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THE LITTLE HORN |
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Outline
1. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE
ANTICHRIST
a) A Diverse Beast
b) A Dreadful Beast
c) A Destructive Beast
2. THE DEEDS OF THE ANTICHRIST
a) What He Says
b) What He Seeks
3. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE
ANTICHRIST
a) A Kingdom Destroyed
b) A Kingdom Delivered
In Daniel 7 we have been looking
at Daniel’s dream and the visions contained in that dream. It is a
dream that gives us one of the most comprehensive pictures of
history and the future in the entire Bible. Prophetically, Daniel
saw the rise of nations and empires that we view historically. He
saw the Babylonian Empire falling, then the Medo-Persian’s and they
falling to the Macedonians and then the rise of the
There is part of his dream that
was prophetical to both Daniel and us. It involves the fourth beast
described in verse 7, “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.” Of all the beasts
that Daniel saw rising from the sea, this fourth beast especially
caught his attention. Daniel said in verse 19,
“Then I would know the truth
of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others..”
He seeks further understanding of
this fourth beast and what he learns is given to us in verses 19-28.
In an earlier study we saw that this fourth beast represented the
Through the years many have
speculated as to the identity of the antichrist. If you were to
Google the internet on who is the antichrist you would find names
from the Pope, George W. Bush and even David Hasselhoff. The simple
truth is no one knows the identity of the antichrist, but one thing
is for certain, there will one day rise to power a ruler that will
exercise control over a one-world government and a one-world church.
John gave us this description of
the antichrist in Revelation 13:11-18:
(11)And I beheld another
beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb,
and he spake as a dragon. (12) And he exerciseth all the power of
the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which
dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was
healed. (13) And he
doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on
the earth in the sight of men, (14)
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of
those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast;
saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an
image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
(15) And he had power
to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the
beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship
the image of the beast should be killed.
(16)
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free
and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their
foreheads: (17) And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had
the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (18)
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the
number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number
is Six hundred threescore and six.
A.W. Pink said, “The study of
Antichrist is not merely one of interest to those who love the
sensational, but it is of vital importance to a right understanding
of dispensational truth.” I agree, for if we are to understand the
future, we must understand the role the antichrist will play.
In Daniel 7 we are given one of
the fullest portrayals of the antichrist as given in the Bible.
Let’s look at this fourth beast and learn about the antichrist.
First, let’s began by noticing from Daniel’s dream:
I. THE
DESCRIPTION OF THE LITTLE HORN
In verses 19-20 Daniel basically
repeats the vision he had of the fourth beast in verses 7-8. I want
us to look at the description that he gives us in verses 19-20 of
the fourth beast. By doing so we are given a preview of the nature
and character of the little horn. We read in verses 19-20:
“(19)
Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was
diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were
of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured,
brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; (20)
And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of
the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of
that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things,
whose look was more stout than his fellows.”
Let me point out three things
about the fourth beast that Daniel saw in his vision of the fourth
beast. First, he saw him as:
A) A Diverse
Beast
Daniel saw four beasts rising from
the sea, but the fourth beast, as stated in verse 19
“was diverse from all the
others.” Daniel saw certain features about this beast that made
it distinct and different from the other beasts he had seen.
One of the features of this fourth
beast that Daniel saw as being different from others is that it
defied any zoological category. The first beast was described as a
lion, the second as a bear, and the third as a leopard. But the
fourth beast was so different that there was no animal to which it
could be compared.
Another feature of this fourth
beast that caught Daniel’s attention is the ten horns he saw on the
beast. In verse 20 he mentions
“the ten horns that were
in his head.” These ten horns that are seen protruding from the
fourth beast represent ten kings that will rise from the
These ten horns represent, as many
believe, a future revival of the Roman Empire, or ten kings or
kingdoms rising to power that were originally a part of the
T.R. Reid, former London bureau
chief for the Washington Post, observed, "At the dawn of the
twenty-first century, a geopolitical revolution of historic
dimensions is taking place across the Atlantic: the unification
of Europe…Europe is a more integrated place today than at any time
since the Roman Empire"
British Prime Minister Tony Blair
summarized the goal of
Whether or not the European Common
Market of Nations is a fulfillment of Daniel’s vision, it certainly
bears the characteristics and ideology of what Daniel saw and what
the ten horns symbolize. It could very well be the forerunner of the
ten horns Daniel saw.
But it would seem that the one
thing that really caught Daniel’s attention was that there was
another horn that came up among the ten horns. In verse 8 Daniel saw
it as a “little horn,”
speaking of its size in the beginning. But in time it came to
overpower three of the horns. In verse 20 this rise to power is
described as “before whom
three fell.” Having overpowered three of the horns, the others
were unable to resist his quest to rule over them. This horn rising
to power is the antichrist.
Secondly, Daniel saw the fourth
beast as:
B) A Dreadful
Beast
Daniel saw it as
“exceedingly dreadful”
in verse 19. The word “dreadful” speaks of that which causes fear
and to make one afraid. This image aptly depicts the might and
cruelty of the
The expansive control of the
Thirdly, Daniel saw him as:
C) A
Destructive Beast
In verse 19 Daniel sees this
fourth beast “whose teeth
were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in
pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet.” The word
“devoured” speaks of “eating” and the iron teeth refer to the
tearing of its prey with its teeth.
Verse 7 says that
“trampled under foot
whatever was left.” Verse 19 says that this beast
“stamped the residue with
his feet.” It is an image of the nations that were crushed under
the iron boot of the Roman legions. Their power was virtually
irresistible.
An additional feature of the
fourth beast found in verse 19 is the
“nails of brass.” Metal
claws could tear a victim to shreds and further signifies the
tremendous destructive power of the
Whereas Daniel’s description in
verses 19 is largely concerned with the ancient Roman Empire, seeing
that the little horn rises from that empire, much of the personality
and characteristics of that empire will be embodied in the
antichrist, but to a much more dreadful and terrible way.
As we continue we not only see the
description of the little horn, but also:
II. THE DEEDS
OF THE LITTLE HORN
We read in verses 23-25:
(23)
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom
upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall
devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in
pieces. (24)
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.
(25) 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.
What Daniel sees is explained more
in detail. Again, it is made clear that the ten horns are ten kings
that shall arise from the fourth beast. From those ten shall arise
one particular horn, the little horn, and he shall subdue three of
the kings which leads to the others submitting to his rule and
authority.
There will come a day when the
antichrist will rise to power. Energized by Satan himself, he will
rise to world power and domination. He will occupy the place of a
one-world ruler, having a political and ecclesiastical control over
the world.
In Daniel’s vision we see some of
his deeds or the things he will do when he rises to power. First,
notice:
A) What He Says
In verse 25 we read that
“he shall speak great words
against the most High.” Verse 8 says that he has
“a mouth speaking great
things.” The phrases “great words” and “great things” indicate
that the antichrist will be extremely intelligent and clever.
We read in Revelation 13:5-6:
(5) And there was given unto
him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was
given unto him to continue forty and two months. (6) And he
opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name,
and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. “Anti” means
“against” and being the antichrist, he will set himself against God
and Christ. He will blaspheme God’s name and tear down Christianity.
In Revelation we learn that he will actually declare himself to be
God. In order to exalt himself as God, he will seek to turn others
against God by his blasphemous words and declarations.
Not only do we see what he will
say, but also notice:
B) What He
Seeks
In verse 21 we read that he
“made war with the saints,
and prevailed against them.” In verse 25 we read that he
“shall wear out the saints
of the most high.” He will seek to discredit the name of God,
but he will also seek to destroy the people of God.
These saints are those who are
saved during the tribulation. In his attacks on God, he will also
attack the people of God. He will open hunting season on all those
who name the name of Christ with no bag limit. It will be a time of
unprecedented persecution on Christians.
The words “wear out” were used to
speak of wearing out a garment. He will harass the saint’s making
life miserable for them. He will seek to remove the very name of God
from the earth and as result, seek to rid the earth of every
Christian he can.
There is a further thing that we
see that he seeks. In verse 25 we read that he will
“think to change times and
laws.” The “set times”
are best understood to speak of religious holidays. The antichrist
will seek do away with Easter, Christmas, and any other holiday that
has a religious connotation.
The
“laws” no doubt refer to
laws that are religious in nature as well. If you think efforts to
remove the Ten Commandments, the words “In God We Trust,” and the
divorcement of God from our public life has been bad over the past
years, it will reach unprecedented scale when the antichrist rises
to power.
All he says and all he seeks are
selfishly motivated. He will desire and demand to be accepted as
God, therefore, he will do everything he can to dethrone God and
Christ and enthrone himself.
Lastly, notice from Daniel’s
vision:
III. THE
DESTRUCTION OF THE LITTLE HORN
In verse 25 we read the words,
“they shall be given into
his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.” Most
scholars interpret this to mean three and a half years. Revelation
13:5 says the antichrist will have power for forty-two months, or
three and a half years.
The rule and control of the
antichrist, although powerful, will be limited. His role on the
world stage will only last for three and a half years. Afterwards,
the one who has blasphemed the Holy One and battled the redeemed
ones will come to an end.
Daniel saw two kingdoms. First,
there is:
A) A Kingdom
Destroyed
We read in verse 26,
“But the judgment shall sit,
and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it
unto the end.” At the end of his three and half year reign, the
Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus will return from heaven with His
Holy Angels. Revelation 19 also indicates that His saints will be
Him.
Oh, he will try to put up a fight.
We read in Revelation 19:19,
“And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies,
gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and
against his army.” He may try to fight, but he is beat before he
ever gets started.
This will be hour of the
antichrist’s
We read in Revelation 19:20,
“And the beast was taken,
and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him,
with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast,
and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into
a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” He will, as Daniel saw
in his dream, be consumed and destroyed.
With the destruction of his
kingdom, Daniel saw another kingdom. It was:
B) A Kingdom
Delivered
We read in verse 27,
“And the kingdom and
dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven,
shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose
kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall
serve and obey him.”
He saw the Lord sitting up His
kingdom upon earth. As seen elsewhere in the Scriptures, the Lord
will return to this earth, destroy the kingdoms of this world, in
particular the kingdom of the antichrist, and will rule and reign on
the earth for 1,000 glorious years. We call this the millennium.
Daniel saw that the Lord’s kingdom
will be an “everlasting kingdom.” The Lord Jesus will reign on earth
for 1,000 years and then through all eternity. This world now lies
in the lap of the wicked one, but one day it will bow at the feet of
Holy One. All “dominions shall serve and obey Him.” Every knee will
bow and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord.
There is something Daniel saw that
blesses my heart. Daniel saw this new kingdom being handed to the
“saints of the most High.”
The Bible says in Matthew 5:5 that God’s people will
“inherit the earth.” The
world may make fun of Christians now, and ridicule who and what we
are, what we believe, practice and preach; but there will come a day
when this earth will be ours. The whole earth will be a Christian
earth. Every office will be held by a Christian. I am sure the ACLU
will love that. Glory! Christian values will be the standard for
every society. It will be a time of Christian utopia on earth.
We read in verse 26,
“Hitherto is the end of the
matter.” Daniel was stating that this was the end and completion
of his dream and visions.
There was much about the dream and
visions that bothered him. He says in verse 26,
“As for me Daniel, my
cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me; but
I kept the matter in my heart.” There still remained some things
that he did not understand, so he kept these matters to himself.
As for us, with the aid of further
revelation concerning what Daniel saw, our hearts are not troubled
by what was revealed, but thrilled. We know how everything ends up
and it will be a glorious end. Amen! © 2007 by the Living Word |
