LESSONS FROM DANIEL, # 7
Chronological order of chapters: 1,2,3,4, 7,8, 5,6, 9,10,11,12
First six chapters: historical in nature, directed to the pagan rulers of that time.
Last six chapters: prophetic in nature, directed to the exiled people of God, that their hope might be based on God’s promises concerning the messianic kingdom to come.
This dream parallel in content to Nebuchadnez-zar’s dream of chap. 2.
Modernists deny miracles (prophecy); claim that Daniel wrote history, not prophecy.
Premillennialists affirm that this dream (and that of chap. 2) has to do with what Jesus in Lk. 21:24 calls “the times of the Gentiles”, and apply the term to the time between the destruction of Jeru-salem (586 BC) and the second coming of Christ!
The context of Lk. 21:24 shows that Jesus has in mind the time in God’s mind in which Rome will completely destroy Jerusalem, AD 70, (without implying that immediately thereafter something else would happen, such as Christ's 2nd Coming)
7:1-8, v.1, 553 BC, if Daniel isn’t lying! Modern-ists deny this.
Did Jesus consider Daniel a liar? (Mt. 24:15, When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet….)
“had a dream / wrote / told” (before fulfillment) = prophecy, not history! (not dreamed, much later told & wrote, after fulfillment)
v.2, winds (invisible) = God. His sovereignty at work to develop four world empires.
great sea = turbulence among empires of the world.
v.3, beasts = cruelty of worldly empires seeking control. The same four empires as in chap. 2.
v.4, lion = Babylon, fierce & rapid (wings) in con-quests. “A man’s heart” = Nebuchadnezzar is humbled. Aggressiveness and conquest cease.
v.5, bear = Medo-Persia (8:20), powerful, great appetite (greater conquest--even to Greece). Three ribs = Babylon + Asia Minor + Egypt.
v. 6, leopard = Greece (Alexander the Great). 334 BC--323 BC, to India; died in Babylon,age 33
Four wings = four generals: Cassander (Greece)Lysimachus (Thrace, Asia Minor), Seleucus I (Ba-bylon, Syria), Ptolemy I Soter (Egypt, Palestine).
“dominion was given to it” = God in control!
v.7, “fourth beast terrible, strong” = persecuting Roman Empire (same as in Rev. 13:1-8).
“Ten horns” = probably 10 emperors, from Augustus to Titus.
v.8, “another little horn” = Domitian, brother of Titus. Ruled 86-96 AD, persecuted Christians!
“eyes of a man” = human,claiming deity, blas-phemes. (Rev.13:18, “666” = incomplete, failure).
Domitian fits this description the best. He de-manded worship while he yet lived!
7:9-12, v.9, “thrones” (plurality = majesty, power).
God (white raiment = holy, hair like wool = wise, fiery throne = irresistible) judges!
v.10, fiery stream = purification; iniquity can’t prevail. Many thousands before him = fully as-sisted to carry out his work. Books opened = all recorded, nothing forgotten, God knows!
v.11, (v.8, blasphemes). Rome destroyed (not “restructured Rome”, per the Premillennialists).
v.12, The previous three empires still “live” in the fourth (Rome).
7:13,14, v.13, “with the clouds of heaven” = glori-ous coming of deity (the beasts from the sea).
The ascension of Christ (Acts 1:9-11).
“like unto a son of man”’= humanity of Christ.
Comes TO God, not from God; ascension, not second coming “to earth”, per Premillennialists!
v.14, Upon his ascension to heaven, Christ given glory (1 Ped. 1:21, “God, that raised him from the dead and gave him glory”).
Christ received a kingdom! He reigns NOW!
Lk. 19:12,15, A certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return … when he was come back again, having received the kingdom.”…
Mk. 9:1, There are some here of them that stand [by], who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God come with power.
Col. 1:13, who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated (past tense!) us into the kingdom of the Son of his love.
1 Cor. 15:23-25, But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming. 24 Then [cometh] the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet.
Christ reigns now! At his coming, the end, not the beginning of a 1000 year something!
Premillennialists deny the existence today of the kingdom. J.W.’s claim that it wasn’t establish-ed until 1914 AD.
Heb. 9:27,28, And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this [cometh] judgment; 28 so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation.
Men die, then the Judgment. So, Christ to re-turn and then a thousand-year reign on earth? No, then eternal salvation for those who wait for him!
Eternal kingdom for all! Consolation! Satan lies!
v.15, Daniel expected restoration for Israel, but much persecution lies ahead.
v.16, Daniel doesn’t understand; an angel ex-plains (vv. 17,18).
v.17, four kings (v.23, kingdoms). “the earth” = scene of action / worldly wisdom.
v.18, Victory over all opposition (persecution) guaranteed. The persecuted will be vindicated! (Rome, long gone; the kingdom/church still here!)
v.19, Daniel seeks further comprehension about Rome (Dan. chap. 2; Rev. chap. 13).
v.20, Daniel’s added reason why he seeks infor-mation about this fourth beast.
v.21, saints suffer: Acts 14:22, through many tri-bulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.
“prevailed against them”= Domitian’s temporary victory. (But the invincible one will be conquered).
v.22, “came” = God demonstrates his sovereign-ty, destroying Rome’s persecution (313 AD, edict of Milan, Constantine, civil rights to Christians).
“possessed” = their vindication. (Nothing here about “establishment” of the kingdom).
7:23-28, v.23,24, Rome, time of primitive church
v.25, Domitian arrogated authority as if God. His rule over the saints will be incomplete (3 and a half times; seven = complete).
The Messianic kingdom to be established in the days of the fourth empire -- to be persecuted by it -- but said empire will be destroyed!
v.26, God’s public demonstration of the church’s enemy. Domitian was assassinated; the senate denounced him, ordered his images destroyed. He who appeared unconquerable, is destroyed.
v.27, the glorious, majestic kingdom belongs, not to the Roman Empire, but to the saints!
Chap. 7 speaks of victory. Persecution tries the faith of the saints for their eternal good.
It is an honor to suffer for Christ (crucified by the Romans!). Acts 5:41, They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.
v.28, The matter revealing the four empires ends here.
The thought of suffering ahead for God’s people disturbs Daniel greatly. He is now 65 yrs. old or more. It is not yet time to write his book, but rath-er time to contemplate the revelation.
2:4--7:28 written in Aramaic; 8:1--12:13, in Hebrew.

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