ENTER NO CONFEDERACY

"We are to enter no confederacy with the world, supposing that by so doing we could accomplish more."--6 Testimonies, pg. 17 (bold emphasis added).

"Every device that the prince of darkness can suggest will be employed to induce God's servants to form a confederacy with the agents of Satan."--Prophets And Kings, pg. 659 (bold emphasis added).

"And many of them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared [by the confederacy], and be taken."--Isaiah 8:15 (brackets added)

"This prophecy declares that the confederacy will be a snare--a trap--and that many will fall and be taken in it. It will be a fearful trap and will separate God's people."--13 Symbolic Code, No. 3 pg. 9 (bold emphasis added).

"All those who are not expecting the confederacy, but instead are expecting next the reassertion of the Roman church supremacy or the battle of Armageddon or something else, are going to fall into this snare, for it will appear to them harmless and perhaps even a good thing. But it will be their trap."--l3 Symbolic Code, No. 3, pg. 10 (bold emphasis added).

Why, though, will the latter-day Assyrian Confederacy "...be a fearful trap and will separate God's people" (13 S.C. 3:9)? Why is it that some of them will escape the "snare" while the majority will be caught in its "trap"? The obvious answer, of course, is that if God's people knew who this latter-day Assyrian power was, they would be able to recognize the "trap" of the Assyrian Confederacy, and thus be able to avoid the "snare." Therefore, it could not be said of them, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hos. 4:6). However, those people in God's church who refuse to be warned, or fail to secure the necessary knowledge concerning the "trap" of the Assyrian Confederacy, or who refuse to believe the truth after they have been shown irrefutable proof from the Scriptures, will most assuredly be caught in its "snare," and then slain by God's angels for joining it.

There are, of course, many knowledgeable Christians today who are well aware of the fact that there is a modern-day or antitypical Israel, Egypt, and Babylon that exists in the latter days, but very few of them know that there is also an antitypical Assyria in our day. Therefore, since its very important that they should understand just who this power is, if they expect to escape its "snare," then it will be necessary to study the typical events concerning ancient Judah, Israel, Syria, and Assyria in order to identify the latter-day antitypical Assyrian power.

A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THREE CONFEDERACIES

(1) The type historically revealed an ancient confederacy between Israel (the ten tribes) and Syria (a heathen nation) against Judah (the two tribes), which was broken by the power of ancient Assyria.

(2) After the ancient confederacy was formed, but before Assyria had broken it, the Lord gave a virgin-birth "sign" to the house of David (the kingdom of Judah) when the king of Judah was Ahaz. The sign specifically stated that a virgin was to miraculously bear a son who was to be called "Immanuel," and who was to grow up to childhood, wherein Assyria was to break an Israel-Syria (church and state) confederacy. However, neither secular history or the Scriptures has produced any proof that the sign was fulfilled at any time during the old testament Jewish era.

(3) The virgin-birth "sign" was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus, but more specifically in the born-of-the-Spirit Immanuelite Christians, who were to grow up spiritually from babyhood to childhood, and live during the time of a church-state confederacy in the Christian era, wherein this church-state confederacy would be broken by the power of antitypical Assyria.

(4) Then the power that broke that antitypical church-state confederacy would be identified as the antitypical Assyria of today, which will (in the near future) form another latter-day church-state confederacy that will become a "snare" and a "trap" to the people of God during the time of the latter days.

After all of these sequential events are studied in detail and the antitypical Assyrian power which broke a church-state confederacy is clearly identified, then the "snare" connected with its confederacy (set up in the near future) will be exposed, with a warning to God's people, as well as to the people of Assyria, so that they can avoid its deadly "trap." Therefore, in view of the fact that "There is a type for every church event and transaction in connection with the gospel of Christ" (1 S.R. 226), and that "...where there is no type there is no truth" (2 S.R. 10), then it will be necessary to study the type (Isaiah 7) in great detail in order to learn of its antitypical significance for God's people today.

CONFEDERACY OF ANCIENT ISRAEL AND SYRIA (ISAIAH 7)

After having read the historical events as recorded in Isaiah 7:1-17, any sincere Bible student should be able to easily understand the type, which concerns the two nations involved in the ancient confederacy between Ephraim (or Israel--an apostate church) and Syria (a heathen government) in the old testament Jewish era; then he should be able to visualize another antitypical confederacy (church and state) in the new testament Christian era.

"And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it...."--Isaiah 7:1.

"This verse {Isaiah 7:1} in conjunction with the verses which follow it reveal that God favored Judah (the two-tribe kingdom) even though at the same time Ephraim (the ten-tribe kingdom) {Israel} were also His people. The reason He favored Judah in this instance was that their brethren (Ephraim) had joined heathen forces to fight against Judah. Therefore, God could not bless Ephraim's endeavor."--13 Symbolic Code, No. 3, pg. 3 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Through this experience we should gain the lesson as Christians that God will not bless the endeavors of any of His people when they join heathen forces in order to gain strength in their effort to overcome their brethren in Christ for some reason they wish to have put out of their way. Such an alliance cannot prosper."--13 Symbolic Code, No. 3, pg. 4 (bold emphasis, braces added).

According to Isaiah 7:1 the ancient confederacy was formed by Pekah, the king of the ten tribes of Israel called Ephraim (unfaithful brethren in God's church), who joined forces with Rezin, the king of Syria (a godless heathen nation), to war against their own brethren (two tribes of Judah), called the house of David, to destroy it. Since the Syrian nation was an avowed enemy of God's ancient church (Judah and Israel), then the ten tribes should never have joined an alliance with a heathen power that would destroy not only the two-tribe kingdom (Judah), but would gladly destroy all twelve tribes if they could. However, Isaiah predicted the confederacy would fail, saying: "but could not prevail against it" (Isa. 7:1).

HOUSE OF DAVID (JUDAH) WAS AFRAID

"And it was told the house of David {of the kingdom of Judah}, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of the people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind."--Isaiah 7:2 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Had Ahaz and the chief men of his realm been true servants of the Most High, they would have had no fear of so unnatural an alliance as had been formed against them. But repeated transgression had shorn them of strength. Stricken with a nameless dread of the retributive judgment of an offended God, the heart of the king 'was moved, and the heart of the people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.' Isaiah 7:2."--Prophets and Kings, pgs. 328, 329 (bold emphasis added).

"The times in which Isaiah was to labor were fraught with peculiar peril to the people of God. The prophet was to witness the invasion of Judah by the combined armies of northern Israel and Syria; he was to behold the Assyrian hosts encamped before the chief cities of the kingdom."--Prophets and Kings, pg. 305 (bold emphasis added).

"Then said the Lord unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field; and say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah."--Isaiah 7:3,4.

The two "smoking firebrands" (two smoldering sticks of wood) symbolized the confederacy of Israel and Syria, only by the threatening words of two kings (Pekah and Rezin) against Judah; because the two sticks were only smoking, and had not erupted into an open flame (warfare against Judah). Thus, the king and the people of Judah were afraid, but God told them not to fear their alliance, because it was to be broken within sixty five years, according to Isaiah 7:5-9 as quoted below.

CONFEDERACY BROKEN WITHIN SIXTY FIVE YEARS

"Because Syria, Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying, Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: Thus saith the Lord God, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus [not heaven], and the head of Damascus is Rezin [not the Lord]; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim [the ten-tribe kingdom] be broken, that it be not a people. And the head of Ephraim is Samaria [not heaven], and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son [not the Lord]. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established."--14 Tract, pg. 30 (brackets belong) (bold emphasis added).

"God was here telling Judah that they should not fear this alliance because He was not sponsoring it. Israel and Syria were dependent on nothing greater than their kings {Pekah and Rezin} and capitals {Samaria and Damascus} of their nations. Judah was instructed to depend on God's word which declared that these allied powers would fail to overcome them. Moreover, Judah was told, 'If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.' In other words, Judah was told that if they did not believe what God was telling them they would lose out. Their survival, therefore, was wholly conditional on their complete belief in God's promise only that the alliance formed against them would fail."--13 Symbolic Code, No. 3, pg. 5 (bold emphasis, braces added).

The people of Judah were afraid, therefore God sent Isaiah to tell them not to fear the Israel-Syrian confederacy, and predicted that within sixty five years the confederacy would be broken (Isa. 7:8), and "forsaken of both her kings" (Isaiah 7:16)--"...'the land [Syria and Israel] that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings [Rezin and Pekah].'"--14 Tract, pg. 31 (brackets belong to quote).

KING AHAZ REFUSED TO ASK FOR A SIGN

"Moreover, the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord. And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also {with your unbelief}?"--Isaiah 7:10-13 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Though God knew that king Ahaz did not believe, He gave him an opportunity to "ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God" anyway to strengthen his unbelief, but he refused. Instead, he manifested a rebellious spirit when he disbelieved God's promise to break the confederacy within sixty five years. Knowing that king Ahaz did not consider it a small thing to "weary men," Isaiah asked him: "Will ye weary my God also" with your unbelief? Ahaz could have been like Gideon who did not believe God either when he was told: "thou shalt save Israel" (Judges 6:14), but he did not rebel against Him as did the king. Gideon humbly asked for a "sign" to strengthen his unbelief (Judges 6:36-40).

Nevertheless, God gave a "sign" anyway to the kingdom of Judah, which consists of three divisions: (1) the virgin-birth son who was named "Immanuel" (Isa. 7:14), (2) his special diet of butter and honey (Isa. 7:15), and (3) his growing up to childhood to live in a time when a confederacy was broken (Isa. 7:16). However, though the virgin-birth "sign" was given to king Ahaz and to the house of David at that time, it will be proven that it only applies to the new testament Christian era, since it was never fulfilled at any time in the old testament Jewish era.

VIRGIN-BIRTH SIGN--PART ONE

"Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son {Jesus}, and shall call his name Immanuel."--Isaiah 7:14 (bold emphasis, braces added).

After Isaiah informed king Ahaz of God's "sign," which was made known to the house of David (Judah), it is not inconceivable to conclude that many sons in Israel at that time were born of women who named their children "Immanuel," in the hope that their sons might be the ones to fulfill the "sign." But all their sons were born of the seed of men, and such women, married or unmarried, could not have been virgins and still bear sons. Therefore, no matter how many sons were born of women named "Immanuel" at that time, they could not have possibly been the fulfillment of God's virgin-birth "sign." Even to this very day, there are sons born of women who christen them with the name of "Immanuel," but their mothers were not virgins when they were born.

Were it not for the fact that in the days of ancient Israel it was humanly impossible for a virgin to bear a son, one might come to the conclusion that the virgin-birth "sign" actually took place back in king Ahaz's day, as a witness to Judah that the ancient confederacy between Israel and Syria was to be broken by Assyria. And since it required no less than a miracle for a virgin to bear a son, it proves that only God, by a miracle, could bring the virgin-birth "sign" to pass, or else He would be found a liar, because of what Isaiah said, "The Lord Himself shall give you a sign" (Isa. 7:14). But since there is absolutely no record whatsoever in the old testament Scriptures to prove that such a miracle did take place, its very obvious that such a virgin-birth "sign" never was fulfilled in king Ahaz's day, or at any time thereafter in the old testament Jewish era.

However, because Isaiah's prophecy of the virgin-birth "sign" appears to some Christians to make God a liar, or that He made a mistake, or that Isaiah was a false prophet since it was not fulfilled in the old testament Jewish era, some Christians may be inclined to doubt God's word. But it is only because of their mistaken idea that the "sign" was for king Ahaz's day, that makes it appear to them that God made a mistake. Though king Ahaz was given the opportunity to ask for a "sign," which he refused, the Lord said that He would give him a "sign" anyway, but He did not say that the "sign" was for that day only, as some Christians may think; or that it could not be fulfilled at another time far distant into the future. If the "sign " was to be fulfilled in king Ahaz's day, then God would have kept His word, because He does not lie, and would have miraculously caused a virgin, not a married wife, to bear a son who was named "Immanuel" as a "sign" to prove that sometime within sixty five years the confederacy was to be broken. But since the Lord did not do that, then it positively proves that His virgin-birth "sign" was to be fulfilled at another time in the new testament Christian era.

SOME CHRISTIANS THINK GOD MADE A MISTAKE

The idea has been suggested by some well-meaning Christians that if an attempt is not made to explain God's apparent so-called mistake in predicting a "sign" which did not come to pass in king Ahaz's day, that the doubters of God's word would be justified in concluding that God was a liar, or that Isaiah was a false prophet. Therefore, to minimize the Lord's embarrassment by explaining His so-called mistake, as well as to hopefully prove conclusively to the doubters of God's word that it was possible for a virgin to bear a son in king Ahaz's day, some Christians teach that a virgin supposedly means "a married wife." And there are others who agree with this false idea, and they teach that it was Isaiah's own wife, which was the "prophetess" (Isa. 8:3), who was to bear a son that was to be named "Immanuel," which would then be the fulfillment of the "sign" in king Ahaz's day. Their reason for this erroneous conclusion is based on the false idea that because Isaiah had actually fathered a literal son named "Shearjashub (Isa. 7:3), and later another one named "Mahershalalhashbaz" by his wife the "prophetess" (Isa. 8:1-3), then he must have also fathered the symbolic "Immanuel" by the same "prophetess." But this cannot be true, because the "sign" was never fulfilled in the old testament Jewish era.

According to this false premise, Isaiah's wife, the "prophetess," or another "married wife" in king Ahaz's day who learned of Isaiah's prophecy, could be with child of the seed of man, and upon delivering her new-born son she could call his name "Immanuel," and thereby presume that this birth was to be the fulfillment of the "sign" to king Ahaz. However, their attempt to save the Lord's face, and supposedly prove that He was not a liar, or that Isaiah was not a false prophet, they have really proved nothing, nor have they helped the Lord at all. They have only complicated the prophecy even more so, which has only created more doubt in the minds of unbelievers and some wavering Christians, when they teach that a virgin means "a married wife;" because when the "sign" was fulfilled in Jesus' birth, the doubters of God's word would believe that the virgin Mary was "a married wife" who had been touched by her husband Joseph, and who had borne him a son by his seed, rather than it being by the miraculous power of the Holy Ghost (Matt. l:18-23).

CHILD BIRTH--A COMMON OCCURRENCE

Consider the fact that from the days of king Ahaz even to this very day, it is a common occurrence for "a married wife" to bear a son by the seed of her husband. That could not be a "sign" of any significance to prove that an unfilled prophecy would take place. As an example, let a married man predict a future event, and tell people that his wife will bear a son named Immanuel as a sign to prove its fulfillment, and see if any rational person would accept this every day common-occurrence birth as a sign of anything but parenthood for the man and his wife!

Now suppose that Isaiah did teach that a virgin means a married wife," and that his own wife, "the prophetess," really did bear him a son named "Immanuel" as a "sign" to prove that the confederacy was to be broken within sixty five years. Could it be expected that king Ahaz or any one else in Judah were to believe that such a common-occurrence birth would be a "sign" from the Lord? Perhaps there might be some credibility to such a common-occurrence birth as a "sign" from God if Isaiah was one hundred years old as was Abraham, and his wife was ninety years old as was Sarah (Gen. 17:17). But even if Isaiah and "the prophetess" were that old, their son's birth could not have been the "sign" from the Lord, simply because his wife would not be a pure chaste virgin when their son was born! Therefore, unless Isaiah's wife was a virgin when her son "Shearjashub" (Isa. 7:3) was born, then no one could say that his birth was the fulfillment of the virgin-birth "sign;" especially since he was born before the "sign" was given!

As for the birth of "Mahershalalhashbaz," there may be some well-meaning Christians who could erroneously conclude that when Isaiah "went unto the prophetess" (Isa. 8:3) who gave birth unto "Mahershalalhashbaz," then she, "a married wife," must have also given birth to "Immanuel" as well; and that their common-occurrence births, therefore, fulfilled the virgin-birth "sign," which took place in the days of king Ahaz. But this, of course, cannot be true either, because Mahershalalhashbaz was born of "a married wife" (the prophetess), while Immanuel (Jesus) was born of the virgin Mary. Thus, the obvious difference between the two sons, which cannot be ignored, is that "Mahershalalhashbaz" was born by the will of the flesh--Isaiah "went unto the prophetess" (Isa. 8:3); whereas "Immanuel" was born by the will of God--a virgin birth by the miraculous power of the Holy Ghost! This irrefutable fact is solid proof that "Immanuel" could not have been the son that was born of Isaiah and the "prophetess," because she was "a married wife," not a virgin!

A MARRIED WIFE IS NOT A VIRGIN

Since Isaiah was teaching in the name of the Lord, then if he taught the false idea that a virgin means "a married wife," it would not be too difficult for anyone to conclude that he really was a false prophet, because the Word of God has never taught this false notion anywhere in the Scriptures! The following Bible verses will prove irrefutably that a virgin is not "a married wife."

"If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her, and give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her {by saying that she is not a virgin}, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her {to see if she is a virgin}, I found her not a maid {not a virgin}: Then shall the father of the damsel {virgin}, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel's virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate {to prove that she was still a virgin, because her husband had not yet touched her}: And the damsel's father shall say unto the elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hateth her; And lo, he hath given occasions of speech against her, saying, I found not thy daughter a maid {virgin}; and yet these are the tokens of my daughter's virginity. And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city."--Deuteronomy 22:13-17 (bold emphasis, braces added).

These verses definitely teach that a young woman who has never been touched by a man is referred to as: (1) a maid--verse 14, and (2) a virgin--verse 15, and (3) a damsel--verse 15; and in each case she remains a virgin until she loses "the tokens of her virginity" when she is touched by her husband. And if she is just married as a "wife" (Deut. 22:13), but has not yet been touched by her new husband, she is still a virgin, or a maid, or a damsel. This is the miracle of the Lord's virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:14); which proves conclusively that He meant exactly as He said: "A virgin shall conceive, and bear a son" by a miracle, not by "a married wife" who has been touched by her husband! Even Webster's Dictionary supports the Bible's irrefutable definition of the word "virgin," by defining it as: "an unmarried girl or woman...an absolutely chaste young woman."

Since the Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah who was born of a virgin in fulfillment of the virgin-birth "sign," then that, of course, is the reason why they could say that a virgin is "a married wife." By saying this, it is obvious that they are trying to make it appear that the virgin-birth "sign" was fulfilled by a son named "Immanuel" born to Isaiah and his wife, the "prophetess," as well as "Mahershalalhashbaz" (Isa. 8:3). And there are some well-meaning Christians who believe that God would be a liar if the virgin-birth "sign" was not fulfilled in king Ahaz's day. Thus, they teach that a virgin is "a married wife" to justify His supposed mistake; but this really makes Him a liar, because He said a virgin is not "a married wife" who has been touched by her husband. Now since God is true and "every man a liar" (Rom. 3:4), and since the "sign" never took place in the old testament Jewish era, then it had to be fulfilled only in the birth of Jesus in the new testament Christian era.

VIRGIN-BIRTH SIGN--PART TWO

"Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good."--Isaiah 7:15 (bold emphasis added).

In this part of the virgin-birth "sign," the Lord specified the kind of food that the new-born babe was to eat--butter and honey, which was to enable him to know the difference between good and evil. But literal butter and honey has never been known to possess any nourishment that would impart such knowledge to anyone.

"...butter and honey possess absolutely no virtue to endue one with wisdom and will to choose the good and to refuse the evil,..."--2 Timely Greetings, No. 45, pg. 4 (bold emphasis added).

"...moreover,...these two literal articles of food--butter and honey--can never in themselves {miraculously} enable anyone to know the difference between good and bad,..."--6 Tract, pg. 28 (bold emphasis, braces added).

This means that not only is the birth of the son "Immanuel" a miracle, but his special diet as well would miraculously give him the knowledge to differentiate between good and evil. However, if the virgin-birth "sign" was actually fulfilled through Isaiah's own wife, the "prophetess" (Isa. 8:3), it could not have been a miracle, because the birth of her new-born son would have only been another literal common-occurrence birth. This would mean, then, that the babe must be fed literal butter and honey, instead of milk, according to Isaiah's prophecy (Isa. 7:15). And such a diet that only adults could eat, would eventually cause the untimely death of the babe; and he would never know the difference between good and evil, nor would he grow up to childhood, according to the prophecy (Isa. 7:16).

"The training {concerning some foods which new-born babies must not eat} should begin with the infant in its mother's arms. The child should be given food only at regular intervals, and less frequently as it grows older. It should not be given sweets {such as honey}, or the food of older persons {such as butter}, which it is unable to digest."--Counsels On Diet And Foods, pg. 230 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Babies less than a year old should never be fed honey because it can lead to a condition known as infant botulism, caution health authorities in California. During the first three months of l984, eight of 20 cases reported of infant botulism were associated with eating honey. Symptoms include constipation, feeding problems and lethargy. After one year of age, infants can safely digest honey, the experts add."--The GLOBE September 11, 1984, pg. 14.

Thus, the miracle of the virgin birth, as well as the miraculous diet of "butter and honey," proves again that the "sign" was not fulfilled at any time during the old testament Jewish era, but could only have been fulfilled in the new testament Christian era when Jesus Christ was born of the Holy Ghost through the virgin Mary (Matt. 1:20-23). Therefore, if the babe Jesus was actually fed literal butter and honey, instead of milk, He would have become sick or even died on such a diet. This proves, of course, that the butter and honey must represent spiritual food.

VIRGIN-BIRTH SIGN--PART THREE

"For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings."--Isaiah 7:16.

"The lands, Israel, and Syria, which Judah abhorred, were to be forsaken of both their kings--conquered by the king of Assyria--before Immanuel was to be able to refuse the evil and choose the good,..."--14 Tract, pg. 33 (bold emphasis added).

"...for the confederacy of Israel and Syria, let us remember, was to be broken by Assyria after Immanuel was born but before he could 'refuse the evil and choose the good;...'"--14 Tract, pg. 36 (bold emphasis added).

Because this part of the virgin-birth "sign" says there will be a "child" named Immanuel living when a confederacy is broken, wherein the land "shall be forsaken of both her kings" (Isa. 7:16), it causes some well-meaning Christians to think that the "sign" had to be fulfilled in king Ahaz's day. Thus, they teach that a virgin means "a married wife," because they want Christians to believe that the son of Isaiah's wife, the "prophetess," or any other married wife's son being born at that time, was in fulfillment of the virgin-birth "sign;" and that the babe was to grow up to childhood and be alive at the time the ancient Israel-Syrian confederacy against Judah was broken by Assyria. But the only virgin-birth Son that has ever been born on this earth was Jesus; so, it would be impossible for the "sign" to have been fulfilled in the days of king Ahaz. But as far as he was concerned, it did not make any difference to him whether the "sign" was fulfilled in his day or at another time, because he did not believe in God's word. That is the reason Isaiah said to Ahaz: "Will ye weary my God also" (Isa. 7:13) with your unbelief?

KING AHAZ DID NOT BELIEVE

Contrary to what many Christians think, the "sign" really had nothing to do with the breaking of the ancient confederacy between Israel and Syria (Isa. 7:1,2), because king Ahaz was told that he must "believe," or he would not be "established" (Isa. 7:9). Notice that when he was told he must believe God's word that "within threescore and five years" (Isa. 7:8) the confederacy was to be broken, it was before he was told of the virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:14-16); which proves that the king's faith was to be established in God's word alone, and not in the "sign." Therefore, whether or not he was given a "sign," this was in no way to alter the Lord's prediction through His prophet that the confederacy was to be broken within sixty five years (Isa. 7:8). Even if God had not given the "sign," king Ahaz was nonetheless to "believe" in God's word, if he was to be "established," and saved from the power of the two kings of Israel and Syria--the lands that they abhorred.

"The prophet declared that the kingdom of Israel, and Syria as well, would soon come to an end. 'If ye will not believe,' he concluded, 'surely ye shall not be established.' {Isa. 7} Verses 4-7,9."--Prophets and Kings, pg. 329 (bold emphasis, braces added).

It is important to note that God's virgin-birth "sign" should not be confused with His prediction that within sixty five years (Isa. 7:8) the Israel-Syrian confederacy was to be broken, because it did come to pass (2 Ki. 18:11) in king Ahaz's day. The "sign," however, did not come to pass at anytime during the old testament Jewish era. Therefore, it must apply to the new testament Christian era in the birth of Jesus (Isa. 7:14). But the Jews rejected Him, and many Christians today do not believe in the full significance of the "sign" (Isa. 7:15,16).

King Ahaz, however, did not believe in God's prediction that the Israel-Syrian confederacy would be broken within sixty-five years; neither did he believe in His virgin-birth "sign;" and he was not going to wait around for sixty five years to see if the confederacy would be broken. Neither was he going to try to find a virgin who had given birth to a son, which she had named "Immanuel," and who had had been feeding him literal butter and honey; and then wait several years for the babe to grow to childhood (if he had not already died from eating the butter and honey), so that the confederacy would be broken (Isa. 7:16). That was too long for king Ahaz to wait; so he decided to do something himself to break up that confederacy.

KING OF ASSYRIA BROKE THE ANCIENT CONFEDERACY

"Well would it have been for the kingdom of Judah had Ahaz received this message from heaven {that sometime within sixty five years the confederacy would be broken}. But choosing to lean on the arm of flesh {instead of believing in the prediction of God through Isaiah}, he sought help from the heathen. In desperation he sent word to Tiglathpileser, king of Assyria: 'I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which riseth up against me.' 2 Kings 16:7. The request was accompanied by a rich present from the king's treasure and from the temple storehouse."--Prophets and Kings, pg. 329 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria. And the king hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus {capital city of Syria}, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to kir, and slew Rezin {king of Syria}."--2 Kings 16:8,9 (bold emphasis, braces added).  

"And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel {Isa. 7:17} unto Assyria,...Because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord..."--2 Kings 18:11,12 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"About two years later, Samaria was invested by the hosts of Assyria under Shalmaneser; and in the siege that followed, multitudes perished miserably of hunger and disease as well as by the sword. The city and nation fell, and the broken remnant of the ten tribes {of Israel} were carried away captive and scattered in the provinces of the Assyrian realm."--Prophets and Kings, pg. 291 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"The northern kingdom {the ten tribes} was rapidly crumbling to pieces; and many were perishing by the sword; a multitude had already been carried away captive; soon Israel would fall completely into the hands of the Assyrians, and be utterly ruined;..."--Prophets and Kings, pg. 332 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"First is mentioned the history of ancient Israel's unsuccessfully confederating with Syria against Judah, for they could not prevail against her. Instead, both were taken by Assyria."--12 Symbolic Code, No. 1, pg. 5 (bold emphasis added).

And so it was just as God had predicted, that sometime "within threescore and five years," not at the end of sixty five years, "shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people" (Isa. 7:8). And in spite of the fact that it was king Ahaz who had hired the king of Assyria to break the confederacy, yet, the Assyrians could not have done so except God had decreed the fall and complete destruction of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel--be not a people. Hosea the prophet, who prophesied in the days of king Ahaz (Hos. 1:1), also predicted the complete destruction of Ephraim (Israel) when he said that God would "cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel" (Hos. 1:4). Therefore, God must receive credit for the breaking of the confederacy, and the dispersion of Israel, not king Ahaz of Judah nor the king of Assyria!

"Ancient Israel as a nation and a government {the twelve tribes} were obliged to protect their own property, people, and families--even by the sword. But they were not to war against their own brethren. When the ten-tribe kingdom, Israel, confederated with Syria to war against the two-tribe kingdom, Judah, God's curse rested upon both Syria and Israel, and each was consequently broken by the king of Assyria. (See Isaiah 7:1-8;8:4)."--5 Answerer Book, pgs. 71, 72 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"When ancient Israel fell it was God who brought it; it was God who was responsible for it."--13 Symbolic Code, No. 1, pg. 30 (bold emphasis added).

"...the confederacy did not succeed in breaking Judah; but rather that God employed the predatory power, Assyria, swiftly to break the confederacy, to destroy both kings, and to scatter Israel and Syria throughout the cities of the Medes, even though Judah herself was not wholly devoted to God."--Military Stand, pg. 5 (bold emphasis added).

The house of David was warned: "If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established" (Isa. 7:9); but king Ahaz proved he did not believe when he hired the Assyrians to break the confederacy. Therefore, it came to pass later that the kingdom of Judah was finally taken captive by Babylon, and was no longer "established" as an independent nation. Their captivity continued from Babylon to the Medo-Persian empire, then on to the Grecian empire; and finally on until the Roman empire, when Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, which began the new testament Christian era. Then, at that time the virgin-birth "sign" was fulfilled, after a long lapse of time of about 700 years since the prophecy was first given to the house of David.

VIRGIN-BIRTH TIME DISCREPANCY

Even though the virgin-birth "sign" was given in the day of king Ahaz, and even though the ancient confederacy between Israel and Syria was broken by Assyria within the sixty-five year period as Isaiah predicted (Isa. 7:8), yet, the "sign" was not given to prove the credibility of that particular sixty-five year prediction, because the "sign" had not been fulfilled at that time, but was fulfilled many years later in Jesus' day. Thus, its not being fulfilled in king Ahaz's day proves that there was a difference of time--"a time-discrepancy"--to be considered in order to correctly understand all three parts of the virgin-birth "sign."

"...The lands, Israel and Syria, which Judah abhorred, were to be forsaken of both their kings--conquered by the king of Assyria--before Immanuel was to be able to refuse evil and choose good,...But the simple historical fact that these two kingdoms were overthrown centuries before Immanuel {Jesus} was even born, brings a time-discrepancy which can be reconciled only by the conclusion that all four nations (Judah, Israel, Syria, and Assyria) involved in this historical action, were typical of four others that were to arise sometime following Immanuel's birth; for after His birth, Israel and Syria were to be conquered by Assyria."--14 Tract, pg. 33 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Since the word "discrepancy" means "difference," and "discrepant" means "disagreeing" (Webster's Dictionary), then the phrase, "a time-discrepancy" in reference to the virgin-birth "sign," simply means that there is a difference or disagreement between the time that the Jews thought the "sign" was to be fulfilled (in the time of king Ahaz), and the time when it was actually fulfilled in the birth of the Messiah--Jesus. Of course, it was only natural for the Jews in the house of David (Judah) to expect the "sign" to have been fulfilled in their time, rather than its being fulfilled approximately 700 years later; and there are many Christians today who also believe that it was partially fulfilled in king Ahaz's day. The reason that most of the Christians cannot understand the virgin-birth "sign," is because they do not believe that all three parts of Isaiah's prophecy (Isa. 7:14-16) applies to the Christian era. Therefore, they teach that the birth of a "Son" by a "virgin" (Isa. 7:14) applies to the day of Christ, but as for the eating of "butter and honey" (Isa. 7:15), and the breaking of the Israel-Syrian confederacy, wherein the people are "forsaken" of both their "kings" (Isa. 7:16), they apply to the day of king Ahaz. But if they would accept the fact that there must be "a time-discrepancy" connected with all three verses (Isa. 7:14-16), which places their fulfillment in the Christian era, they would not be confused. Then they would not try to put Isaiah 7:14 in Christ's day, and Isaiah 7:15,16 in king Ahaz's day; which leads them to erroneously conclude that "a virgin" is "a married wife." But this is not the only record of a prophecy in which "a time-discrepancy" brought about a future fulfillment.

Moses, the one who wrote the book of Genesis (P.P. 251), recorded a prophecy (Gen. 3:15) which God had given to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden concerning the bruising of the "heel" of the woman's seed. Of course, the majority of Christians today understand this to mean the death of Christ on the cross; but Adam and Eve must have thought that the prophecy would be fulfilled in their life time. Instead, there was "a time-discrepancy" of approximately 4,000 years to its actual fulfillment at the time of the first advent of Christ. Therefore, as there was "a time-discrepancy" connected with Genesis 3:15, which has left the Christians with no alternative but to accept its fulfillment about 4,000 years later at the time of Christ's death on the cross; so likewise, there was "a time-discrepancy" connected with Isaiah 7:14-16, which has also left them with no alternative but to accept its fulfillment about 700 years later at the time Jesus was born of the Holy Ghost by the virgin Mary; wherein all three parts of the virgin-birth "sign" will be fulfilled only in the Christian era.

CHRIST (IMMANUEL) WAS BORN OF THE HOLY GHOST

In the following verses of Matthew, there is recorded the exact fulfillment of the virgin-birth "sign" as prophesied by the Lord's prophet Isaiah (Isa. 7:14-16).

"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as His mother Mary was espoused {already married} to Joseph, {but} before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."--Matthew 1:18-23 (bold emphasis, braces added).

According to these verses (Mt1:18-23) it was Gabriel the angel who came to Joseph in a dream, and to Mary before that at another time (Lk. 1:26-31), and told her that she was with child of the Holy Ghost, which fulfilled the only prophecy in all the Bible that spoke of the virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:14). This proves that the "sign" cannot be applied to king Ahaz's day, because at no time in all the history of this world has there ever been anyone who was born of a virgin by the power of the Holy Ghost, except Jesus Christ.

Today, there are unbelieving Jews who have rejected Jesus, and they are still teaching the 2,000-year-old theory that a virgin supposedly means "a married wife" (22:2), by which to discredit the virgin-birth of Jesus. This leads them to erroneously conclude that the "sign" (Isa. 7:14-16) does not apply to Jesus' day, but to the day of king Ahaz; so they could say that any Jewish "married wife" living in the days of king Ahaz could bear a son, name him "Immanuel" (Isa. 7:14), and then tell king Ahaz that her son fulfilled the virgin-birth "sign" that Isaiah gave to him (Isa. 7:14).

And there are some misguided Christians, though claiming that Jesus was the Messiah, are teaching the Jewish error that "a married wife" is a virgin, which is not only discrediting the virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:14), but is also discrediting Jesus as the Messiah! It is this "married wife" theory that leads some Christians to erroneously conclude that it was Joseph, nor the Holy Ghost, that caused Mary to be with child. This confuses other Christians and makes them believe that Mary was not a virgin when Jesus was born! It's no wonder that so few Christians today really believe in the virgin-birth of Jesus by the Holy Ghost, when they are taught the blasphemous error that His mother Mary was "a married wife" who had been touched by her husband Joseph, wherein she was with child by the seed of man.

But God's Word directly contradicts this false idea by plainly stating in Matthew: "when as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost (Mt1:18); and also stating in Luke: "when the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary:...behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son,...Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee,..." (Lk1:30,31,34,35). According to these words: "before they came together," and "I know not a man," no sincere Christian can honestly believe and teach others that the virgin Mary was with child by the seed of her husband Joseph.

So far it has been proven conclusively that the first part of the "sign," the virgin-birth of a Son named "Immanuel" (Isa. 7:14), must apply to Jesus in the New Testament era. Therefore, the second part of the "sign"--His eating the "butter and honey" (Isa. 7:15), must also apply to the Christian era and not to the time of king Ahaz.

CHRIST (IMMANUEL) ATE BUTTER AND HONEY

"Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin {Mary} shall conceive, and bear a son {named Jesus}, and shall call His {symbolic} name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good."--Isaiah 7:14,15 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"It is agreed {by most Protestant Christians} that the child here spoken of prophetically, is Christ. And according to these verses, He was prescribed a special diet, as was John the Baptist (Luke 1:15; Matt. 3:4). Yet, there is no record showing that Christ's diet was ever of literal 'butter and honey.' There is record, though, that He did eat of all the sanctified foods that were commonly used by the Jews in His time."--6 Tract, pg. 27 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"But as the prophet's utterance {Isa. 7:14,15} must be correct, the only conclusion possible is that the 'butter and honey' are symbolical of something which Christ freely used, and which made Him wise and able to discriminate between good and evil."--6 Tract, pg. 28 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"The only way to discover what the butter and honey represent, is to determine what enabled Jesus to differentiate between good and evil, and to choose the one and refuse the other--the reason for His eating them. The Saviour defeated the powers of evil by being inspired to interpret the Scriptures, which enabled Him to say: 'It is written.' This reveals that the 'butter and honey,' which empowered Him to 'refuse the evil' and to 'choose the good,' are symbolical of the Scriptures. Thus when He said, 'I have meat to eat that ye know not of' (John 4:32), He must have referred to Isaiah's 'butter and honey.'"--6 Tract, pgs. 28,29 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"No one would deny, as mentioned in our last week's study, that this is a prophecy {Isa. 7:14,15} of Christ's first advent. And as we have the record that His diet was not of dairy butter and of bee honey, not restricted as was John the Baptist's, also by the fact that no literal butter and honey has the efficacy of compelling anyone to choose the good and to refuse the evil, it all proves that the "butter and honey" are symbolical of the Word of God, that Christ Himself learned from the Scriptures to choose the good and to refuse the evil."--2 Timely Greetings, No. 20, pg. 25 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Thus, Jesus fulfilled Isaiah's prophetic "sign" of a Son who was born of a virgin, and whose diet consisted of the symbolic "butter and honey." Since, however, many of the Jews in Judah accepted Him as their Messiah, and took unto themselves the title of "Christians" (Acts 11:26), then it is obvious that both Jesus Christ and the Christian Jews were those who fulfilled the virgin-birth "sign"!

CHRISTIANS (IMMANUEL) BORN OF THE HOLY GHOST

Isaiah's prophecy of the virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:14) plainly stated that the Son was to be called "Immanuel," whereas Gabriel said, "thou shalt call his name JESUS" (Mt. 1:21); and then he explained the meaning of the name "Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (Mt. 1:23). Thus, these Scriptures (Isa. 7:14; Mt1:23) seem to imply that the singular name "Immanuel" may refer to Jesus Christ, and the plural name "Emmanuel" may refer to the Christians, because it means "God with us." If so, then it may be that the name (Emmanuel) was given to the Christian Jews (Acts 11:26) because God was with them; whereas He was not with the Jews who rejected His Son.

And as these unfaithful Jews did not believe that the "sign" was fulfilled in Jesus (born of the Holy Ghost), so there are unfaithful Christians today who do not believe that the "sign" is also fulfilled in the Immanuelite Christians (also born of the Holy Ghost). But in spite of the Jews' rejection and the Christian's unbelief, the name "Emmanuel" clearly indicates that only the Jews and Gentiles who had accepted Jesus, and had became true Christians, could rightly say, "God is with us." This proves conclusively that though the virgin-birth "sign" primarily applies to Jesus, it also applies to the Christians in a secondary sense, because Jesus and the Christians were both born of the Holy Ghost (Mt. 1:20; Jn3:3; Acts2:1-4). Thus, both names, "Immanuel" (Isa. 7:14) and "Emmanuel" (Mt. 1:23) applies to Jesus and the Christians; because these names represent "Christ {Immanuel} in the person of His people {Emmanuel}" (14 Tr. 35:0). It is for this reason that this book refers to the Christians as Immanuelites.

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they {about 120 Christian Jews--Acts 1:15} were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."--Acts 2:1-4 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"The birth of {Jesus} a man-child (Immanuel) to a virgin, for 'a sign' to 'the house of David' (Isa. 7:13,14)."--14 Tract, pg. 32:4 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"We learned that Immanuel (meaning 'God with us') {Mt. 1:23} could represent only His true followers, the born-again Christians."--12 Symbolic Code, No. 1, pg. 6 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Wherefore, the virgin-birth prophecy {Isa. 7:14} does not refer alone to the birth of Christ, but even more significantly to His {Christian} followers {who were born of the Holy Ghost}--the birth and development of Christendom."--14 Tract, pg. 34 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Having been pre-existent with His {Jesus'} Father (Heb. 1:1,2; John 1:1,2), and then having been reborn in Bethlehem, Immanuel manifestly represents the 'born again' Christians {of the Holy Ghost} (John 3:3);..."--14 Tract, pg. 35 (bold emphasis, braces added).

As Jesus existed twice, once in heaven and then again upon the earth when He was born of the virgin Mary, by the miraculous power of the Holy Ghost at the time of His second existence; so the Christians, Immanuel or Emmanuel exist twice. The first time they were born with an earthly carnal nature; and the second time they were born again of the Holy Ghost as a "new creature" (2 Cor. 5:17), in fulfillment of the virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:14). The "sign," however, also stated that the special diet of the Immanuelite Christians was to consist of "butter and honey" (Isa. 7:15).

CHRISTIANS (IMMANUEL) EAT BUTTER AND HONEY

According to Isaiah's virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:15), both Jesus and the Christians (Immanuel), were to eat "butter and honey" to enable them "to refuse the evil, and choose the good."

"...the fact that no literal butter and honey has the efficacy of compelling anyone to choose the good and to refuse the evil, it all proves that the 'butter and honey' are symbolical of the Word of God,..."--2 Timely Greetings, No. 20, pg. 25 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"The obvious lesson is that at the time one is converted (born again) to Christ, he is a babe in the Christian life, and needs for the time being to be fed, as a new born babe, on the 'sincere milk of the Word,' that he 'may grow thereby.' 1 Pet. 2:2."--14 Tract, pg. 36 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Thus, Immanuel (Isa. 7:14) or Emmanuel (Mt. 1:23) represents the Christians, "God with us," who must eat the "butter and honey" to help them refuse evil and choose good. They were to learn to do this as a "child" (Isa. 7:16) growing up, who is not yet mature enough to consistently refuse all evil and choose all good. This means they are sinners, as are all Christians who struggle to overcome sin. Therefore, it is important to note that if the virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:14) of a "child" (Isa. 7:16) referred to Jesus alone, and not to the Christians as well, then it could not have stated that there was a time "before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good" (Isa. 7:16). If the child {symbolizing the Christians) did not know the difference between good and evil, then they would be sinners until they learned the difference and stopped sinning. That could not have been the case with the child Jesus, because not once did He ever sin in all His life time, even as a child!

"The life of Jesus was a life in harmony with God {Luke 2:49}. While He was a child, He thought and spoke as a child; but no trace of sin marred the image of God within Him."--Desire of Ages, pg. 71 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Jesus never sinned! He was the spotless "Lamb of God" (Jn. 1:29), "who knew no sin" (2 Cor. 5:21), because He ate "butter and honey" to know "every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Mt. 4:4). However, the Jews and Gentiles who were born into sin, but were later reborn by the Holy Ghost as Immanuelite Christians being babes in the faith, must begin their spiritual growth on the food of babes--"milk" (1 Pet. 2:2), the more simple fundamental doctrines of the Word of God. And even after the Christians had grown up beyond the childhood stage, and could eat solid spiritual foods (butter and honey), they still would not be able to consistently refuse all evil and choose all good, until they had become fully mature Christians.

Now since the first part of the virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:14) must apply to Jesus and the Christians, because they were both born of the Holy Ghost; so the second part of the "sign" (Isa. 7:15) must also be applied to them, because they were both to eat the symbolic "butter and honey." However, the third part of the "sign" (Isa. 7:16) must apply to the Christians only, because Jesus went to heaven in 31 A.D.; and because it was several hundred years later, after Christianity had developed from babyhood to childhood, which was "before" (Isa. 7:16) they could refuse all evil and choose all good, that the Immanuelite Christians would be living during the time when a confederacy would be broken.

CHRISTIANS WHO LIVED DURING A CONFEDERACY

The third part of the prophetic "sign" (Isa. 7:16) teaches that by the time the babe had become a "child," a confederacy was to be broken. But it could not have referred to Jesus, because when He was a child, during the time when Judah was in captivity under Pagan Roman, there was no confederacy that had been broken.

"Since, as has already been pointed out, Christ ('Immanuel') did not live in the time of such a confederacy, it must be that not only Israel, Syria, and Assyria are types, but Christ Himself is also a type. We learned that Immanuel {or Emmanuel} (meaning 'God with us') could represent only His true followers, the born-again Christians {of the Holy Ghost}."--12 Symbolic Code, No. 1, pgs. 5,6 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Now in view of the fact that Jesus never did live in the time of a confederacy, because He went back to heaven in 31 A.D., then it is very obvious that though the first and second parts of the virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:14,15) were fulfilled in Christ and the early Christians, the third part (Isa. 7:16) must be fulfilled in the Christians only--even throughout the entire New Testament Christian era for a period of about two thousand years.

CHRISTIANS (IMMANUEL) LIVE TWO THOUSAND YEARS

Even though Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of the virgin-birth "sign," and lived from babyhood to childhood and on to manhood, being thirty-three years old when He was crucified (D.A. 830), yet He only lived the life of one person. However, the name Immanuel or Emmanuel, meaning "God with us," also refers to the Christian Jews who were born of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:4; Jn. 3:3) in fulfillment of the "sign," but they are many persons living in the Christian era. And since the Immanuelite Christians are to exist for two thousand years, and since no one person can live that long, then Immanuel must symbolically represent the early Christians at their beginning from babyhood to childhood, to adolescence in the latter days, and finally to maturity (Eph. 5:27) just before Christ's second advent. Thus, the stage of Immanuel's growth is not to be numbered by a few years as was Christ's literal thirty-three years of life time, but a symbolic growth numbered in hundreds of years, from the time they were reborn to the time they live when a confederacy is broken, and on beyond to the day of the second advent. This confederacy will be explained in greater detail later on in this book.

THE YOUNGER CHRISTIAN MEMBERS

Besides the Immanuelite Christians, there are "younger members," (14 Tr. 38) who also lived during the time of a confederacy and on to the last days. They are those who are not born-of-the-Holy-Ghost Christians, whose symbolic name is Immanuel; instead, they are born-of-the-flesh Christians, whose symbolic name is Mahershalalhashbaz (the longest name in the Bible).

"Moreover the Lord said unto me {Isaiah}, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz....And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the Lord to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz. For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My Father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus {Syria} and the spoil of Samaria {Israel} shall be taken away {their confederacy broken} before the king of Assyria."--Isaiah 8:1,3,4 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"The birth of a son (Mahershalalhashbaz) to the prophet himself {Isaiah}, 'for signs and wonders' in Israel (Isa. 8:18)."--14 Tract, pg. 32 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Isaiah "went unto the prophetess" (Isa. 8:3)--a married wife, and she had a son; he symbolically represents another class of Christians who are called "Mahershalalhashbaz," and who were born after the Immanuelite Christians were born. The difference between the two brothers is that the Christians (Immanuel) were born of the Holy Ghost (Jn. 3:3) as Jesus was born of the Holy Ghost by the virgin Mary (Mt. 1:20,21). But the younger of the "two classes of church members" (14 Tr. 35) is Mahershalalhashbaz, who was born of the flesh by the "prophetess." Thus, unlike the Immanuelite Christians who are born of the Holy Ghost by the will of God, Mahershalalhashbaz symbolizes the Christians who are born of the flesh by the will of their parents!

"...Mahershalalhashbaz must be symbolical of another group in the Christian era. And as he knows only to say 'my father, and my mother,' while 'Immanuel' (Christ in the person of His people) knows to refuse the evil and choose the good, Mahershalalhashbaz...cannot symbolize any who lived before Immanuel."--14 Tract, pgs. 34,35 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Still further, the fact that both were to be born into Judah (the church), one of the Spirit {Immanuel} and the other {Mahershallalhashbaz} of the flesh, is conclusive evidence of their being, as the prophet says, for 'wonders' and for 'signs' of two classes of church members, living at the same time.

"Having being pre-existent with His {Jesus Christ's} Father (Heb. 1:1,2; Jn. 1:1,2), and then having been re-born in Bethlehem, Immanuel manifestly represents the 'born again' Christians (John 3:3); whereas never having been pre-existent, Mahershalalhashbaz can only symbolize those not 'born again'--that part of the church membership which cannot be represented by Immanuel. A parallel is found in the allegory of Ishmael and Isaac, typifying the 'born after the flesh' and the 'born after the Spirit'--the non-Christian Jew and the Christian Jew. (Galatians 4:22-31)."--14 Tract, pg. 35 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Since "Mahershalalhashbaz manifestly cannot symbolize any who lived before Immanuel" (14 Tr. 35), since he was born (Isa. 8:3) soon after Immanuel was born (Isa. 7:14), then they both must symbolize "two classes of church members, living at the same time" (14 Tr. 35) "in the Christian era" (14 Tr. 34,35), even up to the last days. But the main difference between these two brothers is that the Mahershalalhashbaz Christians (born of the flesh) do not know their father (the Lord) and their mother (His church)!

CHRISTIANS WHO DO NOT KNOW THEIR FATHER AND MOTHER

"The overthrow of Israel {the breaking of the New Testament confederacy by antitypical Assyria is} to occur before Immanuel {Christians born of the Spirit} could learn to differentiate evil from good, and before Mahershalalhashbaz {Christians born of the flesh} could say 'my father, and my mother' (Isa. 7:16; 8:4)."--14 Tract, pg. 32 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"...for the {New Testament} confederacy of Israel and Syria, let us remember, was to be broken by {antitypical} Assyria after Immanuel was born {long after the ancient confederacy was already broken} but before He could 'refuse the evil and choose the good;' and not only after Mahershalalhashbaz was born but also before he could say 'my father and my mother.' And the fact that the {Christian} church is still imperfect, shows that even the 'born again' Christians are to this day unable to choose consistently between good and evil, and that those {Mahershalalhashbaz Christians} who are merely born after the flesh are so undeveloped as to be unable even to lay positive claim to knowing their father (God) and their mother (the Church) {which today is Seventh-day Adventists}."--14 Tract, pg. 36 (bold emphasis, braces added) (bold emphasis, braces added).

The difference between the older and the younger brother is what food the older brother (Immanuel Christians) eats (butter and honey), and what the younger brother (Mahershalalhashbaz Christians) does not know--his father and mother. Since the born-of-the-Spirit Immanuelite Christians know their "Father" (God), then the Holy Spirit (which they are born of) would also lead them to know their "mother"--His true church (Rev. 12:1), from where the spiritual diet of "butter and honey" is dispensed in the latter days. They are the older Christians who are born unto the house of David, antitypical Judah--Laodicea (14 Tr. 21:2), God's true church of today--Seventh-day Adventists.

Older brother--"The birth of a man-child (Immanuel) to a virgin, for a 'sign' to 'the house of David' {Judah Isa. 7:2,6; 14 Tr. 21:2} (Isa. 7:13,14)."--14 Tract, pg. 32 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Younger brother--"The birth of a son (Mahershalalhashbaz) to the prophet {Isaiah} himself, 'for signs and for wonders' in Israel (Isa. . 8:18)."--14 Tract, pg. 32 (bold emphasis, braces added).

The born-of-the-flesh Mahershalalhashbaz Christians did not accept all of the Reformation truths, and as a result they have no desire to eat the "butter and honey" (truth from the Word of God), which is "bitter to their carnal taste" (5 Tr. 50). So, they practice many sins which God's ten commandment law condemns, because they do not know how to refuse the evil and choose the good. Thus, they do not know their "Father" (God), and would say: "Where is God?" or "God is dead!" And not knowing Him, they are led to fellowship in the wrong churches on the wrong day (Sunday), which is proof that they do not know their "mother" (God's true church), and would say, "Which church is God's church?" or "All the churches are God's church!" or "None of the churches are God's church!" They are Christians who are born unto Judah (14 Tr. 35:1) for "signs and wonders" in Israel.

There will, of course, be many Mahershalalhashbaz Christians who are to be saved after the Immanuelite Christians receive the long awaited "butter and honey," near the end of the New Testament Christian era in the latter days; because the Immanuelites will lead them, the "younger members" (14 Tr. 38), to eat it also, so that they will know their "Father" (God) and their "mother" (God's true church--Seventh-day Adventists).

"However, in conversing or studying with one you know to be a recent convert {from other Protestant Churches}, you should exercise special care and judgment and tact in presenting only the simplest reform truths first, so as not to bewilder the mind of one who is only a 'babe' (a 'Mahershalalhashbaz') in the Scriptures."--5 Answerer Book, pg. 50 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Hence, each one, even the younger members (the born after the flesh) {Mahershalalhashbaz}, can now be enabled to recognize their spiritual parents {their God and His church--mother}, so as to say, 'my Father and my Mother:' for to know their God aright through the Son and to know their church {Laodicea--Seventh-day Adventists} aright through timely Truth, is what brings life eternal."--14 Tract, pg. 38 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Therefore, when both Christian brothers {Immanuel and Mahershalalhashbaz) follow only one God (Father), and fellowship in only one church (mother), and eat the same spiritual food (butter and honey) to help them refuse evil and choose good, then they will become fully grown mature Christians saved in God's soon-coming kingdom--"a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing" (Eph. 5:27); ready for Jesus' coming.

FOUR MAJOR PHASES OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Isaiah's prophetic births of the Spirit-born Immanuelite Christians (Isa. 7:14), and the flesh-born Mahershalalhashbaz Christians (Isa. 8:3) were for "signs" and "wonders" from God, which reveals the four major phases of their spiritual growth since the beginning of Christianity. These four major phases in the Christian era are: (1) Their birth as babes feeding on "milk" (1 Pet. 2:2), beginning with the birth of Christ. (2) Their spiritual growth to childhood, wherein they live in a time when antitypical Assyria breaks a confederacy (Isa. 7:16; 8:4). (3) Their spiritual growth to adolescence in the latter days when they will eat "butter and honey" during the time antitypical Assyria forms another confederacy (2 T.G. 41:18,19), wherein they will oppose it (13 S.C. 3:8:1) just before Assyria falls. (4) Their growth to maturity, when they become pure and holy and sin no more (Eph. 5:27), being ready to meet Jesus at His second advent. This prophetic time-period of their symbolic growth from babyhood on to maturity is during the entire New Testament Christian era, which consumes a period of two thousand years, as has already been explained.

Now since the time of their growth from babyhood to maturity is not a physical growth ending in death, but a spiritual one, then their progress of Christianity in spiritual knowledge constitutes which spiritual age of the four major phases that they would be living in during the Christian era. And because the spiritual growth of Christianity has progressed from babyhood (major phase 1) to childhood (major phase 2), and on to their adolescence in our day, the latter days (major phase 3), when antitypical Assyria is to form another confederacy, which will be a death "trap" and a "snare" to God's people, just before they become mature Immanuelite Christians (major phase 4); then it would be very important to find out who is this Assyrian power. To do this, it is necessary to go back to the time of the spiritual childhood (major phase 2) of these two Christian brothers, in a time when a confederacy was formed during the Dark Age period of Christianity; then the power which broke that Dark-Age confederacy will be identified as antitypical Assyria. By studying from the book of Daniel, the truth of this Dark-Age confederacy will be clearly revealed to the honest seeker of truth.

FOUR SYMBOLIC BEASTS

"Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. The first was like a lion {Babylon},...a second, like to a bear {Medo-Persia),...and lo another, like a leopard {Grecia},...After this I saw...a fourth beast {non-descript}, dreadful and terrible {Rome},..."--Daniel 7:2-7 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth."--Daniel 7:17 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Daniel explains {Dan. 7:17} that his four beasts symbolize four world empires, one following the other. And it has been widely understood that they are Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome."--2 Timely Greetings, No. 17, pg. 6 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"The four beasts {four kings or kingdoms--{Dan. 7:17,23} of Daniel 7; namely, the lion, bear, leopard, and the non-descript were shown in the vision as four universal empires coming up one after another. Thus prophecy as well as history proves that Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia and Rome succeeded each other. This unbreakable chain of four links makes it impossible to intersect any one of the four beasts with a universal system."--2 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 106 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Bible prophecy along with secular history reveals that Babylon (the lion), Medo-Persia (the bear), and Grecia (the leopard) were world empires in the Old Testament era; while Rome (the non-descript beast) arose between the closing of this era, and the beginning of the New Testament era, when Christ and the Christian Jews (Immanuel) were born of the Holy Ghost. It was during the reign of Pagan Rome that the Immanuelite Christians were spiritually growing up from babyhood to childhood. But Rome was divided into two phases--Pagan Rome and Ecclesiastical or Papal Rome.

"As widely accepted, the fourth beast's two-phases--one with ten horns, the other with seven horns, along with the 'little horn' (Daniel 7:7,8)--portray, first, Pagan Rome, and second, Ecclesiastical {Papal} Rome, and the 'little horn' (the horn-head), the power that then ruled, was religious-political."--12 Tract, pg. 19 (bold emphasis, braces added).

PAGAN ROME--NON-DESCRIPT BEAST (FIRST PHASE)

"After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast {Pagan Rome}, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns."--Daniel 7:7 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Following the four-headed leopard {beast of Daniel 7:6} comes the non-descript beast of Daniel 7:7, representing the fourth universal empire from the flood, but the fifth one from creation. Rome is represented by a more terrible symbol than the kingdoms before it. There must be a special reason why the Roman monarchy is represented by a non-descript beast. The symbol reveals that the Roman system of government was an arrangement that could not be described. The nearest approach to a correct name is the term--non-descript.

"We shall now consider its government administration. The crucifixion of Christ and the martyrdom of the Christians give evidence that the Roman executive authority was vested in paganism, which was at war with Christianity. As these Christians were put to death for refusal to worship the gods of the people, it is evidence that the Jews used the civil arm of Rome to try and enforce their own religious customs; Jesus being an example, for He was crucified as a result of religious controversy. Rome in the first century persecuted the Christians, but after adopting Christianity, she ill-treated the pagans; compelling them to join the so-called Christian church. From the evidence gathered, it is plain to see that the Roman monarchy was a tool for either Pagan, Jew, or Christian; alternating in favor of one, and then of the other. Inasmuch as the {religious} character of the Imperial Roman jurisdiction could not be defined as Pagan, Jewish, or Christian, 'non-descript' is the only fitting symbol. It is said of Constantine at his death that his subjects knew not what kind of burial to give him, since he was a professed Christian, but at heart a Pagan."--2 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 56 (bold emphasis, braces added).

It was during the time of Pagan Rome, when the Jewish nation (kingdom of Judah) were still ruled by the Romans, that the virgin-birth "sign" was fulfilled in Jesus and the Christians. As Jesus Christ was born of the Holy Ghost as a "babe...in a manger" (Lk. 2:16), so it was that the Immanuelite Christians were also born of the Holy Ghost as "new-born babes" (1 Pet. 2:2) in the Christian faith. Then they began to grow up spiritually from babyhood to childhood during the time of Pagan Rome (Dan. 7:7). It was after Pagan Rome fell in 476 A.D. by the invasion of the barbarian hordes, that Papal Rome (Dan. 7:8) rose to power when a church-state confederacy was formed (as in the ancient type--apostate Israel and Syria heathens) between the apostate Christians (antitypical Israel) and the pagan heathens (antitypical Syria). The reign of Papal Rome was to last (Dan. 7:25) a "time" (1 year--360 days), "times" (2 years--720 days), "half a time" (1/2 year--180 days), which equals 1260 days or years (Ezek. 4:6), then it was broken by antitypical Assyria. But persecution against the Immanuelite Christians kept the church separate from the state's national religion of paganism during the time of Pagan Rome, so the church-state confederacy could not be formed.

PERSECUTION SEPARATED CHRISTIANS FROM PAGANS

"The spirit of compromise and conformity was restrained for a time by the fierce persecutions which the church {Immanuelite Christians) endured under paganism {Pagan Rome up to 476 A.D.}."--Great Controversy, pg. 49 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"These persecutions, beginning under Nero about the time of the martyrdom of Paul, continued with greater or less fury for centuries {in the time of Pagan Rome}. Christians were falsely accused of the most dreadful crimes and declared to be the cause of great calamities--famine, pestilence, and earthquake. As they became the objects of popular hatred and suspicion, informers stood ready, for the sake of gain, to betray the innocent. They were condemned as rebels against the empire, as foes of religion, and pests to society. Great numbers were thrown to wild beasts or burned alive in the amphitheaters. Some were crucified; others were covered with the skins of wild animals, and thrust into the arena to be torn by dogs. Their punishment was often made the chief entertainment at public fetes. Vast multitudes assembled to enjoy the sight, and greeted their dying agonies with laughter and applause."--Great Controversy, pg. 40 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Isaiah prophesied (Isa. 7:16;8:4) that when Immanuel and Mahershalalhashbaz (the older and younger Christians) had grown up spiritually to the childhood phase (see), there would be a confederacy formed; and that later it would be broken by an antitypical Assyria. But as long as persecution continued under the reign of Pagan Rome, it could not be formed. It was after Pagan Rome, the non-descript beast (Dan. 7:7), had fallen in 476 A.D. by the invasion of the barbarian hordes, and Papal Rome, the non-descript beast (Dan. 7:8), had arisen, that she adopted Christianity. It was during that time that the apostate Christians (antitypical Israel--church) and pagan heathens (antitypical Syria--state) formed the "unholy union of Church and State which ruled during the Dark Ages" (14 Tr. 33).

CONFEDERACY OF CHRISTIANS AND PAGANS

"First is mentioned the history of ancient Israel's unsuccessful confederating with Syria against Judah, for they could not prevail against her. Instead, both were taken by Assyria. Then follows the prophecy {Isa. 7:14} of the birth of Immanuel {Jesus Christ}. Since, however, Christ was born long after the kings of Israel and Syria were taken, it is obvious from verse 16 of chapter 7 that circumstances was to occur at sometime that would be the antitype of the confederacy which took place anciently between Israel and Syria against Judah, and that in this antitypical period both kings represented by Syria and Israel would be taken by a power represented by Assyria before 'Immanuel' would know the difference between good and evil.

"Since, as has already been pointed out, Christ ('Immanuel') did not live in the time of such a confederacy, it must be that not only Israel, Syria, and Assyria are types, but Christ Himself is also a type. We learned that Immanuel (meaning, 'God with us') could represent only His true followers, the born-again Christians."--12 Symbolic Code, No. 1, pg. 5:3 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Through these scriptures and historical facts we learned that the antitype of Israel and Syria's confederacy took place commencing in the first century A.D., when one part of the {apostate} Christians (Israel) federated with Pagans (Syria) against the other {true} Christians (Judah),..."--12 Symbolic Code, No. 1, pg. 6:1 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"In amplification of this cluster of events, several facts stand out in unmistakable self-interpretation: (1) 'Immanuel,' by virtue of his virgin birth and his name, 'God with us' (Matt. 1:23), can only be Christ with us {Christians}. (2) He was born for a sign that the unholy alliance {church-state confederacy} between Israel and Syria was to come to naught. (3) The lands, Israel and Syria, which Judah abhorred, were to be forsaken of both their kings--conquered by the king of Assyria--before Immanuel was to be able to refuse evil and choose good, and before Mahershalalhashbaz was to be able to say 'my father and my mother.'"--14 Tract, pgs. 32,33 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"But the simple historical fact that these two kingdoms {Israel and Syria} were overthrown {by ancient Assyria} centuries before Immanuel was ever born, brings a time-discrepancy which can be reconciled only by the conclusion that all four nations (Judah, Israel, Syria, and Assyria) involved in this historical action, were typical of four others that were to arise sometime following Immanuel's birth; for after His {Jesus'} birth, {antitypical} Israel and Syria were to be conquered by {antitypical} Assyria."--14 Tract, pg. 33 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Necessarily, then, there must be found in the Christian dispensation a backslidden Christian power (Israel) confederated with a pagan one (Syria), to the end of assimilating, or annihilating the orthodox Christians (Judah). And the only such confederacy in the Christian era was the unholy union of Church and State which ruled during the Dark Ages {Papal Rome}, and which sought the destruction of the 'born again' {Immanuelite Christians], who refused to depart from Apostolic faith and submit to a Christian-Pagan (Israel-Syrian) {church-state} confederacy."--14 Tract, pgs. 33,34 (bold emphasis, braces added).

The first and second part of the virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:14,15) was fulfilled when both Christ and the Christians (Immanuel) were born of the Holy Ghost during the reign of Pagan Rome. The third part (Isa. 7:16), however, was fulfilled in the time of the Dark-Age confederacy between Christianity (church) and paganism (state), during the reign of Papal Rome. This fact makes it necessary to study the second phase of the non-descript beast in order to learn more about this antitypical confederacy, before it is broken by antitypical Assyria.

PAPAL ROME--NON-DESCRIPT BEAST (SECOND PHASE)

"I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn {Rome--state}, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man and a mouth speaking great things {papacy--church}."--Daniel 7:8 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"There {in Dan. 7:8} it is seen that the fourth beast's little horn, having the eyes and mouth of 'man,' actually was a horn-head--a combination of two separate elements. And it being symbolical of the Church and State government (a combination of civil and religious powers during the Middle Ages), settles beyond doubt that while the horn part stands for the civil phase {state}, the head part stands for the religious phase {chuch}--logically, too, because religion should be the brains of any government. Furthermore, civil governments were originally founded upon church governments."--15 Tract, pg. 76:1 (bold emphasis, braces added).

This second phase of Rome, being ruled by a church and state confederacy (horn-head), was called Papal Rome, because the church (head)--the papacy, dictated to the common people, which was enforced by the power of the state (horn). This took place after Pagan Rome fell from power in 476 by the invasion of the "barbarian hordes."

"And with the arms {weapons} of a flood {multitudes of barbarians} shall they {Romans} be overflown {defeated} from before him, and shall be broken {fall of Pagan Rome}; yea, also the Prince of the covenant."--Daniel 11:22 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Here is shown the breakup of the Roman empire {in 476} at the hands of the barbarian hordes which swept down, and, as a flood, overflowed it."--12 Tract, pg. 67 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"And after the league {church-state confederacy between Christians and pagans} made with him {Papal Rome} he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up {from the ruins of Pagan Rome}, and shall become strong with a small people."--Daniel 11:23 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"From this prophetic statement, we see that Rome was to rise from its ruin and humiliation, and again become strong, but this time by deceit, and with a 'small people.' In this chain of prophecy, then, Rome is shown in two different phases, Pagan and Ecclesiastical {Papal}, just as it is shown by the fourth symbolical beast of Daniel 7 {vs. 7}. Thus it was that after Pagan Rome saw itself overrun {by the 'barbarian hordes'} and humbled to the ground, down and out, so to speak, it conceived a deceit by which to bring itself to power again. The scheme resulted in an ecclesiastical {church} code of laws, the enforcement of which it carried out with a 'small people'--the so-called {few} Christians {who joined the religion of the many people--pagans}."--12 Tract, pgs. 67-69 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"At the beginning, the serpent persecuted the church, but as he saw that the church still grew and prospered, he reversed his tactics, and began instead to persecute the Pagans who would not join the {Christian} church, and raised ministers by whom to bring in a flood of unconverted by which to paganize the church, so that she could not Christianize them."--1 Timely Greetings, No. 21, pgs. 13,14 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"None understood so well how to oppose the true Christian faith as did those who had once been its defenders; and these apostate Christians, uniting {under Papal Rome} with their half-pagan companions, directed their warfare against the most essential features of the doctrines of Christ."--Great Controversy, pg. 45 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Most of the Christians at last consented to lower their standard, and a union {confederacy} was formed between Christianity {antitypical Israel} and paganism {antitypical Syria}. Although the worshipers of idols professed to be converted, and united with the church, they still clung to their idolatry, only changing the objects of their worship to images of Jesus, and even of Mary and the saints. The foul leaven of idolatry, thus brought into the church, continued its baleful work. Unsound doctrines, superstitious rites, and idolatrous ceremonies were incorporated into her faith and worship. As the followers of Christ united {in a church--Israel, state--Syria confederacy} with idolaters, the Christian religion became corrupted, and the church lost her purity and power."--Great Controversy, pg. 43 (bold emphasis, braces added).

MAN OF SIN CONTROLLED CHURCH AND STATE

"This compromise {confederacy} between paganism {antitypical Syria} and Christianity {antitypical Israel} resulted in the development of the 'man of sin' foretold in prophecy {2 Thess. 2:3,4} as opposing and exalting himself above God. That gigantic system of false religion is a masterpiece of Satan's power--a monument of his efforts to seat himself upon the throne to rule the earth according to his will....It is one of the leading doctrines of {Papal} Romanism that the pope is the visible head of the universal church of Christ, invested with supreme authority over bishops and pastors in all parts of the world. More than this, the pope has been given the very titles of Deity. He has been styled 'Lord God the Pope,' and has been declared infallible. He demands the homage of all men. The same claim urged by Satan in the wilderness of temptation {Mt. 4:1,9} is still urged by him through the Church of Rome, and vast numbers are ready to yield him homage."--Great Controversy, pg. 50 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"In the sixth century the papacy had become firmly established. Its seat of power was fixed in the imperial city, and the bishop of Rome was declared to be the head over the entire church {and state}. Paganism {Pagan Rome} had given place to the papacy {Papal Rome}. The dragon had given to the beast 'his power, and his seat, and great authority.' And now began the 1260 years of papal oppression foretold in the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation. {The Immanuelite} Christians were forced to choose, either to yield their integrity and accept the papal ceremonies and worship, or to wear away their lives in dungeons or suffer death by the rack, the fagot, or the headsman's ax."--Great Controversy, pg. 54 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"The accession of the Roman Church to power {Papal Rome} marked the beginning of the Dark Ages {church--Israel, state--Syria confederacy}. As her power increased, the darkness deepened. Faith was transferred from Christ, the true foundation, to the pope of Rome. Instead of trusting in the Son of God for forgiveness of sins and for eternal salvation, the people looked to the pope, and to the priests and prelates to whom he delegated authority. They were taught that the pope was their earthly mediator and that none could approach God except through him; and, further, that he stood in the place of God to them, and was therefore to be implicitly obeyed. A deviation from his requirements was sufficient cause for the severest punishment to be visited upon the bodies and souls of the offenders."--Great Controversy, pg. 55 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Now, as we have seen, it is clear that Ecclesiastical Rome (the second phase of the non-descript beast) was a combined {apostate} church {antitypical Israel} and state {antitypical Syria} power (a horn-head, having 'the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things'--(Dan. 7:8),..."--12 Tract, pg. 22 (bold emphasis, braces added).

THE PAPACY THINKS TO CHANGE TIMES AND LAWS

"And after this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast,...and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn,...in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man {the pope}, and a mouth speaking great things....And he shall speak great words against the most High {God}, and shall wear out {torture or death} 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 {see}."--Daniel 7:7,8,25 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Says Daniel, of the little horn, the papacy: 'He shall think to change the times and the law.' And Paul styled the same power the 'man of sin,' who was to exalt himself above God. One prophecy is a complement of the other....The papacy had attempted to change the law of God...The change in the fourth commandment exactly fulfills the prophecy. For this the only authority claimed is that of the church. Here the papal power openly set itself above God....It was in behalf of the Sunday that popery first asserted its arrogant claims; and its first resort to the power of the state was to compel the observance of Sunday as 'the Lord's day.' But the Bible points to the seventh day, and not to the first, as the Lord's day. Said Christ: 'The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.' The fourth commandment declares, 'The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord.' And by the prophet Isaiah the Lord designates it: 'My holy day.'"--Great Controversy, pgs. 446,447 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"The accountability that rests on the papacy {Papal Rome} is not the observance of the day, but rather, the desire to change the law of God, as shown in Daniel 7:25, 'Think to change times and laws.' The papacy thought to erase the Seventh-day Sabbath from the eternal law, and to inscribe the first day of the week in its place."--2 Shepherd's Rod, pgs. 133,134 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"It is a fact generally admitted by Protestants, that the Scriptures give no authority for the change of the Sabbath....Roman Catholics acknowledge that the change of the Sabbath was made by their church, and declare that Protestants, by observing the Sunday, are recognizing her power....Romanists {Papal Rome} declare that 'the observance of Sunday by the Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the [Catholic] church.'"--Great Controversy, pgs. 447,448 (brackets belong) (bold emphasis, braces added).

It is now evident that the Lord did not make a mistake when He inspired Isaiah with the prophecy of the virgin-birth "sign" in the days of the two-tribe kingdom of Judah when Ahaz was king. The Lord wanted his people in the latter days to understand that the ancient confederacy between Israel (church) and Syria (state) was a type of the Dark-Age confederacy between apostate Christians (antitypical Israel) and pagan heathens (antitypical Syria), during the 1260-year period (Dan. 7:25) of the reign of Papal Rome. Before the ancient Israel-Syrian confederacy was formed, Jereboam, king of apostate Israel, set up the "two calves of gold" in Bethel and Dan (1 Ki. 12:28,29) to worship Baal instead of the Lord; so it is that apostate Christians (antitypical Israel--church), during the reign of Papal Rome, united with paganism (antitypical Syria--state) to worship Baal by keeping Sunday instead of worshiping the Lord by keeping the Sabbath. It was years later, after Jereboam had set up the golden calves to worship Baal, that apostate Israel united in a confederacy with Syria, which was finally broken by Assyria; so it will be in the antitype. According to Isaiah's prophecy (Isa. 7:16;8:4), it was in the time of the Dark-Age Confederacy, during the 1260-year period of the reign of Papal Rome, when the Christians (Immanuel and Mahershalalhashbaz) had grown up to the childhood phase, that antitypical Assyria was to break that papal church (Israel)-state (Syria) confederacy.

MARTIN LUTHER BEGAN THE REFORMATION

Martin Luther was not the first Christian who had ever spoke against the papacy, because there were other Christians before him who were martyred for daring to rebuke that apostate power; but it was not to reign forever. Daniel prophesied (Dan. 7:25) that the horn-head (state-church) confederacy was to rule during the Dark-Age period for only 1260 years: "time" (1 year or 360 days); "times" (2 years or 720 days); and "dividing of times" (1/2 year or 180 days), which is a total of 1260 days or years (Ez4:6), from 538 A.D. to 1798 A.D. It is for this reason that Isaiah prophesied that this same 1260-year church-state confederacy was to be broken by antitypical Assyria (Isa. 7:16;8:4). Though it is true that ancient Assyria broke the typical church-state confederacy, God was credited with its overthrow; so in the antitype, though antitypical Assyria broke the Dark-Age confederacy, Martin Luther gave God the credit for its overthrow.

"I {Luther} will preach, discuss, and write; but I will constrain none, for faith is a voluntary act. See what I have done. I stood up against the pope, indulgences, and papists, but without violence or tumult. I put forward God's word; I preached and wrote--this was all I did. And yet while I was asleep,...the word that I had preached overthrew popery, so that neither prince nor emperor has done it so much harm. And yet I did nothing; the word alone did it all. If I had wished to appeal to force, the whole of Germany would perhaps have been deluged with blood."--Great Controversy, pg. 190 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Though Martin Luther preached "the just shall live by faith" to free the church from the papal power by the Reformation, the princes of the states joined with him, and voiced their protest when "the priests demanded that the states which had accepted the reformation submit implicitly to Romish {church} jurisdiction." (G.C. 199).

THE PRINCES BEGAN PROTESTANTISM

"'Let us reject this decree,' said the princes. 'In matters of conscience the majority has no power.'...To protect liberty of conscience is the duty of the state, and this is the limit of its authority in matters of religion. Every secular government {state} that attempts to regulate or enforce religious observance {church} by civil authority is sacrificing the very principle for which the evangelical Christians so nobly struggled."--Great Controversy, pg. 201 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"As Ferdinand had refused to regard their conscientious convictions, the princes decided not to heed his absence, but to bring their Protest before the national council without delay. A solemn declaration was therefore drawn up, and presented to the Diet:

"'We protest by these presents, before God, our only Creator, Preserver, Redeemer, and Saviour, and who will one day be our Judge, as well as before all men and all creatures, that we, for us and for our people, neither consent nor adhere in any manner whatsoever to the proposed decree {from the papal hierarchy}, in anything that is contrary to God, to His holy word, to our conscience, to the salvation of our souls.'"--Great Controversy, pgs. 202,203 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Their protest gave to the reformed church the name of Protestant; its principles are 'the very essence of Protestantism.'"--Great Controversy, pg. 97 (bold emphasis added).

Martin Luther "fathered forth Protestantism" (2 Ans. 22), wherein a struggle began between the German princes of the state and the papal hierarchy--church, which continued for many years until finally the power of the papacy was broken by antitypical Assyria (Protestant Nations) at the downfall of Papal Rome in fulfillment of the "sign" (Isa. 7:16;8:4) of the virgin-birth. As a result, the pope was taken captive in 1798, which ended the long reign of the 1260 year period (Dan. 7:25) of the Dark-Age confederacy. Therefore, the papal church--head could no longer dictate its religious dogmas (a mixture of paganism and perverted Christianity) to the people, and then employ the pagan state--horn to force them to accept these false doctrines on pain of death.

THE PAPACY RECEIVED A DEADLY WOUND

"John says: 'I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death' {Rev. 13:3}. As the wounded head {the Catholic church} has reference to the stroke delivered to the papacy by Luther, the exile of the pope in 1798 was a sign of the completeness of the wound and that the prophetic period had ended. Thus fulfilling the words: 'He that leadeth in captivity shall go into captivity.' (Rev. 13:10)."--2 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 96 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"The 1260 years of papal supremacy {Dark-Age confederacy} began A.D. 538, and would therefore terminate in 1798. At that time a French army entered Rome, and made the pope a prisoner, and he died in exile. Though a new pope was soon afterward elected, the papal hierarchy {church} has never since been able to wield the power {of the state} which it before possessed."--Great Controversy, pg. 266 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Had not the papacy {church} received the deadly wound by Luther, the pope could not have been put into prison by the French general {state}, for before the pontifical authority {church} received Luther's sword, the pope reigned supreme {by the power of the state}. But the blow weakened his power, and the result was that Protestantism came upon the stage of action. The continual infliction began to irritate the 'head,' until finally the pope landed behind the prison bars. The annoyance continued until 1870, when ultimately the temporal {state} power of the pope was taken away. That being the last vexation of the 'head,' it showed that it was left to heal its 'deadly wound.'"--2 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 96 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Martin Luther and the Christian reformers did not "appeal to force" (G.C. 190) against the papacy. Instead, they appealed to the truth of the reformation--"the just shall live by faith," which the papacy had trodden underfoot; and "Protestantism came on the stage of action" (2 S.R. 96). The protest of the German princes, however, along with the civil rulers of other nations who protested with them against the yoke of papal (church) tyranny, led them to "appeal to force." The power of the state government (French army--G.C. 266) was used to bring about the fall of Papal Rome in 1798, when the pope was taken captive and put in prison. And since the two words: "protestant" (protest of the governments), and "reformation" (to reform the church), means that the rulers (princes) of the civil governments (state) had protested in behalf of the Reformation for the church, then this proves that it was the combined power of the protesting nations, strengthened by the Word of God, that finally broke the papal power, after it had been "weakened" by the Reformation. And that combined civil power of state governments is still known to this day as the "Protestant Nations." Therefore, they represent antitypical Assyria, the power which broke the Dark-Age horn-head confederacy, which the "horn" part was the pagan civil government (typified by ancient Syria) and the "head" part was the apostate Christians (typified by ancient Israel), in fulfillment of the virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:16). These facts prove that the horn (state-Syria) head (church-Israel) confederacy was broken by an infliction (Luther's "blow"), which included two other blows, beginning with Martin Luther:

"Note carefully that the deadly wound was not inflicted by any one of the ten horns (like the little horn of Dan. 7:8, after which three fell). If any of the horns had inflicted the wound, it would indicate that it was to be delivered by a civil power (thus Berthier could be credited for delivering the blow). But since the horns had nothing to do with the head, it is evident that the infliction came from within the head, therefore Luther is the only one who can be credited for delivering the blow."--1 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 215:2 (bold emphasis, braces added).

THREE-STAGE INFLICTION TO THE PAPAL POWER

(1) An infliction to the Catholic Church (head) by Luther's "blow" in 1500. (2) This first infliction continued on to include a "blow" to the state (horn}, when the pope was taken captive in 1798 by the French general, Berthier (1 S.R. 215; G.C. 266), which led to the loss of the papacy's civil power in 1870 (2 S.R. 96:1). (3) And this first infliction also led to a "blow" to the "horn-head" confederacy, which separated the church (head) from the state (horn) by the Protestant Nations (Assyria)--the ten horns on the leopard-like beast. It was this three-stage infliction, the last of which was a "blow" (1 S.R. 115:2) by these nations who separated themselves from the Catholic church, which caused the papal head (Catholicism) to receive a "deadly wound" (Rev. 13:3); and which broke up the horn-head confederacy of the Dark Ages in the time of the non-descript fourth beast--Papal Rome. This fact is important to note, because it is obvious that if these nations had not protested in favor of Luther's Reformation and broke away from the Catholic church, then his Reformation would have failed. Then the "head" would not have received a "deadly wound" (Rev. 13:3); because the "horn" (state) "head" (church) confederacy would have continued by the election of another pope, as noted below:

"The head {Catholic church} that was wounded {by Luther's blow} was not much troubled because a pope had fallen under the sod {taken captive in 1798 and died in 1799}, nor will it ever be as long as another {pope} can {be elected to} fill his place. The only thing that has worried the head {papacy} and annoyed the beast is true Protestantism."--1 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 216:1 (bold emphasis, braces added).

And this important fact presupposes another important fact: This three-stage infliction clearly indicates that the "deadly wound" must also be healed (Rev. 13:3) in three stages. [If you want to know more about the three healings of the deadly wound, then click on that study at the end.]

ANTITYPICAL ASSYRIA--PROTESTANT NATIONS

"...the one power, being called 'Assyria' {Christian world--Protestant Nations}, has a hereditary title, which reveals that it is the modern counterpart of the once widespread empire of ancient Assyria,..."--14 Tract, pg. 6 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Foretelling, to Daniel, the work of this wicked power {the papacy}, the angel declared: 'And he shall speak great words against the Most High {God}, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change time and laws: and they {Christians} shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.' Dan. 7:25 {1260 years--538 to 1798}. As a natural consequence, therefore, the type, ancient Assyria, finds its 'double' {antitype} in the power which in the Middle Ages broke up that church-state union {horn-head on the non-descript beast}. And as that union {papal church (Israel), state (Syria) confederacy} was dissolved by the present Protestant Nations, the conclusion inescapably follows that modern Assyria reaches down to our day, thus certifying the fact that Isaiah's prophecy is correlative with Nahum's."--14 Tract, pg. 34:1 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Through these scriptures and historical facts we learned that the antitype of {ancient} Israel and Syria's confederacy took place commencing in the first century A.D., when one part of the {apostate} Christians (Israel) {church} federated with Pagans (Syria) {state} against the other Christians (Judah), but their combined church-state power was broken by the Protestant nations (Assyria) after Immanuel (born-again Christians) came...."--12 Symbolic Code, No. 1, pg. 6:1 (bold emphasis, braces added).

As ancient Assyria, whose capital city was Nineveh, broke the Israel (church) Syrian (state) confederacy in the days of king Ahaz, so in the latter days the modern-day antitypical Assyria (Protestant Nations) broke the Dark-Age church-state confederacy of apostate Christians (typified by Israel--a church), and pagan heathens (typified by Syria--a state). And as the ancient typical Assyria was a nation, not a church, so the capital city (Nineveh) of modern antitypical Assyria, is a nation not a church:

"And bear in mind that the church is not Nineveh {which is the capital city of modern Assyria--Protestant Nations}."--11 Symbolic Code, No. 8, pg. 10:2 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Therefore, since the ancient typical Nineveh, Assyria was not a church, but a state or nation, then this fact proves irrefutably that the antitypical modern Assyria of today cannot be the Protestant Churches, but the Protestant Nations. For it was a "blow" by those nations that broke the horn-head (Dan. 7:8,25) on the non-descript beast in its second phase--Papal Rome, which ruled the world during the Dark-Age confederacy of a church (apostate Christians typified by ancient Israel), and a pagan government (Roman state typified by ancient Syria). And since this fourth non-descript beast only shows the ruling power, horn (state) head (church) confederacy, of the papacy in its glory but not its downfall, then there must be another beast to follow that would show its fall. The next beast that follows is the fifth (2 S.R. 86:3) leopard-like beast (Rev. 13:1-9) who descends from the four beasts before him; and it must show who is modern-day antitypical Assyria that broke that confederacy. And since his seven "heads" represent churches (Catholic and Protestants), then they cannot be Assyria. Therefore, it must be his "ten horns" that represents the "Protestant Nations (Assyria)," which rules during the protestant period in the "time of the end"--the latter days.

These Protestant Nations (Assyria), most of which speak English are: America, Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, Liberia, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa; and most of those who do not speak English are: Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland.

PROTESTANT NATIONS--TEN HORNS ON LL BEAST

"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast {reign of modern Assyria} rise up out of the sea, having seven heads {churches} and ten horns {Protestant Nations}, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard {showing he descends from Grecia}, and his feet were as the feet of a bear {he also descends from Medo-Persia}, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion {he also descends from Babylon}: and the dragon {devil Rev. 12:9} gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads {Catholic church} as it were wounded to death {in 3 stages}; and his deadly wound was healed {in 3 stages}: and all the world wondered after the beast."--Revelation 13:1-3 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"The non-descript beast (Dan. 7:7} in its first stage, represents imperial {Pagan} Rome, and in his second stage, Papal Rome up to 1798, at which time the beast came to its end with the imprisonment of Pope Pius VI, and gave place to the 'leopard-like beast' {the world ruled by the "ten horns," the Protestant Nations Assyria--G.C. 442:1} of Revelation 13:1-3."--2 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 140 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Consequently, the leopard-like beast {Assyria} of Revelation 13:1-9, must follow the non-descript beast (Rome)."--2 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 86 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"The composite make-up of this {leopard-like} beast--mouth of a lion, feet of a bear, body of a leopard, and ten horns--is faithful witness that he is a descendant of Babylon (lion), Medo-Persia (bear), and Pagan Rome (ten horns). Hence this beast is the melting pot of the four ancient world empires, and must, along with its seven heads {Christian churches} and ten horns {Protestant Nations}, characterize the world of today {Assyria}."--12 Tract, pg. 21 (bold emphasis, braces added).

There are some who think that the entire leopard-like beast is the papacy, because of this statement: "Then to learn what the image is like, and how it is to be formed, we must study the characteristics of the beast itself--the papacy" (G.C. 443:2). But this statement can only lead one to a wrong conclusion if the statement on the previous page is ignored. It says:

"The prediction that it will speak 'as a dragon,' and exercise 'all the power of the first beast,' plainly foretells a development of the spirit of intolerance and persecution that was manifested by the nations represented by the dragon and the leopard-like beast."--Great Controversy, pg. 442:1 (bold emphasis, braces added).

When the two statements are joined together, they prove irrefutably that the entire beast is not the papacy. That is because the one statement (G.C. 442) says the leopard-like beast is the protestant "nations", which would be its ten horns of civil governments with their crowns of authority over the churches. And the other statement (G.C. 443) says its wounded head (the Catholic church) is the papacy; which means that the other six heads would be the churches who protested against Catholicism and broke away from the papacy.

"This prophecy {of the leopard-like beast} pictures the entire civilization {the world of today--Assyria} which came out through the four universal empires by the fall of {Papal} Rome. But it cannot include other nations and peoples, for the makeup of the beast is composed only of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome, as previously explained. Had the number of horns been 'seven,' it would have the Biblical meaning (all), but since the number 'ten' is used, all other are excluded.

"However, the nations and peoples who are excluded by the symbol 'ten,' and also by the composition of the beast are not altogether left out, for the fall of the three horns on the beast of Dan. 7:8, left a balance of the Biblical number 'seven.' Thus the fall of the three kings; namely, the Heruli, Ostrogoths, and the Vandals gave the signal for the present close union with the entire world by modern inventions. Therefore, the influence of the western civilization {ten horns--Protestant Nations}, both civil and religious (represented by the symbols--horns and heads), involved the entire present civilization."--1 Shepherd's Rod, pgs. 213,214 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"...the heads, seven in number, portray religious bodies, Christendom in its entirety. The horns, though, ten in number, portray the civil governments in their entirety. Both horns {the Protestant Nations} and heads {the Christian Churches} therefore represent the world of today {the reign of antitypical Assyria} just as each of Daniel's four beasts respectively, represented the world in their day."--2 Timely Greetings, No. 17, pg. 7 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"The crowns {on the ten horns of the leopard-like beast--Assyria} denote these kings {the Protestant Nations} have received their kingdom, but note carefully the heads are without crowns. Therefore these seven heads {the Christian Churches} cannot represent kingdoms or civil governments."--1 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 212:1 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"The six heads {churches} represent Protestantism, and the one which was wounded, Catholicism. The six Protestant, and the one Catholic head make the Biblical number 'seven,' meaning 'complete' (all). The ten horns {Protestant Nations} represent this present civilization {Assyria} under civil power; the heads are symbolic of all Christendom."--1 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 213 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Before the 1260 years ended in 1798, the four Protestant denominations were already in existance; namely, Luthern, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Christian. But after 1798 came the First-day Adventists; and the Seventh-day Adventists from 1844 to 1929 completed his seven heads."--2 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 107 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"The deadly wound {Rev. 13:3} on the leopard-like {beast} therefore represents the deadly blow which it {papal head} received from the Protestant Reformation {and Protestant Nations}. Hence its wounded head represents the horn-head power (an amalgamation of civil {state} and religious {church} powers) of Daniel's {non-descript} beast divested of his civil power--dehorned."--2 Timely Greetings, No. 17, pg. 7 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Now as we have seen, it is clear that Ecclesiastical Rome (the second phase of the non-descript beast) was a combined church and state power (a horn-head, having 'the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things'--Dan. 7:8), and that the Protestant Reformation {--church, and Protestant Nations--state} caused the separation of the two."--12 Tract, pg. 22:2 (bold emphasis, braces added).

The symbolical representation of the leopard-like beast (Rev. 13:1-9) perfectly depicts the "world of today"--the separation of church and state, caused by the Protestant Reformation, and the breaking of its power by the "ten horns"--Protestant Nations--Assyria. That is, the purpose of the Protestant Reformation was to reform the church, not the state; because Luther said nothing against the power of the state (horn), but against the Catholic church (head) for using the power of the state (horn) to persecute and kill the saints. And though his reformation did reform the church, it could not have accomplished its full purpose if the state governments (ten horns) of the fourth non-descript beast (Papal Rome) did not see the need to separate from the church.

Therefore, when the fifth leopard-like beast that followed the fall of Papal Rome had crowns on its ten horns, it meant that these state governments (Protestant Nations) had separated themselves from the domination of the Catholic church (head), and now possessed crowns of authority to rule the world of today--Assyria. And thus, being independent of the churches (six heads), it is obvious that they must symbolize the Protestant Churches of the Reformation; while the one head "wounded to death" (Rev. 13:3) is the papacy having lost its power to rule by the confederacy of state and church (horn-head) on the non-descript fourth beast.

All of this came to pass according to the virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:16), because "a time-discrepancy" projected this prophecy into the New Testament Christian era, which was fulfilled in this manner: After the Immanuelite Christians were born of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:1-4) as "newborn babes" (1 Pet. 2:2), but before they knew the difference between the good and evil, they grew up spiritually to the childhood stage during the 1260-year reign of Papal Rome. It was during this Dark-Age period (538-1798) that these Immanuelite Christians, according to the virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:16), were to see a church-state confederacy--the apostate Christians (church) typified by ancient Israel, and the pagans (state) typified by ancient Syria, which was symbolized by the horn-head on the fourth non-descript beast. And, according to the same virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:16), they were also to see this confederacy broken by antitypical Assyria, which is the "ten horns" on the leopard-like beast--the Protestant Nations. These leading nations (10 horns--antitypical Assyria) which rules the masses of peoples (the leopard-like beast's body), and which together make up the world of today, have continued to exist to this very day in the latter days of this world's history.

ASSYRIA EXISTS IN THE TIME OF THE END

"From this we see that the Assyria {the leopard-like beast with ten horns--Protestant Nations} under discussion exists in the time of the end {latter days}, the time in which the great and dreadful day of the Lord takes place."--1 Timely Greetings, No. 23, pg. 5 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"...the 'Assyria' here in prophecy {Nah. 1:1;3:18}, therefore, is not ancient Assyria, but another widespread power {Protestant Nations} that exists 'in the time of the end' (Dan. . 12:9,10), the time in which its yoke is removed from God's people."--1 Timely Greetings, No. 24, pg. 13:4 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"The period we are now in {the latter days or time of the end} is antitypical Assyria {the leopard-like beast with ten horns--Protestant Nations}."--12 Symbolic Code, No. 1, pg. 7 (bold emphasis, braces added).

So it is that in the time of the end, the leopard-like beast represents the people in the world of today, while the "ten horns" with crowns represents the ruling power over the people--the Protestant Nations (antitypical Assyria). Therefore, the ten horns (Protestant Nations) cannot be the six heads (Protestant Churches).

ASSYRIA IS NOT THE PROTESTANT CHURCHES

"So while Ecclesiastical Rome's rise and reign are prefigured by the non-descript beast's horn-head, her downfall is depicted by the leopard-like beast's wounded common head--the horned part (the civil power) having been taken away {by antitypical Assyria--Protestant Nations}. The {catholic} church was stripped of the sovereign power with which the state had clothed her, with the result that the {Protestant} governments are now independent of the church, and the {Protestant} church {six heads} is in subjection to the {state} governments {ten horns--Assyria}."--12 Tract, pgs. 22,23 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"It would have been unwise, and useless to devise this prophetic {leopard-like} beast {Assyria} if the symbols {seven heads} would fail to reveal Protestantism {six heads} as they do Catholicism {one wounded head}. Before the 1260 years ended in 1798, the four Protestant denominations were already in existence; namely, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Christian {then the Catholic church became the wounded head). But after 1798 came the First-day Adventists {sixth head}; and the Seventh-day Adventists {Laodicea--seventh head} from 1844 to 1929 completed his seven heads....As all other sects are but off-shoots from these seven bodies, the heads included all Christendom up to 1930."--2 Shepherd's Rod, pg. 107:1 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Two peoples are brought to view, the church {of God--Laodicea, the seventh head}, and a nation comparable to ancient Assyria {the state}, to which the church is under subjection."--1 Timely Greetings, No. 24, pg. 17:1 (bold emphasis, braces added).

God's people in His church--Laodicea (seventh head on the leopard-like beast) are symbolically represented as Immanuelite Christians. Today, as adolescents, they are living in the time of the reign of antitypical Assyria (10 horns on the leopard-like beast) in the latter days, having grown up spiritually from the babyhood stage (early Christians), and beyond their childhood stage during the Dark Age period (538-1798), when they saw the papal confederacy broken by Assyria. They are more knowledgeable of spiritual things than their "younger members" (14 Tr. 38), Mahershalalhashbaz, because they have not only accepted the truths of the Reformation, but other additional truths (E.W. 277) as well.

The "world of today" (2 T.G. 17:7) is represented by the leopard-like beast, whose ten horns (the world's leading governmental rulers) are crowned with civil authority, representing the Protestant Nations (antitypical Assyria). Whereas the six heads (Protestant Churches), which do not have crowns, is proves conclusively that the Protestant Nations have power over the Protestant Churches, which are "in subjection to the governments" (12 Tr. 23). It is for this very reason that antitypical Assyria must always be referred to as the Protestant Nations only, and never as the Protestant Churches; yet, the ten horns (governments) are influenced and directed by the six heads (Protestant Churches).

"Furthermore, civil governments were originally founded upon church governments. The symbolism {Dan. 7:8} thus clearly connotes that an Atheistic government is about as good as is any horn apart from its head. Such might even be compared to a chicken with its head off: In its plight, the headless chicken jumps with great force, but it knows not where it is going, and it lives but a few minutes."--15 Tract, pg. 76 (bold emphasis, braces added).

The six heads (churches) are Protestant, and they influence and direct the ten horns (Protestant Nations--the governments of the world), even though the heads are ruled by the horns, with the state governments being separate from the Protestant Churches. This is especially true in America, a protestant nation, where its laws are basic to the faith of the protestant churches; because the same people in the churches (seven heads), also go to the polls to elect representatives which they believe will use their influence and voting power to make sure that the laws enacted for the state (horns) are compatible to the religious faith of the churches (heads). Of course, the same holds true in Catholic countries where that predominating religion influences the legislators to enact laws in favor of its religious beliefs. A good example of the church (head) influencing and directing the state (horn) is the Hindu religion in India, where the cow is considered "sacred" by the believers of that religion, which is enforced by some state laws. Therefore, though the Protestant Churches (heads) in America are in subjection to the state (horns), the heads must influence and direct the horns; otherwise this protestant nation would be like a chicken with its head cut off, and must come to its end. History proved this to be true when the church (head) of France was cut off, causing the french revolution.

"France is the only nation in the world concerning which the authentic record survives, that as a nation she lifted her hand in open rebellion against the Author of the universe." (G.C. 270). "But unhappy France prohibited the Bible, and banned its disciples" (G.C. 278). "Paris became one vast almshouse,...two hundred thousand paupers claimed charity from the hands of the king....The gospel would have brought to France the solution to those political and social problems that baffled the skill of her clergy, her king, and her legislators, and finally plunged the nation into anarchy and ruin" (G.C. 279). "Atheists, infidels, and apostates oppose and denounce God's law; but the results of their influence prove that the well-being of man is bound up with his obedience of the divine statutes. Those who will not read the lesson from the book of God, are bidden to read it in the history of nations" (G.C. 285).

The French revolution proved that civil governments must be influenced and also directed by its churches, even though the church is in subjection to the governments. Therefore, to repeat, antitypical Assyria is not the Protestant Churches (six heads), but the Protestant Nations who speak English; including a few others who speak different languages. They are the nations who protest against Catholicizm (the wounded head), which are the dominating power of antitypical Assyria--the ten horns on the leopard-like beast (the world of today).

ONLY CERTAIN NATIONS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE

"The kingdoms that have gone down, the kingdoms that still exist, the kingdoms that are yet to come, whose legislation involve God's people {Jews in the Old Testament and Christians in the New Testament}, have been pictorially chronicled by both Daniel and John the Revelator."--12 Tract, pg. 6 (bold emphasis, braces added).

God's people in the Old Testament era were the Jews. Abraham, a Hebrew (Gen. 14:13), was called of God for a divine purpose; and through his seed came the Jewish nation. Secular history reveals the fact that there were many other nations besides ancient Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, Rome, etc., but only those nations that were directly connected with the Hebrews were recorded in the Bible. So it is in the New Testament Christian era concerning God's people, the Christians. It is for this reason that the kingdom of Rome in its two phases--Pagan Rome (non-descript beast with ten horns--(Dan. 7:7) and Papal Rome (non-descript beast with a horn-head (Dan. 7:8), as well as the dominating power of the world today (antitypical Assyria), which is the Protestant Nations--ten horns on the leopard-like beast (Rev. 13:1-9), are recorded in the Bible. And that, of course, is because they are directly connected with the Christians, especially the English-speaking Christian nations.

ASSYRIA--THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING CHRISTIAN WORLD

"{Antitypical} Assyria {Protestant Nations}, chargers Inspiration, is a rejoicing city, that dwells carelessly, that says in her heart, 'I am, and there is none beside me.' Zeph. 2:15."--1 Timely Greetings, No. 23, pg. 6 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"Woe to her {antitypical Assyria--Protestant Nations} that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! She obeyed not the voice {of God}; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God. Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones {accumulated wealth} till the morrow {because they have so much}. Her prophets {great evangelists} are light and treacherous persons: her priests {ministers} have polluted the sanctuary, they {the Protestant Churches} have done violence to the {ten commandment} law."--Zephaniah 3:1-4 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"At this point let us pause a moment and summarize the characteristics by which this modern Assyria is to be identified. (1) As man looks at things, she is so great that there is none like her. She is well instructed in the things of God. (2) She is oppressive, a hard ruling nation. (3) She has polluted the sanctuary and has declared the law of God void. (4) She has piled up wealth by going after it as an evening wolfe goes after its prey. (5) She harbors the church of God. (6) She exists in the time the Lord is to manifest His power and destroy all wicked nations. (7) She is an Assyrian-like nation, widespread, a nation of conquests.

"There is but one people under the sun that answers to all these descriptions, and that people is, of course, the English-speaking people, in whose midst is the church, and from whose midst the Gospel and the Bible flow out to all nations. As clear as language can make it, the burden of the prophet Zephaniah is for the English-speaking Christian world."--1 Timely Greetings, No. 23:6 (bold emphasis, braces added).

The territory of antitypical Assyria is "widespread" (1 T.G. 23:6; 1 T.G. 24:13), and includes not only the "English-speaking Christian world," such as America, Australia, Canada (in part), England, Liberia, New Zealand, Scotland and South Africa Republic (in part); but also those Protestant Nations (either all or part in protestant belief) which do not speak the English language (such as Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Netherland, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland), and which broke away from the Catholic church as a result of the Protestant Reformation.

Though the Reformation began with Martin Luther and "the Christian princes of Germany...their protest gave to the reformed church the name of Protestant; its principles are 'the very essence of Protestantism'" (G.C. 197); yet, these same principles spread to several other nations who also protested against Catholicism. These nations, Switzerland (G.C. 171), France (G.C. 211), England (G.C. 237), Netherlands (G.C. 237), Scandinavia (G.C. 237), and Scotland (G.C. 249), protested with others until finally the pope was taken captive by Berthier, the French general in 1798 (1 S.R. 215; G.C. 266). Thus, the world of Papal Rome (church-state) confederacy (non-descript fourth beast's horn-head--(Dan. 7:8,25) came to an end. In its place emerged the leopard-like beast (Rev. 13:1-9), the fifth (2 S.R. 86), which shows by its seven heads that the Dark-Age confederacy was broken. The one wounded head is Catholicism, and the six other heads are the Protestant Churches--the Christian world, which are ruled by the ten horns (Protestant Nations). These six Protestant heads (churches) on the leopard-like beast is proof that "God's church must be in her midst" (1 T.G. 23:5), because the ten horns on the leopard-like beast (antitypical Assyria) "harbors the church of God."

Most of the Protestant Churches are located in these Protestant Nations: America, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, South Africa, Sweden, and Switzerland, many of which speak English. This means that it is the English-speaking nations, the leading powers of the other Protestant Nations who do not speak English (together they make up the ten horns--civil governments), which rules as a dominating world power over the earth (leopard-like beast--the masses of the peoples), and which proclaims the gospel and distributes the Bible to many nations. This is proof that it is primarily the English-speaking Protestant Nations of today that represents the reign of antitypical Assyria. However, even among these nations, there are two leading powers.

TWO LEADING NATIONS OF ASSYRIA--ENGLAND AND AMERICA

Antitypical Assyria "...is well instructed in the things of God....She harbors the church of God....She is...the English-speaking people, in whose midst the Gospel and the Bible flow out to all nations" (51:3,4). The only two leading countries out of all the other Protestant Nations "that answers to all these descriptions" is, of course, England and America.

"And I beheld another beast {America} coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon."--Revelation 13:11 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"'And he had two horns like a lamb.' The lamb-like horns indicate youth, innocence, and gentleness, fitly representing the character of the United States {of America} when presented to the prophet as 'coming up' in 1798. Among the Christian exiles who first fled to America, and sought an asylum from royal oppression and priestly intolerance, were many who determined to establish a government upon the broad foundation of civil and religious liberty. Their views found place in the Declaration of Independence, which sets forth the great truth that 'all men are created equal,' and endowed with the inalienable right to 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' And the Constitution guarantees to the people the right of self-government, providing that representatives elected by the popular vote shall enact and administer the laws. Freedom of religious faith was also granted, every man being permitted to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience. Republicanism and Protestantism became the fundamental principles of the nation. These principles are the secret of its power and prosperity."--Great Controversy, pg. 441 (bold emphasis, braces added).

God chose the Hebrews to be "the head, and not the tail" (Deut. 28:13). As "the depositaries of His truth" (8 Test. 25), the Old Testament Scriptures, they were to share it with other nations. Today, the Christians are to distribute the Bible to many nations. Though the United Bible Society is located in England, and the American Bible Society is located in America, there are other Bible societies in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Iceland, Norway, Scotland, and Germany. However, because it is from England, and especially America, that "the Gospel and the Bible flow out to all nations" through the Protestant Churches, the Lord has blessed these two countries of Assyria, and they have become the leading Protestant Nations of "the English-speaking Christian world," as "the head, and not the tail" (Deut. 28:13). They have become the "depositaries of His holy word" (G.C. 487), having the commission to carry the Gospel of "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:2) to many nations of today.

The papal power, being founded upon traditions, denied the Christians the right to the word of God; whereas the Protestant Reformation was founded upon "the great Protestant principle--the Bible and the Bible only, as the rule of faith and duty" (G.C. 204,205). Therefore, after the Protestant Nations tore down the papal structure of pagan traditions and separated the church from the state, then the King James translation of the Bible came from England's presses, and now America is not only the center of all the Protestant Churches (six heads) among the Protestant Nations Assyria (the ten horns), from where the Gospel goes to all nations, but it also distributes the authorized King James version of the Bible: "...the version which God, in His providence and in His foreknowledge of finishing His work by the English-speaking world, has given to His people to lead them into His Kingdom."--9 Tract, pg. 75 (bold emphasis, braces added).

"...we find the message which is today being brought to {God's church--antitypical} Judah comes not in Hebrew, but in the English language."--12 Symbolic Code, No. 8, pg. 8 (bold emphasis, braces added).

Thus, the people in antitypical Assyria today (Protestant Nations) are the larger class of Christians, while England and America are the two predominant leading governmental powers. However, though the state is separate from the church, and the Christian "church is in subjection to the governments" (12 Tr. 23), yet the state does not interfere with the work of the English-speaking Protestant Churches to distribute the Bible to all nations. But which one of the Protestant churches (six heads on the leopard-like beast) that antitypical Assyria (ten horns) "harbors" in her midst today is really God's true church (antitypical Judah)? The next two chapters will identify this church, which are the smaller class of Christians.

SUMMARY OF ANTITYPICAL ASSYRIA

1. The virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:14-16) which Isaiah told the king of Judah (Ahaz), predicted that a virgin, not a married wife, would bear a son named "Immanuel."

2. The virgin-birth "sign" was not fulfilled in the days of king Ahaz of Judah in the Old Testament Jewish era.

3. The virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:14) was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem of Judah by the Holy Spirit through the virgin Mary (Mt. 1:18-25), during the reign of Pagan Rome (non-descript beast--first stage).

4. The virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:14) was also fulfilled in the Christian disciples (Judah) of Jesus who were also born of the Holy Spirit as "newborn babes" (1 Pet. 2:2), during the reign of Pagan Rome (non-descript beast--first stage).

5. The virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:15) was also fulfilled in the Christian disciples (Judah) of Jesus who were to eat spiritual "butter and honey"--the Word of God.

6. The virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:16) was also fulfilled during the reign of Papal Rome (non-descript beast--second stage), which was a Dark-Age confederacy of church (Israel--Catholics) and state (Syria--pagans) against the Christians (Judah) in their spiritual childhood stage.

7. The virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:16) was also fulfilled when the Christians (Judah), in its childhood stage, saw that this church (Israel--Catholics) state (Syria--pagans) confederacy was broken by antitypical Assyria--the Protestant Nations, causing the fall of Papal Rome (non-descript beast--second stage).

8. The virgin-birth "sign" (Isa. 7:16) was also fulfilled during the time of the leopard-like beast (antitypical Assyria), which arose with 10 horns (Protestant Nations) after it broke the Dark Age confederacy of Papal Rome.

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