The Great Chain of Being and the Removal of God
Before we get into the Little Horn and Revelation 13-18, we have to acknowledge what happened when the Great Chain of Being replaced God at the top. The Great Chain of Being was a medieval hierarchical structure that placed God at the highest point, followed by angels, white men, women, non-Europeans, animals, and so on. But when the Enlightenment removed God from the top of the hierarchy, they did not remove the hierarchy itself. They simply replaced God with the next best thing.
After God and the angels came white men, who were now at the top of the hierarchy of naming reality. With this shift, whiteness became the new authority over what is true, what is real, and what is valuable. This is the foundation for the political, theological, and epistemological crises we are witnessing today.
This is why, when people ask if I am surprised by the outcome of the election, the answer is no. To put a Black woman in the highest office in the land would be to fundamentally flip the world upside down. That was never going to happen without serious, fundamental epistemological shifts. The entire structure of Western reality is built on the assumption that whiteness rules and defines the world.
The assumption that the Bible itself is the problem, rather than the way it has been used, is part of the same colonial project. It is whiteness that gives people the audacity to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Detoxing from empire theology is necessary, but if people are left with nothing to hold onto, they are more vulnerable than ever to deception and power-grabs disguised as deconstruction.
The irony is that white progressives, the ones leading conversations about deconstruction, are deconstructing the Bible at the very moment that it seems like the bible is playing out in front of us.
They've convinced people to put it down, to stop reading it, to dismiss it as irrelevant. Meanwhile, the Little Horn (or something like it) is moving right in front of us.
The Little Horn and His Fate: A Theological and Eschatological Analysis
The little horn is a prominent symbol in biblical apocalyptic literature, appearing in Daniel 7 and 8, and later echoed in Revelation 13 and 17. It represents a figure of power, rebellion, and blasphemy that rises against God’s people. Interpretations of the little horn vary, with some traditions identifying it as a specific historical ruler, such as Antiochus IV Epiphanes, while others see it as a symbol of a future Antichrist or oppressive empire. Regardless of interpretation, the fate of the little horn is consistently portrayed as one of divine judgment and destruction.
Vision and Symbolism
In Daniel 7, the prophet describes a vision of four great beasts rising from the sea, each representing a kingdom. The fourth beast, “terrifying and dreadful” (Dan. 7:7, NIV), possesses ten horns, out of which another, a “little horn,” arises, uprooting three of the existing horns. This little horn is distinct because it has “eyes like the eyes of a human being and a mouth that spoke boastfully” (Dan. 7:8), indicating intelligence and arrogance.
The characteristics of the little horn suggest a ruler or political system that is:
1. Arrogant and Blasphemous – Speaking against God and opposing divine authority (Dan. 7:25).
2. Militarily and Politically Aggressive – Displacing three other rulers (Dan. 7:8).
3. Persecutory Toward the Saints – Engaging in oppression of God’s people (Dan. 7:21).
4. Temporal in Power but Ultimately Defeated – Its reign is limited by divine decree (Dan. 7:26).
Scholars have debated the identity of the little horn. Most distinguish the little horn of Daniel 7 from the little horn of Daniel 8, as they arise from different contexts. The Daniel 8 little horn is widely accepted as Antiochus IV Epiphanes, whereas the Daniel 7 little horn has a broader, more ambiguous identity that extends beyond the immediate historical context .
Regardless of the specific interpretation, Daniel 7 portrays the little horn as a temporary but destructive power that ultimately faces divine judgment and the point is.
It really doesnt matter who he is it matters what he does.
The Fate of the Little Horn: The Good Part
Daniel 7:9-14 provides a heavenly courtroom scene in which God, depicted as the “Ancient of Days,” sits in judgment over the nations. The fate of the little horn is explicitly described:
“The beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire” (Dan. 7:11, NIV).
This destruction signifies not just the end of an individual ruler but the overthrow of oppressive systems (Longman & Reid, 1995). Unlike the other beasts, which were allowed to live “for a period of time” (Dan. 7:12, NIV), the fourth beast and its little horn are utterly annihilated.
Again it doesnt matter if it is literally, look what is happening right now. The point is the vision presents a final and irrevocable divine judgment.
The same themes of the destruction of little horn in Daniel show up in Revelation’s depiction of the Beast. They both present the rise and fall of an arrogant, oppressive power followed by its inevitable fall under divine judgment (Beale, 1999).
• Revelation 13 describes a beast rising from the sea with ten horns and blasphemous speech, mirroring the description in Daniel 7.
• Revelation 17 describes the beast being ultimately overthrown by divine power and cast into destruction (Rev. 19:19-20).
Implications that Transcend & That's Why We Need Them
Whether understood as Antiochus IV, imperial Rome, the Papacy, a future Antichrist, or a general representation of anti-God forces, its fate is clear: destruction under divine judgment.
1. The Little Horn as a Model of Human Arrogance
The little horn embodies human arrogance, self-deification, and defiance against divine authority. In every era, there have been figures—political, religious, and ideological—who exhibit these characteristics.
2. The Temporary Nature of Oppressive Powers
The rise and fall of the little horn demonstrate the impermanence of human power. Daniel’s visions offer hope that, despite temporary suffering, tyrannical systems do not last.
3. The Sovereignty of God in History
Ultimately, the judgment of the little horn underscores God’s absolute control over history. The Ancient of Days presides over the nations, ensuring that evil does not go unpunished or infinitley or ultimately.
It's the kingdom of the righetous.
It's Life and Love that ultimately prevail in every age.