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3.7.0 Daniel 7: End Time World Powers

Chapter 7: End-Time World Powers

In Daniel 7, we read about Daniel's dream of end-time world powers

The Time of the Dream (vs. 1)

Daniel 7:1—In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions…

God gave this Dream to Daniel during the first year of Belshazzar—the last king of Babylon. The kingdom lasted about another two years after this dream. Chapter 8 includes the final mention of Belshazzar as king and Daniel records it as being his third year of rule.

Daniel was about 80 years of age at the time of his dream recorded in chapter 7:

Daniel's Age Duration Information
17 17 Daniel was 16 when he was taken captive and then was given 1 year of schooling in Babylon.
60 43 to the end of Nebuchadnezzar's reign
62 2 to the end (evil) Merodach reigned's reign
66 4 to the end of Nergal-shar-ezer's reign
67 9 months to the end of Labashi-Marduk's reign
78 11 to the end of Nabunahid's reign
79 1 into Belshazzar's reign

Daniel is quite neatly divided into two halves: historic and prophetic. Chapter 5 concludes with the slaying of Belshazzar and the fall of Babylon and Chapter 6 details the institution of a new government under Medo-Persia. Chronologically, Daniel 5 follows chapters 7 and 8, but Chapters 7 and 8 are so placed as to keep all the historic parts of the book (ch. 1-6) together and all the prophetic parts (ch. 7-12) together.

Daniel was quick to write down in entirety as soon as he awoke so as not to forget a single detail. Every detail is important.

The Contents of the Dream (vs. 2-14)

The contents of this dream can be seen in three parts: Winds Striving, Beasts Rising and the Ancient of Days.

"The Four Winds of the heavens strove upon the great sea. " (vs. 2)

Before the beasts came out of the great sea the four winds of the heavens strove or burst forth against it. This vehement and all-encompassing storm is Divine in its origin. The timing of the rise of the beasts is directly related to striving of the winds.

Some say this "Great Sea" is the Mediterranean sea, but in Revelation 13; and 17:15, 17 the sea is symbolic of peoples or nations. God is coming against his creation because it has positioned itself as the enemies of God. No matter what men may do Mark 4:37-41 reminds us that God is still the master of the sea.

Psalm 46:10—Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 148:8—Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
Psalm 107:29—He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

"Four Great Beasts came up from the Sea." (vs. 3-8)

(vs.3) Four very different beasts rise up out of the sea. The governments and peoples they represent are very different from each other.

(vs.4) The First Like a Lion

(vs.5) The Second Like a Bear

(vs.6) The Third Like a Leopard

(vs.7-8) The Fourth was Unlike the Others

"I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit" (vs. 9-14)

Is this Prophecy already fulfilled or is it yet to take place?

Viewing This Prophecy as Fulfilled

The first beast which was like a lion is said to be the Babylonian Empire which was ruled in its beginning by Nebuchadnezzar.

The second beast which was like a bear is said to be the Medo-Persian Empire.

The third beast which was like a leopard is said to be the ancient Greek Empire.

The fourth beast which was diverse from the rest is said to be the ancient Roman Empire.

Some Objections to this Interpretation

(vs. 2) The Four World-Wide Empires did not arise in times of Storm or of tremendous commotion. The disturbances were long and they were gradual.

(vs. 5) The bear "raised itself upon one side" It made for itself one dominion, but Medo-Persia was two peoples: Medes and Persians.

(vs. 6) Alexander's kingdom arose as one kingdom and wasn't divided into four until after his death.

(vs. 7) The context of the word "before" is not in reference to time, but to position. The fourth beasts will devour the three beasts before it or in its way. Both Babylon and Medo-Persia are long gone by the time Historic Rome comes on the scene..

(vs. 12) The first three beasts had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. Alexander died before his kingdom came to an end.It is difficult to fit this into history. Nebuchadnezzar reigned until he died. The Medo-Persian Empire came to an end at the death of their king.

(vs. 16-17) The Angel says that these four kingdoms shall arise but at this time Babylon was in decline and was within a short time of dissolving.

(Chp.8) Chapter 8 satisfies the prophetic-historic accounts of Medo-Persia and Greece. Medo-Persia is more naturally seen as the ram with two horns and Greece with Alexander the Great fully fits the description of a he-goat with one horn and then four coming up. (vs. 20; vs. 21-22)

The Interpretation of the Dream (vs. 15-28)

Daniel was grieved and troubled by the visions in his head and so asked to understand their interpretation.

The four beasts are four kings. (vs. 17)

The four beasts "shall arise". That is, in relation to Daniel the prophecy is entirely futuristic and unfilled at the time he sees it.

The First Beast

The lion is a symbol of Great Britian. "The lions welps." Jeremiah 51:38. The Eagle is a symbol of the United States.The British Lion flying on the wings of the American Eagle. The Wings are Plucked Off. "Meral" to pull off -to make bald. (America is in for Judgment.) It has wings to soar, but that is taken from it and then it is remade. Could be something like the European Common Market. "Made To Stand Upon The Feet As A Man". It does not become a man only stands on its feet like a man. "A Man's Heart was given to it." Maybe this is when she helps Israel.

The Second Beast

The Bear is a symbol of Russia. "Raised up itself on one side" "One dominion " The Soviet Union has and continues to swallow up other nations. "It Had Three Ribs in the Mouth of It" ("between the teeth of it.") Swallowing up other nations. Ribs "Arise devour much flesh. " Communism has devoured much flesh.

The Third Beast

The Leopard could mean a tiger which is the national symbol of some of the far eastern powers. The third beast could be China, Japan or Korea. It Flies to Power supported by "Four wings of a bird. " Indicating a rapid take over. "Had also four heads" A united thing "And dominion was given to it."

The Fourth Beast

"Dreadful and terrible"
"Strong exceedingly"
"Had great Iron teeth"
"Devoured and brake in pieces. "
"Stamped the residue with the feet of it."
"Diverse from all the beasts that were before it."
"Had ten horns."
"There came up among them another little horn."
"Before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots." This is not Rome but a revived Roman Empire under the European Common Market out of which shall come the Anti-christ.

But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom (vs. 18)

Da 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; 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.
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