Prophecies about Catholics
Before I begin I must first say that the following
information is not intended to say that Catholics are evil
or that they won't be saved. As in all religions, there
are many of God's children in the Catholic Church. It is the
papacy itself that is represented as the Beast in Revelation.
To begin this study of the Catholic Church in prophecy, let's first read Revelation 17: 4-6.
Rev 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked
with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of
abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE
GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE
EARTH.
Rev 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with
the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great
admiration.
As you can see at right, the Pope is seen
at the Papal Apology Mass wearing purple
and holding a golden cup.
At left Pope John Paul II is again wearing
purple while his attending Cardinals are
dressed in scarlet.
Here are Cardinals wearing both scarlet and
purple at the Papal Apology Mass.
As we follow Revelation 17: 4-6, we can see that both scarlet and purple are
identified with the harlot woman, as well as the gold cup filled with abominable
things. But what about Revelation 17: 6. Can anyone deny that the Catholic church
was responsible for the deaths of millions of saints who were preaching the Word of
God? Of course not. The pictures above are from the Papal Apology Mass, the
purpose of which was to apologize for past wrongs. So they even admit it themselves.
Here is an excerpt from Pope John Paul II during the proceedings:
"... we cannot fail to recognize the infidelities to the Gospel committed by
some of our brethren, especially during the second millennium. Let us ask pardon
for the divisions which have occurred among Christians, for the violence some
have used in the service of the truth and for the distrustful and hostile
attitudes sometimes taken towards the followers of other religions."
The Pope is pretty much just saying that the Church was only overzealous
in forcing the truth on "heretics." He's not really saying that the church
is sorry for the persecutions. For it's entire existence, the Church has held
the notion that it is infallible! Now here, as they apologize for the deaths of
countless saints, is only one example of their fallibility.
Revelation 17 goes on to say:
Rev 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven
mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
Rev 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore
sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Rev 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over
the kings of the earth.
This says that the harlot woman, or church will "sit" or rule in a place with seven
mountains. Does the papacy fit this description? Yes, it does. Rome is known as the
city of seven hills. Verse 15 shows that the place where the harlot church rules is a
place with many people and nations. This fits the description of Europe. And also, in
verse 18, it says that the woman will rule over the kings of the earth. The Catholic
Church proudly claims that it rules universally over all the people of the world, both
kings and commoners.
By admitting the past wrongs of the Catholic Church,
the Pope strengthens the idea that the Roman church is
indeed Mystery Babylon. And what does Revelation say
will happen to Babylon?
Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen,
is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit,
and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
Rev 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,
and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of
the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people,
that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Rev 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her
iniquities.
Rev 18:6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according
to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
So what should you do if you find yourself in Mystery Babylon,
the Roman Catholic Church? Heed God's voice in Revelation 18: 4 and
'Come out of her...' For the church has filled up the cup of her
iniquity and will soon be called forward to answer for her sins.
The Catholic Church's Papal Apology Mass was predicted to
occur over a century ago by the Seventh-day Adventist prophetess
Ellen White! Read what she has to say:
The Romish Church now presents a fair front to
the world, covering with apologies her record of horrible cruelties.
She has clothed herself in Christ-like garments; but she is unchanged.
Every principle of popery that existed in ages past exists today. The
doctrines devised in the darkest ages are still held. Let none deceive
themselves. The popery that Protestants are now so ready to embrace
and honor is the same that ruled the world in the days of the
Reformation, when men of God stood up at the peril of their lives to
expose her iniquity. She possesses the same pride and arrogant
assumption [pg. 388] that lorded it over kings and princes, and
claimed the prerogatives of God. Her spirit is no less cruel and
despotic now than when she crushed out human liberty, and slew the
saints of the Most High.
Popery is just what
prophecy declared that she would be--the apostasy of the latter
times. It is a part of her policy to assume the character which will
best accomplish her purpose; but beneath the variable appearance of
the chameleon, she conceals the invariable venom of the serpent. "We
are not bound to keep faith and promises to heretics," she declares.
Shall this power, whose record for a thousand years is written in the
blood of the saints, be now acknowledged as a part of the church of
Christ?
It is not without reason that the claim
has been put forth that Catholicism is now almost like Protestantism.
There has been a change; but the change is in Protestants, not in
Romanists. Catholicism indeed resembles the Protestantism that now
exists; but it is far removed from Protestantism as it was in the days
of Cranmer, Ridley, Knox, and other reformers.
As the Protestant churches have been seeking the favor of the world,
false charity has blinded their eyes. They do not see but that it is
right to believe good of all evil; and as the inevitable result, they
will finally believe evil of all good. Instead of standing in defense
of the faith once delivered to the saints, they are now, as it were,
apologizing to Rome for their uncharitable opinion of her, begging
pardon for their bigotry.
A large class, even of
those who look upon Romanism with no favor, apprehend little danger
from her [pg. 389] power and influence. Many urge that the
intellectual and moral darkness prevailing during the Middle Ages
favored the spread of her dogmas, superstitions, and oppression, and
that the greater intelligence of modern times, the general diffusion
of knowledge, and the increasing liberality in matters of religion,
forbid a revival of intolerance and tyranny. The very thought that
such a state of things will exist in this enlightened age is
ridiculed. It is true that great light, intellectual, moral, and
religious, is shining upon this generation. In the open pages of God's
holy word, light from Heaven has been shed upon the world. But it
should be remembered that the greater the light bestowed, the greater
the darkness of those who pervert or reject it.
A prayerful study of the Bible would show Protestants the real
character of the papacy, and would cause them to abhor and to shun it;
but men are so wise in their own conceit that they feel no need of
humbly seeking God that they may be led into the truth. Although
priding themselves on their enlightenment, they are ignorant both of
the Scriptures and of the power of God. They must have some means of
quieting their consciences; and they seek that which is least
spiritual and humiliating. What they desire is a method of forgetting
God which shall pass as a method of remembering him. The papacy is
well adapted to meet the wants of all these. It is prepared for two
classes of mankind, embracing nearly the whole world,--those who would
be saved by their merits, and those who would be saved in their sins.
Here is the secret of its power. [pg. 390]
A day
of great intellectual darkness has been shown to be favorable to the
success of popery. It will yet be demonstrated that a day of great
intellectual light is equally favorable for its success. In past ages,
when men were without God's word, and without the knowledge of the
truth, their eyes were blindfolded, and thousands were ensnared, not
seeing the net spread for their feet. In this generation there are
many whose eyes become dazzled by the glare of human speculations,
"science falsely so called;" they discern not the net, and walk into
it as readily as if blindfolded. God designed that man's intellectual
powers should be held as a gift from his Maker, and employed in the
service of truth and righteousness; but when they are idolized, and
laid upon the shrine of Satan to be employed in the service of a false
religion, then intelligence can accomplish greater harm than
ignorance.
In the movements now in progress in
this country to secure for the institutions and usages of the church
the support of the State, Protestants are following in the steps of
papists. Nay, more, they are opening the door for popery to regain in
Protestant America the supremacy which she has lost in the Old World.
And that which gives greater significance to this movement is the fact
that the principal object contemplated is the enforcement of Sunday
observance, --a custom which originated with Rome, and which she
claims as the sign of her authority.
Source: Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 4, by Ellen G. White,
published in 1884, pages 387-390. Also found in Great
Controversy, published in 1911, pages 571-573.
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