Day 216 – Daniel & the Four Beasts

• Daniel 7 marks the start of the prophetic section of the book. That means that the chapters talk about things that hadn’t happened when the book was written. In this chapter we get a detailed description of a (potentially terrifying) dream that Daniel had earlier in his life.
• Read through the descriptions of the four beasts that are described in Daniel 7:4-8. Think about what they look like by drawing a mental image in your head as you go. Do you think you would have enjoyed having this dream? Like the dream in Daniel 2, most people think that the different creatures represent kingdoms – the lion being Babylon, the bear as Medo-Persia, the leopard as Greek and the final beast, which cannot be described using animal imagery, as the Roman empire. Even though people argue about whether these are what the beasts mean, it’s important to consider the bigger picture here – God knows what will happen in the future and is in control of it at all times.
• In Daniel 7:8, a little horn is described. It is described as talking a lot, even as it is “put on trial” in the courtroom scene in verses 9-12. Some people think the “little horn” is the Antichrist (the devil). What do you think it would have been “saying”, if this is true?
• In the courtroom scene that follows, the “Ancient of Days” is the judge. Who do you think this is? What action does He do in verses 11-12? What does this say about the future for us?
• In Daniel 7:13-14, we read about a very special person. Who is it? This is the first use of the term “son of man”, which Jesus used about himself regularly. Don’t forget, of course, that this was written hundreds of years before Jesus came. When Jesus used the phrase to describe himself, the people listening would have understood that he was referring to this passage.
• What are some of the things that the passage says the “son of man” will do? Who are all the kingdoms given to?
• What encouragement can we take from Daniel 7:19-27 about our security under God’s protection?
• The passages in Mark show Jesus saying that he is the “son of man” promised in Daniel’s prophecy. This is one of the reasons why the Pharisees in the final passage were so angry, because they thought Jesus was committing blasphemy by referring to himself in this way, and therefore calling Himself God. Do you find it encouraging to read prophecy like this from our point of view, knowing how the story ends?

Your head might be spinning a bit at all this! Daniel 7 has some bizarre imagery, and the grand meaning behind the passages can be a little overwhelming to get your head around.

Certain verses, such Daniel 7:25 have provoked much debate – what exactly is a time, times and half a time, for example? Your study bible may have some comment to make on that, and on the passage as a whole.

If you’re finding it a bit tough, I recommend you just re-read Daniel 7:13-14 again, and focus in on them. The purpose, Daniel says, of the “son of man” is to come before the Ancient of Days (God), and be presented with dominion and glory and a kingdom, and that all nations will serve him, and that his throne will last forever, and his kingdom never be destroyed. This can’t be talking about any earthly king, can it? In the light of the New Testament it can only be referring to Jesus – and it’s one of the clearest examples of a foreshadow of Jesus in the whole of the Old Testament.

Maybe this rather terrifying dream could have been the most glorious dream Daniel ever had, if he understood what he was seeing!