Sermon Tone Analysis

Daniel 7:1-28

 

The Importance of Literal Interpretation - Probably the most important issue in understanding prophecy is the question of whether it should be understood literally.

* One widespread assumption is that while ordinary Scripture can be interpreted in a literal manner prophetic portions of the Bible should be treated as a special case, with the literal or natural meaning no longer applying.

* It is true that prophecy sometimes is presented in a symbolic way, as in Daniel, Ezekiel, & Revelation.

* But often the Bible itself provides clues to what these symbols mean.

* For example, the ten horns in Daniel 7:7 are interpreted in verse 24 to mean ten kingdoms or kings.

* When this is understood, the passage's meaning becomes clear.

(We do not have to guess.)

* It is wrong to say that because symbols are included in Revelation, all the book should be taken symbolically.

* Many facts are to be accepted in their literal sense.

* The stars in the fourth trumpet judgement are literal, Revelation 8:12.

* Rev 8:12 The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night.

* But others are clearly symbolic.

* A star in Revelation 9:1 is personified as a person receiving a key.

* Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit.

* Symbols in the Bible are "word pictures" that present literal truths in a picturesque way.

* What is important that we let the Bible interpret itself.

* This is what we are going to do as we look at Daniel seven & the rest of the book of Daniel.

*1.

Daniel's Vision*

 

1 *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.

* The four winds of heaven?

The four winds of heaven?

* The phrase "four winds of heaven" is used in the Bible to mean all over the earth.