Ten Kings, the Antichrist, and the New World Order, Part 2

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

In our first article in this series, we introduced biblical facts related to the coming one-world system of government that will be – for a short period of time – ruled by ten kings as we learn in Revelation 17.

 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful (Revelation 17:12-14; ESV; emphasis added).

This is during the final seven years of man-led human history immediately prior to the physical return of Jesus in His second coming. Notice that these ten kings “receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast.” Beyond this, they “are of one mind,” and actually turn over their own power and authority to the beast himself (Antichrist).

This Antichrist is the same man Paul references in 2 Thessalonians 2 who will sit himself inside the rebuilt Jewish Temple during the coming Tribulation period and proclaim himself to be God. It will be a replay of what Antiochus Epiphanes IV did in 168 BC when he desecrated the Jewish Temple standing at that time by slaughtering a pig on the altar and sprinkling the pig’s blood around. He also is said to have erected a statue of Zeus inside the Holy of Holies (cf. Daniel 8). It was a direct attack on the Jews and Jehovah, which gave rise to the Maccabean Revolt.

The ten kings referenced here in Revelation 17 that are part of the upcoming final kingdom are also referenced in Daniel 7 (and initially in Daniel 2).

Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings.
25 He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time (Daniel 7:23-25).

Note verse 24, which states, “As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall rise…”

Don’t you love the consistency of Scripture and how it actually interprets itself? Revelation 17 refers to the ten kings and so does Daniel 7, written hundreds of years apart. Just as we learn in Revelation 17, these Tribulation kings arise out of the final stages of the fourth kingdom that refers back to Daniel 2 (and 7), when Nebuchadnezzar received a dream that God interpreted through Daniel.

Notice also that “another” individual rises after the ten kings (Daniel 7:24, above). He’s going to be different and he is clearly not one of the original ten kings. The text also tells us that he’ll “put down three kings” (or subdues them, KJV). The sense here is that he at the very least, overpowers and takes away the power and authority of three kings violently. He may even kill them to show he means business. The remaining seven kings – according to Revelation 17:13 – all agree to give their power and authority to the individual who subdues the three kings.

In essence, this “another” who is “different from the former ones” eliminates three of the ten kings. This “another” then is the 11th individual, but after getting rid of three of the original kings, he becomes the 8th (since there are seven of the original kings remaining; cf. Revelation 17:11).

Once everything is in place with the world divided up into ten sections and the kings ready to step into their respective positions of shared power, the Antichrist, who is not one of the original ten, will rise up and subdue three of the ten kings. This show of force on Antichrist’s part will overwhelm the seven remaining kings and they will pledge their power, authority, and loyalty to Antichrist. I believe this Antichrist is also seen in the first seal of Revelation 6:1-2. This individual is also the same individual who brokers a covenant with “the many” of Daniel 9:27 (Israel’s leaders), for seven years, but at the midway point, breaks the deal and will desecrate the rebuilt Jewish Temple (2 Thessalonians 2), just as Antiochus Epiphanes IV did in 168 BC.

Imagine how galling it will be for the families who have worked so diligently and for so long to be rulers over the world only to have it yanked from them so unceremoniously by one individual. Of course, that individual will be thoroughly empowered by Satan himself, so sold out to the devil will Antichrist be (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10).

All of this is the culmination of what began way back with Nebuchadnezzar during Daniel’s day (cf. Daniel 2). God showed Daniel how a series of empires would rise to eventually overtake the entire world through what has been termed the “times of the Gentiles” related to their dominance over Israel. Yet, in spite of this dominance, God brought forth the promised Savior/Messiah in Jesus, God the Son, who fulfilled all the Scripture written about Him pertaining to His first advent. Scripture that remains to be fulfilled will be so during His second advent just as surely as it was fulfilled during His first.

To trace things to our point in time – 2016 – we really need to begin with Daniel 2, which highlights the specifics concerning the various kingdoms that God would allow to come to fruition and rule over Israel. This “times of the Gentiles” constitutes the 70 “weeks” we learn of in Daniel 9. I realize that some believe all of Daniel 9 has already been completely fulfilled, but I would respectfully disagree with them. I believe we are in the “gap” that is clearly visible in Daniel 9:26, though they do not see that gap. We’ll get to it.

For now, we need to understand that God allowed the following kingdoms to come and recede into human history:

• Babylonian Empire
• Medo-Persian Empire
• Grecian Empire
• Roman Empire

It’s all there in Daniel 2 and again with a slightly different emphasis in Daniel 7. We’ll stop here for now and continue with this next time to show through God’s Word how Satan will be allowed to raise up one final world dictatorship over which his spiritual son will rule, if only for a short time. Join me then.

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective