The last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, ends with a curse:
“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. 6 He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.” (Malachi 4:5).
The curse lasts for ten generations (400 years) until the coming of Messiah who lifts the curse. During this time God is still working but is silent in terms of prophecy and inspired writings.
The third beast mentioned in Daniel swiftly conquers the earth under the leadership of Alexander the Great until the dominance of the great and terrible fourth beast of Rome.
After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth.
It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. (Daniel 7:6,7)
