END TIME STUDY--PT. 13

I want us now to return to our study of the book of Daniel. The next event pertaining to our study is found in Daniel chapter seven were Daniel is given a vision of four beasts. Approximately fifty some years have been passed since Daniel had interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream and now he is is around 65 years old as God reveals more end time events to him. This dream given to Daniel further clarifies the dream of Nebuchadnezzar that Daniel had interpreted in chapter two.

Daniel sees four great beasts which are to be interpreted the same as the four parts of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had seen, that being the head of gold, the breast of silver, the belly of bronze and the legs of iron with their feet made of iron and clay representing four kingdoms or empires. Daniel sees these four beast coming forth from the sea. This isn't to be taken literally as a sea of water, but figuratively as in "the sea of humanity." Verse seventeen states that these four great beasts, or four Kings, will rise "out of the earth," again this being figuratively used to express the fact that these four beasts will arise from humanity. They will be kingdoms or empires made up of humans with a king or ruler over them.

The first beast appears as a lion with the wings of eagles. When we think of a lion we picture a large male lion with a great mane. He is viewed as the king of beasts with great courage. Yet this great lion has wings like an eagle and, like viewing an eagle, we picture the wings outstretched as the eagle soars high above the earth. As we mix together our views of a lion and eagle we see the king of beasts soaring high above the earth with all his domain below him. He is ruler supreme. In this dream the lion represents Nebuchadnezzar, the head of gold, who was declared to be, "king of kings," by Daniel (2:37). He was supreme ruler of his empire, thus represented by a lion, Joel 1:6,7 refers to this lion. Also, the lion with wings was the national symbol of Babylon.

Daniel watches as the wings of this lion are plucked off. In chapter four Daniel tells of how Nebuchadnezzar's pride caused God to bring him down. He literally lost his mind and grazed with the oxen for seven years eating grass. But then God "lifted him up from the earth" by restoring his sanity and giving him the heart of a man whereby he would "stand on two feet like a man" which caused him to have a new appreciation for the power of God.

The next beast and Daniel sees is that of a bear (v.5). The bear is comparable to the silver breast and arms of Nebuchadnezzar's statue. As silver is of lesser value than gold so the bear is not as regal as a lion and an eagle. Therefore it represents a lesser kingdom than that which is conquered. However, its size is greater, as a bear is larger than a lion, and it will rise up and conquer the Chaldean Empire (Babylon). This bear represents the Medo-Persian Empire, the Medes being more prominent than the Persians, thus the lopsided bear, up on one side. This bear is seen as having "three ribs in its mouth between its teeth." These three ribs represent the three greatest conquests of the Medo-Persian Empire. Lydia in 546 BC; Babylon in 539 BC and Egypt in 525 BC.

The third beast seen by Daniel is that of a leopard (v.6). This symbolizes a lone king, for the leopard hunts alone. It moves swiftly symbolized by the "four wings." This beast represents Alexander the Great, the Grecian Empire which is the belly and thighs of Nebuchadnezzar's statue. This beast will move swiftly in attacking and conquering its enemies. It's four heads indicates that four rulers will come from this kingdom.

Then Daniel sees a fourth beast who is more terrifying than all the others put together (v.7). This beast has "iron teeth" which coincide with the iron legs of Nebuchadnezzar's statue symbolizing the fourth kingdom which would be the Roman Empire. This Empire would control all of central Italy by 338 BC then in 63 BC Pompey would conquer the holy land. In 70 A.D. the Roman general Vespasian ordered his son Titus to destroy Jerusalem. By 284 A.D. the Roman empire would be divided East and West. The last Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustus, would be dethroned in 476 A.D. The Roman empire was the last great power on the earth seen by Daniel and out of it would come "ten horns," or ten nations which would form the ten regions of the modern world. These ten nations would be ruled by ten kings or rulers with some likened it to iron and others likened to clay (ten toes of Nebuchadnezzar's statue), some strong while others would be seen as weak leaders.

I believe that all of this vision has been completed up to this point. The Babylonian Empire, the lion; the Medo-Persian Empire, the bear; the Grecian Empire, the Leopard; as well as the Roman Empire, with iron teeth, have all come and gone. The ten horns or nations are currently in place. Many have believed that these ten horns represent ten nations of the revived Roman Empire from which the Anti-christ, the "little horn," shall arise, but may I give you another interpretation of this portion of Scripture to challenge your thinking?

It was Daniel himself who said that knowledge would increase in the end (12:4). The body of Christ is now receiving revelation knowledge into the word of God and the times and seasons of the end as never before. We've come to understand the role that the Illuminati, Freemasonry, the Federal Reserve and other elitist groups are playing in setting the stage for the reign of Anti-christ. I believe that the "ten horns" and "ten toes of iron and clay" are referencing ten powerfully rich people. These are the ones who are the powers behind our world governments, especially the United States, and the only allegiance they have is to themselves and their quest for world domination. We all know that money is power and these ten will be the wealthiest of all.

When the Scriptures speak of empires and nations (beasts), they were for specific periods in what is now history. But when Jesus spoke of nations rising against nations and kingdoms against kingdoms (Matthew 24:7), He wasn't speaking of countries but ethnic and religious groups. The Greek for nation is "ethnos" meaning a people. Paul uses the word to describe a whole race of mankind (Acts 17:26) Jesus meant that ethnic and religious groups would rise up against one another. I will cover this more in depth when we look at Matthew chapter twenty-four later in this study.

I believe these ten powerful people, the ten horns and toes, will select a leader to rule their New World Order. He is to be their puppet and they are to pull all the strings necessary to gain world domination. Only one problem, this leader will be none other than the Anti-christ. He is the little horn of Daniel 7:8. As he becomes the savior of the world economy and brings peace by the use of "pompous words," he will eliminate, or have eliminated, three of the horns or world leaders of this elite group. These are toes of clay, weak and easily overpowered. Once he comes to full power he will no longer need anyone in order to rule the world government.

May I interject here that I personally believe that the Anti-christ is alive and well right now. Study the Scriptures and prepare yourself for the greatest hour of the church.