from Rachel: Other Names for the Little Horn

How does verse 24 explain the uprooting of the other three horns in verse 8?

“The little horn is a new king who will arise and subdue three of the ten existing kings.”

Sketch One: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10. Title: Man of “Lawlessness”
Additional information: (Always document Scripture locations)

“Before the Day of the Lord (Christ’s return) the rebellion will occur and the man of lawlessness will be revealed (he will be doomed to destruction)(3)  He will proclaim himself God and not allow for any other (4)  He is being held back until the proper time (7) Jesus will destroy him eventually (8) But before that, Satan will give him the power to work counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders (9) Many will perish by following his evil deceit instead of loving the truth and being saved (10)”

Sketch 2: Revelation 13:1-8. Title (v. 1): “The Beast out of the Sea”

Before you compile the additional facts, please identify the ‘dragon’ that ‘gave the beast his power.’ Who is the dragon according to Revelation 12:9?

“that ancient serpent, the devil, Satan”

Now, proceed with the additional information Revelation 13:1-8 gives you concerning the one many identify with Daniel 7’s ‘little horn.’

“Out of the sea came a beast with seven heads and ten horns and a crown on each horn and a blasphemous name on each head. (1) The beast looked like a leopard with bear’s feet and a lion’s mouth, and Satan gave him power, throne, and great authority. (2) One head had had a fatal wound that healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast (3) Men worshipped the dragon and the beast and asked ‘Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?’ (4)  He uttered proud words and blasphemies and was allowed authority for 42 months (5) He blasphemed God, (etc.) (6) He was given power to make war against the saints and conquer them, and authority over every people, nation, etc. (7) Everyone worshiped him except [the saints,] (those in the book of life) (8)” 

Based on our studies in day 1, what does each of these animals represent in Daniel 7?

Lion: “Babylon”
Bear: “Medo-Persia”
Leopard: “Greece”

Sketch 3: 1 John 2:18. Title: The “antichrist”
 Additional information:

“I think John is saying that as the end times approach, just before the actual antichrist appears in the public eye, many other antichrist-like people will rise to power and cause people to wonder if he has arrived.”

Remember, Satan doesn’t know when Christ’s Kingdom will come. He is left to read the signs of the times and connecting Bible prophecies just as we are. I believe Satan has to have potential candidates ready in every generation so that when the time comes, he can inhabit and use his prime choice. “☆☆☆ WOW! I never thought of that.”

What did you learn new about this figure in today’s lesson?

“Satan right now has no idea who the Antichrist will be.”

Dearest Rachel –

You’d written down quite a bit on this particular section of homework; more than the lines as provided could contain. On the other hand, most of it simply stuck to the text in question; you just went into more detail than what appears the original author expected her students to give. Which is all very well and good, but it doesn’t give a whole lot of insight into your own thought processes at the time. In fact, the one observation you make in your own voice is about something you claim you didn’t know – the fact that Satan is essentially just as clueless as any of us as humans to who the antichrist is (or, more accurately, will be).

I don’t think this is really something you “never thought of”; this is more a matter of not putting the pieces you were already aware of together. We both know (knew, I guess) about the ‘omni’ nature of God – that He is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present, all-benevolent. The fact that this has to be said about Him suggests that He specifically and uniquely has these qualities. Ergo, no one else does, including His sworn enemy, Satan. With that being said, it’s only reasonable to assume that, in any given generation, Satan has no idea if this is the last one (even Jesus admitted He didn’t know as much; how much less would the Father reveal His plan to His enemy?), and therefore, has to plan for such a contingency in each and every succeeding generation as is arrives. Again, it’s something that makes sense when one thinks about it, but it feels like such a distant concept compared to our day-to-day lives that we seldom do think about it.

Of course, with that having been said, leave it to me to bring a dark cloud to attach to that silver lining; it’s disheartening, even frightening, that in every generation, he has no shortage of candidates vying for the position. You used to joke about how your beloved Doctor Who series could be summed up by that one Tears for Fears song – well, the title, at least; I don’t know that we ever bothered to pay attention to the lyrics all that much:

…but let’s face it, this is real life, too. Far too many people are willing to sell their souls for a shot at ruling the world (a desire that I can’t grasp for the life of me, but you already know that well), despite the fact that, no matter how long they spend at the apex, it’s not permanent. Just like Nebuchadnezzar’s statue, every king and kingdom (and yes, I know that what we have currently isn’t a kingdom, but even democracies have leaders) will be superseded one day; are those few years at the top worth eternal damnation?

Then again, too many people are sliding toward perdition by sheer force of moral inertia. As long as one is headed to “where God is not” anyway, one might as well take advantage of whatever perquisites one’s sinful state affords while one can, eh? Again, it doesn’t seem worthwhile to me, but people are given the option to choose, and as a result, Satan has no end of choices for the position of the little horn.

And that’s the other thing that astonishes me about such people; anyone who strikes a Faustian bargain for ‘ultimate’ power is still beholden to the one who granted that power to him. They are only the ‘horn’ on the ‘beast,’ and not the beast itself. In essence, you didn’t even get the power you bargained for, because you still (supposedly) answer to Satan as the one who bestowed that power; are you really “ruling” the world when you still have a boss?

But I’m wandering far afield from the topic by now; I think I’ll have to leave this be for now. As always, keep an eye on me, honey, and wish me luck. I’m going to need it.