Title: The Second Beast (Daniel 7:5)
Contents
Lesson 73 The Second Beast (Daniel 7:5)
7:5
Another beast, the second, was like a bear, and it lifted up one side of its body, and it had three ribs in its mouth, and it was said to him, "Get up and eat a lot of meat."
The specific appearance of the second beast that Daniel saw in his vision is described in the text. "The other beast, the second, is like a bear." A beast that looks like a bear.
Which country did the second beast represent? In Daniel 2, King Nebuchadnezzar saw a huge image in a dream. The second part consisted of two arms and a chest. It was made of silver. Which country was it? Medes and Persia were two places joined together.
Please read the text again. "The other beast, the second, is like a bear." What did you say the first beast was like? He said it was like a "lion". Are lions big? Is the bear big? Bears are much larger. Historically, the Medes and Persians were much larger than Babylon. The combined armies of the Medes and Persians destroyed Babylon. The Babylonian Empire was the territory of present-day Israel, Lebanon, and Mesopotamia. However, the combined forces of the Medes and Persia not only occupied Babylon, but also occupied Egypt to the south. To the west, they even occupied what is now Turkey. They even occupied India to the east. So, the dominion of the nation must have been much larger than that of Babylon. Like a bear, the country has grown very large.
But what did the beast hear? "I heard one side of my body." It is not explained whether the front two feet were raised or the right two feet were raised. But since you said "I heard one side of my body," isn't that the other side that I haven't heard? In other words, the country has two sides. Which country are you in? Medes and Persia. One of these two parts is said to have been "heard". What does this symbolize?
Please see 8:3.
“I lifted up my eyes, and behold, a ram with two horns stood by the river, and although both were long, one horn was longer than the other, and the longest was the last.”
A ram with two horns stands by the river. But one horn was longer.
Skip ahead and look at 8:20.
“The rams you saw with two horns were the kings of Medes and Persia.”
So, one horn is Medes and the other horn is Persia. But the two horns were not the same length. One horn was longer than the other. This is not that the two kingdoms of Medes and Persia have the same power, but that one is stronger. Which country would have been stronger? Historically, didn't Cyrus, king of Persia, issue a decree to send all the captives back to their homeland? Cyrus, king of Persia, took over the world. In the end, Persia was stronger than Media. This is the meaning of the saying that the bear-like beast “raised one side of its body”.
Not only are the bears of the Middle and Near East not only large, they are also extremely cruel. Let's see it. "Three ribs were bitten between the teeth of his mouth." How big is that mouth because it has three ribs between its teeth? And how big would it be? Not only that, but it can only look cruel. There are many prophets in the Old Testament. According to Jewish tradition, there are 7 female prophets and 48 male prophets. Among these prophets is a prophet known as bald. Who was it? This is Elisa.
Look at 2 Kings 2:23.
"Elisha went up from there to Bethel, and as he was walking on the road, young children came out of the city and mocked him, saying, Go up, you bald head, and go up, you bald head."
Elisha was bald. Kids make fun of them saying, "Go up bald." So what did Elisha do?
This is verse 24.
"Elisha turned and saw them, and cursed in the name of the LORD, and immediately two females came out of the bush and tore forty-two of the children."
Bears in the Middle and Near East are so fierce It's cruel. It means that the Medes and Persia conquered the world with such cruelty.
back to the main text. "Three ribs were bitten between the teeth." From a historical perspective, the combined forces of the Medes and Persians destroyed the three kingdoms that were powerful at that time. Lydia, Babylonian Empire, and Egypt. The three ribs can be seen as representing the three kingdoms that the Medes and Persians destroyed.
But I hope to see you again. The beast is not satisfied with the three ribs it is biting between its teeth. It cannot be filled with it. "There was one speaking to him, saying, Get up and eat a lot of meat." "The one who speaks to him" must mean the one who is the sole ruler and providence of history, that is, the God in heaven. God spoke to the second beast. "Get up and eat a lot of meat." It means conquering more countries. So, didn't the Medes and Persians occupy all of Egypt to the south, India to the east, and Turkey to the west? This is the second beast Daniel saw in the vision, the Medes and Persians.
Today we have something to remember and overcome through the words of the text. No matter how great and terrifying the second beast may be, it is not eternal. Didn't the third beast appear soon after? No matter how great and terrifying the Medes and Persians were, they were replaced by the third kingdom, the Greek Empire.
Worldly things don't last forever. So, don't get too attached to what belongs to the world. Solomon enjoyed all the wealth and glory that belonged to the kingdoms of the world. And what conclusions did you come to?
Please see Ecclesiastes 1:2.
"Vanity and vanity, vanity, vanity, all things are vanity," said the evangelist.
"It's all in vain," he said. I was reading the newspaper a few days ago and this article came up. Hyundai Motor Chairman Jeong Se-young's retirement pay is said to be 3.8 billion won. That's a huge amount. But what's even more surprising is that severance pay isn't the problem. It is said that the company will pay a tribute to Hyundai Motor for bringing it up to where it is today. How much do you think the contribution will be? It is said to be 3 trillion won. I read it a few times thinking I was wrong. It certainly was. I told the story to the deacon next to me, and the deacon said this. “That person is so unfair that he can’t even die.” How could I die of unfairness with that much money? Lee Byung-cheol had so much money, but he couldn't take a penny with him when he went.
1 Corinthians 15:58.
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
Where did you tell me to work harder? "In the work of the Lord." Why? All labor under the sun is in vain, but labor in the Lord is never in vain. So let's not get too attached to earthly things, carnal things, or worldly things. Let's live while longing for spiritual things, things above, and things from the kingdom of heaven. Let's live like the people of God's kingdom, seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
The Apostle Paul lived by looking at the things above. As a result, what did you confess after living your life? “Now awaits me the crown of righteousness, which the righteous Judge will give me.”
As we live this precious day that God has given us, let's not dwell too much on earthly things and temporary things. As we look at the eternal and glorious heaven and the crown of righteousness that will be granted to us, I hope that we will all work harder in the mission the Lord has entrusted to us today.