Yes, ancient empires continue to influence modern systems and culture through their enduring attributes, which will be culminated in a revived Roman Empire and crushed at Christ's return.
Les Feldick teaches that the best aspects of Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome are still present in the world today—such as banking, philosophy, architecture, law, and governance. These remnants are not merely historical; they are gathered together in a revived Roman Empire that is emerging in the European Community. At Christ's Second Coming, all these empires and their residues will be ground to powder and blown away like chaff.
Daniel 2:35 — This verse describes the stone striking the image and all empires being broken and blown away like chaff, showing the fate of all ancient empires.
The Bible, particularly in Daniel 2 and Revelation 13, describes a succession of Gentile empires—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome—that will eventually be followed by a final revived form of the Roman Empire. Daniel 2:35 says, "Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." This indicates that all these empires will be destroyed at Christ's return. Revelation 13:2 shows a beast combining attributes of a leopard, bear, and lion—representing the Greek, Medo-Persian, and Babylonian empires—coming together in the end-times empire.
Les Feldick teaches that the ancient empires—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome—have left enduring legacies that are still present in modern systems and culture. He points to specific aspects: from Babylon, the foundations of banking, interest, and usury; from Medo-Persia, elements of present culture; from Greece, architecture and philosophy; and from Rome, courts, judges, law, and republican government. Les emphasizes that these are not just historical remnants but are still active and will be consolidated in a revived Roman Empire, which he identifies with the European Community, currently having ten or more nations. He notes that all the "best parts" of these empires are still with us, and they will all be crushed and blown away at Christ's Second Coming, as depicted in Daniel 2:35. Les also mentions that the revived Roman Empire is essentially in place today, as God views the interval since the ancient Roman Empire as a blink of the eye.
Les Feldick teaches that all the attributes of previous empires are still with us: from Babylon, the best parts of the kingdom; from Medo-Persia, their best parts; from Greece, their architecture and philosophies; and from Rome, their courts of law and jurisprudence. These remnants are not just historical trivia but are active in our current world and will be headed up in the final empire.
Les teaches that the revived Roman Empire is the "Ten Toes of Iron and Clay" from Daniel 2, which he identifies as the European Community, specifically the ten nations of Western Europe. He notes that the number has grown to twelve, but the revived empire is coming back in almost every way imaginable throughout the European community, even pointing to the beast logo on their currency as a sign.
Les explains that at Christ's Second Coming, the stone cut without hands—representing Christ—strikes the image on its feet, which is the revived Roman Empire, and breaks the entire image to pieces. All the residues of the ancient empires become like chaff and are blown away, leaving no trace. He also connects this to Daniel's seventy-five-day period at the end, when the planet will be cleansed of all that remains.
The Stone and the Chaff
Les explains that the stone cut without hands strikes the revived Roman Empire, and all empires are blown away like chaff, showing the end of Gentile powers.
All Empires Residue in the Revived Roman
Les shows that the ancient Babylonian, Median, Persian, Greek, and Roman empires all come back together in the revival of the fourth empire.
Attributes of Empires Still With Us
Les lists the specific attributes from Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome that are still present in modern systems and culture.
The Fourth Beast Returns
Les connects the fourth beast of Daniel 7 to the revived Roman Empire and notes its ten horns, indicating a ten-nation confederacy.
No Interval in God's Mind
Les explains that God sees the interval between the ancient and revived Roman Empire as a blink of an eye, making it continuous.
All Residues Crushed
Les describes how all the residues of the great Gentile empires are ground to powder and blown away, as in Daniel 2:35.
Revived Roman Empire in Europe
Les points to the European Community as the revival of the Roman Empire and mentions the beast logo on its currency as evidence.
Attributes Summarized
Les repeats the list of attributes from the previous empires and emphasizes they are all headed up in the final empire.
Daniel 2:35: Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
This verse shows the complete destruction of all ancient empires at Christ's return.
Daniel 2:34: Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
The stone cut without hands represents Christ smiting the revived Roman Empire.
Revelation 13:2: And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
This verse combines attributes of previous empires (leopard=Greece, bear=Medo-Persia, lion=Babylon) in the end-times beast.
Les Feldick explains that the four empires—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome—are the ones the Bible concerns itself with as the 'times of the Gentiles.' These empires have dominated Israel and the world, and their influence continues until Christ returns.
Les teaches that the best parts of these empires are still with us—such as Babylonian banking, Greek philosophy, and Roman law—but they are not separate political entities. They have been absorbed into modern culture and will be consolidated in the revived Roman Empire.
The chaff represents the Gentile empires that are crushed and blown away at Christ's return, while the grain (God's people) is preserved. This imagery from Daniel 2:35 shows the complete removal of human empires.
Watch the Teaching: Revelation 18 & Daniel 2: The Fall of Babylon Explained