Question:

I have a question concerning the little horn of the fourth beast in Daniel 7:24. While you claim that the little horn was Domitian, http://www.end-times-prophecy.org/who-is-the-bible-antichrist-today.html claims it represents the Catholic Church. Would you have any thoughts on this claim?

Answer:

I believe that those who claim that the eleventh horn in Daniel 7 is the Roman Catholic Church are guilty of eisegesis.  In other words, they are reading their theory into the Bible rather than simply interpreting the Bible.  There is nothing in Daniel 7 which would lead one to believe that it is the Catholic Church unless one is looking to find the Catholic Church in Daniel.

Let me look at the passage and explain why I interpret it as I do.  Whether my interpretation is the correct one is probably debatable, but if we look at the passage we can prove 100% that it is not about the Catholic Church.  The reason we can say this is that the angel told Daniel the interpretation of the vision.

Here we go: The fourth beast is a forth kingdom that will appear on the earth. It will be different from  all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom.  After them, another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak agains the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws.

The four beasts (lion, bear, leopard, terrible beast) are Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome.  Rome definitely fits the description of the terrible beast.  Also, it is the fourth of the kingdoms in Daniel 2.

Therefore, the horns are kings of Rome, as is the eleventh horn.  The Roman Catholic Church was not a king.  It was not the eleventh of anything that I know of.  The Catholic Church did not subdue three kings.  None of this fits the Catholic Church.  Certainly this vision has nothing to do with Rome.

You have read my book, apparently, or an article I wrote.  Just in case, here is how to get my book Daniel, Prophet to the Nations (www.ipibooks.com)  I believe it is almost 100% sure that the eleventh horn is Domitian because he was the eleventh emperor of Rome, he persecuted the saints, he changed the name of the Roman months and he canceled the Roman law.  All of this fits Domitian perfectly.

But, even if I am wrong, I can say for sure that anyone who claims the eleventh horn in Daniel is the Roman Catholic Church is certainly wrong.  Again, this is a premillenialist trying to read their doctrine into Daniel, not finding it there.

John Oakes