Boker Tov! Welcome in, to Mishkan Katan. Today, we begin our study of chapter 7. Before we jump into that, however, let’s look a little deeper at Daniel’s name. Notice that it ends in “el”, which is Hebrew means “god”. Little “e” el can mean any false god. Big E El indicates the one true God of Israel. Like Daniel’s name, the names of the arch angels end in “el”. There’s Michael, the archangel who is in charge of the Promised Land, according to the very book of Daniel we are studying. We’ll get to that later. Michael’s name means “who is like God - - sort of like Mi Kamocha?” or “gift from God”. Then, there’s Gabriel, whose name means “strength is God’s” and the lesser known archangel “Raphael” whose name means “healing is God’s”. The sages say that the archangel’s names contain the name of God himself to emphasize that the supernatural powers they possess do not flow from them, but from God alone.
Daniel’s name means “judgment is God’s”. Throughout his book so far, we have seen instances where through Daniel, God pronounced judgment on Judah, on King Nebuchadnezzar, and on King Belshazzar. But, in chapter 7, we see a vision that Daniel saw of the near and distant future, of judgment to come. Although it came during the first year of King Belshazzar’s rule, (some say he only ruled 3 years), it did not seem to pertain strictly to him, as the writing on the wall manifestation did. So, we read about it after Belshazzar’s rule has ended, although the dream was sent 11 to 13 years earlier. Daniel sort of “sat on it”, until he wrote his book. Let’s read verses from the beginning of chapter 7 now.
This is the last chapter in our study that is in Aramaic. Some argue that the entire chapter is not, but most of it is, at least. So, I will continue to use the translation from the Aramaic called The Scriptures 1998 ISR, which I’ve been using since chapter 2.
1In the first year of Bĕlshatstsar sovereign of Baḇel, Dani’ĕl had a dream and visions of his head on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, giving a summary of the matters.
2Dani’ĕl spoke and said, “I was looking in my vision by night and saw the four winds of the heavens stirring up the Great Sea.
3“And four great beasts came up from the sea, different from one another.
4“The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I was looking until its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and it was given a man’s heart.
5“And see, another beast, a second, like a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said this to it, ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’
6“After this I looked and saw another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and rule was given to it.
7“After this I looked in the night visions and saw a fourth beast, fearsome and burly, exceedingly strong. And it had great iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and trampled down the rest with its feet. And it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.
One of the sources I’m using for this study is the Artscroll Tanach Series book “Daniel”. In the overview, the authors have this to say about bible prophecy. “Since prophecy is God’s excursion, so to speak into the material world, it is clothes in terms and images of creation. Thus, the prophet may see a vision of mundane human and animal activity, but his prophetic vision provides him the divine insight with which to grasp the underlying meaning.” I thought that a very accurate definition of Bible prophecy, and we have certainly seen that in Daniel’s prior visions, as well as this one about the four creatures.
Now, I pretty much covered verse 1 before we read the scripture together. But, in verse 2, Daniel began to speak in first person. Did you notice that? Maybe that is because formerly, earlier in his book, he was the interpreter of the dream. Here, in chapter 7, he was the dreamer. His focus changed with chapter 7 also. Before, he was focusing primarily on the Gentile kingdoms oppressing Israel, but in chapter 7 he swung to focus primarily on the nation of Israel.
The dream we are studying today in chapter 7 had two parts; it contained two distinct visions.
As we begin to examine the first one, there are two key points I want to make first.
** Any type of teaching of Bible eschatology I believe must be bathed in great humility. After all, what we are attempting to do is to take the written Word of God and by it to predict the future. All Bible teaching must be done in humility, but eschatology, study of the “end times”, so called, especially so. Unfortunately, it is also an area of Bible teaching about which teachers and preachers can become the most prideful, obstinate and unhearing. They become so entrenched in their positions, they refuse to hear anyone else or any other conflicting opinions. This may explain why there are over 41,000 different Christian denominations! (That’s a figure Josh Staley uses.) Judaism has been much more tolerant of differing interpretations and opinions, until you venture outside of traditional Judaism into the teachings of Yeshua and the apostles. There, the ears become plugged and all such opinions are rejected. So, as I go along, I will share with you the interpretations with which I am familiar, and I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as to which one is correct.
** The second point is this: and it is related to the first. We will find more agreement and congruence between Jewish teaching and Christian teaching until the prophecies extend beyond the first century CE. After that time, there is wide disagreement. Believers in Yeshua tend to interpret the eschatology through both the Torah AND the teachings of Yeshua. Traditional Jews, of course, do not. Hence, the divergence of interpretation.
Allright, let’s look at the beasts. Each “beast” represents a kingdom. They all came up out of a stormy “sea”, but all of the creatures were different from one another. What does “the sea” mean? It is widely held that the sea refers to the sea of humanity. The sea also in Scripture represents “sin”. These beasts do not represent Jewish kingdoms, but rather, kingdoms of the pagan world, Gentile kingdoms.
Other theologians believe this “sea” represents the Mediterranean, since the four kingdoms represented by these beasts ruled areas in close proximity to this body of water. And, all four of them had dominion over the kingdom of Israel. Is any of this sounding vaguely familiar? Some of you may have guessed that the four kingdoms featured in this vision/dream are the same four that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream, many years earlier.
When we studied these four kingdoms briefly in chapter 2, all we were told was the order in which they would come onto the scene and the material(s) which represented each one. Let’s look at each beast/kingdom, and let’s put together the information from chapters 2 and 7.
First up, in verse 4, we have the kingdom of Babylon, symbolized by the gold head in chapter 2 and by a lion with eagle’s wings here in chapter 7. In the following scriptures Babylon is referred to as an eagle (Jeremiah 49:22, Lamentations 4:19 and Ezekiel 17, :3). However, in Jeremiah 4:7, 49:19, 50:17, 50:44, Babylon is described as a lion. In the ruins of Babylon, archeologists have found remnants of statues of winged lions, which are believed to have been the representative symbol of that empire. This may be why, in Daniel’s vision, it was so easy to recognize this strange animal as the kingdom of Babylon. Notice that the wings of the lion were torn off. Some have theorized this symbolized Nebuchadnezzar’s period of madness. In fact, after the madness left Nebuchadnezzar, you will recall he was given a God-fearing, God-honoring heart, much as the “beast” in Daniel’s vision received. It even stood on two feet, to resemble a man. At the end, it no longer had the power of either a lion or an eagle. Other opinions say that the two wings represented Nebuchadnezzar’s two successors, his son Evil Merodach and his grandson, Belshazzar. Another sage said that the wings represented the great speed and energy which were hallmarks of the Babylonians.
Second, in verse 5, we find the second beast coming up out of the sea. This beast appears as a sort of lopsided bear, typifying the lopsided nature of the Medo-Persian Empire. Even though the Medes were powerful, they were soon overshadowed by the stronger Persians. What did the three ribs symbolize? Well, it has been suggested that these represented Medo-Persia's three major conquests: Babylon, Lydia and Egypt, territories which it “gobbled up”. Other sages have said the three ribs represent the three major Persian kings - - Cyrus, Ahasuerus and Darius. Back in Daniel 2, this empire was represented by silver arms and shoulders. Silver is not as strong a metal as gold, nor was the Medo-Persian Empire as strong as the Babylonian. Some of the Jewish commentators noted that neither is a bear as agile as a lion. Although a fat and strong animal, a bear is not noted for its speed.
The third animal pictured, and which corresponded to the Greek Empire, was a leopard, yet with four heads and four bird-like wings. The characteristics of a leopard are speed and impudence, agility and ferocity. This beast corresponded to the empire of bronze, in Daniel chapter 2. Alexander the Great established the Greek Empire quickly, making conquests in all four points of the compass, represented by the four wings. However, his entire reign lasted only 12 years. A prodigy, he began his conquests are age 20 and died at the untimely age of 32, of a mysterious illness. He left no heirs. Therefore, and this is the meaning of the four heads, his vast empire was split up into four territories, ruled over by his top four generals. Yet, none of those four ever attained the greatness of Alexander’s reign.
And, now, in verse 7 we come to the most interesting beast of them all, the beast talked the most about in this chapter. This is the second time a reference was made by Daniel that these visions came at night, when darkness reigned, and was total. This indicates these are very dark times for the people of God. The Jewish sages believe that this vision of the fourth beast appeared one night after the vision of the other three. In the vision, this beast had teeth of iron and 10 horns on its head. It rampaged, devouring and trampling with its powerful teeth and feet. Its ruthlessness and destruction were and will be great. The two iron legs in Nebuchadnezzar’s vision represented the eastern and the western “legs” of the Roman Empire, although the Jewish sages say the legs represent Christianity and Islam. The 10 toes of his vision correspond to the 10 horns of Daniel’s vision here in chapter 7. It’s possible that Daniel found it difficult to describe this beast in terms that others could understand. Notice he did not give this beast a common name. He certainly found it terrifying! Rome possessed greater brutality than any of the previous empires, meticulous planning of strategy and overwhelming power. Verse 8 goes on to describe the morphing of this beast.
8“I was thinking about the horns, then saw another horn, a little one, coming up among them, and three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots before it. And see, eyes like the eyes of a man were in this horn, and a mouth speaking great words.
So, this beast had 10 horns. But...Suddenly, as another little horn began to emerge from this beast’s head, three of the first ten horns were plucked out by the roots. This 10th horn joined the remaining seven, but it had greater vision and was much more vocal. We’ll talk more about this last beast as we proceed through this chapter.
In the midst of this little horn’s ranting and raging, the scene shifts.
9“I was looking until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days was seated. His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like clean wool, His throne was flames of fire, its wheels burning fire.
10“A stream of fire was flowing and coming forth from His presence, and a thousand thousands served Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him, the Judge was seated, and the books were opened.
11“I was looking. Then, because of the sound of the great words which the horn was speaking, I was looking until the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning fire,
12and the rest of the beasts had their rule taken away. But a lengthening of life was given to them, for a season and a time.
We now find ourselves in the throne from of the great King, as Daniel has given us an inkling of what he saw. For these verses, I am going to give you first the traditional Jewish interpretation, and then the interpretation from a more Christian perspective.
First of all, notice that in verse nine the word “thrones”, plural. The Jewish sages offer as explanation that one of the thrones is for charity and one for judgment (Rashi). Ibn Ezra interprets this reference to “thrones” to mean that God himself, i.e. the Ancient of Days, would occupy one throne and “the great prince” would occupy the other. Some interpret the second throne to be for Michael the archangel. As far as believers in Yeshua go, we know that Father Yahweh has appointed Yeshua to judge the earth. Therefore, it is plain to us that one throne is indeed for the Ancient of Days, Father Yahweh and the other is for His Son, Yeshua, the Judge.
This is the only place in Scripture where Father Yahweh is called the Ancient of Days, a name which pictures the eternal existence of our God. Always has been, always will be. Moses described Him similarly in Psalm 90:1-2.
“Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”
In the vision, Father Yahweh is pictured as a white-haired man, dressed in a white garment, seated on a throne that is on fire, with wheels of fire. That is, a moveable throne. White symbolizes purity from sin. Untold thousands served Him, and stood before Him, and then the Judge was seated. Books were opened. The Jewish sage Rashi says that these books contained both the sins and the merits of men. Many Christian theologians say that there is a Lamb’s Book of Life, as it is referred to in Revelation 21:27. Anyone whose name was not written in this most important book would not enter into eternal life. So, it is reasonable to assume that the Lamb’s Book of Life was one of the books present, but the plural “books” is used. Jews and Christians alike believe that every word and deed we do is recorded in Heaven. This judgment appears, though, to be a judgment of those whose names were NOT recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
The first to be judged and condemned at this sentencing was the loud-mouthed “little horn”. Jews interpret this “little horn” to be false religions of the last days. In Christian theology, which has the benefit of knowing Yeshua, this is whom the apostle Paul called the Man of Sin and the Son of Perdition, in 2 Thessalonians 2: 3-4, the False Messiah, the so-called Antichrist, of the last days. He is identified both in Daniel 7:11 and also in Revelation 19:20, where we learn that also the False Prophet, the FM’s demon-fueled sidekick, is also thrown into the Lake of Fire, which burns forever and ever.
Verse 12 here is somewhat puzzling to me. It seems to be out of chronological order. The Jewish commentators put forward that these other three kingdoms were not totally destroyed from the face of the earth by the last, most vicious kingdom, Rome, that they will have continued to exist until the battle of Gog and Magog. However, the battle of God and Magog would have already occurred, when the throne room scene is being carried out.
Christian theologians believe this verse refers to the three beasts which preceded the fourth, that they were not cast into the Lake of Fire, as the 4th beast was. Some Christian theologians believe the reference to the rest of the beasts refers to the remaining “horns” on the fourth beast. It’s just difficult to say, isn’t it?
The reference to “a season and a time” is similarly opaque. Most are in agreement that this means until God gets good and ready. Some believe this means the remnants of these eunuched kingdoms will populate the earth during the Messianic Millennial reign of 1000 years, but after the final battle, when Satan is freed to rise up and wreak havoc one last time, time will be up for these other earthly kingdoms. Scripture reference to this is in Revelation 20:7-10. Let’s read on - - verses 13 and 14 of Daniel 7.
13“I was looking in the night visions and saw One like the Son of Enosha, coming with the clouds of the heavens! And He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him.
14“And to Him was given rulership and preciousness and a reign, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His rule is an everlasting rule which shall not pass away, and His reign that which shall not be destroyed.
Now, the Jewish sages agree that this One is the King Messiah. The commentaries also talk about how our meritorious deeds can hasten His appearance, whereas lack of such deeds will delay it. Some interpret the phrase “and they brought him near before Him” to mean that Eliyahu, the great prophet, will lead the Messianic King before Father Yahweh. Jews do not, by and large, believe the Messiah will be equal with Father Yahweh. So, their interpretation of verse 14 is more along the lines of dominion, glory and kingship will be returned to the Jewish people, as they lost those things during the many long years of exile.
Christians, on the other hand, having the benefit of 20/20 hindsight and of the Brit Chadasha (New Testament) believe very differently about these two verses. They see Messiah Yeshua coming fresh from the Marriage Supper of the Lamb into the presence of Father Yahweh with His Bride, and at that time, Father Yahweh sent Him and “the clouds of Heaven” to Earth for a victory in the Battle of Armageddon and to initiate the 1000-year earthly rule of King Yeshua/Jesus.
In that horrific battle, the Earth’s godless kingdoms will get “stoned”. Remember the great stone, seen in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the statue? This is it. The 5th kingdom that brought the others crashing to the ground.
Some of you may be puzzled by the phrase “son of Enosha”, which is translated in most other Christian translations as “Son of Man”, a Messianic title the Lord Yeshua used for Himself.
The word “serve” in verse 14 is the Aramaic word “palach”, which is often used as “worship”. It’s Hebrew counterpart is the word “pulchan”, which also means “worship” or “ritual”. So, all the earth’s tribes, languages and peoples will be worshipping King Yeshua.
You may remember that when Yeshua stood before the High Priest, Caiaphas, during the illegal, fake trial, Caiaphas asked Him if He was the Messiah (see Mark 14:61). In response, Yeshua used the most personal name for God: “I Am”, the Tetragrammaton, Yahweh, and then quoted part of these very verses, Daniel 7:10-14. Let’s look at Mark 14:61-62, Tree of Life version.
61 But keeping silent, Yeshua did not answer. Again the kohen gadol questioned Him, “Are you Mashiach, Son of the Blessed One?”[a]
62 “I am,” said Yeshua, “and you shall see ‘the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Powerful One,’ and ‘coming with the clouds of heaven’!”[j]
There is a distinction in Scripture between the title “son of man” and the title “Son of Man”. You’ll find these two titles mentioned in the original languages of Scripture nearly 200 times. Ezekiel used the term a lot and the Lord used it to refer to Himself in the gospels. Some of those references are: John 1:51; John 6:53; Mark 2:10; Mark 2:28; Matthew 26:45 and John 3:14. Ezekiel and the gospels account for the majority of usages. The lower case title is used in the old testament to mean “a son of the human race”. This was the preferred nickname Father Yahweh used for the prophet Ezekiel. But, when the Lord applied it to Himself, He was emphasizing His humanity as well as His divinity, as He also used the title when predicting His future exaltation and glory in Matthew 13:41-42 and Matthew 26:64.
Let’s move on now, which will involve circling back a little bit to the previous verses about the beasts. Daniel was very troubled about these visions, because he realized they were quite important. However, although he had interpreted dreams and visions for others, he needed supernatural help in order to gain greater understanding of his own. Let’s see whom he turned to for help, and then see what additional information we can gain about the beasts.
15“As for me, Dani’ĕl, my spirit was pierced within my body, and the visions of my head alarmed me.
16“I drew near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the certainty of all this. And he spoke to me and made known to me the interpretation of the matters:
17‘These great beasts, which are four, are four sovereigns which rise up from the earth.
18‘Then the set-apart ones of the Most High shall receive the reign, and possess the reign forever, even forever and ever.’
“One who stood by” likely refers to an angelic being. I came across something interesting, in this regard, from the Jewish commentary. In some translations of the Hebrew Bible, this being was called one of “the standing ones”, also so called in Zechariah 3:7 and in Ezekiel 1:7. It is believed that angels have no joints which is why they can only stand. Curious, isn’t it?
The four beasts, as previously discussed, refer to Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. Which leaves us only with the “toes of iron and of clay” remaining from Nebuchadnezzar’s statue/dream. And, guess what? They refer to the horns on that most ferocious beast! Before we read on, however, verse 18 confirms that the Bride of Messiah, the set-apart, sanctified ones, will co-reign with Him forever and ever. So, we knew most of that, didn’t we. The first four kingdoms of the statue are in our past, but the 10 toes of it are not. They, along with the huge crushing stone, are in the future.
Then, the heavenly aide gives more information about the False Messiah of the terrible last days before Mashiach returns in glory.
19“Then I desired for certainty concerning the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, very fearsome, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, crushed, and trampled down the rest with its feet,
20and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and of the other horn that came up, before which three fell – this horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke great words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.
21“I was looking, and this horn was fighting against the set-apart ones, and was prevailing against them,
22until the Ancient of Days came, and right-ruling was given to the set-apart ones of the Most High, and the time came and the set-apart ones took possession of the reign.
23“This is what he said, ‘The fourth beast is the fourth reign on earth, which is different from all other reigns, and it devours all the earth, tramples it down and crushes it.
24‘And the ten horns are ten sovereigns from this reign. They shall rise, and another shall rise after them, and it is different from the first ones, and it humbles three sovereigns,
25and it speaks words against the Most High, and it wears out the set-apart ones of the Most High, and it intends to change appointed timesa and lawb, and they are given into its hand for a time and times and half a time.
26‘But the Judgement shall sit, and they shall take away its rule, to cut off and to destroy, until the end.
27‘And the reign, and the rulership, and the greatness of the reigns under all the heavens, shall be given to the people, the set-apart ones of the Most High. His reign is an everlasting reign, and all rulerships shall serve and obey Him.’
28“This is the end of the matter. As for me, Dani’ĕl, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my colour changed. And I kept the matter in my heart.”
There is a dual fulfillment aspect of these 10 horns. Both Jewish and Christian theologians have recognized that there were 10 emperors of the old Roman Empire, before the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. They were: Julius Caesar, Caesar Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian. It was Titus who led the destruction of the Temple. He was the son of Vespasian and he led this destruction during his father’s reign.
Another way to slice the pie is to realize that the old Roman Empire was comprised of ten monarchies: Constantinople, Armenia, Hungary, Germany, Bulgaria, Canaan, France, Spain, Russia and the king of Ishmael (the Arab nations).
So, like many Old Testament prophecies, there was both a “nearer fulfillment” in the past and a future fulfullment, yet to come.
Here are 5 additional details, now, about the False Messiah, represented by the ferocious, most-terrifying beast: 1) nails of bronze, fought against the saints of the Most High, the tzaddikim, the righteous ones, in Jewish parlance. If you are pre-millennial in your eschatology, you believe those who belonged to Messiah Yeshua before these years of tribulation began were snatched up to be with Him and to celebrate the heavenly marriage, and that these who travail against, and most will be martyred by the False Messiah, are those who are referred to in Revelation 7:14-17 as “having come out of the tribulation, having washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb”.
More about the FM - - 2) it grew in size until, verse 20, it was greater than the other horns.
It also will wage war, vs. 21. It will devour the whole earth, vs. 23, that is, it will be a one-world ruler. This explains the function of those iron teeth mentioned in verse 7, doesn’t it?
He will change the times and the laws, vs. 25. There has been much discussion as to what this means. One of the chief beefs Messianics have against more traditional Christians is that at the Council of Nicea all the moedim given by Father Yahweh in Leviticus were replaced with religious celebrations corresponding to pagan holidays. For example, Christmas became designated for celebration on December 25th, the date worshiped by pagans as the birthday of the Roman god Mithros, the sun god, chief god worshipped by the Roman military. More to the point, how will the False Messiah change the times and laws? We don’t know.
“time, times and half a time” Jewish commentary reached no definitive conclusion, as far as I could find. Christian commentary interprets this phrase to mean 3.5 years, based on how Daniel used similar terms elsewhere in his book, and apply it to one half of the 7-year Great Tribulation period, the second half, the worst half.
Well, that’s it for this week, and we are out of time. Next week, we will look at a vision Daniel had two years after this one, and it was so bad, it left him physically ill for several days.
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