Prophecy No. 9: The Four Beasts of Daniel 7
By W. H. Blaisdell
DAN. 7 contains the next line of prophecy which will engage our attention. The prophecy says: “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.” Verses 2, 3. He informs us that the first of these beasts was like a lion, the second like a bear, the third like a leopard, and the fourth he describes as not especially resembling any beast of nature, but says he was a dreadful and terrible beast, and that he had ten horns. As he considered the horns, he saw another little horn come up among them, “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.” Verses 4-8. After giving a description of these beasts as just noticed, and also of certain sublime and wonderful events which transpired before his eyes as brought to view in verses 9-14, he says that he was grieved, and the visions of his head troubled him. Verse 15. The only reasonable conclusion which can be drawn from his last statement is, that he was troubled concerning the meaning and signification of a portion, or all, of the things which he had just witnessed; and, indeed, the language which immediately follows, shows this conclusion to be correct: “I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.” Verse 16. The angel informs Daniel that these four beasts represent four kings, or kingdoms, that should arise and bear rule in the earth. Verses 17, 23. “But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.” Verse 18. As these beasts did not all arise at one time, but in consecutive order, as may be seen from the fact that the prophet designates them as first, second, &c., so the conclusion is inevitable that the kingdoms represented by these beasts arise consecutively; and as the angel, after stating that the four beasts represent four kingdoms, immediately informs Daniel that the saints shall take the kingdom, we also conclude that the last of the four kingdoms here referred to will be in existence in some form at the time of the final Judgment, and the setting up of the kingdom of God. We may also learn the same fact from verse 11, where we are informed that the fourth beast is to continue till his body is given to the burning flame. So also, 2 Thess. 2: 8. Having learned the fact that the last of these kingdoms is to be in existence at the close of human probation, we wish next to ascertain where in the history of the world this prophetic chain commences. We learned in our examination of the dream of king Nebuchadnezzar in Dan. 2, that there were to be but four universal kingdoms (the last of which should be divided) from the days of the Babylonian Empire till the setting up of the kingdom of God; and as we here learn that the fourth of the series of kingdoms brought to view in the chapter now under consideration is to be in existence at the end of time, the conclusion is inevitable that the first kingdom of this series as represented by the lion, must be the Babylonian kingdom, the same that was represented by the head of gold in the great image. Hence we readily see that the kingdoms brought to view in this chapter under the symbols of a lion, bear, leopard, and a dreadful and terrible beast, are Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome; the same as those represented in chapter 2, by the gold, silver, brass, and iron. Though in this vision certain peculiar features, characteristics, and additional particulars, concerning all these governments, and especially the last one, are brought out by means of the symbols here used, which were not shown in the great image, we shall not now refer to any of these additional facts, except those concerning the last, or Roman, kingdom. When the angel informed Daniel that these beasts represented four kingdoms, he seems at once to have understood that these kingdoms were the same ones which were symbolized by the great image, and in regard to which he had received previous instruction. This is apparent from the fact that he makes no further inquiry respecting the first three of these beasts. But concerning the fourth beast with ten horns, and the wonderful little horn especially, which plucked up three of the others, he desires further information. Thus it is evident that certain important instructions concerning the Roman kingdom were here to be given, which had not been given in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. We may, therefore, with propriety be, like Daniel, interested to obtain further information respecting the wonderful peculiarities of the last beast. The angel now proceeds to give the desired information. He says that the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth, and that the ten horns are ten kings, or kingdoms, that shall arise. Verse 23 and the first part of 24. Thus we learn positively that the conclusion that this beast symbolizes Pagan Rome, corresponding to the legs of iron in the great image, is correct; and that the ten horns represent the ten divisions into which Rome should be divided, corresponding with the feet and toes in the great image.