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The 4 beasts vision of Daniel chapter 7 are commonly explained as follows:
Lion = Babylonian Empire
Bear = Medo-Persian Empire
Leopard = Greek Empire
4th Beast = Roman Empire
This explanation of the four beasts prophecy, while easily derived, has
resulted in a surface teaching which has led many away from the true
message.
To help us understand the deeper teaching of the Daniel 7 prophecy it is
necessary to consider how it starts;
Dan 7:2 ... the four winds of heaven were stirring
up the Great Sea.
:3 And four great beasts came up from the sea,
each different from the other.
THE GREAT SEA
Most tend to read this and envisage a literal
'Great Sea'. However, it refers to a biblical
sea, a sea also symbolized by the bronze sea
located in the temple built by Solomon. |
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1King 7:23 And he made the Sea of cast bronze, ten cubits
from one brim to the other; it was completely
round. Its height was five cubits, and a line
of thirty cubits measured its circumference.
:24 Below its brim were ornamental buds encircling
it all around, ten to a cubit, all the way
around the Sea. The ornamental buds were cast
in two rows when it was cast.
:25 It stood on twelve oxen: three looking toward
the north, three looking toward the west, three
looking toward the south, and three looking
toward the east; the Sea was set upon them, and
all their back parts pointed inward.
:26 It was a handbreadth thick; and its brim was
shaped like the brim of a cup, like a lily
blossom. It contained two thousand baths.
:39 ... He set the Sea on the right side of the house,
toward the southeast.
This bronze sea was placed upon 12 bronze oxen. Oxen which faced
toward the four directions of heaven; north, west, south and east.
Three oxen facing each direction.
[ NB: The arrangement of the oxen mimics that of the 12 tribes
of the children of Israel, which were to stand 3 tribes
in each direction around the tabernacle of meeting.
Refer, Numbers chapter 2. ]
GREAT SEA CONCLUSION - The great sea represents the multitude of people
supported by the national structure of the 12 tribes. (Note, Jude 13
where 'raging waves of the sea' represents people. Also in Rev 17:15
we observe the symbol 'waters' used to represent groups of people.)
Therefore, this implies the four beasts which arise from this Great Sea,
arise out of Israel!
To try and identify the four beasts, one has to reflect upon the biblical
history of Israel and also consider other relevant prophecies.
1ST BEAST - LION
The first beast is presented in 2 forms:
- like a lion with eagle's wings
- like a lion standing on 2 feet with the heart of a man.
The first form emphasizes strength and movement. The promises made
initially by God to Abraham and Isaac were the source of the strength
of Jacob and his descendants.
The main thrust of the eagle symbolism is the journeying of the children
of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land.
Exod 19:4 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and
how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you
to Myself.
The second form of the lion focuses upon the time immediately following
the settlement of the children of Israel in the Promised Land. The eagle
wings were removed from the lion and it was made to stand on two feet
(presumably both sides of the river Jordan).
A man's heart was given to the lion, symbolizing a heart which was soft,
but also a heart which could become hard and rebel against God.
2ND BEAST - BEAR
The second beast is like a bear raised up on one side with 3 ribs in its
mouth. It was told to devour much meat.
This is the second form of Israel. The imagery presented may be viewed
as either,
1) The nation of Israel after the crowning of the first human king.
In this case the two sides of the bear would reflect the later
division of this bear into the 'house of Israel' and the 'house
of Judah'. The majority of the tribes of Israel, ten tribes
(1Kings 11:31), being aligned with the house of Israel.
The 3 ribs would represent the initial three kings (Saul, David
and Solomon) who reigned over Israel while it was still united.
(When Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, became king the nation
divided. Refer 1Kings 12:1-19.)
The devouring of much meat may pertain either to the consuming
of much of the word of God, particularly during the reigns of
David and Solomon, or the warfare which took place between
Judah and Israel.
2) The nation of Israel after the division.
Again the two sides of the bear would represent the 'house of
Israel' and the 'house of Judah'.
In this case though the 3 ribs in the mouth of the bear would
represent the weaker house of Judah, which was composed of
3 tribes; Judah, Benjamin and Levi (1Kings 12:21, 2Chron 11:14).
3RD BEAST - LEOPARD
The third beast was like a leopard and had 4 bird wings and 4 heads.
Dominion was given to it.
[ NB: It may be thought that this beast should be shown with
four pairs of wings, because of the four heads. However,
it can be seen from other examples that wings are counted
individually, refer Isa 6:2, Ezek 1:6, Rev 4:8 & 12:14. ]
The four headed leopard form suggests this kingdom of Israel came quickly
on the scene and manifested itself as four entities.
[ NB: The identification of this entity is influenced by the need
to have this 3rd kingdom arise prior to the appearance of
the 'leopard/bear/lion' composite beast described in chapter
13 of Revelation, verses 1-3. ]
These factors suggest this beast is a representation of the kingdom
established by King Josiah. While Josiah was crowned the king of Judah,
he also exerted his authority over the land formerly occupied by the
house of Israel. Refer, 2Chr 34:6-7.
The arrival of King Josiah was predicted some 300 years before his
birth.
1Kings 13:2 Then he cried out against the altar by the word
of the LORD, and said, "O altar, altar! Thus says
the LORD: 'Behold, a child, Josiah by name, shall
be born to the house of David; and on you he shall
sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn
incense on you, and men's bones shall be burned on
you'".
Following the death of Josiah, four of his descendants reigned as kings
and they each experienced captivity in a foreign land. These were;
1) Jehoahaz (2Kings 23:31-34)
2) Eliakim renamed Jehoiakim (2Kings 23:34, 2Chr 36:6)
3) Jehoiachin also named Coniah (2Kings 24:8,12)
4) Mattaniah renamed Zedekiah (2Kings 24:17,25:7).
This beast is presented with two pairs of bird like wings, because
these four kings were all carried off as captives to either Babylon
or Egypt.
The line of Zerubbabel, who led the return from captivity, was traced
traced through King Jehoiachin (refer Matt 1:11-16.) It was through
Zerubbabel and later descendants that the life of this kingdom was
preserved.
4TH BEAST - 10 HORNS
The last beast was dreadful, terrible and strong and possessed huge iron
teeth. With these teeth and its feet it was devouring, breaking and
trampling what was left.
This beast is described as taking 2 forms:
- ten horns
- seven horns and a little horn.
10 HORNS
This 4th beast is initially introduced with the comment, "I saw in the
night visions" (Dan 7:7). Daniel had already documented in Dan 7:1-2
that the vision came to him by night, so this later comment suggests
the beginning of a period of end-time spiritual darkening.
This 10 horn entity is described as having teeth of iron and nails of
bronze. This suggests the presence of elements of the 3rd and 4th parts
of the Daniel chapter 2 statue.
The first 3 horns appear to portray the Jewish faith - a reflection of
the three divisions of Levi who attended the tabernacle, Numbers 3:17,
25-26,30-31,36-37.
The latter 7 horns, the Christian faith - a reflection of the seven
lampstands amongst which the Son of Man stands, Rev 1:12-13, and the
7 horns of the Christ lamb, Rev 6:6.
This union of 10 kings/kingdoms sets about verbally attacking other
smaller non-aligned church groups desiring to teach the word of God.
So in summary, this 4th beast appears to be a Jewish/Christian composite
of denominations, which join together with the aim of becoming the only
organisation to represent God. These, through the vehicle of this beast,
will oppress and persecute dissenting groups.
7 HORNS + LITTLE HORN
The second stage of the 4th beast arises when the little horn appears on
the scene and displaces the leaderships ('kings') of the first 3 horns.
The period 'a month and a year' expires with the appearance of the little
horn and the Great Tribulation begins.
This little horn speaks great words
and has eyes. These factors make him
greater than the remaining 7 horns,
Daniel 7:20.
This little horn brings persecution
upon the saints for the symbolic
duration of '3.5 times' (Dan 7:25).
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The symbolic displacing of the 3 horns by the little horn represents
Satan gaining control of the Jewish faith. A number of other prophecies
portray this event as the end-time fall of Jerusalem. The Satanic entity
accomplishes this victory with the assistance of the 'armies' of the
seven Christian leaderships and so the ancient desire of the nations of
Syria and Ephraim (house of Israel) is fulfilled.
Isa 7:6 Let us go up against Judah and trouble it, and
let us make a gap in its wall for ourselves,
and set a king over them, the son of Tabel;
Upon the expiry of the period appointed for the rulership of the little
horn, the 4th beast kingdom will be given to the saints of God. |
A SEASON AND A TIME
To truly understand this Daniel 7 prophecy it is necessary to also
consider the only time period provided.
Dan 7:12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their
dominion taken away, yet their lives were
prolonged for a season and a time.
- A Season and a Time -
'SEASON'
The word 'season' in the text is being used in an indefinite
sense, rather than as a representation of 3 months. The word
'season' could therefore be equally rendered 'period' or
'interval'.
'TIME'
The word 'time' is the same word found in Dan 4:16, where it
is commonly considered to mean 'year'.
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What span of time is being defined by 'a season and a time'?
Obviously this period of prolonged life must begin with the removal of
dominion from the 3rd kingdom. However, when this period expires is less
apparent.
Having already considered that the first 3 horns of the 4th beast are
Jewish, suggests that this period of prolonged life ends when the 3
horns are removed by the little horn.
There is an indication in the book of Zechariah that these three horns
have a life-span of a symbolic 30 days.
Zech 11:8 I dismissed the three shepherds in one month.
My soul loathed them, and their soul also
abhorred me.
The period of a month or 30 days, is also mentioned twice in chapter 6
of the prior chapter, Daniel 6:7,12.
In addition the period of a 'month' is mentioned adjacent to the term
'year' in;
Rev 9:15 So the four angels, who had been prepared
for the hour and day and month and year,
were released to kill a third of mankind.
All these factors suggest the Daniel 7:12 'a season and a year' should be
understood as 'a month and a year'.
When one merges the teaching of Daniel 7 with Revelation 13 the following
is implied;
- 'month' = Daniel 7, life-span of 3 horns
= Revelation 13, life-span of new image (verse 15)
- 'year' = Daniel 7, gap between dominions of 3rd and 4th beasts
= Revelation 13, mouth speaking '42 months' (verse 5)
FINAL COMMENT
The teachings presented above reflect not only an entirely bible based
solution (no inclusion of historical information sourced from non-biblical
sources), but also a perspective which one could describe as 'sealed'
(Dan 12:4), ie not obvious from a surface reading of the text.
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