Daniel - Part 3

It’s interesting that Daniel was intently focused on the identity of the fourth beast, which stood out as very distinct from the other three and would embrace “the whole earth.” Point is made that the fourth kingdom will be a coalition of ten kings. Another king would arise whose ruling authority would displace three of the previous ten. Daniel’s dream foretells that this last king will be condemned by God to have his body destroyed by fire. I believe scripture identifies this last king as the man we know as Antichrist.

It’s interesting to note that the rest of the beasts, those from the kingdoms preceding the Antichrist’s kingdom, are allowed to live a bit longer. None who identify themselves with the kingdom of the Antichrist will be allowed to enter Messiah’s Kingdom, and they will be easily identified by his mark in their hand or forehead (as we learned in Revelation). There will be those in the other kingdoms who qualify to enter the Messiah’s Kingdom and will continue to have children, some of whom will join Satan in one last rebellion when he is released for a short time at the end of the millennium. There will only be one recognized authority on earth during that 1000 years, The Lord Jesus Christ; and point is made that His Kingdom will endure forever.

As previously noted, I think we have to recognize the following connections from the various dreams in Daniel:
• The head of gold = the lion with eagle’s wings = Babylon
• The arms and chest of silver = the ram with two horns = the bear = Medo-Persia
• The belly and thighs of brass = the he goat = the leopard with four wings and four heads = Greece
• The legs of iron with feet and toes of iron and clay mixed together = the fourth beast with iron teeth and ten horns = the Kingdom of Antichrist

This fourth kingdom of the Antichrist is connected to the Roman Empire since he is identified later in Daniel as coming from the same people that destroyed Jerusalem and the temple.

Dan. 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.