Sermon Tone Analysis

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

The first was like a lion...

The second was like a bear...

The third was like a leopard...

The fourth was dreadful and terrible...

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.”

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

Before we come to the interpretation of this vision, Daniel sees God sitting on the throne.

We are told, in Daniel 7:10 that, “…the judgment was set, and the books were opened.”

Turn to and read Revelation 20:11-15.

One like the Son of Man...

Turn to and read Daniel 7:13-14.

This is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ!

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?

Allow me to give you a very basic application that we should all be able to understand.

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...

“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?

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:

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...