In Book-One I show how the 10 horns of the fourth beast of Dan. 7 have an alliance as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). In Daniel’s vision he sees another horn come up among the ten:

8 “While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a human being and a mouth that spoke boastfully. . . ..

23 “He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time. (7:8, 23-26)

It is impossible to know all the details until they begin to happen, but the most likely interpretation is that the little horn, which is “different from the earlier ones” (7:24), is that it also refers to an ideology the way the fourth beast was different because it was Communism. The verse says that three of the horns will be uprooted (7:8); then verse 24 says the little horn will “subdue” the three horns.

Therefore, the little horn most likely represents radical Islam, that will cause internal revolution in three nations of the CIS, or be invaded. The three horns will then likely become part of the Islamic empire that will form. The mouth and eyes on the horn likely represent the final Antichrist, or Muhammad because he founded Islam.

When you look at the original ten nations that became the CIS, you will notice that several of them are predominately Muslim, such as Tajikistan (80% Muslim), Turkmenistan (87%), Uzbekistan (88%), and Azerbaijan (95%). In 1998, Kazakhstan (47%) was accused of selling nuclear weapons to Iran that were left over from the U.S.S.R. Newsweek magazine said in 1996 that Tajikistan was already “teetering, as 40,000 Russian troops try to shore up a shaky secular government” (Powell, “A Religious War?”, 14 October 1996, p. 52).

One mullah said, “We will take Kazakstan, then Uzbekistan and then,” he roared, “we will take Moscow!” (Clifton, “The Islamic Nightmare”, Newsweek, 14 October 1996, p. 51). Those are very boastful words which point us directly to Rev. 13 and to the little horn.

The “time, times and half a time” refers to 3.5 years (time=one year, times= two years), and refers to the 42-month rule of the beast of Revelation. This is more evidence that the three horns will become part of the rising Islamic empire. They either have civil war or will be invaded, thereby uprooting them from the CIS. Daniel says:

. . . this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom. (Daniel 7:21-22)

The little horn will wage war against Christians and Jews. Many Christians in the nations that get taken over by radical Islam will probably be murdered or imprisoned. The same thing happened recently in Syria and Iraq, so we know what to expect. Islamic countries have always persecuted and killed Christians and Jews, so we should not be surprised when the persecution increases with the revived Islamic empire, which Muslims are working hard to establish.

It is important to notice that it says the little horn will wage war against Christians; that is also what Revelation 13 says the beast will do. Notice that it said nothing about the little horn rising to power by bringing world peace, or world government.

Guess which three nations border Afghanistan on the north: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan! How many Taliban troops did it take to conquer Afghanistan? Only about 75,000, a very SMALL number. Are the Taliban the little horn? If they cause three of the nations that are north of them to become taken over by radical Islam, and therefore get kicked out of the CIS, then Afghanistan is the first horn of the future 10-nation beast of Revelation 13, and the Taliban are the little horn of Daniel 7! They plan to establish a Caliphate, so I suspect we are seeing Bible prophecy being fulfilled before our eyes. (The 10-horns of Daniel 7 are the CIS, but the 10-horns of Revelation 13 are the next Islamic empire.)

Someone might want to ask, how could Afghanistan be the first horn if this beast is going to be a Revived Ottoman Empire? The future empire will include Turkey, and the Antichrist will likely have his headquarters in Turkey, or Iraq, but it does not require that Turkey is the first nation to be ruled by radical Islam.