Daniel, page 5
                        CHAPTER  SEVEN

     Daniel looks back to a dream concerning the coming of the fourth
empire and the kingdom of God. The dream occurred during the first
year of Belshazzar's reign.

(vs 2) "Four" -- worldwide.
       "winds" -- heavenly Judgments
(vs 3) "sea" -- disturbed, restless mass of society, heathen world.
       The four beasts represent the four world-wide empires as seen
            in Nebuchadnezzar's dream (chapter 2).
       LION -- Babylonian kingdom.
               "eagles wings" swiftness of Babylon's conquests.
       BEAR -- Medo-Persian kingdom.
               Less strong, but no less ravenous.
       LEOPARD -- Grecian (Macedonian) kingdom.
                  Alexander the Great, active, crafty, cruel.
                  "four wings: -- his conquest even more speeder than
                      Babylon. In six years time, Alexander gained
                      the whole empire of Persia, a greater part of
                      Asia, made himself master of Syria, Egypt,
                      India and other nations.
                  "four heads" -- upon Alexander's death, his
                      conquests were divided among his four chief
                      captains.
        TERRIBLE BEAST -- Roman Empire.
            More fierce and formidable than any of the other.
            "ten horns" -- (ten) complete, definite totality
                          (horns) armed strength.
                    Thus, a full display of its power.

(vs 8,20,24) "little horn" -- suggests a man; perhaps the persecuting
                  Emperor or Emperors of the Roman Empire, who
                  persecuted the church, as depicted in the Book of
                  Revelation, chapter 13.
(vs 25) "time and times and half a time: -- perhaps the same as Rev.
            13:5; 12:6,14. "42 months" equals 1260 days" equals
            "3 1/2" years. (Note: the number "7" is symbolical of
            completeness, sacred; thus "3 1/2" represents
            incompleteness; the reign of evil shall be only
            temporary.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD:
     In verse 13, "one like unto a son of man" came "TO" the ancient
of days to receive "a kingdom." Christ's kingdom (the church) was
given to Him when He returned to heaven. (Eph. 1:20-23.) This is
exactly the reverse of the demands of the premillennial theory; which
demands that Christ return to the earth to establish His kingdom.
     The Kingdom of Christ was established during the time of the
fourth world-wide empire, the Roman Empire. The Kingdom became a
reality when Christ ascended unto the Father and made to be king of
kings. Christ is now at the "right hand of God" (Acts 7:55, 56; Rom.
8:34; Heb. 1:3). The "Kingdom has been in existence since Acts 2.
Note: Col. 1:13; 1 Thess. 2:12; Rev. 1:6, etc. When Christ comes
again, it will be for judgment, not the establishment of a kingdom.
The kingdom will then be delivered unto the Father, (1 Cor. 15:24).

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