The semicolon in Daniel 7:7 represents a long gap of about two thousand years between the Roman Empire and the future ten horns.
Les Feldick teaches that the semicolon right after the phrase 'diverse from all the beasts that were before it' is two thousand years of time as we reckon it. He stresses that in God's way of reckoning, it has been no longer than a semicolon.
Daniel 7:7 — This is the verse in which the KJV places the semicolon between the description of the fourth beast and the statement that it had ten horns.
Daniel 7:7 reads: '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.' The King James Version places a semicolon between the description of the beast and the clause 'and it had ten horns.' The verse itself says this fourth beast was 'diverse from all the beasts that were before it.' Scripture does not explain how much time passes at that semicolon. Scripture simply shows the vision moving from the beast to its ten horns.
Les opens by reminding his class that Daniel saw the same unfolding of human history in animal form as Nebuchadnezzar dreamed in metals: lion, bear, leopard, and then a beast that could not be explained, which was the Roman Empire. He then points to Daniel 7:7, where after the words 'diverse from all the beasts that were before it' there is a semicolon, and then the verse ends with 'and it had ten horns.' Les directly says, 'Now that semicolon is two thousand years of time as we reckon it, but always remember that in God's way of reckoning, it's been no longer than a semicolon.' In other words, while human history sees a long interval between the Roman Empire and the ten horns, God's prophetic program reads the sequence as continuous. Les also connects this to Daniel's seventy weeks. He teaches that 483 years were fulfilled from the decree until the crucifixion, leaving 7 years still ahead. Those last 7 years are Daniel's 70th week, and they will begin when God's stopped time clock starts again.
Les says the semicolon after 'diverse from all the beasts that were before it' and before 'and it had ten horns' represents two thousand years of time as people reckon it. In God's way of reckoning, however, that same interval is no longer than a semicolon.
The semicolon is more than grammar because Daniel's vision moves immediately from the Roman beast to the ten horns, with no mention of the intervening centuries. Les therefore sees it as a prophetic marker: a long human-time break that is still only a semicolon in God's uninterrupted plan.
Daniel's seventy weeks are seventy weeks of years, or 490 years, determined upon Daniel's people, Israel, and the holy city Jerusalem. Les teaches that 483 years were fulfilled by the time Messiah was cut off at the cross, leaving 7 years. Those final 7 years are the still-future 70th week. During the church age God's time clock has stopped, but the semicolon in Daniel 7:7 marks that prophetic interval from God's perspective.
Context for Daniel 7:7
Les sets the context by explaining that Daniel sees the same Gentile history as Nebuchadnezzar's dream and identifies the fourth beast as the Roman Empire.
The Semicolon Itself
Les directly teaches that the semicolon after 'diverse from all the beasts that were before it' represents two thousand years in human reckoning, but in God's reckoning it is no longer than a semicolon.
Daniel's 70th Week
Les shows that the final seven-year period of Daniel's prophecy is still future, supporting the idea that the semicolon spans a great amount of time.
Seventy Weeks of Years
Les explains that 70 weeks in Daniel are 70 weeks of years, or 490 years, determined for Israel and Jerusalem.
God's Clock Stopped
Les says 69 weeks were fulfilled at the cross and God's clock stopped, leaving the last 7-year week still ahead.
The Final Week Triggered
Les says the church age is when God's time clock has stopped and that Daniel 9:27 is the triggering mechanism that will start the final seven years.
Daniel's People
Les stresses that the 70 weeks or 490 years are determined for Daniel's people, the nation of Israel.
The Seven-Year Tribulation
Les explains that the tribulation is seven years in total, with 'time, times, and half a time' referring to three and a half years.
Daniel 7:7: 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.
This is the verse where the KJV places the semicolon that Les identifies as the long gap between the Roman beast and the ten horns.
Daniel 9:24: Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
This verse establishes that Daniel's seventy weeks are 490 years determined for Israel and Jerusalem, which Les uses to explain the interrupted time line.
Daniel 9:27: And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
This verse describes the final seven-year period that Les says is still future, matching the 'semicolon' gap in Daniel 7.
Les says it is two thousand years of time as we reckon it, but in God's way of reckoning it is no longer than a semicolon.
Yes, according to Les Feldick. The semicolon appears between the description of the Roman beast and the phrase 'and it had ten horns,' and Les teaches that this represents a long interval of human history.
Les says it is two thousand years of time as people reckon it, though in God's reckoning it is only a semicolon.
Les does not give a detailed explanation of the ten horns in this set of clips. He points to them as the final feature of the fourth beast, appearing after the semicolon.
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