The book of Daniel bears a particular characteristic, that is, to draw the marking lines of the ages.
First, the cutting off of Messiah (the crucifixion of Christ) in 9:26 terminated the age of the old creation for the germination of the age of the new creation in Christ's resurrection. In His crucifixion He, the last Adam, terminated the old creation, and in His resurrection He became the germinating Spirit, the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45b) to germinate us in His resurrection.
Paul tells us that Christ's death terminated the old creation, for our old man was crucified with Him (Rom. 6:6). This termination of the old creation is for the germination of the new creation. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul says, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." In Galatians 6:15 he goes on to say, "Neither is circumcision anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation." This new creation is the church. Through Christ's resurrection we have been germinated—that is, made alive, regenerated—to become the sons of God as the new creation to be the Body of Christ. When He becomes the King to rule over the entire earth, we will be a part of Him. He will be the King, and we will be His co-kings.
The upcoming appearing of Christ (Dan. 7:13-14) will end the age of man's government on earth of the old creation (which began from Babel in the land of Shinar—Gen. 10:8-12; 11:2-4—and will be destroyed at the end of the present age), and it will initiate the age of God's dominion over the entire earth in the millennium and in the new heaven and new earth. The entire universe will be new.
Two things are problems to God—the old creation produced out of Adam and the human government. According to the vision in Daniel 7, every kind of human government is a beast. The first problem—the old creation—was solved through Christ's death. The second problem—human government—will be solved by Christ's coming as the stone cut out without hands to crush the great human image, thus ending the age of man's government on earth in the old creation.
The seventy weeks unveiled in 9:24-27 show the lines of the age of the return of Israel from their captivity and the rebuilding of their holy temple and their holy city until the crucifixion of Christ; the age of mystery (the age of the church), the length of which is unknown; and the last seven years of the present age, which usher in the millennium and the new heaven and new earth for eternity.
We need to have a clear view concerning chapter seven of Daniel. This chapter covers a vast span—from Babylon, the first beast, to the new heaven and new earth. If we have such a clear view, we will know where we are today with respect to the parts of the great human image. I believe that we are close to the time of the ten toes.
In 7:15-28 Daniel was given the interpretation of the vision which he had seen in verses 1 through 14.