Daniel Chapter 7
7:1 “The book now turns from episodes in Daniel’s life to a series of visions and revelations granted him in the latter part of his career” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Frank E. Gaebelein Editor, Volume 7, p. 84). This vision recorded by Daniel was revealed to him in the first year of Belshazzar’s reign, 553 B.C., when Belshazzar was made co-regent with Nabonidus. This dream took place 14 years before Daniel’s experience in the lions’ den (Daniel 6). When this dream came Daniel was probably about 68 years of age. At this time he had been in captivity for 52 years. “Daniel saw a dream and visions”: The revelation came through a dream and appeared to come in various stages or visions. Five times in the chapter Daniel says, “he looked” and once “I kept looking” (7:11). Daniel like other prophets recorded what was revealed to him (2 Peter 1:20-21). 7:2 “The four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea”: In figurative language the “wind” is often used to depict the action of God. “As the wind is invisible but it clearly affects things, so it is of God who is invisible but affects things in the universe” (McGuiggan p. 107). The “sea” is a common figure for the nations in their restless state (Isaiah 17:12-13; 57:20). Thus this tells us that God is at work among the restless nations raising up out of them kingdoms that will suit His purpose. “Is symbolic of polluted, turbulent humanity as they try to exploit and govern in their own wisdom and strength, it stood for the ever-changing Gentile world (Revelation 13:1)” (Expositor’s p. 85). This chapter parallels chapter 2 in Daniel, for both chapters set forth four empires, followed by the compete overthrow, and the establishment of God’s kingdom. Thus the winged lion of this chapter is the head of gold of the image in chapter 2, and lastly, the stone cut without hands in chapter 2 is the glorified Son of Man of this chapter. This chapter does tell us something that chapter 2 did not reveal in detail, that is, the Messiah Himself will head the final kingdom of righteousness. 7:3-4 The four great beasts are nations that arise. We will be told in verse 17 that they come from the earth, that is, they are human in origin. “Different from one another”: Each nation has its own character. “Their diversity is mentioned, in order to call attention to the importance of the symbolism by which each individual kingdom is represented” (Young p. 143). Pagan nations are often referred to as “beasts” in the Old Testament (Isaiah 27:1; 51:9). The first beast is the Babylonian Empire; the symbol of the winged lion is especially appropriate, for the peoples of that day were familiar with such figures as the winged lions that guarded the gates of royal places among the Babylonians. By this time Babylon is like a plucked bird, no longer as a 1