We continue with the subject of,

The Millennium and the End of Sin

In our previous post we were considering the “war” for the ecclesiastical or religious heavens, between the two elements of society vying for control. Previous to this time this power or control was held in the hands of the dragon or Imperial Rome with the emperor referred to as Pontifex Maximus (the Chief Religious Ruler), and in such capacity he wore the red cardinal flamens (priest’) hat and even had his own priesthood. The emperor, therefore, was both the civil and the religious head of the empire, but now a second element was on the rise and contending for the position of chief religious’ ruler. As we had seen in our previous post the Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2 was outlining this conflict, and had insisted that it would precede the day of the Lord, (the second advent). He states:

VERSE 3-4 “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 (the Papacy, the Antichrist) 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 “Michael”) in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

The various declarations and boastful claims (“pompous words”) made by the various popes throughout the age leave little doubt as to whom the “Man of Sin”, the Antichrist is.

“The pope holds the place of the true God,” declared Pope Innocent III (A.D. 1198-1216).

Pope Nicholas (A.D. 858-867) boasted, “What can you make me but God?” and Ferrar’s (Roman Catholic) Ecclesiastical Dictionary states, “The Pope is, as it were, God on Earth…”

The pope opposed and exalted himself “above all that is called God” by claiming to rule as vicegerent in Christ’s stead.

VERSE 5-6 “Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.”

Pagan or Imperial Rome “withheld [restrained]” Papacy from developing for a time. (In the early Church the apostles themselves were a deterrent, for they could read the hearts of professed Christians.) Pagan Rome ruled with both civil and ecclesiastical power over its subjects, the latter through its pagan priesthood. Therefore, Papacy did not prosper or grow in an ostensible (apparent or conspicuous) fashion until the day of Constantine (the early 300s).

When he became emperor, his adoption of Christianity was a big step for the development of the man of sin. Then in 539 A.D. the Roman emperor Justinian acknowledged the right of the Church of Rome to be the head in all ecclesiastical matters, while he was head in all civil matters.

VERSE 7 “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.”

It was the Apostle Paul, the angel (messenger) to Ephesus, the first stage of the Church, who made this statement.

The Apostle John, who was the messenger to Smyrna, the second stage of the Church, said,

“Every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that IT should come; and even now already is IT in the world” (1 John 4:3).

The “IT,” the Antichrist system, was an outgrowth of false doctrine, which our Lord spoke of in Matt 13:25,

“But while men [the apostles] slept, his [Jesus’] enemy [Satan] came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.”

Satan’s attempts did not prosper until after the apostles had died; that is, in the third or Pergamos period, Antichrist rose to power and then reigned in Thyatira, the fourth stage of the Church.

That which “restrains” (in Verse 6) and “he [it] who now letteth (or hinders) in Verse 7, both refer to Imperial (or Pagan) Rome.

“He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” Pagan Rome became divided when the emperor moved the capital from Rome to Constantinople. He thought the new site, the midpoint between the East and West of that day, was a better location. However, there was such an attachment to Rome that when the emperor and his authority moved, the door was open for Antichrist to prosper in Rome in the emperor’s stead.

Rev 13:2 describes, in symbol, Imperial Rome’s being “taken out of the way” when the capital was moved to Constantinople:

“The dragon gave him [the papal beast] his power, and his seat, and great authority.”

Thus, as we read,

“And war broke out in heaven (the ecclesiastical heavens): Michael (the Papacy) and his angels (messengers, servants) fought with the dragon (Pagan Rome); and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven (the ecclesiastical or religious heavens) any longer.” Rev 12:7-8

Continued with next post.