Matthew C. Mitchell's Blog, page 3

“He Who Lives Forever” [Matt's Messages]

“He Who Lives Forever”The King of Kingdoms - The Book of DanielLanse Evangelical Free ChurchApril 27, 2025 :: Daniel 12:4-13
Daniel chapter 12 is about (in the words of verse 7), “Him who lives forever.”
We have seen over and over again that the book of Daniel is not ultimately about the wiseman Daniel, even though Daniel has given us a great example to follow in every single chapter. Dare to be a Daniel! Dare to be godly in a godless world. Dare to live wisely like he did in the midst of a hostile culture that wants you to become just like them.
But the wiseman Daniel would be the first to tell you that his book is not primarily about himself.
And it’s not primarily about all of these kings. And there have been so many kings! Kings, kings, kings, kings, kings, kings. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. King Belteshazzar of Babylon, King Darius the Mede, King Cyrus of Persia and so many others that were to come and are still on the way.
These kings might have thought that this book was all about them, but it was not. There is only one King that this book is all about, and that’s the King of Kingdoms. Our God Himself.
In every chapter, we’ve identified, highlighted, and focused upon at least one name for God embedded in that chapter. Some in Hebrew and some in Aramaic:
The God of HeavenThe God We ServeThe King of HeavenThe Lord of HeavenThe Living GodThe Ancient of DaysThe Lord, Your GodThe Prince of PrincesThe God of Gods
And now here in this chapter, “He Who Lives Forever.”
Just think about that name for a second. There is a Person, a God, Who lives right now, Who has always lived, and Who will always live forever.
Chapter 6 called Him, “The Living God.”Chapter 7 called Him, “The Ancient of Days.”
Keep your eye on the Ancient Days.
Last week, we learned about “Everlasting Life.” That’s only possible because of the everlasting God. The ever-living God. “He Who Lives Forever” His life will never end. That is Whom this chapter is all about.
It’s kind of obvious, and yet it’s also easy to miss because there are so many other things in this little chapter, especially mysterious predictions of the future. So much of the Book of Daniel is prophetic, telling these kings and the wiseman Daniel what was going to happen in the near future and in the far future. And chapter 12 is no different.
If you thought you the last chapter of Daniel might be simple and straightforward, and clear everything up, you have another think coming.  Daniel chapter 12 is just as wild and wonderful as the first 11 chapters and just as enigmatic and mysterious.
One last time, we have prophetic math to encounter (in verse 7 and verse 11 and verse 12). And there are several verses here where I will have to say once again, “I’m not sure....and that’s okay.” And every sentence is important. But behind every sentence and above every sentence is “He Who Lives Forever.” Let’s see what this chapter tells us about Him.
[VIDEO WILL BE EMBEDDED HERE]
It’s important to remember that chapters 10, 11, and 12 are one thing. Together, these 3 chapters tell the one story of Daniel’s fourth and final vision in about 536BC, the third year that King Cyrus of Persia was ruling over the kingdom of Babylon which he had conquered in 539.
Old Daniel was praying by the Tigris River. He was very sad about something, probably about how badly things were going for his people who had been released from exile in Babylon and returned to Jerusalem but had so far failed to rebuild the temple. And Daniel was probably sad about all he had recently learned in his first three visions (chapters 7, 8, and 9) because he had been told about great trials and tribulations that would be coming on his people in the days to come. Beastly kingdoms that would conquer and monstrously oppress his people.  
For three weeks, Daniel had been taking very little nourishment and humbling himself, and praying his heart out before his God. And the Lord sent Daniel a visitor. This is in chapter 10.
Daniel said, “I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude....gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless” (Dan. 10:5-8).
It just about killed old Daniel to see this “man dressed in linen.”
We speculated in chapter 10 that this was either an exalted angel perhaps the highest angel there is, the Angel of the LORD, or even a visit from the Son of God Himself before He came in the flesh. We don’t know, but Whoever it is, He is dazzling! He is amazing and reveals the glory of God.
And this heavenly visitor sets Daniel on his feet, assures Daniel that he’s loved, and then tells him about the future. Chapter 11 was full of the future. And the future is full of kings. This king and that king. That king and this king. And the prophecies about these kings are so accurate that some people cannot believe that they were written before they happened! But they were.
A great number of the predictions have already come true, exactly as he  said they would! And that gives us reason to believe that the rest of the predictions will, too. 
In chapter 12, this heavenly messenger told Daniel that a time of great distress is coming, the worst distress there has ever been, but there will also be a great deliverance. God’s people will be saved. All those whose names are in written in the book will be delivered (v.1).
And then one day in the future, everybody is going to come back from the dead!
“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever” (vv.2-3).
That’s where all of this is headed. There’s where all of us are headed. Either to everlasting life or to everlasting contempt. I know which one I want. And I know which one I want for you. And for all of our neighbors.
And those who are wise will shine. We will dazzle. We will glow. We will be resplendent in some way like our glorious Lord.
I can hardly wait. But I have to wait. And Daniel had to wait, as well. Look at verse 4. 
“But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”
Now, there’s different ways of understanding this verse. It’s tricky. But I think he’s telling Daniel that he’s done writing his book. “Write these things down, Dan, and then roll up the scroll. It’s done.” The Book of Daniel is complete. And it’s fixed. It’s set. I think that word “seal” there is kind of like when you save your document on your computer as a PDF, and it kind of locks it in? You can’t really edit it after that. And then you can save it. Put it in a secure folder for safe-keeping. I think that Daniel is supposed to preserve and protect this scroll because it’s got God’s Holy Word in it.
Now, “close up and seal the words” might mean to keep them secret. He could be saying that this just isn’t the time for reading and understanding these particular words. “Your people will need them later.” That’s possible, because they would need them later especially during the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. 
And if that’s the meaning, what a contrast with what God told John the Revelator in the last chapter of the Bible! Revelation 22:10 says, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near.” We need to be on our toes and ready. Reading and understanding as much as we possibly can.
Verse 4 predicts that many will rush around trying to “increase knowledge.” And that could be a negative thing. People wearing themselves out with following the latest intellectual fads. That’s an exercise in futility, keeping up with latest and greatest ideas. 
But it could be talking about a positive thing. He could be saying that God’s people will keep on studying Daniel’s book and understanding it more and more as they go here and there. And as they read it and read it and see more and more of its fulfillment in the Bible here and there, they will “get it” more and more themselves and apply it more an more and more to themselves here, and there, and everywhere.
And I hope we’ve been doing just that in 2025. I know that as we’ve gone deeper into Daniel than I ever have before, my knowledge of my God has increased, and I hope it’s been spiritually good for you, as well.
But this visitor isn’t done with Daniel. He’s got more to say. And he’s got more company. The party is getting bigger. Look at verse 5.
“Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, ‘How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?’” (vv.5-6).
Wow! I look forward to seeing the pictures generated by this sermon at Snack and Yack after the service. 
Daniel has two more visitors. Probably angels. Maybe even Gabriel and Michael. It doesn’t say (though both have been named in this book). Or it could be Moses and Elijah. It doesn’t say. And it doesn’t say if they are shining or anything about how they looked.
They are standing on either side of the river. Where is the man clothed in linen?
He’s “above the waters.” He’s just hovering there. Gold around his waist. Body like gleaming metal. Face like lightning, Eyes like flaming torches, voice like a crowd in a stadium, flying above the waters of the river!
And one of these two new angels asks the question of him that we all want to know, “How long?”
“How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?”
“How long will it be until the end of these wonders?”
“You’ve told us so many wild and wonderful things in this book, in these last 3 chapters. When is it all going down?
When will this king come and that king come?When will this great tribulation come?When will the resurrection come?When will the kingdom of kingdoms come?”
“How long?”
How long will God’s people have to suffer under all of these other kingdoms?
Look at verse 7.
“The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, ‘It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.’”
I’ve got two points this morning to summarize this passage, and here’s the first one:
#1. HE WHO LIVES FOREVER WILL COMPLETE ALL OF THESE ASTONISHING THINGS PERFECTLY ON TIME.
Now, before we talk about the timing, we have to see how great a promise this is.
This glorious person hanging in the air above the waters of the river is making an oath. He’s swearing.  Right? Like have you ever given testimony in a courtroom? I have just a few times. You raise your hand and you solemnly swear to the tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God.
Well, this man in linen raises both hands. That was unusual then, too. And this man in linen raises both hands while flying above the river! And he aims those hands at heaven, and he swears by “him who lives forever.”
And for all we know, He’s swearing by Himself. You cannot get a stronger oath. 
And when you swear by someone, it’s on their name, on their authority, on their power. And there’s no greater name than this one. And no greater authority and no greater power. And it will never end! He lives forever! Forever, forever, forever, forever! He’s the Ancient of Days. Keep your eyes on the Ancient of Days. This promise is coming from and based upon the Ancient of Days.
So everything that has been promised is going to happen just as it is promised! You can count on it. It is guaranteed. It is sure and certain. It is more certain than that the sun will come up tomorrow. The sun may not come up tomorrow, but He Who lives forever will fulfill all of these astonishing promises.
Everything we’ve read in Daniel will come true.
From the smallest thing to the greatest.From the things we don’t hardly understand to the things we wo understand but hardly can believe are true.From the shortest kingdom to the kingdom that will never be destroyed.From the defeat of our enemies to the resurrection of all who are asleep in the dust of death. Everything we’ve read in Daniel will come true. God has given us a double-armed oath in His own eternal name!
And He’s even told us when it’s going happen. Look again at verse 7.
How long? “I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, ‘It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.’”
And look at verse 8. Daniel says, “I heard, but I did not understand.” 
Me, too, Daniel! Me, too! I don’t feel so bad if Wise Old Daniel didn’t get it. I wonder if he went home to his wife and said, “I’m not sure and that’s okay. I was told today when all of God’s promises would come to pass, but I didn’t quite understand the answer.”
Isn’t that just like this book? I love it that God answers the question and kind of doesn’t the answer the question. Isn’t that just like Him?
I think the main point is that God is perfectly on schedule. He who lives forever is going to keep all of these amazing promises, and He’s going to keep them perfectly and perfectly on time. God has a perfect schedule, and He’s perfectly on schedule. And so He swears by Him who lives forever.
Isn’t that encouraging? Because I’m often asking, “How long?” Life feels out of control. It feels out of sync. Like some terrible things are going on far too long. This world is deeply broken. Things are not the way they are supposed to be. And we’re waiting, waiting, waiting for things to be fixed. 
And it easy to start thinking that maybe God’s plan has gotten off track. He’s been delayed. He’s got a late start. He’s texting to say, “Running late. Will be there when I can be. Ran into some traffic.”
No. No. That happens to us. It doesn’t happen to Him. God’s timetable may look very different from the one we draw up, but ours would be all wrong. And He’s not gotten off of His.
Now, there are (as you might expect by now) several different interpretations of the timing in verse 7. “A time, times, and half a time.”
And a lot is determined by which astonishing things are being referenced in verse 6 and promised to be fulfilled in verse 7. 
And a lot is also determined by what you think is going on in the other places in the Bible where that same “time, times, and half a time” language is used. We’ve seen it already in chapter 7, verse 25. And it shows up again in Revelation chapter 12, verse 14.
Many Christians scholars think that it means a year, two years, and half a year. And that makes sense. That would make it three and a half years. And that could refer then to the terrible time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes from 167 to 164BC, about three and a half years. There’s probably something to that.
Or it could be the second half of a seven year tribulation period, and that might correspond to what we read about in chapter 9, verses 24 through 27, the enigmatic prophecy of seventy set of “sevens.” Do you remember that? And that might fit with what’s going on in the first verse of this chapter, the time of greatest distress (12:1).
I’m not sure, and that’s okay for me, right now. But one day I will be sure. One day, I’ll know exactly what this means. I will say, “Oh, that’s what he meant!” Even Daniel will be saying that! But one day it will be obvious because He who lives forever will complete all of these astonishing things perfectly and on time. 
It’s important to point out that he does not give a date.  But he does give us certainty. There is a certain time. Even if we don’t understand what it is. He does! And it’s not going to be forever until it comes.
Personally, I lean towards taking these three words, “time, times, and half a time” as saying that it almost feels like forever, but then it gets cuts short.
Time = “How long?” This feels forever. This is so hard.
Times = It gets doubly hard. Verse 7 says that the “power of the holy people” has to be “finally broken.” What does that mean? That’s either Israel or the church or both, and it means that the darkest, worst day has come when it seems like all is shattered and lost. The greatest distress ever. That’s “times.” It feels like forever and forever.
But it’s not! Time, times, and then [mercifuly!] half a time. It’s cut short. It’s limited. The dawn breaks. The light comes. And just in time!
V.7 “All these things will be completed.”
Church, we can build our lives on this. He who lives forever will complete all of these astonishing things perfectly on time.
So, Daniel does not understand, at least at first, so he asks another question. Look at verse 8.
“So I asked, ‘My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?’”
“How is this going to fall out? How is this going to play out? Can I ask where all this is going?” And the visitor basically says, “No.” Verse 9.
“He replied, ‘Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.”
I think he’s basically saying, “Don’t worry about it, Dan. You wouldn’t understand if I explained it to you. Just write it down. Roll it up and save it for later. Because people are going to need it later.
Not so much “hide it away” as make sure it’s stored and safe and ready for when the prophecies really start to get rolling.
In other words, he’s telling Daniel to wait. And, in the meantime, to keep growing in wisdom. Look at verse 10. 
“Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.”
That is what’s going to happen, and it’s a great description of what things are like, isn’t it?
God’s people are growing in sanctification. We are learning to hate and fight our sin. We are learning to resist temptation. We are becoming more and more like our Savior, purified, spotless, and refined.
But the wicked? Unless they repent, they continue to be wicked. And the divide grows more and more each day. 
He says, “None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.”
Isn’t that interesting that the divide here is not between the wicked and the righteous like in other parts of the Bible, but the wicked and the wise?
Those with spiritual insight. Those who “get” what God is doing in the world. We’ve learned about these truly wise people. They showed up in chapter 11, verses 33 and 35. And they are in verse 3 of this chapter (12), as well. 
And we’ve learned that wise people make people wise. And the wise will shine!
Wise people repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.Wise people know what is truly important. Wise people believe that God is truly in control.
That He is keeping His promises, every single one. And perfectly on time.
Are you in the wise? I’m not asking if you are a wise guy, but I am asking if you have joined the group who have turned from doing things your own way, doing things Babylon’s way, doing things the world’s way and embracing God’s way. Turning from your sin and trusting in the Messiah whom God has promised to send. The King of Kingdoms! Trusting in a Messiah who died on the “Mercy Tree” and, hallelujah, came back to life on the third day. And now lives forever.
That’s the wisdom of God! Keep growing in that wisdom. It will purify you, make you spotless and refined.
Now, in verses 11 and 12, the heavenly messenger gives us some more prophetic math. So get out your calculators one more time. 
And just in case you’ve got everything figured out in what came before, he’s got something completely new to lay on us in the last few verses. Look at verse 11.
“From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days” (vv.11-12).
Now, those are new numbers, and they are don’t quite match up with anything else.
In the book of Revelation, there is a number 1,260 days and also the number 42 months (see Rev. 11:2 and also 12:6). And that comes out to three and a half years if you use 30 day months and 360 day years which also could be a time, times, and half a time. So it could be saying the same thing as verse 7.
But 1,290 days is 30 more days than 1260. And 1335 days is 45 more days than that.
What’s he talking about? I’m not sure, and that’s okay.
Because he talks here about the daily sacrifice being abolished and the abomination that causes desolation, many Christians scholars have thought this was talking about Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
He did those things. We learned about that in chapter 8 (vv.11-13) and chapter 11 (v.31).
But we also learned that Antiochus, was just a forerunner of someone even more evil who is probably still to come. The “little big mouth horn” of chapter 7 on the fourth beast different from all the others. The one we often call “The Antichrist.”
And he may do some of the exact same things but worse.
If these are literal days, perhaps they are the second half of a seven year tribulation and then there are 30 days, after Jesus comes, to cleanse and purify a new temple (like the Maccabees did!) and 45 more days after that to judge the nations (see Matthew 25:31-46) and separate the sheep from the goats. 
And still other scholars see verses 11 and 12 being fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70.
I’m not sure. We’ve got a new puzzle to ponder in the last few verses of the book. Enigmatic to the end.
Personally, I kind of lean towards thinking these numbers are more symbolic. And what they point to is that there is blessing for those who persevere past the end of all of the persecution and the pain.
He’s basically saying, “Hang on!” 
“Hang on through the time and the times, and you’ll be so happy when the half a time comes!” 
“Push past the 1260 days to the 1290 days. And if you hit the 1335 days? Then you’re home free.”
“Blessed [happy!] is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days” (v.12).
Hang on! Wait for it! You will go through terrible times, but these terrible times are set and short. They are certain and limited. It won’t feel like it. It will feel like forever and double forever. But it won’t be forever. It will be cut short.
Push past it. Keep going. Keeping going. Keep waiting. Hang on! 
Reach for the 1335! It will be worth it.
Because (point #2 and last):
#2. HE WHO LIVES FOREVER WILL REST, RAISE, AND REWARD HIS PEOPLE FOREVER.
Look at verse 13. The last thing this glorious being says to Daniel:
“As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.”
Before long, Old Daniel was going to die. He was at least in his mid-eighties at this point. We don’t know when he died. Tradition says that Daniel moved from Babylon to Persia, to the city of Susa where, 50 years later, Esther would become a queen. I don’t think Daniel lived long enough to meet Esther.
The glorious visitor from heaven hovering above the water of the Tigris told old Daniel to “go your way till the end.” I think that means to keep on keeping on.
The Brits have this saying, “Keep calm and carry on.” Perhaps you’ve seen the poster? 
“Keep calm, Daniel, and go your way.”
And don’t stop. Go till the end. Go till the end.
I think he basically means the end of his life. Daniel was being called to die as he had lived, faithfully. For many many decades, Daniel has faithfully served the King of Kingdoms.
And here he’s being told, “Don’t stop now.”
Do you need to hear that? Some of us are getting older. Okay. We’re all getting older. Some of us are getting old (me included!). 
Don’t stop being faithful now. Don’t try to coast. Give it your all.
“Go your way till the end.”
Because this is what’s waiting for you: Rest! The glorious person hovering over the waters tells Daniel (v.13), “You will rest.”
“You’re going to lay down in the dust of the ground. It’ll be like going to sleep. God’s going to give you rest. So keep going now.”
But that rest is not the end. He also says (v.13), “and then at the end of the days you will rise!” Rest then rise. Death is temporary. Death is not forever. Not for believers!
“You will rise.” You will stand again. That’s what “resurrection” means standing again. There’s another resurrection morning on the way. Jesus is the first-fruits, but one day we, too, will rise.
Don’t worry about when it will happen. Rest assured that it will happen!
Old Daniel was going to lay down in the dust. He probably died of old age. He didn’t die of lion-bite! But one day Daniel will rise to (v.13) “receive your allotted inheritance.” Daniel never went home to Israel. Daniel never got to live in Jerusalem again. Daniel never got to live on the plot of ground that his ancestral tribe had been allotted.
And right now, Daniel is resting and waiting.
But one day, and one day soon, Daniel will receive his full reward.
And so will you and I!
Dare to be a Daniel and be faithful to the end.
Dare to be a Daniel and “go your way” till the end.
Because death is not the end. You and I will rest, and rise, and receive. And we will shine! Forever!
How can this be? It can be because the One Who promises it is He Who Lives Forever.

***

Messages in This Series:

01. The King's Service - Daniel 1:1-21
02. The God of Heaven - Daniel 2:1-49
[Bonus Message: "No Matter What" - Daniel 3:1-30 from Family Bible Week 2012]
03. The God We Serve - Daniel 3:1-30
04. The King of Heaven - Daniel 4:1-37
05. The Lord of Heaven - Daniel 5:1-31
06. The Living God - Daniel 6:1-28
07. The Ancient of Days - Daniel 7:1-28
08. The Prince of Princes - Daniel 8:1-27
09. “O Lord, Listen! O Lord, Forgive! O Lord, Hear and Act!" - Daniel 9:1-27
10. "Before Your God" - Daniel 10:1-11:1
[Bonus Message: "The Son of Man" - Matthew 20:17-28]
11. "The God of Gods" - Daniel 11:2-12:1
12. "Everlasting Life" - Daniel 12:2-3

“Everlasting Life” [Matt's Messages]

“Everlasting Life”Resurrection SundayThe King of Kingdoms - The Book of DanielLanse Evangelical Free ChurchApril 20, 2025 :: Daniel 12:2-3  
Let me read to you what it says in Daniel chapter 12, verses 2 and 3.
These words were given to Daniel the Wiseman in 536BC by a dazzling supernatural being who was sent by God to deliver a prophecy of the future. 
Notice the word “will” or your version might have the word “shall.” This is a true word about what will happen some day in the future. And, in one word, it is “resurrection.” Daniel chapter 12, verses 2 and 3.
“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”
That is what is going to happen one day. It is certain and sure and guaranteed.
[VIDEO WILL BE EMBEDDED HERE.]
Some of you are newcomers or guests this morning and haven’t been around for our study of the Book of Daniel. Welcome! For the last three months or so, we have been analyzing this ancient book of the wiseman Daniel written down in Hebrew and Aramaic almost 2600 years ago. More than 500 years before our Lord Jesus was even born.
Daniel is a wild and wonderful book full of wild and wonderful things, some of which I still don’t completely understand. (And that’s okay.)
And we’ve reached the end of his book. Next week, Lord-willing, if you come back, we’ll finish our study of the last chapter together. We would love to have you all join us once again! We meet every Sunday at 10:00am.
Chapters 10, 11, and 12 are one long vision that God gave to Old Daniel when he was praying by the Tigris River in ancient Babylon.  A heavenly being appeared and told Daniel what was going to happen in the future. And just hearing the prophecy just about killed Daniel, it was so overwhelming.
Last week, we read chapter 11 where the messenger told Daniel a lot of what was going to happen in the next 370 years or so...and then beyond. This king was going to do this and then this king was going to do that and so forth for king after king after king after king. And what we learned last week was that’s exactly what happened! 
The prophecies came true. So much so, that some people can’t believe that they were written down before they happened! But they were. Now, some of the things that were prophesied are still to come. They are still in the future, even our future. Like chapter 12, verses 2 and 3. That hasn’t happened yet. At least...not fully. But it’s going to happen, guaranteed.
Many of the things prophesied in chapter 11 were very depressing. They were disturbing. They were very distressing. There was a lot of oppression and tribulation and injustice and death. But death, as terrible as it is, does not get the last word. God says, in this prophecy, that after death for God’s people, there will be life. 
And not just any life but “Everlasting Life.”
You might be surprised to learn that this is the first time that the phrase “Everlasting Life” appears in the Bible. The concept is sprinkled all over the Old Testament, but this is where it’s first given this name: “Everlasting Life.”
What a thought! Life that goes and on and on forever and ever and ever. Life that is not broken by the ravages of time and age and illness and death. Life that is full and free and joyful. Not just life that goes on and on and on but life that is abundant and vibrant and blessed. “Everlasting Life”
And this life comes, according to verse 2, after death.
This is the perhaps most important passage in the Old Testament about resurrection. It’s the clearest text in the Old Testament about resurrection. About coming back to life in the flesh. There are hints and clues all over the Old Testament, but right here it clearly says, “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt” (v.2).
I have two questions for you this morning to apply this passage to your life today, and here’s the first one:
#1. ARE YOU READY TO AWAKEN FROM DEATH?
The word “sleep” in verse 2 is a metaphor for being dead. The Bible uses “sleep” many times as a figure of speech for being deceased. [See, for example, what Jesus said about Lazarus in John 11.]
I think that one of the reasons for that is to communicate to us that death is temporary. We think of death as final. And it sure feels like it. Any time somebody dies it feels so final. The cemetery feels like the end.
And so many of Daniel’s people were going to die, and did die more than 2000 years ago. And they are still dead! They are still laying down in the dust of the earth.
That word “dust” reminds us of the curse that came from our sin. There is death in the world because of our sin. When our first parents rebelled against God, He pronounced a curse on the ground and told us, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).
But now He says that, one day, we will come back out of the dust! “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake.”
And that’s everybody! He’s saying, “multitudes” to emphasize the vast number of people who will awaken from the dead. Billions and billions of people will awaken from the dust of the earth.
Death is temporary. Are you ready for it to be over? Are you ready to awaken from death?
Now, of course, we in this room haven’t even died yet. But it’s coming for us all. The oldest person in this room and the youngest person in this room are going to die, and they might not die in that order. And one day we are all going to be awakened from the dust.
But the quality of our lives will not all be the same. Did you see that in verse 2? After we are resurrected, there are two different destinations, and only two.
“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life [what a joy!], others to shame and everlasting contempt.”
And that’s the scariest thing you will ever hear about. Instead of everlasting life, some will awaken to everlasting shame, everlasting abhorrence, everlasting contempt. And that is God’s contempt of those people. That is God’s verdict over their resurrected lives. That is God’s perfect justice. God’s enemies will be forever shamed, forever abhorred, forever condemned.
All of those evil kings who oppressed God’s people in chapter 11 and seemed to get away with it? They did not escape God’s justice. Not one of the LORD’s unrepentant enemies will escape His perfect justice.
And that’s what we all deserve. We all deserve shame and everlasting contempt because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (see Romans 3:23).
So, which is it going to be? How do we know if we will awaken to everlasting life or everlasting contempt? Especially if we all deserve shame and contempt?
Here’s what the rest of the Bible says. Listen to the promise of the Gospel of John chapter 3, verse 16.
“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have [everlasting] life” (John 3:16, NIV & KJV).
God didn’t just leave us on our own. In His great love, He sent His Son Jesus Christ. He GAVE Him to us. He allowed Him to be mocked, flogged, and crucified. Mocked, flogged, and crucified. To be killed on a Roman instrument of torture and death. “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have [everlasting] life.”
Do you believe in Him? Have you put your faith and trust in Jesus and what He did for you on the Cross? That’s how you get ready to awaken from death.
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live....a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out–those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:24-29).
Jesus knew Daniel chapter 12! And He knew that faith in Him was the key to everlasting life.
Are you ready to awaken from death? Do you know what’s going to happen when you do?
Now, this passage is not telling us WHEN this is going to happen. And there are some details about the timing of the resurrection that Christians differ on in their understanding.
It may not be that everyone gets resurrected at the exact same time. We’re going to see in just a minute that Somebody has already has been! Somebody has already gotten this resurrection thing going.
And so it stands to reason that it might come in stages. Some think that the church gets resurrected before a great tribulation period and then Israelite believers after the tribulation and then unbelievers after a millennium. Other see it as all the believers at one time and all the unbelievers at another. And still others see it all going down at once.
It’s okay for us to have some different takes on that. Daniel 12 is not telling us when this is going to happen but that it is going to happen! This shall surely occur. “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.”
Are you ready to awaken from the dead?
Are you sure? As we’ve been studying the Book of Daniel, we’ve said this one thing again and again on some of the more minor points of interpretation. The things that faithful Christians have disagreed about over the centuries, especially timing of certain events.
“I’m not sure. And that’s okay.” 
But, friends, it is not okay to not be sure if you will awaken to everlasting life or everlasting contempt. This is something you need to be sure about! Because death is temporary, and we’re all going to wake up one day out of the dust, and then what’s next? God gave His One and Only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
“Whoever believes!” That can be you. I sure hope it is. It is this church’s hope and prayer that every single person here would be sure that they have everlasting life. We invite you to trust in Jesus right here and right now.
Are you ready to awaken from the dead? I am. I can hardly wait. Not only do I believe in Jesus and what He did for me on the Cross, but I can’t hardly wait to live in a world that is resurrected, too. And to live a resurrected body. The older I get, the more I look forward to what that body will be like. Amen?
D.A. Carson likes to say, “There isn’t anything wrong with me that a good resurrection won’t fix!”
Now, of course, Daniel 12 doesn’t tell us much about what our resurrected bodies will be like. He just says, “everlasting life,” and that’s plenty to go on, isn’t it? But the New Testament fills out the picture for us by giving a sneak peak of coming attractions by telling us that we’re going to have a new body like the body of the Person who already came back from the dead.
Who is that? Yes, that’s Jesus! That’s what we are celebrating this very day. Jesus died on the Cross, yes, but He did not stay dead! He did not stay in the tomb. He did not stay in His grave. He walked out alive again never to die again! That’s everlasting life!
And the Bible says that Jesus is the “first-fruits” of the resurrection. 
Do you know what “first-fruits” are? (See 1 Cor. 15:22-25.)
It’s an agricultural term that describes the first crops that pop up, the early crops in the field. Like the first row of corn to be ready for harvest before all the others. And the first-fruits tell you two things about the crop.
The first thing it tells you is that the crop is going to come up! It is guaranteed. If the first-fruits popped up, then the rest will surely follow. Isn’t that good news?! Because Jesus has come back from the dead, we know that Daniel 12:2 is going to happen! It is guaranteed.
And the second thing that the first-fruits tell us is what the crop will actually be like. Will it be healthy? Will it be fruitful? Will it be abundant? Will it be blessed? Do you want to know what your resurrected body will be like if you are a believer in Jesus? Then look at what Jesus’ body was like.
The Bible says, “Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Phil. 3:20-21).
I can’t wait! I’m ready. How about you? See, this isn’t just “going to heaven when we die.” Immaterial. Incorporeal. Just a naked spirit. This is resurrection. This is coming back from the dead in the flesh and having a new body that is like Jesus’ body. This isn’t some kind of zombie existence, either. Not just un-dead but truly alive! This is life to the fullest. This is everlasting life. Are you ready?
Here’s the second and last question for application today:
#2. ARE YOU LEADING OTHERS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS? 
If you are ready for your resurrection, are you taking somebody with you to get theirs? Are you leading other people to have what you have? Look again at v.3. This is what it’s going to be like in the resurrection.
“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”
Wow. That’s Hebrew parallelism. He’s saying the same thing twice with slightly different words to emphasize it. “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens...” I don’t know if that’s literal or a figure of speech. Either way, it’s awesome. I want to “shine like the brightness of the heavens!”
We learned in chapter 10 that the brilliant being that is telling Daniel these amazing things had a “face like lightning” and “eyes like flaming torches.” Our Lord Jesus once gave His followers a glimpse of His glory. He was shining like the sun (see also Revelation 1:10-16)!
I want to share in God’s glory and be dazzling and resplendent myself. And the way to get there is through...wisdom. 
“Those who are wise.”“Those who have insight.”“Those who has spiritual discernment.”
Like Daniel. Daniel was a wise man. He knew what was right and wrong and what to do when life got tough.
Dare to be a Daniel and be wise.
In chapter 11, when things got really hard, some of the believers would become wise (vv.33, 35), and they would teach others their wisdom. They would help them to stand firm in troubled times. Last week, we said wise people make people wise. And so chapter 12, verse 3 says what wise people do is “lead many to righteousness.” And when you do that, you’ll shine like the stars forever and ever.
I want to do that. I want to shine! How about you?
Are you living in wisdom and teaching others to? Are you walking in righteousness and leading others to do so, too?
This can be through our example. Like how we live our lives. Because people are watching! People are watching how you live your life. What you do, what you say, what you post on social media. They are looking at your life and learning things. Are they learning righteousness?
But it’s more than just our example, we have to open our mouths, and we have point people towards the source of eternal righteousness. We have to tell people about Jesus and His death and His resurrection.
Because they won’t know about it unless somebody tells them! They won’t know that everybody is going to die and then one day everybody is going to awaken from the dust of the ground. And they won’t know what Jesus did for them–mocked, flogged, and crucified–unless somebody tells them. They won’t know that Jesus came back from the dead unless we tell them! And they won’t know that He’s coming back again to bring His kingdom here on Earth as it is in heaven.
But if we tell them, then they will know. I’m telling you right now.
I’m trying to lead you all to righteousness right now so that we all shine together forever (see Matthew 13:38-43, Philippians 2:14-16)!
Christ is Risen!  He Is Risen Indeed!
Who are you going to tell? Who are you going to lead to righteousness? I love that we can go from one day deserving condemnation and eternal contempt to one day shining like the stars forever and ever.
In the kingdom that is forever. Because, remember, the Son of Man is receiving a kingdom that is forever.
Remember our previous memory verse from Daniel 7, where Daniel said, “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting [similar root word in Aramaic word and Hebrew translated as "everlasting" in 12:2!] dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed” (Dan. 7:13-14).
And neither will He! Because Jesus has an everlasting life.
He lives!  
“He arose a Victor from the dark domainAnd He lives forever with His saints to reign!”
And all who believe in Him will enjoy everlasting life in the everlasting kingdom of the King of Kingdoms.

***
Messages in This Series:

01. The King's Service - Daniel 1:1-21
02. The God of Heaven - Daniel 2:1-49
[Bonus Message: "No Matter What" - Daniel 3:1-30 from Family Bible Week 2012]
03. The God We Serve - Daniel 3:1-30
04. The King of Heaven - Daniel 4:1-37
05. The Lord of Heaven - Daniel 5:1-31
06. The Living God - Daniel 6:1-28
07. The Ancient of Days - Daniel 7:1-28
08. The Prince of Princes - Daniel 8:1-27
09. “O Lord, Listen! O Lord, Forgive! O Lord, Hear and Act!" - Daniel 9:1-27
10. "Before Your God" - Daniel 10:1-11:1
[Bonus Message: "The Son of Man" - Matthew 20:17-28]
11. "The God of Gods" - Daniel 11:2-12:1

“The God of Gods” [Matt's Messages]

“The God of Gods”The King of Kingdoms - The Book of DanielLanse Evangelical Free ChurchApril 13, 2025 :: Daniel 11:2-12:1 
Daniel chapter 11 is about “The God of Gods.”
Daniel chapter 11 is about the God above all other powers and authorities.  The God Who is God above all. “The God of Gods.”
Everything we think of when we think of what “God” means--this God is the God that is all of that and infinitely more.
For the messages in this series, I have scoured the passage that we’re studying for key names of God which show up in that particular passage and have then titled and centered the message on that name. And this passage is no different. I pulled the name, “The God of Gods” from verse 36 of chapter 11. The quintessential God. “The God of Gods”
And that name is good for us to focus on because, even though it’s kind of obvious, it’s also easy to miss and easy to lose sight of even if you know it’s there.
Because Daniel chapter 11 seems to be about a bunch of kings. I’m not sure how many kings are actually mentioned. At least 13 different kings and probably more. 
Kings, kings, kings, kings, kings, kings, kings, kings, kings.
And while God is mentioned from time to time, there are a lot more words about all these kings, kings, kings, kings, kings. And so we might lose sight of the forest for all of these trees. Because the Book of Daniel is ultimately about the King of Kingdoms Who is the God of Gods.
For example, we might forget that the Person telling Daniel about all of these kings, kings, kings, kings, kings is God Himself! 
We’ve reached the very end of the Book of the Wiseman Daniel. We learned last time we were in Daniel that chapters 10, 11, and 12 are all one thing. These three chapters tell the story of Daniel’s fourth and last recorded vision. Do you remember that? Chapters 10, 11, and 12 are one big long thing. Daniel’s fourth and last recorded vision.
And what a vision it’s been so far! We learned at the beginning of chapter 10 that Old Daniel was still praying. It’s the year 536 BC, the third year of  Persian King Cyrus ruling over Babylon which he had conquered in 539. 
Daniel was about 83 or 84 years old, and he was praying, fasting, and praying for three weeks of days (21 days), probably about the troubles he’s heard were happening to the Jewish people who had returned to Judah when King Cyrus allowed them to, three years before.  And Old Daniel was fasting and praying near the Tigris River, and he was visited by a being unlike anything else!
And it just about killed him. Do you remember this? The dazzling person?!
Daniel said he, “looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude” (Dan. 10:5-6).
And that just about did him in. He fell flat on his face. But Daniel was strengthened by being touched and told that he was highly esteemed by God Himself.
And Daniel was told by this messenger from God (who might have been Gabriel or the Angel of the LORD or even the pre-incarnate Person of God the Son Himself!), “I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come” (Daniel 10:14).
And that’s what we are reading in Daniel chapter 11. It’s a message about the future. And it’s a message from God. It’s a message about the future from the God of Gods.
I have three points this morning, and they are all very simple even though the chapter is complicated. 
#1. THE GOD OF GODS KNOWS THE FUTURE, TELLS THE FUTURE, RULES THE FUTURE.
And that’s good news for you and me.
First, that He knows the future. What we’re about to read was given to Daniel in about 536BC, and it’s all about what is still to come from Daniel’s perspective.
A lot of it is history to us. It was future for Daniel, but it is history for us, at least verses 2 through 35. 
And it’s very detailed. In fact, it’s so detailed that a lot of unbelieving scholars assume that it must have been written after the fact! That’s a weird thing about most of Daniel chapter 11, almost everybody agrees about who the kings are! We don’t have the problem of identification that we’ve struggled with so much in the previous 10 chapters. Who is who and what is what?
So many scholars agree on which king is which king in Daniel chapter 11. If you have a study Bible on your lap, you probably have half or more of the page taken up with footnotes about who is who and which king is what king. Unlike most of the rest of Daniel, it kind of seems obvious! So obvious that unbelievers have to think that this was written down after all of these things had happened. 
But that’s not what I think. I think that the God of Gods knows the future. Because He lives in the future. He lives over and above time itself. 
And I think that the God of Gods not only knows the future, but chooses to tell us about the future. He doesn’t tell us everything we want to know about the future. We couldn’t handle it if He did. But He tells us everything we need to know about the future. 
And that’s encouraging and comforting because it gets us ready for the future. But it’s even more encouraging and comforting that when He tells us about the future, it’s abundantly clear that He rules the future. That the future is not just known by Him but controlled by Him. The future is not out control. It is firmly in His hands.
As we’ve seen time and time again in Daniel, God has a perfect plan on a perfect schedule, and His perfect plan is perfectly on schedule. 
So let’s wade in here. Let me give you a few things to look for as we read.
The first thing to notice is that Daniel 11 is not so apocalyptic. That is, it doesn’t have as many wild images and symbols. There are no monsters, no beasts, no horns, no giant animals. It’s more prosaic. And while it’s still vague (to us) if you know your history, look backwards, it’s almost obvious who the various people are. God knows the future, and He’s telling it to His people.
As we go through, I’m going to say this phrase over and over again, “And that’s exactly what happened.” Because God knows the future and He tells is to His people.
The second thing to look for is the word “BUT” (b-u-t). This is a little word with a big meaning. It shows up again and again in chapter 11. There are these kings and they have power, BUT things don’t always go according to their plans. These little turns of history. They think they are in control, and for a time they are, BUT then they are not. And we’re going to see that again and again and again in these verses.
And that points to the fact that God is in ultimate control. He allows them to do what they choose to do (and they are freely choosing these things), but He is also directing the whole shebang to His own ends.
And with that word “but,” we’ll also see the word “appointed” and “determined.” There are these limits placed upon all of these kings. None of them goes beyond the limits of God’s perfect plan. Because God not only knows the future and tells us about the future, but He also rules the future. Let’s jump in, and I will show you what I mean. 
The first verse of chapter 10 said that Daniel’s fourth vision was about “a great war.” And the messenger from God pulled back a corner of the curtain at the end of  chapter 10  to give us a peak about the great war going on in the heavens with the angel Michael and the Prince of Persia and the Prince of Greece (cf. 10:20-11:1). Now we’re going to be told about the great war (or wars) going on on the Earth. Here’s what He reveals. Daniel chapter 11, verse 2.
“Now then, I tell you the truth: Three more kings will appear in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. Then a mighty king will appear, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases” (vv.2-3). 
Those two verses just covered about 200 years of history.
God’s not going to tell Daniel everything that’s going to happen. He’s going to be selective. He tells Daniel about four more Persian kings after Cyrus. He doesn’t say their names, but most scholars think they know who they are: Cambyses (530-522), Smerdis [522], Darius I Hystaspes [522-486], and the fourth (far richer who attacked Greece): Ahauserus also known as Xerses I (486-464), and we know him more because of his famous wife, the queen named Esther.
You know that big banquet that the king is holding in Esther chapter 1? Many people think that was part of Xerxes’ fund-raising for his big attack on Greece. But that didn’t go very well for him. 
And, before long, the Persian kingdom is no more. The Medes dropped off from prominence long ago, but even the Persians disappeared from the scene of world dominance.
Who was the next world power? Golden Babylon, Silvery Medes/Persians, then? Bronzish Greece.
And who was the mighty king of Greece described in verse 3? Alexander the Great. We’ve talked about him before in chapter 7 and 8. He’s probably the big horn on the goat of chapter 8. And he quickly conquers the whole world, but then he dies. He gets just 1 verse here!
And which of his sons took over him? He didn’t have a son that lived to rule. Verse 4.
“After he has appeared, his empire will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the power he exercised, because his empire will be uprooted and given to others.”
And that’s exactly what happened.
Does anybody know how many pieces the Greek empire was broken into after Alexander? Remember how there were 4 heads on the leopard-like beast in chapter 7 and there were for 4 horns that replaces the 1 big horn o the goat in chapter 8? And there are four winds here in verse 4?  There were 4 Greek kings who took over from Alexander.
And 2 of them were far from Israel, and 2 of them were very near it.
The king called Seleucus ruled to the North of Israel, like Syria and over to Babylon. And the king called Ptolemy ruled to the South of Israel (like Egypt and over there). And so did their sons.
And in between those two kingdoms was Israel. 
How do you think it felt to be Israel?
Let me ask you a question. Which you rather be? The Pittsburgh Steelers,  the Philadelphia Eagles, the referees, or the football that they play with? Israel felt like the football. They were caught in between.
Or maybe it would be better to say Israel felt like the football field that the two teams were always trampling all over as they fought with each other.
So verses 3 through 20 tell the story of about 150 years of various kings of the North (Seleucid kings) and kings of the South (Ptolemaic kings) vying for power over their territories and trampling over Israel in between. Verse 5.
“The king of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great power. After some years, they will become allies. The daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to make an alliance, but she will not retain her power, and he and his power will not last. In those days she will be handed over, together with her royal escort and her father and the one who supported her. One from her family line will arise to take her place. He will attack the forces of the king of the North and enter his fortress; he will fight against them and be victorious. He will also seize their gods, their metal images and their valuable articles of silver and gold and carry them off to Egypt. For some years he will leave the king of the North alone.
Then the king of the North will invade the realm of the king of the South but will retreat to his own country. His sons will prepare for war and assemble a great army, which will sweep on like an irresistible flood and carry the battle as far as his fortress. Then the king of the South will march out in a rage and fight against the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be defeated. When the army is carried off, the king of the South will be filled with pride and will slaughter many thousands, yet he will not remain triumphant.
For the king of the North will muster another army, larger than the first; and after several years, he will advance with a huge army fully equipped. In those times many will rise against the king of the South. The violent men among your own people will rebel in fulfillment of the vision, but without success. 
Then the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps and will capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand. The invader will do as he pleases; no one will be able to stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land [Israel] and will have the power to destroy it. He will determine to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will make an alliance with the king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans will not succeed or help him.
Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back upon him. After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall, to be seen no more. His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor. In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger or in battle” (vv.5-20).
Did you hear all the of “buts,” all of the “yets,” all of the turns of events?
It’s amazing because we have pretty good names for all of these kings. Everything that God told Daniel is exactly what happened. We won’t go into all of the details because they really are, to us, ancient history. Greek history! You see that there isn’t just one King of the North and one King of the South. They have different people take up that position and wrangle with each other. Sometimes they’re friends and allies and most of the time they are in conflict with each other.
And Israel was the football. Between North and South was the Beautiful Land being trampled on.
Interestingly, one of those queens mentioned in there (v. 17) was a woman named Cleopatra. She wasn’t the famous one with Julius Ceasar and Mark Antony, but the famous one was most probably named after her. 
You can read about all of these people in the history books. I have several I can loan you which go into deep detail about all of these events. I read 88 pages in one of them just about the identification of all of these people in this chapter.
This is exactly what happened.
The God of Gods knows the future and chooses to tell His people some of that future, and rules all of that future.
That must have been encouraging to old Daniel. If you remember, his people were suffering in Israel in 536 BC. They had returned from exile but they had not been able to rebuild the temple yet and were opposed and discouraged. And then they were going to get kicked around for hundreds of years.
Wait. Is this encouraging? 
It is if you know there’s a grand plan. And if you know that the plan is on track. It’s tough being the football. But not as hard if you know that there is a game on and if you know that you (the football!) belong to the real winner.
Do you feel like you’re the football right now?
You and I are small and have only a small amount of control over our lives.
Some of you feel like a football because of Governor Shapiro and some of you feel like a football because of President Trump. And some of you feel like a football because of both of them.
And they are both elected officials! We all have a small say in that in America. Israel had almost no say with the Kings of the North and the Kings of the South trampling all over the Beautiful Land. 
And then it got worse. 
One of those Greek Seleucid Kings of the North was much worse than any that had come before.
And his name was Antiochus IV Epiphanes. We’ve talked about him before, especially in chapter 8.  Antiochus IV Epiphanes came to power in 175BC and he was a precursor of the Antichrist.
Almost everybody agrees that verses 21 through 35 are about his time as king. Look at verse 21.
“He [This is probably Seleucus IV] will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. [Antiochus was not next in line for the throne, but somehow ended up on the throne anyways...] Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed. [Perhaps that was the removal of Onias from being the High Priest in Israel and Antiochus’s man put in his place]. After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power.
When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers. He will plot the overthrow of fortresses–but only for a time.
With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South [Ptolemy VI]. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. Those who eat from the king's provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle.
The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time” (vv.21-27).
You know what? That is exactly what happened!
Antiochus IV and Ptolemy VI met together of their own free will. And they ate together, and they lied to each other! Each trying to get the best of the other. But the God of Gods rules over even the evil choices of evil men!
Of course, it still hurts when they run over you. But at least you know that it’s for a limited time and an ultimate good end.
If you like history, you might want to read the books of 1st and 2nd Maccabees written between the Old and New Testaments. This next part was predicted in 536 BC and happened just as predicted 370 years later in 167-164BC and was written about afterwards in 1st and 2nd Maccabees. Look at verse 28.
“The king of the North [almost certainly Antiochus IV Epiphanes] will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant [God’s law and promise to Israel]. He will take action against it and then return to his own country. At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before.
Ships of the western coastlands [lit. ships of Kittim] will oppose him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant” (vv.28-30a).
Here’s what happened. Antiochus was humiliated.
He went up further north to fight and some Romans (that’s the next kingdom to come, right?, and some Romans) beat him. One of them named Gaius Papillius Laenes met with him after a battle and took a stick and drew this circle around him in the sand. And he said something like, “AntiFour, go back home to your circle or we’ll take it all away from you.”
And Antiochus hated that and went back and took it out on Israel. Do you remember what he did? How he was worse than anyone before him? He didn’t just conquer Israel and make them work for him or even drag them off into exile. He went against their God. He stopped them from worshipping their God. He stopped them from observing the Sabbath or circumcising their baby boys. And killing them if they did. And he forced them to worship Greek gods. And he rewarded those who stopped worshiping Yahweh and started worshiping these other gods. Verse 30.
“He will return [from losing this battle] and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant. His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation” (vv.30b-31).
And that’s exactly what happened. Antiochus told the Jews they could not sacrifice to the LORD in their own temple, and then Antiochus went into that temple, and sacrificed a pig on the altar.  And he put some kind of Zeus statue in the Holy of Holies.  And he killed thousands of Jews, as much as maybe 80,000.
A contemptible king indeed. Verse 32.
“With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time” (vv.32-35). And that’s exactly what happened. What a terrible time that was. What a terrible king that was! What a terrible thing to have to live through. What a terrible thing to know was going to happen to your people some day!
I don’t know about you, though, but I would still want to know. I’d be glad to know that my God knows all of what is going to happen and has told me enough to know that all of these things that are happening to me have not slipped past Him somehow but are (even though they are evil) still a part of His perfect plan being worked out in His perfect timing. Even Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
Knowing that and knowing the God of Gods would give me great comfort and hope. And it would make me wise. Verse 33 says that wise people (like Daniel) are always needed during times of trouble. And wise people make people wise.
“Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or killed.”
Just because you are wise doesn’t mean that you get to escape suffering. In fact, the wisest Man ever died of crucifixion. But the wise don’t give in when the hard times come. Verse 32 says that the people who know their God (who know the God of Gods) will not give into the temptation to worship other gods–even if it makes life much easier.
They will firmly resist it.
And that’s exactly what happened.
In this time period, 167-164 BC, the Jews revolted against Antiochus and the Greeks. Under the Maccabees, they pushed back and eventually won a modicum of freedom. They got to purify the temple once again and restore true worship in the land.
It was messy. Not everyone did things in a godly way. Verse 34 talks about those who were “not sincere.” Verse 35 says that some of them stumbled. But the LORD was at work. His people were (v.35), “refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end.”
The God of Gods knows the future, tells the future, and rules the future for the good and sanctification of His people.
Now, here’s point number two.
#2. THE GOD OF GODS WAS ATTACKED, IS ATTACKED, AND WILL BE ATTACKED AGAIN.
Yes, you heard me right. This God Who can tell the future and Who is directing the future, has often been opposed. He has enemies. Obviously, Antiochus thought that the LORD was no-one to worry about. In fact, Antiochus set out to snuff out His worship.
And so did this next king in verse 36.
Now, verses 36 through 45 are hotly disputed among interpreters. At first, it seems like it’s just the same sort of thing as verses 2 through 35, but at verse 36 we are actually right back to struggling over identification. Who is who and what is what.
A lot of people think that it’s still just Antiochus IV Epiphanes. And there is no hard break here.But the problem is that only parts of these verses sound like him. It’s not like, “And that’s exactly what happened.” It’s not. It’s not exactly what happened. 
So some people who don’t believe the Bible think this is the point (at v.36) where whoever wrote “Daniel” must not have known was going to happen next and started to get it wrong.
But why would the Jews include it in their Bible if it was all wrong? If it was all bad history and fake prophecy? I don’t think they would.
Now some people who do believe in the Bible still think this is Antiochus IV Epiphanes. But they don’t think that it’s in chronological order. They think that it’s like a jump back and looking at his life again from a different angle. And I think that’s possible. Good, faithful Christians see it that way.
But most Christians throughout church history think that there is a change of subject between verse 35 and verse 36, a line drawn, and another jump–this time even further into the future. And most think that it’s still in the future-future, the time of the end. As in, not just the time of Antiochus’ end, but of history’s end. The end-end. 
That we’re not just reading about a Greek King of the North but about a wicked king still to come. Notice it doesn’t say, “The King of the North” in verse 36, but just “The king will do as he pleases.”
Many many Christians throughout church history have thought that this person in verses 36 through 45 is the same person as the little big mouth horn from chapter 7 or the Man of Lawlessness of 2 Thessalonians 2 or the Beast of Revelation 13, someone we often call “The Antichrist.”
Now, I’m not sure, and that’s okay, but I think that’s highly likely. There’s a vibe shift here. It begins to feel different. And it grows to epic proportions, and then the end of time is indicated, which we will see next week (see 12:1-3).
What I want to point out right here is how this wicked king attacks not just the people of God but the God of Gods. Look at verse 36.
“The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place.”
Now, that could be Antiochus. He called himself “Epiphanes” which means “The Manifestation.” He definitely thought he was all that. 
But I tend to think, as terrible as he was, Antiochus was just an Antichrist wannabe. This person really thinks that he is god. 
It’s scary to think what he might be saying in verse 36. “...unheard-of things against the God of gods.” Just that preposition with that name. “Against the God of gods.” I kept thinking about that phrase this week again and again. “Against the God of gods.”
God has been attacked. And it has seemed to be successful. For a time it is. Look at verse 36 again. “He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place.”
Notice that it’s still limited. This wicked king wins and wins and does whatever he wants, but only until the time of wrath of completed, only until what has been determined (by God!) has taken place. Even these attacks against God are not outside of God’s plan! Verse 37.
“He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all.”
Now, that doesn’t feel like Antiochus to me. He did show regard for Zeus and Adonis (if that’s the god desired by women). But this person doesn’t regard the god of his fathers. Perhaps he’s a rebellious Jew! And maybe the “one desired by women” is the Messiah, the one that every Jewish woman wished she could carry in her womb. This wicked person exalts himself above them all. V.38
“Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his fathers he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price. [You can bribe him, and every single dollar he has will go into making war and trying to take over the world (see Revelation 13:4). V.40]  At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.
He will also invade the Beautiful Land [Israel]. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission. But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him” (vv.38-45).
Now, I’m not sure (and that’s okay) about a lot of the details here. They are disputed. Some people think that there are 3 kings here. The king of the North, the king of the South, and the wicked king who does what he  pleases. He’s fighting both of them in the future. Others think that the King of the North of that era is the king who does everything he pleases. I’m not sure and that’s okay.
What I am sure of is that one day we will be able to look back over history and say with absolute certainty, “And that’s exactly what happened.” Whether it was actually in the second century BC or at the future battle of Armageddon.
And what I’m also sure about is that the God of Gods has been attacked, is being attacked (as His church is attacked around the world in persecution), and will be attacked once again.
But not forever.
In verse 45, it says that this wicked king who has been so successful at attacking the God of Gods will pitch his royal tents between the seas (Dead Sea and Mediterranean) at the beautiful holy mountain (on which Jerusalem sits). And YET!
“And YET he will come to his end, and no one will help him.”
The beast will go down. The fourth beast of chapter 7 will be slain and be thrown into the blazing fire that comes out from the throne of the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:11). The “Lord Jesus will overthrow [the lawless one] with the breath of his mouth and destroy [him] by the splendor of his coming.” (See 2 Thess. 2:8.)
And all of God’s people will be saved forever!
That’s point number three and last:
#3. THE GOD OF GODS WILL FOREVER SAVE HIS PEOPLE.
Look at the first verse of chapter 12 and then we’ll go to the Table.
“‘At that time [the time of 11:36-45, the time of the end] Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people–everyone whose name is found written in the book–will be delivered.”
The God of Gods will forever save His people. He has always has, and He always will.
I think that verse 1 is talking about the Great Tribulation. During that time there will be great spiritual warfare (the archangel Michael is fighting once again for Daniel’s people) and there will be great distress like never before.
But there will also be a great deliverance. A great salvation.
For all of God’s people. For everyone (v.1) “whose name is found written in the book.”
How can you be sure that your name is written in that book? Repent of your sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, the King of Kingdoms. Put your faith and trust in what He did for you at the Cross and the Empty Tomb. And you will find at the end of time that your name was there. And you will be saved forevermore.
That’s exactly what will happen because of the God of Gods.

***
Messages in This Series:

01. The King's Service - Daniel 1:1-21
02. The God of Heaven - Daniel 2:1-49
[Bonus Message: "No Matter What" - Daniel 3:1-30 from Family Bible Week 2012]
03. The God We Serve - Daniel 3:1-30
04. The King of Heaven - Daniel 4:1-37
05. The Lord of Heaven - Daniel 5:1-31
06. The Living God - Daniel 6:1-28
07. The Ancient of Days - Daniel 7:1-28
08. The Prince of Princes - Daniel 8:1-27
09. “O Lord, Listen! O Lord, Forgive! O Lord, Hear and Act!" - Daniel 9:1-27
10. "Before Your God" - Daniel 10:1-11:1[Bonus Message: "The Son of Man" - Matthew 20:17-28]

“The Son of Man” [Matt's Messages]

“The Son of Man”Lanse Evangelical Free ChurchApril 6, 2025 :: Matthew 20:17-28
What was Jesus’ favorite name for Himself?
In this passage, Jesus uses His favorite title for Himself to teach us about Himself.
What was Jesus’ favorite appellation for Himself?
“The Son of Man.”
You might have guessed “The Son of God” which He surely was. But that’s what others called Him. Like His Father. And like the Roman Centurion at his crucifixion.
Jesus likes to use this phrase for Himself, “The Son of Man.” And I think He liked it for various reasons. One was its ambiguity and the mystery.  It could just mean someone who was a human. A son of man is himself a man, and He was that! 
But there’s obviously more to it. Israelite believers who had read the Book of Daniel may have interpreted this title, “Son of Man,” as a name for the coming Messiah.
Remember how “Son of Man” shows up in the central vision in the Book of Daniel, chapter 7? The last chapter in Aramaic and the first vision of the wiseman Daniel himself. Listen again to Daniel chapter 7, verses 13 and 14. It’s in the vision of the Ancient of Days. Keep your eyes on the Ancient of Days. 
Daniel writes, “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
Wow! That’s the Son of Man! The Son of Man is the King of Kingdoms!
He is human, yes. But so much more! He is a human who rides on the clouds! He is a human who can approach the Ancient of Days without fear and trepidation. He is a son of man who is welcome in the presence of the Ancient of Days and given the kingdom of kingdoms! Which He then shares with His people!
And that’s how Jesus saw Himself! In Matthew chapter 19 (the chapter right before this one), Jesus said this. Look at chapter 19, verse 28 & 29. 
“Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”
The Son of Man coming in glory and sitting on His glorious throne and giving away glorious gifts! That’s the Son of Man!
But that’s not all that the Son of Man is. That’s not all that the Son of Man is going to do. It turns out that the Son of Man is going to be very different than many people expected.
Jesus is often different than we expect, is He not? You could never predict Jesus. The more you get to know Him and become like Him, the more He makes sense to you, but He’s definitely counter-intuitive and counter-cultural.
We’ve seen that again and again, haven’t we? For example, when Jesus describes His kingdom. What is the kingdom of kingdoms actually like? Read the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-8.
It’s upside-down and inside-out. The opposite of what we’d ever predict.
Blessed are the meek?Blessed are the poor in spirit?Blessed are the persecuted?Love your enemies?Do not judge?Pray in secret?
It’s upside-down and inside-out.
In fact, what does Jesus say in verse 30? Chapter 19, verse 30, right after that prediction of the glorious coming, the glorious throne, the glorious kingdom?
“But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”
It’s not just an upside-down kingdom. It’s a back-to-front kingdom. It’s a last-to-first kingdom. In Jesus’ kingdom, the last will be first and the first will be last.
And that goes for Him, as well! In today’s passage (Matthew 20:17-28), Jesus shows us how He Himself will live out this first and last theology.
The Son of Man will not just come in kingdom glory. 
He will first come in suffering service.
I only have two points this morning, and they are both things you would never expect the Son of Man to do if all you had was Daniel 7.
Here’s the first one:
#1. THE SON OF MAN CAME TO SUFFER.
I know that we’re used to that idea, but the disciples sure weren’t.
"The Son of Man comes in glory! He rides the clouds! He sits on a glorious throne! He doesn’t come to suffer?!"
But that’s exactly what Jesus predicts in Matthew chapter 20. Look at verse 17. 
“Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!’” (Matt. 20:17-19).
Isn’t it amazing that Jesus knows exactly what is going to happen to Him? Jesus is on His way up to Jerusalem. He’s almost there!
We know what’s going to happen in Jerusalem.
And Jesus knows what is going to happen in Jerusalem. He pulls His followers aside on the road, and He tells them so that they are prepared!
“We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man [“The Son of Man, that’s Me.”] will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified” (vv.17-18).
Listen to those verbs:
Be betrayed.Condemned to death.Turned over to Pilate and the Romans.Mocked.Flogged.Crucified.
The Son of Man was going to be:
Mocked. Flogged. Crucified.Mocked. Flogged. Crucified.Mocked. Flogged. Crucified.
Jesus knew what was coming.
In fact, He chose it!
Praise the Lord for verse 19, and “On the third day he will be raised to life!” Jesus knew that, too. He knew that suffering was the true path to glory. He knew about His resurrection. That the last will be first. 
But He also knew about the Cross. Mocked. Flogged. Crucified. Jesus took the last place to get the first place. Mocked. Flogged. Crucified.
As we enter Passion Week next Sunday just think of those 3 words from Jesus’ lips. What He knew was coming. The Son of Man would be mocked, flogged, crucified.
What’s really sad about verse 20 is that they clearly were not listening. I know because of what James and John do. They bring their Mom to Jesus to try get to be first in the kingdom. They are clearly not paying attention. Verse 20.
“Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. [This ought to be good.] ‘What is it you want?’ he asked. She said, ‘Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.’”
What do you think of that request? Well, it’s great that she and they believe in the kingdom. Many people then did not believe that Jesus was the coming king. And many people today still do not believe that Jesus is the coming king. They got that right. They believed what He said in chapter 19, verse 28.
“By the way, you mentioned twelve thrones. I was just wondering if my two sons could be on the thrones immediately to your right and to your left. What do you say?”
[By the way, it’s possible that James and John were actually half-cousins of Jesus and this woman named “Salome” was Jesus’ aunt. It’s not at all for sure as the Bible never comes out and says it, but if you follow the names and relationships in the gospels, it’s definitely possible. So this could be Jesus’ Jewish aunt trying to get some special favors in.]
"So what do you say, Jesus? I mean everybody’s got to have a right hand man!" V.22. Truer words were never spoken.
“‘You don't know what you are asking,’ Jesus said to them. ‘Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?’” Stop there for a second.
These folks have no clue. Jesus just said that He was going to be mocked, flogged, crucified. And they’re like, “Yeah, whatever, sure. But can we be glorified? We want to be first in the kingdom!”
And Jesus says, “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” 
What do you think is in that cup? I believe they think that cup is the cup of victory. “Can you drink from the cup of glory that I drink from?” “Sure! Hand it over.” v.22 “‘We can,’ they answered.” “I’ll drink to that!”
But it’s not the cup of glory. It’s not the cup of victory. It’s the cup of death. It’s the cup of God’s wrath. It’s the cup of suffering. When Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, He asked His Father if there is any way that this cup could be taken away from Him (cf. Matthew 26:39)! And they say that the could drink it with Him.
“You don’t know what you’re asking.” This cup is the cup of being mocked, flogged, and crucified. And even more, bearing the just wrath of God. That’s what the Son of Man is going to do. The Son of Man Came to Suffer.
So we shouldn’t be surprised if we have to follow in His footsteps. V.23
“Jesus said to them, ‘You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.’”
That’s another surprise. Jesus says that they will drink, to some small degree, from His cup. They too will suffer. Not exactly like He did. But kind of like He did.
The Sons of Zebedee? James will be killed by Herod in Acts chapter 12. Killed by a sword. John will be exiled to the island of Patmos. The Sons of Zebedee will suffer for Jesus’ sake.
And we, too, should not be surprised when are called to suffer for Him, as well. Because that’s the path that Jesus took. Suffering is the path to glory. Why would we think that we would get there without any pain?
But they all did. All of the disciples thought this way. V.24
“When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 
[They weren’t more godly, they were jealous. “Hey, you’re trying to take our place! We want to be first.”] Jesus called them together and said, [No way, guys.] ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave–just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
#2. THE SON OF MAN CAME TO SERVE.
They all want to be first. And Jesus says, “No, no, no. You want to be last. Don’t be like the world. The pagans want to be lords and authorities and little potentates. They want to be kings! But my kingdom is upside-down. If you want to be great, you must be a servant. If you want to be first, you must be last. You must be a slave.”
Jesus says, “Don’t be like them. Be like Me!” 
How counter-cultural. How counter-intuitive. Nothing has changed. The world still clamors to be first. Nobody runs to the back of the line. Nobody lives to die to self and deny themselves. Everybody loves to live for their selves.
Think about it. What is the number one thing the world tells you today:
“Be yourself.” “Trust yourself.”“Love yourself.”
Jesus says, “Die to self.”
And serve others.
Now, of course, this doesn’t mean that someone who is in authority no longer exercises authority. Jesus has all authority and exercises it. But He does so as a servant. He is the prime example of serving others, putting them before Himself. And His Crosswork is the prime example of His Servanthood. His suffering was His way of serving.
Verse 28 is so wonderful! One of my favorite lines of Scripture.
Serve others, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
I’ll say it this way: The Son of Man from Daniel 7 is also the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53.
He is worthy of the crown because He drank from the cup.
One of the reasons why Son of Man was welcome in the presence of the Ancient of Days was because He had suffered for His people! Because He  had given His life as a ransom FOR many.
That means “in place of” many.
A ransom is a price paid for someone’s freedom.
On the Cross, Jesus was paying the price of freedom from sin and guilt and shame.
Isaiah 53:12 says that the Suffering Servant will be rewarded “because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
Jesus is “riffing on” that language. He’s alluding to Isaiah 53 and saying that He will fulfill it. The Son of Man came to serve.
And so, we who follow Him, should choose to serve, as well.
Are you a servant? Would that appellation be appropriate for you? Would it go on your business card? Would that fit on your social media bio? And nobody would laugh? “Matt Mitchell, servant.” I want it to.
When was the last time you put somebody ahead of yourself, and you didn’t do it to manipulate them? When was the last time you took the last place because you were following Jesus?
The Son of Man deserved to be served, but instead He served. How much more should we serve the people around us?
How could you quietly up your servant quotient today, this week?
At work?At home?In the neighborhood?At church?
Today is our quarterly church family meeting. Does anybody remember what I said at our last quarterly church family meeting as my vision for 2025? I don’t expect anybody to remember!
But what I said was my vision for 2025 was “Serving the King.”
Serving. This year, we have a number of things planned that call us to serve others:
We are planning to serve the people of Hazard Kentucky who were severely affected by flooding a few years ago by sending an 11 member ministry teams in July.
We are planning to serve our neighbors with the first full year of the Lanse Free Fridge. It’s been used left and right.
We are serving our community through a Egg Hunt outreach–maybe the Pavilion will be done in time to use it to serve the community that day, too!
We have an exciting proposal to lay out today in our meeting in how to serve the people of Malawi in a new way.
Our church is full of servants who follow their King’s example! 
I am so proud to pastor this church because so many of you put other people ahead of yourselves.
The Deaconnesses, the Facilities Team, the Elders, the Missions Ministry Team. Jenni, Jordyn, Cindy! Ladies Fellowship Group. The Hospitality Team that prepped everything for the meal we’re about to enjoy.
All of those Kids Bible Class teachers! Because we have grown in here, the classes have grown back there. And it’s hard to keep up. There were 20 kids back there, and for those long Daniel sermons! Thank you, KBC servants, for serving our kids.
Thank you for applying this teaching to yourself? For being different from the world. 
“Not so with you...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave...” 
Just like the Son of Man did. 
The Son of Man? The One rides the clouds? He gave His life as a ransom for many. Even though we don’t didn’t deserve it! Even though he knew what we were like. We were “completely known.” He was eyes-wide-open about who we are and what we are.
But He still went to the Cross for us.
Mocked. Flogged. Crucified.Mocked. Flogged. Crucified.Mocked. Flogged. Crucified.
Completely known and yet completely loved! We are covered by our Savior’s blood. The Son of Man suffered for us.
Have you put your faith and trust in what He did for you? How He suffered for you? How He paid the ransom to set you free from sin and death and Hell?! He drank the cup of suffering so that we would not have to. His suffering was serving us. His suffering was saving us.
The Son of Man came to save. And (v.19), on the third day He was raised to life! He didn’t stay dead. (Spoiler alert for the next couple of weeks.) He came back to life and will never die.
And He’s coming again. “[A]t a time known only to God” the Son of Man will return (Matthew 24:44). 
During Passion Week, Jesus will use this name for Himself over and over again, “The Son of Man...the Son of Man...the Son of Man.”
And He will emphasize again that He will be betrayed and suffer (Matthew 26:45).
But also that He will return.
In fact, at His trial, right before He went to the Cross, they were asking Him if He was the Messiah the Son of God, and He answered, “Yes, it is as you say...But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matt. 26:63-64).
He came to suffer.He came to serve.He came to save.
And He’s coming again to receive and reign over the Kingdom of Kingdoms.
May He get all of the glory He deserves. 

***
Astute readers will recognize how much of this week’s message was adapted from “The Suffering Serving Son of Man” which I originally preached on July 7, 2019. I’m grateful for the opportunity to share it again.

“Before Your God” [Matt's Messages]

“Before Your God”The King of Kingdoms - The Book of DanielLanse Evangelical Free ChurchMarch 30, 2025 :: Daniel 10:1-11:1  
In Daniel chapter 10, old Daniel is still praying.
In Daniel chapter 10, old Daniel is not done praying for his people.
We’ve learned a lot about prayer by watching Daniel pray in this book. Daniel prayed in chapter 2, and God revealed the king’s dream and the true interpretation of the king’s dream to Daniel. Daniel faithfully prayed in chapter 6 and got thrown to the lions for it (and saved from the lions by that same Lord). Last week, in Daniel chapter 9, Daniel was desperately praying for the end of Israel’s exile as Jeremiah had prophesied in his book. 
And the Lord answered by sending the angel Gabriel to inform Daniel not just that God will perfectly keep His promises but that He has a perfect plan to fix (not just the exile after 70 years, but to fix everything) in His perfect timing (70 “sevens” whatever they are). And the Lord is perfectly on time. Well, as we open Daniel chapter 10, Daniel is still praying.
A few years have gone by. Some things have changed. God’s plan is still being worked out in human history. And Daniel is still praying. And God is still answering. 
In fact, in answer to his prayer, Daniel has perhaps the wildest encounter with the Lord in this whole book! And that’s saying a lot. What a life Daniel lived! What things God showed him! And what things we can learn from him and his book!
[VIDEO WILL BE EMBEDDED HERE.]
We’ve reached the last bit of the Book of Daniel. These last 3 chapters are actually all about the same thing, the fourth and last vision that God gave to Daniel. There was one central vision in chapter 7, one focusing vision in chapter 8, one super-enigmatic vision in chapter 9, and then this last one is the longest one, chapters 10 through 12.
It’s going to take us a few weeks to work our way through it. Instead of preaching a two hour sermon, I think I will just break it up into chunks just like whoever put in the chapter numbers did! But keep that in mind as we work through it. Chapters 10 through 12 are all one thing. In fact, chapter 10 is really just preparation. It’s just getting Daniel (and us) ready to receive the content of the prophecy of the future in chapters 11 and 12.
The sermon title for today is “Before Your God.” I pulled those words from verse 12, where Daniel’s heavenly visitor  tells Daniel that he has come in response to Daniel’s prayers before His God. It’s actually the only verse in chapter 10 that includes a divine name. So I zeroed in on that because I’ve been trying to focus on the names of God as I’ve titled these sermons.
Because this chapter is not ultimately about Daniel or about his prayers or even about the mysterious spiritual beings that we will learn about as we read it. This chapter is ultimately about Daniel’s God Who is also ours. Let’s start in verse 1.
“In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision.
At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over” (vv.1-3).
Old Daniel is still praying. And he’s praying desperately. When the chapter opens, Daniel informs us that he’s been mourning for three weeks. Literally, that says, “3 ‘sevens’ of days.” So it’s that word we learned we learned last week, a ‘seven’ “shavua” (a set of seven) but here it’s specifically a “‘seven’ of days” so this is literal 3 week period that Daniel has been mourning; 21 days. 
He’s gone on a partial fast. No choice food, no meat or wine. No skin cream for his cracked and dry Jewish skin under the harsh Babylonian sun. It’s kind of like a return to how he was in chapter 1 when Daniel refused the king’s rich food during the wisemen training period.  Three weeks, he’s back to water and vegetables once again.
And he’s praying.And he’s praying.And he’s praying.
Why is Daniel praying so desperately? It doesn’t say. But we can guess. For one thing, Daniel just is a man of prayer. He’s been praying for decades, he’s not going to stop.
But the timestamp of verse 1 might give us a good clue as to why in particular he’s praying like this now. When did this happen? Verse 1 says it was, “In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia...”
Now, I think that means the third year that Cyrus (who was the high king of Persia) ruled over Babylon. Not the third year Cyrus was king of Persia but king over Babylon. He took over Babylon in 539 BC when the writing was on the wall for Belshazzar. And he put Darius the Mede in charge of Babylon in 539 BC. Darius is not mentioned here. Perhaps because he’s died already. He was already 62 when he took over.
Or maybe verse 1 emphasizes Cyrus because of what else he did in his first year over Babylon. He allowed the Jews to go home! We talked about this last week (and you can read about it in the book of Ezra). Cyrus decreed that the Jews could go home, and nearly 50,000 of them took him up on it.
I wonder how many of them passed through the Ishtar gate as they made the 600+ mile trek back to Judah to rebuilt their city and even their temple. 
But Daniel did not go home. He did not pass through the Ishtar gate and head west to Judah. In verse 4, we’ll find him north and east of Babylon standing at the Tigris river. Daniel stayed behind and prayed. And prayed. And prayed.
This is three years later, so that makes it about 536 BC. How old is Daniel in 536 BC? He’s around 83? 84? And old Daniel has decided that he’s going to fast and pray.
He’s probably gotten some bad news from back home. Yes, the people went back home and started to rebuild. But if you read the book of Ezra, you’ll find out that right about this time, they stopped rebuilding the temple (see especially chapters 4 through 6). They got sidetracked and stalled. They encountered opposition and they kind of gave up for a while.
It’s just a guess, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Daniel has heard about their lack of progress, and he’s been discouraged. Daniel has been receiving visions for a few years now that tell him that there are terrible things in store for his people. And it seems like it’s already coming true. So he mourns. He fasts. And he prays. He, in the words of verse 12, humbles himself before his God. 
I’ve got just two points of application this morning, and here’s the first one: 
#1. HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE YOUR GOD.
What an example for you and me, right?
Dare to be a Daniel and continue to care about the pain of the people of God. Dare to be a Daniel and continue to pour yourself out in prayer, humbling yourself before your God.
We sang it this morning, “Humble Thyself in the Sight of the Lord.” That’s easier to sing and to say that it is to do. But Daniel shows us the way.
Daniel could have just sat back at this point in his life, couldn’t he? He could have said, “I’ve done my time. I’ve served my people. I’ve been praying and prophesying and representing my people in the highest courts of the nations for decades and decades. I’ll let somebody else do it now. I’m retired from prayer ministry. God has told me that He’s got a perfect plan on a perfect timetable. So I’ll just let Him do it now.”
But, no, as much as Daniel trusts God’s perfect plan, Daniel also knows that his people are suffering, and they need someone to pray for them. And they need someone to try to understand what is going on. And they need someone to fight for them in prayer.
Verse 1 says that this vision is true and concerns “a great war.” A great struggle. A great conflict. And this is Daniel’s way of fighting in this war. He prays. He humbles himself before his God, and he prays.
How about you and me? Are we praying? Are we humbling ourselves before our God? Do we get on our knees?  There is a war going on! A spiritual war. Are we just sitting on the sidelines? 
Who are you praying for right now? Who is on your list? Are you praying for missionaries, those people on the back wall? Are you praying for the persecuted church, our brothers and sisters who are suffering for the name of Jesus around the world? Are you praying for your local church? Are you praying for the people in the pew? Do you receive the prayer emails that Denise sends out, and do you pray for them when you read them? Are you praying for your family, especially for their spiritual condition, for their discipleship, for their citizenship in the kingdom of kingdoms? Are you praying “Your kingdom come! Your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven?” (Matthew 6:10).
To really pray like that requires humility.  Daniel could have been the proudest man around, but instead he humbled himself before his God. And God answered. Boy, did God answer! Look at verse 4.
“On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude” (vv.4-6).
I can’t imagine. Can you? What a glorious being this was! How radiant and marvelous!
Heather Joy pointed out to me how much light is here. Not only is he wearing linen (like a priest) but he’s wrapped around the middle in shining gold. And his upper body shines like a precious gemstone (whichever one it actually is–some other versions say topaz (KJV), some say beryl (NIV11, ESV), some say yellow jasper (NET). Nobody’s quite sure. Whatever exact gemstone it is like, it’s amazing! It’s like he’s made of a precious metal and probably glowing?!  
His face is like lightning! Lightning! Brightness itself! If you look at lightning, and close your eyes, it’s still there. His face is like that! And his eyes themselves are like flaming torches, fire coming out of his eyes! And his arms and legs are shiny bronze. This person is dazzling!
And his voice? It’s like the sound of a great crowd. Like Beaver Stadium full of 120,000 screaming fans. That’s his voice! Deep, loud, forceful, tremendous. And it echoes and echoes and echoes and echoes.
Here’s a reason to humble ourselves! Because our God is glorious.
Now, who is this person in verse 5 and 6? 
It doesn’t say. We’re back to the problem of identification we’ve had throughout this study. There is no naming names, no “who is who.”
And so, we may need to pull out our helpful little phrase, “I don’t know, and that’s okay.” Or maybe better, “I’m not sure, and that’s okay.”
A lot of biblical scholars think that this is the angel Gabriel once again.
He showed up in chapter 8 and in chapter 9, maybe it’s Gabriel again in chapter 10. If he’s the same person talking at the end of the chapter, then he works in cooperation with the angel Michael. So Gabriel is not a bad guess.
But a lot of other biblical scholars think this is Someone Else. They think that this is not just an angelophany (like Greg taught us at Stay Sharp) but a Christophany. They think this is pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. They think this is the Son of Man before He became a man.
And that’s quite possible, too. The best argument for that is the parallels between these two verses and the way that Jesus is described by the Apostle John in Revelation chapter 1. Read Revelation 1 this afternoon and look at all of the similarities. They are striking.
And there, He’s even called, “One like a son of man” right out of the Book of Daniel.
I’m not 100% sure that this is Jesus here because of how later in the chapter, he seems to be a little hindered and to need help from Michael. So that gives me a little pause. It may be that He just allows Himself to need that help. Or maybe the end of the chapter is actually talking about a second heavenly being that is an angel, and this is Jesus in just verses 5&6, but I kind of (for those reasons) lean towards this being a some kind of angel (see, for example, the cherubim in Ezekiel 1). Perhaps a higher angel even than Gabriel and Michael. The angel of the LORD.
It doesn’t say, and I’m not quite sure. And that’s okay. Because it really doesn’t matter. Because whoever this is, he is from God and reflects God’s own glory. This being shows how resplendent God is. How beautiful. How dazzling. If this isn’t God the Son, then God the Son is this plus infinitely more!
And he’s come to reveal God’s own secrets to Daniel and eventually to us.
I can’t imagine what this was like. I almost wish I could have been there, but then I see how it affected everyone who was. Look at verse 7.
“I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. [They couldn’t hack it. They couldn’t see it, but they felt it. And it was the scariest thing they have ever felt. V.8] So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless.
Then I heard him speaking [with that voice like the sound of a multitude!], and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground” (vv.7-9).
Is this how we think about God? I think that we often only think about God in terms of Psalm 23. The gentle Shepherd. (And He is that!) But we often can think about God only as this soft thing. Like a doddering old grandpa with a white beard who couldn’t hurt a fly. Santa Claus.
That’s not what He’s like. He is the Ancient of Days. He is the One like a Son of Man. He is the King of Kingdoms. He is like nothing else, and He is terrifying. He is awesome. He is overwhelming, and we should humble ourselves before Him.
Daniel has fallen down into a deep sleep, face to the ground. 83 year old Daniel is lying there facedown. It probably looks like he’s dead. He’s seen a vision of the glory of God, and he’s overawed and undone. 
And then somebody touches him. Somebody is going to touch Daniel 3 times in this chapter. Verse 10, verse 16, and verse 18. Maybe the same person as verses 5&6. Imagine being touched by him!!! Or maybe a new person, an angel. Either way, it wakes him up. Verse 10.
“A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said, ‘Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.’ And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling” (vv.10-11).
Do you see it? He’s been face down. Then he’s on his hands and knees. Then he’s standing but on trembling legs. This is no walk in the park. This is no sweet and easy moment for Daniel. In a lengthy life of amazing and scary moments, this may be the hardest moment of Daniel’s long life. And he needs strengthening. 
The whole rest of this chapter is all about Daniel being strengthened to receive the rest of the vision. And we can be strengthened from it, too. 
#2. BE STRENGTHENED BEFORE YOUR GOD.
It’s strengthening even while it was overwhelming, right? It is strengthening to know that your God is this glorious. 
Your God is glorious!
Daniel was knocked off his feet by the grandeur of this vision, but the vision also shows God’s power. And if God’s power is revealed like this, then He can fulfill all of His promises and answer all of Daniel’s prayers. He can help the people in Judah who have fallen behind in rebuilding the temple. And He can do everything He’s going to promise in chapters 11 and 12.
Your God is glorious.  Be strengthened by that.
And here’s something else to strengthen you: Your God treasures you.
Did you see how Daniel is addressed in verse 11? It’s the same word Gabriel used in chapter 9 (v.23). V.11 “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed.”
Some translations say, “beloved.” Some say “greatly loved.” Some say “precious.”
The Hebrew word there, “hemduth” refers to something that is craved or coveted, something that is desired. It’s something you treasure. It’s saying that Daniel was highly treasured by God! Now, this is the only place where that word is used to describe a person in the Bible, and so Daniel is the only person who is described this way. Perhaps he was esteemed for his great faith and faithfulness. He was special in that way.
But we know from the rest of the Bible how God feels about us, don’t we? The Bible says that we are “God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved...” (Col. 3:12). God so loved us that He gave us One and Only Son (His beloved Son! With Whom He was well-pleased! He gave Him up for us all! (Rom. 8:32)). Jesus died on the Cross because God so treasured us. Your God so treasured you! Be strengthened by that. Draw strength today from your God’s love for you.
And He shows that by answering prayer. Your God is answering your prayers.  Look at verse 12. Daniel is standing up, trembling. 
“Then he continued, ‘Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.”
When was that? How long has Daniel been on this partial fast? “Three ‘sevens’ of days,” right? 
God was listening the whole time.
“Your words were heard.”“Your words were heard.”“Your words were heard.”
“And I have come in response to them.”
Our God is a listening God. We talked about this last week. Our God is not impassive and implacable. He’s not deaf. He’s listening when we pray.
Three weeks, Daniel’s been praying. 
Week one, his words were heard.Week two, his words were heard.Week three, his words were heard.
And this heavenly being has been sent in response to them.
And the God who listened to Daniel is listening to us when we pray. Do you need to hear that? Have you been praying recently and wondering if Anybody is listening? Have you been demoralized because you aren’t seeing the answers you’re hoping for?
Hear this. Be strengthened by this: “Your words were heard.” Keep praying. Sometimes it seems like nobody’s listening, but we know the Lord is, the whole time!
And in verse 13, the heavenly being actually peels back a corner of the curtain to tell Daniel why it took song long for him to get this particular answer. 
In chapter 9, Gabriel got there before Daniel’s prayer was over! But here the answer was delayed. Look at verse 13.
“Since the first day...your words were heard, and I have come in response to them...But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come” (vv.13-14).
Now that is something entirely new. You think you’ve seen it all in the Book of Daniel, and then he’s got a new surprise to pop out at you! And this is something that doesn’t really show up anywhere else in the Bible outside of Daniel chapter 10.  
This heavenly being says that he was resisted for 21 days. He was withstood or hindered or blocked by “the prince of the Persian kingdom.” 
Who is that? “I’m not sure, and that’s okay.”
The word for “prince” is “sar” like we learned about in chapter 8. A chieftain or leader or king of some kind. This “sar” is the “sar” of the Persian kingdom.
Now, that could be Cyrus...or his son? But verse 1 named Cyrus. I don’t know why he would be not named here if it’s him. And how could Cyrus or his human son withstand this heavenly being?  I don’t think he could.
So that leads most biblical scholars to think that this “Prince of the Persian Kingdom” refers to a demonic being. A powerful demonic spirit that is at work in the kingdom of Persia.
Sometimes those are called “territorial spirits.” Because they seem to be tied to a particular kingdom. I think it might be better to call them “empiric spirits” because it’s less about geography than it is about the socio-political aspect of a kingdom. Not so much “place” as “people.”
We don’t know that much about this reality, and I think that’s on purpose, and it’s good that we don’t. We couldn’t handle it if we did.
But it strengthens us to know that it’s going on where we can’t see.
Your God is working where you cannot see. Verse 1 said that there is a “great war!” And now we know that there is a great war in the unseen realms. Unbeknownst to us, these powerful beings are “duking it out” behind the scenes.
The prince of the Persian kingdom actually hinders the one speaking from arriving to Daniel for 21 days. But then Michael (also called a “prince” here, a “chief sar”), and we know he’s an angel (Jude 1, Revelation 12, Michael) shows up and helps the speaker to break free and come to Daniel.
What was that like?! We don’t know. And it’s more than okay! We couldn’t handle it if we tried.
Notice what this says we should do about these empiric spirits:
Absolutely nothing at all.
Daniel doesn’t tell us that we should try to learn their names or ranks or dominions or go to battle with them ourselves. Daniel doesn’t tell us to do anything about them at all!
This is one of the few places in the Bible where we get a peek behind the curtain. And I think the main point is just to tell us that there’s a lot going on behind the curtain. 
There is a cosmic conflict. We do live in a spiritual warzone. We need to know that. As Paul says in Ephesians, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).
But Paul doesn’t say, “Let’s figure out their names. Let’s figure out their kingdoms. Let’s name them and talk to them and go to battle against them.”
No, he says basically that we clothe ourselves with gospel truth and then we live out the Christian life and we keep on praying (see Eph. 6:10-18). And we trust that God will handle all the stuff behind the scenes. All the stuff we cannot see.
Does that strengthen you? It does me. It’s a great relief. 
Of course it’s scary. It’s scary to think that we have these powerful unseen enemies. Is there a Prince of the Kingdom of America that is dedicated to oppressing us hedre in this country? I don’t know. But I do know there is a war going on. And I know Who is winning it.
I know that Jesus has actually already won it (see 1 Peter 3:22). Jesus has “disarmed the powers and authorities, [and] he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Col. 2:15).
Our Celebration Choir is preparing a song right now for you where the phrase we sing over and over is, “And the devil went down.” The war is won even if there are still some "mop up" battles to fight.
I think it’s important, again, to point out that none of this means that God is not sovereign. Even in Daniel chapter 10, just because there’s a war raging behind the scenes does not mean that God is not in control. Or that Satan and God are somehow equal in power and wrestling with one another, sometimes one winning and sometimes the other. That may be somewhat true on the angelic level, but not on the divine level.
The Lord is the Ancient of Days unbothered by these great evils and ultimate judge over them (see Daniel 7!). As we learned in chapter 4, God is “the Most High...who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation....He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one [not the Prince of Persia or the Prince of Greece or Satan himself] can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?’” (see Daniel 4:34-35).
God allows this unseen war to rage for His own wise purposes. And when He says that it’s time for it to be all over, that’s when it will end.
At this point in the story, Michael has helped the heavenly messenger to get free and to come to Daniel to explain the future. Verse 14 again.
“Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”
That’s what’s in chapters 11 and 12. There is more conflict, more war on the way. Both behind the scenes and on the stage of human history. He’s going to predict things from right then and there all the way to eternity.
And it was more than Daniel could stand. He just about falls over again. Verse 15.
“While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless. Then one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing before me, ‘I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I am helpless. How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe’ (vv.15-17).
This is so hard on Daniel. He’s overwhelmed. He’s almost like a rag-doll. Old Daniel just about can’t take what he’s hearing, but this one like a man touches his mouth. Every time he gets touched, he can do a little bit more.
He talks. He says, “How can I talk? I can hardly breath. My strength is gone.” Verse 18.
“Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength. ‘Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed,’ he said. [There is it is again. Treasured.] ‘Peace! Be strong now; be strong.’ When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, ‘Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.’”
I love that. “Be strong now; be strong.” I almost titled this message, “Be Strong Now; Be Strong.” It’s the same root word over and over again the Hebrew. “Hazak”
He “touched me and gave me [hazak]. ‘Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed,' ‘Peace! Be [hazak] now; be [hazak].' When he spoke to me, I was [hazak] and said, ‘Speak, my lord, since you have given me [hazak].”
“Be strong now; be strong.”
What are you facing right where you need strength? I’m sure that everybody here has something big, something daunting that is staring you in the face.
Daniel had to receive one last long and scary vision. And he needed strength. He needed “hazak.” Where did he get it? Not from himself. He got it from his God Because he knew that his God was working out His perfect plan.
Your God is working out His perfect plan.
And He’s perfectly on time. In verse 20, the messenger speaks again to Daniel and tells him what is happening next. Verse 20.
“So he said, ‘Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come; but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince. And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.)” (10:20-11:1).
Apparently, this heavenly messenger is going back into battle, and at some point the prince of Persia will go down and the prince of Greece will come on the scene.
This tracks with everything we’ve been learning about the successive kingdoms. The silver kingdom of the Medes and the Persians will be followed by the bronze kingdom of the Greeks. The beast like a bear will disappear, and the beast like a leopard will rule. The ram will go down, and the goat will race across the earth. And that’s a lot of what chapter 11 will be about.
And before he goes, the heavenly messenger will tell Daniel what is in the Book of Truth, or “the truthful writings.” It’s not so much an actual book as a record of what is definitely going to come. What God’s reliable plan looks like.
And he mysteriously tells Daniel that there is no one else fighting on his level except for Michael, the prince of (Israel?, Daniel’s people). And they’ve been fighting together side by side since the first year of Darius the Mede when Persia took over Babylon.
Daniel is now strengthened to hear what God has planned for his people. It will be hard to receive. But he’s ready.
Because his God has touched him.Because his God is glorious.Because his God treasures him.Because his God is answering his prayers.Because his God is working where he cannot see.Because his God is working out his perfect plan with perfect timing.
“Be strong now; be strong.”
Before your God.

***

Messages in This Series:

01. The King's Service - Daniel 1:1-21
02. The God of Heaven - Daniel 2:1-49
[Bonus Message: "No Matter What" - Daniel 3:1-30 from Family Bible Week 2012]
03. The God We Serve - Daniel 3:1-30
04. The King of Heaven - Daniel 4:1-37
05. The Lord of Heaven - Daniel 5:1-31
06. The Living God - Daniel 6:1-28
07. The Ancient of Days - Daniel 7:1-28
08. The Prince of Princes - Daniel 8:1-27
09. “O Lord, Listen! O Lord, Forgive! O Lord, Hear and Act!”

“O Lord, Listen! O Lord, Forgive! O Lord, Hear and Act!” [Matt's Messages]

“O Lord, Listen! O Lord, Forgive! O Lord, Hear and Act!”The King of Kingdoms - The Book of DanielLanse Evangelical Free ChurchMarch 23, 2025 :: Daniel 9:1-27  
Daniel chapter 9 is a little different.
It’s definitely the same book, but it has a different feel to it than what has come before.
For one, it doesn’t start with a problem or a vision. It doesn’t have one of those classic Bible story problems like we saw so many times in the first half of the book. A king, a dream, a threat (chapters 1-6). And it doesn’t start with one of those wild and crazy apocalyptic visions like we’ve seen so far in the second half of the book (chapters 7 and 8).
It’s still very prophetic, as we’ll see at the enigmatic end of the chapter, but Daniel 9 is different. 
It’s mainly a long prayer. The wiseman Daniel records for us what he prayed one day in 539 BC. And the wild and wonderful way that God answered that prayer.
We have a very long title for today’s message. I tried to keep up the pattern of the last seven sermons and pick a name for God that this chapter was all about, but I just couldn’t settle on one. Because this chapter is so full of names for God! So many! Including God’s covenant name, Yahweh, which hasn’t shown up yet in this book. It shows up 8 times in this chapter! And so do another names, “Adonai” and “Elohim” especially, in various combinations. 
Daniel knows Whom he is talking to. And he has some big things to ask God to do. Our title comes from the last verse that Keagan read to us. Verse 19. The word “Lord” in Hebrew there is “Adonai.”
“O Lord, Listen! O Lord, Forgive! O Lord, Hear and Act!”
[VIDEO WILL BE EMBEDDED HERE.]
You can tell that this is prayer of desperation and dependance, and I think it is a model for us today. Let’s start in verse 1.
“In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom–in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD [Yahweh] given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years” (vv.1-2).
Daniel gives us a date for this prayer. It was about 539BC. King Darius the Mede (son of Xerxes), [or the Hebrew there is “Ahasuerus” but not the one from the book of Esther.] was in his first year.
Where have we met this king before? What chapter? Darius showed up at the very end of chapter 5 on the night that the Babylonian king Belshazzar was killed, Darius took over. October 539BC.
Darius the Mede was the king put in charge of Babylon in the days of the high king Cyrus of the Persians. And he’s the king that reluctantly threw Daniel to the lions in chapter 6.
Remember what Daniel was doing that got him into that trouble? Daniel was praying. Three times a day, Daniel was praying at his open window, facing Jerusalem. He was about how old? Anybody remember? Eighty years old. Getting down on his knees.  Well, about that time, Daniel was studying his Bible and he came to understand that according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah that the desolation of his beloved Jerusalem was nearly over!
Isn’t that amazing? First off, that he had a copy of Jeremiah! Daniel might have heard Jeremiah preaching back when he was a child in Jerusalem. Jeremiah preached for 40 years. He had prophesied for about 22 years before Daniel was drug off to Babylon. But Jeremiah didn’t finish his book of prophecies until at least 20 years after Daniel had been taken in captivity! 
However, a copy of Jeremiah has made it to old Daniel’s hands, and he’s reading it. And he’s studying it. And he’s praying it. 
“Hey, this scroll says, that our exile in Babylon is going to last 70 years.”
Do you remember that from when we studied Jeremiah together a few years ago? Listen to what he says in Jeremiah 25:
“Therefore the LORD Almighty says this: ‘Because you have not listened to my words, I will summon all the peoples of the north and my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them and make them an object of horror and scorn, and an everlasting ruin. I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, the sound of millstones and the light of the lamp. This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. ‘But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt,’ declares the LORD, ‘and will make it desolate forever. I will bring upon that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations. They themselves will be enslaved by many nations and great kings; I will repay them according to their deeds and the work of their hands’ (Jer. 25:8-14).
Daniel says, “I think the 70 years are about up.” Daniel has been in Babylon for 66 years. That’s pretty close to 70!
And few chapters later, Daniel read this in the beloved Jeremiah chapter 29:
“This is what the LORD says: ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile’” (Jer. 29:10-15).
So Daniel says, “I guess we better start praying!”
Do you ever wonder, “Why bother praying if God has already decided and even already said what He was going to do?” Daniel doesn’t feel that way at all. He prays because God has said what He is going to do. And because God has said that prayer is one of things He’s going to use to do it!
The LORD said, “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you and will bring you back from captivity.”
And Daniel says, “Okay. Let’s pray! Let’s go!” 
Dare to be a Daniel and pray the Bible back to God! Verse 3.
“So I turned to the Lord God (“Adonai-Elohim”) and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. [He’s serious about this. Eighty-year-old man wearing scratchy sackcloth and pouring ashes on his head.] I prayed to the LORD my God (“Yahweh-Elohim”) and confessed: ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong” (vv.3-5a).
Notice that Daniel starts with adoration. He starts his prayer with how great and awesome God is. That’s always a good place to start. It’s okay to start with our problems and our needs, especially if we’re in a jam. But Daniel recognizes that his people are in desperate trouble, and he starts with how awesome their God is. “Hallowed be your name! You’re a covenant keeper. You are great and righteous!”And then he turns to lament and confession. V.5.
“We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame–the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you” (vv.5-7).
Do we pray like this? Not very often.
Notice that Daniel identifies closely with his people. He doesn’t say, “Those people over there have sinned. They are really bad.” He could! That’s true. In many ways, Daniel didn’t even personally participate in some of the sins that he’s confessing right here. But he does it anyway. He knows he’s connected. And he knows that he’s not innocent.
Isn’t this different from the rest of the book so far?
I mean in the first 8 chapters, the Jews have been the good guys, and the pagan Gentiles king and all have been the bad guys.
You know how in the old cowboy movies you could tell who the good guys were because they wore white hats and the bad guys wore the black hats? Well, so far in the book of Daniel, the Gentile pagan empires that ruled over the Jews clearly were the ones with the black hats, and the Jews were clearly the ones with the white hats.
But in chapter 9, Daniel prays revealing that he knows that the Jews are in this predicament because they are black hat people, too.
The whole reason they were in Babylon was not because Babylon was so great and powerful, but because Yahweh kept His promise, kept His threat to send them into exile if they wouldn’t stop their sinning. Verse 8.
“O LORD, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you. ‘Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you” (vv.8-11).
He doesn’t blame the pagans for their predicament. He doesn’t blame some people far away. He says, “We.”
I think that’s powerful. I’m very tempted to blame all of my problems on somebody else. We love to do that in America, too. We blame the “other” political party than “ours” for everything. They are the problem! But Daniel says, “We.”
“[W]e have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.”
They were “a broken record about a broken covenant.” “Jeremiah told us. Isaiah told us. Elijah told us. Elisha told us. But we did not listen. And God told us what would happen if we did not listen! He told us back in Leviticus (26) and Deuteronomy (28) what would happen if we did not listen. Exile! And that’s exactly what He did.” Verse 12.
“You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. [Read Lamentations!]  Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. [We still haven’t learned our lesson. So we might not get excused when the 70 years are up?!] The LORD [Yahweh] did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him” (vv.12-14).
Daniel knows why they are in Babylon. He has not forgotten why they are in Babylon. It’s because of Who God is. He is righteous. He is holy. He keeps His promises, and that means that He keeps His threats.
And so Daniel prays. And he prays. And he prays. Three times a day with the windows open, facing towards Jerusalem. Daniel is not worried about whether he’ll get eaten by lions. He’s worried his people will not repent and be restored to the land!
So he’s repenting and praying that they will be restored to the land. Daniel asks God to forgive Israel.
And notice how he does it. Look at verse 15.
“‘Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.
‘Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. [Daniel is 600 some miles away, and he’s pleading for Jerusalem.] We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name’” (vv.15-19).
Do you hear it? What does Daniel use for an argument when he asks God to forgive and restore his people? Why should He?! Is it because Israel is so wonderful? Is it because Israel is so righteous? “We do not make requests of you because we are righteous!” As if!
But why? For God’s own sake! For God’s own name. For God’s own reputation. Daniel says, “You are so merciful. You brought us up out of Egypt. You love to save! You love to forgive. You’re famous for it! This city and these people bear your Name.”
Daniel prays based on the name and character and reputation of God Himself. Daniel knows how God loves His own glory and will always in act in accordance with it. So he prays based on God’s glory.
Dare to be a Daniel and ask God to do great things based on God’s great glory!
He says, “For your sake!” “Do these things for us for your own sake.”
Do we pray that way? We definitely should. Because God does care deeply about His own glory. We’re not tricking Him when we do this. We aren’t demanding anything based on His glory. We aren’t in a position to demand anything. But we plead His character. We plead His name. We plead His heart back to Him, and...He answers.
I’ve got three points this morning, and they are will be very obvious, and they are very wonderful. 
#1. THE LORD DOES LISTEN.
Daniel prays like this because he knows God hears and responds. God is not impassive or uncaring or unfeeling. od is a Rock because He’s dependable, but He’s a Rock Who listens. And answers!
Do you know how God answered this prayer of Daniel’s? Within a year of Daniel’s prayer, the High King of Persia, King Cyrus issued a decree that the Jews could go home. They were allowed to leave Babylon and head back to Israel if they wanted to. About 50,000 of them did. Read about it in the Book of Ezra, especially chapters 1 and 2. Ezra makes it clear that it was because God moved in Cyrus’ heart that they were allowed to go home. In order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah.
And you know what else they were allowed to take home with them? The gold and silver articles that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple and Belshazzar had partied with! The Lord does listen.
And that’s not all. That’s not the half of it. Look at verse 20 to see how the Lord responded to Daniel’s prayer! V.20 
“While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the LORD my God for his holy hill–while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice” (vv.20-21).
“Well, hello, Gabriel! Welcome back.”
It’s been over a decade since the vision of chapter 8. And all of a sudden, the angel Gabriel has shown up again looking like a man. It’s not even clear if this is a vision or a visitation–like he will do a few hundred years to a virgin named Mary.
I love this picture of Gabriel in motion while Daniel is praying! Zooming in. “Swift flight.” [Some versions have “in my extreme weakness” in verse 21, and that’s quite a possible translation of the Hebrew based upon a different understanding of the underlying root word. That would indicate how wiped out Daniel was with his serious prayers. But regardless, Gabriel swoops in and shows up, while Daniel was praying.] Listen to what he says. Verse 22.
“[Gabriel] instructed me and said to me, ‘Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision:”
The Lord does listen!
I’m not saying that this is how all prayers work. Like as soon as we begin to pray, God is sending someone to do something about it. And even if it is, it doesn’t seem that way. We will often have to wait. But it shows how responsive God can be, and that He’s listening.
And look at what Gabriel says about how God sees Daniel. “You are highly esteemed.” “You are treasured. You are beloved. You are precious to God.”
I don’t know about you, but that gives me great incentive to pray.
PRAY.
This gives me great incentive to get serious about praying. To get on my knees. I’ve been kneeling more when I pray since reading chapter 6. I want to do it more.
This gives me great incentive to pray the scriptures back to God. Daniel read Jeremiah and started to pray Jeremiah back to God. We can do that, too! Whatever you are reading in your daily time in the Bible, you can just turn that back around and aim it back at God. So if you are reading 1 John, for example. And it says, “If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9). And you get on your knees and say, “Lord, I have sinned in this way and this way today. But you are faithful and just. Please forgive me of these sins and purify me from all unrighteousness.”
Dare to be a Daniel and pray the Scriptures back at God.
He would love it!
And dare to be a Daniel and pray for God’s sake.
We can present our requests to God and argue for them based on how they would bring God glory.
What’s something that you are praying for right now? When you pray for it, tie your request to how answering that request might bring God glory. How it might show His character and reveal His heart. If you can’t think of any way that it would bring Him glory, then you probably shouldn’t be praying for it in the first place.
If you can’t say, “Please do this for your name’s sake,” then don’t ask for it. But if you can, then do! Because the Lord does listen.
Maybe you’re praying for a new job.Maybe you’re praying for a relationship to be restored.Maybe you’re praying for healing.Maybe you’re praying for the breaking of a sinful habit.
I can see how any of those could bring God glory. Let’s pray for them. Because the Lord does listen.
#2. THE LORD DOES FORGIVE.
Daniel knew that! Daniel knew that the Lord delights in showing mercy. He said it in verse 9. That’s like part of His name that He revealed to Moses. “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” (Exod. 34:6-7).
Daniel knew that he wasn’t praying to some implacable god Who would not respond in grace when His people turned away from their sin and turn to Him.
No, Daniel knew that God was rich in mercy (Ephesians 2) and delights to forgive His people when they repent.
REPENT. 
Dare to be a Daniel and pray prayers of repentance and confession.
Dare to be a Daniel and ask God for mercy and grace.
Daniel has not lost sight of why his people are in this predicament, but we often do. It’s so hard sometimes to see our own sin. Our own complicity. Our own duplicity. This chapter encourages you and me to own up to our own black hats. 
We don’t have to wear sackcloth and ashes. Though it might be a good idea from time to time to fast to intensify our prayers of repentance. But we should take stock of our actions and attitudes and confess them to the Lord.
And we should, at some level, confess our connection to the sins of the wider church. Daniel (v.20) confessed his own sin and the sin of his people. And that’s probably a model for us, as well. Confessing the sins of “sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like” that have at times crept into the church and been unchecked (see Galatians 5:19-21). Maybe we didn’t do those things ourselves. But we are connected to those who have.
And we confess them and ask for God’s forgiveness. And we are assured of His pardon! Because we know we are loved. We know that we are, like Daniel, “highly esteemed.” We are beloved. We are, because of Jesus, God’s “chosen people, holy and dearly loved” (Colossians 3:12).
It’s because were are loved that we can repent! And know that we will be forgiven.
What do you need to confess to the Lord today?
Hear the word of LORD: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:11-13).
Seek Him with all your heart. Give him the darkest, ugliest parts of your heart. And you will find grace!
Because He wants to give us grace more than we want to ask for it! He wants to deal with our sin much more than we do!
That is, in fact, part of the big point of the last four verses in this chapter, the prophecy that Gabriel brought with him to Daniel.
God sent Gabriel (v.22) to bring Daniel “insight and understanding.” He’s got another message and vision for Daniel.
And, like the rest of this chapter, it’s a little different. It’s all words. It’s not nightmarish images that fill Daniel’s mind. No IMAX this time. Which is less scary, but it’s even more difficult to interpret!
In fact, a lot of the commentaries I read this week said that these may be the four hardest verses in the whole Old Testament to interpret. Whole books have been written on just these four verses! One book I read had 8 different views on the interpretation of this section with a chart of all the details that stretched to 6 pages long!
But, thankfully, I have it all figured out, and I have the definitive 9th view to share with you today. (Just kidding!)
I did think that I could kind of master the different views and give you a run down on all of them, but it was too much for me to process and to keep straight in my head, and I’m sure I would get you lost.
Some things are very clear to me, but others are not at all.
So, this is where we need to again pull out the helpful phrase: “I don’t know, and that’s okay.” Actually, it might be better to say, “I’m not sure, and that’s okay.”
Now, some of you may be sure, and that’s okay, too. Some of you have studied this and have settled conclusions on what all is going on here. And that’s great. 
But you shouldn’t be surprised if we’re not all there yet. Because Bible-believing Christians have disagreed about the details in this section for a very long time. And what seems obvious to you doesn’t always seem obvious to everyone else.
I want to encourage everyone to study this passage in depth. It’s God’s Word and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that we are fully equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16). Don’t be afraid to study this!
But don’t be surprised if it takes a long time and a lot of study to reach satisfying conclusions. 
Because we’re back to the problem of identification. There is no “this is that” here and “who is who.” I think that Gabriel may be actually somewhat enigmatic on purpose so Daniel gets the major outline, but the details get filled in over time so that some day we all look back and say, “Oh, that’s what God was saying in Daniel 9.” 
Let’s read it. Verses 24 through 27. Gabriel says, “Consider the message and understand the vision...”
“‘Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. ‘Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him’” (vv.24-27).
Here’s point number three and last. (I’m sure you’ve guessed it already.)
#3. THE LORD DOES ACT.
Daniel pleaded with the LORD in verse 19, “O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.'”
And the Lord sends the message back:
“I’ve got this. I’ve got a plan. And I’m going to do much more than just restore Israel to the land. I’m going to blow your mind with what I’m going to do!”
I think the big message of this vision is that the Lord has a perfect plan for fixing everything on His perfect timetable. And He’s doing it!
The Lord has a perfect plan for fixing everything on His own perfect schedule. And He’s working His plan.
Now, I think that Gabriel, in this vision, has good news and bad news for Daniel.
The good news is that God has a perfect plan and a perfect schedule, and it’s on schedule.
But the bad news that Daniel had to absorb was that it was going to take a lot longer than he feared.
Daniel had asked if the exile would be over in 70 years.
And what did God say? “More like 70 times 7.”
The exile began to end at the 70 year mark, but there was much more discipline and development to come.
Gabriel says (v.24), “Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city...” Now, that’s confusing, for one thing, because we don’t know what a “seven” is. Some of your versions have the word “week” there.”
The Hebrews had a word like our word a “dozen” that means twelve somethings, but their word means “seven somethings.” It’s the word “shavua.”  “A seven.”  So a “seven” of days is a week. Right?
So what is this "a seven" of? It doesn’t say!
Now, most interpreters have thought that it must be a “seven” of years. And I think that’s very likely. It was 70 years that Jeremiah was predicting and Daniel was praying about. So this 70 “sevens” might well be 70 “sevens” of years. Like 490 years. But it’s weird. And I think that might point to it being a symbolic. It’s a symbol not a statistic.
So I’m not sure that we should expect this all to happen in exactly 490 literal years from some specific point. It might! It might also be round numbers. Or something else, a figure of completeness.
One reason for “seven” may be sabbatical years. In the Old Testament Law, the land was supposed get rest every seven years, and after every seven of those, they were supposed to have a year of Jubilee. And this would then be a seventy of “sevens” so that would be like a Jubilee of Jubilees! Ten times the Jubilee!
I’m not sure. But I am sure that I shouldn’t be too dogmatic about it. And I’m also sure that I’m supposed to be glad that even though it’s a lot more than 70, it’s still a fixed number!
“Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed...” There is a plan, and it’s for a fixed and limited time. It’s not going to go on forever.  The Lord has a perfect plan for fixing everything on His own perfect schedule. And He’s on schedule!
Look what He’s going to do in, in verse 24.
“Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to [1.] finish transgression, [2] to put an end to sin, [3] to atone for wickedness, [4] to bring in everlasting righteousness, [5] to seal up vision and prophecy and [6] to anoint the most holy.”
Doesn’t that sound wonderful?! Isn’t that everything?! The Lord has a perfect plan to fix everything. 
Daniel was asking God to forgive them. God says, “I’m going to forgive them, but I’m going to do something even better! I’m going to finish transgression! I’m going to put an end to sin, I’m going to atone for wickedness!” Sin will be dealt with once and for all! It will not only be paid for but covered over and gone.
I’m going “to bring in everlasting righteousness!” Where everything is righteous all the time and everywhere! Righteousness as far as the eye can see and beyond! Righteousness that never ends!!!
“I’m going to seal up vision and prophecy.” I don’t think that means hide it away. I think that means enact it. Secure it. Make it all come true.
“And I’m going to anoint the most holy.” Which could be the most holy place (like the temple) or most holy person (like the Messiah). [Some of your versions may have already made an interpretive decision on that.]
This is everything! This is all of the promises of the New Covenant that Jeremiah predicted. This is all of what the kingdom of God will be!
This is the kingdom of kingdoms, isn’t it? And Gabriel told Daniel that it’s on the way.
He just has to wait.
WAIT.
The Lord does act, but on His own timetable. So we have to wait.
Now, in verse 25, 26, and 27, Gabriel gives more details of what to expect along the way, but nearly all of them are difficult to identify with precision.
There are time markers. Different sets of “sevens.”
Seven “sevens” = 49. Sixty two “sevens” = 434And one “seven” = 7
So that would add up to 490 years [if the "sevens" are years), but with different things happening at different times. And there may be gaps between (or even during) some of the sets of “sevens.” I had my calculator out all week trying to figure out all the numbers! 
And there are several different persons listed. And there is so much disagreement about who the particular persons are, in some of the instances, some Christians think a person is Jesus and some other Christians think that same person is the anti-Christ to come! (And many other suggestions.)
And it’s late, so we won’t get into all of that today. Maybe I’ll come back to it next week or teach about in a pop-up class some day.
But it is obvious that the Lord has a plan, isn’t it? 
We may not be able to understand all of the details.
When does the seventy “sevens” begin?Who is the “ruler who will come?”How does this all relate to the end times?
We may not be able to understand all of the details, but it’s obvious that God does. The Lord has a perfect plan to fix everything on His perfect timetable.
And every Christian believes that this plan centers on one figure in history that we can probably identify in verse 26:
“After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing.”
Who do you think that is? The word for Anointed One is “Mashiach.” Or “Messiah.”
It sounds to me a lot like the Person described in Isaiah 53. “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken” (vv.7-9).
The Lord has a perfect plan to fix everything on His perfect timetable. And He’s sent His perfect Son to enact it. The King of Kingdoms.
The Lord does act. So we just need to trust in and wait on Him. 
That doesn’t mean that we just sit on our hands. Our waiting is active. We stay busy and occupy until He comes. 
But we are expectant. Because we know that this chapter is not that different from the rest of the book. Daniel chapter 9 is not primarily about prophetic math but about our prayer-answering Lord.
We know that our Lord does listen to our prayers. He wants to answer them more than we want to pray them.
We know that our Lord does forgive our sins. He wants to forgive them more than we want to confess them! And He sent His own Son to be cut off to atone for them.
We know that our Lord does hear and act. Because He sent us Jesus once, and He will send Him back again soon. Just wait.

***
Messages in This Series:

01. The King's Service - Daniel 1:1-21
02. The God of Heaven - Daniel 2:1-49
[Bonus Message: "No Matter What" - Daniel 3:1-30 from Family Bible Week 2012]
03. The God We Serve - Daniel 3:1-30
04. The King of Heaven - Daniel 4:1-37
05. The Lord of Heaven - Daniel 5:1-31
06. The Living God - Daniel 6:1-28
07. The Ancient of Days - Daniel 7:1-2808. The Prince of Princes - Daniel 8:1-27

“The Prince of Princes” [Matt's Messages]

“The Prince of Princes”The King of Kingdoms - The Book of DanielLanse Evangelical Free ChurchMarch 16, 2025 :: Daniel 8:1-27  
You can just about guess what I’m going to say, right?
Daniel chapter 8 is about the “Prince of Princes.”
For the last 6 sermons in this series on the Book of Daniel, we have noticed a name for God that is used in that particular chapter and emphasized how that particular chapter is all about the God Who is revealed in that particular name, Who He is and what He is doing.
“The God of Heaven”“The God We Serve”“The King of Heaven”“The Lord of Heaven”“The Living God”
...and last Sunday, in the hinge chapter of this whole book, chapter 7, “The Ancient of Days.”
Keep your eyes on the Ancient of Days!
Interestingly, a bunch of those names appear only in that chapter and that chapter alone in the Bible. And it’s the same with this name for God that shows up in verse 25.
“The Prince of Princes.”
It’s the same word for “Prince” as in “Prince of Peace” in Isaiah chapter 9. “Sar.” “Sar-Shalom.” Prince of Peace. “Sar-Sarim” Prince of Princes.
“Sar” is a normal Hebrew word (and we’re back to Hebrew after 6 chapters of Aramaic!), for a Commander or a Ruler or a High Official. Somebody who is a Noble, a Chief, a Chieftain, an Overseer, a Key Leader. A prince among a people. But in verse 25, it’s clear that this is the Prince of all Princes. This is the Commander of all Commanders. The Chief of all Chieftains. It’s yet another name for the King of Kingdoms, Who is our Lord. And this chapter is (as all the Bible is) all about Him.
Now, again, that is obvious. But it’s also easy to miss because of all of this other stuff in the chapter. Wild stuff! Scary stuff! Confusing stuff. Important stuff! Everything in this chapter is important. But nothing is as important as the Prince of Princes. So as we study Daniel 8, keep your eyes on Him.
[VIDEO WILL BE EMBEDDED HERE.]
Daniel chapter 8 tells the story of another vision of Daniel that was very traumatic for him. Let’s read Daniel chapter 8, verses 1 and 2.
“In the third year of King Belshazzar's reign, I, Daniel, had a vision, after the one that had already appeared to me. In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa in the province of Elam; in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal.”
So, let’s start with the date. Daniel had another vision, after the one that we read about in the last chapter. Do you remember when that one was?  That one was during the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign. 
What kingdom was Belshazzar the king of? Babylon. Belshazzar was a successor to King Nebuchadnezzar and reigned from about 553 to 539BC. The writing was on the wall for Belshazzar in October of 539, at the end of chapter 5.
So this vision came two years after the vision of chapter 7. Daniel needed 2 years to recover from that vision, didn’t he?! Some of you are still recovering from last week’s sermon on it!
It’s not clear if this one was a dream or not. It may or may not have come while he was sleeping. However it came, it came from God.  And it appears that Daniel was transported in his vision to the citadel of Susa. Where was that?
The fortified city of Susa was in Persia. Daniel isn’t transported to the sea of chaos this time. He’s siting beside the Ulai Canal in Susa. 
Why do you think that might be a good place for Daniel to see this vision? Susa is the capitol of the next kingdom to arise. Susa is mentioned in the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, that tell the story of what happened next after the book of Daniel in the history of Israel. 
At this moment, in 550BC Susa isn’t that big and powerful, but it soon will be. So that’s where Daniel finds himself in the vision of chapter 8. Daniel is approximately 68, 69, 70 years old. Somewhere in there. He may have been in semi-retirement. He might have still had some responsibilities in Babylonian government. 
He’s already had the all-important vision of chapter 7 with its sweep of four monstrous kingdoms to come and the glorious, and holy, and wise Ancient of Days Who judges them all and gives the kingdom of kingdoms to one like a Son of Man, the cloud rider, Who then will give the kingdom to His people forever and ever, yes, forever.
And now Daniel has another vision, and it’s a vision of two great animals ramming into each other. Look at verse 3.
“I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later. I watched the ram as he charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against him, and none could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great” (vv.3-5).
Got the picture in your head? (I imagine it like a giant Imax movie in his head.)
This is not quite like the vision of chapter 7. It is kind of like it because there is this animal that obviously means something. It’s apocalyptic imagery. It’s not saying that an actual ram will show up on the Earth but the ram stands for something that will come.
But it’s not really a hybrid creature like the beasts in chapter 7 with some parts of one animal and other parts of another. It’s just a ram.
But it’s not just a ram either, is it? It has two great big horns. One longer than the other, but it was the second horn to grow. That’s probably significant. And it charges all over the place: west, north, south, and it conquers and dominates everywhere. Unstoppable energy.
Until...verse 5.
“As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between his eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. He came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at him in great rage.
I saw him attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering his two horns [big and small]. The ram was powerless to stand against him; the goat knocked him to the ground and trampled on him, and none could rescue the ram from his power” (vv5-7). Do you see this picture in your head? 
Notice these are different animals from those in chapter 7. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it isn’t talking about the same things. But it is definitely from a different perspective. 
The ram is unbeatable. And then it gets beaten. By the goat. The goat has one giant horn between its eyes and runs so fast it flies! Like the Road Runner in Bugs Bunny. It goes so fast, it doesn’t even touch the ground!
And then...collision! What happens with the unstoppable force hits the immovable object? BAM! The ram goes down. Its horns are shattered. Whatever that ram was is no more.
And now nothing can stop the goat! G-O-A-T. Greatest of all time. Or so it thinks. And then all of a sudden it meets with disaster. Look at verse 8.
“The goat became very great, but at the height of his power his large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven. [Okay it’s getting weird again. More horns.]
Out of one of them came another horn [a horn out of a horn], which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land.
It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them.
[This horn of the goat trampled on some stars! You know you’re in a vision when that happens!]
It set itself up to be as great as the Prince [“sar”] of the host; it took away the daily sacrifice from him, and the place of his sanctuary was brought low.  Because of rebellion, the host of the saints and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. [This is the horn from the horn that started small.] It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.
Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, ‘How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled–the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host that will be trampled underfoot?’ He said to me, ‘It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated’” (vv.8-14).
Wow. So much there! So much for Daniel to take in and try to process. 
Daniel can tell that this is a vision of the future. This is a prophecy of what was to come. And it sounds completely awful. In his vision, he hears an angel asking another angel, “How long is this going to last?” How long is this desolation going to continue? How long is the “host” the army (the people) going to be trampled by these animals?
And the answer is “2,300 evenings and mornings.” I wonder what that means. Daniel wonders what that means. He’s so confused. Whenever it was a pagan king’s dream, Daniel could explain it. But he needed even more help to understand his own. Look at verse 15.
“While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man. And I heard a man's voice from the Ulai calling, ‘Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision’” (vv.15-16).
Yes, that Gabriel! One of only two angels whose names are revealed in the Bible. Who’s the other one? [Michael. He’s going to show up in chapter 10.]
Hey, Stay Sharpers, what do we call it when an angel appears in the Bible? Greg told us this week that it’s an “angelophany.” We have an angelophany in verse 17. The angel who one day would appear to a virgin named Mary and tell her about a baby she was going to have now appears to the wiseman Daniel and tells him about some terrible trouble that is brewing for his people. Look at verse 17.
“As [Gabriel] came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. ‘Son of man,’ he said to me [there it just means human], ‘understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.’ While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me and raised me to my feet. He said: ‘I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end” (vv.17-19).
It must have been quite the experience to run into Gabriel! Daniel is scared into a coma! But Gabriel touches him, and he pulls up him and tells him that he’s going to explain the vision to him. And Gabriel says it has something to do with the “time of the end.” Now, that could just mean the “end” of this vision, like how this vision will  come together and be completed in history. I think that’s actually likely the meaning here. But it could also mean that this vision has something to do paradigmatically, with the end-times, with the end of history. It could be both.
And I’ve got some good news for you. Gabriel is going to actually name names and say what is what and who is who in this vision! He doesn’t explain it all, but he does give Daniel some important identifications. Look at verse 20.
“The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes is the first king.”
Let’s stop there for just a second because this is big. We aren’t left to guess  who these animals represent. They represent kings and their kingdoms. By now, that should not be a big surprise.
But Gabriel actually tells us which kings and which kingdoms! So far, the only one that we’ve been clearly told is that the gold head on the statue of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 2 is Nebuchadnezzar and the kingdom of Babylon. We’ve been going on guesswork and deduction for all the rest. But here we know.
Which kingdom is the ram? The Medes and the Persians. The double-kingdom. The team-up kingdom. Look back at verse 3 and see how that tracks.
“I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns [double-kingdom], standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later [What could that mean? Probably the longer horn is the Persian side of that kingdom. The Medes were first but King Cyrus and the Persians side grew to dominate the whole]. I watched the ram as he charged toward the west and the north and the south [from Persia in the East]. No animal could stand against him, and none could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great” (vv.3-5).
And where was this? In Susa where Cyrus’ power was beginning to grow at the time of this vision. And in about 10 or 11 years, Darius the Mede would conquer Babylon and kill Belshazzar one October night. And then this double-kingdom would rule over the whole world for more than 200 years! The biggest kingdom there had ever been in the known world. 
Nothing could stop them! Until something did.
Isn’t it amazing that God would tell Daniel more than a decade before it happened that the Medes and the Persians (in this symbol of a ram) would conquer the whole world?! But that’s nothing! Because, next, Gabriel tells Daniel the identity of the goat, as well. Look at verse 21 again.
“The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes is the first king.”
Now, this is more than some people can believe. Some people cannot believe that God would tell Daniel that the Greeks were going to become the major world power more than 200 years before it happened. Many unbelieving scholars have decided that this must have been written during the Greek era. And that these are not predictions. They are just cast as predictions of things that have already happened.
Not that that’s proven. It’s just assumed. It’s just that they can’t believe in real, true predictive prophecy. “That’s impossible!”
But I don’t think it’s impossible, at all. At least, not for the God we’ve been reading about for the last 8 chapters!
#1. THE PRINCE OF PRINCES IS SOVEREIGN.
He controls the future, and He can tell us about it whenever He wants to!
When Daniel gets this vision, Greece is next to nothing. Persia isn’t even that big yet! But there is coming a day when Greece will conquer all. 
And what was the name of the Greek that conquered all? We mentioned him last week. We call him “Alexander the Great.” And it’s all but certain (though Gabriel does not actually say) that Alexander is the goat’s large horn. Gabriel calls him in verse 21, “the first king.” Alexander conquered the whole world in about ten years. That’s probably what is meant in the vision by how the goat crossed the whole earth without touching the ground (in verse 5). Alexander collided with the Persians, and the Persians did not get back up.
And Alexander’s kingdom extended even further. His kingdom reached all the way to India. He had 1.5 million square miles under his rule. He was the GOAT! And then he died. Around age 33. And his wife Roxanne and teenage son were assassinated so his kingdom was divided up into four little kingdoms under four lesser kings.
Verse 22 says, “The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power.”
Alexander’s successors were named Cassander, Lysimachus, Ptolemy, and Seleucus. Last week, we said they might have been the four heads of the like-a-leopard beast. These four kings will not come on the scene for another 220 years from this day when Daniel has his vision and Gabriel tells him what it means!
The Prince of Princes is sovereign over all kingdoms. He’s the King of Kingdoms! That’s the whole point of this book. And a big part of what He’s doing here is showing that off! These kingdoms seem so big and powerful. They seem unstoppable. They are cruel and conquering. A ram and a goat. And they will dominate the people Daniel loves for hundreds of years. But they don’t last forever. They only seem unstoppable. The second that God is done with them, they are stopped. The ram goes down. The goat’s horn gets snapped off. As powerful as they are, they aren’t really that big of a deal. If you just wait a little bit, they will fall off the scene. Because the Prince of Princes is sovereign. 
I think the application of that is to BE FOREWARNED. God is getting His people ready for what is to come. God is reminding them that He is in control of the future. He is in control of all of the kings and kingdoms to come. And that’s true for us today, as well.
As far as I can can see, the events predicted in Daniel chapter 8 are future for Daniel but largely in the past for you and me. Daniel chapter 8 is mostly about the Ram and the Goat which are the second and third kingdoms in my take on the different visions we’ve looked at so far in the book.
Last week, we looked at possible parallels between the dream of chapter 2 and the dream of chapter 7. 
In chapter 2, we had Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the metallic statue. Each metal was a king/dom. Head of Gold, Chest of Silver, Belly of Bronze, Legs of Iron, and 10 Toes of Iron and Clay.
And then we added in the beasts of chapter 7 and saw possible parallels between the two.
Like a Lion, Like a Bear, Like a Leopard, Unlike Anything, 10 Horns.
Now, if those correlations are right [And they are just deductions; I might have lots of things wrong!], then the Ram and the Goat would match up with the second and third kingdoms like this. 
So in chapter 8, it’s like a vision that “double clicks” on the middle of the vision of chapter 7 and gives you even more detail about that particular time period.
Future for Daniel and largely past for us.
So, if that’s true, why would you and I need to read about it today?
I mean that’s ancient history. Literally! This vision was fulfilled by 164BC.
Because it shows that if the Prince of Princes accurately predicted the future then, then we can trust what He says about the future still to come now. Amen?
And if He was in ultimate control of world events then? The Medo-Persian Ram and the Grecian Goat?
Then He is in ultimate control of the Russian Bear, the Chinese Dragon, the North Korean Winged Horse (Chollima), the British Bulldog, and the American Eagle. And all of the rest of the zoo.
Kingdoms come and kingdoms go. And the Prince of Princes is sovereign over all.
Be forewarned. Don’t worry. Don’t be shaken. He’s got the whole world in His hands.
Daniel needed to hear this because some terrible things were going to come in the future. Life was going to get downright animalistic for his people. And that’s the point of the horn that came from the horn in verse 9. Remember what it said? 
“Out of one of [the goat’s 4 replacement horns] came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land.”
Now, Gabriel does not tell us this horn’s name in history. But he does tell us a lot about him. Remember a horn is a king. It represents the strength of an animal. 
This horn starts out small but grows and grows in power even towards “The Beautiful” which almost certainly means the land of Israel. Palestine. The glorious beloved homeland of Daniel which he has not seen with his own eyes in over half a century.
This horn comes to directly rule over Israel. And I think that verses 23 through 26 tell us the terrible kinds of things that he does:
“‘In the latter part of their [the goat’s four replacement horns’] reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a stern-faced king [“fierce, merciless”], a master of intrigue [a manipulator, a deceiver], will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power [Satanic power!]. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes...”
#2. THE PRINCE OF PRINCES IS OPPOSED.
This king dares to “take his stand against the Prince of Princes.” The Sar-Sarim. Can you believe it?!
He is not the first, and I don’t think he’s the last either.
Though some people do. Some people think that these verses are about the person we talked about last week who is sometimes called the “Antichrist” or the “Man of Lawlessness” or the “Beast” in Revelation.
And that’s quite possible! I mean, when you read this, you see that figure, don’t you? This is one terrible king. One of the worst that the Jews especially have ever known.
But if my deductions are correct, this is not the Antichrist who may be on rise right now or still to come one day soon. Most scholars agree that this is the awful Greek King Antiochus IV Epiphanes. I mentioned him last week.
This terrible horn is a lot like the terrible horn we read about in chapter 7 last week, but there are some key differences. The biggest is that the bad horn in chapter 7 appears on the fourth terrifying beast, the “different” one which I suggested is probably the kingdom of Rome or Rome “plus.” Maybe end-times Rome. But this horn in chapter 8 appears during what seems more like the “third beast” kingdom in chapter 7 and the “silver” kingdom in chapter 2.
If this was correct, then this bad horn of chapter 8 shows up during the Kingdom of Greece. And there is a Greek king that almost perfectly fits the bill. Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Let me tell you about him.
Antiochus IV was related to Seleucus, one of the four king that took over from Alexander. But he wasn’t next in line. His nephew was. But Antiochus was a “master of intrigue.” He manipulated the system and deceptively stole the throne. And Antiochus ruled ruthlessly and mercilessly. And he ruled over Israel (175BC to 164 BC). A dozen of the worst years the Beautiful Land had ever experienced.
In 170 BC, Antiochus killed the High Priest Onias in Jerusalem. And later he stopped the daily sacrifices in the temple of the LORD. He decided that he wanted everyone to worship Greek gods and not the Jewish One. He set up altars throughout Israel to Greek gods. He told the Jews that they could no longer observe the Sabbath or circumcise their baby boys. And if they did, they would be killed! And their circumcised babies would be hung around their necks when they were buried.
I read about all of this in a history book called 1 Maccabees this week. It was written between the Old Testament and the New. And it says that Antiochus went into the temple, and sacrificed a pig on the altar. And put some kind of Zeus statue in the Holy of Holies. He didn’t destroy the temple, but he desecrated it. Brought it low (v.11). And he burned copies of the holy scriptures. “Truth was thrown to the ground” (v.12). And he killed thousands of Jews.
He may not have been the antichrist, but he was sure trying to be.
Antiochus called himself, “Epiphanes.” Does anybody know what that means? It means “The Manifestation.” If Antiochus didn’t think he was a god, he was sure saying that could manifest god. He Antiochus made certain that these pagan sacrifices took place on his birthday every year. 
Antiochus set himself up against the Lord! And he did it by setting himself against the Lord’s people. I think that’s the point of the symbolism back in verse 10. How the horn “reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them.”
I think that’s apocalyptic symbolism for the people of God. Antiochus didn’t literally thrown down any stars. But he sure did trample on God’s people. In the words of verse 24, he destroyed “the mighty men and the holy people.”
Antiochus was one of the worst persecutors that the Jews had ever known.  And if you fight against God’s people, then you are fighting against God. If you are setting yourself against God’s people, the you are setting yourself against God.
Remember when God arrested Saul on the road to Damascus? Remember what he said? “Saul, Saul why do you persecute...the church?” No, He said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Because as Saul opposed the church, Saul was opposing the Prince of Princes!
And that was true in Daniel’s day, Antiochus’ day, Saul’s day, and our day.
The Prince of Princes is opposed. And here’s the application of that truth: BE FORTIFIED.
To be forewarned is to be forearmed, right? To be ready for the onslaught, ready for the attack.
Because of this vision, Israel could steel themselves for what was coming. If they were paying attention, their persecution would not come as a surprise. 
And in their case, they were able to fight back, literally. A courageous Jewish family called the Maccabees organized a resistance movement. Unlike the Jews in Jeremiah’s day who were supposed to submit to exile, these Jews were not commanded to submit and were free to revolt. 
And they were successful! Over a three and a half year period, they beat back Antiochus’ forces and took back the temple! And they cleansed it and they rededicated it to the worship of Yahweh, our LORD. That was in 164 BC. And the people of Israel celebrated that reconsecration with a new Jewish festival of dedication.
You know what they called it? “Hanukkah.”
I’m certain that this vision of Daniel fortified their hearts for that day. And we need to fortify our hearts for our day. Not that we will fight back against those who persecute us, taking up the literal sword. But we won’t be surprised when persecution comes upon us either, as if something totally unusual and unexpected were happening to us (1 Peter 4:12). 
We know that the Prince of Prince is opposed and so will we be. We know, as our Stay Sharpers learned again this week, we are in the midst of a spiritual battle. And it’s going to get worse.
Antiochus was the worst up to that point. But he was just a foretaste of evil to come. I think that’s how this chapter (in the words of Gabriel in verse 17) “concerns the time of the end.” 
Antiochus IV Epiphanes was a pre-figurement of the antichrist to come. His persecution was a pattern, a paradigm, anticipating the evil still on the way.
But, church, here’s the good news. The good news is our Lord never loses. Yes, the Prince of Princes is opposed. But!
#3. THE PRINCE OF PRINCES IS UNDEFEATED.
Look at the end of verse 25!
“When they feel secure, he [Antiochus IV Epiphanes probably?] will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes...Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.” Literally, “with nothingness of hand.”
Yes, the Maccabees pushed back, but they didn’t kill Antiochus. Antiochus was far from Palestine in 164 BC, and one day he took sick and then died. He didn’t die in battle. No human hand killed him. One day, the Lord just took him. Reminds me of that stone that was cut out of that mountain in the king’s dream, knocking over the metals statue and turning it to dust.
“Not by human power.” But by divine power!
Our LORD never loses. Sometimes it seems like it. Verses 10 and 11 sure seemed to describe a time coming when the LORD was on the ropes. It sure seemed like it when Jesus was dying on the Cross.
But the LORD is the Ancient of Days. He doesn’t lose. It’s not really even a contest. It’s terrible what God’s people have to go through, but there is always a reason for it and there will always be an end to it. 
In this case, it was 2,300 evenings and mornings. The angels asked “How long?”, and the answer was “2,300 evenings and mornings” (vv.13-14).
And there’s been a lot of debate about what that means. It could simply mean a period of about 6 years which would map on pretty well from Antiochus killing the high priest in 170 to the temple being restored in December of 164 (see 1 Macc 4:52-59).
Or it could mean actually evening and morning sacrifices which would halve the days to 1150 which is more like 3 years. More like the time when the sacrifices were actually stopped to the time when they began again. 
And there are other views, too, of course. [Fascinatingly, the Millerites, who came to be known as the Seventh Day Adventists took the 2300 days as year and calculated that the Lord would return in 1843-44. (Not what happened.)]
I think what’s really important for us to remember is that God had set the days and times. They might have seemed long but they were limited.
The world is not out of His control! And so we can be self-controlled.
Here’s the application of this point: BE FAITHFUL.
Because we know that our Lord never loses, we can keep on doing whatever He has told to do. 
Because He can’t fail, we can’t fail!
That’s the logic of 1 Corinthians 15:58 isn’t it? The Bible says, “Therefore [because of the resurrection], my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
What can they can do to us? Kill us? Chop off our head? Burn us to death. Yes, they can. But so what? We are coming back from the dead. Jesus did! We can’t lose.
Because He can’t fail, we can’t fail! And so we can be faithful. Don’t give up and don’t give in! Be faithful.
Look at see what Daniel did when Gabriel was done talking. Look at verse 26.
“‘The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.’ I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay ill for several days. Then I got up and went about the king's business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding” (vv.26-27).
This vision was so traumatic for Daniel. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He didn’t understand it (1 Peter 4:10-11). He didn’t want to understand it. He had gotten a glimpse of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, and it made him sick. He was comatose in bed for several days.
But see what he did as soon as he was up to it? He got up and “went about the king’s business.”
I think that’s amazing! He did what he always did. He got up, got dressed, and went to work. He put the next foot in front of the other. He did the next thing that needed done. 
He was faithful in the service of King Belshazzar, knowing about these other kings that are were going to come and trample over everything.
He sealed up the vision. I don’t think that necessarily means it was secret. I think that means it was saved. Like he hit the “saved” button on his computer. Maybe “save as a PDF” so that it lasts until the distant future when it needs to come out and be used. 375 years later when Antiochus is raging, they need Daniel 8, and there it is. Because Daniel faithfully sealed it up!
Dare to be a Daniel and be faithful in the king’s service even when you know everything is going to come unglued.
And not just faithful in the service of pagan King Belshazzar but even more so in faithful in the service of the King of Kingdoms, the Sar-Sarim, the Prince of Princes who is undefeated now and forever will be.

***
Messages in This Series:

01. The King's Service - Daniel 1:1-21
02. The God of Heaven - Daniel 2:1-49
Bonus Message: "No Matter What" - Daniel 3:1-30 from Family Bible Week 2012
03. The God We Serve - Daniel 3:1-30
04. The King of Heaven - Daniel 4:1-37
05. The Lord of Heaven - Daniel 5:1-31
06. The Living God - Daniel 6:1-28
07. The Ancient of Days - Daniel 7:1-28

“The Ancient of Days” [Matt's Messages]

“The Ancient of Days”The King of Kingdoms - The Book of DanielLanse Evangelical Free ChurchMarch 9, 2025 :: Daniel 7:1-28  
Daniel chapter 7 is about “The Ancient of Days.”
As all of the other chapters that we’ve studied so far, this chapter is all about Who God is and what He is doing.
And the main name for God in Daniel chapter 7 is “The Ancient of Days.”  This name appears in verse 9, verse 13, and verse 22. And this is the only place in the whole Bible where that particular name for God shows up.
“The Ancient of Days.” The One who is from all eternity. The Eternal God. Which is mind-blowing, I know! Just thinking about the concept of eternity is a mind-blower. And this is a Person Who is eternal. “The Ancient of Days.” 
Keep your eyes on the Ancient of Days.
That’s important to keep in mind as we read Daniel chapter 7 because even though it’s kind of obvious, it’s also kind of easy to miss. Because we can so easily begin to focus on the other wild and wonderful things that also show up in Daniel chapter 7.
As with the rest of this book, the point of Daniel 7 is not Daniel the wiseman. He is in chapter 7. Daniel actually is the one human character that carries through the last half of this book. The four big visions of Daniel! But Daniel the wiseman would be the first to say that Daniel 7 is not about Daniel the wiseman!
And it’s also not about these beasts! They are there, and they are terrifying, but they are not the point. And correctly identifying who these beasts are in real life is also not the point. As interesting and edifying as it may be to try to piece it all together, the fantastic beasts of Daniel 7 are not the point of Daniel 7.
And neither is the identity of the “little horn” of verse 8 and verse 11, and verse 20-26. I’ll tell you what I think that is, but whatever it is, it is not the point of Daniel 7. The point of Daniel 7 is the Ancient of Days. 
And, yes, there is one other character that Daniel 7 is all about, and that’s especially true because of His special relationship with the Ancient of Days. We’ll get there in due course.
Keep your eyes on the Ancient of Days as we study Daniel chapter 7.
[VIDEO WILL BE EMBEDDED HERE.]
Daniel 7 tells the story of a horrific and hope-filled dream that Daniel had.
We’ve read about a bunch of dreams so far in the Book of Daniel, but they were all the dreams of the king. But now it’s Daniel’s turn to dream. Look at verse 1.
“In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying on his bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream.”
We’ve reached the second half of the Book of Daniel, and it’s going to very different, in some ways, from the first half. The first half, the first six chapters, was full of stories. Especially stories about kings and their courts. This second half, the last six chapters, are going to be full of prophetic visions. Four major revelatory visions all seen by Daniel the wiseman. Chapter 7, chapter 8, chapter 9, and then chapters 10-12 contain the four visions. 
These chapters have a different feel to them. If you thought the first six chapters were wild, hold onto your seats! And yet, this is not a different book. This is the same book. It has the same author. It has the same themes. It has the same message. And it has the same two languages.
Remember how we said that Daniel was written in two cousin languages, Hebrew and what? Aramaic, which was the international language of the day. There are 6 chapters in Hebrew and 6 chapters in Aramaic. What language is chapter 7 written in? 
It’s Aramaic. Chapter 1 was in Hebrew. Chapters 2 through 7 are in Aramaic. And one of the things that does is show us that this is all one book. And chapter 7 is the hinge chapter that the whole book turns on.
And, of course, there were also visions in the first half. Chapter 7 is a lot like chapter 2. We will see how the dream of Daniel in chapter 7 reminds us a lot of the dream of Nebuchadnezzar back in chapter 2.
Now, when was this dream? Verse 1 says that was “In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon.”
So chapter 7 is a flashback, isn’t it? It takes place before which chapters? It’s before chapter 6. That was King Darius the Mede. Is it before chapter 5? Yes, it is. Because that was King Belshazzar’s last day as king. His feast with the writing on the wall on the day he died in October of 539BC.
Daniel had this dream about 14 years before that. The first year of Belshazzar was probably 553BC.  Daniel was middle-aged then. Maybe 66 or 67? He might have been in his first retirement. Maybe trying to live a quiet life. Praying three times and day and living for the glory of God and the good of his people.
And one night between chapter 4 and chapter 5, Daniel had a dream. And it was a doozy. This dream shook Daniel to his core. And it was clearly from God. I don’t know exactly how he knew, but he knew this dream was a revelation. So he wrote it down. Look at verse 2.
“Daniel said: ‘In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea” (vv.1-2).
This was part of the dream was like a nightmare. Daniel is by the sea, maybe the Mediterranean. And there is a giant storm. The four wild winds of heaven mean from every corner of the earth–north, south, east, and west–and the sea is all churned up. Waves crashing everywhere!
We’ve learned before to the Hebrews the sea was a symbol of chaos. It’s uncontrollable and often felt to be a picture of human evil seemingly out of hand. You set out into that sea, and you will never return.
And then out of that caldron of chaos arises four beasts. Four monsters! These four horrific creatures come, one, then another, then another, and then another up out of the swirling storm of a sea.
There is no way of capturing how scary this part of the dream was. We have our CGI and our special effects. We have photoshop, but everything we make with those things is tame compared to this. We cannot depict how terrifying and fearsome and nightmarish this was for Daniel. It’s like a horror movie without any of the “fun.”
And Daniel knows that it all means something. Here’s the first beast. Verse 4.
“‘The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it.”
It’s a hybrid-composite creature. Picture a lion, like Daniel was going to spend the night with in chapter 6. But this lion has wings like an eagle! And then the wings are torn off and the lion stands on two feet like a human and gets a human heart. What?!
And then the next beast. Verse 5.
“And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, 'Get up and eat your fill of flesh!'” Notice that they are not a lion or a bear but are like one. This creature is like a bear, and it’s kind of laying on its side, and it’s just eaten another creature–three ribs are all that’s left–and it’s wiping its mouth and going to back to the buffet for more.
But the dream moves onto the third beast. V.6 
“‘After that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard. And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.”
Four wings and four heads on a creature like a leopard?! And somebody is giving it authority to rule. Is that what you want ruling over you?! A voracious leopard with four heads? You can’t escape from that. It can see in all directions and eat you in all directions! And reach you in seconds. Because it has four wings! And that’s nothing. Wait until you read about the fourth beast. Verse 7.
“After that, in my vision at night I looked [he’s always looking, looking, looking in this chapter], and there before me was a fourth beast–terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.”
Are you scared yet? You’re supposed to be. Daniel was!
He knows that this is all symbolism. This is not saying that there will be these kind of creatures arise on Earth like a Godzilla movie or something. But he knows that they all mean something, and what they mean is truly terrifying.
What kind of an animal is this fourth beast like? Daniel doesn’t say. He can’t come up with an animal to liken this beast to. He has to go with adjectives. “Terrifying and frightening and very powerful.” All he can say is that it had teeth that were metal! They were made of iron! What kind of beast has iron teeth?
He says this one is “different.” It’s the apex predator of all apex predators.
It’s in a class by itself. It’s completely hideous and cruel and violent and ravenous. Look what it does. “It crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left.” Devastation wherever it goes.
And it has ten horns. Horns, in the Bible, are a symbol of power. This one has ten horns. That’s a multiplied strength. This is one super-powerful beast.
I think that one of the reasons why Daniel was so peaceful in chapter 6 was because he had lived through this dream which was far scarier than being thrown to the lions.
Daniel sees one more scary thing. It’s an eleventh horn. You thought the first ten were bad, but look at number eleven. Verse 8.
“While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.”
I can’t think what this was like. There’s this terrible super-beast with ten horns, and then this one horn pops up among the other horns and pushes three of the horns out of it’s way, and this horn has eyes? And a mouth? And the eyes are like a man’s? Is that intelligent? Or greedy? And the mouth is speaking boastfully. Spouting off all kinds of things. Arrogantly. Probably blasphemously. Lies. 
No wonder Daniel is disturbed (v.15)! This is much scarier than Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 2.
But this chapter is not about these beasts. This chapter is about the Ancient of Days. In verse 9, everything changes.
“‘As I looked, ‘thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened’” (vv.9-10).
Keep your eyes on the Ancient of Days.
I have three points this morning to try to summarize this chapter, and here’s the first one:
#1. THE ANCIENT OF DAYS WAS, IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE GOD ENTHRONED OVER ALL.
Daniel has seen these terrible beasts in this terrible storm. But then he see this throne room with the Ancient of Days on the throne. It emphasizes that He is seated. It says it verse 9 and again in verse 10.
“He took his seat.”
The picture is one of ultimate authority. And eternal authority. This Person is the Judge. And He is un-bothered by the animals. He is un-bothered by the monsters. He is just sitting there. He’s not like, “Ooh. No! Look at those scary creatures.” He’s not standing on His throne, clutching his robes. No, He is seated.
He’s not threatened the slightest. In fact, He’s the One threatening. He’s so perfect! He’s so pure.
Right? You see that in verse 9. “His clothing was a white as snow. The hair of his head was white like wool.” White is pure. 
By the way, this is not saying that God actually looks like this. This is a dream. This is a vision. These are symbols. This is apocalyptic imagery. They are telling us who God is--not what God looks like--by telling us what He looks like in the vision. Does that make sense?
He’s pure! He’s so pure. He’s holy, holy, holy. His throne is flaming with fire. I don’t know what that means! And it’s got wheels. This is a moving throne. Like a chariot? It’s like the throne in Ezekiel one. Wheels within wheels. These wheels are on fire!
And there is fire that comes out from Him. Like a river of fire? Like lava? I don’t know. But it means He’s holy! And He’s full of wrath against sin. If He punishes sin. You thought the fiery furnace was something? He’s got fire coming out of throne.
And the whiteness of His hair? That probably symbolizes His age. He’s the Ancient of Days. He’s forever old!
And He’s forever wise. The whiteness of His hair probably illustrates His wisdom, too. Nothing escapes Him. He always knows what to do. He always knows what is right. He’s furious against evil. 
And He’s always been this way, and He’ll always be this way!
He’s the Ancient of Days!
And He is seated on the throne. And He’s surrounded by angelic(?) and maybe saintly(?) attendants. Verse 10. “Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.” I don’t think that means 100,000. I think that means an uncountable number. Angels everywhere. Every eye on Him. Every eye seeing what He says. Every ear hanging on His every word. He is glorious! He is majestic! 
And He always has been, and He always will be.
In verse 2 through 8, I envision all kinds of terrible sounds to go with the the terrible beasts. The storm, the eating of flesh, trampling of people, the screams. But then in verse 9, I hear stillness and peace. The crackling of His holy fire and the opening of the books. 
These books are probably the records of the deeds of human beings. And the Ancient of Days is the judge. He was, is, and always will be God enthroned over all.
That is good news, brothers and sisters. Because it means that this world is not out of control. It may feel that way. And there are terrible things unleashed in the world. There are beasts. Our world can be monstrous. Human kingdoms can be terrifying and frightening and very powerful. Crushing, devouring, trampling.
But there is and always has been and always will be an eternal God enthroned above all.
Tomorrow, a bunch of us are going to Stay Sharp, our district theology conference, and this year the theme is True Spiritual Warfare. So we’ll be talking about Satan and demons and prayer and all of that. And sometimes can get to thinking that our world is a battle between our holy God and the unholy Satan, and they are about equal. Kind of “yin and yang.” And one gets the upper hand then the other gets the upper hand for a while.
But that’s not how it is at all. God is God, and Satan is just a wannabe. They are not anywhere close to equal.
Now, Satan is terrible and terrifying and so are all of his minions, including the humans who band together into evil empires to rule over us and persecute God’s people.  They are truly powerful and scary.
But not to God! Not to the Ancient of Days. He was, is, and always will be God enthroned over all.
And He’s going to do something about the evil. He’s going to judge it. That’s the point of verse 11.
“‘Then I [Daniel] continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.)” (vv.11-12).
Daniel keeps looking, looking, looking in his visionary dream.
And it’s kind of like it’s split screen? (I get this idea from Christopher J.H. Wright.)
Up here is the Ancient of Days. Peaceful and powerful. And down on this screen is that eleventh horn on the terrible fourth beast still mouthing off. And then, the Ancient of Days judges the beast so that it dies, and it’s throne into the fire that was coming out of His throne. 
He’s dead. Totally dead. Burnt to a crisp and gone. 
Suddenly, supernaturally, spectacularly! And it’s final. The other beasts, the first three had already lost their authority but had been allowed to hang around in some way. But this is final. This is decisive.
The Ancient of Days wins!
And then He gives away His kingdom. And that’s is (if I can say it) even more wild! Look at verse 13.
“‘In my vision at night I looked [dream part 3], and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed” (vv.13-14).
This Person is the furthest thing from a beast. He’s not like any of those animals. He’s “like a son of man.” That means He seems human.
But He’s also seems heavenly, right? He rides on the clouds?! Only God rides on the clouds!
So He seems human and He seems divine. And He is allowed into the presence of the Ancient of Days. And He’s welcome there. He doesn’t cower. He doesn’t fear. He just flows right up to One on the Eternal Throne. 
And the Ancient of Days confers on Him a kingdom. The kingdom! The kingdom unlike any other kingdom.
This is the part of the Book of Daniel that is quoted the most in the New Testament, and you can guess why. 
Because I think we now on this side of the Cross, have a pretty good idea Who this “one like a son of man” really is!
But for Daniel, this is all new.  He’s heard some things like this before. There are a lot of similarities between Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 2 and Daniel’s dream here in chapter 7. But there are also a lot of new things. And they were troubling to Daniel. Look at verse 15.
“‘I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me.”
What does it all mean? Ironically, Daniel could interpret the dreams of the pagan kings, but this one he didn’t understand on his own. So he asked someone in his dream what it means. Probably an angel. Look at verse 16.
“I approached one of those standing there and asked him the true meaning of all this. ‘So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things:
'The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth. But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever–yes, for ever and ever.'”
So that’s the meaning of Daniel’s dream. Those two verses capture the true meaning in just a few words. The four beasts are not monsters who are going to be unleashed on the earth.
They are four kingdoms. Now, what does that remind you of? Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the statue, right? Remember there were four parts to the statue. With four different materials? Head of Gold, Chest of Silver, Belly of Bronze, Legs of Iron and 10 Toes of Iron and Clay. And we learned back then that they were all kings and their kingdoms. And who was the head of gold? Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylon.
So here we have 4 beasts which are also four kings and their kingdoms according to the angel in verse 14.
So they might match up like this:
1. Beast like a lion = Head of Gold2. Beast like a bear = Chest of Silver3. Beast like a leopard = Belly of Bronze4. Beast unlike all others = Legs of Iron. (Notice that beast has teeth of iron.)... and 10 Horns = 10 Toes of Iron &Clay
Now, which particular kingdoms does it say that that these four beasts are? What does verse 17 say? (That’s a trick question.)
It does not say! It does not say which kingdoms these four beasts are. And faithful Christians have disagreed about the identification of these kingdoms for over 2,000 years.
My guess is that we have several different theories in this room. And that’s okay. I’ll tell you my best guesses in just a second. But it’s okay for us to have different ideas about that. What’s important is that we agree about verses 17 and 18.
“The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth. But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever–yes, for ever and ever.”
#2. THE ANCIENT OF DAYS WILL DESTROY ALL OF OUR ENEMIES.
The Ancient of Days will kill all of the beasts.The Ancient of Days will slay all of the monsters.The Ancient of Days will defeat and destroy all of the evil empires of humanity.
That’s what we need to know.
The Bible doesn’t tell us everything we want to know. But the Bible does tell us everything we need to know. 
And we need to know that there is evil at work in the world. We need to know that our world has a very ugly side to it. We don’t live in Candyland. Our world is scary and ferocious, especially to believers. In chapter 2, the statue of kingdoms looks imposing. But in chapter 7, we see it from God’s perspective above and from the oppressed’s perspective below. It’s more than imposing. It’s terrifying.
That’s true. We need to know that. Daniel needed to know that. The people of Israel needed to know. They needed to know what was coming. And they needed to know that it would not go on forever.
“The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth. But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever–yes, for ever and ever.”
The Ancient of Days will destroy all of our enemies. He will judge them. They will burn up in the fire that comes out of his throne. The beast is slain! The beast is burnt. That’s what’s going to happen!
So, Daniel wants to know more. He’s trying to wrap his mind around, especially, this fourth beast. The “different” one. “What’s going to happen?” Look at verse 19.
“‘Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws [that’s a new detail!]–the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left.
I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell–the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them [and defeating them!], until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.
“He gave me this explanation: 'The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it.
The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time. But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever’” (vv.19-26).
Now, the interpreter has told Daniel a few more details. But notice that he still does not name names. He still does not tell us what is what and who is who. And his basic point is that things get really bad and then the Ancient of Days fixes it all. Remember, He is the point of it all. Keep your eyes on the Ancient of Days.
So, here’s what I think. And I could be wrong. I’ve changed my mind on this over the years. And I’ve studied all kinds of views this week, once again. There are good arguments all around.
I tend to think that the first beast is Babylon. I mean it feels pretty parallel with the head of gold. And that’s the only kingdom that’s been identified in the book so far. So look at verse 4 again.
“The first was like a lion...” Lions were the chief animal to represent Babylon. There were 120 lions in bold relief just past the Ishtar Gate. And it conquered the world swiftly. Perhaps that’s what the wings meant. But then they got their wings clipped. Was that Nebuchadnezzar’s madness that we read about in chapter 4? If so, then it’s already happened by the time Daniel is having this dream. And it would make sense that the “heart of a man being given to it” was Nebuchadnezzar humbling himself and becoming sane again. Not quite sure, but that makes some sense.
I tend to think that the second beast is the kingdom of the Medes and the Persians. I mean, that’s what came next, right? The fact that in verse 5 the bear is kind of lopsided might point to the Persians growing to be the bigger part of the double-kingdom. I’m not sure. They definitely were hungry for conquest though. They ate up the kingdoms of Lydia, Babylon, and Egypt. Perhaps those are the 3 ribs in the bear-beast’s mouth.
So that would make the third beast the next major world power after the Medes and the Persians. Does anybody know what that was? Who conquered the world next? It was the Greeks under Alexander. And he was conquered fast! In ten years from being 22 to being 32, he conquered the whole known world of his day. Supposedly he cried because there were no more kingdoms to conquer. Maybe that’s why the leopard-beast has 4 wings? And the four heads? Maybe because his kingdom was divided up among 4 kings when he died. We’ll talk more about that next week in chapter 8 and later in chapter 11 because it becomes important there.
And what does that make the fourth beast? Well, it would make sense to say Rome. Because it will be the Roman Empire that conquers the Greek Empire and then lasts for hundreds of years. “Terrifying and frightening and very powerful.”
But this kingdom Daniel keeps saying is “different.” It’s different. And so it probably is Rome. But I think it’s more than Rome. It’s like Rome plus all the other kingdoms of the world that come after it. Or if it’s Rome, and it’s Rome again. Rome on steroids at the end of history.
There’s a real argument to be made that just like the statue of chapter 2 is all of human kingdoms in one statue, this is all of human empires in four beasts. With the fourth beast eating up all the rest and being the worst, eventually the worst kingdom there ever was.
So this little big mouth horn of verse 8? There have been so many guesses about who that is. One of the most popular is a terrible king in the Greek kingdom called Antiochus IV Epiphenes. We’re going to learn more about him in the next month or so, as well. He was completely evil and completely awful. 
And even if Antiochus isn’t the little big mouth horn, he definitely was a precursor to the little big mouth horn. A foretaste about how bad it can get. 
But there have been many other guesses.
I think what’s most likely is that this is the person that John the Elder called “The Antichrist” in 1 John.
I think that’s the same person that the Apostle Paul calls, “The Man of Lawlessness” in 2 Thessalonians 2.
And I think it’s the same person that John the Revelator simply calls, “The Beast” in the Book of Revelation. And he is either in the world now or still on the way. We don’t know.
Verse 21 says that he wages war against the saints and is defeating them. He’s persecuting followers of Jesus! Making their lives a living hell like what was planned for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in chapter 3 and for Daniel in the lions den of chapter 6.
Iron teeth and bronze claws. Crushing, devouring, trampling. He’s powerful and terrifying and imposing and formidable.
But he’s also toast!
Verse 22. “Until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.” (See also 2 Thessalonians 2:8 and Revelation 20:10.)
This dream is not about the little big mouth horn. It’s about the Ancient of Days. If you can’t see it, keep looking. Just like Daniel. Keep looking. Keep looking. Keep looking.
I know it feels sometimes like there are too many kings with too much power over us. Some Christians in this world are at the mercy of kings with no mercy. And it’s going to get worse.
But, at the same time, we have nothing to worry about. Because the Ancient of Days will destroy all of our enemies including the worst ones ever. Everything is going to be made right.
And it will be sooner than it seems. In verse 25, after it gives some more detail about the 10 horns (10 toes?), the 10 kings and the three kings that are tossed out for the one worst king, it says that “The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.”
And there are all kind of theories about that, too. It could simply mean three and half years. A year, two years, a half a year. Which could be the second half of a seven-year tribulation period, if that’s your take on it. It’s also 1260 days and 42 months which show up again in the Book of Revelation. 
And, not coincidently I think, it’s the same period of time that the Jews pushed back against Antiochus IV Epiphanes in the 2nd century BC.
But what I keep coming back to in those words is how it seems like they get cut short.
A time of persecution and trouble. Seems forever.Times (like double, two times) like it feels as though it will never end.But then just half-a-time. All of a sudden, it’s over. Like it was cut short.
I don’t know if that’s right. I’m not sure about a lot of these details. But I am sure that one day we will be able to look back and see with crystal clarity, “Oh, that’s what He meant!”
And I’m also sure about this: The Ancient of Days will destroy all of our enemies including the worst ones ever. Verse 26.
“But the court will sit [sit!], and [the last king’s] power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.'"
And then we get the kingdom! Look at verse 27.
“Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him. ‘This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself’” (vv.27-28).
I’m glad he wrote it down for later. 
I’m sure he was really disturbed this dream. I sure that Daniel wanted to hear that, after Babylon, the people of God were going to go back to the Promised Land and live there securely. Daniel didn’t want to hear that they were going to be kicked around and oppressed by at least three more terrible kingdoms.
But I’m also sure that Daniel was deeply reasurred that God has a plan for His people. And that is to give them the kingdom of all kingdoms through the King of all kings.
#3. THE ANCIENT OF DAYS WILL GIVE THE KINGDOM OF KINGDOMS TO THE KING OF KINGS.
Wait. Which is it? Verse 22 and verse 27 say that the kingdom will be handed over to “the saints, the people of the Most High.” But verse 14 told us that it was given to the “one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven.”
Which is it? It’s both, right? 
The son of man is given the kingdom because He deserves it. He comes into the presence of the Ancient of Days, and He is clearly worthy of the kingdom. He must be in His Person worthy of the kingdom. And His deeds, His accomplishments must be worthy of the kingdom. Or the Ancient of Days wouldn’t just give it to Him.
And look at verse 14. Our memory verse. After He receives the kingdom, all peoples, nations, and men of every language worshiped Him.
The cloud-rider! And that was right! The cloud-rider was worthy of that worship. The cloud-rider! is worthy of that worship! Because He died and rose again.
What was Jesus’ favorite name for Himself? He loved to call Himself, “The Son of Man.” 
And He promised us that one day the world will “see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory” (Matt. 24:30). Bringing the kingdom with Him and giving it, by grace, to us His people.
He got the kingdom from the Ancient of Days, riding up to Him on a cloud. He’s enthroned right now with Him (Psalm 110, Hebrew 1)! 
And one day, He will return, coming back on the clouds, bringing His eternal kingdom, the kingdom of kingdoms, to hand over to us! Forever and ever. Yes, forever and ever, Amen.
Keep your eyes on the Ancient of Days.

***
Messages in This Series:

01. The King's Service - Daniel 1:1-21
02. The God of Heaven - Daniel 2:1-49
Bonus Message: "No Matter What" - Daniel 3:1-30 from Family Bible Week 2012
03. The God We Serve - Daniel 3:1-30
04. The King of Heaven - Daniel 4:1-37
05. The Lord of Heaven - Daniel 5:1-31
06. The Living God - Daniel 6:1-28

“The Living God” [Matt's Messages]

“The Living God”The King of Kingdoms - The Book of DanielLanse Evangelical Free ChurchMarch 2, 2025 :: Daniel 6:1-28  Daniel chapter 6 is about the living God.
Daniel chapter 6 is about the God Who is alive. Forever alive! The God Who is real. The God Who is active. The God Who is powerful. The God Who is not dead, no, He is alive. He is the living God.
That’s what the king in this story says about Him, not once, but twice. 
Daniel chapter 6 is about the living God. And we don’t want to miss that because while it’s kind of obvious–every chapter in the Bible is about the living God–it’s also kind of easy to miss when you read an exciting familiar beloved Bible story like this one.
I mean, if I were to say, this chapter tells the story of “Daniel and the ....” how would you fill in the blank?
“The Lion’s Den,” right? And you wouldn’t be wrong. This is one of the most famous stories in the whole Bible, and with good reason! It’s a great story.
A courageous old man gets thrown into a pit of hungry hungry lions!
Were they hungry, by the way? Were the lions hungry?
But in all of the excitement of this exciting story, we cannot miss Whom this story is actually all about.
It’s not ultimately about Daniel, though he does shine in this story! Dare to be a Daniel like the Daniel of chapter 6! But Daniel would be the first to say that this story is not about him or how about how hungry the lions were.
And it’s not about the king either. Not King Nebuchadnezzar. He’s long dead. And not about King Belshazzar. He’s dead now, too. As we saw last week, the writing was on the wall for King Belshazzar, and he died that same night of his famous feast in October 539 BC when the Medes and the Persians took over the city of Babylon. 
And this story is not about King Darius the Mede either. Even though the spotlight is on him for most of the chapter. In fact, it is King Darius the Mede who tells us that this story is about the living God. Not once but twice!
This is the story of Daniel and the living God.
And it begins with a conspiracy.
[VIDEO WILL BE EMBEDDED HERE.]
Let’s look together at Daniel chapter 6, verse 1.
“It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,  with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss” (vv.1-2). Now stop there for just a second.
The King Darius of verse 1 is the same King “Darius the Mede” as verse 31 of the previous chapter. Darius was around 62 years old and had taken over the kingdom of Babylon after the death of Belshazzar.
We don’t know that much about him outside of what the Bible tells us. In fact, scholars go back and forth about who Darius might be identified as from the historical sources outside of the Bible. Different kings often had more than one name in those days, so King Darius might be another name for King Cyrus himself (the high king of the Medes and the Persians) or King Cyaxares II (according to Xenophon) or another of several other people including somebody unmentioned in historical sources outside of the Bible.
I read many many pages in the last couple of weeks of the different evidences for the different options. I count at least 6 leading scholarly opinions. If you are interested in all of that, I’d be glad to point you to some good historical research. [The best and fullest discussion I've found so far is in J. Paul Tanner's EEC commentary, pgs. 45-60).
But for our purposes, it doesn’t matter a whole lot. The Bible says he was Darius the Mede and that he was king over Babylon at this time. And that he recognized Daniel as an able administrator. 
Darius was a shrewd administrator himself. The Bible says that when he took over Babylon, he did a reorganization of the kingdom and appointed 120 “satraps” which were like governors or lieutenants to extend his rule throughout his kingdom. They kept track of things and made sure that the taxes were being paid and the people were under control. And Darius picked three administrators (some versions say “presidents”) to hold accountable those 120 satraps. Maybe 40 each? 40, 40, 40. And one of those top three administrators was Daniel.
That’s amazing all by itself! How old is Daniel? He’s at least 80. Maybe 81, 82, somewhere in there. And he’s been out of leadership for some time. Remember, Belshazzar had to be reminded of Daniel in chapter 5!
But now Daniel is in charge! Belshazzar promised that he’d be the number three guy in the kingdom, but that was only good for one night. But Darius recognizes quality when he sees it! Look at verse 3.
“Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.”
He was going to make Daniel number 2! Right under him and over all of those others. How far Daniel has come since he was taken captive and drug off to Babylon nearly 70 years ago! He’s still got it. And Darius recognizes it.
And his co-workers hate it. Look at verse 4.
“At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.”
Way to go, Daniel! Well done, you. 
Some of Daniel’s co-workers (probably not all 122 of them but the other 2 administrators and some number of the satraps) wanted Daniel to go away. They were probably jealous and probably hated that he was a Jew. This part is very similar to what we saw back in chapter 3 with Daniel’s friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Their co-workers hated them, as well, and wanted them out of the way. 
And these hated Daniel so much that they searched high and low to find some dirt on him to get some leverage on Daniel to force him out of office. But they couldn’t find a thing. Daniel was squeaky clean. He didn’t have any skeletons in his closet.
Dare to be a Daniel and faithfully work at your secular job for decade after decade and be a man or woman of integrity! Dare to be a Daniel and be completely trustworthy at work!
I pray that we, as Christians, would be the best employees at our jobs. The most trustworthy, neither (v.4) “corrupt or negligent.” Daniel did his job, and he did it right.
And Daniel was in government! He was a civil servant. Daniel shows that it is possible to be a true believer and work in the administration of a thoroughly pagan government and do it faithfully, maybe for decades on end. We need Christians to do that today. Some of you in this room may be called to serve in government on some level for some time. It’s hard to do, but Daniel shows that it is possible.
Daniel was “in” Babylon, but not of “of” Babylon. And his co-workers hated him for it.
When I was in college, I worked for a temp agency for a few weeks during spring break. And on one job they sent me to, we were supposed to dismantle an old department store. Stacking all the shelves and everything up and loading it all to be carted away. And I was just doing my job. Whatever they told me to do. And a couple of the other workers took me aside and asked me to slow down. Because I was making them look bad. I was getting too much done! But I couldn’t do that. It wasn’t that I had a lot more energy than they did. I had to do my job as unto my Lord! 
And Daniel has been doing that for nearly 70 years! We saw it in chapter 1, and he’s still doing it in chapter 6. Dare to be a Daniel and faithfully work at your job for decade after decade and be a man or woman of integrity!
I have three points today to summarize what we learn about the living God in chapter 6, and here’s number one:
#1. THE LIVING GOD IS WORTHY OF SERVING CONTINUALLY!
Daniel obviously believed that, and it showed.
He was good at his job because he was serving his God. And his enemies figured out that if they were going to get rid of him, they had to find a way to use his values against him. Look at verse 5.
“Finally these men said, ‘We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.’
So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: ‘O King Darius, live forever! The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den” (vv.5-7).
Now, that was a lie, wasn’t it? Did you spot the lie when they put it across? They said that “all” of the “administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors” have agreed to this plan.
Is that true? No. There was at least one administrator who didn’t! And his name was Daniel. This whole edict thing is actually a conspiracy against him!
So, keep in mind as you do your work in our world with integrity and faithfulness (not perfectly but faithfully), that may earn you some recognition, but it may also earn you some enemies.
But also keep in mind that the living God is worth having those kind of enemies!
Daniel’s enemies play to Darius’ vanity. Remember, being a king should be humbling, but it’s often not. It doesn’t take long being a king and everybody treating you as if you were the best thing ever to begin to think that you’re the best thing ever!
They suggest that for 30 days we have “King Darius Appreciation Month” (Thanks, Dale Ralph Davis! ☺).
And for 30 days nobody prays unless they pray through Darius.
Which is maybe the most audacious thing so far in this whole book? It isn’t just a big gold statue (which might stand for one of the gods), but to or through a man. Maybe not that he himself was a god, but that at least he was like a high priest and a mediator between the people and the gods.
And the satraps say that everybody is on board with this idea! No church for 30 days unless it’s the Church of Darius.
This is a great idea for pulling the nation together, isn’t it? “Let’s all rally behind our king! Let’s make sure that we are unified as a nation. Especially because Babylon is a conquered nation now. It’s now a part of the Kingdom of the Medes and the Persians. Let’s make sure that everybody bows before King Darius the Mede!”
And nobody else.
Or else. Did you see what the punishment would be for disobeying this 30 day law?
“Anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.” Which is a gruesome way to die.
And Daniel’s enemies win. They press for Darius to sign this decree, and he does. Verse 8.
“Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered–in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.’ So King Darius put the decree in writing.”
The double kingdom of the Medes and the Persians were famous for their laws, especially that once they made a law, it was impossible to repeal it. You couldn’t roll it back. Even if you were the king who made it. 
And they made a big deal of that. They were pretty proud of that.
And being consistent and being governed by laws is good. No man is above the law, but the best of men are men at best and men’s laws are never perfect.
And this law was far from perfect! In fact, it was conceived just to get one good man in trouble. And it worked.
Now, what would you have done when you heard about the new law about no praying for 30 days?
I think that I would be tempted to wait thirty days before praying anywhere that anyone could see me. I mean, it’s not like the statue in chapter 3, where they all had to bow. This law doesn’t say that they have to do anything!
And nobody could tell if I was praying in my heart. I couldn’t get in trouble for that. And they couldn’t tell I was praying if I was praying at home with the windows closed.
But that’s not what Daniel did. Daniel did what he always did. Look at verse 10.
“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”
Dare to be a Daniel and keep on praying even if the whole world tells you not to.
Daniel believed that the living God was worthy of serving continually. And the living God had told him to pray and pray and pray.
In fact, King Solomon had prayed that the exiles would pray in just this way. Do you remember that? Hundreds of years before this when Solomon was dedicating the temple, he prayed this in 1 Kings chapter 8:

Lord, “When [your people] sin against you–for there is no one who does not sin–and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to his own land, far away or near [sound familiar? Like, say to Babylon?]; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly'; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their conquerors to show them mercy;  for they are your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace. May your eyes be open to your servant's plea and to the plea of your people Israel, and may you listen to them whenever they cry out to you."

That’s 1 Kings 8:46-52.
Daniel had read it. I think that’s why Daniel prayed three times a day at his windows which were opened towards the destroyed city of Jerusalem and the torn-down temple of the LORD.
Daniel believed this with all of his heart. The living God was worthy of serving, worshiping, praying towards continually.
He gets down on his knees! A humble old Jewish man. I’m only 51, and it’s a lot farther down to get on my knees than it used to be. He’s 30 years older than I am or more.
But he’s doing it morning, noon, and night.And he’s doing it morning, noon, and night.And he’s doing it morning, noon, and night.
And he’s ready to die for doing it!
Are you ready to die for praying?
Often, it doesn’t that much to keep us from praying. Just about anything can disrupt our routine or take precedence over praying. It doesn’t take much to keep us from gathering for worship. There are good reasons to miss gathered worship from time to time. Don’t come if you’re delirious or contagious! Don’t come one Sunday if you’re going to go in a ditch or fall in the parking lot. But sometimes any old excuse will do.
Daniel was willing to die for praying! That’s not because he had a death wish.
It’s because He believed that the living God was worthy of serving continually.
When we get to chapter 9, we’ll see some of things that Daniel prayed. He prayed for his people in exile. He prayed for their restoration to the land. He prayed for God’s promises to be fulfilled for them. He probably also prayed for protection from this bad law. And he probably prayed for King Darius the Mede and maybe even for his enemies that wanted him dead.
Verse 10 says that he prayed prayers of thanksgiving! Can you imagine?! This is his situation, and he’s finding things to be thankful for even this day?! He’s been a captive in Babylon going on 70 years. He’s been hauled before at least 2 different kings and just about to lose his life. He’s gotten old and not gotten to go home. And he’s giving thanks.
Dare to be a Daniel and give thanks in every circumstance (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
I’d say that this probably qualifies as a miracle just as much as the one we’re going to see later in this chapter. Just an old believer who is faithfully praying, morning, noon, and night to his God and asking for help. And being willing, if he must, to die for it.
Notice, that he doesn’t draw attention to himself. He doesn’t send out a press release or post a big manifesto on social media. He just keeps on doing (v.10) as he had done before. A quiet “long obedience in the same direction.”
Which is just what his enemies wanted. Look at verse 11.
“Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. [That wasn’t hard! He was just where he always was. Doing what he always did. But they now had proof. Verse 12.] So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree [setting the trap]: ‘Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions' den?’ The king answered, ‘The decree stands–in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.’ [And they snap the trap.]
Then they said to the king, ‘Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day’” (vv.11-13).
Notice their disdain for Daniel. Just like Belshazzar last week, they can’t help but point out that “he’s a Jew that was taken captive. He’s a foreigner in exile. He shouldn’t be in charge of us!”
They mean it as an insult. But Daniel owns who he is. He’s glad that nobody is calling him “Belteshazzar” anymore. He’s found from long experience that God is faithful and worthy of serving continually. Even if it means dying for it.
And it looks like that’s what’s going to happen. Nobody can stop it! Not even the king. Verse 14.
“When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.”
Darius must have really liked Daniel. He didn't see the trap coming, and he tried to work around it. Daniel was a his best guy. He'd hate to lose his best guy! But unless he made a new decree that counteracted this one and that could cause him to lose a lot of face, then there was no earthly hope. And his enemies made of sure of it. Verse 15.
“Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, ‘Remember, O king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.’
So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, ‘May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!’
A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel's situation might not be changed” (vv.15-17).
Isn’t fascinating that the king yells out to Daniel that encouragement before they close the opening with the stone? Daniel lived his life in such a way that his king could see that he served God continually. It was obvious from the way he lived his life that Daniel believed that God was alive and real and active and worthy! And so pagan King Darius hopes out loud that Daniel’s God would rescue him! Even as he sentences him to death.
They threw him in with the lions!
The guy is more than 80 years old. He might have died from the fall. They have this pit where they keep the lions. The lions were for sport. For entertainment and for punishment. It’s a gruesome way to die being tossed in there. And it sends a powerful message to anyone who was thinking about disobeying the king. And Daniel is tossed in with them and they seal up the opening with a stone and the king seals that with his signet ring. Nobody can let Daniel out until morning.
Daniel’s enemies must have been so happy! But Darius was so unhappy. Look at verse 18.
“Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.”
You feel the tension! And you feel something else, too. You feel kind of sorry for this king, right? He’s such a picture of helplessness. That’s intentional! This is the guy that everybody was supposed to pray to and through for a whole month? Somebody so weak and manipulable? He can’t even sleep? 
This is another prophetic knock on human kings. We should not put our trust in them! They are not worthy. But at least he cared about Daniel. Verse 19.
“At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?’
Daniel answered, ‘O king, live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king.’
The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God” (vv.19-23).
He’s alive! Daniel is alive! 
And he doesn’t have any bites taken out of him. Just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn’t even have the smell of smoke on them when they came out of the fiery furnace. Daniel didn’t even have a scratch on him from the lion’s paw! Why? Because the living God sent His angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions.
Just the Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had the fourth figure in the furnace with them like a son of the gods, God sent His angel to be with Daniel that night. And the lions didn’t bite.
Wow! I guess there was a loophole in this Medo-Persian law after all. You had to throw the offender into the lion’s den, but the law didn’t say anything about him having to die in there!
But the lions were hungry. The king made sure they got fed. Verse 24.
“At the king's command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.”
Yes, the lions were hungry.
Daniel’s enemies were very sorry to have misjudged this situation. They didn’t believe that Daniel’s God was living or worthy of serving. And they paid for it with the retribution of the Medes and the Persians which showed no mercy even to their families.
And all of this impressed King Darius. Just like Nebuchadnezzar he wrote a public proclamation about the Lord. Look at verse 25.
“Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land: ‘May you prosper greatly! 
‘I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. ‘For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.’ So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian” (vv. 25-28).
You see how he calls Him, “the living God?” He did in verse 20 and again in verse 26. He sees that God lives! He’s not just a god of wood or stone or iron. He’s alive. And He’s alive forever. And He rules forever. That’s point #2 this morning.
#2. THE LIVING GOD RULES FOREVER!
Look again at verse 26.
“...[H]e endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end.”
Does that sound familiar? That’s like the whole point of this whole book of Daniel. The Lord is the King of Kingdoms. He is sovereign over everything. He’s sovereign over the mouths of hungry lions. He’s sovereign over who is charge of things today. And who in charge of things tomorrow. He’s in charge of who lives and who dies. And who rules. Because He rules, and He rules forever.
“His kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end.”
I don’t know about you, but I need to hear that and hear it again. Our world is so tumultuous. And we are so small and frail. There are so many “kings” and “things” that tyrannize us. We have so little control.
But we belong to the King of Kingdoms.
And He’s with us! He didn’t leave Daniel alone in the lion’s den. He sent His angel so that Daniel knew that He was not alone (6:22).
We belong to the King of Kingdoms.
Worthy of trusting.Worthy of obeying.Worthy of serving.Worthy of dying for.Worthy of living for!
Because He lives and rules forever more.
And more than that. He saves forevermore.
Number three and last.
#3. THE LIVING GOD RESCUES AND SAVES!
Darius could see it! Darius wondered if God could do it in verse 16 and verse 20. And then he knew that God could do it and proclaimed that God did it in verse 27.
“He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
We know that God doesn’t always rescue and save His people from persecution and death. God could have kept Daniel from being discovered praying in the first place, and He didn’t. There may have been others who disobeyed this law and died for it. We don’t know. Probably nobody was paying attention to anyone else. This law was tailor-made to catch Daniel.
Regardless, many Christians were killed by lions and other ferocious beasts in Roman arenas in the first few centuries after King Jesus’s ministry. And there are Christians persecuted and dying for being Christians all over the world today. God has not promised to keep each one us from all earthly harm.
God did not spare His own Son. But instead He gave Him up for us all to...rescue and save us.
From a fate far worse than physical death. Eternal death.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (Jn. 3:16).
“He rescues, and He saves.”
I never noticed until this week the parallels between this story and Jesus’ story. Jesus was buried behind a stone that was sealed. He was delivered over to the domain of the dead. 
And then Mary going to the tomb early on Sunday morning. And Darius hurrying to the den early the next day.
And then Daniel coming out of the pit of death alive and unharmed. And Jesus coming out of the tomb alive once again! 
“He rescues, and He saves.”
Daniel’s rescue is also a picture of our rescue. Rescued from sin and saved forevermore.
Because of the living God.

***

Messages in This Series:

01. The King's Service - Daniel 1:1-21
02. The God of Heaven - Daniel 2:1-49
Bonus Message: "No Matter What" - Daniel 3:1-30 from Family Bible Week 2012
03. The God We Serve - Daniel 3:1-30
04. The King of Heaven - Daniel 4:1-3705. The Lord of Heaven - Daniel 5:1-31

“The Lord of Heaven” [Matt's Messages]

“The Lord of Heaven”The King of Kingdoms - The Book of DanielLanse Evangelical Free ChurchFebruary 23, 2025 :: Daniel 5:1-31  
Daniel chapter 5 is about the Lord of Heaven.
I hope that I’m beginning to sound a bit like a broken record. Because each Sunday as we’ve delved into the Book of Daniel, I’ve been starting each message in the Aramaic section of the book by saying something like:
“Daniel chapter 2 is about about the God of Heaven.""Daniel chapter 3 is about the God we serve.""Daniel chapter 4 is about the King of Heaven.”
And that’s kind of obvious–the Book of Daniel is about God–but it’s also something that can be easily missed in these wild and wonderful stories!
Daniel chapter 5 is not primarily about Daniel. Though he does show up in this chapter. An old man, forgotten by many, but still faithful and providing us with a brilliant example. Dare to be a Daniel! But this chapter is not primarily about him.
And Daniel chapter 5 is not about Daniel’s friends. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah have probably all died by chapter 5. They escaped the flames of the fiery furnace in chapter 3, but they still died of at least natural causes at some point later. This chapter is not about them.
And Daniel chapter 5 is not about King Nebuchadnezzar. He is mentioned in this chapter. Daniel recounts the story we studied last Sunday from chapter 4 when Nebuchadnezzar was humbled before the King of Heaven and then restored by the King of Heaven. Nebuchadnezzar’s disturbing tree dream came true, and he learned that humility is sanity. Pride is insanity, and humility is sanity.
But this chapter is not about King Nebuchadnezzar. In this chapter, King Nebuchadnezzar is dead. He’s been dead now for a couple of decades!
As powerful as Nebuchadnezzar was and as long as he reigned (more than 40 years) he still died, and his kingdom has changed hands. In fact, it’s changed hands like 3 times since the last chapter. And it’s now in the hands of a man named “Belshazzar” in this chapter.
And Belshazzar thinks that this story is all about him.
Church, is this story all about King Belshazzar?
No. This story is all about the Most High God whom Daniel calls in verse  23, “The Lord of Heaven,” which is, interestingly, the only time that particular title is given to God in the whole Bible. 
A few places, He’s called, “The Lord of Heaven and Earth,” but this is the only one that’s just “The Lord of Heaven.” And we would do well to remember it. This story (and the story we are all living in) is all about the Lord of Heaven. Let’s see what we learn about Him as we study it together.
Daniel chapter 5 tells the story of a great party that was a complete disaster. Listen to verse 1.
“King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.”
Wow! That’s a big party!
One thousand guests at the party. Every single one of them being fed by the king and provided with wine from the king. That’s like six times as many people are in this room right here. Can you imagine?!
Some archeological excavations of Babylon have uncovered massive halls where feasts like this could have been held. And King Belshazzar is living it up with 1,000 of his closest friends.
Now, we don’t know that much about King Belshazzar from historical sources outside of the Bible. In fact, for many years, we didn’t know anything about him from outside of this chapter! But a little bit over a century ago, there were some major historical discoveries that verified his identity and confirmed the Bible’s reliability.
One thing that was confusing to many was that historical records show that the official High King of Babylon at this time was a man named “Nabonidus.” And King Nabonidus had probably been married “Nitocris” the daughter of King Nebuchadnezzar. So he would be his son-in-law.
But historical records also tell us that King Nabonidus was not living in Babylon at this time. He was still the High King of Babylon, but for a bunch of reasons Nabonidus was living in what we call “Saudia Arabia” at the time, and he had left his son in charge of Babylon itself.
Guess what his son’s name turned out to be? Belshazzar! So King Belshazzar is like the number two king in the Babylonian kingdom, but he is reigning in and over the city of Babylon itself. And he’s throwing a massive party.
But, before you get too impressed, you need to know something else.
You need to know that Babylon is under siege. They have ruled the world for decades, but there is another kingdom on the ascendancy. It’s a double-kingdom with two major peoples in it that have teamed up to take over the world. Does anybody know what that kingdom is? It’s the kingdom of the Medes and the Persians.
And their high king is named Cyrus. And Cyrus has been chipping away at the kingdom of Babylon for a few years now, and he’s now sent an army to attack the city of Babylon.
The date of this party is October 12, 539 BC. Isn’t that amazing that we know the actual date of the feast?
Now, why was King Belshazzar throwing a party when the Medes and the Persians were outside the city walls? We don’t know, but we can make some guesses.
One guess is that Belshazzar just liked to party. And nothing was going to stop him. He might have felt pretty safe behind the walls of Babylon. Remember last week, we learned how big and thick they were? Maybe he thought his city was impregnable.
And maybe this was a pep rally! Maybe they were living it up tonight because tomorrow they were planning to run out there and bust some heads.
Or maybe Belshazzar was having this party because he was secretly scared. He was trying to put a good face on it in front of his guests. Whistling through the graveyard. Getting drunk because he’s on edge.
We don’t know.  What we do know is that he thought that everything was all about him, and he decided to dishonor the Lord of heaven.
Look at this shocking thing he does at this party in verse 2.
“Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone “vv.2-4).
Do you see how shocking this is? How arrogant and blasphemous and aggressive and transgressive this is?
Do you remember these gold and silver vessels from chapter 1?
I know it’s been over a month since we were in chapter 1. Do you remember what happened? Remember that God of Judah gave the King of Judah to the King of Babylon. The reason why Nebuchadnezzar could defeat Jehoiakim of Judah was because the LORD allowed him to. And the LORD also allowed Nebuchadnezzar to cart off Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah to Babylon in 605 BC. And at that time, He also allowed him to take these supposed-to-be-holy golden and silver vessels that belonged in the temple of the LORD to the temple of Marduk. And that’s bad enough.
But 66 years later, Belshazzar says, “Hey! I know what we should do. We should raid the temple of Marduk (“Bel” for whom I’m named) and bring in the gold and silver cups that belonged to Yahweh and drink from them ourselves! Not the priests. Us!”
“What do you say, guys?”
“Bring Yahweh’s cups!”“Bring Yahweh’s cups!”“Bring Yahweh’s cups!”
And as they are downing their drinks, they are praising (v.4), “the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.”
“The gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.”“The gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.”“The gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.”
Those gods aren’t even real! They are lifeless and empty and powerless. This is insanity! This is idolatry, and it is insanity. And the LORD will not have it. Look at verse 5.
“Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. Then the king's color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together” (vv.5-6).
How scary!How spooky!How funny!How strange!
You and I are supposed to be amazed at this. This is not normal. As far as I know, this is the only time God has ever done this. 
He sends a hand! Not a whole a body. Just a hand. This isn’t a dream, this time. Everybody there can see the hand, especially the king. And everybody there can see the writing on the wall.
Some archeological excavations of Babylon have even found plaster walls like this one described here. None with this message on it! But plaster walls nonetheless.
This hand appears and writes on the wall, and it scares the living daylights out of the king!
Yes, you’re supposed to laugh. 
“The king's color changed.” Did he turn blue? Did he turn all white?“...and his thoughts alarmed him...” I’ll bet they did! “...his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.”
I’m not sure exactly what that means in the Aramaic. It might mean that he couldn’t stand. He was shaking so much. It might actually mean that he lost control of his bodily functions.
This king is frightened. And rightly so.
And he starts shouting. Calling for help. He calls in the current top team of magi. Verse 7.
“The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, ‘Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.’”
Notice that he says “the third ruler?” That’s probably because he was actually the number two ruler under Nabonidus. So “third ruler” is the best he could offer. Belshazzar is willing to give up just about everything to find out what the writing on the wall means. He’ll give them the royal treatment. Purple and gold and king number three in Babylon. “Just tell me what it means!”
And what do you think the wisemen can tell him about the writing on the wall? What have we come to expect from the wisdom of the world? Not very much, I’m afraid. Verse 8.
“Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed” (vv.8-9). Kind of put a damper on this party.
And then in walks the queen. Verse 10.
“The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, ‘O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father–your father the king–made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation’ (vv.10-12).
We don’t know which queen this is. Daniel doesn’t name her. It’s probably not Belshazzar’s wife. Not any of Belshazzar’s wives. Verse 3 says that he had many, but they were all there drinking with him from Yahweh’s cups. This queen came in after the writing was on the wall.
Could be his mother. This word “queen” can also mean “queen mother.” Just like the word “father” can mean grandfather or “predecessor.” And it could be his grand-mother. This might have been a wife of King Nebuchadnezzar. She might remember Daniel. She remembers Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams. The dreams of chapter 2 and chapter 4.
Remember the dream in chapter 2 of that statue with several different metals to it? What metal was the head? Gold. What metal was the chest and arms? Silver. What metal was the belly and thighs? Bronze? What metal was the legs? Iron. And the feet were iron and clay.
Each level was less valuable but maybe more dangerous. And none of the levels were forever. One day the whole statue was going to be knocked down by a rock thrown from God which blasts the statue to dust, and then the rock would grow and grow and grow into a mountain that fills the earth. 
And each metal level was a successive kingdom. What kingdom was the head of gold? It was Nebuchadnezzar and the kingdom of Babylon. And this queen remembers it all.
Nobody would know what that dream meant if it wasn’t for Daniel.
So the queen says, “Get Daniel in here if you know what’s good for you. Only he can help you.” So the king calls for Daniel. Verse 13.
“Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, ‘You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.
Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom’ (vv.13-17).
I don’t think that Belshazzar was happy to see Daniel. Notice how he talks down to him? He doesn’t call him “Belteshazzar” maybe because it’s too close to his own name, but maybe because he wants to emphasize Daniel’s Jewishness. And his kingly power over Daniel.
“You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah. One of my servants. One of the hostages that my granddaddy Nebuchadnezzar brought from Judah. (I’m better than you. I rule over you.) Just a few minutes ago, I was drinking from one of the golden cups from your old temple. Are we clear on who is who here? Well, I have little problem. It’s got me a little worried. And I hear that maybe you can help. And even though you are just a little old Jewish man that we’ve all forgotten, if you can help me, I will make you the third most powerful man in the whole kingdom of Babylon. Would you like that?”
And there stands Daniel. How old is Daniel in 539 BC? He was stolen from Judah in 605. He’s been living in Babylon now for 66 years. He’s what, 80 years old? 81?
And he’s been forgotten, but he has not forgotten His God!
Dare to be a Daniel and be faithful for 66 years in Babylon!
Dare to be a Daniel and take insult and disrespect for 66 years and stay faithful to your God no matter what.
Dare to be a Daniel and speak the truth to power.
Dare to be a Daniel and remember that your story is not about you, but about the Lord of Heaven!
Listen to what Daniel says in verse 17.
“Then Daniel answered and said before the king, ‘Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation.”
Daniel is no-nonsense here. He’s not in it for the money. And he’s not as courteous as he was when he was a young man before Nebuchadnezzar. As prideful and dangerous as Nebuchadnezzar was, he wasn’t as foolish and arrogant this Belshazzar has been. And Belshazzar should have learned from the lessons of his grandfather. Daniel gives it to him straight. Verse 18.
“O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. [There’s that word “gave” we heard last week.] And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. [He was the king of kings in his day.] But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him.
[This is the story that Nebuchadnezzar told us last week in chapter 4.]
He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will” (vv.18-21).
I have three points this morning of things we learn about the Lord of Heaven in this chapter, and here is number one. And it’s the whole point of the whole book:
#1. THE LORD OF HEAVEN RULES US.
He rules us. 
That’s what Nebuchadnezzar had to learn the hard way last week. Right?  #HeavenRules 
God is God, and we are not. Even if you are the most powerful person in the world, that power comes from God. And it can and will be taken away by God. Our God rules. He is the King of Kingdoms.
And we all agree with that, but we all lose sight of it. And we all start to think of ourselves as something much more. And we begin to value other things above Him, too.
We begin to worship other “gods.” The Babylonians worshiped “the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone” (v.4). And we worship the gods of sex, money, popularity, nation, sports, and family. And we let them rule us.
Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard way that it’s the Lord of Heaven that rules.
His is the kingdom that is the rock cut out “not with human hands,” and His is the kingdom that will grow to fill the earth. He is King Forevermore! 
And you and I can take great comfort in that. The original Jewish readers of the Book of Daniel were so comforted by this book. Because the enemies of God were all losers. No matter how powerful they seemed, God kept showing how weak they really were. Even by writing these words on the wall. 
The Lord of Heaven rules us. He is in charge. He is sovereign. He is in control. His throne does not budge (Psalm 93). I don’t know about you, but I need to hear that every single day. Because when I lose sight of that, I live in fear and worry and anxiety. And at the very same time my head gets too big. And I forget why I’m here and Who’s story I’m living in.
And that’s what Belshazzar had done. That’s what Daniel tells him in verse 22.
“And you his son [Nebuchadnezzar’s successor], Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored” (vv.22-23). I don’t know what are the most haunting words in this chapter, but I think that verse 22 is in the running with the words, “though you knew all this...”
Belshazzar knew better. He should have read Daniel chapter 4.  He should have memorized Nebuchadnezzar’s testimony in Daniel chapter 4. He was aware. He was warned. He should know this story. He should have been the most humble man on the planet. Belshazzar had no excuse. He foolishly disregarded the truth. But he ignored it all and did not humble his heart. Instead, he (v.23, also haunting words), “lifted up [himself] against the Lord of heaven.”
God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
You know what Belshazzar did? He “counted Yahweh out.” He just decided that the Lord didn’t matter. He wasn’t worth honoring. [I can’t remember which of the excellent commentaries gave me that “counted out” idea and phrase.]
That’s a scary (but easy) thing to do. And it’s so insane! Because the Lord rules everything, and holds everything in His hand!
That’s point number two.
#2. THE LORD OF HEAVEN HOLDS US.
Do you see that language in verse 23?
“And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.”
Your breath right now? It’s in the Lord’s hands. He holds your breath.  The very hand maybe that wrote those words on the wall? Holds your breath. If He lets it go, there goes your breath. Our lives are in His hands. 
How do we forget that? We know this! He holds us. And because we know this, we should humble ourselves and honor Him.
Did you do a little “kingdom inventory” like we talked about last week? Think up all the little domains that you have some authority in? Some of us have very little and some of us have (for a time) quite a lot.
Did you do a “kingdom audit” where you thought about your little kingdoms and how you are ruling them? If you are being kind and caring for the people in your domain?
Are you serving them or using them?Are you living in pride or in humility?And are you honoring the Lord above all?Because our very breath is in His hands.
And we will have to give an account for everything we did with everything He’s given us. Including every breath.
That’s our last point. Point number three.
#3. THE LORD OF HEAVEN WEIGHS US.
Belshazzar has mocked God, and God will not be mocked. So Daniel says (v.24), “Then from his presence [from the presence of the God you have not honored...] the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed.  And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN.”
This is what it looks like in Aramaic.
You can see how this would be difficult for anyone to understand that doesn’t have an inside track with the Lord.
But Daniel does know what it means.
The hand wrote four words. The first two are the same word repeated, probably for emphasis.
MENE, MENE. With one set of vowels, that spells the Aramaic word for “mina” a heavy weight which is worth a good bit of money.
TEKEL, with one set of vowels spells the Aramaic word for “shekel,” another weight which is less than a mina.
And then PARSIN with one set of vowels spells the Aramaic word for “half” or “half shekel,” an even smaller weight worth the least of these.
They are all weight words. There might not have been any vowels up on the wall. 
But Daniel, with his prophetic gift, says that these words should be considered verbs. With a another set of vowels, they all sound like Aramaic words that are verbs.
MENE looks and sound like the Aramaic verb for “Numbered” or “Counted.”
“Numbered, Numbered!”
TEKEL looks and sounds like the Aramaic verb for “Weighed.”
“Numbered, Weighed.”
And PARSIN looks and sounds like the Aramaic verb for “Divided.”
And if your version has an U before “Parsin,” that’s just the word for “and” tacked on it. 
So “Numbered, Numbered, Weighed, and Divided.”
“Numbered, Numbered, Weighed, and Divided.”
That’s what Daniel sees on the wall. And that’s what he explains to the king. Verse 26.
“This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.’”
What a moment that must have been!
This was not a warning. This was not like Nebuchadnezzar’s tree dream. This was simply a judgment. And it was given to Belshazzar in public so that the people of God could see that God was bringing the judgment.
What was going to happen was not random chance or even “fate.” It was God’s judgment and the fulfillment of God’s Word.
“Hey, King! MENE MENE.
You counted me out? I’ve counted you out.
‘God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end.’
Hey, King! ‘TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting.’
I’ve put you up on a balances, and you don’t have enough weight. You devalued me when you got out my gold cups and drank from them while praising your gods. I now devalue you.
Hey, King! ‘PERES.’ That’s the singular of ‘PARSIN’ so it’s double meaning. It not only means ‘divided,’ but it sounds like the word for ‘Persian.’
Belshazzar, ‘your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.’ It’s broken in two and given to the double-kingdom.”
The silver kingdom, right? From the statue dream in chapter 2? The prophecy of chapter 2 is starting to be fulfilled in chapter 5! The head of gold is no more.
This party is over.
And that’s exactly what happened. Not one day, but that day. Belshazzar was the last king of Babylon. And this was the last day of the kingdom of Babylon. Look at verse 29.
“Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old” )vv.29-31(.
Boom. No wonder Daniel didn’t care about the king’s royal robe and chain! He only got to wear it one night. That very night, October 12, 539 BC, the forces of the Medes and the Persians re-directed the waters of the Euphrates that flowed into the the city and they came in through the water gates (according to Herodotus).
And there was no real battle! There was no real resistance. Maybe everybody was too drunk. And they killed Belshazzar. His days were numbered, and his number was up.
What do we learn from this?
We learn that the Lord of Heaven weighs us. There is a judgment coming. And we need to live our lives now accordingly. We need to humble ourselves and honor the Lord of heaven not raise ourselves up against Him. We need to learn from the stories of others like King Nebuchadnezzar. “If we will not humble ourselves, the Lord will do it for us.” Humility is sanity. We need resist the allure and idiocy of idolatry.  We need to live our lives now as ones who will give an account to the Lord of Heaven. Because He weighs us.
And that should put a healthy fear in us. We should not just do whatever we feel like, but instead live to please our Lord.
But let me give you some good news in case that really scares you:
King Jesus was also weighed in the balances, and was NOT found wanting. King Jesus not only humbled Himself like we talked about last week, but He was judged by the Lord of Heaven as worthy of being brought back from the dead. He took on Himself all of our failures. All of our sins and errors. All the of the times when we have lifted ourselves up. And or all who repent and put their faith in Him, we get His perfect track record.
Belshazzar would never do that. He was too proud and full of himself to repent. But you and I can repent right now and be found in Christ.
The writing was on the wall for Jesus because He took on our sin, but that was not the end. Three days later, King Jesus came walking out of the tomb!
And “He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed” )Dan. 7:14(.
He is the King of Kingdoms and the Lord of Heaven.
And this story is all about Him.

***
Messages in This Series:

01. The King's Service - Daniel 1:1-21
02. The God of Heaven - Daniel 2:1-49
Bonus Message: "No Matter What" - Daniel 3:1-30 from Family Bible Week 2012
03. The God We Serve - Daniel 3:1-30
04. The King of Heaven - Daniel 4:1-37