160 The Revelation of Jesus Christ Nebuchadnezzar, a heathen, a picture of Gentile times as a heathen king would naturally see them---in the form of a man; in the seventh chapter, He gave to the man of God a picture of the same period as God sees it---as ravening beasts, war ring monsters, indescribable creatures. In Daniel's vision, he saw four great beasts come out of the sea. The Mediterranean Sea is in mind, with the kingdoms represented by the beasts surrounding it. There are four winds that strive on the sea---mystical symbols of the chaotic state of nations. Jeremiah says the nations are like the trou bled sea. First, out of the sea came a lion. having eagle's wings, and a man's heart was given to it. This living creature corre sponds with the head of gold, or Babylon, in Nebuchadnez zar's image. Next, a bear appeared, with three ribs in its mouth, corresponding with the breast and arms of silver, or Medo-Persia. The third beast was like a leopard, correspond ing with the belly and thighs of brass, or Greece. The fourth beast corresponds with the legs of iron, or the Roman Empire. Significant indeed are the words: "After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns" (Dan. 7: 7). Like Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel sees in vision the coming of the Lord of glory, but not as a falling stone. Daniel sees Him coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. To him the Gen tile nations were portrayed as ravenous beasts, as indeed the} are; for what Gentile nation is there that would welcome a fol. disclosure of its history? Each of them has taken advantage of weaker nations. And is it not strange also that each of them is represented by a ravenous beast---England, a roaring ]ion; Russia, a bear; China, a serpent; the United States, an eagle, with talons to devour and destroy? When we view the world situation we cry, "Come, Lord Jesus," for we shall never have peace on earth until the governments of earth have run their course, and the Son of God returns to reign. The world does not seem to realize that the Roman Empire has not yet become extinct. Before the last great war, when
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