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Daniel 2 and 7 teach that there will be four empires that rise up in world history, one after another. In chapter 7, Daniel sees a vision of four empires symbolized by four “beasts” that come up out of the sea. However, God defeats the fourth beast and sets up an eternal kingdom.Daniel 2 tells us that the first empire is Babylon. Furthermore, imagery in Daniel 7 matches what we know from history of the second and third empires. Finally, the “fourth kingdom” is terrifying and dreadful, which matches what we know of the historical Roman Empire. If Babylon is the first empire, then the Roman Empire is the “fourth” kingdom. Conservative Bible scholars largely agree that the fourth kingdom is the Roman Empire. God destroys the final ruler of the Roman Empire when he sets up his eternal kingdom. But this poses a serious problem. The Roman Empire doesn’t exist anymore. It was not violently destroyed when God set up a global kingdom, where all dominions serve him.The Roman Empire is defeated at the Second Coming of Christ. In order for this to happen, it must be reborn in the end times. This is why Dr. John Walvoord, former President of Dallas Theological Seminary, anticipated the “revival of the Roman Empire.”