Second, the prophecies of Daniel are to be understood in the light of the entire Book of Daniel, of the Old Testament, and of the Bible as a whole. Now, in verse 23, the angelic interpreter explains the relationship of the boastful beast and the coming of the eternal kingdom of God. requires it of the Chaldeans, by promises and threats. As Daniel sought to discover more truth about the fourth beast he added some details that he had left out of his first description. This scene in Daniel is also similar to a prophecy recorded in the Book of Revelation: 4 and they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. History has shown this to be true in the past, and prophecy assures us that it will be true in the future. And they did! Daniel was told that the beasts are kings, but he was not told the identity of any of the kings. The message of this prophecy is really quite simple and may be summed up this way. (1) It follows the narrative concerning Mishael, Hananiah and Azariah in the matter of Nebuchadnezzar's golden image (Daniel 3). When the Lord Jesus Christ came to earth, having added perfect humanity to His undiminished deity, He spoke of Himself very often as the Son of Man. In the Gospels, Jesus began not only to identify Himself as the Messiah, the promised Son of Man, but also to explain all that this involved. This is consistent with God's propensity to use miracles to identify His messengers. in 1971. As we consider what we have just learned from Daniels dream and as we look at Daniels response to his dream and the interpretation of it; this should indicate to us that the more we know about the future, the more our hearts should be moved to personal purity. God will establish His kingdom, and that kingdom, unlike the kingdoms of men, is eternal. Our study of this chapter will isolate what troubled Daniel about the future. So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. (5) Prophecy is not written as hype but revealed to produce the hope of glory and endurance in present tribulation. He couldn't sleep. Daniel described the beast as having iron teeth and that it devours, crushes, and tramples under its feet all that stands in its way. These horns are also kings, from whom kingdoms arise (verse 24). In his interpretation of the dream, Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar he was the head of gold. 1. Daniel was terrified or alarmed by the scenes he had seen in his mind and desired to understand what they meant. In Ezekiel, and even in Daniel (8:17), it is used in reference to a prophet. Daniel 5 is an illustration and a prototype of what will happen in the end times, as described in the prophecy of Daniel 7. No wonder interpreters differ about the details. Prophecy reveals that which we would not and could not expect apart from divine revelation. For the remainder of Nebuchadnezzars life, it seems that religion in the kingdom of Babylon was at least favorable to the worship of the God of the Jews. Eugene, Ore. : Harvest House Publishers, 2006, [5]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. We should not spend a disproportionate amount of time and energy trying to fill in the blanks God has left. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him." (2:14-16) Notice Daniel's calm in the face of the king's rush to judgment. Belshazzars rise to power and ascent to the throne seems to have inaugurated a new age for Babylon. 10 If any one is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if any one kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, [7]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. Our text challenges such a conclusion, and later prophecies in Daniel further document that the coming of the King and of the kingdom will be some time further in the future. As Daniel continues to watch, another horn emerges, as three of the other horns are plucked out by the roots to make room for it. 15 As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. In spite of all these beasts do and say, in spite of their power and even their success, neither they nor their kingdoms will last. Remembering this avoids confusion. This was when his life took a sharp turn. When God granted Daniel the wisdom to interpret the king's dream, it launched Daniel's long career as a political leader, trusted adviser, and well-known prophet. Each of the four beasts represent a king and thus a resulting kingdom. I encourage you to compare the statements of Daniel 2:21-22, 44, 47; 4:3, 34-35, 37; 6:26 with the content and declarations of Daniel 7. He gave Daniel a general summary of the dream, These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. Hearing this, Nebuchadnezzar affirms that Daniel's god is "the God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries". Nebuchadnezzar died in 562 B.C., some 9 years before Belshazzars reign began. Subsequent revelations in the Book of Daniel which Daniel received were closely associated with some kind of agony or distress (see 8:17, 27; 9:20-21; 10:2-3, 7-10, 17; 12:8). They acknowledging their inability are judged to die. This little horn is more intelligent and more arrogant than the other horns. This horn is called by different names in the New Testament: In 2 Thessalonians 2:3 the little horn is called the man of lawlessness. Revelation 13:1-2 calls the little horn the beast. The name he is best known by in found in 1 John 2:18-24 where John calls the little horn the Antichrist.. Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. Please stand in honor of the reading of Gods Word and follow along as I read verses 15-28. These will continue to be separate nations in the confederation but will come under the little horns control and authority. In order to save Rose, Unity asks her to give up whatever makes her the dream vortex. (8) Is there any relationship between Nebuchadnezzars dream in chapter 2 and Daniels dream in chapter 7? Daniels vision ends here, but its impact on him does not end. That was bad enough, from the religious leaders perspective, but the way in which He answered them was the last straw. a. Daniel said the king's dream was about a giant statue that was destroyed by a stone cut out of a mountain. The interpretation of the events Daniel witnessed in his vision is given in its most concise form in verses 17 and 18: The four beasts were four kings, who will arise from the earth. If you remember from two weeks ago the bear was raised up on one side, this was to indicate that one part of this united kingdom overshadowed the other portion. Daniel's Dream is instantly appealing as you can reallyrelate to how Daniel is feeling. (5) What do the four beasts represent? (7) No identification is made of the saints as Jews or Gentiles. There seems to be no Jewish nationalistic emphasis here, as there will be later.75. When the sin and oppression of evil men reaches a predetermined point, God will remove them and establish His promised eternal kingdom. International Standard Version so Daniel went to ask Nebuchadnezzar for an appointment to see him , and it was granted him so that he could reveal the meaning to the king. 1. The angel went on in this summary to tell Daniel that the saints of the Highest One would receive the kingdom and possess it forever. Did Daniel interpret dreams? He intends to make changes in time and in law. But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come. (Daniel 7:1718, NASB95)[2] The four beasts that Daniel saw in his dream were four kings and represented the four kingdoms of these kings. Other biblical prophecies bear on the prophecies of Daniel, particularly preceding or contemporary prophecies. For the time, it was these Jewish leaders who were beastly, arrogant, and blasphemous, and because of this they would suffer divine judgment. He not only speaks against the Most High, he oppresses the saints. God is eternal, and so is His plan for all creation. Usually it refers to a person as a human being. It seems that three of the kings try to resist him and he overthrows them by force. (10) Daniels preoccupation is with the last beast, rather than the first three. Neither is prophecy written to make us happy or to feel good. He will keep continual pressure on the saints of the Highest One to try to break and destroy and annihilate them. The fourth portion of the statue in Daniel 2 is the iron legs and feet and toes of partly iron and partly baked clay which represented the Roman empire. Nothing has caused him to panic or depart from his faith and practice as a godly Jew. The three ribs may also represent the kingdoms of Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon which preceded the Medo-Persian empire and then fell to them. If, in Gods eyes, a day is as 1,000 years and 1,000 years as a day (2 Peter 3:8), then the coming of our Lord has only been a few days from beginning to end. When Jesus came, He embraced this expression as a designation for Himself, giving the term meaning vastly beyond that previously held by any Jew. It's build upon the passage in Daniel 7 where he has a disturbing dream. It is virtually the opposite of the term beast. The expression, Son of man, is not new to Daniel. What so upset Daniel about the future? 23 Thus he said: The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. The inter-relationship between the prophecies of chapters 2 and 7 is demonstrated on the following page: Deterioration: Gold to iron mixed with clay, Deterioration: Nearly human to blaspheming beast. 9 If any one has an ear, let him hear. Abraham and Sarah were elderly and childless. He only called on him in a moment of sheer panic when no one else could help, and only then because of the recommendation of the queen mother. He will rule over all nations forever. Daniel writes that at this point the revelation was ended. Nebuchadnezzar became distressed when he received his first night vision (2:1) because he did understand some of his dream. His mouth is used to speak boastfully. The head of the statue was made of gold, the chest and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of bronze, and the legs and feet of iron and clay. In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's rule, he had a dream. In our passage, Daniel asks for and receives an explanation. In a similar way, Belshazzar becomes blasphemous and is suddenly removed by God for his wickedness. A lawsuit could force the F.D.A. The final push of the times of the Gentiles will last for 3 years, then the end will come, the end of the times of the Gentiles., THE JUDGMENT AND THE FIFTH KINGDOM (Daniel 7:26-27). Let Thy hand be upon the man of Thy right hand, Upon the son of man whom Thou didst make strong for Thyself (Psalm 80:17). The fourth beast appears to differ from the other three in that he is more beastly, more powerful, more destructive, and more arrogant. Those who rejected the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of Man, would mourn when they saw Him returning in the clouds: And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30). Having gained an appreciation for Daniel and his three Hebrew friends, over a period he came to faith in their God. Just what this means is unclear, but it suggests this arrogant king not only speaks against God, but, like Satan, he aspires to change the order God has established. The first recorded vision comes to Daniel in the form of a night vision, like those of Nebuchadnezzar (2:1; 4:5) during the first year of the reign of Belshazzar. When that day comes for them, it is too late to repent. Verse 2. 21 I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. At-A-Glance 1. In the euphoria of this grand event, someone might well conclude the kingdom of God was to be established within the lifetime of those returning to Israel. They surely knew this text to be messianic, but they had always applied it to the Gentiles. The Son of Man had the power to forgive sins, as well as to heal a paralytic (Matthew 9:6). Suffering is an inseparable part of the process which leads to glory. Daniel returned to his house and explained the situation to his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The kingdom of God would not be established in Daniels lifetime, nor in the life of those who returned to the land of Israel from their captivity. The winged lion was a symbol of Babylon, in any history museum that has a Babylonian section you will find artifacts of a winged lion. 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them,81 and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. By far, this first beast is the best of a bad bunch. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, [6]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. The subject of the vision in chapter 2 seems to be taken up again in chapter 7. They will serve and obey Him forever. Daniel was given several prophetic dreams & visions; and in the seventh chapter of his writings, he records his dream of the Four Beasts, and the interpretation thereof given by an angel.This vision demonstrates the succession of kingdoms and is the very framework of all prophesy regarding the violent opposition against the Kingdom of God - waged by the Kingdom of Satan, who is allowed to . No wonder His words stung and prompted them to act as they did. The kingdom of God will be established and the saints will possess it forever. Verses 15-28 contain the divine interpretation of this vision. When his appointed time is over, God will destroy this king and his kingdom and establish His eternal kingdom on the earth. (7) Who is the Ancient of Days? Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. Yet, his emotional response was valid and changed little after the vision was explained more fully. (1) Daniel 7 is the last chapter written in Aramaic in the Book of Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar's Dream ( Daniel 2:1-16) Say: Some time later, the King had a dream. 7 And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. God is in no hurry to fulfill His promises, whether His promise of the eternal kingdom for all the saints or the promise of eternal destruction and judgment for sinners. Gods plan and program are carried out on His schedule, not ours (see 2 Peter 2:8-10). Different from the first three, this beast seems uglier, more powerful, and much more hostile toward God and His saints. What God declares in prophecy, He reveals as well in history. 27 Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. 8 While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth uttering great boasts. While conservative, evangelical scholars believe the prophecies in Daniel are true, their interpretations differ greatly. Daniel 1:1-2:4a was written in Hebrew. The reign of Belshazzar was, in some measure, a foretaste of what was yet to come in full measure during the reign of the fourth beast, especially of the eleventh horn. When mentioning the little horn that grew up and uprooted three of the first ten horns, Daniel now tells us that this little horn grew until it was larger in appearance then the remaining seven horns. It is explained in a way that children can understand, describing his feeling as butterfly's in his tummy.Daniel's Dream takes you on an uplifting adventure with wonderfully expressivedescriptions of the characters, perfectly capturing bodylanguage and . God also allows the wicked to persist and even to prosper, so that those whom He has chosen might be saved (Romans 9:22-24). (5) While the process involves wicked kings and nations and the suffering of the saints, the culmination is the establishment of Gods eternal kingdom. Many Old Testament prophets shared Daniels distress as a result of the prophecies they received and often conveyed to others.74 Why does the prophecy of Daniel 7 cause this godly man so much consternation? The saints must believe and behave according to what God has promised about the future the righteous will possess the kingdom of God forever. The king knew that Daniel spoke the truth. Things are not as they appear to be! The fact that wicked men will prosper and prevail and that the righteous will suffer is hardly pleasant news. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. Prophecy greatly benefits the Christian because it enables him to see things from the bigger and broader perspectivefrom Gods perspectiveso that when he suffers, he knows it is but a part of the process of getting to glory. 5 And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. Our Lords first coming happened over a period of more than 30 years, and yet we view this as one coming. According to our text, the prophecies of Daniel 7 will not be fulfilled for a considerable period of time. The death of this king brings about the end of his kingdom. His followers too must be alert and ready for His return (24:44). The other prophecies were revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar and interpreted by Daniel. So the king spoke, and said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you." La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, [3]Walvoord, John F.; Zuck, Roy B.; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Rose withdraws the power from her chest, which takes the form of a ruby heart that then cracks as Unity dies peacefully in her sleep. In the first use of this expression, being a son of man was contrasted with being God: God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Daniel obtaining some respite finds the dream. If you remember from two weeks ago the bear was raised up on one side, this was to indicate that one part of this united kingdom overshadowed the other portion. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. These beasts, each different from the other, are described in verses 4-7. That dream was read as our Scripture reading this morning. His vision in chapter 4 should have produced more distress than it did. How was the fourth beast different from the first three? Prophecy is necessary then so that men are reassured of divine deliverance and blessing, as well as divine judgment (see 2 Peter 2:4-9). Whether liberal or conservative, our conclusions grow out of the premises and presuppositions governing the process and the product of our interpretation. The Septuagint renders, "And the king commended that the magicians, astrologers, and sorcerers of the Chaldeans be brought in to tell the king his dream. Rome did conquer much of the known world, but it never conquered the whole world as this is describing. 3 While they are saying, Peace and safety! then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 3:15; Zc. This kings boasting turns to blasphemy. All nations of the earth will serve and live under the peaceful rule of the Son of Man and the people of Israel will receive their promised inheritance in the land of Israel, restored Israel. Fourth beast different from the first three, 1995, [ 6 ] New American Standard Bible: Update... Birth pangs upon a woman with child ; and they shall not escape as a Jew... His emotional response was valid and changed little after the vision was explained more fully usually it refers to prophet. An explanation not told the identity of any of the Highest one try... Followers too must be alert and ready for his return ( 24:44 ) as Jews Gentiles... 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[ 5 ] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update for Babylon plan and are! Happy or to feel good 7 is the best of a bad.! And is suddenly removed by God for his wickedness they had always applied to. Suddenly removed by God for his return ( 24:44 ) Hebrew friends, over a period came... In time and energy trying to fill in the past, and Abednego beast seems uglier, more,... He received his first description faith and practice as a godly Jew their God Lords first coming over! And endurance in present tribulation his followers too must be alert and for. Received his first night vision ( 2:1 ) because he did understand of... Way, Belshazzar becomes blasphemous and is suddenly removed by God for his.... He had a dream to Daniel Gods Word and follow along as I read 15-28... Told that the beasts are kings, from whom kingdoms arise ( 24... Save Rose, Unity asks her to give up whatever makes her the dream,,! 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