God, the Future and You!

Notes: God, the Future and You!
Greg Laurie
Series: End of Days
Sunday, July 8, 2018
Daniel 7, 2018

https://www.harvest.org/watch-and-listen/webcast/watch/god-the-future-and-you

We all forget things.

God never forgets anything.

We live in the moment. God lives in all times at all times.

Daniel 7 takes us back to King Belshazzar. We are in the prophetic section of the book of Daniel now.

The book of Daniel parallels the book of Revelation. If you want to understand these books, read them together.

We need to understand these books in this world today.

Revelation 1:3 NLT
[3] God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.

What is true of revelation is true of studying Bible prophecy is general.

1. It helps you to remember God is in control of all events in the world today.

2. It gives you a heavenly perspective.

Daniel saw the future. Daniel saw the Lord. Daniel saw himself.

1st. He saw the future.

Daniel 7:1-4 NLT
[1] Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar's reign in Babylon, Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is what he saw. [2] In my vision that night, I, Daniel, saw a great storm churning the surface of a great sea, with strong winds blowing from every direction. [3] Then four huge beasts came up out of the water, each different from the others. [4] The first beast was like a lion with eagles' wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was left standing with its two hind feet on the ground, like a human being. And it was given a human mind.

The sea is symbolically describing humanity. The animals represent nations.

We may see powerful nations with great armies,  God may just see us as wild animals attacking one another.

1. The winged lion or head of gold: represents Babylon. 

636 to 539 b.c. Is when Babylon ruled the world.

2. The Bear is the Medes and Persians. They defeated Babylon.

Daniel 7:5 NLT
[5] Then I saw a second beast, and it looked like a bear. It was rearing up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And I heard a voice saying to it, "Get up! Devour the flesh of many people!"

They were like ferocious bears.

3. The leopard with four wings would be the Greeks. They defeated the Medes and Persians.

Daniel 7:6 NLT
[6] Then the third of these strange beasts appeared, and it looked like a leopard. It had four bird's wings on its back, and it had four heads. Great authority was given to this beast.

4. The powerful beast is the mighty power of Rome. They defeated Greece.

Daniel 7:7 NLT
[7] Then in my vision that night, I saw a fourth beast-terrifying, dreadful, and very strong. It devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled their remains beneath its feet. It was different from any of the other beasts, and it had ten horns.

No one ever over through Rome.

5. The final beast has 10 horns.

Daniel 7:8 NLT
[8] As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them. Three of the first horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly.

2nd. Daniel saw God.

Daniel 7:9-10 NLT
[9] I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like purest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire, [10] and a river of fire was pouring out, flowing from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him; many millions stood to attend him. Then the court began its session, and the books were opened.

Ancient of Days is a name for God to describe His eternal nature.

Church will seem to miss the message from God. In the past they didn’t effectively describe God’s love, now many seem to only speak of God’s love.

We should be living a lifestyle of worship.

Romans 12:1-2 NLT
[1] And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. [2] Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Giving your life and body to God is a spiritual type of worship.

Worship is not letting culture influence you, it is you influencing culture.

Worship is not being conformed but to be transformed.

Learning the Word of God is worship.

Amos 5:23-24 NLT
[23] Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. [24] Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.

We serve a holy God.

Jesus appears in the Old Testament 

Daniel 7:13-14 NLT
[13] As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. [14] He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal-it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.

Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man on several occasions.

3rd. Daniel saw himself.

Daniel 7:15-18 NLT
[15] I, Daniel, was troubled by all I had seen, and my visions terrified me. [16] So I approached one of those standing beside the throne and asked him what it all meant. He explained it to me like this: [17] "These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth. [18] But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever."

God will preserve and save His people. 

We win in the end!

1. God keeps records in His book of every faithful deed done by His people.

Malachi 3:16 NLT
[16] Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name.

We will be rewarded for every act of service, too!

Galatians 6:9-10 NLT
[9] So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. [10] Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone-especially to those in the family of faith.

2. God has a book that records your sorrows.

Psalm 56:8 NLT
[8] You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

Sometimes people don’t want to acknowledge your pain. The Lord sees is all and one day He will restore all you have lost.

3. The most important of all these books is the Book of Life.

Once your name is written there, it will always stay.

Revelation 3:5 NLT
[5] All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.

Is your name written in the Book of Life?