The four beasts of Daniel 7

Instead of a glorious image of towering height and splendor. Daniel saw four great, terrible wild beasts. The first, like a lion, corresponded to the head of gold of the image-representing Babylon. The second, like a bear, corresponded to the breast and arms of silver in the image, and represented Medo-Persia. The third, like a leopard, corresponded to the brass of the image, and represented Grecia.

To Daniel there appeared in vision four beasts, but these did not represent or picture four separate devilish organizations, but they did picture Satan’s organization appearing and exhibiting certain or particular characteristics.

The foretold “horn which had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and which seemed greater than its fellows,” is identified by history as being the Anglo-American dual world power, the seventh world power foretold in Bible prophecy.

Ah, then, the four beasts correspond with the four metals of the dream image that Daniel had interpreted to King Nebuchadnezzar more than fifty years previously.

The ‘little horn’ that came up among them and before whom three horns fell is the Anglo-American world power, and the three horns that fell before this, the seventh world power of Bible history, were (1) Spain, (2) The Netherlands, and (3) France.

This small horn rose as the British Empire notably from the seventeenth century onward, and was later joined by America to form the Anglo-American world power.

“Someone like a son of man” comes before him and is “given rulership and dignity and kingdom, that the peoples, national groups and languages should all serve even him.” (7:10, 13, 14) Daniel then receives the interpretation of the vision of the four beasts. They represent four kings, or kingdoms. From among ten horns on the fourth beast a small horn arises.

The four beasts are explained by God's angel to symbolize four successive political world powers, the first one being like a lion, the second one like a bear, and the third one like a leopard.

By comparing this description with what is stated at Daniel 7:3-7, 17-23, we can see that the "wild beast" is a combination of beasts, such as those mentioned in the book of Daniel. Those beasts are specifically identified as kings or kingdoms. Therefore, the "wild beast" out of the "sea" must represent the global political system made up of the "kings" or ruling powers on earth.

In the prophecy of Daniel, mention is made of four beasts—a lion, a bear, a leopard and a fearsome beast with ten horns—each beast representing a 'king' or 'kingdom.'

The fourth symbolic beast of this vision refers to the world power that swallowed up the Grecian Empire, namely, Rome.

The Anglo-American Dual World Power was pictured, as we will remember, by the "small" horn with eyes and a mouth on the head of the "fourth beast" seen in Daniel's vision of the four beasts.

In connection with the dream image, there is no mention of a 'fifth kingdom' developing, although a later vision of Daniel contained a fearsome "fourth beast," representing the Roman Empire, out from which a 'little horn' grew very large to represent the British Empire.

In the seventh chapter, he starts with a lion (Babylon) and concludes with the unusually strong fourth beast having iron teeth.

What is the identity of the huge beasts seen by Daniel? He informs us: "These huge beasts . . . are four kings that will stand up from the earth." (Daniel 7:17) Yes, those beasts represent "kings," or political powers of the earth. 5 It is clear, therefore, that the Author of the inspired Bible regards the political powers of the earth as beasts. What kind of beasts?

This fourth wild beast prefigured the powerful Roman Empire, which began to develop about three centuries after Daniel recorded this prophecy.

"Someone like a son of man" comes before him and is "given rulership and dignity and kingdom, that the peoples, national groups and languages should all serve even him." (7:10, 13, 14) Daniel then receives the interpretation of the vision of the four beasts. They represent four kings, or kingdoms. From among ten horns on the fourth beast, a small horn arises.

The sea, then, is a fitting symbol of the masses of mankind alienated from God.—Revelation 13:1, 2; 17:15; Isaiah 57:20. 6 "As for these huge beasts," said God's angel, "because they are four, there are four kings that will stand up from the earth." (Daniel 7:17) Clearly, the angel identified the four beasts that Daniel saw as "four kings." Thus, these beasts signify world powers.

This fearsome beast began as the political and military power of Rome. It gradually took over the four Hellenistic divisions of the Grecian Empire, and by the year 30 B.C.E., Rome had emerged as the next world power of Bible prophecy.

There was more to the "small" horn than the British Empire. In 1783, Britain recognized the independence of its 13 American colonies. The United States of America eventually became Britain's ally, emerging from World War II as the earth's dominant nation. It still has strong ties with Britain. The resulting Anglo-American dual world power constitutes the 'horn having eyes.'

Daniel first saw four huge beasts that symbolize past and present world powers​—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome and its modern-day offshoot, Anglo-America.