11 Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. (4) Prophecies not completely fulfilled cannot be fully understood until after their fulfillment. The first of Daniel's four beasts is "like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle" ( Daniel 7:4 ). There is fairly strong inferential evidence that Nebuchadnezzar was represented by the first beast, the winged lion. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it. The interpretation of the events Daniel witnessed in his vision is given in its most concise form in verses 17 and 18: The four beasts were four kings, who will arise from the earth. What role do they play in relation to the four beasts? 8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:1-8). Jesus quoted the words of Daniel 7:13. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. International Standard Version so Daniel went to ask Nebuchadnezzar for an appointment to see him , and it was granted him so that he could reveal the meaning to the king. These were represented by the image of a statue. "He's home just in time for #gogglebox we are not on this week as Daniels been away . From an eternal perspective, the coming of Christ and His kingdom is but one coming. Daniels vision ends here, but its impact on him does not end. The other prophecies were revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar and interpreted by Daniel. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. There seems to be a close connection between the vision of Nebuchadnezzar, which is revealed and interpreted in chapter 2, and the vision of Daniel in chapter 7. Daniel 5 is an illustration and a prototype of what will happen in the end times, as described in the prophecy of Daniel 7. The final outcome is Gods people under the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, will receive the kingdom. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:1352, [4]LaHaye, Tim and Hindson, Ed., editors, The Popular Bible Prophecy Commentary. At least the final portion of chapter 7 has not been fulfilled. (6) Prophecy is written to sober the saints. He intends to make changes in time and in law. Daniel's prophecy was one of hope. He was at ease when he received the vision, and then he became fearful, and his mind alarmed him (4:4-5). 1. The prophecy of Daniel 7 nevertheless had great relevance and application to those in Daniels day. Considering this text has changed my opinion about the gap in the prophecies of the Old Testament. Because of this we can have a greater understanding of this dream than Daniel did. But here in chapter 7, as in Psalm 80:17, the son of man is more than just a man, He is the Messiah. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. 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. The first recorded vision comes to Daniel in the form of a night vision, like those of Nebuchadnezzar (2:1; 4:5) during the first year of the reign of Belshazzar. As the beast continues to boast, a second scene commences in Daniels vision, and for a period of time both scenes run simultaneously. During this ten-nation confederation another ruler will rise as described by the little horn. (2) Chapters 7 and 8, while written in different languages, are written during the reign of Belshazzar and somehow linked by the author in Daniel 8:1. As we shall show later, the content of the prophecy of Daniel 7 is very closely related to the reign of Belshazzar. 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. Where it has not caused distress, it should have. It not only bore witness to the conversion of this king, but encouraged all of the subjects of Babylonian rule to worship the God of Israel. But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come. (Daniel 7:1718, NASB95)[2] The four beasts that Daniel saw in his dream were four kings and represented the four kingdoms of these kings. Those who populate the earth after the tribulation will give their allegiance to Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. In a similar way, Belshazzar becomes blasphemous and is suddenly removed by God for his wickedness. He was chosen by God to speak to the Jews in Babylon and to show them God's future plans. Those who rejected the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of Man, would mourn when they saw Him returning in the clouds: And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30). Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. If, in Gods eyes, a day is as 1,000 years and 1,000 years as a day (2 Peter 3:8), then the coming of our Lord has only been a few days from beginning to end. 80 During my school teaching days, I tried to make my students think I had eyes in the back of my head so that no matter what they did--even if my back was turned--they could not escape my all-seeing eyes or my discipline. Generally, it is agreed that this beast represents the Babylonian empire and king Nebuchadnezzar in particular. It seems safe to assume the interpreter was an angelic being; at least this is the case in chapter 8 (8:15-26). Daniel 2:26-49 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. The kingdom of God would not be established in Daniels lifetime, nor in the life of those who returned to the land of Israel from their captivity. That dream was read as our Scripture reading this morning. Hearing this, Nebuchadnezzar affirms that Daniel's god is "the God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries". Does this dream have any significance for us? 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. (3) This chapter contains the major segment of Daniel, which is primarily prophetic, although it does not contain the first prophecy in the Book of Daniel. The saints must believe and behave according to what God has promised about the future the righteous will possess the kingdom of God forever. Daniel urged them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven, . Hosted by Michael Barbaro and Sabrina . The second scene portrays the establishment of the thrones on which the Ancient of Days and those holding court are to be seated to pronounce judgment. 13 And he performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. This part of Daniels dream is new information that was not conveyed in Nebuchadnezzars dream in chapter two. The other three are removed from power but allowed to live for some time after their removal (verse 12). We have already seen this phrase time, times, and half a time in Revelation. We do not walk by sight, but by faith. Abraham and Sarah were elderly and childless. 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. Other biblical prophecies bear on the prophecies of Daniel, particularly preceding or contemporary prophecies. ET. All of this is by divine design. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT Prophets: Daniel 2:16 Daniel went in and desired (Dan. That night his life and his kingdom came to an end. Verses 1-14 contain the vision which God gave to Daniel. In more detail, the outline would be as follows: (2) The Divine Interpretation verses 15-28. In the latter days, an unusually powerful and evil king will arise, who will blaspheme God and oppress the people of God. Those of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, and Darius all agree with the prophecy of Daniel 7. Eugene, Ore. : Harvest House Publishers, 2006, [5]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. Dwight Pentecost writes, The existence of the church in the present Age was nowhere revealed in the Old Testament. (1) Daniel 7 is the last chapter written in Aramaic in the Book of Daniel. How easily we turn from what is revealed to speculate about what has been concealed (see Deuteronomy 29:29). In the first scene, heavenly winds are employed to whip up the sea from which the four beasts emerges. The woman endures in the view of the final outcome of the process. In Ezekiel, and even in Daniel (8:17), it is used in reference to a prophet. Two weeks ago, after studying Revelation 13 and seeing how much it relates to Daniel 7 I decided we needed to go back and review Daniel 7 which we have not looked at since 2011. I also told you it corresponded to the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel chapter 2, but with more detail. Time: refers to one year, times is understood in Aramaic (the language this chapter was originally written in) to mean a dual or two, so times refers to two years and half a time refers to one half of a year. 9 I kept looking until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow, And the hair of His head like pure wool. Da Dn). Daniel 1:1-2:4a was written in Hebrew. The second time, the expression is used in reference to Daniel himself, as it will be used very frequently in Ezekiel to refer to this great prophet: So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face; but he said to me, Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end (Daniel 8:17). The expression is used in the Psalms in a more pregnant way, in reference to the coming Messiah. When the sin and oppression of evil men reaches a predetermined point, God will remove them and establish His promised eternal kingdom. His vision in chapter 4 should have produced more distress than it did. 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. 15 And there was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast might even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed (Revelation 13:4, 11-15). First, the prophecies of Daniel are divinely inspired and revealed, and thus they are true and reliable. The ten horns, Daniel is told, represent ten kings who will emerge out of the fourth kingdom. Both series of four kingdoms begin well and end badly. 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. A person should not take credit for what God does through him. In the Psalms and also in Daniel 7, the expression Son of Man begins to take on a more technical meaning, referring to the Messiah, who will sit on the throne of His father, David, to rule over men forever. He is more beastly in the beginning and more human in the end, paralleling the character of Nebuchadnezzar. (13) In some sense, the last kingdom is still on-going. In his vision, Daniel observed the sea being stirred up into a raging storm by the four winds of heaven. This signifies that the events which follow have been ordained by God. They will serve and obey Him forever. If a man cannot remember the dream he saw (it means): his (personal) god is angry with him. According to our text, the prophecies of Daniel 7 will not be fulfilled for a considerable period of time. Child-bearing is a process which involves suffering and glory. Each beast has its own unique characteristics. 9:1; 12:1, AV, RV), and the book of Daniel insists here and in subsequent chapters (8:27; 10:1, 10, 11, 15, 18) on the anxiety and psychological turmoil involved in receiving, even at Gods hand, understanding of the future course of history. Joyce C. Baldwin, Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1978), p. 143. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. We know from history that though Persia rose later than Media it soon overshadowed Media in its power. But later on two came forward, 61 and said, This man stated, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days. 62 And the high priest stood up and said to Him, Do You make no answer? (12) No distinction between the first coming of Christ and the second is made in the coming of the eternal kingdom of God. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:89, NASB95)[7] You have a responsibility because you know what the end will bring. He surpasses those before him by speaking boastfully, then blaspheming, and finally seeking to overthrow Gods order. Daniel does not date this dream as he did the earlier dream (cf. The emphasis of this brief interpretation falls not on the enemies of God, their power, their brutality, nor their boasting, but on the kingdom of God, its certainty and its permanence for all the saints forever. In verse 1 Daniel indicates his vision came to him in the first year of the reign of Belshazzar. Lion - Babylon. (10) What effect did the vision have on Daniel, and why? As I read through the statements men have made about the God of Israel in the first six chapters of Daniel, I find that what men came to know and to acknowledge through history, God declares through prophecy. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, [6]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. Chapter 2. Remember he had seen the innumerable host of angels attending the Ancient of Days. As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. The reign of Belshazzar was, in some measure, a foretaste of what was yet to come in full measure during the reign of the fourth beast, especially of the eleventh horn. In His response to the demand of the high priest, Jesus directly claimed to be the promised Messiah. 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. God is eternal, and so is His plan for all creation. What God says, He will do. The fact that wicked men will prosper and prevail and that the righteous will suffer is hardly pleasant news. The vision recorded in chapter 8 took place in the third year of Belshazzar. If Daniel had been shaken by the dark side of his vision, he is reminded in the interpretation of the outcome of these eventsthe establish- ment of Gods eternal kingdom. Daniel uses the expression Son of man twice. Suffering is an inseparable part of the process which leads to glory. God will establish His kingdom, and that kingdom, unlike the kingdoms of men, is eternal. Alexander the great and his armies did conquer the nations that became a part of his empire swiftly. The seriousness of the prophetic truth personally affected Daniel, motivating godly fear and self-examination. I encourage you to compare the statements of Daniel 2:21-22, 44, 47; 4:3, 34-35, 37; 6:26 with the content and declarations of Daniel 7. Consider the birth of a child, remembering that Gods deliverance and salvation is likened to birth. These both represent Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian empire. It should give you a caring heart toward the unsaved as you seek to win them to the Lord. 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. Prophecy is necessary then so that men are reassured of divine deliverance and blessing, as well as divine judgment (see 2 Peter 2:4-9). God also allows the wicked to persist and even to prosper, so that those whom He has chosen might be saved (Romans 9:22-24). However, the Son of Man must first suffer at the hands of men (17:22; 20:18). 4 The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. We are not told precisely what it is that troubles Daniel. And yet God said they would. The subject of the vision in chapter 2 seems to be taken up again in chapter 7. (1) The Book of Daniel is a part of the Holy Scriptures, and thus inspired, accurate, and trustworthy. to revoke its approval of the two main drugs used for medication abortion in the United States. 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. The other seven will then likely submit out of fear or a sense of the unavoidable consequences of resisting represented by this little horn growing larger than the seven. Second, the prophecies of Daniel are to be understood in the light of the entire Book of Daniel, of the Old Testament, and of the Bible as a whole. He will persecute and oppress the saints of the Highest One, the angel says that he will wear them down; the idea comes from the concept of wearing out a garment until it is threadbare. They surely knew this text to be messianic, but they had always applied it to the Gentiles. Prophecy reveals that which we would not and could not expect apart from divine revelation. The transfiguration of our Lord was but a foretaste of His coming glorious kingdom (16:28). The lesson was prepared for older students. In Daniels dream the Medo-Persian empire and it king Cyrus was represented by the bear. So, this phrase refers to 3 years. Not only was he greatly alarmed and physically sick, but he says he also kept the matter to himself. At this point the revelation ended. But I want you to notice Daniels reaction to the dream that he had. We dare not ignore that which is revealed nor do we dare go too far afield in speculating about what is concealed (see Deuteronomy 29:29; 1 Timothy 1:4; 2 Timothy 2:23). 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). God would strike him down in the moment of His choosing to silence him once and for all and put an end to his kingdom. Daniel 2:1-23 - The King's Dream (Pastor Nate Wagner) A. Nebuchadnezzar's dream. In the first use of this expression, being a son of man was contrasted with being God: God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Nebuchadnezzar's dream, Daniel tells him, was about a statue with a golden head, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, and legs of iron, which is crushed by a giant stone, which itself becomes a mountain (vv. Daniel is greatly distressed by the vision which he sees in chapter 7. I approached one of those who were standing by and began asking him the exact meaning of all this. Verse 17. A night vision is given to king Nebuchadnezzar, apparently early in his reign as king of Babylon. Suffering and glory are a part of one work. His mouth is used to speak boastfully. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him." (2:14-16) Notice Daniel's calm in the face of the king's rush to judgment. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed. (8) Is there any relationship between Nebuchadnezzars dream in chapter 2 and Daniels dream in chapter 7? He staying the decree is brought to the king. Daniel still dreaming said he approached one of those standing there. Nebuchadnezzar became distressed when he received his first night vision (2:1) because he did understand some of his dream. This designation refers to God the Father in a way that stresses His eternality, dignity, and power. 18 But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come. 19 Then I desired to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet, 20 and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three of them fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts, and which was larger in appearance than its associates. Interpretations of Daniels prophecies differ widely. His mind was troubled. The dream vortex dies with her, and Rose awakens with her brother, Jed, sleeping next to her. As the saints suffer at the hands of the wicked, it may appear all hope is lost. 8 And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, every one whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. In the context of the coming of His kingdom and the suffering and trials which precede it, soberness is a vitally important quality which prophecy promotes: 1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. See John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 149. 18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so . Prophecy is necessary because Gods thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways. The angel says the Antichrist will seek to make alterations in times and in law. It would be but a very few years until Cyrus would come to power and assist the Jews to return to Jerusalem and the land of Israel. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him." Each of the four beasts represent a king and thus a resulting kingdom. Children need to know that as believers, we are on the winning team and God wins in the end. Are we supposed to discover their identity? (3) These prophecies must be understood in light of their historical background as provided in Daniel, in the inspired revelation provided by other portions of Scripture, and the cautious use of supplementary information by reliable historical documents or study. In Daniels dream the Roman empire was represented by such a terrible beast that Daniel could name no animal which fit its description. 7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, [2]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. This chapter is a history, but it is the history of a prophecy, by a dream and the interpretation . 5. King Nebuchadnezzar died apparently nine years before Belshazzar came to power. (Numbers 23:19). 1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans 2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy Nebuchadnezzar was the first ruler of Babylon to have contact with Daniel. Nothing has caused him to panic or depart from his faith and practice as a godly Jew. When we expect it least, the Lord will return, the wicked will be punished, and the kingdom of God established forevermore. in 1971. What so upset Daniel about the future? The account of the writing on the wall and the death of Belshazzar (obviously the last year of his reign) is found in Daniel 5. This is describing an event that has never happened in the history of the world and is yet future. These kingdoms go from bad to worse. Alexander the Great's empire and its divisions after his death were predicted long in advance in Daniel 11. While conservative, evangelical scholars believe the prophecies in Daniel are true, their interpretations differ greatly. The scene of the four beasts arising from the sea, which Daniel saw in his night vision, is strikingly similar to the account found in the 13th chapter of Revelation: 1 And he stood on the sand of the seashore, and I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. Part of the dream seemed good, and part of it seemed bad. (9) What is the relationship between Daniels vision in chapter 7 and the events described in Daniel 5? As Daniel sought to discover more truth about the fourth beast he added some details that he had left out of his first description. The statue represented the kingdoms of the earth. This is represented by the four heads on Daniels leopard beast. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 states, For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:910, NASB95)[6] Finally, the more we know about the future, the more our hearts should be moved to prayerful petition for those who will face the judgment of God if they do not turn in faith to Jesus Christ. 8 While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth uttering great boasts. That was bad enough, from the religious leaders perspective, but the way in which He answered them was the last straw. Daniel was not satisfied with just a summary of his dream, especially of the fourth beast that was so different than the other three, he wanted more detail. (1) It follows the narrative concerning Mishael, Hananiah and Azariah in the matter of Nebuchadnezzar's golden image (Daniel 3). In fact, Daniel has trouble interpreting some of his own dreams. 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 winged lion was a symbol of Babylon, in any history museum that has a Babylonian section you will find artifacts of a winged lion. (7) Prophecy is revealed, not to give us the particulars of things to come, but to change our perspective. So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. The statue has four parts; there are four beasts. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were greatly alarming me and my face grew pale, but I kept the matter to myself (verse 28). Who are these saints that the angel is speaking of? (10) Daniels preoccupation is with the last beast, rather than the first three. Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. We are not to base our thinking and actions on circumstances, but upon the Scriptures. 2 Daniel said, I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. Old Testament Jews would likely regard the reference to the Son of Man in Daniel 7 as a reference to the Messiah, although they would probably not understand Him to be both divine and human. The saints (believing Jews when Christ return to earth) will enjoy the kingdom, the fulfillment of Gods promise to Israel.[3] The Popular Bible Prophecy Commentary states that these saints might also include the resurrected Old Testament saints, the martyred tribulation saints, and the tribulation saints who survive the tribulation. 3 And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. He will rule over all nations forever. 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 kings boasting turns to blasphemy. Consequently, it is little wonder that in the events recorded in Daniel 5, Belshazzar was ignorant of Daniel and the abilities God had given him.

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