Before the inexorable messenger of death even the Pope of Rome had to bow. In view of the place accorded him (as Vicar of Christ) by his infatuated followers, one would have thought that if the messenger of death would fail to visit any place, that place would be the Vatican in Rome and in particular the person of the Pope of Rome. But death has had dominion over him. The gates of the Vatican or of the other papal residences were not strong enough to keep out the last messenger. At last it is seen that notwithstanding the worship and adulation of multitudes Pope Paul VI was but a worm of the dust. He had to answer his last summons and give in his account. It is a solemn thought — he went to his own place. Claiming to be Christ’s representative on earth, he now knows the truth, if he did not know it before, that Christ eternally is to have the pre-eminence and that all His enemies are to be made His footstool.
Pope Paul has died: but the organisation of which he was Head has not died. The anti-Christian system of Romanism is not an organisation with only one ruler. The Pope is the anti-Christ as the Head of that anti-Christian system known as the Papacy or the Roman Catholic Church. But the anti-Christ is a succession of personages elected to fill that heaven-defying and heaven-provoking office of Vicar of Christ, “who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (2 Thess. 2:4).
Another Pope will be chosen, and this evil system will continue to carry on its opposition to Christ and His kingdom. Nor should we be surprised if, in order that it may carry on its diabolical work, it come to an accommodation with atheistic communism and seek to establish its hegemony more surely on the back of that satanic power. But you will say, How will it go with the true Church of God in the world then, when the visible Church will almost wholly have succumbed and fallen under the sway of Rome? One thing is certain and that is that the Lord will always have a people to serve Him on earth. Another thing is this — that He knows how to hide his people from the persecuting power of their enemies. It was so with the Saviour when Herod sought His destruction. The Lord had a hiding place for Him in Egypt.
But what of the future if these things should take place? Of the future we have no need to fear. The future is bright with promise. The Lord has promised to destroy anti-Christ (in his own good time) with the brightness of His coming — and will He not do it? As He had to say of Christ, “I have called my Son out of Egypt,” so shall He call His servants out of those hiding-places which He prepared for them in the evil day, and will send them forth to proclaim the great Evangel and will accompany their ministry with the power of the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. Before it all the panoply of anti-Christian superstition and pomp shall crumble and Christ only shall be exalted in that day. May we plead for it even now, believing that He who has promised will be faithful to the word that has gone forth from His mouth.