March 2024- ‘Don’t be fooled by your Smartphone’
Own a smartphone? If you do, here’s a fun fact for you. The smartphone went from introduction to more than 50% ownership in just five and a half years in the United States. That uptake made it the fastest adoption of any technology in human history. Why so quick? Amongst other things, the smartphone has come to epitomise the Information Age. Think about it - you’ve got instant access to all the information that you could possibly want in a pocket-sized device. We love the idea of being all knowing. And yet many have rightly observed that our generation, despite being information rich, is wisdom and knowledge poor. The bottom line is that despite all the advances in technology we simply don’t know what tomorrow holds. I mean who mean who saw the recent COVID pandemic coming?
Well God did. You see one of the wonderful things about the God of the Bible is that he is omniscient. He is all knowing. He knows the end from the beginning. He’s the Alpha and the Omega. He’s the God of the big picture and the God of the small details. There is wonderful strength for the people of God to be found when they rest in the knowledge of an omniscient God. That’s the message of Daniel 7.
Before we get into the details notice one striking thing about Daniel in this chapter. Daniel is no stranger to dreams. The book’s been full of them thus far. However, Daniel has always been interpreting someone else’s dream. However, notice that now the dream is Daniel’s. That’s code for the fact that the message of Daniel 7, and indeed the remainder of the book, has shifted from being news for the world to being comfort for the souls of God’s people. There’s a shift in the intended audience. Remember that God’s people are at this point living in Babylon feeling like cannon fodder for the superpowers of the day. Who’s really in control of the politics and power carousel?
Kings & Kingdoms will rise and fall…
We read that Daniel’s dream featured four great beasts emerging from the sea. The sea in this day represented chaos and evil. A lion, bear, leopard and a horned animal? The angel explained that the four beasts were not literal animals but literary ones (v. 7:17). In other words, the four beasts are intended as symbols of Kings and Kingdoms. The first beast appearing from the great sea sounds a lot like Babylon. The second beast, as it replaced Babylon, is the Medo-Persian empire. The third beast, with hindsight, we can understand to be the Greek empire. The fourth beast can be understood as being Rome. This Kingdom, in contrast to the rest, will be exceedingly strong and speak things against the Most High (7:25). Into the bargain it will inflict pain on God’s people.
The interpretation of the visions boils down to this: while ungodly and arrogant Kings will continue to succeed one another on the world’s stage, don’t be anxious and alarmed. God wanted Daniel to know that God’s ultimate victory over evil, though a long time coming, is certain.
The Ancient of Days will fall and rise…
Another figure emerges on the scene of Daniel’s dream. One described as the Ancient of Days (7:13) and the Son of Man. To him will be given dominion, glory and a Kingdom (7:14). Peoples and nations will serve him (7:14). Crucially, his Kingdom will be an everlasting Kingdom and shall not be destroyed. What a contrast to the Kingdoms of four beats. The Ancient of Days will kill the beasts, even though their powers will extend for a season. Salvation will come.
It’s fascinating that Jesus powerfully employs the title Son of Man for himself. In Mark 4:62, for example, during his trial before the High Priest, Jesus speaks of his authority and coming reign. Ultimately, it is at his ascension, having triumphed over the powers of evil and death through his cross and resurrection, that Jesus is declared to be the Son of God in power (Romans 1:3). It is at his ascension that God declared to the world that he has seated Jesus as his King on his Holy Hill (Psalm 2). It is at his ascension that God bestowed on Jesus the name that is above every other name (Philippians 2:9). God will see to it that his people receive an everlasting Kingdom through the final word of the Ancient of Days.
The late Billy Graham is recorded to have said this to his listeners;
“I’ve read the last page of the Bible, it's all going to turn out all right.”
That’s a simple yet profound truth. The crucified, risen and ascended Jesus, as the Ancient of Days, rules over all things. Despite appearances often to the contrary this is the truth. The difference between now and the day of his return is that then we will behold his reign no longer by faith but by sight.
Despite all the advances in technology we simply don’t know what tomorrow holds. However, our omniscient God does. Rest in that truth next time you look at your smartphone.
