The Weblog of Trenton & Nichole Adams

Daniel 7 – Commentary

Here I do a fairly in-depth commentary on Daniel 7.

1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters. 2Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. 3And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

Daniel 2:37-40 describes the four kingdoms upon the earth in more detail. It shows that Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom is the first beast.These are the four kingdoms of the earth since Daniel’s time.  I believe the first one is Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom, and the fourth is the last great kingdom upon the earth, which happens during the last days.

4The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.

As I was reading this, I realized how the first two beasts could be representative of Nebuchadnezzar and Alexander.  The first one is like a lion, with eagle’s wings that were plucked.  I believe the lion is representing the strength of Nebuchadnezzar.  If you’ve read Daniel, you’ll know that Nebuchadnezzar exalted himself, in Daniel 4:30, because of his great kingdom, and God abased him in v31-32.  He became like a beast of the field.  His wings were plucked so to speak, and the scripture even references him as growing hair like eagle’s feathers, in Daniel 4:33 (although circumstantial).

5And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

Alexander the Great’s kingdom was originally split into four. One of his four generals was defeated by the other three. See Alexander the great on wikipediaI believe that this next kingdom is talking about the kingdom of Alexander The Great. This would be the next major kingdom after Nebuchadnezzar.  Take note of the three ribs that were in support of the bear.  These three ribs were the three generals of Alexander the great.

6After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

This was probably the Roman Empire around the time of Yashua.

7After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

This fourth beast comes around the times of the end.  This seems clear because of Daniel 8:17.  Specifically, Daniel 8 is referencing the four little kingdoms.  These four little kingdoms are from the ten kingdoms, which come out of the fourth large kingdom upon the earth.  If this is hard to understand right now, don’t worry about it.  You will begin to see these things the more you study.  Also take note of the ten horns that this fourth beast has.  These are the same ten horns of Revelation 13:1.  Take note that the fourth beast stamps the residue with its feet, which essentially are the ten horns/toes referenced in Daniel chapter 2.

8I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Verse eight talks about the anti-Christ who speaks great things.  You will see more of this as we go.  So, I believe this fourth great kingdom to be the United States.  I believe these ten nations will be the European Union.  As I understand it, the EU is a group of ten core nations that are trying to establish a New World Order.  A person might think that this can’t be because it says the ten horns are out of that nation.  Well, the US is an ally to most of the European nations, and is really the economic center of the free world.  The US has to be taken out of power before this EU, or NWO comes into full play.

9I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

In verse nine above, Daniel says that the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit.  This is the judgment.  The anti-Christ’s kingdom is the last one on the earth, and came out of the fourth large kingdom referenced earlier.  Technically, as you’ll see in chapter eight, the anti-Christ’s kingdom doesn’t come directly out of the fourth large kingdom, but out of the four small kingdoms, which are of the ten kingdoms, which came out of the fourth large kingdom.  II Thessalonians 2:8 shows that the anti-Christ is destroyed at the brightness of His coming, as does Daniel 8:25.

11I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. 12As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. 13I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
 

We are changing things a little here, we’re about to be shown the interpretation of the dream.  After reading this last half of the chapter, read the whole thing again.  Then my comments above will make a lot more sense.

15I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. 17These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

This was the part that shows that the four beasts are four kingdoms.

18But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

This will be the thousand year reign, and beyond.

19Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; 20And 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, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

The last few scriptures are again talking about the anti-Christ’s kingdom.  This is his kingdom that comes out of the ten kingdoms which came out of the fourth large kingdom.

21I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

This horn that is making war with the saints is the anti-Christ.  This also lines up with Revelation 13:7.  This is talking about the saints, meaning we are still here at this time.

22Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

Now let’s take special note here.  In the comment for v9-10, I said that the anti-Christ is destroyed at the brightness of Yashua’s second coming, and that’s when the end is.  Above we have the person that Daniel is talking to describing this exact thing.  We can see this when we match it up with the sequence in v9-10.  We will also see more evidence of him being destroyed at the brightness of His coming, and how Daniel shows it as well.

23Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

Now he’s describing the kingdoms that Daniel saw.  Here he describes the four large kingdoms, the ten kingdoms of the last days, as referenced in Revelation 13:1.  In v25 we have him boasting again.  This is exactly what Paul talked about in II Thessalonians 2:3-4.  Now verse 25 is clearly talking specifically about the anti-Christ’s kingdom.  And we know his kingdom is just before the judgment.  Also take special note of the bolded part talking about the “time and times and the dividing of time”.  This is a time period, another time period, and a half of a time period.  I believe this is specifically talking about the last three and a half years of the tribulation.  v25 is also talked about in Daniel 11:36.

26But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 28Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.