Posted on 04/06/2019 9:38:03 AM PDT by Antoninus
Even the title of your post, "I have witnessed the end of those who harassed the worshipers of God~Constantine's letter to Shapur", bears witness to the statements of Jewish scholars and to the references I've posted.
I intend no disrespect to you or the Catholic faith. ALL religions contain excessive "leaven", IMO.
Christianity existed in its purest form prior to the Constantine influence. It will be refined in coming days and exist once again in a pure form when Christ reigns.
Blessings,
and recoil with horror from the blood of sacrifices
From my ref:
Constantine’s description of Judaism as “dangerous” and “abominable” is very different from the opinions expressed a century earlier by Dio Cassius , who seemed to regard Jews with respect, toleration, and curiosity. Edicts issued by later emperors refl ected Constantine’s views. Increasingly, Jews were regarded with disrespect, intolerance, and disgust.
Constantine and his followers did target the Jews, and others, including Christians who held to original teachings, which differed from the new belief system they were forging.
So began an "iron rule" over the entire Christian world until the early 16th century, when after the death of John Pistorius, sentenced as a heretic for following Scripture and not Cannon Law, a prophetic calendar event in its own right, IMO, did things begin to change.
As gold, under pretence of being given to the Jews, was accustomed every year to be exported out of Italy and all the provinces to Jerusalem, Flaccus issued an edict establishing a law that it should not be lawful for gold to be exported out of Asia. And who is there, O judges, who cannot honestly praise this measure? The senate had often decided, and when I was consul it came to a most solemn resolution that gold ought not to be exported. But to resist this barbarous superstition were an act of dignity, to despise the multitude of Jews, which at times was most unruly in the assemblies in defence of the interests of the republic, was an act of the greatest wisdom.Here is Tacitus writing in the 2nd century AD:
Whatever their origin, these rites are maintained by their antiquity: the other customs of the Jews are base and abominable, and owe their persistence to their depravity. For the worst rascals among other peoples,15 renouncing their ancestral religions, always kept sending tribute and contributions to Jerusalem, thereby increasing the wealth of the Jews; again, the Jews are extremely loyal toward one another, and always ready to show compassion, but toward every other people they p183 feel only hate and enmity. [Tacitus, Annales, Book 5, Chapter 5]Add to this the fact that Tiberius, Claudius and Hadrian all expelled the Jews from Rome at one point during their reigns, and that Hadrian forbade them from entering Jerusalem at all after the Bar-Kokhba rebellion and even went to the extent of re-founding the city as Aelia Capitolina, it's really hard to make the case that Constantine's antipathy toward the Jews (such as it was) was somehow the product of his conversion to Christianity. While the desire to take up the cause of the Christians against one class of those who had historically persecuted them may have in fact played a role, the notion that "Constantine made war on the Jews" is unfounded based on the existing evidence.
In a kind of defense, the Jews did try to kill family members who converted to Christianity. Killing people for following or professing other teachings is a tad extreme. However, they had always done it that way.
My main point though is how much this follows the dream and its interpretation of Daniel, Ch. 7, putting beliefs of who is right or wrong (they're both wrong IMO) aside.
Also, I see a timeline which pretty much matches the time of the council of Nicaea until events in 1525, in Daniel 7, exactly:
23 “He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time.
Constantine certainly subdued 2 kings - I'm working on the third.
Then there are the "seven heads and ten horns" references. Constantine gave birth to the 7th Roman dynasty, if I have it right.
"A time", in this instance is 49 weeks of 7 years = 343 years. On either side of the two events above, 325 & 1525, divide the biblical timeline by 490 years (7 generations) for some amazing coincidences.
North of this time period (1525+490=2015) +/-, the election of Trump (i.e., the last Trump > last POTUS), USSC approved same sex marriage, 70 years (one generation) after nation of Israel reestablished.
Before this period in descending chronological order, there is the re-dedication of the Temple, the Reading of Law in Jerusalem, birth of Samuel, fall of Babylon, and Abraham entering Canaan; all at precisely 490 year increments.
It's a work in progress of mine on a subject I find interesting.
On this particular subject, we seem to be at an impasse, so I suppose agreeing we disagree is the only outcome.
” the election of Trump”
Ummm...I don’t think you want to go there.
1 Corinthians 15:52 (KJV) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Is it an intentional clue left for those in the end times, a time when a king named "Trump" resides over the greatest country the world has ever known?
Otherwise, and perhaps even in this case, it means nothing, as most bible translators today use the word "trumpet" in the verse above. And in the interest of full disclosure, I have not researched the translation at all.
On the other aspect, the actual “election of Trump”, many people, myself included, believe the election of DJT represents a second chance for America. Many think he only won because of Divine intervention. And if so, certainly a pivotal point in world history, and perhaps prophecy, IMHO.
The same Trump who paid off a porn star?
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: - Isaiah 46:10
The Almighty uses who he uses without our consent, my FRiend.
It could be the gay marriage thing. The timing is perfect, and I may be underestimating its importance from the Almighty's perspective. Maybe He considers the sanctimony of marriage His creation. Maybe it's why Christ warned us to head for the hills when we see the "abomination of the desolation" standing in the Holy place?
It's a big puzzle. I work on the individual pieces from time to time, as I find the time.
Indeed it is!
Below are the three "kings" Constantine "subdued", in no particular order:
1: Galerius
2: Licinius
3: Maxentius
This "fact" matches prophecy exactly! Additionally, I'm not sure how the following fits (maybe the seven head prophecy), but another interesting factoid; 10 kings "supposedly" named themselves after Constantine:
Due to his popularity and accomplishments, 10 succeeding Emperors took his name.
Constantine never subdued Galerius. He died on his own of an abominable disease.
Constantius died at York in 306 and the legions elevated his son Constantine to the position of Augustus. Galerius only discovered this when he received a letter from Constantine, who informed him of his father's death, modestly asserted his natural claim to the succession, and respectfully lamented that the enthusiastic violence of his troops had not allowed him to obtain the imperial purple in the regular and constitutional manner. The first emotions of Galerius were those of surprise, disappointment, and rage, and as he could seldom restrain his passions, he threatened to burn both the letter and the messenger.
Later, however, when he had time to reconsider his position, he inevitably saw that his chances of winning a war against Constantine were doubtful at best. Galerius was well aware of Constantine’s strengths – Constantine had been his guest for some time at Nicomedia – and knew that Constantius' legions were wildly devoted to his son. Therefore, without either condemning or ratifying the choice of the Roman army, Galerius accepted the son of his deceased colleague as the ruler of the provinces beyond the Alps
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galerius
Constantine subdued Galerius without a fight after Galerius realized/assumed he stood no chance of defeating Constantine in a war.
The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
- Sun Tzu (Author of The Art of War)
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