Daniel 7

Daniel 7 is a chapter in the Book of Daniel, found in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. It recounts a vision received by Daniel concerning four great beasts arising from the sea, and the subsequent rise and fall of kingdoms represented by these beasts. The chapter is significant in Jewish and Christian eschatology due to its symbolic imagery and its interpretation regarding the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of God's everlasting kingdom.

Content of the Chapter:

Daniel 7 opens with Daniel recording a dream he experienced in the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon. In his dream, he sees four great winds stirring up the Great Sea, from which emerge four beasts, each different from the other. These beasts are described as follows:

• The first is like a lion and has eagles' wings, which are plucked off. It is then made to stand on two feet like a man, and a human mind is given to it.
• The second is like a bear, raised up on one side, with three ribs in its mouth.
• The third is like a leopard, with four wings of a bird and four heads.
• The fourth is the most terrifying and powerful. It has large iron teeth and bronze claws and devours and crushes its victims, trampling underfoot whatever is left. It also has ten horns. As Daniel watches, another horn, a little one, comes up among them, uprooting three of the first horns. This horn has eyes like a human and a mouth that boasts arrogantly.

Following this vision of the beasts, Daniel sees thrones placed and the "Ancient of Days" (God) seated on a throne of fiery flames. Thousands upon thousands attend him, and the court is seated in judgment. The fourth beast is then killed, and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. The dominion of the other beasts is taken away, though their lives are prolonged for a period of time.

Finally, Daniel sees "one like a son of man" (often translated as "a son of man" or "human being") coming with the clouds of heaven, approaching the Ancient of Days. He is given dominion, glory, and kingship, so that all people, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Daniel, deeply troubled by the vision, asks one of the attendants for an explanation. The attendant reveals that the four beasts represent four kings who will rise from the earth. But ultimately, the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.

Daniel presses for further clarification about the fourth beast, especially concerning the ten horns and the little horn that uproots three others. The attendant explains that the ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them, another king will arise, different from the former ones, who 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, times, and half a time (a period of time often interpreted as three and a half years).

However, the court will sit in judgment, and 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. Their kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey them.

Interpretation:

Daniel 7 is a complex and heavily interpreted passage. Historically, and in most modern scholarship, the four beasts are understood to represent four successive kingdoms:

• The lion with eagle's wings is typically interpreted as the Babylonian Empire.
• The bear represents the Medo-Persian Empire.
• The leopard with four wings and four heads signifies the Greek Empire, particularly after Alexander the Great’s death and the division of his empire into four kingdoms.
• The fourth beast, with its iron teeth and bronze claws, represents the Roman Empire.

The little horn that arises among the ten horns is often interpreted as a future ruler, possibly the Antichrist in Christian eschatology, who will persecute the faithful. However, other interpretations suggest figures such as Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a Seleucid king who persecuted the Jews in the 2nd century BC, as potential fulfillments of the little horn.

The "one like a son of man" is a key figure. In Jewish interpretation, this figure is sometimes seen as representing the nation of Israel. In Christian theology, it is understood to be a prophecy of Jesus Christ, whose kingdom will ultimately triumph over all earthly powers. The transfer of dominion to the "holy ones of the Most High" is seen as the establishment of God's eternal kingdom.

Significance:

Daniel 7 is a pivotal chapter in understanding apocalyptic literature and eschatological thought. It provides a framework for interpreting historical events within a divine plan and anticipates the ultimate victory of God's kingdom. Its themes of judgment, persecution, and ultimate redemption continue to resonate with readers in both Jewish and Christian traditions.