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Daniel 7:2-10 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. 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 stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

The Dance of The Empires

Can you see the beasts of Daniel
Dancing to the tune foretold?
See them rising, see them falling,
Steps ordained before time was old.

The lion stood in rampant glory
Till his wings were torn away.
Snatched by an eagle in search of freedom,
Soaring in vain to an independent day.

The bear roars and plucks from his teeth
The rotting bones of those consumed.
Across the stage he rumbles loudly,
Before lying down in sleep resumed.

The leopard prances in ancient glory,
Smooth as oil he struts the stage.
Holds the world to a moment’s ransom,
Then succumbs to the might of a coming age.

But soon all stand before another,
Bowing to gnashing teeth of iron.
Claws of brass industriously scrabbling
Destroying by the acre, devouring by the ton.

But the beasts danced far in Daniel’s future,
A promise to come, a future vow.
Yet still some look with Daniel to a future...
But that was then ... and this is now!

And the Lord of the dance has paid the piper,
And calls the tune for the last reprise.
But the empires dance on, caring not,
That they dance to the dirge of their own demise.

D.J. Ludlow Copyright 2005