Judgments Against The 4 Beasts Lesson 10

1. Judgments Against The 4 BeastsLesson 10 Daniel 7-8(Waldron, p.64-67, 216-224) Wednesday July 14, 2010

2. Key Dates and Events • 605 B.C. – 1st Wave of Captives (Daniel) • 597 B.C. – 2nd Wave of Captives (Jeconiah and Ezekiel) • 586 B.C. – 3rd Wave of Captives; Jerusalem is destroyed. • 556 B.C. – Nabonidus, last king of Babylon, begins his reign. • 539 B.C.: • Babylon Falls. Belshazzar is killed. • Cyrus of Persia overtakes the Babylon Empire. • Darius the Mede rules in Babylon. • 538 B.C.: • Cyrus releases all captives. • Babylonian captivity ends.

3. Outline – Daniel 7-8 • Daniel 7 – Vision of the 4 Beasts: • 7:1-8 – Introduction to the 4 Beasts • 7:9-14 – Judgment Scene, Ascension, and Saints’ Possession of the Kingdom. • 7:15-28 – Angelic Interpretation. • Daniel 8 – Vision of the Ram and Goat: • 8:1-14 – Goat destroys Ram and stops daily sacrifices. • 8:15-27 – Angelic Interpretation. • Skim Daniel 8 due to time constraints.

4. Understanding “Troubling Visions” I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. … This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart. … And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king's business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it. (Daniel 7:15, 28; 8:27) Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven -- things which angels desire to look into. (I Peter 1:10-12)

5. Questions Introduction to the Four Beasts (Daniel 7:1-8) • Describe the 4 beasts. Who do you think they represent?

6. Introduction to the 4 Beasts • Four winds stirring up the sea (Isaiah 17:12-13; 57:20; Jeremiah 49:23; Revelation 13:1; 17:15). • Four beasts arise from the sea in succession. • Lion: • Eagle’s wings, Walked on all four legs. • Wings pulled off, Set upright on two legs like a man, given heart of a man. • Bear – Raised on one side, 3 ribs in its mouth, “Arise, devour much flesh”. • Leopard – 4 wings of a bird on back, 4 heads, dominion given to it. • Dreadful: • Terrible, dreadful, exceedingly strong. • Huge Iron teeth. • Devouring, breaking in pieces, trampling the residue. • Different than others. • 10 Horns. 1 Presumptive, proud horn.

7. Questions Introduction to the Four Beasts (Daniel 7:1-8) • Describe the 4 beasts. Who do you think they represent? • How does this vision compare to Nebuchadnezzar’s first vision, interpreted by Daniel (Daniel 2:28-45)? • How does Revelation 13:1-10 fit into Daniel’s vision? Please compare and contrast.

8. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream “You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” (Daniel 2:31-35) Gold Silver Bronze Iron Iron + Clay

9. Revelation 13 – The Composite Beast Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. (Revelation 13:1-10)

10. Comparing the Visions History Daniel 2 Daniel 7 Revelation 13 Head of Gold Lion Lion’s Mouth Babylon 612-539 B.C. Medo-Persia 539-331 B.C. Arms & Chest of Silver Bear Bear’s Feet Greece 331-64 B.C. Belly and Thighs of Bronze Leopard Leopard’s Body Rome 64 B.C. – 476 AD Legs of Iron with Feet mixed with Clay Dreadful with Iron Teeth and 10 Horns and Great Words 7 Heads and 10 Horns, Blasphemous 4 World Empires 4 Sections – 1 Body 4 Beasts 4 Sections – 1 Body – 1 Ultimate Enemy

11. Babylonian Empire

12. Persian Empire

13. Questions Judgment Scene (Daniel 7:9-14) • Please compare and contrast this vision of God with that seen by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1) and John (Revelation 20:11-15; 22:1-5)? How might have the occasion, context, and purpose of each vision influenced each manifestation of God upon His throne? • How does Daniel 7:13-15 compare with Acts 1:9-11 and Revelation 4-5? Please explain any contrasts.

14. Judgment Scene and Ascension • Judgment Scene: • Throne scene of the “Ancient of Days” – Pure, Transcendent, Fiery God: • God sits in fiery, condemning judgment (compare to Ezekiel 1). • In Revelation 22:1-5, judgment has passed. Peace and life are extended. • Court is seated. Books are opened. (Compare to Revelation 20:11-15.) • Dreadful beast is slain “because of the sound of the pompous words” (Daniel 7:11) • Unlike the other beasts that persisted, this beast was completely destroyed (compare to composite beast of Revelation 13:1-4) • Christ’s Ascension: • Ascension as seen by man from earth – Acts 1:1-11. • Ascension as seen by heaven’s court from heaven – Daniel 7:13-44 • Coronation as seen by heaven’s court from heaven – Revelation 4-5. • He was granted a kingdom consisting of all peoples – Daniel 2:44-45.

15. The Everlasting Kingdom “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then 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 the one which shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14) “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold -- the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.” (Daniel 2:41-45)

16. Angelic Interpretation: War & Triumph “Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows. I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. Thus he said: 'The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms, And shall devour the whole earth, Trample it and break it in pieces. The ten horns are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings. He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time. But the court shall be seated, And they shall take away his dominion, To consume and destroy it forever. Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.” (Daniel 7:19-27)

17. Questions Angelic Interpretation (Daniel 7:15-28) • Please explain the timing of the “saints possessing the kingdom” versus the establishment of the church? Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it -- lest you even be found to fight against God.” (Acts 5:34-39)

18. An Example in “Taking Possession” “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess.” (Joshua 1:11) Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the LORD said to him: “You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed.” (Joshua 13:1) So the LORD gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. (Joshua 21:41) “You have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations because of you, for the LORD your God is He who has fought for you. See, I have divided to you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, as far as the Great Sea westward. And the LORD your God will expel them from before you and drive them out of your sight. So you shall possess their land, as the LORD your God promised you. Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them, but you shall hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day. … Therefore take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the LORD your God.” (Joshua 23:3-11)

19. Are We “Taking Possession”? Then the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not heeded My voice, I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, so that through them I may test Israel, whether they will keep the ways of the LORD, to walk in them as their fathers kept them, or not." Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out immediately; nor did He deliver them into the hand of Joshua. Now these are the nations which the LORD left, that He might test Israel by them, that is, all who had not known any of the wars in Canaan (this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it), namely, five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath. And they were left, that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. (Judges 2:20-3:4) Like Israel, we have been given a kingdom to possess. We enjoy some peace, but we must also finish some battles, because of those before us and for our sake.

20. Questions Vision of the Ram and Goat (Daniel 8:1-14) • Why was power given to the male goat to prosper in war against the “Glorious Land”? Angelic Interpretation (Daniel 8:15-27) • Please explain the significance of the horns, especially their relative size and number. • When do you think the prophecy of the “latter king” was fulfilled (Daniel 8:9-14, 23-26)? • How could these events be described as relating to the “end”, since it referred to Greece (Daniel 8:17-23)?

21. Key Points: Vision of the Ram & Goat • Account with Interpretation: • Ram with 2 Horns: Medo-Persian Empire, 1 Half (Persia) stronger than other. • Goat with 1 Large Horn: Greece, Large horn is first king (Alexander the Great). • Horn is divided into 4 smaller horns: • Alexander’s empire is divided by his 4 generals. • Ptoleymy (south) and Seleucid (east) grew to be the strongest. • One of these horns would defile and desolate the temple, removing the daily sacrifices, near the end of the Grecian empire. • Antiochus (IV) Epiphanes did just that, offering swine on the altar. • His strength was given to him “because of transgressions”. • After about 6 years, the Maccabean revolt began and the temple was cleansed.

22. Key Lessons • The nations may rage, but God is in control. • Nations rise and fall at the Lord’s will. • Perverse nations may persecute God’s people (Seleucids or Rome). • Suffering may arise because of our sin (judgment) or our faithfulness (persecution). • Judgment is in favor of the saints because of the “Son of Man”. (Christ reigns on His throne.) • The church’s (kingdom’s) establishment is a key lesson (Acts). • The kingdom has been delivered to the saints for us to possess it. What are you doing to possess it? Evangelism?