In Daniel’s vision, a little horn speaking great things arises among the ten horns of the fourth beast.
Lesson 7 - Kingdoms in Collision
In Daniel 2, the iron legs, representing the Roman Empire, ended in ten toes, depicting the divisions of Rome. In Daniel 7, the fourth beast has ten horns, depicting the same ten divisions of Rome. Rome was not conquered by a fifth world power. It was divided—overrun by barbarian tribes from the north as it decayed from within from 351 to 476 A.D.
Identifying Characteristics of the Little Horn: Questions 5-13
Since the little horn rose among the ten horns, it must rise in western Europe, out of the pagan Roman Empire.
If the little horn rose among the ten divisions of Rome, it had to rise after Rome was divided, or sometime after 476 A.D.
In the Bible, eyes are a symbol of wisdom or understanding (Ephesians 1:18). This earthly power, rising in the early centuries A.D., had human wisdom or understanding—the eyes of a man, not God.
The divisions of Rome were predominantly political powers. This new power is different, therefore it must not be a political power. It must be a religious power.
This amazing prophecy predicts that a religious-political system would rise out of the old Roman Empire in the early centuries A.D. Based on human wisdom, church councils and man-made decrees, it would attempt to change the very law of God. The Bible predicted that the early church would enter into a period of apostasy.