THE PAPACY IN PROPHECY by Abdiel

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Oct 17, 1906

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 32, No. 40.

THE PAPACY IN PROPHECY

By Abdiel

The Little Horn of Daniel 7.

RECALL what we learned in our study last week, a study thus far in which nearly all the prophetic expositors, who believe the Bible, agree with us. The four beasts of Daniel 7 symbolized four kingdoms or dynasties. The lion with eagles' wings was a symbol of Babylon, the moulding power religiously, to a great extent, of all the great apostate empires which followed. The bear symbolizes Medo-Persia; the four-headed, four-winged leopard, the Empire of Grecia, the heads indicating the division which followed Alexander's reign. The great and terrible beast is a symbol of Rome. The Roman beast had ten horns, and these horns represented the divisions into which Rome was divided between the years A. D. 351 and 476. During that period Rome was divided into just ten divisions as follows: Alemanni, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Suevi, Burgundians, Franks, Vandals, Heruli, Lombards, Anglo-Saxons. The prophecy is specific, the fulfilment is no less specific.

The Vatican Palace, the Seat of the Papacy, Rome.

Particular Specifications of Another Power.

The prophet continues:

"I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them [the ten horns] another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots; and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things." Dan. 7:8.

The above are a part of the specific features and characteristics of the little horn which this chapter gives. Let us note them particularly:

It came up among ten horns. Verses 8, 20.
It was a little horn. Verse 8.
Yet, little tho it was, it grew till its "look was more stout than its fellows." Verses 8, 20.
Before the strength of this little horn three of the ten horns were plucked up. Verses 8, 20, 24.
This horn had eyes, not of the beast on which it grew, but the eyes of a man, indicating greater shrewdness and far-seeing wisdom. Verses 8, 20.
It had a "mouth speaking great things," "great words," "words against the Most High." Verses 8, 11, 25.
It was "diverse;" it differed in nature from all the other horns. Verse 24.
It "made war with the saints;" it "shall wear out the saints." Verses 21, 25.
It "shall think to change the times and the law;" according to Spurrell, "the appointed times and the law." Verse 25.
It should continue a definite period, "a time and times and half a time." Verse 25.
It would lose its dominion gradually, by the consumption of it by other powers. Verse 26.
It would be a persecutor to the end, or till Christ should come, and the judgment be given to His people. Verse 21.

Beast Powers.

Now the four beasts represent four kingdoms or dynasties, kings and kingdoms being used interchangeably in the prophecy. Verses 17, 18. They are symbolized by savage, cruel beasts to indicate their nature,—antagonistic to God and His work. They are of the earth, earthy. Like beasts, they have their amiable moods and times, but their general character is savage and brutal, and contrary to the work of God. Like beasts, they do not look ahead and plan for the future, as does man. The beast plans for the present, eats and drinks, and gorges for the present, lives for the present, and dies.

The ten horns represent ten divisions of the empire of Pagan Rome. They are of the same nature as the beast on which they are, actuated, driven, impelled by the beast behind them. The remainder of the ten kingdoms are seen in Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal, France, Great Britain, etc., still seeking temporal gain, still blind to the great future.

The Character of the Specifications.

A man could be described by ten or twelve common features which would not distinguish him from his fellow men, or identify him as an individual. It could be said that he had two blue eyes, dark hair, two feet, two arms, that he wore dark clothes, and a full beard, etc., etc. But such a description would fit thousands of men equally as well. But if we should say that the man's right leg was much shorter than his left; that his left arm was much shorter than his right; that he was blind in his right eye, and deaf in his left ear, that he had six fingers on one hand and four on the other, and possessed other unique features, the chances would be very great indeed in finding two men who possessed the same. No one would ever expect it.

It is in unique features that God has, in the "more sure Word of prophecy," delineated the power symbolized by the little horn. He has not taken the ordinary characteristic of kingdoms or powers in general, but the unique features peculiar in almost their entirety to one power. And I beseech the reader to study it with me. Wherever these specifications apply, let them apply. If they clearly refer to some power or system dear to us, which we have blindly followed, by which we have been deceived, let us be deceived no longer. God does not in this prophecy denounce men, but systems, dynasties, principles. He would have us learn by the principles antagonistic to His own Word to reject the systems. So did Daniel and his companions, and rejected Babylon and her perversive principles. So must we, in a later age, learn of God and reject all of Babylon wherever found or by whatever name called.

What Power Is Symbolized by the Little Horn?

Let us briefly consider the above specifications one by one:

What wholly unique power pushed itself up among the ten kingdoms of Rome during the time of their development?—It was the bishop of Rome, strengthening its ecclesiastical power and spiritual dominance over the minds of men by its teachings, its influence over rulers, its control of councils, coming at last to demand world dominion, or religious control of all the powers.
It began little at first. It was manifest in apostolic days by a mere working of iniquity, in putting man in place of God. In the second century it was presuming to pronounce anathemas. It had reached far greater proportions through the influence of Constantine in the beginning of the fourth century, but it was still little in its dominating power over the state.
But its wide-spread influence gave it strength and solidity. Men in position were beginning to see that its "look was more stout than its fellows;" that a trinitarian bishop of Rome was more powerful than an Arian king.
The struggle between Trinitarianism, espoused by the See of Rome, and Arianism upheld by the Heruli, Vandals, and Ostrogoths was on. The first of these powers fell in 493, the last in 533. They were plucked up before the rising Papacy.

5. The other kingdoms are well symbolized by blind horns actuated by the mind of a beast; but not so with the little horn. It is a wonderful thing for a horn to have eyes. It is more wonderful that the eyes of a man should be in the horn of a beast. Strange, supernatural, shrewd, cunning, farseeing, such has the Papacy been in comparison to opposing or adhering powers. They have seen present advantages. The Papacy has seen future ones. They have planned for the present; the Papacy has planned for the future, and made their present planning its future profit.

6. What mighty things has the Papacy spoken through its representatives! It assumes the power to forgive sins, and absolve men from transgression. It claims the authority to control conscience, to set aside the law of man and God. It assumes the prerogative of infallibility, and arrogates to itself such titles as “Vicegerent of the Son of God,” “Our Lord God, the Pope,” “Another God upon Earth,” “King of the World,” “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” Pope Nicholas said to Emperor Michael, “The pope, who is called God by Constantine, can never be bound or released by man, for God can not be judged by man.” It is said that Leo XIII. placed upon his painted portrait, “Leo de Tribu Juda,” the “Lion of the tribe of Judah.” Surely the Papacy has spoken great words, words, in its tremendous assumption of authority, that are against the Most High.

7. It differed, or was “diverse,” from the other powers. In other words, the ten horns represented civil, secular powers; the little horn represented a religious power, a religio-civil dynasty, a power in which the civil power is dominated by religion, and the civil authority is invoked and controlled to enforce religious dogmas.

But the other four specifications must be left to our next study. Ponder these, dear reader, Roman Catholic tho you may be. In the crucible of God’s Word every doctrine should be tested. In the fires of the judgment day every false doctrine of men will burn as dross. Equally God loves Catholics and Protestants. Equally He longs to save each and all. “Sanctify them by Thy truth,” Jesus prayed, “Thy Word is truth.”

(Continued next week.)