The vision Daniel had seen left him feeling anxious and troubled. He approached one who stood there and asked for help in understanding what he had seen. This unnamed interpreter was possibly the angel Gabriel who is named later (Dan 8:16; 9:21). The four beasts are now explicitly shown to represent four kings who rise out of the earth. These kingdoms are earthly kingdoms but eventually, the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever. At the end of the age, Jesus will return and rule on the earth and that rule will usher in eternity.

Daniel was most concerned about the fourth beast because it was so different from the others. It was exceedingly terrifying. Not only did it have teeth of iron but it also had claws of bronze which only added to its destructiveness. The little horn that rose up among the ten is now described to be greater than its contemporaries. It also wages war with the saints and prevails over them until God, the Ancient of Days, brings judgment and assigns the kingdom to the saints.

The interpreter explains that the fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will cover the whole earth. Rome rose to control the most significant portions of the earth compared with Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece before it. Coming from this kingdom will be ten kings who form an alliance. History has revealed the kingdoms of the four beasts but the ten-king alliance has not yet been seen. This time of the Gentiles that Daniel describes seems to be separated by the time of the church. The saints refer to the Jews. In the future, we can expect this ten-king alliance to form from what was the Roman Empire and usher in the end-times described here. From the ten kings, another will arise and put down three kings who likely resist his power. This new king is the Antichrist and he will blaspheme the Most High. While Daniel doesn’t describe the contents of his blasphemous words, we know that he will demand to be worshipped (2 Thess 2:4; Rev 13:8,12). He will also persecute the saints by changing the times and the law. These changes represent religious oppression restricting religious observances and holidays (Dan 9:27) and forcing people to follow him (Rev 13:16-17). The Antichrist will have authority for three and a half years (time, times, and half a time which corresponds with the 42 months of Rev 13:5 and 1,260 days of Rev 12:6). But his authority will come to an end when God the Father, the Righteous Judge convenes the court and his dominion is taken away and he is destroyed (2 Thess 2:8; Rev 19:20). From that time, Jesus will assume the throne of David and He will rule over the Jewish people, the saints of the Most High. That kingdom will not be overthrown or superseded by another. Instead, all peoples will worship and obey Him.

Daniel concluded the description of this vision and said that though what he had seen alarmed him, he pondered the matter in his heart.

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream revealed the kingdoms of the earth as valuable metals and a strong structure while Daniel’s dream revealed them as beasts. One seems to be a human perspective of the kingdoms while the other shows how God sees them. What is your perspective of the way of the world? Do you see them as ways to embrace or are you living and longing for the eternal kingdom of Jesus?