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�1�Daniel Chapter 7 Klaus G. Schiessel © April 2005

DANIEL 7 Prophetic Vision of Four Beasts—Four World Kingdoms

Although this chapter comes after chapters 5 and 6 it historically occurs before the events described in those chapters since it takes place “…in the first year of Belshazzar” {v. 1}. This is because the material in the book of Daniel was arranged based on whether the subject matter was purely historical {chapters 1-6} or prophetic {chapters 7-12} in nature.

The book of Daniel is silent about events between Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion and his grandson Belshazzar to whom we are introduced in this chapter. He was the last Babylonian ruler and his demise at the hands of the Medo-Persians, Darius the Mede {also known as Darius the Great} and the Persian Cyrus the Great is described in Daniel chapter 5. The prophetic visions in this chapter parallel those of Revelation 17-19. vv. 1-3 Ø DANIEL RECORDS HIS DREAM & VISIONS: THE FOUR WINDS STIR UP THE ‘SEA

OF HUMANITY’

[1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts [lit. “words”]. 2 Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other”.]

[In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon…] This verse places the date of this dream – in the ‘first year of Belshazzar’. Who was this Belshazzar? There were at one time skeptics who claimed that because there was no written record of this king in Babylonian records he never existed. Therefore, he was made up and here was another reason the Bible could not be trusted to present history in a factual manner. However, new evidence was uncovered by the archeologist’s spade and we now have extra-Biblical confirmation that the last king of Babylon was Belshazzar and that he co-reigned with his father, Nabonidus1 {referred to as Nabunaid on Babylonian monuments}. Such is the way of skeptical criticism. The Bible needs to be trusted by faith in the God who gives His Word. On the other hand, given enough time the skeptics’ claim that the Bible is in error is itself oftentimes found to be false. Refer to Appendix A for a more detailed description of Belshazzar’s place in history.

Belshazzar was the eldest son and coregent of Nabonidus, the last king of the neo-Babylonian Empire {539 BC}. His name means, “Bel has protected the king” and perhaps Nabonidus named him this because one of his predecessors was murdered and the other assassinated. His name is very similar to the Babylonian name given to Daniel, ‘Belteshazzar’, which means “Bel protect his life”. {Bel was the chief pagan god of the Babylonians}.

1 The charge there is a Biblical error in calling Belshazzar the ‘son of Nebuchadnezzar’ {Daniel 5:2} or calling his father Nebuchadnezzar {Daniel 5:12,18} is flimsy at best and deceptive at worst. Apparently Belshazzar was either lineally related to Nebuchadnezzar because his mother, Nitrocris, seems to have been Nebuchadnezzar’s daughter or he could have been adopted by Nabonidus after Nebuchadnezzar’s death. Moreover, “son of” in Semitic usage is equivalent to “successor of” so one could properly be called a son of even if not in lineal descent. In the Assyrian records Jehu is called “the son of Omri”. Actually Jehu was only a royal successor with no lineal relation at all.


The Babylonian records indicate that Belshazzar became coregent with his father in the third year of Nabonidus' reign {553 BC} and continued in pretty much that capacity until the fall of Babylon {539 BC}.

It would further appear from the Nabunaid Chronicle2 that Belshazzar was sovereign king of all that was left of the Babylonian empire, from the 4th to the 8th month of the 17th year of the reign of his father Nabonidus/Nabunaid.

Note that it was Belshazzar who sponsored the pagan drunken orgy and to whom the

handwriting on the wall appeared {Daniel 5:5,6, 25-28}. Belshazzar was slain that night by the Persian army general, Gobryas, when Cyrus the Great’s and Darius the Mede’s armies took Babylon, October 13, 539 BC. {Refer to Daniel 5:26-31}.

The diagram in Figure 7-1 will help us get a better understanding where Belshazzar fits into Babylonian history3. Nebuchadnezzar was Nebopolassar’s son and reigned for 43 years, 605-562 BC. After Nebuchadnezzar died his son, Evil-Merodach, became king in 562 BC. However, his reign lasted only three years because he was murdered by his brother-in-law, Neriglissar. He in turn was succeeded by his son, Labashi-Marduk, but he was assassinated after reigning only 9 months. After that, Nabonidus who had served as governor of Babylon and appears to have been Nebuchadnezzar’s favorite son-in-law, reigned for 17 years. He and his son, Belshazzar, were co-rulers between 553-539 BC.

Figure 7- 1. Latter Kings of Babylon. Kings in shaded boxes are mentioned in the Book of Daniel.

2 The Nabunaid Chronicle is a cuneiform tablet discovered by archeologists in 1879 and translations have been available since the 1890s. 3 Nabonidus Harran Stele (NABON H 1, B): This contemporary stele, or pillar with an inscription, was discovered in 1956. It mentions the reigns of the Neo-Babylonian kings Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-Merodach, Neriglissar. The figures given for these three agree with those from Ptolemy's Canon.

Belshazzar 553-539 BC

Nebopolassar 627-605 BC

Nebuchadnezzar 605-562 BC

Evil-Merodach 562-560 BC

Labashi-Marduk 556 BC

Daughter married Neriglissar

560-556 BC

Nitocris married Nabonidus 556-539 BC


Imagine Daniel and his three companions growing up with all this political intrigue. Not much is known from the book of Daniel about affairs and happenings in Babylon during this time. One can however conclude that Daniel & his friends remained faithful to the LORD.

While Daniel was resting on his bed at night God gives him a dream and in that dream he sees so-called night visions4 of four ferocious animals and a ‘little horn’. [“…Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.”] . Although this verse appears to imply that he made oral communication of these words5, the word translated “telling” in this context means he simply wanted to communicate them – in this case by writing them down. Daniel says he wrote down the dream being careful to record the main features of the visions. The prophetic visions in this chapter parallel those events described in Revelation 17:9-18; 18:1-17 & 19:11-20. That is, as Daniel wrote down the dream he was careful to communicate the main features and facts – not all the details. The meaning of this verse seems to be that he did not go into detail-- as by writing names, and dates, and places; or, perhaps, that he did not enter into a minute description of all that he saw in regard to the beasts that came up from the sea, but that he recorded what might be considered as peculiar, and as having special significance. [“I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea.”] The word for stirring here means to burst forth, as a fountain or a baby coming out of the womb. See also Daniel 8:8. The four winds very possibly the same ones being held by angelic beings for such are described in Revelation 7:1-3

After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” [i.e., the 144,00 Jewish believers]

The fact that there are four winds mentioned means that all of nature and the earth are affected. As we would say, ‘the four corners of the earth’ or ‘the four points of a compass’. Other references include Jeremiah 49:36; Ezekiel 37:9; Daniel 8:8; Matthew 24:30,31. This is reminiscent of the raging of the nations described in Psalms 2:1-12. These winds stir up or interject energy into the sea and cause it to move and slosh around.

4 Like “night-vision” goggles that can ‘see’ in the darkness using infrared light, these are special visions occurring at night that reveal the ‘unseen’ things of God’s working in the affairs of man. 5 Chaldee, lit. “spoke the head of the words”. The Chisianus Codex renders this in the Greek as, [egrapsen] (grk 1125) [eis] (grk 1519) [kefalaia] (grk 2776) [logoon] (grk 3056). He “wrote in heads of words," that is, he reduced it to a summary description. The word "sum" here-- [ree'sh] (heb 7389)-- means "head"; and would properly denote such a record as would be a heading up, or a summary-- as stating in a brief way the contents of a book, or the chief points of a thing without going into detail.


The Great Sea here literally refers to the Mediterranean Sea. However, here it is being used figuratively to describe mankind at large – the great ‘sea of humanity’ for such is the meaning in Revelation 17:1,15

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters”….Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues”.

And in Revelation 13:1

“Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.”

It is interesting to note that the beast having seven heads and ten horns in the book of

Revelation is the same as that described in this chapter in verses 7,8. [“And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.”] Note that each one of these great beasts corresponds in type to the representation of four kingdoms represented as metals of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 2. A kingdom has a king and the key to this association is found in Daniel 7:17. In both Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 2 and Daniel’s dream here in chapter 7, four great world kingdoms along with an end time kingdom are depicted. The difference in visions has to do with perspective. Nebuchadnezzar was allowed to see the four kingdoms from the world’s perspective – relatively benign and precious or useful. But God allowed Daniel to see the same kingdoms and the associated events in history from God’s perspective – as scary wild beasts, ferocious and dangerous. Note that each of these kingdoms is said to be diverse from one another; that is, the people, their customs, laws, culture and technology were different. This word literally means ‘altered’ or ‘changed’. Each succeeding kingdom appears to be an altered form of the one preceding it.

The four kingdoms along with the last kingdom arising out of the fourth are summarized in Table 7-1.

Table 7- 1. Summary Comparison of Four Great Kingdoms. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

{Chapter 2} Daniel’s Dream {Chapter 7} Designated Kingdom

Head of Gold Lion with Eagle’s Wings Babylonian

Arms & Chest of Sliver Bear with 3 Ribs in Mouth Medo-Persian

Stomach of Bronze Leopard with 4 Wings Macedonian-Grecian

Legs of Iron Composite Beast with

Iron Teeth, Bronze Claws & 10 Horns

Roman

Feet of Iron + Clay Little Horn Revived Roman


v. 4 Ø THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE: A LION WITH EAGLE’S WINGS

[4 “The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man's heart was given to it.”]

This vision of a lion corresponds to the first kingdom represented by the head of gold of the multi-metallic statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream {Daniel 2:32}. This is a reference to the Babylonian Empire {modern Iraq}. A lion is a stately animal commonly referred to as the “king of the jungle” or “king of beasts”. It is a graceful beast and known for its combination of strength and courage that commands the respect of other animals.

Note that this is a very unusual lion – a lion having the wings of an eagle. Since Daniel 7:17 tells us these beasts represent kings and kingdoms we can be fairly certain this beast represents the heavenly recognized head of the first kingdom, Nebuchadnezzar and indeed the description fits. In battle, the victory does not necessarily go to the largest army but to the swiftest. The army that can move men and supplies the quickest has a distinct advantage over an opponent. When asked how to win battles, General Nathan Bedford Forrest said, the one who gets there “…the first with the most” is the one that is going to win. It is historically known that Nebuchadnezzar’s army was known for its ability to quickly move men and resources against an enemy. Thus the allusion to eagle’s wings. {However, there would be one coming afterward who was even quicker, a leopard having four wings; Daniel 7:6}. Such was the ability of Alexander the Great, the Roman Caesars and Napoleon. The lion’s wings are plucked off and it is lifted up from its place and made to stand on two feet like a man with a man’s heart given to it. Does this describe anything that happened to Nebuchadnezzar? Absolutely, it describes the time he got his “come uppins” and his arrogant and prideful heart was humbled when he was made to eat grass like an ox for seven years. {See Daniel 4:28-30, 33, 34}. Nebuchadnezzar’s ‘wings were clipped’ and he was brought ‘down to earth’. Although this vision was technically prophetic it was past tense when it was revealed to Daniel since Nebuchadnezzar was dead and his son-in-law {Nabonidus} and grandson {Belshazzar} reigned instead. v. 5 Ø THE MEDO-PERSIAN EMPIRE: BEAR WITH THREE RIBS IN ITS MOUTH

[5 “And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: 'Arise, devour much flesh’!”]

This vision of the bear corresponds to the kingdom represented by the chest & arms of silver of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream {Daniel 2:32}. This is a reference to the Medo-Persian Empire {modern Iran}.

The characteristics and behavior of a bear are quite distinct from the lion and other animals. There is no accident as to why a particular animal symbol was used to denote a particular kingdom, and there was something in the kingdom that corresponded with these peculiar properties, as there was in the case of the lion.


Although like a lion a bear is powerful, it is distinguished mainly for two things, cunning and ferocity. Aristotle says that the bear is greedy as well as silly and foolhardy. The name in Hebrew is taken from his grumbling or growling. The bear is called by Aristotle [sarkofagoon], flesh-eater, and [xooon] [pamfagon], a beast devouring everything (Hist. Nat. VIII. 5), and no better description could be given of it.

The bear is especially fierce when hungry, or when robbed of its young. Jerome (on {Hosea 13:8} remarks, “It is said by those who have studied the nature of wild beasts, that none among them is more ferocious than the bear when deprived of its young, or when hungry.” {Compare 2 Samuel 17:8; Proverbs 17:12}. The characteristics of the this kingdom therefore, would be ferocity, roughness, fierceness in war, especially when provoked; a spirit less manly and noble than that denoted by the lion; severe in its treatment of enemies, with a mixture of fierce and savage cunning.

We know that the Medo-Persian Empire superceded the Babylonian Empire and just as in our study of the multi-metallic statue of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream; here the second beast represents the Medo-Persians who conquered the Babylonians. Refer also to Daniel 8:3, 4, 20. Compared to a lion or leopard, a bear is a powerful but lumbering animal and that describes the army of the Medo-Persians. It was the Persian Xerxes who led about 300,000 men and three hundred ships against Greece at Thermopylae but was defeated because a storm destroyed his Mediterranean fleet. The bear was raised up on one side – to the west in attacking Babylon. The three ribs most probably refer to Babylon, Lydia {Turkey} and Egypt, the three major nations it conquered. The bear was told to ‘…devour much flesh’ and so it did. v. 6 Ø THE GRECIAN EMPIRE — PANTHER/LEOPARD WITH 4 WINGS & HEADS

[6 “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.”]

This vision of the leopard corresponds to the kingdom represented by the hips & stomach of bronze of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream {Daniel 2:32}. Refer also to Daniel 8:5-8, 20, 21. This is a reference to the GRECIAN EMPIRE.

The word used here [nªmar] (Heb. 5245) or in Hebrew [naameer] (Heb. 5246) denotes a panther or leopard, so called from his spots. This is a well-known beast of prey, distinguished for blood-thirstiness and cruelty, and these characteristics are especially applicable to the female panther.

The animal is referred to in the Scriptures as emblematic of the following things, or as

having the following characteristics:

(1) As next in dignity to the lion a leopard is of the same general nature. Thus the lion and the panther, or leopard, are often united in the Scriptures. Compare {Jeremiah 5:6; Hosea 13:7}. See also in the Apocrypha, Ecclesiastes 28:23.


(2) As distinguished for cruelty or a fierce nature it is contrasted with the gentle and tame animal {Isaiah 11:6}, “…and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.” In {Jeremiah 5:6}, it is compared with the lion and the wolf: “A lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities”.

(3) As distinguished for swiftness or fleetness. {Habakkuk 1:8}: “…their horses are swifter than the leopards.” His fleetness is often referred to by the Greek and Roman writers, especially the speed of his spring or bound.

(4) As insidious, or as lying in wait, and springing unexpectedly upon the unwary traveler. Compare {Hosea 13:7}: “As a leopard by the way will I observe them…”; that is, I will ‘watch’ ['aashuwr (Heb. 7789)] them.

This is an unusual leopard – it has four wings. This is an allusion to the swiftness of the Alexander the Great in moving his army against an enemy. A leopard {or panther} is known to suddenly leap upon its prey in a demonstration of speed and agility. Such was the conquest of the Graeco-Macedonians under the leadership of Alexander the Great. The four heads represent the division of the Greek Empire between Alexander’s four generals. Following the death of Alexander at about age 32, four of his generals divided the expansive World Empire that he had amassed. Cassander took Macedonia; Lysimachus took Asia Minor {Turkey}; Seleucus took Syria {out of which comes the a little horn’ in Daniel 8:9-14} and finally, Ptolemy took Egypt {out of which Cleopatra later came}. v. 7 Ø THE ROMAN EMPIRE — DREADFUL BEAST WITH IRON TEETH & 10 HORNS

[7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.”] This vision corresponds to the kingdom represented by the legs of iron of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream {Daniel 2:33}. This is a reference to the ROMAN EMPIRE. See Daniel 8:22. In the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire the historian Edward Gibbon, who was not a Christian, said, “The four empires are clearly delineated; and the invincible armies of the Romans are described with as much clearness in the prophecies of Daniel as in the histories of Justin and Diodorus6”.

6 Diodorus Siculus (circa 90-21BC), Greek historian, born in Agyrium, Sicily; he was a contemporary of Julius Caesar and Augustus, first emperor of Rome. Diodorus traveled in Asia and Europe and lived for a long time in Rome, collecting the material for his great Bibliotheca Historica (Historical Library). This work is a history of the world in 40 books, from the creation through the Gallic Wars and up to the first years of the empire. Of this ambitious work, the first five books are extant in their entirety, the next five are wholly lost, the next ten are complete, and considerable fragments of the others have been preserved.


This fourth beast is described as being different from all the beasts before it and indeed it was. It had huge iron teeth and bronze claws {v. 19} and was extremely strong. It devoured and broke everything in its path to pieces and trampled the residue with its feet. This description is almost like a gigantic mechanical Tyrannosaurus Rex!

The word used for dreadful here literally means “well-loined” – this was a “buff” or

muscular looking beast. This beast struck great fear and anxiety in anyone who looked at it. v. 8 Ø THE LAST DAYS EMPIRE — LITTLE HORN WITH EYES & A ‘BIG’ MOUTH

[8 “I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.”] This vision corresponds to the kingdom represented by the feet of iron mixed with clay of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream {Daniel 2:33}. This is a reference to the anti-Christ’s empire, the revival of Babylon on a worldwide scale coming out of the Roman Empire. See Daniel 8:23-25. This vision parallels that of Revelation 13:1-12. An elaboration on this vision is given later in this chapter in vv. 7:24-27. However, note that this ‘little’ horn grabs three of the 10 tens and pulls them out by the roots. In Revelation 13:1 a beast coming up out of the sea {of humanity, Revelation 17:15} also has 10 horns but only 7 heads. The prophecy of Daniel explains this as three of the leaders (3 horns) were forcibly removed from their positions of leadership by the little horn {whom we will come to see is the “man of lawlessness” known commonly as the anti-Christ}. vv. 9-12 Ø THE ANCIENT OF DAYS & THE JUDGMENT OF THE LITTLE HORN

[9 “I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; his garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. 11 I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words that the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.”] The scene now switches to Heaven and the Throne of God in similar fashion to the transition between Revelation 3:22 and 4:1. This vision corresponds to the destruction of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream by the supernatural stone {Daniel 2:34-35}. [“I watched till…”] Daniel saw other sights but he was only writing down the main features of the dream, not every detail. This implies that other things of relative lesser importance occurred between this part of the vision and the four beasts rising up out of the Great Sea. This includes the proliferation of false Christs, the false prophet and giving out the mark of the beast {e.g., Matthew 24:11,23-27 and Revelation 13:11-18}.


[“…thrones were put into place…”] That is, seats of honor are set-up for those who carry out judgment. The picture here is of preparation for judgment. The Bible has several examples of this {Matthew 19:27-30; Luke 22:29,30; 1 Corinthians 6:1-3; Revelation 2:25-27; 3:21; 4:4}.

The “Ancient of Days” is the personification of the eternal God, Jehovah. Some believe this personage to be the incarnate, resurrected King of kings – Jesus Christ. Indeed, the description given here {“…his garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool…”} is similar to that of Jesus Christ in Revelation 1:13-18.

The Aramaic word “ancient” here means “advanced in days” and although it normally refers to a very old person, the reference here applies to the eternal quality of God, not a doddering old man hunched over as popularly depicted in cartoons. An innumerable company ministered to him and even more stood before the Ancient of Days. {cp. Revelation 7:9-17}. There is a future Heavenly court convening and judgment will proceed from records kept in Heavenly books. But during this time the little horn (the anti-Christ) will be speaking boastful and arrogant words against the authority of God on earth as well as Heaven.

But the fourth beast, the one with 10 horns and specifically, the little horn, is killed and his body destroyed. This is speaking about the Lake of Fire {Hell} for in Matthew 10:28 Jesus says,

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

And in Revelation 19:20 we are told,

“Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

[“….As for the rest of the beasts,…”] That is, the first three beasts representing the Babylonian, Medo-Persian and Grecian empires were allowed to exist for a period of time but without any controlling power or authority. It is interesting to note that that the European nations all contain cultural {pagan} elements of all four of the major empires spoken about in the book of Daniel: (1) Babylonian, (2) Medo-Persian, (3) Grecian and (4) Roman. These cultural elements include language, law, education, architecture, entertainment, technology and art. This passage of scripture also corresponds to the revelation given in Revelation 17:9-18; 18:1-17 & 19:11-20.

�10� Daniel Chapter 7 Klaus G. Schiessel © April 2005

vv. 13, 14 Ø THE COMING OF THE ‘SON OF MAN’ & HIS KINGDOM

[13 “I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. 14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.]

Daniel’s dream continues – it was at night so these are “night visions”.

[“….One like the Son of Man…”] This expression is a Messianic title used 78 times in the New Testament and is applied to Jesus throughout the Gospels {Matthew: 33; Mark: 15; Luke: 15; John: 12}. It is also used once in the book of Acts {7:56}; once in Hebrews {2:6} and once in Revelation {14:14} in the context of the BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe. – Revelation 14:14,15.

[“…all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.”] See for example Zechariah 14:9,16-21; Revelation 7:9-12.

The Messiah’s kingdom is one of everlasting dominion and it will never pass away. Although Jesus Christ will reign first for 1000 years on this present earth {Revelation 20:1-6}, His kingdom really continues as an everlasting kingdom after the creation of the new heavens and new earth {Revelation 21:1-6; 22:1-5}.

Note that Jesus refers to this passage in Daniel {as well as others like Daniel 9:27 in Matthew 24:15} when discussing His 2nd Coming in Matthew 24:29,30 and the context of His defense before the Sanhedrin Mark 14:60-65. As “Son of Man”, Jesus is also the “Son of the Highest” {Luke 1:32}.

These events correspond to the “…stone cut without human hands…” that destroys the image in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and becomes a great mountain filling up the entire earth. These events parallel those described in Revelation 11:15-19; 16:17-21; 19:11-21 as the 7th TRUMPET and 7th BOWL OF WRATH judgments. David alludes to these events in Psalms 2:1-12.


vv. 15-20 Ø INTERPRETATION OF THE 4 BEASTS

[15 “I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 'Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth. 18 'But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever’. 19 Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; 20 and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.”]

Daniel was literally “grieved in his spirit within his body” which was at this time about 65 years old! These visions troubled him, meaning he could not really comprehend what all these amazing visions meant.

Daniel had to know what all this meant and so he asks one of the ‘ten thousand times ten thousand that stood before the throne’ {quite possibly one of the heavenly beings} what did all this mean. He receives the short answer: (A) THE FOUR GREAT BEASTS ARE FOUR KINGS and (B) THE SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH {GOD} WILL INHERIT THE KINGDOM AND POSSESS IT FOREVER.

But now Daniel wants to know more details about the fourth beast, the one (i) that was extremely dreadful, (ii) that had iron teeth and claws of bronze, (iii) that devoured, crushed and pulverized the residue with its feet, (iv) that had ten horns and (v) associated with the little horn that spoke blasphemous words against God and (vi) who’s appearance more noticeable that all his peers.

Daniel will get the answer to these questions in verses 24-27. vv. 21-23 Ø THE ‘LITTLE HORN’ MAKES WAR WITH THE SAINTS & IS DEFEATED

[21 “I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. 23 Thus he said: 'The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces’.”]

The ‘little horn’ or anti-Christ, makes war against the saints [primarily Jewish believers during the Tribulation who were not saved at the time of the Rapture] and prevails or conquers them. However, he will lose in the end.

Note: It is the Ancient of Days who comes to destroy the fourth Beast {anti-Christ} and rescue the Saints. But this is what Christ Jesus does! Therefore, the Ancient of Days is synonymous with Christ.

Judgement is made in favor of the saints of the Most High {GOD} and time is coming when the saints possess the kingdom.

This passage of scripture finds its parallel passages of scripture in Revelation 13:4-8; 14:14-20; 17:3-15; 19:1-21 and 20:1-6.


vv. 24-27 Ø INTERPRETATION OF THE 4TH BEAST & THE ‘LITTLE HORN’

[24 ‘The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; he shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings. 25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time. 26 But the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it forever. 27 Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him’.]

Note, there is an 11th horn, a ‘little horn’ who is the anti-Christ and he is again shown to subue three of the 10 horns {kings}. That is why the beast in Revelation has not 10 heads (one per horn) but only 7 with 10 horns {kingdoms} still in existence.

[“Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.”] Refer to Revelation 13:4-7 which says:

So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.

The judgment of the fourth beast is detailed in Revelation 18:1-17 and the greatness of the kingdoms given to the Saints of the Most High is detailed in Revelation 19:1-10. v. 28 Ø DANIEL’S MIND IS GREATLY ALARMED

[28 “This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart.”]

Daniel’s deeply troubled him due to the dramatic visions he had seen and his countenance changed. But he keeps the matter in his heart, that is, he is satisfied for now with what the LORD has shown him. Compare Daniel 12:8-13. Bibliography

(1) New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright © 1988. (2) Thru the Bible With J. Vernon McGee, Proverbs-Malachi, Vol.3; The Book of Daniel, J.

Vernon McGee, pp. 524-607, copyright © 1982 (3) Adam Clarke Commentary. (4) Bible Knowledge Commentary/Old Testament, Cook Communications Ministries;

Copyright © 1983, 2000. (5) Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Copyright © 1986. (6) Barnes Notes.


APPENDIX A: HISTORICAL NOTES ON BELSHAZZAR BELSHAZ'ZAR {Bel-shuz'er; Akkadian = Bel-shar-usur, “Bel has protected the king”}. The eldest son and coregent of Nabonidus, the last sovereign of the neo-Babylonian Empire {539 BC}. His name is very similar to the Babylonian name given to Daniel, Belteshazzar, which means “Bel protect his life”. The Babylonian records indicate that Belshazzar became coregent in the third year of Nabonidus's reign {553 BC} and continued in that capacity until the fall of Babylon {539 BC}. The following passage explicitly states that before Nabonidus started on his expedition to Tema in Arabia he entrusted actual kingship to Belshazzar:

“He entrusted a campaign to his eldest, firstborn son; the troops of the land he sent with him. He freed his hand, he entrusted the kingship to him. Then he himself undertook a distant campaign. The power of the land of Akkad advanced with him; towards Tema in the midst of the Westland he set his face…..He himself established his dwelling in Tema…..That city he made glorious…..They made it like a palace of Babylon…..”

The Nabunaid Chronicle states that in the seventh, ninth, tenth, and eleventh years

“the king was in the city of Tema. The son of the king, the princes and the troops were in the land of Akkad {Babylonia}.”

During Nabonidus's absence in Tema, the Nabunaid Chronicle explicitly indicates that the New Year's Festival was not celebrated but that it was observed in the seventeenth year upon the king's return home. Accordingly, it is evident that Belshazzar actually exercised the coregency in Babylon and that the Babylonian records in a remarkable manner supplement the biblical references {Daniel 5; 7:1; 8:1}.

The objection to the historical character of the narrative of Daniel, is based upon the fact that Belshazzar in Daniel 5:11,18 is said to have been the son of Nebuchadnezzar whereas the monuments state that he was the son of Nabunaid, is fully met by supposing that one of them was his real and the other his adoptive father; or by supposing that the queen-mother and Daniel referred to the greatest of his predecessors as his father, just as Omri is called by the Assyrians the father of Jehu, and as the claimants to the Medo-Persian throne are called on the Behistun Inscription the sons of Cyaxares, and as at present the reigning sheiks of northern Arabia are all called the sons of Rashid, although in reality they are not his sons.

The book of Daniel is thus not in error in representing Belshazzar as the last king of

Babylon, as negative criticism once believed, nor can it be said to be wrong in calling Belshazzar the ‘son of Nebuchadnezzar’ {Daniel 5:2}. Apparently Belshazzar was lineally related to Nebuchadnezzar because his mother, Nitrocris, seems to have been Nebuchadnezzar’s daughter. Moreover, “son of” in Semitic usage is equivalent to “successor of”; so one could properly be called a son of even if not in lineal descent. In the Assyrian records Jehu is called “the son of Omri”; actually Jehu was only a royal successor with no lineal relation at all.


It would appear from the Nabunaid Chronicle that Belshazzar was de facto king of all that was left of the Babylonian empire, from the 4th to the 8th month of the 17th year of the reign of his father Nabunaid. Belshazzar died on the night in which Gobryas of Gutium, the commander of Darius the Mede’s army took Babylon. References:

(1) R. P. Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar, [1929].

(2) New Unger's Bible Dictionary, originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright ©1988.

(3) International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Electronic Database Copyright © 1996 by Biblesoft.

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