136 - Jehovah Sits in Judgement

A Question of Prophecy

When studying the prophecies of the Bible it is vital to keep the time frame in mind.  Without going into anything technical here, it will suffice to say that Daniel had this vision In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar; Which some say was the last year of his reign; Gill.  This was about two years after Daniel had his vision of the four beasts.  

Even if common sense could have inspired Daniel to predict the fall of Babylon to Medo-Persia, what would have caused him to predict that Greece, a non-power, at that time, would overthrow Persia? 

Furthermore, how could he have foreseen that, when Alexander died, his kingdom would divide into four kingdoms, and that out of one of them a ruler would arise who would work havoc among the Jews.  

People who do not believe that Jehovah had anything to do with the writing of the Bible, have to work hard to explain away events that were foretold hundreds of years before they happened.  Failing that approach it is surmised that the prophecies were actually written after the history happened.  This approach does not always work because there are still unfilled prophesies in the Bible.

Another important fact to remember is that when Daniel, or any other prophet, speaks as though he saw something in the present tense he might still have been writing about something in the future tense.  Even though he was writing about the future history of the Jews till almost the time of Christ, many of his words were also prophetic to events which are still future for us.  This we can see because when Christ was preaching about the end times He quotes Daniel as seeing something even future to Christ's time on earth.

In the last two posts, we learned about four beasts.  The first three beasts could be compared to animals we know, but the fourth beast was so different that it could not be compared to any known animal.  The difference was that the first three were kingdoms that simply wished to extend their territory.  

Early in the history of the Christian church, the Roman government was still in the process of extending its borders.  However, ever since Constantine pretended to become a Christian, the fourth beast has used religion as a front, rather than war, to gain more subjects, by preaching condemnation and instilling fear; if that does not work, war is resorted to.  It is a totally different kind of a beast than the first three were.

For more intriguing Biblical facts about these beasts check out The Revelation ch.13+17.

After he had written about the four beasts he said, After this I looked in the night visions.  In his vision, Daniel watched until the thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days sat.  ... whose robe was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool. 7:7+9.  

Here Daniel gives us a description of Jehovah.   He says I saw God sitting; He was wearing a white robe and He has hair.   Daniel does not say, "I saw that God is only a spirit".  Contrary to what we have been taught, Daniel says that Jehovah is a physical being.  Interestingly, John, in The Revelation gives us almost the same description, behold, a throne was set in Heaven, and One sat upon the throne. Rev 4:2.  I saw a great white throne, and Him sitting on it. Rev. 20:11.   

If you are interested in reading more about what the Bible says about a physical, visible God, I suggest:  
http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2013/08/c-a-humanoid-god.html 
and http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2013/08/c-d-spiritual-non-physical-

In Daniel's vision, after the courtroom is prepared, Jehovah takes His place on the throne from where He will judge the fourth beast; I watched until the beast was slain, and his body was destroyed and given to the burning flame. 7:11.

It is worth noting that in many translations, I watched until the thrones were set in place, is translated as, I beheld till the thrones were cast down, in the KJV and some others.  If this translation is chosen, the thrones which were cast down would be where the kings of the preceding kingdoms had sat; as we see in these words, And the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away. 7:12.  

I saw ... One like the Son of man (who) came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they (probably the angels) brought Him (ushered Christ) near before Him (Jehovah).  A physical Christ is brought into the presence of a physical, supreme God whom Daniel could see with his eyes.  

And dominion and glory was given Him, (Christ) and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations and languages, should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. 7:13-14.  the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever. 7:18.

Christ will be the supreme king over a one kingdom world, and the ones whom Jehovah calls saints will become vice-regents with Him.