Paul McKenzie

Memory Verse, Wednesday, November 19, Daniel 7, part 4

"After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth, it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it and had ten horns."

There is a "near/far" aspect to the prophecies of the Almighty God. We think in time/space, while God beholds the big picture. We've seen it from the very beginning, from what we call the "protoevangelium" in Genesis immediately after the awful Fall of man, to the very end of Revelation.

And, we can speculate, but we really never get the prophecies in their fullness until we see them fulfilled. Think of that very first prophecy, for example: the promise of the Seed that will crush the head of the serpent. Many think that Eve mistakenly thought that Cain, the "man with the help of the Lord" was the fulfillment of this prophecy, but boy, was she mistaken!

And there were many "messianic" types throughout Scripture, like Seth, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, some of the Judges, David, even John the Baptist leading up to the one true Messiah. There were hints of a great Lion, a great King, yet also one born of a virgin, in a tiny town of Bethlehem, one whose feet would touch the Mount of Olives and rule on the throne of David, yet, so tender that he wouldn't break a bruised reed—of one who would suffer horribly for the sins of the people.

How could all of these things be true? We like to package things into little boxes, but God does not live in a box. Time is all one to Him, and we mortals see it play out in many different aspects. He knows the "end from the beginning", as He spoke in Isaiah 46 (you know, the prophet that told us about Cyrus "the Bear: over a century earlier):

"Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,' calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it." (8-11)

Just before that He revealed Cyrus through Isaiah. Jerusalem was still a thriving city, and God had miraculously protected it from the great Assyrian army, which we read in chapters 36-39 of Isaiah. And here Isaiah is telling them that some king named Cyrus "'He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose', saying of Jerusalem, 'She shall be built,' and of the temple, 'Your foundation shall be laid.'" (Isaiah 44:28)

I can hear them say, "Wait, what? Jerusalem? We're living in Jerusalem! The Temple is right here! God just defeated our enemies!" But God sees His purpose, and gives us revelation in such a way to display His glory to us, and shake the cobwebs out of our rebellious brains in order to save us from the sure judgment that will come. For God is just, righteous and perfect, and no darkness can stand before Him. He is perfectly merciful, yet perfectly just.

The seed of Man, extending from one sinful couple, Adam and Eve, has spread its rebellion throughout the wonderful earth He has given us, causing it to stink in His nostrils. We were to steward it in His image, and failed miserably. Yet, in His mercy, He, in the Godhead, took on our human form and inserted Himself into this dark world to lead us back to His glorious Light. He told us He was going to do it, and has done it through the Son. It is complete, and is being played out before us in real time.

Why all this to open our contemplation about the fourth beast? Because His "near/far" prophecies are all on display here, and in the glorious Kingdom that will follow. More tomorrow.

Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart.

*ESV used unless noted*

Memory Helps:

Again, here is chapter 7:

Chapter 7: "First HEAVEN-LY Vision:

The Four Beasts,
The Ancient of Days: King of HEAVEN, and
The Son of Man comes from HEAVEN"