RACAD HIGHLIGHTS
Scripture For The Day
Daniel chapter 7
This chapter is the beginning of the prophetic chapters of Daniel up to chapter 12 describing his visions. After reading the book of Revelation, we can understand better Daniel’s prophecies about the end times.
In all, Daniel had 4 visions. This first one narrated in chapter 7 is the most comprehensive and the other 3 visions went into the finer details of the first. This first vision is closely related to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2.
Highlights
1. Four beasts coming out of the sea- verse 17 points to us that these represented 4 kingdoms ruling over the earth.
1st- Babylonian empire. Its representation with a lion and an eagle depicts its majestic and powerful force as demonstrated by Nebuchadnezzar.
2nd- Medo- Persian empire, which succeeded the Babylonian empire. Its representation with the bear is associated with its cruelty and thirst for blood as it subdues kingdoms.
3rd- The Greek empire. Its representation with a leopard signifies the swiftness and cleverness which kingdoms were subdued and conquered.(Further study on Alexander the Great recommended)
4th- The Roman Empire. The largest, stringest and most unifying of all.(a horn is an expression of fierceness and power, this beast had 10 of those).
Note: Another horn, a little one… a mouth speaking pompous words: Among the ten horns, three are replaced by one horn that was conspicuous for its dominance, intelligence, and its boastful talk. Rev 13:5-6 shows this horn to represent the Antichrist.
2. Thrones were in set in place and the Ancient of days seated – this agrees with John’s vision of heaven in Rev 4. God sits on the Throne
3. A Thousand thousand attended to Him: this represents an innumerable company of angels surrounding God’s throne
4. The thousand times ten thousand stood before before Him- mankind will stand before God to be judged as the Books were opened ( Rev 20:12)
5. The horn with the boastful words is slain- the reaign of the Antichrist will be ended as the Lord Jesus sets up His kingdom.
6.From verse 23, the interpretation given to Daniel about the fourth beast with 10 horns, one of which will displace 3 others is significant.
The power of the little horn over the saints is limited. It will last for three-and-one-half years (time and times and half a time). This phrase is used in Revelation (11:2-3, 12:6 and 13:5) to refer to half of the last seven years of the Great Tribulation. As Jesus comes back to establish the millennial reign on earth, kingdom and dominion shall be given to the saints.
