God's Hand in History
(Part 3)
The following is a miniature history course -- "His Story 101" -- the way it should have been taught in grade school to every child growing up. But historical evidence to support God's hand in history has been LEFT OUT of our history classes. MIRACULOUS intervention and circumstances with PRECISE TIMING at crucial dates in the story of nations and empires point unmistakably to the GUIDING HAND of God. But God has been "kicked out" of school text books. "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge (persona non-grata), God gave them over to a reprobate mind" (void of judgment) (Romans 1:28). "For the material man rejects spiritual things, for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14)
Secular History Confirms Herod's Murder of the Children of Bethlehem in 4 BC (Matt. 2:16; Jer. 31:15)
"Many were under a strong persuasion that in the ancient books, kept by their priests, a prophesy was contained -- That at this very time the power of the East should prevail, and out of Judaea should spring such as should rule over all nations: a prophetic riddle by which Vespasian and Titus were prefigured." (Tacitus Hist. 5:13 [56-120 AD])
"A firm persuasion had long prevailed through all the East that it was fated for the empire of the world at that time to devolve on some one who should go forth from Judaea." (Suetonius Vespas. 4 [69-122 AD])
The murder of the innocents is recorded by Dion in his life of Octavius Caesar, and more at length by Macrobius, who adds that Herod caused his own son to be killed among the rest. It was this Herod who, on his death-bed, sent for all the most considerable Jews to Jericho, where he then was, and having shut them up in a circus, commanded that as soon as he was dead, they should be slain, that there might be a great lamentation throughout the country at the time of his death. The persons to whom he gave this charge did not execute it. Macrobius relates (Sat. 2:4) that when Augustus heard that Herod had included his own son among the children of two months old whom he had caused to be slain in Syria, he exclaimed, It is better to be Herod's hog than his child."
In a Rabbinical work called Toldoth Jeshu we read, "And the king gave orders for putting to death every infant to be found in Bethlehem; and the king's messengers killed every infant, according to the royal order." (Sharpe's First Defense of Christianity, p.40). Cedrenus too says that Herod was distinguished by the title of "Slayer of Children".
| "The Desire of All Nations Shall Come" (Haggai 2:7; Luke 2:38; John 1:41; 4:25) |
Josephus says that the JEWS were "incited ... to war" by "an ambiguous oracle" "found in their sacred Scriptures, to the effect that at that time one from their country would become ruler of the world. This they understood to mean someone of their own race, and many of their wise men went astray in their interpretation of it" (Wars 6:5:4). Six thousand Pharisaic Jews refused to swear an oath to Caesar on the basis of "Him who would some day be set over the people with the title of King, for all power would belong to him" (Josephus, Ant., 17, 2, 4). It was because Herod knew they were expecting a Divine king at this time due to Daniel's 70-Weeks Prophecy, that he remodelled the Jerusalem Temple intending to show that he was the fulfillment of Haggai's prophecy. See Herod's speech in
Antiquities 15:11:1
The CHINESE philosopher, K'ung Fu-Tze (Confucius), predicted the coming nearly 500 years before the redemption, and pointed out the time of Chrift's nativity: "The Holy One must be sought in the West." Verbally handed down from father to son, "by the year 64 after the Christian Era, the Emperor Mimti, we are told, under the influence of this expectation sent messengers westward into India, that there they might enquire for the long-predicted Holy One of Confucius" (Du Halde's China, Vol. I., 360,361; Le Compte's China, 118,200). "It was said in the sacred books of the Chinese that a virgin should bring forth a son in the west of China." (p.100, Mazzaroth, 1862).
The pagan ROMANS expected His appearance: Referring to the siege of Jerusalem the royal historian writes, "Prodigies had occurred, which this nation [the Jews], prone to superstition, but hating all [non-Jewish] religious rites, did not seem it lawful to expiate. There had been seen hosts joining battle in the skies, the fiery gleam of arms, the temple illuminated by a sudden radiance from the clouds. The doors of the inner shrine were suddenly thrown open, and a voice of more than mortal tone was heard to cry that the Gods were departing. At the same instant there was a mighty stir as of departure. Some few put a fearful meaning on these events, but on most there was a firm persuasion that in the ancient records of their priests was contained a prediction of how at this very time the East was to grow powerful, and rulers, coming from Judaea, were to acquire universal empire" (Tacitus, Histories, 5:13). Also consider the pagan poet Virgil. His Eclogues were completed and published in Rome "when he was about thirty" or circa 40 BCE (James Rhoades, The Poems of Virgil, 1952, v). In Eclogue IV, Lonsdale and Lee translate his remarkable prophecy of Roman desire for the Messiah in these words, "A god-like child shall be born... come quickly to receive your power for all the world awaits you. Oh that I may live to see so noble a subject for my verse!" (Works of Virgil). Virgil based his Eclogue IV on a previous prophecy by the Sibyl of Cumae, given in 63 BCE She had said, according to Suetonius, "Nature is about to bring forth a king to the Roman people". If nature was to usher in such a ruler, it would be an event of some prominence. Suetonius has much more to add, "Throughout the whole East, an ancient and constant opinion had familiarly prevailed; that they who proceeded from Judaea were fated to obtain the sovereignty of the world" (Suetonius, Life of Vespasian, IV). Nero was even advised by astrologers to set up his headquarters in Jerusalem as it was to become the centre of world rule (Suetonius, Nero, 40). Some have thought that Virgil (Ecl. ix. 47) speaks of the star of Bethlehem as 'Caesaris astrum'. Pliny also mentions a star (Nat. Hist. ii:25) he calls a comet, and describes as "dazzlingly bright, witth a silver beard". "The Jews in an ancient book of theirs (Zohar) say more than once that 'when Messiah shall be revealed, a bright and shining star shall arise in the East.'" (Gill's Commentary)
As Tacitus and Suetonius teach us that the East was full of expectation of this great personage about the time of Augustus. Both mention that some person coming out of Judea should obtain dominion of earth (Tacitus Hist. 5:13 Vita Vespaciani; Suetonius 8:4); so it is probable that he was to come at the time predicted by Enoch, Noah, and others. At this predicted time the king of CHINA altered his title of Victorious to Pacific. A subsequent king, 64 years afterwards, sent an embassy in quest of this Saint, who was to be found in the West; but these silly legates miserably mistook the Idol Fo, in India, for this Prince of Peace; who is the Mediator, that Plutarch says the PERSIANS named Mithras, (Isis and Osiris). At Byblus, when Osiris used to be expected, after much mourning, lights were brought, and salvation declared. Socrates, in his dialogue on prayer, speaks of a Divine Instructor, "who was to come into the world ; and had man's welfare at heart, and a wonderful propensity towards us." Well did this sage deserve the Augurial crown presented to him by Alcibiades for this prediction. Thus doctrines obvious to Christians, were the highest secret of Paganism: for instance: Plutarch's Maneros a Child of Palestine, his Mediator Mithras, the Saviour Osiris, is the Messiah.
The PARTHIAN Magi astrologer-priests expected Him (Matthew 2). The Parthians rose to power around 250 B.C. around the southern shores of the Caspian Sea. That was the same land to which the ten lost tribes of Israelites had been taken captive. They migrated west by 226 A.D. The geographer Strabo describes the Parthian king's council which "consists of two groups, one that of kinsmen [king's relatives], and the other that of WISE MEN and MAGI, from both of which groups the kings were appointed" (Geography 11.9.3). Therefore the Magi of Matthew 2 were Israelites following the star (an angel) and the prophecy of Numbers 24:17 -- "There shall come a star out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of Israel." The Magi (magician-priests), numbering very probably twelve, went to great pains "to follow [the king's] star" to Bethlehem. Hyde, de Rel. Pers., quotes from Abulfaragius, that Zeradusht (or Zoroaster) taught the Persians that in the latter times a virgin should bring forth a son, and that when he should be born a star should appear, and should shine and be conspicuous in the midst of the figure of the virgin. It is then that he commanded his disciples, the Magi, when they should see the star, that they should go forth where it directed them, and offer gifts to him that should be born. Zoroaster appears to be a Jew by birth and to be acquainted with the Old Testament, who derived his knowledge from Daniel (Trench).
The Kushites of INDIA expected Him: We know that the ruler of India sent scouts into Palestine, very nearly coinciding with the actual birth of Yeshua, "to know whether the predicted royal child had actually made his appearance" (Jones, Asiatic Researches, Vol.X., 27,28). Some speculate that the Indians received this knowledge of the expected appearance of the Messiah from the Magi, and this may have some ground of proof. But it should be recalled that Israelites were making voyages around the world at the time of King Solomon which were taking three years and more to complete (1 Kings 10.22-24; James Bailey, The God-Kings and the Titans: The New World Ascendancy in Ancient Times, 1973; Rene Noorbergen, Secrets of the Lost Races, 1977; John Philip Cohane, The Key, 1969, 1973; Cyrus H. Gordon, Before Columbus. Links Between the Old World & Ancient America, 1971).
Keating says, it is certain that Bacrach a Druid of Leinster IRELAND predicted that "a divine person should be born in a wonderful manner, and be murdered by the great council of his own nation ; though his advent was for the felicity and salvation of mankind, and to rescue them from the delusions and tyranny of infernal demons."
The MAYANS of North America expected Him: Spence in Myths and Legends, says that gods worshipped by this ancient people "had promised not to desert mankind altogether, but to return at some future indefinite period and resume their sway of radiance and peace" (Volume on Mexico and Peru, p.169). Separated from Palestine by thousands of miles and thousands of years, the Mayan Indians of Yukatan, Mexico expected the Messiah.
| Proof That Jesus Is The Messiah |
Jesus said, the Scriptures "testify of me" (John 5:39) and "all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms (Old Testament), concerning me" (Luke 24:44). What things? Where? "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke 24:27) because "to him give all the prophets witness" (Acts 10:43). Old Testament scripture is a "shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the thing" (Heb. 10:1). 1. The serpent would bruise Messiah's heel (through crucifixion) (Gen. 3:15). To heal us, he was lifted up on a pole and became sin (a brazen serpent) for us (Num. 21:9). 2. He was the Passover Lamb (Ex. 12:6) who freed us from bondage to Egypt (sin), silent before his accusers (Isa. 53:7), selected "four days" (4000 years) before being killed (Ex. 12:3-6), "according to the scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:1-4) with no bones broken (Ex. 12:46; Ps. 34:20; John 19:36). They "pierced" his "hands and feet" (Ps. 22:16; Zech. 12:10). 3. He carried the wooden crossbeam to Mount Moriah (Mt. Vision from Heb. "Raa" meaning "to see" [Gen. 22:14]) like Isaac carried the firewood there (Gen. 22:6). Both were tied to it. "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, he saw it and was glad" (John 8:56). By a miracle from God, Sarah gave birth to Isaac when she was "past age" (Heb.11:11) just as by a miracle Mary gave birth while still a virgin (Isa. 7:14). 4. Falsely accused and assumed to be guilty (like Job), he was hated (Isa. 53:3-4) and rejected by his brothers (Luke 19:14) and sold for thirty pieces of silver (Ex. 21:32; Zech. 11:12) just as Joseph was hated and rejected by his brothers and sold for twenty pieces of silver (Gen. 37:28) -- the price of a slave in both cases. All eventually will bow the knee to Christ as they did to Joseph (Gen. 41:43) who was separated, Nazir (Gen. 49:26; Deut. 33:16) from his brethren. 5. Samson was a Nazirite (Judges 13:3-5) just as Jesus was called a Nazarene "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets" (Matt. 2:22-23). Both Samson and Jesus spoke in parables (Ps. 78:1-2; Matt. 13:34-35). Samson was arrested by a mob of his own people of Judah and ultimately voluntarily gave his life for them while in Philistine captivity (Judges 15:6-13). Likewise, Jesus was arrested by a mob of His own people of Judah (Mark 14:43-50) and died voluntarily for them while in Roman captivity. He was a suffering servant (Isa. 53). 6. Moses came out of Egypt just as Jesus did (Hos. 11:1) and picked twelve men to search out the Promised Land (Number 13) just as Yeshua, "a prophet like me" (Deut. 18:15), picked twelve men to search for Bible followers to enter the kingdom of heaven (Mark 3:13). Moses brought the letter of the law, which reveals sin (Deut.). Yeshua brought the spirit and intent of the law, which reveals sinful intent. He "will magnify the law, and make it honourable" (Isa. 42:21). Moses' face shone at his second coming down the mountain (Ex. 34:29) just as Christ's face will shine at his second coming down the mount (Rev. 1:16). "For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me." (John 5:46). 7. Six steps led to Solomon's throne (2 Chr. 9:17-19) just as 6000 years lead to the Messiah's Millenium of wealth (1 Ki. 3:13), wisdom (4:29) and peace (1 Chr. 22:9). 8. Joshua (Yeshua) will cause Israel (Bible-followers) to inherit the Promised Land (Eternal Life) (Deuteronomy 1-4). The 42 encampments before Joshua's bloody conquest (Num. 33) parallel 42 generations from Abraham to Yeshua's bloody conquest (Matt. 1). 9. With a stone, David smote Goliath, a bronze and iron giant, after killing a lion and bear (1 Sam. 17). In the same way, Jesus is the Stone (1 Pet. 2:8) that smites the gold (lion), silver (bear), bronze and iron image of man (Daniel 2:34). Both David and Jesus were kings over all Israel for thirty-three years (2 Sam. 5:4-5; 1 Ki. 2:11). Herod died in 4 BC. which is when Jesus was born. Jesus began his ministry at about thirty years of age (Luke 3:23). So did David. Priests must be 30 years old (Num. 4:30-31). Three Passovers are recorded for Jesus ministry. Then he died in 31 AD making 33 1/2 year ministry. Both David (1 Sam. 16:1-4) and our Lord Jesus (Micah 5:2) were born in Bethlehem. Jesus was David's seed (2 Sam. 7:12; Jer. 23:5-6). 10. Elijah was forty days without food in desert (1 Ki. 19:8) and Jesus was forty days without food in the desert (Matt. 4:1-2). Elijah was "three years and six months” in the wilderness, and during that time there was no rain and a great famine was in the land (James. 5:17; 1 Kings 17:7; 18:2). After that, Elijah exposed the errors of Jezebel's priests and put an end to their sacrificing, the true God was honored, and copious rains followed (1 Kings 18: 41-45). Then Elijah "went up ... into heaven" (2 Kings 2:11). In the same way, commencing in the middle of the seven years, Jesus will "put an end to sacrifice and offering" (Dan. 9:27) indicating a "three years and six months" ministry to a spiritually-starving earth (27-31 AD) fulfilling Daniel's 70-weeks prophecy. The pharisees were exposed. Yeshua was then "taken up ... into heaven" (1:11) and gave his Holy Spirit (former and latter rain). 11. When our Lord returns with "his face ... like the sun, and his clothes ... dazzling white" (Matt. 17:2) on Yom Kippur, the whole world will repent. Jonah typified this glorious second coming by having his skin bleached white inside the belly of a fish. Just as the Ninevites worshipped the fish god and so repented at the preaching of a man who came out of a fish after three days, so also the world now worships a living resurrected God and so will repent at the preaching of our Lord Yeshua who came out of the grave after three days, when he returns from heaven. Yes "he was buried, and ... rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). The beached fish vomited Jonah onto dry land, and then probably died, pointing forward to how the grave was destroyed by our Lord’s resurrection. "The (sea) weeds were wrapped about my head" (Jonah 2:5) just as Jesus had a crown of thorns on his head. On the first day in the city, Jonah told them that in 40 days God would destroy Nineveh (Jonah 3:4), just as Jesus told the Jews that in 40 years God would destroy Jerusalem (Matt. 16:4). 12. "About 2000 cubits" (Josh. 3:4) separated the ark from Israel just as about 2000 years separate the first coming of our Lord (26-27 AD) from the resurrection of Christians (2026 AD). “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came" (Dan. 7:13-14) Jesus called himself the son of man 80 times. "Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me" (Psalm 40:7).
The coming of Jesus the Messiah as a carpenter's son, who was crucified, was acknowledged by Anna and Simeon, and some illiterate fishermen, but became a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks. It seemed a contradiction in terms, to men of worldly minds and worldly wisdom, to suppose a Deliverer could be crucified and a Redeemer be put to death. They saw no slavery in sin, and therefore thought of no deliverance as necessary. Nor of any redemption from the power of the grave. They desired no exemption, but from the Roman yoke. No triumph, but over worldly enemies; and no victory, but over armies that opposed them. They never considered that they were greater slaves to their own passions, than they were to the Roman Senate. That death and hell were the worst of enemies. And the Devil a greater tyrant than Caesar.
Secular History Confirms Our Lord's Birth, Miracles of Healing, Wisdom, Crucifixion (Bruising Heel) and Resurrection (Jonah Out Of Fish) in 31 AD,
"Four Days" (Ex. 12:6) After Being Selected in 3960 BC
| Balaam prophesied about the Bethlehem star (Nu. 24:17). Virgil speaks of a star as 'Caesaris astrum' (Ecl. 9:47); Pliny mentions a dazzlingly bright comet (2:25). Jews say, "When Messiah shall be revealed, a bright and shining star shall arise in the East" (Zohar). "Now there is a village in the land of the Jews, 35 stadia from Jerusalem, in which Christ was born, as you can ascertain also from the registries of the taxing under Cyrenius your first procurator in Judaea" (Justin Martyr, First Apology ch. 34 [156 AD]) "At the birth of Christ Augustus by an edict renounced the title Dominus," the Pythian Oracle had told him, A Hebrew child was soon to attain universal sovereignty (Orosius 6:22). The fourth-century emperor Julian the Apostate (so called because he turned from Christianity after being brought up in it) wrote: "Jesus, whom you celebrate, was one of Caesar's subjects. If you dispute it, I will prove it by and by; but it may be as well done now. For yourselves allow, that he was enrolled with his father and mother in the time of Cyrenius. (Luke 2: A stone found by archaeologists in Rome in 1764 proves that Cyrenius did rule Syria twice, exactly when Luke says he did.) ... But Jesus having persuaded a few among you, and those the worst of men, has now been celebrated about 300 years; having done nothing in his life-time worthy of remembrance; unless anyone thinks it a mighty matter to heal lame and blind people, and exorcise demoniacs in the villages of Bethsaida and Bethany" (quoted in the polemic of Cyril of Alexandria against Julian, Cyril Contra Julian, vi, pages 213, 191). If Julian could have demonstrated that Jesus was not an authentic figure, he would have done so. Instead, he asserted that the proof that Jesus was one of Caesar's subjects was still available (the census records were apparently still in the imperial archives). Rather than denying that Jesus performed miracles, Julian simply down played these miracles. "What do you say to those who ... drive the devil visibly out of the body? ... for who is a stranger to the Syrian from Palestine, who is so great a master in that art? ... he asks the devil ... who he is and how and whence he came into the man; and then ... he drives him out." (Lucianus Philop. 16 [115-200 AD]) . |
"About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Messiah. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross, those who had first come to love him did not cease. He appeared to them on the third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him. And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared".(Josephus Antiquities, 18.3.3 -- [93 AD]) "The base degenerate iron offspring ends; A golden progeny from heaven descends O chaste Lucina! speed the mother's pains And haste the glorious birth! thy own Apollo reigns. The lovely boy, with his auspicious face, Shall Pollio's consulship and triumph grace: The father banished virtue shall restore; And crimes shall threat the guilty world no more. The son shall lead the life of gods, and be By gods and heros seen, and gods and heroes see. The jarring nations he in peace shall bind, And with paternal virtues rule mankind." (Virgil Ecl. 4:3-17 [70-19 BC]) "On the eve of the Passover Yeshu was hanged" (Babylonian Talmud, Epstein, vol. 3, Sanhedrin 43a [200 AD]). See Galatians 3:13 and Luke 23:39 where "crucified" is synonymous with "hanged." "Tiberius, in whose time the Christian name, [or religion] had its rise, having received from Palestine, in Syria, information of the truth of Christ's divinity, proposed to the senate, that he should be enrolled among the Roman gods, and gave his own prerogative vote in favor of the motion. But the senate, (without whose consent no deification could take place) rejected it, because the emperor himself had declined the same honour. Notwithstanding, Caesar persisted in his opinion, and threatened punishment to the accusers of the Christians. Search your own commentaries, [or public acts] there you will find that Nero was the first that raged with the imperial sword against this sect, when rising most at Rome." (Apol. c.5. p.6.) |
"Of all these things relating to Christ, Pilate himself, already in his conscience a Christian, sent an account toTiberius, then emperor." (Apol.c.21.p.22.) "The greatest earthquake which has occurred in our memory was in the reign of Tiberius, by which twelve cities of Asia were laid prostrate in one night." (Pliny Hist. nat. 2:86; cp. Tacitus Ann. 2:47 & Matt. 27:54) |
Yeshua our Messiah "knew no sin" (2 Cor. 5:21). He "committed no sin" (1 Pet. 2:22), was tempted "yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15), and was "a lamb unblemished and spotless" (1 Pet. 1:19). He commanded us, "Follow me" (Matt. 4:19). We are instructed to "follow in his steps” (1 Pet. 2:21).
"They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food -- but food of an ordinary and innocent kind." (Pliny the Younger [112 AD], Letters 2:10:96) "Nero inflicted punishments on the Christians, a sort of people who held a new and impious superstition." (Suetonius Nero, 16) "Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man's cruelty, that they were being destroyed." (Tacitus Annals 15:44, 116AD) "These people have been taught to renounce the Grecian deities and to bow the knee to their crucified Sophist and to live in conformity to his laws. All things else they despise in the lump, holding them vain and worthless" (Lucian. de mort. Pereg. 13) "These poor people have taken it into their heads that they shall, body and soul, be immortal, and live to all eternity; thence it is that they contemn death, and that many of them run violently into his clutches." (Lucian. de mort. Pereg. 13)
The Sibylline Oracles Silenced By Our Lord
The principal ancient heathen oracles included that of Jupiter Dodona in Epirus; of Apollo at Delphi, in Phocis, near Mount Parnassus; and the temple of Jupiter Ammon in the deserts of Libya. According to the heathen tradition, Mount Parnassus was once tenanted by a mighty SERPENT, which had the power of speech and delivered oracular responses from a sacred cave. This Delphic SERPENT, which was called Python, was, according to the tradition, slain by Apollo. From this fabulous monster the name Pythius was communicated to the god, and Pythia, or Pythoness, to the priestess, who, after receiving the vapor of inspiration through the cleft of a rock, delivered the responses. The oracular temples were generally located in deep forests or steep, craggy places. The tripod or chair, on which the priestess was seated, was sometimes over the mouth of a cavern; the vapor issuing from it was said to have an inspiring or infuriating effect on those who were upon it. The Scriptures are our "living oracles" (Acts 7:38; Rom. 3:2) in opposition to the dead oracles of the heathen. "There shall not be found among you anyone ... who useth DIVINATION ... or an ENCHANTER, or a WITCH, Or a CHARMER, or a consulter of MEDIUMS, or a WIZARD, or a NECROMANCER (communicates with the dead)" (Deut. 18:10-11). These oracles often spoke the truth (Acts 16:6 -- "spirit of Python"), but mixed with falsehood intended to deceive from the "father of LIES" (John 8:44) who "deceiveth the whole world" (Rev. 12:9). Balaam spoke true prophecies. So did the damsel at Philippi. Ahaziah consulted Baalzebub at Ekron (prince of demons -- Matt. 9:24) whether he should recover from his sickness (2 Ki. 1:1-4). Cassandra foresaw the destruction of Troy while Priam was unable. Demoniacs confessed the divinity of Christ while the scribes and Pharisees were blind. We know that Herodotus (8:77), Socrates, Xenophon, Cicero, etcetera, the wisest and greatest men of antiquity, both among the Greeks and Barbarians, trusted in them and consulted them. Julius Caesar, through his friends, wished to have it believed that he was the person alluded to in the Sibylline books, as a means of obtaining the kingly government of Rome; but Cicero, who had access to these documents, and who was opposed to Caesar's elevation, denied that they were prophecies. Cicero said, "These writings are indeed rather calculated to extinguish than to propagate superstition." Greek oracles imitated the Garden of Eden error. A snake (Python) often appeared underneath a tripod and deceived a woman (Pythoness) into deceiving a man who asked a question of the oracle. Eusebius reports that a serpent rolled itself around a tripod (Potter in Arch. Graec. vol.1, lib.2 cap.9).
Paul uses the word "oracle" to describe "the answer of God" (Rom. 11:4). Christ is our true Oracle (John 1:18; Matt. 11:27). According to Luke 7:30, "counsel of God" in the Greek should be rendered "ORACLE of God" referring to our Lord. But as Isaiah 45:19 says, God has "not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth." He is a God of light (James 1:17) and speaks "righteousness." The oracles of the heathen gave their answers in SECRET; uttering them from the depths of some DARK cavern, and in such doubtful language as very often to DECEIVE those who consulted them. "There was an opening or gulf in the earth at Delphi, now called the Adytum of the Temple; about this the goats straggled as they were feeding: for at that time they of Delphi had no religious regard to the place. It often happened that when any goat came near the gulf and looked down, it would begin to leap and dance, uttering strange sounds quite different from its natural voice. A shepherd, astonished at the sight, drew near to examine the place, and looking down, began immediately to do as the goats had done; for as they were moved by some kind of frenzy so he was inspired with a spirit of prophesy. For these reasons the place was pronounced to be the seat of an oracle, and many who desired knowledge of future events were attracted thither." (Diod. Sic 16:6)
"The place where the oracle is delivered is said to be a deep hollow cavern, the entrance to which is not very wide. From it rises an exhalation which inspires a divine frenzy. Over the mouth is placed a lofty tripod, on which the Pythian priestess ascends to receive the exhalation, after which she gives the prophetic response in prose or verse." (Strabo 9:3)
| Porphyry says, "Since Jesus began to be worshipped, no man has received any public help or benefit from the gods." The seat of the Cumaean sibyl was of a similar character. "A spacious cave, within its farmost part, Was hewed and fashioned by laborious art, Through the hill's hollow sides: before the place, A hundred doors a hundred entries grace; As many voices issue, and the sound Of Sibyl's words as many times rebound." (Virgil Aeneid 6:42) "At Cumae, on the coast of Italy, is shown the cave in which the Sibyl uttered her prophecies, living to a great age and preserving her virginity." (Aristotle de mir. ausc.) "Daphne, the daughter of Tiresias the soothsayer, was not inferior to her father in the art of divination. Being endowed with a wonderful genius, she wrote a great number of oracles in different characters; and it is said that Homer borrowed many of his verses from her. Being often in an enthusiastic state of inspiration, she uttered many things that were prophetical, and was therefore called a Sibyl." (Diod. Sic. 4:66) |
The literal rendering is the spirit of a Python, which Plutarch says was in his day the name for a ventriloquist. See notes on Isaiah 8:19. This damsel appears to have uttered ambiguous prophecies after the manner of the Pythian Apollo; or of the sibyls, concerning whom see notes on 1 Sam. 28:7 and Jer. 20:9. "The greatest blessings we have spring from madmen, when granted by divine bounty. For the prophetess at Delphi, and the priestesses at Dodona, have, when mad, done many and noble services for Greece, both privately and publicly; but in their sober senses, little or nothing. And if we were to speak of the Sibyl and others, who, employing prophetic inspiration, have correctly predictedmany things to many persons respecting the future, we should be too prolix in relating what is known to every one." (Plato Phaedr. 22) Homer's Iliad and Odyssey were pirated from a Delphic Sibyl according to Bochus in Solinus. The manner of their delivery by diviners, Pythian priestesses, and Sibyls: with convulsions, foamings, heavings, sometimes so violent as to terminate in death (Potter's Antiq. 1:278; Aeneid 6:46,77; Job 32:19) If Croesus over Halys go, Great kingdoms he shall overthrow |
"Erythrae was the native place of the Sibyl, an ancient inspired prophetess. In the time of Alexander there was another Sibyl, who was also a prophetess, whose name was Athenais, a native of the same city." (Strabo 14:1) "The Sibyl who came out of Helicon, where she had been fostered by the Muses, said in her verses that she should never cease to prophesy and foretell future events; but that after her death her face would be seen in the moon and her breath, mingled with the air, would pass to and fro continually in prophetic words and voices of oracles prognosticating." (Plutarch de Pyth. orac. 9) "It is said that there were four Sibyls, the Erythrean, the Egyptian, one born at Samos, and one a native of Sardis. Others say that there were ten, including among them the Cumaean and the Judaean." (Aelianus Var. Hist. 12:35) Cicero, as an augur, had access to the Sibylline books. He said, "they were rather calculated to extinguish than to propagate superstition", consequently their subject was not the idolatrous religion of Rome. Cicero also informs us they predicted a king who was to arise about that time, whose sovereignty was to be universal, and under whose rule the world should be at peace. |
A Druidess told Diocletian he would be emperor when he had slain Aper, a Boar. Many boars he slew without success, till he recollected that Numerian's father in law was named Aper. Cambyses was told he should die at Ecbatan by the Egyptian oracle at Butos. He avoided the Median city, but died at Ecbatan in Syria, when his own sword wounded him in the thigh as he mounted his horse because he had wounded the Apis calf of Egypt in the thigh. When the Lacedaemonians consulted the oracle at Delphos whether they should make war upon the Arcadians, the oracle answered that he would give them to march over the country of the Tegeans, and to measure its fair plains with a line. They thought as victors; but it turned out as prisoners and slaves, laboring for their conquerors the Tegeans (Herodotus 1:66). A Greek oracle in 480 BC mentioned "a wooden wall alone impregnable" "O Salamis divine" against Xerxes' Persian forces. In the ensuing Battle of Salamis, the Grecians lost 40 wooden ships; the Persians 200, besides several that were taken. Yes, the Greeks did win the battle (Herodotus 7:140-143). Pyrrhus was warned to beware of Argos; and Epaminondas of Pelagos, where both found their deaths. Cassandra foretold the destruction of Troy (De Divin. 1:19). Temenus and his brothers complained to the oracle that its instructions had proved fatal to those who had followed them (the oracle had told Hyllas to attack through the narrow passage when the third fruit was ripe). They received the answer that by the "third fruit" the "third generation" was meant, and that the "narrow passage" was not the isthmus of Corinth, but the straits of Patras. Isis "stands over the sick in their sleep, and prescribes remedies for their diseases: and those who obey her directions are most unaccountably healed. Numbers are thus cured after they have, through the malignancy of their disease, been given up by their physicians; and many persons who have been absolutely deprived of sight, or disabled in any other part of the body, are restored to their previous soundness as soon as they have recourse to this goddess" (Diod. Sic. 1:25). This is similar to what happens today at Lourdes or La Salette or other places influenced by Catholicism's "Virgin Mary".
Tacitus relates that two men, one blind and the other having a diseased hand, were directed by the oracle of Serapis to ask Vespasian, who was then in Alexandria, for a favor. They were promised that, if the Roman consul would consent to anoint the eyes of one with saliva, and to step upon the hand of the other, both of them should be healed. Vespasian did this. Immediately the blind man recovered his sight, and the diseased hand was healed. These miracles drove Vespasian to visit the shrine and consult the god in regard to the fortunes of the empire. When he did, he saw an apparition of Basilides standing behind him. But Vespasian knew that Basilides was some days distance from Alexandria and sick. He therefore took this to mean he would succeed to the throne of Rome since Basilides signifies "royal"
(Tacitus Histories 4:81-82). And Suetonius adds that shortly afterwards letters arrived announcing the ruin and death of Vitellius (Suet. Vesp. 7).
The dark saying of the oracle to Croesus may very properly be contrasted with the open speech of God's prophets. Croesus sent different messengers from Sardis to each of the several oracles to enquire what he was doing on the day they were consulted -- which he appointed to be the hundredth day after their departure. On this day, he cut in pieces a tortoise and a lamb, and boiled them together in a brazen pan, with a brazen cover. The priestess of Apollo at Delphi in Phocis immediately gave the correct answer; so did the oracle of the hero Amphiaraus in Boeotia. (Herod. 1:46-53). No human collusion together here on same day and hour. Just "the prince of the power of the air" (Eph. 2:2) who "in a moment" (Luke 4:5) can travel like "lightning" (Luke 10:18) from place to place. "Croesus sent to enquire of the oracle of Delphi how long the empire of Lydia would last and whether he might proceed against the Persians and whether he should require the help of any allies. The answer was, "That the war would subvert a great empire, and that Lydia should subsist till a mule came came to possess the throne of Media." Croesus considered this to be an assurance of the perpetual duration of his kingdom. But Lydia was the empire to be subverted, and Cyrus was the mule; inasmuch as he was born of parents of different nations, the mother (Mandane) a Mede and daughter of Astyages king of Media; and the father a Persian (Cambyses) (Xen. Cyrop. 1:2). Croesus went to war and was conquered. "The Persians obtained possession of Sardis and made Croesus captive when he had reigned fourteen years, and after a seige of fourteen days; a mighty empire, according to the prediction of the oracle, being thus destroyed." (Herodotus 1:53-86) Croesus also sent messengers to Delphi to enquire about his mute son. The Pythian prophetess said, "Lydian, master of many, much blind to destiny, Croesus, Do not desire to hear in thy halls that voice which is prayed for, voice of thy son; much better if this from thee were removed, since he shall first utter speech in an evil day of misfortune." Cyrus took Sardis after a 14-day siege. A Persian soldier running after Croesus with a drawn sword, his mute son cried out, "Man, slay not Croesus" and continued to enjoy the faculty of speech all the rest of his life. (Herodotus 1:34,85)
"Apollo, monarch of the sacred center Of the great world, full of thy inspiration, The Pythian priestesses proclaim thy prophecies. Chrysippus has filled an entire volume with your oracles, many of which I consider utterly false, and many others only true by accident. Others again are so obscure and involved that their very interpreters have need of other interpreters, and the decision of one lot have to be referred to other lots. Another portion are so ambiguous that they require to be analysed by the logic of dialectitions." (Cicero de div. 2:56) Plutarch writes that "Araxes king of Armenia being promised success against the Persians if he would sacrifice his two daughters, slew those of Miesalcus, an Armenian Lord; but flying from his resentment was drowned in the Helmus, from him named Araxes."
Simon Magus "makes statues walk about; rolls himself upon fire, and is not burnt; and that sometimes he even flies. And he turns stones into loaves: he becomes a serpent; changes himself into a goat; becomes two-faced; and transforms himself into gold. He opens fastened doors, melts iron, and at banquets produces phantoms of every conceivable shape. And lastly, he causes the vessels in his house to be seen moving about, as if spontaneously, to wait upon him, those who are bearing them not being visible. I wondered to hear them speak thus; but they assured me that they had seen many such things done in their presence" (Clementine Homilies 2:32). The apostle Peter supposedly spoke about Simon Magus as follows: "Now when he came to Rome, he greatly harrassed the church by subverting many persons, and winning them over to his own party. And he astonished the Gentiles by a display of magic and the operation of demons, insomuch that once he came forward in the middle of the day, and, bidding the people drag me also into their theatre, promised that he would then fly through the air. But while all the multitude was in a state of suspense at this bold offer, I kept secretly praying. And verily he was raised up by demons, and began to fly aloft into the air, crying out, as he rose higher, that he was returning to the heavens, and would bestow blessings upon them from thence. Then while the people were glorifying him as a god, I lifted up my hands toward heaven with my heart, and entreated God, that for the sake of Jesus our Lord, He would cast down the injurious deceiver, and cut short the power of the demons, since they had used it to mislead and ruin men; that He would smite Simon to the ground, and yet not kill, but only bruise him. And so, fixing my eyes upon him, I said in answer to his words: 'If I be a man of God, a true Apostle of Jesus Christ, a teacher of piety, and no deceiver such as thou art, Simon, I command the wicked powers of the apostate from piety, by whom Simon the magician is now being supported and borne along, to let go their hold, that he may be thrown down from on high, and be exposed to the ridicule of those whom he has beguiled.' As soon as I had thus spoken, Simon was deprived of his powers, and cast down with a great noice. And being dashed violently upon the ground, he had his hip and the flats of his feet broken. Then the multitude cried out, saying, 'There is one God whom Peter justly declares to be in very truth the only One.' And many of Simon's disciples left him: but some who were deserving of perdition with him, continued in his evil doctrine. And in this manner the most atheistical sect of the Simonites was first introduced at Rome, and the Devil went on working by means of the rest of the false apostles" (Apost. Const. 6:9).
The effect of Christ's incarnation on fallen angels was great. Their power at once began to dwindle. They cried out, "Why hast thou come to torment us before the time?" Our Lord himself said, "I saw Satan's kingdom fall like lightning from heaven." When the Delphic Oracle was asked why it ceased to give the usual responses, it replied, "There is a Hebrew boy who is king of the gods, who has commanded me to leave this house, and begone to hell, and therefore you are to expect no more answers." (Plumer, Rock of Our Salvation, p.75). The Delphic Oracle prophesied regarding Christ and foretold the silence of the oracles subsequent to the coming of Christ -- "the Light of the Celestial Flame." "Alas Tripods! Weep and make funeral oration for your Apollo. He is mortal, he is about to die, he expires; because the light of the Celestial Flame extinguishes him." Its fulfillment is confirmed by the following authorities. Scarcely thirty years after the supposed date of Jesus' death, Lucan in his Pharsalia (v.111) states that "the greatest calamity of our century is the loss of that wonderful gift of heaven, the Delphic Oracle, which is silent." Eusebius cites Porphyry as saying that "since Jesus began to be worshipped no man had received any public help or benefit from the gods" (Praep. Evang. 5:1). And Plutarch wrote his treatise (died 119 AD) affirming the "cessation of the oracles" during the first century of the Christian Era. (pp.91-92, Comte de Gabalis) Cicero supposes that the vaporous exhalation was exhausted by age through natural causes (De Divinat. 1:19). See Juvenal Satire 6:554 describing their total cessation about the birth of Christ or soon thereafter, a fact confessed by their greatest advocates. Plutarch says, "In the time of Tiberius [in whose reign Christ was crucified], some persons, embarking from Asia for Italy, towards the evening, sailed by the Echinades [five little islands in the Ionian Sea] where being becalmed, they heard from thence a loud voice, calling one Thamus, an Egyptian mariner among them, and after the third time, commanding him, when he came to the Palodes, to declare that the Great Pan was dead. With the advice of his company, he resolved, that if they had a quick gale, when they came to the Palodes, he would pass by silently, but if they should find themselves becalmed there, he would then perform what the voice had commanded. But when the ship arrived thither, there was neither any breeze of wind, nor any agitation of the water. Whereupon Thamus, looking out of the stern, toward the Palodes, pronounced these words with a loud voice, 'the Great Pan is dead!' which he had no sooner done, than he was answered by a chorus of many voices, making a great howling and lamentation, not without a mixture of admiration." (Cudsworth's Intellect. Syst. p.345) "Divination and oracles were more in estimation among the ancients, but are now held in much indifference: wherefore the oracle at Ammon, which was formerly esteemed, has almost ceased. And the sacred oracle at Delphi is neglected, which before was exceedingly esteemed." (Strabo, p.818, 419)
Augustine quotes a Sibyl as predicting the promised Deliverer: "Afterwards He shall fall into the hands of wicked men, who will buffet Him and spit upon Him; and He will submit His holy back to stripes. He will hold His peace when struck with the fist; and He shall be crowned with a crown of thorns ... The veil of the Temple shall be rent; and at midday it will be darker than night for three hours. He will undergo death, taking sleep for three days, and then returning to the Light, He will come again as at the first." (Augustine, City of God 18:23)..
"As for the Delphian shrine, the story goes that it was burnt a third time by Thracians, the oracle not having been able to give any help to the knowledge of what was coming, nor the Pythian god himself to guard his own abode.... in the times of the Ptolemies ... the temple of Vesta at Rome is also said to have suffered conflagration. And about the time of Julius Caesar it is recorded that the great statue, which was the glory of the Greeks and of Olympia, was struck by lightning from the god at the very time of the Olympic games. On another occasion also, they say, the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus was burnt, and the Pantheon destroyed by lightning, and the Serapeium at Alexandria burnt down in like manner.... unable to defend even their own temples; and it is not likely that they who have been of no use to themselves in misfortunes would ever be able to give help to others." (p.132, Eusebius, Prep. For Gospel)
Our Lord Predicted the Destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. -- "Yet 40 Days (Years) and Nineveh (Jerusalem) Shall Be Destroyed" (Jonah 3:4; Matt. 16:4)
Many Unusual Delays and Postponements of the Jewish-Roman War Occurred (Mentioned by Josephus) to Make the 40 Years (Ezekiel 4:6) Possible
God gave the Jews a generation of 40 years to repent from A.D. 26-27 to 66-67, 31 A.D. to 70 A.D. and 34 to 73 A.D. Herod's Temple was destroyed on 9 Av (August 4, 70 CE on the Julian calendar) by the Romans. The Babylonian Talmud records that for 40 years before the Temple was destroyed, the following events occurred: The lots for the Yom Kippur goats ceased to be supernaturally determined; the crimson thread tied to the Azazel goat's horn (which had before supernaturally turned white to show God's forgiveness) remained red; the western candle in the menorah in the Temple sanctuary would not burn continually; and the doors of the Temple would open by themselves (Yoma 39b). The gospel was preached to every man and woman of Judah in all the earth (Rom. 10:18). His sacrifice made obsolete all the Temple sacrifices. In the last week of September and in the first week of October of 66-67 A.D., the Roman army under Cestius reached and surrounded Jerusalem exactly 40 years from the time Jesus public ministry had begun in Judea in 27 A.D. "Forty years long was I grieved with this generation" (Ps. 95:10; cp. Heb. 3:30). On Passover the Jews put Jesus to death. Forty years later on Passover, Titus put an immense number of Jews to death inside Jerusalem in a siege. Just as they sold Jesus as a slave for 30 pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12; Matt. 26:15), so also the Jews were sold as slaves for the lowest price possible. Just as Jesus was crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem, so also the Jews were crucified in such numbers that "room was wanting for the crosses, and crosses wanting for the bodies" (Wars of Jews 5:11:1). They preferred the robber and murderer Barabbas, so forty years later they got the Sicarii who robbed and murdered men openly in the streets of Jerusalem (Wars of Jews 2:13:3,6). Remember that the Jews had uttered, "His blood be on us and on our children". Another interesting parallel involves the 65 years mentioned till the fall of Israel (Isa. 7:8) in 721 BC which nicely corresponds to the 65 years from the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 AD till the destruction of Jerusalem by Hadrian in 135 AD. Furthermore, Ezekiel 4:6 mentions "the bearing of the iniquity of the house of Judah" for 40 years. From the crucifixion at Passover 31 AD till the Roman armies under Titus arrive and camp before Jerusalem at the Passover (Josephus Wars 5:13:7) in 70 AD is 40 years.
As early as 36 AD, Pontius Pilate was DEPRIVED of his office and sent to Rome for his trial on the charge of exasperating the Jews to disaffection by his acts as procurator. As disaffection spread and became the normal condition of the Jewish populace, the Jews destroyed at Jamnia, in the spring of 40 AD, a newly erected altar to Caligula, built to celebrate his German victories. In response, Caligula gave orders for a colossal statue of himself himself, proclaiming his divinity, to be made and set up in Jerusalem. An army was on its way to Jerusalem to compel by armed force Caligula's orders, when these orders were RESCINDED. A few months later the orders were renewed, and about to be put into effect, when on January 22 (Gregorian), AD 41, Caligula was KILLED. Thus the Jewish war with Rome was POSTPONED. In similar manner the crisis was prolonged, from year to year, and from decade to decade, postponing the destined destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, that "the House of Judah might bear the burden of its iniquity" for the 40 years of Ezekiel's prophecy
(Ez. 4:6). Josephus says that "under Cumanus (AD 48-52) began the troubles, and the Jew's ruin came on" (Wars 2:12:1-8). This period of trouble began at the Passover of 51 AD and ended by Passover of 52 AD, in which year Cumanus was BANISHED for his part in provoking the Jews, and Antonius Felix was appointed Procurator of Galilee. Then Festus succeeded Felix. Then Florus succeeded Festus. He tried to provoke the Jews into starting the war with Rome. "At the same time began the war, in the 12th year of Nero" (Wars, 2:14:4-9 & 2:15:1) which was 16th Iyyar or April 28th (Gregorian) AD 66. But Josephus says that this war ENDED (2:14:4) on the appeal of King Agrippa, at the request of his sister Bernice. Then the Jews slew the Roman garrison in the Tower of Antonia Jerusalem and set fire to the citadel on 17th Ab, July 26th (Greg.) AD 66 (2:17:7). That was the start of the Jewish-Roman War.
In 66 A.D. Cestius Gallus, the Roman governor of Syria, arrived at Jerusalem on Tishri 22, the 8th day sabbath after the festival of Booths (October A.D. 66), to restore Roman rule over the rebellious Jewish people. According to Josephus, the Jewish nation had refused to offer sacrifices and prayer at their temple for the emperor's well being. This sacrifice was a sign of subjection to, and acknowledgement of, the ruler. Therefore, Jerusalem (including Christians) was surrounded by the legions of Cestius Gallus. The "Abomination of DESOLATION" (Matt. 24:15) is defined in Luke 21:20 as "Jerusalem compassed with ARMIES" that cause "DESOLATION." Cestius took the temple wall on Heshvan 5, 66 A.D. He burnt three divisions of the city. At this time he (Cestius) constituted the abomination that caused desolation standing where it ought not in 'a holy place' in the temple and the daily sacrifice had been removed since no one felt like offering up a sacrifice in front of Cestius. The Roman armies carried the images of their gods and emperors on their standards also. The principal figures on their ensigns were gold eagles, which, however obnoxious to the Jews, were at length planted in the midst of the holy city, and finally on the temple itself. As our Lord said, "Wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Matt. 24:28). At that time, on that very day, "It then happened that Cestius was not conscious either how the besieged despaired of success, nor how courageous the people were for him, and he RECALLED his soldiers from the place, and by despairing of any expectation of taking it, without having received any disgrace, he RETIRED from the city, without any reason in the world" (Wars 2:19).
Jewish Zealots pursued and attacked the army ferociously, and, with little loss to themselves, slew of his army nearly six thousand men. On this day, Heshvan 5 (Oct. 25, Gregorian), 66 A.D. we have a fulfillment of the conditions for beginning the 1290 days of Daniel 12:11. Christians were given a brief opportunity to obey our Lord's advice and "DEPART out of the midst of" Jerusalem and "FLEE to the mountains" (Luke 21:20-22). "The whole body of the church at Jerusalem having been commanded by a divine Revelation ["Let us remove hence." -- Wars 6:5:3] ... REMOVED from the city, and dwelt in a certain town beyond Jordan, called Pella" (Eusebius 3:5:2). After this calamity had befallen Cestius, many of the most eminent of the Jews SWAM away from the city, as from a ship when it was going to sink (Wars of the Jews, book 2 ch. 20). Returning Zealots didn't tolerate "deserters," so ESCAPING had to be done that very day. Fleeing to the hills in the Bible occurs just before the great tribulation.
"Christ Jesus said ‘When you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies (literally or in a supernatural sign), then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them who are in Judea (not just Jerusalem) flee to the mountains; and let them who are in the midst of it depart; and let not them that are in the countries enter into it’ (Luke 21:20-21). How can Christians flee Jerusalem when Jerusalem is completely surrounded with armies? How did Christians in other parts of the country even know that armies were surrounding Jerusalem?
"On the twenty-first of the month Artemisium (the last day of the 2nd Passover season In A.D.66, there appeared a miraculous phenomenon, passing belief. Indeed, what I am about to relate would, I imagine, have been deemed a fable, were it not for the narratives of eyewitnesses and for the subsequent calamities which deserved to be so signalized. For before sunset throughout all parts of the country [everywhere throughout Judea] chariots were seen in the air and armed battalions hurtling through the clouds and encompassing the cities" (Wars of Jews 6.5.3).
And then, about two weeks later, Josephus tells us: "Moreover, at the feast which is called Pentecost, the priests on entering the inner court of the temple by night, as their custom was in the discharge of their ministrations, reported that they were conscious, first of a commotion and a din, and after that of a voice as of a host, We are departing hence" (War, 6.209,300). With these two signs, what did the Christians in Jerusalem and Judaea do? Eusebius tells us that this is the time they began to leave the region because of the command of Christ and went to a city called Pella on the east side of the Jordan River (Ecclesiastical History, 3.5). They and the apostles obtained safety from the Great Tribulation that soon enflamed Jerusalem and Judaea.
Before the taking of Jerusalem by Titus, Tacitus noticed that "There had been omens and prodigies, things which that nation, so addicted to superstition, but so averse to the gods, hold it unlawful to expiate either by vows or victims. Hosts were seen to encounter in the air; refulgent arms appeared; and by a blaze of lightning shooting suddenly from the clouds, all the temple was illuminated; the great gates of the temple were suddenly thrown open, and a voice more than human was heard to declare that the gods were about to depart." (Tacitus History 5:13)
Nero, having been informed of the DEFEAT of Cestius, immediately appointed Vespasian, a man of tried valour, to prosecute the war against the Jews, who, assisted by his son Titus, soon collected at Ptolemais an army of sixty thousand men. From hence, in the spring of 67 A. D. he marched into Judea, every where spreading the most cruel havoc and devastation; For fifteen months Vespasian proceeded in this sanguinary career, during which period he reduced all the strong towns of Galilee, and the chief of those in Judea, destroying at least one hundred and fifty thousand of the inhabitants. In 69 A.D. Vespasian dreamed that he should be emperor, when Nero lost a tooth; this ensued the next day. Nero committed SUICIDE in June 68 AD. He remained INACTIVE for a full year till June 69 AD. so that his command could be confirmed by Nero's successor. Vespasian himself was proclaimed emperor. He returned to Rome. But Titus his son arrived in Jerusalem around 14th Nisan 70 A.D. (Antiquities 5.13.7). The Greek name for Satan is Teitan (Teitan) which adds up to 666 in Greek: T=300, e=5, i=10, t=300, a=1, n=50. Titus, the Roman general who overthrew Jerusalem in 70 A.D. inflicting horrible wrath upon the land and people, and who later became Caesar, in the Greek language was known as Teitan. Titus besieged the city with four legions of soldiers. The time between October of A.D. 66 and April of A.D. 70 is three and a half years or the "time, times and a half" "to scatter the power of the holy people" (12:7). The day on which Titus encompassed Jerusalem, was the feast of the Passover; at this season multitudes came up from all the surrounding country, and from distant parts, to keep the festival. Titus allowed the pilgrims into the city, but refused to let them leave, in order to deplete the rebel food reserves. Our Lord warned, "Let not them that are in the countries enter into Jerusalem" (Luke 21: 21).
The Great Tribulation of the Jews, Matthew 24, occurred during the period from the exit of Cestius until the arrival of Titus and his siege. Three walls surrounded Jerusalem on every side, except that which was deemed inaccessible, and there it was defended by one wall only. Romans took the first wall on the 15th day of the siege -- Iyyar 7. Romans took the second wall -- Iyyar 16. A siege wall of pointed stakes all around the city was built in three days by the end of Sivan 4. Escape was now impossible (Luke 19:43-44). Titus was able to make his inspection of this completed and fully garrisoned pointed-stake wall -- Sivan 5. Now Sivan 5, 70 A.D. is 1290 days after Heshvan 5, 66 A.D. Also, Sivan 4 was the last day of possible escape, before the wall was garrisoned and inspected by Titus. This was the first century fulfillment of Daniel 12:11. This pointed-stake wall was accompanied by a trench of 39 furlongs in circuit and strengthened with 13 towers. "Thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round about, and keep thee in on every side" (Luke 19:43). As no supplies whatever could now enter the walls, the famine spread rapidly.
After this, Josephus, in the name of Titus, earnestly exhorted John and his adherents to surrender; but the insolent rebel returned nothing but reproaches and imprecations, declaring his firm persuasion that Jerusalem, as it was GOD'S own city, could never be taken: thus literally fulfilling the declaration of Micah, that the Jews, in their extremity, notwithstanding their crimes, would presumptuously "lean upon the LORD, and say, 'Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us" (Micah 3:11). The third wall fell down -- Tammuz 2. Romans took the tower of Antonia -- Tammuz 5. Those who had defected to the Romans and had been saved in Gophna, by Caesar's decree, were paraded around the wall unharmed -- Tammuz 19. Counting 1335 days from Cestius' invasion of the temple, on Heshvan 5, 66 A.D., which was the beginning of the flight to the hills, we end up on Tammuz 19, 70 A.D. This was also the day when Titus ordered the final assault on the temple to start at the 9th hour of the night (which was in the next Hebrew day -- Tammuz 19). A Roman soldier, urged, as he declared, by a divine impulse, regardless of the command of Titus climbed on the shoulders of another, and threw a flaming brand into the golden window of the Temple, which instantly set the building on fire -- Av 10 (cp. Jer. 52:12,13). Jerusalem was finally taken after nearly 5 months (ending Elul 8, 70 A.D.) (135 days from Nisan 23). The above is taken from Josephus 'Wars of the Jews' 2:19 and books 5 & 6. In book 6 chapter 2, 'in the meantime' of section 7 is 7 days, and the 'in the meantime' of section 9 is that day. Notice that the significant dates in the siege of Jerusalem correspond to the significant dates of Daniel chapter 12. Our Lord pronounce a woe on "them that should give suck in those days" (Matt. 24: 19.). "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but for yourselves and for your children; for, behold, the days are coming in which they shall say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the breasts that never gave suck" (Luke 23: 29). He was referring to cannibalism (Deut. 28:56-57). Finally, Elul 29 is traditionally the last day that Jews fast before Rosh HaShanah. Jerusalem survivors may have been given their first good meal on this date.
The gold melted and ran down through the crevices of the bricks so the Roman soldiers tore it down stone by stone to get the gold and the silver out. That fulfilled the words of Jesus when He said there wouldn't be a stone of the Temple left standing one on top of the other (Matt. 24:2). Then to further defile it, Titus, the Roman prince went to the high altar of the Temple, planted the standards of the Roman legions by it and then proceeded to sacrifice a pig on the altar in the Holy of Holies. He fulfilled Daniel 11:31 that he should defile the sanctuary, take away the daily sacrifice and place there the abomination. Romans then burned the Lower City. Approximately September 2, Romans assaulted Herod's Palace and entered the Upper City. Resistance ended on September 26. The 1290-day period (Daniel 12:11) runs from the abomination of Cestius (Heshvan 5, 66 A.D.) to finishing of the wall of pointed sticks ending escape (Sivan 4, 70 A.D.)(Luke 19:43 fulfilled). The 1335 days (Daniel 12:12) runs from the abomination of Cestius (Heshvan 5, 66 A.D.) to the parading of escapees from Jerusalem (Tammuz 19, 70 A.D. -- Eridanus).
This great city, which only five months before, had been crowded with nearly two million people, who gloried in its impregnable strength, was entirely depopulated, and levelled with the ground. Our Lord predicted that Rome would "lay her even with the ground," and "should not leave in her one stone upon another" (Luke 19:44). This fact is confirmed by Eusebius, who asserts that he himself saw the city lying in ruins. It is recorded, in the Talmud, and by Maimonides, that Terentius Rufus, captain of the army of Titus, absolutely ploughed up the foundations of the Temple with a ploughshare. "Therefore shall Zion, for your sakes (i.e. for your wickedness) be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the LORD's house as the high places of the forest" (Micah 3:12).
"Titus ... gave order to set the gates on fire" (Wars of the Jews, Book 6:4:1)
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"Caesar gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city and temple, but should leave as many of the towers standing as were of the greatest eminency; that is, Phasaelus, and Hippicus, and Mariamne; and so much of the wall as enclosed the city on the west side. This wall was spared, in order to afford a camp for such as were to lie in garrison, as were the towers also spared, in order to demonstrate to posterity what kind of city it was, and how well fortified, which the Roman valor had subdued; but for all the rest of the wall, it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it had ever been inhabited. This was the end which Jerusalem came to by the madness of those that were for innovations; a city otherwise of great magnificence, and of mighty fame among all mankind. (Josephus, Wars of the Jews, 7:1:1)
Josephus reckons not less than 1,100,000 Jews were destroyed during the siege, to which must be added, above 237,000 who perished in other places, and innumerable multitudes who were swept away by famine, and pestilence, of which no calculation could be made. Not less than 2,000 laid violent hands upon themselves. Of the captives the whole was about 97,000. Of the two great leaders of the Jews, who had both been made prisoners, John was doomed to a dungeon for life; while Simon, together with John, in triumph at Rome was scourged, and put to death as a malefactor. All above the age of seventeen were sent in chains into Egypt, to be employed there as slaves, or distributed throughout the empire to be sacrificed as gladiators in the amphitheatres; whilst those who were under this age, were exposed to sale. Our Lord foretold, generally, that they should "fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations; and that Jerusalem should be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled" (Luke 21:24). During every successive age and in all nations, the Jews have been constantly persecuted, enslaved, contemned, harassed, and oppressed; banished from one country to another, and abused in all; while countless multitudes have, at different periods, been barbarously massacred, particularly in Persia, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt; and in Russia, Germany, Hungary, France, and Spain. Jerusalem only recently became a possession of the Jews. It has been successively occupied by the Romans, Arabs, Franks, Turks, and British. It has always been trodden down.
Our Lord stated that there should "be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world, no, nor ever shall be" (Matt. 24:21). Josephus declares its fulfillment in parallel language: "If the misfortunes," says he, "of all nations, from the beginning of the world, were compared with those which befell the Jews, they would appear far less in comparison;" and again, "No other city ever suffered such things, as no other generation, from the beginning of the world, was ever more fruitful in wickedness." These were, indeed, "the days of vengeance," that all things which are written (especially by Moses, Joel, and Daniel,) might be fulfilled" (Luke 21:22). Nor were the calamities of the Jews even now ended; for there were still other places to subdue; and our Lord had thus predicted, "wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Matt. 24:28).
After the destruction of Jerusalem seventeen hundred Jews who surrendered at Macherus were slain, and of fugitives not less than three thousand in the wood of Jardes. Titus having marched his army to Caesarea, he there, with great splendour, celebrated the birthday of his brother Domitian; and according to the barbarous manner of those times, punished many Jews in honour of it. The number who were burnt, and who fell by fighting with wild beasts, and in mutual combats, exceeded two thousand five hundred. At the siege of Massada, Eleazer, the commander, instigated the garrison to burn their stores, and to destroy first the women and children, and then themselves. Dreadful as it is to relate, this horrid design was executed. They were in number nine hundred and sixty. Ten were chosen to perform the bloody work: the rest sat 'on the ground,' and embracing their wives and children stretched out their necks to the sword: one was afterwards appointed to destroy the remaining nine, and then himself. The survivor, when he had looked round to see that all were slain, set fire to the place, and plunged his sword into his own bosom. Nevertheless, two women and five children successfully concealed themselves, and witnessed the whole transaction. The period of time from the first attack of the Jews upon the Romans at Masada, in May of A.D. 66, to the final resistance of the Jews at Masada in April of A.D. 73, encompassed seven years. “For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen ... Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy mighty in the war. And her gates shall lament and mourn, and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground” (Isaiah 3:8, 25-26). The mournful and desolate condition of Judea, at this time, is exactly described by the prophet Isaiah: "The cities were without inhabitant, and the houses without a man, and the land was utterly desolate, and the LORD had removed men far away, and there was a great forsaking in the midst of the land." (Isa. 6:11-12).
"And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up (by the destruction of the temple in 70 AD), there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days, Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days" (Dan. 12:11-12). Adding 1290 years to 70 AD, we arrive at the beginning of John Wycliffe's public ministry who attacked the Papal tyranny and erronious dogmas. Adding 1335 years, we arrive at 1405 when John Huss brought more reforms and began preaching against the corruptions of the Church of Rome at Prague in Bohemia 1405 AD.
A Nine-Month Pregnancy (270 Years -- 34 to 303 AD) With Birth Pangs (10 Years -- 303 to 313 AD) Before the Man Child (Constantine) Rules
We know that the Messiah would be cut off "in the midst of the week" of seven years (Dan. 9:24-27) -- in the spring of 31 AD. Adding three-and-a-half more years brings us to the fall of 34 AD when the vision would come to an end with the death of a prophet. Stephen was stoned in 34 AD (Acts 7:59) "to end a vision and a prophet" (Dan. 9:24). Jesus came "unto his own (the JEWS), and his own received him not" (John 1:11). The JEWS rejected him. Jesus was of the tribe of JUDAH (Heb 7:14; Rev 5:5). Paul also said, "salvation to every one that believeth; to the JEW first (for 490 years -- BC 457 - 34 AD), and also to the GREEK" (second for 280 years and more) (Rom 1:16). The GREEKS were Israel.
Stephen was the last prophet to speak to the JEWISH people of JUDEA as the elect of God. When he was rejected and stoned to death, the 'vision' and 'prophet' both ended. Soon after, Paul was called to be an apostle to the "gentiles" (ISRAEL) (Acts 9), and Peter was told that "gentiles" (ISRAEL) should be accepted into church fellowship (Acts 10). Jesus said to them, "The stone (Jesus the Messiah) which the builders (JEWS) rejected, the same is become the head of the corner ... The kingdom of God shall be taken from you (JEWS), and given to a nation (lost ISRAEL) bringing forth the fruits thereof." (Matthew 21:42-43). Those ISRAELITES who migrated to Britain. Notice, the New Covenant is with the "house of ISRAEL, AND with the house of JUDAH" (Jer. 31:31). It was to the "JEW FIRST, and also to the GREEK." (Rom 1:16). The gospel in the 490 years was only for the house of JUDAH. Notice Daniel 9:24 again, "Seventy weeks are determined upon THY people." Daniel was of the house of JUDAH, not the house of ISRAEL which was lost in history. The context is JUDAH'S 70-year captivity in Babylon and the remnant of JUDAH that returned -- not ISRAEL -- not the lost ten tribes. But as that period came to a close, Jesus said, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of ISRAEL" (Matthew 15:24). And he commanded the apostles to, "Go NOT into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not ... But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of ISRAEL" (Matt 10:5-6).
If we add a nine-month PREGNANCY (270 years) to 34 A.D., we come to the "BIRTH PANGS" of 303-313 A.D. when Diocletian persecuted Christians prior to the coming of Constantine (a type of Christ) when their BIRTH figuratively occurred. "Ye shall have tribulation TEN DAYS" (Rev. 2:10). "These things are the beginning of travail" (Matt. 24:7-8). These things are a type of the plan just before the real second coming of Christ. The birth pains come "as travail upon a woman with child" (1 Th. 5:3) beginning the LABOR contractions: war, famine, disease, earthquakes and PERSECUTION (Matt. 24:8; Isa. 13:8). The woman (British Israel) brought forth a man child (Constantine) to rule all nations with a rod of iron (Rev. 12:1-5). Constantine's "Christianity" (Catholicism) was far from perfect, but it was a great improvement over polytheism. Barbaric customs such as branding humans, crucifixion and gladiatorial combat were abolished. Constantine prohibited pagan rites in his new capital of Constantinople. The "dragon was cast out" of heaven (Constantinople) (Rev. 12:9). By around 350 AD the performance of a PAGAN sacrifice had become a capital offense. When Christ returns, "we shall reign on the earth" (Rev. 5:10). The Israelite must be "born again" (John 3:3), not composed of flesh but composed of spirit this time (John 3:6). Jesus was the "firstborn among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29). The resurrection to rulership will occur at his Second Coming. "All other animals give birth to their young without pain; but woman must endure the severest sufferings" -- (Aristot. de Hist. Anim. 7:9)What are the "ten days" (years) of tribulation (2:10)? From 23 Feb. 303 to 13 June 313 A.D. (Lactantius De Mort. Persec. 48; Eusebius E.H. 8:15-16), after Diocletan returned victorious from the Persian wars, he persecuted Christians. Hundreds of thousands of Christians died or were banished. Diocletian published his edict at Nicomedia on February 24, 303 and it lasted until his death. The Edict of Tolderation by Galerius was issued in 311 in Serdica (now Sofia Bulgaria) by Roman Emperor Galerius. It officially ended Diocletan's persecution of Christianity in the East. Constantine (West) and Licinius (Balkans) agreed to treat Christians kindly in the Edict of Milan which was agreed to on February 313 and the proclamation, made for the East by Licinius in June 313, granted all persons freedom to worship whatever deity they pleased. "In 313 A.D. Constantine's Edict of Milan restored confiscated Christian property and gave equal rights for all religions. In that same year Constantine exempted Christian clergy from civil and military service and their property from taxation" (SDABC). Besides lasting ten years, this was also the tenth persecution suffered under ten different emperors' edicts: Nero (64 A.D.), Domitian (95 A.D.), Trajan (107 A.D.), Hadrian (127 A.D.), Marcus Aurelius (165 A.D.), Septimius Severus (202 A.D.), Maximus (235 A.D.), Decius (249 A.D.), Valerianus (257 A.D.) and Diocletian (303 A.D.). Read about the 10 persecutions by pagan Rome in Fox's Book of Martyrs, pp. 13-31.
Julian the Apostate Was Unable To Contradict Prophecy (Luke 21:24) By Rebuilding the Jewish Temple Or Restoring the Jews to Their Land in 363 AD
Daniel 9:27 says that the Messiah would "put an END to sacrifice and grain offering". Matthew 23:39 says, "Behold, your house is left unto you DESOLATE." Then Matthew 24:1-2 says, "Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here ONE STONE UPON ANOTHER, that shall not be THROWN DOWN." "And Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Luke 21:24).
The number 666 has been discovered in the name Julian the Apostate (C.F. Jul. Caes. Aug. = DCLXVI). Being the last emperor of Constantine's dynasty, the son of Constantine the Great’s half brother, Julian attempted to prove Jesus a false prophet by rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem in 363AD and put the Jews back in their own land, also contrary to prophecy since they were to be "led away captive into all nations" (Luke 21:24). The effort failed dramatically. Emperor Julian’s friend, Ammianus Marcellinus, wrote about the attempt to restore the Jewish Temple:
“Julian thought to rebuild at an extravagant expense the proud Temple once at Jerusalem, and committed this task to Alypius of Antioch. But, though this Alypius pushed the work on with vigour, aided by the governor of the province, terrifying BALLS of FLAME kept bursting forth near the foundations of the temple, and made the place inaccessible to the workmen, some of whom were BURNED to DEATH; and since in this way the element persistently repelled them, the enterprise halted." (23:1) Though this historical fact is attested by contemporary writers, such as Ambrose, Chrysostom, and Gregory Nazianzen, the last of whom declares that "the preternatural event, which caused the suspension of the enterprise, was not desputed by infidels," it is sad to observe the intense skepticism of Gibbon as he reflects on Gregory's testimony by remarking that his assertion, "strange as it may seem, is confirmed by the unexceptional testimony of Ammianus Marcellinus" (Decline and Fall, ch. 23)While trying to abrogate the Temple prophecy of Jesus, an EARTHQUAKE also occurred in Jerusalem at this very time in 363 AD. Christians credited the EARTHQUAKE to God sustaining the Temple prophecy of Jesus! The Jews and Romans attributed the quake to coincidence. The Jews actually tore down every remaining stone from the old temple in order to begin rebuilding it. That same year Emperor Julian was at war with the Persians and was KILLED by a Persian spear June 27, 363. After just two years of rule he was finished. He was only 32 years old. While dying, the emperor groaned, "You have conquered, O Galilean"-- referring to Jesus Christ. Even in 361 AD, the emperor Julian the Apostate admitted, "As to Jesus, neither Paul, nor Matthew, nor Luke, nor Mark, dared to call him 'GOD'; none but the honest John." (Cyril cont. Julian 10:327). However, Julian was mistaken about the rest, for Paul repeatedly admits Yeshua's divinity (Rom. 9:5; Phil. 2:6; 1 Tim. 3:16; Tit. 1:3; 2:13; Eph. 5:5; Heb. 1:8) and Matthew refers to him as "Immanuel" -- "God with us." Mark as "the son of God" (1:1), Luke as "God" (Acts 20:28), and Thomas -- "My Lord" and "My God" (John 20:28-29).
Angles, Saxons, Jutes & Danes Migrate Safely into Britain and Are "SEALED" With the Holy Spirit Culminating in Creation of Lindisfarne Gospels in 697 AD
"I will appoint a place for my people Israel (Britain), whence they shall never be moved, and where the son of wickedness shall afflict them no more as beforetime" (in Palestine) (Isa. 49:12). "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you (Jews of Palestine -- v.45), and given to a NATION bringing forth the fruits of it (Christians of Britain). And whosoever shall fall on this STONE shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder" (Matt. 21:43-44). The Roman army withdrew from Britain completely in 383-410 AD. Hengest came in c.449 to Kent; Ælle came in c.477 to Sussex; and Cerdic to West Saxony in c. 495 AD. Thereafter they converted to Christianity.
"And after these things (Constantine's reign from 324 to 337 AD) I saw four angels (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio & Aquarius) standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth (Goths -- west, Vandals -- south, Huns -- east and Heruli -- north; waiting to come against Rome), that the wind should not blow (TERRORS -- Job 30:15; FIERCE ARMY -- Jer. 4:11-13; 49:36; 51:1-2; Dan. 7:-3; people in TURMOIL AND ANARCHY -- Isa. 57:20; Dan. 7:2-3; on the (Roman) earth (sparse population), nor on the sea (multitudes of people, nations -- Rev. 17:15), nor on any tree (human ruler -- Dan. 4:20-22; Ez. 31:3; Judges 9:8-15; Ps. 52:8) (Rev. 7:1).
"And I saw
another angel ascending from the east, having the SEAL of the living God (Perseus on east side of Zodiac stepping up with the head of Medusa. The seal of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30) turns hearts from stone to flesh while Medusa's head turns hearts from flesh to stone): he cried with a loud voice to the four angels ... Saying, Hurt not earth, sea, nor trees, till we have (SUN or MOON-) SEALED the servants of our God in their foreheads (baptised them in the English Channel and settled them in the British-Scandinavian "promised land" with either a "stone heart" or the Holy Spirit) ("Beata Tranquillitas" or Blessed Tranquility lasted till 402 AD) ... And there were (SUN or MOON-) sealed 144,000 (stars) of all the tribes ... of Israel (7:2-4).
Beginning with 337 AD (sun in Sagittarius) when Constantine died, we begin counting. Adding 30° years we come to 367 (sun in Capricorn) when Picts, Scots, Saxons and Franks attacked Roman Britain from all sides (Res Gestae 27:8). Adding 30° to the previous sun we come to 397 (sun in Aquarius) when Stilicho repelled a Pictish, Irish and Saxon attack on Britain. Also in 397, St. Ninian erected a small stone church known as the "Candida Casa", or WHITE HOUSE, at WHITEHORN in Galloway Scotland which was Scotland's first Christian building. The Roman army withdrew from the west & north of Britain in 383; The Roman army withdrew from Britain completely in 410 AD. The Milky Way typifies the HOLY SPIRIT that "SEALED ... of all the tribes ... of Israel" (Rev. 7:3-4). It is the Holy Spirit that SEALS Christians (Eph. 4:30). Adding 30° years more brings us to 427 (sun in Pisces). Vortigern allowed Jutes, Saxons, Angles, Franks and Frisians into Britain to keep Picts out c. 429. "The coming of the Saxons then falls in late 429" (Vortigern and the End of Roman Britain by Ward). As the invasion of Britain progressed, the ROMAN and CELTIC churches competed to SEAL the new residents of Britain (SUN vs. MOON). Skipping ahead by adding multiples of 30° six more times we come to 607 (sun in Virgo) when the Roman Abbot Austin required British Bishops to conform to him in the day of celebrating Easter and many other Roman rites. They refused, being offended at his haughtiness, and continued celebrating as Quatrodecimans (Lev. 23:5). Therefore he persuaded Ethelfrid, king of Northumberland, to make war on them c. 607 AD, who massacred about 12000 of the monks of Bangor (Hales' Chronology 2:502).
Adding two more multiples of 30° each we come to 667 (sun in Scorpio). In 664, Oswiu, king of Northumbria, called a meeting or Synod at Whitby to settle which church practices should have precedence in his kingdom -- those of the CELTIC church (of Wales, Scotland and the north of England -- as preached by Irish (Scot) missionaries who SEALED converts with the Holy Spirit (FULL MOON) or the Roman church (of the south of England who SEALED converts into pagan SUN-worship). The matters discussed included how to calculate the date of Easter SUNday (using only SUN; or on 14th of MOON -- Quatrodecimen) and whether the Sabbath was Saturday or SUNday. According to Webster's Rest Days, "The Celts kept Saturday as a day of rest (A. Bellesheim, History of the Catholic Church in Scotland, Edinburgh, 1887-1890, i, 86)." The CELTIC church with monasteries on Iona and Lindisfarne converted 144,000 to Bible Christianity which celebrated the Saturday Sabbath, sunset to sunset; Passover on the 14th of the MOONTH Nisan; avoided unclean meats; no celibacy of clergy; and was Arian (anti-Trinitarian). But the synod decided to follow the practice of Rome (SUN'S Scorpio sting), essentially the European mainstream. As a result, many Irish (Scot) clergy left Northumbria and returned to Ireland. By 716 all Columban/Celtic centers had conformed. In 668, Pope Vitalian chose Theodore, a Greek-speaker from Tarsus as archbishop of Canterbury. Although elderly, Theodore was in office for 22 years
and did much to strengthen English Roman Catholicism. He made Canterbury a major center of learning. On his death in 690, Theodore of Tarsus left behind a well-organized SUN-day keeping church in almost all of Britain. SUN-SEALED. Meanwhile 144,000 Celtic Bible followers of Wales, Scotland and North England were SEALED with the Holy Spirit because of their obedience to the Saturday Sabbath and LUNAR method of calculating Passover. MOON-SEALED. Adding 30° more, we come to 697 (sun in Sagittarius). It is very likely that Eadfrith produced the Lindisfarne Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in Gaelic) prior to 698 in order to commemorate the elevation of Cuthbert's relics in that year, which is also thought to have been the occasion for which the St Cuthbert Gospel was produced.
Battle of Ravenna in 476 A.D. -- Midpoint of The "Times of the Gentiles" (Lev. 26:28; Luke 21:24)
The Battle of Ravenna took place on the 2 September 476 and was a minor confrontation between the Heruli under their King Odoacer, of the Sciri clan (Issachar), and the remnants of the Western Roman Army in Italy. The Roman Empire had been in relative decline until 455 when the Vandals sacked Rome effectively destroying the empire. By 476 the Roman Emperor was little more than a warlord having very little de facto control of any territory outside of Italy. The Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus, wasn't even recognized as a legitimate ruler outside of Italy.
Herulians were foederati of the Western Roman Empire; they were mercenary troops of the Roman Army of Italy. They envied the fortune of their brethren in Gaul, Spain, and Africa, whose victorious arms had acquired an independent and perpetual inheritance; and they insisted that A THIRD PART of the lands of Italy should be immediately divided among them (cp. Rev. 8:7-9:18). Orestes, the father of the last Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustus, rejected their demand causing their revolt. From all the camps and garrisons of Italy the confederates flocked to the standard of Odoacer, their leader; and Orestes retreated to Pavia. Pavia was pillaged and Orestes was executed.
The decisive battle was fought near Ravenna, the capital of the Western Roman Empire: it saw the Foederati defeat the heavily depleted Roman garrison. The city was captured swiftly and easily. Two days later the sixteen year old Emperor Romulus Augustulus was forced to abdicate by Odoacer ending twelve-hundred years of Roman rule in Italy beginning with the Roman Kingdom in 753 BC. Romulus was sent into retirement in Campania. Israelite Heruli were prophesied to "break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms" (Dan. 2:44; Jer. 51:20).
The first king of the Babylonian Empire represented by the image of Daniel 2 was Nabonassar who ascended the throne at noon, February 26, 747 B.C. This date has been determined with certainty through a series of exact astronomical observations given by Ptolemy. This is therefore the earliest date from which to measure the "seven times." If we add 1222.5 solar years or 446,503 days, to 747 B.C., we arrive at the fall of Romulus Augustulus, August 22nd, 476 A.D; while 1260 lunar years (or 15,120 lunations) contain 446,502.5 days, so that the difference, if any, is merely one of hours. Can any thinking mind regard this fact as mere chance coincidence? The duration of the four kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome, from the era of Nabonassar B.C. 747, to the deposition of Romulus Augustulus and the end of the Western Roman Empire in August 22, 476 A.D., all fit perfectly within exactly 1260 LUNAR years (1,222.5 solar years).
Ten Kingdoms (Toes or Horns of Daniel) Continue 1260 Years Under Antichrist (2 Th 2:3-4) After Restrainer (Roman Emperor - 2 Th 2:7) is Taken Away ( 536-1796; 610-1870; etc)
The Historian Machiavelli, without the slightest reference to prophecy, gives the following list of the nations which occupied the territory of the Western Empire at the time of the fall of Romulus Augustulus, the last emperor of Rome, A.D. 476.: The Lombards, the Franks, the Burgundians, the Ostrogoths, the Visigoths, the Vandals, the Heruli, the Sueves, the Huns, and the Saxons -- TEN. The following list gives the contemporary kingdoms existing in Western Europe at intervals of a hundred years from the 9th to the 19th centuries. A question mark indicates some doubt about it's independent sovereignty.
860 A.D.: Italy, Provence, Lorrain, East France, West France, Exarchate, Venice, Navarre, England and Scotland -- TEN and the Little Horn called Pope.
950 A.D.: Germany, Burgundy, Lombardy, Exarchate, Venice, France, England, Scotland, Navarre and Leon -- TEN and the Little Horn called Pope.
1050 A.D.: Germany, Exarchate, Venice, Norman-Italy, France, England, Scotland, Arragon, Castile, Normandy(?) and Hungary (?) -- NINE to ELEVEN and the Little Horn called Pope.
1150 A.D.: Germany, Naples, Venice, France, England, Scotland, Arragon, Castile, Portugal, Hungary and Lombardy (?) -- TEN or ELEVEN and the Little Horn called Pope.
1250 A.D.: Germany, Naples, Venice, Lombardy, France, England, Scotland, Arragon, Castile, Portugal and Hungary -- TEN and the Little Horn called Pope.
1350 A.D.: Germany, Naples, Venice, Switzerland (?), Milan (?), Tuscany (?), France, England, Scotland and Castile -- NINE to TWELVE and the Little Horn called Pope
1433 A.D.: Austria, Naples, Venice, France, England, Scotland, Arragon, Castile, Portugal, Hungary, Switzerland (?), Savoy (?), Milan (?), and Tuscany (?) -- ELEVEN to FOURTEEN and the Little Horn called Pope.
In 1517 the Reformation begins to consume the Pope's dominion. Kings throw off his yoke. Daniel 7:26 says, "But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end."
1552 A.D.: Austria, Venice, France, England, Scotland, Spain, Naples, Portugal, Hungary, Switzerland (?) and Lombardy (?) -- NINE to ELEVEN and Papal power being consumed.
1648 A.D.: Austria, Venice, France, Britain, Spain, Naples, Portugal, Hungary, Switzerland, Savoy, Tuscany and Holland -- ELEVEN and Papal power being consumed.
1750 A.D.: Austria, Hungary, France, Savoy and Sardinia, Venice, Tuscany, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Naples (?), Britain and Holland -- TEN to ELEVEN and Papal power being consumed.
1816 A.D.: Austria, Bavaria, Wurtemburg (?), Naples, Tuscany, Sardinia, Lombardy (?), France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Britain and Switzerland -- ELEVEN to THIRTEEN and Papal power being consumed.
In 1870 the Pope's temporal power fell.
The TEN TOES were smitten when "A stone was cut out (of Europe) without hands, which smote the image upon its feet ... and the stone became a great mountain ("kingdom" -- Isa. 2:2) and filled the whole earth" (Dan. 2:34-35). This is the British Empire and the United States. This process began about 1548 with the Act of Uniformity. Then Philip's Spanish Armada was destroyed in 1588. Napoleon's French were defeated by the British in 1814 at Waterloo. Later Great Britain "smote ... and broke ... to pieces" (Dan. 2:34) Germany, Austro-Hungary, Bulgaria, Russia, and the Ottoman Empire in 1918 at the end of the seven "times of the gentiles" (Lev. 26:28; Luke 21:24) (604-1917). Then World War Two where Germany was broken in half and Italy withdrew from Africa.
Who were the TEN HORNS of Rev. 17? Prior to the Napoleonic invasion into northern Italy in 1796, the Italian Peninsula itself was divided into TEN STATES: Then again at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Italy was re-organized into TEN DIVISIONS, known as the TEN ITALIAN STATES, and all were placed under the power of Austria. The names of these TEN ITALIAN STATES are as follows: Sardinia, Lombardy, Parma, Modena, Tuscany, San Morino, states of the Church, Lucca, Naples including Sicily, and Monaco (See Butt's History of Italy, p.473). Then later, Pope Pius IX was declared infallible by Ecumenical Council's majority vote of 451 in favor on 16th July 1870. A gloomy lightning storm accompanied the celebration in St. Peter's Cathedral, the very day the Franco-Prussian war began, leaving the Pope without French support. "His kingdom was full of darkness" (Rev. 16:10). All French soldiers were needed against Prussia. Austria, long the dungeon of Europe, always the guardian of the Pope, when no one else could be found to support him, shocked at the Pope's assumption of an attribute of Deity, tore the concordat into shreds and cast it to the winds, and renounced the Pope's jurisdiction in Austria, root and branch. Then Austria passed a law granting liberty of the press, liberty of conscience and freedom of education, throughout the length and breadth of the land. Then 2nd October 1870, the Italians voted overwhelmingly to renounce the temporal power of the Pope.
Who were the SEVEN HEADS of Rev. 17? Beginning with Justinian, the Eastern Roman Empire supported the Papacy from 536 to 754 AD. During that period its emperors persecuted those who refused to submit to the decrees and dogmas of the Pope. Then Charlemagne, King of France, supported the Papacy from 800 to 1012 AD, when Pope Benedict VIII, having been driven from his position by one Gregory, sought the protection of Henry II, King of Germany, and found in him another friend and supporter of the Papacy. Pope Benedict VIII crowned Henry II, king of Germany, Emperor of the Romans on 14th Feb. 1014 AD, that German king having pledged himself to be the protector and defender of the Church and to obey the Pope. After about 250 years, Germany ceased to support the Papacy and the third head fell. Pope Clement IV established the fourth head, the Neapolitan Dynasty in 1265 AD and crowned Charles of Anjou as King of Naples. It continued till 1544 AD, when Charles V (Spanish rulers) became the fifth supporter of the Papacy. This continued for 150 years and included the Spanish Inquisition. Then in 1694, the Pope made an agreement whereby Leopold I (Austrian rulers) were crowned by the Pope and in exchange supported and submitted to the Pope. This arrangement continued over a hundred years. Jesuit persecution was abolished by Austria in 1773 AD. In 1804 Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of France, in the presence of Pope Pius VII,
since Napoleon had agreed to support the Pope and to give him temporal power. But this seventh head only endured a "short space" (17:10) of ten years (1804-1814). The eighth head was again the Emperor of Austria who agreed to support Pope Pius VII and was one "of the seven" (17:11). This continued till 1870, when Austria became offended with "papal infallibility" and renounced the Pope's jurisdiction. In the meantime the Italian States tried to free themselves from Austria's yoke and regain liberty. Victor Emanuel, King of Sardinia, succeeded in liberating Sardinia from Austrian rule; and it became an independent government in 1853. Eight other Italian States followed and were liberated from Austrian rule, and united under Victor Emanuel in the Kingdom of Italy, leaving that division known as the States of the Church under the Pope allies to Austria till 1870. Then the Papacy was made "desolate and naked" when Italian troops entered Rome 20th Sep 1870 making it independent of Papal rule. Victor Emanuel was now head of Rome. Religious liberty and toleration were established.
But John beheld the beast as it existed under the sixth head -- Austria, five having fallen. He saw "ten horns" which "are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet", so they must have existed within the Austrian Empire. Austria had control of Italy; and Italy was divided into ten Italian States: Sardinia, Lombardy, Parma, Modena, Tuscany, San Moreno, States of the Church, Lucca, Naples including Sicily, and Monaco. They all "have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast" (Austria). The Austrian head was therefore "the beast that was (1694-1804), and is not (Napoleon:1804-1814), and yet is" (1815-1870) (Rev. 17:8). Multiple 1260-year periods exist within this period: Belisarius invaded Italy to make it Papal in 536 till 1796 when Napoleon invaded Italy to get rid of the Pope's temporal power. From Justinian's Imperial Restoration in 554 till 1814 when Napoleon was defeated; then 610-1870 is from Boniface III head of all churches till Austria renounced Papal Infallibility (Rev. 13:5).
| Two Abominations of Desolation (Dan. 12:11; 9:27; 8:13) "Scatter the Power of the Holy People" Beginning From 606-610 (12:7) For 1260, 1290 & 1335 Years (12:7,11-12) Till Jews and Christians Are "Delivered" (12:1) |
The little horn of the he-goat or third beast (MOSLEM apostasy -- Mohammed retired to cave of Hera in 606 to consult with a demon spirit Gabriel) is an abomination of desolation (Dan. 8:13) and different from the Roman dragon's little horn fourth beast fulfillment of the abomination of desolation (Dan. 9:27)(PAPACY in 606 given title of Universal Bishop and Supreme Head of Church by Emperor Phocas-- where Cybele was replaced with the Virgin Mary and pagan pantheon deities were replaced with Christian martyrs but the idolatry remained). If we add 1260, 1290 and 1335 years to 606-610 (the date when the abominations of MOHAMMED and the PAPACY both began to desolate Christians and Jews) (Dan. 12:11,12), we get 1866-70 (Garibaldi & Victor Immanuel triumphed over Papacy. Also by 1866 Jews became a majority in Jerusalem. In 1867 Turkey gave Jews the right to own real estate in Israel. Canada became a nation in 1867 and Russia denounced the Treaty of Paris and began to rebuild a naval presence on the Black Sea in opposition to the Ottoman Empire), 1896-1900 (Zionist Movement founded in Basel, Switzerland in 1897. The idea was for Jews of all nations to settle in the Holy Land; in 1899 the Mahdi State fell and the British and Egyptians jointly occupied the Sudan) and 1941-1945 (US & British victory in World War 2 freeing Jews from concentration camps). Therefore, "the scattering of the power of the holy people" is "finished" after 1260, 1290 & 1335 years (Dan. 12:7) and at that time "thy people shall be delivered" (Dan. 12:1).
In 606 A.D. Constantinople's Emperor Phocas decreed the right of Roman Pope Boniface III to headship of all the churches, even of Constantinople, Eastern as well as Western. This joined the two "little horns" of Daniel 7 and Daniel 8 into one lamb-dragon (Rev. 13:11). In 607 A.D. the Anglo-Saxon and Lombard kingdoms, last of the ten, gave their submission to Rome. France had been the first to do so in 476 A.D. October 5th, 610 A.D. Phocas was "taken out of the way" (2 Thess. 2) (He died.). Paulus Diaconus and Anastasius ("Historia Ecclesiastica et de Vitis Pontificum" p.ii, ch.3) indicate 606 A.D. as the date of Phocas's Decree; a date memorialized by the Pillar of Phocas (A.D. 607) still standing in the Forum at Rome. If we add 1260 SOLAR years to this date, we arrive at 1866. The temporal power of the Papacy ended when Garibaldi overthrew the Papal kingdom of Italy in stages: Venetia fell October 1866; Tuscany fell October 1870. At the Battle of Sadowa on July 3rd 1866, Papal Austria was defeated by Protestant Prussia. The Franko-Prussian War followed. After the disasters of Sedan, Rome was evacuated by French troops. and the Papal government fell, to rise no more. The overthrow of France, Spain, Austria, and other Roman Catholic countries ensued. In 1866, Spain expelled the Jesuits. In 1870, Italy crowned its first king, appropriately named Victor Emmanuel. Garibaldi, that great man of God, said, "The Bible is the canon that must liberate Italy." He paved the way for the complete overthrow of the Papal Kingdom of Italy, in preparation of the general acceptance of Victor Emmanuel as king of Italy. By A.D. 1866-1870, before the victorious armies of Victor Emmanuel, all Papal States had incorporated into the Italian Kingdom. In October 1870, Rome was incorporated into the kingdom of Italy. Italy had come into the hands of its first king since the Caesars. From this time on, the Popes have been confined to the "Vatican City," and powerless to stop the free circulation of the Bible, which has never before been allowed in Rome during the 1260 years. On July 18th, 1870, the same day the Papal decree of Infallibility was published, Catholic France declared war on Protestant Prussia. July 27th Protestant Prussia besought God's blessing on her armies with a day of prayer. Before that year was over, Catholic France was defeated. If we add 1260 PROPHETIC years (1241.889 solar years) to 606, we get 1848 when another French Revolution consumed Papal power. French people compelled Catholic Louise Philippe to abdicate. The Pope fled from Rome November 24th 1848, driven away by his own subjects. The Roman National Assembly divested the Pope of all temporal power February 8th, 1849. One of the Pope's last acts before being made a prisoner was to emancipate the Jews from the degrading Ghetto. On the 17th April, 1848, the walls of the Ghetto were broken down and the 5,000 Jews given rights of citizenship. Austria also emancipated the Jews at this time. Furthermore, in 1848 the Jesuits were expelled from Sardinia, Naples, Papal States, Linz, Vienna, Styria, the Austrian Empire, Galicia and Sicily. The year 1848 was a year of revolutions in Europe. If we add 1260 PROPHETIC years to 610, we get 1852 A.D. If we add 1260 LUNAR years to 606, (1222.5 solar years) we arrive at 1828. In 1828 , eight colleges in France expelled the Jesuits (Aix, Billon, Dole, Forculquier, Mont-Morillon, St. Acheul, and St. Ann). In 1829 Great Britain and Ireland expelled the Jesuits. In 1830 French people compelled their Roman Catholic King Charles X to abdicate after three days "War of Barricades" in Paris and victory of the people. Belgium became independent. Papal chair vacant for two months.
Mohammed's "Little Horn" (Dan. 8:9) of Islam Appeared From 612-762 AD till 912-1062 AD -- "Five Months" Twice (Rev. 9:5,10) -- The 5th Trumpet
Islam had TEN rulers (toes or horns) (Dan. 2 & 7; Rev. 13). Mohammed had TEN disciples -- his Council of TEN: Abu Bakr Sadiq, U'mar ibn al-Khattab, Uthan bin Affaan, Ali Ibn abi Talib, Abdur-Rahman bin Aawf, Sad ibn Abi Aaqqas, Said ibn Zayd, Abu Ubaydah bin Jirrah, Talhah ibn Abdur Ubaydullah, and Zubayr bin Al-Awam. The first THREE Caliphs (successors of Mohammed), which were THREE of Mohammed's Council, were not recognized by the Shia sect of Islam, because they were not related to Mohammed. They are: 1. Abu Bakr Saddiq, 2.U'mar ibn al-Khattab and 3.Uthan bin Affaan. They were chosen by the strong majority sect of Islam -- the Sunnis (strong iron 90%). But "there came up among them another little horn before which were THREE of the first horns plucked up by the roots" (Dan. 8:7). This was Ali and his Shia branch (weak clay 10%) which nullified the legitimacy of the previous THREE Caliphs not related to Mohammed by blood (see also Dan. 7:7-8, 21-26). "A divided kingdom" (Dan. 2:41). "They mingle ("arab") but do not adhere to one another" (Dan. 2:43).
The two beasts of Revelation 13 are the beast with seven heads and ten horns (Islam taking over Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece) and the beast with two horns (Mohammed succeeded by his Sunni Caliphs and Shia Imams culminating in Mahdi). The head that died is Muhammed. But it was healed by Abu Bakr. The seven heads and ten horns of Islam are both contemporaneous (above) and successive. Successively the Caliphates were 1.) Muhammed and the Rightly Guided Caliphs (632-661), 2.) Umayyads of Syria (661-749), 3.) Abbasids of Baghdad (749-932), 4.) Buyids of Baghdad (932-1055) and Fatimids of Egypt (909-1171), 5.) Seljuk Turks of Baghdad (1055-1258) and Ayyubids of Egypt (1169-1260), 6.) Mongols of Baghdad (1258-1350) and Mamluks of Egypt and Syria (1260-1517), and 7.) Ottomans of Turkey (1342-1924). Notice that TEN Islamic Caliphates reigned during SEVEN successive Caliphate periods. Revelation 13:18 states, "Let him reckon the multitude of men belonging to the beast, for it is a multitude of men, and his multitude is IN THE NAME OF ALLAH." (Bism-alla). Thus the green headband and green armband and green flag all have 666. Furthermore, in Islam, 666 is considered a holy number.
Revelation 9:1-12 says, "And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a (black meteorite) star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him (Mohammed who fell from office) was given the key of the bottomless pit (stone cavity in Kaaba of Islam; cave of Mt. Hera where Mohammed got his visions). And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke (heresy) out of the pit, as the smoke of a great (hot Arabian) furnace; and the sun (Christ -- Mal. 4:2) and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke (heresy) of the pit (cave of Mt. Hera). And there came out of the smoke locusts (Heb. "arbeh") upon the earth: (In Hebrew the word for LOCUST is "ARBEH" and for Arab is "ARBI." Exodus 10:13 says, "the EAST wind brought the LOCUSTS" (on Egypt). What country was EAST of Egypt? ARABIA. Midianites (Arabs) come as LOCUSTS for multitude (Judges 6:5) and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. Being around "rebellious" "impudent" and "stiffhearted" men is like dwelling "among SCORPIONS" (Ez. 2:6). Rehoboam's reply to the deputation who wanted him to lighten the tax burden was, "I will chastise you with SCORPIONS" (2 Chr. 10:14) or impose OPPRESSIVE TAXES.) And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; (The Koran says, "Destroy no FRUIT TREES, nor any FIELDS of CORN, cut down no FRUIT TREES." Caliph Abu Beker ordered his Arabian officers and soldiers: "When you fight the battles of the Lord, acquit yourselves like men, without turning your backs. But let not your victory be stained with the blood of women or children. Destroy no PALM-TREES, nor burn any FIELDS of CORN; cut down no FRUIT-TREES, nor do any mischief to cattle, only such as you kill to eat ... As you go on, you will find some religious persons who live retired in monasteries, and propose to themselves to serve God that way: let them alone and neither kill them nor destroy their monasteries. And you will find another sort of people that belong to the Synagogue of Satan, who have shaven crowns (sun tonsure = ordained priest); be sure you cleave their skulls, and give them no quarter, till they either turn Mohammedan or pay tribute" (Gibbon's Decline and Fall, ch. 51:10 or vol. 5:189-190)) "... only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads (-- weren't "SEALED with the Holy Spirit" (Eph. 1:13) because they didn't depart "from iniquity" (2 Tim. 2:19)) -- And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented FIVE MONTHS
(30 X 5 = 150 days), ("each day for a year" -- Ez. 4:6; Nu.14:34): and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. (Arabs offered conquered peoples the choice of accepting the Koran, or of PAYING TRIBUTE MONEY, or of death by the sword (scimitar like a scorpion tail in shape and thrust point first just like a scorpion tail would strike). Christians could buy their liberty to continue in their own religion, but only at the cost of HEAVY TRIBUTE.) And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold (golden turbans), and their faces were as the faces of men (they wore beards). And they had hair as the hair of women (long), and their teeth were as the teeth of lions (curved daggars). And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron (chain mail); and the sound of their wings (shields in teardrop shape) was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. And they had tails like unto scorpions (curved sheathes), and there were stings in their tails (curved swords):
("The ancient and honourable he is the head and the PROPHET that TEACHES LIES he is the TAIL" (Isa. 9:15)) ... and their power was to hurt men FIVE MONTHS (30 X 5 = 150 days) ("each day for a year" -- Ez. 4:6; Nu.14:34). And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. The king over Moslems is Satan the Destroyer of Jews (Hebrews) and Christians (Greek Orthodox) (9:11; cp. Rev. 20:1-3) who impersonated Gabriel in the cave of Hera and taught this religion of murder, theft, adultery, rape and lies. If we add 360 degrees or years to 402 A.D. (sun in Sagittarius) when the Visigoths entered Italy (ch. 8:3-5), we arrive back at Sagittarius again in 762 A.D. when al Mansour laid the foundation of the new capital at Baghdad (construction completed in 766 A.D.). Adding 300 degrees or years to this ("five months" or 150 days mentioned twice), brings us to 1062 A.D. (9:7) when the Seljuks took over as rulers in Baghdad from the Buyids, both having Abbasids as puppets. Notice that 1062 brings us to Libra -- "Thou (fat crescent) art weighed in the balances and found wanting ... Thy kingdom is ... given to the ... MEDES and PERSIANS" (Dan. 5:27). Remarkably, the Seljuk conquerors dwelt in MEDIA and PERSIA and adopted the PERSIAN culture and language.
From Ishmael descended the Koreish tribe. From this tribe descended Mohammed. Therefore, Mohammed descended from Ishmael (Poc. Spec. 6). "The Mohammedans are persuaded that the well Zem Zem, on the east side of it (the Kaaba), is the very spring which gushed out for the relief of Ishmael when his mother Hagar worshipped with him in the desert" (Sale, Prel. Disc. p.118, Koran). Mohammed first proclaimed his mission in 612 AD when he demanded, "Who will be my Visier?" To which Ali replied, "O prophet, I am the man. Whoever rises against thee, I will dash out his teeth, tear out his eyes, break his legs, and rip him up!" After having desolated Damascus and Jerusalem in 630 AD, they erected the Mosque of Omar on Mount Moriah and proclaimed, "Ye Christian dogs, ye know your option -- the Koran, the tribute, or the sword!" thus "waxing great toward the pleasant land" Palestine (Dan. 8:9-12). The Saracen Empire continued to extend itself almost unchecked from 612 AD till at length it began to decay, and so continued down to 762 AD -- precisely 150 years when its once-united power was split into the Abassid Dynasty in the east and Omayad Dynasty in the west. Its last remaining vestiges, however, disappeared in 1057 AD when Tangrolipix the Turk put an end to the Saracen Empire by the conquest of the caliph of Persia.
The Saracens attacked the holy people (Jews and Christians) (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:7), changed the law (to Sharia law)(Dan. 7:25), insulted God (denied Jesus' divinity) (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:6), insulted God's holy place (mosque built on Temple Mount) (Rev. 13:6) and the Jihad wars of religion were spread with the sword (Rev. 13:10). The ten horns (Rev. 17; Dan. 7) are kings:
1. Mohammed, 2 Abu Bakr, 3 Umar, 4 Utman, 5 Ali, 6 Hasan, 7 Husein, 8 Khalid ibn al Walid, 9 Abu Ubaidah, and 10 Jafar bin abi Talib. They will rule for "one hour" -- that's 41 years (one prophetic day equal to 1000 years) started 620 AD (Islam perfected when Mohammed ascended to heaven -- isra mijrad -- and received Allah's order to pray 5 times/day) until 661 when Ali, Hasan, Husein subdued to muawiyah (founder of Omayad caliphate) little horn: muawiyah. After Mohammed died he was replaced by 4 caliphs: Abu Bakr and Umar both father in law; Utman and Ali both son in law of Mohammed so all blood related to Mohammed. The problem arose when Utman was replaced by Ali, muawiyah who's blood related to Utman but not to Mohammed. Ali protested and said no need for blood to be related to Mohammed to rule Islam. Anyone can as long as justified and starting rebellion (first fitna – islam internal conflict). This is the origin of Sunni vs Shia conflict. In 660 AD muawiyah gained control of most of Islamic Caliphate territory and Jan 661 Ali died. Months later Ali sons Hasan (5th caliph) and Husain (2nd imam of shiah) surrendered to muawiyah new caliphate sytem (non blood/sunni) which lasted for 1260 years from 660 (muawiyah gain control of Islamic Caliphate) until 1920 (first meeting of league of nation, fall of Ottoman Empire)
The four horns of the shaggy goat (Dan. 8:8-9) were the Rashidun Caliphs (Rightly Guided Caliphs), often simply called collectively "the Rashidun" -- a term used in Sunni Islam to refer to the 30-year reign of the first four caliphs (successors) following the death of the Islamic prophet Mohammed, namely: Abu Bakr (632-634 AD), Umar (634-644 AD), Uthman ibn Affan (644-656 AD), and Ali (656-661 AD) of the Rashidun Caliphate, the first caliphate.
Mohammed claimed to be the prophet foretold by Moses (Deut. 18:15), and thereby became a "false prophet" (1 Ki. 13:18; Rev. 19:20; 20:10). Mohammed would hear ringing in his ears; his heart would beat rapidly; his face turn red; his breathing labored; he would fall to the ground or lie down; he would shake; his eyes would open wide; his lips tremble; spit drool from the corners of his mouth; he would sweat profusely; he saw and heard things no one else ever saw or heard; he would sometimes make a snoring noise like that of a camel; and he would be covered with a sheet (Hadith 1:1-4; 2:16,544; 3:17,829; 4:95,438, 458, 461; 5:170, 462, 618, 659; 6:447, 448, 468, 478, 481, 508). This was demon possession.
Mohammed would say things that were not true sometimes (Hadith Bukhari 7:658; 660; 661). Mohammed commanded his followers to drink camel urine (Hadith Bukhari 1:234). A palm tree cried like a baby once (Hadith Bukhari 2:41; 4:783). Mohammed's food would shout praises to Allah as he ate it (Hadith Bukhari 4:779). Mohammed saw Gabriel with 600 wings (Hadith Bukhari 6:380). If one sleeps rather than offer prayers, "Satan urinates in his ears" (Hadith Bukhari 2:245). "Yawning is from Satan" (Hadith 4:509). Allah won't hear prayers if we have bad breath due to garlic or onions (Hadith Bukhari 1:812; 7:362-363). Most of hell's inhabitants are women (Hadith Bukhari 1:28,301; 2:161). Mohammed taught that Satan lives in the upper part of one's nose all night. Thus we must snort water in and out of the nose before prayers to wash Satan out (Bukhari 4:516; Muslim 1:462). Mohammed condemned playing chess. "He who played chess is like one who dyed his hand with the flesh and blood of swine." (Hadith Muslim 4:5612:946). Non-Muslims have seven intestines while Muslims just have one (Hadith Muslim 3: 5113:1362). People should avoid lifting their eyes toward heaven while praying, otherwise their eyes will be snatched out of their head" (Hadith Muslim 1:863:173). The sun set in a pond of murky water (Quran Surah 18:86). "If a housefly falls into the drink of anyone ... he should dip it (into the drink) because one of its wings has a disease and the other wing has the cure (for that disease). (Hadith Bukhari 4:537; 7:673) Mohammed was a white man (Hadith Bukhari 1:63; 2:122,141; 4:744) who dyed his hair red (Hadith Bukhari 1:167). While Mohammed was at Mecca, the roof of his house opened and Gabriel descended, opened his chest and washed it with zam-zam water. Then he brought a tray full of wisdom and faith and poured it into Mohammed's chest, and closed it (Hadith Bukhari 1:345). When people broke the Sabbath by catching fish on the rest day, Allah punished them by changing them into monkeys. (Hadith Bukhari 4:32) Have you ever noticed that rats will drink milk from a sheep but not from a she-camel? This proves that Jews were transformed into rats. It was illegal for Israelites to eat the meat or drink the milk of camels while they were allowed to eat meat and drink milk of sheep. Later Mohammed found out they were transformed into pigs and monkeys (Hadith Bukhari 4:524).
Whatever is good in the Koran is plaigarized from the Bible.
After Khadijah's death, Mohammed married fifteen wives, of whom nine survived him. He had eight children by Khadijah, four sons and four daughters, who all died before him, except Fatima. He had no children by the rest, except a son, Ibraham, by a concubine, Mary the Copt, who died shortly before him. Mohammed was engaged to Aisha when she was six years old and married her when she was only nine years old (Hadith Bukhari 5:234,236). Mohammed coveted (Quran 33:37), lied (Sahih Bukhari 52:269; Ibn Ishaq 552), stole (Quran 8:1; 8:41), committed adultery (Quran 33), committed murder (Ibn Ishaq 819), exchanged the Sabbath for Friday, etcetera.
Omar the Turk ("The Desolator") Took Jerusalem in 637 AD and Set Up the "Abomination" -- Another Midpoint in "The Times of the Gentiles"
Nabonassar revolted against Assyria and drove the Assyrians out of Babylon in 625 B.C. and the Neo-Babylonian Empire was established with a Chaldean dynasty by Nabopolassar in 624 B.C. The four Gentile Empires of Daniel 2 have possessed the Holy Land for a combined total of "42 MONTHS" or 1260 days which symbolize 1,260 years (Num. 14:34; Ez. 4:6): Babylon possessed Palestine for 90 years, from 624 to 534 B.C. Medo-Persia for 200 years, from 534 to 334 B.C. Greece for 304 years from 334 to 31 B.C. (Battle of Actium) and Rome for 666 years from 31 B.C. to 636 A.D. Now 90 + 200 + 304 + 666 = 1,260 SOLAR years. From 637 to 1897 A.D. Jerusalem was trodden under gentile feet (Lev. 26:28; Luke 21:24; Rev. 11:2). From when Omar the Turk took Jerusalem in 637 A.D., we add 1,260 more SOLAR years to arrive at 1897 when the Zionist Movement was founded in Basel, Switzerland by Jews of all nations with the object of again settling the Jews in the Holy Land. Just as the Gentiles "tread under foot" (Rev. 11:2) the physical Jerusalem for 42 months (1,260 days), so also Papal Rome was to continue for the second 1260 years (Dan. 7:25). "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolator" (Dan. 9:27).
In 637, Omar captured Jerusalem and all Syria and in 638 a wooden mosque was erected on the site of Solomon's Temple, called the "Mosque of Omar." This was rebuilt in stone and called the "Dome of the Rock." "And the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months" (Rev. 11:2; Luke 21:24; Lev. 26:28). If we add 1260 SOLAR years, we arrive at 1897 when the Zionist Movement was founded in Basel, Switzerland by Jews of all nations with the object of again settling the Jews in the Holy Land. Jews held their first Zionist Congress thereby becoming an organized body politic for the first time since their dispersion. Also in 1897 was the Turko-Greek War. The autonomy of Crete was determined by the Great powers. If we add 1260 LUNAR years (1222.5 solar years), we arrive at July 9th, 1860 when there was a Mohammedan Druze massacre of 3,300 Christians in Lebanon and Damascus followed by English and French intervention. Lebanon was placed under a Christian governor and British Protectorate, England and France having a veto on the appointment. Lord Dufferin, British Commissioner, entered Damascus. The Universal Israelite Alliance, whose headquarters were at Paris, was also formed in this year. Its objective was to labor for freedom and moral progress of Israelites and encourage colonization of Palestine. If we add 1260 PROPHETIC years (1241.889 solar years), we arrive at 1878. The Russo-Turkish War of 1877 resulted in Russia totally defeating the Ottoman armies in1877, followed in 1878 by British occupation of Cyprus and a Protectorate in Asia. The Berlin Treaty dismembered the Ottoman Empire and deprived the Porte of its most important possessions in Europe and bound it to introduce "necessary reforms" signed 13th July 1878. The office of Sultan-Caliph was abolished by Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) on March 1924. This is confirmed in Daniel 12:11, being 1290 solar years from 634 A.D., when Omar (the "desolator"), who set up the "abomination" here referred to, succeeded to the Caliphate. Exactly 1290 solar years after the Mosque of Omar was built in 638, Islam was abolished as the State religion of Turkey in 1928. In 1973 the Yom Kippur War occurred and Israel was victorious -- 1335 years after Omar Captured Jerusalem.
The date 637 A.D. is also tied in to the "FIVE MONTHS" mentioned twice (Rev. 9:5,10) in the 5th Trumpet, which comes to a total of 300 years (150 x 2). This is the full limit of the Arab supremacy from about 632 to 932 A.D. History bears this out. Through luxury and licentiousness the Arabs began to decline. The last Caliph of eminence was slain outside the walls of Baghdad near the Euphrates in 932 A.D. The Caliphate at Baghdad was stripped of its temporal power in 934 A.D. From the taking of Damascus and Jerusalem in 637 A.D., when the patriarch Sophronius saw Omar entering the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and he exclaimed, "This is of a truth the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place!" (Gibbon ch. 51), we add 300 years to get 937 A.D. In 936 A.D. Persia advanced on Bagdad and stripped the Caliph of his secular office of supremacy. Why not just say "ten months" instead then? Because natural locusts only appear FIVE MONTHS in the year.
The Bubonic Plague in 1356 AD (96 AD + 1260) Was Jezebel's "(Sick) Bed," "Great Tribulation" (Rev. 2:22) and "I Will Kill Her CHILDREN" (2:23)
Who was JEZEBEL? She is mentioned in 1 Kings 16-18. This princess of Phoenicia was a priestess of Baal who introduced SUN-WORSHIP in Israel and taught Israel to worship IDOLS and to burn incense to Ashtaroth, the "Queen of Heaven" (1 Ki. 16:31; Jer. 44:18) in the same way that Papal Rome, the "whore" and "mother of harlots" (Rev. 17), introduced SUN-WORSHIP in Europe (Israel) and taught veneration of SAINTS and worship of the "Virgin MARY" (VIRGO). Jezebel maintained 850 FALSE PROPHETS of Ashtoreth and Baal (1 Ki. 18:19) just as Papal Rome employs a large PRIESTHOOD teaching the worship of "Mother and Child." She used King Ahab over the TEN northern TRIBES as a puppet for her evil plottings (1 Kings 9:7) just as the Papacy used the TEN KINGS of Europe as puppets for evil plottings of the Vatican. Jezebel "SLEW the PROPHETS of the Lord" (1 Ki.18:13) just as Papal Rome SLEW millions of Protestant REFORMERS. Israel suffered THREE-AND-A-HALF YEARS of DROUGHT and famine after Elijah informed King Ahab there would be no rain (1 Ki. 17). In the same way, Europe's ten kingdoms suffered 1260 YEARS of spiritual DROUGHT and famine (the "Dark Ages" from 96-1356 AD) for lack of the Bible after the "two witnesses" informed the Roman emperors (Revelation 11:3-6;12:6,14; 13:5). Just as rain came again, so also Wycliffe first preached against Papal Rome's errors at Oxford in 1360. Then Huss first preached against corruptions of Papal Rome at Prague Bohemia in 1405. Then the Protestant Reformation came in 1517 which is indicated by a cloud and rainbow and a little book open (Rev. 10:1-2). Just as RED and PURPLE cloth were manufactured by Thyatira, so also PURPLE and RED became a vital part of the attire of the apostate church (Rev. 17:4). Numerous Catholic paintings of Mary in the Art Galleries of the world (such as the London Tate Gallery) have a label underneath which reads, "The Queen of Heaven." Many Catholics pray to Mary but Jesus declared, "I am the way, the truth and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). "For there is ... one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5). Jezebel was violently killed by SEXLESS eunuchs (2 Ki. 9:30-37) just as the Papacy was destroyed by French Revolutionaries (Rev. 15-16) and ATHEISTIC Communists (Rev. 17:15-18) -- all immune from the evil charms.
"And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works" (Rev. 2:21-23).
By comparing Revelation 2:21-23 with Revelation 16:9-11 ("they repented not to give him glory ... and repented not of their deeds") we see that the "space to repent" was 1260 years and Jezebel's "CHILDREN" are defined as religious followers imitating the Eastern Orthodox Church or Roman Catholic Church. Thyatira extended through 1356. "In 1356 a second outbreak of the plague appeared in Germany and spread rapidly throughout Europe." (Bubonic Plague by Colin McEvety). Tilemann Elhen wrote about the city Limburg that "the second wave of high mortality occurred in 1356.... the epidemic disease of 1356 was exactly the same as the one in 1350, the Black Death." (Die Limburger Chronik des Tilemann Elhen von Wolfhagen, Hanover and Leipzig, Hahn, 1883, p. 14.). "Plague spread rapidly across the continent and was most virulent between 1348 and 1356. The pandemic became the deadliest event in human history, killing a quarter of the people in Europe." (nma.gov.au) Rome didn't reform after the Black Plague. "She repented not." Both Wycliffe (1328-1384) and Luther (1483-1546) sought to reform from within, but found it impossible. "We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed" (Jer. 51:9). In fact, this verse predicts the Counter-Reformation which was launched in opposition to the Protestant Reformation.
The Thyatira Era existed for 1260 years (Virgo Jezebel's "space to repent" -- 3 1/2 years -- Rev. 2:21 & James 5:17) from Sagittarius (96 A.D.) ("eyes like a flame of fire" -- 2:18) clockwise to Gemini (+1260° = 1356 A.D.) ("her CHILDREN " -- 2:23). The Bubonic Plague in 1356 A.D. was Jezebel's "(sick) bed," "great tribulation" (Rev. 2:22) and "I will kill her CHILDREN" (2:23). Likewise with the French defeat at Poitiers in 1356 and the Golden Bull of 1356 which made it law to choose the German emperor without Papal approval. The FULL MOON in Gemini is a WHITE swollen LUMP in the groin area called a bubo. Symptoms include gangrene which causes skin tissue to turn BLACK. The Milky Way is vomit, as well as blood and pus oozing from the boils, which are on all the bubo-and-boil-dotted bodies. Notice the raw sewage in the narrow street (Milky Way). Aquarius in China is known as "the Rat." Furthermore, Jezebel (Papacy) was allowed to "teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols" (2:20). Notice Gemini's red sexual organ extended to commit fornication with Virgo. This was not a one-night stand. It lasted 1260 years (2:20-21).
After Theodora had governed the empire twelve years, she was banished by her unnatural son and his uncle Bardas. She prepared herself for death by spending the last eight years of her life in a monastery, where she (VIRGO) died in 867. This was her "sick bed" (HYDRA). Theodora and Theophilos had seven children. God said he would "kill" her children. Maria (838-855) died before becoming 18. Michael III (840-867), who succeeded as emperor, lived only 27 years. The other five children were exiled to a monastery while in their early 20's and were never recalled except Thekla who lived to be at least 36 years old. In the larger sense, God killed "her children with DEATH" (2:23) using the PLAGUE of the BLACK DEATH beginning in 1347. Pope Clement VI at Avignon estimated that over 23 million people died of the BLACK PLAGUE (see Deut. 28:21-22)
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Secular History Confirms Four Goat Horns (Dan. 8) or Four Angels Loosed From Euphrates (Rev. 9:14) in 1062 AD till
Fall of Constantinople in 1453 A.D. After "an Hour, and a Day, and a Month, and a Year" (Rev. 9:15) -- The 6th Trumpet
Revelation 9:13-21 says, "And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates." Gibbon says, "Malek Shah's empire was divided up into FOUR principalities under his FOUR sons, Persia, Kerman or India, Syria and Roum or Asia Minor" (vol. 5 p.532). There were FOUR simultaneous Sultanates of Turks bordering the Euphrates. They were Baghdad founded in 1058, Damascus and Aleppo in 1079 and Iconium in 1080. There were FOUR successive waves of Turks that devastated the eastern Greek third of Europe: Togrul Beg's Seljuks, Timour's Moguls, Gengis Khan's Tartars and the Ottoman Turks -- all spread over a period of nearly FOUR HUNDRED years. FOUR BRASS HORNS of the (Capricorn) altar (Rev. 9) correspond to FOUR HORNS of the shaggy goat (Dan. 8) and the belly and thighs of BRASS (Dan.2). The Ottoman Empire had FOUR successive capitals: Sogut, Bursa, Edirne and Istanbul. Continuing in verse 15: "And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year" (-- an hour (15 or 30 days -- John 11:9), and a day (1 year -- Num. 14:34), and a month (30 years), and a year (360 years)" or 391 years and 15 or 30 days), "for to slay the third part of men (eastern third of Roman Empire). And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates (uniforms) of fire (red), and of jacinth (blue), and brimstone (yellow): and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions (a lion's head cast around the mouth of each cannon); and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone (gunpowder). By these three was the third part of men killed (eastern third of Roman Empire), by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths (rifle and cannon barrels). For their power is in their (cannon & rifle barrel) mouth, and in their (horse-tail ensign) tails: for their tails were like unto serpents (long & thin barrel), and had heads, and with them they do hurt. And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts."
Mahomet II besieged Constantinople with an army of 300,000 men. The emperor had a garrison of only 6000 Greeks and 3000 Venetians and Genoese, and a few ships of war. Lion-headed cannons with "tails like serpents" vomited "fire", "smoke" and "brimstone" from their mouths (or gunpowder) to destroy "the third part of men" in Europe using cannon balls made of 100-pound stones, and one even of 600 pounds. (see Rev. 9:16-19). How did they make gunpowder? They crushed to a fine powder separately potassium nitrate (saltpetre) (KNO3) 75% + charcoal (burnt wood) (C) 15% + sulfur (S) 10% = gunpowder (a mixture not a chemical formula). They mixed the components together with a wooden stick outdoors after getting rid of any moisture.
The Turkish power began when Togrul Beg, their first military leader, married the daughter of the Caliph of Baghdad on April 27th 1062 A.D. (the head of the Arab-Moslem religion), and became head of the Mohammedan faith, establishing himself in Islam. He died the same year and was succeeded by Alp Arslan, the "valiant lion" who, setting out from Baghdad, "passed (crossed) the Euphrates at the head of the Turkish cavalry" (Decline & Fall, Gibbon ch. 57, p.12) in 1062 A.D. and waged a holy war against Greek "Christendom" which by this time had once again become idolatrous because the Empress Irene convened the Second Council of Nicea which declared idols lawful and by the Ninth Century idolatry reigned supreme in both east and west. Finally Turkey completed the capture of Constantinople May 29, 1453 A.D. and slew the eastern Roman emperor. The Greek or Byzantine "THIRD" of the Roman Empire passed to the Turks under the 6th Trumpet. This THIRD was KILLED politically and religiously if not physically (cp. Hos. 13:1). The city named for the first Christian emperor was now in the hands of Islam and its Cathedral of St. Sophia, the center of Eastern Orthodoxy, was turned into a Moslem mosque. Other churches erected to departed spirits of saints (demons), were converted to mosques by the victorious Turks. The patriarch of the Greek Catholic Church, originally stationed in Constantinople, fled to Moscow, where he set up his power, and which became known as the Third Rome. The Goths already had the western THIRD under the first Four Trumpets and the Arabs the southern THIRD under the Fifth Trumpet. From 1062 A.D. to 1453 A.D. is the FIRST instance of 391 years, which agrees with the prophetic period mentioned in Rev. 9:15: An hour, day, month and year using the day-for-a-year principle represents one month, one year, thirty years and 360 years. Total is 391 years and one month. Another instance of a 391-year period commenced with the capture of the city of Kutahi in Cilicia, by Ertogrul, 1281 AD, and ending with their last conquest of Caminiec, in Poland, by Mahomet IV in 1672 AD.
"On the 22nd May 1453, at the first hour of the night, there appeared a wonderful sign in the sky, telling Constantine the worthy Emperor of Constantinople that his proud empire was about to end. The MOON rose, being at this time FULL, so that it should have risen in the form of a complete CIRCLE; but it rose as if it were no more than a three-day moon (CRESCENT-shaped), with only a little of it showing, although the air was clear and unclouded, pure as crystal. The moon stayed in this form for about four hours, and gradually increased to a FULL CIRCLE, so that at the sixth hour of the night it was FULLY FORMED. When we Christians and the pagans had seen this marvelous sign, the Emperor of Constantinople was greatly afraid of it, and so were all his nobles, because the Greeks had a prophecy which said that Constantinople would never fall until the FULL MOON should give a sign, and this was the reason for the fear which the Greeks felt. But the Turks made great festivity in their camp for joy at the sign, because they believed that now victory was in their hands, as in truth it was.
"On the 29th May, 1453, the last day of the siege, our Lord God decided, to the sorrow of the Greeks, that He was willing for the city to fall on this day into the hands of Mahomet Bey the Turk son of Murat, after the fashion and in the manner described below; and also our Eternal God was willing to make this decision in order to fulfill all the ancient prophecies, particularly the first prophecy made by Saint Constantine, who is on horseback on a column by the Church of Saint Sophia of this city, prophesying with his hand and saying, "From this direction will come the one who will undo me," pointing to Anatolia, that is Turkey. Another prophecy which he made was that when there should be an Emperor called Constantine son of Helen, under his rule Constantinople would be lost, and there was another prophecy that when the MOON should give a sign in the sky, within a few days the Turks would have Constantinople. All these three prophecies had come to pass, seeing that the Turks had passed into Greece, there was an Emperor called Constantine son of Helen, and the MOON had given a sign in the sky, so that God had determined to come to this decision against the Christians and particularly against the Empire of Constantinople" (Diary of the Siege of Constantinople, 1453 by Nicolo Barbaro)
"On May 22, 1453, the moon, symbol of Constantinople, rose in dark eclipse (with just a crescent showing -- comment mine), fulfilling a prophecy on the city's demise. Four days later (May 26), the whole city was blotted out by a THICK FOG, a condition unknown in that part of the world in May. When the FOG lifted that evening, a strange LIGHT was seen playing about the dome of the Hagia Sophia, and from the city walls LIGHTS were seen in the countryside to the West, far behind the Turkish camp. The LIGHT around the dome was interpreted by some as the HOLY SPIRIT departing from the Cathedral" (and going West). (Wikipedia, "Fall of Constantinople"). Therefore, it was probably on that very foggy night, May 26, 1453, that young Greek Orthodox scholars (Orion) fled Constantinople (came "down from heaven" or the government capitol -- Rev. 10:1) secretly ("clothed with a CLOUD" of the Milky Way FOG hiding their escape from Constantinople -- 10:1). This was certainly a real-life GREEK OLYMPIC GAME for these GOLD-MEDAL champions (The sun symbolized a GOLD MEDAL -- 1 Cor. 3:12; the light blue sky a BLUE RIBBON -- Nu. 15:38) RUNNING for their lives, as they must have been, behind enemy lines (1 Cor. 9:24; Gal. 2:2; 5:7; Philip. 2:16; 3:14; Heb. 12:1) carrying precious Greek manuscripts. After escaping, they probably lit these signal fires to let the citizens of Constantinople know they had escaped successfully. The Turks were darkening the sun (Christ, "the sun of righteousness" -- Mal. 4:2) creating the "Dark Ages" but the Scriptures were lighting up a dark world like a TORCH. They enlightened Christians, who read them, like a HALO illuminates Orion's face (The star chart predicted May 26 precisely to the very day). The pillars of fire (feet) and the cloud were leading Israelites -- themselves "A CLOUD of witnesses" (Heb. 12:1) -- westward from Constantinople (which fell to Moslem Turks on May 29th) toward the Promised Land (Britain). In one hand, Orion holds a Greek "open scroll" (Rev.10:2) high to preserve it from the flood. The sun's orb directly on the scroll makes it a TORCH. When the Bible is openly read, it becomes a TORCH. "Thy word is a LAMP unto my feet and a LIGHT unto my path" (Ps. 119:105; Greek Orthodox OLYMPIC TORCH). This ignited both the Renaissance and Protestant Reformation
Secular History Confirms Luther, Tyndale, Erasmus, Calvin & Zwingli Use Scripture to Free Protestant England and Holland
From 1260 Days & Years of Papal Control (5th of May 1514 - 31st Oct. 1517; 257-1517) (Rev. 11:2-3)
We are commanded to "measure the (360° zodiac) temple of God" (Rev. 11:1) with a protractor. John was exiled by Domitian to Patmos in 86 A.D. This is indicated by the CLOSED-door CRESCENT IN ARIES. (Aries -- "Lamb ... having seven HORNS and seven EYES" -- Rev. 5:6). But the "Lamb OPENED one of the SEALS" (Rev. 6:1) for preaching Christ is Lord and God. In other words, John was RELEASED from Patmos 10° years later by Nerva in 96 A.D. when Aries kicked the SUN-seal off the lunar CRESCENT "UNDERNEATH" with his hoof. Constantine's DEATH in 337 A.D. (SUN in Sagittarius -- "a pale horse: and his name ... was DEATH" -- Rev. 6:7) was 241° years clockwise after John's revelation on Patmos in 96 A.D. (see Irenaeus Heresies & Eusebius Eccl. Hist.) Constantine's reign of 24 years (313-337) was a microcosm of the 241-year pagan Roman Empire's duration. Adding a 50-year Jubilee Cycle (Rev. 8:1-3 liturgy) to 337, we arrive at 387 A.D. (CRESCENT in Sagittarius) when Magnus Maximus invaded Italy in order to dispose of Valentinian II. Theodosius led an army against him and KILLED him the same year. Adding 15° years (360/24=15; "half an hour" -- 8:1 since "Are there not twelve hours in the day?" -- John 11:9) brings us to the SUN in Sagittarius on 402 A.D. when Alaric's Visigoths entered Italy. On 6 April 402, in Pollentia, the Visigoths, were distracted and celebrating Easter SUNday when Stilicho decided to attack. (Sagittarius -- Alaric "stood at the (church) altar (Ara), having a GOLDEN [sun] censer" -- Rev. 8:3). Although there was no clear victor, Stilicho managed to capture Alaric's wife, children, and other important relations. The Visigoths left Italy after losing the subsequent Battle of Verona to Stilicho in 402 A.D. From 402 AD we add 360° years to get 762 AD when Al Mansour laid the foundation of the new capital at Baghdad (SUN in Sagittarius -- "horses ... on their heads ...CROWNS like gold" -- Rev. 9:7). From 762 AD we add 300 years ("five months" or 150 days twice -- Rev. 9:5,10) to get 1062 AD (Libra -- Fat Arab CRESCENT "weighed in the balances, and art found wanting" -- Dan. 5:27). Persian Buyids ruled Baghdad from 932 till 1062. Seljuks took over from 1062 till 1258. From 1062 AD we add 391 years ("an hour, a day, a month and a year" -- Rev. 9:15) to get 1453 AD (Orion -- "mighty angel come down from heaven ... his face as ... the SUN ... in his hand a little SCROLL OPEN" -- Rev. 10:1-2; "Thy word is a LAMP unto my feet and a LIGHT unto my path" -- Ps. 119:105).
From 1453 when Constantinople fell and the "little open" Greek scroll (SUN in Orion) was given to western Europe, we add 30° years. Luther was born 10 Nov. 1483 (Castor) and Zwingli born 1 Jan 1484 (Pollux). Caxton also published the earliest verses of the Bible to be printed in English in 1483 A.D. and the two parts [Older and Newer Testaments] of the gold-edged, golden rules, red-book-marked, open Bible are two witnesses ("the scriptures ... TESTIFY of me" -- John 5:39). Orion passed off the TORCH to John as the SUN advanced one month or 30 years. Two witnesses clothed in (black -- Rev. 6:12) sackcloth because they wear garments of the Catholic clergy.
From 1483-4 A.D. (SUN in Gemini: "Take it, and eat it up ... in thy mouth sweet as HONEY" -- 10:9 & "two witnesses ... FIRE proceedeth out of their mouth" -- 11:3-5) + 30° years clockwise, equals the 5th of May, 1514 when "the beast (Pope LEO X is Leo the beast constellation) ... shall ... kill them" (Bible and reformers both burned at the red radius stake in SUN in Leo -- nothing is left of them) when the 9th session council orator officially declared: "Now no one contradicts, no one opposes." Adding 3 1/2° years (11:11), we arrive at 31st Oct, 1517 (SUN still in Leo -- black cat and PUMPKIN) when Luther used his red radius line Bible "measuring rod" (Heb. "kaneh" became "canon": "the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day" -- John 12:48) to measure Roman Catholicism and posted the Ninety-Five Theses on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences to the double door of All Saints' Church in Wittenburg Germany, defying Papal Rome and inaugurating the Reformation (accurate to the day).
What is the "FIRE" that "devoureth their enemies"? (11:5) Jeremiah 5:14 defines the FIRE by saying, "I will make MY WORDS in thy mouth FIRE (the sun in Gemini), and this people wood, and it shall devour them" which is why all the constellations are BLACK (11:5). The phrase "must in this manner be KILLED" refers not merely to bullets and cannonballs but to conversion, or maybe even the final judgment of HELL FIRE. "He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Eternal. Is not MY WORD like a FIRE? saith the Eternal; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" (Jer. 23:28-29). But Protestant cannons, muskets and gunpowder were also BLACK and FIRE from their mouths has also devoured (11:5). When a rifle is held up and aimed, FIRE proceeds from the MOUTH of the barrel and it appears to come from the shooter's MOUTH also (cp. Nu. 16:35; 2 Ki. 1:10-12). "His maker gives him his sword" (Job 40:19) which is "the word of God" (Heb. 4:12).
This All Saints' Church held one of Europe's largest collections of holy relics (black zodiac). These had been piously collected by Frederick III of Saxony. At that time, pious veneration of relics supposedly allowed the viewer to receive relief from temporal punishment for sins in purgatory. By 1520, Frederick had over 19,000 relics, purportedly "including vials of the milk of the Virgin Mary, straws from the manger [of Jesus], and the body of one of the innocents massacred by King Herod." This was demon-worship (Milky Way is evil spirits -- 1 Cor. 10:20).
Pope LEO X excommunicated Luther on 3, Jan. 1521. Then Luther witnessed at the Diet of Worms in 16-17 April, 1521. On his way home, 4th May, 1521 Prince Frederick abducted him (Full Moon in Aquarius) to protect him from being burned as a heretic, and hid him in Wartburg Castle exactly 1260° days after Oct. 31, 1517. There he translated the New Testament from Greek into German (white lunar Bible open -- half Greek and half German -- separated by red book mark) and POURED OUT doctrinal writings based on "Sola Scriptura." This is the red radius line fire "from their mouth" that "devours their enemies" (11:5). Erasmus had translated the New Testament into parallel Latin and Greek in 1516.
Zwingli was elected to fulfill a vacancy among the CANONS of the Grossmünster on 29 April 1521 and thus became an Aquarius "CANON." Zwingli and Luther had "power to shut (Papal) heaven" (red "X" across sky) and "turn waters (people) to blood" (red radius lines) by their preaching which "plagued" the Roman Catholic earth (11:6).
Similarly, the FULL MOON doors swung open in the Sagittarius White Horse Tavern March 1521 when William Tyndale met with other Reformers there (FULL MOON in Sagittarius) 1260° days after Sept. 28, 1517 (SUN in Gemini) when Luther prepared a Disputation Against Scholastic Theology, in the form of 97 theses, which attacked the idea that believers could be justified before God on the basis of their works. Christ is this lunar door (John 10:9) so it is no surprise that this full moon door is also the open Bible with a red book mark. Cambridge students studied the Bible along with Luther's writings and became Reformers (Robert Barnes, Thomas Bilney, Thomas Cranmer, Hugh Latimer, Matthew Parker, Nicholas Ridley, John Frith and Miles Coverdale, etc.) forming a "cloud of witnesses" (Heb. 12:1) (Milky Way) exactly three-and-a-half years (11:11) from 1517 (SUN in Gemini).
The same "hour" (1517 + 30° years = within 1547-8), a tenth of the city or 36° of Virgo's 43° length, fell beneath the horizon (11:13) symbolizing Papal loss of Protestant England in 1534 with the Act of Supremacy. Henry VIII declared himself head of the English church in 1535 and thus "shut (papal) heaven" (11:6). He expropriated minor monasteries (1536) and ordered the Bible placed in every church (1538). It was (red radius line) chained to the "Little Flock" church building to prevent theft. Orion, Gemini and Hercules all have a scroll. The Act of Uniformity (1547) made church services in English with an English Bible and removed superstitious images from churches. "There are 36 counties" in England (see encyclopedia.kids.net.au). The remaining 7° of Virgo represent papal loss of "seven" (11:13) provinces of Protestant Holland in 1548 by the Transaction of Augsburg.
If we add 1260° months (11:3) to 1483-4 (105 years), we arrive at 1587 when Mary Queen of Scots was red radius line BEHEADED (FULL MOON white head) and Francis Drake sailed into a crowded Cadiz harbor and destroyed some 30 Spanish ships; and 1588 when the Spanish Armada was defeated by "fire ... from their (cannon) mouth" (11:5) (FULL MOON CANNON BALL in Sagittarius: "temple of God was OPENED in heaven ... and there was seen the ark (Argo -- British Navy) -- Rev. 11:19). The Milky Way may be the cannonball trajectory's reflection over the water (zodiac). "The horse and his rider (Sagittarius) hath he thrown into the sea ... they sank ... as a STONE ... as LEAD" (Ex. 15:1-10).
After 3 1/2 rotations, Gemini goes from prostrate (5 May 1514) to right-side up (31 Oct 1517). The "STREET" is the Milky Way and the black zodiac is the Holy Roman Empire -- an extension of the "CITY" of Rome. The "CLOUD" is also the Milky Way whereby Gemini ascends clockwise.
If we add 1260° months (11:3) to 1514-1517 (105 years), we arrive at June 1620 when Captain Christopher Jones and the Mayflower had been hired for the Pilgrims' voyage by their business agents in London, Thomas Weston of the Merchant Adventurers and Robert Cushman; and at Plymouth, New England in 29 Nov. 1623 when the Pilgrims held their first true Thanksgiving, after a switch from communal to privatized farming resulting in larger harvests (proving Communism doesn't work), and because of the arrival of additional supplies and colonists in the ships called Anne and Little James (Argo). About 56% of the original Mayflower Pilgrims were fleeing religious persecution and searching for a place to worship as they saw fit; and about 2/3 of the new arrivals were English Separatists also. The Zodiac is Cole's Hill. The Milky Way is Town Brook and Billington Sea, and native residents of the recently-abandoned site had all died of smallpox (black star-dotted bodies). Notice again the open Bible with red book mark at the Thanksgiving celebration -- and it is not being burned at the stake in a fire.
The Philadelphia Era exists from 1517-2026: "Because thou hast kept the word of my PATIENCE" (Rev.3:10) is defined in Revelation 14:12 as "Here is the PATIENCE of the saints; here are they that KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS of God, and the faith of Jesus." Yes, "thou ... hast KEPT MY WORD, and hast not denied my name" (Rev.3:8). How do people deny Christ? "In WORKS they deny him" (Tit.1:16). "I will make them of the synagogue of Satan (Cetus -- who BARS his lunar door to the Lamb), which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy (Taurus) feet, and to know that I have loved thee (3:9).
If we subtract 1260° years from 1517, we come to Cyprian who was the last champion of doctrinal independence from Rome. All rivalry after his time was confined to Rome versus Constantinople. Cyprian was the first to express the idea of the Roman Catholic Church having a monopoly on salvation in 257 A.D. This doctrine was not effectively challenged until Luther nailed up his 95 Theses on the Wittenburg Church door in 1517 A.D. In the year 257 A.D. Cyprian had a dream in which he was promised ONE DAY respite from impending martyrdom. He actually had ONE YEAR exactly of respite. His deacon who records the story, remarks upon the symbolism of a day for a year as being Scriptural (Pontius, Life of Cyprian, sec.13). Last of all, notice the red radius line CROSS that indicates our Lord is crucified afresh in every city where sin exists. His body, Ursa Minor, is actually nailed to it. But his sacrifice on the red radius line cross doesn't extend "outside the (Christian) Temple" (11:2).
The Spanish Armada -- God "Breakest the Ships of Tarshish with an East Wind" (Ps. 48:7) in 1588 A.D. (1453 + 30 years [Rev. 10:8-9] + 1260 months [Rev. 11:3])
"They that strive with thee shall perish ... they that war against thee shall be as nothing" (Isa.41:12). "The nations shall see and be confounded at all their (Israel's) MIGHT" (Micah 7:16). "The Eternal thy God will set thee on high ABOVE ALL NATIONS of the earth (Deut. 28:1-10; 26:19; 15:6; 7:6; 14:2). Jacob is the "CHIEF of the nations" (Jer.31:7). "NO WEAPON that is formed AGAINST THEE shall PROSPER, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt CONDEMN. This is the heritage of the servants of the Eternal" (Isa.54:17). "For the nation ... that will not serve thee shall PERISH" (Isa.60:12). "And FIVE of you shall CHASE an HUNDRED, and an HUNDRED of you shall put TEN THOUSAND to FLIGHT" (Lev.26:8). "Thou art my BATTLE-AXE and WEAPONS of WAR; for with thee will I break in pieces the nations" (Jer. 51:20). "I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee" (Ex.23:27). "I will contend with him that contendeth with thee" (Isa. 49:25). From 1453 till 1588 = 135 years or 30 years (Rev. 10:8-9) + 1260 months (Rev. 11:3).
The first "Song of MOSES" (Exodus 15:1-21) had an obvious parallel in 1588 when the English sang the "song of Moses" (Rev. 15:3). Yes, the SPANISH ARMADA was "thrown into the sea" (15:1) and the Spanish soldiers were "cast into the sea" in 1588 (15:4). "His chosen (Spanish) captains also are drowned" (15:4). At the point of sailing, the experienced Spanish admiral was seized with fever and died. The vice-admiral took up his work, issued sailing orders, and also sickened and died. "The depths have covered them; they sank into the bottom as a stone" (15:5). The Armada's total weight was 60,000 tons. "Thy wrath ... consumed them as stubble" (15:7), not only from British broadsides, but because Drake (shown above) and his eight fire ships spread havoc in the Spanish galleons. "And with the blast of thy nostrils ... Thou didst blow with thy wind; the sea covered them; they sank as lead in the mighty waters" (15:8-10). Winds blew the Armada off her course and smashed many ships on the rocky coasts of France, Norway, Scotland and Ireland (cp. Ps. 48:7). "With his chariots ... The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea" (15:19-21). We are sure the Spanish took "wagons" with them in their ships (p.20, Defeat of the Spanish Armada by Close) and also horses and mules to pull them. The Armada carried a large number of horses and mules for the invasion force. These animals were put over the side in the North Sea as there was insufficient water for the journey home. An English ship later saw the mass of animals swimming in the sea. Of the 30,000 Spanish soldiers and sailors who had sailed in the Armada, scarcely 10,000 returned home. Of the 130 Spanish ships that set sail, only 53 returned home. No more than 100 English sailors were wounded and none of the English ships were lost other than eight fire ships. In a song of thanksgiving composed shortly after the Armada's defeat, Elizabeth declared, "He made the wynds and waters rise. To scatter all myne enemies". This was a second "Song of Moses." In acknowledgment of the Providence of God, Queen Elizabeth I ordered numerous silver medals struck illustrating the deliverance and with the words inscribed "He blew with his winds and they were scattered."
Drake's Raid on Cadiz in April 1587 and the subsequent pursuit of his fleet, DELAYED the Armada preparations. Marquis de Santa Cruz, the intended commander of the Armada, DIED before it could sail. He was Spain's most distinguished admiral. Medina-Sidonia was his replacement, an experienced administrator who proved to be resolute and capable in action, but he had relatively LITTLE SEA EXPERIENCE. On May 29, 1588, the Spanish Armada sailed out with 130 ships. Drake's smaller fleet of 101 ships had only 28 properly equipped for fighting. But they were "RACE-BUILT" and had LONG-BARRELLED cannons on rollers to absorb the RECOIL. Spanish cannons were of many different calibers, hard to reload and often blew apart when fired. Due mainly to stormy east WINDS, and the GULFSTREAM, the Spanish fleet arrived back home with 53 shattered gallions. Of the 30,000 soldiers and crew in the Armada probably 20,000 died during the voyage; of wounds, by execution (by the English in Ireland), but mostly of starvation and disease. They continued to die after the Armada reached Spanish ports. It is said that there was no noble family in Spain that did not lose a son in the Armada. One hundred English sailors were wounded. The English fleet suffered little damage. God "breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east WIND" (Ps.48:7).
The Armada campaign was enormously costly for Spain. Philip II was forced to take out large loans and increase taxation significantly to meet the expenses including claims for compensation from owners of foundered ships. After Gravelines it was found that no English ships had suffered hull damage, while many of the Spanish ships were severely damaged by canon fire, much of it below the waterline. Examination of Spanish canon balls recovered from wrecks showed the Armada’s ammunition to be badly cast, the iron lacking the correct composition and too brittle, causing the balls to disintegrate on impact, rather than penetrating the hull. Several guns were found to have been badly cast and of inadequate composition, increasing the danger of bursting and killing or injuring the gun crews. Much of the ammunition recovered from the Spanish wrecks proved to be of the wrong calibre for the guns carried in the ships.The Spanish crews were not trained to load and fire repeatedly during a battle and the carriages and tackles of the guns were not designed or suitable for this function; the system of wheels and tackle restricting recoil rather than easing it.
The Armada crossed the English Channel and anchored at Calais the night of 6 August. Drake sent eight blazing fire ships adrift among the anchored Spanish fleet at midnight August 7-8, causing the Spaniards to cut their anchors and put out to sea in confusion. Four Spanish ships were lost at this point. The Armada fled northward, pursued hotly by Drake. The hardest fighting of the entire naval campaign followed, and the Spanish lost heavily. But before Drake could deliver the knockout punch, the English ran out of ammunition. Both the west wind and the English fleet now prevented the Armada from rejoining Parma, and it was forced to make the passage back to Spain around the northern tip of Scotland. The English fleet turned back in search of supplies when the Armada passed the Firth of Forth and there was no further fighting, but the long voyage home through the autumn gales of the North Atlantic proved fatal to many of the Spanish ships. Whether through battle damage, bad weather, shortage of food and water, or navigational error, some ships foundered in the open sea while others were driven onto the rocky coasts of Scotland and west coast of Ireland and wrecked. They had cut their anchors at Calais and were unable to hold their ships off the rocks. For many days, fragments of Spanish vessels were cast by every tide upon the northern coasts of the isles. Of those ships that finally reached Spain, many of them were too badly damaged to be repaired. King Philip II said, "I sent you out to war with men, not with the wind and waves."
Prince William of Orange's Peace of Ryswick in 1697 -- "1600 Furlongs" (Rev. 14:20) From 96 AD When John Wrote the Apocalypse
On Sept. 26th, 1687 Amsterdam's city council voted to support William of Orange's invasion of England, which became the Glorious Revolution. This Dutch Protestant became William III of England (1688-1689) overthrowing the last Catholic monarch -- James II. Prince William (Sagittarius) defeated James II at the (lunar crescent) Battle of the Boyne (1690). We also arrive at the Peace of Ryswick signed in 15th Sept. 1697 A.D. ending wars between Catholic and Protestant (SUN in Sagittarius -- "man, having on his head a golden CROWN -- 14:14), as well as the British Anti-Catholic Settlement of 1697.
The two-edged sword CRESCENT in the bow of William, Prince of Orange, occurred on July 2nd, 1687 when King James II disbanded English Parliament. Then on Sept 26th, 1687, the city council of Amsterdam voted to support William of Orange's invasion of England, which became the Glorious Revolution. William, Prince of Orange, a Dutch Protestant from the Netherlands, led an invading army supported by the English Parliament across the channel to become William III of England (1688–89) overthrowing the last Catholic monarch -- James II. In an attempt to keep William from leading troops back to the Continent, Louis supported a counter-revolution in Ireland but James II was defeated at the battle of the Boyne (1690) with "approximately 1500 dead." We believe that casualties would have actually totalled 1600 if injuries sustained in that battle leading to premature death were included, or subsequent battles were included. Hence "1600 furlongs" or Catholic lives lost by 1697. Incidentally, on Dec. 31st, 1687, the first Huguenots departed France to Cape of Good Hope. These were good grapes. On 15th September 1697, William signed the Peace of Ryswick -- a peace between Great Britain, the United Provinces, France, Spain and the Emperor Leopold I. Under this treaty, concluding nine years of war with France, Louis XIV acknowledged the Prince of Orange as King of Great Britain without condition; Strasbourg was restored to the empire, Luxembourg to the Spaniards, together with other places taken by the French since the Treaty of Nimeguen; and all places in the Low Country taken by France were abandoned. This pacification for the contintent was but "a preliminary armistice of vigilance." But in England it signalized the beginning of a new era of full civil and religious liberty expanding to worldwide dimensions. For Catholics, it was disastrous both socially and politically. Catholics were denied the right to vote and sit in the Westminster Parliament for over 100 years afterwards. They were also denied commissions in the army and the monarch was forbidden to be Catholic or marry a Catholic, thus ensuring a Protestant succession. (See Popery Act 1698 and Act of Settlement 1701 for more).
A Troubling Dream Before Prince Eugene's Battle of Zenta in 1697 -- "1600 furlongs" (Rev. 14:20) from 96 A.D. When John Wrote the Apocalypse
Adding 1600 lunar years (of 354 days each) brings us to 1646.7 -- outbreak of plague on both sides during Cretan War. Adding 1600 prophetic years (of 360 days each) brings us to 1673 -- the battle of Khotyn (Ottoman defeat). The two-edged sword CRESCENT in the bow of Prince Eugene occurred on August 12th, 1687, when Ottoman invaders of Hungary were routed at the Battle of Mohacs. Then on Sept. 28th, 1687, Venetians took Athens from the Turks. Adding 1600 solar years (of 365 days each) to 96 AD brings us to 1697 -- the Battle of Zenta (Ottoman defeat).
August of 1697, Sultan Mustafa II crossed the Danube near its junction with the Tisza (Theiss) River leading 100,000 troops. The second in command, Grand Vizier Elams Mehmed, had been troubled by a dream in which he met the former Grand Vizier who was killed at the Battle of Slankamen. Elams interpreted this as a prediction of his death, were he to go near the same area. He therefore urged Mustafa to move WEST toward the fortress of Peter-wardein on the Danube, away from Slankamen. The other pashas (high ranking officers) opposed him, however, and convinced Mustafa to march NORTH and pursue Eugene. This began a pattern of dissension and indecision within the Ottoman high command.
The Sultan thought Eugene was beating a retreat when he moved his main forces north away from the Muslim army. But the Field Marshall was not fleeing. He moved north to combine with other forces to increase his army to 50,000 men, then turned around to make a lightning-fast march SOUTH to pursue Mustafa. On 6 September, Savoy slipped his army under the Turks' noses to camp by the Peterwardein fortress, WEST of the Ottomans, where his men would be protected by its guns.
Mustafa was stunned by Eugene's return. The Grand Vizier, still shaken by his dream, pronounced God's condemnation on an assault against Peter-wardein. The Sultan listened to him and concluded it would be suicidal to expose his army to the fortress's artillery. Mustafa decided to change plans once again and march NORTH along the Tisza, to attack the city of Szeged. He did so over the objections of some factions within his council who insisted that Peterwardein should be taken immediately. Arguments between the commanders led to a state of indecision when the army began its march on 7 September.
Eugene received reliable intelligence from Hungarian light cavalry (hussars) that the Ottomans were committed to going NORTH. These horsemen captured Kiicsug Dzafer, a Turkish pasha and brought him to Eugene. Reports that the Field Marshall threatened to "hack him to pieces" if he did not reveal the Sultan's plans are highly dubious. The pasha's secretary mentioned no such coercion in his account and Eugene's version of the interrogation treated the matter similarly.
Eugene concluded that Mustafa had changed his tactics again. The Sultan had canceled attacking Szeged, fearing his army would get caught between the fortress and the Austrian army. He decided instead to cross the Tisza at Zenta, Hungary (now Serbia) to move away from Eugene and reprovision. Eugene saw the opportunity to catch the Turks at Zenta and pushed his men into an 18-hour forced march. In the mean time, Mustafa's French engineers erected a bridge over the Tisza. It was collapsible and portable, supported by 60 boats serving as pontoons. The Turks had to pass over it slowly to avoid damaging it, giving the Austrians time to catch up.
Eager to seize the moment, Eugene rode ahead of his army with hussars on 11 September until they reached a point where he could survey Zenta. He saw the town smoking in ruins to the north. The Sultan, unaware that he was being pursued by Eugene, entrenched his troops and prepared to cross the Tisza. Construction crews completed the bridge by noon, Mustafa and his bodyguard were the first to cross it. The sipahis (Turkish cavalry) went after him to reach the safety of the east bank. But there were 135,000 soldiers and not enough time for everyone to follow. Eugene sneaked up behind him, positioning his heavy artillery in the high ground overlooking the river. He chose his moment carefully: just as the Sultan’s own artillery was fording the river, and therefore out of action, he gave the order to start raining shot down from above. At the same time he mounted an assault on the rear flanks of the Turkish army. The Turks found themselves hemmed in between the river and Eugene’s army. The Turks were fortified around the bridge to the south and in a state of near panic, due to their incomplete preparations. The Ottoman infantry hastily threw up earthworks and lined their wagons in a semi-circle. Mayhem broke out as thousands plunged into the water to escape being slaughtered.
Standard procedure in a situation like this would be to convene a council of war to plan the next step, but Eugene preferred a rapid strike. Although there would be only two to four hours of daylight left, he pressed forward, saying "I trust my men, there are no cowards among them". Eugene organized his forces in a crescent to pin the Ottomans against the Tisza. His men moved past outer defensive trenches to surround the core of Turkish defenses. Before them, Janissaries took protection in trenches behind earthworks, which in turn surrounded the area in front of the bridge. These barricades enveloped Ottomans by extending along banks of the river in back of them. They created a second barricade with a semi-circle of wagons.
The mounds were buttressed by fascines, stacks of brush covered with mud. The Ottoman soldiers and artillery fired at the Austrians through embrasures, indented pockets between the walls looking out through protected slits. The shooters retired to the protection of the trenches afterward, where they would reload. Time had been cut so short, however, that these defenses were incomplete.
The Imperials assaulted their opponents after the sipahies and their heavy artillery had crossed over the river, denying them support from the Ottoman cavalry and heavy cannons on the east bank. General Guido Starhemberg led the left wing forward at 5:00 PM when his cannons began to shell the bridge. Panic broke out among the Janissaries when they saw the span damaged. It was their only hope of escape! Many stampeded to get to it, crushing the Grand Vizier and fulfilling his nightmare. Eugene exploited the confusion by ordering the rest of his army to attack. His cavalry took the unusual step of dismounting so they could join with the infantry and close with the Turks in hand-to-hand combat.
Meanwhile, Eugene noticed a bulge of land along the banks of the Tisza that paralleled the mounds in back of the Ottoman camp. He directed the left wing to use it to encircle the enemy from the rear. Though the Ottomans bombarded them with grapeshot, Starhemberg's men scaled the banks of the river and the walls looming overhead. It was such an incredible accomplishment that, in his later report, Savoy could not explain how they had overcome the sheerness of the heights!
The exact sequence of events vary from one observer to another, but the following happened: The Sipahies tried to cross over the bridge to reinforce the Janissaries, but only succeeded in trampling the fleeing soldiers to death coming from the opposite direction. Starhemberg's men raced to the bridge and sealed it off. Eventually, the span groaned under the strain of the men overloading it and disintegrated, spilling the soldiers into the river. The Tisza flows at this time of year with a strong, icy current and reaches depths greater than the Danube, making it a death trap for the Janissaries. Hypothermia froze their limbs as they vainly struggled to swim across it.
The remaining Janissaries on the west bank were surrounded by frenzied Austrians who showed them no mercy. Eugene described the situation, "The soldiers got worked up to such a pitch that they spared no one and butchered all who fell into their hands despite the large sums of money which the Pashas and Turkish leaders... offered them to spare their lives". Mustafa saw everything from the far bank of the river in a state of despair. He paced back and forth, cursed, tore his hair and threw himself on the ground. An estimated 22,000 of his men were cut down in front of the bridge, another 10,000 drowned. All he could do was to gather the sipahis and flee northeast to Temesvar. The battle concluded just before night fell. Most of the Muslim senior military officials were slaughtered. The Imperials lost 300-400 soldiers. The next day the Imperialist army crossed the bridge into what had been Mustapha’s camp. There it discovered nothing short of a treasure. In his panic, the sultan had left behind all of his artillery, a huge sum in money, roughly 9,000 baggage carts, and an astounding 60,000 camels. Eugene led his men away from the scene as quickly as possible to protect them from contracting diseases from the rotting corpses. The Tisza was choked with bodies for days.
Indecision defeated Mustafa and left him a broken man. He never led an army on the battlefield again and was overthrown by his own men in 1703. On the other hand, Eugene's victory gave him the reputation of being one of the best seven generals in history, by Napoleon's reckoning. The scrawny young man retrieved his family's honor and achieved lasting greatness. Rarely does a single battle result in the long-term consequences of Zenta. The defeat forced the Turks to submit for the first time to a treaty as a defeated power and accept Western mediation. The Battle of Zenta signaled the end of the Austro-Ottoman Great Turkish War of 1683-1699, forcing the Turks into signing the Treaty of Carlowitz, which ceded a large chunk of Hungary, the whole of Croatia and Slovenia, and most of Transylvania – all the territory that the Ottoman Empire had gained in central Europe since 1526 – to Austria. The interval from the fall of the Western Empire in A.D. 476 to a time 1260 LUNAR years later brings us to 1698 (1,222.5 solar years). What happened in 1698? The completion of the Protestant Revolution at the Peace of Ryswick in September 20, 1697 (commemorated at the opening of St. Paul's Cathedral on December 2nd of that year) and the Peace of Carlowitz in January 26th, 1699 A.D. The significant date of 1698 bisects the two treaties that limit the two "little horns"
Secular History Confirms That From 533 to 1793 AD the Roman Bishop Had Supremacy (1260 Years -- Dan. 7:25; 12:7; Rev. 13:5)
-- Then Came the French Revolution With its Three Frogs (Both Simultaneous & Consecutive)
-- The 7th Trumpet
In 533 AD Justinian recognized the Bishop of Rome as "head of all the holy churches and all the holy priests of God." In 1793 Catholic king Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette were executed. The anti-Catholic "Reign of Terror began (1793-1794). November 7, 1793, the Christian religion was abolished in France. The worship of Reason was substituted in its place.
The French Revolution in 1793 shows us the natural fruits of infidelity. The convention of France, after "abolishing" the Sabbath, "dethroned" the King of Heaven by a formal act; and then worshipped a naked prostitute as the "goddess of reason". Speaking of France at this period, Alison in his history of Europe, goes on to say: "The services of religion were now universally abandoned; baptisms ceased; the burial service was no longer heard; the sick received no communion; the dying, no consolation. The village bells were silent; the sabbath was obliterated; infancy entered the world without a blessing, and age left it without hope. On every tenth day, a revolutionary preacher ascended the pulpit and preached atheism to the bewildered multitude.
On all the public cemeteries was placed this inscription, 'Death is an eternal sleep.' At the same time, the most sacred relations of life were placed on a new footing. Marriage was declared a civil contract, binding only during the pleasure of the contracting parties. A decree of the convention also suppressed the academies, public schools, and colleges, including those of medicine and surgery. And in this general havoc, even the establishments of charity were not safe. The revenues of the hospitals and humane institutions were confiscated, and their domains seized as part of the national property." The vilest men then rose to power; and the most horrible butchery of thousands of her best citizens, men, women, and children, followed; and all France soon ran with blood. Thus human reason, a traitor since the fall, shows what it will do when it is made a god. "Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Pr. 14:34) and "happy is that people whose God is the Lord" (Ps. 144:15). Britain, like ancient Israel, was spared this "plague of Egypt" because of the open Bible as antidote. But the dogma of the French Commune was, that a nation ought to be governed by reason alone. They left Scripture out. Voltaire once boasted that "It took twelve ignorant fishermen to establish Christianity, I will show the world how one Frenchman can destroy it." But within thirty years of his death, his home was purchased by the Geneva Bible Society and became a Bible storage building, while his infidel printing press was used to print an entire edition of the Bible.
Revelation 16 describes the French Revolution. First, Austria and Prussia issued the Declaration of Pillnitz, 27th August 1791. This was the "GREAT VOICE" (16:1) threatening invasion of France to dissolve the National Assembly and restore the French king's power. Thus began a 24-year war that changed Europe. The SEDER PLATE is the Zodiac, the LAMB is Aries, a large HORSERADISH is the Milky Way -- a bitter herb, as well as the green ROMAINE LETTUCE -- another bitter herb. The Shmura MATZOT is the round "Equator of the Heavens" pierced with star air holes and striped with a zodiac design. It appears burnt black. At Passover Jews recite the ten plagues while dropping ten drops of wine onto their seder plates from the SECOND CUP of WINE -- the "cup of freedom" (a.k.a. "cup of wrath" -- Rev. 14:10; 16:19; 17:4; 18:6). All seven cups are symbolically that second "cup of freedom" pouring out the Egyptian plagues. "For in the hand of the Eternal there is a cup" (Ps. 75:8; Ps. 11:6). ("BLOOD, FROGS, LICE, BEASTS, PESTILENCE, BOILS, HAIL, LOCUSTS, DARKNESS, and DEATH of firstborn"). From 1789 A.D. (sun in Aquarius: "one of the four beasts [Aquarius] gave...seven GOLDEN CUPS full of the wrath of God" -- 15:7) we add 129° years = 11th Nov.1918 A.D. (SUN in Gemini: "scorch MEN with FIRE" -- 16:8) when World War One ended. This is also a (sun) head in the guillotine.
Finance Minister Necker DOUBLED the number of the Third Estate which met at Versailles on 5 May 1789 just as on Passover we dip parsely and bitter herbs and matzos TWICE in salt water typifying tears. The Third Estate alone outnumbered the other two orders (clergy and nobles).
FIRST DROP: Beginning 1789 + 120° months clockwise = 1799 when the MOON in Gemini which looks like a guillotine BLADE falling "upon the MEN" (16:2), operated by a Big Dog, with a long Milky Way line of French aristocrats, royalty and priests waiting to have their heads cut off. The French Revolution's BOIL or SORE from 1789-1799 was Catholics having their heads cut off because they denied others liberty, equality and fraternity. Napoleon became dictator in 18th Nov. 1799. SECOND DROP: 1789 + 18° years = 16 August - 5 September 1807 "upon the SEA" (16:3) (SUN blockading black Aquarius River and preventing it from circulating -- like coagulating BLOOD) which marked the last significant naval battle called Battle of Copenhagen: British seized the neutral Dano-Norwegian fleet so it couldn't be used against Britain. But since the black, non-circulating Aquarius River extends 18° back from this date, we can also include other British naval battles that stopped all French, Spanish and Portuguese TRADE by SEA. For instance, Lord Nelson's Nile (1798), Copenhagen (1801) and Trafalgar (1805) victories. The first plague against Egypt was also "waters ... turned to blood" (Ex. 7:20). THIRD DROP: 1789 + 6° years = 26th Oct. 1795 (JUPITER makes all [red radius line]"RIVERS and FOUNTAINS" (16:4) [Aquarius] turn blood red). Since rivers formed natural boundaries and defensive positions, they were where the battles were mostly fought. The Convention dissolved; the Directory began. Napoleon's Revolutionary Wars were waged from 1795 till 1815 against the Roman Catholic ruling classes of other nations. DEATH of firstborn and a plague of French FROGS were the plagues. FOURTH DROP: 1789 + 17° years = 6th Aug. 1806 "upon the SUN" (ruler -- Ps. 89:36) (16:8) (VENUS in Pisces). Holy Roman Emperor [Francis II of Austria (fish enslaved by Cetus)] abdicated after Austerlitz defeat by Napoleon "and power was given unto him (Napoleon) to scorch men with fire" (Cannon turns Zodiac BLACK). Abolition in 1806 of the title "Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire" (SUN). The Milky Way represents a cannonball trajectory with a blast (sun in Gemini) generating "great heat" (16:9). FIFTH DROP: 1918 - 120° years = 10th Feb. 1798 "upon the SEAT (or THRONE) of the beast" (16:10) (THRONE of Cepheus & MARS in Pisces). French army captured Rome ("seat") and the Pope ("beast" -- Cetus) was arrested and taken away (Cetus tied to fish and pulled). DARKNESS was the plague. Catholic snakes "gnawed their tongues for pain." Notice all the decapitated heads (sun, planets and constellations) on all these red spear pikes which put the king "behind bars." SIXTH DROP: 1918 - 92° years = 15 June 1826 "upon the great river EUPHRATES" (16:12) (Turks -- 9:14) (SATURN in Pisces). The Sultan massacred the Janizzaries (Cetus skewered on a pike) causing the Ottoman Empire to recede so "the waters dried up." SEVENTH DROP: 1918 - 7° years = 1911 "into the AIR" (16:17) (MERCURY in Gemini). The first use of the plane in war was the Italian-Turkish War in 1st Nov. 1911. Mercury is the neck collar hole in the guillotine. Cetus represents the return to the status quo of the Papacy with the Congress of Vienna in 1815 ("REPENTED NOT").
When the Ottoman Empire receded from eastern Europe, the Russian "kings of the east" (Lenin, Stalin, Kruschev, Breshnev) prepared to advance west; and occupied Poland, E. Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania in World War 2 and after (16:12). This became the eastern bloc through the Cold War era. Once again, "Babylon" (Moslem eastern Europe) had been conquered by the "Medes and Persians" after the "Euphrates" was diverted. Counting clockwise from the French Revolution's seventh vial on 1st Nov. 1911 which was the first use of the plane in war (the Italian-Turkish War) represented by Mercury as the neck collar hole in the guillotine (16:17), and then adding three degrees ("three frogs"), we arrive at the beginning of World War One -- the solar vomit touching the Cancer-Frog constellation with its German Kaiser ("dragon"), Austro-Hungary's Emperor ("beast"), and the Moslem Turkish Sultan ("false prophet") ("three frogs" simultaneously). But three vomited frogs may also indicate three World Wars (16:13-16) that occur consecutively from 1914 till 1945 till 1975 (two laps around the Zodiac). From the first frog till the second frog is 360° months or 30 years which brings us from the Kaiser's beginning in 1914 till Hitler's end in 1945 (16:13). Then finally the Viet Nam War which ended in 1975. It should have been called World War Three.
The "whole world" implies World War. Why THREE FROGS? Because the FRENCH Revolution (plague of FROGS -- Ex. 8:3) was against the Sultan, Emperor and Pope (Pharaoh). "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" are the FROGS' names and they give power to the people and lead to independence from these despots ("Let my people go"). The Napoleonic Code of Laws and its basic "Rights of Man" replaced the Justinian Code of Laws which didn't recognize such rights. That is why the Sultan, Emperor and Pope VOMIT the THREE FROGS out of their mouths (16:13). "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" have no place in Tyrants' stomachs -- who get sick at the very thought of a DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC. Both World War One and Two were Papal attempts to reverse (REGURGITATE) the FRENCH Revolution and conquer FRANCE. The Viet Nam War was a Papal attempt to conquer FRENCH Indo-China (mostly Buddhist) and make it Catholic. The "great HAIL out of heaven" (16:21) is shells, bombs and missiles. Each "stone" or missile weighs about a "talent." That is 158 pounds 10 ounces Troy Weight or 130 pounds Avoirdupois Weight.
In World War One, the Moslem Turkish Sultan ("false prophet"), German Kaiser ("dragon") and Austro-Hungary's Emperor ("beast") allied against the FRENCH, British and US. In World War Two, the Papacy ("false prophet"), Germany ("dragon") and Italy ("beast") allied against the FRENCH, British and US. In the Vietnam War, China (the "dragon"), the Soviet Union (beast) and North Vietnam (false prophet) fought against FRENCH Indochina who were defended by the U.S., Australia and New Zealand. It should have been called World War Three. "THREE FROGS" are not only simultaneous powers in each world war, but three consecutive sets of powers in three world wars. Also, it is remarkable that in 1796, France had THREE ARMIES to attack Austria and THREE FLEETS (Spanish, French and Dutch) to attack the British -- THREE FROGS. Eventually there were THREE FRENCH REVOLUTIONS (1789, 1830 & 1848) and THREE NAPOLEONS.
October 1917 Communism appeared in Russia just after Turkey ("Euphrates") receded from eastern Europe. The way was prepared for the advance of modern "kings of the east," (Lenin, Stalin, Kruschev, Breshnev) -- Soviet Russia (the Medes) -- into Moslem Europe (Babylon) to destroy its civilization (Jer. 50-51). August 23, 1939 a Nazi-Soviet nonaggression pact was signed. Then in June 22, 1941 "Operation Barbarossa" began exactly 666 days later. But just as ancient Babylon was conquered by Medo-Persia symbolized by a "BEAR," so also Nazi Europe (Papal Babylon) was conquered by Russia (the Medes -- Ukraine) whose national emblem is a BEAR. Stalin ordered Russian troops to move into the territory of the former "Euphrates" power called Turkey in order to defeat the Nazi-Fascist "Babylon". Then Romania, Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria and Hungary were made atheistic and Communist. The "cities" of the "nations" fell both literally by being bombed, and, in the Baltic States, the Balkan States and Eastern Europe, by forsaking religion and accepting atheistic Soviet Communism. The fall of China with its 450,000,000 to Communism and the millions who have followed suit in south-east Asia since 1945, all helped to make "a great and mighty earthquake, such as never was."
"As Birds Flying" (Isa. 31:5) Allenby Liberated Jerusalem in 1917 -- "Seven Times" (Lev. 26:28; Luke 21:24) After Jerusalem Was Taken Captive in 604 B.C.
On November 2, 1917, the Balfour Declaration gave Jews authority for "the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people." On December 9th 1917, (during the Festival of Hanukkah which commemorates the recapture of the Temple by Judas Maccabeas) the Turks surrendered Jerusalem to British general Allenby. It was on the equivalent date, 24th day of ninth month of Kislev in 604 B.C., 2,520 years before, six centuries before the birth of Christ, that the Jews formally surrendered Jerusalem and Palestine to Nebuchadnezzar from Babylon. Jews lost their authority over Jerusalem for "SEVEN TIMES" punishment (Lev.26:28). On that day (24th day of ninth month), the word of the Lord came to Haggai saying, "I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen" (Hag. 2:20). Jesus said, "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Luke 21:24). This scripture alone should be sufficient witness that Britain is Israel. The Babylonian image of Daniel 2 (which included an Ottoman eastern leg) had been smitten by the British Empire and that "stone" then "became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth" (Dan. 2:35) which included the United States. By the end of the First World War (1917-1918 A.D.) the great Gentile Empires all fell and broke into pieces: Germany, Austro-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, Czarist Russia and Italy. Also we know that Benjamin was part of the Kingdom of Judah and so in 1918 Iceland (Benjamin) was granted full self-government a full 2520 YEARS later.
Ezekiel 25:14 says, "I will lay my vengeance upon EDOM (TURKEY) by the hand of my people Israel." "And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of ESAU for stubble" (Obad. 18). "The house of Jacob shall possess their possessions" (Obadiah 17). "Saviors shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the mount of ESAU ; and the kingdom shall be the Eternal's" (Obad. 21). Yes "the elder (ESAU) shall serve the younger (Israel)." (Gen. 25:23) because " Israel (Jacob) is ... my firstborn (not Esau)" (Ex.4:22). In that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins (Jerusalem rebuilt); and I will build it as in the days of old: That they may possess the remnant of EDOM, and of all the heathen, which are called by My name (Palestine's mixed population is called Israel), saith the Lord that doeth this" (Amos 9:12). From these verses we can easily identify EDOM with TURKEY-- the people who guarded the site of the tabernacle before Britain took over in 1917.
TURKEY was defeated in 1917 by Britain's General Edmund Allenby and Colonel T.E. Lawrence. The surrender happened on 25th Kislev, the anniversary commemorating the recapture of the Temple from the Selucidae by Judas Maccabeus in 165 B.C. It is called the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22). The OTTOMAN EMPIRE had ruled over Egypt, Sudan, Arabia, Palestine, Iraq and Mesopotamia. But Britain took these possessions from her and ruled over most of them. August 10, 1920 the Treaty of Sevres was signed and the TURKISH EMPIRE was broken in pieces. March 5 & 6, 1924, the Caliph was expelled from TURKEY and the OTTOMAN EMPIRE ended. It had begun in 597 B.C. when Jerusalem was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar and ESAU (TURKEY) took spoil (Ez. 35; Obad. 13) till 1924 when Britain (Israel) took it back. 597 B.C. + 2520 = 1924 A.D. (Add one year since no year "0") Also, if we call Islam the "abomination of desolation" (Dan.12:11) which arose in 622 A.D., and add 1335 lunar years (Dan.12:12) of 354 days each according to the Islamic chronology (which equal 1295 solar years), we come to 1917 A.D. when Jerusalem was delivered or "blessed". 622 A.D. +1295 = 1917 A.D. Or from Omar, the first Caliph in 634 A.D. to 1924 A.D. when the Caliphate ("abomination") ended is 1290 years (Dan. 12:11). Or alternately, from 622 till 1873 is 1290 lunar years which saw Herzegovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Bulgaria rebel in open war against the Sultan. "All your allies have driven you to your border" (Obadiah 1:7). One by one the provinces of Roumania, Montenegro, Servia, Bulgaria, etc. have struggled for and obtained their independence and driven the Ottoman Turks to their border. From 622 till 1844 is 1260 lunar years (Dan. 12:7). In 1844 Britain and other Christian European nations forced the Sultan of Turkey to sign the Decree of Toleration which abolished the death penalty ("treading down") for conversion from Islam to Christianity or any other religion. For over 12 centuries ESAU, in the guise of Saracen and Turk, was in possession of the Holy Land as TURKEY made Palestine "desolate" (Ez.36:3) with "thorns and briars" (Isa. 32:13). Ezekiel 36:5,22,24 says, "Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all EDOM, who have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds.... Therefore, say unto the House of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God, I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake.... For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land." "AS BIRDS FLYING, so will the Eternal of hosts defend (protect) Jerusalem; defending (protecting) also he will deliver it, and passing over he will preserve it" (Isa. 31:5).
The secret to Allenby's success was domination of the air with British PLANES that were used for bombing, reconnaissance, and machine-gunning. He gave strict orders that no fighting was to take place in Jerusalem. Instead he attacked the enemy's supply line forcing their retreat. Then when the TURKS tried to level the city with their big guns, the British PLANES attacked those guns to "protect" Jerusalem. Not a shot was fired inside the city. When General Allenby advanced over Mount Gerizim (the Mount of Blessing), the TURKS were fleeing over Mount Ebal (the Mount of Cursing). In their conceit, the TURKS had boasted, "When the waters of the Nile flow into Palestine, then will a PROPHET of the Lord come and drive the TURKS out of this land." But this impossibility did happen when British engineers laid a pipeline across the desert to supply the British army at the rate of many thousands of gallons a day from the Nile. Not only that, but the leader of the army was named Allah-en-Nebi (God's prophet) in Arabic or Allenby in English. Allenby airdropped notes that were written in Arabic and therefore looked like: “Surrender the city! Al Nabi”, which means “The Prophet”. Many of the Turks left at that time, after the mysterious flying objects sent messages from “Al Nabi”. From the evening of December 8, 1917 and all through the night, Turkish troops were leaving Jerusalem. By early the following morning all had gone, and the Mayor of Jerusalem with a small party came under a white flag to surrender the keys of the city.
Deuteronomy 11:24 says, "Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and LEBANON, from the river, the river EUPHRATES, even unto the uttermost SEA shall your coast be." After the First World War, Britain held the mandate stretching across the Fertile Crescent through what was then known as Palestine, Trans-Jordan and Iraq. From 1919 and through the 1920s this prophecy received fulfillment. God promised Abraham "all the land of Canaan" (Gen.17:8) and it was promised "for an everlasting possession." Therefore, the Palestinians, who are being given control over the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in Israel today, do not belong there. Isaac prophesied about ESAU, "Behold, thy dwelling shall be ("far from" -- Bas) the fatness of the earth, and ("far from" -- Bas) ... the dew of heaven above; And by thy SWORD shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother" (Gen.27:37-40). Haman and Herod were both EDOMITES (see Josephus). ESAU lives in TURKEY and TURKESTAN. These areas lack most of the important industrial natural resources. ESAU became EDOM (Gen. 25:30) or IDUMEA. One son called "AMALEK" gave his name to the capital of Jagatai in central Asia called ALMALIK (Acad. Am. En. 2:255). The Tarim River in TURKESTAN used to be called YUMALAK-Darya (29:872). The Egyptians called the Amalekites "AMU." In TURKESTAN is the AMU River (called Oxus by Greeks). We also see the SYR River in TURKESTAN named after Mount SEIR. ESAU'S son KORAH named the KARA-Kum desert, KARA-Kul Lake, KARA-Tau Mts., KIRGHIZ and KHORASAN in TURKESTAN. It's called TURKESTAN because it is "inhabited by TURKISH races" (27:419b). TEMAN gave his name to the OTTOMAN Empire (cp. Gen.36:11 & Obadiah 9) which stands "in the crossway" (Obad.14) -- the Bosporus and Dardanelles area that the British, Australians and New Zealanders fought so hard for in World War One. Strabo mentions the ODOMANTES tribe in N. GREECE and the ODOMANTIS country in TURKEY (3:359 & 5:325). They practiced circumcision (Aristophanes Acharn. 157). Herodotus calls these same peoples the SIRO-Painones (5:15) which may refer to SEIR of Pannonia. Plutarch called the Strymon River, on which the ODOMANTI lived, the PALESTINE River (DeFluv. 11). Ptolemy 3:12 mentions the town of IDOMENE and the province of ODOMANTICA both in Macedonia and IDYMUS in Lydia (TURKEY) (5:2).
Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian army took tribute from Jerusalem in 604 B.C. Jehoiakim was taken captive (cp. Jer. 25:1 & Dan. 1:1-2). From 604 B.C. till 1917 A.D. were the seven "Times of the Gentiles" (Luke 21:24; Lev. 26:28) which are bisected by the date 657 A.D. What happened in 657 A.D.? In the time of Ali Bin Abu Talib's reign, ruler of the Islamic Realm, Muawiya bin Abu Sufian was the governor of Syria (Al-Sham), and wanted to separate Syria from the realm, to be independent. At the battle of Seffeen, north of Syria, in the year 36 of the Hijri calendar, (some 657 A.D.), the two sides fought. After this battle there was a split in Islam. Those who supported Ali were called the Shiia'ats who were mostly in Iraq and Iran, and those who supported Muawiya are the Sunies. And so the Muslims were divided into two political factions.
If we add 1260 SOLAR years to this date, we come to 1917 and the Russian Bolshevik Revolution which was a punishment on the Moslem Religion which persecuted Jews and Protestants just as the French Revolution (1789) was a punishment on the Roman Catholic Church which persecuted Jews and Protestants. Atheistic Russia destroyed Turkish Islam just as Revolutionary secular France destroyed Roman Catholicism -- each after 1260 years. Also in 1917, Turkey was driven from Jerusalem and Palestine completely by Great Britain's General Allenby and Lawrence of Arabia from November 1917 to the Armistice in November 1918.
By 1917 (622 + 1335 = 1917) on the 1335th LUNAR year (Dan. 12:12), (1295 solar years), Turkey was driven from Jerusalem and Palestine completely by General Allenby and Lawrence of Arabia from November 1917 to the Armistice in November 1918. This period on the Moslem calendar occupied the entire 1335th Moslem year since the Moslem calendar ran from September to September.
If we add 1260 LUNAR years (1222.5 solar) to 657 A.D. we come to 1879 A.D. In 1878 at the Berlin Conference, the wholesale dismemberment of the Turkish Empire occurred. If we add 1260 PROPHETIC years (1241.915 solar) to 657, we come to 1899 when Theodor Herzl established the Jewish Colonial Trust, the financial arm of the Zionist movement in 1899.
400 Years (Gen. 15:13), 430 Years (Ex. 12:40-41), 450 Years (Acts 13:20)
In 1517 Jerusalem was conquered by the Ottoman Turks.
1517 plus 400 years:
Gen. 15:13-14 says, "And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them FOUR HUNDRED YEARS; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall THEY COME OUT".
The Israelites came out of Egypt at the Exodus and entered the promised land anciently. In modern times, they have come out of many countries and gone into the promised land. Amazingly, after 400 years, in 1917, Jerusalem was freed from the Ottoman Turks. That is a modern fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy that was fulfilled long ago. Do some other prophecies have a dual fulfillment? Definitely.
1517 plus 430 years:
Ex. 12:40-41 says, "Now the sojourning (in Canaan and in Egypt) of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY YEARS. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that ALL THE HOSTS OF THE LORD WENT OUT from the land of Egypt." The 430 years began to be counted when Ishmael was born.
Is there a parallel in modern times? Yes. 1517 + 430 yrs = 1948. Israel became a nation in 1948, but Jerusalem was divided.
1517 plus 450 years:
Acts 13:20 says, "And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet." These were theocratic years.
Do modern times parallel these 450 years? Yes. 1517 + 450 yrs = 1967. The Six-Day War started on June 5, 1967. By June 7, all of Jerusalem, including the temple area, was in Israel's hands.
"I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,'… I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it" (Isaiah 46:9-11).
From 334 BC Till The 1967 Six-Day War is 2300 Years (Dan. 8:14)
If we add 2300 years to 334 B.C. (the Battle of the Granicus River), we arrive at 5-10 June 1967 when Israel (Judah -- "a lion's whelp" -- Gen. 49:9) encircled East Jerusalem. The Old City was conquered June 7 from Jordan. "The sanctuary was cleansed" (8:14) of the Moslem "little horn" from Ptolemy when the Temple Mount and Western Wall were taken along with the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Dome of the Rock and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. On being captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, East Jerusalem came under Israeli rule. It included Jerusalem's Old City and some of the holiest sites of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Israeli forces also seized the West Bank cities of Nablus and Bethlehem from the Jordanians as well as the rest of the West Bank. Two thirds of the Syrian air force was destroyed by an air strike on June 5. By June 10 Israeli forces had taken the Golan plateau and Syrians had retreated. Israel seized control of the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt. Less than a thousand Israelis were killed compared to over 20,000 Arab soldiers. The area under Israeli control tripled, significantly contributing to the country's defensibility. A ceasefire occurred June 11. Many more examples of precise timing in predicting historical events could be given. But this will be enough for now.
Joshua (Yeshua) Conquers Jericho (the Present Evil World) Again
"The thing that hath been (Jericho's fall), it is that which SHALL BE and that which is done is that which SHALL BE DONE" (Eccl. 1:9). Jericho's destruction is a "SIMILITUDE" (Hosea 12:10). The fall of Jericho FORESHADOWS what SHALL BE and typifies an event YET TO OCCUR. God says, "I change not" (Mal. 3:6). He is "the same yesterday, today and forever" (Heb. 13:8). Israelite soldiers marched around Jericho SILENTLY once per day for six days just as Christians traveled around the Roman Empire in SECRET, for fear of persecution, while also spreading Scripture anonymously that witnessed about Yeshua (cp. Joshua 6:6-9). Then the 1.Goth, 2.Vandal, 3.Hun, 4.Heruli, 5.Arab, 6.Turk and 7.French Revolution TRUMPETS were blown and the Roman Empire FELL. Then the "people WENT UP" (6:20). Then true Christians were RAISED in status as Protestant Britain and America AROSE. Also "the dead in Christ shall RISE first" (1 Th. 4:16). A RESURRECTION will occur for Christians. Just as the priests took seven trumpets and blew them and sinful Jericho fell before Joshua's invading Israelite army "on the seventh day" (Joshua 6:15-20) and righteous Israel inherited the Promised Land, so also civilization as we know it will come tumbling down as Yeshua (Greek Jesus is Hebrew Joshua meaning "Savior") introduces his "seventh day" Millenium with the angels blowing seven trumpet blasts and resurrected saints conquer "this present evil world". Joshua purchased the "Promised Land" and its inhabitants with Israelite blood just as Yeshua purchased the earth and its inhabitants with his own blood. The FORTY-TWO stations through which the Israelites were brought to the verge of the promised land, and afterwards taken over Jordan by JOSHUA into their INHERITANCE that was paid for with Israelite BLOOD, parallel the FORTY-TWO generations from Abraham unto YESHUA (Matt. 1:17), by whose BLOOD we enter into the holiest, and enjoy the INHERITANCE among the saints of eternal life and "inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5). Both fight against seven enemy nations (Joshua 3:10) led by "the Lord of Righteousness" (Adonizedek -- a blasphemous human) or the Anti-Christ. Two spies were sent to spy out the land (Josh. 6:22) corresponding to two witnesses (Rev. 11). Just as the two spies were hidden 3 1/2 days (2:16) so also the two witnesses will be dead for 3 1/2 days (Rev. 11:9). The people SHOUTED (6:16,20). First Thessalonians 4:16 mentions "a SHOUT". Matthew 25:6 says, "And at midnight there was a CRY made, Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." Revelation 11:15-16 says, "Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices [SHOUTING] in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ (Yeshua), and He shall reign forever and ever!" God gave Joshua and Israel "REST" and possession of Palestine after six days of marching around Jericho (Josh. 22:4) just as Jesus gives us the Millenial REST and the world (Matt. 5:5; Heb. 4:9-10) after 6000 years of quietly witnessing, and being ignored by an evil civilization. Just as those inhabitants were spared who trusted in an oath based on a red cord in their window (2:18; 6:17) waiting for Joshua's invasion, so also those inhabitants of earth will be spared who trust in Yeshua's blood sacrifice waiting for Yeshua's return (Matt 25:31-41). Just as the wealth of Jericho was to be destroyed or donated to the purpose of God, so "the wealth of all the surrounding nations shall be gathered together: Gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance" (Zech. 14:14) and used by the nation of Israel. Deuteronomy 9:4-5 says, "Do not think in your heart, after the Lord your God has cast them out before you, saying, 'Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this land'; but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out from before you. It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God drives them out from before you, and that He may fulfill the word which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." In the same way, we read "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). Lastly, the "trumpets of ram's horns" (6:4) is an incorrect translation. The literal rendering should be, "shofars of jubilee." A shofar is a ram's horn. Why not just say, "ram's horns of jubilee," which would have been correct? These are the same trumpets that are blown to announce the Jubilee every fifty years. Go to Leviticus 25:8-12. Here we see that the blowing of the trumpets was not just about announcing plagues of God's judgment on Jericho, but also announced the jubilee. Leviticus 25:8 says, "And you shall count seven Sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years; and the time of the seven Sabbaths of years shall be to you forty-nine years." Leviticus 25:9-12 says, "Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee [the same phrase in Joshua 6] to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout all your land. And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall RETURN TO HIS POSSESSION, and each of you shall return to his family. That fiftieth year shall be a Jubilee to you; in it you shall neither sow nor reap what grows of its own accord, nor gather the grapes of your untended vine. For it is the Jubilee; it shall be holy to you; you shall eat its produce from the field." Israel inherited the land. That is one big part of the jubilee year—everyone goes back to his inheritance. No matter what had happened in the intervening time, you get back what is yours by right. That is the same thing that happens in the Millennium. The inheritance goes to those to whom it has been given—the saints of God.
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In summary, "It was taught in the School of Elijah, the world will last for 6000 years: two thousand years in chaos (due to fallen angels & giants), two thousand years with Torah (Abraham & Moses), and two thousand years will be the days of the Messiah (Yeshua)." (so the Messiah must have come about 2000 years ago) -- Talmud Sanhedrin 97a. "Theopompus, 340 years before the Christian era, wrote that the Persian Magi held 'the present state of things, and the struggles between the good and bad principle, would continue 6000 years: after which Hades would be destroyed, and men would be happy and live without food, and their bodies become translucent.'" (Plutarch Lives; Primitive History by Williams, p.49) "God made in six days all His works, and finished on the seventh day. The meaning of which is, that in 6000 years He will bring all things to an end. Therefore, in six days, i.e. 6000 years, all things shall be accomplished" (Epistle of Barnabas, 15). "After the sixth millennium earth must burn" -- Plato (cp. 2 Pet. 3). The Septuagint chronology won't fit within the 6000 years. "A golden progeny from heaven descends. The jarring nations he in peace shall bind, And with paternal virtues rule mankind." (Eclogue 4, Virgil -- written several decades before the birth of our Lord about the son of Pollio, consul of Rome in 40 BC. The child died shortly thereafter). "Our God shall come, no longer silence keep: Fire all around devour, and tempests sweep" (Ps. 50:3).
We can conclude by saying that "God removes kings and sets up kings" (Dan. 2:21, RSV). Daniel affirmed to King Nebuchadnezzar that "the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory" (Dan. 2:37). The purpose of seven years' punishment of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4) was so "that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men" (Dan. 4:17). Isaiah stated it is God who "bringeth the princes to nothing" (Isa. 40:23). King David of ancient Israel declared that "God is the judge; he putteth down one, and setteth up another" (Ps. 75:7). God's intervention in events is PRECISE and FITS into a MASTER PLAN. He knows the end result from the beginning of time (Isa. 46:10). At certain times, it has been necessary for God to directly intervene to influence events to conform with the timetable of that overall master plan. Why then do men reject the Bible? Biblical history is rejected, not because there is insufficient credible evidence; but because it condemns fornication and adultery, the drunkard and thief, the Sabbath-breaker and idolater. What the depraved heart wishes to be false, the head strives to disbelieve. The Bible doesn't contradict itself or historical facts; it contradicts men's wicked desires. "But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." (Matt. 19:17). "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Rev. 22:14) "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). "Whoever does not obey the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him" (John 3:36).