The Fourth Beast

The description of the fourth “beast” provides more details than the visions of the first three did. This “beast” with its evil ruler is the central concern of the vision. Unlike the first three beasts, this one has no analog in the animal kingdom. It is an unnatural creature with “iron teeth” and “Ten Horns.”

The fourth beast used its “iron teeth” and feet to “trample” its victims. This clause parallels the description of the fourth section of the body of the “great image with the golden head” in King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The legs and feet of that image were “strong like iron” and “shattered and subdued all things”:

[Acropolis Photo by Cristina Gottardi on Unsplash]

• (Daniel 7:7-8) – “After that, I was looking in the visions of the night, when, lo, a fourth beast, terrible and well-hipped and exceeding strong, and it had large teeth of iron, it devoured and broke in pieces, and the remnant with its feet it trampled down, and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. I was considering the horns, when, lo, another horn, a little one came up among them, and three of the former horns were uprooted from before it, and, lo, eyes, like the eyes of a man in this horn, and a mouth speaking great things” – (Compare Daniel 2:40-43).

The fourth beast “trampled the remnant with its feet.” The identity of the “remnant” is not provided, but verbal links connect the “trampling” by this creature to the “Little Horn” that trampled “some of the stars underfoot” in Chapter 8 - (Daniel 8:8-10).

The “Ten Horns” may correspond to the toes of Nebuchadnezzar’s earlier “great image,” although his dream never mentioned the number of “toes.” The “Little Horn” emerged from among the “Ten Horns,” three of which were “uprooted.” In the Aramaic text, the verb translated as “uprooted” is passive, meaning the three horns were “removed” by someone. Details of that level point to a known historical event. The “Little Horn” had human eyes and “a mouth speaking great things,” suggesting intelligence and arrogance - (Daniel 2:41, 7:8).

The Heavenly Court reacted to the “beast” and its “Little Horn.” This scene represents events from the perspective of Heaven (“until thrones are placed”). The narrative transitions to a judgment scene (“judgment was set, and the books were opened”). The image of “one seated on the Throne” symbolizes the sovereignty of God over historical events - (Daniel 7:9-14, 12:1-4, Revelation 4:1-8, 20:11-15).

The four ravenous creatures “from the Sea” gave the impression they were not under the control of the “God of Heaven.” However, the actions of the Heavenly Court demonstrate just Who reigns in Heaven and on Earth.

SOVEREIGNTY OVER KINGDOMS

The “fiery wheels” of the image indicate mobility. No place was safe from the jurisdiction of the “Ancient of Days.” He determined the course of kingdoms. The “four beasts” could only exit the Sea when He permitted, and He was the source of the forces that stirred the Sea and caused the beasts to ascend and march across the Earth.

The fourth “beast” was “slain” for its arrogance and presumptuousness. The impious natures of the four “beasts” reached their zenith in the “Little Horn.” However, the “fourth beast” was destroyed, not its “Little Horn.” This points to the “death” of the regime but not necessarily the destruction of its ruler.

The first three “beasts” reappeared (“The rest of the beasts”). In the historical record, each kingdom succeeded its predecessor. In the symbolic world of the vision, the first three realms continued to exist in some form in the reign of the “Little Horn.” All four were destroyed collectively by Divine judgment:

• “His Kingdom will consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” - “As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.” - “And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Most-High” – (Daniel 2:44, 7:12, 7:27).

Likewise, in Nebuchadnezzar’s earlier vision, all four segments of the great image with the golden head” were destroyed simultaneously in “later days” by the stone cut “without hands” - they were constituent parts of a single whole.

Each kingdom was “given a lengthening of life until a time and season.” Each continued in power for the time allotted by God, and each lost dominion but then received a duration of life for the appointed time. The final destruction of the first three “beasts” is linked with the demise of the “Little Horn.”

The destruction of the fourth kingdom with its “Little Horn” will overthrow the entire structure of the World Empire, just as in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream when the “stone” struck the “feet” of the “great image” and turned the entire edifice into dust.

The sovereignty of the World Empire passes successively from one kingdom to the next, but each one exercises the same power as its predecessors. The political form may vary, but the nature of each regime is the same.

In the interpretation, the length of the “season and time” is not defined but is a link to Daniel’s earlier declaration that God “changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings” - (Daniel 2:19-23).

The “one like a Son of Man” approached the “Ancient of Days,” but only after the destruction of the fourth beast. His dominion differed fundamentally from the beastly nature of the World Empire.

Behind the image is the story of Adam. God made man in His “likeness” and commanded him to take dominion over the Earth. The “Son of Man” received “dominion” and thus succeeded where Adam failed. He did not receive the kingdom until judgment was given “for the saints” and the “beast” was slain.

The “Little Horn” waged “war against the saints” and overcame them. The saints did not take possession of the kingdom until after their ordeal. Their victory was won by the “Son of Man” when he received the kingdom and sovereignty from the “Ancient of Days” – (Daniel 7:21. Compare Revelation 13:7-10).

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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)

• First Three Beasts - (Daniel saw four creatures with animalistic features ascending from a wind-tossed sea, representing four successive kingdoms)

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