Grace Still Amazes

Framed by admissions of alarm (in verses 15 and 28), Daniel received a brief interpretation from an angel (vv. 16-18), desired to know more about the fourth beast and its horns (vv. 19-22), and then heard the angel elaborate on these aspects of the vision (vv. 23-27).

First, notice that Daniel confessed his anxious spirit (v. 15).

15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me. 16 I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things.

I want you to notice what Daniel did with his anxiety.  He admits that he was anxious.  But what did he do?  He sought out answers from God’s representative.  Daniel went to God for help, to determine what the truth was.  And we will find out that God answers.  Ask and you will receive.  Don’t just sit and stew.

God’s antidote to anxiety is to turn to Him, the One who knows all things and is in control of all things.  If we need answers, He can provide; if we need help, He has the power to help.

The beasts from the sea were frightening enough, and apparently the heavenly judgment scene and the one like a son of man did nothing to relieve Daniel’s fear, but rather added to it.  Indeed, the fiery throne-chariot and the figure coming “with the clouds of heaven” may have overwhelmed him with their majesty and glory.  All the earthly glory of Babylon could not compare to this!  Daniel’s fearful response echoes the earlier reactions of Nebuchadnezzar (2:1, 3; 4:5) and Belshazzar (5:6).

Daniel knew that the accession of Nebuchadnezzar and the destruction of Jerusalem signaled the beginning of the “times of the Gentiles.”  The Jewish world empire would have to wait; they had failed at their role of being a light to the nations.  This is why they had been in exile.  Their opportunity to be a light to the nations had been lost.  Even though God has promised that the exile would be over in 70 years, there would be no restoration of the monarchy.  There would be no Davidic king sitting on the throne in Jerusalem.  Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and Daniel’s vision both confirm that this would not be the case.  God’s people would be persecuted by the little horn, almost “worn down.”  Compared to the “little horn,” the Babylonian period had been relatively benign.

Even the fact that Cyrus the Persian was now making international headlines would not have escaped Daniel.  He knew that perilous times were coming.  The fall of Babylon could not be far distant.    “Assured as he was by the closing part of his vision (7:11-14), that the Messiah’s kingdom would come, all that Daniel could see for now was delay after delay,” (John Phillips, Exploring the Book of Daniel, p. 123).  That, too, would disturb him.

Unlike in chapters 2, 4 and 5 (the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar and the handwriting on the wall), in chapter 7 Daniel must seek out an interpretation for his own vision.

16 I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this.

He doubtless approached an angel, serving the Ancient of Days.  He asked him “the truth concerning all this.”

These angels “stood before” God (v. 10), and the one Daniel approached remains unnamed, although 9:21 probably helps readers in hindsight to identify him as Gabriel.

When Daniel asked for the truth concerning the visions, the angel provided an interpretation.

17 ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’

Though the angel’s words in verses 17-18 are not elaborate, they distill the main point of the monsters in the sea (v. 17) and the judgment and vindication in heaven (v. 18).

The four great beasts were four kings who would arise.   Thus, they point to literal kings and literal kingdoms.  While “beast” could function in a corporate sense for the kingdom itself, it is clear in this case that the “beasts” are identified in an individualistic sense as “four kings.”  That they rise “out of the earth” (contrast “out of the sea” in v. 1), shows their human origin, they are merely earthly.  They arose from the earth’s population, which is also what the sea symbolized in verse 2 (v. 2; cf. Isa. 17:12-13; 57:20-21; Jer. 46:7-8).

Understood in parallel with chapter 2, these “four kings” would be part of kingdoms in a certain order: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome.

Since each of the kingdoms would have more than one king as future events unfolded, the reference to “four kings” indicates that one king from each kingdom was particularly in view 

Kings and Kingdoms of Daniel 2 and 7

The angel’s interpretation (vv. 18-19) summarized the point of the heavenly courtroom vision (vv. 9-14).  The angel spoke of a kingdom that would be possessed forever, specifying “the saints of the Most High” as the ones who “shall receive” it.  Hold on, I thought vv. 13-14 said that “one like the son of man” would possess the kingdom.  Now “the saints” “receive” and “possess” it forever?  This would be totally unexpected.  How could this be?  Here Daniel was seeing the actualization of the vindication of God’s people.  The kingdoms of the world were by this time conquered, and God’s people had now received an everlasting kingdom and would exercise dominion like Adam, whose creation mandate they still stewarded.  This is similar to Revelation 20:4, 6).

John Walvoord explains, “This does not mean that God will not rule, as verse 14 plainly states that dominion is given to the Son of man, but it does indicate that the kingdom will be for the benefit and the welfare of the saints in contrast to their previous experience of persecution.”

As the NT writers demonstrate by quoting Jesus’ self-description as the “Son of Man” (Matt. 8:20; 9:6; 24:30; cf. Rev. 1:7, 13), the “saints” of Daniel 7:18 do not completely fulfill Daniel’s vision of “one like a son of man” in verse 13.  That figure “came to the Ancient of Days” and did so “with the clouds of heaven,” an encounter and status fit only for deity.  Furthermore, “all peoples, nations, and languages” would “serve” the “one like a son of man,” and since no mere human is worthy of worship, only a divine person could warrant and rightly command this global homage.

Just as Jesus is the stone of chapter 2 that will inaugurate God’s everlasting kingdom, so he is the Son of Man who will be given authority over all things and an everlasting dominion that “shall not pass away” (7:14).  In God’s wise redemptive plan, believers are also stones used by God to build a spiritual house (1 Pet. 2:5), as well as “one like a son of man” who will receive God’s everlasting kingdom.  In the light of progressive and canonical revelation, it becomes clear that only in union with the last Adam can the saints faithfully and truly exercise their God-assigned dominion.  Because the Son of Man will possess the kingdom (and it is truly His kingdom), the saints shall possess it forever as well and co-rule with Him.

And who, exactly, are these “saints”?  “Saints” could refer to every believer in Jesus Christ (as Paul often called Christ followers in his epistles).  J. Dwight Pentecost wrote that they are believing Jews alive when Christ returns, “not believers of the Church age,” since God did not reveal the church’s existence in the Old Testament (“Daniel,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, p. 1352. So also Fruchtenbaum, The Book of Daniel. 2nd ed., p. 263).

Auberlen agrees, saying that “the prophet’s words refer to the re-establishment of the kingdom of Israel, concerning which the disciples asked our Savior immediately before His ascension; and our Lord, though refusing to reveal to them the date or chronology, did in no way negative the subject matter of their question, and thereby confirmed it (Acts 20:7, 6, 7)” ((Carl Augustus Auberlen, The Prophecies of Daniel and the Revelations of St. John: Viewed in Their Mutual Relation, With an Exposition of the Principal Passages, p. 217)

All believers will have a share in the Son of Man’s everlasting kingdom after He establishes it.   Those who are not saints, according to Matthew 25:31-46, will not be permitted to enter into and enjoy this time of perfect rule.  The word for “possess” here carries the weight of authority and ownership.  “The kingdom will be owned by the saints,” says Leon Wood.  “The significant thought is that, rather than the wicked being in places of leadership, with Satan at large to guide and inspire (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; 1 Pet. 5:8; Rev. 12:9), the saints of God will be in the ascendancy, while “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of God” (Isa. 11:9), and Satan is bound in the “bottomless pit” (Rev. 20:3)” (A Commentary on Daniel, pp. 196-197).

This will involve reigning with Christ (cf. Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 5:10; 20:4, 6; 22:5).  This kingdom will begin with the return of Christ to the earth, continue for 1,000 years on the earth, and then continue in the new heavens and new earth forever.  This scenario corrects the objection of some that this kingdom cannot be millennial since the angel said it would last forever.

“The reason for emphasizing the participation of God’s people in the final kingdom seems to be that it is a literal, earthly kingdom, replacing the previous empires of men, rather than a spiritual domain, a sort of ideal kingdom of God consisting only of the Lord himself” (Gleason Archer, Jr. “Daniel” in Daniel-Minor Prophets. Vol. 7 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, p. 93).

Walvoord notes that only three collective verses are given to the first three kingdoms, while twenty-one verses are designated to this final kingdom. He writes, “If this is genuine prophecy, it is also true that Daniel is being guided providentially to that which is important from God’s standpoint.”

In verses 19-22, Daniel specified what he wanted to know more about: the fourth beast, the ten horns, and the “other horn” (vv. 19-20), as well as what the other horn did that led to its judgment (vv. 21-22).

19 “Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, 20 and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. 

Daniel’s language about the fourth beast (“exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet”) echoes verses 7-8.  Not found in the earlier vision of the turbulent sea, however, is the detail about the fourth beast’s “claws of bronze,” a detail observed only in verse 19.

The order of the teeth, claws and feet in verse 19 correspond to the verbs “devouring,” “breaking,” and “stamping.”  This again reemphasizes that the fourth beast was ferocious and altogether terrible.

Daniel desired to know not only about that fourth beast, but also about “the ten horns that were on its head” (v. 20; cf. v. 8).  Who were they?  They seem to be a confederacy of states or empires of the end times.

He wanted more information about “the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell,” which was the horn with the eyes and mouth (cf. v. 8).  In verse 8 he had said that “three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots,” but in verse 20 he observed that “three of them fell” before the little/other horn.  It is possible that these three were obstructionist states among the ten.  They will be humbled by the “little horn” and his absolute power.

Who is this “little horn”?  With its correlation which the personages of 2 Thessalonians 2 and Revelation 13, it is obvious that this is the Antichrist.  Satan offered the kingdoms of the world to Jesus, and he refused.  This man will accept.

To Daniel, this horn “seemed greater than its companions” (v. 20), the other ten horns, but especially greater than the three it defeated.  It may also have reference to his boastful tongue.  He seemed greater in his own eyes.

The greatness of the little horn was displayed amid war against God’s people.

21 As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

Here the little horn makes war with the saints and overpowers them.  Does the word “saint” mean that we are speaking of the church?  Not necessarily.  Although Paul often used the term “saint” to speak of the Christian recipients of his epistles, it is a broader term that means anyone who is “set apart” to God.  Revelation 13:7 repeats this scenario.  It is likely that “saints” there means anyone, Jew or Gentile, but most especially Jews, who have come to faith during the tribulation period.

Such opposition against God’s people was not attributed to the other, previous beasts.  This likely explains Daniel’s focus on the fourth beast and the little horn.  The little horn waged war with the saints and overcame them, which explains one reason for God’s final judgment of him (cf. Rev. 11:7; 12:13-17; 13:7; 17:17).  And Daniel seems to have been particularly concerned about the fate of the saints whom the little horn overpowered.  “Since the Antichrist will oppose especially the Jews in Palestine during the latter half of the Tribulation (Dan. 9:26-27; Rev. 12:1-6, 13-17), the primary reference must be to them, but because of the kind of person he will be, all saints of God clearly will experience this opposition to some degree.  While the Antichrist rules, life, will not be easy for those who love God” (Leon Wood, A Commentary on Daniel, p. 198).

“In respect to the Jews during the Tribulation, the Antichrist will be able to do away with two-thirds of their number (Zech. 13:8-9) and to cause Jerusalem to fall to his army (Zech. 14:1-2).  In respect to Gentiles, he will be able to kill many of them also (Rev. 13:7-10) and cause economic hardship (Rev. 13:16-17)” (Leon Wood, A Commentary on Daniel, p. 198).

It is highly likely that this “little horn” is the same “prince” (Dan. 9:27) who starts the 70^th week, the Tribulation Period, with a peace covenant.

27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week [seven years], and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering.  And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

When the Antichrist, at the midpoint of the tribulation, is “resurrected,” he will post an image of that beast (Rev. 13:5) in the Jewish temple, the “abomination of desolation” (Dan. 11:31; 12:11; Matt. 24:15).  At this point the Antichrist will tear up his peace treaty with Israel, move his armies into their country, establish commerce based upon the mark of the beast, and begin a bloodbath of God’s people on earth.  This is the Great Tribulation (Matt. 24:15-22).

This is also described to John in Revelation 17 in these words, showing us once again that these ten kings are in the future.

12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.

The “great things” the horn’s mouth was speaking (cf. vv. 8, 20) were probably blasphemous boasts that God would not tolerate.  “From the recesses of his evil heart will well up frightful blasphemies, and like lava from an erupting volcano, they will spew forth” (John Phillips, Exploring the Book of Daniel, p. 127).

The horn fought against God’s people and appeared, for a time, victorious—that is, “until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom” (v. 22).

The title “Ancient of Days” reminds us of the earlier courtroom scene in which God took His seat to render judgment from His fiery throne (vv. 9-10).  The destruction of the beast/horn (v. 11) meant vindication for God’s people, especially as they then received the everlasting kingdom (vv. 13-14), and thus judgment on the little horn was on behalf of the saints as well. The horn had, for a while, prevailed over the saints (v. 21), but now the Ancient of Days prevailed over the horn (v. 22).  God, as he often does, reverses Satan’s seeming victories for His glory and the good of His people (cf. Gen. 50:20).  Another dramatic reversal.

Rodney Storz introduces this section with the following story:

Shortly before his death, Charles Haddon Spurgeon preached a sermon on the Second Coming of Christ. He said, “Brethren, no truth ought to be more frequently proclaimed, next to the first coming of the Lord, than His Second Coming; you cannot thoroughly set forth all the ends and bearings of the first advent if you forget the second” (Charles H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Sermons on the Second Coming, ed. David Otis Fuller (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1943), Preface)

Toward the end of his ministry he preached much on the Second Coming and the millennial reign of Christ, but it was not always that way.  Early in his ministry he wrote, “I scarcely think it would be justifiable for me to spend my time upon prophetic studies for which I have not the necessary talent, nor is it the vocation to which my Master has ordained me” (Ibid, p. 6).

Most laymen and many preachers would have the same attitude, believing it requires special talents to be able to interpret Bible prophecy.  But Paul did write:

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. . . . The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:12, 14)

The fact is “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  ALL of God’s Word is inspired by God and every part is “profitable” to us.  And Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 2 that God’s Spirit is able to illumine our minds so that we can understand God’s Word.  It is possible to understand prophetic books like Daniel and Revelation.  The apocalyptic references and symbolism make it harder, but not impossible.  Paul tells us to “Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything” (2 Tim. 2:7).  We do our part of studying the Scriptures and God will “give [us] understanding.”

One of the things that makes the study of prophecy somewhat confusing is trying to determine not only what is meant by the prophecy, but to whom and when it refers.  Peter explains…

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time[a] the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look (1 Peter 1:10-12).

Since it is our calling to preach “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) and roughly 30% of the Bible is prophetic, then we must preach the prophetic portions of Scripture as well.  That is not all we should preach, but it is obviously important enough for God to communicate it to us, then we should treat it as important to our study and exposition.

Again, Second Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”

Fortunately, Charles Spurgeon changed his thinking about prophecy, partially through the influence of Puritan writers. He said in a later sermon:

I find that the most earnest of the Puritanic preachers did not hesitate to dwell upon this mysterious subject.  I turn to Charnock, who did not hesitate to speak of the conflagration of the world and of the millennial reign of Christ on earth.  I turn to Richard Baxter and I find him making a barbed arrow out of the doctrine of the coming of the Lord, and thrusting this great truth into the very heart and conscience of unbelievers, as though it were heaven’s own sword.  I do not think therefore I need tremble very much if the charge should be brought against me of bringing before you an unprofitable subject.  It shall profit if God shall bless the Word; and if it be God’s Word we may expect His blessing if we preach it all.  But He will withdraw His blessing if we refrain from teaching any part of His counsel because in our pretended wisdom, we fancy that it would not have practical effect” (Ibid, p. 7)

Obviously preaching about eschatology is a battleground, with different approaches and interpretations abounding.  Sometimes people get very worked up about their interpretations and how others are “dead wrong.”  Sometimes people just walk away in confusion and disappointment in their inability to understand it.  When we talk about eschatology (last things), it encompasses not only Daniel and other Old Testament prophetic writings, but the teachings of Paul, Peter and John as well.

The Preterist Approach

The preterist interprets all prophecies regarding Christ’s coming and his kingdom as being fulfilled in the past.

Specifically, the preterist believes that John wrote Revelation in the first century to address the situation faced by the church at that time.  All the events of Revelation, therefore, including the return of Christ and his kingdom, were fulfilled in the early centuries.

In the Preterist view, John’s prophecy should be interpreted in relation to the persecution of the church in Asia Minor, which is part of the Roman Empire.  The fall of Jerusalem (A.D. 70) or the fall of Rome (A.D. 476) is a significant event, because John is predicting the fall of one of these cities (Rev. 18).

Of course, we believe that Revelation 2-3 do refer to churches in existence at the time of John’s writing.  However, it is practically impossible to identify the predictions of what happens during the seal, trumpet and bowl judgments with events in the early centuries.  Preterists have tried, but most of their correlations lack sound reasoning or historical confirmation.

The Historicist Approach

Historicist interpreters relate the book of Revelation to specific historical events throughout history.  Some attempt to show how Revelation predicts events from the first century up until their own time.  For example, E. B. Elliott relates the judgments associated with the trumpets (Rev. 8:6-9:21) to events “beginning with the attacks on the Western Roman Empire by the Goths [in A.D. 395] and concluding with the fall of the Eastern empire to the Turks [in A.D. 1453].”

A common goal of these interpreters is to show that most of Revelation’s prophecies have been fulfilled and they are very keen in showing how these events are being fulfilled in their own historical era.  It makes for very compelling preaching.

The Idealist Approach

The idealist approach differs radically from the historicist. It would be attractive to someone who is tired of conflicting attempts to pinpoint how Revelation is fulfilled in specific past or future events. 

Instead, idealism focuses on major themes (not historical events) which can be applied to our lives today.  They desire to bring out the relevance of the book’s message for the Christian life and worldview.  They do not try to line up the events of prophecy with history at all.  They just point out the lessons we can learn.

The Futurist Approach

The futurist approach takes seriously John’s self-proclaimed outline for the book of Revelation, “Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this” (Rev. 1:19).  The futurist approach sees most of the book of Revelation as to be fulfilled in some way in the future.

The primary disagreements have to do with the timing of the rapture and the second coming, and whether the kingdom is a literal, 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth or something else.

Now let’s look at the major views about biblical prophecy.  We will start with…

Amillennialism

“Amillennialism” comes from the word “millennial,” which means a thousand years, but attaching the “a” prefix to indicate no millennium, or at least no thousand-year millennium on earth.  It’s not that they do not believe in the kingdom of Christ, but they make it a spiritual kingdom that began with Christ’s resurrection and ascension and continues since then.

G. K. Beale is a good example of an amillennialist who is at least somewhat of a futurist.  According to him, the judgments associated with the first four seals (Rev. 6:1-8), the first six trumpets (8:6-9:21), and the first five bowls (16:1-11) began to occur after the ascension of Christ to heaven (12:5) and continue until the great day of God’s wrath (6:17).

The great day of God’s wrath occurs at the end of time when Christ comes back.  Consequently, the judgments associated with the end and the second coming of Christ include the sixth and seventh seals, the seventh trumpet, and the sixth and seventh bowls.

Similarly, the three and a half year reign of the Beast (Rev. 13) is a symbolic time period.  It begins with the ascension and exaltation of Christ (12:5-6) and continues until Christ defeats the Beast (Rev. 19). 

Amillennialists, like Beale, have a distinctive interpretation of the millennium (20:1-6).  They see the millennium as spanning the same time period when most of the judgments and the reign of the Beast occur.  The millennium is a symbolic time period that begins with the exaltation of Christ.  It continues until Satan is released from the abyss to gather his troops to fight against the armies of Christ one last time.  This means that Revelation 20:7-10 is a second presentation of the events of Revelation 19:17-21.  Thus, the millennium is already underway.  It is not a literal 1,000 years, but symbolic of this whole time period from the ascension to the final rebellion.  Christians already enjoy a spiritual resurrection and are ruling with Christ in heaven according to the amillennialist.

Dispensational Premillennialist

The dispensational premillennialist camp has been quite influential in Evangelical circles.  Dispensational interpreters are known for four emphases.  

First, they emphasize the pretribulational rapture of the church.  According to this view, “Christ’s return will occur in two stages: the first one for his church, which will be spared the Great Tribulation; the second one in power and glory to conquer his enemies.”  As a result, the rapture of the church must occur sometime in Revelation before the beginning of the Great Tribulation.  The church is promised to be saved from “the wrath to come” (1 Thess. 1:10), because “God has not destined us for wrath” (1 Thess. 5:9; cf. also Rev. 3:10).

Second, they also emphasize the distinction between ethnic Israel and the church.  The believing Gentiles have been “grafted in” to the vine (Rom. 11:17) and so they enjoy some of the spiritual benefits of the New Covenant (Ezek. 36:25-27), but not all of the blessings mentioned in Ezekiel 36. This sharing of the spiritual blessings is to make Israel jealous so that they will believe (Rom. 11:14) so that at the return of Christ “all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:25-27).  After Revelation chapter 3 John does not use the word “church,” but does refer to the “elect,” a term that has broader reference than only the church.

Therefore, when John speaks about “Israel” in Revelation 7:4, he is speaking about ethnic Israel and not about the church.  The tribulation period, according to Jeremiah 30:7, is the “a time of distress for Jacob,” a time of refining and revival for Israel.

Third, they are committed to premillennialism. Premillennialists believe that Christ will come back to conquer the Beast (Rev. 19:11-21).  After that victory, he will set up his kingdom and rule with his people for 1,000 years (Rev. 20:1-10).  It is during that time that the Satan is chained and only released near the end of that time (Rev. 20:1-10).  Premillennialism takes the sequencing of the book of Revelation seriously as well as literally interpreting the numbers.

Fourth, dispensational interpreters are generally committed to interpreting prophecies literally.  As a result, they usually favor a literal, rather than symbolic, interpretation of the numbers in the book of Revelation.  It is obvious to see that numbers in the first chapters are taken literally, as each of the “seven” churches are referenced and treated individually, as the seals, trumpets and bowls are enumerated and take place sequentially, and as the 144,000 Jewish witnesses are identified as 12,000 from each tribe.  A plain reading of Scripture would take those numbers literally.

Historical Premillennialism

Historic premillennialism is a view that was championed by George Ladd.  The adjective “historic” in historic premillennialism refers to Ladd’s contention that some early Church Fathers were clearly premillennial, but none of them believed in the pretribulational rapture of the church.  The list of proponents includes names of such second-century church fathers as Papias, Irenaeus, and Justin Martyr. Papias was a contemporary of Polycarp, who was discipled by John, the author of Revelation.   As a result, the chief distinctive of historic premillennialism is belief in a single return of Christ that will take place before his millennial reign. 

Historic premillennialist believe that the church will be raptured at the second coming of Christ and thus the church will be present on earth during the tribulation.  Even so, Revelation assures Christians that they are secure with God even if they die a martyr’s death (Rev. 11:1-2; 12:11) and God will protect them from his wrath on the Beast and his followers (Rev. 7:3-4).

Historic premillennialists are open to the idea that the numbers in Revelation are symbolic, like the amillennnialist.  In addition, they stress the continuity between Israel and the church.  The historic premillennialist diverges from the amillennialist when it comes to interpreting the millennial reign of Christ (Rev. 20:1-6).

Those are the views of New Testament scholars and theologians regarding how to interpret what the Bible says about end time events.  I hope you will do more study to see which view most aligns with Scripture.

We are in Daniel 7:13-14.  The Ancient of Days has appeared on the scene in the end times to deal with the “little horn,” the Antichrist.  The climax of the vision is now seen by Daniel.  Again, it is heaven rather than earth that is in view.

In contrast to, and in victory over, the kingdom of the Son of Man decisively and completely takes the place of these earthly kingdoms and the “times of the Gentiles” comes to a close.  Daniel’s greatest thrill is not the defeat of the Antichrist, but the exaltation of the true Son of God.

13 “I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven
    there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
    and was presented before him.
14 And to him was 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 one
    that shall not be destroyed.

Daniel’s vision was a vision of heaven (cf. Rev. 5:1-10).  Did you notice some significant things about the Trinity in v. 13?

There are two thrones.  Two divine figures—one old and one apparently young.  The young figure is to be the redeemer and eternal ruler of the world.  Sounds like the Father and the Son, doesn’t it?

In Daniel’s night vision, “with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.”  This figure is described with a simile (“like a son of man”), as were the four beasts (vv. 4-8).  Clouds are the garment of deity (Exod. 13:21; Matt. 17:5; 26:64; Rev. 1:7).  Psalm 104:3 says, “He makes the clouds his chariot,” and Isaiah 19:1 says, “Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud.”

Because Jesus commonly used the title “Son of Man” to describe Himself, this is the most frequently quoted verse from Daniel in the New Testament. It is very significant that Jesus used this title above all others when describing Himself—some 31 times in Matthew alone.  For example, in Mark 15:60-62 we read…

60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 61 But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

“Although Messiah had already been named as God’s ‘Son’ in previous prophetic utterances (cf. [2 Sam. 7:14;] Ps. 2:7, 12; Prov. 30:4), He is now given a name that emphasizes His true and total identification with mankind,” with us. (John C. Whitcomb, “Daniel” in Everyman’s Bible Commentary series, p. 99), the Son of Man.  We know that this was the point of the incarnation, as Hebrews 2:14-15 reports…

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Jesus referred to himself most commonly as “Son of Man” to “refer to Himself (John 1:51; 6:53), to describe His authority and earthly ministry (Mark 2:10, 28), to anticipate His suffering and death (Matthew 26:45; John 3:14), and to predict His future exaltation and glory (Matthew 13:41-42; 26:64)” (Amir Tsarfati, Discovering Daniel, p. 142).

“Thus the coming Messiah would not only be the true David, but He would also be the true Son of man, combining in His person the high calling of humanity and the position reserved alone for God” (Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Toward an Old Testament Theology, p. 246).

The One like a son of man has similarities with human beings, as the title Son of Man implies.  In his earthly ministry, it was the “human” aspect of the son of man that was prominent.  IN Eugene Peterson’s words: “This Son of Man was dinner with a prostitute, stops off for lunch with a tax collector, wastes time blessing children when there were Roman legions to be chased from the land, heal unimportant losers and ignores high-achieving Pharisees and influential Sadducees” (Eugene Peterson, Reverses Thunder: The Revelation of John and the Praying Imagination, p. 30).

However, this “son of man” also comes with clouds of heaven, which elsewhere in Scripture describes exactly how God has appeared on earth (cf. Exod. 13:21-22; 19:9, 16; 1 Kings 8:10-11; Ps. 18:10; Isa. 19:1; Jer. 4:13; Ezek. 10:4; et al.).  Thus, this One like a son of man appears to be a God-man (cf. Phil. 2:6-7), both fully man and fully God.  “He taught as one with unparalleled authority (Matt. 7:29), he forgave people their sins (Luke 5:24), and he spoke of possessing a kingdom (John 18:36).  Both divine and human aspects are present because Jesus is the son of man and Son of Man, very man and very God” (Iain Duguid, “Daniel,” in The Reformed Expository Commentary, p. 118).

The phrase “son of man” recalls passages like Psalm 8:3-4, where the creation story is evoked, in particular the creation of man (cf. Gen. 1:26-31; 2:7).  The psalmist addresses God, stating that he created man

a little lower than the heavenly beings

and crowned him with glory and honor.

You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;

you have put all things under his feet. (Psa. 8:5-6)

Adam, of course, lost dominion when he opted to follow Eve in eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  That dominion was now in the hands of Satan, which is why he could legitimately tempt Jesus with “the kingdoms of the world” (Luke 4:5). If Jesus would have bowed down and worshipped Satan, He would no longer be God.  The devil would be God.  He’d be Satan’s lackey.

This doesn’t mean that all God’s authority had been transferred into Satan’s hands.  Rather, because of the Fall, Satan’s realm of delegated authority was the earth (1 John 5:19; Eph. 2:1-2; 2 Cor. 4:4; John 14:30).  But we can know that God is greater (1 John 4:4) and we can be super-conquerors through Christ (Rom. 8:36-38).

The phrase “son of man” should be understood against this backdrop—just as Adam was given dominion over the beasts (Gen. 1 26-28), so was this son of man.  He came to the Ancient of Days (Dan. 7:13) to receive dominion over everything (v. 14)—even the beasts (vv. 4-8)!—but his dominion would be everlasting, whereas theirs (Adam and Eve’s) was temporary.  This “one” who “came to the Ancient of Days” was like a new Adam, the last Adam.

He came “with the clouds of heaven,” denoting glory and deity (cf. Psa. 18:11-14; Isa. 19:1; Ezek. 32:7-8; Joel 2:1-2; Nahum 1:2-8; Zeph. 1:14-15). In the OT, God’s presence in a cloud denoted glory, judgment, and vindication.  So when “one like a son of man” came “with the clouds of heaven” to the “Ancient of Days,” the scene as a whole denoted both glory and deity.

A parallel appears in Revelation 1:7, which states, “Behold, he cometh with clouds,” in fulfillment of Acts 1 where in His ascension He was received by a cloud (Acts 1:9) and the angels say that he will “come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). 

John has a vision of this Son of Man in heaven after the resurrection in Revelation 1:12-20.

To this “son of man” is given authority, glory and sovereign power.   The first, “dominion,” (shalton), refers to His ruling authority; the second, “glory” (y^eqar), speaks of the honor that accompany that authority, and the third, “kingdom” (malku), designates the organized form of His government.  “Christ is granted all the features of absolute rule, in parallel with that exercised by rulers of the preceding empires” (Leon Wood, A Commentary on Daniel, p. 193).

These attributes are not simply the authority and sovereignty that God gives to human kings such as Nebuchadnezzar (see Dan. 5:18), for this son of man also receives the worship of all peoples’ nations, and languages (see Dan. 7:14).  Thus, he cannot merely be an angel or personified representative of Israel.  This son of man is given an everlasting and indestructible dominion, a sovereignty that belongs to God himself.

This is not the spiritual dominion of Christ in the hearts of believers, which is true of this current age, but rather a literal rule on earth.

God the Father is going to give the Son of Man the nations of the world.  In Psalm 2:8 God is speaking to Jesus Christ.  He says, “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.”

And near the end of the tribulation period, loud voices in heaven will cry out, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Rev. 11:15).

All peoples, nations and languages will come to “serve” or “worship” the Son of Man.  All throughout the book of Daniel the primary issue is whether His people will worship Him alone, even at the possible cost of their lives.  “All through the first part of Daniel’s book the friends are willing to die rather than give palach to anything but the one true God” (Amir Tsarfati, Discovering Daniel, p. 140).  In the future, “every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.”

To the one like a son of man “was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him” (Dan. 7:14a).  This, of course, is a fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:16, “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.”) and is predicted by the angel to Mary in Luke 1:33, “and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Gleason Archer Jr. points out, “This refers, not to his inherent sovereignty over the universe as God the Son (as consubstantial and co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit), but to his appointment as absolute Lord and Judge by virtue of his atoning ministry as God incarnate—the one who achieved a sinless life (Isa 53:9), paid the price for man’s redemption (Isa 53:5-6), and was vindicated by his bodily resurrection as Judge of the entire human race (Acts 17:31; Rom 2:16)” (Gleason Archer Jr., “Daniel,” in Daniel-Minor Prophets. Vol. 7 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, p. 91).

The description of Him as being worthy of ruling all nations is obviously in keeping with many passages in the Bible referring to the millennial rule of Jesus Christ, as for instance, Psalm 2:6-9 and Isaiah 11.

His dominion will be total and would never be revoked: “His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed” (Dan. 7:14b).  While Christ’s kingdom on earth would last 1,000 years (Rev. 20:2, 3, 5, 6), His rule over His kingdom will not end at that time, merely change (1 Cor. 15:28).

God the Father’s intention in giving the Son of Man this authority (cf. Matt. 28:18) was that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him; He was to have global rule over everyone.  Furthermore His kingdom would last forever, in contrast to the preceding four kingdoms.  Succeeding kingdoms destroyed preceding kingdoms, but no kingdom will ever destroy the Son of Man’s kingdom (cf. Ps. 2:6-9; 72:11; Isa. 11; Rev. 19:15-16; 20:1-6).  This is a fifth and final kingdom, corresponding to the stone cut out without hands in chapter 2 that destroys the fourth kingdom and all preceding kingdoms.

This connection of “one like a son of man” to a “kingdom” parallels chapter 2, where “a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces” (2:34), and “the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth” (2:35).  This stone represented “a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people.  It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever” (2:44).  In both chapter 2 and chapter 7, four temporary earthly kingdoms are followed by God’s everlasting kingdom, and thus the “stone” of 2:34-35 is paralleled by the “one like a son of man” of 7:13.

Daniel 7:13-14 constitutes one of the most important passages for authors of the NT.  Did you know that Jesus took his most frequently used title, “Son of Man,” from this passage?

Some would say that Jesus’ first coming, his death on the cross and his resurrection established this kingdom.  However, he did not overthrow the Roman kingdom, for it lasted until 410 A. D.  A gradual victory of the gospel over the whole Roman empire doesn’t fit the suddenness and violence with which this kingdom replaces the Roman kingdom.  If we take the destruction of the first three empires literally and can show in history how they were completely replaced suddenly by the succeeding kingdom, then the fifth kingdom should replace the fourth in the same way, literally and suddenly.

Old Testament prophets often foretold of the Messiah’s coming, sometimes intermixing the first coming with the second coming.  Daniel, Isaiah and Jeremiah all looked into the future and saw the coming of Jesus Christ as Messiah, but their prophecies seem to teach us that what happens at the Second Coming happened at the same time as the first coming.

For example, Jesus quotes Isaiah 61:1-2 at Nazareth in his first “sermon”:

¹The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
    he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
² to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
    and the day of vengeance of our God;

Interestingly, in Luke 4:18-19, when Jesus quoted this passage and said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21), he left off the last line, “and the day of vengeance of our God.”  Why?  Because it did not apply to Christ’s first coming; rather it will be fulfilled when Christ comes again.

When the prophet was given the prophecy, he couldn’t see the time gap between the fulfillments.  Sometimes that time gap was only a few years or decades, but in the case of Isaiah 61:1-2 or Isaiah 9:6-7, the gap between the fulfillments is nearly 2,000 years.

The bestial dream of the fourth beast had to do with the Roman Empire, still future to Daniel by nearly 400 years, but the details about the little horn and his activities have not happened yet in history, but rather speak of a future time, at which time Christ will return again.

Kingdoms of the World vs. Kingdom of Christ

David Jeremiah, in The Handwriting on the Wall, points out several differences between these two kingdoms, which Augustine called the kingdom of man and the kingdom of God.

First, the kingdoms of this world are limited.  It is limited in scope and limited in duration.  Christ’s kingdom is unlimited.

While these kingdoms in Daniel 7 were considered “world empires” according to the acknowledged areas of civilization at the time, Jesus’ kingdom will, in fact, encompass “all peoples, nations, and languages” (Dan. 7:14).

Worldly kingdoms have a beginning and an end.  They all have a life span.  They do not last forever.  In contrast, the kingdom of Christ “is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away…” (Dan. 7:14).  This fact has been emphasized over and over in this book (cf. Dan.  Other kingdoms were ultimately conquered; Christ’s kingdom will never be conquered.

Second, although kingdoms in the past, whether in history or folklore, have been considered “Camelots,” the highest perfection of humanity, the kingdom of Christ is truly unique.  It will be a glorious kingdom with a glorious King.  David Jeremiah says, “we have never seen anything like what God has in store when He sets up His kingdom” (p. 142).

Third, Christ’s kingdom will be united under one King, whereas man’s kingdoms experience inner turmoil and rebellions.  In fact, human history has seen very few decades in which someplace a war is going on.  Christ will rule in righteousness and justice.  [However, we do read of a final rebellion by Satan in Revelation 20, which shall be quickly and easily squelched by Christ.)

Daniel’s vision has revealed the four empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome through the images of the four beasts in Daniel 7:1-8.  Now, into the confusion and terror of these threatening, escalating, seemingly uncontrollable beasts, the vision pivots and Daniel sees that “thrones were placed” — this is a judgment scene — and “the Ancient of Days took his seat” (verse 9), presiding over all the nations, and over all history, to give and execute his final judgment.

In verse 9 the scene shifts from the chaotic sea and the rising monster-kings, to the courts of heaven.  Something similar happens in the book of Revelation, but there the scene of heaven appears first, in chapters 4 and 5, before all hell breaks loose on earth in Revelation 6.

What is going on in heaven as earth descends into chaos?

9 “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.  10 A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.

This is clearly a judgment scene, necessary because of the actions of the “little horn” (Dan. 7:8).   Judgment must take place due to God’s righteousness.  This is not a trial, but a final sentencing of the end-times Antichrist.

“It is hard not to shudder in awe as you read Daniel’s description.  There is astonishment and reverence in his words.  He grasps for adjectives to describe the One who is in front of him.  He stumbles over numbers trying to define the glorious multitude of those serving the Lord in His court.  He does an amazing job at describing the indescribable, but we still need to recognize that are reading just a glimpse of a fraction of a tiny percentage of what he witnessed” (Amir Tsarfati, Discovering Daniel, p. 136)

In verses 9-12, the Ancient of Days sat down to render judgment (vv. 9-10), the beast was destroyed (v. 11), and the other beasts’ dominion was taken away (v. 12). 

The Apostle John later saw thrones in heaven too (Rev. 1:4; 4:4; 20:4; et al.).  The scene in heaven presented in Revelation 4-5 shows the tranquility of heaven (although continual worship is being exercised) compared to all hell breaking lose on earth in chapters 6-19.  While everything is falling apart on earth, God is not pacing back and forth, wringing his hands, wondering what to do next, how to “fix it.”  It is all going according to plan, fulfilling prophecies.

David Guzik notes an important difference between the throne room in Daniel’s vision and the throne room in John’s vision.  In Revelation 4 we not only see the Father (“one seated on the throne”) and Son (the Lamb), but also 24 elders.  But there are no elders mentioned in Daniel 7.  Guzik says, “Daniel made no mention of these elders, perhaps because the 24 elders represent the church, and the church was an unrevealed mystery to Old Testament saints (Ephesians 3:17).”

The Ancient of Days (a title only used here) seems to refer to God the Father (cf. vv. 13, 22; Isa. 43:13; 57:15), and denotes his eternality (Psa. 90:2), whereas, in 7:13, God the Son is in view.  Since God is a triune being, it is not unusual that this would be the case.

“As a name for God, “Ancient of Days” emphasizes his eternality as well as his fitness to be the one final and decisive Judge of all history, every nation, every empire, and every individual. This is a name for God on his judgment seat.  Not only has God been there from the beginning, and seen it all, but he has presided over it all, reigning supreme as God, guiding the course of history as he wills (Ephesians 1:11), and acting decisively, in his perfect timing, to humble the proud and exalt the humble (James 4:6; 4:10)” (https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/god-tells-the-time, accessed August 13, 2025)

The thrones were for the Ancient of Days and for the soon-to-appear “son of man” (v. 13). He wore clothing as white as snow and his hair was like pure wool, which conveys purity (Isaiah 1:18) and wisdom.  As righteous judge he sat on his throne of “fiery flames,” with wheels of “burning fire” (cf. Ezek. 1:15-21).  These wheels move anywhere and everywhere, here and there, suggesting the universality of God’s sovereignty and judgment.

This description seems to portray God’s throne as like a chariot.  Chariots were used by rulers in the ancient Near East as vehicles of conquest and victory.  The little horn may have been “speaking great things” (Dan. 7:8), but the Ancient of Days would soon conquer (v. 11).  From his fiery throne-chariot “a stream of fire issued and came out from before him.”  This flame-stream represented holy judgment pouring forth from the throne.  It also speaks of “the divine warrior’s fearsome power to destroy his enemies” (Iain Duguid, “Daniel” in The Reformed Expository Commentary, p. 115).  Everything reminds us that “our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 10:29) and nothing can stand before His judgment.

Adding further details centuries later, Paul said that when the time comes for the destruction of the Antichrist and his empire, “the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God” (2 Thess. 1:7-8). Verse 9 goes on to say, “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might…” (2 Thess. 1:9).  This represents His complete and total victory and absolute justice.

Daniel’s attention was next directed to the throng of worshippers.  He described those surrounding this scene: “A thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him” (v. 10).  These were probably angels (a similar vast number of angels in mentioned in Revelation 5), functioning here as heavenly worshipers.  Daniel was trying not to be numerically precise but rather to indicate their innumerability, there were too many to count.

As the angels stood in the presence of the judge, “The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.”   The court sprang into action.  The “little horn” will be judged; furthermore, Satan will be judged, as well (Rev. 19:19-20:10).  The “little horn” will be destroyed and silenced (Dan. 7:11, 26).

“This is an amazing display of the power of the Most High. As fierce and intimidating and powerful as these four great beasts are (and especially the fourth!), the Ancient of Days sits in judgment and effortlessly executes justice.  No threat, no challenge, no prolonged struggle. He only says the word and the greatest beast is destroyed” (https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/god-tells-the-time, accessed August 13, 2025)

“The books were opened” (Dan. 7:10).  David Jeremiah notes that the Bible speaks of several books.  Moses spoke of a book in which his name was written, but if God would not forgive the Israelites for their sins, he asked that God would “blot me out of the book you have written” (Exod. 32:32).  There is the book of tears (Psa. 56:8), the book of reverence (Mal. 3:16) and in Revelation 20 the book of life.  The Book of Life (Rev. 20:15) will have the names of all the redeemed.  Those whose names are not found in that book will be cast into the lake of fire.

The implication is, however, from Revelation 20:12, that this is a record of the works of men (cf. Is 65:6 for record of evil deeds, and Mai 3:16 for remembrance of good deeds). As Leupold states it, “In them are written, not names, but deeds of men, a record of their ungodly acts, on the basis of which they will be judged” (H. C. Leupold, The Exposition of Daniel, p. 305).

Every person will stand before God in judgment one day, from the lowest servant to the great kings.  Greece’s Alexander the Great, Persia’s Cyrus, and Babylon’s Nebuchadnezzar will all appear before God’s throne.  He will have the last say.  Their high ranking on earth will give them no special favors in heaven.  Every person will be judged on the basis of their deeds.

If Alexander the Great and Nebuchadnezzar cannot escape judgment, do not think that you can.  

There is only one way that we can escape this judgment, and that is to have Christ’s righteousness credited to our accounts so that we are “not guilty” any longer.  There is absolutely “no condemnation” for those in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1).

This language confirms that the Ancient of Days sat on his fiery chariot-throne for the purpose of rendering a righteous judgment from the heavenly courtroom.  

Isaiah 66:15-16 says,

15 “For behold, the Lord will come in fire,
    and his chariots like the whirlwind,
to render his anger in fury,
    and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire will the Lord enter into judgment,
    and by his sword, with all flesh;
    and those slain by the Lord shall be many.

The “books” were most likely the record of deeds spoken of elsewhere in Scripture (cf. Exod. 32:32-33; Pss. 56:8; 69:28; 139:16).  God knows exactly and completely the deeds of everyone—absolutely nothing escapes His notice–including the wicked little horn and the other beasts.  The writer of Hebrews sounds this ominous note: “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Heb. 4:13).

John Walvoord notes:

“In Matthew 25:31-46, there is a corresponding judgment which chronologically may be considered to follow the one here pictured.  In Daniel, the judgment is in heaven and relates to the little horn and the beast.  In Matthew, the judgment follows the second coming of Christ pictured in Daniel 7:13-14 and extends the original judgment upon the beast to the entire world.  Even without any emendation or explanation from other texts of the Bible, it is clear that this is at the end of the interadvent age and the end of the times of the Gentiles.  It, therefore, demands a fulfillment which is yet future, and it is futile to attempt to find anything in history that provides a reasonable fulfillment of this passage” (https://walvoord.com/article/248)

We need to remember this scene in heaven, whenever we see this world careening out of control or when our life seems to be falling apart, to remember that there is One who sits on the throne, in perfect control and who will ultimately bring everything to a conclusion, rendering justice.  As Jesus himself said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28).

As Daniel kept looking intently upon the vision that was before him, the scene shifted once again to earth.

11 “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking.  And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

While vv. 9-10 are taking place, Daniel heard “the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking.”  The “little horn” is the first to be judged. 

These are the sins of the little horn.  He has exalted himself against God Most High.  The beast in Revelation 13 speaks “blasphemous words.”  All throughout history he has attempted to exalt himself and take God’s place in the hearts of humanity.  Again, this seems to be reflected in the words of the Babylonian king in Isaiah 14:13-14…

¹³ You said in your heart,
    ‘I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
    I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
    in the far reaches of the north;
¹⁴ I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
    I will make myself like the Most High.’

Throughout Satan has imagined himself to be better than the Most High God.

At the same time, “The beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire.”  This action reflects a fulfillment of the judgment rendered from the throne, from which the stream of fire had poured forth (vv. 9-10).  According to Revelation 19:10 this destruction comes when he is cast alive into the lake of fire, following Christ’s coming in power to overthrow his army assembled in the valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:12; Zech. 14:1-4).  The final phrase of this verse, “given over to be burned with fire” indeed refers to this punishment of the Antichrist.

In verse 12, not only did God judge the little horn, but He also removed dominion from the other beasts.  God is sovereign, and he may give or take away dominion whenever he chooses, as has been stated and demonstrated throughout the book of Daniel (Dan. 2:21; 4:17, 32).

“Rest of the beasts” may be a reference to the “ten horns,” since in verse 11 it appears that a horn can also be considered a “beast” in an individual sense.  If this is true, then God judged both the little horn (“the beast”; v. 11) and the other ten horns (“the rest of the beasts”; v. 12). 

Even though the little horn was judged in a way that implied his destruction (cf. v. 11), the “rest of the beasts” (the “ten horns” in the interpretation suggested here) were not immediately destroyed in like manner. “A season and a time,” while not precise, suggests, however, the temporariness of their prolonged lives.

What verse 12 is saying is that the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, and Grecian empires were to some extent continued in their successors; that is, Gentile power shifted as to rulership but continued more or less in the same pattern: By contrast, at the second coming of Christ the fourth beast is completely destroyed, and a totally different kingdom which is from heaven succeeds the fourth empire. Up until this very moment (that is, at the return of Christ) it was always “the times of the Gentiles,” Luke 21:24).

The end of the prior three empires contrasts with the end of this fourth one.  God took away the dominion of each of the earlier three kingdoms one by one, but they continued to exist “for an appointed period of time,” as realms of the kingdom that overcame them.  So the Medes and Persians took over the realm of the Babylonians, the Greeks took over the territories conquered by the Medes and Persians, and Rome subsumed them all.  But God will cut off the fourth empire completely, and it will continue no longer (v. 11).  Thus the end of the fourth kingdom will result in a totally new condition on the earth.  It will be the end of the “times of the Gentiles.”  We learn next that this will be Messiah’s reign on the earth (cf. Rev. 19:19—20:6).