The Ancient Of Days Takes His Throne

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