By COGwriter
Will Jesus be called Antichrist? (A related sermon is available called Will Jesus Christ be called the Antichrist?)
Will His faithful followers in the Church of God be considered to be supporters of the Antichrist?
Will most who now profess Christianity not be able to tell the difference between Jesus and the final Antichrist?
How familiar are you with biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies concerning the Antichrist?
Will people fight against Jesus' return thinking that He is the final Antichrist?
Did you know that some Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholic prophecies and certain official Roman Catholic writings tend to suggest that the one those of us in the Continuing Church of God call Jesus, some of them consider to be the final Antichrist?
There are many that seem to do so.
One "approved" Roman Catholic prophetess declared:
Jeanne le Royer (18th century, Sister of the Nativity). "One day the Lord said to me: 'A few years before the coming of my enemy, Satan will raise up false prophets who will announce Antichrist as the true Messiah, and they will try to destroy all our Christian beliefs. And I shall make the children and the old people prophesy. The closer we get to the reign of Antichrist, the more will the darkness of Satan spread over the earth, and the more will his satellites increase their efforts to trap the faithful in their nets." (Dupont, Yves. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p.57)
But is that completely the case? Or could the "prophetess" be confused about who the Antichrist is, what real Christian beliefs are, and who the true Messiah is? The Bible shows that the two witnesses will be around before Jesus returns (Revelation 11:3-10) and will be teaching things like that (see also Who Are The Two Witnesses?).
Notice also the following:
Legenda Aurea (12th century): The Last Judgment will be preceded by the imposter Antichrist, who will try to deceive men ... By a false exposition of the Scriptures, wherein he will try to prove that he is the Messiah promised by the Law. (Connor, Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p.76).
Since Jesus said the scriptures testified of Him the first time He came (John 5:39), He will likely refer to scriptures to show He is the Messiah when He returns. So, the use of scriptures should not be considered to be a sign one is the final Antichrist. We would expect that JESUS (the one called "the Word" in John 1:1) would quote scriptures.
The Roman Catholic writer Dr. Paul Thigpen wrote:
Like the Devil himself, the Antichrist will have at his command considerable natural and supernatural gifts for accomplishing his deception. According to St. Anselm, his wisdom and eloquence will far exceed what any other man has ever possessed or even imagined; he will know all the Bible by heart (Thigpen P. The Rapture Trap, 2nd edition. Nihil Ostat: JG Prior, Imprimatur: Cardinal Bevilacqua. Ascension Press, 2002, pp. 212-213)
Because Antichrist has the spirit of demons (Revelation 16:13), he may know scriptures. But the Bible is clear that Jesus knows the scriptures, and even did when He was young (cf. Luke 2:46-47). The returning Jesus will know the Bible by heart. Greco-Roman Catholic sources are obviously warning against one who knows the Bible.
This article is intended to highlight certain "approved" or "official" (they normally have an imprimatur or some other acceptance by a bishop or other leader of the Roman Catholic Church) Greco-Roman Catholic writings and compare them to the Bible.
The Roman Catholic pope often called "Gregory the Great" (died 604) wrote the following:
Gregory, servant of the servants of God, to his most beloved sons the Roman citizens.
It has come to my ears that certain men of perverse spirit have sown among you some things that are wrong and opposed to the holy faith, so as to forbid any work being done on the Sabbath day. What else can I call these but preachers of Antichrist (Gregory I. Registrum Epistolarum, Book XIII, Letter 1).
Notice the following Roman Catholic prophecies:
Dionysus of Luxembourg (died 1682) Antichrist...will teach that...Saturday is to be observed instead of Sunday (Connor, p.85).
St. Hildegard (died 1179): Antichrist ... His doctrine of faith will be taken from the Jewish religion and seemingly will not differ much from the fundamental beliefs of Christianity, for he will teach that there is one God who created the world, who rewards the obeyers of his commands and trespassers he chastises, who will raise all from the dead in due time. This God has spoken through Moses, therefore the precepts of the Mosaic law are to be kept, especially circumcision and the keeping of the Sabbath (Culleton R. Gerald. The Reign of Antichrist, Reprint TAN Books, Rockford, IL, 1974, p. 127).
Notice the following Roman Catholic prophecy:
Roman Catholic writer and priest P. Huchedé (19th century): “After having weakened the faith of Christ in the minds and hearts of many, he will proceed to show that the law of Moses still prevails; he will re-establish the Sabbath and all the legal observances; and he will invite the Jews to re-establish their nationality, after which he will declare himself the true messiah; he will endeavor to prove the truth of his assertion from Scripture--he will declare his design of rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple and of bringing the whole world under his dominion ... According to St. Cyril of Jerusalem (Cath. 15), he will win the esteem and attachment of mankind by his urbane and unbounded kindness ... he will work all kinds of miracles ... He will therefore appear as performing miracles similar to all those wrought by Jesus Christ ... Antichrist being a Jew, will be circumcised; he will observe the Mosaic law ... Then by order of the tyrant the continual sacrifice shall be abolished (Dan. 9:27). The holy sacrifice of the Mass shall no longer be offered up publicly on the altars. The Church shall be devastated; the sacred vessels desecrated; the priests shall be scattered ... It appears certain, then, that the Roman empire will be completely demolished by Antichrist and that he will substitute another in its place (Huchedé, P. Translated by JBD. History of Antichrist. Imprimatur Edward Charles Fabre, Bishop of Montreal. English edition 1884, Reprint 1976. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), pp. 17,18,26,54).
But Jesus observed Saturday instead of Sunday.
The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus kept the Sabbath that the Jews did:
Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read (Luke 4:14-16, NKJV throughout unless otherwise indicated).
Perhaps it should be mentioned that the Bible (The Rheims New Testament is the Roman Catholic accepted translation of the Latin Vulgate into the English language) does show that the seventh-day Sabbath remains for the people of God:
For he said in a certain place of the seventh day, thus: And God rested the seventh day from all his works...Therefore there is left a sabbatisme for the people of God (Hebrews 4:4,9, Rheims New Testament).
The term "sabbatisme" means "Sabbath-keeping" or or observance of the Sabbath. Its French definition is “Observance du sabbat” per Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales (http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/sabbatisme viewed 03/02/11).
Thus, it would seem that Jesus would keep the Sabbath. And since the second resurrection does not occur until after the millennium (cf. Revelation 20:5), Jesus Himself will teach God "will raise all from the dead in due time." Thus, there seems to be some confusion among some Greco-Roman Catholic seers.
It also should be noted that just before Jesus returns, the Eastern Orthodox have a prophecy that various Sabbath-keepers will be publicly executed and the time period is supposed to be when the "Great Monarch" rises up:
Blessed Hieronymus Agathaghelos (1279): And lo, an evil assembly of the crafty leader, dressed in black mourning apparel…those who were taking in a most hypocritical manner the most holy name of Christ … those were the most filthy citizens of Pentapolis … these are semi-godless men … they will have to pay the price before the public executioner of the Sabbatians. (Tzima Otto, H. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Scriptural Prophecies. Verenika Press, Rock City (SC), 2000, pp. 134,135,240).
Because of intended killing of Sabbath keepers, much of the world will think that Sabbath keeping is wrong and will not recognize Jesus.
Why would those who think they are in the true Church do so? Well, because Jesus foretold it:
18 If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. (John 15:18-21)
Those Jesus was speaking to thought that they were faithful, yet they would not accept what the scriptures said about Him, just like most today will not accept what the Bible and church history says Christians should be doing today (see also Continuing History of the Church of God). More in persecution can be found in the article Persecutions by Church and State.
Some Roman Catholic leaders have taught that Antichrist will be Jewish and have Jewish practices:
Cardinal John Henry Newman (19th century) Hence, considering that Antichrist would pretend to be the Messiah, it was of old the received notion that he was to be of Jewish race and to observe the Jewish rites (Newman, Cardinal John Henry. Lecture 2. The Religion of Antichrist. Copyright © 2004 by The National Institute for Newman Studies).
Emmett Culligan (1966) The Antichrist will be a Jew by race and religion (Culligan E. The Last World War and the End of Time. The book was blessed by Pope Paul VI, 1966. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), p. 101).
Francisco Suarez (died 1617). Suarez (following Saint Jerome, Saint Ambrose, Sulpitius Severus, et al.) says that "Antichrist shall be born of Jewish extraction, and will profess the Jewish religion (Connor p.81).
St. Hildegard (12th century). "And in this way the son of perdition will practice his deceitful arts on the elements and show in them the beauty and sweetness and delight desired by those he deceives ... He will show them his treasures and riches, and allow them to feast as they will, confirming his teachings by deceitful signs so they think they need not restrain or chaste their bodies in any way. He will command them to observe circumcision and the Jewish laws and customs" (Hildegard of Bingen. Scivias. Paulist Press, Mahwah (NJ), p. 504).
Frederick William Faber (died 1863) ... Antichrist ... Certainly a Jew ... begins by affecting respect for the law of Moses ... Jerusalem will be the metropolis (Connor p.87).
While it is remotely possible that Antichrist will be a Jew, it is completely clear that Jesus was. Notice the following:
Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered ... (John 4:9-10).
Also, the geneaology of Jesus as listed in both Matthew's (1:1-3) and Luke's accounts (3:23-33) teach that Jesus was a descendant of Judah, hence a Jew.
Jesus also kept "Jewish practices" such as the Saturday Sabbath (Luke 13:10), Passover (Matthew 26:18), the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2,10), etc.
Perhaps it should be mentioned that the Book of Zechariah teaches that the Feast of Tabernacles is to be kept after Jesus returns:
3 Then the LORD will go forth
And fight against those nations,
As He fights in the day of battle.
4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,
Which faces Jerusalem on the east.
And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two,
From east to west,
Making a very large valley;
Half of the mountain shall move toward the north
And half of it toward the south...
16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles (Zechariah 14:3-4,16-19).
So clearly when Jesus returns He will require "Jewish practices." Further, notice what the comments in the Douay Old Testament (a Roman Catholic-accepted Bible) states about Zechariah 14:
In the mean time such as before persecuted the Church shall be converted, & with great devotion will celebrate the festivities, and exercise religious rites to Gods honor: and shall merit great rewards (The Original And True Douay Old Testament Of Anno Domini 1610 Volume 2 Prepared and Edited by Dr. William von Peters, Ph.D. Copyright © 2005, Dr. William G. von Peters. Ph.D. 2005 copyright assigned to VSC Corp, p. 824).
In other words, even Roman Catholic commentators realize that the Feast of Tabernacles will be kept in the future by those who are converted after Jesus returns. Thus is it should be obvious that Jesus, and not Antichrist, will "command" and "observe the Jewish rites".
Notice the following Greco-Roman Catholic writing:
St. Martin (4th century): The Antichrist would first seize the empire of the East; he would have Jerusalem as his seat and imperial capital. Both the city and the temple were to be rebuilt by him (Culleton, The Reign of Antichrist, p. 115).
Also note that after Jesus comes and established His millennial kingdom, He will be based out of Jerusalem/Zion:
3 Many people shall come and say,
"Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths."
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations,
And rebuke many people;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore (Isaiah 2:3-4).
Thus, it is Jesus, and not the final Antichrist who will make Jerusalem the major metropolis.
Perhaps it also should be noted that the Bible is clear that a third temple will eventually exist (Ezekiel 40-48), but it is only clearly in existence after Christ returns (cf. Ezekiel 48:35). There is no mention that Antichrist will build a temple in Jerusalem. Thus, again some Catholic seers seem confused.
An iconclast is one who opposes idols and advocates their destruction. Would Jesus be for or against idols?
Here is the oldest Greco-Roman Catholic writing I have found on this:
And not only by the particulars already mentioned, but also by means of the events which shall occur in the time of Antichrist is it shown that he, being an apostate and a robber, is anxious to be adored as God; and that, although a mere slave, he wishes himself to be proclaimed as a king. For he (Antichrist) being endued with all the power of the devil, shall come, not as a righteous king, nor as a legitimate king, [i.e., one] in subjection to God, but an impious, unjust, and lawless one; as an apostate, iniquitous and murderous; as a robber, concentrating in himself [all] satanic apostasy, and setting aside idols to persuade [men] that he himself is God, raising up himself as the only idol, having in himself the multifarious errors of the other idols (Irenaeus. Adversus Haereses, Book V, Chapter 5, Verses 1).
Irenaeus was perhaps the first person in writing to confuse the ten-horned Beast with Antichrist (the two-horned Beast). This, sadly, has become the position of most Protestants and Greco-Roman Catholics who try to be followers of prophecy--and this position is wrong (for scriptural details, please see Some Doctrines of Antichrist).
Furthermore, Antichrist will not come destroying idols (though ultimately he will betray the Roman Catholic Church per Revelation 17:16-18).
Here is another old Greco-Roman private prophecy about this:
St. Ephraim says: "At the time when the serpent [the Antichrist] shall come, there will be no calm on the earth; there will be great affliction, consternation, disorder, death and famine unto all the ends of the earth."
"He will come as one humble, meek, a hater (as he will say of himself) of unrighteousness, despising idols, giving preference to piety, good, a lover of the poor, beautiful to an extreme degree, constant, gracious to all... He will not accept bribes, speak with anger, show a gloomy countenance, but with a decorous exterior he will take to deceiving the world, until he has become king" (Selected prophecies of St. Ephraim the Syrian on the Last Days. Posted by Agioi_Anargyroi. January 28, 2010. http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2010/01/selected-prophecies-of-st-ephraim.html accessed 04/03/15; Sources: Apostasy and Antichrist; Jordanville, 1978; "Antichrist" by Archpriest Boris Molchanoff in Orthodox Life, Vol. 30, Nos. 3 and 4; and a lecture delivered by Hieromonk Alexis Rosentool at the Orthodox Youth Convention. New Shamordino_ Dec. 26. 1982.)
Ephraim/Ephrem/Ephraem was believed to have died in 373.
Some later Roman Catholic prophecies suggests that the Antichrist will be against idols and Mass (Catholic Mass often involves bowing down before one or more statues):
Dionysus of Luxembourg (died 1682) Antichrist will be an iconoclast. Most in the world will adore him. He will teach that the Christian (Catholic) religion is false (Connor, p.85).
St. Hildegard (died 1179): Antichrist ,.. will ridicule the graces of the Church (Culleton. The Reign of Antichrist, p. 128)
ST. ANSELM -- 1109 ... While Antichrist reigns he will prohibit under the pain of death the offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (Culligan, p. 131).
Here is another Greco-Roman Catholic writing that confirms the concept:
Theodorus Studites, writing against the Iconoclasts, considers their proceedings "the apostasy which must first come, the invasion of Antichrist." (Newman JH. The Protestant Idea of Antichrist. [British Critic, Oct. 1840]. Newman Reader — Works of John Henry Newman. Copyright © 2004 by The National Institute for Newman Studies).
Thus some Roman Catholics seem to teach that there will be iconoclasts which MUST come before Antichrist and that Antichrist will be an iconoclast. But that teaching is simply not taught in the Bible.
The Antichrist, the beast of the earth below, will endorse and push idols:
11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. (Revelation 13:11-16)
The final Antichrist will endorse idols, Jesus will not.
Jesus personally taught:
God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24).
But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam...to eat things sacrificed to idols" (Revelation 2:14).
Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, because you allow...My servants to...eat things sacrificed to idols (Revelation 2:20).
And the Apostle John taught:
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen (1 John 5:21).
14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. 16 I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. (Revelation 22:14-16).
The truth is that Antichrist will accept idols (iconoclasts destroy idols), but Jesus would be opposed to them. (While the scriptures in Daniel 11 about the King of the North indicate that he will exalt himself above all gods, they do not say that the idols will be destroyed. It is important to note that the King of the North is the Beast of Revelation and not the final Antichrist.)
Jesus also taught against the observance of a religion that places more emphasis on tradition that the Bible (details are in the article Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings).
Note also the following Roman Catholic commentary on the 17th chapter of the Book of Revelation:
Rome, being so great, so proud of the Empire, and the destroyer of the saints. Which is plainly spoken of that city, when it was heathen, the head of the terrene dominion of the world, the persecutor of the Apostles and their successors, the seat of Nero, Domitian, and the like, Christ's special enemies, the sink of idolatry, and false worship of the Pagan gods (Annotations on Chapter 17 of the Apocalypse. The Original And True Rheims New Testament Of Anno Domini 1582. Prepared and Edited by Dr. William G. von Peters. Ph.D. 2004, copyright assigned to VSC Corp. Page 583).
Hence in a commentary Chapter 17 in the Book of Revelation (the Apocalypse) Roman Catholic writers indicate that Rome was the "sink of idolatry"--idolatry is something that the Bible opposes.
Let us look at a couple of verses from that chapter:
9 Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. 12 The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful (Revelation 17:9-14).
Hence the Bible shows that some related to Rome will oppose Jesus. And since Jesus is opposed to idols (see also What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons?), could certain Greco-Roman Catholic writings be unintentionally directed against Him?
In the Continuing Church of God we continue to hold to the original Christian beliefs on idols and many other doctrines. For additional details, please see the free online book: Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession?
While there is no evidence that the early church taught what is now called "the Trinity" (this concept had pre-Christian origins), Greco-Roman Catholics seem to consider that the doctrine of the trinity, as adopted at an Imperial Council in 381, is the expression of the unity of God:
Three Persons are that One Omnipotent God in whom the Apostles believed. Indeed the unity of God is so fundamental (Joyce G.H. The Blessed Trinity. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XV Copyright © 1912 by Robert Appleton Company).
The Unity and Trinity of God ... The numerical unity or identity of the divine nature in the Three Persons is indicated in the trinitarian formulas (Ott L. Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma. Nihil Obstat: Jeremiah j. O’Sullivan. Imprimatur: +Cornelius Ep. Corgagiensis ei Ap. Amd. Rossensis, 7 October 1954. Reprint TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1974, pp. 58-59).
However the Greco-Roman Catholics seems to feel that the Antichrist and those associated with him will be opposed to the adopted concept of the trinity. Notice the following Roman Catholic writing:
Jeanne le Royer (Sister of the Nativity--died 1798). "When the reign of Antichrist draws near, a false religion will appear which will deny the unity of God and will oppose the Church. Errors will cause ravages as never before ..." (Dupont, p.58).
As far as ravages go, other Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies (see Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies?) warn that their end time faith will be hit by heretics (like those in the Church of God who believe the Bible), that this will cause problems, but between signs and wonders and government power, the Greco-Roman Catholics will (for a time) win. Many Greco-Roman Catholics teach that the Trinity is essentially the expression of the “unity of God.”
Consider also the following:
Notice also the following Greco-Roman writings:Continuing the false doctrine which the False Prophet will proclaim: "After the destruction of Rome, Antichrist will appear and exalt himself above pagan deities and the Trinity ... Coming to Jerusalem, he will succeed through false preaching, miracles, gifts, terror, aided throughout by the deviL "An evil spirit will come out of the air and descend on his followers. He shall feign a resurrection from the dead, cause rain to fall". perform other wonders, all through the power of the deviL ... The Jews will welcome him" (Prophecy for Today, p. 66). (Sedliacik RH. Will the World RECOGNIZE the Returning Christ? Plain Truth, April 1965, p. 27)
Athanasius (4th century) “But, whereas one heresy and that the last, which has now risen as harbinger of Antichrist, the Arian, as it is called” (Athanasius. Four Discourses of S. Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, Against the Arians Discourse 1. Copyright © 2004 by The National Institute for Newman Studies.)
Cardinal Newman (19th century) Thus we have found S. Athanasius calling Arianism "the forerunner of Antichrist," Syn. § 5, [prodromos], præcursor; vid. also Orat. i. §§ 1 and 7; Ap. c. Ar. fin.; Hist. Ar. 77; Cyr. Cat. xv. 9; Basil. Ep. 264; Hilar. Aux. 5, no distinction being carefully drawn between the apostasy and the Antichrist. (Newman JH. Four Discourses of S. Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, Against the Arians Discourse 2. Copyright © 2004 by The National Institute for Newman Studies.)
Richard Rolle of Hampole (died 1349): "After the destruction of Rome, Antichrist will appear and exalt himself above pagan deities and the Trinity ... Coming to Jerusalem, he will proclaim himself Christ and at first feign to be holy. He will succeed through the false preaching, miracles, gifts, terror, aided throughout by the devil ... He shall feign a resurrection from the dead, cause rain to fall, stone images to speak, and perform other wonders, all through the power of the devil ... The Jews will welcome him ..." (Conner p.80).
Arianism, like unitarianism, stated that the Father was God and some Arians stated that Jesus was God, but that Jesus had a beginning.
The Bible also indicates that God will determine that rain will not fall on nations after Christ's return that do not keep the Feast of Tabernacles (Zechariah 14:18)--the Bible nowhere indicates that Antichrist personally causes (or prevents) rain from falling.
Although we in the real Church of God believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (and even agree that there is a certain threeness of God, see Theophilus of Antioch), those of us in the Continuing Church of God espouse what Greco-Roman Catholics have termed “semi-Arianism” and deny the Trinitarian “unity of God” as many adopted under Imperial pressure in 381--we hold to the original catholic view of the unity of God--see also Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity?
The Greco-Roman Catholic writer Epiphanius in the mid-4th Century defined Semi-Arians as follows,
Semi-Arians ... hold the truly orthodox view of the Son, that he was forever with the Father ... But all of these blaspheme the Holy Spirit, and do not count him in the Godhead with the Father and the Son (Epiphanius. The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Books II and III (Sects 47-80), De Fide). Section VI, Verses 1,1 and 1,3. Translated by Frank Williams. EJ Brill, New York, 1994, pp.471-472).
Since the Bible does not ever use the term trinity nor clearly states that the Holy Spirit is a separate entity within a trinity, it appears that Greco-Roman Catholic writings warn that Jesus and His followers would teach against the 381 Imperial trinity.
Both the Bible and early church history (including writings from many that the Greco-Roman Catholics call saints) demonstrates that the early church was not trinitarian in that sense--for documentation, please read the article Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning.
Roman and Eastern Orthodox prophecies say that a leader they tend to call the Great Monarch arises before the Antichrist and will be followed by the Antichrist. Yet, the Great Monarch appears to be the Beast of the Sea who works with the Beast of the Earth (Revelation 13), who is the final Antichrist (see also Some Doctrines of Antichrist).
Notice, for example, the following:
Monk Leontios (no later than 912): Oh, look at this hawk who is coming to sit and watch over the vineyard for three days in a row... he is holding a bench and a sword ... and enquired the King saying: what is your name? and he responds with these words: the poor one, the poor-lion, my name is Ιώ. I was a fugitive from everybody and I have come to fulfill my 36 days. ... and my name is iota and omega along with the long syllable, which is called Ιώ. ... Afterwards I will go to where I exited from and then the wolf will also come but for a few days. (Ibid, pp. 79-80,85)
Dr. Tzima Otto (interpreting the above): St. Methodius of Patara ... mentions explicitly the name of John . . . among his baptismal names there is the name John, although it does not correspond to his favorite appellation; or . . . as we saw in Monk Leontios give us merely my name is Ιώ. ... In Greek, the name John begins with Ιώ, ... We have in the Greek language the name Joseph ... the Romans were using the Josephus variety thereof; consequently Ίώαηπος fully satisfies the prophetic constraint that the baptismal name of the future emperor must begin with Ίώ and end with an s. ... Joe = Ιώ. ... And last and not least there is a mention of the wolf. Is this the ultimate and worst antichrist? It would appear so. (Ibid, p. 81, 86, 89, 90,97)
The 'King' there is the King of the North, the European Beast of the Sea. It is Jesus who will destroy the Beast and his false prophet when He returns (Revelation 19).
Yet a claimed Greco-Roman Catholic prophecy says that after the Great Monarch (the Beast of Revelation) and Great Pontiff (likely an antipope who is the "false prophet" Antichrist) will come:
Venerable Bartholomew Holzhauser (died 1658): ..."The Sixth Epoch from the Great Monarch until Antichrist. This Sixth Epoch of the Church--'the time of consolation'--begins with the Holy Pope and the Powerful Emperor, and terminates with the reign of Antichrist." (Connor, pp.35-36)
Werdin d' Otrante (13th century): "The Great Monarch and the Great Pope will precede Antichrist ... All the sects will vanish. The capital of the world will fall...The Great Monarch will come and restore peace and the Pope will share in the victory (Connor, p. 33).
Yet, the Bible shows that it is Jesus who comes after the Beast and false prophet and has them destroyed (Revelation 19:17-21), not that "Antichrist" comes after a some monarch and a particular pope.
More on the 'Great Monarch' can be found in the article: The Great Monarch: Biblical and Catholic Prophecies.
There is one other teaching that the Roman Catholics officially now have which suggests that those of us in the faithful Church of God are supporters of Antichrist. The Roman Catholic Church, in spite of the fact that it admits in other writings that many of its early saints taught the millennium (please see the article Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism and a 6000 Year Plan?), now strongly condemns this belief.
Notice:
676 The Antichrist's deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history through the eschatological judgment. The Church has rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under the name of millenarianism, especially the "intrinsically perverse" political form of a secular messianism. (Catechism of the Catholic Church. Imprimatur Potest +Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. Doubleday, NY 1995, p. 194).
It should be noted that the millennial teaching appears to be the only doctrine associated with Antichrist that is condemned in the current official Catechism of the Catholic Church (which is the first new one in hundreds of years). The one that has the imprimatur of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger who is now called Pope Benedict XVI.
Notice something else that Joseph Ratzinger wrote in a paper titled The Theology of History in St. Bonaventure prior to becoming pope:
"...both Chiliasm [the teaching of the Millennium] and Montanism were declared heretical and were excluded from the universal church; for they both denied this vision [the "Christ is the end of the ages" vision] and awaited still another period of more definitive salvation to follow after the age of Christ" (as cited in Birch, D. Trial Tribulation & Triumph. Queenship Publishing, Goleta (CA), 1996, pp. 515-516; note the comments within [] were from the Catholic writer Birch).
This is an odd statement for several reasons. It was the leaders in Asia Minor who stood for the Millennium and were the first to oppose Montanism--whom the Roman Catholics originally tolerated--hence the belief in one is NOT necessarily related to the other. But those who do not know history will not know this.
The other reason this condemnation is odd, is that even though Origen was opposed to the millennium, Origen also taught that there was definitive salvation after what then Cardinal Ratzinger calls "the age of Christ". Yet the current pontiff Benedict XVI has publicly praised Origin as a "true teacher". And despite the view first being condemned by an Imperial Council in 381, many Roman Catholics and Orthodox have believed in some version of it throughout the ages (see Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism and a 6000 Year Plan?).
It appears to me that the millennial view is being so definitely condemned again now, because we are getting so close to that time, that the top leadership of Roman Church intends to warn against following any (like the faithful Church of God and the actual two witnesses) who will be teaching it.
Notice that Jesus told the Apostle John to write what he saw, and that John saw the millennium:
9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see, write in a book..." (Revelation 1:9-11)
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:1-6)
We have not yet had 1000 years without Satan deceiving the world. This will happen and is NOT a doctrine of Antichrist, but a doctrine of Jesus.
Would Jesus or the Antichrist be able to read minds? Notice what one Roman Catholic writer wrote:
Dionysus of Luxembourg (died 1682) ... Antichrist ... He will teach that the Christian (Catholic) religion is false, confiscation of Christian (Catholic) property is legal, Saturday is to be observed instead of Sunday, and he will change the ten commandments ... He will read people's minds, raise the dead, reward his followers, and punish the rest (Connor, p.85).
The truth is that Antichrist will accept idols (iconoclasts destroy idols), originally embrace the term Catholicism (though he will change that religion), originally practice Sunday worship, and accept the Roman Catholic numbering of the ten commandments. The Bible does not teach that the Antichrist will read people's minds or raise the dead (although it mentions one who was healed of a deadly wound, Revelation 13:12).
Jesus, on the other hand, will destroy idols, insist on the Saturday Sabbath, and correctly number the ten commandments (The Ten Commandments and the Early Church) after His return. He will of course be able to read people's minds, and will raise the dead (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
The Bible shows that Jesus will come after earthquakes and famines, especially after the great earthquake that levels the mountains:
12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared...
17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, "It is done!"
18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great (Revelation 16:12, 17-20).
Yet notice what a Roman Catholic "prophet" has claimed:
Hildegard of Bingen (d. 1179): Immediately preceeding Antichrist, there will be starvation and earthquakes ... Antichrist will make the earth move, level mountains, dry up rivers, produce thunder and lightning and hail (Culleton, The Reign of Antichrist, pp. 128,129).
Clearly, those who rely on the declarations of Hildegard will confuse Christ and Antichrist.
Notice that even the Rheims New Testament (a major Roman Catholic-accepted translation into English) teaches:
12. And the sixth Angel poured out his vial upon that great river Euphrates: and dried up the water thereof that a way might be prepared to the kings from the rising of the sun...
17. And the seventh Angel poured out his vial upon the air, and there came forth a loud voice out of the temple from the throne, saying: It is done.
18. And there were made lightenings, and voices, and thunders, and a great earthquake was made, such an one as never hath been since men were upon the earth, such an earthquake, so great.
19. And the great city was made into three parts: and the cities of the Gentiles fell. And Babylon the great came into memory before God, to give her the cup of wine of the indignation of his wrath.
20. And every island fled, and mountains were not found.
21. And great hail like a talent came down from heaven upon men: and men blasphemed God for the plague of the hail: because it was made exceeding great. (Apocalypse 16:12, 17-21, RNT).
So do dry rivers, thunders, lightning, earthquakes, mountains leveled, and great hail precede Christ or Antichrist? According to the Bible, they precede the return of Jesus Christ (the Antichrist is on the scene by Revelation 13). Thus, there seems to be some confusion amongst Catholic writings--I would suggest (and this is consistent with Catholic teachings) that the Bible is more reliable than the pronouncements of various mystics).
A Summary from a COG Writer
A risk of some repeat, here are some statements and essentially a summary of various Roman Catholic prophecies by one in the old Radio Church of God:
Will the World RECOGNIZE the Returning Christ?
It is a union of Church and State, of economics and science, that will stamp out true Christianity -- that will exalt a mortal man to the office of Christ. It will deceive the world into believing that the Christ of your Bible -- who is coming again to destroy this diabolical system -- is "the Antichrist."
In the Bible, God cloaks this coming European religio-political empire in mysterious symbolism. It is called in your Bible "Babylon the Great."
Notice God's prophecy.
"And I saw a WOMAN [the symbol of a Church (II Cor. 11:2)] sit upon a scarlet colored beast [the symbol of a political government], full of names of blasphemy... and upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH" (Rev. 17:3, 5).
God labels her (verse 1) what she is --
"the great whore that sitteth upon many waters" -- a symbol of "peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues" over which she rules spiritually (Rev. 17:15).
In verse 2, she is described as having committed spiritual "fornication" with "the kings of the earth"!
That is, alliances, concordats with the nations of this world, instead of waiting for the returning Christ to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. She is also described as "that great CITY which reigneth over the kings of the earth" (verse 18).
A woman is God's symbol for a church. Here is a fallen woman -- an apostate church -- ruling over many nations! A great false church riding, dominating, the "Beast" -- the Roman Empire which is soon to arise for the last time! Those who know history and understand Bible prophecy know what power ruled over the civil government of the "Holy" Roman Empire during the Middle Ages!
This great counterfeit religion -- instead of becoming "engaged" to the true Christ, and keeping herself true to Him as coming World Rule -- formed illicit unions with the governments of this world. She entered into world politics! She sought to dominate this world's governments! Thus she committed spiritual "fornication" -- illicit union prior to marriage. God portrays this church as having a "lamb-like" -- Christ-like -- appearance. It appears as if it were God's Church, but actually speaks as a "dragon" -- the DEVIL! (Rev. 13:11; 12:9).
History tells us this power patterned its ecclesiastical government after the "BEAST" — the Roman civil government.
Although palmed off as the government of God, this church government is in reality only an "image," or copy, of a satanic, human government -- NOT the government of God!
She has always used religion as her means of gaining political control over society -- first through education and finally by government and economics. Her basic policy is to establish her order -- her rule -- over the world. Revelation 17 reveals her goal is to become universal -- the one and ONLY church -- ruling the whole world POLITICALLY!
Religion to Unify Europe
No military or political leader could unite Europe.
Only religion can do it!
Only some great religious leader can be the supreme authority acceptable to all!
The prophecy in Revelation 17 shows that all seven successive revivals of the "Holy" Roman Empire would be dominated by a great fallen church.
And history tells us that a succession of great religious rulers did dominate every one of the former six revivals of the "Holy Roman Empire"! Ten European nations {or groups of nations} are finally to unite in the last restoration of the Roman Empire. They are symbolized in Revelation 17 as "ten horns" (verse 7). Leading them will be a great miracle-working religious leader.
This union will, by common consent, give its united strength into the hands of the political and military leader — the "Beast," a "Hitler" -- who will be approved by this great religious leader! (Rev. 17:12-13)
When the religious leader ... gives the word, every devoted follower will OBEY his orders! He will step into the picture with his miracles as the supreme unifying authority -- the final arbiter -- the only one who can finally unite the differing, squabbling nations of Europe and bring "peace" to the world.
All Europe will become fanatically religious!
The remaining "wayward daughter" churches of the great "Mother" church will be forced back into the fold. Only ONE RELIGION will be the accepted form of worship! The great "fallen woman" will have mounted the resurrected "Beast" -- the Roman Empire! (Rev. 17:3, 5)
"ANTICHRIST" Revealed! ...
"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 means of those miracles which he had power to do..." (Rev. 13:13-14)
Millions will be swept off their feet by his mighty signs. They will worship him "as [very] God" because of these spectacular, attention-getting, satanic miracles! ...
Notice the profound effect his false "prophetic utterances" will have on the Christian-professing world: When Jesus Christ returns to punish the world for its sins and to stamp out war and bring peace at last, will the world accept Him as the Messiah?
Not at all!
They will refuse to heed -- "and they repented not" (Rev. 16:9). They will instead run from Christ -- even calling for the rocks to fall on them, hiding in caves -- FLEEING from the face of God Almighty! (Revelation 6:15-16)
But why?
Because that "false prophet" will have deceived them into believing the biggest lie ever told! Into their ears, he will have poured the insidious, diabolical lie that the returning King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ, IS the ANTICHRIST -- that He is the Devil incarnate!
And the world will believe him because God will have sent them "strong delusion, that they should believe a lie"! (II Thess. 2:11)
What the False Prophet Will Claim
Already the clever deception is being spread. Notice this false prophecy revealed well over a century ago: "Antichrist will fight a successful battle at Mageddo (Armageddon) in Palestine after which... he will thereafter become lord of the world" (Prophecy for Today, p. 71).
Your Bible states that through Satanic influence, the False Prophet and the Beast will muster the armies of the nations to FIGHT the returning Jesus Christ (Rev. 16:13-14, 16; 17:13-14).
They will be convinced He is the Antichrist, the enemy of the world! Bible prophecy reveals Jesus Christ will be victorious when He returns — not the Antichrist:
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war... "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should SMITE the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS"! (Rev. 19:11-16)
"The Kings will send armies to the Holy Land," continues the false prophecy, "but the Antichrist will slay them all"! (ibid. page 69) Revelation 19:19-21 shows this is exactly what the returning Christ — not the Antichrist — will do! He will cause their flesh to "consume away while they stand upon their feet..." (Zech. 14:12).
But to continue with these diabolical false prophecies: "Antichrist and his army will conquer Rome, kill the Pope and take the throne... the Jews will come from everywhere, and accept Antichrist as the Messiah" (ibid. p. 68).
Your Bible reveals Jesus Christ is to destroy the Beast and the False Prophet by casting them into the lake of fire! (Rev. 19:20) The Jews will then acknowledge, for the first time, that the returning Jesus is indeed their Messiah.
Notice it in Zech. 12:9-10.
"And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son..." (Zech. 12:9-10).
More Satanic Deceptions
Continuing the false doctrine which the False Prophet will proclaim:
"After the destruction of Rome, Antichrist will appear and exalt himself above pagan deities and the Trinity... Coming to Jerusalem, he will succeed through false preaching, miracles, gifts, terror, aided throughout by the devil. "An evil spirit will come out of the air and descend on his followers. He shall feign a resurrection from the dead, cause rain to fall... perform other wonders, all through the power of the devil... The Jews will welcome him" ({Conner E, Roman Catholic priest} Prophecy for Today {1956} , p. 66).
Now read your Bible! After the fall of Rome (see Rev. 18), it is Christ who will stamp out the pagan religions and false Christianity. He will descend to the Mount of Olives, "which is before Jerusalem on the east" (Zech. 14:4). Then He will make His HOLY SPIRIT available to all human beings (Joel 2:28, 32). It will be the time of the first resurrection. The dead in Christ will rise from their graves! (I Cor. 15:50-55)
Yet all these plain scriptures are made to appear as though they were the work of the Antichrist instead of Christ. The Holy Spirit is diabolically labeled "an evil spirit" that "will come out of the air and descend on his followers." That is BLASPHEMY against the Holy Spirit! That is the UNFORGIVABLE SIN -- for the False Prophet knows better!
The False Prophet will claim: "And in the presence of all he [the Christ, who is falsely labeled the Antichrist in this diabolical prophecy] exhibits himself as taken up into heaven with trumpets and sounds, and the mighty shouting of those who hail him with indescribable hymns; the heir of darkness himself shining like light, and at one time soaring to the heavens, and at another descending to the earth with great glory, and again charging the demons, like angels, to execute his behests with much fear and trembling. For he will show forth his demons brilliant like angels, and he will bring in hosts of the incorporeal without number" (Ante-Nicene Fathers, "Hippolytus," p. 250, Section XXIX).
But your Bible -- the inspired Word of God says:
"Behold, he [Jesus Christ] cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him... and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him" (Rev. 1:7).
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a SHOUT, and the dead in Christ shall RISE first: and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the AIR"! (I Thess. 4:16-17. See also I Cor. 15:50-53)
Jesus will travel around the world with the speed of lightning, gathering the resurrected saints into the clouds. The real antichrist ... falsely labels the saints of God "demons brilliant like angels"!
The Prophet Daniel was inspired by God to tell us that the resurrected and changed saints "shall shine as the BRIGHTNESS of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness [will shine in the resurrection] as the STARS forever and ever"! (Dan. 12:3)
And as for the "indescribable hymns"--
"And they sung as it were a new song before the throne... and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth... the FIRSTFRUITS unto God and to the Lamb"! (Rev. 14:3-4)
The false prophecy continues:
"Then that abominable one [meaning Jesus Christ — what blasphemy against God Almighty!] will send his commands throughout every government by the hand at once of demons and of visible men, who shall say 'A mighty king has arisen upon the earth; come ye all to worship him; come ye all to see the strength of his kingdom: for, behold, he will give you corn; and he will bestow upon you wine, and great riches, and lofty honors. For the whole earth and sea obeys His command. Come ye all to him — (ibid. p. 249, section XXVIII).
But Revelation 14:6-7 says:
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountain of waters."
Soon, even other Devilish false prophecies, recorded over many centuries, will be read from pulpits into the ears of gullible people. The False Prophet will place his so-called "divine" approval on them.
The people will believe these false prophecies -- the only teaching they have ever learned. They don't know what the Bible really says, because they have been taught not to study the Bible.
They will be absolutely convinced that the returning, glorified Christ is the Antichrist! ...
We are beginning to see this happening before our very eyes! The call for "church unity" is just the beginning. The WHOLE WORLD is being deceived by it!
Don't YOU Be Deceived!
Satan knows the prophecies of God. He trembles at God's Word (Jas. 2:19) because he knows it will come to pass! He hates God's Kingdom -- and His Law! No wonder he has influenced his followers to prophesy this satanic deception:
"Antichrist [by which the victorious Christ is meant] will be an iconoclast [an idol breaker]. Most of the world will adore him. He will teach that the Christian religion [today's counterfeit Christianity] is false, confiscation of Christian property is legal, Saturday is to be observed instead of Sunday, and he will change the Ten Commandments [that is, restore them to their original form, including the often-deleted second commandment against idols]. "All his wonders could not be written in a book. They will be more wonderful than the Old and New Testaments!... He will read people's minds, raise the dead, reward His followers and punish the rest"! (Prophecy for Today, p. 70)
Your Bible says Christ is the One who will destroy idols! Jesus Christ is the One who will reveal how perverted this world's pagan practices -- labeled, falsely, "Christianity" -- have become. Christ is, moreover, the LORD of the Old Testament. At creation He instituted worship On the SEVENTH DAY, not Sunday!
Jesus Christ spoke the Ten Commandments. He will restore them to their original form, not as they have been misnumbered in so many catechisms. And Christ is the One who will RAISE the dead and REWARD His followers!
Now you see in full the diabolical plot being hatched by Satan the devil. Here you see laid bare a few of the deceptive prophecies Satan will inspire the end-time false prophet to preach!
It is simply Satan's age-old attempt to assume to himself the office of God, while he assigns the intervention of the TRUE glorified Christ to the Antichrist!
Thank God YOU don't have to be deceived! (Sedliacik R. Will the World RECOGNIZE the Returning Christ? Plain Truth, 1965)
Yes, I also believe that the final Antichrist will point to false prophecies against Jesus (see also Some Doctrines of Antichrist).
The Bible shows the destruction of the revived Roman Empire of the Beast:
12 "The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful." (Revelation 17:12-14)
Yet, a doctor of the Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholics shows Antichrist defeats the monarch's empire:
John Chrysostom (4th century): the Roman Empire will be destroyed by Antichrist. This will happen when the Roman Empire has been divided into ten kingdoms. (Birch, 228)
Clearly, John Chrysostom has confused Jesus with the Antichrist! Sadly, so have many other predictors.
Most people familiar with prophecy are familiar with a battle that will be staged in Megiddo, and although it is not actually fought there, it is normally called "the battle of Armageddon" (the hills of Megiddo/Mageddo):
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon (Revelation 16:13-16).
Although the Bible shows that God will win the battle against those who stage their armies in Armaggedon, a "Catholic" prophetess claimed:
Anne Catherine Emmerich (died 1824) ... Antichrist will fight a successful battle at Mageddo in Palestine after which seven rulers, from fear, will subject themselves to Antichrist and he will thereafter become lord of the world (Cited in Connor, p. 86).
Commenting on the above, two Radio Church of God authors wrote:
It is almost impossible to see how they could believe this! But there it is!...Compare this with Revelation 19:19. (Hill DJ. Christ or Antichrist. Good News magazine, Radio Church of God, April 1961, p. 9)
Already the clever deception is being spread. Notice this false prophecy revealed well over a century ago: "Antichrist will fight a successful battle at Mageddo [Armageddon] in Palestine after which ... he will thereafter become lord of the world" (Prophecy for Today, p. 71). (Sedliacik RH. Will the World RECOGNIZE the Returning Christ? Plain Truth, April 1965, p. 27)
In a similar article, COG writer David Jon Hill also wrote:
Will you be deceived by Antichrist?…
The human instruments Satan the Devil is preparing to serve him are aware of what God’s Word says regarding the returning Christ and the Antichrist who is to oppose Him! They know enough prophecy to perform their abominable deeds with knowledge and vigor. They know, and have known historically, enough prophecy to prepare a perverted prophecy to deny the true prophetic warning broadcast by The WORLD TOMORROW!
Satan knows God’s general Plan. He has been at work in the minds of evil and deluded men throughout the ages to lay the groundwork of the GREAT DELUSION ! Though the vials of the wrath of God are poured out on sinful men, their impenitence remains — "AND THEY REPENTED NOT" (Rev. 16:9). They will flee from Christ — even calling for rocks to fall on them, hiding out in caves — RUNNING AWAY FROM GOD!
WHY?
Because of "that man of sin... who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he IS GOD... even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and LYING wonders, and with ALL DECEIVABLENESS." THAT MAN WILL TELL THE WORLD THE BIGGEST LIE EVER TOLD! Into the ears of those who do not have a love of the truth he will pour the LIE that our returning King, JESUS CHRIST, IS THE ANTICHRIST! And they will believe him because God will have sent them a "strong delusion that they should believe a LIE"! (II Thes. 2:3-11). …
Here now, for the professed prophecies in the Catholic Church’s recently published book, Prophecy for Today:
“Towards the end of the world Antichrist will overthrow the Pope and usurp his See”! (“Prophecy” of Abbott “Merlin” Joachim, died 1202; see also Catholic Encyclopedia, article “Antichrist.”)
Because they will not admit the truth, the Church believes the Antichrist will be the one to unseat the pope, while every Bible prophecy commissions the true Christ with that job.
“Antichrist will fight a successful battle at Mageddo [Armageddon) in Palestine after which. . . he will hereafter become lord of the world’ (Ibid; Anna Catarina Emmerick, d. 1824). It is almost impossible to see how they could believe this! But there it is! And here is more! “The Kings will send armies to the Holy Land, but the Antichrist will slay them all”! (Ibid.; “Venerable Maria of Agreda.” d. 1665.) Compare this with Revelation 19:19.
But to continue. “Antichrist and his army will conquer Rome, kill the Pope and take the throne. . . The Jews will come from everywhere, and accept Antichrist as the Messiah.” (Ibid.; from a “prophecy” by Venerable Bartholomew Holthauser, d. 1658.)
Just one more quote to illustrate their satanic definition: “After the destruction of Rome, Antichrist will appear and exalt himself above pagan deities and the Trinity. . . Coming to Jerusalem, he will succeed through false preaching, miracles, gifts, terror, aided throughout by the devil. An evil spirit will come out of the air and descend upon his followers. He shall feign a resurrection from the dead, cause rain to fall. . . and perform other wonders, all through the power of the devil. . . . The Jews will welcome him.” (Ibid.; Richard Rolle of Hampole, d. 1349.)
When these false “prophecies” are read from pulpits into the ears of gullible people and they begin to see God’s intervention come to pass, THEY WILL BELIEVE THE ONLY MEANING THEY HAVE EVER LEARNED ABOUT THESE SIGNS AND WONDERS, AND BE CONVINCED THAT THE GLORIOUS CHRIST RETURNING IN TRIUMPH IS IN TRUTH THE ANTICHRIST!
A more modern prophetess of the Catholic Church has this to say about this time of preaching: “Whole nations will join the Church shortly before the reign of the Antichrist. These conversions will be amazing. Those who shall survive shall have to conduct themselves well. There shall be innumerable conversions of heretics, who will return to the bosom of the Church” (Prophecy For Today; from Anna Maria Taigi, d. 1837).
Listen to this satanic delusion: “Antichrist will be an iconoclast [against idols). Most of the world will adore him. He will teach that the Christian religion is false, confiscation of Christian property is legal, Saturday is to be observed instead of Sunday, and he will change the Ten Commandments [that is, restore them in their ORIGINAL FORM, including the declaration against idols). All his wonders could not be written in a book. They will be more wonderful than the Old and New Testaments! . . . he will read people’s minds, raise the dead, REWARD HIS FOLLOWERS AND PUNISH THE REST”! (Prophecy For Today; from Dionysius of Luxemberg, d. 1682.) AND, “. . . He will begin by affecting RESPECT FOR THE LAW OF MOSES’(’I bid.; from Frederick William Faber, d. 1863)…
Christ is the One who is AGAINST IDOLS! Christ is the One who will show how perverted this world’s “Christianity” has become-that it is a FALSE RELIGION! Christ is the Lord of the Old Testament whose day of worship is the seventh day, INSTEAD OF SUNDAY! CHRIST is the One who gave the Ten Commandments in their ORIGINAL FORM, and will restore them. CHRIST IS THE ONE WHO WILL RAISE THE DEAD AND REWARD HIS FOLLOWERS. . . HE IS GOD, AND THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM!
So we see here the diabolical plot hatched by this professed “Christian” leader. Here is the age-old attempt of Satan the Devil to arrogate to himself and to his deceived minions the OFFICE OF GOD; while he attributes the intervention of the True Christ in his returning glory to the PERSON AND ACTION OF ANTICHRIST. (Hill, David Jon. Will you be deceived by Antichrist? Good News magazine of the Radio Church of God, October 1964, pp. 9-12,18).
Notice that certain “Catholic prophecies” were believed at that time to misidentify Jesus as the final Antichrist and that a religion that attracts whole nations is prophesied. I should point out, however, that some Catholic prophecies warn against the ecumenical religion that others seem to look forward to. All who profess Christianity should realize that no matter what any “Catholic” prophecy may say, the Bible is clear that Jesus and NOT Antichrist wins the battle that is originally staged at Armageddon (cf. Revelation 16:13-16 and 19:17-21).
Since the Bible shows that God will win the related battle (see also Revelation 19:19-20) and the Bible never says that Antichrist wins any battle of Megiddo, it seems that Nun Emmerich apparently has misidentified Jesus as Antichrist!
Another Catholic "prophetess" claimed:
Venerable Maria of Agreda (died 1665)...the kings will send armies to the Holy Land, but the Antichrist will slay them all (Cited in Connor, p. 84).
The Bible shows that it is God and NOT Antichrist that wins the battle:
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, 18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great." 19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh (Revelation 19:17-21).
Notice that the Beast and the false prophet both lose that battle (which, although first staged at Meggedo, actually occurs in/near Jerusalem).
It should be noted, however, that some Catholic writers do realize that Antichrist is defeated and does not win this battle (which is actually only staged in Armageddon). Notice:
S. Berry (published 1920): Armageddon is the Greek for Har-Mageddo (Mount Mageddo), a place often drenched with Israel's blood. The defeat of Antichrist may be accomplished on this very battle ground (Berry S. Interpretation of the Apocalpyse. Cited in Culleton, Reign of Antichrist, p. 206).
Thus, there is some confusion amongst Catholic writings. The fact is that the Bible shows that it is Jesus who wins what is commonly called "the battle of Armageddon."
Those who rely on prophecies in books that were not inspired by the Holy Spirit, that are in conflict with scripture, will be deceived.
Notice that the Bible shows that there is a woman who sits on seven hills:
4. And the woman was clothed round about with purple and scarlet, and gilded with gold, and precious stone, and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, full of the abominations and filthiness of her fornication.
5. And in her forehead a name written, "Mystery": Babylon the great, mother of the fornications and the abominations of the earth.
6. And I saw the woman drunken of the blood of the Saints, and of the blood of the martyrs of JESUS. And I marveled when I had seen her, with great admiration.
7. And the Angel said to me, Why doest thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and the ten horns.
8. The beast which thou sawest, was, and is not, and shall come up out of the bottomless depth, and go into destruction: and the inhabitants on the earth (whose names are not written in the book of life from the making of the world) shall marvel, seeing the beast that was, and is not.
9. And here is understanding, that hath wisdom. The seven heads: are seven hills, upon which the woman sitteth, and they are seven kings (Apocalypse 17:4-9, Rheims New Testament).18 And the woman which thou sawest, is the great city, which hath kingdom over the kings of the earth. (Revelation 17:18, RNT)
Of course, Rome is the most famous city of seven hills in the entire earth. And John is writing that this woman has some influence over worldly kings.
Certain Roman Catholic scholars teach:
"The Church that is in Babylon saluteth you, and so doth my son Mark" (1 Peter 5:13). That Babylon stands for Rome, as usual amongst pious Jews, and not for the real Babylon, then without Christians, is admitted by common consent (cf. F.J.A. Hort, "Judaistic Christianity", London, 1895, 155) (Wilhelm J. Transcribed by Donald J. Boon. Apostolic Succession. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume I. Copyright © 1907 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat, March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).
Nor must we look for order in the Apocalypse; but we must follow the meaning of those things which are prophesied. Therefore in the trumpets and phials is signified either the desolation of the plagues that are sent upon the earth, or the madness of Antichrist himself, or the cutting off of the peoples, or the diversity of the plagues, or the hope in the kingdom of the saints, or the ruin of states, or the great overthrow of Babylon, that is, the Roman state (Victorinus. Commentary on the Apocalypse, Chapter 7, Verse 8. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 7. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1886. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).
There was a strong anti-Roman tradition in the early Church. Rome was the harlot city soaked in the blood of the saints, the centre from which spread out wave after wave of persecution. The Book of Revelations' gloating vision of the coming ruin of Rome, 'Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great' (Revelations 14:8), remained a persistent strand so long as the empire continued to persecute the church, and survived even into the Middle Ages (Duffy, Eamon. Saints & Sinners: A History of the Popes. Yale University Press, New Haven (CT), 2002, pp. 16-17).
The author of the Commentaries upon the Apocalypse set forth in St. Ambrose name, writeth thus: This...sometime signifieth Rome, specially which at that time when the Apostle wrote this, did persecute the Church of God. But otherwise it signifieth the whole city of the Devil, that is, the universal corps of the reprobate. Tertullian also taketh it for Rome, thus, Babylon (saith he) in St. John is a figure of the city of Rome, being so great, so proud of the Empire, and the destroyer of the saints. Which is plainly spoken of that city, when it was heathen, the head of the terrene dominion of the world, the persecutor of the Apostles and their successors, the seat of Nero, Domitian, and the like, Christ's special enemies, the sink of idolatry, and false worship of the Pagan gods (Annotations on Chapter 17 of the Apocalypse. The Original And True Rheims New Testament Of Anno Domini 1582. Prepared and Edited by Dr. William G. von Peters. Ph.D. 2004, copyright assigned to VSC Corp. Page 583).
So while in Peter's writings, the Roman Catholics suggest that Babylon is the church in Rome, in John's they prefer to believe that John is only referring to the Roman state or those that are reprobate (Victorinus is consider a "Church Father" by Roman Catholics). However, it appears clear that even the Catholics admit that John is referring to a reprobate church (he used the analogy of a woman) as Babylon and that early Christians identified that with Rome. A reprobate church would seem to be one that incorporates non-biblical practices (such as certain traditions) as superior to biblical ones.
Notice what else the Bible teaches:
18:2. And he cried out in force, saying, Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great: and it is become the habitation of Devils, and the custody of every unclean spirit, and the custody of every unclean and hateful bird: 3. Because all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication: and the kings of the earth have fornicated with her: and the merchants of the earth were made rich by the virtue of her delicacies. 4. And I hear another voice from heaven, saying, God out from her my people: that you be not partakers of her sins, and receive not of her plagues. 5. Because her sins are come even to heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities...
19:1 AFTER these things I heard as it were the voice of many multitudes in heaven saying, Alleluia. Praise, and glory, and power is to our God: 2. Because true and just are his judgments which hath judged of the great harlot, that hath corrupted the earth in her whoredom, and hath revenged the blood of his servants, of her hands... 6. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of great thunders, saying, Alleluia. because our Lord God the omnipotent hath reigned. 7. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give glory to him: because the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath prepared herself. 8. And it was given to her that she clothe herself (Apocalypse 18:2-5; 19:1-2;6-7, Rheims New Testament).
Thus after the destruction of the Roman-Babylonian Empire, Jesus will reign.
Furthermore, notice that although the Bible teaches that after Roman-Babylonian Jesus will reign, Roman Catholic prophecies suggest a different order:
Cardinal Newman (19th century): “Now let us recur to the ancient Fathers, and see whether their further anticipations do not run parallel to the events which have since happened. Antichrist, as they considered, will come out of the Roman Empire just upon its destruction;--that is, the Roman Empire will in its last days divide itself into ten parts, and the Enemy will come up suddenly out of it upon these ten, and subdue three of them, or all of them perhaps...” (Newman JH. The Patristical Idea of Antichrist, Lecture II. Newman Reader — Works of John Henry Newman. Copyright © 2004 by The National Institute for Newman Studies).
Priest P. Huchedé (19th century) “The complete destruction of the Roman empire is also an event that must happen prior to the coming of Antichrist…(Huchedé, P. Translated by JBD. History of Antichrist. Imprimatur Edward Charles Fabre, Bishop of Montreal. English edition 1884, Reprint 1976. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), p. 52)
Venerable Bartholomew Holzhauser (died 1658): The Sixth Epoch from the Great Monarch until Antichrist. This Sixth Epoch of the Church--'the time of consolation'--begins with the Holy Pope and the Powerful Emperor, and terminates with the reign of Antichrist (Connor, pp. 35-36).
Venerable Bartholomew Holzhauser (died 1658): The triumph of the Church will only be short and merely last until he who is to come, shall come—the son of ruin and corruption, who will unleash Satan anew (Culleton, The Reign of Antichrist, p. 148)
Hence, certain confused Romans (with their supporters) are going to teach that Antichrist comes after the destruction of the Roman empire, whereas the Bible shows that Jesus’ return will bring about the destruction of the Babylonian-Roman empire. And that Jesus will reign after the destruction of that empire. The Bible shows that it is Jesus who comes after the relatively short-reign of the Beast and False Prophet, not that Antichrist comes after some “Great Monarch” and a particular faithful pope.
Many others (including Greco-Roman Catholics), however, warn (often correctly) that an antipope is coming and that he will be or assist Antichrist. Many of those prophecies are quoted in the article Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies?
When Jesus returns, He will claim to be the Messiah. Yet, certain Greco-Roman Catholics believe that Antichrist will claim to be the Messiah:
Venerable Bartholomew Holzhauser (died 1658): Antichrist will come as the Messiah... The Jews, knowing from the Bible that Jerusalem will be the seat of the Messiah, will come from everywhere, and accept Antichrist as the Messiah... (Culleton, The Reign of Antichrist, p. 148)
Dionysius of Luxembourg (died 1682) Antichrist will present himself to the Jews as the Messiah (Culleton, The Reign of Antichrist, p. 151)
Cardinal John Newman (19th century): …Antichrist would pretend to be the Messiah...(Newman, Cardinal John Henry. Lecture 2. The Religion of Antichrist. Copyright © 2004 by The National Institute for Newman Studies)
The Bible nowhere states that the final “Antichrist” will claim to be the Messiah. But it is clear that Jesus claimed to be the Messiah (John 4:25-26), and will again once He returns. And yes, He will return to Jerusalem and apparently present Himself to those there (Acts 1:4-12).
There is yet another reason that those who believe doctrines of the Church of Rome will not believe that Jesus returns when He does.
And that is?
They wrongly believe that Jesus will be announced by a cross.
Based on several false books which the Church of Rome teaches are non-canonical (such as the Apocalypse of Peter and the Epistle of the Apostles), the late French Catholic Cardinal Jean-Guenolé-Marie Daniélou wrote:
Just as the Cross accompanied Christ in his ascent to heaven, so it will precede him at his coming again. (Daniélou J, Cardinal. The Theology of Jewish Christianity. Translated by John A. Baker. The Westminister Press, 1964, p. 268)
It must be added that the Bible does not teach that a cross accompanied Jesus into heaven, but that Cardinal Daniélou cites the discredited Gospel of Peter (Ibid, p. 267) as his source for that claim.
This is also based upon a wrong interpretation of Matthew 24:30:
22. But what is the sign of His coming? Lest a hostile power dare to counterfeit it. And then shall appear, He says, the sign of the Son of Man in heaven {Matthew 24:30}. Now Christ's own true sign is the Cross; a sign of a luminous Cross shall go before the King, plainly declaring Him who was formerly crucified: that the Jews who before pierced Him and plotted against Him, when they see it, may mourn tribe by tribe {Zechariah 12:12}, saying, "This is He who was buffeted, this is He whose face they spat on, this is He whom they bound with chains, this is He whom of old they crucified, and set at nought. Whither, they will say, shall we flee from the face of Your wrath?" But the Angel hosts shall encompass them, so that they shall not be able to flee anywhere. The sign of the Cross shall be a terror to His foes; but joy to His friends who have believed in Him, or preached Him, or suffered for His sake. (Cyril of Jerusalem. Catechetical Lectures, XV. Translated by Edwin Hamilton Gifford. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 7. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1894.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/310115.htm>)
"The sign of the Son of Man appearing in the heavens"
In Matthew 24:30, this is indicated as the sign immediately preceding the appearance of Christ to judge the world. By this sign the Fathers of the Church generally understand the appearance in the sky of the Cross on which the Saviour died or else of a wonderful cross of light. ( "General Judgment." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 9 May 2015 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08552a.htm>)
There is nothing in the Bible that says a luminous cross is the sign of Jesus. Furthermore, early Christians DID NOT use a cross as a Christian sign. The fact that the pagan Emperor Constantine, who had earlier seen an apparition of the sun god, claimed to see a cross as a symbol of Christianity DOES NOT CHANGE THE FACT THAT THE BIBLE DOES NOT EVEN USE THE WORD 'CROSS' IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AS IT WAS WRITTEN (see also What is the Origin of the Cross as a 'Christian' Symbol?).
Most people are aware that the Bible shows that when Jesus returns, the saints will then be resurrected.
Here are a few such verses:
16 For our Lord himself in commandment and in the voice of an Archangel and in the trumpet of God will descend from heaven: and the dead that are in Christ, shall rise again first (1 Thessalonians 4:16, RNT).
4. And I saw seats: and they sat upon them, and judgment was given them, and the fouls of the beheaded for the testimony of JESUS, and for the word of God, and that adored not the beast, nor his image, nor received his character in their foreheads or in their hands, and have lived, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5. The rest of the dead lived not, till the thousand years be consummate. This is the first resurrection. 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection. in these the second death hath not power: but they shall be priests of God and of Christ: and shall reign with him a thousand years. 7. And when the thousand years shall be consummate, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go forth, and seduce the nations that are upon the four corners of the earth (Revelation/Apocalypse 20:4-7).
Thus, even the Roman Catholic approved translation of the New Testament shows that the true Christians rise when Jesus returns. And as Revelation 20:6-7 indicates, they will reign with Christ on the earth.
However, there is a Roman Catholic approved apparition from one alleging to be Mary appearing in LaSalette, France in 1846 that states:
"Some will make the dead arise and appear as holy persons ... Such persons, resurrected through the agency of demons, shall assume the figure of holy persons … in order more easily to deceive them. These self-styled resuscitated persons shall be nothing but demons under their forms. In this way they shall preach a Gospel contrary to that of Jesus Christ, denying the existence of Heaven).
h. "In every place there shall be seen extraordinary prodigies, because the true Faith has been extinguished, and a pale light shines in the world. ... TREMBLE, oh earth! And tremble also you who profess to serve Jesus Christ, but inwardly worship yourselves, for God has delivered you to His enemies, because corruption is in the holy places. ... the abomination shall be seen in holy places, in convents, and then the demon shall make himself the king of hearts ...
"… Together with the Antichrist the demons will work great false miracles on earth and in the air. Voices will he heard in the air. Then men will desert religion and become worse and worse (Culleton, The Reign of Antichrist. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1974, pp. 165,167).
The Bible calls Christians “holy” (cf.1 Peter 1:16;2:9), and since they are to be resurrected, it appears that certain Catholics may believe that the resurrected Christians are actually demonic supporters of Antichrist.
It is also interesting to note that the apparition claims that those who believe that the saints will be on the earth with Christ are teaching a false gospel (for more on the true gospel, check out the free online book: The Gospel of the Kingdom of God).
While no one claiming Christianity would reasonably deny the existence of heaven per se, it is true that we (like the original Christians) in the Church of God do not believe in the immortality of the soul, do believe in a bodily resurrection, and do believe that believers will come to earth and reign with Jesus when He returns (see also Revelation 5:10; 20:4-6)—hence we do not believe that Christians are now in heaven nor that any could remain there after Jesus returns. That was also the original Christian doctrine (see Did Early Christians Teach They Were Going to Heaven?).
Hence, this apparition seems to be directed against those who hold to the views of those of us in the real Church of God.
This is part of why Roman Catholics and others need to understand who the true Church has been from the beginning, who the true Church was in the intervening years, and who the most faithful Church actually will be in the end (see also the free online book: Continuing History of the Church of God).
Those affiliated with Rome have accepted changes, changes that we in the COG have not accepted (see Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Continuing Church of God?), and sadly many (at least 2/3s according to certain Roman Catholic writers) with Roman affiliation are likely to accept more changes to their religion in the future (see Who is the King of the North?).
Those that do not understand these things will be deceived. And astoundingly, many will think that Jesus is the Antichrist!
Lest someone think that no one else ever noticed this, please see the following published by the old Radio Church of God decades ago:
Satan knows God’s general Plan. He has been at work in the minds of evil and deluded men throughout the ages to lay the groundwork of the GREAT DELUSION !...
Catholic Definition of Antichrist
Here now, for the professed prophecies in the Catholic Church’s recently published book, Prophecy for Today:
“Towards the end of the world Antichrist will overthrow the Pope and usurp his See”! (“Prophecy” of Abbott “Merlin” Joachim, died 1202; see also Catholic Encyclopedia, article “Antichrist.”)
Because they will not admit the truth, the Church believes the Antichrist will be the one to unseat the pope, while every Bible prophecy commissions the true Christ with that job.
“Antichrist will fight a successful battle at Mageddo [Armageddon) in Palestine after which. . . he will hereafter become lord of the world’ (Ibid; Anna Catarina Emmerick, d. 1824). It is almost impossible to see how they could believe this! But there it is! And here is more! “The Kings will send armies to the Holy Land, but the Antichrist will slay them all”! (Ibid.; “Venerable Maria of Agreda.” d. 1665.) Compare this with Revelation 19:19.
But to continue. “Antichrist and his army will conquer Rome, kill the Pope and take the throne. . . The Jews will come from everywhere, and accept Antichrist as the Messiah.” (Ibid.; from a “prophecy” by Venerable Bartholomew Holthauser, d. 1658.)
Just one more quote to illustrate their satanic definition: “After the destruction of Rome, Antichrist will appear and exalt himself above pagan deities and the Trinity. . . Coming to Jerusalem, he will succeed through false preaching, miracles, gifts, terror, aided throughout by the devil. An evil spirit will come out of the air and descend upon his followers. He shall feign a resurrection from the dead, cause rain to fall. . . and perform other wonders, all through the power of the devil. . . . The Jews will welcome him.” (Ibid.; Richard Rolle of Hampole, d. 1349.)
Compare With Your Bible...
Listen to this satanic delusion: “Antichrist will be an iconoclast [against idols). Most of the world will adore him. He will teach that the Christian religion is false, confiscation of Christian property is legal, Saturday is to be observed instead of Sunday, and he will change the Ten Commandments [that is, restore them in their ORIGINAL FORM, including the declaration against idols). All his wonders could not be written in a book. They will be more wonderful than the Old and New Testaments! . . . he will read people’s minds, raise the dead, REWARD HIS FOLLOWERS AND PUNISH THE REST”! (Prophecy For Today; from Dionysius of Luxemberg, d. 1682.) AND, “. . . He will begin by affecting RESPECT FOR THE LAW OF MOSES’(’I bid.; from Frederick William Faber, d. 1863)...
Christ is the One who is AGAINST IDOLS! Christ is the One who will show how perverted this world’s “Christianity” has become-that it is a FALSE RELIGION! Christ is the Lord of the Old Testament whose day of worship is the seventh day, INSTEAD OF SUNDAY! CHRIST is the One who gave the Ten Commandments in their ORIGINAL FORM, and will restore them. CHRIST IS THE ONE WHO WILL RAISE THE DEAD AND REWARD HIS FOLLOWERS. . . HE IS GOD, AND THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM!
So we see here the diabolical plot hatched by this professed “Christian” leader. Here is the age-old attempt of Satan the Devil to arrogate to himself and to his deceived minions the OFFICE OF GOD; while he attributes the intervention of the True Christ in his returning glory to the PERSON AND ACTION OF ANTICHRIST. (Hill, David Jon. Will you be deceived by Antichrist? Good News magazine of the Radio Church of God, October 1964, pp. 9-12,18; click the following for the full article Will You Be Deceived by Antichrist?).
The truth is that all need to compare "private prophecies" with the Bible. These 'private prophecies" come from "deceiving spirts" (1 Timothy 4:1-2) and are part of Satan's Plan (an article of related interest is titled Satan's Plan).
The late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:
Christ is coming...
But will humanity shout with joy, and welcome him in frenzied ecstasy and enthusiasm? Will even the churches of traditional Christianity?
They will not! They will believe, because the false ministers of Satan (II Cor. 11:13-15) have deceived them, that he is the Antichrist. The churches and the nations will be angry at his coming (Rev. 11:15 with 11:18), and the military forces will actually attempt to fight him to destroy him (Rev. 17:14)!
The nations will be engaged in the climactic battle of the coming World War III, with the battlefront at Jerusalem (Zech. 14:1-2) and then Christ will return. In supernatural power he will "fight against those nations" that fight against him (verse 3). He will totally defeat them (Rev. 17:14)! "His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives," a very short distance to the east of Jerusalem (Zech. 14:4). (Armstrong HW. Mystery of the Ages. Dodd, Mead & Company, New York, 1985, pp. 306-307)
The reality is because of accepting mystic visions over the revelations of the Bible, many will be deceived. And while God has and will raise up prophets, God's prophets must teach in accordance to the word of God (cf. Ezekiel 2:7) or they should not be accepted as God's messengers.
While various mystics may be called saints, etc., notice that the Bible warns that false ones will look like the real thing:
12...I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works (2 Corinthians 11:12-15).
Many false "prophets" have risen up and claimed to be part of the true church. When they contradict scripture, do not believe them.
Why will people fall for the Beast and false prophesies? The Apostle Paul was inspired to write:
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12)
The mystery of iniquity has been working since the time of the Apostle Paul to set up events in the end times.
The Apostle John was told to write:
2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"
5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:2-8)
But God will intervene:
1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."
4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. 7 In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, 'I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.' 8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day — death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.
9 "The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, 10 standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.'
11 "And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: 12 merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men. 14 The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 and saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! 17 For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.' Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance 18 and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What is like this great city?'
19 "They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.'
20 "Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!" (Revelation 18:1-20)
People will mourn when God starts to intervene. That is part of why they will accept 'Catholic' writings that indicate that the returning Jesus Christ is supposedly the final Antichrist as Jesus will meet some of the non-biblical criteria that some Catholic writings consider to be related to that Antichrist.
In summary while some Greco-Roman Catholic writings are correct, certain contradictory Roman Catholic writings/prophecies teach that Antichrist:
Of course as this article has shown, Jesus said scriptures testified who He was (John 5:39), kept the seventh-day Sabbath, taught against idols, never advocated the wearing of crosses on the hand or forehead (cf. Revelation 13:16;20:4), taught that those who held to a religion based upon tradition over the Bible is false, taught all the ten commandments as the Continuing Church of God teaches them, was Jewish (John 4:9-10; Matthew 1:1-3; Luke 3:23-33), kept "Jewish practices" like Passover (Matthew 26:18) and the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2,10), has always had non-Trinitarian supporters, taught the millennial gospel of the kingdom, taught that there would be a future opportunity for salvation, shows that thunders/lightning/earthquakes/hail preceded His coming (Revelation 16:17-21), shows that the forces of evil gathered at Megiddo lose (Revelation 16:13-16; 19:17-21), that He will reign after the destruction of the Roman Empire (Revelation 19:2-8), and He will teach He is the Messiah (John 4:25-26). And His Apostles Paul and John were inspired to write that resurrected saints will come with Jesus and reign at His second coming.
Thus, it appears that certain private Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies have been given to warn the world that when Jesus comes He will be the Antichrist. This may be part of the reason that the Bible warns that people will be angry and will actually make war against with Jesus when He returns:
18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth (Revelation 11:18).19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army (Revelation 19:19).
Thus, I believe that Satan-inspired a lot of false prophecies and improper theology so that those who are not the very elect will be deceived (Matthew 24:24) and will actually fight against Jesus (Revelation 19:19). This is part of Satan's Plan.
This is part of why all who profess Christ need to understand who the true Church has been from the beginning, who the true Church was in the intervening years, and who the true Church actually will be in the end (for more details, please go to the History of Early Christianity page, and/or the free online booklets Continuing History of the Church of God and Where is the True Christian Church Today?). (Some of the Protestant misunderstandings of prophecy can be found in the article Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors.)
Furthermore, it needs to be understood that some Greco-Roman Catholics also seem to teach the ones that those of us in the COG consider to be the two witnesses will be announcing Antichrist (e.g. Birch, p. 556) and that during the time we in the COG call the Great Tribulation that there will be supernaturally fed people opposed to the Roman Catholic church dwelling in caves that will be “the advance guard of the son of perdition” (Hildegard of Bingen. Scivias. Paulist Press, Mahwah (NJ), p. 301)--that is a warning from a Roman Catholic saint to not heed the Christians protected in the place of the wilderness (such protection is prophesied in Revelation 3:10 and 12:14-16).
Sadly, many Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies and writings apparently are directed against those in the protected Philadelphia remnant of the Church of God and against Jesus Christ. Those that do not understand these things will be deceived. But YOU do not have to be.
Yes, Greco-Roman Catholic private prophecies warn against Jesus as well as His faithful followers in the Church of God.
A related sermon is available called Will Jesus Christ be called the Antichrist?
(Note, as mentioned earlier: There are other Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies, much more correctly in my opinion, that indicate that the final Antichrist will be an "antipope," hence will not be one who endorses the seventh day Sabbath, the millennium, etc.).
Some items of related interest may include:
Some Doctrines of Antichrist Are there any doctrines taught outside the Churches of God which can be considered as doctrines of antichrist. This article suggests at least three. It also provides information on 666 and the identity of "the false prophet." You can also watch a video titled What Does the Bible teach about the Antichrist?
Satan's Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future? Here are links to a two-part sermon series: What are Some of the Parts of Satan's Plan? and Satan's Plan is More Dramatic than Many Realize.
Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century. Is an antipope expected?
The Antichrist Quiz Do you really know much about the Antichrist?
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church. Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, Early Heresies and Heretics, Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List, Holy Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs.
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of GodBoth groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are? Here is a link to a related sermon: Eastern Orthodox 40+ Similar Beliefs to the CCOG.
Thiel B. Do Certain Catholic Prophecies About Antichrist Warn Against Jesus? www.cogwriter/catholicprophecyantichrist.htm 2008/2009/2010/2011/2012/2013 /2015/2016/2017/2018/2019 /2022 / 2024 0106