268    The Bible and the Future of the World 

the equator, in Africa) and the East (one of the ten kingdoms, located in the 

East, perhaps based in China). The Strength is the only one of the ten 

kingdoms to have retained a large number of Christians and to tolerate the 

Christian faith. The strength of this kingdom is found in the Christian faith. 

Even so, this kingdom, on the whole, is much like the others: secular, sinful, 

self indulgent, violent, etc. When the Antichrist overcomes this kingdom, he 

eradicates the last governmental supports and protections for faithful 

Christians. 

{8:10} And it was magnified even towards the strength of heaven, and it 

threw down those of the strength and of the stars, and it trampled them. 

{8:11} And it was magnified, even to the leader of the strength, and it took 

away from him the continual sacrifice, and cast down the place of his 

sanctuary. 

{8:12} And the advantage was given to him against the continual sacrifice, 

because of the sins, and truth will be struck down to the ground, and he will 

act, and he will prosper. 

The Antichrist becomes so powerful that he thinks himself to be a god. The 

Antichrist pretends to be the Messiah and tries to convince people to 

worship him instead of God.  The strength of heaven refers to the true 

Catholic Christian Church and those of the strength refers to faithful 

Christians. The Antichrist grows so powerful that he attacks the Church on 

earth and tries to destroy it. 

The leader of the strength is the Pope. He is killed by the followers of the 

Antichrist. The leader of the strength is also Christ himself. The continual 

sacrifice is the Eucharist and the sacrifice of the Mass. The place of his 

sanctuary refers both to the chief Church and to the center of  authority of 

the Catholic Church. (In today s terms, this would be St. Peter s Basilica and 

Vatican City.) The place of his sanctuary is also all of the churches, where 

Mass is celebrated, and the tabernacles, where the Eucharist is kept. The 

Antichrist destroys and/or desecrates these places. 

{8:13} And I heard one of the holy ones speaking, and one saint said to 

another, (I know not to whom he was speaking,)  What is the extent of the 

vision, and the continual sacrifice, and the sin of the desolation, which has 

happened, and of the sanctuary and the strength, which will be trampled?  

{8:14} And he said to him,  From evening until morning, two thousand 

three hundred days, and so the sanctuary will be cleansed.