Mana pt 4

Daniel Chapter Seven: Beasts, Horns, and the Heavenly Judgment

Overview and Review

This session continues our study of Daniel, specifically focusing on Daniel chapter seven. We began with a review of previously covered material:

  • The Four Beasts of Daniel 7: These were identified as:

    1. A Lion

    2. A Bear

    3. A Leopard

    4. A Dreadful and Terrible Beast

  • Nations Represented by the Beasts: According to Daniel 7:17 and Daniel 7:23, these beasts represent nations:

    1. Lion: Babylon

    2. Bear: Medo-Persia

    3. Leopard: Greece

    4. Dreadful Beast: Rome (Pagan Rome)

  • The Little Horn: This entity was identified as a powerful kingdom rising in place of Pagan Rome. It represents the Papacy, also referred to as The Vatican, Papal Rome, or the Roman Catholic Church. This power is noted for speaking "great words," as discussed in a previous session.

  • Historical Accuracy: Historically, all these powers–Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Pagan Rome, and the Papacy–did rise and subsequently fall. This succession of empires serves as a crucial confirmation of the Bible's prophetic accuracy.

Daniel's Vision: Prophecy Fulfilled and Future Implications

  • When Daniel Received the Vision: Daniel received this vision in the first year of King Belshazzar (Daniel 7:1), who was the king of Babylon. This means that when the vision was given, Babylon was the current reigning power, represented by the first beast.

  • Prophecy vs. History: All subsequent beasts (Medo-Persia, Greece, Pagan Rome, and the Papacy) and their rise and fall were, at the time Daniel received the vision, prophecy. As these events unfolded, they became history. The fulfillment of prophecy into history underscores the 100 ext{%}-accuracy of biblical prophecies.

  • Divine Confirmation: This unique ability to declare "the end from the beginning" (Isaiah 46) is a testament to God's unparalleled nature. There is no other god besides Jehovah who can provide such precise and accurate foretelling of future events.

The Next Prophecy: The Heavenly Judgment

Just as past prophecies have been fulfilled with absolute accuracy, the next prophecy, concerning the heavenly judgment, is equally reliable.

  • Bible References: Daniel 7:9-10 describes this judgment:

    "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. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened."

  • Confirming Two Things:

    1. The Judgment: The phrase "the judgment was set, and the books were opened" (Daniel 7:10) clearly indicates that a judgment will take place.

    2. When the Judgment Takes Place: To understand the timing, we connect Daniel 7:9-10 with the time prophecies mentioned earlier in Daniel 7, particularly Daniel 7:25.

  • Time Prophecy in Daniel 7: Daniel 7:25 states that the saints would be given into the hand of the little horn (Papacy) for "a time and times and the dividing of time." This represents the 1,2601,260 years of papal supremacy, a prophecy also found in Revelation 12:14 and Revelation 12:6.

  • Key Historical Dates (Review):

    • Babylon's Reign: Began in June (year omitted in review, but contextually before Medo-Persia).

    • Medes and Persians' Reign: Began in May (year omitted).

    • Greece's Reign: Began in March (year omitted).

    • Rome of the Caesars' Reign: Began in January (year omitted).

    • Papacy's Reign (Beginning of Supremacy): 538extAD538 ext{ AD}.

    • Papacy's End of Supremacy: 1798extAD1798 ext{ AD}.

  • Conclusion on Judgment Timing: Since the Papacy's supremacy ended in 1798extAD1798 ext{ AD}, and the judgment is depicted to follow the rise and fall of these powers, we can conclude from Daniel 7 that the judgment described in verses 9-10 would take place sometime after 1798extAD1798 ext{ AD}.

The Books of Judgment

During this heavenly judgment, various "books" are opened. These books represent God's meticulous record-keeping of every individual's life:

  • The Book of Life: (Revelation 20:12, Revelation 22:18-19)

  • The Book of Remembrance: (Malachi 3:16, Nehemiah 13:14)

  • The Book of Sin/Death: (Isaiah 65:6-7, Jeremiah 17:13)

God is examining our "life record," a record kept with "terrible exactness" of everything we do.

  • Names Blotted Out: Exodus 32:33 states, "Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book." Those who persistently sin against God will have their names removed from the Book of Life and will face the fate of being cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15).

  • Names Remaining: Revelation 3:5 offers hope: "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels." God promises in Isaiah 43:25 to "blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins."

Overcoming Sin and Standing in Judgment

To have our names remain in the Book of Life, we must be among "he that overcometh."

  • Source of Power: The power to overcome sin comes from the Holy Spirit. God promises to write His laws in our hearts and minds, giving us a new heart, a new mind, and a new spirit (Jeremiah 31:33, Ezekiel 36:26-27). This is a "created power" that transforms a new man, woman, boy, or girl, making us new in Christ.

Living in the Hour of Judgment

Given that the judgment was prophesied to begin after 1798extAD1798 ext{ AD}, and specifically, it is understood to have begun on October 22, 18441844 (as mentioned in the closing prayer), we are currently living in the hour of judgment. This is a matter of life and death, requiring serious consideration of our spiritual standing. We must cooperate with God, seeking His power through the Holy Spirit to overcome sin and ensure our names remain in the Book of Life.