Daniel, as many other authors of the antiquity and the bible, writes of himself in the third person throughout the first part of the book. As the expositors bible commentary explains, the lion symbol was. It devoured and brake in pieces it spread its arms and its terrors to a much greater extent than any of the preceding. Daniel overview james burton coffman commentaries on the. The book is also an eschatology, meaning a divine revelation concerning the end of the present age, a moment. Moreover, the vision of the son of man is the centerpiece of ot revelation concerning the messiah. Daniel 7 bible commentary matthew henry concise christianity.
But there the four kingdoms, and messiahs final kingdom, were. The four empires are the same as nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream in daniel 2, although in that dream they are pictured as various metals in a statue. In order of events, the vision described in daniel 7 took place during the time between daniel chapters 4 and 5. Four beasts come out of the sea, the ancient of days sits in judgement over them, and one like a son of man is given eternal kingship.
This chapter relates the beginning of daniel s last vision, which is continued to the end of the book. The prophet daniel explained the past and the future of israel and all gentile nations according to the plan and purposes of god and his revelations do so with such incredible accuracy that he has silenced many a biblical skeptic throughout history. He especially desired to know respecting the little horn, which made war with the saints, and prevailed against them. The seventh chapter of the book of daniel records an unusual vision that he received in the first year of the babylonian king belshazzar 555556 b. Daniel 7 the seventh chapter of the book of daniel tells of daniel s vision of four worldkingdoms replaced by the kingdom of god. Daniel 7 commentary commentary critical and explanatory. God keeps a record in heaven and that is what is spoken of by the books were opened. So this is an important chapter in understanding the rest of this book. The six former chapters of this book were historical. The seventh chapter of the book of daniel records an unusual vision that he received. Behold a fourth beast this fourth kingdom can be no other than the roman empire, which answers this emphatical description better than any of the former kingdoms. In the first year of belshazzar king of babylon daniel saw a dream and visions in his mind as he lay on his bed. This commentary is based upon my personal devotional notes and reflections on the book of daniel.
Daniel 7 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. As we leave the first six chapters and enter chapter 7, we are leaving historical narrative behind and entering an apocalyptic section. The leopard with its grace, speed and ferocity is the perfect metaphor for the small welltrained, wellequipped, and brilliantly led greek army that supplanted persia. These verses do not teach that all of the world powers were destroyed before christs kingdom was established. This could be the meaning of the wings being plucked. The prophecy of daniel chapter 7 was intended to be understood by the prophet, his people and the church, and therefore it reveals far greater detail, and a deeper meaning. Walvoord rightly remarks that chapter 7 is a high point in revelation in the book of daniel. He approached the ancient of days and was led into his presence. He ends up taking back the cream of the crop, the most elite and noble israelites, to serve at his court in babylon. Daniel 7 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on. Daniel 7 commentary commentary critical and explanatory on the. Antichrist is no longer called a horn, but a king subduing three out of ten kings no longer horns, daniel 7. Catholic exegetes, by and large take the position of the following commentary from the respected and popular navarre bible commentary on daniel. After this chapter, the book returns to the hebrew language.
For the first time in the book, a vision is written down. David guzik commentary on daniel 7 explains the vision king belshazzar has. By perusing the book of daniel in chapters 5 7, instead of skimming, it. Bible study commentary on the christian life as shown in the book of daniel chapter 4 concerning nebuchadnezzar and the tree of doom. While the first chapters of daniel have a more gentile orientation and flavor, chapter 8 turns to a more jewish emphasis.
The vision predicts major world empires and events from the time of daniel to the second coming of christ. The third beast is the greek empire the third beast is a fourheaded leopard. Of such the lord had said, wickedness has come to babylon through the elders and judges posing as guides to the people. This first vision one of four described between daniel 7 through 12 was the most comprehensive. Commentary on daniel chapters 7 10 matthew janzen the vision of the four beasts daniel pt. A commentary on the book of daniel by pastor galen l. The prophecies found in the book of daniel are the key to unlocking all biblical prophecy. Daniel 7 daniel s vision of future world history someone has well said that. Book of daniel chapter 4 bible study nebuchadnezzar and. Thus far the majority of the book has been historical. The dream of daniel 7 moves far beyond daniel s day to the coming of israel s king to end all gentile kingdoms and to establish his eternal kingdom. Bible study commentary on the book of daniel chapter 7 concerning his vision and prophecy of the coming world empires. Book of daniel chapter 7 bible study times of the gentiles earthly. Commentary on daniel chapters 710 ministers of the.
This section deals exclusively with the times of the gentiles. The old testament is written in the hebrew language, with but one exception a portion of the book of daniel. Doughty southside christian church june 2015 introduction. If you would like to know gods program for the future, it is essential that you understand this book of daniel. The book of daniel verse by verse chapter 7 daniels. From chapter 2, verse 4, through chapter 7, daniel is in aramaic, the gentile and diplomatic language of daniel s day. Chapters 7 and 8 occur after chapter 4, but before chapter 5. Up to the end of chapter 6, daniel has been the interpreter of kings dreams. The aramaic section of daniel begins in chapter 2 with nebuchadnezzars dream of the colossus and ends at the end of. What follows in this chapter, he wrote, is only a summary of what he saw. Dreadful, and terrible, and strong exceedingly and therefore compared to iron, daniel 2. The prophecy of chapter 2 was intended to be understood by a heathen king.
The prophetic chapters of the book of daniel date to 167164 bc, with daniel 7 dated somewhat earlier than the rest. May the spirit of god reveal the meaning of this prophecy to us and. Daniel 7 tells of daniels vision of four worldkingdoms replaced by the kingdom of god. The book of daniel begins with king nebuchadnezzar, the ruler of babylon, ransacking jerusalem. Daniel 7 practically all scholars, whether liberal or conservative, are convinced that the prophecy of this chapter follows the same pattern as that in dan. I beheld till the thrones were cast down till all these earthly kingdoms were brought to an end, and all enemies and opposite powers were destroyed. These 4 beasts are possibly, the kingdoms of the image in chapter 2 of daniel. Chapter 7 of daniel describes four beasts coming up from the mediterranean sea. The vision to be exposed in chapter 7 is dated during the year 553 b. Young and the volume on daniel in the commentary on the old. Apocalyptic language is composed of symbols that are often lurid in. So that there is no reason why the three and a half years should be so.