STUDIES IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL.

November 12, 2021

DANIEL’S VISION OF THE FOUR BEASTS. DAN. 7:1-28

“This chapter combined with the 9th, in his subject matter as well as its position is the central part of this book, is to the book of Daniel what the eight chapter of Romans is to the epistles. Next to the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, we have here the most precious and prominent of the sure word of prophecy concerning the coming of the Messiah… It is referred to directly and indirectly by Christ and His Apostle. Perhaps more than any other portions of the OT of similar extent…” (Homiletical commentary)

Text: Dan. 7:7-8, 19-21, 23-26 “Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others…whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in piece…  And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes…The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth…And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them…and he shall subdue three kings.  And he shall speak great words… and shall wear out the saints of the most High…and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time…But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end”

  1. The legs in Dan. 2:40 and the terrifying fourth beast Dan. 7:7 is Roman Empire (146 B.C.- A.D. 1476 in the west and A.D. 1453 in the East) “It was different not only in republican form of government, but also in power, greatness, extent of dominion, and length of duration” Dakes
  2. “The “ten horns” upon the fourth beast (Roman empire), v. 7, are declared to be “ten kings that shall arise” (v. 24) answering to the ten toes of the image vision of Dan. 2. The ten kingdoms, covering the regions formerly ruled by Rome, will constitute, therefore, the form in which the fourth or Roman empire will exist when the whole fabric of Gentile world-domination is smitten by the “stone cut out without hands” = Christ (Dan. 2:44, 45; 7:9).” Scofield
  3. The ten kingdoms are of the future and will rule at the same time with the beast. Rev. 17:12. The ten will have the same mind, that is the same constitution, and they will give their power and strength to the beast-The ‘little horn’ Rev. 17:13 It should be understood that the old Roman Empire territory will produce these ten powerful kingdoms.  There is no more barriers between the east and the west again since the end of the Berlin wall, even in the recent times, the West Roman Catholic Church and the East Orthodox Church are closing/have closed ranks.
  4. Dan. 7:7-9. The “little horn”  that will be after the 10 kingdoms are formed inside the old Roman Empire territory. Dan. 7:23-24, Rev. 17:9-13.
  5.  The prince that shall come. Dan. 9:26-27. He is also called “the man of sin” “the son of perdition” and the “wicked one” in 2Thess. 2:1-12. He is the beast Dan. 7:11, Rev. 13:3-5
  6. He is a man Rev. 13:18; 2Thess. 2:3. at present he is unknown, he will not come on the scene until after the rapture of the Church, 2Thess. 2:7-8.
  7. This one in Dan. 7: 7-9 is different from the “little horn” of Dan. 8:23-25 – ANTIOCHUS IV of Dan. 8:23-25 cf. vs. 9-13, Dan. 11:21-35, from 175-163 B.C. who brutally tramped and persecuted the Jewish people from 170-163 B.C. He blasphemously presented himself as the prince of the host, stopping daily sacrifice and defiling the holy temple in Jerusalem (167 B.C). Details of that will come in Dan. 8