Friday, April 15, 2016

Biblical-Historical Prophets

There are 227 verses with the 244 occurrences of the word PROPHET-

Genesis        1 verse found        1 match
Exodus        1 verse found        1 match
Numbers        1 verse found        1 match
Deuteronomy        8 verses found        10 matches
Judges        1 verse found        1 match
1 Samuel        3 verses found        3 matches
2 Samuel        3 verses found        3 matches
1 Kings        28 verses found        29 matches
2 Kings        13 verses found        13 matches
1 Chronicles        2 verses found        2 matches
2 Chronicles        16 verses found        16 matches
Ezra        2 verses found        2 matches
Psalms        2 verses found        2 matches
Isaiah        6 verses found        6 matches
Jeremiah        46 verses found        53 matches
Lamentations        1 verse found        1 match
Ezekiel        7 verses found        8 matches
Daniel        1 verse found        1 match
Hosea        4 verses found        5 matches
Amos        1 verse found        2 matches
Micah        1 verse found        1 match
Habakkuk        2 verses found        2 matches
Haggai        5 verses found        5 matches
Zechariah        3 verses found        3 matches
Malachi        1 verse found        1 match
Matthew        22 verses found        25 matches
Mark        4 verses found        4 matches
Luke        13 verses found        14 matches
John        10 verses found        10 matches
Acts        13 verses found        13 matches
1 Corinthians        1 verse found        1 match
Titus        1 verse found        1 match
2 Peter        1 verse found        1 match
Revelation        3 verses found        3 matches
(34 of 66 Books of the Bible contain the word prophet)

Now convince me that prophets (those who speak prophecy) are not important in the Bible.

Prophets and therefore prophecy is very important, from Genesis to Revelation.  Let's continue our most important study and PLEASE if you are just starting to read these studies from this particular one, go back six/seven days to the first study on prophecy in this little series.

May God BLESS us all as we review again, or learn new of His marvelous prophecies.

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The Little Horn-- (Yes, all in capital letters because these are the verses of the little horn out of Daniel 7 and we need to recap them once again, and maybe again and again.)

Dan 7:8  I CONSIDERED THE HORNS AND BEHOLD THERE CAME UP AMONG THEM ANOTHER LITTLE HORN, BEFORE WHOM THERE WERE THREE OF THE FIRST HORNS PLUCKED UP BY THE ROOTS: AND, BEHOLD, IN THIS HORN WERE EYES LIKE THE EYES OF MAN, AND A MOUTH SPEAKING GREAT THINGS.

Characteristics-
Little horn
Three of the ten horns plucked up by the roots
Eyes like a man
Mouth speaking great things

Dan 7:11  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.

Characteristics-
Voice of the great words which the horn spoke

Dan 7:20  AND OF THE TEN HORNS THAT WERE IN HIS HEAD AND OF THE OTHER WHICH CAME UP, AND BEFORE WHOM THREE FELL, EVEN OF THE HORN THAT HAD EYES, AND A MOUTH THAT SPAKE VERY GREAT THINGS, WHOSE LOOK WAS MORE STOUT THAN HIS FELLOWS.

Characteristics-
Before whom three of the ten horns fell.
Horn that had eyes
Horn that had a mouth speaking great things
Horn whose appearance was more stout than the other horns

Dan 7:21,22  I BEHELD AND THE SAME HORN MADE WAR WITH THE SAINTS AND PREVAILED AGAINST THEM.  UNTIL THE ANCIENT OF DAYS CAME AND JUDGMENT WAS GIVEN TO THE SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH AND THE TIME CAME THAT THE SAINTS POSSESSED THE KINGDOM. 

Characteristics-
Little horn made war with the saints

Dan 7:24,24  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 SHALL SUBDUE THREE KINGS. 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.

Characteristics-
Another kingdom different from the others
Subdues three of the other kingdoms
Speaks great words against the Most High
Wear out the saints of the Most High
Think to change times and laws
In control for a time and times and dividing of time

This is all stuff we've reviewed over the last few lessons but we can't get this wrong, we have to study it deeply and prayerfully. We aren't going to find this kingdom quite so easily as we were able to understand that Babylon was overthrown by the Medes and Persians, or that the Medes and Persians were overthrown by the Greeks, or that Greek would be overthrown by the Romans.  How much more simpler it would all be if yet another came in and over threw the Romans, but that's not how it happened.  The Roman empire wasn't just over thrown by one entity but many.  Out of those many there was going to come up a SPECIAL entity, a very special entity from what the Bible tells us.

Daniel 7 isn't the only chapter that speaks of this power, how could it be when this power was going to exist until the very end of time? Let's go on to Daniel chapter 8 and catch yet another picture of this power with even more details added to this entire picture of history.

Dan 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.
Dan 8:2  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.
Dan 8:3  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.

Sound familiar? Remember this--

Dan 7:5  And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

Raised itself up on one side-  two horns one higher than the other. Yes, this is yet another representation of Medes and Persians. 

Dan 8:20  The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. 

So with that in mind let's keep reading-  not at this point- to note even more details on the kingdoms we are sure about- but to keep things in context until we learn more of that little horn which we have yet to put a name to.

Dan 8:4  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.
Dan 8:5  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.

Dan 8:21  And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

Dan 8:6  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.
Dan 8:7  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.
Dan 8:8  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.

Dan 8:9  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.
Dan 8:10  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.
Dan 8:11  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.
Dan 8:12  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.

A LITTLE HORN
Waxed exceeding great
Waxed great even to the host of heaven
Cast down some of the host of the stars to the ground and stamped upon them
Magnified himself to the prince of the host
By him the daily sacrifice was taken away
The place of his sanctuary was cast down
A host given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of sin
Cast down to the ground- 

And PRACTISED and PROSPERED.

Dan 8:13  Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
Dan 8:14  And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
Dan 8:15  And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
Dan 8:16  And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
Dan 8:17  So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
Dan 8:18  Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.
Dan 8:19  And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.

Dan 8:20  The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
Dan 8:21  And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
Dan 8:22  Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.

Dan 8:23  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.
Dan 8:24  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.
Dan 8:25  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 8:26  And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.
Dan 8:27  And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

Magnify himself in his heart
By peace shall destroy many

We know for a fact when Rome takes over Greece that out of Rome comes this LITTLE HORN, which if you ask me seems like the biggest horn of them all but in the disguise of being a little horn. Remember the old wolf in sheep's clothing? This seems like the exact same principle here. We have a seemingly little power that has more power than all the other kingdoms, more power than all the kingdoms before it but it's a power wielded in a much different manner. It's a power that gets control and keeps some form of control, keeps living despite any future opposition, and never stops living in some manner until all is said and done in our world. This power exists TODAY.  This same power that began coming out of the Roman power and entering into existence fully when it subdued, overthrew, caused to fall down three other powers. 

So that seems to be a bit of a keynote there in all this doesn't it? Those three kingdoms being disposed of.  So who disposed of them?

If we look at history it tells us this…

Under Constantine, Christianity did not become the exclusive religion of the state, but enjoyed imperial preference, because the Emperor supported it with generous privileges. Constantine established the principle that emperors should not settle questions of doctrine, but should summon general ecclesiastical councils for that purpose. The Synod of Arles was convened by Constantine, and the First Council of Nicaea showcased his claim to be head of the Church.[25]


Constantine the Great (Latin: Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus Augustus;[3] c. 27 February 272[2] – 22 May 337), also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine,[4] was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity,


As the emperor who used his government to empower Christianity throughout the Roman Empire and moved the capital to the banks of the Bosporus, Constantine was a ruler of major historical importance, but he has always been a controversial figure.[6]


In 321, Constantine instructed that Christians and non-Christians should be united in observing the venerable day of the sun, referencing the esoteric eastern sun-worship which Aurelian had helped introduce, and his coinage still carried the symbols of the sun cult until 324. Even after the pagan gods had disappeared from the coinage, Christian symbols appeared only as Constantine's personal attributes: the chi rho between his hands or on his labarum, but never on the coin itself.[205] Even when Constantine dedicated the new capital of Constantinople, which became the seat of Byzantine Christianity for a millennium, he did so wearing the Apollonian sun-rayed Diadem.

Constantine burning Arian books

The reign of Constantine established a precedent for the position of the emperor as having some influence within the religious discussions going on within the Catholic Church of that time, e.g., the dispute over Arianism. Constantine himself disliked the risks to societal stability that religious disputes and controversies brought with them, preferring where possible to establish an orthodoxy.[206] The emperor saw it as his duty to ensure that God was properly worshiped in his empire, and that what proper worship consisted would be determined by the Church.[207] In 316, Constantine acted as a judge in a North African dispute concerning the validity of Donatism. After deciding against the Donatists, Constantine led an army of Christians against the Donatist Christians. After 300 years of pacifism, this was the first intra-Christian persecution. More significantly, in 325 he summoned the Council of Nicaea, effectively the first Ecumenical Council (unless the Council of Jerusalem is so classified). Nicaea was dealt mostly with Arianism. Constantine also enforced the prohibition of the First Council of Nicaea against celebrating the Lord's Supper on the day before the Jewish Passover (14 Nisan) (see Quartodecimanism and Easter controversy).[208

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This bit of history is laying the groundwork of that little horn.  This Roman Emperor was the first to bring Christianity into an acceptable place among the mainstream of the time. Constantine led an ARMY of CHRISTIANS- against other Christians.   Government and the Christian religion mingle here for the first time with the government of that time on the side of the Christians.  

Why is this important? Because from here on in politics mingling with Christian religion plays a HUGE part in the goings on of the overthrow of the Roman rule. 

Anyone that wants to ignore this is foolish because religion is what God is all about, yes? God gave the vision to Nebuchadnezzar , it was by God's design that Nebuchadnezzar have a kingdom such as he had.  God could see the grand picture and in that grand design He knew the succession that would take place.  The Medes and Persians would follow Babylon, the Greeks would follow the Medes and Persians and yes, then the Roman rule would follow. 

God's son was born into the world under the Roman rule. Christianity came into existence because of Christ, which should go without saying but we have to understand how this all fits together.  Under the fourth beast's rule our Savior was born and He didn't come as a military force conquering but as a spiritual force conquering over Satan, over sin. 

Born under the fourth beast, Christ also died under the fourth beast's rule.  After His death as His followers began the great mission to spread His word many different groups formed out of those followers. No longer simple followers of Christ much more began to come into play.  Christ did not set down a plan of action for His followers other than to spread His message.  Christ knew that His Apostles would be natural leaders of those that followed and people would look to them to lead them in their new found beliefs.  The church began to grow, but the church not as an organization like we have it today. Jesus had His followers and they spread the word without forming an organization and bringing in  worldly politics.  In fact Jesus wanted the two to be separate, didn't He?

Mat 22:21  They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

Jesus didn't tell His disciples to give the things that are Caesar's to God, nor did He tell them to give that which is God's to Caesar. 

Did it remain so? No. Not in the way it was intended. Caesar's things and God's things quickly became mingled, but not by the Apostle's or their teachings.  Satan wouldn't stand still and let God's people flourish without trying to destroy them. Satan had to infiltrate God's people and using His influence get them to turn from God while believing they are doing no such thing.  Satan had to corrupt things and if you think otherwise then you aren't reading your Bibles and understanding by the grace of God.  Satan is a destroyer, a deceiver, and he will remain so right until the end of time and his destruction in the lake of fire.

Satan didn't take time off when Christ died to allow Christ's followers to flourish. Satan was right there from the start.

Paul said this….

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8  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

The mystery of iniquity doth ALREADY WORK!

Satan wasn't sleeping.  Satan was going to be right there and you can bet your life that his deception was near to perfect in deceiving all but the very elect as it is today.

Now this LITTLE HORN power was going to be DIFFERENT than all the rest, right?  Well, let's think about it for a moment, seriously think about everything that's transpired.

Until the Roman kingdom Christians did NOT exist, Christ hadn't lived and died for mankind until the Roman rule.  Now this little horn was going to come up out of the Roman rule just as the ten horns before it would.

The MOST striking difference in the overthrow of the fourth beast-- a kingdom that would still continue on in a much LESSER manner but not as a world ruling kingdom (remember the iron and clay mixed in the toes of the statue)--  was the fact the world would be living in a time of Christ!  The Babylons did not live in this time, the Medes and Persians did not live in the time of a Messiah realized, the Greeks did not live and rule in the time of our Savior's birth, life, and death, but the ROMAN kingdom did.

Now this Little Horn is a power that opposes Christ, yes? This Little Horn is a power that will speak great things, and think to change times and laws, this little power will speak out against the Most High. This Little Horn would become an immense power that would ultimately throughout all its reign whether in full destroying power, making war with the saints, or as a power seemingly overthrown only to continue on until the end, would be instrumental in the uprooting of three worldly kingdoms that previously took part in some way to overthrow the tremendous Roman Kingdom.  We CANNOT be ignorant to the fact that this Little Horn with its strangeness, with its different power would be a religious power-  we are told outright that this power would take part in speaking out against God, would think to change times and laws- whose times? Whose Laws? Gods.  Would try to wear out the saints of God completely. 

The previous kingdoms had very little to do with God and nothing to do with the saints of God- the Christ followers of which there would always be a few true followers. REMEMBER that path is NARROW!

Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Those were Jesus' words!  Jesus didn't envision a great mass of true followers. That gate is strait, that way is narrow and FEW will find it compared to the masses.  Spreading His message, the gospel of His kingdom, would gain followers yes, but never a majority.  It's the truth! This is Christ's truth! This is the truth of the Bible!

It's safe for us to truly be able to say this Little Horn was a power that was different because it would mingle religion with politics.  What power did this way back then? What power came into existence that had a part to play in the politics, the wars being waged at the time? Seriously, we cannot ignore this aspect whatsoever! Satan would have us ignore it, Satan wants us left completely in the dark! Satan will gladly tell us anything we want to hear that is soothing to our ears- all to keep us from Christ!

God told us outright that this little power would be DIFFERENT than the others.  I can look at all the military powers of the time just as you can and there is no striking difference from one military to the next. Remember the different characteristics of the beasts… eagle's wings,  bear like, four wings and so on?  Those were traits that each of those conquering armies, conquering kingdoms possessed.  The ten horns were all basically alike right? They didn't differentiate between the ten horns with this characteristic and that.  They were all similar.  Then we have ONE little horn that comes up and it's NOT similar to the others.  About the same time all this is going on, the ten horns are conquering bits and pieces of the then Roman Kingdom tearing it apart so that it would no longer ever be a whole Roman Kingdom again, about this time something NEW, something DIFFERENT comes into play, something that would continue on until the end of the world, changing as prophecy depicts throughout time. 

Christianity entered politics.   You can scoff if you like, but this was much different than the worship of pagan gods. Christianity- God's truth, the Salvation of God offered through the sacrifice of His Son.  This wasn't the Jewish God minus Jesus that came into play- not at all even though that existed for a long, long, long time before the first advent of our Savior. This was new compared to every other god in existence.  Christians were outcast and persecuted by the Roman government for a long, long time. Christians were thrown to the lions, tortured, killed in various ways, this is history. But then something happened-  those in charge, those in the government opposed to Christians came to accept it and the persecution stopped allowing Christianity to become part of the politics. 

When we read this…

'As the emperor who used his government to empower Christianity throughout the Roman Empire and moved the capital to the banks of the Bosporus, Constantine was a ruler of major historical importance, but he has always been a controversial figure.[6] ' 

…  we have to realize that a NEW power was underway.  Now ask yourself what power had these characteristics over time…

Three of the ten horns plucked up by the roots
Eyes like a man
Mouth speaking great things
Another kingdom different from the others
Subdues three of the other kingdoms
Speaks great words against the Most High
Wear out the saints of the Most High
Think to change times and laws
In control for a time and times and dividing of time

Jumping back to the 3 that were subdued--

His general Belisarius swiftly conquered the Vandal Kingdom in North Africa, extending Roman control to the Atlantic Ocean. Subsequently Belisarius, Narses, and other generals conquered the Ostrogothic Kingdom, restoring Dalmatia, Sicily, Italy, and Rome to the empire after being under barbarian control for over half a century


From the middle of the fifth century onward increasingly arduous tasks confronted the emperors of the East in ecclesiastical matters. For one thing, the radicals on all sides felt themselves constantly repelled by the creed adopted by the Council of Chalcedon to defend the biblical doctrine of the nature of Christ and bridge the gap between the dogmatic parties. The letter of Pope Leo I to Flavian of Constantinople was widely considered in the East as the work of Satan; so that nobody cared to hear of the Church of Rome. The emperors, however, had a policy of preserving the unity between Constantinople and Rome; and this remained possible only if they did not swerve from the line defined at Chalcedon. In addition, the factions in the East which had become stirred up and disaffected because of Chalcedon needed restraining and pacifying. This problem proved the more difficult because, in the East, the dissenting groups exceeded supporters of Chalcedon both in numerical strength and in intellectual ability. Tension from the incompatibility of the two aims grew: whoever chose Rome and the West must renounce the East, and vice versa.

Justinian entered the arena of ecclesiastical statecraft shortly after his uncle's accession in 518, and put an end to the Monophysite schism that had prevailed between Rome and Constantinople since 483. The recognition of the Roman see as the highest ecclesiastical authority[60] remained the cornerstone of his Western policy. Offensive as it was to many in the East, nonetheless Justinian felt himself entirely free to take a Despotic stance toward the popes such as Silverius and Vigilius. While no compromise could ever be accepted by the dogmatic wing of the church, his sincere efforts at reconciliation gained him the approval of the major body of the church. A signal proof was his attitude in the Theopaschite controversy. At the outset he was of the opinion that the question turned on a quibble of words. By degrees, however, Justinian came to understand that the formula at issue not only appeared orthodox, but might also serve as a conciliatory measure toward the Monophysites, and he made a vain attempt to do this in the religious conference with the followers of Severus of Antioch, in 533.

Again, Justinian moved toward compromise in the religious edict of 15 March 533,[61] and congratulated himself that Pope John II admitted the orthodoxy of the imperial confession.[62] The serious blunder that he had made at the beginning by abetting a severe persecution of the Monophysite bishops and monks and thereby embittering the population of vast regions and provinces, he remedied eventually. His constant aim now remained to win over the Monophysites, yet not to surrender the Chalcedonian faith. For many at court, he did not go far enough: Theodora especially would have rejoiced to see the Monophysites favored unreservedly. Justinian, however, felt restrained by the complications that would have ensued with the West. But in the condemnation of the Three Chapters Justinian tried to satisfy both the East and the West, but succeeded in satisfying neither. Although the pope assented to the condemnation, the West believed that the emperor had acted contrary to the decrees of Chalcedon. Though many delegates emerged in the East subservient


During the Early Church, the bishops of Rome enjoyed no temporal power until the time of Constantine. After the fall of Rome (the "Middle Ages"), the papacy was influenced by the temporal rulers of and surrounding the Italian peninsula; these periods are known as the Ostrogothic Papacy, Byzantine Papacy, and Frankish Papacy. Over time, the papacy consolidated its territorial claims to a portion of the peninsula known as the Papal States. Thereafter, the role of neighboring sovereigns was replaced by powerful Roman families during the saeculum obscurum, the Crescentii era, and the Tusculan Papacy.


Many popes in the first three centuries of the Christian era are obscure figures. Several suffered martyrdom along with members of their flock in periods of persecution. Most of them engaged in intense theological arguments with other bishops.


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Yes, we are going to get a history lesson here and it's important…  did you just read that above?  Many popes in the first 3 centuries are obscure figures.   So  AFTER the first 3 centuries something happens and the popes start to play a very prominent role in politics. 

Let's read a bit and see if it's easy to spot the fact that the influence of papal authority in politics played a part in the uprooting of kingdoms.

Since the fall of Rome

Pope Simplicius (468-483), the pope during the end of the Western Roman Empire
Pope Simplicius (468-483) was the pope who witnessed the final overthrow of the Western Roman Empire, and fell ill in 483.[3] The papal election of March 483 was the first to take place without the existence of a Western Roman emperor.[4] While the pope still lived, the praetorian prefect, Caecina Decius Maximus Basilius called together the Roman Senate, Roman clergy, and the leading local bishops in the Imperial Mausoleum.[4] Simplicitus had issued an admonitio declaring that no election of his successor should be valid without the consent of Basilius.[4] Basilius was both the leader of the Roman aristocracy and the Chief Minister of Odoacer, the "king of Italy."[4] Simplicius was succeeded by Pope Felix III (483-492), Pope Gelasius I (492-496), and Pope Anastasius II (496-498).

The first schism

The role of the Ostrogoths became clear in the first schism. On November 22, 498, both Pope Symmachus and Antipope Laurentius were elected pope.[5]     Symmachus was approved by the Roman Senate,[6] but both Byzantine Emperor Anastasius I and the Gothic King Theodoric the Great originally supported Laurentius, who was installed in the Lateran Palace.[5]

Symmachus and Laurentius resorted to bribing Theodoric for his support, with funds from the Roman aristocrats who supported them.[7]      This is the first documented case of papal simony, wherein both candidates attempted to bribe the royal councilors, if not Theodoric himself, to influence his choice.[8]      According to DeCormenin and de Lahaye, also influencing Theodoric to side with Symmachus and expel Laurentius from Rome was his fear that the latter was too influenced by the Byzantine ruler,[5] but according to Richards this is "simply not borne out by the evidence."[9] In announcing his decision, Theodoric cited the majority of clerical support and the fact of prior ordination.[10]

On March 1, 499, Symmachus declared to a synod in Old Saint Peter's Basilica his plan for campaign finance reform in future sede vacantes.[7] Laurentius was among those who signed his statute, having been appointed as Bishop of Nuceria in consolation for having lost his claim to the papacy.[7] Symmachus decreed that reigning bishops would be able to designate their own successors, ending the participation of the laity for at least a half-century.[8]

When the supporters of Laurentius tried to depose Symmachus for having celebrated Easter according to the wrong calendar, Theodoric called the pope before him in Ariminum to resolve the matter.[11] When Symmachus arrived, he discovered that the charges against him included unchastity and maladministration of church property, and fled back to Rome.[11] His flight bolstered the Laurentian party, who succeeded in persuading Theodoric to send a visitor to Rome to have Easter celebrated according to the Greek calendar and to convene a synod to consider the charges against Symmachus.[11] Peter of Altinum, the bishop of Istria, came to Rome to oversee the new Easter celebration and took over the administration of the Holy See pending the outcome of the synod.[11]

In the first two sessions, the assembled Italian bishops were unable to agree on the appropriate procedures to settle the matter, but the third session acquitted Symmachus.[12] Theodoric took a rather hands-off approach to the synod, refusing repeated requests for him to travel to Rome and resolve the matter personally.[13] According to Richards:

"There is something really rather shocking about the way in which the assembled bishops of the Catholic church fell over themselves to persuade a heretic barbarian to decide who the pope should be. It makes nonsense of the idea of an articulation of papal monarchial theory in which the church was superior to the lay authorities. Both the Symmachian and Laurentian factions appealed to the king for arbitration in 489 and both sides accepted his convocation of a synod. Symmachus, indeed, finally submitted a decision about his case to God and the king, hardly the sort of behavior one would accept from a champion of papal supremacy. Indeed, the regularity with which both sides invoked the intervention of the king suggests a widely held view of his impartiality."[14]

Despite the synod, Laurentius was able to return to Rome, take over much of the papal patrimony and churches of the city, and rule from the Lateran Palace while Symmachus remained in St. Peter's.[15]

           After Symmachus

According to Richards, "the death of Pope Symmachus in July 514 was a crucial test for the election regulations after nearly sixteen controversial years of Symmachian rule."[16] However, the "Symmachian old guard" controlled a supermajority of the priests and deacons and thus were able to elect Pope Hormisdas (514-523) after only seven days.[16] Hormisdas was likely appointed by Symmachus himself, "a procedure which was implicit in the electoral regulations."[16] Hormisdas had prepared complicated written instructions for his envoys to the East long before his election and kept Theodoric well appraised of his negotiations with the Byzantines.[16]

Hormisdas was succeeded by Pope John I (523-526). Theodoric married his daughters to the kings of Burgundy, the Visigoths, and Vandals, fellow adherents of Arianism.[17] However, Clovis, king of the Franks, renounced Arianism in 506, as did Sigismund of Burgundy in 516; acts that could possibly describe the act of having "converted to Catholicism."[17] In 523, Eutharic, king of the Visigoths, ceased persecuting non-Arians, around the same time that the Eastern Church began its persecution of Arians.[17] Theodoric created an Ostrogothic navy and sent an emissary to the East, head by Pope John I himself in 526.[17]

Pope Felix IV (526-530) was the first successor of Symmachus to have trouble designating a successor.

John I was succeeded by Pope Felix IV (526-530). Felix IV was the recommendation of Theodoric and his election was confirmed by Athalaric.[18] He was thus appointed "for all practical purposes" by Theodoric.[19] The process of predecessor appointment was used without serious issue until the death of Felix IV, who had given his pallium to Pope Boniface II on his deathbed in 530 and decreed excommunication of any who refused to accept the succession.[8] The Roman Senate disliked the lack of election and denounced Felix, affirming a decree of Pope Anastasius II, which had prohibited the practice of a pope designating a successor.[8] Boniface II was supported only by a minority of the clergy, with the larger share supporting Dioscorus, with only Dioscorus's death halting the schism.[8]


Boniface II attempted to re-entrench the practice of appointing his successor, but the public outcry was too great, resulting in a highly disputed election in 532 characterized by widespread accounts of bribery and coercion, which resulted in Pope John II (the first to take a papal name).[20] Pope John was chosen by Athalaric to avoid a split between the Byzantine and Gothic factions.[21] Athalaric, the Ostrogoth king, forced John II to approve decrees that banned any private agreements to elect a pope and enacting limits on the amount of money that could be spent during a papal election (an early example of campaign finance reform).[20] In fact, Athalaric himself was able to engineer the election of Pope Silverius, the son of Pope Hormisdas, upon John II's death.[20]


Theodahad threw his support behind Pope Agapetus I and was thus "well placed to coerce the new pope Agapetus, for he had been elected with his support."[22] Theodahad also played a decisive role in the selection of Pope Silverius (536-537), the legitimate son of Hormisdas.[23]


Effects of Justinian's reconquest


Main article: Byzantine Papacy


After Justinian I retook Rome in the Gothic War (535–554), "to interfere in the papacy had been one of the first things Justinian had done as soon as his armies got a foothold in Italy."[24] Long before he had completed his victory over the Ostrogoths, Justinian I had his commander Belisarius depose the pro-Gothic Pope Silverius (536–537), and install Pope Vigilius (537–555), the former papal apocrisiarius to Constantinople, in his place.[24] Silverius died and Vigilius was ordained in 537, while the Goths rallied and laid siege to Rome.[24] In 542, King Totila recaptured Rome and by the time Justinian's new general Narses recaptured the city in 552, Vigilius was no longer in Rome



Did you read ALL that? I really, really hope you did, because it is CLEAR that the role of the papacy in politics had become very popular and suddenly where never before had this sort of thing happened- the papacy was involved in politics to the point CONQUERING kings were concerning themselves with the Popes in charge because they KNEW the power they were coming to have!!!

Remember the characteristics--

Different than the others
Mouth speaking great things
Eyes of a man

This power wasn't the usual conquering power this was PAPAL power!!!

Tell me you don' t know off the top of your head about the Inquisitions done in the name of the Papacy. Tell me you don't know of the persecution people endured at the hands of the Papacy.  Tell me you don't know that Protestantism came out of protesting the Papacy!  Tell me the Papacy doesn't exist today.  It does!!!  From then until now it exists!  From then until the end of time it WILL exist.

In fact this was just in the news--

On world stage and behind closed doors, Vatican works diplomatic levers

By John Thavis

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Vatican City is the world's smallest state, but it's still considered a diplomatic nerve center, a place where the universal church meets global politics.

*


So tell me this little horn isn't holding true to the prophecy of Daniel! It is! It does! And yet so many don't want to see. So many want to confuse the issue with many, many other things so they don't have to face the truth.


Daniel's prophecy… Daniel's GOD GIVEN prophecy is true and all that was predicted has come and will come to pass!


I'm going to add yet more here and pray that that Holy Spirit moves you to read it all because of the truth it holds, the history it presents in a way that I cannot without access to the same texts of our world's history.


*******

Challenge of Arianism.--But the fourth century was destined to witness an obstacle thrown across the path of this ambitious dream. The prophecy had declared that the power represented by the little horn would "subdue three kings." In the rise and development of Arianism early in the fourth century and the challenge it presented to papal supremacy, we find the causes leading to the plucking up of three of the kingdoms of Western Rome by the papal power.


Arius, parish priest of the ancient and influential church of Alexandria, promulgated his doctrine to the world, occasioning so fierce a controversy in the Christian church that a general council was called at Nicaea, by the emperor Constantine in A.D. 325, to consider and rule upon its teaching. Arius maintained "that the Son was totally and essentially distinct from the Father; that He was the first and noblest of those be-

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ings whom the Father had created out of nothing, the instrument by whose subordinate operation the Almighty Father formed the universe, and therefore inferior to the Father, both in nature and dignity." This opinion was condemned by the council, which decreed that Christ was of one and the same substance with the Father. Hereupon Arius was banished to Illyria, and his followers were compelled to give their assent to the creed composed on that occasion. [5]


The controversy itself, however, was not to be disposed of in this summary manner. For ages it continued to agitate the Christian world, the Arians everywhere becoming the bitter enemies of the pope and of the Roman Catholic Church. It was evident that the spread of Arianism would check the onward march of Catholicism, and that the possession of Italy and it renowned capital by a people of the Arian persuasion would be fatal to the supremacy of a Catholic bishop. The prophecy, however, had declared that this horn symbolizing the papacy would rise to supreme power, and that in reaching this position it would subdue three kings.


Little Horn Overthrows Three Arian Powers.--Some difference of opinion has existed in regard to the particular powers which were overthrown by the papacy in its rise to power. In this connection the remarks of Albert Barnes seem pertinent: "In the confusion that existed on the breaking up of the Roman Empire, and the imperfect accounts of the transactions which occurred in the rise of the papal power, it would not be wonderful if it should be difficult to find events distinctly recorded that would be in all respects an accurate and absolute fulfillment of the vision. Yet it is possible to make out the fulfillment of this with a good degree of certainty in the history of the papacy." [6]


Joseph Mede supposes the three kingdoms plucked up to have been the Greeks, the Lombards, and the Franks; and Sir


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Issac Newton supposes they were the exarchate of Ravenna, the Lombards, and the senate and dukedom of Rome. Thomas Newton [7] states serious objections to both these suppositions. The Franks could not have been one of these kingdoms, for they were never plucked up. The Lombards could not have been one, for they were never made subject to the popes. Says Albert Barnes further, "I do not find, indeed, that the kingdom of the Lombards was, as is commonly stated among the number of the temporal sovereignties that became subject to the authority of the popes." [8] The senate and dukedom of Rome could not have been one, for as they never constituted one of the ten kingdoms, three of which were to be plucked up before the little horn.


But we apprehend the chief difficulty in the application made by these eminent commentators lay in the fact that they supposed that the prophecy respecting the exaltation of the papacy had not been fulfilled, and could not have been until the pope became a temporal prince. Therefore they sought to find an accomplishment of the prophecy in the events which led to the pope's temporal sovereignty. But evidently the prophecy of verses 24, 25, refers, not to his civil power, but to his power to domineer over the minds and consciences of men. The papacy reached this position, A.D. 538, as will hereafter appear.


The word "before" used in verses 8 and 20 represents the Chaldee {HEBREW CHARACTERS IN PRINTED TEXT}, qadam, with the root meaning "front." Combined with min, meaning "from," as it is in these two verses, Davidson translates it "from the presence of," and Gesenius says it is equivalent to the Hebrew {HEBREW CHARACTERS IN PRINTED TEXT}, lipna, meaning "in the presence of." It therefore has here the meaning "before" in the sense of "place," as it does in the same phrase in verse 10, where it is properly translated in the Authorized Version "from before Him." We have, then, in verse 8 the picture of the

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little horn pressing in among the ten and forcibly plucking up three horns from before it. In verse 20, it is declared that the three horns "fell" from before it, as if overcome by it. In verse 24, we read that another king, representing the little horn, "shall subdue three kings [horns]," evidently by acts of force. While the word qadam is also used in the sense of time, as in the word "before" in verse 7, there can scarcely be a doubt that it is used in the sense of place in the three verses cited above. With this interpretation Edward Elliott clearly agrees. (See page 128.)

The position is here confidently taken that the three powers, or horns, plucked up by the roots were the Heruli, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths; and this position rests upon reliable historical data. Odoacer, the leader of the Heruli, was the first of the barbarians who reigned over the Romans. He took the throne of Italy, A.D. 476. Of his religious belief Gibbon says: "Like the rest of the barbarians he had been instructed in the Arian heresy; but he revered the monastic and episcopal characters; and the silence of the Catholics attests the toleration which they enjoyed." [9]

The same author says: "The Ostrogoths, the Burgundians, the Suevi, and the Vandals, who had listened to the eloquence of the Latin clergy, preferred the more intelligible lessons of their domestic teachers; and Arianism was adopted as the national faith of the warlike converts who were seated on the ruins of the Western Empire. This irreconcilable difference of religion was a perpetual source of jealousy and hatred; and the reproach of barbarian was embittered by the more odious epithet of heretic. The heroes of the north, who had submitted with some reluctance to believe that all their ancestors were in hell, were astonished and exasperated to learn that they themselves had only changed the mode of their eternal condemnation." [10]

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The Arian doctrine had a marked influence on the church at that time, as will be observed in the following paragraphs: "The whole of the vast Gothic population which descended on the Roman Empire, so far as it was Christian at all, held to the faith of the Alexandrian heretic. Our first Teutonic version of the Scriptures was by an Arian missionary, Ulfilas. The first conqueror of Rome, Alaric, the first conqueror of Africa, Genseric, were Arians. Theodoric the Great, king of Italy, and hero of the 'Nibelungenlied,' was an Arian. The vacant place in his massive tomb at Ravenna is a witness of the vengeance which the Orthodox took on his memory, when on their triumph they tore down the porphyry vase in which his Arian subjects had enshrined his ashes." [11]

Ranke states: "But she [the church] fell, as was inevitable, into many embarrassments, and found herself in an entirely altered condition. A pagan people took possession of Britain; Arian kings seized the greater part of the remaining West; while the Lombards, long attached to Arianism, and as neighbors most dangerous and hostile, established a powerful sovereignty before the very gates of Rome. The Roman bishops, meanwhile, beset on all sides, exerted themselves, with all the prudence and pertinacity which have remained their peculiar attributes, to regain the mastery--at least in their patriarchal diocese." [12]

Machiavelli says: "Nearly all the wars which the northern barbarians carried on in Italy, it may be here remarked, were occasioned by the pontiffs; and the hordes with which the country was inundated, were generally called in by them." [13]

The relation which these Arian kings sustained to the pope is shown in the following testimony from Mosheim in his church history:

"On the other hand, it is certain, from a variety of the most authentic records, that both the emperors and the nations in

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general were far from being disposed to bear with patience the yoke of servitude which the see of Rome was arrogantly imposing upon the Christian church. The Gothic princes set bounds to the power of the bishop of Rome in Italy, permitted none to be raised to the pontificate without their approbation, and reserved to themselves the right of judging concerning the legality of every new election." [14]

An instance in proof of this statement occurs in the history of Odoacer, the first Arian king above mentioned. [15] When, on the death of Pope Simplicius, A.D. 483, the clergy and people had assembled for the election of a new pope, suddenly Basilius, lieutenant of King Odoacer, appeared in the assembly, expressed his surprise that any such work as appointing a successor to the deceased pope should be undertaken without him, in the name of the king declared all that had been done null and void, and ordered the election to be begun anew.

Meanwhile, Zeno, the emperor of the East, and friend of the pope, was anxious to drive Odoacer out of Italy, a movement which he soon had the satisfaction of seeing accomplished without trouble to himself. Theodoric had come to the throne of the Ostrogothic kingdom in Moesia and Pannonia. Being on friendly terms with Zeno, he wrote him, stating that it was impossible for him to restrain his Goths within the impoverished province of Pannonia, and asking his permission to lead them to some more favorable region which they might conquer and posses. Zeno gave him permission to march against Odoacer and take possession of Italy. Accordingly, after a five years' war, the Herulian kingdom in Italy was overthrown, Odoacer was treacherously slain, and Theodoric established his Ostrogoths in the Italian peninsula. As already stated, he was an Arian, and the law of Odoacer subjecting the election of the pope to the approval of the king, was still retained.

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The following incident will show how completely the papacy was in subjection to his power. The Catholics in the East having begun a persecution against the Arians, A.D. 523, Theodoric summoned Pope John into his presence and thus addressed him: " 'If the emperor [Justin, the predecessor of Justinian] therefore does not think fit to revoke the edict which he has lately issued against those of my persuasion [that is, the Arians], it is my firm resolution to issue the like edict against those of his [that is, the Catholics]; and to see it everywhere executed with the same rigor. Those who do not profess the faith of Nice, are heretics to him, and those who do are heretics to me. Whatever can excuse or justify his severity to the former, will excuse and justify mine to the latter. But the emperor,' continued the king, 'has none about him who dare freely and openly speak what they think, or to whom he would hearken if they did. But the great veneration which he professes for your See , leaves no room to doubt but he would hearken to you. I will therefore have you to repair forthwith to Constantinople, and there to remonstrate, both in my name and your own, against the violent measures in which that court has so rashly engaged. It is in your power to divert the emperor from them; and till you have, nay, till the Catholics [this name Theodoric applies to the Arians] are restored to the free exercise of their religion, and to all the churches from which they have been driven, you must not think of returning to Italy.' " [16]

The pope who was thus peremptorily ordered by the Arian emperor not to set foot again upon Italian soil until he had carried out the will of the king, certainly could not hope for much advancement toward any kind of supremacy until that power was taken out of the way.

The feelings of the papal party toward Theodoric may be accurately estimated, according to a quotation already given, by the vengeance which they took on his memory. They tore from his tomb the vase in which his Arian subjects had en-

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shrined his ashes. These feelings are put into language by Baronius, who inveighs "against Theodoric as a cruel barbarian, as a barbarous tyrant, as an impious Arian." [17]

While the Catholics were thus feeling the restraining power of an Arian king in Italy, they were suffering a violent persecution from the Arian Vandals in Africa. [18] Elliot says: " The Vandal kings were not only Arians, but persecutors of the Catholics; in Sardinia and Corsica under the Roman Episcopate, we may presume, as well as in Africa." [19]

Such was the position of affairs, when, A.D. 533, Justinian entered upon his Vandal and Gothic wars. Wishing to obtain the influence of the pope and the Catholic party, he issued that memorable decree which was to constitute the pope of all the churches, and from the carrying out of which A.D. 538, the period of papal supremacy is to be dated. And whoever will read the history of the African campaign, 533-534, and the Italian campaign, 534-538, will notice that the Catholics everywhere hailed as deliverers the army of Belisarius, the general of Justinian.

But no decree of this nature could be carried into effect until the Arian horns which stood in its way were overthrown. A turn came, however, in the tide of affairs, for in the military campaign in Africa and Italy the victorious legions of Belisarius dealt a crushing blow to Arianism, so much so that its final supporters were vanquished.

Procopius relates that the African war was undertaken by Justinian for the relief of the Christians (Catholics) in that quarter, and that when he expressed his intention in this respect, the prefect of the palace came very near dissuading him from his purpose. But a dream appeared to him in which he was bidden "not to shrink from the execution of his design;

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for by assisting the Christians he would overthrow the power of the Vandals." [20]

Mosheim declares: "It is true, the Greeks who had received the decrees of the Council of Nice [that is, from the Catholics], persecuted and oppressed the Arians wherever their influence and authority could reach; but the Nicenians, in their turn, were not less rigorously treated by their adversaries [the Arians], particularly in Africa and Italy, where they felt, in a very severe manner, the weight of the Arian power, and the bitterness of their resentment. the triumphs of Arianism were, however, transitory; and its prosperous days were entirely eclipsed when the Vandals were driven out of Africa, and the Goths out of Italy, by the arms of Justinian." [21]

Elliot summarizes: "I might cite three that were eradicated from before the pope out of the list first given, viz., the Heruli under Odoacer, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths." [22]

From the historical testimony above cited, we think it clearly established that the three horns plucked up were the powers named: the Heruli, A.D. 493, the Vandals, in 534, and the Ostrogoths finally in 553, though effective opposition by the latter to the decree of Justinian ceased when they were driven from Rome by Belisarius in 538, [23] as stated on page 127.


Note- I do not agree with everything in this book but for the sheer historical data presented I wanted to include some of this. Go to the link and you can find the footnote sources and search out for yourself if need be at your library or where applicable on the internet.  This is a study on Prophecy and prophecy is history fulfilled and unfulfilled.  Where history has fulfilled the prophecies we must study the past and let it unfold for us by the grace of God.

This has been a very long study but by the grace of God it will be understood and we are going to study even more and that studying will show even more details that point to the Papacy as this Little Horn power.  Many who call themselves enlightened want to refuse to believe. Many want to take these prophecies and make them point to many, many future events yet to take place. Satan stops at nothing to deceive.  We cannot allow ourselves to fall to His deceptions, we must pray to God to not be deceived , to be among His elect that will not be overtaken by the awful power of the evil one.

Jesus prayed to the Father for us, asking that we NOT be taken out of this world but to be KEPT from evil.   Please Lord, keep us from evil in all its forms!!!

Help us!

In the name of our Savior, our glorious, glorious Savior Jesus Christ. In His righteousness, through His forgiveness, by His grace and mercy, all through love!


AMEN!
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