Church of God News

While other pontiffs have called for changes in the financial system, Pope Francis has taken steps that suggest that he wants to change not only the financial system of the Vatican but also that of the world in ways he predecessors perhaps did not.

This week, the Pope may additional comments similar to some he made previously:

Pope Francis said in a homily delivered at his Vatican home that the Catholic Church shouldn’t go after wealth but rather pursue a “heart of poverty.”

A wealthy church is a dead church, he said.

“If you want to have a rich Church, then the Church ages, it has no life,” he said, as United Press International reported.

The pope has been focusing on the poor since his March selection. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jun/11/pope-francis-catholic-church-should-seek-poverty/#ixzz2W8819ci4

Is it possible that he is suggesting that since his church hold enormous wealth in bank accounts, land, art, and jewels, that perhaps he intends to distribute some of this wealth (see Pope Francis claims he wants his church to be poor and help the poor)? If he does not end up doing this, he, at minimum, has made a statement that the final Antichrist (which may not be him as that is not certain yet), will point to as justification for wealth distribution.

According to the Bible, finances and economic influence will be with the Antichrist.

Notice one passage that the Antichrist is associated with:

16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:16-17)

The “He” above is the two-horned beast (Revelation 13:11), also known as the False Prophet (Revelation 16:13), and Antichrist (1 John 4:1-3).

The Antichrist will promote the Beast and the Beast’s Babylonian system. And many will prosper because of it (the ‘He’ is the Beast):

24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power;
He shall destroy fearfully,
And shall prosper and thrive;
He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.

25 “Through his cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;
And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity. (Daniel 8:24-25)

36 “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done…39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain. (Daniel 11:36, 39),

The king above is the King of the North (see Daniel 11:40). And notice that he will prosper and divide up lands for gain. The dividing up of the land will help cause others to prosper. His deceit and schemes will cause many to prosper.

The Bible also says that the merchants of the world will have gotten wealthy from the system that the Antichrst will promote:

2 Babylon the great…has become a dwelling place of demons…a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3…and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury. (Revelation 18:2a,b,d, 3c)

So, there are several biblical prophecies that tie the power that the Antichrist supports with a type of deceitful prosperity. Did you notice the connection to a cage of birds above? Well, then notice then also the following:

27 As a cage is full of birds,
So their houses are full of deceit.
Therefore they have become great and grown rich.
28 They have grown fat, they are sleek;
Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked;
They do not plead the cause,
The cause of the fatherless;
Yet they prosper,
And the right of the needy they do not defend.
29 Shall I not punish them for these things?’ says the Lord.
‘Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’

30 “An astonishing and horrible thing
Has been committed in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule by their own power;
And My people love to have it so.
But what will you do in the end? (Jeremiah 5:27-31)

So, the supporters of the Beast and Antichrist/False Prophet will prosper for a time, then God will punish.

Furthermore, notice two Catholic writings/prophecies about the final Antichrist:

Saint Ephrem (died 375): Antichrist will use worldly goods as bait. He will entice many Christians with money and goods to apostatize…The devil will help him find all the hidden treasures of the world, even those at the bottom of the ocean. With those treasures he will attain greater success for the reign of Satan than at any other time in past centuries (Connor, pp.73.74).

Saint Mechtilda (died 1299): Antichrist will, through base and false strategem, and with presents of gold and gems, attain influence over the worldly princes. They will look up to him as their Lord and God (Culleton, The Reign of Antichrist, pp. 133-134).

The Bible, by the way, does mention that the King of the North will end up with a lot of gold, silver, and precious stones (Daniel 11:38,43).

But it is possible that before the Beast rises up that the Antichrist will use material items for bait?

If so, this could be starting very soon.