July 28: WORLDLY RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY (part 1)

“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, times, and half a time.” Daniel 7:25

This is the third mention of pompous words being spoken by the little horn. The angel speaking to Daniel is confirming that Daniel had earlier heard correctly these pompous words of the little horn. Be aware that Satan’s most effective strategy involves working from the inside, deceiving the people of God to do his bidding. Because of this, most of the Jews failed to recognize their Messiah.

Pagan Rome, under the Caesars, was still in its heyday after Christ was crucified, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven to begin His work as our High Priest. In the early centuries following, the city of Rome remained the seat of the empire, as well as the largest, richest, and most powerful city in the world. Rome was called “the capital of the nations”. The Caesars claimed to “own” all of earth’s inhabitants, declaring Rome to be the “fountain of laws”.

Rome’s public persecution of Christians, who were accused by unconverted Jews of undermining Roman authority, ironically yielded rapid growth and spread of the Gospel message in the first century. This persecution had effectively removed nominal Christians, the “hangers on for bread and fish” from the church. Therefore, the strategy of the enemy took a dramatic shift, and Christianity began to become “fashionable” across the empire. In 313, Constantine declared Christianity to be legal; government positions were readily awarded to Christians, many of whom were “Christians” in name only. Pagans were flooding into the church and bringing their pagan traditions with them. Rome’s implosion in 476 was followed by the rise of papal Rome.

Concurrently, pride in Rome’s high worldly position had spawned ideas like: “If Rome is the queen of cities, why shouldn’t her pastor be the king of bishops?” and “Why shouldn’t the Roman church be the mother of all Christendom?” and “Why shouldn’t all nations be her children, and her authority their sovereign law?” But, it is a fact that “Usurped power increased like an avalanche. Admonitions [grew into] absolute commands from the mouth of the pontiff. And western bishops favored this encroachment.” Remember the two legs of iron in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (2:33). The eastern, Byzantine, leg also had bishops, many of whom did not favor bowing in submission to the supremacy of a pope.

Today’s opening verse describes what was taking shape after the Ostrogoths were eliminated in 538. The Justinian Code, issued in 538, declared special authority unto the bishop of Rome; that of supreme pontiff (pontifex maximus). Building on traditions of the previous two centuries, the “sovereign authority” awarded to the pope progressed unquestioned by most. It is a replay of the worldly authority assumed by the religious leaders of Jesus’s day, who tapped into the power of the state to have Jesus put to death.

[Jesus] said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.” Mark 7:9

For further study: Luke 23:12; John 19:15                                          

Quotes in italics: Jean Henri Merle d’Aubigne