CATHOLICISM AND ORTHODOX CHURCHES TO UNITE
Many will be surprised that religion plays a key role in bringing the world to its final conflict in the Battle of Armageddon.
Daniel’s prophecy of World Events from his day until the day of Christ’s return gives us the first and most important detail concerning the history of the Roman Empire and the Holy Roman Empire as it became and even the great Rift or Schism of the Roman Catholic Church in 1154AD when the Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches broke away and Moscow became known as the Third Rome.
The Third Rome
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia.
The term Third Rome describes the idea that some European city, state, or country is the successor to the legacy of ancient Rome (the “first Rome“) and, according to different perspectives, either via connection to the Byzantine Empire (also known as the “Eastern Roman Empire”) as being the “second Rome”; or via connection to the Western Roman Empire through its claimed successors such as the Papal States or the Holy Roman Empire as being the “second Rome”.
Russian claims
The Coat of arms of the Russian Empire with the double-headed eagle, formerly associated with the Byzantine Empire.
Within decades after the capture of Constantinople by Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire on 29 May 1453, some Eastern Orthodox people were nominating Moscow as the “Third Rome”, or the “New Rome”.[1] Stirrings of this sentiment began during the reign of Ivan III of Russia who had married Sophia Paleologue. Sophia was a niece of Constantine XI, the last Byzantine emperor. By the rules and laws of inheritance followed by most European monarchies of the time, Ivan could claim that he and his offspring were heirs of the fallen Empire, but the Roman traditions of the empire had never recognized automatic inheritance of the Imperial office.[2] A stronger claim was based on religion. The Orthodox faith was central to Byzantine notions of their identity and what distinguished them from ‘barbarians.” Vladimir the Great had converted Kievan Rus’ to Orthodoxy in 989, in return for which he became the first barbarian to ever get an Imperial princess as a wife.
The story of “Third Rome” (“the second Constantinople”) started in 14th century Bulgaria, under the reign of Tsar Ivan Alexander. He aimed to raise the prestige of his land and capital, introducing the name Tsarevgrad Tǎrnov for it (in comparison to the Slavic name of Constantinople – Tsarigrad), which was later supported by the words of Patriarch Callistus I of Constantinople hat “Tǎrnovo is the capital of the Bulgarians and second both in words and deeds after Constantinople”. After the fall of Tǎrnovo to the Ottoman Turks in 1393, a number of Bulgarian clergymen sought shelter in the Russian lands and transferred the idea of the Third Rome there, which eventually resurfaced in Tver, during the reign of Boris of Tver.
But what of the Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican? ‑ What will happen to her?
Well the Bible has much to say about the evils of Catholicism and its ultimate end.
The Apostle Paul speaks of it as an apostate system, and he refers to the Papacy as “the man of sin”.
Christ in the book of Revelation terms the Catholic Church the “mother of harlots” and the “abomination of the earth”.
Why?
Because she has committed fornication with the Kings of the earth, something she continues to do to this day.
Christ refers to the Papacy as the “great dragon”, “the old serpent”, Devil and Satan”, “the deceiver” and the “false prophet”.
Some might find it hard to understand why such terms are used to describe this system.
We don’t deny either that there are some very well meaning and sincere people who claim allegiance to the Catholic faith.
But is sincerity enough to be right?
According to the Bible it’s not!
In John 4:24 we read that “we must worship God in Spirit and in Truth”.
Truth is the correct teaching of the Word of God, and having found the truth we must then worship God in the spirit of that truth, which is the spirit of holiness.
The teaching of Catholicism is contrary to the true teaching of the Word of God.
And a close look at the tyrannical history of the Roman Catholic Church will reveal exactly why such terms are used by both the Apostle Paul and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Its teaching not only nullifies the great redemptive work God has accomplished in Christ, but will also cause it to refuse to submit to Christ when he comes to establish God’s Kingdom on earth.
It will support Russia in its attack upon the Middle East, and will continue to resist Christ after Russia’s defeat.
Many parts of scripture refer prophetically to this, but time does not permit us to look at them all.
Revelation 17 and 18 to learn of the judgement to be poured out on Rome
(Read 17:1‑6, 9‑14 and 18).
“Babylon the Great” is used here as an apocalyptic symbol referring to the Catholic Church.
Catholics themselves acknowledge this as a footnote in one of their approved Bibles states “Babylon is the symbolic name for Rome”.
However they claim that this refers to pagan Rome, which was overthrown by Constantine in A.D. 308.
But given that this system is said to be overthrown by Christ at his return, it is obvious that pagan Rome is not referred to unless it is recognised that so ‑ called Christian Rome is really “pagan” in character.
Consider these points of this prophecy in its identification of Rome.
Revelation 17
1And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
9And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
2 Thessalonians 2
3Let 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; 4 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. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
In this prophecy the Catholic Church is represented as being found in collaboration with certain European political powers and resisting the authority of Christ at his return.
Revelation 17:14…
14These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. 15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. 18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
As the Image of Daniel Chapter 2 was first broken into pieces, so Christ will first break the power of this Alliance gathered at Jerusalem under Russia, but this as yet will not mean the end of the Vatican.
Europe will remain intact, and under the Papacy will gather its peoples together to resist Christ as he endeavours to establish the Kingdom of God with Jerusalem as its capital.
But Rome along with the rest of the world will be compelled to submit to his divine rule.
This will see the grinding into powder of the pieces of Daniels Image fulfilled.
All opposition to Christ will be made to submit to his righteous rule, which will fill the entire earth so fulfilling the Prophecy of Daniel.
Concerning this Daniel says;
“And the Kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”(Dan 7:27)
However this will not happen before some very harsh judgements are enacted upon the Catholic Church.
The Vatican, like the head of a beast, will be cut off and destroyed.
Revelation 18:21‑24 (cp.Rev 17:14)
“21And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. 22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.”
In all probability the destruction of the Vatican in Rome will be brought about by earthquake and volcanic activity.
A Time Magazine article on ‘The Earth’s Crust’ some years ago showed our Rome is already positions with Faults Line all around that could bring the fulfilment of this prophecy about at the time appointed.
Lead by Rome there will be many pockets of resistance throughout the world, but all resistance will eventually be stamped out.
Opportunity will be given for all nations to submit to Christ before God’s final judgements are carried out on the earth that will bring all nations into submission.
But for those who still refuse, the wrath of God shall be upon them.
Finally…. with the Kingdoms of Men at an end, and the righteous reign of Christ established with the Kingdom of God on earth, all mankind shall live in peace and harmony.
We read in Micah 4:1‑4
“1 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. 2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.”
Today is our day of opportunity, if we wish to stand with Christ when he returns.
Concerning these last days Christ said;
“Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the son of man” (Luke 21:36)
Friends, we invite you and beseech you to look into these things for yourself that you too might be ready and waiting for the Lord Jesus Christ’s reign on Earth to commence.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH here
