Daniel’s Devotion (Part 6)

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Welcome Back! Let’s continue our study of “Daniel’s Devotion” from God’s Word…

Daniel’s Devotion (Part 6)

As we continue our devotional readings in Daniel, today we read that Belshazzar was beginning the first year of his reign:

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts – Daniel 7:1

IMPORTANT NOTE: In chapter 8, Belshazzar was in the third year of his reign as the leader of the Babylonian Empire:

In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first – Daniel 8:1

It is very difficult to have died and then reign for three years! The way to read through Daniel “chapter by chapter” is in the following order:

1-2-3-4-7-8-5-6-9-10-11-12

This is the proper chronological order for the book of Daniel!

Daniel had become a leader – most likely the third highest-ranking leader – in the Babylonian Empire. By this time he reached 70 years of age. For almost 50 years he had served as a counselor to King Nebuchadnezzar and now Daniel was serving the King’s grandson, Belshazzar in the first year of his reign.

As a young man, Daniel had been gifted by the Lord to interpret King Nebuchadnezzar's dream as we read in chapter 2. This was a prophecy of the present and future Gentile world powers from Daniels' day until the return of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Now some 50 years later the Lord gives Daniel a "vision" of that same scenario for the Gentile world empires and what would happen at the Second Coming of Jesus. The overall big picture presented to Daniel in his "night vision" was of "four great beasts" that rise up out of the sea, each one diverse from the other:

And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other – Daniel 7:3

This is known as "apocalyptic literature" in which the author uses "symbols" to convey an "absolute truth." The symbol is not an allegory nor a fairy-tale, but an "absolute truth." The symbols represented here in chapter 7 are as follows:

The "lion with eagles wings" is the ancient Babylonian Empire:

The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it – Daniel 7:4

The "bear with three ribs in its mouth" is the ancient Medo-Persian Empire:

And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh! – Daniel 7:5

The "leopard with four wings and four heads" is the ancient Grecian Empire:

After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it – Daniel 7:6

The "fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong" is the future "Revived Roman Empire":

After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns – Daniel 7:7

Notice the "ten horns" of the "dreadful and terrible" and the "little one" that comes out of the "ten horns" that represent the "Revived Roman Empire" and the "little one" is one of twenty-seven names for the "Antichrist":

I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words – Daniel 7:8

Here is the promise of a future "kingdom" that will be given to Jesus Christ, the "Son of Man" by the "Ancient of Days" – God the Father:

I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed – Daniel 7:13-14

This is a "kingdom" that comes after the "Revived Roman Empire" and the "Antichrist" are on the scene. That it is not a "Kingdom" which is in place now. This "Kingdom", referred to in this passage, will be given to Jesus Christ at the return of the Messiah by God the Father  – and it will be the "everlasting kingdom" of God!

By the way, the recent European Union Treaty accepted by all 27-member states of the EU calls for a "Supra-State" – the “United States of Europe.” This Treaty also provides for an EU that will be led by a "powerful, permanent president" and that person was selected and put in power. These both – if not the ultimate fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy – are at least a “prototype” of the characters to come on the scene as foretold in prophecy yet to be fulfilled…

This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart – Daniel 7:28

Seemingly in the near future…

Thank you for reading! Don’t miss next week’s continued investigation of Daniel’s Devotion…

May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you with His perfect love, mercy and grace!

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

Blessings!

Shane <><