How does the theme of divine judgment as a corrective force appear in the narrative of the little horn in Daniel?

The theme of divine judgment as a corrective force in the narrative of the little horn in Daniel is evident in the heavenly court judgment described in Daniel 7. The little horn, which symbolizes a power that blasphemes God, persecutes the saints, and attempts to change divine law, experiences a period of dominion marked by injustice and false worship . This period is characterized by the persecution and martyrdom of God's people . However, divine judgment is depicted as God's response to rectify this injustice, as the heavenly court convenes to judge the little horn after its dominion has ended. The judgment takes away its power and ultimately leads to its destruction, transferring dominion to the saints of the Most High, thus correcting the wrongs perpetrated by the little horn . This divine judgment underscores the theme of God setting all things right, vindicating the martyrs, and restoring justice ."}

What thematic links exist between the visions in Daniel 2, 8, and 11, and how do they contribute to the central message of the book?

The visions in Daniel 2, 8, and 11 share thematic links that contribute to the central message of divine sovereignty and prophetic timelines in the book. In Daniel 2, the vision of the metallic image represents successive world empires culminating in the establishment of God's eternal kingdom. Daniel 8 uses the symbols of the ram and the goat to depict the Medo-Persian and Greek empires, foreshadowing the rise of subsequent powers leading up to the end times . Furthermore, Daniel 11 provides a detailed account of conflicts between northern and southern kingdoms, illustrating the struggle between earthly powers and the eventual deliverance by divine intervention, highlighted when Michael stands up to save God's people . Collectively, these visions emphasize God’s control over history and His ultimate judgment, aligning with the central theme that Jehovah directs world events towards the fulfillment of His kingdom, despite the temporal triumphs of worldly powers . These visions further contribute to the judgment theme by pointing to a succession of events leading to a judgment opening, only to be fully understood at the time of the end as the prophecies unfold . This consistent message across the visions underscores the sovereignty of God over worldly kingdoms and His dominion over time, which are crucial elements of the book's message ."}

Discuss the interplay between political power and religious authority as seen in the relationship between Constantine and the early Church.

The relationship between Constantine and the early Church illustrates a significant interplay between political power and religious authority. When Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to Constantinople in 330, the Western Church was left to operate with greater autonomy from imperial rule, leading to the Bishop of Rome becoming a prominent political and spiritual leader . Constantine legitimized Christianity with the Edict of Milan in 313, which effectively allowed the Church to develop an organized structure, paralleling the state's power . This alliance between church and state led to the Church gaining unprecedented control over both spiritual and temporal matters, a dynamic evident during the medieval period when the papacy exercised authority surpassing that of the Roman emperors . Over time, the Church's reliance on political structures to secure its position is criticized for weakening both institutions, revealing an inherent tension in the Church-state union . This dynamic set a foundation for the Middle Ages where the papacy sought to govern not only religious affairs but also political ones . The transformation under Constantine's policies thus paved the way for a Roman Christian Church that wielded significant influence over political realms throughout history.

How does the transformation from temporal to spiritual warfare manifest in the book of Daniel, particularly in the vision recounted in chapters 8 and 11?

The transformation from temporal to spiritual warfare in the book of Daniel manifests through a shift in focus within the prophetic visions and explanations. In Daniel 8, the vision emphasizes the rise and fall of earthly empires, symbolized by the ram, goat, and the little horn, representing a succession from Medo-Persia to Greece and then to Rome. These elements denote temporal power struggles among nations . However, the transition to spiritual warfare becomes evident as the focus shifts to the activities of 'papal Rome' which involves spiritual persecution and the "trampling of spiritual Israel" . In Daniel 8, the term ‘mareh’ is used to refer to the specific portion of the vision concerning the time elements, such as the "2300 evenings and mornings" leading to the sanctuary's cleansing, indicating a significant spiritual event . Chapter 11 expands upon these spiritual conflicts, foreseeing events beyond mere political shifts, including the activities of the papacy, the close of probation, and an eventual spiritual deliverance, aligning with the concept of spiritual warfare . Thus, while Daniel 8 begins with temporal powers, the subsequent chapters, notably 9 through 12, provide explanations that focus increasingly on spiritual dominion and divine judgment .

What does the ongoing observance of Sunday instead of the biblical Sabbath suggest about the authority and influence of religious tradition over Scripture?

The observance of Sunday rather than the biblical Sabbath underscores the significant influence of religious tradition over Scripture, particularly the role of the Catholic Church. While the Bible supports the sanctification of the seventh day (Saturday) as the Sabbath, historical shifts in practice arose from ecclesiastical tradition rather than scriptural mandate. This power to redefine a fundamental aspect of religious observance illustrates the Church's authority and the weight of tradition in shaping religious customs. It reflects the broader phenomenon where religious institutions can exercise substantial influence on doctrine and practice, sometimes independent of scriptural foundations .

Explain the significance of the word 'tamid' in the book of Daniel, specifically in relation to the actions of the little horn.

The word 'tamid' signifies the 'daily' or 'continual' services of the sanctuary, specifically representing the sacrifices and ministrations that were central to the Jewish religious system. In the book of Daniel, the little horn attacks the 'tamid,' disrupting these continual services as a symbol of rebellion against God. This attack on the 'daily' reflects the little horn's larger agenda of replacing or profaning divinely ordained worship, highlighting its opposition to God's covenant and law . The removal of the 'daily' service signifies an attempt to undermine the sacrifice of Christ, which these services symbolized . Therefore, the significance of 'tamid' in Daniel is deeply tied to the little horn's actions, which denote an assault on the spiritual foundation of God's sanctuary and worship ."}

What role does the concept of prophetic foresight play in the narrative of Daniel 2, and how does it reinforce the theme of divine sovereignty?

The concept of prophetic foresight in Daniel 2 manifests through Daniel’s ability to interpret King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, which outlines a succession of empires symbolized by a great statue, each part made of different materials, representing different kingdoms . This ability to predict future events underscores the theme of divine sovereignty by revealing that God is actively guiding historical events. The dream demonstrates that while worldly empires rise and fall, a divine kingdom will ultimately surpass and endure beyond them all, demonstrating God's control over human affairs and the future . Daniel's capacity to interpret dreams is attributed to a divine gift of understanding visions and dreams, reinforcing the notion that divine insight surpasses earthly wisdom . Through this prophetic foresight, the narrative of Daniel 2 communicates the message that divine will shapes the course of history, affirming God's ultimate authority and sovereignty over all nations.

How did Nebuchadnezzar's actions in Daniel 3 reflect his attitude towards God's control, and what were the consequences of his defiance?

Nebuchadnezzar's actions in Daniel 3 reflected a defiance against God's control by erecting a massive golden image and demanding worship from all, thereby attempting to change God's perspective of history as revealed in his dream of the statue with different metals, representing successive kingdoms, none of which were solely Babylonian . He claimed dominion over the historical narrative and exercised his perceived power by ordering the three Hebrew men into the fiery furnace for refusing to obey his command, thus challenging God's authority . However, the consequence of this defiance was a demonstration of God's true sovereignty when God intervened, sparing the young men and compelling Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge that no god could save in the way that the God of Israel could, thereby showing his limitations and ultimately leading him toward recognition of God's supreme power .

How is the theme of 'testing and loyalty under persecution' illustrated in the story of Daniel 3 with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego?

The theme of 'testing and loyalty under persecution' in Daniel 3 is illustrated by the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who are thrown into a fiery furnace for refusing to worship a golden statue, demonstrating their steadfast loyalty to God despite facing severe punishment. This reflects their unwavering commitment even under threat of death, exemplifying true faith and courage . The narrative emphasizes God's intervention, as He delivers them unharmed, showcasing His power and faithfulness to protect those who remain loyal in times of persecution . This story underscores a broader message about the endurance of God’s people through trials and the ultimate triumph of divine truth over human coercion .

How did God demonstrate His control over history in the story of Daniel 2, and what was the outcome for Daniel and his friends?

In Daniel 2, God demonstrated His control over history by revealing King Nebuchadnezzar's forgotten dream and its interpretation to Daniel. This act not only displayed God's sovereignty over the flow of future events but also invalidated the Babylonian wise men, showcasing the supremacy of God over Babylonian gods and wisdom . As a result, Daniel and his friends were elevated to positions of prominence in the kingdom. Daniel was appointed chief ruler over the province of Babylon and head of all the wise men, while his friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were assigned administrative roles in Babylon . This outcome illustrated God's intervention in human affairs and His ability to exalt those who remain faithful to Him, even in foreign lands .

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STUDIES IN DANIEL 1-10

Table of Contents

Lesson # Page #

1. Notable Dates and Events Related to Daniel 3

2. Daniel’s Central Theme 7
3. Daniels Little Book 19
4. Notes on Revelation 10 27
5. The Historical Chapters of Daniel 37
6. Notes on Daniel 1 45
7. Notes on Daniel 2 55
8. Notes on Daniel 3 65
9. Notes on Daniel 4 83
10. Notes on Daniel 5 93
11. Daniel 5 as the Background to Revelation 16 and 17 103
12. Notes on Daniel 6 113
13. Notes on Daniel 7 119
14. The Jewish View of Tradition 211
15. A Case Study: Mark 7:1-13 219
16. Jesus and Theological Conflict 227
17. The Roman Catholic View of Tradition - Part 1 235
18. The Roman Catholic View of Tradition - Part 2 245
19. Sabbath Controversies and Tradition 255
20. Dies Domini The Horn that Attempted to Change God’s Law 265
21. Notes on Daniel 8 293
22. Notes on Daniel 9 325
23. Notes on Daniel 10 359

Contact Secrets Unsealed 371

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“STUDIES IN DANIEL 1-10”
by Pastor Stephen Bohr

LESSON #1 – NOTABLE DATES AND EVENTS

RELATED TO DANIEL

 1445 BC: Israel enters a covenant relationship with God at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:5, 6).
 1405 BC: Israel begins the conquest of the Promised Land after 40 years in the wilderness
(the book of Joshua).
 1000 BC: Beginning of the Hebrew Monarchy with Saul and David.
 953 BC: Temple built by Solomon is dedicated (2 Chronicles chapters 6 and 7).
 931 BC: Jeroboam causes the split of the tribes of the south (Judah) from the tribes of the
north (Israel).
 723 BC: Destruction of Samaria by the Assyrians leads to the dispersion of the Ten Tribes
of the north. The remnants of the Ten Tribes are the Samaritans of Christ’s day.
 626 BC: The call of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:3) begins his ministry that lasts for about 40
years.
 623 BC: Birth of Daniel (2 Chronicles 35:18; in Testimonies for the Church, Volume 4 p.
470 Ellen White affirms that Daniel was 18 when he was taken captive in 605 BC).
 621 BC: Josiah’s reformation (2 Chronicles 35:18; Testimonies for the Church, Volume 4
p. 570) Huldah the prophetess leads Israel in a great reformation when the book of the
law is discovered in the temple (2 Kings 22:14-20). Daniel grew up during this reformation.
 612 BC: Babylon conquers Nineveh, the capital of the waning Assyrian Empire (predicted
by the prophecy of Nahum).
 605 BC: Daniel and his friends are taken captive to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar
(Daniel 1).
 605-536 BC: Jeremiah’s prophecy of the 70-year captivity begins and ends (Jeremiah
25:11, 12). The book of Lamentations was sung by the Hebrew captives on the way to
Babylon and Psalm 137 was sung by them while in Babylon.
 597 BC (March 15): After Judah rebelled and sided with Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar took
Jerusalem for a second time and Ezekiel was taken captive to Babylon.

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 588-586 BC: Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar (described in 2
Chronicles 36:15-21).
 539 BC: The fall of Babylon (prophesied in Jeremiah 50 and 51 and Isaiah 47 and described
in Daniel 5).
 536 BC: Cyrus issues the decree to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. The seventy-year
captivity comes to an end (605-536 BC).
 535-520 BC: Rebuilding of the temple is suspended due to opposition by the Samaritans.
 520-515 BC: The temple rebuilt and finished (described in the books of Haggai and
Zechariah).
 483 BC: The story of Esther.
 457 BC: The decree of King Artaxerxes Longanimus marks the beginning of the seventy
weeks and allows the Jews to reestablish its civil and religious institutions.
 408 BC: The walls of Jerusalem rebuilt and finished by Nehemiah in troublous times (the
book of Nehemiah).
 425 BC: Malachi was the last prophet of the Old Testament but the promise of Elijah to
come closes the Old Testament period with a note of hope (Malachi 4:4, 5).
 331 BC: The kingdom of Persia falls and the kingdom of Greece takes its place in history.
 168 BC: The kingdom of Greece falls and the Iron Empire of Rome begins its rule.
 27 AD (spring and fall): John the Baptist prepares the way in the spring for the Messiah’s
anointing in the fall.
 31 AD: Messiah is crucified on the 14th day of Nissan at 3 o’clock in the afternoon as the
Passover Lamb (Exodus 12:5, 6; Leviticus 23:5; 1 Corinthians 5:7, 8).
 31 AD: Messiah rests in the tomb on the 15th of Nissan (on the Seventh-day Sabbath as
the Unleavened Bread and the Manna; Leviticus 23:6-8; Acts 2:25-32).
 31 AD: Messiah resurrects on the 16th of Nissan and presents Himself as the first-fruits to
His Father at 9 o’clock in the morning (Leviticus 23:9-14; 1 Corinthians 15:23; Acts 2:15).
 31 AD: (forty days after the resurrection): Jesus ascends to heaven (Acts 1:9-11).
 31 AD: (ten days before Pentecost) Jesus is invested as High Priest and receives the
promise of the Spirit to pour out upon His disciples. Meanwhile the disciples prepare to
receive the Spirit in the Upper Room (Acts 1; Revelation 4; Leviticus 8; Psalm 133).
 34 AD: The stoning of Stephen marks the close of probation for the Jewish theocracy (Acts
7).
 70 AD: Jerusalem destroyed by the Roman Armies under General Titus (Daniel 9:26, 27;
Luke 19:41-44; Matthew 24:15; Matthew 22:7).
 476 AD: The final fall of the Roman Empire and the beginning of ‘divided Rome’ (Daniel
2:41-43).

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 508 AD: Clovis King of the Franks lends the help of the civil power to the papacy for the
first time. Beginning of the 1290 and 1335 days/years (Daniel 12:11, 12; 11:31).
 538 AD: The beginning of the 1260 days/years and the dominion of papal Rome (Daniel
7:25; Revelation 12:14; 13:5).
 1798 AD: The end of the 1260 and the 1290 years marks the conclusion of the first stage
of papal dominion.
 1843 AD: The end of the 1335 days/years (Daniel 12:12).
 1844 AD: The beginning of the investigative judgment in heaven in fulfillment of the
prophecy of the 2300 days of Daniel 8:14.
 Date Unknown: Close of human probation (Daniel 12:1).

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“STUDIES IN DANIEL 1-10”
by Pastor Stephen Bohr

LESSON #2 – DANIEL’S CENTRAL THEME

Ellen White on the Central Theme of Daniel

“In the annals of human history the growth of nations, the rise and fall of empires, appear as
dependent on the will and prowess of man. The shaping of events seems, to a great degree, to be
determined by his power, ambition, or caprice. But in the word of God the curtain is drawn aside,
and we behold, behind, above, and through all the play and counterplay of human interests and
power and passions, the agencies of the all-merciful One, silently, patiently working out the
counsels of His own will.” Education, p. 173

Three Key Phrases

Dan 2:20-21: Three key phrases reveal the central theme of the book of Daniel:

“Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might
are His. And He [1] changes the times and the seasons; He [2] removes kings and raises up kings;
He [3] gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.”

The idea of the ‘change’ of times is found in some very interesting places in the book of Daniel.
The word basically means that God is in charge of the historical events of nations and individual
persons. In Daniel 3:28 we are told that the three young Hebrews changed the king’s word
(actually God did). In Daniel 6:8, 17 we are told that the law of the Medes and Persians could not
be changed but God changed and overturned it. In Daniel 4, when the king was looking forward
to many years of prosperity, God changed his plans and made seven times pass over him before
he recovered his sanity. Daniel 7:25 uses the same word to describe the little horn thinking that
it could control times. On an individual level the Psalmist exclaimed to God: “My times are in your
hand” (Psalm 31:15).

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Central Theme in Daniel 1

Daniel 1:1, 2: The two sides in the conflict are introduced

 Two kings: Jehoiakim versus Nebuchadnezzar

 Two gods: Yahweh versus Marduk
 Two cities: Babylon versus Jerusalem
 Two temples: the temple of God versus the temple of Marduk
 Two peoples: The Hebrews versus the Babylonians
 On the surface, Nebuchadnezzar appeared to have the upper hand. He and his god
appeared to be more powerful than Jehoiakim and His God. But Daniel 1:1, 2 removes
the veil and shows that Nebuchadnezzar prevailed only because God allowed it. It was
necessary that Daniel end up in Babylon because God had a very important work for him
there:

Daniel 1:1,2: “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his
hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the
house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god.”

Change of Diet

Daniel 1:5: The king appoints the diet

The king appeared to have control by appointing the diet of Daniel and his friends. This diet
differed radically from the original diet that God had appointed in Eden:

Daniel 1:5: “And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies and of the
wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they
might serve before the king.”

The king attempted to control the diet of Daniel and his friends in this way exhibiting his
sovereignty over them. But then Daniel and his friends refused to eat his rich food and drink his
wine. This refusal on the part of Daniel and his friends reveals that Nebuchadnezzar was not in
full control.

Daniel 1:8: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of
the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank.”

Change of Names

Daniel 1:7: The king changed the names of the Hebrew worthies. In the Bible the name is a
revelation of the person’s character:

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Daniel 1:7: “To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar;
to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.”

The king appeared to be in control because he changed the names of Daniel and his friends. That
the change had an intentional purpose is seen in Daniel 4:8 where Nebuchadnezzar brags that
he changed Daniel’s name to Belteshazzar to honor his gods rather than the God of Daniel.

Daniel 5:12 Although the eunuch changed the names he did so because the king instructed him
to do so:

Daniel 5:12: “Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams,

solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named
Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation."

Daniel 4:8: “But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar according to the name
of my god).”

Nebuchadnezzar’s desire to control is revealed in the rest of the book by the fact that the king
always refers to the Hebrew worthies by their Babylonian names. But God and the Hebrew
worthies employ their Hebrew names.

Change of Education

The king’s desire to exhibit his control is also revealed by the fact that he had the Hebrew
worthies enrolled in the educational system of Babylon. He wanted to change their religion and
world view by putting them into the school of Babylon with the wise men; but the young men
were not buying! Daniel and his friends never used the divination methods of the wise men. In
fact, they were hated by the wise men because of their religious principles.

Daniel and his friends made up their minds that they would be faithful to the God of their fathers
and God rewarded them by giving them true wisdom from heaven.

Daniel 1:17: “As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature
and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.”

The result of their faithfulness was apparent: Daniel and his friends were ten times better than
all the wise men which ate Babylon’s food and studied in the Babylon’s school. Because of their
faithfulness God brought them to prominence in the kingdom.

Central Theme in Daniel 2

God’s control of history is revealed in several details in the story of Daniel 2.

First of all, according to Daniel 2:29, God was able to read the king’s thoughts when he went to
bed:

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Daniel 2:29: “Thoughts came to your mind while on your bed about what would come to pass
after this.”

Because God knew what the king was thinking, He gave him a dream to reveal what he wanted
to know.

God then gave the king amnesia. The purpose of the amnesia was to unmask the wise men and
reveal before the world that the religion of Babylon was bankrupt and that the religion of Daniel
was superior. Daniel did not use the forbidden methods of the wise men. His only method was
prayer to God. He did not practice what he was taught in the school of Babylon.

Now that Satan’s instruments had been unmasked, Satan took advantage of the situation by
acting upon the king’s mind to destroy all the wise men and among these were Daniel and his
friends. Obviously Satan had seen in these young men a potential future problem and he was
going to nip the problem in the bud.

God showed that He was in control by revealing the dream to Daniel that He had veiled from the
king’s memory. God gave Daniel wisdom to know the dream and its meaning.

As Daniel went before the king to tell him the dream and its meaning, he clearly told the king that
the course of history is controlled by God:

Daniel 2:37-38: “You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom,
power, strength, and glory; 38 and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field
and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over
them all — you are this head of gold.”

According to Daniel’s explanation, Nebuchadnezzar did not come to the kingdom because of his
superior intelligence or mightier weapons. He became king because God determined it that way.

God then showed His sovereignty over human history by revealing how it would flow from
Daniel’s day until the end of time. Only the One who knows the future in advance can mold the
course of history to fulfill his plan. Daniel clearly showed the king that God will have the last
word.

Satan intended to have Daniel and his friends killed along with the wise men but instead, God
brought them to prominence in the kingdom where they could be in close contact with the king.

The Central Theme in Daniel 3

God had delineated in Daniel 2 the sequence of kingdoms that would arise between the days of
Nebuchadnezzar and the second coming of Jesus. Nebuchadnezzar did not like the scenario that
God had presented and he attempted to change God’s prophetic scenario—the times. The king
was saying: ‘History will unfold according to my scenario. I am in control.”

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There are several links between Daniel 2 and 3:

 The word “gold” in Daniel 2 and 3 links the chapters.

 The word “image” is identical in both chapters.
 The expression “I have set up” is repeatedly used in the chapter (verses 1, 2, 3 [2 times],
5, 7, 12, 14, 15, 18).
 Remember that in Daniel 2 God had stated that He was going to “set up” his eternal and
indestructible kingdom (3:1, 2, 3, 7, 12, 14, 15 and 18) so the king set up an image to
announce that his kingdom would be eternal and indestructible.

All the power and control appear to be in the king’s hand as the story in Daniel 3 unfolds. The
king raises the image in defiance of God’s perspective of history. He commands everyone to
worship the image. All nations, tongues and peoples bow to the king’s command. He utters a
death decree against anyone who fails to recognize his authority. He heats the furnace seven
times hotter than ever before. He has the young men thrown into the furnace.

But the story clearly shows that the power and control of the king are limited. While the whole
world follows the order of the king, there is a small remnant of three who contested his
supremacy—they were the allies of the God of heaven. The king’s power and authority was not
absolute. In fact, it is limited because he could not force the young men to worship his image.
They refused to recognize the king’s perspective of human history. They were loyal to the God of
heaven.

The king defiantly claimed to be greater than the God of the Hebrews when he said to them:

Daniel 3:15 (NIV): “…What God shall be able to deliver you from my hand?”

The three young men answered the king:

Daniel 3:16, 17: “…O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is
the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will
deliver us from your hand, O king.”

Nebuchadnezzar then exercised his power and control by heating the furnace seven times hotter
and throwing the three young men into the furnace. But God spoke the last word. Christ Himself
interrupted and overturned the king’s power and authority by coming personally into the
furnace to deliver His remnant. A key word that appears at critical junctures in the chapter is the
word ‘deliver’. In fact, we will discover that this word is found only in Daniel 3, 6 and 11-12. God
is the one who changes the evil decrees of human kings and delivers his people from certain
death.

At the end of the chapter the king is forced to admit that the God of Daniel is above all gods. He
is not yet a believer in the one and only God but he is well on his way to becoming a humble child
of the heavenly king.

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The Central Theme in Daniel 4

At the beginning of chapter 4 King Nebuchadnezzar publicly proclaimed that God is in control of
human affairs (Daniel 4:3). But at this point the king perceived God as a great wonder worker,
not as a personal God who cares about individuals in the flow of history.

Daniel 4:2-3: “I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God hath
wrought for me. 3How great are his signs and how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an
everlasting kingdom and his dominion is from generation to generation.”

God gave the king the dream of the tree. As a result, the king was disturbed and wished to know
the meaning. Amazingly, the king called the same charlatans who had failed him in chapter 2 (4:4
7) and whose scheme against the three Hebrew worthies had been brought to nought in chapter
3. This indicates that the king had not yet totally shed his pagan view of God.

According to Daniel 4:13-17 God had given the kingdom to Nebuchadnezzar and He could take
it away from him whenever He pleased:

Daniel 4:13-17: "I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a
holy one, coming down from heaven. 14 He cried aloud and said thus: 'Chop down the tree and cut
off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get out from under it, and
the birds from its branches. 15 Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth, bound with a
band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and
let him graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth. 16 Let his heart be changed from that of a
man, let him be given the heart of a beast, and let seven times pass over him. 17 'This decision is
by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence by the word of the holy ones, in order that the
living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will,
and sets over it the lowest of men.'”

The king then admitted that the Spirit of the holy God was in Daniel and that God had revealed
dreams to Daniel. (Daniel 4:18)

When Daniel provided the interpretation to the dream in verses 24-27, he explained that the
watchers would remove him from the throne and after his repentance they would restore him
to it:

Daniel 4:24---27: “. . . this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High,
which has come upon my lord the king: 25 They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be
with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with
the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules
in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses. 26 "And inasmuch as they gave the
command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after
you come to know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you;
break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps
there may be a lengthening of your prosperity."

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About a year after his dream, the king looked upon the greatness of Babylon and came to the
conclusion that it was built because of his greatness and power and for the honor of his majesty.

Daniel 4:29, 30: “At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of
Babylon. 30 The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling
by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?"

Daniel 4:31-33: God is doing this through the instrumentality of the watchers who are His
messengers. In Daniel 4:31-33 we find a consistent use of passive verbs. The king’s insanity is
due to what God through the watchers does to him. While the king thought that he was in full
control of his destiny and looked forward to many years of prosperity, the God who controls the
times withdrew his reasoning powers for seven years.

Daniel 4:31-33: “While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King
Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! 32 And they shall drive
you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat
grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in
the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses." 33 That very hour the word was
fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body
was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds'
claws.”

Ellen White comments:

“The jewel of the mind, that which elevates man above the beasts, he no longer retained. The
scepter is no longer held in the hand of a proud and powerful monarch. The mighty ruler is a
maniac. He now herds with the cattle to eat as they eat. He is a companion of the beasts of the
field. The brow that once wore a coronet is disfigured by the absence of reason and intellect.”
Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8 p. 127

It is nothing short of miraculous that the king survived in this condition for seven years. In
antiquity, whenever a king showed the least weakness there were always those who wanted to
knock him off and usurp the throne. But God preserved it secure for him while he was ‘out of it’.
Thus, God placed him on the throne, God removed him from the throne and God restored him
to it once more.

Daniel 4:34-37 reveals that the king learned the lesson that God wished to teach him. When he
looked at himself he lost his sanity but when he looked up to God in heaven he regained it:

Daniel 4:34-37: “And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my
understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who
lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to
generation. 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His
will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand
or say to Him: "What have You done?" 36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for
the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles

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resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. 37 Now I,
Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth,
and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to abase.”

The Central Theme in Daniel 5

Daniel 5 describes a great banquet that King Belshazzar organized for all his nobles. Why was
King Belshazzar having a party when he knew that the Medes and Persians had the city
surrounded at that very moment? The reason is that he was certain that the city was invincible.
He was sure that Babylon, with its massive walls and protecting river would never fall!!

Daniel 5:5: God, through a watcher wrote on the wall decreeing the close of probation for
Babylon. God sets up kingdoms and God decrees their fall when they fail to fulfill His purpose:

Daniel 5:5: “In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite the
lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the part of the hand
that wrote.”

The watchers are heavenly angels through whom God fulfills His purpose on earth. Ellen White
explains that they watch and write down the actions of human beings (Christ’s Object Lessons,
p. 175), they watch heaven’s gates (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 373), they see the earth filled
with corruption and violence (Christian Service, p. 53) they shield the righteous from the power
of the wicked one (The Great Controversy, p. 512, 513), our prayers find access to the Father in
heaven through the watchers (In Heavenly Places, p. 84) and guardian angels are called watchers
(My Life Today, p. 302).

Daniel 5:7-8: The wise men could not understand the meaning of the writing on the wall. They
could read the words (see my notes on Daniel 5) but they did not understand what they meant.
Only the God who had written on the wall could reveal what the words meant and Daniel was
needed to interpret the writing:

Daniel 5:7, 8: “The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the
soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing, and
tells me its interpretation shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck;
and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom." 8 Now all the king's wise men came, but they could
not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation.”

Daniel 5:12: According to the queen mother what the wise men could not do, Daniel could
because God had given him wisdom:

Daniel 5:12: “Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams,

solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named
Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation."

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Daniel made it clear to the king that the God of heaven had given him the kingdom:

Daniel 5:18: “O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and
majesty, glory and honor”

In Daniel 5:19-21 we once more encounter a series of passive verbs that reveal that historical
events are being guided and determined by an invisible hand:

Daniel 5:19-21: “And because of the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and
languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he
wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down. 20
But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his
kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. 21 Then he was driven from the sons of men, his
heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with
grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High
God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.”

In Daniel 5:23, the prophet informed the king that God was the source of his very breath and
that He owned all his ways:

Daniel 5:23: “. . . and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you
have not glorified.”

Daniel 5:24: The words written on the wall by a heavenly Watcher pronounced the doom of
Babylon. Notice that God’s hand did not write on the wall. God sent the hand to write on the
wall:

Daniel 5:24: “Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.”

Daniel 5:26-28: God took away Belshazzar’s kingdom and gave it to the Medes and Persians.
Once again one is struck by use of the passive verbs. There is someone behind the scenes who
is choreographing history.

Daniel 5:26-28: “This is the interpretation of each word. Mene: God has numbered your kingdom,
and finished it; 27 Tekel: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 28 Peres:
Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."

Daniel 5:30-31: God’s decree was fulfilled on that very night. God removed the king from the
throne and gave the kingdom to the Medes and Persians:

Daniel 5:30-31; “That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. 31 And Darius the
Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old. “

The Central Theme in Daniel 6

In this chapter we find a group of evil princes who are envious of Daniel and wish to have him
killed. The princes believed that they were in control because the decrees of the Medes and

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Persians could not be changed. The king exhibited his power and authority by issuing a decree.
But after giving the decree he was bound by it and could not deliver Daniel. It was seen that the
king’s power and authority were limited because he was bound by his own law (Daniel 6:7, 8).
His power was not absolute. The irrevocable decree that was supposed to reveal the power of
the king actually bound him and made him a slave of circumstances.

All the power seemed to be in the hands of Daniel’s enemies. By all appearances, the prophet
would become cat food. But Daniel prayed to his God because he knew that He was in control.
He was not afraid of the lions because he knew that God created them and therefore He could
deliver him from them (Daniel 6:10).

The king who had exercised his power in giving the law was now powerless to deliver Daniel. The
king realized that he was not in control at all. If Daniel was going to be delivered a king greater
than he would have to do it. The king did all in his power to deliver Daniel but was not able to do
it Daniel 6:14). The wise men reminded the king that his decree could not be changed Daniel
6:15). When the king lost all hope of helping Daniel he said to the prophet: “Your God, whom you
serve continually, He will deliver you.” (Daniel 6:16) The word ‘changed’ in verses 14-17 is
significant. This is the same word that is used in Daniel 3:28 where Nebuchadnezzar confessed
that the God of heaven changed his plans. It is the same word that is used in Daniel 7:25 where
the little horn attempted to take control of the times and the seasons. It is the same word that is
found in Daniel 2:21 where we are told that God is in control of the times and the seasons (see
also Acts 1:7). The king’s counselors boasted that the decree could not be changed but the God
of Daniel changed their evil plans and delivered his prophet. God then closed the mouths of the
lions that He had created. All night the lions behaved as little kitty cats! (Daniel 6:18-22) while
the king worried and fretted.

Early in the morning the king came to the lion’s den and cried out: ‘Has the God whom you serve
continually been able to deliver you?’ the answer was immediate: ‘Yes, God has delivered me
because I was found innocent before him and I have done you no wrong.’

God then removed His control over the lions and they devoured the princes who had planned
the evil plot. (Daniel 6:24).

At the conclusion of chapter 6 we find a beautiful confession of the king extolling the God of
Daniel:

Daniel 6:26-27: “I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and
fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, and steadfast forever; His kingdom is the
one which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall endure to the end. 27 He delivers and
rescues, and He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has delivered Daniel from
the power of the lions.”

The Central Theme in Daniel 7

This chapter follows the same sequence as Daniel 2. God is in control of history because He can
reveal how it will transpire: Basically God is saying: “This is the way that history will unfold.”

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Daniel 7 is full of passive verbs that reveal that there is a power behind the curtain of history that
is guiding human affairs:

Daniel 7:4: The lion

“The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it
was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man's heart was
given to it.”

Daniel 7:5: The bear

"And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three
ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they [presumably the watchers] said thus to it: 'Arise,
devour much flesh!'

Daniel 7:6: The leopard

"After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a
bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.”

Daniel 7:7: The dragon beast

"After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly
strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue
with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.”

Daniel 7:25: The little horn

“He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most
High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a
time and times and half a time.”

The little horn appeared to be in control. It thought it could change the times and the law, it
blasphemed God, it persecuted the saints and things seemed to go well for it because we are told
that it prospered. This is the reason why the martyrs cry out for justice in Revelation 6:9-11. But
God puts a time limit on the work of the little horn. God decrees that it will only be able to
exercise control for a time, and times and the dividing of time.

Three times in Daniel 7 we are told that after the little horn does its work, the court will sit in
heaven and God will take dominion away from the little horn and give it to the saints of the Most
High (Daniel 7:9, 10, 13, 14; Daniel 7:21, 22; Daniel 7:25-27). Thus the evil work of the little horn
on earth will be judged in the heavenly court after which the little horn will be destroyed and the
kingdom will be given to the saints.

Notice the passive voice of the verbs: Jesus was brought by the angels before the Ancient of Days
and then the kingdom was given to Jesus (Daniel 7:14), “judgment was made in favor of the

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saints” (Daniel 7:22). The watchers took away the little horn’s dominion and then the kingdom
shall be given to the saints of the Most High.

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“STUDIES IN DANIEL 1-10”
by Pastor Stephen Bohr

LESSON #3 – DANIEL’S LITTLE BOOK

Two Books in one

A careful examination of the book of Daniel reveals that it is composed of two books within one
book. One is Daniel 1-7 and the other is Daniel 8-12.

Briefly review the chiastic structure of Daniel 1-7.

Review Daniel 7 with the emphasis on the succession of powers:

 Babylon
 Medo-Persia
 Greece
 Roman Empire
 Roman Empire divided
 Ecclesiastical Rome (538-1798)

Daniel 7:9, 10, 13, 14: After all of these powers have ruled, the next event in the sequence is a
judgment that takes place in heaven. The idea that the judgment would take place in two stages
(investigative in heaven and executive on earth) was not understood before the time of the end.

Daniel 7:9, 10, 13, 14: "I watched till thrones were put in place and the Ancient of Days was
seated; His garment was white as snow and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne
was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; 10 A fiery stream issued [the angelic hosts] and came
forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand
stood before Him. The court was seated and the books were opened… 13 "I was watching in the
night visions and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came
to the Ancient of Days and they [the angels] brought Him near before Him. 14 Then to Him was
given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve
Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away and His kingdom the
one which shall not be destroyed.”

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Daniel 7 clearly reveals that the judgment is composed of two stages: Investigative in heaven
and executive on earth.

The Book that was sealed

Daniel 12:4:

"But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until [there is a time limit to its being
sealed] the time of the end; [but at the time of the end] many shall run to and fro, and knowledge
[of the contents of the book that was sealed] shall increase."

The book which was sealed and could not be understood until the time of the end (Daniel 12:4,
9) is not the ENTIRE book of Daniel but rather the portion that has to do with the 2300 day
prophecy and the judgment hour message.

Six Reasons why the Little Book is Daniel 8-12

Reason #1:

The introduction to the book of Daniel is in Hebrew. But beginning in chapter 2 and until the end
of chapter 7 the language shifts to Aramaic. Then in chapters 8-12 the language shifts again to
Hebrew. Thus, the first half of Daniel is in one language and the other half is in another language.
This indicates that the book of Daniel is divided into two parts.

Reason #2:

There is evidence that Daniel, chapters 1-7, was almost entirely understood long before the
“time of the end”, Notice the words of the church father Hippolytus who wrote in the third
century A. D.

“In speaking of a ‘lioness from the sea’, he [Daniel] meant the rising of the kingdom of Babylon
and that this was the ‘golden head of the image’ . . . Then after the lioness he sees a second beast,
‘like a bear’, which signified the Persians. For after the Babylonians the Persians obtain the power.
And in saying that ‘it had three ribs in its mouth’, he pointed to the three nations, Persians, Medes,
and Babylonians, which were expressed in the image by the silver after the gold. Then comes the
third beast, ‘a leopard’, which means the Greeks; for after the Persians,

Alexander of Macedon had the power, when Darius was overthrown, which was also indicated by
the brass in the image. And in saying that the beast ‘had four wings of a fowl, and four heads’, he
showed most clearly how the kingdom of Alexander was parted into four divisions. For in
speaking of four heads, he meant the four kings that arose out of it. For Alexander, when dying,
divided his kingdom into four parts. Then he says, ‘the fourth beast (was) dreadful and terrible: it
had iron teeth, and claws of brass’. Who, then, are meant by this but the Romans, whose
kingdom, the kingdom that still stands, is expressed by the iron? ‘For’, says he, ‘its legs are of
iron.’” L. E. Froom, The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, volume 1, p. 272

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He also has something to say about the identity of the little horn and the judgment:

“Let us look at what is before us more carefully, and scan it, as it were, with open eye. The ‘golden
head of the image’ is identical with the ‘lioness’, by which the Babylonians were represented.
‘The golden shoulders and arms of silver’ are the same with the ‘bear’, by which the Persians and
Medes are meant. ‘The belly and thighs of brass’ are the ‘leopard’, by which the Greeks who ruled
from Alexander onwards are intended. The ‘legs of iron’ are the ‘dreadful and terrible beast’, by
which the Romans who hold the empire now are meant. The ‘toes of clay and iron’ are the ‘ten
horns’ which are to be. The ‘one other little horn springing up in their midst is the ‘antichrist’. The
stone that ‘smites the image and breaks it in pieces’, and that filled the whole earth, is Christ,
who comes from heaven and brings judgment on the world.” L. E. Froom, The Prophetic Faith of
our Fathers, volume 1, p. 272

It will be noticed that Hippolytus understood everything about Daniel 7 except the investigative
pre-Advent judgment. For him the judgment would take place when Jesus came from heaven to
earth to establish His everlasting kingdom.

Notably, even some portions of Daniel 8-12 that were fulfilled before the time of the end could
be understood before that time.

Certainly the meaning of the Ram and the he-goat of Daniel 8 were understood before the time
of the end as was the prophecy of the seventy weeks. Much of the earlier portions of Daniel 11
could be understood before the time of the end. In fact, the pagan philosopher, Porphyry argued
against the early church fathers that the first half of Daniel 11 described so precisely Greek and
Roman history that it had to have been written ex-eventu in the second century but panned off
as the work of the prophet Daniel in the sixth century.

But there is one aspect of Daniel 8-12 that could not be understood by anyone until the time of
the end. The message concerning the 2300 days and the judgment were sealed until the time of
the end.

Reason #3:

Ellen White explicitly states more than once that the book which was sealed until the time of the
end was not the entirety of the book of Daniel but rather the PORTION or PART of the book (the
portion which is in Hebrew) that has to do with the judgment as depicted in the 2300 day
prophecy.

“In the Revelation all the books of the Bible meet and end. Here is the complement of the book of
Daniel. One is a prophecy; the other a revelation. The book that was sealed is not the Revelation,
but that portion of the prophecy of Daniel relating to the last days. The angel commanded, "But
thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end." Daniel 12:4.”
Acts of the Apostles, p. 585

“The message of salvation has been preached in all ages; but this message [the first angel’s
message] is a part of the gospel which could be proclaimed only in the last days, for only then
would it be true that the hour of judgment had come. The prophecies present a succession of

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events leading down to the opening of the judgment. This is especially true of the book of Daniel.
But that part of his prophecy which related to the last days, Daniel was bidden to close up and
seal "to the time of the end." Not till we reach this time could a message concerning the judgment
be proclaimed, based on the fulfillment of these prophecies. But at the time of the end, says the
prophet, "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Daniel 12:4.” The Great
Controversy, p. 355

“The words of the angel to Daniel relating to the last days were to be understood in the time of
the end. At that time, "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."…10 "The
wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall
understand." Daniel 12:4, 10 The Desire of Ages, p. 234

“The unsealing of the little book was the message in relation to time.” Manuscript Releases,
volume 1, p. 99

“Honored by men with the responsibilities of state and with the secrets of kingdoms bearing
universal sway, Daniel was honored by God as His ambassador, and was given many revelations
of the mysteries of ages to come. His wonderful prophecies, as recorded by him in chapters 7 to
12 of the book bearing his name, were not fully understood even by the prophet himself; but
before his life labors closed, he was given the blessed assurance that "at the end of the days"--in
the closing period of this world's history--he would again be permitted to stand in his lot and
place. It was not given him to understand all that God had revealed of the divine purpose.
…Daniel 12:4: "Shut up the words, and seal the book," he was directed concerning his prophetic
writings; these were to be sealed…4 "even to the time of the end."… 9 "Go thy way, Daniel," the
angel once more directed the faithful messenger of Jehovah; "for the words are closed up and
sealed till the time of the end”. . . . 13 “Go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and
stand in thy lot at the end of the days." Daniel 12:4, 9, 13, Prophets and Kings, p. 547

Reason #4:

The internal evidence that is found in Daniel 8-12 proves beyond any doubt that this is the little
book that was sealed until the time of the end. Let’s take these chapters, one by one to see how
their content is closely linked with the 2300 days and the judgment:

Daniel 8:

In this chapter the historical framework of the 2300-day prophecy is introduced:

 The Ram with two horns: Begins in the time of the kingdom of Medo-Persia.
 The He-goat with a notable horn: Represents the kingdom of Greece and its first king,
Alexander the Great.
 The Four horns: Represent the four divisions of Alexander’s Empire after his death.
 The Little horn (first stage): Pagan Rome first extends horizontally on earth to the south,
the east and the glorious land.

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 The Little horn (second stage): Papal Rome extends vertically to heaven and interferes
with Christ’s work in the heavenly sanctuary.
 This vision [chazon] will extend over a period of 2300 days/years and then the process of
cleansing the sanctuary will begin.

Four Differences

Although the prophecy of Daniel 8 is parallel to the ones in Daniel 2 and 7, there are four
differences:

 First, while in Daniel 2 and Daniel 7 the prophetic series begins with the kingdom of
Babylon (the gold and the lion) in Daniel 8 (although it is dated to the reign of Belshazzar)
there is no symbol for the kingdom of Babylon. The traditional argument given for this
difference is that the kingdom of Babylon was about to pass away. But the date given for
this chapter (550 BC) indicates that the kingdom of Babylon would not pass away for
another twelve years.
 Second, in contrast to Daniel 7, the beasts that are used in Daniel 8 are domestic
sanctuary animals. The ram was used in the daily service while the he-goat was used in
the yearly service. This strongly hints that the central theme of Daniel 8 is the daily and
yearly services of the sanctuary.
 Third, there is only one symbol in Daniel 8 for both pagan and papal Rome, a little horn.
The horn first spreads out horizontally [east, south, glorious land] and then vertically to
heaven. In other words, it first extends politically and then religiously. It is rather clear
that the introduction of another beast into Daniel 8 to represent pagan Rome would have
spoiled the symmetry of the chapter which emphasizes the two beasts of the sanctuary
service. By using only one horn for the two stages of Rome God wants us to understand
that Rome would morph from a mere political kingdom into a political/religious one. This
idea is brought out in Daniel 11:31 where ‘forces’ stand up to aid in the taking away of
the daily and the setting up of the ‘abomination of desolation’.
 Fourth, there is no reference in Daniel 8 to the establishment of Christ’s everlasting
kingdom. This is due to the fact that Daniel got sick before Gabriel was able to explain the
meaning of the cleansing of the sanctuary (Daniel 8:26, 27). This is the reason why Gabriel
came back in Daniel 9-12 to explain the things that had remained unexplained in chapter
8.

Daniel 9: Is related to the 2300-day prophecy by providing its starting point.

Daniel 8 mentions the 2300-day prophecy but does not provide a starting point. But in chapter
9 the starting point for the 2300 days is given. They will begin with the …Daniel 9:25: ‘going forth
of the command to restore and build Jerusalem.’ This decree was given in the year 457 BC by the
Persian King Artaxerxes. The seventy weeks constitute the first 490 years of the 2300-day

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prophecy and those years begin during the kingdom of Persia. This is the real reason why the
kingdom of Babylon is not mentioned in Daniel 8 because the 2300 days do not begin during the
kingdom of Babylon but during the kingdom of Persia.

Daniel 10:

In order for the prophecy of the 2300 days to begin its fulfillment it was necessary for the kings
of Persia to give certain decrees for Israel to go back to their land and rebuild their temple, city,
walls and to restore a functioning Hebrew theocracy.

Satan (who is described as the prince of Persia) knew this and therefore he worked on the minds
of the Persian kings to try and prevent them from allowing Israel to return to their land.

 If Israel did not return. . .

 The temple, the city and the walls would not be rebuilt.
 A functioning theocracy would not be reestablished.
 The Seventy Week prophecy would not begin.
 The prophecy of the 2300 days could not begin to be fulfilled.
 God’s timeline would be frustrated.
 But in the end, Michael came to help Gabriel and the decrees were given right in time
for the seventy-week prophecy and the 2300 days to begin right on schedule.

When the events of Daniel 10 transpired, Cyrus had just given the decree for the Jews to return
to the land to rebuild the temple. However, there were storm clouds on the horizon. Opposition
from the Samaritans soon led King Cambyses to revoke the decree that Cyrus had given and as a
result, the work of building the temple was suspended. Later on (in the year 520 BC, Darius I had
to reaffirm the original decree by Cyrus and as a result the Jews were able to finish the temple.

Daniel 11:1-12:3:

 Now that which was begun and not finished in Daniel 8 will be completed in chapter 11.
 It is important to note that the last vision in the book of Daniel was the one in chapter 8.
Beginning with chapter 9 we have only additional explanations to the vision of Daniel 8.
Daniel 11 does not contain a new vision but rather a further explanation of the vision of
Daniel 8.
 As in Daniel 8, the explanation of Daniel 11 begins during the kingdom of Persia (not
Babylon).
 The explanation continues with Greece, its first king and the four divisions after
Alexander’s death.
 The explanation continues with pagan Rome, the power that broke the Prince of the
Covenant.

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 The description then moves on to papal Rome during the 1260 years, a power that spoke
great words against God, slew the saints, took away the daily and set up the abomination
of desolation.
 The chapter next takes us to the period (verses 40-45) when the King of the North (the little horn
or beast) recovers its power after being wounded (in 1798 AD). The resurrected power
overwhelms the world and puts the very existence of the remnant in jeopardy.
 Daniel 8 took us from the time of the kingdom of Persia to the end of the 2300 days in 1844 when
the judgment began, but Daniel 11 takes us all the way from Persia to the end of that judgment
and the close of probation (Daniel 12:1: the standing up of Michael).
 Finally, Daniel 12:2, 3 takes us to the time when God’s people will resurrect and inherit the
everlasting kingdom and the righteous will shine as stars forever and ever.

Daniel 12:4

The book about the 2300 days and the judgment is then sealed until the time of the end.

Daniel 12:5-13: This section of Daniel does not begin a new vision but is rather to be understood
as the epilogue of the book. These verses provide a summary review and further explanation of
the key time periods that were mentioned in Daniel 7-12.

Reason #5: The key word that links Daniel 8-12 is ‘understand’

 8:16: An order to Gabriel to help Daniel understand.

 8:17: Gabriel instructs Daniel to understand.
 8:27: Daniel did not understand.
 9:1, 2: Daniel understood the 70-year prophecy.
 9:23: Gabriel tells Daniel to understand the vision.
 10:1: Daniel understood the thing.
 10:11, 12 and 13: Gabriel comes to help Daniel understand.
 12:12: The wise shall understand.

Reason #6

 The opening of the little book in Revelation 10 is a clear reference to the moment when
the little book of Daniel 8-12 was unsealed and opened. Notably, the little book of
Revelation 10 is opened at the beginning of the sixth trumpet toward the very end of
history immediately before Jesus takes over the kingdom at the time of the seventh
trumpet (Revelation 11:15-18). The angel who came from heaven announced that time
would be no longer because the prophecy of the 2300 days had reached its fulfillment
(Revelation 10:6) and prophetic times had come to an end.
 Concerning the unsealing of the little book, Ellen White remarks:

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 “It was the Lion of the tribe of Judah who unsealed the book and gave to John the
revelation of what should be in these last days. Daniel stood in his lot to bear his
testimony, which was sealed until the time of the end, when the first angel's message
should be proclaimed to our world. These matters are of infinite importance in these last
days, but while "many shall be purified, and made white, and tried," "the wicked shall do
wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand." . . . The book of Daniel is unsealed
in the revelation to John, and carries us forward to the last scenes of this earth's history.
Manuscript Releases, volume 18, p. 15
 We shall find in our next study that no chapter in the Bible explains in a clearer way the
origin, message, mission and destiny of God’s end-time remnant people.
 It is no coincidence that the central message of the Millerites who preached at the
beginning of the time of the end was drawn from Daniel 8:14 and Revelation 14:6, 7.
 The eating of the little book in Revelation 10 clearly describes the judgment hour study
and preaching of the Millerite movement and its subsequent disappointment. After the
disappointment John was told to prophesy again and then he was commanded to
measure the temple. In other words, after the disappointment God’s people were called
upon to present another message from the little book of Daniel and that message had to
do with the measuring of the heavenly temple which is the investigative judgment (see
the notes on Revelation 10 that follow. For a fuller exposition of the relationship between
the little book of Daniel and the open book of Revelation 10 see the notes that follow.

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“STUDIES IN DANIEL 1-10”
by Pastor Stephen Bohr

LESSON #4 – NOTES ON REVELATION 10

(Related to Daniel 12:4)

Introduction

There is no passage in Scripture that better portrays the origin, message and mission of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church than Revelation 10. Let’s read the passage highlighting certain
important words and expressions:

Revelation 10:1-11, 11:1: “I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed
with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head; his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of
fire. 2 He had a little book open [having been opened] in his hand. And he set his right foot on the
sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried
out, seven thunders uttered their voices. 4 Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I
was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Seal up the things which the
seven thunders uttered, and do not write them." 5 The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and
on the land raised up his hand to heaven 6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who
created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea
and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, 7 but in the days of the sounding
of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He
declared to His servants the prophets. 8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me
again and said, "Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the
sea and on the earth." 9 So I went to the angel and said to him, "Give me the little book." And he
said to me: "Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey
in your mouth." 10 Then I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was as sweet
as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. 11 And he said to me,
"You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings." Then I was given a
reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying: "Rise and measure the temple of God,
the altar, and those who worship there.”

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Summary of the little book episode

At the very center of the chapter is the mighty angel:

 He comes down from heaven to the earth (verse 1).

 His physical characteristics are described (verse 1).
 He brings an open scroll in his hand (verse 2).
 He places one foot on dry land and the other on the sea (verse 2).
 He speaks with the roar of the lion which echoes like seven thunders (verses 3-4).
 He swears the oath to the Creator (verses 5-7).
 He gives the book to John with instructions (verses 8-10).
 He instructs John to prophesy again (verse 11).
 He commands John to measure the temple (11:1).

Who is this Angel Messenger?

Jesus Himself is the Messenger of Revelation 10 therefore the message must be extremely
important.

 This is not just any angel; He is a mighty angel.

 His Face like the sun [Revelation. 1:16].
 He is surrounded by a cloud.
 His feet are like pillars of fire.
 He roars like a lion.
 He has a Rainbow over His head.

“As the bow in the cloud results from the union of sunshine and shower, so the bow above God's
throne represents the union of His mercy and His justice. To the sinful but repentant soul God
says: Live thou; "I have found a ransom." Job 33:24. Education, p. 115

“The mighty angel who instructed John was no less a personage than Jesus Christ.” Seventh-day
Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol 9, p. 971

“The instruction to be communicated to John was so important that Christ came from heaven to
give it to His servant, telling him to send it to the churches.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible
Commentary, Vol. 7 pp. 953, 954

The identity of the Book

Only one book was ever sealed in the Old Testament to be opened at the time of the end:

Daniel 12:4: "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end;
many [eyes] shall run to and fro, and knowledge [of the book] shall increase."

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Revelation 10:2 describes the opening of the book of Daniel 12:4. The translations do not really
capture the perfect tense of the verb. The Greek literally reads: “the book, the one having been
opened.” This clearly indicates that the book was closed and then it was opened immediately
before the angel came down from heaven to the earth and swore the oath that time would be
no longer.

The unsealing of the little book is the explanation of the prophetic message of Daniel 8-12,
especially relating to the 2300 days:

“The message of salvation has been preached in all ages; but this message is a part of the gospel
which could be proclaimed only in the last days, for only then would it be true that the hour of
judgment had come. The prophecies present a succession of events leading down to the opening
of the judgment. This is especially true of the book of Daniel. But that part of his prophecy which
related to the last days, Daniel was bidden to close up and seal "to the time of the end." Not till
we reach this time could a message concerning the judgment be proclaimed, based on the
fulfillment of these prophecies. But at the time of the end, says the prophet, "many shall run to
and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Daniel 12:4. The Great Controversy, p. 356

When was the Book Unsealed?

The book was opened for people to study and proclaim when the sixth angel blew his trumpet.
The book will be sealed once again when the seventh angel is about to blow his trumpet and the
mystery of God is finished. At that time probation will have closed and a message from the
book would no longer do any good because all cases have been decided in the judgment for life
or for death (see Revelation 22:10-12). When the seventh angel blows his trumpet, Jesus takes
over the kingdoms of the world. Thus the book is opened when the sixth trumpet begins to sound
and will be closed when the seventh is about to sound.

Thus we have the following sequence:

 Daniel 12:4: From Daniel’s day till 1798: The judgment hour message in the little book
was sealed and closed (could not be understood).
 Revelation 10; 22:10: In 1798 when the sixth angel began to blow his trumpet, the book
was opened and the judgment hour message was understood and proclaimed.
 Revelation 22:11: When the seventh angel is about to blow his trumpet, the Mystery of
God is finished and probation closes: The book is closed once more because all cases have
been decided and a message from the book would do no good.
 Revelation 11:15-17; 22:12: The seventh angel then blows his trumpet: Jesus comes to
take over the kingdom.

Global Extension

The global extension of the message from the little book is represented symbolically at the
beginning of the chapter (feet on the sea and on the land) and literally at the end of the chapter
(prophesying again to every nation, tongue and kings).

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“The message of Revelation 14, proclaiming that the hour of God's judgment is come, is given in
the time of the end; and the angel of Revelation 10 is represented as having one foot on the sea
and one foot on the land, showing that the message will be carried to distant lands, the ocean
will be crossed, and the islands of the sea will hear the proclamation of the last message of
warning to our world.” Selected Messages, Vol 2, pp. 107, 108

The message of judgment would be proclaimed to the old world and the new world. The act of
planting the feet means staking claim to the land (see Joshua 1:3).

The Seven Thunders

John 12:27 - 29: Thunder is identified as God delivering a message. The peals of thunder are
simply the echo of God’s voice:

"Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this
purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came from heaven, saying,
"I have both glorified it and will glorify it again." 29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard
it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him."

The seven thunders utter their voice immediately preceding the oath so they must have
something to do with events leading up to the time when the angel swears the oath. If the oath
is sworn in 1844 then the thunders must have something to do with events leading up to 1844.
In fact, the seven thunders announced events that transpired between 1842 and 1844. They
uttered that there would be a disappointment leading up to 1844.

John understood what the voice of God uttered but he was forbidden from writing it. In other
words, the message delivered by this angel was given to John, he understood it and was about
to write it out but the angel commanded him to seal it. Ellen White has some perceptive remarks
about the sealing of the seven thunders:

“I saw the people of God joyful in expectation, looking for their Lord. But God designed to prove
them. His hand covered a mistake in the reckoning of the prophetic periods [this is the same as
the sealing of the seven thunders. If John had written down what the thunders said the people
would not have been disappointed]. Those who were looking for their Lord did not discover this
mistake and the most learned men who opposed the time also failed to see it. God designed that
His people should meet with a disappointment. The time passed, and those who had looked with
joyful expectation for their Savior were sad and disheartened, while those who had not loved the
appearing of Jesus, but embraced the message through fear, were pleased that He did not come
at the time of expectation. Their profession had not affected the heart and purified the life. The
passing of the time was well calculated to reveal such hearts. They were the first to turn and
ridicule the sorrowful, disappointed ones who really loved the appearing of their Savior. I saw the
wisdom of God in proving His people and giving them a searching test to discover those who
would shrink and turn back in the hour of trial. Early Writings, pp. 235, 236

“The special light given to John which was expressed in the seven thunders was a delineation of
events which would transpire under the first and second angels' messages. It was not best for
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the people to know these things, for their faith must necessarily be tested.” Seventh-day
Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, p. 971

The Oath

After the seven thunders utter their message the mighty angel swears an oath that time will be
no longer. What time is here referred to?

“This time, which the angel declares with a solemn oath, is not the end of this world's history,
neither of probationary time, but of prophetic time, which should precede the advent of our Lord.
That is, the people will not have another message upon definite time. After this period of time,
reaching from 1842 to 1844, there can be no definite tracing of the prophetic time. The longest
reckoning reaches to the autumn of 1844.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, p.
971

There are two biblical reasons why the time referred to in this verse cannot mean the end of
human history:

1. This announcement is made during the period of the sixth trumpet and Jesus does not
come to take over his kingdom until the seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:15-19).
2. After the announcement was made that “time will be no longer,” John was instructed to
prophesy again (Revelation 10:11). How could he do this if the world had come to an
end?

The translation “there should no longer be any delay” in many modern versions is incorrect. In
the book of Revelation, the word chronos is used three other times and in none of them can the
word be translated in such a way (Revelation 2:21; 6:11; 20:3) In fact this word is translated
“time” in over 30 places in the New Testament and it is not translated ‘delay’ by modern versions
except in this verse. The New Testament had a way to express a delay and that is the word
chronizo that is used in Matthew 24:48 where the servant states: “my master is delayed.”

It is obvious that the declaration: “time will be no longer” cannot have been made by the angel
before the 42 months (Revelation 11:2; 13:5), 1260 days (Revelation 11:3; 12:6), 3 ½ times
(Revelation 12:14; Daniel 7:25), 3 ½ days (Revelation 11:9, 11) and 2300 days (Daniel 8:14) were
fulfilled.

As part of the oath the mighty angel swears in the name of the Creator and actually alludes to
the language of the Fourth Commandment. When John is given the command by the mighty
angel to prophesy again he is referring to the first angel’s message of Revelation 14:6, 7.

The Mystery of God

Revelation 10:7 begins with a strong adversative ‘but’. This ‘but’ clearly marks a time separation
between when the announcement is made that ‘time will be no longer’ and the moment when
the sounding of the seventh trumpet begins.

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What the text is saying is that the declaration that “time will be no longer” is made during the
period of the sixth trumpet but the mystery of God will not be finished until the seventh trumpet
is about to begin to sound. This clearly shows that the end of prophetic time comes during the
sixth trumpet and before the seventh. The sequence is like this:

 Sixth trumpet begins to sound: The mighty angel opens the book and swears the oath
that prophetic time will be no longer.
 Seventh trumpet about to sound: Mystery of God is finished.
 Seventh trumpet sounds: Jesus takes over the kingdoms of the world.

What is the mystery of God?

Romans 16:25-27:

“Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus
Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now
made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the
commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith 27 to God, alone wise, be glory
through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.”

“The incarnation of Christ is a mystery. The union of divinity with humanity is a mystery indeed,
hidden with God, "even the mystery which hath been hid from ages." It was kept in eternal silence
by Jehovah, and was first revealed in Eden, by the prophecy that the Seed of the woman should
bruise the serpent's head, and that he should bruise his heel. To present to the world this mystery
that God kept in silence for eternal ages before the world was created, before man was created,
was the part that Christ was to act in the work he entered upon when he came to this earth. And
this wonderful mystery, the incarnation of Christ and the atonement that he made, must be
declared to every son and daughter of Adam, whether Jew or Gentile.” Signs of the Times,
March 25, 1897

The mystery of God is finished (probation closes) when the seventh trumpet is about to sound.
When the seventh trumpet sounds Jesus takes over the kingdom. When the mystery of God is
finished, Jesus will take off His priestly robes and change into his garments of vengeance. This is
parallel to Daniel 12:1 where the expression ‘to stand up’ means ‘to begin to rule’ (Daniel 11:2,
3).

Revelation 22:10-12 has the sequence:

“And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book [in other words, a message
that can be understood is still coming from the book of Revelation which decodes the book of
Daniel], for the time is at hand [for the book to be closed—the close of probation].11 He who is
unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be
righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still. 12 "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My
reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work” [Jesus takes over the kingdom along
with His people].
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The Bittersweet Experience

The contents of the unsealed book cause a bittersweet experience: Sweet at first but then bitter
in the aftermath. The judgment hour message must have caused a mixed experience.

That eating the scroll means to assimilate the message to then share it with God’s people. This
is corroborated by the closest Biblical parallel in Ezekiel 3:1-4 where the prophet is told to eat
the scroll and then he is told to go share the message with Israel.

Notice the chiastic structure of Revelation 10:9-11:

A. The angel tells John to take the scroll and eat it (verse 9a).
B. It will be bitter in your stomach (verse 9b).
C. In your mouth it will be sweet as honey (9c).

C. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth (verse 10a).

B. It was bitter in my stomach (verse 10b).
A. You must prophesy again (verse 11).

This chiastic structure is important because it shows that John’s eating the scroll in verse 9a is
the same as uttering a prophecy from it in verse 11. Thus when John ate the scroll a message
came out from it the first time. But afterward it became necessary for the message to be
preached again from the same scroll.

It is very clear that the episode that deals with the eating of the book precedes Revelation 10:7
in time. How do we know that? The reason is obvious. After John eats the little book and it is
sweet in his mouth and bitter in his stomach he is told to prophecy again and to measure the
temple. If the mystery of God (the preaching of the gospel) had already been finished and
probation had closed, what good would it do to prophesy again about the contents of the book
and to talk about the investigative judgment? Clearly verses 8-11 take us back to events that
occurred between verses 6 and 7.

The Disappointment

Ellen White:

“The comprehension of truth, the glad reception of the message, is represented in the eating of
the little book. The truth in regard to the time of the advent of our Lord was a precious message
to our souls.” (Manuscript 59, 1900) Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 7 p. 971

Hiram Edson:

“. . . we confidently expected to see Jesus Christ and all the holy angels with him; and that his
voice would call up Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the ancient worthies, and dear friends
which had been torn from us by death, and that our trials and sufferings, with our earthly
pilgrimage would close, and we should be caught up to meet our coming Lord to be forever with
him, to inhabit bright golden mansions in the golden home city prepared for the redeemed. Our

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expectations were raised high, and thus we looked for our coming Lord until the clock tolled 12,
at midnight. The day had then passed and our disappointment became a certainty. Our fondest
hopes and expectations were blasted, and such a spirit of weeping came over us as I never
experienced before. It seemed that the loss of all earthly friends could have been no comparison.
We wept, and wept, till the day dawn. I mused in my own heart, saying, My advent experience
has been the richest and brightest of all my Christian experience. If this had proved a failure, what
was the rest of my Christian experience worth? Has the Bible proved a failure? Is there no God,
no heaven, no golden home city, no paradise? Is all this but a cunningly devised fable? Is there no
reality to our fondest hope and expectation of these things? And thus we had something to grieve
and weep over, if all our fond hopes were lost. And as I said, we wept till the day dawn.” Hiram
Edson, manuscript fragment on his "Life and Experience," no date, pp. 4-5, Ellen G. White
Research Center, James White Library, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Mich.

Washington Morse:

“The passing of the time was a bitter disappointment. True believers had given up all for Christ,
and had shared His presence as never before. The love of Jesus filled every soul; and with
inexpressible desire they prayed, ‘Come, Lord Jesus, and come quickly;’ but He did not come. And
now, to turn again to the cares, perplexities, and dangers of life, in full view of jeering and reviling
unbelievers who scoffed as never before, was a terrible trial of faith and patience. When elder
Himes visited Waterbury, Vermont, a short time after the passing of the time, and stated that the
brethren should prepare for another cold winter, my feelings were almost incontrollable. I left the
place of meeting and wept like a child.” Washington Morse, “Remembrance of Former Days,”
The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, May 7, 1901

William Miller:

“It passed. And the next day it seemed as though all the demons from the bottomless pit were let
loose upon us. The same ones and many more who were crying for mercy two days before, were
not mixed with the rabble and mocking, scoffing, and threatening in a most blasphemous
manner.” Words of William Miller in a letter to I. O. Orr, M. D. dated December 13, 1844

The experience of the Millerites is very similar to what happened to the disciples. They had never
experienced anything sweeter than the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on a donkey.
They were sure that He was going to establish His kingdom on earth. Jesus was even going to
fulfill the prophecy of the Seventy Weeks. But they were bitterly disappointed in their
expectations. After the bitter disappointment Jesus caught up to two of his followers on the road
to Emmaus and explained the prophecies that they had misunderstood. Jesus then entered the
holy place in heaven to begin His ministry there and he gave the apostles power to preach again
but with the added understanding of what Jesus was doing. (Matthew 28:18-20).

The Millerites also had a sweet experience. They were sure that Jesus was going to establish His
kingdom on earth in 1844. He even was fulfilling a specific Bible prophecy, the 2300 days (of
which the 70 weeks are the smaller portion). But their expectations were dashed because they
misunderstood prophecy. Jesus then explained the prophecies that they had misunderstood and
they realized that Jesus had moved into the most holy place to measure the temple. They were

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told to prophesy again but with the added understanding of what Jesus was doing. That message
is found in Revelation 14:6-12

Prophesying Again

After the bittersweet experience another message is to come from the little book and that
message has to do with the measuring of the heavenly temple. You cannot prophesy again
unless you have done it once. Prophesy again but no time element involved!!

Why are the kings mentioned as one of those to whom John is to bear witness? Because
Revelation 17:10, 12 tells us that the kings will fornicate with the harlot and they must be
warned about the judgment to come. This is why they are added to the list instead of tribes.

It is no coincidence that God raised up the Seventh-day Adventist church shortly after 1844 to
fulfill the task of prophesying again to the world about the measuring of the heavenly temple. It
is no coincidence that God raised up a people to proclaim that message.

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“STUDIES IN DANIEL 1-10”
by Pastor Stephen Bohr

LESSON #5 – THE HISTORICAL CHAPTERS OF DANIEL

Introduction

The books of Daniel and Revelation are saturated with symbolic terminology. A metallic man,
savage beasts, domestic sanctuary animals, mysterious horns that speak, strange actions (such
as eating a book that is sweet in the mouth and the bitter in the stomach) and mystical numbers
fill their pages. In order to understand this exotic language, it is necessary to decipher or decode
this symbolic language.

In contrast to these apocalyptic chapters in Daniel, we have the simple, down to earth stories
that are found in the first half of the book.

These stories are straightforward and easy to understand and they seem to need no decoding.
What child has not been inspired by the story of the three young men who were delivered from
the fiery furnace? And who can ever forget the story of Daniel’s deliverance from the mouths of
the lions? No doubt these stories were written to encourage God’s people at all times and in all
places.

A Deeper Dimension

However, the stories in the first half of Daniel (Daniel 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6) have a deeper dimension
than appears on the surface. The stories of Daniel are not mere stories that happened ‘once
upon a time.’ These stories actually illustrate, in narrative form the symbolic language of the
book. Stated another way, the stories actually decode the symbols and help us understand in
simple matter-of-fact language the meaning of these symbols in the apocalyptic portions of the
book. These stories are local and literal types that illustrate world-wide and spiritual events in
the time of the end.

Once we understand the reasons for the conflict in the historical sections of Daniel we can then
comprehend the nature of the conflict in the apocalyptic sections. Let’s take a look at some
details in the historical chapters to see how they point us to the time of the end.

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Daniel 1: The two sides in the conflict introduced

 Two kings: Jehoiakim versus Nebuchadnezzar.

 Two gods: Yahweh versus Marduk.
 Two cities: Babylon versus Jerusalem.
 Two temples: God’s temple versus Marduk’s temple.
 Two peoples: The Hebrews versus the Babylonians.

In the introduction to the book we find a contrast between Babylon and God’s people in the time
of the end. The king attempted to change the mindset and conduct of the Daniel and his friends
in four significant ways:

First, he attempted to do it by having them enrolled in the University of Babylon and determining
their curriculum. He felt that by teaching them the culture, the philosophy the language and the
religion of Babylon their way of thinking would be changed. The king hoped that this would cause
a shift in their world view. Yet the Hebrew worthies never used the divination methods that
they learned in the University. Prayer was their means of communing with their God. When push
came to shove they were faithful to God.

Secondly, the king attempted to change their allegiance by continually rubbing it in their face
that the god of Babylon was superior to their God. After all, if their God was greater than Marduk,
why were they captive in Babylon? It is obvious that the King was not able to convince or compel
them because they proved themselves loyal only to the true God even in the face of death!

Third, the king attempted to change their thinking and conduct by appointing their food and
their drink. But they refused to eat the Babylonian food and drink its wine and instead they
partook of a Hebrew diet.

Fourth the king attempted to change their allegiance by changing their names from Hebrew
names that honored their God to Babylonian names that honored the Babylonian gods (see
Daniel 4:8). Yet in the book we never find Daniel and his three friends using their Babylonian
names. Whenever they or God referred to them or they referred to themselves they always used
their Hebrew names.

God’s loyal servants were a people of principle. Daniel purposed in his heart (made a decision
of the will) that he would not defile himself. This decision of the will was exhibited in their
conduct.

Daniel and his friends were faithful in the small tests and therefore proved faithful in the large
tests.

Counsels on Health, p. 66:

“What if Daniel and his companions had made a compromise with those heathen officers, and
had yielded to the pressure of the occasion by eating and drinking as was customary with the

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Babylonians? That single instance of departure from principle would have weakened their sense
of right and their abhorrence of wrong. Indulgence of appetite would have involved the sacrifice
of physical vigor, clearness of intellect, and spiritual power. One wrong step would probably
have led to others, until, their connection with heaven being severed, they would have been swept
away by temptation.”

A further study of Daniel 3 and 6 will reveal that Daniel and his friends foreshadow the character
that the final generation of God’s people will have. Their [1] world view will not be changed by
the vain philosophies of Babylon, they will not receive the [2] name of the beast, they will not
[3] drink Babylon’s wine and they will not be [4] intimidated by the idea that they are an
insignificant minority.

Daniel 3

This story prefigures the symbolic story of Revelation 13:11-18. The two passages have many
common details.

 In both there is a conflict between the religion of Babylon and the religion of God’s
faithful remnant.
 The King did not like the perspective of history that God had revealed in Daniel 2 so the
Chaldeans suggested that he make an image like the one he had seen in his dream but
entirely of gold. In this way he would be making an in-your-face statement to God that
he was in control of history and his kingdom would be eternal.
 In both Daniel and Revelation, we find reference to a beast.
 In both books we find image of the beast.
 In both books we have a record of numbers that bear a relationship with the sun.
 In both books people from every nation, tongue and people are commanded to worship
the image.
 In both books there is a death decree against those who fail to obey the order to worship
the image of the beast.
 In both books there is a faithful and insignificant remnant whose life is governed by
principle. They would rather die that worship the image of the beast.
 There was a shaking in the Valley of Dura.
 In both books the conflict is over worship and obedience to the commandments of God—
particularly the first table of the law.
 In both books, the religious leaders accuse the people of God before the civil power.
 The wrath of the King prefigures the wrath of the dragon against the final remnant that
keep the commandments of God.
 Ellen White makes some interesting remarks about the King’s body language when he
spoke the words of Daniel 3:15. He spoke these words “with hand stretched upward in
defiance” (Signs of the Times, May 6, 1897).
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 She also saw his face: “Satanic attributes made his countenance appear as the
countenance of a demon.” (Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 4 p. 1169)
 Daniel 3 is a vivid illustration of what happens when the religious power influences the
civil power to establish religious observances. This chapter shows what will happen when
the government will violate the establishment clause of the First amendment to the
Constitution.
 The three young men went through a terrible time of trouble where their faith was
severely tested. The furnace was heated seven times hotter than ever before. Yet the
young men stood with great courage before the king and refused to worship the image
to the beast. They preferred to die than to sin. They went through the fire but are not
consumed! Speaking about God’s end time remnant, Ellen White states:

“Their affliction is great, the flames of the furnace seem about to consume them; but the
Refiner will bring them forth as gold tried in the fire. God's love for His children during the
period of their severest trial is as strong and tender as in the days of their sunniest
prosperity; but it is needful for them to be placed in the furnace of fire; their earthliness
must be consumed, that the image of Christ may be perfectly reflected.” The Great
Controversy, p. 621

 In both chapters Jesus Christ is the hero. At the critical moment Jesus stood up to defend
and deliver His faithful remnant from certain death!
 In Daniel 3 the Aramaic word ‘deliver’ is found four times (Daniel 3:15, 17 [2x], 28). As
we shall see in a few minutes, this same word is used five times in chapter 6 (Daniel 6:14,
16, 20, 27 [2x]). The equivalent Hebrew word is used also in Daniel 11:41 and 12:1 to
describe the final deliverance of God’s people from the King of the north who will go out
with great fury to destroy them.
 These are the only places in the book of Daniel where the word ‘deliver’ is used so there
must be a link between these chapters.
 As we study the stories of Daniel 3 and 6 we can know for certain that the issues in the
final conflict will not be over the oil of the Middle East or of the Palestinians against the
Jews or the Muslims against the Jews. The final conflict will be over worship and the
commandments of God versus the commandments of men.

Those who are in a personal covenant relationship with the Lord will be delivered, every one
whose name is written in the book.

 As a loving Husband, Jesus will protect His covenant wife.

 As a faithful Shepherd, Jesus will protect His covenant sheep.
 As a Sovereign King, Jesus will protect His covenant subjects.

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 As the Head, Jesus will protect His covenant body.
 God will keep His covenant with those who serve him.

A very important principle

Literal Israel was literally captive in literal Babylon, the literal king behaved like a literal beast,
set up a literal image in a literal valley, commanding everyone to literally bow and worship the
literal image. A remnant of literal Jews refused to literally bow before the literal image and
therefore they were thrown into a literal fiery furnace and were delivered from the literal flames
by Christ who literally came into the literal furnace.

The story of Daniel 3 foreshadows the final conflict over Sabbath/Sunday:

“An idol sabbath has been set up, as the golden image was set up in the plains of Dura. And as
Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, issued a decree that all who would not bow down and
worship this image should be killed, so a proclamation will be made that all who will not reverence
the Sunday institution will be punished with imprisonment and death.” Manuscript Releases,
volume 14, p. 91

Daniel 5

 This chapter is foundational to understand the prophecy of Revelation 16 and 17.

 In both chapters the city of Babylon is seated upon the many waters of the River Euphrates.
 Babylon feels secure because she is protected by her river—multitudes, nations, tongues and
peoples.
 The leader of Babylon gives her literal wine to the nations and this does not allow them to
distinguish between what is holy and what is common (the story of Nadab and Abihu illustrates
a similar Truth).
 In both chapters the inability to distinguish between the holy and the common leads to false
worship and idolatry.
 In both chapters probation closes before the fall of Babylon by a divine decree (Revelation 22:11).
 In both chapters the deliverance of God’s people comes from the north and the east.
 In both chapters the drying up of the Euphrates leads to the fall of Babylon.
 In both chapters God’s people are delivered from Babylon so that they can return to their lost
homeland in Jerusalem.

Summary of Daniel 5

On literal Babylon’s final night, the literal king was drinking literal wine in literal cups, was
worshiping literal idols when a literal hand began to write a literal message on a literal wall in
the literal palace which announced the literal fall of literal Babylon. Cyrus, the deliverer came
from the literal east, dried up the literal river Euphrates and in this way the literal city of Babylon
to deliver literal Israel from literal bondage so that they could return and build the literal city of
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Jerusalem. All of this has symbolic value in the book of Revelation and is fulfilled globally and
spiritually!

Daniel 6

 Daniel was full of the Holy Spirit.

 Daniel had a profound relationship with God as is revealed in his life of prayer. His
relationship with God was more important than life itself. He would rather die than sin.
 Daniel had a passion to comprehend the prophecy of the 2300 days. Actually, as we shall
see in our last study today, this prophecy is at the core of Daniel 8-12.
 Daniel was faithful in the secular affairs of everyday life. His enemies could find no fault
in his service to the King. He was obedient to the second table of the law. He was also
faithful to the first table of the law as can be seen in Daniel 6:4:

“So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the
kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there
any error or fault found in him.”

 His enemies had to find fault with Daniel’s religious convictions and practices—the first
table of the law. Notice Daniel 6:5:

“Then these men said, "We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we
find it against him concerning the law of his God."
 So the issue in the conflict was the law of God (primarily the first table) versus the laws of men.
 The civil power gave a religious decree. This was a violation of the second clause of the First
Amendment to the Constitution—the free exercise of religion.
 There was a faithful remnant which had a deep covenant relationship with the Lord and refused
to obey the religious law that was given by the civil power.
 The religious law was written and signed by the King with a death decree in it against those who
disobeyed.
 Daniel faced death for disobeying this religious law that was imposed by the state.
 The idea for this law did not come from the King. The civil power was not inimical to Daniel. The
king’s counselors were behind the plot.
 God allowed Daniel to go through the tribulation so that his trust in God could be revealed before
all of those who were present. In this way God was glorified in his servant, Daniel. Does this have
anything to say about the character that will be possessed by the end time generation?
 The word deliver is used 5 times in Daniel 6 (verses 14 {2 x’s}, 16, 20, 27). It is the key word in
the entire story.
 Daniel was delivered because he trusted in his God. The word “trusted” in the LXX is the same
word that is translated ‘faith’ in the New Testament.
 Those who prepared the plot died with their own weapons.

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Daniel 11:40-12:1

Daniel 3 and 6 are the foundation to understand Daniel 11:40-12:1. At the very end, the king of
the north (spiritual Babylon, little horn, man of sin, beast, harlot, abomination of desolation) will
go out with the intention of annihilating God’s people. Why will the king of the north want to do
this?

Daniel 3 and 6 reveal that it will have to do with the religious convictions of God’s people. The
issue will be worship and obedience to God’ Commandments. But at the critical moment, when
God’s people are about to be destroyed, Michael will stand up. God’s people will go through the
time of trouble such as has never been seen but they will be delivered (the key word), everyone
that is found written in the book. Then God’s people will shine as stars throughout eternity.

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“STUDIES IN DANIEL 1-10”
by Pastor Stephen Bohr

LESSON #6 – NOTES ON DANIEL 1

Historical Background to Daniel 1

In God’s providence, Daniel grew up under the influence of Josiah’s reform which began in 621
BC. At this time Daniel was just an infant. Daniel undoubtedly was home schooled so his
education was of optimum quality. His early training helped him remain faithful to God when he
was taken captive to Babylon. Daniel was 18 years old when he was taken captive (Testimonies
for the Church, Volume 4, p. 570)

How could God allow a righteous person like Daniel to be taken captive to Babylon along with
the unrighteous?

 Though Daniel’s captivity appeared to be a curse, it was actually a blessing in disguise as

was Joseph’s ordeal in Egypt.
 Daniel brought the knowledge of the true God to the greatest empire and king the world
has ever seen.
 The book of Daniel was given while Daniel was captive in Babylon.
 Through the ministry of Daniel Nebuchadnezzar was converted to the Lord.
 God used Daniel to lead His people out of captivity at the end of the 70 years.
 Romans 8:28 was certainly fulfilled in the lives of both Daniel and Joseph.

The Great Controversy Theme in Daniel

Daniel 1 contains the seeds of the rest of the book as well as of the book of Revelation. In Daniel
1 the battle lines are clearly drawn between the two sides in the great controversy:

 Two kings: Jehoiakim and Nebuchadnezzar.

 Two Gods: Jehovah and Marduk.
 Two Cities: Babylon and Jerusalem.

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 Two temples: God’s temple and Marduk’s temple.
 Two peoples: The Hebrews and the Babylonians.

By all appearances Nebuchadnezzar, Marduk, Babylon, Marduk’s temple and the Babylonians
prevailed over Jehoiakim, Jehovah, Jerusalem, God’s temple and the Hebrews.

As we have seen, the central theme of Daniel is: Who is in control of world history? The book of
Daniel answers this question by making it unmistakably clear that Jehovah sits on the throne of
the universe. He sets up kings and removes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise. He changes the
times and the seasons. It is the God of the Hebrews who guides history to its intended end in
spite of all the obstacles that human kings put in the way. Daniel 1 makes it crystal clear that
Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem only because the God of heaven gave it into his hand. This
theme reappears in each and every chapter of the book.

Enrolled in the University of Babylon

In several ways, Nebuchadnezzar attempted to show that he was in control of historical events.
In Daniel 1:4 we are told that the king had Daniel and his friends enrolled in the University of
Babylon. It was his intention to brainwash the Hebrew worthies with Babylon’s world view.

The Chaldeans (Kasolim) were a priestly caste of astrologers who felt that they could discern the
future in the stars (see Daniel 2:2, 4, 5, 10). They were the official spokesmen for the religion of
Babylon. Isaiah 47:13 describes the Babylonian methods of divination which God abhorred. The
king wanted to brainwash Daniel and his friends by having them study the Babylonian religion,
culture, philosophy and language. It was the intention of the king to cause a paradigm shift in the
thinking of the Hebrews.

Regarding this Ellen White remarks:

“The great men of Babylon were willing to be benefited by the instruction that God gave through
Daniel, to help the king out of his difficulty by the interpretation of his dream. But they were
anxious to mix in their heathen religion with that of the Hebrews. Had Daniel and his fellows
consented to such a compromise, they would, in the view of the Babylonians, have been complete
as statesmen, fit to be entrusted with the affairs of the kingdom. But the four Hebrews entered
into no such arrangement. They were true to God, and God upheld them and honored them.”
Manuscript Releases, volume 16, pp. 336, 337

Power of Persuasion

Nebuchadnezzar attempted to persuade Daniel and his friends that his god was more powerful
than theirs (Daniel 1:1, 2). After all, he reasoned, had not his god given him the victory over the
Hebrews?

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With regards to this Ellen White wrote:

“The fact that these men, worshipers of Jehovah, were captives in Babylon, and that the vessels
of God's house had been placed in the Temple of the Babylonish gods, was boastfully cited by the
victors as evidence that their religion and customs were superior to the religion and customs of
the Hebrews.” Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 479, 480

Changing the Diet

Nebuchadnezzar attempted to influence Daniel and his friends by appointing them a Babylonian
diet (Daniel 1:5). By appointing a substitute diet, the king was attempting to take the place of
God who had originally appointed man’s diet.

Man’s original diet was ‘appointed’ by God (Genesis 1:29). It consisted of water to drink and fruits
to eat. It was a vegetarian diet. The expression ‘to you it shall be for food’ (Genesis 1:29) is the
same as Daniel 1:5 where the ‘king appointed for them’ their food. In other words,
Nebuchadnezzar was taking over the prerogatives of God. He was providing a diet different than
that which God had originally appointed for man. Thus the king is attempting to exercise the
prerogatives of the Creator.

There were six problems with Babylon’s food:

First, the meats were not prepared according to the specifications of the dietary laws given by
God to Moses (see Leviticus 17:14, 15; Acts 15:29). It was customary for the gentiles to eat the
blood and fat of animals which was forbidden by God.

Second, some of the meats were unclean. The gentile nations ate swine’s flesh and also mice
(see Isaiah 66:17; Deuteronomy 14:7, 8).

“Among the viands placed before the king were swine's flesh and other meats which were
declared unclean by the Law of Moses, and which the Hebrews had been expressly forbidden to
eat. Here Daniel was brought to a severe test. Should he adhere to the teachings of his Fathers
concerning meats and drinks, and offend the king, and probably lose not only his position but his
life? Or should he disregard the commandment of the Lord, and retain the favor of the king, thus
securing great intellectual advantages and the most flattering worldly prospects?

Daniel did not long hesitate. He decided to stand firm in his integrity, let the result be what it
might. He "purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's
meat, nor with the wine which he drank" (Daniel 1:8)

There are many among professed Christians today who would decide that Daniel was too
particular, and would pronounce him narrow and bigoted. They consider the matter of eating and
drinking as of too little consequence to require such a decided stand--one involving the probable
sacrifice of every earthly advantage. But those who reason thus will find in the Day of Judgment
that they turned from God's express requirements and set up their own opinion as a standard of
right and wrong. They will find that what seemed to them unimportant was not so regarded of
God. His requirements should be sacredly obeyed.” The Sanctified Life, pp. 19, 20

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Third, a portion of the meat had been offered to idols (see Deuteronomy 28:37, 38; 1 Corinthians
8)

“A second consideration of these youthful captives was that the king always asked a blessing
before his meals, and addressed his idols as Deity. He set apart a portion of his food to be
presented to the idol gods whom he worshiped, and also a portion of the wine. This act,
according to their religious instruction, consecrated the whole to the heathen god. To sit at the
table where such idolatry was practiced, Daniel and his three brethren deemed would be a
dishonor to the God of heaven. These four children decided that they could not sit at the king's
table to eat of the food placed there, or to partake of the wine, all of which had been dedicated
to an idol god. This would indeed implicate them with heathenism, and dishonor the principles
of their national religion and their God.” Manuscript Releases, volume 4, p. 126

“To Daniel and his companions, at the very outset of their career, there came a decisive test. The
direction that their food should be supplied from the royal table was an expression both of the
king's favor and of his solicitude for their welfare. But a portion having been offered to idols, the
food from the king's table was consecrated to idolatry; and in partaking of the king's bounty
these youth would be regarded as uniting in his homage to false gods. In such homage loyalty to
Jehovah forbade them to participate. Nor dared they risk the enervating effect of luxury and
dissipation on physical, mental, and spiritual development.” Education, pp. 54, 55

Fourth, on the table were most likely found delicacies that God had forbidden his people to
indulge in (see Proverbs 23:1-3).

Fifth, Daniel and his friends carefully studied the story of Nadab and Abihu and understood the
effect that wine has upon their ability to distinguish the holy from the common (Leviticus 10;
Isaiah 5:20-23).

“They were acquainted with the history of Nadab and Abihu, the record of whose intemperance
had been preserved in the parchments of the Pentateuch.” The Youth’s Instructor, June 4, 1903

Finally, and most importantly, Daniel and his friends understood that their physical habits were
closely linked with their mental and spiritual welfare:

“Anything that lessens physical strength enfeebles the mind and makes it less capable of
discriminating between right and wrong. We become less capable of choosing the good and have
less strength of will to do that which we know to be right.” Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 346

“What if Daniel and his companions had made a compromise with those heathen officers and had
yielded to the pressure of the occasion by eating and drinking as was customary with the
Babylonians? That single instance of departure from principle would have weakened their sense
of right and their abhorrence of wrong. Indulgence of appetite would have involved the sacrifice
of physical vigor, clearness of intellect, and spiritual power. One wrong step would probably have
led to others, until, their connection with Heaven being severed, they would have been swept
away by temptation.” The Sanctified Life, p. 23

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Daniel chose to be faithful to God. The expression ‘purposed in his heart’ means that ‘he made
up his mind’. It was a decision of the will which led to right action. Notice that there were other
Hebrews present in Nebuchadnezzar’s court (Daniel 1:6) but only Daniel and his friends chose to
be faithful to principle. And in the rest of the book of Daniel, God used only these four Hebrews
to bring honor and glory to His name (see chapters 2, 3 and 6). When we are faithful to God, He
will use us in a powerful way in His service and for His glory.

Changing Names

Nebuchadnezzar changed the names of the Hebrew worthies thus indicating that it was his
intention to change their characters.

In the Bible the giving of names is a sign of authority (see for example Genesis 1:19, 20; 5:2).

The expression ‘gave names’ is used exclusively when God gives names (see Deuteronomy 12:3-
5). Only God has the right to change a name because only God can change the character (see for
example Genesis 32:27, 28).

Ellen White understood what Nebuchadnezzar was up to when he changed the names of the
Hebrew worthies:

“The names of Daniel and his companions were changed to names representing Chaldean deities.
Great significance was attached to the names given by Hebrew parents to their children. Often
these stood for traits of character that the parent desired to see developed in the child. The prince
in whose charge the captive youth were placed "gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and
to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego."

The king did not compel the Hebrew youth to renounce their faith in favor of idolatry, but he
hoped to bring this about gradually. By giving them names significant of idolatry, by bringing
them daily into close association with idolatrous customs, and under the influence of the seductive
rites of heathen worship, he hoped to induce them to renounce the religion of their nation and to
unite with the worship of the Babylonians.” Prophets and Kings, pp. 480, 481

“Anciently the name of a child stood for his character, and the names given to these children were
characteristic of what it was expected they would become. They were young in years, and this
change in their names it was believed would make an impression on their minds. In a little while,
it was hoped, their former religion would be forgotten, and they would become in character and
purpose like the Chaldean youth about them.” The Youth’s Instructor, October 29, 1907

In Hebrew the word ‘El’ means ‘God’. The word ‘Yah’ stands for Yahweh. So, when we find a
name like ‘Elijah’ it means ‘my God is Yahweh’. The name ‘Daniel’ means ‘God is my judge’. This
name was changed to ‘Belteshazzar’ which means ‘may Bel protect’. The name Hananiah means
‘the grace of Yahweh’. This name was changed to Shadrach which means ‘the command of Aku’.
The name Mishael means ‘who is what God is?’ This name was changed to Meshach which means
‘who is what Aku is?’ The name Azariah means ‘the help of Yahweh’. This name was changed to

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Abednego which means ‘the servant of Nabu’. It is obvious that the king changed the names of
the Hebrew worthies to honor his gods in place of the God of heaven!

Daniel 4:8, 9 clearly reveals that Daniel was given a name in honor of the Babylonian God Bel.
We see here a battle between Daniel’s God and Nebuchadnezzar’s god. As we shall see, the God
of Daniel prevails (see Daniel 2:1).

Faithfulness of Daniel and his Three Friends

Daniel and his three friends never recognized the supremacy of the Babylonian gods. Daniel
chapters 2-6 clearly reveal that they remained faithful to Yahweh all their lives.

Daniel and his friends never used their Babylonian names to refer to themselves. They always
employed their Hebrew names (see Daniel 7:28; 8:1, 15, 27; 10:2, 7). Also, God never called them
by their Babylonian names.

Though Daniel and his friends studied in the school of Babylon, they did not allow themselves to
be brainwashed. They did not employ the Babylonian methods of divination (Daniel 2); they
always sought the Lord in prayer (see Daniel 2:17, 18; 6:10). For this reason, Daniel and his friends
were considered outcasts by their peers (see Daniel 3:8, 12; 6:4-6).

Daniel and his friends refused to eat the food of Babylon. Instead, they asked for water and
‘pulse’ (Daniel 1:8). According to the World Book Dictionary, pulse is ‘the seeds of a group of
plants such as peas, beans, and lentils used as food, a plant that yields such seeds.’ The word
comes from the Latin word puls.

“Daniel's clearness of mind and firmness of purpose, his strength of intellect in acquiring
knowledge, were due in a great degree to the plainness of his diet in connection with his life of
prayer.” 4 Testimonies for the Church, p. 515

Daniel and his friends excelled physically (Daniel 1:15), mentally (Daniel 1:19, 20) and spiritually
(Daniel 1:17).

Daniel’s secret of victory:

 Fervent and constant prayer (see for example, Daniel 2, Daniel 6 and Daniel 9).
 Daniel was an avid student of Scripture (see Daniel 9:1, 2).
 Daniel stood as a faithful witness for God (Daniel 1, 3, 6).
 Daniel was temperate in all things (Daniel 1).
 Daniel stood for principle:

“How did he become fitted for a position of so great trust and honor? It was his faithfulness
in the little things that gave complexion to his whole life. He honored God in the smallest
duties, and the Lord co-operated with him. To Daniel and his companions God gave

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"knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all
visions and dreams." Daniel 1:17. Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 356, 357

The End Time Dimension of Daniel

The experiences of Daniel and his friends illustrate and prefigure the experience of God’s final
remnant:

Daniel had no blemish (Daniel 1:4; 6:4, 5) or fault. The same will be true of the end-time
generation (see Revelation 14:5).

Daniel was filled with the Holy Spirit (Daniel 6:3; 4:8, 9; 5:11-14) as will the end time generation.

Daniel and his friends were men of prayer:

“Daniel's clearness of mind and firmness of purpose, his strength of intellect in acquiring
knowledge, were due in a great degree to the plainness of his diet, in connection with his life of
prayer” Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 82

Daniel was greatly beloved (Daniel 9:23; Revelation 3:9).

Daniel and his friends followed strict temperate habits.

“Let none who profess godliness regard with indifference the health of the body, and flatter
themselves that intemperance is no sin and will not affect their spirituality. A close sympathy
exists between the physical and the moral nature. The standard of virtue is elevated or degraded
by the physical habits. Excessive eating of the best of food will produce a morbid condition of the
moral feelings. And if the food is not the most healthful, the effects will be still more injurious.
Any habit which does not promote healthful action in the human system degrades the higher and
nobler faculties. . . Indulgence of appetite strengthens the animal propensities, giving them the
ascendancy over the mental and spiritual powers.” Maranatha, p. 81

Daniel witnessed in the courts of the kings of Babylon and Medo-Persia, God’s people will also
stand in the courts of kings (Luke 21:12).

The lives of Daniel and his friends were governed by principle. They did not allow the
circumstances that surrounded them to influence their decisions and behavior. They were
faithful even in the smallest duties (see Luke 16:10; Jeremiah 12:5) and they would have rather
died than be unfaithful to God:

“It was faithfulness in little things that gave complexion to their whole life. They honored God in
the smallest duties, as well as in the larger responsibilities.” Prophets and Kings, p. 487

“Daniel possessed the grace of genuine meekness. He was true, firm, and noble. He sought to live
in peace with all, while he was unbending as the lofty cedar wherever principle was involved. In
everything that did not come in collision with his allegiance to God, he was respectful and
obedient to those who had authority over him; but he had so high a sense of the claims of God

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that the requirements of earthly rulers were held subordinate. He would not be induced by any
selfish consideration to swerve from his duty.” The Sanctified Life, p. 20

The issues involved in the final conflict will be the same: God’s law and worship (compare Daniel
3 and 6).

A death decree was proclaimed against Daniel and will be proclaimed against God’s people (see
Revelation 13:15).

Daniel and his friends went through a severe time of trouble and trial but came through
victoriously as will God’s faithful remnant at the end of time (Revelation 15:2; Daniel 12:1).

Daniel was hated by the religious leaders of his day as will happen with the remnant at the end
of time (see notes on Daniel 3).

Daniel denounced the placing of unholy wine in holy vessels. The same will happen at the end
(Daniel 5; Revelation 17:4, 5).

Daniel was in an insignificant faithful minority while the majority was in apostasy. The same will
be true at the end.

Daniel and his friends were delivered from their enemies and their enemies were destroyed with
the very weapons they intended to use on God’s people. The furnace slew those who threw the
three young men in. The lions ate those who prepared the plot against Daniel. Evil Haman died
in the gallows he had built for Mordeccai. At the end, the weapons which were to slay God’s
people will be used to slay the ministers who plotted against them (see The Great Controversy,
pp. 655, 656).

The bottom line is that Daniel had four main characteristics which the remnant will possess at
the end: 1) He had the testimony of Jesus, 2) He kept the commandments of God, 3) He was a
staunch worshiper of the true God, 4) He had the faith of Jesus—an unbreakable confidence and
trust in God just like Jesus did (Revelation 12:17; 14:12 for the end time application).

At the end, God’s people will gain the victory in the four areas in which Daniel and his friends
were victorious:
1. God’s people will not drink the wine of Babylon nor eat her food. The food and the wine represent
Babylon’s false doctrines and traditions (see John 4:34; John 6:63; Revelation 18:2, 3; John 6:51-
58; Isaiah 4:1; 55:2, 10, 11).
2. God’s people will refuse the name of the beast (Revelation 13:17; 15:2-4). In fact, they will have
the name of God on their foreheads just as Daniel and his friends had godly names (Revelation
14:1).
3. God’s people will not flinch at the false god of end time Babylon. Though all power will appear to
be on Babylon’s side, though God’s people will be a small minority, He will deliver them because
He is the King of kings and Lord of lords (see Revelation 13:4; 17:14; Daniel 11:44; 12:1).

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4. God’s people will refuse to be brainwashed by the false theories and traditions of Babylon (see
Revelation 16:13, 14; 17:1-5).

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“STUDIES IN DANIEL 1-10”
by Pastor Stephen Bohr

LESSON #7 – NOTES ON DANIEL 2

Chapters 1 and 2 of Daniel are linked by the last verse of chapter one. The fact that Daniel was
given wisdom in all visions and dreams prepares us for the experience in Daniel 2. In chapter one
Daniel and his friends passed the test while the wise men failed. In chapter 2 Daniel and his
friends passed the test with flying colors while the wise men failed the test. This indicates clearly
that the God of Daniel was superior to the God of Babylon (see Genesis 41:24 for the parallel in
the story of Joseph).

Basic Elements of Historicism

 While the apocalyptic chain prophecies of Daniel do not repeat, the stories in the
historical section do, but on a global and spiritual scale.
 Historicism is better called the historical flow method.
 The broad sweep of the historical flow method covers from the days in which the prophet
wrote till the end of time.
 There are no gaps or parentheses in the historical flow.
 The final war will be fought on the battlefield of hermeneutics. The war will be between
futurism and historicism.

Play and Counterplay

In Daniel 2 we find a play and counterplay of events between God and Satan. I like to compare
the movements of history with a game of chess. On one side of the table is seated God while on
the other is seated Satan. God moves and then Satan countermoves and so the game goes on.
The comforting news is that there is no chance that God will lose because he already knows all
of Satan’s moves before the game began. On the other hand, Satan must take calculated guesses
about how God is going to move and when you have to guess you are bound to make mistakes.

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power and passions, the agencies of the all-merciful One, silently, patiently working out the
counsels of His own will.” Education, p. 173

 Daniel 2:29: God knew that the king was thinking about the future of his kingdom when
he went to bed.
 Daniel 2:1: God gave him a dream to answer his concerns about the future.
 Daniel 2:3: God then veiled the dream from the king’s memory. Why did God do this?
 Daniel 2:10: God knew that the king would call the experts who were immersed in the
occult. God wanted to unmask the false religion of Babylon and clearly reveal that occult
methods don’t work.
 This story clearly shows that Satan cannot read the mind. I am sure that he was dying to
tell the astrologers the dream and its meaning so that all would believe that the religion
of Babylon was true.

“Satan cannot read our thoughts, but he can see our actions, hear our words; and from his long
knowledge of the human family, he can shape his temptations to take advantage of our weak
points of character.” Review and Herald, February 27, 1913

 Deuteronomy 18:9-12: God had forbidden occult practices. All of these methods mentioned in
Deuteronomy are based on wrong understanding of the state of the dead.

God Communicates
 Daniel 2:11: the wise men complained that only their gods could reveal the dream to the king but
they did not dwell with flesh. The gods of the pagans conceal their plans.
 John 1:14: In contrast to the gods of the pagans, the God of the Bible becomes flesh and
communicates His will to human beings through Jesus.

Satan Plans to kill God’s followers but instead they are brought to
prominence in the kingdom
 Daniel 2:12, 13: Satan took advantage of the situation and influenced the mind of the king to kill
all of the wise men of Babylon.
 Satan had seen the faithfulness of Daniel and his friends to God in Daniel 1. He knew that these
young men would be a potential problem for him and so he decided to wipe them out.
 Instead of being successful in wiping them out, Daniel and his friends were brought to
prominence in the kingdom and given cabinet positions.

God’s method of revealing the future

Amos 3:7: God does nothing in human history without revealing His secrets to His servants the
prophets. Here once again we are faced with the fact that the God of the Bible wishes to
communicate His will to His creatures.

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Daniel 2:17-19: God showed that He was in control by revealing the dream and its meaning to
Daniel. God did not instruct Daniel to consult the crystal ball, the signs of the zodiac, the psychics,
the channelers or the necromancers. God revealed the secret when Daniel and his friends
prayed!!

Isaiah 46:9, 10: The true God is distinguished from all false gods by the fact that He knows the
end from the beginning.

Daniel 2:27, 28: Daniel did not claim the credit. It was God who revealed the secret and it was
God who got the credit.

The Dream

 Daniel 2:31-35: The outline of the dream.

 History is not evolving but rather devolving as can be seen by the decreasing value of the
metals. History is not evolving toward a golden age created by the ingenuity of man but
rather devolving into a state of confusion and chaos.
 While the metals decrease in value, they increase in strength:

“The image revealed to Nebuchadnezzar, while representing the deterioration of the

kingdoms of the earth in power and glory, also fitly represents the deterioration of
religion and morality among the people of these kingdoms. As nations forget God, in like
proportion they become weak morally.” 4 Bible Commentary, p. 1168
 The lack of moral value in the nations leads them to impose morality by force.
 All kingdoms will fall but the kingdom of God will embrace the entire earth and will last
forever.

The Meaning of the Dream

 Daniel 2:37, 38: Babylon is the head of gold. It ruled from 605 to 539 BC.
 Daniel 2:39: The next kingdom was Medo-Persia which ruled from 539 to 331 BC. We
don’t even need to read in the history books to know this. Daniel 5 clearly points out the
fact that the kingdom of Babylon was followed by the Medes and Persians.
 The third kingdom was Greece. This kingdom ruled from 331 to 168 BC. Once again, it is
not even necessary to go to the history books to discover that Medo-Persia was followed
by Greece. Daniel 8 makes it clear that the kingdom that followed the Medes and Persians
was Greece.
 Daniel 2:40: The fourth kingdom was the Roman Empire and Rome ruled from 168 BC to
476 AD. That Rome was the fourth power is clearly seen in Revelation 12. Notably, this
kingdom is called “the Iron monarchy of Rome” by historian Edward Gibbon in his six
volume series, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

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 Daniel 2:41: 168BC-476 AD The Roman Empire was divided into Ten kingdoms as a result
of the barbarian invasions. Still iron in the feet but a different kind of Rome. An
amalgamated Rome. Same territory but different type of kingdom.

The Feet

 The iron that existed in the legs continues in the feet. This indicates that Rome continues
its existence in the feet but it is a different kind of Rome, an amalgamated Rome with
two elements that don’t belong together.
 The feet of the image take us all the way from the year 476 AD to the second coming of
Christ so they cannot represent merely the nations of Western Europe.
 The papacy has two stages of dominion, one in Europe during the 1260 years and the
other in the whole world when the deadly wound is healed. The final fulfillment of the
feet stage of the image is foretold in Revelation 17 when the kings of the earth will be of
one mind for a short period of time.
 The clay is of a very special type; it is potter’s clay (Daniel 2:41).
 In the LXX the word for clay is ostrakinon. Ostraca were pieces of potter’s clay vessels that
had broken.
 The potter’s clay is fragile (Daniel 2:42). In Romans 9:20, 21 the apostle Paul describes
the fragility of man as the fragility of potter’s clay. The iron is described as strong (Daniel
2:40). Because the clay is fragile it desires to unite with an element that is stronger in
order to subsist in a contentious world. The clay wishes to join together with something
that is strong in order to survive.
 The iron and the clay each have their place and legitimate function separately. It is only
when they are mingled that both are weakened.
 Daniel 2 is presenting God’s perspective of history. In the sight of God, the union of the
iron and the clay is an illegitimate union and therefore not a true union at all.
 In Daniel 2 all is symbolic: the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the Stone and the
mountain. Therefore, the potter’s clay must also be symbolic.

Meaning of the Potter’s Clay

Jeremiah 18:1-6: The potter’s clay is used to represent Israel, God’s Old Testament church.

“The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: 2 "Arise and go down to the potter's
house, and there I will cause you to hear My words." 3 Then I went down to the potter's house,
and there he was, making something at the wheel. 4 And the vessel that he made of clay was
marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to
the potter to make. 5 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 6 "O house of Israel, can I not
do with you as this potter?" says the Lord. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in
My hand, O house of Israel!”
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Revelation 12 makes it clear that God’s Old Testament church is one with the New Testament
church. God does not have two mutually separable peoples. Only one woman is used to
symbolize both stages of God’s church. The woman that brings the Messiah into the world is the
same as the one who later flees into the wilderness for 1260 years. Thus it would be legitimate
to affirm that God’s Old Testament church or people is represented by the potter’s clay. God
formed his church at Mt. Sinai. As a result of apostasy, Israel was taken into Babylonian captivity
(the marring of the vessel). But after the captivity God once again established Israel in their land
(the making of another vessel).

Genesis 2:7 affirms that Jesus formed man’s literal body out of dust the dust of the ground:

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground. . .”

Isaiah 64:8 (see also Job 33:6; 13:12) informs us that God worked as a potter and formed our
bodies out of clay:

“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the
work of Your hand.”

The literal body that God formed out of clay was perfect and had all of its body parts, each created
to fulfill a certain function. But the body was lifeless.

God then breathed into the body the spirit of life and the body lived and all the body parts began
to fulfill the function for which they were created:

Genesis 2:7: “. . . and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

In Daniel 2 we are not dealing with literal realities but rather with spiritual ones. In other words,
the potter’s clay that God uses to create the body is not literal but symbolic. The question is:
What is represented by the creation of the literal body?

Colossians 1:18 tells us that the church is the body of Christ. In other words, the creation of man’s
literal body represents the creation of Christ’s spiritual body—the church.

“And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things He may have the preeminence.”

Immediately before the death of Christ, the apostles were intensely divided. They were all striving
to occupy the first positions in Christ’s future kingdom. They were like a bunch of body parts
strewn all over the place. But in Acts 2:1 we are told that the body of Christ was joined together
in one accord. All the members now belonged to the same body but each member was created
to fulfill a different function:

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”

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Though the church had been formed and was united, something was yet missing. The Spirit of
life needed to energize the body so that each member could fulfill its specific function. On the
day of Pentecost, the Spirit entered the body of Christ:

Acts 2:2-4: “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it
filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues,
as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began
to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

This metaphor of the body is used by the apostle Paul to refer to the church. The body is one,
and the members fulfill their function because they are all energized by the Holy Spirit:

I Corinthians 12:12, 13: “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of
that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized
into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free — and have all been made to
drink into one Spirit.”

Ezekiel 37:10-11: The Babylonian captivity tore Israel apart but after the captivity all the
members of the body come together and then the Spirit of life entered them. This represents
the people of God in the Old Testament.

“So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood
upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. 11 Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are
the whole house of Israel. They indeed say: 'Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves
are cut off!'”

It is safe to conclude that the potter’s clay symbolizes God’s church. That is to say, during the foot
stage of the image the political power of Rome would continue (the iron) but it would be mixed
with the church (the clay). This is exactly what happened during the period of papal dominion.

The church of the feet stage felt that it had to unite with the state in order to guarantee its
continuing existence. What the church failed to realize is that this illegitimate union weakened
both the church and the state. The church should have realized that the guarantee of her
continued existence is found in the protection of the One who molded her into existence. The
strength of the church does not reside in using the power of the political systems of the world.
Her power resides in fulfilling her mission of preaching the gospel to the world by the power of
the Holy Spirit. What God is saying in Daniel 2 is: “What God has cast asunder, let no man join
together.” The church’s only legitimate union is with her husband, Jesus Christ. When she joins
the state she is committing fornication. Fornication in the sight of God is not union at all!

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Daniel 2, Daniel 7 and Revelation 13

The ten toes of the image reappear again in Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 but with a different
symbolism. While in Daniel 2 the clay is added to the iron in the ten toes of the feet, in Daniel 7
the little horn arises among the ten horns of the fourth beast:

Ten Toes Clay (religious power)

Ten Horns Little Horn (religious power)

The legs of iron and the ten toes of the image and the dragon beast and its ten horns represent
the same political kingdoms. But as Daniel saw clay added to the iron in the feet he now sees a
little horn rise from the head of the fourth beast among the ten horns. As the clay was radically
different than the metals that preceded it, so this horn is radically different than the beasts and
the horns that preceded it. The text clearly indicates that this horn leaned on the political power
of the fourth beast to carry on activities that were religious in character. It spoke blasphemy
against the Most High, persecuted the saints of the Most High and thought that it could change
God’s times and Law. The little horn in Daniel 8 also had strong religious characteristics: It
trampled on God’s sanctuary, attacked the Prince of the host, removed the daily and set up the
abomination of desolation. The apostle Paul even described the audacity of this power as it sat
in the temple of God claiming to be God.

In Revelation 13 we once again see how the little horn combined the political power of Rome
with religious activities. In Revelation 13:2 we are told that the dragon beast (the fourth beast
of Daniel 7, the legs of iron in Daniel 2) gave its authority, throne and power to the beast (the
little horn, the clay). The beast then carried on a religious warfare against God by blaspheming
his name, His tabernacle and those who dwell in heaven. The beast also persecutes the saints. It
is obvious that this was a religio-political power.

The Feet and Revelation 17

The final fulfillment of the feet of the image is found in Revelation 17. In this chapter we once
again encounter a dragon like beast that has ten horns. The ten horns are parallel the ten toes of
the image and the ten horns of the dragon like beast in Daniel 7. But the ten horns in Daniel 7
and Revelation 13 represent the history of the church during the 1260 years (as denoted by the
time periods in Daniel 7:25 and Revelation 13:5). The ten horns in Revelation 17 on the other
hand will be fulfilled when the deadly wound of the beast is healed. In Revelation 17 the ten
horns are universalized to include the kings of the earth and the whole world (Revelation 16:13,
14, 16; 17:2, 12, 13, 17; 13:3).

It is significant that these kings not only join hands politically. There is a religious power that
manipulates them and uses them for its own ends. Revelation 17 portrays a great harlot who is
seated on many waters and fornicates with the kings of the earth (Revelation 14:8; 17:2; 18:3,
9). She gives wine to the nations and kills the saints of the Most High. This is the picture of the
end time apostate church that will link up with the kings of the world to establish a New
World Order on earth created by the power and prowess of man. But this union is not a union at

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all in the sight of God because it is illegitimate. When a man commits adultery with a woman
there is union but in the sight of God there is no union because God has not united them. The
apparent union of the harlot with the kings will fall apart when the waters of the Euphrates dry
up and the kings of the earth hate the harlot (Revelation 17:16). Jesus will then come as King of
kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14). This kingdom will be established without hands
because it will be established by Christ.

Revelation 17:1, 2: Presents the same mixture but with different symbols. The great harlot
represents an apostate church. How did she become apostate? The answer is: By fornicating with
the kings of the earth. Thus the mixture of the iron with the clay represents the same truth as
the harlot fornicating with the kings of the earth.

“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me,
‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom
the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk
with the wine of her fornication.’”

Ellen White’s Perspective

“We have come to a time when God's sacred work is represented by the feet of the image in which
the iron was mixed with the miry clay. God has a people, a chosen people, whose discernment
must be sanctified, who must not become unholy by laying upon the foundation wood, hay, and
stubble. Every soul who is loyal to the commandments of God will see that the distinguishing
feature of our faith is the seventh-day Sabbath. If the government would honor the Sabbath as
God has commanded, it would stand in the strength of God and in defense of the faith once
delivered to the saints. But statesmen will uphold the spurious sabbath, and will mingle their
religious faith with the observance of this child of the papacy, placing it above the Sabbath which
the Lord has sanctified and blessed, setting it apart for man to keep holy, as a sign between Him
and His people to a thousand generations. The mingling of churchcraft and statecraft is
represented by the iron and the clay. This union is weakening all the power of the churches. This
investing the church with the power of the state will bring evil results. Men have almost passed
the point of God's forbearance. They have invested their strength in politics, and have united
with the papacy. But the time will come when God will punish those who have made void His law,
and their evil work will recoil upon themselves (Manuscript 63, 1899). Seventh-day Adventist
Bible Commentary, Volume 4 p. 1168

“Earthly powers are shaken. We need not, and cannot, expect union among the nations of the
earth. Our position in the image of Nebuchadnezzar is represented by the toes, in a divided state,
and of a crumbling material, that will not hold together.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 1
p. 361

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The Stone

What is represented by the Stone that struck the image on its feet?

The answer is that in the Old Testament the stone clearly has messianic undertones as can be
seen in Isaiah 28:16; 8:14, 15; Psalm 118:22. In the New Testament Jesus applied this stone
terminology to Himself. (Matthew 21:42-44; Luke 20:18; Acts 4:11; I Peter 2:4-8)

I Peter 2:6: The stone is placed in the mountain and the mountain is Zion.

“Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect,
precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.’”

Luke 20:18: In this verse Jesus seems to be alluding to the prophecy of Daniel 2 and applying it
to individuals:

“Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."

Not Made with Hands

What does the expression ‘not with hands’ mean?

A comparison of Daniel 2:34; 8:25 and 11:45 indicate that the expression ‘without hands’ means
‘without human intervention.’ In other words, the end of human history will be brought about
by the supernatural irruption of God into human history. This is in contrast to the concept which
was originated by St. Augustine and developed by Roman Catholicism where the stone represents
the church taking over the world and establishing God’s kingdom here.

Hebrews 9:11: “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and
more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.”

Mark 14:58: "We heard Him say: 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, [the body he
received from Mary] and within three days I will build another made without hands [His
supernatural resurrected body].'"

The Mountain that Fills the whole Earth

Revelation 17:9, 10 (Jeremiah 51:25); Isaiah 2:1-5: In Scripture mountains represent kingdoms.

The mountain in Daniel 2 is symbolic of the everlasting kingdom that will fill the whole earth.
This can be seen clearly by comparing Daniel 2:34, 35 with 2:44:

Daniel 2:34, 35: “You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image
on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the
silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing
floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck
the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.”

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Daniel 2:44: “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall
never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and
consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”

Daniel 2:45: The Mountain is Zion which represents the everlasting kingdom of Jesus that will fill
the whole earth (Isaiah 9:6, 7) “‘Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain
without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold
— the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is
certain, and its interpretation is sure.’”

Daniel 7:26, 27: An everlasting kingdom given to Jesus and then the saints.

Final Call

Matthew 21:44: Whoever falls upon the rock and is converted will be broken but whoever does
not will be ground to powder: “‘And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever
it falls, it will grind him to powder.’”

Matthew 3:11, 12: We must allow the Holy Spirit as fire to consume sin in us. If we don’t allow
the fire to consume sin then the fire will consume us: 11“I indeed baptize you with water unto
repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to
carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 “His winnowing fan is in His hand, and
He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will
burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

John 3:3, 5: Unless we are born again we cannot see or enter the kingdom of God.

“Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot
see the kingdom of God."… 5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of
water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

Review and Meaning

 The world is not spiraling out of control. God sits on His throne and guides world events.
 Everything in this prophecy has been fulfilled precisely as God has announced and
therefore we can be sure that the final event will also be fulfilled
 We are in the toenails of human history.
 The next great event in history is the second coming of Christ

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“STUDIES IN DANIEL 1-10”
by Pastor Stephen Bohr

LESSON #8 – NOTES ON DANIEL 3

Beast, Image, Number: Old Testament Background

Babylon was the ruling power in the world of the time (Daniel 3:1) “Nebuchadnezzar the king
made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the
plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.”

Connection between Daniel 2 and 3

 God had delineated in Daniel 2 the sequence of kingdoms that would arise between the
days of Nebuchadnezzar and the second coming of Jesus.
 Nebuchadnezzar did not like the scenario that God had presented and he attempted to
change God’s prophetic scenario.
 This idea came from the religious leaders.
“The wise men of his realm, taking advantage of this and of his return to idolatry, proposed
that he make an image similar to the one seen in his dream, and set it up where all might
behold the head of gold, which had been interpreted as representing his kingdom.”
Prophets and Kings, p. 504.
 The word “gold” in Daniel 2 and 3 links the chapters.
 The word “image” is identical in both chapters.
 The expression “set up” is repeatedly used in the chapter.
 Remember that in Daniel 2:44 God had stated that He was going to “set up” his
indestructible kingdom (Daniel 3:1, 2, 3, 7, 12, 14, 15 and 18). Nebuchadnezzar attempted
to counteract God’s scenario by setting up an image totally of gold!

“Instead of reproducing the image as he had seen it, he would excel the original. His image should
not deteriorate in value from the head to the feet, but should be entirely of gold--symbolic
throughout of Babylon as an eternal, indestructible, all-powerful kingdom, which should break in
pieces all other kingdoms and stand forever.” Prophets and Kings, p. 504

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“And it is not surprising that in a land where idol worship was of universal prevalence, the
beautiful and priceless image in the plain of Dura, representing the glory of Babylon and its
magnificence and power, should be consecrated as an object of worship. This was accordingly
provided for, and a decree went forth that on the day of the dedication all should show their
supreme loyalty to the Babylonian power by bowing before the image. Prophets and Kings, pp.
505, 506

But the image was not only a sign of the indestructible and eternal nature of Babylon. To bow
before the image was not only a sign of allegiance to the civil power like pledging allegiance to
the flag. The image was really a religious symbol of loyalty to the Babylonian pantheon. Thus the
king bellowed out to the three young Hebrews:

Daniel 3:14: "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or
worship the gold image which I have set up?

God’s people were captive in Babylon (Jeremiah 51:45)

"My people go out of the midst of her! And let everyone deliver himself from the fierce anger of
the Lord.”

Nebuchadnezzar for a time lived as a beast (Daniel 4:16)

“Let his [Nebuchadnezzar’s] heart be changed from that of a man, let him be given the heart of a
beast, and let seven times pass over him.”

The religious leaders of Babylon enticed Nebuchadnezzar to set up an image in his honor.
Repeatedly Daniel 3 quotes Nebuchadnezzar using the expression ‘which I have set up’ (Daniel
3:1, 2, 3 [2x], 5, 7, 12, 14, 18).

The dimensions of the image: 60x6 (3:1)

“Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width
six cubits [90 feet tall and 9 feet wide]. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.”

“Babylonian mathematics was based on the sexagesimal system, in which the basic counting units
were the numbers 6 and 60. (The sexagesimal system has been accepted universally for the
measurement of arcs and angles and for divisions of time.” Ranko Stefanovic, Revelation of Jesus
Christ, p. 417

 If what Herodotus says is correct, the image weighed 800 talents of gold which would be
equivalent to over 30 tons (Daniel 3:1). In antiquity gold was called ‘the dew of the sun’
because it was believed that it had dripped down from the sun onto the earth. Gold was
used to represent the sun god because gold is the color of the sun.
 Sexagesimal system originated in Babylon (the number system based on the number 6—
60 seconds, 60 minutes, 24 hours, 360 days, 360 degrees).
 If we multiply 60 x 6 the total is 360 which was a very sacred number in Babylon.

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 360 degrees and 360 days represent the full cycle of time and the full circle of space.
 Thirty-six gods were placed to rule over the Babylonian pantheon. Each ruled over 10
degrees of space and 10 days of time.
 When the numbers from 1-36 are added in sequence the total is 666 and the number 666
was known as “the great number of the sun.” All the gods were included in this one
summary number. In Babylon the sun god was called Marduk. He was thought of as the
absolute ruler of all time and all space.
 The Babylonian priestly system expressed this belief in practical terms by wearing
amulets or medallions around their necks.
 The medallions [Sigilla solis] were made of pure gold because gold is the color of the sun.
It is no coincidence that in Isaiah 14:4 Babylon is called the golden kingdom and that in
Daniel 2 Babylon is represented by the head of gold. The medallions or amulets were
circular (like the sun) and had a hexagon within the amulet.
 On the obverse (front) side of the amulet there was a large square with 36 smaller
squares within. In each of the smaller squares there was a number from 1-36 and beneath
the large square was the number 666.
 On the reverse side of the seal or amulet there was a raging lion with eagle’s wings
(yellow in color like the sun) whose mane is portrayed as the rays of the sun (see Malachi
4:2 where the sun is portrayed as having wings). It is no coincidence that Babylon is
portrayed as a lion in Daniel 7 and that sphinxes were at each of the entrances to the
city.
 Later Gnostic amulets, following the religion of ancient Babylon, combine the number 666
with a lion. The mane of the lion is portrayed as the rays of the sun. Our glyph # 6 is
actually the sign of a coiled serpent and had its origin in ancient India. It is really the sign
of a coiled cobra and in many Romantic languages the sound of the number six reminds
us of the hiss of the serpent!
 In astrology, Leo, the lion, rules over the hottest period of the year (July 23-August 22).
 Babylon is the king of kingdoms, the sun is the king of heavenly bodies, gold is the king of
precious metals, the eagle is the king of birds and the # 666 is the king of numbers.
 The Romans acquired much of their religious system from Babylon but they established
a different number system. They chose six letters from their Latin alphabet and gave
each a numerical value. The sum total of all six numbers is 666.
 Thus the number 666 is to be identified with Babylon and with Rome (also called Babylon
in I Peter 5:13).
 Thus those who worshipped the image would be honoring Babylon and worshiping the
sun god whose number is 666.

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The primary issue in this controversy was worship

 The question was who will you worship: the image or the true God (Daniel 3:28).

“Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-
Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have
frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship
any god except their own God!”

 This word is used 11 times in the chapter (3:5-7, 10-12, 14, 15, 18, 28).
 The law of God is also involved, primarily the first table which has to do with worship to
the true God.
 We worship God because He is the Creator (Psalm 95:6) and the sign of worship to the
Creator is the Sabbath (Revelation 14:7).

There was a union of church and state (Daniel 3:2)

 “And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators,
the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the
officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King
Nebuchadnezzar had set up.”
 Notice all the political rulers who were present and in order of rank. All the civil powers
of the Babylonian world were present there for this religious celebration.
 The government was enforcing a religious decree. To refuse to worship was considered
high treason against the government.
 The story of Daniel 3 illustrates what happens when the civil power seeks to establish
religion. Daniel 6 will illustrate what happens when the civil power attempts to forbid the
free exercise of religion.

The decree to worship was universal (Daniel 3:4)

 Representatives from all the nations of the day were present for this religious celebration
enforced by the state. All the great political leaders of the day were present and bowed
before the image (see Daniel 3:2, 3, 7). The expression ‘peoples, nations and languages is
reminiscent of Revelation 17:15.
 “Then a herald cried aloud: "To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages...”

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Time and again the chapter emphasizes that music played a significant
role in connection with false worship (Daniel 3:5, 7, 10 and 15). So to
speak, everyone was expected to dance to Babylon’s tune:

 "To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that at the time you hear
the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music,
you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. . .“

A death decree was given against those who did not worship the image
of the beast (Daniel 3:6, 11, 15 and 19)

 “. . . and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst
of a burning fiery furnace."

There was an insignificant yet faithful remnant that refused to worship

the image of the beast (Daniel 3:12). If the king could eradicate this
remnant, his triumph would be complete

 “There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon:
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you.
They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up."

The religious leaders accused the three young men to the civil power
(Daniel 2:2, 4, 5, 10, 12; 3:9-12)

 “Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. . . There
are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do
not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up."
 The Chaldeans were the religious leaders of Babylon, the priestly caste. These religious
leaders hated God’s remnant because of their religious convictions.

There was a shaking in the Valley of Dura (Daniel 1:3)

 When Nebuchadnezzar took Daniel and his three friends captive to Babylon he left King
Zedekiah to rule in Jerusalem. In 2 Kings 24:14-17 we are told that the king ‘. . . carried
into captivity all Jerusalem: all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand
captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths.’
 Would not Zedekiah be expected to be present at the dedication? We know that in the
year 594 BC (Jeremiah 51:59) King Zedekiah made a trip to Babylon. Was it to worship
the image?

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 Furthermore, there were other Hebrew youth who were placed in governmental
positions when Daniel and his friends were taken to Babylon. Is it just possible that they
bowed before the image?

Nebuchadnezzar attempted to intimidate the remnant who kept the

commandments of God and worshipped only Him (Daniel 3:15)

 The king’s strategy consisted in three steps: Fascination, intimidation, annihilation.

Everything in the story of Daniel 3 sought to ‘wow’ the senses. The music, the majestic
image, the presence of the political leaders from all over the world the peer pressure,
were all meant to mesmerize those who were present for the dedication of the image.
When the Hebrew worthies were unwilling to be hypnotized by the majesty of the
occasion, the king sought to use intimidation and threats. When the threats did not work,
the king resorted to the final solution: Annihilation!
 The king roared as he said to the faithful remnant: Daniel 3:15: “And who is the god who
will deliver you from my hands?"
 Ellen White makes a very insightful remark about the body language of the king when he
spoke these words. She says that he spoke them “with hand stretched upward in
defiance”. (Signs of the Times, May 6, 1897)

The answer of the faithful remnant was respectful yet firm (Daniel 3:16-
18)

 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar,
we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we
serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your
hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods,
nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."

The king’s rage (Daniel 3:19)

The reaction of the king is noteworthy:

Daniel 3:19: “Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed
toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the
furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.”

 Ellen White vividly describes the face of Nebuchadnezzar after the young men spoke:
“Satanic attributes made his countenance appear as the countenance of a demon.”
Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 4 p. 1169

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 God would shortly answer this charge: “I will deliver them.” The Husband would protect
his bride, the Shepherd would protect his sheep, the Head would care for the body and
the Sovereign would keep his covenant with His servants.
 The same mistake was made by Pharaoh. He had said: “I do not know Yahweh and I will
not let His people go.’ He challenged the God of heaven and the Lord fought for Israel
and delivered them.

Time of trouble for the three young men (Daniel 3:20-23)

 They faced the beast, his image and the civil rulers and the death decree without
flinching. There was no human way to survive.

Furnace heated seven times hotter (3:19)

 The number 7 indicates that the furnace was heated to the maximum heat because the
number 7 represents totality or completeness. This was a manifestation of the fullness of
the king’s wrath.
 The furnace represents affliction by which God purifies his people (Isaiah 48:10, 11;
Psalm 12:6; 13:12; Job 23:10; Isaiah 33:14-16; Malachi 3:2, 3; Revelation 3:18). The faith
of the three worthies was severely tested but they came forth as pure gold. Their faith
was also a witness that brought honor and glory to the true God before the all the nations
of the world.
 The young men claimed the promise of Isaiah 43:2.
 The young men did not form their character in the crisis. Their character was exhibited in
the crisis. Their faithfulness in Daniel 1 in the small things prepared them to pass greater
tests.

Their tormentors died instead (Daniel 3:22)

Christ Himself stood up to deliver His faithful remnant in the midst of

the time of trouble (Daniel 3:25)

"Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt,
and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

“As His witnesses were cast into the furnace, the Savior revealed Himself to them in person, and
together they walked in the midst of the fire.” Prophets and Kings , pp. 508, 509

 Notice that the king described the Son of God as an Angel, that is, Michael the Archangel
(Daniel 3:25, 28) or the Angel of the LORD.
 How did the king know what the Son of God looked like: Ellen White responds:

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“The Hebrew captives had told Nebuchadnezzar of Christ, the Redeemer that was to come, and
from the description thus given the king recognized the form of the fourth in the fiery furnace as
the Son of God.” Christ Triumphant, p. 178

 The Hebrew worthies went through the tribulation but they were shielded by divine
power (Daniel 3:24-27).
 Christ is the Hero of this story, not the young men!!

The word ‘deliver’ is used in certain strategic parts of the chapter (3:15,
17, 28, 29)

 “Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and
psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image
which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into
the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my
hands?"
 “If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery
furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.”
 “Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-
Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have
frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship
any god except their own God!”
 “Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything
amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and
their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver
like this."

An Important Principle

Literal Israel was literally captive in literal Babylon, the literal king behaved like a literal beast,
set up a literal image, commanding everyone to literally bow and worship it; literal Jews refused
to literally bow and therefore were thrown into a literal fiery furnace and were delivered from
the literal flames. But in the end time application that which was literal and local in the Old
Testament story will be worldwide and spiritual at the end of time.

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The power which will rule the world in the end-time will be spiritual and
global Babylon (Revelation 14:8; 16:12-16, 19; 17:1, 2, 5, 18, 21)

 Babylon will once again present a counterfeit prophetic scenario wanting to establish a
new world order different than the new world order which Jesus has promised to
establish.
 The arrogance of Babylon in the end time will be no less than in the days of Daniel. In
Revelation 18:7 end time Babylon boasts: 'I sit as queen, and [I] am no widow, and will
not see sorrow.' In Isaiah 47:7 Babylon boasts: ‘I shall be a lady forever’. And in verse 8
she blasphemously claims the title that belongs only to Yahweh, the great ‘I AM: 'I am,
and there is no one else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, nor shall I know the loss of
children’.
 At the very end of human history, the Papacy, apostate Protestantism and the kings of
the earth will unite to establish a New World Order such as was envisioned by the builders
of the Tower of Babel (see Genesis 11:1-9).
 The second coming of Jesus as the solution to the world’s problems will be cast aside and
men will attempt to establish a golden age on earth that will stand forever:

“Papists, who boast of miracles as a certain sign of the true church, will be readily deceived
by this wonder-working power; and Protestants, having cast away the shield of truth, will
also be deluded. Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of
godliness without the power, and they will see in this union a grand movement for the
conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium.” The Great
Controversy, pp. 588, 589

God’s people will once again be captive in Babylon and this is the reason
they are called to come out of her (Revelation 18:4)

 “And I heard another voice from heaven saying: "Come out of her, my people, lest you
share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.”
 “Of Babylon, at the time brought to view in this prophecy, it is declared: "Her sins have
reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." Revelation 18:5. She has
filled up the measure of her guilt, and destruction is about to fall upon her. But God still
has a people in Babylon; and before the visitation of His judgments these faithful ones
must be called out, that they partake not of her sins and "receive not of her plagues."
Hence the movement symbolized by the angel coming down from heaven, lightening the
earth with his glory and crying mightily with a strong voice, announcing.

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 The sins of Babylon. In connection with his message the call is heard: "Come out of her,
My people." These announcements, uniting with the third angel's message, constitute the
final warning to be given to the inhabitants of the earth.” The Great Controversy, p. 604

In Revelation there is a power which is described as the beast and the

beast is a symbol of the Roman Catholic Papacy (Revelation 13:2)

 “Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and
his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great
authority.”

The beast will have an image built in its honor. The image is a replica of
the Papacy that is raised up in its honor by Protestant America
(Revelation 13:11-18)

 Revelation 13:14: “And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he
was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make
an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.”
 “In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so
control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the
church to accomplish her own ends.” The Great Controversy, p. 443
 But in the very act of enforcing a religious duty by secular power, the churches would
themselves form an image to the beast; hence the enforcement of Sunday keeping in the
United States would be an enforcement of the worship of the beast and his image.” The
Great Controversy, p. 448
 “The ‘image to the beast’ represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be
developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the
enforcement of their dogmas.” The Great Controversy, p. 445
 As the idea to build the image was not Nebuchadnezzar’s but rather that of the religious
leaders, so the idea of building an image of and to the beast will be the idea of the religious
leaders of the Protestant churches in the United States.

The Mark of the Beast will be Imposed by Force

Revelation 13:15: “He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image
of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast
to be killed.”

 The mark of the beast is the exact opposite of the seal of God. The seal of God is the
Sabbath so the mark of the beast must be a another day of worship that seeks to
counterfeit God’s genuine day.

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 The first angel’s message in Revelation 14:7 calls us to worship the creator in contrast to
worshipping the beast and his image in the third angel’s message (Revelation 14:9-11).

Ellen White remarks:

“An idol sabbath has been set up, as the golden image was set up in the plains of Dura.
And as Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, issued a decree that all who would not bow
down and worship this image should be killed, so a proclamation will be made that all who
will not reverence the Sunday institution will be punished with imprisonment and death.”
Manuscript Releases, Volume 14 p. 91

The number of the beast is 666:

 The beast has a blasphemous name (Revelation 13:1).

 What is blasphemy? Blasphemy is when a mere man claims to be God on earth and also
claims to have power to forgive sins (Mark 2:7; John 10:33).
 The blasphemous name has a number (Revelation 13:17).
 How do you get a number from a name?
 In ancient times numbers were written with letters.
 What language do we employ?
 It must be in Latin because this is a Roman power (Revelation 13:2).

The image and mark must have something to do with the sun

 Is it the same to worship the sun as it is to worship on Sunday? In principle it is the same
because an idol is created by men’s hands for worship while Sunday has been created by
man for worship. Anything that man creates for worship in place of what God has created
for worship is an idol.
 The pope has an official name whose number value is 666: Vicarius Filii Dei. Notably, the
word Antichrist means ‘one who occupies the place of Christ’.
 Ellen White draws the parallel:

“History will be repeated. False religion will be exalted. The first day of the week, a
common working day, possessing no sanctity whatever, will be set up as was the image
at Babylon. All nations and tongues and peoples will be commanded to worship this
spurious sabbath. This is Satan's plan to make of no account the day instituted by God,
and given to the world as a memorial of creation. Seventh-day Adventist Bible
Commentary, Volume 7 p. 976

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 “We are to warn men and women against the worship of the beast and his image—against
the worship of the idol Sunday. But in doing this work, we need not begin a warfare against
unbelievers. We are simply to present the Word of the Lord, in its true dignity and purity,
before the minds of those who are ignorant or indifferent regarding its teachings. . . . We
need not tell them that they will go to hell unless they keep the Sabbath of the fourth
commandment. The truth itself, accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit, will convict
and convert hearts.” Christ Triumphant, p. 178
 The Papacy boasts that it has changed the day of worship from Sabbath to Sunday by the
authority and as the representative of Jesus Christ. In this way the papacy claims to
exercise the power and prerogatives of God because it is Vicarius Filii Dei. Sunday has
been created as the idol sabbath made by man for worship.

Once again worship will be the central issue and it will be worldwide
(Revelation 13:3, 8, 16; 14:6; 16:13, 14; 17:15)

 Revelation 14:6: “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the
everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth — to every nation, tribe,
tongue, and people.”
 Revelation 13:3: “And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his
deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.”
 Revelation 17:15: “Then he said to me: "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits,
are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.”
 Revelation 13:8: “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not
been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
 Revelation 13:16: “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to
receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads.”
 Revelation 16:13, 14: “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth
of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth

and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”
 “The decree enforcing the worship of this day is to go forth to all the world”. Seventh-
day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 7 p. 967

But the commandments will also be an issue, especially the first table
of the law (Revelation 12:17; 14:12)

Revelation 12:17: “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with
the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus
Christ.”

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Revelation 14:12: “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the
commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”

There will be a union of church and state (Revelation 17:1, 2; 18:3)

 “The dignitaries of church and state will unite to bribe, persuade, or compel all classes to honor
the Sunday.” The Great Controversy, p. 592
 Revelation 17:1, 2: “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked
with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on
many waters 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants
of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication."
 Revelation 18:3: “For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,
the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth
have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."
 “When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are
held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain
their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman
hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result.” The Great
Controversy, p. 445

A death decree will be proclaimed against God’s faithful remnant

(Revelation 13:15)

 “This argument [the one based on John 11:51] will appear conclusive; and a decree will
finally be issued against those who hallow the Sabbath of the fourth commandment,
denouncing them as deserving of the severest punishment and giving the people liberty,
after a certain time, to put them to death. Romanism in the Old World and apostate
Protestantism in the New will pursue a similar course toward those who honor all the
divine precepts.” The Great Controversy, p. 615
 “Fearful is the issue to which the world is to be brought. The powers of earth, uniting to
war against the commandments of God, will decree that "all, both small and great, rich
and poor, free and bond" (Revelation 13:16), shall conform to the customs of the church
by the observance of the false sabbath. All who refuse compliance will be visited with civil
penalties, and it will finally be declared that they are deserving of death.” The Great
Controversy, p. 604

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The death decree will be universal (Revelation 13:15, 16)

 “As the Sabbath has become the special point of controversy throughout Christendom,
and religious and secular authorities have combined to enforce the observance of the
Sunday, the persistent refusal of a small minority to yield to the popular demand will make
them objects of universal execration.” The Great Controversy, p. 615

As in all apostasies of history, music and external display will play a

significant role in the end time (Revelation 18:22)

 Satan knows what type of music to use to dull our spiritual senses and make us more
susceptible to his temptations.

 “Many Protestants suppose that the Catholic religion is unattractive and that its worship is a
dull, meaningless round of ceremony. Here they mistake. While Romanism is based upon
deception, it is not a coarse and clumsy imposture. The religious service of the Roman Church
is a most impressive ceremonial. Its gorgeous display and solemn rites fascinate the senses of
the people and silence the voice of reason and of conscience. The eye is charmed. Magnificent
churches, imposing processions, golden altars, jeweled shrines, choice paintings, and exquisite
sculpture appeal to the love of beauty. The ear also is captivated. The music is unsurpassed.
The rich notes of the deep-toned organ, blending with the melody of many voices as it swells
through the lofty domes and pillared aisles of her grand cathedrals, cannot fail to impress the
mind with awe and reverence. This outward splendor, pomp, and ceremony, that only mocks
the longings of the sin-sick soul, is an evidence of inward corruption. The religion of Christ
needs not such attractions to recommend it. In the light shining from the cross, true
Christianity appears so pure and lovely that no external decorations can enhance its true
worth. It is the beauty of holiness, a meek and quiet spirit, which is of value with God. The
Great Controversy, pp. 566, 567

God will have a faithful remnant which will refuse to worship the
image to the beast (Revelation 12:17; 14:12; 15:2-4)

There will be a shaking among God’s people (Matthew 24:10-12)

 “To stand in defense of truth and righteousness when the majority forsakes us, to fight
the battles of the Lord when champions are few--this will be our test. At this time we must
gather warmth from the coldness of others, courage from their cowardice, and loyalty
from their treason. The nation will be on the side of the great rebel leader.” Testimonies
for the Church, Volume 5 p. 136
 “As the storm approaches, a large class who has professed faith in the third angel's
message, but has not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their
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position and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of
its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is
brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing
address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls.
They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren. When Sabbath keepers are
brought before the courts to answer for their faith, these apostates are the most efficient
agents of Satan to misrepresent and accuse them and by false reports and insinuations to
stir up the rulers against them.” The Great Controversy, p. 608
 ‘The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast
will be urged upon us. Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and
conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be,
rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death.
The contest is between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. In
this time the gold will be separated from the dross in the church. True godliness will be
clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it. Many a star that we have
admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away
on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat. All who assume the
ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ's righteousness, will appear
in the shame of their own nakedness. Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5 p. 81

Protestant religious leaders will be the foremost to accuse the remnant

of God

Just like in the days of Elijah, John the Baptist, Jesus and the middle ages:

 “Those who honor the Bible Sabbath will be denounced as enemies of law and order, as
breaking down the moral restraints of society, causing anarchy and corruption, and calling
down the judgments of God upon the earth. Their conscientious scruples will be
pronounced obstinacy, stubbornness, and contempt of authority. They will be accused of
disaffection toward the government. Ministers who deny the obligation of the divine law
will present from the pulpit the duty of yielding obedience to the civil authorities as
ordained of God. In legislative halls and courts of justice, commandment keepers will be
misrepresented and condemned. A false coloring will be given to their words; the worst
construction will be put upon their motives.” The Great Controversy, p. 592
 “As the controversy extends into new fields and the minds of the people are called to God's
downtrodden law, Satan is astir. The power attending the message will only madden those
who oppose it. The clergy will put forth almost superhuman efforts to shut away the light
lest it should shine upon their flocks. By every means at their command they will endeavor
to suppress the discussion of these vital questions.” The Great Controversy, p. 607

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Satan will manifest his wrath (Revelation 12:17)

There will be a similar question as was asked by Nebuchadnezzar

(Revelation 13:3, 4)

 “I saw one of its heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and its deadly wound was
healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the
dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying: "Who is
like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"

There will be a severe time of trouble and God’s people will appear
doomed

Daniel 11 has the sequence: King of the north goes out to annihilate many then Michael stands
up to defend his people, then they are delivered.

 “He numbers the world as his subjects; but the little company who keep the
commandments of God are resisting his supremacy. If he could blot them from the earth,
his triumph would be complete.” The Great Controversy, p. 618
 “When the protection of human laws shall be withdrawn from those who honor the law
of God, there will be, in different lands, a simultaneous movement for their destruction.
As the time appointed in the decree draws near, the people will conspire to root out the
hated sect. It will be determined to strike in one night a decisive blow, which shall utterly
silence the voice of dissent and reproof.” The Great Controversy, p. 635

The fiery furnace is the seven last plagues where the totality of God’s
wrath is to be poured out. The wicked will be destroyed but not the
righteous

 “Their affliction is great, the flames of the furnace seem about to consume them; but the
Refiner will bring them forth as gold tried in the fire. God's love for His children during the
period of their severest trial is as strong and tender as in the days of their sunniest
prosperity; but it is needful for them to be placed in the furnace of fire; their earthliness
must be consumed, that the image of Christ may be perfectly reflected.” The Great
Controversy, p. 621

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The wicked oppressors of God’s people will perish with their own
weapons

 “The very ones that once admired them most will pronounce the most dreadful curses
upon them. The very hands that once crowned them with laurels will be raised for their
destruction. The swords which were to slay God's people are now employed to destroy
their enemies. Everywhere there is strife and bloodshed.” The Great Controversy, p. 655

Jesus will personally intervene to deliver His people

 Daniel 12:1: "At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over
the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there
was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one
who is found written in the book.”

This quotation is found in the chapter titled: ‘God’s People Delivered’:

 “When the protection of human laws shall be withdrawn from those who honor the law
of God, there will be, in different lands, a simultaneous movement for their destruction.
As the time appointed in the decree draws near, the people will conspire to root out the
hated sect. It will be determined to strike in one night a decisive blow, which shall utterly
silence the voice of dissent and reproof. The people of God--some in prison cells, some
hidden in solitary retreats in the forests and the mountains--still plead for divine
protection, while in every quarter companies of armed men, urged on by hosts of evil
angels, are preparing for the work of death. It is now, in the hour of utmost extremity that
the God of Israel will interpose for the deliverance of His chosen.” The Great Controversy,
p. 635

God will demand unswerving loyalty:

 “The season of distress before God's people will call for a faith that will not falter. His
children must make it manifest that He is the only object of their worship, and that no
consideration, not even that of life itself, can induce them to make the least concession to
false worship. To the loyal heart the commands of sinful, finite men will sink into
insignificance beside the word of the eternal God. Truth will be obeyed though the result
be imprisonment or exile or death. Prophets and Kings, pp. 512, 513

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A Fireproof Character

 Isaiah 33:14-16. We must have a sterling character. Be faithful in the small things (Luke
16:10; Jeremiah 12:5)

Final Comforting Promise

Important are the lessons to be learned from the experience of the Hebrew youth on the plain of
Dura. In this our day, many of God's servants, though innocent of wrongdoing, will be given over
to suffer humiliation and abuse at the hands of those who, inspired by Satan, are filled with envy
and religious bigotry. Especially will the wrath of man be aroused against those who hallow the
Sabbath of the fourth commandment; and at last a universal decree will denounce these as
deserving of death.

The season of distress before God's people will call for a faith that will not falter. His children must
make it manifest that He is the only object of their worship, and that no consideration, not even
that of life itself, can induce them to make the least concession to false worship. To the loyal heart
the commands of sinful, finite men will sink into insignificance beside the word of the eternal God.
Truth will be obeyed though the result be imprisonment or exile or death.

As in the days of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, so in the closing period of earth's history the
Lord will work mightily in behalf of those who stand steadfastly for the right. He who walked with
the Hebrew worthies in the fiery furnace will be with His followers wherever they are. His abiding
presence will comfort and sustain. In the midst of the time of trouble--trouble such as has not
been since there was a nation--His chosen ones will stand unmoved. Satan with all the
hosts of evil cannot destroy the weakest of God's saints. Angels that excel in strength will protect
them, and in their behalf Jehovah will reveal Himself as a "God of gods," able to save to the
uttermost those who have put their trust in Him. Prophets and Kings, pp. 512, 513

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“STUDIES IN DANIEL 1-10”
by Pastor Stephen Bohr

LESSON #9 – NOTES ON DANIEL 4

Daniel 4 and 5: Comparison and Contrast

The chiastic structure of Daniel 1-7 (Daniel 2 & 7, 3 & 6 and 4 & 5) indicates that Daniel 4 and 5
are closely related:

 Both chapters describe arrogant, self-centered Babylonian kings.

 In Daniel 5:18-22 the prophet tells Belshazzar the story of Nebuchadnezzar’s madness.
This links the two chapters together.
 Both chapters describe the fall of Babylonian kings. But while the fall of Nebuchadnezzar
in Daniel 4 was temporary and remedial, the fall of Belshazzar was final and retributive.
 Why was Nebuchadnezzar’s judgment temporary and remedial? Why was there room for
repentance for Nebuchadnezzar and not for Belshazzar? The reason is provided in Daniel
5:18-22. Belshazzar sinned with a ‘high hand’. He had the entire history of his
grandfather before him and yet decided to purposely spite it. He did not repent and
humble his heart and therefore God closed the door of probation for Babylon and for
him. It did not have to be this way. Jeremiah 51:9 states:

“We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed. Forsake her, and let us go
everyone to his own country; for her judgment reaches to heaven and is lifted up to
the skies.”
 At the end of human history, it will be shown that Babylon could have repented but she refused
to even in the face of great light (Revelation 16). The experiences of Nebuchadnezzar and his
grandson have a message for the kings and kingdoms of the earth at the end of time. While the
story of Nebuchadnezzar reveals what could have been, the story of Belshazzar reveals, tragically,
what will be.

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General Structure of Daniel 4

The king’s poetic anthem of praise in Daniel 4:1-3 should probably be included as the conclusion
of chapter 3. The LXX presents it this way. When Daniel’s three friends were delivered from the
furnace, the king was impressed with God’s signs and wonders. But at the end of chapter 4 we
will find that he was deeply impressed with God’s character as a person. His concept of God had
changed from One who performs signs and wonders to a God who can humble the proud and
perform the greatest miracle of all, transform the stony heart of a haughty despot to that of a
humble child.

First and Third Person

Verses 2-27 are the first person because the king is describing his own experience.
Verses 28-33 (while Nebuchadnezzar is beside himself) are in the third person because someone
else is telling the story.
Verses 34-37 return to the first person because the king is ‘all there’ once more.

Flow of the Chapter

 Nebuchadnezzar receives the dream (Daniel 4:4, 5).

 The king calls the wise men (Daniel 4:6, 7). These verses clearly reveal that the king
himself knew that the religion of Babylon was bankrupt so at last he has to call Daniel
(Daniel 4:18).
 Daniel comes to the rescue (Daniel 4:8, 9).
 The king tells Daniel the dream (Daniel 4:10-17).
 The king affirms his trust that Daniel will be able to interpret the dream (Daniel 4:18).
 Daniel is troubled about the meaning of the dream and yet chooses to tell the king the
truth (Daniel 4:19).
 Daniel repeats the dream to Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:20-26).
 Daniel counsels the king to ‘shape up’ to prevent God’s judgment (Daniel 4:27).
 The king manifests his arrogant pride one year later (Daniel 4:28-32).
 God’s voice pronounces the sentence upon the king (Daniel 4:31, 32).
 The sentence is executed and the king ‘loses it’ for seven years (Daniel 4:33)
 A sane Nebuchadnezzar praises God for humbling him (Daniel 4:34-37).

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Practical Lessons from Daniel 4

The Relentless God

We can learn valuable lessons about the process of the king’s conversion the first of which is
how God patiently works to transform human hearts into His image. God is relentless in seeking
our salvation:

God’s Persistence

Daniel 1, Daniel and his three friends were first introduced to Nebuchadnezzar. There is no doubt
that the king was impressed with their wisdom because he could see that they were ten times
better than all the magicians and astrologers (see Daniel 1:20). The king must have wondered
about the secret of their success. God was setting the stage for future developments. Yet the
king at that time was quite sure that he was in control so he enrolled the young men in the
Babylonian educational system, appointed their diet, changed their names and constantly
emphasized that his god was greater than their God.

Daniel 2:47: After Daniel told the king his dream and its meaning (in Daniel 2), the king seemed
to recognize that the Hebrew God was the God of gods. At this point, however, the Hebrew God
is not the ONLY God but the greatest of all the gods.

Chapter 3: Clearly indicates that even after the events of Daniel 2 the king was still an idolater
at heart as well as boastful, arrogant and cruel. He was not truly converted. Yet God still bore
with him.

The spectacular events of chapter 3 did nothing to convert the heart of the proud king. Notice
four things about the king’s decree in Daniel 3:29:

 First, Jehovah is not his God but rather the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
 Second, the king’s decree does not forbid the worship of other gods but simply forbids
‘speaking against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.’
 Third, the king’s cruelty is still manifested when he threatens to cut in pieces anyone who
speaks negatively about the God of the three Hebrew worthies. His cruelty reminds us of
Saddam Hussein.
 Finally, according to Daniel 4:1-3 Nebuchadnezzar conceived of the Hebrew God as a
great worker of signs and wonders but he does not at this point know God as his personal
friend.
 We see that God is a patient God. God does not give up on the king. He has a passion for
the salvation of the king. God was constantly on the king’s track—He wanted him as his
loving child.

At the beginning of Daniel 4 the king was still a servant of ‘his god’ (verse 8) and this in spite of
all that had occurred in Daniel 1-3. The king had repeatedly seen the bankruptcy of the

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Babylonian religion. In each of the first four chapters the Hebrew religion was clearly proved to
be superior.

 In Daniel 1 the Hebrew young men were proved ten times superior to the Babylonian
priests.
 In Daniel 2 the Chaldeans could not tell or interpret the dream.
 In Daniel 3 the Chaldeans accused the three young men and God delivered them from
the evil plot.
In spite of all of this, the king called these charlatans again in Daniel 4:7 (on the bankruptcy of
the Babylonian methods of divination see Isaiah 47:12, 13).

Nebuchadnezzar’s concept of the God’s was that of the Chaldeans in Daniel 2:11—a totally
transcendent god who is uninterested in human affairs. Ancient gods were conceived of as self-
serving despots and tyrants who did not care about human beings except to have them cater to
their every whim and fancy.

But slowly, and surely, the Hebrew God changed the king’s concept of God. He came to see that
God wanted to communicate His will to human beings. He came to see him as a God who is
interested in human affairs generally and in specific persons in particular. In fact, he came to
realize that the Hebrew God was interested in saving him!! He slowly came to realize that God
is not only the high and lofty one but is also with those of humble and contrite heart. That is,
God is concerned about His earthly children. He saw this clearly when Jesus Himself came into
the furnace to deliver His servants from certain death.

In Daniel 1-4 we see the Hebrew God as the patient and long-suffering God who does all in His
power to save. God even gave the king twelve months after the dream to repent in order to avert
punishment (Daniel 4:29). After all, the prophecy was conditional (Daniel 4:27) and the
judgment could be averted if the king repented and changed his ways.

But as the memory of his dream faded from his mind, ‘he lost confidence in the interpretation of
the dream, and jested at his former fears’ (Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 519)

The king’s confession at the end of chapter 4 reveals that he was finally truly converted to God.

The Question of When

At what point in the life of the king did the events of chapter 4 take place? We know that
Nebuchadnezzar ruled for 43 years (605-562 BC). Was he converted toward the beginning, at the
middle or toward the end of his reign? There can be little doubt that the events of Daniel 4 took
place toward the end of the king’s life.

First, Daniel 4:4 explains that the king was at peace in his house and flourishing in the palace.
This is a common expression which means that he was enjoying the fruits of his conquests. In
other words, the wars of conquest were over. It is at the time when things go best that we forget
God the most.

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We know that the last military campaign that the king undertook was in his 37th regnal year (568
BC) when he conquered Egypt. Ellen White explained that Egypt was given by God into the king’s
hand as a reward for his long and somewhat fruitless siege of Tyre which lasted some 13 years
(The Youth’s Instructor, October 11, 1904). We have quite a bit of information about
Nebuchadnezzar throughout most of his life except for the last seven years (568-562 BC,
inclusive reckoning).

Why is there this period of historical silence in Nebuchadnezzar’s record? Undoubtedly the king
was enjoying his good ‘vegetarian cuisine’ along with the beasts of the field. This means that the
king was most likely converted in the 37th year of his reign. It surely did take God a long time to
prevail over the proud ruler!

Ellen White confirms that his insanity came late in his life:

“In the early part of his acquaintance with Daniel, the king had found that he was the only one
who could give him relief in his perplexity, and now at a later period, when another perplexing
vision is given him, he remembers Daniel.” Manuscript Releases, volume 13, p. 63

We know that the king was sane when he conquered Jerusalem in 605 BC. We know that he was
sane when Jerusalem fell for a second time in 597 BC. He was still sane when he destroyed
Jerusalem in 586 BC. We know that he was sane when he fought against Tyre for a period of 13
years from 582-569 BC. We know that he conquered Egypt in the year 568 BC. Nebuchadnezzar’s
madness is to be placed during the last seven years of his life.

God worked with the king for a long 37 years and finally conquered his heart! God wanted
Nebuchadnezzar to be his.

Regarding the king’s final and true conversion, Ellen White writes:

“The once proud monarch had become a humble child of God; the tyrannical, overbearing ruler,
a wise and compassionate king. He who had defied and blasphemed the God of heaven, now
acknowledged the power of the Most High and earnestly sought to promote the fear of Jehovah
and the happiness of his subjects. Under the rebuke of Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords,
Nebuchadnezzar had learned at last the lesson which all rulers need to learn--that true greatness
consists in true goodness.” Prophets and Kings, p. 521

“King Nebuchadnezzar, before whom Daniel so often honored the name of God, was finally
thoroughly converted and learned to "praise and extol and honor the King of heaven." Review
and Herald, January 11, 1906

We are even told that after his conversion, the king became a witness for God by presenting his
testimony to others:

“The king upon the Babylonian throne became a witness for God, giving his testimony, warm and
eloquent, from a grateful heart that was partaking of the mercy and grace, the righteousness and
peace, of the divine nature” The Youth’s Instructor, December 13, 1904

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Greater than any sign of wonder (such as revealing dreams, delivering people from a furnace,
healing people, speaking in tongues) is the change of a person from having a self-centered heart
to one who makes God and fellow human beings first. The greatest miracle of all is the change
of a sinner into a saint. It will be truly exciting to meet the Nebuchadnezzar in the kingdom.

Message to World’s Political Leaders

Another lesson we can learn from the experience of the king is that even though God gives
dominion to human rulers, He is still the absolute arbiter and guide of human history.

The dream of the tree reminds us of the dominion which was originally given to man at creation
over the birds of the air, the beasts of the field and all the earth (see Genesis 1:26, 28). The
original dominion was to be loving, kind, just and merciful. It was to bring life and peace to all
the inhabitants of the earth.

But when Adam sinned human rulers became despotic and tyrannical and abused their
dominion. Rulers were always to remember that they were vice-regents of God to bless their
subjects but soon they forgot this and they exploited those whom they were supposed to protect
and benefit.

Nebuchadnezzar thought he was king because of his superior wisdom and ability. In his own
words:

"Is not this great Babylon that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the
honor of my majesty?" (Daniel 4:30)

But, really, why was Nebuchadnezzar really the king?

The central theme of the book of Daniel is found in chapter 2 and verse 21. Three ideas come to
view in this verse: 1) God is in control of the times, 2) God sets up kings and removes kings and
3) God gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those that know understanding. These three
ideas can clearly be discerned in Daniel 4.

First of all, God changed Nebuchadnezzar’s times by making seven times pass over him. While
he was planning for a brilliant future God changed his itinerary. Secondly, God placed him on the
throne, removed him from the throne and then restored him to it. Third, God also took away his
wisdom and understanding in the wink of an eye. This shows that God is in control of historical
events, even when human beings refuse to cooperate. Regarding Nebuchadnezzar’s illness, Ellen
White remarks:

“As the beasts have no knowledge of God, and therefore do not acknowledge his sovereignty, so
Nebuchadnezzar had been unmindful of God and his mercies. Prosperity and popularity had led
him to feel independent of God, and to use for his own glory the talent of reason that God had
entrusted to him. Messages of warning were sent to him, but he heeded them not. The heavenly
Watcher took cognizance of the king's spirit and actions, and in a moment stripped the proud
boaster of all that his Creator had given him.” Youth’s Instructor, March 28, 1905

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“In a moment the reason that God had given him was taken away; the judgment that the king
thought perfect, the wisdom on which he prided himself, was removed, and the once mighty ruler
was a maniac. His hand could no longer sway the scepter. The messages of warning had been
unheeded; now, stripped of the power his Creator had given him, and driven from men,
Nebuchadnezzar "did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his
hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws." Prophets and Kings, p. 520

“The instant that the words were uttered, the sentence of judgment was pronounced. The king's
reason was taken away. The judgment that he had thought so perfect, the wisdom that he had
prided himself on possessing, were removed. The jewel of the mind, that which elevates man
above the beasts, he no longer retained.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 8 p. 126

Message of Daniel Chapters 1-4

Daniel Chapters 1 – 4: reveal a God who is in absolute control of history:

Chapter 1:

The Hebrews were taken captive to Babylon because ‘God gave them’ into the king’s hand
(Daniel 1:1, 2). God also gave them wisdom and understanding.

Chapter 2:

Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon because God placed him there (Daniel 2:37, 38). It is God
who determines how history will flow and it is He who will establish a kingdom which shall never
be destroyed. Only a God who is able to reveal the future history of the world can mold events
so that they reach the climax which He has established (see Isaiah 46:9, 10).

Chapter 3:

When the king flexed his muscles and attempted to change God’s perspective of history (God’s
times) and kill everyone who did not agree, God showed him that his power is limited—there
were three young men who would not bow to the king’s authority. When the king threw them
into the furnace God overturned their death sentence by personally delivering them from the
fire.

Chapter 4:

This chapter reveals, in multiple ways, that God is in control of history (Daniel 17, 24-26, 32, 34,
35 and 37). God took away the king’s throne, preserved it while he was insane and then restored
it to him at the end of the seven times. Notice carefully some of the expressions used in this
chapter: “they shall” (verses 25 and 32), “was driven” (verse 33) “was established”, “was added”
(verse 36). These passive verbs indicate that someone besides the king is doing these things. And
who is doing it? The answer is in verse 17: the Watchers from heaven.

Why do nations rise and fall? Daniel’s counsel to Nebuchadnezzar gives the answer to this
question (see Daniel 4:27). Notice also the following verses on why nations fall (Proverbs 14:34;
16:12; 20:28; Psalm 33:12).
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The Greatest Lesson of All

The greatest lesson from Daniel 4 was expressed by Jesus over six hundred years later:

“He who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew
23:12).
Notice in this verse that the proud person exalts himself and therefore someone else humbles
him. On the other hand, the lowly person humbles himself and someone else exalts him. That is,
if we don’t take care of the humbling, God will!!

The mystery of iniquity is characterized by a desire to ascend:

 At the very beginning of human history Eve desired to exalt herself to the level of God
but she and her husband ended up in the dust (see Genesis 3:1-6, 19). In this context it is
interesting that the word ‘humility’ comes from humus which means ‘dust’ or ‘dirt’.
When we realize that we are but dust, then God can do something great for us and
through us.
 Ezekiel 28 explains that Lucifer manifested what I call the four sins of pride: 1) He became
proud of his wisdom and corrupted it (Ezekiel 28:12), 2) he was filled with pride because
of his beauty (Ezekiel 28:12, 17), 3) he exalted himself because of his riches (Ezekiel 28:4,
5), 4) he aspired to a position of power (Ezekiel 28:2, 3, 6: Isaiah 14:12-14). Because he
exalted himself, he will be cast down to the pit (Ezekiel 28:8, 17, 18). It is worth
remembering that without the jewel of reason that God gives us we would have none of
these four qualities. In order to be wise you must have a brain and the brain must be able
to reason!
 Isaiah 14 depicts Lucifer’s desire to ascend to the very heights of God’s throne and for
this reason he was cast down and shall be cast down (Ezekiel 14:12, 14 and 15).
 Absalom aspired to take David’s throne and ended up buried in the pit (2 Samuel 18:17,
18).
 The man of lawlessness wants to make himself God but will end up thrown into the fiery
abyss (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4).

The Mystery of Godliness, on the other hand, is characterized by a desire to descend:

 1 Timothy 3:16 begins with God coming down and taking human flesh and it ends up with
him going up and being received in glory.
 Psalm 22:1-21 describes the suffering and humiliation of Jesus even to the point of being
placed in the dust. But Psalm 22-30 describe the glorious exaltation of Jesus in the
heavenly courts.
 Philippians 2:6-11 tells us that because Jesus humbled Himself, he was highly exalted and
given a name that is above every name.
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 The declaration of Jesus, “He who humbles himself will be exalted and he who exalts
himself will be humbled” is used in three different contexts in the gospels. 1) Matthew
23:12 where Jesus spoke about the pride of the Pharisees, 2) Luke 14:11 where Jesus
spoke about those who always wish to occupy the first seats, 3) Luke 18:14 where Jesus
contrasts the Pharisee and the Publican. Jesus also expressed the same concept when He
stated that the first shall be last and the last shall be first (see Matthew 20:16; Mark
9:35; 10:31). Jesus also illustrated the principle in action when he instituted the ordinance
of humility (see John 13).
 See also James 4:6, 10; I Peter 5:5, 6.
 The law of life is the law of service. The law of death is the law of self-service. The secret
of life is to give of yourself to others. The Sea of Galilee receives to give and it is full of
life. The Dead Sea receives and does not give and it has no life.
 When Nebuchadnezzar looked up to God, he came to his senses again (Daniel 4:34).

Conclusion

Jesus has eternally subordinated Himself to the Father. Even before sin came into this world the
Son executed the Father’s plans and was subject to His authority. And yet the Father and the Son
are equals but they have different functions. Voluntary subordination according to God’s plan
does not mean inferiority. While Jesus was on earth He was also subordinate to His Father even
to the point of saying: “the Father is greater than I.” Now, the Father is still the head of Christ (I
Corinthians 11:3). Finally, when sin is eradicated from the universe, Jesus will subject Himself
eternally to His Father (I Corinthians 15:24-28). Does this have anything to say about the present
push for women’s ordination? Is the demand for a higher position divine or demonic?

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“STUDIES IN DANIEL 1-10”
by Pastor Stephen Bohr

LESSON #10 – NOTES ON DANIEL 5

According to the Bible, Babylon will never be rebuilt (Jeremiah 50:38-40; Isaiah 13:19-22). Yet in
Revelation Babylon plays a very important role in end time events. Is there not a contradiction
between the prophecies that say that Babylon would never be rebuilt and the book of Revelation
where Babylon plays a very important role in the consummation of human history? There is really
no contradiction. The Babylon of the book of Revelation is actually the spiritual fulfillment of
what the literal city represented. Notice how the principle is clearly enunciated by Louis F. Were:

“In the Old Testament times the Lord had the Jewish nation as His chosen race, with its capital in
Jerusalem. Satan then also had a kingdom, with its capital in Babylon. After the rejection of the
Jewish people as His chosen nation, the Lord chose members of all nations to make up His kingdom
on earth. Satan also changed his kingdom into a church—that is, anciently a nation opposed a
nation, but in the New Testament it is a false church that opposes the true church.” Louis F. Were,
The Fall of Babylon in Type and Antitype, p. 8

Ellen White supports this point of view. In referring to the Loud Cry message of Revelation 18:1-
4 she describes the spiritual nature of end time Babylon:

“The sins of Babylon will be laid open. The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the
church by civil authority, the inroads of spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal
power--all will be unmasked. By these solemn warnings the people will be stirred. Thousands upon
thousands will listen who have never heard words like these. In amazement they hear the
testimony that Babylon is the church, fallen because of her errors and sins, because of her
rejection of the truth sent to her from heaven.” The Great Controversy, pp. 606, 607

This principle means that the literal things connected with Old Testament Babylon (such as wine,
cup, idols, harlot, Euphrates, etc.) must be interpreted in a symbolic manner in the book of
Revelation.

Daniel was about 84 years old and Belshazzar was about 36 when the events of Daniel 5 took
place.

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Sources for the Study of Daniel 5

The Biblical sources:

 Daniel 5: an eyewitness account

 Isaiah 13-14
 Jeremiah 25
 Jeremiah 50, 51
 Isaiah 47

The secular sources:

 The Cyrus Cylinder (in the British Museum in London).

 The Nabonidus Chronicle (in the British Museum in London).
 Greek historian Herodotus (Histories I. 191) stated that the city fell while the king’s court
was drinking wine and Xenophon (Cyropaedia VII.5.30) wrote that Cyrus killed the king of
Babylon upon his entrance into the city.
 For many years historical critical scholars affirmed that the account in Daniel 5 was
historically inaccurate for three reasons:

1) There was no mention of King Belshazzar in secular history.

2) According to secular sources, the last king of Babylon was known to be Nabonidus,
not Belshazzar.
3) It makes no sense that Daniel would be offered the third place in the kingdom. Why
wouldn’t he be offered the second place?

The discovery of the Nabonidus Chronicle has resolved all three problems. In the Nabonidus
Chronicle Belshazzar is mentioned by name. He is spoken of as co-regent with his father,
Nabonidus, who had gone to the desert oasis of Teima in Arabia to recover from some
unexplained illness. In the words of the Verse Account of Nabonidus (British Museum Tablet
38,299):

“He [Nabonidus] entrusted the ‘camp’ to his oldest (son), the first-born, the troops everywhere in
the country he ordered under his (command). He let (everything) go, entrusted the kingship to
him and, himself, he started out for a long journey.” (Quoted in C. Mervyn Maxwell, God Cares,
volume 1, p. 91)

This clearly explains the reason why the book of Daniel refers to Daniel as the third in the
kingdom!

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Ellen White confirms what has been revealed by secular history:

“Admitted to a share in kingly authority at fifteen years of age, Belshazzar gloried in his power
and lifted up his heart against the God of heaven.” The Youth’s Instructor, May 19, 1898
Other Biblical details that are corroborated by secular history are:

 A banquet was in progress the very night that Babylon fell (Xenophon, Cyropaedia 7.5.15).
 The king of Babylon was killed the night that Babylon fell (Xenophon, Cyropaedia VII.V.24-
32).
 The Persians diverted the River Euphrates and then marched into the city in the dry
riverbed (Herodotus, The Histories, I: 189-192).

Babylon, the Greatest City of Antiquity

According to the discoveries of archeologists, Babylon had two sets of walls—the outer walls and
the inner walls. Both were actually double walls. The two inner walls were twelve and twenty-
two feet wide respectively. The two walls making up the outer defenses were twenty-four and
twenty-six feet wide. Thus, in order for enemies to get into the inner city where the palace and
the main temple were located, they would have had to go through or over close to eighty-five
feet of walls and each wall was well defended! We know that horses could actually gallop on top
of the outer walls.

The city had 53 major temples and 955 smaller sanctuaries or shrines. It had 384 altars
throughout the city streets. The greatest temple was the Great Ziggurat, which was built in honor
of the patron sun-god Marduk. This temple was 300 feet wide at its base and 300 feet high. Inside
the temple the predominant colors were purple and scarlet.

The city proper covered an area of 12 miles and thus was the second largest city in antiquity. The
entrances to the city were guarded by lion sphinxes.

Crucial to the protection of Babylon was the Euphrates River which ran through the center of the
city from north to south. Great brass gates protected the city where the river entered and exited
the city (see Isaiah 45:1-3). The Euphrates guaranteed a constant source of water and food for
the city. It is also noteworthy that when the city was taken in October by Darius and Cyrus, the
Euphrates River was at its lowest ebb.

Nebuchadnezzar had built an elaborate system of canals outside the city to divert the excess
water when the river was at flood stage. These channels took the water to a nearby lake.

According to the testimony of the prophet Isaiah, Babylon was a very rich city (Jeremiah 51:13).
It was truly the golden city. Babylon’s great banquet hall has also been excavated by
archeologists. It measured 56 X 171 feet.

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The Sins of Babylon

According to the Bible, the kingdom of Babylon was guilty of a catalogue of sins:

Sin #1:

Babylon attempted to force all nations to practice her idolatry and false worship (Daniel 3;
Daniel 5:1-4, 23, 24).

Babylon forced all nations to drink her wine. In fact, drinking wine at the banquet hall let
Belshazzar to blur the distinction between the holy and the common and then led him to worship
the works of his own hands (see Jeremiah 25:27-38; 51:7, 8; Daniel 5:1-4). In a similar story,
when Nadab and Abihu drank wine they were also unable to distinguish between the holy and
the common and this led to their death (Leviticus 10; see also Isaiah 5:20-24; Ezekiel 22:26).

Notice how Ellen White links the sin of Belshazzar with the sin that will be committed by the
Christian world at the end of time:

“The command for the observance of the holy Sabbath of the Lord is placed in the very bosom of
the Decalogue, and is so plain that none need err as to its import, and yet it is treated with as
great profanation as were the sacred vessels at the feast of Belshazzar. God sanctified and
blessed the seventh day, setting it apart to be observed as holy time. Yet the Sabbath of the Lord
has been used as a common working day, while a day which possesses no sanctity whatever has
been put in the place of God's sanctified day.” Signs of the Times, July 27, 1891

Let’s ask a series questions about true worship and its sign:

 What distinguishes the true God from all false gods? The fact that God created the
heavens and the earth (Psalm 96:5).
 Why do we worship God? Because He is the Creator (Psalm 95:1-6).
 Did God create, so to speak, ‘with His own hands’ a holy day that was to be used by man
to worship the true God? (Genesis 2:2, 3; Exodus 20:8-11; 31:12-18). Yes, God made the
Sabbath, so to speak, ‘with His own hands’. He created it as holy time to remind man that
He was the Creator.
 What stands at the heart of all worship? The Sabbath stands at the heart of all worship
(Revelation 14:7; Isaiah 66:22, 23).

Now let’s formulate another series of questions about false worship and its sign:

 Does the Sunday teach us to distinguish between the true Creator God and all false gods?
No.
 Did God make Sunday as a day of worship or was Sunday made for worship by the hands
of man?

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 When we worship on a day made for worship by the hands of man, what sins are we
committing? Idolatry and false worship, right? Idolatry and false worship are intimately
intertwined. An idol is anything that man makes for worship which God has not made for
worship. Thus we have the expression: ‘they worshiped the works of their own hands (see
Psalm 115:4; Isaiah 2:8; 31:7; Jeremiah 1:16; Acts 7:41).
 In actual fact, to worship on Sunday is the same in principle as worshipping the sun!

Now let’s ask two final series of questions:

 Who created the sun? God, right?

 Did God create the sun for worship? No
 What sin would I commit if I turn the sun into an object of worship? Idolatry!

 Who created the first day of the week? God, right?

 Did God create the first day of the week for worship? No, it is a common work day.
 What sin would I commit if my own hands turn the first day of the week into a day of
worship? Idolatry, right?

This is the reason why Ellen White has called Sunday the idol sabbath:
“The Sabbath question is one that will demand great care and wisdom in its presentation. Much
of the grace and power of God will be needed to cast down the idol that has been erected in the
shape of a false sabbath.” Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 211

Sin #2:

Babylon was involved deeply in occultic practices and each of these practices is based in some
way with the false doctrine of the immortality of the soul (see Daniel 5:7; Isaiah 47:9, 12, 13;
Revelation 18:23)

Sin #3:

One of the greatest sins of Babylon was its persecution of God’s people. Babylon is the enemy,
par excellence, of God’s people (Daniel 1:1-4). It is impossible to study about Babylon without
making reference to God’s people (Jeremiah 50:6, 7, 11, 23, 28, 33, 34; 51:5, 24, 34-37, 44, 49;
Isaiah 14:16, 17). It was Babylon which destroyed the city of Jerusalem, its temple and its wall.
God promised that He would punish Babylon as vengeance for ‘His temple’ (Jeremiah 51:11 and
Daniel 8:10-12). In this context God is spoken of as the Goel (redeemer) who will defend the
cause of His people (see Ruth 3:9; 2:20; Numbers 35:19; Isaiah 51:9). Like a shepherd cares for
his sheep, the head cares for the body, the husband cares for the wife and the sovereign cares
for his vassal, so God will care for His own people.

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Babylon Apparently Inviolable

When Belshazzar celebrated his banquet, the enemy already had the city surrounded. The
question is, why would the king have a banquet when the enemy was at the gates? The simple
answer is that Belshazzar considered the city to be invincible and impregnable.

Isaiah 47:7, 8, 10 describes the arrogant self-security of Babylon on its last night. She claimed to
be the “I am” and she boastfully denied that she would become a widow or lose her children. It
is significant that Babylon in Isaiah 47 is described as being composed of a three-fold union. The
first part of the union was Babylon, the harlot. The second part of Babylon was composed of
Babylon’s children. Finally, the last part of Babylon consisted of her lovers with whom she
committed fornication. The book of Revelation will pick up on this three-fold union (see Isaiah
47:9; Revelation 17:1-5)

Ellen White well describes the false security that Babylon felt on its last fateful night:

“It was not long before reverses came. He [Belshazzar] had been defeated in battle by Cyrus, and
for two years had been besieged in the city of Babylon. Within that seemingly impregnable
fortress, with its massive walls and its gates of brass, protected by the river Euphrates, and
supplied with provisions for a twenty years' siege, the voluptuous monarch felt secure, and
passed his time in mirth and revelry.” Review and Herald, February 8, 1881 (see also Prophets
and Kings, p. 523 where Ellen White remarks: “Babylon was besieged by Cyrus, nephew of Darius
the Mede, and commanding general of the combined armies of the Medes and Persians.”).

Babylon’s Close of Probation

Why did God spare Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom while He destroyed Belshazzar’s? The answer is
found in Daniel 5:18-22. Belshazzar had the benefit of Nebuchadnezzar’s experience and in spite
of this knowledge he chose to spite God. At the end of time the Christian world will also reject
the noon-day light with which God will fill the world (Revelation 18:1-5). This will be the
unpardonable sin. There will be no more that God can do for spiritual Babylon.

We know that Babylon fell on the 14th day of Tishri which is the seventh month of the Jewish
calendar. Four days before, the Day of Atonement had concluded (the tenth day of the seventh
month). Is it just possible that the judgment of Babylon took place four days before the Day of
Atonement? (see Daniel 7:8 where the little horn—a symbol of end time spiritual Babylon—is
judged on the Day of Atonement!

The ancients believed that the gods used balances to weigh the good and evil deeds of each
human being. If the bad outweighed the good deeds, then divine punishment would come. God
spoke to Belshazzar in a language that he could understand (on this concept of God weighing our
deeds see Ezekiel 5:1; I Samuel 2:3; Job 31:6; Proverbs 16:2).

Scholars have puzzled as to why Belshazzar’s wise men were not able to read the writing on the
wall. After all, the words were written in Chaldee which was their native tongue. It was not that

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they could not read the words. They simply could not understand what the words meant. An
entire truth was expressed in each key word and therefore an interpretation was needed.

Ellen White makes the following striking comment about the handwriting on the wall:

“A light like the lightning followed the forming of every letter, and lingered there, making them
living characters of awful and terrible significance to all who looked upon them. "Mene, mene,
tekel, upharsin." Their very ignorance of those letters traced upon the wall, standing there
flashing with light, sent terror to their sinful hearts. Their aroused consciences interpreted these
letters to be a denunciation against them. Suspicion, fear, and alarm took hold upon king and
princes.” Testimonies to Ministers, p. 436

It will be noticed that in Daniel 5:23 the silver and the gold are inverted in the list of metals. Why
is this? Simply because Babylon at this point is history! God had judged her and found her
wanting. The next kingdom will be the silver kingdom—the Medes and Persians.

The inscription said:

 Mene: ‘numbered’
 Mene: ‘numbered’
 Tekel: ‘weighed’
 Upharsin: ‘divided’

Of these words only upharsin is plural to suggest the duality into which kingdom would be
divided—Medes and Persians. The ‘u’ in upharsin is translated ‘and’. In other words, the
inscription read: “numbered, numbered, weighed and divided.” Of course, this would not make
much sense to Belshazzar unless someone told him what had been numbered, what had been
weighed and what would be divided.

The Fall of Babylon

Cyrus came from the north and the rising sun and surrounded the city (Isaiah 41:2, 25; 46:11).
Cyrus did not come alone. We are told that other kings also accompanied him from the north
(Jeremiah 50:3, 9, 41; 51:11, 28).

Cyrus is a type of Christ. His name means ‘the sun’. He was called in righteousness (Isaiah 45:13;
42:6). He is called God’s ‘shepherd’ (Isaiah 44:24-28). He came from a ‘far country’ (Isaiah 46:11).
He is called God’s ‘anointed’ or ‘messiah’ (Isaiah 45:1). He delivered God’s captive people from
Babylon and prepared a way for them to return to their homeland to build the city, the temple
and the walls (Isaiah 45:13).

Cyrus diverted the water of the River Euphrates by creating a dam of logs where the river entered
the city. Thus, the waters filled the canals outside the city and the riverbed dried up in order to
allow the entrance of Cyrus’ armies into the city. Even though the entrances to the city were
protected by great brass gates, these gates had been left open on the fateful evening (see
Jeremiah 50:12, 23, 38; 51:12, 13, 36, 41-43, 54-56; Isaiah 44:27).
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Ellen White agrees with the account of the Nabonidus Chronicle where we are told that the city
of Babylon was taken without a fight:

“Cyrus and his army marched up the bed of the river Euphrates; for trenches had been dug, and
the river turned from its course, so that there was no obstruction to their entering the city,
provided the gates were opened. The guardsmen were indulging in merriment and revelry, and
the city was left without defense. Before the officers were aware, the enemy had entered the city,
and escape was impossible. Those in one part of the city were slain or captured before those in
another part knew that the city was invaded. No alarm was sounded, no cry could be raised to
warn the people that the forces of Cyrus were upon them.” Signs of the Times, December 29,
1890

“In the unexpected entry of the army of the Persian conqueror into the heart of the Babylonian
capital by way of the channel of the river whose waters had been turned aside, and through the
inner gates that in careless security had been left open and unprotected, the Jews had abundant
evidence of the literal fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy concerning the sudden overthrow of their
oppressors.” Prophets and Kings, p. 552

“Babylon was besieged by Cyrus, nephew of Darius the Mede and commanding general of the
combined armies of the Medes and Persians. But within the seemingly impregnable fortress, with
its massive walls and its gates of brass, protected by the river Euphrates, and stocked with
provision in abundance, the voluptuous monarch felt safe and passed his time in mirth and
revelry.” Prophets and Kings, p. 523

Cyrus was acclaimed as a deliverer even by the populace of Babylon. Ellen White describes how
Daniel shared the prophecies of Isaiah with Cyrus which eventually led him to give a decree for
God’s people to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple:

“As the king saw the words foretelling, more than a hundred years before his birth, the manner
in which Babylon should be taken; as he read the message addressed to him by the Ruler of the
universe, [Isaiah 45:5, 6, 4, 13 quoted] his heart was profoundly moved, and he determined to
fulfill his divinely appointed mission.” Prophets and Kings, p. 557

The waters which dried up are then symbolically spoken of as drowning of Babylon (see Jeremiah
51:27, 42, 55, 63, 64). We can just imagine Jeremiah giving Seraiah the scroll of Jeremiah 50 and
51 and then telling him to travel to Babylon in the fourth year of king Zedekiah’s reign (594/93
BC). He was instructed that once there, he should go to the banks of the Euphrates, read the
scroll and then tie a stone to it and cast it into the depths of the River. When Seraiah did this
Babylon was at the height of its power and it appeared that what Jeremiah had prophesied was
impossible. The imagery here is that the Euphrates River would rise to annihilate the very power
which it had previously supported and protected. This theme will be picked up later in the book
of Revelation.

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At its fall Babylon would be left naked (Isaiah 47:3). She would lose her lovers and her children
and would no longer be the lady of kingdoms (Isaiah 47:5).

Babylon would have to sit in the dust (Isaiah 47:1). The kings that had fornicated with her would
eat her up (Jeremiah 25:14) and she would be burned with fire (Isaiah 47:14). All of these details
will be picked up in Revelation 17.

Babylon would be left alone. There would be no one to help her any longer (Jeremiah 50:32).
There would be no remnant left in Babylon (Jeremiah 50:26, 30; 51:3). She would be totally
destroyed (Jeremiah 51:58). Plagues would fall upon her (Jeremiah 50:13).

The fall of Babylon would be sudden and unexpected (Isaiah 47:5). Notice how the apostle Paul
picks up on this and applies it eschatologically in I Thessalonians 5:1-4; see also Jeremiah 51:8).

At her fall all the merchants of the nations would wail (Jeremiah 51:8, 54; Isaiah 13:6; Isaiah
47:15). She would be totally demolished (Jeremiah 50:13; 51:26). All of Babylon’s great leaders
were to fall by the sword (Jeremiah 50:35-37; 25:30-38).

There was to be a mighty earthquake connected with the fall of Babylon (Jeremiah 50:46). She
would drink the wine of God’s wrath (Jeremiah 51:57).

Conclusions and Lessons

God’s people were to heed God’s call and flee from Babylon to Jerusalem before Babylon was
destroyed (Jeremiah 51:6, 17-20, 45; 50:4, 5, 8, 19, 20 and 28). God’s people would the return
to Jerusalem singing the song of the redeemed (Jeremiah 51:48). Babylon received as she gave
(Jeremiah 50:29).

“Perilous is the condition of those who, growing weary of their watch, turn to the attractions of
the world. While the man of business is absorbed in the pursuit of gain, while the pleasure lover
is seeking indulgence, while the daughter of fashion is arranging her adornments--it may be in
that hour the Judge of all the earth will pronounce the sentence: "Thou art weighed in the
balances, and art found wanting." Daniel 5:27.” The Great Controversy, p. 491

“Babylon is a symbol of the world at large. When its doom was made certain, its kings and officers
seemed to be as men insane, and their own course hastened its destiny. When the doom of a
nation is fixed, it seems that all the energy, wisdom, and discretion of its former time of prosperity,
deserts its men of position, and they hasten the evil they would avert. Outside enemies are not
the greatest peril to an individual or a nation. The overthrow of a nation results, under the
providence of God, from some unwise or evil course of its own.” Signs of the Times, December
29, 1890

“The condemnation that will fall upon the nations of the earth in this day will be because of their
rejection of light, and will be similar to that which fell upon the kings of Babylon; it will be because
they have failed to make the most of present light, present opportunities for knowing what is
truth and righteousness. Our condemnation in the judgment will not result from the fact that we

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have lived in error, but from the fact that we have neglected heaven-sent opportunities for
discovering truth. The means of becoming conversant with the truth are within the reach of all;
but, like the indulgent, selfish king, we give more attention to the things that charm the ear,
and please the eye, and gratify the palate, than to the things that enrich the mind, the divine
treasures of truth. It is through the truth that we may answer the great question, "What must I
do to be saved?" Signs of the Times, July 27, 1891

“In the balances of the sanctuary the Seventh-day Adventist church is to be weighed. She will be
judged by the privileges and advantages that she has had. If her spiritual experience does not
correspond to the advantages that Christ, at infinite cost, has bestowed on her, if the blessings
conferred have not qualified her to do the work entrusted to her, on her will be pronounced the
sentence: "Found wanting." By the light bestowed, the opportunities given, will she be judged.”
Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8 p. 247

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“STUDIES IN DANIEL 1-10”
by Pastor Stephen Bohr

LESSON #11 – DANIEL 5 AS THE BACKGROUND TO

REVELATION 16 AND 17

Tips for the Study of Armageddon

 Look for the pattern or the broader picture and how the pieces fit together. Don’t merely
look for events but rather for the sequence or order of events. For example, the Elijah
passages of the Bible.
 Learn the Old Testament story well because it is the foundation for the typological
application.
 Don’t assume that Ellen White will quote the verses or even necessarily use their
language.
 Learn to ask questions about the passage. For example, I asked the question: Why does
Revelation 15 say that the 144,000 will sing the Song of Moses and the Lamb? What will
the final deliverance have to do with Moses? Is it possible that the final deliverance will
follow the same pattern as the events of the Exodus?

Introduction

The book of Revelation describes seven devastating plagues that will fall upon planet earth after
the door of human probation closes (Revelation 15:5-8). These plagues will partially return the
earth to the condition that it was in before creation week—without form and void and in
darkness (Jeremiah 4:19-27). In our study today I would like us to study the final three of these
plagues.

We will do our study of this subject from three different perspectives and look for parallels in
the thematic structure: (1) Revelation 16:10-21; (2) Exodus 14 and 15 and (3) the book The Great
Controversy, pp. 635-637

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Model #1: Revelation 16:10-21

Fifth Plague

Revelation 16:10, 11: Central theme: Darkness on the kingdom of the beast and sores and
gnawing the tongue.

Revelation 16:10, 11: “Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and
his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. They
blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their
deeds.”

Important questions about the fifth plague:

 Who is the beast?

This is the same beast of Revelation 13 and the little horn of Daniel 7 that spoke
blasphemies against the Most High, persecuted the saints of the Most High, thought it
could change times and law and ruled for 1260 years.

 The throne is the center of government where the beast rules from. This plague falls on
the governing authority of the beast. His center of power is in Vatican City within the
confines of the ancient city of Rome.

 The kingdom over which the beast rules is worldwide.

Revelation 13:3: “And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his
deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.”

Revelation 13:7: “It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome
them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.”

Revelation 17:1, 2: “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and
talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who
sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the
inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication."

Revelation 17:15: “Then he said to me: "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits,
are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.”

Notice that there is a clear distinction between the ruling authority and his kingdom.

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 Darkness (this is a supernatural global darkness because the beast’s kingdom is global).

 They gnaw their tongues in pain and God sends them a panic that will lead them to kill
one another with the weapons they were going to use to destroy God’s people.

Zechariah 14:12, 13: “And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the
people who fought against Jerusalem. Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their
feet, their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, and their tongues shall dissolve in their
mouths. 13 It shall come to pass in that day that a great panic from the LORD will be among
them. Everyone will seize the hand of his neighbor, and raise his hand against his
neighbor's hand.”

 No room for repentance—this is after the close of probation.

Sixth Plague
Revelation 16:12-16: Central themes: Waters of the Euphrates dries up thus preparing the way
for the arrival of the Kings from the East

“Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried
up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.”

Important Questions about the sixth plague:

 What is represented by the great river Euphrates? (hint: Isaiah 8:7, 8; 17:12, 13)
 What is meant by the drying up of its waters?
 Who are the kings from the east (‘the rising sun’) and how is the way prepared for their
arrival?

The Old Testament background

In order to answer these questions, we must study the story of the fall of ancient Babylon. The
story is found in Daniel 5, Jeremiah 50 and 51 and Isaiah 41 and the descriptions given by the
historians Xenophon and Herodotus

 The Euphrates River was the greatest asset of Babylon and also its greatest potential
liability.
 Babylon was practicing idolatry and drinking wine the night of its fall.
 Cyrus came with his armies from the north and from the east.
 He dried up the riverbed of the Euphrates by diverting it to the channels that had been
built outside the city.
 Cyrus and his armies entered the city and Babylon fell.
 God’s people were delivered.
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This entire scenario is applied symbolically and globally in Revelation
chapter 17

Questions about Revelation 17:

 Which of the seven angels speaks to John in Revelation 17:1?

 What does a harlot represent in Scripture (Ezekiel chapters 16 and 23)?
 What does prophecy mean when it says that she fornicates with the kings of the earth?
 What is the name of the harlot woman?
 What are the waters upon which the harlot sits?
 What will the kings end up doing with the harlot?

Revelation 17:1, 2: The harlot woman sits on many waters

“Then one of the seven angels [which one?] who had the seven bowls came and talked with me,
saying to me: ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters,
with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were
made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’”

Revelation 17:5: Name of the woman is Babylon

“And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF
HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

Revelation 17:15: The waters represent the kingdom of the harlot because she sits on them like
the beast sits on the throne.

“Then he said to me, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes,
nations, and tongues.”

Revelation 17:16: The kings will hate the harlot and make her desolate, naked and burn her with
fire.

“And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and
naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire.”

Seventh Plague

Revelation 16:17-21: Central themes God’s voice saying “it is done” followed by an earthquake,
thunder, lightning, terrific precipitation and the disappearance of mountain ranges and islands.

“Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple
of heaven, from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 And there were noises and thunderings and
lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not
occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and

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the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup
of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were
not found. 21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a
talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly
great.”

Model #2: Exodus 14, 15

The fall of Babylon in the days of Belshazzar is the in the background of the fifth, sixth and seventh
plagues. But I want to suggest that there is another story in the Old Testament that also stands
in the background—the story of the Exodus of Israel from Egypt.

The Captivity and Flight

 Israel was captive in Egypt.

 God said to Pharaoh “Let my people go.”
 Captivity was made difficult because the people wanted to keep the Sabbath.
 God’s people came out.

Shut in and no Escape

 Exodus 14:3: After God’s people came out they shut in and there appeared to be no
escape.
 Exodus 14:5-9: Pharaoh prepares to attack.

The Fifth Plague: Darkness

 Exodus 14:19, 20: Darkness upon the Egyptians and light upon God’s people.

The Sixth Plague: Waters dry up or divided and then slay the Egyptians

 Exodus 14:21: Waters divided and dry up.

 Exodus 14:26-28: Waters slay the Egyptians.

Seventh Plague: Natural Calamities

 Psalm 77:16-20: The ‘natural’ phenomena that accompanied this event are exactly
parallel to the seventh plague in the book of Revelation.
 Exodus 14:23-25: A great panic fell upon the Egyptians. They forgot their murderous rage
against Israel and sought to escape.
 Exodus 14:17, 18: The honor and glory for the deliverance went to God.

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 In fighting the people of God the Egyptians were fighting the God of the people. This must
be understood in the context of the covenant. Israel was in a covenant relationship with
God and therefore He had promised to protect them.
 The voice from heaven told Saul on the road to Damascus: “Why do you persecute Me?”
In persecuting the church Saul was persecuting Christ.
 Matthew 25: Jesus said in Matthew 25: “In that you have done it unto one of these the
least My brethren, you have done it unto Me.”
 In antiquity a Suzerain was required to protect a vassal who had entered a covenant
relationship with him.
 The good Shepherd in the Old Testament protected his sheep.
 The head looks out for the good of the body.
 The husband is committed to protecting his wife because of the marriage covenant (see
Jeremiah 31:32).

After God’s victory over Pharaoh and his armies, Israel sand the Song of Moses (Exodus 15).

Model #3: The Perspective of Ellen G. White

As is frequently her custom, Ellen White does not quote the verses for the fifth and sixth plagues
but she interprets the symbols in matter of fact language and follows the same literary
arrangement.

An example Revelation 4 and 5:

 One on the throne (not identified by name).

 Four living creatures (presented in symbolic terms).
 24 elders (symbolic language).
 Seven lamps (symbolic language).
 Lamb as though it had been slain (symbolic language).

In The Desire of Ages, pp. 833-835 Ellen White interprets the symbolic language of Revelation 4
and 5:

 The one on the throne is the Father.

 The four living creatures are cherubim and seraphim.
 The 24 elders are the representatives of the worlds that never sinned.
 The seven lamps of fire represent the Holy Spirit.
 The Lamb as though it had been slain is Jesus Christ.

Ellen White does the same thing with Daniel 11:40-45. She never quotes these verses or even
alludes to the language. Yet she comments on this passage in The Great Controversy with luxury
of detail.

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Let’s notice how Ellen White interprets the fifth, sixth and seventh plagues in matter of fact
language. I have added explanatory remarks in brackets:

The Great Controversy, p. 635:

“When the protection of human laws shall be withdrawn from those who honor the law of God,
there will be, in different lands, a simultaneous movement for their destruction [similar to
Pharaoh who gathers his armies to attack Israel]. As the time appointed in the decree [Revelation
13:15; Esther 3:8] draws near, the people will conspire to root out the hated sect. It will be
determined to strike in one night a decisive blow, which shall utterly silence the voice of dissent
and reproof.

The people of God--some in prison cells, some hidden in solitary retreats in the forests and the
mountains--still plead for divine protection [like Israel did at the edge of the Red Sea], while in
every quarter companies of armed men, urged on by hosts of evil angels are preparing for the
work of death [Pharaoh and his armies come and there is no escape]. It is now, in the hour of
utmost extremity that the God of Israel [notice the allusion to ancient Israel] will interpose for
the deliverance of His chosen. . .

With shouts of triumph, jeering, and imprecation, throngs of evil men are about to rush [the
Euphrates is at flood stage: See the meaning of the word rush in Isaiah 17:12, 13 and 8:7, 8] upon
their prey, when, lo, a dense blackness, deeper than the darkness of the night, falls upon the earth
[the fifth plague of darkness]. Then a rainbow, shining with the glory from the throne of God,
spans the heavens and seems to encircle each praying company [light for God’s people]. The
angry multitudes [symbolically represented as the ‘waters’ upon which the harlot sits] are
suddenly arrested [the waters of the Euphrates are dried up]. Their mocking cries die away. The
objects of their murderous rage are forgotten. With fearful forebodings they gaze upon the
symbol of God's covenant and long to be shielded from its overpowering brightness. . .

In the next chapter (‘The Desolation of the earth’) Ellen White comes
back to describe this climactic moment but adds some very important
details:

“The people see that they have been deluded. They accuse one another of having led them to
destruction; but all unite in heaping their bitterest condemnation upon the ministers [who are
the leaders of the harlot and her daughters]. Unfaithful pastors have prophesied smooth things
[this is why the fifth plague afflicts the tongue]; they have led their hearers to make void the law
of God and to persecute those who would keep it holy. Now, in their despair, these teachers
confess before the world their work of deception. The multitudes [the waters of the Red Sea and
the Euphrates] are filled with fury [they withdraw their support and then avalanche themselves
against the apostate system]. "We are lost!" they cry, "and you are the cause of our ruin;" and
they turn upon the false shepherds. The very ones that once admired them most will pronounce
the most dreadful curses upon them. The very hands that once crowned them with laurels will be
raised for their destruction. The swords which were to slay God's people are now employed to

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destroy their enemies [Zechariah 14:12, 13 is fulfilled when the swords turn upon the religious
leaders]. Everywhere there is strife and bloodshed. The Great Controversy, p. 655, 656

"And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against
Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall
consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. And it shall
come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them; and they shall
lay hold everyone on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his
neighbor." Zechariah 14:12, 13. In the mad strife of their own fierce passions, and by the awful
outpouring of God's unmingled wrath, fall the wicked inhabitants of the earth--priests, rulers, and
people, rich and poor, high and low. "And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end
of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered,
nor buried." Jeremiah 25:33.” The Great Controversy, p. 657

At the bottom of page 636 and top of 637 Ellen White comments on the
seventh plague:

“In the midst of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable glory, whence comes the
voice of God like the sound of many waters, saying: "It is done." Revelation 16:17.

That voice shakes the heavens and the earth. There is a mighty earthquake, "such as was not
since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great." Verses 17, 18 The
firmament appears to open and shut. The glory from the throne of God seems flashing through.
The mountains shake like a reed in the wind, and ragged rocks are scattered on every side. There
is a roar as of a coming tempest. The sea is lashed into fury. There is heard the shriek of a hurricane
like the voice of demons upon a mission of destruction. The whole earth heaves and swells like
the waves of the sea. Its surface is breaking up. Its very foundations seem to be giving way.
Mountain chains are sinking. Inhabited islands disappear. The seaports that have become like
Sodom for wickedness are swallowed up by the angry waters. Babylon the great has come in
remembrance before God, "to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath."
Great hailstones, every one "about the weight of a talent," are doing their work of destruction.”
Verses 19, 21

In The Great Controversy, pp. 648, 649 explains that the 144,000 sing the Song of Moses and the
Lamb, the song of their deliverance from Babylon.

Final question: What will determine whose side you are on in this great battle?

Revelation 16:15: "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his
garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame."

Revelation 3:18: “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and
white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed;
and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.”

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Revelation 22:10-15: “And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for
the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy
still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still." 12 "And
behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work.
13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." 14 Blessed

are those who do His commandments that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may
enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral
and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.”

LESSON #12 – NOTES ON DANIEL 6

Introductory Matters

The events of this chapter occurred sometime between 539 and 537 BC. Daniel was around 84
years old at this time.

There is a close relationship between Daniel 3 and Daniel 6. In Daniel 3 King Nebuchadnezzar
attempted to impose false worship but in Daniel 6 King Darius attempted to forbid true worship.
Thus they established and forbade the free exercise of religion.

Daniel was absent in the experience of Daniel 3. We do not know where he was at that time.
Some think that he might have been ill, that the king purposely told him to stay away or that he
was on some mission. Only God knows why. However, the experience of Daniel 6 shows that if
Daniel had been there, he would have chosen to be faithful.

The Historical Experience of Daniel 6

Daniel was full of the Holy Spirit (Daniel 6:3; see also Daniel 4:8, 9; 5:12, 14).

Daniel had the Spirit of Prophecy. Notice that both Daniel and Ellen White had similar experiences
while they were in vision (see Daniel 10:8, 16-19). Both Daniel and Ellen White had a passion to
understand Daniel 8:14.

Daniel was faithful in his secular duties (Daniel 6:4) and therefore proved himself faithful when
the large test came. He had no fault (a better translation would be ‘corruption’) in the
performance of his daily duties in the king’s court. He was totally trustworthy.

Daniel kept God’s law even at the risk of death (Daniel 6:5). The law was the key issue of the
conflict, primarily the first table. Notice that Daniel’s enemies could find no violation of the
second table of the law by Daniel and therefore sought to legislate the first table. There is a
conflict here between the laws of God and the laws of men.

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Another issue in this controversy was worship. While in Daniel 3 Babylon sought to establish false
worship and disobedience to God’s law, in Daniel 6 Medo-Persia sought to forbid the free
exercise of Daniel’s right to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience (Daniel 6:5,
12, 15).

Daniel had an unbreakable and unshakeable faith in his God (in the LXX, Daniel 6:23 uses the
same Greek word for ‘faith’ as is found in Revelation 14:12).

The enemies of Daniel worked in an underhanded way to deceive the civil power into proclaiming
a religious decree forbidding true worship. In this, Darius overstepped his legitimate bounds of
authority—he legislated the first table which is God’s exclusive domain.

The decree forbidding true worship was given by the civil power in written form (Daniel 6:7-9).
Thus we have the civil power legislating the affairs of God. It is important to realize that the king
was not Daniel’s enemy. The king only became a menace to Daniel when he listened to the advice
of his counselors who were enemies of Daniel.

Daniel was a man of prayer (Daniel 6:10, 11). After stating that Daniel knelt for prayer three times
a day, Ellen White makes the following profound remark:

“True reverence for God is inspired by a sense of His infinite greatness and a realization of His
presence.” Prophet and Kings, pp. 48, 49

Why didn’t Daniel just close his windows so as not to offend his enemies? After all, isn’t religion
a private affair? Why ruffle the feathers of his enemies? Ellen White responds:

“As Daniel, according to his custom, made his supplications three times a day to the God of
heaven, the attention of the princes and rulers was called to his case. He had an opportunity to
speak for himself, to show who is the true God, and to present the reason why He alone should
receive worship, and the duty of rendering Him praise and homage. And the deliverance of Daniel
from the den of lions was another evidence that the Being whom he worshiped was the true and
living God.” Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5 p. 453

This story reveals that the power of human rulers is limited. When Darius gave this decree, he
sought to reveal his ‘almighty power’. But once he signed the decree, he became the slave of his
own law, he was bound by his own decree and could not deliver Daniel no matter how much he
tried. This made it necessary for One who is truly Almighty to deliver Daniel. The intervention of
God shows that He overrules the erroneous decisions of human kings and can do what they never
could.

Why did God allow Daniel, His beloved servant, to be thrown into the lion’s den? Why not deliver
him right before he was cast in? Notice the profound explanation given in Prophets and Kings,
pp. 543, 544:

“God did not prevent Daniel's enemies from casting him into the lions' den; He permitted evil
angels and wicked men thus far to accomplish their purpose; but it was that He might make the
deliverance of His servant more marked, and the defeat of the enemies of truth and righteousness

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more complete. "Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee" (Psalm 76:10), the psalmist has
testified. Through the courage of this one man who chose to follow right rather than policy, Satan
was to be defeated, and the name of God was to be exalted and honored.”

Daniel had to face a death decree because he chose to worship the true God and to violate the
religious decree of the civil power. He went through a severe time of trouble and his faith was
sorely tested. Yet Daniel passed the test with flying colors. From the time of his arrival in Babylon,
Daniel had made up his mind that he would be faithful to God no matter what happened (see
Pastor Bohr’s Notes on Daniel One).

Daniel’s enemies suffered the very fate that they had determined for him (Daniel 6:24, 25). When
the king discovered what his advisors were up to, he was filled with wrath against them. The civil
power which was to punish Daniel now turned on the enemies of Daniel.

The word ‘deliver’ is at the very core of Daniel 6. It is used in Daniel 6:14, 16, 20 and 27. It is also
used several times in Daniel 3. The only other place it is used is in Daniel 12:1. This indicates that
these three stories are intimately related.

Daniel was delivered because he had a covenant relationship with his God (see Daniel 6:22). He
stood innocent before God.

At the end of this story, Darius still did not get the point that the state cannot legislate in matters
related to God. His decree that everyone ‘tremble and fear before the God of Daniel’ was well
intended but illegitimate. A political ruler can no more legislate the worship of the true God than
he can the worship of a false god (see Daniel 6:26)

Daniel represents the end time remnant of God which will possess the same character and
mission as Daniel. But the end-time remnant will witness to spiritual Babylon.

1. The final remnant will have the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophecy
(Revelation 12:17; 19:10; 22:8, 9). It is not accidental that Ellen White’s experience while
in vision was very similar to Daniel’s. Neither is it coincidental that both were extremely
interested in understanding and proclaiming the prophecy of Daniel 8:14.
2. The final remnant will keep the commandments of God (Revelation 12:17; 14:12) and this
will awaken the wrath of their enemies.
3. The final remnant will worship the true Creator (Revelation 14:7) and will refuse to
worship the beast or his image (Revelation 14:9-11). Once again, the issue will be
worship.
4. In the final crisis the remnant will have the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12)

God’s end time remnant will be filled with the Holy Spirit in the latter rain (Joel 2:28-32;
Revelation 14:14-18; 18:1-5).

The end time remnant will be faithful in the daily duties of life. They will be honest and
trustworthy in the small things and thus will stand firm when the big test comes (on this principle
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see Luke 16:10; Jeremiah 12:5). For example, if we are not faithful in our tithe now, what makes
us think that we will be willing to give up everything, including life, when the final test comes? If
we are not faithful in our Sabbath observance now, how will we be willing to give up our lives
over this same issue later? We cannot allow anyone to find fault with us in any of our business
transactions or other duties of our daily lives. How can we claim to be faithful to God whom we
cannot see if we are unfaithful to our fellow human beings whom we can see?

Faithfulness to God’s law will be the central issue in the final conflict, primarily the first table. But
note: The wicked will not be able to find any fault in our observance of the second table so they
will accuse us with regards to the first table.

Another related issue in the final conflict will be worship. The first amendment to the Constitution
states: ‘Congress shall make no law neither respecting the establishment of religion nor
forbidding the free exercise thereof.’ At the end, the beast and his image will not only establish
religion (by enforcing Sunday observance), but will also forbid the free exercise of religion (by
forbidding Sabbath observance). Thus Sunday laws will eventually become anti-Sabbath laws.

God’s people in this crisis will have an unshakable and unbreakable faith like the faith that Jesus
had (see Revelation 14:12).

The religious leaders of the United States in particular and the world in general will deceive the
political rulers into thinking that the remnant is a threat to the welfare of the state (see John
11:50 and The Great Controversy, p. 615). They will persuade the presidents and rulers to
proclaim religious laws. They will legislate the first table of God’s law which is totally illegitimate.

The final worship decree will be written and ‘notarized’ by the political rulers of the world (see
Revelation 13:15 and Esther 3:8).

God’s people must be a people of prayer. Ellen White explains that in the time of trouble God’s
people will cry out day and night for their deliverance (see The Great Controversy, p. 630). Like
Jacob, they will not let go until they have the absolute assurance of God’s acceptance.

Why will God allow His people to through this terrible time of tribulation? Why doesn’t God
simply remove them from earth to heaven before the time of trial? Ellen White explains:

"The wrath of man shall praise Thee," says the psalmist; "the remainder of wrath shalt Thou
restrain." God means that testing truth shall be brought to the front and become a subject of
examination and discussion, even if it is through the contempt placed upon it. The minds of the
people must be agitated. Every controversy, every reproach, every slander, will be God's means
of provoking inquiry and awakening minds that otherwise would slumber.” Testimonies for the
Church, Volume 5 p. 453

In Ezekiel 38 and 39 when the wicked come against God’s people, the Lord does not prevent
them. He allows them to surround the city so that God’s glorious deliverance of His people can
be seen by the entire universe.

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Once again it will be seen that the power of the wicked rulers of the world is limited. Their laws
will appear to be irrevocable. It will appear as if God’s people are at the point of being annihilated
but God will intervene to deliver when men could not do so. It is no coincidence that Ellen White
describes the moment of deliverance in the chapter titled: “God’s People Delivered” (see The
Great Controversy, p. 635).

God’s people will come face to face with a death decree (Revelation 13:15) because they insist
on worshiping God as He has commanded. This will lead to a time of trouble such as has never
been seen in the history of the world (see The Great Controversy, pp. 613-634).

The wicked will suffer the same fate which they desired for the righteous. The kings of the earth
will turn on the harlot (Revelation 17:16, 17; The Great Controversy, pp. 655, 656).

God’s people will be in a covenant relationship with their Lord and this will guarantee their
protection. The final fulfillment of this experience is in Daniel 11:44, 45. There, the king of the
north (the same as the little horn, the beast and the man of sin) will go out to slay God’s people.
At that moment, Michael will stand up to DELIVER His people who are in a covenant relationship
with Him.

LESSON #13 – NOTES ON DANIEL 7

Introductory matters

Daniel received the vision of Daniel 7 in the first year of King Belshazzar. This would be 553 BC
just fourteen years before the fall of Babylon in the year 539.

The great controversy theme is at the very center of the book of Daniel in general and of Daniel
7 in particular. This central theme can be described in the following way:

Since the inception of sin in heaven, there has been an invisible, cosmic controversy between
Christ and Satan. Although this is heavenly conflict, it is reflected on Earth in a visible battle
between the followers of Christ and the followers of Satan. In the course of this battle, Satan and
his wicked followers have appeared to prevail over God and is people, but in the end God and his
people will prevail because he controls and guides history to its desired end.

The passive voice of many of the verbs of Daniel 7 clearly points to someone who is directing
history from behind the scenes. We will notice this when we do a verse by verse study of the
chapter.

The Links between Daniel Two and Daniel Seven

Before anything else is said, we must recognize that historicism should be the governing principle
in the study both outlines (See the charts at the end of this material, ‘The Four Prophetic Outlines
of Daniel’, and ‘Sequence of Powers in Daniel 2, 7 and Revelation 13.’

There are several reasons for linking Daniel 2 and Daniel 7: First of all, in the chiastic structure of
the book of Daniel, chapters 2 and 7 are on the same branch of the candelabra (See ‘The Literary
Structure of Daniel 1-7’) Secondly, Daniel 2 and Daniel 7 have the same number of basic
elements. Daniel 2 has four metals and Daniel 7 has four beasts. Notice how the enumeration of
the basic elements is the same in both chapters:

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Daniel 2 Daniel 7
‘Gold’ Lion (7:4)
‘After thee’ Bear = ‘second’ (7:5)
‘Third’ Leopard = ‘another’ (7:6)
‘Fourth’ Dragon = ‘fourth’ (7:7)

In the third place, the Iron characterizes the fourth kingdom in both lists. In Daniel 2 the legs are
of iron and in Daniel 7 the dragon beast has great teeth of iron. A fourth consideration is that
Daniel 2:44, 45 and Daniel 7:14 describe the last kingdom—the everlasting kingdom—with very
similar terminology. In both, the everlasting kingdom follows the fourth power in the sequence.

A Look at the Literary Structure of Daniel Seven

Without exception, earthly events in Daniel 7 are described in prose while heavenly events are
described in poetry. In Hebrew thinking, extremely important events are frequently depicted in
poetic language. We will see in our study of Daniel 7 that earthly events are not isolated from
heavenly events. There is a close connection indeed between heavenly and earthly events:

Verses 2-8 Earth Prose

Verses 9-10 Heaven Poetry
Verses 11-12 Earth Prose
Verses 13-14 Heaven Poetry
Verses 15-22 Earth Prose
Verses 23-27 Heaven Poetry

The vision of Daniel 7 is structurally divided into four parts, each concluding with the setting up
of the everlasting kingdom:

Vision: Daniel 7:1-14: The full vision in its chronological sequence.

Explanation: Daniel 7:15-18: Daniel wants to know the meaning of the vision. An angel gives a
brief explanation ending with the eternal kingdom.

Inquiry: Daniel 7:19-22: Daniel desires to know about the fourth beast, the ten horns, the
little horn and the everlasting kingdom.

Explanation: Daniel 7:23-27: The angel provides the final and fullest explanation of the fourth
beast, the ten horns, the little horn and the everlasting kingdom.

Daniel 7:9-10, 22, and 26 clearly reveal that the judgment occurs immediately after, and as a
result of, the malignant work of the little horn in Daniel 7: 8, 21, and 25. This means that the
judgment could not have taken place at the cross or in apostolic times or even when a person
dies. The judgment must have begun sometime after 1798.

Another important structural item of Daniel 7 is that the fourth beast has three periods of
existence. First it rules for a period by itself. Then ten horns grow from its head. Finally, after the
ten horns have governed for a period of time, a little horn arises among them to rule over them.

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This clearly shows that Rome would rule in three consecutive stages (see Daniel 7:23-24). In
Revelation we will find that Rome will have a fourth stage when the beast’s deadly wound is
healed.

It is also important to remember that the judgment in Daniel 7 has three distinct stages:

 INVESTIGATIVE: The books are opened (Daniel 7: 9, 10).

 VERDICT OR SENTENCE: Given in favor of the saints (Daniel 7: 22).
 The time came when the saints POSSESSED the kingdom. It is clear that the judgment has
an investigative stage, a sentencing stage and an execution stage (Daniel 7:22, last part).

Not only does each outline of Daniel expand upon the previous outlines, but each outline also
enlarges upon itself as the chapter progresses. For example, as we have already seen, Daniel 7
repeats the same events four times yet each time the final events of the outline are amplified
and intensified. The interest of Daniel is clearly focused on the end-time. The first powers of the
outline are brought to view primarily to give us a sequence and framework for end-time events.
For an exemplification of this, see the chart at the end of this material, “A Synoptic View of the
Four Parts of Daniel 7".

A Verse by Verse Study of Daniel Seven

Verse 1:

The date for this chapter, as we have already seen, is 553. The text clearly states that Daniel had
a dream and visions of his head upon his bed. This is what we might call a ‘prophetic dream’.
Daniel also had ‘prophetic visions’ while he was awake. It is remarkable that Ellen White also had
both kinds of prophetic communications from the Lord.

Verse 2:

‘Winds’ in prophetic language are symbolic of strife, war, bloodshed and destruction. Jeremiah,
a contemporary of Daniel, makes this very clear in Jeremiah 25:31-33. Ezekiel, another of Daniel’s
contemporaries, also affirms the same (Ezekiel 7:1-2). In Revelation 7:1-4 when the four angels
release the winds, the result is a universal conflagration and destruction (Revelation 6:12-17).
Concerning the ‘winds’, Ellen White remarks:

“Winds are a symbol of strife. The four winds of heaven striving upon the great sea represent the
terrible scenes of conquest and revolution by which kingdoms have attained to power.” The Great
Controversy, p. 440

The ‘sea’ symbolizes multitudes of unconverted peoples who are inimical to the people of God
(see, Isaiah 17:12-13; 8:7-8; 60:5; Revelation 17:15). When symbolic winds and waters are placed
together the meaning is, ‘nations which are warring for world dominion.’ It is of great importance
that these four beasts arise from the sea, while the winds of strife are blowing. In contrast,
Revelation 13:11 depicts a beast which arises from the earth, where there are no waters and no
winds!!
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Verse 3:

Several things must be taken into account when we examine this verse.

1) Do the four beasts represent four kings or four kingdoms? The answer is simple. The four
beasts represent four kingdoms which were ruled over by a succession of kings (study
carefully, Daniel 2:37-39; 7:17, 23; 8:20-22; Revelation 17:12; 20:4-6; 1:5-6).

2) Why are wild beasts employed as symbols? Notice the following inspired comment:

“Earthly governments prevail by physical force; they maintain their dominion by war; but
the founder of the new kingdom is the Prince of Peace. The Holy Spirit represents worldly
kingdoms under the symbol of fierce beasts of prey; but Christ is ‘the Lamb of God, which
taketh away the sin of the world.’” Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 77

In this context it is significant that the two beasts of Daniel 8, in contrast to the four beasts
of chapter seven, are domestic sanctuary animals (more on this when we study Daniel 8).

3) It is worthy of notice that the fulfillment of prophecy moves from east to west. The lion
and bear are powers which bear sway in Asia. The leopard governs toward the eastern
part of Western Europe and the dragon rules in the western portion of Western Europe.
When we study Revelation, we will see that the second beast of Revelation 13 rules west
of Europe (the United States of America). While Protestant eyes are fixed on the east as
the place for the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, it is fulfilling in the west right before their
eyes and they can’t see it because they are looking in the wrong place!!

Verse 4:

The lion represents Babylon. Everything connected with Babylon is ‘top of the line’. Gold is the
most precious metal, the lion is the king of beasts, the eagle is the king of birds, etc. Archeological
excavations have proven that lion sphinxes were very common in ancient Babylon. Jeremiah
affirms that the lion represents Babylon (see, Jeremiah 4:7; 50:17).

‘Wings’ in Bible prophecy represent speed of conquest (see Ezekiel 17:3, 12; Lamentations 4:19;
Habakkuk 1:6-8). The plucking of the wings symbolizes the reality that Babylon will no longer be
swift to conquer the nations. A lion with a man’s heart is cowardly (even though fictional, the
story of the Wizard of Oz picks up on this. Richard the Lionhearted, king of England, was so called
because of his great courage). Babylon’s cowardice is clearly displayed by King Belshazzar when
the kingdom fell to the Medes and Persians (see Daniel 5:6).

Notice the passive verbs in this verse: ‘wings were plucked’, ‘it was lifted up,’ it ‘was made to
stand,’ and ‘a man’s heart was given to it’. It is clear that someone else is guiding history!!

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Verse 5:

The bear symbolizes the kingdom of the Medes and Persians (Daniel 8:20). This is made clear in
Daniel 5 where the Medes and Persians are described as the conquerors of Babylon. The fact that
the bear was higher on one side than on the other indicates that one of these co-ruling kingdoms
was to be more powerful than the other. This is made clear in Daniel 8:3 where we are told that
the ram has two horns and the highest one comes out last. This is remarkably true to history.
When the kingdom began, the Medes were dominant but at the end the kingdom was ruled
exclusively by Persian kings and the Medes receded into the background (see the chart at the
end of this material, ‘The Dynastic Succession of the Medes and Persians’.

The three ribs in the bear’s mouth represent the three provinces which the Medes and Persians
conquered in order to ascend to power: 1) Lydia (ancient Turkey/Anatolia) was conquered in 547.
2) Babylon, was overcome in 539 and, 3) Egypt, was forced to submit in 525.

Notice, once again, that someone is active behind the scenes of history: ‘they said unto it, Arise,
devour much flesh.’ It is obvious that someone is giving the Medes and Persians permission to
conquer. ‘They’ in this verse no doubt refers to the watchers or angels who are the emissaries of
God in the guidance of human events (compare Ezekiel 1 where the angels carry on God’s
redemptive purpose on earth).
Verse 6:

The leopard represents the kingdom of Greece. The leopard in itself is a swift animal, but this
leopard has wings. This must mean that Greece would conquer the world in a swifter fashion
than Babylon. And this is exactly what happened.

Alexander the Great conquered the whole Near East (from Egypt to the Indus Valley in India) in
just 3 years. Nebuchadnezzar took 13 years to just reach a stalemate with Tyre. In contrast,
Alexander conquered Tyre in just eight months.

It is important to underline that the leopard did not have the four heads when it began to rule.
How do we know this? The answer is, by a comparison of Daniel 7 with Daniel 8. In Daniel 8 the
he-goat (a symbol of Greece, 8:21) governed for a period with a notable horn on its head
(Alexander the Great). Only after the great horn was broken, did four others come out to replace
it. So, just as the he-goat governed for a period and then sprouted four horns, so, the leopard
ruled for a period and then it grew four heads. It is clear that the four heads and the four horns
came up after the leopard and he-goat had ruled for a period of time (see, Daniel 8:5-8).

In Daniel 7 the leopard was swift, but it was made even swifter by wings. In Daniel 8 the he-goat
is so swift he does not even touch the ground. Once again we are told that a power outside
history is guiding world affairs: ‘and dominion was given to it’. Notice that the leopard did not
take dominion. Rather, dominion was given to it!!

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Verse 7:

The dragon beast represents the Roman Empire (168 BC-476 AD). This empire came to be known
as the ‘iron monarchy of Rome’. Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the
Roman Empire, volume 4, p. 161
The ten horns represent the ten kingdoms into which the Roman Empire was divided when it fell
apart. These ten kingdoms, according to Edward Gibbon, were: The Alemanni, the Franks, the
Burgundians, the Vandals, the Suevi, the Visigoths, the Saxons, the Ostrogoths, the Lombards and
the Heruli (see, M. H. Brown, The Sure Word of Prophecy, pp. 54, 55).

“The historian Machiavel, without the slightest reference to this 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 [476 A. D], the last emperor of Rome: The Lombards, the Franks, the
Burgundians, the Ostrogoths, the Visigoths, the Vandals, the Heruli, the Sueves, the Huns, and the
Saxons: ten in all.” (H. Grattan Guinness, The Divine Program of the World’s History, p. 318)

Already in the fourth century, Jerome had spoken of the fragmentation of the Roman Empire in
the following terms:

“Moreover the fourth kingdom, which plainly pertains to the Romans, is the iron which breaks in
pieces and subdues all things. But its feet and toes are partly of iron and partly of clay, which at
this time [note that Jerome was living when this was happening] is most plainly attested. For just
as in its beginning nothing was stronger and more unyielding than the Roman Empire, so at the
end of its affairs nothing is weaker.” (Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, comments on 2:40, column
504).

In the days when Jerome lived, the Roman Empire was falling apart. The barbarian tribes from
the north had descended upon the empire with a vengeance and broke it up into the nations
which today constitute Western Europe.

Verse 8:

We must now take a closer look at the little horn. There are at least eleven identifying
characteristics in chapter seven:

1) The little horn arises from the fourth beast (Daniel 7:8). The fourth beast represents
Rome, so the little horn must be a Roman power.
2) The little horn arises among the ten horns. The ten horns are the divisions of Western
Europe, so the little horn must arise in Western Europe (Daniel 7:8). Notice that these
first two characteristics restrict the geographical location of the little horn to Western
Europe.
3) The little horn rises after the ten horns (Daniel 7:24). According to historians, the ten
horns were complete in the year 476 AD, so this must mean that the little horn was to
arise to power sometime after 476 AD.

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4) The little horn was to pluck up three of the first [ten] horns by the roots (Daniel 7:8).
This means that these three nations would be uprooted from history. Daniel 7:20-21
explains that three of the first horns would fall before the little horn, and Daniel 7:24 tells
us that the little horn would subdue three horns. In other words, three of the first ten
nations would disappear from history!!
5) The little horn was to speak great words against the Most High (Daniel 7:21, 25).
Revelation 13:5 explains what these words would be, namely, blasphemy. And, what is
blasphemy according to the Bible? It is when a merely human power claims to be God on
earth and when it thinks it can exercise the prerogatives and functions of God (see, John
10:30-33; Mark 2:7).
6) The little horn was to be a persecuting power against God’s people. This is stated in Daniel
7:21 and repeated in verse 25.
7) The little horn would think it could change God’s ‘times’, that is to say, God’s timetable
of prophetic events. (Daniel 2:21). We shall see that the little horn invented false systems
of prophetic interpretation to rival historicism.
8) The little horn would even have the audacity to THINK that it could change God’s holy
law. (Daniel 7:25).
9) The little horn would be different from the ten horns. It would be an amalgamation of
church and state (Daniel 7:24).
10) This power would govern for a time, times and half a time (Daniel 7:25). This comes out
to 42 months or 1260 days (see, Revelation 13:5-6; 12:6, 13-15). In Bible prophecy, literal
days are symbolic of years, so this power was to govern for 1260 years (we will study the
year/day principle later on in this material).
11) The little horn had eyes like a man. In Bible Prophecy, eyes are symbolic of wisdom (see,
Ephesians 1:18; Revelation 5:6). Even today, an owl is a symbol of wisdom because of its
large eyes. In other words, this power was to depend on human wisdom.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC PAPACY AS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LITTLE HORN

PROPHECY:

Characteristic #1: The Papacy is Roman in all its dimensions. Notice the following:

1) The clay in the feet of the image of Daniel 2 represents the church. But notice that the feet
also have the iron of the legs. This must mean that the religious system which succeeds the
Roman Empire will continue to be Roman.
2) The religion of the Roman Catholic Papacy was inherited from Rome. It is well known that
Constantine the Great brought all sorts of pagan practices into the church. This is recognized
by both secular and church historians. In fact, the name ‘Supreme Pontiff’ (Pontifex Maximus)
was used by the pagan Roman emperors. After the Edict of Milan was signed in the year 312

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A. D., Christians were restored as bona fide citizens of the Roman Empire. The result of this is
described by Dave Hunt:

“Freedom at last from persecution seemed like a gift from God. Unfortunately, it set the stage for
an apostasy that would envelop Christendom for more than a millennium. Christ’s bride had been
wedded to paganism.” (Dave Hunt, A Woman Rides the Beast, pp. 202-203)

Constantine, emperor of the Roman Empire, was the architect of this Edict of Milan (313 A. D.)
Regarding Constantine, Hunt remarks:

“A brilliant military commander, Constantine also understood that there could be no political
stability without religious unity. Yet to accomplish that feat would require a union between
paganism and Christianity. How could it be accomplished? The Empire needed an ecumenical
religion that would appeal to every citizen in a multi-cultural society. Giving Christianity official
status was not enough to bring internal peace to the Empire: Christianity had to undergo a
transformation so that pagans could ‘convert’ without giving up their old beliefs and rituals.

Constantine himself exemplified this expediency. He adopted Christ as the new god that had given
him victory in the crucial battle at Milvian Bridge in 312 A. D., and brought him into Rome as its
conqueror. Yet, as Caesar, he continued to function as the Pontifex Maximus of the Empire’s
pagan priesthood, known as the Pontifical College. . . As a ‘Christian’ Emperor, he automatically
became the de facto civil head of the Christian church and seduced her with promises of power.
Thus began the destruction of Christianity and the process that created Roman Catholicism as it
is today.” (Dave Hunt, Global Peace, pp. 106-107)

“It was ‘Christianity’, in fact, which gave the Empire a unity and continuity that held it together
culturally and religiously. When the Empire later disintegrated politically under the onslaught of
the Barbarians, it was held together religiously by the all-pervasive presence of the Roman
Catholic Church with its ingenious ecumenical blend of paganism and Christianity still
headquartered in Rome.” (Dave Hunt, Global Peace, p. 110)

The great philosopher and historian, Will Durant, remarks:

“When Christianity conquered Rome, the ecclesiastical structure of the pagan church, the title
and vestments of the Pontifex Maximus, the worship of the Great Mother and a multitude of
comforting divinities, the sense of super-sensible presences everywhere, the joy or solemnity of
old festivals, and the pageantry of immemorial ceremony, passed like maternal blood into the
new religion, and captive Rome captured her conqueror. While Christianity converted the world,
the world converted Christianity. . .” (Will Durant, Civilization: Caesar and Christ, Volume 3, p.
657.

John Henry Cardinal Newman makes this admission:

“We are told in various ways by Eusebius, that Constantine, in order to recommend the new
religion to the heathen, transferred into it the outward ornaments to which they had been
accustomed in their own. It is not necessary to go into a subject which the diligence of Protestant

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writers has made familiar to most of us. The use of temples, and these dedicated to particular
saints, and ornamented on occasions with branches of trees, incense, lamps, and candles; votive
offerings on recovery from illness, holy water; asylums; holy days and seasons, use of calendars,
processions, blessings on the fields; sacerdotal vestments; the tonsure, the ring in marriage,
turning East, images at a later date, perhaps the ecclesiastical chant, and the Kyrie Eleisen, are
all of pagan origin, and sanctified by their adoption into the church.” (Henry Cardinal Newman,
An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, p. 373)
Philip Schaff, one of the greatest church historians ever to wield a pen, wrote the following:

“But the elevation of Christianity as the religion of the state presents also an opposite aspect to
our contemplation. It involved great risk of degeneracy to the church. The Roman state, with its
laws, institutions, and usages, was still deeply rooted in heathenism, and could not be
transformed by a magical stroke. The christianizing of the state amounted therefore in great
measure to a paganizing and secularizing of the church. The world overcame the church, as much
as the church overcame the world, and the temporal gain of Christianity was in many respects
cancelled by spiritual loss. The mass of the Roman Empire was baptized only with water, not with
the Spirit of the gospel, and it smuggled heathen manners and practices into the sanctuary under
a new name. The very combination of the cross with the military ensign by Constantine was the
most doubtful omen, portending an unhappy mixture of the temporal and the spiritual powers.”
(Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, vol. 3, p. 93, bold is mine)
3) The architecture at the Vatican is Roman. Recently, I made a visit to the ruins of the old
city of Rome and then on the same day visited Vatican City. The architecture is virtually
identical. Also, the old city of Rome was filled with statues of gods and heroes as is Vatican
City.
4) The Papal church is called the Roman Catholic Church.
5) The official language of the Vatican is Latin, the language of ancient Rome.
6) In official documents, the Vatican employs Roman numerals.
7) The headquarters of the Papacy is Vatican City, which is located in the geographical
location of ancient Rome. Says the Catholic Encyclopedia:

“It [Vatican City] is within the city of Rome, called the city of seven hills, that the entire
area of Vatican State proper is now confined”. (The Catholic Encyclopedia, Tomas Nelson
Publishers, 1976. Article: ‘Rome’)

8) Historians and theologians consistently emphasize that Papal Rome inherited and
perpetuated the Roman Empire but in a different way: It was a religious-political system.
Notice the following quotations from church historians and theologians:

“Within three centuries, the Roman Church had transformed the administrative organization of
the Roman Empire into an ecclesiastical system of bishoprics, dioceses, monasteries, colonies,
garrisons, schools, libraries, administrative centers, envoys, representatives, courts of justice, and
a criminal system of intricate laws all under the direct control of the pope. His Roman Palace, the

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Lateran, became the new Senate. The new senators were the cardinals. The bishops who lived in
Rome and the priests and deacons helped the pope to administer this new imperium.” (Malachi
Martin, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Church, p. 105, italics mine)

“The Roman Church in this way privily pushed itself into the place of the Roman World-Empire, of
which it is the actual continuation; the empire has not perished, but has only undergone a
transformation. . . That is no mere ‘clever remark,’ but the recognition of the true state of the
matter historically, and the most appropriate and fruitful way of describing the character of this
Church. It still governs the nations. . . It is a political creation, and as imposing as a World-Empire,
because [it is] the continuation of the Roman Empire. The Pope, who calls himself ‘King’ and
‘Pontifex Maximus,’ is Caesar’s successor.” (Adolph Harnack, What is Christianity? pp. 269-270)

“The Empire was falling into decay. The Barbarians knew that its life was failing, that the old
organism was worn out, and they hastened to take possession of the remains. From every
direction they came for the spoils. The Saxons and the Angles settled in Great Britain; the Franks
invaded Northern Gaul; the Visigoths made Spain and the region south of the Loire their own; the
Burgundians took possession of the upper valley of the Rhone; the Vandals made conquests in
Africa. The Ostrogoths and Lombards were waiting for their turn to come. Among these new
invaders, some were heretics, others were pagans. What is to become of the Church? Are its days
numbered, and is the Empire to bring it down as its companion into an open tomb?

No, the Church will not descend into the tomb. It will survive the Empire. It will have to pass
through days of distress. It will witness calamity after calamity, ruins heaped upon ruins. But in
the midst of the greatest sadness, it will receive precious consolations. One after another, these
barbarian peoples will submit to its laws, and will count it a glory to be the Church’s children. The
frontiers of the Church will be extended; its institutions, for a moment shaken by the Barbarians,
will be consolidated, developed, and will adapt themselves to their surroundings. The papacy,
most sorely tried of all, will make a new advance. At length a second empire will arise, and of this
empire the Pope will be the masterBmore than this, he will be the master of Europe. He will dictate
his orders to kings who will obey them.” (Joseph Turmel, The Latin Church in the Middle Ages, p.
v, vi. Emphasis supplied)

“The all-conquering barbarians were storming the gates of Augustine’s city when the saint died
in 430. The North African town of Hippo was one of the last imperial outposts to be attacked.
Rome had already gone under. Only four years before, St. Augustine’s City of God had laid the
theological groundwork for the church to step into the void left by the collapsing Roman Empire.”
(Douglas Auchincloss, City of God and Man, Time, 76 (December 12, 1960), p. 64, emphasis
supplied.

“The removal of the capital of the Empire from Rome to Constantinople in 330 left the Western
Church, practically free from imperial power, to develop its own form of organization. The Bishop
of Rome, in the seat of the Caesars, was now the greatest man in the West, and was soon forced
to become the political as well as the spiritual head. To the Western world Rome was still the
political capital—hence the whole habit of mind, all ambition, pride, and sense of glory, and every

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social prejudice favored the evolution of the great city into the ecclesiastical capital. Civil as well
as religious disputes were referred to the successor of Peter for settlement. Again and again, when
barbarians attacked Rome, he was compelled to actually assume military leadership. Eastern
Emperors frequently recognized the high claims of the Popes in order to gain their assistance. It
is not difficult to understand, how, under these responsibilities, the primacy of the Bishop of Rome,
established in the pre-Constantine period, was emphasized and magnified after 313 [Edict of
Milan]. The importance of this fact must not be overlooked. The organization of the Church was
thus put on the same divine basis as the revelation of Christianity. This idea once accepted led
inevitably to the medieval Papacy.” Alexander Clarence Flick, The Rise of the Mediaeval Church
pp. 168, 169, emphasis supplied.

“During the whole medieval period there was in Rome a single spiritual and temporal authority
[the papacy] exercising powers which in the end exceeded those that had ever lain within the
grasp of the Roman emperor.” R. W. Southern, Western Society and the Church in the Middle
Ages, volume 2, pp. 24-25 emphasis supplied.

“The papacy is no other than the ghost of the deceased Roman Empire, sitting crowned upon the
grave thereof.” (Thomas Hobbes, as quoted in, Dave Hunt, A Woman Rides the Beast, p. 95)
emphasis supplied.

“Christian Rome was the legitimate successor of pagan Rome.... Christ had triumphed [and]
Rome was ready to extend its sway to the heavens themselves.” (W. H. C. Frend, The Rise of
Christianity, p. 773) emphasis supplied.

“The Roman Christian Church was a church of world-wide importance and power, and her bishop
the most influential. Out of the ruins of political Rome arose the great moral empire in the ‘giant
form’ of the Roman Church. In the marvelous rise of the Roman Church is seen in strong relief the
majestic office of the Bishop of Rome.” (Alexander Clarence Flick, The Rise of the Mediaeval
Church, p. 150) emphasis supplied

“When the Western empire fell into the hands of the barbarians, the Roman bishop was the only
surviving heir of this imperial past, or, in the well-known dictum of Hobbes, ‘the ghost of the
deceased Roman empire, sitting crowned upon the grave thereof.’” (Philip Schaff, History of the
Christian Church, vol. 3, p. 287) emphasis supplied

“Long before the fall of Rome, there had begun to grow up within the Roman Empire an
ecclesiastical state, which was shaping itself upon the imperial model. This spiritual empire, like
the secular empire, possessed a hierarchy of officers, of which deacons, priests or presbyters, and
bishops were the most important. . . . Another consequence of the fall of the Roman power in the
west was the development of the Papacy. In the absence of an Emperor in the west, the popes
rapidly gained influence and power and soon built up an ecclesiastical empire that in some
respects took the place of the old empire.” (Myers, General History for Colleges, pp. 348, 316)
emphasis supplied

“St. Thomas . . . says that the Roman Empire has not ceased, but is changed from the temporal
into the spiritual. . . It was, then, the Apostolic Church, which, spreading throughout the nations,
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already combined together by the power of the heathen empire of Rome, quickened them with a
new life. . . the temporal power in the old heathen empire of Rome, and the spiritual power in the
supernatural kingdom of God met together. . . these two powers were blended and fused
together; they became one authority, the emperor ruling from his throne within the sphere of his
earthly jurisdiction, and the Supreme Pontiff ruling likewise from a throne of a higher sovereignty
over the nations. . . the material power which once reigned in Rome [was] consecrated and
sanctified by the investiture of the Vicar of Jesus Christ with temporal sovereignty over the city
where he dwelt. And now for these twelve hundred years the peace, the perpetuity and
faithfulness of the Christian civilization of Europe, has been owing solely in its principle to this
consecration of the power and authority [Revelation 13:2] of the great empire of Rome, taken
up of old, perpetuated, preserved, as I have said, by the salt which had been sprinkled from
heaven, and continued in the person of the Supreme Pontiff, and in that order of Christian
civilization of which he has been the creator.” (Cardinal Manning, The Temporal Power of the
Vicar of Jesus Christ, pp. 123-128) emphasis supplied

“If we extend our view over the ruins of the Western Empire, such is the spectacle that meets us
on every side. . . . the Pax Romana has ceased; it is universal confusion. But wherever a bishop
holds his court, religion protects all that is left of the ancient order. A new Rome ascends slowly
above the horizon. It is the heir of the religion which it has overthrown; it assumes the outward
splendors of the Caesars. . . . The emperor is no more. . . . But the Pontifex Maximus abides; he is
now the Vicar of Christ, offering the old civilization to the tribes of the north. He converts them to
his creed, and they serve him as their Father and Judge supreme. This is the Papal Monarchy,
which in its power and its decline overshadows the history of Europe for a thousand years.” (W.
F. Barry, The Papal Monarchy, pp. 45, 46) emphasis supplied

“As Rome’s role in pagan history came to an end, she was destined to play another, a sacred one,
in Christian history. . . . Rome’s part in ecclesiastical history had begun. . . Thus a Christian Rome,
destined, like its pagan predecessor on the Palatine, to conquer a large part of the earth, gradually
arose on Vatican Hill. . . . While today the Palatine [the hill of the Roman Emperors’ palaces] is in
ruins, St. Peter’s still draws worshipers from all parts of the world.” (Walter Woodburn Hyde,
Paganism to Christianity in the Roman Empire, pp. 6-7) emphasis supplied

Notice the following amazing declaration by Cardinal Manning:

“Now the abandonment of Rome was the liberation of the pontiffs. Whatsoever claims to
obedience the emperors may have made, and whatsoever compliance the Pontiff may have
yielded, the whole previous relation, anomalous, and annulled again and again by the vices and
outrages of the emperors, was finally dissolved by a higher power. The providence of God
permitted a succession of irruptions, Gothic, Lombard, and Hungarian, to desolate Italy, and to
efface from it every remnant of the empire [remember this fact of history. Later on in this paper
we will see that Protestant futurists rewrite history and deny that the Roman Empire was ever
divided]. The pontiffs found themselves alone, the sole fountains of order, peace, law, and safety.
And from the hour of this providential liberation, when, by a divine intervention, the chains fell
off from the hands of the successor of St. Peter, as once before from his own, no sovereign has
ever reigned in Rome except the Vicar of Jesus Christ.” Henry Edward Manning, The Temporal

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Power of the Vicar of Jesus Christ, Preface, pp. xxviii, xxix. London: Burns and Lambert, 1862.
Emphasis supplied

This might well be the time to speak of the mysterious ‘restrainer’ that the Apostle Paul refers to
in II Thessalonians 2. The early church Fathers were practically unanimous in the opinion that the
‘restrainer’ was a reference to the Roman Empire in general and the emperors in particular. Paul
indicates that the Church at Thessalonica knew who the restrainer was. And yet Paul speaks in
veiled language. And why would this be? Paul could not speak openly about the Empire which
was governing in his day. If he had publicly stated that the Roman Empire was going to be taken
out of the way, the emperors would have had grounds to accuse Paul of sedition. So Paul had to
be cautious in his comments. If the restrainer was the Holy Spirit, as many futurists believe, then
why was Paul so cautious? It is clear that Paul could not define the ‘restrainer’ openly. It was not
necessary to do so because the Thessalonians knew what he was talking about.

You will notice in the comment by Manning that the fall of the Roman Empire led to the
‘liberation’ of the Roman Pontiff. You will also notice that the fall of the Roman Empire is
described as chains falling off the hands of the successor of St. Peter. The inevitable conclusion
we reach from Manning’s words is that the fall of the empire removed the restraint placed upon
the Bishop of Rome. But now let us turn to the writings of the early church Fathers. Let us start
with Tertullian (160-240 AD):

“‘For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now hinders must hinder, until he be
taken out of the way.’ What obstacle is there but the Roman state, the falling away of which, by
being scattered into ten kingdoms, shall introduce Antichrist upon (its own ruins)? ‘And then shall
be revealed the wicked one.’ ‘On the Resurrection of the Flesh,’ chapter 24; Ante-Nicene Fathers,
vol. III, p. 563 [New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1908]

In yet another comment, Tertullian states:

“The very end of all things threatening dreadful woes is only retarded by the continued existence
of the Roman Empire.” ‘Apology,’ chapter 32; Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. III, p. 43)

Now notice the words of Lactantius (early fourth century):

“The subject itself declares that the fall and ruin of the world will shortly take place; except that
while the city of Rome remains, it appears that nothing of this kind is to be feared. But when that
capital of the world shall have fallen, and shall have begun to be a street, which the Sibyls say
shall come to pass, who can doubt that the end has now arrived to the affairs of men and the
whole world? It is that city, that only, which still sustains all things.” ‘The Divine Institutes,’ book
7, chapter 25; Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. VII, p. 220

Let’s listen to Cyril of Jerusalem (318-386 AD):

“But this aforesaid Antichrist is to come when the times of the Roman Empire shall have been
fulfilled, and the end of the world is drawing near. There shall rise up together ten kings of the
Romans, reigning in different parts perhaps, but all about the same time; and after those an
eleventh, the Antichrist, who by his magical craft shall seize upon the Roman power; and of the
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kings who reigned before him, ‘three he shall humble,’ and the remaining seven he shall keep in
subjection to himself.” (‘Catechetical Lectures,’ section 15, on II Thessalonians 2:4; Nicene and
Post-Nicene Fathers, vol. VII, p. 108 [New York: The Christian Literature Company, 1895])

Next we present the testimony of Ambrose (died in 398):

“After the falling or decay of the Roman Empire, Antichrist shall appear.” (Quoted in, Bishop
Thomas Newton, Dissertations on the Prophecies, p. 463 [London: B. Blake, 1840])
Next in line is Chrysostom (died in 407):

“When the Roman Empire is taken out of the way, then he [the Antichrist] shall come. And
naturally. For as long as the fear of this empire lasts, no one will willingly exalt himself, but when
that is dissolved, he will attack the anarchy, and endeavor to seize upon the government both of
man and of God.” ‘Homily IV on 2 Thessalonians 2:6-9,’ Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, vol. XIII,
p. 389 [New York: Charles Scribner’s and Sons, 1905]

Finally, we will quote from Jerome (died 420):

“He that letteth is taken out of the way, and yet we do not realize that Antichrist is near.” (Letter
to Ageruchia, written about 409 A. D. Letter 123, section 16; Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers,
vol. VI, p. 236 [New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1912]).

Ellen G. White has some interesting statements regarding the restrainer both in history and in
prophecy:

“The spirit of compromise and conformity [of the early Christian church] was restrained for a time
by the fierce persecutions which the church endured under paganism. But as persecution ceased,
and Christianity entered the courts and palaces of kings, she laid aside the humble simplicity of
Christ and His apostles for the pomp and pride of pagan priests and rulers; and in place of the
requirements of God, she substituted human theories and traditions.” Ellen G. White, The Great
Controversy, p. 49. Emphasis supplied

“Let the restraints now imposed by secular governments be removed and Rome be reinstated in
her former power, and there would speedily be a revival of her tyranny and persecution.” Ellen G.
White, The Great Controversy, p. 564. Emphasis supplied

“The vast empire of Rome crumbled to pieces, and from its ruins rose that mighty power, the
Roman Catholic Church. This church boasts of her infallibility and her hereditary religion.”
(Manuscript Releases, Volume 1, p. 50)

Characteristic #2: The Roman Catholic Church did arise among the ten kingdoms into which the
Roman Empire was divided. Notice the following two quotations:

“Even the Romanists themselves admit that the Roman Empire was, by means of the incursions
of the northern nations, dismembered into ten kingdoms (Calmet on Revelation 13:1; and he
refers likewise to Berangaud, Bossuet, and DuPin. See Newton, p. 209); and Machiavelli (‘History

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of Florence,’ 1.i) with no design of furnishing an illustration of this prophecy, and probably with
no recollection of it, has mentioned these names: 1. The Ostrogoths in Moesia; 2. The Visigoths
in Pannonia; 3. The Sueves and Alans in Gascoign and Spain; 4. The Vandals in Africa; 5. The
Franks in France; 6. The Burgundians in Burgundy; 7. The Heruli and Turingi in Italy; 8. The Saxons
and Angles in Britain; 9. The Huns in Hungary; 10. The Lombards at first upon the Danube,
afterwards in Italy.”(Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Daniel, p. 322)

“Antichrist, then (as the Fathers delight to call him), or the little horn, is to be sought among the
ten kingdoms of the Western Roman Empire. I say of the western Roman Empire, because that
was properly the body of the fourth beast; Greece, and the countries which lay eastward of Italy
belonged to the third beast; for the former beasts were still subsisting, though their dominion was
taken away. ‘As concerning the rest of the beasts,’ saith Daniel, ‘they had their dominion taken
away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.’ Daniel 7:12. ‘And therefore,’ as Sir
Isaac Newton rightly infers, ‘all four beasts are still alive, though the dominion of the three first
be taken away.’

The nations of Chaldea and Assyria are still the first beast. Those of Media and Persia are still the
second beast. Those of Macedon, Greece and Thrace, Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt, are still the
third. And those of Europe, on this side of Greece, are still the fourth. Seeing therefore the body
of the third beast is confined to the nations on this side the river Euphrates, and the body of the
fourth beast is confined to the nations on this side of Greece; we are to look for all the four heads
of the third beast among the nations on this side the river Euphrates; and for all the eleven horns
of the fourth beast, among the nations on this side of Greece.” (Thomas Newton, Dissertations
on the Prophecies, pp. 239, 240) emphasis supplied

Characteristic #3:

The Roman Catholic Papacy did arise to supremacy after the year 476 A. D. The Papal power
could not exercise absolute sovereignty until the ten kingdoms were subjected to its control.
When Odoacer, king of the Heruli, deposed Romulus Augustulus in 476 A. D. the fragmentation
of the Roman Empire was complete. Yet even though the ten divisions of the Roman Empire were
complete by 476 A. D., there were three who were rebellious and refused to submit to the Bishop
of Rome (the Vandals, the Heruli and the Ostrogoths). These had to be removed in order for the
papacy to exercise absolute control.
Characteristic #4:
The little horn did uproot three of the ten kingdoms. The story goes like this: Seven of the ten
Barbarian kingdoms were converted to Christianity and submitted to the authority of the Bishop
of Rome. However, three of the kingdoms converted to Christianity but embraced the heretical
teachings of Arius. Arius (who was presbyter in Alexandria around the year 320 A. D.) taught that
‘Christ was created out of nothing as the first and greatest of all creatures’ (Loraine Boettner,
Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, pp. 64-65).

The teachings of Arius were condemned in two great church councils, Nicaea (325 AD) and
Constantinople (381 AD). These three Arian kingdoms were a threat to the supremacy of the

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Bishop of Rome [later called the Pope]. To make a long story short, these three kingdoms
eventually were uprooted by the imperial power acting under the influence of the Bishop of
Rome. The Ostrogoths (originally from Yugoslavia), by order of the emperor, dealt the heretical
Heruli a devastating defeat in 493.

It happened like this: The Pope requested the emperor to do something about the unorthodox
Heruli. In response, the emperor sent Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths to do battle with
Odoacer, king of the Heruli. Odoacer was slain by Theodoric and the Heruli disappeared from
history. Then the Vandals were crushed (in 534 AD) by Belisarius, general of emperor Justinian’s
armies.

But there was one remaining horn which needed to be uprooted, and it was the most formidable
of all: The Ostrogoths. After the Ostrogoths conquered the Heruli, they became extremely
powerful. They were also Arians, so the Bishop of Rome [the Pope] implored Justinian to uproot
the Ostrogoths. Justinian, in turn, implored the Franks to help him in his holy enterprise:

“When Justinian first meditated the conquest of Italy, he sent ambassadors to the kings of the
Franks, and adjured them, by the common ties of alliance and religion, to join in the holy
enterprise against the Arians.” Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman
Empire, volume 4 [chapter 41, paragraph 32] (New York: Harper & Brothers), p. 175 emphasis
supplied

There were several battles between Belisarius and the Ostrogoths. The decisive battle, however,
was in February (remember the month because we will come back to it later) of the year 538.
The armies of Justinian, as well as the ravages of disease, decimated the armies of the Ostrogoths,
they were expelled from Rome and in short order, disappeared from the historical scene in
Europe. The third horn had been uprooted once and for all!

It is of great significance that in 533 AD Justinian proclaimed a decree which recognized the
Pope’s headship over all the churches of east and west. This decree was actually a letter written
by Justinian to Pope John. The letter was included in The Code of Justinian which is a collection
of Justinian’s laws. It must be remembered that this letter had the force of law. In effect, the
Code of Justinian was the standard law of all Europe for over one thousand years until it was
replaced in the late 1700's by the Code of Napoleon. Part of Justinian’s decree reads as follows:

“Therefore, we have exerted ourselves to unite all the priests of the East and subject them to the
See of Your Holiness, and hence the questions which have at present arisen, although they are
manifest and free from doubt, and, according to the doctrine of Your Apostolic See, are constantly
firmly observed and preached by all priests. . . because you are the head of all the Holy Churches,
for We shall exert Ourselves in every way (as has already been stated), to increase the honor and
authority of your See. . .” (S. P. Scott, The Civil Law, vol. 12, pp. 11-13)

The significance of this decree is that the Roman Emperor was legitimizing the spiritual authority
of the Pope. The state was using its clout to proclaim that only the Pope was the authentic
spokesman for orthodox Christianity. Though this decree was given in 533 AD, it was not fully
implemented until the rebel Ostrogoths were devastated in 538 AD.
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On the devastating defeat of the Ostrogoths in 538 A. D., Thomas Hodgkin remarks:

“Some of them [the retreating Goths] must have suspected the melancholy truth that they had
dug one grave deeper and wider than all, the grave of the Gothic monarchy in Italy.” (Thomas
Hodgkin, Italy and Her Invaders, book 5, chap. 9, last par. [vol. 4, p. 285]).

Most historians agree that the decimation of the Ostrogoths in Italy marked the beginning of the
middle Ages. Notice the comment by George Finlay:

“With the conquest of Rome by Belisarius, the history of the ancient city may be considered as
terminating; and with his defense against Witiges [538 AD], commences the history of the Middle
Ages.” (George Finlay, Greece Under the Romans, p. 295)

It is important to remember also that historians mark 538 AD as the transition between old
Imperial Rome and the Rome of the Middle Ages. Notice the words of C. F. Young:

“It was the last time [when Belisarius entered in 536] that Imperial Rome—the old imperial Rome
of Italy as distinguished from the new imperial Rome by the Bosporus, the Rome created by
Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Vespasian, Domitian, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus, Severus, and
Caracalla—was to be seen by mankind. . . Rome when it was entered by Belisarius was the Rome
that mankind had known for centuries. . . But this Rome was to be seen no more. When eighteen
years later the Gothic war was ended, a battered ruin was all that remained; classical Rome had
passed away forever, to be succeeded after a time by the squalid and miserable city which is the
Rome of the middle Ages.” (C. F. Young, East and West Through Fifteen Centuries, Vol. II, p. 222)

The Ostrogoths did not disappear in 538 AD, but the decisive battle had been won, the
handwriting was on the wall. In 540 AD Witiges (king of the Ostrogoths) was dealt a further blow
by Belisarius at Ravenna. And in 550 AD what was left of the Ostrogoths was totally wiped out
and the Ostrogoths were swept into the dust heap of history. It is of great significance that today
no trace can be found of the Heruli anywhere in Europe. There is no memory of the Vandals in
North Africa. And all that remains of the Ostrogoths is King Theodoric’s Mausoleum (built in the
early 6th century) in Ravenna. Theodoric was buried in this mausoleum in 526 AD but today his
body is gone. When Belisarius conquered Ravenna in 540 AD, Theodoric’s body was removed
from the casket and discarded. So it is literally true that the three horns were uprooted!!
Characteristic #5:

The Roman Catholic Papacy does claim to have the right and authority to exercise the
prerogatives and power of God. The Bible is clear that the Antichrist will sit in the Temple of God,
‘showing himself that he is God (II Thessalonians 2:3-4). Notice the following evidence which
incriminates the Roman Catholic Papacy:

First, Roman Catholic Church historians and theologians have made some rather audacious
statements regarding the dignity and power of the Pope. Let’s notice a few of them:

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In an oration offered to the Pope in the fourth session of the Fifth Lateran Council (1512)
Christopher Marcellus stated:

“For thou art the shepherd, thou art the physician, thou art the director, thou art the
husbandman; finally, thou art another God on earth.” (Labbe and Cossart, History of the
Councils, Vol. XIV, col. 109) emphasis supplied

The Catechism of the Council of Trent states the following:

“Bishops and priests, being, as they are, God’s interpreters and ambassadors, empowered in His
name to teach mankind the divine law and the rules of conduct, and holding, as they do, His place
on earth, it is evident that no nobler function than theirs can be imagined. Justly, therefore, are
they called not only Angels, but even gods, because of the fact that they exercise in our midst the
power and prerogatives of the immortal God.” (John A. McHugh and Charles J. Callan, Catechism
of the Council of Trent for Parish Priests, p. 318) emphasis supplied

Notice the following words of Cardinal Robert Bellarmine:

“All names which in the Scriptures are applied to Christ, by virtue of which it is established that he
is over the church, all the same names are applied to the Pope.” (Robert Bellarmine,
Disputationes de Controversiis, Tom. 2, ‘Controversia Prima’, Book 2 (‘De Conciliorum
Auctoritate’ [On the Authority of Councils]), chap. 17 (1628 ed., Vol. 1, p. 266), translated

The New York Catechism states:

“The pope takes the place of Jesus Christ on earth. . . By divine right the pope has supreme and
full power in faith and morals over each and every pastor and his flock. He is the true Vicar of
Christ, the head of the entire church, the father and teacher of all Christians. He is the infallible
ruler, the founder of dogmas, the author of and the judge of councils; the universal ruler of truth,
the arbiter of the world, the supreme judge of heaven and earth, the judge of all, being judged by
no one, God himself on earth.” (Quoted in Lorraine Boettner, Roman Catholicism, p. 127)
emphasis supplied

Notice the following words in the journal, La Civilta Cattolica,

“The pope is the supreme judge of the law of the land. . . . . He is the vice-regent of Christ, who is
not only a Priest forever, but also King of kings and Lord of lords.” (La Civilta Cattolica, March 18,
1871, quoted in Leonard Woolsey Bacon, An Inside View of the Vatican Council (American Tract
Society ed.), p. 229, n. emphasis supplied

Pope Gregory IX adds his testimony:

“For not man, but God separates those whom the Roman Pontiff (who exercises the functions,
not of mere man, but of the true God), having weighed the necessity or benefit of the churches,
dissolves, not by human but rather by divine authority.” (The Decretals of Gregory IX, Book l,
title 7, chap. 3, in Corpus Juris Canonici (1555-56 ed.), Volume 2, col. 203, translated) emphasis
supplied

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John XXIII at his inauguration address said:

“Into this fold of Jesus Christ no one can enter if not under the guidance of the Sovereign Pontiff;
and men can securely reach salvation only when they are united with him, since the Roman
Pontiff is the Vicar of Christ and represents His person on this earth.” Quoted in Lorraine
Boettner, Roman Catholicism, p. 408

Pope Leo XIII stated in an Encyclical Letter dated June 20, 1894:

“We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty.” (The Great Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII, p.
304)

Notice the following statement by a Roman Catholic scholar:

“The priest is the man of God, the minister of God, the portion of God, the man called of God,
consecrated to God, wholly occupied with the interests of God; he that despiseth him despiseth
God; he that hears him hears God: he remits sins as God, and that which he calls his body at the
altar is adored as God by himself and by the congregation. . .” (A. Nampon, Catholic Doctrine as
Defined by the Council of Trent, pp. 543, 544)

Another Roman Catholic scholar states:

“The Pope is the Vicar of Christ, or the visible head of the church on earth. The claims of the Pope
are the same as the claims of Christ. Christ wanted all souls saved. So does the Pope. Christ can
forgive all sin. So can the Pope. The Pope is the only man who claims the vicarage of Christ. His
claim is not seriously opposed, and this establishes his authority.

The powers given the Pope by Christ were given him not as a mere man, but as the representative
of Christ. The Pope is more than the representative of Christ, for he is the fruit of his divinity and
of the divine institution of the church.” (Extract of a sermon by Rev. Jeremiah Prendegast, S. J.,
preached in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Syracuse, New York, on Wednesday evening, March
13, 1912, as reported in the Syracuse Post Standard, March 14, 1912) emphasis supplied.

The following words, in a recognized Roman Catholic encyclopedia, illustrate the blasphemous
claims of the Papacy:

“The Pope is of so great dignity and so exalted that he is not a mere man, but as it were God, and
the vicar of God. The Pope is of such lofty and supreme dignity that, properly speaking, he has
not been established in any rank of dignity, but rather has been placed upon the very summit of
all ranks of dignities. The Pope is called most holy because he is rightfully presumed to be such.
Nor can emperors and kings be called most holy; for although in civil laws the term ‘most sacred’
seems sometimes to have been usurped by emperors, yet never that of ‘most holy.’ The Pope
alone is deservedly called by the name ‘most holy’, because he alone is the Vicar of Christ, who is
the fountain and source and fullness of all holiness.

The Pope by reason of the excellence of his supreme dignity is called bishop of bishops. He is also
called ordinary of ordinaries. He is likewise bishop of the universal church. He is likewise the divine

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monarch and supreme emperor, and king of kings. Hence the Pope is crowned with a triple crown,
as king of heaven and of earth and of the lower regions.

“Moreover the superiority and the power of the Roman Pontiff by no means pertain only to the
heavenly things, to the earthly things, and to the things under the earth, but are even over angels,
than whom he is greater. So that if it were possible that the angels might err in the faith, or might
think contrary to the faith, they could be judged and excommunicated by the Pope. For he is of
so great dignity and power that he forms one and the same tribunal with Christ. So that whatever
the Pope does, seems to proceed from the mouth of God, as according to most doctors, etc.

The Pope is as it were God on earth, sole sovereign of the faithful of Christ, chief king of kings,
having plenitude of power, to whom has been entrusted by the omnipotent God direction not only
of the earthly but also of the heavenly kingdom.

“The Pope is of so great authority and power that he can modify, explain, or interpret even divine
laws. [In proof of this last proposition various quotations are made, among them these:] The Pope
can modify divine law, since his power is not of man but of God, and he acts as vice-regent of
God upon earth with most ample power of binding and loosing his sheep. Whatever the Lord God
himself, and the Redeemer, is said to do, that his vicar does, provided that he does nothing
contrary to the faith.” (Lucius Ferraris, Prompta Bibliotheca Canonica, Juridica, Moralis,
Theologica nec non Ascetica, Polemica, Rubricistica, Historica, article, ‘Papa’) This encyclopedia
is not some offshoot production. The Catholic Encyclopedia, volume VI, p. 48 in its article,
‘Ferraris’ lauds the virtues of this encyclopedia with the following glowing words: It is ‘a veritable
encyclopedia of religious knowledge’ and ‘a precious mine of information.’

Once again, Pope Leo XIII stated:

“But the supreme teacher in the Church is the Roman Pontiff. Union of minds, therefore, requires,
together with a perfect accord in the one faith, complete submission and obedience of will to the
Church and to the Roman Pontiff, as to God Himself.” (Pope Leo XIII, Encyclical Letter, ‘On the
Chief Duties of Christians as Citizens’, dated January 10, 1890, trans. in The Great Encyclical
Letters of Pope Leo XIII, p. 193 emphasis supplied.

Pope Nicholas I, who ruled from 858 to 867 A. D. pronounced the following awesome words:

“It is evident that the popes can neither be bound nor unbound by any earthly power, nor even by
that of the apostle [Peter], if he should return upon the earth; since Constantine the Great has
recognized that the pontiffs held the place of God upon earth, divinity not being able to be
judged by any living man. We are, then, infallible, and whatever may be our acts, we are not
accountable for them but to ourselves.” (Cormenin, History of the Popes, p. 243, as cited in R. W.
Thompson, The Papacy and the Civil Power, p. 248) emphasis supplied

Many other quotations could be added to prove that the Papacy claims to have the powers and
prerogatives of God.

Not only do we have statements from Roman Catholic sources to the effect that the Papacy has
the power of God, but the Pope also claims the right to be called ‘Holy Father’. Jesus warned the
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Jewish leaders of His day: ‘And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father
which is in heaven’ (Matthew 23:9). In the light of this clear statement of Jesus, How can the
Pope demand that he be called ‘Holy Father’? The name, Pope comes from the Italian, ‘Papa’
which is an abbreviation of pater patruum which means ‘father of fathers’ or ‘principal father’
(See, Malachi Martin, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Church, p. 19).

Second, the Pope allows people to approach him and bow before him and kiss his ring. In fact,
Gregory VII, in his famous Dictatus Papae (Dictates of Hildebrand), article #9 states: ‘That all
princes should kiss his [the Pope’s] feet only.’ (Cesare Baronius, Annales, year 1076, sections 31-
33, volume 17 (1869 ed.), pp. 405, 406, translated)

Third, Acts 10:25-26 explains that Peter refused to allow Cornelius to bow before him. And
supposedly, Peter was the first Pope! Even the angel Gabriel refused to allow John the Apostle
to bow before him (see Revelation 19:10; 22:8-9). Jesus said to Satan on the Mount of
Temptation, ‘Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve’. How unlike
Jesus is the Pope. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples but the Pope has encouraged people to
bow before him and kiss his feet!!

Fourth, the Papacy claims to possess the power to forgive sins. According to the Bible, only God
can forgive sins (see Mark 2:7). If only God can forgive sins and the Pope claims to have power to
forgive them, then the Pope must claim to be God! Not only does the Papacy claim that the Pope
can forgive sins, but it also claims that its priesthood can forgive them. St. Alphonsus de Liguori
wrote a book titled, Dignity and Duties of the Priest or Selva. Liguori lived in the mid 1700's.
What makes his book especially significant is that it is a compendium of the Roman Catholic
‘wisdom’ of the previous 1500 years. Thus it presents with clarity, the official position of the
Roman Catholic Church on the subject of the power and duties of the priesthood.

Before we look at several blasphemous statements from this book, it is important to understand
the Roman Catholic view of the Mass. In their view,

 The priest has the power to change or transubstantiate the bread into the real flesh of
Jesus and the wine into His real blood.
 Christ is contained in his totality (known as ‘ubiquity’) in each host that is distributed by
the priest.
 Because Christ is totally present in each host, the host is worshiped by the priest and the
faithful.
 Obviously, for these concepts to be true, the priest would have to exercise the powers of
Almighty God. And this is just what the Roman Catholic Church believes.

Let’s listen to the words of St. Alphonsus de Liguori:

“With regard to the power of the priests over the real body of Jesus Christ, it is of faith that when
they pronounce the words of consecration the Incarnate Word has obliged himself to obey and to

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come into their hands under the sacramental species. We are struck with wonder when we hear
that God obeyed the voice of Josue—the Lord obeying the voice of man—and made the sun stand
when he said move not, O sun, towards Gabaon. . . and the sun stood still.

But our wonder should be far greater when we find that in obedience to the words of his priests—
HOC EST CORPUS MEUM—GOD himself descends on the altar, that he comes wherever they call
him, and as often as they call him, and places himself in their hands, even though they should be
his enemies. And after having come, he remains, entirely at their disposal; they move him as they
please, from one place to another; they may, if they wish, shut him up in the tabernacle, or expose
him on the altar, or carry him outside the church; they may, if they choose, eat his flesh, and give
him for the food of others.” St. Alphonsus de Liguori, Dignity and Duties of the Priest or Selva,
pp. 26-27

“With regard to the mystic body of Christ, that is, all the faithful, the priest has the power of the
keys, or the power of delivering sinners from hell, of making them worthy of paradise, and of
changing them from the slaves of Satan into the children of God. And God himself is obliged to
abide by the judgment of his priests, and either not to pardon or to pardon, according as they
refuse or give absolution provided the penitent is capable of it. ‘Such is,’ says St. Maximus of Turin,
‘this judiciary power ascribed to Peter that its decision carries with it the decision of God.’ ‘The
sentence of the priest precedes, and God subscribes to it,’ writes St. Peter Damian.” St. Alphonsus
de Liguori, Dignity and Duties of the Priest or Selva, pp. 27-28

“Were the Redeemer to descend into a church, and sit in a confessional to administer the
sacrament of penance, and a priest to sit in another confessional, Jesus would say over each
penitent, ‘Ego te absolvo,’ the priest would likewise say over each of his penitents, ‘Ego te
absolvo,’ and the penitents of each would be equally absolved.” St. Alphonsus de Liguori, Dignity
and Duties of the Priest or Selva, p. 28

“Thus the priest may, in a certain manner, be called the creator of his Creator, since by saying
the words of consecration, he creates, as it were, Jesus in the sacrament, by giving him a
sacramental existence, and produces him as a victim to be offered to the eternal Father. As in
creating the world it was sufficient for God to have said, Let it be made, and it was created—He
spoke, and they were made—so it is sufficient for the priest to say, ‘Hoc est corpus meum,’ and
behold the bread is no longer bread, but the body of Jesus Christ. ‘The power of the priest,’ says
St. Bernardine of Sienna, ‘is the power of the divine person; for the transubstantiation of the bread
requires as much power as the creation of the world.’” St. Alphonsus de Liguori, Dignity and
Duties of the Priest or Selva, pp. 33-34 emphasis supplied

“When he ascended into heaven, Jesus Christ left his priests after him to hold on earth his place
of mediator between God and men, particularly on the altar. . . The Priest holds the place of the
Savior himself, when, by saying ‘Ego te absolvo,’ he absolves from sin.” St. Alphonsus de Liguori,
Dignity and Duties of the Priest or Selva, p. 34

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Notice also the blasphemous words of the Baltimore Catechism:

“The priest does not have to ask God to forgive your sins. The priest himself has the power to do
so in Christ’s name. Your sins are forgiven by the priest the same as if you knelt before Jesus Christ
and told them to Christ Himself.” Quoted in Lorraine Boettner, Roman Catholicism, p. 197

The Council of Trent described the power of priest with the following words:

“The priest is the man of God, the minister of God. . . He that despiseth the priest despiseth God;
he that hears him hears God. The priest remits sins as God and that which he calls his body at the
altar is adored as God by himself and by the congregation. . . It is clear that their function is such
that none greater can be conceived. Wherefore they are justly called not only angels, but also
God, holding as they do among us the power and authority of the immortal God” A. Nampon,
Catholic Doctrine as Defined by the Council of Trent, pp. 543,544

Fifth, the Roman Catholic Papacy claims to have changed the law of God. Not even God can
change the law He wrote with His own finger (see, Exodus 31:18). It is as eternal as He is. This
means that the Papacy not only claims powers that are equal to God’s but actually claims a power
which is greater than God’s. This is blasphemy in its most odious form. Notice the following
words from the Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. XII, art. ‘Pope,’ p. 265:

“Peter and his successors have power to impose laws both preceptive and prohibitive, power
likewise to grant dispensation from these laws, and, when, needful, to annul them. It is theirs to
judge offenses against the laws, to impose and to remit penalties. This judicial authority will even
include the power to forgive sin. For sin is a breach of the laws of the supernatural kingdom, and
falls under the cognizance of its constituted judges.”

In characteristic # 8 below, we will show how the Papacy claims to have changed God’s law.
Roman Catholic catechisms ignore the second commandment and split the tenth commandment
into two. They also claim to have changed the fourth commandment.

Sixth, the Papacy claims that it has infallibility in faith and morals. The Bible teaches clearly that
only God is infallible and does not change (James 1:17; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8)). If the Pope,
speaking ex-cathedra, claims to be infallible, then he must also be claiming to be God!! Notice
the following evidence:

Gregory VII, in his famous Dictatus Papae, makes twenty seven propositions among which is:
‘That the Roman Church never erred, nor will it, according to the Scriptures, ever err.’ (Cesare
Baronius, Annales, year 1076, sections. 31-33, volume 17 (1869 ed.), pp. 405, 406, translated)

The Roman Catholic Papacy has put itself on the record on this point by proclaiming, in 1870, the
famous Dogma of Papal Infallibility. The events surrounding this event are described by Norskov
Olsen:

“‘Viva Pio Nono Papa infallible!’ These words echoed and re-echoed in the basilica of St. Peter in
Rome on the eventful July 18, 1870 when the great crowd, having heard the message of papal

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infallibility, jubilantly expressed their applause. In the midst of one of the fiercest storms ever
known to break across the city, accompanied by thunder and lightning, while rain poured in
through the broken glass of the roof close to the spot where the Pope was standing, Pius IX read
in the darkness, by the aid of a candle, the momentous affirmation of his own infallibility.

“The fierce storm and dense darkness, the thunder and lightning that accompanied the reading
of this document, caused adherents of the papacy to compare the event to the lawgiving at Mount
Sinai; on the other hand, opponents saw in the wrath of the elements a sign of God’s anger. By
both friend and critic the declaration of papal absolutism was considered to be the most
momentous event in the long history of the papacy.

“On that day the document entitled Dogmatic Constitution on the Catholic Faith was decreed. It
contains three fundamental concepts which were made into dogma: the supremacy, the universal
jurisdiction, and the infallibility of the pope.” V. Norskov Olsen, Papal Supremacy and American
Democracy, p. 2
The key portion of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Catholic Faith stated the following:

“We teach and define that it is a dogma divinely revealed: that the Roman Pontiff, when he speaks
ex cathedra, that is, when in discharge of the office of pastor and doctor of all Christians, by virtue
of his supreme Apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine regarding faith or morals to be held by
the universal Church, by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, is possessed of
that infallibility with which the divine Redeemer willed that his Church should be endowed for
defining doctrine regarding faith or morals; and that therefore such definitions of the Roman
Pontiff are irreformable of themselves, and not from the consent of the Church. But if any one—
which may God avert—presume to contradict this, our definition: let him be anathema.” Philip
Schaff, Creeds of Christendom, vol. 2, chapter 4, pp. 270-271

The Roman Catholic theologian, Fritz Leist, comments on this dogma:

“The infallibility of the pope is the infallibility of Jesus Christ Himself. . . whenever the pope thinks,
it is God Himself, who is thinking in him.” Fritz Leist, Der Gefangene des Vatikanus, p. 344.
Quoted in Symposium on Revelation, pp. 340-341 emphasis supplied

The proclamation of this Papal Dogma was the most controversial in the history of the Roman
Catholic Church. A significant number of the clergy who attended the Vatican Council I, were
ardently opposed to this dogma and yet in spite of protests, it was passed. If you would like to
read more about how this controversial dogma was passed, despite the opposition, read the
opening pages of V. Norskov Olsen’s book, Papal Supremacy and American Democracy.

The renowned Bible commentator, Adam Clarke, remarks:

“They have assumed infallibility, which belongs only to God. They profess to forgive sins, which
belongs only to God. They profess to open and shut heaven, which belongs only to God. They
profess to be higher than all the kings of the earth, which belongs only to God. And they go beyond
God in pretending to loose whole nations from their oath of allegiance to their kings, when such

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kings do not please them. And they go against God, when they give indulgences for sin. This is the
worst of all blasphemies.” Adam Clarke, Commentary, on Daniel 7:25

This dogma has created numerous problems for the Papacy in recent years. For example, Hans
Kung, a leading theologian of the Catholic Church was defrocked from his chair at the University
of Tubingen for writing a book titled Infallible? An Inquiry. In this book, Kung shows that Pope
Paul VI’s encyclical, Humane Vitae, is not only based of bad history but also on bad science. This
book provides a plethora of examples which show that popes have made gargantuan mistakes
even when they speak ex-cathedra on faith and morals. So much for the Dogma of Papal
Infallibility!!

Seventh, according to the Bible, it is the prerogative of God alone to place kings on the throne
and to depose them (Daniel 2:21) and yet the Papacy, throughout its history has boastfully
claimed the right to install kings and depose them. The examples are numerous (under point #
10 we will furnish several of these) but for now, let us examine statements by Popes and
theologians to this effect:

In the famous Dictatus Papae of Pope Gregory VII, article 12 states: “That it is lawful for him [the
Pope] to depose emperors.” Article 27 reads: “That he [the Pope] can absolve subjects from their
allegiance to unrighteous rulers.”

In the second sentence of excommunication which Gregory VII passed upon Henry the Fourth are
these words:

“Come now, I beseech you, O most holy and blessed fathers and princes, Peter and Paul, that all
the world may understand and know that if ye are able to bind and to loose in heaven, ye are
likewise able on earth, according to the merits of each man, to give and to take away empires,
kingdoms, princedoms, marquisates, duchies, countships, and the possessions of all men. For if ye
judge spiritual things, what must we believe to be your power over worldly things? And if ye judge
the angels who rule over all the proud princes, what can ye do to their slaves?” James Bryce, The
Holy Roman Empire, p. 161.

The arrogance of the Papacy over the secular power is illustrated in the famous Decree of Gratian.
Even though this Decree is a forgery, it does show the boastful claims of the papacy:

“It is shown with sufficient clearness that by the secular power the Pope cannot in any way be
bound or loosed, who it is certain was called God by the pious leader Constantine, and it is clear
that God cannot be judged by man.” Decree of Gratian, part 1, div. 96, chap. 7

Notice the words of the papal bull of Pius V deposing Queen Elizabeth of England in 1570:

“He that reigneth on high, to whom all power in heaven and earth is given, has with all fullness
of power delivered the rule of the one holy catholic and apostolic church, outside of which there
is no salvation, to one sole [ruler] upon earth, to wit, Peter, the prince of the apostles, and to the
Roman Pontiff, the successor of Peter. Him alone he hath set as prince over all nations and all
kingdoms, to pull up, to destroy, to overthrow, and to break down, to plant, and to build, that he

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may keep the people faithful, bound with the bond of mutual love, and in the unity of the Spirit,
and present them unhurt and safe to his Savior.”

Pope Pius, in articles 4 and 5 of this Bull, states the following:

“Article 4: Moreover she herself is deprived of her pretended right to the aforesaid kingdom, and
also of all dominion, dignity and privilege whatsoever. Article 5: And so we absolve the nobles,
subjects, and peoples of the said kingdom, and all others who have taken any oath to her, from
the obligation of their oath and besides from all duty of dominion, fidelity and obedience: and we
deprive the said Elizabeth of her pretended right to the kingdom and of all other things as is
aforesaid: and we charge and order all and every the nobles, subjects, and peoples, and others
aforesaid, not to venture to obey her monitions, commands, and laws. And we attach the like
sentence of anathema to those who shall act otherwise. . . Given at St. Peter’s in Rome on the 25th
of February of 1570, in the fifth year of our pontificate” Charles Stuteville, Our Brief Against
Rome, p. 268

Eight, the Bible makes it clear that God the Father has given Jesus Christ the right to judge
because He is the Son of Man (John 5:22, 27). In fact, the Father has given Jesus ALL JUDGMENT!!
But the Papacy claims that it has been given the right to serve as judge of mankind. In this way,
the Papacy, once again, claims to possess the right to exercise the role which belongs to God
alone. Notice the following evidence:

In Gregory VII’s Dictatus Papae, article 18 reads:

“That his [the Pope’s] sentence is not to be reviewed by any one; while he alone can review the
decisions of all others.”

Article 19 states:

“That he [the Pope] can be judged by no one”

Augustinus de Ancona, in a document preserved in the British Museum, states the following:

“Therefore the decision of the Pope and the decision of God constitute one [i. e., the same]
decision, just as the opinion of the Pope and of his disciple are the same. Since, therefore, an
appeal is always taken from an inferior judge to a superior, as no one is greater than himself, so
no appeal holds when made from the Pope to God, because there is one consistory of the Pope
himself and of God himself, of which consistory the Pope himself is the key-bearer and the
doorkeeper. Therefore no one can appeal from the Pope to God, as no one can enter into the
consistory of God without the mediation of the Pope, who is the key-bearer and the doorkeeper
of the consistory of eternal life; and as no one can appeal to himself, so no one can appeal from
the Pope to God, because there is one decision and one court [curia] of God and the Pope.” (From
the writings of Augustinus de Ancona (R. C.), printed without title page or pagination,
commencing, ‘incipit summa Catholici doctoris Augustini de Ancona potestate ecclesiastica’,
Questio VI, ‘De Papalis Sententiae Appellatione’ (On an Appeal from a Decision of the Pope).

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We are also reminded of the words of Lucius Ferraris:

“So that if it were possible that the angels might err in the faith, or might think contrary to the
faith, they could be judged and excommunicated by the Pope. For he is of so great dignity and
power that he forms one and the same tribunal with Christ.” Lucius Ferraris, Prompta Bibliotheca,
article, ‘Papa’, II, vol. 6, pp. 26-29

Characteristic #6:

The Roman Catholic Church has been an ardent persecutor of dissenters throughout its history.
It has a history stained in blood. The record is there for everyone who wishes to examine it. We
will first make a few remarks about the Biblical view of freedom of conscience and then we will
trace the historical record of how Roman Catholicism has trampled on this fundamental freedom.

Roman Catholic authors frequently employ two passages to defend the view that it has a right to
use the sword to preserve the integrity of the faith: Matthew 10:34-37 and Matthew 16:16-18.
In the first passage Jesus says He has not ‘come to bring peace but a sword’. Many Catholic
authors employ this to justify their church’s use of the sword to punish dissenters. But a careful
reading of this text shows that the sword is not used by believers against unbelievers but rather
by unbelievers against believers. The keys in the second passage are interpreted as the right to
exercise spiritual power and temporal power. In other words, the church not only has the right
to rule in spiritual matters but also in civil affairs. According to Roman Catholic theology, this
gives the church the right to employ the civil power to punish those who dissent from its theology
and practice.

A close examination of the Bible indicates that Jesus intended the civil and religious powers to be
separate. God is not a God of coercion but of persuasion. God does not violate the conscience of
man. This means that God gives every man the right to believe according to the dictates of his
own conscience when matters of religion are in play. In this realm, God even gives man the right
to be wrong!! A few biblical texts will suffice to prove the above view:

Matthew 22:21 unequivocally states that we are to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and
unto God that which belongs to God. A close examination of the text in the light of the totality of
Scripture indicates that the realm of Caesar is in civil matters (the second table of the Ten
Commandments) and the realm of God is in spiritual matters (the first table of the Ten
Commandments).

When Jesus was dragged before Pilate He was asked if He was a king. Jesus assured Pilate that
His kingdom was not of this world (John 19:36). He even told Pilate that if His kingdom were of
this world, His disciples would fight to deliver Him from the Jews. This clearly shows that Jesus
had no intention of establishing an earthly kingdom by employing force. The kingdom could only
be established by implanting the Holy Spirit in the heart of His disciples.

It is a sobering fact that the trial and crucifixion of Jesus followed the same pattern as was later
used by the Holy Office of the Inquisition. Notice the following points: 1) Jesus was arrested
because He refused to accept the traditions and authority of the apostate church of His day, 2)

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Jesus was taken before a religious tribunal and interrogated 3) Jesus was then delivered to the
secular power of Rome to be killed.

This is the precise method which was used by the Inquisition. Those who did not agree with the
hierarchy of the church and refused to accept tradition above Scripture were brought before the
inquisitor and grilled mercilessly. Then they were delivered to the civil power to be punished
(later in this study we will review some of the specific methods which were used by the
Inquisition). It is significant that Satan offered Jesus the kingdoms of this world and Jesus refused
them. But Satan offered the Bishop of Rome these same kingdoms and he accepted them. This
makes the Bishop of Rome the vice-regent of Satan. If Jesus had accepted, he would have become
the vice-regent of Satan.

When the mob came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter took out a sword and
tried to defend the cause of Jesus by force. The words of Jesus are very telling: ‘Put up again thy
sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword’ (Matthew 26:51-
52).

In Luke 9:51-56 we are told the story of James and John who wanted to incinerate those who
lived in certain Samaritan villages because they refused to accept Jesus. The words of Jesus to
the ‘sons of thunder’ are very telling: ‘Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of, for the Son
of Man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.’ Clearly Jesus refused to employ
force to advance the cause of His kingdom.
The prophecies of Daniel and Revelation clearly reveal that God’s people are always the
persecuted not the persecutors. During the 1260 years the true church was in exile in the desert
(see Revelation 12:6, 14). During this period the true church was persecuted, it did not
persecute. But history reveals, indelibly, that the Roman Catholic Church during this period was
the persecutor. This makes it crystal clear that the Roman Catholic system was performing the
work of the little horn in making war against and wearing out the saints of the Most High (Daniel
7:21, 25)

What is remarkable is that Daniel 7:21 states that this apostate power would actually prevail
against the saints during this period and this is exactly what happened!! We have already seen in
another context that the mixture of iron and clay in the feet of the image of Daniel 2 represents
the mixture of church and state after the division of the Roman Empire. Revelation 17 reveals a
time when the church (the harlot) and the state (the kings of the earth) will once again form an
alliance to persecute dissenters.

Let’s examine the Roman Catholic view of persecution. It was St. Augustine who laid the
foundation for the persecutions of the middle ages. In his own words:

“Originally my opinion was that no one should be coerced into the unity of Christ that we must
act only by words, fight only by arguments, and prevail by force of reason, lest we should have
those whom we knew as avowed heretics feigning themselves to be Catholics. But this opinion of
mine was overcome not by the words of those who controverted it, but by the conclusive
instances to which they could point. For, in the first place, there was set over against my opinion

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my own town [Hippo], which, although it was once wholly on the side of Donatus [a heretic who
was leader of a group known as the Donatists], was brought over to the Catholic unity by fear of
the imperial edicts.” St. Augustine, Letter 93 (to Vincentius), chapter 5, section 17, translated in
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, first series, volume I, p. 388 emphasis supplied

In short, Augustine’s monumental work The City of God, presented a radically unbiblical view of
the kingdom. For him, the kingdom of God would be established when the church conquered the
whole world for Christ. In other words, the kingdom would be established from within history
rather than from without. Concerning this concept, Merrill C. Tenney remarks:

“In his famous work, The City of God, he [Augustine] advanced the doctrine that the city or
commonwealth of the world was doomed to perish, whereas the ‘city of God,’ the church, was
continuing and taking its place. He taught that the ‘city of God’ was identical with the church and
that as the latter grew in power and influence it would gradually bring all men under its sway and
would introduce the reign of righteousness.

“This doctrine of Augustine became the basis for the temporal claims of the Roman church. If the
kingdom was to grow irresistibly until it dominated the earth, and if the visible church was
identical with the kingdom, then the visible church could rightfully assume political power, and
could make its conquests by force.” Merrill C. Tenney, Interpreting Revelation (Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Eerdman’s, 1957), pp. 147, 148, emphasis supplied

But Daniel 2 makes it clear that the kingdom will be established supernaturally by God from
without human history, not from within!! This view of St. Augustine provided the church with
the excuse to persecute everyone who refused to become a member of this earthly spiritual
kingdom.

Now we move to the sixth century. Notice the words of Emperor Justinian (the same Justinian
who implemented the decree which began the 1260 years):

“We declare forever infamous, and deprived of their rights, and condemned to exile, all heretics
of either sex, whatever be their name; their property shall be confiscated without hope of
restoration, or of being transmitted to their children by hereditary succession, because crimes
which attack the majesty of God are infinitely more grievous than those which attack the majesty
of earthly princes. With regard to those who are strongly suspected of heresy, if, after having been
ordered by the church, they do not demonstrate their innocence by suitable testimony, they also
shall be declared infamous, and condemned to exile.” (Codex Justinianus, lib. 1, tit. 5, n. 19; cited
in ‘Library of Translations: The Power of the Pope during the Middle Ages,’ M. Gosselin (R. C.), Vol.
I, pp. 83, 84 London: C. Dolman, 1853

Someone might object that it was the emperor who made this decree and not the church.
However, a careful reading reveals that the emperor made this declaration because the church
wished to extirpate heresy. The particular heresy which the church asked Justinian to extirpate
was Arianism. The statement clearly reveals a cooperation of church and state to punish heretics!

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We now move on to the pontificate of Pope Nicholas I (858-867). The attitude of the Roman
Church is now much bolder! Pope Nicholas encouraged the King of Bulgaria, a new convert to
‘Christianity’, to force the religion of his new church upon his subjects. Notice the words of Pope
Nicholas:

“I glorify you for having maintained your authority by putting to death those wandering sheep
who refuse to enter the fold; and . . . congratulate you upon having opened the kingdom of heaven
to the people submitted to your rule. A king need not fear to command massacres, when these
will retain his subjects in obedience, or cause them to submit to the faith of Christ; and God will
reward him in this world, and in eternal life, for these murders.” (Quoted in, R.W. Thompson, The
Papacy and the Civil Power, p. 244)
We must now examine the origin and mechanism of the Holy Office of the Inquisition. The origins
of this organism can be clearly traced to 1227-1233 A. D., during the pontificate of Gregory IX. In
1229 the church council of Toulouse condemned the Albigenses in France and gave orders to
exterminate them. In 1231 Gregory IX in his bull, Excommunicamus, condemned all heretics and
proclaimed specific laws on how to deal with them. Among the provisions were the following:
1) Delivery of heretics to the civil power.
2) Excommunication of all heretics as well as their defenders, followers, friends, and even those who
failed to turn them in.
3) Life imprisonment for all impenitent heretics.
4) Heretics were denied the right to appeal their sentence.
5) Those suspected of heresy had no right to be defended by counsel.
6) Children of heretics were disqualified from holding a church office until the second generation.
7) Heretics who had died without being punished were to be exhumed and their bodies burned.
8) The homes of convicted heretics were to be demolished. (See, G. Barraclough, The Medieval
Papacy, London, 1968, edited by Thames and Hudson, p. 128; and R. I Moore, ‘The Origins of
Medieval Heresy’, in History, vol. 55 (1970), pp. 21-36)

In The Decretals of Gregory IX we find the following:

“Temporal princes shall be reminded and exhorted, and if need be, compelled by spiritual
censures, to discharge every one of their functions; and that, as they desire to be reckoned and
held faithful, so, for the defense of the faith, let them publicly make oath that they will endeavor,
bona fide with all their might, to extirpate from their territories all heretics marked by the church;
so that when any one is about to assume any authority, whether spiritual or temporal, he shall
be held bound to confirm his title by this oath. And if a temporal prince, being required and
admonished by the church, shall neglect to purge his kingdom from this heretical [de]pravity, the
metropolitan and other provincial bishops shall bind him in fetters of excommunication; and if he
obstinately refuse to make satisfaction this shall be notified within a year to the Supreme Pontiff,
that then he may declare his subjects absolved from their allegiance, and leave their lands to be
occupied by Catholics, who, the heretics being exterminated, may possess them unchallenged,
and preserve them in the purity of the faith.” (The Decretals of Gregory IX, book 5, title 7, chapter
13).
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During the pontificate of Innocent IV (1241-1253), the mechanism of the Inquisition was further
developed. In the papal bull Ad Extirpanda (1252), the following provisions were given the force
of law:

1) Torture must be applied to heretics so as to secure confessions.

2) Those found guilty must be burned at the stake.
3) A police force must be established to serve the needs of the Inquisition.
4) A proclamation of a crusade against all heretics in Italy. Those participating in this crusade
were to be extended the same privileges and indulgences as those who went on crusades
to the Holy Land.
5) The heirs of heretics were to have their goods confiscated as well.

The Catholic Encyclopedia explains:

“In the Bull ‘Ad Extirpanda’ (1252) Innocent IV says: ‘When those adjudged guilty of heresy have
been given up to the civil power by the bishop or his representative, or the Inquisition, the podesta
or chief magistrate of the city shall take them at once, and shall, within five days at the most,
execute the laws made against them’. . . Nor could any doubt remain as to what civil regulations
were meant, for the passages which ordered the burning of the impenitent heretics were inserted
in the papal decretals from the imperial constitutions Commissis nobis and Inconsutibilem
tunicam. The aforesaid Bull ‘Ad Extirpanda’ remained thenceforth a fundamental document of
the Inquisition, renewed or re-enforced by several popes, Alexander IV (1254-61), Clement IV
(1265-68), Nicholas IV (1288-92), Boniface VIII (1294-1303), and others. The civil authorities,
therefore, were enjoined by the popes, under pain of excommunication to execute the legal
sentences that condemned impenitent heretics to the stake” (Joseph Blotzer, article, ‘Inquisition’,
volume VIII, p. 34)

The savagery of Innocent the IV has led the Roman Catholic historian, Peter de Rosa, to state:

“In [Pope] Innocent’s view, it was more wicked for Albigenses to call him the antichrist than for
him to prove it by burning them—men, women, and children by the thousands.” (Peter de Rosa,
Vicars of Christ, p. 225)

Further, de Rosa makes this telling comment:

“Of eighty popes in a line from the thirteenth century on, not one of them disapproved of the
theology and apparatus of the Inquisition. On the contrary, one after another added his own cruel
touches to the workings of this deadly machine.” (Peter de Rosa, Vicars of Christ, pp. 175-176)

It was during this same period that one of the greatest dogmatic theologians in the history of the
Roman Catholic Church added his support to the idea of exterminating heretics. Let’s allow St.
Thomas Aquinas to speak for himself:

“With regard to heretics two elements are to be considered, one element on their side, and the
other on the part of the church. On their side is the sin whereby they have deserved, not only to
be separated from the church by excommunication, but also to be banished from the world by

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death. For it is a much heavier offense to corrupt the faith, whereby the life of the soul is sustained
than to tamper with the coinage, which is an aid to temporal life. Hence if coiners or other
malefactors are at once handed over by the secular princes to a just death, much more may
heretics, immediately they are convicted of heresy, be not only excommunicated, but also justly
done to die.

“But on the part of the church is mercy in view of the conversion of them that err; and therefore
she does not condemn at once, but ‘after the first and second admonition,’ as the apostle teaches.
After that, however, if the man is still found pertinacious, the church, having no hope of his
conversion, provides for the safety of others, cutting him off from the church by the sentence of
excommunication; and further she leaves him to the secular tribunal to be exterminated from the
world by death.” Joseph Rickaby, S. J., Aquinas Ethicus; or, The Moral Teaching of St. Thomas,
volume. 1, pp. 332, 333 London: Burns and Oates, 1892

The fourteenth century inquisitor, Bernard Gui explained the purpose of the Inquisition:

“. . . the objective of the Inquisition is to destroy heresy; it is not possible to destroy heresy unless
you eradicate the heretics; and it is impossible to eradicate the heretics unless you also eradicate
those who hide them, sympathize with them and protect them.” (Salim Japas, Herejia, Colon y la
Inquisicion (Siloam Springs, Arkansas: Creation Enterprises, 1992), p. 20; translation is mine)

One of the most corrupt popes in the history of the Roman Catholic Church was John XXII. A
Catholic historian describes him as ‘full of avarice, more worldly than a pimp, and with a laugh
that crackled with unimprovable malice.’ (Peter de Rosa, Vicars of Christ: The Dark Side of the
Papacy, p. 212)

According to Peter de Rosa, one of John XXII’s contemporaries stated:

“The blood he shed would have incarnadined the waters of Lake Constance, and the bodies of the
slain would have bridged it from shore to shore.” (Peter de Rosa, Vicars of Christ: The Dark Side
of the Papacy, p. 212)

Though this is obviously hyperbole, the fact still remains that Pope John XXII was a formidable
murderer. Can we imagine Jesus Christ murdering His enemies in cold blood?

Moving on to the fifteenth century, we think of John Wycliffe. The Papacy would have been
delighted to burn him at the stake during his life, but divine providence ruled otherwise. Forty
years after his death, the Council of Constance (1413) ordered his body exhumed and burned.
(See more on this in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, pp. 7-8 and the comments in The Great Controversy,
pp. 95-96)

Notice the words of Pope Martin V (1417-31), written in 1429 to the King of Poland commanding
him to exterminate the Hussites:

“Know that the interests of the Holy See, and those of your crown, make it a duty to exterminate
the Hussites. Remember that these impious persons dare proclaim principles of equality; they
maintain that all Christians are brethren, and that God has not given to privileged men the right

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of ruling the nations; they hold that Christ came on earth to abolish slavery; they call the people
to liberty, that is, to the annihilation of kings and priests.

While there is still time, then, turn your forces against Bohemia; burn, massacre, make deserts
everywhere, for nothing could be more agreeable to God, or more useful to the cause of kings,
than the extermination of the Hussites.” Quoted in, Dave Hunt, A Woman Rides the Beast, p.
247). These words were written by Martin V in 1429.

The story of John Hus is very well known. In 1415 he was burned at the stake even though King
Sigismund had guaranteed him safe conduct to defend himself at the Council of Constance (1414-
1418). The remarkable fact is that Sigismund was encouraged to break his word by the Roman
Catholic religious leaders. For a vivid description of the martyrdom of John Hus, read, The Great
Controversy, pp. 109-110 and Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, pp. 19-30.

A year later, Jerome was also burned at the stake. For the fascinating story of how Jerome
recanted his faith and then recanted his recantation, see, The Great Controversy, pp. 112-115
and Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, pp. 31-38. In both of these cases, the trial was held in the Roman
Catholic Cathedral in Constance. After the trial, Hus and Jerome were delivered to the secular
power to be exterminated.

Also in the fifteenth century, Pope Innocent VIII proclaimed a Bull against the Waldenses (1487).
The original text of this Bull is found in the library of the University of Cambridge and an English
translation can be found in John Dowling’s History of Romanism (1871 edition), book 6, chapter
5, section 62. Ellen White, in The Great Controversy, p. 77 quotes a portion of this bull in the
following words:

“Therefore the pope ordered ‘that malicious and abominable sect of malignants,’ if they ‘refuse
to abjure, to be crushed like venomous snakes.’”

Another notable martyr of the fifteenth century was Savonarola. He was martyred in the year
1499 for teaching doctrines such as: we are justified by faith in Christ, church members should
be given both the bread and the wine, the wicked and filthy cardinals and clergy ought to clean
up their act, auricular confession is not necessary, the keys had not been given to Peter alone but
to the universal church, the Pope is not the Supreme Pontiff, etc.

It is reported that the bishop in charge of Savonarola’s execution, stated:

“‘I sever you from the church militant and from the church triumphant’, to which Savonarola
replied: ‘Not from the church triumphant because it is not in your power to do so.’ (For more
information on Savonarola, see, John Foxe, The Book of Martyrs (London: James Nisbet & Co.,
Limited, no date), pp. 43-45

In 1492 Columbus discovered America. Shortly after this time, the Inquisition was planted on its
shores. The atrocities committed by the Spanish Conquistadors are legendary. Indians were
savagely murdered in order to force them to adopt the Roman Catholic religion. Many of these
atrocities are well documented in the book by Salim Japas, Heresy, Columbus and the Inquisition.

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In 1992, when Latin America was celebrating the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America,
many countries refused to participate in the celebration because they remembered the atrocities
which the Roman Catholic Church committed in its conquest of the continent.

For example, in 1992 John Paul II visited Santo Domingo to dedicate a monument in
remembrance of the discovery of America. The visit was not without turmoil. There were heated
protests by the populace and the trip was close to being cancelled. Heightened security was
necessary to protect the Pope from the protesting crowds. Amazingly, in spite of the fact that the
Dominican Republic is an overwhelmingly Catholic country, the attendance at the event was
sparse. I have personally visited Palaces of the Inquisition in Cartagena, Colombia and Santo
Domingo, Dominican Republic where thousands were tried, tortured and martyred.

When St. Ignatius of Loyola established the Society of Jesus (more commonly known as ‘the
Jesuits’) in 1534, it was his avowed purpose to lend his services to the pope in order to extirpate
Protestantism. Till this day there is a statue in St. Peter’s at the Vatican where Loyola is depicted
trampling a Protestant under his feet. It is well known that Loyola was steeped in the occult. In
fact, his Spiritual Exercises were a type of transcendental meditation. It is of more than academic
interest to read the ‘Extreme Oath’ which Jesuits take upon being inducted into the order:

“Now, in the presence of Almighty God, the Blessed virgin Mary, the Blessed Michael, the
archangel, the Blessed St. John the Baptist, the Holy Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul and all the
saints and sacred hosts of heaven, and to you, my ghostly father, the Superior General of the
Society of Jesus, founded by St. Ignatius Loyola, in the pontificate of Paul the Third, and continued
to the present, do by the womb of the Virgin, the matrix of God, and the rod of Jesus Christ, declare
and swear, that his holiness the pope is Christ’s Vice-regent and is the true and only Head of the
Catholic or Universal Church throughout the earth; and that by virtue of the keys of binding and
loosing, given to his Holiness by my Savior, Jesus Christ, he has power to depose heretical kings,
princes, states, commonwealths and governments, all being illegal without his sacred
confirmation and that they may safely be destroyed.

“Therefore, to the utmost of my power, I shall and will defend this doctrine and his Holiness’ right
and custom against all usurpers of the heretical or protestant authority whatever, especially the
Lutheran Church of Germany, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and the now pretended
authority and churches of England and Scotland, and branches of the same, now established in
Ireland and on the continent of America and elsewhere; and all adherents in regard that they be
usurped or heretical, opposing the sacred Mother church of Rome. I do now renounce and disown
any allegiance as due to any heretical king, prince or state named Protestants or Liberals or
obedience to any of their laws, magistrates or officers.

“I do further declare that the doctrines of the churches of England and Scotland, of the Calvinists,
Huguenotes and others of the name Protestants or Liberals to be damnable, and they themselves
damned and to be damned who will not forsake the same.

“I do further declare, that I will help, assist and advise all or any of his Holiness’ agents in any
place wherever I shall be, in Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, England,
Ireland or America, or in any other kingdom or territory I shall come to, and do my uttermost to
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extirpate the heretical Protestants or Liberals’ doctrines and to destroy all their pretended powers,
regal or otherwise.

“I do further promise and declare, that notwithstanding I am dispensed with, to assume any
religion heretical for the propagating of the Mother Church’s interest to keep secret and private
all her agents’ counsels from time to time, as they may entrust me, and not to divulge, directly or
indirectly, by word, writing or circumstance whatever; but to execute all that shall be proposed,
given in charge or discovered unto me, by you, my ghostly father, or by any of this sacred
covenant.

“I do further promise and declare that I will have no opinion or will of my own, or any mental
reservation whatever, even as a corpse or cadaver (perinde al cadaver) but will unhesitatingly
obey each and every command that I receive from my superiors in the Militia of the Pope and of
Jesus Christ.

“That I will go to any part of the world withersoever I may be sent, to the frozen regions of the
North, the burning sand of the desert of Africa, or the jungles of India, to the centres of civilizations
of Europe, without murmuring or repining, and will be submissive in all things whatsoever
communicated to me.

“I furthermore promise and declare that I will, when opportunity presents, make and wage
relentless war, secretly or openly, against all heretics, Protestants and Liberals, as I am directed
to do, to extirpate and exterminate them from the face of the whole earth; and that I will spare
neither age, sex or condition; and that I will hang, burn, waste, boil, flay, strangle and bury alive
these infamous heretics, rip up the stomachs and wombs of their women and crush their infants’
heads against the walls, in order to annihilate forever their execrable race. That when the same
cannot be done openly, I will secretly use the poisoned cup, the strangulating cord, the steel of
the poinard, or the leaden bullet, regardless of the honor, rank, dignity, or authority of the person
or persons, whatever may be their condition in life, either public or private, as I at anytime may
be directed so to do by any agent of the Pope or superior of the Brotherhood of the Holy Faith, of
the Society of Jesus.”

“In confirmation of which, I hereby dedicate my life, my soul and all my corporeal powers, and
with this dagger which I now receive, I will subscribe my name written in my own blood, in
testimony thereof; and should I prove false or weaken in my determination, may my brethren and
fellow soldiers of the Militia of the Pope cut off my hands and my feet, and my throat from ear to
ear, my belly opened and sulphur burned therein, with all the punishment that can be inflicted
upon me on earth and my soul be tortured by demons in an eternal hell forever!”

“All of which I, M_______ N__________, do swear by the blessed Trinity and blessed Sacrament,
which I am now to receive, to perform and on my part to keep inviolably; and do call all the
heavenly and glorious host of heaven to witness these my real intentions to keep this my oath.”

“In testimony thereof I take this most holy and blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist and witness
the same further, with my name written with the point of this dagger dipped in my own blood

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and sealed in the face of this holy covenant.” [He receives the wafer from the superior and writes
his name with the point of his dagger dipped in his own blood taken from over his heart].”

(It was not easy to find this information. I personally researched this material in the rare books
division of the Library of Congress. Because no photocopying is allowed, I transcribed this
quotation by hand. It comes from the following source: Edwin Allen Sherman [a 32 degree Free
Mason], The Engineer Corps of Hell, San Francisco, 1883, pp. 119-122. The book bears the
following bibliographical information: Library of Congress copyright, Nov. 23, 1883, rare book
collection, card # 13653-01 (Bx1765.556). The book reads on the front cover: ‘Sold by private
subscription only, and under stipulated conditions.’

Cardinal Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), of Counter-Reformation fame, wrote the following

about punishment due heretics:

“The only effective means against heretics is to convey them to that place provided for them as
quickly as possible. In this way one is only doing them a favor as the longer they are allowed to
live, the more heresies they will devise, and thus the more believers they will seduce, aggravating
their own damnation.” Quoted in, Symposium on Revelation, volume 2, p. 345. The story of the
martyrdom of William Tyndale is worthy of note. He was convicted of the ‘crime’ of translating
and distributing the Bible in the English language. For a description of his life, work and death,
read The Great Controversy, pp. 245-247 and also, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, pp. 108-116.

One of the most infamous acts in the history of Roman Catholicism was the St. Bartholomew
Massacre. It took place on August 24, 1572 with the gleeful approval of Pope Gregory XIII and the
priesthood. Ellen White calls this the ‘blackest in the black catalog of crime, most horrible among
the fiendish deeds of all the dreadful centuries’ (The Great Controversy, p. 272). At the tolling of
a bell, Protestants [they were called Huguenots] were slaughtered without mercy, not only in
Paris but also throughout the rest of France. In the course of two months, over 70,000 men,
women and children perished. The Huguenots were the ‘professionals’ of the day. They were the
‘cream’ of France. At the news of the massacre, Pope Gregory XIII, attended by his cardinals and
other ecclesiastical dignitaries, went in a long procession to the church of St. Louis, where the
cardinal of Lorraine chanted a Te Deum [an anthem of praise to God]. A medal was struck to
commemorate the massacre. On one side of the medal was the face of Gregory XIII and on the
other is the image of the destroying angel. (For more on this savage event, read, The Great
Controversy, pp. 272-273)

How could one forget the Piedmont Massacre of the year 1655? On January 25 of this year, the
Duke of Savoy gave an edict that the Waldenses must convert to the Catholic faith or leave the
valleys and have their properties confiscated within a few days. If they did not leave, they were
subject to a death decree. The edict was proclaimed in the middle of the winter. On April
seventeenth, 15,000 soldiers invaded the valleys of the Piedmont. Thousands of Waldenses were
murdered, tortured and enslaved. Hundreds who were able to escape to the most rugged areas
of the mountains were caught and thrown off the jagged cliff of Mount Catelluzo near Torre
Pellice. Salim Japas, Herejia, Colon y la Inquisicion (Siloam Springs, Arkansas: Creation
Enterprises, 1992), pp. 62-63.

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Jean Antoine Llorente was Secretary to the Spanish Inquisition from the year 1790 to 1792.
Regarding this monstrous mechanism, Llorente says:

“I was secretary of the Inquisition in the court of Madrid in the years 1789, 1790 and 1791. I knew
the establishment well enough to refute it. [It was] vicious in its origin, constitution and laws in
spite of the apologies which have been written in its favor.” Jean Antoine Llorente, Historia Critica
de la Inquisicion en España, Madrid, 1822, pp. 6-7

Llorente adds:

“The horrid conduct of this Holy Office [Inquisition] weakened the power and diminished the
population of Spain by arresting the progress of the arts, sciences, industry and commerce, and
by compelling multitudes of families to abandon the kingdom; by instigating the expulsion of the
Jews and Moors, and by immolating on its flaming shambles more than three hundred thousand
victims” Quoted in, Dave Hunt, A Woman Rides the Beast, p. 244

Llorente was not some Protestant enemy of the Roman Catholic Church. He was an insider being
privy to the inner workings and statistics of the Inquisition in Spain. According to Llorente, of the
300,000 who were killed by the Inquisition in Spain, 31,912 were burned at the stake (Llorente,
p. 583).

In Pius IX’s Encyclical and Syllabus (December 8, 1864) we find the following words:

“Cursed be they who assert liberty of conscience and of worship, and such as maintain the church
should not employ force. The State has not the right to leave every man free to embrace whatever
religion he shall deem true.”

Or again, listen to the words of Leo XIII in his encyclical, Libertas Humanam:

“From what has been said, it follows that it is quite unlawful to demand, to defend, or to grant
unconditional freedom of thought, of speech, of writing, or of worship, as if these were so many
rights given by nature to man.” Quoted in, Seventh-day Adventist Bible Students’ Source Book,
‘Church and State,’ Paragraph 496 (Washington, D. C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association,
1962), p. 273

Notice the words of the Roman Catholic historian J. H. Ignaz Von Dollinger:

“Through the influence of Gratian. . . and unwearied activity of the Popes and their legates since
1183, the view of the Church had been. . .[that] every departure from the teaching of the Church,
and every important opposition to any ecclesiastical ordinances, must be punished with death,
and with the most cruel of deaths, by fire. . .

“Innocent III declared ‘the mere refusal to swear, and the opinion that oaths were unlawful, a
heresy worthy of death, and directed that whoever differed in any respect from the common way
of life of the multitude should be treated as a heretic.’
“Both the initiation and carrying out of this new principle must be ascribed to the Popes alone...
It was the Popes who compelled bishops and priests to condemn the heterodox to torture,

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confiscation of their goods, imprisonment, and death, and to enforce the execution of this
sentence on the civil authorities, under pain of excommunication.

“From 1200 to 1500 the long series of Papal ordinances on the Inquisition, ever increasing in
severity and cruelty, and their whole policy towards heresy, runs on without break. It is a rigidly
consistent system of legislation; every Pope confirms and improves upon the devices of his
predecessor. All is directed to the one end, of completely uprooting every difference of belief. . .

“It was only the absolute dictation of the Popes, and the notion of their infallibility in all questions
of Evangelical morality, that made the Christian world. . . . [permit] the Inquisition, which
contradicted the simplest principles of Christian justice and love to our neighbor, and would have
been rejected with universal horror in the ancient Church.” (J. H. Ignaz Von Dollinger, The Pope
and the Council, pp. 190-192)

Notice the words of Dr. Marianus de Luca, a Jesuit and former professor of Canon Law at the
Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome:

“The Catholic Church has the right and duty to kill heretics because it is by fire and sword that
heresy can be extirpated. Mass excommunication is derided by heretics. If they are imprisoned or
exiled they corrupt others. The only recourse is to put them to death. Repentance cannot be
allowed to save civil criminals; for the highest good of the church is the duty of the faith, and this
cannot be preserved unless heretics are put to death” (Quoted in Lorraine Boettner, Roman
Catholicism, p. 426).

Dr. de Luca further remarked:

“Heretics despise excommunication and say that that bolt is powerless; if you threaten them with
a pecuniary fine, they neither fear God nor respect men, knowing that they will find fools enough
to believe them and support them. If you imprison them or send them into exile, they corrupt
those near them with their words and those at a distance with their books. So THE ONLY REMEDY
IS TO SEND THEM SOON TO THEIR OWN PLACE [capitals are the author’s].”

And what does de Luca mean with the expression ‘send them soon to their own place’? He
answers by approvingly quoting Tanner:

“The civil magistrate, by the command and commission of the Church, ought to punish the heretic
with the penalty of death. . .” (Marianus de Luca, Institutes of Public Ecclesiastical Law, (1901)
vol. I, pp. 143, 261)

It is worth noting that de Luca’s book contains a warm letter of commendation from Pope Leo
XIII as well as the Imprimatur of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Roman Catholic professor, Alfred Baudrillart makes the following comment about the role of
the Church in the incitation of violence during the 1260 years:

“She [the Church] has, and she loudly proclaims that she has, a ‘horror of blood’. Nevertheless
when confronted by heresy she does not content herself with persuasion; arguments of an
intellectual and moral order appear to her insufficient and she has recourse to force, to corporeal
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punishment, to torture. She creates tribunals like those of the Inquisition, she calls the laws of the
State to her aid, if necessary she encourages a crusade, or a religious war and all her ‘horror of
blood’ practically culminates into urging the secular power to shed it, which proceeding is almost
more odious—for it is less frank—than shedding it herself.

“Especially did she act thus in the sixteenth century with regard to Protestants. Not content to
reform morally, to preach by example, to convert people by eloquent and holy missionaries, she
lit in Italy, in the Low Countries, and above all in Spain the funeral piles of the Inquisition. In France
under Francis I, and Henry II., in England under Mary Tudor, she tortured heretics, whilst both in
France and Germany during the second half of the sixteenth and the first half of the seventeenth
century if she did not actually begin at any rate she encouraged and actively aided the religious
wars.” (Alfred Baudrillart, The Catholic Church, the Renaissance and Protestantism, translated
by Mrs. Philip Gibbs [London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., Ltd., 1908], pp. 182, 183

Now notice the words of Alexis M. Lepicier, professor of sacred theology in the Pontifical Urban
College of the Propaganda in Rome:

“He who publicly avows a heresy and tries to pervert others by word or example, speaking
absolutely, can not only be excommunicated but even justly put to death, lest he ruin others by
pestilential contagion; for a bad man is worse than a wild beast, and does more harm, as Aristotle
says. Hence,