WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.719 We're going to read together from Daniel chapter 7, verses 1 to 18. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:38.140 And 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. 00:00:38.380 --> 00:00:40.359 And the mind of a man was given to it. 00:00:40.840 --> 00:00:43.240 And behold, another beast, a second one like a bear. 00:00:43.719 --> 00:00:45.240 It was raised up on one side. 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:50.859 It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth, and it was told, Arise, devour much flesh. 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:56.500 After this, I looked, and behold, another like a leopard with four wings of a bird on its back. 00:00:56.500 --> 00:00:59.659 And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:07.180 And after this, I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful, and it's seethingly strong. 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:09.019 It had great iron teeth. 00:01:09.400 --> 00:01:13.379 It devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. 00:01:13.879 --> 00:01:17.219 It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 00:01:17.799 --> 00:01:21.620 I considered the horns, and behold, there came among them another horn, a little one, 00:01:22.120 --> 00:01:25.500 before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. 00:01:25.620 --> 00:01:29.719 And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man. 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:32.200 And a mouth speaking great things. 00:01:32.719 --> 00:01:36.959 As I looked, thrones were placed, and the ancient of days took his seat. 00:01:37.340 --> 00:01:41.560 His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head was like pure wool. 00:01:42.060 --> 00:01:43.780 His throne was fiery flames. 00:01:44.420 --> 00:01:45.760 Its wheels were burning fire. 00:01:46.260 --> 00:01:49.700 A stream of fire issued and came out from before him. 00:01:50.180 --> 00:01:55.039 A thousand thousand served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:58.140 The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. 00:01:58.720 --> 00:02:03.040 I looked, then, because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. 00:02:03.300 --> 00:02:08.780 And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 00:02:09.340 --> 00:02:13.020 And as for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away. 00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:16.680 But their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. 00:02:16.680 --> 00:02:22.740 I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man. 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:26.920 And he came to the ancient of days, and was presented before him. 00:02:27.260 --> 00:02:33.500 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. 00:02:34.120 --> 00:02:37.740 His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, 00:02:37.920 --> 00:02:40.360 and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. 00:02:41.100 --> 00:02:45.700 As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me. 00:02:45.699 --> 00:02:49.579 I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. 00:02:50.039 --> 00:02:53.379 So he told me, and he made known to me the interpretation of the things. 00:02:53.859 --> 00:02:57.560 These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. 00:02:57.780 --> 00:03:04.719 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever. 00:03:05.819 --> 00:03:07.479 This is God's holy word. 00:03:08.139 --> 00:03:09.099 Let's pray together. 00:03:09.099 --> 00:03:16.060 Lord, as we come to your word, we ask that you would open our hearts, and you would open our minds. 00:03:16.799 --> 00:03:19.639 And we know that we need your scripture. 00:03:19.780 --> 00:03:23.579 We know also that as we read this, this is a tough passage to understand. 00:03:24.039 --> 00:03:26.039 Lots of images and visions, Lord, prophecy. 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:29.280 And so we really need your help today, Lord, as modern people. 00:03:29.500 --> 00:03:31.439 And so we ask for that in Jesus' name. 00:03:31.819 --> 00:03:32.060 Amen. 00:03:32.060 --> 00:03:37.920 Now, the problem today is that I have been a bit too efficient in the first half of the service. 00:03:38.900 --> 00:03:47.000 And so with the nation, in two minutes we're going to stand and remember the wars of our history, 00:03:47.140 --> 00:03:49.900 especially the world wars and those who have sacrificed their lives. 00:03:50.539 --> 00:03:54.300 And it's a good opportunity as a church to pray during that season. 00:03:54.300 --> 00:04:00.140 If you're new to the city or new to the U.K. at all, this might be new for you today. 00:04:00.139 --> 00:04:04.019 But it's an opportunity for us to pray and for God to bring peace to the land. 00:04:04.579 --> 00:04:09.459 And at the same time to remember and honor all those who have come before us with sacrifice to bring peace. 00:04:10.219 --> 00:04:10.859 And so we'll do that. 00:04:10.919 --> 00:04:11.679 That's in two minutes. 00:04:12.179 --> 00:04:13.039 So I'm going to start the sermon. 00:04:13.719 --> 00:04:15.939 And then in two minutes we'll press pause, okay? 00:04:16.120 --> 00:04:17.259 So I know that's a little weird. 00:04:17.539 --> 00:04:20.219 But we've been working our way through Daniel. 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:24.759 And we've seen for six chapters lots of adventure stories. 00:04:25.219 --> 00:04:28.860 The lion's den, the fiery furnace, stories that are really familiar to people. 00:04:28.860 --> 00:04:33.439 Even that maybe you haven't been growing up in the church, you know some of those stories. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:42.400 Today, as you've seen in our reading, Daniel 7, we come to a very different, moves from adventure stories to prophecy. 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:43.980 That's what we just read. 00:04:44.400 --> 00:04:46.560 Prophecy comes with visions, dreams. 00:04:47.040 --> 00:04:51.560 It's not obvious to a modern reader at all what these things are about. 00:04:51.660 --> 00:04:52.439 It's very strange. 00:04:52.439 --> 00:04:56.620 As many scholars have said, this is part of our strange Bible. 00:04:57.160 --> 00:04:58.439 And that's not a negative thing. 00:04:58.579 --> 00:05:02.060 But just to recognize that as modern people, we come to an ancient text. 00:05:02.579 --> 00:05:05.899 And so we don't expect to understand everything at first. 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:07.680 You know, Daniel even says that. 00:05:07.759 --> 00:05:11.180 Verse 15, he says, when I got this vision, I was very anxious. 00:05:11.180 --> 00:05:15.800 It's down in verse 28, past where we read, he says, it made me pale. 00:05:16.420 --> 00:05:17.280 And you say, me too. 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:18.560 You know, it made me pale. 00:05:18.660 --> 00:05:22.759 As I read it, I try to think about it and try to understand what these images are. 00:05:23.160 --> 00:05:30.019 And so before we stand in just a moment, I'll say that as strange as it is, it's not so strange for ancient people. 00:05:30.019 --> 00:05:35.620 So these images of lions and eagles and beasts representing empires, which is what it's about. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:37.519 That was very common in the ancient world. 00:05:37.779 --> 00:05:40.479 And the sea for ancient people represented chaos. 00:05:41.039 --> 00:05:44.779 And the four winds of the earth meant the whole globe. 00:05:44.939 --> 00:05:48.819 So a lot of ancient readers would come to this and understand these symbols a little better. 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:50.599 But we do this too, right? 00:05:50.659 --> 00:05:56.899 So if I were to put on the screen today an image of a unicorn, the right, the correct unicorn, you would think Scotland. 00:05:56.899 --> 00:06:00.739 And if I put the correct lion, you would think England. 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:05.819 And if I put an eagle with red, white, and blue behind it, you would think America. 00:06:06.139 --> 00:06:07.399 That's what we say, right? 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:08.939 We do this too. 00:06:09.060 --> 00:06:12.719 We have beasts that, animals that image for us nations. 00:06:13.359 --> 00:06:18.579 All right, so in the light of that, as we honor the history of our nation here and across the world, 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:22.299 the words that have brought peace to the land, take a moment of silence. 00:06:22.299 --> 00:06:26.179 Now let's stand together and I'll conclude us in prayer after two minutes. 00:06:26.899 --> 00:06:42.279 Sovereign Lord, in a world that we know today is still torn apart by war and violence and great evil, 00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:47.679 we confess this morning in this moment of silence that true peace can only come from you. 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:54.480 And so we pray, Lord, for the day when the cloud rider, Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, will come 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:59.240 and the lion will lay down with the lamb, the swords will be beat into plowshares. 00:06:59.740 --> 00:07:06.160 And until then, we ask, O God, that you would bring peace and justice to the many wars that are raging today in our world. 00:07:07.060 --> 00:07:08.340 And so we pray that in Christ's name. 00:07:08.780 --> 00:07:09.040 Amen. 00:07:09.560 --> 00:07:10.319 You can be seated. 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:10.399 Amen. 00:07:15.399 --> 00:07:15.920 Okay. 00:07:16.719 --> 00:07:18.480 I know you've forgotten the introduction already. 00:07:18.759 --> 00:07:26.399 So chapter 1 to 6, Daniel was the prophet, the wise man who was speaking to kings 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:31.560 and speaking to them about their problem of pride, Nebuchadnezzar and Darius and Belshazzar. 00:07:32.159 --> 00:07:36.480 Daniel 7 to 12 is a transition to prophecy and vision. 00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:39.920 And it's the same messages, actually. 00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:45.680 So over the next several weeks, as we look at these prophecies, it's the same message as to Nebuchadnezzar and others, 00:07:45.819 --> 00:07:47.400 but it's to a different audience. 00:07:47.720 --> 00:07:53.819 And so we read down to verse 18, and in verse 18, we realize who Daniel, who this dream, 00:07:53.879 --> 00:07:56.240 this dream given by God through Daniel is for. 00:07:56.640 --> 00:08:03.060 And it says at the very end of our reading, it is for the saints to know that they too will inherit the kingdom. 00:08:03.060 --> 00:08:04.240 And so here's the difference. 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:11.339 In chapter 1 to 6, Daniel is the prophet in exile as a minority, in a minority position as a believer in Babylon, 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:14.519 and telling the great kings, you need to humble yourself. 00:08:14.680 --> 00:08:15.600 You're dusting the scales. 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:23.439 Now he turns in the prophecies to Christians, to believers, to talk to us and to say the exact same thing, 00:08:23.899 --> 00:08:24.840 but for a different reason. 00:08:25.480 --> 00:08:26.579 So let's explore that. 00:08:27.079 --> 00:08:30.579 This is called apocalyptic literature, what we've just read. 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:32.039 It was very common in the ancient world. 00:08:32.039 --> 00:08:39.399 And all apocalyptic literature does is it takes sometimes terrifying images, scary images, 00:08:39.579 --> 00:08:43.559 visions, shocking images that we're being invited to imagine, 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:50.740 and tries to actually speak to the heart of the believer, the Christian, the saint of the Old Testament and New Testament, 00:08:51.599 --> 00:08:54.879 by giving these images in the midst of oppression. 00:08:55.459 --> 00:09:00.679 So apocalyptic literature comes in the Bible every time the people of God are under the yoke of great oppression, 00:09:00.679 --> 00:09:02.779 great evil, minority position. 00:09:03.719 --> 00:09:04.439 And so that's what it's for. 00:09:04.539 --> 00:09:05.500 It's meant to be for our hearts. 00:09:05.599 --> 00:09:07.899 So let me just, we'll be very brief today, 00:09:08.120 --> 00:09:12.319 and let me take the three most important images that were given 00:09:12.319 --> 00:09:16.519 and say something about what they mean and what they mean to our hearts today, 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:17.899 and then we'll close. 00:09:17.899 --> 00:09:20.259 And so those three images will be the four beasts, 00:09:21.039 --> 00:09:23.240 and the little horn, 00:09:24.079 --> 00:09:27.039 and the son of man, or the cloud rider. 00:09:27.319 --> 00:09:29.079 So those three things, and let's think about it. 00:09:29.079 --> 00:09:32.740 By the way, Stephen Miller, one of the commentators on the book of Daniel, 00:09:32.860 --> 00:09:36.779 he says this is the single most important chapter in the book, 00:09:37.139 --> 00:09:41.480 and he says this is one of the three to four most important chapters in the Old Testament. 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:43.759 So let's take 20 minutes, all right? 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:47.659 The four beasts first. 00:09:48.179 --> 00:09:49.919 Now, if you've been around for the Daniel series, 00:09:50.019 --> 00:09:53.480 you'll know that this is part of the Aramaic section of Daniel. 00:09:53.860 --> 00:09:56.860 So most of Daniel is in Hebrew except for Daniel 2 to 7. 00:09:57.360 --> 00:10:01.600 And in the Aramaic section, each chapter corresponds to another Aramaic chapter. 00:10:02.019 --> 00:10:03.659 And so now we're on the very last one, 00:10:03.799 --> 00:10:05.840 and it corresponds to chapter 2. 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:08.139 These are the outside edges of the Aramaic section. 00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:12.379 Chapter 2, do you remember that Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, 00:10:12.379 --> 00:10:14.659 and the dream was of this great statue, 00:10:14.779 --> 00:10:18.879 and the statue had four metals involved in elements, 00:10:19.320 --> 00:10:21.980 gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay. 00:10:22.580 --> 00:10:26.720 And Daniel said, Nebuchadnezzar, each of those represents a kingdom. 00:10:27.259 --> 00:10:31.159 The gold is Babylon, the silver, Medo-Persia, and so on and so forth. 00:10:31.620 --> 00:10:35.820 But the big point of that dream was Daniel the prophet saying to Nebuchadnezzar, 00:10:35.820 --> 00:10:39.460 where ultimately when you build your life, 00:10:40.140 --> 00:10:41.280 your own personal kingdom, 00:10:41.640 --> 00:10:43.700 without God in view, without God at the center, 00:10:44.220 --> 00:10:46.220 you need to remember, Nebuchadnezzar, 00:10:46.280 --> 00:10:48.300 in every single human, because this is in all of us, 00:10:48.580 --> 00:10:49.660 you've got feet of clay. 00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:51.080 That image had feet of clay. 00:10:51.640 --> 00:10:53.660 And that means that your kingdom is going to come and go. 00:10:53.820 --> 00:10:54.920 You are dust in the scales. 00:10:55.260 --> 00:10:55.960 Humble yourself. 00:10:56.080 --> 00:10:57.320 Put God at the center of your life. 00:10:58.500 --> 00:11:00.500 Realize who the real king of heaven is. 00:11:00.500 --> 00:11:03.720 And that's been really the same message in almost every chapter. 00:11:04.779 --> 00:11:07.440 This chapter, chapter 7, corresponds to that dream. 00:11:07.899 --> 00:11:12.019 So the four beasts, just like the four stones in the statue. 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:13.179 Four kingdoms. 00:11:13.379 --> 00:11:14.580 It's the same exact thing. 00:11:15.559 --> 00:11:18.779 And yet, in Daniel 7, 00:11:19.080 --> 00:11:22.440 this is the first place that we're no longer in chronological order. 00:11:23.019 --> 00:11:25.659 So up through chapter 6, we were working our way through Daniel's history. 00:11:25.779 --> 00:11:28.200 But in chapter 7, we go backwards in time. 00:11:28.200 --> 00:11:34.640 So the dream of Daniel 7 happened before Daniel 5, Belshazzar's feast. 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:37.100 So we've already entered into the Persian kingdom, 00:11:37.320 --> 00:11:39.520 but this dream comes from the Babylonian kingdom. 00:11:40.280 --> 00:11:43.300 And so why is the author going, why is Daniel going backwards? 00:11:43.460 --> 00:11:47.400 And it's to say that the dream of Nebuchadnezzar was given to him, 00:11:47.520 --> 00:11:51.180 but the same message in chapter 7 is there. 00:11:51.280 --> 00:11:53.940 It's the same dream, really, but it's given to believers. 00:11:54.780 --> 00:11:56.920 So that's why the chronology is not in order. 00:11:56.919 --> 00:11:58.919 It's selective. It's very highly selective, 00:11:58.919 --> 00:12:01.959 because it's trying to make a point that the whole back half of the book 00:12:01.959 --> 00:12:04.819 is now being addressed to the church, 00:12:04.899 --> 00:12:07.319 the church of the Old Testament and the church of the New Testament. 00:12:07.419 --> 00:12:08.219 So what's the message? 00:12:09.099 --> 00:12:11.079 These four beasts, verse 1 to 8. 00:12:11.500 --> 00:12:13.059 This is predictive prophecy. 00:12:13.240 --> 00:12:14.019 It really is. 00:12:14.599 --> 00:12:17.059 And it's prophecy that's meant to speak to our hearts. 00:12:17.439 --> 00:12:20.639 And we have in verse 1 these four winds, 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:22.500 the four corners of the earth coming together, 00:12:22.740 --> 00:12:24.199 meaning this is a global picture. 00:12:24.200 --> 00:12:29.020 And we've got a sea, and seas in the ancient mind are very chaotic, scary places. 00:12:29.560 --> 00:12:31.660 And so what it's saying is that these four beasts, 00:12:31.860 --> 00:12:33.960 which are representative of four great empires, 00:12:34.460 --> 00:12:39.060 are part of the chaotic rise and fall of kingdoms. 00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:42.940 That, you know, the next political leader is coming, 00:12:43.140 --> 00:12:44.500 the next nation is coming. 00:12:44.620 --> 00:12:46.200 It's a chaotic mess in world history. 00:12:46.200 --> 00:12:49.100 And that's very true in the ancient Near East and in the story of Daniel. 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:55.300 And typically, these four kingdoms are read as predictive prophecy, 00:12:55.820 --> 00:12:58.200 as Babylon, we know that, the first beast, 00:12:58.660 --> 00:13:01.860 and then Medo-Persia, we've seen these two kingdoms in this book. 00:13:02.100 --> 00:13:05.240 And then the third beast representative of probably Greece, 00:13:05.640 --> 00:13:06.680 Alexander the Great's kingdom. 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:09.259 And then the fourth beast, very probably Rome. 00:13:09.259 --> 00:13:12.740 And so if you look at just a couple of the details, 00:13:13.500 --> 00:13:16.700 the first beast is a lion with wings like eagles. 00:13:17.620 --> 00:13:21.299 And Jeremiah 4, Jeremiah 50 calls Babylon the great lion, 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:23.799 and sometimes calls Babylon an eagle throughout, 00:13:24.019 --> 00:13:24.879 that's even in the Old Testament. 00:13:25.319 --> 00:13:26.639 So these are just symbols of Babylon. 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:31.740 And the wings are plucked off in order that the beast would become humanized. 00:13:32.139 --> 00:13:35.019 That's very probably referencing the story of Nebuchadnezzar 00:13:35.019 --> 00:13:35.879 that's already taken place, 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:37.980 where he was dehumanized, became beastly. 00:13:37.980 --> 00:13:40.960 His wings, he thought he was a great god, a lion, 00:13:41.080 --> 00:13:43.820 but he was plucked, and he became humble to humans. 00:13:43.960 --> 00:13:45.259 So this is obviously Babylon. 00:13:45.980 --> 00:13:47.399 And then the second is a bear. 00:13:47.980 --> 00:13:49.700 One side lifted higher than the other, 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:51.920 and that's probably because we read last week 00:13:51.920 --> 00:13:55.320 that the Medo-Persian kingdom took over this land, 00:13:55.480 --> 00:13:57.180 and that's two sides of one kingdom, 00:13:57.300 --> 00:13:59.460 but the Persians were far stronger than the Medes. 00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:03.740 A great bear, but one side upright, 00:14:03.960 --> 00:14:04.820 because it was much stronger. 00:14:04.920 --> 00:14:06.019 Three ribs in its mouth. 00:14:06.019 --> 00:14:10.779 Persia had conquered three kingdoms that all came to battle against Babylon with them. 00:14:10.860 --> 00:14:12.460 Those are listed in other parts of the Bible. 00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:15.220 I won't get into all the details today, don't worry. 00:14:15.620 --> 00:14:17.699 But we will coming back in Daniel 8 to 12. 00:14:18.579 --> 00:14:19.039 A leopard. 00:14:20.100 --> 00:14:20.899 Why a leopard? 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:23.840 Because it's probably referencing the swiftness of Greece. 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:27.460 Alexander the Great conquered the entire known world in four years. 00:14:27.460 --> 00:14:32.540 And then his kingdom split into four under four leaders. 00:14:32.800 --> 00:14:35.300 And in this prophecy, the third beast split. 00:14:35.420 --> 00:14:40.160 It has four heads, probably referencing a predictive prophecy of Alexander the Great's kingdom 00:14:40.160 --> 00:14:41.639 becoming four different kingdoms. 00:14:42.259 --> 00:14:47.519 And then lastly, nearly most people recognize that the third beast is this monster. 00:14:47.740 --> 00:14:48.840 It's not an animal at all. 00:14:48.940 --> 00:14:50.560 It's just this monstrous thing. 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:51.519 It's hideous. 00:14:51.639 --> 00:14:52.319 It's terrifying. 00:14:53.000 --> 00:14:56.639 It's listed in Revelation 13 as this composite beast. 00:14:56.779 --> 00:14:58.919 Same exact images from Daniel 7. 00:14:59.079 --> 00:15:01.559 And in Revelation 13, it's referencing Rome. 00:15:02.039 --> 00:15:04.039 And I think here it's also referencing Rome. 00:15:04.419 --> 00:15:05.759 The kingdom of iron. 00:15:06.059 --> 00:15:08.839 And in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, it was all about iron. 00:15:09.099 --> 00:15:11.199 Rome has been known as the kingdom of iron. 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:15.740 And here there's iron teeth in the mouth of this monstrous beast. 00:15:16.160 --> 00:15:17.920 I think that's the old school grill. 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:19.780 I think we call that a grill, iron teeth. 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:22.160 But Rome had it. 00:15:24.640 --> 00:15:28.160 Let me just say this, because we don't have a lot of time today. 00:15:28.259 --> 00:15:30.700 But to say this is predictive prophecy. 00:15:32.460 --> 00:15:36.800 And in a later sermon, we'll look at predictive prophecy a little bit more. 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:43.839 But I want to say to anybody in the room who's not a believer, who's coming today, curious about the faith or exploring, that this will seem very strange. 00:15:43.899 --> 00:15:44.339 I know that. 00:15:45.179 --> 00:15:58.339 But I do challenge you to go look at the predictive prophecy in the Bible and how many times very specific language has been very specifically fulfilled in world history, especially in Jesus. 00:15:59.079 --> 00:16:04.159 And it makes a very compelling case that the Bible is an authentic authority that comes from God. 00:16:04.259 --> 00:16:05.159 Humans couldn't do that. 00:16:05.159 --> 00:16:08.100 But because it comes from God, the Bible can do that. 00:16:08.259 --> 00:16:09.100 This does happen. 00:16:09.459 --> 00:16:10.620 But what does this mean for us? 00:16:10.719 --> 00:16:11.600 Let's take this to heart. 00:16:12.899 --> 00:16:19.539 Instead of looking at every one of the images very specifically, instead, let's take the broad notion of the beasts altogether. 00:16:20.259 --> 00:16:21.079 These are empires. 00:16:21.259 --> 00:16:21.879 These are kings. 00:16:22.100 --> 00:16:26.899 What is Daniel saying and God saying through this dream to the saints, to God's people? 00:16:27.339 --> 00:16:31.659 And I think one or two things, and this is a number one, people of God. 00:16:31.659 --> 00:16:33.860 But this is the cycle of history. 00:16:34.419 --> 00:16:39.500 And the cycle of history is that nations and empires and kingdoms tend to eventually become beastly. 00:16:40.419 --> 00:16:41.679 They tend that way. 00:16:41.740 --> 00:16:44.000 They come and go, and eventually they become beastly. 00:16:44.719 --> 00:16:53.259 And God's people tend throughout world history over and over again to become a minority people wherever they are in this world. 00:16:53.259 --> 00:16:58.659 And I think God is coming to say to us, you don't have cultural power. 00:16:58.779 --> 00:16:59.860 We don't have cultural power. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:00.919 Don't expect to. 00:17:02.059 --> 00:17:03.860 This is the cycle of world history. 00:17:04.039 --> 00:17:05.440 It is the nature of the kingdoms. 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:13.519 When kings, men take charge of lands, they tend to move more and more towards power, hunger, and beastliness. 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:18.019 And to suppress God's people as a minority in any kingdom. 00:17:19.019 --> 00:17:24.759 And that means that, I think, secondly, he's calling us to say, believers in the minority as we are. 00:17:25.120 --> 00:17:27.960 The world is not a nice place in many ways, and we know that. 00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:29.779 And it never will be. 00:17:29.779 --> 00:17:38.000 There's so much good, but yet so much hurt and so much pain and so much bad government across the world. 00:17:38.119 --> 00:17:42.759 And it's always going to be that way until, and we're coming to the until in a moment. 00:17:43.480 --> 00:17:47.920 And that means we cannot depend upon the next great leader to bring utopia, 00:17:48.119 --> 00:17:51.700 and we cannot get too much stock into the next political office. 00:17:53.019 --> 00:17:56.039 And instead, you know, when I was reading Calvin on this passage, and he said, 00:17:56.039 --> 00:17:58.839 what I learned from this is the world is a troubled sea. 00:17:59.779 --> 00:18:01.099 And that's exactly right. 00:18:01.819 --> 00:18:09.019 More Christian martyrs, two-thirds, the suggestions are two-thirds of all Christian martyrs have become martyrs in the 20th century, 00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:10.859 in all of world history. 00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:16.740 The modern nations created the bloodiest hundred years we've ever had, right? 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:19.059 The cycle of the beast continues. 00:18:19.879 --> 00:18:25.819 And lastly, on this point, that means that as we can't get our hearts pulled in too much 00:18:25.819 --> 00:18:28.839 by caring about who the next leader is going to be, 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:32.679 I think what this dream is saying is get a bigger picture. 00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:38.799 God is saying, it is my plan that you believers would enter into a space without cultural power. 00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:40.339 And think about Daniel. 00:18:40.460 --> 00:18:43.099 You know, Daniel was there, and he could say, 00:18:43.460 --> 00:18:48.179 I know I don't have very much cultural power, but I will serve Babylon because God has put me here. 00:18:48.180 --> 00:18:50.700 And, you know, then they were wiped out. 00:18:50.840 --> 00:18:52.779 And then he said, now Persia's here, and I'm going to serve Persia. 00:18:53.580 --> 00:18:56.500 And God has called us here, and God has put us here. 00:18:56.519 --> 00:18:59.000 It's the same message that's always been in the book of Daniel. 00:18:59.340 --> 00:19:02.080 And he's saying you've got to have a big perspective, a biblical view of history, 00:19:02.080 --> 00:19:05.200 that even if it feels like everything's lost and we're losing, 00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:07.900 God is doing something in the cycle of history. 00:19:08.700 --> 00:19:11.840 Secondly, the little horn, the second image. 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:15.179 So in verse 7 and 8, we learn about this little horn. 00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:19.539 So in the fourth beast, Rome, there's ten horns. 00:19:20.039 --> 00:19:23.519 And that ten horns probably means something like a cycle of evil kings. 00:19:23.699 --> 00:19:25.000 It can mean lots of different things. 00:19:25.299 --> 00:19:26.959 But in the midst of it, there's a little horn. 00:19:27.319 --> 00:19:30.980 And though it's little, it has the most power and is the most oppressive. 00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:36.459 Verse 25 says the little horn wears out the saints, crushes the saints. 00:19:36.899 --> 00:19:39.399 So a lot of people have come to this and made charts. 00:19:39.400 --> 00:19:45.080 You know, you come to a little horn and you start building your end of times charts and things like that. 00:19:45.400 --> 00:19:46.259 Don't ever do that. 00:19:46.360 --> 00:19:47.220 That's not a good move. 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:49.519 We don't know exactly what the little horn is. 00:19:49.580 --> 00:19:49.940 We don't. 00:19:50.040 --> 00:19:50.720 That's not the point. 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:54.759 The point is probably, I think, there's been lots of little horns throughout world history. 00:19:55.300 --> 00:20:01.140 The New Testament calls it antichrist, those who especially want to stand against the God of the gospel. 00:20:01.800 --> 00:20:05.840 And there are Old Testament little horns and New Testament little horns, and there will be more, I think. 00:20:05.839 --> 00:20:12.619 One of those that's very probably being thought of here as predictive prophecy is a guy named Antiochus Epiphanes. 00:20:13.059 --> 00:20:19.119 Antiochus Epiphanes followed Alexander the Great, and he took over the area that we know as Israel, Jerusalem. 00:20:19.859 --> 00:20:27.439 And he, in the late 2nd century, went into the temple in Jerusalem, and he turned it into a temple of Zeus. 00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:36.880 And he brought in pigs to worship to desecrate the space because that was non-kosher for Judaism. 00:20:37.539 --> 00:20:42.259 And he made worshiping the God of the Old Testament, the God of the Bible, illegal for three years. 00:20:42.940 --> 00:20:50.440 And in verse 25, it refers to the little horn coming and really wearing out God's people for a time, a time, and a half a time. 00:20:50.680 --> 00:20:51.400 Three periods. 00:20:51.400 --> 00:20:57.300 And so most biblical scholars think that that's at least one reference to Antiochus Epiphanes who would come. 00:20:57.360 --> 00:20:59.800 But there's been many other little horns throughout world history. 00:21:00.200 --> 00:21:01.019 Now, what's the point? 00:21:01.120 --> 00:21:01.720 Well, here's the point. 00:21:01.820 --> 00:21:08.380 Verse 9, all of a sudden, in the midst of this little horn language, this great oppressor, it says, 00:21:08.380 --> 00:21:13.100 And behold, meanwhile, I saw the Ancient of Days. 00:21:14.020 --> 00:21:22.020 And the Ancient of Days is silver-haired, and he sits on a chariot of fire with wheels, and he moves on the clouds of heaven. 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:26.460 And this is an image of the judgment seat of the living God. 00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:32.480 And it's sort of like it interrupts the dream and says, yeah, the little horn's really bad, and there's going to be lots of them. 00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:38.940 And God's people will be a minority in lots of places for many centuries, but you've got to get a bigger picture and a bigger vision. 00:21:39.099 --> 00:21:40.500 Open, pull the curtain back. 00:21:41.299 --> 00:21:42.380 See the invisible realm. 00:21:43.160 --> 00:21:50.740 In other words, we're being asked as Christians to deny our practical materialism and our practical atheism where we don't really believe there's an invisible realm. 00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:53.740 And he's saying, see the Ancient of Days. 00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:55.740 The silver hair is not an image of frailty. 00:21:55.900 --> 00:21:57.099 It's an image of strength. 00:21:57.200 --> 00:21:59.960 He is before all time and beyond all time. 00:22:00.019 --> 00:22:00.980 He is the Ancient of Days. 00:22:00.980 --> 00:22:05.339 It reminds me of that image of Tom Bombadil in The Fellowship of the Ring. 00:22:05.660 --> 00:22:16.099 Now, if you've only watched the movies of The Lord of the Rings, you don't know about Tom Bombadil because that was one of the great cinematic mistakes of all of movie history, to miss Tom Bombadil in The Fellowship of the Ring. 00:22:16.279 --> 00:22:21.740 But the hobbits, they're trying to defeat Sauron, and this guy is destroying the world. 00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:27.039 And Tom is this elderly man who is just ho-hum about it. 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:31.059 And he's just kind of apart from all that's happening, all the problems. 00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:34.519 And he has wisdom and counsel, and he brings peace to their hearts. 00:22:34.879 --> 00:22:40.079 But he sort of tells them, I am before all this, and I'll be after all this, and it's all going to be okay. 00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:42.920 And boy, Tom's great, but he's not the Ancient of Days. 00:22:42.980 --> 00:22:48.539 The Ancient of Days, he is God before all time, beyond all time, immortal, invisible, God only wise. 00:22:48.539 --> 00:22:58.420 And it's calling us here to see that you really do as a believer, especially when you're feeling at the most down about the state of your life or the state of culture, 00:22:58.759 --> 00:23:03.859 to pull back the curtain and say, the Ancient of Days is doing well. 00:23:04.359 --> 00:23:05.279 He's on his throne. 00:23:05.539 --> 00:23:06.139 He's got it. 00:23:06.680 --> 00:23:07.500 We're okay. 00:23:07.899 --> 00:23:08.500 That's the vision. 00:23:08.599 --> 00:23:10.279 It's to the saints in that way. 00:23:10.279 --> 00:23:14.740 There's a little literary sandwich that takes place here. 00:23:16.099 --> 00:23:20.339 And you've got the introduction of the little horn, verse 8. 00:23:20.879 --> 00:23:22.920 You've got the Ancient of Days, verse 9 and 10. 00:23:23.299 --> 00:23:27.200 You've got the destruction of all the beasts, verse 11 and 12, in the little horn. 00:23:27.399 --> 00:23:30.139 And then you've got the Son of Man, and it's all in poetry. 00:23:30.599 --> 00:23:38.480 And you see that the destruction of the little horn and the beast are in a literary sandwich between the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man. 00:23:38.920 --> 00:23:40.119 And that's telling you something. 00:23:40.119 --> 00:23:43.279 It's telling you that the little horn is little. 00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:45.439 Why does it call it the little horn? 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:47.459 You know, he's sandwiched. 00:23:47.459 --> 00:23:53.279 His destruction is sandwiched between the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man and saying, you know, he's basically Lord Farquaad. 00:23:53.339 --> 00:24:00.799 He thinks he's very great, but the little horn is going to come and be—the Ancient of Days is ruling the land. 00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:01.979 And we're okay. 00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:04.279 That's the point of the vision here. 00:24:05.799 --> 00:24:09.379 It's so easy to feel overwhelmed by cultural losses. 00:24:10.119 --> 00:24:21.119 It's so easy to feel like when you're the only one who believes in the supernatural realm and the place you work or wherever God has put you in our city, that things are not going well. 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:25.119 And this is saying, get beyond your practical materialism. 00:24:25.719 --> 00:24:26.239 Get perspective. 00:24:26.359 --> 00:24:27.159 Pull the curtain back. 00:24:27.539 --> 00:24:28.359 The invisible realm. 00:24:28.500 --> 00:24:30.019 God is doing what He wants to do. 00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:38.179 And He has actually put us into the situation we're in for a reason, that we would give ourselves away, that the city would be better for us having been here. 00:24:38.180 --> 00:24:48.799 And for us to feel the minority report, to be changed by it, to be changed in the call that we have to actually give our lives away. 00:24:49.480 --> 00:24:51.519 And we may not always feel the victories. 00:24:54.220 --> 00:24:57.759 Thirdly, finally, the cloud rider, the Son of Man. 00:24:57.759 --> 00:25:04.000 The Ancient of Days, the little horn, and then it's followed by this image of the Son of Man. 00:25:04.460 --> 00:25:06.559 So you see it down in verse 13. 00:25:06.680 --> 00:25:13.980 I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one, a cloud rider, as I've titled it, like a son of man. 00:25:14.500 --> 00:25:16.279 And he came to the Ancient of Days. 00:25:16.279 --> 00:25:25.099 Now, Daniel has a vision, and he sees not just the Ancient of Days, but one like a son of man riding on the clouds. 00:25:25.379 --> 00:25:27.500 He sees two enthroned in heaven. 00:25:27.899 --> 00:25:33.460 This is the beginning, one of the many places in the Old Testament, to begin developing a doctrine of the Trinity. 00:25:34.759 --> 00:25:36.960 The Trinity is in the Old Testament as much as the New. 00:25:37.039 --> 00:25:39.039 And here we see not one, but two. 00:25:39.139 --> 00:25:41.359 And we could talk about other places where we see three. 00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:44.000 I won't develop that today. 00:25:44.139 --> 00:25:45.879 But here's the beginning point of that. 00:25:46.279 --> 00:25:48.119 But instead, here's the Son of Man. 00:25:48.359 --> 00:25:52.220 And the word for man in Hebrew and in Aramaic is the same. 00:25:52.980 --> 00:25:54.420 And it's a word we all know. 00:25:54.539 --> 00:25:56.180 And it's the word Adam, Adam. 00:25:56.799 --> 00:26:03.899 So this says, here comes one like a son of Adam to take the throne next to the Ancient of Days. 00:26:04.879 --> 00:26:10.839 So no matter what you date this book like, you know, there are those who come and date this in the 6th century, which I think is correct. 00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:15.619 There are some who come later and say, well, these prophecies seem so precise that it must be after. 00:26:15.619 --> 00:26:18.479 After some of them took place, like Greece came and Rome came. 00:26:18.899 --> 00:26:26.439 But even if you take that view, which I think is very wrong, you have to say that this vision comes before the 1st century A.D. 00:26:26.440 --> 00:26:31.440 And what we have here is one like a son of Adam taking the throne. 00:26:31.580 --> 00:26:32.100 What does that mean? 00:26:32.220 --> 00:26:36.340 One that looked to Daniel like a human taking the throne. 00:26:36.440 --> 00:26:41.279 One that looks in the Old Testament like a human taking the throne next to the Ancient of Days. 00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:56.000 Now, that means that here what we have is a contrast being given between a great human ruler, a king, a truly human ruler, and the humans who have tried to rule the world but have always become beasts. 00:26:56.000 --> 00:26:56.799 You see? 00:26:57.339 --> 00:27:03.500 Saying every time a human gets absolute power in this world, becomes a great king, they tend toward beastliness. 00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:11.440 But there is one king who is like a human who is not a beast at all, a true human, truly human, who will take the throne. 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:12.500 That's the vision. 00:27:13.339 --> 00:27:19.339 Now, Jesus Christ in the Gospels, as we conclude, never calls himself Christ. 00:27:19.339 --> 00:27:24.500 So we say Jesus Christ, Christos, that word means Messiah, anointed one. 00:27:24.779 --> 00:27:29.099 Jesus never uses that word for himself in the Gospels, though it's very true. 00:27:29.720 --> 00:27:42.879 Instead, over 50 times across the four Gospels, Jesus only chooses one designation, one title for himself, over 50 times, and it is the word, the Son of Man. 00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:50.780 Jesus quotes Daniel 7 over 50 times, the Gospels do, to designate who Jesus is. 00:27:50.860 --> 00:27:52.600 This is his favorite thing to say about himself. 00:27:53.380 --> 00:27:55.820 And it is the very phrase that got him killed. 00:27:56.460 --> 00:28:06.340 So in Matthew chapter 26, he was dragged, Jesus Christ was dragged before Caiaphas, the high priest, and Caiaphas wanted to execute Jesus illegally for blasphemy. 00:28:07.000 --> 00:28:08.140 And here's what Caiaphas said, 00:28:08.900 --> 00:28:10.340 Are you the Son of God? 00:28:10.339 --> 00:28:11.959 And Jesus said, 00:28:12.779 --> 00:28:21.859 You have said it, but from this moment you will see the Son of Man seated on the throne and coming with the clouds. 00:28:22.699 --> 00:28:23.639 What is he quoting from? 00:28:24.199 --> 00:28:24.939 Daniel 7. 00:28:26.179 --> 00:28:27.119 Jesus said, 00:28:27.299 --> 00:28:28.980 I am the Son of Man of Daniel 7. 00:28:29.980 --> 00:28:32.819 And what he was saying to Caiaphas is, 00:28:33.259 --> 00:28:38.179 The moment you condemn me unto death is the moment you enthrone me in the heavens. 00:28:38.180 --> 00:28:40.480 The moment you cast me down, 00:28:40.580 --> 00:28:41.660 The moment the beast, 00:28:41.720 --> 00:28:43.039 Who is the little horn in that moment? 00:28:43.140 --> 00:28:43.860 It is Caiaphas. 00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:46.080 The moment the little horn, the beast, 00:28:46.380 --> 00:28:48.259 Tries to cast down the true man, 00:28:48.340 --> 00:28:49.019 The true human, 00:28:49.460 --> 00:28:50.180 The Son of Man, 00:28:50.460 --> 00:28:52.640 Is the very moment his victory becomes so sure. 00:28:53.640 --> 00:28:55.200 And we're being taught here that, 00:28:55.259 --> 00:28:55.480 You know, 00:28:55.560 --> 00:28:58.480 The beastly kingdoms of this world seek power by killing. 00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:02.539 Jesus Christ came and he conquered the ultimate beast. 00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:04.399 Friends, we've got, 00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:05.319 We've been, 00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:06.559 The whole book of Daniel has been saying, 00:29:06.659 --> 00:29:08.019 We've got beastliness in us. 00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:09.399 We've got self-centeredness. 00:29:09.460 --> 00:29:10.079 We've got pride. 00:29:10.220 --> 00:29:10.619 If we, 00:29:10.759 --> 00:29:11.220 Any of us, 00:29:11.399 --> 00:29:13.059 Are given absolute power, 00:29:13.399 --> 00:29:14.460 We would tend that way. 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:20.480 And this passage is coming to prophesy to us that Jesus Christ, 00:29:21.879 --> 00:29:22.920 Unlike the beast, 00:29:23.019 --> 00:29:26.879 Jesus Christ was condemned by the ultimate beast so that he might destroy it. 00:29:27.680 --> 00:29:31.520 Jesus Christ was judged by the beast so that he might overcome it. 00:29:31.880 --> 00:29:32.660 The beast in us, 00:29:32.740 --> 00:29:33.460 The beast in history, 00:29:33.560 --> 00:29:34.760 The beast in all world governments, 00:29:35.280 --> 00:29:37.520 That he took our place at the cross, 00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:38.980 Dying for our beastliness, 00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:40.260 To overcome it, 00:29:40.680 --> 00:29:41.360 To forgive it, 00:29:41.420 --> 00:29:42.520 To set it on a new path, 00:29:42.660 --> 00:29:44.180 To reinstate true, 00:29:44.420 --> 00:29:45.140 Full humanity. 00:29:45.400 --> 00:29:45.600 You see, 00:29:45.960 --> 00:29:48.540 He's saying that when you come along with me, 00:29:48.600 --> 00:29:49.680 You're united to me, 00:29:49.680 --> 00:29:52.300 I will teach you what it means to be fully human. 00:29:52.940 --> 00:29:56.320 To deny the beastliness that's at the core of our self-centeredness. 00:29:56.319 --> 00:29:59.839 And at the self-centeredness of all of our, 00:29:59.980 --> 00:30:00.639 Ultimately, 00:30:00.740 --> 00:30:01.179 Our governments. 00:30:01.519 --> 00:30:02.720 And that's in all of us. 00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:06.480 And Jesus comes to show us what the fullness of humanity means through grace. 00:30:07.599 --> 00:30:08.419 This passage, 00:30:08.519 --> 00:30:09.259 I'll finish with this, 00:30:09.339 --> 00:30:14.619 Is really an invitation to see that union with Christ is the heartbeat of salvation. 00:30:14.839 --> 00:30:16.339 So it's saying that as Jesus, 00:30:16.500 --> 00:30:17.319 The true human, 00:30:17.439 --> 00:30:19.819 Goes to the cross because of our beastliness, 00:30:20.119 --> 00:30:21.200 When you follow him, 00:30:21.259 --> 00:30:22.299 When you say yes to him, 00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:23.700 When you give your life away to him, 00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:25.599 When you put him at the center of your life, 00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:28.719 You are united to the fullness of what humanity is. 00:30:29.059 --> 00:30:31.039 And then you can start walking in that direction. 00:30:31.279 --> 00:30:36.419 You can start denying the beastliness that's at your heart because you've received forgiveness and grace. 00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:38.359 And we know that's at the heartbeat of this passage. 00:30:38.500 --> 00:30:39.519 Because in verse 18, 00:30:39.899 --> 00:30:41.240 The very last verse we read, 00:30:41.679 --> 00:30:42.399 It says that, 00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:43.360 The saints, 00:30:43.740 --> 00:30:45.420 The believers of the Most High, 00:30:45.560 --> 00:30:46.080 The King, 00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:48.420 Will receive the kingdom too, 00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:52.780 And possess the kingdom forever and forever and forever. 00:30:52.920 --> 00:30:54.320 Three sequences. 00:30:55.100 --> 00:30:55.540 Everlasting. 00:30:56.000 --> 00:30:58.560 Meaning that when he comes, 00:30:58.780 --> 00:30:59.259 The Son of Man, 00:30:59.320 --> 00:30:59.860 When he's enthroned, 00:31:00.080 --> 00:31:01.200 You get everything he got. 00:31:01.800 --> 00:31:02.360 You follow him, 00:31:02.420 --> 00:31:03.540 You get everything he gets. 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:05.320 You too will inherit the land. 00:31:05.420 --> 00:31:05.840 You too. 00:31:05.839 --> 00:31:09.980 So when you're walking through a midst of a time without cultural power, 00:31:10.079 --> 00:31:11.159 And you're really feeling that, 00:31:11.659 --> 00:31:11.899 It's saying, 00:31:11.959 --> 00:31:12.039 Look, 00:31:12.099 --> 00:31:12.720 Don't you remember, 00:31:12.859 --> 00:31:14.519 Jesus Christ is going to renew the world, 00:31:14.639 --> 00:31:16.199 And you're going to inherit the land with him? 00:31:17.199 --> 00:31:18.299 You're a part of that. 00:31:19.079 --> 00:31:20.859 Pull back the curtain. 00:31:21.000 --> 00:31:21.879 See the invisible realm. 00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:22.240 No. 00:31:22.559 --> 00:31:23.419 The promise is, 00:31:23.859 --> 00:31:24.799 God is up to something. 00:31:24.859 --> 00:31:25.799 The cycle of history, 00:31:25.959 --> 00:31:26.740 It will cease. 00:31:27.099 --> 00:31:27.980 It will fall. 00:31:28.279 --> 00:31:29.099 Christ will win. 00:31:29.319 --> 00:31:30.240 He already has. 00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:32.480 C.S. Lewis, 00:31:32.660 --> 00:31:34.539 If you read history, 00:31:34.779 --> 00:31:36.559 You will find that Christians, 00:31:36.819 --> 00:31:37.099 Therefore, 00:31:37.460 --> 00:31:39.920 Who did the most for the present world, 00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:40.900 The present city, 00:31:41.279 --> 00:31:44.720 Were precisely those who thought the most about the next. 00:31:46.160 --> 00:31:46.660 Let us pray. 00:31:46.759 --> 00:31:46.940 Father, 00:31:47.079 --> 00:31:48.720 We pray that we would become those people 00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:51.240 Who think so much about the kingdom to come 00:31:51.240 --> 00:31:54.359 That we become like Daniel in the present land. 00:31:54.640 --> 00:31:56.000 And true servants, 00:31:56.220 --> 00:31:58.539 All because we're being reshaped by Jesus, 00:31:58.720 --> 00:31:59.720 The true human. 00:31:59.720 --> 00:32:00.440 And so, 00:32:00.519 --> 00:32:00.579 Lord, 00:32:00.640 --> 00:32:01.740 We confess our beastliness, 00:32:01.940 --> 00:32:02.600 Our sinfulness, 00:32:02.759 --> 00:32:03.539 Our self-centeredness. 00:32:04.579 --> 00:32:06.019 We seek renewal this morning. 00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:07.519 And we pray that as we sing, 00:32:07.660 --> 00:32:08.360 In Jesus' name, 00:32:08.680 --> 00:32:08.920 Amen.