Daniel Chapter 7 Part 2
The 10 Horns and one more…
From here on, the vision of the 4th beast jumps into the future. Follow closely, as there are many details in the next few verses about the Antichrist and his empire. In this part 2, we will study first the verses on the 10 horns and the little horn, the Antichrist:
The Vision:
DAN.7:7 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.
DAN.7:8 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.
DAN.7:11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
Interpretation:
DAN.7:20 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.
DAN.7:21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
DAN.7:24 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.
DAN.7:25 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.
What is the major subject of this 7th chapter of Daniel? The Antichrist; and don't forget his empire also. He wouldn't be anything without his empire.
However, other empires are mentioned here. Since they precede the final empire, they provide the setting and make it easier to identify specifically the final empire. And on the fourth beast’s head were ten horns. If you remember, the image in Daniel 2 had ten toes. We can assume that the ten horns and ten toes represent the same ten nations. Ten horns are also found on the final head of a horrible seven-headed beast described in the book of Revelation, chapter 17:
“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” (REV.17:12, 13)
If these are the same ten kingdoms, which it seems they are, then these ten horns on this dreadful fourth beast are ten kings or kingdoms that are very closely related to the Antichrist Empire in the end time. These will cooperate and work with him! And just like the ten toes in Daniel 2, these ten horns are ten nations that have their roots in the old Roman Empire. Much of modern-day Europe, the Middle-East and North Africa were once part of the Roman Empire, and therefore there is a case to be made from chapter 7 of Daniel that these ten kings and kingdoms will arise from that same geographical area. The traditional and prevalent interpretation has long been that this league of ten nations will be from Europe.
Recently however, some speculate that these end time nations, which are symbolised in these 10 horns and from which the antichrist little horn came up from, could also be Islamic countries from the Middle East and North Africa and could form the core of the future antichrist world government. As time marches on, no doubt the picture will become clearer.
Often Bible’s predictions make no sense until the actual event begin to occur; then we will remember them and it will stimulate our faith in them. We are not trying here to identify the final world leader or its empire; when the time comes, there will be no need to speculate. For the moment, we at least know that ten nations will unite with the Antichrist as explained in Revelation chapter 17.
This eleventh horn, at first smaller than the others, appears and then grows greater than them all. In this new horn are found the eyes of a man, and he speaks pompous words. In the book of Revelation, we are told:
**Rev.13:5–7 and there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them…
And Paul wrote to the Thessalonians:
**2TH.2:3, 4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
The "eyes like a man" and "a mouth speaking great things" show that the ultimate fulfilment of this little horn will be personified in an individual—the coming world dictator or beast as he is called in Revelation 13:3-7. The little horn that became greater than his fellows — and can really signify no other personage than the coming Antichrist — pulls out three of the other ten horns by the roots. It sounds violent. The leaders of these three kingdoms most likely oppose the Antichrist, and for that they are uprooted from power. The beast in Revelation, however, has all ten horns as the final events of the End time unfold, so it follows that the three that are uprooted must be replaced with leaders who are allied to the Antichrist.
Daniel sees to his horror that the Antichrist persecutes and makes war against the saints, the people of God, for “a time and times, and the dividing of time.” We are also told of this war and persecution in the book of Revelation lasting forty-two months (Rev.13:5–7) or three and a half years, in other words. This coming Antichrist will be an absolute dictatorial, authoritarian emperor. His empire will have the same spirit as the old Roman Empire, in that it will persecute Christians and fight the Saints, just like ancient Rome did!
The length of this period is repeated a number of times in the Books of Daniel and Revelation, and it covers the time known to us as the Great Tribulation, the second half of the Antichrist’s reign that immediately precedes Jesus’ second coming. It is not a pleasant time on Earth. In a later message given by an angel to Daniel it is described as “a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time”:
**DAN.12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
**DAN.12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
**Mk.13:20 except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elects’ sake (or the saints), whom he hath chosen, He hath shortened the days.
The Lord couldn't be any more specific about the length and duration of the Tribulation period, surely for the sake of God’s children: they will know that it's only going to last so long and then it will be over -- 3-1/2 Years and no longer!
This man has an agenda. He hates God. He will change the very laws of mankind in an attempt to legislate God right out of our midst. The dream of the atheist will seem, for a time, to come true. It will also be made illegal to worship God, and the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. Those who attempt to worship Him will be persecuted mercilessly. He will not introduce himself to the world, as "Good day, people of the world, I am the Antichrist." He will be subtle in the beginning. There are, by the way, actually two meanings of "antichrist": one is “AGAINST Christ" and the other is to "IMITATE Christ." He is not only against our Lord, but he also pretends initially to be a "good leader" - This is the real wolf in sheep’s clothing.
The Antichrist not only makes war, but to Daniel it looks as though he is winning the war, prevailing against God’s people. The beast is going to overcome the church; at least her temporal power will be destroyed --its buildings, organisations and money. (v.21 and 25).
But It doesn't say he will destroy the holy people, there's a definite distinction there, but he will destroy their power! And even that, not completely. Later on in Daniel chapter 12 verse 7, it says that he shall “scatter the power of the holy people”, in other words, weaken it and scatter it, so that they no longer have much power or influence in the World, in politics and governments, etc. Then he'll be able to take over. We know he can't destroy all the holy people, because verses 18, 22 and 27 state, “the saints of the Most High shall take…and possess the kingdom...[and] it shall be given to them.”
And in the process he intends to change times and laws. Changing and bringing in new laws is a common practice used by dictators to reinforce their rule or to oppress their opponents. But what is meant by the “changing times” phrase is unclear at this point. The important thing to note: God stops the Antichrist and judges in favor of the saints. For a time it might seem that the Antichrist is unstoppable as he rages across the world’s stage, but that is only an illusion. God has him in His sights and will only allow him to go so far. The world has seen tyrants before, but admittedly not one as monstrous as this. But like all that have gone before him, he shall meet his doom:
“I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.” v.11
To summarize, this fourth beast has 3 stages: the 1st stage symbolises the old Roman empire which, according to secular history, conquered the Greek empire. In the 2nd stage, the ten End Time horns (kings or nations) that grow out of the 4th beast’s head will cooperate and give their power to the Antichrist. And finally, the 3rd stage is the little horn that "came up from among them” v.8 who represents the Antichrist himself and his world government.
Why would God devote almost two entire books, plus multitudes of other prophecies throughout the Bible, just to these few years of the End Time? Do you think He doesn't want us to be deceived along with the rest of the world? Do you think He wants us to be prepared?
He certainly does! This of course is the purpose of Bible’s prophecies, to prepare you for the future, so that you will not be in ignorance or found in darkness, as the Apostle Paul said. But rather you are the children of light and these things will not come upon you as a thief in the night, unexpected or by surprise. (1Th.5:4, 5) You will have no mighty widening of the eyes, as those who are not aware of the signs of the times, but you will see them in advance, you will recognise these events because you have prepared for it in your heart for years with your study and knowledge of His Word.
THE FORCES OF EVIL WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO COMPLETELY DESTROY GOD’S CHILDREN.
In spite of innumerable major persecutions, they have never been stopped. In spite of all the wrath and atrocities bestial man will bring against God’s children during the Great Tribulation, (the coming three-and-a-half-year worldwide reign of terror against people of all faiths by the devilish dictatorship of the Antichrist and his regime) multitudes of us Christians will still be here to joyously welcome Christ’s triumphant re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere. He’s the only One who can stop us, and He will stop us then for a little while to take us home for a party, the marriage supper of the Lamb in Heaven! Then we’ll come back here and put a stop to the reign of the wicked! (Revelation chapter 19).
Don’t feel defeated, don’t get discouraged, and don’t worry. No matter what the enemies of Christ do, they can never stop us completely. As Martin Luther (1483–1546) said, “We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us!” We can’t fail, because Jesus is on our side. There will always be some of His children somewhere in the world as a witness right up to the very end!
Be ready for these events. You can receive Jesus at this very moment. It is a free gift of God. He says: “Behold, I stand at the door (of your heart), and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
Please pray this simple prayer: “Jesus, please forgive all my faults. I want to know You personally, so I invite You to come into my life, into my heart. Thank you for giving Your life for me so I could be forgiven of my sins, find peace of heart and mind here and now and receive God’s gift of eternal life. Amen.”
Designed, compiled and edited by Gaetan from multiple sources. gaetan.goye@gmail.com