Daniel 7:1-14 “The Four Beasts”  

 

Tonight we are going to have some fun!

A) Prophecy is always fun and this is an incredible Vision – that Daniel has!

 

B) As a teacher – I rarely bring up controversial things – contrasted opinions.

1) I find that it confuses people – takes too long to go thru the various opinions

 

C) So I study the various opinions – so I know the different view points

1) I usually teach the one that I think makes the most sense.

 

D) Then if someone has a differing opinion – at least I know where they are coming from.

 

Tonight we are looking at a passage, where there is a  largely accepted traditional view –

A) Which I have to admit I believe is right –

 

B) But there is a newer more modern view that I think is worth looking at. {Intriguing

 

C) The thing I like about this controversy is that it doesn’t change the overall focus of the text and its application for today.

 

D) So tonight we are going to have some fun with this

I hope that you are up for that – First we will look at the traditional interpretation!

A) Consider some of the problems pp have with it

 

B) Then we will look at the more modern interpretation and the problems I have with that

 

C) Then we will tie it all together and go home

 

Daniel 7:1

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. 

 

That first line gives us the time frame of this dream and vision – going backwards here.

A) First year of Belshazzar King of Babylon

 

B) So this takes us back in time before Daniel ch. 5

 

C) Belshazzar is the grandson of Neb – co ruling with his Nabo/nidus his father & Neb’s Son

 

The year was probably 553 B.C., fourteen years before the fall of Babylon.

 

 Nabo/nidus, the actual king of Babylon beginning in 556 B.C., had appointed Belshazzar as his coregent in control of Babylonia itself while Nabonidus conducted military maneuvers in Arabia.

Nebuchadnezzar had died in 562 B.C., nine years before Belshazzar began to reign,

A) SO it is clear that the event of chapter 7 occurred chronologically between chapters 4 and 5 of Daniel.

 

                         RD V. 2-8

 

B) Now the traditional widely accepted view of this dream or vision is that it is speaking of the same thing as Ch. 2

 

C) Recall Chapter 2 Neb has a dream giant Statue

Statue: 4 Parts – A head of gold – Chest of Silver

1) Waist of Bronze –

2) Legs of Iron and feet part Iron part Clay.

 

D) Ch. 2 is easy to interpret – because we are given the interpretation -  turn there  Start V38b -43

 

So the dream had to do with 4 Kingdoms – world Dominance

A) Neb is where it began – Head of gold!

 

B) After Babylon came another Kingdom – Medo Persia

 

C) Another Kingdom – Greece – Finally Rome

 

D) History tells us that is exactly what happened

 

 

So most Bible scholars – believe that these 4 beasts are another picture of the same thing. More detail

A) Chapter 2 the 4 kingdoms are seen from man’s perspective –

 

B) Valuable and strong Metals

 

C) Chapter 7 seen from God’s perspective – as 4 grotesque beasts – coming out of the Sea

1) Godzilla vs Rodan

 

D) That view says ch.7 is looking at the same thing from God’s perspective & w/ greater detail

 

The Critics of this view – ask why the repetition ?

A) But that is actually common practice with God when it comes to visions and prophecy

 

B) Joseph: two dreams depicting his family bowing down to him – Sheaths – Sun/moon/ stars

 

C) In Revelation Seal and trumpet Judgments are given – Then stops goes back fills in details – before getting to the bowl judgments

 

D) So it is not unusual for God to do that at all.

 

E) Here he depicts these empires revealing aspects of their glory as well as their collapse!

1) Each one there is added details from Ch. 2

 

So lets consider the traditional interpretation of this first – 4 beast coming up out the sea

A) Sea could =  Med – Predominant ocean in the Middle East

 

B) OR it could refer to Humanity itself

1) Gentile nations Rev 13 & 17 Isaiah 17 the sea is a reference to the nations raging

 

2) Political unrest like today!

 

The first beast is described as being like a lion with eagles' wings.

A) This would accurately represent the Babylonian Empire, since the winged lion represents supreme authority, power, and swiftness.

 

B) It is written by Walvoord that, "Winged lions guarded the gates of the royal palaces of the Babylonians."

1) Favorite image in Babylon – 150 lines on the walls some with wings  -   Picture

 

Again critics of this view say – the image looks more like a Dragon than a lion – I disagree

 

C) In spite of the power indicated in the symbolism of the lion with eagle’s wings,

1) Daniel in his vision sees the wings plucked and the lion made to stand upon his feet as a man, with a man’s heart given to it.

This is most commonly interpreted as the symbolic representation of Neb’s experience in chapter 4

A) That is when he was humbled before God and made to realize that, even though he was a great ruler, he was only a man.

 

B) His lion-like character, or royal power, was his only at God’s pleasure. 

1) His power was stripped from him -

 

C) Which is a new detail that hadn’t happened yet in Ch. 2

 

D) And Although Daniel in this vision does not dwell on the fall of Babylon, described in detail in chapter 5,

1) The decline of Babylon and the rise of The Medo-Persian Empire is implied here clipped wings

 

 

2nd Beast - The Bear The meaning seems to be that the second empire will be powerful like a bear, ferocious (Is 13:17-18), but less majestic, less swift, and less glorious

A) A Bear is larger than a Lion and the Medo‑Persian Empire was larger  {See Maps }

 

B) So Medo-Persia was larger than Babylon in its scope but less majestic than Babylon

 

C) The three ribs in the mouth it probably represents the three greatest  nations or empires they conquered, Babylon, Lydia (Turkey) and Egypt.

 Why is the bear raised up on one side?

A) In the depiction of the large statue in Daniel 2 the two arms clearly indicates the combination of Medes and Persians; empires coming together.

 

B) Most believe that the bear is raised up on one side depicting what was true historically of the rise of the Persians to greater power than the Medes.

 

Daniel in describing the vision next depicts a third beast differing from either of the two preceding animals.

A) The third is like a leopard, has four wings on its back, and has four heads.

 

B) The third beast is commonly identified as the empire of Greece.

1) The only thing said about this beast is that dominion was given to it.

 

C) The leopard in contrast to the lion, the first beast, is less grand and majestic, known for its swiftness and speed! 

 

D) Speaks of the swiftness with which  Alexander the Great & Greece conquered most of the civilized world all the way from Macedonia to Africa and eastward to India.

 

E) The lightning character of his conquests is without precedent in the ancient world.

Now it is a well established fact of history that Alexander had four principal successors. 

A) Which seems to be depicted by the 4 heads of this beast.

 

B) Again a further detail not given to us in Daniel Ch.2

 

C) It seems here in Daniel 7 the focus is on showing these Kingdoms in their latter stages.

 

D) Babylon on the decline after Neb was humbled by God!

 

E) Medo- Persia when the Persian part of it seemed to take center stage and focus

 

F) Greece after it had conquered the world and was divided

 

Which is the reason I believe when we come to the 4th beast – Which represents Rome

A) All the view points agree on that – but there is no sign here of ancient Rome –at all

 

B) Notice the fourth beast - one that was far different - more dreadful, terrifying, and strong - than the previous three beasts.

C) This was the Roman Empire, crushing and devastating everything in its path.

 

D) They were ruthless conquerors, killing and selling into slavery those who opposed them.
1) But the vision of this beast has not yet been completely fulfilled.

 

The vision goes right to the future aspect of Rome in the last days – the Revived Roman Empire led by the anti Christ –

A) 10 horns – to leaders – from which one horn comes

 

Aa) Now we saw a glimpse of this in Ch. 2 – 10 toes

1) That was depicting a future aspect of the Roman Empire in the last days

 

B) Rome was never divided into 10 parts – but that is what this is depicting here.

1)10 horns from which a little horn emerges

 

C) How do we know the Anti Christ comes out of Rome?  Ch. 9:26 is Key

 

Antichrist is going to emerge out of a Revived Roman empire. European Union

A) 10 horns – little horn – talking horn – crazy vision

 

B) This little horn is pompous and powerful – He uproots 3 of the 10 horns –

1) Solidifying his power

.

So that is the traditional conservative view of that passage. --  Repeat of ch.2 w/ greater detail

A) But there are some who take a more modern day view – Ray Stedman { Intriguing view – cool

 

B) The Lion with Eagles wings – Great Britain – national symbol – Lion on its hind legs

1) Eagles wings speaks of its alliance with the U.S.

 

C) The Bear is Russia – Time Magazine – great Russian Bear – Devours much flesh

1) Russia under Stalin/ Lenin Bolshevik – great persecution

 

D) The Leopard – Australia – More likely China Japan Indonesia

1) Islam – growing in Power in the world today

 

E) Not possible after Ezekiel 38 explain

 

F) But others like Joel Rosenberg – Dead Heat

Arab leaders

 

 

Reasons they take issue with the traditional interpretation.

A) Look at v.7 again -  Notice the word before.

 

B) This Aramaic word – (2:4-ch.7 Aramaic) before is used 42 times in the OT – Ezra 4 times / Daniel 38

1) Never is it speaking of in succession to.

C) It is always used in relation to something being in the same presence as something else. V. 10,13, 20

 

So the argument is this: In the V.7 the other beast are seen to be in the Sea at the same time as the 4th beast

A) Or to put it another way: The other 3 beast seem to be contemporaries of the 4th beast

 

B) Nations that are existing at the same time as the 4th beast

 

C) Those who adopt this view like to point to Revelation 13 to further support their claim

 

Revelation 13:1-2

“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. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion.”

 

Here in John’s vision it seems that the first 3 beast have been amalgamated into the 4th beast.

A) They have joined with the 4th Kingdom

 

B) Now I do believe that there is going to be a globalism that is part of the Antichrist Kingdom

1) The world coming together like never before under one banner

C)I think we are seeing signs of a move in that direction even now in things like the North American trade agreement involving America, Mexico, Canada

 

D) As well as in the growing # of nations joining the European Union

 

E) From that Globalism connection – 10 leaders are going to emerge – Then from the 10 will come one

 

So what do we do with this information in light of the traditional or popular view?

A) First of all I don’t think that because all 4 beasts are in the sea at the same time in Daniel’s vision doesn’t mean there can’t be a succession

 

B) See it is a Vision! - He is seeing a scene involving 4 nations – 4 world empires – same scene – one ocean

1) Not 4 different scenes –

 

C) In the same way – in Ch. 2 there was one statue

Not 4 different statues – But One with 4 parts

1) Clearly and historically speaks of a succession

 

D) The first 4 beast are before the 4th – because it is a vision!

 

E) I also believe that Rev 13 can be easily understood as meaning the last world empire will contain Characteristic traits of these 4 previous empires

 

Another problem that those who take a Modern day view of these nations sight is in V. 11,12 read again

A) They say look – the Kingdom of the Anti Christ is destroyed but the other 3 are allowed to remain

 

B) John Walvoord I think explains this well – by pointing out that this is a statement of Contrast

1) Emphasizing the FORCE –thru which the MESSIAH is going to destroy – Antichrist kingdom

 

C) When Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and even Ancient Rome were over thrown – they still existed as a people for a while.

 

D) They weren’t completely destroyed!

1) But when Jesus returns He is going to completely Destroy the Kingdom of the Anti Christ

 

E) That is the point that He is making here!

 

 

So I personally still hold to the traditional view although – I like the idea of the Modern day view

A) Really doesn’t matter because – either way the 4th beast represents the revival of the Roman Empire

 

B) From which the Anti Christ comes –

 

C) Good news is { Jesus wins

 

 

The message of this prophecy is really quite simple and may be summed up this way. Before the kingdom of God is established on the earth, four earthly kingdoms will rise and fall.

 

These kingdoms go from bad to worse. Arrogant, boastful, and even blasphemous kings will reign over the nations, opposing God and oppressing His saints. All of this is by divine design.

 

During times of oppression, it may appear the saints are being defeated and that God’s kingdom is but wishful thinking.

 

When the sin and oppression of evil men reaches a predetermined point, God will remove them and establish His promised eternal kingdom. Then the saints will receive the kingdom which will never end.

                                      John Walvoord