With Daniel 7, we come to the second part of the book of Daniel. What has been described so far was mainly history, although part of it was also revelation from God through dreams. The revelation came through the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar.

In Daniel 7 we read about visions which Daniel himself had received from God. These dreams were not given for a specific event, but were intended to show to Daniel and the Jews the future of the people of God. It teaches God’s people not to focus on what the human eye can see, but on what is visible in heaven. In the visions Daniel sees in symbols what is happening (or actually what is going to happen) on earth, but at the same time he can look into heaven.

Note that for Daniel it is not just interesting to get these visions and receive insight in the future of his people. Often we are curious about the future, and we like to know what it will bring. We are interested in the explanation of visions, for instance Revelation, and we try to discern what it says about what will happen. We should not forget that for Daniel (as well as for John in Revelation) it was quite an emotional event to receive visions (see Daniel 7:28).

The four beasts⤒🔗

In his first vision Daniel sees the four beasts. According to verse 17, these four beasts are four kings or four kingdoms. Compare verse 3 with verse 17. The four beasts came up out of the sea. At the same time, in the explanation it is said that they shall arise out of the earth. The earth is here compared to a sea: always restless. Compare this to Isaiah 57:20. “The wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt.” The earth is always busy, there is no peace on earth, and there is no rest. After the one kingdom comes the other. That is how Satan is working constantly to get the earth in his power. But he is not able to establish one kingdom that will remain. Every kingdom will rise and go down again. Over against that, it is said in Daniel 7:18 that “the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.”

Daniel 2←⤒🔗

There are many resemblances with the statue in Daniel 2. We read about four beasts in Daniel 7, and in Daniel 2 four empires. These four beasts each symbolize one of the empires. Read Daniel 7:1-8 again and look especially at the beasts. Each beast characterizes an empire.

The first beast was like a lion with eagles wings. These two animals are known for their majestic appearance. The eagles’ wings symbolize the beast’s arrogance. It can soar to the skies; nothing is too high for it. Compare that to the arrogance of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4. But also see how the wings were plucked off: Nebuchadnezzar lost his reason and became like the animals. He lost his majesty and was punished for his arrogance. He had to acknowledge God, who was higher than he.  Then he came to his senses again and he was made to realize that he was only man, not God.

The second beast was like a bear. That symbolized the Medo-Persian Empire. It was told to devour much flesh; the Medo-Persian Empire killed a lot of people in its conquest.

The third beast was like a leopard with four wings of a bird on its back. That symbolizes speed, and the Greek Empire under Alexander the Great. He was famous for the speed with which he could move his troops and conquered almost the entire earth (as it was known in those days).  This beast also had four heads. After Alexander the Great, the Greek Empire was divided among four governors, called tetrarchs.

Compare the fourth beast with what is said about the fourth empire in Daniel 2. Both terrifying and different from the other beasts, it destroys and devours and smashes everything.  It breaks to pieces and stamps what is left with its feet. The ten horns indicate that this kingdom was a collection of kingdoms. As in Daniel 2, it was not a unity, but iron with clay. This symbolizes the Roman Empire, an empire with a lot of kingdoms and vassal states. It was a cruel empire, powerful, but it was held together by its military power though it possessed no internal unity. Then there came up among the horns another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. This symbolized one emperor who put aside the triumvirate that governed the Roman Empire before him.

The Ancient of Days reigns←⤒🔗

If you take a history book and start studying the empires, starting with the Babylonian Empire, you will recognize a lot is similar to what is said in this vision about the four beasts. God shows to Daniel and to his people that there is more to say about this than what the human eye can see and what the history books record.

As Daniel looked in the vision, he saw that thrones were placed and the Ancient of Days took his seat. The Ancient of Days symbolizes God, who is from eternity. He is from before time. The fourth beast was terrifying and the eleventh horn spoke great words that were boastful. But the Ancient of Days reigned and, at his command, the fourth beast was destroyed and burned with fire. This beast may have been very powerful, but it was still a creature. It could not raise itself against the Ancient of Day and resist him. It had to come to its end.

And then, Daniel saw that for the rest of the beasts their dominion was taken away but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. They did not have super power anymore. There is no empire anymore that will be able to reign the entire world. Nevertheless, not every earthly power is removed with the destruction of the fourth beast.

We can see in history that with the destruction of the fourth beast every world dominion comes to an end. There has never been an empire, and there will never be an empire, that governs the entire world. But there are still strong empires that will govern and be strong in parts of the earth. That is the meaning of verse 12. We already saw in Daniel, as John sees in Revelation 20:3, that the dragon could not deceive the nations any longer.

The Son of Man←⤒🔗

The Ancient of Days, that is God, gives the dominion, glory and kingdom to the Son of Man. It is he who appears in the vision of Daniel. From the New Testament we know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the fulfilment of the prophecies about the Son of Man. He calls himself the Son of Man which means: someone who is a human being. But this title gets a special meaning from the prophecies in the Old Testament. Jesus Christ is THE Son of Man, or also, THE Son of Adam (Man in Hebrew is Adam).

In Daniel 2 we read about a rock that was cut out but not by human hands, and about a kingdom that is set up by God that will conquer the entire world. So we see here in Daniel 7 that the Son of Man is given all dominion and glory and a kingdom so that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him (see Matthew 28:18-20). His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom is one that shall not be destroyed.

All authority in heaven and on earth←⤒🔗

Note that several times in this chapter we read about things that happen in the passive tense. Verse 4: its wings were plucked off, it was lifted from the ground, and the mind of a man was given to it. In verse 5, the second beast was told. Verse 6, the third beast, dominion was given to it. This shows that there is a higher power which speaks to and interacts with the beasts. Those beasts may present themselves as strong and powerful but we should not forget that Someone else writes the history. He is the One who calls them and commands them. He is the One who determines what they can and cannot do.

Then we see with the fourth beast a horn with a mouth which starts speaking great things. See also verse 25: “He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High and shall think to change the times and the law.” He shall openly attack God and his people. It is Satan who works through this all and he takes his time to achieve his goal. Then, by using the fourth beast, he is almost successful. He is able to bring the fourth beast so far that he can openly resist the Most High. The battle between the seed of the woman and the offspring of the serpent comes to a climax. Then it is the end. Verse 25 speaks about a time, times and half a time. For a time, and thereafter more times, it seems as if he can do what he wants. It is not just for a limited time (‘a time’), but it is as if nobody holds him back (‘times’). After ‘a time’ and ‘times’, one would expect an unlimited time, forever. But that is not going to happen. Just when it looks like he will go on forever, God cuts him short (half a time). Then he finds his end and must appear before the court, which shall sit in judgement (see verse 26). It is said in verses 18 and 27 that the kingdom of the saints of the Most High will be an everlasting kingdom. Verse 18 speaks about ‘forever’. Not a time, times and half a time, but forever, forever and ever.

Then the Ancient of Days is shown as having all authority. He takes away the power from the fourth beast and gives all authority to the Son of Man. Compare this to Matthew 28:18. That is how the situation is now. All authority is given to Jesus Christ.

Questions

1. What does this chapter teach us about the history of the world, as well as the future of the world? What is the central theme of this chapter?
2. Why is it important to have a good knowledge of the history of this chapter?
3. In verse 18 it says: “These four great beasts… shall arise out of the earth.  But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom…”  How is the conquest of the saints different than that of the beasts?
4. Where do you see, in our time, the battle between the seed of the woman and (the offspring of) the serpent?
5. Daniel 7 was meant as an encouragement to Daniel and his people. In the same way we can say that the book of Revelation is given to us as an encouragement. Which elements from the book of Revelation are encouragements to the church?
6. What do we learn about God through the description of the Ancient of days?