SITTING ON A VOLCANO

"‘Peace, peace!' When there is no peace. ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace.” (Jer. 6:14; 8:11).

“They have seduced My people, saying, "Peace!' when there is no peace. . . “The prophets... prophesy... and see visions of peace when there is no peace;

therefore you shall no longer envision futility nor practice divination; for I will deliver My people out of your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.'' (Ezek 13:10, 16, 23).

Peace in Bosnia; Peace in Chechnya; Peace in Sri Lanka; Peace in Northern Ireland; Peace in Cambodia; Peace in Rwanda; Peace everywhere. Almost all of a sudden, the world is awash with peace. Even in the Middle East, an area that has not known peace for nearly 50 years, since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, peace has broken out with the signing of the peace accord between the Palestinians and the Israelis. What if people continue to die in most of these places long after they have been declared “peaceful”, if politicians tell us that they are at peace now what are we supposed to do but to believe it? The families that keep loosing their sons in this “peace” might wish that they were at war.

After the accord, the Palestinian authorities received arms to enforce peace in their areas. And what happened this year when Israel opened a tunnel near the Al-Aqsa Mosque? Those guns were turned on the Israeli soldiers themselves. When asked to comment about it, Shimon Perez, the architect of that peace, said: “Peace is not poetry! Peace is not a song!” (Lateline, ABC TV, Oct. 10, 1996). And we who thought that peace were poetry and a song!

Politicians - a wonderful breed of people - have given us a new meaning for the word “peace”. They made sure that we know exactly what they mean when they talk of peace. Yet, strangely enough, the Bible does not condemn them for giving the world a false vision of peace, but the “prophets”. Why? Because traditionally national leaders have not been responsible for people’s spiritual education, for giving them a vision of the future and telling them what life is all about. This has been the role of the prophets, a role which they have conveniently abandoned exactly when their voice needs to be heard the loudest.

The Bible ascribes the title of “prophet” to anyone who holds a spiritual position and is involved in preaching or teaching spiritual matters. In Old Testament times, God made a clear distinction between Israel’s national leaders and its prophets. The prophets were God’s messengers, and the leaders His executive bodies. This was to become a model for all nations, but the system has failed not only in Israel, but also in the entire world. This is why God says that the time will come when the present politico-religious systems will be replaced by a new, universal system, in which the leaders will play the roles of both priests and kings.

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants-- things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (Rev 1:1-6).

And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.'' (Rev 5:6-10).

It is a well-known fact that messianic religions expect major prophetic developments around the turn of this Millennium. Cynics however say that there is no difference between this and the end of the first Millennium. Many people expected major developments then, yet nothing happened. But how right are they, is there no difference between then and now?

In the first case, people’s expectations were based on the fact that religious deception had already covered the world, and the Church of God had suffered major persecutions and been forced underground. The true believers saw that as an omen and an opportune time for the return of Jesus Christ. They hoped that the much waited for Millennial Kingdom would be established then and there, and they would be saved from their troubles. Yet their expectation proved to be in vain. Why? The reason is quite simple: their understanding of biblical prophecies about the end of this age proved to be very limited. All major biblical prophecies have been written in such a way that they could be understood only in the context of their own time. The difficulty with this prophecy came from the fact that some of the signs connected with the end of this age have been manifest in the world ever since the time of Jesus Christ. This is why, throughout the history of Christianity, there have been people who have fallen victim to premature expectations.

When we look at the most comprehensive prophecy about the end of this age, we find that the theme of religious deception runs through it from the beginning to the end. This could easily have led people to believe that the return of Jesus Christ was possible at any time. As long as they did not become disheartened and lost their zeal, or abandoned their struggle, this was not necessarily a bad thing, for it kept them on their guard. This time however is different. There is ample evidence that virtually all the signs leading to the conclusion of this age have been fulfilled except the one about the “abomination of desolation”, and this is now in the final stages or its preparation. Let us have a look at that prophecy:

“Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, ‘Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.’ Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?’ And Jesus answered and said to them: ‘Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, "I am the Christ,” and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. Therefore when you see the "abomination of desolation,” spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place’ (whoever reads, let him understand), ‘then . . . there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.

Then if anyone says to you, "Look, here is the Christ!” or "There!” do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand . . .

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.” (Matt 24:1-31, 42).

We are much too familiar with religious deception, wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, persecutions, lawlessness, and the like, things which have been fulfilled many times over during the centuries since the time of Jesus Christ. But nothing equals what has happened this century when it comes to wars and rumors of wars, and what has been happening in the last few years, since we started this work, in regard to pestilences, famines and natural disasters. As if on clue, these things have intensified to such an extent that it is not uncommon now to hear people in authority talk about the real possibility of extinction of all life on earth. Here is a sample of how bad things are out there in the world:

“DISASTROUS YEAR. MUNICH: The world was shaken by a record number of natural disasters in 1995, with damage from floods, earthquakes, storms and volcanic eruptions trebling to $244 billion compared with last year, according to Munich Re, the world’s largest reinsurer.” (Reuters, Sydney Morning Herald, December 29, 1995).

From 1990 until last year the damage from these disasters has been between $80 and $100 billion a year, in itself way above previous averages. This year, the damage from floods in China alone has been estimated to exceed $100 billion. This is why the end of this Millennium is different from the first. But there is one other major factor which was not present at the end of the first Millennium: the existence of nuclear weapons which could destroy life on earth in one big conflagration.

Russia may have collapsed economically, but its strategic forces still pose awesome destructive power. What is happening in that country at present is hard to imagine even by the standards of third world countries. A catastrophe beyond imagination. After his re-election, President Yeltsin appealed to his countrymen to pay their taxes so that the government can pay the soldiers and workers who have not been paid for months. In other words, Russia’s infrastructure is such that the government cannot even collect the money it needs to keep the country going.

Can anyone imagine what would happen if the American or European workers and soldiers were not paid for months?

Now what will those hungry people, with their finger on the nuclear trigger, do when hunger reaches their bones? Or what will the man who will soon replace Yeltsin do to pull the country out of its mire? We all know what Zhirinovsky said he would do if he became president. He would force the West Europeans to pay. If the Israeli people suffered grievously during the Second World War to be entitled to the billions of dollars that have been pouring into the country since then, the Russians suffered more, he said. The West breathed a sigh of relief when he failed in his bid for the Presidency, but who knows what the new leader will do to help his countrymen? One thing is sure, things cannot continue much longer the way they are now. In 1993, in the No 3 edition of The Christian Herald, we wrote:

“The former Soviet Union gave us Chernobyl then it collapsed. The world breathed a sigh of relief in the hope that the Cold War and the danger of nuclear confrontation were over. What the world did not know then was that the legacy of communism is just as catastrophic for the world as the danger from its nuclear arsenals: "Russia's nuclear-powered submarines and ice-breakers pose a greater danger of nuclear accidents than do its atomic power plants, according to Jane's Intelligence review" (The Sun-Herald, Aug. 8, 1993).

People who are environmentally conscious know about the devastation caused by the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. But how many people know that in the vast Russian wilderness, four times that amount is being spilled every day from the decaying antiquated oil installations? The damage done to the environment by the oil spill and its many accompanying fires is incalculable. The topsoil is being destroyed and the ground below, which was permanently frozen, is beginning to melt. Scientists fear that this will affect the global climate. Already in 1990, the temperature in the Arctic Circle reached 40 degrees Celsius, eight degrees above the normal.

On the political scene, things are hardly better. The West has put all its hopes in President Yeltsin's ability and determination to introduce democratic reforms in Russia. But what will happen when he is no longer on the scene? He is in poor health, and while there seem to be no obvious contenders who can step in his shoes and continue his reforms, there are many powerful rivals who call for the restoration of Russia's empire. On the economic sphere, the one great resource that gives Russia its hard currency and keeps its grossly outdated industry going is oil. But now it has been estimated that its oil reserves will dry out within a decade. What will the political and military leaders do when they see their people being decimated by hunger and their nuclear arsenal brought to nothing for lack of fuel? The dangers coming from that part of the world are yet to be comprehended.”

We are already seeing the people of Russia being decimated. The question is how long will they meekly accept their fate? Having been brutalized psychologically and physically by seventy years of communism, they need a little time to rise again. Make no mistake about it, rise they will, because God Almighty has given them a great role to play at this time.

Now compare what we wrote in 1993 with the current state of the world in regard to oil reserves and supplies:

“Running on empty” “All numbers are wrong - that much we know. The question is: “by how much?” ask international petroleum geologists Dr Colin Campbell and Dr Jean Laherrere at the beginning of their landmark, but controversial, study of the world’s oil supply. In a report for oil industry analysts Petroconsultants, the two turn the conventional view about the continuing availability of cheap oil on its head, drawing conclusions that market conditions are fast approaching for another oil price shock similar to the two in the 1970s that played havoc with the world economy. Unlike both industry and government forecasts, the data in the Swiss-headquartered Petroconsultants’ report brings forward the timing of the peak in world oil production by several decades, from the middle of the next century to as soon as 2000. They forecast a sharp decline in the supply of cheap-to-extract crude oil thereafter. . .

US Department of Energy deputy assistant secretary Dr Joseph Roman was quoted in a news report last January as saying: “it’s pretty clear there is going to be another oil crisis some time. I would say in the next 10 years”. . .

At the time of the first oil shock in late 1973, the world had consumed 250 billion barrels of oil out of a total estimated global reserves of about 1800 billion barrels. By 1995, it had consumed 800 billion barrels, with consumption running at 25 billion barrels a day and only about 7 billion barrels a year being discovered in new fields. . .

Without cheap oil, economic globalization would come to a shuddering halt and many of the private tollways either proposed or being built would become uneconomic, especially if the price of crude oil was to double or triple - as Campbell believes it will do once the crunch approaches.” (The Australian, Oct. 24, 1996).

Does anyone remember what effect the rise in oil prices in the 1970s had on the world economy? Third world countries became bankrupt overnight and the USA turned from being the world’s biggest creditor to the world’s biggest debtor nation. At present, the USA owes more than 6 trillion dollars and is unable to pay even the interest on that amount. Each year part of the interest is being added to the main with the result that the debt keeps growing with no end in sight. One way the Americans could slash that debt is by devaluing the dollar. But that would mean an astronomical rise in inflation and an end to the much-vaunted American way of life. Like the Germans before Hitler came to power, the Americans would go shopping with bags of money to buy one loaf of bread. But such things could not happen in America, could they?

The reason the American economy has been running smoothly so far is that foreigners have been pouring money into the country. Why? Because the United States offers a safe and secure environment. Safe and secure, that is, until the next crunch or until they get a leader who says enough is enough - let everyone pay their way. Now if the first oil crunch had such a devastating effect on the world, what will the next one do? Bear in mind that the first time there was still plenty of oil around and only the price increased. But this time not only will the price go up, the oil sources will begin to dry up too. The question is, will the leaders take the necessary measures to prepare their countries for this eventuality, or will they wait until they are forced to do so? The place to start would be with agriculture. At present this is in a shambles worldwide. While parts of the world experience famine and starvation, others waste enormous amounts of resources on poor farming practices. The next oil crunch will put an end to economies of scale in farming. That is because such farming relies heavily on petrochemicals.

What happened in Russia after the collapse of communism, when the farmland became littered with abandoned machinery, will happen in the rest of the world. A nation can survive without advanced industry, but not without farm produce. The worldwide trend of people moving from country to city will reverse, and farming will once again become an honorable occupation. Now given the importance of that report you would think that such information would make front-page headlines in the world media. Or, if not front-page, maybe the second or the third pages. Or even the ninth and tenth pages where world events are usually reported. But no, that article was buried on page 27, in the business section amidst the usual chain of trivial business news and advertisements. You see, that kind of information in not for the general consumption. It is for the business leaders who know how to take such news in stride and keep quiet about it lest they rock the boat and loose their jobs. If the general population knew about what lies ahead they might stop buying those cars and bring the industry to a standstill.

Have you ever wondered why they keep on building cars that are unsuited for the purpose for which people use them? They have enough power to carry two tons when they only need to carry a few people, and can travel at speeds that exceed 200 kilometers an hour when the speed limit is usually half that. They could slash fuel consumption by building cars that are slower and safer, instead of those destructive petrol hungry machines that appeal to the hotheads who should not even be on the road. The world would slow down and be a safer and more enjoyable place, and people would find time to talk to each other instead of being on the run all the time. But since the leaders are unlikely to engineer such changes of their own volition, nature will force it on them. Nature or, shall we say, God? There is a reason why the Bible talks about the need for a great tribulation at the end of this age. The world simply needs to be cleansed of its pollutions and its polluters.

Notice how shortly after the Gospel is witnessed to the world God will destroy “those who destroy the earth”:

""And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire. Now when they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here.’ And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand men were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly. Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’ And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: ‘We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.’'' (Rev 11:3-18).

Now are these things mere coincidences? Is it so difficult to understand that we are living in those times? What this passage indicates is that the great tribulation, which will “destroy those who destroy the earth”, will erupt shortly after the two witnesses finish their mission and are killed by “the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit”. The question, of course, many people would want to know is, who is this “beast”? We have written extensively on this topic (See The Christian Heralds Nos. 3 and 4), so we won’t spend time on this now. Sufficient to say that this has been identified with the one who holds the title of Pontifex Maximus. Here is a passage which we wrote in 1993, which has particular relevance at this time:

“Jesus Christ said that if we want to be the sons of God we must love even our enemies . . . This raises the question, must we forgive the "abomination of desolation" and the false prophet? The answer could only be ‘yes’. They are the enemies of the people of God, but Jesus Christ told us to love our enemies, and since we are His followers we obey Him. We do not avenge ourselves on anyone, regardless of what they may have done to us. Vengeance belongs to God (Rom. 12:19). We lay our problems and burdens before Him and before our Savior, knowing that "all things work together for good to those who love God" (Rom. 8: 28).

“At the time of writing this article, it was announced that the Israeli government has extended a formal invitation to the Pope to visit that country. The Pope is said to have accepted the invitation with tears in his eyes. It will be the first time in the history of Israel that a Pope has visited that country and its capital Jerusalem. A visit to Jordan and parts of Jerusalem in 1963 by Pope Paul VI, can be discounted as having served any prophetic purpose for the following reasons: (i) Daniel's prophecies are about the Jews and the people of God, not about the Arabs. (ii) At that time it was not known who the "abomination of desolation" was, or where the holy place located. Since Jesus Christ said that if people are not aware of their sins they are not held accountable, Pope Paul VI could not have profaned the holy place even if he happened to pass unwarily over it. (iii) Jesus Christ said that when the "abomination of desolation" stands in the holy place, it would be the beginning of the great tribulation and the end of this age. Since neither of these events has occurred, that visit could not have fulfilled the prophecies associated with the end of this age. However, when the present day Pontifex Maximus goes to Jerusalem and steps on the holy ground, it is a different story.

The significance of this event is well known because we have sent this magazine to the leaders of all nations, including the Pope and other religious leaders. How soon after this event do we expect to see the world plunged into catastrophe? We cannot tell. All we can do is quote what Jesus Christ said. You draw your own conclusions from this . . . Bear in mind that 1997 is the last year of what we call the ‘age of man’ - six thousand years since the creation according to the chronology of Bishop Usher - and the beginning of a new age, the last thousand years called the Millennial Kingdom. This transition cannot happen overnight. The years immediately prior to and following this event are fraught with danger for the world.

There are people who have gone to great lengths to calculate the exact date of the return of Jesus Christ. Most of the dates they have come up with revolve around that year. We believe that even if this is correct, it is a very dangerous practice. Jesus Christ said that it is not for us to know the exact date of His return, that only God knows that (Matt. 24:36). And that for a very important reason: human beings are to be ready to receive their Lord at any time. Setting dates could cause them to lose their guard and be caught unprepared. Anyone who tries to outguess God places himself in competition with Him, and that is a sin. Jesus Christ spoke in general terms about the signs leading to that event, and we advise you to read the entire 24th chapter of the book of Matthew. The only sure sign He gave as indicating the imminence of those events, is the one about the "abomination of desolation" standing in the holy place. That is the one discussed and revealed in the pages of this magazine for the first time. It is not a mere coincidence that God has revealed this mystery to us now just prior to its fulfillment and so close to the conclusion of this age. This is a sign that He is about to intervene in world affairs, to bring humanity to account for its waywardness. The Polish priest who is now in the chair of Pontifex Maximus does not have to be the man who profanes the holy place. He can drop his garbs, get on his knees before the Almighty, not before the statue of Mary or whatever, declare that he was not aware of what he stood for, ask for forgiveness, then run from that place as fast and as far as he can go. He can let another take his place, for there are many people who care little about pleasing God, and more about pleasing themselves. Anyone who goes to Jerusalem as Pontifex Maximus and steps on the ground in which Jesus Christ shed His blood, conscious of what that gesture means, makes himself the "abomination of desolation." That sin will not be forgiven in this world or in the world to come.

‘For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has TRAMPLED THE SON OF GOD UNDERFOOT, COUNTED THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT BY WHICH HE WAS SANCTIFIED A COMMON THING, AND INSULTED THE SPIRIT OF GRACE?’ (Heb. 10:26-29, emp. added).” (The Christian Herald, No 3, pp. 38, 39).

If you wonder what is wrong with Pontifex Maximus and why he is such a despised figure in the Bible, this is why: a) He was the spiritual leader of the Roman Empire at the time Jesus Christ was crucified, and is held responsible for that act and for countless other crimes against the people of God. Bear in mind that this is a title and an office, and Jesus Christ referred to this, not to a specific individual. People have the choice of taking on this mantle or not. It is not imposed on them. They freely do so, knowing full well what that means.

b) One of the main characteristics of people in this office has been their infatuation with idols. The men who have held this position have raised idolatry to a fine art. The effect this has had on their followers has been devastating. Notice:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man-- and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” (Rom. 1:18-32).

Have you ever wondered why the Catholic Church and its priests have been embroiled in so many homosexual scandals? This biblical passage should give you an idea. Next time you see the images of “corruptible men-- and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things” adorning their buildings think of the words of Apostle Paul.

c) One of the greatest blasphemies human beings can commit is assuming one of God’s titles. Jesus Christ specifically told his followers: “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven”? (Matt 23:9). What title has Pontifex Maximus assumed for himself? “Holy Father”. What do his followers call him? “Holy Father”. Do they honor Jesus Christ when they so blatantly do what He told them not to do? Yet, they still call themselves Christians.

Do you see now what Apostle Paul meant when he wrote?

“Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God [as "Holy Father"] in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God ["Holy Father"].” (II Th 2:1-4).

d) In October this year, the Pope delivered a lecture to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in Rome in which he said that: “Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution was ‘more than a hypothesis’” (Sydney Morning Herald, Oct. 5, 1996). Charles Darwin was an atheist. So the man who goes around the world as “Universal Shepherd”, who sits in the temple of God as “Holy Father”, challenges God to His face, defies the Lord whom he claims to serve, undermines the Bible publicly, and honors at atheist who has done more to destroy people’s faith in God than any other man in history except Pontifex Maximus himself.

Is it a mere coincidence that at this particular junction in world history, as this age draws to a close, that this man reveals himself for who he is and what he stands for by upholding an anti-God philosophy? Can you see now why Jesus Christ said that when this man will stand on the ground in which He shed His blood, the world will explode into a tribulation such as the world has never seen?

The Vatican announced recently that next year - in 1997 - Pontifex Maximus would visit Jerusalem.

The world is indeed sitting on a volcano ready to explode.

RELIGION UNDER MORTAL ATTACK

‘But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” (Gal 1:8). “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” (2 Cor. 11:13-15).

Has science finally landed a fatal blow to religion? Darwin’s theory of evolution did not prove to be the mortal danger many people thought it would - future generations will wonder in disbelief how so flimsy a theory should have taken hold of a world that prided itself in being enlightened and progressive - but recent scientific discoveries in the fields of medicine, molecular biology and psychology have rocked religion to its core and thrown in disarray some of its most cherished beliefs and practices.

Scientists are now telling us that human behavior and attitudes are not so much the result of education, environment and social influences, as the product of one’s own biological make-up. In-born genes determine not only our physical shape, but also our character, sexual orientation, predisposition to crime, moods, etc.

“Genes are suddenly seen as being responsible for everything, from poverty to privilege, misdemeanors to murder. I seem to recall watching television one night and seeing a man on murder charges offer as a defense the presence of a ‘criminal gene’ in his family . . .

“The problem with genetics and this new particulate understanding of ourselves, it occurred to me, is that it’s at once so central to who and what we are and yet so beside the point of just being us, of going about the business of living.” (Charles Siebert, “Living With Toxic Knowledge”, SMH - Good Weekend Magazine, March 9, 1996).

If this is true, if nature rather than nurture determines who we are and what we do, then the traditional notions of salvation must be discarded, and a more adequate explanation for the purpose of human life must be found. We have been led to believe that salvation depends on people’s ability to repent and change their way of life. But if people are beholden by their nature to a way of life which is not conducive to repentance, what purpose does it serve preaching to them about salvation? People cannot be saved if they cannot repent, and they cannot repent if nature rather than logic rule their life. What these scientific discoveries have done is turn traditional wisdom on its head, open a Pandora's box which many thought was closed long ago, and turn the clock back thousands of years - to the very beginning of the debate of free will versus predestination. For in the final analysis, this is what the current debate is all about.

Since ancient time people have wondered, searched, debated, and fought over the question of the purpose and destiny of human life. At the root of it all is the question of salvation - is this the result of free will or of predestination? Each of these notions ascribes a different role to God and to human beings. If predestination is true, the destiny of human life is entirely in God’s hands and salvation is a grant from Him. But if free will is true, then man is master of his own destiny and salvation is a reward for the good use of his free will.

Over the years, the tendency has been a move away from predestination, and towards free will.

Ancient people were particularly fond of predestination, ascribing all things to divine powers - fortune and misfortune alike. But modern religions are more kind to God. They lay the blame for man’s misfortunes entirely at man's feet. This, of course, is where the problem lies. Science is now telling us that this is not the case: people are committing all sorts of misdemeanors and anti-social acts, or are leading unconventional life styles (e.g., homosexuality), not because they freely choose to do so, but because they have been programmed that way from their mother’s womb. The question is, can religions afford to be seen to be constantly contrary to science? At stake are not only the reputations of many people, but also the reliability of the Bible and the faith of billions of people. Put simply, the inspired Word of God and true science cannot be at odds with each other. That is why we must establish once and for all whether science or religion is right, whether science and the Bible are indeed at odds with each other, whether religions and the Bible are in agreement, and whether salvation is determined by man’s free will or by divine providence. For this reason, we will have a careful look at what the scientists have been saying lately, at what the churches have been preaching, and at what the Bible has had to say on these matters from the very beginning.

REVOLUTIONARY SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES

Here are some of the reports of the scientific discoveries that have led to the current controversy:

“Mean gene’ theory sparks racism controversy in US” “Are some kids born to be bad? Can there be a ‘treatment’ to block them from murder? These explosive questions are back. And the even more explosive answer, in some quarters, is yes.

The renewed debate is sending chills down the spines of those who fear it will bring a Brave New World of mind control to the children of America's violent inner cities. The issue, which has simmered for decades, owes its latest revival to a University of Maryland conference this weekend on the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay, about an hour from Washington. The conference for the first time will gather scholars from a wide array of disciplines to discuss the ethical implications of research seeking a genetic foundation for violence and other criminal behavior. Authors of the research and their supporters say it is hardly sinister. "Almost every day, we're hearing about a gene for this and a gene for that," says David Comings, a medical geneticist at the City of Hope Medical Centre in Duarte, California. If you can have a gene for obesity, it certainly can become acceptable that a gene can be involved in violent behavior." But opponents say the research raises the spectre of Nazi eugenics - the science of breeding people in quest of a superior human race. They foresee frightening possibilities such as compulsory genetic screening, sedation and sterilization, and believe the research discriminates against blacks.” (The Sunday Telegraph, October 1, 1995).

“The brains behind our sex life” “Homosexuals, heterosexuals and transsexuals are born, not made, claims a leading United States neuroscientist who says that sexual orientation is wired into the brain before birth. Research shows that sexual preferences can be detected in tiny structures in the limbic or emotional, centre of the brain, according to Professor Roger Gorski, of the University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine. The differences are produced in the womb, said the man who first discovered 20 years ago that the brains of male and female mammals are different. The findings raise the possibility that in the distant future sexual orientation may be open to medical manipulation. ‘This work is at the very beginning but it’s profound,” said Professor Gorski, adding that the events which produce homosexual, heterosexual and transsexual brains probably result from a ‘complex’ interaction’ of sex hormones, genes and environmental circumstances. But sex hormones are vital to setting the orientation of the unborn child, said professor Gorski. A hormonal alteration at a given time in development might alter one component of brain function which could lead one to become homosexual or transsexual. That’s the theory.’ Professor Gorski told the Herald that his research - along with that of Dr Simon Le Vay, formerly with the Salk Institute in California, and Dr Richard Swaab of Amsterdam - shows that these changes appear as differences in tiny structures in the brain called the interstitial nucleus of the anterior hypothalamus (INAH).” (SMH, Oct. 27, 1995).

“Genetics link with petty crime claimed” “London: Pimping and petty theft appear to be genetically conditioned - but a person’s genes have little influence on their propensity for committing crimes of violence, according to research unveiled at a controversial scientific meeting in London yesterday. Two American studies comparing identical twins, who share the same genes, with non-identical twins, have supported the contentious suggestion that some criminals may be born, not made” (SMH, Feb. 15, 1995).

“The Common Face of Evil” “In 1993, Dr Lyll Watson sat in on the trial of the two English schoolboys charged with murdering the toddler James Bulger. Though this killing convulsed a nation, perhaps the sharpest impression made on the best-selling author and biologist came from outside the court, where "terrifying lynch mobs were howling for blood". "These were perfectly ordinary people, neighbours and friends of the family, suddenly behaving like something out of the wild west frontier," Dr Watson recalled in Sydney this week.

The famously unorthodox scientist understood that parents reacted in this way because of a fear that the child tortured to death beside a railway track could have been their own. But he also asserts: "I think an even larger part of that [the mob's reaction] is this real fear that it could have been your children doing the killing. That's much more frightening." In this comment, and in his latest book, Dark Nature, Watson, 57, up-ends one of the articles of faith of Western civilisation - the innocence of childhood. (It was the Bulger trial that sparked his interest in writing a book about evil.) In Dark Nature, he asserts that there is a biological equivalent of original sin, and that if we don't confront this, current social and environmental upheavals will draw us irrevocably towards a new barbarism...

Humans, like animals, are genetically programmed for a ruthless selfishness that is often bad or evil. Or, as Watson puts it: “Every child is born with genetic instructions which say, 1. Be nice to insiders because they're your own people, you share genes with them; 2. Be nasty to outsiders because you don't (share genes with them); and 3. Cheat, lie, steal, kill to get your own way." Crucially - and unlike animals - humans have long realised the importance of suppressing evil impulses, and of acquiring the pragmatic altruism necessary for workable societies. But as we approach a new millennium, Watson thinks the tremendous pressures of overpopulation, poverty and social dislocation increasingly put us at the mercy of primitive genetic urges - and not just in war zones such as Bosnia...

The author, whose previous subjects have included the nature of crowds, the paranormal and the wind, found himself reflecting on mass murder (and even pack rape among ducks) because he thinks theologians, moral philosophers and criminologists have failed to understand the nature of evil. He admits his findings are "cavalier in some ways because many theologians have thought about this very carefully, but they haven't come to any useful conclusions. They are tied by religious necessity to believe that everything that is good comes from God, and everything that isn't comes from the devil. They have created this polarity, which is wrong. We all have good and bad in us. Every one of us" (The Weekend Australian, November 4-5, 1995)

“The Secrets Twins Tell Us” “The evidence is finally in from a battery of tests on separated twins. And they challenge our most cherished beliefs about human nature... A set of identical twin girls were surrendered to an adoption agency in New York in the 60s. The twins, who are known in psychological literature as Amy and Beth, might have gone through life in obscurity had they not come to the attention of Dr Peter Neubauer, a prominent psychiatrist at New York University's Psychiatric Institute.

Neubauer, who was also an adviser to the adoption agency, believed that twins posed such a burden to parents, and to themselves in the form of certain developmental hazards, that adopted twins were better off being reared apart from each other.

It was clear that such a separation would also offer Neubauer exceptional research possibilities. Studies of twins reared apart are the most powerful tool that scholars have for analysing the relative contributions of heredity and environment to the make-up of individual human natures. Identical twins are rare, however, and twins who have been separated and brought up in different families are particularly unusual... Broadly speaking, the differences between the girls as they grew older would be a measure of the validity of the most fundamental assumption of analytical psychology, which is that - and, in particular, our family background - shapes us into the people that we become.

The agency that placed the children shortly after their birth informed each set of potential adoptive parents that the girl they were adopting was already involved in a study of child development and strongly urged the adoptive parents to continue it. However, neither the adopted parents nor the girls themselves were ever told that the subject of the study was twins... The girls were adopted into families that were, in certain respects, quite similar - both were Jewish and lived in New York State... All in all, the research team characterized Amy’s family as a well-knit threesome - mother, father and son - plus an alienated Amy. It was a family that placed a high value on academic success, simplicity and emotional restraint. Beth’s family, on the other hand, was sophisticated and full of energy - “frenetic” at times. It tended to put more emphasis on material things than on education. Clearly, Beth was more in the centre of her home than Amy was in hers... In almost every respect, Beth’s personality followed in lockstep with Amy’s dismal development. Thumb-sucking, nail-biting, blanket-clenching, and bed-wetting characterized her infancy and early childhood. She became a hypochondriac and, like Amy, was afraid of the dark and of being left alone. She, too, became lost in role-playing, and the artificial nature of her personality was even more pronounced than Amy’s.

She had similar problems in school and with her peers. On the surface, she had a closer relationship with her mother than Amy had with hers, but psychological tests revealed a longing for maternal affection which was eerily the same as her identical sister’s. Beth did seem to be more successful with her friends and less confused than Amy, but she was also less aware of other feelings.

The differences between the girls seemed merely stylistic; despite the differences in their environments, their pathology was fundamentally the same. Did their family lives men so little? Were they destined to become the people they turned out to be because of some genetic predisposition towards sadness and unreality? And what would psychologists have made of either girl if they did not know that she was a twin? Wouldn’t they have laid the blame for the symptoms of her neurosis on the parents who raised her? Finally, what did all this say about the fundamental presumptions of psychology? But the story has a darker and more threatening side and this may be the real secret of its grip on our imaginations. We think we know who we are. We struggle to build our characters through experience; we make ourselves unique by determining what we like, what we don’t like, and what we stand for. The premise of free will is that we become the people we choose to be. Suppose, then, we meet an Other who is, in every outward respect, ourself. It is one thing to imagine an identical Other who, having lived a separate and dismal life, has been marked by it and become different from us. But what if, in spite of all the differences, we and the Other arrive at the same place? Isn’t there a sense of loss? A loss not only of identity but of purpose? We are left wondering not only who we are but why we are who we are.

The Neubauer twin study is just one among thousands that have raised these questions. Over the past decade, there has been a tidal wave of twin-based scholarship. Recent studies of twinship have challenged our most entrenched views of human development and have capsized cherished beliefs about human nature - in particular the bedrock notion that character is created by experience. But then, twins have been confounding humanity from the earliest times - almost as if they were a divine prank designed to undermine our sense of individuality and specialness in the world. If twins are important to science because they allow us to ask how much of our nature arises from our genes and how much from our circumstances, the answers have equally profound implications for social policy. The hallmark of liberalism is that changes in the social environment produce corresponding changes in human development. But if people's destinies are written in their genes, why waste money on social programs? Even matters that would seem to be entirely a reflection of one's personal experience, such as political orientation or the depth of religious commitment, have been shown by various twin studies to be largely under genetic influence. ... And yet twins may have a different lesson to teach us. It may be threatening to see ourselves as victims of our genes, but that may be preferable to being victims of our environment. A trait that is genetically rooted seems somehow more immutable than one that may have been conditioned by the environment. This seems to leave aside the possibility of free choice - or even consciousness of choice at all. And yet people who are aware of their natures are constantly struggling with tendencies they recognize as ingrained or inborn. It makes little difference how such tendencies were acquired, only how they are managed. If it is true that our identical clone can sort through the world of opportunity and adversity and arrive at a similar place, then we may as well see that as a triumph of our genetic determination to become the person we ought to be.” (Sydney Morning Herald, Nov. 4, 1995).

Well, there you have it! There cannot be much argument about it. It is quite obvious that these findings are accurate, reliable and convincing. They are based on extensive research and carry the signatures of renowned personalities in the fields of medicine, biology and psychology from as far a field as Marylands, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, New York, Baltimore and London. The evidence that all human beings are not equal, that some are predisposed from their mother’s womb to anti-social behavior is so overwhelming it cannot be dismissed even with the perennial and ubiquitous, “more research is needed”.

These discoveries will have a great impact on human society. Governments will want to know whether it is wise spending large amounts of taxpayer’s money on correctional programs for people that get little benefit out of them. Educational authorities will wonder whether their teaching strategies get the best results knowing that the outcomes are determined more by the pupils’ natures than by the amount of money, time and effort spent on them. Insurance companies will want to screen people to find out those that pose the greatest risk. Parents will want to know what will become of their children. Will they be tempted to terminate their pregnancy if they discover that their children’s genes predispose them to unconventional behavior - crime, homosexuality, etc.?

But the greatest impact will, no doubt, be felt by religions. The universal message of salvation, which holds that all human beings have an inborn ability to choose to live a godly life, preached in its various forms by virtually all religions, is suddenly on shaky grounds. We now know that human beings are neither equal nor equally capable of repenting. Some people are predisposed from conception to live a life that is not conducive to salvation. This means that the traditional message of salvation has been based on false premises all along. The question is how did religions get it so wrong? Did they get their message out of the Bible or out of their own imagination? This is what we intend to find out now.

PREDESTINATION AND FREE WILL

IN RELIGIOUS LITERATURE

The New Catholic Encyclopedia has divided this topic in three sections: “Predestination in the Bible”, “Predestination in the Catholic Theology”, and “Catholic Teaching”. One might have thought that “Predestination in the Bible” is the same as that in “Catholic Theology” and “Catholic Teaching”, but, apparently, this is not the case. We shall see.

“Predestination in the Bible” “In the sense that all things are foreknown and foreordained by God, predestination is coextensive with the providence of God and is a constant theme of the OT and the NT. Predestination, in the sense of foreordination of man to glory, is clearly taught only in the NT. Predestination is just as clearly taught in the Old Testament, as we shall show.”

Hmmm! Does this make sense to you? “Predestination . . . is clearly taught only in the NT. Predestination is just as clearly taught in the Old Testament.” If an undergraduate student went to his lecturer with this kind of logic, you can well imagine what mark he would get. But these people are Doctors in Theology, and who can question their wisdom?

“The ‘book’ mentioned by Moses when he said "strike me out of the book that you have written" (Ex 32.32) is undoubtedly the Book of Life, which is mentioned also in Ps 68(69).29 and Dn 12.1. But in the NT, when Our Lord says “Come, blessed of my Father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Mt 25.34) or tells His disciples "Rejoice rather in this, that your names are written in heaven" (Lk 10.20; see also Jn 10.29), He is teaching predestination.

It is in St. Paul, however, that one finds the most explicit statements on predestination. ‘Now we know that for those who love God all things work together unto good, for those who according to his purpose are saints through his call. For those whom he has foreknown he has also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He should be the firstborn among many brethren. And those whom He has predestined, them He has also called; and those whom He has called, them He has also justified, and those whom He has justified, them He has also glorified’ (Rom. 8.28-30). In these verses Paul sees the unique and eternal act of God as involving five decisions: elective knowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification. The first two are invisible and outside of time; the second two are on earth; and the last is properly in the next world.”

While this passage appears to make a good case for predestination, the next one makes just as good a case for free will.

“Man's freedom still remains: he must respond to the love and call of God. Nor in St. Paul's concept is there any initial confirmation in grace, for he tells the Philippians to work out their salvation ‘with fear and trembling’ (2.12).”

Then again we are brought back to the notion of predestination:

“In another important passage, Eph. 1.3-14, Paul repeats 10 times that predestination is ‘in Christ’: ‘He chose us in him before the foundation of the world’ (v.4); it was done according to the ‘good pleasure of his will . . . to the praise and glory of his grace . . . in his beloved Son’ (v.5-6). Predestination is clearly a free act of God, a choosing of all men for glory, in, with, and through His Incarnate Son. There is no basis in St. Paul for any doctrine of positive reprobation: ‘For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all’ (I Tm. 2.5; see also 1 Tm. 4.10; Mt 18.14).”

This is all the New Catholic Encyclopedia has to say about predestination and free will in the Bible. Not very much, you would agree.

If you are confused, you are not alone. First we were told that God “predestined [us] to become conformed to the image of His Son”, then that our “freedom still remains”, then again that “predestination is clearly a free act of God.” Now, can one be predestined and retain his freedom at the same time? The implication is that this topic is not very well covered in the Bible. That is why people need the next two chapters, “Predestination in Catholic Theology” and “Catholic Teaching”. This is perfectly in line with the Catholic teaching that the Bible is incomplete. Catholic leaders maintain that people need the wisdom gained from tradition and the church “Fathers”, and especially from the revelations of the Pope, to come to the full knowledge of the truth. For those of us who believe that the Bible is complete, this is anathema. It would be enough to cause us to abandon any further study of their sources. Nevertheless, in our search for truth, we must leave no stone unturned. So let us see what they have to say in the next two chapters.

“PREDESTINATION IN CATHOLIC THEOLOGY”

“Predestination is the plan eternally conceived by God whereby He conducts rational creatures to their supernatural end, that is, to eternal life. Of necessity this plan is very complex. It must be concerned, first of all, with the ‘supernatural order: its end, which is eternal life; its means, the complexus that we term supernatural grace (sanctifying and actual, efficacious and sufficient grace, the infused virtues, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit). Predestination also closely involves the divine foreknowledge of future free acts, the exercise of the free will of man, and divine predilection.”

Catholic theologians have raised the art of prevarication and obfuscation to a high level. Here we have a deliberate juxtaposition of the two doctrines. How can predestination involve “the divine foreknowledge of future free acts, the exercise of the free will of man, and divine predilection”? By their own definitions, predestination and free will are opposites and incompatible with each other.

“Predestination and Related Concepts” “In its most general sense, predestination is a decree of God, an inner decision of the divine wisdom and will, whereby God resolves and determines what He Himself will bring to pass.”

“According to St. Paul, it is the counsel of the divine will whereby God works all things (Eph. 1. I 1), or, according to St. Augustine, it is that whereby He disposes within Himself what He intends to accomplish (Persev. 17.41; PL 45:1018). In this general sense, divine predestination has a bearing on all the works of God. Everything that He does and effects is predestined by Him through an eternal decree before it is carried out in time. More precisely, however, predestination signifies the ordination of God by which certain men are led efficaciously to the attainment of salvation. On the part of God, this divine ordination involves two actions. There is, first, an act of the divine intellect, by which God infallibly foreknows which men are to be saved and the precise means whereby they will attain this salvation.”

“Second, it includes an act of the will of God by means of which He decrees to save these men in the very fashion that He Himself has planned. For this reason, St. Augustine has defined predestination as ‘the foreknowledge and preparation of those gifts of God whereby they who are liberated are most certainly liberated’ (Persev. 14.35; PL 45:1014).” “According to Augustine, the object of predestination is salvation, the freeing from servitude of sin, and all the benefits through which salvation is attained, i.e., efficacious graces, including the gift of final perseverance. The infallible connection between these benefits, that is, the means and the freeing from servitude, has its ultimate foundation in God Himself. The subject of predestination is all men who are in fact saved.”

Well, what do you make of that. Would you trust your salvation and eternal life to someone who tells you that, “they who are liberated are most certainly liberated”, and “The subject of predestination is all men who are in fact saved”? If people are already saved, why predestine them any more? Isn’t this what predestination is supposed to do - to assure them of salvation?

" . . . Viewed therefore, in its totality, predestination includes on the part of God the following: (1) the provision of the end; (2) a determined grade or degree of glory; and (3) the ordination of the means. These three factors are concerned with acts of the divine intellect. In addition, there are the following, which are concerned with the divine will: (I) the first calling of the elect to justification; (2) the decree to confer efficacious graces; and (3) the decree to confer the final perseverance.”

“Although the act of the divine will is most simple, it nevertheless does not attain its created objectives in the same way. Hence, predestination has been considered by the theologians in concepts of varying comprehensiveness.

( I ) Predestination viewed in its totality. This is predestination insofar as it is concerned with the complete series of graces by which man is saved. Predestination in this sense considers the entire process from beginning to end, from the first calling of a soul to the way of salvation to the conferral of final glory.

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