Daniel 7:1-14 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Daniel 7:1-14. Let’s go!
Daniel 7:1 (NIV)
1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying on his bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream.
On verse 1: Chapter 6 of Daniel concerned a time when the Medes and Persians had already succeeded the Babylonians as the dominant empire. But here in chapter 7 Daniel goes backward in time to describe a dream that Daniel had while the Babylonians were still in power, before the events of even Daniel 5. Why didn’t Daniel order everything chronologically? We don’t know for sure, but notice this: chapters 1-6 describe very public, high drama events where Daniel and his friends are dealing with the kings in power at that time, while chapters 7-12 concern private visions and dreams that Daniel had.
Daniel 7:2-3 (NIV)
2 Daniel said: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea.
3 Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea.
On verses 2-3: What “great sea” is Daniel referring to? According to some scholars, the great sea is a symbol for the nations of the world. The idea is that these four great beasts symbolize four world kingdoms (v17) that would rise up from the nations. Many scholars conclude that these four great beasts/kingdoms are the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek and one more empire and that these are the same four kingdoms represented in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2 (see Daniel 2:36-40).
Daniel 7:4 (NIV)
4 “The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it.
On verse 4: Many scholars equate the winged lion in Daniel’s dream with Babylon. Interestingly, archeologists have uncovered multiple winged lions from their digs of ancient Babylon.
Daniel 7:5 (NIV)
5 “And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and eat your fill of flesh!’
On verse 5: The second beast resembling a bear has been equated with Medo-Persia, which was known for its size and fierceness. The three ribs in its mouth have been said to represent three major conquests made by Medo-Persian empire.
Daniel 7:6 (NIV)
6 “After that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard. And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.
On verse 6: The third beast, resembling a winged four-headed leopard, has been equated with Greece. Greece was known for swiftly conquering other nations – for example, when Alexander the Great conquered the entire Medo-Persian empire in just 10 years. The leopard’s four heads have been said to represent how the Greek empire would eventually be divided into four regions ruled by four different rulers. That Daniel saw this is remarkable considering that Daniel wrote down this vision while the Babylonians were still the world power, centuries before the Greek empire existed.
Daniel 7:7-8 (NIV)
7 “After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast–terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.
8 “While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
On verses 7-8: In verses 15-28 (which we will look at tomorrow), Daniel will write down the explanation he received for the fourth beast, its 10 horns and the little horn that rose up among them. We’ll discuss these tomorrow when we look at verses 15-18.
Daniel 7:9-10 (NIV)
9 “As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.
On verses 9-10: Daniel calls the LORD “the Ancient of Days”, a name for God that is unique to the book of Daniel. At the same time, the way Daniel pictures the Lord with hair white like wool on a flaming throne is similar to the book Revelation where Jesus is seen having hair white like wool and the throne of God is described with lightning, thunder and blazing lamps. Here Daniel sees all of humanity standing before the LORD, who sits as a judge in a court and whose books (representing judgment) are opened.
What can we learn from this? One day every person must stand before God to be judged. When God opens His books, will you be found in His book of life? Remember that it is only through faith in Jesus Christ that our sins can be forgiven and our names can be written in His book of life.
Daniel 7:11-12 (NIV)
11 “Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.
12 (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.)
On verses 11-12: We will take up these verses when we look at verses 15-28 tomorrow.
Daniel 7:13-14 (NIV)
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
On verses 13-14: In addition to seeing the LORD (“the Ancient of Days”), Daniel also sees “one like a son of man” coming with the clouds, being given all authority, glory and power, and being worshiped by people of every nation. Here Daniel catches a vision of the Lord Jesus, whose kingdom will never be destroyed. Jesus would later use these images from Daniel to describe himself (see Matthew 26:64 and Luke 21:27). How incredible it is that Daniel saw Jesus in his vision, centuries before Jesus would walk this earth.
The fact that Daniel took the time to record some of his key experiences, whether they were public confrontations with kings or private visions and dreams, shows that Daniel did not take the incredible things God did in his life for granted. He knew that the things God had allowed him to experience were worth writing down.
Likewise, may you not take for granted the times when God works miraculously and powerfully in your life. I would encourage you, like Daniel, to write them down, to keep a record of them. For in doing so, it will serve as a reminder, both to you and to those you let read it, of who God is in your life.
Lord Jesus, Yours is the only kingdom that will know no end. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
