◄ What Does Daniel 7:13 Mean? ►

With the completion of the canon of Scripture, God does not need to use dreams and visions to inform us of what is to take place in the future. However, Daniel was one of a handful of biblical characters to whom the Lord did communicate His intentions in dreams - and the dreams of Daniel, together with the vision of John in Revelation, are perhaps the most comprehensive record of God's future plans and purposes for mankind.

It was following Daniel's miraculous deliverance from the lion's den during the reign of Darius, that Daniel had a prophetic dream of four great beasts emerging from the great Mediterranean Sea. The first three depicted the successive world empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece, while the last dreadful beast which had iron teeth and was exceedingly strong, represented the final, satanically inspired world empire - through whom would come the prophesied Antichrist.

However, Daniel's dream, or night-time vision, did not conclude with this evil subjugation of mankind... for as he continued to look intently on this surreal, unveiling of future events, God revealed to Daniel: "One like unto a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven." This heavenly Being approached the Ancient of Days, and was presented before Him, in glory and great majesty.

Daniel was instructed to seal up all his prophetic dreams and visions until the time of the end, but we have been permitted to recognise that the Holy One, Whom Daniel says, "Was like unto a Son of Man," was the Lord Jesus. The One Whom Daniel saw was no-less than the incarnate God, Himself, Whose name is Jesus, Who is to save His people from their sins.

He came to earth in human flesh - to die for the sin of the whole world, and to rise again the third day so that by faith in His sacrificial death and glorious Resurrection, we might be delivered from the evils that Daniel witnessed in his terrible and terrifying night vision.

As he continued looking intently, Daniel said, "Behold! I saw One like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven." Daniel went on to say that he approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before Him and presented to the living God. The Ancient of Days sits in lofty splendour, as the great Judge of the universe, and this noble Figure enthroned in glory, can only be described as God the Father Almighty - the immortal, invisible, and only wise God.

All authority is in His hands... and He was the One Who sent His only begotten Son into the world so that whosoever believes in Him would not perish, but be saved from the dreadful and undiluted wrath of God - which must be poured out upon a God-rejecting, Christ-hating, sinful world, that blasphemes His holy name and spurns His gracious offer of salvation.

But with the additional revelation in New Testament Scripture, and the enlightenment of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we understand that it is to Jesus, the eternal Son of God and perfect Son of Man, to Whom has been handed the reins of God's authority. Jesus, the incarnate Son of the Father and Kinsman-Redeemer of mankind, has been endowed with all authority to judge the earth and everything in it. He is the One who will judge the living and the dead - for all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him, by His Heavenly Father.

Today, the Lord Jesus is seated on the right hand of God the Father in heavenly glory, but the great Creator of the universe has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness - through the Man Christ Jesus, Who has been appointed heir of all things. By grace, He has furnished us with proof that Jesus is indeed His anointed Son, by raising Him from the dead - praise His holy name.

Heavenly Father, how amazing and gracious that You would tell us the end from the beginning. Thank You that You loved Your fallen creation so much, that You would give Your only begotten Son to suffer so cruelly on the Cross to save humanity from their sin - such that whosoever believes on Him would not perish but receive everlasting life. Thank You that my sin was judged at the Cross. I pray that many who are blinded by Satan, the deceiving god of this age, would have their eyes open to the truth of the glorious gospel of grace, and be saved by faith. I ask this in Jesus' precious name, AMEN.