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Session#1 The Four Beast Kingdoms

Session #1: The Four Beast Kingdoms
(Dan. 7:1-8) By Mike Bickle

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Session 1 The Four Beast Kingdoms (Dan. 7:1-8)

I. OUTLINE OF DANIEL 7:1-8

Daniel’s vision: four beasts symbolizing four world empires (Dan. 7:1-14).

The outline:
Introduction (7:1-3)

The first three beasts (7:4-6)
First beast: Babylonian Empire (606–539 BC) – Iraq (7:4)
Second beast: Persian Empire (539–331 BC) – Iran (7:5)
Third beast: Greek Empire (331–146 BC) – Greece (7:6)

Fourth beast: Antichrist’s empire, foreshadowed by the Roman Empire (7:7-8)
Roman Empire’s western and eastern divisions (146 BC–AD 1453)
Antichrist’s empire with a ten-king confederation

II. INTRODUCTION
Daniel 7 describes the first of Daniel’s four visions contained in chapters 7-12. God choose to use four world empires as the context to bring Messiah and salvation to Israel and to prepare them for world leadership, while purifying His Church and establishing His kingdom on earth. It reveals the certainty of victory and the intensity of the battle that Israel and the Church will face in the end times as they stand together against the evil that will manifest in the Antichrist’s empire.

In 603 BC, when Daniel was a young man, God revealed Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to him in a night vision, and gave him insight into the kingdoms that the statue in the dream represented (Dan. 2:19). Daniel received a vision(Dan. 7) about 50 years later, in 553 BC. So if Daniel was about 20 when he received insight into Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, then he was 70 when he had the Daniel 7 vision.

III. THE FOUR BEASTS (DAN. 7) AND THE GREAT STATUE (DAN. 2)
Daniel 7 confirms and elaborates on what was given in a dream to Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2. We must compare Daniel 7 with Daniel 2 to gain more understanding; they are from different perspectives. Nebuchadnezzar saw four kingdoms represented by precious metals in a statue of a glorious man (2:31-45). The head was gold, the chest and arms were silver, etc. Nebuchadnezzar saw these kingdoms from man’s perspective—as glorious, like gold and silver. Daniel saw these same kingdoms, but from God’s perspective—as wild beasts that devour all who are in their path.

The head of gold represents the Babylonian Empire (606–539 BC). The chest and arms of silver represent the Medo-Persian Empire (539–331 BC). The belly and thighs of bronze represent the Greek Empire (331–146 BC). The legs, feet, and toes of iron and clay represent the Antichrist’s empire, as foreshadowed by the Roman Empire (146 BC–AD 1453).

31“You, O king, were watching…a great image…32This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet…35The iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together…the stone…became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” (Dan. 2:19, 31-35)

The two legs represent the two divisions of the Roman Empire—the western (146 BC–AD476) and the eastern divisions(AD330-AD 1453). The two feet with ten toes are parallel to the ten horns in the Daniel 7 vision. They represent the ten-king confederation under the Antichrist (Dan. 2:41-42; 7:7, 20, 24; Rev. 12:3; 13:1; 17:3, 7, 12, 16).

41“You saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided…42And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.” (Dan. 2:41-42)

The stone that struck the image speaks of Jesus and His eternal kingdom (2:35, 44-45). The stone being cut without hands means that it has a divine origin. The stone will consume all the other kingdoms and shall stand forever (2:44). Jesus will do these kingdoms—break them into pieces—what they as a “composite” kingdom under the Antichrist did to others(Dan. 7:7, 19, 23)

44“And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed…it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45Inasmuch 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.” (Dan. 2:44-45)

IV. DANIEL’S VISION OF THE FOUR BEASTS (DAN. 7:1-8)

Daniel saw four winds stirring the Mediterranean Sea, bringing upheaval to the nations (7:1-3).

1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts. 2Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven[angelic and demonic activity] were stirring up the Great Sea [Mediterranean]. 3And four great beasts [empires] came up from the sea, each different from the other.” (Dan. 7:1-3)

The first year: Belshazzar’s reign over Babylon began in 553 BC. This was 15 years before Israel was freed from Babylon (538 BC). This vision gave Israel hope in the midst of their suffering as captives in Babylon. Daniel was about 70years old when he had this vision.
Daniel had a dream: He had visions in his head while on his bed at night. He wrote down the dream, telling only the main facts.

Great Sea: Scripture describes the Mediterranean Sea as the Great Sea (Num. 34:6-7; Josh. 1:4; 9:1; 15:12, 47; 23:4). The empires that are highlighted in this vision include nations near the Mediterranean Sea—nations in the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa.

Four winds of heaven: These winds symbolize spiritual forces, both angelic and demonic, that stirred up the nations. This represents God’s orchestration of history in appointing nations to rise and fall and to set the context for His kingdom purposes to come to pass.

Four great beasts: Daniel saw four wild animals—each represented an ancient empire in the Mediterranean region, which would persecute Israel and caused great turmoil in the region.

First beast: A lion with eagle’s wings refers to the Babylonian Empire, 605–539 BC

4“The first [Babylon] was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.” (Dan. 7:4)

The lion (Jer. 4:7; 49:19; 50:17, 44)

The eagle (Jer. 49:22; Lam. 4:19; Ezek. 17:3; Hab. 1:8) are both used in the Scripture to describe the Babylonian Empire.

Like a lion: This speaks of being strong, majestic, and courageous.

Had eagle’s wings: This speaks of military speed.

Its wings were plucked off: This speaks of being humbled.

A man’s heart was given to it: This speaks of being domesticated.

It was made to stand: This speaks of standing like a man, instead of like a lion, which cannot attack or devour others when standing on two feet.
The reference to the wings being plucked off, being made to stand on two feet like a man, and being given a man’s heart, is reflected in Nebuchadnezzar’s experience in Daniel 4.

Second beast:A bear with ribs in its mouth refers to the Persian Empire, 539–331 BC (7:5).

5“Another beast [Medo-Persia], a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’” (Dan. 7:5)

A bear: Medo-Persia was like a fierce bear, with slow but steady military progress. The bear, after the lion, was the second most dreaded predator at that time in that region. The bear was larger and more cumbersome than the lion, yet it had great strength.

One side: It was raised up on one side. This speaks of the Persian dominance over Media.
The beast raised on one side represented the greater strength of Persia; it coincides with the two-horned ram of Daniel 8, whose one horn was larger than the other.

In 550 BC, Cyrus the Great conquered the Medes, and Persia took control of the empire.

Three ribs: The three ribs in its mouth represented the three major kingdoms it conquered as it rose to power: Lydia (546 BC), Babylon (539 BC), and Egypt (525 BC).
Arise, devour much flesh: God mandated that Persia should arise and conquer more nations.

Third beast: A leopard with four wings refers to the Greek Empire, 331–146 BC (7:6).

6“I looked, and there was another [Greece], like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.”
(Dan. 7:6)

Like a leopard: Greece was fierce, agile, fast, and cunning. The leopard is known for its quickness and its cunning.

Four wings: Having four wings of a bird speaks of its amazing speed in military conquest.

Four heads: After the death of Alexander the Great, four of his generals divided up his kingdom into four separate kingdoms. This parallels the four notable horns of Daniel 8:8.

Dominion: This spoke of the Greek government and culture pervading the ancient world. The conquered nations were also won over to the Greek language and way of life.

Fourth Beast: This refers to the Antichrist,who is foreshadowed by the Roman Empire (7:7-8). This beast has three stages—the ancient empire (146 BC–AD 1453); an end-time confederation made up of ten kings, and the Antichrist’s dictatorship ruling over the ten-nation confederation.

7“Behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It wasdifferent from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.” (Dan. 7:7)

It had ten horns: A ten-nation confederation will align with the Antichrist. The ten end-time nations are symbolized here by ten horns; in Daniel 2 they are seen as ten toes (2:41-42; 7:7, 20, 24; Rev. 12:3; 13:1; 17:3, 7, 12, 16).

24“The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this [Rome’s] kingdom.”
(Dan. 7:24)

12“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings…” (Rev. 17:12)

Dreadful and terrible: Daniel was deeply troubled by the terror of this beast (7:15, 28). If we are not troubled by what Daniel shared about the Antichrist, then it means that we have not yet understood what he saw. Iron teeth speak of the ability to devour anything—unstoppable. The huge, massive teeth emphasize its overwhelmingly destructive power.

Trampling the residue with its feet: This speaks of continuing to trample a nation when it has already been defeated. The Antichrist will show no mercy toward those he conquers; he will be ruthless.He will trample everything not initially destroyed in the hostile military takeover.
It was different: The Antichrist’s empire will be energized by demonic power (Rev. 13:2).
It will function in a new order of evil, cruelty, and supernatural power. Daniel emphasized four times that the Antichrist is different from all other kingdoms (7:7, 19, 23, 24).

19“…the fourth beast, which was different from all the others…” (Dan. 7:19)

2The dragon [Satan] gave him[Antichrist] his power, his throne, and great authority.
13He performs great signs…he even makes fire come down from heaven
(Rev. 13:2, 13)

While focusing on the ten horns, he saw a little horn (7:8).

8“I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.” (Dan. 7:8)

Little horn: It speaks of a political leader who starts out “little,” or with a small sphere of authority and influence, as a seemingly insignificant regional leader. The fact that the little horn is mentioned four times (7:8, 11, 20, 21) tells us how important this detail is.

The little horn is the Beast of Revelation and the man of sin in Paul’s teaching
(2 Thes. 2:3). He is also the wicked prince who will take away the sacrifice in the temple (8:11; 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Mt. 24:15). The little horn of Daniel 7 is the same little horn of Daniel 8:9 and is the despicable person of Daniel 11:21.

Hitler is an example from recent history of a leader who started out as a “little horn,” an insignificant regional leader who became a “big horn,” a major world leader. In 1928 he ran for political office in Germany and received only 2% of the vote. Then, within five years, he became chancellor of Germany, in 1933. His rise to power came suddenly.

Eyes like a man: In this horn were eyes like a man, which speaks of great intelligence.
Mouth speaking pompous words: The Antichrist will speak pompous, arrogant words.
These arrogant words will create fear (threats) and/or excitement (false promises) in the nations. His arrogant words are emphasized four times in this chapter (7:8, 11, 20, 25).

8“In this horn [was]…a mouth speaking pompous words.” (Dan. 7:8)

He shall speak blasphemies against the true God (11:36). He will claim things about himself that are shocking, as he speaks with terrible boldness against God (7:8, 11, 20, 25; 2 Thes. 2:4). He shall speak of “great things”—things so unique and extraordinary, as well as new things never heard of before (Rev. 13:5).

36“The king…shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods.” (Dan. 11:36)

5He was given a mouth speaking great thingsand blasphemies…6he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle…
(Rev. 13:5-6)

Three horns plucked out: Three of the first horns (kings) will be plucked out by the roots or killed in a violent overthrow led by the Antichrist. This is part of how he will seize control of the ten-nation confederation and enter the world stage as a leader. When these three world leaders are killed, the Church will understand it as a prophetic sign of the times.

8“There was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots.” (Dan. 7:8)

Coming up among them: The Antichrist will first come up “among them” (7:8) as a peer; then he will “arise after them” (7:24) and seize control of the ten-nation confederation.

V. THREE STAGES OF THE FOURTH BEAST

This beast has three stages: the ancient empire (146 BC–AD 1453); the end-time confederation made up of ten kings, and the Antichrist’s dictatorship ruling over the ten-nation confederation.

Ancient Roman Empire: This includes the western (146 BC–AD 476) and eastern (AD 330–1453) divisions of the empire. The Eastern Roman Empire, also called the Byzantine Empire, lasted for 1,000 years after the fall of Rome and the Western Roman Empire. The eastern division was started either by Diocletian in AD 285 or Constantine in AD 330, when the capital transferred from Rome to Byzantium, later known as Constantinople and Nova Roma (New Rome), and today as Istanbul in Turkey. It was the most powerful economic, cultural, and military force in Europe at the time.

The Roman Empire did not end in AD 476, but continued until 1453 in its eastern division; from this we see that the Antichrist’s empire may have historic roots in Islamic nations. The eastern Roman Empire covered part of the Middle East. In 1453, the Eastern Roman Empire fell to the Ottoman Empire, with its dominant Islamic rule and culture.

The Antichrist may come from the geographic territory associated with the eastern division of the Roman Empire (8:9). This overlaps with the region where Antiochus ruled the Seleucid Empire—the overlap includes Syriaand parts of Turkey and Babylon (Iraq), etc.

Ten-nation confederation: An end-time empire will arise that will initially be under ten kings geographically and ethnically; it will cover geographic areas that include partsof the eastern and western divisions of the ancient Roman Empire.

24“The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom.” (Dan. 7:24)

12“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings…17and to give their kingdom to the beast…” (Rev. 17:12-17)

The dictatorship of the Antichrist: The Antichrist will “arise after” the ten-nation confederation is in power. He will arise to subdue or remove three kings (7:24),leading a violent overthrow of the government to seize control of the ten-nation confederation by having three of the kings killed.

24“…and another [Antichrist] shall rise after them[the 10 kings]; he shall be different…” (Dan. 7:24)

12“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings…17God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast…”
(Rev. 17:12-17)

Much of this teaching will be used by the English speaking Pastors in the Africa Training Bible School.(ATBS)

Each of these ATBS Series includes an audio and handout or study notes to be downloaded as well as a PowerPoint to make the viewing more visual for the Pastors in Africa and the youth in their church.