Ten regional powers decide to unite. Each region may contain many former nations. Just as many nations may form one region, these ten regions will also combine their power into one confederation with a loose coordinating central authority. This alliance has deep roots linking it geographically with the long dormant Roman Empire. Each individual region is a potent power, but when united they are a dominant presence. The alliance creates the office of a supreme executive to coordinate the actions of all ten members. Each of the ten regions is to supply a leader who will serve as the supreme executive for a fixed term. At the conclusion of each term, the authority of the supreme executive is to pass to a representative from another region. The plan, therefore, allows for ten terms, with each regional power providing leadership for only one term.
We start in the Old Testament book of Daniel. The prophet Daniel was an exceptionally gifted, accomplished, godly man. Over the course of his long life, his integrity and faithfulness were rewarded with visions from heaven, prophetic dreams, even visits from angels. Together, these prophecies reveal what will happen to the Jewish people from Daniel’s time onward until God establishes a kingdom on earth that will never end, personally ruled by the Messiah. Basically, the prophecies in the Book of Daniel provide a roadmap for the direction history has gone, and will continue to go.
It was revealed to Daniel on several occasions that he was living during the first of 4 great empires that would follow each other and rule over his people. The earthly rule of God himself follows the 4th world empire, removing all previously ruling power.
In the 7th chapter of the book, Daniel sees a vision at night where each of these 4 world empires is represented as a powerful creature. The Babylonian Empire of Daniel’s own time is represented as a lion with wings like an eagle. Next came the Medo-Persian Empire, shown as a ravenous bear. The 3rd empire was Greece which is portrayed as a leopard with four wings and four heads. The 4th and final empire is unlike any of the first three. It is so different that instead of being compared to a creature it is called a “beast” with iron teeth. History tells us that the Roman Empire grew up around the remnants of the Greek powers.
The main emphasis of Daniel chapter 7 is on this last great worldwide empire. Yet there are conditions and actions associated with this 4th empire that are not known to history. From Daniel’s point of view, all of these prophecies were about the future. Today, most have already come about and can be seen clearly in the historic past, but not all. The first three empires have come and gone. This 4th empire has ruled the earth, but there are events carefully presented to us in Daniel 7 that have not occurred yet. These unfulfilled prophecies involve the last stages of the last players on the world scene.
The remarkably detailed prophecies involving the first three empires do not contradict the history of those times. In fact, there is a remarkably precise fit between the prophecy and the history of these three empires. The stunning accuracy found in Daniel’s previously fulfilled prophecies provides credibility. If the earlier prophecies were so accurate in how they came to fulfillment, we should expect the same accuracy for those prophetic events that have not occurred yet. [ 4 ]
Since the book of Daniel contains many crucial prophecies that have not happened, we know that there must be a future history where these prophecies reach fulfillment, since prophecy comes ultimately from history’s Author and Director. So, those activities which the Roman Empire did not fulfill in its past, must occur in the future.
The images we will find in some of Daniel’s prophecies can seem strange. Yet, these are highly significant prophecies concerning the structure of this last world empire and the Antichrist’s arrival on the prophetic scene. Their bizarre nature may seem to hide their true significance. However, once we become acclimated to these prophetic statements, their importance will begin to emerge.
In Daniel 7 special attention is given to the 4th and last empire which is described three different times.
After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.
Daniel 7:7
His curiosity then causes him to ask for more information. When he asks his question, Daniel describes the 4th beast for the second time.
Then I desired to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet, and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head,
Daniel 7:19-20a
As an angel answers Daniel, he provides a final description of the 4th beast.
Thus he said: “The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise.”
Daniel 7:23-24a
So significant is this 4th beast, especially in its final form, that it is described three separate times.
The seemingly strange symbolism of “horns” is explained by the angel as representing 10 kings. A “horn” represents kingship and presumably a kingdom. We will certainly be looking at this passage quite carefully further on, but we have already learned something important. The final form of the 4th world Gentile power will have 10 kings or rulers.
We will come back to Daniel 7. We have only just started to examine the amazing prophecies found there. But the significant prophecies in Daniel 7 are also described in other biblical passages. Each time the prophecies of these times are given additional details are also provided. To have the full picture we need to combine their details.
Chapter 13 of the book of Revelation also describes the activities of a beast. As we will see, the beast of Rev 13:1-10 is the very same beast Daniel described three times in his vision. The beast of Rev 13:1-10 and the 4th beast of Daniel 7 share six unique features. The presence of these 6 common elements demonstrates that the same future form of the last Gentile power is being described in these two passages.
The first element connecting Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 involves animals.
And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion.
Revelation 13:2
And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. ... And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. ... After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird.
Daniel 7:3-4, 5, 6
In Daniel 7 the first three world empires were compared to a lion, a bear, and a leopard, in that order. The beast in Rev 13:1-10 is described using the same three animals, but their order is reversed. The use of the same three animals in both passages is the first of six elements forming a strong literary bond.
The beasts in Daniel 7 and Rev 13:1-10 both have 10 horns.
And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns.
Revelation 13:1
and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong ... and it had ten horns.
Daniel 7:7
Then I desired to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast ... and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head
Daniel 7:19, 20
The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth ... As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise.
Daniel 7:23, 24
Obviously, most animals with horns usually have two. The fact that both Rev 13:1-10 and Daniel 7 depict beasts with 10 horns is another element connecting them together.
The third element connecting Daniel 7 and Rev 13:1-10 is the presence of blasphemous expressions against God coming from aspects of the beast.
And there was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies ... And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.
Revelation 13:5, 6
and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth uttering great boasts. ... Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking.
Daniel 7:8, 11
... namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts
Daniel 7:20
And he will speak out against the Most High ...
Daniel 7:25
The source of these blasphemies is slightly different in the two prophecies. Rev 13:1-10 portrays the beast itself as speaking blasphemies, while Daniel 7 has the boastful words coming from an additional horn, not from the original 10. We will talk about this difference later. The emphasis here is that both Rev 13:1-10 and Daniel 7 mention elements of the beast making blasphemous statements against God.
The next connecting element between Daniel 7 and Rev 13 is that the final beast will overpower the people of God.
And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.
Revelation 13:7
And I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them
Daniel 7:21
And he will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One
Daniel 7:25
The three verses above do not describe mere persecution. This beast will seek to destroy God’s people and be very successful. The beast will “overcome,” “overpower,” and “wear down the saints.”
The 5th element that connects Daniel 7 and Rev 13:1-10 is that both passages indicate the same length of time this final beast will reign.
And there was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.
Revelation 13:5
And he will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
Daniel 7:25
It has been recognized that the seemingly cryptic expression “a time, times, and half a time” in Dan 7:25 is an accurate description of 3 ½ years. The word “time” refers to one year. So, a time (one year), times (two years), and half a time (½ year) totals 3 ½ years. This calculation is confirmed by the mention of 42 months in Rev 13:5. Three and one-half years and 42 months are the same length of time. Not only do both passages give a length of time this final beast will reign, this length of time is nearly identical in both prophecies.
Also, the language in both passages indicates that the time of the beast’s reign is authorized and limited by another person. In Rev 13:5 authority to act “was given to him” for 42 months. In Dan 7:25 the saints, whom he will wear down “will be given” to him for three and one-half years. The passive nature of the verbs in both passages, along with the identical length of the beast’s reign together form the 5th connection between Rev 13:1-10 and Daniel 7.
The last element in common between Daniel 7 and Rev 13:1 is that 3 of the original 10 horns are removed. The two passages reflect that removal differently.
And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads
Revelation 13:1
And behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong ... and it had ten horns. While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it.
Daniel 7:7-8
Then I desired to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast, ... and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three of them fell, ... and which was larger in appearance than its associates.
Daniel 7:19, 20
The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth. ... As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.
Daniel 7:23, 24
The ‘horn’ emphasizes the power of the king. A 2,000-pound bull is an impressive, intimidating mountain of power, but add a set of sharp strong horns and you have a seemingly invincible creature. His horns are the weapons he uses to protect himself and the herd. A successful king, however, needs more than just impressive weaponry. He needs the skill, daring, and cunning to use these assets to best advantage. The king needs to have a clear sharp mind. These two essential elements of kingship, the ability to project power and the ability to plan and make decisions, are represented separately in the Revelation 13 vision.
In Revelation 13 the beast has horns and heads. The horn represents the power of the king, the head represents the king’s mind, his command ability. They are represented separately in Revelation 13. In Daniel 7 however, both elements are rolled into just the symbol of the horn.
There are three descriptions of the last beast in Daniel 7. In each description, 3 of the 10 horns are removed by another horn which arises after the 10. All three descriptions from Daniel display the progression from the original 10 horns to the 7 remaining horns plus another horn. However, Rev 13:1-10 does not show the removal directly. Rather, it shows the condition of the beast afterward.
This can be confusing, but it will seem less so as we become more familiar with these symbols. Daniel’s vision had 7 horns after 3 were removed. Revelation 13 has 7 heads because 3 will be removed. The symbolism of the remaining 7 horns in Daniel 7 is substituted with 7 heads in Revelation 13. While both prophecies are about the same final great empire, the message of Daniel 7 is more about the structure of this empire up to the point when the 3 horns are removed. Revelation 13's message is focused on what happens from that time going forward. The important point, for now, is that both Rev 13:1-10 and Daniel 7 show that 3 of the original 10 horns were removed.
The 7 heads of Rev 13:1-10 represent the same things as the 7 remaining horns in Daniel 7 - those seven unconquered regions (kingdoms) in the confederation. These remaining 7 were not conquered by the other horn, which contributes to the idea that they may retain some degree of limited autonomy. They will likely still be self-governed to some degree. If so, these 7 regions would be able to implement their will regarding their natural resources, their own security and selecting their own individual rulers. The ability to choose their own path within the confederation is part of the reason their regions are illustrated as the “heads” of the beast in Revelation 13. They can individually decide for themselves and are each given the symbol of a head indicating they can think for themselves. [ 5 ]
Why should we see these 7 regions as semi-autonomous? The answer has to do with their initial relationship with each other in the empire. Remember, the empire is first shown to have 10 kings all exercising authority at the same time. None of the 10 horns in Daniel 7 are shown to be any larger than the others at first. Therefore, none have more authority than the others at first. Since the empire consists of 10 kings who are in power at the same time, then initially each king will be somewhat separate or autonomous from the other nine. Yet the 10 kings are not completely separate. They are joined together in the empire. So, they will be somewhat autonomous and somewhat restricted (semi-autonomous).
There are still 10 horns even after 3 are conquered, which may indicate that the potency of the regions remains but without their former rulers or “heads.” If so, these conquered regions would possibly retain some elements of their pre-conquered status, such as borders, their economic and even military abilities. But they will likely lose their limited autonomy. They will no longer be self-directed regions able to implement their individual will. These 3 regions lose control over their territory to the Antichrist. While the Antichrist controls all three regions, they are still regional in nature. The distinctiveness of the 3 regions will likely remain intact after the Antichrist conquers them.
Since the beast in Rev 13:1-10 has 10 horns and 7 heads we know there will still be 10 regions even after 3 are conquered. The 10 horns represent all 10 regions, while the 7 heads represent only those regions that are still able to govern themselves, that are still semi-autonomous. The beast has 10 horns, representing both the 7 semi-autonomous regions plus the 3 conquered regions now controlled by the other horn. The 7 regions that have their own individual rulers are doubly represented in Rev 13:1-10 by both heads and by horns.
The use of a leopard, bear and lion; the depiction of the beast as having 10 horns; the expression of blasphemies by elements of the beast; the depiction of 3 of the original 10 horns being removed; the statements of the beast overpowering the people of God, and the identical length of time given for the beast’s reign, are the six points connecting the two prophetic passages. The beast of Rev 13:1-10 is the final form of the 4th beast described three times in Daniel 7.
Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 are not the only prophetic passages about this final empire. There is a third passage Revelation 17. Each of the three passages adds to our understanding of this future time and the dynamics of that future “beast.” This third prophecy gives us additional details about the last world empire in the context of telling us about its relationship with another powerful entity - a dominant future religion centered in a historic city.
The two chapters of Revelation 17-18 are concerned with the wickedness and judgment of the woman John describes in his vision.
And upon her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
Revelation 17:5
Crucial additional information about the process of the Antichrist’s rise to total world domination is found in Revelation 17. This chapter is primarily about the role this ‘woman’ plays in the last dimension of the final empire. The beast mentioned in connection with the harlot should be familiar to us:
And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.
Revelation 17:3
And the angel said to me, “Why do you wonder? I shall tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.”
Revelation 17:7
The beast, who “carries” the harlot in Revelation 17 is “full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.” We can see that the beast in Revelation 17 possesses three of the same elements which connected the beast of Rev 13:1-10 with the 4th beast of Daniel 7. Both Revelation 13 and 17 speak of the beast as producing blasphemous speech and possessing 10 horns and 7 heads. Therefore, the beast of Revelation 17 is the same beast seen in Rev 13:1-10, and the same beast that was described three times in Daniel 7.
This is very important. The fourth beast that was described three times in Daniel 7 is the very same beast being referred to by the angel in Revelation 17. The importance of this connection will become clear as we move forward.
The beast in Daniel 7 has 10 horns. The beast in Revelation 13 and 17 has 10 horns too, but it also has 7 heads. The angel in Rev 17:10 says that the heads are kings. The angel in Daniel 7 said that the horns also represent kings. This raises an obvious question. If both horns and heads represent kings, why are both found on the beast in Revelation 13 and 17?
To answer these questions, we need to take a close look at how these images are used in other prophecies. Specifically, we are going back to the book of Daniel to see how other creatures with multiple heads and horns are explained by the angelic interpreters. What we find in these other visions will provide more precise definitions of how the images of horns and heads should be understood.
The 4th beast of Daniel 7 is not the only multi-horned creature portrayed in the prophecies of Daniel:
Then I lifted my gaze and looked, and behold, a ram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, with the longer one coming up last.
Daniel 8:3
The significance of the ram is explained by the angel Gabriel:
and he called out and said, “Gabriel, give this man an understanding of the vision.” ... And he said, “Behold, I am going to let you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end. T