Daniel 7:15-28--Daniel's Vision Interpreted

Daniel 7:15-28
English Standard Version

Daniel's Vision Interpreted
15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me. 16 I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. 17 ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’

19 “Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, 20 and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. 21 As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

23 “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast,

there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,
    which shall be different from all the kingdoms,
and it shall devour the whole earth,
    and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
24 As for the ten horns,
out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,
    and another shall arise after them;
he shall be different from the former ones,
    and shall put down three kings.
25 He shall speak words against the Most High,
    and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,
    and shall think to change the times and the law;
and they shall be given into his hand
    for a time, times, and half a time.
26 But the court shall sit in judgment,
    and his dominion shall be taken away,
    to be consumed and destroyed to the end.
27 And the kingdom and the dominion
    and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
    shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High;
his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
    and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’

28 “Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.”

---

Daniel, like most of us, was still focused in on that last beast and wanting to know more about it.  It made him anxious and afraid to think about it.  God does not give His people a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.  Daniel seems to have either missed the point of seeing the Lord on His throne in control of everything, high above the beasts and the kingdoms of the world sitting in judgment, and throwing the final beast into the Lake of Fire.  Daniel had nothing ultimately to fear from his vision because the Lord is still in control and no beast or kingdom will ever be able to contend with Him.

Daniel approached and asked for interpretation from one of those standing there with him (probably an angel) to explain the vision to him.  A summary of the vision consistent of what we have already seen with the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's first dream/vision was given to him, including that the saints would inherit a kingdom not of this world as the Kingdom of God would be victorious and God would reign over all the earth forever and ever.

That still didn't satisfy Daniel's curiosity, and he asked for more information about the terrifying beast that represented the fourth kingdom.  The angel explained that this coming kingdom would be different than all the kingdoms before it.  It would be given power and authority to devour (conquer) the whole earth.  From it would spring ten nations represented by the ten horns (probably a confederation or union of nations).  From among these will come a small horn that represents a king who will put down three of these ten horns as he seizes complete control of the power and authority given to this beast.  He will be proud and boastful and speak blasphemies just like the Satan who empowers him.

His kingdom will not be long-lasting.  He will only be given power to persecute the saints for three-and-a-half years (the end of the seven years of the Tribulation).  After this, the Lord will return and judge the wicked nations of this world who allied themselves with the Antichrist and tried to rebel against the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of His Christ.  They will not be victorious, and judgement will come upon them.

All the kingdoms of this world will be consumed so that only the kingdom of God would remain, and all the people of God from all the nations of the world that remain will worship, serve, and obey Him forever and ever.  This still didn't answer Daniel's questions of who and when that he wanted to know, but it wasn't for him to know those things.  It was for him to rest in the fact that God would be victorious and He had prepared a place for Daniel and all the other saints to live with Him forever and ever.  Daniel says that he was still alarmed--so much so that his color changed in his face.  He was visibly upset, but he wouldn't talk about it with anyone.  Instead, he kept it to himself, but he will keep asking.  He will not receive a different answer, and in the end, he will be told that it is not for him to know or understand.  These things are written for those who will live in the very end of days to understand.  Many generations like Daniel have tried to understand more than has been revealed to them, but God wants us not to look at the world in fear, but to look towards heaven with hope both that He will judge the wicked and give us the kingdom as an inheritance one day when all the people who remain from all nations will love, worship, serve, and obey the Lord.  We should not live in fear of what we do not know, because we have a sure hope that just as He delivered His people from slavery in Egypt to take them to the Promised Land, and from the Babylonian and Assyrian Exile to return them to their homeland that there is a day that He will provide an even greater Exodus and better Promised Land for us who are His people--a people made of a remnant from every tribe, tongue, and nation.