So this vision is of four kingdoms that would arise from out of, and dominate, the gentile nations. Now, if you know your prophecy and you know your types, then you will also know that the 'sea' or 'waters' are used prophetically in the Bible to speak of the gentile nations (see Isa 17:12-13, Rev 17:1,15). So we see that Daniel was given a prophetic dream that consisted of four beasts arising out of the sea. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule. And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. It was told, 'Get up and eat your fill of flesh!' 'After that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. ' And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it. ' The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea. Daniel said: 'In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. He wrote down the substance of his dream. Hope you're ok with that!ĭan 7:1-6 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying on his bed. I should also say that the recipe for this study is 9 parts Bible prophecy lightly mixed and stirred with 1 part conspiracy theory. We get to see what man is doing on earth and we get to see what God is doing in Heaven! This study will revolve around the earthly scene. Now, chapter 7 is split up into an earthly and a heavenly scene. Every major player is revealed right up until the time that the mystery of God is finally revealed and Jesus' kingdom is set up. In chapter 7 we are presented with an amazing God given vision of all the kingdoms that would dominate planet earth from the time of the Babylonian exile onwards. Don't think about lunch (well that's tempting but not yet!).

So this is an important chapter in understanding the rest of this book. These later chapters consist of four prophetic dreams/visions given to Daniel but it is this first one, here in chapter 7, that provides the foundation and basis of the subsequent revelation.

You could say it has history past and history future! Chapters 1-6, which we have already looked at, were largely historical and chronological. You will probably know that the book of Daniel consists of both history and prophecy.

Thank God for the visions and dreams given in the book of Daniel! Only God can declare the end from the beginning and that is what He has done in this wonderful book. The Times of the Gentiles - The Earthly Scene Book of Daniel Bible Study Commentary Chapter 7

Daniel in the bible study book