Coming World Emperor, Part I

Astounding as it may seem the scriptures clearly teach there is coming a time when Satan will be able to produce a man through whom he will gain virtual control over the entire world. That control will be so powerful and pervasive that the great majority of the world will knowingly worship the emperor and Satan as their god.

"And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.  So they worshipped the dragon (Satan), who gave authority to the beast (The human emperor), and they worshiped the beast,  saying, ‘Who is like the beast?  Who is able to make war with him.’"   Revelation 13:3-4.

The Devil is often referred to as a liar and a deceiver in the scriptures. As such, he is a counterfeiter. He tries to represent himself and his ways as being like God. The coming world emperor is his version of God’s promised Christ. No doubt, he will appear as much like Christ in the beginning as the Devil can make him. The masses of humanity will be deceived. But for those who desire to know the true God there is sufficient revelation to recognize  the difference between Satan’s Christ and God’s true Christ.

titles given by the prophet Daniel to identify Satan’s false Christ:

Discussed in part i:
 
     The Little Horn
      THE PRINCE WHO IS TO COME
Continuing in Part II:
      THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION
      MAN OF SIN/THE LAWLESS ONE
      THE BEAST OUT OF THE SEA

"The little Horn" Daniel 7:8, 11, 19-26

     To gain the fullest understanding of this scripture it must be studied in connection with Daniel, chapter 2. Both of these chapters teach that four vast empires would rule over the land of Israel before Christ establishes His kingdom on earth. 

     Chapter 2 of Daniel presents these four empires in the form of a great statue. . .as beheld by the eyes of mankind:

      The head of gold represents the empire of Babylon from 604 BC to 539 BC Verses 37, 38.
      The breast and arms of silver represents the empire of Medo-Persia from 539 -333 B.C. Verse 39a
      The belly and thighs of brass represent Greece from 333 – 323 BC Verse 39b.
      The legs and feet of iron with the feet part iron and part clay represented the Roman Empire from 323 BC onward. The visible political western branch of Rome ended in 467 AD. The eastern branch in 1476 AD
      The feet and toes partly of iron (dictatorship) and partly of clay (democracy) represent a revived form of the Roman Empire that will be in existence when Christ returns to establish His kingdom.

   Daniel 7 presents these four empires as wild beasts. . .as beheld by the eyes of God:

      Babylon is presented as a lion with eagle’s wings 7:4
      Medo-Persia is presented as a bear 7:5
      Greece is presented as a leopard with four wings 7:6
     Rome is presented as a diverse beast 7:7
     The 10 horns on the diverse beast represent 10 nations forming a Federation of Nations of the revived Roman Empire.

     The Little Horn (7:8, 9) devouring three existing horns pictures the rapidly rising leader disposing of three kings and taking control of their three kingdoms (7:24). The other seven kings proceed to acknowledge him as the supreme leader of the federation. In addition, this leader will:

  1. Have a mouth boasting great things (7:8, 20)
  2. Wage war with the saints and overpower them (7:21)
  3. Will speak out against the Most High (7:25a) ( He is "anti-Christ" or against Christ.)
  4. Seek to make changes in times and in law. (7:25b)
  5. Have 3 ½ times to do his work (Explained in Revelation as 1260 days –11:2,3 or 42 months 13:5).

     Do we see 10 nations clearly committed to revive the Roman Empire with a Federation of Nations? No. Do we see movement that will make such an event possible? Absolutely.

     Amazingly coincidental, it was 1948, the same year Israel became an independent nation in 2500 years, that unification of Europe began. Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg entered into the Benelux Treaty which became the nucleus for European Economic unity.
     In 1951, the European Coal and Steel Community was formed with West Germany, France, and Italy joining the original three.
     In 1957 Great Britain joined these nations in the Treaty of Rome, setting up:

    1. The European Economic Community
    2. Euratom – to develop peace time uses of atomic energy
    3. Continuation of the coal and steel community.

They bound these three divisions together with: 

    1. An executive council of ministers
    2. And European parliament
    3. A European Court of Justice to which individual nations and their police forces were bound to obey.

     By 1981 there were 10 members and by 1995 there were 15. Economic and political union of recognizable nations had become a reality. In 1993 the European Economic Community (EEC) approved the "Ecu" as its standard money. In January of 1999 all nations of the EEC agreed to enter into full economic unity by having one Central Bank and one common currency.

     In the early 1990’s the EEC tried to intimidate Saddam Hussein to adopt a peaceful policy by the threat of an economic boycott. He laughed at their threat. They would find that it would require the military power of a "Desert Storm" to accomplish this.  This has been repeated in 2003 with Operation: Iraqi Freedom.

"The Prince Who Is To Come" Daniel 9:26

     In many ways the prophecy God gave in Daniel 9:24-27 is one of the most awesome prophecies in all of the word of God.

"Seventy weeks are determined for your people and your holy city. . ."

     This refers to seventy weeks of years equaling 490 years. The Jews used units of seven years (shabua) to measure time instead of decades of ten years as we do in the western world. God’s purpose in these 490 years is to

  1. Provide redemption which was accomplished by Christ’s death on the cross and
  2. Bring about the national restoration of Israel which will be accomplished at the second coming of Christ (9:24)

"Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there shall be seven weeks and sixty two weeks. . ." Verse 25

     Out of four Persian decrees relating to Israel’s return to their land only the fourth decree by Artaxerxes on March 5, 444 BC authorized the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. The seven weeks or 49 years was the period in which Jerusalem was built. To the seven weeks was added a period of 62 weeks making a total of 483 years until Messiah, the Prince (Jesus Christ).

     To Sir Robert Anderson, a retired Scotland Yard Inspector, we owe the debt for his meticulous work in determining the span of these 483 years. Using the Jewish lunar calendar of 360 days to a year and multiplying that times 483 years equaled 173,880 days. Tracing out those 173,880 days results in a closing date of March 30, 33 AD. That was the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a mule and officially presented Himself to Israel as their Messiah.

"After the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;. . ."9:26a In the week following the presentation of Jesus to Israel He was crucified on the cross of Calvary. We must notice that the prophecy says, "After the sixty-two weeks (69 total) Messiah will be cut off." Between the 69th week and the 70th week is the church age, "the mystery which has been hidden from ages and generations; but has now been revealed to His saints" Colossians 1:26. Israel’s time clock will not start again until she signs a seven year peace covenant with the anti-Christ or ("The World’s Coming Emperor.").

". . .And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. . ." (9:26b) The people who destroyed Jerusalem and it’s Temple were the Roman Legions under Titus in 70 AD. This gives positive identification that the prince who is to come will be prince of a revived Roman Empire.

"Then he shall confirm a covenant with the many for one week (seven years). ."
    
(9:27a) Before the ink dries on the signatures of the Roman Prince and Israel’s president, Israel’s clock of seven years will be ticking.

". . .But in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.  And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation which is determined, is poured out on the desolate." (9:27b) Here is positive confirmation that the covenant between the Roman Prince and Israel includes authority for Israel to:

  1. Rebuild their temple
  2. Authenticate their priesthood and
  3. Renew their sacrifices and offerings.

     This verse also reveals that after 3 ½ years the Roman prince will break the covenant; forbid any further offerings and sacrifices and commit an abomination in the Temple that will make it desolate. In His "Olivet Discourse" Jesus confirmed that this event is still future. "Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains." Matthew 24:15, 16.

     Is Israel ripe for a peace covenant that will give them peace, security, and the authorization to renew the practice of their religion under the Mosaic Covenant. Indeed they are. It is headline news in virtually every major newspaper and a topic on television world news. Moreover, it has been a continuing news item in varying degrees of intensity for fifty-two years.

Will the United Nations Produce The Man To Be Emperor Of The World?

     A great deal of the idealism that constructed the United Nations is the same idealism that will ultimately bring abut "The Federated Nations Of Europe" but the United Nations is a paper tiger, bogged down with cumbersome committees. It is more talk than action.

     As surely as the word of God is true there will come a point when ten nations of the former Roman Empire will unite in a political, economic and military federation. Within this framework the coming Emperor of the World will rise.

Copyright © 2002 Thomas E Berry
All Scriptures quoted from NKJV unless otherwise noted

    Copyright © 2008 Truth Helpers Inc.