Daniel

Chapter 7

Daniel had a dream. This time he dreamed of beasts. The reading of this chapter brings to mind the Revelation of St. John. Its tone, texture and outcome are very similar.

Beast 1[1] – was a lion that had eagle’s wings. It wings were plucked off and if was made stand like a human on two legs and it was endowed with the mind of a human being. This represents the Babylonian empire.[2]

Beast 2[3] – was a bear described as “raised up on one side” with three tusks among its teeth. Its instructions were to devour many bodies. The bear represents the Medes.

Beast 3[4] – was like a leopard with four swings of a bird on its back and four heads. Dominion was given to this beast. This beast represents the Persians.

Beast 4[5] – terrifying and dreadful and “exceedingly strong... It had great iron teeth and was devouring, breaking in pieces, and stamping what was left with its feet. It had 10 horns. An 11^th horn appears and three of the others were removed to make room for it. There were human eyes in the horn and mouth “speaking arrogantly.” “This beast represents the Greeks whose ten horns represent the ten rulers who succeeded Alexander. The little horn is Antiochus Epiphanes, who gained his throne by uprooting others.”[6]

The Ancient of Days

Daniel’s dream then includes the seating of the Ancient of Days, or the Ancient One with white as wool hair and throne of fiery flames and fire issuing out from his presence. A thousand thousands served him and 10 thousand attended him. This is a vision of judgment. The fourth beast was put to death and the body destroyed. The remaining three beasts, their dominion was taken away but their lives spared

“The Son of Man” – One looking like a human being

This being is coming from clouds of heaven. He was presented to the Ancient One and he was given dominion and glory and kingship “that all peoples, nations, and languages, should serve him”[7]. His dominion is to be an everlasting dominion. Daniel sees the four beasts disarmed or killed and the ensign of the Ancient One being given dominion over all things. This is a picture of God’s salvation of the world and its inhabitants.

There are several very import notes concerning the “Son of Humanity” to take into consideration in coming to an understanding of this section.

This is to be a savior – one chosen and coming from God.
Luke makes reference to this vision of the clouds and the son of humanity descending on the clouds in his vision of the Ascension of Jesus after his resurrection. Compare to Acts 1:9-11. The prediction of return in the same manner is made by two men of heaven standing by
Jesus refers to himself throughout the gospel accounts as the “Son of Man”. It is a reference to this vision and the savior of the world who is sent from God.

The New Testament finds its resolution of the coming savior – the revelation that is made here in Daniel as Jesus. Jesus is understood by the New Testament as the coming messiah – the ensign of God who will destroy the beasts and establish the everlasting kingdom of God.

In there time the interpretation provides a picture of the great power and force that Alexander’s Greece will have upon them and the entire world. This beast will be a devouring force. In fact, it is the power that the Israelites are entangled with as the Book of Daniel is being written. They are enduring the forces of Antiochus Epiphanes and the destruction of their temple and their way of life.

Interpretation

The message of this apocalypse to the Israelites is that their God, the Ancient of Days will come to their aid as a rescuer and a savior. There is nothing to fear. The message to use of this age as we read is that a rescuer has come, Jesus the Messiah who has done battle with the beast that threatens the death of God’s loved one and has cut the beast off. The kingdom of this messiah is forever and ever and ever. It will have no end and nothing will bring it down.

The Rev. Dr. Kipp W. Zimmermann

[1] [1] Metzger, Bruce M. and Roland E. Murphy, eds, The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books, The New Revised Standard Version, New York: Oxford University Press, 1991; Dn 7.4, 1138 (OT).

[2] Ibid. Note 7.4-8 actually sites the representation of all of the beasts