Daniel 7, Beasts and the Ancient of Days

 The last half of Daniel (Ch. 7-12) is filled with important prophecies of the end times, prophecies that lay out the framework for the time when Christ will rule from David’s throne in Zion.  This chapter records a dream experienced by Daniel.  In the dream 4 beasts arise from the Great Sea (the mass of humanity, but specifically the Mediterranean).  The Ancient of Days (God) appears, destroys the final beast and gives an eternal kingdom to one like the Son of Man.  The dream troubles Daniel, and he asks a nearby angel for an interpretation.

Daniel 7 is related to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2.

·       7:4: The lion with eagle wings is Babylon, the gold standard for kingdoms.

·       7:5: The limping bear is the Medo-Persian kingdom where the Persians were the stronger of the two.  It was a strong but vicious empire.

·       7:6: The leopard is Greece under Alexander, who conquered in short time (4 wings), and whose kingdom was given to four generals when he died (4 heads).

·       7:7: The dreadful beast is Rome, like the iron legs of the image in Dan. 2.  It breaks in pieces and tramples the residue with its feet.  It is different than the other beasts.

·       7:9-10,13-14: The Ancient of Days (God the Father) giving an everlasting kingdom to the Son of Man (God the Son) gives additional truth to the stone cut out of the mountain and with the legs of iron and feet and toes of clay and iron in Dan. 2.  Dan. 7 emphasizes that this kingdom belongs to Christ and to the saints from all peoples, nations and languages.  Dan. 7:13 is the original context of the Messianic title, “Son of Man” applied to Jesus often in the New Testament.

Daniel asks specifically about the ten horns in the fourth beast (7:19-22).  It is making war against the saints, and the ten horns and one other horn are significant. 

ü 7:23: The fourth beast, as noted above, is Rome.

ü 7:24a: The ten horns (horns are symbolic of military power) are kingdoms that arise out of Rome.  This is consistent in Scripture (the ten toes in Dan. 2:40-43; the 7 heads and 10 horns of Rev. 13:1 and 17:12-13).

ü 7:24v-26: Another horn rises, supplants 3 of the 10, blasphemes God and makes war against the saints.  For 3 1/2 years it has its way with the saints, until the court sits (the Ancient of Days) and his kingdom is taken away.  This is a reference to the antichrist in the latter days and will be expanded upon in Dan. 8.

ü 7:27: The greatness of all the four kingdoms is given to God’s people in the everlasting kingdom.  Who are these saints?  To Daniel they are the saved people of Israel.  They are persecuted by antichrist in the last half of the 7-year “time of Jacob’s trouble” (cf. also Rev. 12:6,13-17).  It is the kingdom promised to David (2 Sam. 7), fulfilled in Messiah, David’s greater Son (Ps. 2:6-9).

The prophecies of Daniel 7-12 point to Israel’s faithful God.  Even though they are under Gentile rule, God will keep His promise to Abraham, David and the Christ.