An understanding of the prophecy of Daniel 8 and particularly the explanation given by the angel Gabriel about the last end of the indignation is crucial as those who understand will be prepared for the arrival of the 'king of fierce countenance'.
Daniel 8:19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.
According to the introduction and overview given by Gabriel to Daniel he is going to describe and reference what will take place just before the END. By the time Gabriel finishes his explanation we are going to pinpoint events leading up to and what will take place at the "last end of the indignation".
Let's go to the end of Gabriel's explanation and find out what takes place:
Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand
The 'he' referred to in the final section of Gabriel's explanation is going to stand up against the 'prince of princes' and will be 'broken without hand'.
This 'he' has been referred to as the 'King of Fierce Countenance' previously:
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
At the very end of time this king is present and actively resisting or standing up against Christ and will be broken without hand. Christ's coming is represented by the rock in Daniel 2 which is cut out without hands and smites the feet of the image. All worldly nations are destroyed and at this time the powerful hold the 'King of Fierce Countenance' has over those nations is without a doubt ‘broken without hand’.
Who is this 'King of Fierce Countenance' that will stand up at the latter time of the kingdoms of the North and South? (See Daniel 11)?
Some Seventh Day Adventists place this 'king' not at the 'latter time' in the last end of the indignation but rather identify this king as the nation of imperial Rome at the time of Christ. Rome stands up against Christ when she crucifies him.
The question must be asked - did the crucifixion of Christ take place in the last end of the indignation? Some really serious questions need to be answered. The most obvious one is - What is the indignation that represents the final or last indignation?
Isaiah 26:20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Isaiah refers to the indignation that God has at the time just prior to the 'rock' - Christ comes.
In Revelation a very detailed description is given in chapter 15 and 16 of the seven last plagues or vials of God's wrath or indignation that will be poured out just before Christ returns to rescue his people from the earth:
Revelation 15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
Evidence of God's wrath or indignation in the time of the end reaches its crescendo when the outpouring of the plagues takes place.
What will take place at the latter end of the indignation according to Gabriel?
Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand
Nearing the end of the seven plagues the 'King of Fierce Countenance' will stand up against Christ and will rally the kingdoms of this world to stand with him. But the 'King of Fierce Countenance' will be 'broken without hand'. His control over the kingdoms of the world will come to an end because those kingdoms are shattered into pieces by the 'rock' or Christ when he comes in glory the second time:
Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Broken without hand is an expression used to denote that the downfall of this king will not be due to the machinations of worldly enemies but due to a determination made in heaven by God himself - the ruler of all. Other SDA interpreters label the little horn in Daniel 8 as the King of the North or the King of Fierce Countenance - they are one and the same. The little horn or the Papacy according to their interpretation is therefore 'broken without hand'. Can this be true? What does scripture say about the downfall of the Papacy at the time of the end?
Revelation 17 describes the fate of the 'woman' clothed in scarlet or the Papacy:
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth
This woman or corrupt church earlier in the same chapter was described thus:
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: note
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
We are informed that the Papacy with Babylon written on her forehead is made desolate and naked, and that the ten horns shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. Revelation 18 describes the fall Babylon:
8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
The sequential nature of certain segments of Revelation is revealed from Revelation 17 - Revelation 19. The description of the whore or papacy being burned with fire by the ten horns or ten kings in power at the end of the earth's history cannot be described as 'broken without hand'.
Revelation 19
1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
The destruction of Babylon at the time of the end takes place in the seventh or final plague just before the return of Christ to save his righteous followers. The Papacy is destroyed before the return of Christ by the hands of her worldly enemies who realize she has betrayed them and is worthy of destruction.
With this Bible evidence we can now say with unerring accuracy that the King of Fierce Countenance is NOT the PAPACY, neither is it PAGAN ROME. If you really want to know who the King of Fierce Countenance is you need to watch the video on this very topic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEQQ6YMktdc
Bible truth will blow error out of the water every time!!
Click on the picture below to go to the BROKEN WITHOUT HAND VIDEO on Youtube
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