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The eternal kingdom of the Ancient of Days

Scripture reading for September 2: Daniel 7-9

Some of these prophesies have ties to King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2 as well as to the New Testament Book of Revelation and some of the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels.  The vision in Daniel 7 dates back before the record of Daniel 5 where Belshazzar sees the handwriting on the wall.

Daniel saw the four winds of heaven stirring up a great sea and out of the sea came four great beasts.  These beasts were like animals, great and ferocious.  The first was like a lion and the second looked like a bear.  The third beast was like a leopard and the fourth beast was something terrifying.  It had iron teeth and ten horns on it’s head.  It was devouring  it’s victims and crushing them.  (Daniel 7:4-7)    These beasts correspond to the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2 and represent the kingdoms that followed that time, starting with Babylon, the lion, and moving to Persia, represented by the bear.  The leopard was Greece and the ferocious beast was the Roman Empire of Jesus’ day. (Revelation 13:1-4)

Daniel saw another horn, a little horn that came up among the ten horns of the last beast.  This horn had eyes like a man and a boastful mouth.  (Daniel 7:8)  Many commentators think that this horn is the evil ruler of the last days that will be known as Antichrist. (Revelation 13:5-7)(2nd Thessalonians 2:8-10)

In the midst of this vision of world history, political power and evil beasts, Daniel’s attention was taken to thrones that were set in place.  One came and took His seat Whose Name was the “Ancient of Days”.  This Ancient One had clothing that was brilliantly white and hair that was white like wool. His throne was ablaze with fire and full of wheels of fire, and a river of fire was flowing out before Him.  There was a host attending Him that could not be numbered.  This Ancient One was the judge in a court and there were books present that were opened. (Revelation 20:11-12)

As Daniel watched, the boastful horn was still speaking.  Then the beast that the horn had come from was slain and thrown into the blazing fire.  The other beasts had been stripped of their authority.  Then, suddenly, before Daniel was one like a ‘Son of Man’ coming on the clouds of heaven. (Mark 13:26)  He approached the Ancient of Days and was given glory, authority, and power over all nations and men.  All worshiped Him in an everlasting kingdom that would never end! (Daniel 7:11-14)(Revelation 5:11-13)