I am cautious about “pinning the tail” on the Antichrist and the False Prophet. We cannot know ahead of time who these personalities are; however, Pope Francis comes close to “filling the bill” on the False Prophet. Or he may be but a “type” of that man just like there are many “types” of the Antichrist throughout history. I think the devil has always had a candidate for the Antichrist waiting in the wings as he doesn’t know when the final generation is.

The False Prophet is described in Revelation 13:11-15. He is also referred to as the “second beast” (Revelation 16:13, 19:20, 20:10). Together with the Antichrist and Satan, who empowers both of them, the False Prophet is the third party in the unholy trinity.

Pope Francis is revealing himself to be a blatant Marxist. He has also pulled back from issues Catholics have considered sacred. He apparently has replaced abortion with social justice and environmentalism. Most troubling, however, is his call for a “new world order” and that there be a global constitution, a global court and a one-world government.Scripture is clear that the Antichrist will be the head of a one-world government (Revelation 13).

Even conservative Catholics are sounding a warning that Pope Francis–the first Jesuit Pope–may be the most troubling Pope ever. He is raising apocalyptic concerns and some in the eschatological community feel that he, indeed, has gotten the nod to be the False Prophet.

Roger Oakland, a former Catholic, writes, “According to Bible prophecy, a one-world religion that will offer the promise of peace throughout the world is going to commence prior to Christ’s return. To most, this global body will seem like a wonderful thing and very possibly will be a pseudo-Christianity (coming in the Name of Christ); however, contrary to how the masses will view it, it will actually help establish and set up the Antichrist and his one-world government.”

He continues, “In order for this to happen, all religions must come together in an ecumenical plan. Today, as part of this Satanic scheme, the evangelical/Protestant church is being drawn seductively into the Roman Catholic Church, largely through what we call ‘the Jesuit agenda.’ Incredibly, while the evidence is obvious to some, the majority of proclaiming Christians are not at all aware it is happening.”

Oakland concludes, “So what should we expect if we are in the time when such a system unfolds? First, many who once were Protestant and Evangelical will become ecumenical. Second, all religions will unite in solidarity of purpose. Understanding the Jesuit agenda is essential if we are to understand how this worldwide deception will come about.”

Francis recently sent a video message to Kenneth Copeland urging reconciliation between Catholics and Charismatics, a move cheered by Copeland’s audience. The video’s introduction was delivered by a friend of Francis, Anglican Episcopal Bishop Tony Palmer, who told Copeland’s audience that “Catholic and Charismatic renewal is the hope of the Church.” You can see some of that here.

Pope Francis is making a plea for the union of many faiths. He reportedly said recently, “Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Jehovah, Allah. These are all names employed to describe an entity that is distinctly the same across the world.” He opened the door to Muslim prayers at the Vatican.

Can you say one-world religion?

Pope Francis is headed for the White House, Congress, and the U.N. in a few weeks! He will be pushing climate change and “sustainable development” which is again all about global government! One has to wonder where he fits the gospel into his agenda. It doesn’t appear as though it does. One writer calls him a “wolf in Pope’s clothing.”

Put it all together: Marxism, environmentalism, new world order, global government, sustainable development, the Jesuit agenda, unity of faiths, a global constitution, a global court, a departure from Catholic traditions.

We live in interesting times. And the hour is very late.

We hear so much about “converging signs” today. The Bible speaks about end-time signs that will increase like birth pangs near the end. I think we have passed the birth pang process, frankly.

As a popular TV preacher said, “We’re no longer in Kansas, nor the Land of Oz.” Like Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz”, we’re looking around and seeing that everything is different. Everything we once took for granted and considered normal has been fundamentally transformed and usually not for the better.

But God is allowing it all, even if He isn’t orchestrating chaos, as He is not a God of chaos.

Have you noted recent major stories and how they confirm the words of those of us saying that things aren’t falling apart, they are falling in place. Stories like . . .

• Russia and Iran co-operating and conspiring (Ezekiel 38-39).
• Gog is stirring. Russia has been relatively quiet for decades, but now Vladimir Putin is on the move.
• With ISIS marching towards Damascus, Syria is begging Israel to fulfill Isaiah 17.
• The United Nations, Barack Obama, the Pope, and many more, are clamoring for global government (Revelation 13). All of these men may have interesting assignments in the kingdom of Antichrist.
• Because of the increase of wickedness, love is growing cold. (Matthew 24:12) Can you say Planned Parenthood? Have we returned to those predicted “days of Noah” where such evil as this was rampant? (Matthew 24:37)
• How about those “perilous times” (II Timothy 3)? Who other than deluded, power-drunk men and women, would give billions of dollars and nuke capacity to the mullahs who want to bring international chaos on the world so their Mahdi can return? Why would Westerners give such power to ayatollahs who want to ignite EMPs above the free world and send us back to the 1800s? Does the Mad Hatter rule?
• Yet world leaders are crying in a Chamberlain-esque manner, “peace and safety!” (I Thess 5:3) They are calling evil good (Isaiah 5:20). Lighting the spark for Armageddon is good. Wiping out Israel is good. Making Iran the Mid East power is good. Allowing mad mullahs to mount nukes on their ICBMs, aimed at Western capitals, is good. This is leading to world peace! And the world will be one. Strong delusion!
• Europe is imploding. Barack Obama has dismantled America. The world is fundamentally transformed,thus it is awaiting a man, somewhere in the shadows, known as the Antichrist. He will make things right, turn darkness into day, re-distribute wealth, and more.As Paul Henri Spaak, former Secretary General of NATO, said of a future “Mr. Fix-It,” if he could lift us out of an economic morass, “be he god or devil, we will receive him.” Note the adoration of Pope Francis. This is a foreshadowing. He is warranting the largest security effort in U.S. history. You would think he represents the Second Coming.
• Apostasy is so bad in many churches that people no longer attend church (II Timothy 4:3).
  The predicted evil is rising (II Timothy 3). The Hindu goddess Khali was beamed onto the Empire State Building a month ago. Perhaps she is the new matriarch of America, replacing our founders’ dream of a God-inspired America.
• And ALL nations are having “distress with perplexity” (Luke 21:28). ALL nations have dilemmas for which there are simply no solutions which is the meaning of “distress with perplexity”.

I could go on and on but you get the point. We can’t let breaking news interpret the Bible but we can see that a newspaper in one hand and a Bible in the other is complimentary. This doesn’t have to be newspaper exegesis.

Scripture says that when we see these things BEGIN to happen, we are to lift up our heads and know that our redemption draws nigh. That BEGAN to happen in 1948with the re-birth of Israel. How much closer are we now?

Everyone who is watching the signs of the times has a sense of urgency. A sense that there is a countdown. A sense that things are not the same and will never be the same again.

And we don’t have a yellow brick road that leads to a fantasy-land where all the good times will resume, but we do have our Heavenly Home where all things are perfect.