Text: Daniel 7:1-28, Title: The Real King-Maker, Date/Place: NRBC, 2/14/10, PM
A. Opening illustration: tell the joke about the rabbi and the Pope—perspective
B. Background to passage: Daniel 7 is the first of several visions and prophecies that complete the balance of the book. It is very much the high point of the book with its visions of God and Christ. It is also the only chapter in these visions that is written in Aramaic, rather than Hebrew. So it forms an interesting link between the narrative chapters (also written in Aramaic, save chapter one), and the subsequent visions and chapters that are all written in Hebrew. However, it does go back in time to the time of Belshazzar, which is before chapter five. And also one can’t help but notice the similarities between this chapter and chapter two regarding Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, as well as with portions of Revelation.
C. Main thought: In this one vision, there are really three visions that are all related, connected, dependent, and intertwined with each other, and they are rather broad. We will renew our confidence in God’s plans.
A. View of Kingdoms (v. 1-8)
1. Many times in ancient literature and even in our world today animal symbols are used of countries. And so most people understand this to be much like the four parts of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream—four nations or kingdoms that will rise up and overtake what was currently the Babylonian empire. Other places in scripture, some of these kingdoms are spoken about with the same metaphors. They are probably the kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece (under Alexander the Great), and Rome. Notice that all the language used to speak of their authority is language of gifts and grantings, even of command and permission. The point of all this is to say that God is in charge of all power. He is one who lifts kings and kingdoms up or takes them down.
2. Daniel 2:21, 5:19, 21, John 19:11, Pro 21:1, Jer 27:5, Acts 17:26, Psalm 135:6, Eph 1:11, Ex 9:16
3. Illustration: Christian professor and scholar Robert Culver wrote: “God alone has sovereign rights. Democratic theory is no less unscriptural than divine right monarchy. By whatever means men come to positions of rulership” by dynastic descent, aristocratic family connection, plutocratic material resources, or by democratic election, "there is no power but of God" (Rom. 13:1). Furthermore, civil government is an instrument, not an end. Men are proximate ends, but only God is ultimate end. The state owns neither its citizens nor their properties, minds, bodies, or children. All of these belong to their Creator-God, who has never given to the state rights of eminent domain. What do we mean by this expression? We mean the supremacy of God, the kingship of God, the god-hood of God. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that God is God. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the Most High, doing according to His will in the army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, so that none can stay His hand or say unto Him what doest Thou? (Dan. 4:35). To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the Almighty, the Possessor of all power in Heaven and earth, so that none can defeat His counsels, thwart His purpose, or resist His will (Psa. 115:3). To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is "The Governor among the nations" (Psa. 22:28), setting up kingdoms, overthrowing empires, and determining the course of dynasties as pleaseth Him best. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the "Only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords" (1 Tim. 6:15). Such is the God of the Bible!
4. Men are impressed with Kingdoms and governments, God is not. He who speaks the world into existence is no more enamored by our best countries and governments, than we stand in awe of a week old McDonald’s cheeseburger. He who can palm the universe is not impressed by our abilities, our resources, or our wisdom. Know that all that happens has the approval or at least the permission of God. There are no accidents, mishaps, or slipups of the All-wise, All-just, All-knowing, Sovereign God! It is not like Obama can get the better of God. In fact, should God decide that He is no longer willing to keep Obama or any other world leader or government existing any longer, they would fly into chaos! And it is high time that we begin to put our trust in Him! We are not promised smooth sailing, in fact, I would argue the opposite. We are to expect trials, hardships, and suffering at the hands of others, and to think it not strange. And the reason we can suffer well is that we have an all-powerful, wise God who is superintending all things for His desired ends and purposes. Gotta read part II of the Piper quote from Sex and the Supremacy of Christ…p. 39-40
B. View of God and His Christ (v. 9-14)
1. In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, there was a stone not cut by human hands that came down and crushed the multi-layered statue, then grew up into a global mountain symbolizing the Kingdom of Christ. We don’t see the Stone here; that is by implication, Christ; but we have a vision of the real thing! This is definitely the high point of the entire book! Note the description of The Ancient of Days, the Judge of all the Earth taking His rightful place. Note the symbolism, His wisdom, His age, His Purity, His holiness, His all-consuming judgment spewing forth, along with millions and billions of heavenly hosts surrounding Him. Then He casts the defiant anti-Christ to death and hell to shut his blasphemies. Then the awesome view of the “Son of Man,” a title used of Jesus by Himself 81X. He comes and is given everlasting dominion that all nations should serve and worship Him! The Shekinah glory of God was His manifest presence of unapproachable light. And Daniel was afraid, like Isaiah, like Ezekiel, and like John the Revelator.
2. Rev 4:8-11, 5:9-13, Ex 33:20, 34:29, 40:35, Matt 19:26,
3. Illustration: “don’t just tell God about your problems, tell your problems about God,” Gotta read part I of the Piper quote from Sex and the Supremacy of Christ…p. 39-40, Ravenhill quote on p. 34, “the heaviest obligation upon the Christian Church today is to purify and elevate her concept of God until it is once more worthy of Him, and of her.” –Tozer, & p. 26 at the bottom of The Knowledge of the Holy,
4. In view of God and His blazing holiness, we will stand in awe! All of our difficult situations pale in comparison to our God! All of our doubts and fears all swallowed up in Him. All power in heaven and earth is given to Him. And He is pleased to wield it however He desires. There are no impossibilities with our God, no back up plans, no bad plans, no whimsical plans either. Our God is a consuming fire that will burn up all men in judgment, except for those covered in asbestos like coating of the righteousness of Christ. We must read the authors that have a high view of God. “Fire begets fire.” Our culture promotes a weak and powerless god groping around trying to accomplish a small amount of good in certain places. That is not the God of the Bible. This view of Him brings trembling to our hearts for our disobedience.
C. View of the Future (v. 15-28)
1. Daniel wants to know further about the vision that he has just seen, so he asks. The bottom line interpretation is given in vv. 17-18. All of these beasts are the kingdoms, and the saints will inherit the kingdom forever. You see kind of a circular deepening of the explanations, b/c he asks further about the 4th beast, and we get another bottom line kind of explanation in v. 22-23: this beast will make war against the saints, and the Ancient of Days came, judged the beast, and gave the kingdom to the saints. Then w/o further inquiry, it is explained in more detail how the beast would leave a path of destruction on the earth, persecute the saints, and oppress them for a time (probably 3.5 yrs, 1st half of trib). We are given a few more details about the reign and actions of the Anti-Christ (which is what I would interpret the beast to be). And again, court is seated, Ancient of Days and the Son of Man take away the dominion of the beast (note that the only reason that he had power in the beginning was because it was granted to him, this is well documented in the book of Revelation). And again, the kingdom is given to the saints, not as if this was the third time it is given, but this is the third mention of the one event, in more detail each successive time. And again, note that Daniel was afraid.
2. Rev 5:10, 2 Tim 2:12, 1 Cor 6:2-3, Luke 22:30, Acts 14:22, Rom 8:36, 1 Pet 4:12, Heb 10:34, 11:35, 12:2,
3. Illustration: Don’t Waste Your Cancer, Rachel Barker & Death is Not Dying site, “For my own part, I have never ceased to rejoice that God has appointed me to such an office. People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. . . . Is that a sacrifice which brings its own blest reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter? Away with the word in such a view, and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger, now and then, with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life, may make us pause, and cause the spirit to waver, and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us. I never made a sacrifice.” –David Livingstone, Dec 4, 1857 when asked about suffering in leaving the comforts of Britain.
4. Unrelated application: if you have questions, ask. All this was given to Daniel without the understanding of redemption through the Lamb slain. And it is intended to remind us of the great cosmic battle going on. Personally you are being sought out and attacked, but kingdomly there is a mighty battle going on. And you are in it whether you want to be or not. Most Christians are ignorant or indifferent to the battle, especially till it affects their personal life. So don’t be naïve about evil in our world and the battle ongoing. However, don’t view this struggle as that of a powerful God and an equally powerful Satan struggling for victory trying to see who will win. God only allows evil to prosper for a time in order that He may crush it with His wrath, further put on display His justice and power. Remember the devil is God’s devil. Also, note that the road to the kingdom includes suffering, oppression, and loss for believers. Some will lose houses and lands, some will lose physical abilities, some will lose churches and friends, some will lose life itself (hundreds of martyrs will lose life every week). Therefore, our responsibility is to suffer well. And fix our eyes beyond history and circumstances upon a world that will never fade away, never grow old, never die, never even get boring, never be unsatisfying, and is inhabited by the One that will never lose His glory or dominion. And this is the world that believers will rule and reign with Christ in. And Christ will satisfy and be sufficient for us in all His beauty and power. Cling to Him! Drink deeply in Him! Rest in Him! And glorify Him through loss and pain knowing that we have a better possession, and a more pleasurable Treasure than all the life has to offer.
A. Closing illustration: the message of Job front to back, and his quote, “though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” Job 13:15; history of brother Yun, and his comment about the atheistic communist government’s purpose in the advance of the church in China
B. Recap
C. Invitation to commitment
Additional Notes
• Is Christ Exalted, Magnified, Honored, and Glorified?
Quoting the English preacher John Daniel Jones: He lived from 1865-1942, this is from his sermon The Sovereignty of God
In our absorption in the thought of God as Father, we have almost lost sight of the fact that He is the Holy Sovereign, ruling the world in righteousness. The result has been that to a large extent, we have lost the sense of religious awe, of reverence, and of godly fear.
To make our religious life deep and strong we need to recover that lost sense of awe. We need to be taught afresh the fear of the Lord. And to recover that lost sense of awe, to create a feeling of reverence, we need a fresh vision of God as the Holy Sovereign. The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble. Why (should the nations tremble)? He is holy. We have only to realize that God is the Holy Sovereign, and the awe is bound to come back. The will that rules is a holy will. The power that governs is a holy power. All who sin bring themselves into collision with the sovereign will and power of the universe.
If the realization that a Holy God is sovereign fills us sinful men and women with awe and godly fear, that same realization of God as sovereign ought to fill those of us who love goodness and long for the triumph of Christ with a happy confidence.
Psalm 97:1 The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.
The destinies of the world are not, for instance, at the mercy of fleets and armies. The Lord reigns. To know that God rules – to realize His sovereignty – is to be delivered from fear and despair.
"The Lord reigns." This is the ground of our confidence in the triumph of the church. The church has not, in recent years, been in a triumphant frame of mind. She has been depressed, nervous, harassed, and anxious. She has been conscious of strained resources and inadequate powers. My brethren, what we want for a recovery of our courage and confidence is the recovery of our faith in the sovereignty of God.
Our lives get broken and harassed just because we forget that it is the Lord who reigns.
