“…And this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard was coming and is now already in the world.” 1 John 4:3
This phrase, written by John, the beloved disciple, to a congregation of believers, contains a warning:
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1
Notice the word “spirit” in each passage. The “spirit” of the antichrist is not written verbatim anywhere else in Scripture. The word antichrist is used only four times in the Bible. All four incidences are in the brief but urgent letters of John (1 John 2:18, 1 John 2:22, 1 John 4:3, and 2 John 1:7). So why is this important to the believer or anyone who is unknowingly under the spell of the spirit of the antichrist? Many teachers today are so concerned about the identity of the antichrist that they miss the message about the spirit of the antichrist. At the core of John’s warning is that spirit (character) that motivates the work of the antichrist.
In these two instances, the spirit of the Antichrist is pointing to false prophets (teachers) of the Antichrist. We are instructed to be cautious about believing spirits described as false teachers. False teachers have existed since the beginning of time, and there are false teachers today. It would be safe to say that most of the world, including a portion of the body of believers, is deceived in one way or another by the spirit of the antichrist, not just the doctrines. Understanding the spirit, not just the words in a creed or set of beliefs can trip us up. John points out that the spirit of the antichrist is in the world today. That was 2,000 years ago. It is just as true today as it was then.
The Spirit of False Teaching VS Incorrect Teaching
Let’s put this stake in the ground so we don’t proclaim individuals as the antichrist because their teaching doesn’t align with ours or our understanding of Scripture. Remember, God’s teaching (or doctrine) came through holy men who the Holy Spirit inspired, guiding our understanding.
For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21
True teachings always aim to bring people to Christ. Someone can love Jesus and not have all the doctrines straight in their mind. In other words, let’s not be too quick to judge another person’s experience because they may have different nuances in their Christian beliefs. The spirit of deception should be our main concern.
Today, many false teachers proclaim this or that person, or persons, to be the antichrist. But, before someone can break the spell of the antichrist, they must understand its spirit. To get started, let’s break down the opening passage:
The Antichrist has a motive. It has developed this spirit within itself over time.
John’s audience has heard that the antichrist is coming. Where did they hear this? What was their source? Would it not be in the written word of God, particularly from the Old Testament, not to mention the other writers of the New Testament?
The antichrist, or at least its spirit, is already in the world!
So, we have a spirit motivated by an experience that opposes Christ, the Messiah.
What is this spirit? What is its motive? Let’s consider this question from Scripture. Let’s go way back!
We know from Scripture (the Old Testament included) that this enemy of Jesus is Lucifer, who became Satan, the devil. Historically, we can see this spirit in Biblical characters. Satan is working behind the scenes, deceiving and lying, to set up his plan to deface the image of God and to dethrone Him from His rightful position as God. Satan was defeated at the cross and the resurrection, but he continues even though he knows his fate. If he goes down, he will take as many of God’s beloved sinners with him!
Paul also knows about the antichrist. He describes him using two additional terms: “man of sin” and “son of perdition.” Notice that these are male references.
“who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits]as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2: 3-4
Opposition by Replacement
Again, breaking down these verses, we observe something subtle about the Antichrist, aka “the man of sin” and “the son of perdition.’ He opposes by attempting to replace God.
Not only does he oppose God, but he exalts himself above all that is called God. In effect, he wants to replace God. Opposition by replacement!
He replaces worship due to Jesus with his own. Again, Opposition by replacement!
He sits in the temple, where Jesus should be, and proclaims himself to be God! He shows “himself” that he is God. He is not God, but he thinks he is. Opposition by replacement!
Eventually, the antichrist will be revealed for who he is. But preceding this event, a “falling away” will occur. There will be the spirit of apostasy within the church. Indeed, this has happened over the life of the church. Hundreds of denominations were created by “falling away” from the truth and God’s supremacy.
In effect, Satan wants to replace God. He does it through surrogates: This has been Satan’s motive from the start…to oppose God, but to do it indirectly by replacing God with someone else. This is the spirit of the Antichrist. Paul seems to be drawing on this passage in Isaiah,
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation. On the farthest sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Isaiah 14: 12-14
Opposition by Replacement!
Satan, the father of lies, does not work in an ugly, devilish way but by impersonation. Through the false prophets that John describes in our opening verses. How are they deceived? Are only the scholars not deceived? Those not deceived know God’s word, but the knowledge that means the most is the life-saving knowledge- a personal experience and knowledge of the spirit of God.
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3
Satan seeks to place himself between you and the spirit of God (His character and motivation). The character or spirit of the antichrist has a resemblance to the worship of the true God. Still, ultimately, the spirit is about control and his motivation for destruction/defacing God’s image. He seeks to steal, kill, and destroy the spirit of God by replacing Him and creating followers who think they are doing God’s will. This is not just a denomination but a spirit that can flow through any church.
In conclusion, while we are looking for one man designated as the “antichrist,” the spirit of control, replacement, and disfigurement of who God is (His character) is alive and well today, even in those who profess to be followers of Christ.
But a man of perdition, a beast, and a woman riding on a dragon will be revealed as the church begins to decline—a state we find ourselves in in 2024. We will talk about this next time as we examine Old Testament Characters that are examples of the spirit of the antichrist. Eventually, the man of perdition will be revealed through the prophecies inspired by God and communicated to us by angels to men of God who spoke under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
The Antichrist and his spirit are in the world today. Over the subsequent few sessions, the Antichrist will be identified through markers found throughout scripture and history. But remember, the spirit of the Antichrist is to deceive (look like the real thing) and seek to replace God by receiving only what is due to the Great God of the Universe.
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bearthem now.”
John 16:12
In the revelation of truth, Jesus was patient and gentle with the disciples., but often He had to be plain spoken because the times and events dictated such.
I think of this verse and the Savior’s methods of dealing with men, women, and children. I especially think of it when I approach the topic you are about to read. For some people, this will not be the right time to hear this; for others, it will be light upon their path and it will make sense to them. Wherever you are in your Jesus journey, remember that truth is not dangerous. It will bring freedom and peace to your soul:
Jesus said,
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:32
I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, And crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, And not forsake them.
Isaiah 42:16
Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
Psalm 119: 105
I encourage you to prayerfully check to see if what I am writing is true when compared with the scriptures and the historical references.
One of the reasons I know the Bible is true and that its writers are honest is because they do not try to sugar coat the bad stuff. We live in a world where the bad stuff is often kept secret. Advertisers would never talk about the negatives of their product. If they are forced to do so (medicine for example), it comes in the form of a palatable soothing monotone voice to minimize the impact.
Being politically correct is no longer an option. It is a requirement in our society. But, in the Bible, God tells it like it is; it is not politically correct. That is why many who would quote the words, even in a caring loving manner are considered uncaring and maybe even a bigot. Many people don’t like what they hear from God’s word, but that does not change what is true.
Then, there is the matter of rightly handling the word of truth. Often those who would teach or speak God’s word will do so in error, conjecture, or poor interpretation. Then, throw in the work of the enemy to pervert truth and we have a world of confusion, anger, and distrust.
Before I begin this difficult study, please read the material with the desire to know the truth and a prayer for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I try to use as many scriptures as possible to reveal the gems of truth that lies within its pages. This is a difficult topic, but it is the truth. Truth is not always found on the main highway but lies along the narrow path. It is not on the lips of the majority but in the hearts of a few who seek it with all their heart. Jesus and His word is the “pearl of great price.”
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
Daniel saw some things that disturbed him greatly and it caused him to be sick. I can identify with him. Truth is not always comfortable, but it will always bring a peace that passes understanding. Truth will increase your faith and trust in the God who made you and all creation.
“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; 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: 19 – 20
Daniel seems to be clear about the three beasts of this chapter and what they represented because his only interest after his vision was to know about the 4th beast and particularly the strange looking little horn that came up out of the 4th beast.
Shouldn’t we want to know the truth about the fourth beast and the horn? Can we know the truth? Yes, we can! How do we know? Because the angel comes back and explains them to Daniel.
I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
Daniel 7:16
While much of the vision is yet future for Daniel, we can see his future in the interpretation and it will help us understand the basis for interpreting our future!
This 4th beast was different from the others. What does that mean? First of all, this beast so so different that Daniel could not find anything in nature such as the lion, the bear, and the leopard to represent its appearance nor its character.
If one thinks about it, Daniel could easily understand how the Lion with two wings and the Bear with three ribs could represent Babylon and the Medes/Persian empire because he lived during the fall and rise of Babylon. He also lived to see the Medes and Persians begin to become a world power. But Greece was yet to appear as was the 4th kingdom of Rome and the little horn power.
Fulfilled prophecy is more clearly understood as one looks back. Wouldn’t you agree? The fulfillment of prophecies past is the basis for the principles involved in interpreting those parts of the prophecy yet future. The fulfilled prophecies of Daniel were so accurate that many attempt to put Daniel’s vision at a later point so it becomes history rather than the divine hand of God moving among the powers of the earth. This is impossible when you consider the time span covered in the prophecy.
Through archaeological discoveries, historians catch up with the word of God and validate its accuracy. Truly, Daniel saw these visions of 4 great Monarchs before they happened. He was there personally at the rise and fall of Babylon and the rise of Persia. But, he was not there for the other powers that were to arise nor the time of judgment and the 2nd coming of Christ as this vision depicts.
Daniel is careful to describe the times of his visions for those in the future who would doubt.
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon
Daniel 7:1
This time in the 6th century BC was before the events yet to occur as described in the picture below.
The imagery of the ferocious 4th beast and the cunning and power of the little horn made Daniel sick. I am sure if we were given a look into the future to see how it all ends, we would be troubled greatly too! This is what will happen to many who read Daniel and Revelation. The scripture unfolds the identity of the 4th beast and the little horn power. It also gives us a picture of heavenly things.
“This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart.”
Daniel 7:28
As we saw from the previous study, the fourth kingdom to appear on the world scene was the iron monarchy of Rome.
At this point, let’s see the comparison of Daniel 2 and Daniel 7 regarding those powers during Daniel’s time and those yet future. (Daniel 8 will also add to this chart, but we will fill it in when we study that chapter next.)
Daniel 2 was a simple straightforward prophecy of 4 major kingdoms rising and falling. The prophecy was a timeline that spoke to the diminishing value of the metals and therefore the value of its countries, particularly in a spiritual sense.. It is finally a mixture of strong and weak as demonstrated by the combining of iron and clay in the feet and 10 toes.
Daniel 7 repeats Daniel 2, but begins to layer in detail and some facts that are difficult to accept. Daniel 7 fills in some elements of time, but even more obvious is its attention to the power ruling just before God sets up His kingdom.
Daniel 7 does not stop at the 10 divisions (10 horns of the 4th beast), but goes further into Daniel’s future and we will see even more detail of the worlds future events when we compare it with Revelation!
New Detail of Daniel 7:
The new detail about the 4th power (legs of iron with 10 toes or the 4th beast with 10 horns ) is that three of the 10 divisions are uprooted by the little horn that speaks great things and persecutes others after it comes up among the 10 horns.
“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”
Daniel 7:8
The interpretation of this is clear:
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 7:24
The horns represent ten kings that shall arise and the little horn is a different type of king that shall subdue three kings.
Since the symbols (metal and animals) are demonstrating a timeline of succession, we have the basis to identify the king that arose during the 10 divisions of Rome.
There are some identifying marks in this chapter that helps us determine who was or is the little horn power.
1.) It will come up among the divided kingdom of Rome between the time of 350-500 A.D. (Verse 8)
2. It would be a little Kingdom. As noted by the little horn (Verse 8)
3 . It would have a man speak at the head of it. (Verse 8)
4. It would be “diverse” or different from the other 10 Kingdoms. [(Verse 24)
5. It would “Pluck up” or “subdue” 3 of the 10 divisions. (Verse 8, 24)
6. It would speak great words against God. (Verse 25)
7. It would emerge from Pagan Rom (Verse 7, 8
8. It would wear out the Saints for “time, times, and dividing a time” (Verse 25)
9. It would “THINK” to change times and laws(Verse 25)
5. (Origin actions) It would “Pluck up” or “subdue” 3 of the 10 divisions. (Verse 8, 24)
The emperors of Western Europe were largely Catholic and supported the papacy in its growth and authority.
Three Arian kingdoms, however, did not support the papacy–the Vandals, Heruli, and Ostrogoths. So the Catholic emperors decided they must be subdued or destroyed.
Here is how Dr. Mervyn Maxwell, a theologian and historian, described the results in volume 1, page 129, of his book God Cares: “The Catholic emperor Zeno (474-491) arranged a treaty with the Ostrogoths in 487 which resulted in the eradication of the kingdom of the Arian Heruls in 493. And the Catholic emperor Justinian (527-565) exterminated the Arian Vandals in 534 and significantly broke the power of the Arian Ostrogoths in 538.
Thus were Daniel’s three horns –the Heruls, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths–‘plucked up by the roots.’ ” It is not difficult to recognize that the papacy fits this point.
It is interesting that the Vatican, home of the pope, sits near what is called the 7 hills of Rome.
6. (In the place of God) It would speak great words against God. (Verse 25).
Just as the term anti-Christ does not mean against Christ, but rather in place of Christ, the phrase “speak great words against God is better translated “speak great words concerning God.. The Hebrew word for “against” (tsad) is only used 1 other time and it is in the previous chapter of Daniel!:
Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning (or against) the kingdom;
Daniel 6:4
One of the names of the Pope is “Vicar of Christ.” The term “vicar” comes from the Latin word vicarius, which means “instead of.” Calling the pope the “Vicar of Christ” implies that he has the same power and authority that Christ had over the church
The Papacy claims to be the voice of God on earth. When the Pope makes a judgement on doctrine, his pronouncements are infallible:
“An infallible pronouncement—whether made by the pope alone or by an ecumenical council—usually is made only when some doctrine has been called into question. Most doctrines have never been doubted by the large majority of Catholics. “
From Catholic Answers website
“The Pope can make and unmake laws for the entire Church; his authority is supreme and unquestioned. Every bishop, every priest, every member of the Church is subject to him.” Quoted in the New York CatechismThe Catholic book, “My Catholic Faith” which is based on the Baltimore Catechism, on page 251
Further evidence of Roman Catholicism replacing God and His word is in the tradition of seeking a priest to forgive sins. Only Jesus can forgive sins. He has attained that right through his sinless life, death, and resurrection. To think another man can forgive sins is operating “instead” of Christ and is blasphemous.
The Bible defines blasphemy as a man claiming to forgive sins
When He saw their faith, He said to him,
“Man, your sins are forgiven you.”
And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Luke 5:21
The papacy has set up a non-biblical confessional for people to get their sins forgiven.
The Bible tells us we have direct access to Jesus:
Let us therefore comeboldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16
Jesus said, our confession for the forgiveness of sins is tied directly to God and not another
“If we confess our sins, he (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”
1 John 1:9.
The priest and the one confessing truly believe that sins are being forgiven by the priest:
“Does the Priest truly forgive the sins, or does he only declare that they are remitted? The Priest does really and truly forgive the sins in virtue of the power given to him by Christ.”
Joseph Deharbe, S.J., A Complete Catechism of the Catholic Religion (New York: Schwartz, Kirwin & Fauss, 1924), p. 279.
And he also claims to be God………….
“We [the popes] hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty.”
Christopher Marcellus, Oration in the Fifth Lateran Council, Session IV (1512), manuscript SC, Vol. 32, col. 761 (Latin).
“Thou art another God on earth.”
Pope Leo XIII, Encyclical Letter “The Reunion of Christendom,” dated June 20, 1894, trans. in The Great Encyclical letters of Pope Leo XIII (New York: Benziger, 1903), p. 304.
“The pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ, Himself, hidden under the veil of flesh.”
Catholic National, July 1895.
Truly the little horn (the papacy) speaks great words “in place” of God himself.
7. (Roots in paganism & its practices) It would emerge from Pagan Rome (Verse, 8)
There is little doubt here, but to let Rome answer for themselves.
“The mighty Catholic Church was little more than the Roman Empire baptized… The very capital of the old Roman Empire became the capital of the Christian empire. The office of Pontifex Maximus was continued in that of the pope.”
Alexander Clarence Flick, The Rise of the Medieval Church, pp. 148, 149.
“Whatever Roman elements the barbarians and Arians left … [came] under the protection of the Bishop of Rome, who was the chief person there after the emperor’s disappearance. The Roman Church in this way privily pushed itself into the place of the Roman World-Empire, of which it is the actual continuation.”
Adolf Harnack, What is Christianity? (New York: Putnam, second edition, revised, 1901), pp. 269, 270.
8. (Activity and time span) It would wear out the Saints for “times, time, and dividing a time” (Verse 25)
I am going to save this time prophecy until next time so I can spend more dedicated time on confirming its accuracy. We will see that the rule of the papacy started from 538 AD (the last opposing power against the papacy is conquered) and ended in 1798 (The pope is taken into captivity and dies). A period of 1, 260 years as predicted by God’s word. The Bible says after this time that the “wound would be healed” and this is the time we now live in. The time of the healed papacy that is daily ascending in power and recognition. The news and internet confirm this.
9. (Attempts to change God’s word) It would “THINK” to change times and laws (Verse 25)
The papacy has made several changes to the Holy Scripture, but most importantly to the eternal law contained in the ten commandments. More specifically, the 2nd commandment has been eliminated, the 4th commandment changed, and the 10th commandment divided into two commandments.
This is despite warnings from Jesus and many of the writers of the Bible. Here are just a couple of verses:
From Jesus (the lawgiver)
For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot orone tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5: 18-19
Even the smallest punctuation mark cannot be changed. Whoever teaches anything different is in danger. How can the Pope have authority to change anything regarding the eternal law of God?
Wherefore the lawisholy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Romans 7:12
The Roman Catholic church may “think” to change God’s law, but His law is still the same. It is still a sin to transgress even the smallest of its precepts.
To demonstrate this attempted change, I have listed the 10 commandments (in summary) as described in the Catechism. This is the official book of the Catholics to teach new converts:
I am the LORD your God. You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.
Honor your father and your mother.
You shall not kill.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
Now, compare the 10 commandments as found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5:
You shall have no other gods before Me.
You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.
A careful comparative review will show that the Roman Catholic church leaders eliminated the 2nd commandment completely and divided the last commandment into two. Why?
Part of the Roman Catholic worship is to pray to the”saints” and little figurines that represent them. While this may seem harmless, it is a direct breaking of the 2nd commandment as given directly to mankind through Moses. It is also against the spirit of worship of praying directly to the Father through the Holy Spirit. If the practice of praying to saints in front of their image is harmless, then let the Pope reinstate the 2nd commandment
They have also changed the 4th Commandment as proof of the church’s authority to do so:
If you were to convert to Catholicism, you would be taught the following….not from the Bible, but from the church’s commentary on the Bible:
In the Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, we read: Q. Which is the Sabbath day?
A. Saturday is the Sabbath day. Q. Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday? A. We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea, (AD 336) transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday…. Q. Why did the Catholic Church substitute Sunday for Saturday? A. The Church substituted Sunday for Saturday, because Christ rose from the dead on a Sunday, and the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles on a Sunday. Q. By what authority did the Church substitute Sunday for Saturday? A. The Church substituted Sunday for Saturday by the plenitude of that divine power which Jesus Christ bestowed upon her! —Rev. Peter Geiermann, C.SS.R., (1946), p. 50.
My Friends, brothers, and sisters in Christ. The little horn power has done more than change a jot (a period) and a title (comma), which Jesus said was forbidden. It has taken a harsh chiselto the immutable law of God.
But, those who would go by God’s word alone (Sola Scriptura) are clearly identified as those who oppose the work of the little horn and honor every word of God’s unchanging law. It is out of love for God and fellow man that they respect the word of God over any power who would speak great things “in place”of God:
And the dragon (Satan) was enraged with the woman (church), and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keepthecommandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 12:17
Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keepthecommandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Revelation 14:12
The final conflict between the little horn (Papacy) and those who oppose its work, will be those who honor every word of God’s commandments
‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
Matthew 4:4
It is a sad commentary that many Protestant churches today wonder after and follow the little horn power by minimizing the law of God and looking for another power to be the little horn power. For a more complete study on God’s law, please go to the category “God’s Will For Us.”
In the next study, we will layer in more detail concerning the time prophecy found in Daniel 7 and then look at Daniel Chapter 8. We will then bring in the companion verses of Revelation. The key to unlocking the prophecies of Revelation are found in Daniel. As we will see, John saw many of the same things as Daniel.
“I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things:
Daniel 7: 15:16
Daniel 2 Review:
In Daniel 2, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that he did not understand and it troubled him greatly. None of the wise men, I call the “Fakers,” were able to help the King. But God used Daniel and his three companions to both remind the king of his dream and give him the interpretation.
This interpretation comes straight from Daniel and needs “no private interpretation.”
Quite simply, Daniel told the king that four (4) great powers would arise. He identified the first two in scripture as Babylon, then the dual kingdom of the Medes and Persians. After Daniel’s time, the other two powers appear on the scene as history tells us: Greece (Belly and thighs of brass) and finally Rome (Legs of iron).
Rome was the ruling power when Jesus was on the earth teaching and dying for our sins. It was a Roman decree and a Roman cross upon which our Lord died. Rome continued to rule as the disciples went out in the power of the Holy Spirit and built up the church.
Also during this time, the church began to be persecuted as we will see later.
The king’s dream does not stop here. The legs of iron are followed by the feet and toes of iron and part clay. This identifies the fall of Rome into 10 divisions, partly strong and partly weak. Three divisions were wiped out and there are current European countries that have roots in these tribes, but there were three, as predicted in the book of Daniel that would be completely destroyed by the Papacy: The Heruli, Vandals and Ostrogoths.
The prophecy ends with these startling words:
And in the days of these kings (The old division of Rome or what we now call Europe) the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”
Daniel 2: 44-45
Over and over, the Bible talks of the 2nd coming as a time of destruction from the Lord. More specifically, it is described as follows:
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
2 Peter 3:10
It also includes the unsaved:
…turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;
2 Peter 2:6
“For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the Lord of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch.
Malachi 4:1
So when all the kingdoms of the earth are destroyed, God will create a new heaven (old destroyed) and new earth (old destroyed) and the “Rock” and God’s kingdom will fill the who earth. God will be our God and we will be his people.
“For behold, I create newheavens and a newearth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.”
Isaiah 65:17
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of Godis with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shallbe His people.God Himself will be with them and be their God.
In Daniel 7, another dream or vision is given. But this time, it is given to Daniel. Like king Nebuchadnezzar, the dream troubles Daniel and he does not know what it means. But, it is interpreted for him by the attending angels.
Like Daniel 2, we will let the Bible interpret itself and then we will check it out through history.
In this vision of Daniel, we will see that God has a way of revealing the truth and the future in a way as to prepare the heart to receive it. Daniel 7 is a principal of repeating and expanding. We will see the same four powers, but with more detail concerning the nature of the powers and we will see the introduction of a terrible power that comes from one of the powers described by Daniel 2.
A verse comes to mind as I write this introduction. Jesus said to His disciples the principal I just described of preparing the heart for truth:
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.”
John 16:12
The apostle Paul said something very similar:
I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able
1 Corinthians 3:2
In the Christian walk, especially as we interact with new Christians, we should be careful to give truth only as they are ready to receive it. We are to be:
…wise like snakes and gentle like doves.
Matthew 10:16
This vision of Daniel 7 is like meat. It will be new to many who read this and you might not be ready to receive it or digest it, but the words are certain and can be supported by the Bible and history. As we begin, pray for the Spirit of Truth and let the story reveal itself to you. Keep in mind, you have a loving and forgiving Savior who desires you to find peace and comfort in Him and his revelation.
The book of Daniel is about 4 animals that give fear and wonder to Daniel. But, he is particularly interested in the fourth beast and the little horn power. The interpretation is given to Daniel and it goes way beyond the time he is living even until the coming judgment of planet earth.
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.
Daniel 7:1
This first verse is important because it gives the time and Daniel’s dream. The first year of Belshazzar would be 540 BC.
Here is what Daniel saw that year:
“I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.”
Verse 2 and 3
As the beasts are described, they look something like below. Very strange! Wouldn’t you agree? They are animals with something unusual about each.
When we read and study the Bible, we should read it as literal unless there is some overall reason to apply symbolism. Here we have good reason to apply the rule of symbolism because of the description of the beasts, but even more important the interpretation is given by the Bible itself for these symbols of great beasts. To do otherwise is to lose the message God is giving us. Is that a fair statement? I will explain as we go along.
To help us with the beginning of this prophecy, let’s look at some passages that unlock the symbolic meaning of this prophecy and others. In Daniel’s vision, he is seeing “the four winds stir up the Great Sea.”
What do the four winds and the Great Sea represent?
Revelation describes the four winds in this passage:
After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree…”Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”
Revelation 7:1, 3
From this passage in Revelation, we can see that the 4 winds represent turmoil, strife, destruction. Another passage supports this interpretation:
Thus says the Lord of hosts:
“Behold, disaster shall go forth From nation to nation, And a great whirlwind shall be raised up From the farthest parts of the earth.”
Jeremiah 25:32
Even more important is the self-interpretation from this Chapter about the beasts. In its interpretation we can see logically that the winds and sea would indeed represent nations arising out of turmoil and wars:
What are the four beasts? Let’s let the angel of Daniel 7 tell us:
“Those great beasts, which are four, arefour kings which arise out of the earth.”
Daniel 7:17
If four kings or kingdoms arise, where do they come from? The sea of people and the winds of war.
So early in this prophecy, we can conclude that Daniel is seeing four kingdoms arise from the many people and the results of conquering wars. It is interesting that King Nebuchadnezzar also saw four kingdoms: Babylon, Medes/Persia, Greece, and Rome. Then Rome is divided into 10 kingdoms. It is in the days of these kingdoms that our Lord sets up his kingdom that shall never be destroyed by wars or strife.
Daniel goes on to describe the four beasts in more detail:
The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
Daniel 7: 4
The wings represent the rapidity by which Babylon conquered its foes under king Nebuchadnezzar. But, the wings are plucked and a man’s heart is given to it. The boldness of the Lion wanes as it comes to a close of its earthly domination. The man’s heart compared to the Lion illustrates the weakness that came about as it lay dormant and exposed caused by wealth and luxury.
It is now a perfect target for the next power to arise and take its place. This power is the dual kingdom of the Medes and the Persians and is represented by the bear that raised itself up on one side and had three ribs between its teeth.
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.
Daniel 7:5
Eventually, the Persians dominated the kingdom and became stronger than the Medes. They came up “last” as we will see in the prophecy in the 8th Chapter. The Persians also become the dominant power. The command to devour much flesh was obeyed and it left nothing but three bones. These represent the three conquests of the Medes and Persians: Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt
This power represented by the bear ruled from the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus in 538 BC to the battle of Arbela in 331 BC. A time span of 207 years. It fell to the next kingdom represented by the four-headed leopard with four wings of a fowl,
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.
Daniel 7:6
If two wings represent speed, then 4 wings on the quick-footed leopard must represent an extremely rapid course of conquests for the next kingdom of Greece under Alexander the Great. This corresponds with the Daniel 2 prophecy and history.
Alexander has no parallel in historic annals for suddenness and rapidity.
Rollin, Ancient History, b.15, sec.2, gives the following brief synopsis of Alexander’s marches:-
“From Macedonia to the Ganges, which river Alexander nearly approached, is computed at least eleven hundred leagues. Add to this the various turnings in Alexander’s marches; first, from the extremity of Cilicia, where the battle of Issus was fought, to the temple of Jupiter Ammon in Libya; and his returning from thence to Tyre, a journey of three hundred leagues at least, and as much space at least for the windings of his route in different places; we shall find that Alexander, in less than eight years, marched his army upward of seventeen hundred leagues [or more than fifty-one hundred miles], without including his return to Babylon”
Alexander the Great began his conquests at age 20 and lived to reign only about 11 1/2 years more. He died at age 32 and was succeeded by his father Philip II. Alexander spent his life in the fast lane of wars and debauchery.
Alexander’s empire was divided among his four leading generals:
Cassander(Macedon and Greece in the west)
Lysimachus (Thrace and parts of Asia on the Hellespont and Bosphorus in the North
Ptolemy (Egypt, Lydia, Arabia, Palestine, and Coele Syria in the south)
Seleucus(Syria and all the rest of Alexander’s dominions in the east.)
Next to arise on the world scene is Rome illustrated as the “dreadful” and terrible beast.” It was different from the other powers and it had ten horns corresponding to the 10 toes of Daniel 2:
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.
Daniel 7: 7
There is not a beast in nature that Daniel can use to describe this fourth beast and how “dreadful and terrible” it is. It’s great teeth devour and brake to pieces the other countries. The only description that has a recognizable feature is its 10 horns. Again, the same number of the 10 toes of part iron and part clay of Daniel 2.
The nature of Rome was cruel. They perfected the tortuous death of crucifixion believed to have been invented by the Persians. Death by crucifixion could last up to 6 days! It was on a cruel Roman cross that Jesus took the shamefulness of our sins upon himself. This act by the Creator was the ultimate demonstration of the sacrificial love for His creation. It was part of the good news. But, the fact that Jesus arose a victor over the death of the cross is part of the good news message. The other part is that Jesus was resurrected and will one day return to change our mortal bodies into immortal bodies and to rescue us forever from the pull and presence of sin (1 Corinthians 15). The good news cannot be captured by a list of events in the life of Jesus. it is an experience initiated and propelled by the Lord and the work of the Holy Spirit.
We will end Part 1 with a description by Daniel of the 10 horns and the little horn that arose:
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.
Daniel 7:20
Who was this final power that captured the attention of Daniel? This horn had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things and was more stout than the others.
This horn displaces three horns and speaks great things. This power exists today! It will bring the final deception of many people on this earth. In the next post we will discover the identity of the little horn and how it is described in Revelation 13 as the Beast that the “whole world wonders after.”
Despite the little horn’s power, we can trust in the One who is greater. Terrible times will come, but we can find peace in our Lord both day and night.
“By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.”
