Between the first half of verse 23 and the second half of this verse we have what has been referred to as the great parenthesis in the Old Testament, the mystery of the church and the Church Age which was not revealed to the world until after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Would Belshazzar toast the gods of gold, silver, wood and stone with the sacred temple vessels? And they did! This angel responded and gave Daniel understanding into his dream as he interpreted it for him. Before the kingdom of God is established on the earth, four earthly kingdoms will rise and fall. These both represent Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian empire. A lawsuit could force the F.D.A. (8) The four beasts are all different, with the last standing apart from the first three. (6) Prophecy is written to sober the saints. The vision comes to Daniel in Belshazzars first year.78 A subsequent and related vision comes to him in this kings third year (see 8:1). 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. Our text challenges such a conclusion, and later prophecies in Daniel further document that the coming of the King and of the kingdom will be some time further in the future. The message of this prophecy is really quite simple and may be summed up this way. Neither peer opposition nor the king's new law (chapter 6) greatly disturbed Daniel. In the second scene, heaven calmly prepares for court, which will determine that the time for judgment has come. The prophecy of Daniel 7 nevertheless had great relevance and application to those in Daniels day. It devoured and crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. When Jesus came, He embraced this expression as a designation for Himself, giving the term meaning vastly beyond that previously held by any Jew. He distinguishes himself by his ability to overcome the whole earth, crushing it under foot. Because of this we can have a greater understanding of this dream than Daniel did. These will continue to be separate nations in the confederation but will come under the little horns control and authority. In spite of all these beasts do and say, in spite of their power and even their success, neither they nor their kingdoms will last. The latter prophecy of Daniel 7 adds many more details than were revealed in chapter 2. At the outset of the account of his vision, Daniel wants his reader to know the historical context in which this prophecy was given and to consider its interpretation and application in the light of that context. Nevertheless, Daniel tells no one, keeping the matter to himself and suffering a quiet agony over the future events God has revealed to him. March 1, 2023, 6:00 a.m. Thus, the vision is yet unfulfilled in terms of its major emphasis. The statue has four parts; there are four beasts. His followers too must be alert and ready for His return (24:44). (9) What is the relationship between Daniels vision in chapter 7 and the events described in Daniel 5? When they came in and stood before the king, 3 Daniels first inner turmoil occurs in chapter 7. He gave Daniel a general summary of the dream, These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. If not, he could never have become airborne again. He wants to know more about this dreadful beast, different from the rest, especially in the destruction he wrought. The blasphemous horn of Daniel 7, which goes so far as to oppose the people of God, is suddenly taken by death, and his kingdom is removed. In the latter days, an unusually powerful and evil king will arise, who will blaspheme God and oppress the people of God. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Just a few years later Alexander died, and his empire was divided into four parts and his four generals became the monarch of a quarter of the Greek empire. Daniel explained to the king that the statue represented four successive kingdoms based upon power and wealth, beginning with Babylon, while the stone and mountain signified a kingdom established by God that would never be destroyed nor given to other people. Chapter 7 moves from the historical accounts of Daniel and his three friends to the prophetic revelations received by Daniel in the last half of the Book.76 The following chart may help us visualize the relationship of Daniels prophecies to the historical setting in which they were revealed: The first prophetic revelation is found in Daniel 2. It should give you a caring heart toward the unsaved as you seek to win them to the Lord. The Son of Man was also Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8). In more detail, the outline would be as follows: (2) The Divine Interpretation verses 15-28. (1) The troubling dream. Interpretations of Daniels prophecies differ widely. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; 4 and they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him? 5 And there was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. Two weeks ago, we quickly looked at the description of the beast that John sees in Revelation 13 and he described it as a composite of the first three beasts, the body of a leopard, the feet or paws of a bear, and the head and mouth of a lion. He was at ease when he received the vision, and then he became fearful, and his mind alarmed him (4:4-5). History has shown this to be true in the past, and prophecy assures us that it will be true in the future. Prophecy is not revealed in a historical vacuum. Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. (3) What principles should guide and govern our attempt to interpret the prophecy of this chapter? (8) Is there any relationship between Nebuchadnezzars dream in chapter 2 and Daniels dream in chapter 7? The fourth beast appears to differ from the other three in that he is more beastly, more powerful, more destructive, and more arrogant. (2) While the timing of the fulfillment of divine prophecy may seem remote to the recipient, it still has relevance for him. It therefore seems that the two prophecies speak of the same four kingdoms by means of different imagery. The three ribs may also represent the kingdoms of Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon which preceded the Medo-Persian empire and then fell to them. All distinctions of race and colour and nationality are stripped away and one apparently human figure represents the whole human race. Joyce C. Baldwin, Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1978), p. 150. A night vision is given to king Nebuchadnezzar, apparently early in his reign as king of Babylon. The saints of the Highest One are given all the kingdoms of the earth for an everlasting kingdom. Those of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, and Darius all agree with the prophecy of Daniel 7. During times of oppression, it may appear the saints are being defeated and that Gods kingdom is but wishful thinking. Rome did conquer much of the known world, but it never conquered the whole world as this is describing. 5. Two weeks ago, we covered the first 14 verses, Daniels summary of his dream. This little horn is more intelligent and more arrogant than the other horns. JPS Tanakh 1917 Different from the first three, this beast seems uglier, more powerful, and much more hostile toward God and His saints. The ten horns are of interest to him, but most of all that final horn which arose, surpassing and replacing three others and speaking boastfully. Our deliverance from the power of sin and the penalty of death has been accomplished by our Lord, who suffered in our place. (Numbers 23:19). As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. The saints should expect to suffer because of their faith, especially as the last days for the kingdoms of men draw near. The second is Daniel's dream. Daniel still dreaming said he approached one of those standing there. As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. As we consider what we have just learned from Daniels dream and as we look at Daniels response to his dream and the interpretation of it; this should indicate to us that the more we know about the future, the more our hearts should be moved to personal purity. From the context, it would seem that Daniels distress is the result of the wickedness and oppression of the world kingdoms which are represented by the beasts, and by the knowledge that the saints will be oppressed and even overcome for a period of time. Daniel urged them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven, . The seriousness of the prophetic truth personally affected Daniel, motivating godly fear and self-examination. But I want you to notice Daniels reaction to the dream that he had. 76 It is not altogether accurate to refer to chapters 1-6 as historical and 7-12 as prophetic. That night his life and his kingdom came to an end. The lesson was prepared for older students. In Daniels dream the Medo-Persian empire and it king Cyrus was represented by the bear. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. If you remember from two weeks ago the bear was raised up on one side, this was to indicate that one part of this united kingdom overshadowed the other portion. The second is bear-like. God would strike him down suddenly too and bring his kingdom to a swift end. Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him. At this point the revelation ended. The vision recorded in chapter 8 took place in the third year of Belshazzar. The third beast is leopard-like, with four wings and four heads, and it is given dominion. We are told the Old Testament prophet could not see the distance between the first and the second coming of our Lord, just as one cannot see the distance between two mountains, when viewed from afar. Editing is often evident in the Bible (see John 20:30-31; 31:25). He had interpreted dreams for this king and yet this dream caused Daniel to be alarmed and to feel physically sick. When God granted Daniel the wisdom to interpret the king's dream, it launched Daniel's long career as a political leader, trusted adviser, and well-known prophet. 79 Compare Jeremiah 49:14-22, 28, where Nebuchadnezzar is compared to a lion and an eagle. The prophecy of Daniel 11 includes amazing details about great empires, political developments and end-time powers that would affect the Jews and all people today. When the sin and oppression of evil men reaches a predetermined point, God will remove them and establish His promised eternal kingdom. Introduction to Daniel 11 2 Peter 3:8-9, But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. These saints are the believing Jews of the tribulation, not the believers of the Church Age. We know from history that though Persia rose later than Media it soon overshadowed Media in its power. So it was for our Lord (1 Peter 1:10-12), and so it will be for us. ), Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation, Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular, Daniel -- 'God is my judge', an Israelite leader in Babylon, Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular, Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular, Preposition | third person masculine singular, Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular determinate, Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular determinate. We see a gapan almost insurmountable gapbetween suffering and glory; God does not. Chapter 7 - In the first vision Daniel sees the same kingdoms, but this time he sees them as beasts. If we go back to Daniel 2 and look at the statue in Nebuchadnezzars dream, we find that it too represented four kings and their kingdoms. The king knew that Daniel spoke the truth. (2) The prophecies of Daniel must be understood in relationship to and in light of the other prophecies of Daniel. While most prophecies in the Bible reveal events which will take place after the death of the recipient of the prophecy, the prophecy is revealed for impact upon those to whom it was revealed. Now, in verse 23, the angelic interpreter explains the relationship of the boastful beast and the coming of the eternal kingdom of God. Hosted by Michael Barbaro and Sabrina . Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. They will serve and obey Him forever. In our passage, Daniel asks for and receives an explanation. The angels went on to add that the saints of the Highest One will be given into Antichrists hand for a time, times, and half a time. Public sentiment was turning against this foreign religion, and the Babylonians, including Belshazzar, wanted a return to their old time religion the pagan worship of the gods of Babylon. The angel went on in this summary to tell Daniel that the saints of the Highest One would receive the kingdom and possess it forever. Daniel's righteousness is legendary status Don't mistake Daniel as some conjurer of cheap tricks. The transfiguration of our Lord was but a foretaste of His coming glorious kingdom (16:28). Remember he had seen the innumerable host of angels attending the Ancient of Days. Desiring a more detailed explanation, he apparently asked for one and received it. It is at this time that all human kingdoms will become subject to God and to the saints in the eternal kingdom, which the Son of Man will establish when He comes to the earth to judge and to rule. The Old Testament prophet did not see the gap because he viewed the coming of Christ as God does. 25 And he will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. The fact that wicked men will prosper and prevail and that the righteous will suffer is hardly pleasant news. The process of having a baby involves the pains of childbirth. This chapter is a history, but it is the history of a prophecy, by a dream and the interpretation . (7) No identification is made of the saints as Jews or Gentiles. There seems to be no Jewish nationalistic emphasis here, as there will be later.75. 15 As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. Some people have a rather irreverent attitude toward prophecy, they approach it as a pastime and they delight in figuring out complex date schemes and drawing detailed diagrams of the future. Daniel described the beast as having iron teeth and that it devours, crushes, and tramples under its feet all that stands in its way. Prophecy becomes necessary from time to time to remind men of those things God has planned for the future which He will surely fulfill. The first beast was lion-like, with wings like that of an eagle.79 Its wings were plucked from it; if this happened in mid-air, he must have plummeted to the ground. (9) The interpretation of Daniels vision comes in two parts, beginning with a general interpretation and then a more specific one based on Daniels questions. No wonder interpreters differ about the details. Thirdly (and most importantly), the prophecies of Daniel mean exactly what God says they mean, nothing more and nothing less. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were greatly alarming me and my face grew pale, but I kept the matter to myself (verse 28). (5) While the process involves wicked kings and nations and the suffering of the saints, the culmination is the establishment of Gods eternal kingdom. In fact, Daniel has trouble interpreting some of his own dreams. Each beast has its own unique characteristics. The saints should neither believe nor behave on the basis of how things appear to be (the wicked prospering and prevailing over the righteous). This morning we are going to go back to Daniel 7 and look at the rest of the chapter where Daniel has the dream interpreted. The dream vortex dies with her, and Rose awakens with her brother, Jed, sleeping next to her. Our study of this chapter will isolate what troubled Daniel about the future. (13) In some sense, the last kingdom is still on-going. Daniel uses the expression Son of man twice. The final push of the times of the Gentiles will last for 3 years, then the end will come, the end of the times of the Gentiles., THE JUDGMENT AND THE FIFTH KINGDOM (Daniel 7:26-27). I also told you it corresponded to the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel chapter 2, but with more detail. 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them,81 and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. Some of his alarm arose from his not yet having been given the interpretation of his vision. How interesting! He had lived through the overthrow of his people, his nation, and his hometown by a foreign power, he had been torn from his family and carried off into captivity. Not only was he greatly alarmed and physically sick, but he says he also kept the matter to himself. The timeline reads as follows: The kingdom of God will be established and the saints will possess it forever. The wrenching off of the wings and the transformation of the lion, making him stand on two legs and giving him the mind of a man was a picture of God humbling Nebuchadnezzar and then restoring him to his right mind, you can read about this in Daniel 4. It may seem to them that their defeat is certain and that their hopes of entering into the eternal kingdom are lost. Valentina's bond with Sophie, Sid's reaching out to Jesse, and Charlie trying hard to bring Sid and Jesse back together so that the group can go back to being their normal selves and not be an awkward bunch of people not wanting to discuss actual problems. While conservative, evangelical scholars believe the prophecies in Daniel are true, their interpretations differ greatly. The death of this king brings about the end of his kingdom. Daniel 2:1-13 - Nebuchadnezzar's Dream. 26 But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. As Daniel continues to watch, someone descends with the clouds of heaven, one like a Son of Man. He is presented to the Ancient of Days, and to Him is given dominion, glory, and the eternal kingdom. Those who will reign with Christ are those who have suffered (see Romans 8:17; Philippians 3:10-11; 2 Timothy 2:12). Then the time had arrived for the saints to take possession of the kingdom. In order to save Rose, Unity asks her to give up whatever makes her the dream vortex.