4/12/12

"THE BOOK OF DANIEL" Chapter Seven by Mark Copeland

"THE BOOK OF DANIEL"

                            Chapter Seven

In the first year of Belshazzar (552 B.C.), Daniel receives two visions. 
The first is of four beasts from the sea (1-8).  The second involves a
judgment by the Ancient of Days, and the coronation of the Son of Man
(9-14).  The interpretation describes persecution by elements of the
fourth beast (kingdom), with ultimate victory by the saints of the Most
High (15-28).

POINTS TO PONDER

   *  The identity of the four kingdoms represented by the four beasts

   *  The identity of the Son of Man and the timing of His coronation

   *  The conflict between the fourth kingdom and the saints of the Most
      High

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - The vision of the four beasts - Dan 7:1-8
   - The vision of the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man - Dan 7:9-14
   - The interpretation of Daniel's visions - Dan 7:15-28

2) What four world empires do the four beasts likely represent? (1-8)
   - Lion:  the Babylonian empire
   - Bear:  the Medo-Persian empire
   - Leopard:  the Grecian empire
   - Dreadful, terrible, exceedingly strong beast:  the Roman empire

3) In the second vision, what two scenes appear before Daniel? (9-14)
   - Judgment by the Ancient of Days
   - The coronation of the Son of Man

4) What takes place between the two scenes? (11-12)
   - The fourth beast with the pompous horn is slain
   - The other beasts have their dominion taken away, but live for awhile

5) What is Daniel told is the meaning of the two visions? (15-18)
   - The four beasts represent four kings (kingdoms, cf. Dan 7:23)
   - The saints of the Most High will receive and possess the kingdom
     forever

6) What is Daniel told when he inquires about the fourth beast? (19-27)
   - The fourth beast represents a kingdom that will devour the earth
   - The ten horns represent ten kings, but the pompous horn will subdue
     three of them
   - The pompous horn will make war with the saints, but will succeed
     only for a short time
   - The pompous horn and its kingdom will lose its dominion and be
     destroyed
   - The kingdom and its dominion will be given to saints of the Most
     High, whose kingdom will be everlasting and all dominions will serve
     Him