PART OF OUR ONGOING SERIES ON PROPHECY
2 online streaming sermons on prophecy...
* RECONCILIATION AND ATONEMENT
OVERVIEW OF PROPHECY
I was at the Vatican on March 27th of this year (2005)...which was Easter (Ishtar) Sunday (the day of the sun). I was there 6 days before the Pontificus Maximus (Pope) died.
The unfolding events of the last month alone, as well as my trip to Rome has again brought into sharp focus the pathetic state of the Church of God...and the fact that the church has chosen to stick it's head in the sand and ignore the signs of the times.
The whole Church of God is asleep. It's ministry has lured and mesmerized the church into a state of lethargy by:
1. ...misinterpreting and misapplying Bible prophecies and by crying wolf too many times. They have used prophecy for their own purposes to raise money and to attract a following.
2. ...by dumbing down Bible prophecy and telling the people that it is "timeless" and not really relevant today. And by encouraging members to close their eyes and not to look.
3. ...by looking at the religions of this world and longing to be like them and imitating worldly religions. (This was the sin of ancient Israel.)
4. ...by making the Church of God a social club with a social message and agenda, and by the way, that club is class structured and cliquish.
5. ...by scoffing and laughing at Biblical prophecy. In modern political language they have used "spin" or rather "theological spin" to deny prophecy of future events.
Has God prophesied future events in the Bible? Let's hear it first person from God. Isaiah 46:9-13 says,
"Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I
am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and
from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel
shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the
east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country:
yea, I have spoken it, I will also
bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. Hearken
unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near my
righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry:
and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory."
Revelation 1:1 says, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John." These scriptures need no explanation. God simply says He has a plan and He will do it and He will show His servants what He is doing.
A PORTAL PROPHECY
In this article, I want to call your attention to a relevant end time prophecy in the Book of Revelation. In fact, it seems to be a "portal" prophecy for the end time. Read Revelation 17. As you read it, ask yourself, who is the Great Whore? Who are her harlot daughters? Who are her Kings? I am not going to spoon feed you. You will need to study some history and think for yourself to understand. But, there are two specific entities being spoken of in this chapter. They are the Holy Roman Empire and the Kings of Revelation.
A. The Holy Roman Empire
At present, there have been 6 successive resurrections of the Holy Roman Empire. "Five are fallen, one is and one has not come..." The Vatican exists as an independent nation today ruled by a "King." The Pope's title "Pontificus Maximus is a title that was once given to Roman Emperors. That title has now been transferred to the Pope. Mussolini established the Vatican as an independent nation in 1929--thus making Revelation 17:10 a benchmark for the end time. The "one is" is the sixth resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire. We are seeing the end of the sixth and the seventh is on the way.
7 RESURRECTIONS OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE
(The image of the Beast)
1. Imperial restoration in 554 AD by Justinian recognized the supremacy of the Pope.
2. Frankish Kingdom in 774 AD. Charlemagne crowned by Pope 800 AD.
3. Otto the Great crowned by Pope in 962 AD.
4. Hapsburg dynasty. Charles the Great crowned by Pope in 1520.
5. Napoleon's Kingdom...crowned by authority of the Pope in 1805.
6. The Vatican is established as an independent Kingdom by Mussolini in 1929.
This is the "one is" or the "6th resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire."
7. "One is yet to come."
B. Who Are The "7 Kings" mentioned in Revelation in 17:10???
How many Kings (Pontificus Maximus) have there been in the sixth resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire since 1929? There are 7 Kings:
1. Pope Pious XI
(1922-1939)...FALLEN
(Pious XI was Pope in 1929 when Mussolini restored his temporal power by making the Vatican an independent state and the Pope became the "King" of his own Kingdom.)
2. Pope Pious
XII (1939-1958) FALLEN
3. Pope John
XXIII (1958-1963) FALLEN
4. Pope Paul VI
(1963-1978) FALLEN
5. Pope John
Paul I (1978...he reigned 33 days) FALLEN
6. Pope John
Paul II (1978-2005)
"One is" is now FALLEN as of April 2, 2005
7.
(Not Yet Come)
When He does come, he will remain a short time...
(2005-???????)
78 year old Pope Benedict is the oldest pontiff elected in 275 years
8. The
8th is of the seven.
Revelation 17:11
And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the
eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
Go on to chapter one: THE "MAN OF SIN?
WHAT IS THE MARK OF THE BEAST?
Copyright---April 2005 The Churches of God www.thechurchesofgod.com