The Daniel Sequence

Chapter 8: Daniel lays out the first of his detailed accounts of the "time of the end" (Daniel 8:17, 19,) The vision starts with a two horned ram- Persia (Iran)...they are rambunctious, expansionist, and go west, south and north (Daniel 3-4) [Why two horns? The interpretation given to Daniel: The horns represent the kings of Media and Persia; one more powerful than the other. We know Persia is Iran, but who are the Medes? The Kurds are believed to be descended from them, except they don't have a homeland (or king...yet). The other is Azerbaijan, who are ethnically similar to the Persians and supposedly have Median ancestry]. The Lord instructs His angel Gabriel to interpret the vision to Daniel who became ill because of his bewilderment of he saw (verse 27). The expansion is driven by Iran's desire to consolidate its Shia beliefs and to set up conditions suitable for Al-Mahdi, the 12th Imam and dethroning the US Petro Dollar , and hurting Saudi Arabia). The ram was successful in it's goals. It "did what it wanted, and became strong.".

• A goat with a single horn- Turkey-(Greece, in the English translation, Yawan in Hebrew. Yawan is the western region of current day Turkey. Yawan was Noah's grandson (son of Japheth) who settled north of Israel, a place identified today within modern Turkey) strikes the two horned ram with significant force which breaks the ram's horns, and thoroughly subdues it (Daniel 8:7). The angel Gabriel explains to Daniel that the vision is for the period of indignation/wrath/insolence, and that the horn (powerful leader) is the first king. The goat has been misinterpreted as Greece; the horn (or power) representing Alexander the Great (who also swiftly crushed the Persian empire in his day). Except Alexander's ascent to the throne was the latest in a line of kings in Macedonia. Also, the angel repeatedly tells Daniel that the vision is for "the end". After the domination of Iran and the region, the Turkish leader will resurrect the Caliphate, and become its "first king". The Beast comes back to life (Revelation 17:11)

• Turkey announces the rebirth of the Caliphate (the fatal head wound inflicted on the Ottoman empire at the end of WWI is healed! Revelation 13:3). A Caliphate has been Turkey's goal since it turned Islamist a few years ago.

• Then... What? The ram's horn is suddenly broken into four parts! The powerful Turkish ruler (Caliph) who crushed Iran is deposed/dies/replaced (at the height of his power), and there is no one with the same power as he. So, the newly conquered region splits into four regions [most likely along ethnic lines- Turkish, Syriac, Iraqi, and Persian] with four distinct rulers, but none who have the same power as the first king!

• From this chaos a new ruler emerges among the four and becomes predominant.

• This ruler is identified as the "little Horn", he starts small but dominates soon, he is called "contemptible".

• This ruler consolidates his power by overthrowing three regions and becomes the predominant ruler of the Caliphate

• There are ten kingdoms in this new alliance [Revelation 12:3 has a description of a Dragon with seven heads and ten horns. I will have a post regarding this imagery soon...]

• The Little Horn is a super politician. He works by convincing his allies, and the world, to trust him

• Israel becomes wealthy due to their newly discovered riches of natural resources and their intellectual property work to the world. They are at the "top of their game!"; wealth, relative peace, and soon a peace alliance, and an agreement to rebuild their temple!

• As mentioned above, there is an agreement which consists of a guarantee of "peace and security" for Israel. To convince Israel of the alliance' trustworthiness, he (or his predecessor- not real clear to me currently) agrees to Israel's construction of a Jewish temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This would be unthinkable today.

• Israel agrees, and enters into a "covenant of death" (Isaiah 28: 18).

• The faithful Christian remnant stands up and speaks out loudly that this is abhorrent to God, but they are persecuted for this stance against "peace and security)

• The Little Horn is militaristic and is constantly engaged in expansionist adventures.

• Saudi Arabia and Egypt are not part of the ten kingdom alliance

• There is a lot of irritation between Egypt and the Little Horn

• The Little Horn tries to invade Egypt and is thwarted partly due to external intervention [Daniel says that the intervention comes from the "ships of Kittim". Kittim has been identifies as the Cypress region, but could mean that these are European navies coming to the aid of Egypt]

• He is enraged and on his trip back to his kingdom, he invades Israel and occupies Jerusalem. Israel is caught unawares and unguarded (Ezekiel chapter 38)

• There is worldwide shock at this event! There are many armies with the invader (Turks, Iranian, Syriac, and others). It becomes clear that this was preplanned, and the root reason for the invasion was to loot, plunder, and kill Islam's enemy- the Jews.

• There are objections from the Western powers, and curiously, an objection from the Saudis! This seals their future fate.

• The Little Horn enters the Jewish temple and declares that he is a god. Islam believes their Mahdi has arrived! This is the event that identifies the anti-christ for the Christian remnant. (2 Thessalonians 2:4)

• The time clock has started. There are 42 months of horror ahead and Israel enters a period called "Jacob's Trouble" (Jeremiah 30: 4-7)

• The second holocaust begins, there is mass slaughter of Jews in Israel and anti-semitism rises in all nations. The persecution is worldwide

• Christians who stand with persecuted Jews are attacked and martyred. The true church stands up against this persecution. The Great Tribulation begins. The Christian remnant display the "Stephen martyrdom for Saul" (Acts 9: 1-8).The Jews are envious of the faith of Messiah displayed in their Christian protectors (Romans 11:11).

• Apostasy among "Christendom" is severe; they grow cold to the Lord, and deny Him and betray those who stand for the Lord (Matthew 24: 9-11)

• The Lord prepares His remnant (Christian and Jew)

• The nations, toward the end of the 42 months, grow weary of the Little Horn and start to chafe against his "cult of personality" and his economic chokehold (oil starvation for all who are not with him)

• The Little Horn invades Egypt and is a cruel taskmaster to them

• He is tired of Saudi Arabian "lukewarmness" and sanctions their destruction

• A nuclear missile is launched against them from the Iranian region

• Mecca is destroyed and the oil wells are ablaze in Arabia

• Countries are alarmed and embark on a mission to rid the world of this ruler. The "Kings of East" mobilize to get rid of this tyrant who seems bent on regional destruction which could expand to worldwide conflagration!

• Mobilized armies start moving on the newly constructed New Silk road constructed by the "one belt one road" initiative.

• The Little Horn hears of these moves while in Egypt, is greatly alarmed, and rushes north to defend his kingdom

• The Lord appears! His angels gather His remnant from the four corners of the earth. The saints (old and new testament) are resurrected and they, along with the remnant still alive on earth meet Him in the air!

• He enters Jerusalem and when His feet touch the Mount of Olives the mountain splits in two

• He destroys the Little Horn and his armies with His brightness of His appearing!

• The Little Horn and his religious leader are the first to be thrown in the Lake of Fire, specially prepared for Satan and his fallen demons!

• His Jewish remnant looks at Him and worship Him "Whom they pierced"! (Zechariah 12: 10)

• The Lord Jesus' return to earth with His army is a march from the Saudi Peninsula upward to the Holy Land. "Who is this....?) (Isaiah 63: 1-6)

• He is met at Har Meggido by the regional forces as well as those forces which arrived to combat the Little Horn (Ezekiel 38: 18 thru chapter 39. Special phrase: "My rage shall come up in my anger.."). His appearance is no match for any force on earth!

• Satan, who deceived men for thousands of years is bound for a thousand years.

• After the destruction of His enemies, He sets up His Kingdom with His remnant and rules from Jerusalem

• The Thousand Year Millennium has begun!

• The Jews hiding in the nations return to the Holy Land; they are escorted and accompanied by the people of those countries eager to see them get home!

• Israel is awash with the Spirit of the Lord that has removed their blindness, and they are reconciled with their Lord! The elder son has returned!

• The cleanup starts and the construction of the "Millennium Temple" begins!

• Israel becomes the "light of the nations" that God promised to Abraham! They become missionaries to preach the Gospel to the kingdoms of earth!

• Every year the leaders of the nations are required to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate Tabernacles (Sukkoth). Any nation which does not do this will not have any rain for the upcoming year

• The Christian remnant which remained faithful (through the Church' 2000 year existence) to the Lord will have rulership over the nations (inferential-Watchman Nee will rule China while Mao Tse-Tung will wait till his judgement at the "Great White Throne" to be cast in the Lake of Fire; Jesus did tell his disciples that they would have rulership in the Kingdom, some five cities, others ten)

• After a thousand years Satan is released for a short time when he goes out and deceives nations to turn against God. It is a final testimony that man is inherently evil without the quickening life of God. The nations march against Jerusalem and are destroyed by fire from heaven

• Look- there is a Great White Throne! Here every knee will bend and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord!

• Every deed of every human being will be judged and sentences meted out. Satan and his demons will join their agents the Little Horn, and his priest, in the Lake of Fire. The deceived will look at Satan and wonder how this miserable being could deceive them. The smoke from this Lake of Fire will rise up for eternity

• Look! There is a new Heaven and Earth! God's eternal temple (the New Jerusalem) descends from heaven onto the New Earth! God inhabits the new temple and is its Light- there is no other light needed!

• The Lord Jesus has a Bride for whom He bled and died for

• His Bride takes her place by His side and is a testimony of His Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control. For her He set aside His glory and donned a garment of flesh. He endured unspeakable tortures and shed His blood for her. She is the testimony He will point to as the example of His mercy to the "creations to come"!!!

• Let us fall on our face and bathe His pierced feet with our tears of gratitude!