Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 12

Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts

¹ In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, ^[1] Daniel had a dream. When he was on his bed, he saw visions in his head. Then he wrote down the dream by recording the main points.

² Daniel said:

The Coming of the Son of Man

⁹ I continued to watch until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days was seated. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair on his head was like pure wool. His throne was flames of fire. Its wheels were blazing fire. ¹⁰ A river of fire flowed out from his presence. Thousands upon thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and books were opened.

¹¹ I kept paying attention to the sound of the boastful words that the horn was speaking. I kept watching until the beast was killed, and its body was destroyed and thrown into the burning fire. ¹² As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion had been taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a set period of time.

¹³ I kept watching the night visions, and there, in the clouds of heaven, I saw one like a son of man ^[3] coming. He came to the Ancient of Days, and he was brought before him. ¹⁴ To him was given dominion, honor, and a kingdom. All peoples, nations, and languages will worship him. His dominion is an eternal dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.

An Angel Explains the Four Beasts

¹⁵ I, Daniel—my spirit was distressed within my body, and the visions in my head disturbed me. ¹⁶ I approached one of those standing there, and I asked him for the truth about all this. So he spoke to me and made the meaning of these visions clear to me. ¹⁷ “These great beasts are four kings who will arise from the earth. ¹⁸ But the saints ^[4] of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and they will possess the kingdom forever—yes, forever and ever.”

¹⁹ Then I wanted to be certain about that fourth beast that was different from all the others. It was very frightening. Its teeth were iron, and its claws were bronze. It devoured and crushed, and whatever was left it trampled with its feet. ²⁰ I also wanted to be certain about the ten horns on its head, about the other horn that came up, and about the three horns that fell to make room for it. What is more, that horn had eyes and a mouth that was speaking boastful things. Its appearance was greater than that of the other horns that were with it. ²¹ I kept watching, and that horn made war against the saints and prevailed over them, ²² until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was rendered in favor of the saints of the Most High. Then the time came, and the saints took possession of the kingdom.

²³ So this is what he said to me:

The Establishment of the Kingdom of God

²⁸ This was the end of the matter. I, Daniel—my thoughts troubled me greatly. My appearance changed and my face became pale, but I kept the matter to myself.