First Three Beasts

The Prophet Daniel saw “four beasts ascending” from a chaotic sea. Each creature corresponds to one of the four parts of the “great image with a golden head” seen by Nebuchadnezzar in his earlier dream. The conceptual link is deliberate. Daniel’s vision utilized the same fourfold structure as the Babylonian king’s dream.

The “head of fine gold” in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream symbolized his reign over the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Each of the four sections of his image portrayed a different kingdom, beginning with Babylon. Likewise, in Daniel’s dream, Babylon is the first of the four “beasts… from the sea.”

[Stormy Sea Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash]

Daniel interpreted the “head of gold” of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream by name but not the three subsequent kingdoms. The clues from his interpretation were too few and ambiguous to link them to any known empire from history with certainty.

Likewise, in Chapter 7, the identities of the second, third, and fourth “beasts” are elusive even though more details were provided than in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. However, there is little doubt that the first “beast” was Babylon - (Daniel 2:37, 7:1-8).

Daniel received his dream in the “first year of Belshazzar” when Babylon was still the dominant power in the region. Belshazzar was the regent who governed the city for his father, King Nabonidus (556-539 B.C.). He was killed when the city fell to the “Medes and Persians” in October of 539 B.C.

Daniel saw “visions of his head upon his bed.” The description is a verbal link to the earlier dream received by Nebuchadnezzar:

• (Daniel 2:28-29) – “There is a God in heaven that reveals secrets, and he has made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed are these; as for you, O king, your thoughts came upon your bed, what should come to pass hereafter.”

In Daniel’s dream, the “four winds of heaven” agitated the Sea, symbolizing restive nations and peoples. The Aramaic text describes the winds as “bursting forth upon the great sea.” This suggests the turbulence was caused by the emergence of the “four beasts” out of the Sea.

The Aramaic verb translated as “ascending” is an active participle, denoting action in progress. It describes the process of the four creatures “ascending” in succession from the Sea - (Daniel 7:17, 8:8, 11:14, Revelation 7:1-3, 17:15).

The first three creatures were unnatural and composite entities with characteristics from multiple animal species. For example, the lion had “eagle wings.” Each “beast” was driven by animalistic voracity to seize and devour prey.

FIRST THREE BEASTS

The “winged lion” corresponds to the “head of gold” in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. It represented his domain. Daniel was familiar with the writings of the prophet Jeremiah who also used lions and eagles to symbolize Babylon, a swift and voracious conqueror - (Jeremiah 4:13, 25:9-14, 49:19-22, Daniel 9:1-2).

In its art and architecture, lions represented the glory and might of Babylon. One of its most important deities was Ishtar, the goddess of love and war. She closely resembled the Canaanite deity Ashtoreth (Astarte), and later she became identified with the Greek goddess Aphrodite. Her symbols included the lion, and she was linked to the planet Venus. Old Testament references to the “Queen of Heaven” have her in view - (Jeremiah 7:18, 44:18).

Lions are powerful predators. The lion’s wings point to its rapidity of movement. Their removal indicates curtailment of movement. Nebuchadnezzar conquered vast territories in only a few short years, but the rapid expansion of his empire ceased after his death.

The second “beast” was “like a bear,” but with one side raised higher than the other. It corresponds to the silver portion of the earlier image in Chapter 2, the torso and arms that were “inferior” to the head of “fine gold.”

The bear is as strong as the lion, but it lacks the lion’s agility. It is a more ponderous creature. Its two sides parallel the arms of the silver torso, and this suggests a divided kingdom. In Daniel’s dream, he did not see the bear rearing on its hind legs, but one that elevated its feet on either side as it stepped forward - (Daniel 2:32, 2:39).

The bear was gripping “three ribs in its teeth,” pointing to prey seized by a ravenous animal. Whether the number “three” is literal or symbolic is not clear. The bear was commanded to “rise and consume much flesh,” presumably, a summons for this kingdom to engage in further conquests.

The third “beast” resembled a leopard with four wings and four heads. The “dominion given to it” links it to the third section of Nebuchadnezzar’s “great image” destined to “rule over all the Earth” - (Daniel 2:39).

The leopard is also an agile predator, and, once again, its wings suggest speed. Wings occur in pairs. The number “four” indicates two pairs of wings were present, possibly pointing to motion in the four directions of the compass.

The four “heads” of the leopard were not connected to its wings. Elsewhere in Daniel, “heads” represent kings and realms. The four heads were contemporaneous, not consecutive, pointing to a fourfold division of this kingdom - (Daniel 2:32-38, 7:20).

The information provided on the first three beasts is minimal and allusive. The fourth “beast” is the focus of Daniel’s dream, especially its “Little Horn with a mouth speaking great things.”

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RELATED POSTS:

• The Leopard and the Bear - (In Daniel’s vision in Chapter 7, the identities of the second and third beasts are found by comparing the vision with the Book’s other visions)

• The Fourth Beast - (Daniel’s fourth beast is the focus of his vision, especially its little horn with the mouth that was speaking great things)

• The Little Horn - (The second half of the seventh chapter interprets the vision that concluded in a judgment and with a declaration)