Daniel

7:1-28

Interpretative approaches

There are three general approaches to interpreting the prophecies of Daniel:

i] The "critical" approach takes the view that the book was written between 167 and 163BC, during the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-163BC). This was a time of great persecution for the Jews living in Palestine. The book is therefore regarded as a word of encouragement to the suffering "saints": stand firm, for God will soon triumph over his enemies. This approach assumes that the writer, using the popular apocalyptic literary form of the time, has adopted a great saint of the past, namely Daniel, and used him as a pseudonym. The writer, a later prophet, has set out to reveal God's ultimate intentions for his people.

ii] The "conservative" approach takes the view that the book was indeed written by Daniel himself, who, as a child, was taken as a slave by the Babylonians from Jerusalem and suffered under Babylonian rule and later Persian rule, but survived to achieve a position of great honour. His visions are therefore, predictive of world history up to the second coming of Christ.

iii] The "dispensationalist" approach takes a similar view to the "conservative" one, but holds that the ten horn (kingdom) period represents a time after the second coming of Christ. The little horn represents a revived form of the Roman Empire, inspired and controlled by Satan.

The vision of "the Beasts" in chapter 7, along with Nebuchadnezzar's dream in chapter 2, can be interpreted using the above three approaches:

i] Critical. There will be four great kings. Nebuchadnezzar will lead the nation of Babylon, Darius that of the Medes, Cyrus the Persians and Alexander the Greeks. These great kings will be followed by a host of weak kings. One of these, Antiochus Epiphanes, will strut about as though he were great, persecuting the Jews for three and a half years - 168-165BC, ie. "a time, two times and half a time." This will usher in God's judgement and an everlasting and universal kingdom in which God's people ("the saints of the Most High") will have "dominion". The "one like a son of man" is to be compared with the beasts (kings). They come from the earth; he comes from "the clouds of heaven". The "son of man" is a corporate figure representing God's faithful people, in the same way as the kings represent their kingdoms. He is a mysterious figure and Daniel does not unlock the mystery for us. Jesus identifies this "son of man" with himself.

ii] Conservative. There will be four kingdoms: Babylon, Media/Persia, Greece and Rome. These will be followed by a host of weak kingdoms. Out of these will come the anti-Christ who will be revealed in great power and persecute the church. Jesus will return, destroy the enemy and establish an eternal kingdom within which his disciples will reign.

iii] Dispensational. There will be four kingdoms: Babylon, Media/Persia, Greece and Rome. After the Gentile age (the present church age which Daniel does not predict), Christ will return for his people (the rapture). A restored Roman empire will be divided into ten kingdoms (ten horns). The little horn, a prince of the revived Roman empire, will, in return for allegiance to himself, permit a restored Israel to build a new temple in Jerusalem. After three and a half years of peace, fierce persecution will break out for another three and a half years. Christ will then return with his saints and reign for 1000 years. After this period of 1000 years of peace, Satan will be released, and there will be an outpouring of evil and a great falling away of God's people. At the final battle Satan will be destroyed, this will be followed by the second resurrection of the dead, including the resurrection of unbelievers for judgement. Then will follow the golden age of eternal glory.

The Dispensational interpretation is widely accepted (with its "pre" and "post" variations), but most Bible scholars have abandoned it. Of the other two approaches, debate continues. In the final analysis, it doesn't matter much whether the "critical" or "conservative" approach is adopted, as both end up with a similar fulfillment. There will, of course, be a difference at the point of historical fulfillment. If the "conservative" approach is adopted, then the prophecy comes into play with the destruction of Babylon and the establishment of the empire of the Medes and the Persians. If the "critical" approach is adopted, then the prophecy comes into play with the destruction of the "little horn", Antiochus Epiphanes.

In the terms of realized eschatology, of the kingdom of God "now", Daniel's prophecy is already fulfilled. Secular powers come and go, and like the little horn, some even affront God at the behest of the powers of darkness. Yet, Jesus has destroyed Satan on the cross and has come as the "son of man" to the "Ancient of days" to receive dominion - a kingdom. As Jesus tells the High Priest at his trial, "you will see the son of man seated at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven", Mk.14:62. Stephen at his stoning is aware of the same truth, "behold I see the heavens opened, and the son of man standing at the right hand of God", Act.7:56. For us now, the powers of darkness are broken. Christ is king; the victory is ours and we now belong to an "everlasting kingdom."

In the terms of inaugurated eschatology, of the kingdom of God "not yet", we see the church ("the saints, the people of the Most High") caught up in the push-and-shove of secular powers. These secular powers are often beast-like, they "trample underfoot" and at times adopt satanic form (become a little horn). On those occasions they set about "waging war against the saints (Christians) and defeating them". All this is working up to a great day of tribulation, an "abomination that causes desolation", Mk.13:14, cf. Dan.9:25-27. Yet, the fate of these powers is sealed, as is the fate of the one who manipulates evil. Jesus will return again and at his coming he will destroy the anti-Christ and Satan, and then establish an eternal kingdom in which we will reign with our Lord forever.

See The Kingdom of God to consider how Biblical prophecy is layered (levels of fulfilment), of the kingdom "then / now / not yet".

Daniel Introduction

Exposition

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