Hope of Israel Ministries (Ecclesia of YEHOVAH):

The Death of Protestantism

by HOIM Staff

Several years ago, I climbed to the top of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C., and looked upon the inscription which carried his immortal words for all humanity to read. Jefferson, the third President of the United States, when it was still in its fledgling infancy, wrote:

"I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."

Those words were originally written in a letter to Dr. Benjamin Rush, Sept.30, 1800, and captured Jefferson's credo. He was one who feared and was alarmed at the vision of Catholic power in the world -- the very power which had subjugated Europe and chained it to the "Dark Ages" for a millennium of time. The very power which launched the iniquitous Inquisition, as it fought to retain power and influence and control over the minds and lives of men and nations in the Middle Ages.

The Protestant Reformation was launched, and sanguinary religious wars were fought, particularly in Europe, where blood flowed freely, as Roman Catholic tyranny over the minds of men was savagely defended by kings and armies in France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Holland, and throughout Europe. How soon the world forgets. Were it not for the forces of the Protestant Reformation, the world today would be enslaved by the dogma of Catholic creed and all dissent and disagreement would be stamped out furiously, with "heretics" burned at the stake, beheaded, butchered, imprisoned, their property confiscated by the state, and their families ruined and destroyed.

But is the Protestant Reformation now in the process of being "undone"? Is it over? Is Protestantism now ready to back into the waiting arms of the "new" Roman Catholic Church, and acknowledge the Roman Pontiff as the "vicar of Christ" and the head of the universal Church?

Without much fanfare or hoopla or ballyhoo, quietly and surreptitiously, the modern preachers, evangelists, and leaders of the Protestant and particularly the evangelical branches of Christianity have begun working with priests and ministers of Rome, to effect a joint plan, to work together in the future, for the religious evangelization and domination of the world. The key word is, "Together."

Charles Colson, former figure in the Watergate scandal which torpedoed the presidency of Richard Milhous Nixon, and who served time in jail for his illegal activities, we are told, "saw the light" and accepted the Messiah while in prison, and since then has launched a very influential prison ministry and has written several books. Now he and Catholic priest Richard Neuhaus have put together a new Christian manifesto, Evangelicals and Catholics Together: The Christian Mission in the Third Millennium. For two years, behind the scenes, the two men worked together on the document. Their aim was for the world's top evangelical leaders and Catholic leaders to sign and endorse the manifesto. And their ambition has been fulfilled -- their plan has worked like a charm!

As of this time, over 50 famous evangelical leaders have signed the document, thus in effect surrendering to the Papacy, and joining with the Pope in the future evangelization of the world -- no longer seeking to win converts from Catholicism, no longer attacking Catholic doctrinal errors, but now accepting Catholics as "full Christians," and vice versa. Thus step by step the whole effect of the Protestant Reformation is being undone, dismantled, and destroyed. The Catholic Church once again will hold sway, destined to be the ecumenical leader of all the world's "Christians," except for a few small, fringe "sects" and "cults" which refuse to go along, who will no doubt be branded and dubbed by the Establishment Church as "heretics," "oddballs," and any who criticize and "attack" the new religious Monopoly will be excoriated as "hate groups."

Freedom of religion -- the freedom of the press -- and the freedom to criticize and find fault with religions covered by the new worldwide ecumenical movement will be curtailed. Freedom to preach the true gospel of Yeshua the Messiah will be abolished. Only the Catholic/Protestant/Evangelical brand of Christianity will be tolerated.

Among the evangelical Christian leaders who have endorsed the manifesto, are the following:

Pat Robertson, of the "700 Club," former presidential candidate, very much involved in politics; Bill Seiple of "World Vision"; Bill Bright, of "Campus Crusade for Christ"; J.I. Parker of Christianity Today magazine; the two highest ranking members of the massive Southern Baptist Convention, Larry Lewis, head of the "Home Missions Board," and Richard Land, head of the "Christian Life Commission."

The Colson-Neuhaus manifesto of church unity makes it very plain that "evangelicals" must NEVER AGAIN SEEK TO CONVERT CATHOLICS! "Witnessing" to Catholics, to get them to convert and forsake the Catholic Church, must stop -- period, end of subject. In addition, all who have proselytized and witnessed to Catholics in the past must now "repent" of these past "sins" in this regard. The manifesto reads: "We confess our sins against the unity that Christ intends."

Also, according to the manifesto: "There are different ways of being a Christian."

Colson, in his book The Body, insists that Protestants must stop their attacks on Catholicism, which he feels is not the real enemy, but an ally, and begin working with the Papacy and Roman Catholic Church to fight the common enemy -- immorality and lack of civility in society. (Does this mean any churches which do not go along with the agenda, and which dispute Catholic doctrine and dogma, as well as that of evangelicals and Protestants, would be considered guilty of "lack of civility" and be branded as "hate-mongers," sowing "hate"?)

In the battle for truth, in effect, Colson has called upon evangelical Christians to stop their attacks upon the Catholic Church around the world, to dwell together with them in "peace," and to accept Catholics as brothers in the Church -- despite the fact that Catholics bow down before images, pray to dead saints, worship Mary as the "Mother of God," and hold to a litany of false doctrines, such as the immortality of the soul, an ever-burning hell-fire, Purgatory, the "mass," and preach confession of sins to a priest, and penitence, instead of true godly repentance of sin. Thus Colson has virtually called for the Protestant and evangelical communities to surrender to Rome, give up the fight for truth, abandon doctrinal issues and disagreements, and simply to focus on those areas of agreement -- such as being anti-abortion, which is in the headlines a great deal, today.

In his book Colson criticized the usage of the term "born again." Catholics, including his own wife, are offended by the use of this term, he said. Colson and Neuhaus claim that Protestants and Catholics have been working together arm in arm for years fighting such common enemies as pornography, abortion, and other moral evils -- and that this has smoothed the way for the two groups to unite spiritually, as well.

Colson, a "bright and shining star" of the Religious Right, is supported by all the major TV and radio personalities, such as James Dobson and Pat Robertson. He accepted a one million dollar "Prize for Progress in Religion" from the New Age, financial guru John Templeton last year. As the darling of the religious right, he is leading the way to papal reconciliation with not only mainstream, liberal Protestant churches, but with the evangelical religious right wing! He has become the "pied piper" of the Protestants, playing his flute with spiritual music, leading them back into the claws of Romanism.

Is he in effect a religious "traitor," on the order of a spiritual "Benedict Arnold"?

Although Charles Colson may think what he is doing is right, we should remember that he was convicted as a liar and a perjurer in the Watergate scandal. We should also remember that Yeshua the Messiah said, "You shall know them by their fruits" (Matt.7:20).

With Charles Colson in the vanguard, it seems that all the big names in Protestant evangelicalism have jumped on board the band-wagon headed back to the Catholic church, working in tandem with Catholicism. Among these celebrities are also James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, Benny Hinn, Paul Crouch of Trinity Network, Tony Campolo, Billy Graham (the "dean" of evangelism), the National Council of Churches, and the leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention. Even Great Britain's Prince Charles is behind it!

To them all, the Pope is acknowledged as the "Holy Father." All true Christians know that we have but ONE "Holy Father" -- and He dwells in Heaven, not in Rome! For Yeshua the Messiah plainly declared: "And call NO MAN [including the Pope!] your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven" (Matt.23:9).

What is behind the sudden impetus of thousands to merge with Rome once again? Is this the END of the Protestant Reformation? Is the death of religious freedom staring us in the face?

Richard Neuhaus, on the other hand, is an interesting study in contrasts. Ever since 1989 Herman Otten, the publisher of the Christian News newspaper has been issuing warnings about the New Age-oriented, anti-Protestant teachings and view of Richard Neuhaus. According to Otten's findings, Neuhaus was at first an ordained minister of the conservative Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod), and was forced to answer formal charges of heresy. He quickly changed denominations, and became a minister of the ultra-liberal Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Finally he abandoned the pretense of Protestantism altogether, and converted to Roman Catholicism! According to Herman Otten, Richard Neuhaus, Catholic priest --

-- worships Mary as redeemer, contending that Mary is the mother of all humanity. [Strange, I thought Eve was, for we read: "And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living" (Gen.3:20). Mary, on the other hand, was merely the human mother of the Messiah -- no small role, but certainly she was not the redeemer of mankind, but her SON is our Redeemer and Saviour!]

-- denies the miracles, like the few loaves of bread and fish being miraculously multiplied to feed several thousand people, Neuhaus says they are "myths." Myths? But the apostle Paul wrote, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God" (II Tim.3:16), and Yeshua declared, "Thy word is TRUTH" (John 17:17), and "The Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35). Neuhaus himself is the one believing in "myths"!

-- claims Jews do not need Yeshua the Messiah to be saved -- they can be saved and still reject Yeshua as Lord and Master. Thus, according to Neuhaus, there are many ways to "heaven," and believing in the Messiah is only one. But again, is this viewpoint scriptural? Yeshua the Messiah said, "I am the door of the sheep . . . I am the door: by ME if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture" (John 10:7-9). He said also, "I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE: no man cometh unto the Father, BUT BY ME" (John 14:6). Furthermore, Peter declared, after he and John healed a man crippled from birth at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple: "Be it know unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is NONE OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN given among men, whereby we MUST be SAVED" (Acts 4:10-12).

-- says that the Bible contains errors and that "tradition" is EQUALLY AS VALID as the Scriptures as the rule for Christian conduct and practice. Tradition? Are the Scriptures in error? Yeshua said, on the contrary, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDETH OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD" (Matt.4:4). As for the importance of "tradition," Yeshua declared point blank: "Howbeit IN VAIN do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of MEN. For laying aside the commandments of God [i.e. the "word of God," as Neuhaus does], ye hold the tradition of men . . . Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition . . . Making the word of God of none effect through your TRADITION, which ye have delivered: and many such like things you do" (Mark 7:7-13).

-- denies the resurrection of the Messiah as a historical fact. Yet this was the theme and core of the preaching of the New Testament apostles and saints! The apostle Paul wrote, "For I delivered unto you that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he ROSE AGAIN the third day according to the Scriptures: and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain alive unto this present, but some are fallen asleep" (I Cor.15:3-6).

-- denies a literal hell for sinners. Yet Yeshua plainly taught a literal Gehenna fire at the end of the age to consume the wicked. He declared, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting (aeonian) fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt.25:41). He thundered to the religious hypocrites of His day, "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how shall ye escape the damnation of hell?" (Matt.23:33).

-- is a radical left-wing ideologue who demonstrated against the Vietnam War, and helped promote Marxist civil rights causes.

Two of Neuhaus' top associates are Rabbi Sol Bernards and Rabbi Leon Kienicki, both of whom are officials with the Jewish Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Another of his associates is radical Marxist priest "Father" Daniel Berrigan, who once got press attention by flinging blood on his enemies' property. Neuhaus and Berrigan were co-chairmen of the anti-war group, "Clergy Concerned About Vietnam."

Showing his true "spots" even before he became a Catholic, Richard Neuhaus, while still a Lutheran minister, predicted: "By the year 2000, most Lutherans will be united with the Papacy."

His prediction may well turn out to be a "prophecy"! With the help of the Vatican, and the Jesuits, Neuhaus set up an organization in New York City called the "Center on Religion and Society." Although its name was recently changed to "Institute for Religion and Public Life," its functions and purpose remain the same. With the financial support and guidance from Rome, Neuhaus is being used in a grand crusade to DESTROY what remains of the last bastions of Protestantism. With his help and the collaboration of Charles Colson, the Protestant Reformation could be undone -- the intervening centuries rolled back -- and all the Western world brought back under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the Pope at Rome!

Thus we are witnessing the most dramatic event in the last 400 years of Protestantdom -- the END of the Protestant Era -- and the finis of Protestantism!

Getting the ball rolling, Pat Robertson, millionaire founder of the 700 Club, has thrown his support behind the Colson-Neuhaus manifesto of Christian unity. Robertson not only endorsed the Manifesto, as written, but had Charles Colson on his popular 700 Club television program to promote his project. As if that were not enough, he then introduced Priest Richard Neuhaus to his political action group, the Christian Coalition, as a hero, and recently had Neuhaus as a keynote speaker at the Christian Coalition's "1994 Road to Victory Conference" in Richmond, Virginia.

Where is all this leading?

In sum, the vital Protestant Reformation has been betrayed. The modern Protestant/Evangelical leaders of the churches have SOLD OUT to Roman Catholic influence, domination, and control. They have forged an alliance with the devil. They have chartered an agreement with the Anti-Christ! Protestants, Evangelicals, and Catholics together are now in the process of formulating and forging a NEW WORLDWIDE CHURCH! Although it calls itself the "Church of God," it will be the "Worldwide Church of Satan the Devil" in disguise!

This great end-time Church was prophesied in your Bible. Yeshua the Messiah himself foretold in the Mount Olivet prophecy, speaking about the time just before his second coming, "TAKE HEED that no man DECEIVE you. For MANY shall come in my name [many shall come claiming to be his ministers, representing him!], saying, I am Christ [admitting that Yeshua is the Messiah, the Anointed One of YEHOVAH God]; and shall DECEIVE MANY" (Matt.24:4-5).

He added, "And many false prophets [preachers, teachers] shall rise, and shall DECEIVE MANY" (Matt.24:11). Many today are being misled by the ecumenical movement. They are being led to "compromise" proven truths, and to join forces with apostate religion -- to "shake hands with the devil," as it were -- to embrace the legions of spiritual darkness! This will not lead to worldwide enlightenment, but to a new onrushing period of GREAT DARKNESS -- a new spiritual DARK AGE!

But, Yeshua said, this end-time "Dark Age" will be darker, and worse, and more deadly and sinister, and fraught with peril and terror, than any comparable period in the history of humanity, or the history of the world! We are entering a final age of worldwide RELIGIOUS OPPRESSION, tyranny, and evil! The apostle Paul also foretold it. He prophesied:

"This know also, that in the LAST DAYS perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, TRAITORS, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a FORM of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" (II Tim.3:1-5).

Paul said of this end time that men would be "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (verse 7). He added, "But evil men and seducers shall wax WORSE AND WORSE, deceiving and being deceived" (verse 13).

Paul admonished Timothy, in warning about these days (which were paralleled to some extent during his own time, therefore the words apply both to Timothy's day, and to our "last days"see chapter 3, verse 1 again, for the time setting):

"For the time will come when they will NOT ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE ["truth" no longer matters to them, but rather "church growth," group psychology, advertising and promotion]; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall TURN AWAY their ears from the truth, and shall be TURNED UNTO FABLES [including many Catholic "fables"!]" (II Tim.4:3-4).

That time has come! We are now seeing, worldwide, a wholesale departure from what truth remains within the Evangelical churches and the remaining bastions of "Protestantism" and a widespread stampede -- like a whole herd of millions of buffalo stampeding across the ranges of the Wild West hundreds of years ago -- back into the fold of "the [un-] holy Father," who calls himself the "vicar of Christ"!

The resurgence of wickedness in the last days, and the parallel arising of the Great False Church, was also foretold by Paul in the prophecies in the book of II Thessalonians. He wrote, forcefully:

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [the day of the Messiah's return -- see verses 1-2] shall not come, except there be a FALLING AWAY [that is, a tremendous APOSTASY] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple [i.e., church -- the Vatican?] of God, shewing himself that he is God [the "vicar of Christ," "Holy Father," "Prince of Peace," a virtual "God on Earth"!]. . . . For the mystery of iniquity doth already work [underground, behind the scenes]: only he who now restraineth [Greek] will restrain, until he be taken out of the way [could this be the remaining bastions of Protestantdom, including the Evangelical churches, the Church of England, the Lutheran Church, etc.?]. AND THEN [when the restraining powers are demolished and subverted] SHALL THAT WICKED [ONE] BE REVEALED [the final Age-End Pope!], whom the Lord shall consume [destroy] with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is AFTER THE WORKING OF SATAN with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with ALL DECEIVABLENESS of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the LOVE OF THE TRUTH, that they might be saved" II Thess.2:3-10).

The Philips Translation puts this passage in clearer, more modern English. He translates: "Evil is already insidiously at work, but its activities are restricted until what I have called the 'restraining power' is removed. When that happens the lawless man will be plainly seen" (v.7-8)

What is this "restraining power"? Clearly, the power that has held back the advance of Catholicism and a world Catholic superstate, during the past 500 years, has been the Protestant Reformation in Europe, and the independence of European Protestant nations refusing to come under the yoke of Catholicism. Also, the power of the Anglo-Saxon nations, Great Britain (which formed the Church of England as a counter-balance against Catholic power and extremism), and the United States of America -- the world's two most powerful Protestant nations -- has up to now stood in the way of Catholic revanchism.

Few understand it, but the Catholic Church knew the danger of a strong Protestant America to her own ambitions, and Catholic and Jesuit plotting was involved in the cause of the Civil War in America, with the Catholic Church supporting the South in its attempt to break up and sever the Union. The Catholic Church was also involved in the plot to assassinate Abraham Lincoln (see 50 Years in the "Church" of Rome: The Conversion of a Priest, Charles Chiniquy).

Is this great End-Time Church-State system mentioned in Bible Prophecy?

We read in the book of Revelation, "And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the GREAT WHORE that sitteth upon many waters [nations]: with whom the kings of the earth have committed [spiritual and political] fornication [adultery], and the inhabitants of the earth have been made DRUNK with the wine of her fornication" (Rev.17:1-2).

A great "whore" in the Bible is descriptive language which means a great "false church." It is a great church which "sells itself" and its support, politically, to the nations of this world in turn for which it seeks recognition as the "official church," and the support of the state -- and the long arm of the state which it seeks to use to ferret out and destroy all "heretics."

In the Middle Ages the nations of Europe joined forces with the Papacy to launch "crusades," not only against the Moslems in the Middle East, but against the Albigenses and Waldensians in France, independent Christian groups which foreshadowed the Protestant Reformation by several hundred years, and "crusades" against the Jews in Eastern Europe. The "cross" of the Church was bathed in blood from one end of Europe to the other, and in Asia.

Says Adam Clarke in his Commentary, regarding the Church of Rome:

"'Who can make any computation,' says Bishop Newton [Sir Isaac Newton, scientist and renown physicist who became a bishop of the Church of England], 'or even frame any conception, of the numbers of pious Christians who have fallen a sacrifice to the BIGOTRY AND CRUELTY OF ROME? Mede upon the place hath observed, from the authorities, that in the war with the Albigenses and Waldenses there perished of these poor creatures IN FRANCE ALONE A MILLION. From the first institution of the Jesuites in 1580, that is, in little more than 30 years, NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS WERE SLAIN, and these all by the common executioner. In the space of scarce thirty years the inquisition destroyed, by various kinds of torture, a HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND CHRISTIANS. Sanders himself confesses that an INNUMERABLE MULTITUDE OF LOLLARDS [SABBATARIANS] and Sacramentarians were BURNT THROUGHOUT ALL EUROPE, who yet, he says, were not put to death by the pope and bishops, but by the civil magistrates.' The dragon in a new shape, or Roman empire of Germany, acted a very conspicuous part in this nefarious WARFARE against the remnant of the woman's seed, who kept the commandments of God, and had the testimony of Jesus Christ. See the imperial edict of Frederic II, against heretics, in Limborch's History of the Inquisition" (Vol.3, p.1019, Rev.13:7 comment).

When the Protestant Reformation began, it was met head on with military power, and the armies of Catholic Europe sought viciously to suppress the fledgling new movement, and to destroy it before it hatched. But to no avail. YEHOVAH God was behind the Protestant Reformation, and wanted the world to have several centuries of religious freedom -- before the crushing weight of Roman Catholic power would once again rise to the surface, and attempt to stamp out and destroy all dissent, in one final bloodbath at the end of this Age!

In the Middle Ages, millions died -- were martyred -- gave their lives for religious freedom, liberty, and the right to worship YEHOVAH God according to their conscience, and the Word of YEHOVAH God! The Bible, which had long been suppressed in Catholic lands, and kept from the hands of the laity, was translated into the common tongue, and men everywhere began reading it, and it opened their eyes to see the evils of Popery and Catholicism. But before religious freedom could be achieved, bloody wars were fought in Ireland, England, and across the European continent, as the Catholic Church struggled to maintain her dominion over the entire western world.

This great martyrdom of the Middle Ages, however, was merely a forerunner -- a type -- of what Bible prophecy says is going to occur once again during these LAST DAYS! Our generation will not be exempt! We read in the book of Revelation:

"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were SLAIN FOR THE WORD OF GOD, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, UNTIL THEIR FELLOWSERVANTS also and their BRETHREN, THAT SHOULD BE KILLED AS THEY WERE, should be fulfilled" (Rev. 6:9-11).

Yeshua the Messiah himself declared, of these last, fateful, days pregnant with labor and strife: "They shall put you out of the synagogues [churches, meeting places]: yea, and the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service" (John 16:2).

The ecumenical movement will end in disaster. It will end up in the greatest Holocaust, and Persecution, and Inquisition, and Tribulation, that this old world has ever witnessed in all of human history!

The "woman" and her "daughters" -- the Great False Church that John saw in vision -- represents the reunion of apostate Rome with her "Protestant" daughters, all coming together in one final evangelical "Mission" for the Third Millennium to stamp out true religion from the face of this earth!

It will be "The Final CRUSADE"!

Blood will flow like rivers around the world. John sees this woman, dressed in purple, and scarlet, and decked with precious stones and gold and pearls, with a cup in her hand full of "abominations and filthiness of her fornication." John says:

"And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

"And I saw the woman DRUNKEN WITH THE BLOOD OF THE SAINTS, and with the BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS OF JESUS" (Rev.17:4-6).

This wicked "Jezebel" Church masquerades as the "bride of Christ" (compare Rev. 19:7-9) which is the true Church of YEHOVAH God, and which will "marry" the Messiah when he returns in power and glory to set up the Kingdom of YEHOVAH God on this earth. But this false church, this abominable WHORE, this spiritual Prostitute which commits lewdness with the nations of THIS world, this abominable Worldwide Church of Satan the Devil, will persecute and cause to be killed those who belong to YEHOVAH's true people -- all dissidents, and "heretics," and those who refuse to come into her fold and under her teaching and control!

This great Church-State, which involves itself with politics, is the fount of all evil. Those who join up with it, are perpetrating the greatest deception of all time. They are committing a FRAUD. For evangelical Christians to join up with the Papacy is the greatest sell-out and surrender of principle of all time.

The entire farce reminds me of the story of the three monkeys who sit together, one with his ears covered ("hear no evil"), one with his eyes covered ("see no evil"), and one with his mouth covered ("speak no evil"). The churches within the framework of the New World Religion will tolerate each other, not seek converts from each other's flocks, and dwell together at least superficially in outward harmony. But how long will the joy ride last? How long before bitter divisions begin to crop up?

Biblical prophecy indicates this union of churches and state, with the Catholic Pontiff in control of the religious aspect of the structure, will last exactly three and one half years, in full and unmitigated force. John records in vision:

"And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and BLASPHEMIES; and POWER was given unto him to continue FORTY AND TWO MONTHS . . . . And it was given unto him to MAKE WAR WITH THE SAINTS, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations" (Rev. 13:5-7).

Together with this great world ruler to come shortly, who will kill the saints that he is able to apprehend, will be a great Pope, or False Prophet. Both of these individuals are referred to as "beasts" (Rev.13:1-4, 11). The second beast, or Pope, will be one who does what appears to be "miracles." We read, "And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast SHOULD BE KILLED" (Rev. 13:13-16).

This new World Empire, patterned after Nimrod's Babylon and Tower of Babel, and after the Roman Empire of antiquity, will not last very long. The Scriptures tell us it will last for only 3 1/2 years, or 42 months, or 1260 days, before it is destroyed by the Messiah at his real Second Coming!

John records in the book of Revelation:

"Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the GREAT WHORE that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the KINGS of the earth have committed fornication [adultery, spiritually]. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a WOMAN sit upon a scarlet [blood] colored BEAST, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 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: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman DRUNKEN WITH THE BLOOD OF THE SAINTS, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus" (Rev. 17:1-6).

Notice that in the time of the end, during the final closing days before the coming of the Messiah, this awesome Church-State regime will once again dominate the earth. This end-time world government will be in cooperation with and will be "ridden" by the Papacy of Rome -- the Vatican!

Do you think it is impossible that in our modern age, the Papacy will once again grow to incredible power, and once again begin persecuting true Christians and YEHOVAH's people? Do you think this is impossible -- preposterous?

Again, in the book of Revelation, YEHOVAH God tells us that soon, now, the devil will once again be cast down from heaven to the earth, with his rebellious angels. YEHOVAH says:

"Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having GREAT WRATH, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon [devil, see verse 9] saw that he was cast down unto the earth, he PERSECUTED THE WOMAN which brought forth the man child [that is, the Church -- the "Israel of God" -- Galatians 6:16]. . . . And the dragon was WROTH with the woman, and went to MAKE WAR WITH THE REMNANT OF HER SEED, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Rev.12:12-17).

The horrors of persecution and religious bigotry and cruelty lie ahead! Make no mistake about it! An indication of what lies ahead is hinted at in a recent newspaper article that appeared in the Washington Post.

According to the article, "David C. Trosch, a Roman Catholic priest in Mobile, Alabama, teaches that YEHOVAH God smiles on those who take a life to save the lives of the 'unborn.'" Last year Trosch tried to place advertisements in newspapers saying that "murdering doctors who perform abortions is 'justifiable homicide.'"

"Justifiable homicide"? When and where did Yeshua the Messiah ever give his servants authority to murder or kill, or to commit "justifiable homicide"? There is no such thing! But religious bigots have always insisted on their right to murder and to kill "heretics," and those who disagree with them on religious issues. This priest and Paul Hill, who was arrested for killing a clinic doctor and his escort in Pensacola, Florida, are among 35 people who signed a declaration stating that it is all right to use "lethal force to defend 'the lives of unborn children.'"

Declared the Washington Post, in a telephone interview Trosch said it is necessary to defend every fetus from the moment of conception, "By any means necessary." He insists that his beliefs are consistent with Catholic teaching. In June he delivered a document to the Vatican asking Pope John Paul II to weigh in on the 'justifiable homicide' theory. He has received no response -- either pro or con. But why is the Pope silent? Why doesn't he speak out on this heinous misinterpretation of Scripture? By his deafening silence, by not condeming this horribe attitude of murder, the Pope actually sanctions and condones and lends moral support to such conduct! Even as the Pope refused to condemn or speak out against Hitler and Nazism, during World War II, so the modern Pople, John Paul II, refuses to speak out today and vigorously condemn those fanatics who would butcher those who disagree with them! Is this not an omen -- a harbinger of the future?

Although Trosch was "suspended" by the local archbishop, he "has not been excommunicated and has appeared in television interviews in clerical garb. In June, a week before the Pensacola shooting, Trosch sent a letter to about 1,000 people predicting that in time 'we will see the beginning of MASSIVE KILLING of abortionists and their staffs.'"

Says this violent firebrand, in his defense: "'I'm not involved in any sort of conspiracy or anything.' Trosch said: 'I don't think it's going to require a conspiracy'" (Denver Post, August 7, 1994, from the Washington Post).

With this kind of attitude already beginning to crop up, can we not see how easy it will be for the devil to subvert these people, and use them to do his will -- thinking they do YEHOVAH God service by murdering their neighbors? The stage is already set. The murderous attitudes are already buiding up. The legions of hatred are on the march, and gathering momentum. The dark, growling and sinister storm clouds are gathering, and roiling, and growing darker.

As John foresaw in vision, the coming Worldwide Church will be "drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the book of the martyrs of Jesus" (Rev.17:6).

This end-time Church-State system will even fight against the Messiah when he comes. "And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the ten horns which thou sawest are TEN KINGS, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make WAR with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful" (Rev.17:11-14).

The end of the present move toward Church unity, between Protestants, Evangelicals, and Catholics, resulting in a resurgence of ancient Catholic political and religious powerbacked up by the military power of the state -- will be utter disaster. When the Messiah defeats the "TEN HORNS," or nations comprising the military bulwark of the Beast, they will come to see what fools they have been, and will turn on the Roman Catholic Church with a vengeance. YEHOVAH God says:

"The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. And the TEN HORNS which thou sawest upon the beast shall HATE the WHORE, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall EAT her flesh, and BURN her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the WOMAN which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth" (Rev.17:16-18).

What is the great city which reigned over the earth during John's day? Why, ancient ROME, of course! What city ruled the world during the Middle Ages, raising up kings, excommunicating kings, commanding the obedience of kings? The Papacy at Rome, the Vatican!

But YEHOVAH God says the nations of the Beast itself will turn on the woman, and destroy her, and devour her assets, and burn her churches and cathedrals with fire. An angel will then descend from heaven, and proclaim:

"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. 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" (Rev.18:2).

Why does the Scripture say Babylon is fallen TWICE? This is present tense -- not past tense. It is not referring to the original Babylon, and its fall 539 B.C., or the Fall of the Roman Empire in 476 A.D., or any of the falls of the "Holy Roman Empire" during the Middle Ages. Rather, this expression is repeated, TWICE, because it describes BOTH BEASTS OF REVELATION 13 -- the physical/military/political Beast of Babylon, and the spiritual/religious/church Beast of spiritual Babylon! Both "houses of Babylon" will fall, and collapse, and be destroyed!

Therefore, what does Almighty God say to HIS people, concerning this future world Empire and "New World Order"? Is it all right to join the mass movement back into union with the fold of Babylon? Is it wise to join the mad stampede into the outstretched arms of the Roman Catholic Church? Is it spiritually intelligent to "join up," and join the ranks of all those Protestants and Evangelicals who are re-uniting with the Papacy?

The apostle John says:

"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. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 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.

"How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a QUEEN, AND AM NO WIDOW, and shall see no sorrow.

"Therefore shall her plagues come in ONE DAY, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be UTTERLY BURNED WITH FIRE: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her" (Rev.18:4-8).

YEHOVAH God commands His true people, who worship Him, and have the testimony of Yeshua the Messiah, to have NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with this apostate Church-State system which is now emerging from the cocoon -- which is now incubating, and beginning to hatch, and come to life. He thunders, in the epistle of Paul to the Corinthians:

"BE YE NOT UNEQUALLY YOKED TOGETHER with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? AND WHAT AGREEMENT HATH THE TEMPLE OF GOD WITH IDOLS? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them: and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. "WHEREFORE COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM, AND BE YE SEPARATE, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (II Cor.6:14-18).

Are you going to be caught up in the incredible end-time return to "Babylon"? Are you and your church beating a path back to the traditions and teachings of Protestantism and Catholicism, which themselves are reuniting?

It's time to open our eyes, and watch out -- to watch and pray, and study the Scriptures as never before -- praying to be accounted worthy to ESCAPE all the horrors that Yeshua the Messiah said are coming upon the world. For the Messiah himself said, in final warning:

"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a SNARE shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. WATCH YE THEREFORE, and PRAY ALWAYS, that ye may be accounted worthy to ESCAPE all these things that shall come to pass, and to STAND before the Son of man" (Luke 21:34-36).

Amen! May YEHOVAH God help each one of us to take these words seriously, to heart!

Hope of Israel Ministries -- Taking the Lead in the Search for Truth!

Hope of Israel Ministries P.O. Box 853 Azusa, CA 91702, U.S.A. www.hope-of-israel.org

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