Zeitgeist: " The Spirit of the Times " (( part two ))

Zeitgeist: “The spirit of the times” ((( part two )))

We ended the last posting with my thoughts concerning the four beasts as described in Daniel Chapter 7. I will continue with a few more comments concerning this chapter and ” the spirit of the times “. Below we will read the following:

7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Here we see that the ten horns on the head of the last beast, the fearsome beast who tramples the residue with his feet. From this beast comes the ” little horn “, what many describe as the Antichrist. If I may indulge the curious for a moment. One aspect of this future antichrist is his name “Little Horn” of Daniel 7:8.

The Hebrew gives two definitions for the word “LITTLE”. First, “diminutive” or “not widely known of”. This would indicate that this ” little horn “ will not be widely known, that he may indeed be unknown to everyone until he is revealed although there has been speculation since the ascension as to the identity of the final Antichrist.
Th second definition, (the most interesting to me given recent events) is “DWINDLE”. Now Old Webster’s defines the word DWINDLE as this: “To Become Less”, “To Shrink” or “To Decrease”. Very interesting definitions…rather familiar actually…sort of like “Retiring” or “Stepping Down”.

So we here we can assume a basic understanding of the term little, to me it would appear that this little horn will be an individual who may well be diminishing in power or prestige, he may well be an older man retiring or stepping down out of the limelight so to speak. Whatever or whomever he is it is certain that he will arise from this fourth beast.

Now to take the part of the subject concerning the plucking up of the three horns. In Daniel Chapter 7:24 we read this, “24 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.” This is the interpretation of the verse as given to Daniel by the Angel with whom he was conversing. So the term ” plucking ” is also defined as to ” subdue “. Here is where we need to look at the definition of the word and how it is used.
Strong’s definition for the term:
Original Word: ??????
Transliteration: shephel
Phonetic Spelling: (shef-al’)
Short Definition: abase
“abase, humble, put down, subdue”
dictionary.com definitions:
Abase – “to reduce or lower, as in rank, office, reputation, or estimation; humble; degrade.”
Humble (verb)-
1. “to lower in condition, importance, or dignity; abase.”
2. “to destroy the independence, power, or will of.”
Subdue -
“1.to conquer and bring into subjection: Rome subdued Gaul.
2.to overpower by superior force; overcome.
3.to bring under mental or emotional control, as by persuasion or intimidation; render submissive.”

By using these definitions of the word subdue and keeping the term in context it appears to me that this little horn may well ” subdue” three kings not necessarily by force as most of todays theologians believe but that he may well lower them in their office or position, or demean their dignity and overcome them by making them submissive rather than by going to war against them as most theologians and preachers teach.

Many argue that this “subduing” is violent and done through warfare. This idea was taught in the early church by some of the early church fathers, Hippolytus for one.
Hippolytus:
He says that three horns are plucked up by the root by him, viz., the three kings of Egypt, and Libya, and Ethiopia, whom he cuts off in the array of battle.

I would have to firmly disagree with his position because in Revelation we see that all ten kings give their power and authority to the beast and all ten kings wage war against the lamb. This group of kings is not simply reduced to seven. The number of kings remains constant at 10, even after the three are subdued. My thoughts are more along the lines of some of the other church fathers:
St. Cyril of Jerusalem (315-386): There shall rise up together ten kings of the Romans, reigning in different parts perhaps, but all about the same time; and after these an eleventh, the Antichrist, who by his magical craft shall seize upon the Roman power; and of the kings who reigned before him, three he shall humble, and the remaining seven he shall keep in subjection to himself.

St. Jerome (340-420): Then an insignificant eleventh king will arise, who will overcome three of the ten kings,

I think we can establish many facts about this so-called “subduing”, first it is non-violent, secondly it does not remove the three kings from their office, and thirdly that they are overcome in a way that their rank or dignity is lowered to such an extent that they are totally submissive to this little horn.

If I may now say, I believe in the first post that we can ascertain that all four beasts described in this vision exist at the same time. The fourth beast is the last and final world power so to speak. From this creature or nation arises ten other kingdoms, and also a little horn who subdues three other of the kings. In Revelation 13:1 we read this, ” 1 ¶ And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. ” We see this beast having seven heads and ten horns, again in Revelation chapter 17 we read this, “3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. ” The beast is a constant throughout scripture. This creature will have ten kingdoms or kings which originate from this beast, while the other three kingdoms exist this creature or group of nations will subdue all others to its will.

This division of kingdoms is already planned out by a group calling itself the Club of Rome.
Here are the countries for each region: Since this map was drawn in 1973, the first region also includes Mexico.
NAFTA (America, Canada and Mexico)
The E.U. – countries of the European Union, Western Europe as a whole
Japan
Australia, New Zealand, South Africa
Eastern Europe, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia and the former countries of the Soviet Union
Central and South America, Cuba and Caribbean Islands
The Middle East and North Africa
The rest of Africa, except South Africa
South and Southeast Asia, including India
China (Mongolia is now included with China)
The islands of the seas, for the most part, fit in with the closest region. These ten regions originated with the Club of Rome “think tank”, and was established by the United Nations. In 1973 the Club of Rome issued a report titled the “Regionalized and Adaptive Model of the Global World System.” In this report a map is shown which divides the world into 10 political/economic regions. So if you think this is not already in the works ladies and gentlemen, think again.

Here is their website, take a look and judge for yourself. http://www.clubofrome.org/eng/home/

” The spirit of the age” ? We are looking at it already staring at us. Its jaws are gapping wide, lips smacking, those nails of brass are clawing at the ground before us. Ladies and gentlemen, we are living in perilous times please make sure your relationship with Christ is up to and touching. As my wife puts it, ” make sure your fire insurance premium is paid “. If you have Christ, you have the best possible ” fire insurance” available.