The Coming Fourth Empire - Daniel's First Vision

In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar's grandson, Daniel envisioned four beasts arising from the Great Sea stirred by the four winds of heaven (Daniel 7). In Scripture the Sea is a metaphor of the Gentile peoples. Indeed the first three kingdoms, as history has since proven, were gentile empires. We expect from prophecy the fourth will be as well. Each of the four empires appeared to Daniel as an animal (beast), but unlike any found in nature.

The first beast was like a lion but had eagle's wings. The second was like a bear, raised up on one side. The third appeared like a leopard with the four wings of a bird on its back. The fourth beast was different than the others, one Daniel could only describe as dreadful, terrible, and exceedingly strong (Daniel 7:7-8). Daniel saw that it had iron teeth and ten horns, and that it "devoured, broke in pieces and trampled the residue with its feet". As he considered it, he saw a little horn came up from among the ten "before whom three of the ten were plucked out by the roots". This 'Little Horn' had eyes like those of a man and a mouth which spoke great things.

Daniel watched until the Ancient of Days (God) appeared. The court was seated and books were opened (Daniel 7:9-14). Here we are given a glimpse of God's court of justice and judgment. Daniel watched as dominion was stripped from three of the beasts but their lives were prolonged for a time. As to the fourth beast, Daniel saw it slain and its body given to the flames. He then saw One whom he likened as the Son of Man. To Him was given an everlasting dominion and a kingdom that will never be destroyed and wherein all peoples would serve Him.

Approaching one who stood by him in the dream Daniel asked to know the truth and was given the vision's interpretation. The beasts represent kingdoms or empires, but also typically represent its most important monarch. Nebuchadnezzar as well as Babylon, for example, are represented by the lion-like beast. Daniel was told that these beasts represented four kings (Daniel 7:17). As to the fourth beast, that king would devour the whole earth and make war against the saints (God's people), prevailing over them for "a time, times and half a time" - until the Divine judgment will be rendered (Daniel 7:21-27). Since this judgment is yet future to us, so is the reign of the Little Horn.

There are several aspects of Daniel's vision worthy of note.

Though these empires are still unnamed to Daniel in this vision, these beasts reflect the same four world empires represented in Nebuchadnezzar's statue.

There seems to be an implicit understanding given in this first vision - based on the continuity of Nebuchadnezzar's statue and the rising of beasts from the Sea - that these four empires would arise sequentially in history, one following the other. Indeed, we shall see that they did. So, here we have a dilemma of sorts. The Fourth Empire will arise after the third is passed yet it is not slated to end until sometime in our future. Obviously no world empire formed in antiquity still rules today. The most likely interpretation, then, is that this Fourth Empire dissolved but will reform in some fashion soon. In other words, we believe this Fourth Empire's second phase or stage will be in place at the close of human history. This requires a temporal discontinuity in this succession of empires. Though such a discontinuity was implied (legs of iron, feet and toes of iron and clay) but not clearly visible in Nebuchadnezzar's statue does not mean the discontinuity doesn't or won't exist. In fact, temporal breaks in prophecy - a pre-fulfillment and latter fulfillment - are not uncommon in Scripture. One of the best examples is the full ministry of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 61:1-2 and Luke 4:16-21) - some prophecy was fulfilled at His first coming, the rest to occur at His second. In this vision, Daniel was shown that the fourth beast was different from all the others. Certainly that was true in what he described as its characteristics but appears equally true in having this temporal discontinuity as well.

We'll explore the revelation of these four empires in more detail as we move into Daniel's second vision.