August 14: THE RISE OF ROME

“And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes.” Daniel 8:23

Gabriel continues explaining the meaning of Daniel’s vision to him. The four divisions of the kingdom of Alexander the Great continued a century and a half, but toward the latter time of their kingdom, Rome was taking its form. The weakened and divided version of Greece was setting the stage for Rome’s rise to power.

When the transgressors have reached their fullness…  Meanwhile, the Jewish nation continued on their wayward course and presumptuous attitude, having rejected the pleadings of the prophets, the warnings of God, and the plain sense of the written Word in which they were in full possession. Hundreds of prophecies were pointing to the time of Messiah’s coming, even as Jewish leaders turned the instructional—indeed prophetic—ceremonies of the sanctuary into meaningless rituals, wielding their legalistic power over their own poor people.

Rome’s rise to exceedingly great (v.9) supremacy would be led by a series of caesars and popes who are described as being in possession of fierce features and understanding of sinister schemes. Moses foresaw the disobedience of God’s chosen people, and identified Rome by its chosen symbol, the eagle (see Deuteronomy 28:49-53,62).

“His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power;” (v.24a). Gabriel communicates that, though Rome will be under the leadership of a mere man (7:8), his exercise of mighty power is made possible by the aid of Satan. He is Satan’s front man. This is not a new concept. Earlier references to men doing Satan’s bidding are found in the king of Babylon (Isaiah 14:4) and the king of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:12).

“He shall destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.” (v.24b) This blasphemous power causes frightful destruction, persecuting even unto death any who dare to stand in opposition. In a strange mix of political “bedfellows” (Luke 23:12)—and at the instigation of the Lord’s own people—this power put the Lord to death on a Roman cross. Only His divine intervention on behalf of His faithful people has prevented their total extinction. Throughout history, He has never left the world without witnesses.

Since the beginning of the Lord’s Day of Atonement in 1844, Satan has greatly intensified his efforts to confuse people and lead them away from God (a few examples were listed yesterday). But others have gained a godly zeal to better understand the day we now live in. The great disappointment experienced when He did not return for His people in 1844 was humiliating. But the mistake was not God’s! It was made by humans who did not understand the meaning and purpose of the sanctuary. There was also a great disappointment when Jesus was crucified. Yet His followers eventually came around to the Truth found in His word and let go of the popular, but mistaken, belief that He had come to lead a political and military overthrow of Rome (Acts 1:6).

For on that day, the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. Leviticus 16:30