Bible Prophecy I Midterm

Randall Q. Lawrence
Faith Bible College
Sis. B
10/24/2011

Midterm: Daniel & his prophetic significance, his prophetic dreams, the 4 Beasts, Ancient of Days, Son of Man

The Book of Daniel has a tremendous significance as the Old Testament’s Apocalyptic (End Times) book. It is also significant in showing the real and true power of the Lord God of Israel. The Jewish nation, despite repeated warnings from prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah, is conquered and taken into exile. To the world, it would appear as if Babylon and their gods/idols were more powerful than the God of the Jews. The Book of Daniel shows young men (Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah) who despite this national crisis stand true and strong in their faith and covenants with the Lord God of Israel.

]The prophetic significance of Daniel is shown in the miracle-working power of God in the fiery furnace, in the lion’s den, and in the dream interpretations of Nebuchadnezzar among others. Nebuchadnezzar is humbled and then acknowledges the God “Most High” & “King of Heaven” three times—dream given and interpreted, 3 (4) in the fiery furnace, losing and regaining his mind. (Daniel 2:46-47; 3:26, 28-29; 4:34-37)

]Disrespect for the sacred things is illustrated in Daniel chapter 5. King Belshazzar, son of Nebuchadnezzar, throws a feast with all his lords, wives, and concubines—a feast for their gods—idols of gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone and wood. He calls for the sacred objects taken from the Temple of Solomon in Judah—gold & silver vessels dedicated to God. Belshazzar and his guests profane or desecrate the sacred in this act of disrespect. A hand appears that writes on the wall. Daniel is called to interpret and gives prophetic warning about the arrogance of Belshazzar and his guests—numbered, measured, found wanting, and soon to lose his kingdom to the Medes and Persians. (Dan. 5:25-28)

]During the reign of Belshazzar, Daniel had his dream of the 4 Beasts: first, lion with eagle wings; second, lopsided bear with 3 ribs in its mouth; three, leopard with 4 wings and 4 heads; four, beast “dreadful and terrible” (7:7) with iron teeth and ten horns. 3 horns of the 4th beast were uprooted with another horn with eyes and a mouth speaking arrogant words. (Dan. 7:1-8) Daniel’s dream then continued with a view of the “Ancient of Days” seated on the throne with 100 million surrounding the throne (7:9-10) then the judgment on the 4th beast and little horn and the other 3 beasts (7:11-12), then the “Son of Man” coming to the throne of the “Ancient of Days” and being given an everlasting Kingdom. (7:13-14)

The interpretation of the dream of Daniel is given in the second half of the chapter—Daniel 7:15-28. These 4 Beasts are representative of 4 world-dominating kingdoms. 1st, the lion with eagle wings matches with the head of gold in the “colossus” dream of Nebuchadnezzar (2:32, 38) which represents the kingdom of Babylon. 2nd, the lopsided bear chewing on three ribs matches with the chest and arms of silver (2:32, 39) of the colossus and represents the Medes and Persians with the Persians superseding the Medes. Its size represents the size of the armies available with the ribs possibly representing the major kingdoms conquered—Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt. 3rd, the leopard with 4 wings and 4 heads matches with the belly and thighs of bronze of the colossus of Nebuchadnezzar and represented the coming of the Grecian Kingdom under Alexander the Great with the division of this kingdom into 4 under Alexander’s generals. (see also vision of ram & he-goat in Daniel 8). 4th, this great and terrible beast with iron claws and dominating the previous kingdoms would match the legs of iron and feet of iron/clay (Dan. 2:33, 40-43) representing the coming of the Roman Empire along with its division into Eastern and Western (2 legs) empires.

It is good to compare Daniel 2 (Nebuchadnezzar’s dream “Colossus” and interpretation) with the dream and interpretation of Daniel 7(“4 Beasts”). The arrogant sounding horn coming out of the Roman Empire might have pointed to the emperor Nero as a type and shadow for the coming antichrist (persecutor of Christians in Rome and Roman Empire). The horn coming out of the he goat in Daniel 7 would represent Antiochus IV Epiphanes who desecrated the 2nd Temple (“abomination of desolation”) and forbid the daily sacrifice and tried to exterminate the Jews. Antiochus Epiphanes represents another type and shadow for the antichrist (persecutor of Jews in the Grecian/Hellenistic/Seleucid empire). Hitler, dominating Germany/Austria (Holy Roman Empire) & dictating to Mussolini in Italy (Roman Empire) & conquering France (part of Roman empire and Holy Roman Empire) also became another type and shadow of the antichrist (persecutor and exterminator of Jews during World War II).

Rising out of the fourth kingdom (iron legs and feet, fourth great & terrible beast) of the Roman Empire comes the 5th Kingdom—“kingdom which shall never be destroyed” and “stone cut out of the mountain without hands” (Dan. 2:44-45). Peter speaks about Jesus as a “…chief corner stone, elect, precious…” (1 Pet. 2:6) Jesus speaks about Himself as the “stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner” (Mark 12:10, quoting Ps. 118:22). Dan. 7 speaks of “One like the Son of Man” coming to the Ancient of Days and being “given dominion and glory and a kingdom….one which shall not be destroyed.” (Dan. 7:13-14, 2:44) This reference to “Son of Man” (a favorite term of Jesus) is the first reference to this term in relation to the Messiah or Christ. “Son of Man” as a phrase is found 80-90 times in the 4 Gospels in the King James Version with the following breakdown per Gospel: Matthew (33), Mark (16), Luke (29), John (12).

It is almost impossible to read Daniel especially chapter 7 without looking then at the parallels of this O.T. Apocalyptic book with the New Testament Apocalypse—Book of Revelation. The imagery is nearly identical or is exactly identical between Daniel and Revelation. The “Ancient of Days” (God the Father) was described with “His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool.” (Dan. 7:9) The “Son of Man” (Jesus Christ) in Revelation is described that “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow…” (Rev. 1:14) Jesus told Philip that “…he that hath seen me hath seen the Father…” (John 14:9). “A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him [Ancient of Days]..” (Daniel 7:10) exactly matches the number around Jesus [Lamb] in Revelation 5:11—“…and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,….”. Daniel has “…And the books were opened.” (7:10) with Revelation having “…and books were opened.” (Rev. 20:12) We can contrast (a little) the parallels with the pompous horn and beast being “slain…and given to the burning flame” (Dan. 7:11) vs. being “cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” (Rev. 19:20) More parallels between Daniel and Revelation include “all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.” (Dan. 7:14) along with “Out of every tribe and tongue [language] and people and nation…” (Rev. 5:9) Just like Daniel 7 builds on Daniel 2 so the book of Revelation builds on the book of Daniel.