HOW CLOSE ARE WE?

(12th and final article in the series based on the book, Out of the Abyss … can the number of the beast be solved, 666?)

The time is very near for the most spectacular event in human history since the miraculous birth, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ … the Rapture. The first five articles of this blog site captured in fairly extensive detail many features of this stunning event; followed by five articles to identify the Antichrist, then six more articles to disclose and document the characteristics of the woman who forms an alliance with the beast. This blog is the twelfth and final article to bring all this together and also to lead into next week’s topic that will focus on current events.

When the Rapture occurs, it will usher in the astonishing reappearance of the beast; an unheard of and seemingly impossible seven year treaty between Israel and the Muslin nations; followed by the greatest natural and man-made episodes of destruction and death in human history (four horsemen of the apocalypse) interspersed with massive God-directed judgments; culminating in the glorious appearing (return) of Messiah Jesus. The Book of Revelation even discloses the approximate number who will perish … one half of the earth’s population. Not too long ago, the world’s head-count reached seven billion. Although we have no idea exactly how many will be taken at the Rapture (my own estimation is one out of seven or about one billion), somewhere around three billion people will die during the Great Tribulation. Put this in the context of roughly 40 million killed during World War II, makes the tribulation casualty count nothing less than staggering … mind boggling.

I’m not sure we fully understand just how close it is. We’ve reached the apex of wars and rumors of wars that Jesus warned about in Matthew 24. World War III will not be another war with a winning and losing side as experienced in the first two world wars; only for the world to return to a semblance of peace while it awaits yet another global conflict. With the horrific weaponry, not the least of which is nuclear, the world simply could not sustain or survive another world war; unless God, himself, intervened. Most social, political, economic, and military experts agree that another global conflict would, in fact, be the war to end all wars, an end to civilization itself. Whether by an evil rogue nation that would unleash a nuclear bomb on another country or by a nuclear armed nation desperately trying to defend itself, it is virtually inevitable that these weapons of mass destruction would be employed in the next global war.

We’re approaching the end of the famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world that are also part of the birth pangs foretold by Christ; although there will be a few more to come. In the past few decades, we’ve witnessed an unprecedented increase in both the frequency and severity of world-wide catastrophes, such as massive tsunamis, incredibly destructive tornadoes, repulsive plagues (Aids virus), tragic famines, and shocking earthquakes of 7.0 or higher magnitude.

Listen to the words of Jesus: “For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones” (Matthew 24: 21-22).

What makes the current rumors of war so different from past conflicts is Scripture’s timetable predictions that in the very last days Israel and Jerusalem would be the center of world attention and tension. Before our very eyes, day after day we are witnessing precise fulfillment of Biblical prophecy in the Middle East, the most startling of which is Iran’s (and other nations) recent publicized threats to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. The words spoken by Iran’s former president are eerily similar, if not identical to the prophetic words of Scripture. “Come, they say, ‘let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence’” (Psalms 83:4).

Our Generation

That’s how close we are. If/when a nation’s leader articulates the last day prophetic words that the Bible says will be uttered, it won’t be successive generations that will experience the anxiety and consequences of those threats; it will be that very generation! A parallel example (one that was good) is God’s prediction through the prophet Isaiah that a Persian ruler, whom God even named before the ruler was born (Cyrus), would issue a decree for the Jewish exiles to return to Israel. Isaiah even prophesies the words that Cyrus would declare some 150 years later, “When I say of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,’ he will certainly do as I say. He will command, ‘Rebuild Jerusalem’; he will say, ‘Restore the Temple’’’ (Isaiah 44:28). If you like, read Ezra 1:2-4; which is the decree that Cyrus announced, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy.

This Iranian (along with other Shiite groups) threat is much more than idle boasting. The Iranians are serious—backing it up with their own messianic claims that Islam’s Madhi (messiah) is waiting for a massive intifada (Muslim uprising) against Israel and those who support Israel. Iran is banking on its ability to quickly finish years of nuclear development to provide enough enriched uranium to arm a nuclear warhead or two, or three. Depending on which intelligence sources are accurate, this could be a few weeks, but no longer than a few months.

There is no doubt with those leaders in Israel, who fully understand the mindset of their enemies, that Iran is not bluffing; that Iran’s megalomaniac rulers would detonate a nuclear device in Israel, if they had the capacity to do so. A preemptive strike by Israel would lead to Muslim reprisals that would engulf the entire Middle East in a conflict that would dwarf past wars in Israel. One that could be a catalyst to persuade the superpowers to take sides; one that would lead to global war and the apocalyptic carnage that today’s super weapons can inflict.

What we read in today’s headlines involves much more than just sabre rattling. We are watching Israel’s mortal enemies defy United Nations sponsored economic sanctions against them as their very economy begins to collapse around them. Their hatred for the Jews and all who would align themselves with Israel is both irrational and irreversible. They would rather die than give up their diabolical pursuit of Israel’s annihilation. And, they would love to see the United States brought to her knees.

The upsurge of international tension fostered by civil war in Syria, unprecedented strife between Sunni and Shiite Muslims, especially in Egypt, the overt and covert support of most Muslim nations (including Iran) by Russia, China, and North Korea, the ambiguous waffling of the United States between isolationism and support of Israel cannot possibly remain in a vacuum. Like any other balloon such as the economic bubble that burst in the US in 2008, you can’t keep filling the balloon with hot air indefinitely. Something has to give.

Animosity even exists between Shiite branch ultra-conservative Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran. Saudi Arabia is extremely fearful of a nuclear armed Iran, so much so that they are prepared to purchase nuclear weapons from Pakistan should Iran’s centrifuges produce the required amount of enriched uranium. You see, the Saudis are wealthy enough to simply buy nuclear warheads Rich enough? Instant nukes … just buy them!

Danger! Red Lines Ahead

The greatest of these dangers to the United States is the recent and blatant disregard for Israel’s security, via appeasement of Iran over the UN sanctions. Our President simply doesn’t grasp the senseless hostility of many Muslim nations and groups against Israel and against the United States. Or, if he does understand the malicious intentions of both radical and moderate Muslims, then we can only wonder about our President’s real objectives. No amount of negotiation or concessions will dissuade or deter radical Muslim leaders, especially Iran, from accomplishing their malevolent design of world domination. At the very best, negotiations will only delay Islam’s renewed effort to accomplish its goal of world-wide implementation of Sharia law through jihad (holy war). At the very worst, more concessions will intensify and accelerate the insane and apocalyptic ambitions of rogue nations such as Iran.

The current administration has already backed away from the red line it drew in Syria, regarding Syria’s use of chemical weapons on its own people. Our President had promised reprisals against the Syrian government should this red line be crossed. The red line is now a yellow line: let’s be cautious and not rush into doing what we said would be done. Another red line drawn through Iran has also been blurred. According to the current administration, there’s no way the US would allow Iran to fully develop nuclear weapons. As this article is being written, our President and his staff have not only retreated from this red line, they are contemplating the relaxation of economic sanctions that have at least delayed the relentless goal of Iran—the possession and unthinkable use of a nuclear arsenal.

Why are these things so dangerous to our country? Because we are perilously close to crossing the red line that God, himself, has drawn around Israel. It is the line that became symbolically visible when God called Abraham to leave his home, and journey to the land that would be given to him and his descendants forever. I repeat for emphasis: Forever. This unconditional covenant includes a wonderful promise for Abraham and his descendants (the Jews) that included the Gentile nations. It also contained an ominous warning to these nations. God said to Abraham: “I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12: 2-3).

In just the last few years these verses have been quoted many times by Evangelical Christians who support Israel, by Messianic Jewish leaders, by observant (religious) Jews, even by secular Jews … by all those who understand the history of and purpose for the very existence of Israel. One of these purposes is to be a light for the Gentile nations, by bringing to the world the “light of the world,” Messiah Jesus.

In direct proportion to or even greater proportion (depending on the extent of God’s mercy) that the United States withdraws support of Israel, God will remove his support of our nation, or any nation. To the extent that the US does not recognize Israel’s sovereign right of freedom to build more settlements in Judea and Samaria, the God-given rights and freedom of this country will be taken away from us. In the measure that our government ignores and even jeopardizes the security and safety of Israel or lessens its economic and military aid to Israel, God will remove his protection and prosperity from this wonderful nation we call the United States of America.

“Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth! Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. Submit to God’s royal Son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him!” (Psalms 2: 10-12).

Numbers in the Bible

As explained in my book, Out of the Abyss, numbers are an integral part of the Bible. Both literally and symbolically certain numbers specifically represent and depict the interaction of God in human affairs. The significance of the number forty, whether days or years, in Scripture is that it constitutes a period of testing, trial, or preparation for an individual or nation. Included in this preparation is a lesson of patience and dependence upon God; waiting for God to instill in his people a total awareness of the need to completely trust him for what comes next … all the while developing determination and courage to fulfill the purpose of God.

Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days/nights, while the Israelites were being tested and primed to receive the greatest (at that time) revelation from God ever given to mankind—the complete law of God. For 40 years the Hebrews wandered in the wilderness to learn from their mistake of not trusting God; but also to prepare them for what would be some of the greatest battles they would ever fight in the early history of their nation, in order to enter, conquer, and possess the Promised Land. Israel’s first King, Saul, reigned for forty years while God was preparing another King (David) “a man after his own heart” to finally conquer Israel’s enemies and unify the twelve tribes into one nation. King David ruled for 40 years to prepare Israel for the generation to follow, one in which Israel experienced total peace and prosperity under King Solomon, who also ruled for 40 years.

It’s been forty years since the last major war in Israel … the Yom Kippur War of 1973. I believe that it is more than mere coincidence that the current life and death (for that is what it is to Israel) issues over a nuclear Iran and its sworn determination to annihilate Israel, has entirely seized the attention, time, energy, skills, resources, and patience of the world’s superpowers. Likewise, it’s more than a random interval that this 40-year period of time has brought Israel and the world to the brink of a regional and potential global conflict with consequences so devastating that only the return of Messiah will save Israel from extinction and the world from unparalleled savagery.

By means of blog sites, web sites, emails, articles, newspaper, books, and other internet news sources, I keep a very close eye on Jerusalem, Israel, and the Middle East as a whole. I am not alone in my observation: Not since just a few decades before the birth of Jesus, have the Jews expressed a more intense and enthusiastic longing for Israel’s Messiah, as they do today.

Tragically, God’s own people rejected their Messiah after he was born in Bethlehem of a virgin; with equal tragedy they have paid an enormous price for missing Messiah’s first visitation. Although most Jews of today’s world await what they believe is the first appearance of Messiah, while we Christians are waiting for his return, the fact remains: Messiah will arrive at the appointed time to rescue Israel from her enemies in a miraculous fashion.

Make no mistake: God still loves Israel and has not forgotten her. He is willing that all of Israel would be saved–along with many Gentiles; saved from their individual sins and the penalty of sin (everlasting separation from God) and saved from national ruin by their enemies.

Summary

God waits in Heaven for the precise moment when he will send his Son back to this earth to complete the majestic plan of salvation and to deliver what the Bible calls God’s “special possession” from utter defeat at the hands of her adversaries.

We who are believers in the death, burial, and resurrection of the Son of Man, the Son of David, and the Son of God also wait for our deliverance from this ungodly world, a world gone mad … blinded by the god of this world who seeks to destroy the true Church of God and the very nation of Israel from where Messiah will rule and reign.

The beast awaits his release from the Abyss to regain the glory he once had, and then to expand that glory on a truly global scale. The woman waits and longs for another opportunity to establish a mighty ecclesiastical kingdom that rules over the kings of the earth.

“For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.” The time is short … very, very short for us to give such a witness on behalf of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Look to 2014 and 2015 for some extraordinary events … some things that might even signal the beginning of the end. I certainly am not making any predictions for the Rapture, i.e. day or hour. It could be next year, the year after, three years, or it could be while you’re reading this article!

“The land of Judah will be the Lord’s special possession in the holy land, and he will once again choose Jerusalem to be his own city. Be silent before the Lord, all humanity, for he is springing into action from his holy dwelling” (Zechariah 2: 12-13).

Things to Ponder

Is your hope in the return of Messiah Jesus growing stronger? Do you see how Biblical prophecy is coming more alive and active every day, by the unfolding of events in the Middle East? Is it becoming clearer that we are on the precipice of something huge, of a bubble about to burst because it has been stretched beyond capacity by the ominous confrontations of nations against nations? Are you listening for the final trumpet call of God? Are you looking up? Soon, it could be very soon!

THE WOMAN AND THE BEAST (Part VI)

11th article in a series based on the book, Out of the Abyss … can the number of the beast be solved, 666?) This is also the final article in a six part series of the Woman and the Beast

The Woman Identified by Her Clothing

I never cease to be amazed by the meticulous detail found in so many Biblical passages. Most of three full chapters (Revelation 17, 18, & 19) talk about the Beast who reappears from the Abyss and the Woman who sits on the Beast. As we’ve seen in the five articles on the Antichrist and now the six articles on the Woman, the Beast is Nero and the Woman is both ancient Rome and the subsequent Holy Roman Church. Specifically I’m referring to the actual articles of clothing worn by the woman in John’s vision. Let’s see how this apparel matches precisely with the attire of the Roman Catholic Church … literally.

“The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls….” (Revelation 17:4a). Why would the vision given to John include a description of the woman’s apparel? Answer: For the same reason that most of the visions in Revelation provide specific portrayals of people, places, and things—for the purpose of explaining exactly what will happen, what to look for, or what can be expected during the unfolding of the last days, including the Great Tribulation. Because, however, the visions of Revelation were given to John in the first century, all that has transpired to the present day is historical, to us. It is this history of the woman that we have been examining in the past few articles.

For example: “The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses” (Revelation 19:14). The “him” of this verse is Christ; the “armies” are all believers in heaven who will accompany Jesus during the final battle of Armageddon. It’s true that the white linen symbolically represents purity (cleansed by the blood of Christ), but the color white is also literal in this verse and other passages in the Bible. Same thing with the woman on the beast: The colors purple and scarlet are literally what adorns the woman, although they represent royalty and power/importance respectively.

Notice the sequence of the colors in Revelation 17:4; purple first, then scarlet. That is not just a random order of the colors. It’s far beyond mere coincidence that only the Roman Emperors were permitted to wear the “trabea” which was a deep purple toga; because purple was the color of both royalty and divinity in the Roman Empire and with other nations/monarchs. The Woman (that great city that rules over the kings of the world) was first embodied by the Roman Empire. When the Roman Empire fell, the Holy See filled the vacuum that had created an unstable, unguided, uncertain future for most nations within the realm of the Roman Empire.

The main color of the Roman Catholic Church was and still is red or scarlet; even though there are four main colors used in Catholicism … white, purple, red, and green … depending on the specific celebration or occasion. Not only was the Roman Empire recognized for its vast wealth (“beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls”), but so was the Roman Catholic Church known for its lavish prosperity and display of precious metals in/on clothing, edifices, artifacts, and instruments involved in the sacraments.

Of more than passing interest is the fact that for the first three centuries, the only color worn by church officials was the color white. Not until the Roman Catholic Church began to assert her authority and prominence over individual churches did purple and scarlet begin to replace white as the dominate liturgical colors.

Coat of Arms: For those not familiar with Coat of Arms, it’s simply an insignia normally in the shape of a shield worn (as clothing) or carried on flags or banners by kings/queens, nobility, and soldiers to represent a nation’s heraldry. Webster’s Dictionary defines heraldry as, “the practice of devising, blazoning, and granting armorial insignia…” Not long after kings and nations began to use insignia in the middle Ages, the Holy See soon followed with its Coat of Arms. And, for the last 800 years or so, each Pope has designed his own coat of arms in addition to the traditional symbols found on the Apostolic See’s Coat of Arms, such as two crossed keys, one gold and the other silver. Again, this demonstrates a pattern throughout Roman Catholic Church history to rival and exceed the authority of kings, whether these kings endorsed Catholic dogma or not.

The current Pontiff is Pope Francis who recently succeeded Pope Benedict XVI (Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger), who inexplicably and suddenly resigned. Pope Benedict XVI chose a coat of arms (in keeping with past Popes) with symbols that best represented what was important to him—historically, theologically, personally, and traditionally. Time does not permit discussion of the individual symbols, except to say that the three emblems on the front of the shield (a Moor’s head, a bear, and a scallop shell) have a strange, enigmatic history. The dominant color of the shield is red, with gold as a strong second color.

What I want to focus on is the fundamental shape of the entire shield itself, which is the most universally used form in Roman Catholic heraldry: a chalice. Synonyms for chalice are: cup, vessel, and goblet. Most of us know about the Holy Grail, from King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The legend of the Holy Grail (the cup that Jesus drank from at the Last Supper) began some 1500 years ago; though the actual cup used by Jesus has no literal or symbolic importance in Scripture whatsoever. Yet, the Catholic Church places great significance on this relic, and the composite chalice shape of the Coat of Arms is not simply a coincidence. Nor is utilization of the word, “goblet” in Revelation 17:4 and the goblet shaped Coat of Arms a random correlation; rather, there is an unmistakable connection between the chalice imagery of Roman Catholicism and the golden goblet held in the hand of the woman on the beast. It’s one of many identifying features of the woman of Revelation 17 & 18 that can be seen explicitly throughout Roman Catholic history and in the modern-day world.

The Woman Identified by Her Morality

“…In her hand she held a gold goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality” (Revelation 17:4b). The Greek word for obscenities (or abominations as found in other Bible translations) is: bdelgma, pronounced bdel-oog-mah. It means foul or detestable. Since we’ve already touched on this subject, and because the primary purpose of these articles is to disclose and document the dual features and identity of the woman who sits on the beast, there is no purpose in elaborating on the myriad events that can be found throughout the history of the Roman Catholic Church. Except to say that many incidents involving the Catholic Church can only be seen as “immoral” and “detestable”; not the least of which is the recent and ongoing world-wide scandal of Catholic priests and the abuse of children. Both social and religious leaders attribute this abuse primarily to the vow of celibacy required for all Catholic priests. Nowhere in the New Testament does it command that church leaders take a vow of celibacy for any purpose whatsoever, other than personal preference … which doesn’t require a vow. Even the so-called first Pope of the Catholic Church, Peter, had a wife!

Regrettably, there have been reprehensible scandals involving Protestant and even Evangelical church leaders, but nothing approaching the enormity of distasteful incidents throughout Catholic Church history. Nor is this a comparison based just on the number of offenses; rather, it’s a matter of simply matching the historical development and record of the Catholic Church to prophetic passages found in the book of Revelation. Furthermore, I am not bashing individual members of the Catholic Church. Rather, I hope and pray that they will do as Revelation 18:4 pleads with them to do: “Come away from her, my people. Do not take part in her sins, or you will be punished with her.” Revelation Chapter 18 provides more descriptive details of the great city (woman) Babylon, which as we’ve studied is an encryption for Rome. Such as, “For all the nations have fallen because of the wine of her passionate immorality. The kings of the world have committed adultery with her. Because of her desires for extravagant luxury, the merchants of the world have grown rich” (Revelation 18:3).

The Woman Identified by Her Persecution

“I could see that she was drunk—drunk with the blood of God’s holy people who were witnesses for Jesus. I stared at her in complete amazement” (Revelation 17:6). Sadly, the history of the Catholic Church is replete with periods of repression, persecution, torture, and killing of those Catholicism classified as heretical, dissident, unorthodox, or even uncooperative, non-conforming trouble-makers. Who hasn’t heard or read something about the Crusades, Joan of Arc, or the Spanish Inquisition; just to mention the major periods of oppression against anyone who would dare defy the Supreme Pontiff and Roman Catholic divine right of rule. Wars (both cold and hot) were fought between Catholics and Protestants, between the Papacy and Monarchs, and within the Catholic Church itself.

Nowhere in Scripture do we find that the Kingdom of God on this earth (which is currently in the hearts of individual believers) is to be defended or extended by suppressive force, i.e. overt or covert persecution, repressive tyranny, or by warfare. Only when Christ returns will there be the need to conquer the enemies of Christ, of Israel, and of tribulation saints. “Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war” (Revelation 19:11). As the text states: this will be a just and righteous campaign … contrary to the unjust and unrighteous subjugation of dissenters to the Catholic Church.

The Future of the Woman

Although the comprehensive world-wide influence of the Catholic Church has somewhat declined in the last 200 years or so—more so in the political and economic arenas of the world—she will once again rise to power during the Great Tribulation. After all, the Catholic Church claims around 1.2 billion members in today’s world, so there has been no substantial decline in the sheer number of people. In fact, we have seen a resurgence of interest in recent Popes, particularly the previous two, Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and the current Pope Francis. Recently Pope Francis reached the number one position of the most “talked-about” person thus far in 2013.

Soon after the Rapture, followed by reappearance of the beast (Nero) she will “sit on the beast” for both support and control. But, as so often happens with incompatible bedfellows, especially with ungodly alliances, will also happen to the Woman as graphically depicted in Revelation. “The scarlet beast and his ten horns all hate the prostitute. They will strip her naked, eat her flesh, and burn her remains with fire” (Revelation 17:16).

These are very strong words/images to declare the demise of the Woman, the Great City. But there’s more: “How terrible, how terrible for that great city! She was clothed in finest purple and scarlet linens, decked out with gold and precious stones and pearls! In a single moment all the wealth of the city is gone! And all the captains on the merchant ships and their passengers and sailors and crews will stand at a distance. They will cry out as they watch the smoke ascend, and they will say, ‘Where is another city as great as this?’ And they will weep and throw dust on their heads to show their grief…” (Revelation 18: 15-18).

*Note– Although Rome is inland from the Mediterranean Sea, if the entire city went up in flames, the smoke could be seen by those on ships in the Mediterranean. Not so with Babylon (Iraq). Just another passage to validate that the great city is Rome and all that Rome contains, including the Vatican.

Summary

And, so the bedfellow relationship between the woman on the beast and the kings of the earth will reach its climatic zenith during the Great Tribulation. The Roman Catholic Church (and other ecclesiastical systems with similar false gospels and hierarchical control over their members) will seek an alliance with the Beast (Nero) who reappears from the Abyss, and his ten-kingdom coalition. For a period of time this unholy union will succeed; but with great indignation and fury the Beast will turn on the woman and destroy her. And, this time, God himself will orchestrate first the destruction of Babylon the Great (Rome), then total victory over the Beast and all nations who would dare oppose Messiah Jesus. “For God has put a plan into their minds, a plan that will carry out his purposes…” (Revelation 17:17a).

For a short time, probably 42 months following the Rapture, the Holy Roman Church will achieve its never-ending objective: religious and political restoration of the mighty Roman Empire. And for a period of time, the revived Roman Emperor Nero will be a willing accomplice. Ironically, those left behind that belong to the world will direct their worship to the risen beast, which means that the Woman on the beast will have no alternative but to “go along with the ride.”

But let’s not leave it here. Let’s look at the ending that resounds with the final victory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Revelation Chapter 18 begins and ends with a stunning description of Rome’s destruction. Then Chapter 19 begins with, “After this I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, ‘Praise the Lord! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. His judgments are true and just. He has punished the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the murder of his servants’” (Revelation 19:1-2). Then in verse three we read, “And again their voices rang out: ‘Praise the Lord! The smoke from that city ascends forever and ever.’”

Later in this same chapter we read, “Then I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet … Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur” (Revelation 19: 19-20).

Thus, Satan’s two-front war consisting of hostile annihilation of believers in Christ through kings and governments along with Satan’s more subtle strategy of infiltration through a religious system that distorts the truth of the Gospel and seeks to capture and destroy the very souls of men and woman, will be utterly defeated by the King of all kings (empires) and the Lord of all lords (ecclesiastical).

Hallelujah to the Lamb of God! My Redeemer Lives! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!

Things to Ponder

Though it’s evident that the majority of Catholics have been misled by the false gospel and church traditions taught by their leaders, we must understand that there are those among them who have, indeed, accepted Jesus as their personal Savior. This would include some priests, bishops, cardinals, and hopefully even the Pope, himself. The problem is the stranglehold of the Catholic system itself, with the ultimate sword of excommunication dangling over their heads.

This is no different from the Jewish religious leader’s intimidation through the Pharisees and Sadducees over religious and non-religious Jews alike … before, during, and after the time of Christ. The New Testament tells us that many Jews, including priests, teachers, and even a member of the Sanhedrin (Nicodemus) believed in Jesus; but were reluctant to publicly express their faith in Christ, for fear of being expelled from Judaism—with all the privileges afforded by membership in this hierarchical system of extra-Biblical rules and regulations.

Unfortunately, many who bear membership in the Catholic Church and other organizations like it will miss the Rapture and suffer through The Great Tribulation. Unless, that is, “they call upon the name of the Lord to be saved” … by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone! Nothing else is needed, certainly not a baptismal entrance to and membership in any formal religious system. Baptism is like the wedding ring. The ring doesn’t marry us, it only shows that we are married. Neither baptism nor church membership saves us; instead it demonstrates to the world that we have been born-again from above … a rebirth that is as permanent as our physical birth!

THE WOMAN AND THE BEAST (Part V)

(10th article in a series based on the book, Out of the Abyss … can the number of the beast be solved, 666?)

One of the most intriguing expressions in the English language is one of many two-part English words; a phrase that conveys both a literal and metaphorical meaning. That word is “bed-fellow.” Webster’s Dictionary defines this thought-provoking term as, “one who shares a bed with another.” (That would be the obvious definition). But this term has taken on a meaning that is, by far, the most common application today which Webster defines as, “a close associate: Ally (political).” In fact, down through the years, the concept of bed-fellows has come to mean two or more political, social, or religious groups/entities that are at odds with each other, but who are willing to figuratively “share the same bed” in order to accomplish their respective agendas.

Amazingly, Scripture uses the same analogy to describe the sordid, unholy relationship between “the great prostitute” and “the kings of the world.” But the Bible uses more explicit and harsher words than bed-fellows to paint a decadent picture of the Woman who sits on the Beast, which has been the subject of our past four articles. Once again, let’s read exactly what Revelation has to say about this ignoble woman. The angel tells John:

“Come with me … and I will show you the judgment that is going to come on the great prostitute, who rules over many waters. The kings of the world have committed adultery with her, and the people who belong to this world have been made drunk by the wine of her immorality” (Revelation 17:1-2).

“Prostitute, kings, adultery, drunk, immorality;” these are strong words to illustrate the same idea conveyed by bed-fellows. But that’s exactly what you will find if you research and compare the interactive political chronicles of the kings/queens of Europe, Great Britain, and Asia Minor alongside the religious history of the Roman Catholic Church, including the many Popes and high-ranking officials of The Holy See. Even a fairly brief study of these interlocking histories will confirm the identity of the Woman portrayed in Revelation … in addition to the other points of reference and documentation provided in my previous articles.

The Holy See

Simply stated, The Holy See is the episcopal (governing the church by bishops) dominion of the Roman Catholic Church in and from Rome. The Bishop of Rome is the Pope, the universal leader of the Catholic Church, and also held to be the infallible representative substitute (Vicar) of Christ on the earth. Although the Vatican or Vatican State (founded in 1929) is not exactly the same entity as the Holy See, for all practical purposes they are one and the same thing. Think of the Holy See as the organism or body of the Catholic Church and the Vatican as the central physical location where the brain and heart of the body reside and from which it functions.

The term “See” is derived from the Latin term “sedes” which means “seat,” which expresses and represents the Episcopal throne or the “Diocese of Rome.” The Vatican State was created from the Lateran Treaty in 1929 in order to “ensure the absolute and visible independence of the Holy See.” The fundamental purpose was to demonstrate that the Holy See would continue as a recognizable sovereignty and member-state in the global community. In fact, the Holy See maintains diplomatic relations with 180 individual nation states, with the European Union, and even with the Palestine Liberation Organization. The Holy See also is a member or observer of multiple international organizations such as: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), World Trade Organization (WTO), UNESCO, United Nations General Assembly, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Whether a member or an observer, the Holy See dynamically interacts with some of the most powerful and influential global establishments on the face of the earth.

Though some may disagree, I believe one of the main reasons for the formation of the Vatican State was to preserve not only the international identity of the Holy See, but also restore and maintain diplomatic influence that had greatly diminished for the preceding 200 years or so. There were several reasons for this demise, such as the Protestant Reformation (that began with Martin Luther and his 95 Theses in 1517) and scientific discoveries that began to undermine the Catholic dogma with a more secular view of the world. In short, the Roman Catholic Church wanted to return to the glory days in which she “…rules over the kings of the world” (Revelation 17:18). This period of “bed-fellow” relationships with European monarchies lasted for well over a thousand years … off and on; but still continues in a limited capacity.

So, what about the Holy part of the Holy See (seat)? Or the Holy Roman Empire? Or the Holy Roman Church? The word holy in Hebrew (kadosh) and its counterpart in Greek (hageeadzo) primarily means: set apart, dedicated, or consecrated for a particular purpose. It does not mean perfect or flawlessly pure, unless the term applies to God, himself. Even when the Lord said to the Hebrews, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:45), he was referring to his deliverance of the Jews from Egypt for the express purpose of making them a distinct, unique people/nation separated from the pagan nations of the earth; destined to serve God and be a light to the Gentiles, as eventually accomplished through Jesus, the Messiah.

Yet, when you study the history of both the concept and implication contained in the term Holy See, there is one unmistakable connotation: Divine excellence that qualifies the Holy See to exercise God-like authority, power, and influence in all things pertaining to religion and state. Of course, there are some within the Catholic Church who would not ascribe this kind of exclusivity to the Holy See, but it nevertheless is an integral part of Roman Catholic dogma, both in theory and practice. It is the sovereign right of rule that supersedes heads of state and all other Christian groups based on divinely granted holiness; that definitive part of Holy that belongs only to God, not to sinful man.

Which is why the Pope is considered to be essentially infallible. And when the Pope issues a decree (whether Biblically based or completely unbiblical such as granting indulgences or excommunication or the very doctrine of Papal infallibility), then the edict is, for all practical purposes, also infallible; as are all those who disseminate and defend the decree, except some don’t always implement the proclamation in the purest way possible!

Although God’s righteousness is imputed to every believer through believing and receiving Jesus Christ, and his true Church will one day be presented spotless and blameless; this accreditation is solely for the purpose of each believer’s right relationship to God. It has nothing to do with the hierarchical governmental or administrative activities of a centralized institution, be it The Holy See, or the Ecumenical Council of Churches, or the Anglican Church, or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (to name just a few).

Some Historical Examples

As alluded to in previous articles: When the Roman Empire fell in the 5th century, the growing ecclesiastical headquarters in Rome, i.e. the Catholic Church, stepped in and assumed the same role and rights previously claimed by divine monarchs, particularly the Roman Emperors. Included in this “divine right to rule” was strong belief that the Pope—based on apostolic succession rights that began with the first Pope designated by the Catholic Church (the apostle Peter)—possessed divine authority over both church and state. It took some time for nation states to fill the power vacuum left by the fall of Rome, but by the 9th century several states or regions saw the rise of monarchs who began to challenge the sometimes subtle, but nevertheless growing influence of the Roman Catholic Church in the “affairs of state.”

For several hundred years there was an ebb and flow, a waxing and waning of Catholic domination over governments, kings, and of course the church itself. Sometimes kings would prevail, sometimes the Pope would come out on top. Sometimes there was direct confrontation, but more often than not, there was ongoing political/religious negotiation, diplomatic maneuvers, compromise, concessions—often with unscrupulous scheming that included but was not limited to some ugly tactics like torture and murder and sexual escapades that would add literal meaning to the Bible’s spiritual analogy of “adultery” between the kings of the world and the woman on the beast.

Here, we’ll examine just three of dozens of historical highlights (or lowlights, depending on your point of view) that reveal the Roman Catholic Church’s embedded association and/or active interaction with the kingdoms of the world. Which, incidentally, is the exact opposite of what Christ intended for his church. When on trial before Pontius Pilate, what was it that Jesus answered when Pilate asked him if he was the King of the Jews? Jesus replied: “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). How ironic is it that the word/concept of “ecclesiastical” is mostly identified with the Catholic Church; when, in fact, the very word ecclesia means “called out” (from the world and worldly systems). Again, listen to the words of Jesus: “…And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world … They do not belong to the world any more than I do” (John 17:14-16).

Jesus was specifically referring to his disciples (the Apostles) and generally to all believers, then and now. If Peter was, in fact, the apostolic rock on which the Catholic church would be built, why didn’t he understand that role and begin asserting himself as the first and only (while he was alive) Vicar on earth. That’s a rhetorical question: But if Peter had pursued such an ambition, you can rest assured that Paul and John and other apostles would have confronted Peter and reminded him that Christ was the only Head of the Church, both in Heaven and on the earth. All believers are said to be ambassadors for Jesus; but nowhere in Scripture does Christ command that his or a substitute (and an infallible one at that) be appointed to wield ultimate power/control over the body of Christ—the true Church.

A common saying among today’s believers that summarizes these and other verses is, “We are in the world, but not of the world.” Yet, the Roman Catholic Church, for all intents and purposes, has not only sought after alliances with heads of state, but has actually formed and imposed its own “divine government” with the misguided, non-Scriptural notion of establishing a visible, tangible, Kingdom of God on the earth; rather than acknowledging that (until Christ himself returns to set up the Kingdom of God), the Kingdom of Heaven lies within the hearts of born-again believers on this earth.

First Example: (One that demonstrates collusion and cooperation between the Pope and a King)
In 800 AD, Pope Leo III crowned King Charlemagne as “Roman Emperor” which provided the papacy with a foothold in asserting sovereign rights over subsequent Holy Roman Emperors. Time does not permit in-depth explanation, but there was a movement to essentially restore the ideal and fabric of the fallen Roman Empire. Both the Holy See and monarchs had the same objective; it’s just that they often disagreed on who should be in charge of reaching this goal.

Second Example: (One of many incidents throughout history that depicts confrontation between the papacy and the state, in which the Pope/Church prevailed over the King/State)
Pope Gregory VII had ex-communicated King Henry IV of the Holy Roman Empire, because Henry would not yield to Gregory’s insistence that only the Church had the right to appoint local church officials, particularly bishops. In 1077 this conflict came to a head (Henry began to fear local rebellion of his subjects), and King Henry IV travelled a long distance only to wait outside in bitter cold for three days before Pope Gregory finally agreed to see the King. Henry begged for mercy and the pope repealed Henry’s excommunication.

Third Example: (One of several in which the King trumped the Pope; one that began a gradual decline of the Holy See in terms of its supremacy over heads of state)
In 1534, Henry VIII, King of England revolted against The Holy See and Pope Clement VII by making himself the Supreme Head of the “Church of England.” Ironically, Henry VIII still followed Roman Catholic doctrine, but simply could not accept the Pope’s refusal to annul Henry’s marriage to Catherine. Henry didn’t wait for ex-communication; he acted first by establishing a completely different “church.” This took place some 17 years after Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses, essentially proclaiming justification (salvation) by faith in Christ alone … not by being a member of the Catholic Church and, thereby, blindly adhering to non-Biblical sacraments and extra-biblical creeds such as the purchasing of indulgences to reduce or eliminate time in Purgatory, a place that doesn’t even exist (try finding it in Scripture).

In case anyone thinks that I am isolating the Roman Catholic Church as the only religious system that has perverted the very gospel of Jesus Christ, by changing and channeling the truth of this gospel into a man-made, governmental type of Kingdom of Heaven on earth, I am not. For example, the Church of England that broke away from Roman Catholic domination and later morphed into the Anglican Church wielded a great deal of influence over both the religious and political affairs of England, as well as individual groups of Christians. It was for this reason that the Puritans sailed to America and founded the first real colony in the New Land. And, following the same principles of freedom from religious and state monopoly, the colonies revolted against England, i.e. the Revolutionary War.

What I am saying is that the Roman Catholic Church, for all the reasons presented in this article and previous articles fits precisely all of the characteristics ascribed to the woman of Revelation Chapter 17. In next week’s article, we’ll delve into more descriptive characteristics of the Woman to further validate the identity of the great city that was and still is … but in a different form.

Things to Ponder
– I suppose a couple of reactions to what may be considered as inadvertent suggestions or implications in these articles that clarify the Roman Church’s entanglement in affairs of state, would be, (1) complete separation of church and state. (2) Believers in Christ should not be engaged in politics, i.e. holding office in city, state, or federal positions.

Much has been discussed and written about these matters throughout the centuries. Undoubtedly, each Christian should search his/her own heart and conscience; however, there are some clear principles in Scripture that enable us to maintain a balanced Biblical world-view on these issues. To enable us to understand what separation of church and state really means; and to determine how a Christian can personally serve his/her country in the context of Judaic-Christian values without promoting a visible, tangible religious system whose ultimate agenda is to usurp control over the “body politic.”

THE WOMAN AND THE BEAST (Part IV)

(9th article in a series based on the book, Out of the Abyss … can the number of the beast be solved, 666?)

From Triumph to Tragedy

What should have been one of the greatest achievements of the Christian faith (the Roman Emperor Constantine’s protection of Christians) turned out to be one of the most tragic episodes of the early Church; so disastrous that it led to a thousand-year period of gloom and obscurity which historians now refer to as The Dark Ages. What could have been a triumphant explosion of freedom to intensify the spread of the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ, became instead what is commonly called Christendom, with its governmental hierarchy of ecclesiastical councils, commencing with a state church of the Roman Empire by edict in 380 AD.

Nowhere in the New Testament do we find any evidence whatsoever that Jesus needed a seat of government, or permission from a king, or endorsement by ruling officials or religious leaders to fulfill his mission on earth. In fact just the opposite occurred: He was ultimately rejected first by the religious leaders and then by the greater populace because they assumed that The Messiah would rule and reign from Jerusalem and deliver Israel from Gentile oppression. That will, in fact, happen one day when Christ returns to this earth. But the Old Testament was crystal clear that the Messiah must first suffer and die to liberate mankind from its worst tyranny … enslavement to sin; which is, after all, what produces the unjust and criminal conquest of rulers and nations against each other. Not to mention the devastation of individual lives resulting from greed, envy, lust, pride, theft, jealousy, immorality, sorcery, lying, and murder.

Nor do we find any evidence in Scripture or church history that 1st, or 2nd, or 3rd century believers were commanded to establish a centralized system of church rule that would unite all individual “churches” into an authoritarian hierarchy that would, in turn, govern (through church officials such as priests, bishops, vicars) and rule over individual believers.

The early Christian churches were more often found to be in the homes of believers, and were so identified in Paul’s epistles as (for example), “God’s holy people in the city of Colosse,” or the “church of God which is at Corinth.” But never (for example) to the “church of Rome,” meaning the one and only Church of (belonging to or controlling from) Rome. And when Jesus refers to all seven churches in Revelation 2 & 3, he addresses his comments to (for example) the “church in Sardis.”

This is much more than just semantics, i.e. in or at versus of. This distinction constitutes the very essence, the very character, the very identity, and definition of the church. It is the living church of God and of Christ, not a structure or system or seat of centralized, ecumenical power that claims ultimate authority over all who belong to that system including ex-communication; and that compels admission to and membership in the “Church” (beginning with baptism, including infants) as a fundamental requirement for salvation and, thus, qualifies its’ members to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Or, at least, places the members in good standing and gives them a head-start toward heaven; as long as they, in some fashion, remain in a “state of grace” though the conditions of this state are quite ambiguous.

The very words of Jesus contradicts and refutes this premise of salvation by admission to, affiliation with, and inclusion in any religious order by declaring, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3). The man to whom Jesus spoke was, of course, Nicodemus; who was a member of the elite Jewish Sanhedrin, whose every colleague was thought to be securely and eternally connected to God and the Kingdom of God. Instead, Jesus said that a spiritual rebirth—made possible only by personally believing and receiving Christ as God’s Savior to mankind—was the ONLY way anyone would ever see the Kingdom of God.

Although the book of Galatians is written to the “churches of Galatia”, the word “of” is needed because there were several churches (plural) in the region of Galatia. When writing to a particular group of Christians in a specific city, Paul always uses the functional preposition in or at. Thus, the church was so identified by the presence of believers in or at a particular location; not by a structure or centralized organization that exercised a governmental type of regulation over believers or the churches in which they fellowship and served, whether someone’s home or a building to accommodate the growing number of Christians in that city. The highest degree of administration over any individual church should be no more than the church board, normally comprised of pastors and elders.

The Transformation of the Woman

It’s now time to explain how the woman on the beast (that great city) changed her very appearance to accomplish Satan’s plan of subversion from within, as graphically depicted in Revelation 17. And, in so doing, I must identify the source, the very entity that has deceived the nations since the 4th century. I do so reluctantly, because some will take great offense and accuse me of bigotry, intolerance, lack of compassion, and even sacrilege. But I believe Scripture, as validated by the last 1700 hundred years of historical events/records both church and secular, is amazingly accurate in its prophetic description of how the woman … the great city … would try to assume control of the true church (the body of Christ, identified by and consisted of those who have placed their trust in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ) through deception and what is clearly a false gospel.

It’s undoubtedly safer to be politically correct. But in today’s world PC is virtually the same thing as not telling the truth, or suppressing it, or concealing it; or not exposing a lie. Yet, I, and untold thousands of believers the world over, believe God’s truth is eternal; not fashionably relative to whatever any given society decides is true or relevant. Thus, many would say, “what’s true for me, may not be true for you … so let’s not make such a big issue over such things as Jesus claiming that he is the only way, truth, and life and that no one can come to God except through him.”

Who or what is this woman in today’s world? When did she alter her appearance and change her tactics from dominant ruler ship over kings of the world at the height of the Roman Empire to the more subtle, somewhat less brutal (but equally destructive) schemes and conspiracies that include, but are not limited to: political intrigue, corruption, greed, power, opulence, manipulation through cold and hot wars—all of which are rooted in a devious plan that is diametrically opposed to the basic tenet of the true Christian faith: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NASB).

The woman transformed herself from the military might of the Roman Empire to the most dominant religious system in the history of mankind. It became a city within a city, but is still the great city itself. It still represents and reflects the Roman Empire, but wields a different kind of power; and achieves its goals by a different means of acquisition and authority. This woman of Revelation 17 has unwittingly accomplished Satan’s agenda to preserve and continue Rome’s conquest of the true Church by the shrewd introduction and use of a prefix. That prefix is Holy, as in Holy See. Which is easily interchangeable with Holy Roman Empire or Holy Roman Church, both symbolically and literally. I am referring to: THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

In next week’s article, we will elaborate on The Holy See, The Vatican or Vatican City State, and why/how it has perpetuated the legacy of the ancient Roman Empire.

Things to Ponder: You might want to read Revelation Chapter 18 which vividly depicts the demise of Babylon … both the city itself (Rome) and the false religions of “Babylon the Great. Mother of all prostitutes…” (Rev. 17:5). Note in particular Revelation 18:4-5, “…Come away from her, my people. Do not take part in her sins, or you will be punished with her. For her sins are piled as high as heaven, and God remembers her evil deeds.”

These verses are saying that there are and will be some true believers in Christ even within this counterfeit system. We need to see the distinction between those who are part of the hierarchy itself and those who have been misled by the ecclesiastical pyramid and tenets of the Roman Catholic Church (and other deceptive religions). Nowhere in the four Gospels do we find Jesus condemning an individual for his/her sins, because he fully understood the real problem is the sin nature and the innate wickedness and rebellion within each human heart. Instead he lovingly healed them, taught them, and saved them.

Unless the human heart is spiritually and supernaturally transformed by believing in Christ, there can be no forgiveness for and freedom from sin. It’s the inherited disease of sin that must be dealt with, not the symptoms which are individual sins that every man, woman, and child has committed.

Jesus did warn individuals that their unbelief in and rejection of him as the only One who could forgive and take away their sins would result in judgment, but he didn’t condemn them for their individual sins, as such. All of us were born sinners; for those who reject Christ as Savior, they are already judged … they condemn themselves (see John 3:36).

Yet, Christ blasted the religious leaders of Israel … as the blind leading the blind, telling them that they would, “…die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). *Note– Jesus didn’t say they would die because of their sins; instead they would die in their sins. They would die (spiritual death or eternal separation from God) because they refused to “believe that I AM who I claim to be…”

Scripture is clear, both Old and New Testament: God is extremely harsh on those in position of religious leadership who promote and are part of any system that claims salvation or a right relationship with God or the path to Heaven is available only through keeping the law of Moses, or membership in “the church” be it Catholic, Mormon, or even Protestant. Meaning, only that particular religious hierarchy is entitled to be a buffer or go-between God and man; and then only if the individual is a qualified member and participant in good standing, with all of the qualifications determined and controlled exclusively by the religious leaders.

What does the Bible say about such things? There are many passages, but one will suffice: “For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone…” (I Timothy 2: 5-6)

When religious leaders are blind, how can we expect their followers to see?

THE WOMAN AND THE BEAST (Part III)

(8th article in a series based on the book, Out of the Abyss … can the number of the beast be solved, 666?)

Throughout the chronicles of mankind a handful of events have actually changed the course of history. Meaning without that occurrence, the world would have been a much different place to live for the next generation, and even to generations hundreds of years later. The greatest of these events took place when the Son of God became the Son of Man. He came for one purpose: To die for our sins and deliver all who would believe in him from an eternity separated from God … to purchase our pardon and restore us back to our Creator.

Although secular historians have marginalized the significance of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, his impact on the world is irrefutable. His birth divides the very existence and recording of time itself (BC to AD). His death and resurrection separates the Old (Covenant of Law) from the New (Covenant of Grace), whereby, we now have the awesome privilege and position of entering directly into the very presence of God. Despite the relentless persecution experienced by those whose hearts and lives have been changed by the Messiah, the Gospel of Christ flourished for several centuries.

Very soon after Jesus arose from the dead and returned to his Father in heaven, Satan went to work again. He launched a campaign against Christians intended to stop the church cold in its tracks. Since he had failed miserably to preempt Messiah Jesus from accomplishing God’s greatest plan of all—the magnificent plan of salvation—Satan took it upon himself to select the little-horn ruler prophesied by Daniel. To then mentor this ruler, called the man of lawlessness by Paul; and will unleash this same man during the Great Tribulation. Little did Satan realize that his man, Nero, would first be preemptively killed by Christ, revived, then banished to the Abyss. Or that Satan would have to wait nearly two thousand years for the man of lawlessness to reappear as the Beast of Revelation.

Yet, when he couldn’t crush Christianity through the malevolent persecution initiated by Nero and to a lesser extent perpetuated by subsequent Roman Emperors, Satan again switched to a strategy of infiltration. And, heartbreakingly, this plan has caused more disruption and damage to our Christian faith than Rome’s brutal repression and murder of thousands of Christians in the first three centuries. These operations of torture, deprivation, and murder continued off and on for another two hundred years or so (depending on which Roman Emperor was reigning), until another astonishing, world-changing event occurred, affecting mankind in general and the Christian church in particular.

Constantine the Great

Practically overnight the Roman Empire stopped its brutal operations to eradicate Christians. Beyond the wildest imaginations of both believers and unbelievers, the new Roman Emperor Constantine (reigned from 306-337 AD) not only put an end to persecution of Christians, but actually became an advocate or patron for the Christian faith. In his Edict of Milan (313 AD), Constantine proclaimed, “that it was proper that the Christians and all others should have liberty to follow that mode of religion which to each of them appeared best…”

Essentially this edict guaranteed religious freedom to all Christians, much like we have in America today—even more so. In America, we had to fight the British to ensure pursuit of our “inalienable rights” including worship of God, when and where we chose. The 4th century Christians didn’t even have to fight; rather this freedom was unexpectedly handed to them by the Roman Emperor Constantine and his armies.

This was absolutely revolutionary!

I say overnight, because Constantine replaced the Roman Emperor Diocletian who was the tenth and last emperor to initiate state sanctioned persecution of Christians since Nero, who was the first Emperor to inflict such carnage. Among other sordid activities, Diocletian ordered the demolition of Christian homes, burning of their sacred books, arrest, torture, starvation, and more death in the arena. Although Co-emperor Galerius first granted Christians the right to practice their faith, it was Constantine who made this tolerance completely official … the policy of the empire. Suddenly, it was politically correct to be a Christian! Time does not permit to explain, nor do historians actually agree on whether Constantine’s “conversion” to Christ was real or politically convenient; but Constantine’s abrupt acceptance of the Christians was a dramatic reversal of the status-quo harassment and killing of Christians. The historian Eusebius records a great celebration and euphoria within the Christian community of the Roman Empire.

Constantine began to support the Church financially, i.e. providing funds to erect basilicas, exempting these churches from certain taxes, returning confiscated property to Christians, offering land grants, and promoting Christians (especially those designated bishops) to high-ranking offices. He also abolished crucifixion, and replaced it with hanging … a much more humane way of execution. (It’s the thought that counts!)

For all practical purposes it was a State (Empire) sponsored endorsement of the Church; followed by a rise of some Christians to positions of power within the Empire and, conversely, the appointment of non-believers to high positions within the Church. The latter of these two was the beginning of Satan’s back-up plan, i.e. “infiltration” and corruption of the truth of the Gospel by redefining salvation and the Church. One result of these “stealth” tactics was a precedent setting policy for a Christian Emperor to interact very diligently with Church officials. Although the Emperor did not make or interpret doctrine—only the bishops could do that—Constantine enforced doctrinal declarations, ferreted out heresy, and fostered ecclesiastical harmony.

Theology & Definitions

What is the definition of “The Church,” both then and now? Or, is it even necessary to define certain words and precepts of the Christian faith? To answer that question let’s first look at the definition of “definition”! Among other things, Webster’ Dictionary defines definition as, “the action or the power of describing, explaining, or making definite and clear.” Also, “distinctness of outline or detail.” Think of the blueprint and foundation of a skyscraper or even a modest house. Definition is to truth and reality as design and foundation is to the shape, support, outline, distinctness, and structural integrity of a well-built building.

There’s a growing emphasis on minimizing or even mocking the idea of theology. “Don’t bother me with all those theological terms,” is the mantra of many, even those who claim to be believers. But there are some things that must be defined, otherwise, which Jesus do we follow: The Jesus who claims to be the Son of God and the only way to God, or the Jesus that was merely a great humanitarian and teacher of right living? Which church do we belong to? The church building on the corner that bears the name of a certain denomination; the Catholic Church that purports to be the universal church, or to the church defined in the Bible, i.e. those who have placed their personal trust in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus and are, thereby, said to be “children of God”, those who are “called out” from the world, those who comprise the “body of Christ.”

Jesus Christ is the only head of the church. For sure pastors/teachers, evangelists, elders, deacons, and apostles were given as a gift to believers, but for the purpose of preaching the gospel and helping believers grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The New Testament is very clear: All who accept Christ as personal Savior become priests. “And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God” (I Peter 2: 5).

According to this incredible passage, each believer is not only a priest (direct access to God anytime, anywhere), but also “living stones” in the real temple (church) of God. Essentially, then, believers don’t even need a building (church) and certainly not a centralized, consolidated national or international forum whose assembly determines what rules or rituals must be followed, or what extra-Biblical edicts they must believe and obey in order to earn salvation and be secure from potential excommunication.

What should have been one of the greatest achievements of the Christian faith (Constantine’s kindness to the Church) turned out to be one of the most tragic episodes of the early Church. We are still experiencing the fall-out of this transformation of the woman (Revelation 17) in today’s world.

Next week’s article will identify the modern-day identity of the woman who sits on the beast.

Things to Ponder:
– When it comes to defining things like right and wrong, good and bad, doesn’t it all begin with the definition of truth? What is true and what is not true? Amazingly, the Bible doesn’t really define truth with a dictionary style set of words or ideas. Instead, truth is defined by a Person! That person is none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God and also the Son of Man. Jesus said, “I AM the truth.”
When we match truth and reality to the very source of truth (Christ), then we will also find life itself and the very meaning of life. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:6)

THE WOMAN AND THE BEAST (Part II)

(7th article in a series based on the book, Out of the Abyss … can the number of the beast be solved, 666?)

Invincible! Such was the mindset of the Roman Generals and Legions, the Caesars who ruled from Rome, and the vast majority of Roman citizens during the zenith of the Roman Empire. Moreover, nearly all of the peoples and nations conquered by Rome felt the same way. Who could stand against such a powerful empire? Who could possibly defeat the Romans in battle? Who would dare oppose such a mighty domain that, by the end of the 1st century dominated most of the civilized world and civilized, by ruthless force if necessary, much of the uncivilized world? How could Rome ever fall from glory?

But fall she did, exactly like the Prophet Daniel predicted nearly one thousand years earlier: “I continued to watch because I could hear the little horn’s boastful speech. I kept watching until the fourth beast was killed and its body was destroyed by fire” (Daniel 7:11). The “little horn” was Daniel’s description of the man who would later be called the beast of Revelation and the Antichrist in I John 4. The “beast” of Daniel was the fourth and final Gentile kingdom, and though it was the mightiest and most terrible of the four kingdoms, it would one day cease to exist. This fourth beast would also be the “woman” graphically portrayed in Revelation 17.

For nearly six hundred years, the woman (the great city) that John saw in his vision would “…rule over the kings of the world” (Revelation 17:18). This on-going rule of Rome through Roman Emperors is a historical fact. No other nation on the face of the earth, including America, has ever attained the pinnacle of supremacy like the Roman Empire. But one by one the Roman emperors fell; piece by piece the colossus crumbled from within, until European barbarians dismantled her beyond recognition in the 5th century AD.

The woman continues to rule but in a far different way. Before we delve into the transformation of the woman from a ruler over kings to “the great prostitute, who rules over many waters” and with whom, “the kings of the world have committed adultery” and by whom, “the people who belong to this world have been made drunk by the wine of her immorality (Revelation 17:1-2), let’s take a perceptive look at the strategy of the one who is behind the rise of Godless empires and ungodly world systems whose sole purpose is to misrepresent and replace the true God and His Messiah. The one to whom I’m referring is Satan.

Satan’s Tactics Concerning Israel and Christianity

Because Satan cannot see into the future, he is forced to react to human events the same way we do … meaning in the linear unfolding of time, from day-to-day. But throughout Biblical and secular history we see two distinct patterns of Satan’s plans and operations. (1) An immediate attempt to destroy by external power whoever or whatever stands in his way and interferes with his evil purpose for mankind. (2) When sheer force doesn’t work, he resorts to attacking from within; through a diabolical agenda of twisting and perverting truth—by deceit, distortion, lies, counterfeit imitation, compromise, immorality, apathy—with the final result of rebellion against God and substitution of God’s eternal Word with ungodly man-made beliefs and ideas.

Make no mistake: Every evil thing that men do, including nearly every war or atrocity ever waged by one nation against another, or one ethnic group against another, or one race against another, begins with a belief system. Thus, Hitler and his Third Reich thugs sought to annihilate the entire Jewish race, because Hitler subscribed to the deviant and degenerate idea of Aryan racial purity and supremacy which led to a shocking view that Jews were sub-human. This type of thinking is straight from hell.

Conquest by Force

First, we’ll present a historical panoramic overview of Satan’s schemes to eliminate all those who would dare oppose him and his ultimate plan for world domination by usurping God’s authority; indeed, Satan’s warped and unattainable goal of being like the Most High God.

In these series of articles based on my book, Out of the Abyss, I’ve seldom quoted from the book; primarily to look at some things pertaining to the Antichrist and the Roman Empire in a new/fresh way. But for the purpose of this article, I would like to share an excerpt beginning on page 225 of the book. The excerpt is placed in the following italics:

Satan wanted to crush Christianity as soon as he could, which is why I believe God granted him the opportunity to raise up this ruler soon after Jesus returned to heaven. (Note– the ruler referenced here is, of course, Nero). If you examine Scripture, you will find this preemptive strategy and pattern of Satan in every situation that involves the promised Messiah or Israel as the racial ancestry of the Messiah. You only need to look at the historical proximity between the prophesied event or person and the timing of Satan’s preemptive attack.

It began with Cain’s murder of Abel, who Satan thought was the direct progenitor (seed) of the Messiah. Remember, Satan can’t see into the future; he acts on what he thinks is going to happen next, meaning soon. He tried to preempt Moses from his role as deliver of Israel; thereby, holding Israel under Egyptian bondage and keeping them from the Promised Land. He tried to exterminate Israel through the powerful, but wicked Persian official Haman. In the same pattern as Moses, Satan stirred Herod to kill all the newborn children in Bethlehem. He tried to get Jesus to sin in the wilderness, thereby, discrediting Christ from being a perfect sacrifice. He was instrumental in killing Jesus by crucifixion, hoping that Jesus could not arise from the dead. And now, he was diabolically obsessed with the destruction of the early Christian Church by means of killing all the Christians.

This blueprint continued throughout history, culminating with the Holocaust—a depraved attempt to exterminate all Jews, which would prevent them from returning to Israel, which in turn would prevent Yeshua from returning to Jerusalem to establish Messiah’s kingdom … On and on we could go in demonstrating that Satan launches his attack as soon as he realizes that there is yet another event that could destroy his plan for the human race.

Do you see this? Satan never waited before. Why would he wait for an unknown, unspecified, interminable length of time for the Christian church to flourish and usher in the Kingdom of Heaven on earth? Revelation hadn’t been written yet, so Satan didn’t know the rest of the story. His arrogant ambition and pernicious pattern is always now. That’s why he selected Nero to be the king prophesied by Daniel.

Alas, the rebellion abruptly ended; rudely interrupted when Satan’s superman left the scene before all of the terrible things Satan wanted to do could be completed! Satan must have been furious a Nero, at the Roman Empire, at the Church, and at Christ.

Let’s stop here! As indicated, none of these blunt force tactics worked for Satan, not in the long-run. Because God’s plan and purpose will always be accomplished, the Bible (and as reflected in secular history) shows that God controls and, when necessary, intervenes in the rise and fall of empires and rulers. Sometimes God will supernaturally strike swiftly within a few hours, days or weeks, such as toppling the walls of Jericho. Other times he will intrude into the affairs of kings, cities, or nations over a period of years, decades, or even centuries, such as the rise and fall of the four Gentile kingdoms prophesied in Daniel … Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome.

When that happens, when Satan’s best laid plans are foiled by God, then Satan reverts to his ongoing Plan B to defeat God and God’s people, whether the people are Jews of the Old Covenant of Law or the new man (Jew and Gentile are one) under the New Covenant of Grace: Infiltration and Subversion from within.

An early Biblical and well-known example of this strategy is the idolatrous golden calf made by the Israelites who grew impatient for Moses to return from Mt. Sinai. These same people who had witnessed God’s powerful and persuasive miracles of the Egyptian plagues, yielded to the voice of a select few within the Israelite camp; that they needed a God they could see and worship visibly. And all this happened just a few weeks after their miraculous deliverance from Egypt and the stunning rescue of the Jews from annihilation when their backs were to the Red Sea. You remember: God parted the waters and the Jews walked across the sea! And what happened to the Egyptians? They had the audacity and arrogance to ignore this stupendous miracle, and pursued the Jews; as a result, they all drowned. Did Pharaoh and his army actually think that God would deliver his people by miraculously parting the waters, only to allow them to be massacred on the other side of the sea? Obviously, if he had truly contemplated the whole thing, Pharaoh would have stayed on his side of the sea!

Satan couldn’t destroy the Israelites by force, so he reverted to discord, disunity, and disaster from within the ranks. Hence, the golden calf and subsequent apathy, complaints, and rebellions from a discontented few. If you can’t beat them, join them. Right? So, stop trusting in God to get you to the Promised Land; devise and implement a plan, an idea … someone, something (like money) to get you where you want to go or be. Whatever it takes, do it your way. In the proverbial nutshell that’s Satan’s lie to the world and even to the people of God.

“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe…” (II Corinthians 4:4).

“For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones” (Matthew 24:24).

Things to Ponder:
– In today’s world, what do you see as the greatest threat to true Christians? Is it persecution from without that is taking place all over the world, such as China’s suppression of believers or Muslim atrocities against Christians in many Arab countries? Or is it subversion from within, such as the growth of many cults?
– Recalling early Church history, did the ruthless oppression of Christians hinder the range of the Gospel, or did Christianity actual flourish and spread?
– In the next article(s), we will discover what actually did hinder the advance of the Gospel. None other than the woman we’ve been discussing, the same woman who will “sit on the beast” during the Great Tribulation.

THE WOMAN AND THE BEAST (Part I)
(6th article in a series based on the book, Out of the Abyss … can the number of the beast be solved, 666?)

To say the Book of Revelation contains some of the most apocalyptic revelations known to man would be the proverbial understatement. One of the most captivating of these revelations is found in Chapter 17 … John’s amazing vision of a woman sitting on a scarlet beast. Moreover, it is one of only two revelations found in Revelation in which an angel reveals the mystery of what John had just witnessed. That alone (the explanation) is enormously significant. As said in a previous article: a mystery revealed is no longer a mystery … we are meant to understand the meaning with a great deal of certainty. It’s just a matter of comparing Scripture with Scripture and Scripture with history and current events.

Let’s read it: “So the angel took me in the Spirit into the wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that had seven heads and ten horns, and blasphemies against God were written all over it. The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls. In her hand she held a gold goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality. A mysterious name was written on her forehead: ‘Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World.’ I could see that she was drunk—drunk with the blood of God’s holy people who were witnesses for Jesus. I stared at her in complete amazement” (Revelation 17:3-6).

Who is the Beast? My book, Out of the Abyss, as well as the past few blog articles, answered this question: Nero. If you find that conclusion to be incredible or inconceivable then I encourage you to read the book and/or the articles. You will find Biblical and historical evidence to support this astonishing premise: The early Christians knew and so, too, can we know the identity of the beast of Revelation. The number and name of the Antichrist has been solved!

Who, then, is the Woman?

In the last sentence of Revelation Chapter 17, the angel discloses the identity of the woman: “And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world” (Revelation 17:18).

Next Question: Who or what is the “great city.” It’s not as hard as you might think, because there are only two viable choices: Babylon and Rome. Some prophecy students speculate that the great city could be New York or possibly Moscow. Many scholars also maintain that the Antichrist will establish his headquarters in whichever location is selected as the actual real-life city that the image of the woman is representing.

Babylon

The more contemporary, prevailing view is that the ancient (to be restored) literal kingdom city of Babylon is the proper choice, for the following reasons:
– The wording in Revelation 17:5: “A mysterious name was written on her forehead: ‘Babylon the Great…”
– The entire 18th Chapter of Revelation that describes in graphic detail the utter destruction of Babylon, beginning with verse 2: “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen!”
– Some Old Testament prophecies announcing the destruction of Babylon, particularly Isaiah 21:9 which reads, “…Babylon is fallen, fallen!” As noted this description is nearly identical to that of Revelation 18:2.
– The attempts of the late Saddam Hussein to rebuild Babylon during his dictatorship in Iraq (which came to a screeching halt with the capture, trial, and execution of this evil tyrant).

Let’s test the validity of Babylon as the correct choice. First, the mysterious name of Babylon the Great (verse 5) does not tell us that the woman (the great city) is, in fact, Babylon. Rather, it states that Babylon the Great was written (symbolically of course) on the woman’s forehead. And what or who is Babylon the Great? The text of Revelation 17 answers that question, “Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World.” In other words, Babylon the Great is not actually a city at all in the context of the woman representing the “great city that rules over the kings of the world.”

Rather, the context of Revelation 17 explains that Babylon the Great is the “mother” that would bear children who would “prostitute” the very existence and truth of the true and living God and of his Messiah. This corruption and distortion of God’s everlasting truth is the core foundation of all non-Christian world religions, or religious organizations (systems) that are Christian in name only including cults, and anti-religious systems such as the occult New Age movement or communism. By contextual implication, the great city of Revelation would be the dwelling place of the worst of her children, as vividly depicted in Revelation Chapter 18 & 19. Thus, when the great city is crushed during the tribulation, Mother Babylon which birthed the woman riding the beast is also destroyed.

Another passage in Isaiah refutes the idea that a renovated modern-day Babylon is the great city symbolized by the woman (on the beast). As follows: “Babylon, the most glorious of kingdoms, the flower of Chaldean pride, will be devastated like Sodom and Gomorrah when God destroyed them. Babylon will never be inhabited again. It will remain empty for generation after generation…” (Isaiah 13:19-20). Then the last verse of that chapter tells us, “Babylon’s days are numbered; its time of destruction will soon arrive.” About 170 years later Babylon was, in fact, utterly destroyed by the Medes-Persians.

This devastation is a historical fact, and today’s Babylon is a virtual wasteland compared to the glory of ancient Babylon. Neither Sodom nor Gomorrah will ever be rebuilt, which is one reason the destruction of Babylon is equated to these two cities … neither will Babylon ever be rebuilt. To say that Iraq’s modern-day Babylon is the great city (the woman) is to say that God will twice destroy it; which contradicts the passages we just reviewed.

Both Isaiah and Revelation calls for the annihilation of Babylon. Of utmost impact is that both Isaiah Chapter 21 and the angel of Revelation Chapter 18 twice proclaim the fall of Babylon. Not announcing that Babylon will twice be destroyed, but that of repeating the stunning news. This is more than just repetition for the purpose of emphasis. The angel in Revelation is declaring that both the city is ruined (we will shortly discover that Rome is the great city represented by the woman and Babylon is used as an encoded reference to Rome); and the ungodly, unholy system of occult, astrological, man-made gods, and Satanic/demon-driven false gospels (of good works that mandates membership in a universal church) will also be completely shattered.

Thus, when the angel announces that, “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen!” in Revelation 18:2, the “fall” includes both the great city itself (Rome) and the Satanic system that seeks to replace the everlasting truth of the true and living God with a corrupt, counterfeit, and rebellious apostasy (falling away) that was promoted by and flourished in the ancient Babylonia kingdom, led primarily by Nebuchadnezzar. And then continued by the great city of Rome during the glory days of the Roman Empire; only to reach its zenith by the time of the Great Tribulation, but in a different way and form.

ROME (Roma)

Why is Rome the only feasible, legitimate choice as the great city of Revelation Chapter 17?
What realm had conquered and dominated most of the entire civilized world when the book of Revelation was written? Easy answer: The Roman Empire. And what city was the cultural, economic, and military center and capitol of this great empire? An even easier answer: Rome. And what would happen to Christians if a newly written scroll that contained some of the most astounding revelations ever witnessed and recorded had specifically mentioned Rome as the “Mother of All Prostitutes, drunk with the blood of God’s holy people (Christians), holding a goblet full of obscenities and impurities of her immorality…”

Or conversely, a city “hated by the scarlet beast and the ten horns (kings) who would strip her naked, eat her flesh, and burn her remains with fire” (Revelation 17:16). To the Roman citizens, Generals, but particularly to Caesar, these would have been blasphemous, insulting words of disrespect and even treason. In short order, many more Christians would have been rounded up and executed. Thus, it was necessary to disguise the great city of Rome in another name or symbol, i.e. the woman or Babylon. The Christians were also protected in Revelation Chapter 13 when the angel and John encoded the identity of the Beast (Nero, the Antichrist) within the number six hundred sixty-six; then encouraged the Christians to solve the mystery of this number.

There are other verses to demonstrate that Rome is the great city that will “sit on the scarlet beast” (as a rider sits on a horse for both support and an attempt to control or direct the horse … only for the horse to buck the rider and trample him to death), but for sake of time/space, I will introduce just one other proof.

Returning to Revelation 17:18 we read, “And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world” (italics for emphasis). The word rules is a present tense verb, with the clear connotation that this great city was already ruling over other kings and their nations, as Rome clearly did when Revelation was written. As already discussed in previous articles, the beast, himself, had already died (Nero), but the woman who sits on the beast was very much alive—Rome and the Roman Empire. At the beginning of the tribulation period, the beast will reappear from the Abyss and, with the allegiance given to him by the ten kings (who had not yet risen to power—Revelation 17:12), the beast would turn on the woman and utterly destroy her.

Thus, Babylon (the city, itself) could not possibly be the woman of Revelation 17, for at least two reasons: (1) it had already been destroyed and, according to Isaiah, would never return again to any form of greatness, whatsoever. (2) When Revelation was written, Rome was the only city “that rules over the kings of the world.” But the present tense verb “rules” would also apply to the end times, as the woman (great city) would be alive and well during the onset of the Great Tribulation and would, at first, be in coalition with the beast. So this present tense use of the word, “rules” covers the entire scope of John’s vision–the existence and domination of Rome when the vision was given to John plus the end-times scenario of how the great city would interact with the beast.

But the Roman Empire was destroyed in the 5th century AD. How, then, can Rome qualify as the great city, with a present tense application since the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, i.e. through the Dark Ages, through the political and military prominence of European kings/queens, during the Protestant movement and Renaissance, right up to the present time? How can the present tense use of the verb “rules” be extended to the Great Tribulation? Or, putting it another way, “Just what will the woman (the great city) look like, signify, represent, or characterize during the end-times?”

Stay tuned. Next week’s article will answer this question and more! You will see what happened to the late, great Roman Empire and to the woman (Rome), who was the very heart of that empire. And, I’m not suggesting a Revived Roman Empire, because I firmly believe there is no such thing in Scripture. See Chapters 15 & 16 in Out of the Abyss, in which much evidence is presented to verify that the seven heads of the beast (Revelation 17) are kings, not kingdoms. (It is the 7th “kingdom” that many students of prophecy speculate will be what they have called, The Revived Roman Empire).

Rather, there will be a Revived Roman Emperor, called the beast in Revelation Chapters 13 & 17. Concerning the woman, you will see that it’s the same woman, but she has taken on a new appearance after the fall of the Roman Empire. At the outset of the Tribulation, the woman will be in alliance with and gain support from the beast-king, but will also attempt to manipulate the beast; just like this same woman has committed adultery (spiritual) with the kings of the earth in order to control those kings and their kingdoms since the fall of Rome.

Things to Ponder
– Can you find another verse in Revelation Chapter 17 that also conveys the rule of the woman in the (ongoing) present tense? Hint: if you can locate this verse, you will also find more evidence that the woman (both the ancient version and the modern version—because “rules” is present tense throughout) is Rome. Another hint: What city was built on how many hills?
– Now try to locate another verse that clarifies the on-going rule of the woman, this time in the context of ruling over (the meaning of as explained by the angel) “many waters” as first mentioned in Revelation 17:1. When you find that verse, do you see a difference in what or whom the woman is ruling over (many waters) compared to the last verse of Revelation 17 that tells us the woman rules over the kings of the world? This is the distinction between ancient Rome with its Caesars that ruled over kings and kingdoms and the subsequent form and substance of the woman beginning in the 4th-5th century and continuing to this very day. My next article will explain in more detail this difference.