1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God.”
The Dark Ages, or as some historians call the Medieval Ages, was a time of continual fighting between warrior kings of Europe. It was a time of lawlessness, superstition, magic, evil and dragons.
To the north, were the Vikings, who were known as the “Tall Men of the North.” They terrified the southern Europeans with their height, blue eyes, fair coloring, and fierce warlike ways. A prayer during that time was: “Lord, save us from the savages of the North.” The Vikings became known as the Norsemen – People from the North.
Few people could read or write. Most people lived in mud huts that were surrounded by a wooden stockade. Life was localized and self-sufficient. Scholars of the day found refuge in Arabia. There their records were made and kept safe. Societies and religions began during the Dark Ages. Much fighting took place, but it was also a birthing time.
Although there was much violence during this period it was also a glorious period in many ways. Scholars began to pave the way towards creating real scholarship, writing, books, printing, etc. Europe which had been demoralized by Rome’s tyranny of many years also began to break out in its new found freedom.
Shortly after his historic sacking of Rome, Alaric the 1st dies of fever in 410. He did not live long to enjoy much of his success, but future generations did. Throughout the fifth century – wave after wave of invading tribes flooded into Rome and fought to stake their claim on the waning Roman Empire.
Clovis, King of the Franks (through his wife Clotilda) makes a decision to accept Christianity as his religion and was baptized in 496 at the age of 30. He made Paris his capital and his kingdom was basically what is known as present-day France and southwestern Germany. He formed a crucial alliance with the Roman Catholic Church and brought about a certain stability in the land.
Justinian the 1st, also called “the great,” was the Byzantine Emperor (527- 565). He extended Byzantine rule in the West, beautified Constantinople and completed the codification of Roman law.
It was during this era of the Medieval Age what is known as the Justinian Code was formalized and became known as the body of civil law which still governs most of Europe today. It was also in this era that Mohammed was born in Mecca. He would often withdraw to a cave where he would meditate and pray. It was during one of these times that supposedly Gabriel the Archangel appeared to him and proclaimed him a prophet.
Another prominent man during this era was Charles “The Hammer” Martel (688-741). He was also the grandfather of Charlemagne. Eventually he became a Supreme leader of the Franks. His greatest achievement was his war with the Muslims from Spain who invaded France in 742. In a battle near Poitiers, the emir of Spain was killed and the Islamic thrust into Europe was checked.
Also in 742, probably in Aachen, Charlemagne the grandson of Charles Martel was born. Charlemagne led the Frankish armies to victory over numerous other peoples and established his rule in most of western and central Europe. He was probably the best-known and most influential king in Europe in the Middle Ages.
It was in this atmosphere of wars, bigotry, superstition, etc. that the kingdom of God was invading. Slowly, but like yeast beginning to work itself throughout the society and culture, the Kingdom of God was advancing.