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Compiled by WD Kemner October 2020
CHAPTER 7 Daniel’s First Vision: The Four Beasts
Daniel’s visions all pertained to the Jews.
The central theme is always God’s punishment for the Jews turning their backs on Him. Six kingdoms in history had all been used in bringing discipline on Israel:
1. Egypt 2. Assyrians 3. Babylon 4. Medo-Persia 5. Greece 6. Roman Empire
Egypt and Assyria had never totally destroyed the Jewish nation. Until the point when the book of Daniel begins, there was still a remnant in Jerusalem. Now, as the book of Daniel began the last of the Jewish Nation is in captivity in Babylon.
This vision will now pickup from the point in time that Daniel is living in. It will show what God’s declaration of the future is involving His children the Jews.
Daniel has this vision during the first year of the reign of Belshazzar.
The vision begins with the Four winds upon the great sea. In symbolic passages; Winds usually refer to God’s acts of judgment. The term Sea is a reference to the “sea of people”; as in the mass expanse of people
Beasts are used to represent kingdoms. These four beasts match up exactly with the image from chapter 2. This vision is going to talk about four kingdoms arising out of the throngs of humanity.
THE FOUR BEASTS
FIRST BEAST:
LION (Daniel 7:4) = Head of Gold (Daniel 2:38)
First Kingdom = Babylonian Empire 606 B.C
This is the Head of Gold from Chapter 2
The first beast was like a lion and had eagle’s wings. The king of Babylon is referred to as a lion. Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom was swift in its conquests during his reign. The wings being plucked, being lifted back up and becoming a man again; all happened to Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 4.
SECOND BEAST:
BEAR (Daniel 7:5)=Breast and Arms of Silver (Daniel 2:39)
Second Kingdom = Media Persia Empire 536 B.C.
This is the Breast and Arms of Silver from Chapter 2
A second beast like a bear raised up on one side. This is the Medes and Persians. They were raised up on one side because one Cyrus was greater and came up last. It had three ribs in its mouth. Medes and Persia empire took over Babylon, Lydia (modern Turkey), and Egypt.
THIRD BEAST:
LEOPARD (Daniel 7:6) = Belly - Thighs of Brass (Daniel 2:39)
Third Kingdom = Grecian Empire 330 B.C.
This is the Belly and Thighs of Brass from Chapter 2
The third was like a leopard that had 4 wings and 4 heads. Once again wings for swiftness. Even faster than Babylon, this is the Grecian Empire with Alexander the Great. It swept thru and took more territory faster than the other previous kingdoms. Four heads are the divisions of the kingdom after Alexander’s sudden and early death.
FOURTH BEAST:
TERRIBLE BEAST (Daniel 7:7) = Legs of Iron (Daniel 2:40)
Fourth Kingdom = Roman Empire 27 B.C.
These are the Legs of Iron from Chapter 2
“After this” the fourth beast. Means that this kingdom would follow directly after the third kingdom. Therefore, the Roman Empire which followed the Grecian Kingdom. This Kingdom is of Iron
TEN HORNS plus LITTLE HORN (Daniel 7:8) = Feet of Iron and Clay (Daniel 2:41-43)
Fifth Kingdom = Future Empire in the LAST DAYS plus Anti-Christ
These are the Feet part of Iron and Clay from Chapter 2 “and it had 10 horns”
Horns are always kings. These horns are ten kings in the future that will be the last “form” of the old Roman empire. A repeat of the image of the ten toes of the statue. They will rule ten kingdoms that will come “out of” the area that was the old Roman Empire that existed for almost 1500 years.
These ten kings will be ruling when a new king rises (little horn). Little horn comes from among the ten. The antichrist will come from one of those ten nations AFTER they are in existence. He will eventually cause three of them to submit to him for one reason or another.
People always assume it will be due to military or hostile. There are other ways that this can occur as we have seen happen in the history of the world. The remaining seven will submit to the “little horn” / Anti-christ once they see his actions with the other three kingdoms.
DANIEL SEES GOD AND HIS THRONE!
Ancient of Days has a garment white as snow and hair like pure wool. This is no other than God the Father
Daniel saw God. It states what He saw and for anyone to state that it was not literal, then you need to throw it all out.
Men from Moses to Ezekiel to Paul and John have all seen God. A verse that is often used to argue the existence of God is John 1:18, where the author states “no man has seen God”. If that statement was true, then all the writers in scripture have lied about what they saw. John is stating that no one can comprehend God. The term “seen” in John 1:18 means “see do you understand it”. It is all in how you comprehend our language. Take this simple example using the word “fast”.
Example: “I am stuck fast in the mud” compared to “I ran fast” or “I am participating in a fast”
His throne was like the fiery flame and His wheels as burning fire. How brighter or brilliant can you describe it than the brightest of fire. Ezekiel has a similar “fiery” description (Ezekiel 1:26-27)
We are seeing the worshipping around the throne and the billions standing before the throne at the Judgment Seat
Daniel saw all of man’s rulers and thrones of all time come to an end and God sat on His throne. This is the FINAL JUDGMENT SEAT taking place and Daniel is getting a glimpse of it!
What will be the final outcome for the Anti-christ? Here it is, in black and white, he will know ahead of time what the end will be for himself.
Little horn was slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame. The antichrist gets cast into the Pit of Fire. This is yet further evidence that the “little horn” is human. He must be in order to have his “body” destroyed and burned!
Daniel goes back and talks about the original horns that were involved with the antichrist. The antichrist allowed them to live for a period of time (continuation of verse 8) and did not kill them when he took over power.
Daniel now takes us to the greatest scene in the Bible – standing before God’s Throne
There are two separate and unique individuals here. They cannot be the same individual because “one came to the other”. We already know that the Ancient of days is God the Father. The other is God the Son.
He is not referred to by the name Jesus yet because the name Jesus is given to God the Son at His birth into the human race, when he takes upon himself humanity.
Daniel has the extreme privilege of seeing two members of the trinity at the same time at the very throne of God.
Verse 14 is a description that has been given to Jesus throughout scripture
“one of them that stood by”
Daniel was physically there and goes to talk to “one” standing there. It is one among the millions standing before the throne. This “one” is the one talking to Daniel in the following verses. Was this one of the angels? Could it have been Gabriel who aids Daniel in later visions?
Interpretation of Daniel’s First Vision of the Four Beasts Given to Him from Heaven
How can we dare attempt to throw our own slant at an interpretation on this? If we accept the vision which came from Heaven then why not accept the interpretation that also came from Heaven. This is an idea that seems so simplistic. Then why are there hundreds of theories about what this vision means?
Four kings which shall arise out of the earth. They did not exist yet when Daniel has his vision. When these kingdoms are destroyed it WILL be the time for the saints of the Most High to rule! And it will now be for forever!
Daniel still wants clarification on the fourth beast because it was so different from the rest. It was unique and it called attention to itself! He describes once again what he had seen earlier. This corresponds with the statue and its legs of iron and the feet part of clay
Daniel now details further his vision of the little horn.
This horn makes war with the saints. When you tie this passage with the whole of scripture it is very clear the meaning. The Anti-christ will make those who claim an allegiance with God his enemy and will attempt to destroy them all. This will continue 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.
NOTE: until who comes? ANCIENT OF DAYS!
Daniel has already distinctly identified TWO individuals in Heaven. Ancient of Days = God The Father
This is a revelation that is not often taught. Daniel states very clearly that:
God the Father will return WITH and WHEN God the son returns!!!
“One of Them” (from verse 16) begins speaking again:
The “One” who is speaking now sets the point of reference for Daniel as to where the explanation begins.
He begins with the “Fourth Beast” in succession, so the one referred to back in verse 7 of this chapter. The “Terrible Beast” and the “Legs of Iron”
Referring to the Roman empire which covered the known world of its day
From verse 8 of this chapter. The “Horns” and the “Feet of Iron and Clay”.
We have already established that the ten kingdoms (horns) have to exist AFTER 1967 and the Roman Empire does not exist today. These Ten kingdoms THEN MUST come out of the GEOGRAPHICAL AREA that was once under the control of the Roman empire.
He then states that they Will arise (in the future yet to come). There will be ten kings over ten kingdoms. That means that we are going to see political changes take place in that region of the globe in order to accommodate this happening. It will not be the rebirth of the Roman Empire or the Roman Catholic Church BECAUSE there are ten individual kings in the area being described.
An eleventh horn will arise after the ten are in place. Three kingdoms will surrender control to the antichrist.
Therefore we CANNOT see the Antichrist come to power until there are the ten kingdoms in existence.
He is now referring to that 11th horn, the Anti-christ.
He may be an eloquent speaker, knowing how to keep the attention of his audience; HOWEVER, he will be speaking everything against the God of Heaven. He uses the phrase “and shall wear out the saints of the Most High”
In the Chaldean language that Daniel wrote in; the word for “wear” is “bela”. It is used only in a mental sense, the idea of being able to afflict or wear down.
All laws of nature and man will be subject to his desire to be changed to accommodate his plans and motives. He shall be allowed to do so for “a time and times and the dividing of time” (3 and a half years)
The word for Time is “iddan”. It means a set amount of time, A year.
This verse is indicating that the Anti-christ will have free reign for three and a half years to do as he pleases.
Judgment will happen. His dominion will be given to the saints of the Most High.
Daniel says this was the end of it and it greatly troubled him. Can it even be comprehended how Daniel felt after hearing about the Anti-christ? The magnitude of the power of evil that was coming.
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