Seeing this article reminds me that the end-time version of Babylon—Iraq—continues to exist for now, and to exhibit its new democratic government. The lion continues to stand with its changed mind.
US President George W Bush in Anbar Province, Iraq, 2007: The leader of the force that changed the lion’s mind.
Daniel 7:4-5 says there is a first beast, the lion, and then a second beast, the bear. The Bible does not mention anything else between these two.
Some have said that Iraq had ceased to exist in the days that Islamic State (IS) was growing in territory and power. And yet, the seat of government in Iraq, Baghdad, never stopped being the seat of that government. The democracy never ended. The country, though partially occupied, continued to exist. More recently it took back all its territory occupied by IS, and has even started taking back territory from the Kurds who have been getting braver in declaring autonomy. The Iraqi army, no longer preoccupied with IS, can now concentrate on bringing its Kurdish population back into the fold.
And now, various religious and political parties in Iraq are getting ready for the new elections in May of this year. This will be the sixth election held in Iraq. (There were parliamentary elections in Jan 2005, Dec 2005, 2010 and 2014. There was also a governor’s election held in 2009.) As the article states, most parties are putting aside any signs of Islam and concentrating on trying to court votes from the populace. Instead of being victim to a civil war, or a brutal Saddamesque police force, or other forms of beastly coercion, the parties and peoples of Iraq are governing their country like civilized men, for the most part.
Just as each kingdom of the metal statue of Daniel 2 was eliminated by its successor, so too, I believe each end-time kingdom of the beasts will end with its successor. The bear, Iran, will be the force to end the lion and its government.
If this is true, we can take some comfort that as long as Iraq and its democratic government continues to exist, our world will be relatively “normal” for the time being, and we have time to get ready and spread the Signpost message before the coming Second Signpost changes everything. The Iraqi government’s existence as a democracy, though, is also our warning that we have entered the end times.
Categories: In The News, Signpost #1: Iraq
THE FOUR SIGNPOSTS 
Mark – I found your comment ‘…I believe each end time kingdom of the beasts will end with its successor’ interesting, as I didn’t necessarily see anything in Daniel 7 to indicate this. Note that they were all coming out of the sea at the same time in the vision, and the final beast ‘stamped down the remainder/residue with his feet’. This makes me wonder if a remnant of each kingdom will remain but without the full power of before. Iraq for example is no longer as powerful as it once was, so regardless of how long it remains a democracy, the attack by Iran will potentially remain imminent as long as they have significant sway in the ME. I see on DEBKA/JPOST this morning that Danon believes up to 87000 troops in Syria may be under Irans direct control. Considering Alexander the Great had 47000 Macedonian troops at his command (plus hired ‘orientals’), it wouldn’t take much for Iran to quickly create havoc. Other aspects of the DEBKA/JPOST articles were also highly interesting, and worth a read.
Have just finished reading Daniel Revisited. Thank you for writing this book & alerting those of us watching for the Lords return to look a little deeper at Daniel’s visions. I have followed prophecy for over 40 years now & this book has certainly turned on there heads some almost locked in cement ways of interpretting Daniel’s visions. I found the book clearly written but did have to slowly digest some of it. The summary at the end of each chapter certainly helps. God bless, guide & protect you as you continue to keep His people updated on this site.
Question: How does Greece presently fit into what you have written? Wasn’t it divided after Aoexander into four kingdoms? Greece is improvished and economical bankrupt. Is it to rise in these end times and isn’t it true that from one of the four the Antichrist will rise? Please expound on your thinking. Dave
Been looking more at your sight and the next sign post. I think the king of the south is Egypt. Please clarify your thoughts. I am trying to understand prophecy. Thanks.
Heather,
Thank you. It does take time to digest. My prayer is that When Iran invades the Middle East, you are the light for your church and community. God bless.
Dave,
In Daniel Revisited I go into great detail about the identity of the four kingdoms both ancient and modern (in chapter 5). Greece is indeed as you say; and it is not included in the four. I also explain how the four heads of the leopard are not the four horns of the goat – the leopard includes nations existing today – the goat horns are nations that do not exist yet.
Dave,
The king of the south in Daniel 11 is two versions of Egypt – ancient Ptolemaic Egypt, and the Egypt that will exist as one of the four horns of the goat. If you have not read Daniel Revisited I urge you to do so. If you have, I urge you to read it again. Pay special attention to chapters 5 and 11.