As the end of this millennium approaches (December 31, 2000, not December 31 1999, as the masses of the misinformed imagine) there is dread by some that the end times are upon us. The dread causes modem day practitioners of Gnosticism to seek counsel and solace from false prophets. But, only God knows the day and the hour.
However St. Paul in Second Thessalonians tells of two signs which must precede the end time: the great apostasy and the appearance of the Antichrist.
The great apostasy will be a religious defection, a wide-spread revolt against God and his one true Church.
Antichrist is a person, who aids Satan and is used by Satan as his agent. Fr. Ferrond Prat, author of The Theology of St. Paul, writes that St. Paul tells us that Antichrist has "the traits andcharacteristics of the person of whom he is the antelope. He will lift himself up above all that is God or is called God, like Antiochus Epiphanes; he will give himself out for God and will wish to be treated as God, ...he will sit in the very temple of God, like the abomination of desolation predicted by Daniel.
"... that Antichrist will work false miracles, signs, and wonders, will seduce a great many souls, and also cause a schism in the Church, but that he will finally be conquered, and that his fall will be the signal for the parousia [the second coming]."
Timothy describes what to expect before the second coming of Our Lord, he enumerates the signs of the great apostasy. The "man of sin" is Antichrist who will lead men into the apostasy. In I Timothy 4:1-2 we read "Now the spirit manifestly saith, that in the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to spirits of error, and doctrines of devils."
Timothy is very specific in describing how man will act in the last days. II Timothy 3:1-5; 4:2-4, "Know also this, in the last days, shall come dangerous times. Men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, haughty, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked. Without affection, without peace, slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without kindness, traitors, stubborn, puffed up and lovers of pleasure more than of God; having an appearance indeed of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Now these avoid.
"For there shall be a time, when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desire, they, will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned into fables."
In History of Antichrist, an 1884 scriptural study by Rev. P. Huchede, professor of theology at the Grand Seminary of Laval. Huchede wrote that Napoleon, a Grand Orient Mason, predicted that Europe would ultimately be either police state or a Masonic republic: "Hence the possibility of the political empire of Antichrist is evidently quite feasible." Consequently as the millennium approaches, we should not ignore the actuality of the European Union - a Masonic style republic - the fruition of the conspiratorial dream of Europe's Masonic grand masters early in this century.
Huchede describes the religion to be established by Antichrist: "Instead of the reasonable and supernatural religion of Jesus Christ, Revolution will preach Pantheism. The God-humanity [Antichrist] will impart the theurgic spirit and thus lead men to adore the demon as the author of emancipation." Huchede explains that Antichrist's appearance of working miracles will lead men astray.
Huchede continues, "Antichrist, according to St. Jerome and other Fathers, will be born in Babylon (Jerome in Dan. 11) which may be figuratively said of the society of the impious. Like Our Lord, he will be brought up in obscurity; he will lead a hidden life until the time comes when he shall begin his public career. This assertion is based on the words of Daniel (11:2 1) 'And he ... shall obtain the kingdom by fraud.'"
"According to tradition he will be educated by magicians who will imbue his mind and heart from his childhood with their doctrine and wicked principles ... By his own choice and under the tutorship of Satan's agents, he will grow up in the knowledge and practice of evil until the time comes when he shall commence his public career."
Citing Daniel and St. Paul, Fr. Huchede states that Antichrist "shall never do a good act...among his predominant vices, his satanic pride will be especially conspicuous ... he shall follow the lust of women ... At the same time he will adroitly conceal all his crimes and pass for the most virtuous of men ... loaded with honors ... he will possess a natural, vast, and powerful genius, an irresistible eloquence."
Lest the reader jump to the wrong conclusion, remember that Clinton was NOT born in Babylon.
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