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In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions in his mind as he lay on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, and this is the summary of it:
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Daniel said, “In my vision by night I looked, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea,
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and four great beasts came up out of the sea, each different from the others.
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The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept watching until its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a human heart was given to it.
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And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. And it was told, ‘Rise, devour much flesh.’
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After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard. It had four wings of a bird on its back, and the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it.
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After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and crushed, and what was left it trampled with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.
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While I was considering the horns, behold, another little horn came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking arrogant words.
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As I kept watching, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was flames of fire, and its wheels were burning fire.
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A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; thousands upon thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.
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I kept watching because of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking; I kept watching until the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given over to the burning fire.
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As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
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I kept watching in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man. He came to the Ancient of Days and was brought before him.
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Then to him was given dominion and glory and kingship, so that peoples of every nation, tribe, and language served him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom is one that shall not be destroyed.
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As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me, and the visions I saw alarmed me.
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Then I approached one of those who were standing there and asked him for the meaning of all this. So he spoke to me and made the interpretation known to me:
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These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise from the earth;
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but the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and they shall possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.
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Then I desired to know the meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly terrifying, with teeth of iron and claws of bronze, which devoured and crushed and trampled the remainder with its feet;
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and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up, before which three fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth speaking arrogantly, and which appeared greater than its fellows.
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And I saw that the horn made war with the holy ones and prevailed over them,
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until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the holy ones of the Most High, and the time came when the holy ones possessed the kingdom.
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Thus he said: The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which shall be different from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and crush it.
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As for the ten horns, they are ten kings who shall arise from that kingdom. After them another king shall arise; he shall be different from the former ones, and he shall bring down three kings.
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He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the holy ones of the Most High; he shall seek to change the times and the law, and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
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Then the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end.
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Then the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the holy ones, the people of the Most High: their kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them.
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That is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and I became pale; but I kept the matter in my heart.”
🐉👑☁️ Summary of Daniel 7 – The Four Beasts & the Coming of the Son of Man
Daniel 7 is Daniel’s first prophetic vision, full of symbols about the kingdoms of the world and the eternal coming of the Son of Man. The four great beasts represent brutal and temporary world powers, but in the end, authority is given to the Son of Man — a picture of Christ coming in glory. This is the center of Daniel’s prophecy about the last days and the victory of God’s Kingdom.
📌 1. The Four Beasts from the Sea (verses 1–8)
“I saw storm winds from the four corners of heaven stirring up the great sea…”
Daniel dreamed of seeing four beasts coming up out of the sea, each different:
- A lion with eagle’s wings – symbolizing Babylon
- A bear with three ribs in its mouth – symbolizing Media-Persia
- A leopard with four heads and four wings – symbolizing Greece
- A dreadful beast, exceedingly strong, with ten horns – symbolizing the Roman empire (and the antichrist system)
- From the ten horns came a little horn that overthrew three others, speaking arrogantly
🎯 World kingdoms rise and fall, and many are cruel and proud. But their power is limited.
📌 2. Thrones Set in Place & Divine Judgment (verses 9–12)
“I kept looking until thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days sat…”
- The Ancient of Days (God the Father) sat on the throne:
His clothing was white, His hair like wool
His throne was flaming fire, and a river of fire flowed from before Him
The books were opened → it is time for judgment!
- The fourth beast is destroyed and burned
🎯 In the midst of the world’s evil, God still sits on the throne and judges justly.
📌 3. The Coming of the Son of Man (verses 13–14)
“Behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like the Son of Man…”
- The Son of Man (Jesus) comes before the Ancient of Days
- To Him was given:
Power
Glory
Everlasting dominion over every nation and language
🎯 This is a strong prophecy about Jesus as King over all kings, received before God the Father.
📌 4. Explanation of the Vision (verses 15–28)
- Daniel was troubled, and an interpretation was given:
The four beasts = four world kingdoms
But in the end, the saints receive the Kingdom and rule forever
- The little horn = a king who opposes God, persecutes His people, and changes law and time
- Yet its time is limited:
“A time, times, and half a time”
→ A symbol of 3.5 years of antichrist rule
🎯 Evil power has a limited time, but God’s power and His people will endure forever.
📖 Main Teaching
- World kingdoms are temporary and brutal, but God still holds control
- Jesus (the Son of Man) will reign forever over every nation
- God’s judgment will destroy the world system and the antichrist
- Believers will inherit the Kingdom of God and reign with Him
- Though evil seems to win for a time, the end of the story has already been determined: God wins!
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
“They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds…”
→ Directly quoting Daniel 7:13 — this prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus.
“Every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…”
→ In line with Daniel 7:14, all nations worship Him.
“Look, He is coming with the clouds…”
→ Son of Man = Jesus, who will return in glory.
The little horn = the lawless one/antichrist who will be destroyed by the coming of Jesus
🎯 Daniel 7 gives a prophetic view of the present time and the end times, and confirms that Christ will triumph and His people will reign with Him.
🕊️ “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like a son of man.” – Daniel 7:13
🕊️ “To him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom…” – Daniel 7:14
🕊️ “But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom…” – Daniel 7:18
🕊️ “His dominion is an everlasting dominion…” – Daniel 7:14
