Four Beasts from the Sea and the Ancient of Days

Daniel 7:1-14

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.

2 Daniel spoke, saying, "I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. 4 The 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.

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!'

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.

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. 8 I 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.

9 "I watched till thrones were put in place,
And the Ancient of Days was seated;
His garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame,
Its wheels a burning fire;

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 was seated,
And the books were opened.

11 "I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

13 "I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.

14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.

This vision of terrible judgment and of the LORD ruling in awe as the Ancient of Days over all the world controlling each beast throughout history was shown to Daniel and we still wrestle with the exact meaning of these revelations to this present day.  Many symbolic aspects make it impossible to understand before events unfold before our eyes even with further explanations to Daniel, but some general things can be surmised about the times.  The certainties revolve more around the picture of the LORD as the Ancient of Days, eternal in the heavens and sovereign over all times, kingdoms, people, and places.  The vision of the four beasts called out of the sea were a winged lion with a man’s heart, a terrifying devouring bear, a bird-winged leopard with four heads which ruled, and a terrifying iron-toothed beast with ten horns (and a later smaller one) often symbolic of powers or ruling authority of nations.  This fourth creature was more destructive and ferocious than the other three before him and the small horn with eyes arose spoke pompously with great prideful boasting.  Before the interpretation was given in the second half of this chapter, we have an encouraging interlude to describe the Eternal LORD of all creation who always existed and forever will keep existing, the Ancient of Days as we reckon time and the Sovereign ruler over the worst of these beasts and their plans.  They all fall under His absolute control and can venture no further than what He has planned.  We are therefore to fear Him who can cast into Hell and not tremble for these ominous ones (Matthew 10:28) or what terror they unleash on the world.  The Glorious One is described as clothed in the pure white (Revelation 1:14) of absolute holiness and was seated on a fiery throne with the wheels described by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:15, 10:9).  Fire (Isaiah 66:15-16) came from Him in judgment as a multitude stood before Him in service (Revelation 5:11-12) as the judge opened the books (Revelation 20:12-13) to hold all accountable.  The pompous horn was judged and sentenced to the fire (Revelation 19:20, 20:10).  The Son of Man then came in the clouds from heaven to rule over all peoples, nations, and languages as we read of Christ in Revelation 7:9-10 (Revelation 5:9-10 also) whose citizens come from all over the world to serve in that kingdom to come.  His rule is everlasting and the kingdom indestructible.  We can therefore not focus on the end times and their terrors of tribulations, but on the One who rules in absolute sovereignty with grace for His chosen plucked from the fire by the work of Jesus Christ our Lord.  The beasts and their mayhem are no match for God’s absolute control over all history and circumstances to come.  May we then serve Him acceptably (Hebrews 12:28-29) in His unshakable kingdom.  We must consider what and Who matters in all these things.