STUDIES IN DANIEL AND REVELATION OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY Lesson 1 - Shows that many Christians will be deceived in regards to the end of times. Lesson 2 - Shows that we must have the Bible and not speculation as the basis for our understanding of prophecy. Lesson 3 - Gives an overview of the parallel prophecies of Daniel 2, 7 and 8. Lesson 4 - Establishes that comparing these prophecies in parallel is biblically justified. Lesson 5 - Focuses in on the little horn and positively identifies it. Lesson 6 - Establishes from biblical texts that the little horn is the same a the first beast of Rev. 13, the man of sin and the anti-Christ. Lesson 7 - Establishes the second beast of Rev. 13 as the United States and explains its relationship with the first beast. Lesson 8 - Establishes that it is the second beast (USA) and not the anti- christ that brings fire from heaven, implements the mark of the beast and keeps people from buying or selling. Lesson 9 - Explains that the fire from heaven is a false Christian revival and discusses how easily it will be for a Christian to be deceived. Lesson 10 - Emphasizes lesson 9 & 1 and the need to stand on Scripture alone to avoid the incredible deception that is coming ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- LESSON #1 - DECEPTION OF CHRISTIANS AT THE END OF TIME Many Christians are intensely interested in what the Bible has to say about future events. Many books and videos have been produced which describe exactly what will happen in the future according to Bible prophecy. Yet for all the information that is available, it is frightening to find out that the Bible specifically predicts that, in the last days, there will be a group of Christians that will be deceived. Mt 7:22 - Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name performed many wonderful works? Mt 7:23 - And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me ye who work iniquity. ( )Y ( )N Do these people call themselves Christian? Do they do things in the name of Christ? ( )A ( )C Would these end-time people consider themselves athiests or Christians? ( )Y ( )N Do these Christians have a remarkable religious experience that apparently confirms their relationship with Christ? ( )Y ( )N Are these people incredibly deceived? ( )F ( )M Is it just a few Christians who are deceived or are there many? Who is Satan most trying to deceive? Mt. 24:24 ________________________ If the Bible portrays a large group of Christians at the end of time as being entirely deceived shouldn't we be very careful to find out the truth in regards to the end of time so that we are not part of these Christians? These studies present an end-time scenario consistent with Scripture in which it is easy to image Christians being thoroughly deceived. This scenario is constrasted with the popular view of the end of time. However any reasonable person ought to recognize that a scenario with an athiestic, persecuting, blaspheming anti-Christ would be highly unlikely to deceive Satan's main targets; Christians. ( )L ( )D How does Satan present himself; as an angel of light or a clearly demonic individual? 2 Cor. 11:14 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- LESSON #2 - THE BIBLE AS OUR BASIS FOR UNDERSTANDING PROPHECY What did Christ turn to for His authority? Mt 4:4-7 ______________________ To understand Scripture, what should we compare it to? Isa 28:10 ( ) One's own opinion ( ) The wisdom of a number of Biblical scholars ( ) Other parts of the Bible Why did Paul praise the Bereans? Acts 17:10-11 _____________________________ ( )N ( )O Were the Bereans using New or Old Testament Scriptures? Using Scripture, interpret the following symbols: Lamb (John 1:29) ______________________ Woman (Eph. 5:23) _____________________ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lesson 3 - OVERVIEW OF DANIEL 2, 7 AND 8. Please review briefly Daniel 2, 7 & 8 until you can confirm the order of the symbols as listed below +------------------------+-------------------------+----------------------+ | DANIEL 2: | DANIEL 7: | DANIEL 8: | | (image of metals) | (the 4 beasts) | (the ram & goat) | +------------------------+-------------------------+----------------------+ | The head of gold | The Lion with wings | | +------------------------+-------------------------+----------------------+ | The chest of silver | The bear | The ram | +------------------------+-------------------------+----------------------+ | The thighs of brass | The leopard w/ 4 heads | The goat w/ 4 horns | +------------------------+-------------------------+----------------------+ | Legs of iron | Terrible beast | | | 10 toes of iron & clay | 10 horns | | | | Little horn | Little horn | +------------------------+-------------------------+----------------------+ | The kingdom of God | The kingdom of God | | +------------------------+-------------------------+----------------------+ ( ) Sequence confirmed ( ) Sequence confirmed ( ) Sequence confirmed Note: it is necessary to be established in these prophecies before one can at all understand the Mark of the Beast, the anti-Christ, 666, etc. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- LESSON #4 - JUSTIFICATION FOR DANIEL'S PROPHECIES BEING PARALLEL You may have already noticed some of the similarities between Daniel's prophecies. There are obvious parallels between the leopard with 4 heads and four wings in Daniel 7 with the goat with 4 horns in Daniel 8. There are no other symbols containing the number 4 in any other level. Another exact parallel is the little horn in Daniel 7 and the little horn in Daniel 8. Likewise there is the kingdom of God in Daniel 2 and the kingdom of God in Daniel 7. Please note that a stone that is cut out without hand is a kingdom that is established not with human power. And it is an everlasting kingdom that destroys all human powers. There is a less obvious parallel which is still very clear. The bear in Daniel 7 comes up on one side first (verse 5). Likewise the ram has two horns with one being higher than the other (Dan 8:3). Also, the iron in the legs (Dan 2:23) is paralleled by the iron in the teeth of the terrible beast in Daniel 7:7. One final parallel is not clear from the text but is supported by archeology. Diggings have shown that a lion with wings was the main symbol for the kingdom of Babylon. At the same level in Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzer (king of Babylon) is told that he is this head (Dan 2:38) So you can see that there are many reasons to conclude that the prophecies of Daniel 2, 7 and 8 are parallel prophecies. This is important to establish because it helps us accurately place the little horn power in the flow of history. There is one important point that needs to be established. Each kingdom at each level gave way to the next power. The first level is the kingdom of Babylon. Daniel 8 does not contain this level because it was written after Babylon had fallen. Babylon was replaced by Medo-Persia. This was a two- part kingdom of the Medes and the Persians with the Persians gaining ascendancy later. Medo-Persia was then ecclipsed by the kindom of Grecia of which Alexander was the foremost by far of all of the kings. After he died, Greece was divided into four to be run by four of his generals. It is clear that Greece became ecclipsed by Rome. There was some overlapping influence as evidenced by the term Greco-Roman (e.g. wrestling). But there can be no doubt that Rome was the world's iron-like superpower. All of the powers described in the prophecies are not individuals but empires with several sequential rulers comprising the kingdom. Rome did not fall to any one kingdom. Instead it broke up into 10 national fractions from which come modern Europe. Daniel 2 makes it very clear that these fractions of Europe will never become one nation again (Dan 2:43). Some time after the break-up of the Roman empire came a power which is called the little horn power. This power is so significant that both Daniel 7 and 8 dedicate a lot of time discussing this power. We will identify this power in the next study. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- LESSON #5: THE LITTLE HORN AND IT'S IDENTITY There is a lot of confusion concerning this little horn. Basically there are three views: 1) It is a grecian king named Antiochus Epiphanies who lived before the time of Christ. 2) It is the papacy of the Roman Catholic Church. 3) It is the anti-Christ at the end of time. It may be fun to speculate but again let's stick with the sure Word of God to solve this problem. What does the Bible tell us? Look at the sequence in Daniel 7. Daniel 7 shows it occurring after the Roman empire broke up into 10 parts up until the time of Christ's kingdom being established. ( )Y ( )N Would a grecian king before the time of Christ fit this sequence? In Daniel 2, 7 and 8, each kingdom is succeeded by another kingdom. Each was a national empire with a number of kings. ( )Y ( )N Would an anti-Christ at the end of time be an empire with multiple kings? ( )Y ( )N Daniel 2:43 makes it very clear that the 10 toes will never cleave together. Is it possible then, that an anti-Christ would form a one-world government after the time in which the Bible says that Europe would never more be united into a single government? It should be clear at this point that views #1 & #3 are not consistent with the Bible. Let's take a look at view #2; the Papacy. Daniel 7 shows first the terrible beast (pagan Rome) moving on to have 10 horns (10 nations). From one of these nations comes up this little horn power. ( )Y ( )N Does the Papacy (leadership of the Roman Catholic Church) fit this description? But let's look at the other characteristics of the little horn and see if it fits the Papacy. #1 - More powerful than the other kingdoms. (Dan 7:20) #2 - Different in some way than the other kingdoms. (Dan 7:24) #3 - Does not have its own power but uses the power of others. (Dan 8:24) #4 - Its claims are so arrogant that they reach up to Heaven. (Dan 7:25, 8:11) #5 - It persecutes God's people. (Dan 7:21) #6 - It takes away the daily sacrafice. (Dan 8:11) #7 - Three kingdoms are taken out of the way during it's rise to power. (Dan 7:8 & 7:24) #1 - More powerful than the other kingdoms. (Dan 7:20) Without a military it would be hard to describe the Papacy as a particulary powerful entity. Yet who crowned the kings in Europe as evidence of their authority over the civil powers? It was the Papacy that gave the European kings their crowns. #2 - Different than the other kingdoms. (Dan 7:24) Clearly the Papacy was different than France or England or Germany or etc. It was primarily a religious entity which rules over the civil authorities. #3 - Does not have its own power but uses the power of others. (Dan 8:24) Clearly this is exactly what the Papacy did. For example, during the Crusades it organized wave after wave of troops from various European countries to try to free Palestine. Even today it is the Swiss Guard that provides personal security services for the Pope. #4 - Its claims are so arrogant that they reach up to Heaven. (Dan 7:25, 8:11) The Papacy's claim to power is that God has given it authority, passed down from one Pope to the next, so that it and it alone has all of the power of Christ on Earth. It claims the right to determine if someone will be allowed to go to heaven or not. #5 - It persecutes God's people. (Dan 7:25) The Inquisition. #6 - It takes away the daily sacrafice. (Dan 8:12) The daily sacrafice occurred in the Hebrew temple when individual sinners received forgiveness for their sins by bringing a lamb to be slaughtered. It was God's symbol for how a person was to become right with God and represented the precious sacrafice of Christ. However the Papacy did away with forgiveness from God by the blood of Jesus Christ by instituting a series of deeds (confession, pennance, sacraments, etc) as the means of obtaining righteousness. In short, taking away the daily represents the replacement of justification by faith in the Lamb of God with a system of righteousness by works. #7 - Three kingdoms are taken out of the way during it's rise to power. (Dan 7:8 & 7:24) During its rise to power, three European kingdoms invaded Italy, sacking Rome. Each of these kingdoms was utterly destroyed such that they have no country resulting from them today. ( )Y ( )N Does the Papacy of the Roman Catholic Church fit the characteristics of the little horn? Please note: Identifying the Papacy as the little horn power in no way condemns individual Catholics any more than the evils of Communism made all Russians bad people. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- LESSON #6 - THE LITTLE HORN, FIRST BEAST, MAN OF SIN & THE ANTI-CHRIST. There's a lot of fascination with the Anti-Christ and a lot of Christians think that they know what he's going to do. But when one looks at what the Bible says about this entity it comes as a suprise to many that there are only 4 verses in the Bible. Not only this but these verses give a mixed signal as to when the Anti-Christ would appear. Here are the 4 verses: 1 John 2:18 - Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that anti-christ shall come, even now are there many anti-christs; whereby we know that it is the last time. 1 John 2:22 - Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is anti-christ, that denieth the Father and the Son. 1 John 4:3 - And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of anti-christ, whereof ye have heard that it should come: and even now already is it in the world. 2 John 7 - For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an anti-christ. Again, there is suprising little information here. Notice that there is no mention about him becoming the leader of a one-world government or that he would enforce the mark of the beast or that he will rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. And if, as in 1 John 4:3 it indicates that the Anti-Christ was already present at the time of John, how can this possibly fit into the idea of the Anti-Christ at the end of time? Was he really alive in John's day and then has remained incognito all these years long before there was any United Nations? And how can it be, as in 1 John 2:18, that there were many Anti- Christs? The biblical explanation comes in 1 John 4:3 in which the anti-christ is described as a spirit. Many people at different times can have this spirit. And this spirit will evidence itself once again at the end of time. But we need to respect that the Bible does not give detailed information about what the anti-christ will do or in what form this spirit will manifest itself. Please note that it is often thought that, at the end of time, the Anti- Christ will be the one that will bring fire down from heaven, force the mark of the beast on people, keep some from buying or selling and will have the number 666. But, obviously from the texts above, the Bible does not say that the Anti-Christ will do this. It does however say that the second beast of Revelation 13 will do these things. The fact is that when the characteristics of the anti-christ and the second beast are compared there are no overlaps. As appealing an idea is of the Anti-Christ doing all these terrible things at the end of time, we should accept the Bible and conclude that the second beast is not the anti-christ. So who, or what, is the Anti-Christ? Let's look at its characteristics and compare them with the characteristics of another entity called "the man of sin" (2 Thes 2:6-11). The Man of Sin The Anti-Christ End of time 2 Thes 2:8 1 John 2:18 Liar 2 Thes 2:11 1 John 2:22 Alread in world 2 Thes 2:7 1 John 4:3 ( )Y ( )N Are there clear similarities between these two? But lets look at some other characteristics of the Man of Sin. The Man of Sin Boastful 2 Thes 2:4 Defined by time 2 Thes 2:6 End of time 2 Thes 2:8 What does this boastful "man of sin" sound like? The Little Horn (Papacy) Boastful Dan 7:8, 8:11 Defined by time Dan 7:25 End of time Dan 7:22,26 We've got ourselves a match. Just like we learned in algebra: If A=B & B=C then A=C The Anti-Christ = The Man of Sin = The Little Horn (Papacy) Do the characteristics of the Anti-Christ match that of the Papacy? ( )Y ( )N Present at the end of time (our time) ( )Y ( )N Liar (e.g. claiming to take the place of Christ on Earth) ( )Y ( )N Already in the world in John's time (i.e. Church heiarchy control system being set up) Let's move on to the first beast of Revelation 13. We will find that it matches perfectly with the characteristics of the little horn power (Papacy). 1st Beast Little Horn Rises out of sea Rev 13:1 Dan 7:3 10 horns Rev 13:1 Dan 7:7,20 Very powerful Rev 13:2 Dan 7:20 Boastful Rev 13:1 Dan 7:8, 20, 25 8:11 Persecutor Rev 13:7 Dan 7:25, 8:10 Empowered for 1260 "days" Rev 13:5 Dan 7:25 ( )Y ( )N Does the 1st beast of Rev. 13 match with the little horn (Papacy)? It is important to establish that the first beast of Revelation 13 is the same thing as the little horn power (Papacy) because it helps us understand who is the second beast of Revelation 13 that does all of the bad things which we anticipate in the future. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- LESSON #7 - THE SECOND BEAST IDENTIFIED Read Rev. 13 to become familiar with it. A very careful reading of Revelation 13 reveals there there are two beasts described. The first beast appears first and then at a later time the second one appears. But the two continue to exist at the same time but it is the second beast that has all of the power. It never gives the first beast its power but uses its power to make effective an "image of the (first) beast". What is going on here? The second beast is very different from any previous powers. (Rev 13:11-16) It comes out of the earth and not the sea (Rev 13:11) It has two horns (Rev 13:11) which are like the Lamb (i.e. Jesus, Rev 13:9) It is a superpower (Rev 13:12) It reproduces the same type of system that the first beast had (Rev 13:16) COMES UP OUT OF THE EARTH Unlike all of the other kingdoms we have studied, this one doesn't overthrow previous kingdoms by the winds of war blowing on the sea of people, this power comes up from the land not by conquest. Hold that thought. SUPERPOWER The second beast "makes all the earth". It is the only superpower in the world. 2 HORNS LIKE A LAMB This is a lamb-like beast. The Lamb is clearly defined in Rev 13:9 as Christ. So this is a Christian nation. REPRODUCING THE SAME TYPE OF SYSTEM THAT THE FIRST BEAST HAD The first beast (the Papacy) was a combination of powers in which religious had control over the civil powers. And remember, that this second beast exists at the end of time (i.e. our time). So, let's put it together. What uncontested modern superpower exists today which is Christian, came about not by overthrowing a previous empire and could have it's government controlled by Christians? How about the United States: ( )Y ( )N The only superpower ( )Y ( )N Christian ( )Y ( )N Came about not by overthrowing a previous empire ( )Y ( )N Government that could be controlled by Christians ( )Y ( )N Is there any other nation present today that fits the bill? So, what's the relationship between the second beast (the United States) and the first beast (the Papacy)? Read the second half of Revelation 13 and it becomes clear. The US government comes under the control of Christians (the image of the first beast is re-created). The US always retains the power but it causes the world to give homage to the Papacy (i.e. it recognizes the Pope as the leader of the Christian world). With even Billy Graham describing the Pope as the leader of the Christian world and the Religious Right seeking to gain control of the government it is very easy to imagine this scenario developing. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- LESSON #8: THE USA AND NOT THE ANTICHRIST BRINGS FIRE, ENFORCES THE MARK OF THE BEAST AND CONTROLS BUYING AND SELLING Remember there were no onverlapping characteristics between the Anti-Christ and the second beast. Having established that the second beast is the USA we can clearly see that it is the USA that commits all of the acts in the second half of Revelation 13. WORKING DECEIVING MIRACLES These are the same miracles we discussed that were performed by Christians in Lesson #1. They will be so incredibly deceiving because they will be performed by Christians in a Christian nation (USA) and will be believed as coming from God. What movement within Christianity emphasizes miracles and has acted as a unifying (ecumenical) movement? __________________________________ BRINGING FIRE DOWN FROM HEAVEN This is a special topic reserved for the next lesson. FORCED WORSHIP The Bible predicts that worship will be forced. But what type of worship? Worshiping a robotic image? (how deceptive would that be to Christians?) How about worshiping an athiestic, New Age, Anti-Christ (would you be decieved?) Instead the worship that will be forced will be from a Christian nation with Christians in control of the government. The miracles in this religious will even appear to come from the God of heaven. So what type of worship will be forced: ( ) Christian ( ) New Age athiesm THE MARK OF THE BEAST Again, how deceptive would it be for an athiestic, New Age, Anti-Christ to be going around insisting that people receive a tattoo or a computer chip in their forehead or hand. Would you be deceived at all? Would any thinking Christian be deceived? Also, if the Mark of the Beast is something physical is the Seal of God also something physical? It too is placed on people's foreheads (Rev. 9:5). Will God use a tattoo or a computer chip to identify who is His people? Instead the Mark of the Beast is receiving the Spirit of Satan causing people under his deceptions to be totally his. The Seal of God results from the work of God's Holy Spirit on the lives of His people so that they become completely sealed and can go through the time of trouble. It is not something that is physical but is spiritual but is very real none-the-less. Receiving it in the forehead means that you accept His Spirit into your mind completely since the forehead represents a strong decision of the will (Eze 3:8). Receiving the Mark of the Beast in the hand means going through with the false worship out of fear without necessarily agreeing with it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- LESSON #9 - FIRE FROM HEAVEN Rev 13:13 Describes the second beast (USA) bringing fire down from heaven in the sight of man. Its purpose is to deceive people. What is this fire and why is it so deceiving? Now figure. If a New Age, leader of the United Nations brought literal fire down from heaven on national TV would you as an elect Christian be deceived and say, "Oh my, I should worship him and adopt his athiestic philosophy"? Or instead would you say, "Hey that's him...that's the Anti-Christ! Look he just brought fire down from heaven just like the Bible said he would! Flee! Flee! Don't believe a word he says!" If you wouldn't be deceived by such a demonstration, why would anybody else? Yet clearly, the Bible says that the purpose of the miracles is to deceive. (Rev. 13:14) Comparing Scripture with Scripture, where do we read about fire coming down from heaven? There are two places that seem to especially apply. The obvious one is when Elijah brought fire down on Mount Carmel. ( )Y ( )N Wasn't the purpose of this demonstration to prove who the real God was? (1Ki 18:24) So the false fire from heaven in Rev 13 will have the purpose of deceiving people into thinking that this is coming from heaven (i.e. coming from Jehovah himself). But there was another time when fire came down from heaven as evidence of God pouring out His Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2-4 And there appeared unto them cloven ______ like of ______ and it sat upon each one of them. ( )G ( )S But the fire from heaven in Rev 13. Is it from God or Satan? Consider this possibility. The USA experiences a most remarkable, apparently Christian, Spirit-focused revival. This experience is unlike anything that has happened before in that large numbers of people from various denominations receive the power to do actual miracles. This goes beyond just having a highly emotional experience. Instead, people will be actually seeing healings and other supernatural phenomenon. Overnight there are no athiests. The miracles cause a unity among Christians in that all denominations are receiving the same Spirit. Non-Christian religions are simultaneously forced to make a decision as to whether this Christian revival is from the true God. All miracles appear to be benevolent (Mt 7:22-23) so they conclude that it is. When they become Christians, they too receive the same Spirit. All non-Christian religions melt away. All appears to be going well. But remember that this "spirit" with its miracles is from Satan. The deception is so much like the true that it is deceiving even to the "very elect". Rev 13 says that the 2nd beast (USA) forms an "image" of the first beast (the Papacy). In the above situation how easy it would be for the Christian religious leaders of the above movement to assume leadership of the country. Once again religion would dictate to the civil powers as it did in the Dark Ages. Laws would be based on morality and not freedom of conscience. Like the modern day Islamic countries, the U.S. would begin to enforce behaviors based on moral laws in order to make the nation (and the world) righteous before God. The "image" of the first beast would be complete. In this setting plagues begin to fall. This would be viewed as Jehovah's punishment of the world because it is tolerating non-conformists who have resisted "His Spirit". The fundamental issue would be, "how does one become righteous before God"? Satan, acting as though he is God (2Th 2:4), says that mankind can be righteous in deeds (sanctified) apart from God in one of two ways: 1) by embracing his (Satan's) spirit (receiving the mark in the forehead) 2) by being forced (receiving the mark in one's hand) But God knows of only one way of becoming sanctified: 1) by obeying God's commandments from the heart (receiving His seal only in one's forehead) So, fundamentally, the issue of the Mark or the Seal will not be a political issue but of salvation itself. Although one cannot see the Mark or the Seal it will be very evident in one's behavior depending upon whether one keeps all of God's commandments or a substitute (Rev. 14:12). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- LESSON #10: CONCLUSION The previous lesson as well as the first demonstrate just how thoroughly deceptive the future will be. It is to keep people from being deceived that these lessons are written. We can learn something from Satan's temptation of Christ. Satan will tempt us by offering us what we need. He will even quote Scripture if that's what it takes. But Christ always answered Satan with God's word. This is the only sure way to prepare for Satan's deceptions.