Any one that teaches the 70th week is yet to come is missing the message.
I'll echo the preachers I have heard threw the years, ---------God stopped the clock for Israel after the 69th week. Were still wanting for it to be fulfilled.
Gabriel is told, make this man understand the vision, the word understand is repeated four more times. Gabriel says, “Understand, son of man" Then he perfectly explains the Mead Persians, then the single horn, Alexander the Great, and at his death his 4 generals divided the empire . Right up to the Romans....
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Well, if we're going to get off of Christ's seven signs of Matt.24 and instead into Daniel, here's what Dan.7 teaches that is given prior to Dan.8.
Dan 7:2-27
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.
The "lion" with eagle's wings was Babylon; the "bear" was Medo-Persia; the "leopard" was Macedonia under Alexander.
I agree, the "four heads" of Grecia are those that split into four kingdoms after Alexander's death. Dan.8:8 & 8:22 defines them.
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.
Naturally, one would assume that 4th beast was about pagan Rome, the "legs of iron" back in Dan.2. However, there's actually a 5th beast covered back in Dan.2, the one of the feet of ten toes of iron mixed with clay. We're even told a "stone" (Christ) will smite that beast upon its feet of ten toes, and ALL the pieces of the statue image, TOGETHER, will come falling down at the same time; the gold, the silver, the brass, the iron, and the clay. There is a 5th beast, which is the final one of our near future, which Christ will destroy at His return to setup His eternal Kingdom on this earth.
And in Dan.2 we're shown when the "stone" (Christ) smites the last beast upon its feet of ten toes, God's everlasting Kingdom will be setup, pointing to Christ's second coming and the end of this world (which is still future to us). Is that same Message here in Dan.7? Let's find out.
8 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.
Now we have 11 horns total, the ten horns, and then another "little horn" that comes up among the ten.
9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, Whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
What timing is that picture of God's judgment there, with the books being opened? That's past Christ's thousand years reign of our future. Which beast is it that is slain and given to burning flame? That's about the son of perdition, Apollyon, the beast that ascends up from the bottomless pit, the king of Rev.9 which is the angel of the bottomless pit. It's the devil himself, the dragon that is cast into the lake of fire. If that was about historical pagan Rome only, then what's that future post-milennium event doing there? Just as God uses the king of Babylon and king of Assyria, and Pharaoh as types for Satan as a false king, these events also stand as patterns for the final 5th beast at the end of this present world. It is not just about historical Rome.
12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before Him.
14 And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Again, an end of days time marker is given, with Christ's return and His Kingdom everlasting being established upon the earth, a literal kingdom upon the earth like Zech.14:16 forward shows with all nations coming up to Jerusalem to worship the King (Jesus Christ). That did not happen with the historical destruction of the Roman empire. It still has not happenned yet today. Christ has not returned to this earth yet. And He will return bodily as God's Word declares it. All nations will be subdued under Him when He returns, not just a few.
If one catches that there's to be 5 beast kingdoms total from Dan.2 (gold, silver, brass, iron, clay), they should also understand how this 4th beast is symbolic of historical pagan Rome (legs of iron), and as a final 5th beast kingdom of feet with ten toes of part iron and part clay. It is a dual prophecy, Rome as a pattern, and then a final beast kingdom as the fulfillment in our near future.
15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
Because only four kings are mentioned here, it's a popular notion to think the old Roman empire is going to be revived in the end of days when Christ returns (our days). Since they can only see the RCC established in today's Rome, they focus on it instead of globalist groups like the Club of Rome which also operates out of Rome. That's the idea of a revived beast that sufferred a deadly wound, but globalist groups like the Club of Rome industrialists are NOT the only group on earth like it. Others like it also exist in Brussels, and Lyons, and in New York, and in the Far East, and in the middleast, and even in England.
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.
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22 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.
There it is again, our Lord's Message that when that beast manifests, it will have power over the other beasts, stamping them with its feet, the feet of ten toes of part iron and part clay (a 5th beast). It's that final beast that will make war against the saints especially in the very last days of this present world. For it's at the end of today's world when Christ's Kingdom will come on earth de facto, over all nations. That's also when judgment will be given to the saints, and when WE will possess the kingdom on this earth. That beast kingdom involves the beast of Rev.17 that ascends out of the bottomless pit to make war against the saints. It's the "another beast" of Rev.13, the "dragon" of Rev.12.
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.
That final beast will devour the whole earth, all nations, which no beast kingdom of history has yet done. All nations will be subdued under its power, which is what today's "one world government" strategy is about. Is that about the RCC? Of course not. Rev.13 reveals how all the world will wonder after the final beast, and bow to the abomination image the beast king will setup for all on earth to worship. That means over deceived Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, etc., literally a one-world religion to encompass all that is worshipped. We have been seeing that type of religous movement on earth is our days, an inter-faith joining. Many deceived Christian Churches today are inviting representatives from other religions into their Churches that give demonstrations of pagan belief. Those deceived Churches are being taught to join hands with other religions. We saw this also right after 9/11 when reps from different religions took turns to pray publically. It was broadcasted nationally.
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.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
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.
(KJV)
That is about the final beast kingdom on earth when Christ returns. It's about the 7th trumpet event when all the kingdoms of this world become those of God and His Christ. The dominions upon this earth are going to be taken over by Christ Himself when He returns. Those ten kings, and that little horn are to manifest in the days of Christ's return, which is what Revelation 17 reveals.
Here's that Message in Daniel 2...
Dan 2:32-35
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.
(KJV)
We're shown 5 separate pieces to the statue in Dan.2, not four. That statue image is to be smitten upon its feet of mixed iron and clay, and then ALL the pieces TOGETHER fall and are no more. Then the "stone" (Christ) that smote the image becomes a great mountain filling the whole earth (Christ's coming Kingdom upon this earth). That's pointing to a final beast kingdom upon this earth which will include all the previous beasts that came before it, i.e., Babylon, Medo-Persia, Macedonia, and Rome. It will also include the Pacific regions, Asia, Europe, the middleast, and the Americas, the whole... earth.
The correct pattern for understanding the beasts has been given in Dan.2 all along. We simply have to pay attention to it, and remember it when continuing study in the rest of the Book of Daniel.
And just to make the interpretation sure, our Lord gave that Message twice in Dan.2...
Dan 2:41-45
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.
(KJV)
Only 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." That did not happen at Christ's first coming, nor has it happened yet to this day.