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Prior to the advent of the Lord Jesus Christ the Roman Catholic Church will have attempted to ensure its perpetual existence in the face of the Russian expansion in Europe and world wide democratic or communistic socialism, by coming to a political concordant with Russia and the powers of Europe.

If we take each prophetic vision of the kingdom of men in its final stage we see the religious aspect of its power emphasized as follows:

1. Nebuchadnezzar's image Dan. 2:40-44

Here the Roman iron is perpetuated in the 10-toed European remnant of the Roman Empire. It is the Roman Catholic church which has continued this Roman influence down to latter days and the smiting of the image.

2. The Fourth Beast Dan. 7:7-11; 23-26

In this vision the little horn with eyes and mouth (i.e. Emperor and Pope) is seen to be the power which comes in for special judgement at the hands of Christ.

"I behold then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake" V. 11

"But the judgement shall sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end" v. 25

Again it is the Catholic papal power supported by a militant horn power which is emphasized. At the end it will be the Russian power in Constantinople which will play the latter day role of the Eastern Emperors (such as Justinian and Phocas in 429-610 AD).

3. The Sea Beast and 2 horned beast Rev. 13: 1-2;15:11-18

The Sea-Beast represents the same things as Nebuchadnezzar's image and Daniel's 4th Beast with more emphasis on the Roman Catholic influence on the course of the history of the kingdom of men. For example, the "names of blasphemy" characterizes the heads of the beast. It has a Babylonian-lion mouth and is supported by the dragon-power in Constantinople. v. 4-5

The religious persecuting character of the beast is emphasized in a separate vision of the 2-horned beast (Pope and secular power) which describes the same things as the little horn with eyes and mouth of Daniel's 4th Beast.

4. The Woman and the Scarlet beast Rev. 17

Here because the Spirit has described the development of the Roman Catholic power in previous visions the emphasis

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is almost totally on the religious aspect of the kingdom of men at the time of the end.

The emphasis is most striking as the Spirit says in verses 8 & 11 that the form in which the beast goes into final perdition is in the Roman Catholic form. The beast is equated with the beast of the bottomless pit (Rev. 11:7) which killed the anti-Catholic witnesses in the 16th and 17th centuries. It is also called "the eight," equating it with the little horn with eyes and mouth or Papal/"Holy Roman" phase of the 4th beast which was the eighth system of government upon Rome's seven hills.

Thus we can appreciate that Christ's real controversy is with this system at his return. When Christ returns as the stone-power and smites the image of the kingdom of men, the Russian power which has caused the image to stand as a complete entity for the first time in history will be quickly smitten on the mountains of Israel, (Ezekiel 38 & 39). This will result in the kingdom of men or great Babylon fragmenting back into the three divisions from which it was welded together. These are, the Eastern third which until this point of time is controlled from Constantinople by Russia but will then be in the possession of Christ and the saints, the false prophet or papal power in Rome, now independent of his Russian overlord; and the beast or central European powers of Germany, France etc. also independent because of Russia's demise. This event is described as following immediately upon Armageddon in Rev. 16: 13,16,19.

There will be a short period occupied in clearing the land of the destroyed Russian army and burying the carcasses and burning the remnants of the weapons of war (Ezekiel 39: 9-12). No doubt time will be occupied in wonderful communion with Christ by the saints whilst Israel will be instructed in their role in future events.

The mid-heaven gospel call of Rev. 14:6-7 is then made, proclaiming the hour of judgement and inviting nations to fear Yahweh and give glory to him. Britain will be one nation to heed this call (Isa. 60:9), but the Roman church and the European powers (or the 10 kings of the earth) will not. Great Babylon comes into remembrance and a call to both Jew and Gentile is made to come out of Rome and Europe in the spirit of Yahweh's invitation to the mixed multitude to come out of Egypt at the time of the Exodus cp. Rev. 16: 19; Rev. 18:4.

The next event will be a stupendous demonstration of Yahweh's power and a vindication of the opposition of countless saints down through the years. In a tremendous volcanic upheaval both sudden and absolutely devastating in

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its effect, Rome will plunge beneath the waters of the Mediterranean Rev. 18:21.

That this event is localized to the city of Rome itself is obvious, because the merchants and kings of the earth or European powers stand off and observe Rome's demise with wonder and consternation (Rev. 18: 9-19). However, the saints, especially those who had previously lost their lives at Rome's hand will rejoice beyond measure at this long awaited event (Rev. 18:20).

Dr. Thomas gives a lucid description of these events in Eureka Vol. III Ch. 18 "The Destruction of the Great Harlot" and reading of this section is recommended.

In the fashion of Pharoah of old however the hearts of the lamenting spiritual traders of the Catholic system and the powers of the European "earth" will be hardened. They will lament and wail over Rome's demise but will not repent of their deeds. Like their predecessors of the Napoleonic era they will "gnaw their tongues for pain and blaspheme the, God of heaven." This blasphemy will take the form of ignoring the commands to acknowledge the power of Christ now invested in Jerusalem and resisting attempts by the exiles of Israel to return to the land under Elijah. (Mal. 4:5,6; Rev. 18:4).

At the end of the joyous events including the marriage supper of the Lamb in which Christ and the redeemed saints celebrate the great consummation of their labours to enter into life eternal, preparations are made for war. This is indicated in the words of Rev. 19:6 where the anthem "Alleliua, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth" is sung in a multitudinous voice like mighty thunderings.

Thus the short lull in events ends with "heaven opened", that is the Lord Jesus Christ now enthroned as sovereign lord and Yahweh Tz'vaoth, Revelation 19:11- 21 describes the awesome impact of the armies of Christ upon Catholic Europe as the European "earth" is turned into a lake of fire which consumes the ten kings or powers of Europe along with the Papal false prophet. It would appear from v. 20 that despite the fact that the Vatican will be destroyed with Rome, the papacy survives, and perhaps even another Pope is elected who wields power from the seat of the beast or Central Europe (v. 19, 20). This will be the final phase of the visions of Daniel 2 and 7 and Rev. 13 as the 10 toes or horns along with the little horn with eyes and mouth or two-horned beast of Rev. 13:11 find their final destruction together.

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The armies of heaven who destroy the Papacy and Catholic power in Europe and slay the remnant of the resistant European populace with the sword consist of the immortal saints and natural Israel who will be Yahweh's bow and arrows (Zech. 9:13) and they will fight with the immortal saints overshadowing the work as the angels did for Joshua (cp. Micah 5:6).

The saints will be responsible for the campaign strategy and will determine the punishment to be meted out in special cases. Psa. 149 speaks of them executing vengeance, binding the kings of the earth, (that is the leaders and nobles) and executing upon them the judgement written (verses 5-9).

Jesus promises us this power over the nations if we overcome now Rev. 2.26-27. The conquest of self is now the sole objective in order to fit us to conquer Christ's enemies in that day.

What a triumph also for Israel as the arena of some of their greatest persecution becomes a battle-ground of victory. The realization at last that this is not in their own strength but that their God is mighty to save will sweeten that victory. Jeremiah in Chapter 51 in verses 19-24 shows in a remarkable prophecy, that Israel will be Yahweh's "battle axe and weapons of war, for with thee will I break in pieces the nations - and I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all the evil that they have done in Zion in your sight saith Yahweh." Israel played no part in the destruction of Babylon of old but the prophecy relates to Great Babylon and the time of which we have been dealing.

Thus the apostate papal system and Catholic Europe will meet its ultimate destruction at the hands of those who have suffered most through its cruel history - the Jewish people and the true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.