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Unto the end (7: 26).
"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" (Dan. 7: 7).
"The residue" is translated "the rest" in verse 12, and refers in each case to the three
beasts described in verses 4-7. The words "before it" appear at first to indicate that
the fourth beast succeeded the other three, but "before" here means "in front of" as in
verses 10, 13 and 20:--
"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 a man, and a mouth speaking great things"
(Dan. 7: 8).
The interpretation given to Daniel is the interpretation given to us, and we are not at
liberty to attempt a fuller explanation than that given here:--
"These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth"
(Dan. 7: 17).
"The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth" (Dan. 7: 23).
If the fourth is to be reckoned as successive in any foreshadowing way, it will be seen,
in the parallel set out above, that it falls into its place at the end:--
"Which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and
shall tread it down, and break it in pieces" (Dan. 7: 23).
It will be remembered that in the great image of Dan. 2: the last kingdom was
"diverse", inasmuch as it was composed of clay, whereas the earlier kingdoms were of
differing metals. So with the beast that corresponds with the clay period; it is diverse,
and is not described as the others are.
There is a peculiarly involved repetition given that may help us to realize that the
long, historic foreshadowing, and the brief, prophetic fulfillment are in view:--
The fourth beast is said to be "diverse" from the rest.
The little horn is said to be "diverse" from the first.
The fourth beast destroys three kings.
The little horn subdues three kings.
The fourth beast has a mouth speaking great things.
The little horn speaks great words against the Most High.
The conclusion seems to be that the little horn represents a final concentration of the
fourth beast. Now we shall discover from Rev. 13: that this fourth beast concentrates in
itself the three that it devours. The three beasts devoured are described as a lion with
eagle's wings, a bear, and a leopard having four wings with four heads. The beast