Vatican Bishops Condemn Israel

View in Vatican City (photo by Joyce Thiel)

The following was announced today:

Vatican meeting of Mideast bishops demands Israel

end occupation of Palestinian lands

Canadian Press – Oct 23, 2010

VATICAN CITY — Bishops from the Middle East who were summoned to Rome by the pope demanded Saturday that Israel accept U.N. resolutions calling for an end to its “occupation” of Arab lands.

In a final joint communique, the bishops also told Israel it shouldn’t use the Bible to justify “injustices” against the Palestinians…

They said they had “reflected” on the suffering and insecurity in which Israelis live and on the status of Jerusalem, a city holy to Christians, Jews and Muslims.

“We are anxious about the unilateral initiatives that threaten its composition and risk to change its demographic balance,” they said. http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5ihKo35KChWChQy8Uj89zyLzFKOkA?docId=4918559.

The Bible tells of a time where Jerusalem will be trouble for those involved with it, and a time that Jerusalem will be divided.

Biblical (cf. Revelation 11:2) and Catholic also prophecies tell of a time where a Vatican-supported Gentile power will go to Jerusalem and essentially have it occupied for 3 1/2 years.

Here are some of the Catholic ones:

Brother Louis Rocco (19th century): Terrible wars will rage all over Europe. God has long been patient with the corruption of morals; half of mankind He will destroy. Russia will witness many outrages. Great cities and small towns alike will be destroyed in a bloody revolution that will cause the death of half the population. In Istanbul (Constantinople) the Cross will replace the half-moon of Islamism, and Jerusalem will be the seat of a King. The southern Slavs will form a great Catholic Empire and drive out of Europe the Turks (Mohammedans), who will withdraw to North Africa and subsequently embrace the Catholic faith. (Dupont, Catholic Prophecy, p.76)

Bl. Rabanus Maurus (died 856): Our principal doctors agree in announcing to us, that towards the end of time one of the descendants of France shall reign over all the Roman Empire; that he shall be the greatest of the Empire; and that he shall be the greatest of the French monarch, and the last of his race. After happily governed his kingdom, he will go to Jerusalem, and depose on Mount of Olives his sceptre and crown. This shall be the end and conclusion of the Roman… Empire (Culleton, The Prophets and Our Times, p. 136).

Monk Adso (died 992): Some of our Teachers say that a King of the Franks will possess the entire Roman Empire. This King will be the greatest and the last of all Monarchs, and after having prosperously governed his kingdom, he will come in the end to Jerusalem and he will lay down his sceptre and his crown upon the Mount of Olives and immediately afterwards, Anti-Christ will come. (ibid, p. 137)

Thus, Catholic leaders, at least some of whom must be familiar with Catholic prophecies, are trying to set the stage for intervention in Jerusalem.

Additionally, however, it should be noted some Catholic writers clearly have understood that the two-horned beast in Revelation 13 is likely to be an antipope and that a negative power will be established in Jerusalem:

Priest E. Sylvester Berry (published 1920): The two horns denote a twofold authority – spiritual and temporal. As indicated by the resemblance to a lamb, the prophet will probably set himself up in Rome as a sort of anti-pope…Antichrist will establish himself in Jerusalem…with his ‘lying wonders’… (Berry ES. The Apocalypse of St. John, 1920. Quoted in Culleton RG. The Reign of Antichrist. Reprint 1974, TAN Books, Rockford (IL), pp. 199-200).

Thus, the bishops need to be cautious and understand where all of this is headed.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Antichrist Quiz Do you really know much about the Antichrist?
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”. Plus it shows that several Catholic writers seem to warn about an ecumenical antipope that will support heresy.
Is There an Islamic Antichrist?Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
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.