THE VISION OF THE FOUR BEASTS

Grace and peace be unto you all. We continue to write to you today concerning the things that shall be in the time of the end. Though some of the people say “the vision that he speaketh is for many days to come, and the prophesy is of the times that are far off.” Thus saith the Lord GOD: There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD, concerning the things that shall be at the end, which is now come.

It is written in Dan 7:2-28 “ I saw in my vision by night…four great beasts came up from the sea… 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings…a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it…and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it…and behold a fourthbeast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. 8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things…I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame…I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven…And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed…the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever…I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom… 27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom…”

The vision above was given to Daniel by God while he was in captivity in Babylon ( Iraq) with the rest of Judah after King Nebuchadnezzar had come against it and taken the strong and mighty men of the land captive to Babylon. It was during the first year of the reign of Belshazzar (about 540-539 B.C.), the son of Nabonidus and grand-son of Nebuchadnezzar that this vision came unto Daniel the prophet. This vision, like the vision of the great image which we wrote to you recently, concerns what shall be from the days of Daniel in Babylon to the time our Lord Jesus Christ comes to set up His literal kingdom on earth at His second coming with His saints, a kingdom which shall not be destroyed but shall be from everlasting to everlasting. So then, this is yet another vision concerning what shall be in the time of the end. God is so just and righteous that He has fully revealed in His word what shall be from the beginning of all things to the end of the age, but yet again, it takes the wise to search it out. Now all men that confess to know the Lord must take heed to all these things so they can discern the times and the seasons and know what God is about to do on the earth in the days to come.

In Dan 2, Nebuchadnezzar is shown the Gentile world kingdoms from his day to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This we wrote to you in our last epistle. All these kingdoms were revealed to the king from man’s standpoint, as a great and beautiful metallic image. Here in Dan 7 which we quote above, God shows Daniel the same kingdoms from God’s standpoint as ferocious wild beasts (Dan 7:17). The sure interpretation of the vision is as follows:

1. The first beast like a lion (Dan 7:4). The first beast like a lion is the kingdom of Babylon ( Iraq) with Nebuchadnezzar as the king (606 B.C.) The king of Babylon is compared to a lion (Isa 5:29, Jer 4:7, 50:17, 44-46). The eagle’s wing as mentioned in Dan 7:4 above identify with Babylon for the kingdom is also compared to an eagle (Jer 48:40, Ezek 17, Hab 1:6-8). The wings denote the swiftness of the conquest of Nebuchadnezzar. In just a few years he made a vast empire. The wings being plucked and the lion standing upon its feet as a man with a man’s heart given to it symbolize the conquests of Nebuchadnezzar coming to an abrupt end by his insanity and his becoming sane again as a man (Dan 4:33, 36)

2. The Second beast like a bear (Dan 7:5). This is the fitting symbol of the Medo-Persia Empire (Iran) (537 B.C.) ruled by Darius the Mede and later by Cyrus the Persian, because of their cruelty, thirst after blood, their robberies, and love of spoil (Isa 13:16-18, Jer 51:48-56). In fact, the largest species of bear are found in the mountains of Media. That the bear was raised on one side as mentioned in Dan 7:5 symbolizes the strength of the Persians over the Medes. Cyrus the Persian who came up last was greater and stronger than Darius the Mede (Dan 5:31, 2 Chro 36:20-23, Ezra 1:1-8, 3:7, 4:5, Isa 44:28, 45:1).

3. The third beast like a leopard (Dan 7:6). This is the fitting symbol of the Grecian Empire founded by Alexander the Great (336 B.C.). The leopard known for its swiftness together with wings of a fowl symbolizes the swiftness of Alexander’s conquests. None of the conquests of the first two beasts equaled that of Alexander. In 13 years, Alexander had conquered the whole Persian Empire and the Greeks had become the masters of the known world at that time. The four heads on this beast as mentioned in Dan 7:6 symbolize the 4 divisions of the Grecian Empire after the death of Alexander.

4. The fourth beast that cannot be described (Dan 7:7). This strange fourth beast is a symbol of the old Roman Empire. It is mentioned by name only in the New Testament (John 11:48, Acts 2:10, 16:21). This is an indescribable beast for there is nothing on earth to compare it with. It is a dreadful, terrible, strong beast with great iron teeth symbolizing the same as the iron on the image of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 2:40-43). According to the word of the Lord (Dan 7:7), it devoured the other beasts ( Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Grecian Empires) and stamped upon them with his feet. This word was indeed fulfilled by the Roman Empire in that it did conquer all these territories as the Lord has said. The 10 horns on this beast symbolizes 10 kingdoms in the latter days (this present season), a revived form of the old Roman Empire (Dan 7:7-8, 23-24, Rev 13, 17:8-17) that will rule the world shortly in the days to come. This kingdom is not the old Roman Empire. It is only a form of it. Again, this kingdom is not the United States neither is it the EU. The way for this kingdom is presently being prepared and this kingdom, an alliance of nations, shall arise shortly. This is that which is already purposed by the Lord and who is able to prevent it?

Now, the little horn which came up last after the 10 horns mentioned above, and plucked up 3 of the 10 horns by the roots, symbolizes the Antichrist. He shall arise in the days of these 10 kingdoms, after them, and shall subdue 3 of the kings of these kingdoms and the others will submit to him without further war (Dan 7:8, 23-24, Rev 17:11-17). This little horn, the Antichrist does not come and speak as Christ, speaking for God to deceive the people as some men claim. Contrarily, he is called “Anti” Christ which literally means “Against Christ”. He is against Christ and God and will not speak the words of God. According to the word of the Lord, this man will speak blasphemies against God (Dan 7:8, 25, 11:36, Rev 13:1, 5, 17:3) and declare that God has no Son, for he (Antichrist) is against Christ who is also God (John 1:1). In those days, he shall make war on the saints (Christians and Jews left behind after the rapture because of sin) and prevail against them (Dan 7:21, 25, 8:23-25, 9:27, 11:35-45, 12:7, Rev 11:7, 13:7, 14:9-11, 15:2-4, 20:4-6). He shall even behead many Christians (Rev 20:4) and the holy name of our Lord Jesus Christ will not deliver Christians out of his hands. He shall devour them, for this is the trial that the Lord has set before them that will not accept His mercies today and turn from their sinful ways and walk in all His statutes.

But as it is written in Dan 7:11, 13-14, 18, 21-22, 25-27, in the days of the Antichrist after he has accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, God’s judgment shall sit and he shall be slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame (Dan 7:11) at Christ’s second coming with His saints. According to the word of the Lord in Dan 7:18, the saints of the most high shall take the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever. This would be at Christ’s second coming with His saints who have been caught away (raptured) from the earth at least 7 years before the second coming. There is no limitation to the extent of this coming kingdom of God with His saints to reign on the whole earth. Three times in Dan 7 God stated that His saints will take over all the kingdoms of this world following the reign of the Antichrist (Dan 7:18, 22, 27). Also 3 times God said the kingdom will be eternal without an end (Dan 7:13-14, 18, 27). There is no limitation to this coming kingdom of God. In those days, all kingdoms on this earth will be ruled by Christ and His saints and it shall be an everlasting dominion. The subjects in this kingdom shall be natural men and people of all races on the entire face of the earth. Just as kings reign over people, so also the saints of God shall reign over all men in those days to make them do the will of God. It shall also be by the rod of iron (Matt 13:41-50, 25:31-46, Rom 8:17-18, Rev 1:6, 5:10, 11:15, 20:4-6).

Now brethren, let all men that name the name of the Lord depart from iniquity. Again, that you believe Christ as your Lord and Savior does not guarantee your salvation unto the end. Him that is faithful unto the end, the same shall be saved. You must all remain in the love of God to keep His commandments. This is the only meaning of the love of God. Are these things not written in John 14:15, 21, 1 John 2:4-5, 5:3? That the love of God is to keep His commandments? Therefore hear the Word of the Lord O ye people: if any man shall profess and confess the name of the Lord and yet continue in sin because he sayeth "my sins are already washed away by the blood of the Lamb" and also sayeth "I love the Lord" but do not keep His commandments, he is a liar and the truth is not in him, and it shall come to pass that if he does not repent and depart from his iniquity and forsake his wicked ways but continue in them, that he shall die in his sins. Yea! he shall die in his sins and be lost. Therefore brethren, hearken to these words today and depart from any form of sin in you. For indeed, the days of trouble are near, and shall come upon the desolate after the Lord taketh His own from the earth. Keep the Lord's commandments and walk in full obedience to His will in all things. Behold, the coming of the Lord is at the doors and yet many do not know. The Lord has commanded us what we must say to all men, so in this manner we speak. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The Lord cometh shortly. Prepare, Watch, and Be Ready. Grace be unto you all. Amen.