CHAPTER 7 THE WILD BEASTS AND THE KINGDOM OF THE MOST HIGH. In this chapter four empires under their kings are depicted as arising which will be like wild beasts. They represent the whole of the present and future until the rise of God's everlasting kingdom, the fifth empire, the empire which resul... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FOUR WORLD EMPIRES (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.' ‘In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon.' Official documents at the time were all dated... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night and behold, the four winds of the heaven broke on the great sea. And four wild beasts came up from the sea, different one from another. The first was like a lion and had eagle's wings. I beheld until its wings were plucked and it was lifted up from... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And behold another wild beast, a second, like to a bear, and it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in his mouth between his teeth, and they said thus to it. “Arise and devour much flesh.” The second wild beast was ‘like a bear'. This reminds us that this was a dream. What he saw remind... [ Continue Reading ]
‘After this I was beholding, and lo 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.' The third wild beast was ‘like a leopard', and yet a leopard with wings. Chapter 8 tells us specifically that this was Greece (Daniel... [ Continue Reading ]
‘After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, terrible and powerful, and exceedingly strong. And it had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. And it was different from all the creatures which were before it. And it had ten horn... [ Continue Reading ]
A FLASHBACK. THE SCENE IN HEAVEN WHILE THE EMPIRES STRUT ON EARTH (DANIEL 7:9). ‘I was beholding until thrones were placed, And one who was the ancient of days did sit. His clothing was white as snow, His throne was fiery flames And its wheels burning fire. A fiery stream issued And came fort... [ Continue Reading ]
‘I was beholding then (what would result) from the voice of the great words which the horn spoke, I beheld even until the beast was slain, and his body was destroyed, and he was given to be burned with fire. And as for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away. Yet their lives were prolo... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RECEPTION AND CROWNING OF THE PRINCE (DANIEL 7:13). ‘I was beholding in the night visions: And behold with the clouds of heaven, Came one like a son of man, And he came to the ancient of days, And they brought him near before him. And to him was given dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, T... [ Continue Reading ]
DANIEL IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE MEANING OF HIS VISION (DANIEL 7:15). ‘As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved in the midst of my body (literally ‘my sheath'), and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near to one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me... [ Continue Reading ]
A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE VISION (DANIEL 7:17). ‘These great beasts which are four, are four kings who will arise from the earth. But the saints of the most high will receive the kingdom, and will possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.' Note that the interpretation states that the k... [ Continue Reading ]
DANIEL'S FURTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE FOURTH EMPIRE (DANIEL 7:19). ‘Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth wild beast, which was diverse from all of them, exceedingly terrible, whose teeth were of iron and his claws of brass. Who devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with his... [ Continue Reading ]
DANIEL SEES A FURTHER VISION, A VISION OF THE END DAYS (DANIEL 7:21). ‘I beheld and the same horn made war with the saints and prevailed against them, 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.' Th... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EXPLANATION CONCERNING THE FOURTH WILD BEAST (DANIEL 7:23). ‘Thus he said, “The fourth wild beast will be a fourth empire on earth, and will be diverse from all the empires, and will devour the whole earth, and will tread it down and break it in pieces. And as for the ten horns, out of this emp... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But the judgment will sit, and they will take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it to the end.' As through history ‘the judgment will sit'. That is, God will sit in judgment on this evil ruler as He had on the empires. And the court will take away his dominion, to get rid of it and destroy... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the kingdom, and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people (who consist) of the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions will serve and obey him.' Compare Daniel 7:18. After the persecution the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Unto this point is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts much troubled me, and my brightness was changed in me. But I kept the matter in my heart.'. Commencing from the time of Nebuchadnezzar we have now reached the end of the matter, the everlasting kingdom. But Daniel was not at... [ Continue Reading ]