The main subject of the book of Daniel is the visions of the four kingdoms that shall receive dominion over the earth. The earth, as written in the book of Daniel, refers to the Nation of Israel. In 603 BC in the second year after conquering Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream about a statue The head was of gold, its breast and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of brass and legs of iron and feet part of iron and mixed with clay. The Lord interpreted the dream for Daniel and then Daniel told the matter to the King. Nebuchadnezzar was represented as the head of gold. Its breast and arms of silver is said to represent the second kingdom upon the earth. This kingdom will be inferior to Babylon, and another third kingdom of brass which shall bear rule over all of the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron... The point here is that the four consecutive kingdoms which are described through out the book of Daniel, have come and gone. They were given their dominion over the earth during the "times" of that Hebrew Nation that ceased to exist in the second century.

Chapter seven describes a vision that was given to Daniel. This vision was received in the first year of the reign of Belshazzar, King of Babylon (Nebuchadnezzars grand son). This would be around the year 559 B.C. This vision describes four great beasts rising up out of the sea. This vision again describes the same four kingdoms as depicted in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, seen as the statue. The first beast was like a lion, The second beast was like unto a bear, and the third was like a leopard and it has four wings upon its back and had four heads, and dominion was given to it. And after this, a fourth beast rose up, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly;..... and it had ten horns.

Verse 8 And 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; (V 9) describe ,"I beheld till the thrones were cast down; and the ancient of Days did sit whose garment was white as snow... (V10) thousands and thousands ministering unto the Lord and ten thousands times ten thousand standing before him, the judgment was set and the books opened. Scripture clearly states that this occurs during the dominion of the fourth kingdom upon the earth. (V11), "I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke. I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed , and given to the burning flame." Again, this is talking about the little horn of the fourth beast. The fourth kingdom over the earth. (Roman Empire)

9:12 "As concerning the rest of the beasts they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time", I believe that here the plural is used incorrectly. This can not be speaking of the dominion of the first three beasts being taken away for their dominion had already been taken away, consecutively one by the other. The rest of the beast, that the little horn was coming up out of, had its dominion taken away, yet its life was prolonged for a season and a time. I will mention here, that this is Daniel's description of his vision. In verse 16, Daniel asks the angel of God " the truth of all of this" And then that angel gave the interpretation of the things.

9:17 These great beast which are four, are four kings which shall arise out of the earth. (9:23) Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth....Not some futuristic kingdom. This is the same fourth kingdom upon the earth described in Nebuchadnezzars dream. Fourth is still fourth. (9:24) "And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall rise; and another shall rise AFTER them and he shall be diverse from the first and he shall subdue three kings". He shall replace three kings after the ten, or he is the 14 king of that Empire (9:25) "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, times and the dividing of time". Does this sounds familiar! The woman described in Revelation 12 is carried away for a time, times and a half where they shall feed her there, and she shall hide from the face of the serpent. In verse 11 this little horn is seen being thrown into the fire and the rest of that beast has its dominion taken away yet its life is allowed to continue for a season and time. Theologians today say that this little horn is the anti Christ that is thrown into the lake of fire at the battle of Armageddon! There seems to be great confusion as to the identity of this little horn. We must remember that all of these things happen during the times of the first four kingdoms upon the earth. History shows that Babylon being the first, and the Medo-Persian Empire was the second kingdom upon the earth followed by Greece, as is also described and identified in Daniels next vision. Though it is not named in scripture the fourth kingdom is described as coming out of one of the four smaller kingdoms that Greece is divided into when the first king of that empire dies.

Daniel 8:1 "In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar (around 556 BC) a vision appeared unto me... (V 3) "Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns; and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last". Later in this chapter the ram is said by Gabriel, to represent the Mead and Persian empire.

(v 4) "I saw the ram pushing westward and eastward, and northward and southward; so that no beast might stand before him..... " "And as I was considering , behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth,and touched not the ground; and the he goat had a notable horn between his eyes. And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power..." "... and there was none that could deliver him out of his hand"

(V 8) "Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. (V 9) "And out of one of them came forth a little horn". This little horn is the same as the little horn that replaces three of the ten that was of the fourth beast. (V 10) "And it (the little horn) waxed great even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stomped upon them". (V 11) "Yea he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. (V 19) "And he (the angel) said, Behold I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation; for at the time appointed the end shall be. (V 20) "The Ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia" (V 21) "And the rough goat is the king of Grecia and that great horn that is between his eyes is the first king" (V 22) "Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power".

When Alexander the great died, his four generals divided the nation into four smaller kingdoms. We should remember that in verse 9 the little horn shall rise up out of one of these nations. (V 23) "in the later time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to full a king of fierce countenance shall stand up. (this is the little horn of the fourth beast)

All of the visions that Daniel relieves concerning these four beasts or kingdoms are all referring to the first four kingdoms having dominion over that Hebrew Nation that ceased to exist in the 2ND century. This fourth beast with ten horns and a little horn rises up replacing three must be the Roman Empire. And the little horn that replaces three after the ten must be the 14Th king of the fourth kingdom. Hadrian was the 14Th emperor of Rome and the last to govern over the Hebrew Nation, for it ceased to exist during his reign.

Let me explain why I believe that this beast is described this way. Titus was the tenth king (Emperor) of Rome. His father,Vespasian, was emperor at the time that Titus destroyed Jerusalem and the temple (in 70 AD). There were three more emperors after Titus and before Hadrian. Hadrian became the fourteenth emperor of Rome. Therefore Hadrian would be the little horn that replaces three kings after the tenth. In 133 AD Hadrian announced that he was going to rebuild Jerusalem. This was good news for the Hebrews, until they found out that Hadrian also planned to build a temple to his god, Jupiter, upon the ruins where Solomon's temple had once stood. The Jews revolted. After two years, the revolt was put down and Hadrian set up two statues upon the temple grounds, one of Jupiter and one of himself. He immediately began evacuating the city of the entire population. The Hebrew nation ceased to exist. Hadrian was unable to began the construction of his temple before he died. (138 AD) Chapters 11 and 12 are Daniels final recorded vision which describe events that are to take place from the days of Darius the Mede, until the little horn of the fourth beast dies. (11:45) "And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious mountain yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. (12:1) And at THAT time (when Hadrian comes to his end) shall Michael stand up, for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the book". (v2) "and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake..."

Hadrian died in 138 AD. This fulfills the covenant that the Lord made with Abraham. The end of days for the old covenant. The end of days for that Hebrew Nation that existed before the little horn of the fourth beast. The Lords covenant with Abraham was finished when that nation ceased to exist. The seventieth week mentioned in 9:24 that was given to the children of Daniels people to quit sinning, make restitution etc. and anoint the most holy would have certainly have been fulfilled before that Nation ceases to exist. Therefore the 69 weeks unto Messiah the Prince (second coming) must also have been fulfilled. When Jesus began his ministry he announced a new covenant. When Jesus died upon the cross he sanctified that new covenant with his blood. The end of days as is written in the old testament was fulfilled when that nation ceased to exist. The old covenant was fulfilled before that nation was handed over into the hands of the fourth kingdom of the earth, for a time, times and an half. Jesus established a new covenant a hundred years before the old covenant was finished. Jesus, upon his coming again (69Th. week) confirmed the old covenant for one week for there was only one week left of the 70 that was given to that Hebrew Nation to quit sinning and anoint the most Holy. Now let us continue with chapter 12.

And at that time (that the LITTLR HORN comes to his end (14Th emperor of the 4Th kingdom)) shall Michael stand up.... for the children of thy people. (HEBREWS) and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation.And at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. (v4) But thou O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end... This one of the seven seals that the Lord Jesus Christ opens when he arrives in heaven at the time of the end for that Hebrew Nation that ceased to exist in 138 AD. ... At that time when the little horn of the fourth kingdom upon the earth, comes to his end.

(v6) "And one said to the man clothed in linen,.... how long shall it be to the end of these wonders"? (v7) And I heard the man clothed in linen..... that it shall be for a time and times and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all of these things shall be finished. In verse eight Daniel kinda said, Huh? What did you say? So the man clothed in linen rephrased his statement like this... And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. This indicates that a time, times and an half is the same as 1290 days, and the power of the holy people being scattered is the same as the sacrifice being taken away.