6. Bible
prophecy states that the West will successfully defeat the two-horned Islamic
Ram. However, after the victory over Iran is obtained, what happens next (Daniel
8:8)?
When America and the Western
Coalition are basking in the glory of triumph, prophecy depicts the next major
surprise: the prominent horn will be broken off.
The three following passages
make clear America's demise: “The first was like a lion [Britain],
and had eagle's wings [US]: I beheld till the wings thereof were
plucked,” Daniel 7:4. “Therefore the he-goat waxed very great: and when he
was strong, the great horn [US/President Bush] was broken; and for it came up
four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven,” Daniel 8:8. “And a mighty
king [US/President Bush] shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion,
and do according to his will. And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall
be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to
his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom
shall be plucked up,” Daniel 11:3-4.
Prophecy does not specify
how American’s demise occurs. The United States governmental buildings and
leaders may be destroyed without warning, leaving us without political strength;
the economy will no doubt collapse and social unrest will increase; natural
disasters may rise up in furious storms of apocalyptic proportions including
massive earthquakes that level great cities. Tidal waves and high winds may
buffet and destroy the coastal regions of the United States; America's vast
military may endure great losses. Nuclear armaments may explode upon our soil.
Or, there may be a totally unexpected series of events beyond our imagination.
Whatever means Satan will employ, in a very short segment of time the American
horn will be broken and her position of authority will diminish; then will
emerge the four prominent horns toward the four winds.
Jesus warned that these and
other events were just the beginning of terrible events and are not to be
interpreted as the end of the world, according to Matthew 24:6-8:
"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not
alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise
against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and
earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains."
Satan, the ruler--the prince
and power of the air (Ephesians
2:2), is much more formidable than our minds have imagined. He will unleash
his calculated and deadly plan, and demand his forces of evil go to work (Ephesians
6:12). The nations will erupt with social violence and military
confrontations. As nature's wrath begins to stir, the population of Planet Earth
will misread the tragedies as punishment from God instead of Satan's unleashed
fury. Revelation 13 speaks of a false prophet given demonic power to perform
miraculous signs involving fire (lightning?) from the sky, and with this same
extraordinary force Satan may harness nature's elements and unleash
environmental fury to bring the nations to his feet, humbled and ready for the
man of sin--the false savior. Satan does have control of earth’s natural
elements, and is the instigator of wrath on both land and sea. How do we know?
For Revelation 12:12 says, “But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil
has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is
short."
7. How does
Daniel 7:2-4
describe the emergence of the four world powers and the demise of America's
supremacy?
The four winds (four angels) of Heaven stir up earth's powers. The Lion (Great
Britain) with Eagle's Wings (America) is one of the prominent four government
coalitions. However, Daniel watched as the Eagle's Wings were "torn off."
The British/America alliance no longer flies free and swiftly. America is
humbled, so that the man of sin may come into view with strength and clarity.
The world's leadership will emerge from the Western European Union, and the
United State's dominion will be lost forever.
The Little Horn--The
Mighty Ruler
8. Daniel 8:9 portrays
the emergence of a "little horn" which will come out of one of the four larger
powers that spread out in the four directions of the world--particularly the
Western European Union. What is the smallest country in the world?
The Vatican sits on just 109
acres, but will emerge as the leader of the whole world. Although the smallest
of nations, the Holy See will rise to power, first taking control of nations to
the east and south, then eventually the Beautiful Land, Israel (Daniel
11:16).
The southern and eastern
directions of new power indicate that the countries in these two directions from
Rome, Italy, may be the ones devastated by the Russian Federation when the Bear
attacks the Western Europe Union (as covered in Lesson 4). The Bear will have
"three ribs" in its mouth when it rises to devour much human flesh (Daniel
7:5), representative of the "three...horns" (three countries)
uprooted and destroyed just as the little horn (Vatican)
comes into power (Daniel
7:8). Of particular concern should be Italy, Spain, Portugal and
Greece, although we do not know for certain what three countries the Bear will
strike out against and destroy.
Fourth Persian King
Daniel's fourth and last
vision provides even more details concerning the Persian Gulf confrontation with
Persia (Iran) that ignites end-time events. In
Daniel 11:2 we see the same powers and events as Daniel 8: Persia (Iran),
Greece ("Javan"--western powers), a confrontation (Gulf War), a mighty king and
empire (United States) which will be broken and her power divided and parceled
out to the "four winds”.
Persia (Iran) was ruled for
centuries by shahs (a title of kingship for the monarch of Iran). However,
political revolution began to mount in this region so that by April 1, 1979
(just over two decades ago), the Islamic Republic was established in Iran. A
Constitution of the Islamic Republic was approved by national referendum in
December 1979. For the first time Iran had elected leadership--a clear
transition from the monarchy of the past--which would usher in the conditions
for the prediction of Daniel 11 to become a reality. One key leader in the
development of the Islamic Republic is the wealthy Hashemi Rafsanjani, who would
eventually become the fourth and most influential presidential leader of Iran.
9. According to
Daniel 11:2, Daniel writes that in the "latter days" there will emerge in
Persia (Iran) three kings, however the fourth Muslim leader would be different
in what ways?
“The fourth shall be far
richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall
stir up all against the realm of Grecia [Western powers].” Translated for today: "Now
then, I tell you the truth: Three more kings will appear in Persia [Iran, in the
latter days], and then a fourth [Rafsanjani], who will be far richer [wealthy
man] than all the others. When he has gained power by his [personal] wealth, he
will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece ["Javan"; the West]."
Daniel writes that in the
"latter days" (10:14)
there will emerge in Persia (Iran) "three kings" (or, rulers-- 11:2).
However, the "fourth" ruler will stir up the Iranians against the "realm of
Grecia [the Western nations]."
First Four Iranian
Presidents
The following four
leaders have emerged just as the prophecy foretold.
The Presidents
since the establishment of the Islamic Republic are as follows:
