Welcome back to my study/review of The Book of Daniel. If you missed the previous parts of this study, you can find them HERE.
Daniel 7:19-22
19 “Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, 20 and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. 21 As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.
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This is the description of the mysterious End Times 4th Beast. There are a lot of theories about what this represents – ranging from the Roman Empire, the British Empire (just look at the red dragon in royal heraldry!), the American Empire, the Catholic Church, Zionism, an AI Empire, or an Empire of Fallen Angels or Extra-Terrestrials. There are some clues here, and we’ll look into it with the help of some Commentaries notes and some other sources.
We’ll start with a note from The Pulpit Commentaries covering this entire section of verses:
Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; and of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. In regard to the version of the LXX. here, we have the advantage of Justin Martyr’s transcription, in which, however, the difference from the Chigi texts are not of great importance. The LXX. here is pretty close to the Masseretic text. “Behold” has intruded into the text; it is, however, omitted from Justin Martyr. Another clause, evidently a doublet, is emitted also, and the clause assumes nearly the shape it has in Theodotion. It is difficult to imagine how the reading of the LXX. arose. The differences from the Massoretic text are for the rest not essential. This is the case with Theodotion and the Peshitta. These verses to some extent recapitulate the earlier description of this fourth beast. There are, however, features added—to the “iron teeth” of the seventh verse are added “claws of brass.” The main change is in regard to the little horn that came up last. We not only learn here that three other horns were plucked up before it, but the personification is now carried further, and the horn makes war against the saints, and prevails against them. This description does not suit Epiphanes. He certainly made war against the saints, but as certainly he did not prevail against them. When he came up from Egypt, and entered into the sanctuary and plundered it, he could not be said to make war against Israel. Judaea was one of his own provinces. When a tyrannical government takes possession of the wealth and property of individuals or corporations, it may be called cruel and oppressive, but its conduct is not called war. Even tile massacre of the inhabitants of Jerusalem by tile collector of taxes was not war. There was no war levied by Epiphanes against the saints till Mattathias and his sons rebelled, and thereafter Epiphanes did not prevail against the Jews. The Romans did make war against Israel, and did prevail. If the saints are a nation, then Epiphanes did not prevail in war against them If persecution is to be regarded as warfare, then it is not warfare against a nation, but against a community like a Church. If we look upon the Christian Church as succeeding to the position of Israel, then Rome persecuted the Church, and persecution ceased only when Rome became Christian. But a wider view opens itself to us. All modern states are in a sense a continuance of Rome, and so far as they do not submit themselves to the direction of Christ, they are still at war with the saints. It is only when the Son of man comes in his power that the kingdom will belong to the saints. It is to be observed, the figure of an assize is still kept up, and “judgment is given to” or “for the saints,” and in virtue of this decision they possess the kingdom.
The note here gives a pretty reasonable answer. Many of the modern states of the world can be said to be a continuation of Rome – particularly Western nations where they would admit that openly (at least perhaps, until recent decades.) However, this view and connection is a little hard to defend in some regards. Until the last century, much of the world – particularly those nations which view themselves as descendants of Rome – had overtly Christian populations. Many European nations had official state Churches. That does not match the description of the Fourth Beast particularly well.
Until the Reformation, most of Western Europe’s leadership took direction from the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church. So did the Roman Empire revive alongside Christian apostasy? Or is the 4th beast something else? We’ll look at some of the candidates below. I want to be very clear that I’m not endorsing any of these views. There’s pretty much no way to talk about this except to hypothetically align some group with Satan. My general take on prophecy is that it is given in such a way that it’s only recognizable as accurate from the POV of hindsight, though you should keep your eyes open and be vigilant.
Does _____ seem like something the antichrist would say, tell you to do, or support? Don’t do that and don’t support it. Live in such a way that if you are caught by surprise, you’re not going to be caught by surprise.
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The Roman Empire:
Rashi, a medieval rabbi, interpreted the four kingdoms as Nebuchadnezzar (“you are the head of gold”), Belshazzar (“another kingdom lower than you”), Alexander of Macedon (“a third kingdom of copper”), and the Roman Empire (“and in the days of these kings”).
Several commentators before Jerome make this connection. We’ll mention three,1 starting with Cyril of Jerusalem (313–386), who indicates that he is not the originator of this interpretation:
The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall surpass all kingdoms. And that this kingdom is that of the Romans, has been the tradition of the Church’s interpreters. For as the first kingdom which became renowned was that of the Assyrians, and the second, that of the Medes and Persians together, and after these, that of the Macedonians was the third, so the fourth kingdom now is that of the Romans. (Catechetical Lectures, 15
Over a century earlier, Hippolytus (170–235) had written:
Then he says: “A fourth beast, dreadful and terrible; it had iron teeth and claws of brass.” And who are these but the Romans? which (kingdom) is meant by the iron—the kingdom which is now established; for the legs of that (image) were of iron. (Treatise on Christ and Antichrist)
But Hippolytus seems to draw this interpretation from his teacher, Irenaeus (d. 202). In Against Heresies, 5.26.1, he writes of the connection between Daniel 7 and Revelation 17, and puts the empire in which he lives – Rome – in the middle of it:
In a still clearer light has John, in the Apocalypse, indicated to the Lord’s disciples what shall happen in the last times, and concerning the ten kings who shall then arise, among whom the empire which now rules (the earth) shall be partitioned. He teaches us what the ten horns shall be which were seen by Daniel. [emphasis added]
So it does indeed seem that we can trace this view back even further, all the way to the second century. It’s likely that even Irenaeus is not the originator of this idea, but it seems that his works are the earliest surviving that make the connection.2
Ireneus, in case you are wondering, was taught by Polycarp, who was himself taught by John the Apostle (disciple of Jesus, author of the Book of Revelation.) So we should take his beliefs on this quite seriously.
One term you often see used, to describe an End Times Roman Empire, is “the Revived Roman Empire.” Over time, various European empires have been looked at as Roman revivals. The British Empire at various points was thought to be powerful enough to fit this description, as was the French Empire under Napoleon, and the Axis Powers in the 1930s and 1940s. Today, the go-to boogeyman for this role is the European Union. Of course, some boogeymen are real.
The following excerpt is long, but it states the most common case for the EU (via christianevidence.net)
The first three kingdoms listed above were each defeated by its successor. However, the Roman empire was the last and terrible beast in another vision that Daniel himself had (Daniel 7:1-24), but it was never defeated. This is why Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that his vision was about “what will be at the End of Days” (Daniel 2:28).
In the final part of the dream, Daniel goes on to explain the symbolism. He says that during the reign of this fourth empire (Roman Empire), God will set up the “kingdom that will never be destroyed,” (Daniel 2:44). We know from many other prophecies that this is the Kingdom of God, which Jesus Christ will establish on earth at His return. It is here that this fourth empire will fight Jesus Christ at His return, only to be destroyed. Therefore, the Roman Empire must exist in some form at the end of the age so that it can be struck and destroyed! Many refer to this as a “Revived Roman Empire” since the former, historic Roman Empire collapsed long ago. The former Roman Empire encompassed present-day Europe, so we should expect a future unified Europe to come to power again, to dominate the world during the latter days!
In the book of Revelation, this is again confirmed when referring to seven major Middle East empires or kingdoms (Rev 17.10). These can be identified as the Egyption, Assyrian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman empires, with one to come. Taken with Dan 2 and Dan 7, this suggests that the one to come must be a revived form of the historic Roman Empire. Many, even in the church, have said it is impossible to ever unite Europe and they have mocked those who said that this prophetic scenario should be taken literally. Throughout the centuries since Rome fell, many political leaders have dreamed of resurrecting the Roman Empire. Napoleon Bonaparte, Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, and Winston Churchill, for different reasons and with differing motives, all shared the vision of a United States of Europe. But that vision had to await God’s timing for its fulfillment. That timing came at the end of World War II. Amazingly, a super state called the European Union (EU) formed in Europe to set the stage for the fulfillment of Old Testament and Revelation prophecies! The possible fulfillment of this scripture began in 1950 (at almost the exact same time Israel had become a nation). Beginning in 1950, the European Coal and Steel Community came together to make plans to achieve economic unification in Europe following the war, in hope that this would strengthen economic trade in Europe. This unified effort led to the signing of the treaties of Rome (of all places, Rome!) in 1957, which established the European Economic Community (EEC) (which later became the European Union), and the European Atomic Energy Council. That treaty was taken a step further with the signing of the Brussels Treaty in 1965. The Brussels Treaty began the process of rebuilding the old Roman Empire through reunification of European states under one political system, one economic system, and eventually under the protection of one military force. More states were added to this growing union in 1973, 1981, and 1986, making up the 10 permanent member states of today’s European Union. This 10 nation military wing of the EU may very well fulfill the prophecy of the beast (representative of the revived Roman Empire) with 10 horns from Daniel 7:7-8 and Revelations 13:1! The EU today is made up of 28 countries! The EU is now the largest economy in the world and the most powerful political entity on earth. The movement for European unity, which was launched in 1950, has gradually evolved into a super-state!
Reasons why the EU is most likely the revived Roman Empire: 1. On the Bible Prophecy timeline, the EU (European Steel and Coal Community) formed around the same time as nation of Israel, only 3 years later! I do not think that is just a coincidence.
2. The Euro was introduced as the first step toward a unified single currency in Europe, in 2002. The Euro is now the official European currency. It is likely that the Euro or a replacement will soon replace the U.S. dollar as the primary world currency as the U.S. goes into decline.
3. The EU is on a quest for the development of new technologies for the economic growth it would bring their economy. Several EU Countries lead the world in cashless payment systems.
4. Computer systems in Brussels have the capability to manage all the world’s finances and government complexes have been built in Europe to house a large central government.
5. The present Pope is a Jesuit that wants to unite world religions under his dominion. He also wants world government.
6. North African states and Middle East states may soon join with the EU and expand its borders to the full extent of the old Roman Empire.
7. Daniel 7:23-24 also foretells a 10-nation military alliance that will rise out of the revived Roman Empire and will come under the control of the Antichrist. The whole world is already dividing into regional economic zones. Will ten leaders soon arise to govern them?
Most obvious, the EU is already the world’s largest market, the EU is monolith with 513 million citizens, the EU nations taken together have the world’s largest standing army, the EU has its own flag, and the EU has a national anthem. All the components required for an empire! (Space precludes further reasons here; there are many other strong indications that the EU is the forerunner of this final world empire)
If the EU is the revived Roman Empire that will bring about the rise of Antichrist, then we should also expect to see religious symbolism of the EU. After all, riding on the beast’s (the beast represents the revived Roman Empire) back will be the harlot that represents a global pagan religious system that will unite the world (Rev. 17). And that is exactly what we see:
1. The EU has a national anthem, called the “Ode to Joy”. It contains religious symbolism: The lyrics, unknowingly, are actually about the entering of the shrine of a pagan goddess and the uniting of all men in brotherhood, by the power of magic.
2. One poster that was issued by the EU, showing the tower of Babel, carried the slogan “Many tongues, one voice.” They are celebrating the pagan tower that led God to confuse the languages of a defiant people (Genesis 11), furthermore, a crane in the background was shown rebuilding the tower. Now, once again, a rebellious people are rebuilding mystery Babylon. The secular press has named the unfinished tower of Babel, “Eurobabel”.
3. Revelation 17 depicts a great harlot riding on a beast, which represents the world government, and the great harlot is a global religion that will ride in on its back. Coincidentally, this harlot riding a beast was used when Britain issued a stamp to commemorate the first EU parliament election in 1979! It is now the official picture of the EU, and is painted on the dome of the parliament building in Brussels. It is also pictured on the same building that holds the “Eurobabel”.
I would point out that it is often the case – such as it is above – that when Middle Eastern Empires are discussed by Western Christians, the Ottoman Empire is strangely omitted from the discussion.
The Ottoman Empire (/ˈɒtəmən/ⓘ), also called the Turkish Empire, was an imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Central Europe, between the early 16th and early 18th centuries.
But that helps us segue into another “4th Beast” candidate:
Islamic Caliphate
If you notice above, there is a belief – drawn from Revelation 17:10 – that there will be 7 major middle eastern empires (the Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman empires, with one to come.) The 7th is often identified with the 4th beast and is arguably the Ottoman Empire (or a revived Ottoman Empire.)
For a summary of this idea, this time I’ll point you to a video (in the video the speaker has written a book on the subject if you want more detail.)
Here is another argument, in video form, making a more detailed case from the text:
One other thing I’ve heard pointed out, with regard to this argument, is kind of a interesting. It’s a “fun with flags” argument.
MUCH of the Islamic world has flags of red, white, green, and black. Those four colors correspond to the colors of Revelation’s “four horses of the Apocalypse.”
Zionism
This is quite controversial among Western Christians because so many Western Christians *are* Zionists, but I’ll do my best to explain the case. It’s also difficult to find criticisms of Zionism and Judaism online. Since WW2, many nations have strict laws regarding antisemitism or the perception of antisemitism. Many criticisms of passages form the Talmud fall under that umbrella. It’s thus hard to cite sources.
This argument is built around the idea that modern Judaism (acting through Zionism) controls much of the world, that this control is powerful unlike all empires before it, and that modern Judaism is heretical to “true” Judaism. You will sometimes see people trying to differentiate between the two by referring to modern-day Judaism as “Talmudic Judaism.”
In antiquity, the two major centres of Jewish scholarship were located in Galilee and Babylonia. A Talmud was compiled in each of these regional centres. The earlier of the two compilations took place in Galilee, either in the late fourth or early fifth century, and it came to be known as the Jerusalem Talmud (or Talmud Yerushalmi). Later on, and likely some time in the sixth century, the Babylonian Talmud was compiled (Talmud Bavli). This later Talmud is usually what is being referred to when the word “Talmud” is used without qualification.[11] Traditions of the Jerusalem Talmud and its sages had a significant influence on the milieu out of which the Babylonian Talmud arose.
Both the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmud were compiled between the 4th and 6th centuries AD (after the rise of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire.)
Adherents to this belief re: Zionism as the 4th Beast point out that in addition to the Talmud, Judaism has evolved in other ways over the last two thousand years – including the addition of the Kabballah through the Zohar, and other things as well. The insinuation is that modern day Judaism is a corruption, whose corruption goes back to ancient Babylon.
In this way, you can tie Daniel’s 4 kingdoms together (Daniel 2 and 7), and it makes sense to have the Babylonians as their head. Babylonians were subsequently part of the Medo-Persian Empire and (allegedly) Babylonians would be part of the 4th Empire.
The case here is thus built more around John’s Revelation than from Daniel. John describes a Great Harlot (the Whore of Babylon) symbolically riding on the End Times beast. There are a couple of implications there. First, describing the woman as a harlot indicates a heretical religious belief or a religious apostasy (i.e. she used to be faithful, and now she’s the opposite.) The description of the woman as riding the beast also indicates she is separate from it, but also in control of it.
The argument is thus that Talmudic Jews are apostate, and though small in number compared to the world, control much of the world. You also could thus combine this with the case that the final beast is a Revived Roman Empire, if you wanted. Zionism could be said to have brought back the Roman Empire (either via the EU / NATO / or some other collection of nations.)
The Talmud in particular has been a point of controversy for Christianity for many centuries. It allegedly contains passages which permit stealing from or killing gentiles, sex with minors, and it allegedly states that Jesus Christ is boiling in feces in hell. King Louis IX of France famously burned copies of the text.
I’m not advocating that anyone break any laws looking into this. Nor am I endorsing this take. ____________________________________________
Roman Catholic Church
A lot of the Protestant Reformation’s rhetoric included claims that the Catholic Church was apostate and a tool for the devil.
Flacius (1570)
“The sixth and last reason for our separation from the pope and his followers be this; By many writings of our church, by the Divinely inspired Word, by prophecies concerning the future and by the special characteristics of the Papacy, it has been profusely and thoroughly proved that the pope with his prelates and clergy is the real true great antichrist, that his kingdom is the real Babylon, a never ceasing fountain and a mother of all abominable idolatry.” (Flacius, Etliche Hochwichtige Ursachen und Grunde, warum das siche alle Christen von dem Antichrist … absondern sollen)
Georg Nigrinus (1530 – 1602)
“The Jesuits claim to be sorely offended and have taken my declarations as an insult and blasphemy in branding the Papacy as the antichrist of which Daniel, Paul, Peter, John and even Christ prophesied. But this is as true as it is that Jesus is the Messiah, and I am prepared to show it even by their own definition of the word ‘antichrist’.” (Translated from “Nigrinus, Antichrists Grundliche Offenbarung” fol. 6v.)
“This Jesuit further contends that the Papacy cannot be antichrist because the Papacy has lasted for centuries, but that the antichrist is supposed to reign only for 3 1/2 years … But no one doubts today that Daniel spoke of YEAR-DAYS, not literal days … The prophetic time-periods of forty-two months, 1260 days, 1, 2, 1/2 times are prophetic, and according to Ezekiel 4, a day must be taken for a year.” (Translated from “Nigrinus, Antichrists Grundliche Offenbarung” fols.28v. 29r.)
John Calvin (1509 – 1564)
“Though it be admitted that Rome was once the mother of all Churches, yet from the time when it began to be the seat of Antichrist it has ceased to be what it was before. Some persons think us too severe and censorious when we call the Roman Pontiff Antichrist. But those who are of this opinion do not consider that they bring the same charge of presumption against Paul himself, after whom we speak and whose language we adopt .. I shall briefly show that (Paul’s words in II Thess. 2) are not capable of any other interpretation than that which applies them to the Papacy.” (Institutes of the Christian Religion, Vol.3, p.149)
John Knox (1505 – 1572)
Yea, to speak it in plain words; lest that we submit ourselves to Satan, thinking that we submit ourselves to Jesus Christ, for, as for your Roman kirk, as it is now corrupted, and the authority thereof, whereon stands the hope of your victory, I no more doubt but that it is the synagogue of Satan, and the head thereof, called the pope, to be that man of sin, of whom the apostle speaks.” (John Knox, The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland, p.65)
Thomas Cranmer (1489 – 1556)
“Whereof it followeth Rome to be the seat of Antichrist, and the pope to be very antichrist himself. I could prove the same by many other scriptures, old writers, and strong reasons.” (Works by Cranmer, vol.1, pp.6-7)
Roger Williams (1603 – 1683)
Pastor Williams spoke of the Pope as “the pretended Vicar of Christ on earth, who sits as God over the Temple of God, exalting himself not only above all that is called God, but over the souls and consciences of all his vassals, yea over the Spirit of Christ, over the Holy Spirit, yea, and God himself…speaking against the God of heaven, thinking to change times and laws; but he is the son of perdition.” (The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers by Froom, Vol. 3, pg. 52)
As the RCC is now the faith home of more than a billion people, and because of the long-held association between the 4th beast and Rome, it should not surprise that a popular (non-Catholic) interpretation of the 4th Beast is that it’s the Roman Catholic Church, or parallel to that, that the RCC is the Great Harlot that will aid the Revived Roman Empire Beast.
This theory is extremely current, given the current poor health of Pope Francis (who is still alive as of the time of this writing.) There are a lot of threads to pull on with the “Catholic Church / End Times Beast” theory, but one of the popular ones centers around a Catholic prophecy allegedly from St. Malachy.
The Prophecy of the Popes is a series of 112 short, cryptic phrases in Latin which purport to predict the Catholic popes (along with a few antipopes), beginning with Celestine II. It was first published in 1595 by Benedictine monk Arnold Wion, who attributed the prophecy to Saint Malachy, a 12th-century Archbishop of Armagh.
Given the accurate description of popes up to around 1590 and lack of accuracy for the popes that follow, historians generally conclude that the alleged prophecy is a pseudepigraphic fabrication written shortly before publication. The Catholic Church has no official stance, although some Catholic theologians have dismissed it as forgery. The prophecy concludes with a pope identified as “Peter the Roman”, whose pontificate will allegedly precede the destruction of the city of Rome.
For the believers, though, Pope Francis is the last pope allegedly mentioned. “Peter the Roman” implies apostasy. The End of Rome (and perhaps the 2nd Coming) follows before another Pope is named. So there are some who argue that Pope Francis is himself the False Prophet from John’s Revelation.
This belief will probably not hold up well if Pope Francis passes away and is replaced by another Pope. It also seems to me that it fails a lot of other textual tests (if Francis is *the* False Prophet, who is the antichrist? Isn’t it likely that we’d know by now?)
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My personal favorite theory – not because I want to live through it or because I think that it’s the most well-supported – is the “return of the Nephilim” branch of the 4th Beast theorizing.
The Return of the Nephilim, or The Return of the Giants
This belief ties a passage from the Gospel of Matthew to the ideas from Daniel 7 and Revelation.
Matthew 24:37-39
37. But as the days of Noe [Noah] were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39. And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
What was going on in the Days of Noah? Other than an impending Flood?
Genesis 6
1. And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2. That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 4. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
Genesis 6 is expanded upon through many non-canonical 2nd Temple texts, including the Book of Enoch. The very brief summary is that the “ben Elohim” (celestial beings – usually interpreted as Fallen Angels) mated with human women and created a hybrid offspring – the Nephilim giants. This unnatural race threatened to wipe out humanity. So God sent a Flood to wipe them out instead. However, there were subsequently more giants after the Flood.
Much of the Old Testament has these giants in its periphery, when it’s not the center of a given story outright. When Abraham rescued Lot from captivity, he fought – among others – people whose names translate as “giants.” When Moses and Joshua conquer the Holy Land, we see them spying out and / or fighting giants. David slew a giant, Goliath, and subsequently the OT mentions the death of 4 Goliath’s giant brothers. (We then remember David had 5 stones – one Goliath and his four brothers.)
After David slew Goliath, he took his head and buried it in Jerusalem. Subsequently, Jesus was crucified at Golgotha (the place of the skull.) Thus Jesus’s victory was achieved with a giant’s head under His feet. It was a 2nd Temple belief that demons are the disembodied spirits of the dead giants. Thus, when Jesus performed exorcisms, it was a messianic sign of His divine authority and a continuation of a battle that started in Genesis 6.
So what would it mean to have a Return of the Giants? Either it means we see another incursion of angels mating with humans. Or it might mean an incursion of mass demonic possession. If you believe that the dominant religion of the End Times is low key Satanic while being something else on the surface, then the possession angle makes a lot of sense.
Interestingly though, many also associate the rise of the UFO/UAP phenomenon as a sign of a return of illicit celestial incursion. This conversation is now happening very much in the open, with the U.S. government saying that it believes some of these recorded on radar objects are not of this earth. There is also testimony of alleged recovered “biologics” and crafts.
You might love or hate Tucker Carlson, but he’s clearly a very connected guy within Washington D.C. His father was in the CIA. He’s been at a high level within the media for his entire adult life. He is (as are many other highly connected people) now talking openly about the phenomenon being spiritual. If the U.S. government is interacting with spiritual entities, what do we make of that? Is that a sign we are in a time similar to that of Noah, with judgment on our heels?
There are other theories, but this covers a lot of the big ones. You can believe none of them, or you can believe more than one of them simultaneously. I think you can make a case for all of them simultaneously, though that requires a little bit more effort.
When we get to the next set of verses, we’ll continue discussing the 4th Beast. Perhaps we’ll add some more fodder for the theorizing.
