Today's Video Devotion

Tuesday 9/17/24

Yesterday, Today, and Forever

๐Ÿ“บ๏ธ Daniel 7 ๐Ÿ”Š


1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.

 2Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.

 3And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

 4The 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.

 5And 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.

 6After 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.

 7After 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.

 8I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

 9I 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.

 10A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

 11I 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.

 12As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

 13I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

 14And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

 15I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.

 16I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.

 17These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

 18But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

 19Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;

 20And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

 21I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

 22Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

 23Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

 24And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

 25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

 26But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

 27And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

 28Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

Written By: God through Inspiration

Penned By: Daniel

Date Penned: BC 536 (Covering Events BC 605-536)

Overview: Daniel's Visions (c 7-12)

Theme: Daniel's Visions testify that God is in Control (c 7-12)

Message: Daniel Dreams of 4 Beasts (v 1-28) 


 

Daniel 7 Commentary 

 

(7:1) Chronologically, this chapter takes place before chapter 5. At this time, Belshazzar had just been given a position of authority (553 BC) and Daniel was probably in his late sixties. Chapter 7 begins the second division of the book of Daniel. The first six chapters present history; the last six chapters are prophecies about the future. 


(7:2) Daniel had a vision of four huge beasts, each representing a world empire. This was similar to Nebuchadnezzar's dream in chapter 2. Nebuchadnezzar's dream covered the political aspects of the empires. Daniel's dream revealed their moral character. These nations would reign over Israel were evil and cruel but Daniel also saw God's future Kingdom arrive and conquer them all. 


(7,4-8) The Lion with eagles wings represents Babylon with her swift conquests (statues of winged lions have been recovered from Babylon's ruins) The bear who ravaged the lion is Medo-Persia. The 3 ribs in his mouth represent the conquests of 3 major enemies. The leopard is Greece. Its wigs show the swiftness of Alexander the Great's campaign as he conquered much of the civilized world in 4 years. The leopards 4 heads are the 4 divisions of the Greek Empire after Alexanders death. The 4th beast was not a world power which Daniel recognized. It represents Rome and the end times. Many Bible scholars believe that the horns correspond to 10 kings who will reign shortly before God sets up his never-ending Kingdome. These 10 kings had still not come to power at the time of John's Vision recorded in the book of Revelation chapter 17. The little horn is a future ruler or the Antichrist ("man of sin" 2 Thessalonians chapter 2)


(7:9) Here are the prophecy shifts to the end times. This judgement scene is similar to one seen by the Apostle John (Revelation chapter 1) Almighty God (Ancient of Days) who assigns power to kingdoms, will himself judge those kingdoms in the end.


(7:10) Daniel saw God judging millions of people as they stood before him, We all must stand before Almighty God and and give account of our lives. If your life were judged by God today, what would he say about it? How would he measure it against his Word? As we look toward God's judgement, we should think about what we would like him to say about our devotion to him at that time. Then we should live that way today!


(7:13,14) This Man is the Messiah, Jesus used this verse to refer to himself in Matthew chapter 26, Luke 21, and John 1. The clouds of heaven portray the deity of the Son of Man for they are used exclusively as a divine attribute. God's Glory appeared in a cloud in Exodus chapters 16 & 19 at the giving of the Law at Sinai. 


(7:15) If you feel as Daniel did about these prophecies (disturbed and confused) recognize with him that God has not yet revealed their full meaning. The full implications of these prophesies will not be known until God reveals them to his people.


(7:18) The "saints of the most High" are the true Israel, the messianic community, Jesus Christ gave the Kingdom to the new Israel of faith. His coming ushered in the Kingdom of God and all believers are its citizens. Although God may allow persecution to continue for awhile, the destiny of his followers will be to possess the Kingdom and be with him forever. 

 

(7:24) The 10 horns, or 10 kings, are mentioned in Revelation chapter 17. There were also 10 toes in Nebuchadnezzar's vision in chapter 2. While there are many theories concerning the identity of these 10 kings we are reminded in Revelation chapter 17 that these kings will war against Christ, but as the King of kings, He will conquer them. The other king mentioned here is the future Antichrist of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. 


Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue with the Book of Daniel with Chapter 7. In our text today we see the beginning of Daniel's visions as the Lord reveals future events in these dreams which Daniel records. From future goverments to Jesus-Christ to End times we see the pieces of the puzzle fit together in union with the book of Revelation. In making application we see more examples of the Living Word of God as its text is both of Yesterday, Today, and Forever. This truth should motivate us to look in its pages for instruction and application in all aspects of our lives. How about you? Do you Look to the Word of God for Instruction in Your life? Let us learn from our text today and the prophecy of Daniel to realize that the Bible is the Living Word of God of Yesterday, Today, and Forever, that we should reference daily for in its pages it shows us all aspects of our personal lives giving us instruction and guidance to face all of life's challenges.

Thank You for Reading Today's Devotional
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๏ปฟSincerely,
Dr. Dave Burnette
Director, The United States Bible Society, Inc.
Closing Prayer

Father in the Name and through the Blood of Jesus we pray that we would Take Today's Reading of Your Word and Give Us Understanding of Its Text, that You Apply this Word to Our Lives, and that you would help us grow in You. Father, Finally we Pray for Your Kingdom to come, that Your Will to be Done here on Earth as it is in Heaven. That You would Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen

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