Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 93

Daniel’s vision: four beasts

7 In the first year of Babylon’s King Belshazzar, Daniel had a dream—a vision in his head as he lay on his bed. He wrote the dream down. Here is the beginning of the account:

² I am Daniel. In the vision I had during the night I saw the four winds of heaven churning the great sea. ³ Four giant beasts emerged from the sea, each different from the others. ⁴ The first was like a lion with eagle’s wings. I observed it until its wings were pulled off, and it was lifted up from the ground. It was then set on two feet, like a human being, and it received a human mind. ⁵ Then I saw another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told: “Get up! Devour much flesh!” ⁶ I kept watching, and suddenly there was another beast, this one like a leopard. On its back it had four wings like bird wings. This beast had four heads. Authority was given to it.

⁷ After this, as I continued to watch this night vision, I saw a fourth beast, terrifying and hideous, with extraordinary power and with massive iron teeth. As it ate and crushed, its feet smashed whatever was left over. It was different from all the other beasts before it, and it had ten horns. ⁸ I was staring at the horns when, suddenly, another small horn came up between them. Three of the earlier horns were ripped out to make room for it. On this new horn were eyes like human eyes and a mouth that bragged and bragged.

Beasts interpreted

¹⁵ Now this caused me, Daniel, to worry.^[a] My visions disturbed me greatly. ¹⁶ So I went to one of the servants who was standing ready nearby. I asked him for the truth about all this.

He spoke to me and explained to me the meaning of these things. ¹⁷ “These four giant beasts are four kings that will rise up from the earth, ¹⁸ but the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingship. They will hold the kingship securely forever and always.”

³¹ The one who comes from above is above all things. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all things. ³² He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. ³³ Whoever accepts his testimony confirms that God is true. ³⁴ The one whom God sent speaks God’s words because God gives the Spirit generously. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and gives everything into his hands. ³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever doesn’t believe in the Son won’t see life, but the angry judgment of God remains on them.”