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Sermon #5327

The Prophecy of Daniel

A Sermon on Daniel 7:9-14

Originally preached Nov. 10, 1957

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Scripture

Daniel 7:9-14 ESV KJV
“As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; …

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Sermon Description

In this sermon on Daniel 7:9–14 titled “The Prophesy of Daniel,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains the relevancy of this prophesy and the Bible as a whole. Humanity’s sinful state is explained and there is a prophecy of what is yet to come. Much of what Scripture conveys has already become part of history. The Bible’s future prophesies are verified by this history taking place as it was foretold. Learn to distinguish between two types of history—the perspective of humanity and of God. Daniel’s prophecy combines both. A glance at history shows an array of wars as Daniel prophesied. A shift from the war of the beast to that of the intellect occurs. Humanity is trying to change laws, time, and nature. This history is written in rebellion to God, proclaiming that control belongs to humanity. God’s perspective shows the vanity of this. God only permits humanity’s free hand for a time. This kingdom will be utterly destroyed, as it has been throughout history. One must look at Christ’s kingdom as this history is altogether different from any other. The message of Christianity is a completely new and eternal kingdom where humanity serves God forever.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. There are two types of history: history from the standpoint of earth and man, and history from the standpoint of heaven and God.
  2. History from the standpoint of earth is the history man produces without God. It is characterized by greed, destruction, and constant change as one kingdom rises and falls, only to be replaced by another. This is a beastly history that can only end in destruction.
  3. The four beasts represent four kingdoms: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. They are rapacious, trampling, and leave devastation in their wake. Though they seem invincible, they are all eventually conquered. This is the characteristic of all human history and kingdoms.
  4. The little horn is man at the height of intellectual and spiritual arrogance. It speaks blasphemies against God, persecutes the saints, and seeks to change the foundations of life and society. This represents man's final rebellion against God.
  5. In contrast, God is the Ancient of Days, eternal and unchanging. He permits human history and will ultimately judge and destroy it. Though God allows man freedom, God is still in control and will bring human history to an end in His timing.
  6. The Son of Man, Jesus Christ, establishes a kingdom that is eternal and altogether different from human kingdoms. It is a kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy.
  7. To belong to Christ's kingdom, one must serve and worship Him. One must confess sin, follow Christ, and be separated unto holiness.
  8. Human history will end in destruction. Only those who belong to Christ's kingdom will escape destruction and enjoy eternity with God.

Sermon Q&A

What is the Main Message of Daniel 7 According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the main message of Daniel 7 is that it provides a comprehensive view of human history from two perspectives: man's history (earthly perspective) and God's history (heavenly perspective). The chapter prophetically explains why the world is as it is, showing that the Bible is not only relevant to our current condition but is the only truly relevant explanation.

What are the two types of history presented in Daniel 7?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies two primary types of history in Daniel 7:

  1. History from the standpoint of earth and man - This is the history that man produces without God, characterized by beasts, turmoil, war, and destruction. This is the secular history found in newspapers and textbooks.

  2. History from the standpoint of heaven and God - This is history viewed from God's eternal perspective, characterized by the "Ancient of Days" sitting in judgment, with ultimate authority and control over human affairs.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones interpret the four beasts in Daniel 7?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones interprets the four beasts as:

  1. The first beast represented the kingdom of Babylon
  2. The second beast represented the Medo-Persian kingdom
  3. The third beast represented the kingdom of Greece under Alexander the Great
  4. The fourth beast represented the Roman Empire

Beyond the literal historical fulfillment, he emphasizes that these beasts symbolize the "beastly" character of human kingdoms - their rapacity, greed, lust for power, and tendency to trample and destroy.

What is the significance of the "little horn" in Daniel 7 according to Lloyd-Jones?

According to Lloyd-Jones, the "little horn" represents mankind's final climax of rebellion against God, characterized by:

  1. Presumptuousness and arrogance against God
  2. "Speaking great words against the Most High" (blasphemy)
  3. Persecution of God's people
  4. Attempting to "change times and laws" - trying to alter the foundations and main conditions of human life

He suggests this may relate to modern attempts to penetrate outer space and change the natural order established by God.

What is the kingdom of the Son of Man in Daniel 7?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the kingdom of the Son of Man represents:

  1. Christ's kingdom - different from all earthly kingdoms
  2. Not beast-like but man-like - as humanity was meant to be
  3. An eternal kingdom that "shall not be destroyed"
  4. A kingdom of peace, righteousness, and joy
  5. The only kingdom that will survive God's final judgment

How does one enter the kingdom of the Son of Man?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, one enters this kingdom by:

  1. Serving Christ - worshipping Him and giving oneself to Him
  2. Recognizing Jesus as the Son of God
  3. Believing in His death and resurrection
  4. Confessing one's sin and falling prostrate before Him
  5. Following Him and becoming a "saint" - one separated from the world
  6. Realizing that "nothing matters except being with Him, being like Him, being holy as He is holy"

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe there is no improvement coming for this world?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones firmly states that "this world will never get better. It'll always be beastly." He believes the Bible teaches that there's only one thing to do with this world - destroy it, which God will do at the final judgment. He warns against putting faith in "any human contrivance or organization," calling such faith foolish given the history of human kingdoms.

Old Testament

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.