Final Post, Again

In the face of calamity after calamity, more wars than we can count and the face of hunger in hand with an ever depreciating currency looming as the next crisis I am discontinuing further postings.  The blog will stand idle as a  user resource depository only.


As for words of advice?  The time is here and the doctrine of evil is the way of the world.  Wickedness in high places is in control of the masses. So, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things and trust in Gods salvation, Jesus Christ.  

 

Ron Schindeler

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The End of Mans Rule on Earth as Predicted by God

The End of Mans Rule on Earth as Predicted by God



14Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.Mark 16:14-16



"You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink".  That goes for people too, unless their being "water-board" I guess.  


But God has given us a choice of drink to participate in.  



Jesus said, "Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”  John 4:13-14


On the other hand the world in general will fall into the group who will suffer the following fate:


 “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand,  he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.  And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”  Revelation 14:9-11



 And for those of you on the fence:


  "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons."   1 Corinthians 10:21



Do not set your eyes, heart or hope on your government to direct your course.  For we know that all human governments belong to Satan.  The stronger the government the more influence that Satan has over that government.  For governments have nothing good to offer as history has shown us.  They have all fallen to destruction eventually and that will be the case for current governments until the one made of "Stone" is resurrected at the return of Yeshua Messiah, Jesus Christ, which will stand for all eternity.  And then the earth will know real peace an prosperity and only then.  So whatever the governors and presidents tell you about peace and security being possible you can be sure the the exact opposite will take place.  




In the Book of Daniel of the Bible we are given a picture of the development of the world governments that are the unfolding of the world empires from beginning to end.  It is given to us in scripture known as  Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream.  (below)





Daniel 2
New King James Version (NKJV)

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
2 Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. 2 Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.”

4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic,[a] “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”

5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. 6 However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”

7 They answered again and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.”

8 The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: 9 if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.”

10 The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, “There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. 11 It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

12 For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.

God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream 14 Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; 15 he answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel.

16 So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation. 17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

20 Daniel answered and said:

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
21 And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.

23 “I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers;
You have given me wisdom and might,
And have now made known to me what we asked of You,
For You have made known to us the king’s demand.”



Daniel Explains the Dream
24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.”

25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, “I have found a man of the captives[b] of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation.”

26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?”

27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. 28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: 29 As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. 30 But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

31 “You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. 32 This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs[c] of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.[d] 34 You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 “This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. 37 You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; 38 and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold. 39 But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. 41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”




The four metals  of which the "Colossus" was composed represent 



Four Worldwide Empires.

which were to arise in succession. Dan. 2:37-40. Four great Empires, and only four, are to succeed each other in the government of the world, from Nebuchadnezzar to the "Second Coming" of Christ-the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman. These Kingdoms are not only made known as to number, but their names, in the order of their succession, are given. The First Kingdom "Babylon" is indicated by Daniel while interpreting the vision to Nebuchadnezzar. "THOU art this Head of Gold." Dan. 2:38. The Second-the "MedoPersian," he points out in his account of Belshazzar's Feast, by the emphatic words-"In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain, and Darius the Median took the Kingdom." Dan. 5:30, 31. The Third-the "Grecian," is mentioned in Dan. 8:20-21, "the ram which thou sawest having two horns are The kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the King of Grecia." The Fourth-the "Roman" is referred to in Dan. 9:26, as-"the People of the Prince that should destroy the city (Jerusalem) and the Sanctuary"; and we know that it was the Romans under Titus, that destroyed Jerusalem in A. D. 70.

We have seen that the deterioration of the "Colossus" is shown in the character of the metals composing it. This was prophetic of the character of the governments as they were to succeed one another. The power of Nebuchadnezzar was Absolute, of him Daniel said-

 "All people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared him; whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down." Dan. 5:19.

The second Kingdom was inferior to the first. It was a Monarchy dependent upon the support of an Hereditary Aristocracy. The king could by no means do as he willed. This is seen in the case of Darius, who desired to save Daniel from the "Lions' Den," and could not, Dan. 6:12-16; and in the case of Ahasuerus who could only save the Jews from slaughter by a counter-decree. Esther 8:3-12. The metal of the third Kingdom was brass, and the government of Alexander the Great was a Monarchy supported by a Military Aristocracy, that was as weak as the ambitions of its leaders.

The iron power of the fourth Kingdom shows a still further depreciation. The Caesars were nominally elected by the people; they were merely called First Magistrates of the State or Generals; and for a long time they wore no diadem, but only the laurel crown of a successful commander. They had also a Senate which was supposed to counsel and control them. The people were neither allowed to legislate for them, nor to interfere with them, and if a Senator became too independent he was banished. Thus the Empire remained metallic and coherent. Iron is more perishable, more easily corroded or rusted than brass, or silver, or gold; but in the form of STEEL it is harder than any of them, and cuts through every other metal. Such has been Rome with her iron rule.

But the "Colossus" grows weaker and weaker until the feet and toes become a mixture of Iron and Clay. In other words the government degenerates from an Absolute Monarchy to an

Autocratic Democracy,

 a form of government in which the people largely have the say.


In short the "Colossus" shows that Gentile dominion passes gradually from the Head, the organ which ought to direct the members, to the Feet, which are only made to carry the body whither the head directs. We see then that the first of these Kingdoms was a Unit, the second Dual, the third became Quadruple (Dan. 7:6, 8:8), and the fourth, in its final form, becomes Ten-Toed.

The "Colossus" comes to an end by being smitten on the Feet by a "Stone Cut Out of a Mountain." The "Stone" does not fill the earth by degrees, and thus crowd the "Colossus" out, it at One Blow DEMOLISHES IT. The action of the "Stone" is JUDGMENT, not grace. It therefore cannot mean Christianity, for it is a "process" whereas the action of the "Stone" is SUDDEN and CALAMITOUS.

 Again the Time of the destruction is not until after the formation of the toes, and we know that the "Two Limbs/Legs" of the "Colossus" did not appear until A. D. 364, and the "Ten Toes" have not yet developed. The Time when the "Stone" falls on the "Colossus" is distinctly stated in the interpretation as "in the days of those kings," that is, in the days of the kings represented by the "Ten Toes."

The "Stone" which smites the "Colossus" must be interpreted as Christ who is called a "Stone" in Scripture. "Whosoever shall fall on this stone (Christ) shall be broken (softened by repentance), but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." Matt. 21:44. This is exactly what the prophet foretells of the smiting of the "Colossus."

"Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them; and the Stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." Dan. 2:35.

As the four Kingdoms typified by the "Colossus" are literal Kingdoms, it follows that the "Stone Kingdom" must be a literal Kingdom, for it takes the place of the Kingdoms that are destroyed, and conquers the whole earth. The "Stone Kingdom" then is the "Millennial Kingdom of Christ" and the "Colossus," or the

"Times of the Gentiles"

typified by it, cannot come to an end until the "revelation of Christ" at His Second Coming.

2. The Vision of the "FOUR BEASTS."

This was a vision of Daniel's 48 years after Nebuchadnezzar had his dream, and occurred in the first year of Belshazzar, B.C. 555. In vision Daniel stood on the shore of the "Great Sea" (the Mediterranean), from which region the four Kingdoms arose. Out of the sea four "Great Beasts" came up in succession. We have no difficulty in identifying these "Four Beasts" with the "Four Kingdoms" represented by the "Colossus." "The first was like a Lion and had Eagle's Wings," and as the Prophet watched it, he saw it "lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon its feet as a Man, and a Man's Heart was given to it. Dan. 7:4. We have only to visit the British Museum, London, and examine the colossal stone lions with the "wings of an eagle" and the "head of a man," disinterred from the ruins of Babylon and Assyria by Sir Henry Layard between the years 1840 and 1850 A. D., to see that the "First Beast" of Daniel's vision represented the First World Kingdom-Babylon, and its King Nebuchadnezzar.

The peculiarity of the "First Beast" was that it had "Eagle's Wings." This combination of the lion, the "King of Beasts," and the eagle, the "King of Birds," corresponded to the Royalty of the "Head of Gold" of the Colossus, and typified the "Eagle-like" swiftness of the armies of Nebuchadnezzar. The "Plucking of the Wings" doubtless referred to the "Beastly Insanity" of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:20-27), and the "lifting up," and causing to stand upon its feet "as a man" to his restoration to sanity.

The Second Beast was "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 they said thus unto it, Arise, Devour Much Flesh." Dan. 7:5. The bear is the strongest beast after the lion and is distinguished for its voracity, but it has none of the agility and majesty of the lion, is awkward in its movements, and effects its purpose with comparative slowness, and by brute force and sheer strength. These were the characteristics of the Medo-Persian Empire. It was ponderous in its movements. It did not gain its victories by bravery or skill, but overwhelmed its enemies by hurling vast masses of troops upon them. Xerxes' expedition against Greece was undertaken with 2,500,000 fighting men, who with the camp followers made up an army of 5,000,000. Other Persian generals had armies running up into the 100,000's of men. It is easy to be seen that the movements of such enormous bodies of men would "devour much flesh," not only in the destruction of their enemies, but thousands would die of disease and exposure and the countries through which they passed would become famine stricken by the loss of food seized to feed such armies. The side of the Bear which raised up to attack typified Persia, in which lay the greatest military strength, and corresponded to the right shoulder and arm of the "Colossus." The "Three-Ribs" stood for the three Kingdoms of Lydia, Babylon and Egypt, which formed a "Triple Alliance" to check the Medo-Persian power, but were all destroyed by it.

The Third Beast was "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." Dan. 7:6. The leopard is the most agile and graceful of creatures; but its speed is here still further assisted by "wings." Slight in its frame, but strong, swift and fierce, its characteristics render it a fitting symbol of the rapid conquests of the Greeks under Alexander the Great, who, followed by small but well-equipped and splendidly brave armies, moved with great celerity and in about 10 years overthrew the unwieldy forces of Persia, and subdued the whole civilized world. The "four wings of a Fowl" indicate, that, as a "fowl" does not fly high, the armies of Alexander were fitted mainly for lowland fighting. There is an incongruity between the number of "wings" and the number of "heads" of the Leopard. "Four heads" call for "four pair of wings." Why only "four" wings we do not know, unless they denote the four quarters of the earth into which Alexander sought to extend his Kingdom.

The "Four Heads" of the Leopard represent the "Four Kingdoms" into which the Empire of Alexander was divided by his generals, namely Egypt, Syria, Thrace and Macedonia. From B.C. 323 to B.C. 30 there was no world-wide Kingdom, there being this break or parenthesis between the Medo-Persian and Roman Empires, showing that while there was to be "four" and "only four" world-wide Empires it did not necessarily follow that there should be no break between them. The Third Beast, the Leopard, corresponds to the abdomen and hips of the Colossus.

The Fourth Beast was unlike any beast that Daniel had ever seen or heard about, it was "dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly, and it had great IRON TEETH. It devoured and brake in pieces, and tamped the residue (the other Beasts) with the feet of it; and it was diverse from all the Beasts that were before it and it had "Ten Horns."

The fact that the Fourth Beast had "Iron Teeth," and that there are "Ten Horns" on its head, the "iron" corresponding to the "Iron Limbs" and the "ten horns" to the "Ten Toes" of the Colossus, would cause Daniel to see that the Fourth Beast represented the Fourth World Kingdom.

But as Daniel "considered" the "Ten Horns," he was amazed to see another Horn, a "LITTLE" one, come up among them, and before whom there were "three" of the "First Horns" plucked up by the roots, that is destroyed; and as he examined the "Little Horn" more closely he noticed that it had Eyes like the eyes of a Man, and the Mouth of a Man speaking great things. Dan. 7:7,8. This mystified and troubled Daniel. He had seen nothing corresponding to it on the "Ten Toes" of the Colossus. It must mean some new and additional revelation that God did not see fit to impart to the Gentile King Nebuchadnezzar, and that was reserved for Daniel and his people (the Jews), for we must not forget that Daniel's own visions, in the last six chapters of the Book, have to do with God's dealings with the Jewish People in the "Latter Days." Dan. 10:14.

Before Daniel could ask for an explanation of the meaning of the "Little Horn," he had another vision, a vision of a Judgment. Dan. 7: 9-14. Daniel's vision of the destruction of the Beast (vs. 11) locates this judgment as just before the Millennium. Daniel at the same time saw the "Son of Man" (Christ) receive His Kingdom (the Stone Kingdom). Vs. 13, 14. These visions added to Daniel's perplexity, and he was "grieved in his spirit," and the visions of his head "troubled him" (vs. 15), so he approached one of the "Heavenly Messengers" that stood by and asked him the. meaning. He was told that the "Four Beasts" stood for Four Kings, or Kingdoms (vs. 23), that should arise out of the earth. Then Daniel wanted to know the "truth" about the "Fourth Beast," which was so diverse from the other three. The "Little Horn" of the Fourth Beast was what troubled him the most because it was to make war against the

"Saints of the Most High,"

and they were Daniel's own people, the God-fearing Jews of the "End Time," who were to pass through the "Great Tribulation" and to be prevailed against, until the time came that the people (the Jews) of the "Saints of the Most High" should possess the Kingdom.

In explanation Daniel was told that the "Ten Horns" on the Fourth Beast represented "Ten Kings" that shall arise, and that the "Little Horn" was a king that should rise among them and subdue three of them, and that he would be a "person" of remarkable intelligence and great oratorical powers, having a mouth speaking great things (vs. 8, 20). That he would be audacious, arrogant, imperious and persecuting and change "times and laws," and that the "Saints of the Most High" would be given into his hands for a "Time, and Times, and the Dividing of Time," or 3 ½ years.

In this vision of the Four Beasts we see "Degeneration" just as we saw it in the metals of the Colossus. The descent is from the Lion, the "King of Beasts," to a nondescript monster that defies description. The reason why these Four Kingdoms are represented first as a "Golden Headed Metallic Image," and then as a succession of "Wild Beasts," is to show the difference between man's view and God's view of the World Kingdoms. Man sees in them the concentration of wealth, majesty and power; God sees them as a succession of rapacious wild beasts devouring one another.


It seems fitting to interject here why God tells us:

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.   1 John 2:15





3. The Vision of the "RAM" and the "HE-GOAT."

 The explanation as to the meaning of the "Little Horn" perplexed Daniel, and he voiced it "My 'cogitations' much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me; but i kept the matter in 'my heart."' Dan. 7:28. To comfort His servant God, two years later, transported Daniel in vision to Shushan the capital of Persia, and as he stood on the bank of Ulai, he saw a Ram which had "Two Horns," one higher than the other, and the higher came. He saw the Ram push "Westward" and "Northward" and "Southward" and nothing could stand before it, and it did according to its will. Dan. 8:4. While Daniel was "considering" what the vision of the Ram meant, he saw a He-Goat come from the West unmolested, and he noticed it had a "Notable Horn" between its eyes, and when it reached the Ram it was moved with "choler" or anger against it, and smote it with "fury," and broke its "Two Horns," and knocked it down and stamped upon it.

Then the He-Goat waxed great, but when it became strong its "Great Horn" was broken off, and "Four Notable Horns" came up in its place, and out of one of them sprang a "Little Horn" which waxed exceeding great toward the "South" and toward the "East," and toward the "Pleasant Land" (Palestine). Dan. 8:5-9.

When Daniel sought for the meaning of the vision he heard a voice say "Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision." Then Gabriel said to Daniel: The vision belongs to the 'Time of the End,' and is to make thee know what shall come to pass in the "Last End of the Indignation." Dan. 8:15-19. Gabriel then informed Daniel that the "Ram" stood for the Medo-Persian Kingdom, with its two Kings, Darius and his nephew Cyrus; that the He-Goat stood for the Grecian Kingdom, the "Great Horn" between its eyes for its first King (Alexander the Great), and that the "Four Horns" that took the place of the "Great Horn" stood for Four Kingdoms into which the Grecian Kingdom should be divided.

 This explanation cleared up things considerably for Daniel. It revealed to him that the "Two Horns" of the Ram, one higher than the other, and the "Two Shoulders" of the Bear, one higher than the other, of his vision of the "Four Wild Beasts;" and the "Two Arms" of the Colossus of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, must stand for the same thing, and that the double Kingdom of Medo-Persia. He also saw that the "Four Horns" that came up in the place of the "Great Horn" corresponded to the "Four Heads" of the Third Wild Beast (the Leopard) and that therefore the He-Goat and the Third Wild Beast and the "Abdomen and Hips" of the Colossus stood for the Grecian Kingdom, and its fourfold division among the generals of Alexander the Great.

We have already anticipated this in our explanation of the "Colossus" and of the "Four Wild Beasts," but we must not forget that Daniel's information was progressive, and that each new vision threw light on his previous visions. For instance the Ram's pushing "Westward" and "Northward" and "Southward," identifies it with the Bear crunching "Three Ribs" in its mouth which we saw was prophetic of the subjugation of Lydia to the "West," Babylon to the "North," and Egypt to the "South."

If the He-Goat had not been pointed out as the "King of Grecia" it would not be difficult for us to identify him, for the "Goat" was the national emblem of Macedonia, and is found on the coins of that country, the ancient capital of which was called "Aegae" or the "Goat City."

The same may be said as to the identification of the Ram with the Medo-Persian Kingdom.

Persian coins have been found which display a "Ram's Head" on one side, and a "Ram" incumbent on the other. We also read of a Persian kin riding in front of his army wearing a golden figure of a "Ram's Head" set with gems, instead of a diadem. In the Zena- vesta, Ized Behram, the guardian spirit of Persia, appears as a "Ram," with clean feet and sharp-pointed horns.

The fury and violence of the He-Goat well depicts the vigor of Alexander the Great's attacks which carried everything before them. Rushing from the West, Alexander, in three great battles, made himself master of the world. But the "Great Horn" was suddenly broken off, for Alexander, with plans inconceivably vast, succumbed to marsh fever and intemperance at Babylon, in the thirty-third year of his life, and, in fulfillment of the prophecy "Four Horns" sprang up in the place of the "Great Horn."

These "Four Horns" stood for the four Generals of Alexander's army who divided his Kingdom among themselves. Cassander took possession of Macedonia. Lysimachus seized upon Thrace, Western Bithynia, Lower Phrygia, Mysia and Lydia. Seleucus took the remainder of Asia Minor and the East, including Syria and Assyria. Ptolemy took possession of Egypt. These Four Kingdoms were in time all absorbed into the Fourth World Kingdom, the Roman Empire. The last to lose its identity being Egypt, which succumbed in B.C. 30.

Soon after the appearance of these "Four Horns" on the head of the He-Goat Daniel saw a "Little Horn" come up on one of them. Gabriel explained the significance of this "Little Horn" to Daniel.

He told him that it stood for a King of "Fierce Countenance" who should stand up in the "Latter Time" of the Kingdom, and who should stand up against the "Prince of Princes" (Christ). Dan. 8:23-25. The description of this "Little Horn" so clearly corresponds with the description of the "Little Horn" that rose among the "Ten Horns" on the head of the Fourth Wild Beast that it was not difficult for Daniel to see that they described and stood for the same Person-THE ANTICHRIST. The revelation so overcame Daniel that he "fainted" and was sick certain days. Dan. 8:27.




4. The Vision of the "KINGS OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH."

While Daniel foresaw that the Kingdom of Alexander the Great would be divided into Four Kingdoms and that out of one of them would come the "Antichrist," he was not told at that time which one it would be, but 20 years later, in B.C. 533, he had another vision in which he saw two kings warring against each other. One was called the "King of the North," the other the "King of the South." This chapter (Dan. 11:1-45) is one of the most wonderfully minute as to prophetic details of any chapter in the Bible. It corresponds exactly with the profane history of the kings of Egypt and Syria for over 350 years. From verse 5 to verse 31 we have an account of what is called the "wars" of the "Kings of the North" (Syria) and of the "Kings of the South" (Egypt). These end with the close of the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, B.C. 164. Verses 32-35 cover the whole period from, B.C. 164 down to the "Time of the End." At verse 36 "The Wilful King" (Antichrist) appears, and from that verse down to the end of the Book, we have an account of what is to befall Daniel's People in the "Latter Days." This vision of the "King of the North" (Syria), and of the "King of the South" (Egypt), in which the "King of the North" prevailed, revealed to Daniel that Antichrist would arise in the "Syrian" division of Alexander's Kingdom, for the description of the "King of the North" corresponded with the description of the "Little Horn" that came up on one of the "Four Horns" of the He-Goat, and also with the "Little Horn" that came up among the "Ten Horns" on the head of the Fourth Beast.

Thus to Daniel was revealed the whole course of the "Times of the Gentiles."



5. The Vision of the "SEVENTY WEEKS."

In chapter nine Daniel had a Vision of "Seventy Weeks" that were determined on his "People" (the Jews) and the Holy City (Jerusalem) to finish "their transgressions," and make an "end of their sins," and bring in "everlasting righteousness." Dan. 9:24. This Vision of the "Seventy Weeks" is the most important revelation in many respects made in the Scriptures. It set the date of the First Coming of Christ, and gives the length of the reign of Antichrist.


The date of the "Vision" is important. The first verse of the chapter locates it in the "First Year" of Darius the Median, or the same year as the "Fall of Babylon," B.C. 538. Daniel had been studying the Prophecy of Jeremiah, and learned from it that the 70 years of "Captivity" of his people were drawing to a close, for the "Captivity" began in B.C. 606, and 68 years had elapsed since then. Jer. 25:11. This discovery thrilled Daniel and he set his face toward God and poured out his soul in one of the most wonderful prayers recorded in the Scriptures. Verses 3-19. It is a model of confession, supplication and intercession. His prayer was interrupted by the appearance of the angel Gabriel, who had been sent at its commencement to give him "understanding in the matter." Vs. 20-23. Daniel was concerned about the end of the "seventy years" of the "Captivity," and doubtless Gabriel relieved his mind as to that, but Gabriel had something more important to reveal to Daniel and that was the period of "Seventy Weeks."

The purpose of Gabriel's visit was to show Daniel that while his people would be restored to their own land at the end of the "Seventy Years," that did not mean the restoration of their National Life, but was only the commencement of a longer period, which the angel called the "Seventy Weeks," that must elapse before they should again be in control of their own land. This period was "determined" upon Daniel's people, and upon the Holy City. This is very important. It discloses the fact that the "Seventy Weeks" have nothing to do with the Gentiles or the Church. It also discloses another fact that the "Seventy Weeks," or 490 years, only cover the period when the Jews are, by God's permission, dwelling as a people in their own land. It does not cover the present period of their Dispersion.

THE SEVENTY WEEKS

The expression "Seventy Weeks" should read "Seventy Sevens." Whether those "sevens" are days, weeks or years is to be determined by the context. The "Period" of the "Seventy Weeks" is divided into three periods of "Seven Weeks," "Threescore and Two Weeks" and "One Week," and it was to be 7+62--69 weeks from the going forth of the "commandment" to Restore and Build Jerusalem Unto

"MESSIAH THE PRINCE."

The date of the "commandment" is given in Nehemiah 2:1 as the month "Nisan" in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, which was the 14th day of March, B.C. 445. The day when Jesus rode in Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem as "Messiah the Prince," was Palm Sunday, April 2, A. D. 30. Luke 19:37-40. But the time between March 14, B.C. 445, and April 2, A. D. 30, is more than 69 literal "weeks." It is . 445+30=475 years. What explanation can we give for this? It is clear to every careful student of the Word of God that there is a "Time Element" in the Scriptures. We come across such divisions of time as "hours;" "days;"-"weeks,;" "months;" "years;" "times;" "time and the dividing of time." To be intelligible and avoid confusion they must all be interpreted on the same scale. What is that scale? It is given in Num. 14:34. "After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days-Each Day FOR A YEAR, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years" See also Ezek. 4:6

The "Lord's Scale" then is-

"A Day Stands for a Year."

Let us apply this scale to the "Seventy Weeks." We found that the time between the "commandment" to restore and build Jerusalem, and "Messiah the Prince," was to be 69 weeks, or 69 X 7 = 483 days, or if a "day" stands for a year, 483 years. But we found that from B.C. 445 to A. D. 30 was 475 years, a difference of 8 years. How can we account for the difference?

We must not forget that there are years of different lengths. The Lunar year has 354 days. The Calendar year has 360 days. The Solar year has 365 days.- The Julian, or Astronomical year, has 365 1/4 days, and it is necessary to add one day every 4 years to the calendar.

Now which of these years shall we use in our calculation? We find the "Key" in the Word of God. In Gen. 7:11-24; 8:3, 4, in the account of the Flood, we find that the 5 months from the 17th day of the 2nd month, until the 17th day of the 7th month, are reckoned as 150 days, or 30 days to a month, or 360 days to a year. So we see that we are to use in "Prophetical Chronology" a "Calendar" year of 360 days.

According to ordinary chronology, the 475 years from B.C. 445 to A. D. 30 are 64 "Solar" years of 365 days each. Now counting the years from B.C. 445 to A..D. 30, inclusively, we have 476 solar years. Multiplying these 476 years by 365 (the number of days in a Solar year), we ave 173,740 days, to which add 119 days for leap years, and we have 173,859 days. Add to these 20 days inclusive from March 14 to April 2, and we have 173,879 days. Divide 173,879 by 360 (the number of days in a "Prophetical Year"), and we have 483 years all to one day, the exact number of days (483) in 69 weeks, each day standing for a year. Could there be anything more conclusive to prove that Daniel's 69 weeks ran out on April 2, A. D. 30, the day that Jesus rode in triumph into the City of Jerusalem.

We must carefully notice that nothing is mentioned as occurring between the "Seven Weeks" and the "Threescore and Two Weeks," is and that Daniel was to understand that the latter followed the former without a break. The words that follow, "the street shall be built, and the wall, even in troublous times," doubtless refers to the "first period" or 49 years, occupied by Ezra and Nehemiah in the work of restoring and rebuilding the City o Jerusalem.

 We see from this that if the "students of Prophecy" of Christ's day had been on the alert, and had understood Daniel's prophecy of the "Seventy Weeks," they would have been looking for Him, and would have known to a certainty whether He was the Messiah or not.  (Unfortunately for the Jewish people, and in particular, the Pharisees who were  "students of Prophecy".)

While there was no break between the "Seven Weeks" and the "Threescore and Two Weeks," there is a break between the "Sixty-ninth" and "Seventieth Week," in which several things were to happen.

 First we read that "Messiah Was to Be Cut Off, But Not for Himself." This refers to Christ's rejection and crucifixion. He died for others. Then we read that the people of the "Prince That Shall Come' shall destroy the City and the Sanctuary. Note that it does not say that the "Prince" will destroy the City and Sanctuary, but the People of the Prince. The people who destroyed the City of Jerusalem and the Temple in A. D. 70 were the Romans, therefore the "Prince (Antichrist) must be a Roman Citizen. This does not mean that he cannot be a Syrian Jew, for Syria will then be a part of the revived Roman Empire, as Saul of Tarsus, the apostle Paul, also, was a Roman citizen as well as Jew.

We are then told that the desolation of the land of Palestine shall continue until the "End of the War" (probably Armageddon). As this "desolation" still continues we see that the "GAP" between the "Sixty ninth" and "Seventieth Week" takes in the whole of this PRESENT DISPENSATION.

The next verse (vs. 27) introduces the "Seventieth Week."

 "And He (the "Prince"-Antichrist) shall confirm the Covenant with many for ONE WEEK (the Seventieth Week); and in the MIDST (middle) of the Week He (the Antichrist), shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease," etc. 


Today we are on the very cusp of the emergence of the 10 Ten Toes of Daniels interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream  and awaiting the formation of a 10 nation New World Order and its dictator the Antichrist that will be very short lived, (about 7 years long), and be crushed upon the return of Yeshua Messiah, Jesus the Christ, Son of God.  



Therefore, again it is fitting to interject:

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.   1 John 2:15

If you haven't yet come to believing in Yeshua Messiah, Jesus the Christ as the Son of God the evidence of scripture cannot be anymore clear to help you in that belief.  Save yourself from the darkness that is enveloping the world population for the time is short.  Jesus said,

“Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."  Mark 16:15-16