New Testament Chronology.

In the New Testament era we find the exact same time span as the Old Testament, with four great milestones or quarters. The history of God's spiritual Israel - the true Church - exactly parallels the history of the Jews in the Old Testament. The first great earth shattering event to occur after the founding of Christianity was the fall of the Roman Empire (467 A.D.). Though persecuted by the pagans, all the true Christians prayed for the peace and stability of the Empire, lest the dreaded times of Antichrist, to be manifested upon its fall, should overtake them in their day. . . .   The  passing away of the Caesars saw the rise of the Papacy at Rome, the rise of Islam, and the onset of the Dark Ages.

The next dreadful event to follow about 500 years later was the millennium or the year 1000. This was the midnight of the Dark Ages. The ignorant, superstitious people were told that the world was about to end, and the best way to prepare for the Day of Judgment . . . was to be poor! As the dread year drew near they got rid of their possessions with increasing speed . . . by donating them to the Roman Church. The Vatican, via her monastic orders and clergy, accepted the mounting offers of earthly riches and duly recorded them with legal documents, witnesses and the like. . . . The world did not come to an end, and when the people realized that they had made a mistake . . . and tried to get their possessions back . . . it was too late! This was the most spectacular give-away or theft in history.  

The next 500 years was the era of Papal Supremacy, the war on the saints in the British Isles, the Norman conquest of England, the destruction of the Scottish Church, the era of the Crusades, the massacre of the Albigenses (French Christians), the founding of the Inquisition under the Dominicans etc., etc.

The next great event to occur about 500 years later was the Reformation. After centuries of the Inquisition, true Christianity was almost extinct when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, on October 31, 1517. The Bible was a rare book . . . the spiritual temple was in ruins . . . and Rome was triumphant everywhere. Thus began the fourth watch of the night - the last quarter of time and world history before the glorious dawn of the eternal Day (see II St. Peter 3;10, St. Luke 12:38, Mark 6:48).

The world was prepared for the Reformation by the invention of printing from movable type by Gutenberg (1450), and by the discovery of America (1492). The parallels between the last quarter of Jewish history and the last quarter of Christian history are plain and clear. After Luther posted his 95 Theses, Rome thundered against him from the Seven Hills, and ordered him to recant or be burned alive! Luther's reply was to publicly burn the Papal Bull of Excommunication.

War was now declared by Rome against the Reformation!! The Princes of Germany supported the Reformation and the efforts to destroy Luther were in vain. As the Jewish Reformers faced tremendous opposition in their work of rebuilding the Temple and preparing for the Messiah, likewise the Reformation has been assailed by all the powers of hell. Here are a few highlights of the Vatican's unsuccessful war against the Reformation:

Event Year
Jesuit order is founded in Paris, France on August 15. 1534
St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre on August 24, (100,000 French Protestants killed). 1572
Pope Sixtus V orders the Spanish Armada to invade England and restore Papal power. 1588
Pope Paul V starts the 30 Years' War to destroy the Reformation. 1618
Pope Pius X starts World War I to get back the Papal States. 1914
Pope Pius XII tries again with World War II. 1939
Ecumenical Movement tries to destroy the Reformation from within!! 1962

 

Event Years
Founding of Christianity to the Fall of the Roman Empire. About 500 years
Fall of the Empire and rise of the Papacy - to year 1000 A.D. About 500 years
1000 A.D. to Reformation About 500 years
Reformation to 2002. About 500 years

Germany must become sword of Catholic Church Pope tells Kaiser in 1903.

"It was of interest to me that the Pope said to me on this occasion that Germany must become the sword of the Catholic Church. I remarked that the old Roman Empire of the German nation no longer existed and that conditions had changed. But he stuck to his words."

Quoted from The Kaiser's Memoirs, page 211. Published by Harper & Brothers, New York and London, 1922.

References:

Mauro, Philip, The Wonders of Bible Chronology, New York, 1922.

Manhattan, Avro The Vatican Billions, Chick Pub, 1983.

Kaiser Wilhelm II, The Kaiser's Memoirs, Harper & Brothers, New York and London, 1922.

Paris, Edmund The Secret History of the Jesuits. Chick Pub. 1983.

Tertullian, An Apology to the Pagan Roman Emperors.

Gibbon, Edward Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

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