And they said thus to it: “Arise, devour much flesh!” After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. I watched till its wings were plucked off and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. ( Daniel 7:4-6) A description of the first three beasts. And four great beasts came up from the sea: Four large, ferocious animals emerged from the Great Sea, each one distinct from the other.ģ. Others (such as Strauss) suggest the four winds were satanic forces, as mentioned in Revelation 7:1.Ĭ. The four winds of heaven: Some see these winds as a description of the sovereign power of God striving with men (as in Psalm 35:5, Psalm 48:7, Psalm 107:25, Isaiah 27:8 and Isaiah 41:16). The sea is sometimes used as a picture of Gentile nations ( Psalm 74:13, Psalm 89:9, Isaiah 57:20).ī. “To the Hebrews the sea was both dangerous and mysterious, a restless element but not beyond the Lord’s power to tame.” (Baldwin) Stirring up has the idea of chaos and tumult. Each one of the empires mentioned in this vision had a geographical connection to the Mediterranean Sea. Stirring up the Great Sea: This was almost certainly the Mediterranean Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.”Ī. ( Daniel 7:2-3) Four beasts and where they come from.ĭaniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea.

We may wish that Daniel went into greater detail, but he didn’t.Ģ. Telling the main facts: Daniel could have given us more detail but the Holy Spirit only wanted him to write the main facts. The other three visions go into greater detail within the general framework of this first vision.Ĭ. Daniel had a dream and visions: This first vision - one of four described between Daniel 7 through 12 - was the most comprehensive. In order of events, the vision described in Daniel 7 took place during the time between Daniel chapters 4 and 5.ī. Chapters 7 through 12 describe visions Daniel had. Daniel chapters 1 through 6 describe the life and times of Daniel.

In the first year of Belshazzar: This vision came to Daniel after the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, but before the Babylonian Empire was conquered by the Medo-Persian Empire. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.Ī. In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. ( Daniel 7:1) Introduction to the vision.

Daniel bible study guide