1. The beast combines religious and political power simultaneously, "they worshipped the beast ..." Rev. 13:4.

2. The beast came to power in a densely populated area of the world,"I...saw a beast rise up out of the sea" Rev. 13:1.

3. The beast obtained its power and authority from Satan, thus we would expect its history to contain a great deal of deception,"the dragon gave him [the beast] his power, and his seat, and great authority" Rev. 13:2.

4. The beast ruled ruthlessly possessing absolute hegemony (domination) for 1260 years. This period must have a clear starting point and end with the 'deadly wound'."Power was given unto him to continue forty and two months." "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death." "And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations" Rev. 13:5, 3, 7.

5. The beast persecuted Christians during the 1260 years."And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them" Rev. 13:7.

6. The beast will fully recover from its 'deadly wound' and the world will marvel after it,"and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast" Rev. 13:3.

7. The beast has a mysterious 666 that identifies his office and name,"count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six" Rev. 13:18.

8. The beast blasphemes by claiming to be God and granting absolutions (the power to forgive sins of others).

9. The beast made other blasphemous claims, undertaking actions that are God's exclusive prerogative."And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies" Rev. 13:5.Dear reader , which power in history fulfills all the identifying marks? To the honest in heart, there is but one answer: The Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church is the beast which God, out of love, is warning us of. It is not the purpose of this article to attack Roman Catholics, but to reveal the truth about the Catholic system. No one need be offended, but rather be encouraged to seek for facts and confirmation.

Let us take each identifier to see how history points exclusively to the Roman Catholic Church.

Saint John saw this union in a prophetic vision concerning the fourth and final kingdom of the world and described it as, "a woman sit [ting] upon a scarlet coloured beast" Rev. 17:3.

In addition, it is unanimously understood in prophecy that a beast is a nation. Even in today's world, nations are symbolized as beasts. The USA is seen as an eagle, Russia is likened unto a bear, and China carries the image of a dragon.

Today, is there a church and state working together as one globally recognized power? The only entity in the world that has accomplished this is the Roman Catholic Church.

"The Roman Pontiff, as the successor of Peter, is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful." Vatican Council II (1962-65)

"Every cleric must obey the Pope, even if he commands what is evil; for no one may judge the Pope." Pope Innocent III (1198-1216)

Simultaneously, the pope is king over the independent nation Vatican City. The Vatican is a distinct sovereign miniature nation, although within Italy. Thus, the papacy is a unique power combining religious and civil power.

(2) The Roman Catholic Church came to power in a densely populated area of the world:

This perfectly illustrates the Roman Catholic Church as she rose amidst the various powers and nations of Europe.

(3) The history of the Roman Catholic Church is full of deception:

One of the best examples is the document Donation of Constantine, dated March 30, 315 AD, which the Roman Catholic Church forged to extend her power and authority. Through this false document, Pope Stephen III in the eighth century convinced Pepin, king of the Franks, that the territories of the Lombards had been given by Constantine to the Roman Catholic Church. This led Pepin to fight the Lombards and usurp the cities for the pope. In 1440, this document was proven forged by a papal aide called Lorenzo Valla, yet pope after pope never admitted nor confessed this forgery. To this day, there is an inscription in the baptistery of St. John Lateran in Rome perpetuating this forged document.

""The great over-riding feature of the entire system of the Anti-Christ -- the New World Order -- is blatant deceit. In fact, New World Order writers boast of their planned deceptions, because they arrogantly believe the great majority of the world's population is too stupid and lazy to know what is best for them. Only the New World Order Planners know what is best for the world, and they have determined that they can achieve their goals only by deliberate deception of the poor masses." Bill Cooper, " Behold A Pale Horse" p.49

(4) The Roman Catholic Church ruled ruthlessly for 1260 years having absolute dominion over other nations. This period has a clear starting point, and a 'deadly wound' at its end:

The Roman Catholic Church received its deadly wound in 1798 when [Pope Pius VI] was taken prisoner in France at the behest of Napoleon.

"In 1798 General Berthier made his entrance into Rome, abolished the papal government, and established a secular one." Encyclopedia Britannica, 1941 edition

Historical evidence reveals that in 533 AD the Roman Emperor Justinian recognized the pope's ecclesiastical supremacy as 'head' of all the churches in both east and west of the Roman Empire. However, it was not until 538 AD when the papacy was effectively freed from its last Arian opponent, the Ostrogoths (who were at that time ruling Italy) did the pope emerge as the leading figure in the West. Thus, in 538 AD the stage was set for the gradual but steady ascendancy of the papacy.

"Vigilius...ascended the papal chair (538 A.D.) under the military protection of Belisarius." History of the Christian Church, Vol. 3, p. 327

"It is the office of the papacy to tread under foot kings and emperors." J.H. Ignaz Dollinger, The Pope and the Council, (London), p. 35

In the papal bull of Pope Gregory XI, dated 1372 AD, and entitled In Coena Domini, the pope pronounced papal dominion over the entire Christian world, secular and religious, and excommunicated all who failed to obey the popes and to pay them taxes. This papal bull was confirmed by subsequent popes and, in 1568 AD, Pope Pius V vowed that it was to remain an eternal law.

A practical demonstration of the above assertion was the treatment of Pope Gregory VII in 1077 AD to King Henry IV, Emperor of Germany. When the king appeared to disregard the pope's authority, the pope ex-communicated and dethroned him. Henry decided to make peace with the pope and crossed the Alps in mid-winter to humble himself. When he reached the pope's castle, Henry was made to wait for permission to see the pope in the outer court, bare-footed with his head uncovered, and dressed in a miserable dress. It took the king three days of fasting and confession before the pope pardoned him.

Today, this claim of supremacy over leaders of the world continues to be upheld by the papacy:

"The First See [papacy of Rome] is judged by no one. It is the right of the Roman Pontiff himself alone to judge...those who hold the highest civil office in a state...There is neither appeal nor recourse against a decision or decree of the Roman Pontiff." The Code of Canon Law (Paulist Press, 1985), pp. 951, 271

(5) The Roman Catholic Church persecuted Christians during the 1260-year period:

During this period of history (also known as the Middle Ages), the Roman Catholic Church held a strong sway over Europe, and every citizen was required to be a Roman Catholic. Anything short of total submission to the pope was punishable by torture or death. This led the Roman Catholic system to become one of the most persecuting religions the world has ever known, according to Vicars of Christ: the Dark Side of the papacy, by Peter de Rosa, p. 180

"For professing faith contrary to the Church of Rome, history records the martyrdom of more than one hundred million people." Brief Bible Studies, p. 16

"We must rank the Inquisition ... as among the darkest blots on record of mankind."Will Durant, The Story of Civilization, vol. 4, p. 78

"That the Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution that has ever existed among mankind will be questioned by no Protestant who has a complete knowledge of history. It is impossible to form a complete conception of the multitude of her victims, and it is quite certain that no powers of imagination can adequately realize their sufferings." W. E. H. Leeky, History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe, Vol. 2:32, 1910 edition

In the Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 12, page 266, the reader will find a lengthy article describing the authority of the Roman Catholic Church in punishing 'heretics', whose only crime was that they were faithful Bible-believing Christians.

(6) The Roman Catholic Church will fully recover from its 'deadly wound' and the whole world will wonder after it:

When Pope Pius VI died in captivity in France in 1799, the world expected an end to the Roman Catholic Church. However, God had told us about 2000 years ago that the beast would recover from its deadly wound. Here is how the New York Times reported the healing of the beast, the papacy:

"MORTAL WOUND HEALED: Rome, June 7.--From 11 o'clock this morning there was another sovereign independent State in the world. At that time Premier Mussolini ... exchanged with Cardinal Gasparri, Papal Secretary of State, representing Pope Pius XI, ratifications of the treaties signed at the Lateran Palace on Feb. 11. By that simple act the sovereign independent State of Vatican City came into existence." New York Times, July 7, 1929

The San Francisco Chronicle reported the 'recovery' of the papacy as follows:

"Mussolini and Gaspari (Cardinal) Sign Historic Pact... Heal Wound of Many Years." The San Francisco Chronicle, July 7, 1929

Does the world today 'wonder' after the papacy, as the Bible predicted?

"The best way to honor Pope John Paul II, truly one of the great men, is to take his teaching seriously; is to listen to his words and put his words and teachings into action here in America. This is a challenge we must accept." President George W. Bush, March 21, 2001

"Pope John Paul II is one of the greatest moral and spiritual leaders of this century." Billy Graham in the Saturday Evening Post, Jan-Feb. 1980

"I admire Pope John XXIII tremendously. I felt he brought a new era to the world". Billy Graham, Chicago Tribune, June 8, 1963

"Pope John Paul II celebrates outdoor mass in Spanish for over million people in Mexico City." The New York Times, Jan 25, 1999

"Wednesday night as the Holy Father walked with Vice President Gore along the tarmac ...to board "Shepherd I" and return to Rome, people wept, waved handkerchiefs and cheered "John Paul II, we love you!"...It was a brief but very moving and powerful visit by the Pope to St. Louis." Jan 28, 1999 (EWTNews)

"There is no doubt that Paul VI, together with John XXIII and John Paul II, will be remembered as the three great Popes of Peace, pioneer of a momentous transcendence of the Catholic Church into the New Age." Robert Muller, former U.N. Assistant Secretary General

(7) The Roman Catholic Church has the mysterious number 666:

The official title of the pope is "Vicarius Filii Dei", which translated is, "Representative of the Son of God". To confirm, the Catholic newspaper Our Sunday Visitor of April 18, 1915 wrote: "The engraved letter on the pope's Mitre is as follows: 'Vicarius Filii Dei '". Since in Latin certain letters have numerical values, we only need to add them up to come to 666.

(8) The Roman Catholic Church blasphemes by claiming to be God and granting absolutions: "We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty." Pope Leo XIII, in an Encyclical letter, dated June 20, 1894 "The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ, hidden under a veil of flesh." The Catholic National, July 1895 "But the supreme teacher in the Church is the Roman Pontiff... [who] requires... complete submission and obedience of will... as to God Himself." Pope Leo XIII, the Great Encyclical Letters, p. 193 "It seems that Pope John Paul II now presides over the universal Church from his place upon Christ's cross." Taken from an article entitled, "Auckland Bishop Says Pope Presides From the Cross" AUCKLAND, New Zealand, SEPT. 20, 2004, Zenit.org

"Indeed, it is not too much to say that in view of the sublimity of their offices the priests are so many gods." Pope Innocent III

The Roman Catholic Church created a vast 'market' on earth for a unique kind of merchandise, for which she had no competitors and unquenchable demand. She claimed that she had the right to sell God's grace, His free act of forgiveness, to the sinners. To this day, this blasphemous power, maintains the power to forgive sin.

"This judicial authority will even include the power to forgive sin." The Catholic Encyclopaedia Vol. 12, -article "Pope", p. 265

"And God himself is obliged to abide by the judgment of his priest and either not to pardon or to pardon, according as they refuse to give absolution, provided the penitent is capable of it." Dignity and Duties of the Priest, p. 27, New York: Benziger Brothers, Printers to the Holy Apostolic See, 1888

(9) The Roman Catholic Church made other blasphemous claims by undertaking actions belonging only to God:
Here are samples of the blasphemous claims and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church:
"The priest has the power of the keys, or the power of delivering sinners from hell, of making them worthy of paradise, and of changing them from the slaves of Satan into the children of God. And God himself is obliged to abide by the judgment of his priests... The Sovereign Master of the universe only follows the servant by confirming in heaven all that the latter decides upon earth." Liguori, "Duties and Dignities of the Priest", pp. 27, 28

"Thus the priest may, in a certain manner, be called the creator of his Creator, since by saying the words of the 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...The power of the priest, is the power of the divine person; for the transubstantiation of the bread requires as much power as the creation of the world." Saint Bernadine of Sienna

"Priests are the saviors of the world." Saint Jerome

As for her blasphemous actions, the Roman Catholic Church has committed the most blasphemous act of all. She altered the very law of God- the Ten Commandments. She dared to cancel the second commandment altogether, for it condemned her practices and rituals. And worse, she changed the day of worship in the Fourth Commandment from Saturday to Sunday. This was done although God gave Adam this perpetual command at creation and has confirmed to us "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips" Psalms 89:34.

The Ten Commandments are the only portion of the Bible that was uttered by God's voice in the presence of a congregation. And to ensure that Moses did not miss a letter, God wrote them with His own finger and handed them to Moses. "These words [The Ten Commandments] the Lord spake unto all your assembly...and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone..." Deuteronomy 5:22.

Christ further stressed the immutability of the Ten Commandments when He said, "it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail" Luke 16:17. The sun shining in the heavens, the solid earth upon which you dwell, are God's witnesses that His law is changeless and eternal. Though they may pass away, the divine precepts shall endure. Christ further confirmed "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" Matthew 5:17, 18.

For example, when the President of the United States signs a bill into law, he must sign it, George Washington (name), President (title) of the United States of America (territory). Every document must be signed in this manner to be official and legal.
Looking to the Almighty Creator, we realize that He has a Heavenly Kingdom. And the document containing the law of His Kingdom is The Ten Commandments. Looking directly in the midst of them you will find the seal of the living God! "For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea..." Exodus 20:11.

Notice the three distinct features:
1. Name: THE LORD ("I am the Lord: that is my name" Isaiah 42:8)
2. Title: CREATOR ("the LORD made")
3. Territory: HEAVEN AND EARTH (Heaven and earth)

Clearly, the seal of the Creator is found in the Sabbath commandment of His law. It is an acknowledgement of His authority as our Creator. When we keep His Sabbath, we are expressing that we acknowledge Him as our Creator.
On the Sabbath, we have the opportunity to worship God as our Creator. When we keep holy the day the Lord chose, we are proclaiming to the entire world that the Creator of the universe is our God! The devil, "Lucifer" is attacking the Sabbath, because he wants to be worshiped "like the Most High" Isaiah 14:14. The Creator seeks your worship on His holy Sabbath day, and Satan, seeking to be like the Creator, wants your worship on his Sunday. Which will you choose?

"And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God" Ezekiel 20:20.