DANIEL 7 1 

INTRO: 

Good morning Mercy Fellowship. Hope you are all well this morning. If you don’t know  me, my name is Curtis Hall and I serve as an elder in training here at the church. If you have a  bible, we are going to be in Daniel 7 today. What I want to do for us is a quick episode recap to  catch us up to where we are in the over all biblical story.  

ISRAEL’S STORY: 

God, had freed the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, and brought them through the  wilderness to a promised land that is said to be flowing with Milk & Honey. This is a place of  prospering, a place of safety, a place of rest for God’s weary and disheartened people. It’s a place  where they can build the temple and worship God freely. This will be a taste of heaven on earth  for God’s people.  

And as the years go on however, they begin to mix their worship with other nation’s  gods. It’s not that they completely stopped worshiping God, but they began to mix their worship  with other gods. And as they did this, they would have prophets come and warn them telling  “God will not be mocked. You need to repent, you need to change your ways or there will be  severe consequences.”  

And in response to this, false prophets were created. False prophets would rise up and  give false assurance that things were okay, when things weren’t okay. If it was pertaining to  battle, the false prophets would always say, “God has given it to you, go up and triumph!” The  obvious would happen however, where they were wrong more than they were right.  

And eventually what happens, is Babylon comes up against Israel and obliterates their  nation. Their king, is taking captive and cuffed hand & foot. As he is being led away, the city is  up in flames and collapsing. The men, are made eunuchs in Babylon. It’s recorded in Isaiah 13  that the children of the Israelites are dashed in pieces before their eyes and the women are  ravished. This is a horrific situation that Israel is in because of their worship of false gods.  

So we get to Daniel 7 today, it’s not just that they are loosing, they’ve lost already. Their  home is crushed, their people are dead, their hope doesn’t exist. And what they need and what we  need when there is seasons of hopelessness is an injection of what is ultimately true into our  lives. We need hope to help us endure through the valleys of sorrow, suffering, sin and death.  

THE FOUR BEASTS: 

1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his  head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. 2Daniel  declared, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the  great sea. 3And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. 4The first  was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was  lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was  given to it. 5And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It  had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’ 6After  this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the  beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7After this I saw in the night visions, and 

DANIEL 7 2 

behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it  devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the  beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8I considered the horns, and behold, there came  up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up  by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking  great things. - (Daniel 7:1-8) 

SEA, BEASTS, HORNS, OH MY! 

When it comes to apocalyptic literature, we have to be careful to not misread it for our  own benefit. Here’s what I mean. One ditch, is that we take what is being said and apply it to our  current world circumstances. We read of a Lion with Eagle wings and think “Oh, he’s talking  about Britain and America being in cahoots with each other!” No, it cannot mean for us what it  didn’t mean for them. So the idea is this, it was written for us (as God’s people) but it was not  written to us. 

Sea: 

Starting off with the “the great sea.” The sea in the Bible often represents a picture of  godlessness & instability. That’s why you read in revelation 21, where is talks about the new  heavens and earth that God will make at the very end of time and it says “and the sea was no  more.” It’s the bible’s way of saying godlessness won’t exist anymore. But in this section we  have the sea that is churning an out of it arises 4 beasts. 

Beasts: 

When it comes to beasts, theses are creatures that represent nations.  

- The first, the Lion with Eagles wings that are plucked off of it, and it falls to the ground,  but then the mind of a man returns to it. People believe that is talking about King  Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon.  

- The second beast, is a bear with 3 ribs in it’s mouth and it was given the task to ‘arise  and eat much flesh.’ Scholars believe this was representing the Medo-Persian empire.  - The third beast was a leopard with four wings on it’s back and four heads. Scholars  believe this represents Greece. More specifically, Alexander the Great as he would hand off his  kingdom to his 4 generals.  

- The last beast, cannot even be described by human language. Daniel says it is  ‘Terrifying, dreadful, exceedingly strong & it has iron teeth.’ It has 10 horns on its head and three  collapse when one enters and has eyes and a mouth. Scholars believe this represents the Roman  Empire and with the horns, it symbolizes the increase of their power.  

 We will learn about this later in the chapter, but for now, what I want you to understand about  beasts is 2 things.  

1st) - These beasts are against God. How so? Be reminded, these beasts rise out of the great  sea. They arise out of godlessness & chaos. The theme of beasts is all through scripture. The first  beast, in the Garden of Eden, deceives Eve to sin against God. 

DANIEL 7 3 

The last Beast in the book of Revelation wages war against the people of God. Beasts are  through-out the Bible and their depiction is one of being against God and His people.  

2nd) - These nations are in total depravity.  

This vision imitates King Nebuchadnezzar’s vision. If you remember back to Daniel 2, he has a  dream of a big statue with 4 parts to it, all representing, different kingdoms. What we just read  there is 4 beasts and Daniel will go on later in the chapter to explain that these beasts represent 4  kingdoms. What’s the difference? If Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is about the power of the  kingdoms and how God’s kingdom is more powerful. Daniel’s dream is about the depravity of  the kingdoms and how God will hold them accountable for their actions.  

So the picture is painted. The thing with visions and apocalyptic literature is this. It’s not just  communication, but it’s meant to be an immersed experience. Its meant for us to have all of our  senses involved as well.  

You know this is true of images. Wether it’s nations that have an animal that represents  them or a sports team, they do so to communicate a message. You think of something like the  Seattle Kraken, they’re using a see monster to communicate intimidation. You think of America  with being represented as a an Eagle, its meant to communicate freedom and strength.  

WHO CAN STAND UP TO THE BEASTS? 

So these beasts rise out of the great sea of chaos and godlessness and the question to ask  is this. Who will stand up against such great beasts? Who will stand not only in strength over  them but hold them accountable for their actions. Think about how Babylon treated Israel.  Israelites are asking these questions. A change in vision needs to take place, where we don’t  neglect looking at the things of the world, but where we also have our minds focused on eternity  as well.  

9 “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was  white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels  were burning fire.10 A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands  served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in  judgment, and the books were opened. 11 “I looked then because of the sound of the great words  that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and  given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away,  but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. - (Daniel 7:9-12) 

JUDGEMENT SEAT: 

Daniel’s vision changes from the chaos and godlessness of the beasts to the order and  Godliness of the Ancient of Days.  

The Ancient of Days, God Himself is depicted here with White clothing, that is to symbolizes  His purity. If anyone has right judgement to judge the nations it is Him. 

DANIEL 7 4 

He’s also depicted with white hair, symbolizing His wisdom. He is before all time. He’s been  around a while.  

There is a chariot throne where He sits and the wheels are on fire, symbolizing Him as a Divine  Warrior, and a river of fire flowing from His chair, surrounded by Angelic beings.  An un-countable number was before the Ancient of Days, 10 thousands times 10 thousands and  court began and the books were opened.  

These beasts, they can no longer go about not being held accountable for their actions, their time  for giving account for their lives has come. 

HOPE & DESPAIR: 

For the Israelites hearing this, I am sure, there was a sense of hope and victory in their  bones. A celebration and excitement, that the wrongs will be made right. That all that has been  lost will be found. That all that has been brought to death will have life. That all that are abused  will be healed. That justice will finally prevail!  

Some of you here this morning, you’ve lost family members to the lies of the beasts.  They’ve deceived your children, they’ve deceived your grandchildren, into godlessness, and  worshiping other things rather than the one true God. And for their deception, justice will be  served.  

In fact, the final beast, that is terrifying, dreadful & exceedingly strong, and destroys and  stamps everything in it’s wake, in a second, it is killed and burned with fire. What hope for the  people of God. What hope for Israel!  

And yet, I imagine what would be lingering in the back of their minds, is not only hope,  for justice to be served, but some despair as well. As they recall, they played a part in worshiping  other gods. They sacrificed their own children on the altar of convenience and prosperity. They  mixed their worship of the one true God with other neighboring idols. They stand guilty before  the Ancient of Days as they played their part in the beasts deception.  

One day, their will come a time for all of us, to give an account before The Ancient of  Days. If Daniel’s vision ends here, we are all ruined. We will all be judged, and condemned to  hell for all eternity. But it doesn’t. There is another who enters this vision.  

THE SON OF MAN: 

13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of  man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given  dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that  shall not be destroyed. - (Daniel 7:13-14) 

This Son of man, who looks human comes into this picture. And as dominion is taken from the  beasts, it is given to this Son of Man, where all nations, languages and people will come to Him  and serve Him.  

Son of Man literally translates Son of Adam. 

DANIEL 7 5 

This is incredibly significant! 

The first Adam: 

If you know the Bible at all, in the garden of Eden, God creates Adam, the first human,  but it’s not only that he is the first human, he is the representative of the human race before God.  And god gave him the task of having dominion over all the earth. And you need to know this.  Adam is the best of us. If we chose collectively as a human race someone to represent us before  God, it would’ve been Adam.  

Adam had no sin, He was in a garden with no sin, and to make triple sure he wouldn’t  sin, he was also given a wife. So Adam is in this perfect situation, and he sins. Eve was deceived  by the serpent, but Adam didn’t speak up and say anything. His sin was one of omission. And  because of that, all of mankind is cast out of the presence of God 

But there’s a promise given to them as they are cast out.  

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he  shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” - (Genesis 3:15) 

This promise is this, There will be someone from the family line of Adam and Eve, that will  come and bruise the head of the serpent/beast. He will be a Son of Adam/Man 

The second Adam: 

And you fast forward to the gospels, everyone is looking for the Christ. This is the word  the people used the most. But it’s not how Jesus refers to Himself. Jesus refers to Himself as the  Son of Man about 81 times. In fact, to tie this all together, there is a seen where Jesus is moments  before going to the cross and as He is being accused by the scribes and pharisees asking Him if  He is the Christ, and Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand  of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” - (Mark 14:62)  

Who’s your representative before the throne of God? Is it Adam, or Jesus? Is it Adam  who failed or in the second Adam, Jesus who succeeded?  

Where the first Adam failed to save us from the beast, the second Adam slays the beasts for his  people. In the first Adam we all die, in the second Adam we are made alive. In the first Adam we  are condemned before the throne of God. In the Second Adam, we stand pardoned from our sin  against God.  

Who’s your representative before God? The Son of Man comes to save His people from the  beasts.  

We continue on with with some clarity as an explanation is given. 

DANIEL 7 6 

CLARITY FOR DANIEL: 

15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me.  16 I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he  told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. 17 ‘These four great beasts are  four kings who shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the  kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’ 

19 “Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest,  exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke  in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, 20 and about the ten horns that were on its  head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes  and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. 21 As I  looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days  came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints  possessed the kingdom. 23 “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, 

there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after  them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings. 25 He shall  speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall  think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and  half a time. 26 But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be  consumed and destroyed to the end. 27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of  the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’ 28 “Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my  color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.” - (Daniel 7:15-28) 

Here comes the application from the explanation given to Daniel from an Angel.  

1) God steps in to our story to save us. 

The beginning of this section talks about how these beasts arise out of the earth, but there  is an interruption that takes place. Because rather than the beasts possessing the kingdom, the  people of the Most High receive the kingdom. What happens? God intervenes. 

If you’re here this morning and you’re a christian, that is your story. God intervened in  your life and saved you.  

2) God slays The ultimate beast for His people. 

The story continues on beyond Daniel, where the beasts we face are satan, sin & death.  And when Jesus, the Son of Man goes to the cross, by his sacrifice. His death & resurrection,  Jesus defeats Satan, sin in our lives & death. 

DANIEL 7 7 

3) We share in the Victory of the Son of Man. 

This kingdom that the Son of Man wins, is to restore what God wanted in the garden of  Eden. God wanted His people to have dominion on this earth, and God takes back what was  stolen from the beasts which is dominion and it is given to the Son of Man. And we who place our trust in Jesus share in this victory of the Son of Man; we know how it  ends. 

*Personal anxieties of the future. Trusting in the Son of man and knowing how it ends.  “He who understands Daniel 7, holds the keys to history.”