Hello Friends!
Welcome back to our Encouraging Concepts Bible study series focused on the powerfully PROPHETIC picture portrayed in the Old Testament book of Daniel painted as a panoramic landscape of World History in FIVE successions “written” in ardent ADVANCE some 2,600 years ago… “The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE!”
The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE (Chapter 7: Verses 13-14)
13 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. 14 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
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: These words Divinely describe the SECOND coming of “Jesus Christ” and His “Kingdom” of which He rightly RECEIVES from the “Father's” Holy Hands. If this passage were more “discerningly” considered, “Christians” alive TODAY would have a much better ultimate “understanding” of actually HOW the promised LITERAL and PHYSICAL wonderful “Kingdom” will come. There will be NO coming “Kingdom” until our loving “Lord Jesus Christ” righteously RETURNS to planet earth – Maranatha!
A tremendous total of some one thousand five hundred and twenty-seven overt Old Testament passages rightly refer to the Second Coming of our “Lord Jesus Christ” in His bodily form. There are also some three hundred and thirty magnificent New Testament passages (one out of every twenty-five verses) that directly refer to His Righteous RETURN to planet earth. Next to the serious subject matter of Biblical “faith” itself, there is NO other more often mentioned than the Second Coming of our sweet “Savior” secured. And for every one passage concerning the FIRST coming of “Jesus Christ” as mentioned, His SECOND coming is mentioned eight times. In fact, our lauded “Lord” Himself rightly refers to His OWN righteous RETURN a grand total of twenty-one times. Finally, over fifty times “we” are excellently EXHORTED to be rightly – READY for His RETURN!
Needless to say, the Second Coming of our “Lord Jesus Christ” is a MAJOR theme threaded throughout the sweet Sovereign pages of the “scriptures” complete! And this challenging chapter penned by “Daniel” provides a very vivid presentation of His – Second Coming!
The KING & His KINGDOM!
These “visons” of the man “Daniel” concerning the “judgment” and the SECOND coming of the “Son of man” to entirely ESTABLISH His earthly “Kingdom” correspond PROPHETICALLY to the “Stone” sent by the Amazing “Ancient of days” of Whom severely “smites the image” as the Sovereign manifested “Mountain” fitly – FILLS the ENTIRE Earth!
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 – Daniel 7:13
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: The “Ancient of Days” is our glorious “God the Father” and He “sits” on the “throne” of His MAJESTY mandate. Here “God” takes His “seat” as the great JUDGE and is described as One Whose “garment” was “white as snow” with an emphasis on His PURITY proclaimed. His “hair” is likened to “pure wool” with an emphasis on His WISDOM working:
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 was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire – Daniel 7:9
A “fiery flame” and “wheels” of a “burning fire” is an emphasis on His AUTHORITY over the “people, nations, and languages” and His dominating excellent “everlasting dominion” will NEVER ever “pass away” nor be “destroyed” again. Righteous AUTHORITY over. – Absolutely ALL things!
And “we” absolutely keenly “know” that the “God of heaven” will indeed “set up a kingdom” of His LITERAL Sovereign Second Coming to nigh “never be destroyed” as prophetically PROMISED all throughout the “scriptures” themselves as “Daniel” notes…
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 7:14
Indeed history is winding DOWN and this eerie “image” of a menacing “man” of which was “dreamed” by the “King Nebuchadnezzar” as a doomed DOMINION in the wicked “world” is precariously balanced upon fickle “feet” of crumbling “clay” and is top heavy in its design. And as discussed in our previous “study” session, in the “days of these kings” the great “God of heaven” will “set up” His coming “kingdom” by an Eternal Sovereign stronger “stone” carefully cut “without hands” of human works:
Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth – Daniel 2:34-35
The Pagan Roman Empire has been “un-officially” rashly REMOVED from the annuls of “world” History told TODAY. However, PROPHECY powerfully proclaims that this evil Empire will corruptly CONTINUE under the auspice of the luminous “little horn” deceptively depicted by the “Antichrist” when the Sovereign Holy “Stone” arrives to completely CRUSH this eerie “image” and fully fills the ENTIRE earth as a “great mountain” with His real “righteousness” and great “Glory” abounding everywhere entirely. Therefore, the consummation of heralded human HISTORY is rightly revealed in the Biblical PROMISE of the second “coming” of the all-powerful – Sovereign SMITING Stone!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: This is the final FULFILLMENT of the long awaited “time” in human history when the scepter is GRANTED to the true “King of kings” Himself! Here are just a FEW excellent examples of this greatly anticipated event PROPHESIED literally thousands of yearning “years” ago as the PROMISED provision poised throughout the Old Testament narrative:
2 Samuel ~ Chapter 7 – The mighty “King David” is PROMISED told that there will come a conquering “King” of Whom is greater than ANY other. He will be a “son of David” and will ESTABLISH a perfect “Kingdom” that will last forever and to – NEVER End!
Isaiah ~ Chapter 9 – The Prophet “Isaiah” had PROMISED that "The government will be upon His shoulders" speaking about a “Child” of Whom would come to righteously RULE and rigorously REIGN as the conquering “King” throughout the entire earth – Theocratic Throne & Kingdom!
Ezekiel ~ Chapter 38 – The Prophet “Ezekiel” had PROMISED there would be universal “unwalled villages” containing NO wanting ”walls” with “neither bars nor gates” established during the FINAL fulfillment of the “Kingdom” to come at the – END of the Millennium!
Joel ~ Chapter 3 – The Prophet “Joel” had PROMISED that “Judah” will indeed “dwell forever” in the “city” of “Jerusalem” from “generation to generation” during the FULFILLMENT of the – Kingdom to COME!
Zechariah ~ Chapter 14 – The Prophet “Zechariah” had PROMISED that the loving “LORD” shall be “King over all the earth” and in that “day” He will conquer absolutely ALL things – Righteous REGIN!
These surreal “scriptures” are avidly anticipating the very event “discerned” for us here in the FINAL righteous – Revelation!
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh – Revelation 19:11-21
PROPHETIC PROMISE: At this FUTURE point in human HISTORY the wicked “world” system is in horrendous disarray in FIVE key areas:
ONE: The Babylonian CITY of the Antichrist’s EMPIRE has been – DESTROYED!
TWO: The world POLITICAL and RELIGIOUS system has been – DEVASTATED!
THREE: The SEVEN Seal Judgments have OPENED by Jesus Christ – DEPLOYED!
FOUR: The SEVEN Trumpets Judgments have been BLOWN in full – DIRECTED!
FIVE: The SEVEN Bowl Judgments have been POURED out upon planet earth – DICTATED!
Maniacal man's “day” will eventually END in full! Satan's “time” will also END as our loving “Lord Jesus Christ” comes in His GLORIOUS great triumphant trip! This is that awesome event which has been ANTICIPATED for many millennia since the very “beginning” when the satanic “serpent's” horrified “head” is completely “crushed” by our sweet “Savior” the Sovereign Sonship and “Seed” as powerfully PROPHESIED in the Old Testament book of Genesis itself:
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel – Genesis 3:15
Alleluia! Truly “Babylon the Great” will in one dictated “day” be NO more! Our great “God in heaven” will avenge the “blood” of His “saints” of which has fiercely FLOWED from the heinous hands of this jaundice “Jezebel” jeering:
And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel – 2 Kings 9:7
The aptly ANTICIPATED events surrounding our loving “Lord's” righteous RETURN actually begin in the book of Zechariah where we see "the armies of the world" gathering at “Jerusalem” itself. This is the reason for the term "Campaign of Armageddon" whereas this FINAL battle ends in the Jezreel Valley starting in “Jerusalem” proper. Here the “Lord Jesus Christ” Himself will decidedly DESCEND upon the miniscule “Mount of Olives” itself, causing a great earthquake of which creates a “very great valley” through the middle of the “mountain” mandated:
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south – Zechariah 14:4
The adamant "armies of the world" will grossly gather together in “Jerusalem” where “Satan” along with the “Antichrist” as the “False Prophet” have brought them ALL to the “city” through the means of "lying signs, wonders and miracles” diligently described in the book of Revelation chapter 16 in great detail derived. These madmen will foolishly FLOCK to the jaded Jezreel Valley for the PROPHESIED brutal – Battle of Armageddon!
END TIMES ENIGMA: Today, there are SEVERAL echoed eschatological views of which to “rightly divide” among concerning the “One Thousand Year” literal Millennial Kingdom of our “Lord Jesus Christ” as powerfully PROPHESIED in the “scriptures” themselves:
Post-millennialists: Believe the world will get BETTER as our tumultuous “times” ensue through a spiritual movement via the “church” itself as it somehow captures the human INSTITUTIONS through a gradual merging into the epoch ESTABLISHING of a quasi “kingdom” to come upon earth – A Kingdom of MAN?
Reconstructionists: Believe the “church” itself will reconstruct our sordid SELFISH society around a FALSE framework of spirituality and therefore themselves USHER IN this particular “Kingdom” of a certain “Jesus Christ” Himself – A Kingdom of MAN?
Theonomists: Believe the economics of our “time” along with its social structure will somehow EMERGE with a theological premise of creating a Theonomic kind of “kingdom” to come. – A Kingdom of MAN?
Kingdom Theologians: Believe that the “church” is going to gain great miracle-working power as such. Also known as “Kingdom Now” theology, it thoroughly thrives on what is tragically TOUTED as the so-called "signs and wonders" movement. This belligerent belief holds that the “church” itself will overtly OVERCOME the demonic realm, fully CONQUER the forces of darkness and thus REMOVE them from the influence of “Satan” himself. In other words, WE will actually establish the “kingdom” for OURSELVES through human effort alone. It is similar to the spiritual warfare mentality of praying AGAINST great “cities” where demons (supposedly) hold them captive unto THEIR will. Therefore, WE must wrestle these human establishments AWAY from the powers of darkness and the social engineering architects of our “time” as such. Then, by the power of the “church” itself (supernaturally against demonic forces or naturally against political & social forces), it gains back and finally ESTABLISHES this so-called “kingdom” and outwardly OFFER this manic man-made sort of monstrosity unto “Jesus Christ” Himself – A Kingdom of MAN?
Amillennialists: Believe there is actually NO coming “Kingdom” of absolutely ANY kind to earth – Really?
Pan-Millennialists: Finally, these folks believe it will “all” somehow at the END of “time” itself perfectly – “PAN OUT!”
NONSENSE! These TREASONS of treacherous theology are utterly FOREIGN to the wonderful “Word of God” in full! The PHYSICAL and LITERAL yet future establishing of the “Kingdom” in which “Jesus Christ” rightly RULES with a “rod of iron” is a sudden & cataclysmic event and can NOT be diligently described as such in – Any OTHER Way!
The “end” will NOT correctly “come” because the “times” are getting better. Rather, the “end” indeed WILL completely “come” as the “times” indeed WILL get much worse! The professing “church” will NEVER actually conquer the evil “kingdoms” of this wicked “world” system nor will it take DOMINION over the social institutions of this ailing “age” itself. There are NOT going to be better and better delightful “days” ahead due to a “Christian” inserted INFLUENCE on this sadistic society through an exercise of IMAGINARY spiritual power to conquer the “kingdom” of dreaded darkness on earth. WE will NOT do this! The complete conquering and eternal establishing of this eventful “everlasting Kingdom” and accompanying “Holy Temple” will be accomplished abruptly BY our Sovereign sweet “Savior” Himself – Absolutely ALONE!
Beloved brethren, this waning “world” is definitely NOT going to get better… Rather, it IS going to get worse. And it is VERY clear throughout the whole of the “scriptures” that this wicked “world” will indeed get MUCH woefully worse until “King Jesus” Himself intervenes…
The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth – Psalm 46:6-10
The Biblical FACT is that our loving “Lord Jesus Christ” will indeed finally be excellently EXALTED and absolutely ALL of man-kind’s dire defamation, serious slander and deep dishonor that was held TOWARDS His precious “Name” in full WILL be victoriously – Vindicated & Glorified!
More to follow… STAY tuned!
In closing:
REAL REFLECTIONS: The twelve chapters of “Daniel” are powerfully PROMISED prophecies depicting the unfolding
of the HISTORIC events of which will take place leading up to
the literal “time” of the SECOND awaited
physical “coming” of our loving “Lord Jesus Christ” back to the earth:
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever – Daniel 2:44
And our SERIOUS study of these PROPHECIES will rightly REVEAL to each student of God's wonderful “Word” that the events FORETOLD some 2,600 years ago could possibly be FULFILLED in the seemingly near future…
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!We
are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't
yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus
Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Shane K. Morin <><
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