Daniel’s Dream

Daniel 7:1-4 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying on his bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream. 2 Daniel said: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. 3 Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea. 4 The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it.”
 
DANIEL has interpreted others dreams and visions. In these next chapters we will read and learn from God’s direct dreams and visions to Daniel. This scripture takes us back in time. Recall Daniel 6 ended with Darius of Persia ending King Belshazzar’s reign. But now we have returned to the first year of Belshazzar’s reign. Persia has not yet conquered Babylon.
              To help understand the visions, it will help to read all of Daniel 7. Some of the mid to last verses will help explain these first verses.
              First, I think you will recognize the dream is very similar to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the different metals statue in Daniel 2. Its meaning also relates to the rise and fall of world empires. The visions are also very much as those Isaiah, Ezekiel and John (in Revelation) saw and recorded.
              To begin, the winds represent God’s power. The sea symbolizes the mass of humanity. The four great beasts are four kings, representing four nations. Each has non-human traits that prophesy particular aspects of their future.
              As the gold top of the statue in Daniel 2 represented Babylon, so does the first beast. Statues of huge winged lions guarded the royal Babylon palaces. The lion and eagle were national symbols. The prophecy points to Babylon’s end as the lion’s wings are clipped. It receives the heart of a man and stands as a man to indicate Babylon’s rulers will lose their power to rule. God will end Babylon’s rule to make way for Darius’ compassion for the Jews.
              Is there something not of God that rules your life? Do anxiety, fear, depression, indifference or sadness control your emotions and your actions? Be assured your compassionate Father in heaven has opened to you the rule of his love and grace. As Jesus taught on the prodigal son, he described his heavenly father: Luke 15:20 So the prodigal got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”
              The Father ruled Babylon and ended its power over his people, so they could go home. The Father rules the world to end sin’s power, so you can go home to him.
 
Mark 1:41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”