LAST DAYS APPEARANCES OF “JESUS"

Commentary by Roger Oakland
www.understandthetimes.org

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It was another one of those headlines that immediately caught my attention: “Non-Catholic visitor sees Jesus in local chapel.” [1] Ever since I became aware of the Roman Catholic New Evangelization program to win the world to the Roman Catholic Eucharistic Christ, I have been expecting a news item of this nature.

The St. Charles Herald Guide reported that a petroleum geologist by the name of Andy Petty experienced a manifestation of “Jesus” at the Adoration Chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Quoting from the article:

It all started when Petty visited Our Lady of Perpetual Help Adoration Chapel in Rivertown. Little did he know that someone was waiting for him there. Petty, who belonged to the Worldwide Church of God, was only attending Our Lady of Perpetual Help to be with his fiancé, Ina. When Ina said, “let’s go to the chapel” he thought she meant wedding chapel. [2]

For those not familiar with this topic, adoration of the Eucharistic Jesus that takes place in adoration chapels is a major part of the New Evangelization program. In order to understand what this means, some basic terms and concepts need to be defined.

First, a priest performs the act of transubstantiation. This is when it is believed that a host (wafer) actually becomes the presence of Jesus – the Eucharistic Christ. Second, the host is placed in a container called a monstrance. Third, the monstrance is placed in an adoration chapel where the faithful come to worship and adore the Eucharistic Christ.

Now back to the article:

“I had never been to an adoration chapel, never heard of it,” acknowledged Petty. He had seen the Eucharist before in the church when Father Miles was showing it around so he knew what it looked like. The 56-year-old said he was so unfamiliar with the host that he called it a cracker at the time. [3]

Pope Benedict Holding the Eucharistic Jesus

Petty’s life was forever changed following the experience he had at the Adoration Chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help:

When he looked at the host, he was surprised by the image of a “bearded man” looking at him, clear as the day. Petty didn’t realize he was having a vision considered by the faithful to be a blessing.[4]

Petty was dumfounded, coming from a scientific/geological background. He was not inclined to believe anything that could not be proven. Immediately he began promoting the experience he had encountered by telling others they too could “see Jesus.” Finally, he converted to the Roman Catholic faith.

Andy Petty and wife Ina

Adoration Evangelization

Imagine the following scenario. Someone tells you there are reports that “Jesus” is appearing at an adoration chapel located at a Roman Catholic church somewhere in your vicinity. At first, you pass off the report as just another citing, similar to one of the supposed apparitional appearances of “Mary” the mother of Jesus on a tortilla or a pancake.

As time goes by, this “Jesus” manifestation draws a crowd because it is reported in the news. More and more people come to the church, not only Roman Catholics but people from other backgrounds. Not only are these people reporting appearances of a face in a monstrance they believe to be Jesus, there are even claims this “Jesus” is healing them and other miraculous phenomenon are occurring.

This scenario I have proposed is very feasible. In the introduction of this commentary I documented how a non-Catholic was converted to the Catholic Church because he had an encounter with the Eucharistic Christ.

These appearances of the supposed face of Jesus are called Eucharistic miracles and are beginning to take place world wide. For example, following is the testimony of parish priest Johnson Karoor from St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Southern India:

I exposed the Holy Eucharist in the monstrance and we started the adoration. During the adoration I saw three dots on the holy Eucharist. I stopped reciting the prayers and as if from some sort of an inner inspiration I just stood looking at the Eucharist. Then I invited the attention of the Faithful to the monstrance and they testified that they saw three dots on the Eucharist. I asked the faithful to remain in prayer and I kept the Holy Eucharist in the tabernacle. [5]

Two days later the priest described what he and others saw when he opened the tabernacle (the place where the Eucharistic Jesus was placed in storage): 

I vested myself and opened the tabernacle. Immediately I noticed the figure of a human face in yellow color in the Eucharist. I was at a loss what to do. I just stood there for a few seconds. I asked the faithful to kneel down and pray. I thought it was something which I alone experienced. I kept the holy Eucharist in the monstrance and asked the mass server whether he saw something in the Eucharist. "I see a figure", he said. I saw the faithful looking intently at the monstrance observing the figure. [6]

Appearance of Eucharistic Jesus

Former Catholic Speaks Out

Since I have been speaking and writing on the topic of the Eucharistic Christ warning people about the dangers of embracing “another Jesus,” I have received tremendous support and encouragement from former Roman Catholics who understand the seriousness of the situation. On numerous occasions after speaking on the topic, I have had people come up to me with tears in their eyes thanking me for warning the church.

I also receive letters from former Catholics who encourage me to continue sounding the alarm. One lady (I will keep her name anonymous) wrote a four page letter explaining her story and experiences. Quoting from her letter, here are some of the points she made:

·         There are thousands of Catholics like me who (she had been a Catholic for 24 years) could tell you that the Real Presence of Christ (“body, soul and divinity”) of Christ, is central to Roman Catholicism. It is central to the Mass and the priestly office consists mainly of this changing of the bread and wine into the “body and blood.” 

·         The sacraments are the method of sanctification, but especially the Eucharist. Eucharistic adoration is encouraged and promoted. This is worshipping and adoring a consecrated host that has been placed in a container called a monstrance.

·         I prayed for hours in front of the “real presence” on the altar. The whole reason for praying before the monstrance is because “the real presence” is there.

This person was writing to me because she was confirming the importance of the warnings we have been presenting about the dangers of Eucharistic adoration as a major part of the New Evangelization. She also explained she had experienced a visitation of a personage claiming to be Jesus during Eucharistic adoration. Later in her home, this same being appeared to her and she had a terrifying experience. She discovered this was not Jesus, but a demon.

This lady was concerned that many evangelical Protestants are becoming more and more interested in the “real presence” through mystical practices such as contemplative prayer taught by Roman Catholic mystics. These exercises induce an altered state of consciousness that open the door to the spiritual realm. Her concern (which is also my concern) is that people who are in pursuit of the “real presence” will be introduced to the presence of demons masquerading as the real Jesus.

Thomas Keating, a Monk
A teacher of Centering Prayer

Can God be Put in a Box?

While I receive support and encouragement from former Catholics, I am often challenged by non-Catholics who say that warning people about the dangers of Roman Catholicism is counter-productive, anti-ecumenical and irrelevant.

The following is an e-mail I received from someone who was upset with me for sending out a News Alert about the non-Catholic geologist-scientist who had become a Catholic after he saw “Jesus” at a Catholic Church at a Eucharistic Adoration chapel:

So what’s the big deal? It’s our Father’s right to reveal His Son to each of us as God wants to. The guy had a vision. People get them all through our Father’s word. Don’t put God in a box. He does not live in our doctrine. He lives in our born again spirit. We have the ability to discern spirits. It’s just that a lot of us have not taken time.

So, what is the big deal?, as this person said. What’s wrong with seeing the face of “Jesus” in a monstrance?

I think the answer is simple. This person who wrote, while claiming “you can’t put God in a box,” insists that it is fine to place the Son of God in a monstrance. By the way, when people see “Jesus” in the wafer, they believe they have experienced a Eucharistic miracle. Another way to describe this would be “signs and wonders.”

Further, the belief that a wafer can be transformed into the presence of Jesus and then placed in a container (a monstrance), requires the Roman Catholic Church and a Roman Catholic priest. I saw this with my own eyes on Corpus Christi day in Rome, Italy, June, 2006. “Jesus” was carried (contained in a monstrance) from St. Peter’s to St. John’s to the Major Church of Mary. At the end of the procession, this “Jesus” was taken out of the monstrance and placed in storage in a “tabernacle” (a box) inside the church.

“Jesus” in a monstrance

“Jesus” in a tabernacle

The Coming Delusion

As more and more people are being drawn towards a mystical experiential form of Christianity through the Emerging Church and related contemplative worship practices, more and more people will have encounters and experiences that will lead to Roman Catholicism and the Eucharistic Jesus.

These events that are underway today are very exciting in light of Bible prophecy. Jesus warned us in advance there would be a time of great spiritual deception that would occur before He returned. More specifically, He warned about false appearances that would be associated with lying signs and wonders. [7] 

Notice how specific Jesus was about these appearances:

Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

As we read through Matthew 24, it is apparent that the spiritual deception that takes place in the name of Jesus is associated with false appearances. But even more specifically, Jesus wanted us to know the exact locations where these false appearances would be occurring.

In order that there would be no need to speculate regarding this important matter, Jesus provided exact locations where these false appearances would occur. While our English translations say that counterfeit christs would appear in the “secret chambers” [8] or “inner rooms” [9] or “inner chambers,” [10] a look at the original Greek word tameion provides some very interesting insight. With reference to Strong’s Concordance, the actual meaning of the Greek word tameion that is translated as inner rooms is:

tameion (tam-i'-on); neuter contraction of a presumed derivative of tamias (a dispenser or distributor; akin to temno, to cut); a dispensary or magazine, i.e. a chamber on the ground-floor or interior of an Oriental house (generally used for storage or privacy, a spot for retirement) [11]

In other words, the original Greek word tameion, actually refers to some kind of storage container or dispensary. A vessel or a container to store or dispense a counterfeit christ? Is it possible that this future prediction of Christ is in the process of being fulfilled today?

The Future

Knowing that “Jesus” appearances are occurring, what other things can we expect will happen in light of Bible prophecy? Here are five trends I believe we can expect to happen:

1.      More and more appearances or manifestations of a counterfeit “Jesus” will occur in places where “Eucharistic adoration” is practiced. These appearances will play a major role in establishing what is called the triumph of the Eucharist or the Eucharistic Reign of Jesus, the unification of “Christianity” and eventually other religions. Thus, the claim will be that the Kingdom of God is being established here on earth. [12]

2.      These false appearances will be accompanied by signs and wonders and miraculous healings. Many will believe they have encountered Jesus because they have had a supernatural experience in the name of Jesus. Many (not a few) will be converted to the Roman Catholic Eucharistic Christ but will have not understood the simple gospel of salvation found in the Scriptures. Rather than going to heaven as they believe, they will spend eternity in hell. [13]

3.      Many pastors and church leaders who once taught that faith was based on the Scriptures will be deceived and become part of the delusion rather than the solution. Without knowing it they will be influenced by doctrines of demons. Doctrine will no longer be popular or even tolerated. [14]

4.      As the deception gets greater and greater fewer and fewer will discern what is happening. While it is believed the Kingdom of God has arrived and brought peace to the world with headquarters in Rome, King Jesus has not yet planted His feet on the Mount in Jerusalem. Also we can expect increasing participation of an apparitional woman claiming to be the Queen of Heaven (Catholics call her Mary) who will play a significant role in deceiving the world as she has done throughout history. [15]

5.      Those who understand what is happening and stand for the truth according to God’s Word will not be popular. In fact the cost of taking a stand will be persecution. [16]

As I went through these five points, one thing came to mind. These insights into the future are based on current events that are now underway. We see the warning signs that have been placed in God’s Word as trends that we are presently experiencing.

Jesus said when the time of the signs is being fulfilled we are to look up! They are being fulfilled now. Jesus is coming soon!

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