The book of Daniel demonstrates the fact that prophetic books of the Bible cannot be read as if the chapters are successive and therefore the historical information is also successive. Chapters 1-4 were all about King Nebuchadnezzar, then chapter 5 was all about his successor, King Belshazzar, and chapter 6 was all about his successor, the Medo-Persian conqueror, King Darius. Now chapter 7 of Daniel goes back to the reign of King Belshazzar who was killed by Darius’ army. Each chapter records a different event or dream/vision in the life of Daniel and his friends and each chapter stands alone. The book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is also written with each chapter standing alone as the dreams and visions seen by the Apostle John were not given to him in historical order. To read these books as if one chapter builds upon the next leads to doctrinal error and to confusion regarding end time events. That being said, chapters 10-12 of the book of Daniel involve one prophecy and should be read as one chapter. Placing chapters and verses in the books of the Bible were done at a much later date and they were not always placed appropriately.
Verse 1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.
It appears that the prophet Daniel had someone writing down these visions as he “told the sum of the matters” and he “spake” the contents of his vision. It would only make sense that someone in his position in the government would have had scribes to attend to whatever letters or documents he needed to create.
Notice that Daniel said he had a dream (singular) and visions (plural) when sleeping in his bed. It appears that the dream contained the visions and that they were sequential and chronological; one vision after another.
Verses 2-3 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
The great sea here is thought to be the Mediterranean Sea as the Biblical nations, including Israel, were all bordering upon this body of water.
The reference to four winds or to the four winds of heaven occurs nine time in both Old Testament and New Testament books. The word “wind” can mean a wind or it can mean a spirit. The number four in Scripture is metaphor for the Earth. Visually, imagine what a body of water would look like if four winds coming from the north, south, east, and west all converged upon it at the same time. The physical water would be churning and confusing and destructive, and navigating it would be impossible. From a spiritual perspective (first the natural meaning and then the spiritual meaning when interpreting Scripture), the four empires that were to arise from this geographical region and rule the known world would be both physically and spiritually destructive to mankind and lead to spiritual confusion (witchcraft, Babylonian Talmud, Free Masonry, false religion, false Bibles and so forth).
These winds were supernatural. Physical winds or prevailing winds usually come from the ordinal points of the compass: northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest. These winds were coming from the cardinal points of the compass: north, south, east, and west.
Beasts in Scripture are metaphor for human governments/governmental systems. God means no disrespect towards the critters He created and which He pronounced to be “good”, but He uses their characteristics or behaviors to describe the characteristics and behaviors of these man-made systems. And he does not use doves or butterflies as descriptors but He uses predatory critters that rip and tear their prey apart as they are devouring them. Each one of the beasts were different from the others and their descriptions are not consistent with physical critters in appearance, but they give a picture to the reader of how these beast systems operate.
Verse 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
These four world empires correspond to those discussed in Daniel chapter 2 where the idol made of various metals was revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar in a dream. The head of gold representing King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian empire is the lion recorded here.
The lion is considered to be the king of the beasts due to great courage and fortitude and great strength. The wings indicate swiftness and the ability to conquer quickly. The heart is symbolic of emotions or emotional makeup and of courage. When this lion lost both wings and heart and was given a man’s heart, he lost all of his courage. The empire represented by the lion, Babylon, would weaken and eventually fall. When comparing the character of King Nebuchadnezzar to that of his grandson, Belshazzar, historically it can be seen that Babylon’s leadership declined down through the generations resulting in being taken over by the Medes and the Persians.
Verse 5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
Application: When an empire falls, another one rises up to take its place. After the coming of Jesus and the establishment of the Church, the last one world government of Rome began to fall slowly. A geographical empire has not risen up to take its place. Instead, an empire of financial, political, religious and military control involving all the nations of the world has risen up in an attempt to form another one world government. But because God has his spiritual Kingdom running along side this man made system, it can never gain complete control. It has come close, but it has not succeeded and it never will.
God does not want a one world government. He allowed them in days gone by as their damage to His creation including humans was limited to hand-to-hand combat and weaponry. But with technology advancements in weapons and surveillance systems in existence today, mankind would be annihilated under the control of a one world government. All man made governments are corrupt. There is no such thing as an honest government because evil people at the behest of Satan run them. Their goal is to have two classes of people: the haves and the have nots. Then the people can be controlled. The population has to be decreased so that there is a manageable herd and this is done through wars, vaccines, abortion, chemical additives in food, water and the air, weather manipulation and other ways too numerous and evil to discuss here. And who thinks this way? Satan. And does Satan have people working with him? Of course because, “. . . men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” John 3:19 Think about it.
The beast like a bear represents the Medo-Persian empire and corresponds to the breast and arms of silver on the idol in King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Bears rip and tear their prey in a bloody fashion and they are very strong. These characteristics describe the conquering Medo-Persians as they were a formidable military force and had no problem killing.
Verse 6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
The leopard is the Grecian empire and the four wings and heads represent the division of this empire after the death of Alexander the Great to his four generals. Leopards are incredibly fast runners and Alexander conquered the known world in approximately 10 years before he was 33 years old and no other man down through history has been able to do what he did in such a short time. This empire was the thighs of brass on the statue or image in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Notice that this leopard had four wings and the lion only had two wings. The spread of the Grecian empire was much faster than that of Babylon.
Verse 7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
The Romans perfected tools made of iron and therefore were a stronger fighting force than the Greeks that had brass shields and swords. Wherever the Romans went they crushed the nations and destroyed any opposition. The Roman empire was the legs of iron on the idol in King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. It fell in three parts to ten barbaric tribes over a long period of time. This empire was very important in that it was in control when the LORD Jesus Christ came to Earth and had His ministry for 3 1/2 years.
Application: The order in which the prophet Daniel saw these beast systems is reversed in Revelation chapter 13 where the Apostle John saw a composite beast. See the commentary for verses 2-3 in Revelation 13. The reason for the reversal is that Daniel’s vision was future and he was looking forward through history but John’s vision was past and looking back through history.
Verse 8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
Around 323 AD Constantine came to power and he wanted to control the people through religion. He also needed the support of the Christians to win against his enemies. So he created ecclesiastical power through the papacy and the institution of Catholicism. He wasn’t a Christian but he faked it. He was never baptized in water but he did get sprinkled when on his death bed. The way he fooled the Christians was that he claimed to have had a vision and to see in the sky a cross and some sacred words. He had his soldiers paint the symbol he reported to see onto their shields and it was a cross with a loop at the top. It was the ankh which comes from Egypt and which represents the “key of life”. This is not and has never been a Christian symbol. During Constantine’s rule and crusades, three of the ten barbaric tribes holding Rome fell and the papacy and Catholicism rose up to power. The Pope claims to be God on Earth and to have equal power with God to forgive sins. Remember, the Devil wanted to be like the Most High.
Verses 9-10 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
The Ancient of days is God Almighty. This descriptive language referring to God only appears two other times in Scripture: verses 13 and 22 below. White is metaphor for purity and righteousness. Fire destroys and yet cleanses. Hebrews 12:29 states, “For our God is a consuming fire.” The wheels indicate power that is swirling and in motion. The prophet Daniel is seeing a future time when earthly powers are cast down and millions of people are in Heaven before the throne of God and the final judgement is to begin.
Verses 11-12 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. 12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
Verse 11 above indicates that the horn representing the institution of Catholicism which has controlled the governments of the nations for centuries will be destroyed. The fourth beast representing Rome slowly lost its geographical dominion, yet it and the other beasts representing the one world empires of the past have continued down through the centuries to influence laws, culture, arts, architecture, language, and so on.
Verses 13-14 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
“Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:” Hebrews 12:28
“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:30
“Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Matthew 26:64
Notice that the prophet Daniel used the term, “Son of man” to describe who he saw in his vision and then Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of man. The Scriptures are consistent even though they were written hundreds of years apart by different men with different backgrounds and skills while in different countries.
Application: Again, let it be stated that ever since Jesus came, there has never been a one world government. His spiritual kingdom has been running alongside the earthly kingdoms which have come and gone as seen in recorded history. If you are a Christian believer, you are part of that spiritual kingdom. When you lose your earthly body to death, your spirit and soul will then see this spiritual kingdom which is where eternity with the LORD will occur.
Verses 15-16 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
Daniel was bothered by what he was seeing in the night visions, but angels were attending him. Daniel had a lot of visitations from angels as recorded in this book of the Bible. Believers have visitation from angels also, but we don’t think about them and we don’t pay attention to them. This writer’s mother suffered from Parkinson’s and had difficulty with balance. She lived on a busy street. Taking it into her head to trim the bushes that separated her front yard from the street, she took the pruning shears out to the bushes and tried to trim them back. She was in danger of falling backwards into traffic. She lived near a ferry dock, and when the cars exited the ferry, they clogged the small residential street. She reported that just as she was losing her balance, she heard a voice behind her say, “Let me help you, ma’am” and she felt herself regain her balance. When she turn around to see who it was talking to her, there was a young black man who seemed to come out of no where. He cut the offending branches, handed her back the sheers and then disappeared. This story was supported by the fact that the bushes clearly showed where the cuts had been made, that the line of bumper to bumper traffic did not allow for anyone to cross the street, that if the man had walked either up or down the street, he would have been seen, and that this writer’s mother was of very sound mind and a deeply dedicated Christian believer. She knew an angelic visitation when she saw and experienced one. This writer was traveling in the third lane of a freeway when, approaching a gradual incline and going 65 miles per hour, a voice clearly said, “Change lanes now.” Moving into the fast lane, just over the rise in the middle of that third lane was an aluminum construction ladder that had obviously fallen out of someone’s truck. It could not be seen because it was on the other side of the incline. In the small, compact car this writer was driving, an encounter with this ladder would not have resulted in a harmonious outcome. That voice was a guardian angel. Slow down, take time to observe, and expect an angelic helping hand.
Verses 17-18 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
God’s people have always been in His kingdom, from the Old Testament, pre-flood saints to Abraham and on down through time. The prophet Daniel was serving God and was part of His kingdom, but the Old Testament saints did not have the advantage of the Holy Ghost/Spirit or Comforter dwelling within their human bodies. However, it was the coming of Jesus and His defeating of Satan and his fallen angels and the shedding of His blood as remission for sins that brought the indwelling of His Holy Ghost/Spirit in every Christian believer and that brought in the spiritual kingdom that has been running concurrently with man made kingdoms.
Verses 19-20 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; 20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
All the beasts that Daniel saw in his visions were strange and worrisome, but the fourth one really caught his attention. It was more diverse and had more strength and endurance, and then there was that little horn. All the others had something in common in that they were geopolitical. But the fourth one was different in that, even though it started out as geopolitical, it became a religious power. It was a fake church that would bring in all the various ideologies of the world into one religion.
Verse 21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
History records (proof positive) that Catholicism has always fought the true people of God and it still is to this day. This religious institution has put hundreds of thousands of people to death, used physical and emotional torture, and has corrupted the truth of the Gospel.
Verse 22 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.
This has to still be future as Catholicism did not come into existence until around 315 AD which was approximately 300 years after the resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ and the establishment of His spiritual kingdom. The saints are still working to possess the kingdom and the institution of Catholicism, although weakened by pedophile scandals and financial scandals, is still functioning.
Verses 23-25 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Again, the reason the fourth beast was diverse from the others is that it was/is a religious system that has infiltrated the whole world. The municipal governments operated by the popes have controled the people of the nations through codes and statutes, regulations, taxation and fraudulent practices. Geographical Rome fell to ten barbaric tribes and when the institution of Catholicism was created for the purpose of defeating Christianity, the popes and their cardinals, etc., persecuted and continue to persecute the Church of Jesus Christ to this day. The calendar that is used today is the Gregorian calendar, named after Pope Gregory and introduced in 1582, replacing the Julian calendar. So the Catholic institution did change times and they put laws in place that are not consistent with Common Law and with the freedoms granted to all living men and living women by God Almighty.
Verses 26-27 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Eventually, this fourth beast will fall and the true Church will be victorious. God’s kingdom will never end and all will serve Him and obey His commandments.
Verse 28 Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart. (Daniel 7)
Cogitations means the prophet Daniel’s thoughts about these visions. He was contemplating them over and over and his facial expression changed as he was deep in thought. But he chose to keep these visions and the visitation of the angel to himself.