A Little Horn
The twelfth chapter of Daniel presents three significant time periods. These are the 1260,1290 and 1335 days. They appear to all have the same starting point but different terminal points. The 1260 days are referred to in a number of forms in Scripture including 1 Kings 17:1; Daniel 7:25; 12:7; Revelation 11:2 -3; 12:6, 14; 13:5. The foundation of interpretation for the “days” of Daniel is laid in Volume III where Pastor Russell writes on page 68 (C68),
“Since the close of the times of Papal power are not only thus clearly fixed as occurring during the French Revolution, but also by the events of Daniel 11:40-44, which mark the very year 1799, we can readily measure backward 1260 years to note whether Papal power had its beginning there. If we find that it had, we have our evidence as clear and strong as faith could ask. Let us thus verify. Measuring back 1260 years from 1799 would bring us to A.D. 539, where we shall show the Papal power began.”
This central beginning point is identified in Daniel 12:11 as, “from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up…” This in turn is a reference to the “little horn of Daniel 8:8-11. In Volume III page 76 (C76) we continue to read,
“As if by a preconcerted arrangement, the emperor at once (A.a534) sent Belisarius and an army into Italy, and in six years after the pope’s recognition by the emperor, the Ostrogothic power was vanquished, and their king Vitiges and the flower of his army were taken with other trophies to Justinian’s feet. This was in A.D. 539, which is therefore the point of time from which we should reckon the ‘Desolating Abomination set up.’ Papacy there had its small beginning. There the little, peculiar “horn” noted in Daniel’s prophecy just began to push itself up, upon the Roman beast.” (Dan. 7:8, 11, 20-22, 25)
And finally on page 77 we read,
“With the overthrow of the Ostrogoths, the Roman emperor was recognized for some time as the ruler of Italy, and was represented by Exarchs; but since these had their capital at Ravenna, and not at Rome, and since they had come to recognize the Papacy in the manner shown, it follows that from A.D. 539 Papacy was recognized as the chief authority in the city of Rome; and that from that date (when it was “set up”) it began to grow and thrive as a “horn” or power among other “horns” or powers, representing the formerly united power of Rome.” (C77)
Our purpose here is to document the events of these transitional years, confirm Pastor Russell’s observations and to reflect on the significance of the year 539. We trust this will add substance to the foundation prophecies in Daniel the twelfth chapter that lead to our Lord’s return.
The important turning points in history are generally perceived only in retrospect over long periods by observing consequences and attributing competent causes. For the first 500 years of the common era “mystic Babylon” was growing and practicing its iniquity. However, it was always under the jurisdiction of acknowledged political supremacies. While we recognize Papacy commanding supreme political power in later centuries, our challenge is to identify just when the scales tipped in its favor, and it began to dominate the political entities.
| FIVE YEARS OF THE GOTHIC WARS | |
| 534 AD | Amalasuntha (daughter to Ostrogothic king Theodoriec) designed to turn over Gothic Italy to Justinian in Constantinople. Her son, Athalaric, died after 8 years of rule. Theodatus (also spelled Theodahad, cousin to Amalasuntha) assumed the throne in Rome. |
| 535
Gothic War 1 |
Theodatus reasserted Gothic independence. Banished and killed Amalasuntha. Belisarius sent by Justinian for Gothic war. 9th year of Justinian.
Belisarius took Salones and Syracuse (Sicily) in Justinian’s 9th year. |
| 536
Gothic War 2 |
Theodatus was slain in his 3rd year of reign.
Vitiges (also spelled Witiges) marched to Rome & assumed Gothic rule. Belisarius crossed to Italy, captured Naples through an aqueduct. Siege on Rome just 60 years after Odoacer (476 A.D.). 11th (10th*) year of Justinian. Goths withdrew in December. Belisarius deposed Pope Silverius. |
| 537
Gothic War 3 |
Vigilius installed as next Pope. Goths began a seige of Rome.
Stalemate in Rome between Gothic and Belisarius forces. Vitiges broke off the siege in December. Retreated to Ravenna & fortified the city. |
| 538
Gothic War 4 |
At the Summer solstice Belisarius left Rome and marched against Vitiges in Tudera & Clusium. Goths besiege Romans in Ariminum. Goths routed & retreat back to Ravenna.
Vitiges devised a plan for 2 priests to entice Chosroes, king of Medes at Liguria, to oppose Belisarius. Justinian sent envoys to Vitiges with proposal for a treaty to bring the war to a speedy end. |
| 539
Gothic War 5 |
Belisarius captured Dorthon, isolated Auximus.
Franks (Germanic) entered battle against both Goths & Romans. Belisarius polluted the Auximus water supply, Auximus surrendered. Belisarius moved on Ravenna; surrender secured by trickery. Envoys from Justinian arrive to Vitiges; Vitiges suspicious. Franks offered Vitiges terms. Belisarius feigned an offer to share the Western Empire. Accepted. Belisarius captured Vitiges and Ravenna. At the Spring equinox Belisarius returned to Constantinople with Vitiges and the spoils. |
| *There is a notable exception in the accuracy of the narrative of Procopius. Concerning the second year of the war, he says: “Rome became subject to the Romans again after a space of sixty years, on the ninth day of the last month, which is called ‘December’ by the Romans, in the eleventh year of the reign of the Emperor Justinian.” Sixty years after Odoacer’s revolt occurred in 536 A.D. This was the 10th year of Justinian, not the 11th. Clinton explains this discrepancy. “The second year [of the war] was conumerary [reckoned] with the tenth of Justinian because the first was conumerary with the ninth, 535, which establishes the reading aton [tenth] for n aton [eleventh] in Procopius” It wll be noticed that there are only two Greek letters distinguishing these terms, i.e. n, which is also a Greek preposition, “in.” | |
The sequence of events was wrapped up in the expanding Roman empire. The capitol had been moved from the city of Rome to Constantinople. Here Justinian was able to dominate the eastern frontier. Rome was now exposed to military and cultural invasion from Germanic tribes. The Goths were Christians of Arian persuasion. Arius taught that the Father is separate from the Son. This Gothic dominance posed both a political and religious threat to Justinian’s ambitions for Italy.
Pastor Russell quotes some of the correspondence between Justinian and Pope John II in 533-534 on pages 70-76. Pope John 11 died in 535 and was succeeded by Pope Agapetus. He lived for one year and was succeeded by Pope Sylverius. Belisarius was sent to Rome to turn back the Gothic presence and reassert the Justinian dominance. Belisarius deposed Sylverius and appointed Vigilius as the next Pope in 537. This Pope postured himself for ultimate dominance of the region and positioned the church for the next 1200 years.
Belisarius was the Byzantine military general of emperor Justinian 1 (527-565 AD), and one of the notable generals of history. Procopius was an advisor to Belisarius, and acted as a careful historian of the events of the Gothic wars between 533 and 541. He is the only historian of the period and is the one Gibbon used for his own history. The Greek writings of Procopius have been translated by H. B. Dewing and are part of the Loeb Classical Library published by the Harvard University Press. We have carefully examined the writings of Procopius, Henry Fynes Clinton in “Fasti Romani,” and Gibbon in “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire’ ” To the best of our understanding, the table at the left represents the main events of the first five years of the Gothic wars.
The capture of Ravenna and seizure of Vitiges was a determinative event in the course of history. As Pastor Russell indicates, Justinian gave broad jurisdictional powers to Pope John 11. This authority was in name only until the force of arms could uphold the Papal and Roman cause. Before the fall of Ravenna, it was by no means certain how committed were Roman arms to support Justinian’s assurances, or if Ostrogothic culture and Arianism would prevail in Rome. The capture of Ravenna by Roman armies came as a surprise to both Vitiges and the Roman army. We quote Gibbon on the profound circumstances surrounding the removal of the last obstacle to the new designated authority in Rome:
“The multitudes which yet adhered to the standard of Vitiges far surpassed the number of Roman troops, but neither prayers nor defiance, nor the extreme danger of his most faithful subjects, could tempt the Gothic king beyond the fortifications of Ravenna. These fortifications were indeed impregnable to the assaults of art or violence, and when Belisarius invested the capital he was soon convinced that famine only could tame the stubborn spirit of the barbarians … Each of his officers gave a written opinion that the siege of Ravenna was impracticable and hopeless.
“But the lieutenant of Justinian was conscious of his own rectitude; he entered into a dark and crooked path, as it might lead to the voluntary submission of the Goths; and his dexterous policy persuaded them that he was disposed to comply with their wishes, without engaging an oath or a promise for the performance of a treaty which he secretly abhorred. The day of the surrender of Ravenna was stipulated by the Gothic ambassadors; a fleet, laden with provisions, sailed as a welcome guest into the deepest recess of the harbor, the gates were opened to the fancied king of Italy, and Belisarius, without meeting an enemy, triumphantly marched through the streets of an impregnable city.”
It would seem that a timetable was governing this day of destiny beyond the expectations of Roman armies or the secure Ostrogothic defenses. Procopius who recorded the day, observes:
“While I watched the entry of the Roman army into Ravenna at that time, an idea came to me, to the effect that it is not at all by the wisdom of men or by any other sort of excellence on their part that events are brought to fulfillment, but that there is some divine power which is ever warping their purposes and shifting them in such a way that there will be nothing to hinder that which is being brought to pass… And Belisarius took his way in Byzantium; and the winter drew to its close and the fifth year ended in this war, the history of which Procopius has written.” (Procopius Volume IV, pp 133-134, 147)
The rise of Papal Roman power cannot commence prior to Belisarius leaving Rome in A.D. 538 at the Summer solstice, nor harly later than Belisarius departing Italy in 540 at the Spring equinox. Thus, by any calendar reckoning, we conclde the rise of Papal civil power began in A.D. 539, with the fall of Ravenna.
So the third and last of the three hindering horns were removed. These had prevented the little Papal horn from achieving political dominace. The Papal horn of Daniel 7:8, 11, 20-25; Dan. 8:10- 11 was now unhindered from magnifying its own pride and ambitions. In Volume 1 page 258 (A258), these three horns are listed as the Heruli, the Eastern Exarchate and the Ostrogoths. In Volume III page 77 (C77) they are enumberated as the Western Empire, the Heruli, and the Ostrogothic kingdom. The latter lists the powers occupying Rome. Actually, the Western empire (in Rome) was an exarchate (province) of the Eastern empire situated in Constantinople.
After the victory at Ravenna, not only were the Ostrogoths defeated, but it was demonstrated the church had armies at her disposal. This was a new precedent in history that cannot be taken lightly in retrospect. From A.D.539, Papal Roman power rose rapidly. The historian, Lataurette, observes that half a century later, Pope Gregory “raised armies, kept Rome inviolate from Lombard attacks, negotiated with both Lombards and imperial officials, and on his own authority made peace with the Lombards.” The time line on the next page illustrates the relative contending powers and events that led to the emergence of the little horn.
It seems a fitting climax to Daniel’s vision of the “time, times, and a half,” or 1260 days, that at the end of the 1260 years from these small beginnings, Pope Pius VI, a successor to the Papal throne, died in exile far from Rome under house arrest in France in 1799. He was taken from Rome in 1798 by French General Berthier at the order of the French Directory. After the Pope’s death, Napoleon prevented election of any new Pope until March 1800. God’s judgments are on time and address the transgressors.
As for the character that marked the rise of Papal power, Chambers Encyclopedia says the name Belisarius carries the meaning of “white prince.” Belisarius was the conquering general on behalf of the kingdom of Antichrist. It is perhaps equally remarkable that at the end of the “1335 days,” a greater prince than Belisarius, is presented in Revelation 19:11-16. He goes forth to conquer on behalf of the true kingdom.
“I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Of his kingdom there shall be no end.
– Jerry Leslie