Daniel's Vision of Chapter 7

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Daniel’s Vision of Chapter 7 is from the Book of Daniel in the Bible.

One evening during the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylonia, Daniel had a vision that caused him great concern. He describes the vision and tells of the interpretation he was given by someone he talked to in the dream.

Contents

[edit] Literary structure

Arthur Ferch Th.D.[1] points out that the vision forms a chiasm.

A. First 3 beasts (4-6)
B. Fourth beast (7)
C. Little horn (8)
D. The Judgment (9, 10)
C'. Little horn (11a)
B'. Fourth beast (11b)
A'. First 3 beasts (12)

[edit] Dream

Daniel sees a great sea being whipped up by the four winds. Four beasts come out of the sea – 1) a lion with wings, 2) a bear with ribs in its mouth, 3) a leopard with four wings and four heads, and 4) a nondescript, but terrifying and powerful beast. Then the court of the Ancient of Days is held, books are opened and judgment pronounced in favor of the saints. The fourth remaining beast is destroyed. The “son of man” is given an everlasting dominion, which is then given over to the saints.

Daniel asks for an interpretation from someone in the dream and is told that the 4 beasts represent 4 kingdoms to appear on earth. The fourth beast and the horns especially intrigue Daniel. He is then told further interpretation about the 4th beast.

[edit] Synthesis of dream and interpretation

Parallel paraphrase of Dream and Interpretation. The text is arranged to read top-to-bottom, and parallel left-to-right. (Words in bold font indicate parallel phrases. Colors demarcate the different kingdoms.)
Parallel paraphrase of Dream and Interpretation. The text is arranged to read top-to-bottom, and parallel left-to-right. (Words in bold font indicate parallel phrases. Colors demarcate the different kingdoms.)

This is a synthesis of the dream and interpretation given to Daniel as illustrated in the paraphrased table.

First beast: A lion with eagle’s wings, has its wings torn off. It is then stood up on two feet and given a man’s heart.

Second beast: A bear, raised up on one side, has three ribs in its teeth. He is told to gorge himself of flesh.

Third beast: A leopard with four wings and four heads is given authority to rule.

Fourth beast: A terrifying, powerful, nondescript beast, unlike any other, crushes and devours the whole earth with its iron teeth—trampling it down. Ten kingdoms will come out of this kingdom. Then a different sort of horn uproots 3 of the former kingdoms. It boasts against the Most High trying to change set times and laws. He will oppress the saints for a time, times and half a time (or a year, two years, and half a year – 3.5 years)

After that time the Ancient of Days sets up court, opens the books and pronounces judgment in favor of the saint.

Then the 4th beast will have his power taken away and be destroyed in fire.

Then the ‘son of man’ comes in the clouds of heaven. The Ancient of Days gives him an everlasting dominion which he hands over to the saints. All rulers will worship and obey him.

[edit] Kingdoms

Unlike Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 2 where the head of Gold is identified as Nebuchadnezzar and Babylonia, none of the beasts is identified in this vision. Of the four beasts, only the 4th beast and its horn are interpreted.

While no beast is clearly identified in this interpretation, some Christian theologians ever since the second century have connected the eagle winged lion with Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonia, a matter still open to considerable debate.

One of the more popular interpretations of these four beasts (as well as the four metals that make up the statue of Nebuchadnezzar's vision) is that, in order from first to last (top to bottom of the statue) they are Babylonia, followed by the joint rule of the Medes and the Persians, followed by the Greeks,the Roman Empire, and the germanic tribes of Europe.

[edit] Principles of interpretation

Principles of interpretations are rules for interpreting Bible prophecies derived from the Bible by either direct explanation or derived from examples.

[edit] Beasts represent kingdoms

This principle comes from a direct explanation. An angel explains:

  • "The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth." verse 17.

This same principle is also found in Chapter 8.

[edit] Animal horns represent kings

This principle is derived from examples rather than by direct statement. The three examples are found by parallel paraphrase. The vision is put beside it's interpretation.

  • "and it had ten horns" (verse 7), "the ten horns are ten kings" (verse 24)
  • "there before me was another horn" (verse 8), "After them another king" (verse 24)
  • "three of the first horns were uprooted before it" (verse 8), "he will subdue three kings" (verse 24)

This same principle is also found in Chapter 8.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Ferch, Arthur J., 1988, Daniel on Solid Ground, Review and Herald Publishing Assoc., p. 27
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