The Three Horns Prophecy

By Mark Swarbrick

Please Share My Article - Thanks!

This article examines the identity of the three kings that Scripture says are “plucked up by the roots” by the Antichrist (the little horn) in Daniel 7. This is not a presentation of  a definitive answer, but an exploration of a possible interpretation based on the biblical text, historical precedent, and prophetic patterns. Because this discussion builds on the broader framework of the Antichrist’s identity and rise to power, readers are encouraged to first read my article Hitler Will Rise Again, which lays the necessary groundwork for understanding how the three horns fit into the larger prophetic picture. You can read it here:

https://christiananswerman.com/hitler-will-rise-again/

Before considering the identity of the three horns, it is important to briefly point out that Scripture states the Antichrist is someone who comes back from the dead. Revelation states plainly that the beast “was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss” (Revelation 17:8), language that indicates prior existence, death, and return. The same verse explains that “those who dwell on the earth…will marvel when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come,” showing that the world’s astonishment is specifically tied to his return after having ceased to exist. John further explains that the beast “is also an eighth and is of the seven” (Revelation 17:11), meaning one of the seven kings reigns again. Revelation 13 confirms this by saying the beast received a fatal wound and yet “has come to life,” causing the whole world to marvel and follow him (Revelation 13:3, 14). The Greek word translated “slain” means slaughtered to death, not merely wounded. Taken together, these passages describe a real death followed by a real return, an evil resurrection that becomes central to the Antichrist’s deception and the world’s amazement. The Antichrist will claim he has overcome death, mimicking the resurrection. But since only God can raise the dead, this becomes judgment: a world that has rejected Christ is given the wicked ruler it craves.

This article does not claim certainty. It explores a possible interpretation of the three kings (or kingdoms) that Scripture says are “plucked up” by the Antichrist, and it is presented strictly as informed supposition.

Daniel’s Prophecy of the Little Horn

Daniel 7 introduces a vision of four beasts, the final one being particularly dreadful. From this fourth beast arise ten horns, which the angel later explains are ten kings of a last days one-world empire controlled by the Antichrist. Daniel 9:26 says that “the people of the prince (Antichrist) who is to come” destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. That destruction happened in AD 70 and was carried out by the Roman Empire. This means the future ten-nation empire of the Antichrist will arise from Europe, where the Roman Empire was centered.

Now, in Daniel chapter 7, verse 8, Daniel observes something striking:

“I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots…” (Daniel 7:8)

Several things are explicit in the text and should not be glossed over. First, the ten horns are ten kings. This is not symbolic guesswork; the angel plainly states it later in the chapter. Second, the little horn, the Antichrist, arises among the ten. This means the Antichrist is already part of the ten-king European confederation when he rises to dominance. Third, three of those ten kings are removed. The language “plucked up by the roots” implies the loss of sovereignty, not necessarily the destruction of land or people.

What Scripture Does and Does Not Say

Scripture does not name the three kings or kingdoms. Any attempt to identify them must therefore be tentative. However, Scripture does give us boundaries:

• They are part of the ten-king European confederation.
• They lose their rulership completely.
• Their removal contributes to the Antichrist’s consolidation of power.

That is all the text demands. Anything beyond that is inference. However, Scripture also provides enough detail, patterns, and historical parallels to allow for careful observation. When those elements are weighed together, they permit some informed and educated guesses about how the prophecy may ultimately unfold, without turning speculation into doctrine.

Partial Fulfillment as a Pattern

Throughout biblical prophecy, partial fulfillments often foreshadow a later and greater fulfillment. For example:

Antiochus Epiphanes foreshadowed the Antichrist.
Rome foreshadowed the final global empire.
Past events establish patterns that are later completed.

In my previous article, I argued that Adolf Hitler may represent a partial fulfillment of the seventh kingdom, with a future return as the final Antichrist. If that framework is even possibly correct, then it is reasonable to ask whether Hitler’s historical actions may preview how the final events unfold.

Hitler’s First Reign as a Pattern

During his first rise to power, Hitler viewed several neighboring territories as rightfully German. His policy of expansion was not primarily one of annihilation, but absorption.

Three regions in particular stand out:

• Austria, annexed outright in 1938.
• Czechoslovakia, dismantled and absorbed in stages.
• Poland, invaded and stripped of sovereignty.

Hitler annexed each of these countries in 1938-39. In each case, the nation did not cease to exist as land or people, but its leadership and independence were removed. The kings, in effect, were “plucked up.” This historical behavior aligns remarkably well with Daniel’s language, though it does not fulfill it completely. Hitler did not rule within a ten-king confederation at that time, nor did these actions lead to global dominion. But those actions were a partial fulfillment, a harbinger of things to come in the last days.

A Possible Future Scenario

If Hitler were to return as the Antichrist (again, this is supposition), it would make sense for him to operate in a similar manner, only on a broader and more permanent scale.

In such a scenario:

• He arises first as one ruler among a European or revived Roman confederation – perhaps in Germany again.
• Three neighboring kings resist or stand in the way of his consolidation.
• Their leadership is removed and their sovereignty absorbed.
• Their territories remain, but their independent rule does not.

It is possible that the same regions involved in Hitler’s first expansion reappear in the final configuration. Hitler considered these lands as part of Germany before. He may hold that position again if he returns. History does tend to repeat itself.

Why These Three Kings?

Why does the Antichrist uproot three kings? Scripture gives us enough information to understand a possible motive. The Antichrist is not merely a regional tyrant; he is a global ruler whose end goal is absolute control. Daniel, Paul, and John all describe a man who tolerates no rivals, no competing authorities, and no loyalties that challenge his supremacy. Any leader, nation, or ideology that resists consolidation into a single, centralized system must be removed.

This is where both historical precedent and ideological necessity come into focus. Adolf Hitler already demonstrated which neighboring nations he viewed as illegitimate obstacles to imperial rule. Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland were not destroyed as peoples, but their sovereignty was eliminated and their leadership uprooted because Hitler believed they should not exist as independent states. That pattern closely mirrors Daniel’s language of kings being “plucked up by the roots.” If the Antichrist resumes an unfinished imperial project, it is reasonable to expect the same targets to reappear.

Ideologically, nationalism itself would place these countries in the Antichrist’s crosshairs. A one-world government cannot coexist with strong national identity, border consciousness, or cultural independence. In recent years, Poland, Austria, and the Czech lands have all shown varying degrees of movement away from progressive globalism and toward nationalism, sovereignty, and cultural conservatism. Even modest shifts in that direction would be intolerable to a ruler determined to impose total ideological conformity.

The Antichrist will not be neutral on political philosophy. Scripture portrays his system as one of enforced unity, moral inversion, and centralized control. Leftist, liberal, globalist governance aligns naturally with those goals, while conservatism in any form—social, cultural, or national—stands in the way. Satan thrives on disorder, homogenization, and the erosion of boundaries, and he despises any structure that limits absolute authority. Nationalism and conservatism, particularly when rooted in moral conviction, represent resistance to the one-world global system the Antichrist intends to build.

In that light, the removal of these leaders serves a clear purpose. It is not random aggression, but strategic elimination—finishing what was started historically while stamping out ideological resistance. The uprooting of three kings clears the path for a fully global, leftist, anti-biblical system of rule, and signals the Antichrist’s determination to tolerate no opposition, whether political, national, or moral.

Conclusion

The three horns plucked up by the Antichrist are not positively identified in Scripture. However, Scripture does invite thoughtful consideration. History often provides patterns that prophecy later completes. I do not present this as doctrine. I present it as a possible interpretation that fits the biblical data and deserves sober reflection. As with all prophecy, clarity often comes only after fulfillment. Until then, we watch, we test all things by Scripture, and we hold our conclusions with humility.

Nevertheless, the point is straightforward; the same three countries whose leadership Hitler took over during his first rise are the same three countries located within the area of the coming ten-nation revived Roman Empire that are now moving in a direction the Antichrist would oppose. That is not a small detail. History has already shown how these nations were treated once before, and current political shifts show why they would again stand in the way of a one-world, leftist, globalist system.  When the same countries reappear in the same role, resisting the same kind of control, it is not random. It shows that the stage is being set for the rise of the Antichrist. For those paying attention, it is a clear signal that the end is drawing near.

Back to End Times Prophecy (Eschatology) Hub

Back to Home Page



Please Share My Article - Thanks!