In our last post Brother B. was pondering the latter half of the Apostles statement found in 2 Thess 2 1-4, -“Who sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” Asked,

How could Papacy fulfill this? The temple at Jerusalem had been destroyed hundreds of years before Papacy’s rule.

A. The temple of God is the dwelling or abode of God. Once He dwelt in the Jewish temple, but at the death of Jesus the vail of the temple was rent in twain and the glory of the Lord departed, and from that time it ceased to be, really, the temple of God. For fifty days there was no temple on earth; but, “When Pentecost was fully come,” the Lord descended by his spirit, and his glory and presence filled His New Temple, the gospel church. “Know you not that you are the temple of God?” 1 Cor 3:16; Eph 2:21, 22.

There has been no other temple since, and there never will be another, (despite what many believe and teach) for this one is an everlasting habitation. Any building which men may put up at Jerusalem might be called a temple, but it would not be THE temple of God.

The “Man of Sin,” – Papacy – did take his seat in God’s church (temple), and used in a blasphemous manner the titles and honors of the “King of Kings.” Paul tells us that the errors which led to this falling away from the truth had begun to operate in the church even in his day. It increased more rapidly when the churches’ “candlestick” was removed, – the special gifts of the Spirit in healing, discerning of spirits, etc., ceased. These let, or hindered the more rapid development of error in the Apostolic days. (Another hindrance was the pagan empire, and not until its decline could Papacy be exalted.)

B. It does seem to be a wonderful counterfeit of the true Kingdom of God, and I see some force in the Spirit’s calling it (2 Thess 2:11) strong delusion that they should believe a lie.

A. We find a clearly drawn picture of the Counterfeit of God’s Kingdom, in (Revelation Chapter 12.)

B. This chapter is quite peculiar, and is generally thought to be a picture of the establishment of the true kingdom. However, this view involves a contradiction.

A. It does, and for this reason it has been considered one of the most difficult chapters of this difficult book. Let us examine carefully:

“The Woman, clothed with the Sun,” is the Gospel church, covered with the precious promises of God and the glorious light of truth. The Moon is the reflection of the Sun’s brightness, so the Law or Jewish age was a shadow of the Gospel. It was light, but not the real, only reflected light. The woman had the Moon under her feet.

She had reached a higher plane, and yet she rested upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets. The diadem of twelve stars, representing the Apostles (Verse 3). The Roman Empire having seven heads (Rome’s seven successive and distinct forms of government), and ten horns (divisions of power).

“The red dragon,” Pagan Rome, persecuted the church. “His tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and did cast them to the earth.” “Stars of heaven,” – the bright ones or ministers and teachers in the church. The dragon’s tail draws them, i.e., these become followers of Pagan Rome in hopes of having favor with the empire and escaping persecution. As a result, they lose their position as stars in the true church, and are “cast to the earth.”

Persecuted and reviled, she was pained to be delivered, and longed for the completion of the promised “Seed of the woman which should bruise the serpent’s head.” Her anxiety and desire in this direction produced a pre-mature birth – “The Man of Sin” (the papal hierarchy) being the offspring. This “male child,” at first a weak one (A.D. 314), was gradually “caught up unto God and to his throne,” or exalted to the position and titles, homage and praise of the true “seed,” so that “He as God sat in the temple (church) of God, showing himself that he is God.” And within three hundred years he did “Rule the nations with a rod of iron.

Verse 7 “And there was war in heaven;” – i.e., there was a conflict or controversy between the two elements – the church and the empire – when this son of the church attempted to take the ruling position. (This conflict and casting down continued for several hundred years, or until about A.D. 752, when “In the pontificate of Zachary, the German court decided that no Metropolitan could enter upon his functions without the approval of the pontiff.” “In the same year, Pepin asked the sanction of the Pope to ascend the throne of France.”) “Michael and his angels” – the papacy and its supporters – fought against the dragon – pagan rulers, etc., – and the great dragon was cast out of heaven. This conflict between Papal and Pagan power resulted, as we have seen, in the overthrow of the latter.

We continue with this discussion in our next post.