Daniel
Chapter
7
1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.
2 Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
{See
also Revelation Chapter 13:2 for a Parallel Passage.}
3
And four great beasts came up from the sea,
diverse
one from another.
4
The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings
{represents the Chaldean Empire}.
I
beheld till the wings thereof were plucked {fall of Nebuchadnezzar},
and
it was lifted up from the earth,
and
made stand upon the feet as a man,
and
a man's heart was given to it.
5
And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear
{represents the rise of the Persian Empire},
and
it raised up itself on one side,
and
it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it:
and
they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
6~~After
this I kept looking and beheld another, like a leopard
{represents Alexander the Great and his Macedonian Empire -
conquest speed compared with a leopard},
which
had on its side
the
four wings of a bird.
The
beast had also four heads
{on Alexander's death, his four generals fought for rule of his
empire}.
and
dominion was given to it.
{Note:
1st wing - conquest of Asia Minor
2nd wing - conquest of Mediterranean World
3rd wing - conquest of Persia's Eastern Empire
4th wing - conquest of today's Afghanistan and Hindu Kush and
Northern India}
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
{Vision
of the Ancient of Days - Lord's Throne Mounted on Chariot Wheels}
9~~I
kept looking until the thrones were set up, and
the
Ancient of days {Eternal God} took His seat,
His
robe was white as snow {see also Revelation 1:13},
and
the hair on His head was pure as wool {see also Revelation 1:14}
and
His throne . . . flames of fire
its
wheels of burning fire {see also Ezekiel 1:15}.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
28 Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
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