Article 40
Who would believe that the USA is mentioned in Bible Prophecy ?
Not many, and those that do would be under suspicion .
Of course, Israel came in contact with the political powers of her day.
It was Abraham, Joseph and Moses who had contact with Egypt, western civilization` s first super power . Then it was Assyria that overcame the Ten Northern Tribes in about 723 BC, and Jonah preached in their capital of Nineveh.
Babylon defeats Assyria and the 70 years of captivity begins for Judah.
It is the Medo-Persians who free these Jews on the night of Belshazzar`s feast and the hand writing on the wall. Daniel 5:28 says that the kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. This was 539 BC.
Greece under Antiochus IV, interferes with the Temple in 168 BC . Rome crucifies Christ and in 70 AD destroys the Temple.
The book of Revelation tells us in 17:10
"And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space."
Obviously the five that have fallen are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon,
Medo-Persia and Greece. Rome of course, was the one that is when John was writing this text. It is after Rome that the seventh kingdom is to appear.
How long did Rome last ?
Theodosius, emperor 379-395, divided the Empire making Constantinople
a second capital so each of his two sons could rule. Ten barbarian tribes coming down from the north over ran Rome with the last emperor Romulus failing in 476 AD.
Under Constantine Christianity had been accepted as the state religion in about 318 AD. The church at Rome converted all but 3 tribes of these barbarians. FANTASTIC !
In 533 AD Emperor Justinian, residing in Constantinople, issued a decree making the bishop of Rome, head of all the holy churches [ Justinian`s Code Book, Book 1, Title 1, Baronius`s Annals, AD 533 ].
The bishop could not exercise this power because 2 of the non-believing tribes occupied Italy with the third in Africa. Justinian sent an army under General Belisarius and in five years these tribes were defeated. So we have two dates: 533 when the decree was issued, and 538 when it went into effect.
The church at Rome which had done so well converting the barbarians, unfortunately began to use the state to enforce its teachings and to kill those that resisted. It became the Holy Roman Empire climaxing in the Spanish Inquisition. SHAME !
Daniel was a prophet in the time of Babylon. He mentions succeeding kingdoms of Mede-Persia, Greece and a fourth one not named which of course is Rome. Four times Rome is said to be diverse from the others which had been states which controlled religion [Daniel 7:7,19,23,24].
Rome began as a state which controlled religion but evolved into a religion which controlled the state, the Holy Roman Empire.
A little horn arrives after the ten horns or barbarians which Daniel 7:25 says
will speak great words against the most High and wear out His saints for a period of 1260 years. See note below.
During the Holy Roman Empire the popes become the little horn. In the 1700s France was the great political power that the papacy used to enforce it teachings. The French revolution began in 1789 and in 1793 Catholicism was expelled as the state church. In 1798 a French army under General Berthier entered Rome and took the pope prisoner thus ending much of his political power. A previous pope has apologized for these wrongs.
533 the decree plus 1260 years to 1793 expulsion from France
538 effective date plus 1260 years to 1798 and pope`s capture
So how long did Rome last ? Till 1798 and it is after Rome that the seventh king is to appear, and would continue a short space. The USA was coming into existence and would become the world` s super power and center of Christian endeavors with more churches, preachers, seminaries, publishing houses and the base for more missionaries.
YES, THE USA IS IN BIBLE PROPHECY !
For more see Part II, article number 41 at www.christianitysconfusion.com
NOTE
Time periods in the Bible for the time that the anti-Christ afflicts the saints are all the same time periods expressed with different wording.
They are : 42 months; 1260 days; time, times and a dividing of
time
The margin of Daniel 11:13 says "times even years."
Time = 1 year
Times = 2 years
½ Time = ½ year
Total = 3 1/2 years
Time texts are Daniel 7:25, 12:7; Revelation 11:23; 12:6,14; 13:5.
In Calculating prophetic time a year is substituted for a day resulting in 1260 years.
Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6.
IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT DEMOCRACIES ONLY LAST ABOUT 200 YEARS FOR IN THAT TIME THE CITIZENS LEARN THAT THEY CAN VOTE THEMSELVES GENEROUS GIFTS FROM THE PUBLIC TREASURY.