Daniel: Humble Servant, Faithful God - Worn Out But Victorious In Christ

This Sunday we move away from the narratives of Daniel’s story to the visions that he received during the reign of the various kings he served. These passages communicate God’s promises to Israel being fulfilled.  They also paint a cosmic picture of the victory of Christ over the kingdoms of this world. Chapter seven presents four kingdoms of men, the fourth being the most terrifying. The four kingdoms are portrayed as horrible beasts, emphasizing the evil nature of the kingdoms of men. Each beast is destructive and oppressive, especially for the people of God whom they persecute.

The challenge we face is how to interpret these texts since they are “visions” given to Daniel. One key is to remember that the Scripture is written in the common literature of the day. For example, the Proverbs of the Scripture are written in the genre of wisdom literature in Solomon’s day. This means that we interpret the Proverbs as they would have been interpreted by the original audience. The same goes for “visions” in the Scripture. Old Testament visions were similar to New Testament apocalyptic literature which is not interpreted literally but cosmically. Daniel’s visions don’t disappoint as they follow that apocalyptic pattern. We’ll have to discuss this Sunday as we begin our study of Daniel 7.

As we approach these passages, we see Thanos-type evil characters, tormenting the world and the specifically the people of God. We learn that there is a hero character, sent from God to conquer and judge these evil characters, rescue his people, rule the creation, and bless his children. Join us Sunday as we begin to study these passages.