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THE BOOK OF DANIEL
CHAPTER 7
Daniel 7: 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.
Daniel see a time of darkness and the end of the times of the gentiles. Daniel dream takes place in the first year of Belshazzar the last king of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar dream was a picture of what was going to happen to the gentile world as a whole but Daniel's dream was God's view of the last days.
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.
The four winds are referred to again in Revelation Chapter 7 where John tells that an angel commanded the four winds to be held back from destroying the earth until the 144,000 were sealed.
Daniel's vision was by night, it is a period of time that is in darkness. When Jesus was on the earth there was light but he has ascended into the heaven and the time of darkness is upon the earth.
Jesus return to the earth is called the Day of the Lord and is described as the "sun coming up in the morning".
Matthew 13: 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
John 8: 12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Daniel 7: 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
The four beasts came up from the sea. In scripture there are three seas referred to "the Sea of Galilee", "The Dead Sea" and "The Great Sea". Unless the scriptures tell us, when sea is seen in the scriptures it is referring to the Mediterranean Sea.
Numbers 34: 6 And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border.
Numbers 34: 7 And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor:
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.
The first beast was compared to a lion having the wings of an eagle. As Daniel watched, the wings were torn off and the eagle was lifted off the ground and the heart of a man was given to it.
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 described the second beast as being like a bear. It was raise up on one of its sides and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told to get up and eat much flesh
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.
The third beast resembled a leopard with four wings like a fowl and it had four heads. This beast was also given authority to rule. If the third beast represents Greece and Alexander the Great then the four heads are his four generals. When Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 B.C. his empire was divided among his four general, represented by the four heads and four wings. Lysimachus was given Asia Minor (Turkey); Cassander was given Macedonia and Greece; Seleucus was given Syria; Ptolemy was given Egypt.
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.
The fourth beast revealed to Daniel was by far the most important and the most frightening. Daniel described it as being very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot what ever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.
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 saw an eleventh horn, a little horn, which came up among them; and three of the first horn were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes of a man and a moth that spoke great things. The wild beast is the antichrist kingdom, which devour up the other kingdoms.
Revelation 13: 1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Revelation 13: 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Note that this wild beast is also described as a Leopard, Bear and Lion.
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: 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.
The vision then shifted from the four beasts emerging from the great sea to a scene in heaven. Daniel saw one described as "the Ancient of Days". The clothing and hair of the one he saw was white and His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all a blaze. Further, as he looked at the scene a river of fire was flowing, coming out from before Him. Thousands upon thousands attended Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.
Revelation 1: 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
The court was set and the books were open. This is the judgment of the gentile nations as to whether or not they blessed Israel during the tribulation period. Israel will also be judged and the Old Testament saints will be resurrected. (Matt 25:31-35; Matt 8:11-12; John 5:27)
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 continued to watch the vision of heaven until he saw the beast was slain and he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 19: 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
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 witnessed that the first three beasts had been stripped of their authority but were allowed to live for a period of time.
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: 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.
The climax of the vision was when he saw one like the Son of man, coming with clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all people, nations and men of every language worshipped Him. His dominion is and everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Revelation 14: 14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
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: 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: 17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
The four beast are four kings and they shall arise out of the earth. This is a future time since Daniel dream was during the last king of Babylon. The first kingdom with characteristics of a lion and an eagle represented Babylon. This kingdom had the regal splendor of the empire of Babylon as represented by the lion, the king of beast, and the eagle king of birds. The heart of a man given to it referred to Nebuchadnezzar's experiences that humbled him before God.
The second kingdom represented the Medo-Persian Empire which conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. Like a bear it had great power but not the power like Babylon. The greater power of Persia as compared to the Medes was revealed in the bear raising up on one side. The three ribs in its mouth probably referred to the three provinces of Babylonia, Persia, and Media.
The third kingdom represented Greece (Dan 8:21), and the rapid conquests of Alexander the Great who conquered all of Western Asia. The leopard is a beast capable of great speed like Alexander's conquests.
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.
These are the saints that endure the tribulation period and the gentile nations that help the Nation of Israel during that period. (Matt 24:45-47; Matt 25:31-40)
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 wished to know the identification of the beast.
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 wanted to know about the ten horns and of the other horn that came up. The ten horns represent ten kings and the one horn that came up was the antichrist. Three kings fall before the antichrist and he becomes the eighth.
Daniel 7: 21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against 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.
This war happens during the tribulation period and the antichrist prevailed until Christ comes. The saints here are from the Nation of Israel that will reign with Jesus Christ for one thousand years upon the earth.
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.
It possible that this is the Old Roman Empire , which ultimately became the revived Roman Empire which is the kingdom of the Antichrist. The antichrist and his empire shall devour and rule over the entire earth.
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.
The ten horns do not grow out of a dead kingdom but they come out of a mystery kingdom that has been going on the earth since the Lord Jesus Christ defeated the devil at the cross.
2 Thessalonians 2: 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
Three of these kings shall be subdued by the antichrist.
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.
The antichrist shall speak blasphemous words against the God of heaven. He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God.
Revelation 13: 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
The antichrist will seek to change laws and to set times. It is referring to a change in the established order of things, and to change the laws throughout the earth.
The saints have no power to stand against the antichrist. They get the victory by being beheaded and not giving in to the temptation to worship the image or take the mark.
James 1: 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
They will be have no power over the antichrist for the last three and half years of the tribulation and then the Lord Jesus Christ returns.
Daniel 7: 26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
God will judge the nations when he returns.
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.
Jesus returns. The antichrist is defeated. He is cast alive into the lake of fire. Satan is cast into bottomless pit. The earth will then be ruled by Jesus and the saints with him. For one thousand years there will be peace, then Satan is loose out of the bottomless pit and the final battle is fought. God destroys Satan and those that where deceived. The final judgment is set and the death, hell and Satan were cast into the Lake of Fire. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and he rules and reigns forever.
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 had been given the interpretation, he did not seem to understand it. His thoughts troubled him, yet he kept the matter to himself.
