Daniel 7:1-28

The Vision of the Four Beasts

In the first year of Belshazzar Daniel sees in a dream four beasts rising out of the sea (Daniel 7:1). The first is like a lion, with eagle's wings (Daniel 7:4), the second like a bear (Daniel 7:5), the third like a leopard (Daniel 7:6), while the fourth is a unique and ferocious monster with ten horns (Daniel 7:7), Among the horns of the fourth beast there comes up a little horn with human eyes, which displaces three of the other ten, and carries itself proudly (Daniel 7:8). God then appears sitting on His throne of judgment (Daniel 7:9). The fourth beast is slain (Daniel 7:11). A human figure appears in the heavens, and receives an everlasting kingdom (Daniel 7:13).

At Daniel's request an angel explains the vision (Daniel 7:15). The four beasts represent four kings (or kingdoms: see on Daniel 7:17) which are to appear in succession, and are to be followed by the kingdom of the people of God (Daniel 7:18). Daniel's interest centres specially in the fourth beast and the conclusion of the vision (Daniel 7:19), The fourth beast is explained as a conquering kingdom (Daniel 7:23), the ten horns are ten of its kings, and the little horn is an eleventh king who shall put down three of the former ten (Daniel 7:24), and shall blasphemously persecute the saints for 'a time, times, and half a time' (Daniel 7:25). In the day of God's judgment the little horn will lose his dominion (Daniel 7:26) and the everlasting kingdom of the saints will follow (Daniel 7:27).

Interpretation The four kingdoms in this chapter are presumably the same as those in c.. 2. The reasons for regarding the fourth as the Greek (rather than the Roman) empire are given in Intro. See also on Daniel 2.

Teaching. This chapter contains a prophecy of the Messianic kingdom of God. It is expected to appear after the overthrow of Antiochus Epiphanes, and to be in the hands of the Jewish people.