And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Luke 4:5-8
Notice in this account above that Jesus did not deny that Satan held control over all the political kingdoms of the world – but still, Jesus rejected Satan’s offer.He not only refused – but told Satan to go away.
Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
“Satan is actively involved in the political process. In fact, he said to Christ, “I will give you all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomsoever I wish. Therefore if you worship before me it shall all be yours” (Luke 4:6-7).
The book of Daniel teaches that there are wicked spirits who are assigned to various leaders. There is no question that some world leaders are but tools of the devil.”-Studies in Revelation
By: J. Hampton Keathley, III , Th.M. The Description of Religious Babylon (17:1-6a)
WHAT DID THE POPES ACCEPT – WHAT JESUS REJECTED ?
THESE SAME “WORLDLY” GOVERNMENTS WERE OFFERED TO THE POPES AND THEY ACCEPTED.
“Get away from me, Satan,” was Jesus’ reply.
This same friend returned after three hundred years, and, leading the pontiff to the summit of the Roman hill, showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. All these, said he, will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” No second denial awaited the tempter: instantly the knee was bent, and the pontiff raised his head crowned with the tiara.” – History of the Papacy by Rev. J.A. Wylie, LL.D. Book I – Chapter III Rise and Progress of the Temporal Sovereignty.
“The mighty Catholic Church was little more then the Roman Empire baptized.” – A. C, Flick, The Rise of the Mediaeval Church, 1909 edition, p. 148.
Ashgate Publications, Variorum Collected Studies Series, 2001. ISBN: 0 86078 840 7.
“The Bishop of Rome, in the seat of the Caesars, was now the greatest man in the West, and would soon become the political as well as the spiritual head.” -A.C. Flick, The Rise of the Mediaval Church; p. 168.
“As heirs of the Roman imperial government, enthroned in the first capital of the Empire, the popes developed and extended such rights, as they believed were granted them…they created a doctrine that the pope of Rome was supreme over both Church and State.” -Myrio Biblos Library; Milton V. Anastos Chapter 23; The popes and temporal power: Summary and epilogue Aspects of the Mind of Byzantium; M.Anastos (Political Theory, Theology, and Ecclesiastical Relations with the See of Rome), Ashgate Publications, Variorum Collected Studies Series, 2001. ISBN: 0 86078 840 7.
“Whatever Roman elements the barbarians and Aryans left…came under the protection of the Bishop of Rome, who was the chief person there after the Emperor’s disappearance. The Roman Church in this way privily pushed itself into the place of the Roman World-Empire, of which it is the actual continuation; the empire has not perished, but has only undergone a ransformation. The Catholic Church is a political creation, and as imposing as a World-Empire, because it is a continuation of the Roman Empire. The Pope, who calls himself ‘King’ and ‘Pontifex Maximus’ [the title of the Roman Emperor in the time of Christ], is Caesar’s successor.” –Adolf Harnack; What is Christianity? 1963, pp. 269-270.
“thus…commenced the temporal sovereignty of the popes. Stepping to the throne of Caesar, the vicar of Christ took up the scepter to which the emperors and kings of Europe were to bow in reverence through so many ages.” –American Catholic Quarterly Review, April, 1911.
–Andrea Lagarde, The Latin Church in the Middle Ages, 1915, p. vi.
“At almost every stage of the development since the end of the second century, we find the pope of Rome seeking to exercise authority of universal scope and demanding recognition as sole and absolute ruler.” -Myrio Biblos Library; Milton V. Anastos Chapter 23; The popes and temporal power: Summary and epilogue Aspects of the Mind of Byzantium; M.Anastos (Political Theory, Theology, and Ecclesiastical Relations with the See of Rome), Ashgate Publications, Variorum Collected Studies Series, 2001. ISBN: 0 86078 840 7.
“…the Roman Pontiff, is the Vicar of…the earth …the world and all that dwell therein, the fullest authority… in not only the spiritual but also the material sword, and so he can transfer sovereignties, break scepters and remove crowns.” -[Catholic Dictionary, p 258]
“The Pope is one of the greatest fiscal powers in the world.” -[The Vatican Empire, p.8]
BLASPHEMOUS TITLESBESTOWED UPON THE POPES
“The Pope is – as it were – God on earth, sole sovereign of the faithful of Christ, chief of kings, having plenitude of power, to whom has been entrusted by the omnipotent God direction not only of the earthly but also of the heavenly kingdom. The Pope is of so great authority and power that he can modify, explain, or interpret even divine laws.” – [Luclus Ferraris, Vol 6, p.26]
II Thess. 2:4, “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”
“The Roman Pontiff has from on high an authority which is supreme, above all others and subject to none. -[Pope Pius XI said in his Encyclical, Light of Truth, page 5]
“The Popes hold upon this earth the place of God almighty.” – [Pope Leo XIII, Great Encyclical Letters, 304]
“…the Roman Pontiff…requires complete submission and obedience of will to the church and to the Roman Pontiff as to God Himself.” -[Great Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII, p. 193]
“They have assumed infallibility, which belongs only to God. They profess to forgive sins,
which belongs only to God. They profess to open and shut heaven, which belongs only to God. They profess to be higher than all the kings of the earth. which belongs only to God. And they go beyond God in pretending to loose whole nations from their oath of allegiance to
their kings, when such kings do not please them. And they go against God, when they give indulgences for sin. This is the worst of all blasphemies.” – Taken from -ADAMCLARKE, commentary, on Daniel 7:25
A BITTER AND SAD CONTRAST “FEET” AND “RING” KISSSING
- King Albert II of Belgium kneels before the Pontius Maximus of the Holy Roman Empire
- Prince Albert bowing down and kissing the hand of the Pope
- Former Mexican President kissing the Pope’s ring
(Matthew 23:12)(NIV)-BibleGateway
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