The Fourth Beast

"After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, terrible and dreadful and exceedingly strong; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns." Daniel 7:7 RSV

The fourth beast in Daniel's prophecy will be different from the beasts that had risen before it.

The first beast to rise was the Lion of Europe and it made war with God's people under the laws of Rome and the guise of faith. The second kingdom to rise to power was the Americas symbolized by eagle's wings - a high place of sanctuary for all of God's people. The third kingdom was the Bear of Central Asia and again God's people are victimized and all but stamped out. The Leopard of the East is now rising, and again God's people are greatly suffered under the prosperity of the Leopard.

However, even as the Leopard is coming into its own, the fourth beast is rising. We will know the fourth beast because it will be different from every other kingdom in the world. The fourth beast will not be economic; but demonic. The fourth beast will know no borders as the ten horns tell of ten kingdoms that will occupy the head of the beast. The beast will have teeth of iron so its words will wreak destruction. It stamps the residue with its feet. This beast will make war with all of God's people - the old and the new - the saints and the descendants of David. This beast is so terrible that Christ will destroy it first when he comes.

Just as these kingdoms have made war with God's people in the ancient past, they will come together once again as One Beast to make war with the people of David and the saints. Read the Old Testament and you will find the ten kingdoms; now united, that will try once again to stamp out the residue of God's people.