(- contd. from May 1997)
Secondly in Latin for it was in the days of the Fourth or Latin Empire of Daniel 2 that the Book of Revelation was written, and it was within the boundaries of that same Latin Empire that the Anti-Christ was to arise. Thirdly in Hebrew, because it was primarily to Israel that the Book of Revelation was addressed.
1 . GREEK:- As early as the Second Century A. D. lrenaeus declared that the name of the Beast was "Lateinos" or the "Latin Man". A more appropriate title could not have been found, for Latin was the language of the Papal system, and the Bulls and Decrees of the Popes, not to mention Canon Law itself is written in Latin. In the Greek tongue the numerical value of the Latin Man is as follows:-
L A T E I N 0 S
30 + 1 + 300 + 5 + 10 + 50 + 70 + 200 = 666
2. LATIN:- When the crown of gold is placed upon the head of
a Pope at his coronation, it bears the following inscription:-
"VICARIUS FILII DEI" or Vicar (stand in for) the Son of God. The numerical
value of this title is as follows:-
V 5 F - D 500
I 1 I 1 E -
C 100 L 50 I 1
A - I 1
R - I 1
I 1
U 5
S -
112 + 53 + 501 = 666
3. HEBREW:- In the ancient language of God's people Israel, two words, Romiti
and Romiith meaning the "Roman Man" and the "Roman Kingdom" have the same
numerical value as follows:-
R 0 M I T I
200 + 6 + 40 + 10 + 400 + 10 = 666
R 0 M I I (TH)
200 + 6 + 40 + 10 + 10 + 400 = 666
12 ANTI-CHRIST TO MAKE HIS APPEARANCE AT A TIME OF FALLING AWAY OR
APOSTACY. 11 Thessalonians 2 v 3.
The Greek word used here by Paul for "failing away" is "apostasia" which does
NOT mean a failing away into Godless athesism but rather
REVEALED TRUTH into a strange and corrupted system of religious
teaching. The failing away would not at first be open but a gradual perversion
of truth by "lying words" "deceit" and "delusion".
During the first three centuries of the Christian dispensation, as long as
the Roman Empire remained a persecuting pagan, power, the fundamentals of the
Christian faith were generally adhered to, although even in the days when John
received the Revelation vision, error was already manifesting itself in the
Seven Churches of Asia Minor. However, with the "conversion" of the Roman
Emperior Constantine, Christianity became the state religion, and Bible Truth
was deluged by a tide of Babylonian error, so that the Bishop of Rome was able
to emerge as the head of a system of what was little more than baptized
paganism, and taking the title of Supreme Pontiff, previously used not only by
the Emperors of Rome, but by the High Priests of the Babylonian Mystery
religion.
13 ANTI-CHRIST TO BE IDENTIFIED AS "THE SON OF PERDITION". 11
Thessalonians 2 v 3.
This title given by the Apostle Paul to Anti-Christ is a unique one indeed.
It is used on only one other occasion in Scripture, to identify Judas lscariot
(John 17 v 12) and so we can expect Anti-Christ to reflect the
character of a Judas.
Judas Iscariot was to all intents and purposes a Bishop and Apostle of the
early Christian Church (Act 1 v 20 & 25), similarly the Pope appears
outwardly to be a Chief Bishop and Apostle of Christ.
Furthermore Judas was treasurer of the Apostolic band, and collected money,
no doubt in the name of our Lord. In fact it was this very love of money which
prompted him to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, a betrayal carried out
with all the outward show of still hailing Jesus' lordship with a kiss.
Likewise, in the name of Christ, the Papacy has grown rich on
the false doctrines of the Mass, Purgatory, Indulgences and Prayers for
the dead, not only robbing poor deluded Roman Catholics of wealth but of the
very spiritual blessings which Jesus taught were available "without money and
without price".
14 ANTI-CHRIST TO BE EXALTED OVER ALL THAT IS CALLED GOD OR
WORSHIPPED II Thessalonians 2 v 4.
This verse shows us that Anti-Christ would claim to be, and show himself to
be above everyone who is called God and everything worshipped as God. Now when
the Pope is carried in state into St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, on his portable
throne chair, he is enthroned above the High Altar where the Mass is celebrated
and the "reserved sacrament" is exposed for adoration.
Regarding their "wafer god" the Church of Rome teaches in the Council of
Trent:- "there is therefore now no room to doubt, but all the faithful in Christ
are bound to venerate this holy sacrament and to render thereto the worship of
Latria (the highest form of worship Rome accords) . . . if anyone shall say that
this holy sacrament should not be adored ... or that its worshippers are
idolaters, let him be accursed."
So we see the Pope enthroned in St. Peter's above the very thing which his
church "calls" god and "worships".
15 ANTI-CHRIST TO SIT IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD 11 Thessalonians 2 v 4.
Now much play has been made of this verse by the Futurists who like to tell
us that their coming world dictator is to be enthroned and worshipped in a
rebuilt Jewish Temple at Jerusalem. Once again our desire should be not merely
to seek out an isolated verse to build a doctrine, but to search the Scriptures,
comparing verse with verse in the light of the original languages.
First, let us say clearly that even IF the Jews were to succeed in rebuilding
a Temple at Jerusalem, it would not be the Temple of God, since they continue to
reject the Lord Jesus Christ. God has in turn rejected their Temple, with its
system of blood sacrifices, now obsolete, since the Lamb of God, even Jesus,
made His one sacrifice for sins for ever, at which time the curtain of the Holy
of Holies in the Jerusalem Temple was ripped apart. Furthermore the Lord Jesus
Himself told these same Jews:- "Your house (temple) is left unto you void."
Now had Paul wanted to state that Anti-Christ would sit in some sort of
Jewish Temple, he would have used the Greek word "HIERON" which is used on some
twenty-five other occasions in the New Testament to describe the Jewish Temple.
instead Paul choose to use the Greek word "NAOS", which according to Young's
Analytical Concordance means a "dwelling place" or "inner sanctuary". Now when
the Lord Jesus used the word "NAOS" as in John 2 v 19, 20, and 21, He used it
not to refer to a building in Jerusalem, but His own body:-
"Destroy this temple (NAOS) and in three days I will raise it up . He spake
of the temple (NAOS) of His body."
In the other Epistles of Paul the word "NAOS" has a definite meaning other
than the building at Jerusalem e.g.
(a) "What agreement hath the Temple (NAOS) of God with idols....... for ye
are the Temple (NAOS) of the living God."
(b) "Ye are the Temple (NAOS) of God. If any man defile the
Temple (NAOS) of God, him shall God destroy for the Temple (NAOS) of God is
holy, which Temple (NAOS) are ye." I Corinthians 3 v 16 &
17.
(c) "in whom all the building fitly framed
together groweth unto an holy temple (NAOS) in the Lord."
Ephesians 2 v 21.
It is crystal clear from the above that Paul used "NAOS" to refer to the
Church or Body of Christ made up of individual believers who are living stones.
Following on from this it is equally clear that Paul was teaching us that
Anti-christ would be seated not in some Jewish sanctuary at Jerusalem, but in
the Church of Christ itself receiving worship and adoration which the Pope did
throughout the Middle Ages until the Reformation.
16 ANTI-CHRIST TO BE AT WORK IN PAUL'S DAY BUT BE RESTRAINED BY
SOMETHING II Thessalonians 2 v 6&7.
Now the Futurists would have us believe that the restraining influence
referred to in these verses is the Holy Spirit. They then proceed to tell us
that after the "secret rapture" of the Church, the Holy Spirit will also be
removed from the earth, thereby permitting Anti-christ to take control of world
affairs. Assuming for one moment that such a proposition is true, we might weil
ask why Paul did not refer openly to the Holy Spirit, and why he chose to use
such veiled language to refer to the restraining power.
It is obvious to those with eyes to see that Paul dared not write to the
Thessalonians naming the restraining power that was to be removed, obviously in
case the same restraining power took action against him for predicting it would
pass away. Thus we see that the restraining power was something even Paul feared
to name, and whose presence as long as it continued would prevent the emergence
of the Papacy. The only thing which fits into this part, is the Roman Empire,
which was at its height of power and prestige in Paul's day.
The next point we must note is that Paul uses two different genders to refer
to the restraining power. First of all he says "WHAT witholdeth" using the
neuter gender, and then he refers to "He who letteth" using the masculine. The
Roman Empire does fit the role of being both masculine and neuter in gender at
the same time in that it was:-
(a) NEUTER in the sense of the Empire as a concept or system of government.
(b) MASCULINE in the actual person of the Caesars who ad. ministered and
governed the Empire.
17 ANTI-CHRIST TO ORIGINATE IN AND GO OUT FROM THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH 1
John 2 v 19.
The above verse makes it clear that far from Anti-christ being a Moslem, a
Jew or a Communist, it would be within Christendom itself that the line of
apostates would originate. First of all Antichrist would seek to introduce a
priestly class into the Church, the very doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, warned
against by our Lord in His message to the Church at Ephesus. After this the path
was progressively downwards into idolatry and superstition until the Anti-christ
system of the Papacy was Christian in name only, having departed from the entire
doctrine and practice of Apostolic days.
18 ANTI-CHRIST NOT AN OPEN OPPONENT
It is only correct before looking at the remaining verses from John's
Epistles in which the actual word Anti-christ is used for the first time rather
than the symbol of a "beast" or a "little horn" that we see just what the word
meant in the original. The Greek word ANTICHRISTOS as used here denotes, not an
open opponent but a Vice-Christ, a substitute Christ, or even as they describe
their own office, a Vicar of Christ. To confirm this we see that the word "anti"
as used by the Greek writers in Bible days was used in the sense of a substitute
rather than an opponent e.g.
A. ANTI-BASILEUS-A VICE KING OR VICEROY
B. ANTI-DIAKONOS-A VICE MINISTER
C. ANTI-DOULOS-A SUBSTITUTE SLAVE
D. ANTI-DEIPUOS-A SUBSTITUTE GUEST AT A BANOUET
Many more examples could be given but these are sufficient to illustrate the
point.
19 ANTI-CHRIST TO DENY THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THAT JESUS CHRIST
IS COME IN THE FLESH I John 2 v 22 & 23 II John 4 v 3
First of all let us see in what sense the word deny is used in these verses
for the Futurists will be quick to point out that the Pope does not deny the
existence of God or the historical record of Jesus Christ. The word deny as used
in John's letters is used in the same sense as in the following other New
Testament passages.
A "They profess that they know God but in works they DENY Him." Titus 1 v 16
B. "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall
be false teachers among you, who privily (secretl shall bring in damnable
heresies, even DENYING the Lord that brought them." I I Peter 2 v I.
C. "For there are certain men crept in unawares..... turning the grace of God
into lasciviousness and DENYING the only
Lord God." Jude v 4
From the above we can see that denial is used in the sense of bringing false
doctrines into the Church of Christ, perverting the Gospel of Grace and denying
the only way of salvation. To all these charges the Popes of Rome stand
condemned for they teach another way of salvation, robbing our Lord Jesus of His
rightful titles and position.
When the Popes of Rome have taken the title of "Holy Father" le they have
robbed Almighty God of the title reserved for Him alone and used only once in
John 17. When they have claimed to be Vicars of Christ they have robbed the
blessed Holy Spirit of His position and ministry in the church.
We have already quoted sufficient in an earlier part of this article to show
how the blasphemous claims of the Roman Pontiff have struck at the very position
of Christ Himself. However, the denying does not merely stop here for it it also
true that the Popes of Rome have denied that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh,
in that they deny the reality of the Spirit of Christ living and dwelling in you
and I as believers:- "Christ in you, the hope of glory," for they teach that it
is impossible to know the assurance of salvation, or even to be saved at all if
we remain outside the Roman fold.
Furthermore, the Papacy has denied the very message of salvation by grace
through faith alone, and that there is but one mediator and advocate between
sinful man and God, even our Lord Jesus. In place of this they have substituted
a system of Baptism, good works, the mass, penance, purgatory, prayers to the
saints and the crowning blasphemy of Mariolatry, where instead of the Creator
the creature is worshipped in the person of the Virgin Mary. Pope Leo XI I I
himself admitted that:-
"Our manner of praying to the Blessed Virgin has something in common with our
worship of God, so that the Church addresses her thus "Have mercy on sinners."
The Romanist Saint Bonaventura altered the entire 150
Psalms, transferring all glory and honour from our Lord to Mary e.g.
"Into Thy hands, I commend my spirit O Lady. In thee have I reposed my hope O
Holy Virgin."
"O come and let us sing unto our Lady... let us rejoice in the Virgin who
brings us salvation."
"Have mercy upon me O Lady, who art called the Mother of Mercy."
"How amiable are thy tabernacles O Queen of Virtue."
What horrible blasphemy, what a denial of our lovely Lord Jesus.
Nor sadly does it end here for St. Bernadine of Sienna declared:-
"all things, even God are servants of the Empire of the Virgin."
"God is subject to the command of Mary."
"All gifts, graces and virtues of the Holy Spirit are administered by her
hands to whom she will."
"Mary has done more for God, than God has done for man."
More could be quoted of similar Mariolatry from the writings of St. Alphonso
de Liguroi in his book the "Glories of Mary" but enough has been said already.
Such teaching is not merely a product of the Dark Ages for in 1854 the Pope
declared the Immaculate (siniess) Conception of Mary and in 1951 her bodily
Assumption into Heaven. During my own recent visit to Rome, I personally saw the
great Basilica given over to the Marian Cult, outside of which there stands a
huge cross, with Christ crucified on one side, and Mary, crucified, on the
other, thus teaching that she is the Co-Redemptress and Co-Mediatrix.
In truth the Papal system is the greatest possible DENIAL of
Bible-based Christianity.
20. ANTI-CHRIST NOT AN INDIVIDUAL BUT AN ENTIRE DYNASTY.
The final objection to our thesis Will no doubt be that Anti-christ is an
individual and so the title cannot refer to a whole dynasty of Popes, but is
this a fact or not? In the Epistle to the Hebrews, the whole dynasty of High
Priests in Israel is referred to as one man (Heb. 9 v 7). Again we are told that
the entire company of believers in all ages is but "one body" (1 Cor. 12 v 12).
Similarly, the, whole line of believers are referred to as "one new man"
(Ephesians 2 v 15). When we come to Daniel's vision of the Beasts, he describes
the whole dynasties of Babyion, Persia, Greece and Rome as being "four kings".
one king symbolising each dynasty. Such a situation has been true for the
Pharaohs, the Caesars, the Kaisers, the Czars, so why reject it in regard to the
Popes?
21. CONCLUSION - THE END OF ANTI-CHRIST 1 1
Thessalonians 2 v 8.
Many may think that the contents of this artcle have been purely negative and
that even if correct, more likely to engender despair rather than hope. Such is
not the case, for in identifying Antichrist our treatise would not be complete
without showing how Scripture assures us not only the prophesied rise of this
system, but also its sure and certain end destruction. This judgement on the
Papal system is to be accomplished in a two-fold manner.
A "Whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth". The Spirit of
the Lord's mouth we know to be none other than the Holy Scriptures. Since the
days of the Reformation, wherever the Bible has penetrated men and women have
been gloriously brought from darkness into light and to the freedom of salvation
in Jesus Christ. This is just the same today as in Reformation times and even
during the last twelve years the percentage growth rate of Evangelical
Christians in Papal Central America has been amazing. Cliff Holland of Moody
Bible College estimates the figures to be as follows:-
El Salvador 336% growth
Nicaragua 369%
Honduras 453%
Costa Rica 331%
Panama 202%
It is estimated that if our Lord were not to return before the year 2000 A.D.
the Pentecostal churches in Chile and Brazil would be numerically stronger than
Ronle. So the work of consummation goes on.
B "and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming"
Despite the consuming process the Papal Anti-christ will be with us until the
very end of the age, but then we can look forward in sure confidence to its
ultimate destruction by the glorious return of our Lord Jesus, as King of Kings
and Lord of Lords.
Dear unbeliever, whether Protestant or Romanist, the day of Christ's return
approaches quickly, and the question is "on which side will you be found, that
of Christ or Anti-christ?" There is only one way to be sure that is to:-
"Repent and obey the Gospel."
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."
Dear believer, the final struggle of the ages is upon us now, as the
emissaries or evil try to do as much damage as possible before the Lord returns.
You too may be asking what you can do, again the answer is simple.
A. Start praying now for a National Awakening and return to God and His laws.
B. Study the Scriptures and be sure you yourself are
prepared for Christ's return.
C. Seperate yourself from all those religious systems which are contrary to
the Word of God, and associate yourself with a Church or Fellowship which
believes the Scriptures and teaches the whole council of God.
May this booklet serve to help awaken our people from the sleep of death lest
that cry go up "behold the bridegroom cometh" and any should find themselves
like those foolish maidens unprepared.
APPENDIX I
WHAT GREAT CHURCHMEN BELIEVED ABOUT ANTI-CHRIST
1. JOHN WYCLIFFE - MORNING STAR OF THE REFORMATION: This
great saint of God who gave us the Bibie in the English tongue branded the Pope
of Rome as the Anti-christ,
2. MARTIN LUTHER:- In his treatise on "the Babyionian captivity of the
church" also branded the Papacy as the "Kingdom of Babylon and Anti-christ".
Replying to the Papal Bull in 1520 he entitled his answer "Martin Luther against
the Bull of Anti-christ."
3. MELANCHTON:- Luther's friend and colleague stated:- "The
Roman Pontiff with his whole order and Kingdom is the very Antichrist."
4. JOHN KNOX:- The great Scottish Reformer stated:- "The Pope is the Head of
the Kirk of Anti-christ... the Roman Church is the Synagogue of Satan and the
head thereof called the Pope the Man of Sin of whom the Apostle speaketh."
5. THOMAS CRANMER:- The first Protestant Archbishop of
Canterbury declared:- "As for the Pope, I refuse him as Christ's enemy and
Anti-christ with all his false doctrines."
6. BISHOP RIDLEY:- The great English Reformer burned at the
stake said:- "The Seat of Rome is the Seat of Satan..... and the Bishop thereof
is Anti-christ himself indeed."
7. JOHN CALVIN:- Speaking of the Roman Pontiff this great
Reformer declared:- "I deny him to be the Vicar of Christ who . . . demonstrates
by his conduct that he is Anti-christ."
8. WILLIAM TYNDALE:- The saintly and martyred translator of
our English Bible said of the Popes of Rome that:- "They be right Anti-christs
for they... deprive the Son of all the power and glory the Father gave Him."
9. JOHN WESLEY:- The founder of Methodism in his Comments on
the New Testament clearly stated:- "The Pope is the Beast" and "The whole
succession of Popes from Gregory Vil are undoubtedly Anti-christ."
Dear reader either these saintly martyrs and Reformers whose ministry
32
God so richly blessed were correct in their identification of the Popes of
Rome with Anti-christ or else they were deceived. Their testimony often in the
face of devilish opposition and persecution, serves to confirm the inspired
prophecies of Holy Scripture and the evidence of secular history.
LIST OF REFERENCE BOOKS
1. ITS HERE THE TIME OF THE END by H.
BARTON
2. TH E P R ESE NT ANTI-CH R IST by F. PETE RS
3. THE MYSTERY OF ANTI-CHRIST by F. PETERS
4. ANTI-CHRIST IDENTIFIED by J. A. Kensit
5. THE ANTI-CHRIST by PORCELLI
6. ANTI-CHRIST AND HIS 10 KINGDOMS by A. CLOSE
7. THE BOOK OF REVELATION by F. NESER
8. THE REVELATIONS UNVEILED by A. J. FERRIS
9. THE SECOND ADVENT by A. J. FERRIS
10. THE 3 HEADED EAGLE by A. J. FERRIS
11. ROME IN MANY LANDS by C. ISAACSON
12. THE CHURCH OF ROME IN ITALY by A. ROBERTSON
13. CONCISE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH by A. E. KNIGHT
14. CATHOLIC TERROR TODAY by A. MANHATTEN
15. FREEDOM'S FOE THE VATICAN by A. PIGGOTT
16. THE VATICAN VERSUS MANKIND by A. PIGGOTT
33
Alex Cain
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