All I can do is take some educated guesses.
Educated guess? So you will be going to guess by interpreting the four beasts as literal empires as well? Of course, we will understand better if we compare Scripture with Scripture and it is good that you quoted all verses that mention "four winds of the heaven."
I've studied this enough to know that four beasts being literal empires. When we examine the scriptures more carefully we see that God is not interested in history lessons of worldly empires, but is illustrating spiritual truths.
Daniel 7:2-3
- "Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
- And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another[/i]."
God has inspired these truths to be written in
cryptic symbolism. For example, patterned after four literal ruling Kingdoms (Babylon (Chaldea), Persian, Greece and Rome), but
symbolizing a spiritual rule in the earth. These four beasts are
spiritual pictures of the construct from which Satan rules, which is
through carnal man. In other words, the four beasts actually symbolize systemic carnal world rule. In fact, in Revelation chapter 13 we can see these very same beasts pictured as one single beast that has all the aspects of these four beasts illustrated in Daniel chapter 7. I believe that they are four here to symbolize the "
universality" of this rule of Satan
over the peoples of the world (sea). The number 4 symbolizes universality. The beasts are kings, which symbolize
rules. The wind many times, as you wrote correctly, is synonymous with
spirit, and by this prophesy referring to "the four winds of the heaven," it implies the
Holy Spirit. Everything on Earth, physical and spiritual, is under the control of God through His Holy Spirit. It restrained and loosened Satan.
Horns are symbolic of power and strength. Again, the winds of heaven here are an illustration that
God ultimately controls all the universe, both good and bad (Revelation 7:7). The sea is the tumultuous world, or peoples of the world, often spoken of as humanity. And the beasts that came up from the sea "symbolize" epocs, dominions that successively emerge from the tumultuous disturbances of the world (mimicking the tumultuous sea -As Isaiah 13:4). Even when Christ calmed the tumultuous sea it was illustrating
His rule over the wicked forces of the world that would destroy His disciples in their ship (symbolically Congregation). So these four kings symbolize their universal rule. Diverse or different because they differ in symbolism, purpose, and strength.
There are 4 main compass directions, so maybe they are connected with global.
Correct! The number four in Scripture signifies universality.
Ezekiel 37:9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
In this verse wind seems to be meaning spirit. We can know that from the following in that chapter.
Yes, Holy Spirit.
And since this also involves 4 winds, there is this in the NT.
Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Mark 13:27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
Yes, this is talking about the rapture (gathering) of His People globally. At the last trump.
These verses are telling us His elect won't be gathered from just one place locally, but will be gathered from all places globally.
Very good.
But as to Daniel 7 though, that is a different context altogether, in regards to the 4 winds of heaven. But what I do notice in Daniel though, is this.
Daniel 7:2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
Daniel 8:8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.
Daniel 11:4 And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.
Okay, the symbolism is spiritual, discerned by Compare Scripture with Scirpture until the big picture comes into focus on the horns' relationship with the Four Winds. The Word of God is "in the end" about the
gospel, not about political nations and rules and conquerors. Symbolism usually run consistently, and understanding them means one must study the "WHOLE" Bible, and become very familiar with it. Then God will bring it to remembrance when you are puzzling over other Scripture.
Four Winds = Universality of God's Spirit.
Mountains = Kingdoms
Heaven = The Kingdoms
Stars of Heaven = Messengers of the Kingdom (Congregation - Both Elect and Professed)
Crowns = Rule
Kings = Rulers
Horns = Power or Strength
Fruit = Works
Sword = Word
Breath or Wind = Spirit
Heads = Authority
Etc.
The understanding of this (as well as other passages of Daniel and Revelation) starts with the recognition that the host of heaven are the
messengers of the kingdom,
not literal stars. And the casting of some of them down, and the stamping upon them is those who falls away in the congregation, as those with the spirit of Antichrist as Satan brings them down to
his level. The little horn is NOT a single man, but rather a power to rule for a little time. Symbolically, a little rule.
The symbolism that is interpreted
by scripture "ALONE" is the key to understanding these books. Not interpreted by the books of Josephus or Hal Lindsay. Without justification of the figures (from the Bible, not history), we have private (personal) interpretation as I often see with Premills and Preterists. As stated, Horns in scripture are a "token" or sign of power or the 'strength' of
whatever is in view. Understanding this, we can begin to understand these horns in Daniel. They represent a power that arises. Horns have always been the sign of the power of an animal or beast. Even today in most non-modern societies. And they were (and are) that same signification in the scriptures.
Psalms 89:17
- "For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted."
The signification is that in God's strength or power, and because of His unmerited favor upon us, we have the strength that lifts us up in glory. 'He' is the glory of our strength. The horn, like Israel's horn, signifies
strength and
power. That is God's definition for the horns. Another example:
Lamentations 2:3
- "He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about."
Here God uses the horn to signify just the opposite. That he has
taken away the strength or power of Israel as judgment. That is what cutting off the horn of Israel means! It signifies that they have no Power.
When in scripture a horn is broken or cut off, it is symbolism of one's power is broken! Whether in conjunction with a crown where it's his ability to rule (as a king) is in view, or for something to be unable to stand or have strength before an enemy. The horn signifies power. So now when we go back to the chapters of the book of Daniel, we can also see this very same "signification" there.
Daniel 8:7
- "And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no Power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand."
The Ram "ultimately" signifies the Congregation of Israel. The two horn symbolized the power of the truthful testimony of Israel (as to why the first one was high but the second one was higher and come last is entire other study.) Just as the two witnesses represented the power of the true testimony in Revelation 11. When the horn of Israel was broken, there was no more power to stand before Satan (the he goat). Same with the power of evil when it was broken.
Daniel 8:8
- "Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven."
The great horn allowed him to push with power so that the Ram couldn't stand before him. For example, it 'symbolized' his great power. And likewise, when his horn is broken, it symbolizes his power being taken away.
This great horn being broken is symbolic of the death blow the Lord gave the Kingdom of Satan by dealing him with a deadly wound by the Cross. Although as a defeated foe, Satan STILL goes about as a roaring lion (a beast) seeking whom he may devour.
But His power was without a doubt broken (Hebrews 2:14), or restrained so that Christ could build His Church. We understand that he still is (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7; Revelation 17:8 ) a force in the world. Or as Daniel says:
Daniel 8:22
- "Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power."
The great one is broken and scattered (4 being the number of universality). Christ scattered the power of the Kingdom of Satan in binding him so that He could spoil (take by right of conquest) the people of the nations of the world.
But he was not eliminated from the earth. For he was Bound
not for the world, but
for the people chosen by Grace out of the nations. This is why the Holy Spirit restrained Satan from preventing God's people from being saved. Therefore, since the Cross, the Gentiles, or nations
now not being deceived,
Christ could build his Church. When the Church went to the nations who were enlightened,
Satan went as an adversary. But by the Holy Spirit which Christ sent that the nations be not deceived, we are the nations being sealed of God, His Church being built.
This is why Satan's power was broken and scattered towards the four winds, (Daniel 8:8 ). When he was
strong, the great horn was broken, that the Lord could establish His Kingdom. This was at the cross! As it is written:
Jeremiah 31:10-11
- "Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.
- For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he."
Matthew 12:28-29
- "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
- Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house."
Satan was the strong man, but the stronger man, Christ, did come and bind Satan so He could spoil people from his house, universality (ie. all over the world). Satan was bound from deceiving the nations as long as Christ was building the church. Until Christ first seal His servants.
Revelation 7:1-3
- "And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
- And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
- Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads."
See? In other words, this wickedness of the nations through Satan was bound, scattered in the four winds from ever being loosed
until God had first sealed (Saved) all of Israel which he intended to seal.
Then and only then could this wickedness be loosed for a little season (little horn). And that is at the point where the little horn pops up
where the four (without his power) are! Which brings us to the little horn.
Daniel 8:8-10
- "Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.
- And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.
- And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them."
The "little" horn signifies "Power for a little" season, or power of this beast to rule for a short period of time.
Revelation 20:3
- "And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season."
The little season Satan is loosed corresponds to this little horn. Or the power Satan has to rule with great power for a little while.
Again...
Little horn = a little time of Power! Not a Single man with supernatural power as Premills thought!
Revelation 17:10
- "And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space."
This is the Little Horn! This short period is the little horn (power to rule a little period)! This is after all the Election are sealed (saved) and God's spirit, Holy Spirit, who have restrained Satan has been taken out of the way so Satan will be loosened from Bottomless Pit at an appointed time. God allowed Satan to loosened again for the purpose of deceiving His unfaithful people for a little period just before the Second Coming! God allows Satan to come against the Church, the "pleasant land", and deceives it so greatly that if the Lord didn't return, there would be
no flesh left on earth to be raptured at His coming.
That's an overview "basically" of this type symbolism.