The Fourth Beast and Michael

“And he wrote down the dream.” So the things that were shown to the blessed prophet by the Spirit in visions, he told out in full for others as well — so that he would not look like a man prophesying about the future to himself alone, but would be proved a prophet to others too, to everyone who wants to search the divine Scriptures. [a]

“And look, the four winds.” He means the created world in its four divisions. “And four great beasts.” Various beasts were shown to the blessed Daniel, each one unlike the others; and we ought to understand that the account is not really about animals. Under the figure and image of different animals it sets out the kingdoms that have risen in this world with power over the human race. For by the great sea he means the whole world.

“Until its wings were plucked out.” This actually happened, in Nebuchadnezzar’s time, as was shown in the preceding book; and he bears witness to it himself, that this very thing was fulfilled in him. He was driven out of his kingdom and stripped of his glory and of the greatness he had before. Then, a little further on: “It was made to stand on its feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.” That means that when Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself and acknowledged that he was only a man, in subjection under the power of God, and made his plea to the Lord, he found mercy with him and was restored to his own kingdom and honor.

“A second beast, like a bear.” This stands for the kingdom of the Persians. “And it had three ribs.” The three nations he calls three ribs. So the meaning is this: that beast held the rule, and the ones under it were the Medes, the Assyrians, and the Babylonians. “And they said this to it: Get up, devour.” For the Persians, rising in those times, laid waste every land, made many people subject to them, and killed them. And just as this animal, the bear, is a filthy beast and a meat-eater, tearing with claws and teeth, so was the kingdom of the Persians, which held the supremacy for two hundred and thirty years.

“And look, another beast, like a leopard.” In naming a leopard he means the kingdom of the Greeks, over whom Alexander of Macedon was king. He likened them to a leopard because they were quick and inventive in thought and bitter at heart, just as that animal is many-colored to look at and quick to wound and to drink a man’s blood. “The beast had four heads as well.” When Alexander’s kingdom was lifted high, and grew, and won a name over the whole world, his kingdom was divided into four principalities. For Alexander, when he was near his end, divided his kingdom among four companions of his own people — Seleucus, Demetrius, Ptolemy, and Philip — and they all took crowns, as Daniel prophesies and as it is written in the first book of Maccabees.

“And look, a fourth beast.” That no other kingdom has arisen after the Greeks except the one holding sovereignty at present is plain to everyone. This one has iron teeth, because it subdues and grinds down everything by its strength, as iron does. And what was left it trampled with its feet, for there is no other kingdom to come after this one — but out of it ten horns will spring.

“And it had ten horns.” The prophet said earlier of the leopard that the beast had four heads, and that was fulfilled: Alexander’s kingdom was divided into four principalities. So now, in the same way, we ought to look for the ten horns that are to spring from this one, when the beast’s time is complete. Then the little horn, which is the antichrist, will appear suddenly among them, and righteousness will be driven off the earth, and the whole world will come to its end. So we should not run ahead of God’s plan, but should practice patience and prayer, so that we do not fall in such times. All the same, we must not refuse to believe that these things will happen. If the things the prophets foretold long ago never came true, then we need not look for these. But if those earlier things did happen in their proper seasons, just as they were foretold, then these things too will certainly be fulfilled.

“I was considering the horns.” That is to say: I looked hard at the beast, and I was astonished at everything about it, but most of all at the number of the horns. For this beast’s appearance was of a different kind from the others’.

“And he came to the Ancient of Days.” By the Ancient of Days he means no one else than the Lord and God and Master of all — and of Christ himself — who makes the days grow old and yet does not himself grow old by times and days.

“His dominion is an everlasting dominion.” The Father put all things in subjection to his own Son, both things in heaven and things on earth, and through it all showed him to be the firstborn of God, so that alongside the Father he might be shown before the angels to be the Son of God, and be made known as Lord of angels too. He displayed him also as the firstborn of a virgin, so that he might be seen to be in himself the one who forms the first-made Adam over again; and as the firstborn from the dead, so that he might himself become the firstfruits of our resurrection.

“Which will not pass away.” He set out the whole dominion given by the Father to his own Son, who is shown to be King of all in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and Judge of all. Of all in heaven, because he was born the Word, out of the Father’s heart, before everything. Of all on earth, because he was made man and formed Adam anew out of himself. And of all under the earth, because he was also counted among the dead and preached to the souls of the holy ones, and by death overcame death.

“Which will arise.” For when the three beasts have finished their course and been taken away, and the one still stands in its strength — if this one too is taken away, then at last earthly things end and heavenly things begin. Then the kingdom of the holy ones, which cannot be broken up and never ends, is brought into view, and the heavenly King is shown to everyone: no longer in a figure, like someone seen in a vision or shown in a pillar of cloud on a mountaintop, but among the powers and armies of angels, as God become man, and as man — Son of God and Son of Man — coming from heaven as the world’s Judge.

“And I asked about the fourth beast.” Here he is speaking of that fourth kingdom we have already spoken of: the kingdom greater than any of its kind that has arisen on the earth, out of which ten horns are to spring and be shared out among ten crowns. And among them another little horn will rise, which is the horn of the antichrist. It will pull up by the roots the three that were before it — that is, he will overthrow the three kings of Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia, so as to get universal rule for himself. And after he has conquered the seven horns that remain, then at last, puffed up by a strange and evil spirit, he will begin to stir up war against the holy ones and to persecute everyone everywhere, aiming to be glorified by all and worshiped as God.

“Until the Ancient of Days comes.” That is: when at last the Judge of judges and the King of kings comes from heaven, who will overthrow the whole dominion and power of the adversary and consume them all in the everlasting fire of punishment. But to his servants and prophets and martyrs, and to all who fear him, he will give a kingdom that never ends — that is, they will have the enjoyment of good things without end.

“Until a time, and times, and half a time.” This means three and a half years.

“And the sound of his words.” For all of us who now trust in him speak out the words of Christ, as though through his mouth we were saying the things he commanded. [p]

“And I saw,” and so on. For he shows himself to his holy ones who fear him, and to them alone. If a man seems to be living in the church now and yet has no fear of God, keeping company with the holy ones will do him no good at all.

“Your words were heard.” See how much a righteous man’s reverence for God is worth: to him alone, as the one worthy of it, things not yet to be made public in the world were revealed.

“And look, Michael.” Who is Michael but the angel appointed over the people? As God says to Moses: “I will not go with you on the way, because the people are stiff-necked; but my angel will go with you.”

“My insides are turned.” For it was fitting that at the Lord’s appearing what was above should be turned underneath, so that what was underneath might also come above. I need time, he says, to come to myself, and to be able to bear the words and to answer what is said. But while I was in that state, he goes on, I was strengthened beyond anything I hoped for. Someone unseen touched me, and at once my weakness was taken away and I was brought back to the strength I had before. For whenever all the strength of our life and all its glory passes away from us, then we are strengthened by Christ, who stretches out his hand and raises the living from among the dead — from Hades itself, as it were — to the resurrection of life.

“And he strengthened me.” For whenever the Word has given us good hope about what is to come, we too are able to hear his voice readily.

“To fight with the prince of Persia.” For from the day you humbled yourself before the Lord your God your prayer was heard, and I was sent “to fight with the prince of Persia.” For there was a plan afoot not to let the people go. And so, that your prayer might be answered quickly, “I stood up against him.”