Scripture Reading: Dan. 2:19a; 4:17, 34-35; 7:1-27; Ezek. 1:26b
Ⅰ
"The mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision"—Dan. 2:19a:
A
Daniel's faithfulness and victory gave him the position and the right angle to receive visions from God—7:1; 8:15.
B
Daniel's heart was one with God and was set absolutely on the destiny of God's people—9:2.
C
Daniel saw through the worldly glory and majesty related to human government—5:17.
Ⅱ
"To the intent that the living may know that the Most High is the Ruler over the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He wills and sets up over it the lowliest of men"—4:17:
A
We need to see a vision of the throne of God as the center of God's administration—Rev. 4:2; 5:1; Ezek. 1:26b.
B
God on the throne is behind the scene ruling over everyone and everything— Isa. 6:1; 1 Kings 22:19.
C
The book of Daniel shows that all the kings and kingdoms of the world are under God's administration—7:9-12; 2:34-35:
１
All human government from Nimrod to Antichrist has been and will continue to be under the ruling of the heavens by the God of the heavens— 7:8, 24-26.
２
God will rule over the world, produce a situation for Israel to be His elect, gain the church to be His mysterious people, and have all nations to be the peoples of the eternal kingdom of God—2:34-35, 45.
Ⅲ
"I was watching in my vision by night, and there were the four winds of heaven, stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other"—7:2-3:
A
In this vision the heads of human government on the earth and the governments themselves are signified by beasts; in the eyes of God, every human government is a beast.
B
These four beasts are dreadful and terrible, doing whatever they desire as if there were no God in the universe.
Ⅳ
"There were eyes like the eyes of a man in this horn and a mouth speaking great things"—v. 8b:
A
This signifies that Antichrist will have sharp insight to perceive things and a mouth to speak great things against God—Rev. 13:5a, 6.
B
For the executing of Satan's evil strategy against God, Antichrist will receive from the devil "the kingdoms of the world and their glory"—Matt. 4:8; Luke 4:6.
Ⅴ
"I watched / Until thrones were set, / And the Ancient of Days sat down. / His clothing was like white snow, / And the hair of His head was like pure wool; / His throne was flames of fire, / Its wheels, burning fire. / A stream of fire issued forth / And came out from before Him. / Thousands of thousands ministered to Him, / And ten thousands of ten thousands stood before Him. / The court of judgment sat, / And the books were opened"— Dan. 7:9-10:
A
This is a vision of God and His universal dominion, with the fire signifying that God is absolutely righteous and holy—Heb. 12:29.
B
A special court, with God's throne as the center, has been set up in the universe to judge the four human empires.
Ⅵ
"There with the clouds of heaven / One like a Son of Man was coming; / And He came to the Ancient of Days, / And they brought Him near before Him. / And to Him was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom, / That all the peoples, nations, and languages might serve Him. / His dominion is an eternal dominion, which will not pass away; / And His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed"—Dan. 7:13-14:
A
In order to deal with the evil human government, Christ as the Son of Man must receive the kingdom—Luke 19:11-12.
B
According to Daniel's vision, Christ accomplished redemption and immediately came to God in ascension to receive the kingdom.
C
Christ is now preparing everything for His coming back to exercise His dominion over the whole earth—Matt. 16:16-19, 27-28.
D
The upcoming appearing of Christ will end the age of man's government on earth of the old creation, and it will initiate the age of God's dominion over the entire earth in the millennium and in the new heaven and new earth—Rev. 12:10.
Ⅶ
"Upon the likeness of the throne was One in appearance like a man, above it"—Ezek. 1:26b:
A
The One on the throne is Jesus Christ, the God-man—the complete God and the perfect man, the mingling of God and man—Luke 1:35.
B
Having the nature of man, Christ lived, died, resurrected, and ascended as a man, and now as the One on the throne, He is still the Son of Man—Acts 7:56.
C
Since the ascension of the Lord Jesus, there has been a man on the throne.