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This day is coming soon...

IS HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF TODAY?

Jesus came on the scene in Jerusalem when anarchy was rampant in Rome due to dissent about the power struggle for world supremacy.

What Led Up To This Roman Power Grab in Ancient History

In 500 B.C. Romans overthrew their foreign rulers and the ancient Senate, theoretically the supreme power of the state, became more powerful in the 3rd cent. B.C. It is incorrect to view the Roman republic as a true democracy at any time; it might be said to begun as a patrician aristocracy and to have ended a senatorial oligarchy.

Under the Senate Rome began her march to World Supremacy but in the end the senate was crushed under the weight of the huge problems of empire.

Wars were inevitable. Rome gained dominion over Spain, Sicily, Corica, the northern shores of Africa and the sea with insatiable desire for conquest. Syria was conquered and eventually Perseus and even the Greeks became subject to Rome. Egypt acknowledged vassalship to Rome in 168 B.C.

The rapid expansion of Rome had terrible effects in Italy. Enormous wealth flowed into the hands of the Senators in Rome and they used it exclusively to their own advantage. The eqites (see Knight), a class of capitalists, came into its own through management of imperial trade. Class dissensions became the order of the day. The masses were daily more dissatisfied. Massacres and barbarities ensued.

Caesar, a champion of the people, formed the first Triumvirate 60 B.C. and departed to make himself immortal and became master of Rome. Caesar assassinated in 44 B.C., marked an epoch which completed the destruction of the republic and founded the empire.

Greek thought and language became the norm of the empire which served to destroy the Roman religion and opened Romans to Eastern cults.

At the death of Caesar the territories ruled by Rome included most of Spain, Gaul, Italy, Illyria, Macedonia, Greece, West Asia Minor (Turkey), Buthinia, Pontus, Syria, Cyrenaica, Libya, Numidia, and the islands of the sea, and Rome completely controlled Egypt and Palestine.

Caesars assassination brought anarchy. Augustus succeeded Caesar and is considered the first Roman emperor. The Roman Empire grew to include much of Europe. In 14 A.D. he died and several tyrannical leaders followed. Rome burned.

Jesus prophesied that the Temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed. Not one stone would be left standing.

A new factor entered Rome, Christians. Barbarous persecutions took place under Nero's order, which many Christians died, among them St. Peter and St. Paul. In spite of that Christians expanded steadily for the next century. Their conflict with the empire, which brought them persecution after persecution, was chiefly a result of the Christian refusal to offer divine honors to the emperors. But Christianity penetrated the army and the royal household in spite of the constant danger of detection and of persecution.

There were many periods in the first three centuries when Christians worshiped in the open, even in Rome, where the catacombs housed not only in graves but also in churches. Vespesain 69 - 79 A.D. took the purple. Under him his son Titus destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

In the Beginning of the Next Prophecy: The Tribulation, in the Book of Revelation,

Jesus Addresses the Seven Churches

This is what Jesus had to say to the seven Churches: "Fear Not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which shall be hereafter; The mystery of seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand.. are the seven churches. " (Rev.1:17..20)

To the church of Ephesus: "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. (Revelation 2:5)

To the church of Smyrna: "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." (Revelation 2:9-10)

"And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth." (Revelation 2:12-13)

"And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;" (Revelation 2:18)

"Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols." (Revelation 2:20)

"But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden." (Revelation 2:24)

"And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God." (Revelation 3:1-2)

"Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." (Revelation 3:3)

" And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name." (Revelation 3:7-8)

"Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee." (Revelation 3:9)

" And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." (Revelation 3:14-22)

"But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 2:25-29)

(The morning star: 2 Peter 1:19; Rev. 22:16: " We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Revelation 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.)

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; (Revelation 3:14)