DANIEL 7: THE BEGINNING OF END TIMES PROPHECIES...
Is The Book Of Daniel fact or fiction?
Creative ghost-writing by some later unknown or pure truth GIVEN BY ALMIGHTY GOD & written by Daniel?
Does The Bible tell us?
WHAT does Jesus say about Daniel?
FORTUNATELY OUR JESUS knew the critics WOULD come; HE SAW IT thousands of years in advance, & so HE takes away ALL DOUBT on the matter. He tells us that IT WAS Daniel who wrote the book of Daniel: “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet.” (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14)
But what FEW CRITICS ASK IS THIS: WHY such a strong attack against the Book of Daniel? WHY has the lost world & satan SOUGHT to DISMISS & ERASE the words of Daniel? Simply because Daniel contains MORE fulfilled prophecies than any other book in the Bible. In New Testament prophecy, Daniel is referred to MORE than any other Old Testament book.
At times, Communist governments EVEN prohibited preaching from the Book of Daniel because it reveals God’s knowledge of the future, and it shows that in the end the Lord God and His people WIN.
It BEARS repeating…JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF CONFIRMS DANIEL TO BE THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH….I BELIEVE JESUS CHRIST, THAT SETTLES IT FOR ME, Amen?
Turn with me now to DANIEL 7...
Daniel 7 - The Five World Empires Prophecies
The FOUR beasts.
Verse 1.…Introduces us to Daniel’s vision.
“In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.”
This vision came to Daniel AFTER the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, but BEFORE the Babylonian Empire was conquered by the Medo-Persian Empire.
Daniel chapters 1-6 describe the LIFE & TIMES of Daniel.
Daniel Chapters 7-12 describe VISIONS Daniel had.
In order of events, the vision described in Daniel 7 took place DURING the time between Daniel chapters 4-5.
This FIRST vision - 1 OF 4 described between Daniel 7-12...IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE.
The other THREE VISIONS go into GREATER DETAIL within the general framework of this FIRST vision.
Daniel could have given us MORE detail but the Holy Spirit only wanted him to write the MAIN facts. We may wish that Daniel went into greater detail, but he didn't.
Verses 2-3 tells us about FOUR beasts & where they come from.
“Daniel spoke, saying, "I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.”
“Stirring up the Great Sea” …This is the Mediterranean Sea. EACH one of the empires mentioned in this vision border ON the Mediterranean Sea.
“Stirring up has the idea of chaos and tumult. The Hebrews have ALWAYS feared & viewed the sea as demonic, dangerous, & mysterious.
THE SEA is sometimes used as a picture of Gentile nations (Psalm 74:13; Psalm 89:9; Isaiah 57:20).
The FOUR WINDS of heaven are seen as a description of the sovereign power of God striving with men (Psalm 35:5; Psalm 48:7; Psalm 107:25; Isaiah 27:8, and Isaiah 41:16) or the four winds are satanic forces, as mentioned by Revelation 7:1.
THE FOUR GREAT BEASTS…large, ferocious animals emerge from the Great Sea, each one distinct from the other.
Verses 4-6 DESCRIBE the first THREE beasts.
“The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man's heart was given to it. And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: "Arise, devour much flesh!" After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.”
The FIRST BEAST is more majestic than any of the following beasts (lions and eagles are “kings” of their realms). But this majestic beast is humbled (wings were plucked off) and made human (a man's heart was given to it).
A little later (Daniel 7:17) Daniel tells us that these FOUR BEASTS are FOUR KINGDOMS ruling over the earth.
The 1ST KINGDOM is the Babylonian Empire, represented by a lion and an eagle. This fits in well with the majesty and authority of Nebuchadnezzar in his reign over the empire of Babylon.
Jeremiah used BOTH the lion and the eagle as pictures of Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 49:19-22), and Babylon’s winged lions can be seen in the British Museum TODAY.
The 2nd BEAST is like a bear…It DOESN’T have the majestic PRESENCE of either the lion or the eagle. A bear is slower, stronger, and more crushing than a lion - and this bear has a voracious appetite for conquest (Arise, devour much flesh!).
The 2nd KINGDOM is the Medo-Persian Empire, succeeding the Babylonian Empire. In this partnership between the Medes and the Persians, the Persians dominated the relationship. Most think the three ribs are their three great conquests: Babylon, Egypt and Lybia.
Also, the slow, crushing armies of the Medo-Persian Empire WERE well known. They simply overwhelmed their opponents with superior size and strength. "The Medes and Persians are compared to a bear because of their documented history of EXTREME cruelty and thirst for blood.
Liberals who dispute Daniel & the legitimacy of Bible prophecy, TRY to say “the bear” is only the Median state, and NOT the Medo-Persian Empire. They assign the third beast to the Persian Empire, and the fourth to Alexander’s Greek empire, TO TRY AND ERASE any element of predictive prophecy. Their analysis DOES NOT fit.
Why?
Here are the Bible’s historical reasons why the second kingdom could NOT be exclusively the Median kingdom.
1. The Median kingdom did NOT follow the Babylonian in historical sequence, but was contemporary with it, even rising to strength BEFORE the Neo-Babylonian period.
2. The Median kingdom NEVER had a world position ranking with the Persian, Grecian NOR Babylonian Empires.
3. The REASON for MIS-interpretation is to remove ANY reference to Rome --- and predictive prophecy.
THE 3RD BEAST is like a LEOPARD. The leopard is known for its sudden, unexpected attacks. This one is especially swift (with four wings), and clever (having four heads).
THE 3RD KINGDOM is the Greek Empire. Alexander the Great quickly conquered the civilized world by age 28. NOTHING IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD WAS EQUAL TO the conquests of Alexander, who ran through all the countries from Illycrium and the Adriatic Sea to the Indian Ocean and the River Ganges; and in JUST TWELVE YEARS subdued part of Europe, and ALL Asia.
After ALEXANDER’S DEATH…his empire was divided into FOUR parts (four heads). Specifically, the four heads were Casander, Lysimachus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy, Alexanders FOUR GENERALS who TOOK OVER Alexander’s domain after his death.
UNDERSTAND & REMEMBER THIS….The Babylonian Empire dominated in Daniel's day. One might have guessed - especially in the reign of Belshazzar - that the next empire would be the Medo-Persian Empire.
But HOW COULD DANIEL KNOW the next world empire would be like a leopard in its rise and prominence, and that it would be divided into four parts?
The answer is DANIEL could NOT have KNOWN.
But Almighty God KNOWS the future, and HE DOES reveals certain details of the future through His prophets.
This ALSO, once again, PROVES that God lives OUTSIDE our time domain and CAN see THE PAST, THE PRESENT, & THE FUTURE all at once.
Jesus Christ SEES the WHOLE PARADE OF MANKIND’S HISTORY, not JUST THE PART RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM.
The PROOF of fulfilled prophecy is INFALLIBLE. Little wonder Peter says in 2 Peter 1:19, “We have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
Verses 7-8 tells us about the FOURTH BEAST.
“After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.”
Do you notice that the FOURTH BEAST is not only dreadful and terrible…but so much so to DANIEL, that it is INDESCRIBABLE & UNIQUELY HORRIFIC in its power and conquest?
And VERY DIFFERENT…with it’s TEN horns. In the ancient world horns expressed an animals power and fearsomeness. This fourth beast is SO STRONG it has TEN horns.
THE 4TH KINGDOM represents the Roman Empire, which WAS the largest, strongest, most unified and enduring of them all.
“Another horn, a little one . . . a mouth speaking pompous words” Among the ten horns, three are replaced by one horn that is OBVIOUS for its dominance (before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots), intelligence (eyes like the eyes of a man), and its boastful talk (speaking pompous words).
Verses 9-10 tells us The Ancient of Days and the scene surrounding his throne.
“I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.”
When the Apostle John saw heaven he also saw thrones, but he also saw those who sat on those thrones - the 24 elders described in Revelation 4:4.
Do you NOTICE this makes NO mention of those who sit on these thrones?
And the reason is this: the 24 elders represent THE CHURCH (Gentile/Jewish Christians) and the church was an UNREVEALED mystery to Old Testament saints as Paul confirms this in Ephesians 3:1-7.
The Ancient of Days is one of the names of Almighty God. Jesus Christ is NOT EVER referred to as The Ancient Of Days personally.
This title belongs to Almighty God (The Father) and the white garments and white hair stress the eternal character of God the Father.
Also in Daniel 7:13, Daniel HAS/MAKES a CLEAR distinction between the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man, and this CONFIRMS that the Ancient of Days is God the Father, not Jesus Christ.
“His throne was a fiery flame”…This is a brilliant manifestation of God’s splendor and the fierce heat of His judgment. There is something “lava-like” in the stream of fire pouring from the throne; it is a river of vast destructive power.
Also, Isaiah 66:15-16 describes the judgment of God in terms of fire: “For behold, the Lord will come with fire and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword the Lord will judge all flesh; and the slain of the Lord shall be many.”
A thousand thousands ministered to Him…describes the innumerable company of angels surrounding the throne of God.
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him…describes humanity standing before God in judgment.
Court was seated, and the books were opened.
Did you CATCH that…NOT one book, but BOOKS plural were opened.
The Bible tells us there ARE THREE books before God.
1. The Book Of The Living (Psalm 69:28)
2. The Book Of Remembrance (Malachi 3:16)
3. The Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12; 20:15; 21:27, and 22:19)
Verses 11-14 tells us the conspicuous horn is conquered by the Son of Man. (Jesus Christ).
“I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. I was watching in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.”
This describes the CHANGE from human dominion on earth to divine dominion=(Jesus’ 1000 year reign on earth). This happens as the Son of Man comes and exercises dominion over the earth=(The Battle of Armageddon). The Son of Man succeeds the reign of the fourth beast=(The AntiChrist, the False Prophet, Satan’s demon army.)
“The sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking”… Here the "little horn" of the 4TH beast AGAIN speaks pompous words. The FINAL human dictator called the Antichrist WILL be characterized by his boastful, blasphemous speech as John tells us in Revelation 13:5-6.
Because of the distinction between the fourth beast and the horn, some WRONGLY believe that the beast of Revelation 13 is NOT the Antichrist IN PERSON, BUT HIS STATE. Not that it really matters, because a man DOES represent and personify an entire government or system too. I have used this comparison before, think about Germany in the 1930s and 1940s, the figures of Hitler as an individual and Nazi Germany as a state are virtually the same, right?
“I watched till the beast was slain . . . the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away”…tells us the 4th beast IS destroyed and the others may continue, but without dominion of their own. When Jesus sets up His kingdom, the empire of the Antichrist will be completely crushed, yet SOME nations will continue into the Millennium.
One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven…We KNOW the title “Son of Man” was/is a favorite self-designation of Jesus, used more than 80 times in the gospels. Jesus receives ALL dominion previously held by the beasts and Jesus’ reign WILL be permanent.
“His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away”…tells us the reign of Jesus does not last ONLY 1,000 years but IS forever. However, Jesus will rule over this earth before it is remade, with Satan bound for 1,000 years.
Verses 15-16 tells us Daniel’s reaction to the vision and request for understanding.
“I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things.”
Daniel SAW ALL this, and in more detail than he describes for us. But he did NOT really understand all that he saw, and was troubled because of his lack of understanding.
Being “grieved in my spirit within my body”…tells us that our spirit DOES dwell WITHIN OUR body. It is true that the spirit is more important than the body (1 Timothy 4:8), but the state of the body CAN have an effect on the state of the spirit.
We need to remember that the human spirit IS different from the body. The SPIRIT also works independently of the body.
Verses 17-18 tells us the summary of the vision. The FOUR KINGS/KINGDOMS ARE conquered by God, and their kingdoms are GIVEN TO the people of God.
“Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth. "But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever."
Almighty God’s interpretation of the dream shows that this vision covers the same material as Nebuchadnezzar’s vision in Daniel 2, which also described the rise of four empires, which are succeeded by the kingdom of God.
But at the SAME time, THIS VISION OF Daniel's IS different, seeing the kingdoms from God’s perspective, NOT man’s. Nebuchadnezzar saw the present and future world empires in the form of a stately and noble statue of a man. Here God shows how He sees them: as ferocious and wild animals who devour and conquer without conscience.
Though Jesus IS the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), He primarily represents Himself NOT as a ferocious animal but as A LAMB in Revelation 5:5-6, 8-10.
“The saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom”…tells us the day the 4th beast reign IS over, then God's people receive the kingdom.
Yet we know the Roman Empire is GONE - and the saints HAVE NOT received the kingdom. So we KNOW this is FUTURE not present nor past.
This TRUTH is what prompts many to LOOK FOR either a “spiritual only” interpretation fulfilled in history, or some kind of restoration of the Roman Empire in the last days, one that will literally fulfill the prophecy of the ten horns and the little horn as well.
“The saints receive the kingdom” …God gives THE SAINTS the kingdom at the RETURN of Jesus. They do NOT gain dominion over ALL these earthly kingdoms BEFORE the return of Jesus.
Verses 19-22 tells us Daniel’s specific request TO KNOW about the conspicuous horn.
“Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows. I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.”
Did you catch that? Daniel HAS interests in ALL the beasts, but MOST FOCUSED UPON THE 4TH AND MOST TERRIBLE & OVER THE CONSPICUOUS HORN.
The 4TH beast interests Daniel because of its GREAT destructive power, because of the conspicuous horn, and because of its fight AGAINST God’s people (the same horn was making war against the saints).
Some use THIS scripture to point out that THE CHURCH goes through Tribulation & must FIGHT AGAINST The AntiChrist. They forget that there WILL be Gentiles SAVED during Tribulation. MOST will be hunted down and murdered by The AntiChrist, but remember too, the Jewish remnant is are ALSO referred to As The Saints during the tribulation in Revelation 12:17; 13:7. The CHURCH is not mentioned after Revelation 3.…UNTIL THE CHURCH returns with Jesus to destroy the AntiChrist.
Verses 23-27 tells us GOD tells Daniel the meaning of the conspicuous horn and its defeat.
“Thus he said: 'The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces. The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings. He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time. "But the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it forever. Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.”
This initial description of the fourth beast fits well with the Roman Empire of ancient history because it DID devour the whole civilized earth, and dominated it completely for about a thousand years.
“The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom”… These ten kings do NOT have a literal fulfillment in the Roman Empire of history. Since they ARE literal, they are STILL in the future.
But if there are ten toes (Daniel 2) and ten horns (Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 and 17) associated with the rule of this FINAL world ruler, how can anyone who debates this, SAY it is only a “spiritual vision fulfillment,” when God has said in at least four different places?
The conspicuous horn IS The AntiChrist rising out of a confederation of TEN nations which WILL resemble The Roman Empire.
“He shall speak pompous words against the Most High”…The little horn speaks pompous, blasphemous words, which is no surprise we SEE pomposity in governments/leaders EVERY time we turn on the TV.
Want a preview of what The AntiChrist/False Prophet might sound like?
Talbot cites the FASCIST CREED OF ITALY, who said:
“I believe in Rome Eternal, the Mother of my fatherland; and in Italy, her first born; who was born of her virgin womb by the grace of God; who suffered under the barbarian invader, was crucified, slain, and buried; who descended into the sepulcher, and rose from the dead in the nineteenth century; who ascended to heaven in her glory in 1918 and 1922 [by the march on Rome]; who is seated at the right hand of Mother Rome; who will come thence to judge the quick and the dead; I believe in the genius of Mussolini; in our Holy Father, Fascism, and in the communion of its martyrs; in the conversion of the Italians; and in the resurrection of the Empire! Amen.”
And folks people BELIEVED Fascist CREED in Italy, because he paralleled it with Jesus life & the Bible.
This LOST WORLD will hear the same parallels and WILL believe it FOR a time too.
The Bible predicts NO peace-loving world ruler for the last days. We can expect nothing more than greedy commercialism and political imperialism under the most beastly and barbaric type of warfare & cruel persecutions.
He shall CHANGE the times/laws. It may even be as they TRIED to do during The French Revolution, where radicals wanted to institute a TEN-DAY WORK WEEK, and declared 1792 (the year of the Revolution) as “year 1.”
Strangely enough, did you know that TODAY the Seventh-Day Adventists STILL historically teach & believe that it was the Papacy which “changed the times and law” by moving the Lord’s day from Saturday to Sunday. SHOCKINGLY ENOUGH, many Seventh-Day Adventists STILL REGARD Sunday worship as the sign of the Antichrist.
“Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time”…The power of the "little horn" over the saints is limited. It will last for three-and-one-half years (time and times and half a time). This phrase is used in Revelation (11:2-3; 12:6, and 13:5) to refer to half of the last seven-year period of man’s rule on this earth (the seventieth week of Daniel).
“They shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it forever”… In the day of persecution by this blasphemous ruler Jesus WILL establish His kingdom for His people.
Because the kingdom of Jesus immediately succeeds this fourth kingdom NO EVENT in the past answers this prediction in the smallest degree. Certainly, the church did NOT cause a sudden and catastrophic fall of the Roman Empire.
There ARE THREE OPTIONS/CHOICES in interpreting the kingdom's establishment here:
There is no fulfillment; Daniel is in error
The fulfillment is symbolic in church history
The fulfillment is literal, and yet future
“Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High”… This DESCRIBES the millennial earth, NOT our current age or heaven. The kingdom and dominion of the earth certainly DOES NOT belong to the righteous now. If this describes the eternal state, then what are the dominions that shall serve and obey Him?
AGAIN…GOD SAYS that the kingdom and dominion . . . shall be GIVEN to the saints. It is something RECEIVED, NOT ACHIEVED.
The church-Christians does NOT convert the world to Jesus’ kingdom and give the kingdom to Jesus; HE gives it TO US.
Verse 28 tells us Daniel’s troubled reaction to the vision and its interpretation.
“This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart.”
Many things might trouble Daniel at this vision - such as the ferocity of the attack to come against his people from the conspicuous horn.
“And my countenance changed”…is a GREAT WAY to tell us that Daniel KNEW it was true. He was SO convinced of its truth that his countenance changed and he considered what would happen.
So ends Daniel 7...
Brothers and Sisters we ARE IN END TIMES...at this moment.
ALL OLD/NEW TESTAMENT PROPHECY prior to the "JESUS APPEARING IN THE CLOUDS & CATCHING US AWAY..." which modern English uses the word RAPTURE, which means the EXACT SAME thing...is YET to be fulfilled BEFORE the Tribulation begins, The Antichrist revealed, and the horrifics are loosed.
We MUST share and shine Jesus WHILE we MAY!
We MUST have Jesus' heart and vision..."He said I come seeking the lost. I come so that NONE shall perish."
SEEK OUT the lost...REACH OUT to the lost...INTRODUCE THEM TO OUR JESUS...while there is STILL time.
GET BUSY FOR JESUS….
STAY BLESSED.