Hi Daryl,

 DS>   Hi, Steve...always good to type at you.

Thanks, and I always enjoy replying to your challenging replies!

SA>It certainly seems that the dominoes are lining up. Even the Pope's
SA>recent speech, not even directed at a wide audience, came as a surprise,
SA>as he hasn't been particularly newsworthy over the last 18 months, given
SA>the amount of attention that Muslims have been demanding & getting.

 DS>   They want him to "embrace Islam if he wants to live in peace". 

I cannot see that happening, but I can see him "accepting the truths
of Islam" as being equally valid for "salvation" as Roman Catholicism.

 DS> I seriously doubt that the head of the Roman Catholic Church will 
 DS> do that...especially considering that there are (I think) over a
 DS> billion Catholics, worldwide. Several have said that The Roman
 DS> Catholic Church is "the great whore of the book of Revelation"...if
 DS> it is, it sure has a lot of blood on its hands...especially if the
 DS> next Pope turns out to be the Antichrist!!

It certainly seems to be the "whor of Babylon", and certainly has done
things not consistent with God's plan of salvation - selling "indulgences",
sending people to "purgatory", Mary as "mediatrix" or
"co-redemptrix" etc.
I can't see the Pope as being the Antichrist, simply because as I understand
Antichrist's "job description", the Jews will accept him as Messiah, among
other things. I can't see the Jews accepting this, or any Pope, as
"Messiah".

I might be wrong, of course!

SA>His speech, even more than President Bush's recent one on a "battle for
SA>civilization", may have more impact in galvanizing the West against
SA>(militant?) Islam, and perhaps setting the stage for the West to look
SA>for the hard-line "saviour" to stand up and deal with Islam.

 DS>   I've wondered since Babylon is in Iraq (what Baghdad used to be
 DS> known as), if that has some meaning to "the mystery of Babylon"
 DS> described in Revelation 18.

Saddam set out to rebuild Babylon, but his bricklayers etc apparently
didn't do a very professional job, & it started cracking up.

 DS> I believe that all religions during The Great Tribulation will 
 DS> unite under one ecclesiastical umbrella...to basically try to 
 DS> destroy all the Christians and Jews.

Yes, and one way to do this is through the "New Age" concept of "The
Christ" being an office to which all may aspire, but which will be
filled by Satan's "aspirant", who may be received as Messiah, Christ,
Imam Mahdi etc & who will "show" mankind how to "live in
peace".

SA>Unfortunately, the cure may be worse than the disease.

 DS>   With remarks also by Russia's leader, Putin...I wonder how close
 DS> the Russian (and possibly also Muslim and others) invasion of
 DS> Israel is. But, Ezekiel's prophecy will be fulfulled when The Lord
 DS> God destroys them (I think I read somewhere 5/6th of them) on the
 DS> mountains of Israel. They'll probably feel that "Allah betrayed
 DS> them".

I suspect it is very close - if those named by Ezekiel do not invade
soon, Israel & the West (USA, mainly) are likely to strike first, as
in Iraq, which would defeat a prophecy, which isn't possible.

 DS>   I personally doubt that the "true Christians" (those who have
 DS> asked Christ to save them) will be on Earth when all this
 DS> unfolds...as they will have been raptured by that time.

I share your doubt, as Ezekiel represents God demonstrating His power,
and ability to use force, not simply the "foolishness of preaching" as
during the "church age".

 DS>   Another thing to consider...apparently also with the Jewish New
 DS> Year and Yom Kippur also approaching...the Muslim month of Ramadan.
 DS> So, the possibility exists that the rapture could occur before you
 DS> read this. However, only The Lord God knows whether that will
 DS> happen this week or not.

 DS>   I do not know the Mind Of The Lord, and have no idea when the
 DS> rapture will occur. But Jesus did say that "you could know the
 DS> signs"...and this generation has seen such a rapid fulfillment of
 DS> prophecy never before seen.

Exactly!

Cheers, Steve..

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