Bible Explanations
29. The Pope prophesied in Scripture
The papacy, contrary to
popular belief,
is not in nearly every page of Scripture. He is not the beast
of the sea or the false prophet (although he is under his control)
as these are fallen angels, not men. Indeed he is not in the book
of Revelation at all, except (1.) possibly alluded to in Revelation
12:15
as the flood from the mouth of the dragon which tries to sweep
the church away, and (2.) Revelation 17:11 as the eighth horn.
He only appears in the following passages:
(1.) 2
Thessalonians 2:3-12 - as the man of sin, the son of
perdition who
causes the church to fall away (v.3).
(2.) Daniel
7:8,11,20,21,25 - as the little horn arising after the
collapse of the Roman Empire (note 8:25 "by peace
shall he destroy many"). Note 7:25 He "shall think
to
change times and laws." Only God can do this (Daniel 2:21).
The pope invented the Gregorian
calendar, which nearly everyone uses today.
(3.) Daniel
8:9-14,23-25 - This refers more to Rome in general, but
there is also a parallel reference here to Antiochus
Epiphanes, who desecrated the temple in 168 BC.
(4.) Daniel 9:27 -
This again is just an allusion to the pope.
(5.) Daniel
11:21-45 - "he shall come in peaceably
and
obtain the kingdom by flatteries," i.e. not by war.
All the above references
refer to a king
that shall rise out of the Roman Empire. Some references are to
a continuous Roman rule, hence things referring to the secular
Roman Empire merge with things relating to the
ecclesiastical
Roman Empire (e.g. Daniel 8:9-11 refers to one of the four horns
from Greece arising and almost immediately turning into the papacy).
The spirit of Antichrist is
everywhere where men seek
to exalt themselves in the visible church, i.e. where authoritarian
dictatorship reigns at the expense of truth and righteousness. The
whole
visible church is corrupted with this spirit, no matter what visible
denomination or organisation which calls itself "church"
one is talking about. All have the spirit of antichrist in them
to some degree. In the Reformation times, there was only one visible
church, i.e. the Roman Catholic church, so the Reformers clearly
saw this spirit in the papacy. Nowadays we have many denominations
and churches, and this spirit is in all of them to some degree.
The natural man tends only to see this visible influence in the
church, and does not understand the concept of the true invisible
church, which is a small despised minority within it (but which are the
true church, chosen and kept by God. The spirit
of antichrist is responsible, amongst other things, for the false
teaching that God
loves everybody, and the idea that we must help,
feed etc. all those who say they are in need, besides the fact
that over 90% of such are scroungers, whereas the Biblical view
is that we help believers only (as much as we can tell they are
believers outwardly that is). The only famine relief appeal in the
Bible is for
believers only in Jerusalem, there was no question of giving food
to their Jewish enemies. Nearly all unbelievers will
think that one is not a genuine Christian if one believes any of this. That
is the grip the spirit of antichrist
has on
the world, through the leaders in the visible church teaching the world
lies. Yet God has deliberately
allowed this to happen for the good of His elect. So rejoice!
Characterisitics
Book of Daniel:
7:8 - He is a man with a "mouth speaking great things."
7:11 -
His body will be "destroyed and given to the
burning
flame."
7:20 - His "look was more stout than his
fellows"
He will be greater than the Caesars.
7:21 - He "made war with the saints and
prevailed against
them." The vast majority of the visible church is under his
control and unbelievers see only his influence and not true religion.
7:25 - He shall "speak great words against
the Most
High," "wear out the saints," "think
to change times and laws," and believers will "be
given into his hand until a time
and times and the dividing of time," (i.e. the second coming
of Christ).
8:10 - "It cast down some of the host and
of the stars
to the ground and stamped upon them."
8:11 - He "magnified himself even to the
prince of the
host," i.e. Christ, "Messiah the Prince"
(9:25). By him "the daily sacrifice was taken away,"
i.e.
persecution
of believers. The "place of his sanctuary was cast down,"
Christ
is no longer in His rightful place in the church.
8:12 - "An host was given him against the
daily sacrifice," i.e. again we see persecution of
believers. Truth was cast to the ground. The false church "practised
and prospered." Note that the visible church is largely
given over to him "by
reason of transgression" to stop anyone exalting themselves
that they have the one true church. i.e. It is for our eventual
good and well-being.
8:23 - "A king of fierce countenance and
understanding
dark sentences."
8:24 - His "power shall be mighty, but not
by his own
power," i.e. not visibly war-like but under the pretence
of peace. He shall "destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper
and practice," "and shall destroy the mighty and
the holy people."
8:25 - "Through his policy he shall cause
craft to prosper
in his hand." "He shall magnify himself in his
heart." "He shall "by peace destroy many."
He shall "stand up against the Prince of princes,"
i.e. Christ. He shall "be broken without hand,"
i.e. by the
breath
of Christ's mouth at his coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8).
9:27 - He shall "cause the sacrifice and
oblation to
cease."
11:36 - He shall "do according to his
(own) will." He shall "exalt himself
and magnify himself above every
god." He shall "speak marvellous things against
the God of gods." He shall "prosper"
until the appointed end shall
come.
11:37 - He shall "not regard the God of his
fathers." He shall not regard "the desire of women."
He shall "magnify himself above all."
11:38 - He shall "honour the god of forces."
He shall honour a foreign god with "gold and silver, and
with precious stones and pleasant things."
11:39 - He shall do this "in the most
strongholds with
a strange god." He shall acknowledge and increase this god
with glory. He shall "cause them to rule over many, and shall
divide
the land for gain."
11:40-44 - He shall spread himself over nearly the
whole
world, but tidings out of the east (the Orthodox church) and the north
(the Protestant church) shall trouble him and curtail his total
dominion.
11:45 - He shall plant the tabernacle of his palace
between
the seas (the nations) in the glorious holy mountain (the visible
church).
But his end will be as has been ordained.
Epistle of 2 Thessalonians:
v.3 - the "falling away" is the
decline of the Roman
Empire. This reveals the pope as the man of sin.
v.4 - He "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." Cf.
Ezekiel
28:2, the prince of Tyrus.
v.6 - The Roman Empire in God's providence "witholdeth
that
he
might be revealed in his time" (i.e. at the time God has
ordained).
vv.7,8 - After the Roman Empire has been taken out of the
way,
the pope will be revealed, the "mystery of iniquity,"
"that Wicked." But Christ will consume him with
the Spirit of His mouth (truth) and the brightness of His coming (light
vs. pope's sin)
v.9 - The pope's coming is "after the working of
Satan with
all power and signs and lying wonders."
v.10 - The reprobate will perish by "all
deceivableness of
unrighteousness."
v.11 - God sent them this strong delusion deliberately.
v.12 - All the reprobate will be damned.