Apocalypse: Visions of Daniel concerning the Future[a]
The Visions of the Beasts and the Son of Man[b]
Chapter 7
Four Great Beasts Come Up from the Sea.[c] 1 In the first year that Belshazzar was king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and experienced visions in his mind as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down his account of the dream as follows:
2 In the vision I saw during the night, I, Daniel, beheld the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. 3 Four huge beasts then emerged from the sea, each one different from the others. 4 The first was like a lion, but with the wings of an eagle. As I watched, its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet as if it were a human being. It was also given a human heart.
5 Then a second beast appeared that looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. The order was given to it: “Arise and gorge yourself with bodies.”
6 After this, as I watched, another beast appeared, like a leopard. On its back it had four wings like those of a bird, and it had four heads. This beast was given dominion.
7 After this, in my night visions, I beheld a fourth beast terrifying, fearsome, and exceedingly strong. With its great iron teeth it devoured and crushed its victims, and it trampled their remains with its feet. It was different from all of the preceding beasts, and it had ten horns.
8 While I was gazing up at these horns, I beheld another horn, a small one, sprouting in their midst. Three of the other horns were uprooted to make room for it. This horn had eyes like human eyes, and a mouth that spoke with arrogance.
One Like the Son of Man[d]
9 While I was watching,
thrones were set in place,
and the Ancient One sat on his throne.
His robe was as white as snow,
and the hair on his head was as pure as wool.
His throne was ablaze with fiery flames,
and its wheels were a burning fire.
10 A stream of fire surged forth
and flowed out from his presence.
Thousands upon thousands served him,
and myriads upon myriads stood before him.
The court was in session,
and the books lay open.
11 Then I continued to watch because of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking. And as I watched the beast was put to death. Its body was destroyed and thrown into the fire to be consumed. 12 As for the other beasts, they lost their dominion, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
13 As the night visions continued,
I beheld approaching on the clouds of heaven
one like a son of man.
He came before the Ancient One
and was presented to him.
14 Dominion and glory and kingship
were conferred upon him
so that all peoples and nations of every language
would become his servants.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that will never pass away,
and his kingdom is one
that will never be destroyed.
15 The Kingdom of the Holy Ones of the Most High. I, Daniel, experienced great anguish of spirit, and the visions that flashed through my mind truly terrified me. 16 Therefore, I approached one of those who were standing there and asked him what all this truly signified. He in turn revealed to me what all these things meant, 17 “These four great beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth. 18 But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive kingly power and possess it forever and ever.”
19 Then I expressed my desire to know about the fourth beast, since it was different from all the rest, and terrifying to behold with its iron teeth and bronze claws, and trampling underfoot and devouring its victims. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head, and why the other horn sprouted, before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and an arrogant mouth, and whose appearance was more imposing than that of the others.
21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy ones and prevailing over them, 22 until the Ancient One came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, and the time came when the holy ones gained possession of the kingdom. 23 This is the explanation he offered:
“As for the fourth beast,
it signifies a fourth kingdom on earth
that will differ from all other kingdoms.
It shall devour the earth,
trample it underfoot, and crush it to pieces.
24 As for the ten horns,
from this kingdom ten kings shall rise,
and another shall arise after them.
This last king will be different from the earlier ones,
and he will overcome three kings.
25 He will insult the Most High
and oppress the holy ones of the Most High
in his stubborn determination
to change the sacred seasons and the law.
They shall be given into his power
for a time, two times, and half a time.
26 Finally the court will sit in judgment,
and his power will be taken away,
with his sovereignty completely destroyed forever.
27 Then kingship and dominion and the splendor
of all the kingdoms under the heavens
will be given to the holy people of the Most High,
whose kingdom will be everlasting,
and all dominions will serve and obey him.”
28 Here the account ends. I, Daniel, was greatly disturbed by my thoughts, and I turned pale, but I kept these things to myself.
Footnotes
- Daniel 7:1 Up to this point we have been edified by events in the life of a hero. Now he, himself, speaks in the chiaroscuro language of the apocalypses. The narrative transports the reader beyond the passing scene: the great empires that come and are swallowed up are simply preparations for the events that will mark the end of time. The prophet will also proclaim the mysterious coming of a “son of man” and the resurrection of the righteous.
- Daniel 7:1 This is the most important eschatological passage in the Book of Daniel. The immediate explanation is concerned with the time of Antiochus IV. But there are other Antiochuses in the course of human history.
- Daniel 7:1 These fabulous animals, close relatives of the forces of disorder which are often mentioned in the Bible (Ps 74; Isa 51:9) or in the primitive traditions of the peoples, stand here for the empires that controlled the East from the seventh to the second century before our era. If we may judge by the images he uses, the author sees the order of regimes as follows: Babylon, the Medes, the Persians, and then the Greeks, who have recently astonished the world by the conquests of Alexander the Great, who died in 323 B.C. Alexander’s successors have divided his empire among themselves, and it is this that is presently sowing terror. Horns are always a sign of power; here they symbolize the kings of the Greek dynasty of the Seleucids, who control Syria. The little, destructive horn is Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175–163 B.C.), who has rid himself of more than one of his rivals. This entire scenario, then, is intended to fill out the portrait of this persecuting ruler. But Antiochus IV has passed away, and other haughty regimes have arisen that must be identified with the same critical clarity. The Book of Revelation (Rev 13) takes over the image of the horned beast to signify evil in all the forms in which it is directed against the community of those whom Christ has brought together.
- Daniel 7:9 At this point, a mysterious personage is enthroned: the Man par excellence, who calls to mind the figure of the Servant in Isaiah (Isa 52:13-15) and represents the group of spiritual believers to whom God entrusts his kingdom forever (Dan 7:18, 22, 27). He stands at the head of the kingdom of God announced by the Prophets. In this way the coming fall of Antiochus and of the persecuting regimes is prefigured; it will be possible once again to profess the faith freely. In addition, the vision promises a new era in which the whole of humanity will be gathered into the one kingdom of God. Also included here is the title son of man, which Jesus will apply to himself and which, once freed from nationalistic interpretations, will suggest the newness of God’s work in the world, namely, the gospel message. In the Christian Apocalypse, the title designates Christ as judge at the end of time (Mt 24:30; Rev 1:13; 14:14).