Luke 17
20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
For what it is worth... here is a cut / paste from the commetary from chapter 7. This ties to the reference in chapter 2:44, "In the days of these kings." I do understand how this comes across from today's accepted interpretations, and it is even more cryptic when such a very different interpretation is presented on it's own. There is so muchg more to this interpretation in the commentary to support this identity of the 10 toes / horns / kings / saints of the most high.... they represent God's 10 commandments that transition from within the Jewish nation (toes under Roman rule) to horns outside of pagan Rome after the cross, to kings now sitting atop the 4th beast of papal Rome and then as "Saints of the Most High" - the final symbol which will return to God at the end of time. This method of teaching / revealing of the 10 commandments as they transition through the kingdoms is widely used by God - He does the same thing for the 4 kingdoms from chapters 2-7-8.
Daniel 7:24
24The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings.
Verse 24a-the ten horns shall arise from this kingdom
Daniel 7:24a marks an important shift in the understanding of the ten horns. Up until this point, Daniel has seen these horns growing from the fourth beast, but now, Gabriel clarifies their identity: they are ten kings. This is the first time these ten horns are explicitly called kings, and this new
designation raises a critical question—why are they now being recognized as kings, and what does this reveal about God’s plan?
To fully grasp their significance, we must return to Chapter 2 and Nebuchadnezzar’s metal-man image, where God first described the fourth kingdom—Pagan Rome—as a kingdom of iron. This kingdom, unlike its predecessors, would not simply rise and fall. Instead, it would undergo a unique transformation. The iron feet of Rome, which represented its rule over both the Jewish nation and the Gentile world, contained ten toes and clay—symbolizing both Roman dominion and the presence of God’s people under that rule.
In Daniel 2:34, the Stone (Messiah) strikes the feet of the image, breaking apart the iron and the clay –
within the feet. However, it does not directly strike the toes. This distinction is crucial.
The clay represented God’s people, who had been under Roman rule.
The Stone’s impact symbolized the crucifixion of Jesus, which would bring about a great separation within the Jewish people.
Those who accepted Jesus as their Messiah were identified as “pottery clay”, moldable in the hands of the Potter (Jeremiah 18:6).
Those who rejected Him were identified as “ceramic clay”, hardened and unable to be shaped.
After the crucifixion, those who accepted the Messiah would go out into the world, preaching the Good News. The Ten Commandments, once entrusted to the Jewish nation, would now be proclaimed to the Gentiles—just as the ten toes were now symbolically free from Roman captivity.
When we move from Daniel 2 to Daniel 7, God reveals something new about these ten toes—they do not remain toes, but instead become ten horns (Daniel 7:7-8). This transformation is not accidental. In Chapter 2, the ten toes symbolized God’s law within the Jewish nation. But now, in Chapter 7, these same ten elements are described as “horns” or “powers”, indicating authority. And now, in Daniel 7:24, Gabriel further clarifies their status:
“The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom.”
The Ten Commandments, which were God’s moral law, have transitioned to the top of the 4th beast, and would be redefined by the little horn. They are no longer just a guiding force—they have been elevated to the status of kings. Like kings, they must be obeyed—but not according to God’s original intent. Instead, the little horn (Papal Rome) would ensure that the commandments were worshipped in the way
he determined.
When Pagan Rome fell in 476 AD, the Christian Church, which had already gained immense power, stepped into the void. The Bishop of Rome—soon to be the Pope—claimed authority over both religious and secular matters, thus marking the full transition from Pagan Rome to Papal Rome. As Papal Rome grew in influence, it did not stand alone. Alongside it, the Ten Commandments themselves were altered, reshaped to fit the doctrines of the Church. The original moral law—once a guiding light for salvation—was now transformed into a system of enforced worship dictated by religious authority.
Later in verse 25, Daniel will reveal the final transformation of these ten toes, horns, and kings. Eventually, God will reclaim them, and they will identified the ten saints of the Most High.
But for now, in Daniel 7:24a, these ten horns have become kings under Papal Rome’s rule, enforcing laws that have been twisted from their original divine purpose. This transformation is significant because it reveals that Papal Rome’s power was not just political—it was spiritual. Just as a king demands obedience, so too did the little horn enforce its own version of God’s commandments upon the world. Over time, the little horn would:
Replace biblical truth with human traditions.
Elevate the power of the Church above the Word of God.
Persecute those who refused to conform.
Thus, the ten horns becoming ten kings symbolizes how the teachings of God were distorted under the influence of Papal Rome. Rather than being God’s moral law, they were now used as instruments of control—and those who challenged the little horn’s authority would suffer the consequences.
Although Daniel would not have the ability to understand the meaning of this symbolism, this was still a deeply troubling revelation. This is why Daniel 7:24a marks a turning point—it confirms that the fourth beast’s final phase would be a kingdom unlike any before it, one that would redefine worship, authority, and obedience in ways never before seen in history.
Verse 24b-Another shall arise after them and be different
Although these ten horns (kings) are
not the head of the fourth beast, their power and authority would be appropriated and assumed by the little horn. The little horn would successfully wield their power and manipulate their followers for their own agenda: total power, control, and worship by all.
Gabriel would never refer to the little horn as a ‘king.’ The four great beasts, which would arise out of the earth, will be identified as four kings (17), and Gabriel will tell Daniel that the ten horns, which shall arise out of this kingdom (fourth kingdom of pagan Rome), are also ten kings (24a). Although some have interpreted that the little horn is also a king (24b), this is not the case. When Gabriel writes, "And another,” he is indeed referring to another
horn and not another
king.
The rise of the little horn and its appropriation of authority of the ten horns within the fourth beast of Papal Rome is reminiscent of the biblical narrative of Lucifer's fall from grace.
Just as Lucifer's rebellion originated from within God's heavenly kingdom, the emergence of the little horn occurs from within one of the four earthly kingdoms (pagan Rome) called out by God. But God did not call out the kingdom of Papal Rome, or the little horn as king. This parallel underscores the spiritual significance of the little horn's actions and its claim to divine authority, mirroring the deceptive tactics employed by Lucifer in the Garden of Eden.
As he was contemplating the ten horns, he saw another horn—a little horn—arise among them (Daniel 7:8). This little horn, which is different from the ten, would emerge later and have a distinct role in the prophetic narrative. It is abundantly clear that the little horn is connected to or aligned with the ten horns; he seems to be quite invested in the ten horns and is aware of their power. After the cross, the fourth kingdom begins to divide, and the Jews who accept Jesus as their Messiah start preaching the Good News to both fellow Jews and Gentiles throughout the pagan Roman Empire. The early Christian church began to develop its own hierarchical structure during the first three centuries after the cross, and Rome was the city where the bishops would concentrate their power.
In every organization, there is only one head or ruler. In the fourth beast or kingdom, that ruler was the little horn, and the fourth beast or kingdom would be known as Papal Rome. Daniel mentions this new characteristic not found in verses 7 or 8: it will have an appearance greater than his fellows.
