Previous study dealt with the technical aspect of the book, this lesson looks at it from a spiritual standpoint - don't miss the big picture!

1. Daniel 7Daniel 7

2. NebuchadNezzar's
dream aNd
chapter 7

3. rise aNd fall of NatioNs
• This sea is a picture
of the nations of the
world, and it is never
calm – great
monsters rise up and
for a while and
straddle the history of
the world, and then,
they simply disappear
and others succeed
them.
ottamaNgermaNyromeu.s.s.r.

4. VaNity!VaNity!
• Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdomNebuchadnezzar’s kingdom
identifies the vanity of man.identifies the vanity of man.

5. perspectiVeperspectiVe
• When NebuchadnezzarWhen Nebuchadnezzar
dreamed of the futuredreamed of the future
he dreamed about ahe dreamed about a
beautiful image.beautiful image.
• When God showedWhen God showed
Daniel the future heDaniel the future he
showed him ferociousshowed him ferocious
beasts.beasts.

6. Gold’s influenceGold’s influence
• This lion’s
outstretched wings is
a fine symbol of
Babylon whose
influence spread over
all the surrounding
nations

7. spirit of thespirit of the
rebel worldrebel world
• The Persians over the
Meads Speaks to one’s
Heart
• AGRESSION
• LAWLESS
DEMONSTRATION
• RACISM
• Superiority – I know
more, I’m stronger, I’m
more beautiful…..

8. • The Grecian empireThe Grecian empire
tells one to get it NOW!tells one to get it NOW!
• Fifteen minutes of fameFifteen minutes of fame
Idol series; Voice;Idol series; Voice;
Honey Boo BooHoney Boo Boo
• Today’s seniors had toToday’s seniors had to
learn how to livelearn how to live
without and livewithout and live
dependently ondependently on
neighbor.neighbor.
• Today’s youth live inToday’s youth live in
loneliness and onloneliness and on
credit.credit.
instant Gratificationinstant Gratification

9. • Lawlessness & SelfLawlessness & Self
SufficiencySufficiency
• Discriminate toleranceDiscriminate tolerance
• Science & PharmacyScience & Pharmacy
• Heaven on own termsHeaven on own terms
humanismhumanism
The RomanThe Roman
Empire speaksEmpire speaks
to our ownto our own
personalpersonal
corruptioncorruption

10. don’t forGet to see thedon’t forGet to see the
“biG picture”“biG picture”
• All kingdoms willAll kingdoms will
fall but one.fall but one.
• Every dispositionEvery disposition
that is not found inthat is not found in
the kingdom will notthe kingdom will not
make it to heaven.make it to heaven.

11. This revelaTion Tells usThis revelaTion Tells us
someThing abouT godsomeThing abouT god
He sees the future.He sees the future.
He controls the world.He controls the world.
God has a kingdom.God has a kingdom.
God preserves his people.God preserves his people.

12. This revelaTion Tells usThis revelaTion Tells us
someThing abouT JesussomeThing abouT Jesus
The “Son of Man”The “Son of Man”
Daniel 7:13, 14 & John 3:13-15Daniel 7:13, 14 & John 3:13-15
1.1. He claims to have come from heavenHe claims to have come from heaven
2.2. He claims to be eternalHe claims to be eternal
3.3. He is the source of healing comparable to theHe is the source of healing comparable to the
snake on the pole in Numbers 21snake on the pole in Numbers 21
4.4. He claims that in order for a person to avoidHe claims that in order for a person to avoid
perishing, that person must believe in Him.perishing, that person must believe in Him.

13. background of The Termbackground of The Term
• Of the 88 times the expression “son of man”Of the 88 times the expression “son of man”
occurs in the NASB version of the Newoccurs in the NASB version of the New
Testament, all except four are found in theTestament, all except four are found in the
gospel accounts.gospel accounts.
• Among the gospel narratives, “son of man”Among the gospel narratives, “son of man”
occurs 31 times in Matthew, 14 times in Mark,occurs 31 times in Matthew, 14 times in Mark,
26 times in Luke, and 13 times in John. In26 times in Luke, and 13 times in John. In
every case, the expression refers to Jesus.every case, the expression refers to Jesus.
Darwin
• The “sons of this world” (Luke 20:34) are those
people who are characterized by their devotion to
the things of this earthly life.
• Middle easterners speak of a “son of the desert,”
referring to a person who is particularly connected to,
linked with, and characterized by the desert.
The Usage in Context
• For example, the “son of wickedness”
(Psalm 89:22) is a wicked person.
• “Son of man” (cf. Jeremiah 49:18,33) refers to one’s mortality, the condition
of being a human being—“a euphuism for ‘man.’” Of the 107 occurrences
of the phrase (ben adam) in the Old Testament, 93 occur in Ezekiel to refer
to that prophet.

14. significance of iT beingsignificance of iT being
applied To Jesusapplied To Jesus
• When referring to Jesus, the expression emphasizes theWhen referring to Jesus, the expression emphasizes the
human aspect of Jesus—the phenomenon of hishuman aspect of Jesus—the phenomenon of his
enfleshment (cf. Philippians 2:7). However, whenenfleshment (cf. Philippians 2:7). However, when
preceded by the article (“preceded by the article (“thethe son of man”), Bullinger son of man”), Bullinger
suggests that “the phrase appears to have a specialsuggests that “the phrase appears to have a special
idiomatic usage of its own” indicating Jesus’ “universalidiomatic usage of its own” indicating Jesus’ “universal
dominion in the earth.” C.F.D. Moule notes that, withdominion in the earth.” C.F.D. Moule notes that, with
the exception of quotations from the Old Testamentthe exception of quotations from the Old Testament
and John 5:27, in the New Testament “son of man”and John 5:27, in the New Testament “son of man”
always has the article preceding it (1959, p. 177; cf. p.always has the article preceding it (1959, p. 177; cf. p.
116).116).

15. ““son of man” was Jesus favoriTeson of man” was Jesus favoriTe
way To describe himselfway To describe himself
• He undoubtedly wanted people
to know that though He is God,
when He came to the Earth,
He came in human form and
became fully human by taking
on all the frailties of human
flesh (Phil. 2:5-8).
• He undoubtedly wanted every
person to understand that “we
do not have a High Priest who
cannot sympathize with our
weaknesses, but was in all
points tempted as we are, yet
without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
• Thayer suggests that Jesus
preferred this title “because by
its lowliness it was least suited
to foster the expectation of an
earthly Messiah in royal
splendor”

16. Jesus is “ConneCted” with the human experienCe
Because he is the “Son of man,”Because he is the “Son of man,”
he is our brother.he is our brother. Brotherliness
carries in it not only a sense of
kinship but likewise a disposition to
render help. Thus, brotherliness deals
not only with a relationship but also
with a most helpful disposition.
His brotherliness was not an act. To
him brotherliness is the very essence
of religion. Without brotherliness
there can be no religion that is
pleasing unto God. The old law had
said that man must not raise his hand
to kill, but Jesus taught that the
tongue must not sting (Matt. 5:21ff).
"If I cannot help them with my life I will
help them with my death. If I be lifted
up, will draw all men unto me.. When
they hear me praying for them with
my dying breath, they will be
convinced that I am indeed their
brother."

17. signifiCanCe of daniel 7:13, 14signifiCanCe of daniel 7:13, 14
and aCts 1:9-11and aCts 1:9-11
““Now when He had spokenNow when He had spoken
these things, while theythese things, while they
watched, He was taken up,watched, He was taken up,
and a cloud received Him outand a cloud received Him out
of their sight. And while theyof their sight. And while they
looked steadfastly towardlooked steadfastly toward
heaven as He went up,heaven as He went up,
behold, two men stood bybehold, two men stood by
them in white apparel, whothem in white apparel, who
also said, “Men of Galilee,also said, “Men of Galilee,
why do you stand gazing upwhy do you stand gazing up
into heaven? This sameinto heaven? This same
Jesus, who was taken upJesus, who was taken up
from you into heaven, will sofrom you into heaven, will so
come in like manner as youcome in like manner as you
saw Him go into heaven.”saw Him go into heaven.”

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