Symbols: Kings, Kingdoms, Beasts and Horns

Why Prophecy Uses Symbols—Prophecy uses symbols as a tool to communicate profound truths that require careful study and reflection to understand. Symbols allow for a deeper exploration of God’s plan, making it more than a surface-level reading which requires the Holy Spirit’s guidance to uncover the full meaning.

As we learned in one of our very first studies, Proverbs 25:2 lets us know: “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.” God hides truths in symbols, not to obscure them but to encourage diligent study. As Adam Clarke explained about that passage, “…the glory of God’s wisdom and providence will be more particularly evident when we see the event correspond so particularly and exactly with the prediction.”

In Psalms 78:2, the “dark sayings” refer to meanings that are hidden, awaiting discovery. Similarly, Proverbs 1:5-6 encourages us to understand the interpretation of these sayings. Prophecies given in symbolic form require diligence and meditation to allow us to begin to unlock their deeper meaning.

In the prophetic writings of Daniel, much of the imagery is symbolic, with certain objects or animals serving as representative symbols for larger concepts, often referring to entire nations or kingdoms. One of the primary goals of studying Daniel’s prophecies is to understand this symbolic language, allowing the reader to see how each event, when viewed in hindsight, is part of a divine roadmap. Throughout Daniel, recurring symbols—such as beasts, horns, and kings—point to powerful empires and rulers in history. These symbols help us understand how God’s sovereignty worked through nations, especially in relation to His ultimate plan for the Kingdom of Christ.

These symbols are divinely appointed to represent historical realities, providing future generations with insights into how world events unfolded. For example, the beasts in the book of Daniel represent mighty kingdoms or empires that dominate history, while horns symbolize the power or authority wielded by these kingdoms. Kings, in many cases, symbolize entire kingdoms rather than individual monarchs. Understanding this symbolic language is essential for unlocking the messages in Daniel, aligning with the broader theme of God’s dominion over the nations.

Kings and Kingdoms: A Crucial Prophetic Key

As we’ll see elsewhere, in Biblical prophecy, the symbol of a “king” actually refers to a “kingdom” —

“Those great BEASTS, which are four, are four KINGS which arise out of the earth,” (Daniel 7:17).

“The fourth BEAST shall be a fourth KINGDOM on earth,” (Daniel 7:23).

Did you see that? The four “beasts” were described as being “kings,” yet the next representation in verse 23 explicitly tells us that the fourth “beast” which had previously been called a “king” is actually a “KINGDOM.” Therefore, because Biblical prophecy is known to contain a large amount of symbolism, when we see a “king” mentioned, it’s actually a symbol which refers to a “kingdom,” and that fact will be very important to appreciate when we get to Revelation. Preterists typically miss that symbolism and assume it was literal “kings,” however, many Futurists are able to recognize that in prophecies a “king” refers to “kingdoms.”

Beasts and Empires: Daniel’s “Beast” Language

It’s now time to look further into the important 7th chapter of Daniel. The sequence of kingdoms in Daniel 2 portrayed the four Empires as metals which were part of a statue, yet this sequence in Daniel 7 portrays those same Empires as “beasts” (and the first three “beasts” are then repeated in Revelation 13 to describe the culmination of what preceded the fourth Empire). This description of “beasts” is simply another similar way of portraying those exact same four Empires.

Theologians have noted how these “beasts” are precisely the same four Empires from the statue in Daniel 2, but how exactly does God describe these “beasts?” Again notice that those same “beasts” were also used in Revelation 13, and it’s impressive and noteworthy that the Bible stays consistent in its description of those same exact kingdoms. So how exactly does God describe to us the things which have literally happen throughout history?

“…behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. 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 7:2-4).

Later, the angel who interprets the dream tells Daniel,

“The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth” (verse 17).

Since we now know that a “king” is the symbol for a “kingdom,” therefore, this first beast is representative of the “kingdom” of Babylon, and from out of that beast arises Nebuchadnezzar who was given “a man’s heart” and able to stand on “two feet.” Even though it’s a site that teaches dispensational Futurism, see these quotes from gotquestions.org which prove that it’s still quite obvious even to them the precise identities of those four kingdoms:

“…Its rise to human-like status reflects Nebuchadnezzar’s deliverance from a beastly existence and his insight into the true nature of God (Daniel 4:34-35). The second beast in Daniel’s vision is ‘like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth’ (Daniel 7:5). A voice tells the second beast to devour flesh until it is satisfied. This beast represents the Medo-Persian Empire; the raising up of one side of the creature indicates that one of the kingdom’s parts (Persia) would be dominant. The three ribs in the creature’s mouth symbolize nations that were ‘devoured’ by the Medes and the Persians. These three conquered nations are known to be Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt.”

“The third of the four beasts is ‘like a leopard,’ except it has four bird-like wings on its back and four heads (Daniel 7:6). This beast is given authority to rule. The third beast represents Greece, an empire known for the swiftness of its conquests [the use of the “leopard” and “wings” are the perfect symbols to describe the swiftness of this kingdom]. The four heads are predictive of the four-way division of the empire following Alexander the Great’s death. Daniel’s vision of the ram and the goat gives further details of the second and third kingdoms (see Daniel 8).”

“The final beast that Daniel sees rising from the sea is the most dreadful—‘terrifying and frightening and very powerful’ (Daniel 7:7). This fourth beast has ‘bronze claws’ (verse 19) and ‘large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left’ totally annihilating its prey (verse 7). The fourth beast has ten horns. This creature represents the Roman Empire, a mighty kingdom that indeed crushed all its foes.”

(End of quotations from gotquestions.org)

Horns: Power That Grows Out of Power

A “horn” is a fairly frequent Biblical symbol denoting the wielding of power. So the image of a horn growing out of “notable horns” would imply a power developing out of a greater power.

This will matter even more when we reach the two “little horn” passages later (Daniel 7 and Daniel 8). For now, the point is simple and foundational: Daniel expects the reader to understand symbolic speech—beasts for kingdoms, horns for power, and “kings” often functioning as shorthand for “kingdoms.”

Transition to the Next Study

Now that we have the interpretive keys in hand—Scripture interpreting Scripture, symbolic “kings” that are actually kingdoms, beasts as empires, and horns as power—we are ready to follow Daniel’s sequence more directly.

That is the purpose of the next study.