Daniel 7:1-3 “In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters. 2 Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.”
In the first year of Belshazzar... - It was in the first year of king Belshazzar that Daniel had a vision and wrote down all that he saw, with the interpretation.
Four winds of heaven - It is quite obvious as we go down through this prophecy that the Bible uses a number of symbols to describe what is taking place. Only the Bible can be used to interpret these symbols.
In Jeremiah 25:31-33 we see that when a great whirlwind is raised up it wreaks death and destruction upon those it comes against. Also in Jeremiah 4:13 we find that the chariots that spoiled the people, (this being a prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem by the hand of Babylon Vs 5, 6), were likened unto a whirlwind. So it is easily seen that winds are a symbol of war, strife, bloodshed, and trouble. Four being from the four quarters of the earth or the four points of the compass Jeremiah 49:36.
Strove upon the great sea - Seas are a symbol of multitudes, nations, tongues, and peoples. (Revelation 17:15, Isaiah 17:12)
Four great beasts came up from the sea - A beast is a symbol of a king or kingdom, so to is a horn. (Daniel 7:17; 23-24) Already we are seeing a picture of what Daniel is being shown. Strife, war and bloodshed is upon the nations as kingdom conquers kingdom to rise to world supremacy. Notice how the beasts rose up out of the sea, thus showing that each kingdom rose out of a densely populated area. We are looking at world events as it comes from all directions, all encompassing.
Diverse one from another - The people in each controlling nation were different, the laws and customs were different, and even the administration of the kingdoms was different.
Daniel 7:4 “The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.”
The first - This shows that all the kingdoms came in succession, as they are known as the first, second and so on.
Was like a lion, and had eagles wings - A lion is strong and very courageous, and it is also known as the king of the beasts. But which kingdom does this winged lion represent? If we look in Jeremiah 4:5-7, it is seen there a prophecy regarding the coming destruction of Judah and Jerusalem under the hand of Babylon. Notice how Babylon, who came from the north, is described as a lion. We also know from Daniel chapter 1 that it was Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, that came and conquered Judah and Jerusalem. Babylon is represented by this lion.
Wings are a symbol of speed or swiftness as seen in Habakkuk 1:6-9. It is also interesting to note that in these verses it is prophesied of the rise of the Chaldeans/Babylonians whilst they were still an Assyrian province. Their horsemen were to be like an eagle that hasteth to eat, that is, fast, showing their speed of conquest. The winged lion symbol is found on many Babylonian objects of art and also upon the Ishtar gates, which were the gates of entry for the triumphant armies. This symbol is utilised by Bible prophets in talking about Babylon.
Wings were plucked...made stand upon feet as a man...man’s heart given... - Here we see a change taking place in the Babylonian power. No longer was it swift to fly upon its enemies or quick to defend its territory like the king of the beasts, the strong courageous heart of a lion was replaced by a weak and wicked heart of a man, and made to stand as a man.
In the time of the downfall of Babylon under Belshazzar’s reign, the kingdom was reduced to the walls of Babylon itself. With the conquering spirit gone and regarding that their power came from their god’s. (Habakkuk 1:11, Jeremiah 50:38) God had abandoned them and the Babylonian kingdom fell with Belshazzar being slain in the middle of a drunken feast. See chapter 5. Babylon reigned from 606-538 B.C.
Daniel 7:5 “And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.”
Another beast - We are now introduced to the next kingdom rising to power.
Like a bear...raised up on one side - A bear is very vicious, ferocious, also blood thirsty. But this one is raised up on one side showing that one side is being favoured, thus being weaker.
This is a very good description of the Medo-Persian Empire. They were cruel and vicious. (Isaiah 13:15-19) Also they were partly strong and partly weak. Darius the Mede and Cyrus his nephew came together so as to go up against Babylon. The Persians were much stronger than the Medes, hence the bear raised up on one side, with the Persians ruling the kingdom for the majority of the time. See Inserted note, A.
Three ribs in its mouth - This bear has been devouring other beasts as it has three ribs in its mouth. These three ribs can represent the three kingdoms that the Medes and Persians conquered as they were rising to power, these are Lydia, Egypt, and Babylon.
Arise devour much flesh - The Medo-Persian empire was much larger than the Babylonian empire. They ruled over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. (Esther 1:1) Medes and Persians ruled from 538-331 B.C.
Daniel 7:6 “After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.”
After this...another - The next power is now introduced to us. You would notice by now that this chapter is a parallel to chapter 2. You can see a repeat of what we have already looked at but with a little more information. This is one of the very important principles to remember, prophecy works on repeat and enlarge.
A leopard...four wings of a fowl - A leopard is very good at catching its prey off guard especially by ambushing its prey. It has a reasonable amount of speed, but with four wings to assist it in gaining more speed. This, you will see, is a fitting description of this next power.
Greece, under Alexander the Great, was good at catching their prey off guard because of the speed at which they moved. In showing this we only have to look at the time taken to conquer the then known world. It took Alexander and his army 12 years to subdue the world. He marched his army over 8364 kilometres in that space of time, which took them from Macedonia all the way to India and down through to Libya and Egypt in the south. The final death blow to the Medo-Persian kingdom was at the Battle of Arbela in 331 B.C. where Darius the third was defeated. We shall see more of this in chapter 8.
The wings of a fowl were upon this beast. A fowls flight is one of speed whist ascending, but expires very quickly at its peak. Thus was the case of Greece. Alexander rose very quickly to power but at the peak of his rise he died in a drunken debauch at the age of 31 in 323 B.C. Some say it was malaria that killed him.
Four heads - As Alexander was dieing, his generals asked who was to take the kingdom and rule. Alexander’s reply was “to the strongest.” Through much fighting the kingdom was divided amongst the four remaining generals and hence the four heads. The decisive battle was the battle of Ipsus in 301 B.C. where Antigonus was killed and thus the four divisions as follows;
1. Cassander - Macedonia and Greece.
2. Lysimachus - Thrace, parts of Asia, Hellespont and Bosporus in the north.
3. Ptolemy - Egypt, Libya, Arabia, Palestine, and Coele-Syria in the south.
4. Seleucus - Syria eastward.
The Grecian empire reigned from 331-168 B.C.
Daniel 7:7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.”
After this...a fourth beast - Daniel saw this power coming to its end, and as he does he sees a fourth kingdom coming to supremacy.
There is no animal to describe this power that is rising to supremacy, thus it is called the non-descript beast.
Strong exceedingly - This power was to be very strong.
Iron teeth...devoured and brake in pieces - It had iron teeth that were to brake and devour whatever was before it. In v23 we find it was to devour the whole earth.
Stamped the residue with the feet of it - Whatever was left over was to put into subject to this power.
This gives us a good description of the great iron Roman power that conquered the Grecian empire. Rome conquered many cities and left a trail of carnage behind them, with the residue put into slavery. They stamped their authority upon the then known world and Rome was the strongest and largest of all the preceding kingdoms. We shall see more of them in chapter 11.
It was diverse - This was true of the Roman empire. It was different to all the kingdoms before as they were monarchy’s whereas Rome was a republic.
It had ten horns - You will remember that a horn is a symbol of a king or kingdom v24. The 10 horns parallel to the feet of iron and clay of chapter 2.
Western Rome eventually split into 10 divisions by 476 A.D., with the last emperor, Romulus Augustus, moving his seat to the east, Constantinople. The ten divisions are as follows;
The ten divisions of Rome:
Ostrogoths - Exterminated.
Vandals - Exterminated.
Franks - France.
Suevi - Portugal.
Alemanni - Germany.
Anglo-Saxons - England.
Heruli - Exterminated.
Lombards - Italy.
Burgundians - Switzerland.
Visigoths - Spain.
Rome ruled from 168 B.C.-476 A.D.
Daniel 7:8 “I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.”
Whilst Daniel was considering the 10 horns, another little horn rose up from among them. We will look at this power a little later in the chapter, as there are 10 identifying marks in this chapter to show who this power is.
Daniel 7:9-10 “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.”
Beheld till the thrones were cast down - Daniel continued to look at this scene until thrones were cast down. The casting down is not in the way of destroying but to set in place, in the original language.
Ancient of Days - Here we are given a personal description of the Ancient of Days. This we know to be God the Father as Christ, the Son of Man, comes to Him in verse 13. God the Father came and sat upon the throne of judgment. We see that the throne has wheels and can thus be moved as Ezekiel chapters 1 and 10 also show us.
Thousand thousands ministered... - These are not sinful beings before the throne ministering, but they are the angels and living creatures as John tells us in Revelation 5:11. They all stood before the throne where the Father sat.
Judgment was set...books were opened - “The closing up of the ministration of Christ, our great High Priest, in the heavenly sanctuary, is the work of judgment here introduced. It is an investigative judgment. The books are opened, and the cases of all come up for examination before that great tribunal, that it may be determined beforehand who are to receive eternal life when the Lord shall come to confer it upon His people.” Daniel and the Revelation, U. Smith, pg 120. We shall see more of this in later studies.
Daniel 7:11-12 “I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. 12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.”
Beheld then, because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake - Whilst in prophetic vision Daniel saw one event rapidly following another. Now Daniel has moved forward in time from the judgment scene to the time when, because of the great words that the little horn spake, this beast is destroyed and given to the burning flame. Clearly this is a reference to the destruction of the wicked one at the second coming of Christ, (2 Thessalonians 2:8, Revelation 19:19-21) parallel to the stone cut out without hands that smote the image. (Daniel 2:44-45) Thus this beast continues through to the second coming and is destroyed.
Rest of the beasts...dominion taken away...lives were prolonged... – The rest of the beasts before it had there dominion taken away and their lives prolonged for a season and a time. This was true concerning Babylon, as its territory was made subject to Persia but the subjects of Babylon were allowed to live on. Thus it was with Persia when Greece took over, and with Greece when Rome took over. But with this fourth beast and little horn, judgment shall sit and his dominion shall be taken away to be consumed and destroyed v26.
This shows to us that there will be no other kingdom that will succeed the fourth kingdom, no government or state in which mortals have any part as destruction comes with the end of the fourth beast. There are no second chances, no millennial reign of peace or second probationary time.
Daniel 7:13-14 “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
One like the son of man - The Son of man is none other than Jesus Christ, Matthew 16:13.
Came with the clouds of heaven - Notice how the clouds of heaven brought Christ to the Father, thus showing that the clouds are Christ’s transport. We know from Psalms 18:10 and 68:17 that the mode of transport that divinity uses is the angels. Thus the angels brought Christ into the presence of the Father.
Came to the Ancient of days - Note that this is not the second coming of Christ, but the coming of Christ to the Ancient of days/God the Father.
There was given him - That is, given the Son of man/Christ.
Dominion, and glory, and a kingdom - Christ came to God the Father to receive His kingdom, which is an everlasting kingdom that shall not be destroyed nor pass away. The judgment that is taking place is to show who will make up the subjects of that kingdom. We will see more of this in later studies.
All people, nations, and languages, should serve him - This is all the nations of them that are saved, (Revelation 21:24) which are those that keep the Commandments of God. (Revelation 22:14-15) For remember that the wicked are slain at the second coming.
Daniel 7:15-18 “I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. 17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.”
Daniel was grieved - This vision brought grief to Daniel and it troubled him. Obviously it had quite an impact upon his mind.
Asked him the truth - Daniel wished to know the truth of what he had seen, so he came near to the angel and asked him. The angel told Daniel the interpretation of the things. Thus it is not hidden from us either.
These great beasts - The four great beasts that Daniel saw are symbolic of four kings/kingdoms that shall come upon the world.
But the saints... - The angel now encourages Daniel, who was grieved and troubled, by letting him know that, even though these things were going to come to pass, the saints of the Most High will possess the kingdom in the end.
Daniel 7:19-22 “Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet 20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22 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.”
I would know the truth of the fourth beast - Looking at these verses, we can see that Daniel’s main focus was upon the fourth beast with the ten horns and the little horn that came up.
As to the doings of this little horn, we will look at them in the next verses.
Until the Ancient of days came...saints possess the kingdom - Here we have listed a chain of events that take place;
The coming of the Ancient of days is dealing with the opening of the judgment scene in Vs 9, 10.
Judgment is given to the saints or in favour of the saints. The saints have nothing to fear of the judgment if they are faithful to Christ. The judgment will vindicate God and His people.
Saints possessed the kingdom. This is the time of their entrance upon the new earth. Sin and sinners are no more, they have been completely wiped out. (Malachi 4:1-3)
We shall now look at the 10 identifying marks of this little horn power that is regarded as the Anti-Christ of Bible prophecy. In doing so, we would suggest the reader to also look in verses 8, 20, and 21 for identifying marks.
Daniel 7:23-26 “Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.”
The ten identifying marks are as follows;
1. Arises out of the fourth beast/Rome, Vs 8, 24.
2. Arises after the 10 horns/10 divisions of western Rome, Vs 8, 24.
3. Arises among the 10 horns/10 divisions of western Rome, V 8.
4. As he arose he plucked up 3 horns by the roots/exterminated 3 kingdoms of western Rome, Vs 8, 24.
5. Began little but became more stout, greater or more arrogant than his fellows, Vs 8, 20.
6. Diverse, or different, from the others, V 24.
7. Eyes like the eyes of man, speak great words, which is blasphemy against the Most High, Vs 8, 25. The Bible defines blasphemy as; when being only a man you make yourself as God. (John 10:30-33) Also claiming to be able to forgive sins when only a man. (Mark 2:5-7)
8. Thinks to change times and laws, V 25.
9. Wears out, that is persecutes the saints, V25.
10. He would reign for a time, times, and the dividing/half a time, V 25.
The word time in the original language here means a year, thus it would be a time = 1 year, times = 2 years, half a time = 1/2 a year. Making 3 1/2 years in total. In Revelation 12:6 it is known as 1260 days and in Revelation 13:5 42 months, clearly showing us that each year had 360 days in it. A day in Bible prophecy = a year. (In Ezekiel 4:6, Ezekiel was acting out a prophetic parable, and the Lord gave him each day for a year and in Numbers 14:34, the Lord prophesied that each day the spies searched the land, 40 days in total, they would spend a year wandering in the wilderness, 40 years in total). So quite clearly a day = a year in prophecy, thus we have here this little horn reigning for 1260 years.
These are the 10 identifying marks of the little horn, commonly known as the Anti-Christ power. To be this power, all 10 marks must be fulfilled. There is only one power that fulfils every identifying mark, that is the Papacy/Roman Catholic Church. The people are not the antichrist but the system is the system of antichrist.
We will now go through and show how the Papacy/Catholic Church meets these requirements.
The Papacy rose out of the fourth beast/Rome.
It also rose after the 10 divisions of the western Roman empire in 476 A.D., as it rose to full supremacy in 538 A.D.
The Papacy rose out of Rome itself, clearly showing that it came up amongst the 10 divisions of the western Roman empire.
The 3 horns were the Heruli, Vandals and the Ostrogoths. All three held to the doctrine of Arianism, (this teaches that Jesus is not “God” but that is in fact a created being, he came forth from the Father at some time in eternity past). These were vehemently opposed to the Papacy and were obstructing them from rising to full supremacy. Odoacer, king of the Heruli, took the throne of Italy in 476 A.D. Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol 4, chapter 36, pg 58. The Heruli were an oppressing power to the Papacy and thus needed to be removed. Zeno, emperor of the East, and a friend of the pope, was anxious to drive Odoacer out of Italy. Machiavelli, pg 6. This he saw done by Theodoric who had taken the throne of the Ostrogoths, and was on friendly terms with him. Theodoric wrote a letter to Zeno asking permission to take his Goths to some more favourable region, which they might conquer and possess. Zeno gave permission to march against Odoacer and take possession of Italy. The war lasted 3 years until in 493 A.D. the Heruli were overthrown and Odoacer treacherously slain. At this time we think it appropriate to quote from Machiavelli’s History of Florence, pg 14; “Nearly all the wars which the northern barbarians carried on in Italy, it may be here remarked, were occasioned by the pontiffs; and the hordes with which the country was inundated, were generally called in by them.” So though the hands of the Roman pontiffs might not be visibly manifest in the movements upon the political board, they constituted the power working assiduously behind the scenes to secure their own purposes.
The Vandals were the second to be uprooted. In 533 A.D. Emperor Justinian, who ruled from Constantinople in the east, decreed that the Bishop of Rome was the Universal Bishop over the entire church (today the Pope remains the universal bishop over the Roman Catholic Church by reason of this decree). But the Catholics were suffering a violent persecution from the Arian Vandals of northern Africa. They were intolerant of the Catholics and termed them heretics. Thus unless they could be removed the Papacy could not rise to the power of Justinian’s decree. Justinian sent his ablest General Belisarius to north Africa and totally wiped the Vandals from the face of the earth in the year 534 A.D., thus uprooting the second horn.
This only left the Arian tribe of the Ostrogoths, who had the throne of Italy and were restraining the power of the Papacy. They too were defeated by Belisarius in the year 538 A.D., leaving not enough of them to have their heritage remain. Justinian’s decree could take effect now as the three horns of opposition had been removed (Heruli, Vandals, and the Ostrogoths). The Papacy now had full supremacy, 538 A.D.
More stout or greater than his fellows, arrogant. The Papacy began as a church in the city of Rome. A member of the sisterhood of Christian churches around the world, and the bishop or elder of the city of Rome, was no more important than the bishops in any other major city including Jerusalem, Antioch, or Alexandria. However, by 538 A.D. the Papacy was no longer just a little church, it was a controlling political force that controlled kings and queens of Europe. An example of the Pope’s power is seen in the experience of Pope Gregory VII in 1076, when he informed the subjects of Henry IV, emperor of Germany, that due to Henry’s disloyalty to the Papal See, they were under no obligation to obey him. Henry was the most powerful monarch in Europe at the time, but he nonetheless made a pilgrimage to Cannosa in the Alps, where the Pope was residing, and waited three painful days, barefoot in the snow, until Pope Gregory forgave him. It is of note that those who supported the Papacy were to be found in all nations, instead of owing allegiance only within one nation’s boundaries.
The Papacy was diverse or different from the other powers before it. It was not just a political nation but was in fact a church, which had gained temporal or political power.
Eyes like the eyes of a man, speak great words against the Most High. This clearly shows that this organization was to be headed by a man and that this man would speak great words or blasphemies against the Most High. We have found blasphemy to be claiming the power to forgive sins. (Mark 2:5-7) and also a man making himself God. (John 10:30-33) We will now see how the Papacy fulfils this in the following quotes;
Making himself God.
“The Pope is of so great dignity and so exalted that he is not a mere man, but as it were God, and the vicar of God...the Pope is as it were the vicar of God on earth...Chief king of kings, having plentitude of power.” Prompta Bibliotheca Canonica Juridiea Moralis Theoloogica, by Lucii Ferraris.
“All names which in the scripture are applied to Christ, by virtue of which it is established that He is over the church, all the same names are applied to the Pope.” On the Authority of Councils, 1619 ed., book 2, Ch 17.
“We hold upon this earth the place of God almighty.” The Great Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII, pg 304.
“But the supreme teacher in the church is the Roman Pontiff. Union of minds, therefore requires, together with a perfect accord in the one faith, complete submission and obedience of the will to the church and to the Roman Pontiff, as to God Himself.” Ibid.
Claiming to forgive sins.
God Himself is obliged to abide by the judgment of His priest and either not to pardon or pardon, according as they refuse to give absolution, provided the penitent is capable of it.” Duties and Dignities of the Priest, by Ligouri, pg 27.
"Were the Redeemer to descend into a church, and sit in a confessional to administer the sacrament of penance, and a priest to sit in a confessional, Jesus would say over each penitent, ‘ego te absolvo”, the priest would likewise say over each of his penitents, ‘ego te absolvo’, and the penitents of each would be equally absolved.” Ibid., pg 34.
“The priest does not only declare that the sinner is forgiven, but he really forgives him...so great is the power of the priest, that the judgments of heaven itself are subject to his decision.” The Catholic Priest, by Michael Meuller, Kreuzer Bros., 1876.
Think to change times and laws. It is interesting to note that the Bible says that he thinks to do this, for the reality is that he cannot actually do it. But this is also true of the Papacy as we will see by the following quotes:
“The pope has the power to change times, to abrogate laws, and to dispense with all things, even the precepts of Christ. He can pronounce sentences and judgments in contradiction to the rights of nations, to the law of God and man.” Decretalia de translat. Ep Cop. Cap.
“The Catholic Church for over one thousand years before the existence of a Protestant, by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday.” The Catholic Mirror, Sept 23 1893.
“You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we (Catholics) never sanctify.” James Cardinal Gibbons, The Faith of Our Fathers, pg 111.
“Question : What Bible authority is there for changing the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week? Who gave the Pope the authority to change a command of God?”
“Answer : If the Bible is the only guide for the Christian, then the Seventh-day Adventist is right in observing the Saturday with the Jew. But Catholics learn what to believe and do from the divine, infallible authority established by Jesus Christ, the Catholic Church...Is it not strange that those who make the Bible their only teacher should inconsistently follow in this matter the tradition of the Church?” Question Box, by Conway, 1903 edition, pgs 254-255.
“Question : Which is the Sabbath day?”
“Answer : Saturday is the Sabbath day.”
“Question : Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?”
“Answer : We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (336 A.D.), transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.” Peter Geiermann, The Converts Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, Second Edition, 1910, pg 50.
It is interesting to note that the Catholic Church has removed the second Commandment from her doctrinal books and catechisms, because it condemns the worship of images. Thus they split the tenth Commandment into two so as to still have ten Commandments. See change to the Commandments.
Wear out the saints of the Most High. The Papacy is well known for its persecution of so called heretics. Pope Gregory XIII executed a plot in which he killed 70,000 in one day on St. Bartholomew's Day massacre in France, 24th August 1572. In July 1209, 60,000 Albigenses slaughtered at Beziers. On the 24th April 1655, 18,000 Waldenses were killed. 1,000,000 Waldenses perished in France. 900,000 orthodox Christians were slain in less than thirty years after the institution of the order of the Jesuits. The inquisition destroyed, by various tortures, 150,000 within thirty years.
“...it is estimated by careful historians that more than fifty millions of the human family have been slaughtered for the crime of heresy by Popish persecutors, an average of more than forty thousand religious murders for every year of the existence of Popery.” History of Romanism, Dr J Dowling pgs 541-542.
“The Catholic Church...loudly proclaims that she has a horror of blood. Nevertheless when confronted by heresy she...has recourse to force, to corporal punishment, to torture. She creates tribunals like those of the inquisition...encourages a crusade or a religious war...especially did she act thus in the sixteenth century with regards to Protestants...she lit in Italy the Low Countries and above all in Spain the funeral fires of the inquisition. In France...and in England...she tortured the heretics whilst both in France and Germany...she encouraged and aided, the religious wars. No one will deny that we have a great scandal to our contemporaries...Indeed even among our friends and our brothers we find those who dare not look this problem in the face. They ask permission from the church to ignore or even deny all those acts and institutions of the past which have made orthodoxy compulsory.” The Catholic Church, the Renaissance and Protestantism, Professor Alfred Baudrillart, London, 1908 pgs 182-184. (He was rector of the Catholic Institute of Paris and later was made a Cardinal).
Even so, the Papacy still justifies her position:
“...that the church of Rome possesses the supremacy of both powers, the spiritual and the temporal, that she has the right to employ both swords in the extirpation of heresy; that in the exercise of this right she has never exceeded by a hairs breadth her just prerogatives and that what she has done aforetime she may do in time to come as often as occasion shall require and opportunity may serve.” Encyclical Quanta Cura (Syllabus of Errors) 1864, Pope Pius IX.
As we have seen, the Papacy rose to full supremacy in 538 A.D., identifying mark number 4, and it came to its end exactly 1260 years later in 1798 A.D. when Napoleon’s General Berthier, under orders from the French ruler, marched into Rome and took Pope Pius VI prisoner thus taking from the Vatican it’s political or temporal power.
“The Papacy was extinct: not a vestige of its existence remained and among all the Roman Catholic powers not a finger was stirred in its defence. The eternal city no longer had prince or pontiff; its bishop was a dying captive in foreign lands, and the decree was already announced that no successor would be allowed in his place.” The Fall of the Western Empire, George Trevor, pg 440.
The Papacy had received its deadly wound, but this wound was to be healed. (Revelation 13:3)
Daniel 7:27 “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”
In verse 14 we see the kingdom being given to Christ, but here it is given to the saints of the Most High. How can this be?
In Romans 8:14-17, it tells us that if we are being led by the Spirit of God we are the sons of God and adopted into the family of God. Thus we have become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. Jesus has received a kingdom which is an everlasting one, thus we being joint-heirs with Him also receive this kingdom. What a promise!
The Lord will reign supreme in the end.
Daniel 7:28 “Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.”
Daniel is still troubled by the enormity of what he has seen, but keeps the matter in his heart. He has much more to see before this book is over.
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