Daniel 7
Lutheran reading notes
In Daniel chapter 7, the prophetic message continues to reveal themes of faithfulness in exile and visions of God's ultimate kingdom. Lutheran interpretation often emphasizes the contrast between divine law, which exposes sin, and the promise of grace through God's future redemption. The chapter illustrates both warning and hope within God's covenant relationship.
1
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, {and} told the sum of the matters. {had: Chaldee, saw} {matters: or, words}
Daniel 7:1 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
2
Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
Daniel 7:2 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
3
And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
Daniel 7:3 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
4
The first {was} like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. {and it: or, wherewith it}
Daniel 7:4 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
5
And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and {it had} three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. {it raised...: or, it raised up one dominion}
Daniel 7:5 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
6
After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
Daniel 7:6 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
7
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it {was} diverse from all the beasts that {were} before it; and it had ten horns.
Daniel 7:7 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn {were} eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
Daniel 7:8 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
9
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment {was} white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne {was like} the fiery flame, {and} his wheels {as} burning fire.
Daniel 7:9 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
10
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
Daniel 7:10 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
11
I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld {even} till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
Daniel 7:11 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
12
As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. {their lives...: Chaldee, a prolonging in life was given them}
Daniel 7:12 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
13
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, {one} like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Daniel 7:13 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
14
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion {is} an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom {that} which shall not be destroyed.
Daniel 7:14 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
15
I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of {my} body, and the visions of my head troubled me. {body: Chaldee, sheath}
Daniel 7:15 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
16
I came near unto 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.
Daniel 7:16 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
17
These great beasts, which are four, {are} four kings, {which} shall arise out of the earth.
Daniel 7:17 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
18
But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. {most...: Chaldee, high ones, that is, things, or, places}
Daniel 7:18 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
19
Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth {were of} iron, and his nails {of} brass; {which} devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; {from...: Chaldee, from all those}
Daniel 7:19 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
20
And of the ten horns that {were} in his head, and {of} the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even {of} that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look {was} more stout than his fellows.
Daniel 7:20 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
21
I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
Daniel 7:21 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
22
Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Daniel 7:22 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
23
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
Daniel 7:23 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
24
And the ten horns out of this kingdom {are} ten kings {that} shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
Daniel 7:24 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
25
And he shall speak {great} words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Daniel 7:25 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
26
But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy {it} unto the end.
Daniel 7:26 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
27
And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom {is} an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. {dominions: or, rulers}
Daniel 7:27 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
28
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.
Daniel 7:28 highlights prophetic call to repentance and hope with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.