Daniel 7:1 (NIV2011)
1
In the first year of Belshazzar
king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he
was lying in bed. He wrote
down the
substance of his dream.
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1. Wait a minute, I thought Belshazzar was dead. What’s going on here?
Chapter 7 represents a transition with respect to time and focus. Chapter 7 and 8 occur chronologically between chapters 4 and 5. Chapters 2 through 7 are written in Aramaic because they are concerned with gentile affairs and the rest focus on the Jewish people and are written in Hebrew.
Three important changes begin in this chapter. Up to chapter 7 the material is mainly historical. Henceforth it is mainly predictive. Heretofore Daniel has been God’s agent in revelation, interpreting others’ dreams. Hereafter, an angel interprets Daniel’s own dreams and visions (7:16; 8:15-17; 9:20-23; 10:10-14). Heretofore the author has reported in the third person; hereafter he writes in the first, giving a much more intimate report of his experiences.
The same succession of kingdoms that was found in chapter 2 appears here—four Gentile empires, then the kingdom of Messiah. WBC
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. The following chart may help us visualize the relationship of Daniel’s prophecies to the historical setting in which they were revealed:
BABYLONIAN EMPIRE
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MEDO-PERSIAN EMPIRE
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Nebuchadnezzar
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Belshazzar
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Darius
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Cyrus
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The first prophetic revelation is found in Daniel 2. A night vision is given to king Nebuchadnezzar, apparently early in his reign as king of Babylon. Through the vision of a magnificent, awe-inspiring statue, God reveals the future for Gentile kings and their kingdoms. The head of the statue was made of gold, the chest and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of bronze, and the legs and feet of iron and clay.
In his interpretation of the dream, Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar he was the head of gold. The identity of the kingdoms represented by the other body parts and metals was not revealed. The king is told that all of these earthly kingdoms would be destroyed by the “stone not fashioned by human hands,” and that an eternal kingdom would take the place of these temporal kingdoms. The subject of the vision in chapter 2 seems to be taken up again in chapter 7. The inter-relationship between the prophecies of chapters 2 and 7 is demonstrated on the following page:
THE FOUR KINGDOMS
C H A P T E R T W O
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C H A P T E R S E V E N
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Head of gold
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The winged lion
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Breast & arms of silver
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The devouring bear
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Belly & thighs of bronze
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The winged leopard
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Legs & feet of iron & clay
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The indescribable beast
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SIMILARITIES
A four-part statue
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Four beasts
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Statue represents kingdoms
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Beasts represent kingdoms
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Deterioration: Gold to iron mixed with clay
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Deterioration: Nearly human to blaspheming beast
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Statue destroyed
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Beasts destroyed
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Eternal Kingdom is established
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Eternal kingdom is established
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CONTRASTS
Nebuchadnezzar’s Vision
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Daniel’s Vision
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Daniel’s interpretation
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Angel’s interpretation
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Glorious statue
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Horrible beasts
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Human statue in four parts
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Four (inhumane) beasts
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Destroyed mysteriously by a stone Daniel’s Disturbing Dream Bob Deffinbaugh
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Destroyed in judgment by God
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Daniel 7:2 (NIV2011)
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.
2. What do these symbols represent?
Daniel referred to himself in the third person in the first six chapters, but in the last six he used the first person. He may have made this change to make his visions more impressive and persuasive to the reader.
Daniel saw the Great Sea, probably the Mediterranean (cf. Num. 34:6-7; Josh. 1:4; 9:1; Ezek. 47:10; et al.), stirred up by the four winds (or spirits) of heaven (v. 2; cf. Jer. 23:19; 49:36; Zech. 6:1-6; Rev. 7:1-3; et al.). The sea in Scripture and in ancient Near Eastern thinking represented the unorganized mass of humanity, the populace of the earth (v. 17; cf. Isa. 8:6-8; 17:12-13; 57:20; 60:5; Jer. 6:23; 46:7-8; 47:2; Matt. 13:47; Luke 21:25;Rev. 13:1; 17:1, 15; 21:1; et al.).
The Mediterranean world seems to be particularly in view since the sea was the Mediterranean. The wind represents God’s power expressed in judgment using heavenly and earthly forces from all directions to influence the nations as He wills (cf. Rev. 7:1; 9:14-15).
“God often used the wind as a means to attain His ends (Gen 8:1: Ex 10:13-19; 14:21; 15:10; Num 11:31; I Ki 18:45; 19:11). . . . Of more than 120 references in the Bible to wind (more than 90 in the O.T. and about 30 in the N.T.), well over half are related to events and ideas which reflect the sovereignty and power of God. In Daniel, wind is uniformly used to represent the sovereign power of God, which is the viewpoint of the book.”. CN
The four winds broke violently “upon the great sea,” that is, upon the Mediterranean Sea, for that is the name given to it. The “winds” speak of agitation, propaganda, public opinion, and disturbance. The “sea” suggests the masses, the mob, and the peoples of the Gentiles (see Matt. 13:47; Rev. 13:1; Isa. 57:20). In Revelation we read: “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgments of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters…. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (Rev. 17:1, 15). The sea, therefore, is this conglomerate population of Gentiles throughout the world.
Customarily the wind blows from only one direction at a time, but here it is a tornado of great violence with the wind coming from all directions. It refers not only to the disturbed conditions out of which these four nations arose, but particularly to the last stage of the fourth kingdom (vv. 11, 12, 17) in which certain ideologies shall strive to capture the thinking of the disturbed masses of all nations and tribes. JVM
Daniel 7:3 (NIV2011)
3 Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea.
3. What are these four beast?
The four beasts arising out of the sea represent four kings (v. 17). They personify the nations over which they rule, as becomes clear in the following revelation. They are anomalies, as are the other characters presented, and their abnormalities have significance.
“The monarchy vision of Nebuchadnezzar (ch. 2) covers the same order of fulfillment as Daniel’s beast vision, but with this difference: Nebuchadnezzar saw the imposing outward power and splendor of ‘the times of the Gentiles’ (Lk. 21;24; cp. Rev. 16:19 . . .), whereas Daniel saw the true character of Gentile world government as rapacious and warlike, established and maintained by force. It is remarkable that the heraldic insignia of the Gentile nations are all beasts or birds of prey.”
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Daniel 7:4 (NIV2011)
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 human being, and the mind of a human was given to it.
4. What or who is the lion?
The vicious, powerful, swift king of beasts represents Babylon. Winged lions guarded the gates of the royal palaces of Babylon. Daniel’s contemporaries, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Habakkuk, used animals to describe Nebuchadnezzar. MSBN
The first beast was like a lion with eagles’ wings, a mixture of animal and bird. This beast signifies the strength and majesty of a lion combined with the speed and power of an eagle. Both images were used by Jeremiah to depict Nebuchadnezzar (e.g., Jer. 49:19–22). This beast had his wings plucked off and was transformed into a man, recalling the humbling and restoration of Nebuchadnezzar(cf. Daniel 4). ESVN
Jeremiah 49:19-22 (NKJV)
19 “Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the floodplain of the Jordan Against the dwelling place of the strong; But I will suddenly make him run away from her. And who is a chosen man that I may appoint over her? For who is like Me? Who will arraign Me? And who is that shepherd Who will withstand Me?” 20 Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD that He has taken against Edom, And His purposes that He has proposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out;Surely He shall make their dwelling places desolate with them. 21 The earth shakes at the noise of their fall; At the cry its noise is heard at the Red Sea. 22 Behold, He shall come up and fly like the eagle, And spread His wings over Bozrah; The heart of the mighty men of Edom in that day shall be Like the heart of a woman in birth pangs.
Daniel 7:5 (NIV2011)
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!’
5. And the second beast?
The bear, representing the kingdom of Medo–Persia, corresponds to the arms of silver of Nebuchadnezzar’s image. As the bear raised itself up on one side, the image was ambidextrous. First he struck with the strong left hand of Medes, conquering Babylon; then he followed through with the right uppercut of the Persians, who took over Egypt and the rest of the world, which had been ruled by Babylon.
“Three ribs in the mouth” are the three kingdoms that constituted this empire: Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt.
There are no wings on this bear, but it was told, “Arise, devour much flesh.” The army of the Medo–Persians moved like a great, lumbering, and rumbling bear—they even took their families along with them. It was Xerxes who led about 300,000 men and three hundred ships against Greece at Thermopylae and was defeated. His fleet was destroyed by a storm because God did not intend the East to control the West at that particular time. JVM
The second beast was like a bear, raised up on one side—either poised and ready to spring or grotesquely deformed. Many scholars think the raised up side suggests the unequal power of the two countries combined in the Medo-Persian Empire (cf. 8:3, 20). It had a mouth full of the ribs of its previous victim(s)—maybe more specifically the people Cyrus conquered to unify his nation (e.g., Astyages [550 b.c.], Anatolia [547], and Croesus of Lydia [c. 547]). However, he was told to arise anddevour even more (i.e., the Babylonians). The three ribs could also represent the three countries that Medo-Persia conquered (Babylon, 539b.c.; Lydia, 546; and Egypt, 525). This empire controlled the land from Egypt and the Aegean Sea on the west to the Indus River on the east. ESVN
Daniel 7:6 (NIV2011)
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.
6. A leopard with 4 heads?
The third beast was like another composite animal, part leopard, part bird, with four wings and four heads. It combined ferocity and speed with the ability to see in all four directions at once. Leopards are known for speed (cf. Hab. 1:8), keen eyesight, and keen hearing, allowing them to stalk their prey and pounce unsuspectingly. But the four wings emphasize even more the element of speed, which corresponds well to Alexander the Great’s conquest of the known world by age 32. Alexander invaded Asia Minor in 334 b.c., and within 10 years had conquered the whole Persian Empire. After his death in 323 b.c., his empire was divided among four of his generals: Antipater and later Cassander ruled in Greece and Macedon; Lysimachus in Thrace and much of Asia Minor; Seleucus I Nicator in Mesopotamia and Persia; and Ptolemy I Soter in Egypt and Palestine. These four rulers are symbolized by the four heads (cf. the four horns depicting leaders of Greece in Dan. 8:8, 21–22). Notice that dominion was given to it, suggesting a higher power controlling these actions. ESVN
Another beast, another monarchy, a third monarchy succeeding the Persian monarchy, and which rose up on the ruins of that; Darius king of the Persians being beaten by Alexander king of Macedon, who was the instrument of setting up the Grecian monarchy here intended; compared to a leopard, a smaller creature than a lion; signifying that this monarchy arose from a small beginning; and a crafty one, Alexander having many wise counsellors of his father’s about him, though he himself was rash and hasty; and a spotted one, denoting the various virtues and vices of Alexander, and his inconstancy in them; sometimes exercising the one, and sometimes the other; or rather the different nations, and the manners of them, he conquered, of which this empire consisted; not to say anything of the cruelty and swiftness of this creature, which are both to be observed in this conqueror: which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; denoting the swiftness of Alexander in his conquests; who in a few years made himself master of the whole world, at least as he thought, whose empire was greater than that of Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans, to whom only two wings of an eagle are given, Da 7:4. Says Jerome,”nothing was more swift than the conquest of Alexander, from Illyricum and the Adriatic sea, unto the Indian ocean, and the river Ganges; he rather ran through the world by victories than by battles, and in six years subdued part of Europe, all Asia even unto India,”to which may be added all Egypt, Syria, and Palestine.
Arimazes being master of a rock in Sogdiana, which was thought inaccessible and impregnable, Alexander sent a messenger to him to demand the delivery of it to him; but, among other things he proudly said, he asked the messenger, with a sneer, if Alexander could fly; which, when the messenger reported, nettled him much, that he should be insulted because he had not wings; and vowed that the next night he would make him believe that the Macedonians did fly; and accordingly they found ways and means to get to the top of it, which, when the governor saw, he declared that Alexander’s soldiers had wings {f}:the beast also had four heads; which signify the four kingdoms into which the Grecian empire was divided after Alexander’s death, under four of his generals, who were heads or governors of them: Macedonia under Antipater, or, as others, Cassander; Egypt under Ptolemy; Syria under Seleucus; and Asia under Antigonus, or, as others, Lysimachus: and dominion was given to it; the dominion of the whole world, or, however, a very large dominion; and this was given of God, and according to his will, and the ordering of his providence; for to nothing else can it be ascribed, that with thirty thousand men Alexander should beat an army of six hundred thousand; and with such a handful of men subdue so many kingdoms and nations, and that in the space of a few years. Gill
Daniel 7:7 (NIV2011)
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.
7. A different beast?
The crucial issue in the interpretation of the entire book of Daniel, and especially of chapter 7, is the identification of the fourth beast. Conservative scholars with few exceptions generally identify the fourth beast as Rome.
The dominion of Rome, beginning with the occupation of Sicily in 241 B.C. as a result of victory in the first Punic conflict, rapidly made the Mediterranean Sea a Roman lake by the beginning of the second century B.C. Spain was conquered first, and then Carthage at the battle of Zama in North Africa in 202 B.C. Beginning by subjugating the area north of Italy, Rome then moved east, conquering Macedonia, Greece, and Asia Minor. The Roman general Pompey swept into Jerusalem in 63 B.C. after destroying remnants of the Seleucid Empire (Syria). During following decades, Rome extended control to southern Britain, France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Germany west of the Rhine River. The Roman Empire continued to grow gradually for four centuries or more (reaching its height in a.d. 117), in contrast to the sudden rise of the other empires which preceded it. It likewise declined slowly, beginning in the third century. The decline became obvious in the fifth century a.d., with the Romans leaving Britain in a.d. 407 and suffering a sack of Rome in 410 by the Visigoths. It was not until a.d. 1453 that the last Roman or Byzantine ruler was killed in battle and Mohammed II conquered Constantinople. The question facing the exposition is whether Daniel is here describing the Roman empire, clearly the greatest of all empires of history. The interpreter of the book of Daniel is forced to make a decision as the evaluation of the supporting evidence, the theological implications, and the resulting prophetic program depend almost entirely on this question.
The Roman view is supported in the exegesis of the passage which follows, which endeavors to demonstrate that the prophecies of Daniel are best explained by identifying the fourth kingdom as the Roman Empire.
Daniel describes the fourth beast in verse 7 as a fascinating spectacle upon which he fixed his eyes. The fourth beast is described as “dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly.” This description is supported by its great iron teeth which distinguished it from any known animal. As Daniel watched, the beast was observed to devour and break in pieces and stamp the residue of the preceding kingdoms. Daniel is explicit that the beast is quite different from any of the beasts which were before it.
The description of the beast to this point more obviously corresponds to the Roman Empire……….. the Roman empire was ruthless in its destruction of civilizations and peoples, killing captives by the thousands and selling them into slavery by the hundreds of thousands. As Leupold states, referring to the iron teeth, “That must surely signify a singularly voracious, cruel, and even vindictive world power. Rome could never get enough of conquest. Rivals like Carthage just had to be broken: Carthago delenda est. Rome had no interest in raising the conquered nations to any high level of development. As her designs were imperial; let the nations be crushed and stamped underfoot.” The description of Daniel 7:7 clearly is more appropriate for the empire of Rome than for the Macedonian kingdom or any of its derived divisions.
Probably the most decisive argument in favor of interpreting the fourth empire as Roman is the fact, mentioned in earlier discussion, that the New Testament seems to follow this interpretation. Christ, in His reference to the “abomination of desolation” (Mt 24:15) clearly pictures the desecration of the temple, here prophesied as a future event. The New Testament also seems to employ the symbolism of Daniel in the book of Revelation, presented as future even after the destruction of the temple. These New Testament allusions to Daniel which require the fourth empire to be Roman (cf. also Dan 9:26).
Interpreters of this chapter who agree that it is Roman divide three ways in their explanation of how this relates to the Roman Empire. Amillennial scholars like Young and Leupold tend to spiritualize both the number ten and the number three, and thus escape the necessity of finding any literal fulfillment. Both of them find literal fulfillment impossible because there are no ten kings reigning simultaneously in the Roman period. Young, however, considers fulfillment in the Roman Empire in the past, and no further fulfillment is necessary. Leupold finds ultimate fulfillment at the second coming of Christ, rather than in past history. Pre-millennialists offer a third view, providing literal fulfillment: ten actual kingdoms will exist simultaneously in the future consummation. RD
More attention is given to the fourth beast than to all of the other three put together. This section is very important to us because we are living in the time of the fourth beast—the time when the ten toes and horns are beginning to manifest themselves.
The fourth beast is altogether different from the others, and he is given in a separate vision. All the other beasts have counterparts in the jungles and zoos today. We all have seen a lion, or a bear, or a panther, but we have never seen a beast like this on land or sea or in the air. This is really an unusual beast. After you have had a night of dreaming about beasts like this, I don’t think an aspirin tablet or a sleeping pill would do you any good at all! I think you would be awake the rest of the night.
The beast is described as “dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly.” This beast which represents the Roman Empire is characterized by strength. It incited dread and terror, and it bore no resemblance to any beast that preceded it.
“It had great iron teeth,” and this identifies it with the legs of iron of the image vision—which is the Roman Empire. The iron heel of Rome was on the neck of this world for one millennium. A great deal has been said about the Roman Empire, and even to this day it amazes historians. Gibbon has said of it: “The empire of the Romans filled the world, and when the empire fell into the hands of a single person, the world became a safe and dreary prison for his enemies. To resist was fatal and it was impossible to fly.”
Another writer, Dr. Robert D. Culver, who has a very fine book on Daniel entitled Daniel: Decoder of Dreams, has made this statement: “Two millennia ago, Rome gave the world the ecumenical unity which the League of Nations and the United Nations organizations have sought to give in our time. The modern attempts are not original at all (as many of our contemporaries suppose), but are revivals of the ancient Roman ideal which never since the time of Augustus Caesar has been wholly lost.”
The Roman Empire simply fell apart; it lives on in many nations of Europe, in those nations which border the Mediterranean and in North Africa—all those which were a part of the Roman Empire. No one overcame Rome, but it fell apart into these different nations.
This unusual beast had ten horns, which obviously correspond to the feet of the image with ten toes. The emphasis is not upon the origin of this empire, but rather upon the end time—the period of the ten horns.
The vision of this fourth beast is made even more important to us because it is yet unfulfilled. Apparently we are living in some period toward the end of time. The visions of the three beasts have been fulfilled, which means that three–fourths of this prophecy has already been literally fulfilled; there remains for the future only the time of the “horns.” The fourth kingdom of Rome has already appeared. Although it fell apart, it will come back together in ten kingdoms. It will be put together by the one whom the Word of God has labeled the Antichrist. JVM
Daniel 7:8 (NIV2011)
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 human being and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
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8. What is this horn stuff?
Most premillenarians believe that the 10 horns describe 10 rulers who will arise in the future and reign simultaneously. This obviously seems unlikely since the Roman Empire is no longer in existence. However there seem to be indications in Daniel and elsewhere in the Bible, which I will point out later, that God will revive or reestablish the Roman Empire in the future.
Daniel noticed an eleventh horn arising among the 10, which displaced three of the 10 horns. This horn had human eyes, probably symbolic of intelligence, and a mouth that spoke boastfully (cf. vv. 11, 20, 25). This is evidently Antichrist (cf. Isa. 27:1; Matt. 24:5, 15; 2 Thess. 2:3-4; 1 John 2:18; 4:3; Rev. 13; 17; 19). Daniel saw another “little horn” in another vision that he reported having (8:9-11). However the differences between these two little horns argue for their being different rulers, as my comments on 8:9-11 will show. Rulers represent the nations that they lead as well as the rulers themselves (cf. vv. 17, 23).
Matthew 24:5 (NKJV) 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
Matthew 24:15 (NKJV) 15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand),
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (NKJV) 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
1 John 2:18 (NKJV) 18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
1 John 4:3 (NKJV) 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
Revelation 13:1-8 (NKJV) 1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Revelation 16:2 (NKJV) 2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.
Revelation 17:12-14 (NKJV) 12 The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
Revelation 19:20-21 (NKJV) 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.
It sure looks like something catastrophic is going to happen towards the end of this dispensation of time. Many amillennialists and preterists try to tell us that all this happened at the time of the early church. I just don’t see any evidence of a world ruler and massive battle between the forces of the Antichrist, (the Man of Sin), and Jesus. Some have pointed to Hitler or the Pope, but I believe this will result from the conflict between Islam and the West.
Daniel 7:9-10 (NIV2011)
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.
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9. Who is the Ancient of Days?
Daniel sees thrones in heaven on which the Ancient of days is seated. The expression in the King James Version that “the thrones were cast down,” is better interpreted as “the thrones were placed.” This is the establishment not the destruction of a throne in heaven. The scene as a whole corresponds to what John saw and recorded in Revelation 4-5. The Ancient of days seems to correspond to God the Father, as distinct from God the Son who is introduced in Daniel 7:13 as Son of man. RD
Revelation 4:2-8 (NKJV) 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
The Ancient of Days Judges the Beasts. At the center of Daniel’s vision was the heavenly courtroom, with thrones (perhaps for the saints), set up for judgment. The Ancient of Days, God himself, sat on the central throne. His clothing was white as snow, representing uncompromising and radiant purity; his hair was as white as pure wool, symbolizing the wisdom that comes with great age.
His chariot-throne was flaming with fire and its wheels were ablaze (cf. Ezekiel 1), images of the divine warrior’s fearsome power to destroy his enemies. A stream of fire flowed out from before him, and he was surrounded by myriads upon myriads of angelic attendants. The scene depicts in powerful imagery a judge who has the wisdom to sort out right from wrong, the purity to persistently choose the right, and the power to enforce his judgments. Even though the beast with the boastful horn continued to mouth defiance at the heavenly court, it was swiftly slain and its body thrown into the fire.
Ezekiel 1:15-28 (NKJV) 15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. 16 The appearance of the wheels and their workings was like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. 17 When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. 18 As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. 19 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 22 The likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads. 23 And under the firmament their wings spread out straight, one toward another. Each one had two which covered one side, and each one had two which covered the other side of the body. 24 When they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a tumult like the noise of an army; and when they stood still, they let down their wings. 25 A voice came from above the firmament that was over their heads; whenever they stood, they let down their wings. 26 And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so wasthe appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.
Daniel 7:11-14 (NIV2011)
“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.) 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 nations and peoples 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.
10. One like the Son of Man?
The Son of God in heaven is here invested with the authority to take the kingdoms of this world from the Gentiles and establish His Kingdom. Jesus referred to this passage when He was put on oath at His trial before the Sanhedrin: “… Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:61–62). The angel prophesied at the time of His birth:
“He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:32).
Mark 14:61-62 (NKJV)
61 But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
Therefore what we have here is a very clear–cut statement that the Lord Jesus is that “stone cut out without hands” which smites the image—He will establish His Kingdom here upon earth. In the second Psalm we read: “I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee” (Ps. 2:7). He was begotten from the dead—this refers to His resurrection, not to His birth in Bethlehem. The apostle Paul gives us this interpretation in Acts 13:33. The psalmist goes on to say: “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession” (Ps. 2:8). Jesus Christ is going to take over the kingdom. How will He do it?—“Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Ps. 2:9). When He comes to the earth, the Millenium will not be there waiting for Him. He will put out all rebellion, and those who are obedient will enter into the Kingdom. JVM
Daniel 7:15-18 (NIV2011)
15 “I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. 16 I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this. “So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth. 18 But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.’
11. Wouldn’t you be grieved in your spirit if you saw all this?
Even though Daniel understood all kinds of visions and dreams (1:17), much of what he had just seen baffled and alarmed him (cf. 7:28). He now saw himself participating in the events of his vision. He evidently addressed his question to an angel (cf. 8:16; 9:21). The fourth beast, and particularly the little horn, were the parts of the vision that he could not understand and most interested him. CN
12. Let’s try to see what we can glean from these next verses. What are the “knowns” and what are the “unknowns”?
a. Daniel was troubled in his spirit. He was upset and confused.
b. There was somebody else standing there to ask for clarification.
c. He was told the interpretation of the symbols.
d. The 4 beasts are 4 kings which will appear in human history.
e. The Holy people, the saints, followers of Jesus will eventually receive the kingdom of God.
Daniel 7:19-20 (NIV2011)
19 “Then I wanted to know the meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws—the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
Daniel asks about the 4th beast.
a. Different and Terrifying
b. Iron teeth (strength inflexible rule crushing)
c. Bronze claws (judgment of sin and disobedience)
d. 10 Horns (Horns pictured strength and rulers in ancient Near Eastern iconography) (10 signifies testimony, law, responsibility and the completeness of order).
e. An “other” horn that caused 3 of the 10 horns to fall.
f. The other horn was imposing, eyes, spoke boastfully
Daniel 7:21-22 (NIV2011)
As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.
The other horn wages war against…….
1. The holy people?
a. Who are they?
b. How are they defeated?
2. How exactly does the Ancient of Days judge the “other horn”
Daniel 7:23 (NIV2011)
“He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear
on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the
whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it.
Daniel is told specifically
a. The 4th beast is a 4th kingdom.
b. Worldwide
c. Crushing all opposition
The interpreting angel now granted the prophet more insight about the fourth beast and particularly about the little horn. Here the dual identification of the beasts with kings and kingdoms becomes transparent. The fourth beast does not only represent a king, but also a kingdom. The angel repeated the facts already revealed, but clarified that the previous description referred to a kingdom. Constables Notes
Daniel 7:24-26 (NIV2011)
24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time. 26 “ ‘But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.
There are ten horns that come out of this fourth beast, and they denote the final form of the fourth kingdom. Each of these kings represents a kingdom. An eleventh king, “the little horn,” will arise. He is going to be diverse from the others and will move to world power by subduing three of the kings. He will actually become the dictator of the entire world. This is the picture that is given to us in Revelation 13:7—“And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”
The little horn is a blasphemer. “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven” (Rev. 13:5–6).
He is the Man of Sin, the Antichrist, and he is going to rule the world during the Great Tribulation period, which is a period of seven years. J. VernonMcGee,
“Time” 1 year “Times” 2 years “Dividing of time”
1/2 year = 31/2 years
It is during the last three and one–half years of the Great Tribulation that he will reign over the earth (see Rev. 11:2–3; 12:6; 13:5).
Revelation 11:2-3 (NIV2011)
2 …….. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
We are also told that he “shall wear out the saints of the most High.” It means literally to afflict and persecute the saints (see Rev. 12:13–17).
“And think to change times and laws”—the little horn will change customs and laws.
The period of the little horn’s reign is of short duration: “they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”
Daniel 7:27 (NIV2011)
27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’
“But then this Antichrist shall have devastated all things in this world, he will reign for three years and six months, and sit in the temple at Jerusalem; and then the Lord will come from heaven in the clouds, in the glory of the Father, sending this man and those who follow him into the lake of fire; but bringing in for the righteous the times of the kingdom, that is, the rest, the hallowed seventh day; and restoring to Abraham the promised inheritance in which kingdom the Lord declared that ‘Many coming from the east and from the west should sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob….’” Irenaeus, 175 AD
Daniel 7:28 (NIV2011)
28 “This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself.”
Daniel did not divulge to his contemporaries the visions and their contents since they belonged to the end time. They were disturbing to Daniel, however, and made such an impression upon him as to alter his entire outlook. This was something brand new to him.
The study of prophecy in this day is not for the selfish gratification of idle curiosity or vain knowledge. Rather, the careful, prayerful study of prophetic Scripture has a transforming effect upon the life of a believer. McGee, J. Vernon
Some clues to interpretation:
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Some clues to interpretation:
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2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV) Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2 Peter 1:20, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”
Hermeneutics is the science of interpreting what an author has written. In Christian theology, hermeneutics focuses specifically on constructing and discovering the appropriate rules for interpreting the Bible. Hermeneutics may also be seen as the “method of exegesis.”
Exegesis: Biblical exegesis is a systematic process by which a person arrives at a reasonable and coherent sense of the meaning and message of a biblical passage.
Eisegesis: is the act imposing meaning onto a text and is often described in terms of reading “into” the text rather than “out of” it. Therefore it is the opposite of Exegesis.
The Golden Rule of biblical interpretation. When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word, at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.
A fundamental belief in hermeneutics is that there is one original interpretation. When the author of a wrote scripture they had a single intended meaning attached to what they wrote.
Instead of superimposing a meaning on the biblical text, the objective interpreter seeks to discover the author’s intended meaning (the only true meaning). “Meaning” is determined by the author; it is discovered by readers.
We must keep in mind that the interpretation of a specific passage must not contradict the total teaching of Scripture on a point. Individual verses do not exist as isolated fragments, but as parts of a whole.
Literal Grammatico-historical Method “This method of interpretation focuses attention not only on literary forms but upon grammatical constructions and historical contexts out of which the Scriptures were written. It is solidly in the ‘literal schools’ of interpretation, and is the hermeneutical methodology embraced by virtually all evangelical Protestant exegetes and scholars.” The writings of the earliest Church Fathers (Ignatius of Antioch, Ireneaus, and Justin Martyr) indicate that they took Scripture literally, unless the context clearly militated against it.” Robert Hommel, forananswer.org
Scripture interprets scripture.
Seek Figurative Meaning Only When Facts Demand Such An Interpretation
Studying Obscure Passages In The Light Of Related Texts And Axiomatic And Fundamental Truths.
The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy was formulated in 1978 by approximately 300 evangelical scholars at a conference sponsored by the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy, held in Chicago. The statement was designed to defend the position of Biblical inerrancy against trends toward liberal conceptions of Scripture and higher biblical criticism. The undersigners came from a variety of evangelical denominations, and include James Montgomery Boice, Carl F. H. Henry, Roger Nicole, J. I. Packer,Francis Schaeffer, and R. C. Sproul. http://www.reformed.org/documents/index.html?mainframe=http://www.reformed.org/documents/icbi.html
The Principles of Biblical Interpretation
There are certain principles that will help us to accurately handle the Word of Truth. These principles are embedded in the scripture itself. We do not need to go beyond the boundaries of the Bible to discover these laws and maxims that are used to determine the meaning of scripture. The Bible interprets itself (scripture interprets scripture).
Principle #1: The Literal Interpretation Principle
We take the Bible at face value. We generally take everyday things in life as literal or at face value. This is a common sense approach. Even symbols and allegories in the Bible are based on the literal meaning of the scripture; thus the literal meaning is foundational to any symbolic or allegorical meaning.
The golden rule of interpretation is: “When the plain sense of the scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense.” Therefore, take every word at its primary, usual, meaning, unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and fundamental truths, clearly indicate otherwise.
Principle #2: The Contextual Principle
The word “text” is derived from the Latin word, which means to “weave.” The context is that which accompanies the text. The Word of God is a perfect unit. The scriptures cannot be broken; they all hang together, a perfect unity. We must look and consider the verses immediately before, after, and around the passage. We must consider the book of the Bible and the section of the Bible in which the passage occurs. The Bible must be interpreted within the framework of the Bible.
Principle #3: The Scripture Interprets Scripture Principle
We may rest assured that God did not reveal an important doctrine in a single, ambiguous passage. All essential doctrines are fully and clearly explained – either in the immediate context, or somewhere else in the Bible.
Principle #4: The Progressive Revelation Principle
The Word of God is to be understood from the Old Testament to the New Testament as a flower unfolding its petals to the morning sun. God initiated revelation, but He did not reveal His truths all at one time. It was a long and progressive process. As the saying goes, “The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.”
Principle #5: The Accommodation Principle
The Bible is to be interpreted in view of the fact that it is an accommodation of Divine truths to human minds: God the infinite communicating with man the finite.
Principle #6: The One Interpretation Principle
Every verse in the Bible has only one interpretation, although that verse may have many applications. The one correct interpretation is that which mirrors the intent of the inspired author.
Principle #7: The Harmony of Scripture Principle
No part of the Bible may be interpreted so as to contradict another part of the Bible. The Christian presupposes the inerrancy and harmony of Scripture as a necessary result of a perfect Creator God revealing Himself perfectly to Mankind.
Principle #8: The Genre Principle
Genre is a literary term having to do with the category or “genus” of literature under consideration. Proper interpretation must take the general literary category of any given passage into consideration. Are we dealing with poetry or prose? Are we dealing with history or prophecy? It is important that when we interpret the Word of God, we understand as much as possible the author’s intent.
Principle #9: The Grammatical Principle
The Bible was originally written in three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. While we have several highly accurate translations of the Bible in English, all translation involves a certain amount of interpretation on the part of the translator. Thus, the study of word meanings, grammar, and syntax of the original languages is important for a proper understanding of
Principle #10: The Historical Background Principle
The Bible was composed in a specific culture at a particular point in time. While they are universal in application, the truths in the Bible can most fully be realized only when taking the surrounding culture and history into account.
Sola scriptura means that Scripture alone is authoritative for the faith and practice of the Christian. The Bible is complete, authoritative, and true. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
perhaps because he realized that it might prove explosive if he announced it immediately. CN
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ESVN………….ESV Study Bible Notes
• MSBN…………..MacArthur NASB Study Notes
• NIVSN…………..NIV Study Notes.
• JVM …………..J Vernon McGee,
• ACC …………..Adam Clarke’s Commentary
• BN ……………..Barnes Notes
• WBC……………Wycliffe Bible Commentary
• CN …… ………..Constables Notes
• IC………………..Ironside Commentary
• NET……………..Net Bible Study Notes
• JFB……………….Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary
• VWS……………..Vincent Word Studies
• CMM……………..Commentary on Matthew and Mark
• BDB………….. ….Barclay’s Daily Study Bible (NT)
• Darby……………..John Darby’s Synopsis of the OT and NT
• Johnson…………..Johnson’s Notes on the New Testament.
• NTCMM…………The New Testament Commentary: Matthew and Mark
• EHS………………..Expositions of the Holy Scriptures
• CPP……………….The Complete Pulpit Commentary
• SBC………………..Sermon Bible Commentary
• K&D………………Keil and Deilitzsch Commentary on the OT
• EBC………………..Expositors Bible Commentary
• CBSC………………Cambridge Bible for Schools and College
• GC………………….Guzik Commentary
• RD………………… Robert Deffinbaugh
Gill……………………… John Gill Commentary
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