The Forty Years    129 

    Peter the Roman becomes Pope after the small war among the Arab 

nations begins and not long before World War III, the war which results in 

the destruction of Rome. Since Vatican City is located within Rome, 

Vatican City will also be destroyed at that time. Peter the Roman is the Pope 

whose martyrdom was predicted with  such startling detail by Ezekiel and 

Jeremiah. He will be captured by the Arab forces after they attack Italy, but 

before they utterly destroy Rome and Vatican City. 

    (Formerly I thought that Pope John Paul II was the one who would be 

martyred in this way. I made that mistake partly because I formerly thought 

that the war between the Arab nations and Europe would occur sooner. I 

have now changed my prediction for the date of the start of this war, a war 

which leads to the martyrdom of the Pope. I do not know if Pope John Paul 

II will die a martyr for the Faith, but he is not the one spoken of by this 

prophecy in Ezekiel. This note is from the fourth edition.) 

    In this passage from Holy Scripture (Ezekiel 12:12.13), God is speaking 

through the prophet  Ezekiel. These are God's words; this is God's plan. 

Thus, God says that the Pope is taken captive by  my net  and in  my 

snare.  It is God who wills this event. Why? Because the house of Israel is a 

rebellious house (Ezekiel 12:2 3). The Christian people are a rebellious 

people, and so this will be a part of the punishment from God for our sins, 

for the sins of Christians. 

     This same prophecy is found in several other passages of Holy Scripture. 

The second book of Kings (2 Kings 25:1 12) and the book of the prophet 

Jeremiah (Jer 39:1 10; 52:4 16) give additional details about these future 

events. 

     During the siege of the city of Rome by the Arabs, the Pope will flee 

 with all the men of war,  meaning with soldiers to guard him. The Arab 

army will pursue them and capture the Pope. He will be taken before the 

king of Babylon, and an unjust sentence will be handed down against him. 

      The ancient city of Babylon was located in what is now Iraq, near the 

present day city of Baghdad. Thus, the  king of  Babylon  is the leader of 

Iraq. The unjust sentence will be given in Riblah, referring to an ancient city 

in what is now Syria; therefore, Syria will be captured and occupied by Iraq. 

     Holy Scripture says that they killed  the sons of Zedekiah before his 

eyes.  Zedekiah represents the Pope and so  the sons of Zedekiah  refers to 

the followers or assistants of the Pope. Thus, the king of Babylon (the leader 

of Iraq) will order that those who have accompanied the Pope, (his 

assistants, members of the clergy, perhaps some bishops or cardinals) be 

killed while the Pope watches. 

    The book of the prophet Jeremiah adds an additional detail.  The king of 

Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and also slew all the