Chapter 15

Fulfilling Prophecy

 It was the year, 553 B.C., and a prophet of God lay down to sleep. Daniel had been an elder statesman of the empire of Babylon for 51 years.

That night as he rested on his couch God gave him in vision a view of future events.

Powerful winds were blowing from every point of the compass, and tore the sea into froth as they strove together. From where he stood near the shore, it seemed that, with wind upon wind hurling upon it, the very waves of the sea were fighting among themselves.

And then, from amid the terrific strife—four terrible animals arose out of the sea, one after another, and made their way up onto the shore.

As the vision continued, God told Daniel that these beasts would be four successive world empires that would arise.

"In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.

"Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.” Daniel 7: 1.3.

After a description of each of these ferocious beasts, God explains the dream to Daniel.

 But first, let us explain a little of the background of this. Earlier in the Book of Daniel, in the second chapter, we are told of a sweeping prophecy that extends from Daniel's time down to the Second Advent of Christ. Under the symbol of a great metal image (Dan 2:31-35), we are shown nation after nation that would arise. Beginning with Babylon as the head of gold, the ruling empire in the time of Daniel (Dan 2:38), we are carried on down through the centuries that followed and shown the major empires that would later arise (Medo-Persia, Grecia, Rome, and its ten divisions—Dan 2:39-43). In the time of the feet and toes—our time—Christ will return to this earth and take His faithful ones to heaven (Dan 2:44-45).

But then, about 50 years later, Daniel was given a prophetic vision that closely paralleled that of Daniel 2, while adding more information to it.

Now, instead of parts of a metal image, the symbol is large beasts (Dan 7:2-3). Under the figure of four fierce animals, we are again shown Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome (Dan 7:4-7).

But the fourth beast, and the "little horn" which grew out of it, especially caught Daniel's attention. There seemed to be something terrible about that little horn power. And we therefore find that most of this chapter is concerned with this little horn.

"I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things..

"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; 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 eves, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows." Daniel 7:8, 19-20.

There was a very important reason why Daniel was so concerned about this little horn power which was to arise in the territory of the fourth beast: Daniel was shown that this terrible organization would seek to destroy the people of God and change God's laws.

"I beheld and the same little horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

"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- ' "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." Daniel 7:21-24.

And then Daniel was told the three evil things that this little horn religio-political power would do, and the length of time it would have dominion to do this:

"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." Daniel 7:25.

Very briefly, let us examine the facts about this vicious little horn power that was to rule and slay the people of God for so long a period of time:

1- This little horn power was to rule the earth for 1260 years.

A "time and times and the dividing of time" (Dan 7:25) is the same as the "forty-two months" of Revelation 11:2, and the "thousand two hundred and threescore days" of Revelation 12:6. The period of rule of the little horn power is referred to in each of these prophecies, although under different names. A "day" in Bible prophecy equals a year (Num 14:34; Ezek 4:6), thus 1260 days is equal to 1260 years. A "time" in Bible prophecy is equal to a year (Dan 11:13, margin, and Revised Version), so the "time and times and the dividing of time" is equal to one year, two years, and half a year, or a total of three and a half years. This is the same as 42 months. And both are equal to 1260 prophetic days or literal years. (A prophetic (year) **day is equal to 360 days or 12 months of 30 days each.) This is the symbolic time of Bible prophecy. And so as it was predicted, the little horn power ruled and crushed men's lives for over a thousand years.

2- This little horn power was to arise at a certain time in history .It would come up in the territory of the fourth beast, pagan Rome, at the time that this beast was declining in power. Ten "horns" or divisions were coming up at that same time (seven of these were the Saxons: modern England; the Franks: modern France; the Lombards: modern Italy; the Alemanni: modern Germany; the Bergundians: modern Switzerland; the Suevi: modern Portugal; and the Visigoths: modern Spain). But the little horn was also to uproot three others (the Heruli, Vandals, and Ostrogoths) as it was rising to power.

3- This little horn power would be a definite ruling power. It would be a kingdom as the others had been kingdoms before it (Dan 7:24). It would come up in the territory of the fourth beast (pagan Rome) as the others did (Dan 7:8). It would arise after the other horns had come up and as it was uprooting three of them (Dan 7:24). Although a kingdom like the others preceding it, yet it would be a strangely different kind of kingdom (Dan 7:24). It was "diverse" in that it was to be a combination religious-political power that would rule over nations for long centuries. This little horn power would have a leader at its head, for it would speak through the "mouth of a man." "And behold in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. " Daniel 7:8. A man was to be at the head of this power, a man who would defy God as well as the nations.

4- This mouth would speak great things. Revelation 13 is a parallel prophecy of this strange dominating, destroying power, and we are told: "He opened his mouth in blasphemy against His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven." Revelation 16:6. And this agrees with the description of him given in Daniel 7: "He shall speak great words against the most High." Daniel 7:25. This kingdom of a man would indeed be—for this man would be guilty of blasphemy: He would speak against God and even call himself God!

5- This power would try to destroy the people of God for not submitting to its teachings. "I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them" Daniel 7:21. And God said that it would try to blot His people from the earth (Dan 7:25).

Only Papal Rome answers to the description given in the Inspired Word of God. Daniel 7 is parallel with Revelation 12 to 17. Unveiled before us is the Great Babylon of Revelation. It would hunt the people of God to the death for over a thousand years. But it would also do something else: It would try to change the Law of God.

6- lt was predicted that this little horn power would try to "change times and laws" (Dan 7:25). We have already seen, earlier in this book, the procedure used by the bishop of Rome to do part of this. But here is more:

The Roman Catholic Church tried to blot out the Second Commandment, which forbade image worship. It then divided the Tenth Commandment into two, in order to make up the number ("Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house" and "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife."). And Rome tried to change the Fourth Commandment—so that instead of worshiping God on the day He commanded—the Seventh day of the week—the people would come to mass on the first day—the Sun-day—instead. And those that refused were ruthlessly murdered.

We have seen that God predicted in the Bible that a great desolating power would arise that would seek to change His laws and destroy His people. (Dan 7:8, 20-21, 25; 8:9-12) The prediction that the little horn power would especially seek to change God's "time law" is to be found in 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." Daniel 7: 25.

Only God can change the Moral Law of Ten Commandments, and for anyone to dare attempt such a change of any of those laws would appear to be unthinkable. It would require a power that would dare to call itself God, for only God can change His law.

And so the Apostle Paul predicted the rise of this man of sin who would call himself God.

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [the Second Advent of Christ—verse 1] shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4.

With boldness, this power was to arise and sit in the temple of God-and call itself God! And it would boastfully admit what it had done—declaring this very act to be the MARK of its authority over mankind.

And indeed, is it not so? Any power that says it has the authority to change the Law of God—must indeed be God!—For only God has the authority to change His own laws.

Let us not become confused between God and man. We are mortal creatures; He is the God of heaven. The Moral Law is the foundation of His government. All His earthly creatures must yield to this law that He has given them. None dare disobey it.

And, of course—none should dare to change it. You see, it is like this: I acknowledge and honor God's authority, when I obey His commands and encourage others to do so. But I declare my independence of God when I set aside His law and refuse to keep it.

Further, I set myself up as a rival god, when having set aside His law, I establish in its place a counterfeit law—and then demand that others keep it in place of the law that God commanded!

Here is the word of Scripture: "Whom ye obey, his servants ye are." Romans 6:16. Think about that awhile. If you obey God, you are His servant. If you obey man—and disobey God in doing it—then you are serving man in place of God.

And when you learn that fact—you had better do something about it very quickly.

So we see that God's Word declares that obedience to this human god by keeping his counterfeit laws, while knowing that there is not one word or hint in all the Bible to observe such errors—transfers one's worship from the True God, the Creator God, who made heaven and earth and the Seventh-day Sabbath—transfers it to the worship of the man and his organization who gave us the man-made law.

It is as simple as that. By putting man's changes in place of God's Ten Commandments, we find ourselves worshiping the creature rather than the Creator.

There is nothing quite like that little horn power. It has such brazen insolence that it dares to try to change the laws of God.

And then it dares to boast of the fact. . repeatedly, . . over and over.