Part 1 of the topic centred on verses from some chapters of our Bible that were claimed by scholarly cliques in our religious circles to be a reference of the Papacy.
They presented their own arguments to support their views. I quoted sections of Daniel 7 and Revelation 17 as their main source of that line of thinking.
I will write down some of their reference points that convinces them that indeed the office of the pontiff is the beast and kingdom mentioned in our Bible.
As a recap to Daniel 7 in connection with a fourth beast from which arose a little horn out of its original ten horns particular features are distinct. Three of ten horns were uprooted at the establishment of the little horn, and it rose to be greater than all others although the smallest in size.
It was to be a different in nature than the rest. It was to have eyes of a man and speak great words against word of God. It was to make war against the saints of God.
It would also change times and laws of God. It would devour the whole earth and reign until the Ancient of Days comes.
The saints were to be handed over to it for a time and times and half a time. In the end its power will be taken away.
These features are based on the interpretation of Daniel’s vision as explained by a man who stood next to him in that vision.
That man told Daniel (Daniel 7:23-28); “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings. It shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law, and they shall be given into his hand for a time, two times, and half a time. But the court shall sit in judgement, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed by the end. And the kingdom and the dominion of the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominion shall come and obey them’”.
I will proceed to quote and list some of the points and arguments presented by some religious writers to link the little horn with the papacy. I will use the exact words as per the written sources.
- It came up among the 10 kingdoms of Western Europe. The geographical location of the papal power is in Rome, Italy, in the heart of Western Europe.
- It would have a man at its head who speaks for it. The papacy meets this identifying mark because it does have one men at the head — the pope — who speaks for it.
- Three kingdoms were plucked up to make way for the rise of the papacy. The emperors of Western Europe were largely Catholic and supported the papacy. These Arian kingdoms, however, did not, i.e. the Vandals, Heruls and Ostrogoth. So the Catholic emperors decided they must be subdued or destroyed. Here is how theologian and historian Dr Mervyn Maxwell describes the results in Volume 1, page 129, of the book God Cares: “The Catholic emperor Zeno (474-491) arranged a treaty with the Ostrogoth in 487, which resulted in the eradication of the Kingdom of Arian Heruls in 493. The Catholic emperor Justinian (527-565) exterminated the Arian Vandals in 534 and significantly broke the power of the Arian Ostrogoth in 538. Thus were Daniel’s three horns — the Heruls, the Vandals and the Ostrogoth — ‘plucked up by the roods’”. It is not difficult to recognise that the papacy fits this point.
- It would be different from the other kingdoms. The papacy clearly fits this description as it came on the scene as a religious power and was different from the secular nature of the other ten kingdoms.
- It would make war with and presecute the saints. That the church did presecute is a well-known fact, and the papacy admits doing so. Historians believe the church destroyed at least fifty million lives over matters of religious conviction.
- It would emerge from the fourth kingdom of iron (beast) - i.e. the pagan Roman Empire.
- God’s people (the saints) would be given into his hand for “a time and times and a half time”. Based on the 30-day calendar used by the Jews, these time periods are all the same amount of time: 3 ½ years = 42 months = 1,263 days. One prophetic day equals one literal year (Ezekiel 4:6; Numbers 14:34).
Thus the little horn was to have power over the saints for 1,260 prophetic days, i.e. 1,260 literal years.
The rule of the papacy began in AD 538, when the last of the three opposing Arian kingdoms was uprooted. Its rule continued until 1798 when Napoleon’s general, Bertlier, took the pope captive with hopes of destroying both Pope Pious VI and the political power of the papacy.
This period of time is an exact fulfilment of the 1,260-year prophecy. The blow was a deadly wound for the papacy, but that would begin to heal and continues healing today.
- It would speak “pompous words” of blasphemy “against God”. 1 Claiming to forgive sins (Luke 5:20). 2 Claiming to be God (John 10:33). Some quotes from Catholic literature reads: “We (the popes) hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty”, and “The pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ, Himself, hidden under the veil of flesh”.
- It would “intend to change times and laws”. In its catechisms, the papacy has omitted the second commandment against veneration (making holy or to worship) of images and has shortened the fourth commandment from ninety words to eight, and divided the tenth commandment into two commandments (end of quotes).
This is how the little horn of Daniel 7 is said to fit in with the Vatican, a little state headed by the Papacy with enormous influence over the affairs of the earth. I am simply quoting what is written in some religious quarters and I am not qualified to be a judge as to the truthfulness of the comparisons.
n Prosper Tingini is the Scribe of the Children of God Missionary Assembly — God’s messengers. Contact details: Mobile and whatsapp: 0771 260 195. Email address: ptingini@gmail.com