Daniel 7:6 – The rise of the Greek empire

As Daniel continued to look at his night visions, he saw the third beast emerge. Daniel 7:6 tells us that it resembles a leopard. But this leopard, however, is not your ordinary feline. It has four wings of a bird and four heads. With its extraordinary features, this unique creature was given the authority to rule, a testament to its power and swiftness. 

What does this beast symbolize? Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the massive image of varied material—the belly and thigh were of bronze—was a reference to the kingdom of the Greeks, which rose after the Medo-Persian empire. Daniel’s vision of the unusual-looking leopard also refers to the same kingdom, specifically to the empire of Alexander the Great, who was a key figure in the transition from the Medo-Persian to the Greek empire.  

 

A leopard is known for its speed, ferocity, and good judgment. And Greece under Alexander the Great was known for such in conquest. The four wings of the leopard emphasized his swiftness. He was a most capable general who became the king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia. In less than 13 years, he had transformed history. His conquests stretched the Greek empire from Macedonia to Egypt and Greece to part of India, laying the foundation for the widespread Hellenistic culture, a blend of Greek, Persian, Egyptian, and Indian influences. The magnitude of his achievements and the cultural legacy he left behind is truly awe-inspiring.  

 

Alexander, the mighty conqueror, died at age 33 without an heir to continue his rule. In a twist of fate, his empire was divided into four and ruled by four generals. The leopard’s four heads signify the Greek empire’s four-way split, each under a general. Cassander ruled Macedon and Greece; Lysimachus reigned over Thrace and Bithynia; Ptolemy took over Egypt, and Seleucus over Syria. 

 

The Greek kingdom was extensive, much like the previous empires of Babylon and Medo-Persia. However, like its predecessors, it also lasted only temporarily. This was because these empires were all subplots to point to the permanent Kingdom of Messiah. 

Percy Bysshe Shelley's sonnet, Ozymandias, like the Bible, affirms that no matter how powerful or tyrannical a ruler may be, all earthly powers are temporary. Kings and kingdoms will pass away, but the Kingdom of Jesus, the Messiah, will never fade. Truly, what a Messiah we serve!