BEASTS OF DANIEL AND REVELATION #1

 THERE IS MUCH TO UNDERSTAND IN DANIEL, TOGETHER WITH REVELATION—— I WILL BRING YOU ALL THE MAIN POINTS, OVER THE COMING WEEKS— AN EXCITING TIME COMING WITH BIBLE PROPHECY—Keith Hunt

The Beasts of Daniel and Revelation #1

How it all fits together

by Keith Hunt KNOW THIS FIRST! "...THAT NO PROPHECY OF THE SCRIPTURE IS OF ANY PRIVATE INTERPRETATION." 2 Peter 1:20. ALL BIBLICAL SYMBOLS MUST BE INTERPRETED BY THE BIBLE - GOD GAVE THE SYMBOLS ONLY HE CAN TELL US WHAT THEY MEAN. THE GREAT IMAGE Dan. 2:31,38 Head of Gold - Breast of Silver - Belly of Brass - Legs of Iron v. 38 God tells us what this means - Nebuchadnezzar (v.28) and the Babylonian empire is the head of gold. v. 39. Three more kingdoms to arise who would rule the earth--there have only been four world ruling powers in history: 1. Babylon 2. Persia 3. Greece 4. Rome. v. 41 The fourth kingdom was divided (two legs) - the Roman empire was divided between Rome and Constantinople. See your history books. v. 34 A STONE was cut out "without hand" (no human power) and smote the image on its FEET and it was gone forever. v. 35 The stone becomes a mountain and fills the WHOLE EARTH. STONE - MOUNTAIN - EARTH? Can we put it together? Christ is referred to as a stone (Mt.21:42,44, Eph.2:20, Acts 4:10, 11). Mountain - God's house, His kingdom is referred to as a mountain. (Jn.14:1-3, Isa.2:1-4). Filling the earth--upon Christ's return God's kingdom will be established on this earth. (Mic.4:1-4; Isa.11; Zach.14). v. 42 Also gives us the answer to v.34,35. v. 44 The stone (Christ) smashes the feet and toes and then the God of heaven sets up a kingdom. There are ten toes on a pair of feet - Christ smashes the TOES - plural - not toe, or last toe or tenth toe. He smashes the FEET NOT FOOT (v.34). The toes represent kings (v.42 with 44). In the days of THESE (plural) KINGS (plural), more than one, God sets up his kingdom. These kingdoms or kings of ten are all existing at the same time - they are not (consecutive) one after the other, but simultaneous, one with, alongside the other. Christ smashes them--all at the same time. Does God give us another scripture to prove this? Yes! Rev.17:12-14 Ten kings unite to fight the LAMB; Christ is referred to as the Lamb (Jn.1:29), He overcomes them. Rev.19:11-21 Also describes this same time and event. The toes on the feet of Daniel's image are the ten kings - horns - of John's beast of Revelation 17. Dan. 7:1-7 DANIEL'S FOUR BEASTS v. 4 Like a LION with eagles wings. v. 5 Like a BEAR - three ribs in its mouth. v. 6 Like a LEOPARD - with four heads. v. 7 Fourth beast - INDESCRIBABLE - very terrible. God interprets for us. v. 17 These beasts are four kings - they represent four kings. v. 23 The fourth beast IS the FOURTH KINGDOM upon earth to rule the earth. King and kingdom then are used interchangeably. What does history tell us? There have been ONLY FOUR world ruling empires! BABYLON (625-538 B.C.). A man's heart given it - Nebuchadnezzar was converted to God (Dan.4:28-37). PERSIA (558-330 B.G.). Three ribs in its mouth - it came to power by conquering three empires, Media, Lidia, Babylon. GREECE (333-330 B.C.). Four heads - the great king of this empire, Alexander only reigned a few years and died. His empire was divided into FOUR PARTS by four of his generals. ROME (46 B.C.-476 A.D.approx.). It truly was strong with iron teeth - it ruled and conquered and stamped under foot more people and lands than the other three empires. Dan. 7:7-8, DANIEL'S FOURTH BEAST TEN HORNS - AND LITTLE HORN v. 7 The fourth beast was ROME as we have seen. Notice! IT the fourth beast had ten horns. v. 8 A LITTLE HORN comes up - notice AMONG them (among the ten horns), yes, ALONGSIDE the ten horns. v. 9 The expanse of TIME that the TOTAL HORNS endure for (the ten horns and little horn) is until the ANCIENT OF DAY DID SIT (cross ref. this with Rev. 1:13-18; 20:4, Dan.7:13-14; Ps.90:2; 104:2), Christ sitting on His throne ruling this earth (Lk.1:31-32; Zech.14:1-9; Rev.3:21; 2:26-27; Dan.7:13-14). The horns represent kings or kingdoms - see Dan.8:20,21. Ten kingdoms were to arise OUT OF the fourth beast and another kingdom ALONGSIDE them - from the rising to fall was to last until Christ returns to reign as king (see also v.20-22). There is no history that states Rome was divided into ten pieces upon its collapse, and the area of the old empire has NOT been ruled by ten nations from its original fall until now. THESE ten kingdoms are NOT SIMULTANEOUS BUT CONSECUTIVE. God makes it plain in v.8. Notice! It says three of the FIRST horns. If there is a first - it is number one- second is number two- third is number three, etc: If we say the FIRST THREE runners in a race have pulled out, we mean runners number one, two and three, not runners seven, eight and nine. If the FIRST THREE HORNS are plucked up then there is a fourth, fifth, sixth, etc. IN THAT ORDER. Does history show us that there were three consecutive powers that arose to bring down and at that same time continue the Roman rule? Yes indeed! "In 378 THE VISIGOTHS, angered by the oppression of imperial governors, raised the standard of revolt. They overwhelmed a Roman army at Adrianople and then marched westward into Italy. In 410 under Alaric they captured and plundered Rome, later moving on into southern Gaul." Western Civilization p.261 "In 455 ROME WAS SACKED BY THE VANDALS ... other Germanic nations also made their way into Italy, and before the end of the fifth century the Roman empire in the west had passed completely under the domination of the Barbarians." Western Civilization p.261 "But in 493 ITALY WAS CONQUERED BY THE OSTROGOTHS under Theodoric....until nearly the end of his reign of thirty-three years, Theodoric gave Italy a more enlightened rule than the country had known under many of the caesars...not until 552 was the power of the Ostrogoths finally broken." Western Civilization p.263. The Lombards then held most of the peninsula under the rule of semi-independent dukes until the late 8th century. Western Civilization p.263. Rome it would seem had finally been wounded to death. THREE HORNS (kingdoms) had come and gone by 552 A.D. There are still SEVEN HORNS left, and they must extend over a period of time that ENDS when Christ returns. The LITTLE HORN - WHO IS IT? Here is what Daniel tells us about it: 1. It comes up AMONG or ALONGSIDE the other ten horns. It is in existence at the same time as all the other horns, v.8. 2. It plucks up the first three horns- indicating that it does not come to great power and influence until AFTER 552 A. (After the Visigoths, Vandals and Ostrogoths had fallen.), v. 8. 3. It is likened to a MAN who speaks great things - indicating that it has a man as a spokesman for itself, v. 8. 4. It continues until Christ returns, v. 9. 5. It comes out of the fourth beast (Rome), v. 7,8. So it is part of and exists in the geographic area of the original Roman Empire. It is Roman. 6. It makes war with or against the saints of God, v. 21,25. 7. It speaks against the most high (God) - it is blasphemous, v.25. 8. It changes - it thinks "to change the times (of sacred feasts and holy days) and the law..." Amplified Bible. 9. It continues in power and might for one specific length of time, 1,260 years. (cross ref. v.25 with Rev.12:6,14 and Ezek. 4:3-5), v.25. 10.It is a horn - so it is a government - kingdom type empire, v. 8 What in all history from Rome till now and beyond (for it must exist at Christ's return) could answer to all of those ten points. It must be something so large and powerful as to be unmistakable in the history books. There HAS BEEN and IS only ONE such power - THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH!!! 1. The Catholic Church itself and the Pope claims direct descent from Peter (the apostle of Christ). It was therefore in existence alongside the horns of v.8. It was already in existence before the Visigoths, Vandals and Ostrogoths took power of Rome. See a History of Christianity book. 2. The Catholic Church did not come to GREAT power and influence until AFTER 552 A.D. after the first three horns had fallen. 3. It has a man - namely the Pope as its spokesman- he is the voice of the Church - he claims to be God's representative on earth- he claims infallibility at times. 4. The Catholic Church is still with us today with no sign of dying out. 5. It is called Roman - its capital is Rome - the same city that was the capital of the old pagan empire - it is living in the same geographical location of the original Roman empire. 6. What Church or power has directly ordered or sanctioned other people to death for being followers of Christ MORE THAN the Catholic Church. See your history books. 7. The Priests are called "FATHER" Christ said nobody was to be called in religious titles FATHER. It is God's name ONLY, (Mt.23:9.). Doing so is speaking against the most high. 8. The Roman Church has done MORE than anyone to CHANGE the seasons - it introduced CHRISTMAS, EASTER, ALL SOULS DAY (HALLOWEEN),THE NEW YEAR, the present calendar we use, and many other saints days - all derived from PAGANISM not God. It changed the LAW of God - namely the fourth point of the law - it changed it from the SEVENTH to the FIRST DAY. See a book called "Christian Feasts and Customs" by Francis Weiser at your library - it will open your eyes as to the paganism in our Christianity. 9. From 554 A.D. to 1814 A.D. the Catholic Church had its biggest "field day" as they say today. It ruled with great power, might and prestige. From the fall of the Ostrogoths to the fall of the Napoleon empire was 1,260 years. 10. The Roman Catholic Church is a government - it has offices, ambassadors, representatives in all nations- it is not only ecclesiastical in power it is also political in power-ruling and guiding and influencing many a nation on this earth. The Roman Catholic Church has been in EXISTENCE and ALONGSIDE the rise and fall of each of these consecutive ten horns of the fourth beast of Daniel 7. The REMAINING SEVEN HORNS of Daniel chapter 7 tie in directly with the first beast of Revelation chapters 13 and 17. The LITTLE HORN of Daniel chapter 7 ties in directly with the second beast of Revelation chapter 13. FIRST BEAST OF REVELATION 13 v. 1 A beast rises out of the sea- Daniel sees his beasts rise out of the sea (Dan.7:3.) These two chapters (Rev.13 and Dan.7) are IMMEDIATELY CONNECTED. v.2. John sees one beast - like a leopard, bear and lion - the SAME ANIMALS that Daniel saw in chap.7:3-6. Again this is too similar not to be connected. One beast comprising the strongest part of each of Daniel's beasts. The dragon - Rev.12:3,9 - is Satan - this Beast is Satan's tool. This one beast has seven heads and ten horns, (v. 1). v. 3 We will come back to this later. v. 4 This beast is a great war machine - the greatest war power ever known. Notice Dan.7:7 the fourth beast- dreadful and terrible - strong exceedingly - iron teeth - devoured much. Dan.7:23- it devoured the whole earth. v. 5,6 This beast of Rev.13 also speaks great things and blasphemies (comp. to Dan 7:8,25). In Daniel chapter 7 the fourth beast speaks great things and words against God AFTER three horns were plucked up - when only seven horns remained. This beast of John also continues for 42 months- 1,260 days or years (God's month only has 30 days or 360 days a year) (see Dan.7:25). AFTER three horns were destroyed, Dan. 7:24,25. v. 7 John's beast makes war with the saints - so does Daniel's. Dan 7:19-25. The similarities between John's beast (first one, and Daniel's fourth beast) is striking. It should be plain. The beast that John sees coming up out of the sea IS the fourth beast that Daniel sees coming out of the sea. The Roman Empire swallowed up the empires of Babylon, Persia and Greece - many of the pagan practices and customs or Rome can be traced right back to Babylon, the first world empire. John's beast is that of the Roman Empire mixed with the most powerful aspects of the other three previous empires. Daniel's fourth beast continues for 1,260 years after the first, three horns are gone- when SEVEN HORNS were left. John's beast continues 42 months or 1,260 years (a day for a year Ezek.4:4) with seven heads and another ten horns. Put it together: Daniel's LAST SEVEN HORNS of the ROMAN EMPIRE are the SEVEN HEADS of John's beast. v. 3 ONE HEAD WOUNDED TO DEATH - the original head of Rome was finally put to death (so it seemed to the world) in 476 A.D. (as the history books give the date, which is only approximately) with the fall of the third horn - the Ostrogoths, IT WAS HEALED - Rome was resurrected, by Justinian in 554 A.D. and continued for 1,260 years (42 months) until 1814 A.D., the end of Napoleon's reign. v.1 John's beast has ten horns (kingdoms) ten crowns (kings) - compare this to Daniel 2:34,41-44. The iron part of Daniel's image was the ROMAN EMPIRE - the ten toes are TOGETHER when Christ destroys them at His return. Compare this with Rev.17:12-14 - ten kings (kingdoms - crowns - horns) fight Christ at return. The ten horns or crowns of John's first beast of Rev.13 are the ten nations, kings of Rev.17:12 and the ten toes of Daniel's image. John's beast of Rev.13 is the CIVIL part of the RESURRECTED ROMAN EMPIRE AFTER 554 A.D. It is the last seven horns of Daniel's fourth beast of Dan.7 and the FINAL ten kingdoms to join forces to fight Christ upon His return. Remember, John is MAINLY seeing the CIVIL-MILITARY power of the continuing Roman empire in this first beast. Notice v.4, who can make WAR with HIM- the Church of Rome never went to war directly - the Church did not have an army of soldiers- THIS BEAST DOES. v. 7 The beast - the civil military power was the one to DO the KILLING of true Christians- not the Church - it only sanctioned it. v. 8 Worship the beast - yes, many of the civil military rulers of Rome were worshipped as gods by the people - the whole empire WAS and WILL BE looked upon by the people as DIVINE- God's instrument in dealing with mankind. JOHN'S SECOND BEAST OF REVELATION 13 v. 11 Two horns (a two fold government - Dan. 8:20-22). It LOOKS LIKE a lamb (chap.14:1; Jn.1:29; Zech.14:3,4). It looks like Christ, a representative of Christ, but it speaks the things of a DRAGON (Rev.12:3,9). It is really a tool of Satan the Devil. v. 12 This beast causes all to worship the first beast - the Roman Empire and its rulers were worshipped as gods. v. 13 This beast does GREAT WONDERS - Christ said in Mt.24:24 that JUST BEFORE His coming "...false Christ's and FALSE PROPHETS..." would arise "...and shew great signs and WONDERS..." Notice the similar language used. This beast can make fire come down from heaven - he can PERFORM MIRACLES. Notice Rev.16:13, three unclean spirits go out of the DRAGON (Satan chap.12:3,9), the BEAST (we'll see this later) and the FALSE PROPHET; v.14 these spirits are demons - working MIRACLES. In 2 Thes.2:3-9, Paul describes an INDIVIDUAL - a single person called "...THAT MAN of sin...so that HE as God (claiming he IS or he is GOD'S REPRESENTATIVE) sitteth in the temple of God..." v. 9 this individual comes "...after the working of Satan with all POWER and SIGNS and lying WONDERS." John sees what Paul saw, in I Jn. 2:18. He tells us there must come ONE supreme ANTI-CHRIST in the last days, before the return of Christ. So we have Christ's statement in Mt.24:24 of MANY false prophets doing SIGNS and WONDERS narrowed down to ONE supreme individual - the man of sin as Paul calls him in 2.Thes.2 - the ANTI-CHRIST as John calls him in I Jn. 2:18 - and a FALSE PROPHET as John calls him in Rev.16:13,14. v. 14 Let's let God nail it down for us - let's let the Bible interpret itself. Notice! This beast deceives people "...by the means of those MIRACLES which he had power to do IN THE SIGHT OF THE BAST..." Now, compare this with Rev.19:20, "and the beast was taken and with him the FALSE PROPHET that wrought MIRACLE BEFORE HIM..." And it goes on to say this false prophet DECEIVED people by those MIRAGES - deceived those who received the MARK OF THE BEAST and them who WORSHIPPED HIS IMAGE. The BEAST of Rev.13:11 also says to those whom he deceives that they should make an IMAGE to the beast and WORSHIP IT or be killed (v.14,15) AND he causes all to receive a MARK OF THE BEAST (v.16,17). The false prophet of Rev.19:20 is destroyed at Christ's return - see v.11-20. Paul's MAN OF SIN is also destroyed by Christ at His coming - 2 Thes,2:8. Oh! Can we see! The beast of Rev.13:11, IS the FALSE PROPHET of Rev.16:13,14 and Rev.19:20. He is the SUPREME FALSE PROPHET of Christ's statement in Mt.24:24. He is the MAN OF SIN in 2 Thes.2. He is the ANTI-CHRIST of John in I Jn.2:18. What about the IMAGE and TWO HORNS. We must answer these now. IMAGE- the Greek is "ikone" (a likeness, i.e. literally, statute, profile, or figuratively, representation, resemblance. Strong's Con.). Christ was the image of God (2 Cor.4:4), the same Greek word is used. This second beast says to the world there should be an IMAGE, a LIKENESS, a RESEMBLANCE made to the beast which was wounded by a sword and yet lived, that is to the first beast of Rev.13 - see v. 3. The first beast is the CIVIL MILITARY ROMAN EMPIRE after 554 A.D. and up to the return of Christ. The image must also have existed from 554 A.D. To create a LIKENESS it must come from the original. What in history comes from- has its origin in - is patterned after the ROMAN EMPIRE - and is LARGE enough to engulf the world. And to make, force people to worship it or be killed (v.15)? Why,only the Church that comes from the SAME CITY as the old empire - that calls itself by the SAME NAME - the Church that is UNIVERSAL - that RULED with the civil military power over the same geographical area - the Church that during the Middle Ages FORCED people to be killed if they did not worship its way. That Church - that likeness of the civil power beast - is the ROMAN CATHOLIC (universal - that's what Catholic means) CHURCH. THE TWO HORNS - TWOFOLD GOVERNMENT Many do not realize that the Roman Catholic Church has a twofold Governmental system. It is both ECCLESIASTICAL and CIVIL. The Roman Church has a religious order from its Pope, Cardinals, Bishops down to its Priests - it has a Church government. But it also has a civil political organization - the Vatican city is a state unto itself. The Church of Rome partakes with the governments of this world. Christ said His followers would come out of this world (Jn.17:14,16; Rom.12:2). It has offices and embassies in countries around the world, much like civil nations of this world have. Its form of Church organization comes from the civil Roman empire, (see The Two Babylon by Hislop and Babylon Mystery Religion by Woodrow). It is more than significant that on certain occasions the Pope wears a TWO HORNED MITRE. The following is from the book Babylon Mystery Religion, p. 87. "The mitre is seen in the accompanying sketch of Pope Paul (I have not included any pictures in this study)as he delivered his sermon on "peace" during his historic visit to the United States in 1965. (The photo on page 92 also shows the Pope wearing a highly decorated mitre of the same shape.) As the noted writer Hislop puts it concerning the Papal mitre: "...the two horned mitre, which the Pope wears when he sits on the high altar at Rome and receives the adoration of the Cardinals is the very mitre worn by Dagon, the fish-god, of the Philistines and Babylonians." .............. TO BE CONTINUED