The Bible
World Powers
Greenledge Studios
T h i n k hard, work
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According to the Bible, the seven world powers
in order of ascendency are
Egypt
,
(
Genesis 41:57
;
Exodus 9:13-16
)
Assyria
,
(
2Kings 15:19-20:6
)
Babylon
,
(
2Kings 20:12-18
;
2Kings 25:8,13-15
;
Daniel 5:1,2
)
Medo-Persia
,
(
2Chronicles 36:20,22
;
Daniel 5:30,31
;
Daniel 6:8,15
;
Daniel 9:1,10:1
)
Greece
,
(
Daniel 8:3,5-7,20,21
;
Daniel 10:20
;
Daniel 11:1,2
)
The Roman Empire
,
(
Matthew 22:17-21
;
Luke 2:1
)
and (now) Anglo-America
.
In Chapter
13 of the Bible book Revelation, a seven-headed beast is used to illustrate how world powers have
exercised their power over the years. The scriptural accounts listed above for
the world powers describe how each head becomes dominant in its own turn. The
seven heads also correspond to the seven heads of the dragon in the book of Revelation
(
Revelation 12:1-17
),
the dragon being clearly identified as the "the one called Devil [or] Satan"
(
Revelation 12:9
).
When God's people sought a king for themselves initially, Jehovah warned them through
the prophet Samuel of the trouble it would bring them
(
1Samuel 8:5-19
)
.
Jerusalem was destroyed in 607 B.C.E., and the earthly kingdom of God's people was
truncated
(
Daniel 4:11-17
)
. Thus the times of the nations (or Gentiles) began, meaning that God's people came
under the authority of secular rule. This ended when Satan was ousted from heaven, and
Jesus assumed kingly authority in heaven. God's faithful ones once again had a king, this
time an immortal one.
Even as God's people grow in numbers
(
Isaiah 60:22
)
, the whole world continues to
be under Satan's control. Jesus and John foretold Satan's ouster from heaven and the problems it
causes God's people
(
Luke 10:18
;
John 12:31
;
1John 5:19
;
Revelation 12:9,13
)
.
Finally, God's Word reveals the end
of the world powers on the earth, to be replaced with an earthly paradise.
(
Ezekiel 38:21
;
Zechariah 14:13
;
Revelation 22:1,2
)
.