The Beast of Revelation


This is a Sample Chapter 6

THE BEAST OF REVELATION

In the Revelation Prophecy, we learn that the Beast has ten horns, and among them comes up a little horn who is the Antichrist (Dan. 7:7-8).


 Daniel 7:24 states that “the ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom: and another shall rise after them.” Revelation 13:1 depicts the horns as wearing crowns.  Both, the book of Daniel and the Revelation identify the horns as kings (Rev. 17:12). The prophets add that these kingdoms do not in exist at the time of the writings.  European nations did not come into being until over a millennium later.  Only in this last couple of centuries have these nations reigned as separate, sovereign kingdoms.  The horns wearing crowns signify established kingdoms or nations.

The little horn appears after the kings, and “comes up” among them and represents his political seat on the world stage when he takes power.  Horns grow with age, but this one grows extremely large, quickly.  Daniel tells us, “And out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great, toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land” (Dan. 8:9-10).

Despite the EU’s newness in the international arena, it has the potential to create a dictatorship that could obtain world rule.  Satan himself provides the Antichrist with a political position by which he rises to greatness and conquers the world.  He wears no crown because he is not the king of any one nation, yet he leads the federation.

The Antichrist exists in a symbiotic relationship with the kings. Revelation 17:13 tells us: “These are of one mind and they will give their power and authority to the beast.” The Antichrist partners with the kings.  The Union considers itself a federation.  In a confederation, nations or states share governmental tasks.  In a federation, the members relinquish some of their sovereignty to a higher authority, which makes the laws and regulations for the signing states.  The Scriptures describe the federation’s members as actual nations, not provinces or states.  The Bible’s federation acts as a dictatorship. The European  Union’s institutional structure is in line with the Revelation Prophecy and Daniel.

The Council of The European Union

 The Antichrist will be in a federation with ten kings.  These kings are the Council of The European Union formerly named the Council of Ministers.  They are the governmental heads of each of the Member States.  The Council represents the highest decision-making authority in the EU, it does not initiate EU laws, but must approve all Community legislation.

It is common knowledge among journalists covering the EU that the Council of Ministers meets in secret.  Revelation 17:12 describes the ten horns as ten kings who “receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast.”  During the Tribulation, the

Council promotes the Antichrist’s agenda and essentially acts in a marriage type of relationship with him.  They act together as if joined with the Antichrist leading.  As Jesus led his disciples, the Antichrist will lead the Prime Ministers or Presidents.

The EU Commission: The Little Horn

When the European member nations signed the Treaty of Rome, they agreed to hand over some of their powers to a higher authority called the Commission.  As the EU’s executive arm, it acts as an overseer of the EU Treaties, and upholds them.  Members of the Commission represent the interests of the Union as a whole.  The size of its staff is comparable to the US Department of Commerce.

The Commission, a non-elected body, is comprised of representatives from each of the member nations.  The Commission has a president who sits among the Council of the European Union (or “kings”).  He is responsible for the major decisions and laws that move the EU forward into the international arena as a single political and economic entity.

Former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt suggested changing its name to the “European Government,” calling the present name of Commission: “ridiculous” because of its governmental powers.  Coincidentally, the Commission’s headquarters is located in Brussels with the President’s office, and the Commission’s meeting room based on the 13th floor of the Berlaymont building.

The Commission President’s position fits the description of the “little horn” in Daniel for he stands among the ten horns or prime ministers.  Unlike the kings who lead nations, he has no nation beneath him, he heads the federation.  The horn signifies a relatively new position on the world stage which fits the EU Commission.  The Scriptures provide specific details concerning the Antichrist’s authorities.  The political seat he holds must allow him the powers cited in the prophetic writings.

The EU Commission presidency provides the Antichrist with the powers outlined in Scripture. He Will Be In A Federation With Ten Kings

Revelation 17:12-13 tells us,  “And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast, these are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.”

This verse describes the relationship of the ten kings to the Antichrist.  They both strive for the same goals.  One entity does not exist without the other.  The Council of The European (formerly Council of Ministers) give their strength and power to the Commission.  Without the member nations that hand over their authority to the Commission, there would be no European Union.  Several articles in the EU Treaty reflect these institutions having one mind.  Article 162 states: “The Council and the Commission shall consult each other and settle by common accord their methods of cooperation.”

The Scriptures are unprecedented in their accuracy and detail. Although written 1,900 years ago, one Bible verse epitomizes the contents of two treaties in just 14 words.  “These shall have one mind and shall give their power and strength unto the Beast.” Throughout the EU treaties, one reads of the Commission’s and Council Ministers’ simultaneous role.  Peter Ludlow, the founding director of the Centre For European Policy Studies think-tank in Brussels, referred to the Commission-Council relationship as a “partnership.” Of the EU’s institutions, the Commission and the Council (of Ministers) represent the leading authorities.  The Court enforces EU laws, and the Parliament acts as a forum with some legislative powers.

His Kingdom will be divided and will involve many men

Nebuchadnezzar’s vision in Daniel 2:28-45 illustrates the Beast’s complexity.  The Bible states that the fourth kingdom is “strong as iron,” and “breaks in pieces and shatters all things,” Daniel adds that there is weakness amidst its strength. Daniel 2: 41-43 records:

Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay.

And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.

As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay

The iron and clay which make up the image’s toes do not mix.  The iron legs have power to break in pieces and crush all that opposes the Beast. The Bible states that clay represents the seed of men.  The potter’s clay signifies a divided kingdom and the complexity within this kingdom—iron is firm, clay is brittle.  The kingdom divides at the legs into feet and toes mingled with clay.

John F. Walvoord, in his book Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation, discusses this passage and relates the various interpretations from well-known Bible expositors.  A. C. Gaebelein states that “monarchies and clay represent democratic rule.” Old Testament scholar Johann Karl Friedrich Keil argues that “it is all the means employed by rulers to combine the different nationalities, a sort of intermarriage.”  Walvoord concludes that this diversity, “whether this refers to race, political idealism or sectional interests,… will prevent the final form of the kingdom from having any real unity. The vision depicts an analogy of the European Union’s institutional structure as it exists today.

The toes mingled with clay represent the sovereign nations that still hold elections and rule their countries while handing over specific powers to the EU Commission.  Clay, or the democratic electoral process, conflicts with totalitarian rule.  Notice that the toes while comprising a small part of the image allow it to walk. Without the nations handing over their sovereignty to the EU, the European Union would not literally be able to get up on its legs and walk because it would not exist.

The Scriptures stand unprecedented in their accuracy.  One must pay tribute to those Bible scholars who successfully interpreted prophetic passages while there no telltale signs in world affairs manifested. Some Bible Eschatologists teach that the Beast has ten toes which represent the ten nations because the Scripture refers to the feet of the image and feet have five toes a piece thus ten toes.  The Scripture does not specify the number of toes which can be many.

Dwight Pentecost sited Kelly’s observation who stated that: “There will be, before the age closes, the most remarkable union of two apparently contradictory conditions—a universal head of empire, a separate independent kingdom besides, each of which will have its own king; but that one man will be emperor over all these kings… God has said they shall be divided.…In virtue of the iron there will be a universal monarchy, while in virtue of the clay there will be separate kingdoms.”

While the nation’s pool their sovereignty, conflict and disunity arises as each nation responds protecting its own culture, people and industries.    The EU’s motto is “united in diversity,” which literally can be the plaque underneath the image of toes mingled with clay.

Evidencing this diversity are the 24 official languages of the EU, which requires a large number of interpreters employed by their institutions. Further magnifying the Union’s complexity are each nation’s differing governments and politics.  Although the Union refers to the nations as Member States, they are separate sovereign countries.  Some of the nations hold grievances with other nations, for historical or economic reasons. This world power will never have any real unity while it is both united and divided.  In examining EU citizens’ views and gripes toward other Member States, this division further intensifies.  Nevertheless, Scripture tells us that this world power will be dreadful and terrible and exceedingly strong (Dan. 7:7).

These facts have caused some to believe that the EU will at no time have any real unity or strength.  What the European Union is seeking to do has never been done in the world’s history.  Separate sovereign nations are joining to become a single economic and political unit.

 The Revelation Prophecy and the prophet Daniel spoke about this in ancient history.  In our day, we are watching it unfold.

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