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One-sentence summary: Daniel sees two visions of the end times: one of four beasts representing four kingdoms, and another of two kingdoms; the Lord promises an everlasting kingdom for His people and a Messiah.
In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel has a dream and a vision while lying on his bed, and he writes it down. In his vision, he sees "the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea, and four great beasts coming out of the sea," each different from the other. The first is like a lion with eagles' wings. Its wings are plucked off, and it is lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man. And a man's heart is given to it. The second beast is like a bear, with three ribs in its mouth between its teeth, and it is said to it, "Arise, and devour much flesh!" There is another beast like a leopard that has four birds' wings and four heads. And dominion was given to to it. Then, he sees a fourth beast, "dreadful and terrible and exceedingly strong," with huge iron feet, "breaking in pieces and crushing the residue with its feet." This beast is different from the other three. It has ten horns on its head, and Daniel sees another coming up, causing three horns to be plucked out. In the horn are "eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking pompous words." Thrones are put in place, and "the Ancient of Days [is] seated." His garment is white as snow, and his hair, like pure wool. His throne is a fiery flame, and its wheels a burning fire. A fiery stream comes forth from before Him and a thousand thousands minister to him; ten thousand times ten thousand stand before Him. Daniel sees the court seated and books opened. The horns are still speaking pompous words, but then the beast is slain and his body given to the flames. The rest of the beasts have their dominion taken away, but their lives are prolonged "for a season and a time." Daniel is watching and sees One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He comes to the Ancient of Days, and Daniel says that to Him is given "dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and His kingdom, the one which shall not be destroyed." Daniel is grieved in spirit and troubled. He comes near to one who stands by and asks him the meaning of all this, and he gives him the interpretation. He tells Daniel that the four beast are four kings that will arise from the earth, but the saints of the Most High will possess the kingdom forever and ever. Daniel asks about the fourth beast at its horns, especially the one that came up- he sees it making war against the saints and prevailing against them until the Ancient of Days comes and judges in favor of them and the time comes for them to possess the kingdom. The man says that this kingdom will be different from all other kingdoms and devour the whole earth, trample it, and break it in pieces. The ten horns are ten kings which will arise from it, and another will arise after it, different from the first ones who will subdue the three kings. He will speak pompous words against the Most High and persecute the saints and will intend to change times and law. The saints will be given into his hand "for a time, and times, and half a time." But the court will be seated, and they will take away his dominion to destroy it forever. Then, the kingdom and dominion will be given to the saints. All dominions will serve Him (the Messiah), and His kingdom is an everlasting one. Daniel's thoughts are troubled and his countenance is changed, but he keeps the matter in his heart.
In the third year of Belshazzar, another vision appears to Daniel. He sees in Susa, the citadel in Elam by the River Ulai. He lifts his eyes and sees beside the river a ram with two high horns, one higher than the other, which comes up last. The ram is "pushing westward, northward, and southward" so that no animal can withstand him, and he does according to his will. Daniel is wondering at this, when he sees a male goat coming from the west, without touching the ground, with a horn between his eyes. He comes to the ram and runs at him with furious power and rage, and he breaks his two horns. The ram is cast down to the ground and trampled. He grows very great, but when he is strong, one of his large horns is broken, and four notable horns come up "out of the four winds of heaven." And out of one of them comes a little horn which grows great toward the south and east, and toward the land and even to the heavens. It casts down some of the host of heaven to the ground and tramples them. He even exalts himself "as high as the prince of the host, and the daily sacrifices [are] taken away, and the place of His sanctuary is taken down because of transgression." An army is given to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices. He casts truth to the ground, and he prospers. Then, Daniel hears a holy one speaking, and another holy one asks him, "How long will the vision be concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation- the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?" And he answers that it is for 2,300 days, and that after that, the sanctuary will be cleansed. After Daniel sees this and is wondering about the meaning, he sees before him One with the appearance of a man, and a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, who says, "Gabriel, make this man understand the vision." Then, he comes near, and Daniel is afraid and falls on his face. But he says, "Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end." Daniel is sleeping with his face to the ground, but He touches Him and stands him upright. And He tells him He is making known to him what will happen "in the latter time of indignation," because "at the appointed time, the end will be." He says the ram with the two horns is Meed and Persia, and the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn between its eyes is the first kingdom. The broken horn and the four in its place are four kingdoms that will arise, but not with the same power. In the latter time of its kingdom, "when the transgressors have reached their fullest," a king will arise "with fierce features who understands sinister schemes." His power will be mighty, but not by his own power. He will "destroy fearfully and will prosper and thrive." He will destroy the mighty and the holy people. "Through cunning, he will cause deceit to prosper under him. He will exalt himself in his heart." He will destroy many in their prosperity, even rising against the princes of princes. But he will be broken without human means. He tells Daniel to seal up the vision because it refers to many days in the future. Daniel faints and is sick for days. Then, he arises and goes about the king's business. He is astonished at the vision, but no one understands it.
In the first year of Darius of the Medes who is made king over the Chaldeans, Daniel "[understands] by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that [the Lord] would accomplish 70 years in the desolation of Jerusalem." So he sets his face toward the Lord to "make supplications with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes" and confesses and praises Him. He confesses on behalf of His people. He says under all heaven, such has never been done as has been done to Jerusalem. He asks that the Lord's anger and fury be turned away from Jerusalem and His holy mountain, because His people are a reproach to those around them. He asks Him to hear his prayer for His own sake, to cause His face to shine on His sanctuary. He says he is praying not for their righteous deeds but because of the Lord's great mercy. While He is confessing his and Israel's sin, "the man Gabriel" whom he saw at the beginning, "being caused to fly swiftly," reaches him at the time of the evening offering, and he speaks with him. He says he has given him skill to understand. He says as soon as Daniel began supplicating, "the command went out," and he has come because Daniel is "greatly beloved." Then, he tells him the vision. He says 70 weeks are determined for his people in order to "finish the transgressions, make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquities, to bring an everlasting righteousness, to seal up visions and prophecies, and to anoint the Most Holy." He says that from the going forth of the command to restore Jerusalem until "Messiah the Prince," there will be 70 weeks and 62 weeks. After that, the Messiah will be cut off, but not for Himself. And the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary, and there will be a flood and war. Then, the Lord will "confirm a covenant with many for one week," but in the middle of the week, he will bring an end to sacrifices and offerings, and on the wing of abomination will be one who makes desolate until the consummation is determined to be poured out on the desolate.
Thoughts/discussion questions:
One of the most, if not the most, perplexing passages in all of Scripture. One really needs to understand metaphoric language and symbolism to begin to interpret the meaning.