When I first started studying Bible prophecy, the main focus of the interpretation
of Daniel 7 was comparing it to Daniel 2, a series of nations through history
leading to the final kingdom. In the interest of presenting the sides I
know, I’ve left the old version of the page at the bottom
here. However, let’s
just look at the chapter and I’ll explain why my view changed.
Daniel 7 In the first year of
Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head
upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.
Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the
four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts
came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I
beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from
the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s
heart was given to it.
And behold
another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on
one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth
of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon
the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads;
and dominion was given to it.
[The
beast or antichrist kingdom - Revelation 13:1-10]
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful
and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it
devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet
of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and
it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up
among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the
first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were
eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
[Christ’s Kingdom at Christ’s Return in Glory] I beheld
till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose
garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool:
his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands
ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before
him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
[Destruction of the Antichrist - Revelation
19:20] I beheld then because of the
voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the
beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken
away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man
came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and
they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion,
and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should
serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not
pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the
visions of my head troubled me. I came near unto one of them that stood
by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me
know the interpretation of the things.
[Interpretation] These great beasts, which are four, are
four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the
most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever,
even for ever and ever.
Then I would know the truth of the fourth
beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose
teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in
pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
And of the ten horns that were in his head,
and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of
that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things,
[Revelation 13:5] whose look was more stout
than his fellows.
[The 2nd Half
of the
70th Week of Daniel] I beheld, and the same
horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the
Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most
High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom
upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall
devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:
and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the
first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words
against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High,
and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into
his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
[3½ years or 42 months Revelation 13:5
or 1260 days] But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take
away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the
kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole
heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High,
whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve
and obey him. Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my
cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but
I kept the matter in my heart.
Contemporaneous Nations View
While the number 10 and elements like the fourth kingdom in Daniel 2:40
being strong as iron, subduing and breaking to pieces and Daniel 7:7 with
the iron teeth of the fourth beast devouring and breaking to pieces, it
should be noted that this similarity is due to this fourth kingdom and fourth
beast being the same, the rule of the Antichrist. However, this doesn't
mean then that the previous three kingdoms in Daniel 2 and the previous
three beasts in Daniel 7 are necessarily related.
There are several things from
Chris White’s Bible studies that have changed my view, primarily
an obvious part of the passage I completely glossed over in the past. It
seems pretty clear from this one verse, when taken in context, that these
four beasts are contemporaneous, not a series of nations through history
leading up to the fourth kingdom as with Daniel 2. The context of Daniel
7:9-12 is that of Christ's return, ending the Antichrist's reign, judging
him and the falst prophet and then taking the throne
ruling the
earth for 1,000 years.
Daniel 7:1, 9-12 I beheld till
the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment
was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his
throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery
stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands
ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before
him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. I beheld
then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake:
I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed,
and given to the burning flame.
As concerning
the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their
lives were prolonged for a season and time.
Now look at how John's vision in Revelation depicts the time just after
Christ's return. If this beast represents the Antichrist kingdom, then they
would be considered the armies gathered against Christ at His return.
Revelation 19:19-21; 20:1-6 And
I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered
together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against
his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet
that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them
that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his
image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning
with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the
sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded
out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. And
I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless
pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that
old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand
years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set
a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the
thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed
a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and
judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were
beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which
had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received
his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and
reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead
lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the
first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first
resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall
be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand
years.
So it would seem these four beasts from the sea, lion with plucked eagle
wings, bear with 3 ribs devouring flesh, the leopard with four wings and
four heads and the dreadful beast with iron teeth and 10 horns, are all
existing at the same time. However other passages like Revelation 13:1-8
seem to focus on just this fourth dreadful beast. With Daniel 2, he was
given a vision of a historical arch of time, a zoomed out view. I think
Daniel 7 may be similar except not a zoomed out view of history, but rather
of the state of the world just before and during the antichrist's reign.
It's clear the Antichrist's kingdom is referenced many times split into
10 with the Antichrist taking the helm. But what if that is just regional
and not a global view? Perhaps Daniel 7 is speaking to 4 regional powers
of the earth during the end times, of which the most powerful becomes the
fourth beast and to which the other three capitulate and follow after the
abomination of desolation. In fact these same beasts are depicted as one
beast coming from the sea in Revelation together representing the Antichrist
kingdom with the dragon giving it power and authority. This would be after
the death and resurrection of the Antichrist. Revelation 13:12
Revelation 13:1-3 And I stood
upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having
seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns,
and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw
was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet
of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a
lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and
great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death;
and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the
beast.
As Chris White pointed out in
his exposition
on Daniel 7, this could also explain why in Revelation the fourth seal
the rider was only given power over 1/4 of the earth, because the wars of
the Antichrist depicted in Daniel 11:40-44 are focused on that region of
this fourth beast from the sea.
Revelation 6:7-8 And when he had
opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come
and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat
on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And
power was given unto them over
the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger,
and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Historical Nations View
As I already mentioned, I no longer connect Daniel 2 and Daniel 7 as
far as tying the first 3 kingdoms and first 3 beasts together. I do agree
the fourth kingdom and beast are speaking of the same final kingdom of the
Antichrist, however I don't feel there is enough to associate the previous
3 kingdoms with the previous three beasts.
Belshazzar was the king of Babylon whose reign ended with the capturing
of Babylon by the Persians around 540 years before Christ. This is the same
king who saw the writing on the wall just before Babylon’s fall.
He too had a dream interpreted by God through Daniel and written in scripture
for God’s glory. This amazing chapter covers ancient history for us
and yet our near future also!
Daniel 7 1-3:
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and
visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told
the sum of the matters. Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by
night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great
sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
[Babylon] 4: The first was like a lion,
and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked,
and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as
a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
[I believe that Nebuchadnezzar believed in God
because of Daniel and that’s why he was turned from a beast into
a man with a man’s heart. More on this
here]
[Persia] 5:
And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up
itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between
the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
[Greece] 6: After this I beheld, and
lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings
of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to
it.
[Rome/Revived Roman Empire] 7,8: After this I saw in the night visions, and behold
a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it
had great iron [Daniel 2:40-45]
teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with
the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before
it; and it had ten horns. [Revelation
13:1-10] I considered the horns, and,
behold, there came up among them another little horn,
[The
beast or antichrist] before whom there were three of the
first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were
eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
[Christ’s Kingdom at Christ’s Return in Glory - Armageddon] 9,10: I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and
the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the
hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame,
and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth
from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand
times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books
were opened.
11,12: I beheld then because of
the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till
the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning
flame. [Revelation 19:20] As concerning the rest of the beasts, they
had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a
season and time.
13,14: I saw in the night visions,
and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven,
and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all
people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an
everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that
which shall not be destroyed.
15,16: I Daniel
was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of
my head troubled me. I came near unto one of them that stood by, and
asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the
interpretation of the things.
[Interpretation] 17: These great beasts, which are four, are four kings,
which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the most High
shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever
and ever.
[Western European Union:
Treaty of Brussels March 17, 1948] 18-20:
Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from
all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his
nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue
with his feet; And of the ten horns that were
in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell;
even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things,
[Revelation 13:5] whose look was more stout
than his fellows. [This is the antichrist
at his revealing, the
abomination of desolation]
[The 2nd Half of the
70th Week of Daniel] 21,22:
I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed
against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given
to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed
the kingdom.
23-28: Thus he said, The
fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which
shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth,
and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out
of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise
after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue
three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and
shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times
and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and
times and the dividing of time. [3½
years or 42 months Revelation 13:5 or 1260 days] But the judgment
shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to
destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness
of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people
of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and all dominions shall serve and obey him. Hitherto is the end of the
matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance
changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
Four beasts from the sea representing four kings in history
Lion with eagles wings that were plucked (Babylon)
Bear that devours much flesh (Persia)
Leopard with four wings and four heads and given dominion (Greece)
Fourth Beast with iron teeth and 10 horns (Rome/Western
European Union [WEU]?)
3 horns plucked by the roots
Little horn comes up amongst the 10
3 Plucked Horns perspective
from Jerry: The AC will make war on the saints in
the middle (3 ½ years) [of the 70th
week] using 7 of the 10 kings (10 kings less the 3 he subdues)
and God will give him power to overcome them for 42 months.
Currently, the WEU (Western European Union) 10 permanent/only-voting
members have a 6 month rotating presidency. So, take the
10 kings less 3 = 7 x 6 months each = 42 months! Surely
the WEU is the 10 horns/kings brought down to 7 who give
their 6 month rotating presidency to the AC to rule for
42 months.
Little horn has eyes like a man and a mouth speaking great
things
Is Daniel 7:4 Referring to Ancient Babylon?
Daniel 7:4 The first was like
a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings
were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on
two feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it.
I am also intrigued by the story written by Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel
4.
Daniel 4:30-37 The king spake,
and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house
of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from
heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom
is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling
shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass
as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that
the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever
he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar:
and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body
was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’
feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws. And at the end of the
days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding
returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured
him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants
of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will
in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none
can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? At the same time
my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour
and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought
unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty
was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour
the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment:
and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
Nebuchadnezzar’s pride is brought low when he is made to be like
the beasts of the field for seven years. After that time, he is again given
his human faculties and resumes reigning Babylon.
There is the aspect of timing since this vision in Daniel 7 is after
Nebuchadnezzar’s reign is over.
Daniel 7:17 These great beasts,
which are four, are four kings, which shall
ariseH6966 out of the earth.
Shall Rise
(H6966) qûm (koom) (Chaldee); corresponding to H6965: - appoint,
establish, make, raise up self, (a-) rise (up), (make to) stand, set (up).
(H6965) qûm (koom) A primitive root; to rise (in various
applications, literally, figuratively, intensively and causatively): - abide,
accomplish, X be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, X be dim, endure, X
enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again),
make, X but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain,
(a-) rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), (e-) stablish, (make
to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure (-ly), (be)
up (-hold, -rising).
Does this necessarily mean they were all future kingdoms? Or could it
be that even though Daniel received this vision past Nebuchadnezzar’s
reign, the prophecy is given regardless of time? He would certainly
understand and recognize Daniel 7:4 as having happened before, giving him
some grounding in the present for what was to come in the future. The idea
of appointing is related to these four kings.
It seems to me that the story of Nebuchadnezzar being made low as a beast
after his god-complex in order to be made a humble man giving glory to God
seems to fit the idea used in other Biblical illustrations of those making
their nests in the heights of the eagles, the proud, being brought low.
This seems to be exactly what Daniel 7:4 is talking about.
Jeremiah 49:16 Thy terribleness
hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest
in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though
thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee
down from thence, saith the LORD.
From
Winged Lions: The
Gate of Xerxes at Perespolis shows that the Winged Lion was placed at
the corner of one entrance. When you stood in front of the gate you saw
a lion with four legs and when you were inside the gate you saw a lion with
four legs.
The Winged Lion of Babylon Human-headed winged lion (lamassu), 883859
B.C.; Neo-Assyrian period, reign of Ashurnasirpal II Excavated at
Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), northern Mesopotamia Alabaster (gypsum); H. 10
ft. 3½ in. (313.7 cm) Gift of John D. Rockefeller Jr., 1932 (32.143.2)
Daniel 7:4 The first was like
a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings
were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on
two feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it.
...What I quoted above from my overview is
basically the dispensational view of Bible prophecy. So, there are many
areas where I agree with Dispensationalism. But, as I said before, there
are some areas where I disagree. What first caught my attention was
apparently finding a different order of events in Daniel from that which
strict Dispensationalism taught. In chapter seven of the book of Daniel
we read about the prophet Daniel seeing the four beasts rising from
the sea. The forth beast was different from the other beasts and it
trampled down and devoured the first three. It also had 10-horns --
identifying it as the same beast that John saw rising from the sea in
Revelation 13. Daniel sees a little horn appear among the 10 horns and
uprooting three. And, Daniel sees this little horn possessing a mouth
and boasting great things (Daniel 7:7-8).
So far nothing appears
out of order from strict Dispensationalism. However, what comes next
is. In the next verse we find the same throne
room scene that we find in Revelation 4. And, in the following
verses (Daniel 7:9-11), we see some of the same things happen that occur
in Revelation 4 through Revelation 19. For me, the implications were
obvious. Although the dispensational view teaches that Revelation chapter
four marks the beginning of Israel’s final seven-year period,
the book of Daniel appears to teach that Revelation
chapter four marks the beginning of the Great Tribulation, which is
only a 3 ½ year period. You see, Daniel places the throne
room scene of Revelation chapter four happening after the Antichrist
is boasting great things. And, from other related passages,
we know that this boasting occurs in the middle of the seven-year period
-- when the Antichrist goes into the Temple and declares himself to
be God.
At first I pretty much kept my new thinking to myself.
Then, I ran across something that gave the idea further support. I read
a piece by an expert on the original languages who pointed out that
John in Revelation was making direct word connections back to the book
of Daniel. As an example, he said that the book that was sealed in Daniel
12 should be understood as the scroll with seven seals in Revelation
5.
If that’s truly the case, once again it suggests that
the events unleashed by the breaking of the seven seals on the scroll
could happen over a 3½ year period, not seven. That’s because,
in Daniel 12 where the book is sealed, an angel asks how long until
the end of these wonders. The reply is, time, times and a half time
(3½ years), until the power of the holy people is shattered.
I began finding other Scripture that supported the 3½-year
idea. For example, we read that the Antichrist and his 10 kings will
be given authority to wage their war against the saints for 3½
years. And, when the first seal on the scroll is broken, we read that
the rider on a white horse is given a crown and then he goes fourth
to conquer. Once again, the passage may suggest the beginning of the
foretold 3½ year period, not seven. You see, when the rider is
given his crown, he may be receiving his authority to act -- or make
war -- for forty-two months (3½ years). And, in Revelation 13,
when the 10-horned beast rises from the sea, it has 10 crowns -- meaning
the 10 kings now have their authority to act for 3½ years too.
I now have more reasons why I believe the events that begin in Revelation
4 may occur over a 3½ year period. For example, with my new way
of thinking, I can even see the Scripture that I quoted at the beginning
suggesting a 3½ year period for the scroll now too. Let’s
look at it again.
Daniel 9:27
(NASB) And he will make a firm covenant with the many
for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to
sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will
come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction,
one that is decreed,
is poured out on the one who makes desolate.
Notice the part I highlighted. In ancient times, a scroll in the
hand of someone sitting on a throne represented a king issuing a decree.
So, even here, in the passage that’s referred to by Jesus in Matthew
24:15, we can find it being suggested that the seven-sealed scroll in
Revelation isn’t opened, and it’s judgments poured out,
until after the Antichrist has been revealed in the Temple in the middle
of the seven-year period.
As I said before, what I have presented
above is not intended to be an academic argument. It’s only my
attempt, in simple fashion, to explain the how and why of what I have
come to believe.
It is interesting to consider what Daniel saw
in chapter 7. Daniel was lying on his bed and he had a vision at night
and the 4 ‘winds of heaven’ were churning up the ‘great
sea’. In the Babylonian culture the ‘great sea’ was
not just a body of water but it also described the night sky, the ‘sea’
of the stars and constellations.
And the Babylonian Zodiac did
have a constellation pictured as a lion with eagles wings. It also had
a leopard, and as the Bear has been in the constellations from the ancients
(noted in Job), they likely had the Bear constellation also.
And there is a constellation that is different from the others, it is
the largest of all and is known as the Hydra. Today the Hydra is pictured
as a multi-headed serpent, but in the Babylonian zodiac it appears to
be a conglomeration of beasts, a dragon body with fore legs and an unusual
head, it is not recognizable as any particular animal, but is the largest.
The same beasts are associated with the ‘beast out of the
sea’ in Revelation 13, the multi-headed beast (hydra) that resembles
a leopard, has the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. This also
appears to be a reference to the beasts of the night sky, the constellations.
We have always assumed that the beast that comes out of the sea
comes out of the gentile nations or the water, but the ‘sea’
may be a reference to the stars. This could be consistent with Satan’s
being cast down to earth, when he gives his power to the AC at the midpoint
of the 70th week, which would appear to be
an arrival from the stars. As the AC receives his power from Satan,
as the world follows the beast and worships the dragon, as it is likely
that Satan posses the AC, the AC could be seen as coming from the stars
if he is embodied by Satan, the one who falls from the sky.
These
beasts are all associated with the throne room scene which appears to
parallel that in Revelation 4. The first 3 beasts are still in existence
when the AC comes to his end, which occurs at Armageddon, suggesting
that the first 3 beasts are still in existence at Jesus’ return.
As the 4th beast is clearly the kingdom of the AC, which is a future
kingdom, it is highly likely that the first 3 beasts of Daniel 7 are
modern kingdoms that exist now.
Beginning with
Babylon [Daniel 2 vision), all four
kingdoms dominated the people of Israel. The fourth kingdom (the legs
of iron), the Roman empire, presided
over the destruction of Israel in 70 AD. The fourth kingdom also provided
the countdown to the first coming of Jesus Christ,
the Son of God.
Conversely, the four beast kingdoms function
in reverse as they provide the historic countdown to the resurrection
of the state of Israel; and once again these empires also serve as a
sequential countdown to the second coming of Christ. Because the fourth
kingdom is the empire that catapults The Antichrist to power, our identification
requires a global perspective. Every verse in the Bible implies he is
a global figure. Speaking of his confederate The False Prophet, the
text does say “...he causes ALL to receive a mark....” 11.
The word all would appear to imply far more than Europeans. Indeed
a quick bit of research in practically any Encyclopedia will find the
European Community listed under regional organizations. Yet, to this
day, the vast majority of prophecy teachers confidently and categorically
state that the European Community is the final empire that will host
The Antichrist.
There is only one global political entity of
a lasting consequence in the world today. It was founded between 1945
and 1948. It has claimed absolute authority in establishing jurisdiction
over the historic land called Palestine. Its power and political reach
is now reaching overwhelming proportions as its members include virtually
every government on the face of the Earth.
The United Nations
IS the prophesied one world government so frequently mentioned in the
Bible. The recognition of the intermediate American hegemony that is
presently being manifested only serves as a ‘red herring’
in understanding how these kingdoms fit into the scriptural account.
In many respects, America and the United Nations are alter egos of each
other. The US created the UN as a vehicle to draw in the rest of the
world’s nations to the construct the American government intended
to engineer.
At the very same time the UN was formed (1947),
the United States implemented the National Security Act which formed
the National Security State the US has become. By slowly ceding power
to it’s own creation, the US is transitioning its power base into
world government and the UN is the heir apparent. There are some very
important details to this process that are found in our study on The
Beast with Seven Heads — however, those are beyond the scope of the
present exposition. For the present, suffice it to say that the United
Nations is the designated entity for world government and significant
elements of the US and the UN may be seen in the description of the
fourth Beast of Daniel Seven.
NCBreeze:
This is an alternative
view of Daniel 7 (it says the same 4 kingdoms of Daniel 2 will be reconstituted
in the latter days, having direct conflicts with Israel).. e.g. Babylon
(Iraq), Persia (Iran), Greece and Rome. (However, I don’t see
any signs that Greece will arise again, in the latter days.. ??) This
analysis justifies it by the fact that Daniel 8 defines the third kingdom
as Greece. I confess, I’m stumped at this point. What do you make
of Greece, in this analytical point of view? How could it possibly be
reconstituted as a world power?
Kingdom Baptist - It appears there is no great agreement on the
3rd kingdom. Some say it is Germany, others say France, and Beirnes
says it is an “Arab Federation.” This is precisely one
thing that is wrong with this whole methodology. Once we have left
the Bible’s own interpretation of these kingdoms, “anything
goes!” Sir Robert Anderson was perhaps one of the first to
suggest that the kingdoms of Daniel 7 were not identical with those
of r. It is clear that he erred because he did not see that these
same four kingdoms would be revived in the latter days. I believe
G.H. Pember (“The Great Prophecies of the Centuries Concerning
Israel and the Gentiles”) and William Kelly are both much
more sound on Daniel 7 (at least in regard to the identity of the
4 kingdoms). Kelly writes: “Accordingly the Spirit again goes
over the ground of the four great Gentile empires, as well as the
fifth empire, the kingdom of heaven, to be introduced by our Lord
Jesus. But all is presented, though, of course, with perfect consistency,
from a different point of view. It is not now a great image, beginning
with that which was gorgeous...Here we have ravening wild beasts.
The very same powers are meant [as in Daniel 2], but it is another
aspect of them....it is now God’s view of these same powers,
and their relation to His people.” (“Notes on Daniel,”
1902)
“Be not overcome
of evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21
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