Daniel 7: Daniel’s First Dream
1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.
”In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon,” (1a) ”With this chapter begins a series of revelations to Daniel personally.” (Pulpit Commentary) “Historians say the first year of Belshazzar was about 552 BC. If so, this vision occurs about fifty years after the vision recorded in Daniel 2.” (Larry W. Wilson) “Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed,” (1b) “as Nebuchadnezzar before had, concerning the same things, the four monarchies of the world, and the kingdom of Christ, only represented in a different manner…” (John Gill) “Daniel identifies the timing of two events upon which other prophecies depend. If the timing of these two events are overlooked or inaccurately identified, the other prophecies that depend upon this timing will not harmonize.” (Larry W. Wilson) Skeptics declare that this was penned after the fact, but we know, based on the Word of God that the "vision came to Daniel after the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, but before the Babylonian Empire was conquered by the Medo-Persian Empire." (David Guzik) "THEN he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts." (7:1c)
2 Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea.
"The great sea agitated by the winds, represented the earth and the dwellers on it troubled by ambitious princes and conquerors... Mighty conquerors are but instruments of God's vengeance on a guilty world. The savage beast represents the hateful features of their characters. But the dominion given to each has a limit; their wrath shall be made to praise the Lord, and the remainder of it he will restrain." (Matthew Henry)
3 "And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
The first beast again is the empire of Babylon. “Just as gold is the king of metals, so the lion is the king of beasts. The eagle’s wings indicate a military prowess that none can escape. The ancients regarded the eagle’s keen vision and its ability to swoop down on its prey as a fitting symbol of military power. (Deut 28:49) These characteristics, no doubt, prompted the founding fathers of the United States to use the Bald Eagle as a symbol of military power. As Daniel watched, the lion lost its power and ability to subdue nations. In this vision, the lion received a man’s heart, a heart that is subject to vanity, arrogance, and pride.” (Larry W. Wilson) “So long as Nebuchadnezzar, in haughty pride, relied on his own strength, he forfeited the true dignity of man, and was therefore degraded to be with the beasts. Da 4:16: ‘Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him.’ But after he learned by this sore discipline that ‘the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men’ (Dan 4:35, 36), the change took place in him, ‘a man's heart is given to him; instead of his former beast's heart, he attains man's true position, namely, to be consciously dependent on God.’ Compare Ps 9:20.” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown)Yet, the “subsequent kings of Babylon did not learn from Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation and Babylon ultimately fell because of arrogance and vanity. (Daniel 5:22)” (Larry W. Wilson)
5 “And behold another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’
“The second beast corresponds to the silver portion of the Colossus (Daniel 2). Raised up on one side- In explaining this very difficult phrase, it must be remembered that the two sides of the bear are parallel in meaning to the two breasts and two arms of the Colossus. It is implied, therefore, that the second kingdom consists of two parts, and the raising up of one side implies that one part of the kingdom would come into greater prominence than the other. Such was the case with the Medo-Persian Empire (cf. Daniel 8:3), in which the Persian (Cyrus) element surpassed the Median (Darius).
Three ribs.—These cannot signify the people who constitute the second empire, but rather some kingdoms which had already been subdued by it; and by the command, ‘Arise and devour,’ the second empire is permitted to make further conquests before its disappearance. The three ribs have been understood from the time of St. Hippolytus to mean three nations: the Babylonians, the Lydians, and the Egyptians…” (Ellicott's Commentary), rendering control of the known world.
“Isaiah foretold the rise of the Persians more than a hundred years before Cyrus was born. Notice this prophecy: “This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me.” (Isaiah 45:1-4)” (Larry W. Wilson)
6 “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.
“This third kingdom is that of the Macedonians or Grecians, who, under the command of Alexander the Great, overcame the Persians, and reigned next after them; and it is most fitly compared to a leopard upon several accounts… ” (Thomas Coke) ”The leopard is one of the most dangerous beasts of prey, both to other animals and to humans. It's lurking, it's noiseless movements, and it's unexpected attack instill terror (Hos. 13:7).
Four wings of the bird— Wings stand for speed, and four wings represent extra ordinary speed Ezekiel 1:6.” (Ranko Stefanovic) “Historians marvel at the swiftness of Grecia’s first king, Alexander the Great. He conquered the Medo- Persian empire in a mere ten years! When considering the geographical scope of his conquests and the fact that he did this on horseback, there is no doubt that God empowered Alexander to accomplish this military feat.” (Larry W. Wilson)
Speaking of Alexander the Great: ”He was a master in the combination of various arms; he taught the world the advantages of campaigning in winter, the value of pressing pursuit to the utmost, and the principle of 'march divided, fight united.' He marched usually in two division, one conducting the impediments and his own traveling light; his speed of movement was extraordinary." (The Cambridge Ancient History)
“The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.” (6b) “At the peak of his conquests and military prowess, Alexander died of ‘swamp fever’ … (‘induced by a drunken debauch’ - Uriah Smith) at the age of 33. Interestingly, his offspring did not inherit his kingdom.” (Larry W. Wilson) This can be thought of as prophetic for us. The promise of faithfulness is blessing to the third and fourth generation but that of infidelity is curse.
“There arose much contention among his followers respecting the succession. After a seven days' contest it was agreed that his natural brother, Philip Aridaeus, should be declared king. By him, and by Alexander's infant sons, Alexander AEgus and Hercules, the name and show of the Macedonian Empire were for a time sustained. But the boys were soon murdered, and the family of Alexander became extinct. Then the chief commanders of the army, who had gone into different parts of the empire as governors of the provinces, assumed the title of king. They at once began warring against one another to such a degree that within a few years after Alexander's death, the number was reduced to four--the exact number specified in prophecy." (Uriah Smith) “It was eventually divided between his four leading generals: Ptolemy, Cassander, Lysimachus and Seleucus. The four heads of the leopard represent these four kings.” (Larry W. Wilson)
7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.
The fourth kingdom— Rome “was dreadful, terrible, and exceeding strong: it devoured, and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue, that is, the remains of the former kingdoms, with its feet.” (Clarke) “Historians generally agree that the Grecian empire ended with the battle of Pydna in 168 B.C. With this victory, the Romans finally gained control of the world.” (Larry W. Wilson) Rome “reduced Macedon into a Roman province about one hundred and sixty-eight years before Christ; the kingdom of Pergamos about one hundred and thirty-three years; Syria about sixty-five; and Egypt about thirty years before Christ..." (Adam Clarke)
“The Roman military was known for its use of iron and its scorched-earth policy. Did you notice the fourth beast has teeth of iron? This metallic feature parallels the “legs of iron” mentioned in Daniel 2. Unlike King Nebuchadnezzar who took captives to Babylon and trained them for government service, the Romans took few prisoners. (True to form, when the Romans burned Jerusalem to the ground in A.D. 70, they took everything of value, but few prisoners.)” (Larry W. Wison)
Rome was different from all the beasts that were before it. “This fourth was diverse from all the beasts; and thus Rome was different from all the kingdoms, not only in its republican form of government, but also in power and greatness, length of duration, and extent of dominion.” (Thomas Coke)
And it had ten horns— “As a world empire, Rome endured for almost 650 years (168 B.C. to A.D. 476), but like its predecessors, Rome fell.
After a series of civil wars within its borders, the empire crumbled during the last half of the fifth century A.D. As the Roman empire fractured, ten ethnic nations within the former empire rose to power. The ten horns of the fourth beast represent these ten nations. Daniel was told, ‘The ten horns are ten kings who will come from [within] this kingdom.’ (Daniel 7:24, insertion mine) These tribal-nations have been generally identified as the Ostrogoths, Heruli, Franks, Vandals, Lombards, Visigoths, Suevi, Burgundians, Alamanni, and the Anglo- Saxons.” (Larry W. Wilson)
8 “I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.
In the midst of the ten horns, the Roman catholic church sprang up claiming apostolic succession. It rooted up “‘The Exarchate of Ravenna,’ ‘The kingdom of Lombardy,’ and ‘The Duchy of Rome,’ these three becoming ‘the Patrimony of Peter,’ making the Roman church a small temporal kingdom, which began about that time to coin money, and to assume other signs of temporal authority, such as the establishment of an armed force (the Papal Guards), etc. It was shortly after the development of this usurpation that the Papacy claimed authority over the kings of the earth, one Pope even presuming to crown Charlemagne as ‘King of the Holy Roman Empire’ on Christmas Day, 800 A.D. [Encyclopedia Britanica ].” (Coffman Commentary)
Another little horn "refers to Antichrist, or the papal usurpation. See on Daniel 7:24.” (Thomas Coke) This is key to the understanding of the book of Revelation. “In the mid-19th century, Alexander Campbell debated Bishop Purcell of the Roman Catholic Church, affirming that, ‘The Scriptures teach that the hierarchical Papacy of the Roman Church is `The great Harlot' of John's apocalypse, `The Man of Sin' of Paul, and `the Little Horn' of Daniel.’ It is the resistance of this interpretation that leads to the false allegations seeking to deny this. This interpretation is still true, no matter how men may resent it. Sir Isaac Newton, one of the greatest intellectual giants of an entire millennium, unequivocally interpreted this `little horn' as follows: ‘The little horn is a little kingdom. It was a horn of the fourth beast, and rooted up three of the first horns; and therefore we are to look for it among the nations of the Latin Empire. But it was a kingdom of a different kind from the other ten kingdoms, having a life and soul peculiar to itself, with eyes and a mouth. By its eyes it was a Seer;, and by its mouth speaking great things and changing times and laws, it was a Prophet as well as a King. And such a Seer, Prophet, and King, is the Church of Rome.’” (Coffman Commentary)
9 “I watched till thrones were put in place (cast down) , and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire.
This is thought by some to be a vision of a pre-advent judgement. “This has been recognized by a number of non-Adventist commentators: The Roman Catholic author F. Düsterwald, for example, wrote, 'Without question, the prophet Daniel here describes God's judgment concerning the hostile powers. The judgment ends with the total condemnation of the world empires and the triumph of the cause of God. However, what is described here is not as many older interpreters (Theodoret and others) have assumed the general judgment of the world, it is not God's judgment here on earth, rather the place of the judgment is in heaven. The context indicates, that it is a preliminary judgment which is later confirmed in the general judgment of the world.'
The Protestant interpreter T. Robinson saw this judgment sitting during the 19th century when he wrote his commentary on Daniel. He said, 'As already observed, this is not the general judgment at the termination of Christ's reign on earth, or, as the phrase is commonly understood, the end of the world. It appears rather to be an invisible judgment carried on within the veil and revealed by its effects and the execution of its sentence. As occasioned by the 'great words' of the Little Horn and followed by the taking away of his dominion, it might seem to have already sat. As, however, the sentence is not yet by any means fully executed, it may be sitting now.'" (Gerhard Pfandl, Biblical Research Institute)
I beheld till the thrones were cast down (KJV), “'until the thrones were set up'; for the judges to sit upon to try, judge, and condemn the four beasts or monarchies; in order to make way for the kingdom of the Son of man to take place in the spirituality and glory of it: here are more thrones than one; ... and so Jarchi paraphrases the words, 'the thrones were pitched and prepared to sit upon in judgment.'" (John Gill) "'Thrones.’... Several New Testament passages portray Jesus Christ (the Greater David) after his resurrection as seated on God’s right side (Matt. 26:64; Mark 14:62; Luke 22:69). In some biblical passages, the Saints are granted the unique privilege of sitting in judgment at God's side (Matt. 19:28; Luke 22:30; 1Cor. 6:2; Rev. 3:21; 20:4). It is noteworthy that the second occurrence of the word ‘throne’ in this verse is singular. It clearly refers to God's throne..." (Zdravko Stefanovic) upon which Jesus is now seated.
The Father is “called the ANCIENT OF DAYS, because of his eternal Deity; without beginning and end of days. Whose GARMENT was white as snow; thus kings’ viceroys were clothed, as Joseph in fine silk, Genesis 41:42, and Mordecai, Esther 8:15. THE HAIR of his head like the pure wool; see Revelation 1:14; noting his innocence, and righteousness in judgment, Isaiah 42:4.HIS THRONE was like the fiery flame: this notes his majesty in judgment: see Psalms 1:3,4 Mal 4:1 Revelation 19:11,12. HIS WHEELS as burning fire; arguing the greatest and most formidable state of the last Judge and judgment; alluding to the kings who had movable thrones, which had wheels: it notes also God’s swiftness in judgment, Malachi 3:5.” (Matthew Poole)
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.
“A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him.” (10a) “Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him and burns up His adversaries round about." (Psalm 97:2-3) "Like an advance guard clearing the way. So was it at Sinai, so must it be: the very Being of God is power, consuming all opposition; omnipotence is a devouring flame which burneth up His enemies round about. God is longsuffering, but when He comes forth to judgment He will make short work with the unrighteous, they will be as chaff before the flame.." (C. H. Spurgeon)
“A thousand of thousands minister to Him;” “that is, thousands multiplied a thousand times. The mind is struck with the fact that there are thousands present - and then the number seems as great as if those thousands were multiplied a thousand times. The idea is that there was an immense - a countless host… The court was seated- That is, all the arrangements for a solemn act of judgment were made, and the process of the judgment commenced. And the books were opened - As containing the record of the deeds of those who were to be judged. Compare Revelation 20:12. The Great Judge is represented as having before Him the record of all the deeds on which judgment was to be pronounced, and to be about to pronounce sentence according to those deeds.” (Albert Barnes)
“According to Revelation 4 and 5 (which also describes this scene in Daniel 7), there are a total of twenty-five thrones. Twenty-four thrones encircle the throne of the Father… [Jesus said— when you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.] This convocation… was the judgment of human beings. Before Jesus returns to Earth, He will judge the people of Earth and determine who will participate in His eternal kingdom.” (Larry W. Wilson) But for those living at His Coming: “The judgment of the living occurs during the Great Tribulation. The living will be tested to see who will obey God and trust in Him. People who pass the test will be sealed with a nature free from sin.” (Larry W. Wilson)…as their predecessors will.
11 I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame.
“While watching the courtroom scene unfold in Heaven’s temple, Daniel’s view is redirected back to Earth because he hears great words (blasphemous words) coming from the little horn.” (Larry W. Wilson) This shows that it is a pre-Advent judgment. He continues watching until he sees until the beast is slain and the kingdoms of this earth are “completely and mercilessly destroyed…” (Bridgeway) at the second coming of Jesus- verse 11.
"And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume ([anelei]) with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming." (2 Thessalonians 2:8) Consume is "anelei" meaning "take away, do away with, destroy . . . of persons killed usually in a violent way." (Friberg: Analytical Lexicon of the Greek NT) The fiery destruction of the last beast, the little horn- religious Rome- “corresponds to the smashing of the image in Daniel 2 by means of the Stone from heaven (Revelation 19:20) In both cases, the end comes suddenly, supernaturally, and spectacularly." (Whitcomb, Everyman's Bible Commentary)
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.
“Jesus will appear in clouds of glory and will resurrect Abel and all those determined to be righteous. He will take them to Heaven at that time along with the righteous living who are translated without seeing death. (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17) Cain, however, will not be disturbed from his sleep at the Second Coming. In fact, billions of wicked people will sleep through the Second Coming. The wicked who are alive at the Second Coming will be destroyed by a command that comes out of Jesus’ mouth and they will sleep for the next thousand years. After the 1,000 years of Revelation 20 passes, Jesus will return to Earth with all the redeemed and He will resurrect Cain and all of the wicked so that they can face their Judge and receive their sentence for the wages of sin. The wicked will be put to death by execution. (Revelation 20:5,9) After the wicked are annihilated by fire, sin and sinners will be no more.” (Larry W. Wilson)
13 “I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. 14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.
Jesus goes before the Ancient of Days— the Son before the Father. "The Ancient of Days should here be capitalized as it could not possibly refer to anyone else except Almighty God; and the fact that in the New Testament (Revelation 20) it is Christ who sits on this throne, such is a natural result of the early church's acceptance of Our Lord as indeed Deity, to whom the Father has committed the judgment of all men. It is surprising that the ‘other beast’ here are represented as being present even until the destruction of the final beast. This is a remarkable consonance with the Apostle John's Apocalypse, in which it appears that ‘the kings of the earth’ (all of them), the Great Harlot (apostate religion), and Satan himself shall all perish simultaneously in the ‘lake of tire.’” (Coffman Commentary)
“Many people think these two verses occur after the Second Coming; however, this is not the case. Christ receives the kingdom of Earth from the Father before the Second Coming! This fact is confirmed in Revelation 11 and 19. Therefore, verses 11 and 12 break the chronological order of the sequence that began in verse 1 by reverting to an earlier date. Technically, because of this break in chronology, a new apocalyptic prophecy begins with verse 13, and it consists of two verses. Because this passage is so short, I prefer to say these two verses amplify the content of verses 9 and 10, because either way, the result is the same. Verse 13 tell us that Jesus approached the Father after the Ancient of Days took His seat in 1798.
The question, ‘Why did Jesus approach the Father?’ cannot be answered from the details given in Daniel 7:13 and 14. No vision is complete within itself. However, the vision in Revelation 4-6 parallels this scene and John tells us more of the story. The first item of business at this great convocation is to find some worthy person who is qualified to bring the drama of sin to a successful conclusion. In John’s vision, an investigation is conducted throughout the whole universe to see who is worthy to do the job. Jesus alone is found worthy because Jesus meets the necessary criteria. He lived a life of perfect obedience to God’s law, a life free of sin. (1 Peter 2:22) He paid the penalty for sin with His own blood (Hebrews 9:15), and He demonstrated the depths of God’s love for mankind as no one else could do. (John 13:16; 10:30) No one else in all the universe meets these qualifications, and after being found worthy by the numberless host of angels, Jesus approached the Father to be coronated as King of kings and Lord of lords.
A fiery retinue of angels (Daniel says, ‘the clouds of Heaven’) escorted Jesus to the Father. The Father must have beamed as He bestowed upon His Son the authority and recognition necessary for the task at hand. This glorious scene is not the Second Coming.The Bible says that Jesus went before the Ancient of Days, but there is no indication that He came to Earth because this courtroom scene is conducted in Heaven’s temple! After He was found worthy by Heaven’s host, the Father gave every power and prerogative of God to Jesus and the Father stepped aside so that Jesus might resolve the greatest problem ever known to God: Sin. At this point in time,,, the Father physically gave Jesus all that He had promised. The Earth became His inheritance. (See Hebrews 1:2.)... Jesus does not take possession of Earth until two additional events occur. First, Jesus has to determine who will live in His kingdom. This is the reason the judgment was set and books were opened. Second, Jesus will not inherit an Earth that groans under the curse of sin. Only after Jesus annihilates the wicked and purifies the Earth with fire, will He create a new Heaven and a new Earth… If the little horn uproots the three horns by A.D. 532, the judgment scene has to occur after A.D. 532, but before the Second Coming…” (Larry W. Wilson)
15 “I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16a I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this.
Daniel was grieved; he came near … “to one of the holy angels. {as Daniel 7:10} Let us have recourse in like case to Christ’s ministers, who are called ‘angels of the churches’; like as angels, by a like change of name, are called ‘ministering spirits.’ [Hebrews 1:14] The preaching of the gospel is taken from the angels, [Luke 2:10] and given to the ministers: hence Paul was sent to Ananias for further direction, [Acts 9:10-11] and Cornelius to Peter. [Acts 10:3-5] And asked him the truth…The thing hereby signified. See John 1:17; John 14:7; holy minds are industrious after knowledge.” (Trapp’s Commentary)
16b So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’
"The angel spoke, and opened the interpretation of the words… So, without doubt, Christ will at this time satisfy our prayers, if we are truly his disciples; that is, if, after those mysteries which surpass and absorb all our senses have terrified us, we fly to that order which he has prescribed for us, and seen from faithful ministers and teachers the interpretation of those things which are difficult and obscure, and entirely concealed from us.” (Calvin’s Commentary)
So he made known the interpretation to me: “The angel chose deliberate language to make this statement. The angel is emphasizing a profound point to those who suffer for their faith. This world was created for the children of God. Temporarily, the devil has gained control of Earth, BUT at an appointed time, there will be an end to sin and the devil. The saints will inherit the Earth. God has decreed it! (Matthew 5:5).” (Larry W. Wilson)
Are you into politics only or do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ by faith in Him as the Kinsman Redeemer of Genesis? “Perhaps, also, it is designed by these words to denote a marked contrast between these four dynasties and the one that would follow - which would be of heavenly origin." (Barnes Notes)“A striking feature in the kingdom predicted in this vision of Daniel is that, while it is distinctly said to be given to the Son of Man, it is just as distinctly said, and that twice over, to be given to the saints, or to the people of the saints of the Most High…” (Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary)
The saints “Jesus Christ being their king, they shall reign with him, and possess the kingdom for ever.” (Wesley Notes) “Christian baptism admits one into the kingdom (Colossians 1:13); but it is fidelity that grants one, at last, admission ‘into the eternal kingdom’ (2 Peter 1:10-11…” (Coffman Commentary)
19 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; 20 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. 21 I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 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. 23 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. 24 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. 25a 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.
Here is the truth about the fourth beast and the ten horns that horn which sprang up before which three fell. “As the little horn grows and becomes great, it exhibits the same fierce qualities of its parent, the monster beast… The little horn endures until the end of the world; in fact, it speaks boastfully during the time of the end.” (Larry W. Wilson) So, it was a ruler with Roman origins, with “a mouth which spoke pompous words” (20) “whose appearance was greater than his fellows” seems more moral but in fact he has a form of goodliness but denies the power thereof, recently suggesting that a personal relationship with Jesus outside of his authority is dangerous. He will “speak pompous words against the Most High” and is controlled by the old enemy the devil.
He— one particular pope at the time of the end— will “persecute the saints of the Most High”… and in many ways prevail against them outwardly. Think of this blasphemous office historically. The pope has “assumed infallibility, which belongs only to God. They profess to forgive sins, which belongs only to God. They profess to open and shut heaven, which belongs only to God. They profess to be higher than all the kings of the earth, which belongs only to God. And they go beyond God in pretending to loose whole nations from their oath of allegiance to their kings, when such kings do not please them! And they go against God when they give indulgences for sin… AND shall wear out the saints - By wars, crusades, massacres, inquisitions, and persecutions of all kinds. What in this way have they not done against all those who have protested against their innovations, and refused to submit to their idolatrous worship? Witness the exterminating crusades published against the Waldenses and Albinenses. Witness John Huss, and Jerome of Prague. Witness the Smithfield fires in England! Witness God and man against this bloody, persecuting, ruthless, and impure Church! AND think to change times and laws - Appointing fasts and feasts; canonizing persons whom he chooses to call saints; granting pardons and indulgences for sins; instituting new modes of worship utterly unknown to the Christian Church; new articles of faith; new rules of practice; and reversing, with pleasure, the laws both of God and man. - Dodd.” (Adam Clarke)
And shall intend to change times and law (25a).Each had done this for their generation. ”What laws and whose? Not the laws of other earthly governments; for it was nothing marvelous or strange for one power to change the laws of another, whenever it could bring such power under its dominion. Not human laws of any kind; for the little horn had power to change these so far as its jurisdiction extended; but the times and laws in question were such as this power should only think to change, but not be able to change. They are the laws of the same Being to whom the saints belong who are worn out by this power, namely, the laws of the Most High. And has the papacy attempted this?--Yes, even this.... As to the fourth commandment, numbered as the third in their arrangement, the catechism of highest authority in the Roman Catholic Church retains the commandment entire, and urges punctilious observance of the Sabbath in the personal life and in public worship as a sacred privilege and duty. Nevertheless the position is taken that the particular day on which the Sabbath is to be observed, was connected with the ceremonial ordinances of the Jews, and was with them done away in Christ. Reasons are then given why the Sabbath should be observed on the first day of the week commonly called Sunday...” (Daniel and Revelation Uriah Smith), based on human reasoning.
25bThen the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time. 26 But the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it forever. 27 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.’ 28 This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart.
Then the saints will be given into his hand for a period- until the scene described when the court is seated for the purpose of the investigative judgment. In these proceedings they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it forever. Then the kingdom and dominion is given to the saints of the Most high.
The little horn will prevail— being the prince of the power of the air— until the investigative judgment, when it will be wounded. Then the kingdoms of this world will become the Kingdoms of the Most High. “This verse uses two Aramaic words for ‘time’ just as does verse 12. The first word is z’man, ‘a set time’ or ‘an appointed time’ that the little horn intends to change. The second word that is used here ‘iddan, ‘a season’ or ‘a period of time,’ with the emphasis being on the length of time. It's plural, ‘times,’ is usually understood as ‘two times,’ and here it follows by a fraction of a time. The Hebrew equivalent of this expression occurs and Daniel 12:7, while the Greek expression is found in Revelation 12:14. In the context of this chapter, the word ‘time’ suggest temporality. It contrasts sharply with the word ‘everlasting,’ which occurs in verses 14 and 27. Whole expression ‘time, times, and half a time’ can be viewed as a literary figure known as a ‘broken numeric progression’ in which the anticipated next figure (three times) is not reached. Instead the progression of the evil power is suddenly broken into a fraction.[Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Psalms].” (Daniel: Wisdom to the Wise by Zdravko Stefanovic)
But I kept the matter in my heart. ”Finally, brethren, whatever things are TRUE, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." (Phil 4:8)