Daniel Lesson #9

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
DANIEL 7
LESSON #09
GOD’S VIEW OF THE GENTILE KINGDOMS

• MEMORY VERSE: HEBREWS 12:28
• ORIENTATION AND REVIEW
• THE DREAM OF THE IMAGE IN DANIEL CHAPTER 2 PORTRAYED THE GENTILE KINGDOMS FROM MAN’S VIEWPOINT.
• IN THE IMAGE DREAM WE SAW THE IMPOSING OUTWARD POWER AND SPLENDOR OF “THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES”.
• FROM MAN’S VIEWPOINT THEY APPEAR AS VALUABLE METALS IN THE FORM OF AN IMPRESSIVE STATUE.
• DANIEL 7 PORTRAYS THE GENTILE KINGDOMS FROM GOD’S VIEWPOINT.
• THIS PROPHECY PORTRAYS THE TRUE CHARACTER OF GENTILE WORLD GOVERNMENTS AS RAPACIOUS AND WARLIKE AS BEASTS ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED BY FORCE.
• IT IS REMARKABLE THAT IN REALITY HERALDIC INSIGNIA OF GENTILE NATIONS ARE ALL BEASTS OR BIRDS OF PREY.
• THE PROPHETIC LAW OF DOUBLE REFERENCE:
• BIBLE PROPHECY WAS WRITTEN TO HAVE TWO FULFILLMENTS…ONE NEAR THE TIME OF THE PROPHET. THIS FIRST FULFILLMENT VALIDATES THE PROPHET AS A TRUE PROPHET OF GOD.
• THE SECOND FULFILLMENT IS NEAR THE END OF TIME AROUND THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.
• DAN 7 CONTAINS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF DOUBLE FULFILLMENT.
• WE WILL SEE THE COMING OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. THEN WE WILL SEE ANOTHER ROMAN EMPIRE COME THAT PROMOTES THE ANTI-CHRIST.
• DANIEL 7 OCCURS ABOUT 553 BC.
• 50 YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE DANIEL INTERPRETED NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM OF THE IMAGE IN CHAPTER 2. NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAS BEEN DEAD 8 YEARS.
• READ DAN 7:1-8
• THE FIRST YEAR OF BELSHAZZAR (1) = 553 BC
• DANIEL WOULD BE ABOUT 67 YEARS OLD HERE IN CHAPTER 7.
• A DREAM AND VISIONS (1)
• GOD GIVES DANIEL THIS MESSAGE IN 3 INSTALLMENTS.
• PART #1 = THE VIEW OF THE FIRST 3 BEASTS
• PART #2 = THE VIEW OF THE FOURTH BEAST
• PART #3 = THE SCENE IN HEAVEN
• 4 WINDS OF HEAVEN STROVE (2) = STRUGGLES OF NATIONS FROM THE 4 POINTS OF THE COMPASS.
• THE GREAT SEA = LITERALLY THIS WAS THE NAME OF THE MEDITERRANNEAN SEA.
• PROPHETICALLY IT REFERS TO THE MASS OF GENTILE HUMANITY (ISA 57:20 MAT 13:47 REV 13:1 REV 17:15)
• THE FOUR BEASTS REPRESENT KINGS (17) OVER VERY DISTINCT KINGDOMS.

• FIRST BEAST = BABYLON 606-538 BC

• LION (4) = STRENGTH, FEROCITY
• NEBUCHADNEZZAR MAINTAINED HIS KINGDOM AND POWER BY THE CRUELTY OF PAGANISM FROM HUMAN SACRIFICE TO BRUTAL PUNISHMENT.
• WITH EAGLE’S WINGS = VISION.
• NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAD THE VISION OF FORMING A GREAT NATION. HE ALSO HAD THE ABILITY TO MOVE AN ARMY QUICKLY THAT FULFILLED HIS VISION.
• WINGS PLUCKED = VISION AND REASON TAKEN AWAY (DAN 4:28-37)
• GOD HUMBLED NEBUCHADNEZZAR IN DAN 4 WHEN HE LOST HIS MENTAL ABILITIES FOR A SHORT TIME.
• MADE TO STAND UPON HIS FEET AS A MAN = THE RESTORATION OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR TO HIS THRONE.
• MAN’S HEART = HUMAN VULNERABILITY
• NEBUCHADNEZZAR STARTED OUT THINKING HE WAS INVINCIBLE, LIKE A GOD. HOWEVER, HE DISCOVERED HE WAS JUST A VULNERABLE MAN IN NEED OF SALVATION.

• SECOND BEAST = MEDO-PERSIA 538-330 BC

• BEAR (5) = TENACITY BUT SLOWER THAN THE LION
• THERE ARE NO WINGS ON THIS BEAR. THE BEAR IS POWERFUL BUT MOVES MUCH SLOWER THAN THE LION. THE ARMIES CONNECTED TO THIS KINGDOM WERE SLOWED BECAUSE THEY TOOK THEIR FAMILIES WITH THEM TO BATTLE.
• RAISED UP ON ONE SIDE = PERSIA WAS STRONGER THAN THE MEDES
• THIS WAS A KINGDOM WITH A DUAL NATURE AND DUAL STRENGTH.
• THE MEDES WERE THE WARRIORS WHILE THE PERSIANS WERE THE INTELLECTUALS.
• 3 RIBS IN HIS MOUTH = THIS KINGDOM CONTAINED 3 FORMER KINGDOMS:
• EGYPT (525 BC), LYDIA (546 BC), BABYLON (539 BC). THESE THREE KINGDOMS WERE OVERCOME BY THE MEDES AND THE PERSIANS, BUT NOT FULLY DIGESTED INTO THE KINGDOM.
• WE SEE THE SAME DUALITY OF THIS KINGDOM IN CHAPTER 2 WITH THE IMAGE WHO HAD 2 ARMS. MEDIAN INFLUENCE WAS PREDOMINANT DURING THE REIGNS OF CYRUS AND CAMBYSES BUT SHIFTED TO PERSIAN DOMINANCE 50 YEARS LATER.UNDER DARIUS I HYSTASPES IN ESTHER 1.

• THIRD BEAST = GREECE 330-146 BC

• LEOPARD (6) = SWIFTNESS
• THIS ANIMAL LEAPS SUDDENLY ON UNSUSPECTING PREY.
• ALEXANDER THE GREAT GAINED PHENOMENAL ADVANTAGE BY HIS ABILITY TO MOVE AN ARMY RAPIDLY AND TO BE IN POSITIONS WHERE HIS ENEMIES DID NOT EXPECT HIM.
• 4 WINGS = ALEXANDER THE GREAT QUICKLY CONQUERED NATIONS IN 4 DIRECTIONS.
• IN THREE YEARS HE CONQUERED MORE TERRITORY THAN ANYONE ELSE IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
• 4 HEADS = ALEXANDER HAD 4 GENERALS UNDER HIM WHO LED THE ASSAULT IN THE 4 DIRECTIONS. WHEN ALEXANDER SUDDENLY DIED WHEN HE WAS 33 YEARS OLD, HIS 4 GENERALS TOOK OVER THE KINGDOM. THEY WERE:
• CASSANDER WHO TOOK MACEDONIA
• LYSIMACHUS WHO TOOK ASIA MINOR
• SELEUCAS WHO TOOK SYRIA
• PTOLEMY.WHO TOOK EGYPT
• WE WILL DISCUSS MORE ABOUT SELEUCAS AND PTOLEMY LATER.

• FOURTH BEAST = ROMAN 146 BC-400 AD / REVIVED ROMAN

• THE UNSPECIFIED BEAST (7) = THIS KINGDOM HAS THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS AS THE PREVIOUS 3 KINGDOMS AND CONTAINS THE SAME GEOGRAPHICAL AREA.
• IRON TEETH = RUTHLESS POWER LIKE THE LEGS OF IRON OF THE IMAGE IN DAN 2. THE IRON HEEL OF ROME WAS AT THE NECK OF THE WORLD FOR 1000 YEARS.
• STAMPED THE RESIDUE = THE UTTER DESTRUCTION OF WORLD EMPIRES AROUND IT ENABLED THE ROMAN EMPIRE TO EXIST FOR SO LONG.
• TEN HORNS = A HORN IS THE SYMBOL OF POWER. (PSA 75:5-7,10)
• THE TEN HORNS REPRESENT TEN NATIONS OR REGIONS OF THE WORLD THAT BRING THE ANTI-CHRIST TO POWER.
• THESE TEN ARE THE SAME AS THE TEN TOES IN DAN 2:41-42 AND THE TEN HORNS WITH TEN CROWNS IN REV 13:1.
• DIVERSE FROM ALL THE BEASTS = A REPUBLICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT, YET AN ABSOLUTE MONARCHY.
• THIS IS THE SAME AS THE FEET OF THE IMAGE WHERE IRON WAS MIXED WITH CLAY.
• LITTLE HORN (8) = THE ANTI-CHRIST (THIS ASPECT OF THE PROPHECY WAS NOT SEEN IN CHAPTER 2 AND IS AS YET UNFULFILLED)
• THE ANTI-CHRIST’S KINGDOM COMES FROM OUT OF THE OLD ROMAN EMPIRE.
• THEREFORE, THERE MUST FIRST BE A REVIVAL OF THE OLD ROMAN EMPIRE BEFORE THE ANTI-CHRIST CAN EMERGE OUT OF IT.
• 3 OF THE 10 HORNS PLUCKED UP BY THE ROOTS = THE ANTI-CHRIST SUBDUES BY FORCE 3 OF THE 10 KINGDOMS SO COMPLETELY THAT THEY LOSE THEIR IDENTITY AS SEPARATE NATIONS.
• EYES LIKE THE EYES OF MAN = HUMAN WISDOM.
• MOUTH SPEAKING GREAT THINGS = A GREAT ORATOR.
• THE ANTICHRIST WILL HAVE A GREAT ABILITY OF PERSUASION.
• THE BIBLE TALKS A LOT ABOUT THE ANTI-CHRIST BUT UNDER A VARIETY OF NAMES:

• SCRIPTURAL NAMES FOR ANTI-CHRIST:
• ANTICHRIST…1JOH 2:18,22
• THE BEAST…REV 11:7
• MAN OF SIN…2THE 2:3
• SON OF PERDITION…2THE 2:3 (LAWLESSNESS)
• THE WICKED ONE…2THE 2:8
• THE LITTLE HORN…DAN 7:8
• THE WILLFUL KING…DAN 11:36
• THE IDOL SHEPHERD…ZEC 11:17
• ASSYRIAN, THE ROD OF GOD’S ANGER…ISA 30:30-31 ISA 14:25 ISA 10:5
• CHALDEAN…HAB 1:6,11
• PRINCE OF TYRE…EZE 28:2
• KING OF BABYLON…ISA 14:4
• ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION…MAT 24:15
• THE SPOILER…JER 48:8 ISA 16:4-5
• A WICKED COUNSELOR…NAH 1:11
• PRINCE THAT SHALL COME…DAN 9:26
• KING OF FIERCE COUNTENANCE…DAN 8:23
• THE BLOODY AND DECEITFUL MAN…PSA 5:6
• THE DESTROYER OF NATIONS…JER 4:7
• THE NAIL…ISA 22:25
• THE PROFANE, WICKED PRINCE OF ISRAEL…EZE 21:25-27
• THE SEED OF THE SERPENT…GEN 3:15

• READ DAN 7:9-14
• THRONES (9) = JUDGMENT
• ANCIENT OF DAYS = IS THIS GOD, THE FATHER, OR CHRIST, THE SON? (THERE ARE VARYING INTERPRETATIONS AS THE TITLE IS ALSO APPLIED TO CHRIST. (REV 1:8, 13-18 PSA 45:6 PSA 93:2 MIC 5:2 HAB 1:12)
• I PREFER THE INTERPRETATION THAT THIS IS GOD, THE FATHER, AS WE SEE CHRIST, THE SON IN VERSE 13. THE EVENT IS THE SOVEREIGN BESTOWAL OF THE KINGDOM BY THE FATHER TO THE SON AT THE SECOND COMING. (PSA 2:6-9 LUK 19:12-27 REV 5)
• A GARMENT WHITE AS SNOW = GOD’S CHARACTERISTICS OF HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS.
• HAIR LIKE PURE WOOL = GOD’S CHARACTERISTIC OF PURE, ETERNAL WISDOM.
• THRONE LIKE THE FIREY FLAME = FIRE IS A BIBLICAL SYMBOL FOR JUDGMENT.
• WHEEL AS BURNING FIRE = THE CONTINUAL MOVING, ENERGETIC POWER OF GOD.
• THOUSAND THOUSANDS (10) = ANGELS?
• TEN THOUSAND TIMES TEN THOUSAND = THERE ARE TWO PRIMARY INTERPRETATIONS AS TO THEIR IDENTITY.
• ONE INTERPRETATION SEES THESE AS THE RAPTURED BELIEVERS AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST. (2COR 5:10)
• ANOTHER INTERPRETATION SEES THESE AS THE LEADERS OF GENTILE NATIONS AT THE JUDGMENT OF NATIONS (MAT 25:31-46)
• BECAUSE OF THE CONTEXT OF THIS CHAPTER IN DANIEL, I PREFER THE LATTER INTERPRETATION…GENTILE LEADERS OF THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD.
• BOOKS OPENED = (REV 20:12) JUDGMENT IS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE, BUT WHICH JUDGMENT?
• THIS IS THE JUDGMENT THAT OCCURS AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. HOW DO WE KNOW IT IS THIS JUDGMENT?
• THE CONTEXT OF THE CHAPTER REFERS TO A DESCRIPTION OF GENTILE NATIONS IN HISTORY AND THE JUDGMENT OF THE LITTLE HORN, THE ANTI-CHRIST.
• THIS IS THE CRITERIA FOR JUDGMENT:
• BOOK OF LAW – THIS BOOK SHOWS GOD’S STANDARD, THE BLESSINGS AND THE CURSINGS FOR KEEPING OR NOT KEEPING THE STANDARD. (DEU 28 DEU 31:26 GAL 3:10).
• BOOK OF WORKS – THIS BOOK SHOWS THE WORKS OF THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO BE JUDGED BY THEIR WORKS. (REV 20:12)
• BOOK OF LIFE – THIS BOOK SHOWS THOSE WHO HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST’’S SACRIFICE BY FAITH (REV 20:12 PHI 4:3 REV 3:5 REV 17:8)
• BURNING FLAME (11) = LAKE OF FIRE (REV 19:20)
• SON OF MAN (13) = JESUS CHRIST (MAT 26:64).
• THIS IS THE NAME BY WHICH JESUS REFERED TO HIMSELF.
• CLOUDS OF HEAVEN = FREQUENTLY CLOUDS REFER SYMBOLICALLY IN SCRIPTURE TO THE REVELATION OF DEITY (EXO 13:21-22 EXO 19:9 1KIN 8:10-11 ISA 19:1 JER 4:13 EZE 10:4 MAT 24:30 MAT 26:64 MAR 13:26). IT COULD ALSO APPLY TO CLOUDS OF WHITE ROBED SAINTS WHO COME WITH CHRIST.
• KINGDOM (14) = THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM GIVEN TO CHRIST ON EARTH AFTER THE END OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD AND CHRIST’S SECOND COMING. THIS KINGDOM ON EARTH LASTS FOR 1,000 YEARS AND THEN BECOMES A UNIVERSAL KINGDOM. (ZEC 14:9).
• THIS IS THE STONE THAT SMITES THE FEET OF THE IMAGE IN DAN 2.
• READ DAN 7:15-28
• SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH TAKE THE KINGDOM (18) = OLD TESTAMENT BELIEVERS IN CHRIST, THE MESSIAH, THE NEW TESTAMENT SAINTS WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, AND THE 144,00 JEWISH BELIEVERS OF THE TRIBULATION, AND MARTYRED TRIBULATION BELIEVERS IN CHRIST. THESE SAINTS RULE AND REIGN WITH CHRIST IN THE MILLENNIUM FOR 1,000 YEARS. (REV 12:15-17 REV 5:10).
• FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF THE KINGDOM OF THE ANTI-CHRIST:
• NAILS OF BRASS/BRONZE (19) = BRASS MEANS TESTING. DEEDS AT THE HANDS OF THE ANTI-CHRIST SHALL TEST AND TRY MANKIND (REV 3:10 REV 13:7)
• BEFORE WHOM 3 FELL (20) = THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL RISE RAPIDLY TO INTERNATIONAL PROMINENCE BY UTTERLY CRUSHING 3 OF THE 10 KINGS WHO WILL ALREADY BE ON THE SCENE.
• HIS LOOK WAS MORE STOUT THAN ITS FELLOWS = THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL BE MORE AMBITIOUS AND POWER HUNGRY THAN ANY LEADER BEFORE HIM.
• HORN MADE WAR WITH THE SAINTS (21) = THE ANTI-CHRIST MAKES WAR AGAINST THE BELIEVING REMNANT OF JEWS IN THE TRIBULATION AS WELL AS THE BELIEVING GENTILES (REV 6:9-11).
• VERSE 24 IS THE FIRST HALF OF THE 7-YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• VERSE 25 IS THE LAST HALF OF THE 7-YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• THINK TO CHANGE TIMES AND LAWS = THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL CHANGE TRADITIONAL LAW OF AN ORDERED SOCIETY SUCH AS MARRIAGE LAWS, ETC.
• TIME AND TIMES AND THE DIVIDING OF TIMES = THIS IS A PROPHETIC PHRASE THAT REFERS TO A YEAR PLUS 2 YEARS PLUS A HALF A YEAR = 3 1/2 YEARS (REV 12:14 REV 11:2 REV 13:5 REV 12:6).
• IT WILL TAKE THE ANTI-CHRIST 3 ? YEARS TO GAIN ABSOLUTE WORLD POWER. THEN HE WILL RULE THE WORLD FOR 3 ? YEARS.
• DANIEL IS TROUBLED BY THE VISIONS FOR ALL THE DESTRUCTION. HE SEES THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WITHOUT GOD AND THE PERSECUTION OF TRUE BELIEVERS. (28)
• APPLICATION:
• DISCUSSION: WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT GOD, THE FATHER, AND JESUS CHRIST, THE SON, IN THESE VERSES?
• WHAT CAN WE TAKE FROM THIS CHAPTER THAT WILL HELP US IN OUR WALK WITH CHRIST TODAY?
• THERE IS AN ENCOURAGEMENT THAT CHRIST WINS IN THE END
• THERE IS AN ENCOURAGEMENT THAT GOD’S PLAN IS RIGHT ON TARGET IN HIS PERFECT TIMING.
• THERE IS AN ENCOURAGEMENT THAT GOD IS NOT ONLY IN CONTROL OF ISRAEL AND HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE, BUT HE ALSO CONTROLS THE GENTILE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD.
• THERE IS AN ENCOURAGEMENT THAT GOD’S WORD IS SURE AND TRUE.
• FULFILLED PROPHECY IS THE GREATEST ENCOURAGEMENT THAT OTHER PROMISES GIVEN TO BELIEVERS WILL ALSO BE FULFILLED IN HIS PERFECT TIMING.

DANIEL 7 – THE VISION

LION	BEAR	LEOPARD	4 WINGS	BEAST		BEAST & LITTLE HORN
BABYLON EMPIRE 606-538 BC	MEDO PERSIA EMPIRE 538-331 BC	ALEXANDER THE GREAT 331-323 BC	CASSANDER LYSIMACUS PTOLOMY SELEUCIDES	ROMAN EMPIRE73 BC -476 AC	***	REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE—ANTI-CHRIST
		GREECIAN EMPIRE 331-63 BC

                                                                                       ***THE UNSEEN CHURCH AGE

HOMEWORK
DANIEL 8
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF DANIEL 7
• WHAT PROMISES HAS GOD FULFILLED IN YOUR LIFE IN THE PAST THAT ENCOURAGES YOU TO FACE THE TRIALS OF THE FUTURE?
• PREPARATION FOR DANIEL 8
• REVIEW YOUR NOTES ON DANIEL 2 AND DANIEL 7.
• READ DANIEL 8:1-27
• WRITE DOWN ANYTHING YOU DISCOVER ABOUT:
• THE ANTI-CHRIST:
• THE TRIBULATION:
• THE RAPTURE:
• THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST:
• OTHER:
• MEMORY VERSE: 1 JOHN 5:4