Daniel 7:15 Commentary and Bible Study

Why was Daniel so deeply grieved, and his whole being troubled by the visions? He didn’t have the slightest doubt that the visions were true and what he had been shown was a revelation from God about the future. What he had seen must come to pass. The very experience of receiving divine revelation was disturbing; this is always the effect of mortal human souls being confronted with the supernatural (Daniel 8:17; 10:9; Ezekiel 1:18; Matthew 17:7; 28:4; Revelation 1:17). But the content of this revelation was also disturbing. The events revealed to Daniel were so momentous, so tumultuous. He could not observe them from a distance, but was immersed in the experience. He saw that, even though initially he did not fully understand what he saw. The visions were perplexing and he wanted to understand more. God had revealed this not for him alone, but for the sake of his people, to help them through these difficult times and to keep alive their hope in the coming Messiah. He realised that the coming of the Messiah was some way off, and there were deep waters for the people of God to go through before he came. Why would he not come sooner? Vast powers were at work on earth and it was quite beyond Israel’s ability to deal with them without the help of God. He knew that these powers would be attacking the people of God; there was more violence to come, and he had spent his life heading off persecution directed against the Jews. Was he particularly troubled by the little horn? Daniel is still in the vision. There are others present in the vision, and he assumes they have understanding, and turns to one of them to ask the explanation. We can assume that this is an angel, placed there by God to give him the interpretation.He receives a very brief summary explanation. The great four beasts are four kings: not four singular kings, but four successions of kings, corresponding to the four empires over which they rule. One is already past. Daniel knows that from the previous revelations in the book, from the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 2, which he, Daniel, has already interpreted. He is only too familiar with the Babylonian empire. He is now living in the time of the second, the Medo-Persian empire. ‘But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.’ That is where all his interest lies. That is what his hopes are set upon. We note the word ‘saints’. It is very interesting here in the Old Testament: ‘the saints of the most high.’ The saints are the set apart ones, those who are set apart from the world, from the godless, polytheistic world. There is an Israel within Israel, a remnant, and that is what is referred to here. It is as if the prophecy anticipates the regenerate nature of the members of the New Testament church. The saints of the most high will take the kingdom and possess it, but not until the second coming of Christ. The kingdom is referring to the whole world, as it has in the early verses. It is a description of uninterrupted eternal perfect bliss with Christ reigning, when all opposition to God has been put down. But you see, Daniel's vision takes him over the details, to put both comings of Christ together, and to go right to the end of history. The saints of most high will take the kingdom; none of them will ever be lost. This is spoken for Daniel’s consolation, and is true of Daniel himself and all those who will not live long enough to see the coming Messiah on earth. We may seem to be a minority, but we are members of the most lasting kingdom, which has more members than any other.