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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 7
Daniel sees four beasts representing the kingdoms of men—He sees the
ancient of days (Adam) to whom the Son of Man (Christ) shall come—The
kingdom shall be given to the saints forever.
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1 IN the first year of
Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a adream and visions
of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of
the matters.
2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
3 And four great abeasts came
up from the bsea, diverse one from another.
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The Lion, the Bear and the Leopard
These first three kings and/or kingdoms are first: the
Babylonian kingdom under Nebuchadnezzar, the second: beast or kingdom is
that of the Median-Persian Empire, and the third: beast and kingdom was that
of the Greek Empire began by Alexander the Great, which Hellenistic influence
carried down into the days of Christ. Each of these had their effects and
influences upon the people which did carried forward to various extents in the
development of culture and civilization. In this dream of Daniels of the
beasts may be seen a parallel treatment of that dream as seen by
Nebuchadnezzar or the great image of a man with golden head down to the
feet and toes of clay and iron.
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4 The afirst was like
a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked,
and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man,
and a man's heart was given to it.
5 And behold another abeast,
a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it
had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said
thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a
leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had
also four aheads; and dominion was given to it.
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7 After this I saw in the night visions, and
behold a fourth abeast, dreadful and terrible, and
strong exceedinglya; and it had
great biron 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
cten horns.
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there
came up among them another little ahorn, 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 bmouth
speaking great things.
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7a a fourth beast, dreadfull and terrible,
and strong exceedingly Daniel gives no name to this fourth beast
which is diverse from all the beast before it. This would seem to be the
Roman Empire which did spread it influence into the world and is even felt in
the world today. Out of this empire came the corruption of the truth of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ which evolved through the inovations of man into what
we may consider to be the Great and Abominable Chruch of the earth. The power
of which is held in the things of the world, having corrupted the purity of
the gospel of Christ. And its many heads may be seen throughout the world
today in various forms and manners. It may be seen in all that detracts from
and opposes the true church and the saints of God.
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9 ¶ I beheld till the
athrones were bcast down, and the
cAncient of days did sit, whose dgarment
was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his
throne was like the fiery flame, and his
ewheels as burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from
before him: athousand thousands ministered unto him, and
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the
bjudgment was set, and the cbooks were
opened.
11 I beheld then because of the voice of the
great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the
abeast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the
burning bflame.
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12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold,
one like the aSon of man came with the
bclouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and
they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him
adominion, and glory, and a bkingdom,
that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion
is an ceverlasting dominion, which shall not pass
away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
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15 ¶ I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
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.
17 These great beasts, which are four,
are four akings, which shall arise out of the
earth.
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18 But the asaints of the
most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for
ever and ever.
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;
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.
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21 I beheld, and the same horn made
awar with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22 Until the aAncient of
days came, and bjudgment was given to the
csaints of the most High; and the time came that the saints
possessed the kingdom.
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
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24 And the ten ahorns out of
this kingdom are bten kings that shall arise:
and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first,
and he shall subdue three kings.
25 And he shall speak great words
against the most High, and shall awear out the saints of
the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given
into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
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26 But the ajudgment shall
sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy
it unto the end.
27 And the akingdom and
dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be
bgiven to the people of the saints of the most High, whose
kingdom is an ceverlasting kingdom, and all
dominions shall serve and obey him.
28 Hitherto is the end of the matter.
As for me Daniel, my acogitations much troubled me, and my
countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
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