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| Prayer I know the plans that I have for you ... to give you a future and a hope" Jeremiah 29: 11
Help me! Let me understand clearly. These are the words through which I can recognize your awesome power. Give me wisdom and patience. Thank you.

God declares the following about prophecy.
I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass. For I knew how stubborn you were; the sinews of your neck were iron, your forehead was bronze. Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened I announced them to you so that you could not say, "My idols did them; my wooden image and metal god ordained them". (Isaiah 48: 3-5)
Then God said the following about the source of prophecy.
And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1: 19-21)

Prophets
But not all predictions about the future are from God. So God gives us some guidelines in determining the source behind a prophet.
If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, 'Let us follow other gods' (gods you have not known) 'and let us worship them,' you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. (Deuteronomy 13: 1-4 NIV)
So, here God is telling us that the written word of God supercedes any prophet or vision. If a prophet or vision contradicts the word of God then we must ignore them. Tradition, persons in authority, politics and a new vision cannot contradict or tell you to ignore the written word.
Bible study is supremely important. Therefore, to reject the authenticity and source of the Bible makes us subject to deceitful spirits and experiences.

The apostle Peter states, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." (2 Peter 2: 1-2)

You must test the prophets. Even if they predict with accuracy or can do great miracles, if they lead you away from God or his Word then he was not sent by God.
So what is the bottom line? It is not signs and wonders and miracles. You must know what God requires. You must study the word of God. And if this is our ultimate measurement of what is required, you must trust, that throughout all its history, God has made it possible for the essential knowledge of His requirements to be known.
One way he did this was to hide some truths in symbols and ceremonies. He made them seem like nonsense, so that the deceitful powers would not tamper with them. But now, at the end of the age, He has opened our eyes.

The Message - How did God speak to the Prophets?
God usually gave prophecies to people of the faith. Often, these were priests, leaders and rulers. Most of the major prophets were neither one of these. They were ordinary men and women who eventually became leaders or were respected through their fame as a prophet.
In the last days, God promised to give this gift to many men and women, old and young.
God also gives dreams to people who are not prophets and who do not know him as God. This is the case with King Nebuchadnezzar. But looking back we can see that God did this to glorify his name and to lead the king to a knowledge of the One God. Nebuchadnezzar was forced to rely on Daniel and his God, because all the astrologers and wise men could not interpret the dream nor tell the king what his dream was.
The work of the ancient prophets was not just to tell the future. Most of the time it was to call the people back to the covenant relationship with God and to point out that the terms of the covenant provides both blessings and curses.

Who was in Charge?
First of all, God came to the prophet on His own terms. Sometimes, God came after earnest prayer, most often He came when he wanted to. The prophet did not have God on a string, coming at his every call. Therefore, there were relatively few visions which were spread far apart. This does not mean that a prophet cannot get a vision every day or after every earnest prayer. But frequent visions were not the pattern.
This is different from current channelers and psychics. They call up God at will. Become possessed at will. Ask "god" stupid questions and get equally stupid answers. Often, these gods have no problems encouraging people to commit adultery or to consult with the dead. Curiously, they seem to have a big problem with "narrow minded" people who obey the word of God in the Bible.

Scope and Content of the Vision
Finally, the visions were generally of national or cosmic consequences. God definitely gave messages to individuals, especially rulers. He gave messages of comfort, warning and deliverance to His people. He sometimes sent prophets to people of other beliefs because they were in danger of coming under His judgment.
But the vast majority of visions were not, or never about, what shoes I should buy, what dress I should wear, whom I should marry, what job I should take, what to eat for dinner and utter nonsense about decisions that people should be able to make about their own lives.

How was the message given?
There are only three known methods by which God has given messages to the prophets.

- Direct face to face communication. God spoke to Moses in this manner.
- Dreams while the prophet is asleep.
- Visions when the prophet is awake.

Therefore, reading tea leaves, palms, stars, crystal balls and other devices are not allowed. In fact, God forbids us to consult with witches, astrologers, soothsayers and these kinds of people. In modern day terms, these are psychics, people who consult the dead, channelers and astrologers. Receiving a message from God requires only a Mind to mind transfer of information. Patterns in tea leaves or Tarot cards are not God's method.
But some false prophets appear to be frequently accurate, this is possible through at least three different methods:

1. Trick or magic using either science or technology.
2. Statistics and psychology. Through their art of communication, they can extract information from you. Or, their predictions are so general they will probably fit your situation. By observing your personality, they can immediately tell how you think and what are some of the problems that you most likely have. I can do this quite easily.
3. By their direct association with agents in the The Unseen World, gain the ability to acquire some supernatural knowledge and thus become false prophets. But because they are false prophets, their accuracy is not 100% and they blatantly contradict the Bible.

These prophets sometimes gain fame through the prediction of one major event. But you never hear of all their dismal failures. A major event can be orchestrated by Satan - so this is not a test. The total of their entire work as a prophet must be addressed. The methods of gathering information must also be taken into consideration. And their attitude towards the written word of God is the ultimate test.

False Prophets
So a false prophet can at least be recognized by the following:

- Anyone who leads you away from God. Therefore, you must now what God says for yourself.
- Anyone who leads you to themselves.
- Anyone who slanders the name and character of God.
- Anyone who separates you from God, who interferes with the direct communication between you and your loving God.
- Anyone who uses methods condemned by God. (Communication with the dead, or any method other than fasting and prayer).
- If it is not a conditional prophecy then it must come through.

Ancient Prophets
Bible critics charge that all the biblical prophets were false prophets because their predictions did not come through in every single detail. Since the arguments are quite long, they will all be dealt with on another page. But this is a summary of the charges and the links where these issues are discussed.

- Major Prophets. They were false prophets because of the failed predictions.
- Jesus made two predictions that seemed to fail.
  1. Some of his disciples will not die until they see the kingdom of God come in power.
  2. After giving a prophecy of the future, Jesus said that this generation will not die until all these things are fulfilled.

Nostradamus
Michel de Nostredame (1503-66), later known as Nostradamus, was a Jewish-French doctor who studied astrology. He would foretell the future with his magical equipment: astrolabe, magic mirrors, divining rods, and a brass bowl and tripod, designed after the type used by the great Delphic oracles. Under cover of night, he would go to his study where he would sit before the tripod with a brass bowl simmering with water and herbs.
In 1550, he published his first almanac of prophecies - twelve four-line poems called "quatrains." Each quatrain gave a general prophecy for the coming year. The acclaim that he received due to the almanac encouraged Nostradamus to continue. So, he produced an almanac every year for the rest of his life. His most famous work, The Centuries, was begun in 1554. These prophecies consisted of ten volumes of 100 quatrains each, and they have remained constantly in print for over 400 years.

Here is the famous 1999 prophecy (which never came through):
King of Terror: 1999 Century 10, Quatrain 72 The year 1999, seventh month, From the sky will come a great King of Terror. To bring back to life the great King of the Mongols, Before and after Mars to reign by good luck.
September 11 Update
After September 11, followers of Nostradamus tried to deceive us with a claim that Nostradamus predicted this event. They combined the failed prophecy above with Century 6, Quatrain 97 and changed some words. They obviously think we are stupid. Here is Quatrian 97 which means nothing. The sky will burn at 45 degrees fire approaching the great New City Immediately a huge scattered flame leaps up when they want to have proof of the Normans. Here is the fake prophecy, changed words are underlined. "In the year of the new century and nine months, From the sky will come a great King of Terror ... The sky will burn at forty-five degrees. Fire approaches the great new city ..."

In his own time as is true today, Nostradamus' quatrains have received mixed responses. The combination of French, Greek, Latin, and Italian written as riddles, puns, anagrams, and epigrams are complex and demand that the potential interpreter have knowledge in a wide range of subjects. Some quatrains could fit descriptions of just about any era, while others are more exact.

According to the Bible he is a false prophet because he does what God asks us not to do. He consults the stars. In addition, many of his predictions did not come through.

Malachy And The Prophecy Of The Popes
Má el Máedóc (Malachy) (1094-1148) was an Irish saint who was the Archbishop of Armagh. He supposedly had a vision of 112 popes which describe the Roman Catholic popes who would succeed Innocent II, beginning with Pope Celestine II (1130-1191) who reigned in 1187-1191 to Pope Francis who was elected in March 2013.

- Malachy (1094-1148). Summoned to Rome in 1139, he had a vision of future popes, which he recorded as a sequence of short, cryptic Latin phrases. This manuscript was placed in the Vatican Secret Archives, and forgotten about until its rediscovery in 1590, supposedly just in time for a papal conclave ongoing at the time (Wiki). However, no one ever heard of this list during 447 years until its discovery and publication.
- Method Of Interpretation. Interpretations are based on the pontiff's name, family, place of origin and symbols on his coat of arms. The most inaccurate prophecies cast a wider net to find meaning and relied on the title, character of the pope and the symbols and emblems of places associated with him.
- The First 74 Popes (Celestine II-Urban VII) (1143-1590). The monk who first published the book named the popes who fulfilled the first 74. Ten of these were actually antipopes or false rivals. These cryptic phrases we actually quite accurate and were mostly based on the name and the symbols on the coat of arms.
- The Next Three Popes (1590-1605). Three popes lived during the publication of the book and were named. Gregory XIV(1590-1591), Innocent IX (1591), Clement VIII (1592-1605).
  - Lignum Vitae Book Published (1590-1595). It was first published in 1595 in the book Lignum Vitae, a history of the Benedictine order by a Benedictine monk named Arnold Wion. It was possibly based on a 1557 history of the popes by Onofrio Panvinio because it contained all its errors.
  - A Forgery. The book surfaced after the first seventy four popes and were accurate up to that point. No surprise! However its accuracy plummeted with the identification of the popes after this. This even included the three popes who lived during its publication.
  - Reasons For The Forgery. The book surfaced during the second conclave of 1590 and the description of the 75th pope matched Cardinal Girolamo Simoncelli. So they may have been created in an attempt to support his candidacy for the papacy. He lost.
- The Remaining Popes (1605-1922). Popes 78-104 were Leo XI to Benedict XV. The prophecies were not accurate and required creative thinking to eke out a meaning.
- The Final Eight Popes. These are the popes since the Lateran treaty in 1929 and the accuracy is still questionable and in some cases is based on wishful thinking about the popes.
  105. Pius XI (1922-39). Intrepid faith. His faith and actions during the reign of Mussolini.
  106. Pius XII (1939-58). Angelic shepherd. His role during the holocaust.
  107. John XXIII (1958-63). Shepherd and sailor. He came from the port city of Venice.
  108. Paul VI (1963-78). Flower of flowers. He had a fleur-de-lis on his coat of arms.
  109. John Paul I (1978). Of the half moon. Elected on a night with a half-moon in the sky.
  110. John Paul II (1978-2005). From the labour of the sun / Of the eclipse of the sun.
       He came from the East (Poland), from which the sun rises.
  111. Benedict XVI (2005-2013). Glory of the olive. The Benedictine order was once known as the Olivetans be he was never in that order.
  112. Francis I (2013-) "Petrus Romanus" or "Peter The Roman". Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis I) is of Italian origin since his parents emigrated to Argentina from Italy. Then using the Abary language and then transliterating the word Bergolio in which "Berg" = Rock = Peter (Petrus). Then taking the "rg" in Jo(rg)e and be(rg) = Rag or raghan = stone in Arbary which refers to capital punishment. Then they connect the word to another Abary word (tsuwr or tsar) that means stone. This word sounds like (suwr (cuwr) and sar (car) which equals 666! Ridiculous!
       In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church, there will sit.
       Peter the Roman, who will pasture his sheep in many tribulations, and when these things are finished, the city of seven hills [Rome] will be destroyed, and the dreadful judge will judge his people. The End.
       In persecutione extrema S.R.E. sedebit.
       Petrus Romanus, qui paſcet oues in multis tribulationibus: quibus tranſactis ciuitas ſepticollis diruetur, & Iudex tremedus iudicabit populum ſuum. Finis.
       Believers are struggling to connect him to the title "Peter the Roman". The apocalypse comes with his papacy. This prophecy probably fueled the details of the speculation about the third secret of Fatima which was to be passed down to the popes.

Modern Prophets
I have looked at the prophets existing today through the eyes of an atheistic site dedicated to throwing scorn at Christianity. I have also looked at them through the work of a Christian.
I made one amazing discovery. If they had followed the words of God, then they would have known that the message was false. I do not deny that some might have dreams and visions. I question the source, because it blatantly conflicts with the words of God. These are the things they had in error:

1. They were willing to use sources other than the Bible. Even known occult sources.
2. They are caught up in any significant time events. For example, Year 2000 was approximately 6000 years since the creation, but this calculation could be off by about 200 years.
3. They are caught up in any popular, media driven real or manufactured scientific crisis. For example, a major meteor event and the predicted computer system crisis on January 1, 2000.
4. They were not willing to "test the spirits". Anything that seemed to be supernaturally communicated to them or to any other was declared legitimate.
5. They were not willing to test the messenger.
6. They were in control of the messages. They could conjure up a message anytime they wanted, by meditation, tea leaves, crystal balls and other sources.
7. They appeared ignorant of the fact that Satan exists to confuse them with lies.
8. Many prosperity ministers are always ready to claim a prophetic message from some member of the congregation. These often are not fulfilled.

Modern False Prophets
There are many people who claim to be prophets who are clearly out to grab as much money as they can from the people of God. Most of them are prosperity ministers.

1. Deadly Cults with a strong leader
   Some false prophets lead their people to death. These form destructive cults that isolate the group, avoid contact from other family members and involves a leader who usually has extreme control and demands great privileges that clearly involve breaking the commandments of God.
   - Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God. (Uganda) - Joseph Kibwetere,Gredonia Mwerinda, a former prostitute who claimed to have the ear of the Virgin Mary, and "Father" Dominic Kataribabo, a former Catholic priest and other priests and nuns, When the world did not end on December 31, 1999 or December 31, 2000 according to a prediction, it might have sparked a dissention in the group that led to the mass murder of over 900 people on March 17, 2000. 500 were burned to death in a church and the others were found in several mass graves.
   - Heaven's Gate. (California) - Marshall Applewhite, in 1997, 39 people committed suicide with the belief that they would be taken into a spaceship that was trailing a comet. They were a mixture of science fiction, new age and Christian beliefs
   - Aum Shinrikyo. (Japan) - March 1995, committed a terrorist act when they released the deadly nerve gas sarin in a subway killing 12 and injuring 5000.
   - Solar Temple. (Switzerland, Canada and France) also known as "The Cross and the Rose". Led by Luc Jouret who believed he was a third reincarnation of Jesus Christ and that his daughter Emmanuelle, whom he said was immaculately conceived, was the cosmic child. 74 died in mass suicides since 1994. In 1998, thirty people were arrested in Spain before they could commit suicide at a volcano.
   - The Branch Davidians. (Waco, Texas) - David Koresh , in 1993 this group did not commit mass suicide. He refused to surrender to the FBI who were investigating a weapons charge. After seven weeks, when the FBI attacked, an unfortunate accident, caused 85 inside to be burned alive.
   - The People's Temple. (Jonestown, Guyana) - Jim Jones led his people to commit suicide by cyanide poisoning or were murdered by gunshot. On November 18, 1978 - 913 died, this included over 200 children.
2. Criminal leaders
   These leaders and some of their followers committed or planned murders.
   - Jeffrey Lundgren. (Ohio, 1989) - Made a human sacrifice of a family of 5.
   - Yahweh ben Yahweh. (Florida, Temple of Love 1992) - Convicted of 14 murders. He urged his followers to kill defectors and bring their ears to him.
   - H are Krishna Temple (Moundsville) - Plotted murders.
   - Ervil LeBaron. (Church of the First Born of the Lamb of God) - ordered his 13 wives, 54 children and some followers to kill false prophets.
3. Crooks and Thieves (Prosperity Ministers)
   "And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep." (2 Peter 2: 2-3)
   Other false prophets steal your money.
   They are rich and they claim that you will be rich too if you only give God a "seed" (money) to demonstrate your faith. Often they claim that prophetic events will happen that never do. Yet weeks after the prophecy fails, there is no explanation, only more appeals for more money.
   Some are bold enough to claim that they want your "green" cash. You find no problems with them having ten cars, several women, private airplanes, and several mansions. They tell you it is a blessing from God that you can have if you are faithful with "seed" money.
   When I was young, it seemed that only my church believed in the tithing principle. Many other churches threw out the old testament - mainly because they wanted to avoid the Sabbath question. Now I find that at least in the area of tithing, these ministers are quoting the old testament. With this they can make you feel that God requires your money and they can ask for a specific percentage.

   Magic Beans
   Like the Children's story "Jack and the bean stalk", many of these healers are selling the equivalent of magic beans that will cure your illness, give prosperity, love and marriage and give access to God. Here are a few of the shameful items that they are peddling as blessed charms in the new "point of contact" doctrine. In most instructions, the recipient is told to return the charm or some portion of it after making their requests. This is the time when a donation is sent. Blessed cornmeal Copper pennies, Mexican pesos and other blessed coins. Miracle cloth of righteousness Brass rings Prayer candles, prayer rugs. Anointed red rubber bands - $10.00 Holy water, oils, cloth, seeds Prayer cloth is free with a $20 donation. 4 inch prayer fleece gives 14 big miracles. (With a donation of $370, $37 or $74). The Catholic church is also full of charms and trinkets and holy objects. In medieval times, relics were common. Pope Gregory 1 introduced the sale of relics. The system was so corrupt that at one time there were up to seven thigh bones of Mary, two skull of Peter and fifteen foreskins from the circumcision of Jesus! Now, there are sacramentals, statues, beads, tears and blood from weeping statues and the ubiquitous rose petals that seem to accompany many Marion apparations. Rose petals Miraculous medal Small crucifixes attached to the doors of our homes. Wearing the Brown Scapular of Mount Carmel. Wearing the St. Benedict medal. Praying the Rosary daily and the wearing of a rosary around our necks.

4. The Bible says that they are false prophets because their predictions do not come through.
   Benny H.. There are some, like this prophet, that consult with the dead. The Bible condemns these actions and declares them to be false prophets. Here are some predictions that never came through.
   - Jesus would appear on the stage in a crusade in Kenya in April 2000. He never did.
   - Fidel Castro will die in the 1990's. He is still alive in 2002 and in 2011.
   - God will destroy the homosexual community of America by fire no later than 1995. Not only are they alive and well but they are more militant and more powerful and endorsed by powerful corporations.
   - Syria's leader Hafez Al-Assad will make a peace treaty. He died before this could happen.
   - Jesus will appear physically at one of their crusades before His Second Coming. This contradicts the warning of Jesus in Matthew.
     Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Look, I have told you before. Therefore if they shall say unto you, Look, he is in the desert; do not go: Look, he is in the secret chambers; do not believe it. For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even to the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24: 23-27)
     The Bible also warns that in the end, the forces of evil will be able to perform astounding miracles. Revelation states the following:
     And he does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceives them that live on the earth by the means of those miracles. (Revelation 13: 13-14)
     These false prophets will use you to make money. (2 Peter 2: 1-3)
5. False Healers
   Often, these ministries also claim to have healing powers. They have a record of failure. These false prophets fail at many things and you do not question them.
   Why won't these people take one sample case every month and prove that they are healed. If they are real, they would take a documented case and heal them. Christopher Reeves (superman) would be an excellent candidate. Everyone knows that he is paralyzed.
   Instead they go on stage and make wild claims with no proofs, no pictures, no documentation. The poor nations of Africa, with a high percentage of crippled and ill have all been mugged by these con men who I do not think believe in God. As I hear some of them I don't even believe that they have ever opened a Bible. If you opened your bibles you would recognize them.
   These are cheap, tacky frauds who are not worthy of your attention. Any three year old should be able to recognize them. What will you do when the real counterfeits arrive?
   - Unconditional prophecies fail.
   - People are not healed.
     They may have paid actors who pretend to be healed. There is no follow-up to see if people are healed or if they were sick to begin with.
   - Oral Roberts. He started the "seed of faith" campaign, and has stated the following in the book - The Faith Healers, page. 193

     > I can't prove that any person who ever came to me was healed, that is I can't prove it to the satisfaction of everyone."

   - Peter Popoff. Some are caught in fraudulent acts. In the 1980's the popular television evangelist was caught pretending to get prophetic messages from God about people attending the services. He knew details about them and their illness (name, residence) Then he proceeded to "heal" them. How did he do this?
     Before the service started, people voluntarily filled out information cards. During the ceremony, his companions in crime would read the information from the card and he listened through a hidden wireless microphone on 39.17 MHz frequency while acting as if he was getting this revelation from God!
     As of 2001, he is back on the air - and you are supporting him.
   This is so amazing to me, that obvious fakes could prosper in this manner. The Bible predicts a period of even more convincing miracle working powers that are false. But there is no excuse for anyone to be tricked by what exists today. Cheap frauds!
6. False Messiahs.
   Reverend Sun Myung Moon. Leader of the Unification Church which surfaced in the 1960's. Christ was killed before he could complete His work and failed in His mission and was not able to redeem the physical body, so Reverend Moon is here to complete the work. He does this through marriage. He is currently supported by very conservative Christian leaders. In the Catholic view, Christ was also unable to redeem the physical, so purgatory is where we go to suffer the physical penalties for our sins. He died 3 September 2012 having failed to do whatever he claims Jesus failed to do.

   > His claims include stating that Christ failed His mission, and that Moon himself is the "new messiah" who is come to fulfill the mission of God. He also claims that it is his mission to 'unite the world through uniting religious forces'

   Maitreya. The great teacher is already among us preparing us for his public emergence. From time to time, he appears at some gatherings. He is supposed to be the same person expected by many religions - Christ the Messiah, the fifth Buddha, Krishna or the Imam Madhi.
   Since January 1959, Benjamin Creme has been given the task of preparing the world for the appearance of Maitreya the Christ. Benjamin Creme has also been given the task of confirming that all the Catholic signs and wonders and appearances are due to one of the "masters".
   William Branham. This dead teacher and prophet believed he was the angel of Revelation 3:14 and 10:7 who was born of a virgin as Elijah come back to earth, and that the only true evidence of possessing the Holy Spirit was following him. He teaches the following.
   - The Zodiac is equal in authority to the Bible.
   - The coming Kingdom of God means taking dominion of the earth by Joel's Army or "manifested sons of God." These are an army of his followers who are God - men. His followers are still waiting for his resurrection.
   Since it is often true that nonbelievers often twist the words or beliefs of others, I must mention that the followers claim that the above characterization is false. Here is their response to each statement.
   - Virgin Birth. He did not claim to be born of a virgin.
   - Evidence of the Holy Spirit. He urged people to follow the Word not Him.
   - Authority of the Zodiac. He said that God wrote his first Bible in the heavens and that He shows things in heaven before He does on earth. But the only authority is the written Word of God.
   - Resurrection. While a few people believe that Branham will come back before the resurrection, the vast majority of the over three million members do not believe that.
   - Manifestation of the Sons of God. This is a scriptural belief according to a believer. The Bible does say that we will all become sons of God. Perhaps the nonbelievers see a deeper meaning in their application of the concept, but taken at face value it is biblical.
   Therefore, it would be fair to say that the vast majority of his followers do not make any messianic claims about him that deserves the level of criticism.
   Peter Odoemena. (Nigeria). He claims that Branham is the forerunner who came to introduce him and he is God. Name any title of God and he has claimed it.
   Sergei Torop "Vissarion" . (Russia), in the 1990's started the Church of the Final Testament. He claims that he is Jesus Christ.

The Life of Christ - A Comparison. Consequently, we have a lot of unfulfilled time predictions and wild speculation that have not come to pass. People continue to make predictions that utterly fail to come through and still they have a following. Why? You refuse to read your Bible. You are desperate for success and they know just the right words to give you temporary hope and make you feel guilty for your lack of faith. If you are tempted, remember the life of the pioneers.

1. Christ had no where to "lay His Head".
2. He died feeling abandoned by God.
3. Except for John (who died in prison) all the disciples were poor and martyred.
4. The early church was killed.
5. The church in the middle ages was martyred.
6. The church at the end will be persecuted.

Why should you be different?
Its seems to please God to make a spectacle of His true believers by showing the universe that they will love Him no matter what. They will love Him in poverty, in sorrow, in distress, in bitter disappointments, in abandonment, in isolation, and in loneliness. Theirs was a faith that did not depend on proofs or rewards from God. Revelation says, that they loved not their lives to death.
All who will live Godly in Christ must suffer. Your true reward is in heaven. If you trust God only because of the benefits - then you never loved Him.

Methods Of Interpretation
There are three primary views of prophecy held by Christians today, Historicism, Preterism and Futurism. The spiritual view was born out of the new theology which seeks to downgrade the importance and meaning of the Bible as a rule for life given by God.

1. Preterism. The Jesuit Luis de Alcazar (1554-1630) of Seville, Spain, proposed the preterist method of interpretation to show that the prophecies of antichrist could not apply to the Papacy because they were fulfilled before the popes ruled.
   It masks the antichrist from the eyes of the world by trivializing the prophecy's of the past ascribing them to minor figures like Antiochus Epiphanes.
   The Praeterist School, explains the Revelation by either the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., or the fall of pagan Rome in 410 A.D.
2. Futurism. A monk named Francisco Ribera (1537 - 1591) of Salamanca, Spain proposed the futurist method which asserts that these prophecies refer to a future supernatural individual, who would be in power for three and a half years.

   Major Views
   View | Meaning
   --- | ---
   Historicism | Prophecy outlines the span of world history as it relates to God's people all the way down to the end of time. This view is both moral and true. God is a portrayed as a being who comforts and protects His people at all times. And it agrees with how God dealt with prophecy in Daniel.
   Preterism | Prophecy is for the past. Most prophecies were fulfilled by the Roman empire. This is a false view. This view denies the supernatural nature of prophecy to predict the future. It is presented mostly by agnostics and atheists. These people claim that the prophecies were written after the events occurred.
   Futurism | Prophecy is only for the distant future. This is a false view of prophecy as well. It portrays a God who is disinterested with the pain and suffering of His people in history.
   Spiritual | Prophecy outlines cosmic conflicts in the spiritual realm. Some may be fulfilled in human history. This is a false view of prophecy because it is useless for God to give us cryptic prophecies that have nothing to do with our lives or our understanding of Him.

   It masks the antichrist by placing him so deep into the future that his coming is not recognized in history. The futuristic school looks for antichrist, Babylon, and a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, at the end of the Christian dispensation.
3. Historicism. This was given to the church by Jesus Christ. This was how God himself interpreted the visions in Daniel. The visions started in the present and went on into the future. It teaches that Bible prophecy builds upon the patterns of the past to comfort God's people in the present and warn them of the dangers to come in the future. "Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this." (Revelation 1: 19)
   It was the method used by all the apostles, reformers and pioneers who lived in the 16th century. Living in the times of the medieval papacy, they came to recognize the "little horn" power that would arise during the fourth kingdom. The written word of Revelation contains the same divine qualities of Historicism.

Symbols
For some reason, God determined that he must hide these prophetic events by describing them with symbols which are based entirely on the covenant and laws of Judaism. Therefore they sometimes seem cryptic.
Fortunately, if the visions appeared meaningful, the church would have destroyed them hundreds of years ago when it banned the reading and possession of the Bible among the common people. When we realize that the biggest attack on the church (and on God) comes from within its leadership, we can see the wisdom of God in disguising the truth with symbols.

Signs Of The Times
We do not know when the Lord will come and judging from events of the past it is useless to pin our hopes on any single sign. Knowing that we are living in the times of the last empire (God will come when Europe is divided), it is more useful to look for trends in politics and the church. Yes, the United States of America will be the last great super power, but that does not mean that it will not suffer temporary set backs. Therefore, what we should look for is a pattern of events and a convergence of the signs. If one sign is present and all the rest are not likely to happen then it is not yet significant. It is only a dress rehearsal.

Trends to Watch
At the end of time, three converging political forces must dominate the minds, hearts, people and governments of the world through fear or devotion. These are:

- Political. Watch the rise and fall of powers and belief systems.
  1. Government. The United States as the major political and military power.
  2. Religious Power The Roman Catholic Church in union with the Protestant churches of America. They will do miracles as proof of their right to enforce religious laws.
  3. Occult. The New Age or spiritualist movements which will do miracles and provide a link with the evil forces.
  4. Homosexual Power. They will have social and legal clout.
- Legal Developments. Laws that will facilitate persecution.
- Military. Wars are a sign of the end and are usually the biggest emotional trigger.
- Natural Disasters. A rise in natural disasters in terms of magnitude and frequency.
- Financial. The development of financial systems and relationships necessary to execute the economic boycott on individuals and cause a global financial collapse.
- Technical. These capabilities assist in the persecution and spread the Gospel to the world.

Major Prophecies Status | 1920 | 1960's | 1981 | 2001
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
United States | Sole super power status |  |  |  |
Babylon | Restored |  |  |  |
Catholic Church | Regains power |  |  |  |
The Alliance | Three last powers |  |  |  |
Spiritualism | Popularity |  |  |  |
Persecution laws | Enacted |  |  |  |
Persecution technology | Instant capability |  |  |  |
Financial network | Instant capability |  |  |  |
Immorality | Popularity |  |  |  |
Theory of Evolution | Popularity (Church, Public) |  |  |  |
Homosexuality | Popularity |  |  |  |
Sabbath laws | Blue laws |  |  |  |
Sunday Laws | Enforced |  |  |  |
Miracles | Supernatural power |  |  |  |
Gospel preached | Worldwide infiltration |  |  |  |

Out of this union will arise persecution through changes in the laws and forced worship. Only when this threefold union makes religious laws and enforces them, will they meet all the criteria of the prophecy.
At several points in history significant signs have occurred, but the convergence of all signs was still a distant possibility. Trends were not converging. At the significant moment in history we look for trends that give religion political power, that gives psychic phenomena widespread acceptance and that has the Unites States of America as the dominant global political and economic power. Look for a message calling people back to the Creator. Christ Himself says that wars, by themselves, do not signify the end, so the end might come at a time of peace or cooperation among the nations, as they focus on persecuting the people of God.
» Lateran Treaty. We begin to assess the trends in the 1920's because that is when one major group started to regain its power. In 1929, the Lateran treaty restored the pope to political power.

Trends In The 1920's

Major Prophecies In The 1920s | Fulfilled
--- | ---
United States | Not a super power |
Catholic Church | The Lateran Treaty |
Church-State Union | Persecuting again |
The Alliance | Not formed |
Spiritualism | Popular |
Sabbath laws | Blue laws |
Persecution laws | No |
Persecution technology | No |
Financial network | No |
Immorality | Among movie stars |
Theory of Evolution | Scientists mostly |
Homosexuality | Hidden |
Gospel preached | Formal missions |

In the past, several events seemed to bring about a convergence of the last day forces. The period around the first world war seemed to be such a time.

1. Political Trends.
   » 1929 - Lateran Treaty restores papal power - suddenly a major prophecy is fulfilled.
   » The League of Nations, the parent of the United Nations, forms. A one world government now seems possible.
   » 1924 - Ottoman dynasty formally ends
   » British rule is ending in the middle east.
   » Communism and the Soviet Union grows in power and influence.
2. Financial Trends.
   » 1929 - Global financial crisis. The stock market crashes and 30 billion dollars disappears. The Great Depression starts, it affected all countries. It seems as if the global economic problems of Revelation 18 are being fulfilled.
   » First credit cards created but credit is not the norm.
   » 1921 - the American stock exchange moves indoors
3. Natural Disasters Trends.
   » 1930's - Record number of storms.
   » Many natural disasters - 4 earthquakes killed 548,000 people. In 1931, one flood killed 3,700,000 people in China. Influenza killed 25 million people worldwide. Three earthquakes in China and Japan killed over 540,000. Famine kills 7 to 10 million in the Ukraine. 1906 was the year of earthquakes including the great San Francisco earthquake.
4. Military Trends.
   » Wars, rumors of wars. World War I was the first major global conflict. It ended in 1918. In this same year many monarchies ceased to exist - this is another major prophetic requirement. The horns on the beasts of Revelation are no longer crowned. We transition from the beast of Revelation 12 and 13 to the beast of Revelation 17.
5. Religious and Social Trends
   1925 (July 10-25) - Scopes Monkey Trial in which the theory of evolution defeated creation.
   » Sunday Laws (Blue Laws).
   » Psychic phenomena was around for 60 years and is a popular parlor entertainment among the rich and powerful.
   » Immorality - The Roaring Twenties and organized crime becomes a business.
6. Technical.
   » Radio was invented and suddenly millions could be reached at once anywhere.
   » 1927 - Television is demonstrated and the movie industry makes talking motion pictures.
   » 1929 - first round the world flight. The prophecy of many running "to and fro" seems possible.

But some significant trends were not present. The church of Rome was not popular. And America was not yet the political force it needed to be. The two powers were not cooperating for global dominance. The ability to enforce financial boycott was possible with the cooperation of the people but not as swift and effective as an automated system.

The existence of persecution technology and real time financial networks are technically not necessary to fulfill the prophecy. Events would just happen much slower. However, the speed of events, the global scope implies that some technological help would be necessary. This time, persecution would not be prolonged over 1260 years, the hunting and killing will be completed in about one year.

Major Prophecies In The 1960s | Fulfilled
--- | ---
United States | One of two economic/ military super powers |
Catholic Church | Largest church |
Church-State Union | Persecuting again |
The Alliance | Not formed |
Spiritualism | Very popular |
Sabbath laws | Blue laws not enforced |
Persecution laws | No |
Persecution technology | No instant capability |
Financial network | Very limited |
Immorality | Among the young |
Theory of Evolution | Pope endorses |
Homosexuality | Hidden. Mental illness |
Gospel preached | Formal missions |

Trends In The Late 1960's
The late sixties to early seventies was another opportunity.

1. Political Trends.
   » The United States and the Soviet Union are the two super powers since World War II.
   » Britain and France (the former super powers) to lose their colonies as many nations became independent. These actions further highlight the growing world power of the United States.
2. Financial Trends.
   » Global financial crisis, the oil crisis.
   » 1968 - first cash dispensing machine installed in Philadelphia.
   » Credit is not the norm and credit verification (for credit cards only) in the late seventies had a 14 to 30 day delay. There was no credit verification of checks until the late 1980's in few places.
   » Now economics are linked to individuals through computers.
   » The United States has been a major financial force since World War II.
3. Natural Disasters Trends.
   » 1959-61. Famine killed 30 million in China.
   » 1968 - Hong Kong flu pandemic kills one million.
4. Military Trends.
   » 1967 - June 11 Arab - Israeli war. For those looking for a crisis in the middle east at the end, this seems to be the beginning.
   » Wars and rumors of wars. The Vietnam War, the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) and the Cold War. We came very close to a global nuclear war in the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.
   » America is rocked by many protests. The CIA and other secret government agencies grow in power as they learn to spy on their own citizens.
5. Religious and Social Trends
   Humani Generis (Theistic Evolution). 12 August 1950. Pope Pius XII endorses evolution as creating the body of the ape but God gave it a soul.
   » People still went to church. Right was still right and wrong was still wrong.
   » The church of Rome was growing, but still regarded with suspicion in the United States. We elected our first Catholic President, John F. Kennedy. He was assassinated in 1963. But an argument can now be made for the first powerful link between the final two super powers.
   » Immorality in the sixties - sex and drugs, gay rights movement started.
6. Technical Trends.
   » Radio, television and some satellite technology was in place mostly for military use.
   » The United States space program soars.
   Evolution is the accepted method of biogenesis.
7. Occult Trends.
   » Psychic phenomena still has a following, many people read their horoscopes which is published in the daily newspapers.

Religious groups did not control politics, people still got their moral training at home - not by law. Financial networks still could not track people in real time and most people still did not use credit, merchants did not have electronic verification. Therefore, a financial boycott would need extensive public support. Our constitutional and civil rights were being protected. The law recognized the civil rights of African Americans.

Major Prophecies In The Year 2001 | Fulfill
--- | ---
United States. The future Babylon. | Only super power. 1991, defeated the old Babylon |
Catholic Church | World leader |
Church-State Union | Persecuting again |
The Alliance | Secret political. Major churches. |
Spiritualism | Very popular |
Religious laws | Blue laws |
Persecution laws | Yes |
Persecution tech | Installed |
Financial network | Instant, global, personal |
Immorality | Popular, legal |
Theory of Evolution | Public acceptance |
Homosexuality | Popular by 1990s, legal. Not a mental illness |
Gospel preached | 90% |

Trends In The Year 2001
Now we are in the twenty first century.

1. Political Trends.
   » On July 6, 1998, Pope John Paul II issued an official apostolic letter entitled, "Dies Domini" (The Day of the Lord). This letter, which received a great deal of media publicity, was a call by the Pope for Catholics to come back to faithful Sunday keeping. He called for the legalization of Sunday as a holy day guaranteed by the state. While this letter itself did not call for people who violate the Sabbath to be punished as heretics, in a prior letter dated May 28, 1998 one of these new Canons, number 1436 states: "Whoever denies a truth which must be believed with divine and Catholic faith or who calls into doubt or who totally repudiates the Christian faith and does not retract after having been legitimately warned is to be punished as a heretic or an apostate with a major excommunication.
2. Financial Trends.
   » Global financial markets that react wildly, greatly affecting each other's values. People have no savings, they live on speculation and wild expectations of getting rich quickly.
   » Instant credit verification for all instruments of financial transactions. Ability to enforce economic boycott on an individual level instantly through the cooperation of the financial business networks. Electronic financial transactions are the norm.
3. Natural Disasters Trends.
   » Frequent and more costly natural disasters and the consequences of climate change.
   » Acquired Immune Deficiency Disease is a modern plague, directly caused by immorality.
4. Military Trends.
   » Wars. Bosnia, Afghanistan and Palestine and the United States in the middle of all these conflicts. The entire Arab world is poised to strike at the United States for their continued support of Israel. The alliance between the Pope and the Arabs may be the source of influence that the United States will have to turn to.
   » Rumors of War. Conflict with Iran will complete the pattern of Babylon defeated by Persia.
5. Religious and Social Trends
   » The church of Rome is popular, ecumenism is embracing strong Protestant bodies.
   » Lawlessness exists in the church. Morality is based on the vote of popular opinion.
   » Mass school shootings, serial killers and homelessness in the richest nations.
   » Man's inhumanity to man. Slavery exists. Trafficking in the lives of kidnapped innocent women and children for sexual pleasure. Enslaving the Christian populations of some countries (like Sudan) just for their beliefs.
   » In Thailand, child prostitution is condoned even by the government. In whole villages not a single girl of six and above can be found. This is a shame. These children are kidnapped into prostitution. There are airline companies who knowingly make charter flights from rich western companies filled with pedophiles on vacation. Christ said that it were better that a stone be placed around your neck and that you be hurled into the sea if you hurt the little children. Thailand may be hurled into the sea for this crime. Airlines who knowingly do this ought to go out of business. This cannot continue.
   » The rich ignore the plight of the poor and exploited because it serves "no national interest".
   » Immorality on television, the internet and in the media. Late night cartoons too horrible to mention on prime time television.
   » American Psychiatric Association says that homosexuality is not a mental disorder in 1973. By the late 1980s it was becoming an alternate behavior to explore. It is being taught in grade schools as normal. Now same sex marriages, foster parenting and adoption are allowed.
   » Espousing religious beliefs are now being categorized as "hate crimes".
   » Wolves are in the highest positions in the church.
   1996. Evolution is officially sanctioned by the Roman Catholic church. Pope John Paul II declares the theory of evolution to be accurate (October 22).
   » Creation Evidence. 21-24 December 2008. God taught me the evidence of the Periodic table and a model for particle physics and genetics in the Torah.
   » Social Media. This has caused the collection of private information useful for persecution.
6. Technical Trends.
   » The gospel has reached over 95% of the world, but are they listening?
   » We have satellite, radio, television, internet, computers, wireless technology, refrigerators that talk back, satellites that can track you pets, microtechnology.
   » Men are daring to interfere with the sacred human life, joining the genes of animals and plants and probably in the secrecy of their laboratories joining the genes of man and beast.
7. Occult Trends.
   » Psychic phenomena and the occult. Popular entertainment stars advocating the occult.
   » Pagan religions are on the rise especially among our children. This is no accident. Take a look at the books and cartoons that they have been looking at for the last 20 years.
   The Gospel of the Rich and Famous. The rich and powerful are now promoting religion. In fact, some religions target only the wealthy and influential to prove their new age doctrine and to attract the public. Many stars belong to Scientology and Buddhism. Now Oprah Winfrey is promoting new age religion claiming that "all paths lead to god". Of course this is a lie, they really teach that "All paths except fundamental religions lead to God".
8. Legal Trends. In 2001 alone, within the space of one week, two religious laws were proposed, each designed to support the church and its institutions. The separation of church and state in the United States is in grave danger. There are proposals for at least two laws that could endanger this separation.
   - Faith Based Initiative. A plan to give government money to religious charities to take over some of these functions. Already President Bush has said that "some groups are too hateful to get the money". With this statement he has made the best argument as to why the two ought to be strictly separated. He has started to make value judgments about which religions are better than others.
   - School Vouchers. A plan to support religious institutions by providing tuition specifically for private schools.
   » Patriot Act. The events of September 11, 2001 allows the legal and technological systems to be installed. Nothing more. While it could lead to a final crisis, I personally believe that the main objective (from a cosmic perspective) was to set certain systems, attitudes and laws in place. It also establishes in the mind of the people that religion can be a threat to security.
   » A Government Founded in the Christian Religion (2008). In Europe and in the United States church entities have stepped up efforts in 2008 to make a case that their governments were and should be founded on Christianity and that this fact must be acknowledged by law.
   - United States. Since about June 2008, Christian stations have begun airing arguments about the intentions of the founding fathers, saying that they were Christians and that they intended for the laws to reflect Christianity. By July, the arguments began to show up more in Sunday morning sermons.
     In making their case, they associate opposition with people who are racist, communist, supported Hitler, support underage sex, pedophelia, practice genocide and abortion. Therefore any efforts to deny a Christian only basis of law is seen as part of an ongoing conspiracy to threaten democracy by unleashing these powers on the United States.
     In one argument they are correct. Atheism intends to drive out Christianity out of public life. But in the same way, Christianity intends to drive out any expression of any other point of view. Neither side intends to let people have the freedom to choose their own personal beliefs. Each intends to exclude the other in the public arena, by controlling school curriculum, the media, the government and the work place.
   - Europe. Although the Irish objection to the new Lisbon treaty is characterized as one that is based on loss of freedoms, yet the concessions that they want to be put into the constitution are the ones promoted by the church. They want the laws to state that Europe is a Christian nation.
     The new European Union is now an aristocracy or a plutocracy. All positions are appointed, they are not elected by the people. So member countries will have less of a chance of controlling who gets into office. This aristocracy will be controlled by the Papacy.
   Why is there this emphasis on something that seems trivial. Supposedly, the laws are based on freedom of religion so that all religions, including Christianity, are protected. Yet, in France and Germany we can see the intention behind the "Christian nation" designation. With this legal foundation, they make spurious arguments about appearances of unity by denying other religions their rights to dress according to the modest requirements of their faith. They ban turbans, yarmukles, scarves and jewelry with symbols of other religions, yet allow Christian crosses and nuns to wear their hats. What is next? It will be unity of worship, because the laws already enforce only Sunday as a day of rest.

Nothing else is left except for the signs among the people of God and the gospel to the world. So, what is your church doing, how are you sacrificing? Are you living as if Jesus will come in the next year, or are you living as if he will come in the next 500 years? Or do you still believe?

A Comparison of Three Prophetic Expectations
The Seventh Day Adventist Perspective

Major Prophecies | Fulfilled
--- | ---
United States | World power | Mystery Babylon |
Catholics | Regains power |
Protestants | Politics with Rome |
Spiritualism | In the church and world |
Miracles | Catholic church, prosperity ministers |
Churches unite | Unite on similar points |
Image of the Beast | Formed by 2001 religious laws |
Image Of Apes | Theory of Evolution |
Sunday laws | Enforced in Europe (2003) |
Sabbath laws | Death penalty |
Persecution | By the church and the United States |
False Coming | Satan impersonates Christ |
Gospel preached | Latter rain |

The Adventist perspective on prophecy contributes to several things in our understanding of last day events. Remember that when these words were written, the climate was totally different and none of this seemed possible.

- England, France and Spain were the world powers and were busy colonizing the world.
- Protestant churches were suspicious of Catholic motives. A Catholic in politics was rare in a Protestant country. The world was still very suspicious of Catholic globalist intentions.
- The United States was isolationist.
- Protestants thought that the pope was the antichrist.

We have contributed to the understanding of prophecy in the following ways:

1. The importance of the three angels' message.
2. Details about prophecy already written in Daniel and revelation. These interpretations are unique to Adventist eschatology and have proven to be 100% correct.
   - The role of the Protestant churches in the United States being the first to be politically active in influencing the government.
   - The fact that the ecumenical movement will only try to unite from common points of interest and that doctrine will be ignored.
   - The great influence of the occult and spiritualist movements.
   - The Catholic church will not change. It will pretend to change to gain popularity.
   - The great admiration of the world for the pope.
   - Evolution teaches that we are created in the image of beasts not in the image of God.
   These are the other predictions still to come.
   - Miracles used among the Catholic and Protestants as a sign that God is using them.
   - Laws to enforce Sunday worship which will eventually lead to the death penalty for people who worship on the true Sabbath.
   - A fake Second Coming of Christ.

Status As Of 2003

- Final World Powers. All the major players are in place. They have their power, popularity and legal structure. They also have the popular support and technological capability to accomplish the tasks assigned to them in prophecy. The response to the events of September 11 prove that with the right crisis, everyone will allow these powers to act viciously.
  1. United States. (1989, 1992) The United States has been a world power since World War II. But it has been the only world power since the fall of communism in 1989.
     With the mysterious fall of the Japanese economic system in the 1990's it has regained its status as the most influential economic power.
  2. Catholic Church. (1929, 1980's) They will influence governments and gain the worldwide respect of religious leaders.
  3. Spiritualism. (1980's) In the 1980's movie stars were promoting reincarnation, "channelling" and the new age. By the 1990's psychic television programs were everywhere, hosted by entertainment stars. By 2002 a medium named John Edwards became popular.
  4. The Alliance. (1989) The alliance worked informally in 1989 to defeat the Soviet union. They will work more openly in the future. They will also be united by a spiritual force and they will form the threefold union predicted at the end of time (United States, Catholic Church, and Spiritualism). Note that the third force is not a physical or organizational body but a unifying belief system.
  Teaching creationism is outlawed in almost every country in favor of the theory of evolution.
- Churches Unite. (1990's) Do not misunderstand me, unity is wonderful. But the Bible predicts that at the end people will unite while deliberately disobeying Him to secure this unity. This false union will then persecute those who want to obey God. So I reject any attempt at unity that minimizes important distinctive beliefs.
  Church unity has been influenced by some significant trends and has created strange bed fellows. The most surprising is the alliance of conservative Protestant leaders with false messiahs and with a system that many privately believe is the antichrist. It seems as if the lure of public relations, popular opinion and good old fashioned money have succeeded where every prophetic warning has failed.

Church | Group | Year
--- | --- | ---
Completed Church Unions
Church of South India | Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed, Congregational and Lutheran | 1947
United Church of Christ | Congregational, Reformed, Evangelical | 1957
Unitarian Universalist | Atheists, theists, Buddhists, Christians, Pagans, Humanists, Homosexuals | 1961
Presbyterian Church | Presbyterian and United Presbyterian | 1983
Evangelical Lutheran Church | Lutheran | 1988
Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, Reformed | 1997
Episcopal, Moravian | 1999
Lutheran | Episcopal | 2000
Catholic | Detroit Pentecostal | 2001
Cooperation or Dialogue
Catholic | Lutheran (Joint declaration on justification) | 1999
Catholic | Anglican | 2000
Catholic | Salvation Army | 2001
Unification church | Conservative leaders | 1980's
Other Agreements
Catholic | Moslem pact with Yassir Arafat | 2000
Catholic | Buddhists | 1975
Other Organizations
Promise Keepers | To unite Christianity | 1980's
Ecumenical movement | To unite Christianity under Catholicism | 1960's
Christian Churches Together | First official union of all branches of Christianity under points of similarity to influence politics | 2005
Protestant Leaders on Catholicism
Bill Bright, Chuck Colson, Don Argue and Pat Robertson who said: "We all admire the Holy Father tremendously. We all want to build bridges with the Catholic Church." | 1995
Billy Graham | 1993
"It's time for Protestants to go to the shepherd [Pope] and say �what do we have to do to come home?" Robert Schuller | 1987
James Dobson | 1986
"Extremists who declare that the Papacy is of antichrist ... are insensitive to others and lack the love of Christ." Jerry Falwell | 1985
"it is time to recover some of the ancient traditions practiced by the Catholic Church." African American Pentecostals (27 denomination leaders) | 2000
Pentecostals (Assemblies of God) unofficially "I ask that Catholics forgive the Pentecostals who have cherished visions of the end of time that condemn the Catholic Church for spiritual harlotry and idolatry, and for those who assume that Catholics advocate salvation by works, denying the grace and truth of the Gospel." | 2000

Popular Protestant Prophetic Theories And Belief Systems

Major Differences
Belief | Other | Adventist | Critical
--- | --- | --- | ---
Prophecy | Futurist | Historicist |
Hell | Burns forever | Goes out |
490 year prophecy | Gap | Continuous |
Resurrection | Secret rapture | Visible |
Church-State | Unite | Separate |
Antichrist | Unknown, pope | Pope |
Judgment | Future | Started 1844 |
Israel | Temple rebuilt | Not important |
Soul | Immortal | Dies |
Dead | Can speak | Cannot speak |
Millennial Reign | Second chance | No chance |
On Earth | In Heaven |
Sabbath | Sunday | Saturday |
Law | Tradition | Bible Only |
Some beliefs can delay your preparation or put you in danger of deception

There are many theories and interpretation being circulated around the churches. Simultaneously there are many theories being preached in the secular world. One significant set of theories includes "The Gap" theory, the "Secret Rapture" and the "millennial reign" of Christ on earth. Since these theories are believed by a large number of Christians and are being popularized in the movies and in print, they are significant because they affect the interpreation of prophecy.

- The Gap Theory. This is based on a time prophecy about the first coming of Christ that is split up into two periods separated by an unknown gap in time that has now lasted about 2000 years.
- Secret Rapture. This occurs when Christ removes His faithful people from the earth. These people will secretly vanish from the earth. Depending on the belief, it occurs before, during or after the final seven years.
- Millennial Reign Christ rules on earth during the 1000 years after His coming. People are given a second chance to repent and the Jews play an important role in this time.
- The Importance of Israel. Some of these groups have a pro Israel agenda not because of love lost for the Jews. They believe that Christ will convert the Jews when He comes so they are not concerned with evangelical efforts for this group. However, what happens in Israel is critical because the temple must be rebuilt before the Antichrist can appear. They cannot be secretly raptured until conditions are perfect in Israel, therefore they will support whatever forces will bring about these conditions even if they are inhuman, immoral and unethical.

The Counterfeit Prophecy

Bible Prophecy | Purpose | Counterfeit Prophecy
--- | --- | ---
The lady of Revelation 12 | The true church | Our lady of all nations
Three angel's message | God's last message to save the world | Visions of Mary (Fatima, Faustina and Akita)
1 | Fear [love] God, His judgment has come | 1 | God is angry and He wants to show us a vision of hell
2 | Babylon is fallen | 2 | Communism will fall when you consecrate Russia to Mary
3 | Do not worship the beast and his image or receive his mark or you will suffer the wrath of God. | 3 | Only devotion to Mary will save you from the wrath of God. Pray the rosary.
Miracles of the latter rain | Power given to the messengers | Signs and wonders (bleeding and crying statues)
Second Coming | God rescues us | False Coming of Mary and Jesus to convince the world to obey the pope

In the final battle Satan has created a counterfeit system to compete with God's plans. It is obvious that he did not know the final details until he learned the interpretation from God's people. Then he finalized his plans and sent his own messengers.

The Catholic Perspective
The following chart shows the difference between the Advantist anc Catholic perspective. The Catholic beliefs were taken from approved visions given by apparitions of Mary.
All visions of Ellen White came before the visions of Mary at Fatima, Akita and Blessed Faustina.
I made a best guess about the sequence according to Ellen White - she did not say that the "law in the sky" event would occur in the fourth plague. Also, the fact that events overlap or start and continue to the end are not fully represented.

God's Actions | Adventist and Revelation | Catholic | Events on Earth
--- | --- | --- | ---
Judgment Sealing | 1840 First angel's message 1844 Second Angel's message | Trying to regain lost political power. | Three Angel's message Latter Rain Gospel preached
Image of the beast forming | Catholic global politics. Churches uniting.
Image of the beast formed Union of church and state complete. | Secret alliance between the Pope and Ronald Reagan. Laws to support religious institutions.
| The church recognizes that Babylon has fallen. | Apparitions of Mary guiding the church since 1917 and acted on it seriously in 1984.
The Second's angel's message is said with power | Many leave the church
Four angels release the four winds. Men are terrified of coming astrological event. I assume that this might be the threat of a killer asteroid to come in about a year. | Vision of Akita - about fire falling from the sky and other messages are broadcast to the world as a sign of the Pope's special connection with God.
Third angel's message is preached. Vision of Ellen White - Sunday law enforcement is a signal to leave the cities. The three part alliance of the Beast is global. The rest of the world gives the Pope power. | Pope attempts to lead the world to Mary whether they like it or not. Vision of Akita - Days of Justice.
Mark of the beast - forced worship. Persecution begins. | Church tries to enforce Sunday worship. World allows a religious solution in order to stop the coming disaster. All three visions recommend global appeal to Mary as the only way to stop the crisis.
It is done | Probation closes | Gospel Preached
Time of Trouble | Persecution increases
Plagues 1 to 2 | 1 | Sores on the earth | Vision of Akita - Days of Justice. The plague is a signal that the stubbornness of Sabbath keepers offends God. Honoring Sunday is not enough, people must stop honoring the Sabbath and they must pray the rosary (worship Mary). | Seven last plagues Babylon falls
2 | Vision of Ellen White - Death decree | Death sentence to remove heresy.
Plagues 3 to 7 | 3 | Vision of Ellen White - False second Coming. Satan is the angel of light. | 1937 Vision of Blessed Faustina - Global appearance of Mary and Christ to tell the world to obey the pope.
4 | ** Vision of Ellen White - God's law appears in the Sky | Governments and people now realize that they have been breaking the law of God. They turn against the church.
5 | Confusion and fear among the church leaders | 1973 Vision of Akita - Cardinals against cardinals, people leave the church.
6 | The end of the political alliance of the church and state. Babylon is punished. The world now recognized that it has fallen. | Vision of Akita - Churches vandalized, priests killed. Third vision of Fatima.
7 | Second Coming

Miracles

Samples of Deceptive Miracles and Signs
Miracles | Year | Examples
--- | --- | ---
Apparitions | Appearances by Mary and Jesus
| Mary | 1987 - 1998 | In 19 countries and 39 appearances between 1987-1998
Light Miracles | Strange lights in the shapes of a cross or circle in bathrooms
| Cross | 1988 | The bathroom window of an apartment in California
| Cross | 1990 | 4 crosses appear in a bathroom window in New Orleans
| Cross | 1991 | In the Philippines
| Cross and hand | 1991 | Easter Sunday In the Philippines
| Cross, Mary, Jesus | 199? | Bathroom window in California
| 3 Crosses | 1994 | New Zealand home visited by Benjamin Creme
| Crosses | 1995 | Baptist Church in Tennessee
| Crosses | 1996 | In bathroom window in Bakersfield California
| 7 Crosses | 1996 | Slovenia
| Virgin Mary | 1996 | 35 feet tall image appears on an office building window in Clearwater Florida
| Virgin Mary | June 2003 | Third floor hospital window in Milton, Massachusetts
Food Miracles | Crop circles, the word "Allah" in beans, eggs, fish, potatoes, tomato
| Fish | 1995 | Senegal, "Allah" on the scales
| Watermelon | 1996 | Senegal, name of Allah
| Aubergine | 1996 | England, seeds in the vegetable formed the words "Ya-Allah" = Allah exists
| 2 Eggs | 1997 | Holland grocery store, word Allah
| 500 grams of beans | 1997 | Same Holland grocery store, word Allah
| Other | 1997 | Tomato in Britain, Potatoes in India, Fish in USA. In 1998, Potato and Aubergines in Britain
| Grilled cheese sandwich | 2004 | ebay sold a ten year old sandwich with the face of Mary for $28,000
Statues and icons | Statues drink, weep and sweat many kinds of liquids
| Light | 1987 | In Japan, images of a Buddha emit rainbow colored light
| Tears | 1993 | Weeping Virgin of Las Vegas in the backyard of a family where statue was used as a shrine. The tears have healing powers.
| Hindu Statues | 1995 | Hindu statues drink milk in Delhi India and the United Kingdom
| Tears | 1996 | Icon weeps in Greek Orthodox church in Canada
| Oil | - | Lebanon: Statue of Mary sweats oil
| Blood | 1996 | In a Trinidad convent, Mary's statue weeps blood
| Blood | 1998 | In Spain, Mary's statue weeps blood
| Blood | 1998 | In the Church of the Nativity, painting of Jesus weeps blood
Paintings | Images of saints on rose petals, rocks, windows and walls
| Rose petal | 1991 | Philippines, images of Mary, Jesus and other saints
| Rock | 1995 | In Australia, the face of Christ on a rock as a farmer watched
| Communion wafer | 1997 | Head of Jesus
| Virgin Mary | April 2005 | Mary holding a rosary appears as a stain on the concrete under the Kennedy Express way in Chicago
Holy cow! | Birth of sacred animals
| White buffalo | 1993 | Born in Colorado. Thus is significant to native Americans
| White buffalo | 1994 | Wisconsin
| Red heifer | 1997 | Born in Israel for the first time since the destruction of the temple
Other Miracles | Other bizarre claims
| Crystal tears | 1996 | 12 year old Lebanese girl weeps tiny crystal tears from March to November
| Weeping Elvis statue | 2002 | Toon Nieuwenhuisen of the Netherlands claims that he is possessed with the spirit of the King and his statue of Elvis is now crying
| Gutter Pipe Jesus | 2010 | Coventry, England. Woman sees Jesus in the blocked gutter pipe

Concerning the last days, the Bible predicts that it will be a time of miracles designed to trick the whole world. These warnings are a sober reminder that miracles should never be used as a test of divine blessing.
Paul stated that � evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived� (2 Timothy 3:13).
Some miracles will be so convincing that they will be used to do the following:

- Trick the Saints. This warning might refer to the time when Satan will impersonate the Second coming and convince the world that he is real because of the miracles he does. Verse 26 warns us not to go to these miracles if you have to be told where Christ will be.
  For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect ... So if they say to you, "Look, He is in the wilderness,' do not go out, or, "Look, He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe them. (Matthew 24: 24-27)
- Deceive the World. Used by the beasts to make people worship the image of the beast.
  He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. 14 And he deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. (Revelation 13: 13,14)
  And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. (Revelation 19: 20)
- Miracles by Demons.
  And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; 14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. (Revelation 16: 13, 14)

So far the type of miracles that are fooling the world are disappointing. When Jesus healed it was instantaneous and final. He never left a sick person behind. In contrast, modern day signs and wonders seem to involve stupid activities that should not fool us.

- Extraterrestrial farming (crop circles)
- Statues drinking milk, or releasing oil, tears or blood.
- Billy Graham and the Pope still have Parkinson's disease and they are not cured
- Healing services where people are not healed.
- Miracles that cause people to commit idolatry
- Signs in vegetables and rose petals

The Bible says that "by their fruits you shall know them", but not like this.
Ungodly Lights. The miracle of the lights in the window are more convincing to the faithful because it is a cross. Similar images of circles of lights on buildings have not stirred up such emotions. But what does not escape my observation is that the Devil had to place nearly all these images in a toilet. He had to use a Christian symbol, but he got the satisfaction of watching the people of God worshipping Him in an unclean place - a toilet.
Other Supernatural Events and Urban Legends.
I have not listed all events, the endless crop circles and other UFO related phenomenon. Healing water in Mexico, Germany, China, Australia and India. There are also more bleeding communion wafers, other appearances of Mary, Appearances of the virgin in the sky in Las Vegas, strange images in photographs, subway walls, the hitch hiker who disappears from moving cars after announcing either that Christ is here or that Christ is coming.
Visions of Mary. There are many reported visions of Mary from around the world. I do not know why these are not daily new events since some of them are so public. The "public" appearances seem to be a phenomenon that only a few see privately. It makes me wonder how miraculous the last vision of Fatima was, because only the three children appeared to see the virgin. Here are some of the most recent.

- Costa Rica : On the first Tuesday of every month people travel to Sara Piqui to see the Virgin Mary appear in the sky.
- Syria : A Catholic woman has been receiving messages from Mary and Jesus since 1982.
- Cameroon : For 9 days in May 1996, seven children saw Mary and other men dressed in white floating above the tree tops.
- Australia : 1994, the virgin and child on the altar wall
- United States of America:
  - San Francisco: 1996, Mary appears on the roof of a church
  - Florida: 1992, Rosa Lopez receives daily messages from the Virgin
  - Georgia : Conyers
- Kenya : Nun has been talking to Jesus every Thursday since 1987. She took 2 pictures of him.
- Switzerland: On the 13th of every month the virgin appears to Pino Casagrande at the chapel "Madonna of the Angels". The event attracts pilgrims from Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Liechtenstein and France
- Philippines: March 6, 1992 one million people assembled to see the virgin Mary. Some claim to have seen a silhouette resembling the Virgin Mary above a guava tree for five seconds. Several minutes later flashes of red, yellow and blue lights moved towards a "dancing sun."
- Nicaragua: In 1992, Jesus roamed the markets and invited himself to dinner. He healed the sick while he was in their homes.
- Bosnia : 6 children saw visions in Medjugorje
- Ireland : 1986, 3 women saw visions
- Egypt : 1986, visions reported in an old church.
- Paraguay: Woman sees vision of Christ, he leaves marks on the wall of her hut.
- Philippines: November 19, 1982 five hundred children saw a vision of Mary with a baby in her arms and an old man in the sky.
- Japan: 1973 Vision of Akita
- Mojave desert. So far only Maria Paula Acuna sees the virgin at 10:00, 10:30 and 11:00 on the 13th of every month.

Idolatry. The images of weeping icons has led many to commit the sin of Idolatry. People are bowing before statues and praying to Mary. These "miracles" reinforce the teaching that Mary should be worshipped. I believe that the milk drinking statues have been exposed as hoaxes but I cannot remember where I saw this.
But let them consistently heal the sick. People who have been screened and documented. They cannot do that - yet!
The Trend. 1996 seems to have been a big year for demonic miracles. Could it be that this was the actual 2000 years since the birth of Christ? (Jesus was born in about 4 B.C.) The devil wanted to stir up the natives just in case this was the final year. The sudden increase in these miracles also seems to converge with the New Age movement. One goal seems to be to unite the Muslim with the Christian because these are overwhelmingly Christian and Catholic occurrences in the Moslem nations.
Eastern religions seem to be more flexible in identifying any god as another manifestation of their gods. So the effort does not seem to be focused on gaining their attention.
If this is the case, then I expect to see more Christian miracles in Moslem countries.

False Revivals

Bizarre Behavior
Uncontrollable laughter
Uncontrollable jerking
Rolling on the floor
Barking like a dog
Making animal sounds (pigs, cows)
Grunting
Writhing on the ground
Demonic Requests
Switching off your mind
Less praying more receiving

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God". (1 John 4: 1)
"The Spirit speaks expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils". (1 Timothy 4: 1)

True Miracles. The Bible does predict that signs and wonders will follow the believers. But because the miracles done by the evil forces will be such good counterfeits, we need to concentrate on the real effects of the miracles and the ministry of the saints that Satan does not want to happen.

- People must study the word of God
- People must learn to test the spirits by the word of God not by their feelings.
- People must learn the prophecies
- People must share the word of God and not accept the new morality that says that it is wrong to convert others and that all religious practices lead to the same god.

True revivals are accompanied by deep sorrow for sin, repentance, love of God and study of the Bible. Prophecy warns us to expect a false revival centered around miracles and gifts. The only biblical safeguard against deception is to study the word of God so that you can judge movements by what they eventually teach - not what they can do. I say "eventually" because some groups do not reveal their true agenda until they have changed your critical thinking. Concepts such as "peace, love, unity and brotherhood" sounded nice until we learned that it was at the expense of disobedience to God.
To combat our critical thinking about obedience, we have seen a movement within Catholic and Protestant churches to abandon the teachings of the Bible in favor of the evolving needs of modern man. There are several characteristic behaviors of these movements.

- Emphasis on personal testimonies and experience over the word of God.
- Emphasis on physical manifestations over the word of God.
- Not centered on preaching or teaching the word of God.
- Appeal to miracles as proof of divine favor.
- "Switching off your mind' and yielding to whatever spiritual impulses come upon you.
- The false conception of "surrender" as yielding the body to a supernatural power, with the mind ceasing to act. This is the same technique described by psychics and channelers!
- Not willing to test the spirits by the Bible.
- Emphasis on power.
- Usually cannot show any documented example of any miraculous healing.
- Assumption that acceptance by many faiths is a sign of divine guidance. The fact is they may be there to search for power. And they are probably people who refuse to read their Bible or use the Bible as a magical object just to find promises.

Charismatic Movement. Began in 1906 with a group who spoke in tongues. Depending on whose account you read, this may or may not have begun as a true revival movement. But years later the charismatic, Pentecostal and holiness churches which grew out of this seem to have grown up among a culture that respected experience over the word of God. As a result, the people who are most influenced by modern false revivals are the same ones who have learned to emphasize gifts over the word.

Toronto Blessing. Started in January 1994 at the Airport Vineyard Church in Toronto under the ministry of Rodney Howard-Browne when people started showing bizarre behavior. During worship services people began to shake, fall, laugh uncontrollably, make animal noises and many other strange acts and they called it a spiritual revival. Rodney Howard-Browne refers to himself as the Holy Spirit Bartender - suggesting that he controls God. Thousands flock to his meetings to have "a party" and have the spirit dispensed to them. However the Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit gives gifts according to His own will to whoever He chooses. Mr. Browne is apparently not concerned about the source of his "gift" because he said.

> I'd rather be in a church where the devil and the flesh are manifesting than in a church where nothing is happening because people are too afraid to manifest anything... and if the devil manifests, don't worry about that, either. Rejoice, because at least something is happening."
> (Howard-Browne, The Coming Revival. 1991, page 6)

The phenomenon has gone worldwide infecting at least 4000 churches in Great Britain. Churches send bus loads of young people to "get a blessing". This implies that the blessings of God are only located in a particular spot and that you have to travel to Toronto or Pensacola to "get" some of it.

Pensacola Outpouring. In June 1995, the Toronto Blessing revival reached the Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola, Florida under the ministry of Steve Hill. 25,000 decisions for Christ have been made, but the movement shows the same bizarre behavior common to Toronto and the same emphasis on experience over doctrine.

New Age and Pagan. Several pagan revivals exhibit the same bizarre behavior such as barking, jerking and laughing. Are they all from the same spirit? Yes! These similar manifestations can be seen in movements and leaders such as:

- Kundalini cults. Spiritual energy that leads us to the awareness that god is in all things and we are divine. It is taught by enlightened siddha masters such as Bhagawan Nityananda, Swami Baba Muktananda and Gurumayi Chidvilasananda
- Bagwhan Shree Rajneesh. This cult took over a town in Oregon and wiretapped all the public phones. In an effort to have their political candidates win the election - they poisoned supermarket and restaurant food with a biological agent so that the other people in town would not show up to vote.
- Ramakrishna. All religions are valid paths to God. Sri Ramakrishna is supposed to be a divine child born on February 18, 1836 and is supposed to be the incarnation of Siva.
- Qigong
- African pagan, primitive rituals

Modern Fables
I am concerned that the counterfeit movement is gaining momentum. Instead of studying the prophecies of the Bible, people are mesmerized with secular books that are fakes and fables that create fanciful blasphemous stories and put forward fanciful interpretations that have nothing to do with the coming events. People read books and theories like "The Bible Codes" and "The Davinci Codes" which the authors are now claiming to be fact. Christians admit that the Davinci Codes are based on fables, yet they absorb hundreds of pages of lies about Christ while they probably cannot give you the name of the seven churches of Revelation. They cannot give a reason for their beliefs or a coherent explanation of any topic of prophecy. All they think that they need to know is to act when Sunday laws are passed. What a disgrace!

The Love of God - He misses us
There is a hole in the heart of God, a big one. It is about your shape and size. Long before the world was created He loved everyone of us, the good, the bad and even Satan. So before time began, He started calling everyone of us. "Come home!" All of us hear the call - the call of a frantic parent grasping for a beloved son or daughter. All of us will respond to the call, some of us will say "yes". Others will break His heart.
Before we were born He knew us. The ache in His heart started before a problem existed and it will continue after we go home for those whom He has lost.
Long before our time He saw our choices and He wrote it down in His book of life, declaring "This one will choose me of his or her own free will" And it makes his heart glad!

Summary
Are you ready for the shower? Jesus is coming. For those of you who are over thirty years old. Think back. Has there ever been a time like this? Has there ever been such a rapid succession of signs and events causing all these lines of prophecies to converge? Never.
Was there a time in history where all these signs converged? Never.
While the cold war existed we were at a stale mate. Nothing moved. Suddenly technology has given us the capabilities to carry out the persecutions and the restriction of movement required by prophecy. The rising immorality and the power of the media has caused the church to attempt to take over the state and to have their own voices in the media. All the time, the church of Rome has waited, watching events, thinking globally, not locally or nationalist, being everything to everyone, ready to strike at the right moment so that she can reclaim her medieval power.
Are you ready? Jesus is coming!

God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God. - Romans 8:28 | Time: 120 minutes Print: 26 pages
Copyright Updated : June 8, 2004. April 20, 2005. July 2008, 2010 Author: Laverna Patterson. Editor: Patterson (March 2008) Credits: 2002 Central Intelligence Agency Fact book - for population statistics in the 10/40 window. List of miracles from the New Age web site - Share International Saint Malachy. URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Malachy Paging 'Peter the Roman': Debunking the Prophecy of St. Malachy. Gerald Korson. http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=50051