The first realm that Daniel sees rising out of the sea looks like a lion with eagle’s wings, but these wings are torn off. The imagery here is consistent with the symbolism that the Babylonian empire used for itself. Images of the Babylonian king and his armies are depicted several times in the Bible as that of a lion and of an eagle, see Jeremiah 4:7; Jeremiah 49:19, Jeremiah 49:22; Jeremiah 50:17; Habakkuk 1:8. The fact that the wings are plucked off indicates that the great empire, which had risen to prominent power and glory under Nebuchadnezzar, is starting to become weaker. The rule of Babylon no longer extends very far and Daniel sees the first signs of this in his day. The transformation of the image of the lion now standing on two human feet and taking on the heart of a human being, represents the loss of the splendour and strength of the Babylonian Empire. A man is not as strong as a lion, and in his heart a man is afraid of this beast. The increasing fear and uncertainty in the Babylonian kingdom is demonstrated here. This realm, too, is a realm of human weakness and transience.
4 The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it.