Daniel 7 “Reality and Our Response”

Daniel begins relating his vision by telling us, “There before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea” (vv.2,3). I am amazed how many times I’ve read these words never really realizing what they would teach us. I fear it is almost universally true that we believers come to the Lord and hear His many, many promises of peace and love, then expect ours should be a world of quiet and tranquility. Oh, of course, we know there will be troubles – just not bad ones, right? Because the Lord is on our side, we think we won’t have to face the sometimes horrific calamities others have to face.

We get it in our heads that somehow we will be insulated from truly fiery trials. We (older) Americans were privileged to grow up in a country where the government was truly instituted to do us good. All my life, it has made sense to me that the Lord exhorts us to pray for “kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives …” (I Tim. 2:2). That’s what governments should do – provide for “we the people” a world of peace and security where we can confidently raise our families and conduct our businesses, knowing our justice system will protect us from criminals and our military will protect our borders.

Hmmmm. So we expect to live relatively carefree, quiet lives under a government that does us good. What would Daniel teach us to expect? The four winds of heaven blasting the sea into a horrible tempest, only to see four ravenous beasts rise out of it! Daniel would teach us that the governments of men will not resemble God’s Lamb. They will rather resemble a great red dragon! Daniel’s vision would warn us this world is not a place where the powers that be are working for our good. Instead they will be selfish, cruel tyrants who keep our whole world churned up like a raging ocean while they fight each other – each beast struggling to conquer the others.

Then, if I may be so morose, may I suggest these images will be true anywhere humans possess power? We see the same thing in business. Big corporations present themselves with smiling models to tell us what nice, caring people they are – while they all slit each other’s throats, pay their employees chicken scratch, and sell products they know are killing people. Everywhere we look, people fight for power and keep our world in continual turmoil, even down to the local garden club.

Daniel warned us. We shouldn’t be surprised. Jesus Himself came into our world for no other reason than to do us good and where did it get Him? Murdered. Of course He warned us, “In this world, you shall have trouble” (Jn.16:33). I’m not so sure I’ve ever realized just how serious He was!

This teaching is critical for us from at least two different perspectives. The first is, as I’ve been describing, our expectations. We believers, of all people, need to be realistic. We already know from our Bibles what to expect. Then we need to address the issue of God’s sovereignty in it all. He has promised us – “the court will sit. The beast’s power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom…” (vv.26,27). In our future, “One like the Son of Man” will come. The “stone cut without hands” will strike the image and utterly destroy it. However…in the meantime, the little horn will “wage war against the saints and defeat them, until the Ancient of Days comes” (v. 21,22). Even as we nurse on the promises of heaven, we must constantly remind ourselves this world is not it.

I like what John Calvin said clear back in the 1500’s: “[God’s people] must not indulge themselves in the hope of rest and joy, but rather prepare themselves for sustaining the rush of the fiercest winds, as the world would be everywhere agitated by different storms. They might perhaps suspect God of not performing His promises…Again God came to meet their temptations lest their courage should fail, by teaching them that the method of their redemption was not quite so easy as they had previously conceived…lest it should break down the courage which would be required to meet such great afflictions.”

He then goes on to observe, “The greatest kingdoms are the greatest robbers…kings are mostly tyrants, full of cruelty and barbarity, and forgetful of humanity” and yet he notes “the prophet marks the vice as springing from themselves and not from the sacred ordinance of God.”  

He concludes his comments on these verses with the following prayer, which I believe sums up our own response to all of this:

“Grant, Almighty God, since Thou exposest us to various distresses in this world, for the purpose of exercising our faith and patience; Grant, I say, that we may remain tranquil in our station, through reliance on Thy promises. When storms gather around us on all sides, may we never fall away and never despond in our courage, but persevere in our calling. Whatever may happen, may we recognize Thee as carrying on the government of the world, not only to punish the ingratitude  of the reprobate, but to retain Thine own people in Thy faith and protection, and preserve them to the end. May we bear patiently whatever changes may happen to us, and may we never be disturbed or distressed in our minds, till at length we are gathered into that happy rest, where we shall be free from all warfare and all contests, and enjoy that eternal blessedness which Thou hast prepared for us in Thine only begotten Son—Amen.”

 

Daniel 7 “His Script”

As I explained in the last post, this chapter will be different than my usual course of study. I believe the entire chapter must be studied as a single unit. In my last post, I provided my translation of the entire chapter, so I will not be repeating it, but it is there for anyone’s interested perusal.

As I enter this study, first of all I want to repeat what I said back in chapter 2, that in my opinion these four kingdoms are obviously Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. I realize a lot of authors offer a lot of other interpretations, but I’m reminded of John Eadie’s words: “Interpretations are generally false in proportion to their ingenuity.” Once again, to me, "If the plain sense makes good sense, then why make any other sense?” Basically, what I’m trying to say is that I have no intention of spending much time even considering all the other “ingenious” interpretations which have been offered.

What is interesting to me is to consider the chapter from the perspective of what Daniel knew and didn’t know versus what we today know and don’t know. I’m sure it was obvious to Daniel that the first beast was Babylon, The Babylonians were commonly represented as a lion with wings (v.4) and the reference to its wings being torn off then standing up and being given the mind of a man is clearly referring to Nebuchadnezzar and his experience in chapter 4. One can only wonder if he was watching the rise of Medo-Persia and already had a pretty good idea they would be the bear raised up on one side (v.5). Beyond that, unless he was told more than he wrote down, he would probably not know that the leopard with four wings (v.6) would be Greece and the terrifying beast (v.7) would be Rome. Daniel was living in the kingdom of the very first beast and it is likely the entire rest of the vision would be dark and mysterious to him, even with the angels’ explanations.

For us who live in the 21^st century, it is easy to see Medo-Persia in the bear lifted up on one side, since we look back and know that the Persians were the more powerful of the alliance. Then it is easy to see the leopard with four wings and know that was Alexander who literally flew from Greece to India conquering everything before him. Also, we know that upon his untimely death, his kingdom was divided between his four generals, explaining the beast’s four heads (v.6).

Then we would have no trouble seeing Rome in the terrifying beast with great iron teeth that stomps and destroys everything in its path. Rome couldn’t just conquer Carthage. Once they had breached the city wall, history tells us they killed everyone, then leveled the city itself. As we know, Rome was famous for the practice of crucifixion, one of the most cruel forms of execution ever devised by man. In the slave rebellion known as the Third Servile War (ca. 70 BC), they crucified something like 6,000 of the slaves lined for miles and miles along the Appian Way.

All of that may be obvious to us, but starting there, the mystery resumes for us as well. Somehow, Rome morphs into the ten kings (v.7 and 24). The European Union is clearly at least an embryonic version of this revived Roman Empire, but it is not yet in any way a union of ten kings. That is somehow yet future even for us. Then, of course, there is the little horn which will arise from the ten, displace three, then actually oppose God Himself. Adding on the further prophecies of Daniel and especially the book of Revelation, we know this horn to be none other than the AntiChrist. We don’t know how far away his actual reign will be, but everything is very quickly forming into the very world which the Bible describes embracing him.

Then there is Jesus. In v.13, Daniel introduces this one he calls “the Son of Man” who is introduced to the Ancient of Days, but then “given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped Him.” I do not doubt that to Daniel this person was obviously the promised Messiah of Gen. 3, "the Seed of the woman" who would "crush the head of the serpent." What intrigues me is how even this simple statement begins to reveal the Trinity. Clearly the Ancient of Days is God Himself, but then this Son of Man is being “worshiped.” One could dismiss that, since the word could be used of people’s obeisance to human kings, but then we note how in both v. 14 and v.27, we’re told His kingdom will be “everlasting dominion that will not pass away and a one that will never be destroyed.” In v.27, however, it is specifically the kingdom of “the Most High.” The “Son of Man” has become “the Most High,” clearly telling us that somehow the Messiah would be God Himself. How much of this Daniel understood, we don’t know, but certainly for us, on this side of the Cross, it is easy for us to read it all and see our Jesus in it.

Isn’t it interesting that, like Daniel, we’ve had this prophecy to read again and again, but, after some 2,500 years, we now see much of it as recorded history! Who could have possibly written a prophecy in 500 BC predicting the flow of human history from then until now – and got it right??? As you and I would read and study it (and the rest of the completed Scriptures which we now hold), we can look back and see so much of this prophecy literally fulfilled. Just like Daniel, we have to simply trust the rest will be just as literally fulfilled. Daniel lived in the first kingdom and into the second. Here we are on the tail end of the fourth!

What it all tells us, of course, is Daniel’s simple truth, “the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.” As we live in this chaotic, troubled world of constantly shifting political fortunes and wars, we believers can rest assured our God is completely in charge. While He grants to us humans the dignity to make our own choices (and those choices seem too often to be bad ones), yet in the infinity of His sovereign wisdom and power, this world follows His script.

Daniel 7 “The Big Picture”

This chapter will be different than my usual course of study. The entire chapter is describing this vision which Daniel received. He relates its basic elements first, then records the explanations he is given. One has to read the entire chapter to actually piece together everything Daniel wants to say about the vision. That being the case, one needs to study the chapter as a total unit. It doesn’t necessarily lend itself to my usual simple verse by verse consideration.

All of that said, I will first present here my fairly literal translation of the entire chapter, then only refer back to it as I try to draw helpful truths from what it teaches:

Chapter 7

¹In the first year to Belshazzar, the king of Babel, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head upon his bed. Then he wrote the dream. He told the sum of the matters. ²Daniel, answering and saying, “Seeing I was in my vision with the night and behold, the four of the winds of the heavens [were] stirring up the great sea, ³and four great beasts [were] coming up from the sea, being changed this from this. ⁴The first [was] like a lion and wings of an eagle [were] to it. One seeing I was until its wings were plucked off and it was lifted up from the earth and on feet like a man it was made to stand and a heart of a man was given to it. ⁵And behold, another beast, a second, one resembling a bear, and to one side it was raised up and three ribs [were] in its mouth between its teeth and thus ones saying to it, ‘Rise up! Eat much flesh!’ ⁶After this, I was seeing and behold, another like a leopard and to it four wings of a bird on its side and four heads to the beast and dominion was given to it. ⁷After this, I was seeing in the visions of the night and behold, the beast the fourth, fearful and terrifying, and exceedingly strong and [it had] great teeth of iron to it, one devouring and one crushing and the remainder in its feet one trampling, and it [was] one differing from the all of the beasts which [were] before it and [it had] ten horns to it. ⁸I was considering in the horns and behold, another little horn came up between them and three from the first horns were uprooted from before it and behold, eyes like the eyes of a man [were] in this horn and a mouth speaking great things. ⁹I was one seeing until thrones were set up and [the] Ancient of Days sat. His robe [was] white as snow and the hair of His head [was] like pure wool. His throne [was] flames of fire. Its wheels [were] burning fire. ¹⁰A river of fire [was] flowing, coming out from before Him. The court sat and [the] books were opened. ¹¹I was one seeing then from the sound of the great words which the horn [was] speaking, I was seeing until the beast was slain and his body was given to the burning of the fire, ¹²and [as for] the rest of the beasts, their dominions were taken away and lengthening in life was given to them until a time and a season. ¹³I was seeing in the visions of the night and behold, with the clouds of the heavens, [One] like a Son of Man was coming and until the Ancient of Days He came and before Him they brought Him near. ¹⁴And to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom and the all of the peoples, the nations, and the languages will serve Him. His dominion [is] an eternal dominion which will not pass away and His kingdom will not be destroyed.

¹⁵As for me, Daniel, my spirit in the midst of its body was distressed, and the visions of my head alarmed me. ¹⁶I approached upon one from the ones standing and I asked the truth from him upon the all of this and he spoke to me and the meaning of the things he informed me. ¹⁷“These great beasts which those four [are] four kings. They will arise from the earth, ¹⁸and the holy ones of [the] Most High (pl.) will receive the kingdom and they will take possession of the kingdom until the forever and until the forever of the forever.”

¹⁹Then I desired to make certain upon the fourth beast which one differing from all of them, very frightening, its teeth which [were] iron and its claws which [were] bronze, one devouring, one crushing, and the remainder in its feet trampling, ²⁰and upon the ten horns which [were] in its head and [the] other which came up, and three fell from before it, and that horn and eyes to it, and a mouth saying great things and its appearance [was] great from its fellows. ²¹I was seeing and that horn [was] one making war with [the] holy ones and overpowering them, ²²until the Ancient of Days came and the judgment was given to [the] holy ones of [the] Most High (pl,), and the time came and [the] holy ones took possession of the kingdom.

²³So he said, “The fourth beast, the fourth kingdom, will be in the earth which will differ from the all of the kingdoms and it will devour the all of the earth and trample it and break it to pieces, ²⁴and the ten horns from this kingdom [are] ten kings. They will arise and another will rise after them and he will differ from the former ones and three kings he will bring low. ²⁵And he will speak words to the side of the Most High and the holy ones of [the] Most High (pl.) he will wear away and he will intend to change times and law, and they will be given in his hand until a time and times and one half of a time, ²⁶ and the court will sit and his dominion they will take away to annihilate and to destroy until the end. ²⁷And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of [the] kingdoms under the all of the heavens will be given to the people, the holy ones of [the] Most High (pl.). His kingdom [will be] an eternal kingdom and the all of the dominion will worship and obey Him.”

²⁸Here is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me and my countenance was changed upon me and I kept the matter in my heart.

I note again that this is a fairly literal translation. I have tried to pretty much translate word for word from the Aramaic. Where I had to insert words to make it at all intelligible, I placed them in brackets, such as including “[were]” where that verb simply is not expressed in the Aramaic. As I have often related, the ancient languages tended to be picture languages. In English we are trying to be very technical and precise and we have to say, as it were, every single word necessary to convey our thought. In the ancient languages, it is more as if they were painting pictures with their (few) words, and those pictures convey their meaning. If you go back and read through my translation, disregarding my “[…]” insertions, you might be able to see how what is presented is really a series of pictures, not a linearly logical, technically precise composition.

Looking at this chapter, first of all, I want to step back and consider what we may observe from the entire thing. Obviously, in this vision, the Lord shows Daniel the entire sweep of human history from then until eternity itself. The vision, in that sense, is obviously the same as Nebuchadnezzar’s dream from chapter 2. From both we learn that human history will consist of four major kingdoms which will be brought to an end when the Messiah (the “Son of Man”) returns to establish His eternal kingdom.

The huge difference in the two visions is that in the first, the four kingdoms are represented as precious metals of declining value, from the golden head down to the legs and feet of iron, with finally feet of iron mixed with clay. Precious metals. That is how the world sees itself. I’m sure Nebuchadnezzar liked having his kingdom represented as gold. However, here in Daniel 7, it is as if the same vision is being related, only from God’s perspective. The four kingdoms thus are beasts.

We should observe that the Lord is not impressed with us! We think all we do in this world is gold and silver. The Lord sees it all as bestial. We are impressed with this world’s “glory” and “pomp.” The Lord is not. Guess who is right.?

As observed before, Daniel would be about 67 years old here in the first year of Belshazzar’s reign, so he is receiving this vision essentially as an old man. However, I would suggest that he a long time ago realized these things for himself. He was drug here to Babylon to live and work in a palace literally plated in gold and silver, surrounded by every delight and pleasure known to man. Yet he obviously was not deceived by it all. Somehow he saw it as the same “drunken whore” as it is described in Revelation 19.  We are impressed by riches and power. Daniel was not. In the big scheme of things, this vision would teach us to view this world like the Lord and like Daniel. May we be reminded, right off the bat, to “set our affections on things above, not on the things of this world.” As Jesus warned us, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of things he possesses.” Paul said, “They that would be rich (like the rest of the world) pierce themselves through with many sorrows.” Instead, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” Let us be reminded that the grand sweep of human history is racing toward God’s eternal kingdom and build our lives around what really matters!

Then ponder for a moment the fact that the Lord did give us these visions (Nebuchadnezzar’s and Daniel’s). What a kindness on His part. Here I sit as a believer with what I believe is a pretty clear understanding of “the big picture.” I know we are living in the time near the end of the Fourth Beast’s kingdom, that it will only get worse, but that, for sure, the day is coming when the “stone cut without hands” will smash the kingdoms of this world, and Jesus will reign forever.

Contrast that with the average “man on the street.” They have no idea. To the rest of the world, this is all a totally random tumbling of some evolutionary accident where we are all just overgrown amoebas. We might actually amount to something or (more likely) will finally “push the button” and totally destroy ourselves. Nothing is certain. No one is guiding the ship.

How kind of the Lord to give us these visions from the book of Daniel (along with the other prophecies of the Bible), so that we can live our lives knowing all day every day there is Someone guiding the ship, that our future is certain, and that God’s kingdom is the right one to live for! Because we know “the big picture,” Jesus’ words can make perfect sense to us: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

This world is a scary place. For me, if it wasn’t for God’s Word, I personally would have no hope for the human race. I personally do not see things getting “better and better.” We invent a few new toys every year, then turn them into bombs. We create a world wide web, then use it to “hack” and “phish” and spy literally right into people’s bedrooms and hound them with ads. To me, it’s not pretty.

But I know it’s not forever. It’s all just the “drunken whore,” “deceiving the nations,” but Jesus is what really matters. God gives us a view of the big picture so that we can live in certainty

I don’t know that I have ever paused to appreciate this kindness of the Lord. Having worked my way slowly through Daniel chapter 7, I’m amazed what a blessing this is.

Thank you, Lord!