The Book of Daniel: Chapter 7

Chapter 7:1
{1} 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.

We find the historical setting for Daniel’s vision in this verse. This was in the first year of Belshazzar’s reign. He was not the sole monarch of Babylon, but reigned as the second monarch. Compare Daniel 5:1. Belshazzar was the last Babylonian Monarch.

Chapter 7:2-14
{2} Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. {3} And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. {4} 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. {5} 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. {6} 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. {7} 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. {8} 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. {9} 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. {10} 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. {11} 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. {12} As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. {13} 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. {14} 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.

"My vision by night." Daniel received the following prophecy in a vision during the night. It is not mentioned rather Daniel was asleep or awake, but the fact that he is conversant during the vision ( compare verse 16) indicates that he was undoubtedly awake. "The four winds of the heaven." This is the force which is troubling the sea. It is some force which prevails upon mankind which is represented by the troubled sea. The wind might very well represent the power and control of God upon mankind. Compare Genesis 1:1 and Daniel 4:32. "The great sea." The great sea that Daniel saw could have appeared as any great body of water. It would have been difficult for him to distinguish any sea from another except possibly in the color of the water, since maps were not common and he undoubtedly did not see the entire sea. The sea represents mankind in general. It is composed of people, for we notice that the ten horns represent ten kings. "And four great beasts came up out of the sea." The four beasts mentioned here represent four kingdoms that would arise out of the sea. They were all different from one another. "The first was like a lion." This first kingdom represents the Babylonian kingdom. This is observed because it is the first kingdom mentioned in the list as in Daniel chapter 2 where the head of gold represented Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom. Also note the reference in verse 4 where it states concerning the beast "And made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it." This would correspond with the description given of Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity and recovery. Compare Daniel 4:16. The eagle’s wings speak of the speed of conquest; whereas, the lion speaks of the majesty and power of the kingdom. "And the second like unto the bear." This represents the Medo-Persian empire which followed the Babylonian empire chronologically. It raised itself up on one side. This refers undoubtedly to the fact that one half of the kingdom is the strongest. This was the Persians. It had three ribs in its mouth. This refers to three areas of conquest. Compare Daniel 8:4 where the ram, which represents the Medio-Persian empire, is described as pushing westward, northward, and southward. "Another, like a leopard." This represents the Greek empire, especially under Alexander the Great and following. It had four wings of a fowl upon it. These represent the speed of conquest. "The beast also had four heads." These speak of the division of the Greek empire into four parts after the death of Alexander the Great. There four parts are: Greece, Western Asia, Egypt, and Persia. "A fourth beast." if this vision follows the same period of history as the image of Daniel chapter two and if these are chronological in order with no gaps, then this kingdom would be the Roman empire. The iron teeth of this vision, would correspond to the legs of iron in chapter two. "It was diverse from all the beasts that were before it." This speaks of the difference in appearance of this fourth beast from the first three. Since there beasts represent kingdoms and we know that no two kingdoms can be identical, then we realize that this beast would naturally be diverse from the first three. "and it had ten horns." We know from verse 24 that the ten horns are ten kings which shall arise. These ten kings would arise from the Roman empire, for the ten horns were part of the fourth beast. "There came up among them another little horn." Another king would arise and uproot three of the first horns. The implication is that these are the only three kings left or else the only three with real power. Thus this little horn would gain control of the world by overthrowing the others. This little horn seems to correspond to the beast described in Revelation 13. "Till ... the Ancient of days did sit." The Ancient of days refers to God and especially to the Father. Some have applied this to the Son or Christ because of the comparison with Rev. 1:14. However, one must remember the Son of man mentioned in verse 13 which undoubtedly refers to Christ. Also remembering that the Father and Son are both God, any description of either would necessarily be similar. This refers to the establishment of the kingdom of God upon the earth where Christ His Son rules. It is difficult to give interpretations to each aspect of his description given here. However, the latter part of verse ten indicates that He is to judge. The figures undoubtedly refer to his justice and wrath to come upon those being judged. "The books were opened." Does God keep literal record books of all events and records. It refers to some method of recording whereby a man will be able to see that which is to his account. Certainly God does not require a book to remember what we have done, this would only be an accommodation to man. "Till the beast was slain." This refers to the fourth beast in its latter form as the little horn. "One like the Son of man." This refers to Christ. The article should be the indefinite "a" instead of the definite "the." It would then be translated, "one like a Son of man." This refers to the humanity of Christ. He was divine, but he also was like a son of man. "And there was given him dominion." This refers to his ruling in the kingdom of God, mentioned in verse 9, which will begin here upon earth and go on into eternity. There is a real distinction drawn between physical kingdoms which come to an end and God’s kingdom which shall be eternal.

Chapter 7:15-27
{15} I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. {16} 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. {17} These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. {18} But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. {19} 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; {20} 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. {21} I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; {22} 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. {23} 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. {24} 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. {25} 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. {26} But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. {27} 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.

Daniel was perplexed by the visions that he had seen. Daniel asked one of the angels that stood by what these visions meant. The angel informed Daniel, that the four beasts were four kings. The sea represents the earth with its inhabitants. Then Daniel asked especially about the fourth beast whose appearance was more stout than his fellows. If this little horn refers to the beast of Revelation chapter 13 then we notice in verse twenty-one the struggle between the beast or man of sin and the saints. This man will prevail against the saints until the Ancient of days shall come in the person of his Son. This is a similar expression to that found in I Peter 3:18,19 where we are told that Christ went and preached to the people in Noah’s day through the person of the Holy Spirit. "And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise." It is obvious that the ten horns represent ten different kings that were to arise out of the Roman Empire. It is difficult to point with accuracy to the king or his kingdom referred to here. Hengstenberg attempts to prove that these ten horns represent the ten Germanic states which rise out of the Roman empire. These ten horns correspond to the ten toes of the great image in Daniel chapter two. Afterward another king was to arise who would subdue three of the previous kings. His character is to be anti-Christ. Compare I John 2:18-23. "And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time." This Anti-Christ will prevail over the saints for three and one half years. The expression of time refers to one year, times to plurality of years or two years, and dividing of time equals one half year. This period refers to the first three and one half years of the tribulation. But following this shall begin the latter three and one half years of the Great tribulation with its judgment. Following this the Lord will come and destroy the power of this beast.

Chapter 7:28
{28} 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.

The effect of this vision upon Daniel was a troubling of his thoughts. Was it because Daniel understood what the vision meant that he was troubled or because he did not understand its specific application in history. Daniel thought about it later.

Introductory Comments

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