Rev. David Holwick J The Book of Daniel, #6
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
March 16, 2008
Daniel 7:9-14
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I. The inauguration was great!
January 1, 2007.
The weather was so mild the ceremony was held outside, just
like a Presidential inauguration.
The star didn't even wear an overcoat.
It was appropriate to call him a star, because he had won by the
largest landslide in the state's history, with 69% of the vote.
In his short speech he proclaimed:
"It is with profound humility about the task that lies before us
and filled with great hope for what I know we will achieve,
that I stand before you to announce that Day One of our time
for change has arrived." [1]
To underscore this, aides went through the crowd handing out
T-shirts that read: "Day 1: Everything Is Changing."
Then Judy Collins sang "This Little Light of Mine."
The reception cost $165,000 and had food and drink from some of
the state's finest restaurants.
The day concluded with a rousing concert at an indoor stadium. [2]
Fourteen months later Eliot Spitzer met a Jersey Girl and the rest,
as they say, is history.
A. Everyone is looking for the perfect candidate.
1) So far, they have all disappointed to some degree.
2) Commentators this week have reviewed the long list of
disgraced politicians, heroes - and even preachers.
3) They promise so much. Can anyone actually deliver?
B. Jesus got a party too.
1) Palm Sunday parade.
2) Lots of cheering, lots of hope.
3) But he didn't even get 14 months.
a) A week later, he was dead.
b) We are told his followers were deeply disappointed.
C. Daniel reveals the rest of the story.
1) Six centuries before Jesus, and 26 centuries before us,
Daniel had a vision of a coming king.
a) He would receive universal authority.
b) He would never have to leave office.
2) Your relationship with that king determines your destiny.
II. Lions and leopards and bears, oh my!
A. Daniel 7 begins as vision that comes as a dream.
1) Once again, it deals with four empires.
a) He explicitly tells us this in 7:17.
2) This vision takes the form of animals.
a) Lion/eagle 7:4
b) Bear 7:5
c) Leopard 7:6
d) Terrifying beast with iron teeth 7:7
3) Many nations have animal symbols.
a) Benjamin Franklin wanted America's to be a turkey.
1> The eagle won instead.
b) Back in the 1970's, many of my friends thought the
bear in this verse was meant to be the Soviet Union.
4) Don't overdo the symbolism.
a) Limit yourself to the hints in the Bible.
b) It is dangerous to let your imagination run wild.
B. Hints of the Book of Revelation.
1) Many people find Revelation pretty bizarre.
2) This passage shows you the writer of Revelation wasn't
smoking strange mushrooms or something.
a) Details of this chapter appear throughout Revelation.
III. A key new element - the Little Horn. 7:8
A. It is part of the fourth kingdom.
1) Rather than an empire, it seems to be a future human leader.
2) Note that he has human eyes and a mouth. 7:8
B. Most scholars believe this is the Antichrist.
1) The Antichrist is noted for boasting and blasphemy.
2) Over the years, there has been much conjecture about
who he is.
3) Daniel's key point -- he is doomed before he starts.
IV. A sudden interruption.
A. In the midst of one vision, Daniel has another.
1) Evil is interrupted with a vision of heaven.
2) Scholars call it an interlude.
3) While these evil empires plot to do what they do, God is
doing what he does.
B. God is dazzling.
1) Similar to the "grandfather figure" many of us envision
when we contemplate God.
2) All whiteness and light.
C. His throne is amazing.
1) Flaming fire.
a) (recall burning bush that Moses saw)
b) The throne is aflame.
c) A flaming river comes from it.
2) Fire can have several meanings in the Bible.
a) It can be a cleaning agent, purging sin and evil.
b) It can be an agent of judgment.
1> Here, it could be both at the same time.
D. Hundreds of millions surround God.
1) Probably angels and redeemed humans.
2) Revelation chapter 4 amplifies this scene.
E. God is getting ready to judge.
1) Described as the heavenly courtroom.
2) The books (plural) are opened.
a) The book of Revelation explains the multiple books.
Revelation 20:12
Jesus has returned to the earth.
His saints are already with him.
Then the rest of the people of earth are gathered:
"And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before
the throne, and books were opened.
Another book was opened, which is the book of life.
The dead were judged according to what they had done
as recorded in the books."
b) The books seem to be in two sets.
1> The book of life has the names of all the saved.
A> If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, your
name is in this book.
2> The books of deeds record all our actions and thoughts.
A> If you are not a Christian, everything you have
done that falls short of God's glory is
brought against you.
B> There is no appeal, no second chance.
C> You will be condemned, because God requires
perfection.
V. Daniel's Palm Sunday verse.
A. Someone approaches the throne of God.
1) He comes on the clouds of heaven.
2) He receives authority to rule the earth.
a) Not for a time, but forever and ever.
B. He is called the son of man.
1) This phrase is used several ways in the Bible.
a) Ezekiel described himself with it.
1> It sort of means "Bubba Jew" or "Joe Six-Pack."
2> Just an average person.
b) Daniel means much more by it, of course.
1> This is the Messiah, without any doubt.
2> He's the king that Jews have always longed for.
2) Jesus preferred to call himself "the son of man."
a) Did it mean Messiah or average Joe?
1> Those on Palm Sunday are hailing him as Messiah.
2> But did Jesus accept this?
b) Only on Good Friday is it made clear.
Matthew 26:63-65
"But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, 'I charge you under
oath by the living God:
Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.'
'Yes, it is as you say,' Jesus replied.
'But I say to all of you: In the future you will see
the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the
Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.'
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said,
'He has spoken blasphemy!
Why do we need any more witnesses?
Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.
What do you think?'
'He is worthy of death,' they answered."
c) Because Jesus believed this verse described him, he
was crucified.
VI. So where is his sovereign authority today?
A. Despite the palm branches and trial claims, Jesus doesn't rule.
1) At least, not yet.
2) But as he himself said, quoting today's passage again, he
will come back in the future and claim the world for
his own.
B. How will the Interruption catch you?
1) Americans love political news, especially in a race like this.
a) We are like the kingdoms Daniel describes, jockeying
for top position.
b) Don't miss the big picture!
2) God is in charge, he's coming back, and you'd better be ready.
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
[1] Gov. Eliot Spitzer's Inaugural Address, http://www.nytimes.com~
/2007/01/01/nyregion/01cnd-stext.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1;
January 1, 2007.
[2] "The Eliot Spitzer Show," by Ira Stoll and Jacob Gershman, November
2007; http://www.commentarymagazine.com/viewarticle.cfm~
/The-Eliot-Spitzer-Show-10975.
These and 30,000 others are part of the Kerux database that can be
downloaded, absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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