REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE? – NOT SO ACCORDING
TO THE SCRIPTURES
The teaching regarding a revived Roman Empire has been supposedly based on the book of Daniel. However, Daniel
specifically states in his writings that the Fourth Kingdom on Earth (ROME) will
be divided into many “toes” and “horns” or “power bases”. Further he
states that these future inferior “toe” nations will NEVER ADHERE TO ONE
ANOTHER. Daniel states that the fourth Kingdom is a divided Kingdom,
which will suffer devolution into many pieces, some weak, and some
strong. He says they will mingle, or interact with one another, but nowhere
does he ever say that they will be united under a future ruler. Instead
they will be at war with one another.
The Fourth Kingdom is first seen in Nebuchadnezzar’s vision
of the Metallic Man, being comprised of the Legs, Feet and Toes at the bottom
end, or last part of the four Middle Eastern/European Gentile Kingdoms which
are portrayed in his vision.
Daniel described the vision for Nebuchadnezzar -
Daniel
2:40-44 “And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron; forasmuch as iron
breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that breaketh all
these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the
feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall
be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch
as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 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. And in the days
of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never
be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it
shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand
for ever.”
Nebuchadnezzar’s vision was a general overview of the Gentile Kingdoms (Empires)
which were to arise in the Fertile Crescent (Middle East – in an arc from
Palestine, Lebanon and Syria to Babylon and Persia) and in Europe which
would exert an influence, both good and bad on the Kingdom of Judah (Jews
– i.e. the Southern two tribes of Judah and Benjamin) during the period
when they suffered conquest and dispersion, usually called the Jewish Diaspora.
This period began with the rise to power of Babylon (described as a LION
– Daniel 7:4) and the conquering, captivity and subjugation of the people
of the Jewish nation. Babylon itself was later conquered by the dual
Kingdom of Media/Persia (described as a BEAR – Daniel 7:5) and which
was in turn conquered by the Macedonian (Grecian) Kingdom of Alexander the
Great (described as a LEOPARD – Daniel 7:6). His Kingdom devolved
into four parts, ruled by his Generals, and was eventually overtaken by
the rise of Rome, the 4th Empire
(described as dreadful and terrible, but with no particular beast domicile).
Our World today is governed mostly in the style and culture of the Grecian/Roman
influence. Our democratic institutions were birthed in Greece, and it could be construed
that the 3rd Kingdom did extend, or “bear rule over all
the earth” in this manner. Daniel 2:39.
The fourth and last Kingdom was to assume supremacy “and subdueth all
things; and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and
bruise.” Daniel 2:40.
It is recorded in history that Rome did indeed conquer the old “Biblical World”
of that time in its ascendancy stage; and in its devolutionary state it
conquered the whole World from the 16th Century onwards
through the colonial aspirations and conquering abilities of its toe nations.
The second vision of the fourth Kingdom is that seen by Daniel himself and recorded in Daniel
7:7-8, 19-25.
In this vision the 4th Kingdom is described as a “dreadful
and terrible beast...and it had 10 horns.” Daniel was told in
verse 23 “The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,
which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth,
and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 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.”
As mentioned above, this 4th Kingdom was prophesied to “devour” or
conquer the whole earth. The 10 horn Nations and Kings that would arise
in the later stages of the devolution of this Kingdom are - Britain, Holland
(Netherlands), Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Italy, Greece
and Yugoslavia. These Nations, many of which colonized the whole World
were all geographically, part of the old Roman Empire.
These Nations were also the grouped 10 “horn” Nations or “founding Nations”
out of the old Roman Empire that could be found within the larger League of Nations which was established
in 1920. Another European nation joined the League of Nations in 1926 after the others.
It was Germany, the “little horn” of
Daniel 7:24 – “and another shall rise after them; and he shall be
diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.” The
three “horns” or “kings” that were subdued were Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland.
At the end of the time of the prominence of these Kingdoms, God promised to
set up a Kingdom on earth which will supersede and destroy all of the four
Gentile Kingdoms. Once established it will remain forever. Daniel 7:17-18,
26-27.
This is precisely what happened. After the German “little horn”
was destroyed in 1945, the old Kingdom of Israel was given to the Jews
in 1948. Israel was reborn, the Diaspora
was over and the Jews went home. Jerusalem their spiritual capital
was added in 1967 after the 6 day war, and according to Daniel the Kingdom
will remain in their possession until Messiah rules from Jerusalem.
ONLY NOW in this generation has the book of Daniel been “unsealed”, and we can
understand what these “Age of dispersion” prophecies mean.
There will be no revived Roman Empire – the Bible says so. THEY WILL NOT ADHERE.
Besides that fact, Daniel 7:11-12 says this particular Beast Kingdom (in its
last manifestation as an attempt to revive the Roman Empire – 3rd
Reich) has been destroyed – “I beheld even till the beast was slain,
and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
HOWEVER –“...as concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion
taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.”
These were the Kingdoms of Greece (LEOPARD), Media/Persia (BEAR),
and Babylon (LION). All of these Kingdoms ruled and had their base
in Babylon, and had no part in Europe
or the Roman Empire which ruled from the Italian Peninsular.
The other three beast kingdoms have a future purpose – they are to reappear
in history as the composite beast of Revelation 13:1-10, which also has
10 “horns”. The geographical areas of these old Kingdoms are now ruled
by ISLAM. They cover Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Libya.
Rev.
13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a LEOPARD, and his feet were
as the feet of a BEAR, and his mouth as the mouth of a LION...”
For a fuller treatment of this subject see – http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/sep2006/ear919-2.htm
All teaching about a revived Roman Empire has been based on speculation and teaching from hundreds of years ago.
Daniel’s prophecies were SEALED until the TIME OF THE
END. That time is now - it began when Israel regained its Nationhood
in 1948. Now their enemies, Edom, Ishmaelites,
Moab, Hagarenes, Gebal,
and Ammon, Amalek and the Philistines and Tyre, plus Assur and the children
of Lot want them to “Cease
from being a Nation”. Psalm 83:4. A PRAYER.
God Bless You All in your search for the truth from scripture. EAR