Daniel 7:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’

NIV: Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’

NASB: Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the empires will serve and obey Him.’

CSB: The kingdom, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey him.’

NLT: Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him.'

KJV: And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

NKJV: Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’

God's people will experience horrendous persecution under the head of a uniquely brutal worldwide empire during the end times (Daniel 7:19–26). Yet this will not be the end of believers or the destruction of their faith. God will restore and reward His people after the end of the tribulation. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, will return to earth, vanquish the "little horn" (Daniel 7:7–8) and his evil rule, and bring defeat to all his accomplices and followers.

Jesus promised that saved Jews and Gentiles would inherit the kingdom. Matthew 25:34 quotes Him as saying to those who submit to His rule, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matthew 5:5 promises, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Daniel 7:27 describes the fulfillment of this promise. One day, Christ will inaugurate His millennial kingdom and welcome the persecuted saints into it (Revelation 20:1–6).

Daniel 7:15–28 offers a detailed interpretation of Daniel's dream and visions (Daniel 7:1–14). The interpretation deals mainly with the fourth beast with teeth of iron and claws of bronze. It ends with the prediction that God will judge this fourth beast and give an everlasting kingdom to the Messiah. The New Testament reveals that this Promised One is Jesus Christ (Acts 13:23).

Daniel experiences a troubling vision in the form of a dream. He sees animal-like beasts representing successive kingdoms. The last of these is uniquely powerful and led by a mysterious figure. This person, depicted as a "little horn," will be known for usurping power, blasphemy against God, and intense persecution of the saints. Yet his time will be short and it will end in God's successful judgment.

This chapter is the intersection of two different divisions in the book of Daniel. This is the last passage written in Aramaic, the common language of the world at that time. It is also the first segment focusing on prophecy, shifting from a record of events in the past to show a glimpse of the future. This passage connects to other descriptions of the end times, such as those found in Revelation chapters 13, 19, and 20.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.