In the book of Daniel, Daniel said, “In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters. Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another”, and in chapter seven and verse four of his book Daniel shared how he saw, “a lion” with “eagle’s wings” where we read,
The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it
The verse reads, “The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings:” Daniel began with the words, “the first was like a lion” or “the initial great animal existed similar and in likeness to a lion animal”, “and had eagle’s wings” which means “and the lion possessed wings like an eagle bird”. Daniel shared how the first animal he observed in his “dream and visions” was similar to a “lion” that possess the “wings” of an “eagle”.
The verse goes on to say, “I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth,” Daniel continued with the word, “I beheld till” or “I, Daniel, beheld, witnessed and gaze upon the great animal that was similar to a lion until ” “the wings thereof” which means “the wings which were upon the lion” “were plucked” or “were picked and pulled off or extracted”, “and it was lifted up” which means “and it, the animal similar to a lion was raised” “from the earth” or “separate and apart from the region, territory and world”. Daniel shared how he observed the massive animal that was similar to a “lion with eagle’s wings” until the “wings” were picked off, and the “lion” was raised separate and apart from the world.
Finally the verse says, “and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.” Daniel concluded this verse with the words “and made stand upon the feet” which means “and caused to arise and come on the scene upon the physical feet” “as a man” or “similar and in likeness to a male human being”, “and a man’s heart” which means “and a male human being’s soul and mind” “was given to it” or “was placed, set and established toward it, the lion like animal”. Daniel ended this verse by referring to how the “lion like animal” was caused to rise upon it’s physical “feet” and the soul and mind belonging to a male human being was established within it.
When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Daniel about the initial great animal that he observed in his “dream and visions”. This giant “lion-like animal” possessed “wings” similar to an “eagle’s wings”, and Daniel watched the creature until the “wings” were picked off, and the lion like creature rose to it’s physical “feet” like a male human being. The soul and mind of a man were also provided to the lion like creature, and we shall learn more about this vision later on. For now let us consider what this must have been like for Daniel to see such a mental imagery. God was revealing His plan to Daniel, and because He is omniscient and omnipresent, God knows the past, present and future all at the same time. God wanted to redeem mankind from their sins which separated them from a personal relationship with Him, and when He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and raised Him from the dead after three days, when we surrender our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth as we understand this “dream and vision” given to Daniel was meant to bring us His salvation.
Next time Daniel tells how he saw, “another beast, a second, like to a bear,”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
