THE ANCIENT OF DAYS TAKES HIS THRONE (Outline)
November 16, 2008 --
END TIME 3 / SAINTS TRIUMPHANT --
Daniel 7:9,10
INTRO: The months of November and December bring many friends and family back to their homes for visits. There is a certain excitement and expectation as we anticipate these special visits from special visi-tors. This can be a time of rush, rush, and rush as we prepare our homes for the coming celebrations. Oh, but what a relief when we finally welcome our guests and they are all comfortably seated around the table. What a relief that everyone is able to enjoy all of our precious preparations.
Our lives are much the same as getting ready for expected company. We live in this world and often go from one place or project and rush on to another place or project. Our time here on earth is our time of grace. God gives to each of us the time and opportunity to grow in the wisdom and knowledge of salvation. This is our time of grace. We prepare ourselves for that divine eternity that is yet to come. We look forward to the time when Christ will return on the Last Day. "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him" (MATTHEW 25:31,32a). On these last Sundays in the church year we look ahead with excited preparation and joyful anticipation to the time that our Lord will return. We look at Daniel’s vision as it applies to our lives today.
THE ANCIENT OF DAYS TAKES HIS THRONE.
I. He shines with royal appearance.
II. He judges with royal authority.
I. THE ANCIENT OF DAYS SHINES WITH ROYAL APPEARANCE
A. Daniel chapter 7 concludes the vision that began describing four kingdoms that would arise.
1. These four were described as a lion, a bear, a leopard, and a terrifying beast.
2. These were kingdoms during Daniel’s time. Medes, Persians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Romans.
3. All of these kingdoms had come and gone. Each kingdom destroyed the other kingdoms.
B. God’s people had seen the power of these kingdoms come and go. They saw them rise and fall.
1. Still, God’s people were not destroyed. The only power that mattered was the Ancient of Days.
2. Verse 9a. The Ancient of Days takes his throne: a position of authority, honor, and respect.
C. Daniel next describes this Ancient of Days, verse 9b. White hair indicated age, which meant wisdom.
1. His clothing was white = righteousness and purity especially in comparison to sinful Israel.
2. Verse 9c. The throne confirmed his royal appearance. It was flaming and ablaze with fire.
a. None could approach without being consumed.
b. Wheels ablaze = much like a chariot.
c. Only a king would be seated on a throne / chariot when going into battle.
D. God used fire in a number of ways. One way fire was used was to cleanse. Another use for fire was for purging and destroying. Daniel gives a very fitting and accurate description of the last days. The fire of the Ancient of Days purges the wicked. "By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men"(2 PETER 3:7).
The ungodly will be punished for their choice or decision not to believe in the Ancient of Days.
E. Fire was also used to purify or cleanse. The law of God is a purifying force. The law of God brings to light our sins that condemn. The Law moves us to look for help. That help is the gospel of Jesus Christ that saves. The trials we face in this life result from sin. Trials are also purifying. "These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed"(1 PETER 1:7). Note that our faith, God’s gift of grace to us, is worth more than earthly wealth and does not perish like wealth.
F. We cannot cleanse or purify or save ourselves. True cleansing and forgiveness is from God and God alone. God, by his grace, makes us look up and we are saved. We are saved not by our good works, not by praying hard enough, and not by any other man-made idea or teaching. But God has given us his grace. Faith is a gift. "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy"(TITUS 3:4,5a). God’s mercy saves!
The royal appearance of the Ancient of Days reminds us of the mercy of our Savior once again
THE ANCIENT OF DAYS TAKES HIS THRONE.
The Ancient of Days shines with his royal appearance.
II. THE ANCIENT OF DAYS JUDGES WITH HIS ROYAL AUTHORITY
A. This Ancient of Days came in great strength. All the other kings slid into obscurity before this King.
1. All of the earthly kings and authorities had nothing compared to the power of the Ancient.
2. Just look at the power in his throne in verse 10a. “A river of fire” flowed from his throne.
3. Fire was very destructive at this time. There were no fire departments to stand against fire.
B. Verse 10b. All the believers were triumphant. Their numbers were beyond counting.
C. Everyone stood in the glory of God because the Ancient of Days takes away the sins of the world.
1. All were ready, seated. The books were opened, verse 10c. “Books” is an interesting word.
2. At this time many are familiar with scrolls rather than books. Daniel’s is a future vision.
D. We are familiar with books and not the scrolls so familiar to Biblical people. What books would the Ancient of Days open? What is in the book? The Lord speaks about the book of life. The Lord God, the Ancient of Days, opens the book of life. There with his royal authority the Ancient of Days notes those words that are written. In this book of life are names. These are the names of believers. "He who over-comes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels"(REVELATION 3:5). Think of that – your name is written in the book of life. The Lord Jesus brings this name before his Father. It is not blotted out!
E. The King of kings, the Ancient of Days, saves us. We are saved not by our own works and not by our own righteousness. Rather, we are saved in spite of our wicked works and our unrighteousness. The Ancient of Days does not treat us as our sins deserve. This is the royal authority of our Savior. Our Savior grants forgiveness rather than providing punishment for his children. The Lord God Almighty provides freedom to his family once held in the grip of sin. Our gracious God does all of this for us simply because we belong to the family of God. "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise" (GALATIANS 3:29). All believers are Abraham’s seed, heirs of eternal life!
F. All nations are blessed because of and through the fulfillment of all of God’s promise. Daniel describes for us the return of the Ancient of Days as the judge with royal authority. For believers this is not a frightening day. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth for unbelievers. God’s Judgment Day will come quickly and certainly. God’s blessing is that we do not depend on ourselves to be able to stand in God’s judgment. "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him "(HEBREWS 9:27,28). We are waiting.
CONC.: THE ANCIENT OF DAYS TAKES HIS THRONE. He will come on that Last Day with a royal appearance. His robe is the white robe of righteousness. He will come with royal authority. His throne is blazing with purifying fire of judgment. By his grace God has given us faith. By his grace we stand firm in our faith. "For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith"(1 JOHN 5:4). By grace we are given faith that is able to defeat Satan and all his temptations. By grace we are give faith to overcome death itself. Keep looking up with excitement and expectation. The Lord is coming. The Ancient of Days will take his throne. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
SERVICES: 1:00pm @ NCF Min.(Sat) / 12:00pm @ NCF Medium (Sun) / 9:30am @ Redeemer (Sun)
/ Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:05am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM
END TIME 3/SAINTS TRIUMPHANT:
ISAIAH 52:1-6, 16-23;
1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18;
MATTHEW 25:1-13;
(PSALM 84)
