INTRODUCTION
In March 2003 we see an intense debate-taking place in the US and all across the world about the role of the U.N in the Iraq crisis.
In 1991 George Bush senior supported by a U.N mandate pushed Iraq out of Kuwait, but did not overthrow Saddam Hussain,
because he did not have the mandate from the U.N to do so. Today all the leftist, peace activists also want permission from the U.N
to do anything anywhere in the world. Current world events are transforming the U.N, and it is evolving into a world government.
THE ANTICHRIST AND THE KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST
Today, the world stands at the crossroads of history. Islamic terrorism, rapid changes in
the geopolitical boundaries of Europe, and the fluid situation around the world has
changed the world forever. The shocking fact is that tomorrow’s news was actually
foretold thousands of years ago in the Bible. The present crisis in the dawn of the
Millenium will culminate with the return of Christ to take His saints home to heaven,
which is called the “rapture.”
The prophetic sections of the Bible are for the comfort and instruction of those
believers in the face of the present predicted crisis. However, our Lord is in control and
nothing will take Him by surprise.
Most people believe that the Islamic terrorists may explode a nuclear device in
America and the subsequent events may lead to a climatic ending of this planet. Even
NonChristians believe that Armageddon looms over the horizon. A child of God who
understands Bible prophecy responds with calmness, peace, and hope, while those who
do not trust in Jesus Christ are overcome with fear. Christians are not looking to save this
world, but they are looking for a new heaven and earth in which Jesus Christ reigns.
Today’s politicians and religious leaders are trying to build a New World order
consisting of a world government, a world economy, and a world religion. The world will
not understand the signs of the times, so they will try to build a world government in
order to establish peace.
The Bible mentions three important requirements to establish the Antichrist’s kingdom:
1) World government- (Revelation 13:7):
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them:
and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
(Daniel 7:23)-Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon
Earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole
Earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
2) Global capitalism- (Revelation 13:16, 17):
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive
a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell,
save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
3) World religion- (Revelation 13:3, 4, 8):
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was
healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon
which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast saying, Who is like
unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And all that dwell upon the earth
shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world.
ISRAEL
Israel is the major player in the last days’ events. The fact that the Jewish people are
back in the land after having been scattered to every corner of the globe for almost two
thousand years, is a miracle. Israel’s return to her homeland in 1948 is one of the most
significant prophetic fulfillments in all of world history. First, it completed God’s
promise to both scatter and then regather Israel (Ezekiel 36:24):
For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and
will bring you into your own land.
In 1967, Israel recaptured the city of Jerusalem. It was the first time that Jerusalem was
back in Jewish hands since 70 A. D. The fact that these things are happening at the
present has great significance, because the prophets have told us that these things would
come to pass at a very specific time- namely, the time of the end (Ezekiel 38:8):
After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the
land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against
the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the
nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
THE TEMPLE
Another most important Bible prophecy is that the Jews will rebuild their temple on the
temple mount. Today, Arabs control the temple mount which houses the Dome of the
Rock, the third holiest site in the Islamic faith. If Israel makes even a small attempt to
build a temple- jihad (holy war) will take place.
How the rebuilding of the temple will take place is not clear. Many believe that the
Dome of the Rock must be demolished before the temple can be built. This can happen
by supernatural actions such as earthquakes, or fire (for example, an underground nuclear
explosion could demolish that structure.) Some others believe that the temple could
actually be rebuilt in its original location, right alongside the Dome of the Rock, without
the Islamic mosque having to be removed. Since Jews and Arabs hate each other, how
can this happen? Rebuiding the temple, peace between Arabs and Jews, and a solution to
the Palestinian problem are at the very heart of Biblical prophecy and the birth of the
world government. One of the most important steps to form a world government will be
a peace treaty between Israel and the Arabs.
THE BOOK OF DANIEL
The Word of God is very clear that the reason the temple was destroyed, Jerusalem
burned, and Israel scattered in 70 A. D. was because the Jewish people rejected and
killed Jesus. According to the promises of God, He sent them their Messiah. However,
because they were looking for a conquering hero to subdue all their enemies, to bring
them peace, and to sit on David’s throne, they did not recognize Jesus’ fulfillment of the
role of the suffering servant. They could not see that He had to come twice, because of
their sinful hearts and disobedience they could not recognize this truth.
THE SEALED EASTERN GATE
Jesus Christ, the true Messiah will come down on the Mount of Olives, opposite to the
temple mount (Zechariah 14:1-5):
Behold the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of
thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be
taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go
forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in
the day of battle. And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives,
which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the
midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great
valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward
the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the
mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the
earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come,
and all the saints with Thee.
Then a great earthquake will split the earth from the Mediterranean, through the Mount
of Olives to the Dead Sea. Christ will cross the Kidron Valley as He did on Palm Sunday
almost two thousand years ago. This incident is prophesied by the prophet Ezekiel
(Ezekiel 43:1, 2, 4, 5):
Afterward He brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east:
And, behold the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and His
voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with His glory. And the
glory of the Lord came, into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is
toward the east. So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and,
behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house.
The prophet Ezekiel told Israel that the Eastern Gate of the temple would be shut until
Jesus Christ comes (Ezekiel 44:1, 2):
Then He brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which
looketh toward the east; and it was shut. Then said the Lord unto me; This
gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it,
therefore it shall be shut.
Amazingly, this gate has been closed for many centuries. Ordinary people or secular
historians may consider it a coincidence, but according to the Word of God, it cannot be
opened without heavenly sanction. The original Eastern Gate is also sealed under the
accumulated rubble directly in front of the present sealed Eastern Gate, which we can see
now. The Muslims under Sulaiman the Magnificent were aware of the prophecy of the
coming Jewish Messiah, and they sealed this gate when they rebuilt the city walls more
than four hundred years ago. To prevent the coming of the Messiah through the gate, they
built a large graveyard in front of it. In their religion, a priest would be defiled by
walking through a graveyard, so they felt that a gravesite would prevent the Messiah
from fulfilling Ezekiel’s prophecy.
Twice in the Twentieth century, an attempt to open the closed Eastern Gate failed.
On December 9, 1917, Grand Muffti, the Arab leader of Jerusalem, tried to open this
gate. He had ordered the other gates of Jerusalem sealed to deter the approaching Allied
Army, led by the British General Lord Allenby. Since he needed one gate open, he
ordered his workmen to open the mysterious sealed gate. As the workmen picked up their
sledge hammers, Lord Allenby’s biplane flew over the city telling the Arabs to “flee
Jerusalem”. Miraculously, without a shot being fired, the soldiers fled the city. It was
delivered into the hands of Great Britain, which had one month earlier promised the Jews
“a national homeland” with the famous Belfour Declaration. The workmen fearfully put
down their sledge hammers and the gate remained sealed as the prophet had prophesied.
Again, in 1967, the ancient prophecy was fulfilled. King Hussein of Jordan had
conquered the old city of Jerusalem in 1948, including the temple mount. For the first
time in centuries, the Jews were forbidden to worship at their sacred Western Wall. King
Hussein decided to build a hotel for Arab pilgrims on their section of the Western Wall-
closing off this area to Jewish worship forever. However, the planned hotel would be
built over the Magreb Gate, which all pilgrims presently use to enter the temple mount.
The king needed to open another gate to allow Muslim worshippers entrance to the
El Aksa mosque on the temple mount. In violation of Bible prophecy, he ordered his
workmen to open the sealed Eastern Gate. On June 6, 1967, as the workmen prepared
their air hammers to shatter the huge stones, Israel aircraft preemptively attacked the
Arabs. The warplanes destroyed the Arab nations’ military installations within hours.
Within six days, Israel vanquished her enemies and the plan to open the Eastern Gate
failed again. The Eastern Gate is still sealed. The gate will remain sealed until the day
when the promised Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ will enter into His kingdom. (The
above information was taken from the book, Heaven by Grant R. Jeffrey.)
DANIEL’S SEVENTY WEEKS
Hundreds of years before the time of Jesus, the prophet Daniel was given an overview
of God’s upcoming dealings with His chosen people. While Daniel was in captivity in
Babylon, he was praying for God’s mercy upon the children of Israel. Then the angel
Gabriel appeared to him. He told Daniel that God had heard his prayer, and wanted to
give him understanding of what would happen to Israel in the future. It is that overview
which helps us understand the role of Israel, the temple mount, and the Antichrist in the
last days.
Daniel’s prophecy provides the key to the entire drama of the last days. Daniel was
told that 490 years had been given to the nation of Israel (Daniel 9:24-27):
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to
finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation
for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision
and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand,
that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem
unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks:
the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after
threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself: and the
people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and
the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are
determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in
the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and
for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the
consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
By the end of these 490 years, Israel would make an end of her sins, enter the age of
everlasting righteousness, and accept her Messiah. However, the prophecy was broken
down into several parts. The first 483 years, Daniel was told, were to be measured from
the time of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. This decree was given to
Nehemiah in 645 B. C.
Archaeological discoveries and extensive research by Sir Robert Anderson, the one-
time head of the criminal investigation division of the Scotland Yard, have conclusively
proved the pinpoint accuracy of the prophetic Word of God. Sir Robert Anderson was a
writer, and one of the pioneers of the Plymouth Brethren movement. His research shows
that it was exactly 483 years to the day, from the time that Nehemiah was given
permission to rebuild Jerusalem until what we know as Palm Sunday. It was on that day
that Jesus was presented to Israel as their long awaited Messiah and King (Matthew 21:4,
5): All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet,
saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek,
and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
(Mark 11: 9, 10): And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying,
Hosanna; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom
of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
Ultimately, Jesus was not received by Israel as her Messiah. Just as Jesus had said,
they declared, “We will not have this man to reign over us” (Luke 19:14).
Exactly 483 years after the day when the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem had been
given, Israel failed to recognize her day of visitation and rejected the real Messiah. At
that exact moment the prophetic clock of God’s dealing with Israel stopped, seven years
short of the 490 years that had been given to Israel. Why did that clock stop? Because
Israel rejected Jesus Christ, and because as the prophecy indicated, the Messiah had to be
“cut off not for Himself.” In 33 A. D., indeed the Messiah was cut off (killed), but it was
not for Himself; it was for us. God gave His own Son to die for our sins. Those who
believe in Him receive eternal life. Now God’s attention was no longer focused upon
Israel, but upon a new entity called the Church: the group of people all over the world
who would accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.
This doesn’t mean that Israel was rejected forever. As the Word of God says, the world
which had previously been divided into Jews and Gentiles, was now made up of three
different groups: the Jews, Gentiles, and the Church of God (1 Corinthians 10:32):
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church
of God.
Furthermore, the prophecy of the seventy weeks is a constant reminder that there are still
seven years on the prophetic clock, which is interrupted by the Church Age, when God’s
focus will once again be directed toward Israel.
When will this seven-year period begin? If the prophetic clock stopped with the birth of
the Church, it could not begin again until the Church is gone. This event is known as the
“Rapture”. The Rapture is the great hope that Jesus has given to all believers, that in the
last days there will be a generation of Christians who would never know death. These
believers will suddenly be “caught up” to meet the Lord in the clouds (I Thessalonians
4:17): Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with
the Lord.
The Biblical teaching of this “catching away” is that it will occur at the beginning of a
period of time known as “the Tribulation period” or “the time of Jacob’s
trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7):
Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s
trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
The Tribulation period will last seven years (483+7=490). One week actually means
seven years, not days. One week of seven years is still left unfulfilled.
THE NEW ERA
The magic words for the world nations after the collapse of the Soviet Union were
capitalism and democracy.
The Antichrist will enter on the world stage by arranging a miraculous peace treaty
with Israel and the Arabs. The treaty will not only guarantee their protection, but will
also allow them the right to rebuild their temple and reinitiate the Old Testament
sacrifices. The document signed may be the constitution of the world government.
The Middle East peace will signal to the whole world that the New Age has finally
begun. Because of constant war in the Middle East and explosive conditions all over
the world, the world will long for peace. The Antichrist will arrive on the scene
with an offer of peace. He will be a popular or democratically elected leader.
Daniel chapter nine gives the first clue by which the Antichrist can be clearly
identified. The world will not know who the Antichrist is until “he will confirm a
covenant with many for one week” (Daniel 9:27). When the world knows of the
Antichrist, he will be in the role of a peacemaker. During this first half of seven years,
Israel feels at peace and secure, so the covenant must provide full guarantee for
Israel’s national security.
One result of the covenant is that Israel will be allowed to rebuild her temple in
Jerusalem. The Antichrist will be known as the greatest man of peace. How ironic
that the man who will cause so much misery and destruction appears first as a hero for
peace. Although he might appear initially as a man of humility, his ultimate goal in all
his actions will be to exalt himself (Daniel 11:37):
Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor
regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
World events will seem to vindicate his faith in massive and destructive weapons.
Daniel describes a series of coalitions that rise against the Antichrist during the seven-year period.
But those alliances are no match for the power of this ultimate ruler (Daniel
11:40-42): And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and
the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and
with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and
shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many
countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom,
and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand
also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
The apostle John also describes the Antichrist’s reliance on military might and power.
In Revelation six, John pictures the events that inaugurate the seven-year Tribulation
period. The era begins with a rider bent on worldwide conquest (Revelation 6:2):
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and
a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
SATANIC COUNTERFEIT
Many victories he achieves are due to supernatural forces at work behind the scenes.
Ultimately, the Antichrist is a pawn in the hand of Satan.
The apostle Paul provided a chilling picture of the Antichrist (11 Thessalonians 2:9,10):
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and
lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
The appearance of the Antichrist will be accompanied by a display of miracles
unparalleled since the time of Jesus and the apostles.
Satan’s power is limited. He is not all-powerful, nor is he all- knowing or omnipresent.
Satan will work to enhance the credibility of the Antichrist by bestowing on him
miraculous powers. This superman will have more powers than anybody else on this
planet.
The world searches desperately for peace, apart from God. Modern men want all the
benefits without accepting any of the responsibilities. They look for a leader who will
offer hope without asking people to acknowledge their sin. That leader could be just on
the horizon. He will appear as the answer to the world’s prayers – a man who can bring
peace and prosperity to a world racked by pain.
The world will be so mesmerized by his miracles that his other actions will scarcely be
noticed. Military might will be his top priority. The world will wake up to his total
control, but by then it will be too late. People will be forced to pay homage to this evil
ruler because they know the consequences of disobedience. “Who is like the beast? Who
can make war against him?” (Revelation 13:4). In the end, the man of peace will turn out
to be the man of lawlessness, but for most people still on earth, the discovery will come
too late.
REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE
There will be an alignment of ten nations in the Mediterranean. In Daniel 7:7, 24, this
is symbolized by ten horns on a beast that represent the last world empire, the Roman
empire in its final and revised form.
The Common Market is the forerunner of another confederacy of nations – a united
states of Europe from the Atlantic to the Ural mountains. Napoleon and Hitler dreamed of
a greater Europe. In January 1, 2002, Europe adopted “euro” as their currency. Today, the
European Common Market is emerging as the dominant player in politics and economics.
In 1958, six nations – Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West
Germany formed the European community. The goal of this community was the
economic unification of Europe.
Dramatic events that have shaken Europe in the late 1980’s and 1990’s hastened
Europe’s drive for unification. Many satellite countries of the Soviet Union’s Warsaw
Pact joined in the European union. There are fifteen members at present, and it may
increase up to twenty-five members.
Europe sprang from the soil of nationalism. Isolated tribes and confederacies united by
a common language or common religious heritage, form the basis of most
European communities. Europe searches for the secret to a united continent. If a united
states of Europe is to be formed, it will need strong leadership to forge the various
nations into a political union.
DANIEL
Daniel was carried off to Babylon as a royal hostage in 605 B. C. He rose rapidly to
become a leading statesman in Nebuchadnezzar’s government.
Daniel’s prophecies make more sense when we understand the structure of his book.
Daniel wrote his first chapter in Hebrew, and the chapter serves as an introduction to
the book. In it we learn how Daniel came to be in Babylon, and why he received God’s
blessing on his life. But beginning in chapter two, Daniel changes both languages and
topics. In Daniel 2:4, Daniel switches from writing in Hebrew to writing in Aramaic
(“Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic”). The languages are similar, but
the effect on Daniel’s readers is as dramatic as if he had switched from writing in English
to writing in Greek. Daniel wrote chapters two to seven in Aramaic before switching
back to Hebrew at the beginning of chapter eight.
Why the switch in language? In chapters two to seven Daniel wrote of events important
to all nations, so he wrote in the common commercial language of his day. Beginning
in chapter eight, he focused on events related especially to the people of Israel, so he
switched back to Hebrew. Chapters two to seven focus on events relating to the “times of
the Gentiles”.
God allowed Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians to destroy the Kingdom of Judah
and carry off the Jews into captivity. God’s purpose for the nation of Israel had always
been the establishment of His kingdom on earth with the coming of Israel’s Messiah.
But because of the nation’s disobedience, God punished the people by allowing them to
be defeated and deported. Daniel wrote to announce to the Jews that in spite of their
circumstances, God was still in control and working out His plans for the world. God’s
kingdom would yet come, and the Jews would one day be restored to the land of Israel.
Daniel wrote the Aramaic section of his book to explain to the Jews that God’s
kingdom was still coming. Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in (Daniel
2:24): Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy
the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise
men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will show unto the king the
interpretation.
He also explained the meaning of the stone that destroyed Nebuchadnezzar’s statue.
In chapter seven, Daniel pictured “one like a son of man” coming to
destroy the beasts roaming the world (Daniel 7:14):
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people,
nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting
dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not
be destroyed.
In Daniel chapters two to seven, the prophet explains what will happen between the
time when the kingdom of Judah was destroyed, and God’s future kingdom is finally
established. This is the period commonly called the “times of the Gentiles” - a time when
Gentile powers rule over the Jews and control the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem.
THE FOUR NATIONS
In the book of Daniel chapters two to seven, the prophet provides insight into the
Gentile powers that will rule Israel and the Jews from the time of Nebuchadnezzar until
the coming of God’s kingdom for Israel. Chapter two pictures the nations as four parts
of a giant statue, while chapter seven describes the nations as four beasts climbing from
the sea.
After describing the statue smashed by a stone, Daniel interprets the vision (Daniel
2:36):
This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
In chapter seven, the vision confuses Daniel until an angel comes and interprets
it for him (Daniel 7:16):
I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this.
So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
What was the four-part statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar in his dream in Daniel two?
Daniel explains each part to the king. The head of gold represented Nebuchadnezzar
himself (Daniel 2:38):
And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of
the heaven hath He given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all.
Thou art this head of gold.
The times of the Gentiles began when Nebuchadnezzar invaded, conquered, and
deported the Jews from Israel. This took place in 587 B. C.
Nebuchadnezzar, as the leader of the country that destroyed Israel, took top honors in
the line of Gentile nations.
Having interpreted the head of gold, Daniel moved to the second part of the vision-
the chest and arms of silver. Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian Empire would be replaced
by another kingdom. On October 12, 539 B. C., Babylon fell to Cyrus, king of the
Medo-Persian Empire (Daniel 5:30-31):
In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius
the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.
Daniel described this second empire as “the kings of Media and Persia” (Daniel 8:20):
The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media
and Persia.
After Daniel interpreted the meaning of the first two sections of the statue in chapter
two, he described the third part of the vision. The statue had “its belly and thighs of
bronze” (Daniel 2:32):
This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver,
his belly and his thighs of brass. . .
Daniel’s explanation of the belly of bronze is very brief (Daniel 2:39):
And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another
third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
Daniel confirms the sequence in chapter eight when he names the empire that
would follow Medo-Persia. Daniel identifies the empire pictured in chapter eight as a
“goat” who would destroy the Medo-Persian Empire (Daniel 8:21):
And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between
his eye is the first king.
Greece replaced Medo-Persia in 330 B. C. Daniel describes the first three empires in the
“times of the Gentiles” as being Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. All three controlled
the Middle East and ruled over the land of Israel. Daniel finally comes to the fourth part
of his vision, the “legs of iron”. Daniel again explains that the new metal on the statue
represents a kingdom (Daniel 2:40):
And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh
in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it
break in pieces and bruise.
Daniel doesn’t name this fourth kingdom in his book, but the empire that defeated
Greece, conquered the Middle East, and controlled the land of Israel was Rome. Daniel
explained that when the kingdom of God –pictured as a stone –finally came, “it struck the
statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them” (Daniel 2:34):
Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image
upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
This fourth empire would be the empire ruling over Israel when
God’s kingdom comes to earth. When Jesus came to Israel and announced in Matthew
4:17, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”, Rome was ruling over Israel.
In Daniel two, the prophet describes four empires that bridge the gap from the time
Israel goes into captivity until the kingdom of the Messiah arrives. The four: Babylon,
Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, form an unbroken line of descent from Daniel’s day
until the time of Christ.
In Daniel chapter seven, the prophet describes the four nations as beasts emerging from the sea. The description may be different, but the same nations are in view.
The meaning and events of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue is described in a different way,
under the symbol and in the form of wild beasts. When man looks at his works, at his
great buildings, his empires and kingdoms, he sees it as Nebuchadnezzar saw it in his
vision: a great colossal man with a head of gold, even a breast and heart of silver. He
looks upon his kingdoms through the symbol of a vast, impressive, strong standing man.
But in the seventh chapter of the book of Daniel, looking at the same sweep of history,
God sees it in an all together different way. God looks at the kingdoms under the symbol
and in the form of wild beasts. A man looks at human history and reads in it the proud
stories of conquering, triumphant generals, statesmen, and kings. But when God looks
at those same leaders, He looks at them in divine evaluation as being wild beasts. The
reason is apparent. They attack one another like wild animals. They are wild beasts.
Nations rise by the power of the sword in blood and slaughter, in fire and in force. It is
the same even today.
In Daniel’s description of the first beast, it had the form of a lion, with the wings of an
eagle- two animals that symbolized the supremacy of this first kingdom. Daniel notes
that the beast ruled supreme until “its wings were torn off” (Daniel 7:4):
The first was like a lion, and had eagles wings: I beheld till the wings thereof
Were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the
feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
This description pictures the humbling of Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon, which the
prophet records in detail in Daniel chapters four and five.
The prophet’s second creature resembled a bear “raised up on one of its sides”
(Daniel 7:5):
And behold another beast, a second like unto a bear, and it raised up itself
on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it:
and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
This lopsided bear pictured the two halves of the Medo-Persian
Empire, with the Persian half being the more prominent. The bear had “three ribs
in its mouth between its teeth”- picturing Medo-Persia’s conquest of Lydia,
Babylon, and Egypt.
Daniel’s third creature from the sea “looked like a leopard” (Daniel 7:6):
After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the
back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and
dominion was given to it.
The swift leopard was an apt description of the Greek Empire that swept through the
world under Alexander the Great. The leopard’s four heads visualize the final
form of Alexander’s empire, as Bible prophecy had foretold. His kingdom was divided
among four generals after his death. Gassander took Macedonia and the western part,
Lysimachus took Thrace and the northern part, Seleucus took Syria and the eastern
part and Ptolemy took Egypt and the southern part.
An interesting account of Alexander’s conquest in the Middle East gives credence
to Bible prophecy.
A description of Alexander’s conquest is given below from the works of
Josephus, who was a contemporary of Jesus Christ. This Jewish historian
was born in 37 A. D. and died after 100 A. D.
When Alexander the Great conquered the known world, he took with him
Aristotle, the greatest philosopher who ever lived. Man looks upon his empires
as models of human achievement, but God looks on them as wild beasts which
need to be controlled.
When Alexander the Great marched up to Jerusalem, he had come to destroy
it. Alexander was in Tyre, a city he was seeking to conquer. Nebuchadnezzar
had besieged Tyre for eighteen years and never succeeded in subduing it. The
first time Tyre was ever conquered was by Alexander the Great. In the conquest
of Tyre, Jerusalem and Judea refused to help Alexander. After the war was
over in Tyre, Alexander marched to Gaza and burned it to the ground in
indignant vengeance because they refused to help him while besieging Tyre.
He was on his way to Jerusalem to destroy and burn it too.
In the meantime, God appeared to the high priest and told him what to do.
The next day Alexander with his armies came sweeping up to Jerusalem to
destroy it. The high priest came out wearing his mitre (holy garments), with
his breastplate inlaid with twelve precious stones, and his robe laden with all
the beauty of bells and embroidered pomegranates. He was followed by all the
priests dressed in pure white. They were followed by all the people of the city,
dressed in robes, clean and white. They welcomed Alexander the Great singing
the songs of Zion. They opened to him the doors of their city and of their temple.
One of the priests took the Holy Scriptures and showed Alexander in the book
of Daniel where Daniel had prophesied concerning his very coming. So over-
whelmed was the world conqueror by what he saw in the beautiful procession
of the Jewish priesthood, and by the welcome of the Judean people, that he
knelt down and prayed in the name of Jehovah God, and offered a sacrifice on
the brazen alter in the temple. When Alexander arose, he said that in a dream
before he left Macedonia, he had seen that very man, the high priest, and heard
him say that if Alexander crossed to Hellespoint with his Greek army, God
would give him victory throughout all of Asia.
Daniel cannot describe the fourth creature. His animal remains unidentified
except for his observations that the beast had “large iron teeth and ten horns”
(Daniel 7:7):
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful
and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it
devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of
it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had
ten horns.
Daniel’s use of “iron” ties this fourth beast with the fourth part of the statue in chapter
two. The beast represents Rome.
ROME RESURRECTS AGAIN
Daniel dramatically predicted that Rome would be the great power when the Messiah
came to earth to establish His kingdom. Just as God predicted, Rome controlled the
land of Israel when Jesus came as the Jew’s Messiah. But something seemed to go
tragically wrong. Instead of ushering in the kingdom, Jesus was crucified (John 19:15):
But they cried out, Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him. Pilate saith
unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have
no king but Caesar.
Did God make a mistake? The answer is no. Indeed, Daniel predicted that the Messiah
would be killed. In Daniel chapter nine, the prophet predicted the time sequence for
God’s prophetic activities. He first predicted the time “from the issuing of the decree
to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the Ruler (Daniel 9:25). Daniel’s
prophecy pointed to the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem as Israel’s Messiah. But Daniel
goes on to predict, almost 600 years before the event, what would happen to the Messiah
(Daniel 9:26). Jesus death was no accident. The Bible predicted that the Messiah would
die, but why did He die? The prophet Isaiah answered that question in Isaiah 53:5-6:
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His
stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the
iniquity of us all.
Jesus Christ died as the substitute for our sin. He died on the cross to pay our debt- to
pay the penalty for our sins.
God arranged the world’s stages so that Jesus could offer Israel her kingdom at His first
coming to earth. Had Israel truly repented and accepted her Messiah, God could have
brought His plans to pass. But Israel rejected her Messiah, and God used this rejection to
accomplish His larger plan of having the Messiah die for the sins of the world. But what
does all this have to do with Rome?
Jesus will come to earth a second time. The kingdom promised by God will be
established then. The Gentile power controlling the land of Israel when the Messiah
comes will be the same power that was in control at Jesus’ first coming. Rome will rise
again.
Daniel’s predictions of the coming kingdom in Daniel two and seven, did not end at the
first coming of Jesus. The kingdom pictured by Daniel is not the present age of the
church. The Messianic kingdom announced by Daniel is still future, and Daniel says that
when it comes, Rome will be the country crushed by its appearance. In Daniel chapter
nine, Daniel has provided an amazing timetable for Israel. It describes Daniel’s
seventieth week, which I have explained previously. In Revelation thirteen, John pictures
the end- time evil empire that will control the earth. He describes the empire as “a beast
coming out of the sea” (Revelation 13:1):
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of
the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten
crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
That is exactly how Daniel described the empires in Daniel seven. As John describes this
end -time empire, it becomes obvious that he is describing the fourth beast of Daniel
seven. The beast John saw has “ten horns and seven heads” (Revelation 13:1). While
Daniel said the fourth beast had ten horns in Daniel 7:7, he interpreted the horns on the
beast as “ ten horns are ten kings” (Daniel 7:24):
And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:
and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the
first and he shall subdue three kings.
John provides the same interpretation for the ten horns (Revelation 17:2):
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and
the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of
her fornication.
Daniel explains how long the fourth beast will persecute the people of Israel (Daniel
7:25):
And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall
wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times
and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and
times and the dividing of time.
A “time” is symbolic of a year, so “a time and times, and half a time” could be
translated “a year, two years, and half a year.” Daniel’s fourth empire will persecute
Israel for three and one-half years- the same amount of time the “ruler who will come”
persecutes Israel in Daniel 9:27. As John describes the end-time evil empire, he writes
that he will be allowed to “exercise his authority for forty-two months (Revelation 13:5):
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and
blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty
and two months.
Forty-two months is exactly three and one-half years. Both Daniel and John describe the
same empire. They picture a beast rising from the sea with ten horns representing a ten-
nation confederacy. Both predict that this empire will persecute the nation of Israel for
three and one-half years.
THE EUROPEAN COMMON MARKET
The European Common Market is the ten-nation confederacy predicted in Daniel and
Revelation. However, presently, the European Common Market consists of twenty five
nations, while several others may still join. The Bible predicts one diverse empire ruled
by the end-time dictator. This empire will be composed of at least ten nations who will
ally himself with this ruler. However, no such alignment exists today. In the past
decade, Europe has changed dramatically. The Soviet Union broke up into fifteen
countries. Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia broke up, while both Germanys united. The
continent is undergoing major political upheavals, and no one knows the outcome.
God makes three assertions about the final European power that will play a role in the
end-time events:
1) The empire will be a potent military force in the world. The rest of the world will
look at the final world leader and his European empire and say, “who can make war
against him?” (Revelation 13:4):
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and
they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is
able to make war with him?
The United States will be replaced by the European empire as the greatest power in
the world.
2) The empire will be strong militarily and economically, but it will be a fractured
empire. The final European power will still be plagued by the nationalism that has
already divided Europe. The language barriers, and the long-standing political,
religious, and national rivalries will make the empire difficult to govern. Factionalism
and nationalism will contribute to the destruction of this empire. That is why Daniel
pictured this final empire as a mixture of iron and clay. It will have the military
strength of iron, but the clay represents the nationalism that would weaken the
empire (Daniel 2:43):
And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle
themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to
another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
ARMEGEDDON
Archaeologists have discovered twenty-four separate layers of occupation on
Megiddo-a mute reminder of the violent history of this strategic city.
King Solomon fortified his capital city and three other key cities in his empire-Hazor,
Megiddo, and Gezer (I Kings 9:15):
And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to
build the house of the Lord, and his own house, and Millo, and the
wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.
Megiddo’s strategic location in the Jezreel valley at the mouth of the road through
Mount Carmel caused the city much grief. The city suffered sieges and attacks, and
countless armies gathered outside her gates. Solomon, the last king, who ruled over the
united empire of Israel, fortified the city against attack.
Josiah, the last good king of Judah, died at Megiddo trying to stop the army of Egypt
from going to fight against the Babylonians (II Kings 23:29):
In his days Pharaoh-nechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of
Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and
he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.
The hill of Megiddo, in Hebrew “har Megiddo”, symbolized the place where armies
assembled for war. The Jezreel valley provided ample room for gathering an army and
conducting maneuvers. Control of the pass through Mount Carmel gave the city military
importance.
REVELATION 16:16
In Revelation sixteen, God pours out His final bowls of judgment on the earth. These
judgments occur in the last days and weeks before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ on
earth. The next to the last judgment is the sixth bowl that the angel pours out on the earth
(Revelation 16:12-16):
And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and
the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might
be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth
of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the
false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go
forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the
battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed
is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they
see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the
Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
GLOBAL DEMOCRACY
One of the common denominators of the revived Roman Empire which will eventually
hold sway over all the earth, will be democracy. In the statue of Nebuchadnezzar’s
dream, the iron represents Roman democracy, which for all practical purposes rules
today’s political world. This is reinforced by the reality that never before in history
has the world experienced global democracy. God chose Israel to rule the world,
however, Europe has ruled the world for over two thousand years. But only one is
destined to lead, and that is Israel.
Asian countries have patterned themselves after European laws and business practices.
French, English, Portuguese, Dutch, and other European languages are spoken in
different parts of the world. There is not a country in Africa which is not built upon the
intellectual foundation of Europe. The iron empire (Europe) has dominated the world for
over two thousand years, and during the last few decades, it has re-emerged even more
powerful than ever before in history.
Based on Bible prophecy, the European “iron empire” must spread around the world
and solidify all the nations into a global society.
MYSTERY BABYLON
The word “ Babylon” appears 286 times in the Bible, with twelve of those instances
appearing in the New Testament (Genesis 11:9):
Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there
confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord
scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
The Biblical account ascribes the founding of the ancient prehistoric city of Babylon to
the descendants of Cush and the followers of Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-10):
And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even
as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord. And the beginning of
his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the
land of Shinar.
This statement distinguishes the people who founded the city (evidently the Sumerians)
from the Semitic-Babylonians who afterwards possessed it.
It is noteworthy that the first Babylon (Babel) was a form of democracy at work;
an attempt to fully unite the world politically, economically, and religiously.
GENESIS 11:1-4:
And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it
came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain
in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another,
Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick
for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us
build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let
us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the
whole earth.
The city of Babel was the center of civilization. The kingdom of Babylon accepted
the separation of the nations with its different languages, traditions, and cultures, but
aimed to instigate a one-world religion. The mystery Babylon, the last Gentile super
power; will unite the world politically, economically, and religiously. The key to her
success is unity through diversity.
This is obviously a clever imitation of Satan, who knows that the church is completely
and perfectly united in the Lord, yet diverse while on the earth. The church is found in
every country of the world. Its members speak different languages and practice varied
traditions and cultures: however, the church remains as one.
The building of the tower of Babel was not authorized by a powerful emperor, king, or
great warrior, Instead, the people of the land were the driving force behind the
undertaking.
BABYLON
The difference between Babel and Babylon lies in the fact that Babel was a functioning
democracy ruled by the people. However, Babylon was ruled by a royal monarchy.
The destruction of mystery Babylon is described in Revelation 14:8 and 16:19:
And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen,
that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the
wrath of her fornication.
And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the
nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God,
to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.
The Scriptures also describe Babylon’s destruction in Revelation chapters seventeen and
eighteen. The emphasis in chapter seventeen is on the religious aspect of Babylon. This
is the destruction of the false church headed by the false prophet at the Tribulation
Period. Chapter eighteen centers on the commercial aspect, and describes a literal city
called Babylon. (Although many great scholars believe that Babylon or Iraq will be
rebuilt in the future, this author does not support that idea wholeheartedly.)
Isaiah chapters thirteen and fourteen and Jeremiah chapters fifty and fifty-one further
explain Babylon’s destruction.
Nevertheless, the name Babylon in Revelation is used for more than a city. It
also stands for a system. This is much the same as Americans speak of Wall Street. It is
an actual street, but it also stands for the financial system of the free world.
ONE SYSTEM IN THE WORLD
The names given children during Biblical times were significant because they revealed
something about the bearer’s character. God calls all people by name. He even names
each star in heaven.
At the same time, Satan degrades man to such a level that he loses his name. In the jail
system, each prisoner has a number. The names of those following Satan are blotted out
of the Book of Life, and each person becomes a number.
Today’s economy, financial system, and politics are progressing toward a complete
numbering system that will eliminate all names. Therefore, it is not surprising that the
final global system will require that every person on the face of the earth be numbered
(Revelation 13:18):
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the
beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred
threescore and six.
CASHLESS SOCIETY
Banks and retailers like debit cards because it reduces employee theft, reduces charges
on non-cash transactions, and eliminates check fraud. Debit cards facilitate immediate
access to funds, and improved cash flow. The elimination of cash and checks can aid the
retailer and others in the money chain. The consumers debit card is scanned by the store
clerk. Within seconds, the money is transferred directly from the consumer’s account to
the store’s account.
Another very important advantage for the retailer is the reduction of robbery. This will
reduce insurance premiums and the threat of physical violence. The move to a cashless
society will have a chain reaction of benefits for all citizens of the world. We will be able
to pay for everything with prepaid or (stored value) or smart card. Coins will disappear
from society. Banks will be able to eliminate most of their branches in the near future.
It is highly costly for banks to staff and pay for building maintenance. Automatic Teller
Machines (ATM’s), which can perform almost all the functions of a branch bank, are
vastly less expensive.
When a new bank branch is built, it has to hire architects, builders, contractors,
engineers, and electricians, and pay for locksmith’s fees, permits, and numerous other
costs. ATM’s do not need health insurance, vacations, or sick leave. Debit cards are
convenient for customers, and profitable for retailers and banks. So the world will gladly
adopt the paperless transactions.
A paperless society will deter crime. Muggings and robberies will become unprofitable
as fewer citizens will carry cash, and stores will carry less cash. A cashless society may
eradicate drug dealers because they use cash for transactions. As cash is eliminated from
day to day use, large scale transactions cannot be done through electronic banking
without inviting attention from bank and law enforcement officers.
A cashless society will impact extortion, kidnapping, blackmail, and prostitution.
Society will be willing to embrace this system for a better life.
Millions of dollars could be saved if government payments to individuals could be
handled electronically, rather than having to issue and process expensive paper checks.
Electronic deposits would put an end to the theft of Social Security, and other
government checks from the mail. Tax evasion, cash payments for work performed or for
items sold, and other cash loopholes would be eliminated.
As the nations are converted into a global society, international governments would
benefit from the elimination of foreign currency exchanges.
COUNTERFEIT CARDS
All the cards at present can be counterfeited, and the losses are mounting up. Banks
lose money when a counterfeit transaction takes place. To avoid counterfeiting, banks
have started issuing smart cards with computer chips. But the real counterfeit proof
technology lies in our body. The system known as biometrics, identifies a person by
their unique physical or behavioral characteristics. When perfected, these systems will
be the ultimate security of the electronic world.
The leading biometric technologies include fingerprint and retinal readers, hand
geometry machines, voice recognition, signature dynamics, and many other systems in
their experimental stage. A facial recognition system can identify thousands of people
within seconds. It is now operating at large conventions and celebrations where
thousands of people gather.
Electronic tracking devices are common, with the help of satellites that can track the
subject with a computer chip. This will eliminate kidnapping and car theft. For better
security, society will be willing to sacrifice their personal privacy. Cattle, vehicles,