Valerie, so glad that RFTH is flying again

"Fair Use for Information and Discussion Purposes"
"For Your Discernment"

Egypt's Coptic Christian Pope Shenouda III has died at the age of 88, state television has announced

Look at his age~~~88
The prophecy about a last pope when talked about, assumes that it is refering to the pope from Rome. What about the Coptic pope?
Could the prophecy mean the last pope will be who is replacing him? Does it have to be about Rome?
The Coptic church claims a line back to St Mark who came to Egypt to preach the gospel about 48AD
Coptic Orthodox Church Network link.
(Article on St. Mark)

The Country of Egypt and the church from Alexandria are places that God has had deeply in His plans.
What if this pope has to do with end times signs?
Joseph was taken captive to Egypt.
Jacob (Israel) was delivered from famine by relocating there.
"All" Israel was reunited there.
The Israelites were delivered from Egypt.
Jesus was taken there to hide from Herod,
and finally it will be said of Egypt:"Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance." Isaiah 19:25 Parallel translations

comments?

Regina, it is something to consider; however, the man who had the prophecy several hundred years ago, Malachi, was a Roman Catholic priest so the prophecy is linked to the succession of RCC popes.

Hello!

Its been a while since I posted anything on the forum. I just wanted to share something on this topic specifically. Mainly because I am a Coptic Christian and I moved to the US some 12 years ago.
I do not have any hard proof of what I am going to tell you. But ever since we were little kids (I'm 24), we have been told by our parents that Pope Shenouda III, our coptic pope, is going to be the last pope (According to someone who prophesied in the church). But I never really knew what to make of that because I never heard it from any church official, and I thought it was just some kind of rumor/wishful thinking. Until pretty recently(2009 I believe)when Bishop Athanasius (also from the coptic church), announced in one of the weekly meetings of the Pope with the congregation... that "Pope Shenouda will be the one to hand over the church- meaning the coptic church, I presume- to Jesus Christ, on the clouds"
The video of the Bishop saying this went viral and it can be found on youtube. It is in Arabic and there is no translation in the video itself (But here is the link for it anyway
FAIR USE FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION PURPOSES-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y_i7T3p8Bs ). Obviously, it was never clarified if Bishop Athanasious saw some kind of a vision, or what exactly... we just don't know that.
We all thought he meant that Pope Shenouda would be alive when Jesus returns.
Needless to say, when the Pope's health deteriorated, we all thought, thats it, Jesus is coming soon. Thats why his passing was a complete shock to all of us.
Our hope is that he is with Jesus now.
My mom and I were talking about this just today. And she was saying, we all thought he would be here on earth for that day. And I said but you never know maybe we won't make it till the church chooses the next Pope. May be... we won't be here for that! If so, then, we are so imminently close.
Anyway... He was a great man of God. He is sooo deeply missed and I hope we will be raptured soon so I can see him again there!

Please pray for the church in Egypt, as persecution surrounds it from every corner at a very difficult time.


Maranatha

"Fair Use for Information and Discussion Purposes"

God bless you Mary. I hope that this understanding is correct and that we will meet Jesus in the clouds very soon. Perhaps there will not be another pope before the great day of 1 Thes 4:16-18
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.


Until that day, Father YHWH, we trust in You because You are the One Who Supplies, You are the Almighty God, You are the Lord Our Deliverer. We ask you to intervene now for Your people who love You in Egypt and in all situations where Your people are persecuted for faith in You. Please forgive all their sins, fill them with fresh annointing of Your Holy Spirit, Ruach Ha-kodesh. Please stop the plans of the oppressor if You would and keep all our brothers and sisters safely until You take us home. Please let them live to worship You here. Please continue to provide all their needs. We ask for comfort for the grieving,strength for the weak, healing for the sick as You healed the sick when Jesus walked the earth. We ask in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen

Regina,

Interesting thoughts Regina, however I too believe it has to do with the RCC pope!

I agree with Texas Sue, Saint Malachi prophesied all the popes from the beginning to the very last one, and it had to do with the RCC popes. To date ever last one that he name came true, and the last one will be Petrus Romanus/ Peter of Rome. So I don't think that it has anything to do with the Coptic pope.

God Bless!

Valerie

Mary's post is very interesting about the Coptic Pope who just died being the LAST. With the muslim brotherhood taking over Egypt and many of the Christians fleeing the country if they can, he may well be the last in Egypt.

That brings me to something else I have wondered about. Peter Romanus will be the one who sits during tribulation. So I am wondering if he will be put in place AFTER the rapture. Pope Benedict is in poor health and is of very advanced age. Also, I have seen news articles saying he may retire in April 2012. April is now only TWO weeks away. If we are raptured before the 112th and last RCC pope is named and seated then we are only days away.

That would also probably mean that a new Coptic pope would not yet be named or seated in Egypt either if another one ever is. Oh I hope the rapture is that close. Especially after what we see coming together around us being very dark indeed, it is time to go home!

You said it, Texas Sue!