Daniel 7 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Daniel 7

Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts

7:1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. 2 Daniel declared,¹ “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3 And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. 4 The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it. 5 And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’ 6 After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 I 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.

The Ancient of Days Reigns

9 “As I looked,

  thrones were placed,
    and the Ancient of Days took his seat;
  his clothing was white as snow,
    and the hair of his head like pure wool;
  his throne was fiery flames;
    its wheels were burning fire.
10   A stream of fire issued
    and came out from before him;
  a thousand thousands served him,
    and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;
  the court sat in judgment,
    and the books were opened.

11 “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

The Son of Man Is Given Dominion

13 “I saw in the night visions,

  and behold, with the clouds of heaven
    there came one like a son of man,
  and he came to the Ancient of Days
    and was presented before him.
14   And 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 one
    that shall not be destroyed.

Daniel’s Vision Interpreted

15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me² was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me. 16 I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. 17 ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’

19 “Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, 20 and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. 21 As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

23 “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast,

  there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,
    which shall be different from all the kingdoms,
  and it shall devour the whole earth,
    and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
24   As for the ten horns,
  out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,
    and another shall arise after them;
  he shall be different from the former ones,
    and shall put down three kings.
25   He shall speak words against the Most High,
    and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,
    and shall think to change the times and the law;
  and they shall be given into his hand
    for a time, times, and half a time.
26   But the court shall sit in judgment,
    and his dominion shall be taken away,
    to be consumed and destroyed to the end.
27   And 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 shall be an everlasting kingdom,
    and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’³

28 “Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.”

Footnotes

[1] 7:2 Aramaic answered and said
[2] 7:15 Aramaic within its sheath
[3] 7:27 Or their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them

Commentary

The later chapters of Daniel bring apocalyptic writing, which brings comfort for true believers, but is nonsense for unbelievers. He sees events from the near future, and the far future. In Biblical prophecy is not always easy to separate these two.

v1-3: Daniel sees four beats from the sea, ie: their home is in wickedness and rebellion against God, Is 57.20-21. In 2.32, we read that each is worse than the last. Nations rise against nations, empires against empires; such is the way of the world.

v4-7: See 2.36-40; the lion is Babylon; the bear Persia, devouring much flesh; the leopard is Greece, having four heads, see 8.8; and fourth beast, not identified, is Rome, see 2.40-43.

v8: Another little horn, see 11.36. The Roman empire was notable for its destruction of previous civilisations, as well as having numerous people put to death. In Daniel’s vision, it tramples everything else underfoot; this indicates little respect for anything or anyone else. Daniel was particularly disturbed by this part of the vision, v19.

v9-14 A strikingly different vision, of the glory and authority of God. He will bring to an end all earthly authority. We prefer His rule!

v9-10: The vision of the Ancient of Day, taking His throne. Here is the fire of judgment and purity; here are the books of His omniscience and judgment; even the great empires of man are subject to Him.

v11-12: The horn of v8 continues to speak boastful words. The beast, of Rome, is slain.

v13-14: The dominion of all four beasts is taken away, and the Son of God is given utter authority. His kingdom is everlasting, and cannot be destroyed.

v15-16: Daniel is troubled, as in v28, perhaps as he begins to realise his people's future suffering. The cruelty of Assyria and Babylon would be eclipsed by later kingdoms; only after the Greeks and Romans does Christ come to introduce a new kingdom.

v17: The four kingdoms of Nebuchadnezzar's dream (chapter 2) are referred to here. Daniel obviously would not live through them all.

Some have said that Daniel lived after the events which he predicts; but since he predicted the Roman empire, as well as the Assyrian and Babylonian, he would have lived later than 400 AD. He also predicts many events yet to happen.

v18: Future hope for the saints of the Most High; ultimately, God will share His victory with His people. Although ultimate victory is guaranteed, these verses are clear that the interim will involve struggles.

v19-20: Daniel is concerned about the fourth beast, and the way it treated its victims. God's people suffered under Assyria and Babylon; would they suffer more under this later kingdom?

v21: The kingdom is specifically anti-Christian, making war with the saints, and even defeating them; see Rev 13.7; 17.14. The followers of God are called “saints,” holy ones, those made holy through faith in the true God.

v22: Again, the Lord God draws a line, and ends the rebellion; there is a limit to the time for which the enemy is allowed to prevail.

v23-25: The kingdom described will spread over all the earth, trampling and devouring and crushing. The new king will speak against the Most High, he will oppress God's people, and he will change times and laws. Rev 13.5 refers to a 3½ times, or 42 months. See also 12.7, 11, 12 where this time period is mentioned.

v26: God's judgment is manifested, as the power of the little horn is removed.

v27: Following the removal of the little horn, it will be God's kingdom that will prevail.

v28: Daniel struggles to take all this in. We must not assume that the prophet has an easy task in seeing what God reveals. It can be painful being the messenger of God.