A Visit by Dinosaurs? Recently I visited the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. They had a special exhibit on dinosaurs. To see them in books is one thing, but to see them on display was thrilling. However, I would not have wanted to meet them when they were still alive. I wouldn't even care to meet them in a dream, but Daniel met something like them in his dream. Daniel's dream builds on the foundation and puts meat on the bones of the skeleton presented in King Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the great image with a head of gold. As we learned, this skeletal view or outline of world history puts Babylon as the first world kingdom, followed by Medo-Persia, Greece and then Rome. From Rome to the end of the world there would be no oneworld empire or single-world secular government. Finally God would set up His Everlasting Kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar's dream gives us an important foundation to build on. It starts in the time of Daniel and extends to the end of the world. Flesh on The Bones Daniel's dream contains several strange looking animals followed by one dreadfully terrible beast. Yet the most interesting and deadly power to come forth was the little horn. Most of Daniel's dream is self-explanatory. You will see that these animals 37
represent important historic periods, kingdoms and powers. They extend from the distant past up to our day and into the future. At the time of Daniel's dream, the rule of the Babylonian Empire had passed from Nebuchadnezzar on down to Belshazzar. Instead of a great image of a man, Daniel saw beasts of prey coming out of the sea. They were composites of various known animals, except the fourth beast was almost beyond description in its terrifying features. Daniel wrote the dream and explained its meaning. Daniel spoke, saying, 'I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. 'And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. ' Daniel 7:2-3. (NKJV) The Lion, the Bear and the Leopard 'The first [was] like a lion, and had eagle's wings. 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. And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and [had] three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. 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. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.' Daniel 7:4-6 NKJV) The Dreadful Beast with the Little Horn The first three seem tame in comparison to the terrible fourth beast that was beyond description. Finally came a little horn. 'After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge 38
iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It [was] different from all the beasts that [were] before it, and it had ten horns. 'I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, [were] eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words. ' Daniel 7:7.8. (NKJV) The Vision Explained Daniel had this dream during the reign of King Belshazzar in about the year BC 540. Daniel was then eighty-five, and had spent sixty-seven years in the service of kings. In his dream he saw winds blowing on the great sea. Winds in Bible symbolism mean strife and war. 1 The great sea represents peoples and multitudes. 2 These four beasts are kingdoms that came about by the warring of nations, from the earth's multitudes. Through wars, old kingdoms are destroyed as new kingdoms are set up. Next came the little horn that eventually became more powerful and dreadful than all the others before it. We can expect the first of these to be the ruling kingdom of Babylon, represented by the lion with eagles wings. The prophet Habakkuk referred to Babylon as a power that would...fly as an eagle that hasteth to eat. 3 The kingdom lasted only two more years after this vision when another kingdom, Medo-Persia, surprised the Babylonians in a midnight raid. The date was October 12, 539 B.C.. 39
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The next nation is represented by a bear raised on one side. It fitly represents the second power (Media and Persia) because it was a greatly unbalanced partnership. Although Darius the Mede was first in the top position, he was soon succeeded by a Persian, Cyrus the Great. This second kingdom is better known as the Persian Empire rather than Median. The Persian Empire lasted more than two-hundred years until 331 B.C. when Alexander the Great of Greece speedily marched his army to an unbelievably sudden takeover of enemy lands. Consequently, he can be considered swift as a leopard with four wings. He spread his rule over the then known world, yet died at a very young age. His kingdom was divided among his four generals, as represented by the four heads of the leopard. Fourth Kingdom Well Described The descriptions of the first three kingdoms are limited. However, Daniel saw the last, most dreadful and terrible beast and described it with greater detail. The angel said to Daniel, As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away; yet their lives were prolonged. As kingdoms they no longer existed, but their philosophies, religions, principles of government and educational methods remained. One merged into the next. Nebuchadnezzars dream in chapter two of Daniel indicates the same thing. There we saw the whole image remaining until the stone cut out without hands came to destroy all. It remains until God's Eternal Kingdom is fully established. When we study history we find that this fourth beast was pagan Rome. Pagan Rome was the world power when Jesus Christ lived on the earth. Rome took over this role in B.C. 161 and later became ten horns which are ten kings. At the end of Roman rule, Barbarians from Europe and Asia overran the Roman Empire between the years 351 and 483 AD. The empire was then divided into ten parts. Three of these kings were plucked up. They were the Heruli in 493, the Vandals in 534, and the Ostrogoths in 538 A.D.. 4 Next the little horn came on the world scene. It eventually 41
became more powerful and dreadful than all the others before it. It was to be in the world for a very long time. Although at one point it would receive a deadly wound, it would survive yet for awhile. Before we discuss the little horn, let us look at the final fate of the beast: The Beast Is Destroyed After the Judgment I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. 5 God's Everlasting Kingdom is Set Up I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man come with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Daniel 7:13,14. The thrones that were cast down were placed down for the king to take his seat. Thrones were movable, carried from place to place from town to town as the king traveled in peace or when at 42
war. The Ancient of days is God the Father. The Son of Man is Jesus Christ. 6 This is the scene of the judgment (verse 10). The beast is judged and later cast into the burning flames. After the judgment Christ returns to this earth. Finally, God's Everlasting Kingdom is set up. Notice the order: the judgment comes before people are taken to heaven to inhabit God's Everlasting Kingdom. The judgment comes before the end of the world. The judgment takes place before the Son of Man is given dominion, and glory and a kingdom. This is an important point. Mark it well. According to this text in Daniel, an individual judgment does not occur individually for each person when he dies. Instead it is a one-time event near the end of the world. Jesus explained this to His disciples in a parable concerning judgment and the harvest at the end of the world. 7 The Judgment As Good News When someone mentions the judgment, most people shy away in fear. They wish for a change in the subject. But God has made the judgment a reward for His people. The judgment is a great gift for those who will accept it. It is good news. At first, Daniel grieved. But he soon found comfort with the promise of the coming of God's Everlasting Kingdom: I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. Daniel 7:15-18. 43
Who or what is the terribly evil little horn? What is the beast of Revelation that causes all to receive a mark? What is the mark? 1. Zechariah 7:14. 2. Revelation 17:15. 3. Habakkuk 1:6-10. 4. To be explained more in detail in later chapters. 5. Daniel 7:9-12. 6. See Matthew 24:30. 7. See Matthew 13:16-40. 44