The Rise and Fall of the Little Horn

Daniel 7 - Part 1/2

OPENING REMARKS

The message I have for you today is both sobering and yet greatly encouraging. Sobering because we are drawn by our text today to consider what will transpire here on earth in the last days. Encouraging because we will see again that the Lord reigns; that He is sovereign over every event that happens both in heaven and here on earth and even over the devil himself.

Among many things of note, there are two characters who stick out to us in Daniel chapter 7. Firstly, there is this character here named as ‘the little horn’, who we are told ‘speaks great things against the Most High and shall wear out the saints of the Most High.’ Then there is the Son of Man who is ‘given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.’ I hope to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the identity of both of these characters; that this shadowy figure named ‘the little horn’ is in fact none other than the Antichrist, the Beast of Revelation 13. And that this Son of Man is in fact our Lord Jesus Christ. Today we will focus on the four beasts of Daniel’s vision and the identity of this ‘little horn.’

There are often raised eyebrows when a Pastor chooses to teach on matters like these. Why talk about such negative, dark stuff? Stick to the promises of God, the love of God and the gospel, we don’t need to hear about the antichrist! Keep it positive! I believe this is one of the root causes of the current malaise in western Christianity. Christians have been selectively fed from the pulpit, they have been given what the Pastor feels they should have to eat, not what the Holy Spirit has ordained should be their diet. Consequently, the church has grown weak and flabby through not being fed on the whole counsel of God. We teach this stuff because it is what the Holy Spirit has preserved for us, the saints in the Holy Scriptures. For centuries the church was taught about the end times, she has been warned about the coming antichrist, by the apostles, Paul and John, by the Church Fathers; Irenaeus and Cyril of Jerusalem and by the Reformers and Puritans. They believed they were in the last days and that this teaching was essential for the Church, how much more then should we be learning about these things in the year 2022?

It should also be mentioned that what we are studying today is prophetic revelation, it was divinely revealed to the prophet Daniel in a dream over 2 and a half thousand years ago. When we are interpreting prophetic revelation such as this it can be tempting to run away with ourselves and enter into all kinds of wild speculations. There are many teachers of the end times today who have done just that, who have gotten fanciful with their interpretations, or have begun to read into these passages what they want to see. We must resist this temptation. What I am going to teach you today on this passage has stood the test of time; it is an interpretation which has been taught down through the ages by men of far greater learning and expertise than I.

THE TIMING OF THE DREAM

This chapter bears an uncanny resemblance to chapter two of Daniel. As we have said before; chapters 2-7 of Daniel have a kind of symmetry to them. Chapters 2 and 7 both feature dreams sent by God; one is had by Nebuchadnezzar and the other by Daniel. Both dreams feature four earthly kingdoms which will rule on earth. Both also speak of the final victory of the Kingdom of heaven over all these four Kingdoms. Both dreams leave the respective dreamer unsettled.

Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzars dream as a youth in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. Daniel has his dream in the first year of Belshazzars reign, nearly 50 years later. This dream happened before the Lion’s Den, it happened before Babylon had fallen into the hands of the Medo-Persian empire, I want for you to remember that.

THE DREAM ITSELF

In the first scene of the dream Daniel sees four beasts rise out of the sea; each beast is unique and frightening in appearance, the fourth beast more than all of them. In the second scene Daniel sees into heaven and witnesses the ancient of Days on His throne and one like a son of man being given a Kingdom. In the third scene, Daniel asks someone in his dream what it all means (perhaps an angel?) and he is given the interpretation of all that he has seen. Daniel doesn’t tell anyone about this dream, he was greatly alarmed by it and kept it to himself at first, but he did write it down so as to record it.

The Winds of Heaven & The Great Sea

Daniel sees the four winds of heaven stirring up the waters of the great sea.

What is this? Well firstly this stirring of activity upon the sea is being caused by the winds of heaven. This is showing us that these events are stirred up by heaven, by God Himself. Again this is revealing the sovereignty of God over world affairs, that He isn’t suprised by these four beasts that come up from the sea but that He actually causes them to come up.

In prophetic scriptures, the sea, especially a violent sea usually speaks to us of chaos or disorder. So we could say that these four beasts that arise out of the sea come in a time of chaos.

The Great Sea is usually the name given in the Old Testament to the Mediterranean sea. So these beasts which arise must be in some way related to the Mediterranean region.

The Four Beasts

These four beasts come up out of the sea one by one, each different from one another. This prophetic imagery of beasts arising out of the sea is mirrored in the book of Revelation chapter 13, which we will return to later.

The first beast was like a lion but had eagles wings, it then had it’s wings plucked off and was made to stand on two legs like a man and was given the mind of a man. The second beast was like a bear, it was raised up on one side with three ribs in it’s mouth and it was told ‘arise devour much flesh’.

The third beast was like a leopard but with four wings like a bird on its back. It also had four heads and dominion was given to it.

The fourth beast we are told was terrifying, dreadful and exceedingly strong. It has great iron teeth and we’re told it devoured and broke in pieces stamping what was left with its feet. However we’re also told that this beast had 10 horns and that as Daniel watched another ‘little horn’ came up amoung them and three were plucked up. This horn had eyes like a man and became greater than the other horns and had a mouth speaking great things.

Who are the four beasts?

Most throughout church history have held that these four beasts representing four Kingdoms are the same Kingdoms represented in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 2; Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. There are some others who have a different view, but this is the majority view and I think it carries the most weight.

The Lion/Eagle - Babylon. Interestingly as the ancient site of Babylon has been excavated they have found all over the walls images of Lion’s with eagles wings on their backs. The lion is known as the King of the jungle and the eagle as the king of the air. This beast was a picture of the regal greatness of the Kingdom of babylon which had lost some of it’s glory since the death of Nebuchadnezzar shown by the wings being plucked off.

The Bear - Medo-Persia. The bear is a ferocious, lumbering beast of an animal. Savage and strong. The medo-Persian empire immediately followed the Neo-Babylonian empire, conquering Babylon in 539 BC and is well known to history. The armies of the kings of persia were known for their vastness; some historians number their troops in the millions. The armies of the Persian king Xerxes being famously and fancifully depicted in the movie 300 was a depiction which was in part built on what history tells us about the incredible power and brutality of the Persian military. The three ribs in it’s mouth most believe are the three great triumphs of the Perisian armies; Babylon, Lydia and Egypt.

The Leopard - Greece. In the year 331 BC a young Greek man from Macedonia rose to greatness; known better to us as Alexander the Great he conquered much of the known world by the age of 28, conquering all the lands of the Medo Persian empire. He had been educated by none other than Aristotle, the famous philosopher and was a genius on the battlefield. By the time he died at the age of 32 his empire stretched from India in the east to Greece in the West, covering even large parts of north Africa. The leopard with four wings signifies the speed at which the Greek empire spread. The four heads most believe represent the four governments that ruled the empire once Alexander had died.

It’s important that we note the imagery here; that heads usually represent headship or forms of government within an empire. The empire is the beast, the heads are the ministrations of government and the horns are kings, individual men who rule within these empires.

The Horned Beast - Rome. In 31AD the Roman empire finally conquered all of the lands formerly belonging to the Grecian Empire under the emperor Caesar Augustus, arguably one of the greatest leaders of all history. This beast has iron teeth, like the iron legs of the statue in Nebuchadnezzars dream, it is terrible and also has 10 horns on it’s head with another ‘little horn’ which rises up and displaces three of the other horns.

Each of these Kingdoms ruled over the area surrounding the Meditteranean sea, and each Kingdom came one after the other. Whatever we say about these kingdoms we cannot believe that one is the Incan Empire, or the Mongolian Empire, or America, since none of these empires came successively after the Babylonian Empire or ruled over the same lands that Babylon ruled over.

The Little Horn

As we have seen, horns represent kings. And the fourth beast has 10 horns, but as Daniel is watching a little horn comes up and displaces three others. What does this mean?

That in this Roman empire there will be at some stage 10 kings who reign at the same time. This empire will devour the ‘whole earth’.

Then at some point a new king will arise, who at first seems insignificant he is the little horn, or little king. He will depose three of the existing kings and will become greater than the remaining 7. This king, represented by the little horn has eyes like a man, which speak of intellect, or understanding, and has a mouth speaking great things. This means that this king will be something of an orator, his speech will be very impressive and his intellect greater than all the other kings. He will speak against God, and will make war against the church and prevail over them, wearing them out. We’re told in verse 25 Daniel 7:25

Daniel 7:25 ESV

25 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.

Which in Daniels prophetic language means that this little horn will be given dominion for three and a half years until the Ancient of Days comes in judgement (v 22).

So what does this mean? Surely if this fourth beast is the Roman empire then these things have already happened since the Roman empire fell in the 5th century. Well, that is true, but there was never a point in the Roman empire when 10 Kings reigned at once, and we’re also told that the beast will be destroyed and the little horn consumed when the Ancient of Days comes in judgement at the end of this world. So that means that there must be a future aspect to the Roman empire, some sort of revived future Roman empire, a global government, ruled over by 10 kings, and this will happen immediately prior to the return of Christ in judgement.

The apostle John received a vision on the Island of Patmos at sometime near the end of the 1st century, some 60 years after the resurrection of Christ. What he saw and recorded in the 13th chapter of revelation seems to parrallel with the 7th chapter of Daniel in many ways.

Revelation 13:1–10 ESV

1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. 4 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” 5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 Also 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, 8 and 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. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear: 10 If 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.

I would contend that the beast of Revelation 13 and the beast of Daniel 7 represent the same thing.

Both rise out of the sea, both have 10 horns, both the little horn and the beast of revelation 13 utter great things, haughty and blasphemous things against God. Both are allowed to make war on the saints and overcome them or ‘wear them out’. Each beast has dominion over the whole earth; in Daniel for a time, times and a half - 3 and a half years, and in Revelation for 42 months, 3 and a half years. This we are told by both passages will end when Christ returns in judgement and the beast is thrown into the fire.

Revelation 19:11–20 ESV

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. 17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

So if the Little Horn is the Beast of Revelation 13 , then who is the Beast? Who is the Little Horn? He is the Antichrist, the man of sin, the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction.

2 Thessalonians 2:1–12 ESV

1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

So what can we know of the Antichrist from Daniel 7?

That he is a person; not a system, a religion or a particular position such as the Pope. Although we know from 1 John that there is such as thing as an antichrist spirit, which is anyone who denies the Father or the Son, that is not what is being spoken of here in Daniel 7 or in Revelation 13.

That he will arise under a one world government ruled by 10 leaders at some point in the future.

In a still clearer light has John, in the Apocalypse, indicated to the Lord’s disciples what shall happen in the last times, and concerning the ten kings who shall then arise, among whom the empire which now rules [the earth] shall be partitioned. He teaches us what the ten horns shall be which were seen by Daniel, telling us that thus it had been said to him: “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet, but shall receive power as if kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and give their strength and power to the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, because He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings.” It is manifest, therefore, that of these [potentates], he who is to come shall slay three, and subject the remainder to his power, and that he shall be himself the eighth among them. And they shall lay Babylon waste, and burn her with fire, and shall give their kingdom to the beast, and put the Church to flight. After that they shall be destroyed by the coming of our Lord. - Irenaeus of Lyons (Student of Polycarp)

That he will be at first unremarkable, but will then rise rapidly to prominence showing his great intellect and will put down three of these leaders before dominating the rest.

He will be a great speaker, very impressive in his leadership.

He will at some point begin to openly blaspheme God and attack God’s people and persecute them.

This will go on for three and a half years.

Then Christ will return in judgement kill the antichrist Himself and throw him and his followers into the lake of fire.

So what can we say? We can deduce using these paramenters that claims that any current or recent world leaders are the antichrist are mistaken. We can know that the antichrist isn’t Islam, or Catholicism or any other ‘ism’ although Islam certainly is an antichrist religion in the way 1st John teaches. We know that at some point in the future there will be a global government, and that 10 world leaders will rule over it. And it’s within this context that Satan’s perverted version of Christ will arise. There will be persecution for God’s people in that day; those will be the days of the great tribulation mentioned in scripture, before finally Christ returns to bring justice and glory for all whose names are written in the book of life.

WHY DO WE NEED TO KNOW THIS?

We need to know that the times are in God’s hands. That ultimately every government on earth, even the dreadful government of the antichrist must receive permission from God to rule, and God takes away their dominion whenever He pleases.

We need to know that every government and every person in this world is accountable to God and that He is coming back one day in judgement.

We need to know that God has left us His people with vital information about the future for our own good; so that we will prepare ourselves and also warn others about what is coming.

So that we see that suffering and trials are part of the Christian life, that they don’t mean God has abandoned us but that He will actually glorify Himself through our sufferings and reward those who suffer in His name.

So that we see that all things ultimately work towards the glory of God!