By
Anton Bosch
Note: Posting this piece here does not imply our endorsement of
the author, their website, ministry or any links therein. Readers are cautioned
to use discernment at all times and test everything by the Word of God and the
teachings of the Church. It is interesting to note that the piece was written during the pontificate of Benedict XVI and not that of Francis I.
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The Bible paints quite a clear
picture of the major events that precede the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to
the earth. Many of the smaller details may be difficult to interpret but the
major events concerning the world’s religious, economic and political future
are clearly spelled out in Revelation 13, 17 and 18:
A world religious figure will rise
to prominence. He unites all the world’s religions into one universal religion.
This religious leader looks like a man of God. He performs miracles and even looks
similar to Jesus Christ (Revelation 13:11; 5:6). But, he receives his power from the Antichrist and, ultimately from
Satan. He is known as the False Prophet (Revelation 19:20).
A second figure comes on the
scene. Whereas the first world leader is religious and unites all people under
a single world religion, the second man is political and unites all the world’s
people under a single world government. We commonly know him as the Antichrist.
The Antichrist does not only unite the world under one political system, but he
establishes a single world monetary system which abolishes all private or
individual business transactions that are not part of the global system (Revelation 13:17).
The relationship between the False
Prophet and the Antichrist is an interesting one. The Antichrist (political)
empowers the False Prophet (religious). But ultimately the False Prophet causes
the whole world to worship the Antichrist (Revelation 13:12). The
False Prophet also encourages the people of the world to subscribe to the world
financial and economic system and to receive the mark of the Beast (Antichrist)
which gives them access to the financial system. Thus the global economy,
global political authority and global religion become intertwined. This all
happens in the name of unity which sounds good but is not. It is a bad unity
because it is man-centred and is a unity against the Lord and His Christ.
How do we move from a world of
many separate economies, religions and governments to a single system? This
will not happen by military might, but individual governments willingly become
part of the world government. This comes about because of two factors: First
the nations are deceived into believing that the Antichrist has the answers to
the world’s political and financial problems. Second, it is part of God’s plan:
“For God has put it into their hearts to fulfil His purpose, to be of one
mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are
fulfilled.” (Revelation 17:17).
Practically, the world’s leaders
will realize that their individual economies are so intertwined and the only
way to solve the ever-increasing financial crises is to bring all the separate
economies under one roof. Those who stay abreast of world affairs will
recognize that there is an ever-increasing number of influential leaders who
have begun to promote the idea of a global economy. The most significant of
these is the G20 which in recent years has made several statements advocating
such a global economy.
But the most startling statements
were recently made by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace in
a 41 page “note”. It was published on October 24, 2011 in several languages.
The Council speaks for the Pope and is filled with legal verbiage and
complicated language, but is one of the most amazing documents I have ever
read. It is amazing because it calls for a word-for-word fulfilment of the
prophecies of Revelation 13, 17 and 18 and places Rome at the centre of the
drama![1]
The first half of the note deals
with background and related philosophical issues. But the second half (points 3
and 4) calls for a single world government (point 3) and for a single world
financial system (point 4)! Had I not read and studied the document, I would
not have believed the statements made in it. I hope in the following few lines
to summarize this document:[2]
They quote several recent Popes to
show that support for a single world ruler is very much part of the core
philosophy of Rome. For instance John XXIII “…also expressed the hope that one
day “a true world political authority” would be created”. In the context of the
document this means that John XXIII wanted to see a single world government.
The document continues to state that today this teaching (of a single world
government) is “even more vital and worthy of urgent implementation”
They continue to say of the
current Pope that “Benedict XVI himself expressed the need to create a world
political authority”. In the same paragraph they list all the reasons why a
single world government is desirable. Things like peace and security,
disarmament and arms control, the protection of human rights, the protection of
the environment, the management of the (world’s) economy, the “universal common
good”, the protection of weaker nations from the power of stronger nations etc.
John XXIII is further quoted as
saying that in order for such a world government to be effective “it should be
endowed with structures and adequate, effective mechanisms equal to its
mission”. This simply means it has to be a real government with “teeth” and
real authority over the world’s peoples rather than a United Nations type
organization with little ability to enforce its will. They concede that the
United Nations is the agency to bring this world government about, but at the
same time, it needs to be a real government unlike the UN which is simply a
committee.
They continue to say that such an
Authority must have “global reach”, not by “force, coercion and violence but
should be the outcome of free and shared agreement…”. Revelation 17:17 says that
the world’s nations will willingly hand over all their authority to the
Antichrist. Note their use of the word “Authority” with a capital letter. This
is their term for what the Bible calls the Antichrist. They alternatively use
the terms “Authority”, “world Authority”, “world public Authority” and “global
Authority” – always with a capital “A”. Revelation 13 and 17 speaks seven
times about the Antichrist having “authority”.
The document speaks about the need
for all nations to be part of this system and that none should be excluded: “…the
world Authority should consistently involve all peoples…”. Revelation 13:7 says “…And
authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation”. The note
says that policies must be binding on all and that the Authority should have
“universal jurisdiction”.
In the fourth section that deals
with a global economy they say there is a need for “…the commitment to create
some form of global monetary management” and “one can see an emerging requirement
for a body that will carry out the functions of a kind of “central world bank”
that regulates the flow and system of monetary exchanges…” They then speak of
the need for such a world economy to be under the control of the world
government. Revelation 13:16-17 says that the False Prophet “…causes all,
both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their
right hand or on their foreheads, 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.” In
this document, The Vatican has pledged its commitment to fulfill this prophecy
to the letter!
Before continuing with the closing
comments of this document, let me remind you that Revelation 17:5 refers to
“Babylon the great, the mother of harlots”. In the past many have believed that
this is an unequivocal reference to the church of Rome (the mother of harlots)
and that the “daughter harlots” are the rest of the false religions. I used to
hold that Babylon is not necessarily a reference to Rome alone but to all forms
of false religion. However, this document is causing me to reconsider my view.
Had I not verified that this document indeed was produced in the Vatican at the
very highest levels, I would have discounted it as a fake. It seems simply too
surreal that the note calls for the implementation of prophecy in such minute
detail. I must assume that the Pontifical Council knows what Revelation teaches
on this subject and yet, is willing to identify itself intimately with the
False Prophet, the Great Harlot and Babylon the Great.
May I also remind you that the
tower of Babel was man’s attempt at “global” unification entered on man, and
against God, and that the Lord was so displeased that He made them speak
different languages and so cause division and the scattering of mankind. God is
all for unity, but it has to be a godly unity centred on the Lord Jesus Christ.
God is against unity that has man as the focus, especially when that unity is
used to oppose God as they did at Babel and as they will in the last days.
Babel is the Hebrew name for Babylon – they are the same place, but more than a
place, it is a philosophy and a spirit. The Babylon(s) of Revelation 17 and 18
are a revival of the Babel of Genesis 11 and represent the same anti-God and
man-centred philosophy. Both are the pinnacle of all anti-God and Antichrist
structures (puns intended).
The Vatican document concludes
with the following lesson: Quoting the tower of Babel and Genesis 11, they say
that Babel warns us that diversity (as opposed to unity) is as a result of
selfishness and leads to division. It further states that Babel is a warning of
what happens when we don’t stick together and when nations choose to separate.
The document very clearly calls for mankind to reverse the effects of Babel and
to return to the process of building a unifying (and God-defying) structure. I
do believe I sum this up correctly by saying they are literally calling for the
rebuilding of Babylon (not the physical but the spiritual, political, religious
and financial Babylon of Revelation 17 and 18)!
I will quote the final sentence of
the document verbatim: “Only a spirit of concord that rises above divisions and
conflicts will allow humanity to be authentically one family and to conceive of
a new world with the creation of a world public Authority at the service
of the common good.” (Emphasis mine).
Allow me to remind you that what
this document calls for is not a pipe dream. It will come to pass,
exactly as they are envisioning it and precisely as the Bible has predicted.
Let me also remind you that Rome is not isolated from the rest of the world’s
religions. In The Berean Call of November 2011, Dave Hunt provides
detailed evidence that the most influential evangelical leaders in America all
support and endorse Rome and its leaders.
All this tells me that the end is
closer than we like to think and that everything is ready for the fulfillment
of the final end-time prophecies. “And I heard another voice from heaven
saying, “Come out of her (Babylon), my people, lest you share in her
sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.” (Revelation 18:4).
“And he cried mightily with a
loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a
dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every
unclean and hated bird! …”The kings of the earth who committed fornication and
lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the
smoke of her burning, standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying,
‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your
judgment has come.’ “And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over
her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore” (Revelation 18:2, 9-11).
Notes:
The full text can be read on the
official site of Vatican Radio: http://www.news.va/en/news/full-text-note-on-financial-reform-from-the-pontif I have
paraphrased their statements simply to strip the text of verbiage and make it
more accessible to readers who are not lawyers or theologians. I have endeavoured
to not alter or exaggerate anything they have said.
Source:
http://antonbosch.org/Articles/English%202010/Rev13.html
It is also available on request as a MP3 message preached in Sun Valley on November 13, 2011.
It is also available on request as a MP3 message preached in Sun Valley on November 13, 2011.
[1] The full text can be read on the
official site of Vatican Radio: http://www.news.va/en/news/full-text-note-on-financial-reform-from-the-pontif
[2] I have paraphrased their statements simply to strip the text of
verbiage and make it more accessible to readers who are not lawyers or
theologians. I have endeavoured to not alter or exaggerate anything they have
said.
Source: Discerning
the World
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