Daniel Lesson 7
Memorize the TRUTH!
Daniel and the Four Beasts
Daniel 7
Learn the
TRUTH!
The meaning of Daniel’s
visions has been debated
for centuries. One day we
will understand them perfectly. In the meantime,
ask God to reveal His
character, His sovereignty
and His plan for you in
eternity.
But the saints of the Most High
shall receive the kingdom
and possess the kingdom forever,
forever and ever
Daniel 7:18
Day Daniel’s Vision of the Beasts — Daniel 7:1-8
1
1.
Describe the first beast and what happens to it.
2.
What does the second beast look like and what is it told to do?
3.
What does the third beast look like and what is it given?
4.
a. What effect does the vision of the fourth beast have on Daniel?
b. How is this beast different, and what peculiar thing happens to it?
Day Daniel’s Vision of Judgment — Daniel 7:9-14
2
6.
a. Describe the scene that Daniel sees next in the vision.
b. What happens to the four beasts in this scene of the vision?
7.
a. Who is the “son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven”? Mark 14:60-62
b. What is unique about the kingdom He is given?
©2015 Community Bible Study
Lesson 7 • Page 1
Day Interpretation of the Vision
3 Daniel 7:15-22
8.
What is the meaning of Daniel’s vision? vv. 16-18
Day The Beast
4 Daniel 7:23-28
11. a. What does the fourth beast represent?
b. How will his kingdom be different?
9.
What two things was Daniel still wondering about?
10. a. What was the little horn doing in verse 21?
12. What do the ten horns represent?
13. a. What do you learn about the actions and fate of
the little horn from these verses?
v. 8
v. 11
b. How was the horn stopped?
vv. 20-21
vv. 24-25
c. How does this vision give you hope about the final
outcome of world history?
v. 26
b. Who will rule in the end? For how long?
14. How does this prophecy compare with the prophecy
given in Daniel 2:44-45?
Day Review of Daniel 7
5
15. a. When did Daniel have this vision? v. 1
b. Since chapter 7 actually precedes Belshazzar’s feast in chapter 5, why do you think God gave Daniel this vision at that
particular time?
16. What does this vision tell you about God’s purpose and character? How is this comforting or challenging?
17. Was there a time in your life when God spoke to you or revealed His presence in a special way?
Live the
TRUTH!
©2015 Community Bible Study
Do you find these visions deeply troubling, as Daniel did (v. 28)? Or are you comforted to
know that God is sovereign and His people will have victory in the end? “The kingdom and the
dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High” (v. 27). Choose to let God bring you comfort today, trusting He
is in control.
Lesson 7 • Page 2
Commentary
Daniel Lesson 7
The book of Daniel now switches from biographies of courage and faith to
prophetic visions, covering both the promised appearance of the Messiah
and His opposite, the Antichrist. This lesson covers the vision of the four
beasts in Daniel 7, which parallels Chapter 2.The vision occurred in “the
first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon” (v. 1). Belshazzar began reigning as
co-regent with his father in 553 B.C. Thus the vision in Chapter 7 precedes
the events of Chapter 5, when the handwriting appeared on the wall. The
vision concerns the future of Babylon and succeeding Gentile kingdoms,
along with the trials and final victory of those who worship the Lord. As we
watch events unfolding on our TVs, we see that its timing could not have
been better. Daniel saw “the four winds... stirring up the great sea. And four great beasts
came up out of the sea” (vv. 2-3). Here the sea seems to signify the turmoil
of the world political scene out of which the great Gentile kingdoms would
arise. According to verse 17, however, the four kingdoms rise out of the
earth. While the sea seems to indicate turmoil, the earth apparently pictures the nations’ actual origin — this world in which we live. The first beast, a lion that also has the wings of an eagle, seems to represent
Babylon. The wings being torn off and the receiving of the heart of a man
seem to portray the loss of speed after its conquests, accompanied by the
empire becoming more humane and less brutal as a result of Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliating insane episode recorded in Chapter 4. The first beast
is followed by “another beast, a second one, like a bear” (v. 5) which fits
the description of the Medo-Persian empire that succeeded Babylon. The
powerful bear pictures how Persia overwhelmed its foes. The bear raised
up on one side suggests that Persia was the predominate partner in this
empire. The three ribs illustrate three main conquests of Cyrus and his successors — Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt. The third beast looked “like a leopard... had four heads, and dominion was
given to it” (v. 6). This beast probably symbolizes Alexander the Great and
the Greek empire. Alexander’s armies were famous for their speed, pictured
by the four wings and the leopard. The four heads probably portray the division of Alexander’s empire among his four generals after his death. The final beast is “different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had
ten horns” (v. 7). This beast parallels the legs and feet of the statue in Daniel
2. Many theologians interpret the fourth beast as the Roman empire, with
the ten horns as its latter-day extension in some form at the end of the age. While Daniel is contemplating what all of this means, he sees thrones set
in place “and the Ancient of Days took his seat... The court sat in judgment,
and the books were opened” (vv. 9-10). The scene is a courtroom where
books are opened and people are judged. The Judge is called the “Ancient
of Days.” The throne surrounded by fire is similar to other biblical references
that depict God and His holiness (Ezekiel 1; Revelation 1). Daniel’s vision
portrays God as eternal, pure, and holy — the final Judge of humanity who
is attended by an infinite number of angels. As Daniel watches, the fourth beast, who seems identified with the little
horn, is slain and both the little horn and the beast cease to exist. Their
©2015 Community Bible Study
Check It
Out!
Down through church history people have erroneously claimed to know the Antichrist’s identity. Such
foolish speculation embarrasses the Church. When the
Antichrist is revealed, he
will fulfill many prophecies concerning him, which
as yet are unfulfilled. In the
meantime, we should not be
misled by extreme and
unbalanced interpretations about the end of the age. Instead, we should “run with
endurance the race that is
set before us” and “look to Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1- 2).
Lesson 7 • Page 3
swift destruction contrasts with the other three beasts that lived on to
some extent in the kingdoms that followed after them. But the destruction of the fourth kingdom obliterates all the kingdoms and
allows a new and different kingdom — God’s kingdom — to take over. Now comes one of the most astonishing scenes in all the Bible: “Behold,
with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man... His dominion... shall not be destroyed” (vv. 13-14). Here another person is introduced
who is both distinct from and submits to the Ancient of Days. He is given authority over the nations and is worshiped by them. His dominion is
eternal. When Jesus spoke to His disciples of His second coming to earth,
He said, “Then will appear in heaven... and they will see the Son of Man
coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew
24:30). Daniel, perplexed by the vision, asked one of the angels to explain it.
The angel announced that the four beasts “are four kings... out of the earth”
(v. 17) but that eventually God’s saints will possess the final divine kingdom.
Critics use these verses to argue that the Son of Man is only a symbol of the
saints, God’s people, and not a supernatural figure at all. However, Jesus
used the term to describe Himself. Furthermore, the Son of Man is pictured
as coming on the clouds of heaven and being worshiped. The saints do
indeed rule, but they do so under the authority of the Son of Man and as
co-heirs with him (Romans 8:17). Daniel is most mystified by the fourth beast and the little horn, so he asks
about them. The angel tells him that the fourth beast was a fourth kingdom
different from all the others. We have already said the fourth kingdom is
probably both the Roman Empire and its latter-day extension which will
exist when Jesus Christ returns. Here we see details that go beyond what
is reported in Chapter 2. The empire at the end will have ten kings, ruling
simultaneously, in some type of allegiance. This was never true of the earlier Roman Empire. Then another king, the little horn, will subdue three of
these kings and evidently become the dominant force in the allegiance.
God permits him to persecute believers. He will speak against God openly
and without fear. He will rule for “time, times, and half a time” (v. 25). Revelation describes one who appears to be the same person: “And I saw a
beast rising out of the sea... The beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for
forty-two months” (Revelation 13:1-8). The beast comes out of the sea and
has ten horns, just like Daniel’s beast. The beast blasphemes God and persecutes the saints, just like the little horn. The beast has authority for 42
months, which seems to parallel the little horn’s reign for “time, times and
half a time,” probably symbolizing three and one-half years, which is also
fortytwo months. The beast of Revelation and the little horn seem to be
one and the same. Who is this beast/little horn? The best suggestion is that
this person is a future evil leader, called the Antichrist, who will lead the
latter-day extension of the Roman empire.
©2015 Community Bible Study
Walk the
Walk!
The message to Daniel and
the Jewish people was that
God would defeat all His
foes, and that the eventual
ruler would be the divine
Son of Man. They now possessed a hope that could sustain them during even the
worst trials. We are blessed
to have Scriptures that Daniel did not have to clear up
our confusion. God Himself,
the “Ancient of Days” (v. 9),
will judge and destroy the
Antichrist, replacing him
with the Son of Man, whose
kingdom will never disappear, and God’s saints will
reign with Him forever. That
is good news indeed!
Lesson 7 • Page 4