There are three different happenings in the world at the moment, which will command our attention at this present time. To start with; there is the blustering and posturing of North Korea. At the time of writing although North Korea’s threatening behaviour is not materialising into anything very violent, they are however selling technical information and rockets to Iran and other nations in the Middle East who are very eager to wipe Israel off the map, and would certainly wish to cripple the USA. This is a concern because the North Korean leaders only appear to be crazy, the leaders in the militant Arab Moslem nations such as Iran, really are. They are driven by a hate that has been described as Satanic, and is even feared by more moderate Moslem nations in their region.
The economic situation in Cyprus at the moment indicates that another European nation is in trouble financially. Of more concern are the conditions of the loan from the Central European Bank and IMF that a tax is imposed on private bank deposits. Up to now, most people have thought their personal bank accounts were sacrosanct, but it appears that this is not now the case. People who have put away a “nest egg” for their old age and people who have invested from at home and abroad will have their bank balances rifled by the government. Instead of the banks and the government having to get themselves out of their own muddle, due to imprudence of their policies, they are now virtually stealing the shortfall from the population’s hard earned savings. John Key the prime minister of New Zealand has said that in future if our banks default, the same thing will happen in this country. He further said we should not worry as our New Zealand banks are in good shape! The fact that the banks here are again beginning to loan out 95% and 98% mortgages, does not encourage us in the light of an over inflated house market. A person who makes a mistake once can be forgiven, but one who repeats it, will bring great distress on all involved.
The Bible says in relation to the forthcoming actions of the Antichrist. “And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. [Revelation 13:16-17 NKJV]. There will be total access to all bank accounts by the Antichrist and his henchmen. Experts state that at this present time something like 28% of the world’s wealth is locked away in secret bank accounts. If these accounts are accessed and taxed as they are being in Cyprus, the amount of money released on to world markets, would go a long way to correct the world’s financial system. This will probably re-inflate the market well enough for the world to make people wealthy once again. Without the restraining influence of the Christians, due to the Rapture, all sorts of profitable immoral and evil dealings will line the pockets of industrialists and traders. In the destruction of the Babylon of Revelation, the commercial system of the Antichrist, as the Bible says: And he [an angel] cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, 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, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. [Revelation 18:2-3 KJV]. See further details in both Revelation chapters 17 & 18.
Prophecies coming from sources other than the Bible I always treat sceptically, but for what it is worth, one comment by an Archbishop in the 12th century, in a document called “The Prophecy of the Popes,” is of passing interest. Consisting of 112 short cryptic phrases in Latin it predicted all the Popes that would succeed Pope Celestine II who died in 1144. The document became public in 1595 when a Catholic priest named Arnold de Wyon, published a history of the Benedictine Order. In it he referred to a prophecy by a priest called Saint Malachy, who at the time was an Archbishop of the 12th century. He apparently received a vision in Rome of all the Popes to succeed Celestine II up to the present day, not referring to them by name but by a cryptic description. The prophecies list 112 Popes who would serve from the time of Pope Urban VII who died in 1590. The last Pope listed is “Peter the Roman” and it is stated he will reign among “many tribulations” leading up to the destruction of Rome. The whole thing is a bit doubtful as it was lost in the vaults of the Vatican until 1590 and could have been written by anyone. Proponents counting up the Popes ascertain there have been 111 Popes so far with Pope Francis being the 112th.. However this number would have to include 11 men who served as Anti-popes but were never recognized by the Vatican as true Popes. The last Pope was to be called “Peter the Roman” according to Malachy. Although Pope Francis is from Argentina, he is not Hispanic but Italian, his birth name was not Peter and has adopted the name of Saint Francis not Peter.
We are warned in the Bible to test the spirits, which includes prophecies and wild ideas which will become prevalent in the last days “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.[1 John 4:1 KJV]. God in His word has given all the information He wishes us to know. Let us only believe what the true Scripture written by the Spirit of the Living God, tells us.
Brian D. Papworth
South Sea Representative of the P.W.M.I.
www.pwmi.co.nz