God is speaking; are you listening?
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Daniel’s Vision
Daniel’s Vision
The events that take place in Daniel chapter 7 chronologically take place before the events of Daniel chapter 5.
God was going to let Daniel in “on a little secret.” God, in this dream, was going to tell Daniel what the future held just as He done with other prophets.
For us, some of this vision has already taken place as we will see, and other portions of it are yet to come.
When I state that there is a lot of meat in this chapter that is definitely not an overstatement. We could truly feast on the contents of this chapter for weeks and never fully digest it all.
While I have not seen the book of Daniel compared in this way, I would say that the book of Daniel is the “Revelation” of the Old Testament! As we look at Daniel chapter 7, we are going to do a lot of “back and forth” between Daniel and the book of the Revelation.
This morning, we’re going to get a quick overview of this vision. Next week, we will take a look at the general meaning of the vision which Daniel sees.
So, let’s get started. What does Daniel see? The characters that we are introduced to in Daniel chapter 7 are far more interesting than the events that transpire in Daniel chapter 7.
Four Great Beasts
Four Great Beasts
The first was like a lion...
The first was like a lion...
The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
The second was like a bear...
The second was like a bear...
And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
The third was like a leopard...
The third was like a leopard...
After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
The fourth was dreadful and terrible...
The fourth was dreadful and terrible...
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
Another little horn...
Another little horn...
Daniel 7:7 tells us that the fourth beast was dramatically different than the other three beasts.
One of the interesting characteristics of this beast is that it had ten horns.
Daniel 7:8 tells us that, while he thought about these horns, “…there came up among them another little horn...” This horn had “…eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.”
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.
And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.
Even though we have not come to the interpretation of Daniel’s vision, with just a little bit of knowledge regarding the book of the Revelation, we understand that this little horn is the antichrist that shall come to power during the Tribulation period.
Turn to and read Revelation 13:1-9.
The Ancient of Days
The Ancient of Days
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.
Before we come to the interpretation of this vision, Daniel sees God sitting on the throne.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
We are told, in Daniel 7:10 that, “…the judgment was set, and the books were opened.”
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Turn to and read Revelation 20:11-15.
One like the Son of Man...
One like the Son of Man...
Turn to and read Daniel 7:13-14. This is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ!
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
And the government shall be upon his shoulder:
And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Turn to and read Revelation 5:1-10.
Turn to and read Revelation 19:1-6.
Turn to and read Revelation 20:1-6.
So, the characters that we have been introduced to this morning are...
The four beasts
The “little horn” upon the fourth beast
The Ancient of Days - God Himself
The Son of Man - Jesus Christ
Ok, so what does this have to do with us today, Sunday, March 3, 2019?
Ok, so what does this have to do with us today, Sunday, March 3, 2019?
Allow me to give you a very basic application that we should all be able to understand.
God was speaking; Daniel was listening.
God was speaking; Daniel was listening.
Have you ever wondered why God chose certain individuals to speak to?
God spoke to Moses.
God spoke to Samuel.
God spoke to Isaiah.
God spoke to Jeremiah.
God spoke to Daniel.
And, we could list many others that God directly spoke to. And yet, for every individual that God directly spoke to, there were thousands - millions of others - that God did not speak to directly. Why?
Could it be that God knew who it was that would listen and who it was that would not listen?
Turn to and read Ezekiel 3:1-11.
When God spoke to Ezekiel, Ezekiel was listening. God sent Ezekiel with a message to the house of Israel and yet, even before Ezekiel went, God said...
But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.
“Ezekiel, the house of Israel won’t listen to you because they will not listen to Me!”
That was exactly why the people of God found themselves in captivity during the time of Daniel. God had been speaking but the people had not been listening.
God was speaking; Daniel was listening.
God is still speaking; are you listening?
God is still speaking; are you listening?
Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Ladies and gentlemen, God is still speaking today. He speaks through His Word. The question become, “Are you listening?” Are you daily opening God’s Word and allowing Him to speak to you?
“As the outward man is not fit for work for any length of time unless he eats, so is with the inner man. What is the food for the inner man? Not prayer, but the Word of God-not the simple reading of the Word of God, so that it only passes through our minds, just as water runs through a pipe. No, we must consider what we read, ponder over it, and apply it to our hearts.” - George Mueller
Notice King David’s attitude toward God’s Word from Psalm 119:
I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Open thou mine eyes, That I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
Thy testimonies also are my delight And my counsellers.
Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; Yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
And I will delight myself in thy commandments, Which I have loved.
The law of thy mouth is better unto me Than thousands of gold and silver.
MEM. O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path.
Therefore I love thy commandments Above gold; yea, above fine gold.
PE. Thy testimonies are wonderful: Therefore doth my soul keep them.
I rejoice at thy word, As one that findeth great spoil.
Since the days of Daniel, God has been speaking and, unfortunately the vast majority of individuals have not been listening. Instead, most have turned a deaf ear to the voice of God.
May we be like young Samuel who, as a boy, said...
And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.