Title: Wenstrom Bible Ministries Marion, Iowa Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom www.wenstrom.org
1Wenstrom Bible MinistriesMarion,
IowaPastor-Teacher Bill Wenstromwww.wenstrom.o
rg
2Tuesday June 4, 2013Daniel Daniel 719-Daniel
Seeks the Interpretation of the Fourth
BeastLesson 218
3Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 71.
4Daniel 71 During Belshazzars, Babylons king,
first year, Daniel saw a dream specifically
visions in his mind on his bed. Then, he wrote
down the dream. He declares the beginning of the
account. 2 Daniel began to speak and said, I was
in a trance like state, staring because of my
vision during the night as behold the heavens
four winds were blowing violently against the
great sea.
53 Then, four great beasts, one different from the
other, came up out from the sea. 4 The first
beast was like a lion with eagles wings attached
to it. I was in a trance like state staring when
its wings were torn off. Then it was lifted up
from the ground for the purpose of it standing on
two feet like a human being. A human mind was
also given to it.
65 Next, another beast, a second one, resembling a
bear with it raised up to one side with three
ribs in its mouth between its teeth. Then, they
issued orders to it, Arise, devour much flesh!
6 After this, I was staring in a trance like
state as behold, another one, was like a leopard
with it having four birds wings on its back.
Also, the beast had four heads. Indeed,
governmental dominion was given to it.
77 After this, I was continuing to stare in a
trance like state because of these night visions
as behold, a fourth beast, intimidating, yes even
terrifying as well as extremely powerful,
possessing two large rows of iron teeth. It
devoured as well as crushed. Specifically, it
violently crushed the rest with its feet. Indeed,
it was characterized as different from all the
beasts which were before it in the sense of
possessing ten horns.
88 I was contemplating in a trance like state
because of these horns as behold, another little
horn emerged out from among them. Then, the first
three originating from the horns was torn out by
being in the presence of it. In fact, behold, on
this horn, were eyes like a human beings eyes as
well as a mouth speaking boastfully.
99 I was continuing to stare in a trance like
state when thrones were set up. Then, the One
Ancient in Days sat. His clothing was white like
snow. Also, the hair of His head was like lambs
wool. His throne was fiery flames. Its wheels
were a blazing fire.
1010 A river composed of fire was flowing, yes
issuing forth from His presence. A thousand times
a thousand were continually rendering worshipful
service to Him. In fact, ten thousand times ten
thousand were continually standing in His
presence. The court convened resulting in scrolls
being opened.
1111 I was continuing to stare in a trance like
state at that time because of the sound coming
from the boastful words which the horn was making
a habit of speaking. I was continuing to stare in
a trance like state when the beast was killed. In
fact, its body was destroyed. Specifically, it
was given over to the consuming fire.
1212 On the other hand, the rest of the beasts,
their governmental dominion was taken away,
though for their benefit an extension of life was
granted for a period of time, yes an appointed
period of time. 13 I was continuing to stare in a
trance like state because of these visions as
behold One like a Son of Man was coming upon the
clouds of heaven. Specifically, He went up to the
One Ancient in Days in the sense that He
approached His presence.
1314 Then, governmental dominion was given to Him
as well as honor and in addition sovereignty in
order that each and every person belonging to the
nations, ethnicities as well as language groups
would serve Him. His governmental dominion is an
eternal governmental dominion which can never be
taken away so that His kingdom is one which can
never be destroyed.
1415 As for me, Daniel, my soul was distressed in
the midst of my body. Specifically, the visions
in my mind caused me to be terrified. 16 I went
up to one from those standing nearby in order to
request from him the truth regarding all this.
Consequently, he spoke to me in order to make
known to me the interpretation of these events.
1517 These great beasts, which are four in number
are four kings who will arise from the earths
inhabitants. 18 However, the saints belonging to
the Most High will receive the kingdom. Indeed,
they will possess the kingdom throughout
eternity, yes throughout eternity, the ages.
(My translation)
16Daniel 719 Then I desired to know the exact
meaning of the fourth beast, which was different
from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with
its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and
which devoured, crushed and trampled down the
remainder with its feet. (NASB95)
17Daniel 719 Then, I desired to know the meaning
concerning the fourth beast which was different
from all the others, extraordinarily
intimidating, its two rows of teeth composed of
iron as well as its claws composed of bronze. It
devoured as well as crushed. Specifically, it
violently crushed the rest with its feet. (My
translation)
18After the unidentified interpreter informed
Daniel that the four beasts in his vision
represented four kings/kingdoms but in contrast
to these beasts, the saints of the Most High will
possess the kingdom throughout eternity, Daniel
tells the reader that he desired to know the
meaning of the fourth beast.
19As he did in verse 7, here in verse 19 Daniel
presents to the reader a description of the
fourth beast.
20However, verse 19 gives information about the
fourth beast, which was not provided in verse 7
while on the other hand, verse 7 provides
information which does not appear in verse 19.
21In both verses, Daniel describes the fourth beast
as intimidating.
22However, unlike verse 7, in verse 19, he states
that it was extraordinarily intimidating.
23In verse 7, he describes the fourth beast as
terrifying as well as extremely powerful whereas
in verse 19, he does not mention these things,
though they could be implied from the information
given in verse 19.
24Then, in verse 7, Daniel describes the fourth
beast as possessing two large rows of iron teeth
while on the other hand in verse 19, he simply
says that this beast possessed two rows of iron
teeth mentioning that they were large.
25In verse 19, Daniel describes the fourth beast as
possessing bronze claws, which he does not
mention in verse 7.
26However, in verse 7, he tells the reader that
this fourth beast devoured as well as crushed.
27Specifically, it violently crushed the rest of
the other three beasts with its feet.
28He uses this exact same language in verse 19 to
describe this beast.
29Lastly, in verse 7, Daniel completes his
description of the fourth beast by informing the
reader that it was characterized as different
from the other three beasts in the sense that it
possessed ten horns.
30On the other hand, in verse 19, he begins his
description of the fourth beast by telling the
reader that it was different from the other three
beasts, but unlike verse 7, he mentions nothing
about the horns which he does though, in verse
20.
31Therefore, a comparison of both verses reveals
that verse 19 summarizes verse 7 but gives an
added detail (bronze claws).
32However, both verses emphasize that this fourth
beast was superior to the three beasts preceding
it in that it destroyed the other beasts by
violently crushing them with its feet.
33Of the four beasts, the fourth receives the
longest description from Daniel because it was
unique from the other beasts and destroyed the
other beasts.
34Daniel 719-20 indicates that one of the reasons
why Daniel was greatly disturbed by the fourth
beast was that it destroyed the others.
35The other reason he was greatly disturbed by the
fourth beast was its ten horns and in particular
the little horn which emerged on the fourth
beast, which Daniel mentions in verse 20.
36As we noted in Daniel 77, this fourth beast
represents the Roman Empire since it corresponds
to the legs of iron in the image that appeared in
Nebuchadnezzars dream in Daniel chapter two,
which we noted represented the Roman Empire.
37The mention of this fourth beast possessing large
iron teeth and violently crushing the other three
beasts characterized the Roman Empire.
38The Roman armies were known for their iron armor
which led some to refer to them as the Iron
Legions of Rome, emphasizing their strength and
invincibility.
39The Roman armies were also known for violently
crushing countries and civilizations enslaving
many peoples.
40Daniel 240 records this fourth kingdom is
compared to iron because it would crush and
shatter other kingdoms just as iron shatters and
crushes all things.
41This comparison indicates that this fourth
kingdom will be more powerful and destructive
than the previous three empires which were
represented on the statue by the gold head, the
silver arms and chest and bronze belly and
thighs, which history records as Babylon,
Medo-Persia and Greece respectively.
42This verse also says that this fourth kingdom,
which history records as the Roman Empire will
crush as well as break in pieces every kingdom it
confronts in war just like iron breaks into
pieces gold, silver and bronze.
43The Roman Empire broke into pieces and shattered
to pieces more kingdoms and brought them into
greater subjection than Babylon, Medo-Persia and
Greece.
44Some modern interpreters have attempted to
identify these four kingdoms as Babylon, followed
by Media and then Persia and lastly Greece.
45They do this in order to fit the Book into their
view that Daniel was written during the
persecution of the Jews by Antiochus Epiphanes in
175-165 B.C.
46However, in Daniel 820, Daniel identifies Media
and Persia as a single empire represented by a
single animal, which is the ram.
47This confirms the interpretation that Medo-Persia
was the second empire.
48Furthermore history does not demonstrate that the
Median Empire was followed by a Persian Empire.
49In 65 B.C., the Roman general Pompey conquered
Syria and by 30 B.C. Augustus had conquered Egypt
and had taken over Jerusalem establishing himself
as the first Roman emperor.
50The Roman Empire deserved its representation as
the iron empire since it subdued and destroyed
the remnants of the preceding empires as well as
many other nations.
51Since the metals of the statue in the vision of
Nebuchadnezzars dream in Daniel chapter two
decrease in value but increase in strength, the
iron lower legs of the statue indicate that the
character of the authority in rulership of the
Roman Empire was inferior to Alexanders Greece,
Media-Persia and Nebuchadnezzars Babylon.
52However, its military power or strength was
superior to these three.
53(No Transcript)