Many of the Judeo-Christian clergy have tried, in the past, to push all the prophecies in Daniel and Revelation into the remote past for various religious, political or monetary reasons.
Those who project these prophecies into the future are termed �futurists,� and those who contrive them to be in the past are dubbed �Preterists.� While there are some prophecies yet to be fulfilled in the future, and many already fulfilled in the past, the proper interpretation for these books should be �Historical.�
There is little disagreement that Daniel�s prophecies were �Historical� in nature. Therefore, the prophecies of Daniel, which overlap Revelation, must also be �Historical.� Once we comprehensively cover Daniel�s prophecies, we will discover that �overlap� is greater than we might have anticipated.
As we explore Daniel Chapter 7, we will see it is much the same as Chapter 2: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece & Rome. But, instead of an image of diminishing metals, the empires will be depicted as animals. The important subject we are going to encounter in Chapter 7 is the much disputed �little horn,� which in fact is only one of two.
���������������������� The Two �Little Horns� of Daniel
The two �little horns� of Daniel are the source of much confusion in interpreting his prophecies. The �little horn� of Daniel 7:8 is not the same �little horn� of Daniel 8:9. Some say the �little horn� of Daniel 8:9 is Antiochus Epiphanies, but we will save that misguided assumption until we consider Daniel Chapter 8. With this presentation we will deal only with the �little horn� of Daniel 7:8.
Actually, Daniel Chapter 7 is parallel to Chapter 2. And like Chapter 2, Chapter 7 addresses the four empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome, but from a different perspective. With this presentation, we will read a few verses at a time and then make comment. We will be using the following Bible commentaries: 1). Bible Knowledge Com.; 2). Believers Bible Com.; 3). Clarke�s Bible Colm.; 4). Wycliffe Bible Com.; 5). Jamieson, Fausset & Brown Bible Com.; 6). International Bible Com.; and 7). Matthew Poole�s Bible Com.
Daniel 7:14:
�I in the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters. Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. The first was like a lion, and had eagle�s wings: I behold till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man�s heart was given to it.�
Bible Knowledge vol. 1, p. 1349: The vision recorded by the Prophet Daniel in his chapter was revealed to him in the first year of Belshazzar�s reign, 553 B.C., when Belshazzar was made co-regent with Nabonidus. Daniel�s dream predated by 14 years his experience in the lion�s den (chapter 6) which occurred in or soon after 539 B.C. When the dream came Daniel was about 68 years of age, for he was taken captive (at about the age of 16) 52 years earlier in 605 B.C.
Bible Knowledge, vol. 1, p. 1350: Throughout the Old Testament, the Mediterranean Sea is referred to as the Great Sea, (Numbers 34:6-7; Joshua 1:4; 9:1; 15:12, 47; 23:4; Ezekiel 47:10, 15, 20; 48:28). This vision then relates specifically to the Mediterranean world.
Wycliffe, p. 789: Four great beats came up from the sea. Hence, the beats, later described, are connected with the Mediterranean area. Likewise, as the prophetic symbolical use of �sea� indicates, they arise with turmoil, unrest, boisterous talk, etc.
Jamieson, et. Al. p 746: Tregelles takes �the great sea� to mean as always elsewhere in Scripture (Joshua 1:4; 9:1), the Mediterranean, the center territorially of the four kingdoms of the vision, which all border on it, and have Jerusalem subject to them. Babylon did not border on the Mediterranean, nor rule Jerusalem, till Nebuchadnezzar�s time, when both things took place simultaneously. Persia encircled more of the sea, vis., from the Hellespont to Cyene. Greece did not become a monarchy before Alexander�s time, but then, succeeding to Peria, it became mistress of Jerusalem. It surrounded still more of the Mediterranean, adding the coasts of Greece to the part held by Persia. Rome, under Augustus, realized three things at once; it became a monarchy; it became mistress of the last of the four parts of Alexander�s empire (symbolized by the four heads of the third beast), and of Jerusalem; it surrounded all the Mediterranean.
Wycliffe, p. 789: The lion symbolizes Babylon here and also in Jeremiah 4:6-7. The eagle�s wings speak of swiftness, as the lion of strength. These are natural symbols scarcely needing explanation (cf. 2 Samuel 1:23; Jeremiah 49:19-22; Ezekiel 17:3-24).
Poole�s, vol. 2, p. 830: Lion and eagle; one of the king of beasts, the other king of birds, for which he is called the golden head, as Daniel 2:32, 38. Thi8s was the Chaldean or Assyrian; whose seat was first at Babylon, after Nineveh, and then at Babylon again. The wings thereof were plucked; which was first in stopping the career of their victories, and after in casting them out of their kingdom, the nation was not destroyed, but their monarchy.
Jamieson et al, p. 746: But after he learned by this sore discipline that �the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men� (4:35-36), the change took place in him, �a man�s heart is given to him; instead of his former beast�s heart, he attains man�s true position.
Bible Knowledge, vol. 1, p. 1350: The lion�s rising up on two feet (its hind legs) made it look more like a man. The fact that it got a man�s heart suggests that the animal lost its beastly nature and showed compassion. (here man = enash, #606)
�And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raise up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise devour much flesh.�
Believer�s, p. 1083: The bear pictures Medo-Persia. The Persian section was raised up to gather importance than the Median. The three ribs which it held in its mouth perhaps represent the three sections of the Babylonian Empire which were sacked by the Medes and Persians under Cyrus: Babylon in the east; Egypt in the south; and the Lydian kingdom in Asia Minor.
Poole�s, vol. 2, p. 831: Another beast, viz., the Medes and Persians, a fierce, grim ravenous creature, and barbarously cruel, especially the mountainous part, as of Caucasus, Armenia, and Media by the Caspian Sea near the Tartars, and that which borders upon the Mongol, the Usbecks, and the Sasbuts; read Isaiah 13:7-18; Jeremiah 51:48, 53, called spoilers. See Jeremiah 51:11 also. Thus Yahweh sent in the northern bears upon Babylon to devour flesh. See how Yahweh calls them against Babylon, Jeremiah 51:20-23, 27-28; he reckons Ararat, Minni, and Aschenaz, and Medes, i.e., Armenia, Parthia, Hyrcania, the rough northern hungry bears. On one side, i.e., the north side; for the Medes first arose and sent to Cyrus the Perian to come in and assist him against the Assyrian, and made him general. It had three ribs in the mouth of it: several of the Babylonian subjects revolted from the Babylonian, (and all these made the three ribs) as the Hyrcanians, and Gobrias.
Wycliffe, p. 789: The bear is an apt symbol of the Medo-Persian kingdom. Strength and ferocity figure in almost every Biblical use of the bear. The onerous bulk fits the massive Persian armies. Xerxes is said to have moved two and one-half million men to attack Greece.
Jamieson et al, p. 746: Bear; symbolizing the austere life of the Persians in their mountains, also their cruelty (Isaiah 13:17-18, Cambyses, Ochus, and other of the Persian princes were notoriously cruel; the Persian laws involved for one man�s offense, the whole kindred and neighborhood in destruction, ch 6:24) and rapacity. �A bear is an all-devouring animal�...raised...itself on one side, but the Hebrew, �It raised upon dominion.� The Medes, an ancient people, and the Persians, a modern tribe, formed one united sovereignty in contrast to the third and fourth kingdoms, each originally one, afterwards divided. English Version is the result of a slight change of a Hebrew letter. The idea then would be, �It lay on one of its fore feet, and stood on the other;� a figure still to be seen on one of the stones of Babylon (munter, Relig. Babyl., 112); denoting a kingdom that had been at rest, but is now rousing itself for. conquest. Media is the lower side, passiveness; Persia, the upper active element (Auberlen).
�After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of its four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.�
Believer�s, p. 1083: The leopard is a type of Greece. Its four wings of a bird speak of the rapid expansion of the Grecian Empire. Four is the number of the world. Wings speak of speed. Within thirteen years Alexander conquered the world, marching as far east as India. Then died at thirty-three; empty handed. The leopard�s four heads apparently set forth the division of the empire to four of Alexander�s generals after his death.
Clarke�s, p. 698: Another, like a leopard...four wings...four heads. This was the Macedonian or Greek empire, and Alexander the Great its king. Four wings of a fowl. The Babylonian empire was represented with two wings; and they sufficiently marked the rapidity of Nebuchadnezzar�s conquests. But the Macedonian has here four wings; for nothing in the history of the world, was equal to the conquests of Alexander, who ran through all the countries form Illyricum and the Adriatic Sea to the Indian Ocean and the River Ganges; and in twelve years subdued part of Europe and all Asia. The beast had also four heads. Signifying the empire after the death of Alexander, divided between his four generals: Cassander reigning over Macedon and Greece; Lysimachus, over Thrace and Bithynia; Ptolemy, over Egypt; and Seleucus, over Syria. Dominion was given to it. It was not owing to the skill, courage, or valor of Alexander and his troops that he made those wondrous conquests; the nations were given to him. For, as Bishop Newton says, had he not been assisted by the mighty power of God, how could he, with only 30,000 men, have overcome Darious with 600,000; and in so short a time have brought the countries from Greece as far as India into subjection?
�After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots; and behold in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.�
����������������������������� It�s At This Point The
�������������������������� Commentaries Go Astray
In the mainstream, most commentaries identify the �fourth beast� as being the Roman Empire. Because they are blind to the fact that the Israelites are the Anglo-Saxon, and related peoples, they depart from their well-founded understanding of Daniel�s prophecy, and venture into several confused direction. Other than his incorrect remark about Antiochus Epiphanies, Matthew Pole, vol. 2, page 831, is less biased:
�Daniel considered and this calls upon us to consider the matter. Another little horn: some will have the Turk meant; others, before him,, Antiochus Epiphanies; others Julius Caesar; other antichrist. It is certain the horn that riseth out of the he-goat is Antiochus, Daniel 8:9-12, but the horn here mentioned riseth out of the fourth beast, or under him...�
With this in mind, let�s use such commentary without getting on the subject of the �little horn.�
Poole�s vol. 2, p. 831: A fourth beast: this was the Roman empire; for that followed the Grecian, and was monstrous as to his rise and progress. Stamped the residue with the feet of it. As to the variety and cruelty of the government, it made use not only of Italians, but Spaniards, Gauls, Germans, Britons, which made their armies hardy and hard as iron, which broke in pieces the gold, silver, and brass. But it is clear this is the last kingdom of the four, that was to be destroyed by Christ�s kingdom...
Bible Knowledge, vol. 1, p. 1350: Daniel now described a FOURTH BEAST. Instead of likening it to some known animal Daniel simply called it a beast. Apparently it was a mongrel composed of parts of a lion, bear, and leopard... This fourth beast was more TERRIFYING and POWERFUL than the three preceding beasts, which were all ferocious and destructive. This beast HAD LARGE IRON TEETH with which it was able to crush and devour its prey. The empire represented by this mongrel bast had CRUSHED and assimilated into itself the three previous empires by the lion, the bear, and the leopard (it TRAMPLE UNDERFOOT WHATEVER WAS LEFT; cf. Daniel 7:19)
To sum up what we have learned from these Bible commentaries, we have found the four beast-empires which Daniel was prophesying about centered around the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore, chapters 2 and 7 can only primarily be; Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. But, in a secondary sense they can represent the RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL, MONETARY and RACIAL aspects those empires projected, in some cases up to our present day. That being said, the Roman Empire will never be reestablished as many �Futurists� claim. The Futurists� problem is, they are unable or unwilling to see that many of the primary aspects of Daniel�s prophecies have already �HISTORICALLY� happened.
���������������� Adam Clark Gets The �10 Horns� Right
Out of all the Bible commentaries, available only Adam Clarke�s Commentary on the Bible interprets the ten horns of Daniel 7:7 in a correct manner, though he fails to identify them properly and doesn�t do well on the �little horn� of Daniel 7:8, page 698:
�I say...a fourth beast...it had great iron teeth. This is allowed, on all hands, to be the Roman Empire. It was dreadful, terrible and exceeding strong; it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue, that is, the remains of the former kingdoms, with its feet. It reduced Macedon into a Roman province about one hundred and sixty-eight years before Christ; the kingdom of Pergamos, about one hundred thirty-three years; Syria, about sixty-five years; and Egypt, about thirty years before Christ. And, besides the remains of the Macedonian empire, it subdued many other provinces and kingdoms; so that it might, by a very usual figure, be said to devour the whole earth, to tread it down, and break it to pieces; and become in effect, what the Roman writers delight to call it, �the empire of the whole world.� It had ten horns. The ten kingdoms into which the Roman Empire was afterwards divided.�
There is a lot of speculation on Daniel 7:8, but we will dispel most of that errant supposition with that previously presented evidence.
Let us study a passage that was prophesied by Daniel during the Judean captivity in Babylon and see how it affected Judah when it was fulfilled about 100 years later. This passage is Daniel 7:24-25:
�And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.�
As you will see before we get done with this, we will find what this passage IS, and what it is NOT.
First of all, we are going to skip the subject of, �And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise,� as it is a subject all in itself. The part we are going to concentrate on is: �...and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse form the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.�
From William V. Fowler�s book, End Time Revelation, page 127:
�To identify the ten horns of the fourth beast which was the Roman Empire, ONE HAS BUT TO EXAMINE HISTORY WHICH RECORDS THAT TEN KINGDOMS AROSE AFTER 476 A.D., IN THE WESTERN HALF OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, while the eastern half continued to flourish. History also reveals that Justinian at the head of the Eastern (Roman) Empire at Constantinople subdued three of the ten kingdoms that were established in the western half of the Roman Empire after the fall of Imperial Rome. These were VANDALS whose kingdom had been established in north Africa, the OSTROGOTHS who had established a kingdom in Italy, and the ALEMANIAN kingdom north of Italy.� �And he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.� (Verse 24) JUSTINIAN, AS HEAD OF THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT, UNITED THE INTEREST OF THE CHURCH AND ESTABLISHED THE TEMPORAL POWER OF THE PAPACY WHICH clearly fulfilled the prophetic little horn by DOMINATING EUROPE FOR 1,260 YEARS until curtailed by Napoleon (538 A.D. to 1,798 A.D.)
�AND HE SHALL SPEAK GREAT WORDS AGAINST THE MOST HIGH, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and THINK TO CHANGE TIMES AND LAWS. (Verse 25) Justinian�s best known work was a codifier and legislator. He greatly stimulated legal studies, and set up a commission under Tribonian which issued the codex, the digest, and the institutes. (Originally introduced in December 534 A.D., and completed in 538 A.D.) The second edition of the codex contained Justinian�s own laws known as the Novels (Novellae Constitutions). One need only read the utterances of Pope Innocent III in the thirteenth century and his immediate successors to recognize the fulfillment of speaking �great words against the Most High.� Study the history of the inquisition with its massacres, martyrdoms and every kind of persecution to substantiate this interpretation. (See Halley�s Bible Handbook, chapter on Church History).�
This is one of the key passages �futurists� use to prove a future SO-CALLED ANTICHRIST and a THREE AND ONE HALF YEAR PERIOD OF TRIBULATION, along with the SO-CALLED MARK OF THE BEAST. If our people understood history, they wouldn�t be falling for such nonsense. All that futurist bunk was dreamed up by a Spanish Jesuit (a Jewish Basque) by the name of Ribera about 1580 A.D., and no one before that time ever heard such a doctrine.
The important thing to notice with this passage, is that we are looking for a king of a kingdom who subdued three other kingdoms of our people during his reign. You will also notice we are looking for a king, who, during his reign had a very strong impact upon writing and managing laws. You will notice Justinian fits both of these qualifications. As we go along, the picture of the fulfillment of this passage will start to come into focus. The World Book Encyclopedia, vol. 11, page 168 has this insight on this subject:
�Justinian I, jus TIN ih un (482-565 A.D.), was the Byzantine (East Roman) emperor from 527 A.D., until his death. He collected Roman laws under one code, the Corpus Juris Civilis (Body of Civil Law). This code, also known as the Justinian Code, is the basis of the legal systems in many nations today...Justinian was called The Great. He recaptured many parts of what had been the West Roman Empire from barbarians. He built fortresses, harbors, monasteries, and the famous church of Saint Sophia in what is not Istanbul, Turkey.
�Justinian was born in a part of Macedonia that is now in Yugoslavia. His uncle, Emperor Justin I, made him co-ruler in 527 A.D. Justin died a few months later, and Justinian became sole emperor. During Justinian�s reign, his wife, Theodora, tried to influence his politics...Justinian was an orthodox Christian, and tried to unify his empire under one Christian faith. He persecuted Christian heretics (those who opposed church teachings), Jews, and pagans (non-Christian). In 529 A.D., he closed the schools of philosophy in Athens, Greece, because he felt they taught paganism.
�In the early 530's, Justinian began a series of wars against the VANDALS, OSTROGOTHS, and VISGOTHS, who had conquered most of the West Roman Empire in the 400's. By the mid-550's his armies had taken northern Africa, Italy, and parts of Spain...
�Justinian Code. Justinian I, ruler of the eastern Roman Empire from 527 to 565, commanded 10 of the wisest men in his realm to draw up a collection of the Roman laws. This collection is known as the Corpus Juris Civilis, which means Body of Civil Law. Also called the Justinian Code, this body of law is recognized as one of the greatest Roman contributions to civilization. It was a compilation of early Roman laws and legal principles, illustrated by cases, and combined with an explanation of new laws, and future legislation. The code clarified the laws of those times, and has since been a basis for law codes of many countries.
�The scholars who compiled the Justinian Code divided it into four parts. The Institutes served as a textbook in law for students and lawyers. The digest was a casebook covering many trials and decisions. The Codex was a collection of statutes and principles. The Novels contained proposed new laws.�
You will notice that in both of these quotes, three kingdoms were taken by Justinian. William V. Fowler records them the same as The World Book Encyclopedia except for the Alemanian which the World Book Encyclopedia calls the Visigoths. The Alemanni and Visigoths are different tribes of the same people, so there is no problem here. Justinian was corrupting the church and the state with his law code, so we will not completely understand this passage unless we look further. To see all of this happen, which can be seen in the book, Study in Daniel, by Howard B. Rand, pages 182-183:
�Having discovered the identity of the four beats; let us now note the meaning of the little horn which Daniel saw arise from among the ten horns on the fourth beast. THE TEN HORNS REPRESENT SUBDIVISIONS IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE.
�THE LITTLE HORN THAT AROSE AMONG THE TEN, WHICH WAS DIVERSIFIED FROM THEM, PULLING UP THREE, IS NONE OTHER THAN JUSTINIAN AT THE HEAD OF THE EASTERN (Roman) EMPIRE AT CONSTANTINOPLE. HISTORY REVEALS THAT HE SUBDUED THREE OF THE TEN KINGDOMS WHICH WERE ESTABLISHED IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE AFTER THE FALL OF IMPERIAL ROME. These were the VANDALS whose kingdom had been established in north Africa. The OSTROGOTHS who had established a kingdom in Italy and the Alemanian Kingdom north of Italy. In the eyes and the mouth that appear in this little horn we have a new power associated with the rule of the little horn. In fact, this power became the eyes and mouth of the civil and economic activities of the government represented in the little horn. JUSTINIAN, AS HEAD OF THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT, AND THE POPE, AS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH, UNITED THEIR INTEREST AND CHURCH AND STATE BECAME ONE. FINALLY THE POPE BECAUSE THE DIRECTOR OF BOTH CHURCH AND STATE AND RULED AS A GREAT POLITICAO-ECCLESIASTICAL POTENTATE. One needs but read the utterances of past Popes to recognize the fulfillment of speaking �great words against the most High� as prophesied by Daniel.�
Again the connection between Justinian and the popes of the Roman Catholic Church. This is an interesting perception, for the popes gained their state-political authority by Justinian�s Law Code.
What we are talking about here is an ecclesiastical-political power with the combination of Justinian and the Pope. That is why this new ecclesiastic-political beast is diverse from all the beasts that were before it, Daniel 7:7. We will not quote form Howard B. Rand�s book Study In Revelation, page 44:
�Upon the ruins of the ancient Roman Empire there arose, gradually, a new and different type of Empire, which became all the more powerful because it CLAIMED control over the souls of men as well as their bodies, and extended its dominion beyond this life into the grave. History has amply verified these facts and that the Popes claimed the right to temporal power, taking the place of the Caesars, while the Eternal City under pagan Rome BECAME THE ETERNAL CITY UNDER PAPAL CONTROL. How apt is the description of her supporter as named by John, Hell. This is Hades or the abode of the dead, for through the doctrine of Purgatory, the church was able to hold supremacy and exercise tremendous power over her followers not only in this life, but beyond through the fear of future suffering in Purgatory.�
Then quoting on page 49 from this same book:
�Church over State: Pope Agapetus, in a dispute with Justinian the Emperor of the east, won his point and the Emperor yielded to the Pope. The head of the Church had triumphed over the head of the government. This was 536 A.D. A Church council assembled at Constantinople this same year and informed the government, as a servant of the Church, that an edict be issued ordering a decision of the council executed. This was done and thus Church and State became united. Persecutions followed, which the dictated and the State supported. ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY YEARS of cruel torture and destruction now followed, RESULTING IN NEARLY A HUNDRED MILLION DYING VIOLENT DEATHS.� (You should remember that most of the murders were under the order of Jewish Popes)
������� 538 A.D. to 1798 A.D. = 1,260 Years, Not 3� Years
Let�s go back to our original Scripture of Daniel 7:24-25 and pick up the sentence concerning this period of time: �and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.�
This sentence is used by futurists as a basis for their postulation of a future three and one half year tribulation period, when a so-called antichrist will set up his kingdom after a so-called rapture. Some futurists call for a seven year tribulation period. The futurist theory was dreamed up by a Jewish Spanish Jesuit priest by the name of Ribera, about 1580 A.D., and the teaching had never been heard of before that time. It has a long and sordid history, and we don�t have space here to go into much detail on the subject. But this portion of Scripture quoted immediately above is one of the basic passages they use, out of context, to support their theory. By showing you the true historical meaning of this passage. It will drive a nail into the coffin of this doctrine so it will stay dead for a long time. What could be more of a tribulation that 1,260 year and 100,000,000 violent deaths, mostly of our people, and during our time? Some estimate as low as 60 million, but it is still a lot of people. This is the legacy of Justinian and his law code, along with the Universal Church.
������������ Example of Lack of Insight on Daniel 7:20-26
Now that we have covered this prophecy of Daniel 7, Let�s take a look at some comments from The Bible Knowledge Commentary on this passage found in vol. 1, page 1355. While there are some positive remarks by this source, other statements are deficient, lacking any understanding. The follow quote is an example, compare it with the evidence:
�The amillenairan view that the �little horn� has already appeared sometime in the past (but since Christ�s First Advent) is wrong because: (a) no such ruler has attained worldwide status (7:23), (b) no such ruler has subdued 3 of 10 kings who were ruling at once (7:24), (c) no such ruler has persecuted Israel (7:21) for three and one-half years (7:25), and (d) no such ruler has been destroyed forever (7:26) by Christ�s return. Nor could this �little horn� be the Roman Catholic papacy because: (1) the �little horn� is a king, not a pope, (2) the papacy�s power has not been limited to three an d one-half years, (3) the papacy has not concentrated on persecuting the nation of Israel, and (4) the papacy has not been destroyed by the return of Christ to the earth.�
The answers to these blatantly false statements by The Bible Knowledge Commentary, edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck of the Dallas Seminary Facility are: YES, the �little horn� did attain worldwide status in the prophesied Roman world. YES, Justinian did subdue 3 out of 10 kings. YES, the Roman Catholic papal system did persecute Israelites of Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, Scandinavian, Celtic of European descent. YES, that prophecy was for a prophetic 3� years, or 1260 actual years. YES, that papal ruler lost his power in 1798 A.D., and will be totally destroyed at the Second Advent. YES, the papacy represents the �little horn� of Daniel 7:8. YES, the papacy�s power did continue for a prophetic 3� years or 1260 actual years. YES, the papacy did concentrate on persecuting European, Anglo-Saxon and related �Israelites� during that period. And YES, while the papacy did lose its ruling power; it will finally be totally destroyed at Messiah�s Second Advent.
How true is Matthew 15:14 and Luke 6:39, that if the blind lead the blind, both fall in the proverbial ditch. Not only are there blind leaders of the blind in the Judeo-unchristian churches, but there are blind leaders of the blind in the Israel Identity movement. A good example of blind leaders leading the blind in Israel Identity are those who deny the Two seedline message of Genesis 3:15, That puts the responsibility for the truth squarely upon OURSELVES, for Scripture implores us to �...study to show THYSELF approved...� (2 Timothy 2:15)
Now we have studied about Nebuchadnezzar�s dream-image, interpreted by Daniel, concerning the four beast empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. We saw how the great amount of people in the Roman Empire; how the Teutonic German tribes wore down and eventually destroyed Rome; and, the destiny of the two-legged image which represented the western and eastern branches of the Roman Empire.
We discovered the �little horn� of Daniel 7:8 was the Roman papacy. Now we will investigate the �little horn� of Daniel 8:9. To begin, we will read each verse followed by commentary by Adam Clarke. Clarke is preferred because his comments are somewhat better than the other commentaries on this passage:
Daniel 8:1: �In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.�
Adam Clarke: �IN THE THIRD YEAR OF THE REIGN OF...BELSHAZZAR. We now come once more to the Hebrew; the Chaldee part of the book being finished. As the Chaldeans had a particular interest in both the history and prophecies from chapter 2:4 to the end of chapter 7, the whole is written in Chaldee. But as the prophecies which remain concern time posterior to the Chaldean monarchy, and principally relate to the church (CALLED-OUT ASSEMBLY; THE PEOPLE OF YAHWEH SPECIFICALLY), THEY ARE WRITTEN IN THE Hebrew language, this being the tongue in which God chose to reveal all His counsels given under the Old Testament relative to the New.�
Daniel 8:2: �And I saw a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan IN the palace, which IS in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.�
Adam Clarke: �I SAW IN A VISION. Daniel was at this time in Shushan, which appears to have been a strong place, where the kings of Persia had their summer residence. It was the capital of the province of Elam, which was most probably added to the Chaldean territories by Nebuchadnezzar; See Jeremiah 49:34-35. Here was Daniel�s ordinary residence; and though here at this time, he, in vision saw himself on the banks of the river Ulai. This is the same as the River Euleus, which divided Shushan or Susiana from Elymais.�
Daniel 8:3: �the I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had TWO horns: and the TWO horns were high; but one WAS higher than the other, and the higher came up last.�
Adam Clarke: �A RAM WHICH HAD TWO HORNS. In the former vision there were four beasts, pointing out four empires; in this we have but two, as only two empires are concerned here, viz., the Grecian and the Persian. The Babylonish empire is not mentioned; its fate was before decided, and it was now at its close. By the RAM, the empire of the Medes and Persians was pointed out, as explained by the angel Gabriel (verse 8:20); and particularly Cyrius, who was the founder of that empire. A RAM was the symbol of the Peresians; and a ram�s head with two horns, one higher than the other, appears as such in different parts of the ruins of Persepolis. This ram had two horns; that is, two kingdoms, viz., Media and Persia; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. Media, signified by the shorter horn, was the more ancient of the two kingdoms. Persia, the higher horn, had come up but lately, and was of little historic or political consequence till the time of Cyrus. But in the reigns of this prince and his immediate successors, Persia attained a political consequence greatly superior to that possess at any time by the kingdom of Media; therefore it is said to have been higher, and to have come up last.�
Daniel 8:4: �I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there ANY that could deliver our of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.�
Adam Clarke: �I SAW A RAM PUSHING WESTWARD. The Persians, who are signified by the ram, as well as their founder, Cyrus, pushed their conquests west, north and south. The principal theater of their wars, says Calmet, was against the Scythians, northward; against the Greeks, westward; and against the Egyptians, southward. HE DID ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. There was no other nation at that time that could stay the progress of the Persian arms.�
Daniel 8:5: �And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat HAD a notable horn between his eyes.�
Adam Clarke: �BEHOLD AN HE GOAT. This was Alexander the Great; and a goat was a very proper symbol of the Grecian or Macedonian people. CAME FROM THE WEST. Europe lies westward of Asia. ON THE FACE OF THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH. Carrying everything before him. TOUCHED NOT THE GROUND. Seemed to fly from conquest to conquest. By the time Alexander was thirty years of age he had conquered all Asia: and, because of the rapidity of his conquest, he is represented as a leopard with four wings, in the preceding vision.�
Daniel 8:6: �And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.�
Adam Clarke: �AND HE CAME TO THE RAM. This and the following verse give an account of the overthrow of the Persian empire by Alexander (WHO) ran unto him in the fury of his power. The conflicts between the Greeks and the Persians were excessively severe. Alexander first vanquished the generals of Darius, at the river Granicus, in Phrygia; he next attacked and totally routed Darius, at the straits of Issus, in Cilicia; and afterwards at the plains of Arbela, in Assyria.�
Daniel 8:7: �And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.�
Adam Clarke: �AND BRAKE HIS TWO HORNS. Subdued Persia and Media; sacked and burnt the royal city of Persepolis, the capital of the Persian empire and, even in its ruins, one of the wonders of the world to the present day. This he did because �he was moved with choler� against Darius, who had endeavored to draw off his captains with bribes, and had labored to induce come of his friends to assassinate him. Alexander, finding this, would listen to no proposal of peace, and was determined never to rest till Darius was seized and made prisoner by some of his own treacherous subjects, and afterwards basely murdered. HE CAST HIM DOWN TO THE GROUND, AND STAMPED UPON HIM. Totally destroyed the family, and overturned the whole monarchy.�
Daniel 8:8: �Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.�
Adam Clarke: �THE HE GOAT WAXED VERY... STRONG. He had subdued the whole of the then known world. THE GREAT HORN WAS BROKEN. Alexander died in the height of his conquests, when he was but about thirty-three years of age. His natural brother, Philip Aridaeus, and his two sons, Alexander Aegus and Heracles, kept up the show and name of the Macedonian kingdom for a time, but they were all murdered within fifteen years; and thus the great horn, the Macedonian kingdom, was broken, Alexander�s family being now cut off. AND FOR IT CAME UP FOUR NOTABLE ONES. The regal family all dead, the governors of provinces usurped the title of kings; and Antigonus, one of them, being slain at the battle of Ipsus, they were reduced to four, as we have already seen: (1) Seleucus, who had Syria and Babylon, from whom came the SELECUCIDAE, famous in history; (2) Lysimachus, who had Asia Minor; (3) Ptolemy, son of Lagus, who had Egypt; and (4) Cassander, who had Greece and the neighboring countries. These held dominion towards the four winds of heaven. Cassander had the western parts, Lysimachus had the northern regions, Ptolemy possessed the southern countries, and Seleucus had the eastern provinces.�
Daniel 8:9: �And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.�
Adam Clarke: �OUT OF ONE OF THEM CAME FORTH A LITTLE HORN. Some think that Antiochus Epiphanies is meant. Toward the pheasant land. Judea, so called in Psalm 106:24; Jeremiah 3:19; Daniel 11:6, 41.�
It�s with this verse that Adam Clarke loses his insight on this passage. To his credit, he does point out that �SOME THINK that Antiochus Epiphanies is meant.� Evidently, he didn�t necessarily agree. As to the comment about the �pheasant land,� we will examine that later.
Daniel 8:10: �And it waxed great, even to the host of haven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.�
Adam Clarke: �THE HOST OF HEAVEN. The Jewish hierarchy. THE STARS, the priests and Levites. The powers or HOST OF HEAVEN are probably intended by our Lord (Matthew 24:29), to signify the whole Jewish hierarchy.�
Here again, Adam Clarke goes wide of the mark. Rather than being the �whole Jewish hierarchy� when it is speaking of the HOST OF HEAVEN, it is speaking of all the Lost Tribes of Israel. That is the main reason the �little Horn� of Daniel 8:9 cannot be Antiochus Epiphanies. This vision of Daniel is much greater, and doesn�t even compare with the incident with him and the Maccabees over the desecration of the Temple.
Daniel 8:11: �Yea, he magnified HIMSELF even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily SACRIFICE was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. And an host was give HIM against the daily SACRIFICE by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered. Then I heard one saint speaking, and anther said unto that certain SAINT which spake, How long SHALL be the vision concerning the daily SACRIFICE, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.�
Adam Clarke: �UNTO TWO THOUSAND AND THREE HUNDRED DAYS. Though literally it is 2,300 evenings and morning, yet it would appear that the prophetic day should be understood here, as in other parts of this prophet, and must signify so many years. If we date these years from the vision of the he-goat (Alexander�s invading Asia) this was 334 B.C.; and 2,300 years from that time will reach to 1966 A.D.�
While Adam Clarke isn�t getting the whole picture, we must give him credit where credit is due. At least, in his purview, he understood Daniel�s days to mean prophetic years, not literal days. Many Judeo-Christian clergy and laity alike are still making that same error. When we properly understand the time element, we can see how difficult it is to fit Antiochus Epiphanies into the education. Yet, almost every Bible commentary attempts to do this, and being in the majority doesn�t necessarily make it right.
������������ The �Little Horn� of Daniel 8:9 is Mohammed
The Identity author William V. Fowler was aware that Mohammed was the �little horn� of Daniel 8:9, and said this on page 131 of his book End Time Revelation:
�In his vision Daniel saw that the little horn �waxed exceedingly great toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. (Verse 9) Arising south of Palestine from beginnings in Arabia, the followers of Mahomet (Mohammed), immediately after his death in 632 A.D., attacked the Persians in the east before entering Palestine and capturing Jerusalem in 637 A.D. Subsequent expansion was rapid, and within a hundred years, the Saracens, as they were called, had acquired an empire extending from India to the Atlantic, including all territories south of (the) Mediterranean and east of Palestine as far as central Asia.
�And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. (Verse 10) As we have seen, the Prince of the host is to be identified with Jesus Christ, so the stars must be the children of Yahweh.
�This prophecy accurately describes the attitude of the Moslems to the Christian communities that remained within their territories. During the ten-year rule of Omar, the second caliph (634-644 A.D.), four thousand churches were destroyed, and the Christians were humiliated. As a sign of the degradation they were made to wear clothes of less honorable color, and instead of horses they were made to ride on asses, and while on the streets to give way of bow down before the meanest of people.
��He magnified himself even to the prince of the host.� As we have seen, the Prince of the host is Jesus Christ, and this is confirmed by the interpretation which calls Him �the Prince of Princes,� a title that can only be given to Christ. ALTHOUGH MOSLEMS CLAIM TO WORSHIP THE SAME GOD AS CHRISTIANS, THE KORAN...SAYS THAT THEY ARE INFIDELS WHO SAY THAT CHRIST IS GOD. Jesus is said to be no more than a servant who was favored with a gift of prophecy, while the MOSLEM CREED DECLARED A BELIEF IN GOD AND IN MAHOMET NEXT AFTER GOD, AS SUPERIOR TO JESUS CHRIST. The Moslems have clearly magnified themselves against Jesus
Christ, the Prince of the Host.
�THE TIME OF THIS KING�S APPEARANCE WAS TO BE DURING THE CHRISTIAN ERA �when the transgressors are come to the full.� This prophecy means the transgressions within the Roman church which was predicted of the little horn in chapter 7. Since horns, in prophecy signify kingdoms rather than individual kings, �the king of fierce countenance� probably meant Mahomet and his successors who were called Caliphs. Mahomet gave his followers instructions to propagate his religion by the sword.
�Understanding �Dark Sentences� (verse 23), doubtless refers to the mysteries of the Koran. �And his power shall be mighty, but not his own power.� (Verse 24) As we saw in the case of Alexander the Great, this expression indicates that his own children would not inherit his power and, in fact, the first Caliphs were elected rulers.
�The last prediction that Daniel makes about the king of fierce countenance is that �he shall be broken without hand.� (Verse 25) Although many Arab empires, including the vast Ottoman empire, have inexplicably collapsed, this prophecy may still have its ultimate fulfillment at the Second Advent...because the sanctuary, or THE TEMPLE SIGHT AT JERUSALEM, IS STILL DEFILED BY A MOSLEM MOSQUE, KNOWN AS THE DOME OF THE ROCK.
�Probably THE MOST IMPORTANT PROPHECY OF THIS CHAPTER IS THE TIME PERIOD, 2,300 DAYS (or years) given in verse 14. This prophecy is a future event. It terminates with the climax of the cleansing of the sanctuary, (Verse 14), with which the end of this present world order begins and gives way to the New Order of the ages, the Kingdom of Yahweh...�
Fowler made a prediction of 1978, but we believe Howard B. Rand has a somewhat better handle on some of the numbers. Rand also identifies the �little horn� of Daniel 8:9 as Mohammed. From Rand�s book Study in Daniel, segments from pages 200-209:
�EASTERN LITTLE HORN. Following all this, Daniel was shown in vision a little horn which arose out of one of the four division of the Grecian Empire. There has been considerable confusion among prophet students concerning the identification of this little horn. Some have pointed to the acts of Antiochus Epiphanies as being a fulfillment but, though he did profane the Temple and persecute the Jews, his army was conquered by Judas in 165 B.C., whereupon the sanctuary was cleansed and the worship restored. In trying to make the proper identification of this little horn, it should be carefully noted that Daniel was not informed as to WHEN the little horn would arise; he was only told that it would come up in the territory of one of the four divisions of the Grecian Empire.
The vision of the little horn was as follows:
�And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. And it waxed great, even to (against) the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and magnified himself even to (against) the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered.� (Daniel 8:9-12)
�Let us compare translations so that we may have as clear a picture of this vision as possible. Moffett translates this as follows:
�From one of these emerged a small horn which grew to a great size in the direction of the south, the east, and the fair land of Palestine. It swelled high as the starry host; indeed, it flung some of the stars on high down to the ground and trampled upon them. It even magnified itself to match the demolishing the place of the sanctuary. Thus was the daily sacrifice profanely treated, the true religion was beaten down, and the horn prospered in its career.�
�Ferrar Fenton renders it:
�And from one of them came out a Single Horn, which became splendidly great against the exalted itself to fight with the Heavens! And threw down some of its Army, and some of the Stars, and trod on them! It even stood up against the Commander of That Army! And took from him the Perpetual Offerings, and threw down his Holy Dwelling! And an army was given to it against the Perpetual, for wrongdoing, and it threw down Truth to the ground; yet it was active and prospered...
�...All those who have tried to confine the activity of the little horn seen by Daniel in his vision to the few years during which Antiochus Epiphanies was active have completely overlooked the significance of the chronological factors involved and have also failed to note the instructions given Daniel that the events related to the �far future.�...
�LITTLE HORN IDENTIFIED. The little horn seen by Daniel in his vision, therefore, depicted the rise of the power of Mohammedanism, and this identification is further confirmed by the fact that the little horn was to rise out of the territory of one of the four subdivisions of the Grecian Empire. Mohammedanism did arise in the Eastern Empire of Rome prior to the fall of Constantinople and extended its conquests to the south (Egypt and norther Africa), and toward the east (into Arabia and eastward to Persis), and toward the land of Palestine, which came under the full domination of the Ottoman Empire. The fall of Constantinople in 1453 A.D., brought the Eastern Roman Empire to an end and completed the establishment of the Empire of the Ottomans.
�SANCTUARY DEMOLISHED. During the 2,300 years from the time the Edict was issued sending Ezra back to Jerusalem, the Temple was built and later destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. Mohammed�s flight dates from 622 A.D., the beginning of the Hegira or Mohammedan Era. In 634 A.D., Omar came to power and with an army of fanatics began building his Empire. Jerusalem was taken in 637 A.D., and the Mosque of Omar was built upon the Temple sight, thus fully establishing the �abomination that maketh desolate,� fulfilling the prophecy as rendered in Moffett�s translation: �Deprived him of the daily sacrifice, demolishing the place of his sanctuary.
PERIOD OF GREAT FURY. History reveals the extent of the destroying power of this scourge for the followers of Mohammed did prosper and destroy many people in their ravages and the conquests of Christian peoples:
�Othman had established himself as chief in the north of Asia Minor. He invaded Nicomedia and founded the Ottoman Empire in 1299 A.D. By 1353 A.D., the Ottomans were established in Europe...The city of Constantinople was besieged and captured in 1453 A.D. this ended the Greek Empire when this eastern seat of Imperial Rome was taken by the Ottomans...All Asia Minor had been subjected by the Caliphs and now the eastern seat of Imperial Rome was infested by Mohammed II on the 6th day of March 1453 A.D., and fell to him on May 29th of that same year. With the fall of the Eastern Empire, which the Saracens could only torment, but not destroy, begins the period of great fury and bloodshed as the Ottomans established themselves in Europe and Africa.
�Daniel saw all this in his vision as he witnessed the power and aggressiveness of the little horn which, like the little horn seen in the first vision, was also emblematical of an ecclesiastical-political power. In the first vision it was the Papacy that rose to power, but now the little horn represented Mohammedanism and the line of the Caliphs. Full and unrestrained aggression was assigned to the leaders of the Mohammedans whose understanding of dark sentences refers to the type of revelation their leaders secured and the inspiration he received...�
In order to avoid confusion, we will discontinue quoting Rand any further. If we will take a good look around us, we can see this thing concerning Mohammadanism is not completely dead. It would seem the Almighty is using the antichrist �Jews� to fight against the antichrist Moslems, and the other way around. It would also appear it is time for us to step aside and let them annihilate each other.
Daniel chapter 8 is one of the main passages Futurists use in their attempt to prove a forthcoming so-called super-duper-pooper colossal �antichrist.� With what we have studied so far, it would be very difficult to fit such a personage into Daniel�s prophecies, yet they continue to try. Some examples: Commentary On The Whole Bible, by Jamieson, Fausett & Brown says on page 751:
�He (Antiochus Epiphanies) is the forerunner of the final antichrist, standing in the same relating to the first advent of Christ that Antichrist does to His second coming. The sins In Israel which gave rise to the Greek Antichrist were that some Jews adopted Hellenic customs...erecting theaters, and regarding all religions alike, sacrificing to Yahweh, but at the same time sending money sacrifices to Hercules. Such shall be the state of the world when ripe for Antichrist. At vs. 9 and vs. 23 the description passes from the literal Antiochus to features which, though partially attributed to him, hold good in their fullest sense only of his antitype, the New Testament Antichrist.�
The Bible Knowledge Commentary says, vol. 1, page 1359:
�There is no question among expositors that Antiochus is in view in this prophecy. What was prophesied was fulfilled literally through him. However, the prophecy looks beyond Antiochus to a future person (the Antichrist) of whom Antiochus only a foreshadowing. This coming one is said to �stand against the Prince of princes.� (Verse 25) This can be none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus the prophecy must go beyond Antiochus and look forward to the coming of one whose ministry will parallel that of Antiochus.�
The Believer�s Bible Commentary, by William MacDonald, says on page 1084:
�...The explanation of the vision begins in verses 19-22, but at verse 23 we seem to see beyond Antiochus Epiphanies to his future counterpart; a king with fierce features who will ruthlessly persecuted the holy people in the Tribulation Period.�
These references are wrong on both accounts, for Daniel 8 speaks neither of Antiochus or a so-called future �antichrist.� While these commentaries err on this passage, sometimes they do extraordinarily well on other passages.
The problem of misapplying the �little horn� of both Daniel 7 :8 and 8:9 to Antiochus Epiphanies originated with the Maccabees themselves. Their disastrous mistake in interpreting Daniel was figuring his prophecy in literal days rather than in prophetic year-days. Many today are making that same error, including some in Israel Identity.
Inasmuch as it was three and one half years from the time that Antiochus profaned the Temple until it was cleansed, the Maccabees thought they had their man. Many still go through all kinds of mathematical gymnastics to reconcile both Daniel chapters 7 and 8 in order to make Antiochus fit. Once one comes to realize that the �little horn� of Daniel is Mohammed, all difficulties disappear. After all, Antiochus Epiphanies was ly a small, insignificant pip-squeak in comparison to Mohammed. While Antiochus Epiphanies dealt harshly with the few Jews, Mohammed�s Moslem religion grievously affected all of the tribes of Israel, and continues today.
Should one check with some sources, one will find they go to excess to make all kinds of explanations and show all kinds of charts in an attempt to prove that Antiochus Epiphanies was the �little horn� of both Daniel chapters 7 and 8. Don�t be misled. They will try to place all the importance on Judah, who they falsely think are �Jews,� while forgetting the rest of Israel. Don�t be deceived by such people, as most of them, like the Judeo-Christian preachers of today, usually don�t know the difference between a �Jew� and an Israelite.
Now as we attempt to show you the significance of Daniel�s prophecy of 1335 days (verse 12:12), and what is called, in Luke 21:24, �the time of the Gentiles,� of which both were fulfilled in 1917. But, however, we need to explain how we came to that realization.
In an Identity meeting at Detroit where Sheldon Emry, E. Raymond Capt and Paul Johnson, a former Mormon form Red Oak, Iowa, were guest speakers. Paul addressed Matthew 24 in one of his messages. We learned through the years much from him.
Near that time, in conversing with one of my regular customers at my place of business, he seemed amazed at some of the various subject we were able to refer to. He being a Jehovah�s Witness, thought we were ripe to become a proselyte. After receiving two books through the mail which he evidently had them sent to me. Scanning one book, I saw several items which caught my eye, giving me cause to read it. Much of the book was just plain bull-crap, but the subject that interested me was �the times of the gentiles.� It was beginning to dawn on me that the area of Jerusalem was also under the �seven times punishment.� Upon mentioning that to Paul, he couldn�t comprehend how that area could be subject to that punishment, as the �Jews� and other people occupying Jerusalem were not true Israelites, which you may concur. Most of us are familiar with how the Tribes didn�t all go into captivity at the same time, and therefore, didn�t come out from under the seven times punishment period at the same time.
That Jehovah Witnesses� book, Babylon The Great Has Fallen!, had some things correct on pages 179-180:
�But in a symbolic or prophetic year, the number of days is fixed at the unchanging number of 360, and each day thereof stands for a whole year. �A day for a year, a day for a year.� (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6)
�In the prophetic book of Revelation a thousand two hundred and sixty days are spoken of as being equal to a �time and times and half a time,� or three and a half times. (Revelation 12:6, 14) If we divide three and a half (3.5) into a thousand two hundred and sixty days, it give us three hundred an sixty (36) day s to a �time.�
�Accordingly, a symbolic or prophetic �time� would Scripturally equal three hundred an sixty (360) years. If, now, three and half symbolic �times� amounted to 1,260 symbolic days, that is to say, 1,260 years, then twice three and a half (or seven) symbolic �times� would be twice 1,260 years, that is to say, 2,520 years. Thus the �seven times� that are mentioned in Daniel 4:16, 23, 25, 32 in connection with the tree dream would stand for two thousand five hundred and twenty literal years...In the fulfillment of the greater prophetic meaning, the �seven times� of 2,520 years began to count when Jehovah God let go the world domination as represented by his typical kingdom on earth ...by count, then, those Gentile Times, those �appointed times of the (non-Israel) nations�...would end 2,520 years... about...1914.�
They�re three years off on their arithmetic, but one can see what is meant by the �times of the Gentiles,� as for 2,520 years Judea was ruled by foreign powers. Then, something interesting happened in 1917, when Jerusalem was delivered to the British. After �seven times� it again came under the authority of King George VI, a bona fide descendant of David. King George VI lived until 1952; long enough to decree that the �Jews� and Palestinians would have to settle their differences by blood. There is no evidence that Queen Elizabeth has ever countermanded that decree, so it is still in effect, and the �Jews� and Palestinians are still Lawfully under that King in Yahweh�s sight. Therefore, that unlawful United Nations� recognition of Israeli in 1948 is null and void. They still have the earmark of a vagabond, with no legitimate place to call home.
Documentation on King George VI�s decision concerning Palestine is found in Understanding the Dead Sea Scrolls, edited by Herschel Shanks, chapter by Harry Thomas Frank, page 8:
�His Majesty�s Foreign Office had somewhat irresponsibly decided that since the problem of Palestine could not be solved by reason they would withdraw, leaving the two sides to decide by reason they would withdraw, leaving the two sides to decide the issue by blood.�
So that is where we are today. As a second witness to Daniel 12:12, in 1917, an Egyptian coin that year was inscribed 1335 in Arabic. Thus we have two types of people occupying Palestine today, squatters and trespassers.
Though I don�t agree with the book Testimony In Stone, by J. Bernard Nicklin, Yet his explanation of �the time of the Gentiles� is supportive of this thesis on pages 70, 72, 75, 106, 109, and 129.
On pages 78-80, Nicklin points to the date September 17, 2001 as the beginning of a period of �cleansing.� That date is too close to September 11, 2001 to be coincidental. We have already witnessed the exposure of fraud in the money markets, and the age-old secret sexual practices of the Roman Catholic clergy. If Nicklin is correct, we are in for some very starting revelations. Scripture says this cleansing will start first with the House of Yahweh. I, for one, am going to enjoy every minute of it. Moreover, many in Israel Identity have the need of being cleansed of the anti-seedline and universalism doctrines. (Taken, in part, from Watchman�s Teaching Letter, by Clifton A. Emahiser, 1012 n> Vine Street, Fostoria, Ohio 44830; (419) 435-2836)