Expecting the Little Horn aka: Antichrist? Not so fast!

   The Fourth Kingdom - the Kingdom of Antichrist, the Image and the Beast:  

   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 beast kingdom must be in position of global dominance and, ten kings must rise out of this kingdom. 

   There are two prophetic portrayals 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, is the kingdom from where 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, after the era of the legs of iron - the time period between the third kingdom, and the fourth - has expired. 

   While the legs of iron barely get a mention - 4 words in half a verse, Daniel 2:33a, the prophetic sequence of kingdoms ends with the feet and toes; where all the details of the fourth kingdom are contained. Daniel's fourth kingdom rises from the middle east during the 2000+ year time period presented as the legs of iron. This fourth kingdom will claim global control at the end of the age, when the time period of the legs of iron has expired. After this extended time period is fulfilled, the feet and toes, the fourth kingdom of iron mixed with shard clay, is in place. The fourth kingdom is the tribulation kingdom, the kingdom of antichrist. 

   Nebuchadnezzar, ruled the entire middle east from Babylon. This kingdom was given to him by the God of heaven: Daniel 2:37-38, also Jeremiah 27:6-7. The King was plagued by a dream that haunted his waking hours and caused him to toss and turn in his bed. Nebuchadnezzar, the prideful king was focused on the future of his kingdom and what would become of it in the latter days: Daniel 2:28,29; 4:20; the dream image reveals the answers. 

   The dream was prophetic in nature, as it not only foretold the two additional kingdoms that would rule the middle east from Babylon in the near future, silver and brass but, it foretold a fourth kingdom that will rise in the latter days, the feet and toes of iron and clay. 

   Daniel 2 lays out the foundation of Babylons future and, the order of  kingdoms that rose to rule the middle east which belonged to Nebuchadnezzar. The dream image portrayed Nebuchadnezzar as the head of gold, the head of the kingdom, the King of Babylon, while the remainder of the image portrayed the various kingdoms that would follow. 

   Three kingdoms have come and gone, dominating 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: Daniel 5:31 and, Alexander the Great ruled his vast Grecian kingdom from a secondary Babylon homebase- 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, a period of dormancy when Babylon had no king. The fourth kingdom provides the final king - the little horn or, antichrist. 

The Image and the Mark: Revelation 13:11-17

   Which comes first, the baby or the birth pains? Any mother will tell you, that birth pains arrive before the baby does. What we are witnessing, is the rise of global birth pains; wars and threats of wars, famines and earthquakes, the beginning of sorrows - the birth pains that precede the baby's arrival. The baby represents the birth of a new era; the second coming of Christ Jesus. 

   The same logic applies to the image and the mark. You can not have the mark without the image. The image must be in existence before the mark is enforced. Just as the birth pains come before the baby, the image comes before the mark. 

   So, where is it? 

   We often hear about how this or that is the 'mark of the beast.' It's a barcode, a jab, A.I., a microchip, digital I.D., Sunday law, a fingerprint, an eye scan, our cell phones, a brain implant, an electronic pill.... If 'this and that' is the 'mark of the beast', then, where is the image? What is it and, when was submission to an image required to make everyday purchases? 

Simplified Overview Revelation 13 - Rise of the Beast Kingdom

    Revelation 13 can be broken down into four distinct characters, the red dragon, the beast kingdom, the little horn (antichrist) and the false prophet, magician or sorcerer.

    Mesopotamian kingdoms had a slew of false prophets: magicians, sorcerers, star gazers,  necromancers, mediums with familiar spirits, wise men, and dream interpreters in the kings court. This is what the false prophet represents, a master magician who rules in the kings court, in service to the king and his kingdom. 

The Simplified Overview:  

Rise of the beast kingdom. Revelation 13:1-4

Rise of the little horn or antichrist: Revelation 13:5 - 10 

Rise of the false prophet: Revelation 13:11-16 

Rise of the dragons power: Revelation 13:2b, 5b 

   Of the four, the rise of the beast is the most complicated as it is the most complex. What makes it so complex is the amount of detail involved in his genetic makeup. The beast has many parts and pieces, such as three previous beast kingdoms, ten horns with crowns, and seven heads; and, one of his heads was slain and mortally wounded. But, when John saw the beast rise from the sea, his mortal wound was already healed. There is also a bit of historical knowledge needed to navigate the rise of previous 'beast' kingdoms and, their geographical locations. 

   Many ancient kingdoms simply absorbed the conquered ones, expanding their territorial boundaries. These ancient territorial markers set the boundaries for the antichrist kingdom. 

Revelation 13:3 King or Kingdom?

    I was a little late to the Revelation 13:3 social media party and almost missed it completely. After the assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald J Trump, social media lit up with Revelation 13:3 quotes. This was mostly from those who don't study scripture but, are quick to use it to serve their purposes or, fit a specific narrative which has become common practice. Most comments were quite misguided, even delusional, misquoting scripture. 

   "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast" 

   The bullet grazed former President Trump's ear, whereas, the alleged shooter received a deadly head wound which ended his life and no, he will not rise again. But, the scriptural reference was directed at former President Trump and his wounded ear. Heads represent kingdoms, horns represent kings, Is Trump a kingdom? Is he a kingdom that belongs to the beast that rises mid-tribulation? Is he even a sitting President right now? Is he a leader (king) of a world kingdom? 

   Why doesn't scripture say one of the horns was wounded as to death if this verse represents a deadly head wound upon a man; a king? Because it's not a man, it's a kingdom. 

   Let me explain: 

   Revelation 13:1-4 details the rise of the antichrist kingdom aka: the beast kingdom mid tribulation. 

Dreams of a King Daniel 2

Nebuchadnezzar's Prophetic Dream

   Upon claiming the throne (605 BC) after the death of his father King Nabopolassar, King Nebuchadnezzar II inherited a bunch of mystic advisors that had once served his father. These wise men were collaborators of the dark arts who worked in service to the King. These advisors were the best the empire had to offer, Egyptian magicians, Canaanite fortunetellers, Aramaic astrologers, and Chaldean practitioners of the dark arts and dream interpreters. There were also soothsayers, diviners,  sorcerers, enchanters, conjurers, and illusionist available to provide counsel unto the new king.  

   But none would come close to doing what the king requested.

   King Nebuchadnezzar II was haunted by a dream that deeply troubled his soul. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep, the details of his dream evaporating as soon as he woke. It disturbed him so deeply that he called upon his court of dream translators, sorcerers, astrologers, and magicians to reveal his dream and also the interpretation. 

   He was desperate to know the meaning of the dream that evaded his waking moments. 

Daniels Fourth Beast from the Sea

   The interpretation of Daniel 7 can be a bit perplexing. I thought I would attempt a quick and hopefully simple breakdown of Daniels four beasts that rise from the sea. It will aid in the interpretation of the beast kingdom in Revelation 13, and 17, and perhaps offer some clarity concerning the rise of this kingdom in the latter days. 

    The writing below is based upon scripture as the Bible is interconnecting: scripture defines scripture. Daniels night vision interconnects with Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2. Nebuchadnezzar was intensely occupied with the future of  the mighty kingdom he had built. The Bible doesn't require outside sources to interpret scripture but, we often find that historical events fill in the gaps. 

   God doesn't want us confused, he wants us to understand what the prophets are documenting. Fortunately for us, there was an angel close by to give us an explanation, adding clarification to what Daniel was witnessing.... the angel told Daniel: 

   Daniel 7:23,24 The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other (beast) kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. Out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.