I
study Little Horn Dan 7! Nine ways to identify the antichrist! His reign of
1260 YEARS! Why it ended 1866 and his ‘CAN NOT BUY OR SELL!!
The One World Government - Historical View
Original Commenced 20201122 -:- Published 20210829 -:- Revised 20250923
This Paper Published 20260715 -:- Revised 20260715
Caution! Possible spelling mistakes - Scriptures from Modern King James (MKJV) unless noted otherwise.
Overview
I published ‘The One World Government’ in 2020 some 90 plus pages. Not conducive for a quick 10-minute read on the Internet. So I’ve divide it into a few manageable ‘Short Papers’, also revising some of my earlier work. Below I’ve given you the links to ALL the related ‘Short Papers’ on the “OWG”.. The One World Government Study. This basically gives you an index. The first four from the Futurist View (FV). The rest are from the Historical View (HV)!
List of ‘Short Papers on the OWG’: -
OWG1 FV - The Origin Of The One World Government
OWG2 FV - The Ten Toes, Horns Or Kings
OWG3 FV - The Little Horn Dan 7
OWG4 FV - The Time of the End
OWG5 HV - The Historical View Reasoning
OWG6 HV - The “Ten, Toes, Horns, Kings”
OWG7 HV - [9] Characteristics of The Little Horn Daniel 7
OWG8 HV - Who Are The Saints Who Topple The Antichrist?
OWG9 HV - The Revelation, Heads, Horns and Crowns
OWG10 HV - The Ten Horned Beast of Rev 13
OWG11 HV - The Harlot Astride The Beast Rev 17
OWG12 HV - The Fall of Babylon Rev 18
Revision
In the talks entitled; OWG1 FV - The Origin Of The One World Government, I used the Futurist View to look at where the idea of a future One World Government came from, along with other important building blocks needed to formulate this study. In OWG2 FV - The Ten Toes, Horns Or Kings I explained the meanings of the Ten Toes, Horns Or Kings. In OWG3 FV - The Little Horn Dan 7 I examined the prophecies regarding the Little Horn. In OWG4 FV - The Time of the End I examined the prophecies regarding the Little Horn ie, the future antichrist and the final end of ‘The One World Government’. In OWG5 HV - The Historical View Reasoning we examined Why Do Historicists Think The Way they do? Mainly because of the differences in how they interpret some key scriptures. In OWG6 HV - The “Ten, Toes, Horns, Kings” we covered a lot of ground in Daniel 2. The ten kingdoms, they CAN NOT Unite, the ‘Stone Kingdom and finally the Beast of Dan 7.
Aim
In this talk OWG7 HV - [9] Characteristics of The Little Horn Daniel 7, we examine Nine Characteristics of the Little Horn in Daniel 7 that we can use to identify the antichrist.
OWG7 HV - [9] Characteristics of The Little Horn Daniel 7
As we read on in Daniel 7, we find more information. Daniel sees in Dan 7:8 “..there came up among them another little horn, …three of the first horns were uprooted. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.” So the ‘Little Horn’, (Also referred to as the man of sin or the son of perdition, refer 2Th 2:3), he comes up after, but amongst, the ‘Ten’ horns, from within the Roman world. He then destroys three kingdoms. [Ref CN by C.I. Scofield on Dan7: 8] “who subdues three of the ten kings so completely that the separate identity of their kingdoms is destroyed.”. This is also repeated in the angel’s explanation in Dan 7:24 “…And another shall arise after them. And he shall be different from the first, and he shall humble three kings.” Continuing in the next verse, Dan 7:25 “And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and plot to change times and laws. And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and one-half time”. Let’s examine the development of the little horn step by step. Here above, you have underlined, [9] characteristics about the ‘Little Horn’, which can help you identify the little horn and show you quite clearly who he is today! Let’s study these [9] key characteristics. Each section is quite detailed; it’s going to take a while, maybe you should get a cuppa?
1: - There Came Up Among Them Another Little Horn
In which period of history did the Little Horn rise up? The historicists believe the ‘little horn’, also known as the antichrist, is the pope. If he is the pope, then how did he come to power? He couldn’t have risen to power before 476AD, because the Western Roman Emperor was still ‘top dog’ in charge and seated in Rome. We have also seen from the historical maps that after 476, ‘Ten’ kingdoms rose up to take control of Europe. So if the ‘little horn’ rises up after the ‘Ten’ kings, he would have to have ‘come up’ after 476AD. So from 476 onward there must have been some significant change in the ecclesiastical power of the ‘humble’ bishop of Rome, for him to become the all powerful pope and head of ALL the churches. To answer this we need to look through some history books. Can I refer you to one of my earlier talks entitled, CHURCH HISTORY Part 1 -:- [From Christ to The Pope]. In that talk I have extensively referred to, ‘HCC’ i.e. “History of The Christian Church by Philip Schaff”, to build up a very brief history of the church. I’ll give you a quick brief of what I discovered along with some additional references I have found. Let’s now look at the major event dates. Key phrases are underlined to help you find the reference.
313 [Ref HCC vol.2 ch.2 p.025] “The Edicts of Toleration. a.d. 311-313”. “Constantine met at Milan with his co-regent and brother-in-law, Licinius, and issued a new edict of toleration (313), to which Maximin also shortly before his suicide (313), was compelled to give his consent at Nicomedia. The second edict went beyond the first of 311; it was a decisive step from hostile neutrality to friendly neutrality and protection, and prepared the way for the legal recognition of Christianity, as the religion of the empire.”
380 [Ref Wiki De fide catholica] “The edict "De fide catholica" (Edictum de fide catholica issued by Emperor Theodosius on 27 February 380, establishing Catholic Christianity as the official religion of the empire”.
The following is a lengthy quote of the ‘strong handed’ ruling. [Ref HCC vol.3 ch.3 p.027] “At last Theodosius the Great, the first emperor who was baptized in the Nicene faith, put an end to the Arian interregnum, proclaimed the exclusive authority of the Nicene creed, and at the same time enacted the first rigid penalties not only against the pagan idolatry, the practice of which was thenceforth a capital crime in the empire, but also against all Christian heresies and sects. The ruling principle of his public life was the unity of the empire and of the orthodox church. Soon after his baptism, in 380, he issued, in connection with his weak coëmperors, Gratian and Valentinian II., to the inhabitants of Constantinople, then the chief seat of Arianism, the following edict: “We, the three emperors, will, that all our subjects steadfastly adhere to the religion which was taught by St. Peter to the Romans, which has been faithfully preserved by tradition, and which is now professed by the Pontiff Damasus, of Rome, and Peter, bishop of Alexandria, a man of apostolic holiness. According to the institution of the apostles and the doctrine of the gospel, let us believe in the one Godhead of the Father, the son, and the Holy Ghost, of equal majesty in the holy Trinity. We order that the adherents of this faith be called Catholic Christians; we brand all the senseless followers of other religions with the infamous name of heretics, and forbid their conventicles assuming the name of churches. Besides the condemnation of divine justice, they must expect the heavy penalties which our authority, guided by heavenly wisdom, shall think proper to inflict.” In the course of fifteen years this emperor issued at least fifteen penal laws against heretics, by which he gradually deprived them of all right to the exercise of their religion, excluded them from all civil offices, and threatened them with fines, confiscation, banishment, and in some cases, as the Manichaeans, the Audians, and even the Quartodecimanians, with death”.
NB: The pope could use these penal laws against the reformers because they were also called heretics!
496 [ref HCC vol.3 ch.5 p.064] “Gelasius I. (492-496) clearly announced the principle, that the priestly power is above the kingly and the imperial, and that from the decisions of the chair of Peter there is no appeal.”
529 [Ref HCC vol.2 ch.12 p.137] “At this second council the Emperor “Theodosius the Great enforced uniformity of belief by legal penalties in fifteen edicts between 381 and 394. Honorius (408), Arcadius, the younger Theodosius, and Justinian (529) followed in the same path. By these imperial enactments heretics, i.e. open dissenters from the imperial state-religion,” (Orthodox Christianity), “were deprived of all public offices, of the right of public worship, of receiving or bequeathing properly, of making binding contracts; they were subjected to fines, banishment, corporeal punishment, and even death.” This is starting to sound like you “Cant Not Buy Or Sell”!
533 The Decrees of Justinian. [Ref Wiki link] The Decrees of Justinian Declaring John, Bishop of Rome to be Chief Bishop of All the Churches [AD 533]. A short extract from the last lines of the article is shown below: -
"that the elder Rome was the founder of the laws; so was it not to be questioned that in her was the supremacy of the pontificate." In the 131st; chap. II, on the ecclesiastical titles and privileges it states: "We therefore decree that the most holy Pope of the elder Rome is the first of all the priesthood, and that the most blessed Archbishop of Constantinople, the new Rome, shall hold the second rank after the holy Apostolic chair of the elder Rome."5”
538 [Ref Wiki Papal Selection Before 1059]. It gives you an interesting brief account of how the bishop of Rome was elected through to the year 537. Also when he was first called ‘pope’. The clergy and the laity generally decided the election of the pope. But in 537-538 the pope was placed on the seat of Peter by the sole authority of the Eastern Roman Emperor! [Ref HCC vol.3 ch.5 p.064] “Vigilius, a pliant creature of Theodora, ascended the papal chair under the military protection of Belisarius” (538-554) “Pope Silverius … was deposed … and banished to the island of Pandataria and in 540 he died”. So in the year 538 we now have the bishop of Rome politically NOT secularly appointed. He is now called Pontiff, and he has risen to considerable power amongst the ‘Ten’ kingdoms of Europe, fulfilling the prophecy of Daniel chapter 7:8 “…there came up among them another little horn, before whom three of the first horns were uprooted. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.”
606 “Universal Bishop” [Ref Wiki Link Apostate church organization: 588 - 606 AD:], a short extract is shown below: -
“606 AD Sabinian, the bishop of Rome dies and is replaced by Boniface III. Phocas writes to the new bishop of Rome, Boniface III and through imperial decree of the Roman government, proclaims Boniface III, as the "Head of all the Churches" and "Universal Bishop". Phocas transfers the title from Constantinople to Rome. Boniface III, Bishop of Rome takes title: "universal Bishop": Catholicism is formally born in its final evolved form but the east never accepts Rome's claims and finally split fellowship with Rome in 1054 AD.” [Also Ref HCC, use “Universal Bishop” in vols. 2,3,4,5 & 7 to find other references]. 606 AD is the second conformation that the bishop of Rome is the ‘Head of all the Churches’ and his power is now absolute, (Universal)! So ‘there came up among them another little horn’, now you can see how the pope achieved it.
2: - Three Of The First Horns Were Uprooted
Antichrist Shall Humble Three Kings. Some say this was the action of the bishop of Rome! He rose up to seize the sceptre of Rome and ultimately gained regal power, to become the pope, ‘a living God on earth’. Some say this gave him the power and authority to uproot or subdue three kings? When did the antichrist do this? And this is one reason why the Futurists don’t accept the pope is the antichrist. I suppose the simple reason is that most Futurists don’t study history! So they have no knowledge of the destruction of the three kingdoms!
Now if we go to the KJV and find the two relevant verses you can see there are two completely different meanings!
KJV Dan 7:8 .. before whom ..were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots H6132
KJV Dan 7:24 ..and another shall rise ..he shall subdue H8214 three kings.
2b: -Before Whom Or He Shall
These are two interesting phrases. ‘Before whom’, seems to indicate that the little horn had nothing personally to do with, plucking them up by the roots! Where as ‘he shall subdue three kings’, is a clear indication that the little horn is involved in the humbling or the subduing of the three kingdoms. So we need to look at some history books for some details on this. The reason I suggest this double issue is because the historians also look at this from two different opinions. I suggest that both opinions are acceptable.
First opinion: - Four of the ‘Ten’ kingdoms that rose up after the fall of Rome adopted an Arian form of Christianity. [Ref HCC Vol4 ch.2 p.021] “Arianism spread with great rapidity among the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Burgundians, and Vandals”. The Burgundians were converted to Catholicism. The other three did not convert, and so they were completely destroyed by other kingdoms at the behest of various powers, such as the Arabs and Moors and the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Emperors. Which seems to comply with the concept that the pope had nothing to do with the destruction of the three kingdoms; “before whom ..were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots”. In other word ‘before the little horn came onto the seen’, the three kingdoms were already plucked up by other world powers. Some suggest names of the kingdoms that were destroyed are the Heruli, Vandals, Lombards or the Ostrogoths. [Ref CN by Albert Barnes on Daniel 7:28] “the three kings or kingdoms here referred to were the Heruli, the Ostrogoths, and the Lombards.” Or [Ref CN by Preacher's Homiletical on Daniel 7 :8] “According to Mr. Birks, the three horns were the kingdom of the Heruli under Odoacer, that of the Ostrogoths under Theodoric, who at the instigation of the Pope overthrew the former, and took possession of that part of Italy forming the Exarchate of Ravenna, which again, at the Pope’s instance, was overthrown by Belisarius and Narses, lieutenants of the Emperor Justinian; the third power overthrown being that of the Lombards.”
Others suggest the following: -
The Vandals: [Ref HCC Vol4 ch02 par021] “The Vandals …Their kingdom was destroyed under Justinian (534)”
The Ostrogoths: [Ref HYY page 103] “The Later Part Of Justinian’s Reign …In Italy the Ostrogoths made rapid advances after the departure of Belisarius”, (there were numerus other wars mentioned until), “Justinian sent two huge armies under Artabanes and Narses to finish off the Goths,”
The Visigoths: [Ref HYY page 112] “In 710 The Visigothic Kingdom Of Spain had descended into civil war ..in 711 an Islamic army crossed the Straits of Gibraltar then the Arabs and Moors achieved the conquest of Spain”. Also [Ref HCC Vol4 ch02 par021] “The Visigoths in Spain, through their king, Reccared the Catholic, subscribed an orthodox creed at the third Council of Toledo, a.d. 589, but the last of the Gothic kings, Roderic, was conquered by the Saracens, breaking into Spain from Africa, in the bloody battle of Xeres de la Frontera, a.d. 711”. [Ref HCC Vol4 ch02 par022] “St. Remigius even advised the war of conquest against the Visigoths, because they were Arians”.
Second opinion: - [Ref CN by John Gill on Daniel 7:8] “before whom, there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots; before whom three kings or kingdoms fell, and were subdued as in Dan 7:20 which, according to Mr. Mede (m), were the kingdoms of the Greeks, of the Longobards, and of the Franks; but, according to Sir Isaac Newton (n), they were the Exarchate of Ravenna, the kingdom of the Lombards, and the senate and dukedom of Rome; or, according to the present bishop of Clogher (o), the Campagnia of Rome the exarchate of Ravenna, and the region of Pentapolis, which were plucked up by Pipin and Charlemagne, kings of France, and given to the pope; and were confirmed to him by their successor Lewis the pious, and is what is called the Patrimony of Saint Peter; in memory of which a piece of Mosaic work was made and put up in the pope's palace, representing St. Peter with three keys in his lap; signifying the three keys of the three parts of his patrimony; and to show his sovereignty over them, the pope to this day wears a triple crown”. When these three kingdoms were given to the pope this made him a temporal power. He was now a sovereign over most of Italy!
So there are numerous arguments as to who were the three kingdoms that were destroyed. But remember this comment from above; [Ref CN by Albert Barnes on Daniel 7:28] “Even if it is not practicable to make out the number, with strict exactness, or if all writers do not agree in regard to the dynasties constituting the number ten, we should bear in remembrance the fact that these powers arose in the midst of great confusion; that one kingdom arose and another fell in rapid succession;” As I said above, ‘before whom or he shall’, and was the pope directly involved or not. And the scriptures could be taken both ways that three kingdoms were destroyed before the pope came onto the seen, and also three kingdoms were humbled because he was involved.
3: - Eyes Like The Eyes Of Man
I have covered this before in the ‘Futurist View’, heres a recap: - “the antichrist will have the following attributes. [Ref CN by Keil & Delitzsch on Dan 7:8] ‘insight, circumspection, prudence, wisdom’. [Ref CN by Joseph Benson on Dan 7:8] ‘perspicacity, foresight, and cunning of this power’. [Ref CN by Albert Barnes on Dan 7:8] ‘The wheel rims full of eyes Eze 1:18, as symbolic of intelligence’. But nearly all these traits can be attributed to any human king. But consider these. [Ref CN by Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Dan 7:8] ‘eyes of a man…so (Gen 3:5) the serpent’s promise was, man’s “eyes should be opened,” if he would but rebel against God. Antichrist shall consummate the self-apotheosis, begun at the fall, high intellectual culture, independent of God.’ And then we have this about the Lamb of God in Rev 5:6 “a Lamb ..slain, ..having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God.” Is ‘the little horn’ with eyes likely to signify some kind of evil spiritual insight? Or Satanic possession? But consider this, a king usually inherited his throne so he didn’t necessarily need an extensive education. But it would be handy in order to govern his kingdom well. But the pope is usually always elected. So he would have to have shrewd political skills in order to lobby the support to be elected by the clergy. This I think is an additional aspect in reference to the ‘eyes of a man’.
4: - A Mouth Speaking Great Things
Most of this aspect is covered under the heading, “6: - Speaking Words Against The Most High”, which is listed. That section speaks of papal blasphemies. But some of the things the popes have said in the past are not just blasphemies, but just outrageous statements and political manipulation. [Ref CN by Adam Clarke on Daniel 7:8] “And a mouth speaking great things - Full of boasting; pretending to unlimited jurisdiction; binding and loosing at pleasure; promising to absolve from all sins, present, past, and future; and threatening to send to everlasting destruction all kings, kingdoms, and individuals, who would dare to dispute his power and authority.” Also [Ref CN by Albert Barnes on Daniel 7:28] “This is properly the beginning of that mighty domination which the Pope wielded over Europe - a beginning, which, however small at first, ultimately became so powerful and so arrogant as to claim jurisdiction over all the kingdoms of the earth, and the right to absolve subjects from their allegiance, to lay kingdoms under interdict, to dispose of crowns, to order the succession of princes, to tax all people, and to dispose of all newly-discovered countries.” An example of such an outlandish claim is, [Ref HYY page 176] “In 1494 Pope Alexander drew a line north to south down the map of the Americas, gave the west to Spain and the east to Portugal.”
5: - Different From The First
We can now see the fulfilment of the prophecy of Dan 7:8, “..there came up among them another little horn”, and Dan 7:24 “…And another shall arise after them. And he shall be different from the first.” The pope did rise to power amongst the other ‘Ten’ kings of Europe. He came to power after the ‘Ten’ kings were established. We find out later that he was also the sovereign of a large estate, a kingdom. So he was different, because he was both a religious and a secular ‘king’.
[Ref CN from Preacher's Homiletical on Daniel 7:19-25] “THE LITTLE HORN. III. Its identification. ..The question is, has such a power already appeared, or are we still to look for it? The latter unlikely, as the fourth beast, from which it springs, has confessedly appeared two thousand years ago, and the ten kingdoms, among and behind which it was to rise, have probably been in existence about fourteen centuries. Has, then, any power appeared during that period to which the description is at all applicable, and to which it has been applied? There is a well-known power to which the description has appeared so applicable, that for more than three hundred years the description has been actually and unhesitatingly applied to it by almost all who have studied this passage, with the exception, of course, of those who are in any way connected with the power itself; although it is probable that the horn may not even yet have fully developed itself [167]. That power is the Papacy, with the Bishop of Rome as its head and representative [168]; for nearly thirteen centuries a temporal power, like the other horns, though now no longer such [169]; but so diverse from them as to be at the same time a spiritual power, while the rest were only secular ones.”
6: - Speak Words Against The Most High
I have covered this in much more detail in another talk entitled, “He Shall Speak Words Against The Most High”. That talk is a collection of blasphemous papal claim from multiple sources. As I have said this is a very delicate issue! And I’ve no wish to upset anyone’s faith or beliefs, so I’ve used quotations to verify the papal claims. The claims STILL exist! And because the pope is Infallible, and always has been, he can’t rescind the dozens of blasphemous claims on public record from previous “infallible” popes. But what is Blaspheme? Jesus was accused of blaspheme. Refer Mat 26:63-65, the high priest challenged Jesus, and in verse 65 ..the high priest ..saying, He has spoken blasphemy!” also in John 10:36. Jesus said, “I am the son of God”! But He is the Son of God! So He is not guilty of blasphemy right? But what if someone else says they are God, or they are equal to God, or they claim the prerogatives of God? They would be guilty of blasphemy, correct?
So Blasphemy is a key characteristic by which we MUST defiantly be able recognise the antichrist! Most of the characteristic blasphemies of the ‘Little Horn’ are listed in these scriptures. We have Rev 13:5- “a mouth speaking great things ..and blasphemies ..blasphemy toward God ..blaspheme His name ..His tabernacle ..those dwelling in Heaven”. Also we have in 2Th 2:4 “ ..who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God ..that is worshiped ..he sits as God in the temple of God ..setting himself forth, that he is God”. This gives us a list of 10 distinct forms of blasphemy we can look for in history. See if you can find them in the outrageous claims below. Any of the references I’ve given you, may I suggest you read them through completely. They are mind-boggling to say the least! I have tried to show, ‘the date’, ‘the reference’ and ‘the claim’. I have underlined key phrases, which you can copy, then paste into the link to easily find the claims. Let’s start with the multiple claims. If I couldn’t find the date, then I tried to find the pope who made the claim, and his term of office.
1073 [Ref HCC vol.5 ch.2 p.011] Hildebrand known as pope St. Gregory VII “Hildebrand was convinced that, however unworthy personally, he was, in his official character, the successor of Peter, and as such the vicar of Christ in the militant Church. He entirely identified himself with Peter as the head of the apostolic college, and the keeper of the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; …He constantly appealed to the famous words of Christ, Mat 16:18, Mat 16:19, as if they were said to himself. The pope inherits the lofty position of Peter. He is the Rock of the Church. He is the universal bishop, a title against which the first Gregory protested as an anti-Christian presumption. He is intrusted with the care of all Christendom (including the Greek Church, which never acknowledged him). He has absolute and final jurisdiction, and is responsible only to God, and to no earthly tribunal. He alone can depose and reinstate bishops, and his legates take precedence of all bishops. He is the supreme arbiter in questions of right and wrong in the whole Christian world. He is above all earthly sovereigns. He can wear the imperial insignia. He can depose kings and emperors, and absolve subjects from their oath of allegiance to unworthy sovereigns.”
1198+ [Ref link AT-Pope] “Those whom the Pope of Rome doth separate, it is not a man that separates them but God. For the Pope holdeth place on earth, not simply of a man but of the true God...dissolves, not by human but rather by divine authority...I am in all and above all, so that God Himself and I, the vicar of God, hath both one consistory, and I am able to do almost all that God can do..wherefore, if those things that I do be said not to be done of man, but of God, what do you make of me but God? Again, if prelates of the Church be called of Constantine for gods, I then being above all prelates, seem by this reason to be above all gods." Decretales Domini Gregori ix Translatione Episcoporum, (on the Transference of Bishops), title 7, chapter 3; Corpus Juris Canonice (2nd Leipzig ed., 1881), col. 99; (Paris, 1612), tom. 2, Decretales, col. 205 (while Innocent III was Pope).
1858? [Ref link AT-Pope] "The Pope alone is called most holy..
"Hence the Pope is crowned with a triple crown, as king of heaven and of earth and of hell.
"Moreover the superiority and the power of the Roman Pontiff by no means pertains only to heavenly things, but also earthly things, and to things under the earth, and even over the angels, whom he his greater than.
"So that if it were possible that the angels might err in the faith, or might think contrary to the faith, they could be judged and excommunicated by the Pope... (NB: ‘whom he his greater than’; is actually a ‘typo’ in the original)
1303? [Ref HCC vol.6 ch.10] The most extravagant claims of the papacy still had defenders. Augustus Triumphus and Alvarus Pelayo declared there could be no appeal from the pope to God, because the pope and God were in agreement. He who looks upon the pope with intent and trusting eye, looks upon Christ, and wherever the pope is, there is the Church. Yea, the pope is above canon law. [Ref link Alvarus Pelayo 1530+] [Ref also “ there is the Church in AT-Pope]
I published ‘The One World Government’ in 2020 some 90 plus pages. Not conducive for a quick 10-minute read on the Internet. So I’ve divide it into a few manageable ‘Short Papers’, also revising some of my earlier work. Below I’ve given you the links to ALL the related ‘Short Papers’ on the “OWG”.. The One World Government Study. This basically gives you an index. The first four from the Futurist View (FV). The rest are from the Historical View (HV)!
List of ‘Short Papers on the OWG’: -
OWG1 FV - The Origin Of The One World Government
OWG2 FV - The Ten Toes, Horns Or Kings
OWG3 FV - The Little Horn Dan 7
OWG4 FV - The Time of the End
OWG5 HV - The Historical View Reasoning
OWG6 HV - The “Ten, Toes, Horns, Kings”
OWG7 HV - [9] Characteristics of The Little Horn Daniel 7
OWG8 HV - Who Are The Saints Who Topple The Antichrist?
OWG9 HV - The Revelation, Heads, Horns and Crowns
OWG10 HV - The Ten Horned Beast of Rev 13
OWG11 HV - The Harlot Astride The Beast Rev 17
OWG12 HV - The Fall of Babylon Rev 18
Revision
In the talks entitled; OWG1 FV - The Origin Of The One World Government, I used the Futurist View to look at where the idea of a future One World Government came from, along with other important building blocks needed to formulate this study. In OWG2 FV - The Ten Toes, Horns Or Kings I explained the meanings of the Ten Toes, Horns Or Kings. In OWG3 FV - The Little Horn Dan 7 I examined the prophecies regarding the Little Horn. In OWG4 FV - The Time of the End I examined the prophecies regarding the Little Horn ie, the future antichrist and the final end of ‘The One World Government’. In OWG5 HV - The Historical View Reasoning we examined Why Do Historicists Think The Way they do? Mainly because of the differences in how they interpret some key scriptures. In OWG6 HV - The “Ten, Toes, Horns, Kings” we covered a lot of ground in Daniel 2. The ten kingdoms, they CAN NOT Unite, the ‘Stone Kingdom and finally the Beast of Dan 7.
Aim
In this talk OWG7 HV - [9] Characteristics of The Little Horn Daniel 7, we examine Nine Characteristics of the Little Horn in Daniel 7 that we can use to identify the antichrist.
OWG7 HV - [9] Characteristics of The Little Horn Daniel 7
As we read on in Daniel 7, we find more information. Daniel sees in Dan 7:8 “..there came up among them another little horn, …three of the first horns were uprooted. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.” So the ‘Little Horn’, (Also referred to as the man of sin or the son of perdition, refer 2Th 2:3), he comes up after, but amongst, the ‘Ten’ horns, from within the Roman world. He then destroys three kingdoms. [Ref CN by C.I. Scofield on Dan7: 8] “who subdues three of the ten kings so completely that the separate identity of their kingdoms is destroyed.”. This is also repeated in the angel’s explanation in Dan 7:24 “…And another shall arise after them. And he shall be different from the first, and he shall humble three kings.” Continuing in the next verse, Dan 7:25 “And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and plot to change times and laws. And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and one-half time”. Let’s examine the development of the little horn step by step. Here above, you have underlined, [9] characteristics about the ‘Little Horn’, which can help you identify the little horn and show you quite clearly who he is today! Let’s study these [9] key characteristics. Each section is quite detailed; it’s going to take a while, maybe you should get a cuppa?
1: - There Came Up Among Them Another Little Horn
In which period of history did the Little Horn rise up? The historicists believe the ‘little horn’, also known as the antichrist, is the pope. If he is the pope, then how did he come to power? He couldn’t have risen to power before 476AD, because the Western Roman Emperor was still ‘top dog’ in charge and seated in Rome. We have also seen from the historical maps that after 476, ‘Ten’ kingdoms rose up to take control of Europe. So if the ‘little horn’ rises up after the ‘Ten’ kings, he would have to have ‘come up’ after 476AD. So from 476 onward there must have been some significant change in the ecclesiastical power of the ‘humble’ bishop of Rome, for him to become the all powerful pope and head of ALL the churches. To answer this we need to look through some history books. Can I refer you to one of my earlier talks entitled, CHURCH HISTORY Part 1 -:- [From Christ to The Pope]. In that talk I have extensively referred to, ‘HCC’ i.e. “History of The Christian Church by Philip Schaff”, to build up a very brief history of the church. I’ll give you a quick brief of what I discovered along with some additional references I have found. Let’s now look at the major event dates. Key phrases are underlined to help you find the reference.
313 [Ref HCC vol.2 ch.2 p.025] “The Edicts of Toleration. a.d. 311-313”. “Constantine met at Milan with his co-regent and brother-in-law, Licinius, and issued a new edict of toleration (313), to which Maximin also shortly before his suicide (313), was compelled to give his consent at Nicomedia. The second edict went beyond the first of 311; it was a decisive step from hostile neutrality to friendly neutrality and protection, and prepared the way for the legal recognition of Christianity, as the religion of the empire.”
380 [Ref Wiki De fide catholica] “The edict "De fide catholica" (Edictum de fide catholica issued by Emperor Theodosius on 27 February 380, establishing Catholic Christianity as the official religion of the empire”.
The following is a lengthy quote of the ‘strong handed’ ruling. [Ref HCC vol.3 ch.3 p.027] “At last Theodosius the Great, the first emperor who was baptized in the Nicene faith, put an end to the Arian interregnum, proclaimed the exclusive authority of the Nicene creed, and at the same time enacted the first rigid penalties not only against the pagan idolatry, the practice of which was thenceforth a capital crime in the empire, but also against all Christian heresies and sects. The ruling principle of his public life was the unity of the empire and of the orthodox church. Soon after his baptism, in 380, he issued, in connection with his weak coëmperors, Gratian and Valentinian II., to the inhabitants of Constantinople, then the chief seat of Arianism, the following edict: “We, the three emperors, will, that all our subjects steadfastly adhere to the religion which was taught by St. Peter to the Romans, which has been faithfully preserved by tradition, and which is now professed by the Pontiff Damasus, of Rome, and Peter, bishop of Alexandria, a man of apostolic holiness. According to the institution of the apostles and the doctrine of the gospel, let us believe in the one Godhead of the Father, the son, and the Holy Ghost, of equal majesty in the holy Trinity. We order that the adherents of this faith be called Catholic Christians; we brand all the senseless followers of other religions with the infamous name of heretics, and forbid their conventicles assuming the name of churches. Besides the condemnation of divine justice, they must expect the heavy penalties which our authority, guided by heavenly wisdom, shall think proper to inflict.” In the course of fifteen years this emperor issued at least fifteen penal laws against heretics, by which he gradually deprived them of all right to the exercise of their religion, excluded them from all civil offices, and threatened them with fines, confiscation, banishment, and in some cases, as the Manichaeans, the Audians, and even the Quartodecimanians, with death”.
NB: The pope could use these penal laws against the reformers because they were also called heretics!
496 [ref HCC vol.3 ch.5 p.064] “Gelasius I. (492-496) clearly announced the principle, that the priestly power is above the kingly and the imperial, and that from the decisions of the chair of Peter there is no appeal.”
529 [Ref HCC vol.2 ch.12 p.137] “At this second council the Emperor “Theodosius the Great enforced uniformity of belief by legal penalties in fifteen edicts between 381 and 394. Honorius (408), Arcadius, the younger Theodosius, and Justinian (529) followed in the same path. By these imperial enactments heretics, i.e. open dissenters from the imperial state-religion,” (Orthodox Christianity), “were deprived of all public offices, of the right of public worship, of receiving or bequeathing properly, of making binding contracts; they were subjected to fines, banishment, corporeal punishment, and even death.” This is starting to sound like you “Cant Not Buy Or Sell”!
533 The Decrees of Justinian. [Ref Wiki link] The Decrees of Justinian Declaring John, Bishop of Rome to be Chief Bishop of All the Churches [AD 533]. A short extract from the last lines of the article is shown below: -
"that the elder Rome was the founder of the laws; so was it not to be questioned that in her was the supremacy of the pontificate." In the 131st; chap. II, on the ecclesiastical titles and privileges it states: "We therefore decree that the most holy Pope of the elder Rome is the first of all the priesthood, and that the most blessed Archbishop of Constantinople, the new Rome, shall hold the second rank after the holy Apostolic chair of the elder Rome."5”
538 [Ref Wiki Papal Selection Before 1059]. It gives you an interesting brief account of how the bishop of Rome was elected through to the year 537. Also when he was first called ‘pope’. The clergy and the laity generally decided the election of the pope. But in 537-538 the pope was placed on the seat of Peter by the sole authority of the Eastern Roman Emperor! [Ref HCC vol.3 ch.5 p.064] “Vigilius, a pliant creature of Theodora, ascended the papal chair under the military protection of Belisarius” (538-554) “Pope Silverius … was deposed … and banished to the island of Pandataria and in 540 he died”. So in the year 538 we now have the bishop of Rome politically NOT secularly appointed. He is now called Pontiff, and he has risen to considerable power amongst the ‘Ten’ kingdoms of Europe, fulfilling the prophecy of Daniel chapter 7:8 “…there came up among them another little horn, before whom three of the first horns were uprooted. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.”
606 “Universal Bishop” [Ref Wiki Link Apostate church organization: 588 - 606 AD:], a short extract is shown below: -
“606 AD Sabinian, the bishop of Rome dies and is replaced by Boniface III. Phocas writes to the new bishop of Rome, Boniface III and through imperial decree of the Roman government, proclaims Boniface III, as the "Head of all the Churches" and "Universal Bishop". Phocas transfers the title from Constantinople to Rome. Boniface III, Bishop of Rome takes title: "universal Bishop": Catholicism is formally born in its final evolved form but the east never accepts Rome's claims and finally split fellowship with Rome in 1054 AD.” [Also Ref HCC, use “Universal Bishop” in vols. 2,3,4,5 & 7 to find other references]. 606 AD is the second conformation that the bishop of Rome is the ‘Head of all the Churches’ and his power is now absolute, (Universal)! So ‘there came up among them another little horn’, now you can see how the pope achieved it.
2: - Three Of The First Horns Were Uprooted
Antichrist Shall Humble Three Kings. Some say this was the action of the bishop of Rome! He rose up to seize the sceptre of Rome and ultimately gained regal power, to become the pope, ‘a living God on earth’. Some say this gave him the power and authority to uproot or subdue three kings? When did the antichrist do this? And this is one reason why the Futurists don’t accept the pope is the antichrist. I suppose the simple reason is that most Futurists don’t study history! So they have no knowledge of the destruction of the three kingdoms!
Now if we go to the KJV and find the two relevant verses you can see there are two completely different meanings!
KJV Dan 7:8 .. before whom ..were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots H6132
KJV Dan 7:24 ..and another shall rise ..he shall subdue H8214 three kings.
2b: -Before Whom Or He Shall
These are two interesting phrases. ‘Before whom’, seems to indicate that the little horn had nothing personally to do with, plucking them up by the roots! Where as ‘he shall subdue three kings’, is a clear indication that the little horn is involved in the humbling or the subduing of the three kingdoms. So we need to look at some history books for some details on this. The reason I suggest this double issue is because the historians also look at this from two different opinions. I suggest that both opinions are acceptable.
First opinion: - Four of the ‘Ten’ kingdoms that rose up after the fall of Rome adopted an Arian form of Christianity. [Ref HCC Vol4 ch.2 p.021] “Arianism spread with great rapidity among the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Burgundians, and Vandals”. The Burgundians were converted to Catholicism. The other three did not convert, and so they were completely destroyed by other kingdoms at the behest of various powers, such as the Arabs and Moors and the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Emperors. Which seems to comply with the concept that the pope had nothing to do with the destruction of the three kingdoms; “before whom ..were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots”. In other word ‘before the little horn came onto the seen’, the three kingdoms were already plucked up by other world powers. Some suggest names of the kingdoms that were destroyed are the Heruli, Vandals, Lombards or the Ostrogoths. [Ref CN by Albert Barnes on Daniel 7:28] “the three kings or kingdoms here referred to were the Heruli, the Ostrogoths, and the Lombards.” Or [Ref CN by Preacher's Homiletical on Daniel 7 :8] “According to Mr. Birks, the three horns were the kingdom of the Heruli under Odoacer, that of the Ostrogoths under Theodoric, who at the instigation of the Pope overthrew the former, and took possession of that part of Italy forming the Exarchate of Ravenna, which again, at the Pope’s instance, was overthrown by Belisarius and Narses, lieutenants of the Emperor Justinian; the third power overthrown being that of the Lombards.”
Others suggest the following: -
The Vandals: [Ref HCC Vol4 ch02 par021] “The Vandals …Their kingdom was destroyed under Justinian (534)”
The Ostrogoths: [Ref HYY page 103] “The Later Part Of Justinian’s Reign …In Italy the Ostrogoths made rapid advances after the departure of Belisarius”, (there were numerus other wars mentioned until), “Justinian sent two huge armies under Artabanes and Narses to finish off the Goths,”
The Visigoths: [Ref HYY page 112] “In 710 The Visigothic Kingdom Of Spain had descended into civil war ..in 711 an Islamic army crossed the Straits of Gibraltar then the Arabs and Moors achieved the conquest of Spain”. Also [Ref HCC Vol4 ch02 par021] “The Visigoths in Spain, through their king, Reccared the Catholic, subscribed an orthodox creed at the third Council of Toledo, a.d. 589, but the last of the Gothic kings, Roderic, was conquered by the Saracens, breaking into Spain from Africa, in the bloody battle of Xeres de la Frontera, a.d. 711”. [Ref HCC Vol4 ch02 par022] “St. Remigius even advised the war of conquest against the Visigoths, because they were Arians”.
Second opinion: - [Ref CN by John Gill on Daniel 7:8] “before whom, there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots; before whom three kings or kingdoms fell, and were subdued as in Dan 7:20 which, according to Mr. Mede (m), were the kingdoms of the Greeks, of the Longobards, and of the Franks; but, according to Sir Isaac Newton (n), they were the Exarchate of Ravenna, the kingdom of the Lombards, and the senate and dukedom of Rome; or, according to the present bishop of Clogher (o), the Campagnia of Rome the exarchate of Ravenna, and the region of Pentapolis, which were plucked up by Pipin and Charlemagne, kings of France, and given to the pope; and were confirmed to him by their successor Lewis the pious, and is what is called the Patrimony of Saint Peter; in memory of which a piece of Mosaic work was made and put up in the pope's palace, representing St. Peter with three keys in his lap; signifying the three keys of the three parts of his patrimony; and to show his sovereignty over them, the pope to this day wears a triple crown”. When these three kingdoms were given to the pope this made him a temporal power. He was now a sovereign over most of Italy!
So there are numerous arguments as to who were the three kingdoms that were destroyed. But remember this comment from above; [Ref CN by Albert Barnes on Daniel 7:28] “Even if it is not practicable to make out the number, with strict exactness, or if all writers do not agree in regard to the dynasties constituting the number ten, we should bear in remembrance the fact that these powers arose in the midst of great confusion; that one kingdom arose and another fell in rapid succession;” As I said above, ‘before whom or he shall’, and was the pope directly involved or not. And the scriptures could be taken both ways that three kingdoms were destroyed before the pope came onto the seen, and also three kingdoms were humbled because he was involved.
3: - Eyes Like The Eyes Of Man
I have covered this before in the ‘Futurist View’, heres a recap: - “the antichrist will have the following attributes. [Ref CN by Keil & Delitzsch on Dan 7:8] ‘insight, circumspection, prudence, wisdom’. [Ref CN by Joseph Benson on Dan 7:8] ‘perspicacity, foresight, and cunning of this power’. [Ref CN by Albert Barnes on Dan 7:8] ‘The wheel rims full of eyes Eze 1:18, as symbolic of intelligence’. But nearly all these traits can be attributed to any human king. But consider these. [Ref CN by Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Dan 7:8] ‘eyes of a man…so (Gen 3:5) the serpent’s promise was, man’s “eyes should be opened,” if he would but rebel against God. Antichrist shall consummate the self-apotheosis, begun at the fall, high intellectual culture, independent of God.’ And then we have this about the Lamb of God in Rev 5:6 “a Lamb ..slain, ..having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God.” Is ‘the little horn’ with eyes likely to signify some kind of evil spiritual insight? Or Satanic possession? But consider this, a king usually inherited his throne so he didn’t necessarily need an extensive education. But it would be handy in order to govern his kingdom well. But the pope is usually always elected. So he would have to have shrewd political skills in order to lobby the support to be elected by the clergy. This I think is an additional aspect in reference to the ‘eyes of a man’.
4: - A Mouth Speaking Great Things
Most of this aspect is covered under the heading, “6: - Speaking Words Against The Most High”, which is listed. That section speaks of papal blasphemies. But some of the things the popes have said in the past are not just blasphemies, but just outrageous statements and political manipulation. [Ref CN by Adam Clarke on Daniel 7:8] “And a mouth speaking great things - Full of boasting; pretending to unlimited jurisdiction; binding and loosing at pleasure; promising to absolve from all sins, present, past, and future; and threatening to send to everlasting destruction all kings, kingdoms, and individuals, who would dare to dispute his power and authority.” Also [Ref CN by Albert Barnes on Daniel 7:28] “This is properly the beginning of that mighty domination which the Pope wielded over Europe - a beginning, which, however small at first, ultimately became so powerful and so arrogant as to claim jurisdiction over all the kingdoms of the earth, and the right to absolve subjects from their allegiance, to lay kingdoms under interdict, to dispose of crowns, to order the succession of princes, to tax all people, and to dispose of all newly-discovered countries.” An example of such an outlandish claim is, [Ref HYY page 176] “In 1494 Pope Alexander drew a line north to south down the map of the Americas, gave the west to Spain and the east to Portugal.”
5: - Different From The First
We can now see the fulfilment of the prophecy of Dan 7:8, “..there came up among them another little horn”, and Dan 7:24 “…And another shall arise after them. And he shall be different from the first.” The pope did rise to power amongst the other ‘Ten’ kings of Europe. He came to power after the ‘Ten’ kings were established. We find out later that he was also the sovereign of a large estate, a kingdom. So he was different, because he was both a religious and a secular ‘king’.
[Ref CN from Preacher's Homiletical on Daniel 7:19-25] “THE LITTLE HORN. III. Its identification. ..The question is, has such a power already appeared, or are we still to look for it? The latter unlikely, as the fourth beast, from which it springs, has confessedly appeared two thousand years ago, and the ten kingdoms, among and behind which it was to rise, have probably been in existence about fourteen centuries. Has, then, any power appeared during that period to which the description is at all applicable, and to which it has been applied? There is a well-known power to which the description has appeared so applicable, that for more than three hundred years the description has been actually and unhesitatingly applied to it by almost all who have studied this passage, with the exception, of course, of those who are in any way connected with the power itself; although it is probable that the horn may not even yet have fully developed itself [167]. That power is the Papacy, with the Bishop of Rome as its head and representative [168]; for nearly thirteen centuries a temporal power, like the other horns, though now no longer such [169]; but so diverse from them as to be at the same time a spiritual power, while the rest were only secular ones.”
6: - Speak Words Against The Most High
I have covered this in much more detail in another talk entitled, “He Shall Speak Words Against The Most High”. That talk is a collection of blasphemous papal claim from multiple sources. As I have said this is a very delicate issue! And I’ve no wish to upset anyone’s faith or beliefs, so I’ve used quotations to verify the papal claims. The claims STILL exist! And because the pope is Infallible, and always has been, he can’t rescind the dozens of blasphemous claims on public record from previous “infallible” popes. But what is Blaspheme? Jesus was accused of blaspheme. Refer Mat 26:63-65, the high priest challenged Jesus, and in verse 65 ..the high priest ..saying, He has spoken blasphemy!” also in John 10:36. Jesus said, “I am the son of God”! But He is the Son of God! So He is not guilty of blasphemy right? But what if someone else says they are God, or they are equal to God, or they claim the prerogatives of God? They would be guilty of blasphemy, correct?
So Blasphemy is a key characteristic by which we MUST defiantly be able recognise the antichrist! Most of the characteristic blasphemies of the ‘Little Horn’ are listed in these scriptures. We have Rev 13:5- “a mouth speaking great things ..and blasphemies ..blasphemy toward God ..blaspheme His name ..His tabernacle ..those dwelling in Heaven”. Also we have in 2Th 2:4 “ ..who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God ..that is worshiped ..he sits as God in the temple of God ..setting himself forth, that he is God”. This gives us a list of 10 distinct forms of blasphemy we can look for in history. See if you can find them in the outrageous claims below. Any of the references I’ve given you, may I suggest you read them through completely. They are mind-boggling to say the least! I have tried to show, ‘the date’, ‘the reference’ and ‘the claim’. I have underlined key phrases, which you can copy, then paste into the link to easily find the claims. Let’s start with the multiple claims. If I couldn’t find the date, then I tried to find the pope who made the claim, and his term of office.
1073 [Ref HCC vol.5 ch.2 p.011] Hildebrand known as pope St. Gregory VII “Hildebrand was convinced that, however unworthy personally, he was, in his official character, the successor of Peter, and as such the vicar of Christ in the militant Church. He entirely identified himself with Peter as the head of the apostolic college, and the keeper of the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; …He constantly appealed to the famous words of Christ, Mat 16:18, Mat 16:19, as if they were said to himself. The pope inherits the lofty position of Peter. He is the Rock of the Church. He is the universal bishop, a title against which the first Gregory protested as an anti-Christian presumption. He is intrusted with the care of all Christendom (including the Greek Church, which never acknowledged him). He has absolute and final jurisdiction, and is responsible only to God, and to no earthly tribunal. He alone can depose and reinstate bishops, and his legates take precedence of all bishops. He is the supreme arbiter in questions of right and wrong in the whole Christian world. He is above all earthly sovereigns. He can wear the imperial insignia. He can depose kings and emperors, and absolve subjects from their oath of allegiance to unworthy sovereigns.”
1198+ [Ref link AT-Pope] “Those whom the Pope of Rome doth separate, it is not a man that separates them but God. For the Pope holdeth place on earth, not simply of a man but of the true God...dissolves, not by human but rather by divine authority...I am in all and above all, so that God Himself and I, the vicar of God, hath both one consistory, and I am able to do almost all that God can do..wherefore, if those things that I do be said not to be done of man, but of God, what do you make of me but God? Again, if prelates of the Church be called of Constantine for gods, I then being above all prelates, seem by this reason to be above all gods." Decretales Domini Gregori ix Translatione Episcoporum, (on the Transference of Bishops), title 7, chapter 3; Corpus Juris Canonice (2nd Leipzig ed., 1881), col. 99; (Paris, 1612), tom. 2, Decretales, col. 205 (while Innocent III was Pope).
1858? [Ref link AT-Pope] "The Pope alone is called most holy..
"Hence the Pope is crowned with a triple crown, as king of heaven and of earth and of hell.
"Moreover the superiority and the power of the Roman Pontiff by no means pertains only to heavenly things, but also earthly things, and to things under the earth, and even over the angels, whom he his greater than.
"So that if it were possible that the angels might err in the faith, or might think contrary to the faith, they could be judged and excommunicated by the Pope... (NB: ‘whom he his greater than’; is actually a ‘typo’ in the original)
1303? [Ref HCC vol.6 ch.10] The most extravagant claims of the papacy still had defenders. Augustus Triumphus and Alvarus Pelayo declared there could be no appeal from the pope to God, because the pope and God were in agreement. He who looks upon the pope with intent and trusting eye, looks upon Christ, and wherever the pope is, there is the Church. Yea, the pope is above canon law. [Ref link Alvarus Pelayo 1530+] [Ref also “ there is the Church in AT-Pope]
1895 [Ref link AT-Pope] “The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, he is Jesus Christ himself, hidden under the veil of flesh.” Catholic National, July, 1895.
???? [Ref link AT-Pope] “The Pope takes the place of Jesus Christ on earth ..by divine right the Pope has supreme and full power in faith, in morals over each and every pastor and his flock. He is the true vicar, the head of the entire church, the father and teacher of all Christians. He is the infallible ruler, the founder of dogmas, the author of and the judge of councils; the universal ruler of truth, the arbiter of the world, the supreme judge of heaven and earth, the judge of all, being judged by no one, God himself on earth." Quoted in the New York Catechism.
And the most resent one is…
1994 [Ref to PClaims] “Pope John Paul II claims to take the place of Jesus Christ on Earth. From "Crossing The Threshold of Hope", by Pope John Paul II, published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., copyright 1994 by Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, ISBN 0-679-76561-1, First Chapter, "The Pope": A Scandal and a Mystery:
QUESTION: How many blasphemous claims did you find in that very short list?
7: - Wear Out The Saints Of The Most High
It is not hard to find information about the papal persecutions of protestant Christians, (the saints of the Most High). You can go to the library, or Google Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. Or you can find ‘Foxe’s Book of Martyrs’ book via e-Sword, [Ref e-Sword/Reference Library/Foxe’s Book of Martyrs]. Then just search for phrases or words such as “burnt stake”, “antichrist” or “inquisition”. That will give you hundreds of references that will open your eyes about the papal persecutions. You can also go to, “History of The Christian Church (by Philip Schaff)”. The Spanish Inquisition started in 1478, but the persecution started well before that. Remember above where I talked about how the pope came to power, under the heading, “1/:- There Came Up Among Them Another Little Horn”. In 380AD “Emperor Theodosius establishing Catholic Christianity as the official religion of the Empire.” And do you remember the harsh penalties that followed? Then in 533 AD The Decrees of Justinian gave the pope the headship over the whole catholic world. So keep those thoughts in mind when you read the following articles.
1010 [Ref HCC vol.5 ch.10 p.079] “From Pope Gregory the Great about 590 to nearly 1010AD “For nearly five hundred years heresy had been unknown in Western Europe. When Gregory the Great converted the Arians of Spain and Lombardy in the latter part of the sixth century, it was supposed that the last sparks of heresy were extinguished. In the second half of the eleventh century here and there, …little flames of heresy shot forth; but they were quickly put out and the Church went on its way again in peace.” And you can imagine what was meant by the phrases, “sparks of heresy were extinguished or but they were quickly put out”. If you go to that reference and have a good read, it speaks of the rise of the dozens of different ‘anti catholic’ sects. Here are some highlights from around that reference.
1163 The Albigensian Crusade: [ref HCC vol.5 ch.10 p.058-086] “The synod of Tours, 1163 ..forbid ..Catholics from mingling with the Albigenses and from having commercial dealings with them ..Princes ..instructed to imprison ..and confiscate their goods. The Third Lateran, 1179, extended the punishments to the defenders of heretics and their friends. It gave permission ..to reduce heretics to slavery and shortened ..penance by two years for those taking up arms against them.” “In 1244, ..Montségur was taken, the last refuge of the Albigenses. Two hundred of the Perfect were burned.”
Did you pick up on that one? from having commercial dealings with them. Question if you were an Albigensian; how could you buy or sell anything from someone other than an Albigensian? …YOU CAN NOT BUY OR SELL!
1179 The Third Lateran Council – 1179 A.D. [Ref link The Third Lateran Council – 1179 A.D then go to Papalencyclicals.Net/Councils/Ecum11.htm]. Go down to the 27th article, at about the fifth line, speaking of how to handle heretics. “we declare that they and their defenders and those who receive them are under anathema, and we forbid under pain of anathema that anyone should keep or support them in their houses or lands or should trade with them.” …YOU CAN NOT BUY OR SELL!
1238 [Ref HCC vol.5 ch.10 p.079] “The most elaborate list is given in the code of Frederick II. 1238, and enumerates nineteen different sects, among which the most familiar are Cathari, Patarenes, Beguines, Arnoldists, and Waldenses. …And in fact the list is not exhaustive, for it does not include the respectable group of Northern Italy known as the Humiliati, or the Ortlibenses of Strassburg, or the Apostolicals of Belgium. One document speaks of no less …one hundred and thirty different sects. The council of Verona, 1183, condemned, ..the Cathari and Patarenes ..Also the Passagini, Josephini, and Arnoldists, whom we put under perpetual Anathema.” ..these names, some of which were taken from localities or towns and did not indicate any differences of belief or practice from other sectaries. ..Innocent pronounced the number of heretics in southern France innumerable. ..Neumeister, a heretical bishop who was burnt, the number of Waldensian heretics in Austria about 1300 was eighty thousand. The writer, ..about 1315, said there was scarcely a land in which the Waldenses had not spread. The Cathari in southern France mustered large armies and were massacred by the thousands. Of all these sects, the only one which has survived is the very honourable body, still known as the Waldenses.”
1655 [Ref HCC vol.7 ch.1 p.011] “The most cruel of the many persecutions of the innocent Waldenses in the valleys of Piedmont took place in 1655, and shocked by its boundless violence the whole Protestant world, calling forth the vigorous protest of Cromwell and inspiring the famous sonnet of Milton, his foreign secretary: ..The Roman church has never repented of her complicity with these unchristian acts. On the contrary, she still holds the principle of persecution in connection with her doctrine that there is no salvation outside of her bosom. ..Leo XIII., a great admirer of the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas, in his Encyclical of Nov. 1, 1885, “concerning the Christian constitution of states,” wisely moderates, but reaffirms, in substance, the political principles of his predecessor. A revocation would be fatal to the Vatican dogma of papal infallibility. The practice of persecution is a question of power and expediency; and although isolated cases still occur from time to time, the revival of mediaeval intolerance is an impossibility, and would be condemned by intelligent and liberal Roman Catholics as a folly and a crime.”
1873 I’ll just give you some final dates as to when the Inquisition seems to come to an end in various countries. Which would also be ‘the end of the wearing Out The Saints’. We have the following reference: [Ref HCC vol.4 ch.6 p.80] “80. The Torture ..I. “The whole system of the Inquisition,” says Lea (p. 331), “was such as to render the resort to torture inevitable. Its proceedings were secret; the prisoner was carefully kept in ignorance of the exact charges against him, and of the evidence upon which they were based. He was presumed to be guilty, and his judges bent all their energies to force him to confess. To accomplish this, no means were too base or too cruel. ..The torture was abolished in England after 1640, in Prussia 1740, in Tuscany 1786, in France 1789, in Russia 1801, in various German states partly earlier, partly later (between 1740 and 1831), in Japan 1873…Exceptional cases of judicial torture occurred in the nineteenth century in Naples, Palermo, Roumania (1868), and Zug (1869)”
8: - Plot To Change Times And Laws
I will give you a few commentaries to think over, but most of them infer or give reference to the prerogatives of God, as given in Dan 2:21 “And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings.” etc. But there are other aspects that the antichrist thinks he has the right to change. Such as celibacy, abstinence from meats and setting up additional holy days etc. they are best summed up by Bishop Newton. [Ref CN by Joseph Benson on Daniel 7:25] “He shall think to change times and laws - Appointing fasts and feasts, canonizing saints, granting pardons and indulgences for sins, instituting new modes of worship, imposing new articles of faith, enjoining new rules of practice, and reversing at pleasure the laws of God and man.” - Bishop Newton.”
[Ref CN by John Gill on Daniel 7:25] “And think to change times and laws: to alter the forms and constitutions of kingdoms, and the customs and usages of them; yea, to set up and pull down kings at pleasure; see Dan 2:21, or to change the use of times and seasons, by setting apart days as holy for canonized saints; and appointing such days in a week, and such a season in the year, for abstinence from meats; and even to change the laws of God and man, by dispensing with both, and making new ones of his own:”
[Ref CN by Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Daniel 7:25] “change times - the prerogative of God alone (Dan 2:21); blasphemously assumed by Antichrist. The “times and laws” here meant are those of religious ordinance; stated times of feasts [Maurer]. Perhaps there are included the times assigned by God to the duration of kingdoms. He shall set Himself above all that is called God (2Th 2:4), putting his own “will” above God’s times and laws (Dan 11:36, Dan 11:37). But the “times” of His wilfulness are limited for the elect’s sake (Mat 24:22).”
[Ref CN by Keil & Delitzsch on Daniel 7:15-28] “The sin of the king in placing himself with God, therefore, as Kliefoth, (Kliefoth??), rightly remarks, “consists in this, that in these ordinances he does not regard the fundamental conditions given by God, but so changes the laws of human life that he puts his own pleasure in the place of the divine arrangements.” Thus shall he do with the ordinances of life, not only of God's people, but of all men. “But it is to be confessed that the people of God are most affected thereby, because they hold their ordinances of life most according to the divine plan; and therefore the otherwise general passage stands between two expressions affecting the conduct of the horn in its relation to the people of God.”
[Ref CN from Preacher's Homiletical on Daniel 7:19-25] “[178] A decretal of Callixtus II. says, “We entirely interdict priests, deacons, sub-deacons, and monks from contracting marriages; we decide also that, according to the sacred canons, the marriages contracted by persons of this kind be dissolved, and the persons brought to penance.” This Pope, as well as Pope Agatho, writes that the decretal epistles of the Roman Pontiff are to be received among the Scriptures, though they are not embodied in the code of canons, just as the Old and New Testaments are so received, “because a judgment of holy Pope Innocent seems to be published” for doing so. [179] In regard to the use of the cup, Pope Gregory VII. thus wrote to Wratislaus, king of Bohemia, “What your people ignorantly require can in no wise be conceded to them; and we now forbid it by the power of God and His holy Apostle Peter.” [180] Gregory III. convened an assembly of 93 bishops in 732, and with their assent published a general excommunication against all who were opposed to the worship of images. The same Pope wrote to the Emperor Leo, “Do you cease to persecute images and all will be quiet.”
9: - They Shall Be Given Into His Hand Until A Time Times -Half Time
We need to look into this carefully, because it definitely does not mean that the saints are given over to total destruction at the hands of the antichrist all the way through to the Second Advent. That is a misconception from the Futurist theory. Let’s work through it. Most of Dan 7:21-27 is talking about the “saints of the Most High” verses 21, 21, 25 & 27. Also referring to them as, ‘they’, and their interaction with the red dragon beast; which is also an indirect reference to the antichrist. So verse 25, “they” are those who are given into the hand of the antichrist until a time and times and one-half time. That is also known as 1260 “prophetic days”, at ‘a-day-for-a-year’ that is 1260 calendar years. But verse 26, ‘they’ are also those who shall take away his rulership, to cut off and to destroy until the end. And ‘the end’ is in reference to the return of Christ. So to destroy the antichrist until the end indicates that the saints of the Most High ultimately topple the rule of the antichrist starting sometime before Christ returns.
There are two things to look into her. The second point is the saints shall take away, or topple the antichrists’ rulership, and we will cover that later. But the First point is the antichrist has a time limit of 1260 years, we will cover that now. I’ll give you this lengthy section from A. J. Ferris. Remember we have talked about the years 533 and 606, they were the years the pope was given the title of “head of all the churches”. Also the year 538; [Ref HCC Vol. 3, Ch. 05, p.064] “Vigilius, a pliant creature of Theodora, “ascended the papal chair” under the military protection of Belisarius (538-554)”. And 1260 years later the pope was “removed from the papal chair” by the French military general Berthier in 1798.
[Ref wiki Berthier] “Berthier accompanied Napoleon throughout the campaign of 1796, and was left in charge of the army after the Treaty of Campo Formio. He was in this post in 1798 when he entered Italy, invaded the Vatican, organized the Roman Republic, and took Pope Pius VI prisoner. Berthier supervised the Pope’s relocation to Valence, where, after a tortuous journey, Pius died. The death of the Pope dealt a major blow to the Vatican's political power which, however, did not prove as ephemeral as that of the First French Empire.” So 1798 less 538 = 1260 years! Wow how about that!
[Ref CN by A. J. Ferris from “The Second Advent How: When: Where?” page 14] He first quotes scriptures from KJV. “Dan 7:25 ..And the saints 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.”
Dan 7:9-11 “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit ..the judgment was set ..I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body was destroyed and given to the burning flame.”
“If we date the rise of the Papacy from 533-606 A.D., then we should expect to see its loss of political dominion 1260 years later, in 1793-1866. As to the actual dates the year 1793 was the central year of the French Revolution when France, who had been the eldest son of the church for 1000 years, threw off the yoke of the Papacy. The revolutionaries turned 40000 churches into stables, massacred 24,000 Priests, exiled another 40000, and guillotined thousands of Roman Catholics, including their Roman Catholic Royal family. In the next twenty years revolution and war overtured the thrones of the Roman Catholic world and drenched the Latin nations in blood and fire. In 1798 the Pope was dethroned and led away captive by Napoleon’s soldiers; the Papal States and Rome were conquered; the Vatican Palaces and Convents were robbed and despoiled of their fabulous wealth; and a blow given to the Papacy from which it never recovered.”
“One hundred years before, in 1701, a Robert Fleming had published a book entitled ‘The Rise and fall of the Papacy’, in which he foretold from Dan 7 the fall of Papal power in 1794, 1848 and 1866. The extraordinary fulfilment of his forecast on these very dates caused special re-editions of his book to appear. Fleming arrived at the date 1848 by Counting 1260 calendar years (each of 360 days) from 606 AD. It is remarkable that as soon as the year 1848 dawned all Roman Catholic Europe suddenly burst into violent revolution. Roman catholic dynasties were smitten and fell like trees before a tornado. On November 24th the Pope lost his kingdom and fled from Rome to an asylum in Gaeta. Italy proclaimed itself a republic.”
[Ref CN from TSK Cross References on Daniel 7:25] “a time: That is, three years and a half, or, reckoning thirty days to a month, 1,260 days, equal to the same number of years in prophetic language; which, dated from the decree of Phocas constituting him the supreme head of the church, A.D. 606, terminated in 1866. Dan 4:25, Dan 4:32, Dan 12:7, Dan 12:11-12; Rev 11:2-3, Rev 12:6, Rev 12:14, Rev 13:5, Rev 13:7.”
Now let’s have a closer look at; Dan 7:26 “But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his rulership, to cut off and to destroy until the end. :27 And the kingdom and rulership, and the greatness of the kingdom under all the heavens, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. And all kingdoms shall serve and obey Him.” This sounds just like the “Stone Kingdom” that shall become a great mountain! In other word the saints of the Most High are going to topple the antichrist power. We find out who they are in the next talk, entitled, “OWG8 HV - Who Are The Saints Who Topple The Antichrist?”
Hope you found that interesting and that I have explained everything well enough. If you have any comments by all means let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Again here is a list of the ALL the related ‘Short Papers’ on the “OWG”.. The One World Government Study: -
OWG1 FV - The Origin Of The One World Government
OWG2 FV - The Ten Toes, Horns Or Kings
OWG3 FV - The Little Horn Dan 7
OWG4 FV - The Time of the End
OWG5 HV - The Historical View Reasoning
OWG6 HV - The “Ten, Toes, Horns, Kings”
OWG7 HV - [9] Characteristics of The Little Horn Daniel 7
OWG8 HV - Who Are The Saints Who Topple The Antichrist?
OWG9 HV - The Revelation, Heads, Horns and Crowns
OWG10 HV - The Ten Horned Beast of Rev 13
OWG11 HV - The Harlot Astride The Beast Rev 17
OWG12 HV - The Fall of Babylon Rev 18
GBY (God Bless Ya) Yours Adrian DEACON
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