Daniel’s Dream
Notes
Transcript
Ring the bell!
There is more here than we can possibly cover and understand in the short time we have together. So instead of treating it like any other message, let this one drive your study time this week. Read over it again. Ask for understanding. Talk about it amongst yourselves. Write about in in your journal. Send your pastor a message later this week about what you find.
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.
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.
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.
15 “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.”
Vision of the four beasts
Representative of four world empires: Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman
In relation to chapter 2’s vision (WOW!)
there may be truth to the idea that the image with its glittering metals portrays the world’s kingdoms from humanity’s viewpoint—impressive and great, whereas the beasts depict these earthly kingdoms from God’s perspective—vicious and destructive
Time-wise, we see the vision of the four beasts cover all the time from Daniel to today. Really til an upcoming day. It is a widely held view among scholars this vision describes the antichrist as the final horn that comes up among the others. Whether the 10-horned part describes a literal ten-nation confederation like we see possible in the European Union or it is figurative of being totally dominating is up for debate. An important part for you and I to remember is the vision doesnt end there!
While this part of the vision is fresh on our minds, let’s consider the interpretation.
The saints role in the kingdom is given first and last, vv. 18 and 27! We will possess it, live and serve in it forever, even forever and ever. For all ages to come. Unto the age of the ages.
Then the understanding of the fourth beast and its horn with eyes and mouth. This horn is given characteristics that tell us it is intelligent and eloquent. Scheming and deceiving. It represents the antichrist. He will make war with, oppress and rule over the saints while it has power, until the Ancient of Days comes.
The Ancient of Days - The pre-existing creator God. Jesus identified Himself with the Father many times while on earth, my favorite was when He told the religious leaders “before Abraham was, I AM”. So for the thrones to be set and the Christ, the Son of Man to be given power fits and fulfills the story of scripture perfectly!
Daniel watched until the thrones were put in place. I wonder if this vision was ‘watching as time unfolded’. The description of what surrounded the thrones is meant to be mind-boggling. The number of those serving the Ancient of Days was the square of the largest number they had a word for.
The Books are Opened - cross-referenced to
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.
Judgement day for the antichrist will be swift and complete. He will have blasphemed God v. 25 and worn out the saints. His dominion will be taken away to be consumed and destroyed to the end. NASB says ‘taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever’. His destruction and the destruction of the entirety of the 4 kingdoms is described two ways. In Daniel 2 it was by the ‘stone cut by no human hand’ and here, ultimately, by fire. Both signify total destruction.
Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Judgment, God’s
In the days of the pioneers, when men saw that a prairie fire was coming, what would they do? Since not even the fastest of horses could outrun it, the pioneers took a match and burned the grass in a designated area around them. Then they would take their stand in the burned area and be safe from the threatening prairie fire. As the roar of the flames approached, they would not be afraid. Even as the ocean of fire surged around them there was no fear, because fire had already passed over the place where they stood.
When the judgment of God comes to sweep men and women into hell for eternity, there is one spot that is safe. Nearly two thousand years ago the wrath of God was poured on Calvary. There the Son of God took the wrath that should have fallen on us. Now, if we take our stand by the cross, we are safe for time and eternity.
Judgement day for the saints will be swift and complete. Of the books opened on judgement day, one will be the book of life. In it will be written all the names of those who received the gift of Jesus, salvation. The reward will be determined by what we did after salvation.
This vision lumps together two events appearing separately in Revelation: The Judgement Seat of Christ and the Great White Throne Judgement.
Judgement Seat of Christ - saints are rewarded
Great White Throne Judgement - sinners are condemned
How do you make sure you are present at one and not the other? The same way we prepare our hearts for the Lord’s Supper - repentance.
The psalmist, King David, wrote
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Would you make that your prayer today? Whether you are needing to receive salvation today, or are preparing your heart for the taking of the elements of the Lord’s Supper, ask Him to search you. To reveal what He finds in you. And to lead you to the everlasting way.
If you are have received Jesus gift of salvation, you are now invited to share communion with this body of believers. You dont have to be a member of this local church, but you do have to be a member of the body of Christ.
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”