The End of the World, Part 3

From the previous articles, we have seen from the Bible that from the time of the Jewish exile, beginning at Babylon, there had to be four world empires before the coming of God's Kingdom to this earth. Babylon was first, followed by the Medes and Persians who shared their empire.

Then came Alexander the Great. In Daniel 8: the he-goat with Alexander represented by the single horn, followed by the division of his kingdom by his four generals: expressed by the four horns that came up after the first. Here is the text:

Dan 8:8 After this, the goat became even more powerful. But at the peak of his power, his mighty horn was broken, and four other mighty horns took its place--one pointing to the north and one to the east, one to the south and one to the west.

After these kingdoms the fourth comes into play: the Roman Empire. It was never replaced by a subsequent world kingdom. It crumbled into what are now known as the nations of Europe; yet still bound together by the Roman Catholic Church.

1492 began the days of European colonialism, or imperialism as some might put it. Since the days of the Romans, no other nation had ever done this. Certainly there were wars and conquerors, but no other nation colonized in the way of the Europeans, not since Rome. And Europe was still considered the Holy Roman Empire when it all began.

So the clock is running, and time is running out. According to Daniel 2, it is in these days of the feet and toes, the iron and clay, a partly divided and partly unified empire, that the Kingdom of God is to be established. We are here, folks.

While the fourth beast of Daniel 7 might be hard to understand, it is certainly evident that something about that symbolic animal has also been fulfilled:

Dan 7:23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

The entire planet was explored, trampled, colonized, and divided. This is now history. It is behind us. What is next?

Dan 7:24 And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings.

If the ten kings represent leaders of the various European nations at the height of their prominence (such as Spain in the 1500s), then there is to follow another king. This leader will come to power at some point in time after the first ten have come and gone. This is a different beast than the one in Revelation 17. The horns and kings on Daniel's beast are chronologically different. The horns and kings of Revelation 17 are simultaneous, whereas Daniel states former and latter reigns in this regard.

The eleventh king has not emerged yet. At least not obviously, if he is now in power. He must subdue three kings (nations). But we are getting ahead here. Regarding where we stand in relation to the end, there are yet other indicators to consider.

In the prophecy known as Revelation, Jesus Christ foretold church history using seven local churches in Asia minor as representatives. His messages to these churches were real at the time He gave them, and they also apply to many local assemblies today as they have throughout history. But like so many other prophecies of God, they represented the Church as it would appear at various stages in the future. Hindsight is 20/20. We can now look back and marvel at the accuracy of God's Word in foretelling events as they would literally occur in their due season.

Rev 2:1 To the angel of the church in Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks:
Rev 2:2 I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them which call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false;
Rev 2:3 and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name’s sake, and hast not grown weary.
Rev 2:4 But I have this against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love.
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent.
Rev 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.


Ephesus represents the Church in its earliest phase. Reference to false apostles is telling. That Paul wrote of false apostles in 2nd Corinthians is no coincidence. Nor is it coincidental that the early church had to discern many of the writings that attempted to pass for Scripture under the name of some apostle.

Again, leaving the first love: Galatians, Colossians, 2nd Corinthians, Peter, John and Jude, 2nd Thessalonians, and others warn of the false teachings that were already filtering into the churches.

The early attempts of a professional clerical class to dominate the Body of Christ were rejected (the Nicolaitans).

Rev 2:8 And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and lived again:
Rev 2:9 I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Rev 2:10 Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.
Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

The 2nd stage of Christ's prophecy: The church in persecution. For the first three centuries, Christians endured intense persecution in the Roman Empire. While some hav attributed the ten-day tribulation to ten particular Roman Emperors, those who came out of those days remember 10 waves of intensity.

Rev 2:12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write; These things saith he that hath the sharp two–edged sword:
Rev 2:13 I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s throne is: and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwelleth.
Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there some that hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication.
Rev 2:15 So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner. Rev 2:16 Repent therefore; or else I come to thee quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth.
Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it.

Pergamum represents the Church at the beginning of her rise to prominence. These were the early days on the road to Roman Catholicism and Papal domination. Here began the compromises with pagan religions, the exaltation of saints and the beginnings of the professional clergy which ruled over the people (Nicolaitan: Nico: to conquer; laitan: the people = to conquer the people). The subjection of the masses, or laity under a priestly order began here.


Rev 2:18 And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like unto burnished brass:
Rev 2:19 I know thy works, and thy love and faith and ministry and patience, and that thy last works are more than the first.
Rev 2:20 But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
Rev 2:21 And I gave her time that she should repent; and she willeth not to repent of her fornication.
Rev 2:22 Behold, I do cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of her works.
Rev 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto each one of you according to your works.
Rev 2:24 But to you I say, to the rest that are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, which know not the deep things of Satan, as they say; I cast upon you none other burden.
Rev 2:25 Howbeit that which ye have, hold fast till I come.
Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations:
Rev 2:27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers; as I also have received of my Father:
Rev 2:28 and I will give him the morning star.
Rev 2:29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.


Further in the future from Christ's prophecy is the church as represented by the Thyatira congregation. Here we find that the church is still about doing the Lord's business. But we also see where the beginnings of compromise had led. Exaltation of saints had led into idolizing them. To this day saints are prayed to, when Scripture tells us that there is but one Mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ. The Pope was becoming God's repesentative on earth, the priests were exalted beyond their proper authority. Christians were even celebrating pagan holidays, as they renamed them to accomidate their lusts.


All of this is now hind-sight. Clearly we can look back and see the overall trend as we study church history. The likeness cannot be denied. It can be downplayed, and has been, but it cannot be denied.

More to come.