10/04/22 – Daniel 7:15-22
Daniel 7:15 – I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of [my] body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
I – or “as for me”
grieved – or “distressed”
body – or “sheath” (that which encloses or is enclosed in)
troubled – frightened; alarmed; dismayed
As for me, Daniel, I was grieved (distressed) in my spirit (he had a heavy heart concerning what had just been revealed to him) in my body (which encloses or contains my spirit), and the visions (thoughts) of my head (mind) troubled (alarmed) me.
Daniel has just observed (via a dream) some astounding and terrible events, the meaning of which he cannot fathom at first. He is seemingly in shock over this and his thinking seems to be inadequate to be able to explain it satisfactorily. In fact, Daniel doesn’t appear to be able to take in the sheer enormity of the events he has just observed in his dream.
Daniel 7:16 – I came near
unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the
things.
the truth of all this – the explanation of all those events he has observed in his dream. Vss 17-18 below are the angel’s reply; then it does seem as if Daniel continues to ask questions in Vss 19-22, with Vss 23-27 being further interpretation from the angel.
So Daniel has an urgent desire to know just what it is all about, what it means, considering that he was the one who was given the dream. Thus he approached “one of them” (apparently one of the angels around the throne – see Daniel 7:10) to enquire as to the truth of all that he has seen in his dream. And, by “the truth” he means an explanation of the seemingly non-comprehendible visions of his mind. Daniel considers that his mental distress may only be allayed by better understanding what he has observed and why it was necessary for him to observe it.
So he (the angelic being) related (the truth) to Daniel as requested, causing him to know (or understand) the interpretation (meaning) of the things (that is, “the truth of all this”).
Daniel 7:17 – These great beasts, which are four, [are] four kings, [which] shall arise out of the earth.
These great beasts, which are four – the four beasts of Daniel 7:3-8. They are four kings, or actually kingdoms or empires: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. These are the same four kingdoms or empires represented by the great image of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (see Daniel 2:31-45).
the earth – land; earth; can mean all earth as opposed to some, earth as opposed to heaven, or all the inhabitants of earth. Here it refers to the four beasts arising out of the mass of all who live on the earth, and has a similar meaning to the “four great beasts” (that) “came up from the sea” (Daniel 7:3). These four kings (kingdoms or empires) shall arise from the great mass of humanity to rule those under their authority.
Daniel 7:18 – But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
saints – holy ones; separated ones. All God’s people are His saints.
the most High – sovereign almighty God, and His saints are His people.
“But” signifies an opposing statement. That is, in opposition to these four kings arising to take control of earthly kingdoms, the saints of God (those who have separated themselves apart from the world for God’s purposes) will (eventually) take (accept or receive) and possess the final everlasting kingdom of Christ the Messiah, and shall rule with Him for ever and ever. This relates directly to the final part of Daniel’s dream where the Son of man takes the rule over an everlasting kingdom that shall never be destroyed.
Daniel 7:13-14 – 13I saw in the night visions, and, behold, [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed.
This also relates to the kingdom that God sets up after that great image of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is destroyed (all earthly kingdoms destroyed).
Daniel 2:44 – And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
While earthly kingdoms come and go, Christ’s kingdom will last forever.
shall take – literally “shall accept” or “shall receive”. God’s separated people will not take or establish this kingdom by their force or power, but will receive it (apparently as a gift) from Christ.
possess – or “take possession of”. Thus they will accept that kingdom which is given to them.
Daniel 7:19 – Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth [were of] iron, and his nails [of] brass; [which] devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
Daniel 7:7 – After
this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and
terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and
brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it [was] diverse
from all the beasts that [were] before it; and it had ten horns.
I would know – tsᵉba’ (Aramaic) (to
desire; be inclined; be willing; be pleased) It has the idea of wanting the fulfilment
of your desires. It appears that Daniel now continues to press enquiries upon
this angel, for more information.
Daniel’s desire was to know, in particular, the
truth of that fourth beast (of Daniel 7:7-8). As per Daniel 7:7-8, this fourth
beast was diverse from all the other three beasts before it, dreadful (“exceeding
dreadful” in Vs 19 above), with teeth of iron, and it devoured and broke into
pieces, and stamped (trampled; ground into tiny pieces) the residue (that which
remained) with its feet.
The only extra bit of information added in Vs 19 above is that it had nails (or claws) of brass (brazen; copper or bronze). This only serves to better describe this beast as destructively savage, terrible and frightening.
As noted as per Daniel 7:7, this exceedingly dreadful fourth beast was the Roman empire that caused great fear and terror with exceptional strength. It was the Roman empire that made that cruellest of executions, the crucifixion, a main part of its efforts to subdue. It wasn’t sufficient to just defeat the enemy; it was considered necessary to absolutely break down and destroy and crush the enemy. They were ruthless, without morals or ethics of any sort, without any compassion at all. This was Rome back then, and it will one day become Rome once again in the future (before the end and the coming of Christ the Messiah to rule for 1,000 years).
Daniel 7:20 – And of the ten
horns that [were] in his head, and [of] the other which came up,
and before whom three fell; even [of] that horn that had eyes, and a
mouth that spake very great things, whose look [was]
more stout than his fellows.
See notes on Daniel 7:8 for extra
explanation – I considered the horns, and, behold,
there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of
the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn [were] eyes
like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
The ten horns are ten kingdoms (note also the ten iron and clay toes of the great image – Daniel 2:42-43). The other (extra one) which comes up is the antichrist of the end-times. The antichrist will be put into power by these ten kings ….
Revelation 17:12-13 – 12And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 13These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
…. who then overcomes or removes the kings from three of those ten kingdoms (see Daniel 7:24 – And the ten horns out of this kingdom [are] ten kings [that] shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.)
This fourth beast is the beast of Revelation 13:1 – And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
that horn that had eyes, and a mouth – While this beast represents an empire (the revived Roman empire), it is also the man who rules this empire; the beast is the antichrist. He has a face with eyes and a mouth that speaks, and he will appear to be a charismatic leader to those who are deceived by his trickery. Note that this “beast” will be himself thrown into the lake of fire along with the false prophet (Revelation 19:20).
(that spake) very great things
– rabrab
(Aramaic), derived from rab (chief; captain). The general idea is of great
and bold speaking, but Daniel 7:25 says that these words will be
against or in opposition to God, that is, blasphemy (“And
he shall speak [great] words against the most High”). Revelation 13:5 goes further by saying that “there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things
and blasphemies”.
look – or “appearance”
stout – rab (Aramaic) (great) As a noun it
means chief or captain.
whose look [was] more stout than his
fellows – who appeared to be greater than his fellow beasts; this fourth beast
stood out as being greater than the others.
This fourth beast appeared to be greater (in power or authority) than
its fellow beasts (associates; fellows; companions).
This is the antichrist who (being indwelt of satan) will seek to take
total control as the one-world leader in the final 7-year tribulation period
before Christ returns to establish His millennial reign. This terrible fourth
beast is the Roman empire revived from its past. It was the Romans who
destroyed the city of Jerusalem and its temple (the sanctuary) in 70 AD and the
prince that is to come (the antichrist) will be of that Roman empire of the
past.
Daniel 9:26-27 – 26And
after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself:
and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the
sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end
of the war desolations are determined. 27And he shall confirm the
covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week
he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the
overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until
the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
It is the people of that coming prince who will destroy Jerusalem in 70
AD. That same prince will
make a covenant with Israel for that final 7 years. In the middle of the 7
years, he will sit in the temple to be worshipped (as the abomination of Daniel 9:27).
Matthew 24:15-16 – 15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of
desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16Then let them
which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
We will cover
this in more detail when we get to Daniel 9:26-27.
Daniel 7:21 – I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
The fourth beast establishes himself as God’s enemy and therefore will oppose the people of God, the saints (holy ones, those set apart for God). As Daniel continues to observe this dream, he sees that same horn (that came up in the midst of the original ten on the fourth beast) make war with God’s saints, and even (for a time anyway), prevails (until God intervenes – see Vs 22 below). This beast (indwelt by satan) will even set himself up to be worshipped as God in the temple; this is the abomination at the midpoint of the final 7 years before Christ returns (Daniel 9:27).
Many commentaries teach that this refers to Antiochus IV Epiphanes (215–164 BC) who is said to have built an altar to Zeus in the temple and then sacrificed a pig to Zeus on that altar. However, Jesus taught in Matthew 24:15 that this abomination referred to by Daniel was yet in the future at that time, and thus Antiochus (while possibly a partial fulfilment of this prophecy) cannot be the ultimate and complete fulfilment.
For those final 7 years before Christ’s return, the antichrist will seek to gain the worship of all mankind on earth, waging war upon those (particularly the people of God) who will not worship him, and who refuse to take the mark of the beast. And, finally, when satan through his antichrist gathers the largest army ever assembled and attacks Jerusalem in the battle of Armageddon, all (the remnant) are slain and the battle is over.
Revelation 19:19-21 – 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which [sword] proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Revelation 14:20 – And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand [and] six hundred furlongs.
Satan (through his antichrist) puts everything into trying to gain the world, but fails when “the Ancient of days” (Vs 22 below) comes.
Revelation 13:7-8 – 7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints,
and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues,
and nations. 8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him,
whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world.
Daniel 7:22 – Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Revelation 19:11-16 – 11And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes [were] as a flame of fire, and on his head [were] many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he [was] clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies [which were] in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Zechariah 14:1-4 – 1Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which [is] before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, [and there shall be] a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
and judgment was given to the saints of the most High – and God made judgment on the battle being fought (where the beast was prevailing for a time), with His judgment in favour of His people, the saints of the most High. A favourable judgment was given to the saints who would now enter the millennial reign of Christ as His people.
the saints possessed the kingdom – God’s saints possess the kingdom as joint-heirs with Christ. “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17)
And they would possess the kingdom ruled by Christ the Messiah who will take His rightful position of authority at the right hand of God.
Isaiah 9:6-7 – 6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7Of the increase of [his] government and peace [there shall be] no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Daniel 7:18 – But the
saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and
possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
Revelation 21:3 – And I
heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is]
with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and
God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God.
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