THE BIRTH OF CHRIST, THE PERSECUTION OF ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH

The Birth Of Christ, The Persecution Of Israel And The Church

Revelation 12:1-13:1; Isa.7:14; 9:6-7; Mat.2:1-2, 8, 16; Eph.6:1-18

 In the book of Revelation chapters 12 and 13 we see seven personages described in dramatic forms, who feature in the last days:

(1) a woman clothed with the sun, representing Israel (Rev.12:1–2); (2) the red dragon with seven heads and 10 horns, representing Satan (Rev.12:3–4); (3) the male Child, representing Christ (Rev.12:5–6); (4) the archangel Michael, casting Satan out of heaven (Rev.12:7–12); (5) the offspring of the woman, persecuted by the dragon (Rev.12:13–17); (6) the beast out of the sea, the future world dictator (Rev.13:2–10); (7) the beast out of the earth, the false prophet (Rev.13:11–18).^[1]

The red dragon, the beast out of the sea and the beast out of the earth have been dubbed THE TERRIBLE TRIO. These three are, in a sense, an evil trinity, opposing the true God and His people on earth.^[2] But their world empire will suddenly collapse. We will talk about them later.

A Woman Clothed With The Sun (Rev.12:1-2)

From the description in this chapter, from other parts of the Bible, and from historical events, we can conclude that this woman represents the Nation of Israel. When Joseph had a dream of the “sun and moon and eleven stars” (Gen.37:9-10) bowing down to him, his father immediately interpreted it as himself, his wife and Joseph’s eleven brothers.

In this revelation, the sun represents Jacob, the moon his wife and the twelve stars his twelve children. Jacob was renamed Israel by the divine person who wrestled with him all night in (Gen.32:27-28).  Some people try to say this woman is the Church, but that cannot be proved from scripture and history.

This woman is giving birth to a child but the red dragon was waiting to snatch and devour the child (Mat.2:1-2, 8, 16). That child is Jesus Christ the Messiah. It is not possible for the child Jesus to perish. He is the Ruler. When the child could not be destroyed, the dragon went after Israel and all those who believe in the Jesus Christ.

Jews constitute only 0.2% of world population. But they have won 193 (22%) of Nobel Prize awards since it began in 1901. This year, 6 out of 12 Nobel laureates are Jews. Richard Dockings says he is perplexed by the high proportion of winners who are Jewish. The world would be very impoverished without Jewish inventions in Mathematics, in Science – Robotics, Chemistry, Physics, Optics, Medicine, Economics, Biotechnology and Theoretical computer Science; in Defense, in Computing, in Agriculture, in Energy, in Consumer Appliances and Goods, to name a few. Yes the woman, Israel, is truly cloth with the sun, the moon and twelve stars!  It is blessing the world. Ironically the world, while enjoying all the blessings that are provided through Israel, are still content to continue to work against them. They will not be destroyed. God said they would never cease to be a nation (Jer.31:35-38).

Have you noted the unceasing wave of anti-Semitism throughout history? Have you asked why a little nation is opposed by almost every nation in the world? Hitler slaughtered 6 million Jews during Second World War. In 1967 the fought the Six-Day War against the nations of Egypt, Syria and Jordan. The dragon is angry with them! He is making war at all fronts against them.

But they are the chosen people of God. They are the covenant descendants of Abraham. The blessing of Abraham is upon them, for through Abraham’s covenant seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed. But the full blessing is that which came from our Lord Jesus Christ.

 The Red Dragon (Rev.12:3-4)

This dragon is easily identified as the devil, the arch enemy of the people of God people both Israel and Christians.

There was always a “dragon” standing by, waiting to destroy Israel or the ancestors of the Messiah. Pharaoh is called a “dragon” (Ezek. 29:3), and so is Nebuchadnezzar (Jer. 51:34). At one critical point, the royal line was limited to one little boy (2 Kings 11:1–3). When Jesus Christ was born, Satan used King Herod to try to destroy Him (Matt. 2). Satan thought that he had succeeded when he used Judas to betray the Lord and hand Him over to be crucified. But the Cross was actually Satan’s defeat! “And they overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 12:11).^[3]

We are warned to be sober and vigilant because the dragon is our adversary the devil (1Peter 5:8-9). The Church is now suffering persecution instigated by Satan. We must resist him steadfastly. God will surely give us victory. His time is short the Bible tells us.

 The Male Child Of The Woman (Rev.12:5-6)

We can see from the context here that this male child represents Jesus Christ. He will rule the nations with an iron scepter (Psalm 2:7-12; Rev.19:15). The child being snatched up to the Throne of God is not the rapture but may refer to the ascension of Jesus into Heaven (Acts 1:8-9). The Rapture of the Church is not deliverance from Satan but glory and reward to faithful disciples of Jesus.

A few important points need to be made about the birth of Jesus Christ. By Jesus we mean Jesus Christ the Messiah. I want to strengthen your faith in Him.

(1)        He pre-existed before His birth. How do we know? The Scriptures say so and Scriptures cannot be broken (John 1:1, 18; 8:56-59)

(2)        He is the Son of Man (Dan.7:13-14; John 5:19-29, 39)

(3)        He is God(John 1:1; Mal.3:1-3; John 5:26)

(4)        His birth was prophesied (Isa.9:6-7). Jesus had to fulfill more than 30 prophecies in one day to be the Messiah.

He is the angel of the Lord that appeared to Abraham and stopped him from sacrificing Isaac.

What was the name of Jesus before He was incarnate? Wonderful; Incomprehensible (Isa.9:6-7)!

How is it possible that this great God who is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent, could localize His infinite presence that fills the universe? In fact, the heaven of heavens cannot even contain Him. It is all within Him; He fills it all with His presence. Now how can He localize Himself in a human body enough to say that all the fullness of God dwelt in His physical body as (Colossians 2:9) states? It is incomprehensible! 

He came to be our only Way of salvation (Acts 4:12)

Jesus has Power over all creation; He has Power to create things; He Providentially controls all things; He was Present in Old Testament times.  The world was made by Him (John 1:1-3, 10-11, 14). In verse 1 He was God. In verse 14 He became flesh. He is the revelation of the invisible God (John 1:18).

Why did Philip make such an audacious request like “show us the Father… (John 14:6-9)? I guess He was shocked by the answer He got! (Col.1:15-19) is an incredibly heavily packed theology of Jesus as God!

Abraham rejoiced to see His day – proving that Abraham was not a mythological figure. Moses wrote of Him – showing that the books of Moses were not written hundreds of years later as some liberal scholars claim. David called Him Lord – proving that the psalms (110) were not written in the later years of the Maccabees. What other witness do you need? (Luke 24:44-46; Rev.1:17-18).

The world is making the same mistake that the Jews of old made. They are searching everywhere for life and would not come to Christ for life.

The Offspring Of The Woman (Rev.12:13-17)

The offspring of the woman are those people who believed the message of salvation brought by Jesus Christ, who are washed by His blood. You yourselves know that Satan has been very busy fighting not only Israel but also Christians, the product of God’s work of redemption. The Church has not replaced Israel (Rom.11:1, 11-24). All though Israel is surrounded now by implacable enemies, God will deliver them. He will make a way again for them whether through the flood or through the fire (Isa.43:1-2).

Satan is truly persecuting the offspring of the woman. The Church is the most persecuted religious body in the world. It is as Jesus warned us (John 15:18-25; 16:33). Yes be of good cheer! The gates of hell shall not prevail (Mat.16:18; 5:11; 10:39; Mark 13:13).

The persecution of the Church is well attested to in the Bible and by tradition. Read Fox’s Book of Martyrs. (i) Stephen was the first martyr of the Church, he was stoned by the Jews; (ii) James the brother of John was killed by Herod Agrippa in 44 AD, (iii) Philip was crucified in AD 54, (iv) Matthew was martyred in 60 AD, (iv) Matthias who replaced Judas was scourged in Jerusalem and then beheaded. (v) Andrew, Peter’s brother was crucified on a cross both ends of which were transversely fixed to the ground, (vi) Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria during the feast of one of their idols. (vii) Peter was crucified upside down. (viii) Paul was beheaded. (ix) Jude was crucified AD 72. (x) Bartholomew who preached in India was crucified by the idol worshippers of that land. (xi) Thomas preached in Parthia and India. He was thrust through with a spear. (xii) Luke was hanged on an olive tree in Greece. (xiii) Simon preach in Mauritania, Africa and Britain. He was crucified AD 74. (xiv) Barnabas was martyred in AD 73. Since then the number of martyrs has been growing exponentially.

Some people want to make themselves martyrs through violence against others. Some parents send their children to become martyrs by committing suicide in the bid to kill others. But the martyrs of our Lord Jesus Christ become martyrs as they try to rescue the perishing. Some people who claim to be Christians join other faiths go through ignorance of the Christian faith. Those who become Christians from other faiths come through enlightenment by the Gospel.

Despite all the evil and atrocities perpetrated on the Church, and against Christians, and despite all those who have been martyred, the Church continues to grow like fire! Some of the most effective apologists of the Church in the USA today are former Muslims who have come to faith in Jesus Christ. The Church marches on in spite of persecution. Paul captured this really well in (Rom.8:31-39). No. Persecution cannot stop the growth of the Church. The Church will triumph at last. The Stone cut without hands is going to fill the whole earth. Indeed we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

We have a great cloud of witnesses urging us to hold the forth. Stand up stand up for Jesus.

 

 

 

CHRIST JESUS HATH THE POWER

Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
The power to forgive,
The pow’r to quicken whom He will,
And make the sinner live.
Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
O tell it far and near!
O bring to Him your guilty heart,
And grace shall banish fear!

Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
The pow’r of God He wields!
Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
My heart surrender yields!
Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
I trust Him evermore!
Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
I worship and adore!

Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
The power to renew,
The pow’r to cleanse your heart from sin,
And make you wholly true.
Christ Jesus hath the pow’r
For evermore to keep;
O none can pluck you from His hand,
Or rob Him of His sheep!

Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
The power to console,
The pow’r to carry all your care—
On Him your burdens roll.
Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
To wipe the tear away;
O place in Him your confidence!
O trust Him, and obey!

Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
The power to destroy,
The pow’r to bruise your enemy
Who would your soul annoy.
Christ Jesus hath the pow’r,
When on your dying bed,
To give your soul the victory,
The pow’r to raise the dead!

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^[1] Walvoord, J. F. (1985). Revelation. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 957). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 601). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 602). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

FROM DANIEL’S SEVENTY WEEKS TO MESSIAH THE PRINCE

FROM DANIEL’S SEVENTY WEEKS TO MESSIAH THE PRINCE

Daniel 8:1-14; 9:24-27; 11:3-4; Isa.9:6-7; Luke 2:1-14

All history is “Godstory”. All history is indeed “Christory”. God unfolds history as the centuries roll by. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. He created man in his own image. The pollution of this image started in the Garden of Eden, when the serpent bust into the seen and deceived Eve. But God promised deliverance. Latter God chose Abraham to form a great nation and promised to bless the whole humanity through his offspring. Abraham’s grandson, Jacob had twelve sons. Jacob and his sons went to Egypt to escape famine in Canaan. There the great nation of Israel was formed. 450 years later, God called them out with a strong hand and sent them to the Promised Land. In the Promised Land they grew and multiplied. Great Kings like David and Solomon ruled over them. They built a magnificent Temple for the worship of God.  But soon they sinned against God and the Covenant and He allowed king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to defeat them and carry them into captivity. They were to spend seventy years in Babylon. After that, God would bring them back and unfold the rest of history.

Today we are going to meet them in Babylon, with Daniel crying to God, reminding Him it was time to release them from captivity. Then God unfolds to him the rest of human history.

Today we travel from Daniel’s Seventy Weeks (or Seventy Heptads) to Messiah the Prince. That is a time span of about 490 years (Jewish years are 360 days long, with some compensation here and there). All this while, political forces were at work in Palestine (like the four winds striving upon the sea) to control the Jewish state. Jerusalem was rebuilt and a state of Israel was established but remained under foreign control. This was the condition into which Jesus Christ was born.

Daniel’s Impassioned Plea For Deliverance From Captivity

Dan.9:1-23; Jer.25:9-12; 2Kings 17:9-20; Prov.29:1; 2Pet.2:1-9; Ezra 1:1-4

Before Israel settled in the Promised Land God warned them not to meddle with the idols and abominations of the surrounding nations. Israel was a Covenant Nation, just as Christians today are a people of Covenant. We are God’s covenant people. If the Church leaves the part of truth and begin to walk in error, if God did not spare Israel, then the Church should not expect to be spared (2Pet.2:1-9).

Daniel pleaded with God to consider allowing them to go back to their home land. He fasted and prayed. What a passionate plea.

(1)            He acknowledged God’s greatness and mercy.

(2)            He confessed his sins to God. “We have sinned. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly. We have rebelled. We have departed from your precepts and judgements. We have not harkened to your prophets.

(3)            He pleaded God’s righteousness as opposed to their shameful failure.

(4)            He pleaded the forgiveness of God.

(5)            He acknowledged that God was justified to punish them.

(6)            He pleaded with God to bow down and look at their desolation.

(7)            He urged the Lord to turn away His anger from Jerusalem.

Much of our prayers today are too self-centred – how I may succeed; how may get married and have children; how may get a job and get money. These are all legitimate needs but the four areas of priority in prayer are (i) God, (ii) His Holy Name, (iii) His Kingdom and (iv) His Holy Will. These are priorities prescribed by our Saviour Jesus Christ. We must pray that God’s Name be honoured and His Kingdom to increase and His will to be done in a world that is increasingly out of sync with God. Daniels prayer was answered. God unfolded the remaining history of the world as it affected Israel.

The Decrees of Kings Cyrus and Artaxerxes (445 Bc) (Dan. 9:25; Ezra 1:1-4; Neh.2:1-8).

King Cyrus permitted the Jews to return and rebuild the Temple of God in Jerusalem. But the 490 year prophetic clock would start ticking when the decree to rebuild Jerusalem was given in 445 BC by King Artaxerxes of Persia, brother of Cyrus. Bible scholars have use the Jewish calendar (360 day-year) to calculate this. The first “seven weeks” is 49 years (seven sevens”). The next 62 “sevens” are 434 years. The final one week is 7 years. The total is 490 years. The first 49 years was the time it took to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. Then we have what is known as the 400 silent years. These are called “400 silent years” not because there were no political or religious activities, but because from the time the city was rebuilt, there were no more prophecies, and no word from the Lord. But the four winds of heaven were still striving upon the sea. It was as if Daniel’s prophecy was God’s final prophecy to mankind. Then after 483 years, in the year AD 30, Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Luke 19:28-44). The rest is His Story. We are still expecting the events that will take place in final 7 years to complete the 490 prophetic time.

Within the first seven heptads (49 yrs.) the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt with streets opened. But the work was done in troubled times (Neh.4:1-9).

The work of God still thrives even in the times of trouble, times of persecution, yes and, times of famine and war. God will always carry on with His work. The work of evangelisation will continue, the work of discipleship will continue, the work of helping the week and the oppressed will continue regardless of prevailing situations in the world (Acts 5:16-20).

Alexander the Great’s Empire (Dan.8:5-14)

We will briefly mention the conquest of Alexander the Great. His Kingdom was the rough he goat of (Daniel 8:5-14). He was son of Philip, king of Macedonia. He was tutored till age 16 by Aristotle the philosopher. He was crowned King when his father Philip was assassinated in 336 BC. He defeated the Medo-Persian Empire. At his death, Alexander was said to have carved out an Empire of about 5.5 million square miles. But he did not last long (Dan.8:8). He died at the age of 33 and the Empire was split into four between his four generals (Dan.11:3-4).

The confederate generals (who succeeded Alexander the Great), who had previously borne the titles of governors or satraps, now partitioned the empire, Cassander becoming king of Greece; Lysimachus of Thrace, or Armenia; Seleucus (Kings of the North were the Seleucid kings), of Syria and the adjacent regions; and Ptolemy (King of the South were the Ptolemaic kings) of Egypt, Palestine, Libya and Arabia. It was the four-fold division of the Grecian empire pictured in the four horns of the rough goat seen in the vision by Daniel, and so plainly predicted in the “writing of truth.” In fact, the eleventh chapter of Daniel gives a summary of the conflicts of the Seleucidæ (as the successors of Seleucus were called) and the Ptolemais (the Egyptian rulers) for a century and a half after the battle of Ipsus.^[1]

Antiochus Epiphanes Reign Of Terror (175-164 BC) (Dan.11:3-4)

There were many battles for supremacy between the Ptolemais of Egypt and the Selucidae of Syria. The Syrians at one point annexed Palestine. It was at this time that the area now called Palestine was sectionalized into Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Peraea and Trachonitis (Luke 3:1).  When Antiochus Epiphanes acceded to the throne in 170 BC, he wreaked havoc on the Jews. (i) He pulled down the walls of Jerusalem; (ii) he desecrated the Temple; (iii) massacred thousands of Jews; (iv) Women and children were sold into slavery (same as ISIS and Boko Haram are doing today); (v) He forcefully entered the Holy of Holies and took away all the costly furniture of it; (vi) He banned the Jewish religion; (vii) He prohibited circumcision; (viii) He imposed paganism on the Jews; (ix) He appointed a commissioner to pollute the Temple and dedicate it to Jupiter. (x) In 168 BC he caused a Pig to be offered on the altar of sacrifice. (xi) He finally erected a statue in honour of Jupiter at the altar (Dan.11:31; 12:11).

Because of the severe persecution many of the Jews apostatized. It was a time of darkness for the Jews. But God always leaves Himself a godly remnant. Matthias Maccabee, an old priest defied the orders of Antiochus’s commissioner, sent to every quarter in Israel to obliterate the Jewish religion and replace it with idolatrous paganism. He slew the commissioner and the apostate Jews that came with them. Then they withdrew to the hills. That was the beginning of the Maccabean revolt. By 165 BC, Judah Maccabee captured Jerusalem, cleansed the Temple and dedicated it on 25^th December (Dan.11:32; John 10:22).

The Maccabees restored the Jewish Kingdom for a little while (from 165 BC – 63 BC) albeit with so much pain (Dan.11:32-35). By 63 BC the Romans invaded Palestine and brought the fledgling Jewish State under their rule. The Stage has now been set for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Birth Of Messiah The Prince (Dan.9:24-27; Isa.9:6; 53:1-12)

Verse 24 of Daniel 9 details the reasons why these seventy sevens were determined upon the Jewish people:

(1) To Finish transgression; (2) To Make an end of sins; (3) To Make reconciliation for iniquity; (4) To Bring in everlasting righteousness; (5) To Seal the vision and prophecy; (6) To Anoint the most Holy.

The six things listed in this prophecy were the same work which Jesus Christ the Messiah came to do. He is the Lamb of God who atoned for the sin of the world (John 1:29; Rom.3:25). Nine times in the book of revelation Jesus was called the Lamb. 

Jesus Christ inaugurated the Kingdom of Heaven (Mat.4:17; Mark 1:15).

What are the qualities of this Kingdom?
(i) The Kingdom of Heaven is so precious that it is better to lose your sight or your limbs in order to enter into it (Mat.18:8-9). (ii) The Kingdom of Heaven is so important to enter that you will need to be changed and have a heart as a little child to be able to enter (Mat.18:1-4).

(iii) The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure in the field (Mat.13:44-45). (iv) The Kingdom of Heaven is so important that you need to sell all that you have to obtain it (Mat.19:16-21). There is no half and half commitment to the Kingdom of Heaven. (v) The Kingdom of Heaven is to be sought first before any other thing (Mat.6:33).

Christ’s work of salvation lasted for three and half years (John 3:11-18). By AD 30 Jesus Christ was crucified, rose again after three days and ascended into heaven, leaving us with the Commission.

And when the Master considers our job done, He will come back to gather his Church to Himself and set up the Millennial Kingdom

Then the Stone which was cut out without hands shall truly fill the whole earth (Dan.2:34-35; 7:13-14, 27; Rev.11:15). How will this happen? Jesus appointed twelve apostles and commissioned them to carry the Message to the world (Mat.24:14; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 1:8).

The Church is to continue to preach the Kingdom of Heaven till Jesus comes back (Mat.28:18-20). The early apostles and believers took the work very seriously (Acts 8:4; 11:19). When believers scatter into many cities, they carry the message of the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven with them. Those early believers preached both by their lives as well as by their precepts.

Many of the apostles and believers were not known as highly educated people, but they preached the word faithfully, powerfully and with signs following. And people took note of them (Acts 4:13).

We are fortunate to be part of the Kingdom of Heaven. We today must follow the footsteps of our Saviour and of those of the early believers. The whole world must receive the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven. There are still some beasts (Kingdoms) waiting to come out of the sea (of humanity). The antichrist kingdom is still preparing with his false prophet. They shall soon bust into the open! Many people will yet be deceived (2Thes.2:1-12).

Then our Lord shall come! Are you ready for the return of the King of Kings (Mat.24:42-51; Luke 12:31-40)?

The coming of Jesus is imminent, is about to happen. We say this so often when we preach that it has become trite, hackneyed and common place. While people are thinking about the coming of Christ this way, it will come upon them suddenly!

Soon, and, very soon the kingdoms of this world will become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. And He shall reign forever and ever. Amen.

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^[1] Ironside, H. A. (1914). The four hundred silent years (from Malachi to Matthew) (pp. 19–20). New York: Loizeaux Brothers.

THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES II

(Luke 21:24; Daniel 7:1-28)

This chapter gives us the second prophecy concerning “The Times of the Gentiles.” We have studied this prophecy as it was presented to us in Daniel, chapter two, and now we will study it as it is recorded in Daniel, chapter seven.

1. The similarities between the dream of chapter two of Daniel and the vision of chapter seven of Daniel

a. Both deal with “The Times of the Gentiles” (that period of time between the close of “The Old Testament Historical Kingdom” and the setting up of “The Old Testament Prophetical Kingdom”)

b. Both reveal four successive Gentile world kingdoms which will exist during “The Times of the Gentiles”

c.  Both reveal a final end-time form of the fourth kingdom (in chapter two, this final form is symbolized by the feet and the ten toes and in chapter seven it is symbolized by the ten horns and the little horn)

d.  Both reveal a fifth heavenly kingdom which will destroy and replace the other four kingdoms (in both the dream and the vision the destruction and replacement of these kingdoms is sudden and decisive, not gradual and imperceptible.)

e.  Both emphasize the final form of the fourth kingdom and its destruction by the fifth kingdom (that is, both emphasize the portion of the prophecy that deals with eschatology)

2. The dissimilarities between the dream of chapter two of Daniel and the vision of chapter seven of Daniel

a.  The dream views the four Gentile world kingdoms from man’s viewpoint while the vision views them from God’s viewpoint (the one views them as glittering and glorious while the other views them as beastly and cruel)

b.  The dream does not reveal the end-time Antichrist while the vision does reveal this person (Daniel, chapter seven, gives the Bible’s first revelation of “the Little Horn,” the end-time Antichrist)

c.  The dream does not reveal the kingdom of the Antichrist as being in conflict with the saints of Israel but the vision does speak of this thing (the people of Israel are mentioned at the close of chapter seven as the Gentile section of Daniel, chapters 2–7, shades off into the Jewish section, chapters 8–12)

THE RECIPIENT OF THIS PROPHECY (Dan. 7:1)

God now reveals the times of Gentile political supremacy, not through a heathen king as he did in chapter two, but through a Jewish exile, His servant Daniel.

Daniel, possibly the morning after the prophecy was given in a night vision, recorded the prophecy as regards its essential features.

THE CONTENT OF THIS PROPHECY (Dan. 7:2–14)

Daniel saw the four winds of heaven striving upon the great sea and then he saw four great beasts successively come up out of the sea, each of them different from the others.

The first beast was like a lion and it had eagle’s wings. The wings were plucked and the beast was lifted up from the earth and made to stand upon its feet as a man and a man’s heart was given to it. The second beast was like a bear and it raised itself up on one side and it had three ribs in its mouth. The third beast was like a leopard and it had four wings and four heads.

The fourth beast was dreadful, terrible, and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth and ten horns and it devoured, crushed, and stamped all of its opponents. A little horn then came up among the ten horns, this little horn having the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great things. This little horn then plucked up three of the ten horns. Daniel beheld until The Ancient of Days set up a judgment, destroyed the fourth beast and set up a universal and eternal kingdom under the Son of man.

THE INTERPRETATION OF THIS PROPHECY (Dan. 7:17–27)

((1) “The four winds of the heaven”—In Rev. 7:1, these “winds” are called “the four winds of the earth.” These “winds” are earthly forces which stir up trouble and strife among the nations, these forces being controlled either directly or indirectly from heaven; (2) “the great sea”—This term has reference to the nations of the world, always in a state of turmoil, Isa. 17:12, 13; (3) “four great beasts”—The term “beasts” refers to this world’s fierce, cruel, and selfish civil governments; (4) “up from the sea,” 7:3, and “out of the earth,” 7:17—These terms are synonymous terms with differing emphases, the one referring to the fact that the four kingdoms are of men and not of God, and the other referring to the fact that these four kingdoms are of the earth and not of heaven. Compare Rev. 13:1 with Rev. 13:11; (5) “king”—In both Daniel and Revelation, the term “king” often refers, not to an individual king, but to a kingdom, 7:17; and (6) “horn”—This term has reference to a ruler and it emphasizes his power.)

The general interpretation (Dan. 7:16–18)

During “The Times of the Gentiles” four great, fierce, Gentile world powers will arise one after the other and will exercise dominion over the people of Israel until the Second Advent of Christ, at which time these Gentile world governments will be destroyed and replaced by the kingdom of The Most High, a kingdom which will exercise its rule through the Jewish saints and which will continue on for ever and ever.

2. The detailed interpretation

a. The beast like a lion (Dan. 7:4)—This has reference to The Babylonian Empire, 605–538 b.c., the empire pictured by “the head of gold” ’ in Daniel, chapter two.

(1) It “had eagle’s wings”—This speaks of Nebuchadnezzar’s power and rapid conquests, Jer. 4:7, 13.

(2) “The wings thereof were plucked”—This symbolizes Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity, Dan. 4:33.

(3) “It was lifted up from the earth … and a man’s heart was given to it”—This speaks of Nebuchadnezzar’s restoration to sanity and to his throne, Dan. 4:34–36.

b. The beast like a bear (Dan. 7:5)—This speaks of The Medo-Persian Empire, 538–333 b.c., the empire pictured by “the breast and arms of silver” in Daniel, chapter two, and by “a ram which had two horns” in Dan. 8:3–7.

(1) “It raised up itself on one side”—This predicts the eventual supremacy of the Persians over the Medes in this empire made up of Medes and Persians.

(2) “It had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it”—This pictures the Medo-Persian conquest of the remnants of the three former world empires, The Egyptian Empire, The Assyrian Empire, and The Babylonian Empire.

c. The beast like a leopard (Dan. 7:6)—This refers to The Grecian Empire, 333–63 b.c., the empire referred to in Daniel, chapter two, by “the belly and the thighs of brass” and in Dan. 8:5–14 by “an he goat.”

(1) It had “four wings of a fowl”—This has reference to Alexander the Great’s speed of conquest.

(2) It had “four heads”—This has reference to Alexander’s four generals, Cassander, Lysimachus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy, who after Alexander’s death divided his empire into four parts, Greece and Macedonia, Thrace and Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt, and then each of them exercised dominion over their portion of the empire.

d. The beast of iron and brass (Dan. 7:7, 8)—This symbolizes The Roman Empire, 63 b.c. to the Second Advent of Christ, the empire symbolized in Daniel, chapter two, by “the legs of iron” and “the feet part of iron and part of clay.”

(1) The beast of iron and brass without the ten horns (the ten horns came out of this kingdom, Dan. 7:24, so this kingdom for a time existed without the ten horns)—This symbol pictures The Roman Empire in its historical form, 63 b.c. a.d. 476.

This empire, The Historical Roman Empire, crushed the remnants of the former world empires and then exercised rule over the whole known civilized world. It brought about “the Pax Romana” (the Roman peace) and enforced this peace for a period of over 200 years (31 b.c.-a.d. 180). After a.d. 180, The Historical Roman Empire began to decline and the western division of this empire came to an end in a.d. 476 (the year of the fall of Rome) but the eastern division of the empire continued on until a.d. 1453 (the year of the fall of Constantinople).

Although this empire (in its western division) came to an end in a.d. 476, the empire has lived on in the memory of the peoples of the western world and six major attempts have been made during the past fifteen centuries to revive this empire (because men yearn for a reestablishment of “the Pax Romana”).

(2) The beast of iron and brass with the ten horns—This symbol pictures The Roman Empire in its revived form, from the beginning of the Seventieth Week of Daniel to the Second Advent of Christ.

(a) The identity of this empire

The empire pictured by the beast of iron and brass with the ten horns is The Revived Roman Empire.

The beast of Rev. 13:13 has seven heads (picturing the six former world empires, The Egyptian Empire, The Assyrian Empire, The Babylonian Empire, The Medo-Persian Empire, The Grecian Empire, and The Historical Roman Empire, plus The Revived Roman Empire). One of these heads was wounded to death but its deadly wound was healed. This pictures the death blow given The Historical Roman Empire in a.d. 476 and the revival of this empire in eschatological times (at the beginning of The Seventieth Week of Daniel).

So the beast of iron and brass with the ten horns pictures the revived form of the fourth empire seen in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, Daniel, chapter two, and in Daniel’s vision, Daniel, chapter seven.

(b) The time of this empire

It will exist during the seven years of The Seventieth Week of Daniel. The Roman Empire will be revived at the beginning of The Seventieth Week, Rev. 6:2, but it will not become a world-ruling empire until the mid-point of The Seventieth Week. In Rev. 13:1–10, when the word “beast” has reference to a kingdom, it has reference to the world-wide form of The Revived Roman Empire, its form during the last 3 ½ years of The Seventieth Week.

(c) The form of this empire

During the first one-half of Daniel’s Seventieth Week, this empire will be a federation of ten kingdoms. Ten kings will unite their kingdoms to form The Revived Roman Empire. These kings are pictured by “ten toes,” Dan. 2:41, 42, by “ten horns,” Dan. 7:7, 24, by “ten horns” capped with “ten crowns,” Rev. 13:1, and again by “ten horns,” Rev. 17:3, 12, 13, 16, 17.

                                           (e) The ruler of this empire                    (1). His identity

He will not be unveiled until after the Rapture of the church, 2 Thes. 2:3. 8, and no man can know his identity until after his unveiling. We do know that whatever his name is, the sum total of the numerical value of the letters of his name is six hundred and sixty-six, Rev. 13:18.

The Bible gives many names to this end-time ruler:

a). “The little horn,” Dan. 7:8;	f). “The son of perdition,” 2 Thes. 2:3
b). “The prince that shall come,” Dan. 9:26	g). “That wicked one,” 2 Thes. 2:8
c). “The desolator,” Dan. 9:27	h). “Antichrist,” 1 Jn. 2:18
d). “The willful King” Dan. 11:36	i). “The beast out of the seas,” Rev. 13:1
e). “That man of sin,” 2 Thes. 2:3	j). “The first beast,” Rev. 13:12

(3). His type

Antiochus Epiphanes, the ruler of Syria (175–164 b.c.), is generally recognized by Premillennial Bible scholars as being a type of “the Beast,” the ruler of The Revived Roman Empire. The prophecies of Dan. 8:9–14 and the interpretation of these prophecies in Dan. 8:23–26 have a double reference, that is, these prophecies and their interpretation have reference both to Antiochus Epiphanes and to his antitype, the Antichrist. In Daniel, chapter eleven, we have a prophetic projection from Antiochus to the Antichrist (verses 21–35 speak of Antiochus and verses 36–45 speak of the Antichrist).

In Daniel, chapters 8 and 11, the actions of Antiochus picture the actions of the end-time Antichrist. The one is the type of the other.

(4). His rise to world power

During the first 3 ½ years of The Seventieth Week of Daniel, the “little horn” will use many means in the realization of his desire for world supremacy: (1) He will uproot three of the ten kings (“horns”), Dan. 7:8, 24, and apparently will replace them with kings who are more subservient to him; (2) he will promise peace and safety, 1 Thes. 5:3; (3) he will use flattery, bribery, and diplomacy, Dan. 11:21–24, 39; (4) he will marry the false (Lacdicean) church, Rev. 17:3; and (5) he will make a treaty with the nation of Israel, Dan. 9:27

(5). His supremacy over “the ten horns”

His look will be “more stout than his fellows,” Dan. 7:20. He will uproot and replace three of the ten horns, Dan. 7:8, 20. God will cause the final ten horns (kings) to give their kingdoms to “the little horn” (the beast) and to agree to do the will of “the little horn,” Rev. 17:17.

(6). His blasphemy of God

He, during the last 3 ½ years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week, will announce himself as God, Dan. 11:36, 37; 2 Thes. 2:4; Rev. 13:11–17, and will speak words of great blasphemy against the true God, Dan. 7:8, 20, 25; 11:36; 2 Thes. 2:4; Rev. 13:5, 6.

(7). His persecution of the saints

During the last 3 ½ years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week, the period of “The Great Tribulation,” the beast, the world dictator, will persecute all “the saints,” especially the Israelitish saints, Dan. 7:21, 25; Matt. 24:9; 25:34–40; Rev. 6:11; 11:7; 12:17; 13:7, 8, 11–17. Those who refuse to take “the mark of the Beast” and to worship the Beast will be slain, if they can be found, Rev. 13:15–17.

 (8) His changing of times and laws

He, during his reign as the world’s supreme ruler, will try to change the traditional times of worship and the traditional ways of worship, Dan. 7:25.

 (f). The judgment of this empire

Near the close of the 3 ½ years allotted to “the little horn,” Dan. 7:25, a judgment throne will be set (not “cast down”) in third heaven and “The Ancient of Days” (God the Father), sitting in great glory and ministered to by myriads of angels, will command the books (containing the records of the misdeeds of “the little horn” and his empire) to be opened that judgment might be decreed upon “the little horn” and his kingdom. Then “the Son of Man” (Christ) will be brought before “The Ancient of Days” that the “Ancient of Days” might give Him authority to execute the judgment decreed upon “the little horn” and his kingdom and to set up a kingdom of His own to replace the destroyed kingdom of “the little horn,” Dan. 7:9–14, 22, 26, 27.

During the 30 days following the three-and-one-half years’ reign of “the little horn,” Christ will pour out seven vials of God’s direct wrath upon “the little horn” and his kingdom (see Dan. 12:11 for the 30 days and see Rev., chapters 15, and 16, for the pouring out of the seven vials of wrath). The seventh vial of wrath will be poured out at Christ’s Second Advent, Rev. 16:13–21, at which time: (1) the kingdom of the Beast (“the little horn”) will be destroyed, Dan. 7:11; (2) the capital city of the Beast, Babylon, will be destroyed, Rev. 16:19, chapter 18; (3) the armies of the Beast will be destroyed, Zech. 12:1–9; 14:1–15; and (4) the Beast Himself will be destroyed, Dan. 7:11; 9:27; 2 Thes. 2:8; Rev. 19:20.

To complete this judgment upon the Beast and his kingdom, Christ, shortly after His Second Advent, will gather the dispersed Israelites who survived The Great Tribulation and will destroy from among them all the unbelievers (those who have followed the Beast), Ezek. 20:33–38; 34:11–16, and then He will gather the Gentiles who survived The Great Tribulation and will destroy from among them all the unbelievers (those who have followed the Beast), Matt. 25:31–46.

Daniel 7:11, 12 says that the Beast and His kingdom will be completely destroyed, whereas the former beasts (The Babylonian Empire, The Medo-Persian Empire, and The Grecian Empire) had their dominion taken away but had their lives prolonged for a season. This may be explained as follows: The former world empires had, each in their turn, lost their political dominion but had their lives, their civilizations and their cultures, perpetuated in the kingdoms which succeeded them, Dan. 2:35; Rev. 13:2. But this will not be true of the fourth beast in its final form. The kingdom of the Beast (“the little horn”), at The Second Advent of Christ, will have not only its political dominion but also its life taken away (its civilization and culture will not be perpetuated in the succeeding kingdom, The Kingdom of the Son of man).

 e. The Kingdom of the Son of Man (Dan. 7:13, 14, 27)—This kingdom has reference to the kingdom that will be established by Christ after His Second Advent, the kingdom pictured by the smiting stone which became a great mountain in Daniel, chapter two.

(1) The time of this kingdom—It is an eschatological kingdom, a kingdom yet future, a kingdom which will be established by Christ shortly after His Second Advent, Dan. 7:26, 27; Rev. 19:11–20:4.

(2) The giver of this kingdom—It will be given to Christ by God the Father, “The Ancient of Days,” Psa. 2:8, 9; Dan. 7:9–14; 1 Cor. 15:28. So it is “The Kingdom of Heaven,” Matt. 5:20; 8:11.

(3) The ruler of this kingdom—It is Christ’s kingdom, given to Him by God, and it will be ruled by Him, Psa. 2:8, 9; Dan. 7:13, 14; Matt. 19:28; Rev. 3:21.

(4) The possessors of this kingdom—It will be possessed by the “saints,” Dan. 7:22, 27. That is, it will be a kingdom composed of saints, ruled by saints (under Christ), and enjoyed by saints.

(5) The names of this kingdom—It is “The Old Testament Prophetical Kingdom”; “The Kingdom of Heaven,” Matt. 4:17; “The Kingdom prepared … from the foundation of the world,” Matt. 25:34; “The Kingdom … promised to them that love Him [God],” James 2:5; and “The Millennial Kingdom.”

(6) The universality of this kingdom—“The smiting stone,” Christ’s kingdom, descending out of the heavens, will grow and become a great mountain, filling the whole earth, Dan. 2:35. Christ’s kingdom will grow during the Millennium and will finally embrace all nations and all peoples, Isa. 9:7; Dan. 2:35; 7:14, 27.

(7) The perpetuity of this kingdom—It is an eternal kingdom, Isa. 9:7; Dan. 2:44; 7:14, 27. Christ will rule this kingdom for a thousand years, Rev. 20:4, until He has subdued all of God’s enemies (either by saving them or destroying them), 1 Cor. 15:24–28, and then He will deliver up the kingdom to God, merge His Millennial Mediatorial Kingdom with God’s Eternal Kingdom, and then, under God, rule on forever over God’s Eternal Kingdom, Isa. 9:7; Dan. 7:13, 14; Lu. 1:33.^[1]

 The Rapture (catching away) of saints will take place before these things are fulfilled. The Time of the Rapture is at the doorsteps! Are you ready?

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^[1] Gingrich, R. E. (1999). The Times of the Gentiles (pp. 14–23). Memphis, TN: Riverside Printing.