Sound The Trumpet : The Ten Horns

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10734

“The Ten Horns”
by Art Sadlier
July 1st, 2010

In Daniel chapter seven Daniel had a vision of four wild beasts; each of these beasts represented a world empire which was yet future in Daniel’s day, with the exception of Babylon which had just come to power.

These four world empires represented, gentile dominions during the “times of the gentiles”, a time period in which Israel is set aside as a power in the world. These four empires were Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome.

In Daniel 7:7 we read the prophecy of the Roman Empire. The verse describes what the Roman Empire would be like. This prophecy was amazingly accurate, as a study of history will confirm.

The very last phrase of the verse goes beyond the original Roman Empire and tells about another empire which will arise out of Rome. Out of the territory, and out of the peoples of the old Roman Empire another empire would arise, a revival of the old Roman Empire. We read, “and it had 10 horns”. Notice that the ten horns arise out of the head of the beast which represents Rome. This marks the ten horns as the revival of the Old Roman Empire.

Today, the EU has stated emphatically, “We are the return of the Roman Empire.” Bible prophecy has much to say about this final empire of the last days, the time in which we now live. Let us look at a few of these prophecies.

The makeup of the revived Roman Empire: “It had 10 horns” Dan. 7:7. “A beast rises up of the sea … having 10 horns.” Rev. 13:1. “And the 10 horns which thou sawest are 10 kings,” Rev. 17:12. The Revived Roman Empire will consist of 10 rulers, 10 nations or regions. Antichrist will arise and share power with the 10 kings for 3 ½ years. “… but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.” Rev. 17:12. That represents the first 3 ½ years of the tribulation period.

This Revived Roman Empire will not begin until two simultaneous events take place, the rise of the 10 kings and the rise of Antichrist, who will seize power over 3 kings. What we see in the EU today is not the Revived Roman Empire, but the infrastructure or preparation for it. Notice, we do not see the 10 kings or nations or regions today and will not, until the appearance 0f Antichrist at the beginning of the tribulation period. Though interestingly, there are ten nations today that make up the Western European Union. These nations have agreed to dissolve this union in June 2011, perhaps they will or perhaps they won’t, time will tell.

The duration of the revived Roman Empire: “but receive power one hour with the beast,” Rev. 17:12. One hour is a very short duration for a kingdom to exist. Both Daniel and John indicate that this time will be 3 ½ years. Then at the mid-tribulation point, the Revived Roman Empire will give way to the world-wide kingdom of Antichrist. “These have one mind (the ten kings) and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” Rev. 17:13.

The 10 kings do not appear on the scene until the moment of the inception of the kingdom. “Ten kings, who have received no power as yet, but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.” Rev. 17:12. These rulers may have power in their own countries today but they have no power over this group of countries until Antichrist comes. Neither the 10 kings nor the 10 nations will be identified until the time of the inception of the kingdom.

The events in Europe today are setting the stage for the appearance of Antichrist. Before the 10 horns (or 10 toes of Daniel 2) begin to surface, before the infrastructure begins to fall into place, a grievous problem surfaces. Dan. 2:40 tells us that the Roman Empire will be as iron, strong and cohesive but in the Revived Roman Empire, the cohesion and strength of unity will be lost. Dan. 2:31 tells us it will be like iron mixed with clay (pottery). It will not be cohesive. There will be no unity, no strength of purpose and action. “And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.” Dan. 2: 42, 43. That is the exact scenario that is playing out in Europe right now. The EU is having serious economic troubles today. For the last sixty years the EU has been consistently plagued with disunity at every turn.

They have lacked strong leadership and singleness of purpose. They have been crying out for strong leadership for over sixty years now. That leadership will not be forthcoming until Antichrist appears upon the scene and forcibly takes charge. “And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.” Dan. 7:24. In chapter 7 verse 8 Daniel says, “there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots:” This scenario is a troubled Europe in confusion, disunity, turmoil and possibly economic despair (just at it is this very hour). Suddenly the charismatic, miracle performing, wonder working Antichrist appears and forcefully takes control over three of the ten countries and solves all the problems and welds Europe together for the first time in 1500 years.

Before this happens, the Trumpet will Sound and we will go home!

In recent days some have been abandoning this interpretation and looking for an Islamic antichrist because they see the EU faltering in her push for world domination. Realize that what is happening in Europe is right in line with the prophetic scenario of both Daniel and John.

A new book claims that the Antichrist will be an Islamic leader, that he will be a man known to Islam as the Mahdi. The author, further claims that the Empire of Antichrist will be made up of those Islamic nations who now surround Israel.

This is a wrong interpretation. The author is not a premillennialist. He does not believe in the pre-tribulation rapture of the church. One of the main purposes of the book, he says, is to prepare living believers to be ready for the tribulation and to recognize the signs and events as they take place.

This fails to warn unsaved men and women of the danger of entering the Day of the Lord. It is a serious deception. It also discourages believers from looking for the Lord’s coming as we are exhorted to do.

The author uses the events and situations developing in the Muslim world and fits Scripture around it. The right approach is to start with what the Bible teaches and relate events and circumstances to it. It is never hard to start with an idea and mould Scripture around the idea. This has been done numerous times before.

Day after day the world is being prepared for the coming, awful day of God's vengeance upon a rebellious world, and yet everywhere we look, the eyes of men are closing to what is happening around them.

Jesus said, to some of the men of his day, men who were blind to the great events that were unfolding around them "O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but ye cannot discern the signs of the times." Someone has said, “there are none so blind as those who will not see."

All around us the sign of the times are like flashing red lights crying out for men to take heed. Like a jigsaw puzzle, more and more of the pieces are falling into place.

We see wars and rumours of war, earthquakes on the rise in number and intensity. We see unprecedented storms all around the world, floods, droughts, epidemics and famines. We see pollution of the seas and of the air, both recently intensified in Iceland and in the Gulf of Mexico. None of these are new to the world, but the increase in number and intensity is unprecedented. This tells us we are living in the last days of the last days. Jesus described these days as the "Beginning of Sorrows." Mt. 24:8.

Terror and terrorists are shattering our world more and more each passing day. Terror attacks such as we are seeing are hard for civilized people to comprehend. Yet, we are becoming hardened to it all. We have the threat of nuclear weapons in the hands of rogue states and terrorists. Our world is sick and that sickness is terminal.

We are not surprised that the eyes of unbelievers are closed to this unfolding Last Days Scenario. We are troubled that some of God's people are unaware of, and seemingly indifferent to the nearness of the coming of Christ and the coming Day of the Lord.

God's people are without excuse in not understanding the times. Paul said, "But ye brethren, are not in darkness that, that day should overtake as a thief." 1 Thess. 5:4.

Maranatha!

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13