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“FourGreatBeastsAndTheThroneRoomOfGod”

Daniel7:1-28MessagebyMichaelJ.Barnard February28,2016TeachingAim:ToexaminetheparticularsofDaniel’sfrighteningdreamandseehowitrelatestoKingNebuchadnezzar’sdreamsinDanielchapter2.Toexploretheheavenlysceneinvolving“theAncientofDays”and“theSonofMan”justpriortotheendtimejudgment.TorealizetheKingdomofGodwillbedifferentfromanyotherkingdomthathaseverexisted.ItwillbeestablishedontherighteousnessofChrist(notthewickednessofman)andwillbeeternal!

DIGGINGDEEPERINTOGOD’SWORD(BIBLESTUDY)PartI:Daniel’sterrifyingdream(Dan.7:1-8)

1.TheBookofDanielisnotwritteninchronologicalorder.Asweenterchapter7,wedoaflashbackintime.Daniel7fitschronologicallybetweenDanielchapters4and5.Accordingtoverse1,howdoweknowthattheyearwas553B.C.?HowdidGodgiveDanielthisspecialrevelation?

2.Whatwas“thewind”doingaccordingtoverse2?Whathappenstotheseawhenthewindblows?Whatdoes“thesea”oftensymbolizeinScripture?(SeeCommentaries)Whatfrighteningsightcameoutofthisturmoil(vs.3)?Whatmonstersarecomingoutoftheturmoilinsomepartsoftheworldtoday?

3.Whatwastheappearanceofthefirstbeastlike(vs.4)?Whichmajorworldempiredidthebeastrepresent?Whatdoesthisimageteachusaboutthisempire?InlightofDaniel4:23-25,whatwasthesignificanceofthewingsbeingpluckedoffthelion?Whatwastheimportanceof“theman’sheart”beinggiventothebeastanditstandingontwofeet?(SeeDan.4:34-36)

4.Whatdoesthesecondbeastlooklikeasitcomesoutofthesea(vs.5)?Whichworldempiredidthiscreaturerepresent?Whatwasthesignificanceofthebeastbeingraisedhigherononeside?Whatwerethethreeribsinitsmouthsymbolicof?(SeeCommentaries)

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5.Whatdoesthethirdcreaturelooklike?Whatmakesthiscreaturesofrightening(vs.6)?Whatcanwelearnaboutthisempirefromthefrighteningimagerywesee?Whowastheleaderofthisempireandwhatwassoremarkableabouthis?Whatdothewingssymbolize?Whatisthesignificanceofthefourheads?

6.Whatmadethisfourthcreaturesounusualandfrightening(vs.7)?ThepreviousthreebeastswerecommonpredatorsinDaniel’sdaythathadanunusualtwisttothem.Howviciousisthiscreature?Whatdothetenhornsrepresent?(SeeCommentaries)Whatperiodofhistoryisbeingreferredtoinverse7?

7.WhatdidDanielseeappearingashethoughtaboutthemeaningofthetenhorns(vs.8)?HornsoftenrepresentkinglyauthorityinScripture.Whatdoes“thelittlehorn”dotothreeofthetenhorns?Whatdoesthissymbolize?Whois“thelittlehorn”inthisprophecy?

PartII:Daniel’svisionofthethroneroomofGodinheaven(Dan.7:9-14)1.WhereisDanielsuddenlytakentoinhisdream(vs.9)?WhomdidDanielseeseatedonthe

heavenlythrone?Note:“TheAncientofDays”[GodtheFather]andisdifferentthan“theSonofMan”.WhodoestheSonofManrepresent?GodisSpiritandwecan’tseeHimphysically.Whatcanwelearnabout“GodtheFather”fromthesymbolismdescribedinverse9?

2.Whodothe“thousandthousands”and“tenthousandtimestenthousand”representinverse10?Whatcanwelearnaboutthetimingofthiseventfromverse10b?

3.Whoisspeaking“pompouswords”onearth?Whatare“pompouswords”?Whatwillhappentothisfourthbeastaccordingtoverse11?(SeeRev.19:19-20)WillanyofthebeastssurvivetocontinueonwhenChristreturnsasKingofkingsandLORDofLords(vs.12)?Previousworldempireshaveestablishedthemselvesthroughwickedness.OnwhatbasiswilltheKingdomofGodbeestablished?

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4.WhatincrediblescenedidDanielwitnessinheaven(vs.13)?WhoistheHeavenlyBeingdescribedasbeinglike“theSonofMan”?WhydoyouthinkJesususedthistitleforHimselfsomanytimes?WhatisthesignificanceofHimcomingwiththeclouds?Accordingtoverse14,whatdid“theAncientofDays”giveto“theSonofMan”?WhenwillthisKingdombeseeninitsfullness?

PartIII:Theangel’sinterpretationofDaniel’sdream(Dan.7:15-28)1.WhatwasDaniel’sresponsetohisdreamaccordingtoverse15?Why?WhodoesDanielgotoforhelpinverse16?WhatdoesthisangeldoforDaniel?

2.Accordingtoverse17,whatdothefourgreatbeastsrepresent?Wheredotheycomefrom?Isthereanysignificancetobeing“earthy”?Whatisthemeaningoftheword“saints”?(SeeDictionary)Whatarethesaints[thosesetapartforGod]promised(vs.18)?

3.TheangelhasrevealedtoDanielthattheKingdomofGodwillultimatelyprevail,butwhatwasstillbotheringhimaccordingtoverse19?Whatmadethiscreaturesoterrifying?WhattroubledDanielabouttheotherhornthathadappeared(vs.20)?Doyou,likeDaniel,everwonderwhythereissomuchevilanddestructionintheworld?Areyoutroubledbywhatyouseehappeningintoday’sworld?

4.WhatcanwelearnabouttheAntichristfromverse21?(See2Thess.2:1-5;Rev.13:7-8)Accordingtoverse22andRev.19:19-20,whatwillfinallyendtheseven-yearreignofterrorledbytheAntichrist?

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5.Whatcanwelearnaboutthefourthbeastfromtheangel’sinterpretationinverse23?Whodothetenhornsrepresent(vs.24)?Howmanyhornstotalareonthisbeast?Whatdid“thelittlehorn”dotothreeofthetenhorns?WhatfrighteningwaydoyouthinktheAntichristwilldothis?

6.WhatcanwelearnabouttheAntichristfromverse25?(SeeRev.11:2-3;12:14;13:5)Whichpartof“theGreatTribulation”isbeingreferringtohere?

7.AspowerfulastheAntichristseemstotheworld,whatwillhappenwhenthecourtofGodisseatedinheaven(vs.26)?Accordingtoverse27,whatmakestheKingdomofGoddifferentfromanyotherkingdominhistory?ManyChristianspraytheLord’sPrayer,perhapsyouhave.Whatpetitiondowefindinthatprayerthatrelatestoverse27?Whyshouldwestillpraythisprayertoday?(SeeMatt.6:9-13;Rev.22:20)

8.WhatwasDaniel’sresponsetothedreamandit’sinterpretation(vs.28)?HowdidthisdreamaffectDanielphysically?Haveyoueverhadadreambotheryousomuchthatyoufeltsick?

9.WhatmadethisdreamofDaniel’sespeciallyterrifying?Whyshouldthedetailsabouttheendtimesstillterrifyustoday?Whatgoodnewscameoutofthisdream?WhyshouldthisdreambeanencouragementforeveryChristiantoevangelize?WhenwasthelasttimeyousharedthegoodnewsofJesusChristwithsomeone?

10.HaveyoureceivedJesusChristasSaviorandLord?Ifnotwhynotconfessyoursinsanddosoinprayerrightnow?

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MINER’SCORNER~Mannatoliveby!·GodoftenspoketoDanielindreamsatnight.·Whereearthlykingdomshavebeenestablishedonwickedness—thekingdomofGodwillbe

establishedontherighteousnessofJesusChrist!·EvilnationswillhavetoanswertoGod,Godwillnotremainsilentforever!·TheAntichristwillbeonthescenesforonlyashortperiodoftime—averyviolentsevenyears.·Thekingdomsofmanareonlytemporary;theKingdomofGodwilllastforever!·Becauseofthistruth,everytruebelieverinChristcanlivewithhope—nomatterhowbadthe

circumstanceswearefacingseemtobe!