Daniel 7
LOIAn Evil Time To Come (7:1 – 7:28)
Earlier, in the first year of Belshazzar’s reign, Daniel himself had a dream which he now relates to us. We must realize that this dream almost exactly corresponds with the vision of chapter two, as many commentators attest. Here, instead of the image of a man, Daniel gives us images of beasts which spring up from a churning sea. The sea may be a picture of wicked Gentile nations as is seen in Isaiah 57:20: “ But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.”
We can learn by Daniel’s picture that the present Babylonian world system is not just the system of man (Rev. 13:18), but it is in essence a beastly system (Rev. 13:1). At the end of the vision Daniel tells us about a beastly king who will arise out of the remnants of the Roman Empire, and how he will bring in a short reign of terror to the whole world. But let us first look at this vision.
Daniel is simply giving us another view of the same thing we saw before but from a different perspective. Many times, the prophecies of the Bible are just different views of the same things. This seems to be the case in Daniel, and even more so in Revelation. We could also say that prophecy is like a great symphony – the theme keeps recurring and is sounded out by different instruments. Again, prophecy is like many people viewing a large precious diamond. Someone may say that it is flashing red, while another may be certain it is flashing blue. Both are right. They are simply looking at the same thing from different perspectives.
The prophet is really giving us another glimpse of the Gentile Age (Lk. 21:24). Beginning with verse fifteen, he also gives us the detailed interpretation of the vision. The first kingdom is like a lion with wings of an eagle (7:4). We see it also standing upon two feet like a man (7:4b), and by this we realize that it matches very well the image of chapter two. The lion is surely Babylon (cf. Jer. 4:7). The second beast is like a bear and we are informed that the bear has three ribs in its mouth (7:5). This is certainly a reference to Media-Persia. Some scholars feel that the ribs in its mouth represent the great military victories of Media-Persia, over Lydia in 546 B.C., over Babylon in 539 B.C., and over Egypt in 525 B.C. This beast is told to arise and devour much flesh (7:5). The Persian Empire from Cyrus to Xerxes conquered most of the Middle East plus other areas. On two occasions the empire even attacked Greece and was repelled at the famous battles of Marathon and Salamis. Nevertheless, the vast kingdom of the Persians still spanned 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia (Esther 1:1).
The third beast is pictured as a leopard with four wings and four heads (7:6). This corresponds very well to the kingdom of Alexander the Great, who with incredible swiftness and brilliance conquered Persia and most all the lands held by that empire. His kingdom immediately split asunder at his early death. His heirs were a mentally retarded half-brother, an illegitimate child, and a baby born after his death. Thus his four generals, Cassander in Macedonia and Greece, Lysimachus in Thrace and Asia Minor, Seleucus in Syria, and Ptolemy in Egypt, ultimately ruled in his stead.
The fourth and last kingdom is clearly a reference to Rome. Once more we have it pictured as a kingdom of iron (7:7). Also, this beast has ten horns on its head, corresponding well to the ten toes of the first image (7:7).
Now we see something extremely interesting that we could not see in the image of chapter two. From this perspective we see that a little horn arises from among the horns (7:8). This horn speaks boastfully until the judgment of God is set and his kingdom comes to an end (7:9-11). Obviously, horns whether great or small always represent might and power in the Bible. This little horn is a picture of the Beast or Antichrist and is certainly a major theme of Daniel’s book.
The prophet then saw one like the son of man coming with the clouds of heaven (7:13). This one approached the Ancient of Days and was given authority and sovereign power. All people and languages worshipped him and his dominion was to be everlasting (7:14).
Daniel was greatly troubled at this vision (7:15) since he no doubt realized that God’s precious saints would be involved in an awesome contest with this little horn. Daniel watched as this beast waged a final war with the saints of God, even defeating them (7:21). He saw that this evil king would devour the whole earth (7:23); that he would speak against the Most High and oppress the saints (7:25). He would even change set times and laws (v.25).
We actually see this beastly king arising in Revelation 13:1. With his false prophet he begins to work havoc on the earth, apparently bringing about the defeat or martyrdom of many of God’s elect (Rev. 6:9). We see that this beast will be quickly destroyed, but before his destruction the saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and a half a time (3 1/2 years).
But this dark cloud has its silver lining. Daniel saw that the judgment of God was set. He saw the Son of Man receiving great glory, authority and power over all people and languages (7:14). As we mentioned, he saw him receiving an everlasting kingdom that would never be destroyed. [12]
Daniel observed that the saints of the Most High will ultimately receive the kingdom and that they will possess it forever (7:18). Daniel apparently realized that all lost in Adam would be regained in the Last Adam (Jesus). Daniel saw that man would again reign in the earth on God’s behalf and through Christ (7:27). A great glory was coming to man through the Son of Man; however, before glory could come, Daniel realized there had to be suffering. Daniel’s face turned pale, but he kept the matter to himself (7:28).
The Book of Revelation gives us the details of this great end-day battle between the Lamb and his saints with the Beast or Antichrist. In chapters two and three of Revelation, the author, John, admonishes the churches to get ready to overcome. He warns them of the hour of temptation that is about to come upon the world to try everyone who lives on earth (Rev. 3:10). Revelation points out that the disasters and trials of the end-day cannot come until God has sealed his overcomers in their foreheads (Rev. 7:3-17). John in Revelation sees that these have come from all nations (Rev. 7:9) and that they have come out of great tribulation after gaining a spiritual victory (Rev. 7:14). In Revelation 14:1-5, we are given another picture of these overcomers as they stand on Mt. Zion with the Lamb. These are redeemed, undefiled and pure. They are also ready to follow the Lamb wherever he goes, presumably even into battle with the Beast.
Such a scenario of difficulty, suffering, warfare and even martyrdom is not too well received by the modern church. We have been lulled to sleep by prophecies of ease and plenty. Yet the Bible speaks of just the opposite for God’s people. In Matthew 24:4, Jesus warns us about the end-days, saying to us, “ Watch out that no one deceives you.” In verses 21-22 of that same chapter Jesus says to us, “ For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. ”
Surely this very situation was what the Apostle Paul had in mind in Ephesians 6:13 when he said, “ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground.” Notice that Ephesians speaks of “the day of evil,” not just “some day of evil.” Indeed, Daniel saw the glory coming for God’s church, but he saw it would come only after great tribulation. Immediately following that, the Lord will come for a church without spot or wrinkle (Eph. 5:27), and we are reminded that it takes a very hot iron to get the wrinkles out.
The whole Bible, and especially the New Testament, is very clear on the sufferings of God’s elect. Here are just a few of the many passages on the subject: “ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory ” (Rom. 8:17); “ For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him “ (Phil. 1:29); “ if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us” (2 Tim. 2:12); “ Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin ” (1 Pet. 4:1).
Footnotes
- Guzik, comment on Daniel 7:13-14.