Teachinghearts |
The Little Horn (Daniel 8)
The Antichrist
"Explore the Word. Change the World"
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Lesson 12:
Time: 40 minutes
Print: 8 pages |
Background
We postponed the study of the Little horn from Daniel 7 and Daniel 8, and we left the following questions unanswered.
- What power arose in Europe after 476 A.D. by uprooting three nations?
- How was that power different from the four preceding kingdoms (and the other ten kingdoms)?
- Who or what is the little horn?
- How is the little horn related to the Antichrist of 2 Thessalonians 2?
The Little Horn
Political: Identifying the Little Horn of Daniel 7
This power is identified in several prophecies.
The following points from Daniel 7 will help us to identify the little horn power.
- Origin in Europe. It came up among the ten horns on the head of the fourth beast. (verses 8, 20, 24). This is the Roman Empire.
- Powerful after Roman Empire Breaks up. It would arise after the ten horns. (verse 24). Therefore, it would arise after Rome fell in A.D. 476.
- Three Nations Removed in its Rise. Three of the ten kingdoms would be displaced by his rise to power. (verses 8, 20, 24)
The Bible says "He shall subdue three kings".
- Different. "He was diverse from the former" (verse 24).
Therefore it was different from the previous ten kings.
The ten were political organizations only. This little horn would claim authority like God.
- Human. It would have "eyes like a man". (verses 8, 20). Throughout the Bible, eyes are a symbol of divine intelligence. This horn has "eyes", not of God, but of man. It is guided by human intelligence, human leadership, and human authority.
With a man as leader, it usurps God's leadership.
- Arrogant, Blasphemous. It would have a "mouth speaking great things" and "shall speak great words against the most High" (verse 25). The little horn power would speak great, or pompous things, and would speak out against God.
| Time | Prophetic Time | Real
Years |
| Years | Months | Days |
| » | Time | 1 | 12 | 360 | 360 |
|---|
| » | Times | 2 | 24 | 720 | 720 |
|---|
| » | ½ Time | ½ | 6 | 180 | 180 |
|---|
| Time, Times and half a time | 3½ | 42 | 1260 | 1260 |
|---|
- Rules 1260 Years. It would last for "a time, times and the dividing of times". (verse 25)
Understanding that a month in the Bible is based upon a lunar calendar where one month is approximately thirty days.
the actual number of years are shown in the table.
- Daniel 7: 25 defines a "time" as one year. Seven times passed for Nebuchadnezzar. He acted like a beast for seven years.
- Revelation 12: 14. Uses similar terminology to define the period of the persecution of God's church, as symbolized by a woman. "Time, times and half a time"
- Revelation 12: 6. Describes this period as 1260 days.
- Revelation 13: 5. Describes this period as forty two months.
- Ezekiel 4: 4-6. God shows the principle that in prophetic applications, a day is defined as a year.
- Persecutes. The little horn power would have dominion and persecute God's saints (wear out the Saints) for 1260 years. (verse 25).
- Changes Times and Laws. It would "think to change times and laws" (verse 25).
The little horn power would be both a political and a religious power.
In the context of speaking great things against God, and of persecuting the saints of God, it would also think to change "Times and Laws".
The only commandment that deals with time is the fourth commandment which regulates the Sabbath.
- Destroyed by God. It would be destroyed by God. Therefore, it would be powerful until the Second Coming.
An enlargement of this prophecy in Revelation 13 shows that it would suffer a temporary downfall before it would conquer the world again.
| The Vatican (The Holy See) |
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It sits on about 160 acres in Italy, with a population of about 780.
But it has its own currency, army and postage. It has ambassadors to almost every country, influences governments and is represented in the United Nation.
It is truly a mighty, little horn.
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History of The Papacy
History gives only one possibility for the identity of the little horn power.
The Bible unmistakably points to the Roman Papacy of the middle ages as the little horn of Daniel 7.
The Roman Empire finally "fell" in 476 A.D. Just after the ten kingdoms of Europe arose, a Christian church, the Roman papacy, was established as a state entity.
This church state grew over several centuries and rose to prominence in Western Europe.
It came into existence exactly when the prophecy said it would and lost its power 1260 years later.
- Three Kingdoms Removed to Establish his Power.
Of the ten divisions of the Roman Empire, three of the Germanic tribes were destroyed (uprooted) in Italy by the rise of the Roman papacy. These were the Heruli, Ostrogoths, and the Vandals.
This is just as Daniel predicted would happen by the little horn power.
The other seven tribes can still be found in Europe today.
- Mighty But Not by His own Power.
It is a fact that the church used the armies of the state to enforce its laws.
It was mighty, without having an army of its own. It has powerful influence over the leaders of the world.
There has never been a similar power in history. Here is Pope Clement V's rebuke of King Edward II.
We hear that you forbid torture as contrary to the laws of your land. But no state law can override [the Church's] canon law, our law. Therefore I command you at once to submit those men to torture.
Will Durant, The Story of Civilization, Volume 4, page 680.
In addition, no other current power in history can trace its unbroken succession to such an early time.
This will be important to remember in the prophecies of Revelation.
After the papacy suffered a reversal of fortunes in 1798 it began to be restored to power by the Lateran Treaty of 1929.
This is important to the prophecy of Revelation 13 which spoke about the beast power receiving a deadly wound which was later healed.
It received this wound at about the time that a new power from a different place, the final world power would be rising.
It will use this government in the final persecution.
- Rules 1260 Years.
He describes the length of the little horn's reign in history and the nature of the apostasy in its attempt to destroy the church.
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, times and the dividing of a time.
(Daniel 7: 25)
We have seen that this time period is 1260 years. History shows that the papacy was established in power in 538 A.D., by decree of Justinian, when the last of the three kings, the Ostrogoths, was uprooted from Rome. Exactly 1260 years later, in 1798, the papacy came to a temporary end when the Pope was taken captive and died during the French Revolution.
The following chart illustrates the 1260 years of papal rule from 538 AD to 1798 when Napoleon's general Berthier took Pope Pius VI captive and temporarily ended the union of church and state embodied in the Roman Church.
| 457 B.C. |
2300 days (Daniel 8: 14)
| Restrained | 1335 days (Daniel 12) |
|---|
| 1290 days | Transgressors
Finished |
|---|
| Rising to Power | 1260 days Persecution |
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| 508 A.D. | 538 | Pope imprisoned (1798) | 1843 |
| 1844 |
Time of the end
| Insolent King |
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| Persecution |
|---|
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- Persecutes.
The Bible says. "... and he shall wear out the saints of the most High". This can only refer to persecution.
Historians tell us that as many as 100 million people died at the hands of popes and priests during the dark ages
for refusing to recant their faith and accept strict "Catholicism".
The church organized, instigated or approved of many persecutions
in the crusades and the inquisition.
These campaigns were an effort to enforce religion on the people.
The church may by Divine right confiscate the property of heretics, imprison their persons, and condemn them to the flames. Vatican II
- It is Different.
The Bible says this power was "diverse" or different from the powers before it. This was the first time in history that a church - state arose slashing the sword in the name of Christ.
It was a combination of spiritual and political power that would rule from Rome in the place of the ancient emperors.
It could order nations to do its will without having its own army.
It could cause citizens to rise up against their governments.
It could put whole nations and regions in fear through its interdicts.
This is the power of the Roman Church.
No other, little power without an army ever held so much power.
- Changes Times and Laws.
The nature of his deception is aimed at the law of God:
Daniel says, "... and he shall think to change times and laws". (Daniel 7: 25)
The papacy has taken responsibility for changing the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday by its own authority.
The Pope has the power to change times, to abrogate laws, and to dispense with all things, even the precepts of Christ." "The Pope has the authority and often exercised it, to dispense with the command of Christ." Decretal, de Tranlatic Episcopal Caption (The Pope can modify divine law.) Ferraris' Ecclesiastical Dictionary.
When someone meddles with God's law, he is meddling with God. His law is an expression of His character and claim as Creator. The Bible tells us that Jesus was God in the flesh. If anyone had a right to change God's law, Jesus did.
Yet Jesus warned:
"Do not suppose that I have come to do away with the law or the prophets. I have not come to do away with them but to enforce them. For I tell you, as long as heaven and earth endure, not one dotting of an "i" or the crossing of a "t" will be dropped from the law until all is observed."
(Matthew 5:17-18 from the Goodspeed Translation)
A Law about Time.
Daniel says "he would think to change times and laws".
Now this is interesting! There is only one commandment which God tells us to remember in relation to time. This is not because the others are not important. It is because He saw the day when the Christian church would forget it. It also is because it is the special sign that He is the Creator and the giver of rest in our lives. In remembering the Sabbath, we are, in fact, remembering Him.
God said in the fourth commandment:
"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 not do any work ... : for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and sanctified it."
(Exodus 20: 8-11)
History tells us that the Roman Church was instrumental in the departure over time from remembering the Sabbath as commanded in the fourth commandment. The church acknowledges her role in that.
Read the history of the change.
- Arrogant Words (Blasphemes).
This involves the sin of claiming to be God and claiming to forgive sins.
The papacy has claimed to forgive sins and that they are god on earth.
Here is a list of many quotes that prove the papal claim to these powers.
And God himself is obliged to abide by the judgment of his priest and either not to pardon or to pardon, according as they refuse to give absolution, provided the penitent is capable of it." Liguori, Duties and Dignities of the Priest, page 27
Religious: Creating a False Sanctuary System (The Little Horn of Daniel 8)
| Ministry of Christ Destroyed |
|---|
| Year | History |
|---|
| 585 | Strict Sunday worship (second Synod of Macon) |
| 593 | Purgatory |
| 600 | Prayers to saints and Mary |
| 750 | Pope speaks for God |
| 788 | Worship of images, relics, cross |
| 995 | Canonization of dead saints |
| 1050 | Mass |
| 1090 | Rosary |
| 1190 | Indulgences |
| 1215 | Transubstantiation |
| 1215 | Priest confession |
| 1229 | Bible forbidden |
| 1545 | Tradition above the Bible |
| 1546 | Apocrypha added to the Bible |
| 1870 | Papal infallibility |
| 1997? | An emerging doctrine. Mary as coredeemer, mediator and advocate |
Daniel 8 showed the same powers from a more religious context.
The main theme of this chapter shows how all these powers attacked God.
There were two phases of the Little Horn in its attacks.
- Horizontal Attack. The political conquest of Pagan Rome. (Verse 9)
toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.
We know from chapters 2 and 7, that the fourth kingdom was the Roman Empire. Here, we get more information describing the political conquest of Pagan Rome in relation to the Mediterranean Sea.
Rome conquered the following places.
- Toward the South. Conquered northern Africa, and Egypt.
- Toward the East. Conquered Greece, Babylon and others.
- Toward the Pleasant Land. Conquered Israel (Palestine).
- Vertical Attack. The spiritual assault of Papal Rome. (Verse 10,12).
- Caused the stars (righteous) to fall and trampled them.
- Claimed to be equal with Christ.
- Corrupted the continual ministry of Christ.
- Replaced the foundation of the sanctuary.
- Transgressed.
- Threw truth to the ground.
There were several attacks of the little horn during its vertical or spiritual phase.
While the symbols used in Daniel 7 were political. Daniel 8 used religious symbols to describe the same period.
The attack on His people was not only political, it was also an attack on their religion and their God.
- Destructive. The little horn caused some of the stars to fall, and it trampled on them. (verse 10). It destroys the mighty and the holy people (verse 24) and shall destroy many. (verse 25).
This power would challenge heaven. The stars represent God's people. Daniel 12:3 Genesis 15:5 Deuteronomy 1:10
- Equal to Christ. The little horn claimed to be equal with, or "magnified himself even to" Christ (verses 11 and 25).
The Prince of Heaven is Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 9: 6).
- Another Priesthood. The little horn subverted the continual ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. (verse 11).
The term "sacrifices" is not found in the Hebrew. Because of this, many Bible translators have added this word in italics. The phrase should actually read "the daily" or "the continual". The Hebrew word used in Daniel 8: 11 TAMIYD, means the "continual". It is a word used to describe the continual work and mediation of the high priest.
And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goes in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually. (Exodus 28: 30)
Urim means "lights". It is a synonym for stars. Thummim means "perfect ones".
Hebrews describes Jesus' "Tamiyd" or continual ministry in heaven.
The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office;
but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.
Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
(Hebrews 7: 25)
Jesus is our Only High Priest.
The New Testament teaches that Jesus Christ is our only High Priest and Mediator.
Mediator. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2: 5)
High Priest. Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and High Priest of our confession. (Hebrews 3: 1)
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have an high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
(Hebrews 4: 14-16)
Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. (Hebrews 8: 1)
| Who is our Intercessor? |
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| Mary | Jesus |
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| Jesus is our only Intercessor |
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The point is that the little horn power took away the continual ministry of Christ as High Priest, by subverting His role as the divinely appointed Mediator who pardons sin.
In fact, they not only took away this role, they maligned God in the process.
The following quotes are from a book: The Glories of Mary by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori. The church has declared that his writings have nothing that is worthy of censure.
"Sometimes we shall be heard sooner by invoking the intercession of Mary than by praying to Jesus our Savior". (Page 209)
"her Son, the Judge of the world, cannot bring Himself to condemn the criminals whom she defends",
and that (page 193) "when God is angry with a sinner whom Mary takes under her protection, she restrains her Son, that He may not inflict chastisement, and saves the sinner". (Page 282)
"It is the opinion of many, and I hold the opinion to be true and indubitable, that all God's graces are dispensed through the hands of Mary, and that all the elect are brought to salvation through the divine mother. In conformity with this opinion, it may be said that the salvation of all depends on preaching devotion to Mary, and confidence in her intercession."
Since God cannot change His laws, the beautiful picture of God is that He lovingly protects us from the penalty of His own law by taking the punishment Himself.
It is God who protects us from the accusations of Satan and extends forgiveness and reconciliation to us.
- False Foundation. The "place of his sanctuary was cast down" by the little horn. (verse 11)
The Hebrew word for "place" in Daniel 8: 11 is MAKOWN, which means "fixed or established place", or "foundation". This same word (MAKOWN) is used in Psalm 97: 2.
Clouds and darkness are round about him; righteousness and judgment are the foundation of His throne. (Psalm 97: 2)
Pagan Rome destroyed the sanctuary in the fixed place in Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Papal Rome is trying to destroy the fixed sanctuary in heaven which is not a building but God (Revelation 21: 22).
The Church of Rome teaches that Peter is the foundation stone. The Bible teaches that Jesus is the foundation stone.
A Foundation of Apostles and Prophets.
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,
having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief corner stone. (Ephesians 2: 19-20)
A Foundation on Christ.
And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God.
You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
For this is contained in scripture:
"Behold I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and He who believes in Him will not be disappointed".
(1 Peter 2: 4-6)
Key Point: God's real sanctuary is in heaven. (Hebrew 8:1,2)
The little horn threw it down to the earth (Daniel 8:11).
It redirected man's attention to an ornately constructed, earthly counterfeit with ordinary sinful men as the intercessors.
- Sin. The little horn's activities are characterized as "transgression". (verse 12)
They actually advocate keeping the commandments that guide the activities between humans but their customs and traditions actually break the first four commandments which define the proper worship and respect for God.
By these actions they are trespassing because they are usurping territory that belongs exclusively to God and assigning them to ordinary men.
- One God. Their worship practices honor other people in only the way God should be honored.
The church denies this by saying that they have three levels of worship or honoring a person.
- Latria ("Adoration"). Worship belonging to God only.
- Hyperdulia ("Veneration"). Worship belonging to Mary.
- Dulia ("Veneration and Honor"). Worship belonging to saints, angels and relics.
John was forbidden from bowing before an angel.
Since they pray to these people and bow and kiss their statues or relics, the outward expression of worship is idolatry by any definition, name or form.
The church is playing a symantic word game with the meaning of the word "worship".
- No Idols. Their worship practices are indistinguishable from idolatry.
They bow to statues and relics and kiss them. Relics are physical objects that have a connection to Jesus, the apostles and the saints.
- First Class. These are body parts of the people (bones, ashes, blood, hair, sweat, teeth, nails).
- Second Class. These are objects that touched the people (clothes, chains, house, cup, wood, nail).
- Third Class. Modern objects that have touched a first or second class relic. These may be sold.
You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of what is in heaven above, or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
You shall not worship them or serve them ...
(Deuteronomy 5: 8-9)
- Name of the Lord. They encourage calling on the name of Mary and saints for answers to prayer.
- Sabbath. They changed the day of rest from Saturday to Sunday.
- Abolished the Word of God. The little horn threw truth to the ground (verse 12).
sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth. (John 17: 17).
In Daniel we see more details of the approaching apostasy in Christianity. Using a similar picture of a little horn growing strong, he wrote:
"And he magnified himself even to the prince of the host" (Jesus Christ), and
"... it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered."
(Daniel 8: 11-12)
The Bible is clear. The great struggle of the ages is not a battle against atheism and unbelief. Rather, opposition from without only proved to fan the fires of faith. The great apostasy is from within. Satan's great triumph is the corruption of Christianity.
The devil has hoodwinked the Christian world. The Antichrist has already come as an historical power in Christian Europe.
- Controls Other Powers. He will be mighty, but not by his own power (verse 24).
So far they have used the power of the state. The Bible also says that they will use the power of Satan (Revelation and 2 Thessalonians 2).
The Antichrist Revealed
The Insolent King.
In the latter period of their rule, when the transgressors have finished, a king will arise, insolent and skilled in intrigue.
His power will be mighty, but not by his own power, and he will destroy to an extraordinary degree
and prosper and perform its will. He will destroy mighty men and the holy people.
(Daniel 8: 23-24)
Daniel says that a terrible king will arise in the last days of their rule, even after they are finished.
So, although they are finished, it is still the time of their rule. This is when their most dangerous king emerges.
He will use the same resources of His ancestors.
Powerful.
He will be mighty by using the powers of another. The church will use the United States and the European Union.
Just as the prophecy of Daniel sometimes refers to the rule of one person, I believe that this will be the last pope and president.
Destructive. He will destroy the church in the final persecution.
The Antichrist.
At this point, we need to consider the parallel predictions in the New Testament regarding the experience of the Christian church and the coming of Antichrist.
Scholars have traditionally applied this to the book of Daniel 7.
But the imagery of being restrained, then rebuilt in Babylon comes from Zechariah 5.
Paul wrote warning believers of the coming Antichrist and his apostasy:
The Man of Sin. "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (the second coming of Jesus) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God (the church), showing himself that he is God."
Restrained. And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.
Revealed. Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming.
(2 Thessalonians 2: 3-4, 6-8)
- Apostasy. Paul warns of a falling away. The Greek for "falling away" is APOSTASIA which means literally "a falling away or departure from the purity of faith", or "an apostasy."
- Betrays God. The term "son of perdition" is given only one other place in Scripture, to describe Judas Iscariot, who betrayed our Lord. In other words, the popular Christianity would get caught up in a landslide apostasy and betray the essentials of the gospel while maintaining an outward form and profession of faithfulness.
- Lawless. The Bible says this leader would be a man called the "man of sin". In the original Greek, the phrase is "the man of lawlessness". Paul teaches here that he would stand in opposition to the law of God.
- Cloning God. The Bible says he sets himself up in the temple of God, as God.
In Ephesians 2: 19-22 Paul tells us that the temple of God is a symbol for the Church (made up of the believers). Paul teaches that this man of sin would actually take his "seat" of political authority in the church. And he would claim for himself the prerogatives of God.
Revelation 13 gives more detail on the final attempts to mutiny against God and set up a new sanctuary with new laws and a new covenant as an image that must be worshipped.
Paul warned the church at Ephesus of the coming apostasy:
"For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears."
(Acts 20: 29-31)
Paul warned about three things:
- External Forces. First, opposition from without. The damage of wolves as they attacked the sheep. He also saw satanic persecutions that would attempt to destroy the church. Yet the church would still survive.
- Internal Apostasy. The second problem would be more serious. This is Apostasy from Within. Men would arise speaking perverse ("crooked" or "twisted") things.
- Starts in Paul's Time. Third, the beginning of apostasy would come quickly. Paul said, "Of your own selves shall men arise."
John says the same thing.
And every spirit that does not confess Jesus Christ is not from God; this is the spirit of the Antichrist
of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.
(1 John 4: 3)
The Return of The Evil Woman
| Tree | Tree Cut Down for Seven Periods of Time | His Appointed Time of Return |
| Lion | Bear | Leopard | Terrible Beast | Little Horn | Judgment | Power Restored |
| Babylon |
Persia | Greece | Pagan Rome | Papal Rome | Communism |
1981 | Papal Rome | Babylon the Great |
| - | Zechariah | Woman under a lead cover | Temple rebuilt by 2 women | Sits in the Temple in the Land of Shinar |
| - | Daniel 8 | - | Transgressors Finished | Latter Part of Rule | Insolent King |
| - | Revelation 13 | - | 1798 | Wounded | Healed | Image to the Beast |
| - | Thessalonians | Restrained | Falling Away | Man of Sin | - | Sits in the Temple of God |
| - |
 |
The Antichrist (The False God) |
 |
The Image (Idol) |
Many other prophecies predicted the return of evil to the temple of God and the return of Babylon as Babylon the Great.
Most of these prophecies center on the political return of Babylon.
The prophecy in Zechariah even predicted that Babylon would return as an object of worship after a period of being subdued.
It combined both the religious and political nature of the revived Babylon.
By the time of Paul, Rome was still restraining the power even though it had already begun to gain power.
From the text it appears that it would rule after the restraints were removed until the Second Coming.
Only the Catholic church claims such a succession of power from the apostle Peter.
Only it has existed in a continuous rule from the time of Rome until the present time.
Revealed In His Time.
The political prophecies show that Babylon would return after 2520 years. This is their appointed time.
The religious prophecies show a return in two stages.
- Restraints Removed. After the collapse of Rome, it gave the western empire to the pope.
- Wounded. It would lose power temporarily until the temple was rebuilt.
- Healed. The church is healed at the same time the restraints are removed from the political arm of Babylon.
So that all restraints are removed from all the enemies of God at the same time and they became Babylon the Great in the Land of Shinar.
This is why we will see much more than the United States building military bases in Iraq and Israel.
The Catholic church will also gain a foothold in these places.
According to the prophecy of Zechariah, the religious power is put in place after her supporters rebuild her new temple.
As of 2005 we are just witnessing her supporters gain power and establishing themselves in the Holy Land.
But thank God, this return is only for a short time according to Revelation 17.
Therefore, the restoration and rebuilding should be rapid events.
Lawless.
Both powers that are Bablyon the great have no respect for the law and reign as absolute monarchs.
- Religious (Catholic Church). They changed the law of God and made up their own.
- Political (United States). The presidents use signing statements to exempt themselves from the laws that they are signing, to stop investigations, to prevent oversight and do whatever they want as absolute monarchs.
Judgment
The Roman Church prospered during the middle ages, just as the Bible had predicted. It prospered until something dramatic happened in Heaven.
As shown in Daniel 7: 8-14 and Daniel 8: 13-14, a judgment scene is seen taking place in heaven. Dominion is taken away from the little horn power at the end of the 1260 years, and Jesus is given:
- Dominion.
First, dominion is given to Jesus. The Roman Church exercised religious dominion. Therefore, Jesus reasserts his dominion over faith. This points to the reemergence of God's trodden truths after 1798.
Daniel 12 predicted this when it said that "knowledge would be increased" and that he would give "wisdom and understanding".
- Glory.
Second, glory is given to Jesus. This calls to mind worship in Revelation 14:6-7, where Christ is pictured restoring a true knowledge of God (as the Creator God) and of true worship.
- Kingdom.
Third, Jesus receives a kingdom. God's kingdom is comprised of those He rules over. In Luke 22: 28-30 Jesus called the New Testament church His kingdom.
Daniel 7:14 indicated that Christ's kingdom is returned to Him after a heavenly judgment scene. The kingdom is a movement made up of every nation and tribe of planet earth.
No doubt Jesus had Daniel 8: 10-13 in mind when He quoted the prophet Daniel on the Mount of Olives before His crucifixion.
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come. So when you see the desolating sacrilege spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand) ..."
(Matthew 24: 14-15)
So the Bible indicates in Daniel 7 that we are to look to Christ in the Heavenly Sanctuary, after 1798, to reassert His power to gather a people who will take the Gospel to all nations of earth.
Repetition and Enlargement
This power and its activities are important in both the prophecies of Daniel, Revelation and the apostles.
Therefore it is often repeated.
Since the prophecy is about one power and not a succession of powers, the repetition and
enlargement centers around the characteristics and activities of this power.
We already discussed all the prophecies that repeat the return of this power at the end of time.
| Daniel 7 | Daniel 8 | 2 Thessalonians 2 | Revelation |
| Little Horn | Antichrist | Woman and Beast |
| Came up among the ten horns | - | Was being restrained in Paul's day | Appears after the breakup of Rome. Seven heads and ten horns |
| Three horns pulled up | - | - | - |
| Eyes like a man | - | Son of destruction | 666 (number of a man). Revelation 13:18 |
Mouth speaking great things
(verse 11) | Magnified himself to Christ. Stands up against the Prince of princes. (Verses 10-11) | Acts as god. Speaks perverse things. | Blasphemes. Daniel 11: 36-37; Revelation 13: 5-7; 17: 3 |
| Took away the continual and destroyed the sanctuary in heaven | Sits as god in the temple, exalts himself above all that is worshipped. | Revelation 13. Forces the world to commit idolatry |
| Changes times and laws | Causes craft to prosper | The lawless one. Apostasy. Corrupts the church. | Revelation 13. Changes the first four commandments. |
| 1260 years | Lasts for a time, times and the dividing of time | - | - | Daniel 11: 33 (many days); Revelation 11: 3 (1260 days); 12: 6 (1260 days); 12:14 (3½ times); 13: 5 (42 months); |
| Made war with the saints | Destroys the mighty and holy people. Will destroy many by peace. | Son of destruction | 1260 year persecution. Revelation 12: 13 |
| A second persecution. Revelation 12: 17; 13: 15-17; 17: 14 |
| Different from other kingdoms | Mighty but not by his own power | Religious power | Woman rides the beast. Revelation 17: 3 |
| Activity of Satan | Uses a new power. Revelation 13: 12 |
| Satanic power, signs and false wonders | Revelation 13: 14 |
| Power Restored | A king arises in the latter part of their rule | Man of sin revealed | Wounded and healed. (13: 3, 12). Was, is not and will come. (17: 8) |
| Will be removed by God (verse 26-27) | Broken without human help | Destroyed in the Second Coming | Revelation 19-20 |
Pray First
The Little Horn Falls
Messiah Comes
Lessons