“Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon, Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is what he saw. In my vision that night, I, Daniel, saw a great storm churning the surface of a great sea, with strong winds blowing from every direction. Then four huge beasts came up out of the water, each different from the others. The first beast was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was left standing with its two hind feet on the ground, like a human being. And it was given a human mind. Then I saw a second beast, and it looked like a bear. It was rearing up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And I heard a voice saying to it, “Get up! Devour the flesh of many people!” Then the third of these strange beasts appeared, and it looked like a leopard. It had four bird’s wings on its back, and it had four heads. Great authority was given to this beast. Then in my vision that night, I saw a fourth beast—terrifying, dreadful, and very strong. It devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled their remains beneath its feet. It was different from any of the other beasts, and it had ten horns. As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them. Three of the first horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly.”
Daniel 7:1-8 NLT
When the queen mother called for Daniel to interpret the writing on the wall, Daniel was unphased by what was to come. He was an experienced seer of dreams but he was equally an experienced man. He’d watched the Jewish nation fall before a pagan king. He’d watched, seemingly Godly men, become wicked and wicked men turn to Godliness. He knew that nothing was a certainty but God and what he decreed. It seems clear that no kingdom was forever, but the one that undoes them all. Yet, he already knew of kingdoms to come. Now God would show him the nature of their leaders. This all begins with the majestic bird man who ends just a humble man. Nebudchednezzar’s successors would grow increasingly insatiable and terrifying until they don’t resemble anything known at all. Though this was specific knowledge, those who study kings and nations should know how true it is. With increasing power and lack of accountability, people grow into monsters. God’s authority wasn’t merely the strongest power, it had a purpose. God stands against the monstrous and beastly kingdoms to come. He knows their hearts and appetites and isn’t phased as they come and go. He writes their rise and their downfall. We should not be surprised by the writing on the wall.
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