestants and Catholics are “taking communion” together. As long as the Catholic Church still insists that partaking of the mass reflects that the wafer is transformed into the literal body and the wine is transformed into His blood, then you who call yourself a believer, yet partakes of this satanic ritual, you my friend are sinning against the very essence of truth as concerns the death of Christ and the shedding of His precious Blood. You are crucifying again the King of Glory when you become a partaker of the Catholic Mass. My friend, the Catholic Church as today and through centuries past has been working hand in hand with the powers of darkness to eventually usher in the near future, the Antichrist. Crucify me if you will but that is the truth.
Dear friend I want to close in saying that Jesus Christ is coming soon. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am [there] ye may be also”. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world”, John 14:1-3 and 17:24 are promises made by the Savior Himself that He is coming again to receive unto Himself those who are gladly awaiting His return. This promise was confirmed by two men [angels] when Christ returned to His Father in Heaven, “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven”, Acts 1:9-11. Are you ready and waiting for Jesus to return? Are you ready when the trumpet sounds to be caught up and meet Jesus in the air? Time is running out, as the storm clouds of Armageddon are closing in on the world, and the greatest tragedy of all time will be upon mankind. Friend, the Word of God declares in 2Corinthians6:2, “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. Now is a good time to receive Christ as your Lord and Master to secure your eternal future.
God bless.