Muhammad in Bible Prophecy: Part 4 - Daniel’s Vision of History

Daniel’s Vision of History

Daniel 7:1-28

בשׁנת חדה לבלאשׁצר מלך בבל דניאל חלם חזה וחזוי ראשׁה על־משׁכבה באדין חלמא כתב ראשׁ מלין אמר׃

(1)  In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.

ענה דניאל ואמר חזה הוית בחזוי עם־ליליא וארו ארבע רוחי שׁמיא מגיחן לימא רבא׃

(2)  Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.

וארבע חיון רברבן סלקן מן־ימא שׁנין דא מן־דא׃

(3)  And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

קדמיתא כאריה וגפין די־נשׁר לה חזה הוית עד די־מריטו גפיה ונטילת מן־ארעא ועל־רגלין כאנשׁ הקימת ולבב אנשׁ יהיב לה׃

(4)  The first was like a lion, and had eagle's 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.

וארו חיוה אחרי תנינה דמיה לדב ולשׂטר־חד הקמת ותלת עלעין בפמה בין שׁניה וכן אמרין לה קומי אכלי בשׂר שׂגיא׃

(5)  And behold another beast, a second, like to 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.

באתר דנה חזה הוית וארו אחרי כנמר ולה גפין ארבע די־עוף על־גביה וארבעה ראשׁין לחיותא ושׁלטן יהיב לה׃

(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.

באתר דנה חזה הוית בחזוי ליליא וארו חיוה רביעיה דחילה ואימתני ותקיפא יתירא ושׁנין די־פרזל לה רברבן אכלה ומדקה ושׁארא ברגליה רפסה והיא משׁניה מן־כל־חיותא די קדמיה וקרנין עשׂר לה׃

(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.

משׂתכל הוית בקרניא ואלו קרן אחרי זעירה סלקת ביניהון ותלת מן־קרניא קדמיתא אתעקרו מן־קדמיה ואלו עינין כעיני אנשׁא בקרנא־דא ופם ממלל רברבן׃

(8)  I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

חזה הוית עד די כרסון רמיו ועתיק יומין יתב לבושׁה כתלג חור ושׂער ראשׁה כעמר נקא כרסיה שׁביבין די־נור גלגלוהי נור דלק

(9)  I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

נהר די־נור נגד ונפק מן־קדמוהי אלף אלפים ישׁמשׁונה ורבו רבון קדמוהי יקומון דינא יתב וספרין פתיחו

(10)  A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

חזה הוית באדין מן־קל מליא רברבתא די קרנא ממללה חזה הוית עד די קטילת חיותא והובד גשׁמה ויהיבת ליקדת אשׁא

(11)  I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

ושׁאר חיותא העדיו שׁלטנהון וארכה בחיין יהיבת להון עד־זמן ועדן

(12)  As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

חזה הוית בחזוי ליליא וארו עם־ענני שׁמיא כבר אנשׁ אתה הוה ועד־עתיק יומיא מטה וקדמוהי הקרבוהי

(13)  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

ולה יהיב שׁלטן ויקר ומלכו וכל עממיא אמיא ולשׁניא לה יפלחון שׁלטנה שׁלטן עלם די־לא יעדה ומלכותה די־לא תתחבל

(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.

אתכרית רוחי אנה דניאל בגוא נדנה וחזוי ראשׁי יבהלנני

(15)  I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.

קרבת על־חד מן־קאמיא ויציבא אבעא־מנה על־כל־דנה ואמר־לי ופשׁר מליא יהודענני

(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.

אלין חיותא רברבתא די אנין ארבע ארבעה מלכין יקומון מן־ארעא

(17)  These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

ויקבלון מלכותא קדישׁי עליונין ויחסנון מלכותא עד־עלמא ועד עלם עלמיא

(18)  But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

אדין צבית ליצבא על־חיותא רביעיתא די־הות שׁניה מן־כלהון דחילה יתירה שׁניה די־פרזל וטפריה די־נחשׁ אכלה מדקה ושׁארא ברגליה רפסה

(19)  Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;

ועל־קרניא עשׂר די בראשׁה ואחרי די סלקת ונפלו מן־קדמיה תלת וקרנא דכן ועינין לה ופם ממלל רברבן וחזוה רב מן־חברתה

(20)  And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

חזה הוית וקרנא דכן עבדה קרב עם־קדישׁין ויכלה להון

(21)  I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

עד די־אתה עתיק יומיא ודינא יהב לקדישׁי עליונין וזמנא מטה ומלכותא החסנו קדישׁין

(22)  Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

כן אמר חיותא רביעיתא מלכו רביעיא תהוא בארעא די תשׁנא מן־כל־מלכותא ותאכל כל־ארעא ותדושׁנה ותדקנה

(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.

וקרניא עשׂר מנה מלכותה עשׂרה מלכין יקמון ואחרן יקום אחריהון והוא ישׁנא מן־קדמיא ותלתה מלכין יהשׁפל

(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.

ומלין לצד עליא ימלל ולקדישׁי עליונין יבלא ויסבר להשׁניה זמנין ודת ויתיהבון בידה עד־עדן ועדנין ופלג עדן

(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.

ודינא יתב ושׁלטנה יהעדון להשׁמדה ולהובדה עד־סופא

(26)  But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

ומלכותה ושׁלטנא ורבותא די מלכות תחות כל־שׁמיא יהיבת לעם קדישׁי עליונין מלכותה מלכות עלם וכל שׁלטניא לה יפלחון וישׁתמעון

(27)  And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

עד־כה סופא די־מלתא אנה דניאל שׂגיא רעיוני יבהלנני וזיוי ישׁתנון עלי ומלתא בלבי נטרת

(28)  Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

In Daniel 2 there was a statue of 4 metals and feet of Iron and clay.  Daniel 2 explained that the 4 metals were 4 empires, starting with Babylon, then there would be a different period, symbolized by the iron and clay feet.  In Daniel 7, we see 4 beasts that the angel explains are 4 kings, followed by a period dominated by the little horn. 

Let’s establish if these symbols adequately fit Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome and a period after Rome. 

“The first was like a lion, and had eagle's 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.”  The winged lion was commonly used in Babylonian art and is a good symbol of Babylon.  The rest of that verse seems to hail back to an incident with Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel chapter 4, which is a transcript of Nebuchadnezzar’s letter.

Daniel 4:1-37

נבוכדנצר מלכא לכל־עממיא אמיא ולשׁניא די־דארין בכל־ארעא שׁלמכון ישׂגא

(1)  Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

אתיא ותמהיא די עבד עמי אלהא עליא שׁפר קדמי להחויה

(2)  I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.

אתוהי כמה רברבין ותמהוהי כמה תקיפין מלכותה מלכות עלם ושׁלטנה עם־דר ודר

(3)  How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

אנה נבוכדנצר שׁלה הוית בביתי ורענן בהיכלי

(4)  I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:

חלם חזית וידחלנני והרהרין על־משׁכבי וחזוי ראשׁי יבהלנני

(5)  I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

ומני שׂים טעם להנעלה קדמי לכל חכימי בבל די־פשׁר חלמא יהודענני

(6)  Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.

באדין עללין חרטמיא אשׁפיא כשׂדיא וגזריא וחלמא אמר אנה קדמיהון ופשׁרה לא־מהודעין לי

(7)  Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.

ועד אחרין על קדמי דניאל די־שׁמה בלטשׁאצר כשׁם אלהי ודי רוח־אלהין קדישׁין בה וחלמא קדמוהי אמרת

(8)  But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,

בלטשׁאצר רב חרטמיא די אנה ידעת די רוח אלהין קדישׁין בך וכל־רז לא־אנס לך חזוי חלמי די־חזית ופשׁרה אמר

(9)  O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.

וחזוי ראשׁי על־משׁכבי חזה הוית ואלו אילן בגוא ארעא ורומה שׂגיא

(10)  Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.

רבה אילנא ותקף ורומה ימטא לשׁמיא וחזותה לסוף כל־ארעא

(11)  The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:

עפיה שׁפיר ואנבה שׂגיא ומזון לכלא־בה תחתוהי תטלל חיות ברא ובענפוהי ידרון צפרי שׁמיא ומנה יתזין כל־בשׂרא

(12)  The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

חזה הוית בחזוי ראשׁי על־משׁכבי ואלו עיר וקדישׁ מן־שׁמיא נחת

(13)  I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;

קרא בחיל וכן אמר גדו אילנא וקצצו ענפוהי אתרו עפיה ובדרו אנבה תנד חיותא מן־תחתוהי וצפריא מן־ענפוהי

(14)  He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:

ברם עקר שׁרשׁוהי בארעא שׁבקו ובאסור די־פרזל ונחשׁ בדתאא די ברא ובטל שׁמיא יצטבע ועם־חיותא חלקה בעשׂב ארעא

(15)  Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:

לבבה מן־אנושׁא ישׁנון ולבב חיוה יתיהב לה ושׁבעה עדנין יחלפון עלוהי

(16)  Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

בגזרת עירין פתגמא ומאמר קדישׁין שׁאלתא עד־דברת די ינדעון חייא די־שׁליט עליא במלכות אנושׁא ולמן־די יצבא יתננה ושׁפל אנשׁים יקים עליה

(17)  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

דנה חלמא חזית אנה מלכא נבוכדנצר ואנתה בלטשׁאצר פשׁרא אמר כל־קבל די כל־חכימי מלכותי לא־יכלין פשׁרא להודעתני ואנתה כהל די רוח־אלהין קדישׁין בך

(18)  This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

אדין דניאל די־שׁמה בלטשׁאצר אשׁתומם כשׁעה חדה ורעינהי יבהלנה ענה מלכא ואמר בלטשׁאצר חלמא ופשׁרא אל־יבהלך ענה בלטשׁאצר ואמר מראי חלמא לשׂנאיך ופשׁרה לעריך

(19)  Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.

אילנא די חזית די רבה ותקף ורומה ימטא לשׁמיא וחזותה לכל־ארעא

(20)  The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;

ועפיה שׁפיר ואנבה שׂגיא ומזון לכלא־בה תחתוהי תדור חיות ברא ובענפוהי ישׁכנן צפרי שׁמיא

(21)  Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:

אנתה־הוא מלכא די רבית ותקפת ורבותך רבת ומטת לשׁמיא ושׁלטנך לסוף ארעא

(22)  It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

ודי חזה מלכא עיר וקדישׁ נחת מן־שׁמיא ואמר גדו אילנא וחבלוהי ברם עקר שׁרשׁוהי בארעא שׁבקו ובאסור די־פרזל ונחשׁ בדתאא די ברא ובטל שׁמיא יצטבע ועם־חיות ברא חלקה עד די־שׁבעה עדנין יחלפון עלוהי

(23)  And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;

דנה פשׁרא מלכא וגזרת עליא היא די מטת על־מראי מלכא

(24)  This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:

ולך טרדין מן־אנשׁא ועם־חיות ברא להוה מדרך ועשׂבא כתורין לך יטעמון ומטל שׁמיא לך מצבעין ושׁבעה עדנין יחלפון עליך עד די־תנדע די־שׁליט עליא במלכות אנשׁא ולמן־די יצבא יתננה

(25)  That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

ודי אמרו למשׁבק עקר שׁרשׁוהי די אילנא מלכותך לך קימה מן־די תנדע די שׁלטן שׁמיא

(26)  And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.

להן מלכא מלכי ישׁפר עליך וחטיך בצדקה פרק ועויתך במחן ענין הן תהוא ארכה לשׁלותך

(27)  Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.

כלא מטא על־נבוכדנצר מלכא

(28)  All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.

לקצת ירחין תרי־עשׂר על־היכל מלכותא די בבל מהלך הוה

(29)  At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.

ענה מלכא ואמר הלא דא־היא בבל רבתא די־אנה בניתה לבית מלכו בתקף חסני וליקר הדרי

(30)  The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?

עוד מלתא בפם מלכא קל מן־שׁמיא נפל לך אמרין נבוכדנצר מלכא מלכותה עדת מנך

(31)  While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.

ומן־אנשׁא לך טרדין ועם־חיות ברא מדרך עשׂבא כתורין לך יטעמון ושׁבעה עדנין יחלפון עליך עד די־תנדע די־שׁליט עליא במלכות אנשׁא ולמן־די יצבא יתננה

(32)  And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

בה־שׁעתא מלתא ספת על־נבוכדנצר ומן־אנשׁא טריד ועשׂבא כתורין יאכל ומטל שׁמיא גשׁמה יצטבע עד די שׂערה כנשׁרין רבה וטפרוהי כצפרין

(33)  The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

ולקצת יומיה אנה נבוכדנצר עיני לשׁמיא נטלת ומנדעי עלי יתוב ולעליא ברכת ולחי עלמא שׁבחת והדרת די שׁלטנה שׁלטן עלם ומלכותה עם־דר ודר

(34)  And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:

וכל־דארי ארעא כלה חשׁיבין וכמצביה עבד בחיל שׁמיא ודארי ארעא ולא איתי די־ימחא בידה ויאמר לה מה עבדת

(35)  And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

בה־זמנא מנדעי יתוב עלי וליקר מלכותי הדרי וזוי יתוב עלי ולי הדברי ורברבני יבעון ועל־מלכותי התקנת ורבו יתירה הוספת לי

(36)  At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.

כען אנה נבוכדנצר משׁבח ומרומם ומהדר למלך שׁמיא די כל־מעבדוהי קשׁט וארחתה דין ודי מהלכין בגוה יכל להשׁפלה

(37)  Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

“And behold another beast, a second, like to 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.”  The bear is an animal of tremendous strength, like the Persians.  When the Persians first rose to power, it was through a joining of Mede and Persian forces.  Over time, the Persians became dominant, just as the bear raised up on one side.  There were three main powers that Persia conquered, Babylon, Lydia and Egypt.  Moreover, the bear had three ribs in its mouth.

“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.”  A leopard is extremely fast by itself.  Add to that four wings, and you have a kingdom that comes up with incredible speed.  Alexander the Great set up his vast, Grecian empire in just a few short years.  The leopard has 4 heads and Alexander’s empire was divided among 4 of his generals upon his death, Cassander, Lysimachus, Ptolemy, and Seleucus.

Now we come to the 4th beast.  “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.  I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.”

Daniel was especially interested in the fourth beast and the horns that would rise up out of the 4th beast.  “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.”  The Roman Empire was not conquered by one superpower, but was slowly conquered and divided up by a series of invasions.  Arguably, this is focusing on the Western Roman Empire, as the Eastern Roman Empire survived another thousand years, but was destroyed in the events in Revelation 9. 

Another power arose up that was “diverse from the first.”  The first 10 horns were political powers, but this horn is different.  One of it’s identifiers is that it would subdue 3 of the other kings.  Here, I will begin to argue that the little horn represents the Catholic power.   

Ther were many tribes that came and went over the centuries.  If the Catholic Church is the little horn, then we would expect to see three tribes removed after the end of the Western Roman Empire.  In other words, after the last emperor was deposed.  The vision is dealing with kingdoms that emerged out of the Western Roman Empire.  Then we will expect to see Catholic rise to supremecy aided by the utter destruction of three of these kingdoms.

The last of the Western Roman Emperors was Romulus Agustus.  He was deposed in 476 by Odoacer, leader over the Heruli, who then became king of Italy[1].  He swore allegiance to the Eastern Roman Emperor, but operated rather autonomously.  This is generally agreed to be the official end of the Western Roman Empire.

Odoacer was generally tolerant of religion and he did not interfere with the Catholic Church’s affairs.  However, he was an Arian (someone who believes that God brought Jesus into existence), as were his Heruli supporters[2].  The Catholic Church was Trinitarian.   However tolerant he may have been towards the Catholic Church, an Arian king was a hindrance to Catholic domination.

Odoacer betrayed the Eastern Roman Emperor who sent the Ostrogoth leader, Theodoric, to remove him.  Theodoric killed Odoacer in 493[3] and settled his fellow Ostrogoths in Italy.  Odoacer’s Heruli supporters were defeated by the Lombards in 508 and subsequently faded from history as a separate people.[4]

The Vandals were another Arian people who had captured the city of Carthage in 439 and ruled Tunisia and eastern Algeria.  They even captured Rome in 455 and stripped it of much of its wealth (this is the origin of the term the term “vandalism”).  They persecuted many of the Catholics in Africa until Hilderic became king.[5]  He acted very favorably towards the Catholics and stopped their persecution and established good relations with the Eastern Roman Emperor[6]. 

He was overthrown by his cousin Gelimer who, with the support of the Vandal nobles, reestablished Arianism as the official religion.  This prompted the Eastern Roman Emperor, Justinian, to send his general, Belisarius, to conquer the Vandals and bring Tunisa and Algeria back to Roman Catholic control[7].  He succeeded in defeating the Vandals and expelling them from Carthage.  The surviving Vandals went separate ways and they soon ceased to exist as a distinct people[8].

In 533 Justinian incorporated into his legal code a set of letters between the imperial court and Pope John II, stating that “This See is indeed the head of all churches, as the rules of the Fathers and the decrees of the Emperors assert, and the words of your most reverend piety testify” (Justinian`s Code Book, Book 1, Title 1, Baronius’s Annals, AD 533).  This gave the pope the legal status of head of all the churches, but Rome was still under Arian political control.  The law would gain full effect five years later.

Belisarius began his campaign against the Ostrogoths in 535.  He captured the city of Rome and deposed Pope Silverius, who had been elected pope through Ostrogoth influence, and who died soon after.   In 537 the imperially backed Vigilius was installed as pope by Belisarius[9]. 

The Ostrogoths laid seige to Rome from 537 until 538, when they were finally driven away from Rome.  The war continued between the Eastern Roman imperial forces and the Ostrogoths until 554[10].  But, they also were killed and scattered and ceased to exist as a distinct people. 

With the death of Silverius and the withdrawl of the Ostrogoths from Rome in 538, Vigilius was free to exercise his authority as head of all the churches.  This firmly established the Catholic faith as the imperially backed official religion of the city of Rome and the dominant faith in the lands that had once made up the Western Roman Empire. 

Thus, the Catholic Church does fulfill the little horn’s identifying mark as a power “before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots”.  It became a major political power after the demise of the Western Roman Empire and three kingdoms suffered their mortal blows in the process.  What about the remaining identifying marks?

 “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.” 

Daniel says that the little horn would “wear out the saints of the most High.”  Thus, we can conclude that it would be a persecuting power.  Here is what the Catholic Church has said on that subject, in its own words.

"The Catholic Church . . . loudly proclaims that she has, a ‘horror of blood.’ Nevertheless when confronted by heresy she . . . has recourse to force, to corporal punishment, to torture. She creates tribunals like those of the Inquisition . . . encourages a crusade, or a religious war . . . Especially did she act thus in the sixteenth century with regard to Protestants. . . . She lit in Italy, in the Low Countries and above all in Spain the funeral piles of the Inquisition. In France . . . and in England . . . she tortured the heretics whilst both in France and Germany . . . she encouraged and actively aided, the religious wars. No one will deny that we have here a great scandal to our contemporaries . . .

"Indeed, even among our friends and our brothers we find those who dare not look this problem in the face. They ask permission from the Church to ignore or even deny all those acts and institutions in the past which have made orthodoxy compulsory."

(Professor Alfred Baudrillart, Rector of the Catholic Institute of Paris, The Catholic Church, the Renaissance and Protestantism, London, 1908, pages 182—184)

One of the key identifying points is that the little horn power will “think to change times and laws.”  This is what the Catholic Church says about changing the laws of God:

Q: Which is the Sabbath day?

A: Saturday is the Sabbath day.

Q: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?

A:  We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea, transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday”

(Peter Geiermann,  The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, 1957, p. 50).

"It was the Catholic Church which, by the authority of Jesus Christ, has transferred this rest to the Sunday in remembrance of the resurrection of our Lord. Thus the observance of Sunday by the Protestants is a homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the [Catholic] Church."

(Plain Talk About the Protestantism of Today, by Mgr. Louis Segur, 1868, p.213)

We can see that the Catholic Church has claimed that, through its power, it has changed the law of God.  

The next key identifier is “they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”  This is one of the key time prophecies in the Bible and it links Daniel and Revelation.  Here are the other passages.

Revelation 12:1-6, 14

Καὶ σημεῖον μέγα ὤφθη ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, γυνὴ περιβεβλημένη τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ ἡ σελήνη ὑποκάτω τῶν ποδῶν αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῆς στέφανος ἀστέρων δώδεκα,

1  And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

καὶ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα κράζει ὠδίνουσα καὶ βασανιζομένη τεκεῖν.

2  And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

καὶ ὤφθη ἄλλο σημεῖον ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ ἰδοὺ δράκων πυρρός μέγας, ἔχων κεφαλὰς ἑπτὰ καὶ κέρατα δέκα, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτοῦ ἑπτὰ διαδήματα,

3  And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

καὶ ἡ οὐρὰ αὐτοῦ σύρει τὸ τρίτον τῶν ἀστέρων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἔβαλεν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν. καὶ ὁ δράκων ἕστηκεν ἐνώπιον τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς μελλούσης τεκεῖν, ἵνα, ὅταν τέκῃ, τὸ τέκνον αὐτῆς καταφάγῃ.

4  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱὸν ἄρρενα, ὅς μέλλει ποιμαίνειν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ. καὶ ἡρπάσθη τὸ τέκνον αὐτῆς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν καὶ πρὸς τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ.

5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἔφυγεν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, ὅπου ἔχει ἐκεῖ τόπον ἡτοιμασμένον ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα ἐκεῖ τρέφωσιν αὐτὴν ἡμέρας χιλίας διακοσίας ἑξήκοντα.

6  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

…………………………………………………….

καὶ ἐδόθησαν τῇ γυναικὶ αἱ δύο πτέρυγες τοῦ ἀετοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου, ἵνα πέτηται εἰς τὴν ἔρημον εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῆς, ὅπου τρέφεται ἐκεῖ καιρὸν καὶ καιροὺς καὶ ἥμισυ καιροῦ ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ ὄφεως.

14  And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Notice that verse 14 is a restatement of verse 6 where the woman flees to the wilderness and is fed by God.  The “time, and times, and half a time” in verse 14 is equivalent to the “thousand two hundred and threescore days” in verse 6.

A full interpretation of this passage is beyond the scope of this chapter, but I would like to provide a few interesting suggestions. 

A pure woman represents God’s faithful followers.

Isaiah 51:16

ואשׂים דברי בפיך ובצל ידי כסיתיך לנטע שׁמים וליסד ארץ ולאמר לציון עמי־אתה

16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.

Jeremiah 6:2

הנוה והמענגה דמיתי בת־ציון

2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.

The Sun, Moon and stars are an allusion to a dream Joseph had that represented his family, which would become the nation that the Messiah was born to.

Genesis 37:9-10

ויחלם עוד חלום אחר ויספר אתו לאחיו ויאמר הנה חלמתי חלום עוד והנה השׁמשׁ והירח ואחד עשׂר כוכבים משׁתחוים לי

9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

ויספר אל־אביו ואל־אחיו ויגער־בו אביו ויאמר לו מה החלום הזה אשׁר חלמת הבוא נבוא אני ואמך ואחיך להשׁתחות לך ארצה

10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

I believe the child represents Jesus who will rule with a rod of iron when he returns.  Revelation describes it this way.

Revelation 19:11-21

Καὶ εἶδον τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεῳγμένον, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἵππος λευκός, καὶ ὁ καθήμενος ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν, καλούμενος πιστὸς καὶ ἀληθινός, καὶ ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ κρίνει καὶ πολεμεῖ·

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

οἱ δὲ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ ὡς φλὸξ πυρός, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ διαδήματα πολλά, ἔχων ὄνομα γεγραμμένον ὃ οὐδεὶς οἶδεν εἰ μὴ αὐτός,

12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

καὶ περιβεβλημένος ἱμάτιον βεβαμμένον αἵματι, καὶ κέκληται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ.

13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

καὶ τὰ στρατεύματα τὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἠκολούθει αὐτῷ ἐφ᾿ ἵπποις λευκοῖς, ἐνδεδυμένοι βύσσινον λευκὸν καθαρόν.

14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

καὶ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ ἐκπορεύεται ῥομφαία ὀξεῖα, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῇ πατάσσῃ τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ αὐτὸς ποιμανεῖ αὐτοὺς ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ· καὶ αὐτὸς πατεῖ τὴν ληνὸν τοῦ οἴνου τοῦ θυμοῦ τῆς ὀργῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ παντοκράτορος.

15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

καὶ ἔχει ἐπὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν μηρὸν αὐτοῦ ὄνομα γεγραμμένον, Βασιλεὺς βασιλέων καὶ Κύριος κυρίων.

16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.

Καὶ εἶδον ἕνα ἄγγελον ἑστῶτα ἐν τῷ ἡλίῳ, καὶ ἔκραξεν ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῳ λέγων πᾶσι τοῖς ὀρνέοις τοῖς πετομένοις ἐν μεσουρανήματι· δεῦτε συνάχθητε εἰς τὸ δεῖπνον τὸ μέγα τοῦ Θεοῦ,

17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;

ἵνα φάγητε σάρκας βασιλέων καὶ σάρκας χιλιάρχων καὶ σάρκας ἰσχυρῶν καὶ σάρκας ἵππων καὶ τῶν καθημένων ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν, καὶ σάρκας πάντων ἐλευθέρων τε καὶ δούλων, καὶ μικρῶν καὶ μεγάλων.

18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

Καὶ εἶδον τὸ θηρίον καὶ τοὺς βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς καὶ τὰ στρατεύματα αὐτῶν συνηγμένα ποιῆσαι τὸν πόλεμον μετὰ τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ ἵππου καὶ μετὰ τοῦ στρατεύματος αὐτοῦ.

19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.

καὶ ἐπιάσθη τὸ θηρίον καὶ ὁ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ψευδοπροφήτης ὁ ποιήσας τὰ σημεῖα ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, ἐν οἷς ἐπλάνησε τοὺς λαβόντας τὸ χάραγμα τοῦ θηρίου καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας τῇ εἰκόνι αὐτοῦ· ζῶντες ἐβλήθησαν οἱ δύο εἰς τὴν λίμνην τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν καιομένην ἐν θείῳ.

20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἀπεκτάνθησαν ἐν τῇ ῥομφαίᾳ τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ ἵππου, τῇ ἐξελθούσῃ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ· καὶ πάντα τὰ ὄρνεα ἐχορτάσθησαν ἐκ τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτῶν.

21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

I believe the dragon represents Satan.

Revelation 12:9

καὶ ἐβλήθη ὁ δράκων ὁ μέγας, ὁ ὄφις ὁ ἀρχαῖος, ὁ καλούμενος Διάβολος καὶ ὁ Σατανᾶς, ὁ πλανῶν τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅλην, ἐβλήθη εἰς τὴν γῆν, καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐβλήθησαν.

9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

I believe the raising of the child to heaven is talking about when God raised Jesus up to heaven.

Acts 2:24, 32-33

ὃν ὁ Θεὸς ἀνέστησε λύσας τὰς ὠδῖνας τοῦ θανάτου, καθότι οὐκ ἦν δυνατὸν κρατεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

………..

τοῦτον τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν ἀνέστησεν ὁ Θεός, οὗ πάντες ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν μάρτυρες.

32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

τῇ δεξιᾷ οὖν τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑψωθεὶς, τήν τε ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ ῾Αγίου Πνεύματος λαβὼν παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς, ἐξέχεε τοῦτο ὃ νῦν ὑμεῖς βλέπετε καὶ ἀκούετε.

33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

There is a lot more here, but that would be going way beyond the scope of this book. 

Let’s look at the other verses.

Revelation 11:1-3

Καὶ ἐδόθη μοι κάλαμος ὅμοιος ῥάβδῳ, λέγων· ἔγειρε καὶ μέτρησον τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας ἐν αὐτῷ·

1  And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

καὶ τὴν αὐλὴν τὴν ἔξωθεν τοῦ ναοῦ ἔκβαλε ἔξω καὶ μὴ αὐτὴν μετρήσῃς, ὅτι ἐδόθη τοῖς ἔθνεσι, καὶ τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἁγίαν πατήσουσι μῆνας τεσσεράκοντα δύο.

2  But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

καὶ δώσω τοῖς δυσὶ μάρτυσί μου, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν ἡμέρας χιλίας διακοσίας ἑξήκοντα, περιβεβλημένοι σάκκους.

3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

Through these passages we can see that the time, times, and half a time; 42 months and 1260 days are simply different ways of referring to the same time periods. 

We can see how the time period converts perfectly if you understand that we aren’t dealing with solar years, but rather prophetic time.  Fourty-two 30 day months comes to 1260 days.  A time (one prophetic year of 360 days), times (two years, 720 days) and a half a time (180 days) comes to 1260 days or 42 months.

Here are some other passages that talk about events during this time period.

Daniel 12:6-7

ויאמר לאישׁ לבושׁ הבדים אשׁר ממעל למימי היאר עד־מתי קץ הפלאות

6  And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?

ואשׁמע את־האישׁ לבושׁ הבדים אשׁר ממעל למימי היאר וירם ימינו ושׂמאלו אל־השׁמים וישׁבע בחי העולם כי למועד מועדים וחצי וככלות נפץ יד־עם־קדשׁ תכלינה כל־אלה

7  And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

Revelation 13:1-9

Καὶ ἐστάθη ἐπὶ τὴν ἄμμον τῆς θαλάσσης· καὶ εἶδον ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης θηρίον ἀναβαῖνον, ἔχον κέρατα δέκα καὶ κεφαλὰς ἑπτά, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν κεράτων αὐτοῦ δέκα διαδήματα, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτοῦ ὀνόματα βλασφημίας.

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.

καὶ τὸ θηρίον ὃ εἶδον ἦν ὅμοιον παρδάλει, καὶ οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ ὡς ἄρκου, καὶ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ὡς στόμα λέοντος· καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ δράκων τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξουσίαν μεγάλην.

2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

καὶ μίαν ἐκ τῶν κεφαλῶν αὐτοῦ ὡς ἐσφαγμένην εἰς θάνατον· καὶ ἡ πληγὴ τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ ἐθεραπεύθη, καὶ ἐθαύμασεν ὅλη ἡ γῆ ὀπίσω τοῦ θηρίου,

3  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.

καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ δράκοντι τῷ δεδωκότι τὴν ἐξουσίαν τῷ θηρίῳ, καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ θηρίῳ λέγοντες· τίς ὅμοιος τῷ θηρίῳ; τίς δύναται πολεμῆσαι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ;

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?

Καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ στόμα λαλοῦν μεγάλα καὶ βλασφημίας καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ἐξουσία πόλεμον ποιῆσαι μῆνας τεσσεράκοντα δύο.

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.

καὶ ἤνοιξε τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ εἰς βλασφημίαν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν βλασφημῆσαι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ, τοὺς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ σκηνοῦντας.

6  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ πόλεμον ποιῆσαι μετὰ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ νικῆσαι αὐτούς, καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ἐξουσία ἐπὶ πᾶσαν φυλὴν καὶ λαὸν καὶ γλῶσσαν καὶ ἔθνος.

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.

καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν αὐτὸν πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὧν οὐ γέγραπται τὸ ὄνομα ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ ἀρνίου τοῦ ἐσφαγμένου ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου.

8  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.

Εἴ τις ἔχει οὖς ἀκουσάτω.

9  If any man have an ear, let him hear.

The interpretation of all of the symbols in these texts will require a separate book, possibly several.  This study is focused on the fifth and sixth trumpets in Revelation and the things needed to understand them.  What we need to understand in the above passages is that the same persecuting power is involved in each of them.

It is the last passage that most clearly makes the connection between the beast and the little horn power in Daniel 7.  It is given power for the same length of time and it “opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”  This perfectly parallels what the little horn does in Daniel 7:21 “I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them” and Daniel 7:25 “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High”. 

This beast is also like a leopard with the feet of a bear and a mouth of a lion.  We see here the repetition of the animals of Daniel 7.  This simply provides a new aspect of the fourth beast (Rome) in Daniel 7.  Rome copied the Greek civilization to such an extent that we often use the phrase Greco-Roman today.  In that way it was like Greece (leopard).  And Greece also copied things from Persia (bear), which copied things from Babylon (lion).

How should we interpret the 1260 days?  What does this mean in reality?

Protestant theologians historically used the day for a year principle in interpreting the apocalyptic time prophecies for centuries, although it has fallen out of favor in many churches today.  There are several very good scripturally based reasons for adopting this interpretation. 

One verse is Ezekiel 4:4-6,

ואתה שׁכב על־צדך השׂמאלי ושׂמת את־עון בית־ישׂראל עליו מספר הימים אשׁר תשׁכב עליו תשׂא את־עונם

ואני נתתי לך את־שׁני עונם למספר ימים שׁלשׁ־מאות ותשׁעים יום ונשׂאת עון בית־ישׂראל

וכלית את־אלה ושׁכבת על־צדך הימוני שׁנית ונשׂאת את־עון בית־יהודה ארבעים יום יום לשׁנה יום לשׁנה נתתיו לך

"Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity.  For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.  And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year."

In this passage, the prophet Ezekiel, himself, acts as the symbol.  He lies on his side one day for each of the literal years that he symbolizes.

Jesus used the day for a year principle when predicting the three year length of his ministry until his triumphal entry into Jerusalem and his final week there.

Luke 13:31-35

᾿Εν αὐτῇ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ προσῆλθόν τινες Φαρισαῖοι λέγοντες αὐτῷ· ἔξελθε καὶ πορεύου ἐντεῦθεν, ὅτι ῾Ηρῴδης θέλει σε ἀποκτεῖναι.

31 The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· πορευθέντες εἴπατε τῇ ἀλώπεκι ταύτῃ· ἰδοὺ ἐκβάλλω δαιμόνια καὶ ἰάσεις ἀποτελῶ σήμερον καὶ αὔριον, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ τελειοῦμαι·

32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

πλὴν δεῖ με σήμερον καὶ αὔριον καὶ τῇ ἐχομένῃ πορεύεσθαι, ὅτι οὐκ ἐνδέχεται προφήτην ἀπολέσθαι ἔξω ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.

33 Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, ἡ ἀποκτείνουσα τοὺς προφήτας καὶ λιθοβολοῦσα τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους πρὸς αὐτήν, ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυνάξαι τὰ τέκνα σου ὃν τρόπον ὄρνις τὴν ἑαυτῆς νοσσιὰν ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας, καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε.

34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

ἰδοὺ ἀφίεται ὑμῖν ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος· λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐ μὴ με ἴδητε ἕως ἂν ἥξῃ ὅτε εἴπητε· εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου.

35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

The Book of Revelation begins with special messages to seven churches, which are often understood to symbolize different time periods that Jesus’s followers would go through.  One of these messages contains a brief time prophecy.

Revelation 2:10

μηδὲν φοβοῦ ἃ μέλλεις πάσχειν. ἰδοὺ μέλλει βάλλειν ὁ διάβολος ἐξ ὑμῶν εἰς φυλακὴν ἵνα πειρασθῆτε, καὶ ἕξετε θλῖψιν ἡμερῶν δέκα. γίνου πιστὸς ἄχρι θανάτου, καὶ δώσω σοι τὸν στέφανον τῆς ζωῆς.

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Christians suffered a number of persecutions under pagan Rome.  The most severe was the systematic persecution begun under the emperor Diocletian in 303.  This persecution ended in 313 with the Edict of Milan issued by the emperor Constantine I, who later converted to Christianity.  Thus the worst, most widespread and systematic persecution of Christians by paga Rome lasted for 10 years.  This matches the 10 days of persecution that Jesus warned the church about.

Remember I said that it was important that the defeat of 3 tribes helped solidify the Catholic Church’s position of power over Western Europe, and the last of them was defeated in 538 A.D.  If this is the beginning of a 1260 year time prophecy, then we should see the Catholic Church’s power broken in 1798 A.D. 

In 1798, Napoleon had one of his generals imprison the Pope.  This dealt a very serious blow to the power of the Catholic Church.  It has since recovered much of its influence, but it took many years for that to happen.

Now we can see that mainstream Christianity, namely the Catholic Church, perfectly fulfilled all of the identifying marks of the little horn power. 

Now we come to the point of Daniel 7.  It says that the little horn power would “speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High.”  It “made war with the saints, and prevailed against them.” Furthermore, “in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.”  Revelation 13 elaborates on this when it says, "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.  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." 

Revelation 13:18

Ωδε ἡ σοφία ἐστίν· ὁ ἔχων νοῦν ψηφισάτω τὸν ἀριθμὸν τοῦ θηρίου· ἀριθμὸς γὰρ ἀνθρώπου ἐστί· καὶ ὁ ἀριθμὸς αὐτοῦ χξς᾿.

"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." 

Later in Revelation 14:9-11

Καὶ ἄλλος ἄγγελος τρίτος ἠκολούθησεν αὐτοῖς λέγων ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ· εἴ τις προσκυνεῖ τὸ θηρίον καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ, καὶ λαμβάνει χάραγμα ἐπὶ τοῦ μετώπου αὐτοῦ ἢ ἐπὶ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ,

9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

καὶ αὐτὸς πίεται ἐκ τοῦ οἴνου τοῦ θυμοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ κεκερασμένου ἀκράτου ἐν τῷ ποτηρίῳ τῆς ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ βασανισθήσεται ἐν πυρὶ καὶ θείῳ ἐνώπιον τῶν ἁγίων ἀγγέλων καὶ ἐνώπιον τοῦ ἀρνίου.

10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

καὶ ὁ καπνὸς τοῦ βασανισμοῦ αὐτῶν εἰς αἰῶνας αἰώνων ἀναβαίνει, καὶ οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἀνάπαυσιν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός οἱ προσκυνοῦντες τὸ θηρίον καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἴ τις λαμβάνει τὸ χάραγμα τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ.

11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

I am not writing this as an attack on all Christians, or even all Catholics.  This is only meant to inform you that the Bible prophesied that the Medieval Christian Church would become corrupt, blaspheme against God and His law, and attack the true followers of God.  If you want to be certain that you are not a part of that, then you must use Scripture as your foundation of faith, rather than the traditions of the church.

Now, let’s see how this all fits into the seven trumpets and Muhammad.

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[1] "Odoacer." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 15 Nov. 2014 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

[2] "Odoacer". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2014
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/425187/Odoacer>.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Wikipedia contributors. "Heruli." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 10 Nov. 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.

[5] Wikipedia contributors. "Vandals." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 11 Nov. 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.

[6] Wikipedia contributors. "Hilderic." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 5 Nov. 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.

[7] Wikipedia contributors. "Gelimer." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 24 Oct. 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.

[8] Wikipedia contributors. "Vandals." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 11 Nov. 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.

[9] Wikipedia contributors. "Belisarius." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 8 Nov. 2014. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.

[10] Wikipedia contributors. "Belisarius." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 8 Nov. 2014. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.