Daniel IV—The Beasts

Revelation Series #4
Fred R. Coulter—October 1, 2005

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This will be the last in our short series on the book of Daniel, which is a prelude to the series in the book of Revelation. Revelation 1, 2, & 3 explains the chart, which explains Revelation, and Daniel lays everything out for the last seven years. I think you will find that the whole series with Daniel, as the introduction, and Revelation is going to tie together a lot of Scriptures and help us understand the events at the end-time.

We will go through the completed chart, then we will go through Daniel 9:27 and cover that.

Charts:

•  Showing Prophecies of Reign of Gentile Kingdoms
• The Three Prophetic Periods of Daniel's 70 Weeks Prophecy—Daniel 9
• 1,150 Days of Daniel

What we have here is a result of decades of study and preaching, watching the news; looking and analyzing former failures to interpret the prophecies, things that didn't come about the way that people said that they thought they would come about, and how we go back and understand what is really happening. It's a matter that these things are understood because of doing what Jesus said in Matt. 24, and also because God has promised that in the end-time—when it's time to understand—we will understand.

• not because we're anything great
• not because we're intellectual
• not because we have great analytical ability

But God says that it's 'by His Spirit' that these things are done; and Jesus said, 'the words that I speak to you'—as recorded here in the New Testament as well as all the Bible—'are Spirit and are Truth.' Then we have the Proverb which says, 'It it God's glory' to hide something, and 'it is man's honor' to discover it. That's where all of this fits in.

But first of all, Matthew 24:42: "Watch, therefore, because you do not know in what hour your Lord is coming." It's impossible to know the exact day, even though we understand it based upon the Holy Days, because the earth is going to be shaken out of its orbit; day and night are going to be all mixed up and confused. So, no man knows the day or the hour.
Verse 43: "But know this…" Let's understand; there are two applications of "…your Lord is coming…"

• the literal return of Christ
• until that time for:
• judgment
• punishment
• blessing
• protection

—at any time

I'll show you a judgment of God that He did against the Church of God in our time because of this very sin and other sins all combined together.

Revelation 2:12: "And to the angel of the Church in Pergamos, write: 'These things says He Who has the sharp two-edged sword.'" Jesus has a 'sharp two-edged sword.' The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword (Heb. 4). So it works both ways.

Verse 13: "I know your works and where you dwell, where the throne of Satan is; but you are holding fast My name, and did not deny My faith, even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells."

Today, we're living in a world that is completely and totally saturated with Satan's ways. What happens when people live in an environment like that? The way of the world seems normal, and the way of God seems strange! So it also affects the Church.

The Church of God today is in total disarray, because they're selfish, they're self-centered and they argue with God. Just like it says of the Laodiceans, 'because you say'; they talk back to God!God is going to come upon you! After Antipas died they weren't faithful and they began to deny the name of Jesus.How do you deny the name of Jesus? By works being abominable (Titus 1)!

Verse 14: "But I have a few things against you because you have there those who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication." Have we not seen the Church of God overrun with Protestantism? That's exactly what this is talking about! Protestantism is just a reformed version of Catholicism.

Verse 15: "Moreover, you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate." This is a hierarchical, over-bearing government that rules the people. It has another aspect of it, too, which is this: You become so 'spiritual' that you can be around sin and you think that it won't affect you. You can read that in the book: Primitive Christianity in Crisis by Alan Knight.

Verse 16: "Repent! For if you do not repent, I will come to you quickly… [This is not at the return of Christ. This is Christ coming for judgment!] …and will make war against them with the sword of My mouth." He's going to carry out His will in judgment! That's what that means, because God has already given the judgment, what He's going to do. We'll see it in Matt. 24 in just a minute.

• Did God come upon the largest Church of God in known history?
• Did He not war against it?
• Did He not destroy it?
• Did He not take away its name?
• Take away everything that it had because they thought they knew more than God?
• Yes!

We need to think about these things because we're living in the end-times, and the time for dilly-dallying around and fooling around and playing pitzy-patzy and compromise with everybody... Those days, if you don't bring them to an end in your personal life, Christ will bring them to an end by His judgment against you. You're going to have to choose what you have to do.

That's what He says, v 17: "The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…." God is telling us we'd better listen! Here is a perfect example of how Christ can come upon you at a time you don't think, in the matter of judging because of your sins, rather than in the matter of His second coming. So, it has two applications:

• second return of Christ
• God's judgment against you

Matthew 24:43 "'But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have been watching, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into." I want you to apply that to any Church of God, because that is a great historical lesson for us in this time:

• Did not God do this because they weren't watching?
• Was the house broken into?
• Was it stolen by thieves?
• Did not false doctrines come in?
• Yes, indeed!

That's why we have the book: Lord, What Shall I Do? which says you're better off standing alone with God than to stand in the congregation of sinners for the sake of social interaction. We're going to see that that's going to be more of the situation that is going to be with the people of God toward the end-time than we have ever thought of. So, you'd better be ready to stand on your own two feet! That's what Jesus said.

Verse 44: "Therefore, you also be ready. For the Son of man is coming at a time that you do not think. Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his lord has set over his household, to give them food in due season?"

If you're faithful and wise you're going to have to be fed with the Word of God in due season, which then has a reference to the Holy Days. That means so that we will understand. This is saying that any understanding that we have comes from the Word of God, which is the spiritual food of God. He gives it to us if we are faithful and wise.

Verse 46: "Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing. Truly I say to you, he will set him over all his property. But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, 'My lord delays his coming'" (vs 46-48). Very interesting—isn't it? How does that happen? The way that that happens most of all is because of false interpretations of prophecy! They have to readjust and then say, 'God is delaying His coming.' No, He's not!He is right on time! Exactly right on time!

Verse 49: "And shall begin to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken."  That's happening in the Church of God today:

• false doctrine
• fighting
• warring against each other

I tell you what, some of these things are almost pitched battles. You have to stand for the Truth, and stand against those who want to compromise doctrine, and stand against those who want to bring in the world or join the world. That's what it is, 'eat and drink with the drunken.'

Verse 50: "The lord of that servant will come in a day that he does not expect, and in an hour that he does not know. And he shall cut him asunder and shall appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (vs 50-51)—as it projects out to those who then will possibly be cast into the Lake of Fire.

But is there 'weeping and gnashing of teeth' when you go through some of these trials and difficulties, and are beat from pillar to post, and so forth? Yes! We've all gone through that, we need to understand that, and we need to realize that as things come down that God expects us to be diligent every day! Remember what Jesus said, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.' We can do that:

• with the grace of God
• with the love of God
• with the Spirit of God
• with being led of God

We can do those things that please Him! But He's left it up to us, and the choices that He has set before us to do so. That's why in Matt. 25 it continues to show a greater meaning and also the responsibilities that we have and the choices that we make.

What we need to do is get a perspective on this. Do I love God? and serve Him? and obey Him? and repent—change and grow and overcome—on a daily basis? That's all a part of developing Christian character! You can apply 2-Peter 1, the steps of developing the character of God, the Divine character that comes from God.

Since God gives us free choice, which He does, He expects us to exercise it. He expects us to be governed with His Spirit, and it's self-government; through God and the Spirit of God you govern your life. Too many people, unfortunately, only do what they need to do when someone is watching. Especially in today's world! This whole society is based upon so much socialism and irresponsibility and emotionality that even starting in school, you give kids credit for trying even if they're wrong. You don't dare give them an 'F' because that will prick their poor little selfish self-esteem. That's the way they run a lot of businesses.

How many times have you had things done or want things done and you have to go back and have it done two or three times to get it right? Over and over again! That's why Donald Trump has this program The Apprentice! 'You're fired!' If you just try you're fired.

Now, God does give us credit for intensions IF we remain in an attitude of yieldedness to Him and repentant. But here are the choices: you know the parable of the Ten Virgins, five wise/five foolish. We've gone over that many, many times—haven't we? Yes! Let's use hurricanes that we had. Katrina came in and there were a whole lot of people in New Orleans celebrating that it missed them, and then what happened? The levees broke! They had a foolish governor and they had foolish mayor and they had a corrupt police department. They had lazy citizens. They had five days, and if they had enough gumption they could have gotten up and started walking. They didn't do it. They weren't prepared. So Katrina came and wiped them away.

There's no question that that is God's judgment against this nation, beginning at that point. And then, right after that we had Rita! Now, some people got the point and a lot of people got out—didn't they? There's a good example for us today.

• Are we going to be wise and prepare?
• Are we going to wise and have a few things in reserve like the wise ones who took oil with their little lamps?

or

• Are we going to be like the foolish and then when it hits you blame everybody else?

That's what's happened!

• God expects us to be responsible!
• God expects us to exercise our choices every single day!

At least there's one thing that some athletes have, which is a right perspective: What they did yesterday does not count for today! They can't look to tomorrow because tomorrow has not come. So, if you did good yesterday, fine, but what are you doing today? That's how we need to gauge it. That's why the model prayer that Jesus gave, 'give us this day our daily bread' shows that it is a daily thing of changing, overcoming, loving God and growing, all of these things are combined. We're all going to have enough faults and difficulties come along, so we're going to have to ask God to forgive us every day. That's why in the daily prayer it says, 'forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.'

With the parable of the Ten Virgins, at the last minute the foolish realize that they weren't prepared. They came to the wise and said, 'give us of your oil'—which is a type of God's Spirit. You can't give God's Spirit to someone else. And it just makes me wonder about the events that are coming down, because I do believe that we are in 'the time of sorrows.' And I do believe that there is going to be very little respite between these difficulties and problems that come.

For example, no sooner had they assessed the damage of Hurricane Rita, then what happened in California? Everybody said, 'Oh, whew! We're glad we don't have hurricanes.' So they had a fire! A mammoth fire!

You go back and you read Deut. 28—He hits them with 'blasting.' Is that not a hurricane? Then mildew, fire and drought! When you look at the whole map of the United States you see that every one of those things back in Deut. 28 are happening concurrently. Even out here in California, people are saying, 'Boy! I'm glad I don't live back there where hurricanes and tornadoes are. I'll take a few earthquakes.' Well, what are they going to do when the big one happens? Sooner or later it will! There comes a point of being too late.

Matthew 25:10: "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. And afterwards the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.' But He answered and said, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you'" (vs 10-12). Why? Because of their choices and their lack of carrying out what they need to do! The problem is not with God; people like to blame God.

Then we have the next parable where He gave the five talents, the two talents and the one talent. The one who had the five talents went out and did everything.

Verse 19: "Now, after a long time, the lord of those servants came to take account with them. Then the one who had received five talents came to himand brought an additional five talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered five talents to me; see, I have gained five other talents besides them'" (vs 19-20). How was this done?

• individual responsibility
• not relying on someone else to do it for you
• if there are problems and difficulties, you work to overcome them and change the situation so you can continue to go ahead

—rather than sitting back and moping and becoming angry; angry against God and all those sorts of things. That's how some people do. Witness the thing there with Katrina. What did they say? 'Oh, the hurricane was President George W. Bush's fault.' Really! 'The whites blew up the levees to kill blacks.' Nonsense! But they're even beginning to find out that racism doesn't come from white to black, but it also goes from black to white'; oriental to white; white to oriental, and everything else. It cuts across all races! If you want to say that Katrina was racism, then you better start blaming God because He's the One Who controls the weather. That's not the case! But, we'll see this attitude in just a minute.

Verse 21: "And his lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant!….'"

• Does God know when you do well? Yes!
• Is He happy when you do well? Yes!
• Does He recognize when you do well? Yes!
• Does He want you to do well? Yes!
• Will He help you to do well? Yes!
• Has He given you His Spirit to do it? Yes!
• Has He given you His Word to do it? Yes!

So the choices are all ours—right? God has done all the things He needs to do, and will continue to do them and help us with them.

He says: "'…Because you were faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'…. [because not everyone is able to do an equal amount of work, and God is not a Communist] …And the one who had received two talents also came to him and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; see, I have gained two other talents besides them.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! Because you were faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'" (vs 21-23).

This is how we grow in character and knowledge and understanding—of God and His way—and prepare for eternal life. Remember: God is preparing us for the greatest responsibility ever;to rule the world with Christ, not to just selfishly save our little ole necks so that we don't go into the Lake of Fire. He's got great things for His Family. He's going to provide the universe for His Family. We need to quit looking at diddly little things and problems and look up and get our eyes on:

• Christ and God
• His plan
• His way
• His purposes
• His Sabbath
• His Holy Days
• His Word

—so we can have, with God's Spirit, the vision, the understanding, the energy and the zeal to do what God wants us to do.

Now then, here's the accuser, v 24: "Then the one who had received the single talent also came to him and said, 'Lord, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter. And because I was afraid…'" (vs 24-25). We have to be fearful of God because He's God, but He has called us and given us His Spirit to be in our mind. We can call Him Father—Abba Father! So that through faith, through love, we do not become afraid or cowardly to do what God wants us to do! That's what it's talking about here.

"'…I went and hid your talent in the earth…. [don't stand up for what you believe, and all of the things that go with that] …Now look, you have your own.' His lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant!…. [makes you wonder how many are out there that are in this category] …You knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather what I did not scatter'" (vs 25-26).

In other words, carnal efforts will not produce spiritual character. That's what it's talking about. You don't look to your own weaknesses, lack of abilities, or that you're going to do God's Work with carnal means and methods. It won't work! That's what it's all talking about here.

• you need God's Spirit
• you need His blessing
• you need His grace

And if you don't love God and do the things that He wants you to do, then you don't have that. In other words, the wicked and lazy servant is the one who didn't do what God said.

Verse 27: "Because you knew this, you were duty-bound to take my talent to the money exchangers, so that when I came, I could have received my own with interest." In other words, God expects a minimum!

You can read that with the Church at Sardis—the church that was 'dead' but had a name; that 'it lived, but it was dead.' And the minimum was: 'hold fast the few things that you have.' That's what God expects here. We're going to see that this fits in to understanding prophecy. He wants you to know that whatever I have done or others have done have been done for decades!

• studying
• praying
• asking God for His Spirit
• to think and know and understand

That doesn't mean we're perfect. That doesn't mean we have absolute finite, complete understanding. But we have enough understanding because we are watching and doing the things that God wants us to do; that it gives us a better perspective in which to watch the things in the world.

Then what happens? And you've seen this happen, v 28: "Therefore, take the talent from him, and give it to the one who has ten talents."

Jesus said in asking why He spoke to them in parables, Matthew 13:11: "And He answered and said to them, 'Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been given.'" Whatever knowledge we have, whatever understanding we have, when we make mistakes we'd better be ready to correct them. God has given it!

Verse 12: "For whoever has understanding, to him more shall be given…" That ties right in with what we're reading in Matt. 25 about taking the single talent from the one who didn't do what he should have done, and give it the one with ten.

"…and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does not have understanding, even what he has shall be taken away from him'" (v 12). That's exactly what happened back in Matt. 25. They took the talent from him; gave it to the one with ten. Why not? Look what he did with the ten! So, think what he's going to do with this wasted one. He'll make it work!

Matthew 25:29: "'For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; on the other hand, as for the one who does not have, even that which he has shall be taken from him. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness.' There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (vs 29-30). In going over that, this helps give us a proper perspective that we need when we are approaching these prophecies in the book of Daniel and the book of Revelation.

There are a lot of things in the book of Daniel that have been difficult to understand. There are some historical events that have taken place, as we have seen. And we have covered how that in Dan. 2, 5 & 7 it ends up with what we know as 'the return of Christ.'

The chart showing: Prophecies of the Reigns of Gentile Kingdoms has been brought up to date to reflect the prophecies and living in the end-time. Many of them have been fulfilled. Come over to the column on the right: events fulfilled in history and come down to Bismarck, Germany. That is the sixth head, ridden by the 'woman.' And in Rev. 17, is the 'one that is'—but now that has occurred—'the one that is' tells us when Rev. 17 would begin to be understood.

Revelation 17:10: "And there are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, and the other has not yet come; and when he has come, it is ordained that he remain a little while"—season. The time that these prophecies began to be understood even more was in the time leading up to WWI, because the German Empire then was really a power in the world, under Bismarck. It was called the iron kingdom. That ties in with what we've seen in the book of Daniel with the legs of iron and the teeth of iron (Dan. 7). That ended at the end of WWI in 1918.

Then it says: "…and the other has not yet come… [the 7th horn] …and when he has come, it is ordained that he remain a little while" (v 10). That has got to be Germany and Italy—Hitler and Mussolini. In 1929 Mussolini signed a concordant with the Roman Catholic Church that undid the damage, to a certain extent, that Garibaldi did to the Roman Catholic Church. He took away all the papal states and reduced the Roman Catholic Church to just the Vatican. It was just a short time, beginning with Mussolini in 1929. In 1933 Hitler signed a concordant also, and the war ended in 1945. Isn't it interesting that the woman continues? As soon as allied troops came into Italy they switched sides immediately! That is, the Roman Catholic Church!

Verse 11: "And the beast that was, and is not, he is also the eighth… [so we're dealing with a separate one beyond the seven] …and is from the seven, and goes into perdition." This means it's going to be destroyed when Christ returns. Note sermon: The Beast That Was, and Is Not, and Yet, Is.}

We find that in v 8: "The beast that you saw was, and is not, but is about to come up out of the abyss and to go into perdition." This has to be the eighth one; 'to go into perdition' applies to both. So, it's identifying the same one.

What is a beast that "…was, and is not…and yet, is"? It is a governmental entity that does not have land, that does not have it's own population, that does not have national borders, but has made an agreement with all the nations of the world.That's exactly what the United Nations is.

That's why, if you look at the chart, we have this: Rev. 17—to the very bottom of that column—'the eighth one is the beast that was and is not, and yet, is, becomes the beast of Rev. 13:1-8 with seven heads and ten horns.

Verse 12: "And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but shall receive authority as kings for one hour with the beast. These all have one mind, and shall give up their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall overcome them; for He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful" (vs 12-14).

Here's a sign of Satan's system, and we are going to see a change, Revelation 12:3. "And another sign was seen in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns on his heads." Notice that the crowns are on the heads in this case. However, when we come to:

Revelation 13:1: "And I stood on the sand of the sea; and I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns… [same kind of system, but with a change] …and on his horns ten crowns…" That signifies that the ten horns (Rev. 17) that make war with Christ are the ten kings (Rev. 13) because the horns have crowns. They join with the beast that was, and is not, and yet, is—which then constitutes the seven heads of the beast (Rev. 13). So, Rev. 13 is the combinedbeast. Just like the rest of it is combined and goes back to Dan. 7—showing the different parts of the kingdom.

Now, let's come back to Dan. 2, and then we'll take a look at the chart again. This identifies them as the 'ten toes.' What we know is this: We coordinate this by the event—and the event is that they fight Christ!

Daniel 2:40: "And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, forasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and beats down all things, and as the iron that crushes all these, shall it break in pieces and crush. And whereas you saw the feet and toes…" (vs 40-41). When you examine a body from head to toe, what's the last part you look at? The toes! So, this signifies the end of the age.

"…part of potters' clay and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided. But there shall be in it the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly broken. And whereas you saw iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mix themselves with the seed of men. But they shall not cling to one another, even as iron does not combine with clay" (vs 41-43). That is a perfect description of the United Nations. Squabbling, can't get along, and yet, together—right? Yes, indeed!

Verse 44: "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed… [it identifies the ten toes as ten kings (take the chart and look at that)] …And the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever."

What does it say of the ten horns of Rev. 17? They fight Christ! What does it say of the ten toes of Dan. 2? They shall be broken without hand! That means by God!

That's why in the chart—you look at the Dan. 2 column—the image—and come all the way down—that's why we have this arrow coming from the two legs down to the ten toes—showing it comes to the end-time. The ten toes of iron and clay (vs 36, 41-45) fight against the Lamb and are destroyed without human hand.

We saw the same thing in part 3 of the Daniel series, and we saw that Antiochus Epiphanies was a fore-type of this coming last beast.

Daniel 8:23: "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have come to the full…" That fulfills a lot of prophecies—doesn't it? The whole world is given over to wickedness. Transgressors are come to the full!

"…a king, fierce of countenance and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power. And he shall destroy marvelously, and shall prosper and do his own will, and destroy the mighty and the holy people. And also through his cunning he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand. And he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in time of security shall destroy many. He also shall stand up against the Prince of princes. But he shall be broken without a human hand" (vs 23-25). There is going to be a leader of the ten toes.

That's why we have the column, Dan. 8—the Ram and the Goat—and follow the arrow all the way down; Dan. 8:23-25. We coordinate these verses with the 'man of sin, the son of perdition' (2 Thess. 2). And we coordinate it with the main head of Rev. 13, because it's the same event. He receives the deadly wound and is healed and is later cast into the Lake of Fire.

We couldn't know that 45+ years ago. But we see by watching, by studying and by seeing what's happening in the world. By continuously comparing that with the Word of God, we can see how this is developing.

Revelation 13:2: "And the beast that I saw was like a leopard…" That ties in with Dan. 7. All of these go back to Dan. 7. It's a combination because this is describing the beast that was, and is not, and yet, is—which is an amalgamation of all the world's great civilizations. And that's what the United Nations is trying to bring about.

"…and his feet like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne and great authority" (v 2). Now, the reason that we know that the beast of Rev. 13 has not happened yet is because of what we see here in describing it.

Verse 3: "And I saw one of his heads as ifit were slain to death, but his deadly wound was healed; and the whole earth was amazed and followed the beast." Let's understand that there has never ever, in the history of the world, been a time when the whole world followed one man! This has to be at the end! It cannot apply to any other time in history.

Verse 4: "And they worshiped the dragon…" Open Satan worship! That's what all this Harry Potter stuff has been. To bring in occultism as a normal thing for people to do and to experience. It's everywhere, in everything, preparing the way to worship the beast! and to worship Satan!

"…who gave his authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast? Who has the power to make war against him?" (v 4).

This could not be the Roman Empire, because everybody made war against it, and it rose and fell! This cannot be the United States because people can make war against it. As we lose more power, they'll be able to make war against us. There has to come a time that there is going to be such power given to this beast that no one is going to try and make war against it—including terrorists! Remember, it says 'peace and prosperity' (2-Thess. 2) and when the say, 'peace' (Dan. 8) no one's going to make war against them.

Now, here's why we know that this is at the end-time. (this ties in with Dan. 8). Verse 5: "And a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies was given to him; and authority was given to him to continue for forty-two months." This has to be after the 'deadly wound is healed.'

Let's understand something: When we are talking about these events, we are talking about end-time worldwide events that everyone in the world is going to be aware of. We now have the communication ability so that's going to be possible. What they're doing, and I think that this is of God: Applied Micro Devices is putting out a computer that will be wholly compatible to the Internet and it's going to have everything you need in the computer and it will sell for $299 to start. They have a goal that they call 50/15—it means that their goal is to sell enough computers in the world, that 50% of the people in the world by the year 2015 will have a computer. You tie that together with all of the handheld computers. You tie that together with the cell phones, with their computers.

God is going to give such a fantastic witness through all of these things that everyone on earth is going to know and everyone on earth is going to have to make a choice. And the dividing line is: Do you love the Truth? or believe a lie? (2-Thess. 2).

Verse 6: "And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. And he was given power to make war against the saints, and to overcome them…" (vs 6-7). There have been persecutions in the past, but this is for a duration of 42 months. I'm bringing this in to show how Rev. 17, 13 and Dan. 8, 2 all tie in together. We can see this as never before.

"…and he was given authority over every tribe and language and nation. And all who dwell on the earth will worship him…" (vs 7-8). When the Bible talks about all it means all! It defines who they are: "…who dwell on the earth…"

So, this is a worldwide event! This has never happened. This could never be compared to Sunday-keeping. This could never be compared to any aspect of the Roman Empire at any time.

• Did South America, during the Roman Empire, yield itself and worship the beast?

It took years to even get news from Europe down to the hinterland in South America.

• How about before they discovered, supposedly, America in 1492?
• Were there aspects of the Roman Empire that were already in effect by 1492A.D.? Yes, indeed!
• Did they know anything about it? No!
• Did they worship the Roman emperor? No!
• Did they worship the pope? No!

It could not, at any time, apply to that. This is an end-time event!

"…all who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If anyone has an ear, let him hear" (vs 8-9). That's how these events all tie together.

When we see the parallel 2-Thess. 2 how this ties in with Dan. 8, Rev. 13 & 17, then we can understand the events even more as we have them all in graphic form listed out here at the bottom of this chart: Showing the Prophecies of the Reigns of the Gentile Kingdoms.

2-Thessalonians 2:7: "For the mystery of lawlessness is already working; only there is one Who is restraining at the present time until it arises out of the midst." Satan has wanted to bring this many times in the past, but he hasn't been able to do it because Who is restraining? God is! Christ is! And Christ is going to come at His set time. Concerning the beast: we don't know how old he's going to be when he assumes power; we can say anywhere from 30-70—this can give us a 40-year period. This gives plenty of latitude and God always gives Himself latitude to fulfill His prophecies, based upon His people's and Israel's obedience to Him. Remember, He delayed the captivity of Judah because of Josiah and his repentance and the repentance of the people. So, God has given Himself—and we're just conjecturing—a 40-year period.

God is holding it back. Why? Because God is going to do it at His set time, within the parameters that He has set, based upon those two factors:

• Israel in relationship to God
• the Church in relationship to God

Verse 8: "And then the lawless one will be revealed (whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth, and will destroy with the brightness of His coming)." That's what it says

• in Dan. 8: will be destroyed without hand
• in of the ten kings in Dan. 2: the stone cut out without hands shall smite them and destroy them
• this gives us the understanding of Rev. 17: they're going to fight against Christ.

Here is the leader! From the time of Garibaldi, the 'woman' only rode the beast very short, brief periods of time, with Bismarck and with Hitler. Now it has no one to ride, but, will be a partner with the beast.

Verse 9: "Even the one whose coming is according to the inner working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in those who are perishing because they did not receive the love of the Truth, so that they might be saved" (vs 9-10).

Sidebar: I was talking with a man last week and he asked me what I did. I told him I was a preacher. We talked a little bit about that. He didn't like all the things he was seeing in society and all the things that were going on and so forth. Then he talked a little bit about the hurricanes and so forth. I said what most people expect is that they can live their lives any way they want to and still claim the blessings of God,but,half the promises of God are curses! He said, 'Oh, where? I've got a Bible in my office.' I said okay, so I wrote down Deut. 28, Lev. 26. When I got back here I sent him a New Testament {transcriber's note: Now the whole Bible is available} and The Day Jesus the Christ Died.

You have to love the Truth of God—not just claim the blessings—everything about the Truth of God, which is all of His Word.

"…because they did not receive the love of the Truth, so that they might be saved…." (v 10). God is going to set a witness that's going to be so great and they're going to have to choose.

If they choose to worship the beast, they choose to reject the Truth, v 11 is going to happen: "And for this cause, God will send upon them a powerful deception that will cause them to believe the lie, so that all may be judged who did not believe the Truth, but who took pleasure in unrighteousness" (vs 11-12). All of that ties together with everything at the end-time.

Referring to Chart: Let's look at the bottom, all the way across on the bottom of this chart:

• Ten toes—fight against Christ, destroyed without hand.
• The papacy: This time the papacy is not 'riding the beast' but is a partner—he's called the false prophet!

Revelation 13:11: "And I saw another beast rising out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon; and he exercises all the authority of the first beast before him; and he causes the earth and those who dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he performs great wonders, so that he even causes fire to come down to the earth from heaven in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by means of the wonders that were given to him to perform in the sight of the beast, saying to those who dwell on the earth that they should make an image for the beast, which had the wound by the sword, yet was alive" (vs 11-14).

Let's look at the 'little horn' in Dan. 7. You go by the event, which identifies what period of time in history that it applies. We just read what it's going to do (Rev. 13).

Daniel 7:23: "Thus he said, 'The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be different from all the other kingdoms and shall devour the whole earth, and shall trample it and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise. And another shall arise after them. And he shall be different from the first, and he shall subdue three kings'" (vs 23-24). We've got that right here with the Roman papacy taking out three horns.

Verse 25: "And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High…" Both of them do: the beast and the 'little horn' (Rev. 13).

"…and shall wear out the saints of the Most High…" (v 25). Together they persecute the Church; together they kill Christians

"…and think to change the set times and the laws.… [that's what the 'little horn' does] …And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and one-half time. But the judgment shall sit, and his dominion shall be taken away to be consumed and to be destroyed unto the end'" (vs 25-26). The kingdom, greatness and so forth is going to be the Kingdom of God.

Referring to Chart: We have Dan. 7 under the Church—come all the way down to Roman papacy, little horn among the ten horns. It plucked up three horns by the roots. Then you go across, diagonally, to the right and the left and you see the three horns, then you see the three kingdoms: Vandals, Hureli, Ostrogoths. Then it comes all the way down because the papacy continues all the way down and, in the end; the 'little horn' becomes the beast with two horns (Rev. 13:11). That becomes the false prophet.

Let's see how they work together: Satan, the beast and the false prophet; all work together by the power of Satan and the demons.

Revelation 16:12: "And the sixth angel poured out his vial into the great river Euphrates; and its waters were dried up, so that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared. Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet" (vs 12-13). This is the first time that the false prophet is named as the false prophet. Rev. 13 describes him as looking 'Christ like' but speaking like Satan.

The reason this has to be a spiritual, demonic persuasion is because of all of the destruction and the five of the seven last plagues have already been poured out, all the trumpet plagues have been poured out, and so forth.

Verse 14: "For they are spirits of demons working miracles, going forth to the kings of the earth, even of the whole world…" When it says 'the whole world' remember we're talking end-times. What do we call it today? What is the main thing, even in business, that they talk about? Globalization!World government! We can trust the Word of God!

• when we see the United Nations reformed
• when we see that they move out of the United States over to Europe
• when they do

know that the days of the United States of America are limited! When we see that happen, then we know it's right at the door!

"…to gather them together to the battle of that great day of the Almighty God" (v 14). That's the Battle of Armageddon.

Revelation 19:19: "And I saw the beast [Rev. 13] and the kings [Rev. 17]… [they're all going to be gathered] …of the earth and their armies, gathered together to make war with Him Who sits on the horse, and with His army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked miracles in his presence, by which he had deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Those two were cast alive into the Lake of Fire, which burns with brimstone" (vs 19-20).

Again, see how that ties in. You take the prophecies of Dan. 2, 7, 8; Rev. 17, 13; and you put it all together and it has to be pretty much in the order that we have presented and as we have on the charts.

They've been figuring out ways how they can get money to the United Nations and not depend on America to give the money, because they want to do what they want to do, and America is not letting the United Nations do what it wants to do, because we control the purse strings. They're looking to have a world tax or taxes on oil, all goods traded. And what do we have?

If it's on all goods traded, all you have to do is go to Wal-Mart or K-Mart and see how many things are made in different countries. Know that if every piece of goods that came into every country around the world, and every barrel of oil, and every drop of gasoline had a world-tax on it, the United Nations would be rich and wealthy and have power and they would enforce their will with a dictatorial vengeance; especially against Christians! They consider America a Christian nation, and they will be most happy when they are in a financial and a military position to take us down. So, those who say the United States is the beast have the wrong thing.

I want to show you the mistake that most people have made concerning on how to count Dan. 9:24: "Seventy weeks are decreed upon your people and upon your holy city to finish the transgression and to make an end of sin, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy."

That is a summary of the finishing of the plan of God clear through the Great White Throne Judgment period of the 100-years after the Millennium. You can't bring in everlasting righteousness until Satan is removed and the incorrigible have been burned in the Lake of Fire! That's quite a verse!

Verse 25: "Know, therefore, and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks…." This breaks down all three periods:

• the seven-week period
• the 62-week period
• the 70th week

Here's the mistake that has been made, and I even made it in the first edition of the A Harmony of the Gospels, because back then we did not know the difference between it. I will show you the mistake that was made. Remember, it says, 'from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem—to build the city.' The mistake was made because there was also another decree to build the temple. And most of the mistakes in prophecy have come by going to the decree to 'build the temple' which was after the beginning of the restoration of the city. We will see this!

The decree to build the city we find in Neh. 1-8, and Nehemiah was governor for 12 years. Ezra came during the time that Nehemiah was there. The foundation had been laid, but they weren't able to complete it. There was this dispute and a fight over getting the temple completed.

Ezra 6:1: "Then Darius the king made a decree, and a search was made in the house of the scrolls…" You might say this, today, would be like the Freedom of Information Act, to find out what the government has officially has done.

"…where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that was in the province of the Medes… [close to Babylon] …a scroll. And in it was a record thus written: 'In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem: "Let the house be built, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations of it be strongly laid. The height of it shall be sixty cubits, and the breadth of it shall be sixty cubits"'" (vs 1-3)—and then all the stones.

Verse 5: "And also let the gold and silver vessels…" be brought back and so forth.

Verse 7: "Let the work of this house of God alone…" In other words, no one interfere with it. And that's what was happening as you read in Ezra 5.

"…Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in its place. Moreover, I make a decree as to what you shall do for the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God, that at once expense be given to these men from the king's goods, from the tax beyond the River, so that they may not be hindered" (vs 7-8)—to give them everything they needed for the sacrifices. Then they set about to finish the temple. They dedicated it (v 17) and then kept the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (v 19).

Let's see that the beginning of the restoration of the city occurred long before the building of the temple:

Nehemiah 1:1: "The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace." It talks about how he came to the king and the king said, 'Why are you of sad countenance.' And Nehemiah said, 'I hear that they have not been able to build the city and do all of that and get it done' and so forth.

To make a long story short, Nehemiah 2:8: "'And a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, so that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which belong to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house into which I shall enter.' And the king granted me what I asked, according to the good hand of my God upon me. And I came to the governors of the province beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me" (vs 8-9). So, here was the restoration of the city, not to be confused with the other decree for the restoration of the temple.

That's where the problems came in. Read the books of Ezra and Nehemiah and coordinate those together.

This ends our four-part series in Daniel, which is the introduction to Revelation!

All Scriptures from The Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version by Fred R. Coulter

Scriptural References:

• Matthew 24:42-43
• Revelation 2:12-17
• Matthew 24:43-51
• Matthew 25:10-12, 19-28
• Matthew 13:11-12
• Matthew 25:29-30
• Revelation 17:10-11, 8, 12-14
• Revelation 12:3
• Revelation 13:1
• Daniel 2:40-44
• Daniel 8:23-25
• Revelation 13:2-9
• 2 Thessalonians 2:7-11
• Revelation 13:11-14
• Daniel 7:23-26
• Revelation 16:12-14
• Revelation 19:19-20
• Daniel 9:24-25
• Ezra 6:1-3, 5, 7-8
• Nehemiah 1:1
• Nehemiah 2:8-9

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Hebrews 4
• Titus 1
• 2 Peter 1
• Deuteronomy 28
• Revelation 13:1-8
• Leviticus 26
• Ezra 6:17, 19

Also referenced:

Books:

• Primitive Christianity in Crisis by Alan Knight
• Lord, What Shall I Do? by Fred R. Coulter
• The Day Jesus the Christ Died by Fred R. Coulter
• A Harmony of the Gospels by Fred R. Coulter

Sermon:
The Beast That Was, and Is Not, and Yet, Is

Charts:

• Showing Prophecies of Reign of Gentile Kingdoms
• The Three Prophetic Periods of Daniel's 70 Weeks Prophecy—Daniel 9 (by Carl Franklin; cbcg.org; pdf version)
• 1,150 Days of Daniel (by Carl Franklin; cbcg.org; pdf version)

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 1-7-09
Reformatted: 2/2014