PUTIN & POPE MEET IN ROME : Why this spells danger for Israel
VATICAN - Pope Francis has welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Vatican just two days after world leaders ' shunned ' him from the G7 summit over Russia's actions in Ukraine. At a time when much of the world has slammed the door on Russia over its role in the ongoing crisis in eastern Ukraine , many hope Pope Francis can build diplomacy through religion.
The pope's meeting at the Vatican is a delicate balance. In the past , he has partnered with Russia to protect Christians in the Middle East. Now, however, the Ukrainian Catholic Church is asking Francis to protect its followers from Russia. The U.S. is urging Pope Francis to join the West in condemning Russia's actions in Ukraine. The pope has called for an end to the violence in Ukraine, but has not publicly taken sides in the standoff. The pontiff's measured approach has proven effective in the past ; he's credited with breaking tensions between Cuba & the U.S. Cuban president Raul Castro was so impressed with Pope Francis, he said he was considering becoming religious again. Putin has not been as warm. He has never invited Pope Francis to visit Russia , even though Putin has now been welcomed to the Vatican twice. Francis & Putin first met at the Vatican in 2013 -- five months before Russia took over the Ukrainian territory of Crimea. After his meeting with the pope , Putin was slated to spend some time catching up Wednesday with his old friend, former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi.
FULL REPORT : CBS News
PROPHECY INSIGHTS - This meeting between Pope Francis & Russian President Vladimir Putin is a monumental event in the fulfilment of end-time prophecy. It marks the beginning of the final ungodly alliance between the ' kingdoms of men ' that will ultimately war against Christ & His saints. It is a coming together of the two great ' double-headed ' eagles.
At a time when Russia is alienated & ostracised from most of the global community over its illegal annexation of Crimea & East Ukraine , Vladimir Putin knows this meeting in Rome with the Pope is ' strategically ' important , elevating him once again onto the world stage & restoring some credibility & recognition to his tarnished international status. Yet as the news report indicates, Putin remains cold , austere & detached , even from the Pope's warm overtures. Almost to make a point , Putin contemptuously made the Pontiff wait over 90 minutes , before the Russian leader finally arrived late for their meeting . . . for the second consecutive time !!!
On the other hand , the Bishop of Rome , who is increasingly a ' superpower ' in his own right , is playing a ' diplomatic double-hand ', for some time working very carefully to move the Roman-Russian relationship forward , especially to advance some of the Vatican’s other diplomatic interests. While Pope Francis has expressed some concern over the Ukraine issue, he has refused to publically ' blame ' Russia for the bloody conflict in Ukraine. So while the G7 & Western nations have taken a strong moral & political stands against Russia ( even imposing severe sanctions !! ) the supposed ' moral super-power ' of the world - the Vatican - has meekly stood by , unwilling to call out or condemn Russia's criminality . . . WHY ??
It is part of a wider end-times ' Papal ' strategy . . . actually ' fore-told ' in Ezekiel 17 over 2,500 years ago !!! In this prophecy God's Word describes how this latter-day Roman ecclesiatical power ( ' the vine ' ) will ingratiate itself to the ' great eagle ' ( Russian ' Gog ' ) , fawning over it to cultivate a relationship wherein the great eagle ( ' Gog ' ) might then ' nourish ' the vine. We see this exact fulfilment taking shape now.
So ' WHAT ' did Vladimir Putin & Pope Francis discuss ?? & ' HOW ' will it fulfill prophecy ??
The primary topics discussed in the meeting were 1 ) the violence in Ukraine & 2 ) the persecution of Christians in the Middle East. These two issues will ' lay the foundation ' for this prophetic ' end-times alliance ' between Russia & Rome.
1) Ukraine - many analysts fear , is Russia's first aggressive step towards a possible future invasion & annexation of parts of the Baltic States . . . & perhaps even Europe. But bible prophecy would suggest Russia will NOT invade Europe. We know from scripture the latter-day ' Beast ' of Revelation is a Catholic-led ' European Union '. The ' Harlot Woman ' seen riding upon this ' Beast ' is the Papacy , exerting its power & influence over the coming EU ' Super-state '. The Pope's Grand vision is ' one universal religion ' under his leadership & central to his plan is to re-unite the Catholic Church with the Orthodox Churches ( Russian / Greek ) which account for over 225 million devotees. Pope Francis will soon execute a masterstroke bringing together East & West , Russia & Europe in a common purpose & for himself ' fraudulently ' lay claim to being the ' Prince of Peace '
2) The persecution of Christians by ISIS - is the ' common purpose ' the Vatican will use to weld together Russian & European co-operation. With ISIS recently threatening an invasion of Italy & to march on Rome , the Pope increasingly alarmed by the ISIS threat called for military intervention in Libya against ISIS to " stop unjust aggression ". Similarly the Vatican issued a document titled “ Supporting the Human Rights of Christians & Other Communities, particularly in the Middle East ” co-authored with Russia & Lebanon, presented to the UN Human Rights Council & signed by nearly 70 nations. The statement itself was a ' Russian idea ' backing up its cultivation of the image of ' protector ' of Orthodox Christians in the Middle East. The joint paper represents the beginning of the coming ' strategic alliance ' soon to be forged between the Catholic Papacy ( leading the Euro-Union ) & Russia's authoritarian leader , Vladimir Putin.
As the wave of human refugees flee from the chaos in Libya & flood to Italy's shores , fears are mounting ISIS militants may also be infiltrating Italy , so time is of the essence for the Pope & EU leaders. The current ISIS threat is ' the catalyst ' that will bring Rome & Russia together in a common cause , as the Papacy seeks Russia's ' military might ' to expel this threat of Islamic extremism & in exchange Putin will derive international legitimacy & advocacy from his pact with the leader of the world's largest religion - the Pope. Together Russia's Gog & Rome's Papacy will ' prosper & practice ' in an alliance of mutual convenience & jointly plan the subjugation of many nations , including the ' Holy Land '. But the very same Bible prophecy in Ezekiel 17 also vividly details Rome's coming judgment at the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ & His saints ( ' East Wind ' )
Ezekiel 17v7-10 - There was also another ' great eagle ' ( Russia ) with great wings & many feathers & behold ' this vine ' ( Vatican / Papacy ) did bend her roots toward him ( Russian Gog / Putin ) & shot forth her branches toward him , that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation. It ( Vatican / Papacy ) was planted in a good soil by ' great waters ' ( Mediterranean Sea ) that it might bring forth branches & that it might bear fruit , that it might be a ' goodly vine ' . . . . Thus saith the Lord GOD ; Shall it prosper ? shall he not pull up the roots thereof & cut off the fruit thereof , that it wither ? It shall wither in all the leaves of her spring , even without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof. Yea , behold , being planted , shall it prosper ? shall it not utterly wither , when the ' east wind ' ( Christ & His saints ) toucheth it ? It shall wither in the furrows where it grew.