The Strand Study Bible

DANIEL DANIEL Thus, this phrase ( and it had ten horns ) refers to the future Revived Roman (European) Empire (Dan 7:19-25) under the dictates of the Antichrist. 7:8a Daniel reminded us in Daniel 2:31 -45 that of the four Gentile world powers ( Babylon , Medo-Persia , Greece and Rome ), Rome represents the final Gentile superpower (Dan 7:15-27/Rev 13:1-2), called the Revived Roman (European) Empire ( ten horns - vs 7), from which the little horn (Antichrist - vs 8) will arise ( there came up among them ). Thus, the Antichrist’s global government will begin with Roman democracy. Herb Vander Lugt in Understanding the Endtimes notes: 1343

The Roman Empire is equivalent to what we usually call the Western world–those nations that have kept Corpus Juris Civilis (the body of Roman law) as the basis of their jurisprudence. We usually think of everything from the Middle East northward, all of Western Europe, and everything in the Americas as the Western world. 2

Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins in Are We Living in the End Times? note:

Today, even though Rome is no longer an empire, virtually all western nations have taken their basic principles of government from Rome. The laws, statutes, senate, and other debating bodies have continued in what is called “Cesarean imperialism.” 3

As of right now, the Roman system of democracy dominates six of the world’s seven continents: Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe , and Australia . Only Asia remains partially communistic and dictatorial. The rest of the world, for the most part, has been “Romanized.” Roman democracy is a system in which free enterprise and freedom of religion governs the way men think. The July 1997 issue of National Geographic described ancient Roman democracy this way:

Within the broad sweep of uniformity, Roman administration at the local level was flexible, tolerant, and open. When Rome conquered a new province, the defeated general and his army were carted away in chains; almost everyone else came out ahead. Local businesses gained the benefit of Roman roads, water systems, the laws of commerce and the courts…And within a fairly short period, many of the provincial residents would be made cives Romani - citizens of Rome - with all the commensurate rights and duties. 4

In other words, as long as people “conformed” to the Roman way of democracy, they could trade freely and worship as they pleased (with exception to Christianity). Sound familiar? This is exactly the way the world is headed today. Those countries that “play along” with the will of the world (the United Nations way of democracy) can trade freely and worship as they please. As long as nations are willing to “cooperate” with the will of those in control of the democracy, they can receive all sorts of aid, trade freely, and worship (or, not worship) as they please. Just ask North Korea and/or Iran. Because they refuse to “conform” to the will of those pushing for “world democracy,” they are ostracized from the rest of the world. There is coming a time in the very near future when the entire world will be “democratized” and people will not be able to buy or sell without the “global” mark (Rev 13:16-18). Clarence Larkin in The Book Of Daniel notes: While the Roman Empire, as a visible Empire, does not exist today, yet its laws, etc., are a controlling power among the nations, 5 The Antichrist will use this democracy (free enterprise and the expression of freedom of religion) as a means to initiating his diabolical dictatorship. All democracies eventually end in dictatorships. Just ask Greece (Alexander the Great), Rome (the Caesars), and Germany (Hitler). The world in which we live today is increasingly becoming a global democracy, yet it is sure to end in a global dictatorship. Beware of the world that offers you democracy (the will of the people), for the will of the people always ends with the will of an individual person (Rev 13). NOTE - Although modern globalism became a reality after WWII, a one-world government based on democracy (the will of the people) is not new. Satan attempted to produce a new world order right after the Flood (Gen 11:3-9). It failed, as did every other attempt, including the one under which Christ was born (Lk 2:1-7). God will not allow the world to unite against Him for very long. Interestingly enough, Roman democracy was the system that the nation of Israel found herself under when Christ came the first time, and it will be the system that Israel will find herself under right before Jesus returns. 7:8b This is the very first time the Antichrist ( little horn ) is mentioned in the Bible. He is referred to in prophecy only 37 times, 20 times in the OT (all found in the book of Daniel) and 17 times in the NT ( Rev 6:1-2 ). According to Daniel 7:7-8, the Revived Roman (European) Empire is going to consist of ten horns, signifying complete power, before the Antichrist reveals himself to the world ( II Thess 2:3 ). Then, whenever the Revived Roman (European) Empire’s global control is complete (probably when the Euro begins to dominate all monetary systems), the Antichrist (Satan’s human emissary on earth) will emerge from somewhere in Europe (Dan 9:26-27) and reveal himself and his power by crippling the Revived Roman (European) Empire’s global control (probably by bringing down the three world markets - Dan 7:8,20,24). It then appears that the Revived Roman (European) Empire will attempt to remove the Antichrist by force (Rev 13:1-3). However, through the aid of the Dragon (Satan), the Antichrist will appear invincible, thus deceiving the world into following him (Rev 13:4-8). The following is a chronological overview of the Antichrist’s rise to influence, power and control, and his eventual fall when Jesus returns (Rev 19:20-21): FIRST 3½ YEARS OF THE SEVEN-YEAR TRIBULATION 1. He will most likely be a renegade Jew ( Dan 11:37a and Rev 17:8 ) who comes from Europe (Dan 9:26-27) Clarence Larkin in The Book Of Daniel notes: