Now, the book of Revelation is made up of this symbolic language. It is
not, however, confined to this book alone. There are many instances of
it to be found elsewhere in the sacred volume, and in many cases it is
explained by inspiration itself, thus giving us a reliable key to the
whole. Joseph's dream of the eleven sheaves that made obeisance to his
sheaf was of this description (Gen. 37:7, 8), and his eleven brethren
were angered, because its meaning was apparent--that they should be
humbled before him. Also, his dream of the sun, the moon, and the eleven
stars (verses 9, 10) was understood to signify the subjection of the
entire family unto him, which was actually fulfilled after Joseph's
exaltation in Egypt. The chief butler's dream of the vine with three
branches bearing grapes, which he took and pressed into the king's cup,
was interpretated by Joseph as signifying the butler's restoration in
three days to his former position of cup-bearer to the king; while the
chief baker's dream of the three baskets upon his head, out of which the
birds ate, was interpretated as signifying his execution in the same
length of time. Gen. 40. Pharaoh's dream of the seven fat kine and the
seven lean kine, also of the seven full ears and the seven thin ears,
signified seven years of plenty and seven years of famine. Gen. 41.

Again, the four divisions of King Nebuchadnezzar's wonderful image was
explained by Daniel as signifying four universal monarchies and the ten
toes as signifying the ten minor kingdoms which grew out of the fourth;
while the stone that was cut out of the mountain without human
intervention he interpreted as signifying the divine kingdom of God.
Dan. 2. The two-horned ram of Daniel's vision (chap. 8), according to
the explanation of the angel, symbolized the Medo-Persian empire, its
two horns signifying the two dynasties of allied kings that composed it.
The he-goat signified the Greco-Macedonian empire; his great horn, its
first mighty king; and the four horns that replaced the great one when