Additional Details From the Mouth of the Beast

Two months ago, in early July, President Barack Obama went to Italy for the G-8 economic summit. While in Italy, he also had a personal interview with Pope Benedict XVI during which the pope presented Obama with a copy of his latest papal encyclical entitled, Charity in Truth. For those who don't realize it, a papal encyclical is one of the most authoritative documents a pope can produce.

Charity in Truth is a 141 page letter in which Pope Benedict XVI comments on the world's current economic crisis and, from his perspective, what he sees as the solution. From a prophetic standpoint, here are 9 significant highlights found within this encyclical:

1. A Global Government. Pope Benedict is calling for a "true world political authority" to fix the problems that plague planet Earth. (Page 67)

2. Church and State. The pope says this new political authority must make its decisions based on spiritual values. (Chapter 5)

3. The Papacy at the Head. These spiritual values cannot be derived from just any religion, since not "all religions are equal." (Page 55)

4. Religion, Politics and the Economy. The "church" must influence all areas of society because God must have "a place in the public realm, specifically in regard to its cultural, social, economic, and particularly its political dimensions." (Page 56)

5. Power to Enforce Law. This "political authority" must have "real teeth" and "be vested with the effective power" to enforce laws around the world. (Page 67)

6. Control Buying and Selling. Once in place, the new world governing power will institute socialistic policies for government to redistribute wealth. (Chapter 3)

7. Resurgence of Labor Unions. Labor Unions are to be empowered to "play a decisive role" in the new world order. (Page 25) For those who know European history, this is exactly what happened in Poland, leading to the collapse of Soviet Communism.

8. The Church's Goal. Pope Benedict says that his encyclical will help achieve "The goal of the history of the human family," which is to build "the universal city of God." (Page 7)

9. Redefining Religious Liberty. While claiming not "to interfere in any way in the politics of States," the pope redefines "liberty" as happening when the world obeys laws shaped by the Roman Catholic Church's spiritual values. According to the pope, as the church influences states to enforce "truth" upon others, such people are then set "free." "This mission of truth is something that the Church can never renounce." (Page 9)

When Charity in Truth was first released in July 2009, newspapers ran stories on it around the world. Here are just three headlines from Time, USA Today, and New American:

Pope Calls for World Political Authority

The Pope on the World Economy: Prophets, not Profits

Pope calls for 'God Centered' global economy

You will notice that these once valid links have been "taken out" due to the negative reaction against this story. Reformation Protestants understood "about the beast," they knew what was coming. The proverbial handwriting is on the wall. God's Word predicts,

And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death,
and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world wondered after the beast… and power was given to him over all peoples, and tongues, and nations.

(Revelation 13:3, 7)

This prophecy is on the verge of fulfillment right now. How close we are or if a different direction will be taken - nobody knows. Concerning the "signs" of the approaching end of the age, Jesus Christ plainly said,

"Now when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near". (Luke 21:28)

The Observer

Ref: http://www.whitehorsemedia.com/

For the Catholic viewpoint, see: The National Catholic Reporter