A Biblical Study of End Times

By James Cravens and Sharon Cravens

This book is simply a record of my verse-by-verse studies of what I consider to be the primary prophetic passages concerning the future and the end times. It represents my current understanding of these scriptures; however, I expect to continue studying until Jesus returns and hopefully gaining further insight and clarification. This compilation explains how I best see the prophetic puzzle pieces fitting at the current time. I am not a scholar, but I am a diligent student of God's word. In that regard, maybe I can stimulate your studies as others have helped to stimulate mine.

• Language: English
• Publisher: CBII Kai Sai LLC
• Release date: Sep 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9798987081372

Book preview

1

DANIEL 2

THE BOOK OF DANIEL

Dan. 2:1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.

Dan. 2:2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

Magician = a horoscopist

Astrologer = practice enchantment

Sorcerer = to whisper a spell, to enchant or practice magic

Chaldean = well versed in literature or wise men and expert astronomers that connected astronomical phenomena to human events

Dan. 2:3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.

It seems that Nebuchadnezzar instinctively knew that this dream was important and was important to understand.

Dan. 2:4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.

Dan. 2:5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.

The thing is gone from me = Here is what I have decided (CJB)

The word from me is sure (RSV)

Dan. 2:6 But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

Dan. 2:7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.

Dan. 2:8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.

Dan. 2:9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.

Obviously, the king did not trust these men.

Dan. 2:10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.

Dan. 2:11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

Dan. 2:12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

These verses (3-12) set the scene and describe the character of Nebuchadnezzar—demanding and ruthless, one who did not expect to have his will thwarted. It stood out to me that he was willing to have all the wise men destroyed without first hearing from all the wise men. We know Daniel and his friends were not present.

Tony Garland makes a thoughtful observation concerning the image: In its essential posture of self-will, self-aggrandizement, and defiance of the one true God, the composite image represents a sustained revolt of organized human society and government against the Lord.

Dan. 2:13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

Dan. 2:14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:

Dan. 2:15 He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.

Dan. 2:16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.

When Arioch came to kill Daniel and his friends, Daniel wanted to know why the king had made such a rash decision. Arioch must have respected Daniel since he took the time to explain the whole situation. Obviously, he asked Arioch for time to approach the king. The king did not intimidate Daniel; he asked the king for some extra time to determine the meaning of the dream. He did not say that he might be able to interpret the dream; he said that he would interpret the dream (which included revealing the dream itself). Daniel’s confidence was in stark contrast to the other wise men and must have influenced Nebuchadnezzar to grant his request.

Dan. 2:17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

Dan. 2:18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel knew that there is power in prayer and evidently felt that the more support he had in prayer the better. The Hebrew friends approached God in light of His mercy. Their motive was to have their lives spared. They weren’t thinking past their immediate physical safety.

I think verse 18 implies that if Daniel and his friends had not prayed, they would have been killed. Our choices are important, and the power of prayer is not to be taken lightly. Daniel knew this; verse 17 of chapter 1 indicates that he was aware of possessing a gift in understanding dreams: As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

I am sure that the young Jewish men were familiar with the psalms.

Psalms 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

Psalms 145:17–19 The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

Dan. 2:19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

Dan. 2:20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

Dan. 2:21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

Dan. 2:22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

Dan. 2:23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.

As I look at this section, I am reminded of the scripture where Jesus says, according to your faith be it unto you (Matthew 9:29). Daniel asked for his friends to support him in prayer, but he had declared to the king that he would reveal the dream. I am so amazed every time I see examples of that kind of faith. I truly have faith that God can do anything He chooses at any time, but I’m not sure enough of myself to truly believe that He will act according to my request in a given situation. I often attribute that to not trusting my motives. LORD, increase my faith.

One of the important things to note is the acknowledgement that it is God who removes and sets up kings. It is God who changes times and seasons; He set them in motion as the Creator. It is God that is the source of knowledge to teachers and thinkers. I think the context connects this knowledge to spiritual understanding. God is the one who reveals deep (profound, unsearchable) and secret things (hidden, concealed). Although God created man in His own image and gave him the ability to make choices, He is still in control and will accomplish His purpose through placing men of His choosing in positions of leadership. He reveals wisdom and knowledge in accordance with his purposes for each individual. We have nothing that we have not been given.

John 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

Daniel’s prayers are always beautiful. Once he received the answer to his prayer, he was very quick to praise God for it. Daniel acknowledges that all wisdom and power belongs to God, and that He delegates these attributes to whomsoever He chooses. Daniel recognizes his God-given gifts of wisdom and ability and expresses his thankfulness for the answer to his very specific request.

I liked another observation by Mr. Garland: Daniel’s view of God differs from much worship one hears in Christian media and churches nowadays. The common fare today is man-centered worship. It is ‘all about me’ and ‘what God did for me.’ As we see, Daniel’s worship is God-centered. He extols the greatness of God’s attributes and God’s qualities.

Personally, I think worship should be a mixture of both—praising God for who He is and gratitude for what He has done for me.

Dan. 2:24 Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.

Dan. 2:25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.

Dan. 2:26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?

Dan. 2:27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;

Dan. 2:28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;

Dan. 2:29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.

Dan. 2:30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.

Daniel goes to the officer given the command to destroy the wise men and asks for an audience with the king so that he may tell him his dream and give the interpretation. The audience is granted, and the king asks Daniel if he can reveal his dream and what it means. Daniel is very quick to tell the king that there is no man that can do what he requests; however, there is a God in heaven who is communicating to the king through his dream.

Daniel goes on to tell the king that this dream is about future things; the Hebrew word even implies end times. Again, Daniel emphasizes that this knowledge is not coming from him. He is no wiser than any other man. He does say that this dream and what it represents will be important to future generations (their sakes). Also interesting to me is that God is revealing this information for Nebuchadnezzar to know the thoughts of thy heart. God is always concerned about and reaching out to the individual.

Daniel now proceeds to reveal Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a great image.

Dan. 2:31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.

Dan. 2:32 This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

Dan. 2:33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

Dan. 2:34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

Dan. 2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

Dan. 2:36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.

I think the we is a reference to Daniel speaking as representative of all the wise men. Then again, as I think about it some more, it could be a reference to God speaking through Daniel through the inspiration of the Spirit.

Dan. 2:37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

Even as Daniel recognizes Nebuchadnezzar as the most powerful king on earth, he is careful to credit that position as a gift from the God of heaven. The prophet Jeremiah also emphasized this truth.

Jeremiah 27:4–5 And command them to say unto their masters, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say unto your masters; I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.

Dan. 2:38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

Dan. 2:39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

Daniel identifies Nebuchadnezzar as the head of gold on the image. I think this is more a reference to him as representative of his kingdom (Babylon) because of the wording in verse 39. Point is made that the succeeding world kingdoms will be inferior to Babylon. Inferior how? The Hebrew for the word inferior indicates low. Is this because the kings of the succeeding kingdoms will not possess the individual power that Nebuchadnezzar exerted over his kingdom? He seemed to be a dictator with no limitations by the law, and we know that Darius was bound by the law (cf 6:8).

Dan. 2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

Dan. 2:41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

Dan. 2:42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

Dan. 2:43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

Though the metals decrease in value, they seem to increase in strength. Maybe this is because they are increasing in size and encompassing more land and people. Brief mention is made of the second and third kingdoms, but more is revealed about the fourth. Its influence will be very dominating on the earth, but it will eventually be divided. The resulting divisions of this kingdom will still be quite strong; they just won’t be as stable as the original kingdom.

they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men – This is a very puzzling phrase to me. I immediately thought of the sons of God mating with the women on earth as in Genesis 6. The wording seems to reference they as different from men. Who are they?

The CJB translates verse 43 with another possibility and the ESV supports it: You saw the iron mixed with clay; that means that they will cement their alliances by intermarriages; but they won’t stick together any more than iron blends with clay.

The interpretation of Daniel’s dream in chapter 8 aligns with world history in identifying the kingdoms being referenced as:

• the breast and arms of silver = the combined kingdom of the Medes and the Persians

• the belly and thighs of brass = the kingdom of Greece

• the legs of iron = the Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was eventually divided into Eastern and Western seats of power before losing world influence altogether. The question arises as to why no reference is made to other great empires such as the Ottoman Turks. I think the key is that the scripture is a revelation of God’s purposes for man and planet earth through His dealings with the nation of Israel. When the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD, Israel ceased to be a nation; and its people were dispersed throughout the empire. Biblical reference to events on planet earth basically resumes at a time when Israel is once again established as a nation. Much is revealed regarding God’s dealing with the church, the body of Christ, spiritual Israel (as explained in Romans 9-11). But the rest of human history is basically ignored until the time that God again resumes His dealings with the nation of Israel and the nations/kingdoms that have direct impact upon her.

It is clear that each kingdom represented in this dream includes much of the territory of the preceding kingdom. Since the Spirit only referenced four kingdoms in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, we can assume that the Kingdom represented by the ten toes is considered part of the fourth kingdom—the Roman Empire. Just as Israel was reborn, the Roman Empire in some form will be reborn to fulfill her destiny as the kingdom of Antichrist. If that were not the case, the Spirit would have referenced a fifth kingdom. The two legs of iron representing the Roman Empire were strong and powerful. History shows that the influence of the Roman Empire remained powerful for about 500 years. The fact that the toes were part iron and part clay indicates a change in the makeup of the kingdom and its ability to endure as an influential world power. The kingdom of Antichrist will enjoy its greatest influence for only 3.5 years, as we will learn in later chapters of this book as well as through the study of the book of Revelation.

In reading through this section again, it seemed clear to me that the mingled seed was a reference to the Kingdom of Antichrist, the final form of this 4 th Kingdom. Scripture is clear that the power of Satan and lying wonders will be prevalent at that time. It stands to reason that demon possession and possibly even unholy unions between fallen angels and women could once again occur as well—as in the days of Noah before God judged the world by the flood.

Dan. 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Dan. 2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

these kings – I believe this is referencing the kings ruling the ten parts of the kingdom represented by the ten toes. Just as each of these four kingdoms continued to envelope the previous one, these ten kings are representative of the whole.

At the time of these kings God will set up a kingdom on earth that will never be destroyed. It will be a kingdom that consumes the land and peoples of all the kingdoms that have existed before it. It is an eternal kingdom.

In the dream, Nebuchadnezzar saw a stone cut out of the mountain without hands. That stone was thrown or dropped on the feet (the ten toes) of the image; this resulted in the destruction of the whole image. I think this image is representative of the whole God-rejecting world. The stone then grew into a great mountain and filled the whole earth (v35); in other words, it becomes the final world kingdom, God’s kingdom, which lasts forever.

stone cut out…without hands – I think this is a direct reference to the fact that God is the one who destroys these kingdoms through His Son Jesus. He will have no help from man.

Isaiah 63:3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

Jesus is the one who will destroy the kingdom of antichrist. He is referenced as a stone in other scriptures as well.

Acts 4:10-11 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

1Peter 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

Daniel clearly declares to the king that God is revealing the future to him. He further emphasizes that God’s words are true and His prophecy certain. Daniel also emphasizes that his interpretation of the dream is also true and certain.

Dan. 2:46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.

Dan. 2:47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.

When King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face to worship Daniel, verse 47 makes it clear that he was recognizing Daniel’s God. He also commanded that a sacrifice be made and incense burned in honor of Daniel’s God. He still only recognized Daniel’s God as one of many gods; but he did acknowledge that Daniel’s God was the most powerful of gods to be able to reveal such secrets/mysteries.

Garland makes another interesting observation on these verses: Nebuchadnezzar falling prostrate before Daniel prefigures Gentiles bowing the knee before Jesus and the eventual submission of Gentile governments below Israel in the millennial kingdom. Here we find the head of gold—the beginning of the Gentile dominion—prostrate before a descendant of Judah.

Dan. 2:48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

Dan. 2:49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

King Nebuchadnezzar gave Daniel many great gifts and delegated him as the ruler of Babylon and as the greatest in authority of all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel didn’t forget his friends. He requested that the king allow him to delegate authority regarding the rulership of Babylon to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; this request was evidently granted. Daniel basically headed up the government and represented the king regarding matters of justice in the land.

2

DANIEL 7

Dan. 7:1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.

Obviously, the book of Daniel does not read chronologically. This chapter jumps back to the time of the beginning of Belshazzar’s reign. The timing is about three years before the events recorded in chapter 6.

This time Daniel had a dream and visions and made a written record of it all. The fact that he records having a dream and visions seems to emphasize how vivid and clear the experience was to him even though it occurred during his sleep.

Dan. 7:2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.

This verse immediately made me think of Revelation 7:1, where we are told of four angels holding the four winds of the earth (north, south, east, west).

Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth….

It would seem that the angels are used of God in management of all the things pertaining to mankind. In Daniel’s dream the winds are causing havoc on the great sea, usually a reference to the Mediterranean.

Numbers 34:6-7 And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border. And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor….

(These verses are defining the borders of the land of Israel to Moses, the western border of which is the Mediterranean Sea.)

Ezekiel 47:20 The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side.

(This verse is part of the revelation given Ezekiel regarding the borders of the land at the time of the millennial temple, again the western border of which is the Mediterranean Sea.)

Joshua 9:1 And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon….

(The Mediterranean is the only great sea bordering Lebanon.)

The prophet Zechariah supports connecting the wind to angels.

Zechariah 6:1–5 And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass. In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses. Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord? And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.

The word spirits is defined as wind. The picture is of a struggle for control of this area coming from all directions. This is quite interesting considering the great gas deposits found off the coast of Israel and the subsequent find of oil in the Golan, not to mention the minerals in the Dead Sea.

Dan. 7:3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

Great beasts = kings (v17) = kingdoms (v23)

Like Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel dreamed about four kingdoms. I have always been taught that the parts of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream seem to line up with the four beasts in Daniel’s dream. Until now, that has made the most sense to me. I listened to a teaching by Joe Focht that challenged that understanding. After much contemplation and listening to it again, I looked at this chapter from a fresh perspective. He presents these kings/kingdoms as co-existent with the little horn, the Antichrist. As I began to do more research, I was surprised to find that this theory was not new at all—only new to me.

Ray Stedman notes that this vision is given to Daniel at the end of the rule of Babylon. What he sees is future.

These kings will eventually be humbled or abased under the rule of one leader. Since Daniel is not told who they are as in chapters 2 and 8, establishing their identities is open to speculation. In fact, that they are not identified and that Daniel didn’t connect these kingdoms with those in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream only strengthens the thought that the dreams do not have the same frame of reference.

Since all four of these beasts are singled out for notice, they must represent pretty significant kings/kingdoms on the world scene at the same time. I believe the context of the chapter will show them to be impact players during end times that will eventually morph into one beast—the Antichrist and his kingdom.

Joe Focht threw out the possibility of identifying Great Britain and Russia as the first two beasts, and I think they are good candidates.

Dan. 7:4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.

Britain’s recognized emblem is a lion that is often pictured standing tall like a man. The fact that it is pictured with eagle’s wings is thought provoking in that the United States, which began as a British colony, is associated with the eagle. That the wings were plucked from off the lion seems to picture the fact that Britain began to decline in power as the United States began to ascend in power after forcefully separating from Britain. After the United States declared their independence, Britain began changing from a voracious lion wanting to conquer the world with their powerful navy to being pictured as a man that was no longer a threat to world dominion.

Dan. 7:5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

The bear is the official symbol of Russia, and that nation is often referred to as the Russian bear. This bear is rising up to take action and devour much flesh. Though the nation of Russia suffered a setback with the break up of the U.S.S.R., she is once again rising up as a major world power of influence. I am not sure how to identify the three ribs, but I think it is likely that they are nations over which she eventually extends sovereignty.

Ray Stedman: The more literal translation of ‘raised up one side’ is ‘it made for itself one dominion.’ The Soviet Union is made of of many republics joined together.

they said – Who? Its leaders? A reference to the winds of heavens (v2)? Messenger angels? Evil spiritual forces?

Psalms 104:4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire….

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible makes the following comment on this verse: The meaning here literally would be, Who makes the winds his messengers, or his angels; that is, who employs them to execute his purpose; who sends them out as messengers or angels to do his will.

I think the significant point is that the bear is being told what to do, and we know that God is the supernatural sovereign ruler that uses men, nations, angels and spiritual forces of evil to accomplish His purposes.

Stedman: In the 8th chapter we find that the Medo-Persian empire is specifically named and appears in the form of a beast, but the beast is not a bear, but a great ram. It seems to me unlikely that the scripture would employ two symbolisms of animals for the same empire…. This would also be true in reference to Greece as a he-goat.

Dan. 7:6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

I think it is significant to note that this beast has four heads from the beginning in contrast to the he-goat in chapter 8. This seems to indicate that it is a coalition of leaders or nations into one kingdom that are united with a common goal. It is also noted that this kingdom was given its empire, its sphere of authority.

The Aramaic for wings states: to arch; the back; by extensive the body or self:—highest places. This could denote pride and arrogance as depicted by its leaders. I can’t help but want to connect it in some way to the Muslim world since they are such important players on the world stage in these end times. I also thought of Turkey but could not logically make a connection with four heads unless it becomes one member of such a Muslim coalition.

It could be that this beast is yet to arise.

If the proposed identification is correct, then it seems likely that the beasts are presented in the order in which they arose to power.

Dan. 7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

Dan. 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Daniel is given explanation regarding this fourth beast in the next few verses.

• dreadful = causes fear

• terrible = burly, mighty

• strong = powerful

• Iron teeth to devour and break; brass nails to tear apart.

• Not compared to a known animal; it is unique from the rest.

This beast has 10 horns; as Daniel continues to look, he sees another little horn come up. This little horn is responsible for destroying three of the first ten. This horn is identified as a man, but a man whom the Aramaic would indicate is very compelling and domineering in his character and speech. Because another little horn is a man, it makes sense that the other ten horns be men.

E. W. Bullinger describes the little horn as a horn of small beginnings.

There seems to be a direct connection to Revelation 13 that introduces a beast from the sea (Antichrist) with ten horns and having the characteristics of a leopard, bear and lion (as represented by the rulers/kingdoms of this chapter in Daniel).

Revelation 13:1–2 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

It is quite obvious that in Revelation the four beasts are pictured as being one beast. This seems to be telling us that the Antichrist, the fourth beast, rises to power by subduing, unifying and gaining control of the first three beasts. Again, this implies contemporary kings/kingdoms.

Chris White made an interesting observation: If you take the beasts in Daniel 7, that is a lion with wings, a bear, a four headed leopard, and a 10 horned beast, and you combined them all into one beast, you would have a 7 headed ten horned beast with characteristics of a bear, leopard and a lion, exactly what we see in Revelation 13.

like the eyes of man – The description seems to be inferring that this horn or king has eyes like a man, yet is different. Note that in Revelation this beast is empowered by the dragon. Scripture is clear in identifying this dragon.

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Dan. 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

Dan. 7:10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

Daniel is telling us that his vision allowed him to see through to the point where these kings/kingdoms are judged by Almighty God. It’s a scene of a holy and pure God sitting in judgment in a heavenly courtroom. No mercy is to be found in this judgment. It is witnessed by a number beyond Daniel’s ability to express—thousand thousands…and ten thousand times ten thousand.

thrones were cast down – The Aramaic and the context indicate that these thrones are being positioned as part of the heavenly courtroom. Could this be a reference to the 24 elders in Revelation 4? (See comments in journal on Revelation.)

Ray Stedman notes: When history reaches its lowest ebb, when the sin of man breaks forth in its most vulgar and most evil forms, then God intends to intervene once again.

the books were opened – This is evidently a record of indictment against those being judged. Scripture mentions several records/books that are kept in heaven.

Scripture reveals that God the Father has delegated all judgment to the Son.

John 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son….

In my simple mind, I have no problem with the Ancient of days referencing Jesus as well as God the Father, although in verse 13 below we are told that this is definitely referring to the Father. It appears that the Father will personally pass judgment on Antichrist and the Son will execute it.

The phrase the books were opened seems to be a reference to the great white throne judgment described in Revelation 20. A question arises because this seems directly connected to verse 11 which is describing the destruction of the Antichrist, and this happens prior to the 1000 year reign of Christ—the great white throne judgment happens after the 1000 years. I resolve this in my mind by realizing that the prophets were not always given inspiration according to chronological fulfillment. On the other hand, prophecy of the scripture doesn’t cover every event in history, and this could represent a special judgment against the Antichrist and his false prophet.

Dan. 7:11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

I think Daniel is still describing the judgment he sees taking place.

Even as judgment is being passed, the horn, now identified as the beast continues to blaspheme Almighty God. Great words make reference in the Aramaic to domineering in character.

The beast, the Antichrist, will be killed and thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Dan. 7:12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

rest of the beasts – Only four beasts have been identified—the lion, bear, leopard and the diverse beast that represents Antichrist. After the destruction of the Antichrist, the other three are allowed to continue on the world scene for a time. The word season is a reference to an appointed time. The word time refers to a set time or year. In other words, these three kingdoms will be allowed to exist for a period of time already predetermined by the LORD. This also assumes these beasts to be contemporaries.

Dan. 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

Dan. 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

After the destruction of Antichrist, we are given a picture of the Son of man (Jesus, God’s son) coming in the clouds of heaven and being ushered into the presence of His Father. Son of man was Jesus’ favorite way to reference Himself. He used it in reference to His return to earth as the King of kings.

Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

He also used it in response to the high priest when asked if He was the Messiah, the Son of God. In fact, I think he was referencing these very verses in Daniel.

Matthew 26:63–64 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

This reference to the clouds of heaven is one that I think could possibly be associated with the cloud of witnesses referenced in Hebrews.

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses….

This is when Jesus is given His rightful position as ruler of this world; a position that Satan, through deceit, had been allowed to usurp temporarily because of Adam’s sin.

The word for serve includes the idea of worship. Jesus’ position as King is eternal; His kingdom will last forever. It is clearly linked to God’s kingdom as referenced in Daniel 2.

Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

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

Dan. 7:16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.

Daniel awoke from his dream and was grieved (felt a piercing) in his spirit because of what he had witnessed in his vision. He noticed some other beings close by and moved closer to talk to one of them. He asked one of them if he knew the truth about all that he had seen. (I can’t help but wonder how he chose the person to ask and why he thought he might know more than Daniel did.) I would assume it was an angel that answered him and interpreted for him (as did Gabriel in 8:16 and 9:21).

I am reminded that in chapter 1 we were told that Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams (vs. 17). Obviously, that understanding came through revelation from God. It seems, however, concerning Daniel’s own dreams and visions that God chose to make that revelation through angels.

It seems clear to me that Daniel did not make a connection to his dream and Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. He asked what it all meant; he did not know.

Dan. 7:17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

Dan. 7:18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

Note that the angel declares that the four kings shall arise. In other words, the four beasts were four kings that were yet to arise—so Nebuchadnezzar could not be one of them.

Bullinger comments: The two which had already arisen cannot therefore be included: Babylon and Medo-Persia, which almost (at this time) equalled Babylon in extent. The vision is not continuous history, but the prophecy of a crisis: and refers to the ten toes…of Daniel 2.

The interpreter first clarifies that the four beasts in Daniel’s vision represent four earthly kings. Their kingdoms are doomed to destruction, however, since the saints of the most High (those dedicated, consecrated, sanctified by God) will take possession of kingdom earth. Even though the millennial reign (the initial 1000 years) of Christ’s rule on earth will be interrupted by the creation of new heavens and earth, the kingdom will continue on into eternity after that wonderful event that eliminates forever the curse of sin in God’s creation.

Dan. 7:19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;

Dan. 7:20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

Daniel was greatly interested to know more about the fourth beast that was so terrifying that it couldn’t even be compared to a known animal with similar power and strength. I liked the wording of the NIV for the last part of verse 19: …the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left.

This beast has ten horns on his head to begin with, but another horn comes up that causes three of the first ten horns to fall. This seems to indicate that the little horn (cf verse 8) begins his rise to power and the establishment of his kingdom by conquering or gaining submission from three of the ten, eventually expanding to include all ten.

It is at this point that Focht made another important point. The Aramaic for the word before is not a reference to a preceding point in time; it means in the face of of in front of. In other words, all four kings would face each other at the same time.

The Aramaic for the word look indicates that the Antichrist will have an intimidating demeanor; and his speech will be intimidating as well according to the Aramaic for great things

Dan. 7:21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

The ruler represented by this last horn is able to exert physical power over the saints (those who are sanctified by God; believers). This is information that was not included in the description of the vision at the beginning of the chapter.

Stedman notes that from this we learn that the time of these four nations arising together will be a time of great and intense religious persecution, a time when war will be made against the saints, and quite successfully.

I think this verse corresponds specifically to Revelation 13:7.

Revelation 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them...

I am reminded that scripture declares that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church.

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

This seems to be another affirmation that the church is not present at this time. The saints of this time have become believers during the 70 th week that is designated as part of God’s plan for Israel as explained in chapter 9.

Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Context of