Day 13 of Journey Through Daniel | A VISION OF FOUR GREAT BEASTS

COMMENTARY Chapter 7 marks a critical juncture in the book of Daniel. It concludes the Aramaic section of the book, which runs from Daniel 2-7. It also marks the beginning of the apocalyptic section of the book, which runs from Daniel 7-12. Technically, we have already encountered some apocalyptic material in the dreams of Daniel 2 and 4. But whereas Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams were a part of narrative stories, the dreams and visions we read now in the second half of the book of Daniel are just that, dreams and visions. The apocalyptic material we read in this part of Daniel can seem very challenging, but a couple tips can make this part of the book less imposing. First, it’s critical to know that an apocalypse is not necessarily a depiction of the “end of the world” as one might think from watching Hollywood Christianity. An apocalypse is simply an unveiling, a revelation, or a vision of the world through a different set of lenses. Viewing the world through this perspective can help us see reality the way God sees it. Second, the main themes, images, and ideas that we’ve encountered in the first six chapters all reappear in the final six apocalyptic chapters. The book of Daniel wasn’t haphazardly put together; a lot of creative genius went into designing this book. If we read it slowly and sensitively, we can appreciate the masterpiece that it is. The opening verses of Daniel 7 draw on a number of important themes related to the first half of the book. They describe four great “beasts” that “crush” and “devour” their victims while speaking arrogantly. This imagery is reminiscent of Daniel 6, where conspirators “falsely accused” (literally: devoured) Daniel, and where lions “crushed” their bones. It is also reminiscent of Daniel 4, which describes how Nebuchadnezzar devolved into a beast after he failed to rule with justice and humility. That alone should give us a clue about the significance of the four beasts. Finally, the appearance of four symbols in a dream should remind us of the dream in chapter 2 where four metals represented four kingdoms of this world. We will spend another day working through this critically important vision, but we can already see that Daniel 7 contains yet another prophetic critique of worldly empires. Through this apocalypse, God wants us to perceive that leaders and the structures they manage can behave like beasts, trampling upon the weakest among them. SCRIPTURE DANIEL 7:1–8 7 DANIEL’S DREAM OF FOUR BEASTS 1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream. 2 Daniel said: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. 3 Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea. 4 “The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a human being, and the mind of a human was given to it. 5 “And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and eat your fill of flesh!’ 6 “After that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard. And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule. 7 “After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast— terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns. 8 “While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a human being and a mouth that spoke boastfully. QUESTIONS 1. Apocalyptic visions like what we read in Daniel 7 use vivid images to reveal an alternative perspective on reality. What makes images effective in shaping our view of reality? What feelings do you have when you envision the scene of four beasts? 2. How has God already been opening your eyes throughout the book of Daniel?