Commentary on Daniel: Chapter 7

Daniel 7

As we leave the first six chapters and enter chapter 7, we are leaving historical narrative behind and entering an apocalyptic section.

What is apocalyptic language?

Apocalyptic language is composed of symbols that are often lurid in color, violent in tone, and easily remembered. They strike the imagination and grab hold of the mind.

Such language is found in Revelation, Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, Isaiah, and even in the gospels and epistles.

What is the purpose of apocalyptic language?

It denotes conflict and victory.

It is used when God judges and smites an oppressor and vindicates his people.

It is used to describe times of crisis and judgment.

Why does God use apocalyptic language?

Some think that the language is used to hide the true meaning from hostile authorities and thus shield God’s people from retaliation.

This makes more sense with the book of Revelation than it does with the book of Daniel. Who are the hostile authorities in Daniel? The Jews were not being persecuted. Further, writing the message in Hebrew would no doubt have been sufficient to hide its meaning from the Chaldeans and the Persians.

I think the reason God uses such language is because of its emotional impact.

Apocalyptic books are oil paintings from God.

The vivid and violent language conveys emotional images while also conveying historical facts – just as a painting can convey emotions and facts.

Numbers 12:8 reminds us that God does not always speak clearly, but sometimes uses dark language. (Such language may be reserved for times of conflict and judgment.)

How do we interpret apocalyptic language?

We need to pay particular attention to numbers and periods of time. They have symbolic meanings that must be deduced from the evidence.

3 is the number of God.

12 is the number of God’s people.

10 is the number of completeness.

7 is the number of perfection.

6 is the number of imperfection.

8 is the number of renewal.

Apocalyptic language always has historical significance, so we must study history in order to interpret it properly.

The usual approach to scripture is to understand a passage literally unless we are forced to do otherwise.

For example, Jesus told us to cut off our right hand if it offends us. Was this a literal command or should we interpret it figuratively?

This is reversed for apocalyptic language – it should be understand figuratively unless we are forced to do otherwise.

Whatever we do, we should strive to be consistent. (Hal Lindsey says the 144,000 Jews in Revelation 7:4 are literal yet the locusts in Revelation 9:3 are cobra helicopters. John Walvoord says the 10 days in Revelation 2:10 are figurative yet the 1000 years in Revelation 20 are literal.)

The following principles are helpful in interpreting apocalyptic language.

(1) We should understand apocalyptic language figuratively unless we are forced to do otherwise. We should be consistent in our interpretations.

(2) Similarity of language does not prove identity of subjects. (There are many judgments in the Bible, but the same language is used to describe each – Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Edom. Jerusalem, Rome, the world.)

(3) Dissimilarity of language does not prove distinctness of subjects.

(4) Easy to understand scriptures should be used to understand harder passages. This basic principle of hermeneutics should be used whenever we study the Bible. We should be very wary of any interpretation of apocalyptic language that conflicts with easier passages found elsewhere. (Premillennialism is based entirely on Revelation 20 and as we know is in conflict with a host of other passages.)

(5) Mark Twain: “When you find yourselves on the side of the majority, it is probably time to change sides.” Keep in mind that more nonsense has been written about these books than any other Biblical subject. We must be discerning.

But shouldn’t we just take all scripture literally?

NO ONE takes all scripture literally.

Of course, when we say that we do not take all scripture literally we do not mean that we do not believe that all scripture is true. We know that God’s word is absolutely true and contains no falsehoods or inaccuracies – historical, scientific, or otherwise.

The question is not whether a particular passage is true, but is instead whether God is using literal language or figurative language to convey the truth to us.

To take Matthew 5:30 literally would require Christians to practice self-mutilation.

Is Genesis 3:15 a prophecy about snakes and humans or about God and Satan?

Was Hosea mistaken when he told Israel they were going into Egyptian captivity when they really went into Assyrian captivity – or did he simply know that to a Jew ‘Egypt’ denotes slavery and captivity?

To literally interpret Ezekiel 16:53–55 would require the resurrection of the Sodomites to their former prosperity despite what we read in Jude 7.

To literalize Ezekiel 37:22–25 would require David and not Jesus be Israel’s eternal king.

To literalize Isaiah 34:5–17 would require that Edom exist eternally here on earth and burn eternally while weeds and animals live in it.

NO ONE takes all scripture literally – indeed, it is not logically possible to do so. Instead we need to approach the scripture with the common sense that God has given to us and that he knew we had when he gave us his word. God wants a thinking people!

One last example: Matthew 24:21 and Ezekiel 5:9, in reference to different events, both claim that the event in question will be a greater calamity than anything that has occurred or will ever occur. Logically, this could not be literally true of both events! The solution is to recognize the language as hyperbole and reject the literal interpretation.

Sometimes one hears or reads Deuteronomy 29:29 applied to apocalyptic language.

The secret things belong to the Lord our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

The idea is that we shouldn’t worry about what books like Revelation and Daniel mean because they contain secret things that belong only to God. But does this make any sense?

The word apokalupsis in Greek means unveiled, uncovered, or revealed! Apocalyptic books do not contain secret things, they contain revealed things.

The Bible is meant to be understood – and if we don’t understand it, we shouldn’t blame our inability on God. He wants us to understand his word.

Apocalyptic language is meant to convey comfort to those suffering captivity or persecution. What would it say about God if he offered us comfort but worded it in such a way that we could never receive that comfort? He wants us to understand his word.

Final comments before we begin:

Many different interpretations about the following passages have been given. Without discussing all of the other opinions, I will largely confine my efforts to presenting and providing evidence for my own opinions.

While it is hard in some places to be dogmatic, it is not impossible. Also, our inability at some points to state with certainty what a passage means does not imply that it could mean anything. We can, even in those cases, still often state with certainty what the passage does not mean.

We all have preconceptions about what this book says or does not say. Countless sermons, for example, have used Daniel 12 to preach about the end of the world. We must, however, keep an open mind regarding the evidence in this book. Remember, however, Chesterton’s comment that an open mind is only useful when it clamps down on something solid.

Of course, it goes without saying that whatever is said about these passages should be checked carefully with the word.

In Mark 4 and Luke 8 we find two commands of Christ that have largely been ignored.

Mark 4:24 Take heed what you hear.

Luke 8:18 Take heed how you hear.

Hearing is not a neutral activity. Jesus told us to be active hearers and to watch both how and what we hear. (This is not directed just to our leaders, but it is directed to every Christian. This is a very important responsibility that we shouldn’t turn over to anyone else.)

This is particularly crucial today when so many are twisting the scriptures to their own and their listeners’ destruction.

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had 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.

Notice that chronologically this vision occurred before the events that we studied in chapter 6. In fact, this vision occurred prior to the defeat of the Chaldeans by Cyrus.

The first year of Belshazzar probably refers to the year 553 in the 6th century BC when Nabonidus left the city of Babylon for 14 years to live in North and Central Arabia. Thus, the first year of his reign would refer to the first year of his coregency.

This book states very clearly that this vision was given to Daniel in the 6th century BC. The late-date crowd states very clearly that this vision was made up in the 2nd century BC. Who are we to believe? To believe the late-date crowd requires us to believe that the author of Daniel was guilty of a deliberate lie. (If he lied he certainly had Jesus fooled! See Matthew 24:15.)

2 Daniel said, “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.

The wind often denotes the action of God. Like God, the wind is invisible yet can have very dramatic effects.

Psalm 18:10 He rode on a cherub, and flew; he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind.

Hosea 13:15 Though he may flourish as the reed plant, the east wind, the wind of the Lord, shall come, rising from the wilderness; and his fountain shall dry up, his spring shall be parched; it shall strip his treasury of every precious thing.

The sea often denotes the restless nations of the world as they toss and churn.

Isaiah 17:12-13 Ah, the thunder of many peoples, they thunder like the thundering of the sea! Ah, the roar of nations, they roar like the roaring of mighty waters! 13 The nations roar like the roaring of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind and whirling dust before the storm.

Thus, the wind on the sea would denote the action of God on the restless nations of the world.

In verse 3 these four beasts come up from the sea. Later in verse 17 we will see that they also come up from the earth.

Coming from the sea means that these beasts will arise from the restless nations of the world.

Coming from the earth means that these beasts are of human origin.

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 upon two feet like a man; and the mind of a man was given to it.

This first beast is Babylon – the same kingdom that was represented by the golden head of the statue we saw in chapter 2. (Chapter 7 parallels chapter 2 in many ways.)

A winged lion was a very common symbol for Babylon, especially during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. ALL commentators agree on this point.

Like Babylon, this beast was hindered and humiliated by God.

In historical fact, the king of Babylon was a man who was given the heart of a beast. In the vision, Babylon is pictured as a beast who is given the heart of a man.

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.’

This second beast is the combined Medo–Persia empire that both Daniel and secular history say followed the Babylonians. Recall that in chapter 2, Medo–Persia was represented by the breast and arms of silver on the giant statue.

Note that one side of the bear is higher than the other side. This stresses the point that in the Medo-Persian empire, the Persians were dominant.

This beast is like a bear and is told to continue eating even before it has finished its last meal. It is voracious and greedy.

The three ribs may simply add to the picture of the greedy starving bear, or they may depict the three major Medo-Persian conquests that occurred under Cyrus and his son Cambyses.

Lydian kingdom in 546 BC

Chaldean kingdom in 539 BC

Egypt in 525 BC

6 After this I looked, and lo, 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.

This third beast represents Greece, which in chapter 2 was denoted by the belly and thighs of brass on the giant statue.

This beast is a leopard, which like Greece, moved very fast.

This beast has four wings and four heads. Recall that after the death of Alexander, Greece was split into four pieces ruled by his four generals.

Note 1: This is an example where it seems most logical to interpret a number literally rather than figuratively even though the number appears in an apocalyptic section.

Note 2: Here in Daniel 7:6 Greece is depicted as a beast with four heads. Later in Daniel 8:8 Greece will be depicted as a goat with four horns. In Daniel 8:21–22 we will find out that those horns denote kings or kingdoms. Thus, heads and horns are sometimes used to denote the same thing – kings or their kingdoms. (This point will be useful to remember as we continue.)

The liberals would have us believe that this divided third kingdom is Persia, but Persia remained unified until its end when Alexander the Great conquered it. Who is mistaken? Daniel or his critics? I wonder…

The arrogance of these liberal critics is unbounded. Instead of admitting that they are mistaken, they insist that Daniel must have mistakenly thought that Persia would be split into four pieces!

7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrible and dreadful and exceedingly strong; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

This fourth beast is Rome, which in chapter 2 was represented by the legs and feet of iron and clay on the giant statue.

Like Rome this beast is terrible and dreadful and exceedingly strong. And like Rome, it is different from the beasts that came before it.

This beast has ten horns, which we will discover in verse 24 denote 10 kings. (We will see which kings they are when we get to verse 24.)

8 I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots; and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.

From among the ten horns arises an eleventh horn. This little horn (which we will later discover denotes an eleventh king) comes up only after three of the ten horns are plucked up.

Who is this little horn? We will discover that when we get to verses 24 and 25.

9 As I looked, thrones were placed and one that was ancient of days took his seat; his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, its wheels were burning fire. 10 A stream of fire issued and came forth from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.

Here we have a judgment scene in which the ancient of days sits at the head of an enormous court in which the books are opened and judgment in rendered.

Which judgment does this refer to? There are many different judgments in the Bible.

The two leading candidates are the judgment of Rome and the judgment of the world at the end of time. Which choice fits better with the context? Clearly the judgment of Rome does.

This is the judgment of the fourth beast, and the fourth beast is Rome.

Verse 11 tells us that after this judgment the fourth beast is slain and burned with fire.

Verses 21–22 tell us that this judgment was against the little horn who was waging war against the saints.

Verse 26 tells us that this court would take the dominion away from the little horn.

Revelation 20 contains another great judgment scene similar to what we see here. (It also contains thrones, books, and fire.)

John said that the judgment in Revelation 20 would come to pass soon after the book was written. (Revelation 1:1;1:3;10:6;22:6;22:10)

Revelation was written during the Roman persecution.

Thus, the context suggests that the judgment scene in Revelation 20 also applies to the judgment of the fourth beast from Daniel 7 –the Roman empire.

Thus, I believe that the judgment scene in Daniel 7 and the judgment scene in Revelation 20 both apply to the same judgment – the judgment of Rome.

Did Rome fall in the first century? Absolutely no. Was Rome judged and sentenced by God during the first century? Absolutely yes!

11 I looked then because of the sound of the great words which the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

The judgment of the court is that the fourth beast be destroyed, which is thus pictured in verse 11. The beast is burned with fire and utterly destroyed.

The other three beasts have lost their power (their dominion was taken away), but they are pictured as still being around waiting to hear their fate as well.

These three beasts lived on in the fourth beast. They had the same ungodly ways and aims.

We saw this in chapter 2, where all four kingdoms were denoted by a single giant statue.

What did they have in common? They were all earthly kingdoms that were trying to take the place of or destroy the one true heavenly kingdom of God.

We also see this in John’s description of Rome found in Revelation 13.

Revelation 13:1-2 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems upon its horns and a blasphemous name upon its heads. 2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.

In Revelation 13, the beast (Rome) is like a leopard, a bear, and a lion.

Where have we seen these three animals before?

In Daniel 7, we just saw a lion, a bear, and a leopard (in that order).

In Revelation, John mentions a leopard, a bear, and a lion (in the reverse order).

Daniel and John are both looking at the same three kingdoms, but Daniel is looking FORWARD through time whereas John is looking BACKWARD through time!

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 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.

At the end of this remarkable judgment scene, Daniel sees “one like a son of man” come to the Ancient of Days to be presented before him.

This son of man is Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and in fact this is where the Messianic title “the Son of Man” came from. Why the Son of Man? Jesus was saying that he was the son of man who was mentioned in Daniel 7! He was taking a Messianic title familiar to every Jew and applying it to himself.

Jesus as the representative of his people comes to receive the kingdom. What does this mean?

In verse 22 and 27, it is the saints who receive the kingdom.

Like we mentioned in our study of Revelation, Jesus did not receive something here that he did not already have.

This part of the judgment scene depicts a public reaffirmation of something that had been true all along. God has removed and judged a great enemy of his people and he wants everyone to be aware of the outcome.

In Revelation 1:9, John made it very clear that the kingdom had been established. Yet in Revelation 12:10 we read that “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ.” What is meant by this? It is simply a public reaffirmation and display of what was already true!

Is it still appropriate to pray “Thy kingdom come” as the apostles’ were instructed to do in the Lord’s prayer? Yes. Although the kingdom was established on the Day of Pentecost after the Lord’s ascension, God’s kingdom continues to come anytime and anywhere the Lord and his church are victorious over their enemies.

15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious and the visions of my head alarmed me. 16 I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me, and made known to me the interpretation of the things.

Luckily, Daniel was just as curious as we are, so he asks someone standing in the court what the vision meant, and he receives the interpretation.

Be very wary of any commentary whose interpretation of this passage disagrees with what we are about to read!

At this point we might pause to consider why Daniel was given this vision.

A cursory reading of Isaiah might have led some to conclude that the Messiah would appear immediately following the Babylonian captivity.

In fact, liberals today believe that Zerubbabel was a disappointing Messiah figure.

Daniel’s vision says NO. The Messiah will not come until two other kingdoms have come and gone. The Messiah, Daniel will say, will come during the fourth kingdom (Rome).

Paul dealt with a similar problem in 2 Thessalonians. There some had quit working to await what they felt would be the immediate return of Christ. Paul told them that Christ would not return until the man of perdition was destroyed. I think the man of perdition is the little horn from Daniel 7, and Paul was simply saying that Jesus could not return until all that God had prophesied in Daniel had come to pass.

Some say that the New Testament authors were under the mistaken impression that Jesus’ return was imminent. That is just not so. Paul said just the opposite in 2 Thessalonians. While we say (correctly) that Jesus can return at any moment, that was not true in the first century before all of the events in Daniel had come to pass.

17 'These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, for ever and ever.’

The four beasts are four kings (or kingdoms) as we have suggested.

The term “king” and “kingdom” are used interchangeably in this chapter. The fourth beast is called a king here in verse 17 and is called a kingdom in verse 23.

When the term “king” is used it most likely speaks of the king or kings who rule the kingdom in question.

Should God’s people have been frightened of these four fierce powers that had arisen or would arise from the earth? No.

Notice the word “but” in verse 18. Things look bad, BUT we are going to win. Our kingdom (unlike these earthly kingdoms) will never pass away. It will outlast them all.

19 “Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrible, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze; and which devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet; 20 and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up and before which three of them fell, the horn which had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and which seemed greater than its fellows. 21 As I looked, this horn made war with the saints, and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints received the kingdom.

Daniel skips quickly to the fourth beast, which in this vision was different from all the others.

What about the other three? Daniel does not ask about those or perhaps he does but does not give us the details regarding the answer he received.

We will learn a great deal about these other kingdoms in the visions that occur later in the book.

Daniel repeats the details regarding the fourth kingdom and we learn more about the little horn.

Notice that this little horn wages war against the saints.

This sheds doubt on the theory of some that this vision is speaking about the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. There, Rome was not waging war on the saints but on the Jews who had persecuted the saints.

Daniel will have some things to say about the fall of Jerusalem, but I don’t think it is being discussed here.

In verse 22 we see God coming in judgment.

There are many comings of God in the Bible.

We often speak of the “second coming of Christ” as if there were only two.

However, the phrase “second coming of Christ” does not appear anywhere in the Bible. The closest we get is Hebrews 9:28 which says that he will appear a second time – which will occur at the end of the world.

While Christ did not literally appear in AD 70, he did come in judgment at that time. Matthew 24:30 describes a coming of Christ and Matthew 24:34 tells us that it happened during the first century.

Conclusion? We need to consider the context very carefully when we read of a coming of God or of Christ in the Bible. While Jesus will come again literally at the end of the world, he has come before figuratively in judgment against oppressors of God’s people.

Matthew 24 speaks of his coming in judgment against Jerusalem, and Revelation speaks of his coming in judgment against Rome.

23 “Thus he said: 'As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces.

This is an accurate picture of the Roman empire which grew from a dusty village on the Tiber River in the 8th century BC to control virtually the entire known world.

This fourth beast is Rome, which was different than all the other kingdoms in its organization and unity.

This kingdom breaks things into pieces, unlike Greece which was itself broken into pieces. The fourth kingdom is not Greece; it is Rome.

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, two times, and half a time.

Here we again meet the ten horns and the little horn.

Do they rule simultaneously? Some have suggested that the language requires that they do so.

However, this is not true at all. In Chapter 2, the statue was destroyed at one time yet the kingdoms it depicted did not rule simultaneously.

What do we know about the little horn? Let’s consider the clues:

1. He is of the fourth beast. (verses 7–8 and 24)

This would mean that he would be a king of the Roman empire, which is represented by the fourth beast.

2. He is the 11th king. (verses 7–8 and 24)

The 11th Roman emperor was Domitian.

3. He is a braggart. (verses 8 and 20)

Listen to what Suetonius had to say about Domitian in his Lives of the Twelve Caesars:

From his youth he was far from being of an affable disposition, but was on the contrary presumptuous and unbridled both in act and word.

4. He claims to be deity. (verse 25)

Verse 25 says that he would think to change the times. In Daniel 2:21 we read that God changes the times. Thus, this little horn claims to be in the place of God.

Suetonius wrote:

With no less arrogance he began as follows in issuing a circular letter in the name of his procurators, ‘Our Master and our God bids that this be done.’ And so the custom arose henceforth of addressing him in no other way even in writing or in conversation.

William Barclay wrote:

But with the coming of Domitian there came a complete change. Domitian was a devil. He was the worst of all things – a cold blooded persecutor. With the exception of the mad Caligula, he was the first Emperor to take his divinity seriously, and to demand Caesar worship.

5. He is a persecutor of God’s people. (verses 21–22 and 25)

Domitian began an empire policy of persecution that did not end until 311 AD under the Edict of Toleration by Galerius and Constantine.

Tertullian called him a “limb of the bloody Nero” and that name was associated with him even into the third century.

Eusebius called him “the successor of Nero.”

6. He is depicted as the 8th king when 3 others are removed. (verses 8 and 20–24)

Why was it important to depict Domitian as number 8 rather than number 11?

Listen to what Milligan had to say about the number eight:

The number six itself awakened a feeling of dread in the breast of the Jew who felt the significance of numbers. It fell below seven just as eight went beyond it. [The number eight] denoted more than the simple possession of the Divine. As in the case of circumcision on the eighth day, of the “great day” of the feast on the eighth day, or of the resurrection of our Lord on the first day of the week, following the previous seven days, it expressed a new beginning in active power.

The Year of Jubilee when everyone got the chance to begin all over again, followed seven sevens of years.

The leper who had been excluded from the congregation was given a new beginning on the eighth day. (Lev. 14:10)

In early Christian literature, Christ was referred to as 888.

How does the number 8 fit with Domitian?

Nero was the first to actively persecute Christians.

Tertullian wrote:

Consult your annals, and there you will find Nero, the first emperor who dyed his sword in Christian blood.

He later referred to Domitian as a “limb of the bloody Nero.”

A rumor arose during the reign of Domitian that he was literally Nero, raised from the dead. How else would he be described except by the number 8?

Who are these three kings that are uprooted?

Galba, Otho, and Vitellius all reigned within less than a two year period of time.

These are the three that are pushed out of the way so that the actual 11th emperor can be seen as the symbolic 8th emperor.

They are ignored in Revelation and are mentioned but uprooted in Daniel.

How was Domitian “different from the former ones” as verse 24 says?

As we mentioned, he was the first to make it a policy of the empire that all who refused to worship him be persecuted.

What does it mean in verse 25 when it says that the saints would be given into his hand for “a time, two times, and half a time”?

This phrase denotes 3.5 years, a period of time that is also found in Revelation 11:2, 11:3, 12:6, 12:14, and 13:5.

In each case it denotes a state of affairs in which God’s people would be persecuted yet be sustained. It denotes a temporary state of affairs – something that would not last.

Why is 3.5 used to denote this?

It is a broken seven, and seven denotes perfection – something that will last. Thus, a broken 7 denotes something that is temporary.

Another possible source is the drought that Elijah prayed for. It lasted 3.5 years. (See James 5:17.) Thus, this may have been the source for a period of time denoting a temporary affliction.

26 But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end. 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; their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them.’

Here we again have a public demonstration of something that was already true.

Similar language was used in Revelation to also describe the judgment of Rome:

Revelation 11:15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever."

Did the kingdom of the world become the kingdom of the Lord when Rome was judged? No. That had always been true. Jesus has always and will always rule the universe. Jesus did not begin to reign in Revelation 11. He had been reigning all the time.

What did happen when Rome was judged? The rule of Christ was vindicated. The triumph of the church was a public demonstration of the power of Christ, which was thus made know to all of the world. That is how the language is used here in Daniel.

Again, note that while Rome did not fall in the 1st century, Rome was judged and sentenced in the 1st century. Indeed, we have just seen a picture of the judgment scene in which that happened.

28 “Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed; but I kept the matter in my mind.”

Daniel was greatly alarmed by what he had seen. Why?

He had been given a glimpse of the great persecution that awaited the people of God – and that disturbed him.

Paul said that we should rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15)

Sometimes I fear that we weep with those who rejoice and rejoice with those who weep!

Further, he bore the burden of this knowledge alone because he was not able to make the vision known when he first received it. (Verse 28 says that he kept the matter in his mind.)

If you agree with the conclusions in this chapter, then you have absolutely undeniable proof of Biblical prophecy. Why? Because we have copies of Daniel from the Dead Sea Scrolls that predate the Roman empire. Even the late date critics are unable to push the book of Daniel past 160 BC. That is why they deny the obvious internal evidence that the fourth empire is Rome.

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