Final Empires - 3 Beasts

The Winged Lion-Heart

Dan 7:4 - “The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.

Is this Babylon?  Does the progression in Daniel 7 match the progression of the statue in Daniel 2 and the ram and goat in Daniel 8?

It could be argued that the system which began in Babylon and continued into the empires of Medio-Persia, Greece, Rome, has continued into the modern world economic system centered around the Western World.  In some ways, Babylon and its lineage may be considered to be a type of the modern Western-dominated world order.

Could the first beast be symbolic of specifically the Western five eyes nations -- United Kingdom (Tarshish) and its young lions of the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand?

Could "eagles wings" point to the emergence of the State of Israel on the back of the United States and allies?  Is this a reference to two wings of a great eagle given to Israel to flee from the Antichrist during the Tribulation?  (Also see Jer 48 and Jer 49.)

The Unbalanced Bear

Dan 7:5 - “And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’

Some have pointed to a correlation between the image of a bear raised on one side and the disproportionate alliance of the Medes and the Persians.  In fact, this correlation may be intentional, both ethnically and a geographically, pointing to a modern reemergence of something like Medio-Persia.  The Scythians (ancestors of many people groups in modern Russia) and the Persians both descended from the ancient Iranians.  Farsi, spoken in Iran, is an Indo-European language.  Many people in modern Russia and Iran can trace lineage back to common ancestors.

 

Could the second beast be symbolic of the former U.S.S.R., the Russian Federation, also known as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)?  Iran (Persia) is significant in the Magog Invasion of Ezekiel 38 & 39 and is closely coupled geo-politically and militarily with Russia.

A Russian view of the dissolution of the U.S.S.R. provides eye-opening perspectives about Russia's relationship with the emerging global order.

Could the CIS and Iran be the modern reemergence of the ancient Medio-Persian empire?

The Quad Leopard

Dan 7:6 - “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.

Is the leopard with four wings Greece?  Some point to the dissolution of Alexander's empire into four empires as being represented by four wings and that may be appropriate.  It may also simultaneously point to the reemergence of Alexander's empire, following the first two beasts.

The third beast is given dominion, which may indicate a connection to the fourth beast that can be identified with the final Antichrist beast system.  The beasts emerge in sequence, but coexist in parallel, similar to what we see in the modern global order.  Greece, specifically Antiochus Epiphanes, is a type of the final Antichrist, and the Roman empire is the people group from which the Antichrist will arise.  The EU and Europe can be considered a modern form of the Roman empire, and by extension, the ancient Greek empire.

Could the winged leopard be symbolic of Europe and the EU (see this statue that was temporary erected)?  The current EU system is lead by 4 countries and has 4 presidents.

      

The eagle is a consistent symbol throughout Europe, well understood for its connection to the Roman empire.  In addition, several European countries, the obvious being Germany (known for Leopard and Panther tanks) also identify with the Leopard symbol.  The royal name Leopold has origins in the Leopard symbol and coats of arms from several European countries incorporate the Leopard symbol.

Where do China and India fit in?

Two world powers seem to be missing in the final beast lineup.  Where are China and India?  The first thing I'll say is that I really don't know.  This is entirely a work in progress and nothing more than a clumsy attempt to connect some dots between what God has revealed in prophecy and the fog of the world order we see around us.  Beyond that, it's possible China and India are embedded as a subset of one of the beasts.  There are verses that seem to indicate that power centers from the east will be involved in the final Armageddon conflict.

Dan 11:44 But news from the east and the north shall trouble him

Rev 16:12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.

Isa 46:11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man who executes My counsel, from a far country.
Indeed I have spoken it;
I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposed it;
I will also do it.

Are these verses relevant?  I don't know, but you keep digging into Scripture and asking the Holy Spirit to guide you, and I will do the same!