Daniel 7 shows that the 4 kingdoms rise one at a time and are concurrent.
1. British Empire and later America `broken off.` After Napolionic wars.
2. Soviet Union after WW 1.
3. EU after WW 2.
4. Islam after WW 3.
The world calls the first three, (as well as the UN) the Quartet of power, or Big 4. As the UN is controlled by the others it is not in the same league.
The Scripture of Daniel 7 does not support the idea that these are concurrent superpowers.
Firstly, why should we read Daniel 7 differently from Daniel 2, which IS a clearly sequential succession of nations?
Secondly, the language of Daniel 7 clearly depicts a succession as well.
Dan 7:4 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.
Dan 7:5 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.
Dan 7:6
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.
Dan 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.
Daniel 2 depicts the four empires before Christ's Advent during the time of Rome. Daniel 7 depicts the four superpowers before Christ's return.
These are historic prophecies depicting what was symbolically represented by Moses' striking of the Rock in the wilderness, and then what should have been his speaking to the Rock in the wilderness (though he struck it again, and was thus forbidden to enter the Promised Land.)
The striking of the Rock is Jesus' death on the Cross.
The speaking to the Rock is God conferring all Lordship to His victorious Son.