A Woman Rides the Beast
by Dave Hunt
Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon 97402
Copyright 1994; Paperback; 544 pages
Book review by Luc Bedard

Following are two book reviews that offer different perspectives about the activities and objectives of the Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican in the closing days of the twentieth century. The first is by noted prophetic author Dave Hunt.  Mr. Hunt’s book entitled The Roman Catholic Church and the Last Days: A Woman Rides the Beast, offers a fundamentalist look at the history of Roman Catholicism, the reasons for the Reformation and the ensuing conflict between Catholicism and Protestantism that has existed down through the centuries. He examines what changes have come in these times to bring about not just a reconciliation, but a mechanism of ecumenism for eventual reunification between Rome and what it calls their “separated brethren”. It is also leading to the resurgence of Rome as leader of the Christian World and its machinations toward being the religious leader and supporter of the Antichrist Empire of the last days before Christ’s return to earth.

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The Keys of This Blood
by Malachi Martin
Touchstone, Simon & Schuster.
Copyright 1990; Paperback; 734 pages
Book review by Luc Bedard

The second review is about a book titled The Keys of This Blood: Pope John Paul II versus Russia and the West for Control of the New World Order, and is by noted former Jesuit professor and best selling Catholic author, Malachi Martin. As the title implies, this book is about the power struggle between Pope John Paul II and the major players in the battle for what spirit will dominate in the coming new world order.

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In A Woman Rides the Beast Dave Hunt builds a case for identifying the Roman Catholic Church with the spirit of the woman who rides the beast in Revelation 17 and 18. Needless to say, this work was greeted with both acclaim and condemnation depending on which side of this highly controversial issue you stand. The author has been branded a Catholic hater and a divider of Christian brothers by both Catholics and Evangelicals for his efforts. Hunt did not undertake this project as a vehicle to incite people to hatred for Catholics but as an honest examination of the motivating spirit that has guided Roman Catholicism and especially the Vatican down through the centuries. He might never have undertaken this book but for one event which happened in 1994: The signing of a joint declaration by both leading American evangelicals and Catholics entitled “Evangelicals and Catholics Together: The Christian Mission in the 3rd Millennium”.

In his preface Hunt says this about the joint declaration “The document, in effect, overturned the Reformation and will unquestionably have far-reaching repercussions throughout the Christian world for years to come. The 25-page document acknowledges, without compromise, some key differences between Catholics and Evangelicals (such as the significance of baptism and the authority of Scripture). Unfortunately, the most important difference – what it means to be a Christian – is not mentioned. In fact, that such a difference even exists is denied.”

The author wrote this book to outline the differences between what Catholicism teaches about what it means to be a Christian with what the Scriptures teach a Christian is.  As an evangelical Christian, Hunt believes and teaches that the Bible is the Word of God and is the only infallible authority in all matters of faith and bases all his arguments on what it reveals. This being the case he first establishes the authority of the Bible.

Hunt then goes on to show the validity and importance of biblical prophecy in helping believers have faith in God’s Word. He does this by citing fulfilled prophetic scriptures and demonstrating how they affected the faith of believers after their fulfillment. Once the author establishes these things he turns to the book of the Bible that instigated his book – Revelation. The revelation of Jesus Christ to be specific.  This last book of the Bible has many things to offer the believer of today. It, first of all, reveals the glorified Jesus as He speaks to His Church and tells them what’s on His mind. There are things that He’s pleased with and things they need to repent of. This prophetic book then goes on to reveal God’s plan for the last days and the judgment that will come upon the whole earth. Once the plan is laid out, Revelation then examines the spirit behind the major characters involved in the conflict for dominance over the souls of men. We are shown a Woman clothed with the Sun, the Beast and his False Prophet, the Dragon and the Whore and all their interactions and relationships with each other and with God and His Saints. Hunt’s book examines the Woman riding the Beast of chapters 17 and 18.  She is also called Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots, and The Great Whore that sitteth on many waters.

Hunt uses multitudes of sources (all of which are biblio-graphed) from both sides of the issue to show what Catholicism teaches and the contrasting fundamental view. Catholic teachings such as the church being built upon Peter, papal succession going back to Peter as the first pope, transubstantiation, Mary’s role in the church, the veneration of Mary and of saints, celibacy of the clergy and the infallibility of the pope are explored and refuted by the teachings of the Bible. The author does an excellent job of showing the history behind these false teachings and the reasons behind their formulation and implementation.

The book examines the Reformation and the reasons for the split. It looks at the papacy’s efforts to stop the Protestant movement and then to subvert it once it had established itself. Every modern Christian should ask, “What was so important about this ‘new’ revelation of salvation by faith through the grace of God that people endured heavy persecution for, some even losing their lives over?” Hunt examines the faith of the Reformation saints and concludes that this faith was so strong in so many that they could not return to their former ways. It was better to die for their new-found faith than to live by practicing the heresies that their accusers tried to goad them into. Hunt asks this question in his introduction, “How have these differences been dissolved: What has happened to cause leading Evangelicals to declare that Catholicism’s gospel, which the Reformers denounced as heretical, is now biblical?” The answer is nothing! What has changed is the emphasis now placed on a unity based on fighting common enemies such as abortion and pornography rather than on a common faith. The mechanism for this unity is ecumenism.

The final chapters take a look at ecumenism as a tool of the Vatican to bring not only Protestants back into the fold but also to bring all the religions of the world to a common cause led by one man, the Pope.  He also examines the role of Mary and Marian apparitions in promoting a new unity of man.

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World domination is the name of the game in Malachi Martin’s book. The Keys of This Blood is about the new world order that is forming and the struggle between the major players for the upper hand in forming this new order. This book is certainly dated. Some of the major players examined in this book such as Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev no longer have any influence in world affairs. Along with Gorbachev’s downfall, communism ceased to be a viable player in the game of world dominance. Karol Wojtyla himself is rapidly approaching his judgment day and the continuation of his plans for the world will soon hang precariously in the hands of the College of Cardinals. Martin has also underestimated the influence of the West, especially the European Community and has portrayed westerners as weak-willed and ready to fall prey to the cleverly disguised Marxist teachings of Antonio Gramsci, communist theoretician, strategist and founder of the Italian Communist Party.

In spite of all its unfulfilled vision and lack of foresight about the true new world order, this book is still worth the read because it does give a glimpse into the makeup of Pope John Paul II. The author takes a detailed look at the historic influences and the biographical events that have shaped Karol Wojtyla into John Paul II. He devotes a generous section to the influence of Polish heritage on this Pope. His resistance to both the Nazis and the Communist and his nation’s eventual triumph over both have reinforced the Pope’s faith in prayer and dedication to the Virgin Mary. So deep is his belief in this that he has dedicated his papacy to the Blessed Virgin.

Martin’s Wojtyla is shown to be a conservative at heart but also very pragmatic. In spite of all the turmoil within the Catholic Church and in the Vatican itself, this pope has chosen a laissez faire attitude. Bishops and priests have openly and defiantly opposed his office and his doctrine and, according to Martin, he has done nothing to stop them. Instead John Paul has thrown all his hopes and energies into Ecumenism. He has traveled the globe preaching unity, brotherly love, and morality. He has welcomed people of all religions to congresses and days of prayer, inviting each participant to pray to his God in his way. He has worked feverishly to mend the Catholic Church’s relationship with the “separated brethren” and with the Jews and people of other faiths. All of this has greatly increased the prestige of the papacy and he is recognized as a true world leader on many levels. Much of the world believes in his persona and even respects the ideals that he proposes to them. But what about the Catholic Church itself? How has it fared during John Paul’s reign? Has its prestige been elevated along with the Pope’s? Are its ideals and doctrines gaining influence among the nations? Martin seems to think not.

Although the author seems to have the highest regard for John Paul, I could not help but feel that he could not resist putting in a plea for a return to tradition. This plea comes in the form a fictional chapter at the end of the book in which a reigning pope (not John Paul II) calls all of his cardinals to a consistory to start a reformation. Accepting the full blame for the lethargic state of his church the fictional pope unashamedly repents on his knees before all the cardinals and asks God to forgive him and to turn things around. Most of the cardinals soon join him either out of shame or genuine repentance themselves. One cannot but notice that many of the confessed sins of the pope are actions or inactions that the real pope is identified with in the book. Just a hunch but I came away with the impression that Martin himself is not in full agreement with the pope’s policies.

As stated at the beginning this book is quite dated. I still found it valuable, though, in its biographical content and also opening the door to give us a glimpse at the mind of the papacy in these days. That glimpse reveals a man who is a consummate geopolitician who knows how to deal with world leaders and get the results he desires. He is a calculating strategist who closely scrutinizes his competitors in the New World Order and will play politics to further his plans to be the most influential voice in that Order.  Many in his own church and even within his circle of power feel he has betrayed the church by allowing dissension down through the ranks without confronting any of the dissenters, choosing rather to pursue an ecumenical policy of inviting all people of any faith to unite regardless of religious doctrine. Many would even like to see his office done away with and have the bishop of Rome truly be one among equals.

Although he is wrong in his identifying and assessing of the main players, Martin is right about the New World Order and the competition in which the pope is one of the lead players. The prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation indicate this and even give clues to help identify the main characters, one of whom is the great whore. For this reviewer Revelation 17:1-2 shows what The Keys of This Blood tried to show from a different perspective:

 “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
   With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” Rev. 17:1-2