The Jewish Popes -

The Two Harbingers of the End Times ©

Tate Publishing & Enterprises is very proud to announce the publication of an amazing new book, titled “The Jewish Popes – The Two Harbingers of the End Times” by Dr. Leon G. van Wert.  It consists of a new and different interpretation of the entire book of Revelation.

As editors, we read a lot of works on biblical theory, especially those dealing with the Apocalypse.  But the unique concepts reported in “The Jewish Popes” are truly mind-boggling.  The enormous amount of time and effort it took the author to research and develop these ideas is extremely impressive.  We found ourselves in a constant state of “Wow!  I never thought about it that way” and “Oh my, he is right, that is indeed what the text says.”

“The Jewish Popes” is very well organized, easy to follow, with flawless references and solid scriptural evidence to back up each concept.  We think that many people will be blown away by this book, just as we have been.

Below are a few of the many highlights contained in Dr. van Wert’s new book.

The Apocalypse Is Written in Code

In about 96 A.D., St. John, the author of the book of Revelation, had a problem.  He wanted to console his fellow Jewish-Christians during the then raging persecutions by the Romans.  Obviously he could not openly criticize the Roman Emperor, because such subordination would subject him to immediate execution.  He realized that he needed a secret code, which his fellow Christian Jews would readily understand, but which would be incomprehensible to the Romans.  He found his answer in the Jewish Bible.

For example, when he wanted to refer to the Jewish people, he was able to describe them as the “Sun,” the “Moon” and the “Stars,” because he knew that his Jewish readers would be familiar with Ge. 37:9-10, which describes Jacob as the “Sun,” his wife Rachel as the “Moon” and Jacob’s twelve sons as twelve “Stars.” St. John also knew that the Romans would think that he was talking about some sort of celestial event.

So he decided to write the Apocalypse, using symbolisms which would have the same meanings they had in the Old Testament.  Unfortunately at the present time, many sincere Gentile Christians proudly announce, that they are interpreting the entire Bible literally, including Revelation.  But in so doing, they forget that the Apocalypse deliberately was written in code, to hide its true meaning from non-believers.  As a consequence, literal interpretations will lead to gross distortions of what St. John is trying to tell us.

Revelation Decoded

But now, Dr. Leon G. van Wert has written a new eschatological work, in which he also assigns to the symbolisms used in Revelation the same meanings they had in the Jewish Bible.  By using that novel and original method of interpretation, the author is able to show us that Revelation tells the history of the Jewish people in chronological order, from about 96 A.D. to the end of time.

He also explains that we will be able to recognize the coming of the End Times from two clear and unambiguous events, namely from the elections of two successive ethnically Jewish Popes, as the last two Pontiffs of the Catholic Church.  Hence the title of his book.

Seals, Trumpets and Bowls

The history of the Jews after 96 A.D. has been described as three successive cycles, first the “Seals,” then the “Trumpets” and finally the “Bowls.” However, currently (2009), all of the Seals have already happened.  The first Four Seals consisted of the almost total extermination of the Jews in Israel and the exile of the survivors to Europe by the Romans from 132-134 A.D.  These four Seals included the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who therefore represent a now already long past event.

Thereafter the Fifth Seal describes the various persecutions and pogroms of the Jews in Euro-Russia from 134 A.D. to 1939.  Finally, the Sixth Seal predicts the Nazi Holocaust of some 6 million innocent Jews during World War II, which ended in 1945. The Seventh Seal itself consists of the Seven Trumpets and the Seventh Trumpet comprises the Seven Bowls.

Where Are We Now?

Currently the Seals have happened, but the Trumpets have not yet started.  Now we are in the in-between period described in Rev. 7:1-2, when a global coalition of nations is trying to restrain Islamic extremists from committing acts of terrorism.

During this period of time, a peace treaty will be concluded between Israel and the Palestinians, and perhaps also with other nations, which will create the new independent State of Palestine.

The Prophet Daniel in antiquity predicted that Alexander the Great of Greece would conquer the entire Persian Empire in the Middle East.  That empire consisted of ten regions, which he called “Ten Horns” (Dan. 7:7).  Presently that same territory is occupied by nine Moslem nations or “Horns,” namely Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan and one not yet sovereign state, namely the Palestinian territory (See the red areas on Map 3).  The creation of the new independent State of Palestine would furnish the tenth “Horn.”

This is important, because the Second Trumpet (Rev. 8:8-9) predicts, that in the foreseeable future a new Islamic Caliphate will be formed, consisting of a confederacy of the same “Ten Horns” of the old Persian Empire, then each an independent State.

Later on, the ultimate Empire of the Antichrist will be formed, which will consist of “Seven Heads” on the continent of Euro-Russia, combined with the “Ten Horns” in the Middle East (See Maps 3 and 4).  The Empire of the Antichrist will arise during the second half of the End Times.  So the formation of an independent State of Palestine as the tenth “Horn,” will be a pivotal development on our road towards the End Times.

But the Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem Will strongly Oppose an Independent State of Palestine

The Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem already have made it crystal clear, through protest rallies, etc., that on religious grounds, they vigorously oppose the proposed Peace Treaty, which will create an independent Palestine.

They believe that the West bank of the Jordan River (Samaria and Judea) is a part of the Promised Land, set aside by God exclusively for the Jews.  When the Hebrews still were wandering in the Sinai Desert under Moses, they made an irrevocable Covenant with God, that they never would agree to let non-Jews (here the Palestinians) live in any part of the Promised Land.  So to create the contemplated independent State of Palestine would be a gross case of Covenant Disobedience, which God will punish with “curses,” including those set forth in Dt. 28:25 and Dt. 28:64.  Dt. 28:25 provides that disobedient Israel will be conquered by its enemies (here the “Ten Horns”) and Dt. 28:64 stipulates that the surviving Jews will be deported to foreign lands, here Europe.

Nevertheless an independent Palestine will be created in the foreseeable future, because most non-Orthodox Jews are longing for peace.  This Covenant Disobedience will convince the Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem that Israel will have ceased to be holy.  And when they learn from Jewish Christians, that these events have been predicted in the Christian Bible (Revelation), one-half of the Orthodox Jews (“144,000”) in Jerusalem will start to express an interest in Christianity.

Then the reigning Pope (Benedict XVI?) will die.  The Cardinals will see an opportunity to bring a large number of Jews into the Catholic Church.  Who would be better qualified to convert them than an ethnically Jewish Bishop or Cardinal?  So they will elect the first Jewish Pope of our modern era, who will turn out to be the next-to-last Pontiff of the Catholic Church.  And true to the expectations, he indeed will convert “144,000” Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem to Christianity (Rev. 7:4-8).

The Reaction of the Moslems to These Massive Conversions

The conversions to Catholicism of so many Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem (part of which will be the new capital of the State of Palestine!) will alarm the Moslems, especially the Islamic Extremists.   They will see these conversions as an attempt by the Jews to form a strong coalition with Christians, to start a new crusade against Islam.  So they will begin an intense campaign of terrorism, primarily against Catholic targets in Europe.  Paradoxically, this will substantially increase the level of anti-Semitism among the Catholics there.  They will strongly resent the fact that they have become the victims of Islamic terrorism, merely because so many Jews have joined their Church.  So they will take out their frustrations on all Jews.  A large portion (“one-third”) of the Catholic Bishops also will become very anti-Semitic and will become heretics within the Church (Rev. 12:4).  A prominent apostate Cardinal, now very anti-Semitic, will preach hatred for the Jews in the Protestant areas of Northern Europe and to the Eastern Orthodox in the Balkans and in Belarus, the Ukraine and Russia (Rev. 8:10-11).

The Second Jewish Pope and the “Fake Pope”

Then the first and next-to-last Jewish Pope will die.  Because gross anti-Semitism within the Catholic Church in Europe then will be its biggest problem, the Cardinals again will elect another Jewish Prelate as Pope, deeming him to be the most qualified person to solve that scourge as well.

However, immediately upon his election, this second Jewish Pope will be chased from the Vatican by anti-Semitic mobs.  The Pope will flee and nobody will know his whereabouts.

The apostates then will appoint the very anti-Semitic Cardinal, who had preached a virulent hatred for all Jews in Northern Europe, the Balkans and Greater Russia as an illegitimate “fake pope.” But he will rule only for five months, because he will be murdered at the end of that short period.

The Apocalyptic Belief of Shia Moslems

To understand what will happen next, we need to become acquainted with the apocalyptic beliefs of Shia Moslems, such as those of the current President of Iran, Mamoud Ahmadinejad.  He is advocating the total destruction of Israel and the deportation of the Jewish survivors back to Europe, from where the parents and grandparents of many Israelis came after World War II.  His feelings are not merely motivated by anti-Semitism.  He knows that a Moslem attack on Israel would create widespread havoc.  That is exactly the condition, which he believes will be required for the Islamic Mahdi (a Messiah type figure) to return.  The Mahdi was the twelfth Imam (successors to the Prophet Mohammed), who lived in the ninth century, but who mysteriously disappeared as a young boy.  However, Shia Moslems expect him to return, when widespread turmoil exists.  Then he will lead the Moslems to victory over the Infidels and to rule the world.  So an attack upon Israel would hasten the coming of the Mahdi.

God Will Impose Curses upon Israel for Covenant Disobedience

Immediately after the murder of the “fake pope” five months into his reign, God will impose upon Israel the curses predicted in Dt. 28:25 and 64.  He will use the Moslem “Ten Horns” as His agents to attack and conquer Israel, all as predicted in the Sixth Trumpet of Rev. 9:13-21.  The Jewish survivors will be deported to Europe, including the “144,000” converted Orthodox Jews.  All of Israel will be occupied by Moslems and the Palestinian “refugees” will return to live in Israel once again.  Jerusalem will be spared, because it is a holy city to the Moslems as well as to the Jews and Christians.  But it will be an internationally controlled “open city,” perhaps as a result of cease-fire negotiations with the U.S.

But after the murder of the “fake pope,” the duly elected second Jewish Pope will be able to return from hiding and will start to reign the bitterly divided Catholic Church again from the Vatican.  The start of his reign will coincide with the beginning of the first half of the End Times, the so-called “1,260 days.” The last Jewish Pope will protect the “144,000” Jewish converts in the Vatican throughout the “1,260 days,” but the millions of other Jewish deportees will be placed in ever worsening concentration camps throughout Europe.  During these “1,260 days,” the murdered “fake pope” will remain dead and buried.

The Resurrection of the Fake Pope

But at the end of the “1,260 days,” the former “fake pope” will be brought back to life again through the power of Satan.  He will assassinate the last Jewish Pope in Rome.  Thereupon the “144,000” converts will flee back to Jerusalem.  However, “3 ½ days” later, God will resurrect the Jewish Pope.  He too will flee to Jerusalem to rule the remnant of the Catholic Church from there, during the second half of the End Times, the so-called “42 months.” But the former “fake pope” again will rule a “False Church” from the Vatican, then consisting of anti-Semitic former Catholics, Protestants and Eastern Orthodox in Continental Euro-Russia.  He will transform that “False Church” into a diabolical cult, which will worship the political leader of the Empire of the Antichrist (See Map 4) as a god.  Thereupon that anti-Semitic former Cardinal of the Catholic Church will have become the “False Prophet,” who will rule from the Vatican during the entire “42 months.”

The Bowls

During those same “42 months,” the millions of Jews (but not the “144,000” who previously had escaped to Jerusalem at the end of the “1,260 days” ) will suffer their “Great Tribulation” in Euro-Russia.  But after awhile, the U.S. will be able to obtain freedom for a portion of these Jews, by agreeing to let the Antichrist annex Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan into his Empire, without opposition.  Those liberated Jews also will come to Jerusalem.

Some time later, God Himself will intervene in human affairs by causing a meteor to explode, high up in the air above Rome.  This will cause devastation all over the Empire of the Antichrist, as explained in the first Five Bowls (Rev. 16:1-11).  But it will enable the U.S. to bring all of the remaining Jews in Europe also to Jerusalem (the Sixth Bowl of Rev. 16:12), because the army of the Antichrist will be temporarily incapacitated.  Most but not all Jews then will convert to Christianity.

Finally towards the end of the “42 months,” God will step in again, this time by directing a large asteroid towards the earth. But in the nick of time, Christ will return and at the Final Judgment will “Rapture,” i.e. will pull up to Himself high up in the air, all true believers (the “Sheep”) by separating them from the wicked (the “Goats”), who will be left behind. Then the asteroid will hit and all life on earth will be destroyed, because it will become one gigantic fireball (2 Pe. 3:10).  It will serve as a burning hell for all people, who were left behind and who had been killed in the collision.  That disaster will be the last and Seventh Bowl.

Sic transit gloria mundi.

The above narrations constitute only a few of the highlights of the events reported in Revelation which are discussed in detail in “The Jewish Popes.” Dr. van Wert’s new book may be obtained at the Tate Publishing bookstore.