Prophecy is revealed to men to change their perspective, to urge them to see things as God sees them rather than as they appear to the human eye. When God granted Daniel the wisdom to interpret the king's dream, it launched Daniel's long career as a political leader, trusted adviser, and well-known prophet. Lion - Babylon. 26 But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. Never in the history of the Roman empire has this happened so it is yet future. Daniel was told that the beasts are kings, but he was not told the identity of any of the kings. Daniel 2:1-13 - Nebuchadnezzar's Dream. What it does not destroy or consume with its teeth, it crushes under foot, much like a bull in a china shop. (6) How important is it for us to identity the kings and the kingdoms mentioned in our text? Dan 2:1-4 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. Thus, the vision is yet unfulfilled in terms of its major emphasis. As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. At this point the revelation ended. 7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. Chapter 2 - The original dream describing the future kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persian, Greek, Roman, kingdom of God. In fact, Daniel has trouble interpreting some of his own dreams. Then, in Daniel 2, the Lord gave Nebuchadnezzar a dream that only Daniel could interpret. In chapter 2 we read that Nebuchadnezzar was troubled and terrified by his dream, we read here in verse 15 that Daniel was distressed in his spirit because he knew that God had just shown him a panorama of tremendous events yet future and Daniels distress was his lack of understanding his dream. In the context of the coming of His kingdom and the suffering and trials which precede it, soberness is a vitally important quality which prophecy promotes: 1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, [7]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. The precise meaning of the symbols of the raised side and the three ribs is illusive. In the second scene, heaven calmly prepares for court, which will determine that the time for judgment has come. (2) Chapters 7 and 8, while written in different languages, are written during the reign of Belshazzar and somehow linked by the author in Daniel 8:1. The angel says the Antichrist will seek to make alterations in times and in law. Jesus applied this text to them, not as those who would enter into His kingdom, but as those who would be judged at His return. The last kingdom has at least eleven kings. (2) Why do you think Daniel summarized his dream when he wrote it rather than tell it in full (see verse 1)? This fourth beast seems to regenerate in the form of subsequent kings and kingdoms. to revoke its approval of the two main drugs used for medication abortion in the United States. Nebuchadnezzar's Dream ( Daniel 2:1-16) Say: Some time later, the King had a dream. These both represent Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian empire. Desiring a more detailed explanation, he apparently asked for one and received it. The angel went on in this summary to tell Daniel that the saints of the Highest One would receive the kingdom and possess it forever. Prophecy speaks not only of the joys and glories of Gods kingdom to come but of the suffering and tribulation preceding the eternal blessings of the kingdom of God. In his vision, the statue collapsed and disappeared, because a mysterious stone struck it at its feet. He is more beastly in the beginning and more human in the end, paralleling the character of Nebuchadnezzar. - As for these four children, God gave them knewledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.Or, as the words might be more accurately rendered, "these lads, the four of them" (Ezekiel 1:8-10).This indicates that somehow they were separated off into a quaternion. We see a gapan almost insurmountable gapbetween suffering and glory; God does not. Before the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt and brought into the land of Canaan, they suffered at the hands of the Egyptians. The words of Daniel which applied to the beasts now found application to them. Belshazzars rise to power and ascent to the throne seems to have inaugurated a new age for Babylon. We know from history that though Persia rose later than Media it soon overshadowed Media in its power. In the verses following our lesson text, the vision is explained (Daniel 7:21-27). I believe some in Babylon, like their king, came to a genuine faith in God. 7 After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. 15 And there was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast might even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed (Revelation 13:4, 11-15). Yet Gods covenant to David (2 Samuel 7:16; Psalm 89:14) stands and will ultimately be fulfilled. The angel that Daniel was talking with gave Daniel greater detail concerning the fourth beast; he described this fourth beast as a fourth kingdom coming from the earth, it will be different from all the rest, this kingdom will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. The head of the statue was made of gold, the chest and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of bronze, and the legs and feet of iron and clay. From an eternal perspective, the coming of Christ and His kingdom is but one coming. After this chapter, the book returns to the Hebrew language. Daniel was terrified or alarmed by the scenes he had seen in his mind and desired to understand what they meant. The vision plays on before Daniel, almost as though in answer to his desire to know more. God would strike him down suddenly too and bring his kingdom to a swift end. Lets pray and ask God to teach us and guide us as we look at His prophetic word. (1) The troubling dream. Who are these saints that the angel is speaking of? Remember Daniel was in his 60s when he received this revelation. What so upset Daniel about the future? When we expect it least, the Lord will return, the wicked will be punished, and the kingdom of God established forevermore. Our study of this chapter will isolate what troubled Daniel about the future. The three and a half years referred to here in Daniel is the last half of the tribulation, also called the Great Tribulation and the Time of Jacobs Trouble. 11 Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. Those of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, and Darius all agree with the prophecy of Daniel 7. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were greatly alarming me and my face grew pale, but I kept the matter to myself (verse 28). From Daniel 2:4b to the end of chapter 7, the original text was written in Aramaic (the language of Babylon in that day). As the boasting horn of Daniel 7 seems to be getting away with his blasphemies and his oppression of the saints, it seems to him he can do whatever he wishes, including the changing of times and law. Daniels first inner turmoil occurs in chapter 7. The use of the word time in Daniel is understood to be years. She makes it clear in a rather public fashion that she finds him desirable. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it. He couldn't sleep. In the first scene, heavenly winds are employed to whip up the sea from which the four beasts emerges. Child-bearing is a process which involves suffering and glory. The king is told that all of these earthly kingdoms would be destroyed by the stone not fashioned by human hands, and that an eternal kingdom would take the place of these temporal kingdoms. The process of having a baby involves the pains of childbirth. It is significant for us to note Daniels reaction to this revelation from God. The fact that wicked men will prosper and prevail and that the righteous will suffer is hardly pleasant news. Suffering is an inseparable part of the process which leads to glory. Chapter 7 moves from the historical accounts of Daniel and his three friends to the prophetic revelations received by Daniel in the last half of the Book.76 The following chart may help us visualize the relationship of Daniels prophecies to the historical setting in which they were revealed: The first prophetic revelation is found in Daniel 2. For this reason, I wish to clearly state the foundational presuppositions and principles on which this exposition of Daniel is based. However, the Son of Man must first suffer at the hands of men (17:22; 20:18). Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:1352, [4]LaHaye, Tim and Hindson, Ed., editors, The Popular Bible Prophecy Commentary. In the latter days, an unusually powerful and evil king will arise, who will blaspheme God and oppress the people of God. It may seem to them that their defeat is certain and that their hopes of entering into the eternal kingdom are lost. Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Daniel is greatly distressed by the vision which he sees in chapter 7. Are we supposed to discover their identity? It devoured and crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 31-35). Should we be troubled as well? This is consistent with God's propensity to use miracles to identify His messengers. But I want you to notice Daniels reaction to the dream that he had. Wherever I see the Scriptures speak of the coming kingdom of God, I find suffering closely associated with it. (13) In some sense, the last kingdom is still on-going. 80 During my school teaching days, I tried to make my students think I had eyes in the back of my head so that no matter what they did--even if my back was turned--they could not escape my all-seeing eyes or my discipline. 1. If we go back to Daniel 2 and look at the statue in Nebuchadnezzars dream, we find that it too represented four kings and their kingdoms. In Ezekiel, and even in Daniel (8:17), it is used in reference to a prophet. What God declares in prophecy, He reveals as well in history. God is eternal, and so is His plan for all creation. In Daniels dream the Medo-Persian empire and it king Cyrus was represented by the bear. (10) What effect did the vision have on Daniel, and why? These are the things Daniel sees in the vision. Chapter 9, on the other hand, has a historical account of Daniels study of Jeremiah and of his prayers of repentance and petition for Israels restoration and return to the land of promise. Consider these lessons as we conclude. Gods plan and program are carried out on His schedule, not ours (see 2 Peter 2:8-10). Interpretations of Daniels prophecies differ widely. In the Old Testament, the expression son of man was used most frequently in reference to men, who were merely (as opposed to God) human. [4] We of the present Age, the church will reign with Jesus Christ as His bride. Other biblical prophecies bear on the prophecies of Daniel, particularly preceding or contemporary prophecies. The horn of the beast that made war against the saints was one of 10 kings who prevailed until the Ancient of days came and judged against him in favor of the saints. All of this is by divine design. Who is the Son of Man? Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. Just a few years later Alexander died, and his empire was divided into four parts and his four generals became the monarch of a quarter of the Greek empire. The other prophecies were revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar and interpreted by Daniel. The seriousness of the prophetic truth personally affected Daniel, motivating godly fear and self-examination. It was said ( ch. Through the ages, the saints have learned that they must wait for the promises of God to be fulfilled and that this may not happen in their lifetime (see Hebrews 11:13-16, 39-40). The final push of the times of the Gentiles will last for 3 years, then the end will come, the end of the times of the Gentiles., THE JUDGMENT AND THE FIFTH KINGDOM (Daniel 7:26-27). As the saints suffer at the hands of the wicked, it may appear all hope is lost. He will also send forth His angels to gather those who do not belong in His kingdom (12:41). In the first use of this expression, being a son of man was contrasted with being God: God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? He will keep continual pressure on the saints of the Highest One to try to break and destroy and annihilate them. We need to be waiting and prepared for His return. Suddenly, the boasting beast is silenced by death, and his body is cast into the burning fire. A lawsuit could force the F.D.A. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. So, this phrase refers to 3 years. a. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995, [3]Walvoord, John F.; Zuck, Roy B.; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Nebuchadnezzar became distressed when he received his first night vision (2:1) because he did understand some of his dream. , I wish to clearly state the foundational presuppositions and principles on this. Drugs used for medication abortion in the second year of his dream in the verses following our lesson text the! Will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever future kingdoms of,! Alarmed by the scenes he had seen in his mind was troubled and he could not.... It good 12:41 ) out on his schedule, not ours ( see 2 Peter 2:8-10.! Terms of its major emphasis is understood to be waiting and prepared his! 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