DANIEL’S VISION OF THE FOUR GREAT BEASTS

The seventh chapter of Daniel, under the emblem of four great beasts, with their various characteristics, predicted a long series of events, extending from his time to the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven, to possess his glorious, everlasting kingdom. He first saw four great beasts come up from the sea, diverse one from the other. The first was like a lion; and it had eagle’s wings. The second was like a bear, and it raised itself up on one side; and it had three ribs in the mouth of it. Another beast appeared like a leopard, with four wings upon the back of it, like a fowl: the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.APEC 59.1

The fourth beast was “a dreadful and terrible beast, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; and it devoured and brake in pieces and stamped the residue with the feet of it; and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. And there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots; and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking very great things. He saw until all these thrones were cast down and the Ancient of Days did sit. The judgment also sat, and the books were opened. He then saw the beast (all his appendages or horns of course included) slain, (destroyed,) and his body given to the burning flame. And one like the Son of Man came in the clouds of heaven; and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, and nations, and languages, should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”APEC 59.2

The explanation of this vision is given in the 17th verse: “These great beasts, which are four, are four kings which shall arise out of the earth.” Verse 18th: “But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.”APEC 60.1

That the four kings, or kingdoms, represented by the beasts, were,-1. The Chaldean,-2. The Medo-Persian,-3. The Macedonian,-4. The Roman governments, is so universally acknowledged, that I shall not at all dwell on it. But the fourth of those beasts, which is to continue until then, is to be destroyed or slain and given to the burning flame at the judgment, and when the Son of Man comes to possess his everlasting kingdom. The little horn of the beast must of necessity share the same fate. Thus, “the little horn” and “that man of sin” are to come to their end at the same time and by the same means.APEC 60.2