The Last Kingdom

Daniel 7:1-28

The Last Kingdom

Bill White Updated Staff Photo

Bill White

Teaching Pastor; Staff Governing Elder; Staff Director

Daniel, famous for his interpretation of dreams, receives a troubling and confusing vision. In it, we see earthly kingdoms ravage the world, bringing chaos, terror, and injustice. However, God is at work establishing his Kingdom. And ultimately, order, glory, and justice will endure, and God’s people will reign for eternity.

Daniel, famous for his interpretation of dreams, receives a troubling and confusing vision. In it, we see earthly kingdoms ravage the world, bringing chaos, terror, and injustice. However, God is at work establishing his Kingdom. And ultimately, order, glory, and justice will endure, and God’s people will reign for eternity.

Application

  1. Consider the reality that there are two forces at work in the world—chaos, terror, and injustice, as well as order, glory, and justice. How should this truth shape our expectations around life on earth? In what area of your life can it help you live faithfully with confident hope in God right now?

  2. When we encounter this type of passage that is troubling and difficult to understand, we often fixate on finding answers that make sense. Why is this the wrong response? What should our response be instead?

  3. God went to great lengths to bring justice to earth. He grew a body in the person of Jesus so he could absorb injustice and create a pathway through death. How can this affect your hopes and fears for the future?

Key Points

  • Through Daniel’s terrifying vision, God pulls back the curtain and reveals the nature of reality for his purposes.

  • Daniel sees two scenes simultaneously: chaos, terror, and injustice, as well as order, glory, and justice. These realities are at work in the world, which should both humble and comfort us.

  • Even though chaos and evil ravage the earth, God will ultimately prevail, and he will establish a Kingdom that endures for eternity.

  • Ironically, Daniel—known for his interpretation of dreams—cannot understand this vision. He adopts a humble posture and asks for clarity.

  • There is much about the nature of reality and how God operates that we cannot understand. It’s more important for us to serve God faithfully than to exert energy looking for answers.

  • Through every season, we can fix our hope on Jesus. He is the embodiment of God’s commitment to bring justice to the earth and grant us access to himself.

Other Scripture References

John 1
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