Study Desk

Let him not think like a human any longer, but let him have the mind of an animal for seven years.

"That is what I, King Nebuchadnezzar, dreamed. Now Belteshazzar, tell me what the dream means. None of the wise men in my kingdom can explain it to me, but you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you."

"O king, you saw an observer, a holy angel, coming down from heaven who said, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it. But leave the stump and its roots in the ground with a band of iron and bronze around it; leave it in the field with the grass. Let him become wet with dew and live like a wild animal for seven years.'

Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant.

The wise men and magicians were brought to me to read this writing and to explain what it means, but they could not explain it.

Then Daniel answered the king, "You may keep your gifts for yourself, or you may give those rewards to someone else. But I will read the writing on the wall for you and will explain to you what it means.

"But Nebuchadnezzar became too proud and stubborn, so he was taken off his royal throne. His glory was taken away.

Because of this, the other supervisors and governors tried to find reasons to accuse Daniel about his work in the government. But they could not find anything wrong with him or any reason to accuse him, because he was trustworthy and not lazy or dishonest.

"The first animal looked like a lion, but had wings like an eagle. I watched this animal until its wings were torn off. It was lifted from the ground so that it stood up on two feet like a human, and it was given the mind of a human.

(The power and rule of the other animals had been taken from them, but they were permitted to live for a certain period of time.)

But the holy people who belong to the Most High God will receive the power to rule and will have the power to rule forever, from now on.'

"‘But the court will decide what should happen. The power of the king will be taken away, and his kingdom will be completely destroyed.

"That was the end of the dream. I, Daniel, was very afraid. My face became white from fear, but I kept everything to myself."

when I looked up and saw a male sheep standing beside the canal. It had two long horns, but one horn was longer and newer than the other.

so the male goat became very great. But when he was strong, his big horn broke off and four horns grew in place of the one big horn. Those four horns pointed in four different directions and were easy to see.

Gabriel came to where I was standing. When he came close to me, I was very afraid and bowed facedown on the ground. But Gabriel said to me, "Human being, understand that this vision is about the time of the end."

The four horns that grew in the place of the broken horn are four kingdoms. Those four kingdoms will come from the nation of the first king, but they will not be as strong as the first king.

This king will be very powerful, but his power will not come from himself. He will cause terrible destruction and will be successful in everything he does. He will destroy powerful people and even God's holy people.

This king will succeed by using lies and force. He will think that he is very important. He will destroy many people without warning; he will try to fight even the Prince of princes! But that cruel king will be destroyed, and not by human power.

"The vision that has been shown to you about these evenings and mornings is true. But seal up the vision, because those things won't happen for a long time."