DANIEL
Daniel was a renowned prophet and statesman of his time serving both Babylonian and Persian Empires as a high official. His rise to fame came with the interpretation of the dream of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar who first appointed him to high office. This dream will be covered as part of the prophecies about the end by Daniel.
Daniel also prophesied about the temporary loss of power by king Nebuchadnezzar due to insanity and his eventual re-ascendancy to the throne as recorded by King Nebuchadnezzar himself in Daniel 4.
Among other prophecies of Daniel are the fall of king Belshazzar of Babylonia and the division of his empire between the Medes and the Persians, which was fulfilled the same night it was uttered and the period between the return from exile and the death of Christ as recorded in Daniel 9.
The historical books of Maccabees and related books on the period confirm what Daniel had spoken on the subject, as that of the times being a time full of troubles for the people of Israel.
In Daniel 12, Daniel also speaks about the resurrection of the dead also recorded in the gospels, and the Revelation of St John, which we will cover later in this narrative.
The prophecies of Daniel which refer to the end are found in chapters 2, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12. These give a chronological study of events, some of which have passed, some of which are and what may be expected in the future. The book of Daniel is very useful as a guide to the book of Revelations.
The first time Daniel talks of events leading to the end. Is when he explains to king Nebuchadnezzar the meaning of a dream he had had this is covered in;
Daniel 2 v29-45 as follows: While your majesty was sleeping you dreamt about the future, and God who reveals mysteries showed you what was going to happen. Now this mystery was revealed to me, not because I am wiser than anyone else, but so that your majesty may learn the meaning of your dream and the thoughts that have come to you.
Daniel 2 v29-45 as follows: While your majesty was sleeping you dreamt about the future, and God who reveals mysteries showed you what was going to happen. Now this mystery was revealed to me, not because I am wiser than anyone else, but so that your majesty may learn the meaning of your dream and the thoughts that have come to you.
Your majesty in your vision you saw a giant statue, bright and terrifying to look at. Its head was made of the finest gold, it’s chest and arms were made of silver, it’s waist and hips were of bronze, and it’s legs partly of iron and partly of clay. While you were staring at it a great stone broke loose from a cliff without anyone touching it. It struck the iron and clay feet of the statue and shattered them. At once the iron, clay, bronze, silver and gold crumbled and became like the dust on a threshing place in summer. The wind carried it away leaving not a trace but the stone grew to be a mountain that covered the whole earth.
This was the dream, now I will tell you what it means. Your majesty, your are the greatest of all kings. The God of heaven has made you emperor and given you power, might and honour. He has made you ruler of all inhabited earth and ruler of all animals and birds. You are the head of gold. After you there will be another empire not as great as yours’ and after that a third, an empire of bronze, which will rule the whole earth. And then there will be a fourth empire, as strong as iron, which shatters and breaks everything. It will shatter and break all the earlier empires.
You also saw that the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay this means that it will be a divided empire. It will have something of the strength of iron, because there was iron mixed with clay means that part of the empire will be strong and part weak. You also saw that the iron was mixed with clay, this means that leaders of that empire will try to unite their families through intermarriage but they will not be able to just as iron cannot mix with clay.
At that time the God of heaven will establish a kingdom that will never end. It will completely destroy all those empires and then last forever. You saw how the stone broke loose from the cliff without anyone touching it and how it struck the statue made of iron, bronze, clay and silver and gold. The great God is telling your majesty what will happen in the future.
The head of gold is the kingdom of king Nebuchadnezzar as Daniel explains. He was secure in his position, and even after losing his sanity in Daniel 4 he was still powerful enough to regain his position after his sanity returned. The chest of silver is the Persian Empire began by Cyrus the Persian, and which has endured with some modifications to the present day. The silver here may indicate that either this empire or its leaders were unable to exercise their authority on their subjects in the same manner as the Babylonians did.
The Persians were surrounded by strong, warlike, and ambitious neighbours. There were the Greeks and Romans to the west, the Samarthians and Alanis to the north and nomadic tribes in the east, who staged numerous raids on Persia.
The Empire was created in one generation, through the defeat of the Medes, Babylonians and other Mid-East peoples by Cyrus. However it would appear that Cyrus was always at war trying to muster his empire and at the time of his death he was busy with an insurrection of the northern tribes in the Caspian region.
His successor Darius also had to face revolts in Media, and Babylonia and suffered a famous defeat against the Greeks, which in our time has inspired the modern Olympic movement and a famous race normally run once a year in the more affluent of the world’s cities.
Another Persian leader Xerxes also suffered a naval defeat at the hands of the Greeks and had to withdraw from the Greek provinces.
The feudal system of the Persian Empire was also another factor that ensured that it was never as cohesive as the Babylonian one and there was constant unrest between kings, Vassals and high officials.
Two Bible narratives of Daniel, in Bel and the Dragon and also Daniel in the pit of lions may illustrate or indicate how vulnerable the Persian leaders could be.
The Persians were even Greek subjects for a time during the conquests of Alexander the great and perhaps only his untimely death enabled their empire to re emerge. Persia was also the junior partner in an uneasy relationship with the Romans and only a Roman epidemic in 165 AD checked the fall of the Persian Empire to the Romans.
The waist and thighs of bronze may be referring to the Roman Empire, which originating from Rome around the seventh century BC had spread all round the Mediterranean Sea encompassing, north Africa, western Asia and, neighbouring the Persians to the west, and comprising of much of Europe by the time of Christ. This was a militaristic, expansionist and conquering empire, which lasted in one form or another up to the fall of Constantinople the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire in 1453 AD.
The Roman Empire began as a senate of the more affluent Roman families. Initially it was a democratic institution, but it became more authoritarian after the time of Julius Caesar a few decades before Christ.
Rome’s initial Empire successes came against the Carthaginians from whom they had wrested the Mediterranean Islands, off the coast of Italy by 200 BC. They gradually spread into other parts of, north Africa and western Europe in particular Gaul, or France and Spain.
Conquest of Egypt another great nation of the time was completed by Augustus who was the ruler during the birth of Christ. Jerusalem had been captured about 60 BC.
The Romans also supplanted the Greeks in Asia Minor up to the borders of the Persian Empire. As we noted only extra ordinary circumstances saved the Persian Empire from their hands in the second century AD.
The Romans gradually became very militaristic with a regimental army composed of legions, which they used to subjugate the nations. They were also able administrators sometimes delegating authority to indigenous peoples who were allowed Roman citizenship, through payment or comparative aptitude to Rome.
The Romans set the standard under which later Western nations were judged. They were the first institutionalised Western, empire builders, and their system of government and civil works are generally the prototype of the later European nations, derived or influenced by Rome and thus of much of the world.
However the Romans as we will narrate in Revelations were given to indulgence and immorality and this weakened their State. Emperor Constantine changed capitals about 321 AD, ensuring the gradual demise of the original Empire.
Strong invasions from German and Russian tribes from the north who were never fully subdued, gradually ensured the demise of the Western Roman Empire, and after the fall of Spain, an important grain centre, the Empire was doomed.
Rome itself fell to some German tribes, but it was able to maintain some influence as the centre of the Western Church set up by the disciple Peter, a status it still holds.
However as we stated earlier it had a lasting legacy, and to this day the European nations with a strong Roman tradition still exhibit generally more refinement and culture and sophistication than those without, or with a lesser Roman influence.
The legs and feet of iron and clay may be referring to monarchical Europe, the descendants of the earlier Roman Empire and the German tribes that overrun it.
The Germanic tribes are the legs and feet of iron, which the Romans were never quite able to overcome, and who overcame the Romans in the end from their bases east of the Rhine. Some of the nations on the continent such as Britain, France and Russia were able to establish large Empires covering virtually the whole world from the mid 18th century to the mid 20th century.
Virtually all of these Empires have now been relinquished, and we are now approaching the reign of the saints as explained earlier. It is interesting to note that the European marriages have also been given prominence, and also the fact that they never led to European unity.
The Germanic tribes are the legs and feet of iron, which the Romans were never quite able to overcome, and who overcame the Romans in the end from their bases east of the Rhine. Some of the nations on the continent such as Britain, France and Russia were able to establish large Empires covering virtually the whole world from the mid 18th century to the mid 20th century.
Virtually all of these Empires have now been relinquished, and we are now approaching the reign of the saints as explained earlier. It is interesting to note that the European marriages have also been given prominence, and also the fact that they never led to European unity.
The centuries preceding the French revolution were the centuries of the European monarchs or the ancient regimes. The monarchs governed the peoples to their own advantage more than to the advantage of the nation. The will of the King was taken as the will of the people. This led to civil strife beginning with Oliver Cromwell in England and liberal ideas in the Netherlands and later gathering momentum and causing the revolutions in Europe in the 18th to early twentieth centuries. The more prominent of these revolutions being the French Revolution of 1789 and the Russian Revolution of 1917.
Before these events and as the monarchies declined it was not surprising to have a German king of Poland, an Austrian king of Spain or a German queen of Russia. Citizens were not consulted in these matters and there was probably in Europe two nations, that of the monarchs or nobility and that of the common man, being used as a pawns between them or simply being disregarded and left to thier own devices.
Intermarriages thus did not bring about national unity as they were probably done more for personal or selfish reasons that for the common good of the governed peoples. The attitudes of the time and the comparative difficulty in communication would probably have aided in making it very difficult for the ordinary people to envision themselves belonging to anything larger than their local communities.
For example in the late 1600’s, the king of Holland William 111 was the first cousin of the King of Prussia Frederick 1. The king later became king of England due to his marriage to the daughter of the English King James 11 a first cousin. Another brother in law of the King of Prussia, George 1 who was also king of Hanover was also to become a King of England in the year 1714.
The king of France was the first cousin of the Emperor of Austria, and the German elector was the father in law to the kings of Portugal and Spain and the Emperor of Austria. Another earlier monarch Charles 1 of England had married the sister of a reigning French monarch.
The Dutch, king, of England though bringing about a sense of purpose that may have been conducive to the Professional classes of England and ending unnecessary entanglements still showed preference for his native country and was unable to bring about union between the two countries that he ruled.
The king of Hanover found it very difficult to transform his new power in England to any advantage against his fellow German, princes as the English were unwilling to be used in such endeavours.
Marriage of the King of Holland into England where he later became monarch later led to antagonism between father, daughter and son in law or nephew.
Later on the memory of the marriage of Charles 1 to a French princess was not able to dissuade war between France and England at the beginning of the 18th century with the French king Louis xiv supporting an opposing choice as the rightful monarch in England. We will cover aspects of this in Daniel 7.
The marriage of Marie Antoinette of Austria to King Louis the 16th of France, in the 18th century, led to their execution on charges of conspiring against the French State. Other marriages like the one proposed between Prince Leopold of Germany and the queen of Spain actually led to the Franco German war of 1870.
The German Prince who became king of Belgium after the granting of that nation’s independence from Austria in 1830, was unable through his legacy or cultural ties so developed between Germany and Belgium, to dissuade the Germans from twice invading Belgium in the succeeding century. Others such as the marriage of the German princess Sophie Augusta to the heir of the Russian throne in 1745, who later became Tsarina Catherine the great of Russia had no recorded unification benefits between Russia and the German states.
The Russians had been accepted into the European community during the reign of Tsar Peter the great in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. As a result of his military victories over what was then the major northern power of Sweden and also due to his modernising and diplomatic zeal.
This new status allowed his descendants to marry into the European monarchies. However in the succeeding centuries Tsarist Russia was involved in war with all the other major powers of Europe. This began with the French under Napoleon, and was followed by war with the British in the Crimea and against the Kaiser’s Germany early in the 20th century.
The fall of the Monarchs gradually led to more consensus seeking governments in Europe. Initially this consensus was among the educated classes but gradually spread to the whole society, which began to take a more homogeneous outlook.
This may have been brought about by higher education standards. Which have probably had an effect on communication that has enabled people to learn more about each other.
The vested interests of the old hereditary monarchies made it very difficult for the nobility of one nation to reconcile their interests, with those of others if this involved them losing any of their privileges or authority.
The current politician who is judged by the electorate according to their effectiveness is more likely to compromise for the common good of the people. The routine election of people to represent the nation in the European arena similar to the election of local representatives may also have gone a long way in dispelling suspicion.
The European Empires and monarchies, later as their technology improved and their knowledge and wealth increased, were able to spread their domains and influence to other parts of the world. This had the same effect that the Roman Empire had on the spread of Christianity in the Mediterranean region.
Comparative security and means of communication, together with a few official languages had enabled a comparatively easier propagation of the teaching of Christ’s message in the Mediterranean region.
The European Empires had the same effect on the propagation of Christ’s message to all parts of the world. Just as the Roman Empire collapsed after its Divine purpose was fulfilled, so too did the European Empires fade after their global mission was completed.
All this may seem inevitable to the present generations, but to the generations founding the Empires, it was certainly not inevitable to them as they thought that they were building Empires for their own good, which would last the course of time.
My believe is that all avenues that can be used for the propagation of good are part of the Divine plan and are eventually taken over by Christ, the creator of all. This trend should then be expected in modern communication, broadcasting and the internet, with all these mediums being used for the greater glory of Christ as is already beginning to happen in broadcasting all round the world.
This is probably one of the precursors of the eternal kingdom, the kingdom of Christ taking shape as narrated to King Nebuchandezzar by the prophet Daniel over 2 millenniums ago.
We can then expect the reign of the saints, at this time. This will be a political system that will last as long as the earth exists. Daniel 7,8 and 11 further elaborate how this will come about. The reign of the saints is a time like now, with the European Germanic empires having fallen or retreated and the universal message of Christ having had the opportunity to be disseminated all over the world with the resultant culture of Christian values taking hold.
This may appear precarious at first, because of former Christian societies abandoning the faith as we will discuss in Daniel 11, but the general trend is that Christianity has spread over the whole globe and the numbers are generally going up, and not down.
Christ will probably return when the world has evolved enough to fully understand his ideals. The reign of the saints will be as a result of the return of Christ.
Daniel 7v1-4:In the first year that Belshazzar was king of Babylonia, I had a dream and saw a vision in the night. I wrote the dream down, and this is the record of what I saw: Winds were blowing from all directions and lashing the surface of the ocean. Four huge beasts came up out of the ocean, each different from the other. The first one looked like a lion, but had wings like an eagle. While I was watching the wings were torn off. The beast was lifted up and made to stand like a man, and a human mind was given to it.
Daniel 7v1-4:In the first year that Belshazzar was king of Babylonia, I had a dream and saw a vision in the night. I wrote the dream down, and this is the record of what I saw: Winds were blowing from all directions and lashing the surface of the ocean. Four huge beasts came up out of the ocean, each different from the other. The first one looked like a lion, but had wings like an eagle. While I was watching the wings were torn off. The beast was lifted up and made to stand like a man, and a human mind was given to it.
Daniel 7v15-18:The visions I saw alarmed me, and I was deeply disturbed. I went to one of those standing there and asked him to explain it all. So he told me the meaning. He said, “These four beasts are four Empires which will arise on earth. And the people of the supreme God will receive royal power and keep it for ever and ever.”
Referring back to Daniel 2 and the feet of iron and clay, Daniel 7 continues on the same theme but adds a few other specifics. These Empires covered in Daniel 7 are the same European nations of Daniel 2, which together with their Roman heritage make up virtually all of the symbolic figures in future prophecy.
The first described as a lion with wings like an eagle’s, and a mind of a man, may be referring to the former British Empire. The visionary policies of this Empire and its merchants and professionals, which are described as eagle’s wings have endured to this day. Their corporations, of which, some on the continent and the Far-East have emulated are sometimes larger than the economies of moderate sized nations and they generally dominate localized global commerce.
The education, legal and commercial systems set up by the British in their colonies have helped many indigenous peoples to further utilise their potential, and the more receptive nations such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and South Africa have actually prospered.
The symbolism of the lion may be more to do with the European wars such as the Napoleonic and second world wars where this lion was able to survive and with the help of others eventually overcome more seemingly invincible foes.
The Lion tends to be King of the Jungle there may be a few other larger Mammals but they are not what may be termed as predators. Of the predators the lion gets a lion’s share as happened with this Empire, having the most far-flung and choicest empire rivalled only in size by the northern empire of the bear, which was less accessible and habitable.
Like all the four powers we will cover in Daniel 7, the foundation of Britain as a modern state begun with the Romans. It is also interesting to note that the Roman who first landed in Britain appears also to have become the most famous (According to Shakespeare at least).
Julius Caesar landed in Britain about 55 B C, and claimed parts of the Island for the Roman Empire. With that came the Roman road or communication, Roman law, culture and all other Roman influences that appear to us of modern times to be indispensable not only to Empire building, but also for the maintenance of order or the maintenance of any viable state or society.
The Romans also appear to have founded Britain’s famous capital on the Thames, during the days of Caesar’s successors. Northern invaders later followed from the fourth century AD, but lacking any superior mode of government or in some cases any mode of government. The Roman tradition endured. The neighbouring Normans of Normandy also decided to try their hand in Britain at the beginning of the second millennium AD, and this Norman/Roman tradition is basically the tradition of government in Britain.
The turning point of their transformation into a great power probably began after the discoveries of the new world by the Portuguese and the Spanish, followed by the Dutch trading interests, of which the British were able to partake of by force of arms having a more superior navy. The arrival of the King from Holland in 1688 and the end of governmental antagonism placed the government on a sound footing.
The defeat of the France of Louis xiv by the Duke of Marlborough in the war of the English succession also established England as the most powerful nation in Europe.
It is not surprising that England and France had the two largest Empires reflecting their status in Europe.
The Napoleonic wars are the names given to the wars initiated by the French Emperor Napoleon between the years 1799 and 1815. This revolutionary leader was able to dominate virtually the whole of Europe during this period, and all the European nations apart from Britain were under his authority, for various periods of time. However he was finally defeated by a European alliance in 1815 and exiled to an island in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Napoleonic wars are the names given to the wars initiated by the French Emperor Napoleon between the years 1799 and 1815. This revolutionary leader was able to dominate virtually the whole of Europe during this period, and all the European nations apart from Britain were under his authority, for various periods of time. However he was finally defeated by a European alliance in 1815 and exiled to an island in the Atlantic Ocean.
During this period, the British were able to display their courage both at sea and on land. Initially, at the naval, battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Where the British defeated a larger French and Spanish fleet to gain supremacy of the seas. Then during the peninsula war in Iberia, which frustrated Napoleon’s designs on the region, and finally in the final defeat of Napoleon in Belgium by the British and German forces in 1815.
The second, world war 0f 1939 to 1945 may also point to some grim determination and courage on part of the British Empire. On this occasion the Germans were the adversaries. Like the French before them they were able to overrun the whole European continent for a few years. However their invasion of Britain was foiled by a new invention called the aeroplane in what was known as the Battle of Britain in the years 1941 to 1942. The Germans were finally defeated in 1945 by joint American, British and Russian forces.
No doubt the British also showed some courage in the 1st world war and other colonial battles in their history. The mind of a man may be referring to historical humanitarian concerns of this Empire such as the anti- slavery crusades initiated by the British, their missionary societies which gave hope to many indigenous groups, and also their comparative love of justice. Their social endeavours are also well documented for virtually all the sports played today have either originated from Britain or America, or are a modification of a British sport or social setting.
However the winds blowing and lashing on the surface of the sea may also point to another trait of any predatory animal, symbolic or otherwise. The love of the British to offer unsolicited ‘protection’ during colonial days and to control others as well as events, is well known. This unwelcome trait has survived the fall of Empire to this day and will probably last as long as the nation exists. The winds here symbolise the wars, which were fought to create these Empires, and the ocean symbolises the unfortunate peoples caught up in these wars in far flunge areas of the world spread across the oceans. In biblical prophecies’ water is often used to symbolise peoples, as we will witness as we go along.
The wings of the eagle may also portray the professional classes in England who have played a virtual role in British politics since the time of Charles the first. The British Empire was to a large measure a co-operation between the government organs and the trading and professional classes of the nation. A good example would be the companies that run the colonies in India and East Africa before the formal takeover by the government. The wise and visionary sighted policies of this educated class played a virtual role in the management and policies of this empire.
The wings also depict the visionary nature of their settlements abroad, in particular the Americas and the dominant position they hold in global commerce. The tearing of wings may be pointing to the fall of the American state. How this may happen is explained in Daniel 8. Just as the tearing of the horns of the third beast in this chapter means loss of power, so too should the tearing of the wings of the eagle here depict a similar situation.
Concentrating on America as the eagle, it is interesting to note that unlike the wings like a birds of the third beast, the continental European empires, which were basically foreign colonial settlements that later gained independence from the mother countries. In the case of the eagle, things were different. In the case of the eagle, the eagle being a predatory bird, the settlers were not satisfied with independence alone, as the Portuguese, Dutch, and Spanish were. Instead the original thirteen colonies of America came to occupy an area stretching from ocean to ocean, not to mention colonies of their own and territories in Asia and the Pacific, and land purchases from Russia.
This is certainly unique for a settler colony. Of all the settler colonies, this is the only one to justle with Europe for power and influence. It is however interesting to note that of all the settler colonies, this is the only one that has its wings torn off, or following our early explanation, gets toppled. It would appear that the European empire nations and the Latin American colonies will outlive the eagle. If our interpretation was correct, and this is to happen, as Daniel 8 suggests it might, then this makes for a very interesting situation.
The dramatic way in which the eagle may be separated from the lion will be narrated in Daniel 8.
Daniel 7v5:The second beast looked like a bear raised on its side. It was holding three ribs between its teeth, and a voice said to it, “Go on, eat as much flesh as you can!”
Rev 19v17-18: Then I saw an angel standing on the sun. He shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying in mid air: “come and gather together for God’s great feast! Come and eat the flesh of kings, generals, and soldiers, the flesh of horses and their riders, the flesh of all people, slave and free, great and small!”
Isaiah 41v25: I have chosen man who lives in the east; I will bring him to attack from the north. He tramples on rulers as if they were mud, like a potter trampling clay.
Daniel 11v44-45: Then news that comes from the east and the north will frighten him, and he will fight furiously, killing many people. He will even set up his huge royal tents between the sea and the mountain on which the temple stands. But he will die with no one there to help him.
This second Empire is also a European Empire, possibly Russia. The reason that it is said to be raised on it’s side, may be a pointer to the geographical and political concentration of the empire on it’s western European regions, even though it spans several time zones to the east. The ribs in its teeth may symbolise other European nations, which may have had similar territorial designs on this empire but were overcome by a stronger military. They may also symbolise subjugated peoples or nations with similar roots or origins in the north.
The bear was initially and still is a European nation fortunate enough not to have too many competing predators in the northern eastern regions and currently it would appear lopsided towards its west. Of the four empires mentioned in Daniel 7, by the symbolism used, one would expect this second one to have the greatest inherent strength, adaptability and intelligence but with a bias towards the north.
Strength in reference to scripture over a long period of time is only possible if build on a spiritual foundation this may explain the alliance at the end between the North and the East as the end approaches of which more will be said later.
The quotations from Daniel, Isaiah and Revelations may appear to suggest that this will probably be the most powerful of the Empires of Daniel 7 in the short period of time between the last Mid East conflict and the End Times, more will become apparent following our discussions on the fourth beast of this chapter.
The ribs are other Europeans subjugated by means of arms. However the fact that they maintain their separate identity as ribs may point to their reluctance to accept Russian ways. A good example of cultural diversity is Catholic Poland and the three Baltic states.
In the fourth beast of Daniel 7 we will encounter horns but on that occasion the horns though distinct from the head would appear to be allied or harmonious to it. With the case of the ribs here that may be of a similar background to the bear, only force of arms seems to contain them this is a fairly accurate depiction of the Russian relationship with its former European dependencies and Turkey’s benign relationship with the Arab states as opposed to its activities in Europe.
The first of these powers may have been Sweden also a colonial and industrial power in the north. The conflicts between the Swedes and the Russians led to the Russian Empire gaining many Baltic territories at the expense of the Swedes during the reign of Tsar Peter the Great in the early 1700’s.
This established Russia, as a great power in Europe and Russian nobility and diplomats became part of the European corp.
Another rib may be Poland also a colonial power in the 17th century from which the Russians annexed the colonial territories of Lithuania, Ukraine, and other western regions. Finally the whole country was annexed, and it is only from the 1990’s that it is finally freeing itself of Russia dominance.
The Poles however exercised some authority over the Russians in the 1600’s, capturing their capital in the year 1610 and it is only internal bickering within the Polish Royal family that ended the hopes of a Polish monarch in Russia in the year 1612. The Poles were finally expelled and since that time have been mainly at the receiving end of Russia’s aggression.
Another rib also to suffer and to inflict misery on the bear is Germany this nation launched a major war of aggression on the Russians during the second, world war, but it was finally defeated. Again it is only towards the beginning of the 1990’s that it has managed to regain total independence from the bear.
The History of Russia, which evolved from the Byzantium Empire as a great power may be traced to the Polish defeats of 1612 and 1618, which ended Polish designs and established the Romanov’s as the rulers of Russia. The country had undergone a period of anarchy, which may have encouraged Polish intervention but with the Romanovs came gradual stability and cohesion.
However though the Russian leaders took the title of Tsar (Caesar) their connection to the Roman Empire is not as solid as that of the other Empires in Daniel 7 unless taken as part of a wider Slavic nation. Northern tribes may have played a key role in the Roman military in the closing stages, and the original Russian capital of Kiev was probably influenced by the Roman Byzantium, and surrounding Western regions. Some of the southern regions that the bear came to acquire were also Roman, but as we have stated, this is surely the weak link in the Roman chronology.
Peter the great, 1672-1725 was the driving force behind the emergence of the modern Russian Empire. He introduced reform in education, government and the military on Swedish and Western lines and began full counsellor relations with the West.
He travelled to the West and returned to Russia with a new reforming zeal. A defensive victory over the Swedes and annexation of the Baltic territories established his nation as a great power in the eyes of the other Europeans.
Further expansions were carried on by his successors notably Tsarina Catherine the great, Alexander 1 and Tsar Nicholas 11. These brought into Russia vast territories in the Baltic, Turkish, Central and Far-Eastern Asian regions.
However the Bear is the least likely of the European Empires with geography and circumstances playing a major role in the course of the Empire more than the other European Empires.
As we noted above the Roman influence and with it the influence of good government was minimal on this empire. The course of this Empire was further derailed by the, Mongols or Tatars as the Russians call them.
These Tatars destroyed the Russian Capital of Kiev in the early 1200’s and other towns and principalities and the nation in essence never regained its sophisticated glory.
One unique factor of the Russian empire was the fact that it was formed to a large measure not by conquering people, but by people on the run. The initial expansion in the Muscovy area was to the then dense woods of the region to escape Tartar attacks.
These settlements were then brought under the reigning leader, and with his population and improved European technology he was able to hold them. The Eastern expansion of the empire was also brought about by other people on the run. The Cossacks, rebels from Russian society and oppression, who pushed further eastwards in the name of the leader, who in reality they did not want to be under. Sparse population in the north, east and Chinese indifference opened up the way for the Russians, who by the mid 1600’s had reached the pacific.
A strong bear is a very ugly disposition to some Europeans and it probably enjoys its role as the spoiler in the various battles of World domination a role it seems destined to keep until the end.
Geography and weather has played a major role in the course of Russian History. Beginning with the wars of Charles the twelve of Sweden at the beginning of the 18th century, who was defeated by Russian evasive action into their deep hinterland and the harsh weather more than by Russian, military prowess.
This may explain the command given to this empire to devour much flesh. Other nations unimpressed with Russian character and prone to interference have fatally underestimated their circumstances of vast resources, good intellect when exerted, a vast area and a comparatively overwhelming population. A flaw which has again and again, led to heavy defeats of their armies with the weather always playing more than a willing hand.
The more illustrious of this armies being that of Napoleon which though winning every battle with the Russians in the early 1800’s found itself probably for the first time in recorded military history or on one of the few occasions losing the war to the vanquished enemy.
The Germans despite an overwhelming technological advantage suffered a fate similar to that of the French nearly a century and a half later.
Willingness to learn Western ways and to imitate the West, a generous population and a fairly good amount of comparative European benevolence and instruction enabled this empire to gain a technological upper hand over the central Asians and the Turks. Far East Asian indifference and general inaccessibility cleared the way for the Russian Empire. This is probably one of the few empires in history that can give it success as much if not more to geography than to the industriousness of its citizens.
The bear may also have been referred to as a bear, because of it’s rather politically unfriendly or isolationist character, the fact that it does not quite fit in the political arena of the Baltics, Europe or the East. The fact that the bear does not possess any wings may be a pointer to it’s lack of a sophisticated merchant class as compared to Western Europe. Of all the major European nations, Russian has the worst social order, and the term bear is frequently used to refer to that nation, surprisingly this term is also used even by the nation itself.
Similar experiences of the British and French Empires in Africa and their Asian subjects have created fairly good results or results comparatively better than Russia’s. With the local peoples imitating the Orientals and the colonial masters fairly successfully with the result that a Western European merchant may be able to achieve much better results with newly literate Africa than with centuries old Tsarist driven and European inspired Russia.
The lack of wings has been a major undoing of the Russian State with affairs being conducted through the two institutions of church and state.
The state by its inherent nature has traditionally had an upper hand over the church due to its military and other government offices, but the church has claimed the souls of the silent masses.
This has led to an unparalleled situation in what is considered Europe of a nation without a traditional merchant and middle class. Initiative is left to the head of state or government or to higher authorities.
The only business, being primarily the business of government, serving the government, in the military or imperial arms and if not, leaving out life in thought in the communal villages.
Lack of wings referring to the Eagle in the first beast and the birds in the third, as we have stated may depict visionary merchants or visionary settlements/overseas colonies set up by these merchants. In the case of the bear apart from not having a very defined merchant class, geography may again have played a role in this empire not having the foreign settlement wings. Firstly because space was adequate in the north for those with the wanderlust, and secondly because overseas excursions would have exposed it to the more resourceful lion in less, weighted circumstances. The lion did frustrate to some extent Russian ambitions in the Mediterranean area and Central Asia.
The fact that this empire is also an arctic empire may make the use of the terminology of the bear very suitable, as bears are mainly arctic or northern animals. The other empires of Daniel 7 are more tropical.
It is not surprising then that communism succeeded in this nation, as it may have appeared appealing to the Russian intellectuals because it left all decision making to the leaders or the state keeping with tradition.
However history continues to favour free enterprise and a vibrant and learned community as the best possible way of lifting the well being of the people. The people have to play a major role in planning their lives and activities.
However despite its many shortcomings Russia may still be a power in future.The reason that a quotation from Revelations has been included in this stanza is because of the fact that this empire will probably be an important defender of the faith, which appears to be under attack both in Revelations and Daniel 11 before the end of the conflicts and the return of Christ. The battles and flesh of Rev 19 are probably the same battles and flesh here associated with alliances between the East and the North as quoted here from Daniel and Isaiah and also Rev 16. We will, continue with this view throughout the book.
The activities given of the bear in Daniel 7 are similar to the activities in Rev 19 and may be a pointer to those of the faith coming to the faith’s defence.
This empire is a spiritual empire, and the term “holy Russia” was a well used terminology in the 19th century. The communists and other radicals may not have been able to change the soul of the nation, and this will become more evident as the end unfolds. More of this empire and it’s role in the course of events will be referred to later.
If the ribs being held by the bear are as an integral part of the empire as the wings and the horns are to the other empires. Then the Germans and other Eastern Europeans may be very involved in the affairs of this empire as the end unfolds.
The Germans also tend to appear unwittingly whenever momentous changes take place in Europe. Whether it is the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, the decline of the European empires and decolonisation or the general change in the fortune of European entities, a German hand in the circumstances is always present.
Daniel 7 v6: While I was watching, another beast appeared. It looked like a leopard, but on its back it had four wings like those of a bird, and it had four heads. It had a look of authority about it.
The leopard here may be referring to the sophisticated continental European Empires such as France, , Netherlands and Iberia. These are part of the original Romans and pioneers of European culture, which predominates in the world. The bear and the lion have this empire to thank for, for their legal systems and their Christian heritage.
Since these empires are coming out of the ocean, the four continental European nations that had substantial acquisitions outside of the European arena, would be The Netherlands, France, Spain and Portugal. Austria did have some interests in Spain and the Lowlands but those were severed and did not much affect the running of the overseas territories. Italy was a very late-comer to empire building having become an united nation rather late in the day, and Belgium is basically a Franco-Dutch entity with only one poorly managed colony to speak of.
Not surprising then that the four wings, settlements abroad that have lasted to this day are the Dutch in South Africa –having lost Indonesia and much of the Caribbean- the Portuguese and the Spanish in South America, and the French in Quebec.
The fact that they are referred to as leopards could be because of their secretive natures, a nature not quite as open or gregarious as across the chanel, and certainly much more sophisticated than the bear. All the countries originating from the four roots mentioned are highly sophisticated. The Dutch are known for their orderliness and love of nature, and are fairly wealthy. The French consider themselves the centre of civilisation and culture, and have been setting social trends for centuries. The Italians are also trendsetters, especially in the clothing sector and architecture, and other leisure arts. The Belgians reflect their two neighbours, France and the Netherlands.
The continental nations had fairly extensive empires but they were marked by a lack of clear vision such as the one of the English. Their empires prospered under them, but because no contingency plans had been made for the local peoples through training and investments the empires suffered major reverses on independence. This is especially true of much of the French and Belgian colonies in west and central Africa.
Another trait of the Leopard is lack of appetite, and this empire probably had smaller domains that the lion and the bear.
The Roman connection with this empire began with Hannibal in the 2nd century B.C, who passed via Spain and France or Gaul on his way to Italy from North Africa. The Romans also had a port city near present day Marseilles and by 120 B.C all of southern Gaul had been Romanised. Julius Caesar continued with these Romanising efforts, and before his famous trip to Britain in 54 B.C, had brought the whole of Gaul under Roman influence. This also included the other members of this empire as quoted earlier.
The proximity of this Empire to the Romans, Greeks and the Middle, Eastern cultures gave it a cultural edge over the other empires of Daniel 7.
The proximity of this Empire to the Romans, Greeks and the Middle, Eastern cultures gave it a cultural edge over the other empires of Daniel 7.
German invaders including the Franks began to dominate this empire after the fall of Rome, and royal lines descended from these invaders have survived in some of the smaller nations to the current times.
However the northern invaders were moulded into the local setting taking up positions or using institutions of a Roman or local nature their original temperament being more feudal or unregulated.
However the northern invaders were moulded into the local setting taking up positions or using institutions of a Roman or local nature their original temperament being more feudal or unregulated.
The ascendancy of France as an empire creating power probably began with the reign of Louis xiv in 1659. Who was able to consolidate on civil reforms began by his immediate predecessors and to create a strong state. Helped by population he was able to create what was considered to be the most powerful nation in Europe until, he was put to the test by the British, at the beginning of the 18th century.
His successors, especially the republican variety were able to maintain a large and far-flung empire in Africa, the Middle East and Far East. This was despite the loss for the control and dominion of Canada and India to the British during the 18th century.
This empire had an efficient banking system and skilled manpower and infrastructure influenced by its thrifty neighbours such as the Dutch and its historical Roman influence. The Romans set a historical administrative legacy, which all the European nations have emulated.
The Austrians may have had the most difficult of Colonial tasks of reigning over people of similar culture, learning and sometimes greater wealth. The fact that they were able to do so for centuries up to the beginning of the twentieth century may reflect well on their leadership abilities.
The Austrian Empire rose to prominence after the Hapsburgs the ruling Austrian Monarchs acquired the central European lands of Spanish king Charles the fifth. Elections to thrones in Bohemia and Hungary in 1526 further strengthened their position.
The Austrians were the electors of the German Reich from 1556 to 1740. They were able to manipulate German politics when it suited them through various means including bribery. This was how for example they are said to have secured the Palatinate in 1658. The Austrian Monarchs are reputed to have been acutely aware of their responsibilities and are reputed to have had good morals even though their foreign policy was sometimes wanting.
However the Austrian Empire was one of the most short-sighted of the major Empires of the 19th century in terms of public finance. A fact that even their famous 19th century Chancellor, Mitternich appeared to concede to. The leadership did not favour too much initiative on the part of the subjects and preferred a rural and agricultural way of life well structured into the various classes of the age.
The Italians, the founders of the Roman Empire had been reduced to small medieval states, by the Middle, Ages. These states came more and more under the influence of foreign powers particularly France and Austria, and it was only with the ascendancy of Germany through the defeat of France and Austria that enabled the formation of the new Italian State in 1870.
The Italians were able to establish a modest settlements in Northern and Eastern Africa. However Ethiopia proved to be elusive and despite egocentric measures to contain it, proved through circumstances to be untenable in the mid of the twentieth century.
Here another characteristic of the Leopard appears. Leopards, though predatory, tend to be infirm predators liable to fall prey to other predators such as the Lion and the Bear, which we have covered, and also smaller predators such as Wolves, Hyenas and Wild Dogs.
This liability may be seen with the Italians against the Ethiopians, the French against the other major European powers and the Austrians against the Turks. It was only with the ascendancy of the Bear that the Ottoman Empire was finally checked, giving the Austrians and some of the Eastern Europeans freedom from foreign harassment.
In fact the Bear may have swallowed up the Ottoman Empire had it not been for British intervention.
The wings on its back like those of a bird may represent the professional classes of these nations commonly referred to as the bourgeoisie. The professional classes of this third beast were not as long term or internationally focused in their activities as those of the first beast.
The four wings of this empire could probably be the Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish and French settlements abroad. Though as extensive as the eagle and generally found on the same continent they would appear to have been less ambitious or effective, a factor that makes many citizens of their colonial settlements especially the Portuguese and Spanish settlements to seek residence in Anglo-Saxon America.
More note worthy is the fact that the professionals and the foreign settlements of this empire despite having similar experiences as the eagle, be it decolonisation or full independence from Europe are not torn of from the main empire giving credence to the tearing off, of the eagle from the lion as a toppling of the eagle as also happens to three of the horns of the fourth beast which we later learn from Daniel 11 to be Libya, Egypt and Sudan.
Nevertheless, this third beast also had a vibrant and co-ordinated trading and professional class, although this class was basically self-sustaining, family-oriented and not as dominant as the professional class of the first beast.
The bourgeoisie took to trade as a means of purely earning a living or acquiring a more desirable status. Some of these nations may also feature quite prominently in the end, and more of this will be discussed in Daniel 11, and Rev 13 and 19.
Daniel 7v7: As I was watching, a fourth beast appeared. It was powerful, horrible and terrifying. With its huge iron teeth it crushed its victims, and then it trampled on them. Unlike the other beasts, it had ten horns.
This fourth beast may be referring to the Ottoman Empire of the Middle East. It came to prominence in the year 1453 with the capture of the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire at Constantinople. In the next century it conquered the people of the Balkan Peninsula such as the Greeks, Romanians, Bulgarians, Serbs and other nationalities.
The Empire had a Mongolian origin, which took over and usurped the historical Greek lands. These early Mongols migrated first to Northern Persia then to Persia and Western Asia. Before the year 1100 they had reached Jerusalem.
Osman the ancestor from whom the name of the Empire is derived was active in the early 1300’s and defeated Byzantium armies in the Bhosphorous region.
His successor defeated the Byzantium Emperor in the battle of Nicomedia, whose name was later changed to Izmit in 1337. However Murad 1 who reigned from 1359 to 1389 is widely considered as the main architect of the later day Ottoman Empire.
This empire also incorporated into itself other territories of the Eastern Roman Empire in the Middle East and spread from the Caspian Sea via North Africa to the Atlantic, and from the Sudan sometimes to as far north as Budapest, Hungary and the gates of Vienna.
The Horns on its head may symbolise the ten ancient kingdoms of the Middle East. These are Libya, Egypt; Sidon and Tyre, (known as Lebanon), Sudan; Moab,Ammmon and Edom, (known as Jordan), Syria, and Babylonia currently referred to as Iraq. The historical biblical nations bordering Israel of which a number are mentioned in Daniel 11, confirming events in Daniel 7., The capital of the leading nation is described and named in Revelations.
The geographical area of modern day Sudan and Libya are not necessarily what those names would have depicted during antiquity. Sudan would probably be most of the Sahel, while Libya would probably comprise most of North Africa west of Egypt. Naturally the Egyptian borders would not completely correspond with the current borders.The difference between a head and a horn may be that one is dynamic and people based, while the other is stationary and area based.
The French, British and Ottoman Empires were dynamic Empires that had continuous expansion and contractions, and no set borders. The Middle Eastern horns on the other hand were stationary by the time of the Turks, and were basically mature settlements, each in a given area whose expansion may have been mainly in the form of population growth and domestic innovation.
The French, British and Ottoman Empires were dynamic Empires that had continuous expansion and contractions, and no set borders. The Middle Eastern horns on the other hand were stationary by the time of the Turks, and were basically mature settlements, each in a given area whose expansion may have been mainly in the form of population growth and domestic innovation.
All the seven heads of the four empires of Daniel 7, speak different languages, while the horns speak one language. The wings speak the language of the country from which they originated.
These nations may also have been too mature and set in their ways to be fully incorporated into the Ottoman Empire. Some of these horns for most part were vassals of the Turkish Sultan and nominally subject to him. In some cases a vulnerable Sultan was known to call on a Middle, Eastern, vassal to help him control his European subjects as is explained shortly.
An example of the ferocity of this empire can be noted in incidents such as the Greek war of independence between 1820 and 1832, the Bulgarian uprising in 1875 and the Armenian massacres of 1896. In all these circumstances the Turks responded with extreme brutality to the calls for self-determination by subject peoples. Africa also came under the influence of this empire through its harsh Middle Eastern slavery activities.
A detailed study of one of the instances where the unyielding nature of this empire may be noted is in the Greek war of independence. The Greeks enjoyed relative autonomy in the empire, but belonging to another faith and race found the pull for independence strong.
There was little persecution of the Christians who could gain high office in the government, and the general financial position of the people was better of than that of surrounding Empires. The Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church at Constantinople was made answerable for the good behaviour of the Christians of the Empire.
However many of the Greek intellectuals never accepted Turkish rule, and they fled Turkish conquest by moving to Europe where they kept the idea of Greek independence alive. The glories of the Greek culture were expounded and the French revolution of 1789 acted as a catalyst for action.
In 1814 a secret society was founded for the purpose of propagating Greek independence. In 1821 encouraged by the difficulties the Turks were facing from Russia, the Serbs, the Albanians, and The Egyptians, the Greeks rose in rebellion, and began to persecute the Turks. The Turks responded likewise massacring many people especially in the Aegean islands. Finally in the year 1822 the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, on whom responsibility for the Greeks lay, was hanged and his body thrown into the sea.
This horrified other Europeans who sent assistance. The assistance of other Europeans, who aided the Greeks with ships, led to the call for help from the Turkish vassal in Egypt, who had a large Navy, he sent his son to the rescue. His son landed his ships in southern Greece and began to exterminate the whole population. It was only through the intervention of other European powers, which defeated the Turkish naval forces that peace was achieved and Greece granted independence in 1832 under the leadership of a German prince.
Again the intermarriages and amicable alliances attempted by the Europeans in their quest for unity as covered in Daniel 2 can be noted in this Greek example. More of the Greek, Turkish relationship will be covered in Daniel 11.
Genesis 16v7-12: The angel of the lord met Hagar at a spring in the desert on the road to Shur and said, “ Hagar slave of Sarai, where
have you come from and where are you going?” She answered, “I am running away from my mistress.” He said, “ Go back to her and be her slave”. Then he said, “ I will give you many descendants that no one will be able to count them. You are going to have a son and you will name him Ishmael, because the lord has heard your cry of distress. But your son will live like a wild donkey; he will be against everyone and everyone will be against him. He will live apart from his relatives.”
Genesis 17v20: I have heard your request about Ishmael, so I will bless him and give him many children and many descendants. He will be the father of twelve princes, and I will make a great nation of his descendants.
From our discussions above we can conclude that all the predictions and promises made to Hagar, Abraham’s concubine have come true. Her descendants are found in all the Middle, Eastern kingdoms, and the characteristics sometimes occasioned by this empire, match the exact predictions given to Hagar millenniums ago.
Daniel 7v8: While I was staring at the horns, I saw a little horn coming up among the others. It tore out three of the horns that were already there. This horn had human eyes and a mouth that was boasting proudly.
Daniel 11v21.../the next king of Syria will be an evil man who has no right to be king, but he will come unexpectedly and seize power by trickery....
Daniel 11v41-43: He will invade the promised land and kill tens of thousands, but the countries of Edom, Moab, and what is left of Ammon will escape. When he invades all this countries, even Egypt, will not be spared. He will take away Egypt’s hidden treasures of gold and silver and it’s other prized possessions. He will conquer Libya and Sudan.
So far we have been dealing with events that have passed, but with the verses above we will now try to deduce what may happen in the future. The horns we deduced are the ancient Middle, Eastern kingdoms listed above. The immediate verses above give an indication of the character of a leader who will come up amongst them. It may be deduced that this leader will seize power through trickery in his country of origin and then topple other Middle, Eastern powers.
The powers from the ones listed that he will topple appear to be Egypt, Sudan and Libya. The ones that will escape him are Edom, Moab, and Ammon, currently known as Jordan. Further studies in revelations, and other prophets will reveal to which of the ten kingdoms he probably belongs,though by being described as a little horn which comes up among the ten horns, could imply he belongs to a minority in the Middle East.
We will further elaborate on the nature of this leader and his beliefs on the summation of this empire later in this chapter.
Also of note is that out of the four empires mentioned in Daniel 7 only this one has a manmade element. The others may appear to have peculiar characteristics but they are all natural, or of the earth. This one here has iron teeth and as we will soon discover bronze hooves.
The Ottoman Empire with its bronze and Iron appears to suggest that of the four empires here there is a human or a cultural reason to the approach and the behaviours and norms of this empire. The other empires may behave as they will but these Ottomans appear to set their conduct on given rules and regulations, rules and regulations leading to conquest, domination and intolerance.
Daniel 7v9-12: While I was looking, thrones were put in place. One who had been living forever sat down on one of the thrones. His clothes were white as snow, and his hair was like pure wool. His throne, mounted on fiery wheels, was blazing with fire, and a stream of fire was pouring out from it. There were many thousands of people there to serve him, and millions stood before him. The court began its session, and the books were opened.
While I was looking, I could still hear the little horn bragging and boasting. As I watched the fourth beast was killed, and it’s body thrown into the flames and destroyed. The other beasts had their power taken away, but they were permitted to go on living for a limited time.
We come back to the four empires. The first three had their powers removed, but were allowed to continue living for a little while. This is the case currently. The British, Continental European, and the Russian empires, which were expansive empires, have now declined due to agitation of conquered subject peoples, who demanded and gained their independence one after the other. These empires have now returned to their original position devoid of any colonies.
The fourth beast however suffers a different fate. Being a stationary, area based empire, thise empire ascended in the 20th century due to it’s, natural resources which are in demand, worldwide. This is especially true of its main commodity oil. Better teaching methods, imported technology and a steady increase in population has put this empire in a comparatively stronger position than it has been for a long while.
This empire then will fall at the height of its power through military means, while some of the others may be able to adjust themselves voluntary before the cosmic end that we will narrate in Daniel 12. The significance of the nature in which these Empires meet their end will become more pronounced when we study Revelations. The European Empires had their power removed but were allowed to continue living for a while. The Middle, Eastern Empire would appear to have been toppled at the height of its power by military means.
This may suggest that the major battles of the first beast of Rev 13 in Rev 16 and 19 respectively which comprises of elements within the four empires discussed here will mainly be the Middle Eastern conflicts of the horns of the fourth beast. That is the Arab nations and their sponsors against the kings from the east and their northern and other spiritual supporters as narrated in Daniel 12 and Isaiah 41.
The trend of sponsoring Middle Eastern powers began in the 20th century with the French and British empires. This trend appears set to continue up to the end as we will discover with the little horn here, which is described differently in Daniel 8, 11 and Revelations. In all cases it is abundantly clear that there are other powers behind the throne.
In Daniel 7v13-14 quoted shortly we witness the re-emergence of Christ as per the gospels and Zechariah and the other prophets. The first three empires of Daniel 7 mainly acknowledge him although they occasionally or continuously fall short of his expectations.
Daniel 7v13-14: During this vision in the night, I saw what looked like a human being. He was approaching me, surrounded by clouds, and he went to the one who had been living forever and was presented to him. He was given authority, honour and royal power, so that the people of all nations, races, and languages would serve him. His authority will last forever, and his kingdom will never end.
Here what is being referred to, is the kingdom of God, that Christ spoke about, and the rule of the saints, which Daniel 2 also covers. This is in keeping with other prophets such as Micah 5 and Isaiah 9, Psalms 110 and Rev 4. Daniel 7 as quoted here and also as quoted earlier in verse 9-12 may be referring to the last verses of Zech 12. The surrounding nations of Israel and their supporters as quoted in Zech 12 are, as we have stated the fourth beast of Daniel 7, and the one appearing surrounded by clouds is the one who was stabbed to death in Zech 12, Christ in his second coming as per the Gospels.
The Psalms of David appear to have all prophecies within them especially those relating to his Royal descendant the Messiah or Christ. The verses we have been quoting in Daniel 7 could well be attributed to Psalms 110 and the supreme reign of Christ and the wars preceding his return.
The war against God’s people is thus the war against Israel as stated in Zech 12 and shortly in Daniel 7 and further mentioned in Daniel 11 and the war against the Church of Christ and its traditions as narrated in Daniel 11 and Daniel 8. The verses above of Daniel 7 are the same events narrated in Luke 13, 21 and Matthew 24 amongst other books. The Kingdom being referred to is the Kingdom of God that Christ preached. When you relate chapters such as Daniel 7, Zech 12-14 to the gospels it appears that though the Mid East may not be the originators or the source of the conflicts at the end they will be very prominent in a war against Israel shortly before Christ’s return.
Christ as referred to here in reference to the Gospels, Zechariah 12 and Isaiah 9 shows both his eternal nature and the eternal nature of his Kingdom. Though stabbed to death in Zechariah 12 yet he lives and his Kingdom endures to the end of time in Isaiah 9 the time being referred to in Daniel 7.
Daniel 7 is also referring to Rev 20 and 21 -when God’s home will be amongst mankind- Isaiah 24-27, Daniel 12 and other chapters that refer to the eternity of those fortunate enough to belong to the Kingdom. We will follow up on this theme in Rev 20 and 21.
Daniel 7 and Zech 12 refer to the return of Christ as a heavenly being though Zech 12 refers to his earlier sojourn as an earthly being, which may be collaborated with Isaiah 9, Micah, Psalms 22, 110 and Zech 9 amongst others.
It may be naïve or probably very misguided to expect the Messiah to come twice in this late stage to again fulfil prophecies, which have already been fulfilled before returning again as a heavenly being and eternal king. The Christians appear to have a winning argument as far as prophecy and understanding of Messianic scripture is concerned.
Daniel 7v19-27: Then I wanted to know more about the fourth beast, which was not like any of the others. The terrifying beast, which crushed its victims with its bronze claws and iron teeth and then trampled on them. And I wanted to know about the ten horns on its head, and the horn that had come up afterwards and had made three of the horns fall. It had eyes and a mouth that was boasting proudly. It was more terrifying than the others.
While I was looking that horn made war on God’s people and conquered them. Then the one who had been living forever came and pronounced judgement in favour of the people of the supreme God. The time had come for them to receive royal power.
This is the explanation I was given: “The fourth beast is a fourth empire that will be on earth and will be different from all other empires. It will crush the whole earth and trample it down. The ten horns are ten kings who will rule that empire. Then another king will appear; he will be very different from the earlier ones and will overthrow three kings. He will speak against the supreme God and oppress God’s people. He will try to change their religious laws and festivals and God’s people will be under his power for three and a half years. Then the heavenly court will sit in judgement, take away his power and destroy him completely. The power and greatness of all the kingdoms on earth will be given to the people of the supreme God. Their royal power will never end and all rulers on earth will serve and obey them.”
The above verses in Daniel 7 seem to confirm what we have already discussed. That the leader originating from areas formally of the Ottoman Empire will, dethrone three leaders in that area. It also seems to suggest that the leaders of this empire in its last days will be very different from the earlier ones.
As we suggested probably, because of new wealth, innovation and an increased population and also foreign assistance, or it could also be the leader will not belong to groups that have traditionally ruled in the Middle East. More of how this leader will come to be in a position to threaten the church, Israel, it's laws and festivals, and other nations in Europe, Africa and Asia will be discussed in Daniel 8 and 11.
As we suggested probably, because of new wealth, innovation and an increased population and also foreign assistance, or it could also be the leader will not belong to groups that have traditionally ruled in the Middle East. More of how this leader will come to be in a position to threaten the church, Israel, it's laws and festivals, and other nations in Europe, Africa and Asia will be discussed in Daniel 8 and 11.
The peculiarities and differences of this leader to his predecessors will as we have stated be mentioned further in Daniel 11 but it is only in Rev 12 and 13 that the reasons for this dramatic change will become manifest.
The last Mid East leader covered throughout Daniel and Revelations is not a traditional believer in any sense. In Daniel 11 we find that as he is attacking Israel and her biblical African neighbours, he will have taken a detour into a wealthy province and do, what none of his ancestors could never fathom.
This seeming insensitivity to faith will come about due to the fact that his power will not be domestic but derived from the successors of Roman institutions in Rev 12 and 13 and their supporters in Europe, in Daniel 11 who will have abandoned the faith.
Faith being abandoned because as we will learn in Rev 12 and 13 the truth of Christ and Israel will be at a deviance to the political goals and intrigues of some of the Roman elite.
When a Middle Eastern ruler attacks the religion of God’s people they will be attacking the Church and the main propagators of the Church, who were the Europeans. We will cover greater aspects of this conflict in succeeding chapters of Daniel. However one of God’s people who may fall foul to the Middle Eastern leader is the God’s high priest who we will cover in Daniel 11 as the Pope in Rome.
The original God’s people, the descendants of Abraham and Jacob will also be prominent in the end times. Isaiah 2, 11, 56, 25, 60, 66, Micah 4 and Zechariah 14 as well as Rev 12 point to Israel as the focal point of world affairs.
This will however be after the Israelites have accepted the son of Rev 12, the one that was stabbed in Zechariah 12, who is the Christ who receives honour here in Daniel 7. The kind of Israelites that will receive royal power are those similar to those found in Daniel 12 and Haggai 2, righteous Israelites such as Daniel and Zerubabbel.
The three and a half years found in Daniel 7 is a recurring theme throughout end time prophecies, which we will cover severally. Basically as we will come to discover, this will be the time factor of the conflicts of Babylonia and Israel at the end.
Sometimes it is easy to forget from an earthly perspective and practice who were, biblically the original God’s people. These were obviously the descendants of Abraham and Jacob.
God’s people from the Bible’s perspective are generally taken as the believers of Christ or the descendants of Jacob. When the Kingdoms of the world are handed over to God’s people, then they will be handed over to these two groups. Zechariah 12 nevertheless clearly indicates that before the descendants of Israel are given further responsibilities, they will have to make up with a famous, figure whom we are taking as Christ. So whichever way one looks at it the reign of the saints will be the reign of Christ.
The three and a half years of Daniel 7 are among the 1290 – 1335 days of Daniel 12, and the 1260 days of Rev 11, 12 and the 42 months of Rev 13. In Daniel 11 and Rev 11, the invasion of Israel is clearly stated and a time frame given in Daniel 12. The Three and a half years under which God’s people will be under oppression match well with 1260 days of Rev 11 and 12 in which Israel will be under attack.
Daniel 7 may simply be telling us that the nation of Israel will be under attack for three and a half years, and after that time all the authority of the nations of the Earth will be handed to them and to those who follow their faith.
From Zechariah 14, Isaiah 2, 11, 49 and 60, it is clear that Jerusalem will be the most important city, and with Isaiah 11 and 60, the descendants of Jacob themselves are shown to be having domain over all people on Earth. More of this theme will be followed and quoted in Revelations and in the conclusion.
DANIEL 7 INDEX
The lion or the first beast of Daniel 7 refers to Britain, the Eagle, USA and possibly other Anglos.
The bear or the second beast of Daniel 7 – Russia, the ribs - Eastern Europeans.
The leopard or the third beast of Daniel 7 - France, Portugal, Spain (Iberia) and the Netherlands. ( Gauls, Latins and Germanics.) The Birds - Quebec, Latin America, South Africa etc. French, Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish settlements.
The fierce or the fourth beast of Daniel 7 - The Ottoman Empire, and the ten horns, the Biblical Middle-East nations.
Daniel 8v1-4: In the third year that Belsshazzar was king, I saw a second vision. In the vision I suddenly found myself in the walled city of Susa in the province of Elam. I was standing by the river Ulai, and there besides the river I saw a ram that had two long horns, one of which was longer and newer than the other. I watched the ram butting with his horns to the west, the north, and the south. No animal could stop him or escape his power. He did as he pleased and grew arrogant.
The two long horns here may represent the Medes and the Persians, the two nations amongst which the kingdom of Babylonia was divided. Today this region would probably cover Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. Susa was the capital of the Persian Empire, which stretched from India to Sudan, incorporating the Greeks as well.
Daniel 8v5-7: While I was wondering what this meant, a goat came rushing out of the west, moving so fast that its feet did not touch the ground. He had one prominent horn between his eyes. He came towards the ram, which I had seen standing beside the river, and rushed at him with all his force. I watched him attack the ram. He was so angry that he smashed into him and broke the two horns. The ram had no strength to resist. He was thrown to the ground and trampled on, and there was no one who could save him.
With the actions described here, one may wonder whether these are referring to what is currently happening in the Euphrates and Tigres area due to the terrorist attacks on the West, the invasion and toppling of the Afghani and Iraqi regimes or a similar event in future. I would imagine that what is happening currently might be part of what is being described here, with a Western alliance invading the area to pacify it and forestall or contain activities against its interests.
Daniel 8v8-9: The horn grew more and more arrogant, but at the height of his power his horn was broken. In its place four prominent horns came up, each pointing in a different direction. Out of one of this horns grew a little horn, whose power extended towards the east and the south and towards the Promised Land.
It would appear that the Western alliance will disintegrate paving the way for a Middle Eastern leader. On many occasions, directions or co-ordinates in The Bible are given from the context of Israel, and what is being explained here will be further elaborated in Daniel 11 and Revelation 17 with power there appearing to extend towards Israel, Africa(Libya, Egypt, Sudan) and the Euphrates region.
The little horn here is likely to be the little horn of the fourth beast in Daniel 7. The narration here is probably giving a different angle, using different symbolisms for the same story. Again, a little horn might be referring to a minority group in the Middle East.
Daniel 8v10, 11,14: It grew strong enough to attack the army of heaven, the stars themselves, and it threw some of them to the ground and trampled on them. It even defied the prince of the heavenly army, stopped the daily sacrifices offered to him and desecrated the temple. People sinned there instead of offering the proper daily sacrifices, and true religion was thrown to the ground. The horn was successful in everything it did.... I heard the other angel answer, “It will continue for 1150 days, during which evening and morning sacrifices will not be offered. Then the temple will be restored.
The significance of this time frame, and the co-relation to the one given in Daniel 7 and 12 will be explained in the later chapter. In Rev 19 we will come across heavenly armies dressed in fine linen, which symbolises good conduct of the saints. The army of heaven should probably be understood in the context of Ephesian 6, i.e. in terms of spiritual warfare and the attack on the army of heaven here is probably church persecution, and the persecution of believers and the saints.
The army of Heaven could also be understood in the context of 1 Samuel 17 or 2 Chronicles 14 as the army of Israel, and the stars can also be taken in the context of Genesis 37, as referring to the tribes of Israel. What is being described here could thus be an attack on Israel as narrated in Daniel 11, Zacheriah 12-14, Revelations 12 and similar scriptures and an attack on Christianity or faith in general.
The only prince to whom sacrifices are offered is Christ the son of God, and the daily sacrifices here are probably referring to the re-enactment of the last supper done in the memory of Christ in the churches. Psalms 110 also covers the situation well, where a king who is of the priestly order of Melchizedek(Genesis 14) seats next to the Lord while his enemies are put under his feet. The offering that Melchizedek makes in Genesis is the same one of bread and wine that is made in memory of the lord.
The desecration here will probably take place in tandem with the sweeping away of the Lord’s high priest in Daniel 11 and the desecration of the church done with the aid of apostates taking place there.
Daniel 8v19-26: ...I am showing you what the result of God’s anger will be. The vision refers to the time of the end. “The ram you saw that had two horns represents the kingdoms of Media and Persia. The goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the prominent horn between its eyes is the first king. The four horns that came up when the first horn was broken represent the four kingdoms into which that nation will be divided and which will not be as strong as the first kingdom. “When the end of those kingdoms is near and they have become completely wicked that they must be punished, there will be a stubborn, vicious, and deceitful king. He will grow strong but not by his own power. He will cause terrible destruction and be successful in everything he does. He will bring destruction on powerful men and on God’s own people. Because he is cunning he will succeed in his deceitful ways. He will be proud of himself and destroy many people without warning. He will even defy the greatest king of all, but he will be destroyed without the use of any human power. This vision about the evening and morning sacrifices which has been explained will come true, but keep it secret because it will be a long time before it comes true”.
Here the theme goes back to that of Daniel 2 and 7,that is the end of the Persian, Western and Mid Eastern and other Empires, which in Daniel 7 is followed by the reign of Christ, depicted as a solid mountain in Daniel 2. A symbolism similar to that of the builder who built his house on solid rock in Matthew 7.
Daniel 8 could be a pointer to a Middle-Eastern war by the West followed by the disintergration of its unity and the loss of power of its main proponents, who currently are the Anglo-Saxons. In the current times it would be the Anglo-Saxon alliance being replaced by a less powerful continental alliance. Akin to having the first empire described in Daniel 7, whose wings are torn off being replaced by the third empire as the principal Western power.If one is to connect this to Daniel 11, some elements in these continental or secondary Western powers will then be involved in propping up a Middle-Eastern tyrant focused on ending organised, or at least the Christian religion.
The greatest king of all is Christ, who is also the prince of the heavenly army in verses 11-14 quoted earlier. The evening and morning sacrifices and the sacrifices offered to him, should be the sacriment of the last supper(Luke 20 among others)offered in his memory since the crucifixion.
The relationship being described here is the relationship between the beast and the dragon in Rev 13.
Among these nations the foundation laid by the disciple Peter, on Christ’s request is situated. This should be the earlier mentioned temple and one of Peter’s successors will probably be the Lord’s High Priest, swept aside in Daniel 11 as we will soon discover who will have to endure Middle-Eastern aggression.
The verses of Daniel 8 above may be narrating similar events in Rev 13. The first beast or the beast rising from the sea in Rev 13 could be the empire that the little horn of Daniel 7 and 8, establishes in a relatively short period of time along the Mediterranean.
This foreign assistance or power behind him as described in Daniel 8 above may be the one depicted as the dragon in Rev 13 of which more will be mentioned in Revelations.
Daniel 10v1-6: (In the third year that Cyrus was emperor of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, who is also called Beltshazzar. The message was true but extremely hard to understand. It was explained in a vision.)
At the time, I was mourning for three weeks. I did not eat any rich food or any meat, drink any wine, or comb my hair until the three weeks were over.
On the twenty-fourth day of the first month of the year, I was standing on the bank of the mighty river Tigris. I looked up and saw someone who was wearing linen clothes and a belt of fine gold. His body shone like a jewel. His face was bright as a flash of lightening, and his eyes blazed like fire. His arms and legs shone like polished bronze, and his voice sounded like the roar of a great crowd.
Daniel 10v20-21: He said do you know why I have come to you? It is to reveal to you what has been written in the book of truth...
Daniel 11v2: And now what I am going to tell you is true. The Angel said, “Three more kings will rule over Persia, followed by a fourth, who will be richer than all the others. At the height of his power and wealth he will challenge the kingdom of Greece.
Emperor Artaxerxas came to power and in the twentieth year of his reign commanded Nehemiah to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. With reference to Daniel 9 this was forty, nine years after Daniel’s vision, so we can conclude that Emperor Artaxerxas came to power twenty nine years after the third year of Darius the Mede in Daniel 9. Emperor Artaxerxas is credited with having waged war on the Greeks. He however was confronted by many logistical problems, and was not successful in his campaigns. He may be the fourth king referred to.
Daniel 10 to 12 is then building up a historical reference leading up to the end this follows in sequence, which we will now cover.
Daniel 11v3-4:” Then a heroic king will appear. He will rule a huge empire and do whatever he wants. But at the height of his power his empire will break up and be divided into four parts. Kings not descended from him will rule in his place, but they will not have the power that he had.
Daniel here may be referring to Alexander the great of Macedonia one of the Greek provinces who ruled an empire stretching from Greece to India. At the height of his power, he succumbed to illness, and his empire was divided up among his generals, such as Ptolemy and Seleucid. The history of these generals is well covered in the Hebrew books of Maccabees. Their descendants maintained domain over Syria, Egypt and the surrounding regions of Israel immediately before the advent of the Roman Empire in the last century before Christ.
Daniel 11v5-6: The king of the south will be strong. One of his generals, however, will be even stronger and rule a greater kingdom. After a number of years the king of the south will make an alliance with the king of the north and give him his daughter in marriage. But the alliance will not last, and she, her husband, her child, and the servants who went with her will all be killed.
Daniel begins a trend that seems to fit in well with the history of the western Europeans in relation to the Ottoman Turks and the Arabs. The Europeans he symbolises as the king of the south, and the Middle, Eastern Ottoman Empire, he refers to as the king of the north. The directions here appear to be merely symbolic to separate one from the other. The general, who rules a greater kingdom than the king of the south, could be the Americans who we covered in Daniel 8. Initially the American settlements began as dominions of the European powers, but the European settlers gradually gained control over their affairs. The United States was one of the more prominent of these settlements, and gradually surpassed the Europeans in wealth and influence.
Both the Europeans and the Arabs were the subjects of the Greek Empire of Alexander the great and the Roman Empire that succeeded it. As these empires declined the Arab and European subjects were able to gain their freedom and later create their own Empires.
Later other divergent and indigenous Empires appeared in the areas formerly subject to the Greeks and the Romans both in Europe and the Middle-East. The relationship between these Arab and European entities in their last centuries is thus narrated in Daniel as the relationship between the Kings of the south and the north.
Why is the King of the South, not Egypt and the King of the North, not Syria as some editions of the bible symbolically refer them as? This is because of the fact that since the time of the Babylonians, Egyptians and Syrians have not been very prominent. There is of course the Greek era after Alexander and the rival generals in Egypt and Syria, but the sequence of events in Daniel 11, which carry on until the end appear more in line with North, South Mediterranean rivalries.
Morever so many of this ‘Egyptian’, ‘Syrian’ conflicts take place without traversing or involving Israel, the traditional route of the Ancient Peninsula, North African rivalries. The use of ships and the involvement of Romans or those of the West as we will narrate may also be telling of the symbolism of the names and directions given.
Many Ottoman leaders had European mothers and the situation above may be pointing to a specific event which is unclear.
Daniel 11v7-8: Soon afterwards one of her relatives will become king. He will attack the army of the north, enter their fortresses, and defeat them. He will carry to the south the images of gold and silver dedicated to those gods...
In1798 the French sent Napoleon on an expedition to Egypt with him were scholars and scientists who planned on studying Egyptian history. Napoleon seized the Egyptian port of Alexandria, and later defeated the ruling Mamluke dynasty of Egypt near the pyramids. He left Egypt under one of his generals and returned to France. The scholars and scientists with Napoleon set the European precedence of looting Egyptian artefacts, which went on for about a century.
Just as the ascendancy of the Europeans predicted in verse 5 and 6 began in the 1500’s and was finally surpassed by their American descendants in the twentieth century, as narrated above. Likewise the relationship between the Turks and the Europeans Empires began about three centuries before Napoleon and continued for a century after him. Napoleon, whose origin was in the Mediterranean Island of Corsica, would probably also have had strong ethnic and historical ties to the Europeans bordering the Mediterranean.
Daniel 11v8-9: ... After several years of peace the king of the north will invade the south, but will be forced to retreat.
In 1804 the Serbs under their leader Kara George rebelled and drove out the Turks from their territory. He became the first Serb leader in 400 years. However in 1813 the Turks due to betrayal of the Serbs by the Russians again invaded their territory. This invasion was however short lived as the Serbs rose again in revolt, and under their leader Milosch Obrenovitch gained autonomy from the Turks in 1815.
Milan or Milosch declared himself Prince of the Serbs in 1829, and ruled as a vassal of Turkey for forty years. Formal independence was later declared in 1878. Attacks and counter-attacks were the order of the day between the Turks, the Austrian Empire and neighbouring nationalities.
Daniel 11v10-12: The sons of the king of the north will prepare for war and gather a large army. One of them will sweep like a flood and attack an enemy fortress. In his anger the king of the south will go to war against the king of the north and capture his huge army. He will be proud of his victory and of the many soldiers he has killed, but he will not continue to be victorious.
As stated in our example in Daniel 7 of the Greek war of independence and also our earlier reference in Daniel 11, the sultan of the Ottoman Empire was having some difficulties with his Greek subjects in the 1820’s. He then called on his Egyptian vassal Mohammed Ali for assistance, and on the vassal being promised some territorial, concessions, he dispatched his son Ibrahim Pasha on the expedition. His son captured Crete from the Greeks and landed his forces in southern Greece where he began to exterminate the population.
This led to an uproar in Europe, which demanded autonomy for the Greeks. However the Turkish sultan rejected this demands. This resulted in a joint English, French and Russian naval force being sent to blockade the Greek coast. In October 1827 this European naval force came across the forces of Ibrahim Pasha at Navarino Bay. After some skirmishes the entire Turkish and Egyptian fleet was sunk. Ibrahim Pasha was then unable to maintain his troops in Greece and was forced to withdraw.
Daniel 11v13-16: The king of the north will go back and gather a larger army than he had before. When the proper time comes, he will return with a large, well equipped army. Then many people will rebel against the king of the south, and some violent men from your nation, Daniel, will rebel against the king of the south because of a vision they have seen, but they will be defeated. So the king of the north will lay siege to a fortified city and capture it. The soldiers of the south will not continue to fight; even the best of them will not have enough strength. The king of the north will do as he pleases, without opposition. He will stand in the Promised Land and have it completely in his power.
Soon afterwards in the year 1830 there were several revolutions in Europe, in France popular revolt forced the king to abdicate in August of the same year. However, similar revolts in, Germany and Italy inspired by those in France, which had the support of some of the intellectuals were easily suppressed by the Austrians under the government of Prince Metternich.
Jewish intellectuals were very active in German politics in the 19th century and some of them probably played a role in the events of 1830. Some of the prominent names banished or restricted after the 1830 revolution appear to have adapted or contemporary European Hebrew names.
Mehemit Ali had been promised some Greek provinces for coming to the aid of his sultan. With the loss of his fleet at Navarino and also the loss of the promised Greek provinces, he now demanded compensation in Syria for his services. These demands, were, denied by the Sultan and as a result open warfare broke between Mehemit Ali and his Sultan, Mahmoud. With the intervention of Britain and France, which wanted to keep Russia from acting the role of protector of the Ottoman Empire, the sultan was forced to cede Syria and its Capital Damascus, as well as Israel, which he controlled to Mehemit Ali in the year 1833.
However Sultan Mahmoud was not willing to accept this state of affairs. He then called on the Prussians who had a reputable military tradition to aid in the reorganisation, modernisation and advising of his army. After these reforms the sultan then felt confident enough to attack his vassal in Egypt, Mehemit Ali in 1839. However these reforms by the Sultan, did not give the desired victory over Mehemit Ali, and his invasion of Syria was repulsed, and defeated by Ali’s forces, while his naval fleet deserted to Mohammed Ali.
Daniel 11v17-19: He shall set his mind to attack with all the strength of his kingdom. In order to destroy his enemy’s kingdom he shall offer him his daughter in marriage, but he will not succeed or gain advantage. Afterwards he shall turn to the coastlands, and capture many. But a commander shall put an end to his insolence; indeed he shall turn his insolence back on him. Then he shall turn back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall and be no more.
After the defeat of the Sultan’s forces in Syria, Mehemit Ali was now a great threat to the Ottoman Empire. Furthermore he had been reorganising his forces with the aid of the French, and as we noted above the Turkish fleet had deserted to him, giving him unlimited access to the mutual waters. The success of Mehemit Ali greatly alarmed the Europeans especially Britain and Russia who had business and territorial interests respectively in the region.
In 1840 a meeting was then converged by the European powers, in which Mehemit was offered the southern half of Syria and was requested to make peace with the Sultan. He refused these proposals and subsequently an allied European force was sent against him. This allied force captured Crete. The Egyptian port of Alexandria, and Acre were captured by British troops. Mehemit Ali was then forced to give up both Syria and Crete to the sultan. However he was confirmed as the hereditary ruler of Egypt. Ali never again threatened the Ottoman Empire or Europe.
Daniel 11v20: He will be followed by another king who will send an officer to increase the wealth of the Empire. But he will be killed, but not openly or in battle.
The next king to follow in this abbreviated version of world, European, and Middle Eastern events may have been one of the final rulers of the empire such as Sultan Abdul Hamid, and his relationship with the young Turks such as Kamal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. In 1908 some liberal and progressive Turks, of whom Ataturk was a prominent figure, tired of the cruelty, inefficiency and corruption of the government, demanded a liberal, constitutional government on western lines. Due to the support these liberals enjoyed in the army, the sultan accepted their demands, and a parliamentary system was established.
When the first, world war broke out in 1914, the Turks supported the Germans, and consequently with the defeat of the Germans and their allies, the Turks were forced to cede all their colonial territories including their capital Constantinople. The Turks then established a new capital at Ankara, and in 1920 Ataturk was named president of Turkey and independent of the sultan. The Turks later regained their capital Constantinople in 1923, and a minor part of their former territory in Europe.
Kemal Ataturk initiated many changes in Turkey in the field of education, government, and the social setting of the people. An elementary school system was established, together with a new currency, central bank, and customs union. The sultan was relieved of all formal duties, and what may have happened to him in private remains unknown.
However the British did evacuate Sultan Hamid to Malta in Nov 1920 and from there, he settled with his family in San Remo. Abdul Mejid who inherited the Sultan’s Caliphate powers was soon expelled from Turkey and forbidden to return.
The officer in question and his King however may also be referring to similar modernisation efforts by Western trained officers throughout the Middle East in the first half of the twentieth century and the various coups that took place.
Daniel 11v21: The next king of the north will be a contemptible person who has no right to be king, but he will come without warning and obtain the kingdom by trickery.
We have been dealing with an abbreviated chronological sequence of world affairs since the time of the prophet Daniel, and Darius the Mede. These abbreviated sequence of events have now brought us to the present, and what may soon unfold. The leader, being referred to, is the same Middle Eastern leader we covered in Daniel 7, and 8. Earlier in Daniel 7 we concluded that this leader will arise not in the head of the Ottoman Empire, Turkey, but in its horns, the ancient kingdoms of the Middle East to which it was allied. We further ventured through deduction to limit these horns to two countries. These are Babylonia, known currently as Iraq, and Syria. Both these nations are located in the Euphrates delta. This leader appeared to come from a minority group.
The leaders in those countries are not hereditary, appointed or elected leaders, but they came to power through military means. Others before them had done similar things, and probably others will do the same in the future. The book of the prophet Zechariah, together with book of Revelations will give further weight to these events originating from Babylonia or modern Iraq.
Daniel 11v22-23: Anyone who opposes him, even God’s high priest, will be swept away and wiped out. By making treaties, he will deceive other nations, and he will grow stronger and stronger, even though he rules only a small nation.
Rev 17 v6: And I saw the woman was drunk with the blood of God's people and the blood of those who were killed because they had been loyal to Jesus.
Rev 17 v7-8: “Why are you amazed?” the angel asked me. I will tell you the secret meaning of the woman and the beast that carries her, the beast was once alive, but lives no longer; it is about to come up from the abyss and will go off to be destroyed. The people living on earth whose names have not been written before the creation of the world in the book of the living, will all be amazed as they look at the beast. It was once alive; now it no longer lives, but it will reappear.
Rev 17 V9-11: This calls for wisdom and understanding. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman seats.They are also seven kings: five of them have fallen one still rules, and the other has not yet come; when he comes he must rule only a little while. And the beast that was once alive, but lives no longer, is itself an eighth king who is one of the seven and is going of to be destroyed.
Rev 17 v12-18: “ The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet begun to rule, but who will be given authority to rule as kings for one hour with the beast. These ten all have the same purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. They will fight against the lamb; but the lamb together with his called, chosen, and faithful followers, will defeat them, because he is lord of lords and king of kings”. The angel said to me, “The waters you saw, on which the prostitute is sitting, are nations, peoples, races, and languages.
The ten horns you saw, and the beast will hate the prostitute; they will take away everything she has and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and destroy her with fire. For God has placed in their hearts the will to carry out his purpose by acting together and giving the beast their power to rule until God’s words come true. “The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”
With these verses in Daniel and corresponding verses in Revelations, we come to the beginning of the three and a half years in which the church will suffer persecution. The ten horns in Revelations, are the same ten horns in Daniel 7, and are composed of the same countries. However those supporting the beast from the abyss could be conservative elements, with those of Daniel 7 and Rev 13 being opposed to the cultural order.
God’s high priest will be banished from the seven hills(Rome) on which his predecessor Peter founded the Church on instructions from Christ. Later on as we will shortly discover Israel will also be invaded but the final undoing of this leader will be in part based on his indifference to cultural sensitivities in his volatile region, which will have his capital falling to conservative elements in the region in alliance with Eastern powers, of which more will be mentioned as we proceed with the book.
When we co-relate this with Daniel 7 and 8, we can draw a picture of the church in Rome being swept aside by a Middle Eastern invasion led by a small nation, church worship being halted and believers persecuted.
However the capital of this Mid-East leader who will invade Rome, depose the church and halt religious worship appears to fall to the beast from the abyss featured in Rev 11 and Rev 17 in alliance with conservative elements in the Middle East.
The beast from the abyss who is one of the seven kings as quoted above, is probably a re-emergence of a Turkic-Hun entity rising again to prominence. The Ottoman Empire, one of the four empires was founded by Turkic invaders from the East, whose Khanates had disintergrated, and these Eastern peoples may rise again to prominence as the end approaches as we suggested in Daniel 7, and will highlight again here in Daniel 11 and Revelations.
Incidentally the worst calamity to have arguably befallen the region was during another Mongol/Turkic Eastern invasion led by Hulagu in the 13th century.Ironically even then the Christians faired a little better as Hulagu's mother and favourite spouse were of that faith.
Unlike the other Empires in Daniel 7 with foreign settlements, the Ottoman Empire did not maintain any significant cultural links with the people from where it had come, and adapted the customs of the people among whom it settled.
The relationship between the Ottoman Empire and another Turkic/Mongol Empire would therefore be ethnically similar but culturally diverse.
The seven hills east of the Tiber river are the initial site of the city of Rome, which later came to be the centre of the Roman Empire. Power later moved to Constantinople, under the Roman leader Constantine, but Rome gradually developed as the head of the Roman church.
It is probably during the persecution of the Church and the sweeping aside of God's high priest that Rome, the city of seven hills will be occupied.
Another recurrent theme that we can deduce here as we quote Rev 17 and relate back to Daniel 2 and 7 is that all earthly power appears destined to fall, leaving power in the hands of the saints. As all the four empires of Daniel 7 and the sequence of Daniel 2 comes to an end, so too it appears that this too will be the fate of the newly re-emergent beast from the abyss or empire from the past.
The similarity of activities of the bear in Daniel 7, this beast from the abyss as quoted here and the activities occuring in Rev 19 will be revisited later.
Daniel 11v25-27: “ He will boldly raise a large army to attack the king of the south, who will prepare to fight back with a huge and powerful army. But the king of the south will be deceived and will not be successful. His closest advisers will ruin him. Many of his soldiers will be killed, and his army will be wiped out. Then the two kings will sit down to eat at the same table, but their motives will be evil, and they will lie to each other. They will not get what they want, because the time for this has not yet come.
One wonders whether the deception and ruin that one of the European leaders will suffer here is as a result of the treaties and deceptions planned against him by the Mid-East leader as explained in verses 22 and 23. In verse 39 we note that he defends his fortresses with people who worship a foreign god, and in Daniel 8 we noted that he grew strong through the power of others. Some of this power could well be through planned deception. As we will discover shortly, he will even get assistance on how to undermine the church from people who have abandoned that religion.It would appear he will be getting assistance from powerful people in Europe.
Daniel 11 v29-33: Later on he will invade the king of the south again, but this time things will turn out differently. Ships off the western coastlands will oppose him and he will be frightened. Then he will turn back in rage and try to destroy the religion of God’s people. He will follow the advice of those who have abandoned that religion. Some of his soldiers will desecrate the temple.
They will stop the daily sacrifices and set up the awful horror. By deceit the king will win support of those who have already abandoned their religion, but those who follow God will fight back. Wise leaders of the people will share their wisdom with many others. But for a while some of them will be killed in battle or burnt to death, and some will be robbed and made prisoners.
They will stop the daily sacrifices and set up the awful horror. By deceit the king will win support of those who have already abandoned their religion, but those who follow God will fight back. Wise leaders of the people will share their wisdom with many others. But for a while some of them will be killed in battle or burnt to death, and some will be robbed and made prisoners.
V34: While the killing is going on God’s people will receive a little help even though many who join them will do so for selfish reasons.
The probable battle being narrated here is possibly between the first beast of Daniel 7 and the fourth. With continental Europe already overrun, what may remain is the island lion, although we are informed that his forays into the area off the western coastlands will not be successful, because of a superior navy probably in Britain.
However being still in control of the church and Rome, he may them decide to desecrate the temple, and stop the daily mass and communion at St Peters. The 1150 days of Daniel 8 in which mass will not be held thus begins here. From these deductions, we can conclude that from the desecration of the temple, 1150 days will pass followed by a further 140 days of the continuation of the conflict in Israel to give a total of the 1290 days of the conflict in Daniel 12.
Since the conflict in Israel as per Daniel 7 and as we will discover in Revelations will last for 1260 days then it can be expected to begin 30 days after the Church’s desecration and to last for 140 days after the Mid East leader is expelled from Rome or Europe.
The temple being described here and the religion of God’s people would appear to be that which relates to Christ as narrated in Daniel 7v13-14, as Israel will only be invaded during the final conflict.
Rev 12 talks of Israel being given the two wings of a large eagle to carry her to a safe place in the desert, safe from the dragon’s attack. This is probably pointing to the return of the people to their eternal home before these final conflicts take place.
The religion of God’s people and the temple in reference to Europe can only mean what we refer to today as Christianity and the Church. The most prominent priest and Church on the European Continent are the Pope and the Vatican respectively. This may then attract special Middle, Eastern attention after their probable failed invasion of Britain.
Since Britain appears not be invaded and will therefore not come under the domain of the last of the Arabs of Daniel. Then the religion of God’s people, and God’s people, who suffer Middle, Eastern aggression would appear to have among them the more diligent continental Europeans.
It is very interesting to note the terminology that Daniel chooses in the verses quoted here when he describes the religion of God’s people as opposed to simply God’s people suggesting as has become prevalent and is evident as we have quoted continuously from Isaiah, Micah and others that after Daniel’s time, people as has happened would take up the Hebrew religion and become members of that nation through faith.
The Lord’s supper celebrated daily by those of the Catholic tradition is probably the daily sacrifices being referred to here, as the Hebrew sacrifices can only be offered at the temple in Jerusalem, which we learn from Rev 11 will not have been rebuilt before the final conflict, and as we have stated these activities appear to occur before the invasion of Israel, and that invasion as opposed to this one will last 1260 days and not the 1150 days mentioned in Daniel 8, where the sacrifices to the prince of the heavenly army are halted.
In the biblical verses above we see elements such as those of the leopard, the paws of the bear or the mouth of a lion stated in Rev 13. People, who will have abandoned their faith and some of them, may support the Mid-East tyrant in his activities.
The European peoples who will have abandoned their faith at the end as narrated in the verses above, who will advise the last king of the north or the Arabs on how to weaken their Church are probably the four horns of Daniel 8 made up of elements of continental Europeans who bring punishment on themselves through ungodly action.
The awful horror here could well be related to the image of the beast described in Revelations 13.The recurrent theme of deceit could also very well be what in modern parlance is known as charisma. The reason for people to abandon their faith and betray their nations as the end approaches will probably become evident as events unfold.
Daniel 11v36: The king of the north will do as he pleases. He will boast that he is greater than any god, superior even to the supreme God. He will be able to do this until the time when God punishes him. God will do exactly what he has planned.
Daniel 11v38: Instead, he will honour the god who protects fortresses. He will offer gold, silver, jewels, and other rich gifts to a god his ancestors never worshipped.
Daniel 11v39: To defend his fortresses, he will use people who worship a foreign god. He will give great honour to those who accept him as ruler, put them into high offices, and give them land as a reward.
The character of this Middle, Eastern leader, which is well documented in Daniel 7,8 and 11 is again emphasised, together with the end awaiting him. Here also we find the power behind him first mentioned in Daniel 8. The probable physical manifestation of the dragon in Rev 13, which we covered in Daniel 8 as the most likely supporter of this leader may thus play a big role in defending the Middle Easterners from the Europeans, and the nations allied to them, especially in the initial stages.
In Daniel 7 we stated that the last major Mid East leader will have an irreligious bend not seen in those parts for many generations this is supported by the verses quoted here. It is clear in Daniel 11 that his confidence will be derived from foreign elements probably from Europe. It will be interesting to observe the reason for some on the continent abandoning their faith and joining others in the Mid East in an unholy alliance, the final consequence which will be the destruction of Babylon or Iraq in Isaiah 13 and Rev 17 and 18 by crazed mobs in the region.
As events unfold a concrete connection will probably be made between the people who worship a foreign god in Daniel 11 and the beast rising out of the earth in Rev 13. These are probably different aspects of the same event and as we have mentioned, probably also related to the awful horror being set up, and the church desecrated.
The symbolism given to the capital of this leader in Rev 17, which we will cover in Revelations may be due to the opportunism of this leader and his relationship with foreign nations as clearly stated in Daniel 11. The wealth of his region, which we will narrate in Rev 17, will give his capital the financial appeal with which he might be able to corrupt people into supporting him in his dubious activities.
This is also the era of modern science and manufacturing, and Arab/ Mid East petroleum derived wealth (Gold, silver, gems, etc). In an unstable environment the Mid Easterners could be able to purchase arms and technology from elements, whether public or private such as those of the ‘god of fortresses’.
Daniel 11v40-43: When the king of the north’s final hour has almost come, the king of the south will attack him, and the king of the north will fight back with all his power, using chariots horses and many ships. He will invade many countries, like the waters of a flood. He will even invade the Promised Land and kill tens of thousands, but the countries of Edom, Moab and what is left of Ammon will escape. When he invades those countries, even Egypt will not be spared. He will take away Egypt’s hidden treasures of gold and silver and its other prized possessions. He will conquer Libya and Sudan.
Joel 2v1-2: Blow the trumpet; sound the alarm on Zion, God’s sacred hill. Tremble, people of Judah! The day of the lord is coming soon. It will be a dark and gloomy day, a black and cloudy day. The great army of locusts advances like darkness spreading over the mountains. There has never been anything like it, and there never will again.
Zechariah 12v1-2: This is a message about Israel from the Lord, the Lord who spread out the skies, created the earth, and gave life to man. He says, I will make Jerusalem like a cup of wine; the nations round her will drink and stagger like drunken men. And when they besiege Jerusalem, the cities of the rest of Judah will also be besieged.
The verses above would appear to suggest a state of Israel. Something that was non-existant between the year 73 A.D and 1948, further confirming the Prophecies of Jeremiah 3 and 23 where he states that the nation of Israel would return from the north as has been the case, with most Israelis having a Russian, Soviet link. The power being described here could only be said to have become evident after the 1967 war, as historically the nation of Israel only subjugated the nations of Edom, Moab and Ammon.
The conflict being described here together with the quotations from Joel and Zechariah could very well be describing events taking place in Revelations 11, where the outer courts of the current ruined temple will be in the hands of the heathen for 1260 days, before yet another event which could be a pointer to verses 44-45 in Daniel 11, somewhat similar to Revelations 16.
The many nations that the last of the Middle, Eastern leaders is able to invade after the final attack from Europe is an indication of the strength of his allies and influence among a section in his region. Israel is one of the nations invaded and this may be in conjunction with the place of judgement given in Isaiah 41.
The interesting thing to note here is that by the time Israel is invaded, the temple will already have been desecrated and daily sacrifices stopped. This would suggest that the temple being referred to is not the temple of Jerusalem, nor are the sacrifices likely to be those of the priestly order of Aaron.
As we noted in Daniel 8 these are the sacrifices offered to the prince of the heavenly army - Christ – in the priestly order of Melchizedek(bread and wine)and not of Aaron. The priestly order of Melchizedek is mentioned in Genesis 14 and Psalms 110 and is well explained in the book of Hebrews, by Paul the apostle of Christ.
All this confirms the prophecies of Micah 5, Zechariah 9, Isaiah 9 and Acts 26 on the Messiah and people becoming part of God's people through their faith in Christ, the prince of peace as is documented in Daniel 7 where all the nations serve him.
We also mentioned the symbolism of Egypt and Syria in our introduction of Daniel 11 and the above verses would appear to confirm this.
After the long saga of conflicts it is only at the very end that Mid East neighbours of the two nations mentioned are involved or overrun. Furthermore a Syrian navy and the importance of such a force points more to overseas opponents such as the northern Mediterranean/ Europe as opposed to a traditional Egyptian/ Peninsula rivalry.
After the long saga of conflicts it is only at the very end that Mid East neighbours of the two nations mentioned are involved or overrun. Furthermore a Syrian navy and the importance of such a force points more to overseas opponents such as the northern Mediterranean/ Europe as opposed to a traditional Egyptian/ Peninsula rivalry.
Biblical Syria is also a landlocked country with Tyre and Sidon to the west together with Israel further revealing the probable symbolism of Egypt and Syria as applied in Daniel 11. In Rev 11 we find Golgotha on the outskirts of Roman Jerusalem being symbolically referred to as Sodom. One may also wonder as to the good fortune of Jordan: (Moab, Ammon and Edom), which is able to escape attack from the last of its more powerful brethren. This may be because of the close friendship between that nation and the attacking leader or due to invasion by Israel.
Isaiah 11 also talks of such events occurring at the end when the river Euphrates will dry up as well as the gulf of Suez.
Referring to Joel and Zechariah above , the prosperity of Jerusalem and Judah has been restored only in the 20th century. Since the times of the Romans, between 66 and 73 A.D when Jerusalem was sacked, the temple destroyed and the Judeans exiled. In accordance with the prophecy of Christ delivered in the temple as narrated in the Gospels of Luke, Mark and Matthew and also Daniel 9.
Since then some of the more spirited Judeans would return occasionally, sometimes only to be expelled again. But it is only in the mid of the twentieth century that the Judeans have settled in Israel as their own masters.
However 66 A.D was a long time ago and since then many other peoples have settled in Jerusalem and Israel and made it their home. They are not prone to be sympathetic to Jewish believes and traditions and this has led to several wars since the formation of the new Israel state.
The Jordanians who are some of the peoples from which the new state was carved tend to ally with their neighbours in times of war against the new Israel State.
This trend will probably continue and other verses of Joel 3 confirm it. However Joel talks about an invasion from the north and the description given in Daniel 11 of the mountain and the sea would appear to point to that region of Israel.
Referring back to Daniel 7 and the three horns toppled by the little horn, we gave this as Egypt, Libya and Sudan as per the three historical neighbours of Israel invaded in the verses quoted.
Isaiah 16 has a similar situation like the one of Jordan above in which the Jordanians ask for Israeli protection:
Isaiah 16v1-4: From the city of Sela in the desert the people of Moab send a lamb as a present to the one who rules in Jerusalem. They wait on the banks of the River Arnon and move aimlessly to and fro, like birds driven from the nest. They say to the people of Judah, “Tell us what to do. Protect us like a tree that casts a cool shadow in the heat of noon and let us rest in your shade. We are refugees; hide us where no one can find us. Let us stay in your land. Protect us from those who want to destroy us.” (Oppression and destruction will end and those who are devastating the country will be gone).
If Isaiah, who covers a very wide area, is narrating the events at the end, then the Jordanians will actually request Israel’s assistance as opposed to Israel having any designs on their territory as we had narrated above.
The terror that the last King of the north will inspire after his initial invasions of Europe or his ungodliness may be such that even his Arab brethren may decide to put their hope in traditional rivals. We also started in Daniel 7, that the king may be from a minority group in the region, as he is a small horn coming up among the others, and the fact that he is described as being very different from the earlier kings.
It may be that the deliverance of Jordan will be more of its people moving to Israel than its land being well protected. Daniel speaks in terms of what is left of Ammon. This may indicate an invasion from the north-east of Jordan or the Euphrates, which is checked within Jordan’s borders.
Isaiah narrates the invasion of biblical Sudan mentioned earlier as follows:
Isaiah 18v4-7: The Lord said to me, “I will look down from heaven as quietly as dew forms in the warm nights at harvest time, as serenely as the sun shines in the heat of day. Before the grapes are gathered, when the blossoms have fallen and the grapes are ripening, the enemy will destroy the Sudanese as easily as a knife cuts branches from a vine. The corpses of their soldiers will be left exposed to the birds and the wild animals. In summer the birds will feed on them, and in winter, the animals.” A time is coming when the Lord Almighty will receive offerings from this land divided by rivers, this strong and powerful nation, this tall and smooth skinned people, who are feared all over the world. They will come to Mount Zion, where the Lord Almighty is worshipped.
Sudan, traditionally attached to Mid East history and culture by the Nile appears again to qualify as the third horn toppled in Daniel 7. The biblical Sudan may encompass most of the regions of the Nile tributaries with ancient Egyptian connections.
The verses in Isaiah above may be co-related to the final invasions in Daniel 11 and also the activities we will find in Rev 14. It appears that the invasion of many countries will not be the wrath or the treading of grapes, but the defeat of the nations instigating these invasions, in northern Israel will be the actual judgement.
The ripening of the grapes may be referring to the activities leading to the final battle of Armageddon in Rev 16 and Daniel 11 in the valley of Jerusalem. Joel also refers to the event and Rev 14 states that the grapes will be pressed outside the city.
This ripening of the grapes is then before the final battle of Daniel 11 before the winds from the east and the north when the last of the Middle-Easterners will be destroyed in the valley of Israel.
Another factor that may be referred to, is the rebuilding of the temple and the worship of the Lord at Mount Zion. Zechariah and Ezekiel refer to these events and we will cover them again. This and the reference to the grapes also mentioned in Joel and Revelations could give credence to the verses in Isaiah 16 referring to the end than to any other historical period.
Since Syria and its neighbour Lebanon: (Tyre and Sidon) are not mentioned as some of the nations being invaded though they are among the traditional narrative areas of Israel’s history and scripture. We may conclude that they will be the source of the invasions or could be closely allied with the Euphrates or Mesopotamia but on a more agreeable footing.It is stated that this leader will make a lot of treaties and agreements. Perhaps these nations are among those with which he will come to some understanding.
By population, culture and economic development, Egypt tends to be the main Arab State. If Egypt, then falls to the smaller, regional powers this will probably only be caused either by the foreign element of which we have covered or by civil strife.
Two decades ago, one of the Euphrates countries attempted to invade a neighbour similar in development and population with Egypt, which was then going through a revolution but was unsuccessful. It would then be surprising for nations of that region to succeed in a similar enterprise further afield.
The foreign element will then play a great role in these conflicts both in the Middle East and in Europe. The success of the last of the Middle-Easterners in Daniel has been put down largely to his cunning.
This may be particularly so for Egypt. Isaiah, whose prophecies cover a wide time-span would appear to be describing exactly such a situation when he narrates the following:
Isaiah 19v2-4: The Lord says, “I will stir up civil war in Egypt and turn brother against brother and neighbour against neighbour. Rival cities will fight each other, and rival kings will struggle for power. I am going to frustrate the plans of the Egyptians and destroy their morale. They will ask their idols to help them, and they will go and consult mediums and ask the spirits of the dead for advice. I will hand the Egyptians over to a tyrant, to a cruel king who will rule them. I, the Lord Almighty, have spoken.”
Verse 11: The leaders of the city of Zoan are fools! Egypt’s wisest men give stupid advice! How dare they tell the king that they are the successors to the ancient scholars and kings?
Verse 18: When that time comes, the Hebrew language will be spoken in five Egyptian cities. The people there will take their oaths in the name of the Lord Almighty. One of the cities will be called, “City of the sun.”
Verse 21: The Lord will reveal himself to the Egyptian people, and then they will acknowledge and worship him, and bring sacrifices and offerings. They will make solemn promises to him and do what they promise.
It may be claimed that the verses above are referring to an earlier period such as Nebuchadnezzar’s or Ptolemy or Roman times. In case of Nebuchadnezzar, he destroyed the temple and exiled the Judeans. After their return there is no recorded history of the Egyptians seeking spiritual advice from the Judeans. The history of Judah after exile tends to lean more to Persia, then to the Greeks and Romans than to Egypt, reflecting the political realities of the time.
During Greek times, as the books of Maccabees can ascertain the Hebrew religion was at times practised in Egypt but by Hebrew migrants. Native Egyptians were not much involved in the affair. The above verses in Isaiah seem to be pointing to a different era such as the one of the end.In the time of Acts there were also Gentiles who had converted to Judaism, but the Egyptians were under the control of the Roman Empire.
During Roman times the temple was destroyed and has not been rebuild ever since. The offering of sacrifices by the Egyptians then likely refers to the events, which we will cover in Revelations and Zechariah 14 about the end, similar to those in Daniel.
In which the nations return there every year after the wars of the end to celebrate the festival of shelters in the newly reconstructed temple fed by a new purifying stream flowing westwards into the Mediterranean and eastwards into the Dead Sea.
The tyrant referred to in the verses above is probably the last king of the north of Daniel 11 who loots the nation’s ancient treasures. Treasures dating back to a tradition which as verse 11 above suggests may blind Egypt to contemporary realities.
Zechariah has an explicit warning to Egypt and other nations by association that the failure to attend the festival of shelters in Israel will lead to misfortune. The above verses of Isaiah and others in Isaiah 11 and Joel 3 in regards to Egypt, Jordan and Sudan would appear then to relate well with other prophets about the events at the end.
Daniel 11v44-45: Then news that comes from the east and the north will frighten him, and he will fight furiously, killing many people. He will even set up his huge royal tents between the sea and the mountain on which the temple stands. But he will die with no one there to help him.
Joel 3V1-2: The lord says, at that time I will restore the prosperity of Judah and Jerusalem. I will gather all the nations and bring them to the valley of judgement. There I will judge them for all they have done to my people. They have scattered the Israelites in foreign countries and divided up Israel my land.
Rev 19v19-21: Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to fight against the one who was riding the horse and against his army. The beast was taken prisoner, together with the false prophet who had performed the miracles in his presence. (It was by those miracles that he had deceived those who had worshipped the image of the beast.) The beast and the false prophet were both thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur. Their armies were killed by the sword that comes out of the mouth of the one who was riding the horse; and all the birds ate all they could of their flesh.
Verses 44 and 45 here fit very well with Rev 17 and 11. After this king’s capital is destroyed by the beast from the abyss – empire from the past – which we concluded will probably have eastern Turkic roots, in Rev 17, which appears to chronologically occur before Rev 11, the ruler will then relocate to Jerusalem during the 1260 days of invasion, where the beast from the abyss will then probably persue him as narrated in Rev 11.
His death however will not be by human hand as narrated in Daniel 8, but could be caused by the two witnesses who will be prophesing in the city during those 1260 days as recorded in Rev 11, before they are killed after their mission is completed, by the beast from the abyss, something that might lead to the destruction of that empire as foretold in Rev 17.
His death however will not be by human hand as narrated in Daniel 8, but could be caused by the two witnesses who will be prophesing in the city during those 1260 days as recorded in Rev 11, before they are killed after their mission is completed, by the beast from the abyss, something that might lead to the destruction of that empire as foretold in Rev 17.
The news from the east and the north could then be an alliance between the bear in Daniel 7 from the north, and the beast from the abyss in Rev 17 from one of the Turkic areas in the east. The Russians have been engaging with these people since the 1200s, it is not unimaginable that they could form an alliance, as Daniel 7 and Rev 17 has the bear and the beast from the abyss engaging in similar activities.
The death of this leader on the mountains of Israel with no one there to help could imply that his protectors in verses 38 and 39 of this chapter, who are also mentioned in Daniel 7 and 8 will be fairing no better than he.
Joel 3, Isaiah 41, Daniel and Rev 16 would appear to suggest that this is where the fate of this particular leader will be settled, with Isaiah, Daniel and Rev 16 pointing to an eastern origin to this conclusion.
With the possible exception of the capture of the dragon in Rev 20, which could have a physical manifestation, as Daniel and Rev 13 point to a power behind the throne, with Daniel 7 and 8 appearing to suggest that these will be real live people.The conflicts would be expected to end here. Daniel 12 v 5-12 states that all this will have happened in a timespan of roughly three and a half years. It is unclear what will become of the easterners and northerners themselves, especially the beast from the abyss, who is said to be going to his destruction.
It is also unclear what exactly will become of those who were protecting this leader who dies here on the mountains of Israel together with their newly found traditions or religion.
It is also unclear what exactly will become of those who were protecting this leader who dies here on the mountains of Israel together with their newly found traditions or religion.
The traditions of false prophecy as stated in Rev 19 quoted above which this leader appears to introduce in Daniel 7 where he tries to change the standing religious laws, in Daniel 8 where true religion is trampled on and in Daniel 11, where he appears to have a faith that none have ever heard of.
However the culmination of three and a half years appears to bring peace, at least for Israel. It will be interesting to note what will happen to the other parties involved in the west, the north and the east.
Things will not return to business as usual, or be restricted to another earthly conquest because as noted in Daniel 7 and also in Daniel 12, which we will cover shortly, together with other passages from scripture, affairs then appear to move from the natural to the supernatural.
Biblical geography is slightly different from contemporary geography. As we have stated or will soon discover, a nation such as Egypt (Genesis 12, Amos 9) is considered to be to the south. Euphrates and eastern regions are taken as the east and regions north of Israel, Tyre, Sidon, Assyria and the Black Sea/Turkey are considered north (Joel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel 38/39). Contemporary geography has all these regions in the Mid East.
Isaiah 41v25: I have chosen a man who lives in the east; I will bring him to attack from the north. He tramples on rulers as if they were mud, like a potter trampling clay.
The East may then be expected to play a great role in the conflicts at the end. Which of the Eastern countries may be the prominent powers at the end will be covered in our final summation.
Alliance with the bear of Daniel 7, as narrated in Daniel 11 and Isaiah 41 may explain the similar orders given to the second beast of Daniel 7, and related parties in Rev 19. The union and collapse of all these nations corresponds well with king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2 which talks of all the nations being ground to dust and blown away to make way for the reign of the saints, or what Christ termed as the Kingdom of God, and also what we discovered in Daniel 7 where the power and greatness of all the kingdoms of the earth was given to the people of the supreme God, a theme also carried in Revelations 20 and from the explanation there, possibly connected to Daniel 12.
Isaiah again may be able to fully explain events in Daniel. This time in regards to the final outcome of Daniel 11, and the north-east winds. In Isaiah 13 he is quoted as follows:
Isaiah 13v9-11: The day of the Lord is coming - that cruel day of his fierce anger and fury. The earth will be made a wilderness, and every star and constellation will stop shining, the sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will give no light. The Lord says, “I will bring disaster on the earth and punish all the wicked people for their sins. I will humble everyone who is arrogant and cruel.
Verse 14: “The foreigners living in Babylon will run away to their own countries, scattering like sheep without a shepherd.
Verse 17: The Lord says, “I am stirring up the Medes to attack Babylon. They care nothing for silver and are not tempted by gold.
Verse 19: Babylonia is the most beautiful kingdom of all; it is the pride of its people. But I will overthrow Babylon as I did Sodom and Gomorrah!
Due to the varied interests of Isaiah some of the above verses may be said to refer to the initial conflicts between Babylon and the Medes during the days of Darius and Cyrus. However, the cosmic movements which fit well with the end events as per Zechariah, Revelations and the other prophets, and the people’s change of heart as per the reign of the saints in Daniel 2, 7 and 12 would appear to refer to later times.
Isaiah 13 v9-11 and verse 19 are very similar to quotes from other prophets whom we have covered or will soon cover. Verses 9-11 appear to be referring to similar events as those narrated by Christ in Matthew 24, and verse 19 appears to point to new immorality based in Babylon as covered in Rev 17 and 18. Isaiah 24 also returns to a similar theme as quoted here in verses 9-11, similar to activities predicted in Matthew 24.
The Euphrates delta as we will discover in Revelations will continue to be a focus of activities just like the other biblical lands quoted in Daniel 11.
These verses of Isaiah would then conform well to our narration and give weight more and more as we will discover in Revelations to the last of the Mid-East leaders originating in the Euphrates region of Babylonia.
In Rev 16 the river Euphrates dries up to make way for kings that come from the east. One of these kings will then probably be from the areas bordering Babylonia in Persia, Media/modern day Iran or Central Asia.
Daniel 11 has the last of the Mid-East leaders maintaining his defences with the aid of foreigners. Isaiah 13 has a situation in which the foreigners flee Babylon like sheep without a shepherd. This lose of leadership may be caused by the news from east and the north which we have covered in Daniel 11.
Isaiah also has a reference to a situation similar to that in Daniel referring to the death of the last of the Mid-East leaders. He states as follows:
Isaiah 14 v12-13: “King of Babylonia, bright morning star, you have fallen from heaven! In the past you conquered nations, but now you have been thrown to the ground. You were determined to climb up to heaven and to place your throne above the highest stars. You thought you would sit like a king on that mountain in the north where the gods assemble.
Isaiah 14v18-19: All the kings of the earth lie in their magnificent tombs, but you have no tomb, and your corpse is thrown out to rot. It is covered by bodies of soldiers killed in battle, thrown with them into a rocky pit, and trampled down.
The Babylonia region will probably be the domain of the last of the Arabs and this may explain why Daniel earlier states that the last of the Mid, Easterners will originate from a relatively small nation.
The character of this king of Babylonia also fits well with the comparative character of the last king of the symbolic north and should in essence be the same person.
This king may then die in foreign lands in the valley of Israel with no help near. The power behind the foreigners with whom he defends his fortresses may have fallen and those foreigners found in his domains may suffer a fate similar to that of his soldiers covered above, or flee to their own countries as narated in Isaiah 13.
Reference to the mountains in the north where the gods assemble may be implying to the neighbouring Ararat range in Turkey and gives a pointer to what we earlier termed as biblical geography.
Daniel 12 v1-3: The angel wearing linen clothes said, “At that time the great angel Michael, who guards your people will appear. Then there will be a time of troubles, the worst since nations first came into existence. When that time comes, all the people of your nation whose names are written in God’s book will be saved. Many of those who have died will live again. Some will enjoy eternal life, and some will suffer eternal disgrace. The wise leaders will shine with all the brightness of the sky, and those who have taught many people to do what is right will shine like the stars forever.”
Matthew 24v15-16: You will see the awful horror of which the prophet Daniel spoke. It will be standing in the holy place. (Note to the reader: understand what this means!) Then those who are in Judea must run to the hills.
Matthew 24 v29-31: Soon after the troubles of those days the sun will grow dark, the moon will no longer shine, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers in space will be driven from their courses. Then the sign of the son of man will appear in the sky, and all the peoples of the earth will weep as they see the son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. The trumpet will sound, and he will send out his angels to the four corners of the earth, and they will gather his chosen people from one end of the world to the other.
1 Thessalonians 4v15-17: What we are teaching you now is the lord’s teaching: we who are alive on the day the lord comes will not go ahead of those who have died. There will be the shout of command, the archangel’s voice, the sound of God’s trumpet, and the Lord himself will come down from heaven. Those who have died believing in Christ will rise to life first; then we who are living at the time will be gathered up along with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the lord.
These verses above give a better understanding of Daniel 12. The time of troubles being alluded to does not only refer to the earthly conflicts, but also to earthquakes, floods, asteroids, and other cosmic phenomenon which we will also cover in detail in Revelations.
Daniel 12v1-3 appears to be carrying a similar theme to the first three chapters of Revelations where the righteous are rewarded and also Rev 20 where people receive honour or endure different situations according to their conduct.
The verses quoted above are well supported by other scriptures and prophets. The destruction of death and resurrection of the dead is well documented in Isaiah 25 and 26.
1 Corinthians 15 also has a similar theme. Zechariah 12 has the people mourning for the one whom they stabbed to death, a theme also carried in Rev 1.
1 Corinthians 15 also has a similar theme. Zechariah 12 has the people mourning for the one whom they stabbed to death, a theme also carried in Rev 1.
With the aid of Daniel, we can then historically connect both the Old and New Testament authors and confirm their writings to be consistent, inspired and true.
In our reflections at the end we will explain why we in these end times do not only live by faith, but through scriptures we unlike our predecessors are able also to live by the historical and current facts of faith.
In the reflections we will look at Deuteronomy 18 and learn how to identify a prophet, we will confirm Christ words as prophetic and analyse some of them as a successor to the prophets and their words.
This will basically be a final summation of our perspective at the beginning,and the book in general.
Daniel 12v5-12: Then I saw two men standing by a river, one on each bank. One of them asked the angel who was standing further upstream, “How long will it be until these amazing things come to an end?” The angel raised both hands towards the sky and made a solemn promise in the name of the Eternal God. I heard him say, “It will be three and a half years when the persecution of God’s people ends, all these things will have happened.”
I heard what he said, but did not understand it. So I asked, “But, sir, how will it all end?” He answered, “You must go now, Daniel, because these words are to be kept secret and hidden until the end comes. Many people will be purified. Those who are wicked will not understand but will go on being wicked; only those who are wise will understand. From the time the daily sacrifices are stopped, that is, from the time of the awful horror, 1290 days will pass. Happy are those who remain faithful until 1335 days are over!
As the 1150 days of desecration begin in Daniel 8, so also will the 1290 days to the end of the conflicts also commence. The conflict as we will also note in Revelations would appear to indicate that conflict in Rome will end 140 days before the one in Israel and that the conflict in Israel will begin 30 days after the desecration in Rome for the total of 1260 days in Revelations or the 3½ years in Daniel 7 that Israel will be under siege. This could be what Matthew 24 quoted above was referring to.
It may take this amount of time at the end for the reign of Christ to be heralded, and the reign of the saints to be established. Daniel may also be confirming what Paul and the apostles were wont to tell the early church, that the Gentiles have through Christ become part of God’s people.
Following the narrative in Daniel 11, it is clear that the temple being referred to, is not in Israel as the invasion of Israel at the end is a later event. This then should be the temple of Peter, and the sacrifices here are the sacrifices of Christ, the sacrament or last supper in memory of Christ in the priestly order of Melchizedek, which the Roman Church adheres to diligently.
This may be part of the Christian tradition taking up the challenge, offered by one of the wiser teachers of the Law in the book of Acts, who stated that the authenticity of the tradition would be confirmed by its longevity, a challenge it has met.
As we stated at the beginning of the narrative on Daniel 11, this banishment of the Lord’s high Priest and the desecration of his temple, should be part of the wars against the Christ mentioned in Rev 12,13 and 19.
Matthew confirms that Christ himself will return to claim all who have accepted him through out the world.
A summary of Daniel’s prophecies about the end can thus be made. In Daniel 7 we have the dominant colonial powers of modern times. Their general characteristics are given, and we are informed that they will only function for a little while after the loss of their dominions.
Daniel 2 deals with the royal era of these empires, and the fact that the marital alliances that were the norm then, were never able to achieve lasting unity. It was also at about this time that major expansions of the European Empires took place, before declining in the republican or constitutional phase that followed. The phase we are in now, from which all these nations will eventually collapse.
The empire from which the person who will lead the fight against Christ, Israel and religion in general will arise is also given, and as per our deductions this empire is one of the former provinces of the Ottoman Empire.
In Daniel 11 and 12, a historical background is given of the relationship between the Europeans, in which three of the four empires of Daniel 7 originate, and the Middle, East in which the fourth empire of Daniel 7 resides. This chronology carries on up to their final conflicts, the alliance of what we deduce as Russia and the East, and the eventual reign of Christ and the saints.
The precursor to the Kingdom of God or the return of Christ, the conflicts in Rev 19, Daniel 11 and Isaiah 41 will then begin to be resolved from the north and the east and expand to the west and end the siege of Israel.
Zechariah 14v1-7: The day when the lord will sit in judgement is near. Then Jerusalem will be looted, and the loot will be divided up before your eyes. The lord will bring all the nations together to make war on Jerusalem. The city will be taken, the houses looted, and the women raped. Half the people will go into exile, but the rest of them will not be taken away from the city. Then the lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he has fought in times past. At that time he will stand on the Mount of Olives, to the east of Jerusalem. Then the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west by a large valley. Half the mountain will move northwards and half of it southwards. You will flee as your ancestors did when the earthquake struck in the time of king Uzziah of Judah. The lord my God will come, bringing all the angels with him.
When that time comes, there will be no longer be cold or frost, nor any darkness. There will always be daylight, even at night, time. When this will happen is known only to the Lord.
The above verses in Zechariah seem to support our summary above, as well as other issues we have covered with the aid of the book of Daniel.
However Matthew also notes that Christ will come after the conflicts have ended, and these from Daniel appears to be after the protagonists have been defeated by eastern and northern winds. Everything might then have its proper place in the run of things.
A forerunner to our reflections may be in order here, as what Daniel and Zechariah predicted about the end was also seconded by Christ, and Daniel 9 also talks about the banishment of 66-73 A.D.
In essence Christ and the prophets may have been stating that after the death of Christ the temple will be destroyed as sin had been forgiven and the nation banished for disbelief. However before his return the nation would again be reunited with unprecedented strength that we are currently witnessing. There may be no peace without the acceptance of the Prince of Peace who will then return during a time of unprecedented major exertions between Israel and her neighbours.
The thing to note is that after all is said and done, then Christ will come after the wars, earthquakes and floods. Those fortunate enough to have survived all the calamities, together with those who have died in faith will live on, or live again under the reign of Christ. Others who have not lived wisely will suffer eternal disgrace. This is the same theme and chronology of events given in Revelations, though the presentation is in a different manner.
