Some Thoughts on Daniel chapter 7

Daniel chapter 7 describes a vision of four beasts coming out

of the water, after a great wind disturbs the water. The first is a

lioness with wings, and then the wings are taken from it, and it

stands on its feet as a human, and is given a human heart.

KJV says lion, LXX says lioness. This might relate to the British

and American Empires, since the lion is a symbol of England, and

the wings are like those of an eagle, which might relate to the USA.

Then after a great takedown, air power being eliminated perhaps,

the creature becomes a human being. The salvation and regeneration

of USA and England and maybe EU and removal of the cold evil that

has dwelt in the heart of these powers? But after some takedown,

because the wings are removed.

The next is a bear. Russia? Holy Orthodox Tsar like prophesied by

a Russian Orthodox saint or elder? "It raised up itself on one side,

and it had three ribs in the mouth in between the teeth of it: and they

said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh."

So this bear empire would apparently be Russia plus three of the

ex Soviet Union countries, who act as advisors and support?

Russia proper and its major cities are mostly Eurasian than Asian.

The next is a leopard, with "four wings of a fowl," and four heads.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopard#Distribution_of_subspecies

The leopard is distributed in Asia Africa and India. It is typically

opportunistic, shrewd, can do fast pursuit for a while and very

strong for its size. (paraphrase.) The Jaguar is related, and would

pass for a leopard if such is defined as a large, spotted cat.

The fowl, ducks and chickens, are a feature of China, Africa (where

the ancestor of all chickens, the Jungle Fowl, comes from) and

south America.

Sounds like some power that has four main leaders or drivers

that are China, Africa, India and South America or some part of

it, will arise. China is currently expanding its influence into Africa

and South America and Mexico. It is rather amoral in its alliances.

After this, a fourth beast with iron teeth (KJV and LXX, LXX

adds bronze nails) and ten heads, out of which comes an eleventh,

and takes down three of the ten in the process of taking power.

So the antichrist will arise from some imperial power that

perhaps does not exist yet as such, and exactly from where it

originates is not indicated. The bronze nails or talons might point

to this being something that relies on earlier than iron age

technology, throwback type stuff. The fourth beast "was

exceedingly different from all the beasts before it," and all that

is said about the origin of any, is that they came up out of the sea

after great winds disturb it from the four corners of the earth.

So apparently this world power will originate from somewhere

with sea access, not landlocked. And ten nations or rulers will

be its head.

The appearance of this thing is not like any animal Daniel was

used to seeing, even a dragon is not mentioned as comparison.

The teeth are called "great" in the KJV and "huge" in the LXX

English translation. Perhaps some kind of dinosaur that had not

survived in enough numbers to get Daniel's attention in those

days, but a T-Rex seems unlikely as it is not mentioned as

standing upright, and it has huge talons, so probably the front

legs are not tiny arms. Even a giant sloth could be compared

to a bear. So what is it? Maybe something that is produced by

genetic experiments for war purposes? Something brought in

from another planet? Something that is such an indescribable

hodgepodge that it can't be related to anything in terms of

head like this, body like that, feet like something else. But

huge. And very big TEETH.

The most likely place for some such animal to be lurking

in the jungles, and be discovered and a symbol of something,

would be Africa or South America. This thing then might

arise out of either these two, and crush the others or what

is left of them.