Chapter Two                                                   The Times of the Gentiles                                                                 Part Two 3) The fourth kingdom will be distinct from all other kingdoms and will be present in multiple forms.      Third, the fourth kingdom shall be “diverse” from all the others. It will be dreadful and devour the whole earth, stamping the residue with its feet (Daniel 7:19&23). The key word in understanding the fourth kingdom is the word “diverse.” The definition of diverse means not only “different, unlike, separate and distinct,” but most importantly, “capable of various forms or multiform.” Here is the truth revealed about the fourth beast that it is and has been present in multiple forms in a continuous rule since its first emperor, Augustus Caesar. In 476 A.D., the Roman Empire changed its outward appearance and gained even more power over those whom they ruled. This power was and still is concentrated in the Roman Catholic Church located in Rome whose Pope retains every title of the Roman Emperor. No one alive in the fifteenth century would have any difficulty knowing that it was the Pope and his armies that ruled the world, just as the Bible teaches. This is “that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth” (Rev. 17:18). There has been only one city that has ruled the world, not as a nation or a country yet only as a city. This is Rome and more specifically Vatican City that has committed fornication with the kings of the earth and ruled over the peoples of the earth. Moreover, the Bible clearly and emphatically states that the fourth kingdom “. . . shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.” (Daniel 7:23) This has only been fulfilled through Vatican City itself and not by the Roman Empire as it existed from 31 B.C. to 476 A.D. Although great and mighty, the Roman Empire during this time period only extended its territory to England and Spain, to Northern Africa, through the Holy land to Asia Minor and all of Europe; yet as massive and great as the Roman Empire was in this form, it did not fulfill the prophecy that it would devour the whole earth. This again, was and is fulfilled only by the Roman Catholic Church, which is the existing form of the fourth kingdom (See chapter three).                             http://remnantprophecy.sdaglobal.org/Remnant-Prophecy/DreamBeast1.htm                                 (Good pictures, but false theology on this Seventh Day Adventist site)   The fourth kingdom is diverse from all other kingdoms in other important ways as well. The Greek Empire started as a single entity in its first king, Alexander the Great. Then from the belly of brass, his kingdom split into four parts, but only two, the Ptolemies and the Seleucids, ruled over Jerusalem. Then immediately the two legs of iron took over from the Greek Empire, represented above by the two thighs of brass, at the start of the rule of Caesar Augustus. Many historians teach that the Roman Empire later split into two divisions. Many Bible prophecy “authorities” likewise teach that the split between Rome and Constantinople fulfilled this prophecy of the two separate legs of iron. However, teaching that the kingdom started as a single ruling entity and then later split into two separate centers of power ignores the detail of God’s Word that the Roman Empire was in two distinct parts from its beginning. This is the testimony of Daniel chapter two and the two separate legs of iron at the start of their reign. This is also the testimony of the city that ruled over the kings of the earth that Rome and the kings of the earth together rule the entire world (Rev. 17:18). The testimony of Daniel cannot be ignored in any manner or detail. God’s Word stands firm (and does not change) forever and ever (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8, I Peter 1:25). As an example, this is also the testimony of Pilot and Herod who together, but separately ruled over the Jews with Herod giving his allegiance to Rome as one of the kings of the earth. Pilot represented that great city which rules over the kings of the earth and Herod was one of the kings of the earth. A second example of this is found in Acts 25:13 and Acts 26: 30-32, when King Agrippa came to Caesarea to salute the Roman governor.  Here we have two examples of the kings of the earth, Herod and Agrippa, giving their allegiance to the sovereign representatives of Rome which is that great city which rules over the kings of the earth. These two kings continued to exercise complete power and authority over their territories but were in unity with Rome.  Together, Rome and the kings of the earth are the fourth kingdom during the times of the Gentiles and are likewise represented by the two separate legs of iron in Daniel chapter two.  Therefore, before accepting the “universal truths” of the history of the Roman Empire as it is taught throughout the world, come again to the Word of God which teaches us the truth of the fourth beast (Daniel 7:15-16 & 19): “I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things . . . Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, . . .” The Lord has spoken His truth unto all who have an ear to hear. For those who do hear the calling of our Lord, we must guard ourselves against the many false doctrines that abound in our churches today (II Tim. 4:3). In understanding the second coming of our Lord, we must have our eyes opened to the deceptions and misunderstandings about the fourth kingdom, the Roman Empire. This can only be done by the diligent and prayerful study of God’s Holy Word.    4) These four kingdoms will rule continuously and successively without pause between any of the kingdoms, until the great and terrible Day of the Lord is fulfilled.           Fourth, these four kingdoms will rule continuously and successively without any pause or gap between the kingdoms. We know this to be true otherwise the Bible would have lied to us if there was a fifth, sixth or more kingdoms that ruled during any “gaps” between these four kingdoms. Yet many so called Bible prophecy experts propose many such gaps to explain what happened after the “fall of the Roman Empire” in 476 A.D. and before the “Revived Roman Empire” once more rules. The nations that then ruled over Jerusalem and the house of Israel and Judah during this proposed time gap are not mentioned anywhere in Bible prophecies. Quite simply, they are not mentioned due to the fact that the Bible has already declared who would rule from the time of Nebuchadnezzar in 606 B.C. until the great and terrible Day of the Lord. This conclusion will be made very clear as we look in closer detail at the fourth kingdom, the Roman Empire. The Bible emphatically gives witness to these four kingdoms being continuous and successive without any gap. In chapter two, Daniel tells of an image with six separate and distinct parts, representing the four kingdoms (Daniel 2:31-43):                                                         1) Head of Gold                                 Babylon                         2) Arms and Chest of Silver                 Media-Persia                         3) Belly and Thighs of Brass               Greece                         4a) Legs of Iron                                   Rome                           b) Feet of Iron and Clay                   Rome mingled with the seed of men                           c) Ten Toes of Iron and Clay             The ten kings from the Roman Empire                        Here it is easy to see the continuity of the first three kingdoms from Babylon to Media-Persia (606 to 538 B.C.), and then to Greece in 338 B.C.  From the head of gold to the belly of brass, a continuous time line is drawn by the image itself. Then the Greek empire was succeeded by the Roman Empire when they defeated Mark Antony and Egypt at the battle of Actium in 31 B.C.  Here again is a direct transition into the fourth kingdom without any gap or pause. In a different sense, the ten toes of iron mixed with clay are the same ten kings cited in the book of Revelation that shall rule “one hour” with the beast (Rev 17:12). This time that they will rule is yet to come during the Tribulation. But just as the witness in Revelation 17:10 states they will rule for a short time, so too does the witness in Daniel chapter two testify by analogy that the time of their rule will be short: as toes are short as compared to the legs or torso or arms. Here we must recognize that the image in Daniel chapter two represents a continuous time line. We must also trust in the Word of the Lord alone that the fourth kingdom has ruled in a continuous fashion since 31 B.C. with out any pause. Here the Bible reveals the myth of the “Fallen Roman Empire” and the myth of “the Revived Roman Empire.” For how can an empire be “Revived” or return to life that never died or went away in the first place. The Word of God tells us that there will be only four kingdoms that rule continuously during the times of the Gentiles.  This is the message hidden in Daniel chapter two for all those that learn of the truth of the fourth kingdom represented by the two legs of iron, and that have no break in them. The key to understanding that the image in Daniel chapter two is a continuous time line is found in the testimony of the kingdom of Rome in the book of Revelation.  In Revelation 17:10, we read: “And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.”  As we will explore in more detail in the next three chapters, the five kings that have “fallen,” by the testimony of the Bible alone, are first Babel and then Egypt followed by Babylon, Media-Persia and Greece. Babel and Egypt were the first two kingdoms against the Lord after the flood and Babylon, Media-Persia and Greece are the first three kingdoms during the times of the Gentiles that started after the fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar in 606 B.C.  The one that “is” is the kingdom that was ruling at the time that John took the Lord’s revelation when he was on the island of Patmos.  This is the fourth kingdom in Daniel chapters two and seven which is Rome.  The one that is “not yet come,” is the kingdom made up from the ten kings which shall receive power for one hour (a short space) with the beast during the tribulation.  Therefore, these kings will not come into their kingdom until the "beast” or “antichrist” comes into his kingdom after the rapture reveals his coming. These are the same ten kings represented by the ten toes of the image in Daniel chapter two.  Therefore, from the time of the end of the Greek empire until the time of the ten kings, there is only one that “is.” By this testimony alone, the Roman Empire has no breaks or else the Bible would have told us of more than seven kingdoms in these verses. In further detail, the Bible establishes a precise definition of the time that “is” from the testimony of Jesus Himself.  In Revelation chapter one, Jesus makes four separate references to himself, establishing the Lord Himself as the time that “is.”   In Revelation 1:4 he is said to be the  one “which is, and which was, and which is to come; . . .”  In Revelation 1:5-7, John further explains that he “is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead” that will “cometh with clouds; . . .”  In Revelation 1: 8 we read: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is and which was , and which is to come, the Almighty.” In Revelation 1:18, He states: “I am he that liveth, and was dead; . . .”  Here, Jesus as “the faithful witness,” establishes that the time that “is” starts first at the time that John saw him while John was on the isle of Patmos “. . . for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” This is made even clearer when we look at what Jesus commanded John to do. In Revelation 1:11, Jesus commanded John:  “. . . ,What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; . . .” In Revelation 1:12-17 John “saw” Jesus in His full glory and then fell at His feet. In Revelation 1:19, Jesus repeated His commandment unto John: “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;” here we see the progression from the “faithful witness” of what John “seest,” to what he “saw,” and to what thou “hast seen.” Jesus is thus the faithful witness to the time that “is.” Lastly, for the things that “are,” Jesus Himself testifies that they are the seven church ages from the time of John to the time of the rapture when he states that he is the one who “. . .holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;”(Rev 2:1). This is present tense and means is holding and is walking during the time of the seven church ages represented in Revelation chapters two and three.  Therefore, when we look at Revelation 17: 10 at the king that “is,” Jesus Himself sets the standard that this is the time from His first coming until his second coming, which is otherwise known as the “church age.” Therefore, Rome, by this testimony, will be continuous and without break, in multiple forms from the time it assumed full power in 31 B.C. until the church is taken up to heaven on the day of the rapture. Thus, we have come full circle to establish that the hidden message of the image of Daniel chapter two is that of a continuous time-line for the times of the Gentiles and of the four and only four kingdoms that will tread down Jerusalem until the great and terrible day of the Lord is fulfilled. This is the “truth of the fourth beast” that has been hidden or missed by the many so called “authorities” on Bible prophecy.  In chapter three, we will take an even closer look at the many details that the book of Revelation and the book of Daniel testify about this fourth beast that we now know is Rome.                                                                                   Return to Home Page                                                      (www.kjv1611revealed.com)