|
Daniel Chapter 7
In chapter 7 of Daniel we see God revealing is secrets to His servant concerning the future kingdoms that would come and go as well as the persecution of the saints during a stipulated period of time ( time, times and half a time) and how God will stop this persecuting power for a little while, as he prepares a special judgement for His people.
Daniel's Dream of Four Beasts
“1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying on his bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream. 2 Daniel said: "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. 3 Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea.”
Verses 1-3 is telling us Daniel was in a night vision/dream in the first year, when king Belshazzar of Babylon arose to the throne after the death of his father Nebuchadnezzar. When the dream ended Daniel wrote the dream.
He states in verse 2 that “the four winds of heaven strove upon the great sea.” A close analysis reveals that dreadful heavy winds came from the four directions, heavily on each other hence, the description “strove upon the sea.”
Verse 3 tells us that four great wild animals are seen coming out of the sea.
4 "The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it. 5 "And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, 'Get up and eat your fill of flesh!' 6 "After that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard. And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule. 7 "After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.”
Verses 4-7
The following verse 4 explicitly reveals to us that the wild beasts or animals did not emerge from the sea at the same time. They came out of the tossing sea in spite of the raging winds and sea. The wild animal he first saw was like a lion.
Later, as he continues to behold, the wings are plucked off from this lion like beast. Daniel sees the animal being exalted high above the ground or earth and made to stand on its two feet on the ground like a human being. He sees it given a human heart.
Verse 5 ,
Daniel see’s a second wild animal/beast that appeared like a bear. It was also coming out of the troubled and tossing sea. The bear had one of its shoulders lifted up higher than the other. Daniel does not tell us whether it was the left or right side possibly that was not necessary.
The bear had three ribs between its teeth. It was as if starving, looking for something with flesh to eat. And was told, 'Get up and eat your fill of flesh!'.
In verse 6 , we are told Daniel sees another third beast coming from the tossing sea. This time it is a leopard like beast having striking features namely, four heads on one neck and with four wings like a bird. This description shows how craft, subtle, dangerous and swift it can be. We will see what this leopard kingdom really represent as we continue. The text reveals that this fierce kingdom will be given great authority to rule the world.
Verse 7 the servant of God is shown yet another fierce and indescribable beast coming from the tossing sea and being the fourth one. He describes it as, “terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth;” The fourth beast kingdom was horrifying and very dangerous in its appearance. It had iron teeth, ten horns and was totally different from the other previous beasts.
8 "While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
In verse 8 the servant of God closely analyses and meditates on this last dreadful and indescribable beast, he watches and sees another horn, a little one sprouting out from among the ten other existing horns. As the little horn comes out of the head of this fierce and dreadful beast it uproots or removes three of the existing ten horns in the process. The arithmetic would look like this: 10 horns less 3 uprooted horns + 1 little new horn = 8 horns left. (10-3+1=8). The new eighth little horn that uprooted the the three horns was closely checked by the prophet Daniel in the same night vision and sees that it had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
9 "As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. 10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.
The scene suddenly changes as Daniel sees an un numbered thrones that were well set and the Ancient of Days (God the Father) took His seat, His throne in Heaven. Daniel tries to help our minds understand who this person is by describing some important features so that we are not lost in identifying the Ancient of Days.
a) His clothing was as white as snow
b) the hair of his head was as white like wool.
c) His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. This is a flaming mobile throne symbolising God’s purity and holiness of character
d) A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. This symbolises the indescribable continual Majestic glory of our God the Father flowing from His presence,
e) Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. This can be nothing else other than the whole trillions of heavenly angelic host called by God for a special judgment hearing as the continued phrase of the verse that follow states that, “The court was seated, and the books were opened.” Mind you, this is a continuation of the phase of, the plan of salvation, or a preparation of the cleansing of the sanctuary in heaven (the judgment proceedings). Acts 17:31 11
"Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. 12 (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.)”
The prophet Daniel is watching the little horn that is boastfully speaking. He finally sees it slain and its body destroyed by big fire. As for the other beasts, although they were stripped of their power and authority there were allowed by God to exist for a stipulated set time.
13 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
In that same night vision Daniel saw some one like a human being (son of man) coming with the clouds of heaven. He the Son of Man approached the Ancient of Days, God the Father and as he got closer he was led to the presents of the Father the Ancient of Days. As soon as He got to the presence of the Almighty, God gave him the authority, glory and sovereign power; and in response this extra ordinary holy act; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
As Daniel puts it, all flesh worshipped Him forever and His kingdom was never going to pass away for all eternity.
The Interpretation of the Dream
15 "I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. 16 I approached one of those standing there and asked him the true meaning of all this. "So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things: 17 'The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.'
As the prophet of God is troubled in his mind while still in the vision, he had the opportunity to ask the meaning of the vision that had passed in that night vision. Certainly, there was delay in reply from the one approached by Daniel. He was told that there are only four kingdoms that are left to rule on earth before the Most High can handover the kingdom to his saints to posses it forever -yes God meant forever and ever. Amen!. Our favourite song of hope is “In the sweet By and By”
Words: Sanford Bennett, 1868. Music: Joseph Webster.
There's a land that is fairer than day, And by faith we can see it afar; For the Father waits over the way To prepare us a dwelling place there. Refrain: In the sweet in the sweet By and by by and by, We shall meet on that beautiful shore; In the sweet in the sweet By and by by and by We shall meet on that beautiful shore. We shall sing on that beautiful shore The melodious songs of the blest, And our spirits shall sorrow no more Not a sigh for the blessing of rest.
Refrain:-
To our bountiful father above We will offer our tribute of praise; For the glorious gift of His love And the blessings that hallow our days.
Refrain:
19 "Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws—the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully. 21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.
Daniel then wanted to know the true meaning of the most terrifying beast that was very different from all other beasts he had seen coming from the tossing and troubled sea. Why was it having iron teeth and bronze claws? How come that the little horn having a mouth and eyes waged war with saints and even defeating them? Who are represented by the ten horns of which the other three were up rooted?
23 "He gave me this explanation: 'The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it.
24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings.
25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time. [a] 26 " 'But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. 27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.'
28 "This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself."
The explanation given to Daniel was a powerful summary. It is interesting that the big part of the vision was fulfilled during the past few years and the other part is the present time and then the final part in future will lead to the end of the world.
Here is careful analysis, Daniel 2 and 7 are talking about one and the story, that is, the kings of man that will come and go at God’s supervision commencing from 605 BC until the end of the world when the God will set up a kingdom that will never come to an end. These earthly great kingdoms are so distinct in character as they come and go as they are symbolically represented different metals in Daniel 2 and different beasts in Daniel 7. Notice that Daniel 2 has skeleton information and Daniel 7 has more information. Why did God decide to give Daniel repeated and enlarged information than the King of Babylon Nebuchadnezaar?
Here below is a table for enlightenment:-
Nebuchadnezaar Dream: Daniel 2. Period Daniel’s Vision: Daniel 7
Head of Gold. 605BC – 538BC = Babylon Lion like Beast Kingdom.
Chest of Silver 538BC – 331BC = Medo- Persia Bear Kingdom.
Thighs of Brass/Bronze. 331BC – 168BC = Greece Leopard Kingdom.
Legs of Iron 168BC – 476AD = Rome Indescribable Animal Kingdom.
Feet of Clay and Metal 476AD – Today Divided Kingdoms 10 horns +Little Horn Power.
10 Toes Future - Kingdom of Saints The end of the Little Horn by Fire.
Daniel 7 is a reputation and enlargement of Daniel 2 . God is brilliant he does not divulge information that is not relevant or necessary to any person unless there be a need. And when He does reveal anything only the wise will understand.
Notice the King of Babylon was concerned about what would really happen to his great and most powerful world kingdom he had been made ruler. Will it one day come to an end? Will I die and leave this so vast domain glorious kingdom? While he was wondering, worried and concerned about it in his thoughts. God in His mercy decided to reveal to him the truth of what would be the end of his kingdom. God focused the dream in response to the king’s concern and Gods children Israel.
Hence, both vision have the same details of the main earthly kingdoms that will come on earth and go and ultimately the kingdom of God (His people), will overcome and be an ever-lasting kingdom (the kingdom of Christians) and the, Lord Jesus himself, King Of Kings sitting on David’s throne for eternity, is opposed to Nebuchadnezaar’s world kingdom, empire that started from 605BC – 538BC = 67years.
In Daniel 7’s vision there is a very important thought to note. Yes the 4 wild beasts represent 4 kingdoms that will come and go just like the dream in Daniel 2. Now, notice that Daniel is not worried or concerned, about the kingdoms of this world rather than his own people Jews/ Israel (the saints). God in His brilliant foreknowledge deliberately decided to inform Daniel His servant by giving him a panoramic view that stretches from the time period of 605BC right down to the Time of the End (the end of the world). He also makes it clear that life shall not be a smooth run for Daniel’s people (God’s people/Saints), actually his people shall be persecuted for 1260 days/years (time, time and half a time). Incidentally, this horrible prophecy is conditional, as we will see in Daniel Chapter 9. The fact that Daniel is shown a terrible vision that will involve the suffering of God’s people he becomes so devastated and decides to keep the vision to himself. He also realizes that the time of suffering of God’s children is not just three and half years or 1260 literal days but that each day actually represents a year. He is however encouraged by the fact that God intervened, stopped the persecuting power and finally gave the Kingdom to His saints.
Daniel is shown the vision in symbols:-
(1) Lion (Babylon) with two wings and also given a man’s heart and the two wings are finally removed (humbled) and is seen standing on two feet.
(2) Bear (Medo/Persia) having one side of its front shoulders up than the other, having three dry ribs without flesh in its mouth. It is commanded to eat plenty flesh.
(3) The third beast is a leopard (Greece) it had four wings and four heads
(4) The indescribable beast pagan Rome and also the little horn power, the Papacy. History confirms the fulfilment of this prophecy as shown on the above stated table.
|