Daniel 7:7-14 and 19-28

Vision

Interpretation

Notes

7:7 - After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast - terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from al the former beasts, and it had ten horns.

7:19 - Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws - the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left.

 

7:23 - He gave me this explanation: 'The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it."
  • notice the focus on the mouth for "teeth" and "devouring"
  • If the victim was not eaten it was trampled.
  • 10 horns for goring
  • Also mentioned later are the bronze claws for tearing
  • Daniel could not compare this beast to any animal  

7:8 - While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully

7:20, 21 - I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell -  the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully. As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them,

 

 

7:24, 25 - The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom.  After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.
  • Horns and heads symbolize power, kings or kingdoms
  • See horns in Rev. 13:1; 17:12; Psalm 132:17; Zech 1:18
  • These ten horns are kings (7:24)
  • The fourth beast had ten horns and the fourth part of the statue had ten toes
  • Daniel was drawn to and thought about the ten horns
  • The "little horn" means it came later and grew.
  • The little horn became greater since it "uprooted", "overpowered" and "looked more imposing"
  • Three kingdoms will be violently conquered by this new king
  • The other kings give in to the new king
  • Attention is drawn to his "eyes" which in scripture represent intelligence, insight and wisdom because the eye observes and learns. See Zech 3:9; 4:10; 11:17 and Rev. 4:6; 5:6
  • This kings intelligence will cause him to say "great things" and blaspheme God.
  • The ten kings and this one king come from the federation of Rome, but they come at the time of Christ's return, so they have not emerged yet.
  • The description of this little or new horn matches: Daniel 11:36-37; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12; Revelation 13:5-6
  • His power on earth will be impressive: Rev. 13:3, 7, 8. 12

7:9 - As I looked, 'thrones were set in place and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.

 

Three things take place now:

    a) God begins the final judgment

    b) the little horn, the final world leader, is overthrown and judged

    c) the kingdom of the Messiah is set up.

All three of these happen:

   (1) at the same time,

   (2) in totality - man's rule is gone, God's judgment is complete,

   (3) Messiah's kingdom is absolute and is in the place of man's  

          kingdom.

Any eschatology must deal with these there points. (This is not referring   

   to the overthrow of Antiochus Epiphanes, nor is it referring to Christ's

   kingdom coming at his first advent and overthrowing Rome.)

 

Ancient of Days = God the Father

Takes his seat = Eternal Judge of univers

"Thrones" were set in place = are for believers Rev. 20:4;  2:26-28;

     3:21; Luke 22:30; 1 Corinthians 6:2.

"set in place" refers to the establishment of a throne or power, not as the

      KJ translates it "cast down"

Some say the thrones are for angels; others that the plural "thrones" is

      emphatic of God's majesty and it is only for him (but God only as

      one throne later in this same verse.

Notice God is being seated. He is now possibly taking on a role he has

     not done before at this extreme level - final judgment

This is Revelation 4 and 5

Jesus is described in similar fashion in Rev. 1:14-15, but that does not have to mean these verses are identifying Jesus here

7:10 - A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.

7:22 - until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment  in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.

"Fire" speaks of holiness, purity, judgment and glory of God. Possibly

     even preparation for war from Rev. 4. and see Psalm 97:2-3

"Wheels" like Ezekiel 1:13-21

Exodus 3:2- Burning bush;
Deut 4:24- for the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God;

1 Tim. 6:16- immortal and lives in unapproachable light;

Heb. 12:29- for our God is a  consuming fire

"Clothing" "Hair", etc =

"Books" appear to be the works and deeds of men Rev. 20:12; Isaiah

    65:6; Malachi 3:16. This would not be a book of names, but of deeds.

This is like Matthew 25:31 - the King reviews the deeds

7:11 -  Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.

 

Scene shifts back to earth

The "beast" or "the little horn" is slain and parallels Rev. 19:20 and not

    the end of the Seleucid power of the fall of Rome.

 

7:12 - (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.)

 

How do the other beast continue even though their time is over and their

    power is gone?

"period of time" is equal to similar expressions in Daniel 2:21 and Acts

     1:7 and mean a "fixed fate"

One answer: When the other beasts (empires) fell, they lost their power

    but their lands, people, history, influence continued into the next

    empire. In contrast, the final beast is done

Two answer: The final beast goes to the Lake of Fire 1000 years ahead

      of the other beasts

Three answer: This is mentioned in comparison. Each beast (empire) did

    not meet this kind of terrible end. They were judged by men, not by  

    God.

 

7:13 - In my vision at night I looked and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.

7:26 - But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.

 

"son of man" would be the "son of Adam, seed of the woman" (Gen

    3:15) or the "son of David" the one spoken of through out the OT

If Jesus is ever called "Ancient of Days" in another passage of scripture

    that does not mean he is the "Ancient of Days" in the context of this

    vision since that title refers to God the Father

7:14 - He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

7:27 - Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.