September 29: BUILDING IN THE DARKNESS
He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. Daniel 11:37
The king of the North claims to be built on the early New Testament Church. To understand the statement above is to know the identity of the true and only God. Failure to regard Him above all is the greatest of tragedies and carries with it a heavy load of accountability, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them (Romans 1:19). Lack of regard cannot be compared to a passive or innocent form of ignorance; it falls into a category of deliberately ignoring and actively despising; a revelation of the spirit of Satan. Contrast this with those he will show regard for in v.30: those who forsake the holy covenant.
Let us consider the identity of fathers here. Paul explained to the church in Ephesus that their faith in Christ rendered them no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:19). Our founding fathers are the apostles and prophets. The apostle John, as he attempted to describe his incredibly beautiful vision of the heavenly New Jerusalem, wrote: Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Revelation 21:14).
The papal system speaks of continuity with the early church, claiming Peter as the first “pope”, but this is not supported by Scripture. The truth that Peter spoke when he said to Jesus, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16) was affirmed by the Lord: on this rock [the truth of My identity] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it (v.18). The church is built by directing people to Christ, as Peter brilliantly stated in his address to the crowds on the Day of Pentecost (see Acts 2:14-41).
Just as Paul argued that descent from Abraham does not guarantee salvation, a supposed link to the early church does not guarantee faithfulness to its teachings. What truly defines a successor to the apostles is fidelity to their message and doctrine. DOUG BATCHELOR
What does no regard for the desire of women look like? One of the many departures from Scripture within the fallen system of the king of the North is the teaching that forbids priests to marry: Whoever shall affirm that the conjugal state is to be preferred to a life of virginity or celibacy… let him be accursed.* Paul wrote to Timothy: Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry (1 Timothy 4:1-3a). It is crucial to measure all human doctrines and traditions against the Word of God, also known as the law and testimony.
To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isaiah 8:20
*History documents homosexual relationships among Catholic clergy, including priests and popes, during the Dark Ages. There are also records of priests engaging in heterosexual relationships and fathering children. More recent discoveries involve the extensive victimization of children. While there are examples of such behaviors across the board, it is tragic that there are attempts to “normalize” behaviors that break the heart of God. The ordaining of gay clergy is only the “tip of the iceberg”.