Barry, You have posted some great information from 2 Esdras. You mentioned this portion here regarding chapter 11:40. Many have interpreted Daniel to point to a "reconstituted Roman Empire" as the final beast and that is part of it but this beast is more global than Rome was spreading its wings over the whole earth, 11:2 for it is the "Illuminati" or whatever other name it might go by. Probably why it was "nondescript" since there really is no single empire in history that can be compared to it for it comes to rule all nations at once in deceit and secrecy, 11:40.40 - You, the fourth that has come, have conquered all the beasts that have gone before; and you have held sway over the world with much terror, and over all the earth with grievous oppression; and for so long you have dwelt on the earth with deceitIt sure fits and my eyes really took in the following verse that said41 - And you have judged the earth, but not with truth;I noticed that the symbol that is applied to Dan is the Scales. How ironic that the justice meted out to the common people has not been with truth but to their fellow Illuminati, they always rule in their favor. That is the privilege of being one of their own. According to the book, "Jacob's Dozen" by William Varner, Dan was one of the four sons that were born to Jacob's wife Rachael's handmaids Bilhah and Zilpah when she was unable to bear Jacob a child. When Bilhah gave birth, Rachael exclaimed "God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice and hath given me a son therefore called she his name Dan. Gen. 30:5-6. One of the most famous Dannites was Sampson whom judged and avenged his own people against the Philistines who lived to their south. I said that Dan occupied the Eastern side of Israel but that was typed in haste because I know full well that he was given the area to the West along Mediterranean Sea that bordered the Philistines who were always a vex to the tribe. Not happy with their lot, they eventually headed north to Mt. Herman. They took over a town that means "Lion" Laish. However, they were a tribe that was heavily steeped in Idolatry from the get-go. All of the words that were given to Esdras dealt with eagles. Could this be a long, long, long history regarding Dan. I noticed also that the color of the jewel on the priest's breastplate for Dan was BLUE. Blue is a color in our flag and the same colors in the flags of our allies. Greece, one of the places the Northern Tribe occupied, has for it's color blue and white as does the modern state of Israel. This is why Christians must be very careful to distinguish between the government of Israel which was established, funded and built up by the Rothschilds and their Illuminati World Bankers, whose rulers and judges have so often been unjust to the cause of the Jewish settlers who have come to develop the Land as mandated by Jehovah. We should be aware that there are those who pretend to be pro Israel but are of the Synagogue of Satan. Jesuah HaMashiach called it when He was confronted by them. When this is understood, so much sense can be made of the reason for this endless turmoil in the Land. All over Israel you see statues of the Lion, which we, as Christians associate with our Lord coming from the Tribe of Judah but as they replaced the lion up at Laish with their own name, they continue to promote one thing while really being another. The Anti-Christ wishes to build his Masonic Temple, sit upon the throne and hold court over his country-men, even claiming that he is of the Tribe of Judah. To what extent he will go, only Jehovah knows. .Thank you Barry, I'll be reading your post some more, I know. Gerlinda