BIBLE: Daniel Chapter 7 – Headline “Four Beasts” []

Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

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Daniel 7

What should I learn from this chapter?

Daniel’s Timeline
The symbolism of Daniel’s vision
The meanings of Daniel’s vision
The timeline prior to Belshazzar’s demise
The comparison of Antiochus IV, king of Syria and the coming Antichrist.
The vision of the kingdoms are for the Jews
How Daniel’s visions compare to Nebuchadnezzar’s statue and the Seven headed dragon.

God is referenced as the “Ancient of Days” three times in the book of Daniel, chapter seven.

Vision of the Four Beasts

Daniel is praying about the future of his people, the Jews. His information focuses specifically on the Jews. The information given in Nebuchadnezzar’s statue focuses specifically on the Gentile kingdom.

The two pieces of information overlaps, but are not identical. See verse 3 which includes a chart showing the differences.

Nebuchadnezzar’s statue lists all the gentile nations following his own, Babylon, up and until the last kingdom, the kingdom ruled by the Antichrist.

Now God is answering Daniel’s prayers to give him a timeline of the gentile kingdoms which will rule over the Jews.

The gentiles ceased ruling over the Jews after Antiochus IV. They regained independence with the Maccabbee rebellion, then they had a sense of self rule with the Herodian Dynasty before being dispersed around the nations. In 1948 they regained self rule when Israel once again became their homeland. All this history is skipped over since it does not concern a rule by gentiles. Instead, it goes from Antiochus IV straight to the seven year tribulation ruled by the Antichrist when the Jews will again be ruled by a gentile who sets up his kingdom in Jerusalem.

Therefore; Antiochus IV is the shadow of the Antichrist to come. The two are identical in the demonic spirit of their rule concerning the Jews.

Antiochus IV is a foreshadowing of the prophesied Antichrist. Daniel 9:27, 11:31, and 12:11 tells of the temple being profaned and offerings stopped. Jesus referred to these prophesies as future events in Matthew 24:15–16, Mark 13:14, and Luke 21:20–21.

Daniel 7:¹ In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had (saw) a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts (Lit. the head or chief of the words.)

Note on the timing of Belshazzar’s reign: Belshazzar was monarch of Babylonia for two years, being killed at the beginning of the third year on the fatal night of the fall of Babylon (Meg. 11b).
^{http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/2846-belshazzar}

This tells us Daniel’s vision in this chapter occurs 3 years before the handwriting on the wall. We know Daniel knew the Medes and Persians would follow Babylon because of this chapter. Daniel chapter 5 historically follows Daniel chapter 7.

►BELOW: A TABLE OF DANIEL’S TIMELINE FROM HIS CAPTIVITY UNTIL CYRUS CONQUERS BABYLON

The current chapter is in blue. BC dates are reversed, the largest number being farther back in history. The bottom of the chart is closest to the present.

Daniel 7:²Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea.

The four winds of heaven are the changing of powers, strife, commotion, and destruction.

Daniel 7:³And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.

Four great kingdoms rise up from a sea of people. Each kingdom is different from the other. These are all gentile kingdoms who rule over the Jews.

Daniel 7:⁴The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.

The lion is the Babylonian kingdom; the first kingdom to conquer Judah. The eagle’s wings are supernatural support from heaven. When God no longer supported the Babylonian kingdom, the wings were removed and it no longer had the strength of the lion of God (Lion of Judah) but only the strength of a man. See Daniel 5.

Daniel 7:⁵“And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’

The bear is the empire of the Medes and Persians. Like a bear it had a massive lumbering army. It rose up on one side because the Persian Empire emerged while the Medes faded. “Arise” is to become more significant in power and notoriety. “Devour much flesh” is to “eat” nations and grow fat in territory. The three ribs in Ellicott’s Commentary, “have been understood from the time of St. Hippolytus to mean three nations: the Babylonians, the Lydians, and the Egyptians.”

Daniel 7:⁶“After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.

The leopard is Alexander the Great of Macedon (Greece) who moved in great speed to conquer Persia (Alexander is also the goat – Daniel Chapter 10 – whose feet didn’t touch the ground, ie: with great speed). When Alexander died his kingdom was replaced by four generals in the four “wars of the successors”. They divided Alexander’s kingdom into Macedon, Egypt, Syria, and Thrace (Turkey). The four heads are his four successors. The four wings are the four wars of the successors.

The timeline of this chapter “jumps” from one of Alexander’s general’s descendants, the Syrian king Antiochus IV straight to the Antichrist, jumping over Rome entirely. Antiochus IV is a foreshadow of the Antichirst to come being similar in almost every way. We know Antiochus IV is not the Antichrist even though he desecrated the holy of holies because Jesus spoke of the one yet to come and Antiochus IV was in Jesus’ past.
- Daniel 9:27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”
- Mark 13:14 The Great Tribulation – “So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

The reason for this “jump” is because Daniel had been praying about his people, the Jews, and what was going to become of them. During most of the Roman empire the Jews were in dispersion. The animals above represent the kingdoms who ruled over the Jews in captivity. In 1948 the dispersion had ended and the prophecy of the fig tree came to fruition. The tender leaves on the fig tree began to sprout when the Jews began returning to their homeland. This is the beginning of sorrows which will continue until the tribulation begins, less than a generation; the same generation that will live to see the introduction of the Antichrist.
The Antichrist is the fourth beast in the verse that follows. Once again the Jews will be under his control after being betrayed. This is the beast that rules during the seven year tribulation.

Daniel 7:⁷“After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

THE FOURTH BEAST

This kingdom is the kingdom of the Antichrist who rules during the future seven year tribulation and has nothing to do with Rome. To confirm this statement note in the King of the North and the King of the South, that the King of the North (Syria) abruptly ends at Antiochus IV and jumps to the Antichrist, also inferring that the Antichrist will be Syrian (Daniel chapter 11).

Daniel is praying about the future of his people, the Jews, under Gentile domination. It leaves off with Antiochus IV of Syria and takes up again at the coming seven year tribulation, skipping over the Maccabees, Rome (Herod), the Dispersion, and the self rule of the new nation “Israel” directly to the tribulation.

The kingdom of the Antichrist is Daniel’s 70^th week (Daniel chapter eight).

The kingdom of the Antichrist is the fourth beast in this chapter.The kingdom of the Antichrist is also the toes of iron and clay on Nebuchadnezzar’s statue of kingdoms (Daniel chapter Two), and the entire book of Revelation. Much scripture is given to it because much is demanded from this seven year period when the Jews will suffer great persecution such that they will all come to a total recognition of their Messiah, Jesus when He returns to literally save them from total annihilation.
- Zechariah 12:10 Mourning for the pierced one -“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

The beast has ten horns which are ten kings who will give their power to the beast (Antichrist) for a period of one symbolic hour.
- Revelation 17:12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast.

Below: A comparison chart between the Syrian king Antiochus IV and the coming Antichrist, Daniel’s forth beast.

Did you know this about Antiochos IV? Antiochos’ name means “an opponent.”
Αντιοχος (Antiochos), derived from Greek αντι (anti) means “against, or compared to” and οχη (oche) means “support”.

Antiochos IV in history was the foreshadow of the Antichrist to come. It is imperative to study Antiochus because he illustrates the Antichrist in attitude, actions, and ego.

The meaning of Satan’s name is “adversary”. The synonym for adversary is “opponent”. Both mean “enemy”.

The meaning of the word “Antichrist” is “One who is opposed to Christ”.
Antiochos IV, the Antichrist, and Satan are all opposed to and enemies of Christ.
Anti also means “compared to”. Antiochos IV and The Antichrist are both compared to Satan.

The Antichrist has a double significance. Its primary meaning is one who is opposed to Christ; but its secondary meaning is one who is “instead of Christ”. He will be the pretender to the throne of Christ.

The Demonic Spirit	Antiochus IV	The Coming Antichrist
Betrayal	^{The enforcement of Hellenization (Greek Culture, Greek Gods) on the Jews centered on Greek education and the “gymnasia” (physical excersize for the body)}	^{Luke 21:20 The Destruction of Jerusalem – “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Daniel 8:12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.}
The desire to annihilate the Jews	^{On his return journey from Egypt, doubtless deeply chagrined by his failure there and interpreting events in Judea as a revolt against himself, (In rage), he went to Jerusalem to discipline its people in an extremely ruthless way (2 Mac 5:11-14; cf Dan 11:29-30).32″I will make Jerusalem a graveyard of Jews”.}	^{Revelation 12:15 So the serpent (the dragon, the leviathan, the beast) spewed water out of his mouth like a flood (army) after the woman (Israel’s jews), that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. Revelation 12:16 But the earth helped the woman (fleeing Jews), and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood (Antichrist’s army) which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.}
Setting himself up as God in the Holy of Holies	^{the Jewish ritual was prohibited (1 Mac 1:45-6), and the sacred precincts were formally given over, on the fifteenth of Chislev, 167 BC, to the worship of Zeus Olympios (1 Mac 1:54; 2 Mac 6:2), whose Aramaic designation may have been ‘Lord of heaven’ (BUl vmyn.). The persecution not only involved a complete abomination of the Temple and the altar, but copies of the Torah were burned, and Sabbath keeping and circumcision were forbidden. Furthermore, the Jews were forced to celebrate the king’s birthday every month and to participate in the festal procession in honor of (an idol) Dionysus.}	^{Dan 8:11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away. Dan 8:13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?” Daniel 11:31 And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. Matthew 24:15 The Great Tribulation – “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand),}
Plundering the Temple	^{Antiochus laid hands on the Temple treasures and looted them. I Maccabees (1.20ff.) also gives a detailed account of the spoilation of the Temple vessels and speaks of the way the place was desecrated. Naturally this left a feeling of violent hatred for Antiochus among the people, and it was a time of war.}	^{Ezekiel 38:13 Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?’ ” ’}
Attacks on the Sabbath when the Religious Faithful will not fight	^{Apollonius, head of the Moesian mercenaries captured the city on a Sabbath (when the religious faithful would not fight). “Apollonius had received from Antiochus the assignment of putting an end once and for all to the danger threatening the peace of the kingdom from the rebellious Jews.”}	^{Matthew 24:20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. Matthew 24:15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.}

Daniel 7:⁸I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words (Literally: great things).

This “Beast from the sea” is the same “Beast from the sea” in the book of Revelation 13 except it is the seventh and last head only. It is Satan who will indwell the Antichrist.
- The Antichrist begins as a “little” horn of power who speaks arrogant and blasphemous words, but as he grows in power he becomes the “head” of the beast, then, in the middle of the tribulation he is indwelt by Satan and is addressed as the entire “beast”.

Note: Sometimes this beast is shown with all seven heads symbolic of the six preceding nations. The head with the ten horns is always the last kingdom before Jesus sets up His kingdom on earth.

The Antichrist (the beast) will have the speed of leopard,
- Revelation 13:2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.
- ^“The leopard was Alexander the Great of Greece whose speed was notable. The bear was the lumbering massive army of Cyrus of the Medes and the Persians. The lion is Nebuchadnezzar who ruled with absolute power. The Antichrist will possess all these powers: absolute power, the militaristic speed of a leopard (computer?), and a massive army.” ~Barbara Grover (See Revelation 13)

Satan and the Antichrist become “one” in the middle of the tribulation twisted together in an unholy alliance until the end of the tribulation when Jesus returns to earth. Then Jesus and his saints destroy the Antichrist before setting up Jesus’ kingdom on earth. After 1,000 years there will be a Great White Throne Judgment for everyone who has ever lived and whose names were not written in the “Book of Life”.

Vision of the Ancient of Days and the Great White Throne Judgment

Daniel 7:⁹“I watched till (plural) thrones (seats of royalty) were put in place (set up),
And the Ancient of Days (ʿatîq yôm) was seated;
His garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head was like pure wool.

His (singular) throne was a fiery flame,
Its wheels a burning fire.

Note: Ezekiel’s describes these wheels in chapters one, three, ten, and eleven.

Daniel 7:10 A fiery stream issued
And came forth from before Him.
A thousand thousands ministered to Him;
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.
The court (Or: judgment) was seated,
And the books were opened.

The court is known as the Great White Throne Judgment when unbelievers are sentenced according to their works and not according to their faith.

►THE BOOKS:

Scripture mentions three types of books: The (singular) book of life, the book of remembrance, and the books (plural) of works. The court of judgment opens the books of works for everyone whose name is NOT written in the Book of Life.

VERSES ON THE BOOK OF LIFE

Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20
And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. Philippians 4:3
He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. Revelation 3:5
All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have NOT been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Rev 13:8
The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. Revelation 17:8 (Note: only those whose names are NOT written in the Book of Life at that time will be left to marvel at the beast)
But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Revelation 21:27
And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Revelation 22:19

To have one’s name written in God’s book of life, a person must be able to recognize there is a God, that He manifests himself as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, that all men are sinners separated from the One and Only sinless God, and that only by accepting and believing in the sacrificial death of the Son and the Son’s resurrection can one’s own sins be eradicated or neutralized being covered by the spiritual blood of the Son. This is an act of giving oneself to God in obedience to His Word.

►Verses Below Concerning the Consequences of the Judgment of Nonbelievers:

Mal 4:1 “For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” says the LORD of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch.
Psalm 68:2 As smoke is driven away, So drive them away; As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
Revelation 20:15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was hurled into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:10 The Adversary who had deceived them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Revelation 14:11 and the smoke from their tormenting goes up forever and ever. They have no rest, day or night, those who worship the beast and its image and those who receive the mark of its name.”
Isaiah 33:14 “The sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the godless: ‘Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?’”

Daniel 7:¹¹“I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words (Literally: great things) which the horn (Antichrist) was speaking; (and) I watched till the beast (Antichrist) was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame.

The Antichrist is executed and his soul is thrown into the “Lake of Fire”.

Daniel 7:¹²As for the rest of the beasts (Babylon, the Medes and Persians, and Greece), they (the nations) had their dominion taken away, yet their lives (lives of the nations, not the lives of the kings) were prolonged for a season and a time (year).

Prolonged for a short time for a nation.

Daniel 7:¹³“I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man,

Jesus called himself the “Son of Man.”

Coming with the clouds (saints/angels) of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days (ʿatîq yôm) (the Father),
And they brought Him (Jesus) near before Him (the Father).

After the end of the tribulation Jesus returns to earth with the saints and angels. Upon fighting at Armageddon they return to heaven and Jesus is presented to the Father.

Psalm 68:18 You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious, That the Lord God might dwell there.

Daniel 7:¹⁴Then to Him (Jesus) was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.

Revelation 11:15
Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom Proclaimed
Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

Satan tried to tempt Jesus with these kingdoms in the wilderness in order to subvert the plan of the redemption of men. Jesus rebuked the offer.
- Matthew 4:8
  Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

Daniel is now witnessing Jesus receiving the kingdoms according to the Father’s will after His return to earth to set up His kingdom.

See detailed notes in John 14:6

His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.

Daniel’s Visions Interpreted

Daniel 7:¹⁵“I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.

Note: “within my body” literally means “in the midst of its sheath.”

Daniel 7:¹⁶I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things:

Daniel 7:¹⁷‘Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings (Representing their kingdoms, v. 23) which arise out of the earth.

Earlier they rose out of the sea (of people). Now it states that they arise out of the earth. The sea means they are supported by people in popularity. Out of the earth means they are supported by a man made institution, such as inheriting the institution of kingship from their fathers or a man made organization.

These four beasts are Babylon, Medes and Persians, Greece, and then it skips from Antiochus IV (whose ancestor came from Greece) directly to the Antichrist.

(reminder: Daniel prayed asking about kingdoms which would rule over the Jews only. He prayed to know about “his people”.)

After Anticochus IV the Jews ruled themselves under the Maccabbees, then they were self ruled through Herod before the temple was destroyed and then they were dispersed. Therefore; from the time of Antiochus IV until the Antichrist they are either self-ruled or under dispersion or once again a nation. Antiochus IV is a type of the Antichrist who vows to make Jerusalem a graveyard of Jews.

Therefore: Rome is not included in Daniel’s vision.

Daniel 7:¹⁸But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’

Daniel 7:¹⁹“Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue (remnant of Jews tribulation believers) with its feet;

This fourth beast is the Antichrist indwelt by Satan. The forth beast is the kingdom of the Antichrist, the kingdom of the Seven Year Tribulation.

The residue is the remnant of Jews after the Antichrist attempts to annihilate them.

This is Daniel’s 70^th week, the day of wrath, the time of affliction, the day of sorrows (like a woman in labor: Israel), the ten toes (kings) on Nebuchadnezzar’s statue, the ten horns (kings) on the beast, the time of Jacob’s troubles (a seven year famine), The time of the Threshing of the Lord’s threshing floor, and the day of indignation.

It is the seven year Tribulation.

Daniel 7:²⁰and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words (Literally, great things), whose appearance was greater than his fellows.

The Antichrist’s “beginnings” is one of a little horn among nine. He progresses in his power. He is one of the ten, He subdues (conquers-tames-takes over) three of the horns.

As the power of the Antichrist grows, he is the king (crown), a world ruler. He is indwelt by Satan and becomes one with Satan in intent, motivation, and means. Like Antiochus IV he intends to make Jerusalem a graveyard of Jews.

Daniel 7:²¹“I was watching; and the same horn (this Antichrist) was making war against the saints (during the last 3-1/2 years of the tribulation), and prevailing (winning) against them,

Like Antiochus IV of history, he breaks the peace treaty with the nation and attacks unsuspecting Jews. Isaiah 21 describes the event in detail.

Daniel 9:27 Then he shall confirm a covenant (peace treaty) with many for one week (seven years); But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing (edge, hem) of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation (end), which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate (abandoned, God forsaken, devoid of hope).”
Mark 13:14 The Great Tribulation (the last 3-1/2 years): “So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Daniel 7:²²until the Ancient of Days (ʿatîq yôm) came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High (ʿelyôn), and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.

See verse 27

Daniel 7:²³“Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast shall be
A fourth kingdom on earth,
Which shall be different from all other kingdoms,
And shall devour the whole earth (global),
Trample it and break it in pieces.

Worldwide Death and Destruction will come from this kingdom.

Daniel 7:²⁴The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom.
And another (the Antichrist) shall rise after them;
He shall be different from the first ones,
And shall subdue three kings.

Note: the ten horns are the ten toes on Nebuchadnezzar’s Statue in Daniel chapter two.

Daniel 7:²⁵He shall speak pompous words against the Most High (ʿillay),

ʿillay H5943 It’s root meaning is from ʿālâ (Arabic) H5927 Go up, lead up (as Jesus led the Saints and Angels to the Ancient of Days), ascend, elevated, exalted, to be offered as a sacrifice as Abraham did with Isaac (with the substitution of a ram signifying the sacrifice of Jesus), To lift up oneself (Jesus ‘raised’ Himself from the dead).

Shall persecute (Lit. wear out) the saints of the Most High (ʿelyôn),
And shall intend to change times and law.
Then the saints shall be given into his hand

He will have authority to persecute the saints and institute a law demanding everyone receive an identification mark for a time and times and half a time (3-1/2 years). (Which is the last half of the seven year tribulation.)

Daniel 7:²⁶‘But (the flipside is) the court shall be seated,
And they shall take away his dominion,
To consume and destroy it forever.

Note: There is a court in heaven. When Jesus returns to earth to destroy Israel’s enemies and to set up His kingdom on earth. When He captures the Antichrist, aka Leviathan, the Leviathan will be handed over to be “eaten alive” or “be made a banquet of”:

Psalm 74:14 You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces, And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
Isaiah 27:1 – Israel Will Be Restored – In that day the Lord with His severe sword, great and strong, Will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; And He will slay the reptile that is in the sea.

Will the Antichrist/Leviathan be handed over to a Jewish “court” to be sentenced and killed much like the Nuremberg trials after Hitler’s reign?

Daniel 7:²⁷Then the kingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
His (Jesus’) kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And all dominions (powers) shall serve and obey Him (Jesus).’

I Cor 15:20-28 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (died). 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.

Dan 7:27 Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High (ʿelyôn).

Daniel 7:²⁸“This is the end (Lit: word) of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart.”

Review:

Compare Daniel’s vision of these beasts with Nebuchadnezzar’s Statue from Daniel 2 and the Seven headed Dragon from Rev 12:3, Rev 13:1, and Rev 17:3 : See Two comparison charts below:

Moral of the story: God knows the future, He lives in the present eternally. He gives this information to those whom He chooses. Sometimes He tells them not to write it down (share it).

Personal application: What would you do if you knew the future? In actuality, a believer IS given the future because of God’s Word.

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