Veronica’s base

     There is so much more to studying the Bible than just reading it. We must dig deeper than what first meets the eye…

     Daniel 8 verse 10 and 11     “…And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.”   “…Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host,…”

     This verse mentions a host. This host is God’s people. Jesus, as our Ruler) is the Prince of the host. It is so interesting that the Bilbe refers to God’s people as stars. The wicked people are known as wandering stars.  Satan is very jealous of Jesus, Who is our Great Star. He wants this position and glory and honor for himself.

   “stamped”

      We are told that the little horn (Satan instrument) stamped on the starry host. The starry host, God’s people, are like sheep. Sheep need food and water, not to mention a shepherd. The little horn recked the sheep’s food and water by teaching them false doctrines, by poluting their easily deceived minds, and leading them away from Christ, our Source and our Shepherd. Satan is a theif and a robber; he and his  followers lead God’s people astray with false doctrines that appeal to man’s sinful and selfish nature.

    …magnified himself…

    The little horn magnified himself and put himself in God’s place by changing God’s law- the fourth commandment. He took upon himself the right and power to act as God. Not only this, but he took away the daily. He did this by teaching that he could be our intercessor in Jesus’ place and that our works could atone for our sin.

verse 12

 The reformers Calvin and Luther referred to our corrupt human nature,(because of original sin) as the doctrine  of total depravity- that men could neither think, speak, do, or love anything but evil. All that you can do begins in sin, remains in sin; it may appear ever so good and pretty; you can do nothing but sin…  Because sin is a state of being, Jusus must mix His merits with our good woeks- because they are so tainted with selfishness and corruptness. Jesus is our Mediator.

   Although we all have the original sin that Adam passed on to us, we do not pass

   Judgment does not fix our characters. It only evaluates them to determine who goes to the marriage to receive its benefits. It separates the wise from the foolish.

“trodden under foot”…

The starry host (God’s people) and the sanctuart get trodden on. A heart gets hard when the world’s traffic always walks upon it. We stop our eyes and ears. We are not sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Our selfish thought patterns are like grooves taht we can easily fall back into. Certain things can trigger it.

verse 14

     The cleansing of the sanctuary is the removing of the selfish thoufhts from our brain. The sanctuary system got the sin from the committer of the sin, to the innocent creature, and finally into the sanctuary. In order to  overcome our selfish habitual thought patterns, we must constantly resist thinking them.

verse 23

 

 

 

verse 17

      “These great beasts, which are four, [are] four kings”. “These four beasts are four kingdoms” LXX-B

  In this chapter of Daniel there are four beasts/kingdoms. We are told that this fourth beast is the fourth kingdom on the earth.  This kingdom is referred to as a divided kingdom. It is a mixture of iron and clay- Christianity and paganism. (Dan. 2) In verse 18 of  thsi chapter, we are told that the saints of the most High shall take the kindom. Every kindom in this earth has attained its dominion by force, by violence, by death, subduing and crushing- ripping apart and tearing down the power previous to it. However, none of the kingdoms in this earth will last. As we are told in chapter 2 of Daniel, a rock (God’s kingdom) will be the final victor. In God’s kingdom there will be no force or controlling of our minds and consciences. Not even now does God control us. We are all given the wonderful gift of choice.

verse 8

     Here we are told that the horn had eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. He is described as being greater than the others. This power had to have come out of Western Europe. This is a continuation of the Roman power in the Roman church. Not pagan Rome, but PAPAL Rome.  An “eye” symbolizes a conscience. Humans, not animals have been created with consciences. Our consciences tell us what is wrong. We have to take our preconceived ideas to the Bible to see if we are correct. The little horn has made his assumptions and tried to establish them to the world, by force if necessary. The little horn believes that God has invested in him the power to have dominion over our consciences. He thinks that he has been given the power to tell us how to live.   When we are changed, forgiven, or baptized, we may be given a new heart, a new mind, or a new soul; but our consciences are not new. They are REnewed. Our consciences, however, can only be correct if we allow God into our lives.  We must constantly see that our consciences are harmony with Christ.

  The Bible also says that the little horn will have a mouth speaking great things. It says that he shall speak great words against the most High. The popes of all ages past have done everything to gain for themselves the power and glory that they so desparately crave. He is known as the vicar of God, and believes that God has invested in him much authority to govern God’s people, to control their “eyes” and to explain God’s laws- being that his authority “comes from God, and not man” as he believes. “The Pope is crowned with a triple crown, as king of heaven and of earth and of the lower regions…”  This not only means heaven and earth, but hell as well. This little horn power truly leads the world, and God’s people astray, and the world will truly wonder after him. (the beast).

verse 10

     A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him” 

   “Him” meaning the Ancient of Days. This fiery stream that comes before him is the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the refiner’s fire. At the investigative judgment He will blott out our sins. He will make us as gold as  silver. He does this through the Holy Spirit. We will then offer unto Him a perfect offering in righteousness.

verse 11

            The system, ( the little horn power, AKA the man of sin, the son of perdition, mystery of iniquity, that wicked) will be destroyed at Christ’s second coming.

verse 12

     This verse tells us that the rest of the beasts had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were pronged for a season and time.” The kingdoms of Babylon, of Medio Persia, of Greece, and of pagan Rome had their dominion taken away, but the people of these kingdoms were not destroyed. However, when the little horn power is destroyed, the inhabitants of the world will die.

verse 24

     Here we are told that ten kingdoms will arise, and that another shall rise up after them. He shall be diverse from the first. He shall subdue three kings…”Three of these horns   (kingdoms) are followers of Arianism. This was the biggest rival of Catholicism. From what we have seen, the Papacy (little horn) will stop at nothing to attain the power and glory which he so greatly desires. He uproots these three kingdoms in order to expand.

verse 25

     This verse tells us that this beast will think to change time and law. This is his prominent feature. …”they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. Using the prophetic year, this is 1260 years. The beast will change time and law by violating God’s fouth commandment. He tries to change the day of worship to the first day, instead of the seventh. This commandment is especially hated by the devil, as it speaks of the creation. After the world was created God rested on the seventh day. Of course we will remember that Satan was left out of creation, which caused an intense fury in him.

verse 26

     In this verse we are told that the judgment takes away the little horn’s dominion. Inspiration tells us that the pope is Satan’s representative on earth. The pope is the vicar of Christ- this is Satan’s fulfillment of his plan to sit on the throne. So when the pope’s dominion is taken away, it is really Satan’s dominion that is taken.

verse 27

     Here we are told that the dominion is given to the saints.  Jesus received the kindom of glory at the close of His work of mediation. But all were not then obeying him. Man was still corruptible and mortal. At His second coming, however, He will confer His immortality upon His people, and they will obey Him and will receive the kingdom of glory.

     Every person that has ever walked the face of this Earth, has sinned. All, that is, except for Jesus. We are all born with selfish desires. We all struggle, but victory is possible. Jesus proved this. A true Christian is constantly growing. There are three stages of Spiritual growth.

     The first stage of Spiritual growth is conversion. In this stage, there is a conversion of the sinful desires that we are born with.  Jesus helps us gain this victory. The temptations will still be there, but Jesus helps us to gain the victory over our desires. The Holy Spirit impresses upon our hearts of our need for repentance. We also have to have faith. Once we repent, have faith of our assured forgiveness, and are baptized, we are converted. These are the requisite steps.

      The next step of our spiritual growth is progressive conversion. This step takes a lifetime. Though we fall, if we are truly holding onto Jesus, we will be continually growing, and building character. Our characters are the only things that we take to Heaven with us. At the end of this stage is victory over sin- our sinful words and actions. This is the end product. If we get to the judgment without accomplishing this, we are the foolish virgins. If we overcome, then we will receive a crown. The fruits of the Spirit are the Christian’s crown. Our records of sin are still there at the judgment, but they are covered.

       The third and last stage of our Spiritual growth is the perfection of our characters. We have defective characters- that is, habitual thought patterns that are selfish. Our imperfect characters have blots on them. There are three types of these blots- and each one, no matter where it comes from, must go through the sanctuary system. There are original sins, our own wills, and hereditary tendencies.  Then there is the marriage. Jesus has already covered our hideous records, but now they get erased altogether. Our sin is cleansed. This is the beauty of the work that is done in us and for us. Our Intersessor is constantly intercedng on our behalf. Without Jesus, we would be hoplessly lost. In fact, we would not even be here.  Unending love, amazing grace!

When our first parents committed the first sin, a need for mediation on our behalf began. Without Christ’s mediation for us, we would be hopeless, and even our prayers would be totally unacceptable to God.  Let’s look into the imoprtance of Christ’s work in behalf of the fallen race of planet earth…

After man sinned, he gained a knowledge of evil. This gained knowledge gave him an inclination towards sin, and made the human race a corrupt channel. Our works are thus totally imperfect, and valueless to our Father- and the law demands perfection; that is, perfect works. But praise God we have Christ as our Mediator and Substitution! When we present our petitions to God, Jesus adds his own merits to our prayers. He also puts in His own incense on top of ours, which represents the blood of the atonement. As long as we are a corrupt race, our works are of absolutely no value to God. The Holy Spirit’s priestly role in our lives does not make the good works which we commit perfect. We still need Christ to mediate in our behalf to make our works acceptable to God.

Catholics and Protestants have two differnt views about man’s good works.  Catholics believe that because the Holy Spirit is working in our lives, the good works that we do are a result of His work. They believe that our works thus satisfy the divine law. Because our works satisfy the law, they have merit. They thus take away the daily work of Christ, because they believe that He doesn’t need to perfect our works with His righteousness.  Protestants, on the other hand, believe that the Holy Spirit working in our lives produces good works. But these works do not have the merit of Christ, and need that to be acceptable and perfect to God. ( Since the merits of Christ are perfect.)

In Daniel chapter 8 verse 11, the Bible states, “Yea, he magnified himself even to the Prince of the Host, and by him the daily was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.”  This explains how the little horn power, (the papacy), cast down the sanctuary of Heaven. The papacy took away the daily work of mediation. It tries to mediate for man. It tries to do, on Earth,  the atoning work of Christ which is done in Heaven.

The Catholics believe that at baptism, original sin, or “filth of the flesh” is removed. Protestants believe that baptism does not remove this original sin. Original sin is the sin that our human nature committied with the will of Adam. 1 Peter 3:21 states, “… baptism doth also now save us ( not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience…” The original sin gives us a defective charachter and makes the Holy Spirit’s work in us useless without Christ’s merit. The Bible teaches that we come to the judgment with this original sin.

The whole of the matter is that Christ as our mediator, and the Holy Spirit are interceding on our behalf constantly. Without Christ’swork for us, we would be lost. Our works and our prayers would be meaningless. Christ’s daily mediation for us is an amazing gift that He gives to us freely. We must just love Him, serve Him, and ask pardon for our sins. He gladly intercedes for us. We need no earthly mediator.

   In chapter seven of Daniel, verse thirteen, the Bible says, “…and, behold,{one} like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days…”. In verse fourteen we read, “And there was given him…a kingdom,…”

     In the Bible, there are two kingdoms… the kingdom of grace and the kingdom of glory. ( Remembering that a throne implies a kingdom. See Matt. 25:31.) The kingdom of grace is found in us- God’s people. It is the presence of the Holy Spirit that gives us the fruits of the Spirit in our lives. ( Luke 17:20,21; Romans 14:17; and Hebrews 4:16). The kingdom of glory is referring to the place where we are going, which will be set up at the Second Coming. First we will go to Heaven, (for a thousand years), then we will go to the new Earth.

     The Kingdom of Glory is a physical kingdom. It will be set up at the Second Coming. (Matt. 25:31)

     There were ten virgins… five were wise, and five were foolish. They were all going to the marriage, and they were all claiming to be friends of the Groom. Those who claim to be God’s people are the virgins. Jesus, as our High Priest, who by his own blood entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption for us, will perform the investigative judgment to separate the wise from the foolish. The wise are truly His people. The foolish are those who claim to be His people, but He does not know them. God’s people reflect only Christ’s character in their lives. The kingdom of grace is completed after the judgment takes place- at the close of probation.  It was started at the fall of man, and was established at the cross. ( Genesis 3:15; Mark 1:14,15; Daniel 7:13,14). This is the kingdom to which Daniel 7:14 is referring when it says And there was given him… a kingdom,”. After Jesus performs the investigative judgment, that determines who can go to the marriage.

     Ispiration tells us that the Son of Man must be cast into the ground and die and be buried out of sight; but He was to live again. Jesus died for us in Calvary, was buried, and God raised Him to life on the third day. Jesus lived a perfect and selfless life. His whole purpose was you and me. His blood covers our sins, and He is our judge- not your friends, your boss, or the stern-faced judge at your local court. Jesus, who loves us more than words could tell, and is no repector of persons, will judge fairly the lives of you and me.

 

 

And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. verse 23

   This verse is describing how Satan deceived the Christians in the church by tempting them with the pleasures of this world instead of using persecution to force them into submission. He made Christianity appealing to pagans, so that they would join the church and the whole flock would be deceived and lead astray.

 

 

He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. verse 24

     Satan entered the church through deceit, and even deceived the very elect. He didn’t try to conquer his victims, as had those who preceded him. He threw into their midst ideas, as well as those who proposed these ideas, that opposed the truth.  

And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. verse 25

     Paganism tried to abolish Christianity in  order to preserve its pagan altars and temples. Paganism was not successful, however. The pagan Roman emperor, Constantine, “converted” to Christianity after allegedly seeing a cross in the sky saying, ” in this sign conquer” while he was on his way to battle. Thus pagansim failed to accomplish its mission.

Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. verse 26

   In this verse, people who accepted pagan philosophies converted the Roman emperor, Constsntine, to Christianity.  His “Christianity” was not true. It was mixed with paganism to appeal to the heathen. These people who converted him destroyed him with his nominal Christianity. Constsntine’s army marched through a river and were baptized. Many people died a spiritual death. Paganism had slowly and deceitfully crept into, and now controlled the church.

  

 

   This verse is describing how mixing Christianity with paganism resulted in the development of the man of sin.

Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.

   This verse is describing how the man of sin will gain a profit from its beliefs. The money made from indulgences fits this verse. This man of sin also wanted to gain for himself glory. He wants to be revered and beheld as God.

 

 

At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.

   This verse corresponds to verse 25 when Constantine was converted. Thus, the papacy now had paganism on its side. It also corresponds to verse 42. The papacy gets the pagan philosophies aligned with itself.

For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.

       In Proverbs and Epsesians, God’s people are pictured as ships. They that forsake the holy covenant are the world. Him, is reffering to the papacy. The fourth commandment has a seal, or mark of God’s law. This seal or sign is the seventh-day Sabbath. The Sabbath is the seal of the holy covenant. Thus, God’s people will grieve the papacy by honoring Saturday. The papacy will unite with the world and deceive many.

And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.

 

And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

   This verse tells how those who disobey God’s law shall be led astray. Those that are close to God, and know Him,  will be strengthened by their diligence.

 

 

And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.

     This verse tells of the time in the medieval days when it was commonplace for Christians to be tortured and persecuted. 

   Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.

 

And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.

  This refers to the fact that the Christians’ suffering was not in vain. Others, as well as they themselves were brought closer to Christ.

   And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.

   This is describing the pope’s audacity at placing himself on the same line as God. He shall think to change time and laws, and will continue in  his deceitful ways until the wine of the wrath of God ( the seven last plagues) shall be poured out of the cup of His indignation.

 

Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.

   The papacy has departed from the simplicity and truth of the true church of Christ. It has distorted and made complex, the worshipping of God. “The desire of women is referring to the practice of celibacy- are abstaining from marriage.

 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.

 

And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

    We are living in the time of the end. This verse is describing the pagan influences and ideas that are now being promoted. The papacy used to be more powerful. It received a deadly wound that will one day be healed. It wants to get other nations and governments on its side in order to be more powerful once again. The world will wonder after the pope and will honor him, in that it respects Sunday worship, which was instituted by the papacy.

 

 

He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

       This verse is telling of how the pope will enter into the Christian church, in that the church will slowly surrender protestantism and accept papal errors. It will be deceived. The world will wonder after the pope, ( the beast), and will accept its beliefs. Humility becomes merely a word, as Christians are lost in the pleasures of the world.

 

 

He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

    Basically, tha papacy deceives the whole world into following her and helping her to become powerful once again.  

    But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians [shall be] at his steps.

      The papacy has always been very wealthy. It has used such tactics as trickery to gain for itself money and prosperity.

 

    The pope will be troubled by the message of the second coming and of the Sabbath message. He will persecute the people of God who keep the fourth commandment. ( Jesus and the angels come from the East. The fourth commandment, which is part of the law, is what the verse refers to when it says, ” out of the north”. The location of the sanctuary is in the north. The ark of His testament is in the is in the sanctuary.The ark of his testament contains the law.)

 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some interesting details about the toes of the image in Daniel 2:42

     The toes of the image of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel chapter 2 are more complex in meaning than first meets the eye. We are assuming that there were ten toes from the two feet of the image of Nebuchadnezzar. The toes, as well as the feet, were composed of two components- iron and miry clay.

     The iron represents pagan Rome. It also represents error. Error must mix with truth to be accepted. It cannot survive on its own.

     The clay represents Christianity. It also represents truth. In Daniel chapter 2 verse 43, the Bible says,”…but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.”

     So the iron, which began in the legs and continued down to the feet and toes, represents pagan Rome, and the clay represents Christianity. Pagan Rome united with Christianity resulting in a religio-political system called  the papacy-a pagan and superstitious religion that worships the pope and the virgin Mary, as well as the Trinity. The papacy is represented by the feet of the image. Christianity united with the world, resulting in appostate protestantism. The toes of the image represent apostate protestantism.         

     The Bible explains itself. If one was to look carefully at the following chapters, he might notice some links between them. In chapter 7 of Daniel, there is a dreadful and terrible beast. This beast had ten horns emerging from it. This beast represents pagan Rome. The ten horns represent the breakup of pagan Rome. In chapters 13 and 17 of Revelation, the Bible tells of a leopard-like beast. The beast had ten horns emerging from it. This beast represents the papacy. The horns represented aostate protestantism. In chapter 2 of Daniel, there are ten toes. ( based on our knowlege of the fact that all normal humans have ten toes.) These ten toes, representing apostate protestantism, also emerged from the papacy. Thus we can see a connection between the toes of Daniel 2 and the horns of Revelation 13 and 17. They both emerged from the papacy, and they both represent apostate protestantism.     

     We have been told that we are living in the toes of the image described in Daniel. Thus we can assume from our knowlege that we are living in the ten horns of the beast of Revelation. This is very evident in today’s world. Christians today mix with the world, (apostate protestantism) and conform to it as much as possible without, in their opinion, going all the way. Now that we know that we are living in the toes of the image, we can then conclude that this is the very last part of history before Jesus comes and sets up His eternal kingdom.

post on Daniel 2 user notes

 

     Some people have a hard time understanding the prophecies mentioned in Daniel and Revelation. In this particular discussion, I will be talking about Daniel chapter two.  In chapter two of Daniel, the Bible is telling the story of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Daniel, the king’s captive, and the dream that the king dreamt.

     The king had dreamt a dream. It was a troubling dream, and the king had forgotten what he dreamt. He called his captive, Daniel, and asked him to tell him his dream, and to interpret it for him. Daniel asked God for help, and God interpreted the king’s dream through Daniel.  The king had dreamt that there was a great image made of different components: the head was made of gold, the chest and arms of silver, the stomach and thighs of brass, the legs of iron, and the feet part iron, and part clay. (Daniel 2:32,33)

     The  head of gold represented Babylon, which ruled the world until it was overtaken by Medo-Persia (represented by the silver chest and arms). Medo-Persia was then overtaken by Greece, which was represented by the stomach and thighs. Greece was then overtaken by Rome, which was represented by the legs. The mixture of iron and clay in the feet represented pagan Rome and Christianity. (Daniel 2:38-40)

      It is very interesting that the feet were composed of two elements. They contained a mixture of iron and potter’s clay. The clay represents Christianity, while the iron represents pagan Rome. This mixture of paganism and Christianity is,bluntly stated, the papacy.The papacy is an empire that used the government and Christianity to accomplish its tasks. The papacy was notorious in the medival days for persecuting and torturing those whom they deemed to be “heretics” ( Namely, anyone who opposed them). The papacy are also a very pagan and superstitious people. Their religion includes altars and shrines, “sacred objects”,  praying to Mary, confessing sins to priests, and worshipping the pope. The Bible states in 1 Timothy 2:5,” There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man, Christ Jesus.”

      An interesting part about the king’s dream was that at the end of the dream, a rock came and struck the feet of the statue, causing it to crumple. This rock became a mountain that filled the whole earth. This rock represents the kingdom of God. God will wipe out the earthly empires of this world, and set up His own, which will never be destroyed or replaced by another kingdom. There God’s people will live forever in perfect peace. The stone became a great mountain and filled the whole earth, symbolizing God’s kimgdom that will be set up. It will never be destroyed. It will be the final and eternal  kingdom.(Daniel 2:44)