Europe
in Prophecy
Daniel
7 and Revelation 13
When a well-packaged web of lies has
been gradually sold to the masses over generations, the truth will
seem utterly preposterous and its speaker a raving lunatic.
Dan 7:23, 24 Thus he said, The fourth
beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse
from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread
it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this
kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:
We shall now examine the ten horns:
Horn One:
The Saxons and the Angles:
They started battling the Roman Empire
for Control of England. We know them as Anglo-Saxons. They are known
today as the English nations of Europe;
Horn Two:
The Franks:
The Franks at the same time started battling the Roman Empire for
control of France, Known today as the French Nations of Europe. They
invaded the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century. Dominating
present-day northern France, Belgium, and western Germany.
Horn Three:
The Alamannies:
The Alamannies, were also battling the Roman Empire around 457 for
control of the German Nations of Europe
Horn Four:
The Visigoths:
The Visigoths, battle the Roman Empire for Control of the Spanish
Nations of Europe. The Visigoths emerged from the Gothic tribes. The
Goths were a nomadic Germanic people who fought against Roman rule in
the late 300s and early 400s A.D., helping to bring about the
downfall of the Roman Empire.
Horn Five:
The Lombards:
The Lombards battle the Roman Empire for the control of Italy a
country in Europe.
Horn six:
The Suevi
The Suevi battle the Roman Empire for control of the Portuguese
nations of Europe.
Horn Seven:
Burgundians:
The Burgundians took Control of the Swiss nation of Europe.
Horns Eight, Nine and Ten
These three horns also battled the Roman Empire and took control of
their territories. These horns were Arian by belief. They were the
Heruli, the Vandals and the Ostrogoths. They believed that God is
ONE. These three horns believed in the uniqueness of God, who is
alone self-existent.
Deu. 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments
is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: They were opposed
to the belief and teaching of the Trinitarian Godhead.
The fall of the Western Roman Empire is often dated as 476 CE. In
that year a group of “barbarian,” soldiers deposed the Western
Roman emperor, Romulus, and proclaimed a strongman, Odoacer, king.
Although recent scholars have disputed the importance of this event
the date is significant in that another Western emperor would never
again reign in Rome. Regularly, the successors of these Roman rulers
are simply called barbarians, or grouped as various “Germanic”
tribes such as the Ostrogoths and the Lombards ect.
By 476 the Roman Empire, according to Daniel, was totally destroyed
never to rise again. Daniel said, I beheld even till the beast was
slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame, Daniel
7:11. Note a Beast in prophecy is a Kingdom or Nation. Therefore,
Daniel is saying that this Kingdom called the Roman Empire by 476 is
totally destroyed never to return.
The analytical language Daniel used to describe the total
destruction of the Roman Empire that its denial would be a
self-contradiction. He is saying the ten horns killed the Empire of
Rome, mutilate it and burn it with fire. These metaphors are
illustrations of total destruction of the Roman Empire.
Daniel's Prophecy that the Kingdom of the Roman Empire shall be
divide and there shall be in it weak and strong nations was fulfilled
in 476 when the Empire disintegrated under the pressure of the ten
horns. Being in the Prophetic Daniel said, And whereas thou sawest
the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the
kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of
the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so
the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle
themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to
another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. Daniel 2:41-43
The prophetic language iron use in the text, do not symbolize the
durability of Rome itself. As some teach, iron cannot be destroyed,
and therefore Rome would last until Christ come and Rome is given to
the burning flame of hell fire at the end of time. The symbolic
language iron in the text symbolized strength and not durability as
taught by many. There is nothing in the text that indicated that the
Roman Empire was given the ability to withstand wear, pressure, or
damage. The ten Nations, ten horns who battled the Empire for control
did pressured and ware down the Empire and damaged it till it
disintegrated.
The ten nations of Europe are the Saxons, today, are known as the
English nation; the Franks, as the French nation. The Germans were
known as the Alamannies and the Spanish nations were known as the
Visigoths. The Lombards are known today as the Italians, the Suevi as
the Portuguese nation and the Burgundians as the Swiss nation. Among
the ten original nations were the Heruli, the Vandals and the
Ostrogoth, though separate and distinct nations they are known as one
and all encompassed as Europe.
Therefore by 476 the Roman Empire as a nation passed into the annals
of history and a new Nation was formed called Europe. Note, Daniel
used words to describe the Roman Empire as totally destroyed. However
note his language as concerning the rest of the Beast, the Lion, the
Bear and the Leopard. He said, as concerning the rest of the beasts,
they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged
for a season and time. Daniel 7:12. This verse will be expanded in
the discussion of Revelation 13.
Daniel was paying close attention to those ten horns these ten
nations that became Europe. While surveying and paying attention to
this new compounded nation on the world stage call Europe, he noticed
another horn rising among this new nations of Europe. This other horn
was not the same as the original ten horns.
Daniel said, I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among
them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first
horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes
like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. Daniel 7:8
This little horn started establishing itself as a political force in
508. Therefore this little horn is part of Europe in the feet and
toes of the image of Nebuchadnezzar, and not part of the legs of
Iron, the Roman Empire as is being taught in many Protestant
denominations. The Roman Empire disintegrated in 476 and the little
horn started its political assent in 508, that is thirty two (32)
years after the death of the Roman Empire.
However there was a stumbling block in the way of this little horn
that needs to be removed before it could be established. The
stumbling block that was in the way of the little horn were the
Heruli, the Vandals and the Ostrogoth. These three Nations were
Arian by belief, they believed that God is ONE. They held to the
truth of the uniqueness of God, who is alone self-existent. They
contended that the Son was created and therefore is not of the same
substance with the Father.
The little horn believed in the trinity and therefore this one God is
a thorn in their flesh and must be removed, eradicate completely.
In the rise of the Little horn known as the Papacy, these three
nations were conquered and
integrated, totally eradicated them, therefore they no longer exist.
The Heruli were subjugated
and disappeared from history about 512 A.D., the Vandals about 534
A.D. and the Ostrogoths about 539 A.D. The Prophecy of Daniel is
fulfill, the little horn plucked up three of the original horns by
the root. This work was completed by 538 and the Papacy became a
powerful persecuting power.
The Lord did not intend that the Papacy
continue its persecuting of the saints indefinitely, nor that it
cease from persecuting the saints and resume at a later date. The
Papacy was given a definite, precise time to have dominion over the
saints.
Daniel said, the saints shall be given
into the hand of the Papacy until a time and times and the dividing
of time Daniel 7:25. We will see that same time period repeated in
Revelation 13.
In Prophecy a time is one year, times
is two years and dividing of time is half a year, that is 360 days a
year times 3.5 years is 1,260 prophetic days or 1,260 literal years.
The Lord wanted the saints to be
assured of the time, therefore He gave the time from the time they
started setting up to be a political power. Daniel said, From the
time the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a
thousand two hundred and ninety days: Daniel 12:11.
The war against the saints ended in
1798. How do we know that? Take from the time they became a
persecuting power in 538 +1260 =1798 also from the time they started
setting themselves up to be a political power in 508 +1290 = 1798.
Therefore the Papacy would cease their persecution of the saints in
1,798 years.
Europe
in Prophecy
Revelation
13
Daniel gave a lot of description about the new European
Nation he saw being formed. He even gave the type of governance that
would govern the territory. He said, As concerning the rest of the
beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were
prolonged for a season and time. However he never gave the
description of the European Beast. John picked up where Daniel left
off.
He said, I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a
beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and
upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy
Revelation 13:1. This verse is just packed with symbols, and the
symbols must be unpacked so the text can be understood.
It is understood that a Beast in prophecy is a Nation,
the symbol sea represent much people. The Nation has seven heads.
Europe is the only nation in the world that have seven major
religions in it. Head symbolize Religion. The nation also has ten
horns as we have seen in Daniel. The ten horns symbolize the ten
nations of Europe. The Saxons, today, are known as the English
nation; the Franks, as the French nation. The Germans were known as
the Alamannies and the Spanish nations were known as the Visigoths.
The Lombards are known today as the Italians, the Suevi as the
Portuguese nation and the Burgundians as the Swiss nation. Among the
ten original nations were the Heruli, the Vandals and the Ostrogoth,
though separate and distinct nations they are known as one and all
encompassed as Europe. On the horns have crowns, symbolizing that the
head of state are kings. John also said all seven religions in Europe
blasphemes, speaking irreverently about God or sacred things.
It is strange however, in verse three it said one of the
heads were wounded. Seventh-day Adventist understand the wounded head
to symbolized the Papacy, the christian head. How strange it is, its
never asked who are the other six heads. Who are the other six
religions that blasphemes? However all seven religions blaspheme, and
upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Remember Daniel said, the Lion, the Bear and the
Leopard, their dominion was taken away but their lives were prolonged
for a season and time? John is saying the Nation of Europe is an
amalgamation of these three beast mentioned by Daniel. He said, the
beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the
feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: Revelation
13:2.
Of these ten Nations that formed Europe some adopted the
form of government of Babylon the Lion, some the form of government
of Greece the Bear and others the form of government of Medio Persia
the Leopard. However, none of them adopted the form of government of
the Roman Empire. Hence, the nature of the amalgamated beast that
John saw.
John said, he saw the dragon, Satan gave his power, and
his seat, and great authority to the Nations of Europe. And the
dragon gave him; the Beast, the Nations of Europe his power, and his
seat, and great authority. Therefore, these Nations of Europe are
caring out the will of Satan the Dragon.
John and Daniel are in complete agreement as to the
composition of the divided kingdom of Europe, the nations of the
former Roman Empire.
The
wounding of the head
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death;
and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the
beast. Revelation 13:3
John said he saw the beast has seven heads, and all
seven heads blaspheme the name of God. These seven heads represent
the seven major religions of Europe. Looking closer at the heads, the
religions, he said, I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to
death; and his deadly wound was healed:
But how was the head, the religion wounded?
Seventh-day Adventist believes the head that was wounded
is the Papacy, the Christian Religion and rightly so. The Papacy, the
Christian Religion was wounded as though it was going to die,
according to John, but how?
Do not make the mistake of confusing the Roman Empire
with the Roman Catholic Church. Do not give in to the idea of Rome in
its two stages: “Pagan Rome” and “Papal Rome.” Do not make
the mistake of associating General Berthier taking the pope captive
in 1798 as the wounding of the head.
These and many other points of views must be unlearned.
Six of the heads on the beast, the Nations of Europe
from Islam to Shinto remained intact, unchanged from their creed and
dogmas, but the Christian head changed its creed and dogmas, giving
heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils and departing from
the faith. Therefore, let us focus our attention on Christianity, the
Christian head.
Understand that the church built on Christ by the
apostles, is the same church that apostatized so badly, known today
as the Roman Catholic Church, the papacy, the papal power, or the
Roman Catholic
system. The apostles gave the early church ample warning
of the apostasy that was to engulf and take control of the church.
They told the church when the wicked ones takeover, you will remember
we told you so before it happens. However be courageous and be
faithful; the man of sin will be taken out of the way. They told the
church: do not be disheartened by this apostasy; it will not go on
forever.
The leadership of the early church would lead the church
to oppose all the commandments of God and to remove their faith from
beholding Christ and placing their trust and confidence in man. By
then, the leadership of the church would be emboldened and demand
worship to them and exalt themselves above the government of God. To
perfect their work, the leadership would engage in the working of
Satan with great power and lying wonders. They would use all
deceivableness to uphold their unrighteousness, and many would fall
prey to their great powers and lying wonders.
The true children of God were to operate as it were in
sackcloth.
They were to operate as if they were in a wilderness,
yet the wicked were to prevail against them. The righteous were to be
given into the hands of the wicked. The wicked were the leaders and
therefore
determined the rules. The deceived ones determined what
constituted heresy and what did not. They persecuted and killed the
children of God relentlessly for most of 1,260 years.
The wounding of the head was caused by men searching the
scriptures and realizing that the church was not teaching the truth,
that the church had embraced the doctrines of devils, giving heed to
seducing spirits, and have departed from the faith. These men
decided, come what may, to give themselves to God.
They also made another decision, which was to teach the
people what they had learned. Most of these men did so at the peril
of their lives. Millions of the saints gave up their lives at the
stake for the truth. From their burning and other forms of death they
struck a death knell to the Christian religion. Martin Luther, one of
the Reformers, struck a deadly blow to the Catholic Church, one of
the seven heads on the beast of Revelation 13, when he posted his
ninety-five theses on the church door at Wittenberg
as an act of defiance against the leadership and
practices of the church.
Luther decided to break free from the shackles of error
and superstition of the church. In his writings and preaching, Luther
challenged the errors and abominations that were practiced by the
leadership of the church and peeled away the doctrines of devils they
ensnared the people with for ages.
The Reformation gave a powerful blow to the church,
weakening the hold of the church on the people. This deadly blow to
the church, the head of the Christian religion, was not only given by
Luther, Knox, and those other great names of renown in the
reformation, but also by thousands upon thousands of unnamed
individuals all over western Europe. Young maidens who were to be
buried alive or burned at the stake went to their deaths with their
best garments on, like they were going to a wedding and not to their
last day on earth. Wives whose husbands were tied to be burnt at the
stakes would stand by their husbands, encouraging them and singing
hymns to them. Men burning at the stakes would sing hymns and try to
witness to their enemies even while the fire was burning around them.
Each of them stuck a blow to the church, that
contributed to the deadly wound of the head. This deadly wound was
administered by the truth of the gospel revealed and embraced by the
people.
The Church the Christian religion started braking up
into many protestant denominations. At the rate of the breakup it
seem that the church the christian religion was going to die.
However, today the Christian religion, Protestants and Catholic
alike, with the Bible wide open in their hands, are both adhering to
error, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, and
have departed from the faith. This action of the Christians,
especially the Protestants, has caused the deadly wound inflicted by
the reformers to be healed.
Worship
of Satan and Country
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the
beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the
beast? who is able to make war with him?Revelation 13:4
John said the people of the Nations of Europe, they
worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they
worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able
to make war with him?
The worship of Country in prophecy is symbolized as the
worship of the beast. Today we use the word patriotism as the quality
of being patriotic; giving devotion to and vigorous support for one's
country. To be patriotic is to worship country. Patriotism and
worship has the same meaning.
Here is the definition of worship: the feeling or
expression of reverence and adoration for a deity.
And here is the definition for being patriotic: having
or expressing devotion to and vigorous support for one's country.
Therefore when the scripture says they worshiped the
beast, it is saying the people of Europe worship Country over the
worship of God.
Who is able to make war with Europe? In your lifetime,
have you heard any country declaring war on Europe? In World War II
they declared war on themselves. Outside countries supported them
declaring war on themselves, but no outside country unilaterally
declared war on them. Even today who is able to make war with Europe?
The
function of the mouth:
Revelation 13:5-10 discussed the function of the mouth
that was given to the beast. Here we see both Daniel and John are in
full agreement and are speaking with one voice using different
symbols so that there is no mistaken of the prophecy.
Understand that the symbol of the mouth given to the
beast, is not the beast. The Beast are the nations of Europe. The
symbol of the mouth given to the nations, symbolized an entity within
Europe that speak as it were for Europe. This same entity symbolized
as a mouth by John is also symbolized as a little horn by Daniel and
as one of the seven heads on the Beast.
Daniel use the symbol of a little horn and John use the
symbol of a mouth for the same entity. This entity, the Papacy,
functioned both as a political organization, a horn and as the mouth
of Europe commanding the Nations of Europe and it is also one of the
seven major Religions of Europe.
Here we are going to compare what Daniel said about the
little horn that came up after the ten horns were fully established
and what John say about the function of the mouth that was given to
the beast.
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great
things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue
forty and two months. Revelation 13:5
I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among
them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first
horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes
like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. Daniel 7:8
Daniel said the little horn had a mouth speaking great
things, and John says that the beast was given a mouth speaking
great things and blasphemies.
Daniel said 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.
Daniel said the little horn was to have dominion over
the saints until a time and times and the dividing of time. Which is
three and a half years or 1260 prophetic days, a day to a year;
therefore the little horn was to have dominion over the saints for
only 1260 years and not one day more.
John said, power was given unto him (the mouth) to
continue forty and two months. Forty two months is three and a half
years or 1260 prophetic days, a day to a year; therefore the mouth
was to have dominion over the saints for only 1260 years.
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to
blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in
heaven.
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints,
and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and
tongues, and nations. Revelation 13:6,7
John said, and he (the mouth that was given to the
beast) opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, and it was given
unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them:
Note that these actions are not the actions of the Beast
or the nations of Europe but rather the action of the mouth that was
given to the nations of Europe according to John or the acts of the
little horn according to Daniel. Both the little horn as mentioned in
Daniel and the mouth as mentioned in Revelation functioned within the
Nations of Europe and not in the Roman Empire system as is being
taught by protestants.
Protestants ascribed the acts of the mouth given to the
beast as it were the acts of the beast. This error have lead them to
call the whole symbol of the beast in Revelation 13:1,2 as the
Papacy. This has caused them to have a myopic view of the first beast
of Revelation 13. Every symbol in the prophecy must be unpacked to
have a clear understanding of the Prophecy.
