This vision was an interactive vision, as Daniel was not only present in the vision but was able to approach one standing by to ask the meaning of what he saw. The fourth beast is a fourth king, different than the others. 8 While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth uttering great boasts. The point of this prophecy is not to tell us who future kings will be, but rather what they will be like. The nation of Israel has been set aside by divine discipline in the present times of the Gentiles, which began with Nebuchadnezzar. Through the ages, the saints have learned that they must wait for the promises of God to be fulfilled and that this may not happen in their lifetime (see Hebrews 11:13-16, 39-40). "He's home just in time for #gogglebox we are not on this week as Daniels been away . This is represented by the four heads on Daniels leopard beast. Some of his alarm arose from his not yet having been given the interpretation of his vision. Editing allows an author to set aside details which are not significant and focus on the essence of the message he is trying to communicate. Part of the dream seemed good, and part of it seemed bad. Daniel approached one of theses angels and began to ask him to explain to him the meaning or the truth concerning all that he had seen in his visions. Just what this means is unclear, but it suggests this arrogant king not only speaks against God, but, like Satan, he aspires to change the order God has established. With the death of Nebuchadnezzar comes a change in the peoples attitudes, especially their leaders toward Judaism. Subsequent revelations in the Book of Daniel which Daniel received were closely associated with some kind of agony or distress (see 8:17, 27; 9:20-21; 10:2-3, 7-10, 17; 12:8). March 1, 2023, 6:00 a.m. (Numbers 23:19). Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. In our passage, Daniel asks for and receives an explanation. The next portion of the statue in Daniel 2 was the chest and arms of silver which represented the Medo-Persian Empire which was even larger than the Babylonian empire. As Daniel continues to watch, someone descends with the clouds of heaven, one like a Son of Man. He is presented to the Ancient of Days, and to Him is given dominion, glory, and the eternal kingdom. Who are these saints that the angel is speaking of? After this chapter, the book returns to the Hebrew language. (7) Who is the Ancient of Days? His vision in chapter 4 should have produced more distress than it did. Jesus applied this text to them, not as those who would enter into His kingdom, but as those who would be judged at His return. I approached one of those who were standing by and began asking him the exact meaning of all this. Daniel boiled down his vision to its essence, so we would not fail to understand the message he meant to convey to us. The First Vision is a dream of the king that is interpreted by Daniel. Daniel 2 (the second chapter of the Book of Daniel) tells how Daniel related and interpreted a dream of Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon.In his night dream, the king saw a gigantic statue made of four metals, from its head of gold to its feet of mingled iron and clay; as he watched, a stone "not cut by human hands" destroyed the statue and became a mountain filling the whole world. (8) The four beasts are all different, with the last standing apart from the first three. The fourth beast receives greater attention and is of the most interest to Daniel. This fourth beast seems to regenerate in the form of subsequent kings and kingdoms. The vision plays on before Daniel, almost as though in answer to his desire to know more. His mouth is used to speak boastfully. We should not spend a disproportionate amount of time and energy trying to fill in the blanks God has left. Daniel finds nothing to compare to it. If Daniel had been shaken by the dark side of his vision, he is reminded in the interpretation of the outcome of these eventsthe establish- ment of Gods eternal kingdom. Alexander the Great's empire and its divisions after his death were predicted long in advance in Daniel 11. It seems that three of the kings try to resist him and he overthrows them by force. This is what we need to know from Daniels vision, rather than the identity of the beasts. So it was for our Lord (1 Peter 1:10-12), and so it will be for us. requires it of the Chaldeans, by promises and threats. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. The third beast is leopard-like, with four wings and four heads, and it is given dominion. The chapter falls into two major parts. The inter-relationship between the prophecies of chapters 2 and 7 is demonstrated on the following page: Deterioration: Gold to iron mixed with clay, Deterioration: Nearly human to blaspheming beast. 5 And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. (5) Above all, the prophecy in this chapter means precisely what God says it means in this text, nothing more and nothing less. The angel told Daniel that at the end of those three and a half years the court would sit for judgment and the dominion (a word in Aramaic that means kingdom or empire and the citizens or subjects of that empire) would be taken away from the Antichrist, and the Antichrist and his followers will be annihilated and destroyed forever. (2) While the timing of the fulfillment of divine prophecy may seem remote to the recipient, it still has relevance for him. By far, this first beast is the best of a bad bunch. Two weeks ago, after studying Revelation 13 and seeing how much it relates to Daniel 7 I decided we needed to go back and review Daniel 7 which we have not looked at since 2011. Daniels vision ends here, but its impact on him does not end. 1. As the boasting horn of Daniel 7 seems to be getting away with his blasphemies and his oppression of the saints, it seems to him he can do whatever he wishes, including the changing of times and law. Prophecy is not a pep rally, which generates a great burst of short-term enthusiasm but does little to inspire faith and endurance in the midst of suffering. He will keep continual pressure on the saints of the Highest One to try to break and destroy and annihilate them. Did Daniel interpret dreams? I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it. He will also send forth His angels to gather those who do not belong in His kingdom (12:41). Those who rejected the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of Man, would mourn when they saw Him returning in the clouds: And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30). Daniel (Daniel 2; 4): As He had done for Joseph, God placed Daniel in a position of power and influence by allowing him to interpret a foreign ruler's dream. 15 And there was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast might even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed (Revelation 13:4, 11-15). The woman endures in the view of the final outcome of the process. Agreeing with God that they are sinners but believing that Jesus Christ death paid the penalty for their sin, that He was buried, and rose from the dead three days later triumphant over sin, Satan, and death forever. God will establish His kingdom, and that kingdom, unlike the kingdoms of men, is eternal. When we expect it least, the Lord will return, the wicked will be punished, and the kingdom of God established forevermore. The eleventh horn may hope to change the time, but in Gods plan this king is granted a time, times, and half a time three and a half years to oppose and oppress the saints. Two weeks ago, we quickly looked at the description of the beast that John sees in Revelation 13 and he described it as a composite of the first three beasts, the body of a leopard, the feet or paws of a bear, and the head and mouth of a lion. Since the last kingdom and the prophecies associated with it have not yet been fulfilled, we must in some way be a part of that kingdom. Daniel was told that the beasts are kings, but he was not told the identity of any of the kings. Just so, Christs suffering and glory is but a part of one coming. Choosing his words tactfully, Daniel asks Arioch why the king has made such a decree. Prophecy is necessary because Gods thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways. 7 After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. If, in Gods eyes, a day is as 1,000 years and 1,000 years as a day (2 Peter 3:8), then the coming of our Lord has only been a few days from beginning to end. 81 See Ezekiel 29:21 for a similar use of the imagery of making a horn grow to describe a kings promotion to power. When Jesus came, He embraced this expression as a designation for Himself, giving the term meaning vastly beyond that previously held by any Jew. Consider these lessons as we conclude. God stirred up the sea, and from its foaming, raging waters came forth four horrifying beasts. (4) Prophecies not completely fulfilled cannot be fully understood until after their fulfillment. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him. Two weeks ago, we covered the first 14 verses, Daniels summary of his dream. But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. Second, the prophecies of Daniel are to be understood in the light of the entire Book of Daniel, of the Old Testament, and of the Bible as a whole. One of those gaps is found in Daniel 7. Je. Humanly speaking, it was impossible for them to have a child. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. This beast is also unique among the four in that he grows 11 horns. An eleventh king then rises to power, different from the others, replacing three of the previous kings. This part of Daniels dream is new information that was not conveyed in Nebuchadnezzars dream in chapter two. 18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so . When the child is born, the pains of suffering are quickly lost in the joys of seeing a new life. Whether liberal or conservative, our conclusions grow out of the premises and presuppositions governing the process and the product of our interpretation. (4) This is the first prophecy in the book revealed directly to Daniel. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, [3]Walvoord, John F.; Zuck, Roy B.; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. God grants this king success and his saints suffering, but only for an appointed time. During this ten-nation confederation another ruler will rise as described by the little horn. a. Abraham had to believe and behave on the basis of Gods promises, rather than on the basis of his perception. In Revelation it is also referred to as 42 months and 1260 days which all work out to 3 years. It was said ( ch. For the time, it was these Jewish leaders who were beastly, arrogant, and blasphemous, and because of this they would suffer divine judgment. Passing over the first three beasts, his questions focus on the last beast. 13 I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.77 14 And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations, and men of every language Might serve Him. Episode 5 of "How I Met Your Father" Season 2 tested the friendships of everyone in the group. Arrogant, boastful, and even blasphemous kings will reign over the nations, opposing God and oppressing His saints. The statue represented the kingdoms of the earth. 2 And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. Chapter 2 - The original dream describing the future kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persian, Greek, Roman, kingdom of God. When the Lord Jesus Christ came to earth, having added perfect humanity to His undiminished deity, He spoke of Himself very often as the Son of Man. In the Gospels, Jesus began not only to identify Himself as the Messiah, the promised Son of Man, but also to explain all that this involved. Rome did conquer much of the known world, but it never conquered the whole world as this is describing. We have already seen this phrase time, times, and half a time in Revelation. It is at this time that all human kingdoms will become subject to God and to the saints in the eternal kingdom, which the Son of Man will establish when He comes to the earth to judge and to rule. 13 And he performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. His followers too must be alert and ready for His return (24:44). (1) It follows the narrative concerning Mishael, Hananiah and Azariah in the matter of Nebuchadnezzar's golden image (Daniel 3). (3) What principles should guide and govern our attempt to interpret the prophecy of this chapter? 78 Walvoord thinks this is the year 553 B.C., some 14 years before the fall of Babylon. Here is a man that has faithfully walked with his God his whole life. Between the first half of verse 23 and the second half of this verse we have what has been referred to as the great parenthesis in the Old Testament, the mystery of the church and the Church Age which was not revealed to the world until after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. The message of this prophecy is really quite simple and may be summed up this way. (See Daniel 2:24, Note. The precise meaning of the symbols of the raised side and the three ribs is illusive. Remember he had seen the innumerable host of angels attending the Ancient of Days. Nebuchadnezzar's Dream ( Daniel 2:1-16) Say: Some time later, the King had a dream. (1) Daniel 7 is the last chapter written in Aramaic in the Book of Daniel. Our deliverance from the power of sin and the penalty of death has been accomplished by our Lord, who suffered in our place. Daniel's righteousness is legendary status Don't mistake Daniel as some conjurer of cheap tricks. Prophecy is necessary then so that men are reassured of divine deliverance and blessing, as well as divine judgment (see 2 Peter 2:4-9). This designation refers to God the Father in a way that stresses His eternality, dignity, and power. Please stand in honor of the reading of Gods Word and follow along as I read verses 15-28. But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come. (Daniel 7:1718, NASB95)[2] The four beasts that Daniel saw in his dream were four kings and represented the four kingdoms of these kings. It therefore seems that the two prophecies speak of the same four kingdoms by means of different imagery. 7 And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. 8 And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, every one whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. They believed that the Messiah would come to establish the kingdom, to bless the Jews and to condemn the Gentiles. Daniel 1:1-2:4a was written in Hebrew. No wonder His words stung and prompted them to act as they did. Never in the history of the Roman empire has this happened so it is yet future. In the latter days, an unusually powerful and evil king will arise, who will blaspheme God and oppress the people of God. Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. There is fairly strong inferential evidence that Nebuchadnezzar was represented by the first beast, the winged lion. Child-bearing is a process which involves suffering and glory. (1) Prophecy is necessary because God has chosen to settle His accounts with men slowly. Even the fate of this fourth beast is different than his three predecessors, as his life and his kingdom seem to end at the same moment. God also allows the wicked to persist and even to prosper, so that those whom He has chosen might be saved (Romans 9:22-24). We need to be waiting and prepared for His return. In more detail, the outline would be as follows: (2) The Divine Interpretation verses 15-28. Rather than publish what he had learned he kept it to himself, until that time that the Holy Spirit guided him to write down and reveal what he had learned to the saints. The kingdom of God will be established and the saints will possess it forever. With iron-like teeth, horns (some with eyes), and feet, it is utterly destructive. Would this horn Daniels vision revealed oppose the people of God and even blaspheme God Himself? The angel goes on to describe what the Antichrist will do: He will speak out against the Most High, he will be boastful and arrogant, he will deny that the Most High is God, he will deny that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Note these general observations about our passage before we turn to a more detailed study. Those who populate the earth after the tribulation will give their allegiance to Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. The subject of the vision in chapter 2 seems to be taken up again in chapter 7. He will persecute and oppress the saints of the Highest One, the angel says that he will wear them down; the idea comes from the concept of wearing out a garment until it is threadbare. The ten horns, Daniel is told, represent ten kings who will emerge out of the fourth kingdom. 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