(mobile friendly version-click here) Departure from the Truth dates are as accurate as possible THIS PROCESS, WHICH BEGAN SOON AFTER THE ECCLESIAS WERE FORMED IN THE FIRST CENTURY AD, WAS PROPHESIED IN THE WORD OF GOD Some of these prophecies are set out in full below… their fulfilment is illustrated by the facts following… the dates are as accurate as possible by the records - the facts are indisputable, and are readily accepted by believers who are the modern-day equivalents of those to whom Jesus spoke these wonderful words - "But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear"- Matthew 13v16. As shown elsewhere we must be able to clearly identify & witness against the apostacy which the word of God has told us must arise...and any way in which this apostacy can turn attention away from itself has been used - link to 'apocalypse'..'the Lord's day'-5th Vision. We can clearly identify the modern-day equivalent of ancient Babylon, as the apostacy is termed,which"sitteth"on"seven mountains" Revelation 17v9 - see 'apocalypse' - & is termed in ch.17v5 'MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH'. Jeremiah 51v7 - "Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD's hand, that made all the earth drunken:the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad" Revelation 17v5,4,2 - "BABYLON THE GREAT..having a golden cup in her hand..the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication" The comment of the then head of the 'Roman Catholic church',when in 1962 he welcomed sympathetic 'Protestant' observers to the 21st 'Ecumenical Council', is a damning identification of both parties when he stated the following - "ROME WELCOMES YOU AS A MOTHER" this harmonises with "The Roman Church is the Mother and Mistress of all the churches" ( 'Council of Trent' 1545-1563) If Rome is the "mother" who then are her "daughters"? The family likeness is obvious, by the sharing of false teachings, which came from paganism ("Babylon") via Rome - being dressed up in a 'Christian' garb to deceive the unenlightened- which teachings include - "the trinity", "imm- ortal souls", "a fallen-angel devil", etc. etc. "Babylon" signifies'confusion'. Such confusion is evident in these self-contradictory doctrines which are totally opposed to the Scriptures. "Mystery'' identifies the modern-day apostacy with the"mystery" religion of Babylon, so well- known to historians and Bible scholars. It is a means which any hierarchy utilizes to retain power by the use of fear of the unknown,which only "the initiated leaders" can interpret. And "the great" demonstrates the world-wide expansion# of this pagan-derived apostacy. link to 'Bible'- 'satan'- 'apocalypse'- 'foundation' and also to 'God' - 'spirit' - 'mortal' - 'devil' - 'baptism'. #it migrated from Israel to its ultimate base in Rome,as shown in Zechariah 5 - the harlotrous aspect is explained in proverbs - p.2. Further identification is evident with the adoption, under other names, into the modern-day calendar, of "the goddess of fertil- ity" and the "birthday" of "the sun-god"- link to page 2. Those who desire to be saved must be separate from all this. In 'The Two Babylons' Hislop clearly identifies the links between the ancient pagan days of worship & the modern Catholic equi- valents. Refer particularly to chapter iii-'Festivals', including the 9 month period between the feasts of 25 March & 25 December. These two feasts - "Easter" ('Astarte', the goddess of fertility) & "Christ-mass" (the sun-god birthday) are a constant reminder to all of the pagan & harlotrous origin of Rome -- see the gestative period of the harlot – below* In the course of his comments Hislop states: "To conciliate the Pagans to nominal Christianity,Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan fes- tivals amalgamated, and, by a complicated but skilful adjustment of the calendar, it was found no difficult matter, in general, to get Paganism and Christianity - now sunk far in idolatry - in this, as in so many other things, to shake hands"-page 105, 1969 edition. prophecies of the apostacy Matthew 24v4-13 - "..And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.. the love of many ("the many"-RV, Diag- lott, John Thomas- i.e. 'the majority') shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end shall be saved". Acts 20v26-32-"For I know this,that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them". (Jesus prophesied of this - Matthew 7v15-20;John 10v12,13). (note - "false prophets..in sheep's clothing..inwardly they are ravening wolves" - the "man of sin" (see below) wears a "woollen stole" - & we can draw our own conclusions) (Jude 4 testifies this process had then begun - "For there are certain men crept in unawares..before of old ordained"). 2nd Thessalonians 2v1-10 - " ..the day of Christ..shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed,the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalt- eth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing him- self that he is God..And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now letteth will let ("only there is one that restraineth now"- RV) until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked be revealed..whom the Lord..shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of satan (original = 'the satan'-link to 'satan')..because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved". (Note the prophecy of "the mystery of iniquity", later to be fulfilled as "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT". Also, the "man of sin", later to be fulfilled as the "man child" and the "man"- Revelation 12v5; 13v18-see below- the "one that restraineth", i.e. Pagan Rome was "taken out of the way" in AD312-324, allowing "that wicked..man of sin..(to) be revealed" at the head of the apostacy). 1st Timothy 4v1-3 - "..in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils (orig. 'demons', supposed demi-gods); Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanks - giving of them which believe and know the truth". (Note the pagan 'demons' (demi-gods) have been replaced by "patron saints"; priests are "forbidd(en) to marry" - and this reflects their "marriage to the church" - there is also a correlation with the Catholic heresy of "indissolubility" - for this forbids divorce of the "church" for her "fornication" - re "indissolubility" link to 'objections-answered'; meat is not to be eaten on Fridays;all of which is absolute apostacy. Daniel 11v39 (Hebrew) speaks of"the bazaars of the protect- ors (guardians)"- prophesying of the apostate "churches" & their"patron saints"- & the sale of "indulgences / penances"- as God said of corrupt priests in Israel, "they feed on the sin of my people"Hosea 4v8RV - making sins a source of profit - "with a strange god"- identified below as the Roman bishop). The Roman bishop is "the god of protectors" Daniel 11v38. Contrast - "on behalf of the living should they seek unto the dead?"-"for the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything" - Isaiah 8v19RV; Ecclesiastes 9v5. And see 1st Timothy 2v5 - "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus". Link to page 2 - AD 375,600,787,995 re "patron saints" AD 1190,1473 re "indulgences" etc. See below & 'the Lord's day'-5th Vision re the "man of sin". 2nd Timothy 4v2-4 - "Preach the word..For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; 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 (Grk.'the fables'). THE FABLES AS PROPHESIED ARE SET OUT BELOW. DEPARTURE FROM THE TRUTH– AS IT HAPPENED Note-dates are as accurate as possible AD33 The death and resurrection of Jesus. Then - the outpouring of the spirit on the Day of Pentecost - the early ecclesias formed - the beginning of the apostacy - "the mystery of iniquity doth already work" (original has connotations of WORKING INWARDLY#, as with the formation of a child). No longer " a chaste virgin un- to Christ"2nd Corinthians 11v2, this corrupted "whore" Revelation 17v2, impregnated with the seeds of apostate formalism and pagan philosophy, carefully nurtured the child from her harlotry within. The gestation period of a woman is 280 days. In the Scriptures, 1 day represents 1 year in prophetic terms - cp Numbers 14v33,34; Ezek- iel 4v4-6. This gestative period* ended after 10 day-years of birth-pangs (persecution) in AD313 by a decree & the harlot-woman of the apocalypse gave birth - Rev.12v1-5. #such secretive working has been a feature of the harlot during her journey from Israel to Rome - proverbs - p.2 Her "man child" Constantine began to set up in power those who had left the Truth . These apostates were no longer, as commanded, "strangers and pilgrims" (1st Peter 2v11). They became power-brokers of the world! In fact many of them took up arms in the service of Con- stantine - defying Christ (Matt.5v38-48) - now "friend(s) of the world..(and thus)..enem(ies) of God" - James 4v4. From AD 312-324, Constantine consolidated his power over the Roman Empire, and set up apostate Catholic bishops over his subjects. Though nominally "Christian" it was now in reality pagan - because it was founded upon PAGAN TEACHINGS, and not scriptural truths. Edward Gibbon, the noted historian, wrote that though "Christianity" emerged triumphant, it was at the cost of the adoption of many pagan teachings. Scripture corr- oborates his independent testimony, as we have shown. Remarkably, the "man child" (Constantine) was fully revealed in AD324*,when he became the sole ruler over the Roman Empire, now to become 'Pagan-Christian'. In AD330 he laid the foundations for his Eastern capi- tal upon the soil of the Greek colony Byzantium, and named it Constantinople. In this year also the Basilican church of 'St. Peters' in Rome was erected. It was later pulled down and replaced by the present edifice. *Another gestative period began, which was to end in AD604-610, when the decrees of Phocas, then emperor, finally established the bishop of Rome as the supreme head over all Catholics. The "man of sin" was now fi- nally revealed, as Paul had prophesied, that "he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God"-2nd Thess. 2v4;cp Dan.7v8,11,20,25;Rev. 13v5,6.. see proofs below, which could be greatly multiplied.. (we hesitate to record such blasphemies; however they must be provided for the information of the viewer). * see further page 2 'If to serve God truly is to reign, while thou servest Leo thou reignest; for Leo is God on earth'- App. to Roscoe's Leo X. 'All the kings of the west held the pope to be a God upon earth'. - Gregory II, AD727. 'The Pope is God because the Vicar of God' - Innocent, from his Decretals. 'It is certain that the Pontiff was called a God by the pious prince Constantine: and it is manifest that God cannot be judged by men..Our Lord God the Pope'- Canon Law, Gratian,12thC.AD 'The pope..the supreme judge of heaven and earth, the judge of all..God himself on earth'- The 'New York Catechism'. 'We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty'- the Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII. 'For thou art the shepherd..thou art another God on earth'- Mansi (ed.) in Sacrorum Conciliorum. As noted elsewhere,we deny any legitimacy to such titles as "pope" applied to mere mortal fallible men. "And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven"- Matt.23 v9. And to assume the title of "God" is the height of blasphemy. The Roman bishop promotes the above claims. And the "church" admits her decrees would be "terrible presumption and blasphemy" without the authority of Christ (Australian 'pastoral letter' 1962 ). Link to 'foundation' explaining Matthew 16 & 18 for the refutation of these blasphemies, and the real meaning of Christ's teaching. Revelation 13v18** tells us that the "number" of the "man" i.e. the "man of sin" prophesied by Paul, is 666#. One of many titles used of or by the Roman bishop = 'Vicarius Filii Dei'-i.e. 'The Vicar of the Son of God'. The total numerical value of these Roman letters = 666. In addition, 'Lateinos' and 'The Latin Kingdom' when given the Greek numerical equivalents add up to 666. Latin clearly identifies the "man of sin" with Rome.. (..a pagan custom was to designate their "gods" by the numerical equivalents of their names - the above iden- tification therefore reveals Rome's pagan associations) **note the connection between the "mark" and the "num- ber" of the apostacy - Revelation 13v15-18 - see page 2. Further, note the prophecy of Daniel 7v8,20 re "the eyes of (a) man" and the shocking fulfilment as "the holy see". ..ask yourself, are these things "just co-incidences"? Or are they, in actual fact the demonstration of the truth of Bible prophecy? #concerning the number '6' link to the following- 'the Lord's day'-6th Vision-'structure'-'signs'-the 6th and see the stark contrast with the number '8' as revealed in 'signs' the 6th and the 8th, & especially 'Jesus' = 888. The "man of sin" is also "the antichrist" prophesied by the Apostle John, the "spirit" of which continues to this day. The harlotrous birth of this system (see above) contrasts with the birth of the Son of God by the holy spirit of God. And all those (whatever name they bear) who also likewise "confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh" are identified with this iniquitous system - link to 'sacrifice' & 'love' & 'resolution' - cp 1st John 2v18,22;4v3;2nd John 7. The "mystery of iniquity" prophesied by Paul was later revealed as "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT" in Revelation 17v5. This identifies the modern-day "church" apostacy with the well-known ancient "mys- tery" religion of Babylon. It teaches "the trinity", which is called "a mystery". Julius III is said to have removed "mystery" from the tiara because of Protestant jibes.. (the tiara represented the three states seized & lost by Rome, as prophesied - Daniel 7v8; Rev.16v1-11; 17v16). Edward Gibbon, the noted historian, wrote - "The creed of MYSTERY and superstition..in the 7th century disgraced the simplicity of the Gospel". On page 2 we shall briefly trace the adoption of various false teachings into apostate 'Christianity'. We shall also give approximate dates for the inception of unscriptural teachings which are all subversive of the Truth. These only serve to perpetuate the bondage of superstition, and the dictatorship of a fallible order of men who promote idolatry, to their own and their followers' condemnation. next page return to fellowship go to apocalypse go to foundation go to committees go to 'the Lord's day' go to 'the time of the end' go to proverbs |