Pope Benedict XVI has resigned due to failing health. He will step down on February 28. This leads to some interesting assumptions. Who will replace him? Tom Horn wrote a book some time ago called Petrus Romanus. It is based on a prophecy from the middle ages by a Catholic preist call Saint Malachi. Upon a visit to Rome, he was said to have had a vision of the line of Popes. While we cannot line this prophecy as an addendum to the scriptures you carry with you to church, just like the book of Enoch and Macabees, it does make for a good read.So far the Popes have stood up to the vague predicitons of their reign. John Paul the first was said to be of the Moon and he ruled for exactly one lunar cycle. John Paul II was of the labor of the sun and was the first Pope to travel around the world. He was born on a solar eclipse and was buried during one.
The final Pope has this prediction:
In extreme persecution, the seat of the Holy Roman Church will be occupied by Peter the Roman, who will feed the sheep through many tribulations, at the term of which the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the formidable Judge will judge his people. The End.
Does this line up with scripture? Revelation 17 predicts a city with seven mountains will be destroyed. He calls it Mystery Babylon. It is a harlot, persecuting the saints and very wealthy. While there is much debate on who the Babylon of this passage and the other passages, It lines up with the idea of Rome being that city. There is the thought of two Babylons where the second of Revelation 18 is a different city. Either the literal Babylon in Iraq or possibly New York City.
Let's clear up a few things. This prediction does not say that the final Pope will be antichrist. It does not say that the final Pope will be evil. It does not say anything about his character or what he is going to do. It just says that he will be the one that leads a sheeplike people through very turbulent times before the end. The Bible does say that if they don't repent Jesus will send the church of Thyatyra through great tribulation while he keeps the Philadelphia church from the time of testing that comes upon the whole world.
One other thing that it does not predict is when or how far into his reign all this will start. It does not say that it is immediate. It does say that it will happen during his reign as Pope. "Peter the Roman" is a young man, then we could still have a few years. I somehow don't think so. The idea that Benedict is retiring now which hasn't happened since the middle ages, says that something is ready to break.
One phrase no one is looking at in the prophecy is the formidable Judge will judge his people. The Bible speaks of Judgment coming on the world and each individual standing before Jesus to answer for his deeds. Judgement day is closer then you think. You can stand before the bema and receive a reward for what you did in Christ or stand before the great white throne and receive the penalty for your sins. The choice is yours. Ask for Jesus' forgiveness today so you can stand before the Bema.
