Where did our enlightened western civilization come from? How did we manage as a culture to escape from the barbarism of past ages and less fortunate nations? How were we able as a people to create a nation of freedoms and rights in the midst of a religiously intolerant world? Turn to Daniel chapter 7, written in 553 B.C., where world history from ancient to modern times has been portrayed in biblical symbolism. (We use the historicist approach to Bible prophecy and each lesson is illustrated with color drawings).

Four wild animals follow one after the other -- each representing one of the great empires of history. These four wild animals have caused many wars and profuse bloodshed throughout history.

Notice that the beasts rise from the "sea" of humanity (Isa. 8:7; 17:12; Jer. 46:7). These "waters" are "peoples ... and nations" (Rev. 17:15).

BABYLON (745-539 B.C.): "The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings; I beheld till its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man; and a man's heart was given to it" (Dan. 7:4). NEBUCHADNEZZAR is actually called a "LION" in Jeremiah 4:7 when compared with 25:9. The eagle's wings typify "SWIFTER than EAGLES" (Jer. 4:13). Chaldeans "shall fly like the EAGLE that HASTETH to eat" (Hab. 1:8). We learn from Jeremiah that the powers of Nineveh and Babylon were each represented by lions. He says, "Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven them away: first the King of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon hath broken his bones" (Jer. 50:17). Babylonian sculptures of animals that have lion's bodies, feet of an ox, eagle's wings and heads of men are preserved in the British Museum. Lion-eagle creatures were common representations of their deity Bel. The lion is represented on cylinder seals and game boards. A series of weights of the king's standards were in the form of lions. A lion statue guarded the entrance of the sanctuary and a lion stele sat beside the throne. Lions were stamped on the clay bricks for Nebuchadnezzar's buildings. The Lion was frequently represented in the glazed and colored brick walls of temples and palaces. Sixty lion statues lined the Processional Way leading through the famous Ishtar Gate in the capital city, Babylon. Babylonians are described as being like both a lion (Isa. 5:25-30; Jer. 4:6,7,13; cf. 25:9,38; 49:19,22; 50:17,44) and an eagle in many scriptures (Deut. 28:49-53; 2 Kings 25:1-11; Jer. 49:19-22; Lam. 4:19; Ezek. 17:1-5,11-14; Hab. 1:6-8).

MEDO-PERSIA (539-331 B.C.): "And behold, another beast, a second, like a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had THREE RIBS in the mouth of it between its teeth; and they said unto it, Arise, devour much flesh" (Dan. 7:5). Cyrus the Persian conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. and then appointed Darius the Mede king (Dan. 5:31; 9:1). Just as the ram pushed west, north and south (Dan. 8:4) so BABYLON (539 B.C.) and LYDIA (546 B.C.) fell to Cyrus and EGYPT was acquired by Cambyses (525 B.C.). These were the three empires conquered or the THREE RIBS in the bear's mouth. Notice that the breast and TWO "arms of silver" (Dan. 2:32) correspond to the "ram which had TWO horns" (Dan. 8:3,20) and to the TWO sides of the BEAR. They typify the "Medes and Persians" (Dan. 5:28). The BEAR "raised up ... on one side" (Dan. 7:5) corresponds to the "higher (horn which) came up last" (Dan. 8:3). Persia was a younger nation than Media but more prominent than Media. The reign of the Bear began under a Mede, and in two years passed by inheritance to Cyrus, a Persian. This change of position was represented to Daniel in the saying that "it raised itself on one side." A bear is a huge, slow-moving, unwieldy, clumsy animal symbolizing a huge army claiming 1 million men taking a longer time to prepare and move but with formidable strength (1 Sam. 17:34; Amos 5:19; Hosea 13:8; Isa. 13:17) since the army was strong and fierce (Isa. 13:15-18). For instance, when Xerxes wished to attack the Greeks, he required over four years to organize his mighty army, numbering 1,700,000 men (Her. 7:60). At the Battle of Arbela in 331 B.C., Alexander the Great conquered Medo-Persia.

GREECE (331-63 B.C.): "After this I beheld, and, lo, another, like a leopard, which had upon its back four wings of a fowl; the beast had also FOUR HEADS, and dominion was given to it" (Dan. 7:6). Following their victory over the Persians at Salamis, the union of Greek states was headed by FOUR different states in succession, namely Athens (477-404 B.C.), Sparta (404-376), Thebes (371-362) and finally Macedonia after 360 B.C. The leopard is noted for its speed. After defeating the main Persian army at Arbela on the Tigris in 331 B.C., Alexander pushed on to Persepolis so quickly that he captured the Persian national treasures before Persians had time to remove them. Alexander's whole campaign lasted only eleven years, from 334 to 323 B.C., but in that short time he had conquered Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, Babylonia, and Persia, as well as territory as far as India. When the he-goat's "notable horn" (Dan. 8:5) -- Alexander the Great -- died in 323 B.C. at the age of 33, his four generals, CASSANDER (Macedonia), LYSIMACHUS (Thrace), SELEUCHUS NICATOR (Syria) and PTOLEMY (Egypt) took over the empire and divided it into four parts. "The first king ... being broken ... four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation" (Dan. 8:21-22). This is amazing. In 553 B.C. Daniel predicted that over two hundred years later the Greek Empire would be divided into four sections. But it gets even more amazing. Greece had conquered the world in only 13 years, hence the wings of swiftness on a swift leopard. The Roman Pompey captured Syria in 63 B.C. Rome defeated Ptolemaic Egypt at the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C.

ROME (PAGAN) (31 B.C.-476 A.D.): "A fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly ... had great iron teeth (cp. "legs of iron" -- Dan. 2:33); it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet; and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it, and it had TEN HORNS" (Dan. 7:7). Revelation 12:3 defines this beast as a "great RED DRAGON ... having TEN HORNS." The fourth beast must be the RED DRAGON because both have TEN HORNS. Since sins are represented "as SCARLET" (Isa. 1:18), the Roman Empire was very sinful. Its IRON teeth and BRONZE nails (Dan.7:19) indicate that it occupied both Roman and Greek territory -- referring back to Nebuchadnezzar's statue. But all ten toes were in the western half because they are IRON or CLAY -- not BRASS. All ten horns came from the fourth beast, so must not be located in the territory of the previous three beasts. The ten kingdoms are said to arise out of the fourth kingdom (Dan. 7:24). The dragon's "nails (#2953 "tephar") of brass" (7:19) are defined as "nails (#2953 "tephar") like birds' claws" (4:33) which is why this dragon must have bird claws. The Roman legions marched under the red dragon standard and may have appeared like a long red snake as they marched off to war in long, winding columns. By 46 B.C. Julius Caesar ruled the Roman world. Rome was in fact the fourth empire and it was also the DRAGON which tried to devour Mary's "(Christ) child" (12:4). first using Herod in the reign of Augustus Caesar and second using Pilate in the reign of Tiberius. "Yahweh shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as the (Roman) eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand (Latin); a nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favour to the young. And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, Until all thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst (70 A.D.) throughout all thy land which Yahweh thine Elohim hath given thee " (Deut. 28:49). The empire was divided into two parts in 292 A.D. by Diocletian with Rome and Constantinople as the two capitals. In 476 A.D., the barbarian tribes who had settled in Italy revolted under their leader Odoacer and forced the last Roman Emperor to abdicate.

Who Are the Ten Horns?

The TEN HORNS (Dan. 7:7) or TEN TOES (Dan. 2:41) were the TEN KINGDOMS that the Western Roman Empire was divided into after 476 A.D.: Historian Machiavelli, writing in the fifteenth century (Hist. Floe. i), without the slightest reference to prophecy (He was an infidel and particularly hated the Christian religion), gives the following list of nations which occupied the territory of the Western empire in 476 A.D.: The Ostrogoths (Hungary & Yugoslavia), Visigoths (Spain), Vandals (N. Africa), Sueves (Portugal), Franks (France), Burgundians (Switzerland & South Gaul), Heruli (Italy), Huns (Alemani), Lombards (Austria & Czechoslovakia) and Anglo-Saxons (England). Gibbon in his Decline and Fall also refers to these same ten Latin kingdoms in 1130 A.D. Procopius is a third author who also agrees that these are the ten. Although the long history of western Europe sometimes alters the list from ten to nine or eleven, the tenfold character is dominant throughout. Even these oscillations are implied by the various failed attempts at "mingling themselves" (Dan. 2:43).

Which Three Were Uprooted?

"While I was thinking about the horns, another little horn, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted by it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth that spoke boastfully.... (It was) "larger in appearance than its associates. I kept looking, and that horn waged war against the saints and defeated them ... and he will try to change the times and the law" (Dan. 7:8, 21, 25).

Three Arian kingdoms that controlled Rome were uprooted -- the HERULI, VANDALS and OSTROGOTHS. Odoacer's HERULI (who had conquered Italy and deposed its last emperor in 476 A.D.) were uprooted in 493 A.D. when the Byzantine Emperor Zeno commissioned the Ostrogoth king Theodoric, to dethrone Odoacer. The Catholic Church gave Theodoric valuable assistance. This then caused Theodoric's Ostrogoths to control all Italy, including Rome. VANDALS in southern Italy, who had sacked Rome once before in 455, were uprooted in 534 A.D. by Belisarius, Justinian's general. Then the OSTROGOTHS were driven north beyond the Po River in 538 A.D. when Justinian ordered his general Belisarius to capture Rome in 538 A.D. All three "barbarian" governments had to be uprooted before the Papacy could have full control of the seat of authority in Rome and become the eighth form of government from Rome. The eighth horn is a continuation of the seven of Daniel 7:20 (mentioned in Rev.17:11). The seven forms of Roman government were: Kings (750-510- B.C.), Consuls (510-498 B.C.), Dictators (498-451 B.C.), Decimvirs (451-443 B.C.), Military Tribunes (443-27 B.C.), Military Emperors (Imperial Caesars) (27 B.C.-284 A.D.) and Despotic Emperors (Diocletian ignored his Senate, creating three other rulers with himself) (284-313 A.D.). It is certainly amazing that Daniel predicted this all in 553 B.C. -- over 1000 years before it occurred.

Even though there have only been eight CONSECUTIVE forms of Roman government (not counting these three barbarian horns uprooted because of hostility between the Catholic church and the barbarians over the Arian heresy which denied the deity of Jesus Christ), there have always been ten CONTEMPORANEOUS states that the papacy has ruled over. There have remained ten through each of the twelve centuries of the prophecy. (Gibbon mentions that the Carlovingians under King Pepin overthrew the Heruli, Goths, and Lombards and in 768 A.D. transferred their territory to the Pope. This became the Papal States. )

Four Kingdoms Endured Exactly 1260 Years

Since the total "time of Israelite insanity" is seven times or 2520 years and since we can subtract 1260 years for the dominion of the Little Horn (Dan. 7:25), that leaves 1260 years for the dominion of these four kingdoms together until the Barbarians conquered Rome and thereby inflicted the "deadly wound" (Revelation 13:3). This wound was healed when the hindrance of Roman Caesars was "taken away" (2 Th. 2:7) so that Popes could rule from Rome. There are a number of different starting points that correspond to a number of different ending points. Notice seven sets now:

Nabonassar became the king of Babylon in 747 B.C. When we add 1260 solar years we come to 514 A.D. when Pope Hormisdas became Bishop of Rome. He reunited the eastern and western churches ending the Acacian Schism.

Tiglath Pileser III conquered Northern Israel (Naphtali) in 732 B.C. bringing Israel under Babylonian law. When we add 1260 solar years we come to 529 A.D. when Justinian's Code of Roman Law was accepted which recognized the Roman Catholic Church.

Tiglath Pileser III was crowned at Babylon in 728 B.C. When we add 1260 solar years we come to 533 A.D. when Justinian recognized the Roman Bishop as head of all the churches and thus "crowned him."

King Hoshea allied with Egypt against Assyria in 725 B.C. causing Shalmaneser to invade Israel (cp. 2 Ki. 17:5). When we add 1260 solar years we come to 536 A.D. when Belisarius, Justinian's general, invaded Italy.

King Hoshea of Israel was imprisoned by Shalmaneser V (2 Ki. 17:4) in 723 B.C. before beseiging Samaria. When we add 1260 solar years, we come to 538 A.D. when Justinian's general Belisarius captured Rome and defeated the Ostrogoths.

In 707 and 706 B.C., Sennacherib captured a number of cities of Judah and transported 200,150 people. He was unable to enter Jerusalem however, in which Hezekiah remained "like a bird in a cage." When we add 1260 solar years we come to Justinian's Imperial Restoration of the Western Empire and his general Narses' Pragmatic Sanction restoring Italian lands taken (554 A.D.). Then in 555 A.D. came the final defeat of the Ostrogoths.

In 651 B.C. there was a fatal alliance of Judah with many other nations (Babylon, Phoenicia, Philistia, Arabia, Chaldea, Elam, Lydia, and Egypt) against Assyria which failed after a two-year siege of Babylon. When we add 1260 solar years, we come to 610 A.D. when Phocas died after making Pope Boniface III the head of all the churches -- another fatal alliance. He was the hindrance "taken out of the way" (2 Th. 2:7).

Finally, Nabonassar revolted against Assyria and drove the Assyrians out of Babylon in 625 B.C. and the Neo-Babylonian Empire was established with a Chaldean dynasty by Nabopolassar in 624 B.C. Babylon possessed Palestine for 90 years, from 624 to 534 B.C. Medo-Persia for 200 years, from 534 to 334 B.C. Greece for 304 years from 334 to 31 B.C. and Rome for 666 years from the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C. to the Saracen (or Arab) conquest in 636 A.D. Now 90 + 200 + 304 + 666 = 1,260 years. When we add 1260 solar years, we come to 636 A.D. when Arabs drove Romans out of Jerusalem. Just as the Gentiles "tread under foot" (Rev. 11:2) the physical Jerusalem for 42 months (1,260 days), so also Papal Rome was to continue for the second 1260 years (Dan. 7:25).

Papal Little Horn Persecuted Saints for "a Time, and Times and the Dividing of Time" (Dan. 7:25)

The second half of the seven times or 2520 years is occupied by a "little horn" on the Roman dragon. A "little horn" is a very small kingdom at first. But it became larger than the other horns. This horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth that spoke boastfully.... (It was) "larger in appearance than its associates. I kept looking, and that horn waged war against the saints and defeat them ... (and this horn) will try to change the times and the law" (Dan. 7:8, 21, 25). The "eyes" suggest an "overseer" or bishop -- the "Holy See." The NT Greek word translated "overseer" or "bishop" is 'episkopos" which literally means "one who looks diligently" (Young's Concordance). The "mouth speaking great things against God" suggests boastful blasphemy. The Papacy has blasphemed and did change the time for the Sabbath law from Saturday to Sunday and the time for Passover from Nisan 14 to an Easter celebration the Sunday following the full moon after spring equinox. The saints were "given into his hand until a time, and times and the dividing of time" (Dan. 7:25). The Papal Inquisition (1481-1808) and the massacre of the Huguenots on St. Bartholemew's Day (1572) are examples. "Power was given unto him to continue "forty and two months" (Rev.13:5) after a "deadly wound" by the Barbarians was healed (Rev. 13:3) and the hindrance of Roman Caesars "taken away" (2 Th. 2:7). In other words, 1260 years. The seven heads of the Papal dragon are "seven mountains on which the woman sitteth" (Rev. 17:9) or seven successive Holy Roman Empires where the emperor recognized the supremacy of the Dope (Justinian 527-565, Charlemagne 800-814; Otto the Great 962-973; Frederick Barbarossa 1152-1190; Charles V 1520-1556; Louis XIV 1661-1715 and Napoleon 1804-1814). These "holy Roman emperors" ruled for 1260 years from the Imperial Restoration in 554 to Napoleon's end in 1814 (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 12:6; 13:5). There are a number of different starting points that correspond to a number of different ending points. Notice seven sets now:

From the accession of Pope Hormisdas (514 A.D.) who reunited eastern and western churches (519 A.D.) ending the Acacian Schism we add 1260 solar years. This brings us to 1774 A.D. when Louis XVI ascended the French throne and caused the schism of the French Revolution where he later lost his life and Pope Clement XIV banished the Jesuits from the Church and the world.

From 529 A.D. when Justinian's Roman Law Code was accepted we add 1260 solar years. This brings us to 1789 when the French Revolution began and Roman law was rejected.

From 533 A.D. when Emperor Justinian sent a decree to Pope John, which became part of the Roman Civil Law, acknowledging the Roman Bishop as head of all the churches, Greek as well as Latin, we add 1260 solar years to get 1793 when the French Revolution's "Reign of Terror" occurred. Sunday was eliminated and churches closed.

From 536 A.D. when Justinian's general Belisarius invaded Italy to install the Papacy, we add 1260 solar years. This brings us to 1796 when Napoleon invaded Italy and defeated the Papal troops and threatened the Pope.

In 538 A.D. Justinian's general Belisarius captured Rome and defeated the Ostrogoths (3rd horn of the three), freeing Rome of barbarian rule. (Ostrogoths were not defeated however. Instead they reconquered Italy. Pope Vigilius traveled to Constantinople and begged the the emperor to deliver Italy.) Adding 1260 solar years brings us to 1798 A.D. when Napoleon's general Berthier captured Rome and Pius VI and Vatican gold. Napoleon issued a decree that the Papacy was dead and no further Papal elections would occur. Pius VI died in France.

In 554, Justinian's Imperial Restoration of the western Empire occurred. General Narses' Pragmatic Sanction, also in 554, restored Italian lands taken away and the final defeat of the Ostrogoths occurred in 555 A.D. Adding 1260 solar years brings us to 1814 when Allies victoriously entered Paris and deposed Napoleon. When he later retook power he was defeated in 1815 at Waterloo.

In 606 A.D. Emperor Phocas made Pope Boniface III head of all the churches. In 610 A.D. Phocas died and thereby was "taken out of the way" (2 Th. 2:7). If we add 1260 solar years to these dates, we come to 1866 when Italy crowned its first king, Victor Emmanuel, and when Venetia (1866), Tuscany (1870) and Rome (1870) fell to Victor Emmanuel who was a type of Christ. Also the Battle of Sadowa occurred in 1866 where Papal Austria was overthrown by non-Roman Catholic Prussia. Roman Catholic Spain expelled her Jesuits and Roman Catholic Royal Family. Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867. In September 1870, Italian troops entered Rome and made it the capital of Italy, independent of Papal rule. November 1st, 1870, the Italian government passed a decree abolishing the political authority of the Holy See.

This dragon "was, and is not, and yet is" (Rev. 17:8). It "was" pagan Rome, destroyed in 476 A.D. so "is not", then "is" resurrected as "Holy Roman Empire." Constantinople fell to the Turks in 1453 A.D. If we date the rise of the Papacy from 514 to 610 A.D. then its dominion should end 1260 years later from 1774 to 1870 A.D. This is the era of the French Revolution and its aftermath. France, who had been "the eldest son of the church," threw off the Papal yoke. The revolutionaries turned 40,000 churches into stables, massacred 24,000 priests, exiled another 40,000, and guillotined thousands of Roman Catholics, including their Royal Family. In the next twenty years, revolution and war overturned the thrones of the Roman Catholic world and drenched the Latin nations in blood and fire. In 1798 the Pope was dethroned and led away captive by Napoleon's soldiers; the Papal States and Rome were conquered; the Vatican palaces and convents were robbed of their fabulous wealth.

Moslem Little Horn Persecutes Saints for "a Time, and Times and the Dividing of Time" (Dan. 7:25)

Islam has absorbed Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece as God said it would (Daniel 7; Rev. 13:2). The Roman Empire never absorbed the three previous beasts. Islam was "different" from previous empires because it was religious not just political (Kaliph & Pope were both religious for 1260 years). The head that died is Muhammed. But it was healed by Abu Bakr. The seven heads and ten horns of Islam are both contemporaneous and successive. Successively the Caliphates were 1.) Muhammed and the Rightly Guided Caliphs (632-661), 2.) Umayyads of Syria (661-749), 3.) Abbasids of Baghdad (749-932), 4.) Buyids of Baghdad (932-1055) and Fatimids of Egypt (909-1171), 5.) Seljuk Turks of Baghdad (1055-1258) and Ayyubids of Egypt (1169-1260), 6.) Mongols of Baghdad (1258-1350) and Mamluks of Egypt and Syria (1260-1517), and 7.) Ottomans of Turkey (1342-1924). Notice that TEN Islamic Caliphates reigned during SEVEN successive Caliphate periods. Furthermore, Mohammed had TEN contemporaneous disciples -- his Council of TEN (Dan. 2 & 7; Rev. 13) (toes or horns): Abu Bakr Sadiq, U'mar ibn al-Khattab, Uthan bin Affaan, Ali Ibn abi Talib, Abdur-Rahman bin Aawf, Sad ibn Abi Aaqqas, Said ibn Zayd, Abu Ubaydah bin Jirrah, Talhah ibn Abdur Ubaydullah, and Zubayr bin Al-Awam. The first THREE Caliphs (successors of Mohammed), which were THREE of Mohammed's Council, are not recognized by the Shia sect of Islam, because they were not related to Mohammed. They are: 1. Abu Bakr Saddiq, 2.U'mar ibn al-Khattab and 3.Uthan bin Affaan. They were chosen by the strong majority sect of Islam -- the Sunnis (strong iron 90%). But "there came up among them another little horn before which were THREE of the first horns plucked up by the roots" (Dan. 7:8). This was Ali and his Shia branch (weak clay 10%) which nullified the legitimacy of the previous THREE Caliphs not related to Mohammed by blood (see also Dan. 7:7-8, 21-26). "A divided kingdom" (Dan. 2:41). "They mingle ("arab") but do not adhere to one another" (Dan. 2:43). Further, the ten contemporaneous horns may be the ten nations drawn up following the defeat ("deadly wound") of the Ottoman Empire by the British after World War One in 1920-22. They were Basrah, Baghdad, Mosul, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, Persia (Iran) and Egypt. Under British mandate Basrah, Baghdad and Mosul were later consolidated ("three horns uprooted") into provinces of Iraq. This agrees with Daniel in that one "little horn" (British) subdues three. Furthermore, Islam has TEN rulers (toes or horns) (Dan. 2; Dan. 7; Rev. 13). Mohammed had TEN disciples -- his Council of TEN: Abu Bakr Sadiq, U'mar ibn al-Khattab, Uthan bin Affaan, Ali Ibn abi Talib, Abdur-Rahman bin Aawf, Sad ibn Abi Aaqqas, Said ibn Zayd, Abu Ubaydah bin Jirrah, Talhah ibn Abdur Ubaydullah, and Zubayr bin Al-Awam. The first THREE Caliphs (successors of Mohammed), which were THREE of Mohammed's Council, are not recognized by the Shia sect of Islam, because they were not related to Mohammed. They are: 1. Abu Bakr Saddiq, 2.U'mar ibn al-Khattab and 3.Uthan bin Affaan. They were chosen by the strong majority sect of Islam -- the Sunnis (strong iron 90%). But "there came up among them another little horn before which there were THREE of the first horns plucked up by the roots" (Dan. 8:7). This was Ali and his Shia branch (weak clay 10%) which nullified the legitimacy of the previous THREE Caliphs who were not related to Mohammed by blood (see also Dan. 7:7-8, 21-26). "A divided kingdom" (Dan. 2:41). "They mingle ("arab") but do not adhere to one another" (Dan. 2:43). Another fulfillment of the ten contemporaneous horns will come: Psalm 83:6-9 actually names them: Edom, Ishmaelites; Moab; Hagarenes; Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistines, Tyre, Assyria and Lot. "Do to them as you did to Zeba and Zalmuna" (Ps. 83:11) when Gideon (a type of Messiah) slew them "and took away the ornaments (Heb. "saharon" or crescents) that were on their camels' necks." (Judges 8:21) just as Messiah will remove the crescents from the Moslem minnarets and Mosques when he returns.

In 622 A.D. Mohammed fled from Mecca to Medina (Hegira) which transformed him from despised leader of fanatics to prince and prophet of his people who would "scatter the power of the holy people" for "a time, times and a half" (Dan. 12:7) and "continue 42 months" (Rev. 13:5). Adding 1260 SOLAR years + 622 A.D. = 1882 when Great Britain obtained victory at Tel-el-Kebir, bombarded Alexandria, invaded Egypt and established an English Protectorate in Egypt.

Adding 1260 LUNAR years (1222.5 solar years) = 1844 when Britain and other Christian European nations forced the Sultan to sign the Decree of Toleration which abolished the death penalty for conversion from Islam to Christianity or any other religion (Hatti Hamayoum). This was followed by the erection of the English Church on Mount Zion.

In 637, Omar captured Jerusalem and all Syria and in 638 a wooden mosque was erected on the site of Solomon's Temple, called the "Mosque of Omar." This was rebuilt in stone and called the "Dome of the Rock." The Patriarch Sophronius said, "Verily this is the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the Holy Place." "And the holy city shall they tread under foot 42 months" (Rev. 11:2; Luke 21:24; Lev. 26:28). If we add 1260 SOLAR years, we arrive at 1897 when the Zionist Movement was founded in Basel, Switzerland by Jews of all nations with the object of again settling the Jews in the Holy Land. Jews held their first Zionist Congress thereby becoming an organized body politic for the first time since their dispersion. Also in 1897 was the Turko-Greek War. The autonomy of Crete was determined by the Great powers.

If we add 1260 LUNAR years (1222.5 solar years), we arrive at July 9th, 1860 when a Mohammedan Druze massacre of 3,300 Christians in Lebanon and Damascus caused English and French intervention. Lebanon was placed under a Christian governor and British Protectorate. The Universal Israelite Alliance, whose HQ were at Paris, was also formed in this year to encourage colonization of Palestine.

If we add 1260 PROPHETIC years (1241.889 solar years), we arrive at 1878. The Russo-Turkish War of 1877 resulted in Russia totally defeating the Ottoman armies in 1877, followed in 1878 by British occupation of Cyprus and a Protectorate in Asia. The Berlin Treaty dismembered the Ottoman Empire and deprived the Porte of its most important possessions in Europe and bound it to introduce "necessary reforms" signed 13th July 1878.

What happened in 657 A.D.? Ali Bin Abu Talib, ruler of the Islamic Realm, fought against Muawiya bin Abu Sufian, governor of Syria, who wanted independence from the realm. After this Battle of Seffeen, there was a split in Islam. Those who supported Ali were called the Shiia'ats in Iraq and Iran, and those who supported Muawiya are the Sunies. So the Muslims were divided into two political factions. If we add 1260 SOLAR years to this date, we come to 1917 and the Russian atheistic Bolshevik Revolution which was a punishment on the Moslem Turk Religion which persecuted Jews and Protestants just as the secular French Revolution (1789) was a punishment on the Roman Catholic Church which persecuted Jews and Protestants -- each after 1260 years. Also in 1917, Turkey was driven from Jerusalem and Palestine completely by Great Britain's General Allenby and Lawrence of Arabia from November 1917 to the Armistice in November 1918.

Adding 1260 LUNAR years (1222.5 solar) + 657 A.D. = 1879 A.D. In 1878 at the Berlin Conference, the wholesale dismemberment of the Turkish Empire occurred.

If we add 1260 PROPHETIC years (1241.915 solar) to 657, we come to 1899 when a new trial for French Captain Alfred Dreyfus acquitted him and he was promoted to Major. Also Theodor Herzl established the Jewish Colonial Trust, the financial arm of the Zionist movement in 1899.

The ten contemporaneous horns may be the ten nations drawn up following the defeat ("deadly wound") of the Ottoman Empire by the British after World War One in 1920-22. They were Basrah, Baghdad, Mosul, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey Persia (Iran) and Egypt. Under British mandate Basrah, Baghdad and Mosul were later consolidated ("three horns uprooted") into provinces of Iraq. This agrees with Daniel in that one "little horn" (British) subdues three. Interestingly, the ruler of Iraq is now the U.S. president! That could be very significant! Babylonian and Medo-Persian and Greek Empires became Iraq, Iran, Turkey,Syria, Jordan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, etcetera. Shiahs consider their Imams to be infallible, sinless spiritual guides. Further, the "twelvers" of the Shia branch believe this divine-like nature to be continued to the present day through their 12th Imam -- the Hidden Imam -- the Mahdi -- "like a man" but not human -- divine. How else could he be alive after 1200 years? Mahdi is the Antichrist. Thus he can sit in the "Temple of God" (2 Th. 2) which is where the Dome of the Rock is located.

The Mishnah refers to the solid rock structure as the "Foundation Stone" upon which the Ark of the Covenant was secured. This is the rock housed by this Dome. Blasphemy is inscribed on the walls of this Dome of the Rock. Therefore this structure is the Abomination standing in the Holy Place (Matt. 24:15), so Antichrist must be Moslem. He sits in the Dome of the Rock. He "changes times and laws (Sharia Law & Moslem Calendar). He denies Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 2:22). He denies that Jesus was God made flesh (2 John 1:7; 1 John 4:2-3; cp. Luke 1:30-35) according to the Quran 4:157-159 (Isa wasn't crucified), 6:101 (How can Allah have a Son when he has no consort?), 4:171 (Jesus was only an apostle of God ... for God is only one God; and far from his glory is it to beget a Son). Shia Islam's "promised one" is the Antichrist or "False prophet" of the Bible. Muhammed b. Hasan 12th Imam, was born 872 A.D. ("the beast was" -- 17:8) but his body was never found. Legend says he never died. He has been in "hiding" for the last 1200 years ("is not" -- 17:8) but will reappear as al-Mahdi ("shall ascend from the pit" -- 17:8) or "Master of the Age" and be cast into hell fire (17:8).

Seven Times

By the end of the First World War (1917-1918 A.D.) these same gentile empires were all devastated and fell: Germany, Austro-Hungary, Turkey and Russia. "I beheld till the thrones were cast down" (Dan. 7:9). Kaisar Wilhem of Germany abdicated 9 Nov 1918. Over the next three years, France, Poland, Denmark and Belgium took territory from Germany. The partition of the Austro-Hungarian Empire into Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Yugoslavia, Romania and Italy was accomplished in 1918-1919. The partition of the Ottoman Empire began with the Armistice of Mudros 30 Oct. 1918. French took Lebanon-Syria and British took Palestine-Trans-Jordan-Iraq. On March 1, 1924, Mustapha Kemal demanded the abolition of the Caliphate and two days later this throne was cast down. Along with the Bolshevik Russian Revolution of Oct 1917, the Czar Nicolas and his family were executed and the Greek Orthodox Church fell to atheistic tyrants. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia gained independence. Also Finland. Romania took Bessarabia. All of Queen Victoria's relatives throughout Europe were deposed. This Babylonian image had been smitten by the British Empire and the United States who together formed that "STONE" that "became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth" (Dan. 2:35).

Seven Years of Madness Were an Analogy

Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean acted like a beast for seven literal years (Dan. 4:15-16, 33). Then he was given his sanity back (4:34-37). What does this mean? Israel of Chaldean stock became like a wild beast for seven figurative years -- or 2520 years -- before becoming a civilized nation. Specifically Nebuchadnezzar ate grass like an OX and his hair and nails grew long like EAGLE'S feather's and like EAGLE'S claws (4:33) and he behaved like a LION with a MAN'S heart (7:4) from 570-563 B.C. This is a description of a SPHINX or CHERUB represented so often in Babylonian art. FOUR ANIMALS combined in one. In the same way, Israel of Chaldean stock was represented by a LION, EAGLE, MAN and OX according to the flags or emblems of her encampment (Gen. 49) and became like four wild beasts for 2520 years. Notice that they are the same four animals as the SPHINX or CHERUB. Israelites roamed the world for (seven) "times of the gentiles (or nations)" (Luke 21:24) or 2520 years (7 x 360) without God's guidance because they had adopted Assyrian-Babylonian pagan ideas instead. They looked like a SPHINX spiritually. The nations of Israel drank Babylon's wine, "therefore, the nations (of Israel) are mad" (or insane) (Jer. 51:7). They followed Babylonian customs rather than God's laws. Remember that God said to Israel, "If ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you SEVEN TIMES for your sins. And I will break the PRIDE of your power; and I will make your heaven as IRON and your earth as BRASS" (Lev. 26:19). This is very similar wording to what we find stated in Daniel: "Those that walk in PRIDE he is able to abase ... leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of IRON and BRASS ... let SEVEN TIMES pass over him" (Dan. 4:37). This shows that Nebuchadnezzar typified Israel's punishment in type. Daniel 4:32 says, "SEVEN TIMES shall pass over thee (Nebuchadnezzar)" (2520 days).

This is what was meant by "Mene, Mene, Tekel, U Pharsin" (Dan. 5:25). Mene is stated twice indicating "the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass" (Gen. 41:32). Since a Mene is 1000 Gerahs (Ez. 45:12) and a Tekel is 20 Gerahs (Ex. 30:13)(weighed in Libra) and a Upharsin is 500 Gerahs (divided in Gemini 240 months later), this phrase "Count, count, and weigh before dividing wages to the workers" adds up to 2520 gerahs or years. Then Israelites will be given their sanity back as the saints who will rule the world. It's like the modern phrase that carpenters use: "Measure twice and cut once." "Count, count, weigh and then divide." One method of counting is to multiply each unit by 12 to get LUNAR DEGREE MONTHS

But when did Israel discard Babylonian ways and become civilized again? Around the time of the Protestant Reformation. Israelites were represented by a LION of Judah (Gen. 49:9), OX of Ephraim (Deut. 33:17), EAGLE of Dan and MAN of Reuben (Ez. 1:10) before they lost the kingdom to the Assyrian-Babylonian Empire. The symbolic animal representing the Assyrian-Babylonian Empire was the Winged Bull or Winged Lion with a human head, called a SPHINX or CHERUB. Which nation is represented by a LION and an OX today? Great Britain. The so-called "Unicorn" was most probably the ox having two horns, but seen in profile as only one horn (Deut. 33:17). Which nation is represented by an EAGLE and a MAN today? The United States. Uncle Sam and the American bald eagle. Yes, we have been given back our national sanity and are discarding the Babylonian customs of our SPHINX-like insanity. These nations took the lead in the the Protestant Reformation. Just as Nebuchadnezzar stood upright and regained his sanity after 2520 days (7 x 360), so the United States and British Empire have emerged as civilized, intelligent nations after a history of world savagery and bloodshed. Our policy was not conquest and plunder, but to liberate the oppressed peoples of the world and spread the Bible. Uncle Sam did not walk on all fours. His conduct was based on Constitutional Law, the Bill of Rights and the Bible. But that is changing. America is descending rapidly into a literal seven-year beast-like insanity again.

Ethnic Israel Composed Each of the Five Empires

The Jewish rulers of Jerusalem were taken to Babylon, hence the "king of beasts" -- the lion -- has a gold head of Daniel 2 (2 Kings 24:14-17). Israel was given the mind of a wild animal for "seven times" because of refusing to obey God. These four symbols became blended and fused together in Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon which was portrayed as a LION with EAGLE'S wings that stood on its feet like a MAN after eating grass like an OX to typify Israel's punishment -- in other words, a SPHINX or CHERUB. The ten northern tribes of Israel were taken to the cities of the Medes (2 Kings 17:6), hence a powerful bear or the silver breast and arms of Daniel 2. Therefore, when Medo-Persia conquered Babylon, Israelites were still dominant but with a "mind of a wild animal." When Greece conquered Medo-Persia, the Spartans were all Israelites. First Chronicles 2:6 says Darda was a son of Zerah of Judah. Darda built Troy before the Exodus from Egypt. Josephus Antiquities 12:4:10 and 1 Maccabees 12:21 say the Trojans were of Abraham's lineage, but without knowledge of Moses' law, so were a brass kingdom. Rome, the iron kingdom, was originally founded by the Greek Aeneas, a Trojan prince who descended from Darda and his Israelite followers referred to themselves as Dardans in Virgil's Aeneid. Then the grandson of Aeneas was Brutus the Trojan who founded London in 1184 B.C. His oldest son became the king of England and his youngest son the king of Scotland according to Geoffrey of Monmouth 4:2 and Nennius 10.

The Ten horns of Papal Rome bring us to the late 1700s and 1800s. At this point in time at the end of 2520 years we should expect to find the saints (or Israel) in prominence once again under the same four national symbols as they take their kingdom back. What happened in the 1700s and 1800s? How did the saints take possession of the kingdom? From 13 original colonies in 1776 to the purchase of Alaska in 1867, Uncle Sam has increased his territory and influence. In the same way, the British Empire has expanded from the first British settlers coming to Australia in 1793, the first British settlers coming to South Africa in 1795, and to New Zealand in 1840, to the Confederation of Canada in 1867. Notice that all these dates begin just when Papal Rome's throne is "cast down." "The saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom (British Empire & United States)" (Dan.7:18) ... and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom" (7:22). "Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High" (7:27). The British were given the mind of a man when the King James Bible was translated in 1611 and the United States was given the mind of a man at the time the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights were ratified (1783).

This "STONE" kingdom is revealed in other "SEVEN TIMES" intervals also. In 745 B.C. Tiglath-Pileser forced Menahem to pay tribute (2 Ki. 15:10-20). Then 2520 years later in 1776 A.D. Americans no longer paid tribute. In 742 B.C. Tiglath Pileser invaded Israel in Pekah's reign (2 Ki. 15:20) and took two-and-a-half tribes away (1 Chr. 5:26). Then 2520 years later in 1781 A.D. the thirteen colonies were united by the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. From 721 to 718 B.C. Shalmaneser beseiged Samaria three years in the reign of Hoshea (2 Ki. 17:3-5) and took the land of Israel. Adding 2520 years we arrive at 1800-1803 A.D. Spain gave France the Louisiana territory in 1800 A.D. Thomas Jefferson purchased it from Napoleon in 1803. The year 1800 A.D. was also when England, Scotland and Ireland united to become "Great Britain." These Ephraimites and Judahites had been divided in 721 B.C. In 677 B.C. Esar-Haddon invaded the remnant of Israel as well as Judah (2 Chr. 33:11) and replaced them with Samaritans (2 Ki. 17:24; Ezra 4:2). Adding 2520 years we get 1844 A.D. when the Sultan of Turkey was forced to give religious liberty to the Jews. In 1844 the United States annexed Texas territory which included large parts of New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma as well as what is known as Texas today. Americans displaced Mexicans. In 604 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian army took tribute from Jerusalem. Then 2520 years later on November 2, 1917, the Balfour Declaration gave Jews the land of Palestine and on December 9th British General Allenby liberated Jerusalem from the Turks. In 597 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem. Then 2520 years later in 1924 A.D. the Caliphate was abolished and Turkish power and influence ended. In 586 B.C. the Temple was destroyed and Zedekiah taken captive (Jer. 39). Nebuchadnezzar "carried away all Jerusalem ... to Babylon" (2 Ki. 24:14-17). Then 2520 years later we get 1935. With the ascent of Hitler to power in Germany (1934), a new type of Jew began emigrating to Palestine. Daniel 7:27 says, "And the kingdom and dominion shall be given to the people of the saints if the Most High." (British, Americans and Jews)

There will be an end-time Gentile world government for seven literal years when an actual human leader (such as the pope) will receive a "deadly wound" and then be resurrected and blasphemously claim to be the Messiah (Rev. 13:6). He will enslave the United States, the British Empire and the Jews just as the historical anti-type did. Then the Messiah will return.