Who Was Daniel?
Daniel was one of the exiles from Judah who were carried off captive to Babylon after the destruction of Jerusalem (586 BC). This is important to know in order to help us understand the geopolitical situation during this historical period. The Babylonian empire was succeeded by Medo-Persia and Daniel came under its authority as is brought out later in the book of Daniel.

Tale of Two Dreams:
In the first half of the book of Daniel we read where Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had two dreams that he sought understanding from his wise men. The first was his dream of a dazzling statue, which was the subject of a previous dissertation. The second was of a tree so large it touched the sky. Nebuchadnezzar's wise men could not interpret these dreams which is when Daniel came to the rescue, although he gave proper credit to the Lord "...who reveals mysteries."

Writing on the Wall:
Daniel is called upon again during the reign of Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar's grandson. The king was throwing a lavish feast when "Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall..." Apparently the language of the message was unknown to anyone present, so Daniel was summoned to the banquet hall. He interpreted the writing which was not good news for Belshazzar, for he was to about to become the last king of Babylon.

In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea. _{Daniel 7:2}

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. _{Daniel 7:3,4}

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!" _{Daniel 7:5}

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. It was given authority to rule. _{Daniel 7:6}

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. _{Daniel 7:7}

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. _{Daniel 7:8}

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. _{Daniel 7:19-22}

First Impressions: From reading these verses it is obvious that these four beasts did not arise all at once, but one at a time (i.e. chronologically). And, unlike the first three beasts, Daniel was unable to compare the fourth beast to anything in his experience. Since lions and leopards in nature do not have wings or multiple heads, we have to conclude that these beasts are symbolic. In addition there is the mystery involving numbers: The lion-like beast has two wings of an eagle, the bear-like beast has three ribs in its mouth, the leopard-like beast has four wings and four heads, and the fourth beast has ten horns. All of these elements must signify some attribute of that to which they are connected.

I was raised in a church whose teaching on Biblical prophecy asserted that clues to discovery could be found in the Bible itself, not on mere speculation. Taking that approach I shall now attempt to identify the symbolism in Daniel's dream.

Identifying the Symbolism:

1. The Four Winds of Heaven: Encompassing all directions, like the winds of a cyclonic storm. _{Jeremiah 49:36}
2. The Great Sea: The nations of the Middle East and the Mediterranean. _{Isaiah 17:12}
3. The Four Beasts: No Biblical reference to these creatures can be found to aid in identification. Fortunately, there is other evidence to that end.
   _{Daniel 2:31-38, Daniel 5:26-28, Daniel 8:20-22}
4. Wings: Rapidity of conquest or sudden destruction.
   _{Isaiah 8:7-9, Jeremiah 48:40-42, Jeremiah 49:20-22, Ezekiel 17:3,4}
5. Heads: Refers to branches or divisions of an entity, either contemporary or chronological.
   _{Genesis 41, Exodus 6:14, Joshua 19:21, Psalms 74:14}
6. Horns: Power or strength to do good or evil. Also, as with heads, branches or divisions of an entity.
   _{Deuteronomy 33:17, 1 Kings 22:11, Psalm 75:4 & 10, Ezekiel 34:21, Daniel 7:24 & 8:21,22}

1. I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this. _{Daniel 7:16}
2. The four great beasts are four kings [kingdoms] that will rise from the earth. _{Daniel 7:17}
3. The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms. _{Daniel 7:23}
4. The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. _{Daniel 7:24a}
5. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. _{Daniel 7:24b}
6. He 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. _{Daniel 7:25}
7. But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. _{Daniel 7:26,27}

There is an interesting progression in chapters 2, 7 and 8 in the book of Daniel that helps us in the identification of what world empires are being prophesied:

• .......Daniel 2................Daniel 7............Daniel 8..............................
• ..(The Great Statue)......(The Four Beasts)...(The Ram and Goat).Historical Timeline [a]
• -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• Head of Pure Gold..........Lion-like Beast.......................Neo-Babylonian Empire [b]
• Chest & Arms of Silver.....Bear-like Beast......Two-Horned Ram...Medo-Persian Empire [c]
• Belly & Thighs of Bronze...Leopard-like Beast...He-Goat..........Greek Empire [d]
• ...........................Four Heads...........Four Horns.......Greek Empire Divided [e]
• ................................................Little Horn......Persecuting Power [f]
• Legs of Iron...............Nondescript Beast.....................Roman Empire [g]
• Feet of Iron & Clay........Ten Horns.............................Roman Empire Divided [h]
• ...........................Little Horn...........................Persecuting Power [i]
• The Rock...................The Judgment.........Restoration......Messiah's Kingdom [j]

1. a) Source: Ancient History Encyclopedia (re. Babylonian to Roman Empires)
2. b) Babylonian empire, the starting point in the book of Daniel. _{Daniel 2:38, Daniel 7:4}
3. c) Medo-Persian empire succeeds Babylonian. _{Daniel 2:39a, Daniel 7:5, Daniel 8:20}
4. d) Greek empire succeeds Medo-Persian. _{Daniel 2:39b, Daniel 7:6, Daniel 8:21}
5. e) The death of Alexander the Great. His empire divided. _{Daniel 8:8, Daniel 8:22}
6. f) Out of one of these divisions arises another horn. _{Daniel 8:9, Daniel 8:23-25}
7. g) The Roman empire succeeds the Greek empire. _{Daniel 2:40, Daniel 7:7a}
8. h) The fall of Rome. The empire divided. _{Daniel 2:41, Daniel 7:7b}
9. i) A new power arises from the ashes of the old Roman Empire. _{Daniel 7:8, Daniel 7:20-22, Revelation 13:1-10}
10. j) The everlasting kingdom. _{Daniel 2:44, Daniel 7:27, Daniel 8:14 & 25}

Why three separate prophetic visions utilizing different symbolisms that reveal the same future events? Perhaps the most plausible answer is that subsequent visions provide expanded or complimentary information. For example, the little horn power of Daniel 7 has no corollary in Daniel 2.