In the previous post, I referred to Daniel describing the statue, with the head of gold, to Nebuchadnezzar. He tells Nebuchadnezzar that he is the head of gold. Both the silver and the bronze are referred to as inferior kingdoms. Though history lends a hand and identifies the Persian empire (technically the Medo-Persian empire) and the Grecian/Macedonian empire initiated under Alexander the Great, we are not directly given the identity of the fourth empire.
Have you ever wondered why?
Is it possible that Nebuchadnezzar's act of turning his heart toward God played a role in the way God felt about the Babylonian kingdom under Nebuchadnezzar's rule? We see nothing in the other kingdoms that indicates a leader who followed after God.
Since the first three empires are closely chronicled and in rapid succession, why NOT the fourth empire?
Since legs cannot exist without thighs, it seems ridiculous to assume that there is not a continuous succession. Alexander's reign covered the belly and thighs on this statue.
What happened to cause the transition from bronze to iron?
Again, the scriptures do not tell us, but history does.
Alexander died.
So, if you insist on throwing out the argument, I do not believe we should concern ourselves with information outside the Biblical texts, then you should not accept that Alexander the Great even existed.
Wait a minute. Historically, we know that four generals were left contending for control of the empire. An obvious problem is that statues of humans don't have four legs. Daniel chapter 10, in a cryptic fashion, covers a great deal of this intrigue. In the end, only two generals are in charge of what is left of the Grecian empire's control of the Middle East—Seleucid in the North and Ptolemy in the South.
As I pointed out, all these materials from which the statue is made have strength, but Iron has a brittle fragility. The iron goes all the way to the feet, where we see an unimaginable mix of iron and clay. The antichrist that we know will come on the scene comes out of these ten toes. Mixed, by the way, is the Aramaic word for Arab.
How, then, do we fit the Roman Empire into this mix?
The standard assumption emerges from Daniel 9:26.
“And
after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for
Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall
destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war
desolations are determined.”
Daniel 9:26 NKJV
Religious tradition makes the association with Titus Vespasian as the prince who came and “his” troops, under the Roman flag, destroyed the temple and the city in 70 AD.
We arbitrarily assume that troops are “all” Italian Catholics (I am being facetious here) and that Titus gave the orders to destroy the temple. The problem when you choose to use Daniel 9:26 to answer your question is that you are choosing to IGNORE the historical record given by Josephus and Tacitus.
Josephus and Tacitus both recorded that:
Titus was under a mandate from the Emperor to maintain peace.
That did not happen.
The majority of the Roman troops, at this time, were conscripted Assyrian troops.
Some estimate that troops originating from Rome were 14% of the whole number.
The Assyrians had an overt hatred of the Jews.
It was the Assyrians who set fire to the temple and ignored Titus' orders to stop.
The Assyrians continued with the slaughter of the Jewish people.
Prince is the Hebrew word nâgı̂yd/ nâgid and means a commander or a religious leader (think high priest); chief, governor, leader, noble, prince.
In most cases, Bible translators chose appropriate terms to fit the context of the sentence. Applying the title of prince to Titus because he is a commander makes sense.
The King James concordance only shows 47 uses of the word nâgı̂yd. The word translated as prince only happens 8 times, but none of them apply to this character that we will eventually call the antichrist.
Ezekiel has an indirect reference to the antichrist but refers to him as the prince of Tyre.
"Son
of man, say to the leader of
Tyre,
'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Because
your heart is lifted up
And you
have said, 'I am a god,
I
sit in the seat of gods
In the heart of the seas'; Yet you are a man and not God, Although
you
make your heart like the heart of God--”
Ezekiel
28:2 NASB
Consider these attributes assigned to the antichrist.
Your heart is lifted up.
You have said, I am a god.
I sit in the seat of gods.
And, you make your heart like the heart of God.
In Daniel 9:25-26, the term prince is used twice: once for the Messiah, the Prince (Jesus), and the other in verse 26, which we already discussed.
“After
this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a
fourth beast [Roman
Empire]--terrible, powerful and
dreadful, and exceedingly strong. And it had great
iron teeth; it devoured and crushed
and trampled what was left with its feet. And
it was different from all the beasts that came before it,
and it had ten horns [symbolizing ten
kings]. [Dan. 2:40-43; 7:23.] I
considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another
horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were
plucked up by the roots; and behold, in this horn were eyes like the
eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great things.”
Daniel
7:7-8 AMP
There is much ado about ten – empires, kingdoms, regions.
This little one comes out of the ten horns/empires.
Three of the horns - kingdoms are plucked up by the roots before this man's kingdom.
And guess what?
This little horn has eyes and a mouth speaking blasphemy against God.
If it is not the man himself with the eyes and mouth speaking, then it is a spokesperson.
It was Jesus who defined blasphemy for us when he told the scribes and Pharisees who were attributing His works to the devil that they were committing blasphemy.
So we can expect this man to tell all those that will listen, that God's works are Satan's works, but he may not openly say Satan, he might attribute God's words and actions to Allah.
Have you considered the names and attributes assigned to this man?
The Antichrist (1,2 John)
A poignant aspect of this conversation is the time frame in which John spoke these words. The entirety of the church was to have been on rapture watch since.
1 John 2:22 NKJV "Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son."
1 John 4:2-3 CJB "Here is how you recognize the Spirit of God: every spirit which acknowledges that Yeshua the Messiah came as a human being is from God, 3 and every spirit which does not acknowledge Yeshua is not from God—in fact, this is the spirit of the Anti-Messiah. You have heard that he is coming. Well, he's here now, in the world already!"
2 John 1:7 CJB "For many deceivers have gone out into the world, people who do not acknowledge Yeshua the Messiah's coming as a human being. Such a person is a deceiver and an anti-Messiah."
The insolent king; of Daniel 8.
Daniel 8:23 NAS95: "In the latter period of their rule, When the transgressors have run their course, A king will arise, Insolent and skilled in intrigue."
INSOLENT, a. Proud and haughty, with contempt of others; overbearing; domineering in power;
the Beast of Revelation 13;
Since the antichrist is also referred to as the beast, and Revelation 13:1 describes “a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads,” then it is describing an overarching ruling body that has covered aspects of the earth since about 600 AD.
Who is the dragon? Satan.
What does the sand of the seashore speak of? First, all eschatology has Israel, or the land promised to Abraham, as the center of its focus. Since these sands have to do with the region of the Middle East with Israel at the center, then the sands represent the lands of the coastal regions of the Mediterranean and the people in general, or the Gentiles, but more specifically, the Islamic nations.
"Ten horns, seven heads... and on his heads were blasphemous names." Since we covered Jesus's explanation of blasphemy, then these kingdoms are such that they blaspheme God by their beliefs, teachings, and actions; in particular – an intense, undefinable hatred of the Jews merely because they are Jews.
Many will take this portion of Revelation 13,” I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast,” and apply it to the antichrist, it is NOT, it is a powerful ruling body. In 1924, such a powerful voice, the Ottoman Empire, had so angered the Mideastern world with its Islamic pirates that roamed the Mediterranean Ocean, capturing anybody who sailed those seas, taking them captive, and selling them as slaves on the Ivory Coast. Well, the wealthy shipping vessels and yacht owners shouted loudly enough for the saner world to take notice and take up arms against the Islamic Ottoman empire. In 1924, the empire was crushed, disbanded, and deemed illegal, or so the world thought. In a sense, “one of his heads was as if it had been slain.” The world, for about 20 years, thought that Islam, as a global threat, had been slain; in theory, the head had been slain.
“And his (a kingdom or ruling body) fatal wound was healed. The healing came through the Muslim Brotherhood, which emerged primarily from Egypt in the 1940s and made a covenant with the Nazis. We, in modern history, also witnessed the resurrection of the Islamic Empire in 1979 with the capture of the American Embassy in Iran. After this 444-day event, the Caliphate was restored along with the Mullahs as leaders. “And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast.”Keep in mind in Revelation that this beast is not yet the man so many are looking for. Currently, “the whole earth” is following Islam, but in time, there will be a man to supposedly lead all of Islam in a particular direction; one of those directions will be a unified hatred of the Jews and their God.
Revelation 13:1-8 NAS95: “And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2 And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. 3 I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; 4 they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?" 5 There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.”
Revelation 13 shows us the same things that Daniel saw, and Daniel pleaded for an explanation. Perhaps we should pay attention to what Daniel was shown.
Daniel 7:19-20 NKJV "Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; 20 and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.
Daniel 7:21 NKJV "I was watching, and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them,
This is the little horn, the antichrist, making war against the saints. Clarity moment: The church—followers of Jesus Christ—have already been caught up to meet Christ in the air. This is exactly what 2 Thessalonians 2:3-9 is talking about. So then, all the saints at this point are those who have accepted Jesus Christ since the church's snatching away.
Those, coming to Jesus during this nightmarish time, will most likely lose their heads.
Daniel 7:23 NKJV "Thus he said: 'The fourth beast shall be A fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms, And shall devour the whole earth, Trample it and break it in pieces."
The question you should be asking is, in what ways is it different?
I will leave you to ponder that question on your own, but don't most kingdoms go to war to collapse conflicting kingdoms to obtain the benefits of more land, monetary gain, and titles that come from victories.
Daniel 7:24 AMP “And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise; and another shall arise after them, and he shall be different from the former ones, and he shall subdue and put down three kings.”
Here, in Daniel 7:23 – 25, we see an explanation that points to kingdoms.
Why do Islamic nations go to war?
To bring the citizenry of that land into ideological submission, where they bow to Allah and no other; oh sure, people will die, but that is a minor detail and the path for infidels.
Daniel 7:25 AMP And he shall speak words against the Most High [God] and shall wear out the saints of the Most High and think to change the time [of sacred feasts and holy days] and the law; and the saints shall be given into his hand for a time, two times, and half a time [three and one-half years]. [Rev. 13:1-6.]
“And he shall speak words against the Most High.” Who is being referred to as the Most High in this passage?
Since everything we are studying is Israel-centric, the answer is the “Jewish” God. We believers know Him as Yahshua, the Messiah.
“ and think to change the time [of sacred feasts and holy days] and the law,” Who is doing that as we speak?
It is happening in the UK, and cities like Dearborn Michigan, where they have supplanted the population, slowly taken over the governing bodies, and initiated “lawful changes. They have also changed the laws to Sharia laws and inserted their own law-keepers.
“ and the saints shall be given into his hand for a time, two times, and half a time.”
The Amplified Bible explains this time period as three and a half years. That means that the antichrist will act like a moderate peacekeeper for the first three and a half years of this seven-year covenant of peace.
But there is a problem, as Daniel 9:24 clearly states that 70 weeks, equaling 490 years, are decreed upon Israel and the Jewish people, in general.
“Seventy weeks [of years, or 490 years] are decreed upon your people and upon your holy city [Jerusalem], to finish and put an end to transgression, to seal up and make full the measure of sin, to purge away and make expiation and reconciliation for sin, to bring in everlasting righteousness (permanent moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) to seal up vision and prophecy and prophet, and to anoint a Holy of Holies.” Daniel 9:24 AMP
Verse 24, without question, brings us to the end of all things outside of the eternal kingdom. As you can see in Daniel 9:26, there is a reference to the Messiah being cut off. Well, that happened, and yet the brakes, it would seem, got slammed down hard, for we have surpassed the 69th week as we have waited for the 70th week to begin. That final, somewhat missing week consists of seven years, give or take a few days.
Daniel 9:26-27 NKJV "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate."
The assumptions are that he makes this covenant, but scripture never says that he does; he merely affirms an existing covenant, and the UN has stated, on multiple occasions, that they are affirming seven-year agreements.
Another assumption is that he confirms this covenant with Israel; the problem with that thinking is that Israel is not mentioned; however, it seems as if there is a chronology here in Daniel 9:26 that indicates that his people (and they may only be his people because they are Islamic,) who are coming will destroy the city and the sanctuary, and therefore, this destruction, which can happen at any minute and may be happening as we speak. However, it is difficult to destroy something that is not built yet. My suggestion is that you keep your eyes on the Holy Land.
What is the sanctuary?
It is the final (the third) temple in Jerusalem.
Look at Revelation 13: “And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.”
Now compare this to
Daniel 7:4-6 NAS95: "The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it. 5 "And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and thus they said to it, 'Arise, devour much meat!' 6 "After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.”
Very similar.
the Man of Sin, or Man of Lawlessness, of 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12;
2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 NAS95 “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”
What is the “it” we see in 2 Thessalonians 2:3?
“It” is the coming of Jesus to collect His bride, removing them from the earth and allowing for the antichrist to be released upon the earth, and the unleashing of God's wrath upon the residents still left upon the earth. Yes, the saints will still be impacted by God's wrath.
If one only gives 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 a cursory read, they will encounter verse three, think that the apostasy, of the church in general, must still come first, and possibly believe that will never happen. Many people I have talked with still cannot see a problem with churches. We are performing homosexual marriages, aborting babies without regard, and having transgender reading hour performed by men dressed as women prepared to do a striptease act.
Several years ago, a brother in Christ, in doing his doctoral thesis, found that the state church, the Catholic church of the 1500s, demanded that King James do a rewrite of the popular Geneva Bible and make it say apostasy instead of a departure, as so many people were leaving the Catholic church for Protestantism. The Geneva Bible reads like this: “Let no man deceiue you by any meanes: for that day shall not come, except there come a departing first, and that that man of sinne be disclosed, euen the sonne of perdition.”
If you paid attention to what you read in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, you would find that verses 7,8 clarifies any confusion by declaring that a departure of the church is necessary, as the church restrains the antichrist ( he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed,) and it will do so until he (the church) is taken out of the way, and then the wicked one will step forward. Until this happens, we will not know who this man is.
Other titles for the antichrist, several of which we have covered:
(1) "the king of Babylon" (Isa_14:4);
(2) "the Assyrian" (Isa_14:25; +**Mic_5:5 note);
(3) "Lucifer, son of the morning," in opposition to "the bright and morning star" (Isa_14:12);
(4) "the Prince that shall come" (Dan_9:26);
(5) "the king of fierce countenance" (Dan_8:23);
(6) "the vile person" (Dan_11:21);
(7) "the willful king" (Dan_11:36);
(8) "the man of sin" (2Th_2:3);
(9) "the son of perdition" (2Th_2:3);
(10) "that wicked (or lawless) one" (2Th_2:3; Rev_13:18);
(11) "the beast with ten horns" (Rev_13:1);
(12) "the little horn" (Dan_8:8) [CB]. =1Ki_22:11, =Psa_75:10; =Psa_132:17, Isa_27:1, =Zec_1:18, **Mat_24:5; **Mat_24:15, 2Th_2:3-4, 1Jn_2:18; 1Jn_4:3. (The Ultimate Cross-Reference Treasury)
For many, by the time you read this, Jesus will have come back for His bride, the followers of Christ. He still holds out His arms for you. All you have to do is give Him your life and accept Him into yours.
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