Chapter Fortin

Olketa Difren Rul Kamap Tufala King Hia

1, 2. (a) Wanem nao mekem Antiochus IV obeyim Rome? (b) Wanem taem nao Syria kamap wanfala province bilong Rome?

KING bilong Syria, Antiochus IV hem tekova long Egypt and mekem hemseleva kamap king long there. Taem king bilong Egypt, Ptolemy VI hem askem, Rome sendem man wea stand for hem, Caius Popilius Laenas, for go long Egypt. Hem tekem go staka ship and olketa order from Gavman Bilong Rome for Antiochus IV mas lusim wei wea hem king ovarem Egypt and lusim datfala kantri. Long Eleusis, wanfala part long taon bilong Alexandria, king bilong Syria meetim datfala man wea stand for Rome. Antiochus IV askem hem for givim lelebet taem for hem story witim olketa savveman bilong hem, bat Laenas drawim wanfala circle raonem datfala king and talem hem for givim ansa bifor hem step aotsaed long datfala circle. From hem savve hem lus nao, Antiochus IV hem obeyim Rome and hem go bak long Syria long 168 B.C.E. So datwan nao finisim wei wea Syria olsem king bilong north and Egypt olsem king bilong south tufala faet.

² From hem garem bigfala paoa long olketa samting wea go ahed long Middle East, Rome go ahed for bossim Syria. Dastawe, nomata olketa narafala king long laen bilong Seleucus rulim Syria bihaen Antiochus IV hem dae long 163 B.C.E., olketa no garem position olsem “king bilong north.” (Daniel 11:15) Gogo Syria kamap wanfala province bilong Rome long 64 B.C.E.

3. Wanem taem and hao nao Rome hem win ovarem Egypt?

³ Laen bilong Ptolemy long Egypt hem go ahed for garem position olsem “king bilong south” for winim 130 year bihaen Antiochus IV hem dae. (Daniel 11:14) Long faet wea kamap long Actium, long 31 B.C.E., ruler bilong Rome, Octavian, hem winim olketa army bilong lastfala queen from laen bilong Ptolemy—Cleopatra VII—and fren bilong hem from Rome, Mark Antony. Bihaen Cleopatra hem suisaed long year bihaen, Egypt tu kamap wanfala province bilong Rome and hem lusim position olsem king bilong south. Kasem year 30 B.C.E., Rome hem win ovarem Syria and Egypt. Waswe, fitim iumi for sei olketa narafala rul bae kasem position olsem king bilong north and king bilong south?

NIUFALA KING SENDEM GO “WANFALA DEMAND”

4. Why nao iumi savve sei narafala king bae kasem position olsem king bilong north?

⁴ Long spring bilong 33 C.E., Jesus Christ talem olketa disaepol bilong hem: “Taem iufala lukim datfala barava rabis samting wea spoelem evribit, wea profet Daniel hem tok abaotem, hem standap long holy ples, . . . then letem olketa long Judea start for ranawe long olketa maunten.” (Matthew 24:15, 16) Jesus talem toktok from Daniel 11:31 for warnim olketa follower abaotem wanfala “barava rabis samting wea spoelem evribit” long future. Hem talem disfala profesi wea join witim king bilong north long samting olsem 195 year bihaen Antiochus IV, lastfala king bilong Syria wea garem datfala position, hem dae. Narafala king nao mas kasem position olsem king bilong north. Hu nao bae datwan?

5. Hu nao standap olsem king bilong north and tekem position wea Antiochus IV garem bifor?

⁵ Angel bilong Jehovah God talem profesi olsem: “Wanfala man mas standap long position bilong hem [bilong Antiochus IV] wea bae sendem wanfala demand for go thru long datfala nambawan kingdom, and insaed samfala day hem bae brek, bat no from kros or long faet.” (Daniel 11:20) Man wea “standap” long wei olsem nao hem firstfala king bilong Rome, Octavian, wea nara nem bilong hem Caesar Augustus.—Lukim “Honorim Wanfala, Heitim Narawan,” long page 248.

6. (a) Wanem taem nao “wanfala demand” hem go thru long “datfala nambawan kingdom,” and hao nao diswan hem important? (b) Why nao iumi savve sei Augustus hem dae “no from kros or long faet”? (c) Wanem change nao kamap long king bilong north?

⁶ Insaed long “datfala nambawan kingdom” bilong Augustus, “land bilong Decoration”—province bilong Rome, Judea—hem stap. (Daniel 11:16) Long 2 B.C.E., Augustus sendem go “wanfala demand” taem hem givim order for evriwan register, or wanfala census, maet for mekem hem savve long namba bilong pipol for peim tax and for joinim army. From disfala order kamap, Joseph and Mary go long Bethlehem for register, wea mekem Jesus hem born long datfala ples wea profesi talem. (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1-12) Long August 14 C.E.—“insaed samfala day,” or no longtaem bihaen hem givim order for register—Augustus dae taem hem 76 year, no “from kros” long hand bilong samwan or “long faet,” bat from hem sik. King bilong north hem change nao! Thru long olketa king bilong hem Rul Bilong Rome kamap king bilong north nao.

‘MAN WEA OLKETA HEITIM HEM STANDAP’

7, 8. (a) Hu nao standap long position bilong Augustus olsem king bilong north? (b) Nomata Augustus Caesar no willing, why nao hem givim “honor bilong kingdom” long man wea rul bihaenem hem?

⁷ Angel hem go ahed witim disfala profesi olsem: “Wanfala man mas standap long position bilong hem [Augustus] wea olketa bae heitim, and olketa bae nating givim honor bilong kingdom long hem; and hem bae kam long taem wea olketa no wari, and kasholem datfala kingdom thru long swit toktok. And hem bae winim olketa hand bilong flood, and hem bae brekem olketa; and tu Leader bilong datfala covenant.”—Daniel 11:21, 22.

⁸ Man “wea olketa bae heitim” hem nao Tiberius Caesar, son bilong Livia, mek-thri waef bilong Augustus. (Lukim “Honorim Wanfala, Heitim Narawan,” long page 248.) Augustus heitim stepson hia from nogud fasin bilong hem and Augustus no wantem hem for kamap next Caesar. Olketa givim hem “honor bilong kingdom” only bikos evriwan wea fit for rul dae finis. Augustus adoptim Tiberius long 4 C.E. and mekem hem kamap man wea bae rul. Bihaen Augustus hem dae, Tiberius wea 54 year—man wea olketa heitim—hem “standap,” for kasem paoa olsem king bilong Rome and king bilong north.

9. Hao nao Tiberius “kasholem datfala kingdom thru long swit toktok”?

⁹ The New Encyclopædia Britannica talem: “Tiberius . . . hem trikim Gavman and no letem olketa for talemaot hem nao king for klosap wanfala month [bihaen Augustus hem dae].” Hem talem long Gavman hao Augustus nomoa fit for rulim Kingdom Bilong Rome and hem askem olketa for startim republic moa and for givim paoa hia long wanfala grup bilong olketa man and no long wanfala man nomoa. “From olketa fraet for duim wanem hem talem,” man for raetem history Will Durant hem sei, “Gavman go ahed for switim hem gogo hem acceptim datfala paoa.” Durant hem sei moa: “Tufala saed evriwan actim gud part bilong olketa. Tiberius wantem datfala rul, or sapos nomoa hem bae faendem eniwe for missim; Gavman fraetem and heitim hem, bat olketa hol bak for startim moa wanfala republic olsem bifor wea olketa grup insaed gavman nomoa bae rul.” So Tiberius “kasholem datfala kingdom thru long swit toktok.”

10. Hao nao ‘olketa hand bilong flood brek’?

¹⁰ Long saed bilong “olketa hand bilong flood”—army bilong olketa kingdom wea stap klosap—angel hem sei: ‘Hem bae winim olketa, and brekem olketa.’ Taem Tiberius kamap king bilong north, Germanicus Caesar, pikinini bilong brata bilong hem nao komanda long army bilong Rome long Rhine River. Long 15 C.E., Germanicus leadim army bilong hem againstim Arminius, chief bilong Germany, and hem win lelebet. Nomata olsem, olketa lusim planti samting, so bihaen datwan Tiberius finisim olketa faet long Germany. Bat, long wei for encouragem pipol long datfala kantri for faetem narawan, hem trae for stopem olketa tribe long Germany for join tugeta. Tiberius hem interest tumas for defendim area and hem waka hard for strongim olketa spialaen. Disfala plan hem win. Dastawe hem bossim “olketa hand bilong flood” and “brekem” olketa tu.

11. Hao nao ‘Leader bilong covenant hem brek’?

¹¹ Nara samting wea olketa “brekem” tu hem “Leader bilong datfala covenant” wea Jehovah God mekem witim Abraham for blessim evri famili bilong earth. Jesus Christ nao Seed bilong Abraham insaed long datfala covenant. (Genesis 22:18; Galatians 3:16) Long Nisan 14, 33 C.E., Jesus standap front long Pontius Pilate long haos bilong governor bilong Rome long Jerusalem. Olketa Jew priest accusim Jesus for tok againstim king. Bat Jesus talem Pilate: “Kingdom bilong mi hem no part bilong disfala world. . . . Kingdom bilong mi no kamaot from diswan.” For mekem governor bilong Rome stopem Jesus wea no guilty for go free, olketa Jew singaot olsem: “Sapos iu letem disfala man go free, iu no fren bilong Caesar. Evri man wea mekem hemseleva kamap king hem tok againstim Caesar.” Bihaen olketa askem hem for killim dae Jesus, olketa sei: “Mifala no garem eni king bat Caesar.” For fitim law bilong “wei for spoelem king,” wea Tiberius changem for panisim man wea tokspoelem Caesar long eniwe, Pilate givim go Jesus for olketa “brekem,” or nilam hem long wanfala torture-stake.—John 18:36; 19:12-16; Mark 15:14-20.

WANFALA NOGUD RULER “WAKEM OLKETA NOGUD PLAN”

12. (a) Hu nao saedem Tiberius? (b) Hao nao Tiberius “kamap maeti thru long wanfala smol nation”?

¹² Angel talem profesi yet abaotem Tiberius taem hem sei: “Bikos olketa saedem hem bae hem go ahed long giaman wei and kamap maeti thru long wanfala smol nation.” (Daniel 11:23) Olketa member long Gavman Bilong Rome “saedem” Tiberius, and hem depend long olketa. Bat hem giamanim olketa, and hem kamap “maeti thru long wanfala smol nation.” Datfala smol nation hem Praetorian Gard bilong Rome, wea stap klosap long wall bilong Rome. Wei wea olketa stap klosap tumas hem mekem Gavman fraet and hem helpem Tiberius for stopem eni sekson for go againstim rul bilong hem. So, thru long 10,000 gard hia, Tiberius hem kamap maeti.

13. Long wanem wei nao Tiberius hem winim olketa laen dadi bilong hem?

¹³ Angel talem profesi moa: “Long taem wea olketa no wari, hem bae go insaed long naesfala part bilong datfala distrik and duim samting wea dadi and olketa dadi bilong dadi bilong hem nating duim. Kago and samting wea hem tekem hem bae givimaot long olketa; and hem bae wakem olketa nogud plan againstim olketa strongfala ples, bat go kasem wanfala taem nomoa.” (Daniel 11:24) Tiberius hem nating trustim eniwan, and rul bilong hem fulap witim wei for givim order for killim pipol dae. From Sejanus, komanda bilong Praetorian Gard hem join witim hem, lastfala part long rul bilong hem fulap witim barava raf fasin. Gogo, hem no trustim Sejanus tu and killim hem dae. Long wei for spoelem pipol, Tiberius hem winim olketa laen dadi bilong hem.

14. (a) Hao nao Tiberius givimaot “kago and samting wea hem tekem” long pipol bilong olketa province long Rome? (b) Hao nao pipol ting long Tiberius taem hem dae?

¹⁴ Nomata olsem, Tiberius givimaot “kago and samting wea hem tekem” long pipol bilong olketa province long Rome. Taem hem dae, evri pipol wea stap anda long hem garem gudfala living. Olketa no peim bigfala tax, and samfala taem hem kaen long pipol wea stap long olketa ples wea kasem hard living. Sapos olketa soldia or bigman putim bigfala hevi long eniwan or no honest for deal witim samting, olketa savve kasem panis bilong king. Wei for hol strong long paoa hem mekem sef living kamap, and gudfala system for communicate hem helpem olketa bisnis. Tiberius mek sure gavman no teksaed and duim gud waka insaed and aotsaed long Rome. Olketa law kamap moabeta, and living and fasin kamap gud taem olketa go ahed witim olketa change wea Augustus Caesar startim. Nomata olsem, Tiberius “wakem olketa nogud plan,” dastawe Tacitus, man bilong Rome for raetem history story abaotem hem olsem wanfala hypocrite, wea savve tumas for laea. Taem hem dae long March 37 C.E., pipol ting long Tiberius olsem wanfala nogud ruler.

15. Hao nao living long Rome long lastfala part bilong mek-wan and start bilong mek-tu century C.E.?

¹⁵ Olketa wea rul bihaenem Tiberius wea garem position olsem king bilong north nao Gaius Caesar (Caligula), Claudius I, Nero, Vespasian, Titus, Domitian, Nerva, Trajan, and Hadrian. The New Encyclopædia Britannica hem sei: “Planti taem olketa wea rul bihaenem Augustus followim olketa law bilong hem for rul and building program bilong hem, no witim semkaen kleva tingting bat witim bigfala wei for show-off.” Sem buk hem talem moa: “Long lastfala part bilong mek-1 and start bilong mek-2 century, Rome hem garem barava hae living and staka pipol.” Nomata Rome kasem samfala trabol long olketa spialaen bilong hem, firstfala raoa wea profesi sei bae hem garem witim king bilong south hem no happen go kasem mek-thri century C.E.

MUV FOR AGAINSTIM KING BILONG SOUTH

16, 17. (a) Hu nao tekem position olsem king bilong north wea Daniel 11:25 storyim? (b) Hu nao kasem position olsem king bilong south, and hao nao diswan happen?

¹⁶ Angel bilong God go ahed witim profesi taem hem sei: “Hem [king bilong north] bae muvim paoa bilong hem and heart bilong hem againstim king bilong south witim bigfala army; and king bilong south, for saed bilong hem, bae muvim hemseleva for faet witim barava bigfala and maeti army. And hem [king bilong north] bae no standap, bikos olketa bae wakem olketa nogud plan againstim hem. And olketa wea kaikaim naesfala kaikai bilong hem bae mekem hem foldaon. And army bilong hem, bae olketa win ovarem, and planti bae foldaon and dae.”—Daniel 11:25, 26.

¹⁷ Long samting olsem 300 year bihaen Octavian hem mekem Egypt kamap wanfala province bilong Rome, King Aurelian bilong Rome hem kasem position olsem king bilong north. Long semtaem, Queen Septimia Zenobia from Palmyra, wanfala territory bilong Rome, hem kasem position olsem king bilong south.a (Lukim “Zenobia—Queen for Faet Bilong Palmyra,” long page 252.) Army bilong Palmyra tekovarem Egypt long 269 C.E. taem olketa giaman for sei olketa mekem hem stap sef anda long Rome. Zenobia want for mekem Palmyra main taon long east and hem want for rul ovarem olketa province bilong Rome long east. From Aurelian hem fraet long plan bilong woman hia, hem muvim “paoa bilong hem and heart bilong hem” for againstim Zenobia.

18. Wanem nao kamaot from faet midolwan long King Aurelian, king bilong north, and Queen Zenobia, king bilong south?

¹⁸ King bilong south, datfala rul wea Zenobia nao leadim, hem “muvim hemseleva” for faet againstim king bilong north “witim barava bigfala and maeti army” anda long tufala general, Zabdas and Zabbai. Bat Aurelian tekova long Egypt and then start for go insaed Asia Minor and Syria. Zenobia hem lus long faet long Emesa (wea distaem hem Homs), so hem go bak long Palmyra. Taem Aurelian attakim datfala taon, Zenobia strong for defendim bat hem no win. Hem and son bilong hem ranawe go long Persia, bat olketa bilong Rome kasholem tufala long Euphrates River. Olketa bilong Palmyra sarenda insaed taon bilong olketa long 272 C.E. Aurelian no killim dae Zenobia, bat mekem hem main samting wea pipol lukim taem hem march thru long Rome long 274 C.E. Zenobia kamap wanfala big woman bilong Rome go kasem taem hem dae.

19. Hao nao Aurelian foldaon ‘bikos long olketa nogud plan againstim hem’?

¹⁹ Aurelian hem ‘no standap bikos long olketa nogud plan againstim hem.’ Long 275 C.E., hem go long wanfala faet againstim olketa bilong Persia. Taem hem weit long Thrace for chance for katkros long sea for go insaed Asia Minor, olketa wea ‘kaikaim kaikai bilong hem’ mekem plan againstim hem and mekem hem “foldaon.” Hem redy for panisim secretary bilong hem Eros from hem no honest. Bat, Eros raetem wanfala giaman list bilong olketa nem bilong samfala komanda wea mas dae. Taem olketa komanda lukim list hia, olketa plan for and killim dae Aurelian.

20. Hao nao ‘olketa win ovarem army’ bilong king bilong north?

²⁰ Waka bilong king bilong north no finis taem King Aurelian hem dae. Olketa narafala ruler long Rome kamap. For lelebet taem, wanfala king stap long west and narawan long east. Anda long olketa man hia “olketa win ovarem,” or “torowem,”b “army” bilong king bilong north and planti “foldaon and dae” bikos olketa tribe bilong Germany from north attakim olketa. Olketa bilong Germany go insaed long olketa border bilong Rome long mek-foa century C.E. Bihaen datwan, olketa go ahed for attak planti taem. Long 476 C.E., Odoacer, leader bilong Germany aotem lastfala king wea rul from Rome. Long start bilong mek-six century, Rul Bilong Rome long west hem finis, and olketa king bilong Germany rulim Britannia, Gaul, Italy, North Africa, and Spain. East part bilong Rul Bilong Rome hem stap go kasem mek-15 century.

WANFALA BIGFALA RUL HEM DIVAED

21, 22. Wanem nao olketa change wea Constantine duim long mek-foa century C.E.?

²¹ Angel bilong Jehovah no talem evri smol information abaotem wei wea Rul Bilong Rome hem brekdaon, wea go ahed for planti handred year, taem hem talem olketa samting wea king bilong north and king bilong south duim. Nomata olsem, wei for lukluk long samfala samting wea happen long Rul Bilong Rome bae helpem iumi for luksavve hu nao tufala king hia wea enemy.

²² Long mek-foa century, King Constantine bilong Rome acceptim apostate Christian Wei. Hem arrangem and hem chairman tu long wanfala church council long Nicaea, Asia Minor, long 325 C.E. Bihaen, Constantine muvim haos bilong king from Rome for go long Byzantium, or Constantinople, and mekem datfala taon kamap niufala kapitol bilong hem. Rul Bilong Rome go ahed anda long rul bilong wanfala king go kasem dae bilong King Theodosius I, long January 17, 395 C.E.

23. (a) Hao nao Rul Bilong Rome hem divaed bihaen Theodosius hem dae? (b) Wanem taem nao Rul Bilong East hem finis? (c) Kasem 1517, hu nao rulim Egypt?

²³ Bihaen Theodosius hem dae, Rul Bilong Rome divaed midolwan long olketa son bilong hem. Honorius rulim west saed, and Arcadius long east saed, and Constantinople nao kapitol bilong hem. Britannia, Gaul, Italy, Spain, and North Africa nao olketa province bilong west sekson. Macedonia, Thrace, Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt nao olketa province bilong east sekson. Long 642 C.E., olketa Saracen (olketa Arab) tekova long kapitol bilong Egypt, Alexandria, and Egypt kamap wanfala province bilong olketa caliph. Long January 1449, Constantine XI kamap lastfala king bilong east. Olketa Ottoman bilong Turkey anda long King Mehmed II tekova long Constantinople long May 29, 1453, and datwan finisim Rul Bilong Rome long East. Long year 1517, Egypt kamap wanfala province bilong Turkey. Bat gogo, disfala kantri bilong king bilong south bifor bae kam anda long paoa bilong narafala rul from west saed.

24, 25. (a) Olsem samfala man for raetem history talem, wanem nao markem start bilong Holy Rul Bilong Rome? (b) Wanem nao happen long title bilong “king” long Holy Rul Bilong Rome?

²⁴ Long west saed long Rul Bilong Rome, wanfala Catholic bishop bilong Rome hem kamap, Pope Leo I, wea pipol savve long hem olsem man for iusim paoa bilong pope long mek-faev century C.E. Gogo, pope disaed seleva for crownim king bilong west saed. Diswan happen long Rome long Christmas day bilong 800 C.E., taem Pope Leo III crownim King Charles (Charlemagne) bilong Germany olsem ruler long niu Rul Bilong Rome long West. Diswan mekem king kamap moa long Rome and, olsem samfala man for raetem history talem, hem markem start bilong Holy Rul Bilong Rome. Start long datfala taem Rul Bilong East and Holy Rul Bilong Rome long west kamap, wea tufala evriwan sei tufala Christian.

²⁵ Gogo, rul bilong olketa wea kamap bihaenem Charlemagne hem wik nomoa. And wantaem no eniwan rul olsem king. Long semtaem, King Otto I bilong Germany hem kontrolem bigfala part long north and midol bilong Italy. Hemseleva sei hem nao king bilong Italy. Long February 2, 962 C.E., Pope John XII crownim Otto I olsem king long Holy Rul Bilong Rome. Kapitol bilong hem stap long Germany, and olketa king kam from Germany, and planti wea stap anda long olketa tu. Faev handred year bihaen, famili bilong Hapsburg long Austria kasem title bilong “king” and keepim datwan for planti year bilong Holy Rul Bilong Rome.

TUFALA KING SHOWAOT KLIA MOA

26. (a) Hao nao Holy Rul Bilong Rome hem finis? (b) Hu nao kamap king bilong north?

²⁶ Napoléon I finisim Holy Rul Bilong Rome taem hem no want for luksavve long datwan bihaen hem win long Germany insaed long year 1805. From King Francis II no savve defendim position bilong hem, hem resign olsem king bilong Rome long August 6, 1806, and hem go bak long gavman bilong nation bilong hem olsem king bilong Austria. Bihaen 1,006 year, Holy Rul Bilong Rome—wea Leo III, wanfala Roman Catholic pope, and Charlemagne, wanfala king bilong Germany startim—hem finis nao. Long 1870, Rome kamap kapitol bilong kingdom bilong Italy, wea no stap anda long Vatican. Long year bihaen, wanfala rul bilong Germany hem start taem Wilhelm I hem kamap caesar, or kaiser. From datwan king bilong north bilong distaem—Germany—hem start nao.

27. (a) Hao nao Egypt hem stap anda long Britain? (b) Hu nao kasem position olsem king bilong south?

²⁷ Bat hu nao king bilong south bilong distaem? History showimaot Britain nao kasem paoa olsem king long mek-17 century. From Napoléon I hem want for spoelem wei wea Britain duim bisnis witim samfala kantri, hem tekovarem Egypt long 1798. War hem kamap, and Britain and Turkey wea join tugeta mekem olketa bilong France for lusim Egypt, wea hem nao king bilong south long start bilong olketa faet hia. Insaed 100 year bihaen, paoa bilong Britain long Egypt hem kamap moa big. Bihaen 1882, Egypt kasem bigfala saport from Britain. Taem World War I hem start long 1914, Egypt hem bilong Turkey and wanfala governor nao rulim. Bat, bihaen Turkey saed witim Germany long datfala war, Britain aotem datfala governor and sei Egypt hem stap anda long Britain. Gogo Britain and United States of America fren klos tugeta and tufala kamap World Paoa Bilong England-America. Tugeta, tufala kasem position olsem king bilong south.

[Olketa Footnote]

WANEM NAO IU LANEM?

• Hu nao firstfala king bilong Rome wea standap olsem king bilong north, and wanem taem nao hem sendem go “wanfala demand”?

• Hu nao tekem position olsem king bilong north bihaen Augustus, and hao nao ‘Leader bilong covenant hem brek’?

• Wanem nao kamaot from faet midolwan long Aurelian olsem king bilong north and Zenobia olsem king bilong south?

• Wanem nao happen long Rul Bilong Rome, and hu nao stap long position bilong tufala king long end bilong mek-19 century?

[Box/Piksa long page 248-251]

HONORIM WANFALA, HEITIM NARAWAN

WANFALA hem changem kantri wea fulap witim trabol for kamap wanfala world rul. Narawan hem mekem datfala rul kamap 20 taem moa rich insaed 23 year. Wanfala olketa honorim taem hem dae, bat narawan olketa heitim. Rul bilong tufala king hia bilong Rome kamap taem Jesus hem laef and duim ministry. Hu nao tufala? And why nao wanfala kasem honor, bat narawan nomoa?

HEM “KASEM ROME WEA BRIK AND LUSIM ROME WEA MARBOL”

Long 44 B.C.E. taem olketa killim dae Julius Caesar, Gaius Octavian wea hem granson bilong sista bilong hem, hem 18 year nomoa. From Julius Caesar adoptim hem and hem nao bae rul bihaen, stretawe Octavian go long Rome for kamap king. Long there hem meetim wanfala strongfala enemy​—chief komanda bilong Caesar, Mark Antony, wea want for rul tu. Olketa plan bilong politik and stragol for kasem paoa hem go ahed for 13 year.

Octavian hem kamap king long Rul Bilong Rome only bihaen hem winim tufala army bilong Queen Cleopatra bilong Egypt and fren bilong hem Mark Antony (long 31 B.C.E.). Long year bihaen, Antony and Cleopatra tufala suisaed, and Octavian hem mekem Egypt joinim rul bilong hem. Lastfala part long Rul Bilong Greece hem finis nao, and Rome hem kamap world paoa.

From hem tingim hao raf wei wea Julius Caesar hem rul mekem olketa killim hem dae, Octavian hem careful for no duim datfala sem mistek. For no mekem olketa bilong Rome wea laekem republic gavman for feel nogud, hem haedem wei wea hem rul olsem king for luk olsem wanfala republic gavman. Hem no acceptim olketa title olsem “king” and “ruler.” And tu, hem talemaot plan bilong hem for givim go evri province for Gavman Bilong Rome for rulim and hem sei for resign from olketa waka bilong hem. Disfala plan hem waka gud. Olketa long Gavman wea tinghae long hem askem Octavian for keepim olketa position bilong hem and kontrolem samfala long olketa province.

And tu, long January 16, 27 B.C.E., Gavman hem givim long Octavian disfala title “Augustus,” wea minim “Mekhae, Holy.” Octavian hem acceptim datfala title and tu hem givim nem bilong hem long wanfala month bilong year and tekem wanfala day from February mekem August bae garem sem namba long olketa day olsem July, month wea kam from datfala nem Julius Caesar. So Octavian kamap firstfala king bilong Rome and pipol savve long hem olsem Caesar Augustus or “Maeti Wan.” Bihaen, hem tekem tu disfala title “pontifex maximus” (hae priest), and long 2 B.C.E.​—year wea Jesus hem born​—Gavman givim hem title Pater Patriae, “Dadi Bilong Kantri Bilong Hem.”

Long datfala sem year, “Caesar Augustus givimaot wanfala order for evriwan long earth mas register; . . . and evri pipol travel go for register, evriwan long taon bilong hemseleva.” (Luke 2:​1-3) Bikos long disfala order, Jesus hem born long Bethlehem wea fulfillim Bible profesi.​—Daniel 11:20; Micah 5:2.

Gavman bilong Augustus hem honest long planti wei and mekem selen kamap strong. And tu Augustus startim gudfala system for sendem leta and hem buildim olketa road and bridge. Hem arrangem army long beta wei, startim navy, and startim wanfala spesol sekson bilong olketa bodygard bilong king wea garem nem Praetorian Gard. (Philippians 1:​13) Thru long saport bilong hem, olketa man for raet olsem Virgil and Horace go ahed gud and olketa man for karv duim gudfala karving long wanem pipol distaem kolem classical stael. Augustus finis buildim olketa building wea Julius Caesar no finisim and buildim moa planti temple. Pax Romana (“Peace Bilong Rome”) wea hem startim hem go ahed for winim 200 year. Long August 19, 14 C.E., taem hem 76 year, Augustus hem dae and olketa mekem hem kamap olsem wanfala god.

Augustus sei hem “kasem Rome wea brik and lusim Rome wea marbol.” From hem no wantem Rome for garem hardfala taem olsem bifor taem republic gavman hem rul, hem plan for trainim nextfala king. Bat hem no garem eniwan for chusim for rul bihaenem hem. Son bilong brata bilong hem, tufala granson, wanfala son-in-law, and wanfala stepson evriwan dae, so Tiberius narafala stepson bilong hem nomoa stap for changem hem.

MAN “WEA OLKETA BAE HEITIM”

Insaed wanfala month bihaen Augustus hem dae, Gavman Bilong Rome talemaot Tiberius wea kasem 54 year nao hem king. Tiberius hem laef and rul go kasem March 37 C.E. So, hem nao king bilong Rome taem Jesus duim pablik ministry.

Olsem wanfala king, Tiberius garem samfala gud fasin and nogud fasin tu. Wanfala gud samting nao wei wea hem les for iusim selen long olketa richfala samting. From datwan, rul bilong hem go ahed gud and hem garem selen for help taem disaster or nogud samting hem happen. Nara gud samting hem wei wea Tiberius ting long hemseleva olsem man nomoa, hem no wantem planti title, and tanem wei for worshipim king long Augustus and no long hemseleva. Hem no givim nem long wanfala month olsem Augustus and Julius Caesar duim, and tu hem no letem narafala pipol for givim honor long hem olsem.

Nomata olsem, olketa nogud fasin bilong hem winim olketa gud fasin. Hem man wea nating trustim pipol and hem deal witim pipol long giaman wei, and rul bilong hem fulap witim wei for givim order for killim man dae​—insaed diswan hem planti fren bilong hem. Hem mekem big law bilong lèse-majesté (wei for spoelem king) for minim wei for go againstim king, and tu for man wea talem eni toktok againstim hem. Luk olsem olketa Jew iusim disfala law for forcem Governor bilong Rome, Pontius Pilate, for killim dae Jesus.

Tiberius putim Praetorian Gard klosap long Rome taem hem buildim olketa strongfala haos bilong army long north saed long olketa wall bilong taon. Wei wea disfala Gard stap klosap hem mekem Gavman Bilong Rome for fraet, wea mekem danger kamap for paoa bilong Tiberius, and diswan stopem tu eni pipol wea no laek for obey. Tiberius encouragem tu wei for accusim narawan, and long olketa last year wea hem rul pipol barava fraet tumas.

Taem hem dae, pipol ting long Tiberius olsem wanfala nogud ruler. Taem hem dae, olketa bilong Rome hapi for gud and Gavman no willing for mekem hem kamap olsem god. From olketa reason hia and samfala moa, iumi lukim wei wea Tiberius fulfillim profesi wea sei wanfala “wea olketa bae heitim” bae standap olsem “king bilong north.”​—Daniel 11:15, 21.

WANEM NAO IU LANEM?

• Hao nao Octavian kamap firstfala king bilong Rome?

• Wanem nao olketa samting wea gavman bilong Augustus duim?

• Wanem nao olketa gud fasin and nogud fasin bilong Tiberius?

• Hao nao profesi abaotem wanfala “wea olketa bae heitim” hem fulfill long Tiberius?

[Piksa]

Tiberius

[Box/Olketa Piksa long page 252-255]

ZENOBIA—QUEEN FOR FAET BILONG PALMYRA

“SKIN bilong hem dark . . . Teeth bilong hem white for gud, and eye bilong hem wea blak shaen olsem fire, bat garem balance from naesfala lukluk bilong hem. Voice bilong hem strong and heregud. Savve bilong hem kamap moa big from wei for study. Hem savve tumas long Latin languis, bat long sem wei hem savve tu long Greek languis, languis bilong Syria, and bilong Egypt.” Hem nao praise wea man for raetem history, Edward Gibbon, hem talem abaotem Zenobia​—queen for faet bilong taon bilong Palmyra long Syria.

Hasband bilong Zenobia hem Odaenathus, hem bigman bilong Palmyra, wea kasem title olsem chief magistrate bilong Rome long 258 C.E. bikos hem win againstim Persia for saed long Rul Bilong Rome. Tufala year bihaen, King Gallienus bilong Rome givim Odaenathus disfala title corrector totius Orientis (governor bilong full East). Diswan hem bikos hem winim King Shāpūr I bilong Persia. Gogo Odaenathus givim hemseleva disfala title “king bilong olketa king.” Maet wei wea Odaenathus hem win hem kamaot from strong and gudfala tingting bilong Zenobia.

ZENOBIA PLAN FOR STARTIM WANFALA RUL

Long 267 C.E., taem rul bilong hem go ahed gud, olketa killim dae Odaenathus and wan wea shud rul bihaen. Zenobia tekova long position bilong hasband bilong hem, bikos son bilong hem young tumas for rul. From Zenobia luk naes, aftarem hae position, garem savve for rul, getius for go long war from hem go witim hasband bilong hem bifor, savve tumas long samfala languis, pipol wea stap anda long hem respectim and saportim hem. Zenobia interest tumas for lanem samting and kaban evritaem witim olketa kleva pipol. Wanfala man for givim hem advaes nao savveman and teacher Cassius Longinus​—wea pipol sei “hem wanfala library wea laef and museum wea wakabaot.” Insaed long buk Palmyra and Its Empire​—Zenobia’s Revolt Against Rome, man for raet, Richard Stoneman, hem sei: “Insaed long faevfala year bihaen Odenathus hem dae . . . , Zenobia mekem pipol bilong hem for tingim hem olsem big woman bilong East.”

Long wanfala saed long rul bilong Zenobia hem Persia, wea hem and hasband bilong hem mekem kamap wik tumas, and long narasaed hem Rome wea start for brekdaon. Man for raetem history, J. M. Roberts, talem olsem abaotem living long Rul Bilong Rome long datfala taem: “Mek-thri century hem . . . barava nogud taem for Rome long border long east and west tu, and long Rome seleva, niufala taem for war and raoa abaotem hu nao hem king start for kamap. Twenti-tu king (samfala giaman king no insaed diswan) kasem rul and finis.” Long narasaed, big woman bilong Syria hem barava strongfala queen long rul bilong hem. “From hem bossim tufala rul [Persia and Rome],” Stoneman hem sei, “hem savve plan for startim mek-thri rul wea bae bossim tufala evriwan.”

Long 269 C.E., Zenobia garem chance for mekem rul bilong hem kamap moa big, taem wanfala giaman ruler wea againstim rul bilong Rome kamap long Egypt. Kwiktaem nomoa army bilong Zenobia march go long Egypt, finisim dat wan wea mekem trabol, and tekovarem datfala kantri. Hem kolem hemseleva queen bilong Egypt and wakem olketa selen wea garem nem bilong hem. Long datfala taem kingdom bilong hem start from river Nile go kasem river Euphrates. Long disfala taem long laef bilong hem nao hem garem position olsem “king bilong south.”​—Daniel 11:25, 26.

KAPITOL TAON BILONG ZENOBIA

Zenobia strongim and mekem gud main taon bilong hem, Palmyra, gogo hem kamap barava bigfala taon olsem samfala long Rome. Maet winim 150,000 pipol stap long there. Olketa stael pablik building, temple, garden, maeti post, and spesol building fulap long Palmyra, wanfala taon wea olketa sei hem garem wall wea 21 kilometer long. Olketa laen bilong raonfala stael post​—samting olsem 1,500​—wea hae winim 15 meter standap long main road bilong taon. Staka karving bilong olketa man for faet and rich pipol stap long taon. Long 271 C.E., Zenobia putimap samfala karving bilong hemseleva and hasband bilong hem wea dae finis.

Temple Bilong Sun hem wanfala barava spesol building long Palmyra and maet hem nao main ples bilong religion long datfala taon. Maet Zenobia tu worshipim wanfala god wea join witim sun god. Bat, long mek-thri century, Syria hem ples bilong planti religion. Long rul bilong Zenobia olketa wea sei olketa Christian, Jew, and pipol wea worshipim sun and moon nao stap. Hao nao hem ting long olketa difren kaen wei hia for worship? Man for raet, Stoneman, talem olsem: “Wisefala ruler bae no forgetim eni kastom wea pipol bilong hem laekem. . . . Olketa hope olketa god stap long saed bilong Palmyra.” Luk olsem Zenobia acceptim nomoa evri religion.

From fasin bilong hem mekem pipol interest, planti tinghae long Zenobia. Samting wea barava important nao hem wei wea hem stand for wanfala rul bilong politik wea Daniel talem profesi abaotem. Nomata olsem, rul bilong hem no winim faev year. King Aurelian bilong Rome winim Zenobia long 272 C.E. and barava spoelem Palmyra. Hem showimaot mercy long Zenobia. Olketa sei hem maritim wanfala bigman bilong Rome and stap long there go kasem taem hem dae.

WANEM NAO IU LANEM?

• Wanem nao pipol talem abaotem fasin bilong Zenobia?

• Wanem nao samfala samting wea Zenobia hem duim?

• Wanem nao tingting bilong Zenobia abaotem religion?

[Piksa]

Queen Zenobia toktok long olketa soldia bilong hem

[Chart/Olketa Piksa long page 246]

OLKETA KING LONG DANIEL 11:20-26

Daniel 11:20 Augustus

Daniel 11:21-24 Tiberius

Daniel 11:25, 26 Aurelian Queen Zenobia

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Tiberius

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Aurelian

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Karving bilong Charlemagne

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Augustus

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Warship bilong Britain long mek-17 century

[Full piksa long page 230]

[Piksa long page 233]

Augustus

[Piksa long page 234]

Tiberius

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From order bilong Augustus, Joseph and Mary go long Bethlehem

[Piksa long page 237]

Olsem profesi talem, olketa “brekem” Jesus long dae

[Piksa long page 245]

1. Charlemagne 2. Napoléon I 3. Wilhelm I 4. Olketa soldia bilong Germany, World War I