Satan's Plan

Does Satan have a plan? What is it?

If Satan has a plan is it working? If it is, how is it working?

Will you be affected by any of Satan's plans in the future? Have you been affected by some of them now? Do non-biblical prophecies have a role? What about signs and wonders?

What does the Bible teach? (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.)

The old Radio Church of God taught:

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! (Hill DJ. Christ or Antichrist? Good News magazine, April 1961)

God's most faithful need to know this:

32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. 33 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many (Daniel 11:32-33)

Explaining how and why Satan's plan, that the King of the North (Beast of the Sea) will be promoting, is something that God's most faithful will instruct people about.

Jesus, Satan, and the Garden of Eden

Jesus taught the following about Satan the devil:

44 ...the devil...He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. (John 8:44)

Why start with those truncated statements from that verse? Because it tells us a lot about Satan, which therefore gives us clues about his plans.

The first lie in the Bible came from Satan:

4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:4-5)

Satan has not ceased to be a liar since. Satan encouraged sin to enter the world and that an early part of his plan which has succeeded throughout human history. Sin is part of Satan's plan. Discouragement is part of Satan's plan (cf. Luke 22:31).

Satan Deceives the Whole World

What many people do not truly realize is that Satan deceives the whole world.

Notice what the Apostle John was inspired to write:

9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9)

All humans are subject to Satan's deceptions. It is not just Adam and Eve that engaged in sin. The Bible teaches:

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

Everyone include you. It also includes all the original disciples of Jesus. Notice that one even Peter said something that Satan wanted him to in :

31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." (Mark 8:31-33)

To get people to realize this, the above account is in the Bible twice (the other place is Matthew 16:21-23). So yes, even 'Christian' leaders can make statements supporting Satan's plan. Improper statements made against myself and the Continuing Church of God fall in that category.

A significant part of Satan's plan is to get people to support him and fight against the remnant of the Philadelphia portion of the Church of God in the last days, then to go against any actual Christians, and then to fight against Jesus Christ when He returns.

The Apostle Paul provided a variety of warnings. Here is one:

14...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 11:14-15)

Notice that Satan has ministers that appear to be real righteous ones. That is part of how he is intending to implement his plan.

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. (2 Peter 2:1-3)

12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. (2 Peter 2:12-14)

18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. (2 Peter 2:18-20)

The above includes leaders who claim to be Christian (e.g. RCG’s David Pack claims, ‘You’re not allowed to hold on to your own assets.’).

The Bible is clear that Satan can quote scriptures, but also twist their intended meaning:

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."

4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"

5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:

'He shall give His angels charge over you,'

and,

'In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'"

7 Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"

8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me."

10 Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"

11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. (Matthew 4:1-11)

Jesus resisted Satan by relying on what the Bible really meant, and Satan left. The Apostle James told Christians:

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

Throughout history, Satan has had his ministers inject false teachings and most have not sufficiently resisted them.

These moves by Satan precede the New Testament. God told Noah that his descendants should "fill the earth" (Genesis 9:1). However, many people thought Nimrod offered them protection, and believed him above God. And the Bible shows that since those associated with Nimrod would not listen to God, God confounded their languages (Genesis 11:1-10).

Satan influenced other deceivers to try to thwart God's plans. Recall that the magicians of Egypt performed various signs that caused Pharaoh to discount the miracles that God was doing through Moses (e.g. Exodus 7:20-23).

Now, not all deception by Satan is supernatural. On February 5, 2015, I was watching something I had recorded from the History Channel called Ancient Discoveries. The particular episode I watched detailed how the ancient pagans used technologies, like hydraulics, pneumatics, and even magnetism, to deceive people into thinking that the pagan deities they promoted were real.

This also happended after Jesus came. Notice something from a transcript from that program:

In Alexandria in the early Christian era, we have startling evidence from one of the temple priests of the importance of temple magic.

One priest wrote, "We definitely need some striking miracle to advertise our temple. Folk are flocking like sheep after these barbarous new Galilean heresies."

Heron, the brilliant scientist and inventor, was only too happy to oblige. Heron was a master engineer. He was a master craftsman. He saw the opportunity, and he put it together to the limit of the fabrication methods available to them at the time. For temple worshipers, the magic began as soon as they walked through the door. (http://tv.ark.com/transcript/ancient_discoveries-%28machines_of_the_gods%29/5916/HISTP/Thursday_June_04_2009/52169/; extended quote in Cabell JB. The Cream of the Jest: A Comedy of Evasions. McBride, 1917, p. 133)

But what about the any mention in the New Testament? Well it is recorded that Simon the Sorcerer deceived many with (see also Simon Magus, What Did He Teach?):

9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the great power of God." 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. (Acts 8:9-11).

The Apostle Paul wrote:

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. (2 Thessalonians 2:7)

The mystery of lawlessness was already at work in Paul's day. God has had Satan restrained (see also What is Restrained and Who is Restraining in 2 Thessalonians 2:7?), but there will be a time when Satan will have more free rain--nearly all will be deceived (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).

The Vanity of Many

God's followers are to stand for what is right:

29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29)

1 Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. 2 Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. 3 They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. (Psalm 119:1-3, New Living Translation)

Satan wants people to compromise God's ways.

The Apostle John, who stood for the original truth, personally had to deal with those who would not keep the original faith but were affected by others than Satan influenced:

6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. (2 John 6)

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. (1 John 2:18-19)

Now, one of the first changes in the practice of the Apostle John was the abandonment of the Passover on the 14th to a Sunday, now known as Easter Sunday.

Shortly after some were no longer observing Passover on the biblical date, Polycarp of Smyrna who did observe Passover on the 14th wrote:

Wherefore, forsaking the vanity of many, and their false doctrines, let us return to the word which has been handed down to us from the beginning (Polycarp's Letter to the Philippians, Chapter VII)

In not too much time, many adopted pagan days and times of worship under the guise of 'Christianity.' Now these repackaged pagan holidays seem normal to most who profess Christ--and that is part of Satan's plan.

Furthermore, with the church-state alliances that began in the third and fourth centuries (cf. Revelation 17:1-6) Satan has had pagan doctrines, like the trinity, become considered as 'orthodox Christianity.'

The first person we know of that used the term 'holy trinity' in writing, the third century leader called Gregory the Wonder Worker, was also the first person we know of who claimed to see 'Mary' (he also was one who got the pagan doctrine of the immortal soul adopted; see also Did Early Christians Believe that Humans Possessed Immortality?). Since this was most definitely not Jesus' mother Mary, there was Satanic involvement here. More messages claimed to be received from Marian apparitions happened since, and have continued through history, deceiving many (Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Apparitions).

Over time, Satan has gotten pagan symbols, like the cross and Christmas trees, as being synonymous with 'Christianity.' Just like the Jews and Romans considered early Christians to be some type of a cult (Acts 24:2,5,10-14, New Living Translation) or odd sect (Acts 24:14, NKJV/NJB), many of Satan's current ministers/priests consider groups like the Continuing Church of God to be a cult (see also Is the Genuine Church of God a Cult?). Through compromise and deceit, his ministers have misled almost every one about the truth of the real history of the true Christian Church of God (see Continuing History of the Church of God and Where is the True Christian Church Today?).

Satan tried to make fun of Jesus' claim to be the Son of God (Matthew 4:3,5). Many have persecuted and/or made fun of the true Church of God throughout history. Those that do are part of Satan's plan (see also Banned by HWA and Ambassador Watch).

But Jesus knew this would happen:

11 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)

Notice furthermore, that the Bible teaches:

20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil (Isaiah 5:20)

Not only does the above included those who directly speak evil of the true church, but for moral stands believers should take.

Yet, through 'political correctness' and the growing acceptance of many forms of sexual immorality and false religion, Satan has succeeded in getting various evils called good and has gotten those who stand for biblical morality and doctrines condemned. And this includes various Protestant ministers who openly now ordain homosexuals into their ecclesiastical offices.

Non-Biblical Prophecies are Part of Satan's Plan

Many do not realize it, but the use of non-biblical prophecies are part of Satan's plan.

Notice some scriptures:

3 Thus says the Lord God: "Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4 O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. 5 You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord. 6 They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, 'Thus says the Lord!' But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed. 7 Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, 'The Lord says,' but I have not spoken."

8 Therefore thus says the Lord God: "Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you," says the Lord God. 9 "My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord God.

10 "Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, 'Peace!' when there is no peace — and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar — 11 say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down. 12 Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, 'Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?'"

False predictions of peace are prophesied. The interfaith and ecumenical movements are working for a 'peace' that is not real and will not last, though they claim they know the way of peace (see also Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction?).

Ezekiel's writings continue with:

13 Therefore thus says the Lord God: "I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it. 14 So I will break down the wall you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.

15 "Thus will I accomplish My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it with untempered mortar; and I will say to you, 'The wall is no more, nor those who plastered it, 16 that is, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace,'" says the Lord God. (Ezekiel 13:3-16)

Notice also:

23 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 24 "Son of man, say to her: 'You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.' 25 The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. 26 Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. 27 Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain. 28 Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them, saying, 'Thus says the Lord God,' when the Lord had not spoken. (Ezekiel 22:23-29)

Pope Francis has deceptively claimed that those who do not support his ecumenical agenda are influenced by Satan (watch Pope Francis and the Devil's Unity) and Protestant Olav Fykse Tveit, who is the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, went so far as to falsely equate rejection of the 'climate change' agenda with blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (watch The 'Unpardonable Sin' and 'Climate Change'?). These religious leaders are projecting a false vision to get people to profane God's holy plan of salvation and to not know the difference between the holy and the unholy, the clean and the unclean!

Notice some verses from the New Testament:

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:2-6)

11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. (Matthew 24:11)

Satan's plan is to deceive people in any way he can. This includes false prophecies and items such as astrology (see The Bible and Astrology and OMENS? DIVINATION? HOROSCOPES? THE ORIGIN OF ASTROLOGY).

But Satan's plan also includes the use of leaders who claim to be Christian or following the true God.

Since the time of the original apostles, false leaders have risen up (cf. Acts 5:3; 8:14-24) who are part of the 'synagogue of Satan' (Revelation 2:9, 3:9).

There have been various prophetic writers who are Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Hindu, Islamic, and other faiths which have recorded 'prophecies' that tie into Satan's plan.

Some of the non-biblical prophecies are mirror-images of biblical ones (see also Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies?), while others seem designed to get support the upcoming end time Babylonian system and to get people to fight the returning Jesus Christ!

Notice the following from the old Radio Church of God related to Satan's plan and the Catholic book Prophecy for Today:

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! ...

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, re-store 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 follower's 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 RH. Will the World RECOGNIZE the Returning Christ? Plain Truth, April 1965, p. 27)

That group also published other articles showing how parts of Satan's plan is laid out in Catholic and other non-biblical prophecies (e.g. Christ or Antichrist? and Will You Be Deceived by Antichrist?).

It should also be pointed out that the minions of Satan known as the Beast and the False Prophet () or Antichrist, will violate and/or encourage the violation of all of the Ten Commandments.

Here is a some information from our free online book The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast related to that:

The Beast Power Pushes Commandment Breaking

The man of sin will promote sin. He is involved with the ‘mystery of lawlessness’ also called the ‘mystery of iniquity’ because he will feign being religious and moral. People who have not accepted the true faith, will follow him. He will not tolerate those who actually keep God’s Ten Commandments.

The Bible provides support that the Beast power will violate each one of the ten commandments. This power will put himself above all gods.

As far as the first commandment, notice the following:

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. 37 He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. (Daniel 11:36-37)

The king above is the King of the North, who is called the Beast “of the sea” in Revelation 13:1 and the “first beast” in Revelation 13:12.

The Antichrist is the second “beast,” and is the beast “of the earth” (Revelation 13:11). The final Antichrist will be supporting the first Beast, and will try to force people against keeping the first commandment:

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. (Revelation 13:12)

As far as the second commandment goes, notice the following the beast will do:

38 But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. (Daniel 11:38)

The Antichrist will try to force people against keeping the second commandment:

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 13:14-15)

Idolatry definitely is a mark of the beast (and the Beast power may use symbols, like crosses, that many will consider acceptable).

As far as the third commandment goes, notice the following:

25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, (Daniel 7:25)

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, (Daniel 11:36)

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. (Revelation 13:5-6)

As far as the fourth commandment goes, notice the following about the beast and the Antichrist:

25 He … shall intend to change times and law. (Daniel 7:25)

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)

11 … they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. (Revelation 14:11)

Perhaps the Beast will modify the calendar and change the days of the week somehow. Various Sabbath-keepers have felt that Sunday-keeping was the ‘mark of the beast.’ Christians will enter God’s rest (Hebrews 4:9-11), the Beast’s followers will not.

The ‘mark of the beast’ involves commandment breaking.

As far as the fifth commandment goes, notice the following:

37 He shall regard neither the God of his fathers . . . for he shall exalt himself above them all. (Daniel 11:37).

The context of this implies dishonoring his parents, though that is not fully explicit. Consider also that the beast will betray his harlot spiritual mother—and not be repentant:

16 And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth. (Revelation 17:16-18)

It should be pointed out that since we are to hallow the name of the Father (Matthew 6:9) and the Beast clearly blasphemes Him (Daniel 11:36), the Beast is promoting the violation of the fifth commandment.

As far as the sixth commandment goes, the beast will kill as a persecuting military leader (see also Daniel 7:25):

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?” (Revelation 13:4)

7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. (Revelation 13:7)

The Beast will also cause others to be killed:

15 … 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 13:15)

32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. 33 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. (Daniel 11:32-33)

As far as the seventh commandment goes, the beast will be among those that commit fornication with Mystery Babylon the Great:

1 …”Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written:

MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 17:1-5)

The Beast will participate in and promote spiritual adultery (cf. James 4:4; Ezekiel 23:37).

As far as the eighth commandment goes, the beast will takeover other countries and take what they have:

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.

40 “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through . . . 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. (Daniel 11:39-40, 43)

The Beast will take land and precious items.

As far as the ninth commandment goes, the beast will cause deceit to prosper:

25 “Through his cunning He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; (Daniel 8:25)

23 And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. (Daniel 11:23)

People who do not have proper “love of the truth” will believe the lie (2 Thessalonians 2:12). A lie encouraged by ‘miracles’ (2 Thessalonians 2:8-11; Revelation 13:11-15), economic blackmail (Revelation 13:16-18), and persecution (Daniel 11:31-35; Revelation 13:7).

As far as the tenth commandment goes, notice the following:

25 … He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without human means. (Daniel 8:25)

24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time. (Daniel 11:24)

The Beast is covetous of power and possessions and will devise plans to take what is not his. He even wants God’s power.

The Beast will violate all of God’s Ten Commandments and expect his followers to do so as well.

Scripture refers to the violation of each of the Ten Commandments as sin. e.g.: 1st 1 Samuel 15:24-25; 2nd Exodus 32:22-30; 3rd Job 2:9-10 (cf. Psalm 39:1); 4th Nehemiah 9:14, 28-29; 5th Luke 15:18 (NIV; cf. 1 Samuel 24:11); 6th Genesis 4:7; 7th Genesis 39:9; 8th Matthew 5:30 (cf. Genesis 31:30,36); 9th Deuteronomy 23:21; 10th Romans 7:17.

Consider also that the Bible calls this commandment breaker “the man of sin … the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

More on the Ten Commandments and their meaning can be found in the free online book: The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast.

Getting people to not understand or keep the Ten Commandments is part of Satan's plan.

Roman Catholic and Orthodox Prophecies

While people who study Bible prophecy are familiar with the idea that two leaders, known as the Beast and False Prophet, also known as the King of the North and the final Antichrist, will rise up what many do not realize is that Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholic prophecy seems to look forward to such a time.

Basically, they teach that an important pontiff will arise and perform miracles (even some Eastern Orthodox consider this valid). Some teach that there will be a time of darkness, which the Bible also tells of--probably to calm people about the darkness, instead of getting them to pay attention to God's interventions (e.g. Revelation 8:10-12). Notice the following:

Blessed Anna-Maria Taigi (died 1837): There shall come all over the earth an intense darkness lasting three days and three nights. Nothing will be visible and the air will be laden with pestilence... During these three days the people should pray the Rosary and beg God for mercy. ... All the enemies of the Church, secret as well as known, will perish over the whole earth during that universal darkness, with the exception of some few, whom God will soon convert. The air shall be infected with demons, who will appear under all sorts of hideous forms. ... Russia, England, and China will come into the Church. (Connor, Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p. 26)

Sister Rose Asdenti (1847). She foretold the three days of darkness and that England would return to the unity of faith. (Connor, p. 27)

Bl. Anna-Maria Taigi (19th Century)..."After the three days of darkness, St. Peter and St. Paul, having come down from Heaven, will preach in the whole world and designate a new Pope. A great light will flash from their bodies and will settle upon the cardinal who is to become Pope. Christianity, then, will spread throughout the world. He is the Holy Pontiff, chosen by God to withstand the storm. At the end, he will have the gift of miracles, and his name shall be praised over the whole earth (Birch DA. Trial, Tribulation & Triumph: Before During and After Antichrist. Queenship Publishing Company, Goleta (CA), 1996, pp. 362-363).

Palma Maria d'Oria (died 1863): There shall by be a three days darkness, during which the atmosphere will be infected by innumerable devils... Blessed candles alone shall be able to give light and preserve the faithful Catholics from this impending dreadful scourge. Supernatural prodigies shall appear in the heavens. (Connor, p. 27)

Before the great tribulation, there is going to be a sign. We will see in the sky one great red cross on a day of blue sky without clouds. The color red signifies the blood of Jesus Who redeemed us and the blood of the martyrs selected by God in the days of darkness. This cross will be seen by everyone: Christians, pagans, atheists, etc., as well as all the prepared ones (understand for prepared ones not only the Christians, because there are people who have never heard the Gospel, but also for those who have the voice of God in the sanctuary of their consciences) who will be guided by God in the way of Christ. They will receive grace to interpret the significance of the cross (Flynn Ted and Maureen. The Thunder of Justice. MaxKol Communications, Inc. Sterling (VA), 1993, p.349).

There are many other private prophecies concerning the remote and proximate signs which will precede the General Judgment and concerning Antichrist, such as those attributed to St. Hildegarde, St. Bridget of Sweden, Blessed Anna Maria Taigi (the "three days' darkness"), the Curé d'Ars, and many others. These do not enlighten us any more than do the Scriptural prophecies as to the day and the hour of that judgment, which still remains a Divine secret. (Devine, Arthur. Transcribed by Marie Jutras. Prophecy. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XII. Published 1911. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, June 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

Sister Mary of Jesus Crucified of Pau (died 1878): All states will be shaken by war and civil conflict. During a darkness lasting three days, the people given to evil ways will perish so that only one fourth of mankind will survive. The clergy too will be greatly reduced in number, as most of them will die in defense of the Faith or their country. (Connor, p. 27)

Marie Julie Jahenny of La Fraudais (1891): There will come three days of continued darkness. The blessed candle of wax alone will give light during the horrid darkness. ... Red clouds like blood will pass in the sky, the crash of thunder will make the earth tremble; lightening will flash through the streets at an unusual time of the year; the earth will tremble to its foundations; the oceans will cast its foaming waves over the land... All vegetation will be destroyed as well as three-fourths of the human race. (Connor, p. 28)

Many non-biblical prophesies teach doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1) and are part of Satan's Plan of signs and lying wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). Some of the above would not seem to be related to the biblical darkness prophecy, but some others may.

Some of these Greco-Roman prophecies teach that after a time of laxness in the Catholic faith and conflict in Europe, a leader will arise, sometimes called the 'Great Monach.' He will not be very popular at first, but he will create a new 'order' within Catholicism. This will offend some of the Catholic clergy (and others). Then the pontiff who does miracles will anoint him the leader of a revived 'Holy Roman Empire.'

They teach that this leader will eliminate the English-nations (cf. Daniel 11:39), then eliminate Islam (Daniel 11:40-43).

In many ways, this leader is the mirror-image of one in the Bible and is one to be warned against. Yet, because of various Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholic prophecies, many will apparently believe he has been prophesied to arise for so long that he must be one to be listened to. They will be deceived. The use of these prophecies is part of Satan's plan.

Here is a summarization of certain private Catholic prophecies and some related scriptural references that show that many private prophecies for the Great Monarch are consistent with the warnings in the Bible against the Beast/King of the North:

He will have Franco-German ancestry (cf. Isaiah 10:5-11).

He is considered to be like a powerful beast with the head like a lion and possibly came from the sea (Revelation 13:1-2).

He will be announced with signs and wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Revelation 13:13-15; cf. Matthew 24:24).

He will understand mysterious/sinister things (Daniel 8:23).

He will be a smooth talker (Daniel 11:23-24).

He will make changes, some affecting religion (cf. Daniel 7:25; 11:37-38).

He, and his objectives, will be supported by a harlot “Virgin” they misidentify as Jesus' mother Mary (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Isaiah 47:1-15; Nahum 3:4-5).

He will rise up unexpectedly (Daniel 8:23-24; 11:21-24).

He will be considered to be a man bringing peace (Daniel 8:25; 11:21-24).

He will gain power after civil unrest/riots/warring in Europe (cf. Daniel 7:24; Revelation 13:3-4).

He will "uproot all republics" (cf. Revelation 17:12-13).

He will establish a new religious order while also endorsing an existing one (cf. Daniel 11:38).

He will endorse certain idols/icons (Revelation 13:14-17; cf. Daniel 11:38).

His supporters will be identified with a sign/mark/image, like a cross and/or crucifix (cf. Revelation 13:14-17). Images of “Mary” are also expected (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Revelation 13:14-17).

He will endorse an ecumenical form of Catholicism (cf. Daniel 11:36-38; Revelation 13:3-4,8; 17:1-11).

He and a certain pope will reign about four years (cf. Daniel 7:25; 11:21-44; 12:11-12; Revelation 12:14).

He will establish himself militarily in Jerusalem near the beginning of his reign (Daniel 11:31; Luke 21:24).

He will be the leader of the resurrected (presumed dead) Holy Roman Empire (Revelation 13:3,12).

He will establish “New Babylon” (cf. Jeremiah 50:42; 51:33; Revelation 17:1-9; 18:11-21).

He will help the City of Seven Hills reign (cf. Revelation 17:9,18).

He will eliminate the English peoples, who had been strong (Daniel 11:39).

He will spread his form of religion around the world (Revelation 13:3-17).

"The Great Monarch will annihilate heretics and unbelievers" (cf. Daniel 7:25; 11:28-35; Matthew 10:23; Revelation 14:12-13).

During his time, "Protestantism will cease" (cf. Revelation 13:8).

He will divide up the lands of the English peoples (Daniel 11:39; Ezekiel 5:1-4; Lamentations 4:16).

His supporters will be opposed to those that keep the Sabbath (cf. Daniel 7:25; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:16-17).

The Anglo peoples will betray each other (Isaiah 9:19-21).

The world will prosper under his system for a while (Daniel 11:39; Revelation 18:9-19).

He will eliminate the Muslims (Daniel 11:40-43).

He "will amass gold" and help the world prosper with gold (Daniel 11:42; cf. Revelation 18:11-16).

Allegedly, "Happiness will reign in the world as it did in the days of Noah" under his leadership (Matthew 24:37-38; Luke 17:26-27).

He will die in or near Jerusalem (cf. Revelation 16:13-16; 19:19-20).

His kingdom will be destroyed by the battle associated with Armageddon (Revelation 16:13-16).

An “Antichrist” (who we identify as Jesus) comes after his reign (Revelation 19:11-21) though the Monarch opposes Him (Daniel 8:25).

I believe that the Catholic private prophecies that seem to support the rise of the Great Monarch are part of Satan's plan to deceive and confuse people at the time of the end once the King of the North rises up. Christians are not to be ignorant of Satan's devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). The supporters of that king will likely point to Catholic private prophecies as proof that he is a good leader, contrary to what the Bible itself teaches (Daniel 11:21-45). The world will be deceived and those outside the real Church of God will believe the lie (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).

Is this just improper speculation on my part or are some of these Catholic private prophecies clear about this? Notice a few:

Joseph Görres (died 1848): The people will be united under a powerful great monarch who will make new laws and banish corruption from the earth. (Connor, Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p. 38)

Sister Marianne Gaultier (18th century): “…the Prince shall reign, whom people did not esteem before, but whom they shall then seek. (Dupont Y. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p. 75).

D. Birch (commenting after the above in his book), “Many of the prophecies speak of the fact that the Great King at first will not be well-liked, especially by the French clergy” (Birch DA. Trial, Tribulation & Triumph: Before During and After Antichrist. Queenship Publishing Company, Goleta (CA), 1996, p. 276).

Bl. Anna-Maria Taigi (19th Century)..."After the three days of darkness, St. Peter and St. Paul, having come down from Heaven, will preach in the whole world and designate a new Pope. A great light will flash from their bodies and will settle upon the cardinal who is to become Pope. Christianity, then, will spread throughout the world. He is the Holy Pontiff, chosen by God to withstand the storm. At the end, he will have the gift of miracles, and his name shall be praised over the whole earth (Birch, pp. 362-363).

R. Gerald Culleton (20th century): During the reign of the Great Monarch and the Angelic Pastor the Catholic Church will spread throughout the world, conversions will be innumerable…The Blessed Virgin will be the chief one in gaining victory over all heresy…(Culleton, The Prophets and Our Times, p. 50)

Saint Cataldus of Tarentino (c. 500): "The Great Monarch will be in war till he is forty years of age....he will assemble great armies and expel tyrants from his empire. He will conquer England and other island empires" (Connor, p.30).

Mother Shipton (d. 1551) “The time will come when England shall tremble and quake…London shall be destroyed forever after . . . and then York shall be London and the Kingdom governed by three Lords appointed by a Royal Great monarch…who will set England right and drive out heresy (Culleton R. Gerald. The Prophets and Our Times. Nihil Obstat: L. Arvin. Imprimatur: Philip G. Scher, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno, November 15, 1941. Reprint 1974, TAN Books, Rockford (IL), p. 163).

Rudolph Gekner (died 1675). "A great prince of the North with a most powerful army will traverse all Europe, uproot all republics, and exterminate all rebels. His sword moved by Divine power will most valiantly defend the Church of Jesus Christ. He will combat on behalf of the true orthodox faith, and shall subdue to his dominion the Mahometan Empire. A new pastor of the universal church will come from the shore (of Dalmatia) through a celestial prodigy, and in simplicity of heart adorned with the doctrines of Jesus Christ. Peace will come to the world." (Connor, p.36).

St. Francis of Paula (15th Century) “He shall be the founder of a new religious order different from all others. He will divide it into three strata, namely military knights, solitary priests, and most pious hospitalliers. This shall be the last religious order in the Church, and it will do more good for our holy religion than all other religious institutions...He shall…destroy all tyrants and heresies. There will be one fold and one shepherd. He shall reign until the end of time. On the whole earth there will be twelve Kings, one Emperor and one Pope. (Birch DA. Trial, Tribulation & Triumph: Before During and After Antichrist. Queenship Publishing Company, Goleta (CA), 1996, pp.267-270)

Certain others have noted similarities between the Great Monarch and the coming Beast-Antichrist power. Notice the following:

The tradition of the Great King and the Holy Pope...first emerged from the Tiburtine Sibyl, a work that may date back to AD 380-400...

Catholic writer Paul Thigpen warns, "Looking for the Great Monarch, then, who does not appear in Scripture, might lead to overlooking the Antichrist who does. It might even lead to--a more disturbing thought--to mistaking the Antichrist for the Great Monarch. After all, lesser antichrists of the past such as Hitler and Stalin have seduced followers with visions of grand and glorious earthly kingdoms. Surely Antichrist of the last days will do the same." (Penn L. False dawn: the United Religions Initiative, globalism, and the quest for a one-world religion. Sophia Perennis, 2005, p. 420).

Notice the following from Catholic writer Dr. Paul Thigpen, in the second edition of a book he wrote:

The Sibylline Oracles

A more serious problem appears when we look further back in time to discover the circumstances surrounding the earliest known occasions of the "Great Monarch" message. ... It does draw from a fourth-century book that describes in some detail the "Emperor of the Last Days."

As it turns out, both of these early texts are among the so-called Sibylline oracles. These oracles are a collection of utterances that claim to be inspired messages from the Greek Sibyls (ancient pagan prophetesses) in earlier historical periods. But historians have concluded that they were actually written by Jewish and Christian authors in imitation of pagan Sibylline books.

In the Tiburtina Sibyl, the earlier of the two texts, the main outlines of the "Great Monarch" legend (for a legend is what it seems to be) are already apparent. ...

Revelation says nothing of a "Great Monarch"--nor do any biblical references to the last days or the close of the age.

Could looking for the Great Monarch, then, lead believers to overlook the Antichrist, or even to mistake the one for the other. After all, lesser antichrists of the past such as Hitler and Stalin have seduced followers with visions of grand and glorious earthly kingdoms. (Thigpen P. The Rapture Trap, 2nd edition. Nihil obstat Joseph C. Price, June 14, 2002. Imprimatur Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua, Archbishop of Philadelphia, June 18, 2002. Ascension Press, 2002, pp. 222-225)

Catholics and others need to be cautioned that this "Great Monarch" clearly seems to be warned against in scripture. More actual Catholic prophecies can be found in the article Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? The Great Monarch seems to be the one that the Bible identifies as the final King of the North and Beast of Revelation 13:4, which some Catholics, like Paul Thigpen, call the Antichrist.

Some of the Greek Orthodox actually seem to be looking forward to unity under the Roman Catholic "Great Monarch" (the one the Bible seems to warn will be the final King of the North). Notice the following by an Orthodox scholar:

We have been told time and again through the prophets that the Great Monarch and the Papa Angelicum ( a legitimate successor of John Paul II) will convene the 8th ecumenical conference, which will reunify all Christians...Although the choice evidence on the Great Monarch belongs to the prophetic patrimony of the Greeks, never and nowhere in the Oracles have I seen the least hint that the Emperor of the Romans and Greeks will also be an Orthodox Christian, and/or Greek by birth. On the contrary!...a Roman Catholic...the Great Monarch...is none other than the future Emperor of the Romans and the Greeks (Tzima Otto, H. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Scriptural Prophecies. The Verenika Press, Rock Hill (SC), 2000, pp. xxv,5,14).

Certain Roman Catholics call this a time of peace, but the Bible shows that it will not be a time of peace. Also notice what Jeremiah was inspired to write:

11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly,
Saying, 'Peace, peace!'
When there is no peace.
12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?
No! They were not at all ashamed,
Nor did they know how to blush (Jeremiah 8:11-12).

In addition, it may be of interest to note that certain other "Catholic" writings indicate that the one we in the Continuing Church of God call Jesus they call the Antichrist (please see the article Do Catholic Prophecies About Antichrist Warn Against Jesus?).

Christopher Columbus?

Did you know that Christopher Columbus’ religious plans that contained the following?

Americans outside the rarefied circle of Columbus scholars still know little about the man and his mission … his ultimate goal, the purpose behind the enterprise, was Jerusalem!

The 26 December 1492 entry in his journal of the first voyage, hereafter referred to as the Diario, written in the Caribbean, leaves little doubt. He says he wanted to find enough gold and the almost equally valuable spices “in such quantity that the sovereigns… will undertake and prepare to go conquer the Holy Sepulchre; for thus I urged Your Highnesses to spend all the profits of this my enterprise on the conquest of Jerusalem” (Diario 1492[1988: 291, my emphasis]). This statement implies that it was not the first time Columbus had mentioned the motivation for his undertaking, nor was it to be the last. Columbus wanted to launch a new Crusade to take back the Holy Land from the infidels (the Muslims). This desire was not merely to reclaim the land of the Bible and the place where Jesus had walked; it was part of the much larger and widespread, apocalyptic scenario in which Columbus and many of his contemporaries believed. That scenario, derived from the biblical book of Revelation, claims that the conversion of all peoples to Christianity and the re-conquest of Jerusalem are necessary preconditions for the “Second Coming” when Christ will return before the “End of Days.” Columbus felt strongly the imminence of this event; he also came to feel that he had a providential role to play in the drama. There is considerable evidence from his contemporaries and his own writings, especially in the little known Libro de las profecı´as, or Book of Prophecies, that these were longstanding beliefs of Columbus. …

The Libro is not really a book in the conventional sense, but rather a collection of passages culled from the Bible (Genesis to Revelation); numerous ancient authors such as Aristotle, Ptolemy, Seneca; church fathers such as Augustine, Jerome, Chrysostom; and medieval authors including Aquinas, d’Ailly, Joachim of Fiore, and Roger Bacon. It also includes extracts from the Qur’an and the writings of a number of Muslims such as Alfraganus and Averroes. This collection was meant to be used in the composition of a long poem to be presented to the King and Queen. The poem was never completed, but the original manuscript has, amazingly, survived, and today it is housed at the Biblioteca Columbina attached to the Cathedral in Seville.

It is believed the Libro de las profecı´as was compiled during the period between Columbus’s return from the third voyage in late October 1500 and the beginning of the fourth voyage in May 1502. However a passage referring to being in Jamaica in 1504 may indicate that he took a draft along on the final voyage in order to make additions or corrections suggested by his friend Fray Gaspar Gorricio, a Carthusian monk. …

The cover letter that Columbus inserted in the notebook begins: “Most Christian and very exalted princes, the reason which I have for the restitution of the Holy Sepulchre to the Holy Church militant is the following” (Libro 1500–1502 [Thacher 1904, vol. III: 660]). It is an urgent letter that warns them the end of the world will take place in 155 years. This date was arrived at by the common practice of using biblical genealogies to calculate the number of years from Creation, to Christ, to the current year. In this instance Columbus cites Elucidario astronomice concordie cum theological & hystorica veritate by his most crucial source—Pierre d’Ailly: “From Adam to our Lord Jesus Christ there are 5343 years and 318 days, according to the account of the King Don Alonso [sic; should be Alfonso] … adding to this 1501 incomplete years [i.e., the year he is writing], makes in all 6845” (Libro 1500–1502 [Thacher 1904, vol. III: 662]). The end point is fixed—the duration of the world is only seven millennia based on the notion that the seven days of Creation compute to seven thousand earth years. Columbus cites “St. Augustine who says that the end of this world is to come in the seventh millenary of years from its creation… [so] according to this account, there are only lacking 155 years to complete the 7000, in which year … the world must end” (op. cit). …

In late fifteenth- and early sixteenth-century Spain there was a widely circulated notion of “a last world emperor” who would fulfill what was known as the unum ovile et unun pastor prophecy of John, 10: 16: “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (my emphasis). This emperor would fight the Antichrist and reestablish Christian sovereignty over Jerusalem and the Holy Land. As noted, Columbus believed this ruler was to come from Spain; https://www.amherst.edu/system/files/columbus.pdf accessed 01/25/20

So, itlet’s consider some of this and its possible ramifications.

First, yes, it was long believed that God had a seven-thousand year plan. The ‘school of Elijah’ has been credited as the source, and that would have been 8 or 9 centuries before Jesus was born on the earth.

Jews and early Christians believed this.

However, Christopher Columbus (known in Spanish as Cristóbal Colón) was in error about the timing.

Not only is the 7,000 years not up, the 6000 years God allowed humans to rule themselves is not yet up, but is quite close to being so (see Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?).

Next, the Book of Revelation says nothing about Christians trying to take over Jerusalem prior to the second coming of Jesus.

However, Catholic prophecies, which also discuss a coming human emperor (often called “the Great Monarch” who seems to have a lot in common with the biblical King of the North) do.

Notice some Catholic private prophecies/writings that support the view that this leader, like the biblical King of the North, has a major impact in Jerusalem towards the beginning of his reign:

St. Thomas a’Beckett (12th century): A knight shall come from the West. He shall capture … the three Crowns. He shall then sail … and reach Christ’s grave where he will fight. (Dupont Y. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p.16)

Blessed Joannes Amadeus de Sylva (died 1482): Germany and Spain will unite under a great prince … After much slaughtering, the other nations will be forced to come into this union. There is no hope for the unbelievers until all of Germany is converted; then all will happen quickly … the time will be prolonged until all countries unite under the Great Ruler. After this union, mass conversions will take place … (Connor, Prophecy for Today, p. 34). Connor, p. 34).

Abbot ‘Merlin’ Joachim (died 1202) A remarkable Pope … shall recover the kingdom of Jerusalem … in order to obtain these happy results, having need of powerful assistance, this Holy Pontiff will ask the cooperation of the generous monarch of France (Great Monarch). (Connor, Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p. 32)

Monk Adso (10th century). “Some of our Teachers say that a King of the Franks will possess the entire Roman Empire. He will be the greatest and the last of all Monarchs. After having wisely governed his kingdom, he will go in the end to Jerusalem and will lay down his sceptre and his crown upon the Mount of Olives…” (Dupont, p.18).

It would seem that Christopher Columbus was aware of some, if not all, of those and perhaps other Catholic prophecies.

Christopher Columbus was highly influenced by Catholic prophecy.

It was a driving factor for him. It partially led to him changing the world.

Do not think that in the 21st century that the world will not be affected by Catholic and other non-biblical prophecies.

Signs, Apparitions, and other Lying Wonders

The Bible never says that God intends to use apparitions of people such as Mary, the Mother of Jesus, to reveal plans that are not in the Bible.

The Bible warns about the use of signs and lying wonders and following signs like the heathen:

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 2:9-12)

19 And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage. (Deuteronomy 4:19-20)

Christians are to walk by faith not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Many people will be deceived. They will believe their understanding of what their eyes see. But Christians need to recognize:

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:11-18)

There are Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholic 'private prophecies' that say their leader, often referred to as the "Great Monarch" will come with signs and be confirmed by wonders. Masses of people will be deceived (cf. Revelation 13:8) as they will rely on their 'sight' above the word of God!

Notice one prophecy from the Eastern Orthodox:

Anonymou Paraphrasis (10th century): The one true King…is destined to become manifest [be revealed]…by means…of signs… The King will hear the voice and instructions by an Angel appearing to him…he has foresight and is cognizant of the text of the prophecies…the name of the King is hidden [concealed] among the nations…And the particular manner of the king’s manifestation to the public [to the world] will take place as follows: A star will appear [will become visible] for three days long and during the third hour of the night, on the eve of the feast day of the Morther of the Most High (it will become visible) in the Middle of the City. And this star is not one among the planets…And a herald speaking with a very loud voice in the course of the three days will summon and unveil the hoped for one…There will become visible in the sky a ‘nebulous firmament of the sun’…under that image will be suspended a cross…And the invisible herald from Heaven with his thunderous voice will say to the people: Is this man agreeable to you? At that moment everybody will be taken by fear and terror...they will elevate him on a high spot and will proclaim him (their) hereditary Monarch (Tzima Otto, H. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Scriptural Prophecies. Verenika Press, Rock City (SC), 2000, pp. 30, 31, 32, 50-51,52,53).

The display of a cross associated with the Great Monarch (called the 'one true King' above), if it happens, will deceive people into following the Beast--the Bible warns that all the world will worship this Beast (Revelation 13:4,8) and most have not considered that a cross might be used by Satan (see also What is the Origin of the Cross as a 'Christian' Symbol?).

A Catholic 'brother' claimed to learn the following from 'Mary':

Before the great tribulation, there is going to be a sign. We will see in the sky one great red cross on a day of blue sky without clouds…This cross will be seen by everyone: Christians, pagans, atheists, etc., as well as all the prepared ones… who will be guided by God in the way of Christ. They will receive grace to interpret the significance of the cross. (Flynn T, Flynn M. The Thunder of Justice. MaxKol Communications, Inc. Sterling (VA), 1993, p. 349)

So, the above coming supposedly through a Marian apparition says that people will be led to understand something about a cross in the sky. But as the Bible does not foretell such an event as a good thing, this, presuming it happens, should be understood as coming from Satan.

Because the Continuing Church of God correctly knowing the identity of the man of sin, it will be easier to explain to those who are willing to listen that if a 'cross' is a sign that idenfies the Great Monarch and Marian apparitions are involved, that this is not referring to a man that God choose, but one that Satan choose).

Because people are comfortable with crosses, if the above is fulfilled they are likely to overlook the warnings in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12. This is one of the reasons that knowledge of who the man of sin is by the Philadelphian remnant of the Church of God important (many other COG groups misidentify this leader, see Who is the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2?; here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Quién es el Hombre de Pecado de 2 Tesalonicenses 2?; here is a version in Mandarin: 主编：谁是'大罪人'？).

The Bible also indicates that a 'virgin' with a Babylonian connection, also called the 'Lady of the Kingdoms' will use sorcery:

1"Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; Sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called Tender and delicate. 2 Take the millstones and grind meal. Remove your veil, Take off the skirt, Uncover the thigh, Pass through the rivers. 3 Your nakedness shall be uncovered, Yes, your shame will be seen; I will take vengeance, And I will not arbitrate with a man." 4 As for our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is His name, The Holy One of Israel. 5 "Sit in silence, and go into darkness,O daughter of the Chaldeans;For you shall no longer be called The Lady of Kingdoms. 6 I was angry with My people;I have profaned My inheritance, And given them into your hand. You showed them no mercy;On the elderly you laid your yoke very heavily. 7 And you said, 'I shall be a lady forever, 'So that you did not take these things to heart, Nor remember the latter end of them. 8 "Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, Who dwell securely, Who say in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, Nor shall I know the loss of children'; 9 But these two things shall come to you In a moment, in one day: The loss of children, and widowhood. They shall come upon you in their fullness Because of the multitude of your sorceries, For the great abundance of your enchantments. (Isaiah 47:1-9)

The Bible further ties the above Lady in with Mystery Babylon, and also says that sorcery was part of why this final Babylonian power formed:

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...23 The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth. (Revelation 18:7-8, 23-24)

It should be mentioned that certain Catholic and Eastern Orthodox prophecies ties 'Marian' apparitions in with the conversion of the world into a modified 'Catholic one-world religion.

Notice the following from Roman Catholic sources related to 'Mary':

R. Gerald Culleton (20th century): During the reign of the Great Monarch and the Angelic Pastor the Catholic Church will spread throughout the world, conversions will be innumerable…The Blessed Virgin will be the chief one in gaining victory over all heresy and schism because of her power over the demons in the last ages of the world will be especially great. This will be recognized by her enthronement as “Mistress and Queen of Men’s Hearts.” (Culleton, R. Gerald. The Prophets and Our Times. Nihil Obstat: L. Arvin. Imprimatur: Philip G. Scher, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno, November 15, 1941. Reprint 1974, TAN Books, Rockford (IL), p. 50)

Anna-Katrina Emmerick (July 12, 1820): I had a vision of the holy Emperor Henry. I saw him at night kneeling alone at the foot of the main altar in a great and beautiful church...and I saw the Blessed Virgin coming down all alone...The wine was as red as blood, and there was also some water. The Mass was short. The Gospel of St. John was not read at the end. When the Mass had ended, Mary came up to Henry (the Emperor), and she extended her right hand towards him, saying that it was in recognition of his purity. Then, she urged him not to falter...(Dupont, Yves. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p. 62)

Catholic writer Yves Dupont (20th century): Henry is the Great Monarch, chosen by God to restore all things to Christ...The Blessed Virgin urges him not to falter. (Dupont, Yves. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p. 62)

Sister Marie Lataste (died 1847): Peace shall return to the world because of Blessed Virgin Mary will breathe over the storms and quell them.

The Ecstatic of Tours...The revolution will spread to every French town. Wholesale slaughter will take place...At this juncture, the French people will turn back to God and implore the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary Immaculate...The French people will ask for the good King, he who was chosen by God. He will come, this saviour whom God has spared for France, this King who is not wanted now because he is dear to God's Heart. He will ascend to the throne; he will free the church and reassert the Pope's rights... (Dupont, p.37)

Sister Marianne Gaultier (18th century): "...When all shall appear lost, all will be saved...It is then that the Prince shall reign, whom people did not esteem before, but whom they shall then seek. The triumph of religion shall be so great that no one has ever seen the equal (Dupont, p. 75).

Notice that people will implore the 'immaculate heart of Mary' (Marian matters is in the article Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Apparitions) and the 'King' (the biblical King of the North) is to rise up. 'Mary' and the 'Great Monarch' will be credited for bringing in 'peace.' 'Mary' allegedly will have power over demons--but the Bible warns that demons will be related to the King of the North Beast and the False Prophet Antichrist (Revelation 16:13-14). Jesus taught that demons were part of Satan's kingdom (Luke 11:18).

Yet, since the Bible does not teach that this 'Marian intervention' will happen, many will be deceived presuming it does (cf. 1 Timothy 5:3; Ezekiel 13:3-16). And since the Bible suggests that something like that will happen, it appears that this too will be part of Satan's plan.

Isaiah 47 teaches that this "virgin" used enchantments and sorceries since her youth. Starting in the early third century, apparitions that people claimed were Mary, the Mother of Jesus began to appear, and this was a factor in the rise of dominance of the Greco-Roman churches (see also The Smyrna Church Era). And, basically because of that, demonic doctrines and other misinformation about Christianity began to spread. So much so, that is claimed that it was because of a 'Marian apparition' that Latin America basically accepted the teachings of the Church of Rome. Since Satan has used this tactic successfully in the past (and used it to a degree in Europe and Asia and elsewhere as well), it is likely that he will do so in the future. As far as the astrologers go, certain Catholic mystics, like Nostradamus, employed various forms of astrology. Isaiah 47:13 is clearly showing that astrology is not part of God's plan, but is opposed to it--astrology is part of Satan's plan.

Catholic believers (including various ones considered as saints) such as Anastasia Logacheva (1809-1875, also known as Athanasia), Christina Markyate (c. 1096-c. 1160), Angela of Foligno (c. 1260-1309), Margaret of Donauwörth (c. 1291-1350), Catherine of Siena (1347-1380), Birgitta of Uppland (1303-1373), and Sister Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938) have all claimed to have received messages which they believed were from Mary (Fanning S. Mystics of the Christian Tradition. Routeldge, New York. 2001, reprinted 2006, pp. 55-56,84,87-89,108-109,128-130,132-134). Some of these people were believed to have been visited by demons and/or became rigid (ibid). Sergius, a Russian Orthodox saint, also claimed to have seen a Marian figure who gave one or more messages (ibid, p. 47).

Furthermore, it has been claimed from Catholic sources that the conversion of the native peoples in the Latin American lands was caused by an apparition that appeared in Mexico, now known as the 'Lady of Guadalupe' (see also Fatima Shock! What the Vatican Does Not Want You to Know About Fatima, Dogmas of Mary, and Future Apparitions). False 'Marian' apparitions and telling people to turn towards Mary are parts of Satan's plan (see also Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy?).

With some of the apparitions, various prophetic statements have been uttered. Since we in the Continuing Church of God contend that Mary is dead and awaiting the resurrection (What Did Early Christians Understand About the Resurrection?), we do not believe that the apparitions are actually Mary of the Bible, but messengers from elsewhere.

This is not to say that we believe that all the reports of apparitions are made up or are hallucinations. It's just that we do not believe that according to the Bible that it is possible that any of them could truly be Mary, mother of Jesus. Several of the comments reported from the apparitions/messengers suggest a demonic presence as the messengers often make claims that are against those of the Bible (but, since even Satan can quote the Bible, see Matthew 4, the apparitions sometimes make biblically appropriate statements). Christians must walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) and believe the word of God above signs and lying wonders that are not in accordance with biblical teachings.

Fatima, Statues, and Incorruptibility As Signs and Lying Wonders

One of the reason that many accept the teachings of the Church of Rome is because of claimed apparitions of Mary like Fatima, the existence of bleeding/weeping statues, incorruptibles, and certain healings.

(This section in this paper has been adapted from my book Fatima Shock!)

Many have claimed that one or more 'Fatima pilgrim' statues have bled or wept. Many consider that this is proof that they are divinely acknowledged.

Now, I have no reason to doubt all the reports of weeping and/or bleeding Fatima statues. However it should be noted since none of the statues that reportedly have wept look like the apparition that was originally described as appearing to the three children in Fatima in 1917, there is no way that the weeping and/or bleeding is proof that they are from God. That would be confusion. According to the Holy Bible, “God is not the author of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33, NKJV) or “God is a God not of disorder (NJB)”, but the devil “is a liar, and the father thereof” (John 8:44, DRB). Here is a link to an article which has photos of what the Fatima statue looks like and what the children who actually claimed to see the apparition at Fatima actually described in 1917: Francis consecrated world to the ‘immaculate heart’ of an alleged ‘Fatima’ statue. There is no possible way that an apparition that wore a short skirt in 1917 Portugal was Jesus' mother Mary.

Therefore, weeping and/or bleeding statues are further proof that the apparition seen at Fatima was not Mary sent by the God of the Bible, but instead suggest a demonic origin for the weeping/bleeding:

“Let them be all confounded that adore graven things” (Psalm 96:7, DRB; Psalm 97:7 is where the equivalent reference is in NJB/NKJV).

It should also be noted that paganism has had bleeding/weeping statues:

It was in this very character that the Etrurian Tages was known; for it was he who was said to have taught the Romans augury, and all the superstition and wonder-working jugglery connected therewith. As in recent times, we hear of weeping images and winking Madonnas, and innumerable prodigies besides, continually occurring in the Romish Church, in proof of this papal dogma or that, so was it also in the system of Babylon. There is hardly a form of “pious fraud” or saintly imposture practised at this day on the banks of the Tiber, that cannot be proved to have had its counterpart on the banks of the Euphrates, or in the systems that came from it. Has the image of the Virgin been seen to shed tears? Many a tear was shed by the Pagan images. To these tender-hearted idols Lucan alludes, when, speaking of the prodigies that occurred during the civil wars, he says:–
“Tears shed by gods, our country’s patrons,
And sweat from Lares, told the city’s woes.” Virgil also refers to the same, when he says:– “The weeping statues did the wars foretell,
And holy sweat from brazen idols fell.” When in the consulship of Appius Claudius, and Marcus Perpenna, Publius Crassus was slain in a battle with Aristonicus, Apollo’s statue at Cumae shed tears for four days without intermission. The gods had also their merry moods, as well as their weeping fits. If Rome counts it a divine accomplishment for the sacred image of her Madonna to “wink,” it was surely not less becoming in the sacred images of Paganism to relax their features into an occasional grin. That they did so, we have abundant testimony. Psellus tells us that, when the priests put forth their magic powers, “then statues laughed, and lamps were spontaneously enkindled.” When the images made merry, however, they seemed to have inspired other feelings than those of merriment into the breasts of those who beheld them. “The Theurgists,” says Salverte, “caused the appearance of the gods in the air, in the midst of gaseous vapour, disengaged from fire. The Theurgis Maximus undoubtedly made use of a secret analogous to this, when, in the fumes of the incense which he burned before the statue of Hecate, the image was seen to laugh so naturally as to fill the spectators with terror.” There were times, however, when different feelings were inspired. Has the image of the Madonna been made to look benignantly upon a favoured worshipper, and send him home assured that his prayer was heard? So did the statues of the Egyptian Isis. (Hislop A. Two Babylons. 1858. Loizeaux Brothers, Second American edition 1959, p. 257-258)

The weeping statues of old were not Divine miracles, but were part of a Satanic deception. It has been said that Satan is not much of an original thinker, as he has found that humans normally fall for the same temptations and lying wonders, irrespective of the times they live in.

Getting back to Fatima, another reason that some seem to believe that the children in Fatima saw Mary, mother of Jesus, is that the body of one of them (Jacinta) apparently did not decay like normal dead bodies. Here are a couple of brief accounts:

Jacinta died in a hospital in Lisbon on February 20, 1920. When her coffin was opened in 1935, her body was found to be incorrupt. (Lovasik L. Our Heavenly Mother. Catholic Book Pub. Co., 1997, p. 51)

To put it plainly, the visions of an Angel by Jacinta Marto…were validated by the most mysterious of divine signs, incorruptibility. (Jovanovic P. An inquiry into the existence of guardian angels. M. Evans, 1995, p. 271)

“Incorruptibility” has sometimes been interpreted as God’s favor on certain individuals, though the Church of Rome does not actually view it that way.

I would like to note that when I visited her casket in May 2011, which is in the Basilica of the Sanctuary of Fatima, that Jacinta’s body is not on visual display and whether or not she still has “incorruptibility” was not determinable then.

Although on the internet it has been claimed “for each incorrupt body discovered, after research has been done to determine who the person was, it has always been determined that the person was an extremely devout Catholic,” that claim is in error. This type of “incorruptibility” has happened to others who were not Catholic, as well as Catholics who were not devout.

Notice the following accounts:

Inside the crypt was the body of one of these Hindu saints, completely incorrupt, completely intact…Opening the other five crypts, the remaining Hindu saints were found in similar fashion. (Hughes M. The Mysteries of the Redemption: A Treatise on Out-of-
Body Travel and Mysticism. Lulu.com, 2004, p. 374)

Not all incorruptible are Roman Catholics. Some are not even Christians… Secular incorruptibles may be found worldwide. (Quigley C. Modern Mummies: The Preservation of the Human Body in the Twentieth Century. McFarland, 2006, pp. 203, 211-215)

These were the remains of a 15th-century Buddhist monk named Sangha Tenzin. He was discovered in 1975 when the stupa that was housing him collapsed during an earthquake. Since then, the body has shown little deterioration, despite being exposed to the elements and having no artificial preservation.

The weather outside looked grey and sinister, and the eerie sounds of the howling winds and rumbling clouds reflected my muddled disposition. ...

Sangha Tenzin had been dead for more than 500 years, yet his body seemed to live on. ...I heard about two more Living Buddhas (as self-mummified monks are popularly known) in Ladakh’s Thiksey Monastery. More recently, in February, a well-preserved, 200-year-old self-mummified monk was found in Mongolia, another Tibetan Buddhism stronghold. (Vallangi N. A 500 year-old mummy with teeth. BBC, July 10, 2015. http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20150501-a-500-year-old-mummy-with-teeth)

The Thirteenth Dalai Lama also is believed to be an “incorruptible.”

Also, since it appears that only a fraction of Catholic “incorruptibles” have been made saints, the idea that all such incorruptibles were “devout” Catholics seems not to be the case.

Since this is not a phenomena restricted to devout members of any particular faith, and many believe that this phenomena is supernatural, then it would seem that the “supernatural power” that would make this happen would not need to be God of the Bible.

At least one who was baptized as Catholic has claimed that how such “incorruptible” have been preserved “is of Satanic origin” (Balima G. Satanic Christianity and the Creation of the Seventh Day: Controversy Surrounding Christianity and the Origins of the Human Race. Dorrance Publishing, 2008, p. 56). Others have noted that there are at least sixteen Japanese Buddhist priests that were preserved “incorruptible” by taking certain somewhat toxic substances while they were alive in order to essentially mummify them upon death (Haslam G (Oniko). Buddhist Mummies of Japan. http://sonic.net/~anomaly/japan/dbuddha.htm viewed 12/03/10) There is a Japanese, non- Catholic, non-Christian, “incorruptible” priest named Bukkai Shōnin who died in 1903 and is on display sitting up in Japan to this day (Quigley, p. 203). Some suspect he may have made himself “incorruptible” or that it was done by some type of spirit.

In the case of many of the allegedly “devout Catholic” incorruptibles, I would suspect that they did not do this to themselves prior to dying (in the case of Jacinta, for example, the idea that she could have done this is unreasonable, nor is it likely that any hospital staff would have done this to her). Yet, my reading of what seems to be the most popular Catholic book on the subject, The Incorruptibles, shows that even many of the “incorruptible saints” suffered deterioration/destruction (Cruz JC. The Incorruptibles. Nihil Obstat: HC Bezou, November 11, 1974. Imprimatur + PM Hannan, Archbishop of New Orleans, November 19, 1974. TAN Books, 1977, pp. 68, 71, 73, 86-87, 90-91,93-94, 108, 110, 112, 116, 117, 124, 132, 148, 153, 157, 160, 162, 163, 170, 176, 181, 185, 189, 196, 203, 207, 214, 222, 229, 231, 234, 238, 241, 243, 249, 253, 260, 263, 266, 271, 297) or at least discoloration/dryness (Cruz, pp. 74-75, 144, 146, 151, 165, 183, 189, 201, 218, 289, 292). Some others were artificially preserved (Cruz, pp. 68, 193, 214, 253), while others clearly violated scripture living in a manner indicating that they were not biblically pious (Cruz, pp. 43, 49, 95, 109, 127).

The writer of that Incorruptibles book frequently points to the fact that many of them wore a coarse, uncomfortable “hair shirt” as proof of their piety. The belief that people should be in constant pain to please God or to be a saint is not a biblical concept. Furthermore, the Bible teaches that the time is coming that “the prophets will all be ashamed to relate their visions when they prophesy and no longer put on their hair cloaks with intent to deceive” (Zechariah 13:4. NJB). Hence, wearing ‘hair shirts’ as proof of piety is not biblical.

Notice the following claims from J. Clark on Catholic sainthood practices involving incorruptibles:

In the 20th century, the Catholic Church discontinued the practice of using incorruptibility as a prerequisite for sainthood. The Church wasn’t responding so much to the fraud of some cases, but to the cases in which incorruptible corpses didn’t extol Catholic piety. Members of other religions have been discovered in uncorrupted states. (Clark J. How can a corpse be incorruptible? http://people.howstuffworks.com/incorruptible.htm/printable viewed 12/04/10)

While I am not certain that the Church of Rome ever absolutely required incorruptibility as a prerequisite proof of sainthood, it is a fact that the piety of the incorruptibles should be called into question. Additionally, the reality is that there were many recognized second century saints who were never found as incorruptible, hence “incorruptibility” is certainly no criteria for sainthood.

To take this a step further, the New Testament is clear that all Christians, and not just those who do miracles or something like that, are saints. The Apostle Paul addressed many of his letters to “the saints” in each of the major areas he wrote to (cf. Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2), which suggested that there were many. And furthermore, unlike the so-called incorruptibles, all the saints the Apostle Paul wrote to were still living.

Concerning physical incorruptibility, the New Catholic Encyclopedia of 1967 stated, “Many cases could possibly have a natural explanation or be caused by diabolical power.”

The word diabolical comes from the word devil. The word devil, in Portuguese, for example is diabo. Hence, incorruptibility is recognized by at least some of the Catholic clergy as possibly being from the devil.

Now the Bible does discuss a concept of the dead becoming incorruptible:

42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it shall rise in incorruption…

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot possess the kingdom of God: neither shall corruption possess incorruption…

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise again incorruptible: and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption; and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:42, 50, 52-53, DRB)

Please carefully notice that the dead start off in corruptible bodies but end up with incorruptible ones after the resurrection from the dead. Since all the bodies of the so-called incorruptibles (Catholic and otherwise) are all dead, they are not “incorruptible” in the biblical sense.

Although the Bible prophecies that Jesus’ flesh would not see corruption (Psalm 16:10) and that was fulfilled (Acts 2:31), there is nothing in the Bible that suggests that any other than Jesus were “incorruptible” or that God would use that as a sign of His devout servants. In fact sacred scripture seems to teach the opposite (1 Corinthians 15:42, 50).

Pope Pius X is another of the so-called “incorruptibles,” yet in 1903 he proclaimed, “the Son of Perdition of whom the Apostles speak, is already among us” (Culleton, R. Gerald. The Prophets and Our Times. Nihil Obstat: L. Arvin. Imprimatur: Philip G. Scher, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno, November 15, 1941. Reprint 1974, TAN Books, Rockford (IL), p. 216). But since that individual would likely be dead by now, it appears that the pontiff was in error.

The Bible specifically warns about a lady that uses witchcraft and spells (Isaiah 47:9 NJB)—could this be what has caused many of the “incorruptibles” and perhaps explains why most later suffered deterioration?

Possession of Stigmata is Not Proof of Sainthood

Does having the wounds that allegedly mimic the wounds of Jesus Christ prove that one is a Roman Catholic saint?

No.

As of about 1996, it was reported there had been 325 stigmatics since Catholic saint Francis (who is considered to have been the first) and only 62 canonized (Woodward KL. Making saints: how the Catholic Church determines who becomes a saint, who doesn't, and why. Simon and Schuster, 1996, p. 164). There have been more canonized since, but the fact that many have not been, should give Catholics some pause here.

One of my shocks in researching this book came when I read the following statements from a Catholic investigator (officially called a consultor), Priest John Lozano, of possible sainthoods:

We know that mystics that have the stigmata copy the crucifixes that they see. If the wounds of the crucifix are on the wrong place, they will appear that way on the body. Similarly, if they have seen Mary dressed in red and blue, as she appears in statues in Catalonia, rather than the standard blue and white that is the way she will be dressed in their visions. (Woodward, p. 178)

This is disturbing on many levels. The above investigator referred to these as “fantasies” yet seemed to think some with such “fantasies” were valid saints. But, if the stigmatics are having signs in different parts of their hands, etc. this should demonstrate to anyone who wants to consider that they simply are not actually imitating Jesus. God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). And if many stigmatics are not considered to be Catholic saints, then shouldn’t Catholics consider that these manifestations either are somehow self-induced and/or from the devil when not due to chemical or natural causes?

When asked how to distinguish between valid religious/spiritual experiences and psychological trauma, Priest John Lozano responded with:

…religious ecstasy and psychological trauma are similar…behind the ecstasy there is an experience of God, whereas behind the trauma there is not. In trauma, the person cannot recall what happened during the trance state, whereas the ecstatic person is extremely active and alert although the body falls into some kind of lethargy. (Woodward, p. 177-178)

Now this is a major problem for many Fatima watchers because during the so-called “miracle of the sun,” on October 17, 1917 Lúcia could not recall what she said/ shouted while allegedly in some version of ecstasy.

Related to stigmatas surviving on the Eucharistic host, or seeing visions, Priest John Lozano also stated:

Seeing Mary or Jesus or some other holy person does not make the visionary a saint…The church never pronounces on the authenticity of the mystical experience. They know this is sandy ground. (Woodward, p. 177)

That would seem to include Fatima.

It may be of interest to note that the Catholic investigator and Priest John Lozano seemed to think, to cite one example of potential saints he investigated, that Alexandrina de Costa (who survived only on the host for over a decade and who had visions) was a “psychologically disturbed woman” who was “obsessed by the Devil” yet overcame him (Woodward, pp. 176-178). But it would seem that she did not overcome him at all—perhaps the devil overcame her.

Here is some information about the famous stigmatic Pio Padre (birth name Francesco Forgione) from K. Woodward:

Padre Pio is…easily the most famous male stigmatic since St. Francis…the famous friar suffered more than the wounds in his body or bruises from the Devil. For example, there was a period in his life where Vatican officials suspected that Pio Padre’s stigmata were self-inflicted… Archbishop Pasquale Gagliardi of Manfredonia… denounced him to the Vatican’s Holy Office. At various times, he was forbidden to say Mass, except privately, and to speak with women: at the age of seventy-three he was suspected, of all things, of taking sexual advantage of female penitents…

As late as 1960…Bishop Albino Lúciani of Vittorio Veneto, who later became Pope John Paul I, dismissed the ministry of Padre Pio as “an indigestible dainty” which caters to the “craving for the supernatural and the unusual.”…

The speaker was Father Paolo Rossi…Once more I was told that mystical experiences would play no part in determining sanctity. Though he may have wrestled with the Devil and spoken with angels, Padre Pio the stigmatic would be judged by more mundane trials…I was struck by the enormous discrepancy between the popular image of the mystic and the requirements of the saint-making process (Woodward, pp. 184-185, 186, 187, 189).

So, clearly having the stigmata, of itself, is not considered by Catholic leaders as proof of sainthood. Even Catholic saints with stigmatics, like Nun Emmerich, have made “visionary statements” that the Vatican has indicated were untrue (Nun Emmerich claimed to see ‘limbo’ in vision numerous times: Emmerich AC. The Life of Lord Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations. Schmöger edition, Vol. IV. Nihil Obstat: D. Jaegher, 14 Februari 1914. Imprimatur: A.C. De Schrevel, Brugis, 14 Februari 1914. Reprint TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 2004, pp. 104, 349 ,350-351,354,362; yet the Vatican has indicated that there is no such place per The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptized. The International Theological Commission, Vatican City, April 20, 2007. at http://www.campchabad.com/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/ cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070419_un-baptised-infants_ en.html#_ftn2 viewed 02/07/09).

These reasons should tell all Catholics that they should not accept various outward signs as proof of God’s approval of one’s life or message (and not even if they have formal acceptance).

According to the Bible, the person must speak according to the law and the testimony to possibly have God’s light of approval:

19 And when they shall say to you: Seek of pythons, and of diviners, who mutter in their enchantments: should not the people seek of their God, for the living of the dead?

20 To the law rather, and to the testimony. And if they speak not according to this word, they shall not have the morning light. (Isaiah 8:19-20, DRB)

One more claim to consider is the following: Indeed, just as some Christian mystics have produced on their bodies the wounds of the
crucified Christ, so some Muslim mystics have produced on their backs the wounds similar to those the Prophet Muhammad suffered in battle (Woodard, p. 160).

Do Catholics believe that the Islamists are manifesting a sign from God?

Probably not, but some of the Islamists probably do. Outward signs of themselves are not necessarily proof of God’s acceptance.

(The position of the old Radio Church of God was that stigmatics were not manifesting a gift the Bible tells of and that this is a demonic manifestation--see Now Revealed - The FALSE PROPHET of Revelation! Plain Truth, July 1963.)

What About the Healings?

Could 'healings' be part of Satan's plan?

Are claimed healings associated with Fatima or other apparitions proof that the messages were from God?

There are several reasons to consider that they are not proof, but instead are demonic.

The first is that there have been hundreds of claimed healings from those going to discredited sites like Medjugorje. It is descredited according to people lie Msgr. Pavao Zanic, Bishop of Mostar, the “seers” claimed messages from the “Marian” apparition that were clearly false and the facts he laid out prove this (Zanic P. The Truth About Medjugorje. 1990. As shown at http://
www.newjerusalem.com/bishop-truth.htm viewed 05/16/2011). Notice also some statements that the “Lady” in Medjugorje allegedly said:

All religions are equal before God…In God there are no divisions or religions; it is you in the world that created divisions…God directs all denominations as a king directs his subjects…It is you who are divided on the earth. The Muslims and the Orthodox, like the Catholics, are equal before my Son and before me, for you are all my children. (Ferrara C. Setting the Record Straight. The Fatima Crusader, 98, Spring 2011, pp. 19-20)

Hence it would not be appropriate to ascribe the “healings” there as approved by God. The Bible warns against the interfaith movement (see Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction?). Since the Fatimists can (correctly) denounce Medjugorje as heresy because of some of the messages, all should realize that the same is true with many of the messages of Fatima.

The second is that many of the original healings claimed at Fatima seemed to be related to properties that the water and/or soil once had. One study indicated that twenty- nine out of thirty claimed healings at Fatima seemed to be related to the soil and/or water (Fernandes J, D’Armada F. Celestial Secrets, The Hidden History of the Fátima Incident. Anamolist Books, San Antonio (Texas), 2006, p. 126). In fact, many who claimed that they were “healed” indicated that the water and/or soil were decisive factors in their healing (Fernandes, pp. 124-125). It has been speculated that perhaps the water and soil in that area no longer has the same healing properties (Fernandes, pp. 124-125). Furthermore, since the area in and around where the Lady appeared five of the six times in 1917 is all under concrete, even if that soil had retained healing properties, direct contact with it is no longer practical.

The third is that many of the “healings” at Fatima appear to be similar to the claimed healings from those who saw various “aliens” or UFOs (Fernandes, pp.66-67, 131-132; There are others mentioned in Mack JE. Abduction: Human Encounters with Aliens. Scribner, 2007, as well as other books on “aliens.”). Thus, since Catholics do not normally consider those encounters are from God, then just having a lot of “healings” should not be accepted as absolute proof.

Notice something that the Bible teaches about signs that appear real:

1 “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’–which you have not known–’and let us serve them,’

3 “you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

4 You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him (Deuteronomy 13:1-4).

Thus, healings/incorruptibility/stigmatas of them- selves should not be considered proof that the messenger and/or the messages are from God. Nor even prophecies that come to pass from “prophets” who do not advocate the original, uncompromised, true faith.

There are messages, signs, and wonders that Satan has long used as part of his plan, and he will use more in the future. That is part of his plan!

Is All Suffering Righteous?

Pope Francis spoke about Jesus and suffering:

Francis Says Our Jesus Says to Each One of Us: ‘If I Could Suffer More for You, I Would Do So’

March 23, 2016

“The Easter Triduum,” the Holy Father said, “is the memorial of a drama of love that gives us the certainty that we will never be abandoned in life’s trials.” …

The Pontiff then told the story of a young woman to help faithful better understand the Lord’s unlimited love for us.

“Her name was Julian of Norwich,” the Pope began. “She was illiterate, this girl who had visions of Jesus’ Passion and who then, having become a recluse, described in simple but profound and intense language, the meaning of merciful love.”

“She said this: “Then our good Lord asked me: ‘Are you happy that I suffered for you?’ I said: ‘Yes, good Lord, and I thank you very much; yes, good Lord, may you be blessed.”

“Then Jesus, our good Lord, said: ‘If you are happy, so am I. To have suffered the Passion for you is a joy for me, a happiness, and eternal bliss; and if I could suffer more, I would do so.’”

Our Jesus

“This is our Jesus,” Francis said, “who says to each one of us: ‘If I could suffer more for you, I would do so.’”

“How beautiful these words are!” he continued. “They enable us to truly understand the immense and limitless love that the Lord has for each one of us.” https://zenit.org/articles/pope-at-general-audience-easter-triduum-gives-certainty-well-never-be-abandoned/

Would Jesus suffer more for us if that were needed?

Yes.

Does Jesus WANT to suffer more for us?

No.

The Pope’s statement that Jesus said, “If I could suffer more for you, I would do so,” is wrong. Jesus never said anything like that.

Jesus did NOT want to suffer more than necessary.

Let’s look at a Roman Catholic translation of the Bible that verifies this:

36 Then Jesus came with them to a plot of land called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Stay here while I go over there to pray.’

37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him. And he began to feel sadness and anguish.

38 Then he said to them, ‘My soul is sorrowful to the point of death. Wait here and stay awake with me.’

39 And going on a little further he fell on his face and prayed. ‘My Father,’ he said, ‘if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let it be as you, not I, would have it.’ (Matthew 26:36-39, New Jerusalem Bible)

35 And going on a little further he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, this hour might pass him by.

36 ‘Abba, Father!’ he said, ‘For you everything is possible. Take this cup away from me. But let it be as you, not I, would have it.’ (Mark 14:35-36, NJB)

42 ‘Father,’ he said, ‘if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, let your will be done, not mine.’ (Luke 22:42, NJB)

Despite Jesus’ words, Roman Catholicism is often obsessed with needless suffering.

It should also be mentioned that apparitions many believe to have been Jesus’ mother Mary also have told people to suffer.

Notice something from my book Fatima Shock! that confirms there were issues with the ‘Lady’ that people later claimed was Jesus’ mother Mary who appeared to three young children in Fatima, Portugal in 1917:

All Three Children were Afraid of the Apparition

Shortly after Jacinta claimed the apparition was not the devil, Lúcia claimed that the following happened to her:

I had a dream which only increased the darkness of my spirit. I saw the devil laughing at having deceived me…The 13th of July was now at hand, and I was still doubtful as to whether I should go. I thought to myself: “If it’s the devil, why should I go see him?…I’m afraid it may be the devil who is appearing to us, and for that reason I’m not going…“ I called Jacinta and Francisco, and told them …“No, I’m not going. Listen! If the Lady asks for me, tell her I’m not going because I’m afraid it may be the devil.”

I left them…The following day…I suddenly feltI had to go, impelled by some strange force that I could hardly resist (Santos L. Fatima in Lúcia’s Own Words, 14th edition. Priest L Kondor ed. Translated by Dominican Nuns of Perpetual Rosary. Imprimatur Fatimae, Junii 2003 + Seraphinus, Episc. Leir-Fatimensis, Ravengate Press, September 2004, pp. 86-87)

Francisco and Jacinta were apparently so afraid of the apparition that they refused to go unless Lúcia went with them, so they all went together (ibid, p. 87).

Perhaps it should be mentioned that Lúcia, Francisco, and Jacinta would sometimes intentionally cause them- selves pain as they would mutually agree to “offer this sacrifice to God” (such as inflicting “terrible suffering” through intentionally tying rough ropes around their waists that caused tears). The God of the Holy Bible never suggests that children are to inflict intentional pain upon themselves (cf. 3 John 2). Jesus repeatedly taught, “I will have mercy and not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13; 12:7, DRB). Yet, Lúcia wrote that the Lady kept telling the children to do sacrifices. Notice, for one example, what she wrote Jacinta said:

That Lady told us to say the Rosary and to make sacrifices for the conversion of sinners. (Santos, p. 45)

The Apostle Paul wrote:

8 In saying before, Sacrifices, and oblations, and holocausts for sin thou wouldest not, neither are they pleasing to thee, which are offered according to the law… 12 He, on the other hand, has offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken his seat for ever, at the right hand of God…14 By virtue of that one single offering, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all who are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:8, 12, 14 DRB)

So, the word of God says Jesus made the ONE sacrifice for sinners.

Christians normally consider that Mary of the Bible would be kind and comforting, especially to children. Yet, the three children of Fatima were afraid of the apparition and hurt themselves because of her words. Should they really have been afraid of Mary of the Bible? Would Mary really tell children to hurt themselves? (Thiel B. Fatima Shock! What the Vatican Does Not Want You to Know About Fatima, Dogmas of Mary, and Future Apparitions. Nazarene Books, pp. 45-46)

People are not saved because they afflict themselves or because someone hurts them-self to save them. Notice how we are saved:

8 Because it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith; not by anything of your own, but by a gift from God; 9 not by anything that you have done, so that nobody can claim the credit. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

The idea that one gains favor through intentionally inflicting suffering on oneself is false and demonic. It is also false and demonic to believe that intentionally causing suffering helps sinners. Sinners need to accept Jesus to be saved (Acts 4:12; John 3:18), not others afflicting themselves for them. Jesus already endured the suffering of his tortuous beating and then being killed on the stake. He does NOT need to do that ever again.

Sadly, Pope Francis perpetuated that belief again that God wants more suffering today.

Pope Francis is also a big promoter of Fatima. He even had his pontificate dedicated to the ‘Lady of Fatima’ and consecrated the world to her ‘sacred heart’ when he had a statue from Fatima flow into Vatican City for an October 12/13, 2013 dedication. The Fatima message promotes self-inflicted suffering–and I personally witnessed Catholics inflicting pain and suffering on themselves when I visited the Fatima shrine as part of my research years ago.

While the Bible teaches that Christians will suffer, it does not teach that one should do anything to try to cause suffering (1 Peter 4:12-16).

Although Pope Francis looks like a lamb to many, his words are like that of a dragon (cf. Revelation 13:11). He also failed to tell people today that early Christians did not observe his “Easter Triduum.”

I personally am concerned that Pope Francis, who years ago wrongly said atheists could be saved by their works (see Pope Francis’ ecumenism includes atheists!), may be trying to use ‘suffering’ as a criteria for salvation and could use this (and other forms of ‘piety’) to justify parts of his ecumenical and interfaith agendas.

While we should be grateful that Jesus did suffer for humanity, it is NOT good to tell people that Jesus WANTS to suffer more for people.

Sadly, Pope Francis perpetuated the wrong belief about suffering. Pope Francis is a big promoter of Fatima. He even had his pontificate dedicated to the ‘Lady of Fatima’ and consecrated the world to her ‘sacred heart’ when he had a statue from Fatima flow into Vatican City for an October 12/13, 2013 dedication.

The Apostle John wrote:

2 Dearly beloved, concerning all things I make it my prayer that thou mayest proceed prosperously, and fare well as thy soul doth prosperously. (3 John 2, Douay-Rheims)

God does not want us to suffer. He wants us to prosper and have an abundant life. Notice what Jesus said:

10 I am come that they may have life, and may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10, Douay-Rheims)

Jesus did not come with the hope people would inflict unnecessary suffering on themselves.

Notice something else about suffering:

13 Are any among you suffering? They should pray. (James 5:13, Catholic NRSV)

Christians are to pray to be delivered from suffering. They are not to intentionally inflict suffering on themselves.

God's plan is to eliminate suffering:

3 Then I heard a loud voice call from the throne, 'Look, here God lives among human beings. He will make his home among them; they will be his people, and he will be their God, God-with-them. 4 He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness or pain. The world of the past has gone.' (Revelation 21:3-4, NJB)

Satan caused sin and suffering to come into the world when Eve fell for his temptations (Genesis 3). Humans have been suffering for 6000 years because of Satan's influence, not because God originally wanted humanity to suffer.

The 6000 years of this world being under the sway of Satan is almost over (see Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?).

Until then, part of Satan's plan is to cause suffering and he has influenced many to believe that causing self-inflicted suffering gets God's favor. That is not true.

As the Bible teaches (Revelation 21:3-4), God will put an end to suffering (see also the free online booklet The Gospel of the Kingdom of God).

Is a Coming Prosperous Babylon Good or Evil?

The Bible warns about about Mystery Babylon:

5 And on her forehead a name was written:

MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.
(Revelation 17:5-6)

The above system will use sorcery (Revelation 18:23), deceit, signs and wonders, false leaders, persecution, idols, and economic pressure to succeed according to the Bible:

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. 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.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. (Revelation 13:11-18)

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. 37 He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. 38 But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. 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)

23...A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes. 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; (Daniel 8:23-25)

Since Satan's demons are involved with these leaders (Revelation 16:13-14), clearly the use sorcery, signs and wonders, idols, persecution, and economic pressure are part of Satan's plan.

Yet an Eastern Orthodox leader taught to actually look forward to a time of a new Babylon, as did a Catholic Abbot:

Monk Leontios (died 543): Rejoice, oh most unhappy one, oh New Babylon!…You, who are the New Babylon rejoice now on behalf of Zion! New Babylon, dance, bounce and leap greatly, make known even those in Haydes what a Grace you have received. Because that peace which was yours to enjoy in times past, and which God has deprived you of in course of battles, receive it once more from the hand of an Angel…oh, the City of Seven Hills the dominion will be yours. (Tzima Otto, H. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Scriptural Prophecies. Verenikia Press, Rock Hill (SC), 2000, pp. 82-83).

Abbott Joachim (died 1202)...A remarkable Pope will be seated on the pontifical throne, under special protection of the angels. Holy and full of gentleness, he shall undo all wrong, he shall recover the states of the Church, and reunite the exiled temporal powers. As the only Pastor, he shall reunite the Eastern to the Western Church...This holy Pope shall be both pastor and reformer. Through him the East and West shall be in ever lasting concord. The city of Babylon shall then be the head and guide of the world. Rome, weakened in temporal power, shall forever preserve her spiritual dominion, and shall enjoy great peace…At the beginning, in order to bring these happy results, having need of a powerful assistance, this holy Pontiff will ask the cooperation of the generous monarch of France (Great Monarch). (Connor, Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, pp. 31-32)

Yet, a final Babylon is something that the Bible and at least one Catholic priest have warned against:

2…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. (Revelation 18:2-5)

Priest H. Kramer (20th century): In the vision of the Seer now appears a second beast rising out of the earth, having two horns like a lamb but speaking like a dragon…In other places he is called the false prophet…This prophet may re-establish the pagan Roman Empire and build the “Great Harlot”, Babylon… The False Prophet…will persuade all infidels, apostates and apostate nations to worship and adore him…Antichrist ”sitteth in the temple of God” (I Thes. II. 4). This is not the ancient Temple in Jerusalem…this temple is shown to be a Catholic Church…The False Prophet will proclaim the resurrection of the Roman Empire. (Kramer H., p. 318,320-323)

Babylon is demonically-influenced--demons are followers of Satan and help implement his plan. Despite biblical and other warnings, leaders of the Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholic faiths are attempting to unify into an ecumenical religion (Pope Francis reaches out to Eastern Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew and Eastern Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew responds to Rome) that the Bible warns against (Revelation 13,17,18; Daniel 11:36-39).

Not only will Babylon be destroyed, Jesus Christ will have to intervene to stop the destruction of all human life:

22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. 23 "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 "Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. (Matthew 24:22-27)

The final Babylon is not something true Christians should support.

Does the Antichrist or Jesus Win the Battle that is Staged in Armaggedon?

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, late COG writer David Jon Hill in his article Christ or Antichrist? 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)

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). Yet a claimed 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)

Yet, the Bible shows that it is Jesus who comes after the Beast and false prophet, not that "Antichrist" comes after a some monarch and a particular pope.

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."

Yet, because of certain Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholic prophecies, people will be deceived.

I should also add that various Protestants who have believed modern 'prophets' have been deceived about end time matters as well. For some details, please see Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? and Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors and The Dangerous Rise of Preterists.

Mistranslations

One deceptive tool that Satan has used to try to keep people away from the true Church of God is mistranslations of the Bible and other texts.

Many people profess to believe the trinity because of what is claimed to be 1 Joh 5:7-8--most of which were added many centuries after the Apostle John wrote this epistle. Details are in the article Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity?

Part of the reason some are confused about the biblical holy days is because of a mistranslation of Colossians 2:16-17 and misunderstandings of Galatians 4:8-10 (details are in the article Is There "An Annual Worship Calendar" In the Bible?).

Part of the reason that many are confused about the Sabbath is because of mistranslations of Hebrews 4:9 (details are in the article The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad).

Even historical writings, such as the Didache and at least one letter from Ignatius of Antioch have been mistranslated and caused people to be led astray (see Another Look at the Didache, Ignatius, and the Sabbath).

Distortions of the Bible and church history are factors in people falling for Satan's plan.

The Church of God Has Understood that Catholic Prophecies May Impact World Events

The old Radio Church of God used to explain in detail how demonic prophecies tied in with Satan's plan. Notice some of what the old Good News magazine taught in the 1960s:

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!

Catholic Interest in Prophecy…

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…

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 WHOLE EARTH AND SEA OBEYS HIS 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).

Also notice:

Christ or Antichrist?…

A recently published book reveals a startling Catholic interest in endtime prophecy. This book, together with tradition and the writings of some of the “early church Fathers,” brings to light an eye-opening preview of the false prophecies that are about to be preached!…

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!…

So we see here the diabolical plot…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. Christ or Antichrist? Good News magazine of the Radio Church of God, April 1961, pp.9,11).

The above shows that the old Radio Church of God understood that it was likely that followers of the end time ecumenical “Catholic” religion would likely rely on false prophesies and be opposed to Christ. And that is some of what I am trying to do here as well.

Some have unfairly criticized me for bringing out these and other non-biblical prophecies. But like the old Radio Church of God, my intent is to warn people that Satan has a plan to delude human kind and it includes “signs and lying wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:9), which include false prophecies (cf. Matthew 7:15; 24:11,24).

While not considering them inspired by God, the old Radio Church of God also referred to Mayan, Greek, Roman (including Fatima), Parthian, Indian, and Chinese prophecies (see Dorothy CV, Torrance LE. History Documents Jesus Christ. Good News, December 1967, pp. 9-10,23-24; Hill DJ. Christ or Antichrist? Good News, April 1961; Hill DJ. Will You Be Deceived by Antichrist? Good News, October 1964; McNair R. POPE MEETS PATRIARCH. Plain Truth, October 1967). The second century COG pastor/bishop Theophilus of Antioch also cited non-biblical prophetic sources–as, of course, did the Apostle Paul (e.g. Acts 17:28)..

As far as Roman Catholic prophecies go, even the first “antipope” Hippolytus of the early third century seemed to have warned against the returning Jesus (his authorship of some the document quoted, On the End of the World, has been questioned). Here is some of what the old Radio Church of God published:

Compare With Your Bible

Hippolytus is one of the “early church Fathers”…(Ante-Nicene Fathers; Hippolytus…)…

Hippolytus goes on to say: “. . . at that time the whole earth will bewail the life of anguish, and the sea and air in like manner will bewail it; and the sun, too, will wail; and the wild beasts, together with the fowls, will wail; mountains and hills, and the trees of the plain, will wail on account of the race of man, because all have turned aside from the Holy God, and obeyed the deceiver, and received the mark of that abominable one, the enemy of God, INSTEAD OF THE QUICKENING CROSS OF THE SAVIOR” (Ibid.; section XXXIII)….

God’s clear revelation shows that the time when the families of all the earth are going to bewail for anguish is the time of Christ’s return…(Rev. 18:11-15)…

Remarkable Prophecy

Here is another false prophecy from Hippolytus.

“And by reason of the SCARCITY OF FOOD, all will go to him and worship him; and he will put his mark on their right hand and on their forehead, that no one may put the sign of the honorable cross upon his forehead with his right hand; but his hand is bound” (Ibid., section XXVIII).

Now turn to the book of Zechariah in your Bible…(Zech. 14:16-19). The Eternal God, at His return, is going to cause the nations of this earth to recognize Him as Ruler and to worship Him through the means of controlling the weather, causing drought and famine-SCARCITY OF FOOD-until ALL NATIONS COME UP TO KEEP THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES! (Hill, David Jon. Will you be deceived by Antichrist? Good News magazine of the Radio Church of God, October 1964, pp. 10-11).

The writings of Hippolytus seem to be implying that those who wore the mark of the cross on their forehead or hands will not be allowed to do that after Jesus comes. It may be that he through his confusion he is actually indicating that one mark of the beast may have to do with crosses on their “hand or on their foreheads” (Revelation 13:16). While the day of the week is a mark/sign of the beast, it may not be the only mark (see The Mark of Antichrist and Mark of the Beast).

Many are being told through false prophecies to oppose the return of Jesus, as well as to support powers that Jesus will destroy. Herbert W. Armstrong noted:

Christ Unwelcome?

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. (Armstrong HW. The Mystery of the Ages, 1984)

Satan's plan affects false ministers.

Jesus, Himself, warned about false prophets rising up (Mark 13:22-23).

Notice also the following from the late Radio Church of God evangelist Raymond McNair:

Jerusalem will become increasingly important to Catholics in the near future. The Papacy will...be moved from Rome to Jerusalem

...according to a recent report in a leading German newspaper, the Third Fatima Message is reported (by inside, informed Vatican sources) to reveal that there will be a terrible World War III, during which (according to this Fatima Vision) both Rome and the Vatican will be destroyed!

Could this possibly explain why the Vatican will be moved to Jerusalem? (McNair R. Pope Meets Patriarch. Plain Truth, October 1967)

Various Catholic private prophecies are a major part of why the the Vatican expects to move to Jerusalem.

Fatima was the location of six visits from an apparition that called itself 'the Lady of the Rosary' that many Catholics, including the current Pope Francis, believe was Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Various messages were given there, and many Catholics place their hope in the known and unknown messages of Fatima.

Notice also the following from the human founder of the old Radio Church of God, then called the Worldwide Church of God, Herbert W. Armstrong:

The Roman Catholic Church is merely the old Babylonian Mystery Religion, accepting the name of Christ and calling itself Christian. But instead of using Christ and preaching Christ they take the virgin Mary. Only they don't call her Mary down in Mexico, she's Guadalupe down there, and they have another name for her in other countries. (Armstrong HW. Sermon, claimed October 1976?)

Guadalupe is a name that Spanish gave, mispronouncing the name of a pagan Aztec goddess called Tlecuauhtlacupeuh as Guadalupe. Catholics claim that this apparition was responsible for the region of Latin America becoming predominantly Roman Catholic (see How was civilization affected by the ‘Lady of Guadelupe’?).

It should be noted that throughout his lifetime, taught that the Vatican was working towards the revival of the old Holy Roman Empire in Europe--those Vatican plans are at least partially based upon visions and pronouncements of their 'saints.' In other words, based upon Catholic private prophecies.

Satan and his demons influence false prophets, including Catholic ones, with some accuracy, like Nostradamus. The old Worldwide Churchof God published the following warning not to be deceived by this:

Oxford scholar Erika Cheetham claims that "Nostradamus [Michel de Nostredame's popular name] is probably the only author who could claim that his work has never been out of print for over four hundred years, apart from the Bible. The interest he generates is extraordinary" (The Prophecies of Nostradamus, page 12).

The chief reason for this popularity is that Nostradamus' quatrains written in 1555 appear to contain remarkably accurate predictions.

In book IX, verses 20 and 34, Nostradamus wrote of French king Louis XVI's flight to Varennes, France, nearly 150 years before the fact. In book II, verse 51, he appears to predict the Great Fire of London of 1666.

Also, in several verses, he appears to predict the careers of Napoleon (I, 23, 59-60; III, 35; IV, 37, 54; VIII, 57) and Adolf Hitler (III, 35, 58; V, 29; VI, 50-51; IX, 90).

How can this be explained? It is 95 percent explained by the fact that most students of Nostradamus assign events to the obscure writings after they occur! ...

The apostle Paul identifies Satan as "the god of this age" (II Cor. 4:4, RAV). Compare this with Nostradamus' quatrain saying that "the god sits nearby" — a being Nostradamus thought to be the Holy Spirit of God.

But what the Holy Spirit of God does reveal in the Bible is a world of spirit beings — today known as demons — who attempt to declare the future through willing humans! Take the example recorded in Acts 16:16: "Now it happened... that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune — telling" (RAV).

We are commanded: "Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God" (Lev. 19:31, RAV).

Few realize that demons are committed to the spiritual destruction of mankind! They are unalterably opposed to God's way of life and to man's incredible potential — that of literally becoming the sons of God! The Bible reveals that God has adopted a basic hands-off policy in human affairs for a period of 6,000 years. The first human beings wanted it that way! They didn't want God telling them how to direct their lives. God only intervenes now as it suits his divine purpose for man.

Equally, few understand that God now permits Satan and his demons some freedom to influence and control, in varying degree, human events (Job 1:6-12).

You had better understand this!

God reveals that Satan and his demons regard themselves under no obligation to speak truth! God marks Satan as the father of lies (John 8:44). The Bible reveals that God allows "lying spirits" to possess those who proclaim themselves prophets (I Kings 22:23).

Their modus operandi is usually, as in Nostradamus' case, to predict certain small instances to occur in the future.

As soon as they've established a measure of credibility, they immediately put forth confusing prophecies intentionally difficult to understand that lead away from God's revealed purpose. (Synder, Michael A. NOSTRADAMUS Are His Predictions Accurate? Plain Truth, April 1983)

But it is not just Catholic prophecies that are sometimes part of Satan's plan. Notice something that the old Worldwide Church of God published:

Moslems in general and Arabs in particular have historically responded like no other people to the charismatic personality. Since the founding of Islam, men have periodically arisen in various parts of the Moslem world claiming to be the long-awaited Mahdi, the expected end-time messiah who is to cleanse and restore the Islamic faith to its original purity, unify the Moslem world and usher in a seven-year golden age just before the end of the world. ...

The expectation of a coming Mahdi (in Arabic, "the divinely guided one") is prevalent among virtually all Moslem sects...Islam waits to be united. The role of Mahdi — the Great Unifier of Islam — awaits a player.

... there may very well emerge in the same manner a final "king of the south" — an overall leader of an Arab-Moslem confederation, possibly even bearing the very title Mahdi! And these two individuals will eventually find themselves in a head-to-head confrontation — possibly over oil — which will ultimately lead to devastating war in the Middle East! (Stump K. The Arab World in Prophecy. Plain Truth, December 1979)

Many who claim to be Church of God distance themselves improperly from warning how Satan's plan includes Catholic and Islamic prophecies and messages from apparitions. The old Radio Church of God understood this (e.g. see Will You Be Deceived by Antichrist?)--and we in the Continuing Church of God still do so!

Back in 1986, the old Worldwide Church of God ran an article explaining that a pagan coin was a symbol of a prophecy of Satan's plan and that not only did this affect ancient Babylon, ancient Greece, and ancient Rome, the prediction it contained helped reveal Satan's plan for the end of the age. Notice a couple of statements:

Ancient Coin Depicts Satan's Master Plan! See, here, the plottings of Satan's twisted mind as reflected in pagan mythology! This ancient Phoenician coin, which was minted long ago in the bustling commercial city of Tyre, bears a curious image. The coin shows a serpent entwined around a tree stump. To the left of the stump stands an empty cornucopia. To the right, a flourishing palm tree. Curious, yes. But is it significant? Amazingly, the story these symbols tell is of great relevance to our time! ...

In classical symbolism, Satan pictures himself and his empire (the victorious palm tree) coming out on top in the end. Satan thinks he can yet win. But Satan's reborn Babylonish empire will be short-lived. (Stump K. Ancient Coin Depicts Satan's Master Plan. Good News, September 1986, pp. 10-12).

Essentially, the article states that this coin helps show that a significant part of Satan's plan is to get people to support him and the upcoming end time Babylonian system, and then fight Jesus Christ when He returns. Since the time of that coin, Satan has used other means as well, including non-biblical prophecies.

Christ or Antichrist?

As mentioned before, because of certain Catholic private prophecies and doctrines, many will believe that when Jesus returns, that He is the final Antichrist.

As unbelievable as that sounds certain Roman Catholic writings/prophecies teach that Antichrist:

Will cite scriptures as proof of His Messiahship
Will keep and promote the seventh-day Sabbath
Will teach against idols and an idol-related Mass
Will teach that the Catholic religion is false
Will renumber the Ten Commandments
Will be Jewish
Will “observe the Jewish rites”
Will have supporters who teach against the trinity
Will preach the millennial gospel of the kingdom
Will preach that there is a coming future opportunity for salvation
Will come after thunders, lightning, earthquakes, mountains being level, and great hail
Will win the "battle of Armageddon"
Will come after the destruction of the Roman Empire
Will claim to be the Messiah
Will have those that appear to be resurrected saints with him.

Of course, Jesus said scriptures testified who He was (John 5:39), kept the seventh-day Sabbath, taught against idols, taught that those who held to a religion based upon tradition over the Bible is false, taught all the ten commandments as the 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.

Looking over the list related to 'antichrist' it appears that certain private 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).

I believe that Satan-inspired a lot of false prophecies so that those who are not the very elect will be deceived (Matthew 24:24, KJV), non-real Christians will support end-time Babylon, and non-real Christians will actually fight against Jesus.

Details of the Catholic prophecies can be found in the article Do Certain Catholic Prophecies About Antichrist Warn Against Jesus? Furthermore, as alluded to before, this was long the teaching of the old Radio Church of God as can be found in the 1964 article Will You Be Deceived by Antichrist?

An article of related interest also may be Some Doctrines of Antichrist.

Some Prophecies Against the Church of God

Many Greco-Roman Catholic (includes those of the Eastern Orthodox) prophecies are directed against the Church of God in the end time (some are in the article Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? and others in the article Who Are The Two Witnesses?).

Which Church of God group?

While many would cover most COG groups (see Persecutions by Church and State), some are more specific to a group like the Continuing Church of God.

Specifically, because of our depth and focus on church history and booklets related to that, we more than any other group are the one most specifically warned against. Here are a few that seem directed that way:

Anne Catherine Emmerich: May 13, 1820: "Again I saw in vision St. Peter's undermined according to a plan devised by the secret sect whilst, at the same time, it was damaged by storms; but it was delivered at the moment of greatest distress." (Schmöger, pp. 277,279-281).

Anne Catherine Emmerich: October, 1820: "I see new martyrs, not of the present but of the future, though even now they are oppressed. I saw the secret society undermining the great church (St. Peter's) and near them a horrible beast that arose out of the sea." (Schmöger, pp. 290-291)

Elizabeth Canori-Mora (died 1825): God will employ the powers of {Hades} for the extermination of these impious and heretical persons who desire to overthrow the Church and destroy it to its very foundation...God will allow the demons to strike with death those impious men because they gave themselves up to the infernal powers and had formed with them a compact against the Catholic Church. (Connor, pp.22-23)

Jane Le Royer, Sister of the Nativity, (died 1798): "When the time of the reign of Antichrist is near, a false religion will appear which be opposed to the unity of God and His Church. This will cause the greatest schism the world has ever known. The nearer the time of the end, the more darkness of Satan will spread on Earth, the greater will be the number of children of corruption, and the number of Just will correspondingly diminish. (Culligan, pp.127,128)

Nursing Nun of Bellay (died 1820): "All these things shall come to pass once the wicked have succeeded in circulating large numbers of bad books." (Dupont, p.51)

Trappistine Nun of Notre Dame des Gardes. "Chastisement will come when a very large number of bad books have been spread" (Dupont, p 114).

Venerable Bartholomew Holzhauser (died 1658):..."When everything has been ruined by war; when Catholics are hard pressed by traitorous co-religionists and heretics; when the Church and her servants are denied their rights, the monarchies have been abolished and their rulers murdered...then the hand of Almighty God will work a marvelous change, something apparently impossible according to human understanding. There will rise a valiant monarch anointed by God. He will be a Catholic, a descendant of Louis IX, (yet) a descendant of an ancient imperial German family, born in exile. He will rule supreme in temporal matters. The Pope will rule supreme in spiritual matters at the same time. Persecution will cease and justice shall reign. Religion seems to be oppressed, but by the changes of entire kingdoms it will be made more firm...The Great Monarch will have the special help of God and be unconquerable. (Connor, pp. 35-36)

St. Francis of Paola (Born in Italy, 15th century). "By the grace of the Almighty, the Great Monarch will annihilate heretics and unbelievers. He will have a great army, and angels will fight at his side. He will be like the sun among the stars. His influence will spread over the whole earth. All in all, there will be on earth twelve Kings, one Emperor, one Pope and a few Princes. They will all lead holy lives." (Dupont, p.38)

Bl. Hieronymus Agathaghelos (1279 A.D.): ...young man...now it is not the end; I see you are being duped...you are hoping in vain; Sabbatism is against the Divine Law...you promote the Hebrew Sabbath at the expense of Christian Sunday, and yet, you will not succeed...before you become an apostate on behalf of the Sabbath...And lo and behold, an evil assembly of the crafty evening leader, dressed in black mourning apparel, was measuring its strength...taking in a hypocritical manner the most holy name of Christ, by means of their flowering and dissembling speech; these were the men who were concealing their impiety under a mask of virtue; those were the most filthy citizens of Pentapolis...these are semi-godless men, they despise the Divine Law, they are rapacious wolves in sheep's clothing...they will have to pay the due price before the Public Executioner of the Sabbatians...you, the inventors of the distorted heresies ... (Tzima Otto H. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Scriptural Prophecies. The Verenika Press, Rock Hill (SC), 2000, pp. 127, 132-135, with a partial translation from page 240)

Elizabeth Canori-Mora (died 1825): God will use the powers of darkness in order to root out the followers of the Sects and godless who want to shake and destroy the foundation of the Church . . . They will be punished by the cruelty of demons and die a tragic death. Hereupon the grand triumph of the Catholic Church will follow (Culleton, Reign of Antichrist, p. 160).

St. Andrew the Fool-for-Christ (4th century): ...the remaining ones will be annihilated, they will be burned to death and they will die a cruel death. (Tzima Otto, p. 113)

Anne Catherine Emmerich (Purification day 1822) "I saw during the last few days marvelous things connected with the Church. St. Peter's was almost entirely destroyed by the sect, but their labors were, in turn, rendered fruitless and all that belonged to them, their aprons and tools, burned by the executioners on the public place of infamy. They were made of horse-leather, and the stench from them was so offensive that it made me quite sick..." (Schmöger Carl E. The Life and Revelations of Anne Catherine Emmerich, Volume 2. Approbation: Bishop of Limbourgh Peter Joseph. TAN Books, reprint 1976, p.292)

Hildegard of Bingen (12th century) And fly from those who linger in caves and are cloistered supporters of the Devil. Woe to them, woe to them who remain thus! They are the Devil's very viscera, and the advance guard of the son of perdition.

Therefore, O you My beloved children, avoid them with all devotion and with all the strength of your souls and bodies. For the ancient serpent feeds and clothes them by his arts, and they worship him as God and trust in his false deceptions...Because they are afraid of My people, they do not openly resist these institutions of Mine, but in their hearts and their deeds they hold them as nothing. By devilish illusion, they pretend to have sanctity; but they are deceived by the Devil, for if he were to show himself to them openly they would understand him and flee him. By his arts he shows them things he pretends are good and holy, and thus deludes them. O woe to those who persevere in this death!

But because the Devil knows he has only a short time for his error, he is not hastening to perfect infidelity in his members; you, you evil deceivers, who labor to subvert the Catholic faith. (Hildegard of Bingen. Scivias. Paulist Press, Mahwah (NJ), pp. 301-302).

The first couple of Roman Catholic prophecies seem to be directed against the final phase of the work, specifically the 'short work' of Romans 9:28 and the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14.

What kind of group claiming Christianity denies the "unity of God"? Well, none. But the one that comes to mind would be one that denies the 381 A.D. definition of the unity of God--one like the Continuing Church of God (see Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity?). As far as a large number of 'bad books' that could attack the Church of Rome at its very foundations, it would seem that books and booklets like Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? , Fatima Shock!, The Last Pope, Where is the True Christian Church Today?, and Continuing History of the Church of God would qualify as far as Satan's ministers would be concerned. As is an upcoming one tentatively titled Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays?

Notice that the 'Chastisement' comes after the bad books have spread. The 'Chastisement' is a time of turmoil Catholic prophecy teaches will affect Europe, before the rise of the Great Monarch. Biblically, a leader who fits some of that description arises a little prior to the Great Tribulation, and is biblically known as the Beast of the sea and the final King of the North. As stated before, we in the Continuing Church of God expect to publicly identify this leader and expose some of his horrible plans--he will not like this.

One reason that the the Continuing Church of God would also be targeted is because of our warnings against crosses and pointing out Greco-Roman Catholic errors related to the millennial kingdom of God--false doctrines the 'Great Monarch will accept and promote.

This European leader, according to Greco-Roman Catholic and biblical prophecy will start a period of persecution. First, mainly involving the Philadelphian Christians who are leading what I have termed final phase of the work (Daniel 7:25a; 11:29-35) and then the rest of the Christians (Daniel 7:25b; Revelation 12:17). The Book of Daniel teaches:

33 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. (Daniel 11:33)

This is consistent with the Roman Catholic and Orthodox prophecies that their opponents will be burned. The persecution in Daniel 11:30-35 mainly affects Philadelphians like those in the Continuing Church of God.

Pentapolis means "five cities." The Continuing Church of God is currently based out of the Five Cities region of California, and its top leader (me) was a former Roman Catholic (see Who is COGwriter?), who that faith would define as an apostate (see Appendix B of the article Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies?).

The admonition of related to stay away for those lingering in caves and who are claimed to be the visera of Satan seems to be a reference to the Philadelphian Christians (Revelation 3:10) that have fled to a place in the wilderness for protection per Revelation 12:14-16 (see also There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra).

Some of these 'prophecies' should give further pause to consider how Satan will attempt to use them in the future to attempt to discredit those of us in the Continuing Church of God who expose and stand against his plans.

The two witnesses, which I believe will come out of the CCOG, will teach God's plan and point out flaws with the Babylonian religious system of the Beast that many Greco-Roman private prophecies endorse.

Asian Prophecies

Perhaps it may be of interest to note that Hindus seem to be looking for a leader like the final King of the North that they refer to as the Bhagwan Kalki (for details, see also India and the Beast of Revelation 13). The Chinese also seem to have prophecies that are looking forward to him as well (see also Asia in Prophecy).

Related to Indian ones, notice the following about the Avatar/Bhagwan Kalki:

Whenever there is a withering of the law
and an uprising of lawlessness on all sides,
then I manifest Myself.

For the salvation of the righteous
and the destruction of such as do evil,
for the firm establishing of the Law,
I come to birth, age after age.—Bhagavad Gita, Book IV, Sutra 5, 7, 8…

In all, the Hindu text of Kalki Purana is comprised of 6100 verses describing … Kalki, who is considered the last Avtar or incarnation of Vishnu or the Supreme Being, who will establish the Age of Truth or Age of Purity on Earth.… As agreed by all the religious prophecies, the Awaited One will not be a man of peace like Jesus Christ or Buddha, but a man of war who will destroy evil and establish righteousness on the earth. (Hindu Prophecies: The Kalki Purana. http://ww-iii.tripod.com/hindu.htm)

If views like these become predominant in the future, it may be that they will help lead to Hindus at least temporarily accepting a new religion of the coming False Prophet and the authority of the coming militaristic dictator known as Beast that the Bible warns will rise up at the end. (Thiel B. 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect. Nazarene Books, 2009

For the society to climb back to its pristine glory of the golden era... even the meek would handle metal (pick arms). Whatever the poor and the downtrodden lay their hands upon would become their weapon. In the last phase of the Kali Yuga we are passing through... the complete society has been taken to ransom by about 6% corrupt population comprising of politicians, bureaucrats, judiciary and police force…people await with abated breath the coming of Bhagwan Kalki...one who delivers the mankind from the existing ills of today. Bhagwan Kalki would be a spiritual master of the highest order with the deadly combination of a wise dictator (Chanakya of the modern era)...(Kumar, Vijay. End of the World 2012. http://www.godrealized.com/2012.html)

Notice that this leader is supposed to be coming and is supposed to be consistent with Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian prophecies. Thus, Hindus are likely to accept one as a major leader who is not truly a Hindu. This appears to be a type of supposed ecumenical leader--the Beast of Revelation 13, who while he will initially probably feign Catholicism, ultimately will betray that faith as well (Daniel 11:36-38; Revelation 17:15-19).

Some of the prophecies involving the Kalki also discuss a "White horse" (to see a picture with one related to that, please see the article India and the Beast of Revelation 13). The Bible warns of a rider of the white horse (the first of the four horsemen of the apocalypse) who is a deceptive religious leader, and at the end representing the False Prophet, the final Antichrist:

1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, "Come and see." 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. (Revelation 6:1-2)

The above rider is generally considered to be the first of the four horseman of the Apocalypse. He will be a false religious leader and the final Antichrist.

As far as the Chinese go, there are Chinese prophecies dating from the Tang Dynasty (June 18, 618 – June 4, 907) that seems to support the concept of pan-Asian cooperation (although it only mentions three nations) after someone (who is apparently not really trustworthy) rises up in the West:

Beautiful people come from the West. Korea, China and Japan are gradually at peace (Pui-Hua R. Ancient Chinese Prophecies Till the End of the World. AuthorHouse, Bloomington (IN), 2008, p. 85).

All negative forces are subservient…China now has a saint. Even if he is not that great a hero (ibid, p. 89).

The beautiful people may be the Beast and his false prophet which apparently will impress peoples in places including Asia. The "saint" will likely be "the false prophet," the final Antichrist (see also Some Doctrines of Antichrist). Since there may have been an actual Christian witness to China during the time these prophecies was penned (see China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 2: The Sabbath and Some of God's Witness in China), it is possible that this witness was the basis of parts of the prophecies, even though distorted somewhat (true Christians would have warned about a false religious leader coming from the West accompanied by a military leader).

I would also add here that various Catholic prophecies tie in bringing the Chinese, Indians, and others in, at least partially, because of Marian apparitions. Thus, presuming that there are more 'Marian' apparitions in the future, some will likely point to the related private prophecies as 'proof' this is all from God, when in fact it will be from Satan.

God's Prophets Have Explained False Prophecies

Is it appropriate to refer to improper prophecies and explain how they are wrong?

According to the Bible, yes it is.

Notice what happened with the prophet Jeremiah:

1 And it happened in the same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, who was from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying, 2 "Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: 'I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two full years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord's house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. 4 And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah who went to Babylon,' says the Lord, 'for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.'"

5 Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and in the presence of all the people who stood in the house of the Lord, 6 and the prophet Jeremiah said, "Amen! The Lord do so; the Lord perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring back the vessels of the Lord's house and all who were carried away captive, from Babylon to this place. 7 Nevertheless hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: 8 The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries and great kingdoms — of war and disaster and pestilence. 9 As for the prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent."

10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah's neck and broke it. 11 And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, "Thus says the Lord: 'Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years.'" And the prophet Jeremiah went his way. (Jeremiah 28:1-11)

Notice that the Bible itself recorded the false prophecy, and that Jeremiah hoped it might be true. Then notice:

12 Now the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 13 "Go and tell Hananiah, saying, 'Thus says the Lord: "You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made in their place yokes of iron." 14 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: "I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him. I have given him the beasts of the field also."'"

15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, "Hear now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie. 16 Therefore thus says the Lord: 'Behold, I will cast you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have taught rebellion against the Lord.'"

17 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month. (Jeremiah 28:12-17)

So, notice that Jeremiah taught that the false prophet was false and that what he taught would not happen. That is something that God's prophets sometime do.

Notice also the following from the prophet Micaiah:

19 Then Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. 20 And the Lord said, 'Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?' So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, 'I will persuade him.' 22 The Lord said to him, 'In what way?' So he said, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And the Lord said, 'You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.' 23 Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you." (1 Kings 22:19-23)

Notice that God's prophet specifically explained how a lying prophecy was going to be successful. When it comes to Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Hindu, and Chinese prophecies, I have done the same thing.

People like Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Micaiah, and the Apostle Paul quoted and denounced false prophets and their prophecies. I have also striven to follow the Apostle Paul who claimed that he tried different cultural approaches (including referring to improper religious beliefs, Acts 19:22-31) to try to reach who he could (cf.1 Corinthians 9:19-22), and that he did that "for the gospel's sake" (1 Corinthians 9:23).

I have also striven to follow the Apostle Paul who claimed that he tried different cultural approaches (including referring to improper religious beliefs, Acts 19:22-31) to try to reach who he could (cf.1 Corinthians 9:19-22), and that he did that "for the gospel's sake" (1 Corinthians 9:23). He also referred specifically to pagan prophecy ( Acts 17:26-28)--not to try to try to follow it, but to use it as a reference to get people's attention.

The Bible is clear that people will be deceived (Matthew 24:24; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) and following false prophets (Revelation 13) and believing "doctrines of demons" (1 Timothy 4:1) will be factors. But the most faithful Christians are not to be ignorant of Satan's devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). We in the Continuing Church of God understand how demonic prophecies tie in with Satan's plan are are not afraid to point this out.

Various ones who are associated with the Church of God have been wrong for their improper condemnations of me for doing this. By doing so, they have assisted Satan's plan by:

Making false statements that they have not repented of.
Claiming "I have understood for years your tendency to bring in “odd” or “Catholic prophesies” or put unusual twists on scripture in such a way that no true prophet of God would ever do" without admitting the truth (that writer endorsed my writings along those lines previous to the year 2012 and that prophets of God have long reported what Satan's plan with false prophecies was).
Persuading various ones to believe those false statements.
Because of this, many have decided it is 'safer' not to believe that God could use myself or anyone else in the role of a prophet in the end times.
This results in more and more become Laodicean, thus affecting the Philadelphia work.

I have long had an article titled Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There are many, many, other COG leaders that also are assisting getting Christians to not truly support the final phase of the work, but I will not take the time to go through all of them here, though there are articles about many claimed COG groups at the COGlinks page.

These leaders/writers are misleading others. Most, whether they have been directly or indirectly affected by leaders like them, will justify in their minds that they do not have to believe what I say or do as I believe the Bible advocates that they should.

Notice that Jesus had the same problem:

43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? (John 8:43-46)

None have convicted me of sin, though people like James Malm, Roderick Meredith, and David Pack have falsely accused me (Ronald Weinland has as well, but his references were a bit more subtle). So have others who falsely have tried to give the impression that I am more focused on heathen prophecy than the Bible or that I supposedly rely on them (note: those who have falsely accused me in this manner have yet to show me once where I allegedly relied on a non-biblical prophecy for doctrine--other than to mainly teach that the use of false prophecies is part of Satan's plan--but even Jesus taught that, so I did not get that from non-biblical prophecies).

Using lies, false prophecies, and character assassination have long been part of Satan's plan to stop people from listening to God's prophets throughout history.

Satan's is a liar and the father of lies and many, sadly, have been deceived. But you, if you truly are willing to believe the truth, do not have to be. Do not fall to any part of Satan's plan.

The old Radio, then old Worlwide, Church of God, clearly cited false prophecies and exposed why they were wrong, just as I have done. Those who claim to have a Church of God background with any connections to the old WCG are being hypocritical for criticizing for doing what has been traditionally done. And of course, prophets in the Old and New Testaments did the same thing. A YouTube video of related interest may be Do Prophets Cite False Prophecies?

What About Totalitarian COVID Steps and the Great Reset?

Satan does not need to be much of an original thinker, because human nature changes very little.

Satan is aware that human fears will get them to accept totalitarian governmental rules that they otherwise would strongly object to.

We have seen this because of governmental policies around the world blamed on COVID-19.

Some world government advocates have stated that the world should use COVID-19 as a basis to change an implement what has been called the Great Reset (see Is a Great Reset Coming?).

Now, in the Book of Revelation, four horsemen are described related to the sequential opening of four seals.

The opening and the fourth one (Revelation 6:7-8) brings death and pestilence. The fourth horseman begins his ride before the fifth seal, which shows the start of the Great Tribulation, is opened.

Notice something related to the World Health Organization (WHO):

WHO: Bigger Pandemic Than COVID Is Coming

December 29, 2020

The World Health Organisation has warned that a worse pandemic than COVID could be around the corner and that what we’ve seen so far in 2020 is “not necessarily the big one”. …

The head of the WHO emergencies program, Dr Mike Ryan, said during a media briefing that “this pandemic has been very severe … it has affected every corner of this planet. But this is not necessarily the big one.”

“This is a wake-up call. We are learning, now, how to do things better: science, logistics, training and governance, how to communicate better. But the planet is fragile,” Ryan added. …

Elsewhere during the briefing, WHO chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan said that the roll out of vaccines does not mean social distancing or mask wearing can go away.

“I don’t believe we have the evidence on any of the vaccines to be confident that it’s going to prevent people from actually getting the infection and therefore being able to pass it on,” Swaminathan said. …

Electoral Assistance (IDEA), based in Sweden, has found that the majority of nations across the globe have implemented COVID related restrictions that have severely eroded the liberties of their citizens. …

If a greater pandemic is coming, as the WHO promises, then it is clear to see that such erosions of freedom will be amped up even further, if the same pattern is followed. https://summit.news/2020/12/29/who-bigger-pandemic-than-covid-is-coming/

Yes, I agree with the WHO-related comment about the “big one.” That will, according to Bible prophecy happen during the ride of the fourth horseman of the Apocalypse.

Satan understands that when hundreds of times more people die than have been dying from COVID-19, people will get desperate.

They will support the coming Beast power.

And actually, the coming “big one” that the WHO seems to be warning about will likely be a factor in the rise of the coming Beast.

Related to that, and well before WHO’s “big one” comment, the Continuing Church of God put out the following sermon on its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:16:57

Fourth Horseman, COVID, and the Rise of the Beast of Revelation

The 6th chapter of the Book of Revelation tells of the ride of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. What do each represent? Is the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, part of the fourth horseman? Does the Bible point to around 2 billion people dying from hunger, war, and the beasts of the earth? Was the ancient Roman Empire impacted by pestilences? What about the black death, also known as the Bubonic plague? Are disease epidemics part of the beginning of sorrow and troubles that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24 and Mark 13? Does the pale green horseman represent Islam? Could genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or synthetic biology cause or contribute to coming pandemics? Is chemical and biological warfare (CBW) a real threat to humanity? What about a doomsday bug or antibiotic resistant superbugs? Is fear a contagion that will help people move away from democracy? Will scientists be able to stop what is coming? Is the good news that the Kingdom of God will? Could COVID-19 be setting the stage for the rise of the ‘prince,’ who will become the totalitarian Beast of the Sea (also known as 666 and the King of the North)? Is this leader similar to the Great Monarch of Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies? When is the Great Monarch supposed to arise according to the Eastern Orthodox? Why might Europe be less affected by the ride of the third horseman that the US, Canada, and the UK? Are governments taking steps now, consistent with the words of Adolf Hitler? What seal represents the start of the Great Tribulation? Which Christians did Jesus promise to protect from the coming “hour of trial”?

Here is a link to the sermon: Fourth Horseman, COVID, and the Rise of the Beast of Revelation.

The “big one” is coming, and the results will be MUCH more severe than anything we have seen thus far with COVID-19. COVID-19 has been a minor ‘dress rehearsal’ for what will be coming in a relatively few years.

Satan has exploited fear throughout human history and will do that again.

Many will want a human ‘savior’ to ‘reset’ society. Satan wants people to not focus on the good news of the Kingdom of God, but instead numerous ways which end in death -- consistent with Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25.

Do Not Be Ignorant of Satan's Plan or Devices

Jesus referred to Satan as " the ruler of this world" (John 12:31). The Apostle Paul referred to Satan as "the god of this age" (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Thus, Satan has been influential from the Garden of Eden and throughout human history. John warned that "the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19).

Those who support ecumenism, like the United Nations, the Freemasons and the Vatican, are supporting a plan that the Bible opposes--but that Satan has encouraged.

The Apostle Paul wrote that, "for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:11b) "lest Satan should take advantage of us" (2 Corinthians 2:11a).

False prophecies, signs, and lying wonders are amongst Satan's devices.

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, (1 Timothy 4:1-2)

Notice that in the time of the end, some will fall away from the true faith (see also The Falling Away: The Bible and WCG Teachings) and give heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. Messages from Marian apparitions and false prophecies are deceiving spirits and contain doctrines of demons.

So, what is Satan's plan?

Satan's plan is to continue to use deceipt. This deceipt will include false prophets, false prophecies, false leaders, false piety, signs, lying wonders, apparent Marian apparitions, economic incentives, persecution, idolatry, and demons to deceive.

Satan has successfully used these techniques in the past and the Bible indicates that he intends to use them in the future. For centuries, he has had non-biblical prophecies in many cultures that some will partially rely on in order to accept the leaders that he wants to associate with in the end times (Revelation 16:13-14). After he has gotten close to totally destroying the earth, he then plans to have people fight Jesus Christ, which will result in the annihilation of hundreds of millions.

Satan's plan is both more dramatic and more subtle than most realize.

The Bible teaches that those portions of his plan will, to a degree, succeed.

However, Jesus will be successful, and ultimately will usher in the millennium. And Satan will be bound for a thousand years then according to scripture (Revelation 20:1-3), but will later emerge for a while (Revelation 20:8-9). Satan has many plans, but ultimately Satan will stop being a factor and will be tossed in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10). Afterwards the holy city, New Jerusalem comes down from heaven and there will be no more sorrow like Satan helped cause (Revelation 21:1-4).

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.

Some additional 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."

Satan's Plan A Brief Introduction Does Satan have a plan? If he does, do you know the various parts of it and how Satan has had it implemented. Do non-biblical prophecies play a role? What about apparitions that various ones claim are Mary the mother of Jesus? Has Satan used apparitions and demonically-influenced religious leaders who claim to be Christian? Why will some believe that the returning Jesus Christ will be the Antichrist? This video answers those questions.

Will You Be Deceived by Antichrist? 1964 article by David Jon Hill, originally published in the old Good News magazine.

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?

Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Apparitions Do you know much about Mary? Are the apparitions real? What happened at Fatima? What might they mean for the rise of the ecumenical religion of Antichrist? Are Protestants moving towards Mary? How do the Eastern/Greek Orthodox view Mary? How might Mary view her adorers? Here is a link to a YouTube video Marian Apparitions May Fulfill Prophecy.

Do Prophets Cite False Prophecies? What does the Bible teach? What has traditionally been understood about this?

The Antichrist Quiz Do you really know much about the Antichrist?

Did God Create a Devil? If not, what happened? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet.

The Bible and Astrology Should Christians avoid participating in astrology or did God inspire it? Does the Bible encourage astrology? What does the Bible actually teach? What is astrology? How does astrology differ from astronomy? Should Christians Be Involved In Astrology?

OMENS? DIVINATION? HOROSCOPES? THE ORIGIN OF ASTROLOGY Where did astrology come from? Should you read your horoscope?

Does Astrology Work? Many believe and follow astrology--but does it work?

Close Encounters of a 'Spirit' Kind discusses some experiences I believe were (demon) 'spirit' related.

Angels, Cherubim, and Seraphim This is information about various types of angelic beings.

Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Continuing Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions.

Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God Both 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?

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