He Changes Times And Seasons › Daniel 7
CHAPTER 7
Four Beasts and the Son of Man
The kingdom is given to the Son of Man and His saints
Chapter 7 is the hinge of the book. Everything before it is written about Daniel; everything after it is revealed to Daniel. The vision belongs to the first year of Belshazzar (about 553 B.C.), and it returns to the four world kingdoms of chapter 2 but shows them from heaven’s point of view. Nebuchadnezzar saw a statue of glittering metals; Daniel sees a sea churning with predators. Human empires look splendid to men and savage to God.
The chapter is still in Aramaic, the language of the Gentile nations, and it is the high point of the Aramaic section. It also introduces the Son of Man, the title Jesus used for Himself more than any other.
The Four Beasts and the Little Horn
DANIEL 7:1–8
1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream and told the sum of the matters.
2Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of heaven brake forth upon the great sea.
3And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
4The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon two feet as a man; and a man’s heart was given to it.
5And, behold, another beast, a second, like to a bear; and it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
6After this I beheld, and, lo, another, like a leopard, which had upon its back four wings of a bird; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
7After this I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, a fourth beast, terrible and powerful, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
8I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.
Daniel dreams and writes down the sum of the matter. In the night vision the four winds of heaven strive upon the great sea, and four great beasts come up from it, diverse one from another. The first is like a lion with eagle’s wings; its wings are plucked, it is lifted from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart is given to it. This is Babylon (compare Jeremiah 4:7 and the winged lions of Babylonian art), and the man’s heart recalls Nebuchadnezzar’s restoration in chapter 4.
The second beast is like a bear, raised up on one side with three ribs in its mouth, told to arise and devour much flesh. This is Medo-Persia, with its dominant Persian side and its three conquests (Lydia, Babylon, Egypt). The third is like a leopard with four wings of a bird and four heads, and dominion is given to it. This is Greece, swift under Alexander and divided afterward among four generals.
The fourth beast is dreadful, terrible, and exceedingly strong, with great iron teeth; it devours, breaks in pieces, and tramples the residue with its feet. It is different from all the beasts before it and has ten horns. Daniel considers the horns and sees another little horn come up among them, before which three of the first horns are plucked up by the roots. This little horn has eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great things.
The Ancient of Days Sits in Judgment
DANIEL 7:9–12
9I beheld till thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of days did sit: his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and the wheels thereof burning fire.
10A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
11I beheld at that time because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake; I beheld even till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burned with fire.
12And as for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
The scene changes from earth to heaven. Thrones are placed and an Ancient of Days takes His seat. His raiment is white as snow, the hair of His head like pure wool, His throne is flames of fire and its wheels burning fire. A fiery stream issues from before Him; thousands upon thousands minister to Him and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before Him. The judgment is set and the books are opened.
The little horn keeps speaking great words until the beast is slain and its body given to the burning flame. The other beasts lose their dominion, though their lives are prolonged for a season and a time. Here is the great reversal: the proud rulers of earth are sentenced in a courtroom where the Judge never loses a case.
One Like a Son of Man
DANIEL 7:13–14
13I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Daniel sees one like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He comes to the Ancient of Days and is brought near before Him. To Him is given dominion, 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 one that shall not be destroyed.
This is the Lord Jesus Christ. When the high priest asked Jesus whether He was the Christ, the Son of the Blessed, Jesus answered that they would see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven, and the high priest tore his robe (Mark 14:61-64). The priest understood perfectly that Jesus was claiming the Daniel 7 throne.
The Heavenly Interpretation
DANIEL 7:15–18
15As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
16I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
17These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, that shall arise out of the earth.
18But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
Daniel’s spirit is grieved within him and the visions of his head trouble him. He approaches one of those who stand by and asks the truth of all this. The attendant gives the interpretation: these great beasts, which are four, 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, even forever and ever.
The interpretation is brief and sufficient. Beasts come and go, but the kingdom ends in the hands of those who belong to the Most High.
The Little Horn Makes War on the Saints
DANIEL 7:19–22
19Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was diverse from all of them, exceeding terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet;
20and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake great things, whose look was more stout than its fellows.
21I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Daniel wants to know more about the fourth beast and about the little horn. He sees that the horn makes war with the saints and prevails against them until the Ancient of Days comes, judgment is given to the saints of the Most High, and the time comes that the saints possess the kingdom.
The saints here are the holy ones of the Most High: God’s people who suffer under this ruler and then receive the kingdom. Revelation 13 draws on this very passage in its picture of the beast who is given authority to make war on the saints.
The Fourth Kingdom and the Ten Horns
DANIEL 7:23–25
23Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings.
25And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom upon the earth, diverse from all the kingdoms, devouring the whole earth, treading it down and breaking it in pieces. The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise out of this kingdom, and another shall arise after them; he shall be diverse from the former and shall put down three kings.
He shall speak words against the Most High, wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change the times and the law. The saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time. This period of three and a half years appears again in Daniel 9:27, 12:7, 12:11-12, and in Revelation 11-13. The little horn is the final Antichrist, a man who rises out of a revived form of the fourth kingdom, persecutes God’s people, and dares to tamper with the times that God has set.
The Judgment and the Everlasting Kingdom
DANIEL 7:26–28
26But the judgment shall be set, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
27And the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
28Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts much troubled me, and my countenance was changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
The judgment shall sit and they shall take away the little horn’s dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. The kingdom, the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.
Daniel, a man of great intelligence, is overwhelmed. His thoughts trouble him and his countenance changes, but he keeps the matter in his heart. A faithful student ponders what he cannot yet fully understand.
Discussion Questions
- What do the four beasts reveal about the nature of human empires?
- Why is the picture of the Ancient of Days so important for suffering believers?
- How does Jesus’ own use of the title Son of Man connect to this chapter?
- What does it mean that the saints will possess the kingdom?