The Beast Kingdoms Of Daniel 2 And Daniel 7

This Revelation Timeline Decoded page will cover the prophecies in Daniel 2 and Daniel 7, which told us which kingdom would be in power in the end times.

To understand Revelation, you need to understand the prophecies that were given to Daniel, as they interlock. Futurists makes up all kinds of stories about end times kingdoms, but let’s simply look at what the Scriptures are telling us.

In his observations on the prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John, Sir Isaac Newton says: “Among the old prophecies Daniel is most distinct in order of time and easiest to be understood, and therefore in those things which relate to the last times he must be made the key to the rest.”

On the connection of Daniel and Revelation he says: “The Apocalypse of John is written in the same style and language with the prophecies of Daniel, and hath the same relation to them which they have to one another, so that all of them together make but one complete prophecy.”

The Apocalypse should thus be regarded as the New Testament sequel to the Book of Daniel. The Books of Daniel and Revelation may be considered as parts one and two of a single prophecy-a prophecy relating to the same subject, and presenting that subject in the same symbolic form. They unfold earlier and later portions of the same great story. (KA)

Here is the simple explanation of the fulfillment of Daniel 2 and 7:

Daniel defined five great kingdoms, which would be in power from Daniel’s time, to the end, when Messiah returns.

The head of gold in Daniel 2, the lion of Daniel 7, was the empire of Babylon. The kingdom of Babylon was strong, courageous and fierce as a lion; and they used the lion as a symbol on the Ishtar Gate.

The chest of silver in Daniel 2, the bear of Daniel 7, was the Medo-Persian Empire. Like a bear, their army was huge, up to 1.5 million people, and they overwhelmed the enemy with their size.

The waist of brass in Daniel 2, the leopard of Daniel 7, was the Grecian Empire. Alexander the Great and his Grecian army were smaller, so they were able to move swiftly like a leopard and were agile in their battles.

The legs of iron in Daniel 2, the dreadful beast of Daniel 7, was the Roman Empire. It was in power during Messiah’s ministry and when John wrote Revelation. Pagan Rome collapsed internally, and then army after army attacked it, resulting in the Roman Emperor being removed in 476 AD.

The ten toes of Daniel 2, the ten horns of Daniel 7, was the divided Roman Empire. It then split into ten civil kingdoms, symbolized by the ten toes and the ten horns.

The iron/clay feet of Daniel 2, the little horn of Daniel 7, is the popes of the Roman Catholic Church who rose to power and caused three of the civil kingdoms (the Heruli, Ostrogoths and Vandals) to be plucked out.

Daniel 2 tells us that in the days of those kingdoms, Messiah would establish his own kingdom. During the reign of the Roman Empire, Messiah setup His kingdom, which expanded quickly, even though Satan used the Roman Empire to try to wipe it out.

Daniel 2 tells us that Messiah’s kingdom would grow into a great mountain, and this ‘uncut stone‘ would destroy the last kingdom of Rome, at the end of time. Revelation 18 confirms that Babylon (Rome) will be destroyed with a great millstone.

The prophecies of Daniel and Revelation declare that Rome is the last beast.

It has changed forms over the years, but it is the kingdom that was in power during Messiah’s ministry, and it is the kingdom that will be destroyed by Messiah when He returns.

Satan reigned in the pagan Roman Empire, where he was worshiped through all of their false gods. He used them to try to destroy the early church of Messiah, killing millions. Our Heavenly Father caused the Roman Empire to collapse, which made Satan lose his power.

Satan countered by empowering the Roman Catholic Church to rise up in its place. He used them to burn Bibles and to kill tens of millions of Messiah’s saints. The Roman Catholic Church lost power through the Protestant Reformation and then when the Pope was taken prisoner in 1798 AD.

Satan countered by empowering the Jesuits to take control of the Catholic Church. They’re creating a New World Order, where he will be worshiped, and the saints attacked. Our Heavenly Father will cause the harlot church to be burned and desolated, and He will destroy the scarlet beast of the Jesuits.

If you understand this explanation, you can continue to the next study about the The Phases Of The Roman Beast

If you need more information, a detailed explanation is given below.

Be sure to read the Bible passage first, then read the explanation.

The proof that the kingdoms described in Daniel 2 and 7 are the same, is evident.

• “The number is the same, four in each.
• The starting point is the same, for each was given while Babylon was the ruling power.
• The issue is the same, for both are immediately followed by the Kingdom of Christ.
• The order is the same, for the kingdoms in the first vision, as all admit, are successive; and in the other there are no less than seven or eight clauses which denote succession in time.
• There is the same gradation, for the noblest metal and the noblest animal take the lead in each series.

The first kingdom was Babylon, which was in power from 612-539 B.C.

God used Babylon to destroy the temple and city of Jerusalem, and take the House of Judah captive for 70 years, because of their abominations of worshiping other gods.
The book of Daniel was written while they were in Babylon, in captivity.

“This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze,  its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.” Daniel 2:32-33

Daniel states that the first kingdom was Babylon, “You, O king (Nebuchadnezzar), are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all–you are this head of gold.” Daniel 2:37-38

Daniel 7:17 “Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth.”

This tells us that a ‘beast‘ in prophecy is a great kingdom, which is the same message of Daniel 2, about four pagan kingdoms.

Daniel 7:3 “And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.”

The ‘sea‘ in prophecy means a large body of people, so each kingdom rose up out of large bodies of people as they conquered different nations.

Daniel 7:4, “The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.”

The kingdom of Babylon was strong, courageous and fierce as a lion.

This lion was found along the processional way from Ishtar Gate into the city of Babylon. The Ishtar Gate was constructed around 575 BC by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon.

They had ‘eagle’s wings‘ as they swiftly conquered several kingdoms, adding them to it’s empire, which brought their monarchy to a prodigious height in a short time, as if they had wings to fly.

It’s wings once lifted it up above other kingdoms and nations, but the Medo-Persians put a stop to their conquests. The once-fierce beast lost its strength, and became more mild and tractable. Their lion-like courage was reduced to being faint and cowardly like other men.

Daniel 5 spoke of the vision which told the Babylonian king that his kingdom was at an end, and would be given to the Medes and Persians.

In the vision of the handwriting on the wall, Daniel told the Babylonian king, “God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it. Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians… That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom.”

The second kingdom was Medo-Persia, which was in power from 539-331 B.C.

Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that after the kingdom of Babylon would come a lesser kingdom.

“But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours.” Daniel 2:39

The silver chest represents the kingdom of Medo/Persia, who God used to set the Jews free from Babylon, to help them to go rebuild the temple, to reconcile with God, and to prepare for Messiah who would offer them a New Covenant.

Isaiah 44:28 foretold “He (Persian King Cyrus) is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” And to the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.”

History shows that indeed Cyrus, leader of Persia, set the Jews free from Babylonian captivity, and empowered them to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and the temple.

“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled. Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah.” Ezra 1:1-2

“So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.” Ezra 6:14

Daniel 6 spoke of the Medo-Persia leader, “It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom.”  verse 1

It tells the story of Daniel being thrown into the lions den, because of the “law of the Medes and Persians.” verse 8. It ends with “Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.” verse 28

Daniel 7:5, “And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!‘”

The Mede’s and Persians were a fierce, ravenous people. They destroyed many kingdoms and their hunger could not be satisfied. The Medes first arose (raised on one side) and sent to Cyrus the Persian to come and assist him against Babylon. The Persian army was stronger too.

Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt (3 ribs) were oppressed by the Medes and Persians, as the ribs of any creature are ground in the mouth of a bear. Like a bear, their army was huge, up to 1.5 million people, and they overwhelmed the enemy with their size.

Daniel 8:3 describes the Medo-Persian Empire, where the Persian portion was stronger (higher horn).

“Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there, standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last.”

Daniel stayed in Babylon even after the Jews were released from captivity by Cyrus.

“In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, but the appointed time was long; and he understood the message, and had understanding of the vision.” Daniel 10:1

Daniel 11:2 speaks of Cyrus, and three leaders who would arise after him, Camyses (Cyrus son), Smerdis, and Darius.

And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.

The book of Haggai begins by noting that they are under King Darius of Persia.

“In the second year of King Darius...”

The third kingdom of Daniel’s visions was Greece, which was in power from 331-168 B.C.

Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that a third kingdom shall arise.

“..then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.”  Daniel 2:39

The bronze waist represents the kingdom of Greece, as Alexander the Great defeated the kingdom of Medo-Persia.

Daniel 7:6, “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.”

Alexander the Great and his Grecian army moved swiftly like a leopard, as they were agile in their battles.  They gained dominion over the known world of his day in only 10 years, by the time he was 32.

His army was small compared to those that they faced, which make them agile like a leopard.  And their weapons and strategies made them very effective. Alexander died in his 30’s with no surviving heirs, so his kingdom was divided between his 4 top generals. The ‘four wings‘ represent Alexander’s four chief captains, who helped him conquer and then became heads of the empire after his death.

Daniel 8 gives the vision of the Ram and the he-goat, which represent Persia being destroyed and succeeded by the army of Greece.

“The ram which you saw, having the two horns–they are the kings of Media and Persia.” verse 20

“And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king.” verse 21

The mighty world-conquering king who overthrew the power of Persia was Alexander the Great of Macedon (the large horn), and the fourfold division of his kingdom (Cassander, Lysimachus, Selucus and Ptolemy) in the prophecy answers to the course of history.

The little horn of Daniel 8 was Antiochus Epiphanes, who arose out of the Seleucidae of Syria. He was called a little horn, because he was much less than Alexander the Great, who was called a notable horn.

“And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land.” verse 9

Daniel 10 speaks of the change of power from Persia to Greece.

Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come.” verse 20

Daniel 11 gives the continuous historical narrative of events of the kingdoms of Medo-Persia, Greece and Antiochus Epiphanes, and then Rome.

Alexander the Great of Greece, the Mighty King, rose up and ruled with great dominion.

The Seleucids (kings of Syria, “the north”) and the Ptolemies (kings of Egypt, “the south”) had incessant wars.

Antiochus Epiphanes, the little horn, leader of the Seleucids, the vile person, surrounded Jerusalem with his armies (the abomination of desolation) and killed 10’s of thousands of Jews. They defiled the sanctuary and caused the daily sacrifice to be taken away for 2,300 days (Daniel 8:14). His persecution of the Jews began in 171 B.C. and the temple was cleansed on December 25, 165 B.C., which is 2,300 days.

The Maccabean uprisings delivered the Jews in the reign of Antiochus, and faithfully served their people as rulers and priests for 130 years.

The Jewish Maccabean Revolt was a conflict, lasting from 167 to 160 BC, between a Judean rebel group known as the Maccabees and the Seleucid Empire. The Seleucid Empire was a Hellenistic state ruled by the Seleucid dynasty founded by Seleucus I Nicator following the division of the empire created by Alexander the Great.

Roman King Herod exalted himself above all gods (leaders).  To protect his kingdom, he decreed for the slaughter of the babes of Bethlehem, in an attempt to kill baby Jesus. Caesar Augustus conquered many countries such as Egypt, and took power of their treasures.

For a detailed Daniel 11 prophecy fulfillment study click here.

The fourth kingdom is Rome, which will endure until Christ returns to destroy it.

Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that a fourth kingdom shall arise.

“And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others.” Daniel 2:40

The Iron legs represents the kingdom of Rome which was in power during Jesus ministry.

It was different from the others, as they didn’t just war against other kingdoms, but Satan empowered them to war against the saints, killing millions.

The two legs foretold that the kingdom would be divided, which occurred in 285 AD when Emperor Diocletian split it into the Eastern and Western empires, the two legs. Military leader Constantine then defeated both leaders and became Emperor over the entire kingdom.  Then after civil war, it split again in 395 AD, this time permanently.

The dreadful beast represents the Roman Empire.

Daniel 7:7, “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.”

The Roman empire could not be compared to any beast, because it was so terrible in stamping out other people groups and shedding much blood.

Iron represents that it was stronger than the previous kingdoms.  The iron teeth point back to the iron legs of the Roman Empire of Daniel 2.

It was different that the other beast because it not only attacked people in other countries, but it warred against the followers of Christ, as Satan empowered the Roman Empire and he used it to try to wipe out the Church of Christ. During ten persecution periods from 64-313 A.D., when millions of saints were killed by the Romans.

It was different because the Roman Emperors also served as Pontifex Maximus, meaning they were not only the political leader, but they were the head priest, the spiritual leader. They presided over the Pagan religious system that worshiped the gods of Egypt and Babylon, primarily the sun god and  moon goddess.

After the last Roman Emperor was removed in 476 A.D., it split into ten civil kingdoms, which are the ten horns. The Vandals, Suevi, Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Heruli, Franks, Allemani, Huns, Lombards, and Burgundians.

Out of the dreadful Roman beast arose the little horn of Daniel, the Popes of Rome.

The popes of Rome are the little horn of Daniel.

“I was considering the horns (kingdoms), and there was another horn (kingdom), a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots.” Daniel 7:8

“The ten horns are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings.” Daniel 7:24

Out of the ten kingdoms, the Popes of Rome seized power. Vatican City is the world’s smallest country, so a little horn = the little country of the Vatican.

Three of the kingdoms were destroyed by the Roman Catholic Church, because they wouldn’t bow down to their authority. They subdued and destroyed three of the ten kingdoms, the Heruli, the Ostrogoths and the Vandals.

Pope Pius IX (1846-1878) gave this remarkable testimony, which when examined in conjunction with Daniel chapter 7, precisely identifies the little horn, the man of sin, the Antichrist power:

“The Catholic Church which was founded and instituted by Our Lord Jesus Christ to procure the eternal salvation of men, has, by reason of this divine institution, the form of a perfect society. Therefore, she must possess liberty such that she cannot be subject to any civil power in the execution of her sacred ministry.

To act with freedom, as it is just she should, she has always needed the assistance which was suitable to the conditions and the necessities of the age. It is, therefore, by a particular decree of Divine Providence that, at the fall of the Roman Empire and its partition into separate kingdoms, the Roman Pontiff, whom Christ made the head and center of his entire Church, acquired civil power.

Certainly, it was by a most wise design of God Himself that in the midst of so great a multitude and variety of temporal princes, the Sovereign Pontiff enjoyed political liberty, which is so necessary for him to exercise his spiritual power, his authority, and his jurisdiction over the whole world. Source: Papal Teachings: The Church, selected and arranged by the Benedictine Monks of Solesmes, translated by Mother E. O’Gorman, R.S.C.J., Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart, St. Paul Editions, Boston, © 1980, 1962 by Daughters of St. Paul, Library of Congress catalog card number 62-12454, par. #225,

The church has a single man (the Pope) acting and speaking for the whole body, fulfilling Daniel 7:8.

“And there, in this horn (kingdom), were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.”

Pope Pius V blasphemed,  “The Pope and God are the same, so he has all power in Heaven and earth.” Pope Pius V, quoted in Barclay, Cities Petrus Bertanous Chapter XXVII: 218.

Pope Innocent III said “We may according to the fullness of our power, dispose of the law and dispense above the law. Those whom the Pope of Rome doth separate, it is not a man that separates them but God. For the Pope holdeth place on earth, not simply of a man but of the true God.” Decretals of Gregory IX, Bk. 1, Ch. 3

Pope Pius IX said “I alone… am the successor of the apostles, the vicar of Jesus Christ. I am the way, the truth, and the life…” (Source: History of the Christian Church, by Henry Charles Sheldon, p. 59.)

Pope Boniface VIII said “We declare, say, define, and pronounce, that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff.” (Source: Bull “Unam Sanctum,” as cited in “Apostolic Digest, Book V: The Book of Obedience”)

Pope John Paul II said “Don’t go to God for forgiveness of sins: come to me.” (Source: Los Angeles Times, December 12, 1984.)

Current Pope Francis I said “You cannot find Jesus outside the Church.” (Source: EWTN Global Catholic News, pronounced on April 23 in the Apostolic Palace’s Pauline Chapel.)

Daniel 7:25 describes the actions of the beast, which have been fulfilled by the Popes of Rome.

Daniel 7:25 “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time.“

The Catholic Church persecuted the saints, killing over 50 million.

Historians estimate that during the Dark Ages and the Inquisition, the Roman Catholic Church killed over 50 million people whom they deemed as heretics, most of which were Christians who dared to own a Bible (which the Church forbid) or proclaimed the Gospel of Christ..

The Catholic Church changed the calendar and law.

“He shall intend to change times (calendar) and law.”

The Popes of Rome were rising in power in the 4th -5th century, and through Emperor Constantine and others, they decreed the following changes, which oppose the Word of God.

• They changed the calendar to be based on the Sun, not the sun and moon as God ordained in the Bible.
• They banned believers from observing the true Sabbath, and changed it to Sunday, the day of the conquering Sun.
• They banned observing Elohim’s Holy Feast Days, and substituted Christmas and Easter, which are based on pagan ritual days.
• In the Catechism, they removed Elohim’s 2nd Commandment, which forbids idol worship, as they have many idols such as Mary. They then divided the 10th Commandment into two parts, so there is 10 total.

Satan was creating a new Christian sect, the Roman Catholic Church, which would pervert all of the commands of Elohim.

The Popes of Rome reigned for 1,260 years, from 538 – 1798 A.D.

Many times in prophecy, such as in the 70th week of Daniel, a prophetic ‘day‘ is pointing to an actual ‘year.’

The ‘time and times and half a time’ of Daniel 7 is the same 1,260 year time period as the ‘one thousand two hundred and sixty days‘ of Revelation 11 and 12, the ‘time and times and half a time‘ of Revelation 12, and the ‘forty-two months‘ of Revelation 13.

The little horn of Daniel 7, the Popes of Rome, reigned for 1,260 years.

In 538 A.D., the Papal Church gained religious and civil power when Emperor Justinian issued a decree making the Pope head of all churches.

In 1798 A.D. Napoleon’s army marched into Rome and captured the Pope, ending the reign of the Papacy.

The fifth kingdom of Daniel’s visions was that of Elohim, which will destroy the Rome kingdom when Messiah returns.

Daniel 2:44-45, “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold.”

Our Messiah setup His kingdom in the first century, when Rome was in power.During the time of Rome’s rule, Jesus set up His kingdom which grew into millions of followers in a short period of time, because the Apostles and Early Church were scattered due to persecution, so the Gospel was spread around the Roman Empire.

Each of the Apostles traveled to other countries, sharing the Gospel.  Paul’s missions expanded the kingdom and established many Churches.

Messiah’s kingdom, His Church, has continued to grow in size since its feeble beginnings.During the Protestant Reformation, the resurgent Church cast down the strongholds of the enemy, and millions were saved out of the Roman Catholic Church.

Daniel 7 describes Christ coming in power to setup His kingdom.

“I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13-14

Daniel 2:34 tells us how the kingdoms will be destroyed by a stone.

“..a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.” Daniel 2:34

This is clearly telling us that the Roman kingdom would be in power until the Lord returns.  So it’s not Islam, it’s not the Jews, it’s Rome.  Those things are controlled by Rome.

A mountain in prophecy is a large people group, so a stone is a smaller group of people.The stone is the Church of Christ, which was established by our Lord at His first coming, which occurred while the Roman Empire was in power.

Christians have been conditioned to believe that the antichrist will reign during the end times, and that it won’t be until the Lord returns that the antichrist beast is destroyed.

And this kingdom, which is not only referred to the person of Christ, but also to the whole body of his Church, and to every member of it, will be eternal: for the Spirit that is in them is eternal life. But Daniel is telling us that our Lord will use a stone, His followers, to destroy the Babylonian Roman Catholic Church..

You need to let that sink in, because you have a role to play in the Lord’s army. The enemy does not want you to realize these truths, for when you do his schemes will be exposed and he will be defeated.

In another study you will see that in 1514 A.D., the Church of Christ was pronounced dead by the antichrist Roman Catholic church, as they had relentlessly killed them. But in 1517 A.D. the Protestant Reformation was ignited when Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses, and the Church rose up to power and took back control of the nations.

Our Lord could defeat the enemy with the snap of His fingers, but there’s no glory in that for Him. He is truly honored and glorified when His obedient followers overcome the enemy.

Do you want to be a part of the Lord’s army which is empowered to win the victory for our Lord?

Then you need to understand the fulfillment of Daniel and Revelation, so that you are not deceived by the enemy.

Here is the explanation of the other chapters of Daniel, which have already been fulfilled, so they are not future.

Daniel 9 describes 70 consecutive week (490 years) in which the Jews were released from Babylon, to prepare for their promised Messiah.

During the first 7 weeks (49 years) they rebuilt the temple and city.

During the next 62 weeks (434 years) there was relative silence from God from prophets, as they prepared for the coming Messiah, who would appear after the 69 weeks.

During the 70th week of Daniel, the Messiah and His disciples offered the New Covenant to the Jews first.  Then after the 70th week, the New Covenant was offered to the Gentiles too.

It is not about an end-times Israeli peace agreement, nor a 7-year tribulation period featuring a one-man Antichrist. Read The Covenant In The 70th Week Of Daniel Is Jesus New Covenant

Daniel 12 describes the desolation of the Jewish people, at the hands of the Romans from 66-70 A.D., as was prophesied in Daniel 9.

Some Jews accepted Jesus as their Messiah, and they were saved.  But the great majority rejected Him and delivered Him up to be crucified. As a result, the city and temple were destroyed, and 1.1 million Jews died from famine, pestilence, infighting, crucifixion and by the Roman sword.

Daniel 12 is not about end times, 3 1/2 years of Great Tribulation, or a future time of Jacob’s Trouble.Read Daniel 12 Is Not About The Antichrist Or The End Times

Daniel never asked about the end times, he only inquired about what would happen to his people, the Jews, after they were released from captivity in Babylon.

All of the visions were about the great kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome, as they related to the Jewish people. The fulfillment of the visions in Daniel ended in 70 A.D., when the Roman army desolated the Jews, the city and the temple, as was prophesied in Daniel 9.

The only things in Daniel that have not been historically fulfilled is that the Roman beast would be in power until the end, and that God’s kingdom would destroy it. So don’t let false prophecy teachers mislead you and apply Scriptures of Daniel to the end times, because the Word of God does not support that.

Here are some quotes from our Christian forefathers about the fulfillment of the Roman beast:

John (1509-1564) was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation.

“Daniel and Paul had predicted that Antichrist would sit in the temple of God…we affirm him to be the Pope…Some persons think us too severe and censorious when we call the Roman pontiff Antichrist. But those who are of this opinion do not consider that they bring the same charge of presumption against Paul himself, after whom we speak.” L. Froom, Prophetic Faith of our Fathers Volume 2 (Washington D.C: Review and Herald, 1948): 437.

John Jewel (1522-1571) was bishop of Salisbury and one of the great intellectuals of the English Reformation.

“This whole matter is also expressed in the seventh of Daniel: ‘The fourth beast was fearful and terrible and very strong: it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue under his feet; and it was unlike to the beasts that were before it; for it had ten horns.’ ‘And, behold, there came up among them another little horn. . . . which had eyes like a man and a mouth speaking presumptuous things.’ “This beast is the empire of Rome, the greatest empire that ever was. It was divided into ten, or into sundry kingdoms; as I shewed you, and as we see this day. The little horn is antichrist. The empire shall be divided and weakened: then antichrist shall come. ‘He shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall consume the saints of the Most High, and think that he may change times and laws; and they shall be given into his hand.’ Wherein he sheweth not only the pride and presumption of antichrist, but that he shall also prevail for a time. Such a one there hath been, and yet is. He blasphemeth God, murdereth the saints, hath changed times and laws, the laws of God and the laws of nature. He is antichrist.”  Froom, PFF, volume 2, p. 410.

Heinrich Bullinger (1504-1575) was the chief pastor of the Zurich Cathedral in 1531. Notice his clear and forthright comment on the identity of the Antichrist:

“By the little horn many understand the kingdom of Mohammed, of the Saraceans and of the Turks. But when the apostolic prophecy in Second Thessalonians 2 is more carefully examined, it seems that this prophecy of Daniel and that prophecy of the apostle belong more rightly to the kingdom of the Roman pope, which kingdom has arisen from small beginnings and has increased to an immense size.”  Froom, PFF, volume 2, p. 344.

Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727) was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and also a faithful expositor of Bible prophecy.

“But it [the little horn] was a kingdom of a different kind from the other ten kingdoms. . . . By its eyes it was a Seer; and by its mouth speaking great things and changing times and laws, it was a Prophet as well as a King. And such a Seer , a Prophet and a King, is the Church of Rome. A Seer. . . . is a Bishop in the literal sense of the word; and this church claims the universal Bishopric. With his mouth he gives laws to kings and nations as an Oracle; and pretends to Infallibility, and that his dictates are binding to the whole world; which is to be a Prophet in the highest degree.”  Sir Isaac Newton, Observations Upon the Prophecies (London: 1831 edition), p. 75.

David Nikao Wilcoxson

References:

• KA – Keys To The Apocalypse by Henry Grattan Guiness
• Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible – Daniel 2/7
• Coke’s Commentary on the Holy Bible – Daniel 2/7
• John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible – Daniel 2/7
• Matthew Poole’s Commentary on the Holy Bible – Daniel 2/7
• Daniel 11 Prophecy Fulfilled http://www.herealittletherealittle.net/index.cfm?page_name=Daniel11
• Philip Mauro “The Seventy Weeks And The Great Tribulation“
• Daniel 11 fulfillment explanation from ‘Studies of biblical prophecy’ by bible researcher Bryan Huie PDF

Next Study: Revelation Fulfillment Summary

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