Vatican, Your End Is Near
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition ... and now ye know what witholdeth that he might be revealed in his time ... For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth (hinder) will let (hinder) until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that WICKED (lawless one) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming" (II Thess. chapter 2)
And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing.
And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
For in one hour so great riches is come to nought, and every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off.
And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
Book of Revelation 18:14-18
And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
Book of Revelation 18:14
The Holy See, under the absolute authority of the pope of the Roman Catholic church, is the smallest independent country in the world; established in 1929 under terms of the Lateran Treaty — although St Peter's Square is subject to the authority of the Italian police. The Vatican is thus not merely the residence of the leader of the Roman Catholic Church but a sovereign political state in its own right, separate from the rest of Italy with its own ambassadors. It is from here that the pope seeks to rule the world through a modern Roman empire.
"The Roman Catholic Church is both a church and political system. As such it attempts to exert its influence in every sphere of human activity, expediency alone determining whether it moves as a religious institution or as a political institution... On the lower level through its local congregations, it presents itself as a religious organisation, and its appeals for money and support and public trust are made on that basis. But in its higher branches, as its influence is exerted through the hierarchy, it becomes increasingly a political organisation, until in the Vatican it is concerned almost exclusively with political affairs and seeks to exert a controlling influence over the affairs of nations... This preoccupation of the hierarchy with temporal affairs has led some to declare, with good reason, that the Roman Church is not a church at all, but primarily a government, a political-commercial system which cloaks itself with religion to give it an air of respectability.” 1
"Rome continues to teach a works-based false gospel that promotes idolatrous practices and denies the sufficiency of Christ's death on the cross, adding to it numerous "sacraments" and man-made doctrines that can only be found in the Roman Catholic Church. She has never changed her teachings on Purgatory, Transubstantiation, Infallibility, a Celibate Priesthood, Infant Baptism (for sins), Mary as Intermediary, or Prayers to - and for - the dead. She has never lifted the anathema (excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church and, by extension, from God's grace) for not following these teachings. In fact, having assurance of one's salvation is still an excommunicable offense.” 2 "In the mystical sense, these fruits may intend universal dominion over nations and churches, the obedience of kings and princes, riches, honours, and pleasures of all sorts; things greatly affected by the Papacy, and of which a large harvest was expected, but now all will be at an end: " 3
The Vatican will cease to exist and with it will end the long legacy of papal pomp and privilege accorded this nation state by all the nations.
The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing.
Book of Revelation 18:15
"It must never be forgotten that the Roman Papacy was for long ages an absolute, unlimited, tyrannical monarchy, a worldly, secular government. It had its territorial dominions, its provinces, cities, and towns; it had its court, its nobles, its ambassadors, its army, its police, its legislature, its jurisprudence, its laws, its advocates, its prisons, its revenues, its taxes, its exchequer, its mint, its arsenals, its forts, its foreign treaties, and its ambitious, selfish plans and policy, just as much as any mere secular kingdom. But it was also something very different — it was the head of the Latin Church; it was a great ecclesiastical power; it was a religion as well as a government. As such it had its dioceses and parishes, its spiritual hierarchy of archbishops, bishops, priests, and deacons, its theological schools and colleges and professors, its abbots and deans, its councils and synods and chapters, its monasteries and convents, its orders of mendicant and other friars, its services and sacraments, its creeds and confessions, its doctrines and discipline, and its penances and punishments. Romanism is a comprehensive term, including both these widely different organizations. Both had their center in the seven-hilled city, and both regarded the Roman pontiff as head. Just as in the old pagan times the Caesars themselves had been both emperors and high priests of the national religion, so the popes in mediaeval times were fountainheads of authority both in the kingdom and in the Church. The ecclesiastical position of the emperors was however rather a name than a reality; while that of the popes was most real. They were practically and effectively head in both realms.” 4
The Vatican sends the pope or diplomats all over the world to meet with secular leaders and governments. In history, whenever possible, the state was under the complete authority of the church. The pope's advice highly influences the others. Only Catholicism has this power and position that world leaders wish to cooperate and consult with it.
In this century all who engaged in clerical, diplomatic or financial intercourse with the Church, conscious of their being partners in her crimes by virtue of association, will fear they should share in her punishment. They will mourn the immense temporal, diplomatic and financial loss as her approaching end becomes imminent in this century.
And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
Book of Revelation 18:16
"Priests of the Catholic Church regularly wear red vestments on Good Friday, Palm Sunday, Pentecost, Birthday Feasts of the Apostles and Evangelists, and the Feasts of Martyrs. Purple vestments are worn on Advent, Lent, and at Funerals, although other colors are optional on some of those days. Other approved colors are white, green, black and rose and gold. A distinctive shade of bright orange-red designated officially by the Church as "scarlet" is frequently worn by Cardinals of the Catholic Church. Here you see Archbishops and Bishops in purples and Cardinals in scarlet.” 5
For in one hour so great riches is come to nought, and every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off.
Book of Revelation 18:17
"Rome was always famous for its great wealth and riches; the Jews have a saying, that if ten kabs of riches descend into the world, the ancient Romans take nine of them, and the other the whole world.” within a few decades the Catholic Church will cease and one hour expresses "The suddenness and speediness of Rome's destruction, the quick dispatch and expedition that will be made in it, by the instruments of it, as in (Revelation 18:10).” 6 And all who had relations with her will stand at a distance, for fear of sharing in the condemnation and punishment of the City on Seven Hills. They will know full well that they deserve the wrath of divine justice, having been associates with her in her crimes. After all, it is the Last Judgment.
And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
Book of Revelation 18:18
"The Apostle Paul warned the
Church night and day with tears of
a great apostasy that was to arise
in their midst and finally culminate
in the revelation of the Man of Sin.
Some mysterious power was
hindering his final revelation:
"Let no man deceive you by any
means: for that day shall not come,
except there come a falling away
first, and that man of sin be
revealed the son of perdition ...
and now ye know what witholdeth
that he might be revealed in his
time ... For the mystery of
iniquity doth already work: only
he who now letteth (hinder) will
let (hinder) until he be taken out
of the way. And then shall that
WICKED (lawless one) be revealed,
whom the Lord shall consume with
the spirit of his mouth, and shall
destroy with the brightness of his
coming" (II Thess. chapter 2)...
Here we have many (plural)
coming and saying I (singular)
am Christ and deceiving many.
This is a perfect description of a
dynasty. Those who say Antichrist
is one man are dreaming.
Since the time of Pope Constantine
there have been about 300 Popes,
all coming one at a time and
sending multiplied millions to
hell one generation at a time.”
The Antichrist, www.reformation.org
Today the "Vatican's museums are outstanding and the Vatican Library has a priceless collection of ancient manuscripts and more than 1 million bound volumes.
Many of the most renowned artists and architects of the Italian Renaissance were commissioned by popes to work on the Vatican's buildings.
The Papal Palace complex contains more than 1,000 rooms and houses the papal apartments, the government offices of the Roman Catholic church, several chapels and museums, and a library.” 8
Surely there was not any city like it for power and authority, for pride and luxury, for idolatry and superstition, blasphemy and impenitence.
In this 21st century all her magnificence and grandeur will give way to sorrow, desolation, and ruin as pilgrims and tourist begin abandoning this great city. It will never rise again and its utter ruin is preordained by God Almighty!
Notes:
1. Dr. Loraine Boettner, Roman Catholicism
2. Is Roman Catholicism Mystery Babylon? (www.souldevice.org)
3. Gill, John. "Commentary on Revelation 18:14.”"John Gill's Exposition of the Bible.” (http://bible.crosswalk.com)
4. Paul's Forview of Romanism (members.tripod.com)
5. What does the word "Vatican" mean? (www.aloha.net)
6. Gill, John. "Commentary on Revelation 18:14.”"John Gill's Exposition of the Bible.” (http://bible.crosswalk.com)
7. The City Reborn (www.ibiblio.org)
8. Vatican City (www.travelnotes.org)
“After the fourth century, when the Roman empire had fallen, the bishops of Rome stepped into Caesar's shoes, took his pagan title of Pontifex Maximus, the supreme high priest of the pagan Roman religion, sat down on Caesar's throne, and wrapped themselves in Caesar's gaudy trappings. And that role they have continued ever since.”
Dr. Loraine Boettner, Roman Catholicism
“The faithful are blind to the white-vested bishops, the twinned cardinals, the purple-clad monsignori. They see only the pope who wears the white skull-cap, the man who heads a church numbering one billion, with 4,000 bishops, 400,000 priests and a million nuns. Jubilant though they are in the basilica, though they kneel and clap and swoon and even elderly nuns, for the first time in years, forget their inhibitions, they all sense he is fixed on the Other, on the God whom he represents on earth and to whom alone he is accountable.”
Peter de Rosa, Vicars of Christ: The Dark Side of the Papacy
Bantam Press, 1988, p. 14
Vatican slammed by UN human rights committee over sex abuse
Associated Press, February 05, 2014
"The Vatican 'systematically' adopted policies that allowed priests to rape and molest tens of thousands of children over decades, a UN human rights committee said Wednesday, urging the Holy See to open its files on pedophiles and bishops who concealed their crimes.
In a devastating report hailed by abuse victims, the UN committee severely criticized the Holy See for its attitudes toward homosexuality, contraception and abortion and said it should change its own canon law to ensure children's rights and their access to health care are guaranteed.”
Associated Press
"It seems that there will be continued success of the scandal's perpetrators, to avoid justice and even turn their crimes into noble acts. When John Paul II took office, he was briefed about the same revelations contained in the reports found spread across the bed of his dead predecessor. Instead of dismissing Bishop Paul Marcinkus, the man in charge of the Vatican Bank, a prime suspect for masterminding the scandal and participating in the conspiracy to kill the pope, the new pontiff had him promoted to archbishop and kept him in firm control of the Church's finances throughout the rest of the 80s. Marcinkus retired with honor after the long standing threat by police authorities to detain him for questioning if he ever stepped outside of the Vatican was lifted. The final lines may reprise the commentary on the long list of mysterious murders reverberating from the poisoning of the first John Paul.”
John Hogue, Nostradamus: The New Revelations
Element Books, Inc., 1994 p. 164
"Dr. Jay R. Feierman, a psychiatrist who has treated 500 sexually abusive priests over a 15-year period, also believes that a rule such as celibacy inevitably attracts too large a percentage of people with a deviant sexual orientation or with the potential for deviance. Richard Sipe's 25-year research in which he interviewed hundreds of priests lead him to conclude that at least 25 percent are either homosexual or attracted to children — this is a society where there is an estimated ten percent of the general population that is homosexual... . Personal and professional experience strongly suggests that people are not always honest when dealing with these topics — even with themselves and with the protection of anonymity.”
Michele Prince, Mandatory Celibacy in the Catholic Church
New Paradigm Books, 1992, p. 37-8
“We are witnessing the greatest accumulation of wealth in human history side by side with devastating famine and widespread depression. James warned: "Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and you will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days" (James 5: 3.) While the rich get richer the poor are getting poorer, just as the Bible prophesied. Today 1 percent of the American population have accumulated over 40 percent of the nation's wealth. These obscene accumulation of riches in the last decade is a sign that we are living in the last days.”
Grant R. Jeffry, Apocalypse: The Coming Judgement of the Nations
Bantam Books, 1994 p. 155"
“The Book of Revelation, thus viewed, as it ought to be, is a divine Warning of the peril and unhappiness of all who are enthralled by Rome. And its prophetic and comminatory uses ought to be pointed out by all Christian Ministers, and to be acknowledged by all Christian congregations. And they, whether Clergy or Laity, forfeit a great blessing and incur great danger, who neglect these divinely appointed uses of the Apocalypse, particularly in the present age, when the Church of Rome is busy, with more than her usual activity, in spreading her snares around us, to make us victims of her deceits, prisoners of her power, slaves of her will, and partners of her doom.”
Christopher Wordsworth, D.D, Is not the Church of Rome the Babylon of the Book of Revelation? www.ianpaisley.org
US diocese under bankruptcy threat
"The Catholic Church in Boston is considering filing for bankruptcy after more than 400 people who claim to have been sexually abused by priests prepare to sue the archdiocese, one of the city's major newspapers has reported.”
BBC 2 December 2002
More churches up for sale
"As more Montreal steeples fade into the background of daily life, the same conflict may soon play out in Catholic churches across the island...
When Mark Twain visited Montreal in 1881, he remarked that "you couldn't throw a brick without hitting a church window.” ...
Much has changed since since Twain passed through Montreal. While Canada's Catholic population grew to almost 10 million in 1971 (from about 1.7 million in 1871), church attendance plummeted, especially in Quebec.
There are still about 600 places of worship, half of them Catholic.
Attendances in those churches went from 75 per cent in 1975 to about 8 per cent today, said Bernard Fortin, in charge of pastoral planning for the Archdioceses of Montreal...
'In this situation, we are heading towards a dead end that will be disastrous in just a few years. The market will be flooded with churches for sale and people will be in tears watching the bulldozers come in.'"
The Gazette, Montreal, Sunday, May 26, 2002
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REV. 18.14-18: VATICAN, YOU END IS NEAR