The Watchman's Quarterly Issue No.01 by Paul Pitterson-Punch

EST. 2024

THE WATCHMAN’S QUARTERLY

Ever Vigilant In Defense of Religious Liberty

P.O.L. Publishing

Words Worthy of Consideration

“Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people, who have a right...and a desire to know...”

-John Adams, Dissertation on the Canon & the Feudal Law (1765)

“The people are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.”

-Thomas Jefferson, Letter to James Madison 1787

“Whoever would overthrow a nation must begin by subduing the freedom of speech; a thing terrible to public traitors.”

-Benjamin Franklin, Silence Dogwood

“Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press and that cannot be limited without being lost. ”

-Thomas Jefferson, Letter to James Currie, Jan. 28th, 1786

“Eternal Vigilance is the price of liberty. ”

-The Life of Major General James Jackson

“As faithful watchmen you should see the sword coming and give the warning, that men and women may not pursue a course through ignorance that they would avoid if they knew the truth. ”

-Last Day Events pg. 127.4

What is The Watchman’s Quarterly?

This publication is addressed to the little flock that follows the Lamb withersoever He goes More specifically, it is addressed to those of that number currently residing in these United States of America. Its purpose is the preparation of that people to stand true to God by the passing of the national Sunday law. Though all may surely benefit from a close study of its pages, its targeted audience is that small company, that they may stand intelligently in defense of religious liberty.

For many today who call themselves Seventh-day Adventists, the long held anticipation of a national Sunday law in these United States seems exhausted. Often leaping at the sound of uncertain trumpeters, we’ve lost not only our sense of urgency but the ability to discern the very real dangers to religious liberty that exist in Washington today. Others, swelling with anticipation for this critical event, are no more prepared to meet it than the first mentioned group. Sadly, if the crisis were to break today, we’d have no more to say in defense of religious liberty than “I told you so. I told you this would happen.” Beloved, God expects much more from us at this time.

The aim of this small publication is to assist in the preparation of His faithful remnant through an education on right principles. I address that company now for the preservation and dissemination of these truths in love. May its pages generate study, discussion, and much, much prayer. Get ready, get ready, get ready!

Your servant in the faith, Br. Paul P.-Punch

The Mark of the Beast Pt. 1

Let us begin by reviewing that which is most familiar, so that we’re all on common ground and then, by the the grace of God, we will build from there. According to the Bible, what is the mark of the beast? The majority of the world today is confused on this point but God’s people ought not to guess at anything. From the words “mark of the beast” it is right to conclude that there is (1)a beast and (2)a mark which belongs to it. If we accurately identify the beast then it becomes easy to also identify its mark.

According to the Bible:

A beast represents a kingdom.....Dan. 7:23

It is therefore right to conclude that the infamous mark of the beast is a mark which belongs to a specific kingdom. It follows then that if we can accurately identify the kingdom mentioned in the Bible then it becomes easy to identify the mark of that kingdom. Keep in mind that in this Biblical symbolism of a beast for a kingdom God in His infinite wisdom used a language already familiar amongst the nations of the earth. When one thinks of America, for example, it is difficult to forget the majestic eagle. If we think of Russia, no doubt the powerful bear comes to mind. If we think of India perhaps the Bengal Tiger or the majestic Elephant is suggested. The symbolism is familiar and the interpretation is sure.

That being said, the question still remains, of all the kingdoms of the earth, to which one does the 3rd angel’s warning direct our attention? Which kingdom is the beast with the dreadful mark? Thankfully there is no need to guess here either.

As we begin to review what these symbols mean, bear in mind that we‘ve yet to exhaust all of the identifying characteristics of this beast/kingdom. The Bible speaks of it more than once and under different symbols because God wants His people to understand the identity of this beast so that they can avoid its mark! He would never leave our understanding of this subject up to chance This is a matter of eternal life and death (Rev 13:8) That being said, what do each of these characteristics symbolize?

The First Beast/Kingdom of Revelation 13:1-10

Breaking Down the Symbols According to the Bible

Waters Represent People

This kingdom emerged, not from a small puddle but rather a large body of water (the sea) and thus this kingdom emerged from a densely populated area...Rev. 17:15, 2 Sam. 22:5

A. A Composition Beast Most Resembling the Leopard

Of the four beasts/kingdoms spoken of in Dan. 7 this beast is most like the leopard. This beast/kingdom‘s evil character towards the people of God is no more changeable than a leopard‘s spots (Jer. 13:23). True she presents herself mild and friendly when it is most convenient for her but like the leopard she is merely watching, awaiting the opportune time to pounce on her unexpecting prey (Jer. 5:6).

B. The Feet Of the Bear

This beast/kingdom has “the feet” of the bear kingdom of Dan. 7. It is an historic fact that this bear-like kingdom symbolized Medo-Persia, that kingdom which overthrew the lion-like kingdom of Babylon in the days of King Belshazzar (Dan. 5). Whenever we are considering “the feet” it is “the way” that we are evaluating (Ps. 119:59, Ps. 119:101, Pr. 4:26). The question therefore is “what was the way of the bear--What was the way of Medo-Persia?” It was the way of Medo-Persia never to alter what their kings legislated because the word of the king was considered true and infallible (Dan. 6:8, 12, 15). Likewise this beast/kingdom claims infallibility.

C. The Mouth of the Lion

This beast/kingdom has “the mouth” of the lion kingdom of Dan. 7 which represented ancient Babylon. In its pride, the beast speaks blasphemously, taking the honor due only to God even as Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon once did (Dan. 4:30-32).

Its Relationship With the Dragon

This beast/kingdom received its power, seat and authority from the fourth beast of Dan. 7, here represented as “the dragon.” Rev. 12:9 gives us the primary application of this symbol-the dragon is the Devil, Satan. Thus in its primary sense, this kingdom’s power and the way that power is exercised comes from Satan. Satan however, works through kingdoms to fulfill his purposes against the children of God. This was so in the days of Moses, David, Daniel and even Jesus Christ. Rev. 12:3-5 gives us a key to unlocking this symbol of “the dragon” in its secondary prophetic sense. It is that kingdom which sought to kill Christ from His very birth until the day He ascended into heaven. It was King Herod, acting upon the authority of Pagan Rome that sought to kill the baby Jesus (Matt. 2:1318) and again it was Pontius Pilate, acting upon the authority of Pagan Rome that had Jesus crucified (Luke 3:1, John 19:12, Mark 15:12-15). The dragon is therefore a symbol of Pagan Rome. Thus the beast received its power, its seat, and authority from Pagan Rome.

The Duo-Nature of It’s Government

This beast/kingdom must be a religio-political kingdom since it is both a kingdom (civil power) and it receives worship (religious power).

Antichrist by Profession (In Place of/Antagonistic to Christ)

This beast/kingdom is guilty of blaspheme. According to the Bible, blaspheme is defined as (1) a man claiming to have power to forgive the sins of other men (Luke 5:20-21) and (2) a man making himself equal with God (John 10:33) The beast is guilty of both of these offenses and is thus antichrist (meaning taking the place of and antagonistic to Christ).

Keep in mind that the definition of these charges as described by the Pharisees is correct though their application of the charges to Jesus was incorrect.

It’s Bloody History of Persecuting God’s Saints

This beast/kingdom made war and persecuted the saints of God for 42 months. These 42 months are symbolic and not literal. A prophetic year in Bible prophecy is equivalent to one literal year (Eze. 4:6, Num. 14:34). In a Jewish month there are a total of 30 days. When these 30 days are multiplied by the 42 prophetic months the sum is 1260 prophetic days OR 1260 literal years in which this kingdom persecuted the saints of God. (As seen in Dan. 7)

It’s Deadly Wound (Loss of Global Civil Authority)

After the persecution of those days this beast/kingdom receives a deadly wound by the very weapon it used to persecute the saints, the sword. This again is symbolic and not literal language. The sword represents the power wielded by the rulers or civil governments (Rom. 13:3-4). This kingdom used the sword of civil government to persecute and kill the saints of God and it would likewise receive a deadly wound by the sword of civil government.

It’s Deadly Wound Healed (Global Civil Power Restored)

The Bible says that this deadly wound, that which brought this beast/kingdom to fall from its globally dominant position, would be healed. Thus this kingdom would again rise to that globally dominant position (Ps. 18:38). Remember, this beast/kingdom was originally both a religious and civil power, exercising its authority in both of these spheres globally “over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations,” (Rev. 13:7) The fact that this beast received its deadly wound by “the sword” or a civil power which was once under its influence, implies a loss of her dominant position in the realm civil governments. This is a deadly wound which threatens the existence of this religio-political kingdom and thus the healing of this wound must be a restoration of its authority in both civil and religious matters globally.

Before we make the application of these symbols to determine the identity of this antichrist beast/kingdom of Revelation 13, we’ll first review the historic position of earlier protestant believers on this very question. This way we can be sure, that the position of this pamphlet isn’t merely the position of the Seventh-day Adventist. No. It is the position of any who honestly examine the question from the Scriptures with an honest heart--the position of true protestantism.

According to Historic Protestantism (Who is the Antichrist?)

Martin Luther 1483-1586 (Lutherans)

“The Pope is (and I cannot believe otherwise) the veritable antichrist.”

-Luther’s Works [Concordia] Vol. 40 pg. 232

“The Papacy is truly the kingdom of Babylon and of the very Antichrist. For who is ‘the man of sin’ and ‘the son of perdition’ [2 Thess. 2:3-4] but he who with his doctrines and laws increases the sins and perdition of souls in the church, while sitting in the church as if he were God? All this the papal tyranny hath fulfilled, and more than fulfilled, these many centuries. ” -Works Vol. 36 pg. 72

“To some we may seem slanderers and railers when we call the Roman pontiff ‘Antichrist’. But those who think so do not realize they are accusing Paul of intemperate language, after whom we speak, indeed so speak from his very lips. And lest anyone object that we wickedly twist Paul’s words against the Roman pontiff, I shall briefly show that these cannot be understood otherwise than of the Papacy... ”

-Institutes, Book 4, Ch. 7, sect. 25

John Calvin 1509-1564 (Calvinists)

i“Paul does not speak of one individual, but of a kingdom, that was to be taken possession of by Satan, that he might set up a seat of abomination in the midst of God’s temple--which we see accomplished in popery. ”

-Calvin’s Commentaries Vol. 21, On 2 Thess. 2:3

John Knox 1514-1572 (Presbyterians)

[To Dean John Annand] “As for your Roman Church, as it is now corrupted, and the authority thereof, wherein stands the hope of your victory, I no more doubt that is the synagogue of Satan, and the head thereof, called the Pope, to be that ‘man of sin’, of whom the apostle speaks ” -Knox’s Works, Vol. 1, pg. 189

“Kings...were not ordained to fight one against another, or to rise against the emporor to defend the false authority of the pope, that very antichrist...they (the Romanists)...have set up that great idol, the whore of Babylon, antichrist of Rome, whom they call pope; and have conspired against all commonwealths and have made them a several kingdom, wherein it is lawful, unpunished, to work all abomination ”

-Tyndale’s Works, Vol. 1, The Obedience of A Christian Man, pg. 185, 191

William Tyndale 1494-1536

William Tyndale 1535-1603

“Whatsoever cometh from the pope, which is antichrist, cometh first from the devil. ”

-A Reply to An Answer Made of Dr. Whitgift, quoted in Works of Archbishop Whitgift, Vol. 3 pg. 399

“It is the bounden duty of every Christian to pray against Antichrist, and as to what Antichrist is no sane person ought to raise a question. If it be not the Popery in the Church of Rome and in the Church of England, there is nothing in the world that can be called by that name...Popery anywhere, whether it be Anglican or Romish, is contrary to Christ’s gospel, and is the Antichrist, and we ought to pray against it! It should be the daily prayer of every believer that Antichrist might be hurled like a millstone into the flood and sink to rise no more.”

-Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Vol. 12, Sermon 717 pg. 592

Charles Spurgeon 1834-1892

Beloved, these faithful men, protestants indeed, came to the very conclusion that we as Seventh-day Adventists have come to regarding this question. Who is the antichrist--the beast kingdom of Revelation 13? It is none other than the Papacy--the Roman Catholic chu-

-rch. We’ll unfold this together more thoroughly in our next issue from both the Bible and history. It is important however to note that as protestants, we’re exposing THE ANTICHRIST SYSTEM and NOT THE PEOPLE deceived by it. In fact, it is our belief that the majority of God’s faithful people today are in churches like the Roman Catholic Church. They’ve never heard the testing truths for this time and when they do by God’s grace, hear the proclamation of the 3rd angel’s message then we will witness the final fulfillment of that promise of Jesus, “other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd, ” (John 10:16).

The Antichrist Beast Kingdom of Rev. 13--The Roman Catholic Church System

A BRIEF APPLICATION OF THE SYMBOLS

WHERE THE PAPACY EMERGED FROM

The Papacy, unlike the second beast\kingdom of Revelation 13, emerged from a densely populated territory-Europe (more on this later).

THE CHARACTER OF THE PAPACY

The Papacy’s character is accurately depicted by the beasts presented in the Scriptures. This beast/kingdom, like the Leopard cannot change its spots, in fact she sees no need of change because, like the Bear, her Pope’s claim infallibility-an inability to ever make a error Thus when she persecutes and kills the saints of God, as she has, she believes herself to be perfectly justified and within the exercise of her self proclaimed divine rights. The Popes who speak for this beast/kingdom indeed have the mouth of the Lion and have on multiple recorded occasions claimed for themselves the position and power of God Himself

THE PAPACY’S RELATIONSHIP WITH PAGAN ROME

The dragon of Revelation 12 & 13, in its secondary sense represents the Roman Empire as it first was--in its pagan form, by which Satan persecuted and killed the saints of God. The Papacy, under a new symbol

of a leopard like beast, likewise represents Rome but in a new form-under the disguise of professed Christianity which in reality is the unholy blend of paganism and Christianity. (The leopard’s spots are for that very purpose--camouflage). The Pagan Roman Empire was not conquered by the Papal system but rather succeeded by the Papal Roman system. (We’ll unfold this in the next issue).

THE PAPACY’S IS BOTH A CIVIL & RELIGIOUS POWER

The Papacy is on record claiming supreme rule in all things both civil and religious. Her popes receive worship and claim the right to the submission of all earthly civil governments.

THE PAPACY IS ANTICHRIST BY ITS OWN PROFESSION

The popes of this beast/kingdom claim (1)to be God on earth and (2)to have the power to forgive sins. Thus the Papacy is guilty of blasphemy. (See page 16 for historic evidences).

THE BLOODY PAPAL HISTORY OF KILLING GOD’S SAINTS

From 538 A.D. after receiving its religious power, seat and authority from Emperor Justinian of Pagan Rome, the Papacy persecuted and mercilessly killed the saints of God for their conscientious protest of her heresies for 1,260 years (or 42 months according to the Biblical day for a year principle). Men, women and little children were made to seal their testimony with their very lives in defense of true Bible religion.

THE PAPACY LOST HER HOLD OF GLOBAL CIVIL POWER

In 1798, at the close of her 1,260 year persecution of God’s saints by the sword of the world’s civil governments, the Papacy received a deadly wound to her power by the sword of France. Pope Pius VI was captured in Rome by Napoleon’s army and upon refusing to yield his temporal/civil power was taken captive by General Berthier and he died in captivity. This was an unprecedented strike against Rome’s universal authority. He that boasted the divine right to rule in all things civil and religious was now recognized as no more than a man, a mere captive to the sword of France. All of the world saw this and the Papacy’s universal hold upon the sword of civil government, founded upon error and superstition alone, was broken.

Pope Pius VI Taken Captive by General Berthier In Rome 1798

PAPACY REGAINING HER HOLD OF GLOBAL CIVIL POWER

The prophetic history of this beast/kingdom did not end with that deadly wounding of her global civil influence in 1798. Far from it. The Scriptures foretold a miraculous restoration of that lost global influence and power over the civil governments of the world just prior to the 2nd coming of Jesus For years since that deadly wound, the Papacy has been steadily regaining her power in politics. Today she is no longer that crippled, wounded beast of old but she is now crouched in her strength awaiting the opportunity to strike. This opportunity is just on the horizon with the assistance of the second beast of Revelation 13. (More on this in our next issue).

Current Pope Francis Addressing World Leaders At The United Nations 2015

THE PAPACY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

“The Roman Pontiff (Pope) judges all men but is judged of no man...We declare, assert, define and pronounce to be subject to the Roman Pontiff is to every creature altogether necessary for salvation...I have the authority of the King of Kings. I am all in all and above all, so that God Himself and I, the Vicar of God, have but one consistory and I am able to do almost all that God can do. What therefore, can you make of me but God?”

“The pope is not simply the representative of Jesus Christ. He is Jesus Christ Himself, under the veil of the flesh.”

“The pope...represents God Himself. He is the Father (par excellence) because he unites within himself all that there is that is loveable, sacred and divine.”

-Pope Boniface VIII (1230-1303)

-Pope Pius X (1835-1914)

-Pope

“You know that I am the Holy Father, the representative of God on earth, the Vicar of Christ, which means that I am God on the earth.

”

”We hold the place of Almighty God on earth. ”

-Pope

Beloved, as we close out this issue, I’d like to leave you with some thoughts to ponder until next time. (1) If Seventh-day Adventists did not exist to expose the antichrist system, history would remain as sure evidence against its wickedness and blasphemy. Sadly, the majority of the protestant world have forgotten this history. This necessitates our declaration of it in clear, distinct tones. (2) In light of the historic claims of previous popes, do these sentiments reign true with the current leader of the Papacy, Pope Francis? That and more in our next issue.

Pius XI (1857-1939)

Leo XIII (1810-1903)

OUR PRINCIPLES

1.The Bible is the Word of God and Jesus Christ is the only Saviour of the world.

2.The 10 commandments are the foundation of all morality and comprehend the whole duty of man, both to God and man.

3.The religion of Jesus Christ, being founded in the love of God, needs no human power to support or enforce it. Love cannot be forced.

4.It is the right, and should always be the privilege, of every individual to worship or not to worship, according to the dictates of their own conscience, provided that in the exercise of that right they do not interfere with the equal rights of others.

5.Civil government is of divine origin, designed for the protection of men in the enjoyment of their natural rights. It is ordained to rule in civil things and in this realm is entitled to the respectful obedience of all.

6.The civil power is not authorized to enter the realm of religion, enacting legislation to define or to enforce any religious dogma, ritual, or observance. Coercion in religious matters always means persecution.

7.All religious legislation on the part of the state, and all movements tending to unite church and state, are subversive of human rights, persecuting in character, and opposed to the best interests of both church and state.

8.It is proper, therefore, for all to protest against, and use every possible means to prevent, religious legislation, or the union of church and state, in order that all may enjoy the inestimable blessings of religious liberty.

"Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." Romans 14:5 KJV

EST. 2024