Summary of Daniel 7:1-14
Daniel had a dream/vision of beasts that came up from the sea.
- The first beast was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. Its wings were torn off, and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a human being, and the mind of a human was given to it.
- The second beast looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and eat your fill of flesh!’
- The third beast looked like a leopard. And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.
- The fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.
Another horn appeared and uprooted other horns. The horn had eyes and a mouth that spoke.
Daniel then saw God (the Ancient of Days) on his throne. A river flowed before him he was attended by thousands.
The beast was then slain. The other beasts were stripped of authority.
Then Daniel saw Jesus (the Son of Man). He was given authority, glory, and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom will never be destroyed.
BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 6, Day 2: Daniel 7:1-14
- Four Winds of Heaven
- Qualities: The winds are described as powerful forces “churning up” the great sea. They represent a chaotic, foundational disturbance that brings about great change.
- Significance: In Scripture, winds often symbolize the powerful, invisible acts of God, sometimes in judgment or to bring about His sovereign will upon the earth (Jeremiah 49:36). Here, they signify that the turmoil of human history, from which empires rise, is ultimately stirred by a divine, heavenly power.
- Great Sea
- Qualities: The sea is vast, dark, chaotic, and tempestuous. It is the source from which the monstrous beasts emerge.
- Significance: The sea is a common biblical metaphor for the abyss, chaos, and the tumultuous Gentile (non-Jewish) nations of the world in their restless and ungodly state (Isaiah 17:12, Revelation 17:15). That the beasts arise from the sea signifies that these earthly empires are of human, chaotic, and profane origin, not from heaven.
The Four Beasts
- Lion with Eagle’s Wings (First Beast)
- Qualities: A combination of the king of beasts and the king of birds, representing supreme strength, speed, and majesty. The vision includes its wings being plucked off and it being given a human heart.
- Significance: This beast is historically interpreted as the Babylonian Empire. The lion was a prominent symbol of Babylon. The combination with an eagle represents its initial power and swift conquests. The removal of its wings and the giving of a human heart is widely seen as a reference to King Nebuchadnezzar’s humbling in Daniel 4, where his beast-like pride was replaced with humility.
- Bear (Second Beast)
- Qualities: A lumbering, powerful, and ferocious beast, raised up on one side with three ribs in its mouth. It is commanded to “devour much flesh.”
- Significance: This represents the Medo-Persian Empire. The bear’s brute strength reflects the empire’s massive armies. Being “raised up on one side” symbolizes the unequal partnership between the Medes and the Persians, with the Persians being the more dominant power. The three ribs signify three major conquests made by the empire (such as Lydia, Babylon, and Egypt).
- Leopard (Third Beast)
- Qualities: A leopard with four wings on its back and four heads. It is characterized by extreme speed and agility.
- Significance: This symbolizes the Greek Empire under Alexander the Great. A leopard is already swift, but the four wings represent the unprecedented speed of Alexander’s conquests. The four heads signify the division of his empire among his four leading generals after his sudden death.
- Iron Teeth and 10 Horns (Fourth Beast)
- Qualities: An unnamed, terrifying beast, different from all the others. It is described by its actions: crushing, devouring, and trampling with its large iron teeth. It has ten horns, representing power and rulers.
- Significance: The iron directly connects this beast to the legs of iron in Daniel 2, representing the Roman Empire. Its actions depict a new level of ruthless, all-consuming military and political power that would dominate its predecessors. The ten horns are generally understood to represent the rulers or divisions of power that would come from this empire.
What the Symbols Represent
The symbols surrounding the Ancient of Days are imagery of a divine, heavenly courtroom convened for ultimate judgment:
- White Clothing and Hair: The clothing “white as snow” and hair “like pure wool” represent God’s absolute purity, holiness, and righteousness. White is the color of perfection, signifying that the Judge of all history is without any stain of sin or injustice. The white hair also symbolizes infinite wisdom.
- The Flaming Throne and Blazing Wheels: The throne of fire symbolizes God’s awesome power and his unapproachable holiness. Fire in the Bible often represents both purification and judgment. The blazing wheels, reminiscent of the vision in Ezekiel 1, signify God’s omnipresence—His judgment is not static but can reach anywhere.
- The River of Fire: Flowing from the throne, this river represents the unstoppable and all-consuming power of God’s justice. It is the active force of His judgment, purging and destroying all that is unholy before Him.
- The Heavenly Host: The “thousands upon thousands” who attend Him are the angelic court. Their immense number signifies the majesty, glory, and power of the divine King and Judge.
- The Seated Court and Opened Books: This is the imagery of a formal legal proceeding. The “court was seated” indicates that the time for judgment has officially begun. The “books were opened” signifies a divine accounting of all deeds. It reveals that the actions of all earthly rulers and kingdoms have been recorded and will be judged according to God’s perfect, righteous standard.
For believers, the vision provides hope and assurance that earthly oppression is temporary and their righteous King will be vindicated. For all others, it is a sober warning that all human kingdoms are fleeting and will ultimately be judged and subjected to the Son of Man’s eternal, universal rule.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 6, Day 2: Daniel 7:1-14
This lesson was most definitely full! The symbolism and the vision are great!
End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 6, Day 2: Daniel 7:1-14
This is the beginning of Daniel’s visions that are recorded (they are in Daniel 7-12). The life of Daniel is in Daniel 1-6.
Fun Fact: Halfway through Daniel, he goes from a third-person account of his court stories to a first-person account of his prophecies.
Fun Fact: Daniel wrote his book in both Hebrew and Aramaic (2:4-7:28). Bible scholars believe that when Daniel wrote in Hebrew, he was addressing a Jewish audience.
This vision is before the Babylonians were conquered by the Medo-Persian Empire and after Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.
The Great Sea is most likely the Mediterranean Sea here.
Seas are dangerous since most ancient people could not swim. Seas are also seen as Gentile nations in the Bible (Psalm 74:13, Psalm 89:9, Isaiah 57:20).
The winds could be either God’s power ( Psalm 35:5, Psalm 48:7, Psalm 107:25 Isaiah 27:8 and Isaiah 41:16) or Satan’s forces (Revelation 7:1).
Lions and eagles are at the top of their respective food chains.
Lions are strong, majestic, and fast.
Bears are slower but stronger.
A leopard makes sudden, surprise attacks.
The fourth beast is indescribable but the most powerful.
Horns represent power.
Daniel tells us that they represent four kingdoms (Daniel 7:17).
- Lion and eagle — Babylon. Also, they can represent Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 49:19-22)
- Bear — Medo-Persian Empire. The three ribs could represent Babylon, Egypt, and Lydia (the lands they conquered)
- Leopard — Greek Empire. When Alexander the Great died, his empire was divided into 4 parts (hence, the 4 heads) and 4 rulers (Casander, Lysimachus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy)
- Indescribable Beast — Roman Empire
God knows the future.
The Ancient of Days is God the Father, as symbolized by His white hair and garments. Angels and humans surrounded him. It represents eternity.
Fun Fact: The term “Ancient of Days” is only used in the book of Daniel.
Fire often represents judgment. God is also seen in fire (Exodus 3:2; 19:18, Ezekiel 1:4-5). Therefore, it can represent holiness, too.
Appearing on clouds symbolizes divine authority.
Sea often represents chaos, threats, and strife.
There are several books in the Bible, but most likely this is the Book of Life since it’s also foreshadowing the End Times.
The Son of Man (Jesus) comes to establish dominion on earth.
The boastful words of the horn are from the Antichrist (Revelation 13:5-6). Jesus will crush the Antichrist.
Fun Fact: The Son of Man was used by Jesus to describe himself over 80 times in the Gospels.
The Little Horn includes the things the Lord hates (haughty eyes and a lying tongue). Proverbs 6:16-19
END NOTES SUMMARIZED
Daniel 7:1-14 is an apocalyptic vision that reveals God’s sovereign control over history, contrasting the brutal nature of human empires with the glory of His eternal kingdom.
The interpretation of its key elements is as follows:
- The Four Beasts: The four monstrous beasts rising from the chaotic sea (lion, bear, leopard, and a terrifying fourth beast) represent a succession of violent and predatory earthly kingdoms (traditionally identified as Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome). The final “little horn” symbolizes the peak of arrogant, blasphemous human power that persecutes the faithful.
- The Ancient of Days: The vision then shifts to the heavenly court, where the “Ancient of Days” (God the Father) sits as the ultimate and eternal Judge. This scene reveals that while empires create chaos on earth, God remains enthroned in absolute authority, and a time of final judgment is set when all earthly powers will be held accountable.
- The “One Like a Son of Man”: The climax of the vision is the appearance of a divine figure who comes “with the clouds of heaven.” Unlike the beasts from the chaotic sea, he has a human appearance and a heavenly origin. This messianic figure does not seize power but is presented before the Ancient of Days.
- The Everlasting Kingdom: The Son of Man is given everlasting dominion, glory, and a kingdom that will never be destroyed. This reveals God’s ultimate plan: to judge the violent human kingdoms and replace them with the eternal, universal, and righteous reign of His chosen messianic King.
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In spite of the lengthy and very specific explanation that Atozmom gave I still find this lesson one of the most complicated to understand.
The one thing that she wrote that I loved was:
3 b) These images offer hope, awe, and assurance of where believers will go at the end of time. We don’t have to fear human inventions or rulers; God is in charge now and forever and justice is assured!
That is what really matters and I agree 100% .