With all of the recent weather calamities, the botched pull-out from Afghanistan, and threats from terrorists and various aggressive nations, my thoughts have been drawn back to Daniel’s dream and night visions. In the middle of the frightening scenario of the terrible beasts, Daniel saw awesome heavenly scenes:
7 After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. Daniel 7:7 (NASB)
The frightening dream is interrupted with a heavenly scene:
9 “I kept looking
Until thrones were set up,
And the Ancient of Days took His seat;
His garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head like pure wool.
His throne was ablaze with flames,
Its wheels were a burning fire.
10 A river of fire was flowing
And coming out from before Him;
Thousands upon thousands were serving Him,
And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him;
The court convened,
And the books were opened. Daniel 7:9-10 (NASB)
In the midst of Daniel’s terrifying dream, he suddenly sees God the Father, the Ancient of Days, sitting in heaven in glory and power, convening His Court and opening the books which appear to contain the detailed the deeds of the beasts to bring justice.. What a shift from the terrible beast! Daniel sees not just what will happen on the earth but what is happening in heaven. He sees that God will judge the four beasts:
11 Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was killed, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. Daniel 7:11-12 (NASB)
Then God shows Daniel another vision of heaven:
13 “I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a son of man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
14 And to Him was given dominion,
Honor, and a kingdom,
So that all the peoples, nations, and populations of all languages
Might serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14 (NASB)
Who is presented before the Ancient of Days? A son of man, who will have an everlasting dominion and will be served by all people throughout the world. He will rule a kingdom that will never be destroyed. Who else can be given an eternal kingdom but God alone? Jesus, the Son of Man, the son of the Ancient of Days is seen in this vision with the Father—His father!
The first time I read this, I was astonished that the Bible actually showed a vision of the Father with the Son together. Wow! Later when Jesus was baptized and then on the Mount of Transfiguration we also heard the Father speak to exalt His Son.
But now, with the world in such chaos, where we see such wretched evil and feel like it’s gone crazy, we can look to these inserted visions of the heavenly host shown to Daniel and ponder the truth that no matter whatever happens on earth, God the Father, the Ancient of Days, is still being worshiped in heaven, is holding court and opening the books to bring justice, and He and the Son of Man will reign forever and ever.
Wow! I sure need this vision to keep me focused on eternal spiritual realities when day by day uncertainty and new challenges arise.
The shortened version of this passage? As my husband says, “In the end God wins.” Glory to God!
