DANIEL’S VISION OF THE FOUR BEASTS
Moving from Daniel 6 to Daniel 7, is like turning the TV from the History Channel to the SYFY Network–– one has to adjust to understanding images and concepts that are out of this world! Because in this chapter, God pulled back the veil on the world’s kingdoms and the activities in heaven that culminate in God’s everlasting kingdom.
Daniel had a vision of six kingdoms, five worldly and one eternal. His vision was both a reaffirmation and a clarifying restatement of the dream that God gave to King Nebuchadnezzer of the huge statue of a man (See Dan. 2). However, Daniel’s vision had much greater detail, especially concerning the final eternal kingdom. The six kingdoms described in Daniel’s vision were:
THE LION – A lion with eagle’s wings was a prominent symbol on Babylonian coins and on walls. The lion—the king of beasts—and an eagle—the chief of birds—aptly describes the powerful rule of Babylon from 605 to 539 B.C. In Nebuchadnezzer’s dream this was the head of gold.
THE BEAR – The fierceness of the Medo-Persian soldiers is depicted in the bear. When they overthrew Babylon, they also conquered Lydia and Egypt. The three ribs in the bear’s mouth represent these three nations—Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt. Medo-Persia ruled the Middle East from 539 to 331 B.C. In Neb’s dream this was the breast and arms of silver.
THE LEOPARD – The leopard is Alexander the Great’s empire, Greece. He conquered with the swiftness of a leopard. Why four heads? When Alexander died in a drunken stupor at age 32 in Babylon, his four generals—Cassander, Lysimachus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy—divided up the empire. The Greeks ruled from 331 to 168 B.C. In Neb’s dream this was the belly & thighs of bronze.
THE IRON BEAST – The Roman empire, “as strong as iron,” conquered the world in 168 B.C. by defeating the Greeks. Under the Caesars, the mighty Roman Empire ruled from 168 B.C. to 351 A.D. In Neb’s dream this was the legs of iron.
THE TEN HORNS – This is the future and final worldly kingdom. The Roman Empire was never really replaced by a fifth kingdom, but was divided into many smaller ones. The ten horns represent a future alliance similar to Rome. The little horn with the big mouth represents the antichrist of the end times. In Neb’s dream this was the ten toes mixed with clay.
THE ETERNAL KINGDOM – The little horn is killed and the one called the “Son of Man” is given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world. His rule is eternal. In Neb’s dream this was the stone that destroyed the statue and became a mountain that filled the earth. This prophecy speaks of Christ’s return and eternal reign.
Remember how Jesus taught his disciples to pray? He taught them to pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done” prayers. The time of worldly nations will soon end. So let us set our hearts and minds on heaven. For the kingdom of God is at hand.
PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, we pray for Your Kingdom to come and for Your will to be done. Not our kingdom, nor our will, but Yours. Help us to be strong and courageous in this age when the kingdoms of the beasts still rule, knowing that You are sovereign over all things. In the meantime, empower us to be about Your business. In Jesus’ name, amen.