Daniel Chapter 7
Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts
1 Previously, in the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream while he was in bed. He wrote down this summary of it:
2 “During the night I had a vision. Four winds were churning up the Mediterranean Sea, 3 and four different beasts emerged from it.
4The first was like a lion with wings like an eagle. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was made to stand on its two hind legs like a human being and receive a human mind.
5 A second beast resembling a bear came up. It was rearing up on one side and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. They told it, ‘Go ahead and gorge on many people!’
6 As I continued to watch, another beast came up, like a leopard with four heads and with four wings on its back; it received authority.
7Then a fourth beast came up, dreadful, terrifying, very strong with big iron teeth. It devoured, crushed, and tramped down its victims’ remains. It wasn’t like the other beasts and had ten horns.
Dan 7:1-7
The Ancient of Days Reigns
8 “While I was thinking about its horns, a little horn grew up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots in its presence. This horn had eyes like a human and a mouth that bragged.
9 I kept watching and thrones were set,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat.
His clothes were white like snow;
his hair was like clean wool.
He sat on a fiery throne
with wheels of blazing fire.
10 A molten river was flowing out from him.
Thousands upon thousands attended him;
millions upon millions stood in front of him.
Court began to hold session,
and the books were opened.
Dan 7:8-10
The Son of Man Receives Dominion
11 “I kept watching because the horn kept bragging. The beast was killed, and its body thrown into the blazing fire and destroyed. 12 The other beasts had their authority revoked, but they were allowed to live for a season and a time longer.
13 “I kept watching the vision.
One like a son of man was coming
with the clouds in the sky.
He approached the Ancient of Days,
led into his presence.
14 He received dominion, honor, and a kingdom
so all peoples, nations, and language groups would serve him.
His dominion was eternal;
his kingdom would never be destroyed.
Dan 7:11-14
The Vision Interpreted
15 “The vision troubled me. 16 I went to one of those standing nearby and asked what it meant. He told me, 17 ‘Those four huge beasts are kings that will arise in the world. 18 But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and have it for all ages to come.’ 19 I wanted to know what the fourth beast meant. It was different from the others and very dreadful with its iron teeth and bronze talons; it ate up, crushed, and tramped the others down. 20 I wanted to know what the ten horns meant and the other horn that grew up, that the three horns fell in front of—the horn that had eyes, a bragging mouth, and bigger size than the others. 21 As I watched, that horn fought the holy people and overpowered them. 22 Then the Ancient of Days came and rendered judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came for them to take over the kingdom.
Dan 7:15-22
23 “He said, ‘The fourth beast will be a kingdom that’s different from the others. It will devastate the whole world, tramp it down, and crush it. 24 The ten horns in that kingdom are ten kings. Another, different kind of king will rise up after them and overthrow them. 25 He’ll defy the Most High and oppress his holy people. He’ll try to change their festival cycle and their laws, and they’ll be delivered to him for a time, times, and half a time. 26 But the court will sit in judgment and take away, annihilate, and destroy his power permanently. 27 Then the holy people of the Most High will receive the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve him.’
28 “The revelation ended. My thoughts scared me, and my face grew pale. I kept the matter to myself.”
Dan 7:23-28