"One Like a Son of Man" -- Daniel 7:1-18

The Thirteenth in a Series of Sermons on the Book of Daniel

The second half of the Book of Daniel is much different from the first half.  The first six chapters of Daniel recount the career of the Hebrew prophet including a number of events associated with Daniel and his three Hebrew comrades (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego), two Babylonian kings (Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar) and one Persian king (Darius the Mede–also known as Cyrus).  The second half of the Book of Daniel (chapters 7 through 12) opens with a dramatic vision given by YHWH to Daniel which maps out the next six centuries of ancient near-eastern history.  Yet in the following chapters, Daniel continues to recount some of the most fantastic and difficult visions in all the Bible.  But the literary hinge between the two halves of Daniel is chapter 7.  As one writer puts it, the nature of Daniel’s dramatic vision makes this “the single most important chapter of the Book of Daniel.”  Chapter 7 includes what yet another writer describes as the “the key to history.”  These are grandiose comments, but after we have spent some time in this chapter, I think you will see why these opinions are appropriate.  The vision given Daniel in chapter 7 points us to a mysterious figure–“One like a Son of Man”–who is indeed the key to understanding all of human history.

Daniel’s vision of four strange beasts as recorded in chapter 7, covers the same time frame in human history (the 5th century BC-the 1st century AD) as the vision which YHWH gave previously to Nebuchadnezzar, recounted in Daniel 2.  But this vision is YHWH’s revelation of the all-conquering king (Jesus) around whom all of human history ultimately centers.  The subsequent visions given Daniel in chapters 8-12 speak of the great empires which arise after Babylon falls (the Persian, Greek, and Roman empires), while also foretelling of the rebuilding of Jerusalem (after the Jewish exiles return home from Babylon), the rise of an Antichrist figure (described as a blaspheming “little horn” who is the arch-enemy of God’s people), before the visions take us forward to the end of the age and the general resurrection when all the dead (believing and unbelieving) are raised bodily on the day of final judgment.

As we return to our series on the Book of Daniel, this week and next, we will explore in some detail the amazing vision given Daniel by YHWH while Belshazzar was in the first year of his reign as king of Babylon–specifically, the year 550 BC, which also happened to be the very same year that a relatively unknown Persian king (Darius) rose to became leader of the Medo-Persian empire (taking the royal name Cyrus), which will conquer Babylon in 539 BC (as we saw in chapters 5-6 of Daniel).  

The first half of the Book of Daniel tells the story of Daniel’s life in exile and his service in the royal court, from the time he was kidnaped from his home in Judah (605 BC) until late in his life (539 BC), when he served as a trusted advisor, first to Nebuchadnezzar and then Cyrus.  Daniel served the latter toward the end of Daniel’s life, when the Persian king was wrestling with the question, “what to do with the sizable population of Jews living as exiles in Babylon, but who anxious to return to their homeland, rebuild the capital city (Jerusalem) and the temple of YHWH?”  The central message throughout the first half of Daniel, is that YHWH is sovereign over all kings and empires, seen in the fact that he gave his prophet Daniel great gifts of the Spirit to protect from harm while in exile, and to interpret the dreams which YHWH gave to the leaders of that very same nation (Babylon) YHWH used to punish his disobedient people (Israel), before bringing down the Babylonian empire because of its on-going persecution of the people of God, along with Babylon’s zeal in worshiping false gods.  The first half of Daniel ends with Daniel returning to the royal court near the end of his life, this time serving a Persian king in the period immediately before Cyrus issues his famous decree to allow the Jews to return home. 

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This Week at Christ Reformed Church (September 25-October 1)

 

Sunday Morning, October 1:  We wrap up our background studies in preparation for our series on the Minor Prophets.  This coming Lord's Day we will consider the ministry to Israel of the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17).  Our worship service begins at 10:30 a.m.

Note:  Our on-going new member's class meets at 9:00 a.m.

Sunday Afternoon:  We come to Lord's Day 38 (Q & A 103) in our study of the Heidelberg Catechism.  We will consider the Fourth Commandment and proper celebration of the Lord's Day.  Our catechism service begins @ 1:15 p.m.

Wednesday Night Bible Study (September 27 @ 7:30 p.m.):  We have begun a new series, "Apologetics in a Post-Christian Age."  This week's lecture is "Schools and Methods of Apologetics."

The Academy (Friday September 29 @ 7:30 p.m.):   We resume our lecture/discussion series based upon Allen Guelzo's Teaching Company Course, The American Mind.  Our topic this week, "American Romanticism." 

For more information on Christ Reformed Church you can always find us here (Christ Reformed Info), or on Facebook (Christ Reformed on Facebook).

"That the Lord Might Fulfill His Word" -- 2 Chronicles 9:29-10:15

Here's the audio from this morning's sermon, the third in our series introducing the Minor Prophets

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This Week's White Horse Inn (Updated Website)

Justification by Faith Alone

Once upon a time, Protestants of every variety were identified as those who were committed to the doctrine of “justification through faith alone.” In our day, however, most Protestants are not even familiar with this doctrine. With either stern rigor or happy tips for better living, conservatives and progressives alike end up smothering the gospel through constant exhortations to either personal or social transformation. In either case, the focus has shifted away from God’s story of redemption in Christ, which is embraced by faith alone. On this program the hosts will discuss the doctrine which Luther said was at the heart of the Protestant Reformation, as they continue their exploration of the solas.

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Apologetics in a Post Christian Age (Audio)

Here's the audio from our Wednesday Night Bible Study -- "Introduction to Apologetics - What Is It and Why Do It?"  Part 1.   Click Here

This Week at Christ Reformed Church (September 18-24)

Sunday Morning, September 24:  We are doing background for our series on the Minor Prophets.  This week, we will look at two kings (Rehoboam and Jeroboam) and the civil war which divided God's people into a northern kingdom (Israel), and a southern kingdom (Judah).  Our text will be 2 Chronicles 10-13.  Our worship service begins at 10:30 a.m.

Note:  Our on-going new member's class begins at 9:00 a.m.

Sunday Afternoon:  We are in the third section of the Heidelberg Catechism (Gratitude), and we will be considering the third commandment and the dangers of calling upon the saints (Lord's Day 37, Q & A 101-102).  Our catechism service begins @ 1:15 p.m.

Wednesday Night Bible Study (September 20 @ 7:30 p.m.):  We have begun a new series, "Apologetics in a Post-Christian Age."  This week's lecture is "Introduction to Apologetics -- What Is It and Why Do It?" (Part 1)

The Academy (Friday September 22 @ 7:30 p.m.):   We resume our lecture/discussion series based upon Allen Guelzo's Teaching Company Course, The American Mind.  We pick up with Part Two and Dr. Guelzo's lecture, "Whigs and Democrats." 

For more information on Christ Reformed Church you can always find us here (Christ Reformed Info), or on Facebook (Christ Reformed on Facebook).

"If You Faithfully Obey" -- Deuteronomy 28:1-20

Here's the audio from this morning's sermon -- Introduction to the Minor Prophets (2)  Israel's Covenant with YHWH

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This Week's White Horse Inn (Updated Website)

Grace Alone

In the medieval church, sin was viewed as a kind of sickness that could be remedied if we reached out to take the medicine. But the Protestant Reformers sought to recover the clear teaching of Scripture that salvation “depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy” (Rom. 9:16). So what do contemporary Protestants think about the extent of man’s fall, and the role of God’s grace in salvation? The hosts also discuss the biblical word “predestination” as it relates to this issue and contrast it with the idea of “foreknowledge.”

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I Knew It!

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have finally concluded what some of us have known all along--bald guys appear more masculine and dominant!  Bald Guys

This confirms my theory that hair is a consequence of the Fall and that guys like me are already in our semi-eschatological state.

This Week at Christ Reformed Church (September 11-17)

Sunday Morning, September 17:  We are continuing our new series on the Minor Prophets.  We'll continue to do background for this series by considering Israel's covenant renewal ceremony as recounted in Deuteronomy 28-34.  Our worship service begins at 10:30 a.m.

Note:  Our annual new member's class begins at 9:00 a.m.

Sunday Afternoon:  We are now in the third main section of the Heidelberg Catechism (Gratitude).  We will be considering the third commandment, the sin of taking the Lord's name in vain (Lord's Day 36, Q & A 99-100)   Our catechism service begins @ 1:15 p.m.

Wednesday Night Bible Study (Sept 13):  Our adult Bible study resumes this week 7:30.  We will begin a new series, "Apologetics in a Post-Christian Age."

The Academy:  Resumes on Friday, September 22, when we pick up with Part II of Allen Guelzo's Teaching Company Course, The American Mind. 

For more information on Christ Reformed Church you can always find us here (Christ Reformed Info), or on Facebook (Christ Reformed on Facebook).