May 2000
Jerusalem is the focal point
of End-Time prophecy, but first we must understand the Vatican's
own agenda for Jerusalem. As soon as the Pope stepped off the
plane, The New York Times, March 21 said, "He outlined a
larger role for himself than just a humble Catholic pilgrim."
The Pope said, "In this area of the world there are grave and
urgent issues of justice, of the rights of peoples and
nations." Such words make Israeli leaders nervous, for they
know the Pope opposes Israel's sole sovereignty over Jerusalem.
The Vatican's agenda had
already gained momentum when full diplomatic relations between the
State of Israel and the Vatican were established on June 15, 1994.
Before such recognition, the Vatican gained the promise to be
included in negotiating the final status of East Jerusalem. At the
time, Israel claimed this only involved non-sovereignty issues.
In turn, Israel's leaders
were elated that the Vatican agreed to give up its demand for the
"internationalization" of Jerusalem. But exactly why did
the Vatican give up this demand?
The
Vatican's Dilemma
Israel's sovereignty
over East
Jerusalem presents a basic
dilemma for the Vatican. Remember, the Vatican demanded
Jerusalem's internationalization during the UN debate of the
Partition Plan in 1947. New York's Cardinal Spellman committed all
his energy to keep Jerusalem out of Israeli control. He
telegraphed the Papal nuncios (ambassadors) in South American
countries with the demand that they urge their home governments to
take an uncompromising stand at the UN for the
internationalization of Jerusalem.
The Vatican's ostensible
reason for this policy was that thus all three major faiths would
be guaranteed free access to their holy places. However, from 1948
to 1967 when Jordanian forces occupied Jerusalem, Jewish holy
places were shamefully desecrated and synagogues destroyed.
Furthermore, Jews were denied access to East Jerusalem and the
Western Wall. During this time, the Vatican never once raised a
cry for internationalization.
By contrast, since acquiring
Old Jerusalem in 1967, Israel has guaranteed all (Christians and
Moslems in addition to Jews) free access to their holy places. Yet
since 1967 the Vatican renewed and continued its insistence that
Jerusalem be internationalized to provide free access. How absurd!
Obviously, a deeper reason exists for the Vatican's opposition to
Israel's possession of East Jerusalem.
Replacement
Theology
The Roman Catholic Church believes Israel's right
to be the Kingdom of God ended forever with the destruction of
Jerusalem and the Temple by the Roman Legion in 70 CE. When the
Roman Catholic Church grew to world prominence, it claimed to be
the rightful heir of the Kingdom of God. Rome (the Vatican) became
the "New Jerusalem." The long centuries that followed of
non-Jewish control of their land seemed to validate Papacy's
claim. Then the rebirth of Israel challenged Catholicism's
"Kingdom of God" theology. But the boast of Rome to be
"the eternal city" was completely deflated when
Jerusalem—"The
Eternal"—became
the capital of Israel in 1967. Why?
The Vatican's
claim to be the "New Jerusalem," if true, would be the
fulfillment of a Biblical type and many prophecies. (Biblical
"types" are spoken of as "shadows" which
continue until their reality occurs. For example, Israel was to
celebrate the Passover annually with a slain lamb. The reality of
that type was the coming of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, which
fulfilled that type. The slaying of the Passover Lamb came to an
end shortly after Jesus' death and resurrection. Until this day a
lamb is no longer killed and eaten during Passover) The Roman
Catholic Church for centuries has claimed to be the fulfillment of
the type of Jerusalem as the capital of the actual Kingdom of God.
In type-and-shadow theology, if the type reappears, then the
supposed reality is not valid. Thus, the re-emergence of Jerusalem
as Israel's capital destroys the Vatican's claim to be the
"New Jerusalem"—the
capital of the actual Kingdom of God.
Why does the
Vatican act like a world political power, exchanging ambassadors
with other nations? No other Christian church claims this civil
government status. The only excuse the Vatican has to act as a
world power is the claim that it is both the spiritual and the
temporal Kingdom of God on earth, the New Jerusalem
The
Vatican's Hidden Agenda
Why then did the Vatican in 1994 drop its demand
for internationalization if it doesn't want Israel to have
Jerusalem? The answer is plain and simple. The Vatican caved in to
PLO pressure, not Israeli, on the internationalization issue. The
PLO was vigorously opposed to internationalizing Jerusalem because
it wanted East Jerusalem to be the capital of a Palestinian state.
The Vatican's main concern was that East Jerusalem should not be
in the hands of the reborn Jewish State.
That the
Vatican was determined to terminate Israel's exclusive sovereignty
over East Jerusalem was reflected in the statement of the
Vatican's Foreign Minister, Jean-Louis Tauran in Amman, Jordan,
July 9, 1994 (less than a month after the Vatican recognized
Israel):
Before
territorial problems are resolved, we have to find international
guarantees to safeguard the uniqueness of the city…and
assurances that never again one party
should claim Jerusalem as its possession [emphasis ours]. It
[Jerusalem] should be a crossroads of peace, a bridge between
Earth and Heaven.
Of course, the
Vatican wants a major part in the administration of that
"bridge," preferably in a Palestinian-administered
Jerusalem. The prestige of administering the holy sites of a
Palestinian-ruled Jerusalem would greatly enhance the Vatican's
larger agenda as the "New Jerusalem," the Kingdom of God
on earth. Consequently, the Vatican is now demanding—a modified
version of "internationalization"—a
"special statute" on Jerusalem that would provide
"international guarantees" of freedom of religion and
access to holy places.
Over the years
the Vatican waged a continuous aggressive campaign that East
Jerusalem legally belonged to the Palestinians. But it has become
apparent to both the Vatican and Arafat that Israel will not yield
East Jerusalem. Therefore the Vatican and the PLO signed a new
agreement.
Vatican and
PLO Pact
Commenting on the reason for the February 16, 2000
Vatican and PLO Pact, Arafat's spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaineh said,
Arafat is willing to share an undivided Jerusalem with a
Vatican-sovereignty over all the holy sites in the Old City.
Should Israel and Arafat fail to reach an agreement on sharing
Jerusalem, PA Legislative Council Speaker Ahmed Qurei said, Arafat
would agree to an internationalized East Jerusalem as stated in UN
Resolution 181.
Of course, all
of this is subject to some modification during negotiations. But
the bottom line is that the Vatican will never rest until Israel's
exclusive sovereignty is terminated. In other words, since
Israel's sovereignty over East Jerusalem challenges the Vatican's
claim to be the capital of the Kingdom of God on earth, Israel's
sovereignty must be terminated. Why?
The
Vatican's Greater Agenda
All heads of state are eager to meet with Pope
John Paul II (Time, August 23, 1993). Why? Because he is not just
the head of a church, the Vatican is the capital of a
church-state. He is also head of the Papal State. Through his
priesthood he has an intelligence gathering network that is the
envy of every government. This network reaches down into almost
every town and villa over much of the globe. John Paul II plays
power politics with a skill that awes world leaders. Nations are
anxious to exchange ambassadors with the Vatican. Pope John Paul
and former President Reagan successfully plotted the downfall of
the Communist Empire (Time, February 24, 1992). During this
clandestine campaign Archbishop Pio Lashi said to the diplomat,
Vernon Walters, "It is a very complex situation…listen to
the Holy Father [Pope]. We have 2,000 years experience at
this." It was further observed, "Step by reluctant step,
the Soviets and the Communist government of Poland bowed to the
pressure imposed by the Pope and the President."
The Pope's
ultimate agenda is revealed in the following statement he made on
April 21, 1990—"A
united Europe is no longer a dream. It is not utopian memory from
the Middle Ages. The events that we are witnessing show that this
goal can be reached." The Pope wants to revive the Holy Roman
Empire of the Middle (Dark) Ages with the Vatican and Jerusalem
axis as its capital. Listen to what the Vatican spokesman Joaquín
Navarro-Valls said, "With all the symbolism this trip
carries, not just for Catholics but for the whole world, the
presence of the Pope underscores the arrival of God in human
history. Clearly, seeing the Pope in this place makes the whole
world think."
Forget that the
Pope is of precarious age and health. Popes come and go. But the
Vatican's agenda moves forward. . . .Reviving the Holy Roman
Empire—this
sounds like End-Time prophecy. This sounds like the book of
Revelation and the Antichrist. It is!
Notwithstanding
Arafat's, the Pope's or Antichrist's plans, there is only one
agenda for Jerusalem that will ultimately succeed—the
Divine agenda. The Torah will go forth from Zion and the Word of
the LORD from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:3). At that time Israel will not
only enjoy exclusive sovereignty over Jerusalem but also exclusive
dwelling rights. The Christian churches would do well to heed the
warning of Zechariah 12:3.
And in that day
will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that
burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the
people of the earth be gathered together against it.
Many believe
the Antichrist, False Prophet, Image of the Beast scenario is
near.
Read the on-line booklet—
"Can
We Identify ANTICHRIST?"
