Lyne Roman Fort

In Peeblesshire, Scotland, is a field in which bumps, lumps and straight earthwork ditches can be observed. Once, a thousand cavalry and infantry considered this to be their base, and red sandstone buildings were erected, suggesting an expectation of permanent residency, but it is now the haunt of sheep. It likely dates to the time of Antoninus Pious (AD 142-162) when Rome expanded beyond his predecessor, Hadrian’s, great wall. A mile or so to the south is the site of a smaller fort, built by the Roman general Agricola, who first led legionaries into Scottish territory.

One of our Bible Study groups has been pondering the book of Danel. In chapter 7, the fourth great empire, pictured as a terrifying beast, is usually identified as Rome. Yet Rome fell, its empire broken, its forts abandoned. Whether it will revive as the end draws near, or whether it never essentially went away (which is closer to my own view), time will tell. Whatever the prophet Daniel saw, we may be certain of these two points:

-All worldly empires, no matter how large and powerful, shall come to an end;

-Christ is coming back, to claim the Kingdom for His own.

Babylon is ruinous and Persia is weak; Greece is poor and Rome's fortresses lie abandoned. Nevertheless, we are not free of their jurisdiction quite yet. Praise God, however, for a better Kingdom is coming, and its great King readies. 

And the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the holy people of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all powers shall serve and obey him. Daniel 7:27, Geneva Bible