Tonight I'm going to try to finish up chapter 7 of The Book of Daniel beginning in verse 15. We have spent two sessions already on trying to interpret this vision that Daniel was given. Tonight's episode is an angel that Daniel asks to interpret for him. So, it will allow us to get a little bit clearer picture of what the meaning was of Daniel's vision.
We have to remember that by this time in Daniel's life he had witnessed the rise and fall of nations due to war and conflict. So, Daniel sensed the suffering that people were going to bear, in particular his own people.
Daniel 7:15. At this point in time the Jews were under the rule of Babylon. They were scattered throughout the empire. Daniel simply could not understand the vision, in particular the meaning of the fourth beast and the little horn.(vv.7-8) He was deeply troubled by all the questions running through his mind. So, the Lord sent an angel to interpret the vision for Daniel.
Daniel 7:16. Daniel's troubled spirit drove him to seek the meaning of the vision. He approached one of the angels and asked him to explain what he had witnessed. This angel is not named but it was probably Gabriel. In fact, Daniel later says that Gabriel was the angel he had seen in an earlier vision (Dan. 9:21). Whatever the case, the messenger of God met the need of Daniel and explained the vision to him.
Daniel 7: 17-18. Straight to the point, the four beasts represented the corrupt and violent kingdoms of the world. As history went on, nations and empires would succeed one another. They would conquer one another and inflict death and sorrow, pain and suffering all over the earth.
But the good news is what we learned from verses 13 and 14. The day is coming when the Son of man's eternal Kingdom will be established on earth. And we, as his saints and true believers will inherit that kingdom. The kingdom will last forever and the saints will rule forever.
So all was not lost. With this explanation, Daniel knew that his people Israel had a bright future and a wonderful hope. Eventually they would have their messiah, and they would serve him throughout all eternity. This must have greatly encouraged Daniel when the angel explained the coming kingdom of God on earth and the fact that true believers would inherit the Lord's kingdom.
Daniel 7: 19- 22. Daniel requests that the angel explain the meaning of the fourth beast and its little horn. He wanted to know why the fourth beast was unlike any other animal on earth and was so ferocious and terrifying. He also wanted to know about the 10 horns, and especially about the little horn. He wondered why the three horns fell before it, and why the little horn seemed so much greater than the others. Why was it so arrogant and boastful? And why did it wage war against the saints, persecuting and crushing them. He also asked about the ancient of Days and his judgment of the little horn, a judgment that delivered the saints and gave them the kingdom of God.
The angel answers Daniel's questions, explaining events that both he and future generations needed to know. Despite all the war, conflict, lawlessness, and violence on earth, and all the suffering and death of human life, a wonderful hope lies in the future. And every human being needs to know about this wonderful hope. They need to be encouraged to place their hope in the Lord and in his coming kingdom. In answering the prophet’s questions, the angel stressed five major points:
Daniel 7:23. The fourth beast represented the fourth Kingdom on Earth and we pointed out in verse 7 that this kingdom was the Roman empire that controlled most of the known world of that day. This empire was to be different from all others that had preceded it, different in its power and terror. It would violently devour the whole earth. It would crush and trample underfoot all the people who stood in its path of world conquest.
As we know now, Rome was different than many ways in its laws, political structure, and organization. This would influence many nations down through history, so much so that the last Kingdom to rule on Earth will arise from a restoration of the old Roman empire. The explanation from the angel clearly shows the fact that specific features of the Roman state will endure in certain nations down through history until God himself establishes the final government on earth, the kingdom of God itself.
Daniel 7: 24a. The ten horns represented a coalition of ten rulers. These 10 rulers arise from the Roman empire. The 10 kingdoms or nations will exist right before Christ returns to set up God's Kingdom on earth.
Daniel 7:24b-25. The little horn is identified as another ruler who arises from one of the kingdoms of the historic Roman empire. As we pointed out last time, this is the Antichrist who is also known as the man of lawlessness and the beast.
The coalition of 10 Nations will already be in existence when the Antichrist arises and appears on the scene. He will take power after them. Note that he will be different from the other 10 rulers and that he will be more powerful and terrorizing, more knowledgeable and intelligent, more arrogant and oppressive, and more hostile and cruel in his treatment of others.
Note from verse 24 that the Antichrist will subdue three of the 10 rulers. For some reason these three rulers will oppose the Antichrist, and he will subject them under his rule. After this, the other seven rulers willingly subject themselves and follow his leadership.
As we said last time, the Antichrist will defy and oppose the lord. He will speak publicly against the Lord by blaspheming and cursing his holy name. Other scriptures tell us that he will even establish a state religion in an attempt to secure the loyalty and unity of the people.
The Antichrist will then turn his hatred of God against the believers. He will launch an oppressive, vicious persecution of believers. Keep in mind that the rule of Antichrist will be so evil and brutal that his time on Earth has been given a title, the historical period known as the Tribulation.
The last part of verse 25 is telling us that the Antichrist will try to change the calendar and some of the laws of the nation. He will attempt to institute a new legal system to govern the coalition of nations.
Even though it doesn't seem very clear, the last part of verse 25 is telling us that the Antichrist will persecute the saints for three and a half years. This is the period of time known as the Great tribulation. During the Great tribulation, the last three and a half years of Antichrist rule, the great city of Jerusalem will be destroyed and the Jews severely persecuted. But the good news is that God promises to meet the needs of those who truly follow Him during the entire three and a half years.
Daniel 7:26. The angel explained the ancient of Days and his court of judgment next. It will be the hand of God himself that will strike the Antichrist and completely destroy this little horn of prophecy. His final day on Earth will come and his vicious persecution of believers will end. His coalition of nations will be broken up and each will be wiped off the face of the earth when they face the terrifying judgment of God.
Daniel 7:27. After the Antichrist has been removed from the earth, the 5th and final kingdom, God's kingdom, will be established on earth. That is when Christ will return to bring peace and righteousness to the human race. Again, the kingdom will be handed over to the saints, the true believers who have followed the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who have truly followed the Lord will receive their inheritance, an everlasting Kingdom that will never end. And they will rule with Christ, looking after and taking care of the universe in his behalf. But it would be wise to note that the everlasting Kingdom of Christ will be inhabited only by rulers and people who have worshiped and obeyed him.
Daniel 7:28. This was the end of the vision. Daniel was emotionally exhausted, completely drained. He was still deeply troubled, so much so that his face had turned pale, which probably indicated that he was experiencing some kind of emotional shock. The impact of the vision upon Daniel is a strong suggestion that every generation needs to pay close attention to this prophecy, in particular to the warning about the coming little horn, the Antichrist.
Without getting too deep into the prophecy of the Book of Revelation, here is a final note. The Antichrist is coming someday in the future. When he comes, the first part of his rule will bring peace, security, and economic prosperity to the world. But in the last three and a half years of his leadership, the most terrible holocaust ever known to man will be launched against those who truly follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
However, the Lord will sustain his people. He will strengthen and encourage them and offer them the most wonderful reward if they will just remain true to Him. These same promises of strength and reward are given to all of us who truly trust the Lord and follow in his steps of righteousness.
