Page 1- Daniel's dream of the latter days


Daniel 7:1-7
1 In 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.
2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
4 The 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 stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

Interpretation of the 4 beasts:

Daniel 7:16-18
16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

  The great sea in Daniel's vision (verse 1) most likely is the Mediterranean Sea. He saw the sea very restless as the 4 winds strove upon it. Sea represents gentiles. In Rev 17 Satan's religious system is symbolized as a harlot woman sitting upon many waters. The angel tells John these waters symbolizes peoples, multitudes, nations, and tounges (different languages).

Re 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

    What Daniel is seeing then is the restlessness of gentile powers striving for supremacy from all directions (4 winds). The angelic interpreter tells Daniel (verse 17) these 4 beasts that arise out of the great sea symbolize 4 kings (kingdoms or empires) that shall be on the earth followed by God establishing His Kingdom forever upon the earth with the saints as the rulers (verse 18).  When we compare these 4 beasts with the 4 metals of the image in Daniel 2 we find these are the same 4 world empires Daniel interpreted for King Nebuchadnezzar (Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, Roman). 

  Compare by clicking on the parts of the image of Daniel 2 to the four beasts of Daniel 7. They are the same four world empires with some additional information added.

  Symbols can only tell so much and new truths need new symbols. The image of 4 metals in Daniel 2 served to show the overview of history from Daniel's day to the overthrow of Antichrist's Empire when Christ returns and establishes the everlasting and visible Kingdom of God. The purpose of the symbols of the beasts here in Daniel 7 is to add new information especially concerning the fourth beast  - Roman Empire land area - and what happens in that land area in the last days that produces the Antichrist. It is from within the Roman Empire land area of the last days that Daniel introduces the rise and initial wars of Antichrist to form his empire.
  When studying Daniel 2, we were left with a great final truth that the land area these 4 former world empires covered (Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, Roman) will somehow be resurrected again in the last days as one goliath super empire standing in defiance against a Holy God and all that He stands for. Compare the similarities between the 4 metals and the 4 beasts in the images above and note especially the 10 toes and 10 horns. Most of the new information Daniel 7 adds to our understanding, is what happens among the 10 horns (nations in East and West Europe) in the last days, that produces Antichrist and his empire before Christ returns. Both Daniel 7 and Daniel 8 fill in many details not seen in Daniel 2.

  Looking at this chart above we know that Daniel in Daniel 7 as in Daniel 2, did not know the modern name of these nations that were left over from empires in the past. The chart above reviews again the modern names of what is left from these past empires Daniel was shown. We studied in Daniel 2 how the image of 4 metals stood as a mighty Goliath - defiant against a holy God. Iraq, Iran, Greece and nations in East and West Europe will be a part of Antichrist's Empire. In Daniel 7 page 2, Daniel  explains what nation in the last days Antichrist will come from and that it will be a nation among the nations symbolized by the 10 horns of the fourth beast (East and West Europe as seen above). Daniel also tells us about Antichrist's initional wars that are the key to his success in forming his mighty empire of the last days.

*Note: Scripture gives a double witness of Antichrist having dominion over all the land areas of these former world empires. In Revelations 13:2, we see a composite image of a beast made up of the four beasts of Daniel 7, symbolizing the full extent of Antichrist's Empire after the rapture during the Christian tribulation period (see timeframe 4 Page 3).

Image of Daniel 2	Rev 13:1,2 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Beast of Rev 13

  This composite beast of Rev 13 is symbolic just like the image of Daniel 2 of the nations and extent of the nations of Antichrist's Empire in the last days. When this one man rules over all this territory symbolized by the composite beast in Revelations 13:2, it is no surprise Revelations refers to Antichrist as - 'the beast'. The beast of Revelations is the same 4th beast of Daniel. However, Antichrist has expanded the Roman Empire land area of the last days (10 horns) to include the land areas of the former world empires (Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, Roman Empires - loin, bear, Leopard, beast with 10 horns respectively). A good example of this double type symbolism (beast of Rev 13:2 referring to both Antichrist and his empire), is when Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2 when interpretating his dream that He was the head of gold but also the head of gold symbolizes his empire of Babylon.
  Compare these 2 composite images and they are an exact witness of Antichrist' s empire of the last days and the land territory they cover. Both the image and the beast are destroyed by Christ when He returns (see Daniel 2, Kingdom).

1 In 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.
2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
4 The 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 stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse 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 little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth frm before him:
thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten
thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the
judgment was set, and the books were opened.
11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words
which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was
slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their
dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a
kingdom, that all people, 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.
15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked
him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which
was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the
other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints,
and prevailed against them;
22 Until 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.
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth
kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
25 And he shall speak great words against the most High,
and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the
kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the
people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
28 Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.