AS TO THE FUTURE ROMAN EMPIRE AND THE ANTICHRIST.
It is well known that the fourth great Gentile kingdom prophesied of by Daniel refers to the Roman empire, and it is also a well accredited fact of history that that kingdom fell to pieces. According to the prophecy it resolved itself into ten kingdoms. Though it may not be easy to specify which they were at the time, the following may suffice, being. 1, The Vandals and Alans in Spain; 2, The Suevians in Spain; 3, The Visigoths; 4, The Alans in Gallia; 5, The Burgundians; 6, The Franks; 7, The Britons; 8, The Huns; 9, The Lombards; 10, The kingdom of Ravenna. It having been stated (in the article 'the Revelation,') that the Roman empire will be resuscitated, it is well to see how the Book of Daniel and the Revelation agree in this respect.
In Rev. 13:1 we read that John "saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten crowns." It will at once be seen that this agrees with the ten toes of the great image of Dan. 2, and also with the ten horns of Dan. 7, which horns are said to be ten kings, or kingdoms.
In Daniel the fourth great kingdom is described as dreadful and terrible, but not as any known beast: in the Revelation it is like a leopard, with bear's feet and a lion's mouth: this (embracing the features of the three preceding kingdoms, Dan. 7:4-6) is also unlike any known animal.
It may seem a difficulty that if the fourth great kingdom was long since dissolved into ten kingdoms, how it can in any sense be called any longer the Roman empire. Scripture answers this by describing it in Rev. 17:8 as a single beast, "that was, and is not, and shall be present " (as most Editors give the passage). It existed as an empire at one time, it does not exist now, but shall be present in the future.
We have already seen it is described in Rev. 13:1 as a beast with ten horns, that is, one supreme head as emperor, with a kingdom embracing ten kings or subordinate kingdoms. This agrees with Dan. 7:8, which states that from among the ten horns comes up another little horn, before whom three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots.
The supreme horn is described in Daniel as having eyes as the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. In the Revelation the dragon gives him his power, and his throne, and great authority: thus the above horn is here the beast itself, for he wields its whole power.
In the Revelation the head of the Roman empire, acting in the power of Satan, is closely associated with the Antichrist—thus forming a Trinity of evil. We read that another beast comes up out of the earth, having two horns like a lamb, but speaks as a dragon. He deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by his miracles: this is Antichrist. In Dan. 11:36 is introduced a king in the land of Judaea, who exalteth himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods. This is also the Antichrist.
In Dan. 2 we read that a Stone cut out without hands smote the great image upon the feet and broke them in pieces; and in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom that shall not be destroyed; and it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. In the Revelation, in like manner, we read the beast (the Roman power) and the false prophet (Antichrist) shall both of them be cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone, Rev. 19:20. Satan also is bound with a chain and cast into the bottomless pit (Rev. 20: 2, 3) before the millennium, when the kingdom of Christ will be set up on earth.
We thus see that there is full harmony between the Revelation and Daniel. Each throws light upon the other as to the future existence of a Roman empire, and also as to how the head of that empire will be under the influence and power of Satan, and will be in full communion with the coming Antichrist.