The Battle of Raphia and the Battle of Panium are two distinct historical events that occurred in different periods and contexts, but they both have significance in the history of ancient Judea and its surrounding regions. The Battle of Raphia took place in 217 BC. The Battle of Panium occurred in 200 BC between the Seleucid kingdom (king of the north) and the Ptolemaic kingdom (king of the south). These two battles are identified in verses eleven through fifteen of Daniel chapter eleven. These two battles preceded the Maccabean Revolt in 167 BC.

Slaget ved Raphia og slaget ved Panium er to forskellige historiske begivenheder, som fandt sted i forskellige perioder og sammenhænge, men de har begge betydning i det gamle Judæas historie og de omliggende regioners historie. Slaget ved Raphia fandt sted i 217 f.Kr. Slaget ved Panium fandt sted i 200 f.Kr. mellem det seleukidiske rige (kongen i nord) og det ptolemæiske rige (kongen i syd). Disse to slag identificeres i vers elleve til femten i Daniel kapitel elleve. Disse to slag gik forud for makkabæeropstanden i 167 f.Kr.

The Battle of Panium took its name from the nearby geographical feature, Mount Panium, where the conflict occurred. The name Panium is derived from the Greek god Pan, to whom a temple was there dedicated. The site was known as Panium due to its association with the worship of Pan. The temple complex was often referred to as the Sanctuary of Pan, emphasizing its role as a place of religious devotion and worship dedicated to the god Pan. The term “Nymphaeum” refers to a monument or shrine dedicated to water nymphs in ancient Greek and Roman religion. The temple complex at Panium included a grotto and natural spring, which were believed to be inhabited by nymphs, and thus it was sometimes referred to as the Nymphaeum of Panium.

Slaget ved Panium fik sit navn efter det nærliggende geografiske sted, bjerget Panium, hvor konflikten fandt sted. Navnet Panium er afledt af den græske gud Pan, til hvem der dér var indviet et tempel. Stedet var kendt som Panium på grund af dets forbindelse med dyrkelsen af Pan. Tempelkomplekset blev ofte omtalt som Pans helligdom, hvilket understregede dets rolle som et sted for religiøs hengivenhed og tilbedelse viet til guden Pan. Betegnelsen “Nymphaeum” henviser til et monument eller et helligdomssted viet til vandnymfer i oldgræsk og romersk religion. Tempelkomplekset ved Panium omfattede en grotte og en naturlig kilde, som man mente var beboet af nymfer, og derfor blev det undertiden omtalt som Paniums Nymphaeum.

After the city was rebuilt and expanded by Herod Philip, son of Herod the Great, it was known as Caesarea Philippi in honor of the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus and Herod Philip himself. The temple complex was an important religious center within this city.

Efter at byen var blevet genopbygget og udvidet af Herodes Filip, søn af Herodes den Store, blev den kendt som Cæsarea Filippi til ære for den romerske kejser Cæsar Augustus og Herodes Filip selv. Tempelkomplekset var et vigtigt religiøst center i denne by.

During the reign of Emperor Augustus, the temple was rededicated or renamed in honor of Augustus, reflecting the imperial cult and the integration of Roman religious practices into the local religious landscape. The area near the ancient city of Caesarea Philippi, where the temple of Pan was located, was sometimes referred to as the “Gates of Hell” or the “Gates of Hades.”

Under kejser Augustus’ regering blev templet genindviet eller omdøbt til ære for Augustus, hvilket afspejlede kejserkulten og integrationen af romerske religiøse praksisser i det lokale religiøse landskab. Området nær den gamle by Cæsarea Filippi, hvor Pans tempel lå, blev undertiden omtalt som “Helvedes porte” eller “Hades’ porte”.

In verses sixteen through nineteen of Daniel chapter eleven, the three geographical areas of conquest that pagan Rome was to overcome in order to be established as the fourth kingdom of Bible prophecy and the king of the north in the chapter, are represented. In verse sixteen, the Roman general Pompey is identified as conquering Syria in 65 BC, and then Jerusalem in 63 BC. Verses seventeen through nineteen identify Julius Caesar’s conquering of Egypt, the third of the three obstacles. The Battle of Actium in 31 BC, marks the beginning of the three hundred and sixty years that pagan Rome would rule supremely in fulfillment of verse twenty-four, of Daniel chapter eleven.

I vers seksten til nitten i Daniel kapitel elleve fremstilles de tre geografiske erobringsområder, som det hedenske Rom skulle overvinde for at blive etableret som det fjerde rige i Bibelens profeti og som kongen i nord i kapitlet. I vers seksten identificeres den romerske general Pompejus som den, der erobrede Syrien i 65 f.Kr. og dernæst Jerusalem i 63 f.Kr. Vers sytten til nitten identificerer Julius Cæsars erobring af Egypten, den tredje af de tre hindringer. Slaget ved Actium i 31 f.Kr. markerer begyndelsen på de tre hundrede og tres år, hvor det hedenske Rom skulle herske suverænt til opfyldelse af vers fireogtyve i Daniel kapitel elleve.

In verse twenty the reign of Augustus Caesar is marked, and in that history, Jesus was born. Then in verses twenty-one and twenty-two the wicked Tiberius Caesar’s reign is identified, thus marking the crucifixion of Christ. In verse twenty-three, the league which the Maccabean Jews entered into with pagan Rome is marked, and thus the flow of history that began in verse eleven is halted, and the historical narrative drops back to the period of 161 BC to 158 BC.

I vers tyve markeres Augustus Cæsars regering, og i denne historie blev Jesus født. Derpå identificeres i vers enogtyve og toogtyve den ugudelige Tiberius Cæsars regering, hvorved Kristi korsfæstelse markeres. I vers treogtyve markeres den pagt, som de makkabæiske jøder indgik med det hedenske Rom, og således standses historiens forløb, som begyndte i vers elleve, og den historiske beretning føres tilbage til perioden 161 f.Kr. til 158 f.Kr.

Verse twenty-three represents the line of the Maccabees, and though it does not provide all the details of their prophetic line, the record of history does. In 217 BC, the Battle of Raphia took place, and in the aftermath a child king left Egypt vulnerable. As the Seleucid and Greek kings made plans to deal with the child king in the year 200 BC, Rome inserted itself into the history and became the defender of the Egyptian child king. In the same year the Battle of Panium took place. Then in 167 BC the guerilla warfare of the Maccabees, began.

Vers treogtyve repræsenterer makkabæernes linje, og skønt den ikke giver alle detaljer om deres profetiske linje, gør historiens beretning det. I 217 f.Kr. fandt slaget ved Raphia sted, og i dets efterspil gjorde en barnekonge Egypten sårbart. Da de seleukidiske og græske konger lagde planer om at tage hånd om barnekongen i året 200 f.Kr., greb Rom ind i historien og blev den egyptiske barnekonges forsvarer. I samme år fandt slaget ved Panium sted. Derefter begyndte makkabæernes guerillakrig i 167 f.Kr.

The Maccabean revolt began in Modein in 167 BC, and it consisted of the Maccabees not only engaging against the Seleucid Empire, but also engaging the Jews that they had determined were in alliance with the Seleucids. The revolt was religiously motivated, and it was carried out against an internal and external enemy. In 164 BC the Maccabees rededicated the temple, and this event is commemorated by the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. In that year the infamous Antiochus Epiphanes died. Then from 161 BC to 158 BC the “league” of verse twenty-three was entered into with Rome.

Makkabæeropstanden begyndte i Modiin i 167 f.Kr., og den bestod i, at makkabæerne ikke alene kæmpede mod det seleukidiske imperium, men også mod de jøder, som de havde fastslået stod i forbund med seleukiderne. Oprøret var religiøst motiveret, og det blev ført mod en indre såvel som en ydre fjende. I 164 f.Kr. genindviede makkabæerne templet, og denne begivenhed mindes ved den jødiske fejring af Hanukkah. I dette år døde den berygtede Antiochus Epifanes. Derpå blev fra 161 f.Kr. til 158 f.Kr. den „liga“, der omtales i vers treogtyve, indgået med Rom.

The only direct reference to the Maccabees, their revolt and their league with Rome, is found in verse twenty-three, but the history of the dynasty, called the Hasmonean Dynasty began at Modein in 167 BC, and continued to the time of the cross. The final representatives of the Hasmonean Dynasty were the Pharisees of Christ’s time period. Therefore, there is a prophetic line of the history of apostate Judaism as represented by the Maccabees which began in 167 BC at the revolt of Modein, which ends in verses twenty-one and twenty-two when Jesus was crucified.

Den eneste direkte henvisning til Makkabæerne, deres opstand og deres forbund med Rom, findes i vers treogtyve, men dynastiets historie, kaldet det hasmonæiske dynasti, begyndte i Modein i 167 f.Kr. og fortsatte indtil korsets tid. De sidste repræsentanter for det hasmonæiske dynasti var farisæerne på Kristi tid. Derfor findes der en profetisk linje i den frafaldne jødedommes historie, som repræsenteres ved Makkabæerne, og som begyndte i 167 f.Kr. ved opstanden i Modein, og som ender i vers enogtyve og toogtyve, da Jesus blev korsfæstet.

Their history reached a turning point in verse sixteen, when Rome, for the first time, through Pompey, conquered Jerusalem. His primary motivation for bringing the destruction upon Jerusalem at that time was a dispute among two factions of the Hasmonean Dynasty. From that point in time (63 BC), Judah was under Roman rule. The Hasmonean Dynasty of the Maccabees begins prophetically at the battle of Modein in 167 BC, then is placed under subjection to Rome in 63 BC. Soon after the beginning of that history the Maccabees initiated and entered into a league with Rome from 161 BC to 158 BC. They were in subjection to Rome from 63 BC until the cross and the ultimate destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70.

Deres historie nåede et vendepunkt i vers seksten, da Rom for første gang gennem Pompejus erobrede Jerusalem. Hans primære bevæggrund for på det tidspunkt at bringe ødelæggelsen over Jerusalem var en strid mellem to fraktioner inden for det hasmonæiske dynasti. Fra dette tidspunkt (63 f.Kr.) var Juda under romersk herredømme. Makkabæernes hasmonæiske dynasti begynder profetisk ved slaget ved Modein i 167 f.Kr. og bliver derefter underlagt Rom i 63 f.Kr. Kort efter begyndelsen af denne historie tog makkabæerne initiativ til og indgik en pagt med Rom fra 161 f.Kr. til 158 f.Kr. De var underlagt Rom fra 63 f.Kr. indtil korset og Jerusalems endelige ødelæggelse i året 70.

The prophetic line of the Maccabees is the line of apostate Judaism, and it therefore typifies the line of apostate Protestantism. From the Battle of Panium until the Sunday law of verse sixteen the prophetic events of 200 BC, 167 BC, 164 BC, and the league from 161 BC to 158 BC will be repeated in the history of apostate Protestantism. These waymarks will occur in the history of the eighth president who is of the seven in advance of the Sunday law. 200 BC represents the external line of the Republican horn in relation to 167 BC, representing the internal line of the apostate Protestant horn.

Makkabæernes profetiske linje er den frafaldne jødedoms linje, og den er derfor et forbillede på den frafaldne protestantismes linje. Fra slaget ved Panium og indtil søndagsloven i vers seksten vil de profetiske begivenheder i 200 f.Kr., 167 f.Kr., 164 f.Kr. samt forbundet fra 161 f.Kr. til 158 f.Kr. blive gentaget i den frafaldne protestantismes historie. Disse vejmærker vil forekomme i den ottende præsidents historie, han som er af de syv, forud for søndagsloven. 200 f.Kr. repræsenterer det republikanske horns ydre linje i forhold til 167 f.Kr., som repræsenterer den frafaldne protestantiske horns indre linje.

These waymarks are essentially hidden within the historical line of the Hasmonean Dynasty, but none-the-less form part of the hidden history of verse forty of Daniel eleven. It is a line that is part of the “that portion of the prophecy of Daniel relating to the last days.”

Disse vejmærker er i det væsentlige skjult inden for den historiske linje af det hasmonæiske dynasti, men udgør ikke desto mindre en del af den skjulte historie i Daniel 11, vers 40. Det er en linje, som er en del af „den del af Daniels profeti, der vedrører de sidste dage“.

The fact that Judaism celebrates Hanukkah in memory of the revolt of the Maccabees, does not define the Maccabees as righteous. Due to rebellion the shekinah never returned to the temple that was rebuilt after the captivity of seventy years. The final prophetic message came through Malachi roughly two centuries before the Maccabees. The history of the Maccabees identifies that they allowed their political leaders to also function as high priest, the very sin that the Egyptian Ptolemy attempted, and that King Uzziah also attempted. Tradition identifies that God intervened to prevent Ptolemy from the sacrilegious action, and God’s Word identifies directly that God did intervene when king Uzziah attempted to perform the work of the priest and king. The final fruit of their dynasty was the Pharisees. There is no reason to conclude the Maccabees were a symbol of righteousness, in spite of the historical reverence modern Judaism’s Jews may hold to.

At jødedommen fejrer Hanukkah til minde om makkabæernes opstand, gør ikke makkabæerne retfærdige. På grund af oprør vendte shekinah aldrig tilbage til det tempel, der blev genopbygget efter fangenskabet på halvfjerds år. Det sidste profetiske budskab kom gennem Malakias omtrent to århundreder før makkabæerne. Makkabæernes historie viser, at de tillod deres politiske ledere også at fungere som ypperstepræst, netop den synd, som den egyptiske Ptolemæus forsøgte sig med, og som kong Uzzija også forsøgte sig med. Traditionen fastslår, at Gud greb ind for at forhindre Ptolemæus i den helligbrødelige handling, og Guds Ord fastslår direkte, at Gud greb ind, da kong Uzzija forsøgte at udføre præstens og kongens gerning. Deres dynastis endelige frugt var farisæerne. Der er ingen grund til at konkludere, at makkabæerne var et symbol på retfærdighed, på trods af den historiske ærbødighed, som den moderne jødedoms jøder måtte nære for dem.

The Protestant reformation began in the time of Luther, and it was a progressive development. It was not a new tradition, for Jesus and His disciples were Protestants. It was an awakening to the darkness of the history where Luther and other reformers were awakened. The climax of that progressive reformation was the Millerite movement. God did not only need to awaken the early reformers to the sins of Babylon, but He intended to bring them into the full understanding of His law, and His work in the heavenly sanctuary. On April 19, 1844 the Protestants rejected the increasing light of the reformation and became apostate Protestantism.

Den protestantiske reformation begyndte på Luthers tid, og den var en fremadskridende udvikling. Den var ikke en ny tradition, for Jesus og Hans disciple var protestanter. Den var en opvågnen fra historiens mørke, hvori Luther og andre reformatorer blev vækket. Klimakset på denne fremadskridende reformation var Miller-bevægelsen. Gud havde ikke blot behov for at vække de tidlige reformatorer til Babylons synder, men det var Hans hensigt at føre dem ind i den fulde forståelse af Hans lov og Hans gerning i den himmelske helligdom. Den 19. april 1844 forkastede protestanterne reformationens tiltagende lys og blev til frafalden protestantisme.

The faithful Millerites then were “given the mantle” and directed into the Most Holy Place to finish the work to become mature Protestant Christians. In 1863 those who had been given the mantle, through disobedience, set aside the mantle of Protestantism, and took the mantle of Laodicea. In the final period of the sealing of the one hundred and forty-four thousand, which began twenty-two years after September 11, 2001, in 2023, the Lion of the tribe of Judah is unsealing the truths that fill up the hidden history of verse forty of Daniel chapter eleven, which is the history from the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 unto the soon coming Sunday law. In doing this, He has unsealed the history of apostate Judaism as a symbol of apostate Protestantism.

De trofaste Milleritter fik dengang „givet kappen“ og blev ledet ind i Det Allerhelligste for at fuldende værket og blive modne protestantiske kristne. I 1863 lagde de, som havde fået kappen, gennem ulydighed protestantismens kappe til side og tog Laodikeas kappe på sig. I den sidste periode af beseglingen af de hundrede og fireogfyrre tusind, som begyndte toogtyve år efter den 11. september 2001, i 2023, er Løven af Judas stamme ved at åbne de sandheder, som udfylder den skjulte historie i vers fyrre i Daniels bog, kapitel elleve, hvilket er historien fra Sovjetunionens sammenbrud i 1989 indtil den snart kommende søndagslov. Ved at gøre dette har Han åbnet historien om frafaldent jødedom som et symbol på frafalden protestantisme.

Both lines of God’s apostate people, whether those of literal Judah or spiritual Judah (both glorious lands), end at the conquering of Jerusalem, the former in 63 BC, and the latter at the soon coming Sunday law. Both lines represent warfare that is motivated by misguided religious convictions. Both lines represent a warfare against the religious philosophies of Greece, and both lines end up with the apostates being in subjection to Rome. I identify the three battles of verse forty representing the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, the Ukraine War, and Panium at the Sunday law for the purpose of identifying a distinction between those three battles and the three world wars.

Begge linjer af Guds frafaldne folk, hvad enten det er det bogstavelige Juda eller det åndelige Juda (begge herlige lande), ender ved erobringen af Jerusalem, det første i 63 f.Kr. og det sidste ved den snart kommende søndagslov. Begge linjer repræsenterer krigsførelse, som er motiveret af vildledte religiøse overbevisninger. Begge linjer repræsenterer en krig imod Grækenlands religiøse filosofier, og begge linjer ender med, at de frafaldne bliver underlagt Rom. Jeg identificerer de tre slag i vers fyrre som repræsenterende Sovjetunionens sammenbrud i 1989, Ukrainekrigen og Panium ved søndagsloven med det formål at påvise en forskel mellem disse tre slag og de tre verdenskrige.

“God’s word has given warning of the impending danger; let this be unheeded, and the Protestant world will learn what the purposes of Rome really are, only when it is too late to escape the snare. She is silently growing into power. Her doctrines are exerting their influence in legislative halls, in the churches, and in the hearts of men. She is piling up her lofty and massive structures in the secret recesses of which her former persecutions will be repeated. Stealthily and unsuspectedly she is strengthening her forces to further her own ends when the time shall come for her to strike. All that she desires is vantage ground, and this is already being given her. We shall soon see and shall feel what the purpose of the Roman element is. Whoever shall believe and obey the word of God will thereby incur reproach and persecution.” The Great Controversy, 581.

„Guds ord har givet advarsel om den truende fare; lades dette upåagtet, vil den protestantiske verden først lære, hvad Roms hensigter virkelig er, når det er for sent at undslippe snaren. Hun vokser stille ind i magt. Hendes lærdomme øver deres indflydelse i lovgivende forsamlinger, i kirkerne og i menneskers hjerter. Hun opfører sine høje og massive bygningsværker, i hvis hemmelige skjulesteder hendes tidligere forfølgelser vil blive gentaget. Snigende og ubemærket styrker hun sine kræfter for at fremme sine egne mål, når tiden kommer for hende til at slå til. Alt, hvad hun begærer, er fordelagtigt terræn, og dette gives hende allerede. Vi skal snart se og føle, hvad hensigten med det romerske element er. Enhver, som vil tro og adlyde Guds ord, vil derved pådrage sig hån og forfølgelse.“ The Great Controversy, 581.

From verse ten, which identifies the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, unto the Battle of Panium in verse fifteen, the papacy has been “strengthening her forces to further her own ends when the time shall come for her to strike.” These verses identify the prophetic circumstances that are the “snare” that has been prepared by the papacy, which will be impossible to “escape.” In the final engagement, represented by the Battle of Panium, the image of the beast will be formed in the United States. The formation of that image is the final test for God’s people of the last days.

Fra vers ti, som identificerer Sovjetunionens sammenbrud i 1989, og frem til slaget ved Panium i vers femten, har pavedømmet været i færd med at „styrke sine kræfter for at fremme sine egne hensigter, når tiden skal komme for, at hun slår til.“ Disse vers identificerer de profetiske omstændigheder, som er den „snare“, der er blevet forberedt af pavedømmet, og som det vil være umuligt at „undslippe“. I det sidste opgør, repræsenteret ved slaget ved Panium, vil dyrets billede blive dannet i De Forenede Stater. Dannelsen af dette billede er den endelige prøve for Guds folk i de sidste dage.

“The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes; for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided. … In Revelation 13 this subject is plainly presented; [Revelation 13:11–17, quoted].

“Herren har tydeligt vist mig, at dyrets billede vil blive dannet, før prøvetiden slutter; for det skal være den store prøve for Guds folk, hvorved deres evige skæbne vil blive afgjort. … I Åbenbaringen 13 fremstilles dette emne klart; [Åbenbaringen 13,11–17, citeret].

“This is the test that the people of God must have before they are sealed. All who proved their loyalty to God by observing His law, and refusing to accept a spurious sabbath, will rank under the banner of the Lord God Jehovah, and will receive the seal of the living God. Those who yield the truth of heavenly origin and accept the Sunday sabbath, will receive the mark of the beast.” Manuscript Releases, volume 15, 15.

„Dette er den prøve, som Guds folk må gennemgå, før de bliver beseglet. Alle, som har bevist deres troskab mod Gud ved at holde hans lov og ved at nægte at antage en falsk sabbat, vil stille sig under Herren Gud Jehovas banner og vil modtage den levende Guds segl. De, som opgiver sandheden af himmelsk oprindelse og antager søndagssabbatten, vil modtage dyrets mærke.“ Manuscript Releases, bind 15, 15.

The formation of the image of the beast is represented by the period when the league of Rome was entered into. The Protestant horn of the United States became the daughters of Rome in 1844, and the beginning of their history is repeated at the end of their history when they once again determine to imitate their mother.

Dannelsen af dyrets billede repræsenteres ved den periode, da forbundet med Rom blev indgået. De Forenede Staters protestantiske horn blev i 1844 Roms døtre, og begyndelsen af deres historie gentages ved afslutningen af deres historie, når de atter beslutter sig for at efterligne deres moder.

“I saw that the two-horned beast had a dragon’s mouth, and that his power was in his head, and that the decree would go out of his mouth. Then I saw the Mother of Harlots; that the mother was not the daughters, but separate and distinct from them. She has had her day, and it is past, and her daughters, the Protestant sects, were the next to come on the stage and act out the same mind that the mother had when she persecuted the saints. I saw that as the mother has been declining in power, the daughters had been growing, and soon they will exercise the power once exercised by the mother.

„Jeg så, at dyret med de to horn havde en drages mund, og at dets magt var i dets hoved, og at dekretet ville udgå af dets mund. Dernæst så jeg skøgernes moder; at moderen ikke var døtrene, men adskilt fra dem og forskellig fra dem. Hun har haft sin dag, og den er forbi, og hendes døtre, de protestantiske sekter, var de næste til at træde frem på scenen og udleve det samme sindelag, som moderen havde, da hun forfulgte de hellige. Jeg så, at efterhånden som moderen er blevet svækket i magt, er døtrene vokset, og snart vil de udøve den magt, som moderen engang udøvede.“

“I saw the nominal church and nominal Adventists, like Judas, would betray us to the Catholics to obtain their influence to come against the truth. The saints then will be an obscure people, little known to the Catholics; but the churches and nominal Adventists who know of our faith and customs (for they hated us on account of the Sabbath, for they could not refute it) will betray the saints and report them to the Catholics as those who disregard the institutions of the people; that is, that they keep the Sabbath and disregard Sunday.

„Jeg så, at den navnkristne kirke og de navnkristne adventister, ligesom Judas, ville forråde os til katolikkerne for at opnå deres indflydelse til at gå imod sandheden. De hellige vil da være et ubemærket folk, kun lidt kendt af katolikkerne; men kirkerne og de navnkristne adventister, som kender til vor tro og vore skikke (for de hadede os på grund af sabbatten, eftersom de ikke kunne gendrive den), vil forråde de hellige og angive dem til katolikkerne som sådanne, der tilsidesætter folkets institutioner; det vil sige, at de holder sabbatten og tilsidesætter søndagen.“

“Then the Catholics bid the Protestants to go forward, and issue a decree that all who will not observe the first day of the week, instead of the seventh day, shall be slain. And the Catholics, whose numbers are large, will stand by the Protestants. The Catholics will give their power to the image of the beast. And the Protestants will work as their mother worked before them to destroy the saints. But before their decree bring or bear fruit, the saints will be delivered by the Voice of God.” Spalding and Magan, 1, 2.

„Da vil katolikkerne byde protestanterne at gå frem og udstede et dekret om, at alle, som ikke vil holde ugens første dag i stedet for den syvende dag, skal dræbes. Og katolikkerne, hvis antal er stort, vil stå ved protestanternes side. Katolikkerne vil give deres magt til dyrets billede. Og protestanterne vil virke, sådan som deres moder virkede før dem, for at ødelægge de hellige. Men før deres dekret bringer eller bærer frugt, vil de hellige blive udfriet ved Guds røst.“ Spalding and Magan, 1, 2.

In the passage there are two groups of “nominal,” which means “in name only,” that betray God’s faithful ones to the Catholics. Ellen White’s understanding of nominal churches and nominal Adventists is different than what they actually represent in the last days, for her understanding of a “nominal Adventist,” would have represented a Christian who professed to believe in the return of Christ. But the prophets speak more for the last days, than the days in which they lived, and a “nominal Adventist,” in the last days represents the Laodicean Seventh-day Adventist church, and the nominal churches are the descendants of those who became the daughters of Rome in 1844.

I passagen findes der to grupper af „nominelle“, hvilket betyder „kun af navn“, som forråder Guds trofaste til katolikkerne. Ellen Whites forståelse af nominelle kirker og nominelle adventister er anderledes end det, de faktisk repræsenterer i de sidste dage, for hendes forståelse af en „nominel adventist“ ville have betegnet en kristen, som bekendte at tro på Kristi genkomst. Men profeterne taler mere om de sidste dage end om de dage, hvori de levede, og en „nominel adventist“ repræsenterer i de sidste dage den laodikeiske Syvendedags Adventistkirke, og de nominelle kirker er efterkommerne af dem, som i 1844 blev Romes døtre.

Seventh-day Adventists will hate the “obscure people,” who are God’s true representatives for they “cannot refute the Sabbath truth,” which represents the Sabbath of the land resting. The Seventh-day Adventist church professes to uphold the seventh-day as the day of worship, but in the last days the Sabbath they can not refute is the “seven times,” of Leviticus twenty-six, which was the first foundational truth they rejected in 1863.

Syvendedagsadventister vil hade det „ubemærkede folk“, som er Guds sande repræsentanter, for de „kan ikke modbevise sabbatssandheden“, som repræsenterer landets sabbatshvile. Syvendedagsadventistkirken bekender at holde den syvende dag i hævd som tilbedelsens dag, men i de sidste dage er den sabbat, de ikke kan modbevise, de „syv tider“ i Tredje Mosebog seksogtyve, hvilket var den første grundlæggende sandhed, de forkastede i 1863.

The passage that we are now addressing is identifying the prophetic dynamics associated with the history that begins at the soon coming Sunday law, but the final testing history that follows the Sunday law is first accomplished within the United States. At the Sunday law the United States will force the entire world to erect an image to the beast, but before they accomplish that work, they will have erected an image to the beast in the United States.

Det afsnit, som vi nu behandler, identificerer de profetiske dynamikker, der er forbundet med den historie, som begynder ved den nært forestående søndagslov, men den endelige prøvelseshistorie, som følger efter søndagsloven, fuldbyrdes først inden for De Forenede Stater. Ved søndagsloven vil De Forenede Stater tvinge hele verden til at oprette et billede af dyret, men før de fuldbyrder dette værk, vil de have oprettet et billede af dyret i De Forenede Stater.

“As America, the land of religious liberty, shall unite with the Papacy in forcing the conscience and compelling men to honor the false sabbath, the people of every country on the globe will be led to follow her example.” Testimonies, volume 6, 18.

"Når Amerika, religionsfrihedens land, forener sig med pavedømmet i at tvinge samvittigheden og nøde mennesker til at ære den falske sabbat, vil folk i alle lande på hele kloden blive ledt til at følge dets eksempel." Testimonies, bind 6, 18.

“Foreign nations will follow the example of the United States. Though she leads out, yet the same crisis will come upon our people in all parts of the world.” Testimonies, volume 6, 395.

„Fremmede nationer vil følge De Forenede Staters eksempel. Skønt hun går forrest, vil den samme krise dog komme over vort folk i alle dele af verden.“ Testimonies, bind 6, 395.

The great test for the people of God, occurs before the Sunday law, for at the Sunday law probation closes for Seventh-day Adventists. The test is represented as the formation of the image of the beast, and the image of the beast is the combination of church and state, with the church in control of the relationship. Just as the Protestants became a daughter of Rome in 1844, and a daughter is the image of her mother, the apostate Protestants will accomplish a parallel work in the last days, for Jesus always illustrates the end of a thing with the beginning of a thing.

Den store prøve for Guds folk indtræffer før søndagsloven, for ved søndagsloven afsluttes nådetiden for syvendedagsadventister. Prøven fremstilles som dannelsen af dyrets billede, og dyrets billede er foreningen af kirke og stat, med kirken som den styrende part i forholdet. Ligesom protestanterne i 1844 blev en datter af Rom, og en datter er et billede af sin moder, således vil de frafaldne protestanter udføre et parallelt værk i de sidste dage, for Jesus illustrerer altid enden på en ting ved begyndelsen af en ting.

The history represented by the “league” of verse twenty-three of Daniel chapter eleven, represented a professed apostate people of the glorious land reaching out to form a union with Rome. 161 BC to 158 BC represents the formation of the image of the beast that culminates at the Sunday law.

Den historie, der fremstilles ved „forbundet“ i Daniel kapitel elleve, vers treogtyve, fremstillede et bekendende frafaldent folk i det herlige land, som rakte ud for at danne en union med Rom. 161 f.Kr. til 158 f.Kr. repræsenterer dannelsen af dyrets billede, som kulminerer ved søndagsloven.

We will continue this study in the next article.

Vi vil fortsætte dette studie i den næste artikel.

“But what is the ‘image to the beast’? and how is it to be formed? The image is made by the two-horned beast, and is an image to the beast. It is also called an image of the beast. 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.

„Men hvad er ‘billedet af dyret’? og hvordan skal det dannes? Billedet fremstilles af dyret med de to horn og er et billede af dyret. Det kaldes også dyrets billede. For at forstå, hvordan billedet er, og hvordan det skal dannes, må vi derfor undersøge selve dyrets kendetegn — pavedømmet.

“When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state and employed it to further her own ends, especially for the punishment of ‘heresy.’ In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends.” The Great Controversy, 443.

"Da den tidlige kirke blev fordærvet ved at forlade evangeliets enkelhed og antage hedenske ritualer og skikke, mistede den Guds Ånd og kraft; og for at beherske folkets samvittigheder søgte den støtte hos den verdslige magt. Resultatet blev pavedømmet, en kirke, som beherskede statens magt og anvendte den til at fremme sine egne formål, især til straf over 'kætteri'. For at De Forenede Stater kan danne et billede af dyret, må den religiøse magt i en sådan grad beherske den borgerlige regering, at statens myndighed også vil blive anvendt af kirken til at gennemføre sine egne formål." Den store strid, 443.