Daniel 7

Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts// Revelation 13:1–10

¹In the first year of the reign of Belshazzar over Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he lay on his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is the summary of his account.

• DAN 7:1[NOTE]THE FIRST YEAR OF BELSHAZZAR. About 553 BC. Chapters 7 and 8 go back in time, before chapter 5.

²Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea. ³Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others:

• DAN 7:3[ALLUDED TO]The New Testament refers to this → REV 13:1-2
• DAN 7:3[NOTE]FOUR BEASTS. The four kingdoms of chapter 2 again, as wild animals.

⁴The first beast was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man and given the heart of a man.

• DAN 7:4[PROPHECY]Four great beasts would rise from the sea, a lion, a bear, a leopard, and a terrifying beast with iron teeth → HISTORY: Persia took Babylon in 539 BC. Alexander the Great of Greece beat Persia in 331 BC. Rome took Syria in 64 BC. Recorded in the Nabonidus Chronicle and by Herodotus, Arrian and Appian.MEDIUM

⁵Suddenly another beast appeared, 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. So it was told, ‘Get up and gorge yourself on flesh!’

⁶Next, as I watched, suddenly another beast appeared. It was like a leopard, and on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.

⁷After this, as I watched in my vision in the night, suddenly a fourth beast appeared, and it was terrifying—dreadful and extremely strong—with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed; then it trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns. ⁸While I was contemplating the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like those of a man and a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.

• DAN 7:8[PROPHECY]A little horn would rise among the ten, uproot three, and speak proud words → STILL TO COMEMEDIUM
• DAN 7:8[NOTE]THE LITTLE HORN. See The Little Horn.

Daniel’s Vision of the Ancient of Days

⁹As I continued to watch,

thrones were set in place,

and the Ancient of Days took His seat.

His clothing was white as snow,

and the hair of His head was like pure wool.

His throne was flaming with fire,

and its wheels were all ablaze.

• DAN 7:9[PROPHECY]The Ancient of Days takes His throne, the court sits, and the books are opened → STILL TO COMEMEDIUM
• DAN 7:9[MIRACLE]The Ancient of Days takes His throne
• DAN 7:9[NOTE]THE ANCIENT OF DAYS. God on His throne, with hair white like wool. John saw Jesus the same way, Revelation 1:14.

¹⁰A river of fire was flowing,

coming out from His presence.

Thousands upon thousands attended Him,

and myriads upon myriads stood before Him.

The court was convened,

and the books were opened.

¹¹Then I kept watching because of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued to watch, the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. ¹²As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was removed, but they were granted an extension of life for a season and a time.

Daniel’s Vision of the Son of Man

¹³In my vision in the night I continued to watch,

and I saw One like the Son of Man

coming with the clouds of heaven.

He approached the Ancient of Days

and was led into His presence.

• DAN 7:13[PROPHECY]He would ascend into heaven (the Son of Man) → MT 26:64; MK 14:62; ACTS 1:9-11
• DAN 7:13[PROPHECY]Highly exalted → EPH 1:20-22
• DAN 7:13[PROPHECY]His dominion would be everlasting → LK 1:31-33
• DAN 7:13[ALLUDED TO]The New Testament refers to this → MT 24:30
• DAN 7:13[ALLUDED TO]The New Testament refers to this → MT 26:64
• DAN 7:13[ALLUDED TO]The New Testament refers to this → MK 13:26
• DAN 7:13[ALLUDED TO]The New Testament refers to this → MK 14:62
• DAN 7:13[ALLUDED TO]The New Testament refers to this → LK 21:27
• DAN 7:13[ALLUDED TO]The New Testament refers to this → REV 1:7
• DAN 7:13[ALLUDED TO]The New Testament refers to this → REV 1:13-15
• DAN 7:13[ALLUDED TO]The New Testament refers to this → REV 14:14
• DAN 7:13[NOTE]ONE LIKE THE SON OF MAN. The name Jesus used most for Himself. At His trial He said, You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven, Mark 14:62. See Who Is the Son of Man?

¹⁴And He was given dominion,

glory, and kingship,

that the people of every nation and language

should serve Him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion

that will not pass away,

and His kingdom is one

that will never be destroyed.

Daniel’s Visions Interpreted

¹⁵I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit, and the visions in my mind alarmed me. ¹⁶I approached one of those who were standing there, and I asked him the true meaning of all this.

So he told me the interpretation of these things: ¹⁷‘These four great beasts are four kings who will arise from the earth. ¹⁸But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.’

• DAN 7:18[ALLUDED TO]The New Testament refers to this → REV 22:5

¹⁹Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others—extremely terrifying—devouring and crushing with iron teeth and bronze claws, then trampling underfoot whatever was left. ²⁰I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn whose appearance was more imposing than the others, with eyes and with a mouth that spoke words of arrogance. ²¹As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and prevailing against them, ²²until the Ancient of Days arrived and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for them to possess the kingdom.

²³This is what he said: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it. ²⁴And the ten horns are ten kings who will rise from this kingdom. After them another king, different from the earlier ones, will rise and subdue three kings. ²⁵He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.

• DAN 7:23[PROPHECY]The fourth kingdom would devour the whole earth, trample it, and crush it → HISTORY: Rome ruled all the lands around the Mediterranean Sea. Its empire lasted from 27 BC until the west fell in AD 476. Recorded by Augustus in his Res Gestae and by Tacitus.MEDIUM
• DAN 7:24[PROPHECY]Ten kings would rise from the fourth kingdom, and then another king would subdue three of them → STILL TO COMEMEDIUM
• DAN 7:25[PROPHECY]He shall speak against the Most High, wear out the saints, and intend to change times and law; they shall be given into his hand for time, times, and half a time → STILL TO COME

²⁶But the court will convene, and his dominion will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. ²⁷Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’

• DAN 7:26[PROPHECY]The last proud king loses his power forever and the saints receive the everlasting kingdom → STILL TO COME
• DAN 7:27[ALLUDED TO]The New Testament refers to this → REV 22:5

²⁸Thus ends the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face turned pale. But I kept the matter in my heart.”