I cannot help but think of the saying from Sir Walter Scott that reads, “Oh what a tangled web we weave when we practice to deceive”. Yes, the world is most definitely a tangled mess beyond all comprehension.
I sit here this morning feeling quite sad actually. My brother and his wife, both strong believers, who have received both jabs, are taking my 99 year old mother to have her second jab tomorrow. She is also a very strong Christian. It defies all logic to me that they would trust the corrupt Canadian government and the corrupt medical profession instead of putting their faith and trust in God. Oh how I tried to warn them all and I received an argument, a reply that it inferred I am a conspiracy theorist, and a response from my sister in law that I implied we are all being hoaxed.
Happy Canada Day eh. Canada oh Canada no longer strong and free. Canada oh Canada the enemy is deceiving thee. I live in a border town in the US and I look across the closed border and weep for my dear family all Christians and yet many are falling for the lie. Tangled mess. It sure is in my family!
@Janny, please know that we are feeling the same down here. Happy Canada Day, nonetheless. We in the US will feel quite the same…bittersweet. I felt that way last year, already. I’m so sorry about your family, It is just baffling. Fear drives hard.
This map of the Mediterranean Union is also worth considering in relation to comparison to the Old Roman Union map
The Old Roman Empire also included the Muslim countries along the southern shore of the Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Union was initiated by France’s Sarkozy in 2008 and operates on. 5+5 partnership
Mediterranean Union website
In Daniel 7 we are told the 10 kings come from the 4 th beast…the Old Roman Empire
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
After past editions in Rabat, Barcelona, Tunis and Madrid, this year was the 6th edition of a joint initiative that aims to further strengthen links between Central Banks in the Mediterranean by fostering a comprehensive dialogue on the economic and financial situation of the region, mainly from the perspective of the governors of Mediterranean Central Banks. 10 central banks from the Mediterranean region participated, in addition to the European Central Bank, represented by the Governors and high-level officials.
Thank you so much! God bless you.
extremely well said!
Hi Joshua. Thanks for your post. I have thought about the cyborg interpretation too. But there are a few problems in looking at it this way. 1) The sense from the original language is strong totalitarianism with brittle or less organized people. 2) The sense from the original language is clay = commons (or common folk…not royalty or those from high standing.
The other difficulties with interpreting iron as technology is it tends to undermine the symmetric cohesion of the statue. Each metal defined a region of rule. The metals themselves do not indicate by value of the metal a degree of strength in rule (or level of totalitarianism involved). Gold was much more totalitarian than silver and bronze, but Iron was much more totalitarian than the silver and bronze. So the metals value do not suggest levels of tyrannical rule. However, iron did have a definition within the statue prior to the toes. It would appear that even though the metal values do not suggest degrees of oppressive rule, it would match kingdom types. Gold as imperialistic, silver and bronze often associated with useful and helpful, and iron as rugged or heavy and firm. So if we barrow the meaning from the legs of iron the symetry of the statue would imply heavy firm rule with less noble rule. The toughest question would be, “Where in the statue do we get permission to change iron from its previous definition to technology?” Can iron mean different things within the same statue? If it were a different mental not mentioned, it would be perhaps more considerable to make it something else like technology or AI or that which makes man a cyborg.
I believe there would need to be something else to help us understand iron as something different than iron already designed within the statue before. It is always possible that it could have more than one meaning. But the gravity of attention would be on the known and not the unknown. That being the case the historical treatment seems most favorable that we are talking about two different epicenters of rule. One heavy and ruling with an "iron’ rod and one more of the common people. Unless we make clay a definition only of the fragility of the iron rule…like it tries to govern harshly but is brittle all over the place. When we see silver in the statue it makes up two kingdoms. We could say maybe the the arms imply the two. But the metal itself is not divided into two different metals or substance as in the feet and toes. But then Daniel 2 goes onto to define if that clay means only brittle:
40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; just as iron smashes and crushes everything, so, like iron that crushes, it will smash and crush all these things. 41 And in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have within it some of the toughness of iron, since you saw the iron mixed with [al]common clay. 42 And just as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong, and part of it will be fragile. 43 In that you saw the iron mixed with [am]common clay, they will combine with one another [an]in [ao]their descendants; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not combine with pottery.
Verse 41 tells us that what is meant by two different substances is “a divided kingdom.”
Verse 42 tells us that the clay/iron mix uses clay also as fragile
Verse 43 does it tell us a 3rd definition or does it confirm and sum up verse 41 and 42? That is what I believe we would need to ask. And that is where looking at how all manner of varying versions understand the original language help to bring out its meaning. The consensus is that 43 is a summary of 41 and 42 and not a 3rd explanation of what iron/clay mix “also” means (as in: clay and iron also mean that they will not adhere to one another).
The central force of “adhere” would tend reasonably to go with loyalty to one another. If technology is meant we would take this verse to mean that it is a different meaning all together (well enough) but in the congruity of thought, why would that matter? For example, if royalty does not mix with common folk we understand that those two will remain not joined as one force. So in the feet and toes we are shown it is not a one world government as we think of it. A divided kingdom means no one power will rule the entire earth. When AC comes he will demand worship for the world and will in large part receive it. But there will be at that time 2 ruling parties in place that will not become one. And some of the iron will rule heavily in certain areas and not as much in others. But overall there will be two divided kingdoms not one world government.
We may not know more about how AI or technology plays into it. But if we dismiss the plain meanings provided in the text and lean its meaning toward technology to support how the freemasons are going to chip us and rule the planet (not saying you are but this is a notion we see quite a bit of in one form or another), then it can tend to become concern supersized. Like we need to “not be deceived,” and in the anxiousness of that sentiment, we paint the bleakest possible view of that as well as often help scripture to comport with that (while scripture is telling us differently even as we might). And that is a trend i see today.
I am not saying that AI and technology is not a part of globalist rule plans. To some extent it will be. But to what extent are we fascinated with it possibilities in fiction at the expense of the grounded, rooted, and unchangeable nature of the word of God? None of us know hermeneutics absolutely. And we will make misconnections (all of us) until our last day…its just part of being human. i am sure in my presumptions of the first seal…that sort of thing is possibly a massive brick wall in the heart of the Bronx with more graffiti than clearly seen brick. But i try to favor digging out routes in the dirt where the natural current of the flow of God’s word might likely more flow…or at least like a map, create a simulation route that best mirrors how God’s word might most accurately flow–I think this is more the hopeful exercise.
I believe the word is given to us so that we could understand the character of God and know He desires our salvation and that we can know Him like that. God did not have to give us the book of Revelation. But because of His character, He did. Revelation means “reveal.” I believe He shows us prophecy so that we would know by what it means. Some things may take time to be revealed, but its written by God to be known, and I don’t think it will be unknown. For His aim never misses.
As for the 1st seal, there are those that look at it perhaps having been revealed in history a long time ago (Andy Woods has a 14 part series called: Ever Reforming…I believe this is a hugely helpful study upon this question). But when asked about mapping the sequence of the seals opened over time, perhaps there are some answers, but I tried mapping that. There is no such map. The best, as i understand it, is that one can say “It happens in cycles and intensities.” But to look upon history in this way, IMHO, makes it not clear if it is a seal or not. i do not think the 1st seal has occurred. My sense is that when it happens (if we are here), we wont have to ask. Scripture and verse? Maybe John 15:15.
Amen. And well appreciated. The 10 king confederation, how would you view then in the 7 year timeline? For example it is said in verse 12 that they had not yet received a kingdom. At what point in time do you see this as being said? Like, at the beginning of the tribulation (or before) ? Or the middle? I tend to go with the middle because chapter 13 seems to clear fog and see the beast having landed on earth…which according to Rev 12 appears to be sometime between the rapture and her fleeing. I tend to view 12:10-11 to match up with just before the midpoint or perhaps at the time of the trumpet judgements (possibly like trumpet 5). This would mean to me that the 10 kings don’t get a nation until around the midpoint…and for Armageddon give their authority over to Satan for that battle. If that makes sense?
Revelation 17
8 “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and [h]go to destruction. And those who live on the earth, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was, and is not, and will [i]come. 9 Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains upon which the woman sits, 10 and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. 11 The beast which was, and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction. 12 The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. 13 These have one [j]purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast.
I’m with you on the mid point tribulation 10 king confederation. 10 regions of the world governed by 10 kings.
I think that they are going to be governed like provinces or states. Nothing like what we are familiar with now.
Hmmmmm think the writer of “The Hunger Games” had a preview of the agenda or knew something about Prophecy? 
people sure flocked to see that trash, but wouldn’t open a Bible to save their own lives 
King Solomon stated …”there’s nothing new under the sun”
I completely understand. I am the only member of my family who lives in the US. All my family including my 5 precious little grandkids live in Canada. I am grateful life here is temporary and heaven is eternal. For now, I pray, keep my eyes on Jesus and look forward to being with those I love forever.
Interesting that today China said they are “The China Iron Wall”. (this was used as a threat against other nations. It seems we maybe on their target. Russia sure does not think our President is any threat for sure. We are for sure not showing any strength. It seems the move is to marginalize women. Isreal can now grow children outside the womb. NOT GOOD AT ALL. That is half the population of the world. The movement has been that nobody needs a mother since 1950 when it became popular for woman could go to work and the family would be fine. Well wee know the results of that movement. Distruction of the family then workers, credit dept, freedoms, nations coming war.
Saw this, surprised still up on U tube… heart breaking
Yes. And very good. I am saddened here because i have never heard EVER a sermon or teaching on Dan 2:41-43 and Dan 7:23-24. And that is so depressingly sad that by 2021 no one would think to tackle combing those two? lol. Wow. I’m actually kind of angry. 
I appreciate you bringing this up.
I see the beast comes like lion, bear, and leopard. Out of that comes the 10 confederation. Out of that comes supernatural AC. We had been thinking we would see 10 nations and AC as the man of prediction come out of them. We were so WRONG. The 10 nations come after or from the the lion, bear, leopard combo plate. So the start of the AC system likely starts sometime during the tribulation. I do not think the little horn is the same timing as the man of perdition. I believe the man of perdition makes (perhaps even through committee) a deal with Israel and that guy later comes out of the 10 confederates conquering and the reemerging as the 8th king kind of thing.
As to the beast being different i believe this speaks to global reach and it being different for this reason and its brutal nature but globally. That is what I get from that. Not necessarily technology. But global and harshness. Here is where you have stumped me though…
How is it that on one hand we have a divided kingdom with common folk and an iron hammer crushing the world on the other? Like how can those two co-exist. It makes not sense. I want my money back.
On the real…perhaps the clay is indicative of the shared spread of the 10? Yet each holding their own and not merging or blending with the other? Not sure what to make of that. But honestly Joshua I understand you focus on technology. I wrote my thesis grad project on something like that. We are in the 5th revolution, AI/Automation. No doubt. Within 20 years the world will have to rethink how to work because automation will take huge job sectors. That is what the left should have ran on. Excellent argument for socialism…but its real…so instead they went with climate change. I doubt we will be here in 20 years. But even through their lie, I would say having 11 years left as AOC says, yeah…that sounds about right to me. Although she is no prophet. But God might have mercy even on deceivers and those being deceived. But I don’t get the sense from those verses “technology.” I get the sense of brutal global conquer.
I would like to send @Jimbo an invite to this in case he might. I know he is looking into the where the AC might be coming from. But sometimes too it helps to brainstorm together starting with where things end up and work our way backward. I am not sure we can know much this side of the tribulation. Like all the really hot indicators of the 10 nations, the lion, bear, and leopard, and the activity surrounding all of that will likely only be understood by those who are here to see it slowly emerge (although not all that slowly). Joshua, is there anything in the text you provided that indicate the uniqueness meant by “different than the other kingdoms” other than “seed” that might point to something that does not mean brutal global takeover? Also, how is it that there is clay and there is iron called “divided kingdom” or “two kingdoms?” What can be meant by that? Blessings.
I think I am starting to get a clearer idea of what you are saying. Let me get stuff in order in my head first before I reply. I read Ephisians last night so my mind is still on that. It might be a while before I dive back into Revelation. I have a few books to go before I get there again.
Pokemon GO was insane. Never liked Pokemon anyway. I am too old for that anyway. 
Too old for this rubbish too. It doesn’t interest me anyway. Not saying that your information is not pertinent or important. This is just something that wouldn’t interest personally.
Like those google glasses things. They advertised them a few years ago and you would have virtual advertising wherever you went. Who in their right mind wants to see virtual adverts wherever you go ?
Talking about programming and social experiments.
NATO is starting to bait the bear…
