71 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel saw a dream and visions in his mind as he lay on his bed ; then he wrote the dream down and related the following summary of it. 2 Daniel said e , "I was looking in my vision by night , and behold , the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea . 3 "And four great beasts were coming up from the sea , different from one another . 4 "The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle . I kept looking until e its wings were plucked , and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man ; a human mind also was given to it. 5 "And behold , another beast , a second one, resembling a bear . And it was raised up on one side , and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth ; and thus they said to it, 'Arise , devour much meat !' 6 "After this I kept looking , and behold , another one, 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. 7 "After this I kept looking in the night visions , and behold , a fourth beast , dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong ; and it had large iron teeth . It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet ; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns . 8 "While I was contemplating the horns , behold , another horn , a little one , came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before e it; and behold , this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts.
9 "I kept looking Until e thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat ; His vesture was like white snow And the hair of His head like pure wool . His throne was ablaze with flames , Its wheels were a burning fire . 10 "A river of fire was flowing And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat , And the books were opened . 11 "Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking ; I kept looking until e the beast was slain , and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire . 12 "As for the rest of the beasts , their dominion was taken away , but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time . 13 "I kept looking in the night visions , And behold , with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming , And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 14 "And to Him was given dominion , Glory and a kingdom , That all the peoples , nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away ; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Daniel 7:1-14
Commentary on Daniel 7:1-8
(Read Daniel 7:1-8)
This vision contains the same prophetic representations with Nebuchadnezzar's dream. The great sea agitated by the winds, represented the earth and the dwellers on it troubled by ambitious princes and conquerors. The four beasts signified the same four empires, as the four parts of Nebuchadnezzar's image. Mighty conquerors are but instruments of God's vengeance on a guilty world. The savage beast represents the hateful features of their characters. But the dominion given to each has a limit; their wrath shall be made to praise the Lord, and the remainder of it he will restrain.
Commentary on Daniel 7:9-14
(Read Daniel 7:9-14)
These verses are for the comfort and support of the people of God, in reference to the persecutions that would come upon them. Many New Testament predictions of the judgment to come, have plain allusion to this vision; especially Revelation 20:11,12. The Messiah is here called the Son of man; he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, and was found in fashion as a man, but he is the Son of God. The great event foretold in this passage, is Christ's glorious coming, to destroy every antichristian power, and to render his own kingdom universal upon earth. But ere the solemn time arrives, for manifesting the glory of God to all worlds in his dealings with his creatures, we may expect that the doom of each of us will be determined at the hour of our death; and before the end shall come, the Father will openly give to his incarnate Son, our Mediator and Judge, the inheritance of the nations as his willing subjects.