666 The Number of the Beast-Vicar of the Son of God, Vicarius Filiii Dei

666 The Number of the Beast

The following is a transcript from a lecture from Pastor Stephen Bohr entitled “666 The Number of the Beast”. I pray that you might find some time to watch Pastor Bohr’s lectures as I have always found his talks to be informative, and in harmony with scripture. These studies on the two beast’s from Revelation, as well as “The Image to the Beast”, “The Number of the Beast”, and “The Mark of the Beast” are an absolute must watch series, and you will learn volumes if you invest some time in watching these video’s, and then studying the attached transcripts. Pastor Bohr heads a media based ministry called Secrets Unsealed and you can visit his website by clicking here.

666 The Number of the Beast

Let’s bow our heads for prayer.

Our Loving Heavenly Father, Once again we come into Your presence with humble hearts, with the spirit of learners wanting to hear Your voice speaking to us.

Our thoughts can never reach the height of Your thoughts, and therefore we implore divine wisdom. We ask, Lord, that You will give us tender hearts to receive the message that you have for us today.

And we thank You for hearing our prayer, for we ask it in the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

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13 666-The Number of the Beast Pastor Stephen Bohr

666 The number of the Beast In our topic today we’re going to study about the number of the beast.
And I’d like to begin by reading a text that we find in Revelation 13:1, Revelation 13:1.
This is the passage that begins the description of the sea beast, which we have already identified as the Roman Catholic papacy; not individuals within the system. We’re talking about a system; we’re talking about an organization.

And we’ve already clearly identified, from the Bible, that this beast that rises from the sea represents the Roman Catholic papacy.

It says there in Revelation 13: 1,speaking about this beast:

“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.”

So as we begin our study we want to notice that the name of the beast is a blasphemous name.
The blasphemous name is found on the beast’s heads. Now in order to understand what this blasphemous name is, we must, first of all, understand the Biblical definition of blasphemy.

Do we have a clear definition in the Bible of what blasphemy consists of?

The answer to this question is absolutely yes. 666 The Number of the Beast

In the Bible blasphemy is when a mere man claims to be God, and when a mere man claims to have the power to perform the works of God. 666 The Number of the Beast

And we’re going to take a look at several instances in Scripture where blasphemy is described in this manner. Once again, blasphemy is the Bible means a man, a mere man, who claims to be God, and secondly, that mere man claims to be able to perform the works of God, and exercise in his actions the power of God.

One time Jesus said something very controversial. It’s found in John 10:30. This is what He said to the Jews that were listening to Him. 666 The Number of the Beast

“I and my Father are one.”

And we’re told in the context that the Jews immediately picked up stones to cast at Jesus. Because, you see, Leviticus 24: 16 clearly said, and they knew this, that whoever claimed to be one with the Father, in the sense that Jesus was saying it, was claiming to be God. And the Levitical law said that whoever claimed to be God needed to be stoned.

And so when they picked up stones, Jesus asked them a question. He said, Why do you want to stone Me? What evil work have I done that justifies you stoning Me? And notice what their response was in John 10:33, John 10:33. 666 The Number of the Beast

“The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”

What is blasphemy? It’s when a mere man claims to be what? God. Now Jesus was God. He had a right to claim to be God. But according to them, blasphemy is when a mere man claims to be God. 666 The Number of the Beast

Also blasphemy is when someone claims to be able to perform the works of God. Immediately after Jesus said, I and My Father are One. Jesus claimed also to perform the works of His Father. Notice John 10:36-39, John 10: 36-39. Jesus says:

“Do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified, and sent into the world, You are blaspheming; because I said I am the Son of God? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me. But if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works: that you may know, and believe, that the Father is in Me, and I am in Him. Therefore they sought again to seize Him: but He escaped out of their hand.”

So, notice, the definition that Scripture gives of blasphemy is when a mere man claims to be God, and claims to perform the works of God, or manifests in his actions the power of God. 666 The Number of the Beast

Now it’s interesting to notice also that the Jews accused Jesus of blasphemy, because He claimed to be the Son of God. Now all of the Jews believed that they were Sons of God in a general sense of the word. But they knew that when Jesus was saying that He was the Son of God, what He was meaning is that He was the representative of God on earth; that He was the authorized spokesman for God If you please, Jesus was claiming to be the Vicar of God. or the Vicarious Filii Dei, the representative of God on earth. 666 The Number of the Beast

Now it’s interesting to notice also that blasphemy is defined in Scripture as when a mere man claims to have the power to forgive sins. Not only when a mere man claims to be God, but also when he claims to exercise the power and prerogatives of God. Notice Mark 2:7. 666 The Number of the Beast

Jesus meets a paralytic, and He says to the paralytic, Your sins are forgiven. By the way, this took place in the city of Capernaum. And the Jews immediately, when Jesus said, Your sins are forgiven, they thought in their hearts, according to Mark 2:7, You see, they were thinking, If this man forgives sins, and only God can forgive sins, this man is claiming to be God. So blasphemy is when a man claims to be God, and claims to be able to perform the functions and the prerogatives of God.

Notice 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4. This is another passage that’s speaking about the antichrist. By the way, the man of sin in 2 Thessalonians 2, is the same as the beast from the sea, is the same as the little horn, is the same as the abomination of desolation, and the same as the harlot of Revelation 17. In other words, these are different symbols that point to the same power. The man of sin is the same as the little horn, the same as the beast. 666 The Number of the Beast

Notice 2 Thessalonians 2, 3, and 4, what the antichrist does. It says there:

“3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Which is the coming of Christ. A better translation is: the apostasy. In Greek it says, apostasia. So it should be translated: So is this a mere man that is revealed? Yes, it’s a mere man, right? 666 The Number of the Beast

What is one of the main characteristics of the antichrist? He sits in the temple of God, and he claims to be what? He claims to be God. And, by the way, what is the temple of God? The temple of God is not the Jewish temple, which supposedly is going to be rebuilt in the Middle East. The temple of God, according to every other passage in the writings of the apostle Paul, represents the Christian church. 666 The Number of the Beast

Now I want you to notice also that this antichrist of 2 Thessalonians 2, not only claims to be God, but he also claims to have the power of God, to exercise the power of God. Notice in the same passage, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, speaking about this same individual who sits in the temple of God, showing himself to be God. It says there:

“Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,”

Let me ask you, Is this antichrist only going to claim to be God, or is he going to apparently do the works, the powerful works of God? Evidently he’s also performing the works of God, although he is a mere man; he’s the man of sin. By the way, the only other time in the New Testament where these three words appear together in one verse: power, signs, and wonders, is in Acts 2:22. I want to read that verse because I’m going to show you that what the antichrist is going to do is falsify the works that Jesus performed while He was on this earth. Notice Acts 2:22: Men of Israel. This is Peter speaking. 666 The Number of the Beast

“Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:”

Did Jesus perform the power and the acts of God? He most certainly did. Is the antichrist going to perform works that appear to be the works of God? Absolutely! Because he claims to be what? God. But these aren’t the only passages that describe blasphemy. You remember that little horn of Daniel 7? We read verse 25. And one of the characteristics of the little horn is that this horn speaks pompous words against the Most High. Daniel 7:25, He speaks pompous words against the Most High.

The question is, What are those pompous words that this little horn speaks? Revelation 13:5 defines what those words are. It says in Revelation 13:5 that the beast that comes from the sea was given a mouth that speaks…

“And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.”

So what does the little horn speak? He speaks blasphemies. What does the beast speak? blasphemies. Must that mean then that the little horn, and the beast claimed to have God on earth, and claimed to have the power to forgive sins, and also perform many of God’s other functions? Absolutely! But this isn’t all. In Daniel 8 we have something very, very interesting. And by the way, before we go to Daniel 8, let me just mention that in Daniel 7 this little horn also thinks that he can perform the works of God. Because it says that the little horn not only speaks blasphemies against God, but he actually thinks that he has power to change God’s times, and God’s what? and God’s Holy Law. In other words, he’s not only claiming to be God, he’s claiming to exercise the functions, and the power of God. 666 The Number of the Beast

Then, of course, we have Daniel 8. Daniel 8 speaks also about a little horn. This little horn represents the same as the little horn of Daniel 7. But the interesting thing is that in Daniel 8 this little horn is not mentioned as speaking blasphemies against God. Do you know what the little horn does in Daniel 8? This is extremely interesting. What the little horn does is he tries to supplant the prince of the host. 666 The Number of the Beast

Do you know who the prince of the host is? The prince of the host is Jesus Christ. You can read, for example, Joshua 5:13-15 where the same expression, prince of the host, is used. And you’re going to find that the prince of the host is none other than Jesus Christ. And so in Daniel 8 we’re told that the little horn was going to try and take away the functions of Jesus, defined as the daily. 666 The Number of the Beast

Do you know what the daily is? I wish I had time to give a whole lecture on the daily. The daily has to do with the functions that the priest performed in the court and in the holy place. The sacrifice in the court was to be offered morning, and evening, daily. The lamps in the holy place were to burn, daily. The bread was to be there, daily. And the incense, which represents the prayers of the saints, was to go up daily, or continually. In other words, the little horn was going to take away from Jesus these functions, and he was going to appropriate these functions to himself. He was going to think that he could occupy the place of Jesus Christ.

Are you understanding what blasphemy is according to Scripture? There’s an abundant amount of testimony in the Bible of what constitutes blasphemy. Now the question is, does the Roman Catholic papacy claim, or has it claimed, in the past, that the Pope is God on earth? Absolutely! Let me just read you a sampling of statements. I could give you more, but we don’t have the time to read them all. This is from the prestigious commentary, Roman Catholic Commentary, Lucius Ferraris, Prompta Bibliotheca, in the article, Papa, or Pope. Notice what he has to say: 666 The Number of the Beast

“The Pope can modify Divine Law, since his power is not of man, but of god, and he acts in the place of God on the earth, with the fullest power of binding and loosing his sheep”

His power is what? Now notice this: Notice that this Roman Catholic Encyclopedia says that the Pope occupies the place of God.

Pope Nicholas I, who ruled from 858 to 867 A.D., had this to say about the power of the pope’s. He says:

“It is evident that the Popes can neither be bound nor unbound by any earthly power, nor even by that of the apostle if he were to return upon the earth; since Constantine the Great has recognised that the pontiffs held the place of God upon earth, divinity no being able to be judged by any man. We are, then, infallible, and whatever may be our acts, we are not accountable for them but to ourselves.”

Now listen to this.That’s blasphemy, folks. It continues saying: Notice what Pope Leo XIII had to say in an Encyclical Letter. The name of the Encyclical Letter was on, The Chief Duties of Christians as Citizens. It’s dated January 10, 1890. Notice what he said. This is more contemporary. 666 The Number of the Beast

“But the supreme teacher in the church is the Roman pontiff. Union of minds, therefore, requires with a perfect accord in the one faith complete submission and obedience of will to the church and to the Roman pontiff, as to God himself.”

By the way, that’s another name for the Pope. And Leo XIII also said, in an Encyclical Letter dated June 20, 1894. He said unabashedly, 666 The Number of the Beast

“We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty.”

Time and again you’ll find in the writings of Roman Catholics expressions that apply to the Pope calling him Vicar of Christ, Vice Regent of Christ, Representative of Christ, and yes, Vicar of the Son of God. Do you know the Popes have claimed throughout the course of history to perform the functions of God? I don’t have time to get into all of this. You have these texts on your sheets. But he claims to have the power to forgive sins. He claims to have the power to set up kings, and to remove kings.

Daniel 2 says that that’s God’s prerogative to place kings, and to remove kings. He claims to have the prerogative of being bowed down to. He accepts the title, Holy Father. He believes that he can execute the death penalty upon dissenters. He’s said that he had power to change the Sabbath to Sunday. He’s felt that it’s okay to change God’s prophetic calendar. They claim to be God’s supreme judges on earth. And they also claim to be infallible expositors of God’s will in faith and morals. Now folks, all of those things in the Bible are prerogatives of God. 666 The Number of the Beast

If the papacy claims to have had this power, it’s because they’re usurping the title, and they’re usurping the power of God. Now let me read you some blasphemous statements from a book by St. Alphonsus Liguori. He is one of the few doctors of the Roman Catholic Church. There are very few of those. Thomas Aquinas was another. And there’s a handful of other ones. But he did a compendium of all of the Roman Catholic wisdom on what the power of the priest is. And I want to read a statement from his book, Dignity and Duties of the Priest or Selva. This is Page 28. He says this: 666 The Number of the Beast

“Were the redeemer to descend into a church and sit in the confessional to administer the sacrament of penance, and the priest to sit in another confessional, Jesus would say over each penitent “Ego te absolvo” the priest would likewise say over each of his penitents “Ego te absolvo”, and the penitents of each would be equally absolved.”

You know what the confessional is, right? You know what that means? those who haven’t been Roman Catholics? It means that you go to the confessional. You confess your sin and the priest says, Ego te absolvo, in other words, I forgive you. So it says: That means I forgive you. Here’s another statement. It gets worse. 666 The Number of the Beast

Listen, when the priest claims to have the power to transform the bread and the wine into the real body and blood of Jesus, notice what St. Alphonsus Liguori says: That is, this is my body. Now listen to this:

“Thus the priest may, in a certain manner, be call the creator of his creator, since by saying the words of consecration, he creates, as it were, Jesus in the sacrament, by giving him a sacramental existence, and produces him as a victim to be offered to the eternal father. As in creating the world it was sufficient for God to have said, let it be made, and it was created, he spoke and they were made so it was sufficient for the priest to say “Hoc est corpus meum’ and behold the bread is no longer bread, but the body of Jesus Christ. ‘The power of the priest’, says St Bernardine of Sienna, is the ‘Power of the divine person, for the transubstantiation of the bread requires as much power as the creation of the world.

That’s blasphemy, according to Scripture. By the way, that’s on Pages 33 and 34 of his book, The Dignity and Duties of the Priest or Selva. Let me read you one more from the same book, Page 34. 666 The Number of the Beast

“When he ascended into heaven, Jesus Christ left his priests after him to hold on earth his place as mediator between God and men, particularly on the alter. The priest holds the place of the saviour himself, when, by saying ‘Ego te absolvo,’ he absolves from sin.”

That means, I forgive you. Or he forgives sins. Is that blasphemy according to Scripture? That is absolutely blasphemy.

And this system claims to have the power of God, and claims to be able to exercise the prerogatives of God.

Now you notice when we began this evening, that it says that the beast has a blasphemous name. And some people have said, Well, you know, that’s not saying that he had a blasphemous title. It’s saying that he had a blasphemous name, so it must be a proper name. Not so, because in the book of Revelation name can also refer to a title. And you say, How is that? Go with me to Revelation Revelation 19:16. This is speaking about Jesus. I just want to show you that the name doesn’t have to be a proper name. It doesn’t have to be the name of a specific pope; proper name. It refers to a title. Notice Revelation 19:16.

“And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Let me ask you, Is that a proper name, or is that a title? That is a title. So when it says that the beast has a name, the name is not a proper name, it is a title. Now did you notice that the name has a number? You say, the name has a number? We didn’t read that. 666 The Number of the Beast

Well, let’s go to Revelation 13: 17. The name is a blasphemous name. Are you clear on that point? The name is a blasphemous name. Now we’re going to notice that the name has a number.

“And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

So does the blasphemous name of the beast have a number? It most certainly has a number. You say, Well, Pastor Bohr, how do you get the number from a name? If this name has a number, (which, by the way, we’re going to notice is 666), how do you get a number from a name? Let me explain. 666 The Number of the Beast

In Biblical times they did not have Aerobic numerals like we have today. The way that they wrote numbers was by using letters of the alphabet. That’s true in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. And it’s called gematria, that’s the method of using letters of the alphabet as numbers. Let me give you an example. The word for cross in the New Testament is stauros.If you add up the value of the letters in Greek, because it’s a Greek word, the value of the word cross is 777. That’s interesting. Now if you add up the number value of the letters in the name Jesus, Yesus, the value is 888. And if you add up the letters in Greek… See, we’re not cheating. We’re not applying Greek to English, or Latin to Italian. No, we’re using the name, in the language, in the number system of the language. The word paradosis, which means tradition, the number value is 666, interestingly enough, the word tradition.

Now how do we find the numerical value of the name of the beast? Well, allow me to read from a few versions here what we need to do in order to determine the number of his name. I want to read from the Living Bible. I don’t normally read from paraphrases, but this paraphrase I believe is very, very faithful to the original text; to the meaning of the original text. Notice what the Living Bible says on Revelation 13:18, where it speaks about counting the name of the beast, and the name has a number. It says; this is the translation. 666 The Number of the Beast

“Here is a puzzle that calls for careful thought to solve it, let those who are able, interpret this code: The numerical values of the letters in his name add to 666”

Did you catch that? The numerical value of the letters in his name adds up to 666. Notice the way the New English Bible, which is a kind of a dynamic translation of the Bible, the New English Bible says: 666 The Number of the Beast

“The number represents a mans name, and the numerical value of its letters is six hundred and sixty six.”

Even the Roman Catholic Douay version has a footnote that says this:

“The numeral letters of his name shall make up this number.”

So even the Roman Catholic version says what you have to do is find the number value of the letters of his name, and then you know what the number of his name is. 666 The Number of the Beast

Now I want you to notice another characteristic that we find of this beast with this number. Notice Revelation 13:18.

“Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666.”

Now let me tell you something about that expression, It is the number of a man. Really, the word man has the indefinite article A, but it’s not in the original language. It can be translated, It is the number of man.In other words, this is a system that is centered in man. By the way, isn’t it interesting that many of these antichrist passages have the emphasis upon man. For example, the little horn has eyes like a man. This system has the number of a man. And the one who sits in the temple of God is the man of sin. In other words, this is a system that centers on man; that majors on man.It claims the prerogatives of God, but it brings honor and glory to man.

Now we want to ask the question, in what language should we use to determine the value of the letters of the name? You say, Well, how do we know which language to use? Should we use the Greek number system to determine the meaning of the name? Should we use the Hebrew system value of the letters? Should we use the Latin system of the value of the letters? How do you know which number system to use to determine the numerical value of the name? Well, the fact is there’s no doubt whatsoever that we need to use the Latin as the language to determine the number, and the name of this beast. And you say, Why Latin, Pastor Bohr? 666 The Number of the Beast

Well, for a very simple reason. You remember that there was a dragon in Revelation 12 that tried to kill the child as soon as the child was born? Let me ask you, What empire was ruling at that time? It was Rome. Then you read Revelation 13:2, and it says that the dragon gave his seat, and his power, and his authority to whom? To the beast. So let me ask you,

Where does the beast receive it’s authority from? He receives it from the dragon, and the dragon represents Satan, but also what? Rome. So, in other words, the beast, and the little horn, receive their power from Rome. By the way, the little horn also comes from the head of the dragon beast, which is Rome. In other words, this power, the little horn, or the beast, are from what nation? They are Roman powers, which means that we must use the system of what? the system of numbers that was used in Rome.

Now let me ask you, What number system was used in Rome? The system that is known as Roman Numerals. Now allow me to read a text from the New Testament to prove to you that Latin was spoken in the days of Christ. John 19:20 tells us that Latin was spoken. And don’t you think that I’m just saying, Well, you know, they spoke Latin way back then. No, I’m not saying that. The Bible says that Latin was the language of Rome back then. Notice John 19:20. It says:

“This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.”

So did Latin exist in the times of the Roman Empire? Yes, it was the official language of Rome.

Let me ask you, What is the official language of Papal Rome? Portuguese? No! The official language of Papal Rome is Latin.

Which means that his name must be a Latin name, because this is a Roman power and we must use Roman numerals to determine the number of his name. Are you understanding what I’m saying? Very, very important. Okay, now let me just digress a moment here, because I want to show you that the number 666 is very closely related to Rome.

You know, in antiquity, as I was mentioning, in Hebrew, and in Greek, they use letters to denote numbers. And they did the same thing in Latin, but they things around. Whereas in Greek, and in Hebrew, there were many, many of the letters of the alphabet that were equivalent to numbers, it wasn’t so in Latin. In Latin what they did was choose six Roman numerals to represent all numbers. You say, No, Pastor, there’s seven. There’s the I, the V, the X, the L the C and D Right? And the M, so there’s seven, there’s not six. But let me tell you that the original system, which was developed by the Latin poets, did not include the M. The M was added in the Middle Ages. The way that they used to write a thousand was not with an M. I have pictures of this. They would write two D’s side by side to indicate a thousand. 666 The Number of the Beast

And so the Latin poets established a system where there were six letters of the alphabet that were equivalent to numbers. And do you know what’s very interesting? If you add the six Roman numerals that were part of the original system; if you add 1 plus 5, plus 10, plus 50, plus 100, plus 500 the total of the Roman numerals is 666. This would seem to indicate they were supposed to look for the number 666 somewhere in Rome. Now a question that comes up is what is the name that this system has that this system applies to its leader, which is a blasphemous name? I’m going to tell you what the name is. The name is Vicarious Filli Dei. Do you know what that expression means, that name means in Latin, Vicarious Fillii Dei? It means Vicar of the Son of God. See, in Latin when you have an ending in I, Fellii, and Dei, it’s degenitive, it’s possessive. So basically it means Vicar, or representative, or one who takes the place of the Son of God. 666 The Number of the Beast

Now some people say, Well, you know, this is just, this name really is not a name that was given to the popes. It’s not an official name of the popes. It’s just Protestants that say that that was a name of the pope. Well, I want to go through some historical evidence to show you that it’s not so. For example, in the Donation of Constantine… I’m going to go through some history now, and you might not know a lot of this history, but I think it’s very, very important. In the Donation of Constantine we find the following words written in this document, which I’m going to talk to you a little bit more about in a few moments.

“As the blessed Peter was seen to have been constituted vicar of the son of God on earth, so the pontiffs who are the representatives of that same chief of the apostles should obtain from us and our empire the power of a supremacy greater than the clemency of our earthly imperial serenity is seen to have conceded to it “

Blessed Peter was what? constituted what?By the way, this was written in Latin, and the expression is: Vicarious Filiii Dei

Let me tell you a few things about the Donation of Constantine. It was actually, purportedly, a letter that was written by Constantine the Great, the Emperor to Pope Silvester I. And if you read the Donation of Constantine, you’ll see that Constantine apparently gave temporal power to the pope. He practically gave the pope unlimited temporal or political power in the Donation of Constantine. 666 The Number of the Beast

Now it’s interesting that this document was known as early as the 9th Century A.D. But beginning with the 11th Century A.D. it began to be used by the popes in order to prove that they had a right to govern not only in religious affairs, but they had the right to govern in political affairs as well, because they used the forgery that said Constantine signed this as the Emperor, and he told us that we could govern, not only in religious affairs, but also in civil affairs. 666 The Number of the Beast

Well, the authenticity of the Donation of Constantine was questioned. Beginning in the 15th Century, when literary criticism began to grow, a man by the name of Nicholas of Cusa was the first to really say, You know, there’s some things in this that show that this doesn’t go all the way back to Constantine.This is a forgery from much later.

And then a scholar by the name of Laurentius Valla decided that he would do a very meticulous historical study of the Donation of Constantine, and he showed beyond any reasonable doubt, that this document was a total forgery that was used to try and sustain the temporal claims of the Roman Catholic Papacy. 666 The Number of the Beast

By the way, the Papacy did not enjoy the work of Laurentius Valla because in 1559 the Roman Catholic Inquisition put his book on the index of forbidden books. Now some Catholic theologians say, Well, you know, this was a forgery. You can’t say that because this document used the name Vicarius Filiii Dei, and it says that this title was given to Peter, and it was given to his successors, you can’t say that that’s an official title of the Roman Catholic Papacy when it’s a forgery. But the fact is, folks, that this document, even though it was a forgery, was used at least by ten popes, and panned off as authentic and authoritative of the Roman Catholic Church. In other words, even though it was a forgery they said This is definitely true. And for hundreds of years they actually used the wording of the Donation of Constantine to defend the temporal power of the Roman Catholic Papacy.

By the way, this title, Vicarius Filiii Dei, was incorporated into official Roman Catholic Cannon Law in what is known as Gratian’s Decretals, which was published in 1140. And this is an official document of the Roman Catholic Church.It’s Cannon Law, it’s the laws of the Roman Catholic Church. And that language from the Donation of Constantine was incorporated into the Decretals of Gratian, which means that it became official in Roman Catholicism. In other words, it is an official title. By the way, the title is also used by Cardinal Henry Edward Manning in his book, The Temporal Power of the Vicar of Jesus Christ, which he wrote in the year 1862 666 The Number of the Beast

. Actually, at his time none of the nations of Europe wanted anything to do with the Roman Catholic Papacy. And so Manning wrote his book to scold the nations of Europe, because they didn’t support the Papacy after the French Revolution, when the Papacy received the deadly wound. And so I’d like to read this statement where he’s castigating the nations of Europe for abandoning the Papacy. He said this:

“See this Catholic Church, this church of God, feeble and week, rejected even by the very nations called Catholic, there is Catholic France, and Catholic Germany, and Catholic Italy giving up this exploded figment of a temporal of the Vicar of Jesus Christ, and so, because the church seems week, and the vicar of the Son of God is renewing the passion of his master upon earth, therefore we are scandalised, therefore we turn our faces from him”

In other words, they’re giving up this concept of Jesus Christ, the Vicar of Jesus Christ. And now notice this: By the way, that’s Vicarius Filiii Dei. He’s saying, We’re turned our faces from the Vicar of the Son of God, which was the Pope that was ruling in his day. 666 The Number of the Beast

He continues saying in his book, speaking about the growing temporal power of the Papacy under the Popes’: Gregory I, Leo III, Gregory VII, and Alexander III. He says that at this time the power of the Pope, the temporal power of the Pope became a dogma, a law of conscience, and action of the reason, and theological certainty.And then he says this:

“So that I may say there never was a time when the temporal power of the vicar of the Son of God ,though assailed as we see it, was more firmly rooted throughout the whole unity of the Catholic Church and convictions of its members”

There’s the same title again. By the way, the title is also in the prestigious Roman Catholic Dictionary, or Encyclopedia called Prompta Bibliotheca, written or prepared by Lucius Ferraris. 666 The Number of the Beast

I’d like to read you an interesting statement also from the book by John Paul II, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, a very, very popular book. This is what he says on, actually I think it’s page 7 of his book, he says this, actually it’s page 3. He says:

“The leader of the Catholic Church is defined by the faith as the vicar of Jesus Christ (and is accepted as such by believers). The pope is considered the an on earth who represents the Son of God, who takes the place of the second person of the omnipotent God of the Trinity”

And then John Paul II says this: Is that what a Vicar is? someone who represents someone else? Yes. And now notice, who what? What is he saying? The Pope what? The Pope occupies the place of Jesus Christ, and actually represents Jesus Christ; taking his place. 666 The Number of the Beast

By the way, one of the greatest Patristic scholars, an expert in the writings of the church fathers in the Roman Catholic Church, was Johannes Quasten. Even today if you ask a Roman Catholic who the standard was, when it comes to the writings of the Church fathers, the name of Johannes Quasten will come up. And notice what he had to say: 666 The Number of the Beast

“The title, Vicarius Christi, that’s Vicar of Christ, as well as the title Vicarius Filii Dei, is very common as the title of what? as the title of the Pope.”

Now for some time Adventists were saying that this title, Vicarius Filiii Dei, was on the Papal tiara, or on the Papal mitre. But people today they look at the mitre, and they look at the tiara, and they say, the name Vicarius Filiii Dei isn’t on there. And so the Roman Catholic Church has said it was never on there. 666 The Number of the Beast

I want to share a statement from The Great Controversy, Page 61, where Ellen White explains what happened to several of the records that were kept during the period of the Middle Ages. Actually, they were not preserved, they were destroyed. Notice what she says: 666 The Number of the Beast

“Rome endeavored also to destroy every record of her cruelty toward dissenters. Papal councils decreed that books and writings containing such records should be committed to the flames. Before the invention of printing, books were few in number, and in a form not favorable for preservation; therefore there was little to prevent the Romanists from carrying out their purpose.”

Now I want to read you a couple of statements from Our Sunday Visitor. It is actually a very important publication. It’s the main publication of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, or at least it was. In the addition of November 15, 1914… And, by the way, I have copies of both of these that I’m going to read now. So this is something that I have in my possession, in my files. The question was asked, November 15, 1914, and this is the question: 666 The Number of the Beast

“Is it true that the words of the apocalypse 13th chapter, 18th verse refers to the pope

Now here’s the answer that’s given in this Roman Catholic publication.

“The words referred to are these “Here is wisdom, He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man, and the number of him is six hundred sixty-six. The title of the pope of Rome is Vicarius Filii Dei. This is inscribed on his mitre; and if you take the letters of his title which represent Latin numerals and ad them together they come to 666.”

This is an official Roman Catholic publication.

In another addition of Our Sunday Visitor, April 18, 1915, answer question was asked. Here it is:

“What are the letters supposed to be in the popes crown, and what do they signify, if anything?”

Here’s the answer that’s given in this publication:

“The letters inscribed in the popes mitre are these, ‘Vicarius Filii Dei’, which is the Latin for the “Vicar of the Don of God’. Catholics hold that the church which is a visible society must have a visible head. Christ, before his ascension into heaven, appointed st. Peter to act as His representative upon the death of Peter the man who succeeded to the office of Peter as Bishop of Rome, was recognised as the head of the church. Hence to the Bishop of Rome as the head of the church, was given the title ‘Vicar of Christ’.

This is not some Protestant saying this. Vicar means, he who represents, he who occupies the place, as was defined by John Paul II. It continues saying: 666 The Number of the Beast

Now the interesting thing is that a Roman Catholic apologist by the name of Patrick Madrid contacted Robert Lockwood, who was the editor of Our Sunday Visitor, and said that he wanted to take a look at the 1915 issue of Our Sunday Visitor. And when he contacted Robert Lockwood he said, I’m sorry, but that particular issue is not available. It has been expunged from the archives.

Now let me tell you folks, if they expunge an incriminating article like that; a whole issue, not an article, but a whole issue of Our Sunday Visitor from their archives, would it just be very possible to delete or take away the title Vicarius Filiii Dei from the tiara, or from the mitre of the Pope’s crown? Absolutely! By the way, there are witnesses from the past who testify that they saw the papal tiara, or the mitre with the name Vicarius Filiii Dei. 666 The Number of the Beast

Now it’s true that September 16, 1917, and this article was repeated on August 3, 1941 of Our Sunday Visitor, the Roman Catholic Church disowned what they had said in the first two issues. This is what they said: 666 The Number of the Beast

“The words Vicarius Filii Dei are not the name of the pope, they do not even constitute his official title”

Now we’ve already noticed historically that it is his official title, and it’s officially incorporated and used in the Donation of Constantine in Gratian’s Decretals. It’s also used by Pope John Paul II. It’s used by Cardinal Henry Edward Manning. It’s used in different sources as an official title. And, of course, Johannes Quasten, the renowned patristics scholar of the Roman Catholic Church says that it is an official title. So let me ask you, Which issue of Our Sunday Visitor should we believe?

Now there are many people these days who choose different names to apply to the number 666. For example, they say dux cleric, which means the head of the clergy, comes out to 666. Another word, lateinos, which means Latin man, also comes out to 666. Another name, ludovicus, means chief of the court of Rome, if you add up the letters in Roman numerals, it also comes out to 666. Actually, the name of John Paul II in Latin, loannes Paulus Secundo also comes out to 666. And so they try and find the number 666 in all of these names. But let me tell you the problem that I have with all of these names. None of these names are particularly blasphemous. 666 The Number of the Beast

Is it blasphemous to speak of the head of the clergy? No. Is it blasphemous to speak of the Chief of the Court of Rome? No. Is the name loannes Paulus Secundo particularly blasphemous, his proper name? Absolutely not. Is the word Lati inos, which means Latin man; is that particularly blasphemous? No. The name which gives a number must be what kind of a name? It must be a blasphemous name; a name that apparently gives him the right to claim the prerogatives of God, and to claim the power of God. By the way, do you know who Jesus left on this earth as His representative when He left? 666 The Number of the Beast

It was not the Pope. It was the Holy Spirit. Notice what we find in John 14: 16-18. Here Jesus is speaking.

“16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”

So who did Jesus send as His representative on earth? the Holy Spirit. Now look how interesting this is.

Jesus said, I’m going to be the visible head, and I’m going to be in heaven. The Holy Spirit is going to be the invisible head, and He’s going to be on earth. 666 The Number of the Beast

The Roman Catholic Church has changed that around. And they say the invisible head of the church is in heaven: Jesus Christ, and the visible head of the church is the Pope on earth. In this way the Pope has usurped not only the position of Jesus Christ, but has usurped the position of the Holy Spirit. 666 The Number of the Beast

If that isn’t the epitome of blasphemy, I don’t know what is. By the way, did you know that the word antichrist is almost synonymous to the expression, Vicar of the Son of God, Vicarius Filiii Dei? You say, now wait a minute Pastor. Antichrist means somebody who is against Christ, or who is opposed to Christ. That’s possible, but do you know that the Greek preposition anti also means to take the place of, or to substitute for someone. 666 The Number of the Beast

Let me give you some examples. In Greek the word antipastos means one who takes the place of the king when the king leaves.

You are acquainted with the name Antipas, right? Antipas actually means one who ruled in place of his father. He didn’t rule against his father. He ruled in place of his father. We have the word antitype. Do you know what the word antitype means? It means that which takes the place of the type. See when the antitype comes you don’t need the type anymore, because the type is fulfilled. So, in other words, antitype means that which takes the place of the type. 666 The Number of the Beast

So the question is, what is meant then by the word antichrist? The word antichrist does not mean merely against Christ, it means one who seeks to occupy the place of Christ, just like John Paul II said in his book, The Threshold of Hope.

I’d like to finish by reading a statement from the book of Dave Hunt, Global Peace. Now I disagree with Dave Hunt almost on everything that he writes. In fact I disagree with his identity of the antichrist here. He says that this antichrist is going to be a nasty individual who’s going to rise in the Middle East when the temple is rebuilt after the church has been raptured to heaven. Now I don’t believe any of that. I believe the antichrist arose in the Middle Ages, and he ruled for a long period of time. It wasn’t one person. It was a succession of individuals. But I believe that the portrait that Dave Hunt gives of the antichrist is accurate, and it applies to a T to the Roman Catholic Papacy. And notice what he says. this is Pages 6-8 This is Pages 6-8 of his book, Global Peace. He says: 666 The Number of the Beast

“While the Greek prefix ‘anti’ generally means ‘against’, or ‘opposed to,’ it can also mean, in the place of, or ‘a substitute for.’ The antichrist will embody both meanings. He will oppose Christ, while pretending to be Christ.. … Instead of a frontal assault against Christianity the evil one will pervert the church from within by posing as its founder. He will cunningly misrepresent Christ while pretending to be Christ. And by that process of substitution he will undermine and pervert all that Christ truly is. If the Antichrist will indeed pretend to be the Christ, then his followers must be ‘Christians.’ The church of that day will, without dissenting voice, hail him as its leader”

Notice the word substitution. And now notice what he says:

Do you understand a little bit better now what the number of the beast is? The number of the beast is 666. But that number is the number of his what?
Of his blasphemous name, which is Vicarius Filiii Dei, where he claims to occupy the position of God on earth; to occupy the position of Jesus Christ on earth, and to exercise the powers and prerogatives of Jesus of forgiving sins, of interceding for sinners, of placing kings and deposing kings, of speaking infallibly in faith and morals, and receiving, you know, people bowing down to him, and calling him Holy Father, when Jesus said no one on this earth should be called Father, for one is your Father: your God who is in heaven. Folks all of these characteristics clearly show what this power is. And God has given us all this so that we can escape from his power in these last days.

666 The Number of the Beast