Daniel 7:23 shows that the four "kings" in Daniel 7:17 are four "kingdoms"/empires, which is similar to Revelation 17:10, where the seven "kings" are seven empires, represented by the seven heads of the beast in Revelation 17:3. It is the ten horns of Revelation's beast which represent ten individual-human kings, who "have received no kingdom as yet" (Revelation 17:12), and who will receive power as kings only when the future Antichrist, the individual-man aspect of Revelation's "beast", does (Revelation 17:12b).
Also, just as in Daniel 7:17, the four "kings" were four kingdoms/empires, the Roman empire being the fourth (Daniel 7:23); and just as the two horns in Daniel 8:3 which Alexander the Great broke in Daniel 8:7 were the two kingdoms of the Medes and Persians (the Medo-Persian empire) (Cyrus and Darius had already been dead for about 200 and 150 years, respectively, by the time of Alexander's conquest); and just as the four horns in Daniel 8:8 were four kingdoms (Daniel 8:22); so in Daniel 7:24, the ten horns/"kings" can be ten major kingdoms/nations which exist today, and which arose into prominence from the former territory of the Roman empire. "And another shall rise after them" (Daniel 7:24) can refer to the country of Lebanon, from which the future Antichrist could arise, and bring to prominence on the world stage. The Antichrist could come from Lebanon's modern city of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:4).
The seven heads of Revelation's "beast" in its empire aspect (Revelation 13:1, Revelation 17:3) represent seven empires (Revelation 17:9-10): Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and (possibly) Islam. The first five had fallen by the time of the apostle John in the first century AD: "five are fallen" (Revelation 17:10, Revelation 1:1b-2). The sixth (Rome) existed at the time of John: "one is" (Revelation 17:10). The seventh (possibly Islam) had not come by the time of John: "the other is not yet come" (Revelation 17:10). The empire of the Antichrist (the individual-man aspect of the beast) will be a different, still-future, eighth head (Revelation 17:11), which will be a revival of one of five empires which had fallen by the time of the apostle John (Revelation 17:8,10-11). It will be a revival of the empire of Babylon. The Antichrist will transform the present-day, rebuilt city of Babylon (in Iraq) into the capital of his world empire, only to see his city of Babylon destroyed at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Isaiah 13).
Before the Second Coming, when the world is brought into the conscious and open worship of Lucifer (Satan, the dragon) and the Antichrist, during the future Antichrist's literal 3.5-year worldwide reign (Revelation 13:4-18, Revelation 12:9), the Antichrist will build their main temple in the city of Babylon. For a temple to "wickedness" will be built in Shinar (Babylonia) (Zechariah 5:8,11), and the Antichrist is called "that Wicked" (2 Thessalonians 2:8). Also, the dragon has been the god worshipped in the city of Babylon since ancient times.
The Antichrist may claim to be Nebuchadnezzar returned, and so reinstitute the system which Nebuchadnezzar set up whereby everyone had to worship an image or be killed (Daniel 3, Revelation 13:15). The Antichrist may also claim to be, at the same time, the return of Nimrod (the founder of Babylon: Genesis 10:8-10), and Hammurabi, and Asoka, and other famous rulers of the past. For he may claim that he has had many different "past lives" as various "enlightened" rulers.
Besides building a main temple in Babylon, the Antichrist will also sit (at least one time) in a future, third Jewish temple building in Jerusalem, and declare himself God there (2 Thessalonians 2:4, Daniel 11:36,31, Matthew 24:15, Revelation 11:1-2). The Antichrist could also sit (at least one time) in other religions' holiest shrines, and declare himself to be God there as well. For example, he could also sit in Islam's Kaaba in Mecca, in the Sikhs' Golden Temple in Amritsar, in Catholicism's St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, etc.
I agree with most of what you say. But it is about 4 kings. You can't be a king without a kingdom, but this is about 4 kings that arise out of the arah, the ground of the earth.
*[[Dan 7:12]] KJV* As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
You need to read 2 Esdras 12,13 to see the full development of these first 3 kings. Nebuchadnezzar is definitely the lion. Ezekiel 29-31 shows his role in judgment upon the king of Tyre and the pharaoh of Egypt, IN THE LAST DAYS.
*[[Eze 30:3]] KJV* For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.
*[[Eze 30:10]] KJV* Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon.
*[[Eze 29:18]] KJV* Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it:
*[[Eze 29:19]] KJV* Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.
He will not sit in the temple at Jerusalem. That will be destroyed at the time of the great tribulation. In fact, that temple itself, IS THE ABOMINATION that causes desolation. Shortly after the LORD defends Jerusalem (see Isa 31), and the Assyrian flees to his stronghold to the south, Mecca, (chief prince of Meschech), Jerusalem shall become the city of the great king, Jesus. And nothing unclean or that defiles shall enter her again.
*[[Zec 2:5]] KJV* For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.
As far as sitting in the temple (at Babylon! ), he will indeed sit in that temple showing to himself that he is God:
*[[Eze 44:2]] KJV* Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.
[IT IS FOR THE PRINCE]
*[[2Th 2:4]] KJV* Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
[He is not showing the world, but showing himself that he is God]
*[[Eze 44:3]] KJV* It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.
The "8th" king of Rev 17, is the failed 8th attempt to bring Israel back into idolatry and is culminated when he launches his attack from Tyre, the plains of Megiddo, towards Jerusalem at Armageddon. It will be there that the houses of Judah and Israel will be forever reunited as the kingdom restored to Israel, as per the book of Hosea.
*[[Hos 1:5]] KJV* And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.
*[[Hos 1:10]] KJV* Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
*[[Hos 1:11]] KJV* Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.
Blessings
The PuP
