What do the "four great beasts" in Daniel 7:3 symbolize in prophecy? Text of the Vision “Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another.” (Daniel 7:3) Scripture’s Own Explanation • “These four great beasts are four kings who will arise from the earth.” (Daniel 7:17) • “But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.” (Daniel 7:18) The Four Beasts and Their Historical Fulfillment 1. Lion with eagle’s wings – Babylon (605 – 539 BC) – Jeremiah likens Nebuchadnezzar to a lion (Jeremiah 4:7). – Wings plucked off pictures the humbling of Babylon’s king (cf. Daniel 4:28-37). 2. Bear raised on one side with three ribs – Medo-Persia (539 – 331 BC) – “Raised up on one side” reflects the dominance of Persia over Media. – Three ribs point to notable conquests: Lydia, Babylon, and Egypt. – Parallels the ram with two horns in Daniel 8:3-4. 3. Leopard with four wings and four heads – Greece (331 – 146 BC) – Swiftness of Alexander’s campaigns pictured by wings (cf. Daniel 8:5). – Four heads anticipate the division of his empire among four generals (Daniel 8:22). 4. Dreadful, iron-toothed beast – Rome (146 BC – AD 476) and its final revival – Iron links it to the legs of iron in Nebuchadnezzar’s statue (Daniel 2:40). – Ten horns match the ten toes of Daniel 2:42 and foresee a confederation of kingdoms yet future. – Out of these ten rises a “little horn” (Daniel 7:8) — the final Antichrist echoed in Revelation 13:1-8. Why These Identifications Fit • Direct correspondence to the four metals of Daniel 2’s statue, moving from gold to iron. • Progressive shift from majestic to brutal power mirrors history’s record of these empires. • Later chapters (Daniel 8) name Medo-Persia and Greece explicitly, anchoring the sequence. Prophetic Significance • The final form of the fourth beast remains future, climaxing in a global ruler who persecutes the saints (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:7). • “But the court will convene, and his dominion will be taken away” (Daniel 7:26). • Christ’s everlasting kingdom will replace every human empire (Daniel 7:27; Revelation 11:15). Key Takeaways for Today • History unfolds exactly as God revealed; Scripture can be trusted down to detail. • Earthly powers rise and fall, but heaven’s rule is unshakable. • Believers live with confidence, knowing the “saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom.” |
    |