When we refer to the apostate religious system, we’re not just talking about Christianity; we’re talking about all the world’s religions.  Every religion is included in this.  So, we’re not just talking about apostate Christians; we’re talking about the fact that this spirit is going to bring religions together in this last day, in these last hours.  We already see a trend moving that way.  We’ve seen some of the decisions that have been the most liberal that any pope has made in recent years, that have just represented the Roman segment.  We find a great demise, today, especially in America, of Islam, who’s being eaten up and swallowed by the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things.  That’s not just for Christians.  And the deluding of the militant Islamic faction, those who are orthodox, the true Muslims that keep the Quran.  You and I are referred to as extremists and possibly even in the minds and eyes of others, militant Christians.  Why?  Because we do the Bible, amen?  Because we won’t come around, the apostate system will attempt to bring about our destruction. 

So, as this great religious system is being revealed, Revelation 17:3-4 says, “I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls.”  The fastest growing, especially missionary, movement today is a movement bringing the prosperity gospel to impoverished nations.  And they’re eating it up, and why wouldn’t they?  Hopeless, destitute, promised by great men of power, driving around in their Rolls Royce’s in impoverished nations, wearing their Armani suits and telling them that God wants them to have a hundred-fold return.  And for every dollar they’ll put in the offering, God will give them one hundred dollars. 

That’s a constant among false prophets and false teachers.  They prey upon the people, and the prophets speak greatly toward it.  And it’s something that we ought to take note of.  You see, God set up a method a long time ago, and it was called the tithe.  And the leadership should live off the tenth.  The leader should live in a place where he is in the same realm of the people, as an average, to which he’s ministering.  Because if the people are tithing, then as that comes in, it’s going to provide for that oversight by the eldership that will allow them to live in the median.  God has a system set up, it’s the tithe.