The Prophet Daniel

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- Kapitel 7 -

(Revelation 13:1–10)

In the first year that Belshazzar was the king of Babylonia, Daniel had a dream one night as he lay in bed. He saw certain things that he wrote down the next morning. This is what he said:

“I, Daniel, had a dream during the night. In my dream I saw that strong winds were blowing from all four directions, stirring up the water on the sea.

Then I saw four large animals coming out of the sea. Each of the four was different from the others.

The first one resembled a lion, but it had wings like an eagle has. But as I watched, something tore off its wings and the animal was left there, standing, like a human being. It was given a mind like humans have.

The second animal resembled a bear. It was crouching and holding between its teeth three ribs from some creature. Someone said to it, ‘Stand up and eat many people!’

Then I saw in front of me the third of these animals. It resembled a leopard, but on its back it had four wings like a bird’s wings. It had four heads and it was given the power to rule people.

In the vision I saw a fourth animal. It was stronger than the other animals and more terrifying. It crushed other creatures with its huge iron teeth and ate their flesh. The parts of animals that it did not grind with its teeth, it walked over on the ground. It was different from the other three animals. It had ten horns on its head.

While I was looking at those horns, I saw a little horn appear on the head of that animal. It tore out three of the other horns. This little horn had eyes like a human has and a mouth that boasted about great things.

Daniel’s Vision of the Ancient of Days

Then while I watched, thrones were set up for judges, and God, The One who Lives Forever, sat on one of the thrones. His clothes were as white as snow, and his hair was as white as pure wool. His throne was burning with fire, and it had wheels that were also burning.

Fire poured out in front of him like water in a river. Millions of people were there serving him, and a hundred million other people were standing in front of him. The court was called into session, and they opened the books.

While I was watching, I could hear the little horn speaking very boastfully. As I continued to watch, the fourth animal was killed. Its corpse was thrown into a fire and completely burned.

The power of the other three animals was taken away from them, but they were allowed to continue to live for a specific period of time.

Daniel’s Vision of the Son of Man

I also saw that night someone coming who resembled a son of man, that is, he had a human figure. He was coming close, surrounded by clouds, and he came to The One who Lives Forever and was presented to him in honor.

He was given authority to rule over all the nations in the world; royal honor was given to him. He will rule forever, he will never stop ruling. The kingdom that he rules will never be destroyed.

Daniel’s Visions Interpreted

As for me, Daniel, I was very sad by what I had seen in that vision; I was so troubled, I did not know what to think about it.

I went to one of those who were standing in front of the throne of God, and I asked him to tell me what it meant.

He said, ’The four large animals represent four kings who will come to power on the earth.

But the Most High will enable the people who belong to him to rule in the kingdom forever.’

Then I wanted to know more about what the fourth animal represented, the animal that was different from the other three, the animal that crushed those whom it attacked with its bronze claws and then ate their flesh with its iron teeth, the animal that walked over the parts of their bodies that it did not eat.

I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the horn that appeared later, which got rid of three of the other horns. I wanted to know what it meant that it had eyes and a mouth with which it spoke very boastfully. That horn was more terrifying than the other horns.

While I was having this vision, I saw that this horn attacked God’s people and was defeating them.

But then The One who Lives Forever came and judged in favor of the people who belonged to him. Then it was time for God’s people to be able to rule.

Then the man who was standing there said to me, ’The fourth animal represents an empire that will exist on the earth; that empire will be different from all other empires. The army of that empire will crush people all over the world and trample on their bodies.

As for its ten horns, they represent ten kings who will rule that empire, one after the other. Then another king will appear. He will be different from the previous kings. He will defeat the three kings that were represented by the three horns that were pulled out.

He will say things against the Most High, and he will oppress God’s people. He will try to change the times of the sacred festivals and their laws. He will control them for three and a half years.

But the court will be convened, and they will take his kingdom away and it will be completely destroyed.

Then the kingdom, the power to rule, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole of heaven will be given to the holy people who belong to the Most High. The kingdom that he rules is a kingdom that is everlasting, and all kings and rulers will serve and obey him.’

That is what I saw in my vision. I, Daniel, was terrified, with the result that my face became pale. But I did not tell anyone about the vision that I had seen.”

(Revelation 13:1–10)

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote the dream and told the sum of the matters.

Daniel spoke and said, “I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the sky broke out on the great sea.

Four great animals came up from the sea, different from one another.

“The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet as a man. A man’s heart was given to it.

“Behold, there was another animal, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. They said this to it: ‘Arise! Devour much flesh!’

“After this I saw, and behold, another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The animal also had four heads; and dominion was given to it.

“After this I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there was a fourth animal, awesome, powerful, and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It was different from all the animals that were before it. It had ten horns.

“I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots; and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking arrogantly.

Daniel’s Vision of the Ancient of Days

“I watched until thrones were placed, and one who was ancient of days sat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, and its wheels burning fire.

A fiery stream issued and came out from before him. Thousands of thousands ministered to him. Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The judgment was set. The books were opened.

“I watched at that time because of the voice of the arrogant words which the horn spoke. I watched even until the animal was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burned with fire.

As for the rest of the animals, their dominion was taken away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

Daniel’s Vision of the Son of Man

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him.

Dominion was given him, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom one that will not be destroyed.

Daniel’s Visions Interpreted

“As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.

I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all this. “So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.

‘These great animals, which are four, are four kings, who will arise out of the earth.

But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’

“Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth animal, which was different from all of them, exceedingly terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of bronze; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet;

and concerning the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke arrogantly, whose look was more stout than its fellows.

I saw, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them,

until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

“So he said, ‘The fourth animal will be a fourth kingdom on earth, which will be different from all the kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and will tread it down and break it in pieces.

As for the ten horns, ten kings will arise out of this kingdom. Another will arise after them; and he will be different from the former, and he will put down three kings.

He will speak words against the Most High, and will wear out the saints of the Most High. He will plan to change the times and the law; and they will be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.

“‘But the judgment will be set, and they will take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end.

The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole sky, will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions will serve and obey him.’

“Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face was changed in me; but I kept the matter in my heart.”