The Vision Of The Wild Beasts

 The Vision Of The Wild Beasts

"I was looking in my vision by night, and then, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. "And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another.
• Lion. "The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it.
• Bear. "And then, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and thus they said to it, "Arise, eat much meat!'
• Leopard. "After this I kept looking, and then, another one, 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.
• Terrible Beast. "After this I kept looking in the night visions, and then, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It engulfed and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. (Daniel 7: 2-7)
Daniel saw four fierce and ferocious beasts march out of a raging sea. Wind, water and beasts are common symbols in Bible prophecy. Let us look at what they mean when used in prophecy:

Symbols In Prophecy. To understand prophecy, it is important to understand the symbols used. God's symbols used in prophecy are consistent. God does not use a symbol in one place and then change its meaning in another. So we will use Scripture to interpret Scripture: God often uses the principle of repetition and enlargement in unfolding the development of prophecy. That means the same history is repeated using different symbolism as the themes are enlarged and described in fuller detail. We learned the meaning of some important symbols. Let us review them.

• Beast: Represents a kingdom or nation.
  » Unclean Beast: The Gentile nations.
  » Carnivorous Beast: Violent, aggressive and war-like nations.
  » Horn. Symbol of kings, power and authority of the beasts.
  » Teeth: An army or organized destructive force.
  » Wings: Represent great speed of conquest.
  » Rib: Represents a nation. The rib taken from Adam became a woman who was the mother of all nations. The twelve pairs of ribs represents the twelve tribes of Israel.
• Sea: The sea, or waters, represents multitudes of peoples, especially the wicked.
  » Spring: Fresh water and flowing water represents cleansing and righteousness.
  » Waste Water: Dirty and stagnant water represents sin and uncleanliness.
  » Mud: Mud or miry clay represents loss of the Spirit and being trapped in death.
• Winds: A symbol of the forces of change, war, strife and turmoil.
• Green Tree: It represents the righteous who are firmly rooted and watered.
  » Grass: It represents people and the transient nature of their life.
  » Fruit: It is the character and deeds of the people.
• Death: It is represented by a dry stream, dry grass or a tree cut down.
• Day: Represents a literal year (360 days).

The Interpretation. This is a repetition of the prophecies of Daniel 2. History reveals that there have been only four universal kingdoms since Daniel's day. Let us look at the historical picture revealed in the vision.

Beast		Interpretation
1	Babylon	First Beast: Lion with Eagle's Wings (Daniel 7: 4)
-	Seventy Years. Jeremiah prophesied that Babylon would rule the region for seventy years (25: 11-12). Therefore, it would have the life span of a human (Psalm 90: 10). It would also be transformed from a beast to a human.	Seventy Year Domination Year Event 609 Battle of Megiddo 606 Battle of Carchemish 597 Ruling class exiled 586 Temple Destroyed 539 Conquered by Persia 536 Zerubbabel returns 516 New temple dedicated (609-539) Land ruled (606-536) People ruled (586-516) Temple destroyed This is Babylon (605/6 - 539 BC) A lion with eagle's wings appeared first. It represented the kingdom of Babylon just like the head of gold. A winged lion was the official symbol of the Babylonian kingdom and the gates of the city were decorated with lions and dragons. Lion. The king of beasts. Jeremiah 4: 6-7 refers to Babylon ("from the North") as a lion. Eagle's Wings. The king of the vultures. Wings Plucked. Progress was stopped and it would have no access to heaven.
	Battle of Megiddo (609 BC). Egypt was allied with the Assyrians and moved against Babylon in 609 BC. The Egyptian army under Pharaoh Neco was delayed at Megiddo by King Josiah of Israel. Josiah was killed (2 Kings 23: 29-30) at the Battle of Megiddo. The Jews lost independence and came under the protection of Babylon. » Battle of Carchemish (605 BC). Other delays caused Babylon to strengthen their army so that Nebuchadnezzar II defeated them when they finally met in 605 BC. The entire region was now controlled by Babylon. The Battle of Armageddon (Future). At the final battle on the plains of Megiddo the people of God will again be trapped between the king of the north as they battle the king of the south. But this time the forces of good will defeat the forces of evil led by Babylon the Great as they become pawns in the great spiritual battle of the King of Magog.
2	Medo-Persia	Second Beast: Bear (Daniel 7: 5)
-		This is Medo-Persia under Cyrus the Great who conquered Babylon in 539 BC. The conquest is prophetically represented as a lop-sided bear with three ribs in its mouth. » The Three Ribs. The image of ribs crushed in its mouth points to the bear devouring other animals until they are consumed. A rib represents a nation or tribe. These are the three great conquests that brought the Persians to power. Egypt, Lydia and Babylon formed an alliance but were defeated. 1. Egypt. 568 BC. Amasis II of Egypt suppressed. 2. Lydia. 547 BC. Croesus of Lydia taken prisoner. 3. Babylon. 539 BC. Babylon is occupied. Nabonidus captured.
	» Raised Up On One Side. At first the Medes and Persians ruled jointly, but later the Persians rose to be the greater power over Astyages of Medes. Daniel 8: 3, 20 repeats this picture as a ram, identified as Medo-Persia, with one horn higher than the other. » Prophecy. Isaiah prophesied that Cyrus would deliver the Jews from Babylon. (Isaiah 45: 1-13, 13)
3	Greece	Third Beast: Leopard (Daniel 7: 6)
-		The leopard with four wings and four heads is Greece (331-168 BC). The third of the world empires was ruled by Alexander the Great (330-323). Under his leadership, the Greeks quickly subdued the world in seven years. Speed of Conquest. At speeds of 70 mph (112 kph) a cheetah (a spotted cat) is the fastest land animal in the world. So a leopard with four wings on its back represents the speed of conquest. Four Divisions. The four heads are the division of the kingdom into four parts. On June 11, 323 BC, Alexander the Great died of consumption caused by drunkenness at age 33. However, he did not have a strong heir so the kingdom passed to the Diadochi ("successors") and was eventually divided into four pieces after several wars of succession (323-301 BC).
	The Four Divisions of the Greek Empire. See a map. Cassander (West). Macedonia, Greece. He killed all the royal heirs and was killed by Lysimachus in 288 BC. Lysimachus (North). Thrace, Asia Minor (323-281 BC). He was killed by Seleucius. Seleucius (East). Babylon, Persia and Syria (312-280 BC) Ptolemy (South). Egypt and Palestine (323-285 BC)
4	Rome	Fourth Beast: Terrifying Dragon (Daniel 7: 7)
-	Ten Horns Tribe Location Western Rome Europe 1 Franks France 2 Allemani Germany 3 Lombards Italy 4 Suevi Portugal 5 Anglo-Saxons England 6 Burgundians Switzerland 7 Visigoths Spain 8 Heruli Extinct Italy (493) 9 Vandals Africa (534) 10 Ostrogoths Italy (538) The Heruli, Vandals and Ostrogoths were destroyed for the Little Horn (Daniel 7: 24) and are now extinct Eastern Rome Middle East	Then I desired to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet. (Daniel 7: 19) This is Rome (168 BC-476 AD) They conquered Palestine in 63 BC. The dreadful, terrible beast, that is later symbolized as a dragon, represents the cruel, crushing power of Rome which ruled the world for five centuries. The crushing iron kingdom of the Ceasars is also symbolized in Daniel 2 by iron that "subdues all things." Bronze Sky And Iron Earth The curse of bronze and iron that grinds to powder (Deuteronomy 28: 23-24) » Bronze Claws and Iron Teeth. Rome had characteristics of Greece in it. This beast has iron teeth that represent the cruelty of Rome, and bronze claws representing the culture and language of Greece, which Rome adopted. » Bronze Belly and Iron Legs. This symbol of bronze and iron is taken from the prophecy of Daniel 2 in which the bronze belly and thighs were the Greek empire and the iron legs were the Roman empire. » Bronze and Iron Bands. The bronze claws and iron teeth are the same as the bands on the stump of the great tree in Daniel 4. This stump had a band of bronze and one of iron. At the time Babylon was cut off it was replaced by Greece and then Rome, the bronze and iron kingdoms. It would return at the end of time as Babylon the Great, a copy of ancient Babylon. It has the roots and vestiges of Ancient Babylon. And, like the feet and toes of the image mixed with clay in Daniel 2, the roots would be subdivided and mixed with the clay of the earth. » The Roman and Greek Church. Even the spiritual arm of Rome was part Greek and part Roman. In 1054 there was a schism which separated the Greek Orthodox from the Roman Catholic church. It seems as if they will be cooperating or united in the end with the Roman teeth and the Greek claws.
	Ten Horns: Daniel 7: 24 says that "The ten horns are ten kings that shall arise." These symbolic horns forecast, 1000 years ahead of time, the break up of the Roman empire into exactly ten parts like the ten toes in Daniel Chapter 2. These divisions laid the foundation of the modern European nations. This power is different from anything ever seen on the face of the earth.
The Evolution and Transformation of Babylon. Successive prophecies show the evolution of Babylon into Babylon the Great. Unlike other kingdoms which continued to act like wild animals, Babylon was different. Babylon would transform itself from a wild beast to a human who would eventually try to transform itself to God. » Stands Up on Two Feet. It would be more human, walking on two feet instead of four. (Daniel 7: 4) » Mind of a Man. It would even have human intelligence and reasoning. (Daniel 7: 4) » Eyes and Mouth. The creature further evolves and develops the eyes and the mouth of a man. (Daniel 7: 8, 20) » Penis. It would be symbolically represented as a little horn coming out of the loins. But it is sterile. There is no life. (Daniel 7: 8) » Wings and Power. It could now fly to the heavens and dominion was given to it. (Daniel 7: 6) » Blasphemes God. With its mouth it would challenge God and take the place of the giver of life, the Christ. (Daniel 7: 25; 8: 11) » Law Giver. He will make his own laws and set his own times and seasons. (Daniel 7: 25)  The Theory of Evolution (Beast becomes Man). The first three beasts were based on real animals, but the fourth seems like a creature from mythology or an extinct animal. During the reign of the fourth kingdom, a beast that could be the inspiration for the fourth beast was found. In 1822 dinosaurs were discovered, becoming a leading symbol in the theory of evolution which would be published by Charles Darwin in 1859 (Origin of the Species). One wonders if the current domination of the theory of evolution as a direct rival to the primacy and claims of God were also being prophesied in this ghastly transformation of a beast to a man who thinks he can become God. People now believe that they can become Gods and are masters of their own destiny and architects of their own values. When this theory matures, the beast man who opposes God will also mature and embrace this theory. In October 1996 the pope declared that the theory of evolution was accurate. In this time of the reign of beasts, Babylon the Great will rise again as a transformed empire, the beast master who has come of age.  The New Creature of the Heavenly Transformation. When God takes away the yoke of sin and makes a man walk erect so that he is a new creature who no longer behaves like a beast but a man, this is what God expects. Humans Walking Erect. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect. (Leviticus 26: 13) The Spirit of God and a Transformed Mind. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments, and do them. (Ezekiel 36: 26-27) He creates a man in the image of God who does the will of God, not a beast who wants to overthrow God.

As a result of war among nations, four great kingdoms would rise and fall. The four metals of gold, silver, brass and iron, in the image of Daniel 2, represent these four powers. Now, four wild and unclean animals emerge from the turbulent, foaming sea of the restless wicked.

Alexander Meets the High Priest The Cutheans or Samaritans were a group of people living in Israel who hated the Jews. They convinced Alexander to destroy the temple because the Jews refused to accept his rule by putting his image in the temple. The high priest Shimon HaTzaddik (Simon the Righteous) dressed in his priestly garments and went out to meet Alexander. When Alexander saw the high priest he came out of his carriage and bowed down to him. His stunned companions said, "Shall a king of your stature bow to this Jew?" Alexander explained that Shimon's image appeared to him before all his battles and led him to victory. Shimon said, "Is it possible that idolaters should mislead you to destroy the house in which we pray for you and your empire?" Then he explained that the Torah forbids them to display graven images, but as a sign of respect he said that all boys born to priests that year would be named Alexander. Other reports say that he also showed Alexander the prophecies and that the Jews were expecting Him to defeat the Persians. Source: Talmud Yoma 69a

The Little Horn
Little Horn. "While I was contemplating the horns, then, another horn, a little one, came up among them,
Three Plucked Up. and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and then, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts. "I kept looking Until thrones were set up,
Judgment. And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His clothes was like white snow and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, its wheels were a burning fire. "A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before Him. Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, and myriads upon myriads were standing before Him. The court sat, and the books were opened. (Daniel 7: 8-10)
So far, the prophecy has been a repetition of the dream in Daniel 2 with additional details. We will identify the little horn power in another lesson.

Three Powers Removed
And as to the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall arise ten kings; and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall subdue three kings. (Daniel 7: 24)
The ten horns are equivalent to the ten toes of Daniel 2. However this little horn is a new element. Daniel saw the next important development in Europe after the break up of the Roman Empire in 476 AD. Another power arises which removes three of the original ten kings. Or rather, three were removed to allow it to rise up.
When the Romans abandoned their capital and moved it to Constantinople, the Barbaric tribes that threatened the region were conquered. The Heruli, Vandals and Ostrogoths were removed so that this power would rule in Rome. They were "plucked up by the roots" and they no longer exist.
» Seven Horns and the Eighth Horn. So seven horns remained and become the type of the seven heads on the dragon. The eight horn (Little Horn) becomes a type of the future eighth head who usurps the power of the Trinity just as this eighth horn usurps three others.
» Boastful Mouth. We will learn that the tendency to boast and magnify himself, is the act of taking the authority to change the times and laws of God.
... and he will intend to make alterations in times and laws ... (Daniel 7: 25)
» Eyes of a Man. Eyes are a symbol of the omniscience of God. This is the man who thinks he can evolve the attributes of God. He knows everything and he can change even the laws of God.

A Judgment Scene
Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. "I kept looking in the night visions, and then, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. "and to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed. (Daniel 7: 11-14)
The Day of Atonement (Judgment for the Righteous). The Ark of the Covenant, which is the throne of God, was in the Most Holy Place where the high priest entered on one day each year to pray for the removal of the sins of Israel. Therefore, this judgment scene must be located in the Most Holy Place of the Heavenly Sanctuary and it must be the great Day of Atonement. This judgment scene in Heaven is occurring after the appearance of the little horn. The judgment is in favor of God's people and their possession of the kingdom (verses 21-22).

Books of Judgment. They are used by God to discern between the righteous and the unrighteous (Malachi: 3: 16-18).

Daniel 7: 11 - The Little Horn Removed From Power
We see the destruction of the Little Horn power or beast destroyed by fire from the throne of God. It was judged in Heaven and removed from power on earth through the trials of the French Revolution.

Daniel 7: 12 - Power Restored
As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. (Daniel 7: 12)

• Rest of the Beasts. This is Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome.
• Dominion Taken Away. They all lost world super power status when they were conquered by the next power. Pagan Rome was carved up by the Barbarian hordes from the north.
• Extension of Life. Although they lost power over other nations, they were to remain as nations until the end of time. The surviving nations are Iraq (Babylon), Iran (Persia), Greece and Italy (Rome).
  They will also survive in Bablon the Great, a combination of the lion, bear, leopard and dragon (Revelation 13: 2).
• Appointed Period of Time. There could be two aspects of the time for this extension of life.
  • Reduced Power. They would exist as weak nations until the time of the Second Coming.
  • Temporary Restoration. At a certain time they would again play an important role in history.
  We have a clue about this appointed time by looking at the prophecy of the great tree in Daniel 4. It predicts the appointed time of restoration for Babylon. Babylon fell in 539 BC when it was attacked by Medo-Persia. At the time of the restoration of Babylon, a major war begins between these two nations in 1980. With these two nations at war, history picked up where it left off 2520 years earlier because Babylon the Great must appear by 1981. The rise of Babylon the Great is the reverse of the fall of Ancient Babylon. Iraq was supported by the United States because the 1979 Iranian revolution threatened American interests. And so the link between ancient Babylon and Babylon the Great is established. At the fall of Babylon all hostages were freed by Persia. At the rise of Babylon the Great all hostages were freed by Iran. 52 American hostages had been kept for 444 days.

  Babylon	539	Persia attacks Babylon	2520 Years	Babylon (Iraq) attacks Persia (Iran)	1981	Babylon the Great

  Amazingly, in the same year all the other powers stirred to life. This appointed period of time was 1981.

Great Tree	Tree Cut Down for Seven Periods of Time						The Appointed Time
Babylon	Medo-Persia		Greece	Pagan Rome	Papacy	Communism	1981	Iran	Greece	Rome	Babylon the Great
-	Dominion taken away							Extension of Life
Babylon	539 BC	Babylon Loses Power for 2520 Years						Restoration

Becoming Babylon The prophesied return. • The Great Tree. • Rules a Short Time. • The Dragon. • The Healing. • The Lead Cover Removed. • Ancient and Modern Babylon. • The Antichrist Revealed.

Let us see how these ancient nations came back to life in 1981.

• Papal Rome. This power would return as the second half of Babylon the Great when its wound was healed. In 1981, a crucial alliance would be formed when Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II survived failed assassination attempts. They were both wounded and healed in 1981. These two men, as leaders of the seventh head, conspired to overthrow the Communist empire, the sixth head.
• Pagan Rome. In January 1981, Pagan Rome reached a milestone when the tenth nation joined the European Union. This power is trying to reestablish the ancient Roman empire.
• Greece. In January 1981, Greece became the tenth nation to join the European Union. It became a part of a larger power that eerily looked like the ten horns which will have power at the end of time.
• Medo-Persia. On January 20, 1981, American hostages who had been taken for 444 days were released at the inauguration of president Reagan. This was a result of the Iranian Revolution which began in 1979. The American supported Shah of Iran was removed from power and the religious clerics started ruling the country. By 2004 Iran was being accused of building nuclear weapons as the two powers prepare for a confrontation that copies the first fall of Babylon.
• Babylon. In 1981, Papal Rome and the United States became the seventh head of the beast as the prophetic symbols of the restoration of a wounded head that was healed occurred. This combined power would become Babylon the Great, the last super power. In 1981, Israel destroyed the nuclear reactor in Iraq, crippling their efforts to acquire the atomic bomb.
  A Conflict in Prophecy? Revelation 17 names the last power as Babylon the Great. But this is in tension with ancient prophecies that claim that Babylon would not return. Now we see the unique fulfillment. Iraq will never become a superpower or rule the world. But it will be tightly linked with the power that would assume its title. So events ensured that the physical nation of Iraq would not be mistaken as a revived Babylon, but that it would be ruled by Babylon the Great. And as we see, Babylon the Great would cause the destruction of Iraq.

Daniel 7: 13-14 - Judgment by The Son of Man
The New Testament identified Jesus as the "Son of Man" about seventy times. According to John, the Son of Man presides in the judgment. This is the same authority described in verses 13-14.
For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself. and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. (John 5: 26-27)
Here we witness a very important ceremony before the Second Coming. Christ formally receives the kingdom from the Ancient of Days in the judgment. Christ comes to the throne room and takes His kingdom back from the little horn as He rescues His church from that power. So, Jesus comes in to the Father, and receives the following:

• Everlasting Dominion. The dominion is taken from the little horn power and given to the Son of Man. This dominion was transferred to Satan when Adam sinned, and Satan gave his authority to the dragon and the beast (the little horn). (Revelation 13: 2, 4)
  But the court will sit and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. (Daniel 7: 26)
• Glory. One final message warns the world to give glory to God.
  "And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having the everlasting glad tidings to announce to those settled on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come; and do homage to him who has made the heaven and the earth and the sea and fountains of waters." (Revelation 14: 6-7)
• Kingdom. This echoes the symbol of the stone smashing the idol in Daniel 2. Christ will replace all kingdoms with a kingdom that will last forever.

Christ
Christ judges the little horn and takes away his kingdom. Then Christ gives the kingdom to His saints.

Daniel 7: 15-27 - The Vision Explained
Daniel asks the meaning of this vision, and like the dream of Daniel 2 God gives us an interpretation. This interpretation gives us the meaning of one symbol that it would be impossible to discern on our own.
» A Mouth Uttering Great Boasts. This is the times and laws that it changes.

 Repetition and Enlargement
Daniel has a vision about the same empires in King Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the metal statue. But Daniel's vision includes more detail about the subsequent divisions and partnerships in the empires. It also introduces a new power (the little horn) and new information about the judgment.
In addition, Daniel uses different symbols, wild beasts that were unclean animals. To the Jew, the symbol of an attack on the nation by wild beasts would lead them to think of the curses of the covenant.

Power	Daniel 2	Daniel 4	Daniel 7	Additional Information		Extension of Life
	Metal man	Tree	Wild beasts
	Repetition			Enlargement
Babylon	Head of gold	Leaf, fruit	Lion	Two wings		Babylon the great
Medo-Persia	Chest of silver	Stump, axe	Bear	Higher on one side, three ribs in mouth		Iran
Greece	Belly and hips of brass	Brass band	Leopard	Bronze claws	Four heads and four wings	Greece joins EU
Rome (pagan)	Legs of iron	Iron band	Terrible beast	Iron teeth	The terrible nature	Italy joins EU
Rome (papal)			Little horn	A different type of political power		Religious power
Europe	Ten toes. Iron and clay feet	Roots in clay	Ten horns	Three horns removed by the little horn		European Union
Kingdom of God	Rock	Holy ones	Judgment	A judgment scene		Eternal

Consumed by Wild Beasts. So I will be like a lion to them, Like a leopard I will lie in wait by the wayside I will encounter them like a bear robbed of her cubs, and I will tear open their chests. There I will devour them like a lioness, as a wild beast would tear them. (Hosea 13: 7-8)
God uses the symbols of the oppression of Judah by Babylon to Rome in Daniel 7. However, notice that the last animal, "the wild beast" is compared to a lion. In the same manner, the last kingdom is called Babylon the Great.

Daniel 6: In The Lion's Den

 Daniel 6: In The Lion's Den

This chapter is a story that contrasts the tension that will exist at the end of time between the claims of God and the law of the land. It is a story that reveals a conspiracy to trap the people of God by a law designed to put them to death. Daniel faced the decision of obeying God or saving His life. It is a story that reveals the end time issue of political correctness versus conscience. In this issue, Daniel openly invited death by refusing to worship his God in private. Anyone could argue that by closing his windows and worshiping in secret that he would satisfy the claims of God and State. But Daniel realized that being politically correct and appearing to go along would ultimately cause the forces of evil to win.
We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5: 29)

• The Conspiracy: Divide and Conquer. The problems began when Daniel was appointed ruler over all the other Persians. Jealousy drove them to design a plot that would destroy Daniel. But they could not find any corruption in Him so they turned to his religion.
  Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. Then these men said, "We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God." (Daniel 6: 4-5)
• The Temporary Worship Law.
  They used flattery to make the king sign a law that would later be used to trap Daniel into civil disobedience. In the end of time, fear and terrorism has been used to design laws that remove the civil rights of people who are labeled as terrorists. We now find that terrorism or the goals of reducing the chances of terrorism are being used to justify religious suppression.
  Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: "King Darius, live forever! "All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions' den. "Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.' Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction. (Daniel 6: 6-9)

  The Time For Worship In Daniel 3 the laws that were broken were the first and second commandments. The government made an image and they forced the people to worship another god. In this incidence, Daniel was being forced to break the third and fourth commandments. He could not call on the name of the Lord. He could not worship at the time he wanted.

  • Name. The third commandment reminds us to honor the name of God. In fact it reminds us that we are children of God who will take His name. In creating this law, they wanted to force Daniel to reject God and rely on the king. In the last days, the people honor the name of the beast and blaspheme the name of God.
  • Time. The law was meant to last for thirty days. This meant that not only could Daniel have daily worship, but the Jews could not keep Sabbath. They could not go to the synagogue to worship the Lord. So the law was forcing them to violate the fourth commandment.
• Faithfulness. What impresses me about Daniel's behavior is that he did not follow conventional wisdom regarding creating unnecessary trouble or finding a compromise that would reduce danger to himself. He neither closed his window nor moved out of the line of sight of prying eyes through the open window. Even tacit consent sends the message that you honor the false god because nobody can tell that you are honoring the true God.
  Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. (Daniel 6: 10)
  Therefore, if it had been a national Sunday Law, I believe that Daniel would have stopped mowing his lawn on Sunday. However, He would not have kept the Sabbath in secret. He would not change His public worship of God.
• The Death Penalty. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king's injunction, "Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions' den?" The king replied, "The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked." Then they answered and spoke before the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day." Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, "Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed." (Daniel 6: 11-15)
  At the end of time, God will have a people like Daniel who will be characterized by their faithfulness to Him. Through the power of the indwelling Christ, these people will keep the commandments of God. Because they will refuse to worship the beast's power, like Daniel they will eventually face persecution and the threat of death. Whoever the beast is, or whatever the mark of the beast is, the principle is clear.
  • Loyalty. The issue will be over loyalty. You cannot demonstrate loyalty by keeping your loyalty secret.
  • Obedience. The issue will involve worship to God and obedience to His law. You cannot pretend to be obedient to a law designed to dishonor God.
  • Sabbath. The issue will involve sacred time for worship. While you can worship God at anytime, you have to keep Sabbath at the scheduled time.
• Destruction. Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions' den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. (Daniel 6: 23-24)
  In the end, Daniel's enemies are destroyed with the destruction that hey had planned. Likewise, at the end of time the enemies of God's people will be destroyed. In Daniel Chapter 4, we saw Nebuchadnezzar uses a similar acknowledgment of God's power after his conversion. It appears that King Darius has also come to believe in Daniel's God.
  » The Last Ruler Of Babylon The Great. The story of Darius shows that even if the principal ruler is sympathetic to the plight of the people of God, he will be powerless to help them if the majority in the legislature beneath him are determined to destroy them. So the last king, prime minister or president of Babylon the Great could be a good man with bad choices and no legal power and no moral support.
  » The Last Citizens Of Babylon The Great. It is also possible that the last ruler and a slim majority of the legislature will be sympathetic to the plight of the righteous and holy people. However, if the final events occur within a particular phase of an election cycle they will bow to the unrighteous will of the masses of the people in order to ensure their election.

 Summary: Comparison Of Daniel 6 And The Mark Of The Beast
The issues are related to the law (a decree was issued) and worship. In Daniels' day it centered around breaking two commandments concerning our relationship to God. In the last days, one of the ten commandments will again be the basic test question. Again, a dominant world ruler will issue "decrees" supposedly for the good of the world which will force false worship. To comply with these decrees, God's people will be encouraged to sever their relationship for safety's sake. Once again, the focus will be on true worship versus false worship.

Repetition and Enlargement	The Persecution
# Power Daniel 2 Daniel 4 Metal Man Tree 1 Babylon 609 Head of gold Leaves, fruit 2 Medo-Persia 539 Chest of silver Axe, stump 2520 Years (7 Years) Two Arms 3 Greece 331 Belly and thighs of brass Brass band 4 Pagan Rome 197 B.C. Legs of iron Iron Band 5 Papal Rome 538 A.D. Europe Ten toes Roots in clay 6 Atheism 1798 Broken clay 7 Babylon the Great 1981 1982 USA (Clay) Tree Revives after 7 Years Papacy (Iron) The feet and toes of iron and clay can be compared to the branched root system in the clay of the earth. Enlargement. We learn that Babylon will return at the end of time. Christ. He was the Tree of Life that was cut down.	#	Daniel	Revelation
	1	Faithful. He was persecuted because he chose to obey God's law. Daniel 6:5	The Remnant will be persecuted for keeping God's law as Christ did. Revelation 12:17
	2	Forced Worship. The king of Persia made a law which commanded false worship. Daniel 6:6-9	The Beast Power will lead the world to make a law that commands false worship. Revelation 13:15
	3	False God. The Persian law led people to worship a man - Darius the Mede. Daniel 6:7	The Mark of the Beast issue brings the world to worship a man with the number 666. Revelation 13:18
	4	Death. The penalty in Daniel 6 involved the death decree. Daniel 6:7	The penalty in the Mark of the Beast issue involves the death decree. Revelation 13:15
	5	Deliverance. Daniel was saved by the intervention of God. Daniel 6:19-23	God's people are delivered by the coming of Christ. Revelation 19:11
	6	Third Curse ("Wild Beasts"). Daniel's persecutors were thrown to the lions. Daniel 6:24	Fifth Curse ("Wrath"). Those who worship the Beast will receive the seven last plagues. Revelation 18:4; Revelation 16:6

The Issues
Issue	Daniel 3	Daniel 6	Revelation
The Decree	In each case, a decree is passed to force false worship. This involves disobedience to God and the breaking of one or more of God's commandments which define allegiance to God. All three involved a death decree passed by a dominant world ruler resulting in persecution for God's people
The Nature of the Decree	Second Commandment. The test of faith revolved around the second commandment against idolatry and images (Exodus 20:4-5)	First, Third and Fourth Commandments. The test centers around the first commandment - the exclusive worship of God. (Exodus 20: 3). It also centers on the third commandment to call on the name of the Lord or Darius. It interfered with his time for worship	First Four Commandments. The mark of the beast issue involves worship and the breaking of the first four of God's commandments. (Revelation 13:14-18)
The Issue is Worship	Do we worship God or the state?	It was an attack against Daniel's personal worship and prayer life	The total worship and honor of God
Who conspired against God's people?	A single ruler conspired.	Close counselors of the King did the conspiring. Here we see that both a powerful world leader and various political leaders unite to persecute Daniel	Revelation 13 and 17 reveal the same will occur at the end of time. This time, nations and business men will conspire
Death Penalty	Fiery Furnace	Eaten by Lions	Killed by the Beast
The Lesson for the Last Days	In the last days, one or more of the ten commandments will again be the basic test question. Again, a dominant world ruler will issue "decrees" supposedly for the good of the world which will force false worship. To comply with these decrees, God's people will be encouraged to sever their relationship for safety's sake. Once again, the focus will be on true worship versus false worship

 

Daniel 5: The Fall Of Babylon

 Daniel 5: The Fall Of Babylon

This chapter reveals the overthrow and ultimate fall of Babylon by the army of the Medo-Persian empire around October 539 BCE. Daniel is approximately 80 years old. Nebuchadnezzar's grandson, Belshazzar, is in power and judgment falls on the third generation as promised by law. He rejects the witness and legacy of his grandfather and leads Babylon to rebel against the true God.

Babylonian Kings The Kings of the Neo-Babylon Empire (Relationship to Nebuchadnezzar) 1 Nebopolassar Father 626-605 2 Nebuchadnezzar II 605-562 3 Evil-Merodach (Amel Marduk) Son 562-560 4 Neriglissar Son-in-law 560-556 5 Labashi Marduk Grandson 556 6 Nabonidus Son-in-law 556-539 7 Belshazzar (Nabonidus's co-regent) Grandson 553-539 The Fall of Babylon (October) 539 BCE Daughters of Nebuchadnezzar. He had either one or two daughters. » Kashaya. She married Neriglissar. Their son was Labashi Marduk. He was assassinated after 2 months. » Niticris. Her mother was Nitocris of Egypt. She married Nabonidus. Her son was Beltshazzar. Nitocris may be the queen mother of Daniel 5:10. Some sources named Niticris as the mother of the two boys by Neriglissar before she married Nabonidus. See the History of Babylon

 The Abomination In The Sanctuary.
Belshazzar the king held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand. When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone. (Daniel 5: 1-4)
Belshazzar commits the ultimate sin. He takes the holy objects from God's sanctuary and defiles them in his Pagan party. This is the abomination that brought desolation.

•  Wine. He provides the wine for a drunken party using God's vessels. In every fall, people are tempted and corrupted with wine and are cursed.
  • Adam and Eve. The fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil brought nakedness and a curse (Genesis 3: 6-7,14).
  • Noah. He gets drunk and naked and his son makes a fool of him and is cursed (Genesis 9: 21-22, 25).
  • Lot. He gets drunk and naked and is raped.
  • Babylon the Great. They drink wine and corrupt the nations before it falls (Revelation 17: 2-5 and Revelation 18: 2-3).
•  The Concubines. Belshazzar is involved in illicit sexual relationships. In Revelation 17, Babylon is the woman with wine who is the mother of harlots and makes the kings drunk with wine of her fornication. Isaiah's condemnation of the last watchmen is that they are drunk, love to party, blind, sleeping and their watchdogs cannot bark! (Isaiah 56: 10-12)
•  Idols: The Gods of Gold, Silver, Bronze, Iron, Wood and Stone. He prophetically praises the human kingdoms and gives tribute to man's ingenuity and pagan beliefs about time.

The fall of ancient Babylon parallels the fall of end time Babylon in many ways.

1. Corrupted with Wine. In the end Babylon corrupts the whole world with the "wine of her fornication".
2. Judgment. The handwriting on the wall announced the outcome of a judgment against Babylon. End time Babylon is punished by the seven last plagues and this is preceded by a judgment which started in 1844.
3. Euphrates. The river protecting the city is dried up so that the conquering forces from the east can enter the city.

 Judgment: The Handwriting On The Wall.
Suddenly the fingers of a man's hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing. 6 Then the king's face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together. (Daniel 5: 5-6)
Here we have a picture of the sanctuary. The lamp is on one wall and the table of bread on the opposite wall. The handwriting or Word of God appears opposite the sacred lamp stand used in the Holy Place.
  » Exodus 25: 30-31. The lamp stand faced the table of shewbread.
  » Deuteronomy 8: 3. The bread is a symbol of the word of God.

Belshazzar For many years scholars have discounted the validity of Daniel because there were no records of Belshazzar in historical writings. But in the nineteenth century, archeological records verified his existence when they discovered the Nabonidus Chronicles. As the true king, Nabonidus was referenced in historical records. But it was his son who ruled. Scholars believe that Belshazzar was the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar by his daughter, and Nabonidus was his step father. History and archeology have revealed that Belshazzar's father, Nabonidus, was alive but was more interested in natural history than ruling Babylon. He made war in Arabia and was in Tema of Arabia worshipping the moon God named Sin. So, Nabonidus allowed Belshazzar to rule in his place, making Belshazzar the "second" ruler of Babylon. That is why Belshazzar offered to make Daniel the third ruler after himself. (verse 16)

Daniel interprets the meaning. It duplicates the issues at the end of time.
"Now this is the inscription that was written out: "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN." "This is the interpretation of the message: "MENE" God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. "TEKEL" you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. "PERES" your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians. (Daniel 5: 25-28)
( מן מן  תכל  אופרשן ) "counted and counted, weighed and divided."

 MENE ( מן ). This comes from the Aramaic word to count or to number. He has been numbered. This reminds us of the number of the man in Revelation 13. His number is 666. As the head of his house or kingdom, he has been counted and is found deficient. In contrast, the righteous are counted and their number is a perfect 144,000. One wonders if the repetition of this word coincides with the double fall of Babylon and the repetition in Revelation 18, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen".

 TEKEL ( תכל ). This comes from the word "to weigh". Ancient Babylon has been judged and condemned. Babylon the Great has been weighed in the judgment that began in 1844.

 UPHARSIN (PERES) ( אופרשן ). Peres means share or portion. Upharsin is the plural and it means pieces. The kingdom will be shattered. Those without the mark of God will be shattered by the executioners from God.
... six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand ... (Ezekiel 9: 2)

» Judged. If we look at the poetic pattern of the words we see that they have the same structure as the time given to evil Babylon. "Two counts, weigh and divide" sounds very similar to "time, two times and the dividing of time". Both are judgments. One is the length of time given to operate and be judged. The other is the number of times and methods used to judge. From our study of the coverings on the sanctuary, we find that evil is given this period.

» The Pattern of Judgment. It is no coincidence that Babylon fell on Tishri 16, 539 BCE. That is the period of God's judgment which follows the same pattern as the handwriting on the wall.

• Tishri 1-10: Counted and Counted ("Numbering the People"). God begins to count and seal His people. The double reference to counting points to the two groups of people that are separated at the end. As God counts the righteous, the wicked are automatically separated or counted in another pile.
• Tishri 10: Weighed ("Judgment Sealed"). Judgment is confirmed on Yom Kippur because it is the last day to change the outcome. Having rejected the atonement of Jesus Christ or the God of Israel, the wicked are judged by their own standards. They are weighed on the basis of their works and found deficient.
• Tishri 21: Divided ("Judgment Delivered"). God separates the righteous from the wicked. Judgment is delivered on Hosannah Raba to both groups. As God rescues the righteous, the kingdom of the wicked is also divided and scattered by mutiny, conquest and destruction.

 The Desolation (The Euphrates Dried Up).
That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two. (Daniel 5: 30-31)
The prophecy was fulfilled that very night. The Medes under Darius and the Persians under Cyrus attacked Babylon and overthrew it on October 12, 539 BCE (Tishri 16). They "dried up" the Euphrates by stopping the flow of the water. Then at night they entered the city by going under the unguarded gates that were above the river. In the night of the wild party, the head of gold falls in a blood bath as the silver empire takes its place.
A similar drying of the Euphrates occurs in the sixth plague to prepare for the kings from the east who overthrow Babylon the Great (Revelation 16: 12).

Judgment For 2520 Years Begins.
While searching for others who may have discovered the Great Tree time prophecy, I found the following interpretation of a prophecy that seemed to also indicate that the fall of Babylon would last for 2520 years. However, I found several problems which I cannot resolve. If I could, then it is another example of prophetic repetition that confirms the prophecy of the Great Tree. The three words, mene, tekel and upharsis, were converted to their weight in gerahs, which is 2520.

Aramaic Hebrew Meaning Hebrew Shekels Gerahs Mene בְךבָא Counted Maneh (Mina) 50 1000 Mene - Counted 50 1000 Tekel חקל Weighed Shekel 1 20 Upharsin (Peres) כְדפ Divided Half Maneh 25 500 Total 126 2520 One shekel is twenty gerahs. (Ezekiel 45: 12)

•  Units of Measurement. How or why did they substitute these words from currency to weights? In the ancient trading systems, weights were often equivalent to money. So the assumption that these could be related to money is reasonable. And, the switch from Hebrew to Aramaic to Chaldean words is probably also acceptable if the words have the same meanings.
  • Mene or Maneh. Apparently, both have a similar meaning and come from the same root word.
  • Tekel or Shekel. Tekel means to be weighed or to balance. Shekel, a type of currency, also means to weigh.
  Assuming that the switch is reasonable, I then looked at the value placed on each currency.
•  Maneh (Mina). My first objection is the value of the maneh in shekels.
  » 50 Shekels. Some sources say that the maneh was equal to fifty shekels in Babylon. So that value was used because the prophecy was given to Babylon. It appears to be a fact that different civilizations had different valuations for weights and money. But the biblical references do not support this value.
  » 60 Shekels (20 + 25 + 15). In a just balance, it is equal to sixty shekels.
  The shekel shall be twenty gerahs. Twenty shekels, twenty five shekels, and fifteen shekels shall be your maneh. (Ezekiel 45: 12)
  » 100 Shekels. A comparison of two bible verses also show that the minah was 100 shekels.
  He made 300 shields of beaten gold using 300 shekels of gold on each shield ... (2 Chronicles 9: 16)
  He made 300 shields of beaten gold using 3 minas of gold on each shield ... (1 Kings 10: 17)
  The King James version says "three pounds of gold". But the translated word is the one that means mina or maneh.
  Whichever biblical value is correct, sixty or one hundred, it is not fifty. This indicates a possible problem with our understanding of the usage of the word. Since Ezekiel is teaching about fair weights we could choose sixty as the most likely value. However, the conclusion that the Babylonian value of fifty should be used because it was a prophecy to Babylon is just as valid, because God used their own symbols to communicate prophecy in the metallic image and the great tree of life.
•  Peres. My biggest problem is with this word. The claim that it is a Hebrew unit of weight is not documented in scripture. The correct value seems to be an even bigger problem. The word means "to divide or to break apart in pieces". However, I cannot tell how they decided what was divided. The selection of the word maneh as the thing divided seems to be an arbitrary decision with no clear basis.
  • Maneh. The consistent argument is that it is half a maneh. But I can find no proof of this.
  • Tekel. Since the shekel was the standard, why was it not half a shekel? (Leviticus 27: 25)
  • Sum of Mene, Mene and Tekel. Why was the division not applied to this sum?
•  Gerah. This is a minor point, but the conversion to gerahs does not follow the strict usage of prophetic symbols that I have come to trust. The shekel was used for evaluation, not the gerah.
  Every valuation of yours, moreover, shall be after the shekel of the sanctuary. The shekel shall be twenty gerahs. (Leviticus 27: 25)

I cannot go beyond my two major objections. But, if there is no basis for my objections, then the implications are interesting and support the previous interpretation that the fall of Babylon would continue for 2520 years.

 Comparison Of The Fall Of Ancient Babylon And Babylon The Great

Crime and Punishment			Ancient Babylon	Modern (End Time) Babylon
1	Corrupts People	Drunk	Belshazzar made his subjects drunk. Daniel 5: 1	End time Babylon makes the kings of the earth drunk. Revelation 17: 2
2		Immoral	Belshazzar induced his nobles and subjects to immorality. Daniel 5: 2,23	Induces the kings of the earth to commit spiritual fornication. Revelation 17: 2
3		Unholy	Belshazzar and his guests drink from golden goblets. Daniel 5: 3	Mystery Babylon in Revelation 17 drinks from the golden cup. Revelation 17: 4
4	Destroys Religion	People	Babylon Persecuted God's people. Daniel 1:1-4	Babylon will persecute God's people. Revelation 17: 5,6
5		Temple	Ancient Babylon attacked God's Sanctuary and people. Daniel 1:2	End time Babylon will attack God's Sanctuary and people. Revelation 13: 6, 17: 6
6		Idolatry	Belshazzar dishonored God in the worship of false gods. Daniel 5: 4,23	Blasphemes God and challenges his authority. Revelation 17: 3
7		Pagan Ideas	Babylon mixed the treasures of God's sanctuary with pagan revelry. Daniel 5: 1-4	Babylon mixes worship with paganism and spiritualism. Revelation 18: 2-3, 9: 14,20-21
8	Governs and Controls	Euphrates (People)	Ancient Babylon was built over the river Euphrates. Isaiah 44: 27,28	End time Babylon will be built over the symbolic river Euphrates. Revelation 16: 12; 17: 6,15
9		City (Property)	Ancient Babylon's power revolved around a mighty city. Daniel 4: 29-30	End time Babylon's power will revolve around a mighty city. Revelation 17:18
10		Kings	Ancient Babylon ruled the kings of the earth. Daniel 2:37-38; 4: 22	End time Babylon will also control the kings of the earth. Revelation 17: 5,18
11	Punished	Judged	Judgment was pronounced upon ancient Babylon. Daniel 5: 26-28	Judgment will be pronounced upon end time Babylon. Revelation 17: 1
12		3½ Times	It was measured 3½ times (Weigh, two counts and divide) (Daniel 5: 25)	Babylon was judged during 3½ times (Time, times and dividing times) Revelation 12: 14-15
13	Destroyed	From the East	Ancient Babylon was defeated by the Kings of the East - Darius and Cyrus. Isaiah 45: 1-5, Daniel 5: 30; 6: 28	End time Babylon will be defeated by the heavenly Kings of the East. Revelation 16: 12, Matthew 24: 27
14		One Night	Ancient Babylon fell in a single night. Daniel 5: 30-31	End time Babylon will fall in a single hour. Revelation 18: 10,20
15		Dried Up	Ancient Babylon fell when the river Euphrates was dried up. Isaiah 44: 27,28	End time Babylon will fall when the symbolic river Euphrates dries up. Revelation 16:12,19
16		Sealed	Ancient Babylon fell because of God's prophetic word written by a bloodless hand. Daniel 5: 24-30	Babylon will fall because of God's Prophetic word as found in Daniel and Revelation. Daniel 12: 4,7; Revelation 18: 1-2; 14: 8

Daniel 4: The Revival Of Nebuchadnezzar And Babylon

 The stories in Daniel 3 to 6 help us to understand what happens when religion is enforced by the state. The experience of Daniel and his three friends parallel the experience of the people in the time of the end as we face the persecutions after the mark of the beast is enforced under the end time power named "Babylon the Great".

• The Great Tree. In Daniel 4 we see that the return of Nebuchadnezzar to power after seven years is also a prophecy that shows when Babylon the Great will regain power in the world. Since God prophesied that literal Babylon would never be rebuilt and would never rise again, how could Revelation predict that Babylon the Great would be the last world empire? The answer lies in the emergence of a power that would behave just like ancient Babylon.
  God linked the two empires when Babylon the Great not only conquered the region of ancient Babylon but it adopted the symbols and characteristics of Babylon.
• The Fall Of Babylon. Babylon is the rebellious empire that Satan has been trying to establish through a global empire that he hopes to take over personally at the end. The events at the first fall will be repeated at the end of time. The fall of Babylon follows a specific pattern. Babylon rules, falls for seven periods of time in a battle with kings from the east then rises for a short time to fall again.
  • Flood. The world can only be punished one time by a flood which lasted one year. After this the curse punishes us seven times.
    At the end of time the world is punished by the seven last plagues which last one year.
  • Babel. The people were scattered into seventy nations.
  • Nebuchadnezzar. He was mad for seven years before the throne was restored.
  • Ancient Babylon. It ruled for 70 years then fell for seven prophetic years (2520 real years) and rose as Babylon the Great.
  • Modern Babylon The Great. It will rule for a short time because it is the revival of ancient Babylon.
  • Satan. He is the original king of Babylon who fell to the earth for 7000 years. He will try to take over in the final years and will fall for about 144 weeks of years (1008 years). This includes the last seven years, the year of plagues and the millennium.
    He will rise again at the end of time for a brief period at the second resurrection for the final judgment.
  The seven periods of time are definitely related to the legal time allowed in the curse.
• The Lion's Den. The enemies of Daniel create a law designed to make Daniel disobey his God or get himself killed by the state. The same issues and tactics will be repeated in the end of time during the mark of the beast persecution.

Daniel 4: The Revival Of Nebuchadnezzar And Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar had another dream, that troubled him. He seeks the wisdom of men and calls his wisemen, magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. As before, they are unable to help him. Now, even when he tells them the dream, they still cannot interpret it. Finally, Nebuchadnezzar calls Daniel. He had not learned from his prior experience to seek God's truth first.

 The Dream Of The Great Tree

The Great Tree of Life
In ancient times, a tree was a symbol of the created universal world order. The top of a tree symbolized heaven. The roots represented the underworld. The tree itself represented a connection between heaven and earth. In this sense, Nebuchadnezzar was intended by heaven to be a connection for people to find a knowledge of the true God. For this reason, God had given him prophetic dreams that were meant to encourage the world. He squandered his opportunities and failed to represent God correctly.
A Year for a Day The seven years of verse 23 are referred to as "days" in verse 34. This is a hint of the year for a day principle in prophetic interpretation.

The Great Tree. "Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed. I was looking, and then, there was a tree in the middle of the earth and its height was great. "The tree grew large and became strong and its height reached to the sky, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. "Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches, and all living creatures fed themselves from it.
The Tree is Cut Down. "I was looking in the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed, and then, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven. "He shouted out and spoke as follows: "Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit; let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
The Stump. "Yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground,
The Iron and Bronze Band. but with a band of iron and bronze around it In the new grass of the field; and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
The Man who is a Beast. "Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let a beast's mind be given to him,
Seven Years. And let seven periods of time pass over him.
Judgment. "This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers and the decision is a command of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind,
The Lowliest Man. and bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men." (Daniel 4: 10-17)
Nebuchadnezzar describes the dream to Daniel. The earlier dream in Daniel 2 came to Nebuchadnezzar to reveal to him that he is the first in a succession of kings. In verse 17 the dream is given for a different reason. It is given to show that God rules over the kingdoms of men, and God is able to remove and set up kings according to His will.

 Seven Periods Of Time (2520 Years)
God was about to bring down king Nebuchadnezzar. This judgment would last for seven years. There are two fulfillments if we apply real time to ancient Babylon and prophetic time to Babylon the Great.

• Local (Real Time). From the Bible we know that Nebuchadnezzar was insane for seven years. Nebuchadnezzar is the "tree" that God cut down and removed from power. Just as a stump was left, God was showing Nebuchadnezzar that his kingdom would not be removed from him forever. The purpose for God's discipline is given in verses 25 and 26. "until you know that the most High rules ...".
• Global (Prophetic Time). But, if we used the year for a day principle, then seven prophetic years would be 2520 real years. Because a stump and roots are left Babylon will be revived at the end of this time. But this will occur after the period of the bronze and iron kingdoms.
  ... fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great ... Come out of her, My people, so that you do not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues. (Revelation 18: 2-4)
  and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, "Babylon the Great, the Mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth". (Revelation 17: 5)

» The Kingdom Of God Rules. The Revelation prophesies that a power like Babylon will be the last one. In the persecution and the wrath of God that follows, the revived Babylon will also know that the Most High rules.

The Great Tree		Tree Cut Down For Seven Periods of Time									Stump With Roots
Babylon		Medo-Persia		Greece	Pagan Rome	Papal Rome	Communism		-	-	Babylon the Great
Tree		Axe		Bronze Band	Iron Band						Stump In Ground
Gold Head		Silver Chest		Bronze Belly	Iron Legs						Iron and Clay Feet
Nebuchadnezzar		He loses his mind for Seven Years and Lives with Wild Beasts							Nebuchadnezzar Returns
Babylon	539 BCE	Babylon Loses Power For Seven Times (2520 Years)						1981/2	Babylon the Great

 The Wild Beasts
During the seven years, Nebuchadnezzar acted like a wild animal. During the years after the fall of Babylon a series of wild beasts would rule the world. Daniel 7 uses the symbols of wild beasts to describe the other kingdoms that came after Babylon.

The Wild Man After Nebuchadnezzar refused to repent and acknowledge God, judgment could no longer be delayed, and the prophecy is fulfilled. Nebuchadnezzar becomes like a wild animal and is driven out of his court. Lycanthropy: Nebuchadnezzar apparently experienced lycanthropy. This is a strange disease that most standard medical dictionaries list as a form of insanity. In this disorder people imagine themselves to be a wolf or some other wild animal. The disease seems to attack suddenly and disappear just as quickly. It is characterized by a total neglect of personal appearance. Hair and nails grow long. Sanitation and hygiene are neglected. The individual crawls around on all fours grunting and growling like a wild beast. Conversion: It took 35 years of Daniel's witness, several revelations of God's power, and finally a judgment of insanity before Nebuchadnezzar is finally converted.

» Share With The Beasts. This prophecy portrays the territory of Babylon as a world that is "shared" with other powers throughout history until Babylon can rise again to reclaim its empire.
» New Grass. The people of each new generation.
» Dew of Heaven. The influence of God is still poured out.

The Beast Master. In this picture of a man who became a beast, we see the same picture of a beast who became a man at the end of time. The beast power at the end of time would have a man as a dominant power.
Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man. And his number is six hundred and sixty six. (Revelation 13: 18)

 The Stump And Roots
This stump is Babylon the Great, which is a revival of ancient Babylon and the Papal Roman empire after their wounds are healed.
» Iron and Bronze Bands. Here we find that the stump had bands of iron and bronze. This is similar to the prophecy in Daniel 7: 19. The beast had claws of bronze and teeth of Iron. This stump with the bronze and iron bands also has the elements of the Roman empire and the Greek culture.

» Roots. The stump and roots are also the foot of the tree. The image is similar to the feet and toes of iron and clay. Both the toes and the roots are subdivided and mixed with the earth and will die and return to dust.
The prophecies of Revelation predict that the seventh and last empire would be a power that would behave like Babylon. Revelation actually called it Babylon the Great. In the sixth plague they actually fell in the same way that ancient Babylon came to an end when the Euphrates river was dried up by the conquering force.

According to the prophecy of the Great Tree, Babylon would return 2520 years after it fell. Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians in (539 BCE), 2520 years later, the two powers that would form Babylon the Great, the seventh head, joined forces in 1981 to defeat the sixth power.

 What Happened In 1981/2?
This is the year several amazing signs and coincidences started to occur. Several signs pointed to the fall of ancient Babylon, the fall of the sixth head and the restoration of Israel, particularly Jerusalem. These signs pointed to that year as an important time in prophecy. Although the sixth power, communism, finally fell ten years later, in 1981-1982 the two powers who would form Babylon the Great combined their efforts as one single power to end communism.
The seventh power had defeated the sixth power.

• Seventh Head Forms (Babylon the Great). The two leaders of the seventh head joined forces (United States and the Catholic church).
• Seven Heads And Ten Horns. On January 1, Greece became the tenth nation to join the European Union.
• The Sixth Head. Communism began its fall in December 12-13 when thousands of members of the Solidarnosc movement were arrested during the Polish crisis.
• Wounded and Healed. The wound inflicted in 1798 totally healed in this year. As a sign that it was wounded and healed, both leaders of the new Babylon the Great, President Reagan and Pope John Paul II were healed after they were wounded in failed assassination attempts. The pope assisted the United States in the Iranian crisis and in the Polish revolution.
• The Next Pope Heads The Old Office Of Inquisition. Joseph Ratzinger, the German cardinal who will become the next pope, Benedict XVI, on April 19, 2005 became the head of the office for the congregation of the faith on November 25, 1981.

  Year Timeline of Events 542BC  First Jews return from Babylonian exile to rebuild city and walls 540 BC 539BCE Persian empire overthrows Babylon (October 12 (Tishri 16)) 538 BC  Cyrus releases the Jews 1979 November 4. Iranian Revolution. 52 U.S. hostages held in embassy. Shah flees 1979  300,000 Jews emigrate from Iran 1980  1.2 million Jews emigrate from Russia 1980  July. Israel annexes East Jerusalem and claims all Jerusalem 1980 September 22, 1980-1988. Iran-Iraq war. Iraq invaded Iran 1981 January 1. Europe of the Ten. Greece joins 1981 January 20. Iran released 52 American hostages after 444 days. Reagan inaugurated 1981 25 February 1981 - June 1982. Secret alliance between Pope John Paul II and Ronald Reagan to end communism 1981 March 30. Failed assassination. Ronald Reagan by John Hinckley Jr 1981 May 13. Failed assassination. Pope John Paul II by Mehmet Ali Agca 1981  June 7. Israel destroys Iraqi atomic reactor at Osiraq 1981 October 6. Egyptian president Anwar Sadat is assassinated 1981 November 25. Joseph Ratzinger becomes head of the old office of inquisition 1981 December 12-13. Polish crisis. Solidarity workers arrested 1981  December 14. Israel annexes the Golan Heights 1982 January 16. United States and Vatican full diplomatic relations 1982  June 6. Israel invades Lebanon  3.5 Years. The events at the beginning and end took three to four years to develop

  
  This is the old office of Inquisition. So for twenty four years he has been in charge of protecting and elevating the doctrines of the church. He is the conservative who believes that Catholicism is the only true religion. For his ferocity in defending the church against heresy, he is called "the panzer cardinal" and "the pope's rottweiler".
• The Iranian Revolution And The Islamic Awakening.
  The period ends just as it began 2520 years ago with a war between Babylon and Persia or Iraq and Iran.
  
  The political situation at that time allowed Babylon the Great to switch from allegiance to Iran after the fall of the Shah and it is now allied with Iraq as it assumes the title of the Babylon that will rule the world. It probably provided the resources for Iraq to attack. Over a million people died.
  The Iranian revolution against their Shah created animosity with America, the new Babylon the Great when 52 hostages were held for 444 days and released January 20, 1981 at the moment the president was inaugurated. We identify this specific president as one of two men who formed the seventh head.
  The point is that at the end of this period Persia was at war with both ancient Babylon and Babylon the Great! And the history of the United States became entangled with the fate of Iraq when it had to switch loyalties as it also became the enemy of Iran.
  
  The current hostilities over nuclear weapons show that the world might end when there is conflict between Iran and Babylon the Great.
  
  One other coincidence is the fact that former Iranian hostage takers are now ruling Iran since November 2005. President Ahmadinejad and at least one female vice-president have been identified as former hostage takers. We are symbolically back to 1981, back to 1798 and back to 539 BCE.
• Israel. On June 7, Israel destroyed the nuclear facility at Osiraq in Iraq. This seals the prophecy that Ancient Babylon will not rise again. The death blow to their weapons of mass destruction program was delivered by the ancient people of God. So the ancient hostilities symbolically end here.

» The Rise Of Persia

The fruits of the Persian revolution took three to four years for the events to develop as the law specifies, but the majority of the signs occurred in 1981.

The War Between Babylon and the Kings from the East
Babylon		Date	War (Fall of Babylon)		Kings from the East		The People of God
Ancient Babylon		539 BCE	Siege of Babylon		Medo-Persia		Israel Free
Iraq	Local Babylon	1980-88	Iran-Iraq War		Iran		Israel destroys Iraq's nuclear facilities at Osiraq
USA		1981-End	Economic sanctions	Hostages	Iran
United States (Babylon the Great)		1988-End	War	Terrorism	Iran	Al-Qaeda	USA threatens Iran's nuclear facilities at Natanz. Iran threatens Israel in revenge
		1981-End	Middle East Wars	Persecution	Iran	Jesus	Second Coming

 The Lowliest (Basest) Man
When Babylon was revived, God placed in its leadership the lowest of men. This could be interpreted in two ways.

• A Humbled Person. God sets over wicked men the person that He has rejected. God chooses a person like Nebuchadnezzar, who fell from the lofty heights through pride or some defect of character. For this reason, Satan was set as ruler over the wicked people of earth. He fell from the best position in heaven because his beauty and pride made him believe that he could rule on the throne of God.
  » A Crude Person. God sends the fallen, idiot, fool, immoral, wicked, uneducated, drunkard and uncouth.
  » A Lower Class Person. God sends a ruler from the most despised of people.
  When a wicked nation is about to fall, God sends the ruler they deserve.
• A Humble Servant (A Despised and Rejected Person). God chooses the person that we have rejected, one whom we would never have chosen, because God looks at the heart not the outward appearance. When a righteous nation is about to rise, God sends the humble ruler that He chooses.
  but God has chosen the foolish things of this world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. (1 Corinthians 1: 27-29)
  » David. David was a young shepherd boy even his family did not believe could be chosen.
  » Moses. Moses was raised in the palace of Egypt but he was retrained by God as a poor shepherd.
  » Jesus Christ. When Christ returns during the revival of Babylon the Great, the world will see that God has chosen the most despised and rejected of men to be King of kings for ever.