When was the last time you had a scary or troubling dream? Do you remember what was scary about it? When we study Daniel we find that it has several dreams and their interpretations. First we have the dream of Nebuchadnezzar with the huge image with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, torso of brass, legs of iron and feet and toes of iron and clay. Then we see a stone being cut out of the side of a mountain. But this stone is cut out without hands. The next thing you know this stone that was cut out without hands is hurtling through the air or rolling down a mountain or something, because it smashes into the huge image right at its feet. The image crumbles down, down, down and breaks in pieces until all the pieces are like chaff or dust that the wind blows away! Then the stone becomes a mountain that grows and grows until it fills the entire earth!
I am not making this up. It is right there in Daniel chapter 2.
Now doesn’t that sound just like a dream? Daniel goes on to tell the dream and give the interpretation of the dream to king Nebuchadnezzar. He tells him that God has given him a kingdom so that he rules over the earth as king of kings, and he, Nebuchadnezzar, is the head of gold. Then he tells the king that after him will come another kingdom, the silver one, and another, the brass, and another, the iron that breaks in pieces and bruises. Then finally, as the feet and toes were mixed with iron and clay, another kingdom will arise that is divided.
Ok. Now for you history buffs out there, these represent the kingdoms of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and finally Rome. These all rose and fell just as Daniel said. Now listen to what Daniel says about what happens next. Verse 44 is perhaps one of the most significant verses in this book. Listen to what it says about what will happen in the final days of the dream:
“And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to another people, but it shall break in pieces and shall consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”
When Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar what he had dreamed and its interpretation, Nebuchadnezzar was impressed with the wisdom and knowledge of God.
The book of Daniel continues through two of the most enduring stories in the Bible. We read in chapter 3 of Sadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s courageous refusal to worship the image Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Because they refused, they were cast into a fiery furnace as punishment, but God delivered them unharmed. Nebuchadnezzar was impressed with the power of God. In chapter 4 Nebuchadnezzar has another dream and this time Daniel tells him how God will humble him and break his pride. He will become like an animal in his mind and actions until he humbles himself and recognizes that God sets up rulers as he chooses. Nebuchadnezzar ends up praising the God of Israel as the one eternal most high God over all.
In fact, the first four chapters of Daniel have as part of a central theme, bringing Nebuchadnezzar to faith in God. It is all because of God’s witness to him through the faithfulness of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and the dreams God gave him.
Daniel was written while Israel was in exile. Interestingly, Daniel reveals that God was with his people even when they were not able to perform the temple worship and sacrifices required of them. As long as they walked humbly and faithfully before him, God continued to work among them and bless them. As far as we know Daniel never returned to his homeland.
Through the events, visions and dreams in the book of Daniel we see how God encouraged Israel and revealed to them that no matter how bad it gets in this world, God is not finished. He will eventually bring about the glorious rule of his heavenly kingdom and it will ultimately overcome all earthly kingdoms and rulers of this world. This message is for us too.
Let us turn our attention to chapter 7. This begins a series of dreams and visions of Daniel that are rarely studied in some churches, and wildly misinterpreted in others. God put this message in the Bible for us to learn from, not to ignore. So first, let’s just listen to it prayerfully. Let’s ask God to show us what he wants us to see as we look at his word here.
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, holy and majestic is your name. Father you are the all wise and all knowing God who rules the universe and who reveals your will through your word by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit. Open the eyes of our hearts and minds as we seek to humbly receive your words planted in us that can save us. O Lord, give us knowledge and understanding of your mysteries as you see fit to reveal them to us. Show us how high and wide and long and deep is the love of Christ and help us to walk in all your ways with the courage of faith like Daniel, and his three friends. Forgive us for our sins and may we be a forgiving people. For truly yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. In Jesus name, amen.
Listen to chapter 7:1-14 (read)
How are we doing? Did you get all that? Is this not exotic and foreign to what we are used to? Do any of you get the urge to just skip over it and go on to something else more familiar? I believe we need to resist that urge. We need to ask for God’s guidance and humble ourselves and listen. Besides, the next half of the chapter gives us the interpretation, so we are not left in the dark. In fact, it is summed up in two verses! Listen to 7:15-18. See it there in verses 17-18! Do you get the point? Who wins? The saints! But Daniel goes on to show that it’s not that easy. Listen to 7:19-28. Even the saints must endure before receiving the kingdom.
This message is consistent throughout the New Testament too. Listen to Acts 14: 21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."
Romans 8:17-18,
17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
2 Cor. 4:16-18,
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Thess. 1: 4 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.
5 This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.
6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,
8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
9 And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed-- for our testimony to you was believed.
The suffering of the saints is proof of our faith! James 1:2-4 tells us to count it joy when we face trials because of what they produce in us. And listen to 1 Peter 1: 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
Look at our Savior, Jesus! Did he not suffer? Did he not endure hardship and rejection? Are we not followers of the one who died on the cross? Did Jesus himself not tell us that we are to take up our cross daily and follow him? When Jesus faced those who put him to death, when the high priest rose among them and asked him point blank, “Are you the Messiah, the son of the blessed One?” Jesus answer was this: “I am, and you will see the son of man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming in the clouds of glory.”
Daniel saw the Son of man coming in the clouds who was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall never pass away, and his kingdom on that shall not be destroyed.
This is our king, Jesus the Christ, the Messiah. We who follow him are his chosen ones, his holy nation, his royal priesthood, the people belonging to God. That is who you and I are in Jesus Christ! That is who we become by his grace and adoption through the Holy Spirit when we trust him and are baptized in his name. May God open our eyes to see who He is and who his people are and may God strengthen us to face whatever powers earth or hell may ever array against us. Oh, Lord, let it be those powers that will blink first! When the judgment comes, as it surely will, and all the powers of earth and hell crash down into eternal damnation, and the dust finally settles, Oh, Lord we know it is your people who will be standing, rejoicing, enjoying your glory and presence throughout the eternal ages. Let us be faithful. Let us be willing to stand, and by the grace of God we will stand! No matter what!
