Here is a man that has faithfully walked with his God his whole life. We are in harmony with God when our declarations conform to his. There is fairly strong inferential evidence that Nebuchadnezzar was represented by the first beast, the winged lion. This angel, beginning in the second half of verse 23 is describing the revived Roman empire which is yet future. This is what we need to know from Daniels vision, rather than the identity of the beasts. 27 Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. During times of oppression, it may appear the saints are being defeated and that Gods kingdom is but wishful thinking. 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. 13 I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.77 14 And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations, and men of every language Might serve Him. - As for these four children, God gave them knewledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.Or, as the words might be more accurately rendered, "these lads, the four of them" (Ezekiel 1:8-10).This indicates that somehow they were separated off into a quaternion. They believed that the Messiah would come to establish the kingdom, to bless the Jews and to condemn the Gentiles. Having related the dream, Daniel then interprets it: it concerns four successive kingdoms, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar, which will be replaced by the everlasting kingdom of the God of heaven. 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. JPS Tanakh 1917 I believe some in Babylon, like their king, came to a genuine faith in God. 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. No wonder interpreters differ about the details. Daniel is greatly distressed by the vision which he sees in chapter 7. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were greatly alarming me and my face grew pale, but I kept the matter to myself.. 5. (6) Prophecy is written to sober the saints. Belshazzars rise to power and ascent to the throne seems to have inaugurated a new age for Babylon. 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. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT Prophets: Daniel 2:16 Daniel went in and desired (Dan. 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. Before the coming of Christ, who would? And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. It is at this time that all human kingdoms will become subject to God and to the saints in the eternal kingdom, which the Son of Man will establish when He comes to the earth to judge and to rule. Nebuchadnezzar died in 562 B.C., some 9 years before Belshazzars reign began. While God tells neither Daniel nor us that this beast represents Nebuchadnezzar, He does reveal that the head of gold in the vision of the great statue was Nebuchadnezzar (2:36-38). We have talked about several times since starting this series about how studying Bible prophecy should influence you. Consider these lessons as we conclude. Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. In Daniel's dream the Medo-Persian empire and it king Cyrus was represented by the bear. Centuries must therefore pass before the prophecies of Daniel are fulfilled. 2 Daniel said, I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. How was the fourth beast different from the first three? The subject of the vision in chapter 2 seems to be taken up again in chapter 7. This little horn is more intelligent and more arrogant than the other horns. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation. 7 After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. Because of his wisdom, and the favour of God, Daniel rose to a position within the Babylonian government. The only human things mentioned of the fourth beast are his eyes and his mouth. With iron-like teeth, horns (some with eyes), and feet, it is utterly destructive. These were represented by the image of a statue. (10) Daniels preoccupation is with the last beast, rather than the first three. God grants this king success and his saints suffering, but only for an appointed time. We need to be waiting and prepared for His return. This designation refers to God the Father in a way that stresses His eternality, dignity, and power. Hosted by Michael Barbaro and Sabrina . The first beast was lion-like, with wings like that of an eagle.79 Its wings were plucked from it; if this happened in mid-air, he must have plummeted to the ground. Choosing his words tactfully, Daniel asks Arioch why the king has made such a decree. 4:19; Ezk. The angel told Daniel that at the end of those three and a half years the court would sit for judgment and the dominion (a word in Aramaic that means kingdom or empire and the citizens or subjects of that empire) would be taken away from the Antichrist, and the Antichrist and his followers will be annihilated and destroyed forever. Daniel obtaining some respite finds the dream. So the king spoke, and said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you." Many others may have reluctantly professed or actually adopted the Jewish religion. King Nebuchadnezzar died apparently nine years before Belshazzar came to power. The chapter falls into two major parts. Prophecy reveals that which we would not and could not expect apart from divine revelation. 26 But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. In Gods economy, things are not what they appear to be. Who is the Son of Man? 2 Peter 3:8-9, But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. A revelation from God in his sleep discloses future events which Daniel finds most troubling. Chapter 9, on the other hand, has a historical account of Daniels study of Jeremiah and of his prayers of repentance and petition for Israels restoration and return to the land of promise. 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. In his vision, the statue collapsed and disappeared, because a mysterious stone struck it at its feet. Yet Gods covenant to David (2 Samuel 7:16; Psalm 89:14) stands and will ultimately be fulfilled. Until Gods eternal kingdom is established, kingdoms will progress from bad to worse. Daniel was given several prophetic dreams & visions; and in the seventh chapter of his writings, he records his dream of the Four Beasts, and the interpretation thereof given by an angel.This vision demonstrates the succession of kingdoms and is the very framework of all prophesy regarding the violent opposition against the Kingdom of God - waged by the Kingdom of Satan, who is allowed to . First, the prophecies of Daniel are divinely inspired and revealed, and thus they are true and reliable. The distance in time of the fulfillment of Daniel 7 said something very important to the captive Jews of Daniels day. 9 If any one has an ear, let him hear. (9) The interpretation of Daniels vision comes in two parts, beginning with a general interpretation and then a more specific one based on Daniels questions. Rather than publish what he had learned he kept it to himself, until that time that the Holy Spirit guided him to write down and reveal what he had learned to the saints. (2) While the timing of the fulfillment of divine prophecy may seem remote to the recipient, it still has relevance for him. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. The fourth beast is a fourth king, different than the others. Alexandra, the daughter of a rich British aristocrat, caught his attention. Suffering and glory are a part of one work. Daniel (Daniel 2; 4): As He had done for Joseph, God placed Daniel in a position of power and influence by allowing him to interpret a foreign ruler's dream. Encouraged to do so, it savagely devours. Before the kingdom of God is established on the earth, four earthly kingdoms will rise and fall. He would, after His death, burial, and resurrection come in His glory, rewarding men according to their deeds (16:27). Then the saints will receive the kingdom which will never end. Remember he had seen the innumerable host of angels attending the Ancient of Days. Daniel 2:1-13 - Nebuchadnezzar's Dream. 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. He intends to make changes in time and in law. Daniel's righteousness is legendary status Don't mistake Daniel as some conjurer of cheap tricks. He will abolish all the religious holidays and seek to abolish Gods law in an attempt to destroy the Jewish people. Dan 2:1-4 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. 7 And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. Not only was he greatly alarmed and physically sick, but he says he also kept the matter to himself. With the death of Nebuchadnezzar comes a change in the peoples attitudes, especially their leaders toward Judaism. Thirdly (and most importantly), the prophecies of Daniel mean exactly what God says they mean, nothing more and nothing less. 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. May the Spirit of God reveal the meaning of this prophecy to us and produce in us that which God desires to His glory and our good. What it does not destroy or consume with its teeth, it crushes under foot, much like a bull in a china shop. Should we be troubled as well? In chapter 2 we read that Nebuchadnezzar was troubled and terrified by his dream, we read here in verse 15 that Daniel was distressed in his spirit because he knew that God had just shown him a panorama of tremendous events yet future and Daniels distress was his lack of understanding his dream. Rome did conquer much of the known world, but it never conquered the whole world as this is describing. (1) Prophecy is necessary because God has chosen to settle His accounts with men slowly. Suddenly, the boasting beast is silenced by death, and his body is cast into the burning fire. 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. Prophecy is revealed to men to change their perspective, to urge them to see things as God sees them rather than as they appear to the human eye. Daniel went at once and obtained royal permission for more time, so that he could tell the king what the dream meant. In the second scene, heaven calmly prepares for court, which will determine that the time for judgment has come. [1]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. It may seem to them that their defeat is certain and that their hopes of entering into the eternal kingdom are lost. The beast was lifted up and made to stand like a man. With the commencement of Belshazzars co-regency may have come not only a rejection of the Jewish faith and worship, but a new wave of persecution directed toward 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. Note that the description of the beasts is written in prose, while the description of the heavenly court in verses 9-10 and of the Son of Man in verses 13-14 is written in poetry form. (1) The troubling dream. 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. In other words, this persecution of the saints will not go on unchecked but will be defined to a definite period of time. 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