The Future Foretold

The time was 602 B.C. The place was the ancient city of Babylon, capitol of the neo-Babylonian empire; its stunningly beautiful hanging gardens being one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Babylon, at that time was the most powerful kingdom in the vast region where God’s Covenant people Israel were scattered. Let’s look now at a remarkable event that took place in Babylon as it is described in Daniel chapter 2. Our story begins in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar has had a troubling dream and he can’t decipher the meaning. God gives the Hebrew captive Daniel the prophetic interpretation and he in turn shares it with the king. Let’s travel back in time and listen as the young Hebrew captive Daniel explains the dream’s meaning to the king:

31 “Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness [was] excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof [was] terrible. ³² This image's head [was] of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, ³³ His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. ³⁴ Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet [that were] of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. ³⁵ Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. ³⁶ This [is] the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. ³⁷ Thou, O king, [art] a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. ³⁸ And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou [art] this head of gold. ³⁹ And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. ⁴⁰ And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all [things] : and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. ⁴¹ And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. ⁴² And [as] the toes of the feet [were] part of iron, and part of clay, [so] the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. ⁴³ And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. ⁴⁴ And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. ⁴⁵ Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream [is] certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.” (Daniel 2:31-45)

God showed Nebuchadnezzar that his kingdom would be followed by a series of other kingdoms until finally the God of heaven would establish His eternal Kingdom, completely doing away with all temporal kingdoms. Let’s look at the series now and identify each successive kingdom. The head of Gold on the statue of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream represents Babylon. The chest and arms of silver represents the Medo-Persian alliance that eventually conquered Nebuchadnezzar’s Grandson, Belshazzar in B.C. 539. The thighs made of Brass represent Alexander the Great who in turn conquered the Medo-Persian alliance in B.C. 331. Alexander died in B.C. 323 and his dominion was divided among four of his generals. From that division the iron empire of pagan Rome (legs of iron) eventually emerged as dominant. Pagan Rome many centuries later fractured into ten divisions, represented by the ten toes, and then morphed into papal Rome. At Daniel’s point in time, 2,600 years ago, these were all future events, which God was foretelling. They had to be accepted by faith. But from our point in time, these are all well documented historical facts. You can pick up any reliable secular world history resource and read about these very events. Look them up in your World Book or Britannica encyclopedia. They happened just as Daniel prophesied.

But there is one aspect of Daniel’s prophecy that we must accept by faith for it is yet future. The prophecy ends as a stone (representing Jesus Christ) crashes into the fractured feet of the image, destroying it, and establishing a never-ending kingdom with the God of heaven as its Authority. That part of the prophecy will soon be fulfilled.

We established in chapters 1-11, that the Bible actually teaches something very different from what the papacy and her daughters teach concerning the nature and destiny of the human soul. In chapters 12-17, we provided overwhelming evidence from history as to how and when false teachings about the soul entered the church. Now in this and the following chapters, we will prove that God knew in advance just how, when and where the papacy would emerge and we will discover what God predicts for the future. Prophecy reveals that our God actually foresees the future and brilliantly manages history. He is, in a sense, the undefeated “Chess Master” of the Universe! What you are about to discover in this intriguing chapter will deliver undeniable proof that God does know and arrange the future and that the Bible can be trusted.

God inspired the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation and He intends us to understand the code language there. Some of Daniels prophecies were “closed up and sealed till the time of the end.”(Daniel 12:9b) But that time has arrived! Furthermore, Revelation means just that — to reveal! God places a blessing on anyone who reads, hears and keeps the message of Revelation. “Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time [is] at hand.”(Revelation 1:3) Anyone who says the prophecies of Revelation can’t be understood is not telling the truth.

There is more than one dead fly in the ointment that popular religious hawkers are peddling today. One of those decaying flies is the empty assertion that the Book of Revelation skips more than 1,500 years of Christian history saying absolutely nothing about it. “Where [there is] no vision, the people perish.”(Proverbs 29:18a) Why do the papacy and her daughters deny that God foretold the history of Christianity? Because when the prophecies are decoded, they stand as a damning witness against the insubordination and treason of those institutions. When honest hearted people see the truth they will not remain in those doctrinally corrupted churches.

Bible prophecy is packed with symbols. If you don’t know how to interpret the symbols, you won’t be able to understand many of the prophecies. You are about to read some prophecy passages containing symbols you will need help to decode. With that in mind, I’ve listed a few keys below that will be extremely helpful for you to unlock the basic code language of Bible prophecy.

Keys to Unlock the Prophecies of Daniel and Revelation

1. In Bible prophecy, a “beast” represents a nation. A nation might be as large as the United States spanning a continent from ocean to ocean, or it might be as geographically small as the State of the Vatican City, which is only 110 acres in size, the smallest independent state in the world sitting in the midst of the Seven Hills of Rome. “'Thus he said: the fourth beast shall be A fourth kingdom.”(Dan 7:23a NKJV)

2. In Bible prophecy, “waters”, such as “seas” and “rivers”, when used allegorically, represent people (usually large numbers of people, sometimes armies). “Then he said to me, ‘The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.’”(Rev 17:15 NKJV)

3. In most cases, a “day” represents a year in Bible prophecy. Ezekiel 4:1-7 and Numbers 14:28-35 both mention this principal — it is a well-known and well-documented principle evidenced by numerous fulfilled prophecies from Scripture. “I have appointed thee each day for a year.”(Ezekiel 4:6) Therefore, a prophetic “week” represents 7 years. A prophetic “month” consists of 30 days, based on the 30-day calendar used by the Jews when the Bible was written. Each day represents a literal 360-day Jewish calendar year. The word “time” when used prophetically, refers to a 360-day Jewish year (12 months x 30 days =360 days =360 literal years). The word “Times” represents two prophetic years (720 prophetic days), or 720 literal years. “Half a time” or “dividing of time”= 180 years. The math in each of these cases is simple. Therefore the prophetic phrase “time, and times and half a time” in Revelation 12:14 = 1260 literal years. (Time, 360 + times 720 + half a time, 180 = 1260) Both Daniel and Revelation used these code symbols hundreds of years in advance to predict the exact length of the papacy’s reign during the Dark Ages. History confirms that those amazing predictions were fulfilled exactly.

Revelation 11:2 speaks of a prophetic period of “forty [and] two months.” Verse 3 then mentions “a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days.” Both of these verses refer to the same 1260-year period. This is the same 1260-year period referred to as “a time and times and the dividing of time” in Daniel 7:25, “a time, times, and an half” in Daniel 12:7, “a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days” in Revelation 12:6, “a time, and times, and half a time” in Revelation 12:14, and “forty [and] two months” in Revelation 13:5.

So, in all there are seven passages in Daniel and Revelation, which mention the same 1260 year period. With that much emphasis and repetition, God surely wants us to pay attention to this! Each passage describes various aspects of the terrible events that would occur during the 1260 years of papal dominance.

Daniel 7 makes it clear that this 1260-year block of time occurs after the breakup of the Roman Empire and before the second coming of Christ. Specifically, this period ran from A.D. 538-1798. This was the period of papal dominance in Western Europe.

The papacy’s dominance was formally broken in 1798 when Napoleon’s general Berthier arrested and imprisoned Pope Pius VI. The pope died in prison a year and a half later. The papacy remained impotent for more than a century as all the popes of the nineteenth century remained walled-up in the Vatican. But Revelation predicts that the “deadly wound” the papacy received in 1798 will ultimately be completely healed. The papacy, according to Bible predictions will soon regain its former power base, and even on a much larger scale. (See Revelation 13:3, 12, 14; 17:8)

Former Professor of Old Testament at Andrews University Seminary, William H. Shea, MD, and Ph.D. wrote the Forwards for two companion books authored by historical researcher Heidi Heiks. Heiks’ eye-opening books, designed to be read together, are simply titled AD 508 and AD 1798 respectively. These two very timely books establish from important European historical archives both the beginning and ending dates for the 1260 years of papal dominance. Shea’s Forwards are recorded below.

Brother Heiks has spent many years of research studying the primary documents of church and political history that surround the important developments towards the end of the fifth century A. D. and the beginning of the sixth century. This was a time of immense political changes and those political changes directly influenced the course of church history. The research done by Heiks has turned up new material not previously recognized from this period and there have also been major revisions in the history of the period by scholars studying the religious and political history of the times. Central to this period is the year 508 which has significance for students of prophetic history who follow the historicist view of interpretation, as this is a pivotal date for one of the time periods at the end of the book of Daniel, along with the other time periods closely related to it. We appreciate the fine work that Brother Heiks has done in collecting and analyzing much of this obscure material. Students of political, religious and prophetic history are in his debt for this very useful work.¹

The events of the year 1798 and what followed immediately afterward are of great interest to students of history and prophecy. In this collection of primary and secondary documents compiled shortly thereafter Brother Heiks has filled out the events surrounding the captivity of Pope Pius VI and the setting up of the Roman Republic through the eyes of those who participated in those events at the time. One can follow this course of events in intimate detail through the witness of those who favored such a change and those who did not. All of this makes the importance of those events much more clear and Brother Heiks is to be congratulated for bringing together these remarkable sources that provide so much detail in their witness.²

I highly recommend Heiks’ books for anyone wanting to read primary and secondary source documentation from European archives, which confirm the dates recorded in Bible prophecy establishing the beginning and the end of the 1260-year papal reign. Amazingly, under the inspiration of our foreknowing God, Daniel wrote his prophecies more than 1,100 years in advance and John wrote the Revelation more than 400 years in advance of A.D. 538. Anyone who wants to know the facts can now easily access the documentation. Heiks’ book titled AD 508 deals with the 538 beginning date for the papacy’s reign. His study begins at 508 rather than 538 because Daniel 12:11 mentions a 1,290 year prophecy which contains within it the 1,260 + 30. Very significant events in 508 set the stage for the full takeover of power by the papacy 30 years later in 538. God foretold all of this in Scripture for our benefit so that as we scour history to find the events foretold we will easily see the undeniable fulfillment in certain events documented in European archives.

(Daniel 12:12 also mentions a 1,335-year prophecy, which also contains within it the 1,260 years. That prophecy has 30 years added to the front of the 1,260 and another 45 added to the end. The end date for the 1,335-year prophecy is a fascinating study in itself and is beyond the scope of this book. I fully intend, God willing, to thoroughly deal with that prophecy in my next book.)

4. A “woman” in prophecy represents a church. The prophecy’s description of the woman’s morals indicates the character of the church and its teachings. A pure woman represents a pure or Biblically faithful church and a whore or harlot represents an impure or doctrinally corrupted church. The pure church leans on the arm of Jesus while an impure church gets in bed with civil government in order to enforce its agenda.

5. An “image” in Bible prophecy is NOT a physical statue. It is a reflection or mirror image of something from the past. In Bible prophecy the “image” reflects or repeats principles or actions of a past historical event. This key will help us identify the “image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.”(Revelation 13:14b)

I’m going to make this easy for you by telling you beforehand that the image in Revelation 13 is primarily the resurgence of the Dark Ages religio-political hegemony of the papacy in bed with civil governments. American Protestantism will join the papacy in this adulterous league with government. The European persecution of the Dark Ages will be reproduced on a worldwide basis under the coming religio-political confederacy referred to in Revelation as “Babylon the Great.” The United States will lead a coalition of other nations as they enforce a few so-called “orthodox” dogmas held in common by the papacy and fallen Protestantism. The image to the beast will use coercion through economic boycott and eventually loss of liberty and even the penalty of death to enforce corrupted worship rituals on world civilization. We’ll prove these assertions from the Bible shortly. (Revelation 17:5; 18:2; See also Revelation 14:8; 16:19; 18:10, 21) This may seem unlikely at the present time, but it is clearly what the Bible predicts, so stick with me for awhile and you will see some amazing events emerge from prophecy.

Some years after his dream about the statue of various metals, king Nebuchadnezzar decided to reject the prophetic interpretation that Daniel had given. The king didn’t like the idea that his kingdom would eventually end so he set about to enforce strict loyalty through coercion. He established a false worship ceremony and demanded that the entire population acquiesce to that form of worship on pain of death. Daniel 3 records the scene. The false worship that Nebuchadnezzar tried to force upon his realm 2,600 years ago symbolizes the coming religious worship crisis. Keep that thought in mind as your read about Nebuchadnezzar’s attempt to thwart God’s prophecy.

“Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height [was] threescore cubits, [and] the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, [That] at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down [and] worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.”(Daniel 3:1-7)

If you read the rest of Daniel 3, you will see that Nebuchadnezzar’s scheme failed because God protected a small minority of dissenters who refused to go along with false worship. God delivered them and He will do the same for you!

The principles involved in that ancient surreal worship scene on the plains of Dura will be played out in a 21^stcentury repeat on a worldwide basis. Roman Catholicism and American Protestantism don’t like the Bible’s prediction that their power will eventually come to an end. They ostensibly want to bring morality back to society but the devil is in the details of their political plans. They rationalize away prophecies that God’s eternal government will soon replace all earthly governments. The European Union, China, Russia, India and all the nations of the world, including the United States will be smashed to nothingness when Jesus returns to establish His everlasting Kingdom. Each of these nations rejects that prediction just as Nebuchadnezzar did!

The future church dominated American government won’t build a statue for us to bow down to out on some vast desert plain but it will enforce false worship. Public worship in state-mandated religious services will be deemed necessary to preserve the morals of society and to appease an “angry God” who religious and political leaders believe is sending disaster after disaster upon civilization as punishment for our sins. Actually, God is permitting disasters to come upon civilization and often because of wickedness. However, He is NOT calling for a theocracy to enforce a perverted Christianity with its pagan syncretism — He IS calling for His professed people in the churches of Babylon to come out of that corrupted confused system.

The churches of spiritual Babylon don’t hold to identical tenets in every respect but they will settle on a few basic traditions that they hold in common — those traditions, along with baptized spiritism, will be the glue that binds them together. This is already happening as the various denominations and so-called non-denominational churches mingle and compromise with one another in sentimental “love-fests.” One of the most prominent of their commonly taught beliefs is, of course, the immortality of the soul.

Their teachings about the soul will seem to be confirmed when “ghosts of dead saints” appear with wonderful messages from “heaven.” Spiritism will be rampant in the churches. At that time, you will have to decide whether to believe your senses or the word of God as recorded in Scripture. “The dead are not conscious of anything.”(Ecclesiastes 9:5b BBE) I’m getting ahead of myself here — we’ll get into that mesmerizing issue in chapter 19, Satan’s Last Deception.

6. A “mark” in the forehead or hand as described in Revelation 13-18 is NOT a visible tattoo.

• Receiving a mark in the forehead represents a conscientious belief in the principles of the end-time persecuting powers. For example, there were many Nazis during World War II who conscientiously believed in the tyrannical tenets of their government. How tragic that the human conscience can become so shamelessly warped.

• A mark in the hand represents acquiescence to a wrong principle (or civil law) for the sake of security and prosperity even though the participant does not conscientiously agree with the principle (or civil law). To be more precise, it is knowingly disregarding and disobeying God’s Word in order to avoid persecution. It is going along with wrong in order to get along.

7. God places a “seal” in the forehead of His people. This seal secures that person as a loyal subject of God’s eternal kingdom. It is evidence of a rightly educated and sanctified conscience. Everyone who chooses liberty of conscience and faithful reliance on God in the final crisis will receive the seal of God in the forehead, while those who acquiesce to laws, which intrude between the individual soul and God, will receive a mark in the forehead or the hand. We make our choice and then God confirms it either with the mark of treason or the seal of loyalty. Those who choose to follow Biblical truth will receive “the seal of God in their foreheads.”(Revelation 9:4; See also Revelation 7:2.) Again, the “seal of God” is not a visible tattoo. But God’s angels will recognize the difference between those who have His salvation seal and those who have the beast’s damning mark.

• All who choose liberty of conscience and faithful reliance on God in the final crisis will receive the “seal of God” (His seal of loyalty) “in their foreheads” (in the conscience or character).

• Those who acquiesce to laws, which intrude between the individual soul and God, will receive a “mark” (of disloyalty to God) in the forehead or the hand.

8. Following correct Biblical hermeneutics means that prophecies concerning the things of God before the cross are to be taken literally and locally and things after the cross are to be taken symbolically and in a worldwide sense. In his very timely book, King of the North, Heidi Heiks explains,

Only by following correct Biblical hermeneutics or guidelines can one hope to identify the symbols correctly and thus interpret the text aright. In demonstrating those Biblical principles again we restate how the things of God before the cross are always taken in a literal and local sense and, after the cross, in a symbolic or spiritual, worldwide sense. For example, in Daniel 10:14 and 11:14, we interpret “thy people” as meaning the literal Jews, and rightly so. But in Daniel 12:1, we interpret “thy people” as the saints of God, born-again Christians, spiritual Israel, the worldwide Christian Church at the very end of probationary time. In another instance, Paul explained that after the cross a Jew is not someone who is such merely by birth, but a Jew is the person who is circumcised or renewed in heart. This is the born-again Christian. He or she has become a spiritual Jew. The term “Jew” under this present dispensation now has a spiritual, worldwide application . . .

The same principle applies to the literal city, Jerusalem, which is now interpreted and understood to mean spiritual, worldwide Jerusalem, the Christian Church, but once again its identity never changes. And the principle with Babylon is the same, as well. After the cross, Babylon is no longer understood and confined to a literal, local, geographical location. No, Babylon, like the Jew and Jerusalem, is understood as spiritual, worldwide Babylon. In like manner, the same Biblical hermeneutical principle applies to the King of the South as well as to the King of the North and others. Before the cross: literal, local. After the cross: spiritual, worldwide. After the second coming: literal, local (the thousand-year millennium is literally 1000 years) . . .³

(When this principle is understood the false teachings of dispensationalists as popularized in Tim Lahaye’s Left Behind series of books and movies will be recognized as major deceptions of the last days. The Bible says absolutely nothing about a so-called secret rapture and the nation of Israel is not going to be converted to true Christianity. Those fantasies are built on the false premise that Revelation has a 1,500-year gap in it. According to the Catholic Church and most modern Protestant churches, God did not foretell the persecution perpetrated by the papacy during the Dark Ages. They claim that God totally ignored 1,500 years of Christian church history in Bible prophecy. Most popular theologians and pastors have bought into the 1,500-year gap theory. It is not my place to Judge their hearts, that is God’s job but I can judge their teachings by God’s word, the Bible. Oh yes — Tim Lahaye and the popular churches have left something behind — it’s called TRUTH! — Fifteen hundred years worth of TRUTH! That truth is vital to the survival of God’s end-time Remnant.)

Let’s use key #8 right now to unlock some vital and thrilling truth. Isaiah called Israel “the seed of Abraham.” (Isaiah 41:8). But Paul, in the New Testament, writes, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ,” (Galatians 3:16). Here Paul makes it clear that Jesus is “the seed of Abraham.” Steve Wohlberg, in his book Exploding the Israel Myth does a great job of articulating this truth.

In the Old Testament, God definitely called ‘Israel...the seed of Abraham.’ (Isaiah 41:8). Yet here Paul wrote that Abraham’s seed does not refer to ‘many,’ but to ‘one...which is Christ.’ Thus we discover that, in the New Testament, what originally applied to the nation of Israel is now applied to Jesus Christ. The Messiah is now the ‘seed.’ Therefore, Jesus Christ is Israel! Yet there is more. In Genesis and Exodus, the name ‘Israel’ not only refers to one victorious man, to Jacob, but also to his descendants, who became Israel. The same principle is revealed in the New Testament. Right after the statement about Jesus being ‘the seed,’ Paul then told his Gentile converts, “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed.”(Galatians 3:29). Thus in the New Testament, the name Israel not only applies to the one Victorious Man, the True Seed, Jesus Christ, but also to those who are in Christ. Believers in Jesus become part of ‘the seed.’ In other words, true Christians are now God’s Spiritual Israel.⁴

If you are a Christian, then you are a part of God’s family of Spiritual Israel. You are Abraham’s seed by adoption through the preeminent seed Jesus Christ. So when you read about Israel and the Remnant in the book of Revelation you are not reading about blood Jews over in the Middle East — you are reading about God’s end time Remnant of Christians. Are you a Christian? If so, you are an heir of the promises!

Now let’s look at another important comparison. Paul, in Romans, points out how God defines a true spiritual Jew versus a mere carnal Jew. In the following words, he warns Commandment breaking Jews that Commandment keeping Gentiles will take their place in the heart of God.

“Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God . . . For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcision [Gentiles]keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? . . . For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” (Romans 2:17,25,26,28,29)

So someone who is “called a Jew”because he is a blood descendant of Abraham, and yet who is disloyal to God’s law, “is not a Jew”in God’s eyes. His “circumcision is made uncircumcision.”God equates the unfaithful Jew to a “Gentile.” And the Gentile who faithfully keeps “the righteousness of the law”, his uncircumcision is “counted for circumcision.”He is a true spiritual Jew in the eyes of God. Therefore, when Revelation mentions Jews it is speaking of faithful Christians who “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”(Revelation 12:17b; See also Revelation 2:9; 3:9)

When Revelation speaks of earthly Jerusalem, it is speaking spiritually of the true Christian church, those who are faithful and obedient after the cross. But when it speaks of the “New Jerusalem”,it is speaking of the glorious city that God is preparing in heaven. (See Revelation 3:12; 21:2)

One final note on this point — when Revelation 2:14 speaks of “Israel” it is a reference to ancient Israel, not to spiritual Israel. We know that because that part of the text is obviously not speaking prophetically but of a literal historical event that took place prior to the cross.

9. “Horns” represent kings, kingdoms, governments, or the major foundational principles of a government. (Daniel 7:24; 8:21) Example: The founding principles of the United States are republicanism (government without a king) and Protestantism (churches without a pope). The second beast of Revelation 13 represents the United States; its two horns symbolize civil and religious liberty, one horn for republicanism and one horn for Protestantism. These were the original foundational principles; they will soon be essentially repudiated.

10. “Crowns” represent monarchies. Example: The second beast of Revelation 13, representing the United States has horns but no crowns. The horns represent the noble God blessed principles our nation was founded upon and the absence of crowns indicates that we are not a monarchy.

11. The “two witnesses” of Revelation 11 represent the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. I discovered the following profound insight in the momentous book The Great Controversy between Christ and Satan, by Ellen White.

Concerning the two witnesses, the prophet declares further, "These are the two olive-trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth." "Thy Word," said the psalmist "is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."(Revelation 11:4; Psalm. 119:105) The two witnesses represent the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament. Both are important testimonies to the origin and perpetuity of the law of God. Both are witnesses also to the plan of salvation. The types, sacrifices, and prophecies of the Old Testament point forward to a Saviour to come. The Gospels and Epistles of the New Testament tell of a Saviour who has come in the exact manner foretold by type and prophecy.⁵

12. “Sackloth” represents sorrow or mourning. The Roman Catholic Church banned the Scriptures during much of the Dark Ages and those who read them did so at the risk of losing liberty, property and even life itself. Therefore, in Revelation 11 the “Two Witnesses” prophesied in “sackcloth” or underground in the face of persecution.

"They shall prophecy a thousand two hundred and three-score days, clothed in sackcloth."During the greater part of this period, God's witnesses remained in a state of obscurity. The papal power sought to hide from the people the word of truth, and set before them false witnesses to contradict its testimony. When the Bible was proscribed by religious and secular authority; when its testimony was perverted, and every effort made that men and demons could invent to turn the minds of the people from it; when those who dared proclaim its sacred truths were hunted, betrayed, tortured, buried in dungeon cells, martyred for their faith, or compelled to flee to mountain fastnesses, and to dens and caves of the earth — then the faithful witnesses prophesied in sackcloth. Yet they continued their testimony throughout the entire period of 1260 years. In the darkest times there were faithful men who loved God's word and were jealous for His honor. To these loyal servants were given wisdom, power, and authority to declare His truth during the whole of this time.

"And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies; and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed."(Revelation 11:5) Men cannot with impunity trample upon the Word of God. The meaning of this fearful denunciation is set forth in the closing chapter of the Revelation: "I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."(Revelation 22:18, 19)

Such are the warnings which God has given to guard men against changing in any manner that which he has revealed or commanded. These solemn denunciations apply to all who by their influence lead men to lightly regard the law of God. They should cause those to fear and tremble who flippantly declare it a matter of little consequence whether we obey God's law or not. All who exalt their own opinions above divine revelation, all who would change the plain meaning of Scripture to suit their own convenience, or for the sake of conforming to the world, are taking upon themselves a fearful responsibility. The written Word, the law of God, will measure the character of every man, and condemn all whom this unerring test shall declare wanting.⁶

13. “Stars of heaven” represent angels.

14. “Sodom and Egypt” represent immorality and atheism respectively. In Revelation 11, they symbolize France during the French revolution and particularly the 3 ½ years that God and the Bible were officially renounced. The Bible was mistakenly equated with the papacy’s corrupt teachings and in the heat of rage against more than a millennium of oppression by the papacy, the Bible was publicly “trashed.”

The "great city" in whose streets the witnesses are slain, and where their dead bodies lie, "is spiritually Egypt." Of all nations presented in Bible history, Egypt most boldly denied the existence of the living God, and resisted his commands. No monarch ever ventured upon more open and high-handed rebellion against the authority of Heaven than did the king of Egypt. When the message was brought him by Moses, in the name of the Lord, Pharaoh proudly answered, "Who is Jehovah, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, neither will I let Israel go."(Exodus 5:2) This is atheism; and the nation represented by Egypt would give voice to a similar denial of the claims of the living God, and would manifest a like spirit of unbelief and defiance. The "great city" is also compared, "spiritually," to Sodom. The corruption of Sodom in breaking the law of God was especially manifested in licentiousness. And this sin was also to be a pre-eminent characteristic of the nation that should fulfill the specifications of this scripture.

According to the words of the prophet, then, a little before the year 1798 some power of Satanic origin and character would rise to make war upon the Bible. And in the land where the testimony of God's two witnesses should thus be silenced, there would be manifest the atheism of the Pharaoh, and the licentiousness of Sodom.

This prophecy has received a most exact and striking fulfillment in the history of France. During the Revolution of 1793, "the world for the first time heard an assembly of men, born and educated in civilization, and assuming the right to govern one of the finest European nations, uplift their united voice to deny the most solemn truth which man's soul receives, and renounce unanimously the belief and worship of the Deity."⁷

15. A “virgin” in prophetic symbolism is a follower of pure biblical doctrine untainted with pagan superstition. They “are not defiled with women.” In other words, they are not following the corrupted teachings of the great “harlot” Church or her daughter “harlots.”(Revelation 17:1, 5, 15, 16; 19:2)

These 15 keys can help you get a skeletal picture of coming events as you read the prophecies in Daniel and Revelation. Okay, with your 15 prophecy keys available, let’s start unlocking more of Daniel’s captivating prophecies. Let’s briefly review what we learned from the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2.

The head of Gold on the statue of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream represents neo-Babylon. The chest and arms of silver represents the Medo-Persian alliance that eventually conquered Nebuchadnezzar’s Grandson, Belshazzar in B.C. 539. Alexander the Great represented by thighs made of Brass in turn eventually conquered the Medo-Persian alliance in B.C. 331. Alexander died in B.C. 323 and his dominion was divided among four of his generals. From that division the iron empire of pagan Rome (legs of iron) eventually emerged as dominant. Pagan Rome a few centuries later fractured into ten divisions represented by the ten toes and then morphed into papal Rome. The prophecy ended as a stone (representing Jesus Christ) crashed into the fractured feet of the image, destroying it, and establishing a never-ending kingdom with the God of heaven as its Authority.

The kingdoms represented by four metals in Daniel 2, are also represented in Daniel 7 by four different beasts. Let’s look at Daniel 7 now.

1 “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 spake 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.” (Daniel 7:1-7)

At this point, we have the exact same sequence of kingdoms that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream about the great statue made of gold, silver, brass and the iron-clay mixture. We have a lion with eagle’s wings representing Babylon. The second is a bear raised up on one side. The humped up side of the bear represents the Persian Empire, which was the dominant partner in the Medo-Persian coalition that conquered Babylon. The third beast with four wings and four heads represents Alexander’s armies. The wings represent the speed with which Alexander conquered. The four heads represent the division of his territory among four of his generals after his premature death. The fourth dreadful and terrible beast is represented as exceedingly strong with iron teeth. This is Rome including each of its phases. Even a cursory view of history reveals that Rome was the great power that succeeded Grecian culture.

For the sake of this Bible study, we divide Rome into only two phases, pagan and papal. The Republic and the Empire both fit within the pagan era and therefore we will not make a special distinction between them — they are pagan Rome.

As we noted in chapter 13, The Dark Ages, pagan Rome had fully morphed into papal Rome by A.D. 538. In the words, “it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns,” we identify the rise of the papal stage of Rome. Let’s read the next part of Daniel’s vision now, which is a reference to the emergence of papal Rome and its head the pope. The text mentions the early eradication of three of the young nations of Europe, which paved the way for the papacy’s rise. And the passage notes the arrogant, presumptuous attitude of the papacy with the words, “a mouth speaking great things.”

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.” (Daniel 7:8)

Pagan Rome as a single political power eventually collapsed and divided into ten parts. Seven of those parts remain today in the major nations of Western Europe. You may recall in Bite-a-Book™ chapter 13, The Dark Ages, we discussed the three Gothic kingdoms that were uprooted or conquered in the region nearest Rome. We paid special attention to the Ostrogoths who resided in the immediate Italian Peninsula and who were the last to be conquered in A.D. 538. That was the last obstacle in the way of the papacy taking both a secular and religious crown. Those events were foretold in Daniel’s dream more than a thousand years before they occurred. Now we are able to look back at them in hindsight. We see the fulfilment of Daniel’s prophecy about the little horn. That little horn with eyes like a man and a mouth speaking great things is the papacy. The ten horns, or kingdoms, that both the Old Testament prophet Daniel and the New Testament Prophet John the Revelator saw are listed as follows:

(1) ALEMANI – Germany

(2) ANGLO-SAXONS – England

(3) BERGUNDIANS – Switzerland

(4) FRANKS – France

(5) LOMBARDS – Italy

(6) SUEVE – Portugal

(7) VISIGOTHS – Spain

These are seven of the ten ancient kingdoms (“horns”) and their modern descendant nations. Now notice the fate of the other three “horns.”

(8) HERULI – Rooted up in A.D. 493 by Catholic Emperor, Zeno

(9) VANDALS – Rooted up in A.D. 534 by Catholic emperor Justinian

(10) OSTROGOTHS – Rooted up in A.D. 538 by Catholic emperor Justinian

As we noted Daniel also saw another kingdom (“horn as he describes it), rising up, which he described as being “different from the first ones.” (Daniel 7:24). It is different in the sense that it amazingly, conquered vast populations and territories, while having little or no armies of its own. How? By controlling, through superstition and doctrinal terrorism, the belief system of the masses the “little power” or “little horn” was able to use kings and oligarchs to raise inquisitorial armies to fight for it. This is how the papacy gained the ascendancy in Western Europe, and maintained the ascendancy for 1260 years. She, in league with her fallen daughters, will dominate all nations of the world just prior to the second coming of Jesus. Okay, let’s get back to Daniel’s dream now in Daniel 7.

9 “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. ¹¹ I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: 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. ¹³ 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.” (Daniel 7:9-14)

The passage we just read gives a brief description of God’s heavenly judgment immediately prior to the second coming of Jesus. This judgment is ongoing in heaven right now and will soon culminate in the close of human probation and the second coming of Jesus, after which He will set up His eternal Kingdom with the newly recreated earth as its capitol. (See Revelation 21-22)

Rome adopted a large amount of Greek culture. That Greco-Roman culture pervades not only modern Europe but also most of the world through the colonial influence that Western Europe had over the world during the era of exploration and colonization. In that sense the legs of iron and the feet and toes of iron and clay mixed that we read about in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream represent not just Western Europe but the entire world as it is today. Let’s read more now of Daniel’s dream.

15 “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. ¹⁹ 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 spake 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.” (Daniel 7:15-22)

Pagan Rome made war against the saints of God from the 1st century until Emperor Constantine took power in the early 4^th century, but Jesus did not return during that era to set up His eternal Kingdom. So the “horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows” cannot be a reference to pagan Rome. It must refer to papal Rome.

“Wait a minute,” you might be saying, “Jesus did not return during the 1260 year Dark Ages reign when papal Rome persecuted the Bible-believing saints.” Right you are, but the passage says that Jesus will return while that little horn power is waging war against the saints and prevailing against them. That means that the papacy will rise again to prominence, not merely as a European power but with a worldwide element of authority.

One more note here before we move forward with our reading of Daniel’s vision. The papacy speaks “very great things” in that it claims the very prerogatives of God Himself and even desires worship that belongs only to God.

23 “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. 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. 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 7:23-28)

One final note on Daniel’s chapter 7 dream: The passage says that the papacy would “think to change times and laws.” The papacy has a long history of tampering with the laws and teachings of God and of interfering in numerous ways even with time. Tampering with the Ten Commandments is one blatant example. Most Catholic catechisms eliminate the second commandment forbidding image worship and divide the tenth into two in order to make a pretense that there are still Ten Commandments. That brazen act is a glaring example of many other areas in which the papacy has demonstrated disrespect toward God’s laws and teachings. Of course, the papacy can’t really change God’s immutable Law but it claims that prerogative. The second commandment explicitly forbidding bowing down before images is still as valid as ever.

The sequence of kingdoms in Daniel chapter 2 and chapter 7 appears again in Daniel 8, as various wild beasts followed by the little horn power represent Persia, Grecia and Rome. The only exception is that chapter 8 does not mention Babylon because its fall to the Medo-Persian coalition is imminent. Let’s explore Daniel 8.

1 “In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, [even unto] me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first. ² And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I [was] at Shushan [in] the palace, which [is] in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai. ³ Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had [two] horns: and the [two] horns [were] high; but one [was] higher than the other, and the higher came up last. ⁴ I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither [was there any] that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great. ⁵ And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat [had] a notable horn between his eyes. ⁶ And he came to the ram that had [two] horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. ⁷ And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand. ⁸ Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. ⁹ And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant [land] . ¹⁰ And it waxed great, [even] to the host of heaven; and it cast down [some] of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. ¹¹ Yea, he magnified [himself] even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily [sacrifice] was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. ¹² And an host was given [him] against the daily [sacrifice] by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.” (Daniel 8:1-12)

As already noted, in this vision Daniel does not see a beast representing Babylon because Babylon is about to fall to the Medes and Persians. So his vision begins with a Ram with two horns — one horn larger than the other. The ram represents Medo-Persia. The larger of the two horns represents Persia, which dominated in the coalition. The goat moving at great speed with his feet not even touching the ground represents the army of Alexander. The notable horn is Alexander himself. The notable horn is broken representing the premature death of Alexander. Four notable horns take his place representing the four generals that divided up his conquered regions. One of those four waxed great representing Rome.

Verse 11 says that the little horn power took away the daily sacrifice. Christ is our Sacrifice and our High Priest. The papacy teaches its adherents to seek forgiveness for sin through an earthly priest rather than individually going directly to God through Christ. But the New Testament says that all Christians are spiritual priests and therefore we go directly to God through Christ without an Old Testament styled earthly mediator. (See 1^st Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 1:6; 5:10; 20:6)

We are going to skip verses 13-19 and 26-27 of the vision of Daniel 8 because it deals with other time prophecies beyond the scope of this book. I will however, Lord willing, address those stunning prophecies thoroughly in a later book — I can hardly wait! But, never mind right now because we have some very interesting statements coming up in Daniel’s vision that we must not overlook.

20 “The ram which thou sawest having [two] horns [are] the kings of Media and Persia. ²¹ And the rough goat [is] the king of Grecia: and the great horn that [is] between his eyes [is] the first king. ²² Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. ²³ And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. ²⁴ And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. ²⁵ And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify [himself] in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.” (Dan 8:20-27)

Here the angel tells Daniel explicitly that the ram represents Medo-Persia and the rough goat represents the king of Grecia (Alexander the Great). Amazingly, God not only prophesied future events but also explicitly named two of the future dominant powers in the sequence. (He had already identified neo-Babylon as the first kingdom in the sequence back in Daniel 2.) The last statement in the passage that the final power would be “broken without hand” is echoed in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the “stone . . . cut out without hands.” No earthly power will break the last earthly “kingdom” — God Himself will break it!

Let’s review the successions of dominating powers as presented in Daniel 2, 7, and 8.

• Head of gold (ch.2) = lion (ch7) = neo-Babylonian Empire.

• Chest of silver (ch.2) = bear (ch.7) = ram (ch.8) = Medo-Persian Empire.

• Belly and thighs of bronze (ch.2) = leopard (ch.7) = rough goat (ch.8) = Crecian Empire under Alexander.

• Legs of iron (ch.2) = beast with large iron teeth (ch.7) = pagan Roman Empire.

• Feet and toes of mixed clay and iron (ch.2) = 10 horns (ch.7) = division of Roman Empire into western European nations = worldwide influence of Greco-Roman culture at the time of the end.

• Arrogant, blasphemous, persecuting little horn (ch.7) = truth destroying, persecuting little horn (ch.8) = papacy of the Dark Ages.

• Stone which crashed into the toes of the image and became an everlasting kingdom (ch.2) = Son of man coming in the clouds Who judges and establishes an everlasting kingdom (ch. 7) = The shattering of the insolent persecuting king “not by human hands” (ch.8) = Judgment, composite of second and third coming of Jesus, and setting up of God’s eternal kingdom on earth.

Nebuchadnezzar refused to accept God’s prediction of the future so he attempted to alter the course of history in order to preserve his kingdom forever. He did this by building an image of gold from head to toe symbolizing that his kingdom would endure forever. He then ordered the governors throughout his kingdom to bow down and worship the image as an act of allegiance to him. We already paid attention to this a few pages back as we reviewed Daniel 3.

Likewise, Revelation 13-18 predicts that an end time religio-political confederacy will establish an economic system, which will control the ability of all people rich and poor to buy and sell. This religio-political system depicted in Revelation is an image or replica of Nebuchadnezzar’s efforts to dominate the world in opposition to God’s prophetic depiction of the future. So Nebuchadnezzar’s gold image symbolizes the “image of the beast” in Revelation 13. But even more disturbingly, the “image of the beast” is a 21^st century repeat of the world dominating papal Rome of the Dark Ages.

There is a sense in which there is an image “to” the beast as well. That aspect of the prophecy is beyond the scope of this book’s focus. I will deal with the image “to” the beast in my next book, Lord willing. In the meantime, you can find an outstanding explanation of the meaning in Ellen White’s The Great Controversy.

Revelation 12 is a sketch of church history from the time of Christ’s birth, through pagan persecution of the church during the first centuries of the Christian era, but especially focusing on the 1260-year period of papal persecution from A.D. 538 to A.D. 1798 when the papacy severely persecuted Bible-based Christians.⁸This information can help you better understand Revelation’s chapters 13-18 which are even now in the preliminary stages of fulfillment.

Please note also that when John wrote chapters 11 and 12 of Revelation in the latter part of the first century A.D. their prophecies were yet future. Now, however, we look back through the telescope of time and clearly see their fulfillment in history. Much of Revelation 11 and 12 apply to the 1260-year Dark Ages period of history.

Revelation 13:11 points to a time when the United States, the second beast, will league with the first beast and other world governments and enforce an economic boycott on any nation (macro boycott) or any person (micro boycott) who refuses to go along with desperate dictatorial laws put in place ostensibly to avert worldwide disaster both economically and socially. The United States, as the only world superpower, will lead out and enforce by coercion.

The world experienced a major sea change in the fall of 2008; a radical transformation of the economic structure took place almost overnight through the bellwether events of the Wall Street crisis and near meltdown of the world economy. Because of the interdependent nature of world economies an international control system is now being developed. This control system is very ominous because it lays groundwork for uniting the world in a common cause confederacy ostensibly to bring security and prosperity to the whole world. “What,” you might ask, “could possibly be wrong with that?”

Here’s the answer: The world population was relatively small about 4,500 years ago. It was only a few centuries after the worldwide flood recorded in Genesis. With the exception of one tiny group that remained faithful to God, the entire world population was gathered into one religio-political unit located at the original tower of Babel. (This was original Babylon, not the neo-Babylon of Daniel’s time. It was the same location and virtually the same pagan religious system but the governments were roughly 1,900 years apart.)

The world population at ancient Babel was uniting on manmade principles rather than under the principles of God’s Kingdom. Of course, this displeased God so He broke up that union. He created and dispersed the nations, races and languages with all their diversity for the specific purpose of preventing the church-state union of ancient Babel from swallowing up His little remnant of faithful followers.

If God had not intervened, there would soon not have been even one faithful follower of truth left on the earth. Lucifer (Satan) would have won the great controversy. God will never allow that to happen. He will never allow all of His people to be destroyed. That is one reason that this message of forewarning is so necessary now. God will save a Remnant even under the persecution of the coming worldwide religio-political coalition. Let’s look back at the Bible’s succinct description of God’s reasoning and His unilateral preemptory action at ancient Babel.

“And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top [may reach] unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people [is] one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.”(Genesis 11:1-9)

So God broke up their union. The earth is His and He will never allow any power or coalition to completely take control of the entire world and completely destroy His remnant of representatives from the world. 21^st century spiritual Babylon receives its name from that ancient event at Babel approximately 4,500 years ago.

Bible prophecy refers to the confused modern churches as Babylon because the confusion at Babel symbolizes them. The religio-political structure the Papacy and modern Protestantism want to construct will become “Babylon the Great.”(See Revelation 16:19; 17:5; 18:2, 10, 21) Amazingly, even many secularists today are willing to join in a religio-political league if it will ostensibly bring security and prosperity to western civilization.

Prime minister Gordon Brown of Great Britain called, on 15 October 2008, for a global summit which he believed should “take common action . . . for very large and very radical changes”⁹in the way the international community controls the world economy. Brown said that the world financial markets at that time didn’t have “anything other than national and regional regulation and supervision.”¹⁰He said “we need better ways of doing this.”¹¹In effect, he was calling for a world financial system with some form of centralized oversight. This action has begun moving the world toward the buy/sell centralized-control scenario portrayed in Revelation 13. The first emergency meeting of this world financial summit met in New York on 15 November 2008, with the leaders of 21 nations and four international organizations in attendance.

Revelation 13 warns us of a totalitarian religio-political system, which will spring upon the world in the very near future. Does the papacy want your allegiance to a worldwide solidarity confederacy?

Pope Benedict’s 2009 encyclical called for a “world political authority” to take control of the global economy, and the morals of society. It is troubling when the Pope, advises the world’s governments to establish a global police system to enforce “a social order” that “conforms to the moral order.” He says, “There is an urgent need of a true world political authority” “It would have to have the authority to ensure compliance with its decisions from all parties, and also with the coordinated measures adopted in various international forums.”

Obviously, the Pope is confident that the major powers of the world, including the United States and Europe, will eventually accept and act upon his recommendations. If he didn’t believe this, he wouldn’t waste his time making the proposal. But based on history and present observation, it would be a catastrophic blunder to vest a global military force with authority and power to police the world.

Revelation 12, rightly understood, reveals the Dark Ages history of the papacy. And Revelation 13-19 ominously warns that the beast power of Revelation 12 will ascend once again to world dominance using force and coercion. Bible prophecy foretells that the papacy will unite with her fallen daughters in a league with civil powers and will force the whole world to comply with its “moral order” on pain of boycott and eventual death.

During the Middle Ages, Catholic teaching called for full cooperation between church and state, where the state wielded the sword on behalf of “the moral order” of the church.

Given this history, and the abuses that flowed from it — including the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the war on heretical groups such as the Waldenses — it seems unwise for the Pope to thrust himself into the role of lead counselor on the enforcement of an economic, social and moral order. But given prophetic insights, it is not unexpected.¹²

21^st Century Protestant and Catholic leaders are joining hands, playing down doctrinal differences and seeking political power. The majority of Protestant evangelical leaders today welcome the concept of a global religio-political authority with the pope posing as the preeminent moral voice for the world.

The deadly wound is healing. It won’t be long now; we are going to see some amazing things during the next few years. There will be an international religio-political union. Are you ready?

The “beast” of Revelation 12:14 - 13:10 is the papacy. The Bible foretold treachery and apostasy within the church — an inside job! The apostle Paul made this clear when referring to Jesus’ second coming.

“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; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: [Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”(2^nd Thessalonians 2:3-11)

So God foretold a “falling away” within the leadership of the Christian church. That apostasy has been ongoing for more than 1,800 years. We have the end-time fulfillment of those prophecies transpiring before our eyes. Now let’s take what we have learned about Christian history from the Old Testament book of Daniel and expand it with some companion readings from the New Testament book of Revelation.

1 “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: ² And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. ³ And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. ⁴ And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. ⁵ And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and [to] his throne. ⁶ And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days. ⁷ And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, ⁸ And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. ⁹ And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. ¹⁰ And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. ¹¹ And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
¹² Therefore rejoice, [ye] heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. ¹³ And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man [child] . ¹⁴ And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. ¹⁵ And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. ¹⁶ And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. ¹⁷ And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:1-17)

This passage contains language almost identical to some of Daniel’s prophecies, which God gave to him more than 600 years before John. Let’s break down the meaning of the passage. The first verse refers to a woman about to give birth. A woman in Bible prophecy always represents a church. Some women are pure and some immoral. In this case, she is a pure woman. She is the pre-Christian “church” of Israel as she is about to give birth to Christ and Christianity. Israel, by the time of Messiah’s birth, had become saturated with man’s traditions and superstitions so the pure woman is representative primarily of the small remnant of honest hearted believers within the corrupted Hebrew worship system. “Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.” (Romans 9:27)

The red dragon is Satan working through pagan Rome as King Herod attempts to destroy the child. By the time we get to verse six the woman has matured into the Christian church. She is under persecution and has to flee into desolate and secluded places for safety. This refers to the history of the Dark Ages when papal Rome persecuted Bible adhering Christian minorities (the true church or Remnant). As bizarre a prediction as it may seem, that persecuting dragon is definitely about to raise its hideous head once again. “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:17) When you find the movement that keeps all the commandments of God and has the testimony of Jesus Christ, you will have found the “Remnant,” the “one fold” spoken of by Jesus. (John 10:16; See also Revelation 19:10)

Verse 6 says the woman, the true church, has to go into hiding for “a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” Using prophetic symbolism, the time period is 1,260 years. This is exactly how long the papacy reigned in Europe — from A.D. 538 to A.D. 1798 when Napoleon’s general Bertheir imprisoned pope Pius VI where he remained until his death. Though another pope was eventually elected, the papacy remained isolated at the Vatican and relatively impotent for more than a century. The papacy received a deadly wound. But the wound is healing today.

In verse 14, we see that the woman “is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time” in the wilderness which totals 1260 days. Using the day for a year principle we have 1260 years. So verses 6 and 14 are referring to the same time period in code language.

Water is a prophetic symbol for people or nations. Verse 15 pictures a flood of people or armies trying to destroy God’s faithful few who are helped by the relatively empty or unpopulated places of the earth, especially mountainous areas. Now let’s look at Revelation 13.

“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. ² 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. ³ And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” (Rev 13:1-3)

The papacy has a long history of syncretizing paganism with Christian teachings. That is why verse 2 attributes characteristics of the leopard (pagan Greek culture), bear (pagan Medo-Persia) and lion (pagan Babylon) to the blasphemous beast that rose up out of the sea (multitudes of people). Modern Roman Catholicism remains a vast conglomeration of pagan superstitions amalgamated with some Christian teachings. It brazenly bulges with symbols, ceremonies and superstitious dogmas borrowed from all of those ancient pagan religions.

Verse 3 notes the deadly wound inflicted on one of the heads of the beast (papal Rome) and then prophecies the healing of that wound and a worldwide recognition of that healed beast.

4 “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? ⁵ And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty [and] two months. ⁶ And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 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. ⁸ And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. ⁹ If any man have an ear, let him hear. ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. ¹² And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. ¹³ And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, ¹⁴ And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 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. ¹⁶ And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: ¹⁷ And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. ¹⁸ Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six.”(Revelation 13:4-18)

Who is the second beast of Revelation 13? “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.” (Verse 11) There is only one nation on earth that can fit this prophecy. The shocking but obvious evidence points to the United States. Her founding principles are lamblike but she will repudiate these principles and will end up as a dragon.

With all of the rancor and infighting in Washington and among the other nations of the world the rise of the Revelation 13 coalition may seem impossible but never forget; the coalition that crucified Christ included a conservative Pharisee party, a liberal Sadducee High Priest, a secular/pagan Roman Government and the rude ignorant masses. The major parties involved in that coalition all bitterly hated one another but they united in a common cause because they each saw a threat to their own power base if they didn’t go along.

The US has become the world’s policeman, sometimes going it alone but more often using its powerful influence to marshal other countries into a coalition for policing action in various regions of the globe. The US has a military capacity far beyond that of any other nation or group of nations on earth. For example, the US has 11 aircraft carriers and each of those carriers is of a size and technological class unmatched by any other nation’s carrier. No other nation in the entire world has more than one carrier with the exception of Italy, which has two. Neither Russia nor Britain has a carrier and China has only one, which they built from the rusting hulk of an unfinished Soviet era ship.

More precisely, America has more, larger and better equipped aircraft carriers than all of the other nations of the world combined! A carrier is a floating city, a floating military base with several supporting ships surrounding it, so each carrier represents a huge military force. The US also has numerous landed military bases all over the world from which to carry out international “police work.” And of course, our trump card is our phenomenal nuclear arsenal and our state-of-the-art defensive shield.

No one with the slightest bit of realistic thinking believes that any other power in the world will ever defeat the United States and impose a “mark of the beast” law on the American population. With that realization in mind, we are forced to the only logical conclusion — the two-horned beast of Revelation 13 represents the United States. The loss of liberty will be an inside job, not something imposed by a foreign power. Our government will repudiate some first amendment rights and persecution will be the result.

America’s two governing principles are civil and religious liberty — a government without a king (“republicanism”) and churches without a pope (“Protestantism”). Many nations tolerate religious diversity but the United States is unique in that it protects as an unalienable right your freedom to worship as you wish without government interference or control! The Bible prophesies that the United States will repudiate these republican and Protestant principles, which are the secret of its success. At that time, it will forfeit the blessings of God and will speak as a dragon. US Protestantism will lead out in a coalition with Europe through the papacy and under the influence of spiritism. Babylon the Great will dominate the world with the stated purpose of establishing security and prosperity. This treasonous act against God will usher in a new Dark Age of religious persecution on a worldwide scope.

God still has millions of honest-hearted people worshiping within Catholicism and nominal Protestantism. They are faithfully living up to all the light they currently have. God winks at their ignorance. (See Acts 17:30) But when those churches unite and turn to the civil governments to enforce their pagan dogmas, they will be committing spiritual fornication.

Scripture represents Babylon the Great as the Great Whore and a mother of harlots. (See Revelation 17:1-5) Christ is represented throughout Scripture as the Husband of the Bride, His true Church. She does not need the help of civil governments to enforce her will. Government is to protect liberty of conscience and in that sense to protect the church but it has no mandate from God to enforce the church’s agenda.

God has not authorized an American or international Theocracy and therefore any attempt to establish such systems will bring about the most severe judgments from God. When Protestant churches of America unite with the papacy and civil government to sustain a syncretic religion there will be a national apostasy, which will end in national ruin. Jesus Christ is the spiritual Husband of His true church. When the churches in America put civil government in the place of Christ, they will be daughter harlots, adulteresses in bed with the state. God’s patience will then be at an end and the final call made for God’s people still residing within that false worship structure to “come out” before probation closes and the seven last plagues fall. Not only is that call made in America but it is a worldwide call.

Revelation chapters 14-18 have a great deal more to say about the coming worldwide church-state union and the persecution of the little minority, the little Remnant, of conscientious peaceful Christian dissenters. In Revelation 18:3-5 we read:

“And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.”

The fourth century Roman emperor Constantine sought to regain the fading strength of his empire by elevating Christianity to state-endorsed status. Rather than saving the empire, that religio-political union merely began the process of morphing Pagan Rome into Papal Rome, which eventually subjugated the western world, swallowing it up in the oppressive Dark Ages of ignorance, intolerance, and persecution. 21^stcentury American and world leaders are desperately looking for a solution to the vortex of troubles civilization is being rapidly sucked into. Western civilization today will follow the religio-political model of the ancient Roman Empire in a desperate bid to regain security and prosperity, and the favor of God.

On a personal note, I have had many obstacles to overcome while writing A Fly in the Ointment. The obstacles have increased and my trials have intensified as I near the completion of this five-year project. While dealing with overwhelming grief and sorrow over tragic losses and betrayals in my family I also have had serious financial setbacks. I was diagnosed 6 months ago (December 2011) with stage IV cancer and am in a fierce battle to overcome that. Recently I fell asleep at the wheel on a country road due to some steroids I was taking which kept me awake at night. I suffered injuries to my legs when my truck turned over. Then a couple of weeks later my left leg gave out in the bathtub due to the injury to my knee and I fell. The fall resulted in some cracked ribs. So now I am not able to get exercise and not able to labor physically outdoors. I’m not getting any aerobic exercise. On the positive side, I’m getting a lot of work done at my desk writing and completing this project. And I’m getting more sleep which my body desperately needs in order to heal.

There is a very real devil and he doesn’t want this project to come to fruit. But God is greater than all the devils combined. (See 1^st John 4:4)

What I need as much as anything right now and going forward is patience. I recall a proverb I read several years ago that went something like this: “Patience is not passive; it is active concentrated strength.” So one manifestation of patience is that no matter what the obstacle we keep going with a focus on the end goal. We will not allow anything to deter us even though the progress may be slow. It may seem as though we are slogging through a mucky swamp on crutches one painfully slow step at a time.

Revelation 14:12 gives a few major identifying characteristics of the end-time remnant when it says, “Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” We exercise the faith of Jesus, we are obedient to His commandments and we exercise patience.

Revelation 13:10 indicates that we exercise patience in the face of fierce persecution and even the threat of death. So there we read again, “Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”

Why do we hang on? Why do we not give up the fight? We can find inspiration in the example of Moses. He looked forward in faith to the reward and it satisfied him during his struggle.

“By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.”(Hebrews 11:24-26)

Please read all of Hebrews chapter 11 now. After reciting a rousing litany of faithful men and women down through history and the obstacles they overcame the chapter closes with the words,

“And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”(Hebrews 11:39-40)

With a few notable exceptions, all of the great men and women of faith down through the ages are sleeping peacefully awaiting the resurrection. When Jesus returns with a shout and the blast of a trumpet they will awaken together. Because there is no thinking in the sleep of temporal death it will seem to them that they went to sleep only a moment ago. (See Psalm 146:1-4; Ecclesiastes 9:5-10) Their thoughts will take up where they left off as though no time has passed at all. All will rejoice together as they rise into the air to meet the Lord and Savior. Their warfare is over and now the eternal reward awaits — Praise God!

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. . . . Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled.”(Hebrews 12:1-3, 12-15)

As God prepared to deliver His special people into their promised land 3,500 years ago, the Egyptian Pharaoh clamped down with severe dictatorial laws. God struck Egypt with a series of devastating plagues just prior to delivering His people from their cruel bondage. Likewise, the world is about to descend into a horrible nightmare of dictatorial laws that will be thrust upon us with overwhelming force and as an overwhelming surprise. But you are forewarned. Many troubles will come before our deliverance. God will strike the world with seven final devastating plagues and then deliver His special people into our eternal promised land. Are you ready?

<< Back to chap 17         Forward to chap 19 >>