The Four Beast of Daniel Chapter Seven
Daniel 7:1-81-3 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 spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
These four great beasts that Daniel saw in his dream represented the same world empires that were represented by the gold, silver, brass, iron and clay of the great statue that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream as recorded in Daniel chapter two. The sea represents humanity; therefore, we can say that these beasts are humanly established world empires. God is always sovereign and in His sovereignty He allows man to accomplish many great things, but man does not give the glory to God; therefore, nothing that man accomplishes will endure.
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 to stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
The lion represented Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom of Babylon; the same as the head of gold of the statue in chapter two. His kingdom was represented as being as strong as a lion, the king of beast, and great as an eagle, the king of birds. In Daniel 4:28-37 we see how Nebuchadnezzar was disciplined by God for his pride. During that time of discipline he behaved like an animal, but when the discipline ended, he was restored to normalcy and again stood on his feet like a man.
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.
The bear represents Medo-Persia; the same as the breast and arms of silver of the statue in chapter two. Daniel saw that it was raised up on one side because the Persians were stronger than the Medes. The three ribs in its mouth may represent Lydia, Babylon, and Egypt which are three kingdoms conquered by Medo-Persia.
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 leopard with four wings represents Alexander the Great and the empire of Greece; the same as the belly and thighs of brass of the statue in chapter two. He conquered the known world in a very short period of time; therefore, he is represented as being a leopard with four wings, fast and powerful. When Alexander died his kingdom was divided by his four generals; therefore, the leopard is pictured as having four heads.
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 with teeth of iron represented the Roman Empire, the same as the legs of iron of the statue in chapter two.
The ten horns represents ten kingdoms or nations; the same as the ten toes of the statue in chapter two. The ten horns are the nations that will be under the control of the antichrist who will be the last Caesar to rule over the Roman Empire. This beast is not pictured as an animal of flesh, but as a beast with iron teeth which best represents a modern world empire with its mechanized army.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.
In verse seven we see that this fourth kingdom has ten horns and in verse eight we see that another little horn will come up among the first ten; therefore, we know that this fourth beast represents ten nations under the leadership of an eleventh nation. The little horn represents the antichrist, the ruler of the revived Roman Empire. He is referred to as the little horn because the nation from which he will rule is a new nation, a nation that has its roots in the first ten nations. The nation from which the antichrist will rule is made up mostly of people who can trace their ancestry to the ten nations; therefore, they are the same people. The revived Roman Empire will be made up of ten nations plus the nation of the antichrist. The antichrist with the power of his nation will defeat three of the ten nations and force them to submit to him, and then the other seven will submit in fear. The revived Roman Empire will be a Roman-type of government and the antichrist will be as Caesar; furthermore, he will eventually demand to be worshiped as Caesar demanded worship.
The End of All Worldly Kingdoms
Daniel 7:17-2717-18 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
Daniel is told that there would be four kingdoms that would rule over the nation of Israel until a fifth and final kingdom would arise and rule forever. The final kingdom will rule forever and all those who have been persecuted by the world's kingdoms will enjoy the eternal kingdom of God and of our Savior Jesus Christ forever. Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
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;
The fourth beast represents the revived Roman Empire, and it is different from all the others because it has a modern mechanized army as compared to the ancient armies of all the other empires that preceded it. Furthermore, because of its modern weapons of war, weapons that are technologically superior to all other military powers, it will have power to utterly destroy all armies that would oppose its rule.
20-21 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. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 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.
The antichrist and his nation will rule over the earth by force with the help of ten other nations. He will conquer three of the ten nations and force them to submit to his rule and the other seven nations will submit to him in fear. Rev 6:2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? The antichrist will be the leader of the most powerful nation on earth and he will force ten European nations to submit to his rule just as the ancient Roman Empire forced other nations to submit to the rule of the emperor of Rome. He will hate God and will try to destroy all those who worship God because they will refuse to worship him. Caesar tried to destroy the early Christians because they refuse to say that Caesar is lord; likewise, the antichrist will try to destroy everyone who refuses to say that he is lord. Nevertheless, he and his empire will eventually be destroyed and those whom he hated will rule with Christ forever.
cont'd next post
