Daniel 7 Scofield
Read Daniel 7 · Matthew Henry on Daniel 7
7:5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
“three ribs”
A reference to the three-fold dominion of the second empire, Media, Persia, Babylonia.
“devour”
i.e. Lydia, Babylonia, Egypt, etc.
7:6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
“leopard”
Swiftness of Alexander's conquests.
7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
“horns”
A horn symbolizes a king. Cf. Rev 17:12.
7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
“little horn”
The vision is of the end of Gentile world-dominion. The former Roman empire (the iron kingdom of Dan 2:33–35; Dan 2:40–44; Dan 7:7 will have ten horns (i.e. kings, Rev 17:12 corresponding to the ten toes of the image. As Daniel considers this vision of the ten kings, there rises up amongst them a "little horn" (king), who subdues three of the ten kings so completely that the separate identity of their kingdoms is destroyed. Seven kings of the ten are left, and the "little horn." He is the "king of fierce countenance" typified by that other "king of fierce countenance," Antiochus Epiphanes, Dan 8:23–25 the "prince that shall come" of Dan 9:26; Dan 9:27 the "king" of Dan 11:36–45 the "abomination" of; Dan 12:11; Matt 24:15 the "man of sin" of 2 Thess 2:4–8 and the "Beast" of Rev 13:4–10. See "Beast"; Dan 7:8; Rev 19:20.
7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
“and they”
This scene is identical with that of Rev 5:6–10. There the ascription of praise of the "kings and priests" (cf. Dan 7:18; Dan 7:18 ref. a) ends with the words, "and we shall reign on the earth." Revelation 6. opens the "vexing" of Ps 2:5 introductory to setting the king on Zion; Ps 2:6; Rev 20:4. The vision Dan 7:9–14 reverses the order of events as they will be fulfilled. Dan 7:13 describes the scene in heaven (cf) Rev 5:6–10 which, in fulfilment, precedes the events which Daniel sees in vision in Dan 7:9–12. The historic order will be:
(1) The investiture of the Son of Man with the kingdom Dan 7:13; Dan 7:14; Rev 5:6–10
(2) the "vexing" of Ps 2:5, fully described in Matt 24:21; Matt 24:22 Revelation 6-18.
(3) The return of the Son of Man in glory to deliver the "smiting" blow of Dan 2:45; Dan 7:9–11 Rev 19:11–21.
(4) The judgement of the nations and the setting up of the kingdom Dan 7:10; Dan 7:26; Dan 7:27; Matt 25:31–46; Rev 20:1–6.
7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
“him”
Dan 7:13; Dan 7:14 is identical with Rev 5:1–7 and antedates the fulfilment of Dan 2:34; Dan 2:35.; Dan 7:13; Dan 7:14; Rev 5:1–7 describe the investiture of the Son of Man and Son of David with the kingdom authority, while Dan 2:34; Dan 2:35 describes the crushing blow (Armageddon, Rev 16:14 which destroys Gentile world-power, thus clearing the way for the actual setting up of the kingdom of heaven.; Dan 2:34; Dan 2:35; Rev 19:19–21 are the same event.
7:17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
“beasts”
The monarch vision of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2) covers the same historic order as the beast vision of Daniel, but with this difference: Nebuchadnezzar saw the imposing outward power and splendour of the "times of the Gentiles" Luke 21:24; Rev 16:19 while Daniel saw the true character of Gentile world-government as rapacious and warlike, established and maintained by force. It is remarkable that the heraldic insignia of the Gentile nations are all beasts or birds of prey.
7:18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
“saints”
vs. Dan 7:18; Dan 7:22; Dan 7:25; Dan 7:27. That church saints will also share in the rule seems clear from; Acts 16:17; Rom 8:17; 2 Tim 2:10–12; 1 Pet 2:9; Rev 1:6; Rev 3:21; Rev 5:10; Rev 20:4–6.
7:19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
“know the truth of the fourth beast”
See note 4, (See Scofield "Dan 7:17").
7:26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
“and they shall”
The end of Gentile world-power.
(1) In the beast vision of Daniel 7. the fourth beast is declared to be "the fourth kingdom," i.e. the Roman empire, the "iron" kingdom of Daniel 2. The "ten horns" upon the fourth beast (Roman empire), Dan 7:7 are declared to be "ten kings that shall arise" (Dan 7:24) answering to the ten toes of the image vision of Daniel 2. The ten kingdoms, covering the regions formerly ruled by Rome, will constitute, therefore, the form in which the fourth or Roman empire will exist when the whole fabric of Gentile world-domination is smitten by the "stone cut out without hands" == Christ; Dan 2:44; Dan 2:45; Dan 7:9.
(2) But Daniel sees a "little horn" rise up and subdue three of the ten kings Dan 7:24–26. His distinguishing mark is hatred of God and of the Saints. He is not to be confounded with the "little horn" of Daniel 8 --a prophecy fulfilled in Antiochus Epiphanes. (See Scofield "Dan 8:9"). In Revelation 13, additional particulars of the "little horn" of Daniel 7. are given. See Scofield "Rev 13:1".
7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
“everlasting kingdom”
See, 2 Sam 7:16; Ps 89:35–37; Dan 4:3; Dan 7:13; Dan 7:14; Luke 1:31–33.
Public domain (1917). Text from the BibleSupport.com e-Sword module.
7:2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
“great sea”
The "sea" in Scripture imagery stands for the populace, the mere unorganized mass of mankind Matt 13:47; Rev 13:1.