IS IT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?
GUIDELINES FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF PROPHETIC SYMBOLS
Daniel and Revelation contain many symbols such as beasts, heads, horns, wings, ribs, mountain(s) and waters which need to be interpreted correctly. Many Christians arrive at false conclusions in their interpretation of the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation because they fail to allow the Bible to interpret the symbols. We, therefore, need to revisit these principles before proceeding to what or who is the Glorious Land?
1. LINE UPON LINE
We must make the Bible its own expositor.
We must allow Scripture to explain the symbol & advance our own version.
We must compare Scripture with Scripture. Isaiah 28:9-13
2 Pet 1:20 "...no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.”
1 Cor 2:13 “...comparing spiritual things with spiritual”
Isaiah 28:9,10 “Line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.”
Isaiah 8:20 “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them”
FOLLOWING SYMBOLS USED TO DESCRIBE KINGDOMS IN PROPHECY
“King” used interchangeably with "Kingdom" - Daniel 2:37-38
“Mountain” symbolic of a "kingdom' - Daniel 2:35, Revelation 17:9
“Beasts” used interchangeably with “Kings”- Daniel 7:17
“Beasts” also said to be "Kingdoms" - Daniel 7:23
“Horns” represent Kings / Kingdoms - Daniel 8:20-22
“Heads” symbolic of kingdoms - Daniel 7:6, Daniel 2:38
“Waters” symbolic of kingdoms - Revelation 17:15
“Great City” used interchangeably with "kingdom" - Revelation 14:8, 16:19
“Ribs” in Bear's mouth = kingdoms the Ram conquered - Dan 7:7, Dan 8:4
2. THE LITERAL & LOCAL TYPIFIES THE GLOBAL & SPIRITUAL IN OUR DAY
This is a very important principle - in prophecy, the Literal, local kingdoms in the Old Testament typify the global & spiritual in our day. The names remain the same but that which they refer to takes on a symbolic meaning when the Kingdom of Rome transitions to Papal Rome. This is where the transition in meaning occurs. The three angels messages of Revelation 14 and that of Revelation 18 include the cry that Babylon is fallen and to "come out of her my people". The Babylon of Revelation does not refer to the literal Babylon of King Nebuchadnezzar's day in Daniel chapter 2 but to spiritual Babylon - see later.
LITERAL LOCAL Babylon => Spiritual Babylon (false religion world-wide).
LITERAL LOCAL Israel => Spiritual Israel (the Christian church)
LITERAL LOCAL sanctuary => Heavenly Sanctuary - for all mankind.
LITERAL LOCAL Jezebel => Spiritual Jezebel of Revelation.
LITERAL LOCAL River Euphrates => Spiritual Euphrates of Revelation.
LITERAL LOCAL 7 Churches => Spiritual 7 churches of Revelation.
3. REPEAT & ENLARGE
Important to recognise that the prohecy of Daniel 2 is repeated and enlarged upon in Daniel 7, 8, and 11. However, one must stay within the construct of the Daniel 2 image as far as the number of wordly kingdoms go.
Daniel follows the repeat & enlarge principle in the prophecies.
The last earthly power in Daniel 2, 7, 8 is Rome.
The last earthly power described in Daniel 11 must, therefore, be Rome.
“Does the eleventh chapter of the prophecy of Daniel cover the ground measured by chapters two, seven, and eight? If so, then the last power in that chapter is Rome." James White, Signs of the Times, July 22, 1880; Also R&H, Nov. 29, 1877.
4. DANIEL 11 - ALL LITERAL, ALL SYMBOLIC OR BOTH?
Daniel 11 focuses on the kings of the North & South.
There is no Biblical rule for a chapter to be all symbolic or all literal.
Chapter breaks were not given by God.
God did not define where the chapter ends. These were added by man.
When comparing Scripture with Scripture points to the last part of the chapter being symbolic, this over-rides all human rules of interpretation.
Interpretations requiring the end of the chapter to be known are private interpretations.
5. THE DANIEL 2 IMAGE - 4 MAJOR KINGDOMS OF BIBLE PROPHECY
The Daniel 2 image commences with literal Babylon, the head of Gold.
Daniel 2 ends with spiritual Babylon at the feet of iron & clay
Daniel chapters 5 & 8 fill in the rest of the image's kingdoms.
Babylon => Medo-Persia => Grecia => Rome => Papal Rome.
Daniel 2 has the image of a man
Daniel 7 has the eyes of a man and the mouth of a man
Daniel 11 has the MEN ruling in those kingdoms commencing with Persia.
Daniel 11 is a further detailed explanation of Daniel 8.
Daniel 8 ends with the little horn - Papal Rome.
Hence Daniel 11 must end with the last MAN of the Image - Papal Rome
Papal Rome is therefore the King of the North of Daniel 11:30-45.
There is no Turkey in all this [no pun intended].
WHAT OR WHO IS "THE GLORIOUS LAND" of DANIEL 8 & 11
Daniel 8: 9 "And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land."
Daniel 11:16 "But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed."
Daniel 11:41 "He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon."
In order to identify what the Glorious land is, we need to inquire as to the power which:
THE VISION OF DANIEL 8
"And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land."
The Vision itself takes in verses 1 to 15
The Explanation of the Vision is given in verses 15-27
THE VISION
The Ram - vs 3 & 4
The He-Goat - vs 5-8
The Little Horn - v 9
The 2300 days - v 14
THE EXPLANATION OF THE VISION
The Ram are the kings of Media and Persia - v 20
The Rough Goat is the King of Grecia - v 21
*The Little Horn is the King of fierce countenance - Rome - v 23
The 2300 days is not explained here - vs 26 & 27
*Moses spoke of this power in Deuteronomy 28:49,50
The Little Horn arose in the latter time of the Grecian power's four horns - v 23.
The Little horn or King of fierce countenance understood dark sentences - it spoke a different language (Latin) to the Jews. The Jews understood Greek but not Latin - v 23 cf Deut 28:49,50
It was a mighty power - exceeding great - v 24, 9, Daniel 7:25.
The Little Horn (pagan & papal Rome) destroyed God's people - v 10, Dan 7:25
The Little Horn prospered and practised - v 24
The Little Horn destroyed God's people - v 24
The Little Horn stood up (crucified) against the Prince of Princes (Jesus) - v 25
The Little Horn will be broken without hand - v 25, cf Dan 2, 7 and 11:45
The Little Horn of Daniel 8 is both Imeprial Rome and Papal Rome
Following the transition from Pagan Rome to Papal Rome, the *Little horn of Daniel 8 is the same power as the Little horn of Daniel 7
*NO horn ever arose from ANOTHER horn. Hence, Antiochus Epiphanes cannot be the Little Horn of Daniel 8. There are other reasons as well but this should suffice. Horns always arise from the head of a beast and not from another horn. The He-Goat only had 5 horns, not 6 - Daniel 7:7,20, Daniel 8:3,5-8
Hence Daniel 8 tells us Rome waxed great toward the Pleasant Land which is the Land of Israel, i.e. Rome conquered Israel.
THE PROPHECY OF DANIEL 11:16
Daniel 11:16 "But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed."
Here is verse 16, we find the same power in Daniel 8, Rome, attacking the king of the North and consuming or conquering the Glorious land (Literal Israel).
Jesus was born in the time of Rome.
Jesus was crucified in the time of Rome
Jesus was resurrected in the time of Rome.
Jesus ascended to heaven in the time of Rome.
Jesus will return the second time in the time of "Rome", Papal Rome.
Daniel 11:16 "But he (Rome) that cometh against him (the King of the North) shall do according to his (Rome's) own will, and none shall stand before him: (Rome is "exceeding great" and has total power conquering the the King of the North) and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed. (Rome conquers the glorious land of literal Israel)"
The Glorious Land in Daniel 8 and here in Daniel 11:16 was LITERAL Israel.
THE PROPHECY OF DANIEL 11:41
Daniel 11:41 "He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon."
At the beginning of Daniel 11, the Glorious land was LITERAL Israel
Imperial Rome conquered the Grecian King of the North in Daniel 11:16
Hence Rome becomes the new literal King of the North here in verse 16
In keeping with the prophecy and years of battles between the kings of the North & South, Rome finally ends the last vestige of the Grecian Kingdom by conquering the King of the South (Egypt) in verse 25 - Battle of Actium in 31BC
Literal Israel was conquered and governed by Imperial Rome in Daniel 11:16.
Imperial Rome transitioned to Papal Rome in Daniel 11:30,31
With the transition, Papal Rome acquires the title, King of the North.
With the transition, everything beyond this takes on a new meaning.
LITERAL ISRAEL, the Glorious land now transitions to SPIRITUAL ISRAEL
Hence SPIRITUAL ISRAEL, the true Christian church is the Glorious land in verse 41
UNPACKING DANIEL 11:41
Daniel 11:41 "He (Papal Rome) shall enter also into the glorious land, (the church via her false doctrines) and many (many in the church will be overcome by Papal Rome's false doctrines. The word "countries" is a supplied word and not in the text) countries shall be overthrown: (they are overthrown by Rome's false teachings, the wine of Babylon) but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon." (God's people symbolised by Edom, Moab and chief of the children of Ammon escape out of the hand of Papal Rome by heeding the three angels' messages of Revelation 14 and 18 and the call to come out of Babylon)
SUMMARY
The Glorious land or "Pleasant" in Daniel 8:9 is LITERAL Israel
The Glorious land in Daniel 11:16 is LITERAL Israel.
The Glorious land in Daniel 11:41 is SPIRITUAL Israel
Literal Israel has transitioned to Spiritual Israel, the church.
The King of the North, Papal Rome will enter the Church
Papal Rome will do this through her various false doctrines.
Many in the Glorious land, Spiritual Israel, will be overthrown.
Allowing Scripture to interpret itself, we find the Glorious land is the true Christian church or SPIRITUAL ISRAEL and not America.
May God bless you as you study into these things for the time is at hand.
Elias
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