Daniel 7:7

1. In speaking of a "lioness from the sea," he meant the rising of the kingdom of Babylon, and that this was the "golden head of the image." And in speaking of its "eagle wings," be meant that king Nebuchadnezzar was exalted and that his glory was lifted up against God. Then he says "its wings were plucked off," i.e., that his glory was destroyed; for he was driven out of his kingdom. And the words, "A man's heart was given it, and it was made stand upon the feet of a man," mean that he came to himself again, and recognised that he was but a man, and gave the glory to God. Then after the lioness he sees a second beast, "like a bear," which signified the Persians. For after the Babylonians the Persians obtained the power. And in saying that "it had three ribs in its mouth," he pointed to the three nations, Persians, Medes, and Babylonians, which were expressed in the image by the silver after the gold. Then comes the third beast, "a leopard," which means the Greeks; for after the Persians, Alexander of Macedon had the power, when Darius was overthrown, which was also indicated by the brass in the image. And in saying that the beast "had four wings of a fowl, and four heads," he showed most clearly how the kingdom of Alexander was parted into four divisions. For in speaking of four heads, he meant the four kings that arose out of it. For Alexander, when dying, divided his kingdom into four parts. Then he says, "The fourth beast (was) dreadful and terrible: it had iron teeth, and claws of brass." Who, then, are meant by this but the Romans, whose kingdom, the kingdom that still stands, is expressed by the iron? "for," says he, "its legs are of iron." 2. After this, then, what remains, beloved, but the toes of the feet of the image, in which "part shall be of iron and part of clay mixed together? […]

And so after the Greeks ruled for three hundred years, the prophet signals to me again another kingdom. For he spoke in this way, "After this I was looking, and behold, a fourth beast fearful and terrible and exceedingly strong. Its teeth were iron and its nails bronze, and it was eating and grinding and the remainder it trampled with its feet. And it itself was exceedingly different from all the beasts which were before it, and there were ten horns on it. I was observing its horns, and behold, another smaller horn rose up in the midst of them and three horns which were before it were rooted out from its face. And behold, eyes as eyes of the man were on this horn and a mouth speaking great things. I was looking until thrones were set and the Ancient of Days sat and his clothes were white as snow and the hair of his head were as pure wool. His throne was a flame of fire, its wheels blazing fire. A river of fire gushed from before it. Thousand thousands attended him and myriad myriads stood before him. He set out judgment and the books were opened. Then I was looking at a voice of great words which that horn spoke, until the beast was killed and his body was destroyed and given to the burning of fire. And the dominion of the rest of the beasts ceased, and a length of life was given to them for a time." [Daniel 7:7-12] And so, after the kingdom of the Greeks, a kingdom arose none other than that which now rules which has also been established and this is clear to all. Which has iron teeth on account of the fact that it overpowers all and grinds with its own strength, just like iron, it tramples the remainder with its feet. On account of which another kingdom is no longer left after this one, except its ten horns which grow up from it and in the midst of them one small horn arises and it roots out three of the first horns.

For the blessed Daniel, explaining the previous vision to Nebuchadnezzar, says, "I now speak concerning the dream of the image, which shows forth to be a golden head, then hands and arms and a silver chest, next a bronze stomach and thighs, then iron legs, next feet, in them part are iron and part are clay," so that in this it may be shown what he described is now described again in this vision. As the gold is the kingdom of the Babylonians, which was the lioness, the silver that of the Persians, which was the bear, next the bronze that of the Greeks, which Alexander of Macedon began, so that it may be shown as the leopard. After these things he says, "iron legs", so that he may signal the fearful and terrible beast, which has iron teeth, which are the Romans who rule now, who are strong as iron. In all events after the iron legs of the image, what remains, except the feet in which are ten toes and these being mixed with clay and iron, so that through the ten toes the ten horns may be signaled, and through the clay and iron, their discord may be signaled, when they shall be commingled in the seed of men, but they shall not be united with one another. For just as iron is not mixed with clay, in this way at that time men will not be able to agree with one another, but others from here and there shall carry disorder and divide the royal kingdom to themselves according to their nation.

But since the grace of God richly teaches those who hope on him and who despise this world, we shall not pass over this. In a word, the blessed prophet named all kingdoms which were before, having likened them to beasts, but he did not declare the kingdom which now is instituted, as in what sort of animal it was. I will speak more clearly concerning it, so that one may better consider what has been stated. For after he was saying that the kingdom of the Babylonians was a lion and that of the Persians a bear and that of the Greeks a leopard, why does he not say that the kingdom of the Romans was an animal, but he says it was "fearful and exceedingly terrible, its teeth were iron and its claws bronze,"? [Daniel 7:7] Consider, O man, and glorify the Lord. For when the Babylonians ruled as one nation, they themselves then in those times resolved to rule all nations, he righteously names them as a lioness, as a creature of one form. Similarly also the Persians are one sordid nation, which only spoke with the one tongue. On account of this he likened them also to a bear. Likewise also the Greeks he said were a leopard. For all the Greeks were ruling all the world. But now the powerful beast is not one nation, but it is of many tongues and it gathers to itself from many races of men and prepares an army in a line of battle, and all are called Romans, though all are not from one country.

But since a certain thought gnaws at the heart, we shall not abandon the indescribable itself, which is able to aid a soul. For when in the forty-second year of Caesar Augustus the Lord was born, when the kingdom of the Romans flourished, the Lord, through the apostles, summoned all nations and all tongues and made a nation of Christians who believe in the Lord and who carry a new name in heart, in the same manner this kingdom now is counterfeited by that which rules according to the operation of Satan, but similarly this kingdom also collects those born from all nations and prepares those who are called Romans for war. And on account of this also the first census happened under Augustus, when the Lord was born in Bethlehem, so that the men of this world, being registered in the earthly kingdom, were called Romans, but those who believe in the heavenly kingdom were named Christians, who on their forehead carry the trophy against death to the front line.