In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign over the Babylonian Empire (ca. 603 B.C.), Daniel, a Hebrew in captivity, was called upon to reveal and interpret a dream for the monarch.
He told of a great image in the form of a man consisting of four sections. The head was of gold, its breast and arms were silver, the belly and thighs were fashioned of brass, and the legs were iron, the feet being iron mingled with clay. The image was struck on its feet by a stone that had been cut (without human hands) from a mountain. The metallic image was destroyed and the stone itself became a mountain filling the entire earth (Daniel 2:31-35).
The meaning of the dream was clear: The golden head represented the Neo-Babylonian Empire (626-539 B.C.). That government would be followed by the kingdom of the Medes and Persians (539-332 B.C.). The Medo-Persian Empire would be succeeded by the Greek regime (332-63 B.C.), which, in turn, would finally give way to Roman rule (63 B.C. – A.D. 476). During the era of the Roman Empire, God himself would set up his kingdom, which would be a universal, spiritual monarchy (2:44).
The divinely initiated dream occurred almost seventy years before the Babylonian Empire fell and is a remarkable example of prophecy. The dramatic revelations of future international events in this book provide the basis for the liberal motive which seeks to discredit Daniel as the author of the narrative, ascribing it to some unknown person of the second century B.C.
About a half century later, in the first year of Belshazzar (a grandson of Nebuchadnezzar), Daniel himself had a dream (visions) that, to a significant degree, had a thrust similar to the prophetic dream entertained by Nebuchadnezzar. From the turbulent “great sea” he saw four differing beasts successively rise. Without question, these four beasts correspond to the four metallic components of the image portrayed in chapter two.
The Lion
The first beast was like a lion, but it also had eagle’s wings. As Daniel watched, the wings were torn off. Presently, the lion stood up like a man and a human heart was given to it. This initial beast represented the Babylonian Empire.
Of Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah wrote: “A lion is gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations; he is on his way, he is gone forth from his place, to make your land desolate, that your cities be laid waste, without inhabitant” (Jeremiah 4:7). He further declared, “Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens” (Lamentations 4:19).
The rapid campaigns against Assyria, Egypt, and Palestine are graphically depicted in the symbolism. But the advancement of the Babylonian conquest was stayed (the wings plucked). Moreover, it is a matter of historical record that during the latter era of the Babylonian regime there was a “gradual diminution of the ferocity of conquest under a succession of comparatively weak princes” (Barnes 1853, 290).
The Bear
The second beast was like a bear, an animal noted for its fierceness (cf. Hosea 13:8). This bear was higher on one side than on the other. Since the beast represents the Medo-Persian kingdom (as indicated by the silver portion of the earlier image), this would suggest that one of these national powers would overshadow the other (cf. 8:3, 20). This conforms to the actual facts. In their early history, the Persians were subject to the Medes, but Cyrus conquered the king of Media in 558 B.C., and supremacy passed to the Persians.
The bear had three ribs in its mouth, likely reflecting the fact that this empire had conquered the nations of Lydia (546 B.C.), Babylon (539 B.C.), and Egypt (525 B.C.). This vision occurs when Babylon is at the zenith of her power and in no apparent danger of falling.
The Leopard
The third creature was like a leopard with wings upon its back. It also had four heads. The winged leopard, of course, hints of blazing speed. This signifies the conquests of the Greek regime under Alexander the Great. See chapter 8:5, 21, where the “king of Greece” moves so rapidly that his feet “touched not the ground.”
Alexander came to the Macedonian throne when he was but twenty years of age; by the time he was twenty-five he was virtual master of the Eastern world. At the battle of Arbela, with a force of less than fifty thousand men, he defeated Darius whose army was six hundred thousand strong.
It is also significant that the leopard of Daniel’s vision had four heads. Remarkably, this signifies the fate of his empire following his death. Alexander had no heir; consequently his territories were divided among four of his generals. Lysimachus took nearly the whole of Asia Minor; Cassander had Greece; Seleucus possessed Syria and the East; while Ptolemy claimed Egypt and Palestine (Sanderson, Lamberton, and McGovern 1900, 132). This is further confirmed by the testimony of chapter eight, verses eight and twenty-two. Remember, Daniel is seeing a vision of events that were not to transpire for more than two hundred years!
The Ten-horned Beast
Finally, the prophet sees a fourth beast emerge from the sea. It is different from the preceding animals. It is terrible, with great iron teeth and nails of brass. This beast crushed its enemies and stamped the residue with its feet. Moreover, this animal had ten horns. This fourth beast (or kingdom [v. 23]), corresponds to the fourth segment of the earlier image (iron and iron-clay [chapter two]); it is the Roman Empire.
It is interesting to note that as these empires come and go, there is a degeneration in quality, i.e., from gold to iron. It is clear that Daniel “was not encouraged to see in history evolutionary progress, but rather the reverse. Modern technological progress in no way invalidates this judgment, for it is international justice, peace and human contentment and fulfillment that are in mind, and in these realms it would be hard to argue that there has been progress” (Baldwin 1978, 140).
Some suggest that the beast’s ten horns are but a figurative representation of the political descendants of the old Roman Empire and thus the numeral is not to be pressed (Young 1980, 149). Others assert that when Rome fell in A.D. 476, the result was the formation of ten literal states or governments. Newton, citing Whitson, says that “the number of the kingdoms into which the Roman empire in Europe . . . was originally divided . . . was exactly ten” (1831, 234).
As the prophet was meditating upon the significance of the ten horns, he saw a little horn uproot three of the other horns. This little horn had eyes like a man and a mouth that spoke great things, obviously hinting of a personal force rather than mere political abstraction.
Several other characteristics of the little horn are subsequently mentioned:
The little horn represented a force that was “more stout” than the other governments.
It “made war with the saints” and attempted to “wear out” the people of God.
It prevailed against the saints until the Lord gave a judgment on behalf of his people.
The little horn would “speak words against the Most High”.
It (he) would “think to change the times and the law” of God.
The saints were given into his hand for “a time, times, and half a time.”
Exactly who, or what, was this infamous little horn?
The Little Horn
Let us carefully consider some suggestions that have been made regarding the identity of the little
“I am convinced that there is nothing more important in life than Jesus. Seeking and finding Him is the most important thing. He is indeed the pearl of great price”!
