Main Idea: The Kingdom of God is an eternal Kingdom.
A Look at the Text:
The scene shifts in today’s text, as the rest of the book of Daniel consists of a series of visions rather than historical narrative. That said, chronologically, we are jumping back to the time of Belshazzar, the Babylonian ruler from chapter 5.
At that time, Daniel had a vision of four beasts. Each reflected an animal to some degree—a lion, a bear, a leopard, followed by a dreadful unnamed beast with 10 horns (Dan. 7:3).
Like the dream Nebuchadnezzar had back in chapter 2, this vision represented kingdoms and kings (Dan. 7:17). Following the pattern from Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, it seems the same four nations are in view: the lion is Babylon, the bear is Medo-Persia, the Leopard is Greece, and the dreadful beast is Rome.[1] The 10 horns of the dreadful beast may then represent nations that emerged from the conquered Roman Empire.[2]
After seeing the beasts, Daniel had a vision where the Ancient of Days, God Himself, took His heavenly throne (Dan. 7:9). Then, the dreadful beast was killed and would be burned with fire (Dan. 7:11), whereas the rest of the beasts would lose their dominion (Dan. 7:12). Finally, a son of man came, and to him was presented a kingdom, an everlasting dominion that will never pass away (Dan. 7:14).
While there would be fierce opposition to the people of God for a short time (Dan. 7:23-25), the dominion of the coming little horn would be taken away (Dan. 7:26). The kingdom would be given to the saints, and that kingdom would last forever (Dan. 7:27).
Bringing it Home:
Opinions abound when it comes to biblical prophecy.
Scholars differ on the exact identification of the four beasts and, even more, concerning the nature of the ten horns, the little horn, and the time, times, and half a time that the saints of God would be suffering (Dan. 7:25).
While the specific details are debated, the primary thrust of this passage is abundantly clear, and we needn’t figure out every detail and nail down every identity to know the one that matters the most.
In Daniel’s vision, he sees one coming on the clouds who was like a “son of man” (Dan. 7:13). Daniel saw the Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus consistently referred to Himself as the “Son of Man.” Beyond merely a representation of His humanity (Phil. 2:6-8), this was His assurance that He was the One who was long-awaited from Daniel’s vision.
Looking to the future, we can rest assured that we don’t need to worry about who the antichrist is so long as we know who Jesus Christ is.
He is the coming Son of Man who will have an everlasting kingdom, a dominion that will never be taken away, and one that we will one day share:
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 (Dan. 7:18).
Challenge:
Does looking to the future fill me with hope or dread?
[1] J. Dwight Pentecost, “Daniel,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1351.
[2] Ibid., 1354.