Heavenly Living in Hostage Times Daniel 7

Introduction

Tonight we have a large change in our study of Daniel. Many theologians believe Chapter 7 to be the most important chapter in Daniel. One called it the heart of the book. The great shift in our study moves from historical and narrative to visions. In other words, we move into what is referred to as apocalyptic literature, meaning “Revelation.”

What is different from Prophecy and Apocalyptic Literature?

Example: Jeremiah 11-prophecy. Direct communication from God. Told to tell the people what He says.

Apocalyptic Literature-prophetic, yes, not neccesarily to provide direct communication. Symbolic or allegorical in nature.

Why is important? You have a man of God, Daniel, that has proven to stand in the turmoil and all of the shift of leadership, fear for life in the lion’s den, friends in the fiery furnace, and offered counsel to his headers that experienced visions and God provided the answers for Daniel to convey to the powers that be. Daniel has earned the right in the power of God to not only offer wisdom in the here and now that he lived, but to offer prophetic guidance to offer encouragement and hope in the future.

The question could be asked, since most of this has happened, how do we make application of this section of the Bible? Because the prophecies have mostly come to past, we gain confidence in the hope of the promises of God as to what’s to come.

Let’s note tonight that what is recorded in Chapter 7 in the historical happened before chapter 5.

Let’s get into our text tonight.

Daniel 7:1–8 NKJV

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts. 2 Daniel spoke, saying, “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 from the sea, each different from the other. 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. 5 “And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’ 6 “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.

Life is Concerning

I will not reiterate tonight the man that Daniel was. We all know that Daniel was a man of God. He walked with God. As equipped as any man was as a follower of Yahweh God, He was human, He was carnal, He was a sinner and this life, let’s face it at times has its insecurities. Tonight, we will study a battle language.

Battle-192 times

Fight 111 times

We know that all through the Bible, if life is not a physical battle in some manner, there is a spiritual battle waging each and every day. Something or someone is jockeying against our peace. And we all know that Satan is behind every battle we face.

The time-549-555BC -1st year of Belshazzar King

Dreams-can be troubling. Dreams

Dreams-Webmd

Dreams

Medically Reviewed by Carol DerSarkissian, MD on November 05, 2021, Written by Hedy Marks Dreams can be entertaining, disturbing, or downright bizarre. We all dream, even if we don't remember it the next day. But why do we dream? And what do they mean, anyway?

Dreams are basically stories and images that our mind creates while we sleep. They can be vivid. They can make you feel happy, sad, or scared. And they may seem confusing or perfectly rational.

Nightmares

A nightmare is a bad dream. It’s common in both children and adults. Often, it happens because of:

Stress, conflict, and fear, Trauma, Emotional problems, Medication or drug use, Illness

If you have a certain nightmare over and over again, your subconscious may be trying to tell you something. Listen to it.

For those of us that are believers and we believe that the Holy Spirit lives inside of us, we should listen.

Daniel 7:1 “1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.”

What is important in apocalyptic literature is to not be so literal. He wrote down the main facts. Meaning his focus is on main points, concepts.

Consider something with me in the study of apocalyptic symbolism or language, metaphorical language.

Do we all agree that the personalities that God used to write the Bible shared by the Holy Spirit’s directions the information He wanted them to share, but their own personalities in writing is incorporated into the various letters and epistles, books, etc?

Superheroes of the 60’s and 70’s were Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Hulk, and maybe Wonder Woman.

Today-many have been rebirthed, but there is Ant-Man, Flash, Captain Marvel, Iron-Man

Our generation of creativity-cartoons-The Jetson’s, Scooby Doo, Captain Kangaroo

Today-Mickey Mouse’s Playhouse, Paw Patrol, Bluey

Why do I bring that up? The concepts, the imagery, the influences of the day affect our thought pattern.

Chaldean, Babylonian, we studied during the Exodus of recent all the pagan gods, we also know in our World History the study of Greek and Roman mythology

These scenes, these thoughts and happening affected the mind of Daniel. Imagery meant something in that day.

Life is Constant Change

V. 2

“The Four Winds”

Zechariah 2:6 “6 “Up, up! Flee from the land of the north,” says the Lord; “for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven,” says the Lord.”

Matthew 24:31 “31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

-relates to the all inclusive world-no one is overlooked. It relates to the fact that as in the example of Bob Goff’s lesson that you still have-

One bride asks God for no rain, the farmer asks for rain, but universally God is in control and knows what He’s doing.

Daniel sees the seas of the Mediterranean in chaos with winds blowing violently from all directions.

V. 3

Change comes from no where. There are many times we can not anticipate the change. We do not see it coming.

“and the four beasts came up from the sea”

The sea represents the unknown. Battles come at us from no where sometimes and we do not anticipate.

Daniel at best could have anticipated the first and remotely possible, the 2nd, but not the third or fourth beast.

I did not see the level of emotional disorder coming along in my family member. I did not see divorce. I was blind sighted. I could not believe Southern Homes & Gardens would close after 45 years.

Life has its uncertainties and as Christians, we need this to know that in the battles, God is victorious.

Interpretation Kingdoms

Daniel 7:17 “17 ‘Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth.”

V. 4 The Babylonian empire

Daniel 4:16 “16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man, Let him be given the heart of a beast, And let seven times pass over him.”

Daniel 4:34 “34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation.”

Notice something important in communicating this literature. Concepts.

Genesis 1:25 “25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.”

Deuteronomy 22:9–11 “9 “You shall not sow your vineyard with different kinds of seed, lest the yield of the seed which you have sown and the fruit of your vineyard be defiled. 10 “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. 11 “You shall not wear a garment of different sorts, such as wool and linen mixed together.”

The mix of the animals represents human power in its carnality operating outide the realm of God’s direction and will.

v. 4 primary prey

v. 5 Medes-Persian kingdom

v. 6 Greek Empire- leopard represents prey yes, but speed, wings, meaning covered territory quickly Andrew the Great. History of the Greek empire.

v. 7 The Roman Empire Interpreted in verse 24

Daniel 7:24 “24 The ten horns are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings.”