Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Voices of the Prophets: Daniel's Dream


                 We will continue progressively through the revelations of Daniel the prophet of God in chapter seven. Most of the early chapters of Daniel are history recording the experiences of Daniel as a captive in Babylon but also demonstrating his favor with the king allowing him to function freely. You may want to read chapters one, three, four, five and six to gather the context for the prophetic portions beginning in chapter seven and carrying forward to the end of the book in chapter twelve.
            “In 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.” (Daniel 7:1).
            “Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of the haven strove upon the great sea and four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse from one another.” (Daniel 7:2-3).
            “The first was like a lion and had eagle’s wings: I beheld until the wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth and made stand upon on its feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.” (Daniel 7:4). Depicted in this verse is the Babylonian Empire and its first king Nebuchadnezzar. It was as a lion in its power and dominion and as an eagle being very lofty and lifted up. But its wings were plucked and its king who had seen himself as godlike was dealt with by the Lord as is recounted in chapter four, and he was greatly humbled and came to acknowledge the Lord God as the Almighty. His wings were plucked and he was brought down to worship the King of heaven. Take the time to read the account in chapter four.
            “And behold another beast, a second, like 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, and eat much flesh.” (Daniel 7:5).  In view here is the kingdom of the Meads and the Persians which was a coalition of these peoples. It raised itself on one side is a reference to the Median kings being dominant originally and later the Persian kings became dominant.  The  bear had three ribs in its mouth signifying that it had swallowed up the residue of the three previously dominant kingdoms which were specifically the Egyptians, the Assyrians and the Babylonians. This kingdom was divided into 120 provinces and prevailed in the region for over two hundred years. Of consequence during this time a remnant of Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem. (See the book of Esther).
            “After this beheld, and lo I saw another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a foul; the beast had four heads; and dominion was given unto it.” (Daniel 7:6).This is the kingdom of Alexander the Great who as s very young man set forth with his armies from Macedonia and Greece moving from West to East and in a short few years conquered the region overthrowing the Persian Empire. The four wings and the leopard speak metaphorically of rapid flight and very quick stealth as his conquest was carried out. The four heads represent his four capable generals. Alexander died shortly after his world conquest was completed and there was a division of power and control taken by his four generals. He brought Hellenism, that is to say, Greek culture and language to the entire region.
            We take note here that the Roman Empire has been left out in the chronology. It seems to me that the reason this was done by the prophet is that he is focusing on the empires which originated in and controlled that region  of civilization we know as the Middle East and thus the fourth beast fits that description as we shall see. The Roman Empire does not fit this categorical definition having originaataed in Europe.
            “After this I saw in the night visions a fourth beast dreadful and terrible and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and breaks in pieces, and stomped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it: and it had ten horns. (Comp.  Rev. 13:1). I considered the horns, and, behold there came up among them a little horn (this is the state of Israel), before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold in this horn were eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great things.”(Daniel 7:8-9). This is a representation of a “Greater Israel” envisioned by the world Zionists with an agenda for world government centered in Israel and empowered by Satan and the Son of Perdition, i.e. the Antichrist. This conception of the destiny of modern Israel is exactly opposite to that held by the evangelical world for they think that upon the return of Christ he will reign from Jerusalem. We will be enlarging on this concept of “Greater Israel” and Antichrist as we proceed through to the end of Daniel’s prophesies. In this regard I recommend my book The Israel Deception.
            “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 as the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued 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.”  (Daniel 7:9-11)  These are the saints redeemed by the blood of the Lamb found written in the book of life..(Compare also Rev. 20:12-15).
            “I 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. And 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.” (Daniel 7:13-14) The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever.

David Lance Dean              See my books and blogs at: authordavidlancedean.com
           

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