Summary of Daniel 7:15-28
Daniel was troubled by his previous dreams (Daniel 7:1-14) and asked for an interpretation.
The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth. But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever.
The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth. The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them, another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time.
But his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.
BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 6, Day 3: Daniel 7:15-28
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 6, Day 3: Daniel 7:15-28
I love how God always wins in the end. It’s good to know that despite the hardships, a happy ending is near!
End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 6, Day 3: Daniel 7:15-28
Daniel’s vision was most likely more than what he told us. So, you can imagine his fear just from what we know!
Succinctly, the passage means that four kings are conquered by God, and their kingdoms are given to God’s people. You’ll note that this is very similar to Nebuchadnezzar’s vision in Daniel 2. There, we saw four empires rise and fall to God.
God shows us here how he sees the empires — as animals.
Note Jesus is more often a lamb, not a wild beast with no conscience.
Many people wonder how this will end since the Roman Empire (the 4th kingdom) is long gone. Bible scholars believe there will be a “New Rome” at the End Times.
Most believe that the 10 kings mentioned are not literal since they don’t exist yet.
The notable horn is the Antichrist.
The little horn will have limited power and shall only rule for 3.5 years (time and times and half a time). This phrase is used in Revelation (11:2-3, 12:6 and 13:5) to refer to half of the last seven-year period of man’s rule on this earth.
Jesus establishes his kingdom immediately after the end of the fourth kingdom. This causes problems for Bible scholars. Therefore, this is either symbolic or hasn’t happened yet.
END NOTES SUMMARIZED
Daniel 7:15-28 provides the divine interpretation of the vision, focusing on the suffering God’s people will endure under the final beastly kingdom and guaranteeing their ultimate, triumphant vindication.
The interpretation of its key elements is as follows:
- The “Little Horn” as the Final Enemy: The interpretation centers on the terrifying fourth beast and its “little horn.” This figure is revealed to be a future, arrogant ruler who will blaspheme God (“speak against the Most High”) and actively persecute His “holy people.”
- A Limited Period of Suffering: The angel explains that the faithful will be handed over to this power for a specific, symbolic period (“a time, times and half a time”). This is a crucial assurance that while the persecution will be severe, it is finite and measured by God, not an uncontrolled or endless tragedy.
- The Certainty of Judgment: The vision makes it clear that the heavenly court will ultimately sit in judgment. The “little horn’s” power will be definitively taken away and permanently destroyed. This reveals that all earthly persecutors are subject to God’s final and just verdict.
- The Ultimate Victory of the Saints: The climax of the interpretation is the promise that after the judgment, all sovereignty, power, and greatness will be given to the “holy people of the Most High.” Their suffering is temporary, but their inheritance is an everlasting kingdom.
In essence, this passage is a sober warning of coming persecution, but it is ultimately a message of profound hope, assuring the faithful that their suffering is limited and their ultimate vindication and eternal reign are certain.
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