Faith in God Amidst the Beasts

“I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this.” (Daniel 7:15-16)

Four Evil Beasts from the Sea (Daniel 7:1-8)

The Throne Room of God and the Son of Man (Daniel 7:9-14)

The Victory of God over the Beasts of Earth (Daniel 7:15-28)

Three Takeaways from Daniel 7

1. When have you most felt the weight of evil or suffering on earth? What has helped you look to God in those times?
2. This week we continue our series, “Daniel: Apocalyptic Imagination and Exile Faith,” by looking at chapter 7. Quiet yourself before God, then ask God to speak to you before reading Daniel 7:1-28 aloud.
3. Background: With Daniel 7 we switch from court narratives to apocalyptic visions. Apocalyptic literature conveys a revelation, or unveiling, of the nature of reality, and sometimes the end of all things. This type of literature is filled with symbolism and metaphors intended to teach us by engaging our imagination. These symbols often leave us with a ‘gut feeling’ about something. Most often apocalyptic is less concerned with the exact correlation of certain symbols as it is concerned with an overall message that causes us to see things a certain way and live accordingly.
4. Daniel 7:1-8 introduces four beasts arising from the sea. Because the sea was a place of fear for the Hebrews and the beasts have bizarre forms, they convey a feeling of horror at work on earth. What do you notice about each beast?
5. The beasts represent successive earthly kingdoms, although scholars debate what kingdoms each beast might represent. Two options are: 1) Babylon/Media/Persia/Greece or 2) Babylon/Medo-Persia/Greece/Rome. The ‘horn’ is a symbol of kingly power and, sometimes, pride. What do you think is the significance of the horn rising in verses 7-8?
6. In the middle of this strange dream, Daniel is plunged into the throne room of God. What happens in verses 9-14? What do you think this says about the previous focus on the beasts of earth?
7. After the vision of God’s throne room, Daniel receives an interpretation of all that he has seen before in verses 15-28. What stands out to you from the interpretation?
8. What is one specific thing that God is speaking to you through this study? How should you live differently this week because of that? Share what you learned with at least one other person this week.

• Explore resources on the book of Daniel at The Bible Project.
• Read through chapters 7-12 of the book of Daniel this week in order to gain a broader sense of the entire flow of this second half of the book of Daniel.
• Read further about apocalyptic literature.