Well, good morning. We're continuing our series in Daniel's world.
We've kind of crossed somewhat of a divide in the book.
One to six are fairly straightforward. Seven to twelve, all bets are off.
So we're in seven to eight this morning, and we've called it a coming king.
So let me pray, and then we'll get to work this.
This will be in two parts.
So we've got a short part trying to get us up to speed with where we are in the book.
Then we're going to sing again, and then we're going to dig into Daniel seven and eight.
Okay, so your sleep may be interrupted about halfway through.
Let me have, let's have a word of prayer.
Father, we come. Lord, we're desperate and needy.
Father, we come to this portion of scripture, Lord, and realize that it's deep and difficult.
And so our greatest need now is that you would send your spirit to speak to us, to bring clarity.
Father, to help us fix our eyes on your son.
Father, speak to us in a way we can understand.
We pray this in Jesus' name and for his glory.
Amen.
I guess we're all fairly familiar with this commonly used phrase, this idiom.
Sometimes it gets worse before it gets better.
It sums up so much of life.
So you get a new job.
You didn't like your last job, but you know going to a new job until you're up to speed with the processes,
and you know a few colleagues and wherever place to have your lunches, things may get worse before they get better.
I think you could argue that marriage gets worse before it gets better,
as you have two individuals who are used to being alone,
who have developed certain habits that may not be quite as congenial to the other person as you'd think.
And that first bit's a bit of a struggle.
I think Aileen is waiting for the better part and some of the habits that I brought to the party to somewhat disappear.
I guess it's true for things like medical treatments.
So people here have undergone or are undergoing chemotherapy,
and such is the brutality of the treatment that it often gets worse before it gets any better.
I'm no expert, but pregnancy seems to go that way as well,
that things certainly get harder before they get better.
Many experiences in life get worse before they get better.
And Daniel 7 and 8 could certainly be a passage that's going to illustrate to us
that things are going to get worse before they're going to get better.
It's going to actually be the big theme of the rest of the book,
that it's not going to be plain sailing even after the exile.
So far in the book, we've learned two enormous truths that Andy and Emma hinted at in their prayer.
The first thing we've been learning is that God is the boss.
He is the boss of the entire universe.
He is sovereign over it all.
He owns it and rules it and governs it and sustains it.
So a summary verse might be 425.
The most high is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.
God is the boss.
Daniel has been teaching us.
The second thing he's been teaching us is what he will do as the boss.
That he will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed.
An unshakable, eternal, universal kingdom.
244.
The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed.
Nor will it be left to another people.
It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end.
But it will itself endure forever.
God is the boss.
And as the boss, this is what he'll do.
He'll set up an eternal kingdom.
And we've learned that through six successive narrative chronologically ordered chapters.
So in chapter 1, we learned that Daniel and his friends are exiled.
But even in exile, they excel.
They honor God and God honors them.
That a difficult situation turns out pretty well as they're seen as people of high distinction.
And given real prowess in Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom.
And then we get chapter 2 where Daniel is the hero.
That Nebuchadnezzar has a dream.
He has this picture of a statue made of lots of different metals.
No one can interpret it.
But Daniel, after an urgent prayer meeting with his friends,
saves the day.
And again, is greatly rewarded.
Chapter 3, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego honor God,
a throne into the furnace, but God miraculously intervenes,
is present with them, and they're saved.
Not even singed by the flames.
Chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar is humbled.
To eat grass like an ox, his mind goes.
Because he arrogantly stands before God.
And then he acknowledges God and is restored,
just as Daniel said would happen.
Chapter 5, we did the egomaniac Belshazzar,
who stands in defiance of God,
sets himself up against God.
And the hand writes on the wall,
and Daniel interprets it, and he gets it right.
And that night, Belshazzar is slain,
as the Medes and the Persians take over the kingdom.
And then last week, with Graham,
we saw how Daniel's faithfulness
led him into trouble with Darius,
because Darius was tricked by the satraps
and all the officials,
and was thrown as lion food to the lions.
But God miraculously intervenes,
and he's saved.
And the thing is,
is if we left Daniel there at chapter 6,
as many people do,
we get the impression that Daniel
is a very optimistic book.
There's a problem,
God intervenes,
and everything's alright.
That's going to change as we go 7 to 12.
We're going to learn that things
are going to get worse
before they get better.
Things are going to get worse
before they get better.
In chapter 7,
the mood changes.
We've had successive chronological narratives.
We're now moving into
apocalyptic literature.
We also break the chronology of the book,
as we'll see in chapter 7.
We're actually going back in time.
But Daniel chapter 7
takes place
10 years before Belshazzar's feast,
in the first year
of Belshazzar king
of Babylon.
It's a time of transition
and uncertainty for Daniel
that actually when a new
dynasty comes in,
everybody else who was involved
with the last regime
doesn't tend to do so well.
Daniel's also been in Babylon
for many decades.
He's given up
all of his adult life
and is now
about 75
when this takes place.
He knows
that God has ordained
that Judah
will be in exile
in Babylon
for 70 years
so the end is in sight.
He thinks we're on
the home straight.
If we can just see it out,
the next few years
we'll be back
in Jerusalem.
I might see that city
again.
However,
with these chapters,
with these dreams,
with these visions
and their interpretations,
Daniel's going to learn
that the journey home
is going to be
much longer
and much more
filled with pain
than he ever
could imagine.
Just a brief word
on apocalyptic literature.
The word apocalypsis
literally means
to unveil,
to reveal,
to draw back
the curtain.
Martin Luther said
of apocalyptic literature,
it is a queer way
of talking
like people
who instead
of proceeding
in an orderly manner
ramble off
one thing to the next
so that you cannot
make head or tail
of them
or see what
they are getting at.
It's a real encouragement
as we take four weeks
to finish off Daniel
properly.
What happens is
we're getting a vision.
God is drawing back
the curtain
and showing us
what is happening,
what is going to happen,
what's going on
behind the scenes.
Apocalyptic literature
is full of vivid symbolism
and traumatic imagery.
It's full of dragons
and horns
and sword
and fire
and thrones
and seas.
As we're going to see
it's full of monsters
and outlandish beasts.
Most apocalyptic literature
contains two great themes.
God's ultimate victory
over evil in the end.
And secondly,
a real call
for God's people
to persevere
knowing that God
will ultimately
defeat evil
in the end.
It's written to
suffering people
to encourage them
to persevere,
to keep on going.
And I think
a great rule
when we come to
these difficult bits
is this.
That the main things
are the plain things
and the plain things
are the main things.
So not getting
totally tied up
in detail
and what is what
and who is who
and when is when.
But trying to see
what is the big picture.
What is going on?
The main things
are the plain things
and the plain things
are the main things.
Just to make it
slightly more difficult,
quite a lot of these visions
are what they call
trans-temporal.
is that they move
across time.
That they can
have in view
more than one horizon.
It can be kind of
like a cyclical thing.
That the kingdoms
that we're going to see today
are both imminent
in the near future
but also cast
a long shadow
into the far future
and in fact
the end of things.
This is why
interpreting them
is so difficult
because you have
these different horizons
so often in view.
I think it's helpful
to think of
apocalyptic literature
like surrealist painting.
I love
surrealist painting.
I think the greatest
surrealist painter
would be
Salvador Dali.
In this painting
the persistence
of memory
is more than
just a photograph.
There's more going on here.
There's meaning
behind it.
We have a series
of melting
watch faces
all over the picture.
showing that time
is slipping away.
It's eking away.
You'll see
that on the back
of the watch face
in brown
that it's ants
that are also
pulling it apart
as we look at
decay
as an organic process.
We see this
weird thing
in the middle
of the picture
is kind of like
a caricature
of Salvador Dali himself.
So we're not talking
just merely about
time slipping away.
We're talking about
Dali's own mortality
and how he sees
everything going
to decay.
And so we see
that though it is
a picture
it's more than a picture
there's meaning
behind the picture.
This is another
Dali painting
called
The Self-Construction
of Boiled Beans.
And what it is
is it's a body
that is quite literally
pulling itself apart
and arranging itself
in a really
unhelpful way.
and he painted it
to depict
the Spanish Civil War
because he saw
that Spain
as a body of people
was literally
pulling itself apart
and was going
to arrange itself
in a most
unhelpful way.
He actually did it
before General Franco's
invasion
so it is somewhat
of a premonition
as well
as a painting.
Two things
and then we'll sing.
There's much
we can discuss
about these
visions.
It's good to have
convictions
and opinions
about them
but I think
we should hold them
loosely
because they're
complicated
and therefore
we can discuss
graciously
and generously
but there is room
for disagreement
about who is who
and what is what
and when
is when.
Many great theologians
over the centuries
have interpreted
the details
of these visions
differently
and so if we hold
absolutely dogmatically
and insist on
a specific interpretation
I think we're in
real danger.
We can have
convictions
but I would suggest
we should hold
them loosely
and discuss
them graciously.
Just see what
happens to Daniel
when he has
these visions.
Look with me
at chapter 7
verse 15.
I Daniel
was troubled
in spirit
and the visions
that passed
through my mind
disturbed me.
Look at chapter 7
verse 28.
This is the end
of the matter.
I Daniel
was deeply
troubled
by my thoughts
and my face
turned pale
but I kept
the matter
to myself.
Look at 827.
I Daniel
was worn out.
I lay exhausted
for several days
then I got up
and went
about the king's
business.
I was appalled
by the vision.
It was beyond
understanding.
So I think
if that was
Daniel's experience
I think we should
be hesitant
about being
overly glib
about this
and making it
clear and obvious.
Let's stand
shall we
and sing
Behold our God
and then we'll
look at the first
14 verses
of Daniel
chapter 7.
Let's stand
together.
Please take a seat
and let's read
Daniel 7
together.
In the first
year of Belshazzar
king of Babylon
Daniel had a dream
and visions
passed through
his mind
as he was
lying in bed.
He wrote down
the substance
of his dream.
Daniel said
in my vision
at night
I looked
and there
before me
were the
four winds
of heaven
churning up
the great sea.
Four great
beasts
each different
from the others
came out
of the sea.
The first
was like a lion
and it had
the wings
of an eagle.
I watched
until its wings
were turned off
and it was
torn off
and it was
lifted from
the ground
so that it
stood on two
feet like a
human being
and the mind
of a human
was given
to it.
And there
before me
was a second
beast which
looked like
a bear.
It was raised
up on one
of its sides
and it had
three ribs
in its mouth
between its
teeth.
It was told
get up
and eat
your fail
of flesh.
After that
I looked
and there
before me
was another
beast
one that
looked like
a leopard
and on its
back it
had four
wings like
those of
a bird.
This beast
had four
heads and
it was given
authority to
rule.
After that
in my vision
at night
I looked
and there
before me
was a
fourth
beast
terrifying
and frightening
and very
powerful.
It had
large
iron teeth
it crushed
and devoured
its victims
and trampled
underfoot
whatever was
left.
It was
different
from all
the former
beasts
and it
had ten
horns.
While I
was thinking
about the
horns
there
before me
was another
horn
a little
one
which came
up among
them
and three
of the
first
horns
were uprooted
before it.
This horn
had eyes
like the eyes
of a human
being
and a mouth
that spoke
boastfully.
As I
looked
thrones
were set
in place
and the
Ancient
of Days
took his
seat.
His
clothing
was as
white as
snow.
The hair
of his
head
was white
like wool.
His throne
was flaming
with fire
and its
wheels
were all
ablaze.
A river
of fire
was flowing
coming out
from before
him.
Thousands
upon thousands
attended him.
Ten thousand
times ten
thousand
stood before
him.
The court
was seated
and the
books were
opened.
Then I
continued to
watch because
of the
boastful
words the
horn was
speaking.
I kept
looking until
the beast
was slain.
and its
body
destroyed
and thrown
into the
blazing
fire.
The other
beasts had
been stripped
of their
authority but
were allowed
to live
for a period
of time.
In my
vision at
night I
looked and
there before
me was
one like
a son
of man
coming with
the clouds
of heaven.
He approached
the Ancient
of Days and
was led
into his
presence.
He was
given
authority,
glory and
sovereign power.
All nations
and peoples
of every
language
worshipped
him.
His
dominion
is an
everlasting
dominion
that will
not pass
away and
his kingdom
is one
that will
never be
destroyed.
Well there's
no getting
away from it,
it's weird.
It's like the
most outlandish
zoo you've
ever been to
with lion
eagles and
leopard
birds.
As previously
mentioned it
takes place
ten years
before
Belshazzar's
feast.
And for
the first
time in
the book
it is
Daniel
who has
a vision
who then
needs an
interpretation.
All the
other times
the three
other visions
it has
been the
king
that's
had the
vision
and Daniel
who's
had the
interpretation.
The literary
form seems
to suggest
that this
is a
vision for
all of
the people
reading this
book.
So in
Daniel
chapter 7
verse 16
Daniel
approaches
one of
the people
standing
before the
Ancient of
Days and
says what
does it
mean?
In
chapter 8
verse 16
it's the
angel Gabriel
himself who
gives the
interpretation
of the
vision.
There is a
strong parallel
between Daniel
chapter 7
and Daniel
chapter 2
that it
seems that
those two
visions are
kind of
paralleled in
many ways.
They both
end in the
same place.
There is this
succession of
four things
that are
happening
and particularly
in beast
number 4
the idea
of iron
is repeated.
So what
on earth
are we
to make
of Daniel's
Babylonian
zoo dream?
Well I think
the first thing
is this.
The kingdom
of beasts
in verses
1 to 6.
Rising out
of the great
sea,
churned up
at God's
behest by
the four
winds from
heaven,
we get
three
terrifying
beasts
rising up
out of
this
tumultuous
sea,
this symbol
of everything
that's chaotic
and decreated
from Genesis
2.
We learn
that they're
kings and
kingdoms
from chapter
7 verse
17.
The four
great beasts
of four
kings
that will
rise
from the
earth.
The first
one we get
is a
lion eagle.
I like
to think
of it
as illegal
in the
way we
get a
zebra
and a
horse
being a
zorse.
This
is a
real symbol
of Babylon.
Along the
high street
in Babylon
there were
loads of
statues of
these lion
eagles.
If you go
to the
British Museum
in London
they've got
two of
them and
they are
terrifying.
It would
make for a
terrifying
safari
wouldn't it
if lions
could fly.
You
wouldn't be
going in
an open
top jeep
ever again.
After the
lion eagle
or the
legal we
get just
a bear
but a
pretty
ferocious
bear.
A bear
that is
raised up
on one
side.
This
seems to
fit in
the
imminent
sense
with the
Medo-Persian
empire because
it's not an
equal kingdom.
The Persians
are a lot
bigger deal
than the
Medes
and therefore
that would
create this
disparity.
It has
three ribs
in its
mouth.
We know
from history
that when
Medo-Persia
rules the
world they
overtake three
kingdoms.
The kingdom
of Babylon
which we'll
see in
Daniel chapter
5.
The kingdom
of Egypt
and the
kingdom
of Lydia.
So that
seems to
fit but as
said these
can be
trans-temporal
they can be
both immediate
future but
also casting a
shadow long
into the
distance.
the third
animal.
The leopard
bird.
Kind of a
real weird
animal because
it's got four
heads.
And again
this would
sort of fit
with Greece
because we
know that
after Alexander
the Great
in terrifying
speed has
conquered
everything from
Spain to
India
dies
and his
kingdom is
divided into
four.
His four
generals.
So what I'm
saying loosely
is that it
seems to fit
with what's
going to
happen in
the media
but can
also cast a
shadow long
into the
distance.
This transition
between
Medeo-Persia
the bear
and Greece
the leopard
is also the
subject of
Daniel chapter
8 where we
get another
really strange
vision but
this time not
a zoo but
kind of
farmyard
animals.
We learn
about
Medeo-Persia
being a
two-horned
ram.
We're very
confident of
that because
it says that
the two-horned
ram is the
king of
Medo-Persia
so we're on
pretty safe
ground there.
And again
its horns are
not the same
length because
it's not an
equal kingdom.
And it
rushes to the
west and the
north and the
south as it
conquers and the
kingdom is
expanded.
But then
when it's at
its power
there rises
a shaggy
goat, a
hairy goat
which is more
like a
unicorn goat
because it's
got one big
horn out the
front.
Think of a
rhino goat.
And it
rushes against
the long
horned ram
and completely
destroys it.
Then in its
prime the
horn is
broken off
and four
horns grow
in its place.
similarly
illustrating
that Alexander
would be
broken off
in his
prime in
his early
thirties and
his kingdom
will be
divided between
his four
generals.
I think
looking at it
historically that
fits but I
hold it loosely
thinking that it
can be
trans-temporal
as well.
So what are
we to make
of this?
Well I would
suggest that we
move from
human to
beastly in
these three
progressions.
If you look
at the
lion eagle
the legal
it has its
wings torn
off
it stands
on its
two feet
like a
man and
is given
the mind
of a
man.
Kind of
human-ish.
Then we
move to
the bear
which stands
on its
two hind
legs but
has nothing
like the
mind of
a man.
And then
we have
the leopard
bird.
leopard and
the leopard
bird is
all beast.
I think this
makes an
important point
for us.
That when
God wants
people to
rule his
creation under
his care
who does he
appoint?
He appoints
humans to
be good stewards
of the earth
to have
dominion over
everything.
But after the
four so much
of that
rule will
not be
human.
It will
be beastly.
It will
be not
doing out
of honour
and respect
for God
but it
will be
to get
to the
very top.
So we
see that
there's this
downward
spiral that's
going to
happen.
A cyclical
decline where
some kingdoms
will be
ruled by
men
in a
good fashion.
But other
kingdoms will
come and
resemble
beastly
rule.
Looking over
history you
can see that
these features
are prevalent.
Some kingdoms
rule with
righteousness
and justice,
treat their
citizens with
dignity and
respect,
with their
tolerance.
Others
though are
beastly in
their treatment
and oppression
and despotic
dictatorship
and cruel
stamping down
of their
own people.
For Daniel
this would be
a troubling
vision.
A troubling
vision because
in his
hopes and
his dreams
he thinks
if we could
just get out
of Babylon
we'll be
safely home.
And a real
expectation that
when they're
safely home
God's kingdom
will be
established.
And this
vision seems
to suggest
oh no.
That actually
when you get
home there'll
be this
succession of
kingdoms that
are still to
come.
And some
will be
reasonable
and some
will be
beastly.
That it's
not the
end.
It seems
that things
really are
going to get
worse before
they get
better.
then we
move.
Verse 7
we move
to the
kingdom of
monsters.
Because the
fourth beast
is very
different to
the other
beasts.
There seems
to be a
new phenomenon.
Terrifying,
frightening,
and very
powerful with
large iron
teeth and
ten horns.
this kingdom
is altogether
more
destructive.
It crushes
and devours
its victims
and tramples
underfoot
whatever was
left.
This is
total annihilation
and utter
domination.
this would
certainly fit,
I think,
with Rome.
Certainly
fit with this
kingdom,
this city
state that
would rule
and spread
out and
absolutely
dominate with
ruthless
efficiency and
terrifying
mercilessness.
beast.
A monstrous
beast.
A boastful
kingdom.
And then we
get this weird
thing in verse
nine about
this little
horn.
This little
horn that
rises,
three of the
other horns
are uprooted.
And this
horn has
eyes and a
mouth and
it uses
these eyes
and a
mouth to
speak
blasphemously
against God.
a figure
orientated
against
God.
There's
much
speculation
over the
history about
the identity
of this
little horn.
Everyone's
got their
ideas.
I think
the figure
of General
Titus who
invades Rome
in AD
70 fits,
who mocks
God on the
holy site of
the temple,
who worship
Roman gods
and sacrifices
to them
right in
the temple
place before
eventually
destroying the
temple himself.
However,
I think this
idea of the
little horn
also superimposes
itself on any
ruler who
rises up and
sets themselves
up against
God, whose
ambitions are
so aligned with
the chaos,
blasphemy,
and agenda of
Satan.
I think the
little horn is
not one person,
but it is a
series of people.
Even in verse
eight we get a
little horn,
but rising out
of the Greek
kingdom.
So it seems
that little
horns tend to
be kind of
everywhere.
This guy as
well would seem
to fit with
another historical
character, the
guy of Antiochus
Epiphanes, one
of the later
rulers after
Alexander the
Great who
takes over in
the Seleucid
Empire.
He gives
himself Antiochus
Epiphanes, that
word epiphanes,
meaning a vision
of God
himself.
And in
AD 175, he
invades
Jerusalem, he
takes over the
temple, he
puts a statue
of Zeus
right in front
of the altar, he
puts a statue
of himself.
Right next to
it he sacrifices
a pig on the
very altar of
God.
So we see
these little
horns come
thick and fast,
they come from
everywhere.
It seems clear
that the Roman
Empire, the
Seleucid Empire
and regimes like
that will be
coming down the
line, that it
will not be
plain sailing for
God's people,
even when they're
back in God's
place.
And all of them
cast this shadow
that the spirit of
lawlessness is alive
in the world, that
there will be many
Antichrists, people
who will set
themselves up against
the very God of the
universe, all
finding fulfillment in
one character, he
will be the
ultimate personification
of all that a
little horn will
be.
And again I
think we can see
why Daniel is so
depressed, exhausted
and troubled by
what he sees.
That the end of
the exile isn't
going to be the
end of suffering
and turmoil.
In fact compared
to what seems to
be coming down the
line, Babylon has
been a stroll in
the park, somewhat
of a holiday for
God's people.
It is very clear
in the vision that
there will arise
kingdoms and
empires, rulers and
authorities who will
hate God and hate
God's people.
We get some detail
in chapter 7 that
these little horns
are ones that wage
war against God's
people and exhaust
them.
And that's what
Daniel sees.
So far in this
vision we're utterly
depressed just as
Daniel was.
But I think we
finish on a really
positive note with
the kingdom of God.
There is a glorious
character who arises
in chapter 7 verse
9.
We see the ancient
of days.
It's not this kind
of old man image
we have but somebody
who is the founder
of time itself.
Who was there
before the beginning
ancient.
He was there
before the beginning.
He has white
clothes and white
hair because he is
spotlessly pure and
resplendently holy.
He's sitting on what
at first reading
seems like a
wheelchair but it
is not.
It is a blazing
throne because he
is holy and he is
the one who will
judge.
And this throne is
on wheels because his
rule is not fixed.
It is everywhere.
It is the
everywhereness rule
of God.
There is a river
of fire that goes
out before him
showing that he is
the source.
He is from where
everything else finds
its place.
And we see that he
has thousands and
thousands attending
to him and standing
before him ten times
ten times times a
thousand as many.
And it's a
courtroom scene.
And the court is
in session.
God is the judge
and the books are
opened.
This is a depiction
of judgment
falling.
And in verse 11
we see that this
little horn is
still speaking
boastfully against
God in God's
very presence.
repentance.
And in the
course of one
verse these
boastful words
this horn that
has set itself up
against God is
utterly destroyed.
Judgment
falls.
The little horn
spewing blasphemy
and boasting from
its mouth is
judged.
Justice is done.
The ancient of
days dispenses
with this
little horn as
easily as we
would stamp on
an ant.
The other beasts
are stripped of
their authority
but their empire
continues in some
kind of remnant
form.
It's a stunning
depiction of what
absolute sovereignty
looks like.
That God's
greatest enemy
speaking boastful
and blasphemous
words against God
is simply snuffed
out.
Just like that.
In the course of
a verse it is
not a fight.
It is perfect
justice falling
from an almighty
God.
Then in verse
13 we get the
ancient of days
described.
A character
approaches the
throne.
One like a
son of man.
One with a
human form.
Whereas we
looked at the
rules of beasts
and monsters
before.
This is the
perfect human
and yet more
than a human
coming on the
clouds of heaven.
One who stands
before the
ancient of days
and is given
authority, glory
and sovereign
power over
absolutely everyone,
absolutely everywhere
for absolutely
ever.
This is the
personification of
the stone that
annihilates the
statue and
becomes a
mountain that
dominates the
whole earth
from chapter 2.
this is the
end of the
matter, the
final destiny
of the world.
Once all the
kingdoms have
risen and
fallen and
all the rulers
are spent,
all that will
remain is the
kingdom of this
son of man.
It is a
terrifying and
tumultuous future
that Daniel sees
but it ends at a
glorious climax
with God's
king ruling
absolutely
everywhere,
absolutely
everyone for
absolutely
ever.
It is a
terrifying future
but an eternal
and glorious
end.
And so
Mark chapter
14 when
Jesus stands
trial before the
Sanhedrin
and they try to
ask him,
are you the
character,
are you God's
king from
Psalm 2,
are you the
son of the
blessed one?
And Jesus
says this,
I am,
and you will
see the son
of man sitting
at the right
hand of the
mighty one and
coming on the
clouds of heaven.
That Jesus
identifies himself
with this
character,
one with
absolute dominion,
absolute glory,
power,
to be worshipped
by absolutely
everyone for
absolutely ever.
Well the
Sanhedrin hear
enough, they
tear their
clothes, they
slap him,
they spit on
him, and
they continue
their plot to
execute him,
failing to
realize that it
is in Jesus'
death that
this ultimate
plan of
ultimate dominion
will be set
into course.
That this
Jesus now has
all of these
things by faith.
As he sits
at the right
hand of God,
one day soon
he will have
all of these
things by
sight as he
rules forever.
Things will
certainly get
worse before
they get
better.
Things will
get worse
before they
get best.
If it was an
orange advert,
the future is
bleak, the
future is
glorious.
Three things in
closing and they're
very quick.
The way home is
long and filled
with pain, that's
what Daniel's
learning.
It's true for
Israel as they
go on from
here, it's true
for God's
people over
all of history
and it'll be
true for us
as the air
turns increasingly
toxic and
hostile to
Jesus and
faith in him.
Daniel 7 and
8 forewarns us
so we can be
ready and not
surprised by the
trouble and
tribulation that
comes.
That it's not
plain sailing,
it never was,
it never will
be, but it
will be great
in the end.
That God warns
us through his
word this will be
the case.
Secondly, the
only way we'll
get home is to
trust in God's
sovereignty.
Unless we have
pictures like
Daniel 7 that
show us the end
of the story,
we'll be completely
lost and crushed
in the middle of
the story.
So when these
beasts arise, we
will think, God,
have you gone
AWOL?
Is your out of
office on and
we're left to our
own devices?
But if we
understand that in
the wisdom and
sovereignty of God,
he lets these
things rise and
in the end will
bring about the
kingdom of his
perfect son forever.
And the last
point is this,
the only hope of
finally being home
is to believe in
the Son of Man.
If this is the
destiny of all
things, that they
will be brought
together under the
feet of the Lord
Jesus, then the
most important
thing we can ever
do is to love
him and trust
him now, to
have him as our
king by faith
now, so that
he will be our
king by sight
then.
That if this
truly is the
destiny of
everything, then
to know this
Jesus is the
most important
thing, because
when he comes
there will be no
chance to change
allegiances, to
lay down arms and
accept the peace
terms of the
gospel now, before
it's too late when
these things fully
and finally happen.
this is what we're
supposed to take
from the chapter,
I think.
It's repeated
three times.
Chapter 7, verse
18, but the
holy people of the
Most High will
receive the kingdom
and will possess it
forever, yes,
forever and ever.
Chapter 7, verse
21, as I watched
this horn was
waging war against
the holy people and
defeating them,
until the Ancient
of Days came and
pronounced judgment
in favor of the
holy people of the
Most High God.
God, and the
time came when
they possessed the
kingdom.
Verse 26 and 27,
but the court will
sit and his power
will be taken away
and completely
destroyed forever.
Then the sovereignty,
power and greatness
of all the kingdoms
under heaven will be
handed over to the
holy people of the
Most High God.
His kingdom will be
an everlasting kingdom
and his rulers will
worship and obey
him.
And even in
chapter 8, verse
14,
He said to me,
it will take 2,300
evenings and mornings,
then the sanctuary
will be re-consecrated.
There will be an end
and Jesus will win.
Let me pray.
Father God, we thank
you that you are in
control.
Father, that history
is not going off
plot, that chaos
will not reign.
But one day soon,
Jesus Christ will reign
in absolute sovereignty
in a kingdom of
perfect justice and
righteousness.
A kingdom that will
not be beastly in
nature, but a
kingdom that will be
perfect where sin is
no more, where death
is no more, where
mourning and oppression
are banished.
And so, Lord, we pray
you would give us
faith in the meantime,
to trust that you know
what you're doing,
to keep on going,
to keep on loving
and trusting your
Son.
And Father, that we
would do it in such
a way that ourselves
and many people in
our lives would
change allegiances,
would lay down arms
and hostility towards
this King Jesus
and trust him so that
they can be in his
kingdom forever.
Father, bless these
things to us.
Sear them on our
hearts, we pray,
those that are from
you and useful.
And build us up and
transform us according
to your word, we pray.
Amen.