Daniel's Dream

The Book of Daniel
Chapter 7

Daniel's Dream Prophecy
Daniel Dream Interpretation Explained

Happy to have you here to share another Old Testament Bible story. In our study of the book of Daniel, Chapter 7 is not in chronological order, as it takes place in the first year of the reign of king Belshazzar. As you may recall, Chapter 6, the story about Daniel in the lion's den, took place during the reign of king Darius, the successor of king Belshazzar, so obviously the events of Chapter 7 took place before the events of Chapter 6.

What is a dream? What is a vision? Where do dreams and visions come from?

Let's take a look at what the Bible says:

In modern English ... God speaks to us once, even twice, and because of one reason or another, we don't perceive His message. He may communicate to us through the Word, another Christian, His still small voice, a sudden breeze, or even a thunderbolt, but many times we fail to recognize God's leading in our lives. So when we sleep, when our pride, our own will, and/or our flesh doesn't prevent us, God opens our understanding and sends His message via a dream.

Daniel's Dream Versus Vision
Daniel Dream Interpretation is a Gift

What's the difference between a dream and a vision? A vision can be part of a dream. A dream of course takes place while you are asleep, or in a state of unconsciousness. A vision can take place while you are awake. The word vision, of course means to see, but it also means to understand. To envision something, means you can imagine it. Notice the root word of imagine is image. An image is something you can see, but to imagine is to picture something, without it actually being a tangible object. In other words, a vision is a spiritual understanding or foresight of something. A vision can take place in either a conscious or an unconscious state, but dreams only occur in the unconscious realm. A vision can feel like a dream, for example, you may have experienced something that is commonly known as daydreaming, where you actually feel like you're someplace else, and you lose awareness of all that is going on around you, even though your eyes are open and you are not asleep. Have you ever been driving home from somewhere and when you pull up in the driveway, you can't remember much of the drive? A vision is similar to this "daydreaming" phenomena that we have all experienced, except for the fact that in a vision, the events that you experience while you are in this spiritual realm, are messages from God. A dream doesn't always include a vision or a message from God. Solomon said:

Daniel's Dream and Yours
Daniel Dream Interpretation Origins

In plain talk ... If there is something important that has been weighing on your mind at your job ... That may cause you to dream about work. Or maybe you watched a scary movie before going to sleep ... That may cause you to have fretful dreams. When something affects you deeply, chances are, you may dream about it, and your dream may or may not be a message from God.

You may recall having a dream about yourself or someone you know, and then some time in the future your dream, or part of it, comes to pass. Did you ever consider that your dream was a message from God? Now, I want you to put yourself in Daniel's shoes for a moment, because his dream is one that affects the future of all mankind. Can you imagine?

Daniel said that in his dream, he saw a terrible tempest upon the sea with the winds of Heaven coming from all directions. Then four great beasts came up out of the water, each one different from the other.

• The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings. The wings were plucked and it was lifted up from the Earth, and stood on it's feet like a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
• The second was like a bear. It raised itself up on one side, and it had three ribs between its teeth, and they said to it, Arise, and devour much flesh.
• The third was like a leopard. It had four heads and four wings on its back and it was given power.
• The fourth was a beast was different than the other three. This beast had iron teeth and ten horns. It was very dreadful and terrible and strong. It destroyed the others and stamped the residue with its feet.

In the Book of Revelation, Antichrist's empire is compared to the same beasts ...

Daniel's Dream Predicted Future
Daniel Dream Interpretation on Coming Events

In the last part of Daniel's dream, another smaller horn came up from among the ten horns and it plucked up three of the ten horns. This little horn had eyes like a man and spoke great things.

Whew ... How could anyone (who didn't have the gift of interpreting dreams) ever figure out the message from a dream like this? You'll see in a short while that the Lord provided Daniel with an interpretation, but that wasn't the end of the dream yet.

Daniel watched until the thrones were cast down (a throne is the seat of a deity or devil). This is also mentioned by John in his vision in the Book of Revelation:

In other words, Satan and his angels were evicted from Heaven:

Next, Daniel saw the Ancient of days ... God ... On His throne, and the Books were opened for the Great White Throne Judgment. Next in his vision, the beast was destroyed, and the rest of the beasts had their power taken away.

Lastly, Daniel saw Jesus in the clouds of Heaven, and brought before God, who gave Him power and glory and an everlasting Kingdom, and all people should serve Him.

Daniel's Dream Warning
Daniel Dream Interpretation Concerns

As you can imagine, this vision was a frightening experience for Daniel. For one thing, Daniel lived in Old Testament times, before Jesus first visit, so he really knew nothing compared to what we know today of Jesus' life, death and resurrection, not to mention all that we are fortunate to have of the Gospels and the other New Testament writings that teach of the End Times, the Millennium and the New Heaven and New Earth. Taking all this into consideration, you can appreciate Daniel's perplexity when he wrote:

I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.

Ever have that feeling, when something is so worrisome to you that you actually feel sick? It sounds like that's what Daniel is describing. It may have even been easier for Daniel to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dream than his own, because he didn't experience the horror of the king's dream firsthand. Not to worry though, the Lord sent help.

The next thing that Daniel wrote was that he approached "one of them that stood by," and asked him the Truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. This obviously was a messenger from God, sent to explain the meaning of the dream to Daniel.

The four beasts are four kings, which shall arise, but the saints of God shall take the kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever. Daniel wanted to know more details about this fourth beast because the horn that came up out of the ten horns that were in his head, made war with the saints and prevailed until God came and gave them the kingdom.

It was explained to Daniel that the fourth beast will be the fourth kingdom on Earth, which will be different than all kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, tread it down, and destroy it. The ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings or leaders that will arise and another will rise after them. He will be different from the first and he will subdue three kings. He will speak terrible words against God (blasphemy), and will persecute the saints, and change times and laws, and they shall be given into his hand for 3½ years. But justice will prevail and the saints will take away his power and destroy it once and for all. Then the kingdom will be given to the saints of God and all will serve Him.

Daniel's Dream Meaning
Daniel Dream Interpretation From God

That was the end of Daniel's vision. Do ya think this kind of dream would shake ya up a bit? Here's what Daniel said about it: Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

No doubt!

Take a look with me at a little more of what we read earlier from Revelation:

The dragon is Satan, and the beast is Antichrist. The Antichrist empire has 10 parts (the ten horns of the beast in Daniel's dream).

If you're a little confused, stay tuned, because Daniel had another vision that we'll learn about in Chapter 11 that will explain this even further, but for now, take a look at the similarities between Nebuchadnezzar's dream from Chapter 2, Daniel's dream, and John's vision from Revelation:

Daniel's Dream Summary
Daniel Dream Interpretation Conclusion

Pretty interesting, yes? We'll be expanding this chart even more in the study of Chapter 11! Until then, be sure to come back to find out what happens next in the life of Daniel the Prophet. I'll give you a little hint ... Daniel has another vision!

Click the link below to learn more of Daniel's vision: