“These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever” (Daniel 7:17–18 ESV).
The prophet Daniel, writing during Israel’s exile in Babylon, interpreted this vision to his fellow Jewish exiles, offering them both warning and hope. He explained that the four great beasts he saw represented four future earthly empires that would rise from humanity. Most interpreters identify these kingdoms as Babylon (the lion), Medo-Persia (the bear), Greece (the leopard), and Rome (the terrifying beast). Each empire, though powerful, was marked by aggression and temporary rule. Yet Daniel contrasted their earthly rise with a heavenly reality: the saints of the Most High would receive an eternal kingdom. Rather than being gained through military conquest, this kingdom would be granted by divine authority, rooted in the dominion given to “one like a son of man” (v. 13), ultimately fulfilled in Christ. This moment marked a prophetic shift from the temporary dominion of sinful humanity to the everlasting rule of the redeemed under Christ, echoing Revelation 11:15, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”
We live in a world where nations rise and fall, and power seems to belong to the strongest. Yet, as followers of Christ, we belong to a kingdom not won by force, but received by grace. The kingdoms of this world are temporal, but Christ’s kingdom is eternal. Because we are united with Him, we are promised participation in His reign. Let us not fear changing times or shifting powers, but live with confidence, endurance, and kingdom focus. Our hope is not in the kingdoms of this world, but in King Jesus. Therefore, let us join together in praying “Thy Kingdom come” prayers as the Lord Jesus taught us.
PRAYER: Dear Father, help us to live not in fear of the rise and fall of earthly powers, but in confidence that Your eternal kingdom belongs to us through Christ. Strengthen us to walk in faith and hope, remembering that Your Kingdom is already ours. Let us live as those who long for Christ’s rule to be fully seen, joining our hearts in “Thy Kingdom come” prayers. In Jesus’ name, amen.