WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:02.560 All right, y'all ready to get weird? 00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:08.880 We are in the apocalyptic visions of Daniel. 00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:11.679 And so for those of you who don't know, my name is Justin. 00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:13.919 I'm one of the pastors here at Sacred Mission. 00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:18.239 It's my joy and privilege to be able to bring God's word to you this morning. 00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:20.800 As you've already seen, we're in Daniel 7. 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:24.640 If you have a Bible or if you have an app, open it up to there. 00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:33.679 We're going to be kind of working through this wild, crazy vision that Daniel has here in chapter 7. 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:44.719 So we've reached the part of the book where we actually transition from the stories about Daniel and his friends to the visions of Daniel. 00:00:44.960 --> 00:01:01.200 Now, the visions of Daniel are apocalyptic in nature, meaning that they are lifting the veil between heaven and earth and allowing us to see what has been previously concealed to humanity. 00:01:01.439 --> 00:01:05.519 The word apocalyptic, it literally means unveiling. 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:13.120 And it brings to light the revelation of God and his plan for the world. 00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:26.560 Now, in our efforts to make sense of the imagery that is portrayed, we can often become very frustrated or confused as we engage with these types of passages within Scripture. 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:28.799 We get lost in the details. 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:29.280 Right? 00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:43.120 We're working to ascribe this deep meaning to every particular word, image, or measurement of time, and we often lose sight of the larger story that is actually being told here. 00:01:43.840 --> 00:02:01.680 Daniel 7 is a passage where many have tirelessly attempted to decode every image, every time frame, claiming to pinpoint specific events or individuals to predict the exact timing of the end of all things. 00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:22.000 But if we work to understand the vision as a whole, if we can come up above the details and try to see all that is being unfolded, there actually is this beautiful story meant to deliver hope that inspires steadfast faithfulness to a people. 00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:25.360 I really appreciate how Ian M. 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:31.199 Dugwid, professor of Old Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary, works to explain it. 00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:49.520 He says this Biblical apocalyptic is a sort of prophecy that seeks to enlighten and encourage a people despised and cast off by the world with a vision of the God who will come to impose his kingdom on the wreckage and rebellion of human history. 00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:58.240 And it communicates this message through the use of wild, scary, imaginative, bizarre, and head-scratching imagery. 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:11.680 So let's get to work in Daniel 7 to understand the story that God actually desires for us to know this morning that we might be filled with hope and strengthened to remain faithful. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:21.039 Now, the vision of Daniel 7, it actually occurs within the first year of Belshazzar's reign as king of Babylon. 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:36.479 So from the end of the historical narrative that we just concluded in Daniel 6, where Daniel was somewhere in his 80s, we're now taken back around 20 years, with Daniel being in his 60s at the time of this first vision. 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:50.080 As Daniel was laying in bed one evening, God pulled back the veil of this material world and allowed Daniel to see a vision of the heavenly realm. 00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:54.159 Now, this vision begins with this intense storm, right? 00:03:54.479 --> 00:04:03.599 The winds are coming from every direction, and they're causing this great sea to be stirred up into this chaos. 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:11.599 Hebrew writing often conveys this imagery of a sea to be like the nations. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:23.360 One that's both dangerous and mysterious, this restless element within the earth, but it's not an element that's beyond the Lord's power and sovereignty. 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:28.480 You see, in Daniel's vision, the sea fills the main stage. 00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:32.079 And it appears to be without any shore or boundary. 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:38.000 It is this massive presence of chaos before him. 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:48.959 Now from within the sea arise four beasts, one after the other, each distinct and progressing in terror and might. 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:53.920 The first beast was like a lion and had eagle's wings. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:05:05.199 Now, the imagery of a lion and an eagle are both used by the prophet Jeremiah in chapter 49 of his book to describe King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:14.000 It symbolizes his power and dominion as the beast emerges from the sea. 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:30.800 Daniel's vision of the lion recalls Nebuchadnezzar's humbling that we saw in Daniel 4, where God reduced Nebuchadnezzar to this beast-like state before actually graciously restoring him to resemble the man that he was. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:34.160 The latter part of verse 4 actually shows us this. 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:46.319 It says, Then as I looked, its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it. 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:49.839 This is going to be important for us to understand the big story, right? 00:05:49.920 --> 00:05:58.800 We have this beast-like figure being made to resemble the man of which he was created to by the power of God, right? 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:02.399 This is what we're seeing in Daniel's vision here. 00:06:04.639 --> 00:06:17.199 This beast-like lion symbolizes Nebuchadnezzar, a ferocious and untamed king that's been transformed by God's power, and a man that has been restored to his reason. 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:26.399 As we said, this mirrors Daniel 4, where God humbled Nebuchadnezzar, reducing him to this beast-like state before ultimately restoring him. 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:30.800 And in Daniel 4, 37, Nebuchadnezzar declares this. 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:53.040 When God graciously restores Nebuchadnezzar from this beast to man, he extols and praises God. 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:57.920 That's the fruit of that work in God in Nebuchadnezzar's life by God. 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:05.920 Now, through this humbling and restoration, we see the hand of God sovereignly move in his life. 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:19.759 So Daniel's vision of the first beast, it reflects the historical and spiritual reality of the king's rise, his humbling and transformation by God's sovereign grace. 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:28.079 Now, as we work through the rest of this vision, we need to see its reflection of it in chapter two of Daniel. 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:44.079 If we recall, back in chapter two, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that only Daniel was able to interpret about this large, frightening statue of a man who had four distinct sections of metal making up his body. 00:07:44.319 --> 00:08:00.480 The interpretation of the dreams was that each metallic section represented a kingdom that was going to conquer the one before it until the final kingdom was destroyed and turned to dust by a stone that had been uncut by human hands. 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:08.879 And the image of a statue, Babylon, and King Nebuchadnezzar was the head of gold and the first kingdom to reign. 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:16.720 But after him would come the Medo-Persian Empire, and then the Greek Empire, and finally the Roman Empire completing the image. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:27.839 But the stone uncut by human hands was the kingdom of God, which would ultimately crush the empires of this world and scatter them like dust in the wind. 00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:41.200 And so there's so much reflection between chapter 2 of Daniel and this vision in chapter 7 that it is actually impossible for us to interpret the one without reference to the other. 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:58.000 And so here in this vision, as in Nebuchadnezzar's dreams, the first empire represented is Babylon, and then proceeding from it comes the other great empires that at this point in Daniel's life had actually yet to be established. 00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:04.720 Now, the second beast rising from within the sea says is like a bear. 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:13.600 It was raised up on one side, it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth, and it was told, Arise, devour much flesh. 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:18.720 This beast actually symbolizes the Medo-Persian Empire. 00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:31.679 As indicated both by the parallel in Daniel 2 and what we're going to see next week clarified for us in Daniel 8, where the vision explicitly identifies this empire. 00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:34.399 Now, the bear was lopsided, right? 00:09:34.480 --> 00:09:39.360 It was raised on one side, pointing to the unbalanced makeup of the empire. 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:52.320 The Medes were substantially lesser in the relationship, and so much so that we often refer to this empire just as the Persian Empire, led by Cyrus the Persian king. 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:58.799 And from between its teeth hang these three ribs, pointing to its insatiable appetite. 00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:04.159 Its empire will be marked by its devouring of any who stood in its way. 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:15.519 Then the third beast comes up from within the sea, like a leopard with four wings of a bird on its back, and the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:19.519 Now, I love to watch uh nature is metal. 00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:21.519 I don't know, anybody, nobody else. 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:22.960 Some people, yeah, you understand. 00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:26.559 It just shows the animal kingdom let loose, right? 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:28.080 And you get to see this side of it. 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:33.759 And one thing about leopards is like their attacks are very sneaky and fierce. 00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:35.360 They're sudden. 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:43.039 And this leopard is going to be made even faster with four wings on its back, enabling this swift and rapid movement. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:53.919 Its foreheads scanning every direction symbolizes an empire that vigilant is seeking to dominate all regions. 00:10:54.240 --> 00:11:03.519 And so, again, from the reflection of chapter 2 and the revelation of chapter 8, we're shown that this beast represents the Greek Empire. 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:08.159 Now, the Greek Empire was ruled by Alexander the Great. 00:11:08.480 --> 00:11:18.559 And with all within only a 13-year campaign, he had conquered and established the largest kingdom in human history. 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:27.679 He led the Greek Empire in a swift and lethal campaign that sought to exercise dominion in every direction of the known world. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:30.480 And after this arises the fourth beast, right? 00:11:30.559 --> 00:11:32.159 We're working our way through the vision. 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:35.919 Terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:37.679 It had great iron teeth. 00:11:37.840 --> 00:11:41.519 It devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. 00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:46.320 It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:56.720 Now, this this fourth beast is so terrifying and dreadful that its likeness is unrecognizable. 00:11:56.799 --> 00:11:57.039 Right? 00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:03.200 The pattern that we saw in Daniel's vision is one like a lion, one like a bear, one like a leopard. 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:06.799 But this one, this one is monstrous. 00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:09.840 It's unrecognizable in its likeness. 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:16.159 Daniel's unable to make out its appearance because it's unlike anything that he has ever seen. 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:26.799 And he's only able to strive to ring out and articulate aspects of it like the tin horns upon its head, its teeth of iron, and its claws of bronze. 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:33.440 Now, historically, this fourth beast has been understood as the Roman Empire. 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:42.399 At the height of the Roman Empire, it spanned approximately 2.5 million square miles. 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:46.480 It encompassed parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia. 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:56.799 And not only was it great in size, but its longevity was unmatched as it lasted a total of around 1,500 years. 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:02.320 The Roman Empire was a beast in every regard. 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:09.840 And it was terrifying in the brutality and savage nature it expressed. 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:16.960 You see, as Daniel's observing the fourth beast, he sees this small horn come up from among the first ten. 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:23.120 And this small horn, it uproots these three horns in its proximity. 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:30.879 Now we're only left to speculate about the true meaning of this imagery, but Daniel reveals to us something about it. 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:36.879 He says that this lesser horn had eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great things. 00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:47.840 Now, this combination of manlike features, it communicates intelligence and arrogance that is residing within this kingly representative. 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:56.240 And it is making this arrogant noise that is just reverberating through Daniel's vision. 00:13:56.799 --> 00:14:03.360 As the vision unfolds, the beastly figures, Daniel sees it's meant to do something. 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:09.840 It's meant to fill him with terror and dread as he gazes upon them. 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:10.879 Right? 00:14:11.039 --> 00:14:19.120 Each empire becoming more ferocious and more unrecognizable in their beastly state than the one before. 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:37.200 It shows that the nations of this world are kingdoms set out for conflict, conquest, and control, that empires are bent to dominate and devour, no matter how many people they ruin or how much misery they inflict. 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:45.039 And so Daniel's vision is actually telling us that human history is beastly. 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:48.320 Human history is scary. 00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:50.399 Right? 00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:56.399 He wants us to hold a raw honesty about life in this world. 00:14:57.919 --> 00:15:08.960 Yet as Daniel faces the terrifying vision of these beastly empires, he beholds the one whom even the fiercest nations are subject to. 00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:20.879 And what we see next in the vision is the center point of not just Daniel's vision and book, but of all human history. 00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:30.480 Jesus, the Son of Man, receives the eternal kingdom for his glory and the restoration of man. 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:37.200 Jesus, the Son of Man, receives the eternal kingdom for his glory and the restoration of man. 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:45.120 In verse 9, Daniel looks and he sees the ancient of days taking his seat. 00:15:45.360 --> 00:15:46.080 I love that. 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:53.519 God is composed, steadfast, and unmoved in the presence of these empires. 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:56.320 We see this contrast, right? 00:15:56.480 --> 00:16:06.240 Between the collective chaos of the sea and its beast and the collected composure of the one who sits as judge over them. 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:08.559 Fire flows from his throne. 00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:19.840 And Daniel struggles even to count, right? 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:29.759 The multitude of servants that are attending the ancient of days, revealing this majesty, power, and glory that he holds. 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:35.679 And then the court sat in judgment and the books were opened. 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:39.279 But Daniel seems distracted for a moment, right? 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:51.600 He's here before these beastly empires, then all of a sudden he beholds the ancient of days and he sees all this power and glory coming from him, and then he looks out the other way. 00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:54.240 He's distracted for this moment. 00:16:56.879 --> 00:17:04.160 And it's because he hears this loud, arrogant, and prideful noise coming from the little horn of the fourth beast. 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:08.160 This tells us something about our own experience. 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:14.640 The nations around us are beasts seeking to devour men. 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:28.160 And they're loud and they're arrogant and they're prideful and they make a lot of noise that causes us to get our focus off of God's glory and power and eternal dominion, right? 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:29.839 And it causes us to fear. 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:36.240 Like, like how many of you honestly are nervous about the current situations that we find ourselves in? 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:36.799 Right? 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:47.599 We're hearing language of World War III, we're hearing language of nuclear war, we're hearing language of these ferocious beasts seeking to devour one another. 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:52.079 And there's this loud noise that's causing us to be afraid in this moment. 00:17:54.480 --> 00:18:01.680 And like Daniel, we're we're looking at what is loudest instead of looking at what is most powerful and glorious. 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:15.759 You see, this distraction, this loud noise from this little horn causes Daniel to take his focus off of the ancient of days and place it upon this noisy little terror. 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:21.519 But as he does, this magnificent event takes place. 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:27.839 The beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:35.599 Then Daniel turns his attention back to God and he beholds this Daniel 7, 13 and 14. 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:40.079 With the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man. 00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:44.400 And he came to the ancient of days and was presented before him. 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:51.440 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. 00:18:51.680 --> 00:19:00.240 His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. 00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:04.640 This is the pinnacle of Daniel's vision. 00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:08.559 This is the center of the entire book. 00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:11.440 One like the Son of Man. 00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:14.400 Now, now put your attention on this for a moment. 00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:17.359 There were these empires that were beastly. 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:22.720 They were so ferocious in their progress that they become unrecognizable. 00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:29.440 But then there's this one who stands triumphant, who destroys the final beast and burns him with fire. 00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:32.480 It is one like the Son of Man. 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:37.039 It's gonna be important for us to understand the story that's being unfold. 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:46.559 You see, after destroying the beast, Jesus comes riding in victory on the clouds of heaven, and all dominion and glory is delivered to him. 00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:48.799 This is the hope for all people. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:51.680 This is the hope for us even today. 00:19:51.920 --> 00:20:04.640 This is the glorious envisioned future that you and I are called to fix our eyes upon, to remain steadfast and faithful in the presence of such terror around us. 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:15.440 This vision of a king and his kingdom is not only for the glory of his name, but it is also for the ultimate good of his people. 00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:19.519 And the end of verse 22 shows us this. 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:28.240 Judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom. 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:30.720 Do we see this contrast here? 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:36.880 These ferocious, beastly empires, they seek to devour man. 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:45.759 But the one who is like the Son of Man, his kingdom is for mankind, it is for their flourishing, it is for their ultimate good. 00:20:46.960 --> 00:21:01.759 This is the good king who loves his people, who works for their peace and prosperity by the giving of his own life, but not just by giving his life, he gave his life that he might conquer the beast. 00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:09.920 You see, it's the work of Jesus to defeat the beast, to establish his kingdom, and to rescue his people. 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:18.720 This isn't just the center of Daniel's vision, as we said, it's the center and pinnacle of all human history. 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:29.039 Yet the story that's being unfolded doesn't only show us the victorious king, it also shows us the beasts of which he had to conquer. 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:40.319 And here's something I think the whole book of Daniel actually works to show us that apart from Jesus, we're more like beasts than men. 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:45.200 Apart from Jesus, we are more like beasts than men. 00:21:46.240 --> 00:21:59.519 You see, in our sinful rebellion and refusal to acknowledge God's kingdom, the image of God, the glory of man has been. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.720 Marred and distorted within us. 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:14.319 In some of us, that image even becomes unrecognizable as we wander deeper into our sin nature. 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:22.400 The image that has been distorted at times can appear to be an image altogether lost. 00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:25.119 I don't know if you can relate to this, right? 00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:26.880 But have you ever known someone? 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:41.839 Have you ever encountered someone that so failed to represent all that we know is true and good and beautiful that they acted and appeared as more like a beast than what we would understand as a man? 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:47.359 I think we can even see that with inside the current headlines. 00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:55.519 This is a reality for us all when we understand sin's nature and consequence upon the image of which we are to bear. 00:22:55.680 --> 00:23:09.839 And in the midst of our sin, we often reflect the likeness of beasts more than the likeness of man, whose glory is known ultimately in the reflection of the image of God of which we bear. 00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:17.200 You see, we become like beasts when we fail to acknowledge God's kingdom. 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:21.839 We become like beasts when we fail to acknowledge God's kingdom. 00:23:22.640 --> 00:23:26.799 This is a central story being told in the entire book. 00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:31.839 And it's really encapsulated here in Daniel 7. 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:53.920 You see, you and I, we can often be filled with pride and arrogance, boasting, and a self-acclaim, which causes us to diminish the reality that all we have, all that we possess within our grasp is a free gift given to us by the grace and goodness of God. 00:23:54.960 --> 00:24:05.200 You see, we so often become self-convinced that our hard work, our wise decisions, our self-discipline has afforded us all that we so fully enjoy. 00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:08.240 And here's the terrifying reality. 00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:10.480 We said this earlier in the series. 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:12.160 We are not Daniel. 00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:16.880 In every story, we are Nebuchadnezzar or his pagan culture. 00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:24.160 And here in the text, we see we're much more like Nebuchadnezzar, who proclaimed in chapter 4. 00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:33.680 Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty? 00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:46.559 Is not all that I enjoy the fruit of my hard work, of my wise decisions, of my saving and frugalness, of everything that I've labored for? 00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:49.279 Did I not build this kingdom for me? 00:24:50.880 --> 00:25:13.359 And like this prideful king, when God condemns us by giving us over to our sinful self, we begin to bear the likeness of a beast more than we do the likeness of a man who ought to be a reflection of the image and glory of God. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:16.240 You see, this is the effect of sin. 00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:29.279 The image we ought to bear becomes more and more unrecognizable as we are pulled deeper into its root of rebellion. 00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:38.160 You see, we live for the glory of our own kingdom where our hearts have seated ourselves as king. 00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:57.599 But the redemptive work of Christ comes to liberate us out of our beastly resemblance by bringing us into his kingdom and under his kingship and restoring the image of God that is still within us, even though it has been so grossly distorted. 00:25:58.000 --> 00:26:00.319 This is the purpose and work of God in us. 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:01.759 Romans 8.29. 00:26:01.920 --> 00:26:07.279 Paul reveals this to us for those whom he foreknew, he also predestined. 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:09.279 What was he predestining us to? 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:18.240 To be conformed to the image of one like the Son of Man, His Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:23.279 Why is Jesus seen in Daniel's vision as one like a son of man? 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:38.559 Because he is the epitome of the reflection and image and beauty and glory of God, and we who are like beasts because of our rebellious sin are transformed and made new and restored into what we were supposed to be. 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:42.559 That when we see him, Paul even says, we're going to be made like him. 00:26:44.400 --> 00:26:46.960 You see, Jesus comes and restores us. 00:26:47.680 --> 00:27:04.960 And like Nebuchadnezzar, God redeems us by graciously humbling us, restoring our reason, giving us the mind of a man, and causing us to stand upright before him in Christ, praising the glory of his name. 00:27:07.839 --> 00:27:10.559 But there's another factor in this whole thing. 00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:18.720 Not only do we reflect beasts more than we do men, we build beastly kingdoms that devour man. 00:27:21.119 --> 00:27:22.720 This is what we do. 00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:25.599 And we do it really well. 00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:27.759 Right? 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:41.200 The problem with men who reflect the likeness of beasts more than their creator is that they build ferocious and destructive kingdoms that devour other men. 00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:56.559 Human history has been soaked in the bloodshed of terrible and vicious empires that have far more concern for their pursuit of self-glory than the goodness and flourishing of their people. 00:27:58.640 --> 00:28:10.559 In fact, the blood that they do shed is from their own people, who are seen as obstacles in opposition to their self-exaltation and bloodlust for power. 00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:38.480 If this is the story history is telling us, one repeated over and over and over again, then my question to you is why are we so naive to believe that some new political power, some new humanist ideology, some new social revolution will actually heal the wounds that have been inflicted? 00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:50.880 I love the brutal honesty of American historian Barbara Tuckman when she comments revolutions produce other men, not new men. 00:28:54.799 --> 00:29:01.839 This vision in Daniel 7, it is an unfolding of the reality of human history. 00:29:03.119 --> 00:29:19.440 When we fail to acknowledge and we perpetually rebel against God and his kingdom, we become these unrecognizable monsters whose bloodlust is insatiable. 00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:24.240 Do we not see that today? 00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:28.640 Are you tracking with me here at all? 00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:31.119 Am I just y'all asleep still? 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:37.440 This is the reality of our experience. 00:29:37.599 --> 00:29:40.319 Our hope cannot be established. 00:29:40.559 --> 00:29:44.319 It cannot be established in the kingdom of this world. 00:29:45.039 --> 00:29:53.039 Because these kingdoms are built by beastly men who devour anyone who stands in the way of their pursuit of power and dominion. 00:29:53.279 --> 00:30:08.400 Nor can we seek to confront the beasts through our own power and strength, because sure enough, another will always rise from within the chaos and conflict of this world. 00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:23.119 The sea is stirring, chaos is being unleashed upon history, and there will always be another one who rises up from its center. 00:30:25.680 --> 00:30:27.359 But thanks be to God. 00:30:29.359 --> 00:30:34.079 Jesus confronts the beast and restores humanity. 00:30:35.759 --> 00:31:08.160 Look, this whole vision of Daniel 7, it's meant to cause us to understand how we tremble in the presence of these unrecognizable monsters, these empires and kingdoms and men who just want their own glory and self-exaltation, power and dominion, and how we're supposed to have steadfast faithfulness and hope in the presence of Jesus who conquers our enemies for us, his people. 00:31:09.039 --> 00:31:17.200 You see, in the terrifying presence of unrecognizable monsters, arrogant loud boasting, Daniel beholds the king. 00:31:17.920 --> 00:31:25.200 One like the Son of Man who destroys the beast and tosses his conquered corpse into the fire. 00:31:26.559 --> 00:31:29.200 This is the ultimate hope of God's people. 00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:45.039 You see, our hope is in the annihilation of fierce kings and their ferocious kingdoms, in the victory of the sovereign King and the establishment of his eternal kingdom. 00:31:47.119 --> 00:31:52.319 Now, Daniel wasn't the only one whom God allowed to see the triumph of the Son of Man. 00:31:52.960 --> 00:32:01.279 God also pulled back the veil for John to see and to deliver to us the victory of King Jesus. 00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:11.200 We read part of Revelation 19 last week about the rider on the white horse, but here he is executing perfectly the job of which he was set forth for. 00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:14.160 Revelation 19, 19 through 21. 00:32:15.440 --> 00:32:24.799 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 00:32:25.119 --> 00:32:39.759 These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur, and the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh. 00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:55.039 He confronts the beast once and for all, and he establishes his eternal kingdom for the restoration and flourishing of his people. 00:32:55.599 --> 00:32:58.640 Daniel's vision shows us this in verse 27. 00:32:59.440 --> 00:33:07.279 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be what? 00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:09.599 It's given to the people. 00:33:10.640 --> 00:33:14.559 It's given to the people of the saints of the Most High. 00:33:15.680 --> 00:33:26.640 You see, the beauty of King Jesus is that all of his work is for the peace and prosperity of his people. 00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:31.759 Jesus is not a king who devours men. 00:33:33.359 --> 00:33:37.119 He is a king that restores their dignity and glory. 00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:45.039 He is a king who lavishes his people with the spoils of war against sin and death. 00:33:45.279 --> 00:33:51.200 He is a king who builds a kingdom for the ultimate good of those who are his. 00:33:52.720 --> 00:34:04.160 And so the drama of scripture that is unfolding is meant to deliver hope that inspires steadfast faithfulness to a people. 00:34:05.200 --> 00:34:08.159 You see, church, you and I, we can stand firm. 00:34:08.639 --> 00:34:29.119 We can remain faithful to Jesus because we should have the utmost confidence that no matter how beastly men or the kingdoms that they build become, Jesus will destroy them and deliver life and liberty to his people. 00:34:30.800 --> 00:34:33.360 So how should we live in response to this? 00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:38.960 We should acknowledge and announce God's kingdom. 00:34:39.440 --> 00:34:42.480 No, number one, we should acknowledge God's kingdom. 00:34:43.039 --> 00:34:57.920 When we live in subjection to his kingdom, when we allow him to reign as king over our life, what we have to understand is our ultimate good in flourishing and prosperity is in that. 00:34:58.239 --> 00:35:00.079 It's in submission to him. 00:35:00.639 --> 00:35:03.679 It's allowing him to sovereignly reign. 00:35:05.599 --> 00:35:10.639 And our submission to his lordship over every aspect of our life. 00:35:11.760 --> 00:35:17.440 He is the only good king whose kingdom is for the good of his people. 00:35:19.199 --> 00:35:27.840 And we'll experience that even now in this life when we acknowledge that reality and truth every waking moment that we have. 00:35:28.719 --> 00:35:33.760 But not only should we acknowledge his kingdom, church, we should announce his kingdom. 00:35:34.079 --> 00:35:41.599 We're called as ones who have been brought in by the finished work of Christ to then go out and proclaim to others. 00:35:41.840 --> 00:35:45.840 Don't put your hope in these ferocious empires. 00:35:46.000 --> 00:35:49.760 Don't put your hope in these beastly political leaders. 00:35:49.920 --> 00:36:03.039 Don't put your hope in this revolution that is not gonna bring anything but ashes and destruction, and another power is going to rise from within it that seeks its own glory and self-exaltation. 00:36:03.199 --> 00:36:07.199 Don't put your hope in this new movement that's occurring within the earth. 00:36:07.360 --> 00:36:08.320 This has been done before. 00:36:08.480 --> 00:36:11.519 Ecclesiastes, there's nothing new under the sun. 00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:14.960 You think human history hasn't seen this before? 00:36:15.199 --> 00:36:18.880 We're just hitting the repeat button over and over again. 00:36:19.360 --> 00:36:21.280 And we're pleading with men. 00:36:21.760 --> 00:36:25.840 Don't put the hope that you have into that. 00:36:26.000 --> 00:36:27.119 It's going to fail you. 00:36:27.199 --> 00:36:35.760 And not only is it going to fail you, the cruel reality of it is it becomes such a wicked master that it turns and devours you. 00:36:37.519 --> 00:36:39.199 Why would you want that? 00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:42.559 Why would you want others to be a part of that? 00:36:43.840 --> 00:36:53.440 No, there's a better king who has established an eternal kingdom for the peace and prosperity of his people to come to Jesus. 00:36:54.480 --> 00:37:01.280 Church, we should go from here announcing his victory and reign to all people.