• About
  • God’s Plan of Salvation
  • Out of the Abyss

eyeofprophecy … watch and wait

~ "For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus" (Rev.19:10)

eyeofprophecy … watch and wait

Tag Archives: Roman Catholic Church

Antichrist and the Vicar of Christ … Part II

12 Saturday Sep 2015

Posted by garybowers in The Antichrist

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Pope's Address to Congress, Roman Catholic Church

The Antichrist and the Vicar of Christ … Part II

During the Great Tribulation, the unholy alliance between the beast-king who reappears from the Abyss and the Vicar of Christ will come to an abrupt end. This will take place when Antichrist (Roman Emperor Nero) vanquishes the Vatican that would dare assert supremacy over the superior authority of a “divine” ruler straight from the ancient Roman Empire who will proclaim himself as God and Messiah. Though they both will claim right to rule, the city of Rome (indeed all of Europe and the Middle East) will not be big enough for both of them. One of them has to go.

The woman sitting on the scarlet beast depicted in Revelation signifies the city of Rome during the apex of the ancient Roman Empire and subsequently the Roman Catholic Church that replaced the glory of Rome with a “Holy Roman Empire.”

“And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world” (Revelation 17:18). And she rules over, “…masses of people of every nation and language” (Verse 15).

However, the angel earlier told John that the beast is one of the seven kings (Roman emperors) who ruled Rome when the vision was given to John (Revelation 17:9-11). That the eighth king, who is from and one of the seven, is the actual beast who had died but would reappear (at the outset of the Tribulation) from the Abyss. Although Chapter 17, like most of the book of Revelation, is principally portraying the future Tribulation, it is also providing a brief history of the origin of the Antichrist beast … from ancient Rome.

Thus, we need to understand: Although the woman is Rome, once the Roman Empire ceased to exist, it was replaced by the Roman Catholic Church—the Holy See that was and still is the driving force behind the Holy Roman Empire—which represents the woman during the times leading up to and including the Great Tribulation. Essentially then, it is the modern-day woman characterized by the Holy See who will become a rival to the Antichrist beast who once ruled supreme over the Roman Empire through that same woman … the City of Rome, but in a political and military domain.

The Graphic Annihilation of the Tribulation Woman

“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).

What an astonishingly vivid and dramatic description! It doesn’t get much more explicit than that.

th

Most of the time especially in passages of last days prophecies, Scripture’s symbolism is more than just analogous imagery. Sometimes, the object being compared to the prophetic metaphorical subject is or could be literally applicable to past and/or future events. When applied to people, nations, and religions that defy God by distorting or rejecting God’s Word and deceiving multitudes of people, often the imagery is ironical; as is the case in the verse we just read. Let’s see how this works:

*They will strip her naked:

One of several correlative clues to identifying the woman of Revelation 17 (then later in Chapter 18) as the Roman Catholic Church is found in Verse 4: “The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls.”

One of the distinguishing features of the Roman Catholic Church is the attire of its clergy and the symbolism expressed through nearly everything worn or displayed by the ecclesiastical hierarchy of the Holy See; including but not limited to the Coat of Arms. This is covered in more detail in the six-part Eye of Prophecy series entitled, The Woman and the Beast, published 10-12-13 through 11-16-13, specifically Part VI.

It’s beyond mere coincidence that the primary dress color of Catholic Cardinals is scarlet, of Bishops … purple, of the Roman Curia … also purple, and of the Pope … white and scarlet. Roman Catholic apparel is a symbol of eminence and a source of esteem. Although the predominately black worn by catholic priests is designed for more modesty, as a whole clerical clothing sets them apart from the laity.

th

How exceptionally satirical it is that the beast and his coalition of ten kings/nations will, “strip her naked.” Both figuratively and literally, Nero will defrock the Holy See of its preeminence and position. However this occurs or exactly what happens, there will be far fewer (if any) catholic robes worn because there will be many less cardinals, bishops, and priests to wear them. I do not say this to be vindictive or cruel in any way, shape, or form; as the totality of the death and destruction during the Tribulation will be terribly tragic. Such is the way of evil. Such is the way of God’s justice against and final triumph over evil. The Bible bluntly tells it like it is.

**They … will eat her flesh:

I believe this is a credible, if not convincing, correlation with the flawed non-Biblical Catholic sacrament of Transubstantiation; in which Catholicism contends that the very body and blood of Christ is in the Eucharistic wafer and wine elements of catholic communion.

Conversely, Scripture is clear that Messiah’s body was broken and his blood shed only once, that his atoning death was a one-time all-effective sacrifice. It is totally unnecessary for his body and blood to continually transubstantiate through the sacrament of Mass. It’s more than unnecessary; it’s an affront to God. “…By rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame” (Hebrews 6:6).

Rejecting the Son of God first and foremost is a denial that his once for all sacrifice is sufficient to forgive our sins and save us from the penalty of those sins when we simply believe and receive Christ Jesus as our personal Savior.

Our Lord made it unambiguously clear that communion for believers is to remember him and what he did for us on the Cross. It certainly isn’t intended to put him back on that Cross with the misleading (repulsive) practice of actually consuming his blood and body during the sacrament of Mass. Speaking of Christ, the writer of Hebrews tells us: “Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins” (Hebrews 7:27).

Although most of Scripture is literal, there are some things in the Bible that are exclusively and plainly symbolic.

For example: Jesus used the imagery that he was the bread of life, and said, “…unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you” (John 6:53). But it was all too evident that he used this graphic comparison solely as a metaphor. It defies all logic, both divine and human, for Christ to suggest that his body and blood could be consumed literally. Moreover, the fact that this was a spiritual comparison is distinctly developed in so many other passages of the Bible.

The very means to salvation is believing and receiving Jesus Christ as our Savior, with our mind and heart … an entirely mental and spiritual action. For sure the wonderful expression of God’s grace to the human race was a gift given through the bodily death, burial, and resurrection of Messiah Jesus. But we certainly don’t apprehend that grace by or through the Catholic Mass or by any other means other than simple trust in so great a sacrifice, so great a salvation purchased by the death of Christ on the cross and sealed by his resurrection.

Tridentine Latin mass at Saint Mary's Church in Washington, DC.

Thus, the striking language that the beast and his coalition will eat the flesh of the woman explicitly exposes and metaphorically matches (with a literal connotation) the absurd, but also devious doctrine of Transubstantiation promoted by the Roman Catholic Church.

***And burn her remains with fire:

Here we see another emblematic but also historically literal connection to both ancient Rome and the subsequent (partial) duplication of the Roman Empire by the Holy See.

There were three primary forms of execution in the ancient Roman Empire … beheading, crucifixion, and by fire. Historians say more Christians were burned at the stake than murdered on crosses or by the sword. A common form of death was to strip Christians naked, put a tunic on them covered with wax or pitch, and light a torch to them. One of the more monstrous things that Nero, himself, ordered was to hang hundreds of Christians on poles, smear them with tar, and ignite them so they would illuminate his royal gardens for all to see. As the Christians agonizingly burned to death, Nero mocked them by sarcastically quoting Jesus, “(Now) you are the light of the world.” Even Romans were appalled at this sadistic barbarity.

*Note: More of these atrocities can be expected upon Nero’s return as the Antichrist, to both unbelievers and tribulation believers.

The Roman Emperor Constantine, who declared Christianity as the state religion of the Roman Empire and who was the forerunner of the Catholic hierarchy, ironically declared that killing dissidents by fire was to be a form of capital punishment for certain offenses. This set the precedent for the Roman Catholic Church to employ burning at the stake as the principle method of execution for those they deemed heretics. Joan of Arc was only one of thousands burned at the stake.

Thus, Nero will begin by stripping the Holy See naked … removing her leaders from their positions of power and influence. Then he will eat her flesh, by devouring the infrastructure which will include execution of Roman Catholic clerics. Finally, he will burn her remains with fire … literally by burning down the Vatican and many Catholic edifices the world over. All with the final goal of eliminating competition from what he will consider an imposter imitation of the Roman Empire.

When that happens, people will kiss the signet ring of Nero Caesar, not of the Pope. And, shouts of Hail Caesar will trump cries of Hail Mary.

That is not to say Nero will be successful in actually reviving or reestablishing another Roman Empire. He will try, but will fall short of this diabolical goal. There will not be a One-World Government; nor a World Religion. Several other nations, most particularly the Oriental countries, will oppose him until the very end. At which time Satan, Nero, and the False Prophet will entice even their enemies to join them in a totally vain and senseless effort to fight against Messiah Jesus, the King of all kings. They will, “…gather them for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God the Almighty” (Revelation 16:14).

I trust that this has helped you see the providential parallel between what the Catholic Church has done and what will be done to her by the Antichrist. But also TO Antichrist and to the great city from which both have ruled and will rule for a time during the Tribulation. It will be a punishment that fits the crime, but multiplied by two. How do we know that?

“For her sins are piled as high as heaven, and God remembers her evil deeds. Do to her as she has done to others. Double her penalty for all her evil deeds. She brewed a cup of terror for others, so brew twice as much for her … She boasted in her heart, ‘I am queen on my throne…’ She will be completely consumed by fire, for the Lord God who judges her is mighty” (Revelation 18:5-8).

In the interim, the Pope and the Vatican continue to dominate world headlines like never before. Therefore, let’s continue last week’s article with more examples of Pope Francis’ recent activities which demonstrate that the Papacy is reasserting itself in global affairs. The Vatican will be ready and willing to step into the apocalyptic vacuum created by the soon to come Rapture of hundreds of millions all over the earth.

Pope Francis to Allow Priests to Forgive Abortion

This was the headline in USA Today’s article of September 2, 2015. With a commentary that the, “pontiff is saying that there is no sin that can’t be forgiven.” What the Pope had just done was to extend the authority of priests to directly forgive the sin of abortion, without first getting permission from a bishop. Most other sins could be forgiven by a parish priest.

At least Pope Francis was right about that part … there is no sin that can’t be forgiven. Except that is, ignoring or denying the power of the Holy Spirit when he convicts a person over the sin of unbelief in Jesus Christ as the only one who can pardon all of our sins.

I did not reference this media headline on the Pope to discuss abortion, though it is tragically wrong to terminate a baby’s life while still in the womb. No different than murdering a child after birth. Rather, the emphasis is on the Catholic priesthood itself. The very existence of a priestly system was done away with when the Lord gave us his New Covenant.

Symbolized by the cup of wine (which is not the actual blood of Christ), Jesus said: “…This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you” (Luke 22:20).

All those who accept Jesus as personal Savior are granted the awesome privilege of being declared children of the living God. Moreover, this New Covenant replaces the Mosaic Covenant of the Law including the Levitical sacrificial system and priestly order. No longer are priests needed as a go-between God and man. In fact, the Apostle Peter (ironically, who Roman Catholicism claims was the first Pope) writes to Christian believers who individually make up the true church. He tells them and believers today:

“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).

That is a precise, powerful, and poignant description of the true Church. It is one believer after another (living stones) that individually make up the true temple of the Lord. Not a centralized religious seat of government or an ecclesiastical hierarchy contained in and represented by the Vatican or any other religious organization. The real church is the Holy Spirit indwelling the temple of each believer’s heart; thereby, making every believer a priest. Each and every believer can personally come directly to God for salvation; and to then confess sins that interrupt our fellowship with God as we live out our Christian lives awaiting eternal life in heaven.

repentance-cross.113202151_std

Writing to individual believers—not to priests ordained by the Catholic Church, because there was no Roman Catholic Church at the time—the Apostle John states: “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (I John 1:9).

The Church has only one Mediator between God and man. The Apostle Paul emphatically confirms this by saying, “For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus” (I Timothy 2:5).

The entire book of Hebrews vividly explains the difference between the Old and New Covenants. That Jesus Christ is our High Priest. That (ordained) priests are no longer needed because no more sacramental sacrifices are needed for atonement of sin; that we now confess our sins directly to the Lord. Based on God’s direct authority and inspiration, the writer of Hebrews confidently tells us that individual believers can do the same thing that the Levitical priests did and that the Roman Catholic priesthood maintains only it can do:

“So, then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:14-16, italics for emphasis).

Can this passage be any plainer? Not only can each believer in Christ go directly to God for confession (to receive mercy and forgiveness), but it is actually an insult to God for a religious system to take away this privilege by requiring intermediary priestly intervention, or bishop, or cardinal, or pope, or Mary.

The New Covenant is just that: NEW! To continue under the Old Covenant is to deny the efficacy of so great a salvation purchased by the once and for all sacrifice of our High Priest, of our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ…” (II Corinthians 5:17-18). Among so many other wonderful changes, our new (right) standing with the Lord allows us to enter directly into his presence which includes confession of sin.

I’m sorry, but the truth must be told … the eternal truth of God’s love and holiness, of God’s Word and of his ONLY plan of salvation for the human race, including every Roman Catholic. The entire religious system of the Roman Catholic Church is misleading, deceitful, and in direct conflict with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is diametrically opposed to God’s way of salvation to every man, woman, and child … with the corresponding assurance of eternal life given to anyone who simply believes and receives Messiah Jesus as Lord and Savior.

That’s it. That’s all there is to it. No baptismal membership into a church. No keeping of sacraments to merit or earn God’s grace. No measuring of good works hoping they outweigh the bad to gain access to heaven. No cursory confession to a priest or perfunctory pleading to Mary for grace. All of that is anathema to God.

All good works are a result of Biblical salvation, not a means to earn salvation.

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:8-10).

There have been other recent events triggered by the Pope, but explaining them in any detail would make this article too long. Thus, before concluding with explanation of a planned activity of Pope Francis that will take place later this month, I’ll just list some of the recent media headlines to demonstrate the Pope’s frequent involvement in world affairs, specifically. And, the Vatican’s increasing influence both religiously and politically on governments and heads of state, in general.

Vatican Signs First Official Treaty with “State of Palestine”

Palestinians Angered by Sanhedrin Decision to Put Pope Francis on Trial

(Israeli) President Rivlan Travels to Rome, Meets Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Pope Francis

Pope Calls on Catholics to Shelter Europe’s Migrants

Pope’s Annulment Changes Could Have Big Impact in U.S.

The Pope’s Pending Address to Congress

Pope Francis has been invited to give the first-ever papal address to the United States Congress. It is understandably unprecedented because ostensibly the Pope is the ecclesiastical head of the largest religious entity in the world. Which begs the question: Since when does a religious leader address Congress?

*Note: There are more Muslims in the world; however, Islam does not have a centralized or organized seat of authority as does the Vatican. In fact, the Vatican is recognized as a State within a state (Italy). Which is pretty much how the Holy See has functioned since its inception … it sends and receives emissaries much like any national government would do. Also, nearly one-third of the Senate and House of Representatives are Catholic.

In that respect, the Pope (as have many popes in the past) is acting in a similar capacity that a head of State would assume. To me, the Pope’s address to the most powerful legislative body on earth is another remarkable sign that we are living in the end times.

Francis is the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He will arrive in the United States on September 23rd, the 266th day of the year, and speak to Congress the following day. No time/space in today’s article to elaborate, but September 23rd is cited as a pivotal date in Isaac Newton’s eschatological calculations. It is also a date that keeps surfacing in movies, concerts, and statements of politicians. This year Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, also falls on September 23rd. But there are other days this month that could bear significance. Such as: September 14th as the beginning of a Jubilee Year. And September 28th as the fourth and final blood moon tetrad.

th

When Israel was reborn as a nation (1948) and later when Jerusalem was once again the sovereign capital of Israel (1967), the interest in and enthusiasm for Biblical last days prophecy exploded with kaleidoscope intensity.

But one prominent thing was missing. For decades before and a few years after these milestone events that have included two world wars in the 20th century, the Roman Catholic Church’s global position, prestige, and power had declined. No longer is that the case. Once again, the Vatican and very popular popes (not the least of which is Pope Francis) have risen to prominence. To the extent that the most powerful nation of the 20th & 21st centuries believes that the Pope can and will contribute to such things as universal, “compassion, principles, and values.” Which will be the theme of his message according to a quote from Enrique Pumar, Chairman of the sociology department at the Catholic University of America.

According to Mr. Pumar when speaking of Pope Francis, “People really like him, even if they’re not Catholic. They like his charisma, his humility.” Apparently, one of the subjects Pope Francis will talk about is immigration. But according to John Carr of Georgetown University, the Pope will not make a legislative proposal on immigration, rather he will emphasize the need to treat immigrants with dignity.

Nothing wrong with that you might say. And I agree. But it’s not what Pope Francis will say or will not say that will be historical in nature. It’s the very fact that he will be speaking to the US Congress in the official status of a World leader.

Unfortunately, that leadership is in the same mold of the religious elite of Jesus’ time. It is, as Christ said, the blind leading the blind. One day (soon) peoples all over the earth, especially those who have given their allegiance to the woman who wears purple and scarlet clothing and those who have grown rich because of her desires for extravagant luxury, will mourn greatly when they hear the words of the angel:

“Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen! She has become a home for demons … The kings of the world have committed adultery with her” (Revelation 18:2-3).

“How terrible, how terrible for that great city! … In a single moment all the wealth of the city is gone!” (Revelation 18:16-17).

“Then I heard another voice calling from heaven, ‘Come away from her, my people. Do not take part in her sins, or you will be punished with her’” (Revelation 18:4).

Things to Ponder

In one of the recent articles on Pope Francis, he was referred to as Holy Father. As used in Scripture, the word holy means two things: (1) applied to Old Testament Jews and Israel and also New Testament believers (Jew and Gentile alike), its primary meaning is that of being set apart for a special purpose.

(2) When applied to God, indeed the Trinity, Holy means pure—encompassing all the attributes of a Holy God.

Yet, Pope Francis and previous popes have been given the faulty designation and false distinction of being called Holy Father, with the clear connotation that some measure of divinity is afforded to the Pope. This is further emphasized by considering the Pope to be the infallible Vicar (representative) of Christ on earth.

Both appellations, Holy and Father (upper case) are completely inappropriate for anyone except the Trinity.

Listen to what Jesus said about and to the Jewish religious leaders: “Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father” (Matthew 23:8-9).

I’m sure Christ was also thinking ahead to what would happen when the Catholic Church rose to power. Even priests are called, Father. But worse, the Pope is considered to be the Holy Father. If he were addressed as holy father (lower case) at least the comparison to God and divinity would be eliminated. In fact, I didn’t realize it until I typed holy father, that spell check requires that both words be capitalized! That’s the kind of influence wielded by the Holy See!

The Bible is overwhelmingly and adamantly clear that only God should be called Father. But Jesus also said that he and the Father were one and that no one could come to the Father except through him (John 14:6).

“…All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen” (Revelation 1:5-6).

th

What Is A Saint?

11 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by garybowers in Devotional / Misc

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

canonized, Papacy, Pope John Paul II, Roman Catholic Church

What/Who is a Saint?

In September, 2013, barely a year into his papacy, Pope Francis made a historical announcement that two former popes would be canonized the following year. On April 27th, 2014, nearly two million faithful Catholics converged in Rome to celebrate the formal declaration of sainthood for departed Popes, John XXIII and John Paul II. It was the largest gathering in Rome since John Paul II’s funeral nine years earlier. Pope John XXIII died in 1963. These men were undoubtedly the two most popular pontiffs of the 20th-21st centuries; perhaps, for the past several hundred years.

gpii-gxxiii-ge

As a born-again believer who has placed my trust in the atoning sacrifice of the blood and very life of Jesus Christ, I am somewhat intrigued why a pope, of all people, must also qualify to be declared a Saint by the Roman Catholic Church. According to Catholic dogma, you would think that the very office itself, the very person of the pope who by Catholic Church edict is essentially infallible, need not prove in his lifetime (by his life) that he is worthy of such an honor.

To better understand the dynamics of sainthood in the Catholic Church, let’s examine the criteria of becoming a recognized Catholic saint; and then determine if these conditions are supported by the Biblical designation of a saint. You might ask: Why is it necessary to compare the Catholic Church’s perception of sainthood with the Bible? Answer: Because whether stated or implied, the idea of becoming a saint is tantamount to salvation itself. And one’s salvation or lack thereof is a matter of eternal life or death.

According to Catholic tradition, the first and fundamental requirement is that a potential saint must be deceased. The concept of sainthood is to treat (the memory of) that person as sacred. An equivalent term used is, canonized. The action of being canonized indirectly derives its meaning from the Biblical Canon as the authoritative list of books accepted in Holy Scripture … the Bible. Only it carries it a step further and applies the dogma (doctrines, standards, norms) decreed by the Roman Catholic Church to be (near) perfectly expressed in the lives of its clergy and, to a lesser extent, in the conduct of its laity.

If, then, a nun, priest, bishop, cardinal, or pope exemplifies and exceeds the moral, ethical, spiritual values expected or at least recommended by Catholic creed and tenets, then they are eligible for sainthood. Or, in the case of the Catholic laity, it takes two miracles performed by or attributed to a member of the Catholic Church in order to be canonized. However, occasionally just one miracle was enough … if it was a really big miracle!

From the Kenerman English Learner’s Dictionary we find the following definition of a saint: “A dead person officially recognized by the Catholic Church for having lived a very holy life.” From the British Dictionary, “One who after death is formally recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, as having attained, through holy deeds or behavior a specially exalted place in heaven, and the right to veneration” (meaning here on the earth … italics as commentary). Also, “a person of exceptional holiness or goodness.” From Random House Webster’s Dictionary: “A person of great virtue or benevolence.”

After a person becomes a member of the Catholic Church through (mostly infant) baptism, these definitions accurately summarize the overriding and underlying teachings of the Catholic Church which can be expressed by and condensed to the following premise: Sainthood and, by implied association, salvation must be earned by exceptional holiness, goodness, and by intrinsic virtue.

Thus, even the most virtuous Catholics will never know for sure whether they will be judged worthy of eternal life and heaven until after they die. But there are a few who seemingly will be guaranteed a heavenly existence—and an exalted one at that—simply because they were, after death, declared saints by an earthly decree of the Catholic hierarchy.

Catholic Saints

Down through the ages, hundreds of well-known and even a few obscure Catholics have been canonized. In fact, most days of every calendar month of the year are reserved for an individual Catholic who has been conferred the honor of sainthood … one saint for each of those days. The two recently canonized popes each have a day set aside for them in the month of October … John Paul II on 10-22 and John XXIII on 10-11. Even those of us who are Protestant or Evangelical or those belonging to cults, or even the agnostics among us have heard of some of these saints. Such as St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Helen, St. Dominic, St. John, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Teresa. Who among us hasn’t celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day or Saint Valentine’s Day at one time or another? Even those who don’t believe in Santa Claus have probably heard of Saint Nicholas! Otherwise known as St. Nick.

Whether interested in history or not, many know about Joan of Arc. Did you know that she was canonized by the Roman Catholic Church in 1920 nearly six hundred years after her death? Do you remember how she died? Do you recall why she died? Yes … she was burned at the stake for being a heretic. And who declared her a heretic and subsequently put her to death? Right again … the Roman Catholic Church! There’s nothing like conferring sainthood on someone to make amends for a slight indiscretion such as killing them for claiming to have heard directly from God and leading troops into battle. Obviously, I’m being a bit facetious, but it did happen that way.

At face value, the idea and Catholic Church practice of declaring select men and women as saints seems to be an honorable, worthy, even noble cause. In fact, the Catholic.org website that provides a comprehensive list of these venerated people states: “Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives … God calls each one of us to be a saint.”

In daily living and conversation, we sometimes hear someone say, “He is a saint.” Or the moral/spiritual equivalent: “She’s an angel.” People use these terms interchangeably with the core meaning that the person they’re referring to possesses qualities of goodness and uprightness that assuredly will qualify them for heaven when they die. I’m certain both of these terms were frequently used of Mother Teresa. And rightfully so, at least in terms of her moral excellence and dedication to help the poor and downtrodden. But as we shall soon see, even Mother Teresa’s salvation and sainthood (Biblically defined) is not earned … it’s a gift from God.

476_dualpopesspn

Are they really saints? Who is a saint? To answer these questions let’s look at what the Bible has to say about it.

The reason we need to refer to Scripture has everything to do with God’s definition of a saint. If the Catholic Church’s teachings on sainthood matches up with the final authority of God’s Word, then all is well. If not, then over a billion Catholics in the world need to ask themselves and their ecclesiastical leaders (priests, bishops, cardinals, and the Pope himself) whether a Catholic saint is guaranteed a place in heaven. If so, then what about millions of other Catholics who try just as hard to be saint-like, but who will never be canonized? How many good deeds are enough to outweigh the bad? Can someone buy their way out of hell by giving more than their share to the Church or to charity? Will devoting one’s life to helping the poor assure them of everlasting life in heaven? Will occasional attendance of Mass and visitation to the confessional shorten one’s time in Purgatory, which isn’t even a place mentioned in or acknowledged by the Bible? Heaven, yes. Hell is referenced more often than heaven. But Purgatory? I don’t think so.

Biblical Definition of a Saint

In the King James Version of the Bible, the word saint or saints is used sixty-one times and the word or derivative of the word holy is used 161 times. Saint is an English offshoot of the Latin word, sanctus. Whether saint or holy, the original New Testament Greek word is: Hagios. Which means a most holy thing; a saint. The word Holy in both the Old Testament and New Testament essentially means: To set apart for a special reason or purpose. We also have the word ecclesia, which means called out ones, which is virtually synonymous with our English word, Church.

Make no mistake … the notion of Catholic canonization conveys the meaning of placing the one canonized on a lofty pedestal that suggests a touch of reverence normally reserved for divinity. In fact some synonyms of canonized are: beatified, hallowed, idolized, adored, and even worshipped. This is not the Biblical idea at all. Rather, a Christian saint is simply a sinner saved by the grace of God.

The whole idea of saint, holy, called-out ones is NOT the concept of sinless perfection or conduct, which the Bible clearly indicates is not possible for any man, woman, or child. Paul tells us in Romans 3:10 which is a restatement of the Old Testament verse in Psalms, “No one is righteous—not even one.” Just before that, Paul states, “Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin” (Romans 3:9).

God does not call us to be saints, as such. Not in the sense that in order for God to accept us, we must think saint-like thoughts and perform saint-like deeds. That we must live extraordinarily pure lives in order to be classified and qualified as a saint. Just the opposite: We live uncommon lives as a result of being saved or set apart by God’s grace, through our faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. God’s only requirement to become a saint is that we believe and receive His Son. Then we understand that saint-like holiness or righteousness is given to us, because we have none of our own.

In that regard, a Christian saint is consecrated … to and for the Lord; blessed … a beneficiary of the Lord’s awesome grace; sanctified … becoming more like Christ; and one day glorified … a new resurrected body like our Lord’s upon his resurrection from the dead. But a Biblical saint is not to be worshipped, revered, idolized, adored, beatified, or otherwise canonized.

When God, through Moses, told the Jews to, “be holy as I am holy,” and Peter repeated this to the Christian Church, the focal point of holiness was the core meaning of the word … set apart from the evil world system that fosters greed, corruption, pride, selfishness, violence, and all things ungodly.

The Bible tells us that every human being must first be saved from their sins and the penalty of those sins; that salvation comes from and through one and only one person, Jesus Christ. “For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scripture, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4: 11-12).

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved … For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10: 9-13).

When we believe and receive Christ as our personal Savior, then we become saints! Which is why both the apostles Paul and Peter in their letters to the churches often used the designation of holy ones or saints interchangeably with believers or Christians.

For example, Paul addresses the Roman Christian believers: “I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people” (Romans 1:7). Holy people in this translation is also rendered “saints” in other Bible translations. Both stem from the Greek word Hagios. All of these saints were obviously alive. Some of them were brand new born-again Christians. None of them first had to die in order to be eligible for sainthood.

In his letter to the Colossian Church Paul begins with, “…to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae … since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel … since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth” (Colossians 1: 2-6, NASB).

Is there a distinction between the Bible’s definition of saint and holy and the Catholic Church’s teaching? Yes, a huge difference.

Once again referring to the Catholic on-line statement: “God calls each one of us to be a saint.” But who is each one? It’s clear whichever Catholic clergy wrote this statement is addressing the Catholic followers of the website. He is telling them that God is calling them all to be saints. With the implication, however, that you must first be a member of the Catholic Church to even qualify as a potential saint. And once again we need to refer to the standards that must be met before the Catholic Church will confer sainthood on any good Catholic: “one who after death is formally recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, as having attained, through holy deeds or behavior … the right to veneration.”

In short, this is a direct contradiction in every sense imaginable to what God tells us regarding salvation and, therefore, sainthood. Rather the Bible states: “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). Who is you and yourselves of this passage? None other than, “…the saints who are at Ephesus…” (Ephesians 1:1).

Scripture plainly tells us that our good works or intrinsic worth is not what qualifies us to be a saint or what makes us a saint. We do not and cannot earn our salvation or the right to be called a saint. We automatically become a saint when we accept God’s gracious gift of his Son’s death on the Cross; then trust the Son to save us and give us eternal life because he arose from the dead.

More than Saints, Also Priests!

To all who have personally placed their faith in Jesus Christ and, thereby, are called saints, holy ones (set apart), believers, born-again, or Christians (one who is in Christ and belongs to him), we also have the incredible privilege to be called priests. Listen to the amazing words of the apostle Peter who is writing to “…God’s chosen people…” (I Peter 1:1) “…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). The spiritual sacrifices are the good deeds and right living that believers do in heartfelt gratitude for their salvation, not in order to merit salvation or in order to become a saint.

Then Peter states: “…You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy” (I Peter 2: 9-10).

Once again we see: First comes salvation (sainthood) as God’s people called out of darkness into light. Then, we show and live the (saintly) goodness of God as a result of our salvation which includes being priests of the Most High God.

Under the Mosaic Law, priests were necessary as a go-between God and the Jews. The Roman Catholic Church has carried on this tradition because the clergy continued with the premise that the average individual Catholic still needs a human intercessor to approach God, to confess sins, and to receive communion, i.e. the Catholic priesthood. To the contrary, the Bible tells us that every person who is a born-again believer (saint) is given the wonderful position of a priest. That is: we can go directly to God to confess our sins, to pray, to fellowship with him, and to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to the Lord, who is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1).

We love the Lord because he first loved us. We serve him because we are saints, not in order to become a saint. Do you see the difference?

There is a world of difference in these two ideas. Salvation and sainthood can be summed up with these powerful words of truth: “But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood…” (Romans 3:21-25).

Such magnificent truth and freedom in this passage. To wit:

  • God doesn’t expect us to keep the law and certainly not all the traditions of religious institutions including Catholicism, because he knows no one can possibly keep the entire law. All have sinned.
  • We all have fallen short of God’s requirements of perfect righteousness. There is no amount of good works or right living (apart from salvation in and through Christ) that can please God enough for him to declare us innocent of our sins. Even the best person who has ever lived (whoever that might be) is not good enough to be called a saint … not according to God’s definition of a saint, i.e. one who has been made righteous through faith in Christ.
  • He has shown as a new way to be right with God … by simply placing our trust in Jesus. Christ then covers us with his righteousness and God looks at us through his Son’s righteousness.

Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, and other cultic religions are religious systems that have borrowed their theology and practices from the Jewish Law of Moses, with a Gentile twist. Scripture plainly tells us that the purpose of the law was simply to show us what sin really is and that no one could possibly keep the law. That’s why the animal sacrificial system was also given to the Jews, to atone for their constant sins. But Jesus did away with that entire system. He perfectly fulfilled the Law of Moses because we couldn’t, no matter how hard we try. He is the final, once-for-all sacrifice, the High Priest himself offering his life in exchange for the pardon of our sins and everlasting life in heaven with a loving, but holy God.

For the Roman Catholic Church to confer sainthood on those who strive to attain it through holy deeds or behavior is in direct conflict with God’s way of righteousness. For Roman Catholicism to state or imply that salvation is (potentially, although not guaranteed) possible only by membership baptism into the Catholic Church and keeping other of their man-made traditions including the rites of sainthood is a blatant contradiction of who or what is a saint.

And the Bible clearly defines a saint or believer or Christian or chosen-one or called-out one: “But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it: ‘Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin’” (Romans 4: 5-8). And we’ve seen that this faith in God is one and the same as: “when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.”

Things to Ponder

For those of us who are believers (saints) in Jesus Christ, we should have nothing against Roman Catholics or Mormons or any other individual. Yet, we are called to share the truth of the good news (gospel); thus, we must expose the dangers of Roman Catholicism or Mormonism or Hinduism. All religious systems that essentially are based on the good works performance of their adherents to obtain whatever salvation their religion supports must be exposed for what it is: A distortion of God’s plan of salvation, that ultimately will determine the eternal destiny of those who believe or who don’t believe.

Biblical Christianity shows us that God has done for us what we could not do for ourselves. He has freely given us salvation that enables us to be and be called saints of the Most High God, when we simply say Yes to Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Understanding that no one comes to the Father except through Christ (John 14:6).

An exceptional and extraordinary benefit to so great a salvation for those who have received Messiah Jesus as personal Lord and Savior is that we can know beyond any doubt that our salvation is permanent. It cannot be lost. We cannot be unborn spiritually any more than we can be unborn physically.

“I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life” (I John 5:13, italics for emphasis).

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent Posts

  • Light of The World (Sequel To: The Incomparable Power & Authority of Jesus Christ)
  • The Shroud of Turin … Real or Fake? / A Decisive Answer (Part II)
  • The Shroud of Turin … Real or Fake? / A Decisive Answer
  • Russia’s Shocking Invasion of Ukraine … A Preview of Gog/Magog’s Attack on Israel?
  • What Is Done to Israel Will Be Done in Return / Dangers of a Divided Jerusalem
  • What Is Done To Israel Will Be Done In Return / The Iran Nuclear Deal
  • Jesus Is The Very Essence of Prophecy
  • Turmoil, Tragedy, & Terror in Israel (Part III … Terror)

Recent Comments

bhc1tpw2 on The Shroud of Turin … Re…
garybowers on The Shroud of Turin … Re…
bhc1tpw2 on The Shroud of Turin … Re…
Gene Raider on Scripture Says Everyone Will D…
garybowers on Scripture Says Everyone Will D…
Jim on Scripture Says Everyone Will D…
garybowers on Scripture Says Everyone Will D…

Archives

Categories

  • Current Events (107)
  • Devotional / Misc (25)
  • Prophecy in General (90)
  • The Antichrist (60)
  • The Rapture (52)

Blog Stats

  • 96,474 visits

Articles Alphabetically

  • “One Ring To Rule Them All….”
  • A Beast by Any Other Name … Part I
  • A Beast by Any Other Name … Part II
  • A Beast by Any Other Name … Part III
  • A Deal That Will Live In Infamy
  • A Divine Solution to Global Polarization & Church/State Separation
  • A Dramatic Enactment of the Rapture!
  • A Government Crisis in Israel
  • A House Divided
  • A Modern Day Esther
  • A Most Unlikely Ally of Israel!
  • A Mysterious Sign in Virgo … What Does It Mean?
  • A Palestinian State? (No, say many Arabs!)
  • A Religion of Peace? (Part I)
  • A Religion of Peace? (Part II)
  • A Revived Roman Empire … Or Not?
  • A Sleeping Giant
  • A Tale of Two (Arab) Cousins
  • A Third Jewish Temple (Part II)
  • A Third Jewish Temple?
  • A Trilogy of Terror
  • Aftermath of America’s Amazing Election
  • Age of Grace (Part I)
  • Age of Grace (Part II)
  • Age of Grace (Part III)
  • Alliances against Israel
  • Amazing Anticipation for Messiah
  • Ambassador Nikki Haley & The Truth About Israel
  • America the Beautiful Is Getting Ugly
  • An Incredible Time-Lapse Prophecy
  • An Islamic United Nations?
  • An Unprecedented Palestinian Attack in Jerusalem
  • And Justice For All
  • Antichrist / A “Back To The Future” Prophecy
  • Antichrist … Is He Alive Today?
  • Antichrist and Anzio … What Do They Have in Common?
  • Antichrist and the Vicar of Christ … Part I
  • Antichrist and the Vicar of Christ … Part II
  • Antichrist’s Dreaded Arrival / First or Second Appearance?
  • Armageddon & Messiah’s Return … An Amazing Sequence of Events
  • Beginning of the End
  • Beware of the Bear!
  • Biblical Terms Not in the Bible … Are They Biblical?
  • Blood Moons
  • Blow the Trumpets … Messiah Will Come!
  • Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (of Israel)
  • BREXIT … What’s It All About?
  • Bring Back Our Boys
  • Build The Temple! Will Messiah Come?
  • Can A Murderer Be A Martyr?
  • Christ or Antichrist … who will it be?
  • Comparing A Phenomenal Prophecy in Leviticus With One in Zechariah
  • Conspiracy Theories … A New World Order
  • Countdown to Armageddon … End of the Fourth 400-Year Era
  • COVID-19 / Just Another Plague?
  • COVID-19 / Just Another Plague? (Part II)
  • Cunning Makeover of the Great City (Revelation 17)
  • Daniel’s 70 Prophetic Weeks & The Number Seventy!
  • Day of Infamy
  • Did God Really Appear to People? When & How?
  • Diplomacy With Israel Despite Anti-Semitism / A Puzzling Paradox
  • Divine Consequences of Iran’s Arrogance (Part I)
  • Divine Consequences of Iran’s Arrogance (Part II)
  • Does Christmas Really Need Christ?
  • Does God Really Have a Son? … Part I
  • Does God Really Have a Son? … Part II
  • Does Israel Belong To The State of Israel?
  • Does The Holy Spirit Restrain (the Man of) Lawlessness?
  • Don’t Seal The Book of Revelation!
  • Double Israel’s Trouble & Double Her Blessings!
  • End of the World Events … In Chronological Order!
  • Ethnic Cleansing of Jews … The Real Palestinian Agenda
  • Exposing Antichrist’s Identity … More Compelling Evidence (Part I)
  • Exposing Antichrist’s Identity … More Compelling Evidence (Part II)
  • Extraordinary Biblical Prophecies w/Predicted Times of Fulfillment (Part I)
  • Extraordinary Biblical Prophecies w/Predicted Times of Fulfillment (Part II)
  • Festival of Tabernacles … Part I
  • First Century Existence of Christ and Antichrist & Their 21st Century Return
  • Five Life-Changing Meals in the Bible
  • For or Against Israel?
  • For Such A Time As This
  • Fountain of Youth & Fountain of Life … Is There a Difference?
  • Four Locust Kingdoms!
  • Freedom … What Does It Really Mean?
  • Fulfilled Prophecy Proves We Can Trust The Bible
  • Gateway to the World
  • Giving Thanks … What is it all about
  • Global Obsession with Jerusalem … In Biblical Proportions!
  • Globalism or Populism … Which Will Antichrist Prefer?
  • God Is Great & Yet He’s So Good!
  • God Is in Control
  • God’s New Covenant with Israel … Minus the Temple (Part I)
  • God’s New Covenant with Israel … Minus the Temple (Part II)
  • Gog, Magog and Leviathan
  • Gog/Magog’s Prophetic Clock Is Ticking, Ticking….
  • Grace and Law … A Biblical Balance
  • Great Expectations for Messiah
  • Hanukkah & Christmas / Do They Have Anything in Common?
  • Hanukkah … The Festival Born of a Prophecy!
  • Happy New Year … Jerusalem Style!
  • Has Antichrist Already Died … How, When & Why
  • How and When Does The World End?
  • How the Rapture
  • Humiliating End of the Great City (Revelation 17)
  • Hurricane Harvey & A Year of Prophetic Milestones (2017)
  • Intriguing Comparisons Between Antiochus IV & Antichrist (Nero)
  • Israel Is Again The Head, Not the Tail (The Deal of the Century)
  • Is President Trump Wavering On “The Waiver”?
  • ISIS, Nero, and Rome
  • Israel Is Here To Stay … Forever!
  • Israel’s Annexation of Occupied Territory? We Must Define The Terms
  • Israel’s Controversial Nation-State Law
  • Israel’s Government in Limbo … Unprecedented!
  • Israeli Occupation … Fact or Myth?
  • Italy’s New Government / A Thorn in the EU’s Side
  • Jerusalem … A Capital Without a Country?
  • Jerusalem … City of Peace?
  • Jerusalem / City Above All Cities
  • Jerusalem’s Mysterious Eastern Gate … Making Headlines
  • Jesus’s Stunning Statements While on the Cross… A Summary of Salvation!
  • Jesus Is The Very Essence of Prophecy
  • Jewish Christian / Christian Jew … An Oxymoron?
  • Jewish Settlements in Judea/Samaria … Are They Illegal?
  • Jewish Sovereignty on Temple Mount (Part I)
  • Jewish Sovereignty on Temple Mount (Part II)
  • Jubilee and Messiah … They Go Together!
  • Judea/Samaria & Gaza Strip / Who Has Sovereignty?
  • Just How Imminent is Messiah’s Imminent Return?
  • King David’s Tomb
  • Kingdom of God
  • Las Vegas Massacre … A Broader Perspective
  • Lazarus and Lazarus & The Sign of Jonah
  • Let’s Celebrate … Forever!
  • Let’s Make a Deal
  • Light of The World (Sequel To: The Incomparable Power & Authority of Jesus Christ)
  • Look Up, Redemption Is Near … Part I
  • Look Up, Redemption Is Near … Part II
  • Major Earthquake in Israel … When & Where It Will Strike
  • Melchizedek … A Man of Mystery!
  • Merry Christmas … What’s It All About?
  • Messiah and the Jewish Festivals … An Extraordinary Connection!
  • Messiah’s Amazing Appearances Before He Was Born
  • Messiah’s Arrival … On Whose Authority?
  • Messiah’s Ascension & Coronation … Seen Long Before It Happened!
  • Messiah’s Millennial Reign … Incredible Changes on Earth
  • Messiah’s Number & Its Prophetic Value
  • Messiah’s Return & The Rapture (Same or Separate Events?)
  • Messianic Jews … Who Are They?
  • Modern Day Antichrist?
  • Moral Equivalency
  • More Palestinian Lies
  • More Than One Messiah?
  • Moses & Elijah vs. Antichrist & The False Prophet
  • Moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem … A Broken Promise?
  • NERO & The Remarkable Revival of His Name
  • O Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
  • Old & New Testament Saints … Is There a Difference?
  • One Global Language … Coming Soon! (Part I)
  • One Global Language … Coming Soon! (Part II)
  • One Hundred Forty-Four Thousand Messianic Jews … Part I
  • One Hundred Forty-Four Thousand Messianic Jews … Part II
  • One Nation Under (the wrath of) God
  • One World Government?
  • One World Religion?
  • Palestine or Israel? Which Is It? / Your Answer May Be In Jeopardy!
  • Palestinian Propaganda Is Pure Poison
  • Palestinian Refugees… Are They Really Refugees?
  • Palestinian Terrorism & UN Resolutions … Neither Will Defeat Israel
  • Palestinian Terror Tunnels & Poetic Justice
  • Passover & Messiah Are Inseparable!
  • Passover … an Enduring Legacy
  • Peace Between Israel and Judah … Then World Peace!
  • Peace on Earth … Is It Really Possible?
  • Peace or a Palestinian State … Which Will It Be?
  • Powerful Proof of Messiah’s Identity & Arrival in The First Century!
  • Preach the Gospel … But Not to the Jews!
  • Prince of Peace
  • Prophecy & A Jewish Holiday
  • Prophetic Fate of Israel’s Friends and Foes
  • Prophetic Implications of the Fires in Israel (Part I)
  • Prophetic Implications of the Fires in Israel (Part II)
  • Proportional Warfare
  • Reappearance of Satan, a Roman Emperor & Two Ancient Prophets … Bodily!
  • Reappearance of the Beast (Antichrist)
  • Reexamination of Messiah’s Imminent Return & The Omega Generation
  • Remember December (Kislev) … A Hidden Gem of Prophecy!
  • Removing Christ From Christmas … What Are The Consequences?
  • Replacement Theology (Part I)
  • Replacement Theology (Part II)
  • Resurrections / How Many Will There Be? One, Two, Or Could There Be Three?
  • Rome and Jerusalem … friends or foes?
  • Russia & Iran versus Israel
  • Russia’s Shocking Invasion of Ukraine … A Preview of Gog/Magog’s Attack on Israel?
  • Salvation … “To The Jew First!”
  • Satan in Bodily Form … When & Why (Part I)
  • Satan in Bodily Form … When & Why (Part II)
  • Scripture Says Everyone Will Die / But What About the Rapture?
  • Separation of Church and State … For or Against? (Part I)
  • Separation of Church and State … For or Against? (Part II)
  • Sequel to Stunning Catastrophes & Shocking Statistics of the Great Tribulation
  • Seven Essentials of The Rapture (Part I)
  • Seven Essentials of the Rapture (Part II)
  • Seven Times Seven (to the 4th power)! Part I
  • Seven Times Seven (to the 4th power)! Part II
  • Seven Times Seven (to the 4th power)! Part III
  • Seven Wonders of The Millennium
  • Seven Wonders of The Millennium (Part II)
  • Shameful Saga of the Great City (Revelation 17)
  • Shocking Statistics of the Great Tribulation
  • Significant Sets of Twos in the Bible
  • Six Million Reasons … To Trust the Bible
  • Soon Comes the Antichrist … Straight From the Abyss (Part I)
  • Soon Comes the Antichrist … Straight From the Abyss (Part II)
  • Spiritual Bodies … A Contradiction of Terms? (Part I)
  • Spiritual Bodies … A Contradiction of Terms? (Part II)
  • Stand Still & Watch God Fight for Israel!
  • Stunning Catastrophes of the Tribulation / Their Timing & Purpose
  • Sudden Appearance of Antichrist … Why So Different?
  • Sukkot … The Forever Festival!
  • Superhuman Bodies for Believers / How & Why?
  • Tell a Big Lie Long Enough….
  • Terror, Terror, Terror (Part II)
  • Terror, Terror, Terror! (Part I)
  • The “Right of Return” … For Palestinians or Jews?
  • The Ark of the Covenant … Part I
  • The Ark of the Covenant … Part II
  • The Balfour Declaration … Beginning of the Omega Generation (Part I)
  • The Balfour Declaration … Beginning of the Omega Generation (Part II)
  • The Beast and His Name
  • The Birth of a Nation
  • The Child of Promise (Part I)
  • The Child of Promise (Part II)
  • The Cross and the Torn Curtain (Part I)
  • The Cross and the Torn Curtain (Part II)
  • The End of the Age … how close are we?
  • The False Prophet (Part I)
  • The False Prophet (Part II)
  • The Final Treaty of Rome … Part I
  • The Final Treaty of Rome … Part II
  • The Gog/Magog Countdown Has Begun!
  • The Heart & Soul of Israel
  • The Incomparable Power and Authority of Jesus Christ
  • The Jewish Dichotomy In & Outside Israel
  • The Legacy of Temple Mount
  • The Legendary Return of Nero
  • The Liberation of Jerusalem
  • The Magnificent Millennial Reign of Believers with Messiah
  • The Most Panoramic Prophecy in the Bible (Part I)
  • The Most Panoramic Prophecy in the Bible (Part II)
  • The Most Significant End-Times Sign Of All
  • The Myth of Al Aqsa Mosque
  • The Number of the Beast
  • The Omega Generation
  • The Peace Treaty That Will Guarantee War
  • The Phenomenal Thousand Years/One Day Parallel
  • The Prince and the People That Destroyed the Jewish Temple / Who Were They?
  • The Prophetic Endgame of Gog/Magog
  • The Rapture / Before or After The Great Tribulation?
  • The Real Reason for Palestinian Terrorism
  • The Reign of Terror
  • The Remarkable Rebirth of a Nation
  • The Rest of the Story … Bibi’s Speech to the United Nations
  • The Right to Life?
  • The Russians Are Coming!
  • The Seal of Approval
  • The Second Exodus
  • The Seven Year Treaty
  • The Shout Heard Around the World
  • The Shroud of Turin … Real or Fake? / A Decisive Answer
  • The Shroud of Turin … Real or Fake? / A Decisive Answer (Part II)
  • The Terrible Trio of Gog and Magog
  • The Three Greatest Trials of All Time
  • The Tremendous Transfiguration of Believers!
  • The Two Witnesses (Part I)
  • The Two Witnesses (Part II)
  • The Two Witnesses (Part III)
  • The Vatican and Islam … A Perfect Match for Antichrist
  • The Virgin Birth of Messiah … How and Why?
  • The Whole Truth
  • The Woman and the Beast
  • The Woman and the Beast (Part II)
  • The Woman and the Beast (Part III)
  • The Woman and the Beast (Part IV)
  • The Woman and the Beast (Part V)
  • The Woman and the Beast (Part VI)
  • The Wonder Of It All … Birth of the Child!
  • The World Wants a Messiah … But It Needs (The) Messiah
  • There’s No Place Like Homs
  • There’s Resurrection; And There’s Resurrection!
  • Three … A Divine Number of God!
  • Times of & Fullness of the Gentiles … What Do They Mean?
  • To Be or Not To Be … in Heaven?
  • To Be Or Not To Be … In Heaven? (A Revisit)
  • Trump, Cyrus, and the Jewish Temple
  • Turmoil, Tragedy, & Terror in Israel (Part I … Turmoil)
  • Turmoil, Tragedy, & Terror in Israel (Part II … Tragedy)
  • Turmoil, Tragedy, & Terror in Israel (Part III … Terror)
  • Two-State Solution & The Seven-Year Treaty … Impossible?
  • Two Thirds of the Jews Killed … Past or Future?
  • U.S. President Agrees with God … Jerusalem Is Israel’s Capital!
  • Under the Radar
  • UNESCO / “Theatre of the Absurd” Against Israel
  • United Nations Downsizing of Israel (Resolution 2334)
  • Value of Prophecy
  • West Bank or Judea/Samaria? What’s In A Name?
  • What Is A Saint?
  • What Is Done To Israel Will Be Done In Return / The Iran Nuclear Deal
  • What Is Done to Israel Will Be Done in Return / Dangers of a Divided Jerusalem
  • What is Palestine & Who Is A Palestinian?
  • What is the Rapture?
  • What Is The Unpardonable Sin?
  • When the Rapture?
  • Where is Messiah … Is He Already Here?
  • Where Is The Temple? Part I
  • Where Is The Temple? Part II
  • Where is the Temple? Part III
  • Who is Messiah?
  • Who Is the Antichrist & How Will He Appear (Part I)
  • Who Is The Antichrist & How Will He Appear? (Part II)
  • Who the Rapture?
  • Whom Do You Most Want To See In Heaven?
  • Why the Rapture?
  • Why the Rapture? (A Revisit)
  • Why The World Idolizes Antichrist & How It Reacts To The Tribulation
  • Wiles of the Woman
  • Will All Children Be Taken in The Rapture?
  • Will Believers Go Through the Great Tribulation? (Part I)
  • Will Believers Go Through The Great Tribulation? (Part II)
  • Will There Still Be Unbelievers Throughout Eternity?
  • Yom Kippur / With Or Without Atonement?
  • Zechariah’s Dramatic Description of Antichrist’s Fatal Wounds

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • eyeofprophecy ... watch and wait
    • Join 236 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • eyeofprophecy ... watch and wait
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...