5-26-14. Daniel 7:1-28. AN INDESTRUCTIBLE KINGDOM – my devotional

Daniel 7:1-28.                                           Kevin E. Jesmer                                   5-26-14

 Key Verse: 7:14

“And to him 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 not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” (ESV)

      Dear Lord, please bless the International student picnic. Please help us to have great fellowship with each other. Though we come from different countries and some from other religions, help us to gather together as the brotherhood of mankind. May our Christian love shine forth to all people. Help us to listen, serve and pray and love others. May it be a time of joy and celebration. May “Jesus in us” attract others to the Gospel of salvation. Bless all those who are serving today. Grant them strength in the hot weather. Help us to all come out our comfort zones and make friendships with Internationals. I pray in the Lord of all nations, Jesus Christ. Amen!

Part 1: Four Beasts And A Son Of Man (1-14).

Verses 1-14, “In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. 2 Daniel declared, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3 And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. 4 The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it. 5 And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’ 6 After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things. 9 “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. 10 A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. 11“I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him 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 not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” (ESV)

In chapters 7-12 God gave Daniel apocalyptic visions of kingdoms. Four beasts parallel four worldly kingdoms in the statue vision (Ch.2): lion (Babylon), bear (Media-Persia), leopard (Greece), iron beast (Rome). God is the Ancient of Days with a blazing fiery throne, white clothing, white hair, and a river of fire from his throne. Millions attended and stood before him. The court was seated; books were opened (9-10). A son of man came on clouds and received all authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations worshiped him; his reign and kingdom are forever (13-14). This is Jesus the Messiah (Mt 24:30; 26:64). His kingdom is forever (Lk 1:32-33).

I am amazed that the Bible goes into such detail about the different kingdoms. The author also attributes animals to each kingdom in order to describe the kingdom. These animals are good metaphors and historically correct. I think that this is from the Lord. The iron beast, Rome, did not even raise its ugly head until after the Book of Daniel was written. This is pure prophecy from the Lord. We can trust the Bible. When the Bible talks about the coming kingdom of God we can trust that prophecy.

The kingdom after the Roman Empire is the little horn. “I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.” I am not even going to speculate what the little horn is. I bet there have been people guessing that it can be anything from the Antiochus, to Napoleon, to Hitler, to Communism. I think it could be Western Civilization with its Gospel-opposing philosophies of life that drag peoples’ hearts away from Christ. This little horn is speaking very loudly right now.

After the words of the small horn, there would come a day of judgment proceeded over by the Ancient Days. Look at verses 9-12, “9 As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. 10 A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. 11“I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.”  These other kingdoms were very powerful in a human sense. But they were violent and they perpetrated injustice on the world. They felt that they were invincible. But the truth is that none can escape the judgment seat of the Ancient of Days. 1 Corinthians 5:10 reads, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” This is the truth. There will be judgment and the only way to make it through the judgment is to be clothed in the righteousness of Jesus. This righteousness is provided by the Ancient of Days, by faith.

But there is a kingdom that will overtake all of the other kingdoms. This is the everlasting kingdom of God. Look at verses 13-14, “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him 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 not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” We are inheriting a kingdom that can never perish, spoil or fade. It is kept in heaven for us as a lasting rich reward. It is our inheritance give to us by the grace of God. All kingdoms fade away. Babylon, Persia, the Greeks, the Romans are all gone. One day American culture will be gone. The western world, as we know it will be gone. But there is only one kingdom that lasts forever, the kingdom of God. This is the kingdom that our hearts can dwell in, hope in and what we can invest our lives into. I thank God for the everlasting kingdom of God. My own kingdom is fading away. How long do I have in this world? At most 40-50 years. It may be 2 years. I must live for what is truly important, God’s Kingdom.

Part 2: The Holy People Of The Most High (15-28).

Verses 15-18, “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me. 16 I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. 17 ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’ 19 “Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, 20 and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. 21 As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom. 23 “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole, earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings. 25 He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. 26 But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end. 27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’ 28 “Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.” (ESV)

The four beasts were four kings or kingdoms that would not last. The holy people of the Most High will possess the kingdom forever and ever (18). But Satan will not let go of his hold on the nations so easily. There will be great persecution for the believers. Look at verse 21, “As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.”  And also look at verse 25, “He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.”   There will be death and suffering for God’s people. This happens in every generation. It is happening now. There is so much suffering in other lands. People are killed and imprisoned for their faith. No wonder Daniel was anxious and alarmed. Believers have had to endure some horrible things at the hands of an unbelieving world.

Though God’s holy people are temporarily defeated (21), the Ancient of Days will come and pronounce judgment in their favor (22,27). There will be ultimate victory for believers in verses 26-27, “But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end. 27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’” There is so much to be hopeful for. Jesus will come again and usher in the kingdom of God. People will be resurrected to eternal life in glory. I am looking forward to this.

Prayer: Most High God, eternal praises to you, for you reign forever, with your holy people!
One Word: His dominion is everlasting.