DANIEL 7

INTRODUCTION:

1. The first six chapters of Daniel are mainly historical (though chapter 2 does deal with the future revived Roman empire, the second coming of Christ, and the establishment of the millennial kingdom).
2. Daniel 7-12 are strictly prophetic. Daniel 2 & 7 should be studied together. In chapter 2, King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of four different metals – gold (Babylon), silver (Media-Persia), brass (Greece), and iron (Rome).
3. Now in chapter 7, we have Daniel’s vision of "four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another" (7:3). These four beasts, the lion (Babylon), the bear (Media-Persia), the leopard (Greece), and "the fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly" (Rome), correspond to the four metals in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
4. In King Nebuchadnezzar’s vision of the "great image," the outward splendor and glory of the great world kingdoms was demonstrated. This fascinated worldly King Nebuchadnezzar.
5. But in Daniel’s vision, God allowed him to see the inward character and true nature of these kingdoms – i.e. like wild, carnivorous beasts, destructive and deadly.
6. Daniel’s dream and visions in chapters 7 and 8 occurred during the reign of King Belshazzar (7:1), before the Medes and Persians overthrew his kingdom.

BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE:

1. The Roman Empire never consisted of a ten-nation confederacy in past history. Therefore, Daniel 2 & 7 as well as Rev.17, and other prophetic Scriptures must be still future.
2. Rome fell in AD 476.
3. In 800 the pope crowned Charlemagne "Emperor of the Romans." He died in 814.
4. The German Otto the Great revived the Roman Empire and called it "the Holy Roman Empire" (962-1806).
5. Napoleon ended the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 and attempted his own "United States of Europe" until Waterloo ended that in 1815.
6. Bismarck launched the "Second Reich" in 1870.
7. The emperor of the Second Reich, Wilhelm I was given the title Kaiser, which is German for "Caesar." The Second Reich ended when the Germans surrendered to the Allied Forces in 1918, at the end of WWI.
8. Mussolini organized the Fascists after ancient Rome. He was a socialist, a brutal dictator, and a devout Roman Catholic.
9. Before and after WWII, leading statesmen such as Winston Churchill and President Harry Truman were pushing for a unified Europe.
10. The "European Movement" led to the European Coal and Steel Community, which led to the European Economic Community, aka the European Common Market.
11. Today the united states of Europe – the revived Roman Empire – is a reality. There are no more passports, customs, tariffs, and other national barriers. Soon a united currency will go into effect. Each country has voluntarily given up its sovereignty.
12. Can America be far behind? Where do we fit in?

7:1 This would be about 553 BC. King Nebuchadnezzar has been dead about nine years.

7:2,3 There is a lot of imagery and symbolism in these final six chapters, but it is not too difficult to interpret. "The great sea" (7:2; "the sea" – 7:3) could be the Mediterranean Sea, or it could be a reference to the nations (cf. Rev.17:1,15; Scofield’s notes, p. 909, bottom). In the Bible, prophets use animals to represent kingdoms and nations (cf. Ezek.29:3-5; 32:2). This is still done today. For example, the lion represents Great Britain, the eagle represents the USA, etc.

7:4 This lion represents Babylon. Statues of winged lions have been recovered from the ruins of ancient Babylon (cf. Jer.4:7; 49:19,22; 50:17,43,44; Lam.4:19; Ezek.17:3; Hab.1:8). This first great beast corresponds with the "head of gold" (Dan.2:31-38).

7:5 The bear represents Medo-Persia. "Three ribs in the mouth of it…" – cf. Scofield margin.

7:6 The leopard represents Greece. The "four heads" symbolizes Alexander the Great’s four generals who divided up his kingdom after his death (cf. Dan.8:20-22).

7:7 Rome is the fourth beast, "dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly." The Roman Empire was ruthless in its destruction of civilization and peoples, killing captives by the thousands. The ten horns represent the revived Roman Empire (cf. Dan.2:40-43; Rev.13:1-18; 17:3,7,12).

7:8 The "little horn" is the antichrist, and the context places his emergence right before the second coming of Christ (cf. 7:9-14).

7:9,10 Just like John on the isle of Patmos, Daniel had a vision of heaven (cf. Rev.4,5).

7:11 Also, like John and Paul, Daniel prophetically saw the destruction of the antichrist (cf. Rev.19:20; II Thess.2:8).

7:12 The destruction of the first three beasts is not stated directly in this chapter – they continue to survive in another form in the kingdom which replaces them (cf. Rev.13:1,2).

7:13,14 cf. Rev.19-21

7:15-17 Daniel is told by "one of them that stood by" (probably Gabriel; cf. 8:16; 9:21) that the four great beasts are "four kings which shall arise out of the earth."

7:18 "Saints" = saints of all ages (cf. Scofield margin).

7:19 Rome (cf. 7:23; 2:40-43).

7:20 Antichrist (little horn – 7:8).

7:21 "The same horn" is the "little horn," the antichrist. "The saints" refers to the tribulation saints (cf. Rev.13:7).

7:22 "The Ancient of days" = God the Father (cf. 7:9,13); called "most High" (7:18,25,27).

7:23 The sphere of the fourth beast, Rome, was limited. But the revived Roman Empire will be world-wide (cf. Rev.13:7). This prophecy anticipates a coming one-world government under the antichrist, who will be a world-wide dictator.

7:24 The angel now interprets the meaning of the ten horns, stating that they "are ten kings that shall arise" out of the revived Roman Empire. Sometime after the rise of the ten horns, "another shall rise after them…" (the antichrist). "And he shall subdue three kings," i.e. he will bring three of the ten nations under his control in his initial rise to power.

7:25 He will blatantly oppose God’s authority (cf. II Thess.2:4; Rev.13:6). It is impossible to study Daniel without studying Revelation.

1. There is the symbolism of the lion, bear, and leopard (Dan.7:4-6; cf. Rev.13:2). Cf. Scofield, bottom of p. 1341.
2. The development of the antichrist system which is opposed to God. We are seeing this today in the leadership of our country, the UN, etc. (Dan.7:25; cf. Rev.13:1,6; 17:3).
3. The symbolism of the ten horns (Dan.7:7b,20,24; cf. Rev.13:1; 17:3,12,16).
4. The antichrist persecuting the saints (Dan.7:25; cf. Rev.13:7; 17:6; 18:24).
5. The three and a half year reign of terror of the antichrist (Dan.7:25; 9:27; 12:7; cf. Rev.11:2,3; 12:6,14; 13:5). This is known as "the great tribulation" (cf. Matt.24:15-22).

7:25 The antichrist will "think to change times and laws." Already there is a concerted effort by wicked men (primarily Jews but some Gentiles too) to change our calendar and do away with "AD & BC." This is a blatant attack on the Lord Jesus Christ. They are busy removing all religious observances (replace Christ with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, replace Thanksgiving with football, etc.), especially in the public school system. During the French Revolution, attempts were made to establish a 10 day work week.

7:26 God will convene His court and "the judgment shall sit" (cf. 7:10). The antichrist will be destroyed at the second coming of Christ (cf. 7:11; II Thess.2:8; Rev.19:19,20).

7:27 After 1,000 years, the Messianic kingdom will continue on throughout eternity (cf. Dan.4:34; 6:26; 7:14).

7:28 This panoramic view of future events was so awesome to Daniel that he was deeply moved and troubled. He did not discuss it with anyone but "kept the matter" in his heart.