who explained daniel's dreams to him

Alexander the great and his armies did conquer the nations that became a part of his empire swiftly. Daniel obtaining some respite finds the dream. Other biblical prophecies bear on the prophecies of Daniel, particularly preceding or contemporary prophecies. The words of Daniel which applied to the beasts now found application to them. How easily we turn from what is revealed to speculate about what has been concealed (see Deuteronomy 29:29). When his appointed time is over, God will destroy this king and his kingdom and establish His eternal kingdom on the earth. 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). 5 And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. The identity of the kingdoms represented by the other body parts and metals was not revealed. Daniel 2:1). No wonder this vision causes Daniel such distress. Who are these saints that the angel is speaking of? 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. Abraham had to believe and behave on the basis of Gods promises, rather than on the basis of his perception. Daniels response is testimony to this reality. Part of the dream seemed good, and part of it seemed bad. 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. 18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so . 13 And he performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. When we expect it least, the Lord will return, the wicked will be punished, and the kingdom of God established forevermore. This beast is also unique among the four in that he grows 11 horns. And they did! Before the coming of Christ, who would? 2 So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers [1]to tell him what he had dreamed. He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. Nebuchadnezzar's Dream ( Daniel 2:1-16) Say: Some time later, the King had a dream. For the time, it was these Jewish leaders who were beastly, arrogant, and blasphemous, and because of this they would suffer divine judgment. (5) What do the four beasts represent? Daniel uses the expression Son of man twice. (7) Who is the Ancient of Days? Chapter 2. 79 Compare Jeremiah 49:14-22, 28, where Nebuchadnezzar is compared to a lion and an eagle. 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. Many Old Testament prophets shared Daniels distress as a result of the prophecies they received and often conveyed to others.74 Why does the prophecy of Daniel 7 cause this godly man so much consternation? Our Lords first coming happened over a period of more than 30 years, and yet we view this as one coming. Each beast has its own unique characteristics. If you need one see me after the service and I will get you a copy. In other words, this persecution of the saints will not go on unchecked but will be defined to a definite period of time. First, the prophecies of Daniel are divinely inspired and revealed, and thus they are true and reliable. Nebuchadnezzar's dream, Daniel tells him, was about a statue with a golden head, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, and legs of iron, which is crushed by a giant stone, which itself becomes a mountain (vv. In his vision, the statue collapsed and disappeared, because a mysterious stone struck it at its feet. Daniel 2:24-49 New International Version Daniel Interprets the Dream 24 Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, "Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. In the latter days, before the kingdom of God is established on the earth, kings and kingdoms will become worse and worse. 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. We are not of night nor o darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. The fourth beast is a fourth king, different than the others. Would this horn Daniels vision revealed oppose the people of God and even blaspheme God Himself? As Daniel continues to watch, someone descends with the clouds of heaven, one like a Son of Man. He is presented to the Ancient of Days, and to Him is given dominion, glory, and the eternal kingdom. 77 According to Baldwin, This verse [13] has been the subject of more scholarly papers than any other in the book, so indicating its centrality, not only for Daniel but for the New Testament also. Baldwin, p. 142. The blasphemous horn of Daniel 7, which goes so far as to oppose the people of God, is suddenly taken by death, and his kingdom is removed. In Daniels dream the Medo-Persian empire and it king Cyrus was represented by the bear. The third portion of the statue in Daniel 2 was the belly and thighs of bronze which represented the Greek empire. All of this is by divine design. This horn Daniel says was also waging war against the saints and overpowering them until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One. Arrogant, boastful, and even blasphemous kings will reign over the nations, opposing God and oppressing His saints. That night his life and his kingdom came to an end. Upon hearing the details of the dream, Daniel too was troubled (4:19). Editing is often evident in the Bible (see John 20:30-31; 31:25). With iron-like teeth, horns (some with eyes), and feet, it is utterly destructive. In the second scene, heaven calmly prepares for court, which will determine that the time for judgment has come. The reign of Belshazzar was, in some measure, a foretaste of what was yet to come in full measure during the reign of the fourth beast, especially of the eleventh horn. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed. It seems that three of the kings try to resist him and he overthrows them by force. (6) How important is it for us to identity the kings and the kingdoms mentioned in our text? The message of this prophecy is really quite simple and may be summed up this way. This is consistent with God's propensity to use miracles to identify His messengers. Prophecy is always practical and relevant to the person(s) receiving it. 5. Prophecy is not revealed in a historical vacuum. He intends to make changes in time and in law. Chapter 2 - The original dream describing the future kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persian, Greek, Roman, kingdom of God. At this time the kingdom of God is established. I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. Passing over the first three beasts, his questions focus on the last beast. (3) These prophecies must be understood in light of their historical background as provided in Daniel, in the inspired revelation provided by other portions of Scripture, and the cautious use of supplementary information by reliable historical documents or study. So, I began the review by looking at the first 14 verses where Daniel gives us a summary of the visions he had as he dreamed in his sleep. (9) The interpretation of Daniels vision comes in two parts, beginning with a general interpretation and then a more specific one based on Daniels questions. Generally, it is agreed that this beast represents the Babylonian empire and king Nebuchadnezzar in particular. Having gained an appreciation for Daniel and his three Hebrew friends, over a period he came to faith in their God. Thus, the vision is yet unfulfilled in terms of its major emphasis. At least the final portion of chapter 7 has not been fulfilled. Daniel finds nothing to compare to it. In more detail, the outline would be as follows: (2) The Divine Interpretation verses 15-28. (1) Prophecy is necessary because God has chosen to settle His accounts with men slowly. Alexandra, the daughter of a rich British aristocrat, caught his attention. 15 As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. What God declares in prophecy, He reveals as well in history. These will continue to be separate nations in the confederation but will come under the little horns control and authority. This takes place until the Ancient of Days comes and judgment is given to the saints, at the time the eternal kingdom becomes their possession. Subsequent revelations in the Book of Daniel which Daniel received were closely associated with some kind of agony or distress (see 8:17, 27; 9:20-21; 10:2-3, 7-10, 17; 12:8). Daniel urged them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven, . All distinctions of race and colour and nationality are stripped away and one apparently human figure represents the whole human race. Joyce C. Baldwin, Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1978), p. 150. The prophecy of this chapter is divinely interpreted. God may choose to delay judgment on the wicked until their sin reaches full bloom; the possession of the land of Canaan would not happen in Abrahams lifetime, but more than 400 years later after the suffering of the people of God (see Genesis 15:12-17). Many others may have reluctantly professed or actually adopted the Jewish religion. We are not to base our thinking and actions on circumstances, but upon the Scriptures. History has shown this to be true in the past, and prophecy assures us that it will be true in the future. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him." 10 A river of fire was flowing And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, and the books were opened. Nevertheless, Daniel tells no one, keeping the matter to himself and suffering a quiet agony over the future events God has revealed to him. (5) While the process involves wicked kings and nations and the suffering of the saints, the culmination is the establishment of Gods eternal kingdom. Lets pray and ask God to teach us and guide us as we look at His prophetic word. 10 If any one is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if any one kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Nebuchadnezzar became distressed when he received his first night vision (2:1) because he did understand some of his dream. (Numbers 23:19). I also told you it corresponded to the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel chapter 2, but with more detail. I believe some in Babylon, like their king, came to a genuine faith in God. In addition to the beasts iron teeth, Daniel tells us that the beast had claws of bronze. Then the saints will receive the kingdom which will never end. He would, after His death, burial, and resurrection come in His glory, rewarding men according to their deeds (16:27). 1 John 3:1-3 says, See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. Encouraged to do so, it savagely devours. In a similar way, Belshazzar becomes blasphemous and is suddenly removed by God for his wickedness. There is fairly strong inferential evidence that Nebuchadnezzar was represented by the first beast, the winged lion. That was bad enough, from the religious leaders perspective, but the way in which He answered them was the last straw. We are told the Old Testament prophet could not see the distance between the first and the second coming of our Lord, just as one cannot see the distance between two mountains, when viewed from afar. In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. Until Gods eternal kingdom is established, kingdoms will progress from bad to worse. 1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel saw a dream and visions in his mind as he lay on his bed; then he wrote the dream down and related the following summary of it. As the destruction of the last beast and the blaspheming horn came as a complete shock to them, so the Lords coming will catch unbelievers unprepared as well (24:27-39). 9 I kept looking until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow, And the hair of His head like pure wool. Children need to know that as believers, we are on the winning team and God wins in the end. Two weeks ago, we quickly looked at the description of the beast that John sees in Revelation 13 and he described it as a composite of the first three beasts, the body of a leopard, the feet or paws of a bear, and the head and mouth of a lion. I encourage you to compare the statements of Daniel 2:21-22, 44, 47; 4:3, 34-35, 37; 6:26 with the content and declarations of Daniel 7. The other prophecies were revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar and interpreted by Daniel. 25 And he will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. Child-bearing is a process which involves suffering and glory. The visions explanation was not thorough enough to satisfy Daniel. It should be remembered that many narratives of scripture are related in a very condensed form, fuller details being added afterwards. Wherever I see the Scriptures speak of the coming kingdom of God, I find suffering closely associated with it. During those days the revived Roman empire will be ruled by a confederation of ten kings as described by the ten toes of the statue of Daniel 2 and the ten horns of Daniels dream. 81 See Ezekiel 29:21 for a similar use of the imagery of making a horn grow to describe a kings promotion to power. March 1, 2023, 6:00 a.m. The prophecy of Daniel 7 nevertheless had great relevance and application to those in Daniels day. The latter prophecy of Daniel 7 adds many more details than were revealed in chapter 2. In his vision, the statue collapsed and disappeared, because a mysterious stone struck it at its feet. In Revelation it is also referred to as 42 months and 1260 days which all work out to 3 years. The winged lion was a symbol of Babylon, in any history museum that has a Babylonian section you will find artifacts of a winged lion. In the first scene, heavenly winds are employed to whip up the sea from which the four beasts emerges. During times of oppression, it may appear the saints are being defeated and that Gods kingdom is but wishful thinking. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. (1) Daniel 7 is the last chapter written in Aramaic in the Book of Daniel. An eleventh king then rises to power, different from the others, replacing three of the previous kings. Belshazzars rise to power and ascent to the throne seems to have inaugurated a new age for Babylon. Verses 1-14 contain the vision which God gave to Daniel. Quite clear, however, is the identity of the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man.. As Daniel watches, the wings are torn off the beast, and the creature stands erect like a man and a human mind is given to it. What it does not destroy or consume with its teeth, it crushes under foot, much like a bull in a china shop. A look through the Scriptures shows that Daniels response to the prophecies he received was not unique. His final offspring, so to speak, is the little horn which becomes the great blasphemer, whose life and kingdom is suddenly cut off by the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man. However, it must have been in the latter part of Nebuchadnezzar's reign. They surely knew this text to be messianic, but they had always applied it to the Gentiles. International Standard Version so Daniel went to ask Nebuchadnezzar for an appointment to see him , and it was granted him so that he could reveal the meaning to the king. Daniel 2:1-13 - Nebuchadnezzar's Dream. 5. So they came and stood before the king. Our study of this chapter will isolate what troubled Daniel about the future. Through the vision of a magnificent, awe-inspiring statue, God reveals the future for Gentile kings and their kingdoms. Daniel still dreaming said he approached one of those standing there. In my opinion, the most dramatic reference of our Lord to His identity as the Son of Man comes as the Lord Jesus stands on trial before the Sanhedrin and the high priest: 59 Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, in order that they might put Him to death; 60 and they did not find it, even though many false witnesses came forward. [1]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. The prophecies of Daniel 7 speak of a future day of reckoning, foreshadowed by the actions of Belshazzar and the judgment of God on him and his kingdom. Yet, his emotional response was valid and changed little after the vision was explained more fully. Interpretations of Daniels prophecies differ widely. ), Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation, Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular, Daniel -- 'God is my judge', an Israelite leader in Babylon, Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular, Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular, Preposition | third person masculine singular, Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular determinate, Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular determinate. (1) The Book of Daniel is a part of the Holy Scriptures, and thus inspired, accurate, and trustworthy. Our deliverance from the power of sin and the penalty of death has been accomplished by our Lord, who suffered in our place. The emphasis of this brief interpretation falls not on the enemies of God, their power, their brutality, nor their boasting, but on the kingdom of God, its certainty and its permanence for all the saints forever. The kingdom of God will be established and the saints will possess it forever. By far, this first beast is the best of a bad bunch. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him. 21 I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's rule, he had a dream. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Of race and colour and nationality are stripped away and one apparently human represents! 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Important is it for us to identity the kings and the kingdom of God and oppressing his saints belly thighs. Of a bad bunch standing there spirit was distressed within me, Daniel, my spirit was within... Defeated and that Gods kingdom is established, kingdoms will become worse and worse Daniel are divinely and., someone descends with the clouds of heaven, one like a bull in a shop!, this first beast, a second one, resembling a bear months and 1260 Days which work.

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