Posted by Elana Janson on June 28, 2006 at 15:35:11:
The last six chapters of the book Daniel are both prophecy of the Jewish nation as well as an apocalyptic message in the twenty-first century for the entire globe. Its apocalyptic meaning can now be understood through the knowledge and understanding of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The apocalyptic message relates to the millennia after the birth of Jesus Christ who was the predicted Messiah of the Old Testament. He died and was resurrected. He is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit and is soon to return to earth. This is revealed and confirmed through the understanding of Revelation.
It was shown in my books and on this website that the book Revelation is linked to Scripture through its words. For centuries, the knowledge of the linking of the words of Revelation to the Bible gave some insight into the meaning of Revelation. It was only however, when it was made known to me that the symbolism of Revelation is also time bound to a specific time period in history, that is, the time period from the birth of Jesus Christ to the time of his Return to earth, that words specifically from the book Daniel that also appear in Revelation opened a vast insight into the fulfilment of prophecy in the last two millennia.
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 it.
The ‘third’ beast described by Daniel in Dan 7:6 looked like a leopard. In Revelation 13:2 it is said that the “beast out of the sea” in Revelation looked like a leopard: “And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard.” Also it is said in Rev 6:5 “And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.”
The repetition of specific words in Revelation itself as well as the repetition of these words in Scripture plays a cardinal roll in the understanding of Revelation. The understanding of Revelation, that is that Revelation is time bound in history, gives insight into the apocalyptic meaning of the book Daniel. Therefore with the understanding of Revelation and history we can now interpret the apocalyptic meaning of this beast in Daniel in 2006.
Because the words “third beast” are mentioned when the Lamb opens the third seal, the apocalyptic meaning of this beast in Daniel relates to the time period after 1896. The symbolism describing this beast is very accurate. By 1896, with the knowledge of history, the rule of absolute Christian kings in Europe had virtually come to an end. It was the time of great global expansion and the rule of ordinary men that had come in the place of the rule of kings in Europe and in many of the nations of the earth this form of rule was being hailed as the final solution to religious strife, equality of men and lasting world peace.
This meaning is verified through the symbolism of the rider on the black horse carrying the scale or balances in his hand. The scale is symbolic of the rule that is determined by the weight of the majority of the peoples of the nations.
Therefore the apocalyptic meaning of the third beast of Daniel can be understood as follows: “Which had upon the back of it four wings as a fowl”: After 1896 the rule of men or democracy would spread across the seas to the four corners of the earth. “The beast had also four heads”: We are told in Rev 17:9 we are told that the meaning of “head” is a “mountain”. The “mountain” in Revelation represents the place where Jesus Christ was crucified and is in Revelation symbolic of the death Christians who died for their faith. It is also therefore symbolic of the hurting or harming the faith. “And dominion was given it”: the beast would have authority to rule.
I mention the following in virtually every post I write on this website: Revelation reveals that God brought it about that the rule of the nations of Europe would be by Christian kings as in the first millennia after the coming of the Christ (symbolized by the rider on the white horse, wearing the crown and carrying the bow), but that the rule would fall away because of a corrupt leadership through many centuries (symbolized by the beast out of the sea). In the place would come a leadership of men, which would be both beneficial to the spread of the faith across the globe (the church would be protected) as well as detrimental for the liberty of men in the democratic rule of the nations would ultimate lead to liberty from the Commandments of God, a falling away from the faith and finally lawlessness will grip the nations.
The rule of men will remain in place till the Return, but we should not be blind to the dangers that liberty it has brought to all societies. These liberties essentially being the disregard for the Law of God that is the Ten Commandments.
In the twentieth and the twenty-first century the rule of men or democratic rule spread to most nations of the world, but the lawlessness of the citizens of the nations has become a worrying factor in recent times. What is Scripture telling us through the third beast today? God saw it fit to bring about a rule of liberty to the nations for a certain period of time. This liberty would spread to the entire globe and at this point in time the nations should be aware that there is also a great deception at work to take man’s attention away from his eternal purpose.
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 break 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.”
Firstly it should be noted that the description of this beast repeats the same words as used in the vision of the second beast seen by Daniel. The words “teeth” and “devour” are used in both descriptions. This means that in time there is an intensification of the power of the force of evil. It also means that the deceptions in the time after 1896 would progressively develop into a greater deception that would become more consuming to mankind than in previous times. It is more difficult for man to come away from it.
In Revelation the words “fourth beast” is linked to the opening of the fourth seal by the Lamb, which is of course Jesus Christ. Through insight given me through the Divine intervention the time of the opening of the fourth seal is 1947.
This beast seen by Daniel is therefore through the knowledge of Revelation linked to the time 1947 and after. This is revealed through the words and placement of the words ”fourth beast” in Revelation. The words “fourth beast” is used in Revelation 4:7: “And the fourth beast was like a flying eagle” and Rev 6:7 “And when he had opened the fourth seal I heard the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.”
Ten horns
Through the understanding of Revelation we can now understand the meaning of the words “and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it: and it had ten horns.” In Revelation 17:12 we are told: “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.” In the understanding of Revelation these words convey how in all the countries that were governed by the unity of the Christian king and state there would be a period of approx 24 years (the time measure of an “hour” in Revelation) in which there would be a rule of both a deceived Christian king and a parliament that would not necessarily have the Christian faith as its priority (therefore a time of the development of the “beast” and the term “beast”). These times were indicated in How near Armageddon. Both the king and the chosen leaders would ultimately lose their authority for all time (“have no kingdom as yet”) for they can be destroyed or replaced by the will of the majority of the citizens.
In other words they were no longer absolute kings for the "representation of ordinary men" in the Parliaments of the nations of Europe was beginning to be almost as powerful as the king himself. Very powerful men were coming up out of the ranks of the ordinary citizens. Revelation expresses these as the "generals" and "mighty men" (Rev 6:15 and 19:18).
Through the knowledge that the fourth beast of Daniel is linked to the time beyond 1947 we can now know that the authority of a beast or force of deception to man would be even greater in the time after1947. The deceptions brought about by the power of deceived kings and parliament - the leadership of the nations – (the “ten horns”) would in the time after 1947 be greatly intensified.
Daniel 7:8 “I considered the horns, and behold there came up among them another little horn, before whom there three of the first horns plucked up by the roots and behold in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.
It is through the use of the word “man” in this verse and in Revelation (Rev 4:7 “beast had a face of a man” and Rev 13:18 “for it is the number of a man”) that we may link this beast in Daniel to the beasts of Revelation.
Meaning to be found in history
It is important that "another little horn” came up and “three of the first horns” were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.” This "little horn" represents the concept of "rule of man" that was instilled in the thinking of the populations of Europe by the time of the French Revolution in the nineteenth century. So powerful had the voice of the ordinary man become, that the last three most powerful monarchs in Europe in the nineteenth century would also fall after the First World War.
In Revelation “eyes” indicate the presence of the Holy Spirit (see Rev 5:6: “seven horns with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth”). Therefore “the beasts” of Revelation indicate a time when the nations were placing the interests of man (“eyes of man”) above that of Christianity. I believe that the “three horns” that were uprooted indicate three nations in which all the authority of three Christian kings were totally taken away. There did not remain as a figurehead as in some countries of Europe. These “three” likely represent countries like Germany, France and Russia.
In the tenth century the Holy Roman Emperor (962 -1806) promised before God that he would be the defender of the Church. Like Charlemagne of the Franks (742 - 814), the Holy Roman Emperors were kings of the Order of Melchizedek. As such, they had a duty to defend the Holy Lands. According to the Messianic Psalms (Ps 110) this duty is the “heavenly” requirement of a king. The king was to be the supreme ruler and had to promote the goodwill of Christianity in his kingdom. This was an ideal arrangement. Revelation 10, however, states that the “dragon” caused “division” within the Church as well as between the Church and the State. As the history of Europe progressed both Christians within and outside the Church toppled this entire structure (because the “dragon” was actively at work). Man was seeking “liberty” but instead, ‘blinded’ by the subtle action of the “dragon”, he was moving away from Christianity.
Some background history (1815–1896)
After the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, the czar of Russia, Alexander 1, set up a Holy Alliance. By this document the rulers of Russia, Prussia (Frederick William III) and Austria (Francis I) formed a Christian union of charity, peace and love. They declared themselves members of one and the same Christian nation, merely delegated by Providence to govern three bodies of one family: Austria, Russia and Prussia. According to the Holy Alliance it was the duty of the European kings to defend the Christian Church. All the monarchs in Europe except the Prince regent in England, and Pope Pius VII endorsed the Holy Alliance.
The Holy Alliance weakened in the mid-nineteenth century, when revolutions devastated many European countries. In 1870 Bismarck saw that it could be profitably resumed for political reasons. The Triple Alliance or League of the three Emperors came into being. However, from 1888, Russia seemed to favour a French Alliance, rather than one with Prussia and Austria. The Russian-French Alliance was disclosed in 1895. This marked the end of the Holy or Triple Alliance, by which Germany could hold the balance of power in Europe and maintain peace. In the Russian-French Alliance, Germany had a formidable enemy on either flank. It was therefore to a significant degree the break up of the Holy Alliance in 1895 (when Russia agreed to support France against German aggression) that caused the creation of two power blocks in the 1890’s. Repeated attempts for negotiations between Germany and Britain in 1898, 1899 and 1901 failed to produce a working agreement or to promote an alliance between the two countries. Britain therefore moved away from Germany, and Russia became the obvious country to approach. Two power blocks were formed, with Germany and Austria on the one side and Britain, France and Russia on the other. From 1896 crises in many parts of the globe were contributing to a firmer alignment of the powers of Europe. These two power blocks were involved in both the First and Second World Wars. By 1947, the democracies and the Communist states exercised the authority of liberated man. The nations of the world, both democratic and communistic, accepted that man could revolt against the state to secure representation of the people
The three horns (Germany, Russia and Austria) were replaced by the "little horn" – the rule of man. Kings from these three countries will later account for three of the "ten horns". The "ten horns" were ten kings of ten countries “destroyed” by either division between State and Church (they were replaced by non-Christian rule) representative government or Communism. It is significant that by the twentieth century the nations had, by installing government of the people, progressed to the point where Christian nations could destroy the Christian Church, as happened in Soviet Russia and under Nazi Germany.
Eyes of a man
The revolutions that took place in Europe from the seventeenth century to the early twentieth century, against the despotism of the king, were often by personal hatred of the king, and he became the victim. In France it was a revolution generated in the contemplation of the rights of man. The root of the revolution lies in the ideas of philosophers such as Montesquieu, Rousseau and others. In his writings Montesquieu challenged the divine right of kings and believed that through representative government and a constitution, 'men' could put in place an authority based on the law to rule the nations. He admired the constitution of Britain. Rousseau in his Social Contract believed that government was essentially a contract between the rulers and the ruled. The thoughts of these philosophers inspired the National Assembly of France to draw up a Declaration of the Rights of Man. This declaration included a clause that no man ought to be molested because of his religious opinions, provided he does not disturb the public order established by the law. The Declaration opens with the words "in the presence of the Supreme Being" (not the Trinity), for the rights of men must give all men the right to "freedom of religion". This was the revolution's way of hoping to end religious conflict among men, but it caused the Christian Church to loose its authority in government.
As the nations of Europe came into closer contact with the non-Christian nations of the world, the conversion of new nations to Christianity was often achieved by harsh measures. It was found that trade relations could be established with greater ease if religious differences were placed in the background. Early in the eighteenth century the Freemasons for the first time introduced the concept of freedom of religion to Western Europe. This secret society accepted all religions, but they did not allow discussion of this subject at meetings. Religion was accepted as the belief in an undefined Supreme Being. In this way it seemed that one could create a brotherhood of MAN. As mentioned freedom of religion was one of the demands of the Third Estate in revolutionary France. In the first half of the nineteenth century, secret societies of Europe promoting the rights of man also accepted the concept of freedom of religion – an ideology that would bring all of Europe into rebellion. Later this concept of freedom of religion was included in the constitution of the United States of America in conjunction with other freedoms. In the twentieth century, nations merged into the United Nations that promoted the idea that it is acceptable to revolt to secure representative government. This would ultimately lead to the separation of Church and State in almost in all nations previously ruled by Christian kings.
Equalization
Ultimately Revelation reveals through knowledge of the time measures in history revealed to me; history itself; and the symbolism of the beasts in Daniel that the destruction of the unity of the Christian Church and State (the beast out of the sea with references to the beast of Daniel “leopard”) and the attainment of knowledge (beast out of the earth with reference to Daniel “man”) would take man’s attention away from a commitment to living with a purpose of eternal life. In the time after 1947 a rule of the land, with regard to the Christian faith would be fatal to man. This I believe is to be found in the law of equalization of faiths that would ultimately lead to freedom from the Laws of Scripture. Revelation reveals that to practice all faith before the law was acceptable for a certain length of time (Rev 17:17), that is, till the Return. However because of the falling away from the faith (man deceived by the “beasts”), citizens of the twentieth century no longer knew what is required for Christian living, particularly the crucial importance of the Holy Spirit. To many citizens the interests of man and the rights of men (“heart of a man “Dan 7:4 “eyes like the eyes of a man” Dan 7:8) became the priority. So important to man - to the point that the power of the Holy Spirit was denied. Ignorance of the teachings of the Christian faith and liberty, which encouraged men to have no bonds, brought about the tendency to equalize faiths. To equalize the Christian faith to any other faith is to deny the power of the Spirit which is totally unacceptable and leads to what is described as the rider on the pale horse (“Death, and Hell followed with him”).
For this reason the fourth beast seen by Daniel was in the time after 1947 “terrible and exceedingly strong”. Many would be led astray: “and stamped the residue with its feet”.