BEAST NUMBER FOUR OF DANIEL SEVEN

Part Four

The fourth and final beast of Daniel Seven was unlike anything he had ever seen. These visions really bothered Daniel greatly [1] and I can only imagine what the poor guy must have thought and what went through his mind when he witnessed beast number four.

Lions, bears, and leopards are bad enough but a ten-horned beast with iron teeth? WOE! This reminds me of another dream that Dorothy had a few years ago; “Lions and tigers and bears. . .oh my.” Anyway, back to Daniel seven.

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 [2].


Ten Horned Beast

As we can see, the beast's dominate feature was 10 horns. So. . .what do the 10 horns represent and who is beast number four? Remember though, that beasts always represent nations or kingdoms and the rulers of those nations. They must also be in existence at the time of the second-coming of Jesus Christ.

Again, we do not have to guess because the Bible explains to us what they are. This beast represents one kingdom but with 10 kings, a confederation or alliance if you will.

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 [3].


The Antichrist

The fourth beast is the dictator of the last days and 10 kings will subjugate themselves to the power of that dictator, which is the Antichrist. The little horn will arise from the 10 and subdue three kings. We can learn more about this in Revelation 17:12.

And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast [4].

The hour spoken of in verse 12 is not 60 minutes but a figure of speech meaning, a very short time. This confederation will serve the Antichrist until Jesus touches down on the Mount of Olives at which time they will make war with the Lamb of God. We know this because of Revelation 17:13, 14.

These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful [5].


Armageddon

This will be the Battle of Armageddon and the end of the age. Now this will not be the end of time like some are afraid of, but will be the end of human government and the beginning of the thousand year reign of Jesus Christ.

This is very important! Quite frankly, everybody wants to take note of the last part of Revelation 17:14 when it says. . . and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. If you are not with Him that means that you have missed the rapture. Now everybody is called because the Bible says that time and chance happens to all. But when Christ calls, you must choose to follow Him and make Him the Lord of your life. The word faithful here, means even unto death.


The Holy Roman Empire

One more thing about the end times scheme of things. Let’s go back to Daniel, only this time to chapter two and verse 44, which says:

And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

This is at the end of the image prophecy, which is the head of gold; arms and chest of silver; belly and thighs of brass; legs of iron, and the feet and toes of iron mingled with clay. The legs of iron represent the Roman Empire but the feet and toes represent the Holy Roman Empire of around 800 AD.

The prophecy of Daniel two is the exact same prophecy of Daniel seven only with different symbols, toes vs horns. Since the European Union will exist in the last days before Christ’s return, we know that this will be the revival of the Holy Roman Empire spoken of in Daniel chapter two.


The Great Tribulation

The Holy Roman Empire is being built right now as we speak. Out of those 10 nations, the Antichrist and the false prophet will emerge. The Antichrist will uproot (subdue) three kings. This will give us a hint as to who he is. However, he will be revealed when he stands on the Temple Mount and causes the oblations to cease [6] and declares that he is the highest authority and the one in charge and in control. The Bible tells us the Antichrist declares that he is God.

Starting at that time will be great tribulation as the world has never seen or will ever see again [7]. The tribulation will last for three and one-half years and then Christ comes [8].

Daniel 7:21, 22 speaks of the great tribulation and Daniel 7:23 speaks of the one world government or world governance. We can learn more about that in Revelation 13. I have covered this somewhat in the three previous blogs before this series. If you haven’t read them, I invite you to do so. I not only give the problem, but I have some solutions for that time ahead of us.

That was the bad news.

You can find the good news in Daniel 7:27 [9].


The Second-Coming of Christ

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.

How will this happen? Again, the Bible tells us.

For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city [10].

All nations will come against Israel and when it seems totally hopeless for them, Christ will burst through the clouds with a shout, with the trump of God, and with all the saints. It will be over for the Antichrist and the false prophet who will end up in the Lake of Fire. Human government will end and the thousand year reign of Christ and His saints will begin.

Come Lord Jesus, come.

HALLELUJAH!!!

* * *

There are different interpretations of the symbols of Daniel seven and some you can immediately discount. However, you can judge them all (including this interpretation) by the criteria with which we have learned in these four blogs [11] and that is, 1) beasts always represent nations or kingdoms and the kings or rulers of those nations or kingdoms and 2) by context, they all must exist at the time of Christ’s return.

Point of interest though: since the nations of all these viable interpretations (again, including this one), have been in existence for over two to three hundred years or so, how do we justify or equate this fact in terms of being in the end times and the second-coming of Jesus Christ? Are we in the end time. . .or not!?

NOTE: All endtime prophecy hinges on one Scripture, and we will discuss that Scripture next week.

Thanks for stopping by.
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[1] Daniel 7:15, 28
[2] Daniel 7:7
[3] Daniel 7:24
[4] Revelation 17:12
[5] Revelation 17:13, 14
[6] Animal sacrifices
[7] Matthew 24:21
[8] The peace treaty with Israel marks the beginning of the last seven years of human government.
[9] Many other places as well, but we are studying Daniel seven right now.
[10] Zechariah 14:2
[11] I have taken these blogs and paraphrased them from my notes of a video of Irvin Baxter’s Endtime Prophecy ministry. I believe he has nailed the times in which we live, spot on. But. . .time will tell.

IS JESUS COMING SOON? Part One

OVERVIEW OF DANIEL SEVEN

Part one

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the Disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “When will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3 NIV)

Like the Disciples, many of us have probably asked the same question, “What will be the sign of Christ’s coming and when will be the end of the age?” Are we living in the time of the end? The Bible tells us that of the day and hour, we know not but we will know even at the door. There are prophecies that explain when something is going to happen and yet others that tell what will happen and to whom and why.

DANIEL PRAYS FOR UNDERSTANDING
In Daniel 12:8, Daniel asks God for the understanding of a dream he’d just had. In verse nine, God answers Daniel.

. . .Go your way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

THE BEASTS
In Daniel seven, the first eight verses chronicle his dream, telling us of four beasts one diverse from the other: the lion, a bear, a leopard, and a beast unlike any other.

The first question is, what do these beasts symbolize? I should mention that God writes prophecy in symbols and almost without exception, interprets for the readers what those symbols mean. We don’t have to guess. We only need to read a little further. (Sometimes the Bible explains the symbols beforehand.)

Reading further, notice what the Bible says in verse 17:

These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

However, that is not all it says. Read further down to verse 23.

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.

Verse 23 tells us that the beasts represent kingdoms. These two verses allow us to conclude that the beasts of Daniel seven not only represent kings but kingdoms as well. We know that these kingdoms will be on the Earth at some time.

Since God gave this prophecy to Daniel 2500 years ago, maybe it has already come to pass, making it irrelevant to you and me. We also know that according to the Bible there will be another 1000 years of human occupation coming, so maybe it will come to pass 500 years from now. However, we have to consider the possibility that Daniel's prophecy was meant for today.

TRANSITION
Then, in verse nine the Bible says:

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.

Verse nine tells us about the transition from human government into the 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ, when He casts down the rule of the kings in the kingdoms. The 1000 year reign is called the kingdom of God.

EXPLANATION
Daniel gives this account, in verse number 11: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.

Remember now, by reading further, the Bible will define the symbols given previously. Scrolling down to verse 24, we find out that the horns are kings:

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.

One will come out of the ten kingdoms and will uproot three of them to become the Antichrist. This will be a clue as to his identity. (Many will not know the significance but believers will know.) Therefore, the horn of verse 11 is the Antichrist. We will learn later who are the ten kingdoms.

The Bible calls the Antichrist many other names in Scripture, one of which is just that, the Antichrist. He is also the man of sin, the son of perdition, the wicked one, and the little horn. Mostly, the Bible calls him the beast.

When Christ returns, He will throw the beast and the false prophet into the lake of fire. You can also read of this in Revelation 19:20.

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.

ARE THE END TIMES - NOW
The next verse of Daniel is very important.

As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. (Daniel 7:12 KJV)

What this tells us is that Jesus Christ will return to Earth during the lifetime of these kingdoms. If we can prove who these nations are, we can check to see if they exist today. If they do, then that puts us smack dab into the time of the end and the second coming of Jesus Christ. Could it be that we are the chosen generation for His return. How exciting is that?

Verses 13 and 14 of Daniel, records Jesus' second coming when He takes dominion with the saints (His Bride).

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.

At the end of the three and a half year tribulation Christ will come and the armies of the world will go against Christ and Israel in the battle of Armageddon.

Jerusalem will be a heavy stone burdening the world. And though all nations of the Earth unite in an attempt to move her, they will all be crushed.

For my plan is to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. (Zechariah 12:3, 9 TLB)

I would not want to be on the receiving end of God's wrath.

Next week, we will learn of an interpretation of the identities of the four beasts. You will be surprised on at least one of them. I certainly was.