The Development of Two Beasts I: The Rebirth of Papal Europe

In Bible prophecy, Revelation 13 brings to our view two beasts (called Kingdoms in Daniel 7:23). The characteristics are unmistakeable, and easily identifiable through a number of proofs.

The first is an ecumenical body of leopard, lion, bear, and dragon, with heads of blasphemy having power over all tongues, nations and peoples. It reigned before the second beast arose and corrupted itself, and had a deadly wound where it loses it’s great authority and power, which when the second beast begins to corrupt itself, would be healed. Those prophecies are now fast fulfilling simultaneously. But first, some background:

THE ELEMENTS OF THE FIRST BEAST

The first beast is an composite ecumenical beast. It contains the body parts of many different national religions.
The lion, the bear, the leopard, and the dragon are found in the seventh chapter of Daniel and are world empires (Dan. 7:23), represented by the sacred beasts of their respective patron deities of the world that successively rose to power and fell one after the other.

1) The lion represented Babylon. The Babylonian goddess Ishtar,  of fertility, war, and sensuality, was often depicted seated upon a lion.

2) The bear represented Media-Persia. The Persian god Mithra (also titled Sol Invictus- the invincible sun), was said to hold the constellation of the bear in his hands, signifying his hand as Polaris, the immovable star.

3) The leopard represented Greece. The Grecian god Dionysius, god of wine, revelry, and fertility, was often depicted as seated upon a leopard.

4) The devouring beast (also called the dragon in Rev. 12:3) represented the Roman Empire. The devouring beast symbolized Chonus, the god of time, who was frequently enthroned upon a chariot with winged serpents or dragon beasts.

The fourth beast of Daniel seven, having ten horns, is unequivocally bringing to view the Roman Empire in it’s European phase, where the kingdoms divided into multiple nations when the Roman emperor, Romulus, fell.

That first beast of Revelation 13 specifically calls you to understand Daniel 7, so you may better understand this beast, who rises on the reign of the European Roman Empire. It is unequivocally identifiable because it possesses all of the pagan teachings it has embraced from other religions and attained popularity and prominence in the Roman Empire for doing so, and in fact is doing so again.

The Roman Catholic church ruled over the European Roman Empire for 1260 years with an oppressive iron heel. But the church lost her power and her influence over the kings of the earth; this is referred to in Scripture as one of it’s heads of blasphemy (wielding political power over the consciences of men) “wounded unto death”. Yet it is woven into Catholic teaching that Europe belongs to the church, and it cannot be otherwise without ceasing to be Europe. The predecessor to Pope Francis said what makes Europe what it is, is it’s Roman heritage, being bound to a Christian settlement: thus declaring Europe, in it’s essence, as Roman Catholic.

“…it is not surprising that Christianity, despite its origins and some significant developments in the East, finally took on its historically decisive character in Europe. We can also express this the other way around: this convergence, with the subsequent addition of the Roman heritage, created Europe and remains the foundation of what can rightly be called Europe.” Pope Benedict XVI, 2006

We are told that a revival of the Catholic church’s supremacy takes place after the deadly wound, when the Scripture says: “…his deadly wound was healed, and all the world wondered after the beast.” This prophesied healing of it’s political power is to take place in a miraculous and startling manner, chiefly in that European old world that it once held dominion over. Yet that is practically fulfilled. How is that possible? By continued, unceasing appeals for Europe to return to “her roots” and winning the favor of the people by the Pope who the whole world is wondering after.

“Europe is tired. We have to help Europe rejuvenate, to find its roots. It is true: Europe has disowned its roots – and we must help Europe to rediscover those roots.” (Pope Francis in the Church of Santa Maria in Trastevere, June 16th, 2014)

“Europe as a whole is experiencing a decisive moment in its history, one which it is called to rediscover its proper identity,…This requires recovering its roots in order to shape its future. In response to currents of divisiveness, it is all the more urgent to update `the idea of Europe’ so as to give birth to a new humanism based on the capacity to integrate, dialogue and generate that which made the Old Continent great.” (Pope Francis, Address to the European Ambassadors to the Vatican, Jan. 9, 2017)

To the Council of the bishops’ conferences of Europe, on October 3rd, he said: “We must say this with love: it has not wanted to recognize one of its roots. And because of this it feels and does not feel Christian. Or it feels Christian somewhat in secret, but doesn’t want to recognize it, this European root…Europe is wounded. I’ll go back to that image that says so much to me, and I say that the Church today seems to me like a field hospital …Europe is wounded…I believe that Europe has many resources for going forward. It’s like a sickness that Europe has today. A wound…Europe, return to Jesus! Return to that Jesus whom you have said was not in your roots!…there are tremendous wounds…So many ways of preaching, but to mama Europe – or grandma Europe, or wounded Europe – only Jesus Christ can speak a word of salvation today. Only he can open a door of escape.”
It was only two months later, that Pope Francis opened “a door of escape” for “wounded Europe”, which was called the “door of mercy”, proclaiming 2015 a Jubilee of mercy. Thus it was a time to heal the deadly wound of the beast.

The revival of this power, or as the Pope termed it, the “rebirth” of Europe, was mentioned.

“To the rebirth of a Europe weary, yet still rich in energies and possibilities, the Church can and must play her part. Her task is one with her mission: the proclamation of the Gospel, which today more than ever finds expression in going forth to bind the wounds of humanity with the powerful yet simple presence of Jesus…Only a Church rich in witnesses will be able to bring back the pure water of the Gospel to the roots of Europe. In this enterprise, the path of Christians towards full unity is a great sign of the times and a response to the Lord’s prayer ‘that they may all be one.'” (Address at reception of Charlemagne Prize, May 6, 2016)

This rebirth appeal came to the forefront in March 2017, when the European Union sought for a “rebirth” of her ideals for their 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome being signed in 1957 by Christian democrats who envisioned a Catholic unity of Europe against the growing communistic trend that was swelling in Russia. The European Union is very clearly, and was very clearly, a designed attempt at gradually bringing Europe back into an integration of Catholic social ideals (to see more, read here).

The E.U. Leaders came together to Pope Francis for moral guidance in the rebirth process. Joseph Muscat, President of the EU said that Pope Francis can “provide leadership that politicians miss…I do think he [Pope Francis] is the ultimate world leader that within the circumstances has the skills and the vision to say things that transcend the obvious and banalities we all say in politics.”

The prophecy of the Roman Empire giving the political power was symbolically represented as the dragon giving this ecumenical beast it’s throne for over 1000 years. In the Treaty of Rome, it was designed that this restoration of it’s seat should be the conclusion of the founding fathers of the Union. Francis, addressing the E.U. leaders for who faced the want of rebirth in their ideals, said as much in his address to them: “At the origin of the idea of Europe, we find “the nature and the responsibility of the human person…with his desire for truth and justice, honed by a thousand-year-old experience.” Rome, with its vocation to universality, symbolizes that experience and was thus chosen as the place for the signing of the Treaties. For here – as the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, J. Luns, observed – “were laid the political, juridical and social foundations of our civilization”…I have devoted this first part of my talk to the founding fathers of Europe,…Their common denominator was the spirit of service, joined to passion for politics and the consciousness that “at the origin of European civilization there is Christianity…Europe has a patrimony of ideals and spiritual values unique in the world, one that deserves to be proposed once more with passion and renewed vigour, for it is the best antidote against the vacuum of values of our time, which provides a fertile terrain for every form of extremism. These are the ideals that shaped Europe…” (Pope Francis, address to the European Union Summit, March 24th, 2017)

The revival of the dark ages are being witnessed, but who has eyes to see it?

New Video Message: The False Prophet of Revelation 13

Here is identified the false prophet of Revelation 13 identified point-by-point, with video footage unveiling the truth regarding the fulfillment of these characteristics as unfolding today.

The Halloween Prophecy: A Shadow of Things to Come

The origin of halloween, and more importantly, the prophecy of halloween, are subjects misunderstood, if not entirely unknown. Devils, ghosts, skeletons, zombies, witches, amongst numberless other costume designs worn on Halloween, it should come as no surprise to any that the celebrations of this day are not clearly found in any Bible passage. So if the celebration is not found in the Bible, where does it come from? Also, what does the Bible say regarding it’s practices? Moreover, does it contain an underlying prophetic warning contained in it’s observance? In this article, we hope to address these questions in detail.

THE ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN

THE BIBLE CONDEMNS PRACTICES

The Bible speaks about these practices, declaring in the law that they are not after God’s order, nor can they ever be in harmony with His worship.

“Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Yehovah your God.” (Leviticus 19:31)

“When thou art come into the land which the Yehovah thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or one who inquires of the dead. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Yehovah: and because of these abominations the Yehovah thy God doth drive them out from before thee.” (Deuteronomy 18:9-12) It is interesting to note that it was for these sins in particular that God drove out the heathen from the land of Canaan; but God has promised a heavenly Canaan, and a new heavens and a new earth. If this was the cause of being driven out of the land, could glorifying sin and death be the reason man will not abide in the promised land? I want us to understand this, because there is a great mystery to Halloween that many are not discerning, and is greatly prophetic in it’s meaning.

THE BIBLE FESTIVAL & IT’S COUNTERFEIT

Yet we are told when anyone, however apparently Christian he may claim to be, if he believes Christians may observe halloween or have any honorary connection with it, we must note the words carefully: “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? Should they seek the living through the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isaiah 8:19-20) Yet Christians do encourage this behavior.

“When I was pastor of a Presbyterian congregation in Alexandria, Va., I helped to plan a Halloween party for children in the church basement. A new church member, an immigrant from West Africa, was clearly distressed, wondering why we would have an event that allows evil spirits to enter our church. It’s a legitimate question…But Halloween reminds us that we all must die.” USA TODAY, Henry Brinton, pastor of Fairfax Presbyterian Church, Oct. 28, 2012

Inviting evil spirits into the church? Sadly, this is exactly what it does. It calls to mind the parable of the empty house, where God’s presence was not found. “Then goeth he (the evilspirit), and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in [the house] and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” (Matthew 12:45) But more than this, this Presbyterian church pastor said something much more prophetic than many realize. He said”Halloween reminds us that we all must die…”. Inviting devils into your home and among your church and honoring their days as holy is a concern, and it should be a concern. Yet the enemy of souls knows perfectly well what Halloween signifies prophetically.

The unrecognized prophecy…

For God’s truth, Satan always has a counterfeit. God’s holy times are His times of worship which are to be observed in Christ (You can find these in Numbers 28-29). Yet more than times of worship for the body of Christ, the annual festivals of God have a prophetic importance to them: containing within them revelations of the unfolding plan of salvation. In like fashion, Satan has his holidays which are meant to glorify self, the fallen nature, and foreshadows events prophetically to herald the unfolding fate of those who serve him.

The harvest feast that celebrates life, and the fulness of Christ’s deliverance is called “The Feast of Tabernacles”. It declares that all sin has been purged from the life, and we are welcome back into the presence of God, to drink freely of the waters of life flowing from the Throne of God and the Lamb. Jesus on the last great day of this feast made a mighty call to all that whosoever believed on Him, in the manner that the Scriptures teach, they would receive the living waters of God’s Spirit: His power and presence. The harvest feast was also the time of the latter rain; when the latter rain came up

on the land, the harvest was ripe, and could be harvested; this foreshadows the deliverance we shall have as we receive the fulness of God’s Spirit. It is brought to view in this manner: “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie…And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. ” (Revelation 22:14-15)

Notice that not all will be blessed to have right to the life of heaven, and to enter into the promised city of God, but those who keep God’s law shall be there. No sin is allowed to be there, for to allow sin would be to allow discord into the kingdom of heaven, and to introduce into the kingdom of life the desolating floodgates of death. At the end of all things these will two classes exist: one inside the city, who have received the blessing of the feast of Tabernacles, and are saved and in God’s presence.

The Blessing of the Harvest Feast of the Latter Rain

Of this class, it is written: “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away…behold, I make all things new…I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” (Revelation 21:2-6)

But another class is brought to view just two verses after:
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”(Revelation 21:8)

Again, the Bible likens it to two harvests. The first harvest is of God’s children who keep His commandments:
“And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.” (Revelation 14:14-16)

And the second harvest is of Satan’s followers, who refused to obey God and refused to cease from sin:
“And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress…” (Revelation 14:17-20)

Outside the city, God’s presence was as a devouring fire to sin, and this was likened to a winepress, and the souls who were in their sins, outside of the tabernacle of God had death, called “the second death”, as their portion: eternal separation from God. Halloween, the Day of the Dead, points to this very class: Satan’s harvest of souls. Is it a wonder that it is connected to death, sorcery, witchcraft, murder, etc.? Satan’s harvest of souls is called the second resurrection; the first resurrection belong to the class who partook of Christ’s sacrifice, and partake of His resurrecting power:

Popularized by a culture of sin, there are prophetic messages that are foretold before the eyes of many…

“And cast him [the devil] into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God… they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” (Revelation 20:3-5) The first harvest is preceeding a millenium experience, symbolized by the seven days of the feast of tabernacles, and the eighth day, which is symbolized as the last day and prefigures the creation of a new heavens and a new earth. The eighth day is when the thousand years have finished. Notice that Satan gathers his harvest of souls which he wickedly toiled for unceasingly at the end of the thousand years: “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.” (Revelation 20:7-8)
What does this class do? They want to take the city they are not permitted to enter. They say “Give us the blessing, or else we will overthrow this city with our armies of wicked dead!” Or, in a much simpler manner, as it is said on Halloween, “Trick of treat…”. The witches, sorcerers, zombies, ghosts, devils, and beasts all surrounding the walls and doors of the holy city, only to hear the words “I never knew you. Depart from Me, workers of lawlessness…” (Luke 13:27)

Death: Its what is being glorified in the world today. But it foretells a much darker, more sorrowful event…

Consider the scene of those who come against that heavenly Jerusalem: “And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.” (Zechariah 14:12)
A woman in the 1800’s had a startlingly accurate vision, foretelling many significant events which have been coming to pass one by one. One of these visions brought to view the resurrection of the wicked dead, when they arose from their graves. Look at their condition:
“The holy angels surrounded Jesus, and escorted him on his way, and the train of redeemed saints followed. Then Jesus in terrible, fearful majesty called forth the wicked dead; and as they came up with the same feeble, sickly bodies that went into the grave, what a spectacle! what a scene! At the first resurrection all came forth in immortal bloom; but at the second, the marks of the curse are visible on all.” 1 Spiritual Gifts, p. 214

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15)

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

If you have been involved in this practice year after year, turn your heart away from these evils, and over to the living God, and He will abundantly pardon, and cause you to know His will as you seek for Him with all your heart. When those who believed came to the truth, and confessed their sins, they evidenced their faith by taking all things that represented the demonic forces, and burned them, signifying the portion that those things have in the lake of fire, but if you have surrendered the matter to God, seek that you may be among the class who are numbered in the wonderful heavenly Canaan, among those who love God, and keep His commandments.

“And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.” (Acts 19:18-19)

If this article has been informative and enlightening, please share with others that they may also realize the seriousness of the matter. God bless you!

The Development of Two Beasts II: Image to the Beast

The second beast of Revelation 13 depicts another kingdom, which, unlike the beasts of Daniel 7, and the Ecumenical beast of Revelation 13, all which arise out of the waters of “peoples, multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (Rev. 17:15), the second beast arises out of the earth. This depiction of coming out of the earth denotes that it arises from a new land, as Adam was newly formed out of the ground and given dominion. It’s two lamblike horns depict the principles of Christ which would protect papal tyranny and kingly oppression. This kingdom “speaks as a dragon” “saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast which had a wound by a sword and did live.” (Rev. 13:14) The appeal is made to the people to make an image of the first kingdom before it, which we identified as ecumenical Papal Europe. Here is demonstrated a republican type of government where the power of government rests with the people to make a church and state union. This kingdom is the United States of America.

John Adams referencing the deadly wound declared in a letter to Thomas Jefferson, who held differing ideas to Adams in regard to Christianity: “If the Christian religion, as I understand it, or as you understand it, should maintain its ground, as I believe it will, yet…Hindoo, and cabalistic Christianity, which is Catholic Christianity, and which has prevailed for 1,500 years, has received a mortal wound, of which the monster must finally die. Yet so strong is his constitution, that he may endure for centuries before he expires.” (John Adams, letter to Thomas Jefferson, July 16, 1814)

The two lamblike horns are the Declaration of Independence which sets forth the principles of government, and the Constitution sets forth the operation of government with it’s legislative limitations. The Declaration of Independence enshrined the principles of separation from a monarchial form of government, kingly oppression, with the power of Republicanism. The Constitution enshrines the principles of liberty of conscience, and freedom from papal tyranny; no church was to enforce religious decrees against the conscience; this was the power of Protestantism. Referencing Protestantism as enshrined in the framework of the United States, James Madison, called “the father of the Constitution” declared: “It illustrates the excellence of a system which, by a due distinction, to which the genius and courage of Luther led the way, between what is due to Caesar and what is due God, best promotes the discharge of both obligations.” Protestantism has a rich heritage in the promotion of liberty of conscience, as was witnessed by the protest of the German princes against the Pope and Emperor, that they and the citizens under their subjection would be permitted freedom of worship, to honor their conscience acceptably before God without the interference of either ecclesiastical or political usurpation. It was this protest that gave the name “Protestant”; to be Protestant therefore is to protest the separation of church and state. While the United States is not a Protestant nation in respect to a national religion, it is Protestant in respect to it’s principles of protecting conscience.

The United States will go sharply contrary to it’s lamblike principles, which Christ raised up to serve as a restraint against Papal principles of force, ensuring the protection of His commandment-keeping people through enacting hard legislative decrees. Instead of the principles of Protestantism, it shall advocate the principles of Catholicism to infringe upon conscience. Instead of Republicanism, the demands of the church shall cause legislators to yield to the demands of the majority to oppress the minority. For this to happen, the churches must unite upon the doctrines which they hold in common, waiving all subjects upon which no agreement can be secured, even if they are vitally important in the Scripture. And now what do we see? Exactly this. The leading chuches of the United States are now uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common. The step now taking place has been progressively agitated, that the state should sustain their religious institutions and enforce their decrees. In this thing, Protestant America is forming an image to the beast in it’s church and state union. The results of which will be exactly the same as the dark ages; God’s people, not found in the majority, shall be subject to a revival of persecution which terrorized them in the dark ages.
This is happening right now, and we will cite seven key events that are taking place to secure this image of church and state in the United States. (Click on arrows for more detail)

MAKING AN IMAGE TO THE BEAST

1) The Protestants have renounced Protestantism

2) The Protestants and Catholics become Friends

3) The call by Rodney Howard-Browne to secure church authority in the Congressional, Judicial, and Executive branches of government.

4) The Pope standing in Congress

5) Donald Trump Promises Evangelicals Power

As Constantine held the first ecumenical council to the divided Christians, and helped them ascend into positions of prominence to seize on eventual state power, Donald Trump, in an appeal for the people to band together in an unstoppable ecumenical force, fulfilled the prophecy in part that declares how the government shall say “to them that dwell on the earth [the people of America] that they should make an image to the beast.” (Rev. 13:14) And what is the image of the beast? It is the pattern of exercising state power by the church, where it says “he exercises all the power of the first beast [the Papal church state union]”. This was supplied by appealing to Evangelicals that if they would gather their strength as being the majority, “the government by the people”, “there is nothing” that would be able to stop them because they have too much strength. He then said, “But Christianity doesn’t have the strength it should have… Christianity is getting weaker and weaker in terms of a force…”. He then promised the Evangelicals if they would gather their armies to stand behind Trump that “Christianity will have power again…if I’m president, you will have plenty of power.”

6) Trump forms the Evangelical Advisory Board, with Frank Amedia's Prophetic Order of the United States.

7) White House Weekly Bible Studies

Ralph Drollinger of Capitol Ministries is the Bible Teacher which actively been engaging in opening up the Bible in the White House with the presidential administration. His purpose for this and his belief regarding government as a moral “avenger” to employ the “use of force” is evident: “I supported Trump from very early on in the campaign, and Jeff Sessions would tell you I influenced him to do the same in the Bible study. The Bible contains some criteria for someone who’s going to lead in the state. The primary passages are Romans 13:1–8 and Peter 2:13–14, both reiterate the idea that the institution of state does not bear the sword for nothing. It’s an “avenger of wrath”: It punishes those who do evil and it rewards those who do good. So the major God-given responsibility, the state’s primary calling, is to “moralize a fallen world through the use of force.”
If this is his belief regarding the Bible, he is doubtless teaching them the principles of government to be actively engaged in wielding the sword for their God-given mission of opposing all who do not adhere to their ideologies, beliefs, and practices as opposing morality.

The lamblike beast is beginning to speak as a dragon from the government under the assumption of lamblike garments, and aiming for the jurisdiction which belongs to Christ alone to execute judgment upon man. All too clearly can the students of history see how history is repeating itself. The image to the beast is growing in strength daily and is being breathed into life by the power of the people.

Journalist Jeremy Scahill of The Intercept seems to strikingly bring to view the prophetic direction of this prophetic power in his observation of the Trump Administration: “Trump is a Trojan horse for a cabal of vicious zealots who have long craved an extremist Christian theocracy, and Pence is one of its most prized warriors. With Republican control of the House and Senate and the prospect of dramatically and decisively tilting the balance of the Supreme Court to the far right, the incoming administration will have a real shot at bringing the fire and brimstone of the second coming to Washington…”

The Image of the Beast

“ALTHOUGH much has been said on this subject, it may not be out of place for us again to call attention to it.The beast which is to make this image is the two-horned beast of Revelation 13:11-18. The beast to which an image is to be made is the Papal beast, i.e., the Roman Catholic church clothed with civil authority. It is said to make an image to the first beast. The first beast is the one introduced in the preceding portion of the chapter, which receives a deadly wound. And it is after this deadly wound that the two-horned beast makes an image to the first beast. The first beast receives the civil power of the dragon. This dragon, we see by what is said of it, is the civil power which bore rule at the time of Christ’s birth. This was the Pagan Rome power.
In A. D. 538 the Pagan Rome power gave its seat – the seat of empire of Rome, the city of Rome – into the hands of the Catholics, with civil authority to persecute heretics. This power it held for 1260 years, which ended in 1798. In the year 1798 when the French army under General Berthier entered Rome, and deposed the Pope, and established the Papal power, the deadly wound was inflicted on this first beast.The two-horned beast which makes the image to this first beast is seen coming up at the time this wound is inflicted on the first beast.
It has been clearly shown that the government of the United States has come up in the right time, on the right territory, and in the right manner to fulfill the specifications in regard to this two-horned beast. It comes up out of the earth. Its predecessors came up by the striving of the four winds upon the great sea [Daniel 7], the sea representing nations, etc. Revelation 17. While the powers symbolized by the four beasts of Daniel 7 have successively come up by the overthrow of the government of their predecessors, this two-horned beast “comes up,” not by winds’ striving, not by the justling of nation against nation, not by powers’ being overthrown to establish it; but it plants itself in territory which previously was unoccupied by civil governments.
Our declaration of independence having been made in 1776, in 1798, the time the deadly wound was inflicted on the first beast, this power was a lamb (youthful) power, “coming up.”The rise of our government since 1798, as expressed by an English Journalist in 1853, has not a parallel in the past history of the human race. It is also found that the government itself answers to the description of this beast. While it is lamb-like in its profession, both in its civil and ecclesiastical departments, it is dragon-like in its action.
While the civil power declares in its declaration of independence that all men are entitled to liberty, by its voice, or laws, it holds about four millions of beings in slavery. The ecclesiastical power of the government, which is Protestant, claims to grant to all, toleration and freedom of faith. Yet at the same time it joins in with the voice of civil authority in enforcing slavery, while the measures by which it does so may gall the consciences of men.Here also a series of wonders have been performed, and now even miracles are done by the beast. Spiritualism with all its satanic deceptiveness is working upon the people, and the way is being fully prepared for a saying to go forth that an image should be made to the first beast. When this image is made men are to be caused to worship it under severe penalties.
It is true we do not expect the making and execution of the great decrees of the beast until after the third angel’s message of Revelation 14, shall have accomplished its warning against the work of this beast. We understand, however, that steps are now being taken which will result in the making of that image. We do not understand that the making of that image will be a momentary work, but like the rise of the beast itself, will occupy a little space of time in its development.
We would inquire at this time, How far developed is the image of the beast?It may be said that the making of the image of the beast is yet future, and that there are no means of telling how it will be done. I think the best way to form our theories upon this subject would be to look at the rise of the first beast – to look at the steps which were gradually taken to bring it into action as a persecuting power. Similar steps will probably be taken to make an image to the beast that were taken to make the beast.
Some have said when an image to the beast is made it will enforce Purgatory and all the doctrines of the Papal church. That would not necessarily be the case. A power that should enforce the doctrines of the Papacy would restore Papacy instead of making an image. An image to anything must be something that is in appearance like the thing, yet is not the thing itself. An image to the Papacy we should understand would be some other class of religionists that should take similar steps in enforcing its sentiments to those taken by the Papacy. We think it can be made clear that but five distinct steps were taken by the church before she came into the position marked in prophecy as the “beast with seven heads and ten horns.” We think we can show that four of those steps have been taken by the nominal, creed-making Protestants of this time; and they are already striving to take the fifth step, which will fully constitute them the image to that beast.
The overt steps taken by the church were, First, the making of a creed. For this purpose Conventions were called, Synods and Councils convened, and the result was a great universal creed. The second step was to make that creed a rule of faith and test of fellowship. This was no sooner done than it was decided to try unruly members by the creed instead of the Bible. So for the third step, this creed became the tribunal by which men were judged. The fourth step was to brand all as heretics who did not subscribe to the creed. In the fifth step they obtained the aid of the civil law to enforce penalties on those whom they had branded as heretics. It was for some time after they had formed their creeds, that they could only threaten what they would do to heretics, but they did not punish them because no laws were passed by which they could do it.
As an illustration of this matter we would refer to Theodosius’ edict which was made in the year A. D. 380. This may be found in Gibbon’s Rome, chap 27. After having given an account of Theodosius’ baptism he says: “And, as the emperor ascended from the holy fount, still glowing with the warm feelings of regeneration, he dictated a solemn edict, which proclaimed his own faith, and prescribed the religion of his subjects. It is our pleasure (such is the imperial style) that all the nations which are governed by our clemency and moderation, should steadfastly adhere to the religion which was taught by St. Peter to the Romans, which faithful tradition has preserved, and which is now professed by the pontiff Damasus, and by Peter, bishop of Alexandria, a man of apostolic holiness. According to the discipline of the apostles, and the doctrine of the gospel, let us believe the sole deity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; under an equal majesty, and a pious trinity. We authorize the followers of this doctrine to assume the title of catholic Christians; and as we judge that all others are extravagant mad-men, we brand them with the infamous name of heretics and declare that their conventicles shall no longer usurp the respectable appellation of churches. Besides the condemnation of divine justice, they must expect to suffer the severe penalties which our authority, guided by heavenly wisdom, shall think proper to inflict upon them.”It was several years however before severe penalties were inflicted upon them.But it seems from his next statements that even these penalties were not immediately executed. He says: “The theory of persecution was established by Theodosius…. but the practice of it, in the fullest extent, was reserved for his rival and colleague Maximus, the first among the Christian princes, who shed the blood of his Christian subjects on account of their religious opinions.” In these edicts the emperors were beginning a work which finally resulted in the giving of the civil power into the hands of the Papal church.As we have before shown it is by the two-horned-beast power (our own government) that an image is to be made to this first beast. Some regard it perhaps as all fancy that we should suppose any such thing will be done here. We already see four steps have been taken by the Protestant church, and a plea set up that like causes produce like results, we should conclude an “image to the beast” would be the result of taking these steps. But we have the sure word of prophecy declaring that this power will make an image and we look on the taking of these steps as a fulfillment of the prophetic testimony concerning this power.
On the first step taken by the church of Rome we would say: Nearly every prominent sect of the present time has her creed which they tell us is founded upon the Bible. Yet we find the sentiments of their creeds discordant, which shows of course that they are not all drawn from the fountain of truth. In regard to what the churches of our land have done in regard to creed-making we will make a few quotations from a sermon preached by Charles Beecher at the dedication of the Presbyterian Church at Ft. Wayne, Ind.: “Our best, most humble, most devoted servants of Christ are fostering in their midst what will one day, not long hence, show itself to be of the spawn of the dragon. They shrink from any rude word against creeds with the same sensitiveness with which those holy fathers would have shrunk from a rude word against the rising veneration of saints and martyrs which they were fostering.”  “The creed system is now exerting upon the clergy of the Protestant churches a secret, unsuspected, but tremendous power against the Bible – a power of fear. Yes, while it professes to venerate and defend the Bible, it is virtually undermining it.” “The religious world has what is called a public sentiment of its own, and this is formed chiefly by the great evangelical denominations. Other denominations are, owing to their paucity of numbers, less perceived. By one or the other of these denominations, the first fact is, the young candidate is to be licensed; for public sentiment has settled that an unlicensed preacher is no preacher at all. He must have license, then; all his hopes center on that. But there is not one of these great evangelical denominations from which he can get license, unless he will subscribe the creed of that denomination. In other words, the Protestant evangelical denominations have so tied up one another’s hands, and their own, that, between them all, a man cannot become a preacher at all, anywhere, without accepting some book besides the Bible.” Thus we see the first overt step of Rome has been taken by the Protestant sects of our land.
The second step of Rome has been taken, and these creeds are also made a test of fellowship, as appears from the further testimony in Beecher’s discourse, which we quote because it displays the exact facts in the case:  “It is true, each denomination says, ‘We inflict no penalty – we only decline to receive into our ranks one who does not agree with us.’ And this is so specious, it sounds so reasonable, that it might deceive the very elect; but it is the most consummate stroke of infernal craft, and doubly distilled jesuitism. “It is like Rome, handing over the victims of the Inquisition to the civil arm, charging it to do them no harm, and then piously lauding her own lamblike disposition. It is true, the denominations do not do the candidate any harm, they only silently leave him to his inevitable fate.”
The third step of Rome is taken, and the creed is made the tribunal by which its members are tried. Did our space admit we might relate scores of instances where members have been denied a Bible trial, and when in trial by the church they have shown that their peculiar sentiments were in accordance with the Bible, they have been tried by the creed, and expelled from the society of the creed powers. A case came up in Wisconsin not many months since. A Baptist deacon, with his wife and daughters, embraced the present truth. In the winding up of the trial it seemed necessary to tell these individuals why they were set aside from the church. The clerk said, “We do not want you to think, Bro. Wright, because we expel you from the church, that we do not consider that you keep the commandments of God, for we believe you do; but your faith does not agree with the Baptist Treatise!”
That the fourth step has been taken, and those are anathematized who do not subscribe to the Orthodox creeds of this time is clear from the following testimony from Beecher concerning an unlicensed minister: “Unlicensed, without moral affinities with the minor sects, alone, before he has formed the self-sustaining habits of a man, before he has yet tried his armor, self-distrustful, generally poor, often in debt, inexperienced, he finds an invisible, intangible Power has entangled and enveloped him in complicate, writhing folds. The frown of society is upon him, public sentiment is against him – the public sentiment of good men, yea, of the best and most devoted! He is whispered to be unsound, unsafe, heretical! He is called by every sectarian name most frightful to ears evangelical, right or wrong; and yet nobody does it. He is smitten; he looks here and there, behind and before; he can see nobody. And thus he is politely, and respectfully, and silently, and invisibly crushed. He is in the religious world what a broken-down candidate is in the political – dead.
“Now there never was a torture of the Inquisition more exquisitely suited to extort conformity from an agonized victim. Not the body, but the mind is on the rack. Every most noble feeling is tried to the utmost. His natural need of livelihood, his care of family and of friends, his sense of reputation, his honest ambition, his tastes, his intellectual habits, his hopes of usefulness, yea, the very inmost, sacred emotions of his devotional experience, are here taken hold of – in the dark – by an unseen, ruthless hand – and are wrung, and racked, and wrenched, to the last extreme of mental torture. And there is no eye to pity, nor arm to save. The public will not hear him. He is nobody, an outcast, a mad-man. “This, my friends, is the penalty which good men, out of good motives, unconsciously, yet really are proposing to the eyes of every candidate for the ministry, this intense spiritual martyrdom. During seven years it stares him in the face, during the whole forming time of his opinions. And for what? “For daring to say, ‘I do not receive your creed as containing the system of doctrines contained in the Bible;’ and for daring to say what God has said, ‘With that Bible alone I am perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.’ For repeating and holding on upon this declaration of God, he falls a spiritual martyr. And is not that an apostasy, then, that martyrs him? And is not the Protestant church apostate? Oh! remember, the final form of the apostasy shall rise, not by Rome’s aggressive march; not by the pope’s long arm, outstretched to snatch our Bible; not by crosses, processions, baubles. We understand all that. Apostasy never comes on the outside. It develops. It is an apostasy that shall spring into life within us; an apostasy that shall martyr a man who believes his Bible ever so holily…. That is the apostasy we have to fear, and is it not already formed? “Accept the Bible and the book, and you may put your own private construction on both, as every one does. Accept the Bible, and put your own private construction on that – the great paw of the beast is on you. This is what I call taking the Bible out of the hands of the ministry. “There is nothing imaginary in the statement that the creed power is now beginning to prohibit the Bible as really as Rome did, though in a subtler way. During the whole course of seven years’ study, the Protestant candidate for the ministry sees before him an authorized statement, spiked down and stereotyped, of what he must find in the Bible, or be martyred. And does any one, acquainted with human nature, need be told that he studies under a tremendous pressure of motive? Is that freedom of opinion? – ‘the liberty wherewith Christ maketh free?’ Rome would have given that. Every one of her clergy might have studied the Bible to find there the pontifical creed on pain of death. Was that liberty?”  Those who have embraced the unpopular, yet Bible doctrines of the Sabbath and near coming of the Lord, and have held fast their integrity in the midst of the rage and anathemas of a modern orthodox creed power are prepared to appreciate what we say when we tell them this is a manifestation of the fourth apostate step of modern Protestantism. The fifth step taken by Rome was to reach forth the arm and secure the civil power. Already is the church striving for laws to enforce an almost universal tenet, Sunday-keeping, which is purely traditional, and contrary to the commandment of God relative to the Sabbath. Several years since, Dr. Durbin, of the Christian Advocate and Journal, gave his views on this subject as follows: “I infer therefore that the civil magistrate may not be called upon to enforce the observance of the Sabbath (Sunday) as required in the spiritual kingdom of Christ; but, when Christianity becomes the moral and spiritual life of the State, the State is bound through her magistrates to prevent the open violation of the holy Sabbath, as a measure of self-preservation. She cannot without injuring her own vitality, and incurring the divine displeasure, be recreant to her duty in this matter.” Here is another statement which appeared in the N. Y. Evangelist in 1854 relative to this matter:  “The principle that Christianity is recognized by the State as something which essentially belongs to it, gives us, we think, the true and simple basis upon which the laws relating to the observance of the Sabbath are to be enforced. The law throws its protection round the sacredness and quiet of the first day of the week, not because it recognizes it as a sacred day in itself considered, but for other reasons.” From this it seems that they are trying to shape the matter so that laws may be passed enforcing Sunday without violating the constitution, which declares that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” During the last three years special efforts have been made in some parts, especially in the State of New York, to get more stringent Sunday laws. Last spring the Tribune took a stand somewhat against this Sunday legislation, whereupon some of the opposite party thought to make it a party issue. Accordingly a question was asked to the Tribune, which called out the following answer: “We answer categorically that the Lincoln party, as such, has no opinions whatever on the Sunday question.” This was taken up by the Albany Atlas and Argus of Oct. 6, which retorted against them: “Lincoln don’t care if the Sabbath is violated or not.” Here was an attempt to make a party issue of it, but it has not yet become such. Neither do we claim that these stringent Sunday laws will be immediately passed, but we wish to show that Protestants are desirous of taking the fifth step taken by Papacy before her persecutions of God’s people. And as we shall now pass to show, the legislative powers say they shall and must take the step. Before me lies the N. Y. Observer, of Aug. 23, 1860, which gives an account of a large and enthusiastic meeting which was held at Saratoga Springs, Aug. 12, the object of which was to consider the subject of taking effective measures to secure laws for the observance of Sunday. The Hon. Millard Fillmore, Ex-president of the United States, presided over the meeting:“On his right sat Gov. Buckingham, of Connecticut, and Hon. J. W. Beekman, of New York, and on his left Gov. Morgan, of New York, and the Hon. Wm. C. Alexander, of New Jersey, representatives (with the honored chairman of the meeting) of the three great political parties which, in the apprehended shock of their collision, now threaten to rend the land asunder. Would that this spectacle of Christian co-operation could be witnessed on a still grander scale! But even on this limited field of observation it was a stirring sight to behold the champions of opposing interests of State relinquishing their weapons at the foot of the cross.” Here we see is a point, and probably the only point on which they all could unite. Of this large concourse of people he says:  “Probably no two men thought exactly alike on any other subject. Doubtless all did not agree as to the grounds on which public action should be taken, or as to the extent to which that action should be pushed. But I have no question, from the tone of the meeting and from casual remarks I overheard, that if it had been put to the vote it would have been resolved by acclamation that our American Christian Sabbath – the precious birthright of our national independence – must and shall be preserved. “Mr. Cook proceeded to state what had been already done by the Sabbath Committee, and what they still proposed to do. Their success in silencing the Sunday newsboys, and closing the Sunday groceries should stimulate all the friends of good order to more vigorous, more systematic, and more persistent effort in the same direction. He paid a high and deserved compliment to the New York Press for their handsome and efficient co-operation in the good cause. He stated very pointedly and distinctly the question on which this holy war is waged. It was not whether we should have a Sabbath or not; that was settled by unanimous consent. The question is, Shall we have our own Christian, American Sabbath – the Sabbath of our childhood and of our fathers, the Sabbath of rest and holy quiet – or an imported European Sabbath? The speaker then ably contrasted the two conflicting methods of Sabbath observance, and argued vigorously against the lawless pretensions of a part of our German population. His statements were succinctly and effectively presented, and were heard with marked attention.” Ex-president Fillmore said that he “had aimed to secure the benefits of the day of rest through a long career of more than ordinary physical and mental exertion, and giving his full assent to the claims of all who desired to make it a day of worship, and to vindicate the prerogative of the civil authority. While he deemed it needful to legislate cautiously in all matters connected with public morals, and to avoid coercive measures affecting religion, the right of every citizen to a day of rest and worship could not be questioned, and laws securing that right should be enforced. He was happy to perceive that the gentlemen of the Sabbath Committee had avoided the mistakes connected with many attempts at moral reform, and their object had his entire approbation.” We look on these testimonies as a call for an image. May we all so obey the third angel’s message, so keep God’s commandments that we shall be prepared to stand when the trying time of the image beast’s decrees shall come.

Daniel 7: The Rise & Fall of Antichrist

For a context for this article, it is highly recommended that you read the first part of this three-part series.

1) It arises amongst the divisions of Western Europe/Roman Empire.
2) It must rise after 476CE, when Rome was divided.
3) It’s rise to power includes uprooting three other kingdoms that stand in it’s way.
4) A man would represent this kingdom, claiming to have great authority over the kings of the Roman empire.
5) He is a different kind of king than the traditional political authority of the other kings.
6) He claims to have the authority that belongs to God.
7) He makes war with the saints who keep God’s laws.
8) He thinks to change times and laws of God’s government.
9) He reigns for 1260 years.

These points must be fulfilled to identify the anthchristian little horn power. Again, to have more detail on these nine points, and an abundance of Scriptural testimony, it is best to refer you to the first part of this three-part series.

The Antichrist Power revealed…

If antichrist was a giant political figure that everyone recognized as demanding the worship of Satan and having a hitler-esque demeanor, it would not be deceiving to many sincere but mislead Christians. Although nine characteristics have been revealed from this power, still more characteristics are necessary to understand what happened in the Roman Empire to cause the rise of this power.

The apostles all saw concerns coming in amongst those who received Christ’s sacrifice. He is the “Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29); He was called the Lamb, because anciently, the Hebrew people looked forward to the deliverance from sin by the Messiah-to-come, and to demonstrate their faith in His coming, they would sacrifice lambs, bulls, and goats. Yet “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” (Heb. 10:4) Yet most of the Israelites lost the meaning of their sacrifices, and had faith in those sacrifices to take away sins instead of the One to whom they pointed. And what is sin? The apostle John tells us that “sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4)

The truth: Christ’s sacrifice and the law of God cannot be separated

The very law that the little horn would think to change was the law of God’s government; thus it would enforce a new law via the kings of Europe, and turn many away from the law of the true God; thus making of no effect the sacrifice of Christ. Christ, foreseeing what would come, declared:

“Do not think that I’ve come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I have not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

He then compared those who would “think” He came to abolish the law of God with the “righteousness” of the scribes and the pharisees (the religious class of people in Jerusalem): “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:20)

These men had taught that it was acceptable to “break one of these least commandments”; “Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.” Christ told them, fulfilling the Scripture in Isaiah, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

The antichrist power would make of no effect the commandments of God by their traditions; and profess with their mouths that they worship Him, but like the religious people of Christ’s day, are in fact crucifying Him over again in breaking the law. The Bible declares this as the righteousness of man (Rom. 10:3), while the law of God reveals the righteousness of God (Isaiah 51:6,7), which God says “will not be abolished [destroyed].”

THE GREAT FALLING AWAY IN THE CHURCH

The apostle Paul had studied the prophecies carefully. He saw the rise of the antichrist coming from Rome, and how he would think to change the law of God, and was troubled. God even kept on record three such warnings for us that a great falling away would occur in the Christian church.

“For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” (Acts 20:29-31)

The Christian church was to be compromised by a foreign power, previously unknown to it. Paul said Christ would not return until the work of this power had been fully accomplished: “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” (2 Thes. 2:3)

Paul, seeing the little horn as changing the law of God which exposes sin, called him “the man of sin”, revealed in the church by “a falling away”; and the son of perdition (literally, of destruction, ruin, or loss). Going to greater lengths, he goes to the very church at the heart of the conflict that would come, and writes to them regarding to gospel of Christ, which restores the law’s rightful place in the heart of the believer. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;… For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Rom. 1:16-17) He continues further, and declares that those who believe in the effectual power of Christ’s sacrifice, have sin “condemned in the flesh [our flesh]”, “that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:3,4) He then warns the church in Rome not to become absorbed in worldly affairs, having their minds on this world and losing sight of the gospel, it’s power, and heavenly realities. “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Romans 8:6-7) Paul realized that the trouble was to arise in the church that was in Rome, that they would “think” against the law of God by supposing to hold some great authority to alter His commands. Paul emphasizes the words of Christ, that He came to “fulfill” the law, and not to destroy it.

In addition to the nine points, the tenth is this:

10) He came as the result of a falling away of the Christian church

ONE FINAL CHARACTERISTIC

One final characteristic must be mentioned, and then the identity cannot be mistaken to any honest child of God. To understand this point, we will examine another view of the characteristics of the little horn power of Daniel 7, from another prophecy in the Bible.

The tokens of paganism are found in the little horn power…

“And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” (Revelation 13:2)

This beast has all the parts of the pagan kingdoms brought into one unique and diverse kingdom that the little horn’s rise to power in the divided Roman empire. It has the body of the leopard, symbolized by Bacchus, the Greek god. It has feet that walk in the laws of sun worship found in Media-Persia. It has the mouth of Babylon’s lion, having Babylon at the heart of it’s religion. And he is honored by being given the dragon’s throne (“seat”) of the Roman Empire; which seeks to devour God’s true children, who like Chronos, the chief deity of Rome, that devoured his own children and controlled time. The dragon, also symbolizing Satan’s rebellious kingdom, would presumptiously pass the “great authority” of having “power” and authority to “change times and laws” to this kingdom who sits upon the throne of the Roman empire.

Thus pagan elements are infused into this little horn kingdom so definitely.
Further proof that the little horn and this beast are one and the same. Here are four characteristics that match perfectly:

***The Lamb is Christ which saves from sin. Antichrist is the religious power from the church in Rome that changes the laws which reveal the sins needing to be saved from.

THE REVELATION OF THE LITTLE HORN

The ONLY power in all of history that fulfills all 11 of these points clearly, and definitely, is the Roman Catholic Papacy.

For some, it may be hard to believe that the Roman Catholic Papacy is antichrist, and at first glance, that may be understandable. However, when examining more closely, there are clear evidences which we will show for exactly why this is true. In the early Christian church, there was a falling away. It began at the time of pagan emperor Constantine’s “conversion” to Christianity. He began to shower favors upon the Christian church, and his counselors that it was God’s will to give them both advantages by removing the need to pay taxes, and also to give the church more land. The preference thus shown to Christianity, unconverted pagans walked into the church, and introduced paganism into Christianity; mingling it. Constantine sought to unite the pagans and the Christians, and those Christians who were already departing from the precepts given in the law of God were the most favorable to uniting with paganism. The falling away, while plaguing the entire Christian movement, was most advanced from the church in Rome, which Paul expressly counselled.
The most subtle form of deception which will deceive the whole world is a Christianized form of paganism, that has made this world it’s kingdom. Does this mean all the Roman Catholics are lost? No. In fact, Jesus said, “other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” (John 10:16) Jesus tells us that He has other sheep, who are in other parts of the world, who do not know or see the truth, but when they hear the truth, they will leave their errors and their former teachers & leaders, and like the disciples of Christ, go and follow Him.

LET’S EXAMINE

Now let’s examine these points, and trace their fulfillment in the rising of this power:

1) He is a different kind of king than the traditional political authority of the other kings.
The Papacy was given the name Pontifex Maximus (the great bridgebuilder) because that was the name given to the pagan high priests who were appointed by the Roman Emperor. The Pope is diverse from the other kings because he is both a political and religious figure. The Pontifex Maximus duties were to consecrate temples of their gods, to regulate calendar observances, and regulating public morals, and fining and punishing offending parties. To this day, the Papacy claims the title as Pontifex Maximus. He built bridges from Christianity to unite with Paganism, and for Christianity to be established as a political force in this world, contrary to the will and plan of God. The bridges thus built were nothing less than converting Christianity to the world, and concealing it’s true character of paganism.

2) He thinks to change times and laws of God’s government.
One of the most remarkable prophecies in the entire Bible is that the antichrist claims to have authority to change the times of worship and laws of God. It is commonly understood that the early Christians did in fact worship on the times found in the law of God. Those times were as follows:

The Papacy adopted the pagan sabbath, which was Sunday, the traditional day of sun worship. This they freely admit:

“…pastoral intuition suggested to the Church the christianization of the notion of Sunday as “the day of the sun”, which was the Roman name for the day and which is retained in some modern languages.(29) This was in order to draw the faithful away from the seduction of cults which worshipped the sun, and to direct the celebration of the day to Christ, humanity’s true “sun”.” John Paul II, Dies Domini, 27. The day of Christ-Light, 1998 (Prominent protestant leaders agree with this statement – See here for a statement by Dr. E. T. Hiscox, author of the ‘Baptist Manual’)

The pagans who flooded the entrance of the church were converted originally by the church converting to their laws. In an old Catholic Catechism, it is even more pronounced:

“Q. What is Sunday, or the Lord’s Day in general?

A. It is a day dedicated by the Apostles to the honour of the Most Holy Trinity…. It is also called Sunday from the old Roman denomination of Dies Solis, the day of the sun, to which it was sacred.” The Douay Catechism, (An Abridgment of the Christian Doctrine) of 1649

How could they do this? They “think to change times and laws” because they “think” they have such authority to change them. Additionally, a triune understanding of God, where three divine beings were united in one divine nature, immortal, without beginning and end, was adopted to help pagans who were accustom to the triunity of divine beings in various pagan religions. These concessions from the church brought a unity between pagans and Christians that before this time would have been near impossible. This is in perfect harmony with the pagan beasts all being represented in the Catholic beast, which takes in the pagan doctrines.

3) He claims to have the authority that belongs to God.

Authority over kings: “the Pope enjoys, by divine institution, supreme, full, immediate, and universal power in the care of souls.” 937, Catechism of the Catholic Church (1997) What does “universal power” mean?  It means power over kings for the sake of making converts, for “the common good of society”.

Infallability: What the Pope speaks in Encylical writings are legally and conscience-bound to the Christian particularly, and to the non-Christian without exception. It teaches that the Pope’s words cannot be wrong. Ex Cathedra is a Papal doctrine which teaches that “when, in the exercise of his office [the Pope] as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, (the Bishop of Rome) defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole Church.” It teaches then that the Pope cannot be in error in faith or morals.

Authority to change God’s law: “Protestants … accept Sunday rather than Saturday as the day for public worship after the Catholic Church made the change… But the Protestant mind does not seem to realize that … in observing Sunday, they are accepting the authority of the spokesman for the Church, the pope.” Our Sunday Visitor, February 5th, 1950

4) It must rise after 476CE, when Rome was divided into ten parts.

It arises amongst the divisions of Western Europe/Roman Empire.
It’s an interesting fact that the Papacy did rise at this time. After Constantine’s conversion in the fourth century, the prophesied falling away began to move swiftly; and with every step further into error, the greater favor it grew with the kingdoms of Rome.

It’s interesting to note that the Papacy’s political advancements began with the conversion of Constantine, and after this time, the Papacy’s rise to political favor grew more and more as it became more entrenched in the principles of paganism. It was not until 508 that the first war was waged in the name of a Catholic church/state, and it was not until 538 that the Papacy actually received the throne of the Roman empire itself, to exercise authority over the kings of Europe.

5) It’s rise to power includes uprooting three other kingdoms that stand in it’s way.
The Papacy uprooted three of the ten kings who had stood in it’s way, thus fulfilling the prophecy: “For the mystery of iniquity is already at work: only he who now restrains will restrain [him], until he is taken out of the way.” (2 Thes. 2:7) These three restraining forces were signs to the Christian church of the prevailing corruption and the growing power of the Pope over the kings of the earth. The restraints were imposed by three Sabbath-keeping, non-Trinitarian kingdoms. Both the Trinity and Sunday-keeping, in the place of Sabbath and the worship of the true God, were fundamental teachings of Catholic Christianity.
i) The Visigoths: In 508, the first of these kingdoms was rooted out of it’s land by church/state authority. It was the united France, under Clovis, a pagan-king who converted to Catholicism, that declared war in the name of the church. The Visigothic people, standing in the way of France and her Catholic teachings, ran her into the corners of Europe, where she began to be swallowed up by Catholicism at last.
ii) The Vandals: In 533, the zealously Catholic emperor Justinian overcame the Vandals, and issued a decree, declaring all were to submit to the Pope, to the Most Holy Trinity, and to assume the name Catholic.
iii) The Ostrogoths: In 538, the Ostrogothic kingdom occupied the land of Rome itself. It had constantly shifted hands, and for some years, it was in the hands of Sabbathkeeping Christians. Justinian, through his general Belisarius, entered into Rome, and overcame the Ostrogoths, who were slowly hunted and exterminated. It was at this time, after the final restaint was removed at last, that Justinian delivered the throne of Rome into the hands of the Papacy, to exercise authority over Europe’s kings.

6) A man would represent this kingdom, claiming to have great authority over the kings of the Roman empire.
It is evident as we have seen, that this was remarkably and unmistakenly fulfilled only by the Pope of Rome.

7) He makes war with the saints who keep God’s laws.
After receiving this authority over the kings of the earth, those who kept the laws of God, first the Visigoths, Vandals, and Ostrogoths, and then the persecuting the people progressively more and still more.
8) He reigns for 1260 years.
It was from the time of 538CE that the Papacy took Rome, when Justinians’ General, Belisarius, overtook Rome, until 1798CE, when Napoleon’s General, Berthier, entered into Italy, into the Vatican, and took the Pope captive, and restored the Roman republic to the people. While the Popes maintained a somewhat spiritual influence, their political influence was wholly crushed underfoot. The Church had long used the sword of the state to overcome her opposers, now the prophecy regarding the Catholic beast was fulfilled: “I saw one of it’s heads, as it were, wounded to death…He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” (Rev. 13:10)

Having so long forced the people to submit to her rule or face the sword, now the sword of France, the eldest daughter of the Catholic church, was to be her worst opposer, and force her into submission. However, the prophecy does not end there for the antichrist, because antichrist, as revealed in the Papacy, has a grand final work before the end of the world.

Unsealing the Little Book of Prophecy (Daniel 12 & Revelation 10)

In the time of the end, two distinct classes shall be revealed. Those who serve God and those who serve Him not (Malachi 3:18). Christ knew well that a great sign would lie at the heart of this matter, and declared of the time “when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet” (Matthew 24:15).
It was this prophecy Christ was burdened that we should understand when He said, “Let him that reads understand”; in fact, this prophecy was mentioned three times distinctly in the book of Daniel.
In Daniel’s book, which deals with the rebellion problem in the hearts of the people of God, and heathen dominions which reigned over them, it concludes the great warfare against Satan and his kingdom of darkness. The conclusion reveals a glorious deliverance of the people of God, when Christ takes His crowning place on the throne of David; it is then that Satan marshalls his army, consisting largely of apostate churches, against the remnant people of God.
When Christ takes His throne, Gabriel tells Daniel, “at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book.” (Dan. 12:1)
But who are Daniel’s people that are among those delivered and who are numbered among the armies of Satan? The distinction of these two classes is the burden of this article. The Book of Daniel, since it is dealing with the issue of God’s people, makes a clear distinction amongst those are among the remnant of Daniel’s people. The final prophecy of the book of Daniel, contained in chapter 12, bound to a prophecy in the book of Revelation, serves to identify who these people are, and who they are not.
From the outset, we may note that it is the wise who shall be those people according to Daniel’s final chapter. It is those who have understanding of the prophetic importance of the events surrounding them because they have understood and given special regard to the prophecies of Daniel. “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” (Dan. 12:3) We are called to be “a wise and understanding people” (Deut. 4:6) but there are many who don’t understand the book of Daniel and it’s high importance for our time. Yet in it’s prophecies contain instruction for the wise in these last days that need to be understood.

THE SEALED BOOK- THE TIME OF THE END

At the closure of Daniel’s prophecy, he is told that his book is to be sealed: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” (Daniel 12:4)
The time of the end is the period when the Atheistic King of the South pushed at the King of the North, who the weight of evidence shows to be the Papal power. This period was from 1798-1844; this time period will be made more evident further along in the study. The Book of Daniel’s prophecy was to be sealed so that those who read it could not comprehend it’s deeper sayings until the time was fully come. Thus, it is declared to be “the time of the end”.
It was the end of the seven times of captivity for the Israelites in 1798 and for Judah in 1844 prophesied in Leviticus 26 & Daniel 4, hence it is called “the time of the end”. The prophetic identity of those tribes were to be spiritually identified, and not genealogically identified, by those who in those years would have special light upon the Book of Daniel. God’s people were not to be unaware of the prophetic importance of this finishing of the captivity time. Then in vision, Daniel describes for us the final scene he would look upon: “Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to dash in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.” (Daniel 12:5-7)

How long until the end of these wonders? What wonder was here being spoken of? It was the great warfare prophecy of Daniel 11 which dealt specifically with the oppression of Daniel’s people because of their apostasy. How long until the end of apostasy? How long until there is freedom, independence, respite, given to God’s people again? How long until the time of the end? Now pay close attention, as the scene Daniel described above shall be an important element to our study. We see the man clothed in linen upon the rivers of the waters, raising his hands towards the heavens, after Daniel is told to shut the book until the time of the end. And that this sealing would be for a time (360), times (360×2), and an half (180); like previous prophecies, we easily may recognize this period of time as the time when the little horn persecuted the saints of the Most High, and the same power, under the likeness of an ecumenical, chimera-type beast from the waters of Revelation 13, which persecutes God’s people during the dark ages for 1260 years, from 538AD to 1798AD. It was this apostate Roman church which especially would cause the sealing of the book of Daniel; keeping it’s sayings under lock and key, away from the understanding of the people. Having trampled underfoot the truth, translating the Scriptures into Latin, to be interpreted aright only by a Catholic priest in the light of falsehood, the sealing of Daniel’s book during this period is enforced in a manner which we will speak more upon shortly.
The Man in fine linen raises His hands to heaven, and speaks of the 1260 year prophecy that was to end in 1798AD. This denotes the period when the time of the end for the ten tribes of Israel’s long captivity is spoken of. Thus it reveals the time when the prophetic identity of the ten tribes (not the genealogical identity which has long been lost) is revealed in prophecy. Notice what was to be accomplished according to the Man in linen at the end of this time, and we will notice in it the wisdom of God.
He declares it to be the time when the rebellious pride of the holy people of God would be “dashed in pieces.” This reference was pertaining to the judgment contained in the seven times of punishment against rebellion: “I will punish you seven times more for your sins. And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass…” (Leviticus 26:18-19) Notice that the breaking the pride of their power, which is their rebellion, was to be met by the power of iron and brass. Thus the dashing in pieces signifies the accomplishment of this breaking among His people, effectively commencing in their hearts a great work of reformation.
The iron power of Rome, manifested through the oppressive power of the Papacy, had “cast down truth to the ground, and practiced and prospered” (Dan. 8:12) “till the indignation is accomplished: for that which is determined shall be done.” (Dan. 11:36) This was the persecuting power of the little horn of the fourth beast of Daniel 7, which had brass nails and great iron teeth (Dan. 7:19-25), persecuting the saints for “a time, times, and a half a time”. Yet it was the Papal power which had gone into the deepest rebellion in all of the professedly Christian church. Thus it was an archetype of what the apostasy of God’s people looked like for a grossly long period of time. The Divine purpose was to reveal apostasy in it’s true character before all to the intent that rebellion’s power might be forever banished from the hearts of God’s people. Thus would He accomplish the breaking of the pride of their power and work within them reformation.
Whoever would not heed this great warning contained in the book of Daniel of how severe apostasy is, refusing to remove their foot from the course the Papacy had taken in the rejection of truth and thus continue in the work of reform towards the ways of God, would be in grave danger. The final message to be given to the world is a warning against the apostate churches who seek after governmental power; this message Scripture calls the “loud cry” of “the third angel” (Rev. 14:9-12, 18:1-3). For this cause, at the end of the seven times of punishment in 1798, God mercifully endeavors to awaken His people to their danger once-and-for-all. Therefore, this would be the time when we should see the unsealing of the Book of Daniel for special admonition, instruction, and prophetic light as it pertains to His people.

THE MAN IN LINEN REVEALED

Now, remember that Man in linen standing upon the rivers of waters, holding up his hand to the heavens? The rivers of waters signify “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” (Revelation 17:15) This was bounds of Europe, where Christ had His people, where also the Papal beast of Revelation 13 arose from for the time, times, and a half a time. In a similar manner, we see the same individual, with strikingly similar symbolism employed in the book of Revelation:  “And I saw another Mighty Angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and His face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: And He had in His hand a little book open: and He set his right foot upon the sea, and His left foot on the earth, and…lifted up His hand to heaven, and sware by Him that lives forever and ever…that there should be time no longer…”
(Revelation 10:1-2)

Notice the symbolism. The Man in fine linen (“which is the righteousness of the saints” Revelation 19:8) declared the time of the end when the Book of Daniel would be unsealed was for 1260 years until the dashing in pieces of the power of rebellion in the holy people. Now, we see a Mighty Angel with a rainbow on His head; that rainbow is symbolic of the covenant (Genesis 9:13) that surrounds God’s throne (Ezekiel 1:28), and therefore this is the Angel of the Covenant. The face as it were the sun is “the Sun of righteousness with healing in His wings” (Malachi 4:2) thus identifying as Christ Himself, whose feet John described as “if they burned in a furnace.” (Rev. 1:15) Instead of a speaking of a time where the sealed book would be opened, He has within His hand an open little book, declaring that time would be no more. Thus we have the Man of Righteousness and the Angel of the Covenant; both signifying Christ.

Notice the parallels?
*Man of Righteousness: Feet on the sea. Raises hands to heaven. Declares a Time Prophecy to the Time of the End. Book of Daniel sealed until that time.
*Covenant Angel: Feet on the sea and the earth. Raises hands to heaven. Declares the Time has come and time shall be no more. An open little book at this time.

His feet were not only upon the rivers, but also upon the earth, signaling that Christ’s church would be established not only in Europe upon the waters, but was positioned upon the earth of the United States. This is where the second beast of Revelation, signifying the United States, comes up; arising from the earth, having two horns like a lamb. Christ’s feet placed on both the earth and the sea signifies the worldwide establishing of His church. Those feet went through the fiery furnace of persecution, and walked in the truth that the Papacy had cast down to the ground. Thus, the pillars of truth for Christ’s church at this time were to be especially resurrected in His body, “which is the church.” (Col. 1:24)

THE LITTLE BOOK: IDENTIFYING HIS PEOPLE

Thus was the Book of Daniel which was to be unsealed and it’s prophecies understood in a marked manner from 1798-1844; the time of the end for the ten tribes and Judah. Did this occur as the prediction states? It did. In the Second-Advent movement, various men were stirred up to study the Scriptures, and came to strikingly similar conclusions. Scores of notable men published similar conclusions regarding the time prophecies of the book of Daniel. However, one of the most notable ones was William Miller.
One striking visionary in the Second-Advent movement beheld and saw in a vision how God had used this man. She said: “I saw that God sent his angel to move upon the heart of a farmer who had not believed the Bible, and led him to search the prophecies. Angels of God repeatedly visited that chosen one, and guided his mind, and opened his understanding to prophecies which had ever been dark to God’s people. The commencement of the chain of truth was given to him, and he was led on to search for link after link, until he looked with wonder and admiration upon the word of God. He saw there a perfect chain of truth. That Word which he had regarded as uninspired, now opened before his vision with beauty and glory. He saw that one portion of scripture explained another, and when one portion was closed to his understanding, he found in another portion of the Word that which explained it. He regarded the sacred word of God with joy, and with the deepest respect and awe.”
This is very much in harmony with the opening of the book of Daniel, whose time prophecies were ever sealed to the people of God. In Miller’s own words, he saw how all of the time prophecies interconnected through the law of the seven times in Leviticus in connection with the book of Daniel. “From a farther study of the Scriptures, I concluded that the seven times of Gentile supremacy must commence when the Jews ceased to be an independent nation at the captivity of Manasseh, which the best chronologers assigned to B. C. 677; that the 2300 days commenced with the seventy weeks, which the best chronologers dated from B. C. 457; and that the 1335 days commencing with the taking away of the daily, and the setting up of the abomination that maketh desolate, [Daniel 12:11] were to be dated from the setting up of the Papal supremacy, after the taking away of Pagan abominations, and which, according to the best historians I could consult, should be dated from about A. D. 508. Reckoning all these prophetic periods from the several dates assigned by the best chronologers for the events from which they should evidently be reckoned, they all would terminate together, about A. D. 1843. I was thus brought, in 1818, at the close of my two years study of the Scriptures, to the solemn conclusion, that in about twenty-five years from that time all the affairs of our present state would be wound up.” William Miller’s Apology and Defence, August 1st, 1842

THE TIME PROPHECY AND THE SANCTUARY

Miller, as with others who had come to the same conclusion regarding the date, had not fully understood the truths which the Papacy had cast down. Most significantly, it was not understood that “the place of His [Christ’s] Sanctuary” (Dan. 8:11) was cast down. This was a vital point of understanding in regard to the time prophecies, that the event which the Scriptures pointed to in the time prophecy most widely proclaimed, “Unto two thousand three hundred days, then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed” (Dan. 8:14), depicted a great event to take place in the heavenly Sanctuary. This was a truth long trodden under the foot of the Papal church during the dark ages, and as a result, this vital element in understanding the event to which the time prophecies pointed was misinterpretted.
Nevertheless, a correct application of the time prophecies helped them to see the commencement of the great time prophecy of Daniel 8 and it’s duration throughout the remnant portion of prophetic time in the seven times of Pagan and Papal oppression. Daniel’s vision clearly inquired of how long from the commencement of the vision until it’s expiring time would take place: “How long shall be the vision concerned the daily, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary an the host to be trodden under foot?” Then Daniel heard the answer, which brought to view the concluding work of Christ in the Sanctuary in heaven before He returns: “Unto two-thousand three hundred days, then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed.” (Daniel 8:14) By teachers of the Scripture everywhere, these words were quoted and proclaimed to expire in the 1840’s.
This time commenced according to Daniel 8, during the Kingdom of the Ram, which was Medo-Persia. Daniel 9, giving a more detailed point on when during the Medo-Persian empire the time would commence, declared it to be “from the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem” (Dan. 9:25). This commencing time for the 2300 year prophecy was perfectly seen to lead from 457BC, when Artexerxes decreed that Jerusalem should be rebuilt, unto 1844AD “then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed.”
What was the cleansing of the Sanctuary? The cleansing of the Sanctuary, as expressed in our article of the eighth chapter of Daniel, was the work of the high priest at the end of the year to atone for the entire year’s sins in one final act of priestly ministration in the Holiest place of the Sanctuary. Yet Miller and others who advocated 1844 as the time the Sanctuary would be cleansed had a most bitter disappointment because of the darkness passed down through the bishops and priests of the Roman church. They taught that the cleansing of the Sanctuary would be the return of Christ to cleanse the earth by fire. They failed to understand the doctrine of the heavenly Sanctuary, and for this cause failed to understand what the cleansing of the Sanctuary truly signified. Thus was a great disappointment in 1843-1844 when Christ failed to appear according to their expectation; much like the disciples who were disappointed when Christ was crucified, because of the popular teaching of the religious leaders of the day regarding the Messiah. Yet even this testing time was perfectly foretold by prophets beforehand.

UNSEALING THE TIME OF THE END: THE 1290 & 1335

Daniel had not understood the fate of His people who would be dashed to pieces at time of the end. This element of the prophecies, contained in the eighth and eleventh chapter, as explained by the Man in linen had perplexed him. To which Daniel inquired further, “And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what is the end of these?” (Daniel 12:8)
This question was very similar to Peter inquiring regarding the fate of the apostle John, “What shall become of this man?” (John 21:21) Christ answered “If I will that he tarries until I come, what is that to you? Follow Me.” After this time, many began to claim that John would never die among the Christians, yet John knew that it was not a correct understanding of his end, but a misunderstanding of the words of Christ. Daniel was answered in a similar manner, and his prophecies would be misunderstood much like the early Christians misunderstood Christ’s words.
The Man in linen answered Daniel, “Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Christ told Daniel that what the end would be for His people at that time was sealed up, but that the wise would have understanding of these things when the time came, but that the wicked would remain in darkness.
Christ then opened up the two portions of prophetic time the wise should have understanding of, and for which Christ specifically said we should understand from Daniel. “And from the time that the daily shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.” (Daniel 12:11-12)

Notice here that there are two time periods; therefore, there are two ending dates. “From the time that the daily would be taken away to the establishment of the abomination of desolation” was a specific quotation from Daniel 11:31. In fact, he’s pointing us to that very verse because Daniel 12 contains the explanation of chapter 11.
In order to understand where the 1290 year and 1335 year prophecy commences, we need to know what the starting event was, and when it was. So what was the establishment of the abomination of desolation in Daniel 11:31? This was the time when Clovis, the king of France, and his armies were converted from Paganism to Roman Catholic Christianity. From this time, they waxed strong in their empire and then waged war on the Sabbath-keeping, Non-Trinitarian Visigoths in 508AD. Thus was the first enforcement of Sun worship under the guise of Christianity pushing and persecuting those who kept the law of God; the enforcement of Catholic Sun worship throughout Europe was the abomination of desolation.
This was the commencement period where the pagan oppression over the people of God would begin to be replaced with Papal oppression. It would only take 30 years for the entirety of the European kings of the divided Roman Empire to convert to Catholicism and give the seat of Caesar in Rome to the Pope. Thus the 1290 years of prophetic time began in 508AD, and would wax strong in 538AD commencing the 1260 years, and ending in 1798AD.

1290- IDENTIFYING THE PROPHETIC TEN TRIBES

This date of 1798AD, at the end of the 1290 years, identifies the time of the end for the captivity of the prophetic ten tribes of Israel. And thereby identifies the people to whom the book of Daniel was especially opened that “time should be no more”, but who had not wholly understood the point regarding the Sanctuary. The Protestants/Baptists that consisted of the Second-Advent movement widely proclaimed the time prophecies of the book of Daniel as a great chain within the seven times after 1798, with a special emphasis on the 2300 day prophecy of chapter 8.
“…there should be time no longer…And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.” (Revelation 10:7-8)
John was instructed to take the open book of Daniel and to eat it. “And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.” (Rev. 10:9) Now, let this point be noted carefully. This does not mean that the book of Daniel was opened in John’s time, but rather, John was symbolic of the people of God, and his eyes are the point of reference for the body of Christ when the event described in the prophecy begins taking unfolding in the time outlined from the Scriptures. As John, symbolizing the people of God, took the unsealed book of Daniel and ate it, it was sweet in his mouth. Thus it was with the proclamation of Daniel’s prophecies. Never so widely after the passing of 1798 had the book of Daniel taken such a deep interest to the earnest students of Scripture. The churches of the reformation, like the religious leaders towards the disciples of Jesus, which wanted nothing of prophecy nor to have their creedal slumber disturbed began to mock, deride, teach against and excommunicate those who began to proclaim the prophecies, but this could not stop the movement which God designed to raise up.

1335- IDENTIFYING THE PROPHETIC TRIBE OF JUDAH

Another prophetic portion of time was noted in the Scripture requiring mention after the 1290 years. It was the blessing pronounced in coming to the 1335 years. “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.” Those who after 1798 and held to the precious light of Daniel in 1335 were to be especially blessed if they held fast their confidence without wavering.
At this time, the period of 1843-1844, the captivity of Judah’s seven times was to end. This was especially to be noted because Christ is the Lion of Judah; and Judah were the chosen people of God. Therefore this year was to identify who would be raised up as the chosen people of God whom Christ would crown with special light and understanding from the unsealed prophetic book above all others. In 1843, those who had maintained the message were to be proved to know what was in their hearts if they were worthy of the blessing of being honored among those declared to be the chosen people of God.

THE PREPARATION OF A PROPHETIC TIME-PROPHECY CHART

Habakkuk in deepest concern for the captivity of Judah which he saw was to come upon them set forth his complaint before the Most High. Said the prophet, “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.” (Habakkuk 2:1)
Habakkuk early set himself as a watchman, and awaited the answer from Jehovah. “And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
(Habakkuk 2:2-3)

Habakkuk is told “the vision is yet for an appointed time”, yet we see nothing in Habakkuk regarding an appointed time. Especially a time which at the end would “speak and not lie”. This was speaking expressly of the time of the end as appointed in the unsealed book of Daniel. Impressed by the words “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables”, Charles Fitch in 1843 prepares a chart surveying the time prophecies contained in Daniel and Revelation in relation to the seven times of captivity with it’s chain of prophetic time, including the 2300 year time prophecy of Daniel 8, the 490, 1260, 1290, and 1335 year time prophecies also.

THE TARRYING TIME TEST OF 1843-1844

Yet the 1843 date was initially thought to be the date when the Sanctuary would be cleansed, not accounting for the absence of the year zero had caused a momentary disappointment. While the 1335 time had pointed to 1843, the 2300 time had pointed to 1844. It was here that Habakkuk’s prophecy revealed a testing tarrying time; “though it tarry, wait for it, because it shall surely come and not tarry.” The tarrying time of the time appointed was to remove all false professors from the true who prized and earnestly desired the blessing of Christ; “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” (John 6:66)
In 1844, a man by the name of Samuel Snow delivered a message explaining the error in their miscounting of the 2300 year prophecy. He further declared that the cleansing of the Sanctuary was always on the Day of atonement in the Sanctuary. This raised up the most powerful movement in the Advent movement. Thus, he signaled the time of the cleansing of the Sanctuary as the Day of Atonement in 1844, which was October 22nd. Despite this message which had the perfectly correct timing, the truth of the heavenly Sanctuary was not understood, which resulted in a most bitter experience.
The apostle John, representing the people of God, had eaten the open little book and it was sweet in his mouth, but it “shall make thy belly bitter”. “And I took the little book out of the Angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said to me, You must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.”
(Revelation 10:10)
The most bitter experience was to be found in their misunderstanding of the Sanctuary. The timing was perfectly correct, yet the event misunderstood had led to what is known as the great disappointment of 1844.

TWO CLASSES: THE PROPHETIC REMNANT & THE APOSTATE TEN TRIBES

The 1335 time prophecy leading to 1843 was to establish the chosen people. Yet it required faith in the Word of God. Said the Messiah to Nicodemus the Pharisee, “If I have told ye of earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” (John 3:12) Great was the darkness of the priests in the dark ages which were inherited by the people. Heavenly things were not as readily discerned. Habakkuk’s tarrying time spoke of this very theme: ” “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people…”
(Habakkuk 2:3-5)

At the end of the tarrying time from 1843 to 1844, two classes would be developed. The proud soul, who was lifted up by flight of feeling at the possible expectation of the coming of Christ. Then there was the just soul who studied the Word of God to understand the truth, he “shall live by his faith.” Faith cometh by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17), and it was not sufficient to cleave to the message in hopes of obtaining the blessed reward of the worthy while not possessing or seeking after a personal experience with God through the Scriptures. Thus the test would be the prover of hearts to make manifest the quality of belief that existed.

DOCTRINAL WINE: FALSEHOOD SEALS THE SCRIPTURES

We are told that the proud man transgresses by wine, and a fearful prophecy is given of those “tribes” who rejected the message of the cleansing of the Sanctuary which took place in 1844. In the ancient Sanctuary services, Nadab and Abihu had partaken of strong drink, and their judgment was impaired; as a result, they offered strange fire of their own kindling, and went into the presence of the Most Holy place of the Sanctuary before the Day of Atonement. The priests died for this reason, and instruction was given that only the High Priest was to officiate there at the time of God’s appointing, “that he come not at all times into the Holy within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark: that he die not…” (Lev. 16:2)
Therefore the priesthood was expressly forbidden to drink wine pertaining to their priesthood “that ye may put a difference between the holy and unholy, and between the unclean and clean; and that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes…” (Lev. 10:9-10) What does wine represent? Were all those who rejected the time prophecies of Daniel drunkards? Not at all. But the prophecy of Isaiah concluded that the ten tribes under Ephraim would be made drunken by the doctrine of the prophetic Ephraimic king Jeroboam, which was the Pope. “The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden underfoot… In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory…unto the remnant of His people… But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all the tables are full of vomit and filthiness…and the vision of all is become to you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this…and he says, I cannot, for it is sealed and…I am not learned…” (Isaiah 28:3-8, 29:11-12)

The tables are full of vomit. Those same tables which were written to declare the time appointed were rejected by the churches who held erroneous views of the Sanctuary as Habakkuk was explained. The tarrying time was to prove those who were worthy. This time was described in one of the seven churches of prophecy called Sardis, the reformation church. Like Habakkuk, who set himself to watch for the appointed time, and to see what God would say to him; many had set themselves to see the prophetic event to be fulfilled, to behold when the time prophecy came to pass to see whether it was true or not. Yet this was not sufficient evidence to make them wise unto salvation to inherit the blessing, anymore than those hopefuls who had expected the Messiah to be crowned and overthrow the Romans instead of being crucified. For this cause, Christ admonishes Sardis: “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.” (Revelation 3:3-4)

The worthy, who had lived by their faith after the severe disappointment, soon discovered their error in their understanding of the Sanctuary, and saw that it was “the hour of His judgment” (Rev. 14:7) in the heavenly Sanctuary which began in 1844. But those who had transgressed by wine proudly and rashly denied that these appointed times and the wonderfully clear light from Daniel was anything, like the Jews had largely denied the death and resurrection of Christ. Said Christ, “If you shall not watch… you shall not know what hour I will come upon you.”
From this time of 1844, the prophetic tribe of Judah was established and identified in the Adventist movement. The rest of the prophetic tribes which denied the light would begin to decline more and more into darkness. Anciently, the ten tribes were separated because of their rejection of truth and disobedience of the law and Jeroboam was made king over them. Only two tribes remained: Judah and Benjamin, which served as a remnant people. Judah having the preeminence among the two.
Thus was prophetic Judah established and identified at the end of the seven times of captivity. The Adventists saw clearly that Christ went into the Holy of holies to receive the Kingdom in the great judgment now underway; that He was to be crowned with the “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him” (Dan. 7:14) as the Lion of the tribe of Judah at the end of the great judgment.
It was in the breaking of His covenant through transgressing His commandments that the seven times of punishment had come upon His people. Yet it was His “Sabbaths” and reverence for His “Sanctuary” that specifically marked out the blessings for obedience in the prophecy of the seven times (See Leviticus 26:2-4) Thus it was with prophetic Judah. That after the light of the Sanctuary was seen, the Seventh-day Sabbath was also brought to view, with a number of other statutes contained in the law. The truth of the heavenly Sanctuary and the light of the commandments which had been trodden underfoot by the Papal church began to be restored to this prophetic remnant people. Christ would establish His Sanctuary truth, His Sabbaths, and re-establish His covenant with them, who were to be aware that Christ had entered into the Holy of holies not only to cleanse the Sanctuary, but to receive the Throne of David as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Not a people of an earthly Jerusalem of a wicked and profane king Manasseh, but of a heavenly Jerusalem to come (Gal. 4:26, Heb. 12:22), where Christ and His righteousness will reign eternally. Thus the 1335 blessing marks out a special covenant people in the last days that are to be especially preparing for the reception of the Kingdom of Christ.
Thus we see what would be of the two classes in the book of Daniel at the time of the end from 1798-1844. Two prophetic groups have emerged; one repeating the history of ancient Israel in apostasy, who are now beginning to show honor to the Pope, and one who has a high calling to prepare and prepare others for the return of Christ. “What advantage then hath the Jew?…Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.” (Romans 3:1-2)

Martyrdom Rekindled

In the dark ages, martyrdom abounded. It is estimated that 50,000,000 million Bible-believing souls were slain. John was given a startling depiction of these souls that would be slain by the powers of iniquity:

“How long…?”

(Rev. 6:9-11) “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that SHOULD BE KILLED as they were, should be fulfilled.”

We see those souls, “under the altar”, who were slain as lambs to the slaughter, as living sacrifices, and a revelation of Jesus Christ. This is exactly what they were, which is exactly why the prophecy declares the souls slain were at the altar. They cried “How long O Lord do you not judge…then that dwell on the earth?” Their blood cried out as the blood of Abel, (Psa. 94:3-5) “LORD, HOW LONG shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? HOW LONG shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? They BREAK IN PIECES thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage.”

A similar question is asked: (Daniel 8:13-14) “HOW LONG shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”

How long until the judgment? How long will this persecuting power break in pieces? (Dan 7:21-22) ‘I beheld, and the same horn MADE WAR WITH THE SAINTS, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” This little horn power thought to change times and laws, and made war with God’s children who kept His times and laws; for this reason, Paul styled him “the man of sin”.

(Rev. 13:7) “And it was given unto him to MAKE WAR WITH THE SAINTS, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations…He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. HERE IS THE PATIENCE and the faith OF THE SAINTS.”

Only one power in history that bears these prophecies out clearly, matching this description of thinking to change the law of God, and to persecute those that kept it. That is the Papacy.

“It was the Catholic Church which made the law obliging us to keep Sunday holy. The church made this law long after the Bible was written. Hence said law is not in the  Bible. The Cath. [sic.] Church  abolished not only the Sabbath, but all the other Jewish festivals.” (Letter by T. Enright, Bishop of St. Alphonsus Church, St. Louis, Missouri, June, 1905)

The patience of the saints brought them to shed their blood at the altar. When these martyrs blood cried out for the judgment to commence, it was not long until the time period of 2300 days, spoken of in the book of Daniel, came to pass, and the Sanctuary was to be cleansed, and the living saints were to be purified to prepare for the second coming of Christ. This is the work which was described in the book of Malachi:

“Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.”

We are told white robes are given to each of the saints at the altar, and a prophecy is given that is for our time. We are told that that same power that made war with the saints will be revived, and that persecution will be ignited again: (Rev. 6:11) “it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that SHOULD BE KILLED as they were, SHOULD BE FULFILLED.”

What is to be fulfilled? That the brethren and fellowservants of the slain saints SHOULD BE KILLED. Here is the prophecy: (Rev. 13:15) And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast SHOULD BE KILLED.” Doubtless, this is exactly what was being referred to, as to what should be fulfilled. So what is to be fulfilled? This very word. This is the Word that is declared figuratively to how long the martyrs are to rest in Christ, until their awakening from the earthly graves into celestial glory. Yet it is not the Papal beast, but a power that makes an image, a likeness, to that apostate power, which will exercise the same persecuting power. Both beast powers will make war against the commandments of God, that were altered by the first beast. And to make war against these, is to make against the redemptive and creative power of God and Christ, as revealed in the holy Sabbath rest, and the holy feasts.

While the first class of saints that the beast made war against manifested patience through their persecution, the second class is described as manifesting just the same while undergoing the wrath of the second beast, who has made an image to the first beast.

(Rev. 14:11-12) “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have NO REST day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. HERE IS THE PATIENCE OF THE SAINTS: here are they that KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, and THE FAITH OF JESUS.”

When does Scripture say this persecution occurs? It says that the second beast “causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, WHOSE DEADLY WOUND WAS HEALED.” It occurs when the wound of the first beast is healed. What is a manifest sign that the papal beast’s wound is healed? Verse three says “his deadly wound was healed: and ALL THE WORLD WONDERED AFTER THE BEAST.” When the world wonders after the Papacy, then we may know that the time of persecution is drawing near. Is the world wondering after the Papacy? Yes. Whether pagans, or athiests, homosexual, evangelical Protestant,  elected official or confederacy, all the world is wondering.

The Scripture tells of of the coming persecution:  “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.” (John 16:2-3)

The first persecution in this world was actuated by a man who thought to do God service. When this persecution took place, Cain showed that he had no love for his brother Abel, even though he had thought to present an offering of his own mind, which God commanded him not, to God. As a token of this perverse mindset, a mark was placed upon his forehead. And why is there such hostility against the commandments of God? “Because the fleshly mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” And we see that first beast “thinks to change times and laws.” (Dan. 7:25) And so it is no surprise that those who are at “enmity against God” are opposed to His commandments, and persecute those who keep them, even as Cain did. Thus fulfilling the words of the apostle: “But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.” (Gal. 4:29)

“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother…. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death… (1 John 3:10,14) “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:6) “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1 John 4:20)

And just as it was with Cain, there is a mark in the fleshly minds of the worshippers of the beast and his image,  thus developing the two sides in the final conflict. This is clearly borne out in the final warning that is to be given to the world:
“If any man worship the beast and his image, and RECEIVE HIS MARK IN HIS FOREHEAD, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb… and they have no rest day nor night…Here is the patience of the saints…”

If John saw the first beast’s persecuting power, and we see it came to pass perfectly, we can soundly conclude that John, who saw the second, saw exactly what is now coming upon the earth, and just as it what was said to the martyrs: It will “be fulfilled”. Events are ushering in this hour of persecution.
Behold, it’s coming quickly! May God that we all enter into that holy rest in the Son of God, bound together by His mercy, and strengthened to stand by His grace. Amen.

The Development of Two Beasts I: The Rebirth of Papal Europe

In Bible prophecy, Revelation 13 brings to our view two beasts (called Kingdoms in Daniel 7:23). The characteristics are unmistakeable, and easily identifiable through a number of proofs.

The first is an ecumenical body of leopard, lion, bear, and dragon, with heads of blasphemy having power over all tongues, nations and peoples. It reigned before the second beast arose and corrupted itself, and had a deadly wound where it loses it’s great authority and power, which when the second beast begins to corrupt itself, would be healed. Those prophecies are now fast fulfilling simultaneously. But first, some background:

THE ELEMENTS OF THE FIRST BEAST

The first beast is an composite ecumenical beast. It contains the body parts of many different national religions.
The lion, the bear, the leopard, and the dragon are found in the seventh chapter of Daniel and are world empires (Dan. 7:23), represented by the sacred beasts of their respective patron deities of the world that successively rose to power and fell one after the other.

1) The lion represented Babylon. The Babylonian goddess Ishtar,  of fertility, war, and sensuality, was often depicted seated upon a lion.

2) The bear represented Media-Persia. The Persian god Mithra (also titled Sol Invictus- the invincible sun), was said to hold the constellation of the bear in his hands, signifying his hand as Polaris, the immovable star.

3) The leopard represented Greece. The Grecian god Dionysius, god of wine, revelry, and fertility, was often depicted as seated upon a leopard.

4) The devouring beast (also called the dragon in Rev. 12:3) represented the Roman Empire. The devouring beast symbolized Chonus, the god of time, who was frequently enthroned upon a chariot with winged serpents or dragon beasts.

The fourth beast of Daniel seven, having ten horns, is unequivocally bringing to view the Roman Empire in it’s European phase, where the kingdoms divided into multiple nations when the Roman emperor, Romulus, fell.

That first beast of Revelation 13 specifically calls you to understand Daniel 7, so you may better understand this beast, who rises on the reign of the European Roman Empire. It is unequivocally identifiable because it possesses all of the pagan teachings it has embraced from other religions and attained popularity and prominence in the Roman Empire for doing so, and in fact is doing so again.

The Roman Catholic church ruled over the European Roman Empire for 1260 years with an oppressive iron heel. But the church lost her power and her influence over the kings of the earth; this is referred to in Scripture as one of it’s heads of blasphemy (wielding political power over the consciences of men) “wounded unto death”. Yet it is woven into Catholic teaching that Europe belongs to the church, and it cannot be otherwise without ceasing to be Europe. The predecessor to Pope Francis said what makes Europe what it is, is it’s Roman heritage, being bound to a Christian settlement: thus declaring Europe, in it’s essence, as Roman Catholic.

“…it is not surprising that Christianity, despite its origins and some significant developments in the East, finally took on its historically decisive character in Europe. We can also express this the other way around: this convergence, with the subsequent addition of the Roman heritage, created Europe and remains the foundation of what can rightly be called Europe.” Pope Benedict XVI, 2006

We are told that a revival of the Catholic church’s supremacy takes place after the deadly wound, when the Scripture says: “…his deadly wound was healed, and all the world wondered after the beast.” This prophesied healing of it’s political power is to take place in a miraculous and startling manner, chiefly in that European old world that it once held dominion over. Yet that is practically fulfilled. How is that possible? By continued, unceasing appeals for Europe to return to “her roots” and winning the favor of the people by the Pope who the whole world is wondering after.

“Europe is tired. We have to help Europe rejuvenate, to find its roots. It is true: Europe has disowned its roots – and we must help Europe to rediscover those roots.” (Pope Francis in the Church of Santa Maria in Trastevere, June 16th, 2014)

“Europe as a whole is experiencing a decisive moment in its history, one which it is called to rediscover its proper identity,…This requires recovering its roots in order to shape its future. In response to currents of divisiveness, it is all the more urgent to update `the idea of Europe’ so as to give birth to a new humanism based on the capacity to integrate, dialogue and generate that which made the Old Continent great.” (Pope Francis, Address to the European Ambassadors to the Vatican, Jan. 9, 2017)

To the Council of the bishops’ conferences of Europe, on October 3rd, he said: “We must say this with love: it has not wanted to recognize one of its roots. And because of this it feels and does not feel Christian. Or it feels Christian somewhat in secret, but doesn’t want to recognize it, this European root…Europe is wounded. I’ll go back to that image that says so much to me, and I say that the Church today seems to me like a field hospital …Europe is wounded…I believe that Europe has many resources for going forward. It’s like a sickness that Europe has today. A wound…Europe, return to Jesus! Return to that Jesus whom you have said was not in your roots!…there are tremendous wounds…So many ways of preaching, but to mama Europe – or grandma Europe, or wounded Europe – only Jesus Christ can speak a word of salvation today. Only he can open a door of escape.”
It was only two months later, that Pope Francis opened “a door of escape” for “wounded Europe”, which was called the “door of mercy”, proclaiming 2015 a Jubilee of mercy. Thus it was a time to heal the deadly wound of the beast.

The revival of this power, or as the Pope termed it, the “rebirth” of Europe, was mentioned.

“To the rebirth of a Europe weary, yet still rich in energies and possibilities, the Church can and must play her part. Her task is one with her mission: the proclamation of the Gospel, which today more than ever finds expression in going forth to bind the wounds of humanity with the powerful yet simple presence of Jesus…Only a Church rich in witnesses will be able to bring back the pure water of the Gospel to the roots of Europe. In this enterprise, the path of Christians towards full unity is a great sign of the times and a response to the Lord’s prayer ‘that they may all be one.'” (Address at reception of Charlemagne Prize, May 6, 2016)

This rebirth appeal came to the forefront in March 2017, when the European Union sought for a “rebirth” of her ideals for their 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome being signed in 1957 by Christian democrats who envisioned a Catholic unity of Europe against the growing communistic trend that was swelling in Russia. The European Union is very clearly, and was very clearly, a designed attempt at gradually bringing Europe back into an integration of Catholic social ideals (to see more, read here).

The E.U. Leaders came together to Pope Francis for moral guidance in the rebirth process. Joseph Muscat, President of the EU said that Pope Francis can “provide leadership that politicians miss…I do think he [Pope Francis] is the ultimate world leader that within the circumstances has the skills and the vision to say things that transcend the obvious and banalities we all say in politics.”

The prophecy of the Roman Empire giving the political power was symbolically represented as the dragon giving this ecumenical beast it’s throne for over 1000 years. In the Treaty of Rome, it was designed that this restoration of it’s seat should be the conclusion of the founding fathers of the Union. Francis, addressing the E.U. leaders for who faced the want of rebirth in their ideals, said as much in his address to them: “At the origin of the idea of Europe, we find “the nature and the responsibility of the human person…with his desire for truth and justice, honed by a thousand-year-old experience.” Rome, with its vocation to universality, symbolizes that experience and was thus chosen as the place for the signing of the Treaties. For here – as the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, J. Luns, observed – “were laid the political, juridical and social foundations of our civilization”…I have devoted this first part of my talk to the founding fathers of Europe,…Their common denominator was the spirit of service, joined to passion for politics and the consciousness that “at the origin of European civilization there is Christianity…Europe has a patrimony of ideals and spiritual values unique in the world, one that deserves to be proposed once more with passion and renewed vigour, for it is the best antidote against the vacuum of values of our time, which provides a fertile terrain for every form of extremism. These are the ideals that shaped Europe…” (Pope Francis, address to the European Union Summit, March 24th, 2017)

The revival of the dark ages are being witnessed, but who has eyes to see it?

New Video Message: The False Prophet of Revelation 13

Here is identified the false prophet of Revelation 13 identified point-by-point, with video footage unveiling the truth regarding the fulfillment of these characteristics as unfolding today.

The Halloween Prophecy: A Shadow of Things to Come

The origin of halloween, and more importantly, the prophecy of halloween, are subjects misunderstood, if not entirely unknown. Devils, ghosts, skeletons, zombies, witches, amongst numberless other costume designs worn on Halloween, it should come as no surprise to any that the celebrations of this day are not clearly found in any Bible passage. So if the celebration is not found in the Bible, where does it come from? Also, what does the Bible say regarding it’s practices? Moreover, does it contain an underlying prophetic warning contained in it’s observance? In this article, we hope to address these questions in detail.

THE ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN

THE BIBLE CONDEMNS PRACTICES

The Bible speaks about these practices, declaring in the law that they are not after God’s order, nor can they ever be in harmony with His worship.

“Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Yehovah your God.” (Leviticus 19:31)

“When thou art come into the land which the Yehovah thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or one who inquires of the dead. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Yehovah: and because of these abominations the Yehovah thy God doth drive them out from before thee.” (Deuteronomy 18:9-12) It is interesting to note that it was for these sins in particular that God drove out the heathen from the land of Canaan; but God has promised a heavenly Canaan, and a new heavens and a new earth. If this was the cause of being driven out of the land, could glorifying sin and death be the reason man will not abide in the promised land? I want us to understand this, because there is a great mystery to Halloween that many are not discerning, and is greatly prophetic in it’s meaning.

THE BIBLE FESTIVAL & IT’S COUNTERFEIT

Yet we are told when anyone, however apparently Christian he may claim to be, if he believes Christians may observe halloween or have any honorary connection with it, we must note the words carefully: “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? Should they seek the living through the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isaiah 8:19-20) Yet Christians do encourage this behavior.

“When I was pastor of a Presbyterian congregation in Alexandria, Va., I helped to plan a Halloween party for children in the church basement. A new church member, an immigrant from West Africa, was clearly distressed, wondering why we would have an event that allows evil spirits to enter our church. It’s a legitimate question…But Halloween reminds us that we all must die.” USA TODAY, Henry Brinton, pastor of Fairfax Presbyterian Church, Oct. 28, 2012

Inviting evil spirits into the church? Sadly, this is exactly what it does. It calls to mind the parable of the empty house, where God’s presence was not found. “Then goeth he (the evilspirit), and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in [the house] and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” (Matthew 12:45) But more than this, this Presbyterian church pastor said something much more prophetic than many realize. He said”Halloween reminds us that we all must die…”. Inviting devils into your home and among your church and honoring their days as holy is a concern, and it should be a concern. Yet the enemy of souls knows perfectly well what Halloween signifies prophetically.

The unrecognized prophecy…

For God’s truth, Satan always has a counterfeit. God’s holy times are His times of worship which are to be observed in Christ (You can find these in Numbers 28-29). Yet more than times of worship for the body of Christ, the annual festivals of God have a prophetic importance to them: containing within them revelations of the unfolding plan of salvation. In like fashion, Satan has his holidays which are meant to glorify self, the fallen nature, and foreshadows events prophetically to herald the unfolding fate of those who serve him.

The harvest feast that celebrates life, and the fulness of Christ’s deliverance is called “The Feast of Tabernacles”. It declares that all sin has been purged from the life, and we are welcome back into the presence of God, to drink freely of the waters of life flowing from the Throne of God and the Lamb. Jesus on the last great day of this feast made a mighty call to all that whosoever believed on Him, in the manner that the Scriptures teach, they would receive the living waters of God’s Spirit: His power and presence. The harvest feast was also the time of the latter rain; when the latter rain came up

on the land, the harvest was ripe, and could be harvested; this foreshadows the deliverance we shall have as we receive the fulness of God’s Spirit. It is brought to view in this manner: “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie…And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. ” (Revelation 22:14-15)

Notice that not all will be blessed to have right to the life of heaven, and to enter into the promised city of God, but those who keep God’s law shall be there. No sin is allowed to be there, for to allow sin would be to allow discord into the kingdom of heaven, and to introduce into the kingdom of life the desolating floodgates of death. At the end of all things these will two classes exist: one inside the city, who have received the blessing of the feast of Tabernacles, and are saved and in God’s presence.

The Blessing of the Harvest Feast of the Latter Rain

Of this class, it is written: “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away…behold, I make all things new…I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” (Revelation 21:2-6)

But another class is brought to view just two verses after:
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”(Revelation 21:8)

Again, the Bible likens it to two harvests. The first harvest is of God’s children who keep His commandments:
“And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.” (Revelation 14:14-16)

And the second harvest is of Satan’s followers, who refused to obey God and refused to cease from sin:
“And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress…” (Revelation 14:17-20)

Outside the city, God’s presence was as a devouring fire to sin, and this was likened to a winepress, and the souls who were in their sins, outside of the tabernacle of God had death, called “the second death”, as their portion: eternal separation from God. Halloween, the Day of the Dead, points to this very class: Satan’s harvest of souls. Is it a wonder that it is connected to death, sorcery, witchcraft, murder, etc.? Satan’s harvest of souls is called the second resurrection; the first resurrection belong to the class who partook of Christ’s sacrifice, and partake of His resurrecting power:

Popularized by a culture of sin, there are prophetic messages that are foretold before the eyes of many…

“And cast him [the devil] into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God… they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” (Revelation 20:3-5) The first harvest is preceeding a millenium experience, symbolized by the seven days of the feast of tabernacles, and the eighth day, which is symbolized as the last day and prefigures the creation of a new heavens and a new earth. The eighth day is when the thousand years have finished. Notice that Satan gathers his harvest of souls which he wickedly toiled for unceasingly at the end of the thousand years: “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.” (Revelation 20:7-8)
What does this class do? They want to take the city they are not permitted to enter. They say “Give us the blessing, or else we will overthrow this city with our armies of wicked dead!” Or, in a much simpler manner, as it is said on Halloween, “Trick of treat…”. The witches, sorcerers, zombies, ghosts, devils, and beasts all surrounding the walls and doors of the holy city, only to hear the words “I never knew you. Depart from Me, workers of lawlessness…” (Luke 13:27)

Death: Its what is being glorified in the world today. But it foretells a much darker, more sorrowful event…

Consider the scene of those who come against that heavenly Jerusalem: “And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.” (Zechariah 14:12)
A woman in the 1800’s had a startlingly accurate vision, foretelling many significant events which have been coming to pass one by one. One of these visions brought to view the resurrection of the wicked dead, when they arose from their graves. Look at their condition:
“The holy angels surrounded Jesus, and escorted him on his way, and the train of redeemed saints followed. Then Jesus in terrible, fearful majesty called forth the wicked dead; and as they came up with the same feeble, sickly bodies that went into the grave, what a spectacle! what a scene! At the first resurrection all came forth in immortal bloom; but at the second, the marks of the curse are visible on all.” 1 Spiritual Gifts, p. 214

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15)

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

If you have been involved in this practice year after year, turn your heart away from these evils, and over to the living God, and He will abundantly pardon, and cause you to know His will as you seek for Him with all your heart. When those who believed came to the truth, and confessed their sins, they evidenced their faith by taking all things that represented the demonic forces, and burned them, signifying the portion that those things have in the lake of fire, but if you have surrendered the matter to God, seek that you may be among the class who are numbered in the wonderful heavenly Canaan, among those who love God, and keep His commandments.

“And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.” (Acts 19:18-19)

If this article has been informative and enlightening, please share with others that they may also realize the seriousness of the matter. God bless you!

The Development of Two Beasts II: Image to the Beast

The second beast of Revelation 13 depicts another kingdom, which, unlike the beasts of Daniel 7, and the Ecumenical beast of Revelation 13, all which arise out of the waters of “peoples, multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (Rev. 17:15), the second beast arises out of the earth. This depiction of coming out of the earth denotes that it arises from a new land, as Adam was newly formed out of the ground and given dominion. It’s two lamblike horns depict the principles of Christ which would protect papal tyranny and kingly oppression. This kingdom “speaks as a dragon” “saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast which had a wound by a sword and did live.” (Rev. 13:14) The appeal is made to the people to make an image of the first kingdom before it, which we identified as ecumenical Papal Europe. Here is demonstrated a republican type of government where the power of government rests with the people to make a church and state union. This kingdom is the United States of America.

John Adams referencing the deadly wound declared in a letter to Thomas Jefferson, who held differing ideas to Adams in regard to Christianity: “If the Christian religion, as I understand it, or as you understand it, should maintain its ground, as I believe it will, yet…Hindoo, and cabalistic Christianity, which is Catholic Christianity, and which has prevailed for 1,500 years, has received a mortal wound, of which the monster must finally die. Yet so strong is his constitution, that he may endure for centuries before he expires.” (John Adams, letter to Thomas Jefferson, July 16, 1814)

The two lamblike horns are the Declaration of Independence which sets forth the principles of government, and the Constitution sets forth the operation of government with it’s legislative limitations. The Declaration of Independence enshrined the principles of separation from a monarchial form of government, kingly oppression, with the power of Republicanism. The Constitution enshrines the principles of liberty of conscience, and freedom from papal tyranny; no church was to enforce religious decrees against the conscience; this was the power of Protestantism. Referencing Protestantism as enshrined in the framework of the United States, James Madison, called “the father of the Constitution” declared: “It illustrates the excellence of a system which, by a due distinction, to which the genius and courage of Luther led the way, between what is due to Caesar and what is due God, best promotes the discharge of both obligations.” Protestantism has a rich heritage in the promotion of liberty of conscience, as was witnessed by the protest of the German princes against the Pope and Emperor, that they and the citizens under their subjection would be permitted freedom of worship, to honor their conscience acceptably before God without the interference of either ecclesiastical or political usurpation. It was this protest that gave the name “Protestant”; to be Protestant therefore is to protest the separation of church and state. While the United States is not a Protestant nation in respect to a national religion, it is Protestant in respect to it’s principles of protecting conscience.

The United States will go sharply contrary to it’s lamblike principles, which Christ raised up to serve as a restraint against Papal principles of force, ensuring the protection of His commandment-keeping people through enacting hard legislative decrees. Instead of the principles of Protestantism, it shall advocate the principles of Catholicism to infringe upon conscience. Instead of Republicanism, the demands of the church shall cause legislators to yield to the demands of the majority to oppress the minority. For this to happen, the churches must unite upon the doctrines which they hold in common, waiving all subjects upon which no agreement can be secured, even if they are vitally important in the Scripture. And now what do we see? Exactly this. The leading chuches of the United States are now uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common. The step now taking place has been progressively agitated, that the state should sustain their religious institutions and enforce their decrees. In this thing, Protestant America is forming an image to the beast in it’s church and state union. The results of which will be exactly the same as the dark ages; God’s people, not found in the majority, shall be subject to a revival of persecution which terrorized them in the dark ages.
This is happening right now, and we will cite seven key events that are taking place to secure this image of church and state in the United States. (Click on arrows for more detail)

MAKING AN IMAGE TO THE BEAST

1) The Protestants have renounced Protestantism

2) The Protestants and Catholics become Friends

3) The call by Rodney Howard-Browne to secure church authority in the Congressional, Judicial, and Executive branches of government.

4) The Pope standing in Congress

5) Donald Trump Promises Evangelicals Power

As Constantine held the first ecumenical council to the divided Christians, and helped them ascend into positions of prominence to seize on eventual state power, Donald Trump, in an appeal for the people to band together in an unstoppable ecumenical force, fulfilled the prophecy in part that declares how the government shall say “to them that dwell on the earth [the people of America] that they should make an image to the beast.” (Rev. 13:14) And what is the image of the beast? It is the pattern of exercising state power by the church, where it says “he exercises all the power of the first beast [the Papal church state union]”. This was supplied by appealing to Evangelicals that if they would gather their strength as being the majority, “the government by the people”, “there is nothing” that would be able to stop them because they have too much strength. He then said, “But Christianity doesn’t have the strength it should have… Christianity is getting weaker and weaker in terms of a force…”. He then promised the Evangelicals if they would gather their armies to stand behind Trump that “Christianity will have power again…if I’m president, you will have plenty of power.”

6) Trump forms the Evangelical Advisory Board, with Frank Amedia's Prophetic Order of the United States.

7) White House Weekly Bible Studies

Ralph Drollinger of Capitol Ministries is the Bible Teacher which actively been engaging in opening up the Bible in the White House with the presidential administration. His purpose for this and his belief regarding government as a moral “avenger” to employ the “use of force” is evident: “I supported Trump from very early on in the campaign, and Jeff Sessions would tell you I influenced him to do the same in the Bible study. The Bible contains some criteria for someone who’s going to lead in the state. The primary passages are Romans 13:1–8 and Peter 2:13–14, both reiterate the idea that the institution of state does not bear the sword for nothing. It’s an “avenger of wrath”: It punishes those who do evil and it rewards those who do good. So the major God-given responsibility, the state’s primary calling, is to “moralize a fallen world through the use of force.”
If this is his belief regarding the Bible, he is doubtless teaching them the principles of government to be actively engaged in wielding the sword for their God-given mission of opposing all who do not adhere to their ideologies, beliefs, and practices as opposing morality.

The lamblike beast is beginning to speak as a dragon from the government under the assumption of lamblike garments, and aiming for the jurisdiction which belongs to Christ alone to execute judgment upon man. All too clearly can the students of history see how history is repeating itself. The image to the beast is growing in strength daily and is being breathed into life by the power of the people.

Journalist Jeremy Scahill of The Intercept seems to strikingly bring to view the prophetic direction of this prophetic power in his observation of the Trump Administration: “Trump is a Trojan horse for a cabal of vicious zealots who have long craved an extremist Christian theocracy, and Pence is one of its most prized warriors. With Republican control of the House and Senate and the prospect of dramatically and decisively tilting the balance of the Supreme Court to the far right, the incoming administration will have a real shot at bringing the fire and brimstone of the second coming to Washington…”

The Image of the Beast

“ALTHOUGH much has been said on this subject, it may not be out of place for us again to call attention to it.The beast which is to make this image is the two-horned beast of Revelation 13:11-18. The beast to which an image is to be made is the Papal beast, i.e., the Roman Catholic church clothed with civil authority. It is said to make an image to the first beast. The first beast is the one introduced in the preceding portion of the chapter, which receives a deadly wound. And it is after this deadly wound that the two-horned beast makes an image to the first beast. The first beast receives the civil power of the dragon. This dragon, we see by what is said of it, is the civil power which bore rule at the time of Christ’s birth. This was the Pagan Rome power.
In A. D. 538 the Pagan Rome power gave its seat – the seat of empire of Rome, the city of Rome – into the hands of the Catholics, with civil authority to persecute heretics. This power it held for 1260 years, which ended in 1798. In the year 1798 when the French army under General Berthier entered Rome, and deposed the Pope, and established the Papal power, the deadly wound was inflicted on this first beast.The two-horned beast which makes the image to this first beast is seen coming up at the time this wound is inflicted on the first beast.
It has been clearly shown that the government of the United States has come up in the right time, on the right territory, and in the right manner to fulfill the specifications in regard to this two-horned beast. It comes up out of the earth. Its predecessors came up by the striving of the four winds upon the great sea [Daniel 7], the sea representing nations, etc. Revelation 17. While the powers symbolized by the four beasts of Daniel 7 have successively come up by the overthrow of the government of their predecessors, this two-horned beast “comes up,” not by winds’ striving, not by the justling of nation against nation, not by powers’ being overthrown to establish it; but it plants itself in territory which previously was unoccupied by civil governments.
Our declaration of independence having been made in 1776, in 1798, the time the deadly wound was inflicted on the first beast, this power was a lamb (youthful) power, “coming up.”The rise of our government since 1798, as expressed by an English Journalist in 1853, has not a parallel in the past history of the human race. It is also found that the government itself answers to the description of this beast. While it is lamb-like in its profession, both in its civil and ecclesiastical departments, it is dragon-like in its action.
While the civil power declares in its declaration of independence that all men are entitled to liberty, by its voice, or laws, it holds about four millions of beings in slavery. The ecclesiastical power of the government, which is Protestant, claims to grant to all, toleration and freedom of faith. Yet at the same time it joins in with the voice of civil authority in enforcing slavery, while the measures by which it does so may gall the consciences of men.Here also a series of wonders have been performed, and now even miracles are done by the beast. Spiritualism with all its satanic deceptiveness is working upon the people, and the way is being fully prepared for a saying to go forth that an image should be made to the first beast. When this image is made men are to be caused to worship it under severe penalties.
It is true we do not expect the making and execution of the great decrees of the beast until after the third angel’s message of Revelation 14, shall have accomplished its warning against the work of this beast. We understand, however, that steps are now being taken which will result in the making of that image. We do not understand that the making of that image will be a momentary work, but like the rise of the beast itself, will occupy a little space of time in its development.
We would inquire at this time, How far developed is the image of the beast?It may be said that the making of the image of the beast is yet future, and that there are no means of telling how it will be done. I think the best way to form our theories upon this subject would be to look at the rise of the first beast – to look at the steps which were gradually taken to bring it into action as a persecuting power. Similar steps will probably be taken to make an image to the beast that were taken to make the beast.
Some have said when an image to the beast is made it will enforce Purgatory and all the doctrines of the Papal church. That would not necessarily be the case. A power that should enforce the doctrines of the Papacy would restore Papacy instead of making an image. An image to anything must be something that is in appearance like the thing, yet is not the thing itself. An image to the Papacy we should understand would be some other class of religionists that should take similar steps in enforcing its sentiments to those taken by the Papacy. We think it can be made clear that but five distinct steps were taken by the church before she came into the position marked in prophecy as the “beast with seven heads and ten horns.” We think we can show that four of those steps have been taken by the nominal, creed-making Protestants of this time; and they are already striving to take the fifth step, which will fully constitute them the image to that beast.
The overt steps taken by the church were, First, the making of a creed. For this purpose Conventions were called, Synods and Councils convened, and the result was a great universal creed. The second step was to make that creed a rule of faith and test of fellowship. This was no sooner done than it was decided to try unruly members by the creed instead of the Bible. So for the third step, this creed became the tribunal by which men were judged. The fourth step was to brand all as heretics who did not subscribe to the creed. In the fifth step they obtained the aid of the civil law to enforce penalties on those whom they had branded as heretics. It was for some time after they had formed their creeds, that they could only threaten what they would do to heretics, but they did not punish them because no laws were passed by which they could do it.
As an illustration of this matter we would refer to Theodosius’ edict which was made in the year A. D. 380. This may be found in Gibbon’s Rome, chap 27. After having given an account of Theodosius’ baptism he says: “And, as the emperor ascended from the holy fount, still glowing with the warm feelings of regeneration, he dictated a solemn edict, which proclaimed his own faith, and prescribed the religion of his subjects. It is our pleasure (such is the imperial style) that all the nations which are governed by our clemency and moderation, should steadfastly adhere to the religion which was taught by St. Peter to the Romans, which faithful tradition has preserved, and which is now professed by the pontiff Damasus, and by Peter, bishop of Alexandria, a man of apostolic holiness. According to the discipline of the apostles, and the doctrine of the gospel, let us believe the sole deity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; under an equal majesty, and a pious trinity. We authorize the followers of this doctrine to assume the title of catholic Christians; and as we judge that all others are extravagant mad-men, we brand them with the infamous name of heretics and declare that their conventicles shall no longer usurp the respectable appellation of churches. Besides the condemnation of divine justice, they must expect to suffer the severe penalties which our authority, guided by heavenly wisdom, shall think proper to inflict upon them.”It was several years however before severe penalties were inflicted upon them.But it seems from his next statements that even these penalties were not immediately executed. He says: “The theory of persecution was established by Theodosius…. but the practice of it, in the fullest extent, was reserved for his rival and colleague Maximus, the first among the Christian princes, who shed the blood of his Christian subjects on account of their religious opinions.” In these edicts the emperors were beginning a work which finally resulted in the giving of the civil power into the hands of the Papal church.As we have before shown it is by the two-horned-beast power (our own government) that an image is to be made to this first beast. Some regard it perhaps as all fancy that we should suppose any such thing will be done here. We already see four steps have been taken by the Protestant church, and a plea set up that like causes produce like results, we should conclude an “image to the beast” would be the result of taking these steps. But we have the sure word of prophecy declaring that this power will make an image and we look on the taking of these steps as a fulfillment of the prophetic testimony concerning this power.
On the first step taken by the church of Rome we would say: Nearly every prominent sect of the present time has her creed which they tell us is founded upon the Bible. Yet we find the sentiments of their creeds discordant, which shows of course that they are not all drawn from the fountain of truth. In regard to what the churches of our land have done in regard to creed-making we will make a few quotations from a sermon preached by Charles Beecher at the dedication of the Presbyterian Church at Ft. Wayne, Ind.: “Our best, most humble, most devoted servants of Christ are fostering in their midst what will one day, not long hence, show itself to be of the spawn of the dragon. They shrink from any rude word against creeds with the same sensitiveness with which those holy fathers would have shrunk from a rude word against the rising veneration of saints and martyrs which they were fostering.”  “The creed system is now exerting upon the clergy of the Protestant churches a secret, unsuspected, but tremendous power against the Bible – a power of fear. Yes, while it professes to venerate and defend the Bible, it is virtually undermining it.” “The religious world has what is called a public sentiment of its own, and this is formed chiefly by the great evangelical denominations. Other denominations are, owing to their paucity of numbers, less perceived. By one or the other of these denominations, the first fact is, the young candidate is to be licensed; for public sentiment has settled that an unlicensed preacher is no preacher at all. He must have license, then; all his hopes center on that. But there is not one of these great evangelical denominations from which he can get license, unless he will subscribe the creed of that denomination. In other words, the Protestant evangelical denominations have so tied up one another’s hands, and their own, that, between them all, a man cannot become a preacher at all, anywhere, without accepting some book besides the Bible.” Thus we see the first overt step of Rome has been taken by the Protestant sects of our land.
The second step of Rome has been taken, and these creeds are also made a test of fellowship, as appears from the further testimony in Beecher’s discourse, which we quote because it displays the exact facts in the case:  “It is true, each denomination says, ‘We inflict no penalty – we only decline to receive into our ranks one who does not agree with us.’ And this is so specious, it sounds so reasonable, that it might deceive the very elect; but it is the most consummate stroke of infernal craft, and doubly distilled jesuitism. “It is like Rome, handing over the victims of the Inquisition to the civil arm, charging it to do them no harm, and then piously lauding her own lamblike disposition. It is true, the denominations do not do the candidate any harm, they only silently leave him to his inevitable fate.”
The third step of Rome is taken, and the creed is made the tribunal by which its members are tried. Did our space admit we might relate scores of instances where members have been denied a Bible trial, and when in trial by the church they have shown that their peculiar sentiments were in accordance with the Bible, they have been tried by the creed, and expelled from the society of the creed powers. A case came up in Wisconsin not many months since. A Baptist deacon, with his wife and daughters, embraced the present truth. In the winding up of the trial it seemed necessary to tell these individuals why they were set aside from the church. The clerk said, “We do not want you to think, Bro. Wright, because we expel you from the church, that we do not consider that you keep the commandments of God, for we believe you do; but your faith does not agree with the Baptist Treatise!”
That the fourth step has been taken, and those are anathematized who do not subscribe to the Orthodox creeds of this time is clear from the following testimony from Beecher concerning an unlicensed minister: “Unlicensed, without moral affinities with the minor sects, alone, before he has formed the self-sustaining habits of a man, before he has yet tried his armor, self-distrustful, generally poor, often in debt, inexperienced, he finds an invisible, intangible Power has entangled and enveloped him in complicate, writhing folds. The frown of society is upon him, public sentiment is against him – the public sentiment of good men, yea, of the best and most devoted! He is whispered to be unsound, unsafe, heretical! He is called by every sectarian name most frightful to ears evangelical, right or wrong; and yet nobody does it. He is smitten; he looks here and there, behind and before; he can see nobody. And thus he is politely, and respectfully, and silently, and invisibly crushed. He is in the religious world what a broken-down candidate is in the political – dead.
“Now there never was a torture of the Inquisition more exquisitely suited to extort conformity from an agonized victim. Not the body, but the mind is on the rack. Every most noble feeling is tried to the utmost. His natural need of livelihood, his care of family and of friends, his sense of reputation, his honest ambition, his tastes, his intellectual habits, his hopes of usefulness, yea, the very inmost, sacred emotions of his devotional experience, are here taken hold of – in the dark – by an unseen, ruthless hand – and are wrung, and racked, and wrenched, to the last extreme of mental torture. And there is no eye to pity, nor arm to save. The public will not hear him. He is nobody, an outcast, a mad-man. “This, my friends, is the penalty which good men, out of good motives, unconsciously, yet really are proposing to the eyes of every candidate for the ministry, this intense spiritual martyrdom. During seven years it stares him in the face, during the whole forming time of his opinions. And for what? “For daring to say, ‘I do not receive your creed as containing the system of doctrines contained in the Bible;’ and for daring to say what God has said, ‘With that Bible alone I am perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.’ For repeating and holding on upon this declaration of God, he falls a spiritual martyr. And is not that an apostasy, then, that martyrs him? And is not the Protestant church apostate? Oh! remember, the final form of the apostasy shall rise, not by Rome’s aggressive march; not by the pope’s long arm, outstretched to snatch our Bible; not by crosses, processions, baubles. We understand all that. Apostasy never comes on the outside. It develops. It is an apostasy that shall spring into life within us; an apostasy that shall martyr a man who believes his Bible ever so holily…. That is the apostasy we have to fear, and is it not already formed? “Accept the Bible and the book, and you may put your own private construction on both, as every one does. Accept the Bible, and put your own private construction on that – the great paw of the beast is on you. This is what I call taking the Bible out of the hands of the ministry. “There is nothing imaginary in the statement that the creed power is now beginning to prohibit the Bible as really as Rome did, though in a subtler way. During the whole course of seven years’ study, the Protestant candidate for the ministry sees before him an authorized statement, spiked down and stereotyped, of what he must find in the Bible, or be martyred. And does any one, acquainted with human nature, need be told that he studies under a tremendous pressure of motive? Is that freedom of opinion? – ‘the liberty wherewith Christ maketh free?’ Rome would have given that. Every one of her clergy might have studied the Bible to find there the pontifical creed on pain of death. Was that liberty?”  Those who have embraced the unpopular, yet Bible doctrines of the Sabbath and near coming of the Lord, and have held fast their integrity in the midst of the rage and anathemas of a modern orthodox creed power are prepared to appreciate what we say when we tell them this is a manifestation of the fourth apostate step of modern Protestantism. The fifth step taken by Rome was to reach forth the arm and secure the civil power. Already is the church striving for laws to enforce an almost universal tenet, Sunday-keeping, which is purely traditional, and contrary to the commandment of God relative to the Sabbath. Several years since, Dr. Durbin, of the Christian Advocate and Journal, gave his views on this subject as follows: “I infer therefore that the civil magistrate may not be called upon to enforce the observance of the Sabbath (Sunday) as required in the spiritual kingdom of Christ; but, when Christianity becomes the moral and spiritual life of the State, the State is bound through her magistrates to prevent the open violation of the holy Sabbath, as a measure of self-preservation. She cannot without injuring her own vitality, and incurring the divine displeasure, be recreant to her duty in this matter.” Here is another statement which appeared in the N. Y. Evangelist in 1854 relative to this matter:  “The principle that Christianity is recognized by the State as something which essentially belongs to it, gives us, we think, the true and simple basis upon which the laws relating to the observance of the Sabbath are to be enforced. The law throws its protection round the sacredness and quiet of the first day of the week, not because it recognizes it as a sacred day in itself considered, but for other reasons.” From this it seems that they are trying to shape the matter so that laws may be passed enforcing Sunday without violating the constitution, which declares that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” During the last three years special efforts have been made in some parts, especially in the State of New York, to get more stringent Sunday laws. Last spring the Tribune took a stand somewhat against this Sunday legislation, whereupon some of the opposite party thought to make it a party issue. Accordingly a question was asked to the Tribune, which called out the following answer: “We answer categorically that the Lincoln party, as such, has no opinions whatever on the Sunday question.” This was taken up by the Albany Atlas and Argus of Oct. 6, which retorted against them: “Lincoln don’t care if the Sabbath is violated or not.” Here was an attempt to make a party issue of it, but it has not yet become such. Neither do we claim that these stringent Sunday laws will be immediately passed, but we wish to show that Protestants are desirous of taking the fifth step taken by Papacy before her persecutions of God’s people. And as we shall now pass to show, the legislative powers say they shall and must take the step. Before me lies the N. Y. Observer, of Aug. 23, 1860, which gives an account of a large and enthusiastic meeting which was held at Saratoga Springs, Aug. 12, the object of which was to consider the subject of taking effective measures to secure laws for the observance of Sunday. The Hon. Millard Fillmore, Ex-president of the United States, presided over the meeting:“On his right sat Gov. Buckingham, of Connecticut, and Hon. J. W. Beekman, of New York, and on his left Gov. Morgan, of New York, and the Hon. Wm. C. Alexander, of New Jersey, representatives (with the honored chairman of the meeting) of the three great political parties which, in the apprehended shock of their collision, now threaten to rend the land asunder. Would that this spectacle of Christian co-operation could be witnessed on a still grander scale! But even on this limited field of observation it was a stirring sight to behold the champions of opposing interests of State relinquishing their weapons at the foot of the cross.” Here we see is a point, and probably the only point on which they all could unite. Of this large concourse of people he says:  “Probably no two men thought exactly alike on any other subject. Doubtless all did not agree as to the grounds on which public action should be taken, or as to the extent to which that action should be pushed. But I have no question, from the tone of the meeting and from casual remarks I overheard, that if it had been put to the vote it would have been resolved by acclamation that our American Christian Sabbath – the precious birthright of our national independence – must and shall be preserved. “Mr. Cook proceeded to state what had been already done by the Sabbath Committee, and what they still proposed to do. Their success in silencing the Sunday newsboys, and closing the Sunday groceries should stimulate all the friends of good order to more vigorous, more systematic, and more persistent effort in the same direction. He paid a high and deserved compliment to the New York Press for their handsome and efficient co-operation in the good cause. He stated very pointedly and distinctly the question on which this holy war is waged. It was not whether we should have a Sabbath or not; that was settled by unanimous consent. The question is, Shall we have our own Christian, American Sabbath – the Sabbath of our childhood and of our fathers, the Sabbath of rest and holy quiet – or an imported European Sabbath? The speaker then ably contrasted the two conflicting methods of Sabbath observance, and argued vigorously against the lawless pretensions of a part of our German population. His statements were succinctly and effectively presented, and were heard with marked attention.” Ex-president Fillmore said that he “had aimed to secure the benefits of the day of rest through a long career of more than ordinary physical and mental exertion, and giving his full assent to the claims of all who desired to make it a day of worship, and to vindicate the prerogative of the civil authority. While he deemed it needful to legislate cautiously in all matters connected with public morals, and to avoid coercive measures affecting religion, the right of every citizen to a day of rest and worship could not be questioned, and laws securing that right should be enforced. He was happy to perceive that the gentlemen of the Sabbath Committee had avoided the mistakes connected with many attempts at moral reform, and their object had his entire approbation.” We look on these testimonies as a call for an image. May we all so obey the third angel’s message, so keep God’s commandments that we shall be prepared to stand when the trying time of the image beast’s decrees shall come.

Daniel 7: The Rise & Fall of Antichrist

For a context for this article, it is highly recommended that you read the first part of this three-part series.

1) It arises amongst the divisions of Western Europe/Roman Empire.
2) It must rise after 476CE, when Rome was divided.
3) It’s rise to power includes uprooting three other kingdoms that stand in it’s way.
4) A man would represent this kingdom, claiming to have great authority over the kings of the Roman empire.
5) He is a different kind of king than the traditional political authority of the other kings.
6) He claims to have the authority that belongs to God.
7) He makes war with the saints who keep God’s laws.
8) He thinks to change times and laws of God’s government.
9) He reigns for 1260 years.

These points must be fulfilled to identify the anthchristian little horn power. Again, to have more detail on these nine points, and an abundance of Scriptural testimony, it is best to refer you to the first part of this three-part series.

The Antichrist Power revealed…

If antichrist was a giant political figure that everyone recognized as demanding the worship of Satan and having a hitler-esque demeanor, it would not be deceiving to many sincere but mislead Christians. Although nine characteristics have been revealed from this power, still more characteristics are necessary to understand what happened in the Roman Empire to cause the rise of this power.

The apostles all saw concerns coming in amongst those who received Christ’s sacrifice. He is the “Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29); He was called the Lamb, because anciently, the Hebrew people looked forward to the deliverance from sin by the Messiah-to-come, and to demonstrate their faith in His coming, they would sacrifice lambs, bulls, and goats. Yet “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” (Heb. 10:4) Yet most of the Israelites lost the meaning of their sacrifices, and had faith in those sacrifices to take away sins instead of the One to whom they pointed. And what is sin? The apostle John tells us that “sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4)

The truth: Christ’s sacrifice and the law of God cannot be separated

The very law that the little horn would think to change was the law of God’s government; thus it would enforce a new law via the kings of Europe, and turn many away from the law of the true God; thus making of no effect the sacrifice of Christ. Christ, foreseeing what would come, declared:

“Do not think that I’ve come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I have not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

He then compared those who would “think” He came to abolish the law of God with the “righteousness” of the scribes and the pharisees (the religious class of people in Jerusalem): “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:20)

These men had taught that it was acceptable to “break one of these least commandments”; “Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.” Christ told them, fulfilling the Scripture in Isaiah, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

The antichrist power would make of no effect the commandments of God by their traditions; and profess with their mouths that they worship Him, but like the religious people of Christ’s day, are in fact crucifying Him over again in breaking the law. The Bible declares this as the righteousness of man (Rom. 10:3), while the law of God reveals the righteousness of God (Isaiah 51:6,7), which God says “will not be abolished [destroyed].”

THE GREAT FALLING AWAY IN THE CHURCH

The apostle Paul had studied the prophecies carefully. He saw the rise of the antichrist coming from Rome, and how he would think to change the law of God, and was troubled. God even kept on record three such warnings for us that a great falling away would occur in the Christian church.

“For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” (Acts 20:29-31)

The Christian church was to be compromised by a foreign power, previously unknown to it. Paul said Christ would not return until the work of this power had been fully accomplished: “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” (2 Thes. 2:3)

Paul, seeing the little horn as changing the law of God which exposes sin, called him “the man of sin”, revealed in the church by “a falling away”; and the son of perdition (literally, of destruction, ruin, or loss). Going to greater lengths, he goes to the very church at the heart of the conflict that would come, and writes to them regarding to gospel of Christ, which restores the law’s rightful place in the heart of the believer. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;… For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Rom. 1:16-17) He continues further, and declares that those who believe in the effectual power of Christ’s sacrifice, have sin “condemned in the flesh [our flesh]”, “that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:3,4) He then warns the church in Rome not to become absorbed in worldly affairs, having their minds on this world and losing sight of the gospel, it’s power, and heavenly realities. “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Romans 8:6-7) Paul realized that the trouble was to arise in the church that was in Rome, that they would “think” against the law of God by supposing to hold some great authority to alter His commands. Paul emphasizes the words of Christ, that He came to “fulfill” the law, and not to destroy it.

In addition to the nine points, the tenth is this:

10) He came as the result of a falling away of the Christian church

ONE FINAL CHARACTERISTIC

One final characteristic must be mentioned, and then the identity cannot be mistaken to any honest child of God. To understand this point, we will examine another view of the characteristics of the little horn power of Daniel 7, from another prophecy in the Bible.

The tokens of paganism are found in the little horn power…

“And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” (Revelation 13:2)

This beast has all the parts of the pagan kingdoms brought into one unique and diverse kingdom that the little horn’s rise to power in the divided Roman empire. It has the body of the leopard, symbolized by Bacchus, the Greek god. It has feet that walk in the laws of sun worship found in Media-Persia. It has the mouth of Babylon’s lion, having Babylon at the heart of it’s religion. And he is honored by being given the dragon’s throne (“seat”) of the Roman Empire; which seeks to devour God’s true children, who like Chronos, the chief deity of Rome, that devoured his own children and controlled time. The dragon, also symbolizing Satan’s rebellious kingdom, would presumptiously pass the “great authority” of having “power” and authority to “change times and laws” to this kingdom who sits upon the throne of the Roman empire.

Thus pagan elements are infused into this little horn kingdom so definitely.
Further proof that the little horn and this beast are one and the same. Here are four characteristics that match perfectly:

***The Lamb is Christ which saves from sin. Antichrist is the religious power from the church in Rome that changes the laws which reveal the sins needing to be saved from.

THE REVELATION OF THE LITTLE HORN

The ONLY power in all of history that fulfills all 11 of these points clearly, and definitely, is the Roman Catholic Papacy.

For some, it may be hard to believe that the Roman Catholic Papacy is antichrist, and at first glance, that may be understandable. However, when examining more closely, there are clear evidences which we will show for exactly why this is true. In the early Christian church, there was a falling away. It began at the time of pagan emperor Constantine’s “conversion” to Christianity. He began to shower favors upon the Christian church, and his counselors that it was God’s will to give them both advantages by removing the need to pay taxes, and also to give the church more land. The preference thus shown to Christianity, unconverted pagans walked into the church, and introduced paganism into Christianity; mingling it. Constantine sought to unite the pagans and the Christians, and those Christians who were already departing from the precepts given in the law of God were the most favorable to uniting with paganism. The falling away, while plaguing the entire Christian movement, was most advanced from the church in Rome, which Paul expressly counselled.
The most subtle form of deception which will deceive the whole world is a Christianized form of paganism, that has made this world it’s kingdom. Does this mean all the Roman Catholics are lost? No. In fact, Jesus said, “other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” (John 10:16) Jesus tells us that He has other sheep, who are in other parts of the world, who do not know or see the truth, but when they hear the truth, they will leave their errors and their former teachers & leaders, and like the disciples of Christ, go and follow Him.

LET’S EXAMINE

Now let’s examine these points, and trace their fulfillment in the rising of this power:

1) He is a different kind of king than the traditional political authority of the other kings.
The Papacy was given the name Pontifex Maximus (the great bridgebuilder) because that was the name given to the pagan high priests who were appointed by the Roman Emperor. The Pope is diverse from the other kings because he is both a political and religious figure. The Pontifex Maximus duties were to consecrate temples of their gods, to regulate calendar observances, and regulating public morals, and fining and punishing offending parties. To this day, the Papacy claims the title as Pontifex Maximus. He built bridges from Christianity to unite with Paganism, and for Christianity to be established as a political force in this world, contrary to the will and plan of God. The bridges thus built were nothing less than converting Christianity to the world, and concealing it’s true character of paganism.

2) He thinks to change times and laws of God’s government.
One of the most remarkable prophecies in the entire Bible is that the antichrist claims to have authority to change the times of worship and laws of God. It is commonly understood that the early Christians did in fact worship on the times found in the law of God. Those times were as follows:

The Papacy adopted the pagan sabbath, which was Sunday, the traditional day of sun worship. This they freely admit:

“…pastoral intuition suggested to the Church the christianization of the notion of Sunday as “the day of the sun”, which was the Roman name for the day and which is retained in some modern languages.(29) This was in order to draw the faithful away from the seduction of cults which worshipped the sun, and to direct the celebration of the day to Christ, humanity’s true “sun”.” John Paul II, Dies Domini, 27. The day of Christ-Light, 1998 (Prominent protestant leaders agree with this statement – See here for a statement by Dr. E. T. Hiscox, author of the ‘Baptist Manual’)

The pagans who flooded the entrance of the church were converted originally by the church converting to their laws. In an old Catholic Catechism, it is even more pronounced:

“Q. What is Sunday, or the Lord’s Day in general?

A. It is a day dedicated by the Apostles to the honour of the Most Holy Trinity…. It is also called Sunday from the old Roman denomination of Dies Solis, the day of the sun, to which it was sacred.” The Douay Catechism, (An Abridgment of the Christian Doctrine) of 1649

How could they do this? They “think to change times and laws” because they “think” they have such authority to change them. Additionally, a triune understanding of God, where three divine beings were united in one divine nature, immortal, without beginning and end, was adopted to help pagans who were accustom to the triunity of divine beings in various pagan religions. These concessions from the church brought a unity between pagans and Christians that before this time would have been near impossible. This is in perfect harmony with the pagan beasts all being represented in the Catholic beast, which takes in the pagan doctrines.

3) He claims to have the authority that belongs to God.

Authority over kings: “the Pope enjoys, by divine institution, supreme, full, immediate, and universal power in the care of souls.” 937, Catechism of the Catholic Church (1997) What does “universal power” mean?  It means power over kings for the sake of making converts, for “the common good of society”.

Infallability: What the Pope speaks in Encylical writings are legally and conscience-bound to the Christian particularly, and to the non-Christian without exception. It teaches that the Pope’s words cannot be wrong. Ex Cathedra is a Papal doctrine which teaches that “when, in the exercise of his office [the Pope] as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, (the Bishop of Rome) defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole Church.” It teaches then that the Pope cannot be in error in faith or morals.

Authority to change God’s law: “Protestants … accept Sunday rather than Saturday as the day for public worship after the Catholic Church made the change… But the Protestant mind does not seem to realize that … in observing Sunday, they are accepting the authority of the spokesman for the Church, the pope.” Our Sunday Visitor, February 5th, 1950

4) It must rise after 476CE, when Rome was divided into ten parts.

It arises amongst the divisions of Western Europe/Roman Empire.
It’s an interesting fact that the Papacy did rise at this time. After Constantine’s conversion in the fourth century, the prophesied falling away began to move swiftly; and with every step further into error, the greater favor it grew with the kingdoms of Rome.

It’s interesting to note that the Papacy’s political advancements began with the conversion of Constantine, and after this time, the Papacy’s rise to political favor grew more and more as it became more entrenched in the principles of paganism. It was not until 508 that the first war was waged in the name of a Catholic church/state, and it was not until 538 that the Papacy actually received the throne of the Roman empire itself, to exercise authority over the kings of Europe.

5) It’s rise to power includes uprooting three other kingdoms that stand in it’s way.
The Papacy uprooted three of the ten kings who had stood in it’s way, thus fulfilling the prophecy: “For the mystery of iniquity is already at work: only he who now restrains will restrain [him], until he is taken out of the way.” (2 Thes. 2:7) These three restraining forces were signs to the Christian church of the prevailing corruption and the growing power of the Pope over the kings of the earth. The restraints were imposed by three Sabbath-keeping, non-Trinitarian kingdoms. Both the Trinity and Sunday-keeping, in the place of Sabbath and the worship of the true God, were fundamental teachings of Catholic Christianity.
i) The Visigoths: In 508, the first of these kingdoms was rooted out of it’s land by church/state authority. It was the united France, under Clovis, a pagan-king who converted to Catholicism, that declared war in the name of the church. The Visigothic people, standing in the way of France and her Catholic teachings, ran her into the corners of Europe, where she began to be swallowed up by Catholicism at last.
ii) The Vandals: In 533, the zealously Catholic emperor Justinian overcame the Vandals, and issued a decree, declaring all were to submit to the Pope, to the Most Holy Trinity, and to assume the name Catholic.
iii) The Ostrogoths: In 538, the Ostrogothic kingdom occupied the land of Rome itself. It had constantly shifted hands, and for some years, it was in the hands of Sabbathkeeping Christians. Justinian, through his general Belisarius, entered into Rome, and overcame the Ostrogoths, who were slowly hunted and exterminated. It was at this time, after the final restaint was removed at last, that Justinian delivered the throne of Rome into the hands of the Papacy, to exercise authority over Europe’s kings.

6) A man would represent this kingdom, claiming to have great authority over the kings of the Roman empire.
It is evident as we have seen, that this was remarkably and unmistakenly fulfilled only by the Pope of Rome.

7) He makes war with the saints who keep God’s laws.
After receiving this authority over the kings of the earth, those who kept the laws of God, first the Visigoths, Vandals, and Ostrogoths, and then the persecuting the people progressively more and still more.
8) He reigns for 1260 years.
It was from the time of 538CE that the Papacy took Rome, when Justinians’ General, Belisarius, overtook Rome, until 1798CE, when Napoleon’s General, Berthier, entered into Italy, into the Vatican, and took the Pope captive, and restored the Roman republic to the people. While the Popes maintained a somewhat spiritual influence, their political influence was wholly crushed underfoot. The Church had long used the sword of the state to overcome her opposers, now the prophecy regarding the Catholic beast was fulfilled: “I saw one of it’s heads, as it were, wounded to death…He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” (Rev. 13:10)

Having so long forced the people to submit to her rule or face the sword, now the sword of France, the eldest daughter of the Catholic church, was to be her worst opposer, and force her into submission. However, the prophecy does not end there for the antichrist, because antichrist, as revealed in the Papacy, has a grand final work before the end of the world.

Unsealing the Little Book of Prophecy (Daniel 12 & Revelation 10)

In the time of the end, two distinct classes shall be revealed. Those who serve God and those who serve Him not (Malachi 3:18). Christ knew well that a great sign would lie at the heart of this matter, and declared of the time “when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet” (Matthew 24:15).
It was this prophecy Christ was burdened that we should understand when He said, “Let him that reads understand”; in fact, this prophecy was mentioned three times distinctly in the book of Daniel.
In Daniel’s book, which deals with the rebellion problem in the hearts of the people of God, and heathen dominions which reigned over them, it concludes the great warfare against Satan and his kingdom of darkness. The conclusion reveals a glorious deliverance of the people of God, when Christ takes His crowning place on the throne of David; it is then that Satan marshalls his army, consisting largely of apostate churches, against the remnant people of God.
When Christ takes His throne, Gabriel tells Daniel, “at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book.” (Dan. 12:1)
But who are Daniel’s people that are among those delivered and who are numbered among the armies of Satan? The distinction of these two classes is the burden of this article. The Book of Daniel, since it is dealing with the issue of God’s people, makes a clear distinction amongst those are among the remnant of Daniel’s people. The final prophecy of the book of Daniel, contained in chapter 12, bound to a prophecy in the book of Revelation, serves to identify who these people are, and who they are not.
From the outset, we may note that it is the wise who shall be those people according to Daniel’s final chapter. It is those who have understanding of the prophetic importance of the events surrounding them because they have understood and given special regard to the prophecies of Daniel. “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” (Dan. 12:3) We are called to be “a wise and understanding people” (Deut. 4:6) but there are many who don’t understand the book of Daniel and it’s high importance for our time. Yet in it’s prophecies contain instruction for the wise in these last days that need to be understood.

THE SEALED BOOK- THE TIME OF THE END

At the closure of Daniel’s prophecy, he is told that his book is to be sealed: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” (Daniel 12:4)
The time of the end is the period when the Atheistic King of the South pushed at the King of the North, who the weight of evidence shows to be the Papal power. This period was from 1798-1844; this time period will be made more evident further along in the study. The Book of Daniel’s prophecy was to be sealed so that those who read it could not comprehend it’s deeper sayings until the time was fully come. Thus, it is declared to be “the time of the end”.
It was the end of the seven times of captivity for the Israelites in 1798 and for Judah in 1844 prophesied in Leviticus 26 & Daniel 4, hence it is called “the time of the end”. The prophetic identity of those tribes were to be spiritually identified, and not genealogically identified, by those who in those years would have special light upon the Book of Daniel. God’s people were not to be unaware of the prophetic importance of this finishing of the captivity time. Then in vision, Daniel describes for us the final scene he would look upon: “Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to dash in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.” (Daniel 12:5-7)

How long until the end of these wonders? What wonder was here being spoken of? It was the great warfare prophecy of Daniel 11 which dealt specifically with the oppression of Daniel’s people because of their apostasy. How long until the end of apostasy? How long until there is freedom, independence, respite, given to God’s people again? How long until the time of the end? Now pay close attention, as the scene Daniel described above shall be an important element to our study. We see the man clothed in linen upon the rivers of the waters, raising his hands towards the heavens, after Daniel is told to shut the book until the time of the end. And that this sealing would be for a time (360), times (360×2), and an half (180); like previous prophecies, we easily may recognize this period of time as the time when the little horn persecuted the saints of the Most High, and the same power, under the likeness of an ecumenical, chimera-type beast from the waters of Revelation 13, which persecutes God’s people during the dark ages for 1260 years, from 538AD to 1798AD. It was this apostate Roman church which especially would cause the sealing of the book of Daniel; keeping it’s sayings under lock and key, away from the understanding of the people. Having trampled underfoot the truth, translating the Scriptures into Latin, to be interpreted aright only by a Catholic priest in the light of falsehood, the sealing of Daniel’s book during this period is enforced in a manner which we will speak more upon shortly.
The Man in fine linen raises His hands to heaven, and speaks of the 1260 year prophecy that was to end in 1798AD. This denotes the period when the time of the end for the ten tribes of Israel’s long captivity is spoken of. Thus it reveals the time when the prophetic identity of the ten tribes (not the genealogical identity which has long been lost) is revealed in prophecy. Notice what was to be accomplished according to the Man in linen at the end of this time, and we will notice in it the wisdom of God.
He declares it to be the time when the rebellious pride of the holy people of God would be “dashed in pieces.” This reference was pertaining to the judgment contained in the seven times of punishment against rebellion: “I will punish you seven times more for your sins. And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass…” (Leviticus 26:18-19) Notice that the breaking the pride of their power, which is their rebellion, was to be met by the power of iron and brass. Thus the dashing in pieces signifies the accomplishment of this breaking among His people, effectively commencing in their hearts a great work of reformation.
The iron power of Rome, manifested through the oppressive power of the Papacy, had “cast down truth to the ground, and practiced and prospered” (Dan. 8:12) “till the indignation is accomplished: for that which is determined shall be done.” (Dan. 11:36) This was the persecuting power of the little horn of the fourth beast of Daniel 7, which had brass nails and great iron teeth (Dan. 7:19-25), persecuting the saints for “a time, times, and a half a time”. Yet it was the Papal power which had gone into the deepest rebellion in all of the professedly Christian church. Thus it was an archetype of what the apostasy of God’s people looked like for a grossly long period of time. The Divine purpose was to reveal apostasy in it’s true character before all to the intent that rebellion’s power might be forever banished from the hearts of God’s people. Thus would He accomplish the breaking of the pride of their power and work within them reformation.
Whoever would not heed this great warning contained in the book of Daniel of how severe apostasy is, refusing to remove their foot from the course the Papacy had taken in the rejection of truth and thus continue in the work of reform towards the ways of God, would be in grave danger. The final message to be given to the world is a warning against the apostate churches who seek after governmental power; this message Scripture calls the “loud cry” of “the third angel” (Rev. 14:9-12, 18:1-3). For this cause, at the end of the seven times of punishment in 1798, God mercifully endeavors to awaken His people to their danger once-and-for-all. Therefore, this would be the time when we should see the unsealing of the Book of Daniel for special admonition, instruction, and prophetic light as it pertains to His people.

THE MAN IN LINEN REVEALED

Now, remember that Man in linen standing upon the rivers of waters, holding up his hand to the heavens? The rivers of waters signify “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” (Revelation 17:15) This was bounds of Europe, where Christ had His people, where also the Papal beast of Revelation 13 arose from for the time, times, and a half a time. In a similar manner, we see the same individual, with strikingly similar symbolism employed in the book of Revelation:  “And I saw another Mighty Angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and His face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: And He had in His hand a little book open: and He set his right foot upon the sea, and His left foot on the earth, and…lifted up His hand to heaven, and sware by Him that lives forever and ever…that there should be time no longer…”
(Revelation 10:1-2)

Notice the symbolism. The Man in fine linen (“which is the righteousness of the saints” Revelation 19:8) declared the time of the end when the Book of Daniel would be unsealed was for 1260 years until the dashing in pieces of the power of rebellion in the holy people. Now, we see a Mighty Angel with a rainbow on His head; that rainbow is symbolic of the covenant (Genesis 9:13) that surrounds God’s throne (Ezekiel 1:28), and therefore this is the Angel of the Covenant. The face as it were the sun is “the Sun of righteousness with healing in His wings” (Malachi 4:2) thus identifying as Christ Himself, whose feet John described as “if they burned in a furnace.” (Rev. 1:15) Instead of a speaking of a time where the sealed book would be opened, He has within His hand an open little book, declaring that time would be no more. Thus we have the Man of Righteousness and the Angel of the Covenant; both signifying Christ.

Notice the parallels?
*Man of Righteousness: Feet on the sea. Raises hands to heaven. Declares a Time Prophecy to the Time of the End. Book of Daniel sealed until that time.
*Covenant Angel: Feet on the sea and the earth. Raises hands to heaven. Declares the Time has come and time shall be no more. An open little book at this time.

His feet were not only upon the rivers, but also upon the earth, signaling that Christ’s church would be established not only in Europe upon the waters, but was positioned upon the earth of the United States. This is where the second beast of Revelation, signifying the United States, comes up; arising from the earth, having two horns like a lamb. Christ’s feet placed on both the earth and the sea signifies the worldwide establishing of His church. Those feet went through the fiery furnace of persecution, and walked in the truth that the Papacy had cast down to the ground. Thus, the pillars of truth for Christ’s church at this time were to be especially resurrected in His body, “which is the church.” (Col. 1:24)

THE LITTLE BOOK: IDENTIFYING HIS PEOPLE

Thus was the Book of Daniel which was to be unsealed and it’s prophecies understood in a marked manner from 1798-1844; the time of the end for the ten tribes and Judah. Did this occur as the prediction states? It did. In the Second-Advent movement, various men were stirred up to study the Scriptures, and came to strikingly similar conclusions. Scores of notable men published similar conclusions regarding the time prophecies of the book of Daniel. However, one of the most notable ones was William Miller.
One striking visionary in the Second-Advent movement beheld and saw in a vision how God had used this man. She said: “I saw that God sent his angel to move upon the heart of a farmer who had not believed the Bible, and led him to search the prophecies. Angels of God repeatedly visited that chosen one, and guided his mind, and opened his understanding to prophecies which had ever been dark to God’s people. The commencement of the chain of truth was given to him, and he was led on to search for link after link, until he looked with wonder and admiration upon the word of God. He saw there a perfect chain of truth. That Word which he had regarded as uninspired, now opened before his vision with beauty and glory. He saw that one portion of scripture explained another, and when one portion was closed to his understanding, he found in another portion of the Word that which explained it. He regarded the sacred word of God with joy, and with the deepest respect and awe.”
This is very much in harmony with the opening of the book of Daniel, whose time prophecies were ever sealed to the people of God. In Miller’s own words, he saw how all of the time prophecies interconnected through the law of the seven times in Leviticus in connection with the book of Daniel. “From a farther study of the Scriptures, I concluded that the seven times of Gentile supremacy must commence when the Jews ceased to be an independent nation at the captivity of Manasseh, which the best chronologers assigned to B. C. 677; that the 2300 days commenced with the seventy weeks, which the best chronologers dated from B. C. 457; and that the 1335 days commencing with the taking away of the daily, and the setting up of the abomination that maketh desolate, [Daniel 12:11] were to be dated from the setting up of the Papal supremacy, after the taking away of Pagan abominations, and which, according to the best historians I could consult, should be dated from about A. D. 508. Reckoning all these prophetic periods from the several dates assigned by the best chronologers for the events from which they should evidently be reckoned, they all would terminate together, about A. D. 1843. I was thus brought, in 1818, at the close of my two years study of the Scriptures, to the solemn conclusion, that in about twenty-five years from that time all the affairs of our present state would be wound up.” William Miller’s Apology and Defence, August 1st, 1842

THE TIME PROPHECY AND THE SANCTUARY

Miller, as with others who had come to the same conclusion regarding the date, had not fully understood the truths which the Papacy had cast down. Most significantly, it was not understood that “the place of His [Christ’s] Sanctuary” (Dan. 8:11) was cast down. This was a vital point of understanding in regard to the time prophecies, that the event which the Scriptures pointed to in the time prophecy most widely proclaimed, “Unto two thousand three hundred days, then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed” (Dan. 8:14), depicted a great event to take place in the heavenly Sanctuary. This was a truth long trodden under the foot of the Papal church during the dark ages, and as a result, this vital element in understanding the event to which the time prophecies pointed was misinterpretted.
Nevertheless, a correct application of the time prophecies helped them to see the commencement of the great time prophecy of Daniel 8 and it’s duration throughout the remnant portion of prophetic time in the seven times of Pagan and Papal oppression. Daniel’s vision clearly inquired of how long from the commencement of the vision until it’s expiring time would take place: “How long shall be the vision concerned the daily, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary an the host to be trodden under foot?” Then Daniel heard the answer, which brought to view the concluding work of Christ in the Sanctuary in heaven before He returns: “Unto two-thousand three hundred days, then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed.” (Daniel 8:14) By teachers of the Scripture everywhere, these words were quoted and proclaimed to expire in the 1840’s.
This time commenced according to Daniel 8, during the Kingdom of the Ram, which was Medo-Persia. Daniel 9, giving a more detailed point on when during the Medo-Persian empire the time would commence, declared it to be “from the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem” (Dan. 9:25). This commencing time for the 2300 year prophecy was perfectly seen to lead from 457BC, when Artexerxes decreed that Jerusalem should be rebuilt, unto 1844AD “then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed.”
What was the cleansing of the Sanctuary? The cleansing of the Sanctuary, as expressed in our article of the eighth chapter of Daniel, was the work of the high priest at the end of the year to atone for the entire year’s sins in one final act of priestly ministration in the Holiest place of the Sanctuary. Yet Miller and others who advocated 1844 as the time the Sanctuary would be cleansed had a most bitter disappointment because of the darkness passed down through the bishops and priests of the Roman church. They taught that the cleansing of the Sanctuary would be the return of Christ to cleanse the earth by fire. They failed to understand the doctrine of the heavenly Sanctuary, and for this cause failed to understand what the cleansing of the Sanctuary truly signified. Thus was a great disappointment in 1843-1844 when Christ failed to appear according to their expectation; much like the disciples who were disappointed when Christ was crucified, because of the popular teaching of the religious leaders of the day regarding the Messiah. Yet even this testing time was perfectly foretold by prophets beforehand.

UNSEALING THE TIME OF THE END: THE 1290 & 1335

Daniel had not understood the fate of His people who would be dashed to pieces at time of the end. This element of the prophecies, contained in the eighth and eleventh chapter, as explained by the Man in linen had perplexed him. To which Daniel inquired further, “And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what is the end of these?” (Daniel 12:8)
This question was very similar to Peter inquiring regarding the fate of the apostle John, “What shall become of this man?” (John 21:21) Christ answered “If I will that he tarries until I come, what is that to you? Follow Me.” After this time, many began to claim that John would never die among the Christians, yet John knew that it was not a correct understanding of his end, but a misunderstanding of the words of Christ. Daniel was answered in a similar manner, and his prophecies would be misunderstood much like the early Christians misunderstood Christ’s words.
The Man in linen answered Daniel, “Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Christ told Daniel that what the end would be for His people at that time was sealed up, but that the wise would have understanding of these things when the time came, but that the wicked would remain in darkness.
Christ then opened up the two portions of prophetic time the wise should have understanding of, and for which Christ specifically said we should understand from Daniel. “And from the time that the daily shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.” (Daniel 12:11-12)

Notice here that there are two time periods; therefore, there are two ending dates. “From the time that the daily would be taken away to the establishment of the abomination of desolation” was a specific quotation from Daniel 11:31. In fact, he’s pointing us to that very verse because Daniel 12 contains the explanation of chapter 11.
In order to understand where the 1290 year and 1335 year prophecy commences, we need to know what the starting event was, and when it was. So what was the establishment of the abomination of desolation in Daniel 11:31? This was the time when Clovis, the king of France, and his armies were converted from Paganism to Roman Catholic Christianity. From this time, they waxed strong in their empire and then waged war on the Sabbath-keeping, Non-Trinitarian Visigoths in 508AD. Thus was the first enforcement of Sun worship under the guise of Christianity pushing and persecuting those who kept the law of God; the enforcement of Catholic Sun worship throughout Europe was the abomination of desolation.
This was the commencement period where the pagan oppression over the people of God would begin to be replaced with Papal oppression. It would only take 30 years for the entirety of the European kings of the divided Roman Empire to convert to Catholicism and give the seat of Caesar in Rome to the Pope. Thus the 1290 years of prophetic time began in 508AD, and would wax strong in 538AD commencing the 1260 years, and ending in 1798AD.

1290- IDENTIFYING THE PROPHETIC TEN TRIBES

This date of 1798AD, at the end of the 1290 years, identifies the time of the end for the captivity of the prophetic ten tribes of Israel. And thereby identifies the people to whom the book of Daniel was especially opened that “time should be no more”, but who had not wholly understood the point regarding the Sanctuary. The Protestants/Baptists that consisted of the Second-Advent movement widely proclaimed the time prophecies of the book of Daniel as a great chain within the seven times after 1798, with a special emphasis on the 2300 day prophecy of chapter 8.
“…there should be time no longer…And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.” (Revelation 10:7-8)
John was instructed to take the open book of Daniel and to eat it. “And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.” (Rev. 10:9) Now, let this point be noted carefully. This does not mean that the book of Daniel was opened in John’s time, but rather, John was symbolic of the people of God, and his eyes are the point of reference for the body of Christ when the event described in the prophecy begins taking unfolding in the time outlined from the Scriptures. As John, symbolizing the people of God, took the unsealed book of Daniel and ate it, it was sweet in his mouth. Thus it was with the proclamation of Daniel’s prophecies. Never so widely after the passing of 1798 had the book of Daniel taken such a deep interest to the earnest students of Scripture. The churches of the reformation, like the religious leaders towards the disciples of Jesus, which wanted nothing of prophecy nor to have their creedal slumber disturbed began to mock, deride, teach against and excommunicate those who began to proclaim the prophecies, but this could not stop the movement which God designed to raise up.

1335- IDENTIFYING THE PROPHETIC TRIBE OF JUDAH

Another prophetic portion of time was noted in the Scripture requiring mention after the 1290 years. It was the blessing pronounced in coming to the 1335 years. “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.” Those who after 1798 and held to the precious light of Daniel in 1335 were to be especially blessed if they held fast their confidence without wavering.
At this time, the period of 1843-1844, the captivity of Judah’s seven times was to end. This was especially to be noted because Christ is the Lion of Judah; and Judah were the chosen people of God. Therefore this year was to identify who would be raised up as the chosen people of God whom Christ would crown with special light and understanding from the unsealed prophetic book above all others. In 1843, those who had maintained the message were to be proved to know what was in their hearts if they were worthy of the blessing of being honored among those declared to be the chosen people of God.

THE PREPARATION OF A PROPHETIC TIME-PROPHECY CHART

Habakkuk in deepest concern for the captivity of Judah which he saw was to come upon them set forth his complaint before the Most High. Said the prophet, “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.” (Habakkuk 2:1)
Habakkuk early set himself as a watchman, and awaited the answer from Jehovah. “And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
(Habakkuk 2:2-3)

Habakkuk is told “the vision is yet for an appointed time”, yet we see nothing in Habakkuk regarding an appointed time. Especially a time which at the end would “speak and not lie”. This was speaking expressly of the time of the end as appointed in the unsealed book of Daniel. Impressed by the words “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables”, Charles Fitch in 1843 prepares a chart surveying the time prophecies contained in Daniel and Revelation in relation to the seven times of captivity with it’s chain of prophetic time, including the 2300 year time prophecy of Daniel 8, the 490, 1260, 1290, and 1335 year time prophecies also.

THE TARRYING TIME TEST OF 1843-1844

Yet the 1843 date was initially thought to be the date when the Sanctuary would be cleansed, not accounting for the absence of the year zero had caused a momentary disappointment. While the 1335 time had pointed to 1843, the 2300 time had pointed to 1844. It was here that Habakkuk’s prophecy revealed a testing tarrying time; “though it tarry, wait for it, because it shall surely come and not tarry.” The tarrying time of the time appointed was to remove all false professors from the true who prized and earnestly desired the blessing of Christ; “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” (John 6:66)
In 1844, a man by the name of Samuel Snow delivered a message explaining the error in their miscounting of the 2300 year prophecy. He further declared that the cleansing of the Sanctuary was always on the Day of atonement in the Sanctuary. This raised up the most powerful movement in the Advent movement. Thus, he signaled the time of the cleansing of the Sanctuary as the Day of Atonement in 1844, which was October 22nd. Despite this message which had the perfectly correct timing, the truth of the heavenly Sanctuary was not understood, which resulted in a most bitter experience.
The apostle John, representing the people of God, had eaten the open little book and it was sweet in his mouth, but it “shall make thy belly bitter”. “And I took the little book out of the Angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said to me, You must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.”
(Revelation 10:10)
The most bitter experience was to be found in their misunderstanding of the Sanctuary. The timing was perfectly correct, yet the event misunderstood had led to what is known as the great disappointment of 1844.

TWO CLASSES: THE PROPHETIC REMNANT & THE APOSTATE TEN TRIBES

The 1335 time prophecy leading to 1843 was to establish the chosen people. Yet it required faith in the Word of God. Said the Messiah to Nicodemus the Pharisee, “If I have told ye of earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” (John 3:12) Great was the darkness of the priests in the dark ages which were inherited by the people. Heavenly things were not as readily discerned. Habakkuk’s tarrying time spoke of this very theme: ” “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people…”
(Habakkuk 2:3-5)

At the end of the tarrying time from 1843 to 1844, two classes would be developed. The proud soul, who was lifted up by flight of feeling at the possible expectation of the coming of Christ. Then there was the just soul who studied the Word of God to understand the truth, he “shall live by his faith.” Faith cometh by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17), and it was not sufficient to cleave to the message in hopes of obtaining the blessed reward of the worthy while not possessing or seeking after a personal experience with God through the Scriptures. Thus the test would be the prover of hearts to make manifest the quality of belief that existed.

DOCTRINAL WINE: FALSEHOOD SEALS THE SCRIPTURES

We are told that the proud man transgresses by wine, and a fearful prophecy is given of those “tribes” who rejected the message of the cleansing of the Sanctuary which took place in 1844. In the ancient Sanctuary services, Nadab and Abihu had partaken of strong drink, and their judgment was impaired; as a result, they offered strange fire of their own kindling, and went into the presence of the Most Holy place of the Sanctuary before the Day of Atonement. The priests died for this reason, and instruction was given that only the High Priest was to officiate there at the time of God’s appointing, “that he come not at all times into the Holy within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark: that he die not…” (Lev. 16:2)
Therefore the priesthood was expressly forbidden to drink wine pertaining to their priesthood “that ye may put a difference between the holy and unholy, and between the unclean and clean; and that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes…” (Lev. 10:9-10) What does wine represent? Were all those who rejected the time prophecies of Daniel drunkards? Not at all. But the prophecy of Isaiah concluded that the ten tribes under Ephraim would be made drunken by the doctrine of the prophetic Ephraimic king Jeroboam, which was the Pope. “The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden underfoot… In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory…unto the remnant of His people… But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all the tables are full of vomit and filthiness…and the vision of all is become to you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this…and he says, I cannot, for it is sealed and…I am not learned…” (Isaiah 28:3-8, 29:11-12)

The tables are full of vomit. Those same tables which were written to declare the time appointed were rejected by the churches who held erroneous views of the Sanctuary as Habakkuk was explained. The tarrying time was to prove those who were worthy. This time was described in one of the seven churches of prophecy called Sardis, the reformation church. Like Habakkuk, who set himself to watch for the appointed time, and to see what God would say to him; many had set themselves to see the prophetic event to be fulfilled, to behold when the time prophecy came to pass to see whether it was true or not. Yet this was not sufficient evidence to make them wise unto salvation to inherit the blessing, anymore than those hopefuls who had expected the Messiah to be crowned and overthrow the Romans instead of being crucified. For this cause, Christ admonishes Sardis: “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.” (Revelation 3:3-4)

The worthy, who had lived by their faith after the severe disappointment, soon discovered their error in their understanding of the Sanctuary, and saw that it was “the hour of His judgment” (Rev. 14:7) in the heavenly Sanctuary which began in 1844. But those who had transgressed by wine proudly and rashly denied that these appointed times and the wonderfully clear light from Daniel was anything, like the Jews had largely denied the death and resurrection of Christ. Said Christ, “If you shall not watch… you shall not know what hour I will come upon you.”
From this time of 1844, the prophetic tribe of Judah was established and identified in the Adventist movement. The rest of the prophetic tribes which denied the light would begin to decline more and more into darkness. Anciently, the ten tribes were separated because of their rejection of truth and disobedience of the law and Jeroboam was made king over them. Only two tribes remained: Judah and Benjamin, which served as a remnant people. Judah having the preeminence among the two.
Thus was prophetic Judah established and identified at the end of the seven times of captivity. The Adventists saw clearly that Christ went into the Holy of holies to receive the Kingdom in the great judgment now underway; that He was to be crowned with the “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him” (Dan. 7:14) as the Lion of the tribe of Judah at the end of the great judgment.
It was in the breaking of His covenant through transgressing His commandments that the seven times of punishment had come upon His people. Yet it was His “Sabbaths” and reverence for His “Sanctuary” that specifically marked out the blessings for obedience in the prophecy of the seven times (See Leviticus 26:2-4) Thus it was with prophetic Judah. That after the light of the Sanctuary was seen, the Seventh-day Sabbath was also brought to view, with a number of other statutes contained in the law. The truth of the heavenly Sanctuary and the light of the commandments which had been trodden underfoot by the Papal church began to be restored to this prophetic remnant people. Christ would establish His Sanctuary truth, His Sabbaths, and re-establish His covenant with them, who were to be aware that Christ had entered into the Holy of holies not only to cleanse the Sanctuary, but to receive the Throne of David as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Not a people of an earthly Jerusalem of a wicked and profane king Manasseh, but of a heavenly Jerusalem to come (Gal. 4:26, Heb. 12:22), where Christ and His righteousness will reign eternally. Thus the 1335 blessing marks out a special covenant people in the last days that are to be especially preparing for the reception of the Kingdom of Christ.
Thus we see what would be of the two classes in the book of Daniel at the time of the end from 1798-1844. Two prophetic groups have emerged; one repeating the history of ancient Israel in apostasy, who are now beginning to show honor to the Pope, and one who has a high calling to prepare and prepare others for the return of Christ. “What advantage then hath the Jew?…Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.” (Romans 3:1-2)

Martyrdom Rekindled

In the dark ages, martyrdom abounded. It is estimated that 50,000,000 million Bible-believing souls were slain. John was given a startling depiction of these souls that would be slain by the powers of iniquity:

“How long…?”

(Rev. 6:9-11) “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that SHOULD BE KILLED as they were, should be fulfilled.”

We see those souls, “under the altar”, who were slain as lambs to the slaughter, as living sacrifices, and a revelation of Jesus Christ. This is exactly what they were, which is exactly why the prophecy declares the souls slain were at the altar. They cried “How long O Lord do you not judge…then that dwell on the earth?” Their blood cried out as the blood of Abel, (Psa. 94:3-5) “LORD, HOW LONG shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? HOW LONG shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? They BREAK IN PIECES thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage.”

A similar question is asked: (Daniel 8:13-14) “HOW LONG shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”

How long until the judgment? How long will this persecuting power break in pieces? (Dan 7:21-22) ‘I beheld, and the same horn MADE WAR WITH THE SAINTS, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” This little horn power thought to change times and laws, and made war with God’s children who kept His times and laws; for this reason, Paul styled him “the man of sin”.

(Rev. 13:7) “And it was given unto him to MAKE WAR WITH THE SAINTS, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations…He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. HERE IS THE PATIENCE and the faith OF THE SAINTS.”

Only one power in history that bears these prophecies out clearly, matching this description of thinking to change the law of God, and to persecute those that kept it. That is the Papacy.

“It was the Catholic Church which made the law obliging us to keep Sunday holy. The church made this law long after the Bible was written. Hence said law is not in the  Bible. The Cath. [sic.] Church  abolished not only the Sabbath, but all the other Jewish festivals.” (Letter by T. Enright, Bishop of St. Alphonsus Church, St. Louis, Missouri, June, 1905)

The patience of the saints brought them to shed their blood at the altar. When these martyrs blood cried out for the judgment to commence, it was not long until the time period of 2300 days, spoken of in the book of Daniel, came to pass, and the Sanctuary was to be cleansed, and the living saints were to be purified to prepare for the second coming of Christ. This is the work which was described in the book of Malachi:

“Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.”

We are told white robes are given to each of the saints at the altar, and a prophecy is given that is for our time. We are told that that same power that made war with the saints will be revived, and that persecution will be ignited again: (Rev. 6:11) “it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that SHOULD BE KILLED as they were, SHOULD BE FULFILLED.”

What is to be fulfilled? That the brethren and fellowservants of the slain saints SHOULD BE KILLED. Here is the prophecy: (Rev. 13:15) And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast SHOULD BE KILLED.” Doubtless, this is exactly what was being referred to, as to what should be fulfilled. So what is to be fulfilled? This very word. This is the Word that is declared figuratively to how long the martyrs are to rest in Christ, until their awakening from the earthly graves into celestial glory. Yet it is not the Papal beast, but a power that makes an image, a likeness, to that apostate power, which will exercise the same persecuting power. Both beast powers will make war against the commandments of God, that were altered by the first beast. And to make war against these, is to make against the redemptive and creative power of God and Christ, as revealed in the holy Sabbath rest, and the holy feasts.

While the first class of saints that the beast made war against manifested patience through their persecution, the second class is described as manifesting just the same while undergoing the wrath of the second beast, who has made an image to the first beast.

(Rev. 14:11-12) “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have NO REST day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. HERE IS THE PATIENCE OF THE SAINTS: here are they that KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, and THE FAITH OF JESUS.”

When does Scripture say this persecution occurs? It says that the second beast “causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, WHOSE DEADLY WOUND WAS HEALED.” It occurs when the wound of the first beast is healed. What is a manifest sign that the papal beast’s wound is healed? Verse three says “his deadly wound was healed: and ALL THE WORLD WONDERED AFTER THE BEAST.” When the world wonders after the Papacy, then we may know that the time of persecution is drawing near. Is the world wondering after the Papacy? Yes. Whether pagans, or athiests, homosexual, evangelical Protestant,  elected official or confederacy, all the world is wondering.

The Scripture tells of of the coming persecution:  “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.” (John 16:2-3)

The first persecution in this world was actuated by a man who thought to do God service. When this persecution took place, Cain showed that he had no love for his brother Abel, even though he had thought to present an offering of his own mind, which God commanded him not, to God. As a token of this perverse mindset, a mark was placed upon his forehead. And why is there such hostility against the commandments of God? “Because the fleshly mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” And we see that first beast “thinks to change times and laws.” (Dan. 7:25) And so it is no surprise that those who are at “enmity against God” are opposed to His commandments, and persecute those who keep them, even as Cain did. Thus fulfilling the words of the apostle: “But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.” (Gal. 4:29)

“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother…. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death… (1 John 3:10,14) “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:6) “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1 John 4:20)

And just as it was with Cain, there is a mark in the fleshly minds of the worshippers of the beast and his image,  thus developing the two sides in the final conflict. This is clearly borne out in the final warning that is to be given to the world:
“If any man worship the beast and his image, and RECEIVE HIS MARK IN HIS FOREHEAD, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb… and they have no rest day nor night…Here is the patience of the saints…”

If John saw the first beast’s persecuting power, and we see it came to pass perfectly, we can soundly conclude that John, who saw the second, saw exactly what is now coming upon the earth, and just as it what was said to the martyrs: It will “be fulfilled”. Events are ushering in this hour of persecution.
Behold, it’s coming quickly! May God that we all enter into that holy rest in the Son of God, bound together by His mercy, and strengthened to stand by His grace. Amen.