20. And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
21. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
Nero the descendant of Augustus began the first persecution in A.D. 65.
22. Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
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.
25. And he
in the person of his descendants
shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given unto his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
This formula summarizes that which has gone before. It starts with the Medo-Persian kingdom of Cyrus, established in the year B.C. 558, as typified by the lion in verse four, and reaches over to the year A.D. 39 when the Gentiles were admitted to Messiah’s kingdom as promised in verse 18. For full explanation see Note B.