Sermon Tone Analysis

Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

A few weeks after the virgin Mary, single expectant teenage Mom had her pregnancy explained in advance by the arch-angel, the commander of the heavenly armies Gabriel, whose name means warrior, she went to mull it over with her aged cousin Elizabeth.

And amid all the astounding miracles of the two of them pregnant and what it means for them personally, amid the wonder of John the Baptist kicking for joy in the womb when near the Messiah in the virgin Mary’s womb, amid the wonder of Elizabeth knowing that Mary was carrying in her womb the Lord the Saviour of the World - amid all that I will tell you what I find astounding.

Gabriel describes in our text in Luke that this child is going to be the Sn of the Most High who is alo the Son of Man in Daniel chapter 7, and Mary beyond what any of us get when considering the Manger in Bethlehem, she gets this - her Magnificat song of praise shared with Elizabeth isn’t just about how sweet and calm and wonderful that God visits us in Jesus and that is mercy - but look at the theme in Luke 1:52-53

And it is here that one of the most realistic and hopeful messages of Christmas should come to us too.

The Coming of Jesus is not just for our personal forgiveness, and salvation to go to heaven individualistically.

The people of Israel in Daniel’s time were persecuted and in great danger of being snuffed out, the people of Israel in Mary’s time also under unjust oppression, tossed between tyranny of pagan government's of Greece and then Rome.

And guess what the people of God, in our day, scattered among the nations, some nations better than others - but until the end and especially in the very end - all Christians will be misunderstood, persecuted, and in danger of being snuffed out.

And in each of these ages, a Christmas dream is given in Daniel 7 so that we like Mary would be able to look to this Son of God, who is the Son of Man for the right things.

I hope these three parts of Daniel’s dream - will fix in your heart tonight all that Jesus came to be and all that He will be doing until He comes again!

Key Truth: Christmas is the Son of God becoming human to cast down thrones and establish the everlasting kingdom for the humble.

Daniel’s dream begins with what we will call the dream of Christmas Past.

In this same vision, just before our text , Daniel saw 4 successive beasts coming up out of that what ?

v.3 the sea.

Do you remember what the sea represents in the ancient world - all the forces of chaos, of evil.

These four are not just a symbolic picture, with each animal standing for a mere nation.

Right?

If I asked you what is the animal symbol of America - eagle, Canada - beaver, of Russia - a bear.

Though the vision is of these beasts, and Daniel is told they represent both kings, and kingdoms, they are different than simple symbols of historic human kings and kingdoms.

Look at them they are mutants emerging out of the sea: i. lion - like Babylon - pride of Neb, but has eagle wings, - humbled by God like beast, wings plucked off, but able to rise again.

Then ii. the bear - but obtusely lifted on one side, with 3 ribs in mouth, Medo Persian - Cyrus, Darius; took over Lydia, Babylon, and Egypt.

But then faster than a speeding bullet this iii.

leopard with 4 wings of a bird, and four heads - Alexander the great and Greek Empire - 30 short years took over world - yes blessings in God’s providence, but Satanic little horn after broken into four kingdom Antioch Epiphanes IV desecrate temple - all shown and predicted in Daniel 8.

But then we get close to a climax - iv. the fourth beast hardly animal at all, sci-fi metallic - great iron teeth , beast with ten horns - different little horn.

What is the point of all this, here are the kingdom of the world just like Daniel 2 vision of statue - remember how that one ended - Rock not hewn by human hands comes rolling down - crushes all those kingdoms and sets up a kingdom grow like a mountain until it fills the earth with glorious everlasting kingdom.

A. Well here is the message of Christmas past, just like in Daniel’s Day and those days that stretched right up to Mary’s - there are kingdoms and thrones which affect each one of us - proud God-forgetting rulers, who trample God’s ways - and pursue power, wealth, pleasure.

Do you see them among us - look at our own government and see - desecration of ways of the Lord, celebration and protection of those who destroy.

Has there ever been a time when proud rulers don’t eventually go to war.

But what is it, that God wanted the people to see in this vision of the past, and wants us to see: even though this world and its kingdoms get played out on scenes of chaos with the unseen forces of darkness, suffering and evil behind them.

But though some people get stuck on the details of these kingdoms, this is not the focus!

Look up: Vv.9-10 for there above it all is the Ancient of Days, pictured as old with white hair sign of age and respect, .. pure brilliant white - holiness - not chaos in the sea - and look at this his throne, not just with fiery flames - but what’s underneath it?

WHEELS - now those wheels is what takes faith to believe and trust about God.

The throne of God’s reign, not just in heavens (he made, can’t contain him).

God’s reign is not just one part of heaven or on earth where things seem to be going alright, His throne is everywhere - and what’s by the throne of the immortal God - thousand, thouand , then thousands times ten thousandd - angelic hosts of servant warriors - and what else - there is the biggest book - what happened in Ottawa, at Queens park , the Tigra in Ethiopia, the new variant spreading from s Africa, events in your life and mine - person cut you off, your response… all the affairs of thi world - before God and open to him.

There are Christians who see the nations of the world and all the injustice, problems, but they don’t see the Ancient of Days and His throne his angels, and his books and don’t expect His judgments or deliverances through out history, but only in the very end.

They live by fear and overcome often by their anger and even hatred of the world.

B. But there is a message of Christmas present, and by present I mean for Mary 200 yeras ago, with the Son of God truly Coming to her in Human Form, and to Us and all Christians Since Then

Here are the words Gabriel specifically used to identify who exactly that baby in Mary, that miraculous Holy Spirit power conceived would be.

Of his kingdom thee will be no end.

Who is this speaking of in Daniel 7 ?

As the angel explains the vision to Daniel, he says this is the Kingdom of the Most High, and the saints of the most High will be given his everlasting kingdom.

Gabriel says the one in Mary’s womb is the Son of the Most High.

And Mary gets it , so that later in her song, she too describes the Christ’s kingdom as the kingdom described in Daniel 7.

So who did God want Daniel to see to show that even though the nations continue to rage, it is going to be alright and we don’t need to panic as if the craziness of the nations is not supposed to happen.

Daniel 7:13

Now that is fascinating - you look out in the world and the leaders are from the sea, spiritually chaotic mutants - inhumane, unnatural.

But finally, in this dream that started as nightmare - finally, a human figure.

As Calvin and other commentators explain it -he is one like the Son of Man while appearing to Daniel, because Daniel is seeing the very Son of God before he became incarnate, before He took on the nature and flesh of our humanity.

But God wants to show Daniel that the Son of God is going to become human - so He sees the Son of God with a human like appearance.

And why?

Because that title Son of Man and even Son of God , is the title that Adam was supposed to hold as sub-regent of all creation - together with Eve ruling to bring dominion to every sphere of life.

The Title Son of God - is also about being the heir of God the Father - reflecting Him, delighting in His plan.

But note that instead of riding the sea waves, He is riding on not just atmospheric clouds - but the very clouds of heaven, of God’s glory, the shekinakh glory cloud of God! Like those that dwelt above Mt Sinai for Moses and the elders to meet and eat with God.

like above the taberncale, Christ on the mount of Transfiguration.

Like the glory clouds that Christ ascended in.

Now in the OT who alone rides clouds?

Psalm ,, Exodus… And here is the almost blasphemous surprise that keeps Jews and Muslims from recognizing Jesus.

This one who is God and who is man comes up to the ancient of Days, he ascends into heaven with a fully human body and nature - and what happens up there?

What does God give His Son now incarnate with a human nature, now fully our reprsentative and Mediator, - What is the present program of Christmas?

Daniel 7:14

Do you get it?

This eternal Son of God, coming to planet earth amid all the raging craziness of your life and mine, of the nations lives, becomes the Sn of Man, taking on a human nature and body - to become the King of the World for us!

The dream of Christmas present is this vision of the Son of Man - who is the Son of God - and now being given dominion and glory and a kingdom - That what was started with Christmas and what continues to happening in the present right now isn’t it - since Jesus came, and conquered, and He ascended to reign - this Jesus has a spiritual dominion being established on earth - and ultimately every nation in this world will shatter.

Earthly kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall, but the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, shall not pass away, that gates of hell, the swelling flood of chaos not stand against it.

And Mary accepting the Christ as this king - says I will turn to Him I will serve Him - and I know He will lift up the humble and cast down the proud.

And the question for you and me in our Christmas present is: Do you recognize this King - do you own Him - and then pledge Him your service - Like that of our missionaries, like Gurret, Steve, Deirdre is giving right now amid ravages of crisis - Do you have a service like that for King Jesu, in the midst of this Christmas - don't panic, not surprised by crisis in your home, our nations - but with quiet confidence see this one who has Ascended and Reigns a real and growing kingdom! .

C. But look again what is happening now in the future of this dream.

A vision of Christmas future.

It really is astonishing how you can match up Babylon, Medio-/Persia, Greece, and Rome,even the very weeks representing years, and cutting off of sacrifices from Temple - Greek persecution, the Roman Occupation.

The crucifixion and resurrection f Christ, the Fall of Jerusalem.

In vv.

11,12 we the fourth beast destroyed whic h is Rome, and the others nations prolonged for a season of time.

All the while Christ’s Church and kingdom is growing across the Lands.

But if you look carefully of the explanation of the destruction of the 4 kingdoms, the angel says the 4th kingdom unique and after it ten horns, which Rome was never divided up into.

Ten the nunmber of completeleness - a series of kings before teh End.

And then the most unique of all the last little horn.

We read of the last horn = Daniel 7:21-22

This is none-other than the man of Lawless Paul predicts in 2 Thessalonians, restrained until the very last day.

He will come in the end, it is the final and great Anti-Christ who wears out the saints of the Most High.

He brings the Great Tribulation before the Great Second Coming of the Lord.

How long will this take and here is great realism and great comfort for us: Daniel 7:25

Notice that the church is still int he world when this horn the AntiChrist comes.

And how long will that last period last?

What is the number of perfection eternity - 7. It seems like our sufferings are forever, One full time, then again 2 full times.

And third year or season starts up -and you think here we go again.

But suddenly in the middle of the third cycle - stopped short.

The Saints of the Most High didn’t fight back in some kid of warfare to defeat the AntiChrist.

Believers weren’t sucked out of this world - they are told in advance as Christ kingdom grows and advances, so will Satan’s - and the message is be ready, be patient stay strong and faithful to endure.

And then it is God with sheer the power of his Word that will bring the chaos and the Antichrist to an end.

Daniel 7:26

Do you seee why now Mary looks into the future and sings?

Look at the vision that God would have you have this Christmas for the future: Daniel 7:27

Mary sang in Luke 1 - God is remembering His promsies to Abraham - give us a kingdom give us not just land of ISrael as a promised land and santuary to live in.

How did Jesus put int now the Meek will inherit the earth.

CONCLUSION:

This Christmas I challenge you to look at the world in crisis, to look at the Christ in glory, and then look at yourself through the lens of these three Christmas dreams.

i.

To see and expect that the chaos around us in its spiritual dimensions with that vision f the Ancient of Days in control above the sea.

ii.

To see a God truly come to us in our humanity, who still is our Great Princely Heir and Leader that we are even more dearly united to him than Mary was as His mother, and that as we stretch to future that we can be so excited about - his kngdom , like that Rock in Daniel 2 is taking down strong hold of evil wherever it established and grows.