Understanding Daniel 7: Four Beasts and God's Kingdom

Daniel 7

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head on his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.

2 Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove on the great sea.

3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

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 stand on the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.

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 to it, Arise, devour much flesh.

6 After this I beheld, and see another, like a leopard, which had on the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

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 broke 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.

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.

9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the middle of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.

16 I came near to 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.

17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

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, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;

20 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 spoke very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

22 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.

23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end.

27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

28 Till now is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

Daniel 7 provides a comprehensive prophetic outline of world history, depicting the rise and fall of four universal empires and the final establishment of God's eternal kingdomBSA 2.2+1. This vision is a parallel to the great image of Daniel 2 using different symbols to offer a more detailed view of the same chronological eventsRDAC 50.1+1.

The Four Great Beasts

The vision begins with the four winds of heaven striving upon the great sea, out of which emerge four diverse beasts Daniel 7:2-3. These beasts represent four kings or kingdoms that arise from the earth Daniel 7:17ESH 9.1.

• The Lion: The first beast, like a lion with eagle's wings, symbolizes the Babylonian EmpireMANA 91.1+1. The plucking of its wings and the giving of a man’s heart represents the later transition of this kingdom Daniel 7:4.

• The Bear: The second beast, resembling a bear that raised itself on one side with three ribs in its mouth, represents the Medo-Persian EmpireBSA 2.2+1. Its posture indicates the later-arising Persian element becoming more powerful than the Medes Daniel 8:3FUMP 37.2.

• The Leopard: The third beast, a leopard with four wings and four heads, symbolizes GreciaMANA 91.1+1. The four wings denote the incredible speed of its conquests, while the four heads represent the division of the empire into four parts—Macedonia, Thrace, Syria, and Egypt—after the death of Alexander the GreatAPEC 78.3+1.

• The Nondescript Beast: The fourth beast is dreadful, terrible, and exceedingly strong, possessing great iron teeth and ten horns Daniel 7:7. This power is Rome, which devoured and broke in pieces all previous kingdomsChSa 167.1+1.

The Ten Horns and the Little Horn

The ten horns on the fourth beast represent ten kings or kingdoms into which the Roman Empire was divided between A.D. 351 and 483ChSa 167.1+1. While Daniel considered these horns, a "little horn" emerged among them, plucking up three of the first horns—the Heruli, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths—by their rootsTBI 42.2+1.

This little horn represents the Papacy, an ecclesiastical power diverse from the others that rose to political supremacySOSL 128.1+1. The specifications of this power include:

• Blasphemy: It has a mouth speaking great things and speaks words against the Most HighESH 9.1+1.

• Persecution: It wears out the saints of the Most High through centuries of martyrdomAMS April 13, 1893, page 117.4+1.

• Changing Law: It thinks to change "times and laws," specifically targeting the law of God, such as the Sabbath Daniel 7:25JGMT 13.1.

• Duration: The saints were given into its hand for "a time and times and the dividing of time," which equals 1260 prophetic days or 1260 literal yearsFEE 126.1+1. This period began in A.D. 538 and ended in 1798EVRR344+1.

The Judgment and the Kingdom of God

The vision shifts from the earthly scene to the heavenly courts, where the Ancient of Days sits upon a throne of fiery flame Daniel 7:9. The judgment is set, the books are opened, and an investigation takes place to determine the faithfulness of those who have professed to follow God's truth Daniel 7:10EVRR116.

Because of the blasphemous words of the little horn, the fourth beast is eventually slain and given to the burning flame Daniel 7:11ECE 1.3. This occurs at the second coming of Christ, when the "Man of Sin" is destroyed by the brightness of His coming 2 Thessalonians 2:8SAIN 51.1.

Following this judgment, one like the Son of Man comes with the clouds of heaven to receive an everlasting dominion and kingdom Daniel 7:13-14. This kingdom is then given to the saints of the Most High, who shall possess it forever and everMWV2 43.1+1.

Summary of the Prophetic Chain

We are currently living in the final stages of this prophetic chainBIAD 117.3+1. The four universal kingdoms have passed, the ten divisions of Rome have occurred, and the little horn has fulfilled its primary 1260-year reignWVTP 28.1+1. All that remains is the final destruction of earthly powers and the glorious establishment of the kingdom of GodSITI December 21, 1882, page 571.3+1.

"But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever" Daniel 7:18. 🕊️✨