Category: Devotionals

October 30, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

HERULI: THE FIRST OF THREE ARIAN KINGDOMS UPROOTED

Remember the emperor, the year, the location, and the event in the history of the great controversy issue over the separation of Church and State, still currently guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution—which “wall” of separation is the next to taken away permanently here in America, as prophesied: The year: 381 A.D.  The emperor: Theodosius. The event: General council of the clergy in Constantinople: What was established: “To Theodosius, also, at least as much as to Constantine, must be attributed the PERMANENT ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND STATE.’”- Facts of Faith, Christian Edwardson. 1943, SPA., p. 37. Now we turn our attention to the Heruli:

“The Heruli under Odoacer (also called Odovacar) had established themselves in Italy, 476 A.D.; and while this Arian king ruled all his subjects IMPARTIALLY, he endeavored to shield his people from the PERSECUTION inaugurated by the COMBINED efforts by the pope and the emperor. Pasquale Villari, writing of the period between between 468 and 483 A.D. says:

“At that time the Pope was morally, and even MORE than morally speaking, the most powerful personage in Italy. If Odovacar [Odoacer], as an Arian, had openly opposed him, Simplicius [the Pope at that time] could have easily roused the whole country against him, and made it impossible for him to maintain his position in Italy.’ – ‘The Barbarian Invasion of Italy,’ Vol. 1, pp. 145, 146. 1902.

“And just such an opportunity soon presented itself: ‘Pope Simplicius died on the 2nd of March, 483, whereupon Odovacar made a FALSE MOVE, of which he felt the consequences before long. It was very important for him to control the choice of the next Pontiff. He sought not only to prevent the RIOTS which had often caused bloodshed in the streets of Rome on similar occasions, but also desired a Pope well disposed to himself.

“Thus when the preliminary assembly failed to agree in the choice of a candidate, the Pretorian Prefect, Cecina Basilius, suddenly intervened in Odovacar’s name, and declared that NO ELECTION would be valid without the King’s voice…A decree was likewise issued preventing alienation of CHURCH property and threatening ANATHEMA on all who failed to respect it. After this the Assembly was summoned to sanction the decree and decide the election, which resulted in favor of Felix II (483-492), the candidate recommended by Odovacar.’- Ibid, p. 148.

“His interference in the Papal election has cast into the Roman Church the seed of a deep and threatening distrust towards him.’ – Ibid, p. 147.

“Rome could NEVER forgive such an affront, and through its faithful ally, the emperor, another barbarian nation, the OSTROGOTHS, were called to DESTROY the hated Heruli.’” -Facts of Faith, pp. 37, 38.
To be continued.  God bless all, NMF. 

October 29, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK: 

POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS SITUATION EXISTING BETWEEN THE BISHOP OF ROME, EMPERORS, AND THE THREE ARIAN NATIONS

How the “little horn” power of Daniel 7 was enabled to “uproot” the three Arian kingdoms was facilitated by unique conditions due to political and religious interlocking, self-serving agendas and strategies:

“A brief statement on the political and religious conditions in the ROMAN world is necessary here in order that the reader may better grasp the real situation in which these three Arian kingdoms [The Heruli, Vandals, and Visigoths] found themselves.

“After Emperor Constantine [who issued the very first Sunday law in 321 AD.] removed the seat of the empire from Rome to Constantinople [Eastern Rome], the Roman people were (at intervals) rules from that Eastern capital, UNTIL the pope had grown to power in Rome. While the Papacy was GRADUALLY gaining control over the people of the West [Western Rome], the Eastern Emperors [secular powers] were COURTING the goodwill of the Popes in order to hold their Western subjects. [This is how remorseless, immoral politics works anytime, every time, everywhere].

“From the time of Constantine to that of [emperor] Justinian there was a deadly struggle between the TWO LARGEST FACTIONS of the CHURCH, THE CATHOLICS and the ARIANS. Often there was terrible strife and even bloodshed [“winds,” in prophetic symbols].  The streets of Alexandria and Constantinople we’re deluged with blood by the partisans of RIVAL BISHOPS.  – ‘History of Christianity,’ H.H. Millman, Book III, ch. 5, par. 2, p. 410.

“Most of the BARBARIC nations into which the Roman Empire was now split, had accepted the [Roman] Catholic faith. But the Heruli, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths were ARIANS. [who rejected the claims of the pope as Christ’s vicar but also accepted Arius’ teachings that Jesus was not fully divine, often called the ‘Arian heresy ” by papal apologists].

“While the emperors courted the help of the popes for POLITICAL reasons, the popes sought the assistance of the emperors to DESTROY THE ARIANS.

“Theodosius, the Emperor of the East, had already (380-395 A.D.) given ‘fifteen stern edicts for HERESY, one on the average for every year of his reign….So began the campaign which ended in the VIRTUAL EXTINCTION OF ARIANISM in the Roman world.  – ‘Italy and Her Invaders,’ Thomas Hodgkin, Vol. 1, pp. 368, 369, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1899.

“In A.D. 380, the Emperor Theodosius issued an edict which said: ‘We order those who follow this law to assume the name of CATHOLIC CHRISTIANS: we pronounce all others to be MAD and FOOLISH, and we order that they bear the ignominious name of HERETICS….They are to be visited….by the STROKE of our authority.  – Ibid, p. 187.

‘Thus did the reign and legislation of Theodosius MARK out the lines of FUTURE RELATION BETWEEN POPE AND EMPEROR.’- Ibid, p. 187.

“Embassies passed continually between the Pope of Rome and the emperor of Constantinople, and in 381 A.D. Theodosius arranged for a General Council of the CLERGY at Constantinople, which finally ESTABLISHED THE CATHOLIC DOCTRINE: ‘To Him also, at least as much as to Constantine, must be attributed the PERMANENT ALLIANCE between the CHURCH and the STATE.’ – Ibid, pp. 182, 183.” – Facts of Faith, Christian Edwarson, Southern Publishing Asso., 1943, pp. 36, 37.

“The Bible never refers to a “Catholic Christian,” “Protestant Christian,” “Baptist Christian,” “Coptic Christian,” “Seventh-day Adventist Christian,” etc. They are Christians, meaning “true followers of Christ.

Note the following: “And when he (Barnabas) found him (Saul, later called Paul), he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the CHURCH, and taught much people. And the DISCIPLES were called CHRISTIAN FIRST in Antioch.” Acts 11:26, KJV. See also Acts 26: 24-28; 1 Pet. 4: 12-16.

Will the true Christian please stand up? Jesus calls them His saints on earth: “Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (CHRIST).” Rev. 14: 12, KJV.

God bless His living saints, members of His church on earth and in heaven! See Eph. 3:15-21. NMF 

October 28, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE ‘LITTLE HORN’ POWER OF  DANIEL 7

“I considered the [ten] horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn.” Dan. 7: 8, KJ.V.

“Let us now consider all the characteristics this prophecy gives to the ‘little horn,’ and we shall be forced by weight of evidence as to settle in just ONE power as the fulfillment of this prediction.

(1) It was to come up ‘among’ the ten European kingdoms into which the Roman Empire was split. verse 8 (2) It shall ‘rise’ to power ‘after them.’ verse 24. ‘And He shall be DiVERSE [different] from the first,’ ten kingdoms; that is, different from ordinary, secular kingdoms. verse 24.

“Anyone acquainted with history knows that the Papacy is the only power that answers to all these specifications. It was ‘among’ the kingdoms of Western Rome, ‘after’ they were established in A.D. 476, and is different from a purely civil power.

“But the angel gives still another mark of identity to the little horn (4) Before it ‘there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots.’ Verse 8. That is, in ‘coming up’ it pushed out before it three of the former horns ‘by the roots.’

“Thus three kingdoms were to be plucked up to give place for the Papacy. This prediction found the exact fulfillment in the destruction of the three Arian kingdoms: the Heruli, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths. Rev. E. B. Elliott, M.A. says: ‘I might cite that three that were eradicated from before the Pope out of the last first given; viz., the Heruli under Odoacer (AKA Odovacar), the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths.”- ‘Hora Apocalyptica, Vol. III, p. 168, Note 1, London: 1862.

“In former days crowns of conquered kings were placed on the head of the conqueror.(2 Sam. 12:30). It is symbolically fitting therefore, that the Pope wears a triple crown. Bishop Thomas Newton, speaking of the power that destroyed the three horns, says, ‘And the Pope hath in a manner pointed himself out for the person by wearing the triple crown.’- ‘Dissertations on the Prophecies,’ p. 220. London.” — Facts of Faith, pp 35, 36. (To be continued). Bless all today, NMF