The first fourteen verses of chapter seven of the Book of Daniel record what he saw in his dream. The interpretation of his dream begins with verse-15. Something in what he saw troubled him (Daniel 7:15). Remember, Daniel saw and heard more than he records. The text claims Daniel offered a summation of his dream, not a detailed account. For example, we are told that the little horn spoke great words (Daniel 7:11), but we aren’t told what the little horn said. Daniel heard his words, but didn’t record them, although he seems to be troubled by them. Why didn’t he record the words? It is because that isn’t the intent of prophecy. Rather, Daniel’s intent was to give us a summation or mention the most important parts of his dream (Daniel 7:1). More details might affect the free moral agency of the one the little horn represents. He must be permitted the use of God’s gift of freewill. Otherwise, specific details may render the prophecy void, and the Lord could be accused of pulling the strings of his puppet, and instead of man being responsible for his sins, it would be the Lord causing those things to occur![1]
Therefore, Daniel approached one of them that stood by and asked him what those things in his dream meant (Daniel 7:16), so he told Daniel that the four great beasts represented four kings that would arise out of the earth, but it is the saints of the Most High who shall take the Kingdom and possess it forever (Daniel 8:17-18). In other words, the kings of the kingdoms of the earth are unable to conquer or otherwise possess the Kingdom of God, which is held and possessed by the saints of the Most High (cp. Daniel 7:14).
At this point, Daniel asked the one who stood by the meaning behind the fourth beast who had the teeth of iron and nails of brass. What was the truth behind the fact that he devoured, crushed and trampled upon anything that was left, which was done with his feet, vis-à-vis his ten toes (Daniel 7:19; cp. Daniel 2:40-41, 44), which corresponds to the ten horns (kings or rulers; cp. Daniel 7:24) of the fourth beast (Daniel 7:20).
Daniel’s attention became focused upon the little horn (verse-20), which made war with the saints of the Most High (Daniel 7:21), and the little horn was able to overcome them, until the time that the Ancient of Days (the Eternal One) came or arrived (H858; see verse-22). The same word is used to describe the coming of the Son of Man with clouds to the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:13), and at that time judgment occurred, and the saints inherited the Kingdom (Daniel 7:14, 22). But, what does this mean?
Under the Old Covenant, the Kingdom of God was represented in the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. They were the Lord’s representatives on earth, and he was with them, as long as the Temple stood, and he reigned from the Mercy Seat within the Holy of Holies. That Temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, and the Mercy Seat, which was the Ark of the Covenant, was destroyed and would never be constructed again:
“It shall be in those days when you are multiplied and increased in the land,” declares the LORD, “they will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the LORD.’ And it will not come to mind, nor will they remember it, nor will they miss it, nor will it be made again. (Jeremiah 3:16 NASB)[2]
The absence of the Ark of the Covenant in the second Temple implies that the Jews no longer truly represented God in the kingdoms of men. It is this that the saints inherited in AD 70, when the Old Covenant came to an end, vis-à-vis the time the Lord came with the clouds of heaven and judged the nation of the Jews, taking away the Kingdom from them and giving it to the saints of the Most High (Daniel 7:22 cp. Matthew 21:41, 43).
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[1] See my earlier studies: Prophecy and Free Moral Agency and The Necessity of Obscurity!
[2] The fact is, when Josephus described the destruction of the second Temple he mentioned what was found therein. He writes: “The inmost part of the temple was twenty feet in each direction and was separated from the outer part by a veil, and in it there was nothing at all. (Josephus: Wars of the Jews; book 5, chapter 5, paragraph 5 [219])
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Dave White
June 27, 2024 at 07:35
Greetings Eddie. Its interesting to me that your explanation of these interpretations simplifies them. Its clear that most of modern Christianity has these all wrong. How frustrating it is to have churches spend their time teaching false doctrines! God bless, and hope you and your spouse are well!
Eddie
June 27, 2024 at 07:57
Hi Dave, it’s so good to hear from you again. Lord bless you. I find it most revealing in the text, when I try to keep in mind that what is said was said to real folks back in the first century AD, not to me, specifically. Now, there is value in reading the scriptures with that personal mindset, but in reality, the scriptures are of value to us, because they were lived out by others, and we are able to draw value from what happened to them, and what was said to them. It’s like they were in the fire, and I am warmed by their faithfulness. That kind of value!
It is upsetting that many brethren don’t see things correctly, but a correct understanding is a gift. We are given the gift, while our brethren are not. Why? I’m afraid to think of why. The only thing I can say is, God is faithful who gives, and he is faithful when he doesn’t give. The point is, I may be responsible to faithfully use the gift, I haven’t found out what I know, it was given. A gift is a gift, it isn’t worked for. Yet, it is not so difficult to miss this point when I’m enlightened in my studies–my labor! :-)