| Basic Principles of Understanding the Events Before | | | | Later in his book, Daniel describes a vision he has that |
| the Tribulation Period | | | | describes four beasts. Many theologians believe these |
| Most Christians are aware of the events that have | | | | beasts are kingdoms that arise in the last days that |
| been prophesied in the book of Revelations in the | | | | are analogous to the four empires described in |
| Bible. They are aware for the most part that a | | | | Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Daniel 7:1-8): |
| seven year period, called the tribulation period, will | | | | "In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel |
| occur on the Earth when extraordinary natural | | | | had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: |
| events will cause devastation to an extent never | | | | then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the |
| witnessed before. There will be constant war | | | | matters. Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by |
| between world powers. Control of the world political | | | | night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven |
| landscape will change like hands in a poker game. It | | | | strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts |
| will be a time of unrivaled moral decadence and | | | | came up from the sea, diverse one from another. |
| decay. Many theologians and students of biblical | | | | The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I |
| prophecy have done an exhaustive analysis of this | | | | beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was |
| period described in the book of Revelations, the | | | | lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the |
| most notable in the last 10 years would be Jerry | | | | feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. |
| Jenkins and Tim Lahaye, the authors of the Left | | | | And behold another beast, a second, like a bear, and |
| Behind series. What these scholars have overlooked | | | | it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in |
| in their analysis of the scriptures is that the Bible | | | | the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they |
| describes events that occur just prior to the | | | | said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After this |
| tribulation period. The purpose of this book is to | | | | I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had |
| establish a timeline of these events that occur prior | | | | upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast |
| to the tribulation period, a timeline of events that | | | | also four heads; and dominion was given to it. After |
| have escaped the notice of the experts. | | | | this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth |
| You ought to notice one very specific thing about | | | | beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly, |
| the timeline I will propose: it doesn't contain a | | | | and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in |
| prediction about the Rapture of the Church. The | | | | pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: |
| Rapture of the Church is God's plan to remove those | | | | and it was diverse from all the beasts that were |
| that believe in Jesus Christ from the Earth prior to | | | | before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the |
| the tribulation. The New Testament is very clear that | | | | horns, and, behold, there came up among them |
| no one knows the timing of the Rapture. However | | | | another little horn, before whom there were three of |
| Jesus mentions in the Gospels that there will be | | | | the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, |
| definite signs of when "the latter days" will occur | | | | in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a |
| ("latter days" has long been thought to be a code | | | | mouth speaking great things." |
| phrase for the tribulation period). Therefore I believe | | | | There are a few things to keep in mind while |
| scripturally I shouldn't be able to speculate intelligently | | | | analyzing these beasts. First, all these beasts |
| about the timing of the Rapture of the Church, but I | | | | represent a partnership between multiple nations. |
| do believe there is a ton of evidence for the other | | | | Theologians have taken this approach with all the |
| events that occur during the time prior and during the | | | | beasts except the first beast and I will demonstrate |
| tribulation period. | | | | in what manner it is a symbol of two separate |
| The book of Daniel is the key to understanding the | | | | nations. Secondly, these beasts also represent the |
| events that happen prior to the tribulation. So if one | | | | nations mentioned in Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the |
| wants to understand the book of Daniel one must | | | | statue. For instance, the lion with the eagle's wings |
| understand the history of the life of Daniel. When | | | | must be associated with the golden head of |
| Daniel is a teenager he is removed from Israel and | | | | Nebuchadnezzar's statue; the bear with the 3 ribs in |
| sent to Babylon with many of the other bright young | | | | its mouth must be associated with the silver chest |
| men that Nebuchadnezzar takes as part of his | | | | and arms of Nebuchadnezzar's statue, etc. Thirdly, I |
| conquest of the region. This action occurs very near | | | | believe the animals used to describe individual beasts |
| the beginning of what is called the Babylonian | | | | describe the relative strength of the beasts. The lion |
| Conquest in the Old Testament. The Babylonians rule | | | | is stronger than the bear; the bear is stronger than |
| for the next 49 years until the Persian Empire rises | | | | the leopard; the fourth beast is described as being |
| and the Persian ruler, Cyrus the Great, conquers the | | | | "terrible" so I believe it is stronger than them all. |
| last Babylonian ruler mentioned in the book of Daniel, | | | | Finally, I believe these animals can be easily identified |
| Belshazzar. Cyrus makes an announcement shortly | | | | with their respective countries in the same way that |
| thereafter that the Israelites may return to their | | | | the eagle is identified with the United States. |
| homeland and rebuild the Temple that | | | | The First Beast: The Lion with Eagle's Wings |
| Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed. Many of the | | | | The first beast, the lion with eagle's wings, is |
| Israelites returned to Israel, however many remained | | | | probably the most enigmatic of all the beasts |
| in Assyria and Babylon. Twenty one years later, the | | | | described. Most conservative theologians believe that |
| Macedonian ruler, Alexander the Great, conquers the | | | | the lion with eagle's wings represented Babylon, |
| Persian Empire (conventional historians claim that the | | | | modern day Iraq, by comparing Babylon with the |
| Persians ruled for over 200 years; I believe they only | | | | head of gold mentioned in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. |
| ruled 21 years and I provide evidence of this in my | | | | Daniel as much as stated that Nebuchadnezzar's |
| book The Fourth Day: Why the Bible is Historically | | | | kingdom, Babylon, represented the head of gold. |
| Accurate). Alexander dies shortly after this conquest | | | | Archaeologists have found several statues in ancient |
| and the Macedonian Empire is divided among his | | | | Babylon during the period of Nebuchadnezzar's reign |
| generals. Eventually the Roman Empire becomes the | | | | of lions with eagle's wings, so it would appear this |
| next great power in the region displacing the | | | | would be a relatively sound interpretation. I think |
| Macedonians (Macedonia and Greece are used | | | | there is something of significance missing. All of the |
| interchangeably by historians as references to the | | | | other beasts are symbolic of many nations: the bear |
| same empire). | | | | with the three ribs in its mouth is representative of |
| The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar's Statue | | | | four nations, the leopard with four heads is |
| The circumstances of the historical events that | | | | representative of (at least) four nations and beast |
| surround the life of Daniel become important during a | | | | with ten horns is representative of (at least) ten |
| particular dream of King Nebuchadnezzar. One of the | | | | nations. Is it possible that the lion with eagle's wings |
| first tests of faith in the life of Daniel is a situation in | | | | refers to multiple nations? |
| which King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that disturbs | | | | If you think of the first beast as two animals, a lion |
| him greatly yet he can't remember the details of the | | | | and an eagle, it becomes easier to visualize the |
| dreams when he awakens. Therefore he orders the | | | | interpretation of Daniel's vision regarding the first |
| wise men of his kingdom to analyze his dream but | | | | beast. Consider three prophecies in the scriptures |
| they must also tell him the details of the dream; if | | | | that involve eagles: 1) the riddle of the two eagles, 2) |
| they can't he is going to have all of them executed. | | | | two eagle wings that transport the Jews to a safe |
| Since Daniel is part of the group of wise men he | | | | refuge during the tribulation period and 3) the |
| seeks God in prayer to reveal the mystery of the | | | | description of Nebuchadnezzar being like an eagle |
| King's Dream (Daniel 2:28-45): | | | | during his 7 year period of insanity. |
| "But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, | | | | The Riddle of the Two Eagles |
| and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what | | | | The riddle of the two eagles is described in Ezekiel |
| shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions | | | | 17:2-8: |
| of thy head upon thy bed, are these; As for thee, O | | | | "Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable |
| king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, | | | | unto the house of Israel; |
| what should come to pass hereafter: and he that | | | | And say, thus saith the Lord God; a great eagle with |
| revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall | | | | great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had |
| come to pass. But as for me, this secret is not | | | | diverse colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the |
| revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more | | | | highest branch of the cedar: |
| than any living, but for their sakes that shall make | | | | He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and |
| known the interpretation to the king, and that thou | | | | carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of |
| mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. Thou, O | | | | merchants. |
| king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great | | | | He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it |
| image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before | | | | in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and |
| thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image's | | | | set it as a willow tree. |
| head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of | | | | And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low |
| silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, | | | | stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the |
| his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till | | | | roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, |
| that a stone was cut out without hands, which | | | | and brought forth branches and shot forth sprigs. |
| smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and | | | | There was also another great eagle with great wings |
| clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, | | | | and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend |
| the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken | | | | her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches |
| to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the | | | | toward him, that he might water it by the furrows |
| summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them | | | | of her plantation. |
| away, that no place was found for them: and the | | | | It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it |
| stone that smote the image became a great | | | | might bring forth branches, and that it might bear |
| mountain, and filled the whole earth. This is the | | | | fruit, that it might be a goodly vine." |
| dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof | | | | I believe this passage describes two nations that are |
| before the king. Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for | | | | very similar in their relationship to Israel. The first |
| the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, | | | | eagle is "a great eagle with great wings" so it is a |
| power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever | | | | powerful nation. It is "full of feathers" so it has many |
| the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and | | | | people. It is "longwinged" so it is located far away |
| the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine | | | | from Israel. It has "diverse colours" so it is nation of |
| hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou | | | | people of different colored skins (black, yellow, white, |
| art this head of gold. And after thee shall arise | | | | red, etc.). The eagle comes to Lebanon and takes a |
| another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third | | | | sprig from the highest branch of the cedar: the cedar |
| kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the | | | | of Lebanon is used in many places in the Old |
| earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: | | | | Testament to represent the people of Israel |
| forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all | | | | (Lebanon was actually part of the nation of Israel in |
| things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it | | | | the Old Testament). Therefore the first eagle carries |
| break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest | | | | a small group from nation of Israel and transplants |
| the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of | | | | them in the far removed country of the first eagle. |
| iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in | | | | They are transplanted in a "land of traffick", a nation |
| it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou | | | | with a strong economy and are set in a "city of |
| sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the | | | | merchants", a city that is associated with trade. If |
| toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay | | | | you pull all these descriptions together of the first |
| so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly | | | | eagle it appears this parable is describing the United |
| broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with | | | | States and its relationship to Israel prior to the |
| miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed | | | | establishment of Israel as a nation in 1948. The |
| of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, | | | | United States like the first eagle, is a large nation far |
| even as iron is not mixed with clay. And in the days | | | | removed from Israel that is an economic power with |
| of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a | | | | a "melting pot" of different colored peoples. Prior to |
| kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the | | | | and after 1948 many Jews settled in the United |
| kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall | | | | States and more specifically New York City, New |
| break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and | | | | York which can be described as one of the world's |
| it shall stand forever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that | | | | largest centers of trade. The phrase "he took also |
| the stone was cut out of the mountain without | | | | the seed of the land, and planted in a fruitful field" |
| hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, | | | | refers to the United States involvement in the |
| the clay, the silver and the gold; the great God hath | | | | establishment of the Jewish people as a nation in |
| made known to the king what shall come to pass | | | | Israel in 1948. The phrase "it became a vine of low |
| hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the | | | | stature" indicates that Israel, at least while the United |
| interpretation is sure." | | | | States is still powerful, is a nation of lowly stature. |
| The first thing to note here is that Daniel says that | | | | Then along comes the second eagle. It is a "great |
| this vision is a vision of the events of "the last days", | | | | eagle with great feathers"; it is a powerful nation. |
| therefore this is not a vision of the events of right | | | | Israel relies on this nation in the same way that Israel |
| after the death of Nebuchadnezzar. Yet as one looks | | | | relies on the United States now. Israel becomes a |
| at this vision it is uncanny how similar it is in describing | | | | goodly vine, a very prosperous nation during this |
| the events soon after Nebuchadnezzar's life. I believe | | | | period because of the trade it has with the second |
| the reason this is so is because the events that lead | | | | eagle. This second eagle is Babylon, the nation of the |
| up to the tribulation period will closely track with the | | | | antichrist during the tribulation, the "little horn" and |
| historic events that occurred from the Babylonian | | | | also as I described in chapter 1 of this book, the |
| Conquest until Alexander the Great. Let's analyze this | | | | Kurds of northern Iraq. |
| passage to identify the similarities. | | | | I believe the lion with eagle's wings describes two |
| Daniel says that Nebuchadnezzar, the king of | | | | nations, the United States and the Kurds of northern |
| Babylon, represents the golden head of the statue | | | | Iraq. |
| and the first kingdom. This kingdom is a kingdom | | | | The Two Eagles Wings |
| over other kingdoms, a world superpower. I believe | | | | As I mentioned in chapter one of this book I |
| the gold represents a kingdom that is unmatched in | | | | proposed that the "conspicuous horn" on the goat |
| its prosperity. Daniel then mentions that the second | | | | that is broken represents the end of the United |
| kingdom is a kingdom of silver and comes after | | | | States position as the world's lone superpower, |
| Nebuchadnezzar. The silver indicates it is a kingdom | | | | sometime in the future. Also remember from chapter |
| of great wealth but not as wealthy as the first | | | | one of this book that the "conspicuous horn" is |
| kingdom. Since this part of the statue represents the | | | | referred to as the first king. I propose that this "first |
| arms and chest, it is a divided kingdom like the arms | | | | king" refers to the first beast, the lion with the |
| are divided from one another; the divided kingdom of | | | | eagle's wings. Therefore the eagle's wings are cut off |
| the Medes and the Persians. The third kingdom of | | | | of the lion; this is a picture of when the United |
| bronze that came after the Medes and the Persians, | | | | States is no longer the world's lone superpower . |
| the kingdom of the belly and the thighs represents a | | | | These two eagle's wings occur in another instance in |
| kingdom that is unified when it begins but then is | | | | the scriptures (Revelations 12:14): |
| divided in the same way that the belly is one part of | | | | "And to the woman were given two wings of a |
| the body and the thighs represents two parts. The | | | | great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, |
| "bronze" represents a kingdom that is militarily strong | | | | into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and |
| but not necessarily economically strong since bronze | | | | times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent." |
| was used for weapons in the Bible but was not as | | | | I believe this scripture is referring to the time three |
| valuable as silver or gold. It is apparent that | | | | and a half years into the tribulation when the Jewish |
| Alexander the Great and the Greek Empire | | | | population from the United States (represented by |
| represented the kingdom of bronze. Alexander had a | | | | the two eagle's wings) will return to Israel at a time |
| very strong military and he was a very strong | | | | when the United States is no longer the world's lone |
| unifying presence for his new kingdom. However | | | | superpower. |
| after his death the kingdom became divided and was | | | | Nebuchadnezzar Appears as an Eagle |
| ruled by his three generals. The fourth kingdom, the | | | | Daniel the prophet records the events that lead to |
| kingdom of the iron legs that became the iron and | | | | Nebuchadnezzar's seven year period of insanity. |
| clay feet and toes, is a kingdom that is much more | | | | Nebuchadnezzar demonstrates a lack of humility |
| militarily strong than the bronze kingdom in the same | | | | before God for his kingdom so God punishes |
| way that iron is much more strong than bronze. Yet | | | | Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar apparently has the |
| it is as brittle as iron since it does break and the | | | | mind of an animal for seven years and ironically has |
| broken pieces are joined together with clay but the | | | | the following symptoms (Daniel 4:32-33): |
| iron/clay feet represent a weak union. This kingdom | | | | "And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling |
| represents the Roman Empire that came after the | | | | shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make |
| Greek Empire known for its military strength. The | | | | thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall |
| Roman Empire was also divided (the two iron legs | | | | pass over thee, until thou know that the most High |
| represents a kingdom that had two parts) in the | | | | ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to |
| sense that it had two capitals Rome and | | | | whomsoever he will. |
| Constantinople (modern day Istanbul, Turkey). The | | | | The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon |
| Roman Empire represented a kingdom with two very | | | | Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and |
| diverse cultures, the European culture and the Middle | | | | did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with |
| Eastern culture. | | | | the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like |
| If the events that occur before and during the | | | | eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws." |
| tribulation parallel the description above then we | | | | This passage is amazingly similar to the description of |
| would expect the first world superpower of this era | | | | the lion with eagle's wings in that the lion is clipped of |
| to be a economic powerhouse and associated with | | | | its wings and then rises to act like a man. |
| Babylon. The second world power of this era would | | | | Nebuchadnezzar acts like an animal, has some |
| be very economically powerful yet not as strong as | | | | features of an eagle, for a period of seven years |
| the first and would be associated with the Medes | | | | and then regains his reason so that he can act like a |
| and the Persians. The third world power would be | | | | man again. I believe the account of Nebuchadnezzar's |
| militarily strong and rule the world yet not as | | | | insanity has a prophetic element to it. I believe that |
| economically strong as the first two kingdoms and it | | | | the United States fulfills its role as the first eagle and |
| would be associated with Greece. The fourth | | | | then is broken as a world leader. Then for a period |
| kingdom will be exceedingly strong militarily yet be | | | | of seven years, like Nebuchadnezzar, neither the |
| broken in pieces and form an unsteady alliance of | | | | United States nor the Kurds of Iraq are powerful |
| countries and be associated with the two capitals of | | | | nations. Three and half years into the tribulation the |
| the Roman Empire, Rome and Constantinople. We will | | | | antichrist and the Kurds rise as the world |
| use this information as a foundation to understand | | | | superpower, seven years after the United States is |
| Daniel's vision of the four beasts. | | | | devastated. |
| Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts | | | | |