March 31 2011.
The Book of Daniel Outline so far:
I) The Historic Night with Prophetic Light, Chapters 1–6.
A) Decline of Judah; Fall of Jerusalem; Daniel Taken Captive to Babylon; His Decision to be True to God, Chapter 1 on 16-3-2011.
B) Dream of Nebuchadnezzar about a Multimetallic Image; Interpretation by Daniel Concerning the Four Kingdoms of "The Times of the Gentiles," Chapter 2 on 19-3-2011.
C) Decree of Nebuchadnezzar to Enforce Universal Idolatry; 3 Hebrews Cast into the Furnace for Refusal to Bow to Image of Gold, Chapter 3 on 22-3-2011.
D) Dream of Nebuchadnezzar about a Great Tree Hewn Down to a Stump; Fulfilled in Subsequent Period of Madness of the King, Ch. 4 on 24-3-2011.
E) Downfall of Babylon Foretold by Daniel as He Read the Handwriting on the Wall at the Feast of Belshazzar, Ch. 5 on 26-3-2011.
F) Decree of Darius, the Median, to Enforce Worship of Himself; Daniel Cast into Den of Lions for Praying to the God of Heaven, Ch. 6 on 28-3-11.
2) The Prophetic Light in the Historic Night, Chapters 7–12.
A) Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts Concerning Four Kingdoms of "The Times of the Gentiles" Chapter 7 on 30-3-2011.
Daniel’s vision of the four beasts; the visions of the Son of Man coming in clouds of heaven; the definition of the four beasts; the explanation of the fourth beast.
Today Daniel 7:9-14.
The visions of the Son of Man coming in clouds of heaven;
Daniel 7:9 "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire."
The scene shifts to heaven, and
The Throne of God is revealed.
This is the same scene described in chapters 4 and 5 of the Book of Revelation.
It is the preparation for the judgment of the Great Tribulation and the 2nd coming of Christ to the earth.
"I beheld till the thrones were cast down (placed)" corresponds to Revelation 4:4.
While in Revelation apostle John gives the number of the elders and other details, Daniel is not concerned with such since his subject does not include the church and its future.
"The Ancient of days" - is the eternal God.
"Whose garment was white as snow" refers to His attributes of holiness and righteousness.
"The hair of his head like the pure wool" speaks of His infinite wisdom.
"His throne was like the fiery flame" speaks of judgment (see Revelation 4:5).
"His wheels as burning fire" speaks of the resistless energy and restless power of God (Ezekiel 1:13–21) -
"As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.
And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels."
The Scripture tells us
"… God is light …" (1 John 1:5).
This is a tremendous vision of The Glory of God, a vision out of The Person of God.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said,
"… I am the light of the world …" (John 8:12).
This reveals the righteousness and holiness of God.
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).
We would be scorched by the holiness of God if we had not been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ and covered with His righteousness.
God is not exposed in this vision - He is portrayed. It is still true that no man has seen God at any time. Moses said, "… Shew me Thy glory," and God hid him in the cleft of the rock so that Moses saw only the Glory of God, not the Person of God.
The Lord told him,
"… Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see Me, and live" (Exodus 33:18–23).
Man has been forbidden to make a likeness of God (see Exodus 20:4) -
We do not know what He looks like.
We do not even know how the Lord Jesus who became a man looked.
But there is in the human heart a longing to see God;
I think that every idol witnesses to that desire.
Although idols are perverted and profane representations, they reveal that men want to see God.
Yet God has not chosen to reveal His Person to mankind.
Daniel 7:10 "A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened."
This is not the Great White Throne judgment which occurs after the Millennium, but is the setting for the judgment of the Great Tribulation and the return of Christ to establish His millennial kingdom here upon earth (see Revelation 5:11–14) -
"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and Honour, and Glory, and Power, be unto Him that sitteth upon The Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped Him that liveth for ever and ever."
Daniel 7:11 "I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame."
While God is setting the judgment scene in heaven to determine who will enter the kingdom, on earth
"the little horn" is blaspheming and boasting the loudest (see Revelation 13:5–6 -
"And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven."
However, his judgment is fixed and
his kingdom is doomed.
The emphasis with this kingdom, represented by the last beast, is not on its beginning but on its end.
The appearance of "the little horn" is shortly before Christ comes to judge living nations and individuals. This period equates the Great Tribulation Period.
Daniel 7:12 "As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time."
Although the first three beasts were destroyed, the ideology and philosophy of the kingdoms they represent live on and will be manifested in the Great Tribulation Period.
Daniel 7:13 "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him."
The Son of God in heaven is here invested with the authority to take the kingdoms of this world from the Gentiles and establish His kingdom.
Our Lord Jesus referred to this passage when He was put on oath at His trial before the Sanhedrin:
"… Again the high priest asked Him, and said unto Him, Art Thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven" (Mark 14:61–62).
The angel prophesied at the time of His birth:
"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David" (Luke 1:32).
Therefore what we have here is a very clear-cut statement that the Lord Jesus is that
"stone cut out without hands" -
which smites the image - He will establish His kingdom on the earth.
In the second Psalm we read:
"I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee" (Psalm 2:7).
Christ Jesus was begotten from the dead - this refers to His resurrection, not to His birth in Bethlehem.
Apostle Paul gives us this interpretation in Acts 13:33.
The psalmist goes on to say:
"Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession" (Psalm 2:8).
Our Lord Jesus Christ is going to take over the kingdom.
How will He do it? -
"Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel" (Psalm 2:9).
When Christ comes to the earth, the Millennium will not be there waiting for Him.
He Himself will put out all rebellion, and those who are obedient will enter into the kingdom.
Daniel 7:14 "And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."
This prepares the way for the coming of Christ and the smashing of the image by the "stone cut out without hands" (Revelation 19:11–16) -
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a Name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His Name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords."
"An everlasting dominion" seems to contradict the idea of a millennial kingdom of one thousand years. However, at the end of the one thousand years, which is a test period with Christ ruling, there will be a brief moment of rebellion against Him when Satan is released for a season,
and then the kingdom will go right on into eternity.
Revelation 20:6 says, "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years."
The thousand-year kingdom is but a phase of the everlasting kingdom. The steps are outlined clearly in Revelation 20: Christ reigns a thousand years on the earth under heavenly conditions. After this period, Satan is released. The unregenerate human heart, still in rebellion against God, rallies to Satan’s leadership, and he assembles them to make war against Christ.
Satan and the rebellious betrayers are cast into the lake of fire.
The lost dead are raised for judgment before the Great White Throne.
After this, the eternal aspect of the kingdom comes into purview (see verse 27)
"And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him."
The Word of God makes it very clear that the location of this kingdom is on the earth.
In Micah 4:2 we read:
"And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem."
Saviour,
I remember Thee!
Thy
deep woe and agony,
All Thy suff'ring on the tree:
Saviour, I adore Thee.
Calvary! O Calvary!
Mercy's vast unfathomed sea,
Love, eternal love to
me:
Saviour, I adore Thee.
Darkness hung
around Thy head,
When for sin Thy
blood was shed,
Victim in the sinner's
stead:
Saviour, I adore Thee.
Jesus, Lord, Thou now art
risen!
Thou hast all my sins
forgiv'n;
Haste I to my home in heav'n:
Saviour, I adore Thee.
Soon with joyful, glad
surprise
I shall hear Thy Word:
Arise! Mounting upward
to the skies:
Glory, Glory, Glory!
Saviour, I Thy love
adore;
I will Praise Thee more and more;
Spread Thy Name from shore to shore,
Saviour, I adore Thee!
Thanks Dear Lord Jesus for this hymn writer and musician: Samuel Trevor Francis who lived on this earth from 1834-1925.
Special Thanks also to: SermonAudio.com
Tomorrow if our Dear Merciful Lord Jesus spares my life and it is in accordance with His will, I want to continue with: the definition of the four beasts.
Are you sure that you are born-from-above dear reader?
Born of the Holy Spirit of God.
Apostle Paul tells us clearly in God's Inspired Word:
"Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 12:3).
Here we have a very great truth, an
absolute verity of the Christian life:
the lordship of Christ Jesus.
"No man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed."
We cannot belittle Lord Jesus Christ by the Spirit of God. It won’t work.
Also, "no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost."
Oh, we can pronounce the word Lord. But remember what our Lord Jesus Christ said:
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name? and in Thy Name have cast out devils? and in Thy Name done many wonderful works? and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity" (Matthew 7:21–23).
Why will that be?
Because their profession is on the surface.
They are pretenders, imitators, like Satan.
The Lord Jesus was not their Lord.
Making Christ Jesus Lord in our lives is a conviction of the soul wrought by the Holy Spirit of God.
He who comes to me shall not hunger;
He who believes in me shall not thirst.
No one can come to Me - unless the Father draw him.
Chorus:
And I will raise him up,
and I will raise him up,
and I will raise him up on the last day.
The bread that I will give is My flesh for the life of the world
And he who eats of this Bread,
He shall live for ever, he shall live for ever.
Unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of man
And drink of His blood, and drink of His blood
You shall not have life within you.
I am the resurrection, I am the life.
He who believes in Me, even if he die,
He shall live for ever.
And I will raise him up,
and I will raise him up,
and I will raise him up on the last day.
Yes Lord, I believe that You are the Christ,
The Son of God
Who has come into the world.
All Merciful God, I do believe that I am a sinner and I know in my heart that I have nothing at all to offer You O God but I come to You as I hear Your Voice clearly calling me to come and I ask You Lord Jesus to please come into my life and take full control over my mind, body and soul for I want You Lord Jesus to be the Lord in and of my life. Thank You Father God for Your Son our Lord Jesus Christ in whose All Powerful Holy Name I make my request
Amen!
What is the central truth of the Christian faith?
There are those who say it is the cross of Christ, but I rather disagree with that. Although we come to the Cross to be saved, we do not stay at the Cross. We become united to the living Christ.
That is the thing which is all important.
Listen to the way Peter concluded his message on the Day of Pentecost:
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36).
He is the Lord.
He is sovereign.
His sovereignty is the important thing in the Christian life.
The Holy Spirit commands the soul’s obedience and allegiance to Jesus.
The true church is made up of those who gather around that truth as interpreted by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit interprets the lordship of Jesus to my life.
Remember the great question which Lord Jesus asked,
"… whom say ye that I am?" (Matthew 16:15).
Our Lord Jesus is still asking that same question.
You may be of any occupation, any color, any status in life - whoever you are, wherever you are, however you are - Lord Jesus asks you,
"Whom say ye that I am?"
He asked His disciples that question,
and Simon Peter spoke for the group. He said,
"… Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16).
He is the Anointed One.
He is the King.
He is the Lord.
No person is fit to serve Christ’s church unless they have been mastered by our precious Lord Jesus Christ.
The unifying work of the Holy Spirit today is to reveal the lordship of Jesus to all believers.
If you my dear reader are one of His true children today then may I say that it does not make any difference at all which gift any of us, His own, have for
it is the Lord Jesus who is using that gift, and He is using it for His glory.
Hallelujah!
Amen!
Reply to Caryl@cherith.co.za.
THIS PAGE UPDATED: 31-3-2011.