PROPHECY---- MAN OF SIN--- 2 THES. 2 #2

 Man of Sin? 2 Thes. 2 #2

The Great Falling away - who did it?

   by

    Ralph Woodrow

With comments by Keith Hunt as I think needed

DANIEL'S PROPHECY - THE LITTLE HORN

In vision, Daniel saw four great beasts which symbolized four

kingdoms which were to rule the earth (Daniel 7).

1. The first beast was like a lion with eagle's wings, but the

wings were to be plucked off (verse 4). Even as the lion among

animals is the king of the forest, so the empire which held first

position in the vision given to Daniel was Babylon. In due time,

its "wings" were plucked off and mighty Babylon fell from its

elevated position.

2. The second beast was like a bear and it had three ribs in its

mouth (verse 5). Even as the bear is less courageous (as well as

less noble) than the lion, the second kingdom, Medo-Persia, was

less in glory compared to Babylon. It fell short of Babylon in

wealth, magnificence, and brilliance. The mention of "three ribs"

in the mouth - between the teeth where a bear crushes its prey -

is possibly a reference to the fact that Medo-Persia crushed the

three provinces that made up the Babylonian kingdom: Babylon,

Lydia, and Egypt.

3. The third beast was like a leopard with four wings and four

heads (verse 6). The third kingdom, the Grecian Empire of

Alexander the Great, was symbolized by the leopard which is noted

for its quick movements and remarkable swiftness by which it

springs upon its prey. Likewise the conquests of Alexander's

kingdom were amazingly rapid. At the age of 32, it is said,

Alexander had conquered the world and wept because there were no

more worlds to conquer.

There were four heads on this leopard beast. Following the death

of Alexander, his kingdom was divided into four parts with four

kings each ruling a part: (1) Cassander ruled over Greece and the

surrounding country, (2) Lysimachus ruled over Asia Minor, (3)

Seleucus ruled over Syria and Babylon, and (4) Ptolemy ruled over

Egypt.

4. The fourth beast that Daniel saw was "dreadful and terrible,

and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured

and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it,

and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and

it had ten horns" (verse 7). The fourth world kingdom was the

Roman Empire. And, as the prophecy said, it was dreadful,

terrible, and strong; it did tear down the whole earth; and it

stands out as diverse from the other empires of history. The

meaning of the ten horns on this beast is explained in verse 24:

"These ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings [or kingdoms]

that shall arise" - Macchiavelli, the Roman historian, described

the Empire as being divided among the various Gothic tribes their

number being ten: Heruli, Suevi, Burgundians, Huns, Ostrogoths,

Visigoths, Vandals, Lombards, Franks, and Anglo-Saxons. These

have ever since been spoken of as the ten kingdoms that rose out

of the Roman Empire.

[IT IS WAY WAY MORE PROPHETIC THAN THOSE GOTHIC 

TRIBES; ALL EXPLAINED IN-DEPTH IN MY STUDY ARTICLE 

“THE BEASTS OF DANIEL AND REVELATION” - Keith Hunt]

As the prophecy continues, we find that another horn would rise

up among these ten. "I considered the horns, and, behold, there

came up among them another little horn, before whom there were

three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in

this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking

great things" (verse 8). This "little horn" would make war

against the saints (verse 21) and would think to change times and

laws (verse 25). Altogether there are eight things that we should

notice concerning the little horn.

1. The little horn was to be a ROMAN power. A horn on a beast is

that which grows out of a beast. Since we know the fourth beast

was Roman, so also must the horn be Roman!

Does the Papacy fit this description? Yes. The Papacy rose to

power at the time and place indicated by Bible prophecy. No one

can question that the Papacy is Roman. Its seat is in Rome. Its

very name is ROMAN Catholic, an amazing point of identification

even in our time!

2. The little horn was to be revealed in power among the ten

kingdoms into which the Roman Empire was divided. We have seen

that Rome was divided into ten kingdoms. The Papacy did rise to

power among these ten kingdoms - following the fall of Rome - as

we have seen.

3. The little horn was to pluck up three of the other horns, the

interpretation being that "he shall subdue three kings

[kingdoms]" (Dan.7:24). Did the Papacy subdue three of these ten

kingdoms? Elliott says: "I might cite three that were eradicated

from before the Pope out of the list first given, viz., the

Heruli under Odacer, the Vandals, and the 0strogoths." The Heruli

were

……

     1) In Daniel 7 we find the word "kings" and "kingdoms" used

     interchangeably. The prophecy speaks of four kings (verse

     17) and goes on to speak of these as four kingdoms (verse

     23). There is no contradiction here. If there is a king,

     there is of necessity a kingdom.

     2. Elliott, Horae Apocalpticae, vol. 3, p. 139.

……

overthrown in 493, the Vandals in 534, and the Ostrogoths in 553.

4. The little horn would rise up among the ten horns (kingdoms),

but would be "diverse" or different than the ten. Has the Papacy

been a kingdom that has been different from other kingdoms that

rose out of the fourth beast? Yes. Other kingdoms have claimed

temporal power, but the Papacy rose up claiming spiritual power

as well. The Papacy is the only government rising from the ruins

of Rome that made such claims. The Papacy has claimed that its

diversity from other kingdoms is as the sun compared to the moon.

Guinness has well put it in these words: "Is not the Papacy

sufficiently diverse from all the rest of the kingdoms of western

Europe to identify it as the little horn? What other ruling 

monarch of Christendom ever pretended to apostolic authority, or

ruled men in the name of God? Does the Pope dress in royal robes?

Nay, but in priestly garments. Does he wear a crown? Nay, but a

triple tiara, to show that he reigns in heaven, earth, and hell!

Does he wield a sceptre? Nay, but a crosier or crook, to show

that he is the good shepherd of the Church. Do his subjects kiss

his hand? Nay, but his toe! Verily this power is 'diverse' from

the rest, both in great things and little. It is small in size,

gigantic in its pretensions:"

5. The little horn was pictured with a MOUTH - "a mouth that

spoke every great things"(verse 20). "He shall speak great words

against the most High" (verse 25). This suggests pride and

arrogance.

By teaching corrupt doctrines, unscriptural doctrines, the Papacy

has dared to speak great things - has made great claims - and so

by doing has spoken against God. IT should be carefully noted

that the prophecy tells what this little horn would DO, not what

he would PROFESS TO DO. He professes to speak the words of God,

to define the doctrines of God; but in reality, he speaks things

that are unscriptural and in some cases even the exact opposite

of what the Bible says.

Much could be said about the great claims that the Popes have

made, but for now we will mention one classic claim - the claim

that all men must be subject to the Roman pontiff in order to be

saved: "All the faithful of Christ by necessity of salvation are

subject to the Roman pontiff, who judges all men... Therefore we

declare, assert, define, and pronounce, that to be subject to the

Roman pontiff is to every human creature altogether necessary

for  salvation" (Unam Sanctam, by Boniface VIII). 

Thus the Papacy has had a mouth claiming things that no bishop

had ever claimed before. The sentences of the Pope are considered

final; his utterances infallible; his decrees irreformable.

6. The little horn of Daniel's vision "had eyes" and his "look

was more stout than his fellows" (verse 20). A horn on a beast

does not normally possess eyes - thus such symbolism stands out

vividly. This horn would be a power with foresight, intelligence.

With such eyes, it would be a seer.

Does the Papacy fit this? The Pope claims to be the overseer of

the whole world-wide church! He claims to watch over, to shepherd

or pastor, more people than any other leader. His look is more

stout than others and is greatly feared, for he claims to be the

possessor of the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

7. The little horn was to "make war with the saints" and prevail

against them (Dan. 7:21); he would "wear out the saints of the

most High" (verse 25).

The early Christians were persecuted by the Jews, later came the

persecutions under the rule of the pagan Roman Empire. But the

war against the saints that is here described was to be carried

on by a power that would rise out of Rome following the breaking

up of the Empire into ten kingdoms. Looking into history, we find

that century after century of persecution did come upon the

saints by a power that rose out of Rome. That power was the

Papacy - and none other.

Christians were horribly tortured, tested, and tried during those

centuries. Pope Innocent IV issued an official document which

stated that heretics (those who would not bow to the Romish

system) were to be crushed like venomous snakes. His soldiers

were promised property and remission of all their sins if they

killed a heretic! Victims of the Inquisition were stretched and

torn apart on the "rack." Some were crushed and stabbed to death

in the "iron virgin." There was the thumb-screw, an instrument

made for disarticulating the fingers and "Spanish Boots" which

were used to crush the legs and feet. Pinchers were used to tear

out fingernails or were applied red-hot to the sensitive parts of

the body.

Every imaginable method of torture was used that fiendish men

could imagine. Those who wouldn't bow to the Pope's system were

shut up in caves and dungeons, were nailed to trees, tormented

with fires, scalded with oil or burning pitch; melted lead was

poured into their eyes and ears and mouths; they were scalped,

skinned, flayed alive; heads were twisted off and eyes gouged

out; women were defiled, their breasts cut off; babies were

brutally beaten, whipped stabbed, dashed against trees - in front

of their parents - and then thrown to hungry dogs and swine. It

has been estimated that there were fifty million or more

Christians killed during those dark ages by the persecutions that

were promoted by the Papacy.

If such treatment as this, inflicted on generation after

generation, is not the "wearing out of the saints of the most

High", what could be? All other persecutions against the saints

were brief and mild in comparison to those persecutions inflicted

by the Papacy.

Those who hold the futurist interpretation, however, commonly

think of the Antichrist as a super-politician who will drop

highly destructive bombs from jet planes. As one writer says.

Antichrist will "plunge the nations into the last great atomic

war" (De Haan, Will the church Go Through the Tribulation?, .

25).

[THE SECOND END TIME FULFILMENT WILL BRING

WAR ON THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH; THERE IS TO 

COME  AN END-TIME WORLD WAR; BUT THIS IS NOT 

WHAT IS BEING TALKED ABOUT HERE - Keith Hunt]

 But this is not what the Bible is talking about here. The

dropping of bombs upon cities would kill people regardless of

whether they were saints or sinners. In fact, this kind of "war"

would kill more sinners than saints, for the simple reason that

there are more sinners. But the "war" of Daniel 7 was not to be

mass destruction of the people as a whole - it was specifically

described as war against the saints!

8. The little horn would "think to change times and laws" (Dan.

7:25). Daniel said that wisdom and might belong to God and that

he is the one that "changeth the times and the seasons" (Dan.

2:21). But here we see that this "little horn" would think to do

things which rightly belong only to God. He would exalt himself

to a place in which he would even dare to meddle with divine

things!

There would not be much significance if he would merely think to

change civil laws - politicians do this every day in their course

of duty. But since the context speaks of how the little horn

would speak words against the "most High", would wear out the

saints of the "most High", it is inferred that the times and laws

which he would seek to change would not only be civil laws, but

divine laws also. This demonstrates the blasphemous character of

the little horn.

As far as human laws, the Papacy has annulled the decrees of

kings and emperors; it has thrust its long arm into the affairs

of the nations; it has brought rulers to its feet in abject

humility. In religious things, the Pope claims infallibility in

pronouncing doctrine. By exalting himself to such a position -

and millions have believed this dogma - it is evident that he has

thought to change divine things. He has instituted the observance

of days for which there is no Scriptural basis, has instituted

rituals and rites that were borrowed directly from paganism, and

has set himself up as authority in place of the Bible. 

We see, then, that the little horn that would rise out of the

fourth beast - Rome - would be a Roman power, would rise among

the ten kingdoms into which the empire was divided, would pluck

up three of the other kingdoms, would be diverse, would make

great claims, would be a seer, would make war with the saints,

and would think to change times and laws.

Understanding this prophecy, the early Christians knew that the

Roman Empire - the fourth beast - would fall, the fall of which

would bring on the man of sin. And since the man of sin, the

little horn of Daniel 7, would make war against the SAINTS, Paul

concluded that the man of sin would have to come to power BEFORE

the saints are gathered at the Second Coming of Christ! 

(2 Thess.2:1-3).

                             ................

TO BE CONTINUED

WOODROW IS HERE PROVING THE POINT THAT THERE WAS TO COME  A FIRST APPLICATION OF PAUL’S PROPHECY—— WHICH I HAVE NO TROUBLE AGREEING WITH. THERE WAS TO COME THIS LITTLE HORN  OF DANEL 7—— THE  ROMAN  PAPACY.

BUT  WHAT  RALPH  WOODROW  IS  OBVIOUSLY  NOT  DOING  IS  TAKING  THE WHOLE  CONTEXT  INTO  CONSIDERATION.  THE  CONTEXT  IS  PROVING  THERE  WILL  COME  A  SECOND  END-TIME  FULFILMENT  OF  THIS PROPHECY—— TAKING  US  INTO  THE  LAST  42  MONTHS  OR  1260  DAYS OF  THE  BOOK  OF  REVELATION.  THE  MAN  OF  SIN  OR  THE  FALSE  PROPHET  OF  REVELATION  IS  DESTROYED  BY  CHRIST  AT

HIS  COMING  IN  POWER  AND  GLORY.

Keith Hunt