In 1901 Pope Leo XIII published an article in Rome which said, “The church, that is, the Roman Catholic Church, has authority from God to confiscate all properties of heretics and imprison and burn them.”
Please bear in mind that Roman Catholicism has been persecuting God’s children down through the ages. I have read many such stories. Many martyrs suffered severe persecution in America, Germany, Spain, and other places. The Catholic Church calls everyone who puts his faith in Christ a heretic. It is a heresy to have faith in Christ; it is a crime punishable by death. The Scripture is indeed fulfilled: “I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.” This is the persecution of Roman Catholicism. It is still here with us today.
Revelation 17:1 says, “One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, Come here; I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits upon the many waters.” Verse 15 says, “He said to me, The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.” The Bible shows us that this harlot sits upon many waters, which means that Roman Catholicism will expand tremendously. Verse 16 pronounces judgment on Roman Catholicism. Verse 15 shows us that Roman Catholicism will cover the whole earth before she is judged. This is the Lord’s prophecy, and we cannot change it! She will sit upon peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. She will spread everywhere and expand greatly.
Roman Catholicism is prospering not only in China but also throughout the whole world. I have always paid attention to statistics. For every Protestant in America, there are seven Catholics. The Catholics outnumber the Protestants sevenfold. Since 1920, after Mussolini made a pact with the pope by acknowledging the Vatican as an independent state, Roman Catholicism has greatly expanded. In 1913 fourteen countries sent their ambassadors to the Vatican. Five emissaries of Rome were stationed overseas. By 1922 there were twenty-five countries with ambassadors in the Vatican, and Rome had twenty-five emissaries overseas. Today in 1948 there are seventy countries with ambassadors in the Vatican, including China. The power of Roman Catholicism is continually expanding.
Today the woman is still with us. Someday she will marry Antichrist. This woman is riding on the beast. In verse 3, she rides upon the beast, which means Roman Catholicism will be directing Antichrist. Later Antichrist will destroy the woman; the ten kings will rise up and make her desolate and naked, eating her flesh and burning her utterly with fire (v. 16). This is her end, which will come to pass at the beginning of the great tribulation.
Please bear in mind that there are saved ones in Roman Catholicism. Do not think that Roman Catholicism is void of saved ones. There are two things which Catholicism still upholds—Christ as the Son of God and His death for mankind. God is calling us now: “Come out of her, My people, that you do not participate in her sins” (Rev. 18:4).
I am telling you these things to show you what will transpire on earth. Sooner or later the power of Roman Catholicism will be greatly expanded! Beware and do not be curious. Do not try to touch it. On the one hand, we should know about it. On the other hand, we should not touch it. This should be our attitude.
God forbids any of His children to touch the things of Roman Catholicism. He did not say that she is an adulteress but that she is a harlot. A person who sins in marriage is called an adulteress. But those who are not even married do not meet the requirement of being an adulteress; they are harlots. Roman Catholicism has nothing to do with God. Today a woman has stepped in and is teaching the church, putting leaven into the three measures of meal, and riding upon Antichrist, the Roman Empire. God calls this one the great harlot! A new believer must not be fooled. He must not think that since we and Catholics both believe in Jesus, we are therefore the same. We must be very clear that we should in no way communicate with Roman Catholicism. We must shut the door and not go in! Do not be led away by curiosity!