End Times Series
Daniel Chapter Seven
By Liaf
In our last message, we focused on Daniel chapter two (Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of an image). This image depicted the world empires that would arise and we saw that this was just an overview. As we continue in the book of Daniel, we shall see that Daniel himself had more visions that "focus in" more on the detail of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. What I find interesting is that Nebuchadnezzar started off (quite unintentionally) the sequence of prophetic visions but God allowed Daniel to have the remainder of the visions. I suppose this is in conjunction with the Biblical standard that says, "the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established". One would have to be suspicious of one person who had all the visions, but in this case both the King and Daniel had the visions that complimented each other. We’ll skip the Sunday school lessons of the "handwriting on the wall" and "lion’s den" stories. Important as they are, it’s the visions of Daniel that supply us with the needed end time information that we are seeking. Turn to your King James Bible to chapter seven.
Daniel 7:1-15: In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.
Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
Daniel had a visionary dream of quite a "zoo" here. The first beast was a lion that had eagle's wings. The second beast was like a bear, the third was really bizarre like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads. We shall soon see that the number "four" does indeed play a part with the empire this beast represents. The last beast is not described well at all. We know the thing must have been awful since it troubled Daniel. However, what we do know about this beast is its association with iron teeth and the number ten (horns). It does not take a rocket scientist to see that Daniel’s visions parallel Nebuchadnezzar’s "image" dream. These odd and terrible animals represent empires that would arise. However, there is one addendum. Notice that there is a mention of another little horn coming up amongst them. Notice that this little horn plucked up three of the ten horns. A horn typically meant strength or power, and in this case it is personified. We shall see that the Biblical interpretation of the vision centers more on this little horn and the last odd beast, so I will elaborate more on that shortly. However, the first few animals parallel Nebuchadnezzar’s dream very well. The lion with the wings represented the Babylonian Empire. But notice that the swiftness of this powerful lion was brought to an end as represented by the plucking of the wings. Then the beast was "lifted" up to his feet to stand like a man (even with a man’s mind). The idea conveyed is that the empire is lifted up or raised up so that it can go. Or as we would say, "Get up and go." Where to? The dominion of the Babylonian Empire was going for the bear Empire to come. This bear represented the Medo-Persian Empire. Without going into detail, the three ribs (and the reference to devouring much flesh) historically occurred when three kings were overtaken. What we need to be aware of is that a specific animal represents each empire. This will be important when we get to Revelation, so we want to remember these animals. So far, a lion was Babylon and a bear was the Medo-Persian Empire. After this, we see that a four-winged and four-headed leopard appeared. This animal represented the Grecian Empire. The significance of the number "four" is that after Alexander the Great died, the kingdom was divided amongst his four generals, and two of these generals became dominant. Please remember this. We will be referring to them in a later message. The vision ended with the coming of Christ and the destruction of the beast. Again, this is similar to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream where the "stone cut out without hands" smote the image. I want to point out that when we say "Babylonian Empire", "Medo-Persian Empire", "Grecian Empire" or "Roman Empire", I don’t want your thinking limited to a small region of the Earth or a peninsula such as Italy. We must understand that these empires covered large areas of land. The Roman Empire, for example, extended way over to Western Europe! Before I say anything about the last beast and the little horn, let’s read on to find out the Biblical interpretation.
Daniel 7:16-28: I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
What do you suppose all this means? Again, this speaks of kingdoms, a "horn", and the saints who will ultimately possess the kingdom. The first bold highlight summarizes the beasts and the final results. In essence, these four beasts represent four kings (and thus kingdoms) but the end result is God’s Kingdom possessed by the saints. Amazingly, the interpretation of the vision focused on the last terrible beast. We already know what the first three represent (and I suppose God knew one could figure all that out). However, the last terrible beast represented the revived Roman Empire (the same as the "ten-toed" kingdom in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream). What makes this so special? Notice that there is more to say about this kingdom than last time. A "little horn" arises. This horn is personified as one who makes war with the saints and prevails. This horn had an arrogant mouth. The book of Revelation refers to this as the "beast" and this horn is what we commonly refer to as Antichrist. Notice that this beast had nails of brass. Where did we see that metal before? Nebuchadnezzar’s dream image had a "belly and thighs of brass". What empire was that? The Grecian Empire. So this terrible beast had all the makings of the Roman Empire by virtue of the iron, but the nails (claws in Hebrew) had associations with the Grecian Empire. Since the claw or hoof represents where "something is footed", the implication is that the home base from which Antichrist will work from has something to do with the Grecian Empire. Revelation makes a similar mention. More on that later. Notice another thing. The last empire or kingdom will have ten kings (there is that number ten again). Then the horn will rise up among them (but not necessarily from them). When Antichrist arises to power, he will pluck up (subdue) three of the kings which will secure his position of power. So if you are around to see somebody (who will initially appear to be a man of peace that has the answers to problems) subdue three of the ten kings in a ten nation confederacy, know that the end is near. There is another odd phrase that we don’t always understand. Take note that Antichrist will wear out the saints for a period of time called time and times and the dividing of time. A "time" is reference to a prophetic year consisting of 360 days. "Times" is plural or double of "time". And the dividing of time is another way of saying half of time. Mathematically we have time [one year] and times [two years] and the dividing of time [half a year] or simply 3 ½ years of 360 days. The product of these two numbers is 1260 days of persecution. We shall soon see how things heat up immensely for the last 3 ½ years on this Earth before Christ returns. Although we did not get into this yet, we shall see where the idea of the "seven year tribulation" comes from soon and Scripture divides this same tribulation into two halves. So to summarize the main points of this chapter, the beasts depict the same empires that Nebuchadnezzar’s dream did, but with more emphasis on the end time empire and the Antichrist. We see that this empire is the Revived Roman Empire with ten kings. An Antichrist arises among them (who is associated with the Grecian Empire) and subdues three of the ten kings. He also persecutes the saints severely the last 3 ½ years before Christ comes again and the Kingdom of God is established and the saints (and the people of the saints--- Israel) are given the Kingdom.
Stay tuned for my next message where Daniel had even another vision. This focuses in even more and fills in greater detail.