1) Revelation 17: The prophecy of one hour

After having understood Daniel, where a goat is used to symbolise Greece and the horns are the kingdoms that arise, we can turn to Revelation where similar images are used for nations. In the revelation to John he is shown a vision of a beast (an animal representing the empire arising from the Roman empire) with successive horns (or kingdoms).

He is told that in the future, after the time of the 8th Horn that must continue for a “short space”, there would be a time where 10 kings have power with the Beast for one prophetic “Hour”. An hour is one twelfth of a Jewish day. If a day equals a year (Ezekiel 4:6), then one hour equals 30 days, or a month, which is still a very short time. The answer is given in Revelation 8 where there is “silence”, or peace, for “half an hour” (Revelation 8:1), which translated into a period of peace of 15 years from 324 until 337AD the death of Constantine. This was a day which equals a year of prophetic days. Therefore 'one hour' is 30 years.

This 30 years is a time period from a start date when the kings 'have one mind' to the time the Lamb, or Messiah, shall overcome them. This is a prophecy of “the times and seasons” of the coming. And it is for those living in the last 30 years to understand. The nations involved would be revealed only at the time when the prophecy begins to be fulfilled.

And the ten horns which thou saw are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. (Revelation 17:12-14)

The Beast, the 7 heads and 10 horns

The 10 kings are associated with the Beast. The ten kings are 'ten horns' on the beast, which John saw,

I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17:3)

The woman is the apostate religious system that by being involved in politics becomes a harlot, answering to the church establised by Constantine. This woman rides 'the Beast' which is the old pagan Roman power. This beast has a peculiar character “it was”, that is, it existed at the time of John; it “is not” or is removed (by Constantine in 313AD), but even though removed it “yet is”, indicating that in reality it had not been removed and in effect was incorporated into the Catholic system (Revelation 17:8). The Beast has seven heads which are seven mountains, or seven empires/regimes on which the woman “sits”, or reigns over.

In addition there are 7 kings, or type of rule.

There are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he comes, he must continue a short space. (Revelation 17:10)

At the time of John, Rome had gone through 5 forms of government. After his day they changed again to Gothic rule, and out of this came another, the very last one, which only continued for a short time.

And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into perdition. (Revelation 17:11)

The beast which “is yet” becomes the eighth king, or form of rule and that is the Holy Roman Empire as it comes out of the seven. This describes when the Catholic system rules as a nation. The eventual fate of this eighth “king”, or form of rule, is to 'go into perdition'. After the end of the Holy Roman Empire come 10 kings.

The 10 'horns' on the Beast = kings who Rule

In this territory of the seven heads (empires/nations) there are the 10 horns on the beast which are 10 kings. These kings are not ordinary kings, in that they don't have a kingdom.

And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. (Revelation 17:12)

What kind of people are 'kings' who don't have a kingdom? This is not speaking of people like the exiled king of Greece. These 'kings' are the people who shape the real political world. Since the Second World War the world has been shaped by the leaders of the powerful nations. And the phenomena of the treaty.

Once treaties were signed only as a result of war or for an alliance, but the leaders of certain nations now sign treaties to shape a new political entity. The European treaties since 1948 are signed to show they “agree” or have “one mind”.

One of the most significant was the Treaty of Rome in 1957. It was signed by “The Six”: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany, establishing the European Economic Community (EEC). The treaty was in force on 1 January 1958.

We note in the prophecy that they do two things

These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. (Revelation 17:13)

Power relates to “ability” or capacity and fits very well with the economic exchange that occurred first. Then they give their strength.

Strength is exousia or privilege, influence, authority, liberty or jurisdiction, or in modern terms civil rights. The nations of Europe have given authority to the new political entity, the European Union, that they have made. This first occurred in the Single European Act (appropriately SEA, as 'sea' symbolises nations Jer.51:42, Eze.26:3, Luke 21:25) which was signed in 1986, but was extended by the Maastrict Treaty of 1992.

Since 1948 there have been many treaties of “one mind”.

• 1948, Treaty of Brussels - a Western Union – March 17 between Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Signed first by Prince Charles of Belgium, as reigning Prince Regent of Belgium and 15 others including 3 other monarchs including King George VI of the United Kingdom. This became NATO in April 1951.

• 1952 23 July, Treaty of Paris - European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), 18 April 1951 between France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, and The Netherlands. The treaty came into force on 23 July 1952 and expired on 23 July 2002.

• 1958 January 1, Treaty of Rome (two Treaties) the European Economic Community (EEC) and the less important European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom) signed March 25 1957. Both signed by The Six: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands and West Germany.

• 1967 July 1, Brussels Merger Treaty- establishing a Single Council and Commission of the European Communities Merging the judicial, legislative and administrative bodies of the three European communities Signed by "The Six". European treaty which combined the executive bodies of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the European Economic Community (EEC) into a single institution. Signed on 8 April 1965.

• 1987 July 1, The Single European Act (SEA) first major revision of Treaty of Rome. They removed barriers between countries. It reformed the institutions. A single market by 1992 was set. The forerunner of the European Union's later Common Foreign and Security Policy. Signed at Luxembourg on February 17, 1986, and The Hague on February 28, 1986. It went into effect on under the Delors Commission which had 12 member nations (not six as previously).

• 1993 November 1, The Maastricht Treaty (Treaty on European Union, TEU) signed February 7, 1992 in the Netherlands after final negotiations on December 9, 1991 between the members of the European Community and entered into force on November 1, 1993 during the Delors Commission. It created the European Union and led to the creation of the Euro. Of the 12 nations 2, Denmark and Britain, did not ratify).

• 1999 May 1, Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaty of the European Union, signed on October 2, 1997. “a greater emphasis on citizenship and the rights of individuals, more democracy in the shape of increased powers for the European Parliament, a new title on employment, a Community area of freedom, security and justice, the beginnings of a common foreign and security policy (CFSP)”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdam_Treaty

The Nice Treaty was signed by European leaders on 26 February 2001 and came into force on 1 February 2003. It reduces the sovereignty of national and regional parliaments and places power into a centralised bureaucracy.

That many nations should over the years make agreement after agreement to give of their own power to another entity is unheard of in history. In the treaty of Paris 1951 the Queen of the Netherlands proclaimed they were,

“RESOLVED to substitute for historic rivalries a fusion of their essential interests;..giving direction to their future common destiny;”

The Treaty of Paris (1951) and the Treaty of Rome (1957)

“were the first international organisations to be based on supra-nationalism”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Rome

Truly the nations have given “of their power and strength”. But it has not happened overnight. The work began for the 1999 Treaty in Messina, Sicily, on June 2, 1995, forty years after the signing of the Treaties of Rome and was completed the night June 17-18, 1997 in Amsterdam. At that time,

“The European Parliament endorsed the Treaty on November 19, 1997, and after two referenda and 13 decisions by national parliaments, the Member States finally concluded the procedure” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdam_Treaty

We may conclude from this that the 'one hour' or 30 years may have a staggered end time. The latter days are a 'season' or a short period of time. This is quite reasonable in the light of history where serious wars will last over 4 years.

10 nations with one mind

The first time the nations have “one mind” is in 1948, however this is only preparation for the Treaty of Rome in 1957 which was signed by six nations. In 1967 six nations formed the EEC. In 1987 twelve nations formed the first political agreement. But two of them were shown to be not of the number by 1993 when there were 10 nations with 'one mind'. This is ten kings who give their power (economic) and strength (rights/authority) to 'the beast', the Roman based European Parliament. They have since collected around them more nations, but the core is the first 6 (Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Germany) becoming 10 with the addition of Spain, Portugal, Greece and Ireland.

This began with three agreements between six core nations. They have declared the nature of the entity they are making. This is 6-6-6. This is the number of the beast. It becomes 12 or doubled in 1987. But John is told there are 10 kings and this corresponds to the 10 toes of Daniel's image. It is to be noted that Goliath had 12 toes and though uncommon it does occasionally occur. But time has revealed the 12 were really 10.

That more nations join them afterwards (in six successive enlargements) is neither here nor there (the EU is currently composed of twenty republics, six kingdoms and one grand duchy). The 10 kings, or political leaders were the ones who made the agreements for the other nations to join. (It is an irony that the UK and Denmark both had input into the financial structure of the EEC but neither joined the Euro!)

Therefore the prophetic 'one hour' or thirty years most likely begins in an era from 1986 to 1993. It therefore may end when the Lamb, the Messiah, overcomes this Union when it steps forward to oppose Israel from 2016 to 2023. This is not a time, or a day but a quite broad “season”.

2) The Harlot, the Horns and the Beast leading to the One Hour

The explanation in Revelation backtracks and explains a process:

He said to me, The waters which you saw, where the whore sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

For God has put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman which thou saw is that great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth. (Revelation 17:15-18)

The beast is not the whore. The beast is wholly human in nature, but on a scale that seizes rule over others. The whore rides this 'beast'. The whore or apostate religious system sits or rules many people from many nations. This is truly descriptive of modern Roman Catholicism.

The ten horns on the beast from above are: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Ireland (with Britain and Denmark). These ten correspond to the nations forming from the break up of the Roman empire: Huns, Vandals, Visigoths, Burgundians, Gepidoe, Lombards, Franks, Suevi, Alans, and Barvarians (with the Anglo-Saxons and Danes being related to them but not of them. They settled overseas in England and in the Isles rather than being in Europe. Copenhagen is on an island not on the European mainland. The Danes expanded into Iceland, Norway and Sweden).

It says they shall hate the whore, which is the apostate religious system. It is a hate that leads them to make her “naked”. These nations since the time of the French revolution (the era of the 7 vials in the previous chapter, Revelation 16) are the leaders of human rights movements. Until recently they have had leaderships that have been overtly secular placing emphasis on the rule by mankind and the subversion of religion. In other words they were Pagan or 'beast-like' in character. To join the Union they need to comply with the Copenhagen criteria to be

“a secular, democratic system of government, together with the corresponding freedoms and institutions” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_member_state

Since the beginning of the Vial period after the French Revolution in 1789 the political status of the Papacy has been under attack in Europe to the point that there was no political status for the Papacy by 1809. Even though the Vatican became a city again in 1929, where the Pope ruled, the Pope had to work hard for influence in Europe. From the late 1930's they backed Hitler which did not help them after 1944. However from 1967, the time of the Cold war, their opposition to Communism gained them allies and they gained power when a Polish Pope helped engineer the conditions leading to the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989.

The prophecy says that after this period of “hate”, these nations agree to give their kingdom to the beast, that is to create a kingdom or empire based on human rights. The Vatican has been facing strong resistance to incorporate any mention of 'Christianity' into the 2007-8 drafting of the current EU treaty. But we see that after this time of agreement with the beast that once again 'the woman', or the apostate religious system reigns over the kings of the earth.

When we are introduced to the woman she is riding, or ruling, a scarlet beast.

I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17:3)

Red is the colour of pagan humans. This revived Roman empire or beast is essentially pagan. At the end of the vision, despite the woman having been made desolate and naked, she reigns over the kings and rulers of the earth. This began to occur in the 1980's when leaders began calling at the Vatican. Now rulers bow to the Pope, acknowledging the greater ruler. While he was Cardinal Ratzinger, the present pope worked hard to stop Turkey joining the European Union. It made a special agreement with the EU in January 1999 and has used the Euro as its currency since January 1, 2002. In 2007 the Pope persuaded the German Prime minister to work to incorporate reference to a Christian heritage into the constitution of the EU. The Papacy has begun to 'ride' (or rule) the beast.

In Images of the European Union, Europe is shown as a woman riding a red beast with stars about her head. This is very close to the Bible image, but the nations of Europe are the 'horns' (or powers) on the red beast and the apostate religious system is the woman riding, or ruling, it.

3) The Beast and Zion

The Beast is a system in opposition fundamentally to Zion. Those belonging to the Beast says Mankind reigns, whereas those of Zion seek to serve Yahweh. The significant dates for the growth of the European Union match those for Israel as the two systems grow side by side.

Zion	Israel	Rome	European Union
June 1922-1944	Winston Churchill changed the view of the House of Lords to vote in the Balfour Declaration in 1922. To the House of Commons “The coming into being of a Jewish State in Palestine is an event in world history to be viewed in the perspective” 1944	Sept 19 1946	Winston Churchill at Zurich University 1946 “We must build a kind of United States of Europe”
May 14 1948	Declaration of the state of Israel	March 17 1948	Western Union Treaty of Brussels (Became NATO in 1951)
Oct 29 1956 - March 1957	Suez invasion (leading to Six Day war)	March 25,1957 Jan 1 1958	Treaty of Rome: Two treaties one forming the EEC the other for atomic energy (leading to next treaty)
June 5, 1967 – June 10, 1967	Six Day war Israel claims Jerusalem	8 April 1965 July 1 1967	Brussels Merger Treaty to join the 3 previous European communities
1986 1987-1993	End of the war in Lebanon establishing the northern Border. Intifada establishing stronger control over Gaza and West bank	Feb 17 1986 July 1, 1987	The Single European Act (SEA) One political entity
July 25 1994 Oct 26 1994	Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace (Only second peace treaty after that with Egypt in 1979)	Feb 7 1992 Nov 1, 1993	Maastricht Treaty (Common currency)

4) Revelation 11: 42 months and 1260 days

The subject of the prophecy in Revelation 11 is the “holy city” which is “the city the holy”, or the bride, in Revelation 22. These people are trod “under foot forty two months”. Forty signifies a time of trial, and two that it be a time of division (see here). 42 months is 3.5 years, or approximately 1260 days. But the prophecy implies a very long time of trial, which indicates that a 'day' represents a year (and a month of 30 days represents 30 years). For 1260 years a system divided from the true congregation and opposed to it would seek to actively harm the servants of the Most High (see here). Revelation adds that for a time of 1260 days (years) there would be two witnesses who prophesy, or speak, while in sackcloth, a sign of mourning and trouble. This double expression indicates two mostly parrallel eras.

Looking at history these 1260 years can encompass the years from:

533AD Justinian proclaims Pope as universal bishop and

549AD Justinian grants Pope control of provincial government to

1793 (533+1260) when the French revolution weakenes papal power and

1809 (549+1260) Napoleon annexes the papal states

590AD Gregory 1 makes himself pope and extends papal influence and in

608-610 Phocas confirms Justinian's decree for papal political rule to

1850 (590+1260) Pius IX driven into exile, and

1868-1870 (608/610+1260) Papacy has no political power, and reduced to the Vatican

The era of the rise of the papacy 533-610 is matched 1260 years later by the era of its fall from 1793-1870. The trial and division was from 533 and the witnessses began to speak soon after.

Revelation 12: 1260 days and the time, times & half a time

But there is more. The apostate 'woman' in Revelation 12 persecutes the 'woman' who gave her birth, which is the true servants and she is given sanctuary in the “wilderness” or the edges of the empire for 1260 days (Revelation 12:6). Though the length of time in Revelation 12 is the same as in Revelation 11 this is not the same era, as the rule of 42 months is over 'the Holy city', or was a political oppression, whereas, the 1260 days of Revelation 12 relates to the 'woman' or religious persecution.

Historically this religious persecution can be seen from 312AD when Constantine (I) comes to power, and in 316AD begins giving power to some Christians in favour of others, even going to war to defeat the Donatists to remove religious dissent. In 325AD Constantine again imposes orthodoxy and persecution. This led to the dominance of the pope to determine doctrine with Julius I (338-340AD). After 338AD life is more difficult for dissenters, and those who would wish to serve God in 'sincerely an in truth'. The 1260 years of religious persecution begin to end in 1572 with the August 24th St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre and officially ended with the 1598 Edict of Nantes, granting religious freedom.

From 312/338 to 1572/1598 is a 1260 year time of almost unrelenting religious tribulation.

In Revelation 12:14 it is added that 'the woman', the servants of God, are nourished in the wilderness for “a time, times and half a time”, which is 360 + 2x360 +180 which equals 1260 years. This is the period where the “earth” or the people who fought for religious freedom helped the servants. Well known are the Donatists 311-394AD a term also used in the Reformation (1517-1648) for the often violent opposition to Roman Catholicism.

There are altogether 4 periods of 1260 mentioned in two sets. The one in Revelation 11 is about the political world and the other set in Revelation 12 is about the religious environment. The first in both sets speak of persecution of the servants and the second in both sets speak of the help given. The 'help' is not given by the true servants, as those who help or 'nourish' the servants' often take up arms and fight, and some who fought for religious freedom did so from various political motives alien to the servants of Chirst, but by their actions they help the true servants.

None of the 4 relate to the time period in Daniel

5) Daniel 7: time & times and the dividing of time (1260 years)

There is a prophecy of a time period of the dominance of a political kingdom opposing Yahweh, and the very next verse speaks judgement then the kingdom being given to the “Saints of the most High”. This is an end time prophecy.

And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Dan 7:25)

But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. (Daniel 7:26-27)

This period of time in verse 25 implies an end with “until”, but it does not give specific information for dating the start. A 'time' is a year. An ancient year is 360 days. The period is 360 + 2x360 +180 which equals 1260. A prophetic 'day' is at the scale of nations and equals a year (Ezekiel 4:6). The 1260 year period is the dominance of the last 'horn' that will “wear out” the “saints of the most high”. The time is presented not as a single numerical figure but as an expression. This fits as a description for the kingdom who changes “times”. This kingdom, or 'horn' came out of the last beast who is Imperial Rome. This last beast becomes 10 horns or kingdoms and the last 'horn' kingdom subdues 3 of these kingdoms. This is the holy Roman Empire.

This period is not the same as in Revelation. The 42 months, 1260 days, the time, times & half time, and 1260 days does not give the period to the start of the everlasting Kingdom but only that of the dominance of the persecuting apostate religious system. The prophecy in Daniel is quite specific. There would be a kingdom that would “wear out” the saints. At the end of the time, times & half time (1260 years) the political power would be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.

Traditionally the political power of the holy Roman Empire is dated from Charlemagne, crowned 25^th December 800. This date means the 1260 years would end in 2060. However, the prophecy starts when the 'little horn' can first be identified, and that is when first the Roman religious system is elevated to become a political force. By 800 it was at the beginning of the height of its power.

Charlemagne's power came from the work of his father Pepin. On January 6, 754, the pope StephenII re-consecrated Pepin as king. Pepin became protector of the Church and was given the additional title of patricius Romanorum (Patrician of the Romans). From 754 the 1260 years to the end of this kingdom would be in 2014. However, this is only an agreement. Due to Pepin's subsequent conquests in Italy he gave the land as a "donation” in 756 to give a legal basis for the Papal States, and so we have the beginning of the political presence of the papacy. From 756 the 1260 year period goes until 2016.

This papal kingdom changed times and seasons and enforced them. The Gregorian calendar was decreed by Pope Gregory XIII, on 24 February 1582 by a papal bull Inter gravissimas. For a time this papal kingdom was under attack, and almost was removed by Napoleon, but the Pope was restored and the Vatican still exists now as a political force and is growing again in strength. The era from 756 to 800 saw the beginning of the kingdom of the Papacy, so the ending will begin 2016 and end 2060.

6) Daniel 7: The season and a time

There is another time period of a season and a time after the coming of the Ancient of days to reign on earth where there will be nations still.

As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. (Daniel 7:12).

After they had their dominion taken away, then the 'one like the Son of man' is given dominion and a kingdom that is not destroyed. A season and a time is equated to the 1000 years where the dragon is “bound” (Revelation 20:2). This equates to a period where some nations exist. Assyria and Egypt are mentioned with Israel as being valued by Yahweh (Isaiah 19:24). Clearly Assyria is a new nation corresponding in location to ancient Assyria and not the Beast that grew out of Nimrod, as the Beast loses not only its dominion but its life is destroyed(see above).

7) Summary of times

The times are better represented by a table of the time periods examined so far. The end dates fall from 2016-2023. Starting from very different events the 3 time periods to the events to the kingdom fall into a very narrow range.

Daniel's 2300 days (years) from the 'little horn' coming out of Grecian 'Goat'
	279/7BC	275-3BC															2017 /9	2021	2023
Revelation 17, the prophecy of one hour 30 years from the agreement to give power to 'beast'
												1986	1993			2016			2023
Daniel 7: 1260 years of the power that speaks great words until the kingdom
							754 Pepin	756 Rome	774Charle					2014		2016			2034

The start events for all three cover 7-8 years giving a range for the end. These prophecies are not about Messiah's return (A specific day), but rather the times (plural) to the kingdom. The Holy Roman Empire emerged 44 years after Pepin's work in 756, with the crowning of his son Charlemange in 800, so the kingdom of the saints may have an era of establishment which may begin to start from 2014 to 2023 but end in 2060.

To continue Times Appointed Part 3

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