Monday, March 5, 2012

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.


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.

2 comments:

  1. Very good commentary Christine. I really find studying through Daniel's prophecies fascinating. I think the kingdoms you figured out it might be talking about are probably so. The connection of Africa could very well be. Especially what is going on in South Africa these days.

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  2. Since writing this, I am thinking that perhaps the monster that Daniel saw for the last empire was an Allosaurus, similar to T-rex but with larger more noticeable forearms. A T-rex like thing has been reported in some jungle, but I can't remember if it is Africa or South America.

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