A year for Armageddon and the
resurrection is not included on this chart because, as explained later, these
events are determined by fulfilled prophecies, "watch and be ready",
and are not based on timing (Matthew
24:42, 50).
**The 30 years in this chart
indicates that the inclusion of earth in the galactic drama between Lucifer and
God began in Eden at the deduced date of 3974 B.C., 30 years after creation ( - 4004 + 30 = - 3974
B.C.). After forty centuries (generations)
Jesus, "the last Adam", was
victorious over temptation at about age 30 and resumed the lost dominion of
"the first Adam" (1 Corinthians 15:45; Luke 3:23). And the Levites also represented Jesus'
ministry by their appointment to the priesthood at age 30 (Numbers 4:30).
Therefore, we may conclude
that Adam and Eve met Satan thirty years
after creation marking the beginning of the "fall" and
degradation of earth, precisely three
and one-half millenniums before
Haman's infamous decree.
So the year 3974 initiates the
elapsed time of 4,000 years (40 centuries/generations) from Adam's temptation and fall to Christ's
wilderness temptation and victory ( - 3974 + 4000 + 1*** = 27 A.D.),
and 3,500 years to Haman's infamous decree in 474 B.C. ( - 3974 + 3500 = - 474
B.C.).
The death-decree of Haman
against God's people and Pilate against our Savior both occurred after three
and one-half units of time. Haman's in B.C. 474 in the middle of seven millenniums;
and Pilate's in A.D. 31, which was 3 1/2 years after Christ's victory over
Satan's wilderness enticements in A.D. 27--God gave His people victory through
both of those events.
How appropriate that God
permitted Haman's decree at the central point of earth's 7,000-year conflict to
expose Satan's hatred against the saints. Your adversary the devil knows
he is condemned for stealing subjects from God's kingdom and would execute
death decrees "daily" against the "holy people" except God
especially intervenes in their behalf.
Knowledge of God's deliverance
from Haman's death-law should revive our commitment to remain faithful to His
commandments because of an increased appreciation of God's concern, love,
goodness, and special care in our behalf. Said Jesus: "He that
has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves
me will be loved of My Father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to
him" (John 14:21).
***Use your calculator to confirm my
figures. Remember that there is no year zero in chronological time, so one year must be added when crossing
from negative years, B.C. (or B.C.E., for Before Common Era), to positive years,
A.D. (or C.E., for Common Era).
If
you are content with this chart, or mathematics frustrates you, then advance to
the next paragraph headed: “THREE MORE
EVENTS TO FULFILL."
Three and one-half millenniums (3,500 years)
from Haman's decree extends to A.D. 3027; again, that closes the conflict on
earth about 1,000 years in the future ( - 474 + 3500 + 1 = 3027 A.D.). This is
the second-half of the 7,000-year portion of the cosmic conflict on earth, and
3,000 years after the beginning of
Jesus' public ministry in A.D. 27 (27 + 3000 = 3027). The first 3,500 years of
the conflict, from creation and
after Adam's fall, to Haman's decree, can be calculated like this: ( - 4004
+ 30 + 3500 = - 474 B.C.), the year of Haman's decree.
These figures are authenticated by
the well-known year of Jesus' baptism and confrontation with Satan in the
autumn of A.D. 27, "in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar" (Luke
3:1, 2). Remember, Jesus is the one who abolished the eternal sacrifice, and His embryonic humanity began 40 generations
(centuries or 4,000 years), after the
creation of Adam: ( - 4004 + 4000 = - 04 B.C.). Likewise, in A.D. 27, 40
centuries after Adam's fall, "the Spirit drove... [Jesus] into the
wilderness... [to be] tempted of Satan", and Jesus earned the right to be
our "second", or "unfallen" Adam ( - 3974 + 4000 + 1 = 27
A.D.; Mark 1:12, 13; 1 Corinthians 15:45). From Christ's temptation in A.D. 27,
3,000 years remain in the conflict, again, taking us to the year A.D. 3027,
three and one-half millenniums after Haman's decree( 27 + 3000 = 3027 A.D.).
The year of Jesus' humanity (conception) to His baptism and the beginning of
His public ministry can likewise be expressed as: ( - 04 + 30 + 1 = 27 A.D.);
again, that is the year of Christ's victory over sin, at the same age we have
determined for Adam's failure. The year B.C. 4004 can also be used to locate
Christ's victory over Satan's wilderness temptation by adding 40 centuries (4,000
years) to the inferred date of Adam's fall at age 30 as follows: ( - 4004 + 30
+ 4000 + 1 = 27 A.D.).
*Perhaps these
calculations have overwhelmed you, or you are aware of alternative dates.
I have no controversy with those who contest my logic, and am quite content
with approximate (round) numbers, but God is all-knowing. We can confidently
trust our Leader because "He... has determined the times before appointed,
and the bounds of their habitation" (Acts 17:26; Genesis 1:14).
THREE MORE EVENTS TO FULFILL
Although explained in greater detail
in other chapters, for now we will briefly acknowledge three events fulfilling after Haman's decree and before, as the messenger state,
"all these things shall be finished" (Daniel 12:7).
First: Michael the Great Prince
resurrecting "those who sleep in the dust of the earth" (both
good and evil) when the earth experiences "a time of trouble, such as
there never was since there was a nation..." (Daniel 12:1).
Although some graves opened
during the earthquake at Christ's death on Friday, the dead did not come forth
until "AFTER His [Sunday]
resurrection" from the grave; this possibly included the repentant
thief--Jesus promised him on Friday, "you shall be with me in
paradise" (Matthew 27:52; Luke 23:43).
But the general resurrection at
our time of history that Jesus spoke of is "the resurrection of life"
and a few servants of Satan (that pierced Him--Revelation 1:7; Matthew 26:64)--“It
[the grave] stirs up the dead for you [Lucifer]…” (Isaiah 14:9).
And the much larger
"resurrection of damnation" is 1,000 years in the future (John 5:29;
Revelation 1:7; 20: 3,4).
Second: Those "found written in
the book [of life] shall be delivered" (Daniel 12:1). The saints
were delivered after Haman's decree, and before the destruction of Jerusalem in
70 A.D. They will also be saved after a death law during our time of history
and, once more 1,000 years in the future when Satan marshals the wicked to
destroy the saints in the Holy City that descends from heaven (Revelation
13:15; 20:7,9).
Third: "The power of the holy
people has been shattered" (Daniel 12:7). As previously noted, this
occurred by Haman's decree. It also repeats when a death decree is passed
before Armageddon, and once more when Satan mobilizes the wicked to attack the
saints 1,000 years in the future.
These episodes will end the controversy between good and evil in
A.D. 3027 when "the fulfillment of these wonders shall be" and
"the wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament... forever and
forever" (Daniel 12:3, 6).
These important events, finding their ultimate fulfillment about 1,000
years in the future, are emphasized two
times in Daniel 12: by the time,
times, and one-half time prophecy and the "blessings" of the 1335 days (8010). When it is
"doubled... it is because the thing is established by God, and God will
shortly bring it to pass" (Genesis 41:32).
God does not want anyone to
err on understanding these final events closing the conflict between good and
evil and restoring peace to His universe.
That is when Lucifer and the
resurrected wicked are destroyed (Ezekiel 28: 18, 19). And this act closes the
conflict between God and His rebellious angels, when sin and sinners are eliminated from the cosmos.
Other times-times-1/2 time prophecies repeat with related numbers
throughout the Bible; these also had
a valid historical applications during
the tribulation and will be discussed in the next chapter.
FORGOTTEN TRUTHS RESTORED
We have discovered some astounding
facts in Daniel 12. Most are not new, but merely forgotten truths waiting to be
revived.
The disciple Jude, possibly
Christ's step-brother and who identifies himself as the brother of James,
quotes from the apocryphal writings of Enoch
as recorded in Jude 14. And fragments of Enoch
were discovered in the Dead Sea Scrolls and elsewhere. I will quote from this
manuscript, not because this work is authoritative, but to emphasize that
before the time of Christ it was taught that the earth would be restored after
the passing of 7,000 years. This is how Enoch reads:
And I
blessed the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, on which He rested from all His
works. And I appointed the eighth day also, that the eighth day should be the
first-created after my work, and that the first seven revolve in the form of
the seventh thousand, and that at the beginning of the eighth thousand [again,
1,000 years in the future] there should be a time of not-counting [without
death and decay, time will lose its significance], endless with neither years
nor months nor weeks nor days nor hours. (Secrets
of Enoch, 32:4; 33:1; quoted from "The Lost Books of the Bible..." 1926, Alpha House, Inc. ISBN
0-529-03385-2)
Similarly, Irenaeus, bishop of
Lyons, France, indicates that this world will come to an end after six-thousand
years. This quotation was written about A.D. 185:
In as many days as this world was
made, in so many thousand years shall it be concluded. . . . For the day of the
Lord is as a thousand ... years: and in six days created things were completed:
it is evident, therefore, that they will come
to an end at the sixth thousand year. (Against
Heresies, Book v. chap. xxviii. sect. 3)
GOD'S MASTER PLAN
Properly understood, Daniel 12 is an
important augmentation to our knowledge. God wanted this revealed in the
last days as Daniel says:
I heard, but I understood not: then
said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go your
way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do
wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. (Daniel 12:8-10)
So what can we look forward to in
the near future? As you now know, the final destruction of this planet and a
resurrection to heaven for 1,000 years (See John 14:1-4 and Revelation 20). I
look forward to the voyage to heaven, and can WAIT for the earth to enjoy its
Sabbath rest, and after the seventh millennium, we can celebrate eternity
together in Eden restored on this re-created planet (Revelation 21).
Chapter 24 of Isaiah
describes the soon-coming last-day on our celestial globe and tells us the
reason for its demise:
"The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting
covenant. Therefore the curse has
devoured the earth and those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the
inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left" (A few living
saints will survive the heat to participate in the resurrection of the
righteous). (Isaiah 24:5,6)
The laws of man may change each time
parliament sits or a judge rules but God's law is unchangeable. Please observe that Isaiah said the earth is
destroyed because of a change in law--this must certainly mean God's eternal
Ten-Commandment law. A power did attempt to do this and will again enforce these
injunctions. This power is the same "abomination of desolation" that
we just discovered in Daniel 12. It says, "And he [this power] shall
intend [or think] to change TIMES and law..." (ch. 7:25). God said: Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, that
is, transgressing,
changing,
or breaking,
God's law causes the seven last plagues. This subject is to be covered in other
chapters.
MILLENNIAL FEVER
I hope you have been blessed with a
strengthened faith in Jesus our Savior and possess a greater understanding of
God's control of the destiny of earth as revealed in this study; but before we
close this chapter, there is another subject that needs discussing: A word of
caution to millennialists.
Millennial
fever has inoculated many in our world today and an anxiety plagues Christendom
as some count years and set dates for Christ's coming and Armageddon. This is
as Satan would have it because as the dates pass uneventful, scoffers are
emboldened to continue in transgression and the embarrassed speculators lose
faith in the Scripture--some are lost to disappointment, skepticism, and
unbelief.
In anticipation of this, in
1996 I wrote letters to some concerned individuals telling them that an earlier
figure of the seventh millennium, October 23, 1996, would pass uneventful. I repeated
that admonition for Y2K and again here for your benefit: Christ's second coming is not bound to specific
dates such as those beginning with creation, Adam's failure, or Jubilee-year
speculation.
ONE
UNLIKELY SCENARIO
I might suggest that certain events
happening in the first century must repeat sequentially in our time. For
example: Since Jesus was tempted in all ways as us (Hebrews 4:15). And at the
age of 30 Jesus met Satan in the wilderness in 27 A.D., knowing that
Haman's death decree was on April 17, one might be bold enough to suggest the
saints will also meet Satan on April 17 of the year 2027 A.D., six millenniums
after the inferred date of the fall in Eden.
Next Jesus faced a death
sentence in 31 A.D.--likewise, the saints must also meet a death decree (to be
discussed in another chapter). Following this millennial logic, could a death
decree be slated for 2031 A.D.?
Then probation closed for the
Jews in 34 A.D. (discussed in chapter four) so, 2034 A.D. is a logical
derivative for the close of man's probation; but there is more:
Jerusalem was destroyed in
A.D. 70--the fortieth Passover from
Jesus' crucifixion--could this set the year 2070 as the time for Armageddon,
which will also destroy Jerusalem and the world?
I stimulated others to deeper
thoughts with this millennium hypothesis in 1995, and it is as good as any one
can imagine, but IT IS NOT FACTUAL. There are some secrets that God will not reveal: "The secret things
belong unto the LORD our God: but those things that are revealed belong unto us
and to our children for ever, that we may
obey all the words of this law" (Deuteronomy 29:29).
Our duty is to trust God's
faithfulness and, through His enabling presence, obey all the words of His law while preparing for Christ's coming.
The year 2070 may very well
pass uneventful; it has NOT been given us to know the exact "times and
seasons" (Acts 1:7).
As the guardian angels of
earth are now allowing increased calamities, our "hearts are failing us
for fear." We just cannot imagine
that this world will last much longer. And tomorrow you may
carelessly step from the curb as a truck approaches and, one might say, Instant Armageddon!
Concerning theoretical dates
for Armageddon and Christ's coming, God is not bound by any specific dates or
times, as the author of Romans states: For
He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the Lord
will make a short work upon the earth (Romans 9:28).
Jesus made several statements that tell us His
coming is not restricted to timing
but by events that God controls:
"He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this
gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations; and then shall the end come"; and, "when these things begin
to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption
draws near" (Luke 21:28; Matthew 13, 14).
Jesus could have come before
this if conditions had properly fulfilled; this means we must "Watch
therefore...." for "that day and hour knows no man, no, not the
angels of heaven, but my Father only" (Matthew 24:42; 24:36).
Therefore, my concerned
brothers and sisters, this side of heaven nobody knows exactly where to date Armageddon or the resurrection and our
mathematical calculations only reveal the timing of the overall controversy;
they are worthless for predicting the exact time of "dooms day."
It is a definite fact that
Jesus is coming and sooner than we might suspect; meanwhile, He has given us a work
to do.
Like Noah, the "preacher
of righteousness", we must share biblical truths and warnings while
watching because we will see Jesus' return when we do not expect Him (2 Peter
2:5; Matthew 24:44).
So please do not become weary
of God's apparent delay; He has not forgotten us. And, above all, remain
faithful while watching and praying to be kept for that coming.
The one thing you can know for
certain, though, is time is running out. God wanted the SIX-day code unfolded
at the "end of the days" to prepare His people to receive vital
truths occurring before He returns. And just the fact that the Daniel 12 code
is revealed tells us we are living at "the time of the end" (Daniel
12:4, 9).
LET US PRAY ABOUT IT
Thank you for reading this chapter
and I hope it has not left you confused. Some parts of the Bible are easy to understand; for example, Habakkuk speaks of the
Lord's second coming with visible "rays of light flashing from His palms
(Habakkuk 3:4, margin: side,). And
Zechariah describes our looking on "Him whom they have pierced" (ch.
12:10). This means we will plainly see the wounds Jesus received at Calvary.
But it takes a
"deciphered" interpretation to understand what you read in my INTRODUCTON,
of Eve being given to Adam by a wound in his side at creation which really revealed
God's remedy for sin before the fall
because the Messiah, Jesus Christ, would receive His people through the blood
He spilled from his side on the cross:
He was wounded for our
transgressions.... He was cut off [killed] from the land of the living;
for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave...
at His death, because He had done no
violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth; also, I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive
forevermore.... (Isaiah 53:5; 8, 9; Revelation 1: 18)
Much that Christ taught was
confusing to His contemporaries because He spoke in "encrypted" or
symbolic language. He acknowledged the unbelief of these listeners and
commented: "The words that I am speaking to you are spirit and life"
(John 6:63).
Those religious leaders were
inclined to be teaches of the Word and although the insignificant carpenter
from Nazareth pointedly told the truth, they
thought themselves above receiving religious instruction.
Likewise, we must wisely
evaluate our biased education and motives and avoid the mistakes of those who
rejected the very truths that would have been a "savor of life unto
life" (2 Corinthians 2:16).
Because some of the events
foretold in Daniel 12 undoubtedly conflict with what you have been taught,
please make them a subject of deep contemplation and prayer because "the
wise will understand."
GOD IS OUR CREATOR
The proper understanding of Daniel
12 requires a belief in God as our Creator and faith in Bible chronology. The following photographs were taken by my wife,
Tish, and me. The second photo is from the Griffith Observatory in the
|
|
INSERT
PHOTO: #1.jpg We photographed this dinosaur footprint in
cretaceous limestone on the banks of the Paluxy River. It is approximately 30
cm (one ft.) across, and located with similar tracks. Early excavations in
this area revealed human footprints
inside the dinosaur tracks leading to rumors that the human prints had
claws--later excavations uncovered human foot prints up to 64 cm long (25
inches) next to the dinosaur
prints--this discounted the rumors. |
|
|
|
A human hand print was also
uncovered. The term cretaceous means
that dinosaurs occupy that period of geological history. Human prints
contemporary with dinosaurs contradict modern evolution theories because
mankind was not to evolve for another 75 to 100 million years.
The following photo shows me looking
at an ammonia solution under vacuum at an older display in Griffith
Observatory, Los Angeles (That chamber has been replaced by a cosmic-ray
animation). This impressive apparatus allowed one to see visible evidence of
cosmic-ray penetration to the surface of earth. Called a Cosmic Ray Cloud
Chamber, small bursts of vapor appeared on the surface of the ammonia about
every two seconds as tracers from cosmic-ray bombardment.
|
|
INSERT
PHOTO: #2.jpg Today,
the volume of water in our oceans would cover a perfectly spherical earth to
a depth greater than 6,000 feet (2,000 meters). The Bible says: "The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of
the [pre-existing] waters." "And God made the atmosphere, and
divided the waters which were under the atmosphere from the waters which were
above the atmosphere; and it was so" (Genesis 1:2, 6). On the new earth
all will be restored as John says: "There was no more sea"
(Revelation 21:1). With a tremendous volume of water again encircling the
earth, like a huge green house, we will be protected from harsh radiation,
including cosmic-ray bombardment. "And it shall come to pass in that
day, that the [diffused] light [of the sun] shall not be clear, [or] dark.
...at evening time it shall be light" (Zechariah 14:6, 7). |
|
|
|
|
|
Carbon 14 is formed in our
atmosphere by cosmic rays. That level continues to increase and has not reached
equilibrium level; meanwhile, accurate measurements also show the magnetic
field of our earth is decreasing exponentially. Radioactive carbon 14 dating assumes that there was always
significant levels in antiquity. Yet, if the "water shield" of earth
absorbed cosmic rays, and its increased magnetic field deflected them, no living
creature before Noah's flood could contain carbon 14. This is one reason why
organisms living before the flood display erroneous ages, like millions of
years.
|
|
INSERT
PHOTO: #3.jpg
I am standing next to the large skull of a bison. Evolution attempts
to establish a higher order of beings with the passage of time, yet this
bison would have stood over three meters (10 ft.) tall at the shoulders. They
have discovered shells called ammonites which were two meters (6 ft.) tall,
and the height of reeds that grow next to ponds 18 meters (60 ft.), with seed
pods (cat tails) of three meters (10 ft.) length. Obviously, creation has
undergone decay since |
|
|
INSERT
PHOTO: #4.jpg This
petrified finger belonged to a "prehistoric" human, and was found
in cretaceous limestone. It is broken short of the middle joint, and measures
7.6 cm (3 in.). At full length it would measure about 15 cm (6 inches). Excavations
of this limestone also revealed a child's tooth and human hair. |
|
|
INSERT
PHOTO: #5.jpg This is one of many human footprints
contemporary with dinosaurs taken from the Paluxy River located in Dinosaur
Park near Glen Rose, Texas. It is contrasted with my sandaled foot, and
exceeds 45 cm (18 in.) in length.
|
|
|
|
|
|
INSERT
PHOTO: #6.jpg This
interesting photograph is of a hammer found in similar strata. Its iron head
and wooden handle are solidified in sandstone. Metallurgical studies show
that it was constructed of a type of iron that could not have been made under
present atmospheric conditions. It is believed that before the flood our
atmosphere was compressed to approximately twice its current density and no
ultraviolet radiation. |
Obviously, the people who
lived contemporary with dinosaurs were intelligent and the footprints indicate
that they were quite human as the large toe on primates is located closer to
the heel to facilitate clinging to branches.
Doctor Hilton Hinderliter of Apollo
Campus, Pennsylvania State University, studied the evidence presented at the
Glen Rose, Texas, excavations and stated: "I would have to say that the
belief in evolution is in a state of terminal illness but its death will only
be admitted by a new generation of scientists whose minds have not been
prejudiced by the type of education now prevalent in the nation's public
schools, an education which starts with the belief that evolution has happened,
which interprets all evidence according to that faith and which simply discards
any evidence which cannot be fitted into the evolutionary framework"
(Quoted with permission from Dinosaurs
by Dr. Carl E. Baugh, 1987. Promise Publishing Co., Orange, CA 92667).
The Bible speaks of these majestic people who lived in Noah's day. Of
them it is said:
For since the creation of the world His
invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are
made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were
thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were
darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools..., who exchanged the truth
of God for the lie. (Romans 1:20-22, 25)
The
Abomination of Desolation Throughout History
Chapter 2
THE THREE MAJOR "PERSECUTIONS"
Today the Christian community uses the term "Abomination of Desolation" inter-changeably with "Antichrist." In searching for this blasphemous power they have speculated much. Perhaps you have heard slandering theories pointing to people like Henry Kissinger or Bill Gates, accompanied with archaic numbering schemes that purport to total 666.
It would not be prudent to only present "The Daniel 12 Code Revealed" which emphasizes the fact that Jesus in the New Testament and Daniel in the Old Testament both identify the Abomination of Desolation as Rome without a follow-up. Neither should I leave one partially informed without a fuller description of what the Bible actually says concerning the continuity between Imperial Rome and the Roman System as we know it today.
Furthermore, it is imperative
that you trust the warnings in the Bible
because Satan, who deceived God’s
immaculate angels in heaven, has greater success with unsuspecting humans.
He employs delusions never
imagined by earlier Christians such as bleeding statues, apparitions,
locutions, distorted logic, and every other means possible to deceive the very
elect, doing great wonders, even making fire appear from heaven” (Revelation
13:13).
This
means assaulting our sense of reason; they
are the spirits of demons, working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness
in those who perish; and strong delusions that they should believe a lie; for
Satan knows that his time is short (2 Thessalonians 2:10, 11; Revelation
12:17; 16:14).
These Satanic deceptions
compel the Abomination of Desolation and its allies to seek world subjection to
their religious dogma. This will, they suppose, reduce a global “chastisement”,
while ushering in the anticipated millennium of peace (Flynn, The Thunder of Justice, 365,366).
We must not listen to lying
spirits and doctrines of devils but trust God's Word as Christ says, "It
is written, man shall... live... by every word that proceeds out of the mouth
of God" (Matthew 4:4).
Perhaps
you, too, have discovered that the more someone says on a given subject, the
more confusing and less plausible it appears; therefore, this dialogue will not
be an exhaustive verbal onslaught, but nevertheless valid as we discover
important facts.
Accordingly, I will attempt to
give you a brief resume of what will hereafter be called the "Roman
System" and the three major "persecutions", or
"divisions", it must have undergone throughout history as Satan
manipulates events within the boundaries established by God. I trust that you
are somewhat knowledgeable in the scriptures and will continue to study the
Word.
A PANORAMA OF WORLD HISTORY
You may recall that Daniel describes four major world governments that would rule this earth. The fourth would RULE UNTIL THE END OF TIME.
The first was the Babylonian Empire, then occupying what we know as Iraq. Under the reign of Belshazzar, its last Chaldean ruler, Daniel was given more visions symbolizing additional characteristics of each successive kingdom.
Without extensive study of these prophecies, it is sufficient to say that a messenger from heaven mentioned the next two empires by name: "They are the kings of Media and Persia" and the second "is the kingdom of Greece" (Daniel 8:20, 21)
Before
Daniel died, he witnessed the fall of Babylon and the rise of the Medo-Persian
Empire (the story of Daniel and the lion's den occurred under Darius, the
Medo-Persian monarch). Then the
Now that we have briefly established a historical foundation, let us continue our discussion of the continuity of the Roman System, the fourth kingdom, throughout history.
IMPERIAL
Our modern culture has benefited much from this system in its earlier years. Although we now consider Roman Numerals archaic, many of our modern civil rights and laws are obtained from their judicial system. Regardless of the good points, Imperial Rome crucified the Majesty of heaven and then was "SET UP", or established, becoming a tool in Satan's hands to persecute God's people (Read about the execution of Perpetua on the Internet, published at: http://www.revealed.org/perpetua.htm
Under
the dominion of Caesars, the Roman System tortured and slaughtered the saints.
It must thereafter undergo its first major transition by being conquered,
bringing to an end the system of Emperor Worship. This occurred in the fourth
century when
Before
Constantine's conquests, the Christian church in Rome was no more significant
than any other church located around the Mediterranean Sea. Christ's widespread
religious system was originally known as a catholic (meaning
"universal") church, not Roman Catholic.
Rome occupied no preeminence in the universal
church; in fact, Eusebius Pamphili, a Christian historian and bishop of
Caesarea during this significant time of history, records only one major church
council (synod) there before the fourth-century reign of Constantine, and that
was to correct the errors of the Roman Church for not forgiving the unfortunate
saints who had denied their faith under torture and persecution (Eusebius, History of the Church, Book 6,
43).
A sober reality is, the famous Nicaean Ecumenical Council of A.D. 325, that attempted to united the divided "universal" church, was not attended by Pope Sylvester I; in fact, it was not even held at Rome, but Bithnyia of North Asia Minor which is our modern Turkey (Moynahan, The Faith, A History of Christianity, Doubleday, 2002, p. 121). Eusebius also attended that most significant meeting of the global church.
Initially
the Catholic (universal) Church had four districts: Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome,
with Jerusalem as headquarters. After the apostle Paul established the church
in Rome. To them he wrote an epistle of admonition and reproof saying: “The
name of God is blasphemed among the gentiles because of you”; something many
non-Christians are saying today (Romans 2:24).
Paul gives no hint of Rome
having authority over other churches and Peter’s name is not mentioned to his
closing acknowledgments to the saints in Rome (Romans 16:1-15). Even when condemned by Nero Paul does not
mention Peter’s name but says: “Only Luke is with me” (2 Timothy 4:11).
The
Great Council at
Clement, a first century writer, who was mentioned by Paul in Philippians 4:3, agrees with this:
"Peter, James, and John, after the ascension of the Savior, did not claim pre-eminence because the Savior had specially honored them, but chose James the Righteous as Bishop of Jerusalem" (Acts 15:13, 19; Clement, Outlines, Book VI--Eusebius, History of the Church, Book 2, 1.2).
The Jerusalem church had a
continuous line of Jewish bishops until the Roman emperor Hadrian (A.D.
118-138) banned all Jews from Jerusalem in about 126 A.D.; then Mark became the
first non-Jewish bishop of the universal catholic church (Ibid., 6.2).
About two centuries later, Constantine divided his empire into two territories, the Eastern and Western Roman Empire and upon departure from Rome he gave Bishop Sylvester authority over the Roman military.
As
you now know, the Roman System is today called the Roman Catholic Church. It
boldly claims preeminence over
The
famous church historian and Bible translator, Eusebius (260-339) of Caesarea,
Palestine, was mentioned earlier. He is known as "The Father of
Ecclesiastical History" and lists the cannon of authentic "New
Testament" writings. He said Paul wrote "Hebrews" in the
language of the Jews and Luke translated it to Greek.
While professing to protect
common people from misinterpreting the Bible written in their own language, the
Church killed Bible translators and perverted Christ's words that “it is better
to pluck out your eye or cut off your hand rather than sin” to mean: The church
has authority to burn Bibles, pluck eyes, remove limbs, and burn alleged
sinners alive.
One Roman decrial defends their practice of inflicting pain: "Bodily torture has ever been found the most salutary and efficient means of leading to spiritual repentance" (Pope Innocent IV, Ad Extirpanda, A.D. 1252). This was not enough; Christ' words that heaven would be destroyed before God's law change they perverted to mean: We have the authority to change God's law.
Bishop
Eusebius writes of the agenda at the First Nicaean Council and says: "All
things whatsoever that it was duty to do on the Sabbath, these we have transferred
to [Sunday,] the Lord's day" (Translated from Eusebius, commentary on the Psalms, in Migne, patrologia Graeca,
Vol. 23, COLS. 1171, 1172).
At this point you should
understand that a human council, under Constantine's influence, changed God's
Sabbath Commandment of Exodus 20: 8-11, more than 1,000 years before the
Reformeres revived suppressed Bible truths. You will read more on this in the
next chapter; yes, some of the accomplishments of the Roman System are very
presumptuous: "He... shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and
shall intend [presume] to change times and law" (Daniel 7:25; Read about
The Plight of the Vaudois at: http://www.revealed.org/vaudois.htm
CATHOLIC
Returning to the fall of Imperial Rome, this division of the Roman System into smaller parts is first discussed in Daniel chapter two: "And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron.... [it] shall [also] be divided.... They shall not adhere one to another" (verses 40, 41 and 43).
Again, the transition is described in greater detail in chapter seven of Daniel: A fourth beast [Rome], dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong... and it had ten horns" (verse 7).
The Roman empire had ten major divisions; one of these territories would predominate and is called a little horn in verse eight: "I was considering the horns [kingdoms], and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots, and there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words."
The
three horns plucked out were Arian, believing Jesus was not equal with God the
Father. The Catholic emperor Zeno was instrumental in the eradication of the first
horn, the Heruli, in A.D. 493. Then the Catholic emperor Justinian destroyed
the second horn, the Vandals, in 534 A.D., and was so certain of complete
victory that he officially stated in A.D. 533 that the Pope of Rome was the
"head of all the Holy Churches." Then the Ostrogoths, the third horn,
were defeated in A.D. 538 after besieging
Thus, in A.D. 538, the little horn of the Christian church in Rome was free to declare itself sovereign, an illusion they have never forsaken.
Beware: The Bible predicts the lengthy reign of the Roman System, even into our troubled future: "I was watching; and the same [little] horn was making war against the saints, and PREVAILING AGAINST THEM, until the Ancient of Days came... [the coming of Christ]" (Verse 21, 22).
So, the first demise of the Roman System was essential in its metamorphose from a despotic monarchy to a religious format with influence over subordinate kingdoms. The religious form of the Abomination of Desolation during the "Spiritual Dark Ages" flourished under such titles as "The Holy Roman Empire" and “The Papal States" until dealt an almost fatal wound (Revelation 13:3). This will be discussed next.
AN ALMOST FATAL WOUND
The second "persecution" and demise of the Roman System is only temporary when this power would receive an apparently fatal wound. This occurred after the 1260 years (the Spiritual Dark Ages) in 1798 during the French Revolution. Under Napoleon's authority, his troops entered Rome and took Pope Pius VI captive. He died an exile in Valence, France.
To
emphasize this important time of history, Daniel and Revelation both repeat the
ascendancy of the Roman System for a period of 1260 days, 42 month, and 3 1/2
times (years). Under the Jewish calendar these periods all indicate 1260 days,
or prophetic years (Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34). This period of the Great
Tribulation, foretold by Christ (Matthew. 24:21), would therefore last 1260
years and is what I call the "Spiritual Dark Ages." It stretches from
the supremacy of
One might ask, "Exactly why did France attempt the destruction of the Roman System?" The answer is quite simple, for the same reason people today reject God--the Church has failed to present a true representation of God's loving nature. Hypocrisy within the church causes "the way of truth... to be evil spoken of" (2 Peter 2:2).
Imagining they had the power to supersede Scripture with church tradition, enforcement required sanctions--the inflicting of punishment upon "heretics" for non-compliance. For centuries the Abomination of Desolation conspired with statesmen to force religious dogma and, by any means possible, to acquire wealth, including confiscation of property, from their opponents and the ignorant. This travesty of God's will included their influence of French magistrates and kings to use violent means against their Protestant citizens like the Huguenots and Albigenses, who exposed their “infallible” doctrines.
With cunningness that only Satan could devise, machines of torture were invented to prolong the life of their victims at the point of near-death; often the sufferers coveted the torments of hell that appeared sweeter than the pains that were being inflicted upon them by these professed Christians. "But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces [violence]: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things" (Daniel 11:38).
As
you can see, the Roman Church did not properly emulate the Savior. The most
forceful actions Jesus ever commanded the disciples concerning those who reject
His truths were: "And whosoever
will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust
from your feet for a testimony against them" (Luke 9:25).
Jesus taught the church to
"love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate
you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that you
may be the children of your Father which is in heaven..." (Matthew 5:44,
45).
Violent
acts by the Abomination of Desolation against the populace would, as you should
expect, foster hatred of God and the Roman Church.
France duplicated the
techniques of Rome well. Honoring Satan, the "God their fathers knew
not", revolutionists resorted to the same violent means to eliminate this
abomination that so distorted the true principles of heaven. The French clergy,
congregations, and bureaucrats, were fed to the blood-thirsty guillotine as
countless thousands perished during what is known as "The Reign of Terror."
During
this time France, the country that rejected the truths revived by the
Protestant Reformation, exalted atheism by briefly conquering God's "two
witnesses." This is the Old and New Testament, not Elijah and Enoch as
some speculate; Jesus said: "Elijah has already come" (Matthew
17:12). And the angel Gabriel also indicated Elijah was John the Baptist (Luke
1:17).
The two scriptural witnesses were
"slain" in November 1793 when Christianity was outlawed and Bibles
burned and dragged through the dung-laden streets of Paris (spiritually called
Sodom and Egypt in Revelation 11:8) among shouts of glee and rejoicing.
Appalled at the carnage and their miserable experiment with atheism, after "three and one-half days" (Revelation 11:11), which are years in prophetic time, that is, June of 1797, the French National Assembly unanimously restored the Bible in its country and instituted a hint of the religious freedoms we enjoy today (Smith: Daniel and Revelation, 539.4).
Spiritual rulership was restored to the Roman System when Napoleon signed the Concordat of 1801 with Pope Pius VII. This agreement allowed ecclesiastic (religious) leadership by Roman bishops, but removed them from secular (civil) rule. Their promise to not intrude in governmental affairs effectively restricted the Roman System from violating civil rights and religious freedoms.
As proper as it may seem to them, that restriction will ultimately be repudiated and church dogma enforced again by civil governments under the "mark of the beast"; this is discussed in chapter three.
So the second predicted demise of the Abomination of Desolation forced the Roman System into a period of compelled religious toleration. Meanwhile, the invention of the printing press allowed Bibles to be printed and distributed freely, and missionaries presented the Gospel uninhibited by major persecution. God provided His people with a rest from profound oppression so that His Word could freely "prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings" (Revelation 10:11).
But that is not the end of the story as the Bible predicts the recovery of Rome. Saint John recorded in Revelation 13:3, "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and ALL the world wondered after the beast."
THE HEALED WOUND
In
1929 Benito Mussolini signed an agreement with Pope Pius XI. Called the Lateran
Treaty, it formed
God condemns organizations because of His truths they suppress and the sins they condone; therefore, Rome must meet final judgment. The third "persecution" and final demise of the Abomination of Desolation is still future and is described in several parts of the Bible. Let us start with Daniel 7:11. "I watched then till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame." "But the court shall be seated [in heaven], and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it forever" (verse 26). "But he shall be broken..." (Daniel 8:25). And in the outline of the seven last plagues of Revelation, "The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain" (Revelation 16:10).
This is not describing Nero's burning of Rome which occurred about four decades before John wrote that prediction; it fulfills under the seven last plagues, when the very nations that give authority to the Abomination of Desolation realize their great error and initiate the destruction of Rome (Revelation 17: 12,13,16). "Therefore her plagues will come in one day--death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her" (Revelation 18:8).
The
final destruction of the Roman System is no secret to their bureaucracy. The
disclosure by the
Malachy delivered to Pope Innocent II an unusual vision of the future where he allegedly names the attributes of every pontiff to the end of time. Those who trace this prophecy understand that the third to the last pontiff, called Ad Labore Solis in Malachi’s vision, applied to the late Pope John Paul II--he was born and buried on days having an eclipse of the sun (solis).
According to 1 Thessalonians 2: 8-12, Satan is restrained from appearing until Christ allows. In other words, Satan cannot predict the date of his exact arrival from this twelfth-century vision. That means Satan will probably deceive by extending Malachi’s list with additional Popes, but Malachy only lists two more pontiffs after John Paul II. First, “Gloria Olivae."
The Order of Benedictines has a branch called Olivetans. It literally means Olive Oil. Malachi’s prediction says “Olivae” (Pope Benedict XVI) should be followed by "Petrus Romanus"--another bishop may arrive claiming unity with Peter himself (and see: Flynn, the Thunder of Justice, 1993, pp. 255, 256).
The
last book of the Bible warns us of extreme end-time deceptions: "They are
the spirits of devils, working miracles" (Revelation 16:14).
The Book of Mormon claims one or more of Christ's disciples have never
died and will appear at the end of the days (3 Nephi 28:6). Likewise, certain
Moslem sects believe a prophet will reappear (Esslemont, Bahả’u’llảh and the New Era, p. 15. 16). And
apparitions of Mary are reported in many Catholic churches.
These are most challenging delusions as demons appear in human form and tenants of spiritualism invade Christians. Protestants and Catholics unite with spiritualism to battle God's saints. It will, says Jesus, "if possible, shall deceive the very elect" (Matthew 24:23, 24).
How can you
possibly survive such overwhelming deceptions? You must not trust in those who
violate "the least of God's commandments" while professing to be knowledgeable
in the Scriptures.
You must plead with God in
prayer for knowledge of the truth and faith to endure.
You must personally be an avid
Bible student. In God's strength, you must live the truth.
And you must compare testing presentations with
God's Word--then you will prevail "To the law [all ten of His
commandments] and to the testimony of Jesus: if they speak not according to
this word, [it is] because [there is] no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20;
Revelation 12:17;19:10).
Malachi’s discourse closes by
outlining the final demise of the Roman System as follows: "In the final
"persecution" of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the
Roman, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the
seven-hilled city [which is Rome] will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge
[actually Satan] will judge the people."
After this, the Church of Rome will undergo significant modifications.
God permits them to attribute
Satanic delusions and false visions to heavenly origin; they will finally
introduce the Devil as the long-expected messiah "because they received
not the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this cause God
shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie" (2
Thessalonians 2:10, 11).
SATAN A SAVIOR?
The
part that concerns me most in Malachi’s vision is the statement that the
"dreadful Judge will [then] judge the people." Malachy wanted us to
believe that the Judge is Christ coming to rule this confused planet. This is
perhaps Satan's greatest delusion of all and that doctrine is known as the
"temporal millennium" or “the age to come."
After Satan decimates the
Roman System, and our noble attempts at Global Governance by forming a
"One World Government" has utterly failed in total chaos of our
society and economic security, Lucifer himself will arrive as a savior and sit
in the temple of God, showing himself to be God. Let us together study this
important topic.
In Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians, he described Christ's visible coming and the resurrection of the righteous with these words:
For this we say to you by
the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the
Lord will by no means precede them which are asleep [dead]. For the Lord
Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel
[Michael's voice, see Daniel 12:1] and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in
Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be CAUGHT UP
together with them in the CLOUDS to meet the Lord IN THE AIR, and so we shall always
be with the Lord. (1Thessalonians. 4:15-17)
This promise excited the Thessalonians who had chosen not to WAIT. Anticipating Christ's coming in their day necessitated that Paul write a second letter itemizing definite signs to precede His advent:
Now I admonish you, brothers concerning the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together [resurrection] to him, that
you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit [vision] nor
by word [false teachers] nor by letter as from us [misquoted Scripture], as that the day of
Christ [the resurrection] is at hand. LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU BY ANY MEANS: for
that day SHALL NOT COME except [for two things:] there comes a falling away
first ['for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural
affection [homosexuality], truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce,
despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of
pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the
power thereof...'--(2 Timothy 3:2)]. And [secondly,] THE MAN OF SIN [Lucifer]
is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all
that is called God or that is worshiped, so that HE SITS IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD SHOWING HIMSELF THAT HE IS GOD.... WHOM THE
LORD WILL CONSUME WITH THE BREATH OF HIS MOUTH AND DESTROY WITH THE BRIGHTNESS
OF HIS COMING... [Satan comes] with all power, signs, and lying wonders. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 8, 9).
Although the papacy has claimed the throne of Peter and to be God's representative on earth, the ultimate application of this prophecy identifies Satan himself. Before Jesus' rescue mission, Satan must first impersonate God; let no man deceive you... (ibid.).
The Bible is clear on this topic, "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time" (Revelation 12; 12). And Satan will be killed at Christ's coming when this world is destroyed; the Roman System has deluded the Christian world into accepting different conclusions.
Protestant Reformers considered the Vatican the throne of antichrist so, after completing a year of study, Jesuit Luis de Alcasar shifted the prophecies of antichrist to before Revelation was written. That explanation has so many defects that very few teach it today. Two years after Alcasar's hypothesis appeared, another deviating doctrine appeared called futurism.
Nearly all major religions now follow these contradictions that were popularized by the Jesuit Priests Francisco Ribera (15??-1591), Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), and about three centuries later, Emmanuel Lacunsa.
To counter
charges by Protestant Reformers that the Pope was the biblical antichrist, it
was first necessary they suggest the theory that an atheistic antichrist would
reign in the distant future. This novelty was embellished to include, they
suppose, the Jews getting another chance to preach salvation and Christ's
literal reign on earth for 1,000 years; thus, they excused the prophecies
concerning the total destruction of earth.
This
illegitimate doctrine is, in fact, adopted by many other religions and actually
prepares them to accept Satan's advent when he impersonates Christ. This concoction was taught in Catholic
universities during the Reformation and many Catholics now believe that Christ
will soon reign on earth.
As you would expect, Reformers initially did not subscribe to these Roman fables. One fourteenth-century pioneer of the Reformation, Matthias of Janow, writes: “Lest the abomination of desolation should be plainly manifest to men, he has invented the fiction of another abomination still to come, [so] that the Church, plunged still deeper in error, may pay homage to the fearful abomination which is present, while she pictures to herself another which is still in the future” (Jones, Ecclesiastic History, p. 638.2).
To further deceive unsuspecting Protestants, several centuries later Jesuit Lacunza popularized that fallacy by using the fictitious name of Rabbi Ben Ezra. He even applied the 1290 and 1335 day prophecies that we studied in Chapter One to an imagined event in the future--an error many duplicate today.
Pretending
to be a Jewish Rabbi converted to Christianity, Lacunza's fabrication met success
and was accepted by unsuspecting Protestants. Edward Irving, a preacher of the
Scottish Protestants later added the theory that the coming resurrection was like a thief in the night and invisible to the wicked; hence, the "secret rapture" theory was born. Therefore, the millennium of peace on earth, invented by the Abomination of Desolation, was embraced by Protestants and contaminated with the rapture fable. This malignant cancer has now metastasized and putrefies unsuspecting Christians who believe it doctrinally sound--the truth is literally Left Behind.
Adolph Hitler said, "tell a lie, tell it often enough and the people will believe it." To subscribe to these popular fabrications requires one to overlook the scriptural warnings of the total destruction of earth.
Perhaps my language of warning appears strong in condemnation, but this doctrine is Satan's greatest masterpiece and “will deceive the very elect, were that possible.” And the Daniel 12 code helps us understand the fallacy of these dangerous positions because they were created by the Abomination of Desolation, and constitute ingredients in the wine of Babylon (confusion) "that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine" (Revelation 14:8).
Truly, there is a resurrection of the just, but it is no secret because "every eye shall see Him." Jesus only comes as a "thief in the night" to those who did not prepare (Revelation 1:7).
A computer search of the "New Testament" shows two prominent occurrences of thief in the night and it is NO SECRET when "sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape" (2 Thessalonians 5:2, 3). "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up" (2 Peter 3:10).
Obviously, the date of Christ's coming is the secret, but the event is no secret and He will not reign on earth at this time because our world is demolished (dissolved, Ibid., verse 11); then, as you have learned, it remains in this destroyed condition for 1,000 years.
OUR WORLD IS DESTROYED
Christ will certainly reign forever on earth, but 1,000 years from now--the Bible is precise--at Christ's SECOND coming there will be no utopia here, NO MILLENNIUM OF PEACE ON EARTH. This is a satanic delusion. We will be rescued from the holocaust on earth at the great harvest of mankind, and are going to heaven to those mansions He has prepared for the redeemed (John 14:1-4). And in Isaiah we read, "They are all gathered together and come to you.... Who are these that fly as a cloud, as a dove to their nest?" (Isaiah 60: 1-8). The saints will ascend to Heaven and this present earth will be totally destroyed during the millennium.
Many prognosticators of the so called "age-to-come theory"--a coming millennium of peace and safety--feel that the scriptural translations of earth's demise are erroneous. For the benefit of those who do not trust their Protestant or Catholic Bibles, they should study Isaiah 24 from several different translations, including the English translation of the Holy Scriptures produced by the Jewish Publication Society of America. That Bible is a non-Gentile translation, and almost verbatim with the King James Bible which is quoted here:
(17) Terror,
and the pit, and the trap, are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth. (18) And it
shall come to pass, that he who flees from the noise of the fear shall fall
into the pit; and he that comes up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken
in the trap: for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the
earth do shake. (19) The earth is utterly broken, the earth is clean dissolved,
the earth is moved exceedingly. (20) The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard,
and will be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof will be heavy
upon it; and it shall fall, and NOT
RISE AGAIN. (21) And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord will
punish the host of the high heaven on high [e. g., Lucifer and his fallen angels].
And the kings of the earth upon the earth [including the Roman System]. (22)
And they will be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the dungeon,
and shall be shut up in the prison [the grave], and after many days [1,000
years, see Revelation 20:1-3] they will be punished. (23) THEN the moon will be
confounded, and the sun ashamed; for the Lord of hosts will [then] reign [on
this newly re-created earth] in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His
ancients gloriously. (Isaiah 24:17-23)
This current world will "NOT RISE AGAIN" (verse 20) and will be TOTALLY RE-CREATED after the seventh millennium (remember the 8010 in our previous study: "Blessed is he who WAITS, and comes to the 1335 days"--8010, e.g., the 80th century and 10% redeemed--Daniel 12: 12; and "All these things shall be finished, verse 7).
Chapter four of Jeremiah records a view of earth after Armageddon during the seventh millennium when this planet is reduced to the similar "without form and void" condition existing before creation week (see Genesis 1:2).
I beheld the earth, and lo, it was without form and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, THERE WAS NO MAN, and all the birds of the heavens were fled [disappeared]. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and ALL THE CITIES THEREOF WERE BROKEN DOWN at the presence of the Lord, and by [before] His fierce anger. (Jeremiah 4:23-26)
The Bible is quite clear, the only millennium of peace is not on this planet, but will be among the glories of paradise in heaven.
SATAN'S FIRST DEATH
Another thought that conflicts with popular theology and that is essential to properly understand God's dealing with sin is the fact that God is the only one with the inherent propensity to live forever.
As recorded by Paul: "The King of kings, and Lord of lords, who ONLY HAS IMMORTALITY, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto..." (1Timothy 6: 15, 16).
If God is the only immortal being, what happens to the devil? Well, he is mortal AND DIES like the rest of the wicked in the soon coming battle of Armageddon except for one small difference which we will now discover as Isaiah 14 describes Lucifer's plight:
Yet you [Lucifer] shall be brought down to
Sheol [the grave], to the lowest
depths of the pit. (18) All the kings of the nations, all of them sleep [have
died] in glory, everyone in his own house [tomb]; but you are CAST OUT OF YOUR
GRAVE like an abominable branch. (20) YOU WILL NOT BE JOINED WITH THEM IN
BURIAL.... (Isaiah 14:15)
Lucifer
is resurrected and will not be allowed to remain in the grave for the 1,000
years of earth's devastation. It is odd that although we profess to believe the
Bible, and it tells that the Lord "shall destroy [Lucifer, sitting in the
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years: and he cast him into the bottomless pit [Greek: abbusos--this ruined earth], and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more TILL THE THOUSAND YEARS WERE FINISHED. But after these things he must be released for a little while.... but the rest of the [wicked] dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. (Revelation 20: 1, 2, 5)
Again, this is our 80th century (8010), 1,000 years in the future.
SECOND DEATH OF THE WICKED AND LUCIFER
This far we have established that Satan has used the Roman System to fulfill his purposes--they are both ultimately destroyed. And after the soon-approaching destruction of earth, Lucifer is raised from the grave to wander the ashes of this desolate planet for a thousand years knowing that he will face judgment when Christ returns with the Holy City. When we speak of the Roman System, we are really speaking of Lucifer because he is responsible for all evil. So, let us terminate this discourse on the Roman System by discussing Lucifer's fate after 7,000 years of his ignoble attempt to rule earth.
For brevity, we will only use a few verses to document his demise. The first is in Revelation 20, verses seven and eight which reads: "Now when THE THOUSAND YEARS ARE EXPIRED, Satan will be released for a little while from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog* and Magog*, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sands of the sea."
At this point, the wicked "nations" are resurrected to life. Satan's "purgatory" is over, he is no longer bound by isolation and has the same people who were previously gullible to his deceptions to delude for one final attack.
Continuing with verse nine: "They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city [the New Jerusalem from Heaven (Revelation 21:1-27)]. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured THEM" (Lucifer and the resurrected wicked). Please notice that the word "THEM" is plural, meaning they are ALL consumed by fire--this is the "second death" (Revelation 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8).
This battle is again described by Zechariah and is what we today might call "spontaneous human combustion." This is the fate of the wicked:
And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will
smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall
consume away as they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away
in their holes, and their tongues shall consume away in their mouths. (Zechariah
14:12)
The final application of these verses is when Lucifer and the wicked are NOT alive throughout eternity in Hell, but when all is finished and they are eliminated FOREVER.
There is another text found in Ezekiel 28 that also describes Lucifer's death. This verse is not quoted by Bible expositors who advocate the doctrine of a continuous punishing in Hell or Purgatory for those who have sinned against God.
Beginning with verse 12, Ezekiel describes Lucifer's beauty and perfection, his pride and loss of glory, and then says: