What is your view and and the traditional Jewish view of Daniel’s vision of the kingdom?
I will try to give you a succinct version of my understanding of the kingdom. Then, I will give you the traditionally Jewish interpretation of these passages.
It is a world wide political system incorporating both religious and political authority into one entity. It is headed by the anti-messiah who is HaSatan incarnated in a human. Horns stand for political powers most likely countries that have given their sovereignty to this “man.” The little horn coming up in the midst of the horns is representative of a man who shall rule as the vicar of HaSatan. He takes control of three horns and eventually rules all. There is much more here, but I will cut to the chase.
It is my opinion that the then horns are represented by the EU. It is now a political block that challenges the only “world power,” the US. It shall someday soon ascend to the pinnacle as the only world power. I believe that the US is mentioned in Revelations as Mystery Babylon – not the religious system, but the commercial system. There are two distinct Babylon’s mentioned. The commercial system (Babylon) that sets between the waters is destroyed, and the nations of the world that have done commerce with her commensurate on its fall. A careful reading of this section seems to point to a great world power, exceedingly rich that is located between two great bodies of water. A description of the US.
The political power represented as the “beast” will ally himself with a powerful religious system and soon will assume both the political and religious summit declaring himself god. He exterminates the false shepherd in the process. This is at the ½ way mark of the Tribulation. It will culminate with the Battle of Armageddon when Yahshua comes to set up His earthly Kingdom, in Jerusalem and Israel will ascend to the summit of nations as YHVH promised.
This is a brief outline. I am soon posting a lot on eschatology in the prophecy section on the site.
The Traditional Jewish view. First, the book of Daniel is not considered prophecy nor was Daniel considered a prophet. It is listed in the K’tuvim (writings) division. Nevi’im is the prophets division.
The Sages, rabbis and traditional Judaism treat your reference to Daniel 7:7 and 7:8 as historical. The fourth beast is considered a manifestation of the Roman Empire with all it metamorphoses. The fourth kingdom has a double nature, which is divided, into two parts, Islam and Christianity. The Ten Horns are viewed historically as ten emperors: Julius Caesar, Augustus, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian which brings us to 69-79 C.E. (AD). Titus the son of Vespasian destroyed the Temple in 70 CE. On Sage allows that the “beast” will disintegrate and split into 10 smaller countries that would become a world power but does not elaborate on it. These 10 countries or governments are accordion to Rabbi Saadiah Gaon, a greatly recognized Jewish authority as: Constantinople –now Turkey, Armenia, Hungary, Germany, and Bulgaria. The western Slavic countries-Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia, France, Spain, Russian and the Arabic Empires. The little horn is characterized as a power that does not gain power by brute force, as did the Ten Horns, because it is characterized as having human eyes. It gains it power by the force of reason and a mouth speaking “haughty words, i.e. the force of persuasion. Historically this little horn is linked to Titus who spoke with haughty word in the inner Sanctum of the Holy Temple when he destroyed it. The Little Horn assumes power over the Ten Horns and exists until the war of Gog-Magog.
This is the Jewish view. In the next couple of weeks I will have posted a number of messages in the “Prophecy section” on the site that will elaborate and detail much of what I have written here in brevity.