The Phrase "the War on the Saints": A Daniel 2,7, and Revelation Overview

       The Phrase the War on the Saints: Daniel 2,7, and Revelation Overview

This blog will attempt to make sense of the “phrase to make war on the saints” and how it is used in a figurative manner. In addition, we will examine the Beasts in Daniel 2,7, and Revelation. Yes, it is true that Titus did not kill any Christians between 66-70AD. Also, it is true that Nero was dead by 68-69AD, yet scripture has the persecutions occurring to the very end (70AD). This is problematic with the timing issues of Revelation. Nevertheless, I believe a figurative interpretation of this phrase helps the text flow more smoothly.

Daniel 2:41-43 English Standard Version 41 And as you saw the FEET and TOES , partly of potter's CLAY and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in MARRIAGE but THEY WILL NOT HOLD TOGETHER, just as iron does not mix with clay.

Daniel 7:21 English Standard Version 21 As I looked, THIS HORN made war with the saints and prevailed over them.

NOTE: Daniel 2 has the iron represented as the Romans and the clay being represented by the Jews (Isaiah 64:8). Notice that there are (ten) clay toes. There is no detailed description of the ten toes in Daniel 2:41-43. Nothing in Daniel 7 is mentioned about the clay toes.  Nevertheless, I still believed they are spiritually connected to the Beast as described in Revelation. 

Daniel 7:20-25 has the 11th Horn making war on the saints while in Revelation it is simply the Beast making war. Most of the time OT Prophecies and NT Fulfillment do not line up as neatly as we hope. There are slight variations on how these symbols are expressed in the NT.  Daniel 7’s Ten Horn Kings on the HEAD are represented as 7 Heads in Revelation 17. 

In Revelation 17, we see a different Ten Horn Kings. I proposed these are the Daniel 2 Ten clay toes on the FEET expressed in a different manner here. They are 10 Jewish Governors who took control of Jerusalem in 66AD.

The 10 Jewish Governors shared the SAME destructive mindset  as the Romans in Rev 17:12-13. In contrast, the Beast of the Sea in Revelation 13:11-18 focuses primarily on deception. My reasoning for this is that the theme of Revelation 17 is focusing on destruction  (not so much deception-the Beast of the Land-The False Prophet).  God made two enemies inadvertently worked together to destroy the Whore of Babylon-The Old Covenant Temple system.

Breakdown of Imagery

DANIEL 2-FOURTH BEAST: Iron mixed with (10) Clay Toes on the FEET- Babylon is the Head in this vision-explicitly stated.

DANIEL 7-FOURTH BEAST: 10 Horns (Kings) on the HEAD with an 11th horn. 3 Horns being defeated.

NOTE: Rome is the Head in this vision-implicitly assumed.

REV 11- BEAST FROM THE ABYSS kills the Two Witnesses. The only passage in Rev where the Beast actually kills directly. 

REV 12- DRAGON-7 HEADS, 10 HORNS, 7 CROWNS: Roman Emperors in active authority. 10 Jewish Governors are inactive.

REV 13- BEAST FROM SEA (7 HEADS, 10 HORNS, 7 CROWNS) and BEAST FROM THE LAND (TWO HORNS): Jewish Governors in active authority

REV 17- BEAST FROM THE ABYSS-7 HEADS, 10 HORNS, 10 CROWNS: Jewish Governors are crowned in verse 12.

Revelation 9:7 English Standard Version 7 In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces

NOTE: This is a figurative explanation on how the demonic hordes gather the Roman soldiers to Jerusalem. They had a destructive mindset.

Revelation 11:7 English Standard Version 7 And when they have finished their testimony, THE BEAST that rises FROM THE BOTTOMLESS PIT will make war on them and conquer them and KILL them,

NOTE:  This is the FIRST TIME that the Beast actually KILLS in Revelation. In the other passages, It only makes war and conquers, no killing whatsoever. This is problematic because Titus did not kill any Christians between 66-70AD. It is believed Nero started killing Christians between 64AD-68AD. In contrast, Foxe’s “Book of the Martyrs” says Nero started killing between 66AD-68AD. Below, I will provide a solution to this issue.

Revelation 12:17 English Standard Version 17 Then THE DRAGON became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

NOTE:  Notice, Satan, the Dragon is making war. Satan is a spirit and not a literal dragon (at least not in this context). No one in the 1st century is reporting any dragon sightings. This is a figurative explanation on how Satan is bring oppression, persecution, false teaching, etc. He is not directly acting the saints himself. Likewise, in Revelation 12:4, Satan used corrupt angelic beings to tempt Herod and his soldiers into killing Christ and the babies of Jerusalem.

Revelation 13:7 English Standard Version 7 Also IT (BEAST OF THE LAND) was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation.

NOTE:  The Beast of the Land (the Roman Empire) was borrowing their authority from Satan in 13:4. In 13:12, The Beast of the Sea aka the False Prophet (The Sanhedrin) - EXERCISED the authority of The Beast of the Land IN ITS PRESENCE. The Sanhedrin showed a shallow obedience to Rome in order to get what they want. In 13:15, the False Prophet pressured the people into worshipping the IMAGE OF THE BEAST, (The Temple) not the Beast of the Land itself. Another interesting note is that the IMAGE OF THE BEAST caused the saints to be KILLED like in Revelation 11:7.  Chapter 13:6 reveals that God’s true dwelling is the Heavenly Temple with His angels. Not the earthly Temple; it is not His house (Matthew 23:38).  Because Revelation interprets Revelation, I believe it is logical to conclude that whenever the Beast “kills” the Temple is “killing” the saints on its behalf (Revelation 11), it is a figurative description of how the Old Covenant Temple was used to oppress and kill the saints. This is consistent on how Satan functions in Revelation 12.

Revelation 16:14 English Standard Version 14 For they (FROGS) are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty

NOTE: This is a figurative explanation on how the demonic hordes gather the Romans and the Jewish Governors to war.

Revelation 17:14 English Standard Version 14 They (TEN KINGS) will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

NOTE: This is a figurative explanation on how the Jewish Governors will make war on the saints by threats, murder, and social pressure to commit to false teaching/the Law and the Temple.  We do not see Jesus literally coming down from Heaven to physically fight the Jews.

 

Revelation 19:19 English Standard Version 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army.

NOTE: This is a figurative explanation on how the Romans and the Jewish Governors were gathered to fight Christ, yet in reality fought themselves. A similar situation can be found in 1 Chronicles 20. This where the enemies ended up fighting each other.