[Darris McNeely] Lighting striking Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome just hours after Pope Benedict XVI announced that he would be resigning the papacy and the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. You know, lightning strikes the earth thousands of times every day all over the world. It is rather interesting and that's why it has drawn the attention in just hours after the Pope announced that he's going to resign that something like this takes place. The resignation of a Pope is a very significant event as we've already talked about. There's going to be a great deal of speculation and other questions about various aspects of this whole drama that is once again unfolding within the Catholic Church and in Rome and at Vatican City. I've also seen some contrary headlines as people have noted the Pope has according to one headline wimped out. Another headline even said, "Good riddance," regarding the Pope's resignation because of the problems within the Catholic Church and the inability of not only the Pope but the hierarchy to take care of things.

Catholic theology is interesting because when a Pope is selected, according to Catholic theology, this is the decision of God being revealed through the College of Cardinals, and that Pope is in a sense elected for life. Now we have a Pope resigning. They will select another Pope. You will have a retired Pope and a setting Pope. Which one is God's choice? Interesting questions. I'll leave that for the other people to figure out and they can explain that in itself. Why this has drawn a  lot of interest and perhaps other matters regarding this whole scenario is probably because in Revelation 13:13 it talks about a political and religious figure to come on the scene prior to the coming of Jesus Christ. One of those figures is a religious figure. In verse 13 it says of this individual, "He performs great signs so that he even makes fire come down from heaven and the earth in the sight of men."

And so you've got fire, lightning coming down upon Saint Peter's Basilica. Signs and wonders performed by this particular religious figure that is described in Revelation 13. And so is this part of that? I'm not saying that it is. I'm saying that it's a very interesting picture and it leads to speculation. But the entire drama as it unfolds in the coming weeks is going to be very instructive and very interesting to watch for those who are interested in religion, politics, world history, and certainly Bible prophecy.  We'll be covering a lot more of this in detail as we go along.

That's BT Daily. Join us next time.