And for about 1,700 years so was Christianity. In fact, there are many here who will maintain that it STILL is.
Daniel 7 - the fourth beast called the terrible beast with 10 horns, the angel told Daniel this was the fourth kingdom from Babylon to rule the earth. Rome the fourth world kingdom is represented here. Rome had 10 divisions. Daniel has shown 3 of the 10 horns uprooted by the little horn power in Daniel 7, so we must look for three of the 10 divisions to be uprooted.
Three of the 10 divisions on the Roman empire were Arian in Belief. The Arians refused the authourity of the Bishop of Rome ( Pope) These three Arians were called 1. Vandals 2. Heruli 3. Ostrogoths, the last of these three Ostrogoths were destroyed by Justinian a Roman General under orders of the Pope in Rome in 538 AD. In 538 the last Ostrogoths was defeated, thus the last of the three horns were uprooted. In 538 AD the Pope took possession of the city after the Emperor decreed that he should be the head of all the Christian churches.
This begins the time peroid of the little horn that uproots the three horns in Daniel 7. The little horn power Daniel 7:11 is also called a beast, it continues for 1260 prophetic years. War is made on Gods people. 538 AD is the decreed marker in Daniel 7 for the Papal to begin its 1260 prophetic years given it by God. Although the papacy lived in Rome previous to 538 AD, Daniel marks the beginning of the 1260 prophetic time when the 3 horns are uprooted by the little horn power.
In Daniel 7 the little horn power continues to survive and is in power at the end of time when Christ returns to destroy it. The little horn was given 1260 prophetic years of time, so 538 AD + 1260 years = 1798 AD at this time Napoleon was setting out to conquer Europe, he was running out of war money, in 1798 Napolean sent his general Berthier into Rome capturing Pius VI and helping himself to the Gold in Rome. Napoleon issued a decree that the Papacy was dead and no further election of Pope's was to occur. Pius VI died in France. So you see 538AD-1798AD is the 1260 prophetic years alotted the Papacy by God in it's first phase.
The IS portion of the 'is, is not, yet is' prophecy of Revelation.... 'is not', is now (the papal power has been reduced), remember the head wound????