The document discusses Daniel's dream in Daniel 7 of four beasts coming out of the sea. It provides interpretations of the dream: 1) The first beast, a lion with eagle's wings, represents the Babylonian Empire. The wings being plucked represent Babylon losing power when conquered by the Medo-Persian Empire. 2) The second beast, a bear, represents the Median Empire which existed until 550 BCE. 3) The third beast, a four-headed leopard with wings, represents the Greek Empire of Alexander the Great from 539-330 BCE. 4) The fourth beast, a diverse beast with iron teeth and ten horns, represents the Roman Empire which persecuted Jews

1. Daniel 7<br />The Four Beasts In Daniel’s Dream<br />The Meaning Of The Four Beasts In Daniel's Dream<br />Charles e Whisnant, Pastor-Teacher<br />Rivers of Joy Baptist Church, Minford, Ohio<br />Daniel Chapter Seven<br /> <br /> <br />INTERPRETATION<br /> 1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters. <br />Chapter 7 moves from the historical accounts of Daniel and his three friends to the prophetic revelations received by Daniel in the last half of the Book.<br />Daniel 7:1-28 contains the account of a dream that Daniel the prophet had. This dream is extremely relevant to us today, because it refers to current events, namely, current empires that will face Jesus Christ at Armageddon. Because of its AMAZING accuracy and significance, we NEED to understand the meaning of Daniel's dream. Here is what we know.

2. Daniel, a godly prophet and a man of unshakable faith, has been steadfast in his daily walk of fellowship with God throughout the first six chapters of the Book of Daniel. Nothing has caused him to panic or depart from his faith and practice as a godly Jew. Peer opposition or the new law passed by the king fails to disturb Daniel. Daniel’s first upset occurs in chapter 7. A revelation from God in his sleep brings his first great distress, for the revelation discloses future events Daniel finds most troubling. Twice in chapter 7 Daniel speaks of his distress:

3. This vision came to Daniel after the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, but before the Babylonian Empire was conquered by the Medo-Persian Empire

4. The first vision-one of four described between 7 through 12 is the most comprehensive. The other three visions go into greater detail, but he didn’t. 2Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. <br />Soon after Belshazzar came to power, Daniel dreamed a very disturbing dream. He wrote it down and told what he saw. The first thing he saw was four winds striving on the great sea. These winds correspond to the four horsemen of Revelation 6 and Zechariah 6:5, "These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth." The great sea represents the human masses in the last days. "The waters which thou sawest, ...are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues," Revelation 17:15. One interpretation.

5. The Mediterranean Sea. Each of the empires mentioned in this vision border on this SEA

6. STROVE or STIRRING UP THE GREAT SEA

7. The Mediterranean Sea. Each of the empires mentioned in this vision border on this SEA

8. Sometimes the sea is used as a picture of Gentile nations: Psalms 74:13; 89:9; Isaiah 57:20, Revelation 17:15, Isaiah 17:12

9. THE FOUR WINDS OF THE HEAVEN:

10. Some see these winds as a description of the sovereign power of God striving with men Psalms 35:5; 48:7; 107:25; Isaiah 27:6; Isaiah 41:16. Jeremiah 25:31-33

11. In Jeremiah 25:31-33 we see that when a great whirlwind is raised up it wreaks death and destruction upon those it comes against. Also in Jeremiah 4:13 we find that the chariots that spoiled the people, (this being a prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem by the hand of Babylon Vs 5, 6), were likened unto a whirlwind. So it is easily seen that winds are a symbol of war, strife, bloodshed, and trouble. Four being from the four quarters of the earth or the four points of the compass Jeremiah 49:36

12. And some see the winds as winds satanic forces, as mention in Revelation 7:1.

13. Some say the four winds describe in Revelation 7, where the four angels were holding back the four winds, unto they were giving authority to release them? Revelation 7:1-3

14. The four winds have been previously released when these beast in Daniel 7 are rising up out of the sea, because the sea is churning.

15. The SEA in prophecy represents “people, multitudes, nations, and language” Revelation 17:15.

16. The STIRRING represents strife, war, conquests and catastrophes.

17. Some say these are the releasing of the four winds signal the onset of the Great Tribulation. (Jack Gent) (1)

18. World agitation 3And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. <br />While the four great WINDS blew upon the great sea of humanity, Daniel saw four great BEASTS coming up from the sea. Grieved and troubled, Daniel asked for "the truth of all this." "These great beasts, which are four, are FOUR KINGS, which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever

19. Already we are seeing a picture of what Daniel is being shown. Strife, war and bloodshed is upon the nations as kingdom conquers kingdom to rise to world supremacy. Notice how the beasts rose up out of the sea, thus showing that each kingdom rose out of a densely populated area. We are looking at world events as it comes from all directions, all encompassing.

20. DIVERSE ONE FROM ANOTHER

21. The people in each controlling nation were different, the laws and customs were different, and even the administration of the kingdoms was different.

22. This takes us on to the prophecy of Daniel in chapter 7. This is a parallel prophecy of Daniel 2. In Daniel 2 we saw the different parts of the image representing the four main kingdoms of the world, plus the 'divided kingdom' which is the time we live in now (the feet). This time in Daniel 7 we have four beasts, which represent the four world kingdoms. In this chapter Daniel goes into greater detail about these kingdoms. How do we know that these beasts represent kingdoms? ... Daniel 7:17 ...'These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.' ... This is confirmation that these four beasts are four kings (kingdoms) which rise to power in the earth. So let's look at these beasts.The four beasts stand for the great eastern monarchies. <br />The lion with eagle's wings: the Babylonian empire (which existed until 539 BCE). The image is well chosen, because animals like these are sometimes depicted in Babylonian art.<br />The bear: the Median empire (which existed until 550).<br />The four-headed leopard with fowl's wings: the Achaemenid empire (539-330).<br />The ten-horned beast with iron teeth: the empire of Alexander the Great (336-323). Alexander was often depicted with the ram's horns of his divine father Ammon.<br /> <br />The ten horns represent Alexander's successors; the eleventh is Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who persecuted the Jews and blasphemed against their God. Therefore, this horn is said to be speaking 'boastful words'. <br />He is punished by God, who is presented to us as an ancient of days. (The image of God as an ancient man can also be found in texts like Job 36.26 and Psalm 102.25.) The author of Daniel believes that God will give the power in all the world to a mighty ruler who will bring peace to mankind (the 'one like a son of man' who comes 'with the clouds of heaven'). This ruler can not be identified, but several ancient authors have interpreted this text as relating to the Messiah.<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBQ8UEY6-vgDaniel's FIRST BeastA Lion With Eagle's Wings<br /> 4The first 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. <br />.. This beast was Babylon (Head of Gold). The Lion is regarded as the greatest of beasts, and just like the head of Gold, the greatest of metals, Babylon was the greatest kingdom. Also, the symbol of a Lion was associated with Babylon. In Ezekiel 17, Babylon is depicted as a 'great eagle with great wings'. God gave Babylon it's power, but then the wings were plucked off, and the kingdom lost it's power and was conquered by the next kingdom. Habakkuk 1:11 Jeremiah 50:38 <br />In the time of the downfall of Babylon under Belshazzar’s reign, the kingdom was reduced to the walls of Babylon itself. With the conquering spirit gone and regarding that their power came from their god’s. (Habakkuk 1:11, Jeremiah 50:38) God had abandoned them and the Babylonian kingdom fell with Belshazzar being slain in the middle of a drunken feast. See chapter 5. Babylon reigned from 606-538 B.C.<br />Again, the million-dollar question is this: \"
Where is a modern empire symbolized by a lion?\"
Here is the answer: Great Britain. Now there have been many nations that have utilized the lion as a symbol. But in modern times, the lion is most clearly associated with Great Britain - the largest empire in modern times. In recent memory, it could be said that \"
the sun never sets on the British Empire.\"
The British Lion is universally recognized. It has appeared on the Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom since King James VI of Scotland acceeded to the English throne in 1603. It also appears on several national emblems and flags. Another British symbol, lady \"
Britannia,\"
is depicted riding the back of a lion. The lion symbol is depicted behind Britannia on the British fifty pence coin and a lion is shown crowned on the back of the British ten pence coin. A lion is also used as a symbol on the non-ceremonial flag of the British Army. What about the eagle's wings that were plucked? Again, there are few symbols more easily recognizable in the world today than the American Eagle. But how can the American Eagle be associated - connected with - the British Lion? That is an easy answer. The United States of America was originally a colonial territory of Great Britain. But IT WAS PLUCKED UP from the British Empire when the citizens of the thirteen original American colonies wrote and signed The Declaration of Independence in 1776, declaring their independence and BREAKING AWAY FROM the British Crown - King George III. Herein is a most wonderful fulfillment of ancient Bible prophecies. TWO-THOUSAND FIVE-HUNDRED YEARS AGO, the prophet Daniel envisioned the Declaration of Independence, which any educated person knows is one of the most important documents ever written in the history of mankind. It was the founding document of what is arguably the greatest nation that ever existed! And Daniel saw it! After the wings of the eagle were plucked from the British Lion, \"
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,\"
Daniel 7:4. After 1776, and the rise of the United States of America, Britain became the largest empire in history.<br />Daniel's SECOND BeastA Bear With Three Ribs In Its Mouth<br /> 5And behold another beast, 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. <br />This beast was Medo-Persia (Chest of Silver). This bear is 'raised up' on one side. As you can see from the name 'Medo-Persia', this was a dual kingdom. Persia was the stronger kingdom, hence this beast being 'raised up' on one side. Isaiah 13:15-19<br />THREE RIBS IN THE MOUTH BETWEEN THE TEETH<br />This bear also has 3 ribs in it's mouth, so it's obviously just devoured something. This represents the three notable conquests of the Medes and Persians, which were the kingdoms of Lydia, Egypt and Babylon.In order to bring World War 2 to a close, these three superpowers failed to liberate the nations that the Soviets had recently annexed in war. As a result, most of the Eastern Block countries became part of the Soviet Socialist Republics - eastern Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Albania and East Germany. The photo here shows the Russian Bear on April 30, 1945, as the Soviets stormed the German Reichstag Parliament building, hoisting the Hammer & Sickle over Berlin, Germany. (This is when Germany was divided – the deadly wound that would not heal.) <br />If THAT isn't \"
devouring much flesh,\"
I cannot imagine what would be. <br />But it was actually worse than that.<br />The RUSSIAN BEAR devoured FAR MORE THAN EASTERN EUROPE, because Russia birthed a SOCIALIST WORLD GOVERNMENT that day. FDR had been unbelievably naive about Stalin's evil intentions, and did not believe Stalin would be so aggressive. Roosevelt's assistant, Alger Hiss, drafted the CHARTER for the UNITED NATIONS. The impetus for the UNITED NATIONS WAS BORN THAT DAY. The official logo of the UN was patterned after the RUSSIAN LOGO (see graphic). But in the following months, Alger Hiss was accused and convicted of being a COMMUNIST RUSSIAN SPY. The plan and Charter for the United Nations was created by an agent for Joseph Stalin! In stark reality, the United Nations is a Socialist Global Government! The Communists not only devoured Eastern Europe after Yalta. They effectively devoured the world, by creating the United Nations. Time will soon tell just what a socialist tyranny is rising to power at the UN! If you look at it close enough, you will conclude for yourself that the UNITED NATIONS is a socialist entity. It was created by Communists, and today is predominantly Socialist from top to bottom. Socialism DEVOURED THE WORLD with the birth of the UNITED NATIONS.<br />Daniel's THIRD BeastA Four-headed Leopard With Wings of a Fowl<br />6After 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 heads; and dominion was given to it. <br /> This beast was Greece (Thighs of Bronze). Now the Leopard is an animal of great speed, and with the 4 wings, this represents great speed and power also. It is well known that Alexander the great conquered the known world with amazing speed. The four heads represents the four divisions that Greece split into after the death of Alexander. It is known that 4 generals took control of Greece.<br />THE BACK OF IT FOUR WINGS OF A FOWL<br />Greece, under Alexander the Great, was good at catching their prey off guard because of the speed at which they moved. In showing this we only have to look at the time taken to conquer the then known world. It took Alexander and his army 12 years to subdue the world. He marched his army over 8364 kilometres in that space of time, which took them from Macedonia all the way to India and down through to Libya and Egypt in the south. The final death blow to the Medo-Persian kingdom was at the Battle of Arbela in 331 B.C. where Darius the third was defeated. We shall see more of this in chapter 8.<br />The wings of a fowl were upon this beast. <br />A fowls flight is one of speed whist ascending, but expires very quickly at its peak. Thus was the case of Greece. Alexander rose very quickly to power but at the peak of his rise he died in a drunken debauch at the age of 31 in 323 B.C. Some say it was malaria that killed him.<br />FOUR HEADS<br />As Alexander was dieing, his generals asked who was to take the kingdom and rule. Alexander’s reply was “to the strongest.” Through much fighting the kingdom was divided amongst the four remaining generals and hence the four heads. The decisive battle was the battle of Ipsus in 301 B.C. where Antigonus was killed and thus the four divisions as follows;<br />1. Cassander - Macedonia and Greece.2. Lysimachus - Thrace, parts of Asia, Hellespont and Bosporus in the north.3. Ptolemy - Egypt, Libya, Arabia, Palestine, and Coele-Syria in the south.4. Seleucus - Syria eastward.<br />The Grecian empire reigned from 331-168 B.C.<br />With the birth of the Holy Roman Empire, another prophetic picture began to take shape: the four-headed leopard with wings of a fowl (Daniel 7:6). No other country in history has been more prominently identified with a leopard than Germany. In the past century, the German leopard tanks played major roles in World War II. In all my thousands of hours of Bible research, I have never seen ANY other nation that is more accurately associated with the LEOPARD. French Rooster Amazingly, the symbol of France is a fowl—the rooster. The Holy Roman Empire can be recognized as a leopard with wings of a fowl – Germany and France, both being powerfully manipulated from Rome.<br />In 800 AD, Charlemagne was a strong Germanic leader. From there, he conducted empire over Europe. One of his leading accomplishments was the unification of France. Historians say that the Holy Roman Empire was the incubator for both modern Germany and modern France. The Franco-German Alliance is at the heart of the European Union to this day. From Germany, Charlemagne birthed the empire. The prophecy said that the leopard had great dominion. Eventually, (from the 16th Century forward), the empire was called the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. Newsweek magazine, April 9, 1984 said, “Since the time of Charlemagne, the area that is now Germany has been the pivot of European history. In the past 120 years, the Germans have dominated Europe; intellectually and militarily.” “Reich” is the German word for kingdom. In all the history of the Holy Roman Empire, its parliament was known as the Reichstag. “Reich” meaning “empire” and “–stag” meaning “assembly”. The modern nation of Germany is evolved from Charlemagne’s Reichstag. As far back as 919 AD, the Reichstag elected the first King of the Germans, and in 1871 became the parliament of the German Empire.<br /> <br />THE FOURTH BEAST WITH IRON TEECH AND TEN HORNS<br />The Last Superpower<br /> 7After 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. <br />.'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.' ...<br />This beast was Rome (Legs of Iron). This nation is so terrible and powerful that Daniel can only describe it as a dreadful beast. Rome was known as the iron kingdom, which matches the iron teeth on this beast and the iron legs on the statue. Notice that this beast was 'diverse' (different) from all the others.

23. Whereas all the other kingdoms were totally political nations, Rome became a 'Religio-Political' nation, when the Roman Catholic Church (The Papacy) received power to rule. Notice also that this beast had ten horns. When Rome fell in 476 AD, it split into ten kingdoms of Europe ... Daniel 7:23 ...'Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth.' ... This verse confirms that the fourth terrible beast is Rome, because Rome was the fourth kingdom to rule after Babylon.

24. It had ten horns:

25. A horn is a symbol of a king or kingdom vs. 24.