Old Testament · Prophets

Daniel chapter 7

In the first year of , king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream — flooding his mind as he lay in bed. He wrote the dream down. Here is how it begins:Daniel said: In my vision that night, I watched as the of the sky unleashed their fury on .And four massive rose up out of the sea, each one different from the others.The first was like a . As I watched, its wings were ripped off. It was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a human, and a human mind was given to it.Then a second beast appeared, looking like a . It was raised up on one side, with three ribs clenched between its teeth. A voice said to it: ‘Get up. Gorge yourself on flesh.’After that, I looked and saw another beast — this one like a , with four bird wings on its back. The beast had four heads, and it was given .After that, in the night visions, I saw a fourth beast — terrifying, dreadful, and overwhelmingly powerful. It had massive . It devoured and crushed everything, then trampled whatever was left under its feet. It was completely different from all the beasts before it, and it had .While I was studying the horns, another horn — a little one — pushed up among them. Three of the original horns were ripped out by the roots to make room for it. This horn had eyes like a human’s and a mouth that spoke with breathtaking arrogance.As I watched, thrones were set in place and the took his seat. His clothing blazed white as snow, the hair on his head like pure, clean wool. His , its wheels a blaze of burning light.A poured out, flowing from his presence. served him; tens of thousands times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and .I kept watching then because of the the horn was speaking. I watched until the beast was killed and its body destroyed, thrown into the blazing fire.As for the rest of the beasts — their , but they were allowed to go on living for a set period of time.In the night visions I kept watching, and there — coming on the — someone like a . He approached the Ancient One and was brought right into his presence.He was given , , and a . Every people, nation, and language will serve him. His authority is an authority that will never end. His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.As for me, Daniel — my spirit was inside me, and the visions in my mind terrified me.I approached and asked him what all of this really meant. He spoke to me and explained what these things meant:‘These four massive beasts represent four who will rise from the earth.’‘But will receive the kingdom and possess it forever, yes, .’Then I wanted to know what the fourth beast really was — the one so different from all the others, so extraordinarily terrifying with its iron teeth and , devouring and crushing, then trampling whatever was left.I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head, and about the other horn that came up — the one that knocked three horns out, the horn with eyes and a mouth speaking with breathtaking arrogance, the one that .As I watched, this horn against God’s people and .Until the Ancient One came and the Most High’s own people, and the time came for them to take possession of the kingdom.He said: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms. It will , trample it down, and crush it.’‘The ten horns are who will rise from this kingdom. After them, another king will rise, different from the earlier ones, and he will .’‘He will and the Most High’s own people. He will try to change . They will be handed over to him for .’‘But , and his authority will be stripped away — completely destroyed, .’‘Then the kingdom, the authority, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the sky will be given to . His kingdom is an , and all rulers will serve and obey him.’This is where the account ends. As for me, Daniel — my thoughts deeply terrified me, and . But I .