Fourth Kingdom
The Bible uses the following symbols to represent the fourth kingdom:
1) Fourth beast,
2) Legs of iron with feet of iron and clay,
3) Chariot of strong, spotted horses.
Fourth Beast
Dan. 7:7-8 After this I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, a fourth beast, terrible and powerful, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had 10 horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.
Dan. 7:19-22 Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was diverse from all of them, exceeding terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet; and concerning the 10 horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which 3 fell, even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake great things, whose look was more stout than its fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Interpretation
Animals = Kings/Nations/Empires
Iron = Strong
Teeth = Weapons = Military
Under Feet = Conquering
Horns = Kings of a Kingdom
Of a Man = Not of a Beast = Not of a King/Kingdom
Dan. 7:23-26 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And as for the 10 horns, out of this kingdom shall 10 kings arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be different from the former, and he shall put down three kings. And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time. But the judgment shall be set, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
The fourth kingdom will be terrible and powerful and very strong; and it will have a great, strong military; it will conquer other nations, and it will be different from all the kingdoms that were before it; and it will have 10 kings. A little king will come up among the 10 kings, before whom 3 of the first kings will be completely eradicated. This king will not have the appearance of a king. And he will have a mouth speaking great things.
ONGOING: 30 BC – present
Roman Empire. The fourth kingdom is the Roman Empire, and it has been terrible and powerful and very strong; and it has had a great, strong military; it has conquered other nations, and it has been different from all the kingdoms that were before it; and it has 10 kings, the Germanic and Romance-speaking nations of Western Europe. The Roman Catholic Pope came up as a little king among the 10 kings, before whom 3 of the first kings were completely eradicated: the Vandals in 534 AD, the Ostrogoths in 554, and the Lombards 774. The Pope has not had the appearance of a king. And he has had a mouth speaking great things.
Iron and Clay Image
Dan. 2:32-33 As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass, its legs of iron, its feet part of iron and part of clay.
Interpretation
Materials = Kingdoms/Peoples
Gold = First Kingdom
Silver = Second Kingdom
Brass = Third Kingdom
Iron = Fourth Kingdom
Clay = Another Kingdom/People
Dan. 2:40-41 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that crusheth all these, shall it break in pieces and crush. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that crusheth all these, shall it break in pieces and crush. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of another kingdom, and part of the fourth kingdom, it shall be a divided kingdom; but there shall be in it of the strength of the fourth kingdom, forasmuch as thou sawest the fourth kingdom mixed with another kingdom.
ONGOING: 30 BC – present
Roman Empire. And the fourth kingdom is the Roman Empire, which has been strong as iron, forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that crusheth all these, the Roman Empire has broken in pieces and crushed. And the Roman Empire has been a divided kingdom: part of it Germanic, and part of it Roman. But there has been in it of the strength of the Romans, forasmuch as thou sawest the Romans mixed with Germans.
The Roman Empire conquered the last of the four Greek Kingdoms (the Ptolemaic Kingdom) in 30 BC and ruled as a unified empire until 476 AD when it mixed with Germanic tribes and was divided into 10 kingdom nations. To this day, those Germanic and Romance-speaking nations of Western Europe, including the later Germanic-Romance expansion into North America, have continued to exert dominance throughout the world.
Chariot of Strong, Spotted Horses
1) The Babylonian Army (first chariot of red horses) went forth toward west, toward Harran, where it conquered the Assyrian Empire in 608 BC.
2) The Medo-Persian Army (second chariot of black horses) went forth toward north, toward Babylon, where it conquered the Babylonian Empire in 539 BC.
3) The Greek Army (third chariot of white horses) went forth toward east, toward Babylon, where it conquered the Medo-Persian Empire in 330 BC.
4) The Roman Army (fourth chariot of spotted, strong horses) went forth toward south, toward Ptolemaic Egypt, where it conquered the Greek Empire in 30 BC.
Interpretation
Chariot = Army
1) The first army (chariot of red horses) will go forth toward the west country.
2) The second army (chariot of black horses) will go forth toward the north country.
3) The third army (chariot of white horses) will go forth toward the east country.
4) The fourth army (chariot of spotted, strong horses) will go forth toward the south country.
FULFILLED: 30 BC
Roman Empire Conquering the South Country Greek Empire of Ptolemaic Egypt
XXXXXXX The prophecy of the second chariot of black horses was fulfilled when the Medo-Persian Army (chariot of black horses) went forth toward the north country and conquered Babylon in 539 BC
1) The Babylonian Army (first chariot of red horses) went forth toward the west country, where it conquered Kingdom of Israel in Judah started by David (first mountain of bronze) in 586 BC.
2) The Medo-Persian Army (second chariot of black horses) went forth toward the north country Babylon, where it conquered the Babylonian Empire in 539 BC.
3) The Greek Army (third chariot of white horses) went forth toward the east country Medo-Persia, where it conquered the Medo-Persian Empire in 330 BC.
4) The Roman Army (fourth chariot of spotted, strong horses) went forth toward the south country Ptolemaic Egypt, where it conquered the Greek Empire in 30 BC.
Roman Empire. The Roman Empire was the first of the four kingdoms to conquer the entire Mediterranean region, including the southern area of North Africa.
Roman Empire
Great Angel
Teachers Giving Understanding
Dan. 11:33 And the teachers of the people shall give understanding to many; and they shall stumble by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by spoil, many days.
Stumbling = XXXXXXX
FULFILLED: 26-313 AD
Stumbling Because of Persecution
https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09001b.htm
https://www.andrews.edu/~toews/classes/sources/early/Cyprian%20Epistles.htm
https://www.judaism-and-rome.org/cyprian-lapsed-xxvii
https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/050703.htm
Page 322
https://archive.org/details/riseofchristiani0000fren/page/321/mode/1up?view=theater
Starting around 26 AD, John the Baptist, Jsus Chrst, the apostles, and early Christian leaders (teachers of the people) gave understanding of the Kingdom of Gd and its righteousness through Jsus Chrst to many people throughout the whole world.
Matt. 3:1-2 And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, saying, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Luke 11:1 And it came to pass, as he [Jsus] was praying in a certain place, that when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lrd, teach us to pray, even as John also taught his disciples.
Matt. 4:23 And Jsus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness among the people.
Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Rom. 1:8 First, I thank my Gd through Jsus Chrst for you all, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.
Col. 1:23 if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.
Acts 19:9b-10 And he [Paul] set apart the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for the space of 2 years; so that all they that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lrd, both Jews and Greeks.
Some Christians sinned (stumbled) by denying the faith in the face of being:
1) Killed by the sword or fire;
2) Taken captive;
3) Robbed.
Around 110 AD, some Christians denied the faith (stumbled) in the face of persecution by Pliny.
“Meanwhile, in the case of those who were denounced to me as Christians, I have observed the following procedure: I interrogated these as to whether they were Christians; those who confessed I interrogated a second and a third time, threatening them with punishment; those who persisted I ordered executed. For I had no doubt that, whatever the nature of their creed, stubbornness and inflexible obstinacy surely deserve to be punished. There were others possessed of the same folly; but because they were Roman citizens, I signed an order for them to be transferred to Rome. Soon accusations spread, as usually happens, because of the proceedings going on, and several incidents occurred. An anonymous document was published containing the names of many persons. Those who denied that they were or had been Christians, when they invoked the gods in words dictated by me, offered prayer with incense and wine to your image, which I had ordered to be brought for this purpose together with statues of the gods, and moreover cursed Chrst — none of which those who are really Christians, it is said, can be forced to do — these I thought should be discharged. Others named by the informer declared that they were Christians, but then denied it, asserting that they had been but had ceased to be, some 3 years before, others many years, some as much as 25 years. They all worshipped your image and the statues of the gods, and cursed Chrst.”
—–Pliny, Letter to Trajan, Written c. 110 AD.
“You observed proper procedure, my dear Pliny, in sifting the cases of those who had been denounced to you as Christians. For it is not possible to lay down any general rule to serve as a kind of fixed standard. They are not to be sought out; if they are denounced and proved guilty, they are to be punished, with this reservation, that whoever denies that he is a Christian and really proves it — that is, by worshiping our gods — even though he was under suspicion in the past, shall obtain pardon through repentance.”
—–Trajan, Letter to Pliny, Written c. 110 AD.
Around 160 AD, Quintus of Phrygia denied the faith (stumbled) in the face of persecution.
“Now there was one man, Quintus by name, a Phrygian recently arrived from Phrygia, who, when he saw the wild beasts, turned coward. This was the man who had forced himself and some others to come forward voluntarily. The proconsul, after many appeals, finally persuaded him to swear the oath and to offer the sacrifice. For this reason therefore, brothers and sisters, we do not praise those who hand themselves over, since the gospel does not so teach.”
—–Martyrdom of Polycarp, Chapter 4, Verse 1, Written c. 175 AD.
In 177 AD, some Christians denied the faith (stumbled) during the Persecution in Lyon.
“For those who had recanted at their first arrest were imprisoned with the others, and endured terrible sufferings, so that their denial was of no profit to them even for the present. But those who confessed what they were were imprisoned as Christians, no other accusation being brought against them. But the first were treated afterwards as murderers and defiled, and were punished twice as severely as the others. For the joy of martyrdom, and the hope of the promises, and love for Chrst, and the Spirit of the Father supported the latter; but their consciences so greatly distressed the former that they were easily distinguishable from all the rest by their very countenances when they were led forth. For the first went out rejoicing, glory and grace being blended in their faces, so that even their bonds seemed like beautiful ornaments, as those of a bride adorned with variegated golden fringes; and they were perfumed with the sweet savor of Chrst, so that some supposed they had been anointed with earthly ointment. But the others were downcast and humble and dejected and filled with every kind of disgrace, and they were reproached by the heathen as ignoble and weak, bearing the accusation of murderers, and having lost the one honorable and glorious and life-giving Name.”
——Eusebius (Greek Christian), Church History, Book 5, Chapter 1, Written 312-324 AD.
In 250 AD, some Christians denied the faith (stumbled) in the face of the Decian Persecution.
“I sympathize with you in your suffering and grief, therefore, for our brethren, who, having lapsed and fallen prostrate under the severity of the persecution, have inflicted a like pain on us by their wounds, inasmuch as they tear away part of our bowels with them — to these the divine mercy is able to bring healing.”
——Cyprian, Letter 11, Written c. XXXXXX.
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From 303-313, some Christians denied the faith (stumbled) in the face of the Diocletianic Persecution.
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A Little Help
Dan. 11:34 Now when they shall stumble, they shall be helped with a little help; but many shall join themselves unto them with flatteries.
FULFILLED: 313 – XXXXXXXXX AD
The verses of Daniel 11:33-34 do not refer to the time of the Maccabean Revolt (167-141 BC) or the Hasmonean dynasty (140-37 BC) because:
1) The “people who know their Gd” are the Maccabean rebels and the Hasmoneans who are characterized by “displaying strength” and waging war (“acting”), whereas the “teachers” are the Christians who are not characterized by any violence at all but are characterized by teaching and giving understanding;
2) The Books of Maccabees and Josephus do not record that the Maccabean rebels or Hasmoneans taught and gave understanding to many but that they held fast to Law observance in the face of persecution (displayed strength) and waged war (acted) successfully against the Greek Seleucid forces, as prophesied in Daniel 11:32;
3) The Maccabean rebels and Hasmoneans did not stumble by persecution for many years (days), whereas the Christians did;
4) After the Maccabees rebels and Hasmoneans began waging war (acting), they did not stumble or receive a “little help” after stumbling, nor did many join themselves to them with flatteries.
Teachers Stumbling
Dan. 11:35 And some of the teachers shall stumble to refine by them, and to purify, and to make white, even to the time of the end; because it is yet for the time appointed.
FULFILLED: 325 AD – present
Seven Ecumenical Councils
The many that joined were the dross.
The goal is “separating” the dross from the gold. The call is “come out of her” and be separate.
The early Christians were refined “by the sword,” whereas the later Christians were refined “by the teachers who stumbled.”