Exaggerated language, hyperbole, overstatements, are all over in prophecy. Quite often these things indicate that the immediate subject is a type of more distant fulfillments.

Take some of the kings of all the earth.

First let us take Nebuchadnezzar. God told him.

“37 You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory; 38 and wherever the children of men dwell, the animals of the field and the birds of the sky has he given into your hand, and has made you to rule over them all: you are the head of gold.”
Dan 2:37-38 WEB

This heading does qualify the rule give to Nebuchadnezzar as being to all of the inhabited world. Even so that is open to question (not meaning to question God you understand, but to try to understand what He meant). For there were many lands that were inhabited which Nebuchadnezzar did not rule. That included India and China, and what we now call Russia. Nor did he rule Rome or Greece, which soon come up.

Then it says of the Medo-Persian Empire that it “shall bear rule over ALL the earth.” Dan 2:39 WEB. Once again, not so, at least literally and completely, even though to those of the Mid-East it did seem as if he ruled over everything. You can almost hear the discussions in Bible classes. How can the Bible say that. Really that is not true!

And going on to other rulers.

There is a vision of four empires as four beasts in Daniel 7. The first, ancient Babylon, was like lion with the wings of an eagle, Dan 7:4. The second was like a bear, evidently indicating Medo-Persia, Dan 7:5. The third was like a leopard with four wings on its back, and in context clearly indicates Greece. Fourth was a beast with iron teeth, indicating Rome. I cannot pretend to say that I know all of the inferences that are involved but some observations can be made.

Clearly ancient Babylon is symbolic of Mystery Babylon
the Great of Revelation.

Clearly Mystery Babylon will have a world-wide commercial empire and she is one who “reigns over the kings of the earth.” Rev 17:18.

It says of the “beast” and his empire,

“The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. …”
Rev 13:2 WEB

Is this saying Satan’s final empire is like Greece, and Medo-Persia and Babylon … all rolled into one?

Jesus assures us,

“… not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. ”
Mtt 5:18 WEB

The “contradictions,” the exaggerated language, the things which just don’t fit,

… those things would be the key to whether the immediate subject is symbolic of some distant fulfillment. The we start thinking and searching. Where does the symbolic fit into what is clear?

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901