June 11: THE THREE PHASES OF ROME

At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the south; but it shall not be like the former or the latter. Daniel 11:29

This verse reveals that there are three distinct phases of the Roman power.

The former is the first phase of Rome, its pagan phase: the sprawling Republic governed by elected political officials (the Roman Senate) and later by the Caesars. It was during Rome’s pagan phase in history that Jesus was born (under Augustus Caesar) and was crucified (under Tiberius Caesar).

The latter refers to its third and final phase, after the healing of the deadly wound (Revelation 13:3,12). In today’s verse the latter phase is mentioned to provide perspective on the phase between the first and the third phases. Even now, the deadly wound is healing… The Lateran Treaty in 1929 launched this ongoing “healing” process.

In between the former and the latter is a period given a distinct, appointed duration. This period is mentioned seven times in the Scriptures (see Daniel 7:25; 12:7; Revelation 11:2,3; 12:6,14; 13:5). God wants His people to understand this period because it reveals to the world the true character of the apostate church – the church that departed from the Apostolic church (1 John 2:18, Jude 3). This second phase of Rome is often called the Dark Ages. It is the period of papal Rome’s unhindered power. It began with the demise of the third of three nations (in 538AD) that opposed the papacy. These three nations were plucked up by the roots (Daniel 7:8), meaning that after their military destruction, their writings and libraries were burned to the ground, supposedly erasing them from history. This second phase ended abruptly when the deadly wound was inflicted by Napoleon in 1798. His general Berthier was sent into Rome to capture the pope and shut down the papal power. Between these two “bookends” are 1260 years (expressed as a time, times, and half a time or forty-two months, or twelve hundred sixty days), in accordance with the day/year prophetic principle (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6; Luke 13:32).

In Daniel 11, the transition from pagan to papal Rome is written in vv.28-29. Pagan Rome had enjoyed a period of relative peace: “Pax Romana.” Because of the unprecedented development of paved roads that were well-built and well-maintained, the entire Mediterranean world was unified (in a worldly sense). Travel was much safer than before. Also, in the wake of Christ’s earthly ministry, the gospel message was rapidly spreading. Communications/news via letters and word-of-mouth reached farther and faster than ever before. Even though Christians were being persecuted for sport, Christianity was spreading like wildfire. The more they were persecuted, the more others joined in the stand for Christ. Therefore, Satan’s strategy grew more sinister: he joined the church to do an “inside” job.

The themes of God’s covenant and the Prince of the covenant are woven throughout Daniel’s book. Daniel also writes of spiritual opposition to the covenant in high places. In chapter 11, we find these words:

…his heart shall be moved against the holy covenant . . . rage against the holy covenant . . . forsake the holy covenant . . . do wickedly against the covenant . . . Vv.28,30,32