Article

Reading & Devotional Guide: Daniel 7

Passion City Church

November, 7, 2024

Click here to listen to this week’s episode of Further In, in which members of the Passion City Church DC team discuss the passage of scripture we’re studying and consider how to apply the truths of God’s word to our lives.

This Week’s Reading: Daniel 7, 1 John 2:18-27, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Revelation 13

Before you read…

Daniel 7 stands at the center of the book of Daniel. Many believe it is one of the most important chapters in the Old Testament, especially since Daniel’s dream is referenced multiple times in the New Testament. This moment occurs during the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign, before the events of chapters 5 and 6. At this point, Daniel is around 67 years old and has served under several kings. Daniel’s dream contains apocalyptic symbols that unveil deeper truths: Heaven rules history.

–Read Daniel 7–

What did I just read?

In Daniel 7, Daniel receives a dream in the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign. In this vision, he sees four beasts rise from a chaotic, stormy sea, symbolizing the turbulent world of nations (7:2).

The first beast (7:4) is a lion with the wings of an eagle, representing Babylon. Its wings are torn off, and it stands on two feet, suggesting the humbling of Babylon’s pride and the transformation of its power—possibly a reference to Nebuchadnezzar’s journey of humility (remember Daniel 4!).

The second beast (7:5), a bear, rises next. Raised on one side and holding three ribs in its mouth, it signifies Medo-Persia, with Persia as the dominant side of the alliance. The bear’s command to “devour much flesh” represents Medo-Persia’s brutal military campaigns.

The third beast (7:6) is a four-winged, four-headed leopard, symbolizing Greece. The wings emphasize Greece’s swiftness in conquest under Alexander the Great, while the four heads foreshadow the division of his empire into four parts.

The fourth beast (7:7-8) is unlike any known creature, terrifying and iron-toothed, symbolizing Rome. With its crushing power and ten horns, it represents Rome’s extensive reach. A “little horn” emerges, symbolizing a ruler who will defy God, oppress His people, and create chaos (7:19-26 expounds on this vision of the fourth beast). However, its reign will be limited, and it will be judged and destroyed. The prophecy echoes in the New Testament, where Paul (2 Thess. 2) and John in Revelation describe a future antagonist who will oppose God and His people.

The Ancient of Days (7:9-11). The scene shifts from chaos to order as Daniel sees the “Ancient of Days” taking His seat on a throne ablaze with fire. The Ancient of Days, clothed in white with hair like pure wool, represents God and his eternal authority, purity, and wisdom. Judgment flows from His throne, and thousands upon thousands attend Him. Here, ultimate justice is executed as the fourth beast is destroyed, signaling the end of its oppressive rule.

The Son of Man (7:13-14). In Daniel’s vision, “one like a son of man” comes with the clouds of heaven and is presented before the Ancient of Days. He receives authority, glory, and sovereign power, and His dominion is everlasting. In the New Testament, Jesus identifies Himself with this “Son of Man” (Mark 14:62), asserting that He is the one who will fulfill this prophecy, establishing a kingdom that will never be destroyed.

The Kingdom of the Saints (7:18, 27). The angel explains that the “saints of the Most High” will inherit the kingdom alongside the Son of Man, reigning with Him forever. Although earthly kingdoms rise and fall with pride and oppression, God’s people are assured a lasting kingdom filled with justice and peace.

Meditations

Heaven Rules History

In the chaos of the world, Daniel’s vision shows us a truth we can cling to: God reigns. Empires rise and fall, but the “Ancient of Days” sits on a throne of fire, and His rule is unshakable. No matter what storms rage around you, remember: God’s authority is absolute. His justice is perfect. His kingdom will never end. Heaven rules history.

Reflection: What in your life feels out of control? What would it look like for you to trust in God’s control today?

It’s All About Jesus

Heaven’s rule looks like a “Son of Man” coming to bring a kingdom. Jesus calls himself the “Son of Man” (Mark 14:62), identifying himself as the one Daniel saw in his vision. He is the true King, the center of history, that will ultimately upend evil. Jesus is the King we await, the hope we hold, and the promise that lasts forever.

Reflection: History culminates in the coming of Jesus. How focused are you on Jesus coming again?

We Rule With Him

Daniel’s vision promises that the saints will reign with God in His eternal kingdom. We’re not mere bystanders; we’re invited to rule alongside Jesus, sharing in His victory forever. Though persecution will come, the Christian’s hope remains unshaken—an unending reign with Christ in a kingdom that will never fade.

Reflection: In what small ways can you partake in the Kingdom of God today?

Prayer

Lord,

You reign over all.

Help me trust Your control.

Forgive me for when I trust in my own control.

Jesus, I long for Your second coming.

Your Kingdom come,

Your will be done.

Amen

Scripture References

Daniel’s Dream of Four Beasts

1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream.

2Daniel said: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. 3Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea.

4“The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a human being, and the mind of a human was given to it.

5“And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and eat your fill of flesh!’

6“After that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard. And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.

7“After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.

8“While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a human being and a mouth that spoke boastfully.

9“As I looked,

“thrones were set in place,

and the Ancient of Days took his seat.

His clothing was as white as snow;

the hair of his head was white like wool.

His throne was flaming with fire,

and its wheels were all ablaze.

10A river of fire was flowing,

coming out from before him.

Thousands upon thousands attended him;

ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.

The court was seated,

and the books were opened.

11“Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. 12(The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.)

13“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

The Interpretation of the Dream

15“I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. 16I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this.

“So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things: 17‘The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth. 18But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.’

19“Then I wanted to know the meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws—the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. 20I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully. 21As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them, 22until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.

23“He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 24The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. 25He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time.

26“ ‘But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. 27Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’

28“This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself.”

18Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.

19They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.

21I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.

22Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.

23No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

24As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.

25And this is what he promised us—eternal life.

26I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.

27As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

1Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters,

2not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.

3Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.

4He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

5Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?

6And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.

7For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.

8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.

9The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie,

10and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

11For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie

12and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

The Beast out of the Sea

1The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. 4People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?”

5The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.

9Whoever has ears, let them hear.

10“If anyone is to go into captivity,

into captivity they will go.

If anyone is to be killed with the sword,

with the sword they will be killed.”

This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.

The Beast out of the Earth

11Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. 14Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.

18This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.

Passion City Church

Content created by the team at Passion City Church. Passion City Church is a Jesus Church. A small tribe of His followers connected by our common faith and a deep desire to see our city [and the world] come to know His power and beauty. We are not perfect. But Jesus is. Thankfully, we are a Jesus Church.