264    The Bible and the Future of the World 

{7:16} I approached one of the attendants and asked the truth from him 

about all these things. He told me the interpretation of the words, and he 

instructed me: 

{7:17}  These four great beasts are four kingdoms, which will rise from the 

earth. 

{7:18} Yet it is the saints of the Most High God who will receive the 

kingdom, and they will hold the kingdom from this generation, and forever 

and ever.  

{7:19} After this, I wanted to learn diligently about the fourth beast, which 

was very different from all, and exceedingly terrible; his teeth and claws 

were of iron; he devoured and crushed, and the remainder he trampled with 

his feet; 

{7:20} and about the ten horns, which he had on his head, and about the 

other, which had sprung up, before which three horns fell, and about that 

horn which had eyes and a mouth speaking great things, and which was 

more powerful than the rest. 

{7:21} I watched, and behold, that horn made war against the holy ones and 

prevailed over them, 

{7:22} until the Ancient of days came and gave judgment to the holy ones of 

the Supreme One, and the time arrived, and the holy ones obtained the 

kingdom. 

The horn makes war against the holy ones, meaning that the Antichrist 

makes war against faithful Christians. He prevails over them in the sense 

that he defeats them in worldly conflicts, though they continue to persevere 

in the faith. And, when Christ returns, he sets all things right and the faithful 

receive the kingdom of God on earth as well as in Heaven. 

{7:23} And thus he said,  The fourth beast will be the fourth kingdom on 

earth, which will be greater than all the kingdoms, and will devour the 

whole earth, and will trample and crush it. 

{7:24} Moreover, the ten horns of the same kingdom will be ten kings, and 

another will rise up after them, and he will be mightier than the ones before 

him, and he will bring down three kings. 

{7:25} And he will speak words against the Supreme One, and will exhaust 

the holy ones of the Most High, and he will think about what it would take 

to change the times and the laws, and they will be given into his hand until a 

time, and times, and half a time. 

The length of time called  a time, and times, and half a time  is the last half 

of the Antichrist s nearly seven year reign, a time of about three and a half 

years. The laws which the Antichrist thinks about what it would take to