Historicist View of Bible Prophecy, in Particular Regarding Anti-Christ and Mark of the Beast

[redmod79]

Hello everyone, I hope for this thread to be a place where we can discuss Bible topics with love and respect towards each other. Please feel free to discuss other perspectives such as the preterist and futurist perspectives, and any others there may be. Having said that, I'll dive into the topic at hand.

People on this forum have been mentioning the Mark of Beast and the Anti-Christ, and I would like to discuss this from the historicist perspective, and in particular the Seventh-Day Adventist perspective, since that is what I am.

Note: I won't finish this in one posting, but I'll edit it as I make progress. It might take me a few days.

It's easy to dive deep into any Bible topic, so I'll try to make it as simple as I can. I'll try to start with a question/answer format.

1. What are the different schools of Bible prophecy?
From ChatGPT:

School	Time-focus	Core idea (one sentence)	Typical advocates
Preterist	Mostly past (1st-century)	Revelation spoke chiefly to the fall of Jerusalem & Rome.	Many modern scholars; some Catholic writers
Futurist	Mostly future	The bulk of Daniel 7–12 & Revelation 4-22 awaits a final 7-year tribulation.	Jesuit Ribera, Darby, popular dispensationalists
Idealist	Timeless	Visions portray recurring spiritual principles, not calendar-dated events.	Augustine (partly), many amillennialists
Historicist	Continuous history	The symbolic episodes track an unbroken line of events from the prophet’s day to Christ’s return.	Wycliffe, Luther, Calvin, Isaac Newton, most early Protestants, Seventh-day Adventists

Ok, so that's a broad comparison of the different schools of thought. I'm going to go into the historicist perspective.

2. Where is the MOB mentioned in the Bible?

Revelation 13:
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.

Revelation 14:
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Revelation 15:
2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

Revelation 16:
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

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.

Revelation 20:
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

3. Why should I care about the MOB?
See the verses above—especially Revelation 14:9-11. Those who receive the MOB will not be saved, so your salvation is at stake.

In order to determine what the MOB is, we first need to find out who/what the first beast of Revelation 13 is. And to do that, we first need to know what a beast is as it relates to Bible prophecy.

4. What is a beast as it relates to Bible prophecy?

…. see below, I think messages have a length limit

Edit: fixed formatting using ChatGPT

 

[oyarde]

Newsom campaigning in S. Carolina today , maybe it is Newsom , looks more like Id expect.lol

 

[ClaytonB]

3. Why should I care about the MOB?
See the above verses, especially Revelation 14:9-11. Those who receive the MOB will not be saved. So your salvation is at stake.

Correct.

In order to determine what the MOB is, we need to first find out who/what the first beast of Revelation 13 is. And to do that, we first need to know what a beast is as it related to Bible prophecy.

So, one strand of eschtalogical "lore" that I have never understood, is mystification regarding "what is the mark of the Beast?" First of all, the text just says what the Mark of the Beast is. But second, and even more important, the implication that there is any "mystery" as to what the Mark of the Beast (MOTB) will be is to fundamentally misunderstand its purpose.

The Mark of the Beast will not be secret. Nobody will be "tricked" into getting the MOTB. Everyone who gets the Mark will know that they have done so, and they will intend it, as such. We can see this from several facts in the text. First, we are told that "no one can buy or sell" unless they receive the MOTB. Well, it will be very publicly visible who has the MOTB because they will be able to buy and sell, everyone else will not! Second, in order to receive the Mark, you will have to worship the Beast (Rev. 14:9,11, 16:2, 19:20, 20:4). Thus "what" the Mark of the Beast is, is told to us directly in the text: IT IS A PHYSICAL, VISIBLE MARK that will be made on the hand or forehead, to publicly advertise to everyone around you that you have worshiped the Beast and that you are permitted to buy and sell. If that seems impossible/unbelievable to someone, that is only because they do not understand the true scale of the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph. 6:12, compare to Rev. 13:8 "who CAN make war with him?"... the Beast will have unfightable power!)

In particular, the Mark of the Beast is NOT: an injection (invisible); a microchip (invisible); something done to you by trickery (worship is intentional, by free choice); UPC codes (doesn't involve worshiping the devil, neither directly nor indirectly), or similar; nor just any occurrence of the number 666 in any context whatsoever (when counting lots of things, eventually, you will come to the number 666); etc. Any technological or occult mechanism may be involved with the MOTB but it is not the technology in-itself that makes it the MOTB, any more than the number 666 belongs to the devil (God is God of the number 666 same as any number); rather, it is the spiritual act of bowing down and worshiping Satan in order to receive the mark so that you can buy and sell that makes the MOTB damnable. It is a re-enactment of Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue, all over again. But this time, worldwide.

4. What is a beast as it relates to Bible prophecy?....

It easily slips past our notice, but Gen. 3:1 says, "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field..." and compare back to Gen. 1:26 -- "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.", that is, Adam and Eve were given a delegated co-regency over the beasts, the earthly creatures, of which the Serpent was one. Adam's act of disobedience asserted an inversion of the original order of creation that God established in Gen. 1,2. Where God had established this order: God -> [Adam & Eve] -> Serpent ... Adam instead asserted this order: Serpent -> Eve -> Adam -> God. Adam obeyed the Serpent rather than God, and that through the mediation of his wife, thus placing both his wife and the Serpent above himself, and placing himself above God. Thus, prophetic beasts (Daniel, Revelation, etc.) represent the final outworking of that original act of disobedience. Peter puts an even finer point on it by exposing the beast pattern among those who reject God, "But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish." (2 Pet. 2:12) Thus, the Beast system will be the ascendancy of this anti-God rebellion that started in Eden and has continued, to one degree or another, down to this day. The Beast himself -- a moniker of the Antichrist -- will be the king or head of that final satanic kingdom which also bears the same appellation. He is the Beast kingdom personified, and the Beast system is the tribe of the Beast, they all belong together to their father, the devil (John 8:44, etc.)

just lost a lot of my typing, so I'm posting this now to save it... time for bed now anyways, so I'll continue tomorrow. I'll finish the rest in word document and save it often, so I don't lose it in the web browser. Goodnight.

I feel your pain. To avoid this, I always always always, press Ctl+A, Ctl+C before clicking Post Reply or refreshing the page. Of course, Word document is even safer, but at least always press those keys to put your post in the clipboard, it will save a lot of headache. Just make it a finger-reflex.

 

[redmod79]

In particular, the Mark of the Beast is NOT: an injection (invisible); a microchip (invisible); something done to you by trickery (worship is intentional, by free choice); UPC codes (doesn't involve worshiping the devil, neither directly nor indirectly), or similar; nor just any occurrence of the number 666 in any context whatsoever (when counting lots of things, eventually, you will come to the number 666); etc. Any technological or occult mechanism may be involved with the MOTB but it is not the technology in-itself that makes it the MOTB, any more than the number 666 belongs to the devil (God is God of the number 666 same as any number); rather, it is the spiritual act of bowing down and worshiping Satan in order to receive the mark so that you can buy and sell that makes the MOTB damnable. It is a re-enactment of Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue, all over again. But this time, worldwide.

I agree 100%. Back to my progress on my initial post.

Edit:

Regarding your statement "something done to you by trickery (worship is intentional, by free choice);"

Yes, worship is intentional, but I do believe some people will be tricked into receiving the MOB simply because they are unaware of what is going on. Many people don't read or study their Bible, so they'll just go along to get along. There will be others who do read and study their Bible, and even some of them will go along with it because they agree with it because they identified the MOB as something else and they agree with forced worship. And of course there will be those who know better but aren't spiritually prepared to die for their beliefs, but that's not trickery. Although in some sense in it, because they were tricked into a false sense or security beforehand and felt that they didn't need a close relationship with God for one reason or another.

 

[redmod79]

4. What is a beast as it relates to Bible prophecy?

Revelation 13:

1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea,
having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns,
and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

This is the first beast in Revelation 13. So what does a beast refer to in Bible prophecy?
The verses above have a striking similarity to those in Daniel 7.

Daniel 7:

2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.

3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld 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.

5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised 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.

6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

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.

….

17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

….

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.

In Daniel 7, the beasts in Daniel’s vision are kings/kingdoms. The horns are specifically referred to as kings.

So from here it’s reasonable to ask, what kingdoms do the beasts in Daniel 7 refer to?
Before we get into that, forgive me for going to Daniel 2. It’s hard to have everything organized in a neat way without jumping around.

5. What does Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2 represent?

Nebuchadnezzar has a terrible dream, and only Daniel (through God) can interpret it.

Daniel 2:

31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.

32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.

37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

42 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.

43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: 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 for ever.

45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

The head of gold is Babylon, and after it are four additional kingdoms/stages each of a metal of lesser value: silver, bronze, iron, iron mixed with clay. And after this a rock formed without hands (God’s hands) destroys these kingdoms and sets up His own eternal kingdom. This is apparently after Jesus’s return, since it hasn’t happened yet.

So this vision details a continuous flow of kingdoms from the time of Babylon all the way down to the return of Jesus.

6. Which kingdoms came after Babylon?

The major kingdoms in this area after the fall of Babylon are Medo-Persia, then Greece, then Rome. Each conquered the previous. Then the feet—part of iron, part of clay—represent Rome divided. Rome wasn’t conquered by a singular kingdom, but split up into ten kingdoms:

Taken from https://thesureword.org/the-ten-kingdoms-of-rome/

1. Alemanni, A.D. 351, Suabia, Alsace, and Lorraine. (See Gibbon, chapter 10, paragraph 26; 12:20; 19:20; 36:5; 49:22.)
2. Franks, A.D. 351, Northwest Gaul. (Gibbon 19:20; 36:5)
3. Burgundians, December 31, A.D. 406. (Gibbon 30:17.) Located in Burgundy A.D. 420. (Gibbon 31:39.)
4. Vandals, December 31, A.D. 406. (Gibbon 30:17.) Located in Spain A.D. 409. (Gibbon 31:36.) Settled in Africa A.D. 429. (Gibbon 33:35.)
5. Suevi, December 31, A.D. 406. (Gibbon 30:17.) In Spain A.D. 409. (Gibbon 31:36.)
6. Visigoths, A.D. 408. (Gibbon 31:2, 14.) In Southwest Gaul A.D. 419. (Gibbon 31:39.) In Spain A.D. 467. (Gibbon 36:22; 38:2, 29.)
7. Saxons entered Britain in A.D. 449. (Gibbon 31:41, 42; 38:33; Green’s England 1:17; Knight’s England 5:6.)
8. Ostrogoths, in Pannonia A.D. 453. (Gibbon 35:16.) In Italy A.D. 489, final conquest A.D. 493. (Gibbon 39:7, 8.)
9. Lombards, A.D. 453, in Pannonia and Noricum, banks of Danube. (Weber’s Universal History, section 180; Gibbon 42:2; Encyclopaedia Britannica, article “Lombards.”) In Lombardy A.D. 567, 568. (Gibbon 45:5-7; Machiavelli’s History of Florence, chapters 1, 2.)
10. Heruli, in Italy A.D. 475, 476. (Gibbon 36:28-33.)

The three plucked up were the Heruli in Italy in 493, the Vandals in Africa in 533, and the Ostrogoths in Italy in 538. Therefore, ten kingdoms existed in Western Rome between A.D. 476-493.

Edit: fixed numbering for the list of 10 kingdoms
Edit: fixed numbering for last question, changed from 5 to 6
Edit: fixed formatting with ChatGPT

 

[redmod79]

I'm failing at the formatting, maybe I'll figure it out

 

[ClaytonB]

I'm failing at the formatting, maybe I'll figure it out

Click the [ ] button (upper-left of editor) to go to text-mode and back (if desired).

I usually edit in text-mode because I have more control that way:

[ b ]This is bold text[ /b ] (no spaces in the tags, obviously)
[ i ]This is italic text[ /i ]
[ u ]This is underline text[ /u ]
[ quote ]This is a quote [ /quote ]
[ url="http: / / whatever.xyz" ]This is a link[ /url ]

 

[Occam's Banana]

Click the [ ] button (upper-left of editor) to go to text-mode and back (if desired).

I usually edit in text-mode because I have more control that way:

[ b ]This is bold text[ /b ] (no spaces in the tags, obviously)
[ i ]This is italic text[ /i ]
[ u ]This is underline text[ /u ]
[ quote ]This is a quote [ /quote ]
[ url="http: / / whatever.xyz" ]This is a link[ /url ]

You can use [break] ..... [/break] tags to enclose other tags in order to prevent them from being rendered.

Like so:

[b]This is bold text[/b]
[i]This is italic text[/i]
[u]This is underline text[/u]
[quote]This is a quote[/quote]
[url="http: / / whatever.xyz"]This is a link[/url]


Click the "Reply" button on this post and refer to the quoted matter in the resulting edit field to see the BB code for this post.

 

[redmod79]

Thanks for the tips. There's an html option, so I might just save my word doc as html and try that (I'm lazy). I'll just have to split the document up into multiple parts for the message length constraints.

Edit: didn't have time tonight, but will continue tomorrow.

 

[redmod79]

6 Which kingdoms came after Babylon?

As previously discussed, the four beasts in Daniel 7 are
• Babylon – the lion with eagle’s wings
• Medo-Persia – the bear
• Greece – the leopard
• Rome – the beast with great iron teeth.

These kingdoms parallel the metals in Daniel 2. Here is a quick summary:

Seq	Daniel 2 — Metal Image	Daniel 7 — Beast	Kingdom / Era (SDA View)	Characteristic Insights
1	Head of Gold (2:32, 38)	Winged Lion (7:4)	Babylon 605–539 BC	Gold & lion show regal splendor; plucked wings hint at sudden fall.
2	Chest & Arms of Silver (2:32, 39)	Bear raised on one side, 3 ribs (7:5)	Medo-Persia 539–331 BC	Dual empire; Persian side higher; 3 ribs = Lydia, Babylon, Egypt.
3	Belly & Thighs of Bronze (2:32, 39)	Leopard, 4 wings & 4 heads (7:6)	Greece 331–168 BC	Speed of conquest; 4 wings/heads foreshadow division under Alexander’s generals.
4	Legs of Iron (2:33, 40)	Dreadful beast, iron teeth, 10 horns (7:7)	Imperial Rome 168 BC–AD 476	Crushing strength; 10 horns anticipate Rome’s breakup.
5	Feet & Toes, Iron + Clay (2:33, 41-43)	Continuing 10-horn phase	Divided Europe post-476	Strong yet brittle alliances; never fully united.
6	Stone cut without hands (2:34-35, 44-45)	Judgment & Son of Man receives kingdom (7:9-14, 26-27)	God’s Eternal Kingdom	Christ’s Advent replaces every earthly power.

Many Protestant reformers of the past upheld this view. From ChatGPT:

Reformers who taught the four-kingdom outline

Reformer	Key work(s) & date	What he says about the four empires
Martin Luther (1483–1546)	*Preface to the Prophet Daniel* (1530); German Bible notes	“1) Assyrians/Babylonians, 2) Medes & Persians, 3) Alexander & Greeks, 4) Romans.”
Philip Melanchthon (1497–1560)	*Commentary on Daniel* (1543); preface to Carion’s *Chronika* (1557)	Metals & beasts are “the same four monarchies”—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome—whose divisions persist.
John Calvin (1509–1564)	*Lectures/Commentary on Daniel* (1551-61)	Head/lion = Babylon, bear = Medo-Persia, leopard = Greece, iron beast = Rome; stone = Christ’s reign.
John Knox (1514–1572)	First public sermon on Daniel 7 (1547)	Four beasts = Babylon, Persia, Greeks, Romans; Rome spawns later oppressive powers.
Heinrich Bullinger (1504–1575)	66 *Homilies on Daniel* (1565)	World history framed by the four Gentile empires, ending in Rome’s breakup.
Jerome Zanchius (1516–1590)	*Commentarius in Danielem* (c. 1567)	Detailed defense of the traditional four-monarchy outline.
Joseph Mede (1586–1639)	*Clavis Apocalyptica* (1627)	Calls Babylon-to-Rome sequence “the ABC of prophecy,” key to Daniel & Revelation.
John Lightfoot (1602–1675)	*Works* (1684 ed.)	Retains the classic four-kingdom scheme and aligns it with New-Testament prophecy.

Take-away: From Luther’s Germany to later Puritan writers, Reformers consistently viewed Daniel’s statue and beasts as a panorama of world empires—Babylon through Rome and its European fragments—culminating in Christ’s unshakeable kingdom.

Next I will go over the parallels in Daniel 8.

Note: I solved my formatting issue, just copy and past my document into ChatGPT and have it format it for me 8).

 

[redmod79]

7 How Daniel 8’s symbols match the historical empires

This post was generated using aider/Deepseek with my guidance. I use it a lot and it's just fun to use. Nevertheless...

Below I quote the chapter-8 passages, then explain—point by point—why each description fits Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome.

---

A) The Ram — Medo-Persia

Daniel 8:3-4, 20
3 Then 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.
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 out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.

20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.

• **Two horns** = the dual monarchy of the Medes and Persians.
• **Higher horn comes up last** = Persia (the “higher” partner) rose after Media yet quickly dominated the alliance.
• **Charges west / north / south** = Cyrus, Cambyses, and later kings conquered **west** (Lydia, Ionia), **north** (Armenia, Scythia), and **south** (Egypt), exactly the three directions listed.
• Daniel himself—living in Babylon under Persian rule—confirms the identification in verse 20.

---

B) The He-Goat — Greece

Daniel 8:5-8, 21-22
5 … 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.
6 And he came to the ram … and ran unto him in the fury of his power.
7 … he smote the ram, and brake his two horns…
8 … when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.

21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn … is the first king.
22 … four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.

• **“Came from the west… touched not the ground”** = Alexander’s army swept eastward with *incredible speed*—he crossed Asia Minor in a single campaigning season.
• **“Notable horn… first king”** = the single male-goat horn perfectly pictures Alexander the Great, founder of the Greek Empire.
• **Horn broken at peak strength** = Alexander died suddenly (age 32) at the height of power (323 BC).
• **Four horns to the four winds** = after twenty years of infighting, the empire crystallised into four Hellenistic kingdoms (Cassander, Lysimachus, Seleucus, Ptolemy)—matching the four horns (and Daniel 7’s leopard with four heads).
• Verse 21 names Greece, so the match is certain.

---

C) The Little Horn — Rome

Daniel 8:9-12
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.
10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
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.
12 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 practised, and prospered.

Why historians—both classical and modern—see Rome here:

• **“Exceeding great”** = each empire in Daniel 8 enlarges: the ram “became great,” the goat “waxed very great,” but the horn “waxed exceeding great.” Rome indeed surpassed Persia and Greece in size, longevity, and bureaucratic sophistication.
• **Directional conquest** = early Rome expanded **south** (North Africa & Egypt), **east** (Asia Minor, Syria, eventually Mesopotamia), and captured “the pleasant land” (Judea) in 63 BC.
• **Tramples stars / host** = Roman legions crushed Jewish revolts (A.D. 70, 135) and persecuted early Christians, “casting down” God’s people.
• **“Place of his sanctuary cast down”** = Titus levelled Jerusalem’s temple in A.D. 70—the literal sanctuary site.
• **Suppression of truth** = Pagan Rome cast down the truth by persecuting God's people (both Jews and Christians) and promoting idolatry throughout its dominion.

Thus the little horn fulfils the iron-strength imagery of Daniel 2 (legs of iron) and Daniel 7 (iron-toothed beast).

---

Quick reference table

Seq	Daniel 8 verses	Main clues	Matching empire
1	— (Babylon omitted)	Head of gold / lion already given in ch 2 & 7	Babylon (605–539 BC)
2	8:3-4, 20	Two uneven horns; pushes W N S; angel names it	Medo-Persia
3	8:5-8, 21-22	Goat from west; one great horn = first king; 4 successor horns	Greece
4	8:9-12	Little horn “exceeding great”; conquers S E Pleasant Land; destroys sanctuary	Rome

I have yet to touch on the little horn as it relates to Papal Rome. I'll probably work on that next.

 

[redmod79]

8. Connecting Daniel's Beasts to Revelation's First Beast

This post was also generated with aider/Deepseek using my guidance.

Now we connect the beasts of Daniel 7 and 8 to the first beast in Revelation 13.

A) The Composite Beast of Revelation 13
The first beast in Revelation 13:1-2 has features of the leopard, bear, and lion, which are the same beasts that represented the empires of Greece, Medo-Persia, and Babylon in Daniel 7. This composite beast represents a power that inherits the characteristics of these previous empires.

B) The Fourth Beast and the Little Horn
The beast in Revelation 13 also has ten horns, which matches the fourth beast of Daniel 7 (Rome) and its ten horns. Daniel 7:7-8, 23-24 explains that the ten horns are ten kings that arise from the Roman Empire. Then a little horn arises among them, uprooting three of the ten kings.

Similarly, in Daniel 8, a little horn arises from one of the four winds (directions) and becomes exceeding great. Historically, Rome emerged from the west and conquered the Greek kingdoms. This little horn is the same power as the little horn in Daniel 7.

C) The Little Horn's Exploits
The little horn in both Daniel 7 and 8:
1. Grows great (Dan 7:20; 8:9)
2. Speaks boastfully (Dan 7:8, 20, 25; 8:23-25)
3. Makes war against the saints (Dan 7:21, 25; 8:24)
4. Attempts to change times and laws (Dan 7:25)
5. Challenges the Prince of princes (Dan 8:25)

D) The Day-Year Principle
Daniel establishes the day-year principle internally:
1. Daniel 8's 2300 "days" require long-term fulfillment (8:26)
2. Daniel 9's 70 "weeks" (490 days) cover 490 years (9:24-27)
3. The angel connects both prophecies (9:21-23)

This interpretation was widely held by Protestant reformers:
- Martin Luther applied the day-year principle to Daniel's prophecies
- Joseph Mede (1586-1639) used it in his work "Clavis Apocalyptica"
- Sir Isaac Newton affirmed it in "Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel"
- John Wesley followed this method in his commentary on Revelation
- William Miller used it in his calculations of the 2300 days

E) Daniel's Distress and the 70 Weeks
After receiving the vision of 2300 days (years) in Daniel 8, Daniel fainted in shock:

Daniel 8:27
And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

Why was he so troubled?
1. Daniel knew Jeremiah's 70-year prophecy (Jer 25:11-12; 29:10) was ending
2. He expected Israel's full restoration after Babylonian captivity
3. Instead, the 2300-day prophecy indicated a much longer period of desolation

In Daniel 9, he prays for understanding and confesses Israel's sins. Then the angel Gabriel returns to explain the 70 weeks:

Daniel 9:24-27
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, 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.

25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

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.

27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The 70 weeks (490 days) are 490 years (day-year principle). They are "determined" (Hebrew: chathak, meaning "cut off") from the 2300 years.

In Daniel 9:27, "he" (the Messiah) "confirmed the covenant with many for one week" - the 70th week (AD 27-34). The covenant was God's everlasting covenant of salvation (Hebrews 13:20), confirmed through:
1. Jesus' ministry (AD 27-31)
2. His atoning death (AD 31)
3. The apostles' exclusive mission to Israel (AD 31-34)

Key dates:
- Start: 457 BC (Artaxerxes' decree to restore Jerusalem, Ezra 7). Previous decrees (Cyrus 538 BC, Darius 520 BC) allowed rebuilding the temple and city, but Artaxerxes' decree restored Israel's self-governance (Ezra 7:25-26).
- 7 weeks + 62 weeks = 69 weeks (483 years) to Messiah the Prince: 483 years from 457 BC brings us to AD 27 (since there is no year 0), the year Jesus was baptized and began His ministry.
- Midst of the 70th week: 3.5 years later, AD 31, Jesus was crucified, causing the sacrifice to cease in its significance. For the next 3.5 years, His apostles preached the gospel exclusively to the Jews.
- End of the 70th week: AD 34, when Stephen was stoned, marking the end of the exclusive Jewish probation.

This prophecy exactly matches Jesus' life and ministry.

F) The Seven Heads and Their Crowns
Revelation 17:9-10 explains the seven heads:

Revelation 17:9-10
9 ... The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

These seven heads represent successive world empires that opposed God's people:
1. Egypt
2. Assyria
3. Babylon
4. Medo-Persia
5. Greece
6. Pagan Rome ("one is" in John's day)
7. Papal Rome ("one to come")

In Revelation 12:3, the dragon has crowns on its heads, showing these empires held dominion when they ruled. By John's time, five had fallen (Egypt to Greece), one existed (Pagan Rome), and one was yet to come (Papal Rome).

In Revelation 13:1, the crowns shift to the horns. This represents Rome's transition from unified empire to divided kingdoms. The ten horns (divided kingdoms) each have crowns showing their independent rule, while the heads (successive empires) have no crowns since their dominion has passed.

G) The Dragon and the First Beast
The dragon in Revelation 12:3 is described as having seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns on his heads. He is identified as "that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world" (Revelation 12:9).

The first beast in Revelation 13:1 has seven heads, ten horns, and ten crowns on his horns (not on the heads). The shift from seven crowns on the dragon's heads to ten crowns on the beast's horns represents Satan's delegation of authority to the beast power.

Thus, the dragon (Satan) gives the beast his power, seat, and authority.

H) The Transition: Uprooting Three Kingdoms
After the fall of Imperial Rome, the ten kingdoms arose in Western Europe. Then the little horn arose and uprooted three of these kingdoms (as predicted in Daniel 7:8, 24). We will explore the identity of the little horn in the next post.
This allowed the little horn to gain political power.

I) Why This Matters
The beast power, represented by the little horn, continues to exert influence in the world. Understanding its origin and characteristics helps us identify it in our time.

In the next post, we will explore the identity of this little horn and see how it points to the Papacy.

 

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I apologize for not posting sooner. Procrastination is my middle name. I'm working on a new post. It should be done today.

 

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Here's the first of several posts on clues pointing to the identity of the antichrist. I used aider with gemini pro 2.5 to format and wordsmith the post, under my guidance.

9. Identifying the Little Horn Power (Part 1)
Following our look at the prophetic timelines in Daniel and Revelation, let's now examine the specific identifying marks of the "little horn" power from Daniel 7 and 8. The previous posts established this power is central to end-time prophecy and is the same as the first beast of Revelation 13.
The Bible provides a wealth of clues to identify this power. This series of posts will examine 23 prophetic characteristics, drawing from the analysis found in "Antichrist Unmasked," a chapter from the book Seven Mysteries... Solved! by Howard Peth. Here is a complete overview of the points we will cover:

• A. Its PLACE of origin was foretold.
• B. Its TIME of origin was foretold.
• C. It would uproot THREE kings or kingdoms.
• D. It would be a "GREAT CITY."
• E. It would be UNLIKE the first ten kingdoms.
• F. It would be a RELIGIOUS power that is "worshipped."
• G. It would be a CHURCH, a "woman."
• H. It would be, in God's eyes, a CORRUPT church, a "whore."
• I. It would be a church built on "SEVEN HILLS."
• J. It would be a large, WORLDWIDE church.
• K. It would be a RICH church.
• L. It would use a LANGUAGE difficult for most to understand.
• M. It would be clothed in "PURPLE & SCARLET."
• N. Its leader would be a religious figure enthroned IN the church.
• O. It would be identified by a mysterious NUMBER: 666.
• P. It would have "a mouth speaking GREAT THINGS."
• Q. It would be a RELIGIOUS power dominating the CIVIL powers.
• R. It would be a PERSECUTING power.
• S. It would be guilty of BLASPHEMY against God.
• T. It would attempt to CHANGE the Law of God.
• U. Its period of supremacy would be of SPECIFIC DURATION.
• V. It would receive a "DEADLY WOUND."
• W. Its "deadly wound" would be "HEALED."

In this post, we will begin our examination with the first five biblical clues.
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The following are brief summaries for each of these first five points. The source book provides a much more detailed examination of the evidence for each clue.
A. Place of Origin: Western Europe
The Bible pinpoints the geographical origin of the little horn.

Daniel 7:8, 24
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn...
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them...

Revelation 13:2
...and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

Prophetic Clue: The little horn would rise "among" the ten kingdoms that formed out of the Roman Empire (Daniel 7). This places its origin in Western Europe. Revelation 13 adds that the "dragon" (identified with Pagan Rome in post #8) gives this beast its "seat," or capital city.
Historical Fulfillment: The Papacy arose in Rome, the very heart of the Roman Empire, and grew in power as the empire itself crumbled. Historians note that the Roman Church is essentially the successor to the Roman Empire, inheriting its capital city.
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B. Time of Origin: After AD 476
The Bible also provides a clear timeframe for the rise of this power.

2 Thessalonians 2:7
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

Prophetic Clue: The little horn would rise to power *after* the ten kingdoms were established (Daniel 7:24). The Apostle Paul adds that a "restraining" power was preventing the "man of sin" from coming to full power in his day. This restrainer had to be "taken out of the way" first.
Historical Fulfillment: The primary restraining power was the Roman Empire and its Caesars, who would not tolerate a rival. With the final collapse of the Western Roman Empire in AD 476, the Caesars were "taken out of the way." This created a power vacuum in Europe that the Bishop of Rome began to fill. The Papacy's power was formally cemented by Emperor Justinian's decree in AD 533, which elevated the Pope to supremacy, and became fully effective after the last of its key opponents in Italy was defeated in AD 538.
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C. Uproots Three Kingdoms
The little horn's rise to power would be marked by the overthrow of three of the initial ten kingdoms.

Daniel 7:8
...a little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots...

Prophetic Clue: Daniel saw three of the ten horns fall to make way for the little horn.
Historical Fulfillment: As mentioned in post #2, the ten kingdoms that arose from Rome included several that held to Arianism, a belief system that challenged the authority of the Bishop of Rome. Three of these Arian kingdoms stood directly in the way of the Papacy's dominance:
1. The Heruli (uprooted in AD 493)
2. The Vandals (uprooted in AD 534)
3. The Ostrogoths (uprooted from Rome in AD 538)
The destruction of these three kingdoms cleared the path for the Papacy to assert its political and religious authority.
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D. A "Great City"
The Bible associates this power with a specific city that wielded global influence.

Revelation 17:18
And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

Prophetic Clue: In Revelation, this power is symbolized by a woman (a church) who represents "that great city." This city is also called "Mystery, Babylon the Great" (Revelation 17:5).
Historical Fulfillment: When John wrote Revelation, only one city "reigned over the kings of the earth"—Rome. The name "Babylon" was used by early Christians as a code word for Rome because of the clear parallels between the two empires' treatment of God's people. The power of the Papacy is inseparable from its seat of authority, the city of Rome, as its very name—the Roman Catholic Church—testifies.
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E. A "Diverse" Kingdom
This power would be fundamentally different from the other kingdoms.

Daniel 7:24
...and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

Prophetic Clue: The little horn was "diverse," or different, from the ten purely political kingdoms that preceded it.
Historical Fulfillment: The nations of Europe are secular, civil powers. The Papacy is unique. It is a religio-political entity—a church that also functions as a state (the Vatican). It wields religious authority over hundreds of millions while also exchanging ambassadors with world governments. This hybrid church-state nature makes it "diverse" from any other power on earth, precisely as the prophecy foretold.
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These first five clues point strongly to a single entity. In the next post, we will examine further identifying marks of this power.

 

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10. Identifying the Little Horn Power (Part 2)
Continuing our examination of the identifying marks of the "little horn" power from Daniel 7 and 8, we now look at the next five biblical clues, drawing again from "Antichrist Unmasked," a chapter from the book Seven Mysteries... Solved! by Howard Peth.
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F. A Religious Power that is "Worshipped"
The Bible describes this power as a religious entity that commands worship.

2 Thessalonians 2:4
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, sheweth himself that he is God.

Revelation 13:8
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life...

Prophetic Clue: The Bible repeatedly states that the Beast power would be worshipped (Revelation 13:4, 8, 12, 15; 14:9). This is not a political figure demanding civil allegiance, but a religious figure demanding spiritual reverence.
Historical Fulfillment: The Papacy is a religious institution whose leader, the Pope, receives titles and honors often reserved for deity. He is called "Holy Father," a title Jesus used for God alone (John 17:11). Devout Catholics show reverence by kneeling before him and kissing his ring. This contrasts sharply with Peter, who refused worship, saying, "Stand up; I myself also am a man" (Acts 10:26), and angels who likewise commanded "Worship God" (Revelation 19:10; 22:9). This acceptance of worship identifies the Papacy as a religious power that fulfills this clue.
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G. A Church
Prophecy uses the symbol of a "woman" to represent a church.

Revelation 17:3-4
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast... And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour...

2 Corinthians 11:2
...for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Prophetic Clue: A "woman" consistently symbolizes a church in prophecy. A pure woman is God's faithful church (2 Corinthians 11:2), while a corrupt woman is a fallen one. In Revelation 17, this woman sits on a beast, which represents a political power (Daniel 7:23). The woman *riding* the beast signifies a church dominating the state. As Howard Peth explains, while the beast in Revelation 13 represents the Papacy as a single religio-political entity, Revelation 17 distinguishes between the religious power (the woman) and the civil power it controls (the beast).
Historical Fulfillment: The Papacy is the governing power of the Roman Catholic Church. The symbol of a church controlling a state perfectly illustrates the historical reality of the Papal system, which for centuries dominated the political kings and kingdoms of Europe. This hybrid church-state nature is a key identifier, setting it apart from purely secular governments. While Antichrist arising from within a Christian church seems unlikely, it is a key element of the prophetic disguise.
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H. A Corrupt Church
The Bible describes this church as impure and unfaithful to God.

Revelation 17:1-2
...Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication...

Revelation 17:5
And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Prophetic Clue: An unfaithful church is depicted as a "harlot" or a "whore" who has committed spiritual adultery by departing from the pure truths of God's Word.
Historical Fulfillment: The Papacy has incorporated numerous non-biblical traditions, many of which have pagan roots (e.g., veneration of images, rosary beads, festivals tied to pagan solar cycles). Historians and even Catholic reformers like Dante Alighieri and Girolamo Savonarola condemned the church's corruption and departure from biblical teachings. Dante referred to the papal system as a "shameless whore," and Savonarola was executed for preaching against its corruption. This unfaithfulness to God's Word fits the description of the corrupt woman of Revelation.
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I. Built on Seven Hills
The Bible provides a precise geographical clue.

Revelation 17:9
And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

Prophetic Clue: The church (the woman) is located in a city famously built on seven hills or mountains.
Historical Fulfillment: The city of Rome is famously known as "the city on seven hills." This is a well-established historical and geographical fact. *Webster's Dictionary* states under "seven-hilled": "as, the Seven-hilled City, that is, Rome, Italy." The Vatican, the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, is located within this city. This specific geographical marker points directly to Rome as the seat of this power.
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J. A Worldwide Church
This religious power would have global reach and influence.

Revelation 17:1, 15
1 ...the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.
15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Prophetic Clue: The "many waters" on which the woman sits are explicitly defined as peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues, indicating a worldwide dominion. Other texts state "all nations" have been deceived by her (Revelation 18:3, 23).
Historical Fulfillment: The Roman Catholic Church is a global institution with a presence in nearly every country on earth. Its very name, "Catholic," means "universal." Its worldwide membership and influence fulfill this prophetic characteristic precisely.
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The consistency of these identifying marks is compelling. In the next post, we will continue our examination with further clues.

 

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11. Identifying the Little Horn Power (Part 3)
We continue our series identifying the "little horn" power of Daniel by examining the next five prophetic clues. This analysis is based on "Antichrist Unmasked," a chapter from the book Seven Mysteries... Solved! by Howard Peth.
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K. A Rich Church
The Bible describes this power as possessing immense wealth.

Revelation 17:4
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand...

Revelation 18:16
...that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!

Prophetic Clue: The prophecy portrays this church (the "woman") as being fabulously wealthy, adorned with gold, jewels, and pearls.
Historical Fulfillment: It is common knowledge that the Roman Catholic Church is one of the wealthiest institutions on earth. Its assets include priceless art treasures, magnificent cathedrals, and vast holdings in real estate, education, and business across the globe. Financial reports and occasional scandals, such as the Vatican Bank's quarter-billion-dollar settlement in the Banco Ambrosiano affair, offer glimpses into a fortune so large it is nearly impossible to calculate. This vast accumulation of riches aligns perfectly with the prophetic description.
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L. Uses a Language Not Understood by the People
Prophecy indicated this power would be associated with a foreign, unintelligible tongue.

Daniel 8:23
And in the latter time of their kingdom... a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

Deuteronomy 28:49
The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far... a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;

Prophetic Clue: Daniel 8 describes the power that arose after Greece as one "understanding dark sentences." This connects to Deuteronomy's description of Rome as a nation whose language was foreign to God's people.
Historical Fulfillment: The official language of the Roman Empire was Latin, a language foreign to the largely Greek-speaking world of its time. Subsequently, the Roman Catholic Church adopted Latin as its official language. For centuries, the Mass, rituals, and official pronouncements were conducted exclusively in Latin, a language the common people could not understand. This created a barrier between the clergy and the laity, reinforcing the hierarchy's exclusive authority and fulfilling the prophecy of a power using a "tongue thou shalt not understand."
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M. Clothed in Purple and Scarlet
The Bible gives specific colors associated with this church's hierarchy.

Revelation 17:4
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour...

Prophetic Clue: This church would be identifiable by its prominent use of the colors purple and scarlet.
Historical Fulfillment: The official ceremonial colors of the Roman Catholic hierarchy are, precisely, purple and scarlet. Bishops wear purple, while Cardinals—known as the "princes of the church"—wear brilliant scarlet red. The *Webster's Dictionary* entry for "cardinal" describes their costume as including a "RED cassock" and a "short PURPLE mantle." This direct and visible correspondence is a striking fulfillment of the prophecy.
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N. Its Leader Enthroned IN the Church
The leader of this power would operate from within the "temple of God."

2 Thessalonians 2:4
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, sheweth himself that he is God.

Prophetic Clue: The "man of sin" would not be an outside force but would arise from within the "temple of God"—which the New Testament identifies as the Christian church (1 Cor. 3:16-17). From this position, he would usurp God's authority. The term "Antichrist" itself can mean one who stands *in place of* Christ.
Historical Fulfillment: The Pope is the head of the Roman Catholic Church and is called the "Vicar of Christ," which means substitute for Christ. He literally "sitteth in the temple of God" (the Church) and from that seat makes claims to divine authority. Furthermore, Papal dogma effectively denies that Christ came "in the flesh" (1 John 4:3) of fallen humanity. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception (that Mary was preserved from original sin) implies Jesus inherited a sinless, unrelatable human nature, creating a gulf that only the priesthood can bridge.
This subtle doctrinal shift subverts a core truth of the gospel. The Bible teaches that Christ took upon Himself our fallen, sinful nature (Romans 8:3; Hebrews 2:14, 17) but, through reliance on the Father and the Holy Spirit, lived a perfect life without sin (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22). His victory demonstrates that we too can overcome sin through His divine power. By teaching that Christ's human nature was unlike ours, the Papacy creates a barrier between the sinner and the Saviour, fulfilling the prophecy of a power that operates from within the church to undermine the gospel.
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O. Identified by the Number 666
This power is connected to the mysterious number 666.

Revelation 13:18
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.

Prophetic Clue: The number of the beast's name, which is also the "number of a man," would calculate to 666.
Historical Fulfillment: The practice of calculating the numerical value of a name (a method known as gematria) was common in ancient cultures, particularly among Hebrews and Greeks who used letters of their alphabet as numerals. It would have been a familiar concept for John's audience to understand his instruction to "count the number" of the beast's name to identify the power.
One of the official Latin titles for the Pope is Vicarius Filii Dei, meaning "Vicar of the Son of God." This title has been used in official Catholic documents for centuries. In Latin, the language of the Roman power, certain letters also function as Roman numerals. When we add the numeral values of the letters in this title, the sum is 666:
V(5) + I(1) + C(100) + A(0) + R(0) + I(1) + V(5) + S(0) = 112
F(0) + I(1) + L(50) + I(1) + I(1) = 53
D(500) + E(0) + I(1) = 501
112 + 53 + 501 = 666
(Note: In classical Latin, the letter U was written as V). This precise numerical match, connected to an official title of the man who leads this system, provides powerful evidence.
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The evidence for these points builds a consistent and compelling case. The final set of clues will be examined in our next post.

 

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12. Identifying the Little Horn Power (Part 4)
This post continues our series identifying the "little horn" power of Daniel. Here we examine the next five prophetic clues, drawing from the detailed research in "Antichrist Unmasked," a chapter from the book Seven Mysteries... Solved! by Howard Peth.
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P. A Mouth Speaking Great Things
The Bible foretold this power would make extraordinarily arrogant and boastful claims.

Daniel 7:25
And he shall speak great words against the most High...

Revelation 13:5
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies...

Prophetic Clue: This power would be characterized by its "great words"—pompous, arrogant, and boastful claims that usurp divine authority.
Historical Fulfillment: The historical claims of the Papacy fulfill this clue precisely. The Pope has accepted titles such as "another God on earth"[1] and has personally claimed to "hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty," as stated by Pope Leo XIII.[2] Catholic theologians have written that the Pope "is not a mere man, but as it were GOD"[3] and that he has the power to "modify, explain, or interpret even DIVINE laws."[4] These statements, claiming divine prerogatives for a human being, are a direct match for the "great words" of the prophecy.
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Q. A Religious Power Dominating Civil Powers
Prophecy describes a church that would control the state.

Revelation 17:3
...and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast...

Daniel 7:20
...and of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

Prophetic Clue: A "woman" (church) riding a "beast" (state) symbolizes church-state union where the church is in control. The little horn's look being "more stout" or "imposing" than the other political kingdoms points to this same dominance.
Historical Fulfillment: During the Middle Ages, the Papacy became the dominant political force in Europe. Popes asserted authority over kings and emperors, deposing them at will. Pope Innocent III forced King John of England to surrender his kingdom to the papacy,[5] and Pope Gregory VII famously made Emperor Henry IV stand barefoot in the snow for three days at Canossa to beg for forgiveness.[6] This historical record of a religious power dominating civil rulers is a clear fulfillment of the prophecy.
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R. A Persecuting Power
The Bible warns that this power would be intensely persecuting.

Daniel 7:21
I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

Revelation 17:6
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus...

Prophetic Clue: This power would wage relentless war against God's people ("saints"), persecuting and killing them on a massive scale.
Historical Fulfillment: History records the Roman Catholic Church's long and brutal history of persecution. Through institutions like the Inquisition, millions were tortured and executed for "heresy." Events like the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in France and the crusades against the Waldenses and Albigenses resulted in the deaths of countless Protestants and other dissenters. Catholic sources admit the Church used force and that heretics were "either burned or otherwise killed" in "almost INFINITE numbers."[7] Historians confirm that the Papacy has "shed more innocent blood than any other institution that has ever existed among mankind."[8]
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S. Guilty of Blasphemy
This power would commit blasphemy as defined in the Bible.

Revelation 13:6
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name...

2 Thessalonians 2:4
...he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Prophetic Clue: Scripture defines blasphemy as a man claiming to forgive sins (Luke 5:21) or claiming to be God (John 10:33). This power would be guilty of both.
Historical Fulfillment: The Roman Catholic Church commits both forms of biblical blasphemy.
1. It claims its priests have the power to forgive sins, a prerogative belonging to God alone. The Pope recently reiterated that one cannot "obtain forgiveness directly from God" but must go through a priest.[9]
2. The Pope assumes titles and authority that belong only to God. He is called "Holy Father" and has been referred to as "another God on earth."[10] These claims to be God's equal and to forgive sins fit the biblical definition of blasphemy perfectly.
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T. Attempts to Change God's Law
Prophecy indicates this power would tamper with the Ten Commandments.

Daniel 7:25
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:

Prophetic Clue: This power would "think" (or attempt) to change God's law. The only commandment dealing with "times" is the fourth, the Sabbath commandment.
Historical Fulfillment: In its official catechisms, the Roman Catholic Church has altered God's Ten Commandments.[11] It has:
1. Removed the second commandment, which forbids the worship of images.
2. Divided the tenth commandment against coveting into two separate commandments to maintain the number ten.
3. Changed the fourth commandment by substituting the observance of Sunday (the first day) for the biblical Sabbath (the seventh day).
Catholic authorities do not deny this; in fact, they openly claim the change of the Sabbath as a mark of the Church's authority, stating, "...a change for which there is NO Scriptural authority."[12] This act of tampering with God's eternal law is a direct fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy.
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References

[1] Christopher Marcellus, in an oration to the Pope at the Fifth Lateran Council, Session IV (1512). See J. D. Mansi, ed., Sacrorum Conciliorum Nova et Amplissima Collectio, vol. 32, col. 761.
[2] Pope Leo XIII, Encyclical Letter "The Reunion of Christendom" (June 20, 1894).
[3] Lucius Ferraris, "Papa," art. 2, in Prompta Bibliotheca (1772), vol. 6, p. 26.
[4] Ibid., p. 29.
[5] King John of England, "Declaration of Submission to the Pope" (1213).
[6] "Letter of Gregory VII to the German Princes concerning the Penance of Henry IV at Canossa" (c. Jan. 28, 1077).
[7] Robert Bellarmine, Cardinal, Disputationes de Controversiis Christianae Fidei.
[8] W. E. H. Lecky, History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe (reprint, 1955), vol. 2, pp. 40-45.
[9] Don A. Schanche, "No Forgiveness 'Directly From God,' Pope Says," Los Angeles Times, Dec. 12, 1984, Part I, p. 11.
[10] See reference 1.
[11] See Father Peter Geiermann, C.SS.R., The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine (1957 ed.), pp. 37-38.
[12] Father Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism (1876), p. 174.

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The prophetic clues continue to build a powerful, interlocking case. The final characteristics of the little horn will be explored in our next post.

 

[acptulsa]

I still think you're too rigid in your thinking, and could stand to open your mind to other interpretations. I don't think the Roman papacy stands a chance of getting away with the amount of evil the anti-Christ will do. But Zionism, using Trump as a front-man, is doing that level of evil.

So, reexamine your own evidence. Perhaps you'll be able to see more than Peth can see.

Prophetic Clue: This power would be characterized by its "great words"—pompous, arrogant, and boastful claims that usurp divine authority.

Describes Trump's blustery style to a tee, and also describe Zionism's tendency to be at once endlessly and unapologetically supremacist and fiercely judgmental of its critics.

Q. A Religious Power Dominating Civil Powers
Prophecy describes a church that would control the state.

Zionism claims to be Judaism, while Trump is a cultlike figure commanding what could only be called a cultlike level of reverence from his worst sycophants.

R. A Persecuting Power
The Bible warns that this power would be intensely persecuting.

With Trump trying to disown his own fans for questioning him, and the First Amendment falling victim to a barrage of new laws against criticizing Israel, I don't see how anyone could consider anything the RC church is likely to do to be in the same ballpark.

S. Guilty of Blasphemy
This power would commit blasphemy as defined in the Bible.

Well, I don't know what those people are going to say next, but if they're capable of genocide they're capable of anything.

T. Attempts to Change God's Law
Prophecy indicates this power would tamper with the Ten Commandments.

Israel has a right to defend itself even if it has to stage a false flag attack to do it--and has a right to institute the full Carthaginian Peace, too. What has that to do with Moses?

As for wearing out saints, well, he is certainly testing the limits of the priests of the Church of Bethlehem (for one) in ways I pray my faith is never tested.

The RC church may have done this and that back in the day, but as a candidate for the Antichrist of the Time of Tribulations, I'm afraid the pope is a weak candidate. But a Trump fronting for Zionism more than faintly resembles that remark. Yeah, the papacy had a golden age of evil during medieval times, but what has it done to us lately?

 

[redmod79]

I still think you're too rigid in your thinking, and could stand to open your mind to other interpretations. I don't think the Roman papacy stands a chance of getting away with the amount of evil the anti-Christ will do. But Zionism, using Trump as a front-man, is doing that level of evil.

So, reexamine your own evidence. Perhaps you'll be able to see more than Peth can see.



Describes Trump's blustery style to a tee, and also describe Zionism's tendency to be at once endlessly and unapologetically supremacist and fiercely judgmental of its critics.



Zionism claims to be Judaism, while Trump is a cultlike figure commanding what could only be called a cultlike level of reverence from his worst sycophants.



With Trump trying to disown his own fans for questioning him, and the First Amendment falling victim to a barrage of new laws against criticizing Israel, I don't see how anyone could consider anything the RC church is likely to do to be in the same ballpark.



Well, I don't know what those people are going to say next, but if they're capable of genocide they're capable of anything.



Israel has a right to defend itself even if it has to stage a false flag attack to do it--and has a right to institute the full Carthaginian Peace, too. What has that to do with Moses?

As for wearing out saints, well, he is certainly testing the limits of the priests of the Church of Bethlehem (for one) in ways I pray my faith is never tested.

The RC church may have done this and that back in the day, but as a candidate for the Antichrist of the Time of Tribulations, I'm afraid the pope is a weak candidate. But a Trump fronting for Zionism more than faintly resembles that remark. Yeah, the papacy had a golden age of evil during medieval times, but what has it done to us lately?

Hi acptulsa,
Thank you for your reply. I'm glad someone is reading my posts.
You are correct to try to figure out how this all connects to today. That's a key part of the prophecy that I haven't gotten to yet in my series of posts. I've only laid out the first 20 clues (A through T) out of 23. The last few clues (U, V, and W) are about the little horn's 1260 years of power, the "deadly wound" it received, and how that wound gets "healed."
That healing is what connects it all to current events. Revelation 13 talks about another beast (the USA) that comes up and gets the whole world to follow the first beast again, giving it back its power to persecute. I'm planning to get into all that in a future post, after I finish laying out all the evidence for who the first beast is.
I can definitely see why you'd connect some of these clues to things happening today with certain political leaders. And you're right, things like being "boastful" (Clue P) or a "persecuting power" (Clue R) could describe a lot of different people or groups throughout history.
But the case for the Papacy being this power isn't just based on a few general descriptions. It's based on how it fits a whole list of very specific Bible clues that other candidates just don't match. Things like:
* **Where it came from:** It had to come up "among" the 10 kingdoms of Western Europe, from the "seat" of the old Roman Empire (Clue A).
* **When it came up:** It had to rise *after* Rome fell apart in A.D. 476 (Clue B).
* **Uprooting 3 kingdoms:** It had to specifically knock out the Heruli, Vandals, and Ostrogoths (Clue C).
* **A "Great City" on "Seven Hills"**: It had to be a church power based in Rome (Clues D & I).
* **The number 666:** The number from its official title had to add up to 666 (Clue O).
* **The Timeline:** It had to rule for exactly 1260 years (that's Clue U, which I'll get to).
My point isn't that the Papacy is the only power that's ever fit any of these points. It's that it's the only one that fits *all* of these very detailed points from the Bible, in the right order.
Thank you, again, for your discussion on this matter.

 

[redmod79]

13. Identifying the Little Horn Power (Part 5)
This is the fifth and final post examining the biblical characteristics of the "little horn" power. In this post, we will look at the last three prophetic clues, which deal with its period of dominion, its downfall, and its eventual resurgence. This analysis continues to draw from "Antichrist Unmasked," a chapter in Howard Peth's book Seven Mysteries... Solved![/i].
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U. A Specific Period of Supremacy
The Bible foretold the exact duration of this power's reign.

Daniel 7:25
...and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

Revelation 13:5
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.

Prophetic Clue: Several prophecies point to the same period:
* "A time and times and the dividing of time" (Daniel 7:25; 12:7; Revelation 12:14) equals 3.5 "times" or prophetic years.
* "Forty and two months" (Revelation 11:2; 13:5).
* "A thousand two hundred and threescore days" (Revelation 11:3; 12:6).
Based on a 30-day Jewish month, these all calculate to 1,260 days. Applying the day-for-a-year principle established in Scripture (Ezekiel 4:6; Numbers 14:34), this period represents 1,260 literal years.
Historical Fulfillment: As established in Clue B, the Papacy's power became fully effective in AD 538 when the last of its Arian opponents, the Ostrogoths, were driven from Rome. This began the 1,260-year period of papal supremacy. Adding 1,260 years to 538 brings us to the year 1798. Did a significant event occur in that exact year to end this period of dominion? This leads directly to our next clue.
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V. Receives a "Deadly Wound"
Prophecy foretold that this power's long reign would end with a fatal blow.

Revelation 13:3
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death...

Revelation 13:10
He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.

Prophetic Clue: At the end of its 1,260-year reign, the beast power would receive a "deadly wound," signifying a complete loss of its political, temporal power.
Historical Fulfillment: In 1798, exactly 1,260 years after AD 538, the prophecy was fulfilled with stunning precision. As part of the French Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte sought to crush the political power of the Papacy. He sent his general, Louis-Alexandre Berthier, into Rome. On February 15, 1798, Berthier proclaimed the end of the Pope's political rule, took Pope Pius VI prisoner, and carried him into exile in France, where he died.[1] This event stripped the Papacy of its temporal power and inflicted the "deadly wound" foretold in prophecy.
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W. The "Deadly Wound" is Healed
The final prophecy concerning this power is that it would recover from its seemingly fatal wound.

Revelation 13:3
...and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

Prophetic Clue: Though appearing to be destroyed, the beast power would not remain in this state. Its deadly wound would be healed, and its global influence would be restored, to the astonishment of the world.
Historical Fulfillment: After 1798, the Papacy's influence slowly began to recover. The healing process culminated in a landmark event on February 11, 1929, when the Italian government, under Benito Mussolini, signed the Lateran Treaty with the Papacy.[2] This treaty restored Vatican City as an independent, sovereign political state. The Papacy was once again a king of the earth.
Newspapers of the day recognized the prophetic significance of this event. The San Francisco Chronicle headline for February 12, 1929, read: "Mussolini and Gaspari Sign Historic Roman Pact ... Heal Wound of Many Years."[3] The article referred to the "age-old quarrel between church and state." With its temporal power restored, the Papacy's global influence has grown exponentially, and today it is one of the most powerful religio-political forces on the planet. The wound is healed, just as the prophecy foretold.
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Conclusion
We have now examined 23 specific, interlocking prophetic clues from the Bible. A summary of all these points will be provided in the next post. When viewed together, they form a clear and undeniable picture, pointing to a single entity in all of history.
The final stage of this prophecy, described in the remainder of Revelation 13, involves another world power that arises and causes "the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed." This will be the subject of a future series of posts.
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A Note on the Day-Year Principle
A crucial question in understanding this prophecy is why the 1,260 days are interpreted as 1,260 literal years. The Bible itself provides the key for this interpretation within the book of Daniel.
1. The 2300-Day Prophecy (Daniel 8): In Daniel 8, the prophet is given a vision of a ram, a goat, and a little horn, spanning the empires of Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. The vision culminates in a period of 2,300 "days" (Daniel 8:14). The angel Gabriel tells Daniel that "the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days" (Daniel 8:26). If these were 2,300 literal days (just over 6 years), it would not be a vision for "many days" in the context of multiple world empires. Daniel was so overwhelmed by the immense timescale of the vision that he "fainted, and was sick certain days" and did not understand it (Daniel 8:27).
2. The 70-Week Explanation (Daniel 9): In Daniel 9, Daniel is praying for understanding, specifically concerning the end of the 70-year captivity. Gabriel returns to give him "skill and understanding" (Daniel 9:22) concerning the vision he had seen earlier. The angel then gives the 70-week prophecy: "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city..." (Daniel 9:24).
The Hebrew word for "determined" is *chathak*, which literally means "to cut off." This understanding of the 70 weeks being "cut off" from the 2300-day prophecy has been maintained by Bible scholars across denominations throughout history, including:
* Joseph Mede (Anglican, 17th century) in The Key of the Revelation established historicist principles that support this interpretation, though his specific view on the 2300 days is less documented
* Sir Isaac Newton (Independent, 18th century) in Observations upon the Prophecies
* William Miller (Baptist, 19th century) in his apocalyptic lectures
These and other historicist interpreters consistently applied the day-year principle to these prophecies.
3. The Divine Key: The 70 weeks (70 x 7 = 490 days) are historically proven to be 490 years. The prophecy stated that from the decree to restore and build Jerusalem (457 BC) until the "Messiah the Prince" there would be 69 weeks (483 years). This points exactly to AD 27, the year of Jesus' baptism. The prophecy also foretold the Messiah would be "cut off" (crucified) in the "midst of the week," which occurred 3.5 years later in AD 31. The historical accuracy of this prophecy is only possible if the 490 prophetic days are understood as 490 literal years.
This fulfillment provides a divinely sanctioned "key" or "Rosetta Stone" within the Bible itself. Since the 70 weeks (a part of the 2300 days) are proven to operate on the day-for-a-year principle, the longer 2300-day period must also be interpreted the same way. This establishes a rule of interpretation for the symbolic time prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, confirming that the 1,260 days of papal supremacy should be understood as 1,260 literal years.
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References

[1] "Pius VI," Encyclopaedia Britannica (1998 ed.). Also see George Trevor, Rome: From the Fall of the Western Empire (1868), p. 440.
[2] The Lateran Treaty, signed Feb. 11, 1929. The full text is widely available in historical archives and online.
[3] San Francisco Chronicle, Feb. 12, 1929, front page.

Next Post - 14. Summary of the Beast's Identity & Introduction to the Mark