From Daniel 7, the genre takes on the form of an apocalypse. There are certain features of apocalypse. The root of apocalyptic is the Old Testament prophetic literature, concerned with coming judgement and salvation. Often, apocalyptic came about either in persecution or in times of oppression; it looks exclusively forward to the time when God would bring a radical end to history and bring about the triumph of good and the final judgement of evil.

Apocalyptic literature is usually presented in the form of visions and dreams and its language is symbolic with hidden meanings; at times the images take the forms of fantasy rather than reality but they are communicating prophecies and revelation to God’s people which may not be obvious to those to whom the meanings were not meant for, but with interpretation of the images by God and His angels, they communicate hope and encouragement for God’s people that God would triumph over evil and grant victory and deliverance to His people, culminating in His glory and praise.

Looking at Daniel 7, we see Daniel being given a dream and a vision; it was a vision which caused Daniel to be deeply troubled and he had to be given the interpretation of the meaning of the dream and vision. The first part of the vision and dream seems to parallel chapter 2 of Daniel – it gives a glimpse of the various kingdoms which would arise one after another; chapter 2 depicts this in the statue seen in a dream by king Nebuchadnezzar whereas here in the apocalyptic vision, Daniel saw strange creatures, one arising after another from the sea. In Daniel’s vision, however, he saw the fourth beast which appeared most terrifying with ten horns and one horn in particular, before which three horns fell, appeared most imposing and this horn waged war the holy people of God and defeated them. This must have caused Daniel to be most troubled in spirit.

Two scenes then appeared. In verse 9, God, called here the “Ancient of Days” assumes HIs position on the throne and begins to judge; God takes power from the arrogant beasts and then prepares to give authority to another. This God is timeless and eternal; the image of whiteness and fire indicates the purity of God and His holiness.

Second, the scene presents God giving the final kingdom to one “like a son of man” (verses 13-14). THE “SON OF MAN” is a heavenly being who is capable and worthy to receive the very kingdom of God and to govern it. It reminds us of the scene in Revelation 5 where the Lamb of God is the only one worthy to open the seals. He, the ‘Son of Man’ is capable of ruling without the arrogance of the earthly kings depicted in Daniel.

Jesus uses the term “son of man” repeatedly in the gospels to refer to Himself and He utilises this title when speaking of His power to judge or of His reception of the kingdom of God (Matthew 10:23,24:27, 24:37, 25:31; Mark 13:26; Luke 17:22,30 and John 1:51). Jesus views Himself as the one to whom God will give the right to judge human beings and the kingdom itself; He also refers to the fact that the ‘son of man’ must suffer (Matthew 26:24; Luke 22:22).When Jesus receives the kingdom, He will share it with “the saints of the most High (Daniel 7:18,22). The saints however will suffer persecution before the kingdom is given and will triumph only when the day of the Lord appears and God destroys the work of Antichrist (referred as the little horn which wages war against the saints and defeated them). Antichrist will speak against God and oppress His holy people as well and try to change the set times and the law. God’s people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time(the 3and 1/2 years or 42 months mentioned in Revelation).

Daniel 7 paints a picture of the history of mankind which will be ‘rocked’ by a great tribulation with Antichrist seeking to be God and the people of God being persecuted and defeated before finally triumphing when Jesus comes again and destroys the devil, the Antichrist and the false prophet. The end would indeed be victory but the interim would see sufferings and tribulation for God’s people; the call is to persevere and to overcome (as revealed in Revelation). Daniel was given the privilege to see all these and yet not understanding the details.