Who-What is the Beast-4

Who-What is the Beast
By Jerry Healan
PART IV

The prophet Daniel writes, "And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. 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, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered...: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand," 8:9-12, 21-25.

Several things must be examined in these Scriptures. First, we know that the kingdom of this little horn was Greek.

Second, the little horn 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.

Third, he magnified himself even to (as) the Prince of host (v. 11), standing up against (as) the Prince of princes (v. 25).

Fourth, he took away the daily sacrifice, casting down the place of His (the true Prince’s) sanctuary.

Fifth, an host is given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression.

Sixth, he casts the truth down to the ground.

Seventh, he practices and prospers.

Eighth, his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power.

Ninth, he destroys the mighty and holy people.

Tenth, through his policy he causes craft to prosper in his hand.

Eleventh, he magnifies himself in his heart and by peace shall destroy many.

Constantine’s removal of the center of the Empire to Byzantium or Constantinople (New Rome) has been admitted as raising up the eastern half of the Empire as Greek. The effect was to divide the Empire between east and west. In the divided Empire, the Czar ruled the exact area described in Daniel 8, to wit: the south, the east, and the pleasant land. This area was called the Levant and the emperors were called the Levantine Emperors. The eastern emperors also ruled or governed over the area that Alexander and his four generals had conquered.

Antiochus Epiphanes, one of the Syrian god-kings is most famous for his ruthless rulership over Judea and the temple at Jerusalem. When he was thwarted in his advance against Egypt by the Roman navy, he turned on the Jewish people in Palestine. He slew many of the Jewish people, forced others to take an oath of allegiance to Zeus, forced them to eat pork, entered the Temple at Jerusalem, desecrated the altar by offering swine’s flesh on it, made a broth of swine’s flesh and desecrated the temple with its vile contents. He also established pagan rites in the Temple. According to The Immense Majesty, A History of Rome, by Thomas W. Africa, Antiochus tried to transform YAHWEH into a form of Zeus (p. 328).

The Jewish people suffered greatly under the Greek god-kings until the Roman Republic overcame the former Greek rulers and began to show favor to the Jewish people and their Hebrew religion.

Antiochus could only dream of the atrocities performed under the Roman-Greek god kings, however. Clearly Daniel 11:29-31 speaks of the acts of Antiochus Epiphanes in general, but when one looks into these verses more closely greater abominations than Antiochus’ are spoken of here.

Notice in Dan. 11:30 that the one spoken of here has intelligence with those who forsake the holy covenant. In v. 31 the statement is made that arms (forces) 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. Notice that these arms or forces stand on his part or in his place. This is speaking of someone coming after Antiochus who would commit even greater abominations and atrocities.

With the rise of Christianity under the power of the Roman-Greek emperors, the Jewish people and their brethren of similar characteristics (the true believers and followers of YAHshua and the apostles) began to suffer resentment and persecution all over again. Had it not been for the rise of Mohammed and his Moslem followers, the Christian world might have obliterated everything Hebrew and Jewish.

The Greek kingdom, its leaders, and adherents have always shown hatred for, and suspicion against the true Hebrew ways.

The little horn waxed great even to the host of heaven, casting some of the stars to the ground, stamping on them.

Such was also said of Satan the Devil whose tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth (Rev. 12:4). Many of the caricatures of Mithras the sun god, depicted him with a flowing cape under which were many stars.

The emperors had utilized Mithraic religion to maintain their power and control over the army, the merchants, and the slaves. Due to the similarities of Christianity, as it had corrupted, and Mithraism, it was no great feat for Constantine to overthrow the power of the true believers and set up his own brand of faith.

Constantine and the successive emperors established themselves as the head over the believers. Their followers became the heavenly host. The newly formulated religion began to wax great. It became the great religion of the Roman Empire and the Mediterranean world. Constantine, himself, was even called the "Great" and is done so even in today’s world. The prophecies of the prophets, YAHshua, and the apostles were coming true.

The eastern emperors styled themselves after the former Greek rulers seeking to serve as the god-king. The Immense Majesty of Rome by Thomas W. Africa has this to say about Constantine and his successors, "The Roman emperor was as divine as he could be while still remaining a Christian. In part, the roots of Eusebian monarchism lay in the inflated rhetoric of Pliny the Younger and the propaganda of Diocletian, but the transfigured ruler-figure was more than just Heaven’s viceroy—he was divinely inspired and privy to revelations denied to ordinary mortals. Not only had Christianity completed the edifice of totalitarianism, but Eusebius revived the Hellenistic concept of a god-king. Not all Christians were willing to accept this notion, which was rejected in the West, but it became the ideology of Byzantium," (p. 357).

Furthermore it is stated, "Like his predecessors, the dead Constantine was made a god by the Senate at Rome, and the Byzantine Church later declared him a saint ‘equal to the apostles.’ As a Christian, he hardly qualified for the former honor, nor as a man for the latter," (IBID p. 313). Constantine and his successors also continued to maintain the office of Pontifex Maximus, the grand title that Augustus had taken upon himself. The emperor had established himself as head over the heavenly host. The Immense Majesty states, "Though his (Constantine’s) piety increased with age, the emperor saw himself as head of the church as well as the state, truly G-d’s viceroy on earth. He even claimed to be a bishop for the laity. Such notions were consistent with Roman tradition but potentially dangerous for the church. Constantine set the pattern of Caesaropapism that would characterize the Byzantine world," (p. 312).

Paul wrote that YAHshua was the Head of the assembly, "And He (YAHshua) is the Head of the body, the assembly: Who is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the pre-eminence," Col. 1:18. YAHshua is the true Prince of hosts, the true Head of the assembly. But Constantine considered himself to be the head, thereby exalting or magnifying himself to the Prince of the host.

The little horn of Daniel 8 was to take away the daily sacrifice. Antiochus took away the sacrifice for a time, but upon the Maccabean revolt and success, the Temple was cleansed and sacrifices restored.

Titus, Constantine’s predecessor, destroyed Jerusalem and the temple effectively putting an end to the daily sacrifices offered there. This event took place in 69-70 CE.

However, we understand that YAHshua's one sacrifice fulfilled the need for all animal sacrifice, oblations, etc. There was no longer a need for sacrifices to be offered at the Temple in Jerusalem. Just as the need for circumcision of the flesh made with hands was replaced with the circumcision of the foreskin of the heart without hands, the sacrifices of YAHWEH'S people were also changed. No longer were the hands of men to be utilized in the sacrifice, but rather, "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to YAHWEH by YAHshua Messiah," 1 Pet. 2:5. The writer of the book of Hebrews adds, "By Him (YAHshua) therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to YAHWEH continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices YAHWEH is well pleased," 13:15-16.

The daily sacrifice of YAHWEH'S people now is to be spiritual in nature. It is to be a sacrifice of praise and thanks to YAHWEH'S great name. It is the sacrifice of obedience, prayer, etc. All these things are to be done by YAHshua, in other words in His name. YAHshua said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full," Jn. 16:23-24.

When Constantine magnified himself as the head of the assembly (church), in the capacity of Pontifex Maximus he took the place of YAHshua, the heavenly High Priest, and took away the daily sacrifice of YAHWEH'S people. Another name was substituted and the world has continued to utilize the other name until this day. Constantine, in effect, cast down the sanctuary of the True Prince.

Daniel says that an host is given this little horn against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression (8:12). The word for "transgression" is "pasha." Pasha also means; to break away (from just authority), apostatize, quarrel, offend, rebel, revolt, etc.

When Constantine took over control of the church, it is a known fact that the followers had already corrupted from the original teachings and doctrines of the prophets, YAHshua, the apostles, and the Scriptures in general. Constantine established his own rule and authority over the church instituting his own brand of laws, edicts, beliefs, and doctrines. For instance, Constantine established Sunday, the first day of the week, rather than the seventh day Sabbath as the rest day. He established December 25th, the birthday of Solis Invicti (the unconquered sun) as the birthday of the Savior. He considered his laws and law-making ability to be more important than the laws of YAHWEH.

Constantine did away with the just authority of YAHWEH, instituting in its place the authority of man. He led the so-called believers and followers of the apostolic faith farther away from the truth. The apostle Paul had warned of a falling away (2 Thes. 2:3), and that falling away (apostasy) had occurred.

The little horn cast the truth down to the ground (earth). What is truth? "Thy word is truth," Jn. 17:17. "Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is the truth," Psa. 119:142. "Thou art near, O YAHWEH; and all Thy commandments are truth," Psa. 119:151.

YAHshua is YAHWEH'S Word, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim. The same was in the beginning with Elohim. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth," Jn. 1:1-3, 14. Furthermore YAHshua said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me," Jn. 14:6.

YAHshua is YAHWEH'S living word, His living law, His living commandments. YAHshua is the truth, but YAHshua has been removed from His heavenly glory in the eyes of the people and another has been substituted.

YAHshua's glory has been removed in many ways. One way is the fact that the New Testament was originally written in Hebrew, but the original Hebrew documents were done away with and Greek documents were introduced. This has taken away much of the discernment YAHWEH'S people could have concerning YAHshua.

For a case in point let’s look at the book of Revelation 1:8. We read, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending,’ saith the Master, ‘Which is, Which was, and Which is to come, the Almighty." The Alpha and Omega are Greek letters. YAHshua was Hebrew when He was in the flesh. It was the Hebrew Scriptures that spoke of Him. He came first to the Hebrew people, speaking Hebrew. The Hebrew alphabet begins with Aleph (a) and ends with Tau (t). A very interesting case to point out is that the Hebrew word for truth is emeth (tma). Emeth (truth) begins with the Aleph and ends with Tau. YAHshua would have said that He was the Aleph and the Tau rather than the Alpha and Omega.

Such knowledge has been taken away from YAHWEH'S people.

The Hebrew word for "practice" is "asah" (hwi'). It means: to do or make, accomplish, advance, appoint, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, have the charge, execute, exercise, govern, hinder, hold (a feast), labour, observe, sacrifice, work (-man), etc.

All of the definitions of this word apply to this little horn. It began to do, make, work, accomplish, execute, etc., in other words, "practice" as the true religion or faith. It governed, exercised, executed its own brand of authority over the then known world, especially the Mediterranean, which was the "Great Sea." It bruised any who would not bend to perform its will. Constantine, as all of the Caesars, could be a ruthless, vindictive man against any whom he perceived were his enemies. He caused the church (assembly) to begin to hold the feasts of paganism rather than the feasts ordained by YAHWEH. It also hindered the people from coming to the knowledge of the truth.

Once the Roman Emperor Constantine supposedly converted to the new found religion (now called Christianity), it began to spread throughout the empire. It became the acceptable religion while all other religions seemingly disappeared. Its history is easily traced because it became the only acceptable religion of the eastern and western world which was under the influence and control of the Romano-Grecian cultures. Wherever the empire exerted its influence and control, the masses were forced to convert to Christianity under pain of death.

Christopher Columbus was commissioned to evangelize the new world subsequent to its discovery. The Conquistadors followed him. They brutalized and decimated the inhabitants of the new world giving the survivors the option to convert to Christianity or lose their head. Magellan sought to convert the peoples of the Philippines through the same methods. What was supposed to be a faith that changed one’s heart inwardly, under the hand of Constantine and his successors, became a religion that was forced upon its adherents.

Constantine’s brand of religion practiced and prospered. It became the only acceptable form of religion throughout the environs of the earth that were under the influence of the empire.

Daniel writes that his power shall be great, but not by his own power. Before His sacrifice on the tree, YAHshua said, "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out," Jn. 12:31. The Synoptic Evangels give an account of what happened while YAHshua was hanging on the tree, "Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour YAHshua cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My El, my El, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. YAHshua, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent," Mt. 27:45-51.

"And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour YAHshua cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My El, my El, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. And YAHshua cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the spirit, he said, Truly this man was the Son of Elohim," Mk. 15:33-39.

"And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when YAHshua had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified Elohim, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man," Lk. 23:44-47.

What had happened here? The whole world was paganistic. The pagans worshipped many deities, but the greatest of all was the sun. The sun shines in its fullness during the day so that no other heavenly body can be seen except the moon which appears as a cloud in the sky. The greatest of the deities of the pagans, the sun, was darkened and could not give its light. When YAHshua died on the tree, there was a great earthquake with the veil of the temple being rent in twain.

Is it possible that Revelation chapter 12 reveals what had happened? "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto Elohim, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of YAHWEH, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 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. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our Elohim, and the power of his Messiah: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our Elohim day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of YAHWEH, and have the testimony of YAHshua Messiah," 1-17.

One of the reasons that YAHshua died was to cast Satan out of his heavenly power and control that he had. Satan had deceived man into worshipping him through heathenistic paganism. His highest symbol was the sun!

Rev. 12 is written in parabolic form. It is speaking of the woman Israel which brought forth the One Who was to rule as the Messiah. Satan is the god of this world. His rulership was threatened by the appearance of YAHshua. The battle against Satan is a spiritual battle, even though physical forces are also employed. When on earth, Satan sought to devour YAHshua by every method possible. He sought to slay Him as a child. He sought to overcome Him in the wilderness temptation. He sought to trip Him up at every opportunity during His ministry. YAHshua did battle with him and overcame him. His death on the tree gave Him the power to ascend to YAHWEH'S heavenly throne. The temple at Jerusalem and the holy of holies was an earthly representative of YAHWEH'S heavenly throne. The veil was rent symbolizing the ability of YAHshua to be able to ascend into the heavenly places.

The sun was darkened and the earthquake occurred to symbolize not only the death of the Son of Elohim, but the destruction of Satan and his being cast out of heaven. The powers of heaven had been shaken. Satan was cast into the earth. When he saw that he was cast out, he began to make war with the woman who not only symbolized Israel, but the true believers. The beginning salvos of that war are recorded in the book of Acts. Jerusalem and the temple were eventually destroyed by the forces of the Roman Caesar. The assembly, the true followers of YAHshua had to flee from him. Notice that it warns WOE to the inhabitors of the earth.  To Be Continued…

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