Life in a Hostile World: the real picture

I'd like you to open your Bibles, please, at that Old Testament reading, Daniel 7, that's page 863.

Over these past weeks, we've been looking at the life of Daniel.

And now, in this chapter, there is a fundamental change in the whole character of the book.

And as Mari read to us that first half of chapter 7, it's to do with this vision which Daniel had.

It all made sense, didn't it?

Let's pray.

Father, we do ask for your grace to be able to just understand what you are saying to us in this passage.

And we ask it in Christ's name.

Amen.

From this point onwards, and by the way, that vision belongs chronologically between chapters 4 and 5.

So it's inserted here as a separate thing from what we've been looking at in these past weeks.

What this vision does is it broadens our perspective, or certainly broadens Daniel's perspective beyond his own time.

In fact, it broadens it beyond our time.

Right up to the judgment day.

And it gives us an insight into what's going on behind the scenes in our human history.

And there are two things we're going to see.

We're going to see the world manipulated by evil powers, but a world under the control of our sovereign and omnipotent God.

No wonder Steve has entitled this sermon, Life in a Hostile World, the Real Picture.

So it begins with Daniel describing this vision dream.

Remember, he is in exile in Babylon.

So verse 1.

In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream.

And visions passed through his mind as he was lying on his bed.

And he wrote down the substance of his dream.

I'm very glad he wrote it down.

You ever had a dream and it's been really quite bizarre?

But try writing it down.

Well, the vision tells us a great deal about the end chapter of history.

And so the question that the Jews would have been asking in exile, where is God in all this?

What's he doing?

What about all those great covenant promises that he made to Abraham?

It all just seems to have fallen flat.

What is happening?

And as puzzling as the vision may have been, I don't doubt it was an encouragement to Daniel, even if he wasn't quite sure what it meant.

But the message is no less relevant to us as it was to him.

Because we too can lose hope if we're not careful.

Things can go out of focus just in the events of our own personal lives, let alone in world events.

And if we're not careful, our perspective can just become distorted.

Now the thing I want to just make very clear so that we understand where we're heading is that Daniel's descriptions here in this chapter are in symbolic language.

And it's the same sort of language that's used in the book of Revelation.

In fact, many of the things which Daniel says here are virtually repeated in the book of Revelation by John.

So just look at verses 2 and 3.

Daniel said,

Remember, it's apocalyptic language.

It's symbolic of reality.

There's a difference between apocalyptic language and literal language.

And these descriptions are intended to convey a picture of reality, but are not literally describing that reality.

Do you follow what I'm saying?

It's exactly the same in Revelation.

Let me just give you a simple illustration.

In Revelation, John talks about a bottomless pit.

Now I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure there's no such thing as a bottomless pit.

But have you ever felt like you were in a bottomless pit?

Yeah.

So that's the point.

It's language which is symbolic.

It's describing something which in itself is not the reality, but it's telling us the reality.

Pictorial language.

All right, four beasts.

And we read of them there in verses 6 to 8.

Horrible beasts rising from the sea.

Now in both Daniel and Revelation, the sea is a metaphor for the nations.

It's the sea of restless humanity.

The sea of the nations as they rise and fall.

And we read in Revelation, the waters, the sea that you saw, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.

Are you with me?

It's out of these nations that these four beasts arise.

What are they?

What do they represent?

Well, Daniel was so distressed by what he saw that he prayed for understanding.

Now we've only read the first half of the chapter.

You turn over and look at the second half of the chapter and look at verses 15 through to 16.

Because this is the interpretation.

Verse 15.

I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me.

I approached one of those who was standing there and asked him the true meaning of all this.

So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things.

The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will arise from the earth.

But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever.

Yes, forever and forever.

Four beasts, four kingdoms.

Now it was the fourth of these beasts that so disturbed Daniel.

Remember we read in verse 7, he was terrifying and frightening and very powerful.

And Daniel's description is repeated in Revelation.

John said, and I saw a beast coming out of the sea, rising out of the nations.

He had ten horns, seven heads, ten crowns in his horns and on each head a blasphemous name.

Same in principle is what Daniel saw.

Now what we're not told in Daniel, but which John tells us in Revelation,

is that behind this fourth beast is the dragon.

Satan himself giving his authority to the beast.

No wonder he's incredibly powerful.

Behind this beast is Satan himself, who more than anything else wants to be seen as supreme and in authority.

He wants to be God.

What is this beast?

What's its mission?

What's it represent?

Now many over the centuries have tried to work out what this beast was and what these various things represent.

And so some have said, oh it's this, it was Rome or it was Greece or it was the Medes and the Persians or it was this happening or it was Hitler.

And I think if we try to link it just to one particular individual or a period of time in history,

then we may well just miss the whole point of what this is intended to convey.

Having said that, there are many examples of this beast operating in our world history.

And we can take Hitler as an example, if you like.

He was an evil man.

He epitomised the beastliness of fallen humanity, if you like.

But behind all that he did and others like him is the dragon, Satan.

And so it is out of man's beastliness that these tyrants are supported and given power by Satan.

And my friend Jeffrey Bingham once wrote about this beast.

He said, nothing beastly arises which has not come from that which is already beastly.

Beastliness we understand.

It's being animal-like in the worst forms when in fact we've been created human.

No one can criticise a beast for being beastly.

But humans are not essentially beasts.

The truth of history is that beasts have always arisen from the human beastliness of pride and ambition and selfishness and anger and hatred and wrath.

And the principle of history found here in Daniel burgeons out into terrible ways in the dragon and his beast.

And we will miss the whole point of this prophecy if we do not recognise the elements working in the world today.

Understanding the principle of beastliness, of seeming defeat of the people of God, of the ultimate triumph of God and his kingdom.

We would be wrong if we linked the beast with some past kingdom, say Rome or some present kingdom, say Hitler's Germany or put it all into the future when we will not be here to see it.

Now the important thing is to step back and take the big picture.

On one of my business trips in Europe I visited the Louvre.

And it was very crowded and I remember being sort of, you know, pushed along with the crowd and into one of these very big rooms.

And as I turned here was this big picture and all I could see was just this section right here in front of me with very rough paintwork.

And I just kept walking.

And it wasn't until I got to the end that I turned back and suddenly saw this vast canvas of this magnificent picture.

And we can look at the details and miss the big picture.

Romans 13 tells us that all ruling powers are ordained by God.

But Satan is forever perverting those powers.

So he just takes what God has given and instituted for our welfare and he turns it, he twists it into an instrument of oppression.

That's what he's been doing right down through history.

And that's when we see beastliness in action.

Well, Daniel saw something further in his vision.

He saw the eternal kingdom of God, the ancient of days.

Look at verses 9 and 10.

As I looked, thrones were set in place and the ancient of days took his seat.

That's just a way of describing God, the Father.

His clothing was as white as snow and the hair of his head was white as wool.

His throne was flaming with fire and his wheels were all ablaze.

A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him.

Thousands upon thousands attended him.

Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.

The court was seated and the books were opened.

Now the Bible clearly speaks about the kingdom of God.

And we are told unambiguously that God is in control of all things.

But history and our own experience often gives us a contrary message, doesn't it?

It seems as if everything's out of control at times.

And we go, well, where's God in all this?

Is he really in charge?

And what we forget is that there is a duplicate kingdom.

A counterfeit kingdom headed up by Satan.

Jesus spoke of it.

Paul spoke of it.

John speaks of it many times in Revelation.

Satan has a kingdom and he has a throne.

Read of that in Revelation.

It talks about Satan's throne and the throne of the beast.

So the purpose of these visions, both here in Daniel and in Revelation,

is to show us in symbolic language that all things, including Satan and his pretend throne,

are governed by our Lord, who is on the throne.

And like John, Daniel saw the Lord God take his place on this throne,

the seat of all authority and judgment.

As I read, thrones were set in place and the Ancient of Days took his seat.

But Daniel saw around this throne this vast throng.

Thousands upon thousands attending him.

Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.

Remember John in Revelation said exactly the same thing.

I looked and there was a great multitude that no one can count from every nation,

from all tribes and peoples and languages,

standing before the throne and before the Lamb.

And then Daniel saw something even more amazing.

Verse 13.

I looked and there before me was one like a son of man,

coming with the clouds of heaven.

He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.

And he was given authority, glory and sovereign power.

And all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away.

And his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

And that's what Jesus was alluding to in that second passage that was read to us from Mark.

This is a wonderful description of the Lord Jesus Christ because he's the son of God,

the son of man.

And to him God has given all authority and power.

We read in both Corinthians, 1 Corinthians and Ephesians,

that he's put all things under his feet.

John saw the same thing in Revelation.

Do you remember that he saw that this scroll was brought

and the question was asked,

who is worthy to open up this scroll,

to take up this unroll of seals and open the scroll?

And no one could be found who was worthy.

Remember, and John was very distressed.

And then it was said,

ah, yes, no, but here is one who is worthy.

The lamb that was slain.

And so we read in Revelation

that he went and he took the scroll from the right hand

of the one who was seated on the throne.

And he was able to open the seals.

And it was as if the father was saying to him,

here you are, son.

Here is the scroll with the seven seals.

You are to open those seals.

And every seal you open

will be something that happens in history

that will be of enormous significance.

And it can never happen unless you control history.

And then the seventh angel blew his trumpet

and there was loud voices in heaven saying,

the kingdom of the world has become

the kingdom of our Lord and his Messiah

and he will reign forever and ever.

And so it is through Christ

that God is at work in our human history

to control it,

to sustain it

and to bring salvation to his people

and the final defeat of all evil.

He's the Lord of history.

He's the king of the kingdom.

And he alone has the right

as sovereign to rule the nations.

He alone has the full authority of the father

and is competent to take the whole world

to its final destiny.

Gentle Jesus, meek and mild.

This is the sovereign Lord,

the son of man.

That's what Daniel saw in this astounding vision.

Now whether we realise it or not,

we're engaged in a spiritual battle every day

and we're faced with a powerful enemy

who was out to destroy God's people.

Paul tells that to us in Ephesians,

you remember?

He says our struggle

is not against flesh and blood

but against the rulers,

against the authorities,

against the powers of this dark world

and against the spiritual forces of evil

and the heavenly places.

That's the battle we're in

every day,

whether we realise it or not.

I think most Christians don't.

And we're told this many times in scripture.

But none more clearly than here in Daniel 7.

Look at verse 19.

Then I wanted to know the true meaning

of the fourth beast,

which was different from all the others

and most terrifying.

Just go down to verse 20.

I also wanted to know about the ten horns

and its head

and about the other horn that came up.

Verse 21.

As I watched,

this horn was waging war

against the saints

and defeating them.

Until,

verse 22,

until the Ancient of Days came

and pronounced judgment

in favour of the saints

of the Most High

and the time came

and the time came

when they possessed the kingdom.

Verse 23.

He gave me this explanation.

The fourth beast

is a fourth kingdom

will appear on earth.

It will be different

from all the other kingdoms

and will devour the whole earth,

trampling it down

and crushing it.

And just skipping to verse 25.

He,

that's this beast,

will speak against the Most High

and oppress his saints

and try to change

the set times and laws.

Just think a moment

about that verse.

What's behind the beast?

Who's behind the beast?

Satan himself.

What is Satan trying to do

all the time?

He is constantly speaking

blasphemies against God.

We get that from both

Daniel and Revelation.

Never lets up.

What else is he trying to do?

He's trying to oppress the saints.

Never lets up.

What's the third thing

he's trying to do?

He's trying to change history

to his favour.

There it is,

there in verse 25.

He will speak against

the Most High,

oppress his saints

and try to change

the set times and the laws.

And the saints

will be handed over

to him for a time,

times and half a time.

Now that's exactly

what John saw

in his revelation

in that vision he had.

Let me read one verse.

The dragon was allowed,

allowed,

allowed,

to make war on the saints

and to conquer them.

It was given

authority over the tribe

and people

and every tribe

and people

and language

and nation.

Job's a good illustration,

isn't it?

Yes,

here was Satan

and he was allowed

to afflict Job

but only up to a certain point.

We're in a monster battle.

The New Testament

tells us

that defeated forces of evil

and not yet destroyed.

They still have tremendous power

to work havoc

and so we must be realistic.

Yes,

of course,

the great victory

has been won on that cross.

And we must never forget that,

never lose sight of that.

But meantime,

Satan is out to destroy us

and he sometimes

and he sometimes

is permitted to succeed

as these passages

tell us so clearly.

Do you know

that in the 20th century

it's estimated

that some

210 million Christians

were martyred?

Yes,

Satan is allowed

to have authority.

We must never forget it.

But above him

and over him

is our sovereign God.

Notice that

Satan's power

is limited.

He's not allowed

to continue his war

on God's people forever.

Daniel is specifically

told

that they would suffer

under Satan's hands

for a time,

times

and half a time.

Don't worry about

what that means.

What it says,

it is for a set period

set by God.

God is sovereign.

John was told

exactly the same

in Revelation.

So Satan's days

are numbered

and so too

are those

who refuse

to come

under Christ's lordship.

God's judgment

will fall.

And that's what

Daniel saw

this day of reckoning.

Verse 10.

The court was seated

and the books

were opened.

And John wrote,

I saw the dead

great and small

standing before the throne

and books

were opened.

Also another book

was opened,

the book of life

and the dead

were judged

according to their works

as recorded in the books.

So as the pages

of the books

are opened,

so the judgment

of God

is issued.

And the arrogance

and the pride

and the power

of the beast

are now assigned

to destruction.

Look at verse 11,

Daniel 7,

Daniel 7:11

verse 11.

Then I continued

to watch

because of the boastful

words the horn

was speaking.

I kept looking

until the beast

was slain.

And his body

destroyed

and thrown

into the blazing fire.

And then just

turn over

to verse 26.

But the court

will sit

and his,

that is,

the beast's power

will be taken away

and completely

destroyed forever.

John says

exactly the same

thing

in Revelation 19.

Well,

how has this

great victory

been accomplished?

Daniel's not told.

But John knows

and so do we.

Do you remember

Jesus said

in John 12,

now is the judgment

of this world,

now shall the ruler

of this world

be cast out

and I,

when I am lifted up

from the earth,

will draw all men

to myself.

He's talking about

the cross

and the great

victory of the cross.

And so John wrote,

worthy is the lamb

that was slaughtered.

What for?

Well,

in order to receive

power and wealth

and wisdom

and might

and honour

and glory

and blessing.

And then he said,

I heard every creature

in heaven

and on earth

and under the earth

and in the sea

and all that's in them

singing to the one

seated on the throne

and to the lamb

be blessing

and honour

and glory

and might forever.

And then they cried

out in a loud voice

saying,

salvation belongs

to our God

who is seated

on the throne

and to the lamb.

He is our sovereign Lord.

And so God

has placed a cross

in the centre of history

where all evil

was defeated

and destroyed forever.

And so it is the shed

blood of the lamb of God,

the eternal son

by whom God

accomplishes

this staggering victory

over the beast

and his cohorts.

And as men

and women of faith

we share now

in that victory.

But Daniel sees

even more

in his vision.

Verse 18,

look at verse 18.

And the saints

of the most high

will receive the kingdom

and will possess it

forever.

Yes,

forever and ever.

And then turn

to verse 27.

Then the sovereignty,

power

and greatness

of the kingdom

under the whole heaven

will be handed over

to the saints,

the people of the most high.

His kingdom

will be an everlasting kingdom

and all rulers

will worship

and obey him.

Daniel saw

that the kingdom

is going to belong

to the people of God.

God,

this staggering promise

is in the process

of being fulfilled

right now.

Here we are

sitting in St. Paul's

Chatsford

and right now

you and I

are part of the

fulfillment

of that very promise.

We're not there yet.

You've probably noticed.

We're on our way

and the full blessing

of the kingdom

lies ahead

and though we have

all the promises

the father inheritance

is yet to be experienced

in all its fullness

and it's that

for which we hope.

That's the substance

of Daniel's message

and his vision

and indeed

it's the message

of the whole of scripture.

We're going to reign

with Christ

the father.

Is that an encouragement?

Are you bored?

Or does this

change your perspective

on where you are now

in your life

and within the context

of where we are

in the world today?

None of us

have got any right

you know

to God's grace

and so our pressing

need and responsibility

is to repent

of our obscene

rebellion and sin

to capitulate

and to live

obediently

to Christ

as Lord of all.

Throughout

human history

there's always been

this ebb and flow

of evil

and the activity

of the beast.

It's always been

that way

but our sovereign God

has the final word.

Let me conclude

just by

quoting to you

Psalm 2

the most quoted

psalm

in the New Testament.

He who sits

in the heavens

laughs

the Lord

has them

in derision.

In other words

the rebellious nations

and behind them

Satan himself

he just laughs

at them.

Then he will

speak to them

in his wrath

and terrify them

in his fury

saying

I have set

my king

on Zion

my holy hill

I have put

the son of man

King Jesus

in the place

of supreme authority

and power.

He says

I will tell

of the decree

of the Lord

he said to me

you are my son

today I have

begotten you

ask of me

and I will

make the nations

your heritage

and the ends

of the earth

your possession.

The nations

are going to be

given to Christ

to rule

as their Lord.

And the psalmist

says you shall

break them

with a rod

of iron

and dash

them in pieces

like a potter's

vessel.

This is God

speaking of course

though they

reject the son

he will be

their judge.

Now therefore

O kings

be wise

be warned

O rulers

of the earth

serve the Lord

with fear

with trembling

kiss his feet

kiss the feet

of Christ

or you'll be

angry

and you'll

perish in the

way

for his wrath

is quickly

kindled.

Gentle Jesus

meek and mild

well we read

in Revelation

of the wrath

of the Lamb

ultimately all

humans will bow

before the judgment

of the Son of God

and have to face

the wrath of the Lamb

but that psalm

finishes

happy are all

those who take

refuge in him

so you and I

dare not reject

Christ whom God

has appointed

as the redeemer

and judge of all

believe in him

trust him

bow before him

take refuge

in Christ

that's the overall

picture of Daniel

7

our Lord God

is sovereign

and even though

we live in a

hostile world

headed up

with the beastliness

of Satan

himself

we must see

the big picture

the real picture

and maintain

an eternal

perspective

so verse 27

of Daniel 7

says

the greatness

of the kingdom

under the whole

heaven

shall be given

to the saints

of the most high

we're going to

reign

in triumph

with Christ

Paul tells us

in Ephesians

God the Father

has put all things

under his feet

and has made him

head over all

things

does anyone know

how that verse

ends

God has made him

head over all

things

for the church

for us

that's the

perspective we

need before us

every day

let's pray

Father thank you

so much for this

word

thank you Lord

for this

incredible chapter

and how it opens

up to us

the vast

panorama

of history

where we see

that you are

Lord and

sovereign

even over

Satan and

all his

cohorts

help us to

recognise

that we are

in a monster

battle

but it's a

battle where

the victory

has already

been won

on that

cross

may we

live

in the

fullness

and the

freshness

and the

reality

of our

forgiveness

and the

grace

that's

come to us

in Christ

and know

that at

the end

we're going

to reign

with him

thank you

our father

in Christ's

name

Amen

Amen