Will the next Pope be a sign of something dark entering our world?
Renowned Bible teacher Perry Stone recently addressed a question stirring much curiosity: Could the next pope be the False Prophet described in the book of Revelation? Stone urges believers to stay grounded in Scripture, cautioning against forming opinions based only on outside prophecies or partial information.
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Referencing the 12th-century writings of St. Malachy, Stone explains that an ancient prophecy predicts a final pope called “Peter the Roman,” who would shepherd the church during a time of tribulation before the destruction of Rome. However, Stone makes it clear that our ultimate source of truth must remain the Bible.
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In Revelation 13, John describes two beasts: the Antichrist, rising from the sea, and another beast—known as the False Prophet—emerging from the earth. This second figure appears like a lamb, symbolizing a form of deceptive religious leadership, yet speaks like a dragon, revealing his true nature. Stone explains that this False Prophet will perform miracles, deceive many, and play a critical role in establishing the global system tied to the mark of the beast.
Stone warns that a coming religious figure could attempt to unite Islam and apostate Christianity. Given that both Islam and Catholic tradition highly revere Mary, Stone notes this common ground could be used to merge two major world religions. The False Prophet, he explains, would need to deny that Jesus is the Son of God to achieve such unity—a direct fulfillment of the spirit of antichrist as defined in 1 John 2:22.
“This false prophet will do supernatural miracles. He will be empowered to call fire from heaven. He will be empowered to make an image of the Beast, make the image speak and live, and believe it or not, if you’ll read Scripture correctly, he helps institute the universal economic system of the mark of the Beast,” says Stone.
While Stone refrains from making definitive predictions without a clear word from the Holy Spirit, he encourages believers to remain vigilant. He stresses that if a future pope were to deny fundamental Christian doctrines such as the virgin birth or Christ’s divinity, it could signal a major prophetic fulfillment.
As the days grow darker and deception increases, now more than ever, the call to stand firm in Christ resounds with urgency. It is not enough to merely observe the signs; we must anchor ourselves in the Word, be filled with the Holy Spirit and walk in unshakable faith.
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The enemy will unleash confusion, but those who know their God will not be moved. Our hope is not in the stability of the world but in the unchanging victory of Jesus Christ. No matter how fierce the battle becomes, we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. Let us be found ready, faithful and burning brightly until the day our King returns.
Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
