CHAPTER 5
WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT CURRENT EVENTS?

Jesus said, "I will come again" (John 14:3, KJV). The apostle Peter after his bitter experience and true conversion, had a confidence in Jesus and the plan of salvation, also in the prophetic word, he stated: "We do not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of His majesty.... We have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn and the morning star rises in your hearts"(2 Pet 1:16,19, KJV). God’s prophetic word outlines very clearly the course of earth’s history from the time of Daniel to the end of the world and the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Our loving Saviour has revealed to us through the apocalyptic books - Daniel and Revelation and through the Spirit of Prophecy, the following current events telling us what will happen just before the second coming of Jesus Christ.

"In Christian publications there are discussions of the millennium and the year 2000. Christianity Today, March 6, 1995, had a review of the book, The Star of 2000, by Jay Gary. Gary says that more than 2,000 organizations - from United Nations and government agencies to business, educational, and religious bodies - have special plans for the year 2000. More than 40 Christian organizations, including the Roman Catholic Church’s evangelization 2000, plan to take the gospel to the whole world by the year 2000."¹

"Pope John Paul II has been working toward uniting the world by the year 2000 and participating personally in the ‘Great Jubilee.’"² On November 10, 1994, Pope John Paul II issued an apostolic letter from the Vatican. This letter is a 62-page document that outlines his plan to prepare for the new millennium.

Let’s look at just a few excerpts from the Pope’s apostolic letter. "The year 2000 will be celebrated as the Great Jubilee...among the most fervent petitions which the church makes to the Lord during the important time, as the eve of the new millennium approaches, is that unity among all Christians of the various confessions will increase until they reach full communion. I pray that the Jubilee will be a promising opportunity for fruitful cooperation in the many areas which unite us; these are unquestionably more numerous than those which divide us. It would thus be quite helpful if, with the due respect for the programs of the individual churches and communities, ecumenical agreements could be reached with regard to the preparation and celebration of the Jubilee."³

"The Pope says that as bishop of Rome he has special responsibilities to prepare for the Great Jubilee of the year 2000. He goes on to say that the increase of papal journeys over the past several years have been designed to bring about unity. In addition, the holy years that have been set aside by the Roman Catholic Church have also helped to prepare for the Jubilee. For example,....the Pope has divided the time between now (1996) and the year 2000 into two periods: the first phase is the pre-preparation period - through the year 1996 - and the second is the strictly preparatory phase for the years 1997,1998."⁴ The Pope says, "Only a few years now separate us from the year 2000...in these last few years of this millennium, the church should invoke the Holy Spirit with every greater insistence, imploring from him the grace of Christian unity."⁵
"The second phase is divided in thirds among the trinity with Mary added to each one."⁶ "The first year, 1997, will thus be devoted to reflection on Christ, the Word of God, made man by the power of the Holy Spirit....From the ecumenical point of view, this will certainly be a very important year for Christians to look together to Christ the one Lord, deepening our commitments to become one in Him in accordance with His prayer to the Father." The Pope also suggests that: "A detailed study of the catechism of the Catholic Church will prove of great benefit." He concludes his thoughts on the year 1997 by stating, "The blessed virgin, who will be as it were ‘indirectly’ present in the whole preparation phase, will be contemplated in this first year especially in the mystery of her Divine Motherhood."⁷

"The second year, 1998, will be dedicated in a particular way to the Holy Spirit, ‘and to his sanctifying presence within the community of Christ’s disciples.’ In this eschatological perspective, believers should be called to a renewed appreciation of the theological virtue of hope...Christians are called to prepare for the great Jubilee of the beginning of the third millennium by renewing their hope in the definitive coming of the kingdom of God, ...in world history itself." "He (Pope) continues his discussion of the second year countdown by emphasizing unity in the spirit and his gifts and then, again, mentions the role of Mary and he says: ‘Mary, who conceived the incarnate word by the power of the Holy Spirit and then in the whole of her life allowed herself to be guided by His interior activities will be contemplated and imitated during this year above all as the woman who was docile to the voice of the Spirit.’ "⁸

"According to the Pope’s countdown, 1999 will be the third and final year of preparation and will be dedicated to God the Father. The Pope says: ‘The whole of Christian life is like a pilgrimage to the house of the Father.’ The Pope emphasizes the role of conversion, penance, and charity in preparing for the Jubilee. He then goes beyond unity among Christians to include other world religions. He says: ‘As far as the field of religious awareness is concerned, the eve of the year 2000 will provide a great opportunity, especially in view of the events of recent decades, for inter-religious dialogue, in accordance with the specific guidelines set down by the Second Vatican Council...in this dialogue the Jews and the Muslims ought to have a pre-eminent place...Attention is being given to finding ways of arranging historic meetings in places of exceptional symbolic importance like Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Mount Sinai.’ In this broad perspective of commitments, ‘Mary Most Holy, the highly favoured daughter of the Father, will appear before the eyes of believers as the perfect model of love towards both God and neighbour.’ " He concludes by saying, "The ecumenical and universal character of the sacred Jubilee can be fittingly reflected by a meeting of all Christians. This would be an event of great significance...I trust this responsibility of the whole church to the maternal intercession of Mary, Mother of the Redeemer. She, the Mother of Fairest Love, will be for Christians on the way to the Great Jubilee of the third millennium, the star which safely guides their steps to the Lord."⁹ "It is with this great event in mind that the Pope is preparing the world."¹⁰

Where do you think the celebration of the Great Jubilee of the year 2000 will take place? On January 17, 1996, in the Vatican the Pope met with the Israeli minister for Religious Affairs - Shimon Shetreet. He said "I expressed great appreciation for the connection the Pope has made between Rome and Jerusalem in the celebration of the Jubilee of the year 2000, especially that Jerusalem will be included as a place of ceremonies in addition to Rome."¹¹ Shimon Shetreet extended an invitation to the Pope to visit the Holy city of Jerusalem saying he expects it could take place in 1997 and that "It will be viewed as an encouragement, as act of dynamic influence in the peace process."¹²

At the beginning of February, 1997, Israel’s Prime Minister visited Pope John Paul II in the Vatican. The purpose of the visit was to bring peace between Israel and the Arab world.

This news item showed a film of this visit. The present pope plays a main role in bringing peace in this world. "In a vision during his convalescence, she (Mary) told him that she had spared his life for a special mission he must fulfill in bringing peace."¹³

"The FIRST is unity - not only among all Christians but also of the other world religions.
The SECOND is "the great celebration planned for mount Sinai, Jerusalem, and Rome"¹⁴ in the year 2000.

"Now Pope John Paul II has been working toward uniting the world by the year 2000 and participating personally in the Great Jubilee"¹⁵ inauguration of the new millennium of peace.

Ellen White says: "Papists, Protestants and worldlings. They will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long expected millennium."¹⁶ From this you can see that this prediction about the millennium given by the Spirit of Prophecy is going to be fulfilled before our very eyes in our days.

Satan counterfeits every truth in the Bible including the truth about the millennium. Nearly all Christian denominations teach that Christ comes and will reign on the earth and then will start the millennium of peace. This is why Satan counterfeits the second coming of Jesus Christ. But the devil now uses Pope John Paul II to prepare the whole world for his counterfeit, the second coming of Jesus Christ.

As I mentioned before, Pope John Paul II has been working now toward uniting the world by the year 2000 and participating personally in the ‘Great Jubilee of the year 2000 which is the inauguration of the New Millennium of Peace.’

Does the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy predict this unity of the world with the Papacy?

The answer is yes! In the end-time prophecy of Rev. 16:13,14; also in the Spirit of Prophecy mention is made of this last-day prophecy with the following comments: "Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world....He has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs, but it will be reached in the last remnant of time." (Rev 16:13,14). Says the prophet: "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Except those who are kept by the power of God, through faith in His word, the whole world will be swept into the ranks of this delusion."¹⁷ According to the above prophecy (Rev 16:13,14) what do these three unclean spirits - dragon, beast and false prophet together represent? The answer is the religious powers. What do the kings of the earth to whom the three unclean spirit go to, represent? The political powers - then the religious and political powers unite to establish the religio-political system called "The New World Order." It is going in this direction now. This means, this end-time prophecy is beginning to fulfill NOW.

There is also another end-time prophecy mentioned in Rev 17:12,13. "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet, but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast." (Rev 17:12,13 KJV).

The Spirit of Prophecy makes comments about this prophecy, and says: "There will be a universal bond of union, one great harmony, a confederacy of Satan’s forces, ‘and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.’ "¹⁸

In order to answer this question I will share with you some very important information from the book entitled The Keys of This Blood, by Malachi Martin, former Jesuit priest and professor of the Vatican University. On pages 48-50, he says that Pope John Paul II had "a personal communication from heaven." He claims he received from heaven the plan (agenda) for this world called: "The grand design of God for the New World Order." This is "a heavenly geo-political agenda for our time. Pope John Paul II would now stride in the arena of the millennium end-game."¹⁹

The additional key question is: When will the plan and program for the New World Order start, which the Pope thinks he received from God? The answer, I will quote from pages 639 and 656, in the same book; "Pope John Paul II is waiting for an event....It will be an event on public view in the "skies, in the oceans, and on the continental land-masses of this planet....Then his ministry, as a servant of the grand design will BEGIN....This is why John Paul II is waiting. God must first intervene before John Paul’s MAJOR ministry to all men can start."²⁰

From this we can see that the plan and program for the New World Order will start when a big event appears "On public view, in the skies, in the oceans and on the continental land-masses of this planet."²¹

What will be the super-natural event which will give Pope John Paul II his signal to begin his major ministry for this world as leader for the whole earth. To start the plan and program of the New World Order and also for the whole world to ‘give their power and strength unto the beast?’ " (Rev. 17:13).

What do you think will be the event?

This will be Satan’s counterfeit of the second coming of Jesus Christ!!!

The Catholic church has a prophecy which says: "When Jesus Christ comes, then the Pope will give him his (the Pope’s) tiara and throne; Jesus will give him the keys, and then, Jesus will bless the Pope."

I believe when Satan’s counterfeit of the second coming of Jesus takes place, then this catholic prophecy will be fulfilled, and the whole world will worship Satan (as Christ) and the beast (Papacy, as Vicar of Christ). We read of this in Rev 13:4: "And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"

Who is the dragon? Rev 12:9, says: "The dragon is Satan." So, the whole world will worship Satan, who counterfeits the second coming of Christ, and the beast - the Papacy. People, who were not sure before as to who the Papacy was, when they see the counterfeit Christ blessing the Pope, then they will exclaim: "Who is like the beast (Papacy), and who is able to make war with him." (Rev 13:4). They will all be deceived!

Right now, all leaders and the people of this world are looking for someone who will bring peace, justice and prosperity.

The Jews are waiting for Messiah - His first coming.

The Christians are waiting for Jesus Christ - His Second Coming.

The Buddhists are waiting for Buddha (his fifth incarnation).

The Hindus are waiting for Krishna.

The Moslems are waiting for Imam Mahdi.

The New Age Movement waits for Maitreya - the cosmic Christ.

When Satan counterfeits the second coming of Christ, they will all welcome him as their "Saviour," then Satan, together with the Pope will promise peace, justice and prosperity to the people of the world.

Then will start the religio-political system called "The New World Order."

The Spirit of Prophecy gives us a clue to answer this important question:

"Fallen angels upon earth form confederations (union) with evil men. In this age (time) antichrist (Satan) will appear as the true Christ."²² From this very important statement we clearly see that Satan will counterfeit the second coming of Jesus when there is unity among evil men in the world.

Are we now hearing appeals for reconciliation and unity in all churches and in the whole world?

President Clinton of the U.S.A., just after his second term election in November, 1996, came to Australia. What was his message to the Australian Parliament? It was an appeal for global reconciliation and unity in this world now.

He gave a similar speech to the American Congress and people.

What is Pope John Paul II’s main objective. "Pope John Paul II has been working toward uniting the world by the year 2000."²³ What does Ellen White have to say about this? "Under one head - the papal power- the people will unite."²⁴

It is "the climax of Satanic planning for the unification of the world."²⁵ Reconciliation and unity is the main trend and spirit in the world today.

How does Ellen White describe Satan’s counterfeit of the second coming of Jesus Christ?

"The world a theatre ; the actors, its inhabitants are preparing to act their part in the last great drama."²⁶

What is this last great drama? "A power from beneath is working to bring about the last great scenes in the drama - Satan coming as Christ."²⁷

At that time a small group of God’s people will say: "This is the false Christ, who will deceive the whole world." I only hope that you will be in this group! Then, they will bring the accusation against God’s people, saying, "they are against peace, justice and prosperity!"

What will the people of the earth do to this group, "I saw our people in great distress, weeping and praying, pleading the sure promises of God, while the wicked were all around us, mocking us, and threatening to destroy us. They ridiculed our feebleness, they mocked at the smallness of our numbers, and taunted us with words calculated to cut deep. They charged us with taking an independent position from all the rest of the world. They had cut off our resources so that we could not buy or sell, and referred to our abject poverty and stricken condition.

"They could not see how we could live without the world; we were dependent upon the world, and we must concede to the customs, practices, and laws of the world, or go out of it. If we were the only people in the world whom the Lord favoured the appearances were awfully against us. They declared that they had the truth, that miracles were among them, that angels from heaven talked with them and walked with them, that great power, and signs and wonders were performed among them, and this was the Temporal Millennium, which they had been expecting so long. The whole world was converted and in harmony with the Sunday law, and this little feeble people stood out in defiance of the laws of the land, and the laws of God, and claimed to be the only ones right on the earth."²⁸

FIRST point "This was the Temporal Millennium, which they had been expecting so long.."²⁹

SECOND point "The whole world was converted and in harmony with the Sunday law..."³⁰ This means that in this Temporal Millennium the whole world was in harmony with the Sunday law - it is the International Sunday Law.

In the book The Great Controversy, p. 624, it says: "As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Saviour’s advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come....He claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday and COMMANDS ALL to hallow the day which he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name...this is the strong almost overmastering delusion."³¹

When will the International Sunday law be issued?

When Satan counterfeits the second coming of Jesus Christ!

Do you see how near is the end?

Do you see the time in which we are living?

Do you see the seriousness of the time in which we are living.

Another very important question arises.

We know that the International Sunday law will be issued when Satan counterfeits the second coming of Jesus Christ.

We know that National Sunday Law in America must be issued before the International Sunday Law, and before Satan’s counterfeit of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Therefore the National Sunday Law in America could be issued at any time now.

How does the Spirit of Prophecy describe the issue of the National Sunday Law and the International Sunday Law? "The substitution of the laws of men for the law of God, the exaltation , by merely human authority, of Sunday in place of the Bible Sabbath, is the last act in the drama."³²

Now I will show you the development of current events in America which will indicate to us that soon, very soon the National Sunday Law will be enforced.

In essence, Pope John Paul II told former U.S. President Ronald Reagan: "Though we may not have a lot in common between us, we do have a common enemy in communism. Let’s work together for its downfall." And so, what Time magazine called the "Holy Alliance" was born (See Time, February 24, 1992.) With the success of that endeavour the papacy then turned its attention to cooperative ventures with the Protestants of America in working to defeat the common enemy of moral corruption in the United States. The conditions in society in these last days have provided the ‘common enemy.’ It was in an atmosphere of common cause that leading American Catholics and evangelicals prepared and signed on March 29, 1994, the historic document entitled ‘Evangelicals and Catholics Together.’ In essence these two groups agreed to work together to defeat a ‘common enemy.’ "³³

For the next few pages, we will show you the development of the current events in fulfillment of the last end time prophecy of Revelation 13, which is talking about the National Sunday law and preparation for the International Sunday law.

Two historical documents on ecumenism and unity of Christians have major significance. One was written in Rome - at the Vatican. The papal encyclical letter issued over the signature of John Paul II on May 25, 1995. The title of the encyclical, That They May Be One. The Pope says: "In my recent letter to the bishops, clergy and faithful of the Catholic Church indicating the path to be followed towards the celebration of the Great Jubilee of the Holy year 2000...The Holy Spirit, who leads all Christians towards full and visible unity."³⁴

The other document is Evangelicals and Catholics Together: This 25 page document was developed by Protestant Chuck Colson and former Protestant Richard John Neuhaus, and signed by 40 well-known evangelical and Catholic leaders. The document was signed on March 29, 1994. Among the Catholic signatories are John Cardinal O’Connor, Richard John Neuhaus, Keith Fournier, Nathan Hatch, and Matthew Lamb. The Protestant signatories included Pat Robertson, Bill Bright, Chuck Colson, Mark Noll and Richard Mouw...The Christian Coalition gave the document front page coverage in their Christian American Publication. Their report states: "After nearly four centuries of division and hostility, Protestants and Catholics have taken an important step toward unity. Forty key evangelical and Catholic leaders signed a statement at the Institute on Religion and Public Life in New York City on Mar 29, 1994 urging their followers to accept each other as Christians, put aside differences and contend for common civil causes...The "common enemy" syndrome is at work here again, as Pat Robertson explains. The moral crisis facing society today and the obvious social breakdown mandates closer cooperation between people of faith. The time has come where we must lay aside minor points of doctrinal differences and focus on the Lord Jesus Christ....This statement lays the ground work for moving forward in a spirit of cooperation, Robertson said, ‘I am lending my support because I believe it’s imperative that we work to bring the body of Christ together.’ "³⁵

I would like to share with you a prophetic statement from Ellen White. "As spiritualism more closely imitates the nominal Christianity of the day, it has greater power to deceive and ensnare. Satan himself is converted, after the modern order of things. He will appear in the character of an angel of light. Through the agency of spiritualism, miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and many undeniable wonders will be performed. And as the spirits will profess faith in the Bible, and manifest respect for the institutions of the church, their work will be accepted as a manifestation of divine power."³⁶

"How is this prophecy being fulfilled in contemporary Protestantism and Roman Catholicism?

Today’s Protestantism is becoming increasingly Pentecostal and charismatic, in part due to television preachers such as Pat Robertson, Benny Hinn, John and Carol Arnott, and Oral and Richard Roberts, to name but a few. Public "healing" has become a specialty, with the spectacle seen not just by the audience in attendance, but by millions around the world. Not only Pentecostals, but some mainstream Protestants are praising and publicizing such miraculous feats. The miracles ignore denominational boundaries, making doctrinal differences seem irrelevant and unity among the churches seem much more likely. This unity is based on common experience.

"Similarly, from the standpoint of common goals, ecumenism has become an expected part of the current religious scene. Even such a prominent evangelical leader as Charles Colson signed onto the recent document, "Evangelicals and Catholics Together," calling on Catholics and Evangelical Protestants to lay aside their differences and work together for the furtherance of the cause of Christ. In this ecumenical spirit, one organization has put these aims into practice perhaps more than any other, highlighting both common experience and common goals. The organization is called Promise Keepers. In his recently published book on Promise Keepers, Dr. Donald Jasmin wrote, "The official theme of the 1996 Promise Keepers’ ‘Men’s Conference’ is Break Down the Walls.; No doubt about it, the walls are coming down. The walls between Protestants and Roman Catholics, the walls between cults and New Evangelicals, the walls between conservatives and liberals, the walls between Charismatics and Southern Baptists, the walls between the evangelicals and the ecumenists, and unfortunately the walls between many professing Fundamentalists and New Evangelicals are breaking down. P.K (Promise Keepers) is the prime catalyst in the break down process!"

"Barriers Come Down. The largest clergy gathering in history was held this year, (1996) in Atlanta, Georgia, where 39,000 clergymen gathered under the Georgia Dome as a massive Promise Keepers convention. By the end of the three days, according to one report, the clergymen had seemingly become pawns, ready to exhibit any emotional response (hollering, cheering, clapping, whooping, chanting, or roaring) solicited and engineered by the worship leader. Promise Keepers leader Bill McCartney reported, "No such meeting was held in the past 400 years, and it is exciting to see the denominational barriers come down….The purpose of this meeting is to have the unity of the church.

Washington For Jesus. But Promise Keepers has been outdone by the April 29-30, 1996, Washington For Jesus rally, attended by an estimated 350,000 people. Bishop John Gimenez, the rally’s founder, called it the "Woodstock of Christianity." Three such rallies have been held: in 1980, 1988 and now in 1996, for a total attendance of 1,850,000. Bishop Gimenez said the Lord spoke directly to him on May 27, 1990, saying, "This is now the day of new beginnings, the time of new horizons and you are going to lead a charge in My army. In the year 1996 you are going to lead something that is going to gather the nations’ attention. Get ready, for it is a period of resurrection.

"Anna Giminez, the bishops’ sister and herself a minister, served as national coordinator for the $1.5 million 1996 project. Events took place at Constitution Hall and on the steps of the Capitol, where a youth rally began at noon and continued the rest of the day and all night! Bishop Gimenesz warned, "You are going to be rocked out of your seats." A swinging, swaying, rocking choir sang, "Holy Spirit, We Wait on You for Fire!" The musicians were led by their woman pastor, and the audience was soon standing, clapping, cheering, and whistling with delight. Joseph Garlington, pastor of the non-denominational Covenant Church of Pittsburgh, said, "Charles Spurgeon prayed, ‘Lord, send us a season of glorious disorder.’ God is now giving us a season of glorious disorder, for God is pouring out His Spirit on all flesh."

"John and Carol Arnott, pastors of the church in Toronto where the recent "laughing revivals" and "holy rolling" began in North America, reported 27 months of continuous nightly meetings in their church. John Gimenez added that, on observing firsthand the so-called "Toronto blessing," he had prayed, "Me too, Lord – me too."

"Dr. Richard Roberts, Oral Roberts University president, came to center stage and had the entire group join hands for prayer, "asking for miracles, healings, and deliverance." After a contemporary, big-beat musical group sang "Holy Spirit, Fall Fresh on America," Gimenez introduced Dr. Jerry Farwell, who said ‘We must network together or we will lose this country."

"Miracles. This Washington for Jesus event concluded with a "signs and wonders miracle service" led by Benny Hinn, who held a "faith healing"ceremony right on the Capitol steps. One by one, persons made their way up to the stage. When Mr. Hinn touched each one on the forehead, each fell backward into the arms of a waiting attendant." Pentecostals call this being "slain in the spirit." People tossed aside crutches, canes and walkers as these "miracles" were performed.

"Ellen White wrote in 1888, "The enemy of souls desires to hinder this work (of preparing a people for the Lord’s second coming): and before the time for such a movement shall come, he will endeavor to prevent it by introducing a counterfeit (revival)….Multitudes will exult that God is working marvelously for them, when the work is that of another spirit. Under a religious guise, Satan will seek to extend his influence over the Christian world "(The Great Controversy, p. 464).³⁷

How can we recognize the false and true revival?

"Wherever men neglect the testimony of the Bible, turning away from those plain, soul-testing truths which require self-denial and renunciation of the world, there we maybe sure that God’s blessing is not bestowed. And by the rule which Christ Himself has given: "Ye shall know them by their fruits" (Matt. 7:16). It is evident that these movements are not the work of the Spirit of God."³⁸

"Today, the Catholic world is entranced with apparitions of the Virgin Mary, seen nearly world-wide. Catholics also have modern visionaries with prophetic utterances as well as miracles of all kinds. Pick up a catalog of Catholic publications and you will be amazed at the number of popular books on the subject of prophecy and the "end-time."

"Mary indicates, in various apparitions, that her messages are meant for all peoples, and not for Catholics alone. Through Father Gobbi, Mary has said of John Paul, "He is the pope of my secret."

"Recent press photographs of the pope portray him as a feeble old man with Parkinsonism, having just undergone an operation. Yet, according to the Marian apparitions, he is to be the last pope!"³⁹

From Catholic International, August 1994, pp. 384-394 it says: "Dialogue: Buddhists and Christian, Evangelicals and Catholics. ‘Reformation reversed: Protestants embrace Rome.’ Billy Graham and John Stott have been saying it. Now, Charles Colson, Bill Bright, J.I. Packer, Pat Robertson, John White echo it: ‘Evangelicals and Catholics together.’...The Evangelicals have sounded the death knell for the reformation and the impending demise of the Protestant Church. The ecumenical reunification of all Christendom under Rome is unstoppable, the end is in sight."⁴⁰

On the TV news in the beginning of December 1996, it was shown that George Carey, the Archbishop of Canterbury had been given a special audience with Pope John Paul II. This was his first visit to the Vatican and Archbishop Carey said: "It is the time for unity between Anglicans and Roman Catholics."⁴¹ Ellen White predicted this unity between Catholics and Protestants. She stated: "Protestants and Catholics uniting"⁴²

The second historic document is the Papal encyclical letter (115 pages) issued over the signature of Pope John Paul II, on May 25, 1995 - about thirteen months after the first document, "Evangelicals and Catholics together." The Latin title of the encyclical,Ut Unum Sint, translates to THAT THEY MAY BE ONE. It is given as John Paul II’s commitment to ecumenism. The June-July 1995 issue of the Catholic Magazine "Inside the Vatican." The cover and a five page article were devoted to comments about the Pope and his ecumenical goals, it says: "the central message of Pope John Paul II’s pontificate has been - and remains - the urgent need to REUNIFY Christians for the coming millennium. His latest encyclical Ut Unum Sint (that they may be one) reiterates that message with force."

"The Pope hopes that all Christian churches will celebrate the year 2000 together. - perhaps praying together at the great holy sites of Rome, Jerusalem and Mt. Sinai. The Pope’s latest encyclica, the first devoted entirely to ecumenism, is one of his most impassioned and personal documents, the result of three years of intense work. His plea is that all those who believe in Christ should arrive at the year 2000, if not entirely united, at least much closer to overcoming the divisions of the second millennium.

"Pope John Paul II’s latest encyclical is surely one of the broadest, most emphatic pleas for Christian unity ever issued by a Pope; perhaps even the most insistent and considered call for the reunion of divided Christians ever made by any Christian church leader."⁴³

"The Pope here concedes that though he would like to see full communion by the year 2000 we can still have ‘unity in diversity.’ We can work together with what we have in common - the essential points. This is the same conclusion drawn by the drafters of the ‘Evangelicals, and Catholics together’ document - and expressed in the book ‘Evangelicals and Catholics together.’ No organic unity right now, but we can work together on points we share in common."⁴⁴

Ellen White by inspiration of the Holy Spirit predicted exactly the same message. "‘When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image to the Roman Hierarchy (image to the beast) and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result.’ That process is happening now."⁴⁵

A small extract from the encyclical of Pope John Paul II was published in the Sydney Morning Herald, Thursday, June 1, 1995, entitled Christian faith urged to unite under Vatican. "Pope John Paul II has called for all Christian faiths to be unified under the banner of the Vatican for the first time in a thousand years. In his latest encyclical the Pope apologized to other Christians for the pain caused by the papacy over the centuries...Local Catholic and non - Catholic leaders last night supported the encyclicals conciliatory tone...In his encyclical, the pope wrote that ‘As the church turns her gaze to the new millennium the ultimate goal of the discussions between Christians should be to re-establish full visible unity among all the baptized.’ The Moderator of the General Synod of the NSW Uniting Church the Rev Ken Cornwell, supported the pope’s move and he said: ‘I think we’ve all got to die to rise in one church,’ He also said, ‘I think that it is the will of God.’ "⁴⁶

Ellen White predicted that Protestants and Catholics would come together. She wrote in the Bible Echo Magazine, February, 1887, an article entitled, "Protestants and Catholics Uniting."

Some portions of the article are as follows: "Romanism is now regarded by Protestants with far greater favour than in former years. Romanism as a system is no more in harmony with the gospel of Christ now than at any former period in her history. The Protestant churches are in great darkness, or they would discern the signs of the times. The Roman church is far reaching in her plans and modes of operation. She is employing every device to extend her influence and increase her power in preparation for a fierce and determined conflict to regain control of the world, to re-establish persecution, and to undo all that Protestantism has done. Men are closing their eyes to the real character of Romanism, and the dangers to be apprehended from her supremacy. The Romish church now presents a fair front to the world, covering with apologies her record of horrible cruelties. She has clothed herself in Christian garments, but she is unchanged. Shall this power whose record for a thousand years is written in the blood of the saints, be now acknowledged as a part of the church of Christ? It is not without reason that the claim has been put forth that Catholicism is now almost like Protestantism. There has been a change, but the change is in Protestants, not in Romanists."⁴⁷

"The papacy is well adapted to meet the wants of all these. It is prepared for two classes of mankind, embracing nearly the whole world, (first) those who would be saved by their merits (works), and (second) those who would be saved in their sin. Here is the secret of the papacy’s power."⁴⁸

The Bible clearly teaches us that there is no salvation by works and there is no salvation if we are in sin. In other words, there is no salvation in a legalistic way, and also no salvation in "cheap grace."

People who are in the above categories are under papal power. "These two classes of mankind embrace nearly the whole world."⁴⁹

"A day of great intellectual darkness (dark ages) has been shown to be favourable to the success of popery. It will yet be demonstrated that a day of great intellectual light (today) is equally favourable for its success.