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Other Articles on the Vatican's Agenda

The Pope's Visit to Jerusalem and
The Vatican's Hidden Agenda


The Vatican's  Agenda

 


 

 


The Pope's Visit to Jerusalem

and the

Vatican's Hidden Agenda

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?"