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The imagery of the Beasts of Daniel 7
Many scholars have accepted the view that the imagery of Daniel 7 comes ultimately from the Canaanite myth of Baʿal’s battle with Yamm (lit. “Sea”), symbolic of chaos. Although no exact prototype for the imagery exists, there are a number of parallels with the extant myth. The four beasts are chaos monsters which appeared as serpents in the Baʿal Cycle discovered in the ruins of Ugarit in the 1920s. In Daniel 7, composed sometime before Judas Maccabeus purified the temple in 164 BC, they symbolise Babylon, the Medes, Persia and Greece:
The lion: Babylon. Its transformation into a man reverses Nebuchadnezzar’s transformation into a beast in chapter 4, and the “human mind” may reflect his regaining sanity; the “plucked wings” reflect both loss of power and the transformation to a human state.
The bear: the Medes – compare Jeremiah 51:11 on the Medes attacking Babylon.
The leopard: Persia. The four heads may reflect the four Persian kings of Daniel 11:2–7.
The fourth beast: The Greeks and particularly the Seleucids of Syria.
The “ten horns” that appear on the beast is a round number standing for the Seleucid kings between Seleucus I, the founder of the kingdom, and Antiochus Epiphanes, comparable to the feet of iron and clay in chapter 2 and the succession of kings described in chapter 11. The “little horn” is Antiochus himself. The “three horns” uprooted by the “little horn” reflect the fact that Antiochus was fourth in line to the throne, and became king after his brother and one of his brother’s sons were murdered and the second son exiled to Rome. Antiochus was responsible only for the murder of one of his nephews, but the author of Daniel 7 holds him responsible for all. Anthiochus called himself Theos Epiphanes, “God Manifest”, suiting the “arrogant” speech of the little horn.The next scene is the divine court. Israelite monotheism should have only one throne as there is only one god, but here we see multiple thrones, suggesting the mythic background to the vision. The “Ancient of Days” echoes Canaanite El, but his wheeled throne suggests Ezekiel’s mobile throne of God. He is surrounded by fire and an entourage of “ten thousand times ten thousand”, an allusion to the heavenly hosts attending Yahweh, the God of Israel, as he rides to battle against his people’s enemies. There is no battle, however; instead “the books” are opened and the fate of Israel’s enemies is decided by God’s sovereign judgement.
The identity of the “one like a son of man” who approaches God on his throne has been much discussed. The usual suggestion is that this figure represents the triumph of the Jewish people over their oppressor; the main alternative view is that he is the angelic leader of God’s heavenly host, a connection made explicitly in chapters 10–12, where the reader is told that the conflict on Earth is mirrored by a war in heaven between Michael, the angelic champion of Israel, assisted by Gabriel, and the angelic “princes” of Greece and Persia; the idea that he is the messiah is sometimes advanced, but Daniel makes no clear reference to the messiah elsewhere.
The “holy ones” seems to refer to the persecuted Jews under Antiochus; the “sacred seasons and the law” are the Jewish religious customs disrupted by him; the “time, two times and a half” is approximately the time of the persecution, from 167 to 164 BC, as well as being half of seven, the “perfect number”.
Kingship is taken from the four beasts, whose rule is “succeeded by the kingdom of the saints of the Most High, which will endure for ever”. “Their kingly power is an everlasting power”: the hasidim (the sect of “the pious ones”) believed that the restoration of Jewish worship in the temple would usher in the final age.
Thanks for posting that theory. I don’t think this interpretation is likely. But I’m not writing it off either.
It immediately comes into a problem by ignoring what is written in the book initially where the Medes and Persians are one kingdom. That is, The Kingdom of the Medes and Persians.
Medes and the Persians
You are that head of gold. “After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours.
TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.
So the next kingdom is clearly the Medes and Persians. Thus, Daniel may say this and that about the Medes or Persians, but the kingdom was given to them. This fits nicely with the imagery of the 4 beasts. The bear fits Media Persia. The leopard fits well as Greece.
Of course one can get very creative with false theories.
To all
Medo-Persia in Daniel 8
“In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first. And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.” Daniel 8:1, 2
Two years have elapsed since Daniel’s previous vision. Daniel was now an old man. He had been in captivity a total of about fifty-five years; and as he was probably around sixteen or eighteen years of age when brought to Babylon, he would now be well over seventy. His vision about the four beasts in chapter 7 came to him while he was in bed, but this vision occurred while he was awake and in the palace.
“Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.” Daniel 8:3, 4
It was the third year of Belshazzar and Babylon had not yet fallen but so soon was that going to happen that it isn’t mentioned in this vision, like it was in the last one. Daniel sees a great ram with one of its horns higher than the other one. It is pushing with its horns west, north and south and nothing could stand before it. These are the directions Medo-Persia did go and in that order.
This ram is Medo-Persia, and as we look back in chapter 7, we see that the bear raised up on one side; so this ram had two horns and one was higher than the other. This was to show that the Persian part of the empire was stronger than the Medes, their partners. Like a cruel bully, the Medo-Persian ram charged “westward, northward and southward,” in that very order. (The three ribs)
Now here is something interesting; in the vision of the four beasts Daniel was shown the nations and what they would do to the world in general. But this vision is different, it shows what the nations will do to God’s people and his truth. We know this because the animals and symbols, rams and goats, in this new vision are found in the sanctuary services.
God bless
To all……when Daniel prophesied about the Four “FUTURE” coming kingdoms , you must remember he was already in the First one (the kingdom of Babylon) , So to get a total of all the Babylonian type kingdoms , you have to include the one Daniel was already in, leaving a total of FIVE, . These are the Five Kingdoms that exists, before, the Rock cut out without hands destroyed them all, and begins to rule for a thousand years .
The “FFTH” world ruling Babylonian type kingdom, is ruling on this earth “NOW” , It is, the Kingdom of “iron and clay” .
The “Sixth” coming world ruling kingdom to rise on this earth, will be the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the Saint’s. Simple as that. The Seventh will rise at the end of the Sixth’s , THOUSAND YEAR REIGN. Rev 17, picks it up from there.
To the who have the eyes to see.
peace and love to you all and yours………..gene
These are the Five Kingdoms that exists, before, the Rock cut out without hands destroyed them all, and begins to rule for a thousand years .
Hi brother Gene can you show us the verses in Dan 2 or 7 for your Five kingdoms?
I think you have completed ignored my two posts for you on this unique position of yours on these two books.
To all…….I have listed these kingdoms here dozens of times. They are “world ruling Kingdoms” , not just small kingdom that pop up here and there in history.
I think what people are not understanding is, ALL THE BABYLONIAN “TYPE” KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD FUNCTION THE SAME WAY. To understand properly, you must realize how they function.
1…….By their military might. Which empowers them over people.
2……. By their economic structures (the Babylonian system of rule) “by and sell for gain” , a “usery” system, that enslaves people because of their “economic disadvantages.” , people working to just stay alive etc. a system of rule a few become very rich, while most are simply slaves to that system. Just as it is today, just as was in the time of Babylon the Great under king Nebuchadnezzar , the “SATANIC” SYSTEM OF RULE WORKS THE EXACT SAME TODAY.
THE NEXT TO COME on this earth is a completely different SYSTEM OF ECONOMIC RULE, UNDER Jesus Christ and the Saint’s, which will be the “Sixth” world wide ruling kingdom to come on this earth. SATAN IS CAST into the bottomless pit, his power to rule this earth is gone and so is he , for a thousand years, then at the end of the thousand years he is released from his prison and goes out to deceive the Nations of this world, convincing them they had it better under the Babylon type System of by and sell for “Individual” Gain, and starts the “USERY” SYSTEM OF RULE AGAIN ON THIS EARTH”, this is the Seventh kingdom ( a revived Babylonian system of rule) with Satan carrying it as he did all the other Babylonian kingdoms before the return of Jesus Christ.
out of that Seventh kingdom period will come “TEN KING”, who will complete destroy the Seventh kingdom OF BABYLON, because God has put it into their minds TO.Then these Ten remaining KINGDOMS, Under the control of Satan will go and attack Jesus and the Saint’s at Jerusalem and God will rain down fire from heaven and completely destroy them, and Satan will be cast into the lake of fire and go into PERDITION . God the Father returns to this earth and Jesus hands over his kingdom to him ,then will be brought about the saying, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on this earth, as it is done in heaven”. Then comes the final judgement , and then, “a new heaven and new earth, ” where-in dwells righteousness, for ever and ever.
This is the way I see it. It is a “simple over view” Anyone should be able to understand it.
peace and love to you all and yours ……..gene
The “Sixth” coming world ruling kingdom to rise on this earth, will be the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the Saint’s. Simple as that. The Seventh will rise at the end of the Sixth’s , THOUSAND YEAR REIGN. Rev 17, picks it up from there.
Hi Gene
WHERE You see That in The bible that
Christ AND the saints REIGN ON THIS EARTH.
The Bible don’t Say That but
WHEN Jésus return
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord👉 in the air: 👉and so shall we ever be with the Lord.(1The.4:17)
where? 👉In HEAVEN
👉Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
[2] In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
[3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.Matthew 6 👇
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name…
First 1000 years in HEAVEN for a judgment
REV.20 do not Say That ,but
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and jugement was given unto them: 👉 and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
The millenium IS for a judgment , AND in HEAVEN, NOT ON EARTH.
but from whom?
1 Corinthians 6: 2,3
Don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if it is by you that the world is judged, are you unworthy of rendering the slightest judgments? …
Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?(1Cor.6:3)
And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
to be continued
God bless
The millenium IS for a judgment , AND in HEAVEN, NOT ON EARTH.
This is another wonderful invention by the SDA Church stating that the Jesus entered the Holy of Holies in Heaven and started executing so called investigating judgment to cover up the blunder of Millerites and Adventists of the year 1844 which resulted due to miscalculation of Danielic numerology.
Hi Gadam
Prove by THE WORD OF GOD WHAT YOU SAY.
Hi Berean, I have already posted much by verses on Daniel and Revelation. Please check my posts for details. History proved how the Millerites and Adventists failed in 1844.
Gadam
Miller was mistaken as to the nature of the event in 1844. (The date of 1844, on the other hand, was correct). But this misinterpretation was corrected very quickly, and the early Adventists were correct in their interpretation of the prophecy of Daniel 8:14.
Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Rev.14: 12)
Berean……..”Thy kingdom come, thy will be done “ON EARTH” as it is in heaven”. Heaven doesn’t need “regeneration”, it already has the kingdom God, in it.
That alone should tell you, but there are plenty other scriptures that do also, I thought everyone knew that , Jesus and the Resurrected Saint’s will rule on this earth for a thousand years. That is the Sixth kingdom to come on this earth, just as Daniel 2 mentions . Daniel is not talking about what’s going on in heaven, but what’s to taking place on earths, neither was John in Rev 17, talking about what was going to happen in heaven either, but what’s is to take place on this earth.
Berean, if you don’t know that you haven’t even begin to know the truth yet IMO, you need to stop letting your Church do the thinking for you, and start using your own God given mind for a change. Ask God to guide the thoughts of your mind, by the Spirit of the truth.
peace and love to you and yours Berean……….gene
Miller was mistaken as to the nature of the event in 1844. (The date of 1844, on the other hand, was correct). But this misinterpretation was corrected very quickly, and the early Adventists were correct in their interpretation of the prophecy of Daniel 8:14.
How pathetic it was. Even the so called correction by the SDA Church is another blunder of shifting the concentration to heaven to cover up their fault.
Please follow the good advice of brother Gene to awaken from the cultic nature of this Church.
Here you are making yourself the Prophet of Gene ….
How sad. I certainly wouldn’t take your advice, very bad advice.Gene
Berean……..”Thy kingdom come, thy will be done “ON EARTH” as it is in heaven”. Heaven doesn’t need “regeneration”, it already has the kingdom God, in it.
That alone should tell you, but there are plenty other scriptures that do also, I thought everyone knew that , Jesus and the Resurrected Saint’s will rule on this earth for a thousand years.
Despite your good will, you are not telling the truth, because you are relying on your “own wisdom” and not on the Word of God.
I gave you the texts which prove that the millennium will not be on earth. The millennium begins just after Christ returns to seek his elect (living and resurrected) Jesus takes them to heaven near the Father, to the mansions he has prepared for them.(John 14:1,2) And there begins the judgment of the world, of the 12 tributes of Israel, the angels, in the presence of Christ.
This is what Rev.20 reveals 👇
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
These verses show us That a JUDGMENT IS CONNECTED WITH THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF THE SAINTS.
Again the verses that show the saints go to heaven in the first place
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord👉 in the air: 👉and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1The.4: 17)
They do not stay on earth, they go to meet the Lord in the air, they go up …. It is after the thousand years that the return to the earth will be made which will be restored for eternity ….
Berean…….There is not a single scripture, in the Bible that says , the Saint’s rule with Jesus in heaven for a thousand years, before coming back to this earth. In fact please show us any scripture that says Jesus and the Saint’s rule in heaven at all. If there is such a scripture please post it, perhaps I have missed it, I have studied our scriptures for over SIXTY YEARS, and haven’t saw it.
I Challenge you to show me anyone who rules in heaven besides God the Father.
Berean, again your Letting your Church Speak you.
peace and love to you and yours………..gene
Gene,
It is not written in black and white that the saints go to heaven at the resurrection or when if they are alive when Jesus returns, BUT we have, as I tried to make you see previously, strong clues that lead to believe that this is the case.
Take John already. 14
[1] Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
[2] In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
[3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.Ask yourself the question:
1-Where are the many mansions of the FATHER ‘S HOUSE?
Another verse already presented
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
[17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord..…. to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
If Jesus were to meet the saints on earth to reign with them 1000 years, why the meeting is in the air.???
In fact when Jesus comes back
He will send out his angels with the sounding trumpet, and they will gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other (Math. 24:31)
and so according to Paul to the Thessalonians they will go up to meet the Lord in the air to be always with him.
To be continued if God want …
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