Not-So Fantastic Beasts

Counterculture  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
0 ratings
· 4 views
Notes
Transcript

Introduction

In 1890 in Pasadena CA, a new tradition began on New Year’s Day
Horsedrawn carriages lined up on Colorado Blvd
Decorated with roses to celebrate one thing
While the rest of US was dead, California still had flowers blooming
This began the Tournament of Roses Parade
Nowadays, big motorized floats
They use any plant material - bark, seaweed, moss, rice, and of course, roses
In 2010 they used 18 million flowers for decoration
Many years I went with my friend Sean and slept on the street
By the time the parade starts, you’re exhausted!
But then it’s so beautiful!
As things go by, you see them in the order you were meant to
After you see it, you remember what you saw
But you have NO CLUE what you’re about to see next
For some it’s different though
Board of directors
See from a helicopter: everything at once
You determine what gets in, where in line, when to cancel
Special connection
If not for COVID, Mark’s son Jonathan won a contest for a float!
He would know when his float was coming
It’s the same thing for prophecy in Scripture
For humans, time is a parade going by - one thing at a time
For God, time is a bird’s-eye-view - everything at once
For prophets, special connection with inside info
That’s why we study Daniel and other prophecy
Some of Scripture has been fulfilled, some we are waiting
We will see a little of both today
Seeing God fulfill His word in the past...
Gives us hope He will do it again in the future
YouVersion: Not-So Fantastic Beasts
Not that the beasts aren’t amazing!
They’re just not based in fantasy
These are realistic beasts!
We’re going to piece together things from 3 prophecies!
Statue in Daniel 2
Beasts in Daniel 7
Ram and goat in Daniel 8
Chiastic Order: We’ve come all the way back
A-B-C-C-B-A
Chapt. 6 ended Daniel’s life story
Chapt. 7 begins prophecies and visions he had
Back to when Belshazzar was king
During Babylon, before Medo-Persia
Daniel 7:2–3 ESV
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.
This vision piggybacks on the vision we saw in chapt. 2
Neb’s dream with the statue
This one starts with four beasts rising out of the sea
The sea is probably the Mediterranean
Out come four large and ferocious beasts
Godzilla, King Kong, Mothra… Sorta...
Here’s what Daniel sees:
Daniel 7:4–6 ESV
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.
These represent the same kingdoms we saw before!
Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome!
We’ll see details we missed the first time

Babylon

If following along, it’s easy to see the first kingdom
Babylon - head of gold
Lion with eagles wings: two kings of their domain
Lions are kings of the earth
Eagles are kings of the sky
Both majestic and glorious
But the beast doesn’t stay that way
Wings are plucked, smashed into the ground
But it’s helped up and given the legs and mind of a man
He is helped back up, but much more humble this time
We already saw that happen to Neb in chapt. 4
He went crazy and lived like an ox, but was restored

Medo-Persia

Then the next empire comes along in the future
We saw them invade in chapt. 5
It’s the Medo-Persians
Represented by a bear!
Also arms and chest of silver and a ram
“Raised up on one side”
Remember last week, both Persians and Medes had kings
One king was always superior to the other!
Starts off with Medes, and Cyrus flipped it to Persians
That’s why the bear is raised on one side!
“Arise and devour much flesh!”
This was a violent and powerful empire
Remember last week? Flaying alive? Force-feeding milk and honey?
If not, listen to it online - it will disturb you!
Scripture doesn’t say what kind of 3 ribs
Baby back ribs? Spare ribs? A McRib from McDonalds...
No, they are Babylon, Egypt and Lydia
Then Daniel 8 - transfer of power from Medo-Persia to Greece
Daniel 8:3–4 ESV
3 I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. 4 I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.
Ram with 2 horns - Horns represent kings or kingdoms usually
1 horn is Media, other is Persia
What directions? West, north and south
From the Medo-Persians starting point:
West is Babylon, north is Lydia, South is Egypt
Oh wow! The three ribs!
So what happens to this ram?

Greece

Daniel 8:5–7 ESV
5 As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. 6 He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath. 7 I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power.
So a male goat comes in with one big horn
He comes in fast and tramples the ram
This goat is Greece! The horn is Alexander the Great!
Yeah but how do you know?
Daniel 8:20–21 ESV
20 As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king.
Oh, I guess that’s pretty clear...
So we have Greece - Belly/thighs of bronze, a goat, and a Leopard
Let’s go back to chapt. 7 and check out it’s beast
V.6 says it’s a leopard with four wings and four heads
Leopards are fast!
Probably faster with four wings!
Double the wings for the Lion of Babylon!
Remember, Alexander the Great conquered all of Medo-Persia in 12 years!
It took Medo-Persia 200 years to make their empire!
One guy, virtually same territory, 12 years! That’s FAST!
But his empire falls just as fast
Daniel 8:8 ESV
8 Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.
Notice this: 4 horns, 4 heads
Remember when Alexander dies they ask who should take over?
He said, “Tee Krat - tis - stoy” (tôi kratistôi)
Means, “To the strongest”
Alexander’s 4 generals fought and split up the empire
Daniel 8:22 ESV
22 As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power.
From here, Greece slowly started fading
But something happened first:
Daniel 8:9–14 ESV
9 Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. 10 It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. 11 It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. 12 And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” 14 And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”
This is a guy called “Antiochus IV”
Called himself “Antiochus Epiphanes”
Means “The Glorious”
Some called “Epimames”
Means “The Mad Man”
Erected an altar to Jupiter (AKA Zeus)
Sacrificed a pig on the altar
Destroyed all copies of Scripture
Maybe why we don’t have older copies of Daniel
Sold Jews into slavery
Started Maccabean (macka-be-in) revolt
Then Temple was restored and cleansed
They celebrate the Feast of Dedication
Also known as Chanukah
Making room for the next empire
Daniel 7:7 ESV
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.
Beast with iron teeth, also represented on the statue with iron
Of course, this is the famous and powerful empire of Rome

Rome

Interesting thing about Rome:
Notice 10 horns?
Remember chapter 2: the final kingdom was the feet
Scholars connect the 10 horns to the 10 toes of the feet
This is a transition to the final kingdom from the end of days
On the statue, the iron and clay is mixed
On the beast, they are distinguished by horns
Daniel 7:8 ESV
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.
And this mouth starts talking: this is the Antichrist!
The guy who, at the end, will own world domination
People will like him
He will have power
He will win by diplomacy
He will be full of himself
Oh he will love himself some Antichrist!
Like if Matthew McConaughey, Genghis Kahn, Betty White and Kanye West had a baby
And then we jump way to the future
Daniel 7:9–10 ESV
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.
This is the same scene in Revelation
Revelation 20:11–12 ESV
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.
Did you know you were in the Bible?
This is you right here!
Millions of people standing before God in judgement
Thousands of angels and millions of people
That day will come
It’s like a courtroom and the judge sits to look at evidence
The sad thing is there’s nothing really good about what we’ve done
For believers in Christ, He will blot out all the bad stuff we’ve done
We get to share in HIS righteousness
It’s quite a jump though right?
It goes from Rome, jumps to the Antichrist, jumps to the throne judgment
The throne judgement is more than 1,000 years after!
Daniel goes, “Wait, wait… let’s go back for a second...”
How did we get that far ahead?
Daniel 7:11–14 ESV
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. 13 “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.
Jesus will come and establish His earthly reign!
AFTER all the manmade kingdoms are done
The clouds of heaven - are discussed as Jesus’ second coming!
Mark 13:24–26 ESV
24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
Jesus said this while He was here - so it’s not His first coming
When He comes again, He establishes an earthly reign for 1,000 years
In Daniel 7:19 he says, “Okay, let’s go back to the 4th beast again...”
Something doesn’t seem to make sense
4th kingdom ended 1,500 years ago
Daniel 7:23–27 ESV
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.’
This is where we get the feet
There is a Roman remnant or revival
Maybe based in the Roman empire, maybe Italy, maybe the Vatican...
Ten nations, kings or leaders will rise
There will be three that grow, and one that grows even greater
This is our buddy the Antichrist
And we’ll stop there this morning

Let’s watch the Parade:

Babylon
Medo-Persia
Greece
Rome
Jesus comes to start the church
Rome falls, but will be revived at the end
From that remnant comes the Antichrist
After the tribulation is 1,000 year earthly reign
God judges the world

What About Us?

We’re in the in-between right now
We’ll talk about that next week
What’s the point right now?
THIS WORLD WILL END
MAN’S GOVERNMENT WILL END
JESUS’ GOVERNMENT WILL STAND FOREVER
YOU WILL FACE JUDGEMENT
Look to the past, was Daniel right about the first part?
YES!!!
From Daniel to the fall of Rome was roughly 1,000 years
Think about what you have to look forward to!
The ONLY hope you have is Jesus!
70x120 blocks
66x120
114x100 Short metal
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more