STUDY #3 – AN END TIME IMPRESSIONIST STUDY OF DANIEL CHAPTER 7

Chapter 7 – Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts

A. The Revelation of the Vision 7.1-14

B. The Interpretation of the Vision 7.15-28

I believe the 4^th beast of Daniel 7 is a continued revelation of the 4^th kingdoms in Daniel 2. The 4^th beast in Daniel 7 is quite similar to the 4^th kingdom in Daniel 2 in its ferociousness. The fourth kingdom in Daniel 2 has ten toes, the 4^th beast in chapter 7 has 10 horns. In Revelation 13 and 17 we also see 10 horned beasts. I believe these are all describing the same beast.

Without question these chapters in Daniel and Revelation 13, 17, and 18 are incredibly difficult to examine and understand. What follows is my ever developing and changing understanding of these chapters. Like all teachers of these books none of us have a complete understanding at this time.

A read of the entire chapter indicates it is describing the modern day nations which will participate in the New World Order and tribulation period described in Revelation 13, 17, and 18. For our impressionist study we will look at these beasts as caricatures of modern western nations. For those who understand, these nations represent the Gentile nations.

These nations are considered Christian nations but their roots and DNA suggest much more than that. The Book of Hosea describes how the tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel where dispersed among the nations and assimilated into Gentile pagan nations. So these Gentile nations may include Israelites who lost their identities within the nations. Seek an understanding of Hosea. It explains who the House of Israel is in world prophecy!

We begin with Daniel’s vision in verses 1-14:  ¶ In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream and penned the sum of the matters. Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven fought the great sea.

And four great beasts came up from the sea, different one from another.

The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings; I beheld until its wings were plucked off, and it was removed from the earth, and it stood up on its feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. And behold the second beast, like unto a bear, which went off to one side, and it had three ribs between its teeth; and thus was said unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After this I beheld, and behold another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; this beast also had four heads; and power was given to it.

After this I saw in the night visions, and behold the fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and exceedingly strong; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and trod down that which was left with its feet; and it was very different from all the beasts that had been before her; and it had ten horns. As I was considering the horns, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots; and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking grand things. Daniel 7.1-8

We’ll look at these nations in a moment. The Book of Daniel is still an unfolding prophecy and has not been totally revealed or fulfilled. In our study we will speculate on who these nations are. As history is constantly unfolding and each generation is closer to the end of the age it will become increasingly clear who these beasts represent.

¶ I beheld until thrones were cast down, and an Elder of great age did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool: his throne a flame of fire, his wheels burning fire. A river of fire issued and came forth from before him; thousands of thousands served him, and ten thousands of ten thousands stood before him; the Judge sat down, and the books were opened.

I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke; I beheld even until the beast was slain and its body was undone and given over to be burned in the fire. They had also taken from the other beasts their rule because their lives had been prolonged until a certain time.

I saw in the vision of the night, and, behold, in the clouds of heaven like a Son of man that came and drew near unto the Elder of great age, and they brought him near before him. And he gave him dominion and glory and kingdom; and all the peoples, nations, and tongues served him: his dominion is an eternal dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom such that it shall never be corrupted. 7.9-14

These verses above give us comfort that our Elohim and his Son Yeshua will win the final battle!

The following is our impression gleaned from prayer and many other teachers who have studied Daniel. Finally we want to remember the 4^th kingdom in Daniel 2 is the two legs and toes. This historically is describing the Roman/Holy Roman Empire. This was the final world empire described in chapter two.

In chapter 7 the 4^th Kingdom is also the same final kingdom. Revelation 17 describes the Harlot that is riding the beast. This beast is human government, the harlot is a false religious system. Having said that, I don’t believe the Pope is the anti-Messiah. I see him as possibly the false prophet who points the nations to worship the anti-Messiah.

The beast with 10 horns in Revelation is similar to the 10 toes of the image in Daniel 2. We are seeing that Daniel 2 and 7 agree that the fourth beast also is the final earthly kingdom. They match well with the beasts in Revelation 13 and 17. We will now speculate what modern nations these beasts represent.

The Lion with Eagles wings – Great Britain is often compared to a lion and their heraldry has lions upon them. Do the Eagles wings represent America who came forth from the British Empire? These two nations may also represent Ephraim “a multitude of nations” and Manasseh “he will be great” in the Genesis 48 prophecies by grandfather Jacob/Israel. The Eagles wings are plucked from the Lion. More on that later.

The Bear – Throughout history Russia has been identified with the Bear. They are a nation which has devoured other nations and put them under their tribute. They are a country without a functioning democratic system which has at times devoured their own citizens. It has three ribs in its teeth.

I thought about the three ribs in its teeth and looked to see if there were 3 Pillars of socialism and I found there are!

1. A Planned economy led by Ideological Socialists, the leading politicians

2. Planned Economy fueled by Educated Emotional Elitist Socialists who believe tout and implement the socialist programs.

3. Ownership of the means of Production by the government which is produced by useful idiot workers (in the government’s opinion).

The Leopard with 4 wings of a Fowl and Four Heads – Dominion is given to this beast. German means “war-man” and they are a nation who has started many wars. They authored the blitzkrieg (lightning war) for surprise attacks and have dominated Europe many times throughout history. In our day they are the dominate power in the European Union financially, in trade, and in military power.

We’ve already seen 3 periods of German Reich’s with Hitler’s Third Reich the most recent. It was going to last for a thousand years if Hitler had his way. Could the European Union be a reincarnation of the 4^th and final Reich?

France – the wings of the Fowl – France has often been characterized as a Rooster. They mingled with the Germans in early European history is Saxony and the northern area of France. The Frankish Kingdom of Charles and Charlemagne came from this area in the 800 AD era.

They have been a partner with Germany in the European Union acting as the nation of diplomacy. They are not as powerful as Germany but have been taking sides with Germany in EU politics. France may represent the wings of the fowl on the leopard.

The Beast which is dreadful, terrible, and exceedingly strong, diverse and with ten horns- Daniel watched as a little horn came up among the ten and which plucked up 3 horns by their roots and this little horn had eyes like a man and a mouth speaking great things.

This beast has similarities with the beast in Revelation 13, which beast rises out of the sea having 7 heads and 10 horns with 10 crowns and upon the heads the name of blasphemy. It also looks like a Leopard with the feet of a bear, mouth as a lion, and is given power, a seat, and great authority by the dragon. It is the final kingdom or political empire upon earth prior to Yeshua’s return.

Upon the heads the name of blasphemy is interesting. Could that be the name of the anti-Messiah? He is the blasphemous man of sin. An interesting concept.

The Wings of the Lion and Leopard – Mr. Gavin Finley of www.endtimepilgrim.org believes the wings represent the two wings of the political parties in the US and France…the left wing and right wing of the political chambers! The Congress of the United States has two chambers, a right wing and a left wing.

Continuing in Daniel 7.15-28 “I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: ‘Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’

The beasts are 4 kings or kingdoms.

“Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.

This 4^th beast is similar to Daniel 2.40: And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others.

“I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. This horn that comes up wages war against the saints.

 “Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast shall be A fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms,
And shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces. The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings.

The ten horns are ten kings. These kings could be 10 geopolitical trade zones which are currently in existence but may have greater power at a later time. https://www.cbcg.org/the-10-free-trade-zones.html

Another horn subdues three kings. This could be a merger of these trade zones or—it could mean something entirely different.

He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.

This horn that comes up persecutes the saints of the Most High and intends to change the times and law. What are the times and law? Daniel is written to Judah, the Jews. The times and laws are the Biblical times and laws. These are the feasts of the Lord (Leviticus 23) and the laws of God in the Torah, which includes the 7^th day Sabbath. They will not be permitted.

‘But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it forever. Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’

At Yeshua’s second coming true justice and judgment will be carried out and all the earth will bow before him!

We certainly can interpret these verses as the second coming of King Yeshua at the bequest of his Father Jehovah! He comes with his angels and slays the beast which is then burned in fire. His kingdom is eternal and all peoples and nations serve him! Revelation 19 is a picture of Yeshua’s coming as Lord of Hosts—the army of heaven.

The 4^th Beast is the final kingdom/empire prior to the second coming. It is the Anti-Messiah Empire. Let’s review these final verses in Daniel 7:

And he shall speak great words against the most High and shall break down the saints of the most High and think to change times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the half or dividing of a time. And the Judge shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion to destroy and to cast out unto the end; and that the kingdom and the dominion, and the majesty of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, be given to the holy people of the most High, His kingdom shall be an eternal kingdom, and all the dominions shall serve him and hear him. 7.25-27

Time, times, and half time = 3 ½ years. Final three years of tribulation. We will discuss this in greater detail in our study on chapter 8.

Think to change the time and the laws – This is a most important verse. Daniel was written to Judah and Israel. The laws the Anti-Messiah seeks to change are the Bible law and calendar. The spirit of Anti-Messiah in this world has no regard for the laws or calendar of our Elohim. Read what the Apostle John has to say in 1 John 2.18-21: Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that anti-Messiah shall come, even now are there many ant-Messiahs; whereby we know that it is the last time.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

John is pointing out that the spirit of anti-Messiah was already operating in the world. He says they went out from us. The anti-Messiah spirit comes out of the community of those who were grafted into Israel. They became the Holy Roman Church who did away with the Biblical laws, feasts, and calendar. Most of “Christianity” is already operating on the anti-Messiah laws, times, and calendar.

The true Feasts of the Lord are the Biblical Feasts, the true Sabbath is Saturday, and the true calendar is the Biblical Hebrew calendar, not the Roman calendar which the world observes. This came out from “us”. The Biblical laws and calendar were done away with when the Holy Roman Empire eliminated anything which they deemed as “Jewish”. Early believers had followed the Biblical feasts, Sabbath, and calendar of the Bible.

The coming anti-Messiah will take this to a higher level. He will not allow the Biblical law, feasts, or Shabbat. He is going to change it all! He will shut down all Biblical times and laws.

This identifies the beast that is, was not, and yet is! It is a false harlot church. Rome was, was not, and yet it still is!

Revelation 13 and 17 contain much more information on these beasts and the events which follow. This study is merely an impressionist view. Read the chapters in Revelation and compare the beasts. Everything is hidden in plain sight.

Up unto here was the end of the word. I, Daniel, was very troubled in my thoughts, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the word in my heart. 7.28

Summary – The Brief Impression to share with others

A. The beasts are forms of government and nations of the coming final world empire/new order.

B. These beasts are presently forming. The European Union/Revived Roman Empire is an example.

C. The 4^th Beast represents the empire the Antichrist will lead—the others will give their power to him.

D. Israel and Islam will also play a role as ground zero and the action will be taking place in Jerusalem and the Holy Land.

E. The final beast empire will be defeated by Yeshua the Son of Man at his return.

 

Next week we’ll look at the duality of the Chapter 8 prophecy concerning King Antiochus Epiphany and the Maccabean revolt and how it applies to the coming 3^rd temple and the anti-Messiah shutting down the daily sacrifices during the tribulation.