There is a well known prophecy from a 12th Century Catholic Priest from Ireland named Malachy who was given a vision of the final line of Popes.
He saw in particular what he believed to be the last 112 men who would set in what is called the "Chair of Peter."
For simplification the final 3 would be called The Labor of the Son, The Glory of the Olive, and Peter the Roman.
While I truly believe in the reliability of Biblical Prophecy, I cannot state that I am 100% on board with all of Malachys writings, but will admit that he seems to have predicted the majority of them with a measure of accuracy.
Lets start with “De Lobore Solis” or the Labor of the Son, a man born on May 18 1920 during a near total eclipse visible over most of Europe and died on April 2 2005 during an eclipse visible over a large portion of the Americas. He is called Pope Paul.
Then there is the 111th Pope who Malachy called the Glory of the Olive or “Gloria Olivae” a man from the Benedictine Order of Priests who believes that his order will fight for the Church during the time of tribulation during the end of days. He is no longer seated on Peters Chair, yet he is tucked away in the Vatican, no longer Pope carrying the title Pope Emeritus. His name is or was Pope Benedict.
That brings us to the final vision that Malchy recorded in regards to the Papal succession.
Malachy calls this man “Petrus Romanos” or Peter the Roman.
The current Pope carries the name Pope Francis, this named was picked to honor St. Francis of Assisi .
There is some confusion in regards to the chosen name as it has nothing to do with “Peter”.
This would seem to make the prophecy of Malachy of none affect in regards to this man, yet there is more to consider. The man named Francis is of Italian descent and of the order of Jesuits. The original St. Francis was a Roman friar whose birth name is Giovanni di Pietro di Bernadone. Pietro is Peter.
Perhaps Malachy saw it correctly after all.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
What is this apostasy that Paul is speaking of in his letter to the Body of Christ at Thessaloniaca?
It is normally described as a falling away from established truth or normalcy.
For the purpose of three of these examples we will look at the same line of scripture as taken from an English version of Catholic Scripture, which uses the word rebellion in place of apostasy.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction.(New Revised Standard Version Catholic)
Now, that we have discussed that, let us examine a few stories that have been reported in the news lately.
On July 17 2013, "The Washing ton Post" reported that the Catholic Church was offering an “ indulgence” in the form of less time in purgatory for anyone who followed the tweets of Pope Francis.
That friend is “apostasy” or “rebellion” from the truth………..the concept of “purgatory” is heretical although the faithful of the Catholic Church have been led astray by the teaching of it for many years.
For those who don’t know “purgatory” according to some, is a place that a soul goes to pay a price in punishment to purify it before it is allowed into Heaven.
The paying of “indulgences” is even worse……..imagine a grieving loved one or family member, paying a man a set fee to lessen the time that their loved one spent in an imaginary torture chamber.
Lets get one thing straight.
Did Jesus pay it all or did He not.
Scripture tell us that on the Cross, the Savior cried out “it is finished”.
USA Today reported on July 29 2013, that in an official communique from the Vatican, that Pope Francis has stated that he will not pass a judgment in regards to ‘gay” priests, in what seem to be an attempt at reconciliation between the Catholic Church and those that have chosen a lifestyle that contradicts with the Word of God.
This man in all of his wisdom has chosen to cast off truth, and embrace and perpetuate a sin that God call an abomination.
Lets look at the condemnation that this man has chosen for himself and anyone who would follow him in this thought.
Romans 1:26-32 “For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error.
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done. They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. They know God’s decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die—yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them.” (New Revised Standard Catholic Version)
On September 10 2013 The Independent New U.K. reported that an open letter to "The Republica" an Italian Newspaper, that Pope Francis had written that an atheist does not have to believe in God to be accepted by Him and enter His heaven.
My question to these three statements is, “Does this man, have any idea of the rebellion that he is planting into not only the Catholic Church, but into the Protestant Church as well, considering that his words are so publicly reported?
The Word of God clearly states that all men must come to terms with the fact that they are sinners worthy only of eternal punishment, unless they confess the One that God sent into the world to make payment for the sins of mankind.
John 3:16-21 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” (New Revised Standard Catholic Version)
Whom do you confess?
Will you follow The Truth, The Life and The Way, or will you follow a man who seems bent upon rebellion?
