“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.”
Daniel 9:24
The prophecy of 70 weeks revealed to Daniel is one of the most intriguing yet intimidating in all of Scripture. Like most prophetic passages, there is enough ambiguity to create room for interpretive diversity and yet enough clarity to bring some level of continuity. Over the next several posts, I will do my best to unpack and hopefully shed some light on this fascinating prophecy.
After Daniel humbled himself in prayer, confessed sin, and pleaded to God for mercy, the angelic messenger Gabriel was sent to give insight and understanding concerning the vision and prophecy. One of the first keys to understanding the meaning of the 70 weeks is found in Daniel’s own words. Let’s take a closer look.
“While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the LORD my God for the holy hill of my God, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice.”
Daniel 9:20-21
To my detriment, I have read past this critical detail so many times. Daniel’s plea and prayer specifically was “for the holy hill of my God,” which means that the historical context and future fulfillment of the 70 weeks pertains to God’s holy hill.
So what exactly is God’s holy hill?
Zion –The Holy Mountain of God
Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised
in the city of our God!
His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation,
is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
the city of the great King.
Psalm 48:1-2
Daniel is speaking, of course, of ZION — God’s holy hill — His holy mountain and desired dwelling place for all time.
The Bible is comprehensive in it’s distinction of Zion as the holy mountain of the LORD our God. Yahweh has chosen one unique plot of real estate on earth to be His dwelling place forever [see also Psalm 132:13-14]. Israel is the epicenter of the earth. Jerusalem is the epicenter of Israel. Zion is the epicenter of Jerusalem. And the universal throne of Jesus Christ is the epicenter of Zion.
Zion is connected to the most significant events in human history. Let’s recall how important this mountain in Jerusalem truly is.
Zion is where Abraham offered his beloved son, Isaac, in faith before the LORD intervened and provided a substitute. [Genesis 22]
Zion is the mountain that David captured and claimed for Yahweh as the capital city of Israel and the royal throne of the king of Israel. [2 Samuel 5]
Zion is the site of the threshing floor that David purchased from the Jebusite Ornan to stop the plague sent by the Angel of the LORD. [1 Chronicles 21]
Zion is where Solomon built the Temple of Yahweh. [1 Kings 8]
Zion is where our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified as the perfect sacrifice for sin.
Zion is where the Lord Jesus was buried and on the third day was raised from the dead.
Zion will be ground zero on the Day of the LORD when Christ comes to judge His enemies and take His place on His throne to rule forever as King of kings.
As you can see, Zion has been set apart by the LORD for His eternal purposes, and Daniel of all people understood this.
With that in mind, everything that pertains to the vision of 70 weeks revolves around God’s holy mountain — the city of our God! Gabriel revealed six purposes that will be fulfilled within these 70 weeks of years [70 x 7 years] = 490 total years.
1. to finish the transgression 2. to make an end of sin 3. to make atonement for iniquity 4. to bring in everlasting righteousness 5. to seal up vision and prophecy 6. to anoint the most holy place
These were fulfilled in part at the first coming of Jesus, but they will not be ultimately fulfilled until Christ returns to strike down His enemies, crush Satan, save His people and establish His kingdom.
Next time we will take these in order to gain a better understanding of the 70 weeks of Daniel’s vision.
“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”
Matthew 24:15-16
Picking up in the prophetic visions of Daniel, we have come to first mention of what is known as the abomination that causes desolation. This single future event is “the sign” that will trigger the beginning of the end. When the Apostles asked Jesus what signs would precede His return and the end of the age, Jesus pointed to the abomination of desolation “spoken of by the prophet Daniel.” This abomination is performed by the Antichrist — aka the “little horn” or the Beast.
Daniel explicitly mentions this pivotal event at least 4 times [Daniel 8:13, 9:26-27, 11:31, 12:11]. Jesus reminds us of the necessity to “let the reader understand” Daniel’s prophecies in order to recognize when the great tribulation will begin.
As I shared in my last post in this series — read here — part of the profile of the Antichrist will be to cause the daily sacrifices in the Temple to cease. As we await the inevitable reconstruction of the Third Temple, it is just a matter of time before the Jews reenlist the Levitical priesthood , reinstitute the sacrificial system, and resume animal sacrifices in Jerusalem.
Once the Antichrist intervenes and puts an end to the daily sacrifices, then he will proceed to desecrate the Temple with some type of abomination that triggers the time of Jacob’s trouble. The satanic wrath unleashed toward God’s people during the great tribulation will leave Israel and Jerusalem desolate. Let’s take a closer look.
Defining the Terms
Abomination
In order to gain a better understanding of what the abomination of desolation will be, it is important to define the terms.
An abomination from a Biblical perspective is anything God declares evil, wicked, perverse, or shamefully vile; a detestable or profane behavior; an object or state that induces loathsome disgust and abhorrence. There are several categories identified by Scripture for abominations.
Heathen gods, such as Ashtoreth (Astarte), Chemosh, Milcom, Baal, the “abominations” of the Zidonians (Phoenicians), Moabites, and Ammonites, respectively (2 Kings 23:13), and everything connected with the worship of such gods.
Anything offered to or associated with the idol, all the paraphernalia of the forbidden cult, was called an “abomination,” for it “is an abomination to Yahweh thy God” (Deuteronomy 7:25, 26). For example, the Israelites participated in the abomination of offering of their own children to Molech in ritual child sacrifice.
Everything akin to occult practices of magic or divination is an abomination; as are sexual transgressions (Deuteronomy 22:5; Deuteronomy 23:18; Deuteronomy 24:4), especially incest, homosexuality, and other unnatural offenses: “For all these abominations have the men of the land done, that were before you” (Leviticus 18:27; compare Ezekiel 8:15).
As noted before, the most significant historical prototype of the Antichrist was the Syrian tyrant Antiochus Epiphanes IV [175-164 B.C.], who prohibited worship of Yahweh, desecrated the Temple by erecting an altar and performing ritual sacrifices to the pagan god, Zeus. The foreshadowing of Antiochus provides the historical backdrop for the future abomination of desolation to be performed by the Antichrist.
Jesus, preaching some 200 years after Antiochus, would most certainly have this event in mind when prophesying about the final fulfillment of Satan’s blasphemous defiance.
When it comes to the the sign of the end, any combination of these abominations is on the table as far as I am concerned. After laying siege and conquering Jerusalem, I would expect nothing less from the Antichrist than to enter the Jewish Temple, erect an altar to Satan (the Dragon), perform occult ritual magic followed by child sacrifices, topping it all off with some form of grossly perverse sexual escapade.
This abomination apparently will performed publicly because Jesus says that when we “see” it, it’s time to flee because the desolation of Jerusalem has come. Daniel and Paul both share interesting details surrounding this critical event.
Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. 32He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. 33And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. 34When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, 35and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time. 36“And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.“
Daniel 11:31-36
“Let no one deceive you in any way, for [that day] will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed. He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
Desolation
The word desolation is an interesting Hebrew word that carries the meaning to lay waste, destroy, depopulate, ruin, or to desert. It is imperative that we understand the connection between the abomination that “causes” desolation. It is the abominable act of the Antichrist that will lead to, or cause, the desolation of Jerusalem and the land of Israel.
This final invasion of Israel has been foreshadowed as well throughout history through the invasions of the Assyrians [722 B.C.], Babylonians [586 B.C.], Romans [70 A.D.], and Muslims [636 A.D.]. Like these brutal invasions by ruthless pagan kings, the abomination of desolation will lead to devastating war, bloodshed, captivity and total plundering of the Holy Land.
Nearly all of the prophets spoke of this day of final desolation. Jesus reminds us once again that this time of desolation is yet future.
““But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
Luke 21:20-24
The great tribulation will be a time of unparalleled desolation. There will be wars and revolutions and famines and earthquakes and great distress among the nations. There will violence and bloodshed and lawlessness. There will be demonic deception and intense persecution of God’s people — both Jews and Christians. There will be divine judgments poured out on the earth and divine provision for God’s people. This also will a time of great purification and refining for the saints, as precious metal is refined through the fire.
The Bible says that from the abomination that caused desolation is set up, there will 3.5 years for the Antichrist to exercise power and authority over the nations. It is the sign of the end of the age. Those who are wise must understand.
Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. 6And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” 7And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished.8I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” 9He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. 11And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. 12Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. 13But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”
Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”
Daniel 8:13-14
Before diving into the complexity of Daniel’s vision in chapter 9 concerning the 70 weeks, I need to back up and drill down on some important details provided in Daniel 8. Although it is easy to get lost in the proverbial “weeds” of this vision, there are several key details that can be identified and rightly interpreted concerning the last days and what Jesus calls the “abomination of desolation.”
For time’s sake, I will acknowledge that the historical archetype of the Antichrist is most prominently portrayed in the person of Seleucid Tyrant, Antiochus Epiphanes, about which you can read here. While Antiochus provides a type and shadow of the coming son of destruction, he is nothing compared to the last days Antichrist.
Daniel 8 must be interpreted with Antiochus in the forefront of the vision — partially fulfilling the prophecy in history — but also by seeing the Antichrist in full view during the future appointed time of the end. The little horn described in Daniel 8 is the coming man of sin, and this chapter provides key clues about his campaign in the Holy Land of Israel.
“Then from one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew very great. It extended toward the south and the east and toward the glorious land of Israel.”
Daniel 8:9 — NLT
Antichrist will Cause the Daily Sacrifice to Cease
In A.D. 70, hoards from the Roman legions in the Middle East laid siege to Jerusalem and turned it into rubble. Although Roman General Titus commanded his soldiers to preserve the Jewish Temple, the enlisted Syrian and Arabic soldiers defiantly set fire to the Temple, burning it to the ground. Once Titus realized that the Temple complex was lost, he ordered his troops to cast down the massive stones in order to salvage as much gold as possible.
Jesus had predicted this very thing some 40 years earlier.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
Matthew 23:37-39, 24:1-2
The Roman siege of A.D. was devastating, leaving the city of Jerusalem and the holy Temple desolate. The Jews were slaughtered, carried into captivity, and dispersed as a people for over 1,850 years. The Levitical priesthood was abolished, the ceremonial rituals ended, and the daily sacrifices ceased. To this very day — despite the miracle of the rebirth of Israel in 1948 — there is no Temple in Jerusalem, which means there is no sacrificial system.
So the obvious line of logic is … without a Temple in Jerusalem, there is no sacrificial system, and without a sacrificial system, then how will the “little horn” cause the sacrifices to stop?
The simple and logical answer is that the Jews will be permitted to rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem and resume their ceremonial system of worship, according to the law of Moses. A third Temple in Jerusalem is not just possible, it’s not merely probable, it is prophetically promised. The stage is already set for the reconstruction of the Temple, it will only take the right political players and conditions to give the green light.
Jesus Himself said the sign of the end of the age would be the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel. He said that when we see the Antichrist standing in the holy place — the inner sanctuary of the Temple — then we know the clock for the great tribulation has begun.
“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”
Matthew 24:15-16
Now consider how the Scripture connects the activity of the Antichrist with the prohibition of the sacrifices in the Temple. Once the Temple is rebuilt and the regular burnt offerings are permitted again in Jerusalem, the Antichrist will eventually put an stop to it and defile the sanctuary with his abominations.
“It (the little horn) became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.”
Daniel 8:11-12
“And he (Antichrist) shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
Daniel 9:27
“Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.”
Daniel 11:31
“And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days.”
Daniel 12:11
So from the time that the regular burn offerings begin to the end is 2,300 days, and the time from when they are cut off and taken away is 1,290 days. These give us some parameters for the tribulation period.
Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”
“And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them.”
Daniel 8:9-10 — NKJV
As I’ve said in my earlier posts, the visions of Daniel can be both daunting and downright difficult to interpret. Daniel chapters 7-12 is overlaid with cross references that describe the same subject matter from different perspectives. None of the parts in Daniel can be rightly interpreted independently of the whole. It is important to identify the common phrases, ideas, and images to make the connections and build a complete picture.
When it comes to the identity, ascension, and activity of the little horn — aka the Beast or Antichrist — there are some deeper waters to navigate. It is easy to get bogged down in the finer details, so I will do my best to focus on one component at a time.
As I shared in my last post, Daniel 8 begins by providing the geopolitical backdrop behind the emergence of the little horn. The little horn will emerge after a regional war between Turkey and Iran. He will start out relatively small but eventually will grow exceedingly great.
The little horn will supplant three other regional kings and begin to advance militarily to the south [Egypt], the east [Iraq/Iran] and toward the Glorious Land [Israel].
The next part of the vision in Daniel 8, however, takes an unexpected turn and is nothing less than mysterious. The little horn will “grow up” to the host of heaven and “cast down” some of the stars to the earth and trample them.
So the obvious question is … in what way does the little horn — this earthly king — grow exceedingly great up to the host of heaven? What does that mean? How are we to interpret such a concept?
The language about the host of heaven and the “stars” deserves a closer look.
The Host of Heaven
“You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.“
Nehemiah 9:6 — ESV
The Biblical concept of the heavenly host always alludes to the angelic beings who operate in the spiritual realm. The Bible says that there are myriads upon myriads of these heavenly beings, an innumerable host that exists behind the scenes. These heavenly beings are often referred to as “stars,” bright celestial entities that are far removed from our earthly realm.
Some of these stars are divine princes who remain loyal to Yahweh — the Most High God — while others are divine rebels who have followed the path of Satan. These evil principalities and powers in the heavenly places seem to be in some way subservient to the prince of demons and the prince of the power of the air — Satan — the god of this age. This is precisely why the LORD warned the Israelites about the temptation of forsaking Him and bowing down to the heavenly host.
“And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.”
Deuteronomy 4:19 – ESV
So if the little horn grows in power, even to the host of heaven, then he somehow is interacting and interfering with the spiritual realm. Although there may be various speculations and conjectures about how an earthly, human ruler potentially could engage in some type of spiritual warfare with the “stars” of heaven, I will share my interpretation here.
I believe the key to understanding this prophecy has everything to do with the supernatural union of the little horn with Satan himself. If this son of destruction becomes the earthly vessel of the devil, then he and the devil will be one as it were. So as the little horn expresses power and authority while waging war on earth, Satan will be working behind the scenes in the spiritual realm, waging war with the stars in heaven. In other words, the little horn is the earthly reflection of the devil, who is the spiritual reflection of the little horn. They mirror each other.
We know that Daniel 8 says that the little horn somehow casts down the stars of heaven and tramples on them. Let’s take a closer look at Revelation 12 to see how this potentially will play out in the last days.
WAr in Heaven
Most Bible scholars see the direct correlation between Daniel 8 and Revelation 12. I believe these parallel passages provide some clues of interpretation concerning the little horn.
Let’s read Daniel 8 and Revelation 12 together.
“And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices;and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.”
Daniel 8:9-12 – NKJV
“And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth.“
Revelation 12:3-4 – ESV
These two passages are most certainly connected. The Dragon — who is the Devil — cast down 1/3 of the angels — the stars of heaven — and threw them to the earth. The common language is undeniable, but the classic interpretation of Revelation 12:4 is wrong in my opinion. Almost every commentary will suggest that the “stars” in this verse represent the evil angels who are loyal to Satan and are the same group of angels mentioned in Revelation 12:9.
But I believe Daniel 8:10 and Revelation 12:4 are describing something else entirely. I believe the Dragon first delivers a considerable blow to the good guys by defeating 1/3 of the heavenly host, casting them down and trampling on them. The language of these verses clearly implies that the Dragon and little horn are hostile to these “stars,” not friendly.
Why else would the Antichrist be trampling on these stars? Why would the Dragon sweep his own angels down and cast them to the earth? That seems counterproductive to say the least. No kingdom is divided against itself. That is why I believe Daniel 8:10 and Revelation 12:4 are describing a heavenly assault against the loyal angels that results in a considerable blow to the angelic army. Satan exalts himself as high as the Prince of the host — which is the Lord Jesus Himself [Daniel 8:11].
Now I don’t pretend to understand everything about this prophecy, but I believe it is yet future. Contrary to what almost every Christian has been taught, Satan never convinced 1/3 of the angels to follow him. The reference here to 1/3 of the angels are the good guys. Satan launches a successful attack against the stars in heaven and casts them down and tramples on them.
I’m not sure how all of that plays out in spacetime, but I believe it is the only possible explanation that makes sense of Daniel 8 and the rise of the little horn.
An all out war breaks out in heaven AFTER this initial trampling of the stars of heaven, which is described in the following verses in Revelation 12.
And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
Revelation 12:7-12 — NKJV
So in response to the Dragon’s initial attack, Michael will rise up against the Dragon and finally will cast him and his angels down to earth. Satan will be expelled from heaven and confined to the earth.
It is at this point that the Dragon — Satan — will give all of his authority and power to the little horn and unite himself to the son of destruction, creating the Beast.
“The dragon gave him [the Beast] his power, his throne, and great authority.”
Revelation 13:2
Once the Beast — or little horn — has all of Satan’s power and authority he will boldly pursue total domination and destruction. Daniel 8 speaks to this. The king of bold face will succeed, not by his own power, but by the satanic, supernatural power of the Dragon.
“And in the latter time of their kingdom,
When the transgressors have reached their fullness,
A king shall arise,
Having fierce features,
Who understands sinister schemes.
His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power;
He shall destroy fearfully,
And shall prosper and thrive;
He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.”
Daniel 8:23-24 – NKJV
In my next post, we will begin to develop the concepts surrounding the sanctuary and the profane transgression known as the abomination of desolation.
“As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia. And the shaggy goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king.”
Daniel 8:20-21
As I said in my last post about Daniel 8, the vision Daniel received was concerning the appointed time of the end, which means that it will occur in the latter days and is yet future. If this interpretation is accurate, then we should expect a regional conflict between the modern states of Iran and Turkey in the comings days. This regional war will be critical, primarily because of the geopolitical shuffling that will take place afterward.
According to Daniel, the little horn — aka Antichrist — will emerge on the world stage following the war between Iran and Turkey [see Daniel 8:8-14].
So let’s investigate this a little further from both a Biblical and a geopolitical perspective.
Biblical Greece is JAVAN — Modern-Day Turkey
While most scholars, historians, and political pundits universally agree that the ancient empire of Medo-Persia represents the modern-day state of Iran, there is some debate and disagreement about the modern-day identity of ancient Greece — or Javan. From a contemporary western perspective, Greece is usually associated with the Greek Isles of Eastern Europe, but a closer look at the Biblical identity of Greece — Javan — provides a more accurate picture.
Javan was the fourth son born to Japheth, son of Noah (Genesis 10:2), whose descendants traditionally settled in the coastlands of Asia Minor around the Aegean Sea. Javan is identified with ancient Ionia — or Anatolia — which occupied the territory of modern-day Turkey. Ancient Greece primarily is associated with the Macedonian Empire that reached its zenith under Alexander the Great, King of Javan. Of course ancient Greece included the Greek Isles, but the heart of Javan has always been Asia Minor — aka modern-day Turkey. Under Alexander, Greece expanded south and eastward into Northern Africa and the Middle East, eventually conquering Persia.
This distinction is essential in understanding Daniel 8 because modern-day Turkey (Javan) not only is the most powerful Sunni Muslim nation in the world, but also it has been flexing its muscles and expressing ambition to reestablish the Islamic Caliphate under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Erdoğan became Turkish Prime Minister in 2003 and since has established unprecedented unilateral power of the government. His blind ambition to enforce Turkish dominance in the Middle East is no secret. Turkey has the means and motive to demonstrate their military power at any given moment.
If we are reading Daniel 8 correctly, then there is good reason to believe that the shaggy goat is representative of Turkey and the “first king” could be President Erdoğan, especially if he succeeds in reestablishing the Caliphate.
Iran is a Time Bomb Waiting to Explode
Then there is Iran — the two-horned ram represented by the ancient empire of Medo-Persia. Ancient Media [circa 680-550 B.C.] rose to power first and represents the disputed land of the modern-day Kurds — or Kurdistan. Cyrus the Great later conquered Media creating the massive Persian empire in 550 B.C. Persia came up later but conquered a much greater land mass than Media. The Persians maintained dominance in the Middle East for 200 years until Alexander the Great conquered them in 330 B.C.
Many have speculated how Iran could have “two kings,” or horns in the last days, as predicted by Daniel 8. One possibility is that a reunification of Kurdistan in the near future could create a province under the authority of the Iranian regime. The Kurds have been fighting for survival and identity for generations. Kurdistan is in no-man’s land and is landlocked on both sides by Iran in the east and Turkey on the west.
Iran already is operating in Kurdistan and Iraq through military proxies, and it only makes sense that Iran could potentially become more aggressive in the region pushing up against Turkey’s presence in the west. Any Iranian expansion to the west would automatically be considered a threat to Turkey, which could provoke Erdoğan to launch an all out assault against the Shiites. The radical, apocalyptic regime in Tehran has proven to be a time bomb just waiting to explode.
Other factors like the current social instability surrounding COVID-19, plummeting oil prices, locust plagues and potential food shortages could also have these two regional competitors on edge. The fragile geopolitical climate in the Middle East is one trigger event away from war.
If Daniel 8 is true, then we should pay close attention to every future development in the region. As the story goes, we can expect Iran to begin an aggressive military campaign in Kurdistan and Iraq, forcing Turkey to respond and stop them in their tracks.
Once Turkey cripples Iran, Daniel says that the “first king” will be suddenly broken off and replaced by four kings. I believe one possible scenario is that once Turkey defeats Iran in a regional conflict and gains control over Iraq, Kurdistan, and Iran, then the presiding president will either die or be ousted, which will create the four provinces of Turkey, Iraq, Kurdistan, and Iran.
“I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power. Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.”
Daniel 8:7-8
Then four kings — or horns — will assume power in each province, and out of one of these four kings, the little horn will emerge and grow exceedingly great.
There may not be a more definitive prophecy in all of Scripture that reveals the identity of the Antichrist. Suddenly, this difficult passage shows great prophetic value for the generation living in the last days.
Next time, I will do my best to dive deeper into the initial career of the little horn, as revealed by Daniel 8. Until then …
“The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”
Daniel 8:26
The prophetic word carries with it a degree of ambiguity and mystery for a reason. Historically, it has required a considerable amount of hindsight to understand how the oracles of God have beeb fulfilled, but once God’s plans come into fruition, mystery dissolves into stunning clarity.
Take the profile of the Messiah for example. While the expectation of Israel predominantly focused on the coming of a Warrior King to liberate God’s people from their enemies, few were able to predict the coming of the Suffering Servant who would be nailed a cross, only to rise again. The lines between the first and second comings of Christ often were blurred in the Old Testament, creating some obvious interpretive challenges.
Although there are valid reasons why the LORD speaks in ambiguous and sometimes puzzling terms, I believe the best explanation is strategic at heart. Let us never forget, the Evil One — Satan himself — scours the Holy Scriptures for an advantage. He knows better than anyone that God has declared the end from the beginning, and so the devil undoubtedly is a serious student of Biblical prophecy.
Although the big picture is clear — God wins in the end — there are details concealed in the prophetic word that God purposefully wants to keep hidden from his arch enemy. The LORD reveals just enough to keep the powers of darkness guessing, but never too much to give them an advantage.
As understandable as that may be, the difficulties with the prophetic word also create somewhat of a challenge to God’s children, especially those who earnestly desire to put together the prophetic puzzle pieces involving the last days.
The book of Daniel is no exception. In all honesty, I find Daniel’s prophecies especially difficult to interpret, which should come as no surprise considering Daniel’s own troubles of grasping these future visions. Not only did the LORD command Daniel to seal up his prophecy until the appointed time of the end, but also Daniel struggled understanding the visions even after interpretations were given.
Consider what Daniel said after receiving his vision of the shaggy goat and the ram in chapter 8.
“And I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about the king’s business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it.”
Daniel 8:27
So if Daniel — who received both the vision and its interpretation — still could not fully comprehend what he saw, then surely we cannot expect to understand it all. Knowing this has brought me to a newfound level of humility and dependency on the Holy Spirit to approach this passage with great care and consideration.
I confess that there are parts Daniel 8 that I feel confident about and other parts that I simply don’t have a clue, but all in all, I believe we are called to dig in and dive deep and ask the God of the Word to help us understand and interpret the Word of God.
With that being said … I will do my best to work through Daniel 8 and attempt to address all the nuances and context clues that emerge. By necessity, I may need to camp out here for a while, but I hope that it will be well worth our time.
So here goes.
Daniel 8 Overview
Daniel chapter 8 is one of the most misinterpreted prophetic passages in all the Bible, which is unfortunate because this chapter provides some of the most important details of the future rise of the Antichrist and his early career. Most commentators and Bible scholars interpret Daniel 8 through strictly historical lenses, suggesting that everything revealed in the vision has been fulfilled in history past and therefore has little merit for future generations.
When we read Daniel 8 carefully, however, we get an entirely different perspective that clearly reveals this prophecy refers to the last days and remains to be fulfilled in the future. That’s not to say that there could have been a partial fulfillment in history that prefigures the time of the end, but if we restrict this passage to the past only, then we will miss one of the most important prophecies of the end times.
Let’s look at a brief overview to set the stage.
The Ram and the Goat
Much like the bizarre beast imagery found in Daniel 7, the vision in Daniel 8 picks up with two different beasts — a ram with two horns and a male goat with one prominent horn — representing two king/kingdoms. The ram shows significant military aggression before being confronted and defeated by the goat, led by this prominent horn/king. Shortly after the goat subdues the ram, the prominent horn is broken off and the kingdom is divided up into four other horns.
The good news about this chapter is that the LORD provides an interpretation of these two beasts. Like all Bible prophecy, we must remember that this passage is Israel-centric and pertains to Middle Eastern territories. Here is the interpretation provided to Daniel.
He said, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end. As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia. And the goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king. As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power.”
Daniel 8:19-22
So we know we are dealing with the territories/kingdoms of Medo-Persia and Greece — or Javan. Of course Daniel uses their ancient names, but today these same territories are controlled by the modern nations of Iran and Turkey. I will spend more time in a future post to demonstrate how Biblical Greece — or Javan — represents the Ancient Macedonian empire that spread from Asia Minor into the Middle East and Northern Africa.
But for now, I need to address the reasons why I believe this vision is still future and has not been fulfilled in history past.
The Appointed Time of the End
Whereas a rigid historical view of Daniel 8 proposes that the male goat is representative of the Alexander the Great and his Greek Empire and the two-horned ram is ancient Medo-Persia, the futurist view understands this passage as a prophecy that pertains to the appointed time of the end — or the latter days.
As I have said, there certainly were some partial foreshadows in Alexander’s career that can be applied to Daniel 8. Alexander the Great expanded eastward in lightening speed and unexpectedly died at the height of his empire. The Macedonian Empire was eventually divided up after Alexander’s death, and the subsequent career of Antiochus Epiphanes certainly qualifies as a historical type of the Antichrist. There are other details about this prophecy, however, that simply do not align with history.
While it is important to thoroughly investigate the historical accounts, I will not go into those details here. Instead, I would like to share with you the primary reason I interpret Daniel 8 as a future prophecy that applies to the latter days.
Simply because the Bible says so.
Consider the explicit language used in this passage. When the angel Gabriel is commanded to make Daniel understand the vision, he does not mix his words.
And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.“
Daniel 8:16-17
He said, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end.“
Daniel 8:19
“And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise.”
Daniel 8:23
“The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”
Daniel 8:26
Not once. Not twice. Not three times.
But Daniel is told at least four times that his vision is referring to the last days, the end of days, the appointed time of the end.
I’m not sure how Bible scholars and historians miss this over-emphasis by Gabriel to make sure Daniel understands when this vision will be fulfilled. God Himself provided the interpretation of this prophecy, and it specifically refers to the last days just before the return of the Son of Man, who is coming like a stone from heaven to crush the evil empires of the Antichrist.
That truth in and of itself precludes a rigid historical view of this prophecy. Daniel 8 has not yet been fulfilled, and therefore we should be expecting it to unfold in the coming future.
In my next post, I will investigate the geopolitical climate between Iran and Turkey and do my best to understand how the rise of Antichrist is connected to this coming conflict in the Middle East.
and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.”
Daniel 7:13
When the Lord Jesus launched His public ministry, there was one unique title that he ascribed to Himself more than any other — the Son of Man — in Hebrew “ben adam.” Jesus referred to Himself by this title more than 80 times in the Gospels alone.
It is impossible to grasp the significance of this title without first reading and understanding the prophetic word of Daniel. Yeshua goes by many distinct titles. He is Lord. He is the Messiah — the Christ, or Anointed One. He is the Son of the Most High. He is the Son of God. He is the Son of David.
But no other title better communicates the mystery and majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ than “Son of Man.” This title identifies the true and complex nature of Jesus, both as a descendant of mankind — aka the “offspring” of the woman [Genesis 3:15] — and also as the divine King from heaven.
Daniel’s introduction to the Son of Man in his prophetic vision is essential when establishing the theological foundation and framework for this title. So what can we learn from Daniel’s prophecy?
The Son of Man IS Both Human And Divine
Daniel saw a vision of the heavenly throne room of Yahweh — the Ancient of Days. Yahweh is surrounded by thrones occupied by members of the divine council. Myriads of holy ones are attending the LORD and intently watching as witnesses. The court sits down in judgment and the books are opened.
Daniel is overwhelmed and out of place, trying to process what his eyes are beholding.
And that’s when Daniel sees Him — the Divine Prince — being presented before the Ancient of Days. This Divine Prince is riding the clouds of heaven in glorious power, and yet at the same time Daniel noticed that He was “like a son of man” — meaning He was human.
The focus of this entire vision is centered on the exchange between the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man. The fate of the world and the destiny of mankind hangs in the balance. The wicked kingdoms of the world and the blasphemous little horn are threatening to destroy God’s people.
It is as if the whole host of heaven is saying … who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll? Who is able to save and deliver the world?
And the Son of Man is presented before the Ancient of Days to receive power and glory and the kingdom forever and ever amen!
“And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”
Daniel 7:14
Jesus was fully aware of what He was saying when referred to Himself as the Son of Man. He was both human and divine. Truly man and truly God.
“If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.”
John 3:12-13
“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”
Mark 2:10-11
The Son of Man Is the Messiah
From a Jewish perspective, the Son of Man was regarded as one of the most authoritative Messianic titles of divinity. The Messiah is to be the Savior King who comes from heaven to destroy the enemies of Israel and establishes the Everlasting Kingdom of God on earth.
Of course, we now know that the same Son of Man — Yesuah — who came to suffer, die and rise again the first time — promised to return as the King of kings in all His power and glory. It was this language that really got Jesus in trouble with the Jewish authorities of His day.
But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? 64You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death.
Mark 14:61-64
The Son of Man Will Come on the Clouds in Great Glory
Perhaps the greatest distinction of the Son of Man is that He alone is the cloud-riding, devil-crushing, saint-saving King of glory who will come on that Day to establish His everlasting kingdom.
Daniel’s description of the Son of Man riding on the clouds is an exclusive characteristic that Jesus reserved for Himself. No one else qualifies for this monumental event in the future when heaven is rolled back like a scroll and Jesus descends from heaven on the clouds in power and great glory for every eye to see.
For a more in-depth dive into the significance of the One riding the clouds on the Day of the LORD, be sure to read my article here.
But for now, let us close with some of the most amazing prophecies that have been declared that Jesus is indeed the Son of Man spoken of by the prophet Daniel.
After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:9-11
“Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
Matthew 24:30
Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
“Strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
Acts 14:22
When Jesus gave His Olivet Discourse about the end of the age, He provided the general scope and basic timeline but did not get too deep into the fine details. Jesus told His disciples that the prophet Daniel had the details, and if the disciples wanted to put all the pieces together, then they needed to read and understand the book of Daniel first.
“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand) …”
Matthew 24:15
In my last post, I focused on the early career of the “little horn,” which is another name for the end-times Beast — or Antichrist. The Antichrist may start small, but he will come boasting of big things and speaking blasphemies against God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Once the little horn assumes power and creates his Middle Eastern empire, he will begin expanding his reach around the world and unleashing his wrath on the people of God. The global persecution of the saints is one of the clearest characteristics of the campaign of the Antichrist, which can only mean one thing.
Believers — aka saints — will be on the earth during the great tribulation to face the Antichrist and even suffer at his hand.
This flies in the face of the popular “pre-tribulation” view of the rapture, which falsely teaches that the saints will be removed from the earth prior to the tribulation period. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Remember, Jesus told us to read Daniel and to understand his prophecies in order to have an accurate eschatology, so I intend to do just that.
THE LITTLE HORN WILL PERSECUTE THE SAINTS
The overwhelming majority of Daniel’s prophecies are concerning the appointed time of the end, which culminates with the return of the Son of Man on the clouds in power and glory to crush the evil empire of the Beast and establish His everlasting Kingdom.
That’s the end game, but Daniel also provides some key details about the events leading up to the return of the LORD. One of those details involves a defined period of time for the Antichrist to prevail over God’s people.
Let’s take a closer look.
“As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.”
Daniel 7:21-22
Daniel provides more details just a few verses later.
“He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end.”
Daniel 7:25-26
Daniel himself provides many more details about the campaign of the Antichrist against God’s people, which I will save for later, but for now allow me to show how the testimony of the Biblical prophets is also in full agreement.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake … For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”
Matthew 24:9, 21-22
“When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.”
Revelation 6:9-11
Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 7:13-14
And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. 9If anyone has an ear, let him hear:
10If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain.
Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.
Revelation 13:5-10
I could provide many more Scriptures to support this sobering reality. The Antichrist will be given authority to make war and conquer God’s people — which will include a campaign against both ethnic Israel and all believers on the earth.
And if you have noticed the timeframe provided by many of these passages, the Antichrist will be given this authority for 3.5 years.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL RULE FOR 3.5 YEARS
When we get to Daniel 9, I will do my best to interpret the 70 weeks of Daniel’s prophecy, and more specifically the 70th week — which represents a unique 7-year period. Having said that, I am not fully convinced that Daniel’s 70th-week refers to the final 7 years of human history, although it could.
Furthermore, I fully reject the notion that the Great Tribulation is a 7-year period. There is no Scripture that teaches that the Great Tribulation — which will be the worst time in human history — will be 7 years.
The only definitive period of time that we are given in Scripture is 3.5 years, or 42 months, or 1260 days. If I have to put a timeframe on the Great Tribulation, then I believe it will fall within this 3.5 year period before the Lord Jesus returns.
Let’s compare some of the passages again.
He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time [3.5 years].
Daniel 7:25
“And the woman [Israel] fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days… But the woman [Israel] was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.15The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.”
Revelation 12:6, 14-17
“And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. “
Revelation 13:5
After describing the 3.5 year period of tribulation, Daniel reminds us of the rest of the story. Jesus returns and crushes Antichrist and saves His people.
“They [the saints] shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end. And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”
Daniel 7:25-27
While the little horn will prevail for a season, Jesus will return in glory to crush him and establish His everlasting kingdom, which shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High!
Next time I will introduce Daniel 8, as we investigate another future conflict that must take place before the revelation of the Antichrist.
“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world.”
Luke 21:25-26
Between sundown tonight, April 7th, and sunrise tomorrow, April 8, we will be shown a sign in the heavens. A full super moon will be visible in the night sky, appearing some 15% bigger and 30% brighter than normal.
This particular moon is being called a pink super moon, not necessarily because of its hue but because this April moon typically corresponds to the early springtime blooms of Phlox subulata, a pink wildflower native to eastern North America. It is “super” in brightness and appearance because it will be a full moon visible at its closest point in its orbit around Earth — also known as perigee.
From a Biblical perspective, however, it is always interesting when impressive signs in the heavens correspond to the appointed feasts of the LORD, which typically are associated with the lunar cycles. Tonight’s pink super moon will also be considered a Paschal moon because of its proximity to the Biblical Feast of Passover and Resurrection Sunday.
Passover is considered one of the most holy days in Biblical history, as it represents the greatest deliverance in Jewish history — the Exodus from Egypt — and was a foreshadowing of the greatest deliverance in human history — the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Add this celestial phenomenon to everything else that is happening on a global scale in 2020, and one can easily awaken to the sobering reality that our Creator is doing His best to get our attention and force us to look heavenward. As Jesus Himself says …
“Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Luke 21:28
Signs in the Heavens
From the very beginning, God told us that the sun, moon and stars were to serve as celestial signs — brilliant billboards in the heavens — that would provide ominous warnings and mark the appointed feasts of the LORD.
And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and he made the stars also.
Genesis 1:14-16
No wonder that the magi from the east were tracking astronomical signs in the stars when they discovered the birth of King Jesus in Bethlehem. No surprise that a solar eclipse accompanied the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Jesus, along with the Old Testament prophets, also predicted that the sun, moon and stars would play a major role in announcing His triumphant return to earth. The prophet Isaiah spoke of the Day of the LORD and the signs in the heavens that coincide.
“Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light.“
Isaiah 13:9-10
Jesus builds on this imagery and reminds us to keep lookin up.
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Matthew 24:29-32
Tonight’s super moon is a preliminary sign, a merciful reminder that God is on His throne and well in control of all the global chaos and this present crisis.
May we remember the faithfulness of our God when we observe the beauty of His creation tonight, and may we not worship the creation itself but the CREATOR who is forever to be praised.
Lift up your heads, O saint. For your redemption draws nearer than ever before!
“I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.”
Daniel 7:8
To summarize the prophecies of Daniel up unto this point, the kingdoms — or beasts — described both in Daniel chapters 2 and 7 represent the three historic pagan empires of Babylon, Persia, and Greece. The fourth kingdom, however, represents a dreadful empire to be revealed in the last days, only to be crushed by King Jesus on the Day of the LORD.
This fourth beast is distinct from all of the other beasts in that it will be a collective composite — an amalgamation — of the three historic kingdoms, occupying the same general Middle Eastern territory and dominating the region with fierce military aggression and terror. For those looking for a possible historical prefigurement of the fourth end-times kingdom, the Islamic Ottoman Empire [circa1300-1920] most definitely fits the profile.
I have been very adamant about the Islamic identity of this fourth kingdom. Islam is concentrated in the Middle East, universally hostile toward Israel, and just one persuasive leader away from a revived and unified Islamic Caliphate.
Height of Ottoman Empire (Islamic Caliphate) from 1307-1683 AD
We learned in Daniel 2 that the fourth kingdom — the legs of iron and feet mixed with clay — would be as strong as iron but at the same time partly “divided” and “brittle.” The religious factions and inner turmoil within the Muslim world would best explain how this end-times kingdom could both be brutal and brittle.
Here in Daniel 7, as well as Revelation 13, we learn that the fourth beast kingdom will be “exceedingly strong.” The future kingdom of Antichrist will be characterized by the global concentration of evil and the unification of demonic, supernatural power. It seems that few will be able to withstand the strength of the Beast, as it will be be given authority to “devour the whole earth” [Daniel 7:23].
The ten toes in Daniel 2 and ten horns in Daniel 7 represent a coalition of 10 kings who eventually yield all their authority to the Beast [Revelation 17:12-13]. It is from these 10 horns — or kings — from which the Antichrist will emerge. We are first introduced to Satan’s superman in Daniel 7 by the name — little horn.
Although he may be given the title “little horn,” don’t let that fool you. As you will see, he comes boasting of great things and quickly rising to a place of power and dominance among his peers. The Antichrist may gradually emerge on the world stage in an unassuming way, but when the timing is right, this little horn will show his true colors.
The Little Horn Shall Start Small but Grow Strong
The fact that the Antichrist begins as the “little horn” speaks to his unimpressive beginnings. Daniel provides some key details about the military and political career of the little horn. He will start out operating on the periphery of the geopolitical stage. He will not have royal pedigree. He will advance by scheming behind the scenes with intrigue and seduction. He will plot and patiently wait for the opportune time to grab hold of what he wants — total control.
Consider how Daniel describes the little horn.
“In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, even the prince of the covenant. And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small people.“
Daniel 11:21-23
“As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings.”
Daniel 7:24
The little horn may not be included in the original 10-king alliance, but he will quickly rise to a place of prominence.
The Little Horn Shall Subdue Three Kings
Daniel 7 provides interesting insight into how the little horn will make his critical power play among the 10-king coalition. Apparently he will sabotage three of the original kings and supplant them.
“A fourth beast … it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots.”
Daniel 7:7-8
“As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings.“
Daniel 7:24
One possible scenario is found in Daniel 8 involving the coming conflict between the goat (Javan/Turkey) and ram (Persia/Iran). I will spend more time in Daniel 8 later, but in summary this vision also pertains to the latter days and the appointed time of the end. Once the leader of Javan is broken off, the prophecy says that four kingdoms (kings) will emerge from Turkey — one of which will be the little horn.
“Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven. Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land.”
Daniel 8:8-9
Is it possible that the little horn will overthrow his three counterparts and gain control of the entire Turkish territory?
The Little Horn will Boast of Great Things and Blaspheme God
Not only will the little horn conspire to make big power plays in the Middle East, but he apparently will have a loud mouth and come boasting blasphemies before God. Satan is a slanderer. He is an accuser. He is a blasphemer. He hates the LORD God and His Son Jesus Christ and will speak publicly to that end.
Once again, if there is an ideology and belief system alive today that perpetuates the spirit of antichrist and shows hatred for both Jews and Christians, it is Islam. The Quran teaches that the Jews and Christians are especially wicked for disbelieving in Allah. The people of God are called the “worst of creatures.”
“Verily, those who [despite all evidence] are bent on denying the truth – [be they] from among the followers of earlier revelation or from among those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God [Jews and Christians] – will find themselves in the fire of hell, therein to abide: they are the worst of all creatures.”
Quran — Sura 98:6
But the little horn will not only speak evil of God’s people, but also he will come speaking against God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
“Every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.”
1 John 4:3
Consider how Daniel repeatedly describes the loud mouth of the little horn.
“And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.“
“I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire.”
“About the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions.”
“He shall speak words against the Most High …”
“And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.”
Daniel 7:8, 11, 20, 25 — Daniel 11:36
As we will see next time, the loud-mouthed little horn not only will talk big but also will act in big way.
Days of Noah 