The Goddess and the Beast (Part 1)

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IN THIS ISSUE
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-THE GODDESS AND THE BEAST! (PART 1)

-RECENT PRAYER REQUESTS FOR HEALING

KINGDOM BAPTIST’S ANNUAL, NEW YEARS’ EVE PROPHECY WATCH
(12-31-2005):

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THE GODDESS AND THE BEAST! (PART 1)
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The Great Tribulation of 3.5 years is when the Antichrist sits in the temple of God at Jerusalem, and institutes the Mark of the Beast, as well as the worst persecution ever to come upon the world. The following Scriptures describe this horrible time period when the Beast (Antichrist) comes to the fullness of his power:

2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that HE AS GOD SITTETH IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD, shewing himself that he is God.

Matthew 24:21 For then shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Revelation 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and POWER WAS GIVEN UNTO HIM TO CONTINUE FORTY AND TWO MONTHS.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him…
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

But before he comes to this final power, there is a “falling away” from the truth that will prepare him for this reign. Jesus speaks of a period of time, perhaps right BEFORE the 3.5 years of persecution, when an IMAGE will be set up in the coming rebuilt temple at Jerusalem:

Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, STAND IN THE HOLY PLACE, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16 THEN let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

Daniel 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate SET UP, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

Notice, this is not the Antichrist himself that is in the temple; it is an IMAGE or IDOL. During this period (after the rapture) when the idol is set up in the temple, every believer is to depart quickly from Jerusalem, etc. John describes this same “abomination of desolation” in Revelation 13, and calls it the “image of the Beast”:

Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make AN IMAGE TO THE BEAST, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST, that THE IMAGE of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

It might be possible that there are two stages during this period (one in verse 15; the other in verse 16). In other words, first the False Prophet arises and deceives the world into worshipping the Beast, and he sets up the abomination of desolation, or the image of the Beast, and all the world is deceived. And then, once complete control is gained, the Beast takes off his mask and sits in the temple himself (v.16). This would make the period of time when the image is set up, a preparatory period to the actual reign of Antichrist. If this is so, then the first stage of the abomination of desolation would be found in that period of time when the Catholic Church, head-quartered in Rome, has united all religions, and the European Union (the Beast) appears to be UNDER her control:

Revelation 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman SIT UPON A SCARLET COLOURED BEAST, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

At this point, the ten horns are not crowned (17:3). They are not yet reigning in their final fullness of Satanic authority. The “Beast” is both a man, and a kingdom, according to Daniel 7 and Revelation 13. At this point in the prophecy, he and Europe (and much of the world) is under the control of this city (i.e. Rome, ruled by the Vatican):

Revelation 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are SEVEN MOUNTAINS, on which the woman sitteth.
18 And the WOMAN which thou sawest IS THAT GREAT CITY, which REIGNETH OVER the kings of the earth.

For awhile, Rome, with the “church” that is located there, will reign over the earth, and it will kill true Christians who are faithful!:

“During the wars preceding the rise of Antichrist the nations that will then be found in the geographical limits of the Old Roman Empire will form an ‘alliance’ for mutual protection…No doubt the Papal Church will play a prominent part in these proceedings. She will be rewarded by restoration to political power…shown by the woman riding the beast, thus dominating it.” (Clarence Larkin, 1919)

When this occurs in the near future (history has provided us with the first fruits of this terrible persecution), the woman will be deceived by the Beast. He has come to her, and she has climbed upon his back. He is using her, and she is using him. She rides him to power, controlling him. The Roman Catholic Church will have once again realized its dream of ruling over the kings of the world (it has never repented of this supposed “right”). But then, the Beast, with his kingdom, attacks her, leaving her naked and desolate:

Revelation 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and SHALL MAKE HER DESOLATE and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

This describes a horrible revealing of his true BEASTLY nature (eating flesh). He turns on the woman, and then establishes himself as king over the world. Many dictators have arisen to power by first presenting themselves as saviors in times of distress and fear, in this same manner.

THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN

There comes a time when Satan will no longer need any other religion, and he will institute open Satan worship, or the worship of the Antichrist.

It is possible that the image of the Beast occurs after the Antichrist comes to full power, and he has destroyed the Catholic Church. If so, it will likely then be an image of the Antichrist himself. On the other hand, if it comes a bit earlier, and it is used during the period when the Woman (Rome) rides the Beast, then the Abomination of Desolation may refer to a statue of the so-called Queen of Heaven!:

Revelation 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; SAYING to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make AN IMAGE TO THE BEAST, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

The False Prophet is the chief speaker for the Antichrist. This reminds us of the situation in Acts 14:

Acts 14:12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.

Jupiter was seen as the chief “god” in paganism. Notice, in Acts, there was obviously some Satanic, pagan teaching that Jupiter would come down to earth and be accompanied by Mercurius, his SPEAKER! (Therefore, Satan has prepared the false religions for centuries for the coming of the Beast and the False Prophet).

Jupiter represents the first Beast, or the Antichrist in Revelation 13:1 (the Beast from the sea). Mecurius represents the second Beast, or the False Prophet in Revelation 13:11 (the Beast from the earth).

But Satan is not finished! Apparently, he has also been preparing the world for the IMAGE OF THE BEAST. Notice Acts 19:

Acts 19:35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the GREAT GODDESS DIANA, and of THE IMAGE which fell down FROM JUPITER?

In this Scripture, the IMAGE was of the GODDESS DIANA! And this image is said to be given to the world by JUPITER, who is another name for the coming Antichrist! Are the Scriptures teaching us here that the image that will be given by the “coming Jupiter,” will be a statue of a goddess? Even if the actual “image of the beast” is not a statue of a goddess, I believe that it is likely that goddess worship will arise and prepare the world for the Antichrist – especially during the time period when Rome comes to power with the Vatican. Yet, it is possible that the “image OF the beast” is actually an image GIVEN by the beast. If not, the image of the goddess will nevertheless be used by the coming Jupiter to deceive the world into embracing him.

Notice how the Jews, when they fell into paganism (a type of the coming acceptance of Antichrist in the Tribulation period), worshipped the “queen of heaven”:

Jeremiah 7:17 Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?
18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
29 Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.
30 For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their ABOMINATIONS IN THE HOUSE which is called by my name, to pollute it.

The worship of the “queen of heaven” was a “family affair”! And notice that this paganism is called an ABOMINATION in the temple!:

Jeremiah 44:16 As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.
17 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
18 But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.
19 And when we burned incense to the QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?
20 Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying,
21 The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it not into his mind?
22 So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the ABOMINATIONS which ye have committed; therefore is your land a DESOLATION, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.

In these verses, we see that paganism (especially goddess worship) will be embraced because of the calamities and famines in the coming Tribulation Period. The women will rebelliously maintain that their weak husbands have “approved” of their idolatries (v.19)! And again, we see that goddess worship is called an abomination; and this time, God warns that it is the reason for DESOLATION. It is probable that this is a double prophecy, and that the Scriptures are teaching us that God will bring the Jews into the Great Tribulation for embracing the goddess worship of the Roman Catholic Church. Will even many Jewish believers compromise with Rome in the coming Tribulation Period? Will a goddess statue be the coming “abomination of desolation”?

Jupiter’s IMAGE is a so-called “great goddess”! It is not an image of himself; it is only his image in the sense that it supposedly came from him, and it is dedicated to him. In this same manner, the image of the beast may not be an image of the beast himself. It will be an image that will be used to bring him to power. When they worship the image, they will be worshipping the beast, because she (Ashtoreth, “Mary,” etc.) will come in his name, and will lead people to worship him:

2 Kings 23:13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for ASHTORETH the ABOMINATION OF the Zidonians…

JUPITER’S DAUGHTER OR JUPITER’S MOTHER?

The image of Diana fell down from Jupiter. Who was Jupiter?:

“Jupiter…[was] the patron deity of the Roman state, in charge of laws and social order. Jupiter is, properly speaking, a derivation of Jove and pater (Latin for father)….people swore to Jove in their courts of law, which lead to the common expression ‘By Jove,’ that many people use today.”
(www.en.wikipedia.org)

G.H. Pember proves that “Diana,” in the days of ancient Rome, was not simply a statue; she actually MANIFESTED HERSELF at times – just as the goddess of Rome is said to do in modern times:

“In connection with the Ephesian Diana, there is extant a very interesting decree, inscribed on a slab of white marble, which was found by Chandler near the aqueduct at Ephesus, and of which the following is a translation: ‘To the Ephesian Diana. Forasmuch as it is notorious, that, not only among the Ephesians, but also everywhere among the Greek nations, temples are consecrated to her…and that she hath images, and she has altars, dedicated to her ON ACCOUNT OF HER PLAIN MANIFESTATIONS of HERSELF, and that, besides, the greatest token paid to her, a month is called after her name…Therefore, be it enacted that the whole month of Artemision, in all the days of it, shall be holy [to her]…’…this is precisely the plea which has been set forth in modern times for the glory of the Virgin Mary [alleged appearances]…Secondly, the month Artemision, corresponding to our May, was not only the usual month for the worship of the Goddess of Nature, but it is also the one specially devoted by Catholics to the cult of the Virgin.” (G.H. Pember, “The Great Prophecies”)

“Diana…was the DAUGHTER OF JUPITER…Diana was the perpetual virgin goddess of the hunt, associated with wild animals and forests….She was also a moon goddess…Diana was worshipped in a temple on the Aventine Hill and at the city of Ephesus where stood the Temple of Artemis. (At the city of Ephesus Jesus’ mother, the virgin Mary, was officially decreed to be the Mother of God).”
(www.en.wikipedia.org)

The late pope (John Paul II) called Mary “the New Eve,” as well as the “Mother of God.” Yet, if Jesus is the “Second Adam,” what does this say about her relationship to Jesus? Is Rome teaching that Mary is both the bride AND mother of Jesus? I wrote a tract years ago documenting how Roman Catholicism is blatantly reviving the ancient pagan teaching that the “goddess” is both the mother and the bride of the “son”!

The “church father” Arnobius was a zealous pagan before he was converted to Christianity. He provides us with more insight into the pagan teachings concerning Jupiter and Diana:

“While the mother of the gods was then sleeping on the highest peak of Agdus, her son, you [the pagans] say tried stealthily to surprise her chastity while she slept….Jupiter hoped to gratify his detestable passion upon his mother?…What followed next, I ask? Tell. In the very heart of the rock, and in that flinty hardness, a child was formed and quickened to be the offspring of great Jupiter….Once upon a time, they say, Diespiter, burning after his mother CERES with evil passions and forbidden desires, for she is said by the natives of that district [Phrygia] to be JUPITER’S MOTHER, and yet not daring to seek by open force that for which he had conceived a shameless longing, hits upon a clever trick by which to rob of her chastity his mother, who feared nothing of the sort. Instead of a god, HE BECOMES A BULL; and concealing his purpose and daring under the appearance of a beast lying in wait, he rushes madly with sudden violence upon her, thoughtless and unwitting….Jupiter is troubled enough, being overwhelmed with fear, and cannot find means to soothe the rage of his violated mother….Approaching his mother sadly and with downcast looks, and as if by his own decision he had condemned himself, he casts and throws these into her bosom. When she saw what his pledge was, she is somewhat softened, and allows herself to be recalled to the care of the offspring which she had conceived. After the tenth month SHE BEARS A DAUGHTER, of beautiful form, whom later ages have called now Libera, now Proserpine; whom when Jupiter Verveceus saw to be strong, plump, and blooming, forgetting what evils and what wickedness, and how great recklessness, he had a little before fallen into, he returns to his former practices; and because it seemed too wicked that a father openly be joined as in marriage with his daughter, he passes INTO THE TERRIBLE FORM OF DRAGON…but from the maiden was born something like A BULL….Europa hastened to the name of woman; he is again declared to have been the assailant of her chastity…the wretched being seems to have been born for no other reason at all except that he might be….Should we not then flee far from such gods…?”
(Arnobius, “Against the Heathen,” Book V, A.D. 297-303)

Here we have the teaching that the Woman trusts the Beast and befriends it, only to have it turn upon her. Arnobius continues:

“Some of your learned men – men, too, who do not chatter merely because their humour leads them – maintain that DIANA, CERES, Luna, are but ONE DEITY in triple union; and that there are not three distinct persons, as there are three different names….if this is sure, if this is certain, and the facts of the case SHOW IT TO BE SO…”
(Arnobius, “Against the Heathen,” Book V, A.D. 297-303)

Therefore, we see that since Diana is Ceres, it follows that Diana is the mother of Jupiter. Yet, she is also called his daughter. And regardless, according to paganism, this wicked “god” has wicked relations with both his mother and his daughter. It can be seen that the paganism of ancient Rome was simply a retelling of the older paganism from Babylon concerning Nimrod and his mother. And it can also be seen that Roman Catholicism has simply preserved the same teaching with new names! Rome refers to Mary as the MOTHER of God, as well as the “Spouse of the Holy Spirit” and the “New Eve.” This is the same confused wickedness that has always been present in paganism wherever it is found. The “goddess” is the mother and the lover of the “son” (whom the Bible calls THE BEAST!).

Notice how this teaching is also found in Grecian paganism:

“Europa and the Bull: According to legend, Zeus was enamored of her…He transformed himself into a white bull (or possessed one) and mixed in with her father’s herds. While Europa and her female attendants were gathering flowers, she saw the bull…eventually GOT ONTO ITS BACK. Zeus took that chance and ran to the sea and swam, with her on his back…[turning on her].”
(http://en.wikipedia.org)

In the ancient scrolls found at the Nag Hammadi Library in Egypt (1945), the “goddess” tells of her pagan identity:

“For I am the first and the last. I am the honored one and the scorned one….I AM THE WIFE AND THE VIRGIN. I AM THE MOTHER AND THE DAUGHTER…”
(“The Thunder, Perfect Mind”)

“…the Catholic Madonna and child are merely a perpetuation of Isis and Horus…Isis was declared to be Immaculate…” (G.H. Pember)

In summing up these debauched, confusing mysteries, it is enough to see that DIANA is a type of triad! She is the mother, the daughter, and the lover of JUPITER! And we have already seen that Jupiter is another name for who the Bible calls THE ANTICHRIST! And since Jupiter has an image of DIANA that he gives to the world – an image of his mother, daughter and lover – then it should be obvious to all that the “son” of Roman Catholic is really JUPITER, and the “mother” is really DIANA!

The “beast” is BOTH a man (Revelation 13) and a kingdom (Daniel 7). Could it be that the “woman” of Revelation 17 is not only a literal city (Revelation 17:18), but also a personality – a goddess that will come to life in the Tribulation Period and speak? If this is off target, I think it is nevertheless clear that the Bible is revealing that this pagan goddess worship will be revived for all the world by ROME, and this will occur before the Beast comes to final power. And just as in the old paganism, he will first deceive the woman onto his back (letting her be the controlling power). But in the end, he will turn on her (Revelation 17:16).

The prophecies of Jeremiah (when coupled with the revealed teachings of paganism, as seen in the Book of Acts) appear to argue that GODDESS WORSHIP will revive and prepare the world for the Antichrist. There have been others who have actually taught that the IMAGE OF THE BEAST is a statue of a GODDESS (or Mary worship, etc.). For example, Alexander Hislop writes:

“In meditating for many years on what might be implied in ‘the image of the beast,’ I could never find the least satisfaction in all the theories that had ever been propounded, till I fell in with an unpretending but valuable work, which I have noticed already, entitled ‘An Original Interpretation of the Apocalypse.’ That work, evidently the production of a penetrating mind deeply read in the history of the Papacy, furnished at once the solution of the difficulty. There the image of the beast is pronounced to be THE VIRGIN MOTHER, or the Madonna…When Dagon was first set up to be worshipped, while he was represented in many different ways, and exhibited in many different characters, the favourite form in which he was worshipped, as the reader well knows, was that of A CHILD IN HIS MOTHER’S ARMS.” (“The Two Babylons”)

“The official account of the apparitions declares: ‘On the 10th day of December, 1925, the Most Holy Virgin Mary appeared to Lucia, with the CHILD Jesus by her side.’”
(Dave Hunt, “Global Peace and the Rise of Antichrist”)

Hislop continues:

“After what the reader has already seen in a previous part of this work, it is hardly necessary to say that it is this very goddess that is now worshipped in the Church of Rome under the name of Mary. Though that goddess is called by the name of the mother of our Lord, all the attributes given to her are derived simply from the Babylonian Madonna, and not from the Virgin Mother of Christ….The ‘sacred heart of Mary’ is exhibited as pierced through with a sword, in token, as the apostate Church teaches, that her anguish at the crucifixion was as true an atonement as the death of Christ.”
(“The Two Babylons”)

“…if I have been right in the interpretation of this passage, then it follows that [ROME] must yet become more persecuting than ever it has been, and that that intolerance, which, immediately after the setting up of the Image, began to display itself in Austria and Spain, shall yet spread over all Europe….In other words, the slaying of the witnesses, the grand trial of the saints, IS STILL TO COME.”
(“The Two Babylons”)

Gail Riplinger writes:

“New Ager Madeline L’ Engle’s book, ‘A Cry Like a Bell,’ suggests that ‘the Virgin may be the focal point of worldwide ecumenical unity.’ Almost 100 years ago, religious historian Alexander Hislop concluded that ‘the Virgin’ would be the ‘image of the beast’ worshipped during the great tribulation…the image of ‘the Virgin’ is the universal icon of pantheism. Consequently, this goddess could be the yoke pulling pantheists (i.e., Hindus, animists, Buddhists, Native Americans) and non-pantheists (Muslims, Catholics) to the altar of the false prophet. Visions of virgins are occurring worldwide and are not the exclusive ‘channel’ of one religious sect. Recently, just a few miles from Cairo, Egypt, hundreds of thousands of Muslims have traveled to see a ‘luminous something’ hovering in the sky above the Church of the Virgin. The vision, appearing frequently over a three year period, was front page material in the Arab press. The Muslims, joined by the Coptic ‘Christian’ Church hierarchy, view this as a ‘messenger from God.’”
(“New Age Bible Versions”)

THE COUNTERFEIT “MARY” PREPARES THE WORLD FOR ANTICHRIST!

Arthur Noble describes how the goal of Roman Catholicism (to once again “ride the beast”) is quickly being realized:

“Their ultimate goal was revealed in the Papal encyclicals of Pius XII and John XXIII: Europe would become ‘the greatest [Roman] Catholic superstate the world has ever known,’ ‘the greatest single human force ever seen by man,’ united within the ancient boundaries of the Holy Roman Empire by the common spiritual bond of religion. The stage is set for the greatest politico-religious revolution ever witnessed in history. Roman Catholic imagery is endemic in Europe and has been enthusiastically embraced by the European Parliament. The European Parliament sits in Strasbourg, a city which symbolises the dream of Franco-German integration and was the heart of the Holy Roman Empire of Charlemagne. Its flag was inspired by the halo of twelve stars around pictures of the Madonna that appears prominently on Strasbourg Cathedral’s Council of Europe stained-glass window, unveiled to the world on 11th December 1955 co-inciding with the Roman Catholic feast of the Immaculate Conception. Pope John Paul II dedicated the EU to the Virgin Mary. On the dome of the new £8-million Parliament Building in Strasbourg there is a colossal painting of the Woman riding the Beast. In the Parliamentary Offices building there is a huge painting of a practically naked Woman riding the Beast. Outside the new Council of Europe building there is a bronze statue of the Woman riding the Beast which is riding the waves. On the wall of the Diners’ Club lounge in the EU’s administrative capital Brussels is a picture of the Woman and the Beast together! This image has appeared on EU postage stamps, including the British one issued in 1984 to commemorate the second election to the European Parliament. It is the sign and symbol of Europe and points the way to what is planned.”
(http://www.ianpaisley.org/article.asp?ArtKey=eu4, “The European Union”)

Sean Murphy (Centre for Irish Genealogical and Historical Studies, 9 December 2005) reveals that the new European Union’s flag of 12 stars was chosen because of the 12 stars that are often found as a halo around Mary’s head!:

“For some years fundamentalist Protestant critics in particular have alleged that the design of the European flag was derived from the familiar halo of twelve stars which surrounds the head of the Virgin Mary as portrayed in Roman Catholic iconography. I was inclined to dismiss this theory of Catholic symbolism in the European flag as entirely Da Vinci Code-style conspiratorial nonsense, and to regard coincidence as the most likely explanation. Unfortunately, Arsene Heitz, the accredited designer of the flag, has been reported as admitting, or rather proudly declaring that the flag was indeed intended to symbolise Mary. ['"Coincidences' of European Flag', Daily Catholic, 8-9 December 1999, www.dailycatholic.org/issue/archives/1999Dec/233dec8,vol.10,no.233txt/dec8nv2.htm.]

Even more disturbingly, there is in the online archives of the Council of Europe a transcript of an interview in French with Paul Levy conducted as recently as February 1998, in which he claims that he contrived with Leon Marchal, then Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, to have the European flag adopted on 8 December 1955, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and Levy commented as well that the above quotation from the Apocalypse forms the Introit to the Mass for that day.”

Roman Catholicism is proud that “the Beast” (the present foundation of the Antichrist’s kingdom) is being so kind to her! She can’t wait to climb up on his back and begin persecuting the saints once again. Notice the following boast from a Catholic news site:

“…throughout the European Union, the Immaculate Conception is commemorated every day. As banknotes change hands, traffic buzzes about the streets and flags fly overhead, everywhere Europe looks, it sees a circle of 12 gold stars on a blue background. This symbol is defined today as 12 stars representing ‘completeness’ by the leaflet distributed at the EU headquarters in Belgium while the EU Web site points out that the 12 stars are a ‘symbolic number representing perfection.’…Catholics associate this figure with Mary and the stars with the apostles. The color blue is associated with the Blessed Mother…Though his motives were unknown to many, Arsene Heitz, the French designer of the flag, declared that he was inspired by the descriptions of Marian apparitions in Paris, which are now referred to as the Virgin of the Miraculous Medal. Heitz, a devout Catholic, entered the flag design competition of 1950 with his circle of stars on blue ground and won. It just so happens that 1950 was the year the liturgy for the Mass of the Assumption that took as its introit Revelation 12:1. It just so happens that the flag was officially adopted on Dec. 8, 1955. France, Luxembourg and Siena were among the cities and countries once consecrated to the Blessed Virgin. Coincidence? Certainly it is presented as such nowadays. Meanwhile, the euro currency, license plates and the ubiquitous EU flag proudly display these stars….Christians in Europe can take comfort from the thought that even as a child may push away its mother, ashamed to admit dependence, a good mother HOVERS PATIENTLY nearby, READY for the moment when her child will turn to her again in need.”
(www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=62958)

As calamities, terrorists, and natural disasters continue to increase and abound, Rome is certain that “Mary” will be welcomed as the comforting mother that will unite the world.

THE FALLING AWAY

Part of the “falling away” predicted in 2 Thessalonians, and elsewhere in the Scriptures, will no doubt include a compromise with idolatrous doctrines. Unity will be the Satanic bait. Already, we can see how readily even conservative Christians embraced the movie “The Passion of the Christ.” Even Mel Gibson has said that he was shocked, since he admits the film was so “Marian”!

In 2003, the “Associated Press” reported:

“PROTESTANTS ARE TURNING MORE ATTENTION TOWARD VIRGIN MARY – Louisville, Ky. – A renewed interest in the virgin Mary appears to be sweeping through Protestantism. Articles featured in this month’s issues of several Protestant magazines suggest that the mother of Jesus has been neglected as a biblical heroine for too long.”
(“Evansville Courier-Press,” December 26, 2003, Associated Press)

A more recent article also reveals the acceptance of devotion to Mary by many churches:

“COLUMBIA, S.C. – They’re wearing ‘Mary Is My Homegirl’ T-shirts and bracelets, and not all of them are Roman Catholic. Once mainly a devotional figure for Catholics, Mary and her role as a woman of God now are studied by Anglicans and other Christian denominations. ‘Mary is my friend … for me, she’s the ultimate example of a woman who said yes to God,’ said Betsy Biega, parish administrator at St. Martin’s in the Fields Episcopal Church off Clemson Avenue in Columbia, S.C. In May, leaders of the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches released a study that encouraged members of both churches to regard Mary as a figure of devotion, even though there remains some theological disagreement about aspects of Mary and her role in the church….’In the past, there have been reservations about what some people see as ‘Mary-olatry,’ or seeming to worship Mary,’ said the Rev. James Lyon, pastor of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in downtown Columbia. ‘The new position is that there’s nothing wrong with appropriate devotion. The key is to keep in mind that Mary can be seen as someone who points the way toward her son, Jesus Christ.’”
(http://www.religionnewsblog.com/12833)

The “new position”? The Bible calls this new position the “falling away” and a “doctrine of devils.”

WHEN THE IMAGE COMES ALIVE!

It is amazing that there are already reports about Marian images coming to life!:

“MOVING MADONNA’ DRAWS FAITHFUL – The Madonna is a figure of devotion for many Catholics – Catholic faithful from across Italy have been travelling to a small town near Naples to see a Madonna statue believers say has taken human form. Witnesses say the plaster statue in the church of St Peter’s in Acerra turns flesh-coloured and moves. They describe the Madonna becoming a ‘pinky colour’ and say they captured the event on a mobile phone camera….45-year-old Domenico, said, ‘The legs gradually became more prominent and then the knees moved forwards, until they stretched out the folds of the white dress.’”
(http:news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4717477.stm)

After the False Prophet brings the Image of the Beast to life, not only the people, but even much of the physical world itself, will worship (or manifest what will appear to be worship) “the goddess”:

Revelation 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth THE EARTH and THEM which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
15 And he had power TO GIVE LIFE UNTO THE IMAGE of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

“Neither is it impossible for this great miracle worker, who can cause fire to come down from heaven, and who has power to make an image speak, also to cause the rocks and hills, the woods and trees, the fountains and streams, to give forth tokens of acknowledgment and reverence to the great, miraculous, ‘savior-omnipotent’ claimed to be present in this marvelous man.”
(J.A. Seiss, 1865)

The “image,” once it begins to speak, will cause all to be put to death that do not bow it in worship. This may refer to the period in Revelation 17, when Rome comes to power, while the Beast is deceiving her, and using her. If not, it is still probable that Satan will use “goddess worship” during this time, when the woman becomes drunken with the blood of the saints.

Yet, sadly, it appears that too many saints are the ones that are drunken in this age! They are turning a blind eye to the rise of Rome, at home, and abroad. It appears that when the Woman mounts the Beast, she is lifted to this position by many smiling Christians who are happy to see her take the reins and ride. She promises to rule Hollywood and give them many delightful movies about Mary. She also promises to rule the Supreme Court. They jump for joy. The Beast smiles as the Woman directs him to then trample the saints:

Revelation 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

In Part 2, I will quote from the alleged “Mary” and document the amazing deception that is already planned. You will hardly believe how intricately “the lie” is being weaved so the Antichrist and False Prophet will not be exposed. To prepare for when the False Prophet begins to perform Satanic miracles, “Mary” is already promising to bring a Second Pentecost, where great miracles will revive, and “the Millennial kingdom” will come with the presence of “the Son.” In short, she is preparing the world for Revelation 13 and the Antichrist!

Dear brothers and sisters, I understand if now you feel nauseated (Daniel 8:27). But praise God that this is not how the Book of Revelation will end! The true Jesus will reign, and every knee will bow to Him as King! Even so, come Lord Jesus! Let us watch, and sound the alarm in these days of deception. This age is not our home or our hope.

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KINGDOM BAPTIST CHURCH
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All articles are by Joey Faust unless otherwise stated. The Kingdom Alert Update is a ministry of Kingdom Baptist Church. Please tell your Pastor Joey Faust
Kingdom Baptist Church
700 Cordes Dr., Venus, Texas, 76084
pastor@kingdombaptist.org
Cell: 469-658-6046