The Fourth Kingdom - the Kingdom of Antichrist:
Before the Antichrist can waltz out on the world stage and fill the role of global dictator, several things must be in place; Daniel's fourth kingdom must be in position of global dominance, and ten kings must rise out of this kingdom.
There are two prophetic depictions of the fourth kingdom found in Daniel; the fourth beast of ten horns: Daniel 7:7-25 and the feet and toes of iron and shard clay: Daniel 2:40--45. The fourth beast of ten horns or ten kings, provides the answers for the rise of the little horn. The beast of ten horns is the kingdom that the little horn rises from - making the fourth kingdom, the antichrist kingdom. The fourth beast parallels the feet and toes of iron and shard clay, indicating that the tribulation kingdom rises in the latter days, when the time period of the legs of iron has expired. King Nebuchadnezzar wanted to know what would become of his kingdom in the latter days, the dream image provides the answer.
Daniel's fourth kingdom is the tribulation kingdom which begins to rise during the time period presented as the legs of iron. When the time period of the legs of iron is complete, the feet and toes, the fourth kingdom of iron mixed with shard clay, is in place. While the legs of iron barely get a mention, the focus is directed to the feet and toes; where the prophecy of the fourth kingdom is contained - placing the emphasis here.
The legs of iron are not the focus of the image and do not contain much information: 4 words, half a verse Dan 2:33a. The emphasis is directed at the feet and toes at the base of the image. The feet and toes are the focus, and where the description of the fourth kingdom is concentrated directing the focus to the formation of the feet and toes and, the kings who rise from this kingdom: Daniel 2:40-45.
Daniel 2 lays out the foundation of Babylons future and, the order of kingdoms that rose to dominate the middle east; which Nebuchadnezzar, the prideful king, saw as 'his' kingdom: Daniel 2:28,29; 4:30. Three had already come and gone, three kingdoms that dominated the middle east with kings who ruled from a Babylon homebase. The Chaldeans ruled from Babylon, King Darius took the throne the night Babylon fell to the Mede-Persians and, Alexander the Great ruled his vast Grecian kingdom from Babylon - where he later died. After his death and the division of the third kingdom into four dynasties, the image falls into the time period of the legs of iron.
The legs of iron present the extended passage of time (apx 2300 years) between the third kingdom, the belly and thighs of brass and the fourth kingdom, the feet and toes of iron and shard clay. A lot of history has happened during the time period of the legs of iron. The ministry of Christ Jesus and, his crucifixion and resurrection, fulfilling multiple prophecies and the scattering and gathering of Israel; a nation born in one day: Isaiah 66:8. The rise of the church and Christendom. The rise and demise of the Roman empire in the west and the removal of Rome from the middle east with the conquest of Constantinople, replacing a Christian stronghold with a nefarious political and religious system that seeks world domination. Columbus discovered America and rockets were launched into space. Yes, a lot has happened within that 2300 year time period seen as the legs of iron. And now, a prophetic fourth kingdom is about to rise: the beast of ten horns.
The fourth kingdom provides the final king - the little horn or, antichrist.
Daniel 7 provides additional details of the tribulation kingdom found at the feet and toes of the image. In Daniel 7, the fourth kingdom is a beast of ten horns. This is the beast that rises from the sea in Revelation 13:1-4, with his mortal wound healed. A beast is a kingdom and the horns are his kings. The beast from the sea is the kingdom of Antichrist: 13:1-4, and it has ten kings. A second beast, the beast of the earth (clay) is the realm of the false prophet; the religious system of the first beast, which promotes the power and authority of the first beast (iron): 13:11-17.
The first beast has many parts and pieces which work together as a collective whole. The beast has seven heads, ten horns with crowns, and the genetic makeup of three previous beast kingdoms which were mortally wounded and deceased: the lion, the bear and the leopard: Rev 13:1,2a. It's important to note that when Daniel first saw the beast in his night vision, (apx 556 B.C.) he didn't have seven heads or crowns upon his ten horns.
The beast (kingdom) that was, and is not (was slain) and yet is: Rev 17:8,11, will need to go through a transformation or metamorphosis, before he rises from the sea with his mortal wound healed. Several millennium and other kingdoms will pass, before the beast with seven heads and ten horns, formed from his three deceased predecessors - can rise: 13:2a.
What John saw and documented was an event which has not yet happened. John saw a future kingdom, a tribulation kingdom, yet to come. It is from this kingdom that ten horns will rise to rule the earth. The little horn or, antichrist rises up among these ten horns: Daniel 7:7,23,24.
The first mention of the little horn is in the book of Daniel. Daniel sees four great beasts rise from the sea: 7:1-7. Beast is from the Aramaic: חֵיוְתָא which translates to animal. These four beast are four kingdoms. Three kingdoms ruled the middle east and came against Israel in various ways: the lion - Babylon, the bear - Mede-Persian and, the leopard - the Grecian kingdom of Alexander the Great.
After the death of Alexander, his kingdom was divided into four dynasties, which became four kingdoms: Daniel 8:8a; 11:4. These kingdoms are seen as four heads upon the leopard. Antiochus Epiphanes rose from one of these four heads, the Seleucid dynasty, as a Greek King - a king of the North.
Antiochus Epiphanes was the little horn of the old testament: Daniel 8:9,22,23. The little horn of the new testament rises from the head of the fourth beast of ten horns, which becomes the seventh head of the red dragon, the seventh world kingdom. This is the kingdom which rises after Rome, (the sixth head); and remains a short while: 17:10.
The fourth beast that rises from the sea is the fourth kingdom: Daniel 7:23. Beast kingdoms rise from the sea, while kings rise from the earth. Daniel 7:3,17. This verse connects kings to kingdoms and kingdoms to kings similar to R 17:10 which connects a king to a kingdom and kingdoms to kings - ie: kings of the earth: Rev 17:2,18; 18:3.
The fourth beast is different from the previous three. This beast has the mouth of a lion with teeth of iron, which crushes the earth to devour it. His feet are as the feet of a bear with nails of brass, that rake the earth, stamping the residue with his feet. Daniel 7:7,19. The beast from the sea in Revelation 13 is 'like' the leopard who had multiple heads. Instead of four heads, the beast from the sea has seven. The beast kingdom is an amalgamation of all three beasts, rolled into one.
The fourth 'beast' kingdom is formed from the previous three: the lion, the bear and the leopard: Rev 13:2a; and, is created in the image of the red dragon who has seven heads and ten horns: Rev 12:3. And, just as the red dragon is full of enmity against the woman's seed and those who carry the testimony of Christ Jesus, so is his beast kingdom: R 12:17; 17:3. .
The kingdom rises to conquer and devour before the ten horns rise. The ten horns that rise out of this kingdom are ten kings: 7:7b,8, 20a, 24. The fourth beast parallels the feet and toes of Nebuchadnezzars dream image: Daniel 2:40-44. The toes at the base of the image, parallel the ten horns on Daniel's fourth beast kingdom - which are ten kings, who rise from this kingdom: Daniel 7:7,8,24; Revelation 13:1; 17:12-14.
The kingdom of iron mixed with shard clay rises after the time period presented as the legs of iron. The legs of iron is briefly mentioned in Daniel 2:33a, four words, half a verse, doesn't offer much information about the legs of iron. The placement in relation to the image focused on Babylon and the desire of King Nebuchadnezzar to know what would become of 'his' kingdom in the latter days, lets us know that the legs of iron indicate a gap in history establishing the time period between the third kingdom and the fourth. A lot has happened in this continuation of time, such as the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus, the rise of Christendom and the rebirth of Israel; born in one day: Isaiah 66:8.
The timeline begins after the Grecian empire of Alexander and continues to the tribulation kingdom, the fourth kingdom. The legs of iron present the period of time which precedes the establishment of the fourth kingdom, the feet and toes. After the the rise and demise of the Roman empire in the west, a contentious political and religious system focused on world domination rose from the middle east: the Islamic kingdom. This 2000 year gap of human history, prepares the way for the fourth kingdom to rise. The fourth kingdom, the tribulation kingdom, rises after this time period is complete, and, the world stage is set with all the pieces in place.
In the days of these kings: Daniel 2:44 establishes the time period when the ten kings rise from the fourth kingdom to seize world power, which is explained in more detail in Daniel 7:8,20,23,24. In the days of these kings places the fourth kingdom rising during the time period of the legs of iron, prior to the tribulation kingdom. If Antichrist enforces a covenant with Israel: Daniel 9:27, then the fourth kingdom, the beast of ten horns must be in position before the time of tribulation begins.
This is the kingdom that rises just prior to the second coming of Christ Jesus: 13:1; 17:12-14. The fourth beast kingdom must be in place prior to the rise of the little horn aka: antichrist. The kingdom will be notably recognized by its ten kings and the eleventh, which rises up among them: Daniel 7:8a, 24b.
Daniel tells us that ten kings rise from the head of the beast:7:20 - indicating that all ten rise from the same kingdom - as they are genetically attached to the beast, as ten horns. The kings belong to the beast (kingdom), and the beast is ruled by his ten kings. The little horn or antichrist rises up among these ten kings as a 'little horn' Daniel 7:8a - which tells us ten kings must be in positions of ruling power before the little horn can rise. (Note: A horn is a king that rises from the head, a kingdom. A horn is not a head.)
Daniel gives us the backstory, filling in some blanks for the rise of the beast out of the sea in Revelation 13:1-4. The kingdom is dreadful, terrible and exceedingly strong, so much so that not one kingdom will be able to make war with him: Rev 13:4b. The beast is a war machine, masculine in nature, and is given male pronouns: he, him and his, which can lead to some confusion in scripture. The beast is a kingdom, and the horns are his kings. It is important to read scripture as it is written, in order to understand the context. -- I find it interesting and even a bit amusing, that the great city, the woman arrayed in scarlet and purple who sits upon the seven heads of the beast Rev 17:3,9, is given feminine attributes, while her companion, the scarlet beast is masculine - much like a match made in Hades.
Daniel is speaking with an Angel asking about the fourth beast:
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. 24 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.
Daniel draws out the specifics of the fourth beast, which parallels the feet and toes of iron and clay. - The fourth kingdom rises first, which is unprecedented, as most kingdoms revolve around the sovereignty of a king.
What type of kingdom rises to conquer and devour the earth without a king?
Part 2: The ten horns and the little horn:
Now that we've laid the ground work for the soon-to-come antichrist kingdom, we can look at the ten horns that rise out of the kingdom. The ten horns provide clues as to the power of the eleventh king: the little horn or antichrist:
As the beast kingdom accumulates global power and authority, ten horns rise out of the kingdom. These kings can also be seen as the toes that extend from the feet. The feet and toes are made of iron and shard clay. This in itself is an amazing study as shard clay or, potshard is not the same as potters clay or miry clay found in most translations.
They are given crowns or diadems. And I saw a beast ascending up of the sea, having seven heads, and ten horns; and on his horns ten diadems, and on his heads the names of blasphemy. Revelation 13:1. Beast in the Greek is: θηρίου - living thing, genetically non-human, a wild animal hunted by man. Greek: 2342.
In Revelation 12:3 we see that the dragon had given crowns to each of his heads, one for each kingdom. But now, as the beast rises, the crowns are removed from the seven heads and new crowns are placed upon the ten horns. The red dragon transfers his ruling power from the seven heads, to the ten kings. The crowns that were upon the seven heads are now replaced with the names of blasphemy - the name of the beast or the number of his name.
The ten kings will receive ruling power to rule as kings, but have no kingdom of their own: Rev 17:12. This tells us the ten kings do not represent individual nations or, kingdoms but, instead, serve the beast. They have one mind, one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast: R 17:13. All the power and global authority they have accumulated, will be for the benefit of the kingdom.
After the ten horns are in position of global authority - 'then' a little horn begins to rise. As he rises, he removes the power of three kings: Daniel 7:8a,24b, - but 10 still remain: 13:1; 17:12-14. Three kings have their power removed, replaced or, restrained, but there are still ten horns who rule the affairs of the beast kingdom. Overall, this beast is different from the three previous kingdoms that Daniel saw: the lion, the bear and the leopard, and it has ten horns - ten kings with global authority.
The little horn or, antichrist rises from this group of ten horns or, ten kings to seize world power and make war with the saints.
The ten kings war with the Lamb:17:14. The ten horns embrace the essence of the beast kingdom which is full of blasphemy: 17:3b. And, like the little horn, the ten horns are also filled with the spirit of antichrist, mocking the God of heaven and the divinity of his son, Christ Jesus.
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it should come, and even now it is already in the world. I John 4:2-3
Little Horn:
The little horn has the eyes of a man and a vile mouth, that arrogantly mocks and ridicules the God of Heaven, day and night, continuously, non-stop: Daniel 7:8b,20b,25; Rev 13:5,6. He makes war with the saints, wearing them out, treading them underfoot, and he prevails heavily against them:
I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them. Daniel 7:21 .... And he shall speak great words against the most high, and shall wear out the saints Daniel 7:25.... And it was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given to him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. Revelation 13:7
Those left on earth who are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life, will wonder after the beast, and they worship the red dragon who gave the beast his power and authority: 13:2b,3,4. They also worship the little horn. The word translated from the Greek for worship is: προσκυνεω which means: to merge with, follow (as in allegiance) submit to or, hold in great reverence, which is closer to a military stance than a religious one. They will follow the little horn in blind allegiance and loyalty, and also make war with the saints: Rev 13:7,8. Those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, will NOT follow the beast kingdom or the little horn in blind allegiance.
Those who dwell under the power and authority of the beast, share the same rhetoric as the little horn and together, they rise to war with the saints. This is shown by the seven heads, seven world kingdoms that carry the name of blasphemy Rev 13:1b. This blasphemy is the name of the beast or the number of the name of it; allegiance to the beast.
The fourth kingdom is full of the names of blasphemy: Rev 17:3b. The kingdom is filled with blasphemous men and women who follow Antichrist in military-style allegiance. The ten horns direct the path of the beast, while the little horn, mocks God, His tabernacle and those who dwell in heaven: Rev 13:6,7, while warring against the saints. He has a ready made army which follow him blindly.
His sights are on Israel and Jerusalem is his target. He has a god of his own, which isn't tied to Judaism or, Christianity in any way: Dan 11:36-39. (Antiochus Epiphanes' god was the Greek god Zeus) He and his marked hoard target the remnant of the woman's seed which the keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Christ Jesus. Rev 12:17
Mid-tribulation he begins his spiritual war. He sits in the temple of Jerusalem and proclaims himself as higher than God, higher than any and all gods or objects of worship. He mocks and opposes any and all authority of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - taking his place in the Temple to insult the God of Israel with his constant spirit of Antichrist rhetoric.
...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. 2 Thessalonians 2:4
He seeks to diminish the power and authority of God, removing any mention of Judaism and Christianity, in order to rule the earthly kingdom of the red dragon. He will speak arrogant blasphemies against the most high, and the saints will be given over to him for a time and times and dividing of time. He will think to change times and laws. abolishing Jewish feasts and appointed times that honor and signify the Godship of Yahweh, and the divinity of Christ Jesus: Daniel 7:25; 11:31-35.
Then the king will do as he pleases and will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will speak monstrous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must be accomplished. Daniel 11:36.
Antioch Epiphanies, the Greek King of the North, was the little horn of the old testament; who desecrated the temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and slaughtered a pig on the altar of burnt offering in Jerusalem. The little horn of the new testament will be a typology of Antiochus IV, but with much more globalized power. He makes war with the saints transforming the old world into a new future that worships the red dragon and his surrogate king. A new world that signifies death for many.
...And by peace he will destroy many.... Daniel 8:25
He continues to mock the God of Heaven until the beast of ten horns is thrown into the burning flames: I (Daniel) beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the little horn spoke; I beheld even till the beast (of ten horns) was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time: Daniel 7:11,12.
The fourth beast is the mixture of iron and clay, formed from of the previous three: Rev 13:2a. Greek: θηρίου - living thing, animal.
Greek translation from Strong's Concordance, Greek Lexicon and Abarim Greek Interlinear. This is a work in progress as it is an ongoing study and may be subject to updates.
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