The "ships of Chittim” of verse 30 are the Vandals.  Their continued military success was weakening Rome, and as the emperor of Eastern Rome went out to do battle against them, he was defeated, or "grieved." 

In an attempt to oppose the Arian beliefs of the three horns of the Heruli, Goths, and Vandals, Justinian appointed the bishop of Rome as the head of the Christian church and the corrector of heretics.  By doing so he had “indignation against the holy covenant," and had "intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant." Thus was the transition of Roman power from pagan to papal under way.

Verse 29 described the closing scenes of pagan Rome's authority.  Here we see Constantine moving the capital away from Rome at the "time appointed." In verse 30 we see his "indignation against the holy covenant" as he introduces the first Sunday laws.

We are told that when the United States passes a national Sunday law, national apostasy will be followed by national ruin.  After Constantine issues his Sunday laws the Roman Empire begins to crumble.  In former years when Rome warred against their enemies they found victory --but no longer.  

This concise history shows us the method by which Papal Rome rose to world dominance, replacing Pagan Rome; "Arms shall stand on his part". This happened in the year 508 AD, when Clovis, king of France pledged himself to fight for the Pope, and the nations of Europe soon followed his example, except for three, The Huruli, the Vandals and the Ostragoths, which were finally defeated and wiped out. Notice that when Pagan Rome rose to world dominion, it had to conquer 3 areas; when Papal Rome rose, it had to conquer 3 nations. 

This is describing the 1260 years of Papal rule from 538 AD to 1798. Here we are shown the ‘church in the wilderness’- the true believers who had to flee to the mountains in those days. It says in verse 32 that they ‘know their God’. What a wonderful tribute to those faithful ones!

Our verse tells us how those faithful ones worked hard to teach others and keep the Word of God alive during those terrible years.

It also tells of the many ways that wicked men, under Satan’s control, took the lives of those dear faithful believers. 

Daniel 7:25 says, ‘they (the faithful) would be given into his hands’ for these years. Have you ever wondered why God allowed this cruel power to do all this in the name of religion? Well, God has a purpose - he has allowed Satan to show what his kind of government is like. All the angels that remained in heaven and the other worlds that did not sin, they can see just what Satan’s rule brings. He can’t fool them any more.

But why is Satan still fooling people on earth? It is taking a longer time for people on earth to learn the lesson because most of them still choose to believe Satan’s lies and enjoy his so-called pleasures. God’s true people will know that Satan is a liar and a murderer.

I hope it can be said of each one of us that ‘we know our God’!

“Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.  And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.” Daniel 11: 34, 35.