Inspired by some of the comments on the interview with David Pendleton, I thought I would-while sitting here in the Black Forest in Germany, totally unable to sleep (jet lag)-respond regarding some of the talk about Rome and its role in last day events.

First, as most of us know, King Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2 was of a statue, world history symbolized in sculpture (Dan 2:31-45). The common interpretation of the gold head (Babylon), the silver arms and breast (Media-Persia), the brass belly and thighs (Greece), the iron legs (pagan Rome), the feet and toes, part iron and part clay (the divided nations of Europe) is not uniquely Adventist. Millions of Christians and Jews have interpreted the chapter this way. We are hardly the innovators of that one.

Now, unlike the first three kingdoms, whose metals stop after their demise, the iron of the fourth kingdom remains until the end of the world, even if in the feet and toes the iron is mixed with "miry clay" (Daniel 2:43). In other words, the fourth kingdom, which arose after Greece (and though changing form), extends to the end of the world (Daniel 2: 33,34, 40-44).

Now, let's be logical and reasonable. What one world power, and only one world power, arises after Greece and extends all the way to the end?

Duh? Might that be . . . . Rome?

Now, we have the same basic sequence in Daniel 7 and Daniel 8. In Daniel 7, the four beasts parallel the four metals in Daniel 2. In Daniel 7, the fourth kingdom, the one that arises after Greece, though changing form, continues to the end of the world (Daniel 7:19-28). Same four powers, just more details given and, as in Daniel 2, the fourth beast, the last earthly power, arises after Greece and come to the end of the world.

Again, what power arises after Greece and goes all up through today and into the future?

Hmmm.... I must be a bigoted, narrowed-minded-trapped-in-a-19^th-century Weltanschauung traditional SDA but, again-Rome, solely, totally and only Rome, comes to mind. How could it not, because how it could be anything other than Rome? The fact is, it can't be. I need faith to believe in a lot of things, but not the identity of Rome in the prophecy.

In Daniel 8, the same thing occurs, the same sequence of powers (though Babylon not mentioned): there is Media-Persia, followed by Greece (they are named for us!), and the final power in the chapter. What power is that? It's the one that, as in Daniel 2 and 7, arises after Greece and, though changing some characteristics (symbolic of the transition from Pagan Rome to Papal Rome), endures to the end as well (Daniel 8:22-25).

In all three chapters, then, the power that arises after Greece's fall in the centuries before Christ remains until the end of time. What power could that be but, again, Rome?

Congratulations to David Pendleton. You've joined a church with a long history, one starting back with Romulus and Remus, continuing with the high priests of pagan Rome (whose title, by the way, was Pontifex Maximus), and extending right up to today and into the future.

You can read all about it in Daniel 2, 7, and 8.