538-1798 IS NOT THE 1260 OF PROPHECY
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
October 26, 2018
The Seventh-day Adventist Church teaches that the 1260-day prophecies of Daniel and Revelation refer to the years 538 to 1798. Those years covered the lives of approximately 190 popes and as many as 50 often equally qualified “antipopes.” Since the accomplishments of these have been acclaimed for centuries, this document deliberately excludes their accomplishments to reveal the weaknesses and failures of the popes.
The failures of these 190 popes are convincing evidence that even the “strongest” fell very short of the description of the biblical Anti-Christ “little horn” of Daniel 7:21-25 who “shall wear out the saints of the most High” and “they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”
My major source of these failures is Lives of the Popes (LP), by Richard McBrien, a leading Roman Catholic historian from the University of Notre Dame. McBrien is very blunt and honest about the failures of the popes. The literal historical facts of this article should prove beyond doubt that the Roman Catholic papacy does not fulfill the prophecy of the biblical Anti-Christ little horn for (the SDAs) 1260 years from 538 to 1798.
A . THE SDAS’ THREE HORNS DID NOT COME OUT OF THE BEAST KINGDOM (Daniel 7:20-21)
SDAs teach that the three horns which were uprooted were the Vandals, Heruli and Ostrogoths which had been uprooted to allow the papacy to “make war against” and “wear out the saints” from 538 to 1798.
Holy Scripture states that the fourth beast “had ten horns that were in his head” “out of this kingdom and the “other” little horn “came up among them” “in his head” (Dan 7:8, 20-21).
Contrary to what SDAs teach, the Vandals, Heruli and Ostrogoths were never kingdoms ruled by pagan Rome. None came “up out of this kingdom.” All three were Arian invaders from outside Western Rome. Rome was ruled by Germanic Ostrogoths shortly before and after 538.
B. THE PROPHECY STATES THAT ALL TEN HORNS WERE BEAST-RULED KINGDOMS (Daniel 7:24)
Contrary to what SDAs teach, Scripture teaches that all ten horns were already Roman-ruled kingdoms and not outsiders (7:24). Also, since the papacy existed long before the Vandals, Heruli and Ostrogoths emerged, the SDA interpretation that the little horn came up among them does not match history. There were no “10 kingdoms” of Rome around 538; Western Rome ceased to exist in 476.
C. THE SDA’s THREE HORNS WERE NOT UPROOTED (DESTROYED) (Daniel 7:20).
SDAs teach that the papacy was directly responsible for destroying (plucking up by the roots) the Vandals, Heruli and Vandals (Dan 7:8, 20).
Holy Scripture says that the three horns were “plucked up by the root” (7:8). This means that they were destroyed and not merely pushed out.
Again, history disagrees with the SDA version. First, the Arian Heruli were defeated in 508 by Arian Lombards who were enemies of the papacy. Instead of being destroyed (plucked up), the Heruli migrated back to Scandinavia. Second, the Vandals who had sacked Rome in 455 and had settled in north Africa were not a hindrance to papal of Christians in 538. The Vandals had been defeated in Africa in 534 when the Eastern Roman Empire regained its territory in North Africa. The Vandals were not “plucked up by the roots” because of the papal little horn. Third, the Ostrogoths do not fit the prophecy either. Though momentarily defeated in north Italy in 538 by the Eastern Empire, they returned to besiege Rome again in 546, 549 and 550. Pope Vigilius (538-555) was powerless and never began “wearing out the saints” (7:25). Instead of being “plucked up by the roots,” the Ostrogoths were slowly absorbed by the Arian Lombards who ruled much of Italy for centuries after 568.
In reality there were many more non-Catholic “horns” sweeping across Western Europe which prevented the Roman Catholic Church from “making war” and “prevailing” – such as the Visigoths, Lombards, Normans, Danes and Saracens.
D. THE SDA’S IDENTITY OF THE SAINTS DOES NOT FULFILL THEIR 1260-YEAR PERIOD OF PERSECUTION (Daniel 7:25)
The SDA church teaches that the “saints” of Daniel 7 were orthodox Christians and not Jews, pagans or Muslims.
Holy Scripture says that the little horn “made war with the saints and prevailed against them” (Dan 7:21), “He shall wear out the saints of the most High” … and “they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time” (Dan 7:21, 25).
There are numerous problems with the SDA interpretation.
First, the SDA interpretation of “saints” could not refer to the papacy killing fellow Christians because there was no organized Christian resistance to the Roman Catholic Church almost 600 years after 538. SDA prophetic interpretation errs because the papacy very definitely did not begin punishing Christians for their faith in 538. Although it was responsible for killing fellow Christians in Constantinople in 1204, murdered Albigensians in 1209 and Waldensians in 1527, 666 of the 1260 years had passed before these persecutions began.
Second, the SDA interpretation of “saints” cannot refer to the papacy killing Jews for 1260 years. Although it did persecute Jews since 250, it first massacred Jews at Orleans, France in 1009 — 471 years after the 1260-year period began. Afterwards, Jews have been massacred over 20 time during the next 800 years. Although Jews best fit the “saints” of Daniel 7:25, SDAs do not include Jews in the prophecy.
Third, “saints” cannot refer to the Peasant War which killed many dissidents between 1521 and 1525 because Catholics and Protestants joined forces to kill those dissenters.
Fourth, “saints” cannot refer to the Protestant Reformation because the papacy lost that battle and much of Europe long before the 1260 years ended in 1798. The total time of the Roman Catholic’s strongest popes “wearing out the saints” only lasted about 100 of the 1260 years. Even then the papacy often aligned itself with Protestants against fellow Catholics.
Fifth, perhaps the greatest SDA error in defining “saints” as Christians who were persecuted from 538 to 1798 is their use of Revelation 12:17 and 19:10 to define the “saints” as themselves, the true remnant church which “keeps the commandments of God and has the testimony of Jesus” “which is the spirit of prophecy”—that is, Ellen G White. It is contradictory to call non-Sabbath-keepers “saints” from 538 to 1798 and apostate false “daughters of the Babylon” afterwards. Their weak attempts to connect Sabbath-keeping to small short-lived groups fails to fit the description of saints in Daniel 7:25.
Sixth, most historicists teach that the 3 ½ times, 42 months and 1260 prophetic years ended at the second coming of Christ. They began the 1260 years with the beast already having the healed deadly wound of Revelation 13:1-8.
SDAs do not fully follow the historicist formula. They end the 1260 years in 1798 and explain 1844, their own existence and last-day events as a resurgent more powerful last-day papacy following 1798.
The SDA interpretation cannot be proven from Scripture. All texts which discuss the final 1260 days end with the establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven. None allow for the SDA extension beyond the end of the period. Compare Daniel 7:25; 9:26-27; 12:1-7, 11-12; Revelation 12:6, 14 and 13:5.
When SDAs focus on the “think to change times and laws” of Daniel 7:25 and ignore the “3 ½ times” part of the prophecy, they fail to define “saints” correctly and they especially fail to explain why the vast majority of the 1260 years revealed weak popes who could seldom “wear out the (non-sabbath-keeping) saints”
E. SECULAR RULERS ALMOST ALWAYS HAD VETO AUTHORITY OVER PAPAL ELECTIONS
I encourage those sincerely interested to read Lives of the Popes, by Roman Catholic historian Richard P. McBrien. For most of the “1260 years” almost all of them were required to swear allegiance to a political protector whether such was an emperor, king, duke or local ruler.
It is impossible to convince others that you are the most powerful authority on earth when your own election must be approved by others. This rule was enforced from Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (312), to Eastern Emperor Justinian (538), to the king of France in (712), to the Holy Roman Emperor of France (800), to German Emperor Otto (912) and even to German Henry IV after he had been embarrassed (1081). As nations emerged, veto power of the pope’s election was extended to almost every ruling Christian king. Since they often vetoed another king’s choice, weak compromise popes were often chosen.
Scores of popes were chosen rather than elected. Even after cardinals were created to elect the popes, rulers often chose the popes by choosing the cardinals.
For several hundred years the ruling families of the Roman Senate chose the pope solely for financial gain. The senatorial families were Theophylact (904+), Alberic II (936+), Crescenti (973+), Tusculan (1012+), Orsini (1191, 1277, 1724); Medici (1513-1610). Several popes even turned the Vatical into a brothel: John XII (055-964) and Alexander VI (1492-1503).
F. LAY INVESTITURE KEPT SECULAR RULERS IN CHARGE OF THE PAPACY
Lay investiture is the right and ability of secular rulers to appoint church leaders such as bishops and even some popes. It is impossible to convince others that you are the most powerful authority on earth as long as (1) rulers appoint your church leaders, (2) nations are completely independent from you (such as France and Spain) and (3) you are not living in Rome and are hiding in exile because the people riot against you.
Even after declaring the investiture issue settled in 1121 (583 years after 538), little changed because the declaration had been made during a power vacuum when the German Emperor was a child. Almost every time the pope offended a ruler, that ruler re-imposed his own authority to appoint church leaders. the matter was declared “settled” in 1121. However, the French, who almost always kept lay investiture rights, reasserted its independence in 1141, 1513, 1655, 1667, 1676 and 1691. The Germans regained lay investiture (on and off) in 1185, 1187, 1191, 1225 and 1352. The English regained it temporarily in 1189 and 1335.
And the Spanish (who had been ruled by Muslims for 800 years since 700) reasserted their independence and lay investiture authority in 1566, 1700, 1769 and 1776.
G. ANTIPOPES HINDERED THE POWER OF THE PAPACY
From 538 to 1798 there were approximately 50 other “popes,” or “antipopes,” claiming the same authority over the whole church. Though designated as “antipopes,” many had far better credentials and more authority than those accepted by the Catholic Church as authentic. The Church often revises its list and moves some from one category to the other. Often from 2-4 popes claimed the chair of Peter and reigned in Rome at the same time. Angered emperors, kings and rulers of the Rome often “deposed” and replaced offending popes with one favorable to themselves. Disharmony caused by competing popes seriously weakened the papacy. This description of the SDA “little horn” of Daniel 7:21-25 is definitely omitted by SDAs because it proves their interpretation to be false.
Years when “Antipopes,” or two or more popes existed at the same time in:
687 (3), 767, 768 (2), 795, 844, 855, 867, 903-904, 914, 955, 964, 974, 984-985, 997, 998, 1012, 1032, 1058-1059, 1061-1064, 1073, 1080, 1084-1100, 1100, 1100, 1101 (2), 1105-1111, 1118-1121, 1124, 1130-1137, 1138 (2), 1159-1163, 1164 (2), 1165-1167, 1168 (2) 1169-1178, 1179-1180, 1328-1330, 1378-1393, 1394 (2), 1395-1417, 1409, 1410-1415, 1423-1428, 1429-30, and 1439-1449.
H. “STRONG” POPES FROM 538 TO 1798
Gregory I (590-604) is called “the Great” because of all the laws, theology and ritual he introduced. Of the 190 popes between 538 and 1798, he is the only one classified as “outstanding.” He was chosen by the Eastern Emperor and swore allegiance to him. He bribed the Lombards to stop one siege and died from gout during famine from a second siege. He never left Rome as its pope. He was eventually forced out of office by angry Roman citizens.
Gregory VII (1073-1081) is considered extremely strong because he forced Emperor Henry IV to repent at his feet in 1077 and give up lay investiture. In reality Henry IV was fighting a civil war for the crown and did not need excommunication or an interdict from the pope. However, after the war had been won over the papacy’s choice, in 1081 Henry IV marched into Rome and replaced Gregory VII with “antipope” Clement III. Lay investiture was also regained. The Roman people forced Gregory VII to leave and he died in exile.
Urban II (1089-1099) (French) is considered a strong pope because of the successful First Crusade (1096-1099). In reality (1) he yielded to pressure and allowed lay investiture to entice kings to send crusaders. (2) German Emperor Henry IV temporarily replaced him with “antipope” Clement III in 1087 who stayed in Rome until 1100. (3) Henry IV forced him out of Rome again from 1090-1094 and (4) the rulers of Germany, England, France, Spain and Sicily were able to ignore at will the papacy’s reformist regulations, including lay investiture.
Innocent III (1198-1216) is considered the summit of the medieval papacy. He claimed authority “over the whole world” (LP). He replaced Emperor Otto IV with Frederic of Sicily and excommunicated King John of England. He succeeded in the Second Lateran Council of 1215. He also persecuted Albigensians. However, as strong as Innocent III was, his 18 years of supremacy does not fit 1260. Oddly, McBrien does not list him as a good pope.
I. MANY POPES WERE IMPRISONED, BEATEN, EXILED OR KILLED
Contrary to the description of the powerful little horn of Daniel 7:21-25, the pope was personally imprisoned, beaten and/or killed at least 13 times from 538-1798. This fact alone should disprove the SDA interpretation of the little horn. Imprisoned or killed:
538, 795, 872, 884, 896, 897, 898, 903, 904, 914, 939, 983, 1124.
J. SAINTS FIGHTING SAINTS
Rather than “making war against the saints” and “wearing out the saints,” the papacy was very often responsible for causing the “saints” to fight each other.
The following is an incomplete list of the years in which popes were directly involved in war between Roman Catholic countries: 1049-54, 1185 (2), 1198, 1285, 1471, 1492, 1503, 1523, 1550, 1555, 1572, 1618-1648, 1679.
K. ROME, THE PAPAL STATES AND ITALY WERE OFTEN BESIEGED, OCCUPIED AND PLUNDERED.
This happened at least 60 times between 538 and 1798 by at least 18 kingdoms covering every decade. Rome was difficult to protect and was easy prey to Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Lombards, Normans, Saracens and others. Also, whenever the pope disobeyed a ruler or tried to impose their authority, the result was usually a march to plunder Rome, the Papal States, or Italy itself. Again, this is not the description of the biblical little horn persecuting the saints.
538 (O), 546 (O), 549-550 (O)
561 (L), 575 (L), 579 (L), 590 (L), 604 (L), 640 (E), 715 (L&E), 731 (L), 757 (L), 844 (F), 858 (F), 867 (DS), 872 (SA&F), 885 (DS), 955 (KI), 963 (GG), 964 (G), 965 (G), 973 (G), 974 (G), 985 (G), 1058 (DL), 1061 (G), 1071 (DL), 1081 (G) 1087 (N), 1087 (G&T), 1090 (G), 1143 (N), 1145 (G), 1154 (G), 1185 (G), 1191 (G), 1227 (G), 1239 (G), 1254 (SI), 1266 (F), 1281 (SG), 1304-1378 (F), 1378 (G), 1378-1417 (F), 1431 (RN), 1455 (S), 1471 (FL), 1484 (N), 1503 (S&EN), 1523 (G), 1559 (S), 1572 (PS), 1676 (F), 1700 (G), 1730 (RN), 1740 (A), 1758 (F), 1769 (PS), 1776 (F)
A=Austria; DL=Duke of Lorraine; DS=Duke of Spoleto; E=Eastern Empire; EN-England; F=France; FL=Florence; G=Germany; KI=King of Italy; L=Lombards; N=Naples; O=Ostrogoths; PS=Papal States; RN=Roman Nobility; S=Spain; SA=Saracens; SI=Sicily; SG=Spain & Germany; T=Tuscan
L. MANY POPES COULD NOT LIVE IN ROME OR DID NOT LIVE IN ROME — OFTEN FOR FEAR OF THE ROMAN PEOPLE
Far too often the Roman citizens hated the papacy and forced the popes to live elsewhere. Many popes fled Rome, were murdered by riotous bands or were exiled after being deposed and replaced.
This happened in at least 57 years and 37 of the 190 popes covering all 13 centuries from 538 to 1798. Read about it in Lives of the Popes by Richard P. McBrien, a Roman Catholic historian. Again, this is far from being true of a power which the SDA interpretation of prophecy describes as making “war with and prevailing” against the saints for 1260 years.
538, 556, 561, 590, 604, 625, 649, 708, 715, 817, 872, 884, 885, 963, 965, 984, 985, 996, 999, 1009, 1032, 1073, 1087, 1089, 1099, 1118, 1144, 1145, 1154, 1159, 1181, 1185, 1187, 1216, 1227, 1243, 1254, 1261, 1266, 1272, 1301, 1362, 1371, 1309-1376, 1378, 1404, 1406, 1431, 1455, 1478, 1492, 1523, 1552, 1555, 1585, 1590, 1623, 1644, 1676, 1689, 1724.
M. THE PAPACY DELIBERATELY CAUSED WAR BETWEEN ITS OWN FOLLOWERS
Nowhere does the prophecy of the little horn state that he would cause his own followers (Roman Catholic nations) to war against each other. Yet this happened at least 8 times between 528 and 1798 (
1285, 1471, 1492, 1503, 1550, 1555, 1585, 1644).
O. THE POPES SUFFERED FROM MANY MORE FAILURES FROM 538 TO 1798.
Not included in the above lists are:
(1) Many died from famine and disease. (2) Several were condemned and/or deposed for heresy. (3) Many paid ransom and taxes to other nations. (4) Many were murdered and one murdered an opposing pope. (5) At least two turned the Vatican into a brothel. (6) Ruling families of Rome chose the pope for several centuries.