THE SECOND VISION The Fourth Beast, Part II (Dan. 7:7-8) In this chapter we have been following closely the first vision God gave to Daniel, 7:2 I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. [ the Mediterranean Sea] 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. [ relating to the nations emanating from the region of the Great Sea] 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. [the Babylonians] 5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. [the Medes and Persians] 6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. [the Greeks] 7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. [the Romans] 8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. We noticed how the four beasts that came up out of the sea (v.3) were distinct and separate, and yet united in their determination against God and His people, Israel. We also emphasised how this fourth and final beast was the most harrowing. We drew attention to how Daniel lived during some of the years of the empires ruled by the Babylonians and the Medo-Persians. He died prior to the rise of the third kingdom, - belonging to the Greeks, - and obviously also the fourth kingdom. The fourth empire, - that succeeded the previous three, - was the Roman Empire, and Daniel described it in very daunting detail, 7 dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it diverse from all the beasts that were before it It exceeded the barbarity and ruthlessness of the three previous kingdoms. It also spread out further, and it raised itself up higher Its scope and immensity made it into an empire/kingdom none could rival. As we saw, this Roman Empire covered the ancient world, and overwhelmed it by the force of its armies and the establishment of its governments. The Romans boasted they never destroyed a civilisation when they conquered, but they took from it everything of merit and, combining all into one, produced the greatest civilisation the world had ever known. We then mentioned how in the West the Roman Empire officially ended in 476 AD, and in the East it finished on 29 th May 1453 when it was conquered by the Turkish Ottoman Empire.
2 So, the Roman Empire is now dead is it?! What about the spirit of its ancient aspirations? Daniel received this vision around 555 BC, and it related to an empire that would begin over five hundred years later and continue until around two thousand years later. So, where we more or less finished in our previous study was with this question as to whether or not the ultimate vision of the Roman Empire has been completed and finished. Bear in mind, this chapter of Daniel is prophecy! It relates to the future, - it is looking forward, - with particular relation to Israel, because after all, Daniel was a Jew, and he was given this vision for the Jews. He prophesied clearly and precisely about the rise of the Babylonian kingdom, the Medo-Persian kingdom, the Greek kingdom, and ultimately this fourth and final kingdom in this period Jesus referred to as the times of the Gentiles. The last period would be longer than the others, - signified by the legs in the first vision, and it would also have two further developments that would emerge from it, i.e. 2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. 41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. In the second vision (Daniel s first in chapter seven), you will notice how the ten horns are described at the end relating to the ten toes in Nebuchadnezzar s vision of chapter two. The number is very specific and precise. Previous numbers in the visions have proved reliable and, therefore, we should continue to be consistent, concerning the number ten, i.e. in relation to ten kingdoms. Surely the ten horns would have been better placed at the beginning of the description of the fourth beast, but the reason they are at the conclusion is because Daniel indicates they will come near the end of this fourth kingdom. And then out of the ten horns, - these positions of authority and power and leadership, - will be introduced a little horn a new leader, the likes of which this world has never known Through him, the fourth kingdom will move towards its rapid conclusion. Since this portion of the prophecy has not been fulfilled, the ten horns are yet future And yes, I do believe they will be ten literal kingdoms for the simple reason Daniel prophesied correctly the second beast would consist of two kingdoms, - the Medes and Persians, - and it did.
3 He also prophesied concerning Alexander s Greek kingdom that it would be divided into four literal kingdoms, and it was. Therefore, since the Roman Empire has not yet been divided into ten kingdoms to be consistent, we must affirm it yet awaits that development. How will it become divided? We don t know, and to make guesses would be beyond the remit of how we ought to study Scripture. There is no indication it will be divided through war or conflict most likely it will be as a result of political manipulation. It hasn t happened yet I do believe, though, we are almost on the threshold of the emergence of the ten kingdoms that emanate from within this final fourth kingdom. Political developments are hastening at a great pace and we don t know the half of what is going on in the political powerhouses. Fifty years ago, very few of us would have considered how so many of the nations in Europe would have developed to what they are today in the European Union. We were promised it was never the intention to produce another world super-state As I said previously, I don t believe the European Union is the full identity of this fourth beast because the original Roman Empire covered a greater mass than the EU but I definitely do believe the European Union has a major part to play in God s end-time structures in relation to this fourth beast. We are living in interesting days when we are seeing many of the prophetic promises of Scripture being fulfilled! And if we live to see the final phase of the fourth beast being developed into a ten-kingdom dominion, then the next progression will be the introduction and installation of a man that will surpass the achievements of any other since the beginning of history. Isn t that what they are looking for in the highest echelons of power in Brussels, Luxembourg, and Strasbourg?! Watch to see how it develops! One of the architects of the original Common Market concept was Paul-Henry Spaak. It is in the secular record that he declared, - whether in jest or otherwise, - We do not want another committee, we have too many already. What we want is a man of sufficient stature to hold the allegiance of all people, and to lift us out of the economic morass into which we are sinking. Send us such a man, and be he god or devil, we will receive him." That aspiration has not disappeared, indeed, it has developed. By way of illustration, I did a quick search on the website of the European Union (http://europa.eu/citizens- 2013/sites/default/files/content/publication/NA3113822ENC_002.pdf). There, I found these three significant quotes
4 Martin Schulz (President of the European Parliament, since 2014) said in a speech in Berlin in 2013, What we urgently need is a true European government, elected and supervised by parliament. Jose Manuel Barroso (the President of the European Commission from 2004-14) gave a speech in Brussels in 2013, The European Union as we know it today already has a number of undeniably federative elements: a supranational European Commission with a mandate to promote the general European interest, a directly elected European Parliament, an independent European Central Bank and a European Court of Justice based on a system of law, the primacy of which is recognised over national law. For the next decades, I believe the European Union will be a powerful instrument for European citizens and Member States to unite their efforts in shaping globalisation... The world is changing very fast and, together, European Member States can play a fundamental role. Herman Van Rompuy, (President of the European Council, 2009-14), stated in a speech in Copenhagen, Those who pretend that their country can succeed on its own do not just sell illusions, but lies! Populism and nationalism cannot provide answers to the challenges of our times. It is as simple as that. We need European policies, but also European language. Here are the most influential men who rule over 500 million people, and this is what they are saying! Put building blocks together, and you will start to see a very interesting tower being constructed! Here in God s Word He is setting out before us in a vision almost two-and-a-half thousand years ago what is relevant and up-to-date for God s people today! I believe we are seeing prophecy being fulfilled in our time and that is why we must study it. A word of caution, though We must not set dates or be dogmatic about intricate little details of which the Bible does not give the information. As J.C. Ryle wrote in the nineteenth century, No doubt there are many signs of the times which deserve the serious attention of all Christians, and it would be easy to enumerate them. But, after all, we are always bad judges of anything that happens under our own eyes. We are apt to attach an exaggerated importance to it, for the simple reason that we ourselves are affected by it. Let it suffice us to believe that whatever God has said concerning Israel, God will do in His own good time. Let us not be hasty to fix dates. To study prophecy is most useful and brings a special blessing. To turn ourselves into prophets is not wise, and brings discredit on the cause of Christianity. So we must be faithful in our study of these passages. But look at the downgrade of true religion in our own day, and notice how just about almost anything is acceptable in many religious circles. And on one hand, in the Church we have some who dismiss what we are studying as empty raving speculation, while there are others who go to the extreme and abuse God s Word by allowing their imaginations to run riot! We needn t go any further than what the Word says but we must accept and believe what it does say!
5 Consider the Old Testament prophecies relating to Christ s first coming, and how they were fulfilled literally They foretold how He would be born of a virgin, the son in the Davidic line, His betrayal, Judas and the thirty pieces of silver, His agonising death on the cross, and a whole array of prophecies that were fulfilled to the letter. Concerning Christ s second coming, the Scriptures contain even more information than His first! Surely, then, that is how we can equally depend upon their literal fulfilment and accurate validity. It is wrong to say one part of the Scriptures is to be taken one way, and then to change your mind and say the other parts must be taken another way, i.e. one is to be taken literally while the other is to be taken symbolically. It is inconsistent, and demeans the continuity of God s Word! It is dangerous hermeneutics. God says what He means and He means what He says and we should believe Him! That is how we should accept His Word even when it extends beyond our present understanding. Jesus has come to establish His Kingdom and Jesus is coming to establish His Kingdom! Both apply and prior to His second coming is the arrival on this earth of the fourth and final kingdom of the nations that will produce this terrible man, - a real individual in whom Satan will divest all of his authority to have one last attempt at confronting God and His people! Look again at what Daniel saw, 7:8 I considered the horns Here is Daniel, and he had lived through the glory-days of King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians and had watched as they were conquered by Darius and the Medes and Persians He had seen so much, but here was something away into the future that would be even greater, something more that absolutely astounded him, as the Lord pointed his attention into the future and he saw, - after the ten horns had become established, - a little horn rising, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn. The littleness of the horn rising out of the ten suggests its meagre origins. Exactly seventy years ago today, - 30 th April 1945, - Adolf Hitler, who many wondered if he was the Antichrist or not, and who hoped to establish his Third Reich for a thousand years, he took his own life. He couldn t have been the Antichrist because of two very important reasons firstly, Israel had not yet been returned to their own land, and secondly, neither had the ten kingdoms been established. But, Hitler exemplifies how this little horn will very possibly develop. It was as if Hitler was a dummy run in preparation for the real thing!
6 Hitler was a nobody and a nothing. He was an obscure corporal in the First World War that wandered around Germany as a would-be artist. Like Hitler, Daniel s description of the coming little horn could very well indicate some meteoric rise to power of a previous unknown and he will be set up as a great leader and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. Daniel was fascinated, in a troublesome way (v.28) 19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; 20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 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. 25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. What was happening?! In the signs that would precede His second coming, Jesus told His disciples, - and the message has passed through them to us, - Mt. 24:33 when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors Mk. 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. Lk. 21:28 when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh... That is why we are studying these Scriptures to be obedient to Christ s command, and to be vigilant so we are not caught out. Indeed, we must be like the prophet who declared, I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see (Hab. 2:1). So, in our studies that is what we are doing we are standing in the sure tower of God s Word, and we are looking out and we are watching to see how He will ultimately bring all things together for His glory, Amen.