Daniel Chapter Seven

“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 7:1

“In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon”

 “Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed:”

• This dream Daniel had: previously he was interpreting other peoples dreams
• This dream will cover the same time period as the dream of chapter two (as do the other dreams)
• The dream of chapter two was primarily political and given for Nebuchadnezzar’s understanding of his role in world affairs
• The dreams of the rest of the book of Daniel were given for God’s people to understand their role in God’s divine plan

Daniel 7:2

“Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.”

Daniel 7:2

“the four winds of the heaven”

• Winds: Aramaic “ruach”  meaning “air, breath, wind, or spirit”
• The meaning depends on the context
• Context suggests political or diplomatic movements guided by God’s Spirit which shaped history

 “four”

• This implies worldwide: as in the four points of a compass
• Examples:
• Dan.8:8  the four corners of the earth
• Rev. 7:1  four corners and four winds (here referring to strife and conflict)

“strove upon the great sea.”

• Sea here refers to people (see Rev. 17:15 waters are peoples and nations of the world)
  
  

Daniel 7:3

“And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.”

Daniel 7:3

“And four great beasts”

• These four beasts represent four kings (Dan. 7:17) which are four kingdoms (Dan. 7:23)

“came up from the sea,”

• These four kingdoms would arise from the worlds populated areas (sea) and not from the unpopulated areas (earth)
• These kingdoms would be successive (see Dan. 7:24 occur after each other)  

 “diverse one from another.”

• These kingdoms would be different from each other: different peoples, different cultures, different time periods, different emphasis (gold, silver, bronze, and iron)
  
  
  

Daniel 7:4

“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.”

Daniel 7:4

“The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings:”

• A lion with eagles wings was often used to depict Babylon in ancient art
• The lion represented strength
• The eagles wings represented how Babylon was able to cover the world
• This lion with wings represented Babylon’s early years of influence worldwide

 “beheld till the wings thereof were plucked,”

• The loss of wings here refers to the loss of world influence and domination

“it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man,”

• Lion became like a man (standing up)
• Suggests loss of power 

 “and a man's heart was given to it.”

• A lions heart was noted for its courage (example, king Richard of England known as “the lionhearted” for his bravery)
• Man’s heart suggests cowardice or weakness
• This represents the later years of Babylon under Belshazzar
• Babylon would reign from 605 B.C. – 538 B.C.

Daniel 7:5

“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.”

Daniel 7:5

“another beast, a second, like to a bear,”

• This second kingdom was bear like: mean and cruel

• This kingdom was Medo-Persia

“and it raised up itself on one side,”

• This asymmetry suggests that one side was larger or stronger than the other (see Dan. 8:3)

• Suggest two parts: Medes and Persians 

 “it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it:”

• This refers to the three main countries that were over thrown by the Medes and Persians: Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt

“devour much flesh.”

• This kingdom would destroy many people
• Medo-Persia would reign from 538 B.C. – 331 B.C.
   

Daniel 7:6

“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.”

Daniel 7:6

“After this”

• “After this” suggests that these kingdoms would follow each other

“I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard,”

• The next kingdom would be Greece (Dan. 8:21)
• Leopards were known for their swiftness and aggressiveness

 “like a leopard,”

• Greece rapidly overthrew the world under Alexander the Great
• Alexander became king of Macedonia (a Greek state) in 336 B.C. and by age 25 in 331 B.C.  he had conquered Persia and founded “Alexandria”, Egypt
• Alexander died at age 33 of swamp fever (possibly Malaria)

 “upon the back of it four wings of a fowl;”

• Wings here suggests speed
• This suggests that the leopard was even faster than normal
• Alexander conquered the entire world in 5 years!

 “had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.”

• After Alexander died his kingdom was divided into four parts (four generals):
• Ptolemy:         South           Egypt and Palestine
• Cassander:     West             Macedonia
• Lysimachus     North           Asia Minor
• Seleucus         East             Mesopotamia, N Syria
• Greece reigned from 331 B. C.- 168 B.C.

Daniel 7:7

“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.”

Daniel 7:7

“After this”

• Suggests that the next kingdom would follow the third kingdom

“behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly;”

• This beast is hard for Daniel to describe, there does not appear to be any natural beast he can compare it to
• This beast would be extremely strong 

 “fourth beast,”

• This fourth beast would follow Greece
• This beast is the same time period of the legs of iron of Daniel 2:40
• This beast represents Rome which took over world dominance from Greece completely by 168 B.C.

 “it had great iron teeth:”

• This suggests cruelty and strength
• Iron was the metal that Rome was known for

“and stamped the residue with the feet of it”

• What was not destroyed was put into slavery

“it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it;”

• This kingdom would be different from what had come before
• This kingdom would give birth to a religious power

 “and it had ten horns.”

• These ten horns are ten kings (Dan. 7:24)
• These ten kings or kingdoms would appear at the end of this kingdom and represent the ten European kingdoms which followed the Roman Empire:  Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Suevi, Alamanni, Anglo-Saxons, Heruli, Lombards, Burgundians.
  
  

Daniel 7:8

“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.”

Daniel 7:8

“I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn,”

• This new horn or kingdom would arise “among” the other horns (ten kingdoms)
• This kingdom would arise after the Pagan Roman kingdom but during the ten kingdoms
• This kingdom would exist along with the other kingdoms

 “before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots:”

• The Heruli, Vandals and Ostrogoths who favored Arianism over Catholicism were all overthrown by Papal Rome
• The final kingdom that was overthrown was the Ostrogoths in 538 A.D.
• 538 A.D. marks the true beginning of Papal Rome as a world kingdom 

 “behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man,’

• “eyes” represents intelligence as opposed to the barbarism of the ten kingdoms
• “man” here may refer to the Pope who as a man represented this kingdom

“a mouth speaking great things.”

• These great things will be against God (see Dan. 7:25)
• This kingdom will blaspheme God
   

Daniel 7:9

“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.”

Daniel 7:9

“I beheld till the thrones were cast down,”

• “cast down”: Aramaic “remah” means “to place” or “to set up”
• The translators may have thought that the “thrones” here were referring to the prior kingdoms which would mean that God’s throne would be set up after the fall of the three kingdoms (see prior verse) but not prior to the fall of all of the ten kingdoms since they will still be in existence at the Second Coming (see Dan. 2:41-44) 
• “thrones” here can also refer to thrones being set up along with God’s throne which is also being set up
• This is consistent with Revelation 4:4 where the 24 elders are placed on thrones around God’s throne
• Thrones is plural and is not referring to God’s throne

 “and the Ancient of days did sit,”

• This Ancient of days refers to God the Father
• God is here described as taking His seat on His throne surrounded by other thrones

“whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool:”

• Garment white as snow refers to God’s purity
• Hair as pure wool refers to God’s age (eternal)
• This description is of an old man but that does not mean that God looks like man 

 “his throne was like the fiery flame,”

• Fire is associated with judgment (II Peter 10-12)

“his wheels as burning fire.”

• This description is similar to Ezekiel’s (Ezek. 1:16)
• Again Fire is associated with judgment
   

Daniel 7:10

“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.”

Daniel 7:10

“A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him:”

• Again fire is described which suggests judgment coming from God

“thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him:”

• This describes the angels that minister before God
• Thousand thousands would be millions
• Ten thousand times ten thousand would be hundreds of millions
• These will also function as witnesses of the judgment

 “the judgment was set,”

• The timing of this judgment is important: This judgment begins after the three horns have been destroyed and it occurs after the little horn has reigned
• “was set” or “began to sit” suggests that this process begins at a certain time
• This process will take time because it involves created beings with finite minds (angels and other created beings)
• This process is not to educate God but to educate the other creatures present

• This process is not to determine who is saved since God already knows who they are from birth but is to reveal God’s decisions to the universe
• The saved are not so much on trial as God is!
• This trial or judgment is more like an appeals court than a criminal court

 “and the books were opened.”

• The “books” here described refers to the book of life described as the book of the Lamb Slain (Rev. 13:8; 5:4-7)
• The only names in these books are the names of those who have chosen to serve God
• These are typified by those who brought there sins to confess on the lamb in the sanctuary service in the Old Testament
• There is another set of books that will not be opened until the Second Coming described as the “books” which contain the deeds of the wicked (Rev. 20:12)
• These books would contain the names of all those who rejected service to God. They were typified by those in the Old Testament who did not bring their sins to the sanctuary to be placed on the lamb and therefore could not be forgiven

Daniel 7:11

“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.”

Daniel 7:11

“I beheld”

• Daniel uses this phrase to transition from one scene to another

“because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake:”

• Daniel is now shown the little horn again
• The “great words” are words of blasphemy against the Most High (see Dan. 7:25)

 “I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.”

• Daniel is shown the end of the little horn’s history
• The little horn will be present at the Second Coming and will be destroyed by fire
• Each of Daniel’s four main prophecies reach to the end of time
  
  

Daniel 7:12

“As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.”

Daniel 7:12

“As concerning the rest of the beasts”

• Daniel now refers back to the first three beasts or kingdoms (Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece)

“they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged”

• These kingdoms were not destroyed in eternal fire (as the little horn will be)
• These kingdoms lost their “dominion” by being overthrown by the next kingdom 

 “were prolonged for a season and time.”

• A “time” in Jewish calendars was a year which was 360 days
• A “season” would represent one fourth of a year or about 90 days
• A time and a season would be about 450 days (360 + 90) or 450 prophetic years
• Babylon’s reign began in 605 B.C. and Greece’s reign ended in 168 B.C. (457 years)
  
  

Daniel 7:13

“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.”

Daniel 7:13

“I saw in the night visions,”

• Daniel now introduces another part of his vision with this phrase

“behold, one like the Son of man”

• Literally: “One of human form”
• Jesus uses this term to apply to Himself in the New Testament

“came with the clouds of heaven,”

• “clouds” here refers to “they” in the end of the sentence
• “clouds” refers to the angels who come with Jesus

 “and came to the Ancient of days,”

• The Ancient of Days refers to God the Father
• Jesus is brought by the angels to His Father to receive His kingdom (note that this occurs after the judgment scene in Dan. 7:10)

“they brought him near before him.”

• “they” refers to those who brought Jesus to His Father: they are the angels
  
  

Daniel 7:14

“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.”

Daniel 7:14

“And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom,”

• Jesus is given dominion (authority) over the world
• Jesus is given glory
• Jesus is given His kingdom
• All of these events occur at the same time, when Satan (the accuser) is cast down from heaven (Rev. !2:10)
• This occurs at the close of probation
• Jesus does not actually occupy the earth until it is made new (Rev. 21:1)

 “that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him:”

• Jesus will rule over every nation and tongue and people
• This begins technically at the close of probation when all of his people are identified and begins in actuality when He returns at the Second Coming 

 “his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away,”

• Jesus dominion is eternal; His authority is forever

“and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”

• Unlike the little horn which was destroyed Jesus kingdom will never be destroyed
   

Daniel 7:15

“I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.”

Daniel 7:15

“I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body”

• Daniel was upset and distressed over what he had seen
• Daniel was sick in body and mind

“and the visions of my head troubled me.”

• It was the visions that troubled Daniel
• Daniel probably recognized that many things must happen before God was going to return
   

Daniel 7:16

“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.”

Daniel 7:16

“I came near unto one of them that stood by”

• This refers to “they” in verse 13 which is describing the angels who accompanied Jesus

“and asked him the truth of all this.”

• Daniel is asking one of the angels to explain these visions

“So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.”

• The angel is now going to explain the visions
   

Daniel 7:17

“These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.”

Daniel 7:17

“These great beasts, which are four,”

• The four beasts are: lion, bear, leopard, and the dreadful beast

“are four kings,”

• These four beasts represent four kings or kingdoms

“which shall arise out of the earth”

• Earth here refers to earthly kingdoms as opposed to the eternal or heavenly kingdom
  (see next verse) 

Daniel 7:18

“But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.”

Daniel 7:18

“But the saints of the most High”

• The angel begins by reassuring Daniel that the saints will overcome
• These are those who were judged as saved in the judgment described in Daniel 7:10
• These are those whose names were in the books mentioned in Daniel 7:10
• These are God’s people saved by faith in Jesus

 “shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever,”

• The saints “take” the kingdom from God as a gift
• This kingdom is eternal
• God’s people will reign forever

Daniel 7:19

“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;”

Daniel 7:19

“Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast,”

• Daniel does not seem to be as concerned about the first three kingdoms as he is about the fourth

“which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful,”

• The fourth beast was much more frightening than the others 
• “whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue”
• Daniel describes this beast again to be sure that the angel explains it to him
• This beast was ferocious and deadly

Daniel 7:20

“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.”

Daniel 7:20

“And of the ten horns that were in his head,”

• Daniel wants to know what the 10 horns represent

“and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell;”

• Daniel especially wants to know about the little horn which destroys three other horns 

 “even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things,”

• Daniel wants to know what this horn is

“whose look was more stout than his fellows.”

• “more stout” means that this little horn grew larger than all the others
   

Daniel 7:21

“I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;”

Daniel 7:21

“the same horn”

• This refers to the little horn

“made war with the saints,”

• The little horn would make war with the saints (God’s people)

“and prevailed against them;”

• The little horn would prevail over the saints by persecuting and killing them
   

Daniel 7:22

“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.”

Daniel 7:22

“Until the Ancient of days came,”

• The persecution of the saints would continue until the “Ancient of days” (God the Father) comes

“and judgment was given to the saints of the most High;”

• Some suggest that this refers to the investigative judgment when God sets up His throne to judge His people
• This would suggest that the persecution by the little horn would end prior to 1844 (beginning of investigative judgment, see Dan. 8:14) and to some degree this persecution did lessen after the mortal wound to the little horn in 1798 A.D. (see Rev. 13:3)

• However, judgment is not truly “given to the saints” until they actually receive it which occurs at the Second Coming
• Also the saints will be persecuted again by the little horn power after it’s power is restored once the mortal wound is healed (see Rev. 13:3-10)
• This persecution will continue up until the end of this power at the Second Coming

 “and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.”

• The saints will possess the kingdom at the Second Coming
• This phrase also suggests that this persecution will continue up to the Second Coming
• Thus each of these three phrases suggests that the persecution will continue until the Second Coming
  
  

Daniel 7:23

“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.”

Daniel 7:23

“Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,”

• The fourth beast would be the fourth world kingdom
• The fourth world kingdom, the world kingdom that followed Greece, was Pagan Rome

 “which shall be diverse from all kingdoms,”

• The fourth kingdom would be different from the other kingdoms

“shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.”

• This kingdom would devour the earth and destroy many countries
  
  

Daniel 7:24

“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.”

Daniel 7:24

“And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings”

• These ten horns are ten kings or kingdoms
• These are political kingdoms with kings

“and another shall rise after them;”

• This other horn (the little horn) arose “after them”
• This means that the little horn would come into power after the ten horns 

 “and he shall be diverse from the first,”

• The little horn would be different from the ten horns (“the firs” means the former ones)
• The little horn would be a combined religious and political kingdom as opposed to the ten horns which were political kingdoms
• The little horn would be ruled by the Pontiff (an ecclesiastical ruler)

“and he shall subdue three kings.”

• Papal Rome overthrew three of the ten European
  kingdoms before it came to power in 538 A.D. (Heruli, Vandals, and Ostrogoths)

Daniel 7:25

“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.”

Daniel 7:25

“And he shall speak great words against the most High,”

• “words”: Aramaic “millin”  which means “words” or “things” or “commandments” or  “matters”
• The little horn would speak against the Most High (God)
• Papal Rome has claimed to represent God on earth
• The Pope claims to be God on earth (blasphemy!)

 “and shall wear out the saints of the most High,”

• This means that there will be continuous and relentless persecution of God’s people
• Papal Rome through the inquisition and wars killed millions of Christians (estimated 50 – 150 million)

 “and think”

• Aramaic: “sebar”  means “to intend” or “to mean to”
• This is a deliberate attempt to do something

“to change times”

• Aramaic: “zimnin”  denotes a fixed time or a period of time
• This phrase is used in Dan. 2:21 where this prerogative is given to God
• Only God has the right to change the times or history but this phrase suggests that the little horn is attempting to take God’s prerogative and change history
• The little horn is taking God’s place

 “and laws::

• This refers to God’s laws and not man’s laws
• This religious power would change God’s law
• Specifically, this power would change God’s Ten Commandments by changing His Sabbath  on the 7^th day to Sunday the 1^st day of the week
• This change began gradually from 150 A.D. through 350 A.D. and the Catholic Council of Laodicea in the 4^th century made it a punishable offence to keep the Sabbath on the 7^th day
• Sunday keeping was made official by Constantine in 338 A.D.

 “and they shall be given into his hand”

• God’s saints were going to be persecuted by this power for a period of time

“until a time and times and the dividing of time.”

• The period of time they were to be persecuted was 3 and ½ times
• “time” Aramaic: “iddan” means year
• “times” Aramaic root “iddan” actually refers to dual or two years
• “dividing” Aramaic: “pelag” translates “half”
• Therefore, 3 ½ times represents  3 ½ years

 “given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”

• The year here referred to is a prophetic year which is 360 days (not the same as a solar calendar year of 365 days or the Jewish calendar year of  slightly less than 360 days)
• This prophetic year is based on a comparison of several prophecies which involve this same length of time although some are different time periods (see Dan.12:7; Rev. 12:6,14; Rev. 11:2,3; Rev. 13:5)

• Thus, 3 ½ prophetic years is 1260 prophetic days which represents 1260 actual years (one prophetic day equals one literal year: Num.14:34, Ezek.4:6)
• Papal Rome began its reign in 538 A. D. when the Ostrogoths fell, and Papal Rome experienced its mortal wound 1260 years later, in 1798 A.D., when Napoleon’s General Berthier captured Pope Pius VI

Daniel 7:26

“But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.”

Daniel 7:26

“But the judgment shall sit,”

• The angel now reaffirms that the judgment will occur
• This is the judgment referred to in Dan. 7:10
• This is the investigative judgment which involves all of God’s people and must occur prior to the Second Coming when God comes to reward His faithful

 “and they shall take away his dominion,”

• They refers to those involved in the judgment process
• This word is plural which suggests that more than one is involved in this process (this confirmed by the multiple thrones set up: Dan. 7:9 and Rev.4:4)
• This judgment will take away the dominion of Satan and his followers and return it to Christ (Rev. 12:10)
• This judgment is now ongoing (see Dan. 8:14)

 “to consume and to destroy it unto the end.”

• The result of this judgment will be the destruction of Satan and his followers
• This destruction begins with the seven last plagues (God’s wrath: Rev. 15:1) and ends with the Third Coming (Rev. 20:7-10)
  
  

Daniel 7:27

“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 7:27

“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,”

• This kingdom which is given to Jesus at the close of probation (Rev.12:10) will be given by Him to His people

• The dominion or authority over this world which was lost by Adam and Eve will be returned to God’s faithful people 

 “shall be given”

• This is a future event and has not yet occurred

“whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,”

• This kingdom will be everlasting or eternal as compared to the beast’s kingdoms which were all temporary

“shall serve and obey him.”

• The only people in God’s kingdom will be those who serve and obey Him
   

Daniel 7:28

“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.”

Daniel 7:28

“Hitherto is the end of the matter.”

• The story ends with God’s people receiving their kingdom
• The story ends the same in Revelation with God’s people receiving their kingdom

“As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me”

• Daniel was very upset with these prophecies
• Daniel was probably hoping for a quicker and easier solution! 

 “and my countenance changed in me:”

• Daniel was so upset that his very physical appearance changed

“but I kept the matter in my heart.”

• Daniel did not understand but he did not complain or question God to others: a good approach for all of us!
   

Summary

• Daniel chapter seven begins with a vision of four beasts
• These four beasts were: a lion with eagles’ wings, a bear with one side raised up, a leopard with four wings and four heads, and a terrible, dreadful beast with iron teeth and ten horns
• Following these four beasts came a little horn which plucked up three of the ten horns of the prior beast
• The little horn had eyes like a man and spoke great blasphemous things
• Following the little horn Daniel saw God sit down on His throne and other thrones set up around His throne and judgment began using record books
• This judgment was followed by the destruction of the little horn and then the final eternal kingdom of Jesus
• The second half of Daniel chapter seven is the angel’s explanation of Daniel’s vision
• The four beasts represent four kings or kingdoms beginning with Babylon (the lion), followed by Medo-Persia (the bear), followed by Greece (the leopard), and finally Pagan Rome (the dreadful beast)
• The little horn represents the world power that followed Pagan Rome:
• This power would be different from the prior powers (Religious and political - not just political)
• This power would speak against God (blaspheme God and take His place)
• This power would kill God’s people
• The little horn represents the world power that followed Pagan Rome:
• This power would destroy three horns of the original ten
• This power would reign for 3 ½ prophetic years (1260 literal years)
• This power would exist at the end of the world and be finally destroyed by Jesus at His Second Coming
• The little horn represents the world power that followed Pagan Rome:
• This power is Papal Rome whose mortal wound (Rev. 13:3) occurred in 1798 which ended her first reign of terror
• Her mortal wound was healed (Rev. 13:3) in 1929 when her kingdom was reinstated
• The ten horns of Daniel seven represent the ten European kingdoms which resulted from the breakdown of Pagan Rome
• Three of these kingdoms were overthrown by Papal Rome (Heruli, Vandals, and Ostrogoths) because they rejected the Papal teachings
• The angel ends the explanation by reminding Daniel that God’s judgment will occur after the little horn has been given 1260 years and that the little horn power will eventually be destroyed
• Daniel chapter seven ends with a description of God’s people reigning in their new kingdom forever ( note: each of Daniel’s four major visions will begin at Daniel’s time and end at the Second Coming)