Chapter 8 -- Visigoths, Vandals, Huns & Heruli
Overthrow Western Third of Roman Empire

"When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets" (8:1-2).

While Israelites outside waited silently (Hab. 2:20), the High Priest spent about 1/2 hour in the Sanctuary on Yom Kippur. He would put off his normal garments (including bells on the hem) and put on plain linen (Lev 16:4) before going into the tabernacle and making atonement, throwing incense on the altar, etc. He would change back in Lev 16:23. The incense in Rev 8:3,4 makes this allusion explicit. Perhaps the golden censer was used only on the Day of Atonement. Seven trumpets may have been part of Atonement's liturgy (1Ch 15:24; 2Ch 29:25-28), especially if this is a Jubilee year after seven weeks of years (7 angels x 7 trumpets = 49 years). Lev. 25:9-11 mentions "a loud trumpet" on "atonement" to announce the "fiftieth year" Jubilee. Land reverts back to its original owner in chapter 8. If we add 50 years (a Jubilee cycle) to 337 A.D. when Constantine died (ch. 6), it brings us to the crescent of Sagittarius in 387 A.D.

When he (Sagittarius not Aries) had opened the seventh seal (when Sagittarius pulled off the sun seal from the lunar crescent "underneath"), there was silence or peace in heaven, for about "a half hour" (fifteen degrees or years). If one day is a year of 360 days (Num. 14:34; Ez. 4:6), and if there are "twelve hours in a day" (John 11:9), then 360 divided by 24 gives a "half hour" as 15 days which is 15 years. What happened in 387 A.D.? Maximus INVADED ITALY in order to dispose of Valentinian II. Theodosius led an army against him. The eastern emperor's German and Hun troops helped him to defeat Maximus at Siscia and then at Poetovio. Maximus was beheaded in Aquileia (387 A.D.). Adding fifteen years of silence or peace to 387 A.D. brings us to the sun in Sagittarius on 402 A.D. when Alaric's Visigoths ENTERED ITALY for the first time but were defeated at Pollentia and Verona by Stilicho. The seven stars of Ursa Minor stood before God (Cepheus) in their alternate symbol of a Spanish or Portuguese hunting horn -- the Bocina or Shofar (Rev. 8:2).

"Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound" (8:3-6).

Adding 15° years to 387 (silence for "half an hour" -- 8:1) 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. (SUN in Sagittarius -- Alaric "stood at the (church) altar (Ara), having a GOLDEN censer" -- Rev. 8:3). After a great slaughter on both sides, Alaric rallied his surviving foot under the protection of his horsemen in the fields beyond and retired southward toward the Ligurian coast under the cover of NIGHT (black zodiac). In flight, the Visigoths were forced to abandon their dependants, including Alaric's own wife, as well as the great piles of loot that had been collected in Greece (395-396), Illyrium (397), Pannonia and Northern Italy (408-410) (Venus, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter probably represent pagan gold and silver idols with similar names to these planets) since their victory at Andrianople (378) (Saturn's loot). Although there was no clear victor, Stilicho managed to capture Alaric's wife (Virgo), children (Gemini), and other important relations (Andromeda, Coma, etc.). The town of Pollentia (black zodiac) and the river Tanarus (Milky Way) are portrayed. The Visigoths left Italy after losing the subsequent Battle of Verona to Stilicho in 402 A.D.

The Angel Sagittarius stood at the altar, Ara, in the Holy Place outside the Holy of Holies (Zodiac), having a golden censer (solar disk) and offering much incense (with red radius sticks and his crescent moon scoop) (Rev. 8:3-5) onto the incense altar (Ex. 37:26) as the stars rotate (prayers of saints "beaten small" or detailed producing the Milky Way smoke. Noah offered a sweet-smelling sacrifice also [Gen. 8:21]-- 8:3-4). The smoke of the incense is the Milky Way and God is Cepheus. Then Sagittarius dumps "fire ... upon the earth" referring to the Milky Way as it rotates vertically in the sky to "touch" earth at sunset. Historically, the incense-offering ritual is described in Leviticus 16:12. This "Angel" must be Jesus our Lord because the high priest alone offered the incense upon the golden altar (Ex. 30:7-8). In the original Tabernacle, the "golden censer" was found inside the Holy of Holies (Heb. 9:4); and none but the High Priest could enter that holiest place. He is the one and only "Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 4:14) "who ever liveth to make intercession" (Heb. 7:25). This "Angel" gathers the prayers of all the saints or Christian martyrs who were persecuted by the Roman Empire (cp. Rev. 6:10), among whom were Donatists. Like incense, these prayers "Ascend up before God." Common priests used silver censers.

Just as "there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the WORLD (Greek "oikoumene") should be registered" (Luke 2:1) meaning the ROMAN world, so also the "fire" is cast "upon the EARTH" (Greek "ge") (Rev. 8:5) meaning the ROMAN earth -- not the globe. Hail, fire and blood were three of the plagues of Egypt God sent to LIBERATE ancient ISRAEL so they could escape to the Promised Land. "The century of disasters (378-476 AD), ... befell Rome after she had adopted "Christianity." The Roman Empire had become ... an apostate people of God, ripe for experiencing the judgment of God, inflicted by her enemies." (God Cares II p 240). The great apostasy or "falling away" of 2 Thess. 2 had taken place resulting in much prayer and trumpet judgments. "The man of sin" had risen. Constantine had amalgamated church and state. Saint and martyr worship (idolatry) were flooding the church. Constantine condemned Donatists (true church) to banishment and death (Council of Milan, 316 A.D.). Constans exiled Donatus and many of his brethren. But then Julian "the apostate" expelled the persecuting bishops from court and recalled the Donatists from exile in 362 and restored their rights. Later Gratian prohibited all their assemblies. Honorius fined, banished and killed many Donatists after being stirred up against them by two clerical councils (404 & 411 A.D.). Vandals invaded north Africa in 427 A.D. protecting the Donatists for 104 years until 534. The Donatists still existed until pope Gregory suppressed them. The descendants and family of Constantine were nearly exterminated because of his guilt in persecuting these true Christians (Isa. 14:20; Hos. 4:6).

Why switch from SEALS to TRUMPETS? Because we have switched from PAGAN emperors to "CHRISTIAN" emperors. What do the TRUMPETS mean? "If the TRUMPET give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself for the BATTLE?" (1 Cor. 14:8). TRUMPETS symbolize WAR (Jer. 4:5; Hosea 8:1; Joel 2:1). The FOUR TRUMPETS probably let loose "the FOUR WINDS" (Rev. 7:1). The TRUMPET blast indicated that the camp should move forward (Nu. 10); congregate for a festival (Nu. 29); or assemble to fight (Nu. 10:9). The ancient city of Jericho prevented Israel from entering into Canaan (Promised Land) to establish the Kingdom of God until after "seven TRUMPETS of Ram's horns" (Heb. Jubilee #3104) were blown (Jos. 6:16) on the Feast of Unleavened Bread. In the same way, "Rome" now becomes "Jericho" preventing Anglo-Saxon Israel from arriving in the British Isles (Promised Land) to establish the Kingdom of God. Therefore, seven TRUMPET blasts of punishment were needed (Nu. 10:1-10; Amos 3:6; Zeph. 1:14-16; Joel 2:1). The first six days they marched once around (Joshua 6:11-14) corresponding to the first six seals. The seventh day they marched seven times around (Joshua 6:15-16) corresponding to the seventh seal which contains seven TRUMPETS. Julian's Gallic army rebelled when ordered by Constantius to march from Paris to Persia in 360 AD. Instead they shouted "Julian Augustus" (VOICES). Then Julian publicly renounced the religion as well as the friendship of Constantius (THUNDERS). The death of Constantius in 361 (LIGHTNING) prevented civil war. Then the reign of Julian the Apostate (361-363) may be the EARTHQUAKE (8:5). Or Alaric's and Rhadagaisus's Gothic revolt, breaking their alliance with Rome in 395 A.D., may be the "thunders ... lightnings ... EARTHQUAKE" (Rev. 8:5). Also the Roman Empire split into two halves or legs of iron in 395 A.D. Honorius ruled the west and Arcadius ruled the east.

"The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up" (8:7).

Just as hail-storms originate from the cold NORTHEAST and sweep across Europe, so Alaric the Goth came from the NORTHEAST. "HAIL" means "BATTLE and WAR" (Job 38:22-23). In Ezekiel 10:2, when "coals of FIRE" were scattered "over the city" of Jerusalem, it meant "I will bring a SWORD upon you saith the Lord God" (Ez. 11:8). "FIRE" cast on the evil Roman Empire is God's "FURY" "because of the evil of your doings" (Jer.21:12). What were those evils? Worshipping saints, martyrs, angels and relics rather than Christ our Lord. Making priests the "mediators" who "forgive sins." Using images and idols in worship. The pagan Eunapius in 396 A.D. exclaimed, "The monks kneel before dead men's bones, pickled, salted, covered with filth and dust. These are their intercessors with the gods now-a-days." And the Manichaean Faustus in 400 A.D. wrote, "You have but exchanged the old idols for martyrs, and offered to the latter the same prayers as to the former." Pilgrims' prayers were directed "to the bones, the blood, or the ashes of the saints ... They frequented the tombs of the martyrs" (Gibbon). This is demon-worship (Rev. 9:20; 1 Tim. 4:1). To whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48; Amos 3:2) whereas God overlooks mistakes done in ignorance (Acts 17:30). The level of responsibility increased as Rome went from pagan to "Christian."

Who were the GOTHS? "The old geographer Ortelius, in his description of Tartary, notes the kingdom of Arsareth, where 'the TEN TRIBES retiring took the name of GAUTHEI, because they were very jealous for the glory of God.'" (Lights and Shadows by Elizabeth Wilson, pp.154-155). Tacitus informs us they spoke "the Gallic tongue" which probably got its name from "Galilee" (Isa. 9:1). Perhaps this is why Alaric showed mercy to the Christian churches, while sacking villas and palaces. Through the ministry of Ulphilas, a section of the Goths had accepted Christianity. Naphthalite Huns and Issachar (Sciri) may have been allied to the oriental Huns. The "hail and fire mixed with blood" refers to the stars rotating behind the horizon at sunset when the red glow imitates blood and fire. One third of Scorpio (-- a palm tree [East Indies]) and Canis Minor (-- a mulberry tree [Hyginus]) are burned up (8:7) meaning chief Romans (Judges 9) demonstrated by the Milky Way smoke consuming one third of each. Gibbon said an old poet called Claudian of Verona bewailed the destruction of his trees: "His trees, his old contemporary trees must blaze in the conflagration of the whole country." (Decline & Fall. Vol. 3. p 294). "All flesh is grass" (Isa. 40:6) and the mountain sides are entirely consumed by the Milky Way smoke in the shape of a mountain side. A hailstorm is a military invasion (Isa. 28:2; Ez. 38:9). Rhadagasius's 250,000-man army of Vandals, Suevi and Burgundians is described by Gibbon: "The consuming flames of war spread from the banks of the Rhine over the greatest part of the seventeen provinces of Gaul; the scene of plenty was suddenly changed into a desert." The historian Claudian compared the invasions by the Goths to a "HAILSTORM." Regarding the Goths, Gibbon says, "Blood and conflagration and the BURNING of TREES and HERBAGE mark their path."

The first shofar or red radius tube trumpet with sun-bell end was Alaric's Visigoths (395 to 428) who conquered the "THIRD" empire of Greece (the Goat or Capricorn -- Dan. 8:21) in 395 and then pillaged the western "THIRD" part of the fourth empire of Rome destroying vineyards and farms in Gaul, Spain and Italy from 400 to 428 A.D. Alaric's Visigoths came from NE Europe around the Baltic and thousands migrated to the Illyricum (Yugoslavia) THIRD of the Roman Empire where they were employed as mercenaries by the Romans to help defend the frontiers. About 395 A.D., after he ravaged the countryside of Greece, Alaric was made military general of all Illyricum (Yugoslavia), by the emperor of Constantinople, to pacify him. Alaric took advantage of this and spent the next four years preparing for the invasion of Western Rome. The Goths laid Italy waste THREE times by destroying the green vegetation and fruit trees as they went. Alaric beseiged Rome THREE times -- 408 A.D., 409 A.D. and 410 A.D. -- the third time destroying the city, sacking it for THREE days and selling thousands of its inhabitants into slavery. Gibbon describes their siege of Rome in apocalyptic terms: "The inhabitants were awakened by the tremendous sound of the Gothic TRUMPET." Alaric said, "It is not of my own will that I do this; there is One who forces me on and will not let me rest, bidding me spoil Rome." (Arian barbarians repay Rome for persecuting Arian Christians) The capital was moved to Ravenna. Alaric died in 410 A.D. Roman legions evacuated from Britain to help save and defend their own empire, leaving Britain built and prepared, but empty, for Anglo-Saxon Israel. Alaric's Goths destroyed not only the VINEYARDS and FARMS but also these Roman soldiers.

Figuratively speaking, "All flesh is GRASS" (Isa. 40:6; 51:12) and "the glory of man like the FLOWER" (1 Pet. 1:24; James 1:10). "When the wicked spring like GRASS and ... do flourish... they shall be destroyed forever" (Ps. 92:7). All human rulers are TREES. "The TREE ... it is thou" (Nebuchadnezzar) (Dan. 4:20-22). "The Assyrian was a CEDAR" (Ez. 31:3; Judges 9:8-15). King David sang, "I am like a green OLIVE TREE " (Ps. 52:8) and the Jewish nation is likened to a FIG TREE (Luke 21:29-31). Green trees signify the righteous and dry trees the wicked (Ez. 20:46-47; 21:3-4; Luke 23:31).

"HAIL" symbolizes "the day of BATTLE and WAR" (Job 38:22-23). "I will plead against him ... great HAILSTONES" (Ez. 38:22). "HAIL, FIRE and BLOOD" were plagues upon Egypt to free God's people Israel from heathen tyranny (Ex. 9:22-26). The Gothic invasions included HAIL of arrows, FIRE of torches and arson and the BLOOD of the slain.

Prophetically it is very interesting that Alaric ravaged Greece and entered Athens in triumph. By an edict published at Constantinople, Alaric was declared master general of eastern Illyricum. This promotion was followed by his being crowned king of the Visigoths. In another sense, the western THIRD of the empire was part of the THIRD empire in succession -- the Eastern Greek empire. Diocletian partitioned the empire in 292 A.D. When Constantine named the capital Constantinople in 328 A.D., he thereby fulfilled 2 Thess.2:7. The emperor who ruled from Rome was an emperor in name only. He was subject to the ruler of a revived "Greek" Empire set up at Constantinople. The first four trumpets brought enemies upon an empire which had become Eastern or Greek in character as well as capital, and which is therefore described as the THIRD rather than the "fourth" in the book of Revelation. "In the time of Constantine (312 A.D.) the Roman empire was divided into THREE great sections: to Constantine was assigned Gaul, Spain, Britain, Italy, and Africa; to Licinius the Illyricum prefecture (Yugoslavia); to Maximin, the Asiatic provinces and Egypt." (Dr. Cumming 'Apocalyptic Sketches' Vol. 2. p.63). Latin, Oriental and Greek areas. Just before Constantine's death in 337 A.D., the empire was divided among his THREE sons Constans, Constantine, and Constantius. Then a THIRD TIME from 383 to 387 A.D. it was divided into THIRDS again. We actually begin our count of the 120 years or degrees when Alaric's Visigoths entered Italy for the first time in 402 A.D. but were defeated at Pollentia and Verona. In 405 AD Ostrogoths, Quadi and Vandals invaded Italy but were defeated. In 410 AD the Visigoths for a THIRD time, led by Alaric, sacked Rome -- the first external capture of Rome in 800 years, and deposed Attalus. "THRICE, in fulfillment of his destiny, he (Alaric) descended from the Alps onto the Italian plain, marking his course at each step as the awe struck historians of the times tell us, in country and in town with ravage, conflagration and blood, till the gates of Rome itself were opened to the conqueror and the Gothic fires blazed around the capitol." (E.B. Elliott. "Horae Apocalypticae" Vol. I. p 351-353). This is represented by the arrow Sagitta slicing through the Roman eagle Aquila. History wonderfully confirms the accuracy of the first six trumpets. Three different races, Goths, Arabs and Turks each invaded a different third of the Roman Empire which John predicted long before in Revelation 8 and 9.

"Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed" (8:8-9).

The second shofar or red radius tube with sun-bell end was "a great MOUNTAIN" ("destroying mountain" or "KINGDOM" such as Babylon -- Jer. 51:25 or God's Millenial kingdom -- Isa. 2:2; Dan. 2:35-44). What kingdom invaded the western Roman Empire and was thrown "into the sea" (became a naval power)? Vandals were Goths who migrated from northeast Europe at the same time as the Visigoths. In 401 A.D., the Vandals led by Radagaisus invading Noricum and Rhaetia. In 405, Vandals, Suevi and Burgundians, united under a leader named Radagaisus, besieged the city of Florence. When Radagaisus was killed, the Vandals, Burgundians and Suevi withdrew and passed on into Southern France in 406 A.D. There the Burgundian division of these Goths settled and formed the kingdom of Burgundy. The rest of the Goths continued on into Spain and the Suevi then settled in NW Spain (Portugal) and removed it from Roman control in 409 A.D. Genseric's Vandals (429-477), were invited into Mauretania and Africa by Boniface, so they crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and burned Hippo in 430 A.D. Then they conquered Carthage in 439 A.D. Priscus the poet referred to the Vandals as "Burning Byrsa." (Byrsa was the hill on which Carthage was built.). There they built ships and committed piracy against Rome's navy and ships. They captured Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Majorca and Minorca. Rome was sacked (June 15-29, 455 A.D.) and thousands of its inhabitants enslaved. The Western Roman navy was defeated in 457 A.D. In 468 A.D. FIRESHIPS were driven amongst 1,113 ships that had sailed to attack Cathage from Constantinople. In the obscurity of the night, the FIRE of the Vandal VOLCANO defeated this Eastern Roman navy. Genseric the Great was known as the "tyrant of the seas." He is reputed to have said, "Let us make for the dwellings of men with whom God is angry." Genseric died in 477 A.D.

“The African campaign amounted to the sum of 130,000 pounds of gold, about five millions two hundred thousand pounds of sterling...the fleet that sailed from Constantinople to Carthage, consisted of 11,013 ships, and the number of soldiers and mariners exceeded 100,000 men...The army of Heraclius and the fleet of Marcellinus either joined or seconded the Imperial lieutenant; and the Vandals, who opposed his progress by sea or land, were successfully vanquished. If Basiliscus had seized the moment of consternation and boldly advanced to the capital, Carthage must have surrendered, and the kingdom of the Vandals was extinguished...but he (Genseric) requested a truce of five days to regulate the terms of his submission...During this short interval, the wind became favourable to the designs of Genseric. He manned his largest ships of war with the bravest of the Moors and Vandals, and they towed after them many large barques filled with combustible materials. In the obscurity of the night these destructive vessels were impelled against the unguarded and unsuspecting fleet of the Romans, who were awakened by the sense of their instant danger. Their close and crowded order assisted the progress of the fire, which was communicated with rapid and irresistible violence...Whilst they laboured to extricate themselves from the fire-ships, and to save at least a part of the navy, the galleys of Genseric assaulted them with temperate and disciplined valour; and many of the Romans, who escaped the fury of the flames, were destroyed or taken by the victorious Vandals... After the failure of this expedition, Genseric again became the tyrant of the sea: the coasts of Italy, Greece and Asia were again exposed to his revenge and avarice: Tripoli and Sardinia returned to his obedience; he added Sicily to the number of his provinces; and, before he died, in the fullness of years and of glory, he beheld the final extinction of the empire of the West.” (Ibid. Vol 4. chap 36, pgs 38-40).

The volcanic "great mountain" "BURNING with FIRE" is the red radius line mountain that spans 120° wide spewing out lava -- with the sun being a LAVA POOL out of which Aquarius' black LAVA FLOWS (8:8). This destroys Delphinus, Picis Australis and half of both Pisces and Capricornus (one third of Roman fishermen) as well as one third of the constellations Phoenix and Perseus which are boats; Argo a ship; and Orion and Ursa Major both canoes (Roman Navy). Notice that 429 to 477 completely encompasses the LAVA FLOW of Aquarius. Their leader, Genseric, was an Arian Christian and under him, the Vandals also held the Arian Christian faith which was in conflict with the apostate Catholic Church. The Vandals could not extend southwards because of the desert so they turned towards the sea. They built a strong navy and began to ravage the coasts of the Mediterranean ("cast into the sea"). Being anti-Catholic, the Vandals attacked the Catholic centers, especially the western Roman Empire. Genseric became the deliverer of Donatists who were persecuted by St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo. Under the Vandal reign, whose success they favored, the Donatists of Africa enjoyed an obscure peace of 100 years. Africa was the grainery of Rome so the loss of Africa meant the loss of a main source of Rome's food supply. "Vandals repeatedly visited the coasts of Spain, Liguria, Tuscany, Campania, Lucania, Bruttium, Apulia, Calabria, Venetia, Dalmatia, Epiraeus, Greece and Sicily. They were tempted to subdue the island of Sardinia so advantageously placed in the center of the Mediterranean and their arms spread desolation or terror from the Columns of Hercules to the mouth of the Nile." (Gibbon vol. 4. p 31). Genseric, like Alaric the Visigoth, believed himself to be an agent of divine wrath. "At length the work [of ravaging the coast] became almost monotonous and the choice of a victim hard. Once, when the fleet had weighed anchor and was sailing forth from the broad harbor of Carthage the helmsman turned to the king and asked for what part he should steer. "For the men with whom God is angry", answered the Vandal king and left the winds and the waters to settle the question who were the proper objects of the wrath of heaven." (Thomas Hodgkin. "Dynasty of Theodosius" pp 219-220). (also Gibbon, Vol. 4, ch. 36, pgs 1, 2, 28, 29). "The Imperial navy, of 300 large galleys, with an adequate proportion of transports and smaller vessels, was collected in the secure and capacious harbour of Carthagena in Spain ... Guided by secret intelligence, he (Genseric) surprised the unguarded fleet in the bay of Carthagena; many of the ships were sunk, or taken, or burnt; and the preparations of three years were destroyed in a single day (460 A.D.).” (Ibid Vol 4. ch. 36, pgs 24, 25).

Finally the emperor of Eastern Rome combined with Western Rome to build a gigantic fleet in order to destroy the Vandal power. This Roman fleet was twice destroyed by FIRE of the Vandals, fulfilling the prediction that, "the third part of the creatures in the sea died and the third part of ships were destroyed". (Gibbon vol. 4.) Previously Genseric even sailed up the Tiber and sacked the city of Rome. Amongst the treasure that he took from that city were the GOLDEN CANDLESTICK and the GOLDEN TABLE and other items that Titus had captured from the temple at Jerusalem and had deposited in the Temple of Peace in Rome nearly 400 years ago. When the Vandal fleet was returning to Carthage there rose a great storm and one ship only, submerged beneath the ocean. It was the ship carrying the GOLDEN CANDLESTICK and the SACRED VESSELS which originally had come from the temple of God in Jerusalem. ( ibid. vol. 4. pp. 6-7.) (For parallels, see Dan. 5:3-4 & 2 Sam. 6:7). The Vandals being of the Arian faith and in deadly opposition to the church of Rome, finally were confronted by the powerful Roman emperor, the Catholic Justinian. Under Balisarius, he sent an effective army to Africa where the Vandals were located. "In 533 the Byzantine general, Belisarius, landed in Africa. The Vandals were several times defeated and Carthage was entered and ... the same year they were routed in the decisive battle of Tricameron. In the next year Africa, Sardinia and Corsica were restored to the Roman Empire. As a nation, the Vandals soon ceased to exist." (Nelsons Encyclopedia. Vol. X11 Art. "Vandals" pp 380-381). "...There are few instances in history of a nation disappearing so rapidly and so completely as the Vandals of Africa." (George Finlay. "A History of Greece" Vol. I. p 252.24) "It is reckoned that during the reign of Justinian [the emperor of Eastern Rome] Africa lost 5 millions of inhabitants; thus Arianism was extinguished in that region, not by any enforcement of conformity but by the extermination of the race which had introduced and professed it." (J.C. Robertson. "History of the Christian Church " Vol. I. p 521)

"Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter" (8:10-11).

The third shofar or red radius tube with sun-bell end was a falling star or an apostate leader (Jude 14) who caused great bitterness (8:10) on "a third part of the rivers and fountains of waters". This would be the areas where the rivers begin -- the Alpine regions. Gibbon relates that Attila was "king of the (Mongol) Huns" (3:391) (A "falling star" is a short-lived ruler -- Dan. 8:10; 12:3; Greek "lampas" means "shooting star, meteor" -- a fireball drawing a long train of bright sparks after it). He ruled over a territory bordered by the Danube, the Volga and the Baltic. He had a large head, square shoulders, swarthy complexion, deep eyes and flat nose. He came from the area around a river in Illyricum which in Greek is called "Apsynthos" (Wormwood). The absinthe plant -- Wormwood -- grows freely in the Alps and is bitter and is associated with gall in Scripture (cp. Deut. 29:18; Amos 5:7). Therefore, the same name gives us both the local origin of the "great star" and the effect of his war on the Roman third. Attila burnt cities, massacred and enslaved inhabitants and generally caused despair, famine and bitterness. The Huns devastated the inhabitants of the Italian Alps -- the source of the rivers, causing pollution and disease for those who drank. He was known as "the scourge of God" and boasted that the grass never grew on the spot his horses trod. He invaded the Roman Empire in 450 A.D. "The rise of the great Hunnic power which threatened European civilization in the fifth century was as sudden and rapid as its fall." (J.B. Bury. "History of the Later Roman Empire" Vol. I. p 161). When Huns advanced toward Constantinople (a second third), they got malaria and dysentery and had to turn back.They were only allowed "a third part." Huns ate, slept, and eliminated while on horseback and used a composite bow, so are symbolized by Sagittarius --a half-human-half-horse creature. "This invasion is the most celebrated in our people's discourses, of all those which the barbarians have made upon us; and is the most talked of among the vulgar [or common people] ... and now all the countries which were within the Apennine mountains and the Alps, were full of flight, of depopulation, of slaughter, of slavery, of burning and despair." (Sigonius (A Contemporary) cited by William Whiston. Cambridge Professor. "Essay on the Book of Revelation' pp 184-187 (1744)).

"He hath filled me with BITTERNESS, he hath made me drunken with WORMWOOD ... Remembering mine AFFLICTION and my MISERY, the WORMWOOD and the GALL" (Lam. 3:15-19). Attila led the Huns from 433-453 A.D. Gibbon says that ALL of Attila the Hun's major battles were fought on RIVERS. His strategy was to lure Roman armies into crossing the RIVERS after he had feigned a retreat. While the armies were crossing the RIVERS he ordered his troops to attack. They "fell on the RIVERS." Romans knew nothing of the Hungarian nation before 440 A.D. About that time a warrior appeared suddenly, like a METEOR, upon the banks of the Danube RIVER, with 800,000 fighting men. They came from central Asia, marched north of the Euxine Sea through Russia, and crossed the RIVER Danube -- the boundary of the Roman Empire. They rushed west, crossed the RIVER Rhine, and on the RIVER Marne met Rome's forces in battle. Blood of the slaughtered made the river run red (from 150 to 300 thousand bodies lay dead). Then they desolated the RIVER Rhine to its mouth. Turning southward, on the banks of the RIVER Rhone, the armies met again in fury. Then on the banks of the RIVER Po, contending for Italy. "WATERS" are "PEOPLES ... and NATIONS" (Rev. 17:15; Isa. 48:1). Victorious, Attila marched south to seize the Imperial prize. He wore brilliant colored clothes ("burning as it were a lamp"). He regarded himself as devoted to Mars, the god of war. Gibbon describes the time when Attila's horse bloodied its foot and upon retracing its steps, he found the point of a sword sticking out of the ground. Digging the sword out he declared it the Sword of MARS having been CAST DOWN from HEAVEN. He then claimed to be the Son of MARS. A shooting star (or meteorite) is very bright and intense, but it is also very short-lived before burning out and disappearing. Thus this leader’s conquests were a very short THREE YEARS (451 - 453 A.D.), but very intense. Attila's archers would send a volley of arrows high in the air to FALL FROM HEAVEN on Roman soldiers. When they lifted their shields to protect from above, his archers would shoot a second volley straight into their unprotected flanks. This fits the symbol of a STAR FALLING from HEAVEN into the rivers and making them bitter by turning them to blood. In A.D. 451 Halley's Comet was seen ("great star fell" -- 8:10) before the Battle of Chalons which was Atilla the Hun's only defeat or "FALL". Undeterred by defeat, Attila invaded Italy in 452 A.D. He made the Alpine lake and river country and the valleys of the Po all desolate (Lombardy). He sacked the cities of Padua, Verona, Milan and Turin. Refugees were driven to marshy islands where they founded Venice. Rome, unable to contend longer, sent a priestly delegation asking him to depart. He was persuaded to turn back by Pope Leo who used rich bribes and worked on his superstition. In 453 A.D. Attila retired to Buda on the RIVER Danube which he made the capital and founded the Hungarian nation. When he died the same year, his followers turned the waters of the Danube from its course, buried him in its bed, and then let them return to flow over the grave of the hero. Beneath the RIVER Danube still lie the bones of the star called Wormwood, that fell upon the RIVERS and had a brief, METEORIC career.

"Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!” (8:12-13).

The fourth shofar or red radius tube trumpet with sun-bell end was Odoacer's Heruli (476-490) who conquered Rome in 476 A.D., right when the sea monster Cetus begins and Andromeda (Rome) is in chains. In 476 A.D. Augustulus was made emperor of the west after his father, Orestes, declined the position. Odoacer, the leader of the Heruli, resolved to take Italy at this time, when his "demand that a THIRD part of the lands of Italy should be immediately divided among them", was rejected (Decline and Fall, Gibbon, chap. 36, vol 4, pgs 52, 53. 1909). One third of the sun was smitten when emperor Augustulus was deposed in 476 A.D. "His reign ... was marked by the extinction of the Roman empire in the West", (Ibid. chap. 36, vol 4, pgs 54, 55, 56.) One third of the moon (Consulship) was extinguished by Justinian in 541 A.D. (Decline and Fall, Gibbon, Vol 4, chap. 40, pg 286). The stars (Senate) kept glimmering until banished from their country by Totila, who was a Goth, and basically meet their fate from lack of power in 553 A.D. (Decline and Fall, Gibbon, Vol 4, chap. 43, pgs 445, 446). Thus Gothic darkness descended on the West. However, in another sense, Belisarius dissolved the Roman Senate and Roman Consulship in 538 A.D.. According to 2 Thess. 2 the Antichrist, or Man of sin (Bishop of Rome), would not appear until after Pagan Rome was removed. The one who restrained him was pagan Rome taken out of the way in 476 A.D. (2 Thess. 2:3-7). Pagan Rome gave its power and seat and great authority to the Papacy by removing its capital from Rome to Constantinople (Rev. 13:2). "The unfortunate Augustulus ... signified his own resignation to the senate...They solemnly (addressed a letter to Emperor Zeno) 'disclaim the necessity, or even the wish, of continuing any longer the Imperial succession in Italy; since, in their opinion, the majesty of a sole monarch is sufficient to pervade and protect, at the same time, both the East and the West. In their own name, and the name of the people, they consent that the seat of universal empire shall be transferred from Rome to Constantinople...The republic ... might safely confide in the civil and military virtues of Odoacer; and they humbly request that the emperor would invest him with the title of Patrician and the administration of the diocese of Italy.'" (Ibid. chap. 36, vol 4, pgs 54, 55, 56).

A partial solar eclipse and a partial lunar eclipse are necessarily 15 days apart (symboling 15 years). From 476 when Odoacer became king of Italy till 490 when Theodoric besieged Odoacer at Ravenna is 15 years (Rev. 8:12). Theodoric the Ostrogoth destroyed the Heruli and their kingdom at Rome and Ravenna and ruled Italy as an independent sovereign from 493 to 526 A.D. But Clovis I defeated the Visigoths in the Battle of Vouille in 507 A.D. (CRESCENT of Aries) and in 522, Theodoric's achievements began to unravel even before his death. He had married his daughter Amalasuntha to the Visigoth Eutharic in 515, but Eutharic died in 522, so no lasting dynastic connection of Ostrogoths and Visigoths was established (SUN-wound in Aries). In 522 the Catholic Burgundian king Sisismund killed his own son, Theodoric's grandson Sergeric (SUN-wound in Aries). This 120 degrees is 120 years from 402 till 522 (or 395 to 515 or 405 till 526).

The fall of Rome in 476 A.D. caused the education, road-building, culture and commerce to fall into chaos for over a thousand years in the West. The "DARK AGES" got their name directly from Revelation 8:12 which describes the western third of the sun, moon and stars "DARKENED." "His THRONE shall endure as the SUN before me, it shall be established ... as the MOON" (Ps. 89:36-37). If the SUN is the supreme ruler, the MOON and STARS are subordinate rulers (Gen. 37:9-10). Jerome said, "The world's glorious SUN has been extinguished." The political and religious RULERS are like the astronomical guiding LIGHTS. But "the LIGHT of the wicked shall be put out" (Job 18:5), so in 476 A.D., just like 70 A.D. when Jerusalem fell, "the SUN was darkened, the MOON gave no light, and the STARS fell from heaven" (Matt. 24:29) meaning "I will put an end to the pride of the ARROGANT, the insolence of TYRANTS I will humble" (Isa. 13:11, NLB). Odoacer was chieftain of the Heruli. His father Edecon had been ambassador and secretary to Attila the Hun. Odoacer was of the Arian Christian sect which denied the trinity. He received a prophecy from a hermit who said, "Go to Italy and you shall rise to honour and cast away your coarse garment of skin for nobler vestures and your wealth will be equal to the liberality of your mind." Odoacer brought his mercenaries and quickly rose to be a general in the Western Roman Empire. Odoacer's Heruli finally conquered Rome itself terminating Imperial rule by banishing Emperor Romulus Augustulus in 476 A.D. Coincidentally the names of the two great founders of the city and the monarchy were united in their last emperor. Odoacer governed Italy from 476 to 490 A.D. Theodoric the Ostrogoth destroyed the Heruli and their kingdom at Rome and Ravenna and ruled Italy as an independent sovereign from 493 to 526 A.D. The Kingdom of Lombardy was set up in 570 A.D. There is a parallel here between the punishment on Pagan Rome (Rev. 8:7,8,10,12) and the punishment on Papal Rome (Rev. 16.). In both the same four symbols are used: "Earth," "Sea," "Rivers" and "Sun" (ruler). See Isaiah 13:10, Amos 8:9 and Acts 2:20. After 476 A.D. the Roman Empire divided into TEN independent nations, the feet of ROMAN IRON and GOTHIC CLAY (Dan. 2:42). "We (ISRAEL) are the CLAY" (Isa. 64:8; cp. Jer. 18-19 & Rom. 9:21). Today their names are Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Luxemburg, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Israelite clay is mixed in these nations. The Vandals, Heruli and Ostrogoths were all finally uprooted by the pope (Dan. 7:8). These three powers were Arian and did not believe in the trinity or the authority of the Papacy. Emperor Justinian destroyed the last of the Ostrogoths in 538 A.D, at that same time Justinian made the Pope of Rome sole ruler of Europe and the final word on Scripture.

The distance from Sagittarius to Aries is 120 degrees or one "THIRD" of the starry sky (or "a THIRD of the day" [8:12] -- 120 years) just as the "THIRD part" (8:7-12) of the Roman Empire was invaded by Goths in 395 A.D. and Huns shooting arrows symbolized by Sagittarius since Huns ate, slept and eliminated on horseback and used a composite bow. They eventually killed the Roman eagle (Aquila) in 476 A.D. as it rotated (fell) from the sky -- shot by the Sagitta arrow. The other two-thirds (two birds -- Lyra is an eagle and Arabs sometimes refer to Cygnus as an eagle also) of the empire kept flying. The flying angel ("eagle" -- RSV) shouts "Woe, woe, woe" (Cygnus -- Arab Woe, Aquila -- Turkish Woe and Lyra -- French Revolution Woe or Bolshevik Woe). Historically the first four Trumpets (stages in decline of "Christian" Roman Emperors), like the first four Seals (stages in decline of the pagan Roman Emperors), stand apart from the last three, and resemble one another. Notice that the first six trumpets of Revelation 8 and 9 predicted the division of the Roman Empire into thirds. The Goths conquered the Western third of the Roman Empire which we've just covered. Arabs conquered the southern third and Turks the eastern third as we shall see. The Roman world was divided into THREE PARTS for about 1000 years: "From the age of Charlemagne to that of the Crusades, the world was occupied and disputed by the THREE great EMPIRES, or nations of the Greeks, Saracens, and the Franks" (Gibbon, ch.53). "The THREE great NATIONS of the world, the Greeks, the Saracens, and the Franks, encountered eachother on the plains of Italy" (ch. 56). "THREE CLASSES of men are conspicuous, the Saracens or Arabians, the Latins or Franks, inhabitants of Western Europe, and the Byzantine Greeks" (Phil. Inquiries, part III). The first four trumpets by the barbarians are covered in just six verses suggesting a SHORT time period. But the 5th and 6th trumpets occupy 21 verses indicating a much LONGER time period.

Within this 120 degree pyramid, only part of Drago is visible, symbolizing Rome the red dragon (Rev. 12:3-4; 17:3; Dan. 7:23-24). Hercules may represent the Goths clubbing one "THIRD" of the three-headed dragon of Rome (from 383 to 387 the empire was divided into THIRDS). Naphthalite or White Huns (Naphtali) and Sciri (Issachar) may have been allied with the oriental Huns.

We believe that the four Spanish trumpets (bocinas or red radius tubes with sun-bell ends) that bring down the western United States (paralleling the western Roman Empire) will be Chicano groups like "La Raza," "MEChA," MS-13 (cartel gangsters) and "La Familia" (Nuestra Familia) making way for a "Holy Roman Empire" with Governor Jerry Brown as "El Presidente" (Cal-exit) and Eric Holder assisting. Another possibility is 300,000 Chinese troops in cargo ships embedded in California ports such as Long Beach (also Stockton and W. Sacramento) who will attack key military bases. Remarkably, Spain was in the extreme western Roman Empire just as Spanish California is in western U.S. Los Angeles is built on seven hills and therefore may be the "New Rome" of the Catholic Pope. "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done, is that which shall be done" (Eccl. 1:9). God says, "I change not" (Mal. 3:6). He is "the same yesterday, today and forever" (Heb. 13:8).

In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 we read "That man of sin (shall) be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and EXALTETH HIMSELF ABOVE all that is CALLED GOD, or that is WORSHIPPED; so that he AS GOD sitteth in the TEMPLE of GOD (Naos), showing himself that HE IS GOD." First of all, the "temple of God" in the original Greek is not the Jewish Temple. It is "Ho Naos touTheou" while the word used for the Jewish Temple is "Hieron." The word "Naos" means "a dwelling" and is defined in Ephesians 2:20-22, 2 Thessalonians 2:4, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 and 2 Corinthians 6:16 as the "Church." "Know ye not that YE ARE the TEMPLE (Naos) of GOD, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple (Naos) of God, him shall God destroy: for the temple of God is holy, which TEMPLE (Naos) YE ARE" (1 Cor. 3:16-17). Second, what is "CALLED GOD" or "WORSHIPPED" in the Catholic Church? Any Catholic would immediately say "the HOST." There are many idols in that church, but only one thing called "GOD" -- the WAFER used in Mass, which is truly WORSHIPPED by all faithful Catholics. Catholics even PRAY to it. Third, at the time of the coronation of a new Pope, the host is consecrated and placed on the high altar in St. Peter's at Rome. It is now CALLED GOD. ABOVE the high altar there is a THRONE built into the architecture. When the mass is over, "The Pope rises and wearing his mitre, is LIFTED by the cardinals, and is placed by them UPON the altar to sit there. One of the bishops kneels and begins the Te Deum (we praise thee Oh God). In the meantime the cardinals kiss the feet of the Pope" (Ceremoniale Romanum by Marcelles, 16th cent. Archbishop). This ceremony is called by Roman Catholic writers "the Adoration" and has been observed for many centuries. For Pius IX a medal was struck to celebrate the occasion, and on it is the inscription "Quem creant adorant" or "whom they create (viz. the Pope) they adore." Such language is blasphemous in the extreme. During the coronation of a new Pope there are no less than five distinct adorations, at each of which the canons and clergy of St. Peter's, with their cardinal high priest leading them, come and kneel before the Pope and kiss his feet. At this time also the Pope is CARRIED UP to the THRONE ABOVE the high altar where he sits literally "ABOVE that which is CALLED GOD." Fourth, does the Pope actually exalt himself verbally above God? Pope Pius XI said, "You know that I am the Holy Father, the representative of God on the earth, the vicar of Christ, which means that I am God on earth" ("The Bulwark" October 1922, p. 104). "A holy priest is a savior and another christ" (The Priest, His Dignity and Obligations, St. John Eudes, p.12). "There is more certainty in doing the will of God by obedience to superiors than by obedience to Jesus Christ, should He appear in person to give His commands" (Liguori's True Spouse of Christ, pp. 93 & 162). Pope Nicholas said, "I am all in all and above all, so that God Himself, and I, the Vicar of God, have both one consistory, and I am able to do almost all that God can do ... Wherefore, if those things that I do be said not to be done of man, but of God, what can you make me but God? Again, if prelates of the church be called and counted of Constantine for gods, I then, being above all prelates, seem by this reason to be above all gods. Wherefore, no marvel if it be in my power to dispense with all things, yea, with the precepts of Christ." (End of Age, p.191) Pope Pius X in 1895 said, "The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ Himself hidden under the veil of the flesh. Does the Pope speak? It is Jesus Christ who speaks. Does the Pope accord a favour or pronounce an anathema? It is Jesus Christ who pronounces the anathema or accords the favour. So that when the Pope speaks we have no business to examine. We have only to obey. We have no right to criticize his decisions or discuss his commands. Therefore, everyone who would wear the crown ought to submit himself to Divine Right." Fifth, is the antichrist an individual or a dynasty? Daniel 7:17 speaks of four world-ruling empires and says, "These great beasts which are four are FOUR KINGS which shall arise out of the earth." Does this mean four individual kings? No. Instead it refers to the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman Empires all ruled by a DYNASTY over each. Again the ten horns of Daniel 7:20,24 are proven by fulfillment to be ten kingdoms into which the western Roman Empire was divided at its fall. These ten kingdoms are called "KINGS" (Dan. 7:24), yet they have each existed 14 centuries as a SUCCESSION of KINGS. Side by side with these a little horn "which had eyes (the See of Rome), and a mouth that spake very great things" ran its course. Therefore, this antichrist is a SUCCESSION of POPES.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:7 we read that "he who now hindereth will continue to hinder until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume." Pagan Roman Caesars hindered until they were taken out of the way in 476 A.D. Then Papal Rome was able to take their place and be revealed. In the same way, American presidents stand for freedom of religion and separation of church and state. Until they are "taken out of the way", they will hinder the rise of an intolerant Catholic America as well as an intolerant Moslem America.