The Identity of the Lion with Eagle's Wings

Abraxos

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"The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a man, and a man's heart was given to it."
(Dan. 7:4)

This seemingly simple verse describes a kingdom, a king, a historical context, a pattern, is the key to eschatology, the primer, a journey towards its final outcome. This symbolic Lion associates an extensive part of biblical scripture from Genesis to Revelation that it is insufficient to give a quick summary. A study of Scripture, Bible prophecy and world history show volumes of biblical confirmations describing this Lion Beast.

You have most likely come across two schools of thought on the identity of the Lion with eagle wings. The predominant theory is that the Lion with Eagle wings represents the ancient Babylonian kingdom under King Nebuchadnezzar. This theory derived from 2nd-century scholar Hippolytus of Rome: Commentary on Daniel. A man who would be in the category of Futurist and considered a Premillennial by Amillennialism. Supported by nothing more than three verses in the Bible, this view is the 'retelling' of a chronological timeline of the rise and fall of ancient Kingdoms found in King Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Dan. 2). Hippolytus' thesis has endured and continues to be held by many Protestant denominations as the explanation for the Lion Beast of Daniel. The chronological order of Empires succeeding after another is a view that has validity and is consistent for the most part but is not without its biblical contradictions.

The other popular theory is a stark contrast to the former. It brings the Lion with Eagle's Wings into the modern era, into the realm of its political upheaval and intrigue. It is the view that the Lion represents Great Britain, and the Eagle represents the United States of America, and it is the union between these two nations that describe the Lion Beast of Daniel. It is the attempt to bring biblical prophecies into today's context to explain the current events and political alliances and regarding them as signs of the end-times.
To specify, however, that there is no need for wresting Daniel into today's context, for it is written, and held safe by God so that it could be a book that is fresh and alive today. When the identity of the Lion with Eagle's Wings is interpreted correctly, the political alliances proposed will intuitively fit the Word of God and not the other way around. The book of Daniel will come into the present-day as like a living prophet speaking to the end-time generation, which I do believe we are that generation.

I must strongly emphasise that neither of these eschatological views has a fair amount of Bible evidence to back them up. They lean more to the realm of speculation and appear to have been interpreted in isolation from the other books of the Bible, exposing contradictions. Though they forward theological reasoning that seems to have some merit, they are ultimately superficial biblical views. This is not too surprising as the LORD did command Daniel to seal up the book and is to remain closed until the time of the end. "But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge." (Dan. 12:4, 9)

Nevertheless, we are in the end-times and clarity to scripture is seemingly growing within the Body of Christ. Despite the errounous views of the aforementioned, they do have a semblance of truth to them, and it would seem to make sense to accumulate these exegetical truths and compile and mold them into a more transparent eschatological view. That leads me to my proposal of a third perspective on the matter which I will gather and post hopefully before Rosh Hashanah.

--END OF PART ONE--
 

Jeshu

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i see this all a little different as well. i thought what good is Scripture if it only talks about things outside of me, things i don't battle with in particular. A book written by the Spirit must always talk about the spiritual, here as well.

Then i saw the lion, satan, going around seeking to devour and destroy, speaking lies into my heart through my mind. As prince of the air he has the power of legions of fallen angels on his side to fire thoughts and feelings my way which would captivate me. His lies entering my heart, from even a very young age, and bringing to life all kind of monstrous forces The second one the bear devouring my flesh with greed because i lack love killed by the lies i believed about God, myself and my neighbour. Then the leopard ruling me with, and through, divided kingdoms and ultimately nailing me with the dragon as ruler of my life. It wasn't until i saw the egocentricity that had grown in my heart that the little horn made a lot of sense, who was promptly disposed of by Jesus, coming on the clouds of heaven to my aid in the battle with the wicked for I knew I needed to be saved.

i wrote a poem about the events.

:wave:

Five Goats Ruling!

Oh you he-goats are so strong and cruel
To slaughter and devour is your will
What kingdoms of destruction to rule?
Making the rest of us pay your bills! (Daniel 7:1)

Let's name a few of you kings by name
I want to be sure that everyone knows!
for you are unfaithful to our life time and again.
always denying The Truth when the [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] crows!(Matt 25)

Yes you - lying tongue - so very brave
in the dark breeding shady parts within
dragging God's chosen down to their grave
death as reward for your voice of sin.(Daniel 7:4)

Loveless voice - what an abomination
entering our soul through Satan's lies
The chosen suffering extermination
as cold-heartedness our conscious fries.(Daniel7:5)

Greed eye - you have our good times lost
All you get your hands on is history
those compelling demands as cost..
...such loudly wailing misery!(Daniel 7:6)

And so - The Dragon - comes in play
ruling mind controlled by The Accuser
Babylon captivating lawless sway
rules and laws taxing the user.(Daniel 7:7)

(A lament; )

Oh - lawless unfaithful egocentricity!
arrogance and pride robbing control
proclaiming godhead and divinity
burning good life right out of our soul.(Daniel 7:8)

(Conclusion; )

Yet the rule of goats will not last!
Kingdom Come - goats reign demise!
for when the final king dies the past..
...judgement cuts down those ugly ties.(Daniel 7:9-12)

For behold when Christ says "Hi!"
His Light of Day sinfulness demise
those unruly goats will surely fry
when Christ denies them paradise.(Daniel 7:13-14)
 
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Francis Drake

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The context limits the 4 beasts to being 4 consecutive kingdoms starting with Babylon.
Additionally, the winged lion was a symbol of Babylon.
aec3f5116b60ecba6f66c3e9797e3818.jpg

After Nebuchadnezzar became proud, and was put out to eat grass for 7 years, he humbled himself before God. I believe the plucking off of the lion's wings represents this repentance and turning to God. That act halted the demonic rulership over Babylon for a season till Nebuchadnezzar died and a new king came along who reverted to the traditional pagan gods. This can be seen in the writing on the wall incident.

The following beasts clearly represent the kingdoms that followed Babylon, the same as revealed in the head of gold image of Nebuchadnezzar's first dream.
 
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The Liturgist

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The answer to this is extremely straightforward and has been understood by Christians since the first centuries of Christianity. The four animals, or tetramorphs, represent the four evangelists: the winged lion is St. Mark, the winged human is St. Matthew, the winged calf is St. Luke, and the winged Eagle like bird is St. John.

The universality of this interpretation is evidenced in its broad iconographic use. From top to bottom, clockwise, we have a Coptic (Egyptian Christian) icon, a folio from the celebrated Irish Gospel Book known as the Book of Kells, a Greek Orthodox carving, and a recent Italian paintimg (I estimate from the 19th or early 20th centurt).

85CB53A7-30A4-4154-A310-DC6A57052A80.jpeg 04895816-EED2-4337-90F0-15F43988929E.jpeg CDED3975-AEB1-4B7A-9FC8-32ED05382027.jpeg 1A7F027A-8E9B-4E7B-9320-93168FF4579A.jpeg

A great explanation of the symbolism can be found in the writings of Epiphanius of Salamis in the fourth century, and also this article on Aleteia:

Do you know which 4 creatures are associated with the 4 Gospels?
 
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The Liturgist

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The prophetic aspect by the way is particularly emphasized in the Eagle representing John the beloved Disciple, because he wrote the Apocalypse, or Revelations, and could, like an eagle, see further ahead than the other evangelists, whose work was not as profoundly eschatological.

It is also remarkable that we first encounter the tetramorphs pulling the chariot of God in Ezekiel. Ezekiel is one of the most poignant prophets in terms of the imagery shown to him: the tetramorphs to symbolize the four evangelists, and the valley of dried bones snapping back to life to symbolize the Resurrection.
 
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Kenneth Heck

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These four beasts represent four demonic spirits of anti-Semitism and they are concerned with Jews living both inside and outside the Holy Land. They arise after the advent of new religions or spiritual revelations within the four empires, but as beasts have no human spirituality in or of themselves, or human conscience. These new Gentile religions generally elevate humanity, but there is always a cost, and for the Jews it would be new types of persecution. The pattern is similar for all four - they are initially associated with a metal (or empire) of Daniel’s great image. Each beast begins within a particular empire, but migrates to other empires and other parts of the earth with influence over the entire planet long after the original empire has been dissolved.

There is no beast associated with the Babylonian Empire, since the head is the non-bestial part of the human body. The head of any animal is its least bestial, most human part. Babylon is never described as a beast in scripture, rather as the “lady of kingdoms” (Isa 47:5), and “a golden cup in the LORD’S hands” (Jer 51:7). The Jews were carried away to Babylon as a punishment for their grievous sins; they were not unjustly oppressed or persecuted in Babylon. They actually tended to flourish there, perhaps initially due to the high positions Nebuchadnezzar granted Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego within the government. Daniel’s vision occurred under Belshazzar, the last king of Babylon, and pertains to the future experience of the Jews, not their past experience. All prophetic dreams in the Bible pertaining to the future do not include the past.

The first was like a lion and had eagle’s wings. I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given it” (Dan 7:4). As king of beasts, the lion symbolizes the inevitable victor in any battle, since it is best. “May the better man win,” a phrase not found in scriptures, describes the kind of oppression promulgated by this beast. It is the only animal of the four that can be truly tamed.

The lion arose from the Zoroastrian religion in Persia. Zoroaster traditionally lived from 628 BC to 551 BC. Images of lions with wings can be seen in both Persia and Babylon, but Babylon was incorporated into the Persian Empire. When the Persians under Cyrus the Great captured Babylon in 539 BC and ended the Neo-Babylonian Empire (or Chaldean Empire), Zoroastrianism was already well established. After the defeat of the Persians by the Greeks, the lion became oppressive under the Ptolemaic and Seleucid Empires; it finally provoked the Maccabean rebellion and the resulting Jewish Hasmonean Dynasty. The lion transferred to the Roman Empire after the defeat of the Greeks. After the western half of the Roman Empire fell in 476 BC, the lion subsequently traveled further into Western Europe (Italy, Spain, France, Britain, Netherlands, etc.) ultimately winding up primarily in the British Isles. After the colonial empires of Western Europe reached their furthest extent, the lion’s wings were removed and the lion’s domain began to shrink, but persecution continued. The lion was raised up to walk like a human and given a human heart after World War II and the Holocaust, meaning that oppression due to the lion had virtually ceased. Today what is left of the lion is mainly found in the United Kingdom, USA, and some former colonies of the UK such as Australia and New Zealand, but it is still world-wide in influence.
 

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Francis Drake

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These four beasts represent four demonic spirits of anti-Semitism and they are concerned with Jews living both inside and outside the Holy Land.
This whole post is so wrong on too many fronts to address them all.
As I said previously, the first image of the lion with its wings plucked, stood up, and the heart of a man given to it, all represents King Nebuchadnezzar.
Here's another of Nebuchadnezzar's dreams-
Daniel4v13“I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
14He cried aloud and said thus:
Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
Let the beasts get out from under it, And the birds from its branches.
15Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth, Bound with a band of iron and bronze, In the tender grass of the field.
Let it be wet with the dew of heaven, And let him graze with the beasts On the grass of the earth.
16Let his heart be changed from that of a man, Let him be given the heart of a beast,
And let seven times pass over him.

Daniel declares that the tree which about to be cut down because of his pride is Nebuchadnezzar.
But look at the words in verses 15 and 16. Nebuchadnezzar (which was Nebuchadnezzar's royal symbol) is to graze the grass for 7 years like a beast and be given the heart of a beast.
Daniel continues, v25bThey shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.
ie. Nebuchadnezzar the Lion would remain like a beast till he repented and called on the Lord.

The same theme is continued in Daniel5 the scene of king Belshazzar's famous "Writing on the Wall".

Daniel describes the 7 years humiliation of his father king Nebuchadnezzar.
Dan5v20But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. 21Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.

Daniel then interprets the writing on the wall.
Dan5v26This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 28PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.” 29..................
30That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. 31And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

Thus ends the line of Nebuchadnezzar and the start of Medo Persian rule over Babylon.

But in the period while the above King Belshazzar still lives, Daniel has a powerful dream of four great beasts, all as revealed in chapter7, starting with the first beast.
Dan7v 4The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
Scripture interprets scripture. We have just repeatedly seen above that Nebuchadnezzar the Lion was humbled and ate grass for 7 years. We have seen he was given the heart of a beast till he repented and called on the Lord. In the above verse we see the results of that repentance in Nebuchadnezzar being given the heart of a man.
Take note, this happens in the first of the 4 kingdoms, and can only therefore apply to Nebuchadnezzar, not his son Belshazzar who was slain for his arrogance against God.
It cannot occur in the following kingdoms of the Bear (Medo Persia)
It cannot occur in the next kingdom of the leopard with 4 heads (Greece which divided into 4 separate dominions)
It cannot occur in the final kingdom of the terrible beast with 10 horns.

They arise after the advent of new religions or spiritual revelations within the four empires, but as beasts have no human spirituality in or of themselves, or human conscience. These new Gentile religions generally elevate humanity, but there is always a cost, and for the Jews it would be new types of persecution. The pattern is similar for all four - they are initially associated with a metal (or empire) of Daniel’s great image. Each beast begins within a particular empire, but migrates to other empires and other parts of the earth with influence over the entire planet long after the original empire has been dissolved.

There is no beast associated with the Babylonian Empire, since the head is the non-bestial part of the human body. The head of any animal is its least bestial, most human part. Babylon is never described as a beast in scripture, rather as the “lady of kingdoms” (Isa 47:5), and “a golden cup in the LORD’S hands” (Jer 51:7). The Jews were carried away to Babylon as a punishment for their grievous sins; they were not unjustly oppressed or persecuted in Babylon. They actually tended to flourish there, perhaps initially due to the high positions Nebuchadnezzar granted Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego within the government. Daniel’s vision occurred under Belshazzar, the last king of Babylon, and pertains to the future experience of the Jews, not their past experience. All prophetic dreams in the Bible pertaining to the future do not include the past.

The first was like a lion and had eagle’s wings. I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given it” (Dan 7:4). As king of beasts, the lion symbolizes the inevitable victor in any battle, since it is best. “May the better man win,” a phrase not found in scriptures, describes the kind of oppression promulgated by this beast. It is the only animal of the four that can be truly tamed.

The lion arose from the Zoroastrian religion in Persia. Zoroaster traditionally lived from 628 BC to 551 BC. Images of lions with wings can be seen in both Persia and Babylon, but Babylon was incorporated into the Persian Empire. When the Persians under Cyrus the Great captured Babylon in 539 BC and ended the Neo-Babylonian Empire (or Chaldean Empire), Zoroastrianism was already well established. After the defeat of the Persians by the Greeks, the lion became oppressive under the Ptolemaic and Seleucid Empires; it finally provoked the Maccabean rebellion and the resulting Jewish Hasmonean Dynasty. The lion transferred to the Roman Empire after the defeat of the Greeks. After the western half of the Roman Empire fell in 476 BC, the lion subsequently traveled further into Western Europe (Italy, Spain, France, Britain, Netherlands, etc.) ultimately winding up primarily in the British Isles. After the colonial empires of Western Europe reached their furthest extent, the lion’s wings were removed and the lion’s domain began to shrink, but persecution continued. The lion was raised up to walk like a human and given a human heart after World War II and the Holocaust, meaning that oppression due to the lion had virtually ceased. Today what is left of the lion is mainly found in the United Kingdom, USA, and some former colonies of the UK such as Australia and New Zealand, but it is still world-wide in influence.
 
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Kenneth Heck

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Nebuchadnezzar was dead when the four beasts dream was shown to Daniel. Biblical prophecy does not show us the past in order to show us the future. The lion with two wings thus applies to the future kingdom succeeding Belshazzar's reign as the last king of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar was never described as a lion - he ate grass like the wild donkeys he dwelt with. Babylon itself was the head of the great image - not part of the body or bestial part. Its government distinctively made full use of magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, soothsayers and wise men to advise the king, something said of no other kingdom in the bible.

There never was a unified Greek empire in the same way as the Persian or Roman empires. Alexander died before the empire could be enacted with the usual bureaucracy, grants of titles and lands to nobility and court officials. Since Babylon was prophesied to never rise again, this might explain his early death as he intended to make Babylon the capital of his empire.

The four heads of the Leopard represent coordinated action as a result of group consultation and agreement. It is similar to the adage "two heads are better than one' - in this case it is four heads. The four dominions of Alexander's generals were shortly involved in hostilities and war with each other until the Romans defeated all of them.
 
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Francis Drake

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Nebuchadnezzar was dead when the four beasts dream was shown to Daniel. Biblical prophecy does not show us the past in order to show us the future.
"Bible prophecy doesn't show us the past in order to show us the future."
Are you serious? If so, you've just wiped out a whole load of Jesus's teaching.
For instance, Jesus's application of the sign of Jonah to his near future makes no sense till you look at the past.
Unless you dump that illogical stance you will be forever misinterpreting bible prophecy!

There are many prophecies that have been progressively fulfilled. One of the reasons being that we can look at what is known from history, and therefore be confident in what's next on the list.

In Daniel Chapter 9, we see him reading the prophecies of Jeremiah, and by looking at its past fulfilment, Daniel suddenly realises what's coming next and starts to lay the ground and pray that into being!
Dan9v2in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

Going back to the lion with clipped wings, Daniel had directly lived through Nebuchadnezzar's period of humbling which gave him the foundation stone for the dream sequence.
The lion with two wings thus applies to the future kingdom succeeding Belshazzar's reign as the last king of Babylon.
No evidence to support that, compare to Nebuchadnezzar's perfect fit.
Nebuchadnezzar was never described as a lion - he ate grass like the wild donkeys he dwelt with.
Haha, apart from the US Dems, can you ever imagine a king allowing himself to be portrayed as a donkey?
Anyone daring to use it of him would incur a swift visit to the headsman to be shortened in stature.
While there is no evidence of a donkey being used by Babylonian kings, there's abundant archeological evidence shows that the winged lion was a royal symbol in Nebuchadnezzar's period.
The Lord made the proud lion act like a donkey for a limited 7 year period only. Once Nebuchadnezzar bowed the knee and acknowledged the sovereignty of God, he was restored, albeit with his arrogant wings clipped.
Babylon itself was the head of the great image - not part of the body or bestial part.
So your head isn't part of your body, maybe that's what's causing your confusion^_^
Amusement apart, your claim completely denies both reality and scripture. Scripture shows that Babylon the head is still attached when we see the final beast in the book of Revelation.
Its government distinctively made full use of magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, soothsayers and wise men to advise the king, something said of no other kingdom in the bible.
You are clutching at straws here. Whether in the bible or not, throughout ancient and modern history, it is on record that advisors to governments and kings have included all these people at one time or other.
Do you seriously believe that the pagan rulers of Greece or Rome didn't have these people?
There never was a unified Greek empire in the same way as the Persian or Roman empires. Alexander died before the empire could be enacted with the usual bureaucracy, grants of titles and lands to nobility and court officials. Since Babylon was prophesied to never rise again, this might explain his early death as he intended to make Babylon the capital of his empire.
Whether true or not this proves nothing to support your claim.
The four heads of the Leopard represent coordinated action as a result of group consultation and agreement. It is similar to the adage "two heads are better than one' - in this case it is four heads. The four dominions of Alexander's generals were shortly involved in hostilities and war with each other until the Romans defeated all of them.
You have presented nothing to support your claim or to deny the obvious fact that the lion with clipped wings has to be Nebuchadnezzar.
I'm sorry if it upsets your carefully orchestrated study, but there is so much in archeological history and so many references in scripture to verify what I posted.
 
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Kenneth Heck

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Perhaps I should have been clearer: Name one prophecy, dream or vision in the bible where new facts are revealed about the past within the prophecy about the future. Jonah's experience was already known before Christ was born, so it does not qualify as an exception to the rule. However, Nebuchadnezzar as a lion would be a new fact not known from the bible at the time of Daniel's dream, but this is false since there are no new facts about the past given in biblical prophecies.

Lions in the bible represent kings victorious in battle. Nebuchadnezzar wasn't victorious in his Egyptian campaign of 601 BC. He did, however, succeed against regimes vastly smaller than his own, such as in the areas around the kingdom of Judah.

For the presence of the winged lion in ancient Persia go to What is the significance of the Winged Lion as a motif in Persian art? - Quora for example.

Of course, kings make use of the advisors they choose, but Babylon was extraordinary in emphasizing the types of advisors known for their spirituality and connections with spirits. Daniel rose above them all and was greatly rewarded by Nebuchadnezzar. Very few kingdoms have ever promoted Jewish prophets to high governmental positions.

I think everyone would agree that the most human part of the human body is the head. The most human part of an animal is also the head. Spirituality and connections with spirits are exclusively human attributes not found in animals - and constitute an essential aspect of humanity - typified by the head.
 
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Abraxos

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I think one of the most polarising and exegetical enigmas within the chapters of the book of Daniel is the identification of the four beasts in chapter 7. Discussion on the issue has reached something of an impasse, with recent contributions postulating a more preterist standing in mind and a few even expressing pessimism regarding the whole enterprise. Indeed, a person can be forgiven for concluding those mentioned above; however, another could also be forgiven for disagreeing in good conscience if they believe they hold an exegetically sound and compelling Bible-based argument. Granted, individual research in an interpretation is ultimately an abstract concept in the eyes of the beholder, yet if there is to be any theological standpoint worth its salt, is both allowing scripture to interpret scripture while remaining historically consistent with the traditionally held authenticity of the text (as well as its dating).

The position I present is by no means a conventional theology nor prescribed to any denomination. The goal of this piece is just a memorandum to myself, to gather my thoughts that arise and to offer a more 'biblically centric' and historically consistent interpretation on the identity of the Eagle winged Lion of Daniel's prophecy which I found lacking with the previously proposed explanations.

"The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it."
(Daniel 7:4)

9BQQ9u3.jpg


"Like a Lion"
Most of the scriptures in the Bible about the Lion illustrate its traits from the perspective of it being "the strongest among the beasts" (Pr. 30:30) which lays down its precedence as symbolic of power and majesty in biblical literature. The references of the Lion are diverse in its descriptions being either that of an allegory of how devastating a Lion can be under the wicked, or divinely majestic under a mighty angel. Yet what may surprise you is that from ancient times, the identity of the Lion through specifying a person or kingdom in the Bible (KJV) is primarily about God Himself or His people.

Reference of Lion seen as God:
Isaiah 31:4
Isaiah 38:13
Jeremiah 25:38
Jeremiah 49:19
Jeremiah 50:44
Lamentations 3:10
Hosea 11:10
Hosea 13:7
Hosea 13:8
Amos 3:8

Reference of Angels seen as a Lion:
Ezekiel 1:10
Ezekiel 10:14
Ezekiel 41:19

Reference of the nation of Israel or its people who are seen as the Lion:
Numbers 23:24
Numbers 24:9
Jeremiah 2:30
Jeremiah 12:8
Ezekiel 19:1-3, 5, 6
Ezekiel 22:25

Reference to the tribes of Israel seen as the Lion:
Genesis 49:9
Deuteronomy 33:20
Deuteronomy 33:22
2 Samuel 17:10
Hosea 5:14 (Ephraim & Judah)
Micah 5:8 (Remnant of Jacob)

Allegorical and Literal:
Judges 14:5, 8, 9, 14
1 Samuel 17:34, 36, 37
2 Samuel 23:20
1 Kings 13:24, 25, 26, 28
1 Kings 20:36
1 Chronicles 11:22
Ecclesiastes 9:4
Isaiah 11:6, 7
Isaia 21:8
Isaiah 30:6
Isaiah 35:9
Isaiah 65:25
Amos 3:4
Amos 5:19

Reference to Lion characteristics. Neutral until scripture determines its context:
Job 4:10, 11
Job 10:16
Job 28:8
Job 38:39
Psalm 7:2
Psalm 17:12
Psalm 22:13
Psalm 91:13
Proverbs 19:12
Proverbs 22:13
Proverbs 26:13
Proverbs 28:1
Proverbs 28:15
Proverbs 30:30
Jeremiah 5:6

Foreign Nations:
Isaiah 5:29 (Assyria)
Jeremiah 4:7 (Unknown, perhaps Babylon)
Jeremiah 50:17 (King of Assyria and Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon)
Ezekiel 32:2 (Pharaoh King of Egypt)
Joel 1:6 (literal locusts?)
Amos 3:12 (Samaria)
Nahum 2:11-13 (Assyria)

NT References:
2 Timothy 4:17 (Devouring Lion - Allegory of power)
1 Peter 5:8 (Roaring, Stalking & Devouring Lion - Satan)
Revelation 4:7 (Cherubim face of a Lion)
Revelation 5:5 (Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David)
Revelation 10:3 (Mighty Angel Roaring like a Lion)
Revelation 13:2 (Blasphemous Beast with a mouth like a Lion)

The unrighteous' reaction to the Lion:
Proverbs 22:13
The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside! I’ll be killed in the public square!”
Proverbs 26:13
The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets
Proverbs 28:1
The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Lion's Roar. Loud Sound:
Job 4:10
Psalm 22:13
Proverbs 19:12
Proverbs 20:2
Proverbs 28:15
Isaiah 5:29

If we also account for the circumstances and the cultural heritage of the prophet Daniel as context, it is likely he would have immediately understood that his vision of the Lion was pointing to his tribe of Judah or God Himself. He is also likely to have been well educated in the Torah of Moses, the OT prophets before him as well as being contemporary with Jeremiah and Ezekiel; So, it is reasonable to assume he was familiar on the writings about the Lion all leading to it being symbolic, or strongly associated with the LORD and His people in some shape or form. If this likely the case, then the one "like a lion" is symbolic of a kingdom and a king anointed under God.
This leads to the question of what is the kingdom and who is the king? To understand this, I would need to venture into Daniel. 8, Dan. 9, Dan. 11, Dan. 12, and the books outside of Daniel, and as fascinating as it is to demonstrate, it is an exposé that deserves its own study, and it will only distract from the present goal in mind.

"And it had the wings of an eagle"

God refers to Himself as an eagle for several different reasons, and according to scripture specifically to eagles wings, one example is of His protective nature as in Psalm 91:1-4:

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.”

Exodus 19:4
Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
Guidance and protection.

Isaiah 40:31
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Strengthened. Deliverance.

Deuteronomy 32:11
Like an eagle that stirs up its nest and flutters over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.
Protection.

Revelation 12:14
But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle to fly from the presence of the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.
Guidance and protection.

Psalm 57:1
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.
Protection and Deliverance.

Revelation 12:14
The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach.
Protection.

Psalm 91:4
He will cover you with His feather; you will take refuge under His wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield.
Protection.

References to Eagles in Scripture:

Obadiah 1:4
Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down," declares the LORD.

Isaiah 46:11
From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfil my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.

Deuteronomy 28:49
The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away, from the ends of the earth, like an eagle swooping down, a nation whose language you will not understand.

Hosea 8:1
Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.

From the numerous scriptures pertaining to God with eagle's wings and not specifically the eagle itself, it's clear that the eagle's wings are always referring to divine protection and guidance. So we can ascertain that the lion with eagle's wings is referring to a kingdom being protected by God, and the Lion is a representation of a man under God's protection.
We can further demonstrate with the use of categorical imperative, that the Winged Lion is a man of God.

"I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked..."
--END OF PART II--
 
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