The interpretation of Daniel 7 can be a bit perplexing. I thought I would attempt a quick and hopefully simple breakdown of Daniels four beasts that rise from the sea. It will aid in the interpretation of the beast kingdom in Revelation 13, and 17, and perhaps offer some clarity concerning the rise of this kingdom in the latter days.
The writing below is based upon scripture as the Bible is interconnecting: scripture defines scripture. Daniels night vision interconnects with Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2. Nebuchadnezzar was intensely occupied with the future of the mighty kingdom he had built. The Bible doesn't require outside sources to interpret scripture but, we often find that historical events fill in the gaps.
God doesn't want us confused, he wants us to understand what the prophets are documenting. Fortunately for us, there was an angel close by to give us an explanation, adding clarification to what Daniel was witnessing.... the angel told Daniel:
Daniel 7:23,24 The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. Out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.
Daniel chapter 7 documents a night vision where Daniel saw four beasts rise up from the sea. The last beast symbolizes a kingdom which will be specifically recognized by its king. Each beast kingdom influenced Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon kingdom in some way. Three kingdoms had kings or regent kings, who occupied Babylonian territory, living within the confines of the Babylonian city. These kings were mighty warriors, conquering the middle east.
The four beasts that rise from the sea are kingdoms. Within prophetic implications, many prophecies, visions or dreams were given to various prophets cloaked in metaphorical significance; cities are depicted as woman, kingdoms as mountains and kings are mighty trees. In Daniels night vision, the beasts represent variations of four distinct kingdoms.
The kingdoms have the qualities that are similar to, or comparable with, those of the animal presented. The beasts are shown to Daniel as metaphors for kingdoms; just as the mystery woman in Revelation 17 is a visual of a city described metaphorically as a woman.
In Daniel's vision, the sea had been stirred up by the winds of heaven, with such force that four great beast rise from its depths. Each kingdom was different from the one before. The sea in Daniels vision was most likely the Mediterranean, as this is not explained in further detail or given additional interpretation by an angel. The Mediterranean was often used by Yahweh to set boundary markers for Israel throughout the Bible. At the time of Daniel's night vision, the borders of Babylon extended to the Mediterranean sea.
This is the same sea that John describes in Rev 13, where the beast kingdom rises from.
The first beast was as a lion with the wings of an eagle. The lion is a symbol of authority, bravery, pride and royalty, the eagle, majestic grace and power. The first kingdom that rose from the sea was Babylon. Historically, the lion and the eagle were the symbols of the Babylonian kingdom. Bel-Marduk, the snake-dragon, was the ruling god of the kingdom. Ishtar, the Babylonian form of Inanna was the primary goddess. Her symbol was also the lion as she was a goddess of love and war.
The lion was humbled, made to stand on two legs, and was given the heart of a man. This description intertwines a beast kingdom with a king, which was King Nebuchadnezzar II as he was the 'head of gold' who built a mighty kingdom: Daniel 2:37, and was humbled before God: Daniel 4. The wings were plucked, most likely representing the night of the writing on the wall; when the armies of Cyrus the Great removed Babylon's power.
The second beast was the bear. The bear represents brute strength and territorial supremacy. The second beast represents the Mede-Persian kingdom of Cyrus the Great. King Darius took the throne and ruled over the ancient Babylon kingdom, the night that Babylon fell to the Mede-Persians. This ended the reign of the Chaldean dynasty and is documented in Daniel 5.
The third beast was like a leopard, denoting swiftness and stealth; a ruthless and precise hunter. This beast had four wings of a predatory bird, not as strong or regal as the eagle. The four heads represented a division into four separate dynasties or kingdoms that proceeded the death of Alexander the Great, (Daniel 8:8; 11:4). Antiochus Epiphanes, the little horn of the old Testament (Daniel 8:9-12) rose from one of those four heads: the Seleucid empire. The little horn of the new Testament, will rise from the head of the ten horns, the seventh head of the beast.
It is important to note that the heads of the Leopard symbolize four distinct dynasties or empires that rose up out of the Leopard kingdom; just as the seven heads of the beast kingdom in Revelation 13:1,2, who was 'like' the leopard, symbolize seven individual world empires or, kingdoms.
The territory covered by the Grecian empire was vast and its conquering strength was swiftly executed. The Grecian kingdom under Alexander the Great encased a large amount of territory, taken over a short period of time.
Alexander the Great also ruled over his kingdom from the ancient Babylonian city. He made Babylon his secondary home base, where he lived, and later died. He had plans to rebuild the city and restore her to her former glory. His plans included a fleet of military ships to prowl the Euphrates. But, his life was cut short, and his dreams were never realized.
So far, we have three kings that ruled over the ancient Babylonian kingdom once ruled by the head of gold: Nebuchadnezzar II. Daniels fourth beast will provide the final king.
The fourth beast kingdom, was different from the rest, as it was incredibly strong and vicious. The beast described by Daniel was dreadful and terrible, having great iron teeth which devoured all in it path, raking the earth with its brass nails. It broke and devoured everything in its path, and what it didn't devour, it stomped with its feet: Daniel 7:19. The kingdom went forth to conquer the entire world.
After this, I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, stamping the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beast that were before it; and it had ten horns. Daniel 7:7The ten horns are mentioned in Daniel 2:44, and further decoded in Daniel 7:24 and Revelation 17:12, as ten kings. The decoding of the ten horns in the book of Revelation, places Daniel's fourth beast into the future time period of the tribulation. This is telling us that the kingdom of ten horns, will form just prior to the rise of the little horn. We are also told in Revelation 13:2 that the kingdom of ten horns is made-up of three previous beast kingdoms: the lion, bear and leopard. These previous beast kingdoms were kingdoms that conquered vast territories of the middle east. The kingdom of ten horns is the kingdom that rises after Rome and, continues a short space: Revelation 17:10b. The beast of ten horns emerges from the bottomless pit, with his mortal wound healed, as an eighth kingdom. Only a 'beast' kingdom can be mortally wounded or slain as it is a 'beast,' a living, breathing entity. This transformation is orchestrated by the red dragon, and possibly directed by the false prophet: Rev 13:2b,14.
Daniel and Revelation converge:
Daniel continued to watch as a little horn (Daniel 7:8a) rose up among the ten horns. This little horn uprooted three kings, as it grew, removing their power. The little horn had the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking vile blasphemies against the God of heaven. The little horn begins his rise to power in the early days of the tribulation period, as the seventh head rises to global dominance. As the seventh head rises from the abyss, the great tribulation begins. The beast is a kingdom and, the little horn is its king.
One very important clue from this, is that the ten kings, and Daniels fourth beast kingdom are already established before the little horn rises. The ten horns represent ten individuals in very powerful positions of authority, who conspire for global control. These kings do not have a kingdom, which means that the ten horns do not represent individual kingdoms, but are simply kings in positions of great authority. These ten horns rule as kings empowering the beast kingdom. Rev 17:12b
Daniels fourth beast represents a future kingdom that has not yet come.
So far, we have four beast kingdoms: Babylon, Mede-Persian, Grecian, and the beast with ten horns. There were two non-beast kingdoms that had fallen prior to the rise of the Babylonian kingdom: Egypt and Assyria, and another non-beast kingdom which rose after the empire of Alexander the Great: Rome. This gives us a total of six world kingdoms; but there are seven heads upon the beast. This places the beast kingdom of ten horns into position of the seventh world kingdom. This is the beast who has not yet come. So now, the list of biblical kingdoms looks like this:
World Kingdoms recorded in Scripture:
1) Egypt-fallen, 2) Assyria-fallen, 3) Babylon-fallen beast kingdom, 4) Mede-Persia-fallen beast kingdom, 5) Grecian-fallen beast kingdom, 6) Rome-the one that is, 7) beast with ten horns- the one that has not yet come.
And they are seven kings: five are fallen: (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Mede-Persia, Grecian), And one is: (Rome), and the other is not yet come: (Daniels fourth beast with the ten horns): and when he comes, he must continue a short space. Revelation 17:10
This positioning of kingdoms is reflected in the number of heads upon the red dragon, and his beastly seed: the beast kingdom of ten horns. The beast kingdom is a mirror image of the red dragon.
Heads upon the Red Dragon: 1) Egypt 2) Assyrian 3) Babylon - beast kingdom 4) Mede-Persian -beast kingdom 5) Grecian - beast kingdom 6) Rome - the one that is 7) fourth beast with the ten horns who rises from the abyss. It was, is not, yet is: The beast kingdom of the ten horns is comprised of three previous beast kingdoms which dominated the middle east: the lion, bear and leopard. These kingdoms are currently mortally wounded and deceased; and yet, they are part of the genetic make up of the fourth beast.
The number of world kingdoms in the Bible, correspond with the number of heads upon the red dragon, and his beastly kingdom of ten horns.
And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. Revelation 12:3 .... And I stood on the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns.... Revelation 13:1a
In the numbering or, order of the kingdoms listed above, Daniel's fourth kingdom of ten horns is represented as the seventh head of the red dragon, the seventh world kingdom. (If it becomes the eighth, then there must be a seventh 17:11a) It is the future kingdom of ten horns that the little horn or antichrist rises from. It had not yet come in John's timing of events, but it is beginning to form in ours. This is the kingdom that rises after Rome.
The little horn is the king, who will rule the kingdom centralized in the physical location, where three previous kingdoms once ruled. In Daniels vision, all four beast (kingdoms) had come up from the same sea. This is the sea, where the beast kingdom that John documents in Revelation 13:1,2 rises from. This is also the beast, who carries the woman upon his seven heads Rev 17:9.
And I (John) stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast (kingdom) rise up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard (Grecian), and his feet were as the feet of a bear (Mede-Persian) and his mouth as the mouth of a lion (Babylon): and the dragon (Satan) gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
The beast that John documents in Revelation 13, is comprised of three previous beast kingdoms that had ruled over the geographical location of the Mesopotamia; the middle east. It was 'like' the four-headed leopard, (Grecian) and had the feet of the bear (Mede-Persian), with brass nails (Grecian) and the mouth of a lion, (Babylon - the head of the beast). These kingdoms, once mortally wounded, and deceased, join together forming the appearance of a mortally wounded seventh head; the fourth kingdom.
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the beast (kingdom) Revelation 13:3
Daniel 7:23,24 The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. Out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.
The beast is Daniel's fourth kingdom which rules the middle east. It will be swift and deadly as the leopard: Grecian, using brute force of a bear: Mede-Persian, devouring all in it's death-vice jaws as a mighty lion: Babylon. As power returns to the middle east, the beast will begin to rise. These former geographical areas pinpoint the location of the beast kingdom. The kingdom will have ten horns (seats of power, kings) that rise up, exerting authority over the kingdom and, will eventually conquer the entire globe. The ten kings rule the beast empire during the tribulation period.
Satan gives his power and throne to the beast kingdom: the horns have received crowns, and it has accumulated the seven heads of the red dragon. The little horn spews blasphemy against the most High, and the seven heads are marked with the name of blasphemy. The heads or kingdoms, will be full of blasphemous men and women, who mock the God of heaven. The kingdoms are united to the little horn and his kingdom by enmity against Israel, the seed of Abraham, who become Christians, and carry the testimony of Christ Jesus: Rev 12.
Before the little horn can rise among the ten horns and, take power over the kingdom, everything he needs for world domination must be prepared, and seized by the ten horns. This includes digital ID and tracking, buying and selling; a system, to contain and control, every nation, and individual on the planet. He will also need a centralized capital city to showcase his power and authority. With the nations subdued under the ten kings or ten horns, the little horn begins to rise.
We are witnessing this now, the creation of digital control, as the destruction of the ancient Roman kingdom continues. This is the beginning stage of the rise of the beast. The seventh head of the red dragon is forming right before our eyes, as the sixth world kingdom continues to prepare all that the little horn will need, to rule the world. These things must be in place prior to the rise of the eleventh king. The only thing that is missing is the wounded head or, fourth beast - the combined kingdoms that are mortally wounded and deceased. As the tribulation nears, the formation of Daniel's fourth beast kingdom will revitalize, and rise to power, just prior to the appearance of antichrist. Revelation 17:8,11
The beast (kingdom) that you saw was, and is not (was mortally wounded); and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they who dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold, the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. Revelation 17:8
Only a 'beast' kingdom can be mortally wounded or slain, as it is a 'beast' - a living, breathing entity. A beast kingdom is different from a non-beast kingdom as it can be supernaturally revitalized and brought back from death.
Beast in the Aramaic, is חֵיוְתָא which translates to: animal. Beast in the Greek is: θηριον -wild animal, genetically non-human, an animal hunted by man. The beast is a descriptive marker for a wild, untamed animal, defining the characteristics of three kingdoms that were centralized in the middle east; the lion, the bear, the leopard and the fourth that is yet to come; the beast with ten horns.
Once the eleventh king rises, the seventh head, or kingdom, becomes the eighth, or the totality of the beast. (there is no eighth head)
Revelation 17:11 And the beast (kingdom) that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven (kingdoms) and goes into perdition.
The heads of the beast represent the heads of the red dragon, kingdoms of the world which showcase the dragon's power and authority. These kingdoms belong to the red dragon (Satan), as the heads are mounted as trophies of conquered territory. This is similar to how a big game hunters display mounts or trophies upon a wall, or a 5 star General wears medals upon his chest. We also saw the positioning of individual kingdoms by the number of heads on Daniel's third beast, the leopard, which symbolized the Grecian empire. Instead of the four heads like the leopard, the final beast empire will have the seven heads of the dragon, seven world kingdoms.
Daniel 7:6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads and dominion was given to it.
Revelation 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven, and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
The dragon will transfer its power and authority to his mini-mi aka: the beast kingdom of Revelation 13. These seven territories are now given to the beast kingdom as seven heads.
and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat (throne, territorial domain) and great authority. Rev 13:2b
Prior to the early stages of the tribulation, kingdoms of the world will begin surrendering their authority to the ten horns. This may be some sort of global war or, global con, such as a climate crises, (farting cows) that subdues the nations, convincing the kings of the earth to surrender sovereign authority to nefarious authorities. The ten kings will then hand their consolidated global authority over to the kingdom, and the eleventh king, when he rises up among them. Rev 17: 12,13
And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 13) These have one mind and shall give their power and strength to the beast.
The red dragon removes the diadems or crowns, from his seven heads (Rev 12:3) and places them upon the ten horns: Rev 13:1b. The crowns that were upon the heads or, kingdoms are replaced with the name of blasphemy.
This is a transfer of power. Ruling power is removed from the seven world kingdoms, and given to the ten horns. The crowning glory of Satan had been his influence over the kingdoms as they belonged to him, but now, that power and authority is given to the ten horns upon the seventh head or, Daniels fourth beast kingdom. This shows power and authority is given to the ten horns, to dominate the kingdoms of the earth.
Once the beast kingdom begins to rise, the transfer of power will be quick and brutal; the authority of the kingdom will be lethal, to those who do not comply.
Just as the little horn will mock and blaspheme the most high, all those who dwell under the authority of the beast kingdom will do the same. It won't be hard to gather armies to hunt the tribulation saints, once the woman (Judea / Israel) is hidden and protected in the wilderness during the Great tribulation period.
And the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. Rev 12:6
The beast kingdoms rise from the sea, kings rise from the earth.
Daniel 7:17 These great beasts (kingdoms), which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
Four kingdoms: Babylon, Mede-Persia, Greece, beast with ten horns.
Four kings: Nebuchadnezzar II, Cyrus the Great, Alexander the Great, the false prophet.
There are seven heads on the red dragon and, seven upon the beast kingdom suggesting this scarlet beast is made in the image of the red dragon - the devil's spawn.
Heads of the Beast: 1) Egypt - fallen, 2) Assyria - fallen, 3) Babylon - fallen beast, 4) Mede-Persian - fallen beast, 5) Grecian - fallen beast, 6) Rome - the one that is, 7) beast with ten horns - the kingdom that has not yet come. Revelation 17:10
As mentioned earlier: prior to the rise of the Babylonian kingdom, there were two other kingdoms that had their power removed: Egypt and Assyria.
Egypt was the first head of the dragon. Assyria conquered Egypt, Babylon conquered Assyria, Mede-Persia conquered Babylon, Grecian conquered the Mede-Persia, and finally Rome conquered and absorbed the Grecian empires; transferring power from the middle east to Rome. When the seventh head with the ten horns rises, it will begin to absorb all of the previous kingdoms, conquering them swiftly, subduing them, placing them under control. The lands of the ancient Roman empire is the current area of conquest. Eventually, all nations will be controlled by the ten horns on Daniels fourth beast kingdom; and power will return to the middle east.
This new kingdom, revived from a combination of three previous 'beast' kingdoms; the lion, the bear and the leopard, will form the beast of ten horns. This kingdom will be controlled by ten kings, and then handed over to the eleventh king, the little horn, once he rises up among them.
Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads (kingdoms) as it were (εσφαγμενην) wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the beast.
This verse is revealing that one of the seven heads was wounded to death but, by the time John saw the beast kingdom rise from the sea, the deadly wound was healed. A beast kingdom will be revived from death and restored, and the world will wonder in amazement over this feat. (See Revelation 17:8,11) This is speaking of a kingdom, not hills and not antichrist, as he is a horn, not a head. Will a Roman hill suffer a 'deadly wound' and will the wounded hill be healed? Sounds unlikely.
The Greek word for wounded to death, slain is: εσφαγμενην which translates from the Greek as: having been butchered. This word in the Greek implies that this was done in a 'ritual state' or ritual sense, as an act of God in a balance of power, or, to take power away.
The three mortally wounded beast kingdoms: lion, bear and leopard, make up the genetic material that forms the wounded head, and rises from the abyss, healed and revived.
Revelation 13:4 They worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast (kingdom); and they worshiped the beast, saying, who is like the beast and who is able to make war against him?
The beast kingdom is given male pronouns such as he, him and his which can cause some confusion in interpretation, oftentimes transposing a wounded head (kingdom) for a wounded horn (king).
Not one man left alive during the tribulation period will be able to gather an army to make war against him; the beast kingdom of the eleventh king. The only one that can do that is Christ Jesus, the stone that will strike the feet of the statue, destroying it. Daniel 2:34,35
The seventh head is Daniels fourth beast with the ten horns that rises from the sea; a combination of three ancient beast kingdoms that had been slain or mortally wounded. A beast kingdom is different from a non-beast kingdom, as a 'beast' can be mortally wounded or slain. This head of the beast, comprised of three former beast kingdoms: the lion, the bear and the leopard, will be revived from its deadly wound, and rise from the abyss, as an eighth kingdom: the antichrist kingdom.
Heads of the Beast: 1) Egypt, 2) Assyria, 3)
Babylon, 4) Mede-Persia, 5) Greece, 6) Rome, 7) beast kingdom with ten horns =
transformed into the eighth kingdom, the antichrist kingdom.
And the beast (kingdom) that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven (kingdoms, heads) and goes into perdition. 17:11
The heads of the beast are kingdoms; which is further confirmed in the following passage:
The angel is calling John to use deep thought, biblical discernment and wisdom when considering the meaning of the seven heads. Daniel would have known exactly what the mountains represented and with some consideration I believe John did as well. The angel is using an old testament symbolic reference which defines a mountain as a kingdom. This is found in several passages of scripture. Here are a few:
Daniel 2:35b: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain (kingdom) and filled the whole earth.
Isaiah 2:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain (kingdom) of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
Jerimiah 51:25 Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain (kingdom), saith the LORD, which destroys all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.
Let's look at Revelation 17:9 again: And here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven (ὄρος) mountains (kingdoms), on which the woman sits.
The Greek word John used was ὄρος which translates to mountain. When used symbolically a mountain represents a kingdom. A hill has no prophetic significance or symbolic reference. A hill in the Greek is βουνός - bounos, and was not used. The heads upon the red dragon and the beast kingdom that carries the woman in Revelation 17 are kingdoms. The reference to kings in the following verse (17:10) reinforces this, as kings rule kingdoms and, kingdoms are ruled by kings.
17:10 And they are seven kings; five are fallen (1 Egypt - fallen, 2 Assyria - fallen, 3 Babylon - fallen beast, 4 Medo-Persia - fallen beast, 5 Grecian - fallen beast), and one is (6 Rome), and the other is not yet come (7th kingdom, beast with ten horns), and when he comes, he must continue a short space.
17:11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven (heads, kingdoms) and goeth into perdition.
Satan offered Jesus the kingdoms of the world if he would bow down to worship him. He could do this because the kingdoms belong to him. The kingdoms sat upon the red dragon as his trophies of conquest.
Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
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