Daniel 7:1-28 The Beasts and the Son
Well, its been
quite a Summer hasn’t it. The Middle East has been on the front pages of our
newspapers almost every day for the past two months. We’ve had an ugly war between
Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, a terrorist threat against 5 or more trans-Atlantic
airliners, Gaza close to total disintegration, civil war in Iraq and anarchy in Afghanistan, police raids across London, and Iran defying UN resolutions over
its nuclear programme. You’d be forgiven for thinking that things were out of
control. Where is God in all of this? Well, while you’ve been on holiday, I’ve
been writing a book, trying to make sense of what the Bible has to say about
our world today. In particular, I’ve been studying Daniel, and some of the other
prophetic parts of the Bible. What may surprise you is that embedded in these
ancient texts is a message of hope. Nothing happening today is an accident. The
world is not out of control. God is in charge and to encourage us to trust him,
in Daniel, Ezekiel and the Book of Revelation, God has forewarned us of what
would happen in history. All we have to do is unlock the apocalypse code hidden
in the symbolism of the language in these chapters. Then we can read the time
on the prophetic clock and discover how close we are to the end of the world.
We are in deed living in the Last Days. Please turn with me to Daniel 7 and
lets note three clues that will help us identify that this passage is talking
about the present day.
Are you beginning to see this? Its easy to read a map once you can find your location on it. It’s the same with prophecy. Let me show you. Read with me Daniel 7:3-8
Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea. 4 “The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it. 5 “And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and eat your fill of flesh!’ 6 “After that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard. And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule. 7 “After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns. 8 “While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully. “ (Daniel 7:3-8)
Daniel mentions
four animals that symbolise four empires. Lets see if we can work out their
names. If we start with the last - we have already observed that the ten
kingdoms have not emerged yet but this may describe a super confederation of
the United States of Europe or possibly a new Islamic Confederacy emerging
around Iran and Syria. If the fourth beast will rise in the near future we can
easily make sense of the other three. The lion - which nation has the lion as
its symbol? Dead right - Britain. At the beginning of the 20th
century Britain had the largest empire in the world. One quarter of the world’s
population and one fifth of the world’s land mass was part of the British Empire.
What about the eagle wings? Of course it’s the USA - Since the Second World
War, the United States has taken over the role of Britain as the world’s only
English speaking super power but is already in decline. So the first beast
represents the British and American empire.
What of the bear? Which nation is symbolised by a bear? Russia of course. For nearly 70 years the Soviet communist Empire, aided by China dominated the world. I can see you are getting into this now.
So what about the Leopard with four bird’s wings and four heads? Did you know
that the UN and G8 has divided the world into four sectors - the Americas,
Asia, Europe and Africa - which will ultimately be ruled by four heads who will
answer to the UN Security Council led by the Secretary General. And you know
the leading candidate when Kofi Annan retires? Tony Blair.
In January Bill Clinton said, Mr Blair would make a "good" head for
the international organisation when he steps down as Prime Minister, as he has
promised he will do before the next general election. The speculation has been
continuing more recently, particularly after Blair’s speech at Georgetown University in Washington and in an open letter where he said he wanted to reform
international institutions including the UN giving the Secretary General
presidential powers. Tony Blair said on that occasion, “We should strengthen
the UN Secretary General's powers to propose action to the Security Council for
the resolution of long-standing disputes and encourage him to do so. Our values
are our guide. To make it so, however, we have to be prepared to think sooner
and act quicker in defence of those values - progressive pre-emption, if you
will. There is an agenda for it, waiting to be gathered and capable of uniting
a world once divided. There wouldn't be a better moment for it.”
And fuelling speculation, The Daily Telegraph reported, “Tony Blair is keeping
open the option of a move to New York with his wife Cherie for a top job at a
revamped United Nations after he steps down as Prime Minister, Government
sources have indicated.”
So there you have it - if Tony Blair does become the new UN Secretary General, (or
gets a job behind the scenes) we are assured stronger powers for the UN, the
use of pre-emptive force against countries defying UN resolutions and a more united
world. Have you read that some where before in the Book of Revelation?
OK - I need to make an apology. I have been leading you astray.
This is not taken from my new book I’ve been writing over the Summer. I dreamed
it all up on Saturday afternoon hopping from one conspiratorial website to
another. But I suspect some of you believed me, and some of you began to feel
the addictive power of reading contemporary events back into Scripture.
Its not a new temptation. It became very popular at the beginning of the 19th
Century when Napoleon tried to rule the world. The rise of Adventism and the
Millennial cults like the Mormons and the Jehovah Witnesses fuelled speculation
about the end of the world. The 1st and then 2nd World
War merely confirmed many people’s fears. It became even more very popular
since 1948 and the creation of the State of Israel. Hal Lindsey’s, Late Great
Planet Earth published in 1970 started the latest craze in prophecy prediction
picked up by Tim LaHaye and the Left Behind Series. And there was yet another
peak around the new millennium and the year 2000. So how should we interpret
passages such as Daniel 7?
Let me give you a taster for what really will be in my new book.
It is important when reading apocalyptic literature to know a little bit more
about their common characteristics before attempting to interpret and apply
them. Marvin Pate and Calvin Haines, very helpfully list the typical
characteristics of apocalyptic material. These include:
· The writer often goes on a journey with a celestial guide who shows him interesting sites and comments on them.
· The Information is usually communicated through visions.
· Visions often contain strange or even enigmatic symbolism including depictions of animals and other living beings.
· Visions are usually pessimistic about people being able to change the outcome.
· Visions usually end with God destroying evil through his personal and cataclysmic intervention.
· The vision is intended to comfort and sustain the righteous remnant who will be rewarded when God establishes his kingdom.[1]
Historically, biblical apocalyptic literature arose between the time of the Babylonian captivity (Ezekiel and Daniel) through the return of the exiles (Zechariah) to the Greek and then Roman occupation of Palestine (Revelation). The time therefore between around 586 BC and 100 AD was one of great ferment and anxiety for the Jewish people. The apocalyptic writings describe the rise and fall of empires as well as rulers who at various times tolerated or persecuted God’s people. At the same time they portray ‘history’ between the now and the not yet – between the present and God’s future intervention to rescue and vindicate his people. This is the period known as the ‘End-Times’ or ‘Last Days’.
We must recognise however that these terms have been used for rather a long
while. Quoting Isaiah 44:3, for example, Peter describes the events of the Day
of Pentecost as the fulfilment of these ‘Last Days’ (Acts 2:16-17. See also
Hebrews 1:2).
We must not therefore be naïve in thinking we alone are living in the End
Times. Let me quote once more from Pate and Haines,
Put another way, end-time prophecy, because it more often than not emerged from
a persecuted minority, is a coded language in need of deciphering. The reason
for the use of coded language is obvious – it protected both author and
recipients from the dominant, oppressing regimes of the day. Hence, for
example, the prevalence of heavenly visions, enigmatic symbolism (for example,
beasts representing political empires), gematria (figurative meaning attached
to numbers such as 666), dualism (the clash of people groups described in terms
of a struggle between supernatural powers). As such, eschatological prophecy’s
primary focus concerned the particular life setting of the biblical author and
recipients, though its parameters also include the distant future.[2]
While apocalyptic literature is like an animated picture book, full of detail, movement and action, it is not a puzzle book intended to confuse. That is why it is important to focus on the broad themes and not get hung up on the detail.
This is why apocalyptic literature like Daniel should be interpreted in harmony
with the teachings of the entire Bible. William Hendriksen reminds us that ‘In
emphasizing this basis of the Apocalyptic visions in the subsoil of the sacred
Scriptures we must always bear in mind that it is wise to proceed from the
clearer to the more obscure and never vice versa.’[3]
To sum up, there are two basic errors ultra-literalists make regarding the
prophetic and apocalyptic literature: First, they ignore the historical setting
of the passages and the way in which they have already been fulfilled. Second,
they read back into the passages contemporary events and develop novel ways to
interpret them as if they were speaking of present day readers.
So lets look at Daniel 7 one more time and try and make sense of what God is
saying to us through it today.
The chapter divides into two. Daniel describes his dream (Daniel 7:1-14) and
then gives the interpretation (Daniel 7:15-28). The troubled waters of the sea
are used in Scripture to describe the nations of the world in turmoil. The
world then, as now, is changing fast. It can feel like things are out of
control. God gave Daniel’s this dream to provide hope for his generation
and ours. Daniel’s vision, although disturbing, was a hopeful one because our
God is a God of hope. God gives Daniel a vision of the future, a vision of the
coming of the Lord Jesus and of the end of time. Notice:
1. The power of earthly rulers is temporary (Daniel 7:1-1-8)
2. God is sovereign and will judge the world (Daniel 7:9-12)
3. Jesus will reign over the world for ever (Daniel 7:13-14)
4. His saints will reign with Him in glory (Daniel 7:25-28)
1. The power of earthly rulers is temporary (Daniel 7:1-1-8)
“Daniel said: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. 3 Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea.” (Daniel 7:2-3)
Out of the churning sea emerge four beasts one after the other.
They represent four great kingdoms. This was also the message of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel chapter two.
The Lion
This lion had eagle’s wings but the odd thing was that they were plucked off
while Daniel was looking. The winged lion has been found in excavations made in
cities of ancient Babylon, symbolising Nebuchadnezzar’s might and the rapidity
of his conquests. When Daniel spoke the vision of the lion, the kingdom it
symbolized, had already been overtaken by its successor,
The Bear
This was a formidable beast, strong, cruel and cunning. It is a fitting symbol
of the Medo-Persian Empire. The strange feature described by Daniel was that
there were three ribs in the bear’s mouth between its teeth depicting perhaps
the empire feeding on its captive nations in cruelty and inhumanity. When we
think back over the wars of this century, nothing has changed.
The Leopard
It is an
appropriate image for the Grecian Empire. Alexander the Great, its founder,
extended its territory with lightning-like rapidity, reaching India in his conquests. The leopard had four heads, and this is taken as referring to the
division of the kingdom into four on Alexander’s early death when his generals
divided the empire into quarters.
The lesson of history must surely be that God does not make idle threats which
are not carried out. But there is still worse to come. As the whole fearful
drama played before Daniel’s eyes, horror mounted, as each succeeding beast
became crueller and more monster-like than its predecessor.
The Fourth Beast
It was not given a name, only a description - terrifying and frightening and
very powerful, with large iron teeth. The behaviour of this beast became so
cruel and savage that it could not be compared with any known animal. Here was
a formidable and frightening creature, truly appalling in its tremendous power.
With its great iron teeth it devoured and broke in pieces its victims, crushing
under foot whatever was left. This was most likely a depiction of the Roman Empire. Frankly it doesn’t matter. The detail of the vision, while it is tempting to speculate,
is not as important as the broad truths the vision contains.
So what does this vision mean to us thus far? The kingdoms of men have come and
gone. They may have been powerful. They may have risen to power with amazing
speed. Their boundaries may have been extensive. But none of them lasted
forever. Another, more powerful, more hungry, more determined ruler was always
waiting in the wings. We cannot look to men, even powerful men, for our
security. So we learn first of all: The power of earthly rulers is temporary.
2. God is sovereign and will judge the world (Daniel 7:9-12)
“As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him;
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. “Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.” (Daniel 7:9-11)
The days of evil
are numbered. You can count on it. God is going to take care of the evil one.
Let me direct your attention to verse 26 where it says, “The court shall
convene, and they shall take away his dominion, consume it and destroy it
forever.” That’s a promise.
As you may know, there are many parallels the book of Daniel has with the book
of Revelation. In Revelation we learn that the evil one is thrown into a lake
of fire. (Rev. 20) This is the second and final death of evil. The first blow
against the evil occurred when Jesus shed his blood on the cross. The Bible teaches
in 1 John 3: 8 “The reason the son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s
work.” The second blow will come when Jesus returns and evil is destroyed
forever.
There’s a scene in the film of the Passion of the Christ where Christ is dying
on the cross and a tear drop rolls from his cheek. The tear drop then morphs
into an image of Satan’s doom. It’s one of the truly surprising elements of the
film. The movie producers were trying to capture this idea. Jesus came to
destroy the work of the devil. The fate of evil one has already been sealed.
Evil will not prevail, God’s people will. And it will go into the lake of fire
one day and be banished from the earth. God’s role is to destroy evil, your role
is to overcome it. Have the assurance that God gave Daniel. One day He’s going
to take care of it. The power of earthly rulers is temporary. God is sovereign
and will judge the world.
3. Jesus will reign over the world for ever (Daniel 7:13-14)
“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14)
This is a very
special passage. It is the first occasion in the Bible that we are introduced
to Jesus as the “Son of Man” It was Jesus’ favourite way of describing himself.
Here are a couple of those occasions.
"At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all
the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the
clouds of the sky, with power and great glory." (Matthew 24:30)
"Jesus said to them, ’I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things,
when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will
also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matthew
19:28)
So what then is the significance of Jesus appropriating the title "Son of
Man"? He is the Son of Mankind. He became a man in order to be our
representative to the Father. Ephesians 3:12 - "In him and through faith
in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence." That’s security!
We can approach the Ancient of Days in confidence because of the work of the
Son of Man on our behalf.
But is also goes further than that. As the Son of Man Jesus will do what no
earthly ruler has done before. He will rule righteously. He will rule with the
authority of God. The nations have never had a ruler like that. If He is not
the king of your life you will not have security. Not now - nor in the future. The
Son of Man appears before the Ancient of Days in Daniel’s vision for one
specific purpose - to receive the rule over the earth.
Son of Man, Son of God. Daniel was given a glimpse of Jesus in all his heavenly
glory 500 years before he came to earth. Daniel was given the assurance that
Hope was on the way! Meditate on this awesome picture of the Lord Jesus. Keep
it before you then we can face anything the world throws our way. One look at
the Saviour is all it takes. Jesus is a Saviour we can count on. In your time
of uncertainty, turn to Christ, capture a fresh glimpse of Him and it will make
all the difference.
Meekness and majesty, Manhood and Deity, In perfect harmony. The Man who is God. Lord of eternity. Dwells in humanity. Kneels in humility and washes our feet. O what a mystery, Meekness and majesty. Bow down and worship. For this is your God. This is your God. The power of earthly rulers is temporary. God is sovereign and will judge the world. Jesus will reign over the world for ever.
4. His saints will reign with Him in glory (Daniel 7:25-28)
The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time. 26 “ ‘But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. 27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’ 28 “This is the end of the matter. (Daniel 7:25-28)
This is where you come into the picture. God was thinking of you when he gave
Daniel this dream. In verse 18 it says, “But the saints of the Most High shall
receive the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom forever, even forever and ever.”
Underline the word saint. That’s YOU. The person sitting next to you may not think
your a saint, but God does! Put your name in front of that statement: …. saint
of the Most High.... Victory for God’s people has never been left in doubt. God
always causes his people to triumph. You’re on the winning side today. This is
the assurance that God gave Daniel. God warned Daniel of a coming battle
between the saints of God and the forces of evil. In verse 21 Daniel saw a
beast with ten horns waging war against the saints and for a time prevailing.
But then he says, the beast is destroyed and victory is given over to the
saints.
Now what does that mean for us? It means that we are going to face some fierce
battles. The presence of evil is going to intensify in the last days, Jesus
actually warned us of such a thing. However, in the end God’s people will
prevail. Victory for God’s people has never been left in doubt. Follower’s of
Christ share in his victory, we inherit the Kingdom of God and all it’s
benefits. You are more than a conqueror.
What do we learn from Daniel 7? The power of earthly rulers is temporary. God is sovereign and will judge the world. Jesus will reign over the world for ever. His saints will reign with Him in glory.
One of my favourite books is the Hobbit. I love the sense of innocence, the peace and tranquillity of the Shire.
The rule of life could be taken directly from 1 Thessalonians 4:11 – "Make
it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work
with your hands, just as we told you," But Frodo carries the ring of power
and all it’s temptations to stop serving the good people of middle earth and
start serving himself. We have the same temptation: we live in God’s Kingdom
where the power we have is the power to serve, not power to control. When ever
a Christian or church or Christian organization starts to grasp at the ring of
power and control and drop the towel of service, they leave the Kingdom of God for the Kingdom of the beast. Which side are you on? The Kingdom of God is subversive, but never oppressive – you are a seed of the kingdom in your
work, school, home.
We may lose some battles. In a world of uncertainty, anything can happen. But
take heart this evening, Christ has secured the victory and he will share it
with you. According to Daniel Chapter 7, His victory is ours as we put or trust
in Him.
The power of earthly rulers is temporary.
God is sovereign and will judge the world.
Jesus will reign over the world for ever.
His saints will reign with Him in glory
And they all said- Amen.
With grateful thanks to Michael Wilcock, Bob Hunter, Brian Atwood, Owen Bourgaize & Mike Wilkins for ideas and content used in this sermon. To view their own sermon material visit www.sermoncentral.com
[1] Adapted from C. Marvin Pate & Calvin B. Haines Jr. Doomsday Delusions, p. 24. See also Leon Morris, Apocalyptic (Leicester, IVP, 1972), pp. 34-61.
[2] C. Marvin Pate & Calvin B. Haines Jr. Doomsday Delusions, p. 28.
[3] William Hendriksen, More than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation, (London, IVP, 1940), p. 49.