The AntiChrist (A Revelation 17 Study)

The Antichrist (A Revelation 17 Study)

This is a study I undertook in March 2013, shortly after Jesuit, Pope Francis was elected. Like many of you, I thought it very odd that Pope Benedict the 16th should so suddenly resign even if health was a factor and especially since prior to this, the resignation of a pope has never happened in this puzzling manner. I felt that the implications of this sudden change of power was bigger than they alleged or was reported in the media. That the double lightning strike of St. Peters Basilica hours after the resignation of Pope Benedict the 16th was not a mere coincidence but foretelling of apocalyptic type forebodings. These once in a lifetime events along with a dream that I had in the days of Pope Francis’s election, initiated a 17-month research and study of the prophetic books of the Bible which this study is the result and conclusion of. The supposition of this study is that Pope Francis is the beast/antichrist of Revelation 17 and therfore the final Pope prior to Jesus soon return and that through deception and lying wonders will ultimately cause the whole world to wonder after him whose names were not written in the book of life. “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. 17:13-14.

My sincere hope and prayer is that after reading through these notes, it will inspire a spiritual desire to search and pray to understand the truth in regards to Revelation of Jesus Christ and share in the fact that Jesus is very well on His way. "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is at hand" Rev. 1:3.”

                                The Symbols

Mountains = Religio-political powers:
Isaiah 2:2, 3; Daniel 2:35, 44-45
Horn = King or Kingdom:
Revelation 17:12; Daniel 7:24
Beasts = Kingdom/government/political power:
Daniel 7:17, 23
Babylon = Religious apostasy/confusion:
Revelation 18:2, 3
Woman, Corrupt = Apostate church:
Hosea 2:5; 3:1
Woman, Pure = True Church:
Ephesians 5:23-27

                               The Notes

“As we near the close of this world's history, the prophecies relating to the last days especially demand our study. The last book of the New Testament scriptures is full of truth that we need to understand. Satan has blinded the minds of many, so that they have been glad of any excuse for not making the Revelation their study. But Christ through His servant John has here declared what shall be in the last days...” {COL 133.2}

“Wherever the truths of the gospel are proclaimed, those who honestly desire to do right are led to a diligent searching of the Scriptures. If, in the closing scenes of this earth's history, those to whom testing truths are proclaimed would follow the example of the Bereans [Apostolic Church], searching the Scriptures daily, and comparing with God's word the messages brought them, there would today be a large number loyal to the precepts of God's law, where now there are comparatively few. But when unpopular Bible truths are presented, many refuse to make this investigation. Though unable to controvert the plain teachings of Scripture, they yet manifest the utmost reluctance to study the evidences offered. Some assume that even if these doctrines are indeed true, it matters little whether or not they accept the new light, and they cling to pleasing fables which the enemy uses to lead souls astray. Thus their minds are blinded by error, and they become separated from heaven. {AA 232.1} All will be judged according to the light that has been given. The Lord sends forth His ambassadors with a message of salvation, and those who hear He will hold responsible for the way in which they treat the words of His servants. Those who are sincerely seeking for truth will make a careful investigation, in the light of God's word, of the doctrines presented to them.” {AA 232.2}

I. Revelation 17:1-4 “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 judgement of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured 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:”

Ellen G. White (EGW), speaking on Revelation 17 gives us a key overview of this chapter, stating, “In the seventeenth of Revelation is foretold the destruction of all the churches who corrupt themselves by idolatrous devotion to the service of the papacy, those who have drunk of the fornication.” {7BC 983.3} “Thus is represented the papal power, which with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, by outside attraction and gorgeous display, deceives all nations;” {7BC 983.4}

What is described in the first verses of chapter 17 is a woman [the Church of Rome], sitting on a scarlet-colored beast [civil power], by the which she is supported or endorsed, whom she also operates, such as a rider who controls the reigns of an animal they are riding upon. The woman [Church of Rome] is described in verse 4 to be clothed with purple and scarlet which are the main colors of the Bishops and Cardinals. This is also a prophecy that is pertinent to the time of the end as we can deduct from the following quote from Price; “The fact that the drunken woman on the scarlet beast means a period in history down very close to the end is indicated in several other ways. It is one of the angels with the seven last plagues that shows this vision to John, and the seven last plagues apply just before the second advent. Also the fact that the woman and the beast are differentiated would seem to mean that the time here represented is when the world in general has learned to think of the church as distinct from the civil power. This intellectual and even practical distinction has come about only in modern times, the time of the end.” {Price, Time of the End, 33}

The beast consists of three components, which are the beast itself, seven heads and ten horns. We will take a closer look at each component throughout the study.

II. Revelation 17:5 “And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

“Observe how Babylon’s title is written in large capital letters: (Verse 5 quoted). Why is her title thus written? Because she is the counterfeiter of the things of Christ Whose title also is written in the same large capital letters: ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS’ (Rev. 19:16).” {Were, WATB, 51.}

EGW states, “The power which has the deepest inward corruption will make the greatest display, and will clothe itself with the most elaborate signs of power. The Bible plainly declares that this covers a corrupt and deceiving wickedness.” {7BC 983.4}

III. Revelation 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.

“It appears that the Revelator views the woman after the time of persecution or the Middle Ages because she is ‘drunken [past tense] with the blood of the saints.’” Cooke, #29-UR, 11.

Take note that the woman [Roman Church] is already drunk with the blood of the saints, why? Because the holy wars, and inquisition waged on Gods true followers led by the Church of Rome had already taken place, meaning that this specific beast rises after the 1260 year prophecy of Daniel 7:25 which began in 538 AD and ended in 1798. More specifically, the main point of this entire chapter in Revelation is to show the judgement of this system and thus must take place after 1844 when the judgment commenced.

How drunk is the Roman Church with blood? Well, EGW says this, “In the days of Rome’s supremacy, there were instruments of torture to compel assent to her doctrines. There was the stake for those who would not concede to her claims. There were massacres on a scale that will never be known until revealed in the Judgment. Dignitaries of the church studied, under Satan their master, to invent means to cause the greatest possible torture, and not end the life of their victim. The infernal process was repeated to the utmost limit of human endurance, until nature gave up the struggle, and the sufferer hailed death a sweet release.” {GC88 568.4}.

IV. Revelation 17:7 “And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

Since John the disciple marveled with amazement after the beast, the angel had to no doubt explain the mystery of identifying this beast to ensure that those whose names are written in the book of life, have a clearer understanding as to not be misled by the deceptive power and signs this beast will perform. The angels subtle rebuke to John, “Wherefore didst thy marvel?” is a stern and eternal rebuke to those who having had the opportunity to understand this truth and did not.

“I was shown the grievous disappointment of the people of God. They did not see Jesus at the expected time. They knew not why their Saviour did not come. They could see no evidence why prophetic time had not ended. Said an angel, Has God’s word failed? Has God failed to fulfill his promises? No: he has fulfilled all he promised. Jesus has risen up, and has shut the door of the Holy place of the heavenly Sanctuary, and has opened a door into the Most Holy place, and has entered in to cleanse the Sanctuary. Said the angel, all who wait patiently shall understand the mystery.” {EGW 1SG 157.1}

In reference to new truths in need of understanding, EGW states “In every age there is a new development of truth, a message of God to the people of that generation. The old truths are all essential; new truth is not independent of the old, but an unfolding of it. It is only as the old truths are understood that we can comprehend the new. When Christ desired to open to His disciples the truth of His resurrection, He began "at Moses and all the prophets" and "expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself." Luke 24:27. But it is the light which shines in the fresh unfolding of truth that glorifies the old. He who rejects or neglects the new does not really possess the old. For him it loses its vital power and becomes but a lifeless form.” {COL 127.4} May we keep this in mind as we begin to unpack the mystery of the woman riding the beast.

V. Revelation 17:8 “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into the perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.”

“In Revelation 21:9,10 an angel invited John to watch the holy city come down from heaven. This invitation certainly carried John’s mind forward to the end of the millennium. Similarly, at the beginning of Revelation 17 …an angel gave John an invitation to come and see the ‘judgment’ of the great harlot. This invitation drew his mind forward to the beginning of the end time…. So shouldn’t Revelation 17 be interpreted from the viewpoint of 1798/1844 and later, the era of the judgment and the end of time? This is the time frame for the judgement scene in Daniel 7, the opening of the little scroll in Revelation 10, and the preaching of the first angel’s message of Revelation 14:6,7, ‘The hour of his judgment has come.’” Maxwell, God Cares, 473.

In reference to the bottomless pit, “In Romans 10:7 the same Greek word is translated ‘deep’ and is used to describe the grave or the place of death. …The beast of Rev. 17:8 ascends out of the bottomless pit. This means that it emerges from the place of death. It is experiencing a resurrection, it is returning to power, it is a restoration.” Cooke, #29-UR, 16, 17.

The beast was [prior to 1798], is not [while in the wilderness], and will ascend out of the bottomless pit [very near future]. No doubt the term go to perdition refers to the destruction of not only the beast but also that of those who do not heed the three angels message combined with the astoundingly precise identifying marks, given in Revelation 17, of the beast power that will soon bring the whole world to ruin.

VI. Revelation 17:9 “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.”

Here the 7 heads is described by the angel as 7 mountains from where the Roman Catholic Church rules or is located and since the 7 heads is symbolic it only makes sense that we take the application given literally. For was there ever an instance in Bible prophecy where the explanation of a symbolic figure or item is defined by another symbol? On the contrary, angels have always been provided to make visions, dreams, and prophecies plain, and to give skill, truth and understanding. “Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision”, “I am now come to shew thee; for thou are greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter and consider the vision”, “And now will I shew thee the truth.” Dan. 8:16; 9:22; 11:2.

We must therefore acquiesce to the angels interpretation, not adding nor taking away, lest we find ourselves in disbelief as was the case with Zechariah who believed not and was made dumb because he believed not the words of the angel Gabriel to be fulfilled in their season.

Any google search indicates that geographically the Vatican, where the Roman Catholic Church is located today, sits on seven hills or seven mountains, thus precisely fitting the angel’s application.

Note to Reader: Here is where the error of most interpretations begin, by applying the symbol of the “7 heads” to the symbolic definition given throughout scripture for mountains, and then misapplying the 4 kingdoms which are beasts in the book of Daniel, to now be heads on a beast in Revelation. This is not sound doctrine. Since this is the first and only location in the Bible given to define the “7 heads”, we must accept it as is, thus allowing the Bible to interpret itself, and thus “the mind which hath wisdom”. Please pray earnestly over this point and God will provide an angel and His Spirit to enlighten our understanding on this most crucial matter at hand.

VII. Revelation 17:10 “And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.”

“The Seven heads are explained to be, first, seven mountains, and then seven kings. The expression in verse 10, “and there are seven kings,” reads in the original, “and are seven kings.” This makes the sentence read: “The seven heads are seven mountains….and are seven kings,” thus identifying heads as mountains and kings.” {Daniel & Rev. 693.1}

Consequently, the 7 heads do not only represent seven mountains, where the Roman Church resides, but they also denote a sequence of 7 kings. The crucial question to ask here is, “Could the heads symbolizing kings in the verse 10 be referring to popes?” EGW states “In the sixth century the papacy had become firmly established. Its seat of power was fixed in the imperial city [Rome], and the bishop [pope] of Rome was declared to be the head over the entire church…The dragon had given to the beast “his power, and his seat, and great authority. And now began the 1260 years of papal oppression foretold in the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation.” [Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5-7] – {GC88 54.2} So the answer to our crucial question above, “Could the reference to kings in Rev. 17:10 also be applied to popes?”, the answer is a resounding, yes! The Pope was derived from the bishop of Rome and declared to be Pontifex Maximus, both the leader of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church and head of the state of the Holy See and thus a king.

However, in 1798 the popes lost their status as kings, since both their political and ecclesiastical authority was removed by Napoleon and consequently the beast of revelation 13 entered her wilderness experience. EGW, states “At that time a French army entered Rome and made the pope a prisoner, and he died in exile. Though a new pope was soon afterward elected, the papal hierarchy has never since been able to wield the power which it before possessed.” {GC88 266.2} Thus the prediction fulfilled, “He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword” [Revelation 13:10], and so the reason why the vision of chapter 17 begins with the woman and the scarlet colored beast in wilderness, thus picking up where the leopard beast of Revelation 13:10 left off. Again, in reference to Revelation 13:10 Uriah Smith points out the following, “This wounding is the same as the going into captivity. Revelation 13-10. It was inflicted when the pope was taken prisoner by Berthier, the French general, and the papal government was for the first time abolished, in 1798. Stripped of his power, both civil and ecclesiastical, the captive pope, Pius VI, died in exile at Valence in France, Aug., 1799.” {DAR1909 563.3} So this important point establishes that the papal hierarchy would need to once again possess the civil and ecclesiastical power it had prior to 1798 to once again begin her ascension to power and begin healing the deadly wound.

The pertinent question now is, did the Roman Church ever regain the power that it had prior to 1798? On March 14, 1800, history tells us that although a new pope was elected he did not have the same control as before 1798, since an estate [civil power] was not given to the papacy at that time. Even though Uriah Smith prematurely attributed this event as “the healing of the wound”, he was cautiously compelled to admit that power given back to the papacy in 1800 was significantly less than in former past. He states, “But the deadly wound was healed when the papacy was re-established, though with a diminution of its former power, by the election of a new pope, March 14, 1800” {DAR1909.5633}

In the next section we will see the historic and direct prophetic fulfillment of the women sitting on 7 mountains/heads as stated in Revelation 17 and the start of the healing of the deadly wound that Uriah Smith and his contemporaries did not live to witness.

VIII. Revelation 17:10-11 “And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.”

In 1929 Benito Mussolini signed the Lateran Treaty a political treaty which created the state called Vatican City State, which guaranteed full and independent sovereignty to the Roman Church, establishing Popes as heads of church and state and thus once again kings. Thus verse 8 “...behold the beast that was [538 A.D – 1798], and is not [1798-1929], and will be [1929-present]. So we see that since the establishment of the Vatican City State in 1929, where the woman sits [Rev. 17:9], until today, the Papacy has recovered much of its former power. However, though the papacy currently has the power it wielded prior to 1798, the wound is not yet fully healed, that will only happen under the reign of the 8th and final king.

Okay, now that we established the fact that kings are synonymous to popes after 1929, we can now begin to count the number of kings/popes starting with the first pope to sign the Lateran Treaty on February 11th 1929. Below is the list of popes, starting with Pope Pious 11th who was the pope to sign the Lateran Treaty:

The angel summarizes the reign of the popes listed above this way, “five [kings] are fallen” or passed away. He continues, “one [king] is” the sixth was then reigning, during the prophetic period of the vision that John was witnessing. “The other is not yet come; and when he cometh he must continue a short space.” And lastly, “the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven.”

Uriah Smith states, “From this account of seven kings, we understand that when the one that had “not yet come” at the time of which John was writing, appears on the scene, he is here called an eighth, though he is really “of the seven,” in the sense that he absorbed and exercised their power. It is this one whose career we are interested to follow. Of this one it is said that his destiny was to go “into perdition,” that is, to perish utterly...” {Daniel and Revelation rv1972 p.g.693.1}

There are only seven heads on the beast, so if you count the number of popes from 1929 you end up with Pope Francis as the 8th but remember the angel says, “The beast that was and is not, even he is the 8th and is of the seven”. In other words, in count he is number eight though his power derives from the seven. Interestingly, the word used in the Greek for “seven” is “hepta”, a word used interchangeably for both the word “seven” and “seventh”. Thus the phrase “he is of the seven”, can also be read as “he is of the seventh” thus specifically illustrating that the 8th [Pope Francis] gets his power from the “seventh” [Pope Benedict], and therefore accurately depicting the resignation of Pope Benedict on February 11th, exactly 84 years to the exact day from the signing of the Lateran Treaty, giving way for the Jesuit Pope Francis to continue his reign until the end. In summation, Pope Francis is the 8th and final beast whose reign will ultimately usher in the final events and “stand up against the Prince of princes [Jesus]; but he [Pope Francis] shall be broken without hand” Daniel 8:23-25.

Revelation 13:18 “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”

Currently it is not hard to see that “the whole world is wondering after” Pope Francis. The first pope ever to speak before the US congress in September of 2015 as well as the United Nations in New York. Slowly but surely, ever since his enthronement “the deadly wound” is being healed. The year of 2017 is now being marked as “The Death of Protestantism”, which will occur on paper October 31st 2017.

“The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority, the inroads of spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal power--all will be unmasked. {GC 606.3}

The prophecy of Revelation 17 is a direct fulfillment of this prophetic statement. We will follow up on this on point 12.

IX. Revelation 17:12 “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.”

“Although the 17th chapter of Revelation seems to be covering the same ground as the 13th, the indications are that many points are dealing more with modern Babylon than with ancient. The 12th verse rather indicates that the ten horns are the reinstituted ten kingdoms in modern times; it says that they will receive power as kings one hour with the beast, and this is just before they finally give their power and strength to the beast, preceding the time when the beast will be destroyed.” Straw, SR, 109.

"In the seventeenth of Revelation is foretold the destruction of all the churches who corrupt themselves by idolatrous devotion to the service of the papacy, those who have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication... What is it that gives its kingdom to this power? Protestantism, a power which, while professing to have the temper and spirit of a lamb and to be allied to Heaven, speaks with the voice of a dragon. It is moved by a power from beneath." {7BC 983.3}

The fact that these kings join with the beast for “one hour” denotes a very specific time period and therefore to very specific persons in power as kings and the beast. These ten horns are ten kingdoms that did not yet have power with the beast, since the angel was showing John the vision of the beast during the reign of 6th king [one is] and not the 8th. These ten kings are ten religio-political powers that are already joining their forces together with Pope Francis [the beast] to enforce the ‘Mark of the Beast’, a national and world-wide enforcement of Sunday worship laws. Though the ten kings are not yet readily identifiable but will be shortly.

X. Revelation 17:13 “These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.”

This verse foretells that the ten figureheads will very soon hand over their full power and authority to Pope Francis under a pretext that has yet to play out. We do know that Pope Francis has been busy interacting with all the major religious leaders, with what is known commonly called the “ecumenical movement”. In 2016 he called for interreligious dialogue and now in 2017 has called for interreligious unity.

The Spirit of Prophecy states, “When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points, of doctrine are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably results” [GC 445.1}

How can Revelation 17 be so specific as to identify the beast that will bring the whole world into perdition as Pope Francis? It is because of Jesus’s love for those that are His people and His strong desire to ensure that even “the very elect” be not deceived by the strong deception, signs and wonders that are coming upon the whole world, to the which we must stand on a “Thus saith the Lord”. To this end Jesus says “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” Revelation 3:10.

The Spirit of Prophecy also denotes, “The time is coming when Satan will work miracles right in your sight, claiming that he is Christ; and if your feet are not firmly established upon the truth of God, then you will be led away from your foundation. The only safety for you is to search for truth as for hid treasures. Dig for the truth as you would for treasures on earth, and present the word of God, the Bible, before your Heavenly Father and say, enlighten me; teach me what is truth.” {RH April 3, 1888}

XI. Revelation 17:19 “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

This is the last verse of Revelation 17 and the most conclusive as to leave no doubt about the identity and more specifically location of the woman[church] resides. We know now that a woman in bible prophecy signifies a church but this verse also calls the woman in this prophecy, a great city. There is only one church in the world that can be also identified as “Great City” and to whom all religious and political figures adhere to and that is without a doubt the Roman Catholic Church, whose official locality is known as “Vatican City". The Vatican “is the only ambassadorial appointment to a religion, rather than a state or an international organization”. {Sally Axworthy; UK Ambassador; Rome Reports 10/25/216}

“In every age there is a new development of truth, a message of God to the people of that generation.” {COL 127.4}. It has been over 2 generations since the last revelations given to us by the Spirit of Prophecy, so does Jesus not now have a message that is specific to us, the last generation? I believe He does and I believe it begins with Revelation 17, a prophecy whose application has been, perhaps providentially, misunderstood until now. Christ looked to our time and seen that we would all be caught up with the business and cares of the world and provided a strong inarguable prophecy to wake those whose names are written in the book of life from the foundation of the world. This message is not one of fear but of unity, a revelation that should draw us together in prayer for the final message that we must give to a dying world and last but certainly not least, for the outpouring of God’s Spirit to spread the message and face the crises that is right upon us all.

Concerning the lack of interest of searching the scriptures for ourselves EGW states, “Yet while it was not given to the prophets to understand fully the things revealed to them, they earnestly sought to obtain all the light which God had been pleased to make manifest. They "inquired and searched diligently," "searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify." What a lesson to the people of God in the Christian age, for whose benefit these prophecies were given to His servants! "Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister." Witness those holy men of God as they "inquired and searched diligently" concerning revelations given them for generations that were yet unborn. Contrast their holy zeal with the listless unconcern with which the favored ones of later ages treat this gift of Heaven. What a rebuke to the ease-loving, world-loving indifference which is content to declare that the prophecies cannot be understood!” {GC88 344.3}

Paul was given many visions of the last days, which is why he was able to speak so boldly concerning the details of the state of the world at Jesus’s second coming. EGW states, “The apostle Paul early in his Christian experience was given special opportunities to learn the will of God concerning the followers of Jesus. He was “caught up to the third heaven.” “into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter”. He himself acknowledged that many “visions and revelations” had been given him “of the Lord.” {AA 461.1-2} Given what we have studied concerning the beast of Revelation 17, being guided by the man Pope Francis, we will now turn to a 2nd witness for more conclusive evidence in understanding how this beast power relates to the Antichrist.

XII. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 “Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day will not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,”

Paul is here telling the early Church that Jesus would not return until after the rise and revelation of the “man of sin” [Antichrist]. “To the law and to the testimony: If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20. Thus, we can only expect the word of God to rightly uncover/reveal the identity of this “man of sin”. This “man of sin” is also referred to by Paul as the “son of perdition” or of destruction which remarkably is the same descriptor used only for one other character in the Bible, who supposedly loved Jesus but rather ended up betraying Him with a kiss: Judas Iscariot (John 17:12). This application of the “son of perdition” thus accurately portrays the very steps that antichrist pope Francis is taking to captivate the whole earth “And go into perdition” Revelation 17:8.

Concerning “the falling away” the Spirit of Prophecy states, "Popery is just what prophecy declared that she would be, the apostasy of the latter times. [2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4.] 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? – {GC88 571.1}."

The picture should now a lot more distinct as to who the “son of perdition” referred to in the Revelation and now in 2nd Thessalonians is; Pope Francis [beast of Revelation 17]. Just a couple of more points before closing.

XIII. 2 Thessalonians 2:6 “And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.”

That who may be revealed? That “he” the Antichrist may be revealed at a certain time. Is there such a revelation in scripture? Yes, as we have already studied, that unveiling takes place in chapter 17 in the book of Revelation: “I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.” The unveiling was to happen in the time of the Antichrist, thus the time of the end. Now we know that shortly following the apostasy, which is happening right now and the revelation of the Antichrist, Jesus is to return. It doesn’t take much to see that all the culminating events taking place around the world are pointing to strange forebodings that signal the end of all things and Jesus soon return.

XIV. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-9 “For the mystery of inquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall 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.”

It is the Holy Spirit that is still yet mercifully restraining the winds of strife, war and bloodshed that are imminently and fast approaching the earth. It is also only through the power of the God’s Spirit that we can study and comprehend the truth of God’s word, as to not only believe but walk in God’s Spirit. There is yet a little space of time for God’s people to awake and walk in the truth, as to not be deceived.

God is rounding up His people while Pope Francis is doing his work of deception. Christ is allowing the deadly “wound to be healed” and Francis grow to the zenith of his reign and as the world reaches the very crest of lawlessness, Jesus will bring him and those deceived to an end. We see that this Jesuit Pope is untiringly working to unite and deceive not only in the religious arena but also laying the ground work for a church and state union within America and the world by his timely public political prowess. His popularity across the world in every facet is unprecedented, which the media has labeled “the Francis Effect”. His worldwide popularity, power, signs, and lying wonders, will only further increase in every aspect and is quickly becoming a fulfillment of the prophetic scriptures “and all the world wondered after the beast” Revelation 13:3.

XV. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

“There is one pointed out in prophecy as the man of sin. He is the representative of Satan.” {7BC 910.3}

It is the refusal of accepting or having a love for the truth that will cause many to then believe the lie and deceptions that will hold the whole world captive. What truth? The truth that exposes Pope Francis as the Antichrist/Beast and his deceptions combined with the message of the three angel’s given in Revelation chapter fourteen. "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God," Rev. 14:9-10. If there was ever a time to come together as the disciples did at Pentecost, it is now!

I would like to share one last and powerful quote before closing from EGW, "The world is filled with storm and war and variance. Yet under one head--the papal power--the people will unite to oppose God in the person of His witnesses. What is it that gives its kingdom to this power? Protestantism, a power which, while professing to have the temper and spirit of a lamb and to be allied to Heaven, speaks with the voice of a dragon. It is moved by a power from beneath. 'These have one mind.' There will be a universal bond of union, one great harmony, a confederacy of Satan's forces. 'And shall give their power and strength unto the beast.' Thus is manifested the same arbitrary, oppressive power against religious liberty, freedom to worship God according to the dictates of conscience, as was manifested by the papacy, when in the past it persecuted those who dared to refuse to conform with the religious rites and ceremonies of Romanism." (E. White, Maranatha, p.187)

                                The Close

Many are asking, “What does the Spirit Prophecy say, concerning Revelation 17?” And the answer to that question is she does not say anything in reference to the seven heads and ten kings. The question that then follows is, “Why not?” Though there are several valid answers to that question and they are best summed up in the following quote by EGW herself; “Even the prophets who were favored with the special illumination of the Spirit did not fully comprehend the import of the revelations committed to them. The meaning was to be unfolded from age to age, as the people of God should need the instruction therein contained.” {GC88 244.1} In other words, though the prophets related the messages, there were large portions of the visions that they did not fully understand and that God would reveal through His Spirit as the time and events within the prophecies drew near to completion. If EGW and her contemporaries had fully understood the mystery of the beast of Revelation 17, knowing that events spanning decades were first to transpire before Jesus’s return, it could have greatly impeded the zeal, power and speed, with which the spreading of the Gospel went to the world. The Lord in His mercy and love did not unveil the specifics of this prophecy to them because it was not for their time, thus the message would not benefit them.

Friends, if you’re waiting for your Church leaders to declare these prophetic truths before you believe, then you are sadly building upon sand. The truth of God’s word has never been popular and will never be popular, should that surprise us? Did the religious establishment accept John the Baptists teachings regarding Jesus being the Messiah? First and foremost, they denied the messianic scriptures concerning Christ’s work as a Savior from sin, which led to the dismissal of John’s reference to Jesus as the Lamb of God, which then ultimately culminated in the rejection and crucifixion of the greatest light to ever shine in this world, Jesus. It is up to us to go to Jesus with a humble heart, ask for His Spirit and desire to learn these things for ourselves. “It is written, in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God’ Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. John 6:45.

EGW states, “God does not compel men to give up their unbelief. Before them are light and darkness, truth and error. It is for them to decide which they will accept. The human mind is endowed with power to discriminate between right and wrong. God designs that men shall not decide from impulse, but from weight of evidence, carefully comparing scripture with scripture. Had the Jews laid by their prejudice and compared written prophecy with the facts characterizing the life of Jesus, they would have perceived a beautiful harmony between the prophecies and their fulfillment in the life and ministry of the lowly Galilean. {DA 458.3} “Many are deceived today in the same way as were the Jews. Religious teachers read the Bible in the light of their own understanding and traditions; and the people do not search the Scriptures for themselves, and judge for themselves as to what is truth; but they yield up their judgment, and commit their souls to their leaders. The preaching and teaching of His word is one of the means that God has ordained for diffusing light; but we must bring every man's teaching to the test of Scripture. Whoever will prayerfully study the Bible, desiring to know the truth, that he may obey it, will receive divine enlightenment. He will understand the Scriptures. "If any man willeth to do His will, he shall know of the teaching." John 7:17, R. V.” {DA 459.1}