The historical record in scripture ends with the passing of the apostles and disciples who had first-hand knowledge of and experience with Jesus.  Therefore, documentation of fulfillment of prophecy and events suggested by patterns for the church beyond the apostolic church must move from scripture to secular history.  So, before we begin discussion of the organized church (c. 100 AD to c. 500 AD), we offer a brief overview of events from Mediterranean history.

There have been several great empires and cultures on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.  In Abraham’s time, there was the Egyptian Empire of the pharaohs on the southeastern shore.  From 500 BC through 150 BC, the Greek Empire covered the eastern Mediterranean including Egypt.  The influence of the Romans began with the Republic, which became the dominate power of the Mediterranean region by 200 BC.  Even though Romans controlled the eastern Mediterranean, the influences of the Greek culture, based on humanism exemplified by its Gods being made in the image of man, remained strong.  For instance, the New Testament texts were written originally in Greek rather than either Hebrew, the language of Jews, or Latin, the language of the Romans.  The Roman Republic evolved into the Roman Empire, which peaked about the time of Jesus and then declined for several centuries.

For the first 300 years of the church era, Rome was the capital of the Roman Empire.  However in 330 AD, the capital was moved to Constantinople on the western edge of Asia.  Upon Emperor Constantine’s death in 337 AD, the rule of the Roman Empire was divided between his sons, with one ruling from Rome and the other from Constantinople.  The western portion of the empire evolved into the Holy Roman Empire, and the eastern portion became the Byzantine Empire, dominated by Greek culture.  This division of governance entrenched and exacerbated the West/Roman/Latin and East/Byzantine/Greek factions within the empire and the church.  The beginning of the end for the Roman Empire was the sack of Rome by Goths in 410 AD.  The last Roman Emperor abdicated in 476 AD.

Jewish population peaked at around 4.4 million shortly after Jesus’ appearance, but was reduced over time to one million by events like the annihilation of Judean Jews by the Romans in 132-133 AD as retribution for a series of revolts.  In 363 AD, the Roman Emperor Julian authorized a rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem to appease Jews; however, the Galilee earthquake of 363 and other factors prevented this from happening.  Through international connections throughout the region, Jews became prominent in trade, and, because the Catholic Church forbad lending money at interest, Jews also became prominent as money-lenders.  There was a rise and spread of Islam in the Middle East, and Islamic leadership allowed Jews to enter Jerusalem in 638 AD after 500 years of absence.  Jews consistently existed at the edge of society, and their treatment vacillated from tolerance to massacre.

There followed the Middle/Dark Ages, a societal devolvement that lasted for 1,000 years (c. 500 AD to c. 1500 AD).  Consistent with the decay of a planted seed, the Middle/Dark Ages are characterized by the prominence of early death, exemplified by the plaque of the Black Death (1347-1353) which, through urban crowding due to nearly all arable land being taken, killed between 75 and 200 million worldwide.  In Europe, there was de-population (the Black Death killed between 30% and 60% of the population), de-urbanization, and limited learning resulting in the loss of pervious knowledge, inventions, and technologies.  The church, governed by the Pope, was a dominant political force.  At the best, the choice of popes was influenced by ruling kings; at the worst, popes often were chosen by such rulers.

The emergence of a new plant from a planted seed is prophetic of the re-emergence and growth of a lively society in Europe beginning with the fall of Constantinople of the Byzantine Empire in 1453 AD.  The renaissance began in Europe with an awaking in all aspects of society — artistic, economic, religious, and scientific.  A foundational event in the development of society was the invention of the printing press in 1440.  There was a lasting connection of Europe to the land of the Americas with Christopher Columbus’ voyage in 1492.  The religious renaissance has a memorable date of 1517 associated with Martin Luther.  There has been an ever increasing development in all parts of society these past 500 years

Aided by this brief outline of Mediterranean history, we proceed with discussion of the organized church.

The spiritual momentum of the apostolic church, created by the baptism with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, was destined to be overcome by the decline mandated for the church in spiritual day/age 5 (Table 5.4).  By 100 AD, centralization of governance of individual churches under the leadership of a bishop had become common.  There followed the organized church at the designated, 30-fold level of production of spiritual fruit from c. 100 AD until c. 500 AD.  This period of the church saw a growth in allegiance to an organizational structure and the corresponding diminishment of, and ultimately the replacement of, allegiance to Jesus Christ.

A pattern for the organized church at the 30-fold level of the production of spiritual fruit is Joseph, a member of the third generation succeeding Abraham.  In the following table, Jacob/Israel is a type for the apostolic church at the 60-fold level, Joseph’s half-brothers are a type for the ruling and societal forces which opposed the organized church after 100 AD, and Pharaoh is a type for the emperors of the Roman Empire.

Joseph was born in Mesopotamia rather than the Promised Land, where his grandfather Isaac and father Jacob were born.

Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb.  So she conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.”  And she named him Joseph, saying, “May the LORD give me another son.”  Now it came about when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my own country.”  Genesis 30:22-25  NASB

Joseph’s birth in Mesopotamia is an indication that the organized church had a weaken attachment to apostolic traditions (Promised Land) and consequently a lesser (30-fold) level of production of spiritual fruit.

Jacob loved Joseph and made a varicolored tunic and clothed him with it.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic.  Genesis 37:3  NASB

Recall that clothing is representative of one’s nature.  So Jacob clothing Joseph is an indication that, despite the lesser level of spiritual fruit, there was, at least in the beginning, a continuance of the apostolic traditions in the church.

Sibling rivalry, like that of Jacob and Esau, was present with Joseph and his half-brothers.

These are the records of the generations of Jacob.  Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives.  And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father.  …  And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.  Genesis 37:2,4  NASB

A further cause of division between Joseph and his half-brothers was Joseph’s God-given ability to interpret dreams.

Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.  And he said to them, “Please listen to this dream which I have had;”  …  And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.  Genesis  37:5-6,11  NASB

Here then is an indication of the difficulties the church faced from ruling and societal influences in the second and third centuries AD.

Joseph was sent to check on the welfare of the flock.

Then his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock in Shechem.  …  Then he [Jacob/Israel] said to him, “Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock; and bring word back to me.”  So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.  Genesis 37:12,14  NASB

Here then is an indication of the development, within the church structure, of bishops who would oversee the affairs of the individual, local churches.  The principal bishops were located in Rome, Antioch (Turkey), and Alexandria (Egypt).

Joseph was stripped of the coat which his father Jacob/Israel had given him.

So it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him;  Genesis 37:23  NASB

Here then is an indication that many apostolic traditions of the early church were stripped away by ruling and societal influences.

Joseph, after being seized by his brothers, was thrown into a pit without water.

and they took him and threw him into a pit.  Now the pit was empty, without any water in it. Genesis 37:24  NASB

Here then is an indication of the persecution of the church by the Roman Empire during the period of 100 to 300 AD when Christian practices were often an underground enterprise.  There being no water in the pit suggests a weakening of spiritual liveliness because of the lack of spiritual sustenance.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and thereby lost contact with his family.

Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver.  Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.  Genesis 37:28  NASB

Here then is an indication of the organizational structures confining, restricting, and reducing the vitality of the organizing church.

In Egypt, Joseph was sold to the captain of Pharaoh’s bodyguard.  But suddenly there was a turn for the worst when the wife of Joseph’s master falsely accused him of attempted rape.

So Joseph’s master took him and put him into jail, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; and he was there in jail.  Genesis 39:20  NASB

Here then is an indication of attempts to eliminate Christianity by the Roman Empire, particularly by Emperors Diocletian (284-305 AD) and Galerius (305-311 AD), which resulted in the deaths of many believers.

The Lord was with Joseph, and therefore he was successful both as a slave and as a prisoner.

And the chief jailer committed to Joseph’s charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was responsible for it.  The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph’s charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper.  Genesis 39:22-23  NASB

Here is an indication of the successful spread of Christianity despite being illegal and persecuted within the Roman Empire.  During the 4^th century (300’s), the canonization of the Bible was completed.

In a complete turnaround, Joseph was brought from prison to the presence of Pharaoh.

Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh.  Genesis 41:14  NASB

Here then is an indication of the Edict of Milan (313 AD) by Roman Emperor Constantine (306-337 AD) which mandated tolerance for (i.e., legalized) Christianity within the Roman Empire.  Later in 325 AD, Emperor Constantine convened an ecumenical council in Nicaea from which came the Nicene Creed, a statement of doctrine for the church.  On his orders, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was constructed in Jerusalem at the purported site of Jesus’ tomb.  The Bishop of Rome, the position which later became the papacy, acquired secular power during Constantine’s reign.

Pharaoh accepted and believed Joseph’s words.

So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are.”  Genesis 41:39  NASB

Here then is an indication of Constantine’s conversion from paganism to Christianity shortly before his death in 337 AD.

Pharaoh placed Joseph as second-in-command in all of Egypt.

You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you.”  Genesis 41:40  NASB

Here then is an indication of the Edict of Thessalonica in 380 AD which made Christianity the official and only authorized religion of the Roman Empire.  Thus Christianity became a state religion, and the clergy, while becoming more influential and powerful, ceded some control to secular rulers.  The shift for the church from fierce prosecution to being the state religion suggests the change within the church from a Spirit-led body to an organization controlled by humans.

A famine in Egypt, in Canaan, and over all the earth followed seven years of abundance.

When the famine was spread over all the face of the earth, then Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians; and the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.  Genesis 41:56  NASB

Here then is an indication of a scarcity of spiritual food available in the last century before the Middle/Dark Ages.  Scripture was inaccessible to most people because it was recorded on hand written scrolls, which were only useful to the educated and only available to the wealthy.  Consequently, a spiritual famine came upon the earth.

Pharaoh, through Joseph, became the source of food from all the land.

And the people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the earth.  Genesis 41:57  NASB

Here then is an indication of growing dependence of the laity upon the clergy and the papacy, which introduced strange doctrines.

Jacob’s clan left the Promised Land to take up residence in Egypt, a type for the kingdom of darkness.

All the persons belonging to Jacob, who came to Egypt, his direct descendants, not including the wives of Jacob’s sons, were sixty-six persons in all, and the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt were two; all the persons of the house of Jacob, who came to Egypt, were seventy.  Genesis 46:26-27  NASB

Here then is an indication of the completion of the transition of the church from Spirit-led to human-led.

Joseph worked to see that Pharaoh profited by the famine.

And Joseph gathered all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the grain which they bought, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house.  Genesis 47:14  NASB

Here then is an indication that the church, as the state religion, had become an instrument within the Roman Empire to enrich its leaders, both secular and clergy.

In fact, Joseph used his God-given knowledge to make slaves of his subjects.

So they said, “You have saved our lives!  Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.”  Genesis 47:25  NASB

Here we have an indication that the church was organizing in such a way as to enslave the believers.

Jacob/Israel adopted Joseph’s first two sons, thereby bring into the family two children born in Egypt to a daughter of a pagan priest.

“And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are.  But your offspring that have been born after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the names of their brothers in their inheritance.”  Genesis 48:5-6

Here then we have another indication of the adoption of pagan, secular, fleshly influences within the church that further diluted its apostolic doctrines and practices.

Jacob gave Reuben’s birthright (of the first-born son) to Joseph and his sons.

Now the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel (for he was the first-born, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright.  Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the leader, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph),  1Chronicles 5:1-2  NASB

Here then is an indication that, despite the decline, the church would carry forward knowledge of the apostolic traditions through the difficult times to come.

Jacob prophesied that Joseph would return to the Promised Land, i.e., that Joseph’s bones would be reburied in Shechem.

Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and bring you back to the land of your fathers.  And I give you one portion more than your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”  Genesis 48:21-22  NASB

Here then is a prophetic indication of spiritual life returning to the church in the future, just as the new plant springs forth from the destruction of the seed.

With respect to the characterization of the church in terms of the hierarchy (Illustration 5.4), the 30-fold level of production of spiritual fruit suggests a wife/mother-to-be during the spiritual pregnancy resulting from the Holy Spirit coming upon the church with power.

In 500 AD, at the end of the organized church period, there were an estimated 15 million Christians.  During this period, the one million Jews scattered through Europe and Asia Minor faced ostracism and/or persecution at various times throughout the Roman Empire.