The statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream is symbolic of coming empires that will rule the earth. Most bible scholars equate the final empire in Daniel 2 to Rome, with various explanations of the union of vassal states comprising the toes of the statue. Many western scholars claim that the toes of this statue still rule the earth today, being mostly European states and former colonies that maintain a weak hold on power in "old earth" west of Eden.
If you have studied European history you know that the Roman Empire was divided into two empires after Constantine established Byzantium as the new "Rome". The weak successors of Constantine were unable to maintain the vast military dominion of the old Roman Empire, and gradually allowed the empire to be divided into an Eastern and Western alliance. The Byzantine or Eastern Empire was able to maintain its iron grip on the Middle East for a few hundred more years until the rise of the Islamic Caliphates overthrew their seat of power and established the Ottoman Empire in what is now called Istanbul.
During the time that the Byzantines ruled the Eastern Empire, the Western Empire deteriorated into the clay of feudalism and internal conflict. Though there were several attempts to reconstruct a revived Holy Roman Empire, none would ever prove to be as strong and durable as the iron kingdom that came before. The last attempt to reconstitute the Roman Empire (the so-called Third Reich) ended in the destruction of both the western and eastern empires (Germany and the Ottoman Empire) during the world wars of the twentieth century.
What we have left today are still two kingdoms divided against each other. These are border-less kingdoms which I will call the Kingdom of Greed and the Kingdom of Fear. In the book of Revelation they are known as Mystery Babylon and the Beast respectively.
The Kingdom of Greed - Babylon the Great
Mystery Babylon is a harlot, a city that sits on many waters. She is the mother of harlots and the abominations of the earth.
Babylon is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth. The merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality. Babylon has become rich by shipments of every kind of luxurious and splendid cargo - horses and chariots (i.e. cars, trucks, military equipment) and human lives (slavery or human trafficking). Babylon is also the merchant of arts and entertainment, of fine foods and wines and all manner of music. It uses all these things to make a sorcerer's brew by which it intoxicates and deceives its denizens.
Babylon is the love of money, the root of all kinds of evil. It is the kingdom of Mamona (wealth) which draws people away from the kingdom of God. It is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness used by sinful men to reject the Giver of life, liberty and happiness.
Babylon is the city in which most Jews were comfortable to stay and never return to the holy land of their fathers. It is the city that first intended to build a tower to heaven, from which Abram and his family left to find the land of promise.
In short, Babylon is the world, and all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life. The citizens of Babylon are motivated and dominated by these worldly passions.
Babylon trusts in its wealth and military might to guard its life of splendor and luxury. Babylon knows no earthly or temporal boundaries, but today is referred to as "the west" by those who live in the kingdom of fear.
What makes Babylon a harlot is that the citizens of Babylon once knew God, but did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but became futile in their speculations and darkened in their hearts. This is the apostate people that once invoked the blessing of God on their bountiful harvests, but now seek to reject the very mention of His name.
Babylon is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth. The merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality. Babylon has become rich by shipments of every kind of luxurious and splendid cargo - horses and chariots (i.e. cars, trucks, military equipment) and human lives (slavery or human trafficking). Babylon is also the merchant of arts and entertainment, of fine foods and wines and all manner of music. It uses all these things to make a sorcerer's brew by which it intoxicates and deceives its denizens.
Babylon is the love of money, the root of all kinds of evil. It is the kingdom of Mamona (wealth) which draws people away from the kingdom of God. It is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness used by sinful men to reject the Giver of life, liberty and happiness.
Babylon is the city in which most Jews were comfortable to stay and never return to the holy land of their fathers. It is the city that first intended to build a tower to heaven, from which Abram and his family left to find the land of promise.
In short, Babylon is the world, and all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life. The citizens of Babylon are motivated and dominated by these worldly passions.
Babylon trusts in its wealth and military might to guard its life of splendor and luxury. Babylon knows no earthly or temporal boundaries, but today is referred to as "the west" by those who live in the kingdom of fear.
What makes Babylon a harlot is that the citizens of Babylon once knew God, but did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but became futile in their speculations and darkened in their hearts. This is the apostate people that once invoked the blessing of God on their bountiful harvests, but now seek to reject the very mention of His name.
The Kingdom of Fear - The Beast
The beast of Revelation is a seven-headed monster which rises from the sea before the coming final conflict.
The heads of the beast are seven kingdoms that have ruled the holy land since the time of Abraham. They are Egypt, Assyria, ancient Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome and the Islamic caliphates. The beast is also the eighth kingdom which is one of the seven, which had a fatal wound that will be healed.
This beast rules a kingdom of fear. The kingdom of fear is the fear of man, the fear of death, the fear of fear itself. It is based on laws and brutal punishments that cannot bring life, but can only bring men into bondage to other men.
The kingdom of fear is the enemy of joy and peace; it loves only warfare and violence. The kingdom of fear has utter disdain for mercy and forgiveness; it lives for bloodshed and vengeance; it seeks power only to subjugate and terrorize its subjects.
The kingdom of fear appears to be at peace when all its subjects live under the dominion of fear.
The kingdom of fear knows no earthly or temporal boundaries, but today is most dominant in totalitarian countries outside the "western realm of influence". These regimes tend to support each other, as the Axis powers did in the world wars and as China and Russia today support despotic regimes in the Middle East and Africa.
Modern technology has allowed the kingdom of fear to spread rapidly around the world. The "Net" so to speak is being used like a great fishing net to dredge the remnants of Islamic radicalism from the depths of the Mediterranean Sea. While the citizens of Babylon attempt to use technology to spread the kingdom of greed, the kingdom of fear is stronger, like iron is stronger than clay. Only the mountain of the kingdom of God can crush these kingdoms of iron and clay.
It is apparent to me that the final head of the beast is likely to be an Islamic caliphate that will rule the world for the final hour. It could also be that its caliph will overcome the apostate church and take its seat in place of the pope in Rome. However this turns out, make no mistake, that final hour is near.
The Final Hour
Jesus said "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?" Indeed, in the final hour, the divided kingdoms of Satan will be arrayed against each other - the beast and his kingdom of fear against the kingdom of Babylon, and Babylon will fall. This is the meaning of this verse:
But this hour will be quickly followed by the One called Faithful and True and His armies from heaven, who will cast the beast and his false prophet alive into the lake of fire and feed his followers to the birds who fly in mid-heaven. That's a scene that would make even Alfred Hitchcock cry for mercy.
The Kingdom of God
God's people are called to come out of Babylon to escape her sins and the judgments that are coming upon her. There is another kingdom that knows no earthly boundaries for the people of God, called the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven, Mount Zion or the heavenly Jerusalem. The citizens of this kingdom are motivated by love and loyalty to their King, and follow Him day and night.
For those living in the kingdom of fear, God has provided a way out. He made a part of Himself to appear in human flesh, and through His own death has rendered the devil powerless over you. If you choose to become His disciple (just as you may now be following another so-called prophet), you can come out of the kingdom of darkness and into the glorious light. God calls this man His Son, and His son (whom we know as Jesus) calls us His brethren if we choose to follow Him and be called by His name. Yes, our God is One God, but he chose to reveal Himself to mankind in the body of Jesus, and promises to save those who call on His name. This man, whom some in the kingdom of fear know as Isa, is more than a prophet, and more than just a man. He is our Savior and our High Priest and our King, if you choose to be part of His kingdom. Just ask Him to deliver you from your sins, accept you into His kingdom and fill you with His Holy Spirit of life-giving power!
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