Daniel 7 - The Son of Man is Given Dominion

Introduction

A Transition Chapter

Let’s remind ourselves of the context of the passage we are studying. We are at the major turning point in the book of Daniel. Daniel 1-6 highlighted the major stories of Daniel as he was living as an exile in Babylon and then as he stayed an exile through a major transition in power from the Babylonian Empire to the Medo-Persian Empire. Daniel 1-6 is primarily storytelling. In Daniel 7 we transition away from telling the narrative of Daniel’s life to the Prophetic dreams and visions of Daniel. But these two distinct sections of this book are not unrelated. The very same God who delivered Daniel from the Lion’s Den is able to accurately predict the future.

Chronology of this Chapter

What that means is that if you have been following the timeline with us of the events of the life of Daniel, you will recall that last week as Daniel was thrown into the Lion’s Den by King Darius, Daniel was 80 years old. Now in Daniel 7 the opening verse reads, “In the first year of King Belshazzar. Well that puts this chapter chronologically just before the events of chapters 5 and 6 around the year 556 BC.

Most Important Chapter in the Old Testament

Our chapter today is of a dream, and that dream’s interpretation that Daniel the prophet had. EW Heaton, an Old Testament scholar has called this chapter the single most important chapter in the Old Testament. And I have to admit, I don’t think he’s crazy for saying this. In extrabiblical writings that came from Jews in the centuries leading up to Christ, this chapter is referenced above and beyond every other chapter in the Bible. Why? The answer lies in the purpose of the dream that Daniel has. This dream (all of chapter 7) and its interpretation is designed to prepare the Jews who were living in exile at the time for the coming of their messiah. This chapter provides Jews in the days of Daniel with a lens to look into their future, and know world events that would happen that would lead to the birth of the long awaited messianic Kingdom. We are not Jews living in the Old Testament, we are Christians who have been adopted into the Jewish heritage living 2,000 years after Jesus the messiah came, so what does this passage mean for us. Jesus the Messiah has come and we are living, reigning, and building His indomitable Kingdom.

A Warning & An Encouragement

I want to give a bit of a warning as we dig into the next few chapters of Daniel. These chapters are heavy on Bible prophecy and the use of symbolic images. Because of that some of you are going to be more excited for these sermons than you have ever been. And others, the intricate details of Bible prophecy are not the things that get you the most excited. Let me give a word of caution and encouragement to both of you. First, as a follower of Christ, Bible prophecy is not to be taken lightly, if Bible Prophecy is not something you stay up late at night sorting through, don’t give up on this. This is God’s Word. He has given us these prophecies to encourage and embolden us and sharpen our minds. On the other side, if you are someone who can’t get enough of prophecy and have the prophetic maps printed and laminated in your house, protect yourself from worshiping the prophecies, and not the one to whom the prophecies point, Jesus our messiah.

Move 1: The Four Beasts

The text is broken into two separate parts. First, verses 1-14 describe Daniel’s dream. Then, verses 15-28 are the interpretation of that dream. We’re going to read the entire chapter and then I’ll provide some commentary.

Daniel 7 “1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. 2 Daniel declared, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3 And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. 4 The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it. 5 And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’ 6 After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrif…”

The Four Beasts

The dream begins with four beasts. If you have been really paying attention to our study of Daniel you might recall that in Daniel 2 Nebuchadnezzar had a dream of statue with four parts to it. The beasts of this dream correlate exactly with the statue from Daniel 2. If you recall Daniel 2, there was a dream of a statue with four parts to it that represented four Earthly Kingdoms. The beasts of Daniel 7 perfectly correspond to the parts of the statue of Daniel 2. We are told in verse 17 very specifically

Daniel 7:17 “17 ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth.”

So these beasts represent four Kingdoms that were going to come upon the Earth in Daniel’s future. Keep in mind, Daniel wrote this down about 550 years before Jesus the messiah was born. So the rise and fall of these kings and kingdoms were his future, but our past. Let’s go through the four beasts and understand the symbolism of each.

A Lion with Eagle’s Wings (Nebuchadnezzar): The first beast in verse 4 is of a lion with eagle’s wings whos wings are plucked off. This is a clear reference to Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire. If you recall we learned earlier in Daniel that Nebuchadnezzar quite literally had his wings clipped when he went insane for about seven years.

A Bear Raised up on One Side with Three Ribs in its Mouth (Medo-Persian Empire): The next beast is a bear that is raised up on one side. This is the Medo-Persian empire, which came after the Babylonian Empire. It is raised up on one side because the Persians eventually out muscled the Mede’s in that relationship.

A Leopard with Four Wings and Four Heads (Greek Empire): The third beast is a leopard with wings on his back. This is a fitting image of the next major empire, the Greek Empire. Specifically this represents Alexandar the Great who conquered the known world with incredible speed (like a leopard), by the time he was thirty years old.

Unknown Terrifying Beast (Roman Empire): The fourth beast is an unknown terrifying animal that devours and destroys. This represents the Roman Empire. Scholar Stephen Miller comments on the Roman Empire this way:

“The incredible might and cruelty of Rome are aptly depicted by Daniel’s fourth beast. Just as this monster was “different” from all the others, so the Roman Empire differed from those that had preceded it. Rome possessed a power and longevity unlike anything the world had ever known. Nations were crushed under the iron boot of the Roman legions, its power was virtually irresistible, and the extent of its influence surpassed the other three kingdoms.” — Stephen Miller

Review of Daniel 2

If you recall from Daniel 2, after the four kingdoms came a fifth Kingdom, an everlasting kingdom that grew to be the greatest kingdom ever established on the planet. This is precisely what we see happening in this chapter as well. The poetry that is used to describe the throne room scene where one like the Son of Man is given an everlasting dominion, is describing the birth of the Kingdom of God. We’ll get to those details more in a bit.

The 10 Horns

First, let’s examine some of the new details of the fourth beast. This fourth beast in Daniel 7 has 10 horns. This is very similar to the 10 toes of Daniel 2. We read in verse 24:

Daniel 7:24-25 “24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings. 25 He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.”

The Futuristiic Interpretation of the 10 Horns

It is at this point where much controversey among Christians exist. Some interpreters believe that the fourth beast is not Rome, but is actually some future Kingdom. Many think its something like the United Nation, a confederation of Kings and Kingdoms. And that the little horn is the Antichrist that will come just before the return of Jesus Christ. People who hold to this view are often always scavenging news articles looking for who might be the AntiChrist to make war against Christians. I read one synposis of a recent posting that said this, “In the near future, ten European nations will form a comprehensive alliance with the Antichrist.” To this view, I humbly say, they might be right. I however don’t believe that is the best interpretation of this passage.

The Preterist Interpretation of the 10 Horns

Rather, just like in Daniel 2, I believe this passage is overwhleming Preterist. That term means the events of this passage have all happened in what was Daniel’s future, but what is our past. And that is very significant. I’m going to show you now details about human history that remarkably align with this passage.

10 Horns are 10 Kings of the Roman Empire

The 10 horns represent 10 Kings of the Roman empire. If you begin with Julius Ceasar who was assassinated in 44BC, the ten Roman emperors are: Julius, Augustus, Tiberius, Gaius, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian. These are the 10 Kings that ruled the tyrannical Roman Empire around the time of Jesus’ birth, death, resurrection, the establishment of the Church, and the ultimate destruction of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem in 70AD which is the event which fully and finally marked the end of the Jewish Age and the full installment of the Kingdom of Christ. There were 10 Kings of the Roman Empire.

The Little Horn is Nero

Daniel tells us that one of these ten kings would, “speak words against the Most High and wear out the saints (Dan 7:24).” We’re also told specifically in verse 8 that, “three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots before him.” History shows us that the three Emperors of Rome were assassinated in order, which led to the installment of the psychopath Emperor Nero. And it was Emperor Nero who famously began tyrannically and mericlessly persecuting Christians.

Nero’s Persecution of Christians

in 64AD (about 30 years after Christ’s death when the Church was brand new and growing) Nero accidentally set the city of Rome on fire as he was reenacting the fall of Troy. He accused the Christians and used the event as a chance to kill and destroy Christians everywhere. Traditionally it is believed that it was Nero who killed the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter. He is famous for burning Christians alive as torches for his parties at night and for dressing them up in animal skins and feeding them to lions and wild dogs. All in all, Nero was a brutal terrorist towards Christians in his day.

These Events Culminated in the Destruction of the Temple in 70AD

After Nero’s death (June 8, AD68), other emperors began to rule Rome but their power was weakened. In fact 69AD is referred to in Roman history as the year of four emperors because four emperors came and died so suddenly. Until ultimately in 70AD the final cataslymic event occurred in Jewish history, the Jewish temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. This was one of the bloodiest massacres in human history. It was foretold by Jesus in Matthew 24 and signaled an utter end to the Old Testament sacrificial system, and a complete installment of the Kingdom of Christ.

Move 2: The Everlasting Kingdom

So what we have seen is that these prophecies are remarkably accurate and I believe best interpreted through a Pretereist lens. The beasts however, are not the spotlight of Daniel’s dream. The spotlight certainly is on the kingdom that emerges in the midst of this fourth beast. The spotlight is on the coming of the messiah. Hear verses 9-10 again

Daniel 7:13-14 “13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

What Daniel Saw

Daniel in this vision sees this little horn raging against God and against his saints. But then he sees a heavenly scene where a divine man goes before the Father who is called the “the Ancient of Days” and is given a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages would be a part of. An everlasting kingdom that could not be destroyed. Verse 27 says:

Daniel 7:27 “27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’”

Interpretation

This passage is remarkable. 530 years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Daniel saw all world events pointing towards one singular moment, when the Christ would establish his kingdom. Jesus Christ is the one “like a son of man” that Daniel wrote about. Unlike these beasts who vied for political power, Jesus came in the form of a servant. His Kingdom is not of this world. His authority is not of this world. His empire has not and will not fade. His Kingdom was established by Him in his life and sealed when he took his throne after the ascension. And all remnants of the Old Testament sacrificial system were ultimately destroyed in AD70 at the destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.

NT Alignment 1: The Great Commission

Let us remember a few important passages. In the Great Commission, Jesus’ final words before his ascension he says:

Matthew 28:18-20 “18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.

I believe Jesus is essentially quoting from Daniel 7:14 in that moment. He’s saying, “I’m the Son of Man from Daniel 7. This Kingdom that I’ve established has been established. I’m going now to take my seat on my throne, and I’m handing the keys of the Kingdom to you, my saints. Go build it. This Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom. It cannot be destroyed. No matter what the world attempts to do, to this kingdom, it cannot be destroyed.

NT Alignment 2: The Olivet Discourse

Another example of Jesus referencing this passage is in Matthew 24 in what is known as the Olivet Discourse. In that passage Jesus is looking out over the temple and he says

Matthew 24:30-31 “30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

Notice, Jesus in that passage uses the language “the sign of the Son of Man,” “all the tribes of the earth,” “many angels,” and “the four winds.” These are all images used in Daniel 7. in fact in verse 15 of that chapter Jesus references the prophet Daniel. When Jesus said those words he then said,

Matthew 24:34 “34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”

In Jewish tradition, a generation is 40 years. Jesus said those words about 32AD. I believe what he was saying was that Daniel 7 was going to be fulfilled within 40 years of that moment. And 38 years later, the temple was destroyed exactly as Jesus said.

Verse 12: Evil Will Continue

Verse 12 is a very important verse for the interpretation I have provided today. An initial readign of this text feels like what Daniel 7 is saying is that once the Messiah begins his Kingdom, all evil will put away. That is what has led a lot of people to believe that this chapter is actually talking about the future, when Christ returns to finalize all world history. But there is one verse in here that helps explain the Preterist Interpretation I have provided. Verse 12 says:

Daniel 7:12 “12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.”

I believe that verse is saying that these others beasts, other worldly kingdoms, will persist for a time even though they have been defeated. That is precisely how world history has played out over the last 2,000 years. As Christianity has grown, empires have come and gone, but nothing like the empire of Christ. Like Jesus said in Matthew 13 that the Kingdom is like a field with good seed planted in it but the weeds are permitted to grow until the harvest. The weeds persist for a time while the wheat is growing.

Application

When we read passages like these I think as modern Christians it pushes against our hearts in two clear ways. Naturally, as humans, we live in one time at any given moment. We are not God, we are finite creatures. As such we tend to only see the here and now. We tend to have an incredibly myopic view of the world. A view in which our world literally revolves around us. Each of us have our own lions’ dens to walk through. And our temptation is to permit life to go by with such blinders that we are unable to see the larger story God is writing.

You Are Invited to Live in the Larger Story

But this passage, and many like it invites us to live in the larger story of what God is doing on this planet. Your life matters. The details of your life matter deeply to God. But your life is part of a tapestry of history that God has been writing since the foundation of the Earth. And the Christian needs to live with a daily Historic Perspective as well as a daily Eternal Perspective. Remember what the point of this passage was originally. It was originally written to Jews living in exile in order to give them hope of what was to come. It said to them, “I know this day is hard. But look to your future when God is going to do something that will shake the Earth up. These Kingdoms will rise and fall, but there is coming a Kingdom that your descendants will be a part of, that will change everything. Put your hope in that day.” We now, today, as believers in the same God as Daniel, are living on the other side of when all of this was fulfilled. The Son of Man came. His name was Jesus. He established His Kingdom, and we are a part of the progressive outgrowth of that Kingdom right now.

Living with an Historic Perspective

We need an Historic Perspective. We need to be a people that don’t see ourselves detached from the saints of the Old Testament, as if we live in two fundamentally different worlds. No, our forebearers were living in simply a different chapter of the story. But its the same story, we are just at a later chapter.

Illustration: Lord of the Rings

Imagine for a moment a character of one of your favorite movies or favorite stories suddenly appeared right near the end of the story, but had no recollection of all the events that lead to where they were. For those who like Fantasy. It would be like Frodo Baggins standing in Mount Doom with the one ring to rule them all in his hand, with Gollum standing before him. And Frodo having no recollection of how he got there, or what he was supposed to be doing. All the work of all the characters that came before him. All the lives that were lost to get him to that point. All the magic and all battles would have been for nothing.

When You Know the Mantle that Has Been Passed Down

When we fail to place ourselves correctly in the grand storyline, we are like that image of Frodo. We’re here. We’re alive. We’re living. But we dont really understand how our life fits into the grand story. But when you see it all come together. When you see who gave their life when and where for you to be here. When you know the mantle that has been passed down to you throughout the ages. The promises that have been made. The territories that have been established in the King’s name. You suddenly find yourself with a purpose and responsibility. We must have an Historic Perspective.

Living with An Eternal Perspective

But we also must have an Eternal Perspective. We don’t only look backwards, but we continue to look forwards for certainly the best is yet to come. Yes, the Kingdom has been established. Yes Jesus is ruling and reigning right now as King. Yes, His Kingdom is expanding to all nations under the sun. Yes, you are a part of that Kingdom if you have believed in Christ. But there is coming a day when Christ’s rule will not be from a throne in heaven, but will be from a throne on this Earth. Our King Jesus will return exactly as he said he would. And on that day, he will finally and fully wipe away all that remains of the Kingdoms of this Earth that rage against his rule and authority.

Fix Your Eyes on That Day

And so yes we build now. Yes we labor in the Kingdom now. Yes we take great courage that Jesus rules and reigns right now and has called us to victoriously claim His Kingdom in all areas now. But, our ultimate hope is not here in this age. There is an age yet to come. After Christ returns and ushers in the final heaven right here on this final earth. When all the dead will be raised, the great judgment will take place, the wheat will be separated from the chaff, and the King will take his seat before our very eyes. Oh Christian — fix your eyes on that day!