Lesson 47 — The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns

1. 1 THE BEAST WITH SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS

THE BEAST WITH SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS

Revelation 17:1, 3

The symbol of the beast is mentioned in the eleventh to the twentieth chapters of Revelation but explained fully in the thirteenth and seventeenth. The descriptions in all these chapters combine to give a thorough understanding of the beast, and its seven heads and ten horns. The Greek word therion translated “beast” is used thirty-seven times in Revelation in connection with this symbol, and designates a wild, untamed, dangerous animal. It is a fitting symbol of the powers to be arrayed against Christ in the last days.

There are sixty historical and prophetic facts given in Revelation concerning the beast which serve as fundamental truths, without which no true and complete understanding of the future beast with its seven heads and ten horns can be had. All statements concerning the subject must harmonize with the above-mentioned facts, else they are based upon false principles. The historical facts are given to enable the student to comprehend the prophetic facts governing the reconstruction of the last Gentile kingdom in “the times of the Gentiles” under the direction of the Antichrist, the last Gentile earthly sovereign.

The purpose of the vision of the beast is not to reveal history, but to enable us to identify the eighth and last kingdom, which will be formed after the rapture. We must not interpret any event of Rev. 4-22 as being fulfilled in past history, for the events in this passage are all yet future after the rapture, as proven in Lesson Forty-one. It is not violating any prophetic principle to predict something to happen in the future and at the same time give a retrospective of events leading up to that future event. In order for us to properly identify the eighth kingdom of the future, the seven kingdoms that precede the eighth are mentioned to show that the last one will reign over all the peoples and territories of the preceding ones. The sixty factual statements concerning the symbol of the beast in Rev. 11:7–20:10 are as follows:

1. The beast is to come out of the bottomless pit Revelation 11:7Revelation 17:8.

2. He will make war on the two witnesses during the last part of the Week Revelation 11:7.

3. He will finally overcome and kill the two witnesses Revelation 11:7.

4. He will come from the sea of humanity Revelation 13:1Revelation 17:1, 3.

5. He has seven heads and names of blasphemy written on them Revelation 13:1Revelation 17:3, 7.

6. He has ten horns and on them ten crowns Revelation 13:1Revelation 17:12-17Daniel 7:7, 8.

7. He is like a leopard, a symbol of Greece Revelation 13:2Revelation 17:3.

8. He has the feet of a bear, a symbol of Medo-Persia Revelation 13:2.

9. He has the mouth of a lion, a symbol of Babylon Revelation 13:2.

10. The dragon gives him his power, his seat (throne), and great authority Revelation 13:22 Thessalonians 2:7-12.

11. One of the beast’s heads was wounded to death and it will be healed Revelation 13:3, 12.

12. All the world will wonder after him Revelation 13:3Revelation 17:8.

13. Many will worship the dragon, which will give power to the beast. Also they will worship the beast, saying, “Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” Revelation 13:4, 8Revelation 14:9-11Revelation 15:2-4Revelation 20:4-6.

14. The beast will be given a mouth to speak great things and blasphemies Revelation 13:5Revelation 11:36.

15. He will be given power for forty-two months Revelation 13:5.

16. He will blaspheme God, His name, His tabernacle, and those that dwell in Heaven Revelation 13:6Revelation 11:36.

17. He will make war on the saints Revelation 13:7.

18. He will overcome the saints and kill them Revelation 13:7Revelation 14:9-11Revelation 15:2-4Revelation 20:4-6.

19. He will be given power over all the people of the ten kingdoms Revelation 13:1, 7Revelation 17:12-17.

20. Saints are commanded to have patience and faith and not to repay him evil for evil Revelation 13:10.

21. He will have a co-worker and religious leader in the false prophet who will exercise his power and cause men to worship him Revelation 13:11-18Revelation 16:13-16Revelation 19:20Revelation 20:10.

22. Miracles will be done in his sight to get the world to worship him Revelation 13:12-14.

23. An image will be made of him to be worshiped Revelation 13:14, 15.

24. His image will be given life to speak and cause men to be killed if they refuse to worship the beast and his image Revelation 13:15.

25. He will have a name, which at present is not known Revelation 13:17, 18Revelation 15:2.

26. He will have a mark, which at present is not known Revelation 13:17Revelation 14:9Revelation 15:2Revelation 16:2Revelation 20:4-6.

27. His number, not his mark or his name, is 666 Revelation 13:16-18Revelation 15:2.

28. These three things—his mark, his name, or the number of his name—will be forced upon men who must take either one of three brands in the right hand or forehead, or they will be boycotted and killed Revelation 13:16-18Revelation 14:9-11Revelation 15:2-4Revelation 20:4-6.

29. The beast is a man Revelation 13:18Revelation 16:13-16Revelation 19:19-21Revelation 20:10Revelation 8:9, 20Revelation 9:26, 27Revelation 11:36-45Isaiah 11:42 Thessalonians 2:1-12John 5:43.

30. Men will be warned by literal angels flying in mid-heaven not to take his mark, his name, or his number, or they will suffer eternal Hell Revelation 14:9-11.

31. His worship will be so apostate in nature that all who worship him or take any one of his three brands will be damned in Hell forever Revelation 14:9-11.

32. Many will win the victory over his worship and brands Revelation 15:2-4.

33. His followers will partake of the vial plagues Revelation 16:2, 10.

34. He has a throne and a kingdom Revelation 16:10.

35. He will be in league with, and be possessed by demon powers, to gather the nations at Armageddon who are not under him Revelation 16:13-16.

36. He carries the woman or great whore Revelation 17:3, 7.

37. He “was” or had been on the Earth before John’s day Revelation 17:8.

38. He “is not.” That is, he was not on the Earth, but was in the bottomless pit during John’s day Revelation 17:8.

39. He “shall ascend out of the bottomless pit” and live on Earth again to revive the Grecian Empire and rule for forty-two months Revelation 17:8.

40. He will then “go into perdition,” or be destroyed at the second coming Revelation 17:8.

41. “The seven heads” are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth. And “there are seven kings” or kingdoms Revelation 17:9.

42. “Five are fallen.” That is, the first five of these seven kingdoms had passed away before John saw the Revelation Revelation 17:10. They are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece.

43. “One is.” That is, the sixth of these seven kingdoms, or the old Roman Empire, was in existence in John’s day Revelation 17:10.

44. “The other is not yet come; and when he cometh he must continue a short space.” That is, the seventh of these seven kingdoms which will be made up of the ten kingdoms inside the old Roman Empire has not yet come. When such ten kingdoms are formed they will continue a short time before the “little horn” will arise from among them to get power over them Revelation 17:10.

45. “The beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth.” That is, when Antichrist comes out of the ten kingdoms he will get power over them by the middle of the Week and he will form the eighth kingdom, which continues forty-two months Revelation 17:11Revelation 13:5.

46. He “is of the seven and goeth into perdition.” That is, he is one of the seven, not necessarily the seventh Revelation 17:11. He must be one of the first five that had fallen before John, either of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, or Greece, for the beast “was,” or had been before the sixth that was in existence in John’s day, and he becomes the eighth kingdom following the seventh, which was to come between the sixth and the eighth. It is the Grecian Empire revived as the eighth kingdom that will fight against Christ at Armageddon and be destroyed Zechariah 9:13Revelation 19:19-21.

47. The ten horns “are ten kings” inside the Roman Empire Revelation 17:12.

48. They “have received no kingdom as yet” Revelation 17:12.

49. They “receive power as kings one hour (Greek, hora, “hour” or “period”) with the beast” Revelation 17:12.

50. “These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast” Revelation 17:13, 16.

51. “These shall make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them” at the second advent, so the ten kings must all be in existence at that time Revelation 17:14Revelation 19:19-21Revelation 7:23-24Revelation 8:20-25Revelation 11:45-12.

52. “These shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire” Revelation 17:16.

53. “For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled” Revelation 17:17.

54. The beast is the commander-in-chief of all armies of the kings of the Earth at Armageddon Revelation 19:19.

55. He mobilizes the armies of the nations to fight against Christ and the armies of Heaven at the second coming Revelation 19:19Revelation 16:13-16.

56. The beast will be slain by Christ at His coming, thus proving him to be a mortal man at that time Revelation 19:20Isaiah 11:42 Thessalonians 2:8, 9.

57. He, and the false prophet, will both be cast bodily into the Lake of Fire Revelation 19:20.

58. The beast’s armies will be destroyed by Christ and His armies Revelation 19:20, 21Revelation 17:142 Thessalonians 1:7-10.

59. Those whom he kills for not worshipping him will be resurrected in the first resurrection and will reign with Christ Revelation 20:4-6.

60. The beast and the false prophet will be in the Lake of Fire for 1,000 years before the devil is cast into that lake, and all will “be tormented day and night for ever and ever” Revelation 20:10Revelation 14:9-11Isaiah 66:22-24Matthew 25:41, 46.

It is clear from these statements above that the beast is not a symbol of only one thing, but of several. The heads, horns, feet, body, mouth, wounding of one of the heads, etc., are symbolic of different truths. The beast itself is symbolical of something entirely different from the seven heads and ten horns which are upon it. Failure to make a distinction between him and his heads and horns will lead to a false understanding of the beast. That which is represented by the seven heads and ten horns will have come to pass when the beast appears, for they are upon the beast when he rises. They show the succession of seven world kingdoms from the first to the last of the history of Israel before the eighth kingdom comes.

II. The Beast Symbolizes Three Things:

1. A human being, the Antichrist, or beast out of the sea, as dealt with in Lesson Forty-six. Such facts above as in Points 4, 10, 12-35, 49-60 above prove that a human being is seen in the symbol. He is definitely called “a man,” so no true understanding can be had of the beast without recognizing this fact. We have studied the human aspect of the symbol in Lesson Forty-six.

2. A supernatural being, the beast out of the Abyss, as will be dealt with in the following points. Such facts as in Points 1-3, 35, 37-40 above prove that a satanic prince is seen in the symbol.

3. An empire, the eighth kingdom, which immediately succeeds the seven heads or kingdoms. Such facts as in Points 5-9, 11, 36-38, 41-46 above prove that a kingdom is also symbolized by the beast.

Some interpreters have made the mistake of recognizing only a kingdom and not a human, or a supernatural person in the beast. Others recognize only a human being while still others recognize only an earthly king and kingdom and not the satanic powers controlling the kingdom. All these errors have led men to disregard some of the previously mentioned plain facts concerning the beast. When all three things are seen in the one symbol and the passages that clearly refer to one or the other are distinguished, then a clear understanding of all the facts is gained. The basis of discriminating between these three things is to take each passage as applicable to the one which will make the reading most clear. Some passages apply to all three things, while others apply to one or two. Hence, the beast out of the Abyss, the beast out of the sea, and the beast as the eighth kingdom are all different things, but all three are to be recognized in the one symbol, the beast. We have already studied the beast out of the sea, or the human aspect of the beast, so we shall now study the beast out of the Abyss, or the satanic aspect of the symbol.

III. The Beast Out of the Abyss Revelation 11:7Revelation 17:8

Many hypotheses have been advanced concerning the identity of the beast out of the Abyss. Some hold that the beast is a human spirit who is now confined there and who will come out and exist again as the Antichrist. Others hold that the beast represents the revival of a kingdom once existent, and which will exist again. But the Scriptures indicate something more than a mere revival of a certain kingdom. How could a kingdom be confined to the Abyss for centuries and come out again as a kingdom and go into destruction a second time? This would require all the original subjects of that kingdom to live again on Earth. This is not taught in Scripture Hebrews 9:27. Only a person can be referred to in the statements of a beast coming out of the Abyss. If this be true, then the beast’s identity lies between a human or a supernatural spirit who has once existed on Earth, who is at present confined in the Abyss, and who will exist again on the Earth in the last days. There are about as many men being advanced as the future Antichrist as there are interpreters. Among them are Nimrod, various Egyptian, Assyrian, and Babylonian kings, Alexander the Great, Antiochus Epiphanes, Julius Caesar, Nero, Judas Iscariot, Mohammed, various popes of Rome, Napoleon, etc.

It is believed by this school of interpreters that when this human spirit (whoever he may be) is reincarnated as the Antichrist, he will grow to maturity; that in the middle of the Week he will be slain by an assassin; that his body will lie in state for three days and then be raised from the dead; and that Satan at that time will incarnate himself in this mom who will then become an immortal being. This, they claim, will be Satan’s imitation of the resurrection of Christ and they state this will prove that Antichrist will not be an ordinary mortal during the last 3½ years, and further shows why he will be cast “alive” into the Lake of Fire.

However, it cannot be proven from Scripture that any one of these men mentioned above will be the beast out of the Abyss, nor can it be proven that any one of them will be the Antichrist. Neither the beast out of the Abyss nor the Antichrist will be a reincarnated human being or any other kind of reincarnated being. It may be helpful at this point to prove that the beast of the Abyss and the Antichrist are two different persons. If this can be done, then all the arguments of the above school are of no value in identifying the beast of the Abyss, as there would be no ground for believing that the Antichrist will be the reincarnation of a historical man and that he will be assassinated and resurrected as an immortal being. The following points prove that the beast out of the Abyss and the Antichrist are two different persons:

1. It has been proven by the sixty scriptural statements of the previous point that the symbol of the beast represents three things: first, a human being who is the beast out of the sea of humanity; second, a supernatural being who is the beast out of the Abyss; third, an empire which is the eighth kingdom composed of many peoples Revelation 17:1, 3. Thus, according to Scripture, the beast out of the Abyss and the Antichrist will not be the same person.

2. The Antichrist is to be an ordinary mortal throughout his life until the Battle of Armageddon when he will be killed by Christ at His coming to the Earth. The following quotations prove this: “He [Christ] shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked” Isaiah 11:4, “I beheld even until the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame” Daniel 7:11Revelation 19:20, “He [Antichrist] shall be broken [slain, as in Dan. 8:8, 22; 11:4, 22] without hand” Daniel 8:25,”And then shall that wicked [Antichrist] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume [Greek, analisko, “to slay, remove”] with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy [Greek, katargeo, “to be useless, destroy”] with the brightness of his coming” 2 Thessalonians 2:8. Antichrist must be a mortal in order to fulfill these statements. He is expressly called “a man” in Rev. 13:14-18; 2 Thess. 2:3, 4. He cannot be a mortal and at the same time come out of the Abyss without being reincarnated or resurrected to immortality.

3. The doctrine of reincarnation is not taught in Scripture. Certainly such a doctrine cannot be based upon the mere fact that a spirit is to come out of the Abyss. To be reincarnated one must go through the process of a rebirth and growth to maturity as he did when he was born before. This would make Antichrist a baby at least twice, and if he were to die by an assassin in the middle of the Week and also be slain by Christ, he would have to die at least three times. These ideas contradict Scripture, for “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” Hebrews 9:27. This passage does not teach that after death there can be a reincarnation and another death. The men mentioned previously are no exception to this divine rule. The only exceptions to this rule that one dies only once will be those that are translated without seeing death at the rapture and at the catching up of the manchild 1 Corinthians 15:51-581 Thessalonians 4:16-17Revelation 12:5. The Bible does teach a resurrection after death at which time each individual will be raised just as full grown as he was at death, and when that is done he will have an immortal body and cannot die 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, 34John 5:28, 29. Hence, there is no room for a doctrine that a mature human spirit can become a baby spirit again, be born in the flesh and grow to maturity a second time and die again. If Antichrist were to become a baby and grow to maturity in his second life on Earth, what would be the purpose of his being another person reincarnated? Why could not any baby grow to maturity and fulfill the same things that a reincarnated baby could, inasmuch as his success does not depend upon past maturity and experience? If this particular human can be reincarnated, then it stands to reason that others can be also, and, if we admit the doctrine of reincarnation, we should not condemn the Hindu and others who believe in such. Therefore, isn’t it logical to believe that the Antichrist is a mere man who will be born on Earth in the last days for the first time, and that he will not be the beast out of the Abyss, who, in Points IV and V below, is proven to be a supernatural spirit?

4. It is clear from the Scripture that the Abyss is not the place for departed human spirits; therefore, a human spirit cannot come out of the Abyss. The Abyss is the prison of demon spirits Luke 8:31Revelation 9:1-21. It is also the place of the present confinement of certain satanic princes Revelation 9:11Revelation 11:7Revelation 17:8. How many other angels are there is not known. It will be Satan’s prison for one thousand years Revelation 20:1-10. Judging from these Scriptures it seems clear that the Abyss is reserved for Satan and his demon and angelic following, but never as the place for human spirits. Human spirits went into Paradise and Hell before the resurrection of Christ Luke 16:19-31Psalms 16:10Luke 23:43Ephesians 4:7-11Matthew 12:40Revelation 20:11-15. At the resurrection of Christ He led all righteous souls out of Paradise under the Earth and took them into Heaven with Him, so when a Christian dies now he goes to be “with Christ” until the first resurrection Ephesians 4:7-11Hebrews 2:14Philippians 1:212 Corinthians 5:8Revelation 6:9-11. The wicked human spirits still go to Hell as before, and Judas (or any other man) is no exception. From this, we conclude that no human spirit is now in the Abyss to come out as the beast, and so we must identify the beast of the Abyss as a supernatural spirit, thus showing that the human Antichrist is not the same as the beast of the Abyss. (See the Chart and Lesson Thirty-seven for a study of the Abyss and the place of the dead.)

5. There is no Scripture to prove that the Antichrist will be different from any other natural man as to his being, birth, death, etc. He will merely be used by satanic powers in the last days. Neither God nor Satan will have to call back from the dead any man who has lived in order to fulfill prophecy. If some man in history could fulfill the necessary requirements why could not some future man do so? No reincarnation has ever been necessary for the operation of supernatural powers in the world. Neither will such be necessary in the future. The only thing necessary to receive the power of God or Satan will be complete submission to the will of the operator.

6. That Antichrist is to be assassinated in the middle of the Week and rise from the dead as an immortal being and an incarnation of Satan is unscriptural. The wounding of one of the heads on the beast and its being healed again does not prove this. One vital fact which some interpreters have overlooked is that it was one of the seven heads on the beast that was wounded to death and not the beast itself. The angel explained to John that the seven heads were seven kingdoms and that they all were to precede the beast itself, which is the eighth kingdom ruled by the Antichrist and the satanic prince of the Abyss Revelation 17:9-11. Thus we see that the Antichrist, who is the king of the eighth kingdom, will not be assassinated at all, and therefore, cannot be resurrected in the middle of the Week. Antichrist will never be an incarnation of Satan, for we see the dragon or Satan as a separate being from the Antichrist throughout the period he is supposed to be incarnated in Antichrist 2 Thessalonians 2:8, 9Revelation 13:1-4Revelation 16:13-16Revelation 20:10. Hence, Satan could not be incarnate in Antichrist and exist as a separate being outside of him.

IV. Identification of the Beast Out of the Abyss

We firmly believe that the beast out of the Abyss represents a mighty supernatural satanic prince and not a human spirit. We do not believe that this spirit is to be incarnated in any human body and become the Antichrist, but that he will be the ruling prince under the guidance of Satan, dominating the Antichrist and exalting him as the earthly king over the eighth and last kingdom at the end of the age. We further believe that the beast ruled one of the first kingdoms, which had fallen before John’s day and which is represented by the first five heads on the beast; that when his kingdom fell, he was cast into the Abyss and confined there during the sixth kingdom (the Roman Empire), which was the one that existed in John’s day; that he will still be confined in the Abyss until the formation of the ten kingdoms, or the seventh kingdom; that he will be loosed out of the Abyss during the existence of the seventh, cause the rise of Antichrist out of the ten kingdoms, and revive the kingdom of Greece he ruled before the sixth and seventh; and that this kingdom will become the eighth and last kingdom headed by Antichrist, who will fight with Christ at Armageddon.

This is what the revealing angel meant when he said that the beast “was [had existed on Earth before John], and is not [on the Earth in John’s day], and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit [in the last days to revive the kingdom he ruled before he was confined to the Abyss] and go into perdition Revelation 17:8. This angelic spirit will control the Antichrist through demons, thus making him the embodiment of wickedness and the manifestation of satanic power. This angel is represented by the symbol of the beast out of the Abyss, which will cause the rise of Antichrist, who in turn is symbolized by the beast out of the sea of humanity, reviving and forming the beast, the eighth kingdom. This kingdom is also symbolized by the beast. All three things make up the powers represented by the one symbol, as we have seen above in Point II.

It is the beast out of the Abyss that will make war on the two witnesses through Antichrist. In this fact we see the cruel operations of satanic powers through the Antichrist and his kingdom by the combination of human and supernatural powers. But only when their testimony is finished will God remove His protecting hand from them. Kingdoms of this world have always been controlled by supernatural powers and the events that transpire on Earth are really the result of what transpires in Heaven in the battles lost or won between the good and bad spirits of God and Satan. The devil controls the kingdoms of this world. He offered them to Christ, who did not deny this claim of Satan Luke 4:5, 6. God, all during this satanic age, will interfere with the plans of Satan in the kingdoms of this world to make possible the fulfillment of His prophetic Word which Satan and evil forces are continually longing to see fail, hence, the battles in the heavenlies.

The battle between Satan and God can be traced throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. God is trying to bring men back to the place where they were before they fell. In order to do so He must continually counteract the powers of Satan, who tries in every conceivable way to hinder this plan. The battle in general throughout the Old Testament was over the coming of the seed of the woman and the fulfillment of God’s purpose concerning Israel. The great weapon used by the devil was to inspire the kingdoms of this world time and again to destroy Israel from the face of the Earth so that Christ would never come and pronounce doom upon him. (See Lesson Eleven, Point VII, 6, (9), F and G.)

From the beginning of Israel’s history in Gen. 12 on through the Old Testament there were five great kingdoms which were used of Satan for this purpose. However, God took advantage of Satan’s efforts and used the actions of these same nations to chasten Israel when it became necessary to bring her to repentance. When one of them overstepped itself in God’s plan for His people, God had to overthrow it by another, and in order to do this, had to deal with Satan in the heavenlies. These five kingdoms were Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece and its divisions, making up the five that had already fallen before John. The sixth was the old Roman Empire which existed at the time of John and which scattered Israel to the four winds of the heavens. The seventh will be that same empire in the form of ten kingdoms. It will also persecute Israel. The beast will establish and rule the eighth, immediately succeeding the seventh, and will become the greatest and most bitter persecutor of Israel of all the eight kingdoms. It will try to carry out Satan’s original plan to destroy Israel and thwart God’s eternal purpose concerning them and the Earth as promised to their fathers.

In every time of crisis in the history of Israel and these kingdoms, God has intervened at the proper moment. Thus, Israel has been spared and preserved in the past and will also be preserved in the future as God has promised. Satan, besides using kingdoms to destroy and oppress Israel and to thwart God’s promise, has also caused Israel to sin so that God Himself has at times cursed them. But it has been during these times that God has used the very tool, which the devil devised to destroy Israel, to chasten them and bring them to repentance. Such will be the case again in the final repentance of Israel in the Tribulation.

One can readily see these facts illustrated in the history of Israel as found in the Pentateuch and the historical books of the Old Testament, and especially in the prophecies, where God tries by the mouths of His servants, to bring Israel to repentance by threatening punishment by the goad of foreign foes. In the Bible we have numerous passages showing the operation of satanic powers over the different kingdoms of the world in attempts to thwart God’s eternal purpose in the Earth concerning Israel. Also, we have the record of the opposition of God’s spirit forces toward these satanic powers in carrying out His purpose in the Earth (Isa. 14:4-21; 24:21-23; 25:7; Ezek. 28:11-17; Dan. 2:19-23, 28, 31-45; 4:25-37; 5:18-31; 7:1-28; 8:1-26; 9:24-27; 10:1-12, 13; Joel 3; Zech. 14; Lk. 4:5, 6; Jn. 12:31; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; 6:11-17; 2 Thess. 2; Rev. 11:15; 13:1-18; etc.).

These are just a few references clearly setting forth this truth which is plainly illustrated, and the beast out of the Abyss is also plainly identified in the book of Daniel in conjunction with Revelation. In Daniel we see the rise and Fall of several empires which were used to carry out God’s purpose in chastening or delivering Israel, from Daniel’s time to the coming of the Messiah. When one kingdom fails to carry out God’s purpose He then chooses another as illustrated in 2 Ki. 23:29–24:10. In Dan. 2, 7, 8, 9, 10-12, we have symbolized six world kingdoms which were used to oppress Israel: Babylon as the head of gold and the lion; Medo-Persia as the silver, the bear, and the ram; Greece as the brass, the leopard and the he-goat; Rome as the iron and the terrible beast; Revised Rome as the ten toes and the ten horns; and Revived Grecia as the kingdom of the little horn out of she ten horns of Dan. 7, and out of the four horns of Dan. 8, and as the king of the north (Syria) in Dan. 11, as we have studied in Lesson Thirty-nine.

In Dan. 10:1–11:1 we have the main passage of all the Bible concerning the supernatural princes under Satan who rule different kingdoms, and which tells about God’s method of overruling the rulers of these kingdoms to fulfill prophecy. This passage clearly shows how and why the spirit in the Abyss was confined there and gives his identity. This is not the final reason for this conclusion but it does settle the fact that there are such supernatural princes who control the different kingdoms. But whatever conclusion we may reach about the beast out of the Abyss, we must associate him with one of the first five kingdoms symbolized by the first five heads on the beast. This in itself excludes Judas, Nero, Napoleon, and many other men whom some advance as the beast of the Abyss. The beast, then, must be one who has ruled either Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, or Greece, for these nations are represented by the first five heads on the beast. Let it be remembered that this spirit was on Earth before the sixth, was not on Earth during the sixth, that he will come out of the Abyss during the seventh and that he will revive a kingdom he once controlled which will become the eighth, and the successor of the seventh kingdom Revelation 17:8-11.

Gabriel, who was sent to show Daniel the vision of the kingdom that was to oppress Israel in the last days, was hindered by the spirit ruler of the kingdom of Persia, the fourth head on the beast, which was in existence at the time of this vision. Gabriel said to Daniel, “From the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood [detained] me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes [of God], came to help me: and I remained there with the kings of Persia” (until Michael delivered me, Dan. 10:12-14).

In Dan. 10:20-21 there is another indisputable reference to supernatural princes ruling over kingdoms. Therefore, if this is true of these kingdoms mentioned, surely it is true of all other kingdoms and principalities in the world that have existed or will exist until all “the kingdoms of this world” become the kingdoms of Christ at His coming. The same angel that was detained by “the prince of the kingdom of Persia” said to Daniel, “Knowest thou wherefore I come to thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia will come. But I will shew thee that which is noted in the Scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your [Israel’s] prince.”

The eleventh chapter of Daniel, a continuation of the angel’s message, reads, “Also I [Gabriel] in the first year of Darius the Mede [five years before this] even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him [Michael]” Daniel 11:1. Michael was the prince of Israel who overthrew the prince of Babylon in order that the prince of Persia might come, whose kingdom was to deliver the Israelites and permit them to return to their own land. This last verse shows that Michael was not the prince to withstand the prince of Persia, but that Gabriel was the choice this time. Gabriel had helped Michael overthrow the prince of Babylon in order to fulfill the prophecy of the overthrow of the Babylonian Empire and the establishment of the Persian, as was previously revealed to Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar. So, in turn, Michael helped Gabriel in his responsibility of opposing the prince of Persia. This further emphasizes the fact that different good and bad angels have under their control certain responsibilities in particular kingdoms. Note the divine and angelic appearances in the book of Daniel, which show what kind of princes these are Daniel 3:25Daniel 4:13, 17Daniel 6:22Daniel 7:17Daniel 8:13, 14Daniel 9:21Daniel 10:4-8, 10Daniel 11:1Daniel 12:1, 5.

These passages show that God ordains certain angels and sends them forth to cause the rise and Fall of specific kingdoms in order to fulfill prophecy. They also reveal that Satan’s princes over these kingdoms try to hinder the rise and Fall of such kingdoms in order to hinder God’s plan. Daniel 10:12-14 shows that there was a war in Heaven between the prince of Persia and Gabriel, and that Gabriel was detained twenty-one days and could not get through to Daniel until Michael, the prince that protects Israel, came to help him. Together they defeated the princes of Persia. If there was such a war in Heaven of twenty-one days in length, over a mere answer to prayer, what kind of wars and how much longer would they be over the overthrow of a kingdom?

This passage first speaks of one “prince of Persia,” then it speaks of “kings of Persia.” The difference between these two terms is easily explained, for the Hebrew word sar, generally rendered “prince” and “princes” in this book as in Dan. 1:7, 8, 10, 11, 18; 8:11, 25; 9:6, 8; 10:13, 20, 21; 11:5, 8, 18, 22; 12:1, means “a head person of any rank or class,” “a captain,” “chief,” “master,” “ruler,” “prince,” etc. Therefore, the prince of the kingdom of Persia has reference to the one satanic spirit ruler who was chief of the whole kingdom and as such was responsible to Satan. The Hebrew word melek means “king” and “royalty” and could mean in this case subordinate princes under the chief prince, or it could refer to the prince of the Medes and the prince of the Persians who were over the dual kingdom, the prince of Persia being the greater of the two, as was the case in the earthly kingdom. Another translation of the kings of Persia is “I remained there with the royalty of Persia,” for it was the prince of Persia that detained him during the twenty-one days.

Not only does the Bible teach that there are good and bad spirits ruling over every kingdom, but also over each individual person on Earth there are good and bad spirits who are trying to dominate his life for good or bad Psalms 78:49Psalms 91:11Matthew 18:10Romans 8:38Hebrews 1:14Ephesians 2:2Ephesians 6:12.

Daniel 10:20-21 brings out the same thought of there being only one chief ruler or prince over each kingdom, which helps us to determine whether there was more than one prince of the kingdom of Persia. Here, Gabriel, after being delivered from the kings of Persia and fulfilling his mission to the prophet, said, “And now will I return and fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth [to overthrow the prince of Persia in order that the next empire that was to succeed Persia might come], lo, the prince of Grecia shall come”; that is, when I conquer the spirit prince that controls the kingdom of Persia under Satan, the spirit prince that controls the kingdom of Grecia under Satan shall come and rule these territories and shall fulfill “the Scripture of truth.”

The Scripture of truth concerning the overthrow of Persia by Grecia was given during the third year of the reign of Belshazzar, the vicegerent of the king of Babylon Daniel 8:1-26. At the time of this prophecy Daniel 10:1–12, in the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, Gabriel told Daniel that Persia was soon to Fall, that Grecia would come, and that the one helping him in the fulfillment of these things was none other than “Michael, your prince.” That is, the prince of Israel Daniel 12:1Revelation 12:7. Gabriel further told Daniel how many kings were in Persia before that kingdom was to be overthrown Daniel 11:2. The mighty king of Dan. 11:3 was Alexander the Great, who overthrew the Persians quite easily because it was God’s time to fulfill prophecy and the satanic power ruling Persia had been defeated by Gabriel and his hosts in the heavenlies.

It is doubtless clear to the reader that a mighty satanic prince is to work as a colleague of the earthly Antichrist in the future, as has been the case of all mighty rulers of kingdoms in the past. We conclude, therefore, that the beast of the Abyss is this satanic prince of the old Grecian Empire who will inspire the Antichrist and use him in the formation of the eighth kingdom, which will be a revival of the kingdom the prince of Grecia controlled before he was defeated in the heavenlies and cast into the Abyss.

“THE PRINCE OF GRECIA”

1. The last visions of Daniel concern the Grecian Empire, its four divisions, and the rise of the Antichrist out of one of them. Out of the 155 verses of Daniel describing “the times of the Gentiles,” from Daniel’s time to the coming of Christ, 125 are devoted to the Grecian Empire. In the vision of Dan. 2, of the 14 verses that refer to Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and Revised Rome, six speak of Greece. In the 28 verses of Dan. 7, only three speak of Greece, but nine speak of the “little horn” which will be the future king of Revived Grecia. In the 27 verses of Dan. 8, the “he-goat” or Greece, and the king of Greece in the last days are the main objects of the vision. The purpose of the whole chapter is to show the overthrow of Persia and the existence of Greece in the last days under four divisions of the Grecian Empire with the Antichrist coming out of one of these divisions. The 79 verses of Dan. 10-12 are all devoted to show that the Antichrist will come from one of the four Grecian divisions, and they show just which one; namely, the Syrian. These facts are no mere accidents and go far to prove that the prince of Grecia will be the spirit out of the Abyss and that the eighth kingdom will be the Revised Grecian Empire under the Antichrist.

2. The fact that the Antichrist, who is the earthly head of the eighth kingdom, will come out of the Syrian division of Greece seems conclusive proof that the prince of Grecia is the spirit out of the Abyss and not an Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, or Persian prince. Since there is no intimation that the first four kingdoms will be revived as in the case of Greece, and since the spirit out of the Abyss could not have been the prince of Rome because of his presence in the Abyss during the existence of Rome, it follows that he is the prince of Grecia.

3. The body of the beast of Rev. 13 and 17 is “like a leopard.” In Daniel, the leopard symbolizes the Grecian Empire, showing that the kingdom of Antichrist, or the eighth and last kingdom, will be basically Grecian in character and policy and its attitude towards Israel as foretold of the Syrian division in Dan. 8:9-14, 20-25; 9:27; 11:21–12:7; Rev. 13. If it is true that the beast is Grecian, being “like a leopard,” then it must be true that the spirit of the Abyss is the prince of Grecia.

4. In Joel 3:6 and Zech. 9:13 we have two definite prophecies concerning the Grecian Empire in the last days under Antichrist and at the time of the deliverance of Israel from the nations at the return of Christ. These passages require the existence of Greece as an empire under Antichrist.

Therefore, we conclude that the spirit out of the Abyss is a supernatural spirit, none other than the former prince of Grecia who will revive Grecia in the last days through the medium of the Antichrist, who will be an earthly man, and who will carry out all the will of this satanic prince. We further conclude that this revival of Greece is the healing of the head wounded to death and that the kingdom of Antichrist will not be the Revised Roman Empire, as is generally supposed, but the Revived Grecian Empire which will include the Revised Roman Empire.

VI. The Seven Heads Upon the Beast Revelation 17:9-11

In explaining the seven heads on the beast, according to the revised version of Revelation, the angel says, “The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth, and they are seven kings” Revelation 17:9. This rendering is also that of many other versions which are in harmony with the literal translation as follows, “The seven heads are seven mountains . . . and are seven kings.” Then the seven heads symbolize seven mountains and the seven mountains, seven kingdoms. If the seven heads and mountains are not further symbolized by the seven kings then they have been thrust into the interpretation of the seven heads and have no connection with the subject at all. If such were the case, all that follows concerning the seven kings would be no part of the explanation which the angel promised John regarding the seven heads, but this is not true.

We have in these verses Revelation 17:8-12 the divine explanation that the seven heads are seven kings or kingdoms. The words “kings” and “kingdoms” are used interchangeably in Scripture Daniel 2:37, 38. This excludes the idea that the seven heads are seven literal hills on which the literal city of Rome is built.

If these seven heads are seven hills on which the city of Rome is built we would have to believe that five of these hills had flattened out before John, for “five are fallen.” Rome was on only one hill in John’s day, for only “one is,” and that hill was later to be flattened out and Rome was to be moved on to the seventh hill. Then after that Rome was to be moved on to the eighth hill, for “the beast is the eighth” Revelation 17:9-11.

Such an idea is foreign to every phrase of the language used in this explanation. Fountains in symbolic passages refer to kings and kingdoms Jeremiah 51:25Daniel 2:35, 45. The seven heads are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome and the future Revised Roman Empire, and the beast itself is the eighth and final empire, which will be the Revived Grecian Kingdom and will immediately follow the Revised Roman Empire. We give the following points as proof:

1. There are no other kingdoms capable of fulfilling the requirements in the sixty previous statements made about the beast and its seven heads in Point I, above, as can readily be seen by choosing any other set of seven kingdoms in an attempt to harmonize them with these statements.

2. All admit that the rise of the lion, bear, leopard, and the terrible beast out of the sea in Dan. 7 symbolizes the birth of four great world kingdoms through the medium of supernatural powers working in and through human leaders. The ribs in the mouth of the bear, the four heads on the leopard, the ten horns on the terrible beast and the little horn coming up among them, etc., are all different from the beasts themselves. If this is true of these beasts in Daniel, why not of the beast with its seven heads and ten horns in Revelation?

The fact that the beast was “like a leopard” and had the stamp of the lion and bear shows that at its rise it will have the elements of Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece, but that it will be mainly Grecian. This further proves that these heads cannot be certain kingdoms over which the whore has ruled since John. Why should we pick out seven of the many kingdoms over which the pope dominated at times, when they are completely alien to Israel, and the fulfillment of prophecy, and are not even mentioned in Scripture? We find the above kingdoms mentioned in Scripture and so they have a sound foundation.

When we see the mention of a leopard, a lion, a bear, horns, etc., in the New Testament as the symbol of a kingdom and its ruler, we should immediately look back to the meaning of the same symbol in the Old Testament. This should especially be done because Daniel portrayed the very empires that were to be from his time on to the Millennium. The lion of Dan. 7 had only one head which shows only one kingdom, while the leopard had four heads showing the formation of four kingdoms out of that one. The terrible beast had one head, but ten horns, showing the coming of ten kingdoms out of that one kingdom. Since this is true and is recognized by students of prophecy, the same can also easily be seen in the seven heads and ten horns on the beast of Revelation.

There is, however, this difference. Since the beast will be the eighth and the succession of the seventh, he will not be the first of a succession of eight kingdoms, but the last. Therefore, his heads and horns are historical in that they represent kingdoms before his time, while those on the beasts of Daniel were to follow the beasts themselves and were prophetic of kingdoms after them. The beast of Revelation as a leopard or Grecian kingdom must be a revival of Greece or one of the seven heads, while the beasts of Dan. 7 were not revivals of their heads, but the sources of them.

3. The entire ten kingdoms, which make the seventh head, will be given to Antichrist whose kingdom becomes the eighth Revelation 17:8-17. The seventh kingdom will be a revised form of the sixth. The eighth would surely not be a revival of the one already revised, so it must be a revival of one of the five before the sixth, which was the one in existence in John’s day. The sixth, seventh, and eighth kingdoms being identified as great world kingdoms opposing Israel, the first five must also be of the same nature and not therefore five over which the whore has reigned since the sixth, of the Roman Empire. We must, therefore, look for five world kingdoms before the Roman Empire. The only five kingdoms there could possibly be either in history or in Scripture whom God has used to chasten Israel, were the successive kingdoms of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece, which were fallen before John’s day and before the sixth, or Rome, which was in John’s day.

This tracing of the heads back to Egypt is not violating one fundamental principle of prophetic interpretation, because the angel explained to John that the beast will be the eighth and the last of a succession of eight world kingdoms. This symbol of the beast with its seven heads depicts all the Gentile world kingdoms in the whole length of “the times of the Gentiles.” These times of the Gentiles did not begin with Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar as is generally taught, but they go back to the first oppression of Israel in Egypt, as we have studied in Lesson Fifteen. Daniel saw only “the times of the Gentiles” from his time onward as he was picturing what was to befall Israel after his day, and there is no hint that he saw all “the times of the Gentiles.”

4. The other explanation of the seven heads advanced by the historical school is given as follows. The Lord desired to portray seven successive kingdoms, each rising out of the territory of its predecessor, each distinct in language and law, as was Egypt, Assyria, etc. These kingdoms have all existed since John and each in its turn has carried the woman. The woman (the whore) did not come into existence until a few centuries after John, so the seven heads could not have existed before.

The first kingdom to carry the woman was that of Justinian, or the eastern part of the Roman Empire, from 533-538 a.d. When that kingdom betrayed her she entered her first valley with no government supporting her. The second head was the Holy Roman Empire under Charlemagne who was crowned by the pope, 800 a.d. When this empire declined she was in the valley again. The third head was the kingdom of Otto the Great, who was crowned by the pope, 962 a.d. The third valley was a great struggle between the pope and certain kings. The pope came out victorious over Frederick II, 1230 a.d., the fourth head. The kingdom fell and the woman was again in the valley. Charles V was crowned in 1520 when the woman ascended the fifth kingdom. The fifth kingdom received the “deadly wound” at the hand of the Protestants and the woman was again in the valley. The sixth kingdom was Austria who carried the woman. The seventh was to “continue a short space” and was fulfilled in the brief support of the Church by Napoleon and then the woman was in the valley the seventh time. The eighth kingdom is yet future and will be a revival of the fifth or the German Empire of Charles V, who will fight against Christ at Armageddon.

We wonder why these interpreters choose these seven kingdoms over which Rome ruled, when there are a host of kings and kingdoms to pick from. Where is there any scriptural authority for choosing just these seven kingdoms of the many? Anyone might choose seven others and be just as correct. Why not stay in the bounds of Scripture for the identification of these seven heads since the angel is showing us what is to take place in the last days under the eighth kingdom, or the beast itself, which has the seven heads, and not what will take place during the existence of the seven kingdoms, symbolized by the seven heads? There are no other kingdoms that fit the explanation of the angel except the ones mentioned in the Bible.

If these interpreters are to be accepted as right then we are compelled to believe that the kingdoms of Justinian, Charlemagne, Otto the Great, Frederick, and Charles V existed before John received the Revelation, because the angel said to John, “Five are fallen.” We must also believe that the sixth, or Austrian kingdom, was in existence in John’s day for “one is.” And we must further admit that the seventh, or the kingdom of Napoleon, was the only one to exist after John’s day for “one is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space.”

The theories mentioned above, as well as many other teachings concerning the beast, cannot be reconciled with the facts given by the angel. Again, the Bible contradicts the theory that the eighth head is to be a revival of the kingdom of Charles V because the eighth kingdom is to be a revival of one of the five kingdoms that had “fallen” before John’s day, or before the Old Roman Empire which ruled the world in John’s day, while Charles V reigned about fourteen centuries after John. Then too, the ten kings, who will give their power to the beast for forty-two months, 1,260 literal days, or 3½ years, are to rise out of the old Roman Kingdom and form the kingdoms from which Antichrist is to arise, whose kingdom will immediately become the eighth. The Bible does not concern itself with kingdoms appearing between the old Roman Empire and the future Revised Roman Empire.

The first statement above made by this school of thought says that each of these seven kingdoms must appear within the territory of its predecessor, but the very ones they give as the seven kingdoms contradict this part of their argument for such is not true of all these seven kingdoms that they give. Especially is this not true of the Justinian kingdom, which had no connection at all with the territory of Charles V and others. This interpretation excludes entirely the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecies of Revised Rome in the last days and also the rise of Antichrist and his kingdom. It is not a question of whether each of the seven heads will come out of the same territory of the preceding one, but a question of the beast, or eighth kingdom, coming out of the territory of the seven kingdoms before the beast.

The main argument of this school lies in the fact that the woman rides each head in succession, and therefore, since she did not come into existence until after John, the seven heads must also be since John. This might be logical if it were true that she rides each head in succession, but this is not accurate. In Rev. 17:1 she is sitting upon “many waters” which is explained in Rev. 17:15 as being many nations, and said to be the “scarlet coloured beast . . . that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns” Revelation 17:3, 7. When she sits on the beast, having the seven heads, she also sits upon the heads, which will be the structure of the eighth kingdom at that time. Remember this, the dragon will also have the seven heads and ten horns as does the beast, the difference being that his heads will be crowned while those on the beast will not be. This proves the existence of the dragon throughout the length of the seven Gentile world kingdoms, which have all tried to erase Israel from the Earth from the beginning of her history. Neither the beast as the eighth kingdom, nor its king, the Antichrist, has existed through all these seven heads or kingdoms.

5. The fact that the dragon and the beast will put forth every effort to destroy Israel seems to prove that Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and Revised Rome are the seven heads. This will be the final, supreme effort of the dragon to carry out his age-long purpose of destroying Israel, which began with these seven kingdoms. These are the only kingdoms mentioned in the Bible as carrying out the dragon’s purpose along this line.

6. The fact that the clay, iron, brass, silver, and gold in the image will be destroyed together at the return of Christ shows that elements of all those kingdoms symbolized by those metals in Dan. 2 will be inherent in the beast which will go “into perdition” or destruction. That they will be destroyed together is further proven by the destruction of the beast and its seven heads and ten horns by Christ at His coming. From these facts also, we conclude that the seven heads of the symbol represent Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and Revised Rome. All of which are required to run their courses before the beginning of the beast, or eighth kingdom, which will be ruled by Antichrist and the spirit of the Abyss. These are the only kingdoms that will harmonize with the revelation of the beast and its heads.

7. “The name of blasphemy” further identifies the seven heads and the beast itself. In Rev. 13:1 we read “upon his heads the name [names] of blasphemy” and in Rev. 17:3 we read that the beast itself was “full of names of blasphemy.” These two verses show that all eight kingdoms were and will be blasphemous kingdoms or controlled by blasphemous kings. One can readily see from Bible history the blasphemous attitude of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, and from prophecy one can see this same characteristic in the future Revised Roman Empire and the Revived Grecian Empire. Practically all kings of the six kingdoms of the past have assumed the title of God and have been worshiped as God. This was common according to the history of the political and religious worship of those kingdoms. The Antichrist will be the greatest blasphemer of all, as is clear in Rev. 13:5, 6; Dan. 7; 9; 11; 20; 25; 11:36; 2 Thess. 2:4.

VII. The Seven Mountain Kingdoms and Israel

The seven kingdoms represented by the seven heads on the beast and on the dragon are seven kingdoms coexistent with Israel from her beginning until the existence of the beast, or eighth kingdom. These kingdoms are not only mentioned in conjunction with Israel as her oppressors but invariably, the existence of every one of the seven, as well as the eighth, is foretold to be in the last days in connection with Israel. This further helps us to understand how all seven kingdoms will be in the eighth as to territory and peoples.

1. 1 The First Mountain Kingdom and Israel

Egypt was the first world kingdom to oppress Israel in “the times of the Gentiles,” which is that period beginning with Israel’s history in Egypt and continuing to the coming of her Messiah, as we have seen in Lesson Fifteen.

The words “Egypt” and “Egyptian” are found in the Bible 731 times, and practically every time they are used, it is in connection with Israel. For over 1,500 years, even until the establishment of Rome, Egypt was Israel’s most bitter enemy, with only intermittent periods of friendship. The following are the main points in history and prophecy concerning Egypt and Israel:

(1) Egypt was the place where Israel became a great nation and where the Gentiles first oppressed her Genesis 15:13-14.

(2) Egypt was mentioned in Solomon’s time, 600 years after the Exodus 1 Kings 3:1-31 Kings 9:161 Kings 11:1-401 Kings 12:1-33.

(3) Egypt was used to chasten Judah in Rehoboam’s time (1 Ki. 14).

(4) Soon after this Egypt invaded Judah (2 Chron. 14:9-12; 16:7-9).

(5) Both Israel and Judah trusted Egypt for help in times of oppression from other nations (2 Ki. 17; 18:21–19:37; Isa. 30; 31).

(6) Egypt invaded Judah in the days of Josiah 2 Kings 23:28-37.

(7) Egypt was the refuge of Israelites during the Babylonian captivity 2 Kings 25:25, 26.

(8) In Ezek. 29-32 there are prophecies of the downfall of Egypt because of the oppression of Israel. These chapters contain many references concerning the latter days Ezekiel 29:5, 6Ezekiel 30:2, 3.

(9) Egypt is to be in the kingdom of Antichrist Daniel 11:42, 43. It will be one of the four divisions of Greece and one of the ten kingdoms of Rome in the last days Daniel 7:24Daniel 8:21-25.

(10) Egypt will be in the Millennium with Israel Isaiah 11:11-16Isaiah 19:23-25Isaiah 27:12, 13Zechariah 10:10, 11Zechariah 14:18, 19.

1. 1 The Second Mountain Kingdom and Israel

Assyria was the second world kingdom to oppress Israel in “the times of the Gentiles.” Assyria was founded in the days of Nimrod Genesis 10:8-12. It was an inferior kingdom during the 1,300 years Egypt was being used of God to chasten Israel. The words “Assyria” and “Assyrian” are found in the Bible about 141 times and in nearly every case they are in connection with Israel. The following points in history and prophecy summarize the scriptural relationship of Assyria to Israel in the past and future:

(1) Assyria is first mentioned as oppressing Israel in the reign of Menahem when Israel was put under tribute 2 Kings 15:16-20.

(2) Assyria invaded Israel in the reign of Pekah 2 Kings 15:27-31.

(3) Assyria formed an alliance with Judah against Israel (2 Ki. 16).

(4) Assyria took the ten tribes of Israel captive 749 b.c. (2 Ki. 17).

(5) Assyria invaded Judah after the Fall of Israel (2 Ki. 18; 19).

(6) Next came wars between Egypt and Assyria for supremacy. During this time, Judah again fell into the hands of Egypt 2 Kings 23:28–24. Assyria oppressed Israel and Judah, periodically, for about 175 years.

(7) In the prophecies of the downfall of Assyria because of her oppression of Israel, there are many references to Assyria as being in the last days an enemy of Israel Isaiah 10:20-27Isaiah 14:25Isaiah 31:4-9Micah 5:5, 6.

(8) The future Antichrist is called “the Assyrian,” because he will rule the old Assyrian Empire territory when he comes, as we have seen in Lesson Forty-six. Point I, 7, (2).

(9) Israel at the second coming of Christ will be regathered from Assyria Isaiah 11:10-16Isaiah 27:12, 13Zechariah 10:10, 11Matthew 24:31.

(10) Assyria is to be blessed in the Millennium with Israel Isaiah 11:16Isaiah 19:23-25. Thus, we see Assyria in the kingdom of the beast or as part of the eighth kingdom as to territory and peoples.

1. 1 The Third Mountain Kingdom and Israel

Babylon was the third world kingdom to oppress Israel in “the times of the Gentiles.” It is the first one of the world kingdoms mentioned in Daniel in “the times of the Gentiles,” although both Egypt and Assyria oppressed Israel before Babylon did.

The following points summarize the history and prophecy of this third kingdom in connection with Israel in the past and future:

(1) Babylon, as an inferior kingdom under Assyria, helped her make war against Israel and Judah at certain times 2 Kings 17:24-30.

(2) It was prophesied that Babylon would conquer Judah 2 Kings 20:12-19.

(3) Babylon was chosen of God to chasten Judah (1 Chron. 9:1; Jer. 25 and 28).

(4) Judah was made captive to Babylon for seventy years Jeremiah 25:9-14.

(5) Babylon was punished after holding Judah in captivity Jeremiah 25:9-14.

(6) Babylon is symbolized in Dan. 2 and 7 as “the head of gold” as “a lion,” and as one of the Gentile powers to oppress Israel.

(7) Babylon will be under Antichrist at the time of Christ’s coming, which will begin “the day of the Lord.” (See Lesson Forty-six, Point I, 7, (3), also Lesson Forty-one.)

1. 1 The Fourth Mountain Kingdom and Israel

Medo-Persia was the fourth world kingdom to oppress Israel in “the times of the Gentiles.” It is the second Gentile kingdom recorded in the book of Daniel. Medo-Persia helped Babylon to overthrow Assyria. When God finished using Babylon to carry out His purpose concerning Israel He chose this kingdom to succeed Babylon in His dealings with Israel and to liberate them from captivity. This empire more or less oppressed Israel about 265 years. The words “Mede” and “Persian” are used only fifty-eight times in the Bible, but it is clear that this kingdom is one of the heads on the beast. The following points summarize the history and prophecy of this kingdom and Israel in the past and future:

(1) At the captivity of the ten tribes of Israel some Medes populated the cities of the land of Israel 2 Kings 17:62 Kings 18:11.

(2) The Medes are mentioned as the instrument of chastening Babylon for their treatment of Israel Isaiah 13:17, fulfilled over 200 years after the prophecy was made (Dan. 5).

(3) Medo-Persia is symbolized in Dan. 2 as the “breast and his arms of silver,” in Dan. 7 as “a bear,” and in Dan. 8 as “a ram.” It is also mentioned in Dan. 10:13, 14, 20, 21 as being ruled by satanic princes. In Dan. 11:1, 2 the angel explains to Daniel how many kings were yet to be in Persia before the rise of “a mighty king” (Alexander the Great) of the realm of Grecia Daniel 11:3.

(4) Cyrus, the Persian, is mentioned in prophecy as liberating Israel from Babylon and making a decree for the rebuilding of the temple and city Isaiah 44:28–45, which prophecy was fulfilled over 200 years later as in 2 Chron. 36:10-23; Ezra 1:1-8.

(5) Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, stopped the work on the temple and the city, and Israel again was oppressed by this kingdom (Ezra 4-6).

(6) Darius I, of profane history, re-confirmed the decree of Cyrus and the work on the temple and city was resumed and Israel encouraged (Ezra 6).

(7) Artaxerxes permitted Ezra to return with other captives Ezra 7:1–9.

(8) Nehemiah was sent over with other captives to fully restore the city Nehemiah 11:3.

(9) The book of Esther records persecutions of Israel under Persia.

(10) Persia is mentioned as being under the Antichrist and as being one of the oppressors of Israel in the last days Ezekiel 38:5, 8Ezekiel 39:1-28. The fact that the beast has “the mouth of a lion” and “the feet of a bear,” which animals in Daniel symbolize Babylon and Medo-Persia, shows that both will be ruled by Antichrist in the last days.

1. 1 The Fifth Mountain Kingdom and Israel

Greece was the fifth world kingdom to oppress Israel in “the times of the Gentiles.” It is the third Gentile power mentioned in the book of Daniel. Greece was the kingdom that existed between the close of the Old Testament canon and the rise of Rome; hence, it is mentioned in the Old Testament but twelve times under various names. There are many prophecies concerning Greece in Daniel and Revelation but which do not mention it by name. Note the following points:

(1) There are scores of references concerning Israel’s oppression by this kingdom and two of its divisions in the Old Testament apocryphal books (1 Macc. 1:1-10; 6:2; 8:9; 2 Macc. 4:15, 36; 6:1; 9:15; 11:2; 13:2; etc.).

(2) Greece is symbolized in the image as a “kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over the whole earth,” including Israel Daniel 2:39. This prophecy was fulfilled in Greece over 250 years after this vision of Nebuchadnezzar.

(3) This fifth kingdom of Greece is symbolized by “a leopard” with “four heads” showing the kingdom itself and its four later divisions, two of which oppressed Israel Daniel 7:6.

(4) This kingdom is also symbolized by “an he-goat” with “a notable horn between his eyes” Daniel 8:5-9, 20Daniel 11:1-3. When this “notable horn” was broken off (Alexander died) “four notable ones” (kings) came up in his stead. This refers to the division of Alexander’s vast empire into four parts headed by his four best generals, two of whom oppressed Israel, as we have seen in Lesson Thirty-nine.

(5) The following passages refer to Israel under the Revived Grecian Empire and Antichrist’s persecution of Israel. In Dan. 8:8, 9, 17-26 we have the four Grecian divisions as existing in the last days or “at the time of the end” and “in the latter time of their kingdom . . . a king of fierce countenance . . . shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power [2 Thess. 2:8, 9; Rev. 13:2] . . . and shall destroy the mighty and holy people [Israel] . . . he shall stand up against the Prince of princes; but shall be broken without hand” Daniel 7:11Revelation 19:11-21Isaiah 11:42 Thessalonians 1:7-102 Thessalonians 2:8, 9. There can be no question but what this is a reference to Antichrist and his persecution of Israel in Revived Grecia as well as Dan. 7:17-27; 9:26, 27; 11:35-45; 12:1-13; Ezek. 38; 39; Zech. 9:7-13; 12:4-14; 13:1-9; 14:1-9; Rev. 12:6, 14-17; 13:1-18. The language and time of fulfillment expressed in these passages prove that fact. These first five mountain kingdoms are the ones mentioned as the five heads on the beast that had “fallen” before John’s day. This fifth mountain kingdom is the head that was “wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed; that is, it will be revived as the eighth kingdom.

1. 1 The Sixth Mountain Kingdom and Israel

Rome was the sixth world kingdom to oppress Israel in “the times of the Gentiles” and the fourth kingdom mentioned in Daniel. This was the kingdom symbolized on the beast by the head “that was” at the time of John. The following prophecies concern this kingdom:

(1) In Dan. 2:31-45 the Roman Empire is seen as the “fourth kingdom . . . strong as iron.” It succeeded Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece as the oppressor of Israel in furthering God’s purpose concerning them in the Earth. The legs of iron on the image represent the eastern and western divisions of this kingdom.

(2) In Dan. 7:7-27 the kingdom of Rome is seen as the “fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly . . . and it had ten horns . . . and behold, there came up among them another little horn.” This refers to the Antichrist, as we have proven before in Lessons Thirty-nine and Forty-six.

(3) In Dan. 9:26, 27 there is another allusion to Rome as the destroyer of Jerusalem and the temple. This is referred to by Jesus in Mt. 24:1-3; Lk. 21:20-24 and was fulfilled in 70 a.d., as we have seen in Lesson Eighteen, Point IV.

1. 1 The Seventh Mountain Kingdom and Israel

The Revised Roman Empire is the only one of the seven kingdoms that is yet future. It will become a relentless persecutor of Israel under the leadership of the ten kings, which will rule ten kingdoms until the middle of the Week. The whore will try by the help of the inquisition and canon laws executed by governments, to suppress every religion that will not conform to her ritual. We have an abundance of prophecy in detail to help us understand the oppression of Israel under this confederacy of ten kingdoms and the great whore. This kingdom, as a revised formation of ten kingdoms inside of Rome, will be studied in the next lesson.