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From: Jerry Healan
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: The Covenant of Clean and Unclean (Part 2 of 3)

THE FOURTH KINGDOM

Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. When he couldn't remember what the dream was, he demanded his astrologers and soothsayers to tell him what it was that he had dreamed. When they couldn't deliver, he was about to have all of them, their families and homes destroyed when Daniel interceded. Daniel requested a little time promising that he would tell Nebuchadnezzar what his dream was.

YAHWEH revealed the dream and its meaning to Daniel who, in turn, revealed it to Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that he had dreamed of an image whose head was gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass and legs iron while its feet were part of iron and part of clay (Dan. 2:1-33).

Finally a stone is formed without hands which smites the image on its feet, destroying the image to the point that it could no longer be found. Then the stone becomes a great mountain which fills the whole earth (vv. 34-35).

Then Daniel gives the interpretation of the dream. Nebuchadnezzar is told that he is the head of gold. The breast, and arms of silver represent another kingdom in succession to him which will be inferior to his kingdom, then a third kingdom of brass and a fourth kingdom of iron will follow in succession.

History reveals that Babylon, being Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom represented by the head of gold, was followed by the Persian kingdom, which was followed by the Greek kingdom which was followed in turn by the Roman kingdom. The Roman kingdom continues until the fifth kingdom which will be the kingdom of heaven ushered in by YAHshua the Messiah.

If you think that the Roman kingdom has disappeared you have another think coming. Most of our laws stem from the Roman laws instituted by the Caesars. Our court system is patterned after the Roman courts. Our government is patterned after the Greeks and Romans. Rome was originally a republic. The Greeks were the first perpetrators of democracy. We style our government after the republican form, but declare that we are a democracy. Our civil calendar is Roman in its make-up. Even the gauge of our railroad tracks is patterned after the width of the wheels on the Roman chariots. Everywhere we look we see the effects of Rome, our holidays are Roman holidays, even the word that we use for love (romance) comes from the word Roman.

THE FOURTH BEAST

While Daniel, chapter 2 gives a metallic nature of the four world ruling kingdoms, Daniel, chapters 7 & 8 give a beastly nature of these same four kingdoms. The first thing to notice is that these beasts arise out of the "great sea." One can say that this "great sea" is the sea of humanity and he will be right, but another part of the equation leading us to understanding is that the term "great sea" was utilized in ancient times to describe the Mediterranean Sea and its environs. The first beast that Daniel saw was like a lion which had eagle's wings. Many people become confused concerning these kingdoms because they do not allow the Bible to interpret itself under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The lion is called "king of beasts". The eagle is called "king of birds." Notice that Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that he was a "king of kings" in Dan. 2:37, "Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the Elohim of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory." The lion (king of beasts) and the eagle (king of birds) of Dan. 7:4 would identify the first beast as the kingdom of Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar's direction.

The bear with the three ribs in its mouth (Dan. 2:5) would represent Persia, the leopard with the four wings would represent Greece and the fourth beast which was dreadful and terrible and strong exceedingly would represent Rome. Notice that this fourth beast has teeth of iron which is the metal associated with the fourth kingdom of Dan. 2.

In today's world, many people are expecting a great beast to arise, but the truth is that the beast kingdoms have been in power ever since Babylon arose millennia ago.

THE METALLIC NATURE

The metals of which the kingdoms were represented in Daniel 2 also express characteristics of the four successive kingdoms. We don't have time nor space to elaborate on all of the aspects here, but we can point out some few characteristics.

Babylon was represented by gold. Gold is a precious metal which is very much desired by the people of this world. One of the important characteristics of gold is that it is soft, moldable and
pliable. If one notices the nature of king Nebuchadnezzar he will find that the king could be a very powerful, dynamic and authoritative individual. However, when YAHWEH personally and openly dealt with him, Nebuchadnezzar is shown to have been able to be worked with, molded and shaped in the hands of the Creator.

Persia was represented by silver which is also a precious, moldable metal. When the Persian kings were dealt with by the Creator YAHWEH, they also gave in to His bidding and will.

Greece was represented by brass or bronze. Actually, the Hebrew word probably should have been translated as "bronze." However, both metals are alloys. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc while bronze is an alloy principally of copper and tin. This, of course, denotes impurity through mixture.

A very interesting fact concerning the original Hebrew word for brass or bronze is that it is "nechushah" stemming from the original root word "nachash" translated as "serpent." Alexander the Great, the founder of the Macedonian/Greek empire believed that his real father was the serpent god Zeus Ammon.

While Alexander was favorable to the Hebrews in the environs of Jerusalem/Judea, his successors exhibited an outright contempt and hatred for anything Hebrew or anything associated with the Hebrew Elohim.

Brass or bronze is a very hard, rigid metal. The spirit and attitude of the Greek kingdom began to exhibit an enmity and uncompromising rigid attitude against YAHWEH and His People. They were not moldable nor pliable, nor able to be easily worked with as the previous kingdoms (Babylon and Persia) had been.

The fourth kingdom of iron, Rome, also exhibited favor early on for the Hebrew people, but the latter end was similar to the Greeks. They eventually dealt very harshly and rigidly with the Jewish people resulting in their destruction and deportation of the survivors into many parts of the then known world as slaves.

THE BEASTLY NATURE

Daniel 7 portrays these same kingdoms with a beastly nature. The first three animals representing the corresponding kingdoms are easy to imagine because they are represented by animals that we have either seen or seen pictures of.

The lion and the eagle are both very lofty creatures in the images that they portray. The lion is a noble looking creature. They are a communal creature which contains an overall male leader with a group of females called a "pride."

The eagle usually builds its nests in high craggy places, in cliff sides, which are very inaccessible to most creatures. The point is that their nest, perch and flight is in high and lofty places.

Babylon was the first and highest of the four world ruling kingdoms.

The bear is also a very powerful creature. Their size gives the idea of a slow lumbering movement, but their size and slow lumbering movements can be deceptive. When they go into action, they can move very swiftly and powerfully to overcome their adversary. This description fits the Persian kingdom.

The leopard is an animal which depends on its subtlety and quickness in order to overcome its prey. This description fits the Greek kingdom, especially under the direction of Alexander. It has been reported that the Persian forces numbered about one million while Alexander embarked on his conquering mission with only thirty thousand troops under his command. Victory over all their foes depended on Alexander's subtlety and the quickness of troop movements to vanquish their foes. In modern times, the Germans perfected Alexander's tactics into their "blitzkrieg" warfare which gave them early and quick success in World War II.

While the first three beast powers were able to be described by known creatures of the animal kingdom, the fourth beast was such a dreadful, terrible and exceedingly strong beast that there was no known living beast that could be utilized to describe it. It was a beast that devoured, brake in pieces and stamped the residue with its feet (Dan. 7:7).

THE GOD-KINGS

One of the things that made the Greek and later Roman leaders so intolerant to the Hebrew faith was that these leaders sought to present themselves as god-kings and saviors. The Greek kings that followed Alexander did everything in their power to overthrow the Hebrew faith in order that the Greek kings and their pagan gods could be worshipped.

One of the most famous Greek kings Antiochus Epiphanes was so zealous in his efforts to overthrow the Hebrew faith and the Hebrew Elohim that he entered into Jerusalem wreaking havoc, forbidding the practices of circumcision, observance of the Sabbath day, the worship of YAHWEH, etc. on pain of death. He placed a statue of Zeus in the holy place, sacrificed a swine on the altar, made a broth of its flesh and spattered the walls of the temple with the vile solution.

Eventually John Hyrcannus and his family rallied a small contingent of Jewish followers who revolted against this vile king, overthrew his forces in a series of military campaigns and delivered the peopleand the temple from this Greek despot. This was the famous Maccabean revolt with the resulting Hannukah celebration.

Many people think that Antiochus' actions are what Daniel's prophecy is speaking of concerning the one who would place the abomination of desolation (Dan. 8:13, 9:27 & 11:31). While these Scriptures may be speaking of Antiochus in type, the true fact is that a more sinister leader than Antiochus Epiphanes came on the scene at a later time. We will deal with this leader shortly, but consider the lofty titles that the Greek kings gave themselves. Seleucus I was one of Alexander's four generals who had a portion of the kingdom divided out to him after Alexander`s death. He fathered Antiochus I who titled himself as Soter (savior). Antiochus II took the title Theos (god), Antiochus III was titled "the great king," and Antiochus IV titled himself Theos Epiphanes (god manifest).

With such high and lofty titles and ideals concerning themselves and their deities, it is no wonder that there was a natural enmity between the Greeks and Hebrews. The Hebrews worshipped YAHWEH, the true King of heaven. At that period of time, they weren't about to allow a foreign pagan king and army come into their land and lead them astray. One certainly can begin to easily understand the symbolism of the brass/bronze (nechushah/nachash/serpent) metal of the 3rd kingdom and the hard impenitent attitude of the Greek leaders that the metal depicted.

THE ROMAN KINGDOM & LEADERS

The incident of the sacrifice of the swine on the altar is very interesting in the scheme of things. This certainly portrayed the uncleanness of the Greek kings. But Rome was the kingdom that followed the Greek kingdom to rule the world and as we have already found out, the boar (pig or swine) was one of their military ensigns.

The Encyclopedia Judaica has this to say about Rome, "Rome is referred to in rabbinic literature by various designations - *Edom, Esau (see *Esau, in the Aggadah), *Amalek, Seir, *Tyre; the guilty kingdom; the wanton government; the fourth kingdom; and other epithets, mostly denigratory. It is compared, among other things, to the pig and the eagle."

Notice that again! It is compared to the pig! It has a pig (boar/swine) as one of its military ensigns. The military ensigns were images of their deities!

Rome became an empire under the direction of the Caesars. Rome had changed its nature from a republic to an empire just before YAHshua was born. She became an empire under the guidance and authority of the Caesars.

The Latin equivalent to the English word Caesar is Kaiser. The Russian equivalent is Czar pronounced like K-zar. The interesting thing about this name and designation is that the Hebrew word utilized for "boar" in Psa. 80:13 is "ryzIx]" pronounced "chaziyr/khaz-eer." This pronunciation is too close to the word Kaiser to overlook, especially due to the fact that the boar spoken of in Psa. 80:13 is Rome (and its leader).

When Titus and his forces accomplished the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, the soldiers took Titus, along with their military ensigns (which included the pig/swine/boar/chaziyr), to the place where the temple had been; sacrificed to them and declared Titus as Imperator bestowing upon him also the title of Caesar (the pig/swine/boar/chaziyr/Kaiser/Czar, etc.)!

Notice the figure below which is taken from Alexander Hislop's The Two Babylons. The Roman emperor (Caesar/Kaiser) Trajan is depicted as offering a sacrifice to the goddess Diana. Notice in particular the head of the boar in the tree (wood, forest, miyya'ar). Here we have the Kaiser offering sacrifice to Diana under the influence of the boar (chaziyr/khaz-eer').

Rome is associated with a pig according to the Encyclopedia Judaica. The semantics of the wordCaesar reveals that even the leader of the Roman Empire was a pig, swine, boar, Kaiser, Caesar!

ROMAN WAR TACTICS

When the Romans thought about going to war, they would confer in the Senate if such a campaign should be embarked upon. They would pray to their gods, especially Mars, the war god. They would also pray to the gods of the people against whom they were deliberating their military campaign. They would promise the gods of the city state, nation or kingdom against whom they were contemplating a campaign that they would bring them to Rome and build a more magnificent temple to their honor. When their campaign was completed, they would usually enslave their captors, but according to their promise, they would bring the priesthood of the god of that nation or city to Rome and build a temple to their honor or place their religious artifacts in a temple built to a similar Roman god. Thus, Rome became the center of all paganism.

When Augustus Caesar came along, there was economic, political and civil chaos in the republic. All of the religions and temples had been forsaken and had fallen into disrepair. Augustus restored order in all facets of Roman life including religion. He bragged that he had restored 82 temples that had fallen into disrepair. He also appointed himself as Pontifex Maximus placing his protective spirit (genii) over all religion and became the sovereign over it all. Caesar (the boar) became Pontifex Maximus over all paganism.

When Titus destroyed Jerusalem and its temple, the Romans considered that they had taken YAHWEH, the Elohim of the Jewish people, captive also. The proof of this concept is exhibited on the arch of Titus to this day. The arch of Titus reveals the Romans taking away the vessels of the temple especially the menorah (lamp-stand), the table of shewbread, etc. to the city of Rome.

THE SPIRIT OF THE CAESARS

The enmity between the Greeks and Hebrews played into the Roman hands. After their experience with Antiochus Ephiphanes, the Jewish people eventually invited the Romans into the environs of the Middle East hoping that they would be a deterrent to any future Greek occupation.

While Rome was a republic, the general consensus was that the Hebrews were to be left alone. They were given a limited amount of autonomy, but when the Caesars entered on the scene, things began to change.

Augustus appointed Herod, a descendant of Esau and Ishmael, to the position of king and sovereign over the Jews. Herod was a very despicable tyrant according to accounts of him in Josephus and also in the New Testament.

When YAHshua and His disciples appeared on the scene, Rome was generally maintaining a "hands-off" attitude concerning the Jewish people and their religion. As long as the new found faith remained a Jewish problem, the Romans paid little attention to it.

However, the non-Hebrews were another situation entirely. Augustus had wanted to be worshipped as a god-king much like the Greek kings had been. Since the non-Hebrew peoples of the Middle East had no problem with their leaders being worshipped as such, there were alters and temples built to Caesar's honor in many, many places.

Herod had built the city of Caesarea in honor of Augustus. It had as one of its crowning features, a temple built to his honor.

The conflict between Rome and the newfound faith of YAHshua's followers began to heat up when non-Hebrews were called to the faith. This was taken as a slap in the face and an eminent danger to Caesar and his position. After all, Caesar was the god and savior of the non-Hebrews. He was their Pontifex Maximus which not only had to do with the office of high priest, but also with the mediator between heaven and earth.

Caesar and his forces declared war on the camp of the saints attempting to eradicate them totally and completely.

The prophet Daniel foretold of this conflict, "I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom...And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time," Dan. 7:21-22, 25.

One of the problems that the Caesars experienced was that even though the true disciples were persecuted, tortured, put in prison, slain, etc., their numbers grew by leaps and bounds. During periods of respite, the assembly didn't seem to prosper quite so well.

The last real period of persecution at the hand of the Caesars occurred during the reign of Diocletian. He severely persecuted the believers for a period of about 10 years. It is possible that this is the time period that is associated with the Smyrna assembly and her persecution, for YAHshua told the assembly that they would have tribulation for ten days (Rev. 2:8-11). Ten days would actually be 10 years on the principle of a day for a year which occurs many places in Scripture.

ENTER CONSTANTINE

Constantine became the sole ruler of the Roman Empire not long after Diocletian's death. Constantine was a very shrewd and subtle man. He enlisted a tactic of the Greeks in order to enter
into the New Testament Assembly and take over.

The Greeks had waged war with the Trojans for years without success. Finally, in desperation, they build a wooden horse which they left outside the city of Troy and the army sailed off in ships. This made it look as if the Trojans had won and the wooden horse was a memorial to their victory. The hapless Trojans pulled the horse inside their city, not knowing that the Greeks had hidden some of their chief soldiers inside.

The Trojans celebrated their seeming victory with a real bash. While the Trojans were sleeping off the effects of their victory celebration, the Greek soldiers which had been secreted inside the wooden horse exited and opened the gates to the waiting army which had crept back unawares. The overthrow of Troy became a great epic in history.

Constantine, utilizing the same tactics, feigned repentance, gave the leaders of the corrupted remnants of the New Testament assembly special privileges such as tax exemption, exemption from military service, promoted many of them to high offices throughout the empire, etc. Constantine, the head of the beast power, the enemy of the saints entered into the New Testament Assembly and took over promoting himself as its Pontifex Maximus. Whatever he declared or decreed became the law of the assembly.

Constantine, the head of the Roman Empire (the beast power), the Caesar (boar) had entered into the New Testament Assembly and taken over. The A & E television channel recently ran an autobiography on Constantine. The comment was made that he who had been Pontifex Maximus over all paganism now became the Pontifex Maximus of the church. He and his successors began to skillfully blend paganism (idolatry, heathenism) and the new faith together.

ZECHARIAH'S PROPHECY

The book of Zechariah reveals what has taken place down through time. "And he shewed me YAHshua the high priest standing before the angel of YAHWEH, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him," Zech. 1:1.

The interesting thing about this word resist is that in the Hebrew, the name of Satan is !j'F' while the word for resist is nj.fi. They are actually the same characters! Shin, tob, nun. Satan has, in reality, satanized the heavenly High Priest.

Notice further, "And YAHWEH said unto Satan, YAHWEH rebuke thee, O Satan; even YAHWEH that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now YAHshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, `Take away the filthy garments from him.' And unto him he said, `Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment'," vv. 2-4.

The word "filthy" comes from the Hebrew word "~yaiAc" (tsoayom) which has to do with excrement or dung. YAHWEH had warned the Levitical priesthood that, since they had married the daughter of a strange el (Mal. 2:11), He would spread dung upon their faces (Mal. 2:3). Dung has to do with polluting and corrupting YAHWEH and His wondrous name with false pagan idolatrous practices. Thus YAHshua the High Priest, who was a type of YAHshua the Messiah, the heavenly High Priest, is shown to be clothed with garments of dung.

This is the work of Satan the devil and the descendants of Esau who are fornicators and profane persons. They are willing to sell their birthright for a price!

Another interesting thing is the term "change of raiment" (v. 4). The Jay P. Green Interlinear Bible renders this as "festal garments!" In other words, the High Priest has been clothed with false
idolatrous pagan feasts instead of the commanded feasts of YAHWEH which were the Sabbath and the annual holy days.

It was Constantine who proclaimed that the New Testament rest day occur on the first day of the week, Sunday, as well as observe the annual birthday of the sun which was Dec. 25th.

One of our modern day college textbooks, The Immense Majesty - A History of Rome and the Roman Empire by Thomas W. Africa, under the heading of The Chr-stian Revolution reveals, `His (Eusebius, a supposed early church historian) apologetic works are crammed with references to authors now lost, and he welded Chr-stianity to classical culture by claiming that Plato and other sages were either inspired by Biblical truth or had somehow intuited it.' The Pax Romana had been divinely designed to make the world safe for Chr-stianity, which was the culmination of all that was good in the past. THE HERO WHO COMPLETED THE DIVINE PLAN, CONSTANTINE, WAS GLORIFIED IN A PANEGYRICAL BIOGRAPHY THAT CONTAINS MUCH USEFUL MATERIAL...The Roman Emperor was as divine as he could be while still remaininga Chr-stian...The widespread solar cult was incorporated by Constantine, whose views of Chr-st WERE ALLOYED with his old devotion to Sol Invictus. In 321 the emperor reserved Sunday as a holiday for Chr-stians, and in 336 the birthday of Sol Invictus, December 25, was arbitrarily chosen as Chr-stmas. A mosaic still survives under Saint Peter's in Rome which shows Chr-st as a solar deity in Apollo's chariot." (Chapter 9, pp. 356-357)

In accordance with the book of Daniel, the change in the times and laws were begun in earnest. In order to become one of YAHWEH'S people, one must repent of the observance of the worldly pagan festivals and holidays turning to the commanded days of YAHWEH which include the Sabbath and annual holy days. (Order our free booklet entitled Col. 2:16-17 or Holidays Vs. Holydays)

POLLUTING THE NAMES

Zechariah continues, "And I said, `Let them set a fair mitre upon his head.' So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of YAHWEH stood by," v. 5.

The important thing to consider here is that the mitre was a very important article of clothing for the Hebrew High Priest. When he entered into the holiest place on the day of Atonement, he was wearing the mitre of the High Priest which had a blue ribbon on it with the words "qodesh la YAHWEH" (holy to YAHWEH) inscribed in gold letters. But Satan has influenced the world to not only pollute YAHWEH'S and YAHshua's names through idolatrous paganistic practices, he has also caused the names to be changed.

The name of the Savior is YAHshua ([vwhy) in Hebrew which would be transliterated as Joshua in the English. Supposedly, the Greek equivalent would be Iesous while the Latin would be Yesus from whence comes the English version Jesus.

Remember that the Greeks hated anything Hebrew and that the Greeks and Romans are perpetrators of sophisticated heathenism. Remember also that Antiochus Theos Epiphanes set up the statue of Zeus in the holy place and offered swine on the altar.

The word sous is equivalent to the name Zeus in the Greek while sus in Latin means pig or swine. According to the dictionaries, Ie and Y can be equivalent to i.e. or "that is."

It appears to this author that the Roman kingdom, the kingdom of the pig, whose military ensign was the boar and whose leader was also a boar (especially if the word Caesar/ Kaiser is transliterated in the Hebrew) has accomplished a far greater abomination than the Greek king could ever have done.

Through their shrewdness, they have caused so much of the world to accept and adhere to a messiah who is unclean. The corrupted remnants of the New Testament Assembly began to cast their pearls before the swine (chaziyr/Kaiser/Caesar) which has trampled them into the mud and mire and turned to rend the Assembly to pieces.

The Caesars/Kaisers/chazirys were like the unclean animal that they represented. They had the cloven hoof, but did not chew the cud or meditate (ruminate) on the holy things of YAHWEH, rightly dividing the word of truth so that the sheep could be fed with the it.

It is also becoming common knowledge that the word "God" was the name of the major deity of the Teutonic peoples. When they were converted to Christianity, the name of their deity was substituted for not only the common Hebrew term Elohim, but in many instances, it was also substituted in place of the name YAHWEH.

The unclean (the swine) have taken that which is clean and that which is unclean mixing them together and dividing them out. Today, that which is good is called evil and that which is evil is called good. Isaiah warns against such practices, "Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: That say, `Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!' Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of YAHWEH of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel," 5:18-24.

End Part 2 of 3

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