I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened (Daniel 7:9-10).
This scene is in Heaven, a court room where "The Ancient of Days" is presiding over the judgment of Kings on the earth who have been beastlike in their character. They are going to be judged and their power taken from them. The thrones "cast down" can be translated: "put in place." This scene corresponds to Revelation 4 & 5. The God of Heaven is about to judge the anti-Christ who spoke such great and swelling words against the Almighty God. This takes place at the close of the Great Tribulation period. The anti-Christ cannot prosper forever. God is going to wrest power from the anti-Christ and transfer it to the rightful owner: the Lord Jesus Christ.
Daniel tends to open up subjects in seed form and then they will be expanded. For example, Nebuchadnezzar's dream in chapter 2 of the great image is expanded in chapter 7 in Daniel's dream of the four beasts. The Book of the Revelation will add more detail
"The Ancient of Days" is a name for the eternal God and is used three times in this chapter (7:9, 13, 22). He has been viewing the activities of demons and wicked men on the earth from His throne in Heaven. The judgment will be a just judgment and not flawed. His white garment suggests His purity and righteousness and suggests that the Judge of all the earth will do right (Genesis 18:25).
The Ancient of Days is associated with a fiery stream coming forth. For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God (Deuteronomy 4:24).
For our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).
When Jesus comes back to judge the earth it will be in flaming fire. And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, (8) In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (2Thessalonians 1:7-8):
The angels who execute the judgments of God are called: Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: (Psalm 104:4)
The Lord rained fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah: Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven (Genesis 19:24);
Moses wrote about Nadab and Abihu who offered strange fire unto the Lord: And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Leviticus 10:2)
Isaiah 66:15-16 picks up the same fiery theme. Many other passages bring out the fire of God's judgment. We should be careful how we shut up God in a box and think He thinks and acts like we do.
This is a courtroom scene and the God of Heaven, the Ancient of Days is about to conduct judgment upon these wicked kings, particularly the anti-Christ. Daniel repeatedly said: "I beheld." "I continue to look intently." The implication is that he couldn't believe his eyes. We'll come back to this tomorrow.
A practical lesson for us in this scene is that we too shall be judged by this same Ancient of Days and in particular by His Son, into whose hand He has committed all judgment. We will not be judged to see if we go to Heaven. We stand at the foot of the cross where the Son of God was judged in our place and we stand in Him complete, as though we had never sinned. That's called "justification." We are now in the process of learning to live the Christian life and to become more like Him. That is called "sanctification."
Nevertheless, we who are Christ's shall also pass through the Judgment Seat of Christ (2Corinthians 5:10) to be judged for our works, to see if they endure the fiery test. Our works will be judged as it relates to our receiving or losing rewards. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad (2Corinthians 5:10).
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
(12) Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
(13) Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire (1Corinthians 3:11-15).
Memory Verses for this week:
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. (31) And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. (32) He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: (33) And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end (Luke 1:30-33).
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