As I consider the culture around me and the things going on in the world; as one who is a follower of Jesus Christ and fully embraces what the Bible says about the end times and one who was taught with a Protestant viewpoint, I have been drawn to look closer, to study the life and thoughts of Hildegard of Bingen.
I have often thought that leaders tend to mirror the thoughts and practices of a people. Very recently in this year 2022 a few issues including a very big one has been overturned in the Supreme Court (United States). While for those of us trying to hear and listen to God are happy about those and continue to fight for what is right – the true north as Justice Thomas called it, this is but a window of time and opportunity for salvation to come to those who will respond positively to the Holy Spirit and accept the sacrifice offered in their behalf through Jesus Christ.
Hildegard was an abbess in the Catholic church in the twelfth century. It was only recently the Catholic Church put her in the spotlight, of course, with their spin on her writings. I say that as to me she would have disagreed with what others in the church have said about her. She lived before the Protestant Reformation as well as before the discovery of the Americas.
Nonetheless, as an artist, I felt inspired to create a set of images trying to get a perspective on her Vision of the Five Beasts. This chapter is in her book called Scivias (meaning Know the Ways of God), the whole book of 26 visions. In book three, vision 11, Hildegard describes five symbolic animals as the forerunners of the Antichrist: a Fiery-Red Dog, Yellow Lion, Pale Horse, Black Pig, and Grey Wolf. She explains these represent individual and brief historical periods which follow each other in succession. Each one also reveals a particular evil afflicting society in each corresponding period. I also read through a portion of The Five Beasts of Hildegard by Reid Turner who helps explain from his research that these periods can fit into the early nineteenth to twentieth century and just beyond our present time.
The century can be divided up into four eras. These are 1870-1914;1914-1945; 1945-1991; 1991 to the Present.
Era of The Fiery Dog (1870-1914)
1870 brought the Franco-Prussian War which changed the map of Europe and started the secularization of Western Europe. Historians call this the age of Imperialism. European empires were at their most powerful or influential. From a societal perspective, though, it was more about exploitation of the working class. We have Karl Marx who tried to address this issue with his own viewpoint – that of communism. The Popes in the church at that time issued many warnings and condemnations. Hildegard herself said of this time:
“One is like a dog, fiery but not burning; for that era will produce people with a biting temperament, who seem fiery in their own estimation, but do not burn with the justice of God.”
Focus on the word “justice.” Fiery is understood as passionate, but not “on fire” because it is not the justice of God, but their own form of justice. Really it shows actually injustice – a social injustice. Injustices of the upper classes towards the working poor which would lead to communism.
Era of The Yellow Lion (1914-1945)
The yellow lion symbolizes what historians would call the age of catastrophe or the age of total war. This particular era was dominated by wars, genocides, military dictatorships, political prisons, and religious persecution, in particularly, Hitler and the persecution of the Jews. The question over this era is raised as to how these “Christian nations” of Europe allowed it to happen.
Hildegard says of this era: “Another is like a yellow lion; for this era will endure martial people, who instigate wars but do not think of the righteousness of God in them; for those kingdoms will begin to weaken and tire, as the yellow color shows.” Kinda reminds me of the feet and toee of Daniel's interpretation of Nebechadnezzar's dream.
Turner points out that “martial” or “war-mongering” describes the kind of people who were part of this era. Nationalism and Communism were considered two sides of the same coin. As this era came to a close, the fall of the Nazis and their allies proved to be one of self-delusion and cowardice.
Era of the Pale Horse (1945-1991)
These years are known as the Cold War era. On one hand you had many conflicts, proxy wars, and intrigue between two superpowers – think America and Soviet Union. Others were more interested in the sociological issues of the times. Those issues being student riots and unrest, assassinations, and the changing perspective on human sexuality. Two popular writings of this time were The Kinsey Reports (1948), and Humanae Vitae (1968) which reveal the dramatic changes in regard to sex.
Hildegard’s description of the era is as follows:
“Another is like a pale horse; for those times will produce people who drown themselves in sin, and in their licentious and swift moving pleasures neglect all virtuous activities. And then these kingdoms will lose their ruddy strength and grow pale with the fear of ruin, and their hearts will be broken.”
The key word here is “licentious.” It means sexual debauchery. Contributing factors are artificial birth control, changing the purpose of sex largely from procreation to pleasure, the 1980s exploding with statistics of abortion, divorce, single parent families, suicide, STDs, as well as AIDS, as this era came to an end.
Era of the Black Pig and the United States….(1991-Present) *Present if I consider when the book was published would have been 2014 by Reid Turner.
It is possible that historians will call what is today the present era “the age of globalization.” Dominating themes are free trade, elimination of borders, and for much of Europe, a common market, passport, and currency. This title also suits the continuing migration of millions to Europe from the Middle East and Africa. Hildegard specifically refers to the era’s leaders. The generation of leaders since the 1990s have not been, generally, the same type of people as their predecessors. According to Turner, “Today’s leaders are more pro-abortion and pro-homosexual marriage, imposing many laws, like Obergefell vs Hodges, that are contrary to Christian teaching.
Hidegard writes: [This epoch will have leaders who blacken themselves in misery and wallow in the mud of impurity. They will infringe the divine law by fornication and other like evils and will plot to diverge from the holiness of God’s commands.”
Political correctness, gender theory, homosexuality, race, etc., gradually become more radicalized in the higher educational system – colleges through the 70s and 80s, so have our present leaders who were educated in those times. Examples are Clinton, Blair, Obama, Trudeau, Cameron, Holland, and Merkel and those serving them that further the cause of political correctness, the goals of which “infringe the divine law.’ Historian Paul Johnson had described it in terms of social engineering and referred to it as “the salient evil of our time.” What is that evil? Greed. Power and money. As one minister put it well recently, regarding abortion and the government – Dead babies is big business.”
I first took an interest in Hildegard of Bingen when in a podcast I listened to used what she said with a twist I believe in her stories. It lead me to find her “800 year old prophecy” which is actually closer to 1000 years now. At that time she records a prophetic vision:
“Before the comet comes, many nations, the good excepted, will be scoured with want and famine. The great nation in the ocean that is inhabited by people of different tribes and descent by an earthquake, storm and tidal waves will be devastated. It will be divided, and in great part submerged. That nation will also have many misfortunes at sea, and lose its colonies in the east through a Tiger and a Lion. The comet by its tremendous pressure, will force much out of the ocean and flood many countries, causing much want and many plagues. All coastal cities will be fearful and many of them will be destroyed by tidal waves, and most living creatures will be killed and even those who escape will die from a horrible disease. For in none of these cities does anyone live according to the law of God.”
This vision of hers could be something that happens during the era of the grey wolf or during the Tribulation time. I think that as she says “for the good excepted,’ could mean the rapture of the Church? I don’t know. There have been some who think this event could happen before the expected rapture. As I may have said, there are many others to have had strange visions regarding end times events. Following is one story of a minister who shares the vision he had and that I feel may fall within what has been shared from Hildegard’s point of view.
In an article or post I came across called “The Destruction of America: Whether by Nuclear War, Invasion from Russia or China, Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Wormwood, or Tsunamis, dated May 11, 2019 by Jay Watkins, is shared a vision by Romanian Pastor Domitru Duduman April 22, 1996. Following is a construct of Dumitru’s vision:
Pastor Dumitru had just gone to bed and was still awake when he heard the sound of a trumpet and voice cried out to him to stand. In his vision, he was in America. Looking for the one who had spoken to him, he saw three men dressed alike. Two of the men carried weapons. One of the armed men tells him “I woke you to show you what is to come. Come with me.”
“A pair of binoculars was handed to me, and I was told to look through them. “Stand there, don’t move, and look,” he continued. “You will see what they are saying, and what they are preparing for America.”
“As I was looking, I saw a great light. A dark cloud appeared over it. I saw the President of Russia, a short, chubby man, who said he was the president of China, and two others. The last two also said where they were from, but I did not understand. However, I gathered that they were part of Russian controlled territory. The men stepped out of the cloud.
The Russian president began to speak to the Chinese one. “I will give you the land with all the people, but you must free Taiwan of all the Americans. Do not fear, we will attack them from behind.”
A voice said to me, “Watch where the Russians penetrate America.” I saw these words being written: Alaska; Minnesota; Florida. Then the man spoke again. “When America goes to war with China, the Russians will strike without warning.”
The other two presidents spoke, “We too will fight for you.” Each had a place already planned as a point of attack. All of them shook hands and hugged. Then they all signed a contract. One of them said, “We’re sure that Korea and Cuba will be on our side too. Without a doubt, together we can destroy America.” The president of Russia began to speak insistently, “Why let ourselves be lead by the Americans? Why not rule the world ourselves? They have to be kicked out of Europe, too! Then I could do as I please with Europe!
Says the man standing beside Dumitru “This is what you saw: they act as friends, and they say they respect the treaties made together. But everything I have shown you is how it will really happen. You must tell them what is being planned against America. Then, when it comes to pass, the people will remember the words the Lord has spoken.”
“Who are you?” I asked.
“I am the protector of America. America’s sin has reached God. He will allow this destruction, for He can no longer stand such wickedness. God, however, still has people who worship Him with a clean heart, as they do His work. He has prepared a heavenly army to save these people.”
“As I looked, a great army, well armed and dressed in white, appeared before me. Do you see that?” that man asked. “This army will go to battle to save My chosen ones. Then, the difference between the godly and the ungodly will be evident.”
Again, there are David Wilkerson’s 1973 visions of five calamities coming to America and the World. In whatever scenario and time frame these events occur, it seems very likely they are going to happen. God does not do anything without providing a warning. We have at least an 800 year old warning through Hildegard. Another one through Dumitru. Don Stewart who has talked about 25 signs we are in the tail end of End Times, also brings up the idea that in a number of ways, America is likely to be taken out of the bigger picture. I believe the reasoning he gave was that America (among her many other sins) has gone about trying to hurt Israel and therefore will end up disappearing from history just as the five earlier nations (Ammonites, Edomites, Moabites, Philistines, and Amalekites). Sign 2 – As their enemies have done to Israel so God will do to them.”
Jonathan Cahn, a Messianic Rabbi, who sees paradigms between Ancient Israel and America, points out that the attacks of Nine Eleven in 2001 was the first breach and passing of judgement and warning to America. You can read more about his theories in The Harbinger and Harbinger 2.
Era of The Grey Wolf (Near future…) Near future or closer than ever before….
Hildegard goes into far more detail with the Grey Wolf than the other eras. Essentially three main things will define this era.
· Civil unrest and revolutions with their cause being economic inequality.
· Persecution of the Church by a specific group of people.
· A powerful, spiritual revival within the Church
She adds that it is when the Church will be ‘replete with the full number of her children. The Churches mission will have been completed.”
“And the last is like a gray wolf. For those times will have people who plunder each other, robbing the powerful and the fortunate; and in these conflicts they will show themselves to be neither black nor white, but gray in their cunning. And they will divide and conquer the rulers of these realms; and then the time will come when many will be ensnared, and the error of errors will rise from Hell to Heaven. And then the children of light will be pressed in the winepress of martyrdom; and they will not deny the Son of God, but reject the son of perdition who tries to do his will with the Devil’s arts.
“And these beasts are facing the West, for these fleeting times will vanish with the setting sun. For people rise and set like the sun, and some are born and some die.” –Hildegard of Bingen
There are some who think we have begun to enter this last era. These are unprecedented times.