SCRIPTURE: Daniel 7:15-28
OBSERVATION:
A brief summary of the vision, four great kingdoms, but the saints of the Most High will receive a never-failing kingdom.
The four kingdoms (Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, Rome); the fourth kingdom will take over the known world and will persecute God’s people, but they will ultimately triumph.
The expression “time, times and half a time” (or “year, years and half a year”) is commonly understood as 3 1/2 years (or 42 months, or 1260 days [42 x 30 days = 1260] see Daniel 12:7, Revelation 11:1-3), and became a symbol for a limited period of unrestrained wicknedness.
A future glory may inspire hope, but it doesn’t take away the hardship of trials that precede it.
APPLICATION:
Why does God speak in myserious symbols and visions, which leave open the possibility of misunderstanding and confusion?
The basic message is clear, but many people have gone off the deep-end connecting visions with dates and kingdoms and predicting the day of the Lord.
The basic message is both inspiring (things will work out in the end), yet frightening (its a tough path to glory!).
Do we as western (comfortable) christians too glibly speak of future glory, while avoiding and ignoring the horrible suffering of many people throughout the world?
PRAYER:
Lord, I do not want to seek out suffering, yet I do avoid “stepping out” into places that might lead to suffering. You warned that the path to the crown is through the cross. Help me to follow Your lead! Amen.
To the man God gave wisdom, knowledge and all kinds of understanding, Daniel was disturbed by the visions that passed before him. We too need to have eyes that see and ears that hear and a heart that is not hardened to hear what the Lord is saying to His people. As with parable, the clearest meaning is when scripture itself tells the reader what the vsion means, rather than man giving all kinds of interpetations. What is made clear in the vision, between now and the end of time, there will be pain, persecution, suffering. But His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. God’s people will also have to bear their cross as they ollow Jesus and obey Him. As His kingdom people do we fell that we suffer for the name of Christ. Living the Christiam life costs us what?
Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His Name?
Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His Name?