I liked your post and can’t say there was anything other than ‘The Vatican’s historical role’
It made sense to me what you shared about counterfeits. Where my hesitation comes in is, while yes, what you shared concerning the Vatican is a great observation. I can also see the origin could also be the adulteress woman who sits a queen and says she is no widow and how much she glorifies herself. Jerusalem? That takes me to Romans 7 where Paul tries to tell them they are crucified with Christ. Dead and the Life they now Live, they Live in Christ to bring forth fruit unto God. Yet the adulterous Woman keeps denying, saying, “I am no Widow!”
I also struggle with the sole focus being on the Vatican as the “Vicar of Christ" and the doctrine of papal infallibility.” Because we all sometimes act like “the vicar of Christ” and the doctrine we speak as infallible. It’s a mindset (Imo). As I explained earlier how it even goes back to the times of pyramids being built. is the Vatican just a drop in the bucket…and the overall picture isn’t about pointing fingers but instead vanity, pride and emptiness in seeking things that never satisfy. That includes us all.
Thank you for your thoughts! No, I don’t see the little horn (papacy / harlot) either temporary or insignificant.
In fact, he / they represent the actors in Daniel and Revelation that go against God and His people - and His people are both Jew and Greek that have accepted Him as their Lord and Savior.
After the cross, His apostles went out into the pagan Roman Empire to preach the Good News to the Gentiles. The church grew exponentially, and by the 300 AD time, the church was dominated by Gentiles who also wanted nothing to do with the Jews. Effectively, the church was almost all Gentiles run by the 4 major Christian centers in the Empire (Rome, Alexandria, Jerusalem and Antioch), that were ruled by a powerful bishop and his team of priests, etc. Each of the 4 centers wanted to become the head of the Christian church.
In 467 AD, or around that time, pagan Rome would see its demise (Daniel 7:11). Now, the power struggle became real and the bishop of Rome, with the decree by Justinian in 538 AD was made head over the entire church AND they also took over control of all secular matters (they merged church and state). They brought in pagan practices, changed or altered the 10 commandments, declared the pope as “divine “ or God on earth, and idols, so many things that deviated from God’s Word. They placed the pope as their Lord center of worship over God. He claimed divinity, infallibility, could even forgive sin and the only way to heaven is through the Universal / Catholic Church.
So, can you see just how far their teachings and practices and doctrines conflict DEEPLY with the Word of God? If one were to write on a piece of paper all the things NOT TO DO in worshipping God, their list would be quite revealing.
So this little horn rose to power AFTER the cross. He came into existence only as a result of the cross- he was part of the converted Gentiles that came to dominate the church and appropriated His 10 commandments and then preach a very different Gospel. And all of this was prophesied in Daniel 7 and 8. This is the one that must continue until the end when God will destroy him without human hands.
In Revelation, the little horn is the harlot that sits atop the beast - the beast being the papal Roman system that replaced pagan Rome after their demise and became “exceedingly powerful” - Daniel.
In Revelation, he is also represents the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse. Each of the 4 horsemen describes the different ways they will go against God’s kingdom on earth.
I think I have gone off on a tangent… but I think you can see how this “little horn” continues until the very end.
