The four kingdoms represented by the four beasts have already come and gone; however, verse 12 indicates that each kingdom continues to exist in some way within the succeeding kingdom that “devoured” it. But Daniel saw in his vision something that wasn’t revealed to Nebuchadnezzar: the last human kingdom on earth would be a frightful kingdom, unlike any of the previous kingdoms, and it would even declare war on God! This is the kingdom of Antichrist, described in Revelation 13—19, an evil kingdom that will be destroyed when Jesus Christ returns to earth. This judgment was depicted in Nebuchadnezzar’s vision as the “stone cut out without hands” that tumbled down the mountain and destroyed the image (Dan. 2:34–35, 44–45).
The ten horns (vv. 7–8, 24; Rev. 13:1; 17:3, 7, 12, 16). These represent ten kings or kingdoms that will exist in the last days. Daniel wrote in language the people of his day could understand, and the concept of nations as we have them today would be foreign to the ancients. In Daniel’s day countries were ruled by kings, but the “kingdoms” spoken of here will be nations as we know them. Some students of prophecy think that a ten-nation “United States of Europe” will emerge in the last days, and recent developments in Europe—the organization of the European Union and the use of the eurodollar—seem to point in that direction. However, there are more than ten nations in the E.U., so we had better not draw hasty conclusions. It is out of this confederation of ten nations, which in some way is an extension of the Roman Empire, that the Antichrist will come and the final world kingdom will be organized and actively oppose God and His people.
The “little horn” (vv. 8, 11, 24–26). This represents the last world ruler, the man called Antichrist. The Greek prefix anti can mean “against” and “instead of.” The final world ruler will be both a counterfeit Christ and an enemy who is against Christ. John described the appearance of this “man of sin” (2 Thess. 2:3) in Revelation 13:1–10. According to Daniel, the Antichrist has to overcome the power of three other rulers to be able to do what he wants to do and what Satan has planned for him to do (Dan. 7:24). The mention of his eyes suggests that he has remarkable knowledge and skill in planning his exploits. He will also be a man skilled in using words and able to promote himself so that people follow him (vv. 11, 25; Rev. 13:5–6). He will also blaspheme God and ultimately convince the unbelieving world that he is a god (2 Thess. 2:1–12). He will become the ruler of the world, and will control not only the economy and the religion, but also seek to change the times and the laws.
According to Daniel 7: and Revelation 13:5, his dictatorship will last for three and a half years, a significant period of time in the prophetic Scriptures. It’s stated as “time, times and half a time” (Dan. 7: niv; Rev. 12:14), “forty-two months” (11:2; 13:5) and “1,260 days” (11:3; 12:6). This period is half of seven years, another significant time span in prophecy. We shall learn from Daniel 9:24–27 that the Antichrist will make a covenant with the Jewish nation for seven years, but in the midst of that period will break the covenant and begin to persecute God’s people.
The scenario seems to look like this. Antichrist will be leading one of ten confederated nations in Europe. He will overcome three other nations and, with the help of Satan, move into becoming a world dictator. At first he will appear to be friendly to the Jews and will sign a seven-year covenant to protect them (v. 27). The signing of that covenant is the signal for the start of the last seven years of Daniel’s seventy weeks outlined in verses 24–27. This period is generally known as “the tribulation” and is described in Matthew 24:1–14; Mark 13:1–13; and Revelation 6—19.
After three and a half years, the Antichrist will break the covenant and set up his own image in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, forcing the world to worship him and the devil, who is energizing him. Using the language of Daniel, Jesus called this “the abomination of desolation” (Dan. 11:31; Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14; 2 Thess. 2:1–4). This signals the last half of the tribulation, a period that is known as “the wrath of God” (Rev. 14:10, 19; 15:1, 7; and see Matt. 24:15–28; Mark 13:14–23). It will climax with the return of Jesus Christ to the earth and the defeat of Antichrist and his army (Matt. 24:29–44; Mark 13:24–27; Rev. 19:11–21). Jesus Christ will then establish His kingdom on earth (Dan. 7:13–14, 26–27; Rev. 20:1–6).
Daniel doesn’t go into all the details that John shares in the book of Revelation, but he does assure us that the kingdom of Satan and his counterfeit Christ will be defeated and destroyed by Jesus Christ (Dan. 7:22, 26; see 2 Thess. 1:7–2:10).
War on the saints (vv. 21–23, 25). The “saints” are mentioned in verses 18, 21–22, 25, and 27, and refer to the people of God living on the earth during the tribulation period. The apostle John makes it clear that there will be believing Jews and Gentiles on the earth during the seven years of the tribulation (Rev. 7). If the church is raptured before the tribulation, then these will be Jews and Gentiles who believe on Jesus Christ after the church departs. If the church goes through either part or all of the tribulation, then they will be the “saints” mentioned by Daniel. In either case, some of them will die for their faith (14:9–13).
Three of the texts describe the saints as victorious over their enemies (Dan. 7:18, 22, 27), while two texts inform us that the Lord permits them to be defeated before their enemies (vv. 21, 25). The saints “receive” the kingdom (not “take” as in v. 18), “possess” the kingdom (v. 22), and the kingdom is “given” to them (v. 27). All of this is the work of the Most High God. He permits Antichrist to rise to power and rule the world, and even allows him to make war on the saints and temporarily win the victory (v. 21). The phrase “wear out the saints” (v. 25) describes Antichrist’s continual oppression of God’s people and his blasphemous words against the Lord and His people.
John wrote the book of Revelation at a time when Rome was persecuting the church and trying to force Christians to worship the emperor. To confess “Jesus Christ is Lord” could mean imprisonment and even death. Both the book of Daniel and the book of Revelation brought encouragement and strength to the early church, just as they bring encouragement to suffering believers today.