The Future Roman Empire

By John C. Whitcomb, Th.D
Whitcomb Ministries, Inc., Orange Park, Florida

The Old Testament prophets saw six great empires which, under the control of Satan, oppressed God's chosen people, Israel. Two of thee empires preceded the time of Daniel: Egypt and Assyria; see Isaiah 10.14; 27.13 and 52.4.

In his visions, Daniel saw four additional oppressive empires. In Daniel 8, the second and third of these empires are identified as Medo-Persia and the Greek Empire established under Alexander the Great. Since Daniel identifies the first empire as Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonia in Daniel 2.38, there can be no doubt the fourth empire is Rome. Daniel could have known this only by supernatural revelation because Rome's conquest of Jerusalem in 63 B.C. occurred long after the time of Daniel's prophecy.

The New Testament book of Revelation, however, adds two more oppressive empires for a total of eight. The apostle John, writing about 80 A.D., saw the beast with seven heads: Revelation 12.3; 13.1 and 17.3,9. These heads or mountains or empires are represented as seven successive kings: Revelation 17.10; five of whom in John's day had already fallen. These would be Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Medo-Persia and Greece. The interpreting angel then explained one empire remains: Revelation 17.10. This would be number six, namely the great Roman Empire of New Testament times.

Significantly, however, the seventh and last of these kings "is not yet come; and when he comes, he must continue a short space," Revelation 17.10. This will be the revived Roman Empire, the final phase of the great image of Daniel 2, the ten toes, and the beast in Daniel 7, the ten horns and the eleventh little horn who will arise "among them," Daniel 7.8.

Revelation 17.8 says this beast with seven heads suddenly is not, see Revelation 17.11. Then the beast reappears as an eighth empire, though it is actually of the seven. Evidently, the angel assumes John remembered the beast-king will somehow be killed in the midst of his demonic career, descend into the bottomless pit, ascend out of the pit: Revelation 11.7; and return to mortal life: Revelation 13.3,12,14; to begin his global dominion of 42 months. This kingdom of the beast is the last and greatest oppressor of Israel.

Daniel foresaw the beginning of this 42-month dominion in Daniel 7.25 (note the contrast with the first phase of the career of "the little horn" in 7.24), and also in Daniel 9.27 (after the breaking of the seven-year covenant), and in Daniel 11.36-39 (the world-wide dominion of the king who will do "according to his [own] will"). The Lord Jesus described this latter part of the seven-year Tribulation period as the great tribulation: Matthew 24.21,29; which would follow the setting up of the abomination of desolation: Matthew 24.15; "spoken of by Daniel the prophet," Daniel 9.27 and 12.11.

I believe the explanation for the first death of the final beast-king by the wound of a sword, Revelation 13.14, is in Daniel. As the king of the north sweeps through the glorious land, Daniel 11.41, on his way to northeast Africa, he apparently kills the beast. Then the Lord destroys the king of the north with fire from Heaven, Ezekiel 38.22, as he attempts to kill the beast that has risen from death to mortal life, Daniel 11.45. This leaves the beast-king as the eighth and final oppressor of Israel, with no further threats to come from earthly kingdoms: Revelation 13.4,13

From Tim LaHaye Prophecy Study Bible - King James Version
Published by AMG Publishers, 2000. Used with permission.