DANIEL HAD A DREAM
Daniel 7:1 ¶ In 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. 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 beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. 4 The 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. 5 And 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. 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 heads; and dominion was given to it. 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. 8 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.
Daniel 7:9 ¶ I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. 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 Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And 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.
Upon just reading the first two verses of this chapter, the report of this dream and visions of Daniel seems to begin without any difficulty on his part to understand it. But consider the following passages that reveal in those past ages, without the gift of the Holy Spirit as we have had since Pentecost, Daniel had to be given aid by the angelic forces. Daniel 7:15 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, (an angel), and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
Daniel 8:15 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. 17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision. 18 Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright. 19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.
And no wonder that he needed help, for what a revelation it was! The Lord God is going to reveal to him how the world shall be governed beginning from Daniel’s Babylonian captivity unto the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, lasting throughout eternal ages! Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
Yet is this not the same subject matter set forth to King Nebuchadnezzar in his dream interpreted by Daniel as recorded in chapter two? Yes, it is. But there the kingdoms are shown by the image of a man, and not as beasts. And there the fifth kingdom, the eternal kingdom of Christ, is shown as a stone cut out of the mountain without hands which breaks in pieces the entire image of kingdoms. Thus answering to Revelation 11:15 The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Both are said to occur in the “latter days.” Daniel 2:28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. And to Daniel it is said to speak of all kingdoms down through Christ’s eternal kingdom. Daniel 7:17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
In both dreams it was revealed that this was to do with the world’s powers. To Nebuchadnezzar it was revealed: 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.
And then of Daniel we read: Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
Nebuchadnezzar sees it as imposing glory and power upon him and his earthly, temporary kingdom. Daniel 2:37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
Daniel 3:1 ¶ Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
As soon as he hears that he is described as “this head of gold,” he sets up that image of gold for all to worship. This is the same mistake carnal minds conclude in the reading of Romans chapter thirteen. For there three times the civil magistrate presiding over the governmental order is called “the ministers of god.” (Romans 13:4,6) But neither Nebuchadnezzar, nor present day political leaders are allowed to act as they please, as if gods themselves. All are accountable to God. All are required to prevent anarchy and chaos for the peaceful lives of their population. We are to pray for them that they may provide us with quiet and peaceable lives. 1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
Our Lord clearly sets forth the difference between worldly dominion and that of the church’s spiritual society. Matthew 20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
God starts with this “head of gold” for each succeeding kingdom shall become worse than the last in its cruelty towards all men. And the final worldly kingdom is so cruel that no beast can be referred to in order to give it a description. It is just “dreadful and terrible, and strong exceeding-ly.” (Daniel 7:7) It refers to the Roman empire. And into that dreadful and cruel kingdom is the one which our Lord chose to be born.
Daniel sees “the four winds of the heaven strive upon the great sea.” And we know that these are the forces of the Holy Spirit set forth upon the masses of humanity. Revelation 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
And these winds are said to blow both for bringing life and destruction. Zechariah 6:5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
Ezekiel 37:9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
Jeremiah 49:36 And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.
For it is the ‘breath,’ or ‘wind’ of God that gives both natural and spiritual life. Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
And one of the amazing things concerning this dream of Daniel, as has previously been stated, is that God shows Nebuchadnezzar, being involved within the order of government, the same subject matter in the form of a metallic man. Whereas here, he reveals to Daniel the matters of human government in the form of beasts. This opens up to the serious bible student the matter of the beasts of the Revelation.
Our Lord Jesus called Herod a “fox,” seeing him as part of the beast of human government. Luke 13:31 The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. 32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
And the Apostle Paul spoke of going before the Roman court as dealing with a “lion.” 2 Timothy 4:16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. 17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
Therefore that which the king saw as a head of gold, (Daniel 2:32,33) Daniel saw as a lion, (see 7:4). This represented Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans.
The king’s sight of the breast and arms of silver was Daniel’s bear. (See 7:5) The head of gold was of one single peace. But the second succeeding kingdom, having two arms, represents the rule of both the Mede and Persian empire.
The king’s view of the image’s belly and thighs were of brass and responded to Daniel’s leopard. (See 7:6) This was the Greeks, headed by Alexander the Great.
And finally, the king’s view of the legs of iron and the feet part of iron and part of clay was Daniel’s “dreadful and terrible” beast which was different from all the previous beasts before it. (See 7:7) It represented the Roman Empire. It, like the ten toes was separated into ten kingdoms, as the one-world powers were ended in the time of the setting up of the fifth and final gospel kingdom of Jesus Christ.
For as listed above, (see 7:9,13,14), Daniel beheld until the thrones of these kingdoms were cast down, and saw in his dream, the ascension of “one like the Son of man” who was come in his glory (“the clouds”), to sit upon his throne. Hebrews 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
Pastor Gene Breed
December 12; 2019
