What are the 4 Beasts of Daniel?

Daniel said: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. ³Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea. (Daniel 7: 2-3)

¹⁵“I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. ¹⁶I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this. “So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things:

¹⁷‘The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth. ¹⁸But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.’ (Daniel 15-18)

The 4 great beasts of Daniel 7 represent 4 powerful kingdoms that will exist during the end of this age. Currently, there are 4 kings (world powers) who fit the description of these beasts.

(Photo Credit: End of the Age Ministries)

The 1st Beast

⁴“The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a human being, and the mind of a human was given to it. (Daniel 7: 4)

The lion is the 1st Beast. During the course of history there has been more than one nation who used the image of a lion to represent them. Today, there is a world power that is represented by a lion: Great Britain.

According to Daniel, the 1st Beast lion had the wings of an eagle. While Daniel watched, the eagle’s wings were detached from the Lion. Today, there is a world power that is represented by an eagle: the United States of America (USA).

It is interesting to note that the USA used to be attached to Great Britain. It detached from Great Britain when the USA declared its independence. At that time, the eagle wings were torn off of the lion.

Although the USA was described in this scripture, it does not remain part of the 1st Beast and it is not mentioned again in relation to the 4 beasts.

The 1st Beast appears to be Great Britain.

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The 2nd Beast

⁵“And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and eat your fill of flesh!’ (Daniel 7: 5)

The Bear is the 2nd Beast. During the course of history there has been more than one nation who used the image of a bear to represent them. Today, there is a world power that is represented by a bear: Russia.

It is unclear as to what the 3 ribs in its mouth specifically represent but they appear to identify what is left of 3 nations that the bear has recently devoured. The bear is raised up on one of its sides. This appears to indicate that the activity is taking place on one side of that nation (geographically).

Lately, Russia has increased it military power. It has recently invaded and assimilated the Ukraine. It has also started becoming very active in the middle east (e.g. Syria).

The 2nd Beast appears to be Russia.

(Photo Credit: End of the Age Ministries)

The 3rd Beast

⁶“After that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard. And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule. (Daniel 7: 6)

The Leopard is the 3rd Beast. During the course of history there has been more than one nation who used the image of a leopard to represent them. Today, there is a world power that is represented by a leopard: Germany.

This leopard had 4 heads. This indicates that the leopard had 4 different eras of power (empires/kingdoms). Germany has declared 4 different Reichs. They identify their Reichs as follows:

1st Reich: 911-1806. The Holy Roman Empire ruled most of the known world. Germany claims that empire as it’s 1st Reich.
2nd Reich: 1871-1918. Germany and Austria-Hungary were joined by the Islamic Ottoman Empire in an attempt to take over the world. It resulted in World War I.
3rd Reich: 1933-1945. Germany, Japan, and the Soviet Union (Russia) attempted to take over the world. Islam again joined them, this time as the Handschar Waffen SS. It resulted in World War II.
4th Reich: 1990 to present. After the Berlin Wall was removed in 1989, a New World Order was proclaimed. Germany is currently in its 4th Reich.

According to Daniel, the 3rd Beast (leopard) also had the wings of a bird. Some Bible translations refer to the bird as a “fowl.” The wings of a fowl remain attached to the 3rd Beast. Today, there is a prominent nation that is represented by a rooster: France.

In 1963 the Franco-German Alliance was established. Germany and France have been allies ever since that time. Together, they are known as the “twin engine” or “core countries” that enthusiastically push for further integration of the European Union (EU). Since Germany claims the Holy Roman Empire as its 1st Reich, the 3rd Beast may represent a restored world power in that area (the 4th Reich: a revived Holy Roman Empire).

Recently, Germany pledged to welcome 800,000 Muslim “refugees. ” Tens of thousands of Muslims have already migrated into neighboring non-Muslim countries. Up to 35 million Muslims are expected to migrate into Europe. The demographics of Europe are about to experience a historic shift. (See: What is this Mysterious Image?)

The 3rd Beast appears to include both Germany and France. It may also collectively represent the European Union (EU).

(Photo Credit: End of the Age Ministries)

The 4th Beast

⁷“After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns. (Daniel 7: 7)

⁸“While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a human being and a mouth that spoke boastfully. (Daniel 7: 8)

¹⁹“Then I wanted to know the meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws—the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. ²⁰I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully. ²¹As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them, ²²until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom. (Daniel 7: 19-22)

²³“He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. ²⁴The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. ²⁵He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time. (Daniel 7: 23-25)

The Terrifying 4th Beast is a kingdom different from the other kingdoms. It will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. This beast resembles the description of the 4th Seal in Revelation 6. Both describe a terrifying and very powerful entity. One that seeks to rule the world without mercy. Different from anything that existed at the time that the Holy Bible was written. The ideology and methods of this beast appears to match fundamental Islam. (See: What does Islam teach about the End Times?)

The 10 horns are 10 kings who will come from this kingdom. This beast will be a union of 10 kings that come from within a single kingdom. If the 4th Beast is Islam, the 10 kings represent a union of 10 Islamic nations.

Another king will arise, different from the earlier ones. He will subdue 3 of the 10 kings. He will speak against Almighty God. He will oppress God’s holy people. He will try to change the set times and the laws. He will be able to wage war against God’s holy people for 3-1/2 years.

This describes the Antichrist. He will appear from within the 4th Beast. If the 4th Beast is Islamic, the Antichrist will also be Islamic (the Mahdi). An Islamic messiah would try to change the set times (replace the Gregorian and Hebrew calendars with an Islamic calendar) and laws (replace local/national governments with Sharia law and replace the Torah/Holy Bible with the Koran).

The 4th Beast appears to be Islam. The mouth of this Beast is the Antichrist.

Judgment

¹¹“Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. ¹²(The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.) (Daniel 7: 11-12)

¹³“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. ¹⁴He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (Daniel 7: 13-14)

²⁶“‘But the court will sit, and his [the 4th beast & Antichrist] power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. ²⁷Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’ (Daniel 7: 26-27)

Although the 4th beast will be allowed to wage war against God’s holy people, God is still in control. It will be allowed power for 3-1/2 years but then, God will completely destroy the beast forever. The other beasts will be stripped of their power but they will be allowed to live for a period of time. At this point, man’s dominion over the earth will have ended and God will establish His everlasting kingdom.

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Photo credits: The exceptional graphics/images of the beasts that appear in this article are from “End of the Age Ministries”