The Book Of Daniel.

The Book of Daniel.

Daniel 7:1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.

Daniel chapter seven brings us to consider Daniel's dream and the prophetic interpretation. He dreams of the 4 winds of heaven, simultaneously blowing upon the great sea. The winds depict the HolySpirit of God moving and stirring in the Great sea, (peoples and nations). Suddenly, four great beasts, diverse from one another come up from the sea.

These are not depicted in the image of Daniel chapter 2, but they shall stand in succession in the time of the 10 toes or 10 kings of Daniel 2. The first 3 of these beasts are described as a lion with eagles feathers, a bear raising itself on one side with 3 ribs in its mouth. The third is described as a leopard having 4 wings and 4 heads. However the 4th beast is not likened to any known creature, it has iron teeth, 10 horns and brass claws.

Before going further in our study of Daniel 7 it would be profitable to consider a parallel passage in Revelation 13,

Revelation 13:1-2 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. [2] And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

The beast arising out of the sea is the Antichrist. However, the Antichrist has the appearance of a leopard, a bear and a lion which mirrors exactly the description of the 3 beasts of Daniel 7. The man of sin appears like a lion, clothed with eagles feathers and made to stand like a man, with a man's heart.

The Antichrist appears as a bear, raising itself on one side with 3 ribs in it's mouth. He appears as a leopard having 4 wings and 4 heads. So the man of sin is the embodiment of kingly authority and power, purporting to have heavenly qualities. At the same time having the appearance of a strong man.

The man of sin appears also as the embodiment of a bear like man slayer on the one side and peacable on the other. The Antichrist will be the embodiment of unpardonable sin (the leopard cannot change it's spots) having 4 wings, (angel like) and 4 heads, (global in authority)

Getting back to Daniel's dream, the 3 beasts will be revealed at the time of the 10 kings (Daniel 2 :44) The 4th beast is not Rome as some imagine, but is the man of sin depicted in Revelation13 :1 - 10.

God willing, we will return to this prophesy next time.

Blessings in Christ. Rev Mervyn Cotton.