It may seem to them that their defeat is certain and that their hopes of entering into the eternal kingdom are lost. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. This takes place until the Ancient of Days comes and judgment is given to the saints, at the time the eternal kingdom becomes their possession. Prophecy provides men the opportunity to think and act in a way which pleases God, who determines the future and who reveals future events to men. He distinguishes himself by his ability to overcome the whole earth, crushing it under foot. Just what this means is unclear, but it suggests this arrogant king not only speaks against God, but, like Satan, he aspires to change the order God has established. Students will learn that they can trust God in difficult times because in the end God wins the battle over the enemy of this world Satan. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:1352, [4]LaHaye, Tim and Hindson, Ed., editors, The Popular Bible Prophecy Commentary. In the first scene, heavenly winds are employed to whip up the sea from which the four beasts emerges. A revelation from God in his sleep discloses future events which Daniel finds most troubling. In the second scene, heaven calmly prepares for court, which will determine that the time for judgment has come. These will continue to be separate nations in the confederation but will come under the little horns control and authority. In addition to the beasts iron teeth, Daniel tells us that the beast had claws of bronze. When his appointed time is over, God will destroy this king and his kingdom and establish His eternal kingdom on the earth. Daniel 2 (the second chapter of the Book of Daniel) tells how Daniel related and interpreted a dream of Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon.In his night dream, the king saw a gigantic statue made of four metals, from its head of gold to its feet of mingled iron and clay; as he watched, a stone "not cut by human hands" destroyed the statue and became a mountain filling the whole world. While most of those in this kingdom may not have had a true conversion, at least they tolerated the Jewish faith as the religion of the state. This vision was an interactive vision, as Daniel was not only present in the vision but was able to approach one standing by to ask the meaning of what he saw. Daniel boiled down his vision to its essence, so we would not fail to understand the message he meant to convey to us. Four kings will establish four kingdoms, and some of these kingdoms have a number of kings. 4 The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. The horn continues to sound off while the court is being set up for judgment. In order to save Rose, Unity asks her to give up whatever makes her the dream vortex. At least the final portion of chapter 7 has not been fulfilled. Daniel said that his thoughts were greatly alarming him and his face grew pale. In those days, as in our own, there are always those are too quick to conclude that the kingdom of God has come (see Matthew 24:4, 6, 8, 24-28; 2 Thessalonians 2:1ff.). From an eternal perspective, the coming of Christ and His kingdom is but one coming. (8) Is there any relationship between Nebuchadnezzars dream in chapter 2 and Daniels dream in chapter 7? Daniel 2:26-49 Daniel was exiled to Babylon when he was still a teenager. Daniels response to the vision was far from assuring or calming. What role do they play in relation to the four beasts? The wicked will prosper and appear to get away with their opposition toward God and His saints. Nevertheless, Daniel tells no one, keeping the matter to himself and suffering a quiet agony over the future events God has revealed to him. This is describing an event that has never happened in the history of the world and is yet future. God grants this king success and his saints suffering, but only for an appointed time. Usually it refers to a person as a human being. Daniel obtaining some respite finds the dream. By far, this first beast is the best of a bad bunch. It is significant for us to note Daniels reaction to this revelation from God. 26 But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. The latter prophecy of Daniel 7 adds many more details than were revealed in chapter 2. Open your Bibles to Daniel 7. 9 I kept looking until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow, And the hair of His head like pure wool. These beasts, each different from the other, are described in verses 4-7. What God says, He will do. What so upset Daniel about the future? The words of verse 1 point to the relationship between the prophecy Daniel received and its historical setting and context. 7 And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. These horns are also kings, from whom kingdoms arise (verse 24). Two major divisions comprise our text: (1) Daniels dreamverses 1-14 and (2) the interpretationverses 15-28. Before the coming of Christ, who would? Jesus applied this text to them, not as those who would enter into His kingdom, but as those who would be judged at His return. The emphasis of this brief interpretation falls not on the enemies of God, their power, their brutality, nor their boasting, but on the kingdom of God, its certainty and its permanence for all the saints forever. We dare not ignore that which is revealed nor do we dare go too far afield in speculating about what is concealed (see Deuteronomy 29:29; 1 Timothy 1:4; 2 Timothy 2:23). 2 Daniel said, I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. Children need to know that as believers, we are on the winning team and God wins in the end. Other biblical prophecies bear on the prophecies of Daniel, particularly preceding or contemporary prophecies. His declaration, which resulted from the deliverance of the three Hebrews, made it unlawful to hinder the worship of the Jews; his decree recorded at the end of chapter 4 went much further. Nebuchadnezzar was the first ruler of Babylon to have contact with Daniel. This is consistent with God's propensity to use miracles to identify His messengers. But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come. (Daniel 7:1718, NASB95)[2] The four beasts that Daniel saw in his dream were four kings and represented the four kingdoms of these kings. From Daniel 2:4b to the end of chapter 7, the original text was written in Aramaic (the language of Babylon in that day). When they came in and stood before the king, 3 Choosing his words tactfully, Daniel asks Arioch why the king has made such a decree. The other prophecies were revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar and interpreted by Daniel. At the outset of the account of his vision, Daniel wants his reader to know the historical context in which this prophecy was given and to consider its interpretation and application in the light of that context. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, [6]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. Considering this text has changed my opinion about the gap in the prophecies of the Old Testament. The death of this king brings about the end of his kingdom. 12 and he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. 74 The personal cost of receiving divine revelation is never underestimated in the Old Testament (cf. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. As we move into the second half of Daniel 7 and begin to dissect Daniels dream with the help of Gods Word and the help of history past because some of this dream which was yet future for Daniel is past history for us. 13 I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.77 14 And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations, and men of every language Might serve Him. Valentina's bond with Sophie, Sid's reaching out to Jesse, and Charlie trying hard to bring Sid and Jesse back together so that the group can go back to being their normal selves and not be an awkward bunch of people not wanting to discuss actual problems. When the sin and oppression of evil men reaches a predetermined point, God will remove them and establish His promised eternal kingdom. But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. 10 If any one is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if any one kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. This designation refers to God the Father in a way that stresses His eternality, dignity, and power. This morning we want to look at verses 15-28 and the interpretation of Daniels dream. Prophecy is necessary then so that men are reassured of divine deliverance and blessing, as well as divine judgment (see 2 Peter 2:4-9). 81 See Ezekiel 29:21 for a similar use of the imagery of making a horn grow to describe a kings promotion to power. His thoughts alarm him, and his face pales. (7) Prophecy is revealed, not to give us the particulars of things to come, but to change our perspective. Daniel 2:1-13 - Nebuchadnezzar's Dream. Prophecy is not a pep rally, which generates a great burst of short-term enthusiasm but does little to inspire faith and endurance in the midst of suffering. As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. We are not told precisely what it is that troubles Daniel. Daniel was an intelligent young Jew living in Jerusalem during the late 600s B.C. The process of having a baby involves the pains of childbirth. Thus, the vision is yet unfulfilled in terms of its major emphasis. Consider these lessons as we conclude. Both the statue parts (made of different metals) and the beasts represent kings and kingdoms. He had endured the training of the Chaldeans and he had lived his life in the service of a foreign king, at first the foreign king who had overthrown his country. In his vision, Daniel observed the sea being stirred up into a raging storm by the four winds of heaven. This signifies that the events which follow have been ordained by God. The first of Daniel's four beasts is "like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle" ( Daniel 7:4 ). Those who populate the earth after the tribulation will give their allegiance to Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. As I stated two weeks ago the leopard was noted for its swiftness and the two pairs of wings suggests added swiftness beyond the animals own ability. Episode 5 of "How I Met Your Father" Season 2 tested the friendships of everyone in the group. 2 So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers [1]to tell him what he had dreamed. (1) The Book of Daniel is a part of the Holy Scriptures, and thus inspired, accurate, and trustworthy. So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. Passing over the first three beasts, his questions focus on the last beast. Two weeks ago, we quickly looked at the description of the beast that John sees in Revelation 13 and he described it as a composite of the first three beasts, the body of a leopard, the feet or paws of a bear, and the head and mouth of a lion. Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. When God granted Daniel the wisdom to interpret the king's dream, it launched Daniel's long career as a political leader, trusted adviser, and well-known prophet. As the wicked prosper in their sin, it seems as though they can continue in sin without any fear of divine judgment (see Psalm 73:1-11; 2 Peter 2:3-4). The Septuagint renders, "And the king commended that the magicians, astrologers, and sorcerers of the Chaldeans be brought in to tell the king his dream. 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them,81 and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. What God declares in prophecy, He reveals as well in history. He will abolish all the religious holidays and seek to abolish Gods law in an attempt to destroy the Jewish people. In verse 1 Daniel indicates his vision came to him in the first year of the reign of Belshazzar. The three and a half years referred to here in Daniel is the last half of the tribulation, also called the Great Tribulation and the Time of Jacobs Trouble. Daniel's prophecy was one of hope. Daniel's righteousness is legendary status Don't mistake Daniel as some conjurer of cheap tricks. It seems that three of the kings try to resist him and he overthrows them by force. Daniels vision ends here, but its impact on him does not end. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. Daniel went at once and obtained royal permission for more time, so that he could tell the king what the dream meant. As the beast continues to boast, a second scene commences in Daniels vision, and for a period of time both scenes run simultaneously. Remember he had seen the innumerable host of angels attending the Ancient of Days. That night his life and his kingdom came to an end. First, the prophecies of Daniel are divinely inspired and revealed, and thus they are true and reliable. Are we supposed to discover their identity? In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. After this chapter, the book returns to the Hebrew language. Chapter 7 reveals in broad terms what the future holds. Dwight Pentecost writes, The existence of the church in the present Age was nowhere revealed in the Old Testament. (11) What is the point of the vision? Daniel finds nothing to compare to it. The Son of Man was also Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8). Eugene, Ore. : Harvest House Publishers, 2006, [5]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. (1) It follows the narrative concerning Mishael, Hananiah and Azariah in the matter of Nebuchadnezzar's golden image (Daniel 3). This angel responded and gave Daniel understanding into his dream as he interpreted it for him. When mentioning the little horn that grew up and uprooted three of the first ten horns, Daniel now tells us that this little horn grew until it was larger in appearance then the remaining seven horns. The head of the statue was made of gold, the chest and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of bronze, and the legs and feet of iron and clay. Whether liberal or conservative, our conclusions grow out of the premises and presuppositions governing the process and the product of our interpretation. The use of the word time in Daniel is understood to be years. The implication here is that this is a repeated dream, one that is . In his vision, the statue collapsed and disappeared, because a mysterious stone struck it at its feet. a. (2) The prophecies of Daniel must be understood in relationship to and in light of the other prophecies of Daniel. Each beast has its own unique characteristics. It seems safe to assume the interpreter was an angelic being; at least this is the case in chapter 8 (8:15-26). Daniel's Dream is instantly appealing as you can reallyrelate to how Daniel is feeling. (1) Why does Daniel indicate the historical setting of the vision he receives in chapter 7? Before the kingdom of God is established on the earth, four earthly kingdoms will rise and fall. Daniel was terrified or alarmed by the scenes he had seen in his mind and desired to understand what they meant. Agreeing with God that they are sinners but believing that Jesus Christ death paid the penalty for their sin, that He was buried, and rose from the dead three days later triumphant over sin, Satan, and death forever. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these: The fourth portion of the statue in Daniel 2 is the iron legs and feet and toes of partly iron and partly baked clay which represented the Roman empire. Alexander the great and his armies did conquer the nations that became a part of his empire swiftly. God may choose to delay judgment on the wicked until their sin reaches full bloom; the possession of the land of Canaan would not happen in Abrahams lifetime, but more than 400 years later after the suffering of the people of God (see Genesis 15:12-17). Prophecy greatly benefits the Christian because it enables him to see things from the bigger and broader perspectivefrom Gods perspectiveso that when he suffers, he knows it is but a part of the process of getting to glory. This was when his life took a sharp turn. The distance in time of the fulfillment of Daniel 7 said something very important to the captive Jews of Daniels day. The last kingdom has at least eleven kings. Twice in chapter 7 Daniel speaks of his distress: As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me (verse 15). 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