There is a phrase in Micah 5.6 that we are going to work in, which is the phrase, “seven shepherds and eight princely men.” In Dan 9.24 we have 70 “sevens” or “weeks” determined to the Jewish people. This will equal 490 years. One of the things that the Messiah will do is “to anoint the most holy” which is the Kodesh ha Kodeshim, or Holy of Holies. Now, let’s look at Dan 12.11-12. In v 11 it says that from the time that the regular sacrificial service is terminated in the Temple and the Abomination of Desolation is set up, there will be 1290 days. Obviously, this is talking about the latter half of the Birth-pains, plus 30 days prior, which would be Adar 10, around the time of Purim. So, the 1290 days goes from Adar 10 to Tishri 10 and Yom Kippur, Yeshua’s coming. Dan 12.12 goes on to say that those that attain to the 1335th day will be blessed. So, if you take the half way point of the Birth-pains,Nisan 10, and go to Tishri 10 and Yom Kippur, you will have 1260 days. Add 75 days to it and you come to 1335 days and Chanukah, and the dedication of the Temple when Yeshua will anoint the Holy of Holies.
In Dan 9.26 we see that the Messiah is “cut off” or killed by the people “of the prince who is to come.” This would be the Romans, and the false messiah will be from “Rome” or Europe in eschatology. Dan 9.27 says that the false messiah confirms a covenant with Israel and will come to their aid if needed. This is a military treaty. Now, with that in mind, let’s get back to the phrase “seven shepherds and eight princely men.”
In Rev 13.1 we see a beast rising out of the “sea.” The sea is defined in Isa 57.20 and Rev 17.15 as the world, unconverted humanity. A Jewish person in the first century would read this verse and think “Leviathan” which was a seven-headed beast that rises out of the sea. He is also a picture of the false messiah (Job 41; Psa 74.13; Isa 27.1 to name a few). You have 7 heads, 10 crowns and 10 horns. In Dan 7.8, 20 and 24 we see that three kings (crowns) are subdued, or seen leaving this 10 crown configuration. This leaves “seven shepherds (another name for a king/crown-Ezek 37.24). When you add the “little horn” (Dan 7.8) or the false messiah, you have “seven shepherds and eight princely men.”
In Rev 12.1-3 we see the dragon with 7 heads, 10 horns and 7 crowns. But, in Rev 13.1 we see a beast with 7 heads, 10 horns and 10 crowns. First of all, Revelation was not written in chronological order. Secondly, we went from 10 crowns to 7 crowns. Let’s go to Dan 7.1-8 and the four beasts rising from the “sea.” We have a lion (Babylon); a bear (Medo-Persia); a leopard (Greece) and a dreadful beast with 10 horns (Rome. In Rev 13.2 we see a beast with 10 horns, 7 heads and 10 crowns. It was like a leopard, a bear, a lion and the fourth beast was a composite of all the others. Horns are symbolic of power. In Dan 7.8 we have 10 horns, if you add the “little horn” you have 11 horns. Three horns are “plucked away” from the 11, leaving 8. In Dan 7.17 we see that the four beasts are four kings. In Dan 7.19 Daniel desired to know about the fourth, dreadful beast.
In Rev 17.1-3 we have a scarlet (tolat sheni) beast with 7 heads, 10 horns and no crowns. A harlot is sitting on top of this beast. In Rev 17.7 we see this beast will be revealed. Rev 7.4 says that “these” will make war with the Lamb. In Dan 7.21 we read that the “little horn” made war with the saints (tzaddikim) and overcame them. In Revelation the kings made war with the saints and overcame them. This means that there will be a period of time where the false messiah will make war with those who came to faith in the birth-pains and will defeating them. But, he will make war with the Lamb and lose. In Dan 7.22, we see the saints taking possession of the Kingdom of God on earth (remember, before Yeshua returns in his second coming, the kingdom is in the heart. After he returns on Yom Kippur of the seventh year, the kingdom will be on earth).
The city of Jerusalem will be given over to the non-Jews for a period of 42 months (Rev 11.1-6). This is the last three and a half years of the birth-pains, or 1260 days. In Rev 13.3-5 it says that he only has authority to act for 42 months and we know that the second coming of Yeshua takes away that authority. So, we can go backwards to see when that 42 month period began, and we come to Nisan 10.
In Rev 13.6 we see this beast blaspheme God, his name and all believers. 2 Thes 2.1-4 says the same thing about this “man of lawlessness” and he declares himself God. So, we know when this 42 month period begins and ends.
His position has changed and what brought this about is Micah 5.6 and that is what we are going for. Seven shepherds and eight princely men are used by God to waste Russia after she is defeated by the Lord alone when they invade Israel (Ezek 39.1-6). We have seen the false messiah with 10 horns, 10 crowns and 7 heads. The Encyclopedia Judaica has an article on “Leviathan” and it gives us a lot of information. He is described as a 7-headed beast that rises from out of the sea and it is a picture of the false messiah. To some this all sounds like a “myth” and should be disregarded, but hold on.
In Judaism, there is a tremendous amount of mythology. There is nothing wrong with these “myths” and here is why. You do have all sorts of mythology like with the Norse, Greek and Roman cultures. But that is not what is going on here. We have a mythology of fables and stories for the purpose of teaching a point, a concept. It was never meant to be “factual” or literal, but to draw out a point being made in the Scriptures. It is like a parable or an Aggadah (story). In Christianity, they go into the Jewish writings and take these myths, parables and aggadot as facts and silly. There is no discernment. Leviathan is a mythological character. When Jews read Rev 13 and they see a 7 headed beast rising out of the sea, they thought Leviathan and a picture of the false messiah (Psa 74.12-14; Isa 27.1; Job 41 and Hab 3.13). Leviathan is being described like Pharaoh in Ezek 29.1-7 and 32.1-8.
In Isa 20.1-6 we see an ancient battle that will reflect a future one. Assyria is fighting Egypt and Pharaoh (Leviathan). Assyria is a type of Russia and Egypt a type of Europe in eschatology. So, Russia is fighting Europe in Isa 20.1-6. Russia must be defeated in the first three and a half years of the birth-pains because the fourth beast out of Rome from our Daniel passages is ruling much of the world for the last three and a half years. Something is going to happen for him to have dominion over Russia. Our time, therefore, is being narrowed down in our passage in Isa 20 because there is a three year period of warfare between the two. Egypt (Europe) is losing to Assyria (Russia).
Now, the treaty that the false messiah signs with Israel starts on Yom Kippur, right after the catching away of the believers and the start of the Day of the Lord on Tishri 1, year 6001 from creation (see timeline above). America is destroyed, the false messiah gains authority and a war between Europe and Russia begins for three years. This will take us up to Yom Kippur, the third year of the birth-pains, 6 months before the mid-point of the birth-pains on Nisan 10. Russia is defeated on Yom Kippur by God and Ezek 38 and 39 is written in the language of Yom Kippur
In Part 6 we will pick up here and begin discussing and developing the concept that Egypt is a picture of Europe and Pharaoh a type of the false messiah.
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