SPIRITUAL BABYLON

We found in Lesson Seven that the book of Revelation predicted the rise of a spiritual Babylon (which means confusion) that would do some of the same things that ancient Babylon did. Spiritual Babylon would 1) mix paganism with the worship of God and 2) persecute God's people who refuse to accept this combination of paganism and Christianity.

Since the Bible has foretold that false religion would arise, every sincere Christian should make certain that he tests every religious movement by the Bible and the Bible only. We cannot afford to trust what religious leaders or well-meaning individuals may say. We can only trust the Word of God.

Remember that Revelation indicates that there are many God-fearing people in Babylon. To them God sends a message, "come out of her, my people" (Revelation 18:4). It is God's people who are called out of Babylon.

In this lesson we will be dealing with a very sensitive, yet important and crucial subject. We will let the Bible identify for us this great apostate system that has mixed paganism and Christianity together. Some who study this lesson may be hurt by learning this identity. Please remember, there is no malice intended to anyone belonging to any religious system. God is not speaking about individuals, but a system. God loves every individual who may have become entangled in false teachings. In love He sends them the message to come out of Babylon. It is only because of God's great love and concern for us that He has warned us so explicitly about false religious systems. God does not want us to be deceived. Truth can be painful at times, but deception is even more painful in the end. With eternity at stake, our only safety is to rely not on what man says but on what God says in His Holy Word, the Bible.

THE FOUR BEASTS

1. How many beasts did Daniel see coming up out of the sea? Daniel 7:1-3
   
   
   
2. What does the sea represent? Revelation 17:15
   
   
   
3. What do the four beasts represent? Daniel 7:17

   NOTE: In Daniel 2, five kingdoms are represented by the various metals of a great image:

   Head of gold	Babylon
   Chest and arms of silver	Medo-Persia
   Belly and thighs of brass	Greece
   Legs of iron	Pagan and Papal Rome
   Feet of iron and clay	Free and Oppressive phases of the USA

   Daniel 2 is the great outline prophecy of world events.

   Daniel 7 builds on what Daniel 2 has revealed, using different symbols to portray the first four empires and adding details about the behavior of each of these powers. The power of the little horn is introduced in Daniel 7.
   

4. What beast did God choose to represent the kingdom of Babylon? Daniel 7:4

   The

   NOTE: Just as gold, the choicest of metals, was chosen to represent Babylon, so the king of the beasts, the lion, represents Babylon in Daniel 7. The prophecy begins where the prophet is living. since Daniel lived in ancient Babylon, it is logical to begin the prophecy with Babylon.
   

5. What animal represents the second world empire -- Medo-Persia? Daniel 7:5
   
   The
   
6. What animal represents the third kingdom, Greece? Daniel 7:6
   
   The
   
7. How many heads did the leopard have? Daniel 7:6

   NOTE: The four heads of the leopard represent the four divisions of the Grecian Empire at the death of Alexander the Great. Rather than one power taking over, the kingdom became divided among his four generals: Cassander, Lysimachus, Ptolmy, and Seleucus, who ruled over the kingdoms of Macedonia, Thrace, Egypt, and Syria.
   

8. The fourth beast, representing pagan Rome, is identified by having what kind of teeth? Daniel 7:7

   NOTE: Note the legs of iron in Daniel 2 and the iron teeth in Daniel 7. Both the beast and the legs represent Rome.
   

9. How many horns did the fourth beast have? Daniel 7:7

   NOTE: The ten horns represent the ten barbaric tribes that conquered the Roman Empire and divided it. They were:

   1. Ostrogoths,
   2. Visigoths,
   3. Franks,
   4. Vandals,
   5. Suevi,
   6. Alemanni,
   7. Anglo-Saxons,
   8. Heruli,
   9. Lombards, and
   10. Burgundians.
       
10. What did Daniel see arising in the midst of the ten horns? Daniel 7:8

    The horn

    NOTE: Daniel here introduces the second phase of the Iron legs power.
    

    IDENTIFICATION MARKS
    OF THE LITTLE HORN

    

11. List the identifying marks of the little horn as they appear throughout Chapter 7.
    
    1. Which came up them. verse 8
       
       NOTE: The Roman Empire fell to the barbarians in about A.D. 476. Since the little horn emerges among these ten divisions, he would have to become a major power after the fall of the Roman Empire. Thus we should look for the rise of the little horn after A.D. 476
       
    2. Three of the first horns were before it. verses 8, 20, 24
       
       NOTE: Between 476 and 562 three of the ten horns -- Heruli, Vandals, and Ostrogoths -- were destroyed. This cleared the way for the little horn to grow and gain power.
       
    3. This horn had like the of a . verse 8
       NOTE: There is a man at the head of this power.
       
    4. He had a mouth that spoke the Most High. verses 8, 25
       
       NOTE: This power would blaspheme God. Remember, Belshazzar blasphemed God when he mixed paganism with the worship of God. Obviously this power would likewise blaspheme God by mixing paganism with the worship of God.
       
    5. He was waging against the saints. verses 21, 25
       
       NOTE: Just like ancient Babylon, the little horn would persecute those who disagreed with its presumptuous claims. It would attempt to destroy the saints of God.
       
    6. He would try to the set times and the laws. verse 25
       
       NOTE: Changing God's law is unthinkable, and yet this great power would think that it could actually change God's law.
       
    7. The saints will be handed over to him for a , and a time. verse 25
       

    THE LITTLE HORN AND
    THE BEAST OF REVELATION 13

    

    The book of Revelation also reveals the little horn power under different symbolism. In fact, the beast of Revelation 13 and the little horn of Daniel 7 refer to the same power.
    

12. List the identifying marks of the beast of Revelation 13:
    
    1. The gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. verse 2
       
       NOTE: The dragon represents the devil (Revelation 12:9). No matter what this beast power claims, the source of its authority and power is none other than Satan himself.
       
    2. One of the heads...seemed to have had a wound. verse 3
       
    3. The fatal wound was . The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. verse 3
       NOTE: This power would receive a deadly wound, but amazingly, it would recover and all the world would then follow this power.
       
    4. They also the beast. verse 4
       
       NOTE: This power is a power that receives worship of men. It is therefore a religious power and not a secular power.
       
    5. Utter proud words and . verses 5, 6
       
       NOTE: Like Daniel's little horn, this power blasphemies God.
       
    6. Exercise his authority for fourty-two verse 5
       
    7. To make against the saints. verse 7
       
    8. All inhabitants of the earth will him. verse 8
       
    9. His number is verse 18

    NOTE: Just a quick glance at these identifying marks makes it very clear that Revelation 13 and Daniel 7 are talking about exactly the same power.
    

13. How long is the reign of the little horn of Daniel and the beast of Revelation?
    
    1. Daniel 7:25 Time, times and a time.
       
    2. Revelation 12:14 Time, times and a time.
       
    3. Revelation 13:5 months.
       
    4. Revelation 12:6 days.

    NOTE: A time is a year, so we have 3 1/2 years, 42 months, and 1260 days. We will see that these are all the same length of time. The Babylon calendar had 360 days per year and 30 days per month. Therefore, 3.5 years at 360 days per year equals 1260 days: 42 months at 30 days per month equals 1260 days.

    So, 3.5 "times" = 42 "months" = 1260 "days."

    This 1260 day prophetic time period is another link between the little horn of Daniel 7 and the beast of Revelation 13 (and 12).
    

14. What will ultimately happen to the little horn power? Daniel 7:26

    But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and be forever.

    NOTE: This spiritual Babylon will ultimately come under the judgment of God and will be destroyed. Daniel is very clear that this power will ultimately come to its end at the second coming of Jesus. How important, then, that we not be deceived by this power.
    

15. How did Daniel feel about this revelation? Daniel 7:28

    I, Daniel, was deeply by my thoughts...

    NOTE: Daniel was deeply disturbed by this revelation. Likewise, you might be disturbed by the things revealed in Daniel 7 and Revelation 13.

    Remember that everything written here has been written in love. God does not want anyone to be deceived by this great, world captivating delusion. That's why in mercy, He has sent the warning of Revelation 13 and Daniel 7. Disturbing and shocking as this revelation may be, God sends it to us because He loves us so much.
    

16. What message does Jesus send to those He loves? Revelation 3:19

    Those whom I I rebuke and

    NOTE: All of God's messages come with love. Jesus has only given the message of Daniel 7 because He loves you.
    

17. So, is the little horn something to stay away from or get out from under?
    
    

What is the identity of the Little Horn [click here]?

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This page maintained by Allen Roy. Last Update on 12/13/2004