Scripture does not reveal too much detail, regarding the three kingdoms that will remain on the earth when our Lord returns. Scripture does however; give us more insight into the fourth kingdom described in Daniel’s vision. The reason for that is because it is the fourth kingdom, from which the Anti-Christ will emerge. For the Anti-Christ is the “little horn”, referred to in Daniel’s vision. And we see in the vision that the “little horn” emerges from the fourth beast. If you study scripture, you will see that the fourth beast described in Daniel’s vision, is very similar to the vision of the beast that the apostle John saw in the book of Revelation (Revelation, chapters 13 & 17). And the beast that the apostle John described in his vision is a description of the Anti-Christ and his kingdom. Of the four kingdoms revealed in Daniel’s vision, we see that it is the fourth kingdom that will be destroyed by our Lord Jesus at His coming. For Daniel says that he watched till the beast was slain and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. So, whereas the other three kingdoms will remain on the earth when our Lord returns, the kingdom of the fourth beast will be destroyed. The reason that the fourth kingdom will be destroyed is because this will be the kingdom over which the Anti-Christ will reign. And so, the first key event that we see in scripture that must take place before our Lord returns, is that the fourth kingdom must be made manifest in the earth.
Michael E.B. Maher
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