"Between the sea and the glorious Holy mountain." Daniel 11:45.
"Between the sea and the glorious Holy mountain." Daniel 11:45.
What does prophecy mean when it says that the New World Order system will be planted "Between the sea and the glorious Holy mountain?" Daniel 11:45.
In Bible prophecy 'sea or waters' symbolize "people, nations and multitudes and tongues" Revelation 17:15. "The holy mountain" is the mountain of the Lord, the kingdom of God (see Daniel 2:35, 44).
At least part of the knowledge that will
protect us as we approach these final hours
in this earth's history is a knowledge of the
past. The prophet Hosea declares:
"My people are destroyed for lack of
knowledge: and because thou hast rejected
knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou
shalt be no priest to me: seeing that thou
hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will
also forget thy children." Hosea 4:6
The bible in conjunction with the spirit of
prophecy strongly councils us to understand
our history because much of it will
be repeated in particular the rise and the
fall of the papacy.
"We have no time to lose. Troublous times
are before us. The world is stirred with the
spirit of war. Soon the scenes of trouble
spoken of in the prophecies will take place.
The prophecy in the eleventh chapter of
Daniel has nearly reached its complete
fulfillment. Much of the history that has
taken place in fulfillment of this prophecy
will be repeated. In the thirtieth verse a
power is spoken of that 'shall be grieved.' [Daniel 11:30-36
quoted.] "Scenes similar to those described
in these words will take place. We
see evidence that Satan is fast obtaining
the control of human minds who have not
the fear of God before them. Let all read
and understand the prophecies of this
book, for we are now entering upon the
time of trouble spoken of: [Daniel 12:1-4
quoted.]" Manuscript Releases, vol. 13,
394.
Sister White identifies the historical fulfilment
of Daniel 11 as something which we
should expect to see repeated as the
"complete fulfilment" of Daniel 11 unfolds.
She especially highlights Daniel
11:30-36.
The pioneers and Sister White understood
that Daniel 11 was fulfilled from verse 1
through the first phrase of verse 40, which
brings us up to 1798-"the time of the end."
Therefore, when Sister White speaks of the
complete fulfilment of Daniel 11, she is
speaking of verses 40-45. Directing
us to "scenes" and "history"
which will be repeated, she isolates
the history of these verses
further by quoting Daniel 12:1-4.
Sister White clearly recognized
the standing up of Michael in
Daniel 12:1 as being the close of
probation. The complete fulfilment
of verses 40-45 takes us
from 1798 to the battle of Armageddon.
During the events described
in these verses, Michael
stands up, closing His mediation
work and human probation:
" 'And at that time shall Michael
stand up, the great prince which
standeth for the children of thy
people: and there shall be a time
of trouble, such as never was
since there was a nation even to
that same time: and at that time
thy people shall be delivered,
every one that shall be found
written in the book.' Daniel 12:1.
When this time of trouble comes,
every case is decided; there is no
longer probation, no longer mercy for the impenitent.
The seal of the living God is upon His people. This small
remnant, unable to defend themselves in the deadly conflict
with the powers of earth that are marshalled by the
dragon host, make God their defence. The decree has
been passed by the highest earthly authority that they
shall worship the beast and receive his mark under pain
of persecution and death. May God help His people
now, for what can they then do in such a fearful conflict
without His assistance!" Testimonies, vol. 5, 212-213.
close of probation we should expect to see repeated
"scenes similar" and "much of the history" prophesied to
take place in Daniel 11, especially the scenes and history
associated with Daniel 11:30-36. In this chapter we
will briefly review the historical fulfilment of Daniel 11
as much of what took place during this time period will
be repeated.
The vision of Daniel 11 begins with the kingdom of
Medo-Persia being defeated by Alexander the Great. In
verse four we see Alexander's kingdom divided into
four parts for his four generals. From verse 5 onward,
only two of his generals are mentioned. These two kings
were Seleucus and Ptolemy. Their interaction begins a
story of the ongoing struggle for world dominion recorded
throughout the rest of Daniel 11. This power
struggle is prophetically portrayed as the battle between
the kings of the north and the king of the south.
One important point of this story is how the Scriptures
identify the kings of the north and south. By comparing
recorded history with the testimony of Daniel 11, historians
and pioneers discovered that the king of the north
was the kingdom which controlled the geographical area
of Babylon. They discovered also that the king of the
south was the kingdom which controlled the geographical
area of Egypt. This principle in Daniel 11 brings together
the testimony of Scripture with the record of history.
This geographical key is the rule which we will
apply to Daniel 11:40-45 as we begin to identify who
are the kings of the north and south. This historical truth
is, no doubt, one of the clues, which the Spirit of Prophecy
intended to direct us to at the time when this prophecy
was to come to its "complete fulfilment."
Through the first 13 verses, we find the ebb and flow of
history described, as different kingdoms rose and fell. In
verse 14, we see the primary subject of all Daniel 11
identified for the first time in the vision by the phrase,
"robbers of thy people." This verse states that these
"robbers," will "establish the vision." Uriah Smith addresses
this phrase in verse 14 with the following observation:
" 'To establish the vision.' The Romans more than any
other people are the subject of Daniel's prophecy. Their
first interference in the affairs of these kingdoms is here
referred to as being the establishment, or demonstration,
of the truth of the vision which predicted the existence
of such a power." Daniel and the Revelation, 244.
From this point on, the vision portrays the history of
either pagan or papal Rome. In verse 20 we find pagan
Rome summons Joseph to pay taxes in Bethlehem. In
verse 22 pagan Rome breaks "the prince of the covenant,"
by crucifying Christ.
In verse 24 we see pagan Rome's time of dominion set
forth within a biblical time prophecy. The last phrase of
this verse sets forth 360 years as the time when pagan
Rome would rule the world by the words, "even for a
time." Uriah Smith concurs with other pioneers and historians
on the starting and ending point for this time
prophecy:
"The battle was fought September 2, 31 B.C., at the
mouth of the gulf of Ambracia, near the city of Actium.
The world was at stake. . . .
This battle doubtless marks the beginning of the 'time'
mentioned in verse 24. As during this 'time,' devices
were to be forecast from the stronghold, or Rome, we
should conclude that at the end of that period western
supremacy would cease, or such a change would take
place in the empire that that city would no longer be
considered the seat of government. From 31 B.C., a prophetic
'time,' or 360 years, would bring us to A.D. 330.
Hence it becomes a noteworthy fact that the seat of empire
was removed from Rome to Constantinople by Constantine
the Great in that very year."
Daniel and the Revelation., 262-264; see also Encyclopedia
Britannica, 11th Edition, Vol. VII, 3, art.,
"Constantinople."
Pagan Rome's 360 years to rule the world had its counterpart
with papal Rome's 1260-year time prophecy.
More important to our study, is that the dominance of
pagan Rome comes to its end just as the verses especially
highlighted by Sister White begin. Verses 30-36
deal with the history covering the transition from
pagan to papal Rome. We will find that the scenes and
events within that transition period, parallel the sequence
of events found in verses 40-45. As we begin to
look at verses 30-36, we again refer to Uriah Smith as he
addresses Daniel 11:29:
"The time appointed is probably the prophetic time of
verse 24, which has been previously mentioned. It
closed, as already shown, in A.D. 330. . . . The removal
of the seat of empire to Constantinople was the signal
for the downfall of the empire. Rome then lost its prestige...."
Continuing, but now dealing with verse 30:
"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.
Daniel 11:30
"What were the ships of Chittim that came against this
power, and when was this movement made? It was Carthage.
See quote below:
"Was a naval warfare with Carthage as a base of operations
ever waged against the Roman Empire? We think
of the terrible onslaught of the Vandals upon Rome under
the fierce Genseric, and answer easily in the affirmative."
Ibid., 266-267.
Using Daniel 11:30-36 as a historical outline identified
by the Spirit of Prophecy, we note that this past history
was a transition time for Rome. Pagan Rome was about
to leave the scene of action as the ruler of the earth, and
Papal Rome was about to step into the vacuum. Daniel
7:24 addresses this very same transition:
"And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that
shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall
be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three
kings."
In Daniel 7:23-24 we find that after the "fourth kingdom"
arises, "another shall arise." This is a description of
the fall of pagan Rome and then the rise of papal Rome.
In the prophecy of Daniel 7 we see that this fifth king
"shall subdue three kings," as he ascends to power. Genseric,
king of the Vandals, was one of those three kings.
As papal Rome rises to power, it first has to form an alliance
in order to uproot three horns, or three kingdoms,
to prepare the way. This was in itself a repetition of history,
for as pagan Rome came into control of the world,
it first had to form an alliance with the Jews in 161 B.C.,
(See Daniel and the Revelation p258) and then conquer
three geographical areas. In Daniel 8:9 we see the
"little horn," symbolizing pagan Rome waxing "toward
the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant
land," thus illustrating the directions of conquest
taken as Rome brought the world under its control. We
especially note this history, for the king of the north in
Daniel 11:40-45 would also subdue three entities, before
he took control of the world.
Daniel 11:30-36 describes pagan Rome wanting in
power. When threatened by other powers in the past,
Rome prevailed. Not so at this time. As Rome went out
to do battle it was "grieved"-by its inability to prevail.
At this time period the "three horns," which were waging
war against pagan Rome, were also waging a theological
war against Catholicism.
The Heruli, the Goths, and the Vandals, symbolized by
the three horns, embraced the Arian faith. During this
time period Justinian declared the bishop of Rome to be
the head of the church, and the corrector of heretics, in
an attempt to restrain the Arian faith from dominating
Catholic doctrines. Justinian's efforts to uphold Catholic
doctrines against the Arian onslaught opened the door
for the Catholic Church to restrict certain books which
threatened their manmade doctrines. This restriction
included the Bible, for they began to teach that only the
church fathers could safely read it. This attack against
the Bible was "the indignation against the holy covenant,"
and the appointment of the bishop of Rome to the
head of the church was the "intelligence with them that
forsake the holy covenant," of verse 30.
Verse 31 records that "arms shall stand on his part." As
history and prophecy move forward to the next step in
the sequence to set papal Rome on the throne of the
world, we find that Clovis, the king of France, dedicated
his sword and his country to the Papacy. France
became the first Catholic nation, the first of seven kingdoms found in Europe to renounce their pagan beliefs
and embrace Catholicism, and also the first to submit
the nation to the service of the Papacy. This alliance
provided the ways and means to defeat the three Arian
horns. Prophecy taught that these three horns would be
removed before the Papacy assumed authority over the
world.
Not only did Clovis and the other horns of Europe bring
their finances and arms to bear against the three horns,
they also seized (took away) their pagan resistance
against Catholicism. This fact is illustrated as they "take
away the daily." Speaking of the "daily," Ellen White
states:
"Then I saw in relation to the 'daily' (Daniel 8:12)
that the word 'sacrifice' was supplied by man's wisdom,
and does not belong to the text, and that the
Lord gave the correct view of it to those who gave the
judgment hour cry. When union existed, before 1844,
nearly all were united on the correct view of the
'daily,' but in the confusion since 1844, other views
have been embraced, and darkness and confusion
have followed." Early Writings, 74-75.
The pioneers viewed the "daily," as symbolizing the
attack against God's truth through the forces of paganism.
William Miller, Uriah Smith and Josiah Linch
describe their understanding below.
"I read on, and could find no other case in which it [the daily] was found but in Daniel. I then [by the aid of an concordance] took those word which stood in connection with it, 'take away;' he shall take away the daily; 'from the time that the daily shall be taken away' I read on and thought I would find no light on the text. Finally I came to 2Thessalonians 2:7-8, 'For the mystery of iniquity does already work; only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way, and then shall that wicked be revealed.' And when I had come to that text, O how clear and glorious the truth appeared. There it is! That is the daily! Well, now, what does Paul mean by 'he who now letteth' or hindereth? By 'the man of sin,' and 'the wicked,' Popery is meant. Well what is it that hinders Popery from being revealed? Why it is Paganism. Well, then, 'the daily' must mean paganism." Review and Herald, January, 1858. Miller - Wikipedia
The word sacrifice "should be 'desolation.' The expression denotes a desolating power, of which the abomination of desolation is but the counterpart, and to which it succeeds in point of time. It seems clear therefore that the 'daily' desolation was paganism, and the 'abomination of desolation' is the Papacy. . . . In the ninth chapter, Daniel speaks of desolations and abominations in the plural. More than one abomination, therefore, treads down the church; that is, as far as the church is concerned, both paganism and the Papacy are abominations. But as distinguished from each other, the language is restricted. One is the 'daily' desolation, and the other is pre-eminently the transgression or 'abomination' of desolation. "How was the 'daily', or paganism, taken away? . . . The conversion of Clovis [A.D. 496] is said to have been the occasion of bestowing upon the French monarch the titles 'Most Christian Majesty' and 'Eldest Son of the Church.' Between that time and A.D. 508, [the other horns of Europe] were brought into subjection. "From . . . A.D. 508, the Papacy was triumphant so far as paganism was concerned, . . . When the prominent powers of Europe gave up their attachment to paganism, it was only to perpetuate its abominations in another form; for Christianity as exhibited in the Roman Catholic Church was, and is, only paganism baptized." Daniel and the Revelation, 270-272. Smith - Wikipedia
"The daily sacrifice is the present reading of the text; but no such thing as sacrifice is
found in the original. This is acknowledged on all hands. It is a gloss or construction put
upon it by the translators. The true reading is, 'the daily and the transgression of
desolation;' daily and transgression being connected together by 'and;' the daily and the
transgression of desolation. They are two desolating powers which were to desolate the
Sanctuary and the host." Review and Herald, January, 1858. Litch - Wikipedia
The history of Daniel 11:31 is a description of the pagan
powers of Europe coming to the aid of the Papacy
to set it upon the throne of the world. The removing of
the "daily," and the polluting of the "sanctuary of
strength," is a description of their turning from open
paganism, which previously was their confessed religion
biblically symbolized as their "sanctuary of
strength." The words "take away" carry a two-fold
meaning as they not only teach a removal, but also a
secondary definition conveys the idea of-lifting up.
When paganism was set aside by the powers of
Europe, through their submission to Catholicism, paganism
was actually lifted up, for Catholicism is the
greatest manifestation of paganism - though clothed in
the garb of Christianity.
Speaking of the transition of Pagan Rome to Papal
Rome, Ellen White writes:
"In the twelfth chapter of revelation we have as a symbol
a great red dragon. in the ninth verse of that chapter
this symbol is explained as follows: "and the great
dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil,
and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was
cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out
with him." undoubtedly the dragon primarily represents
Satan. But Satan does not appear upon the earth
in person; he works through agents. It was in the person
of wicked men that he sought to destroy Jesus as
soon as he was born. Wherever Satan has been able to
control a government so fully that it would carry out
his designs, that nation became, for the time, Satan's
representative. This was the case with all the great
heathen nations. For instance, see Ezekiel 28, where
Satan is represented as actual king of Tyre. This was
because he fully controlled that government. in the first
centuries of the Christian era, Rome, of all the pagan
nations, was Satan's chief agent in opposing the gospel,
and was therefore represented by the dragon.
But there came a time when paganism in the Roman
Empire fell before the advancing form of Christianity.
Then, as is stated on page 54, "paganism had given
place to the papacy. The dragon had given to the
beast 'his power, and his seat, and great authority.'"
that is, Satan then began to work through the papacy,
just as he had formerly worked through paganism.
But the papacy is not represented by the dragon, because
it is necessary to introduce another symbol in
order to show the change in the form of the opposition
to God. Previous to the rise of the papacy, all opposition
to the law of God had been in the form of paganism,--
God had been openly defied; but from that
time the opposition was carried on under the guise of
professed allegiance to him. The papacy, however, was
no less the instrument of Satan than was pagan Rome;
for all the power, the seat, and the great authority of
the papacy, were given it by the dragon. And so, although
the pope professes to be the vicegerent of
Christ, he is, in reality, the vicegerent of Satan--he is
antichrist. {Great Controversy 1888 p680.1}
In this time period, we see the seed of the serpent forming
another phase in history. The first persecuting power was
open alliance against the Levitical system of worship
which was God's word instructed to Moses on the mount.
It was also described as the daily or continuance (see
Numbers 29:6, 4:16) as it comes from the same Hebrew
word 'Tamid' which is the same word used in the book of
Daniel when discussing the daily in relation to paganism.
Just as Christ taketh away the first to establish the second,
Satan also takes away his first system of worship (pagan
Rome) to make way for the second abomination that
maketh desolate. (Papal Rome). This is the second persecuting
power against the seed of the woman which is paganism
baptised into Christianity.
Continuing on in Daniel 11: 32-35 we see the persecution
of the Dark Ages illustrated, with the final phrase of verse
35 pointing to the end of the 1260 years with the words,
"even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time
appointed." This phrase takes us up to verse 40. But before
Daniel gets to verse forty, verses 36-39, present the
description of the main subject of Daniel which is the Papacy:
"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." Daniel 11:36.
This is clearly the Papacy, and Paul paraphrases this passage
in his most potent statement of the Papacy:
"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall
not come, except there come a falling away first, and that
man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth
and exalteth himself above all that is called
God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the
temple of God, showing himself that he is God." 2 Thessalonians
2:3-4.