CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Daniel 7
Chapter 7 of 12
Chapter Overview
What happens in Daniel 7
Daniel has a vision of four great beasts rising from the sea, each representing a future kingdom. He also sees the Ancient of Days on his throne and one like a Son of Man receiving an everlasting kingdom. This vision parallels Nebuchadnezzar's dream in chapter 2 but adds more detail about the end times.
Scripture
Daniel 7
The Vision of Four Beasts
Study note
This vision came during the first year of Belshazzar, before the events of chapters 5 and 6. The four beasts rising from the sea represent four world empires: a lion (Babylon), a bear (Medo-Persia), a leopard (Greece), and a terrifying fourth beast (Rome). The little horn with eyes and a boastful mouth represents a future ruler who will oppose God.
1 During Belshazzar's first year as king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream full of visions one night. Afterward, he wrote down the most important parts. 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 wrote: "In my nighttime vision, I watched as the four winds of heaven whipped up the surface of a vast ocean." Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
3 "Four huge beasts climbed up out of the sea, and each one looked completely different from the others." And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
4 "The first beast looked like a lion with eagle wings. As I kept watching, its wings were ripped off. Then it was stood up on two legs like a person, and it was given a human mind." The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, 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 "Next came a second beast that looked like a bear. It was leaning to one side, and it had three ribs clamped between its teeth. A voice told it, 'Get up and eat all the meat you want!'" And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, 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 "Then I spotted a third beast that looked like a leopard. But on its back it had four bird wings, and it had four heads. This beast was given the power to rule." After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
7 "In my vision that night, a fourth beast appeared. It was the most terrifying, the most frightening, and the most powerful of all. It had giant iron teeth that crushed and devoured everything in its path, then stomped on whatever was left. It was totally different from the first three beasts, and it had ten horns." 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 "While I was studying the horns, a smaller horn pushed up among them. Three of the original horns were yanked out by the roots to give it space. This little horn had human eyes and a mouth that bragged and boasted nonstop." 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.
The Ancient of Days
Study note
The Ancient of Days is God himself, seated on his throne of fire. Millions serve him as he opens the books of judgment. The boastful beast is destroyed, and one like a Son of Man comes before the Ancient of Days. He receives an everlasting kingdom that will never be destroyed. Jesus used the title 'Son of Man' for himself, connecting to this prophecy.
9 "Then I watched as thrones were arranged in a row, and the Ancient of Days — the Eternal One — sat down. His clothing was bright white like snow, and his hair was as white as the purest wool. His throne was wrapped in blazing fire with wheels of flame." I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
10 "A flowing river of fire poured out from in front of him. Thousands upon thousands of angels served him, and millions upon millions stood ready before him. The heavenly court took their seats, and the record books were cracked open." 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 kept watching because of all the arrogant words that little horn was spouting. Then the fourth beast was killed, its body torn apart and thrown into the fire." I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
12 "The other three beasts lost their authority, but they were allowed to go on living for a limited time." As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
13 "Still watching in my nighttime vision, I saw someone who looked like a Son of Man riding on the clouds of heaven. He was brought before the Ancient of Days and led right into his presence." 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 "This Son of Man was given complete authority, glory, and a kingdom. People from every nation and language worshiped him. His authority will last forever — it will never fade — and his kingdom will never fall apart." 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.
The Vision Explained
Study note
An angel explains the vision to Daniel. The four beasts are four kingdoms. The saints of the Most High will eventually receive the kingdom forever. The fourth beast will be different from all the others and will crush the whole earth. The little horn will persecute God's people for a limited time, but God's judgment will come and his people will reign forever.
15 "All of this shook me deeply. The visions running through my mind left me disturbed and unsettled." I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
16 "I walked over to one of the beings standing there and asked him to explain what all of this meant. He agreed and began telling me." 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 four enormous beasts stand for four kings who will rise to power on earth,' he said." These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
18 "'But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom. They will keep it forever — for all time.'" But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
19 "I wanted to understand the fourth beast. It was so different from the rest. It was very scary with its iron teeth and bronze claws. It crushed and ate and stomped on whatever was left." 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 "I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head. And I wanted to know about the extra horn that had come up, knocking three others out. That horn had human eyes and a mouth full of bragging. It looked bigger and more scary than the rest." 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 spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
21 "I watched as this horn waged war against God's holy people and was winning," I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22 "until the Ancient of Days arrived. He declared his judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High. And the time came for them to take possession of the kingdom." 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 "The being explained, 'That fourth beast represents a fourth kingdom that will show up on earth. It will be unlike anything before it. It will gobble up the whole world, crushing and stomping on everything.'" 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 "'The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. Then a different king will rise after them. He will be unlike the ones before him and will take down three kings.'" 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 "'He will insult the Most High and try to wear down his holy people. He will attempt to change the calendar and rewrite the laws. God's people will be under his thumb for a time, times, and half a time.'" 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 then the heavenly court will sit in judgment. It will strip away his power and destroy him completely and forever.'" But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
27 "'Then every kingdom under heaven — all their power and greatness — will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will never end. Every ruler everywhere will serve and obey him.'" 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 "That was the end of the vision. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts scared me badly and my face went pale. But I kept everything to myself." 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.
Key Themes
Themes in Daniel 7
The four beastsThe ancient of daysThe Son of manGod's eternal kingdomThe saints receive the kingdom
Prophetic Connections
How this chapter points to Christ
Daniel 13-14 Matthew 24:30
Jesus used Daniel's 'Son of Man coming on the clouds' as his primary self-designation and directly quoted this passage when describing his return in glory.
Daniel 13-14 Matthew 26:64
At his trial before the high priest, Jesus declared that they would see 'the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven,' directly claiming the identity of Daniel's heavenly figure.
Daniel 9-10 Revelation 20:11-12
John's vision of the great white throne judgment echoes Daniel's vision of the Ancient of Days seated on a fiery throne with books opened for judgment.
Apply This Today
Living Daniel 7
In a world that often feels chaotic and threatening, Daniel's vision reassures us that God is on the throne. The beasts represent powerful and terrifying empires, but they are all temporary. The Son of Man receives an everlasting kingdom that will never be destroyed. Our allegiance belongs to this eternal kingdom, not to the passing powers of this world.
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