Daniel 7:5
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. 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 second beast is pictured as a bear raised up on one side, with three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. The bear stands for Persia, also called Medo-Persia, the second of four successive world empires — Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome — which succeeded Babylon in 538 B.C. The beast of Revelation 13 combines the characteristics of these four beasts and inherits in succession the power they held.
The vision was taught to Daniel by God for recording for coming generations the history of this world till the close of time, as part of the revelations of coming ages recorded in chapters seven to twelve. Understanding of the vision came as God's blessing on firmness, self-denial, and purity of motive, as Daniel clung to God with unwavering trust while learning court duties, with the spirit of prophetic power coming upon him in fulfillment of the promise that those who honor God will be honored. The words were not fully understood even by Daniel; they were shut up and sealed until the time of the end, to be unsealed in the closing period of this world's history, when Daniel is assured he will rest and stand in his lot and place at the end of the days.
God permitted Medo-Persia to hold its place on earth for a period of test to show whether it would fulfill the purposes of the Watcher and the Holy One; it failed, so its glory faded and its power departed, repeating the history of each of the great empires. The ferocious beasts of prey, including the bear, symbolize earthly kingdoms that pursue advantage, gain power, prevail, and maintain dominion by war, destruction, and physical force. The apocalyptic beasts arise from the union of church and state, which becomes a deadly power that persecutes and crushes those who oppose it.
Earthly governments are opposite in principle to the kingdom of Christ, which is a new creation that grows by unfolding the implanted life-principle of God and depends on no human power. Its founder is the Prince of Peace, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and His government uses no brute force to compel the conscience but implants truth and righteousness to counterwork error and sin, rather than promoting righteousness by external measures, methods, and plans.