Page 187 - Daniel

separate Median empire at this time is not supported by the historical
facts. The liberal position has to hold that the vision of the second beast
is a false prophecy that does not correspond to the facts of history, since
it supposedly describes a distinct Median empire. If Daniel’s revelation is
truly from God, it must correspond precisely to what history itself

records. In chapter 6, a combined kingdom of the Medes and Persians is
mentioned repeatedly (cf. vv. 8, 12, 15). These references alone should
silence the critic who wants to attribute to Daniel a fallacious and
unhistorical kingdom of the Medes. Daniel’s record corresponds to
history, whereas the critics’ view does not.

Illustration of what the second beast in Daniel 7 might have looked like in Daniel’s dream.

If Daniel’s revelation is true prophecy, what is the symbolism of the
bear, which is not normally related to symbolism in the Old Testament?

The meaning seems to be that the second empire will be powerful like a
bear, ferocious (Isa. 13:17–18), but less majestic, less swift, and less
glorious. The beast of Revelation 13 that gathers into its power the
characteristics of all previous beasts is said to have feet as a bear (Rev.
13:2).

The bear was said to raise itself up on one side. As Driver expresses it,
“In the O. T. It is spoken of as being, next to the lion, the most
formidable beast of prey known in Palestine (1 Sam. 17:34; Am. 5:19; cf.
2 Ki. 2:24; Hos. 13:8); at the same time, it is inferior to the lion in

strength and appearance, and is heavy and ungainly in its
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movements.” Why, however, does the bear raise itself up? While this
could picture the animal rising on its hind legs, or lying down with one