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Daniel 7

Daniel’s vision sets violent earthly kingdoms under God’s judgment and declares that his everlasting kingdom will belong to his saints.

During Belshazzar’s first year as king of Babylon, Daniel dreams of four great animals rising from a storm-driven sea. His vision moves from violent kingdoms to a heavenly court, where the Ancient of Days judges and one like a son of man receives lasting dominion. Daniel asks a figure standing nearby to explain what he has seen, with special concern for the fourth animal and its horn. The explanation promises the saints a kingdom, yet Daniel remains troubled.

fear for the futureinjustice and angersermon or Bible study notes
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1In 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.
2Daniel spoke and said, “I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the sky broke out on the great sea.
3Four great animals came up from the sea, different from one another.
4“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.
5“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!’
6“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.
7“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.
8“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.
9“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.
10A 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.
11“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.
13“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.
14Dominion 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.
15“As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
16I 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.
17‘These great animals, which are four, are four kings, who will arise out of the earth.
18But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’
19“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;
20and 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.
21I saw, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them,
22until 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.
23“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.
24As 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.
25He 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.
26“‘But the judgment will be set, and they will take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end.
27The 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.’
28“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.”
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Daniel 7:13The humanlike figure approaches the Ancient of Days with heaven’s clouds, contrasting with the animals that rise from the sea.
Daniel 7:14His dominion reaches every people and endures forever, setting his kingdom apart from every violent power Daniel has seen.
Daniel 7:27The interpretation ends with the persecuted saints receiving the kingdom under the supreme and enduring rule of the Most High.
Where this chapter reaches

Revelation shares Daniel’s imagery of beasts, horns, heavenly judgment, and war against the saints, alongside the triumph of God’s kingdom. Matthew, Mark, and Luke connect Jesus’ words about the Son of Man coming with clouds to the figure who receives dominion in Daniel’s vision.

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After reading the whole chapter

What stands out to you about the contrast between the animals’ rule and the son of man’s dominion?

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How does Daniel’s troubled response shape your reading of the promise that the saints will receive the kingdom?

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Questions people ask about Daniel 7

What do the four beasts in Daniel 7 represent?

The interpreter identifies the four animals as four kings and describes the fourth as a kingdom. Their violence portrays destructive earthly rule. The chapter does not name these kingdoms. Readers differ over their historical identities, though the central contrast is clear: their dominion ends, while God’s kingdom lasts forever.

Who is the son of man in Daniel 7?

Daniel sees one like a son of man, a humanlike figure who comes with the clouds to the Ancient of Days and receives everlasting dominion. The chapter leaves him unnamed and connects his kingdom with the saints. Matthew, Mark, and Luke record Jesus applying this cloud-coming imagery to himself.

Who is the little horn in Daniel 7?

The little horn represents a king arising from the fourth kingdom. He brings down three kings, speaks against the Most High, and wages war against the saints for a limited time. The chapter supplies no personal name. His historical identification is disputed; his defeat by God’s court is explicit.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).