Sermon November 16, 1997 Text Daniel 7:9-10 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. Our text is the assigned Old Testament Lesson, Daniel 7:9-10, which we share with you again: "As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.'' This is the Word; you may be seated. We certainly have had our share of disaster movies over recent years. Tornados, earthquakes, volcanos and asteroids have been added to the old crop of meteors, plane crashes and ship wrecks. There are at least an adequate number of alien invasions portrayed on the silver screen. There are also a number of biological disasters of various diseases and dinosaurs. None of these should instill in us the fear, trembling and awe as the scene of the final judgment portrayed in our text from Daniel. The portrayals of diaster in the movies are only as real as we allow them to be for us. They only have as much meaning as we permit them to have. See, the movies are simply the creation of a human writer's mind. They are only fiction. Yet, there is a certain power of motion pictures to grab our attention and make us believe that what is shown is really happening. Our imagination takes over and it puts us in the situation in the movie. The thrill of being in a diaster is what we call entertainment and we are willing to pay for that type of entertainment. If I could make the scene from our text seem as real as movies, that might be helpful to you. In truly grasping the magnitude of what is being described, you might see what it has to say to you. Experiencing the reality of what is being spoken of could bring home the significance of it for your life. Daniel is a book which contains some very familiar episodes. Three men are thrown into the fiery furnace and survive. They have the Jewish names Hannaniah, Mishael and Azariah, but are also known by their Babylonian names of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Also very familiar is the episode of Daniel being thrown into the den of lions and surviving. These episodes are often called `` stories.'' I have a problem with that word however. Today the word `` stories'' is strongly associated with fiction. Stories are not real occurences. There is the story of `` Hansel and Gretle'' and the story of ``Little Red Riding Hood.'' We are better off calling what is recorded in the book of Daniel `` accounts.'' They are accounts of the truth. They then take on more meaning for us. They really happened. They are not just fables with some sort of moral, but real happenings which tell us just what God is like based on how He behaves and what He does for His people. We do seem to have a loss of the sense of truth in our society today. Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy are ever more blended into things which are real. The result is that many children and more and more adults cannot tell the difference between fiction and fact. We spend many hours totally engaged in fictional movies and TV shows, and this may leave us wondering what is true and what is `` make-believe''? When reading Daniel, the problem of confusing fact and fiction is compounded. Much of what Daniel experienced and reported in the book of Daniel occurred as visions or divine revelations. These visions convey truth, but they do it in a symbolic way. We can be certain that a symbolic understanding is an appropriate way to read Daniel because of how Daniel himself handles the visions. This is seen from several of the interpretations of the visions which Daniel reports. Not only do the visions exist, but the visions continue and interpret or explain themselves to Daniel. For example, one of the visions involves a ram and a goat. The interpretation which is given to Daniel in that same vision is that the ram represents or symbolizes the kings of Media and Persia. The goat is the king of Greece. So, we know from reading Daniel itself that the visions are symbolic. We need to read Daniel with this idea in mind. Some of what Daniel reports is explained, and some is not explained. As always, we seek the Holy Spirit's guidance in understanding God's Word. In chapter 7, from which our text is drawn, there is a vision which includes four beasts. These beasts represent four kings, much as did the ram and goat. These beasts are devouring their victims, which turn out to be the saints. And the saints, you remember, are those who believe in Jesus Christ. The beasts are terrifying creatures who cause much destruction and harm. Following the four beasts, we come upon our text which reports of the arrival of the Ancient of Days on the scene. The text, consisting just two verses report entirely upon the appearance of the Ancient of Days and on His surroundings. This Ancient of Days represents a being who is very old. In fact, it must represent the oldest one around, God. Because we have a scene here of judgment, we would understand this as God who has come to judge. Revelation reports on the same Ancient one as the `` Alpha and Omega,'' `` the beginning and the end,'' and ``the one who is, and who was, and who is to come.'' These expressions all try to convey the idea of God, who has always existed and was never created. For the Ancient of Days and for others, throne_ s are set in place. Not just one throne, but thrones are set up for the party who will be judging. The text implies that these thrones are put in place quickly. In fact, the thrones are not set down, but they are thrown down. It would be a tongue-twister to say that the thrones were thrown. The picture is one showing the importance of the Ancient of Days. Those setting up the thrones must hurry and get them set, because the mighty one is here and we cannot have Him wait. Once the Ancient of Days is seated, we learn what He looks like. First, His clothing is white as snow. No color, no stains, but pure white. This shows He is pure and holy. Snow, especially new snow can have a blinding appearance. This is the degree of whiteness of the garment of the judge. His purity is so powerful, it can blind us. God's purity is so much greater than our impurity, it may intimidate us. Do we want to approach one who is so much better than we are? Won't we be reluctant to approach the one who does everything well, and makes none of the mistakes we make? Perhaps we will even fear the one who is perfect. With the image of snow, we are reminded of David speaking in Psalm 51 `` Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.'' When God cleans us, we become pure, because He is so pure. Isaiah also speaks of what God can do for us when he says, in chapter one, `` `Come now, let us reason together,' says the LORD. `Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.''' Isaiah ties together the whiteness of snow with the whiteness of wool. So does Daniel's vision. The Ancient of Days has hair which is white as wool. Again, what is symbolized here is the purity and holiness of God. Nothing impure is found in Him. No sins are there. Only pure and white substance exists. There is also the image of one who is old and has gray hair. The Ancient of Days is indeed ancient, and this carries the idea of wisdom with it also. With age comes wisdom in humans. God is represented as a vision of something we associate with human wisdom, and this shows God's wisdom. Revelation uses some of the same language as Daniel in chapter one. It says, `` His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.'' Here, Jesus is being spoken of, which is fine, for both the Son and the Father are God, along with the Spirit. Revelation carries along the idea of fire being connected to God. Daniel says that the throne of the Ancient of Days was flaming with fire. Fire brings with it the idea of punishment. If something is burning, out of control, people generally do not want to stand around it. If someone was sitting on a throne from which fire was coming forth, you probably would not want to walk right up to it. This is not the same picture of God as those paintings of Jesus which portray Him as welcoming the children or those who are sick. The image of God from Daniel is one who is painful for us to approach. We might get burned. We might be cooked to a crisp. Will we approach this throne if it might mean we are going to be punished? Fire is even more present. It comes out of the wheels of the throne too. The Ancient of Days is not stationary, but can travel around and when He travels, with Him comes more fire from the wheels. In addition, if this was not enough fire, it is reported that a river of fire comes from Him. The fire brings thoughts of judgment and it shows the authority which God has. The Ancient of Days has great authority and is very important. We see this because of the number of attendants present. Have you done the math? Not just a million, but a hundred million stand before Him and serve His needs and carry out His will. Picture this in your minds. Then judgment begins. The court is seated and judgment is set. The basis of judgment is in the books. These are the books of the deeds. Judgment is based upon what has been done. The first to be judged, reports the remainder of Daniel chapter 7, are the four kings who are represented by the four beasts. Their evil deeds of persecuting God's children will be punished. Will you be able to stand before this judge? What will the books of the deeds say of you? Should you fear the Old Man? Some children fear their earthly fathers. How about this heavenly father? With His wisdom and purity and power and authority, ought we not be trembling today in anticipation of the coming day of judgment? For you and I know our sins. We know our guilt. We know what is written about us in the books of our deeds. Recall the hymn we just sang. `` The day is surely drawing near When Jesus God's annointed, In all his power shall appear As judge whom God appointed. Then fright shall banish idle mirth, And hungry flames shall ravage earth As Scripture long has warned us.'' For those with idle mirth today, who are unconcerned about the coming judgment, they shall experience fear on that day when God appears to judge us. How about you? Are you concerned about judgment today? If you are, then you should know the comfort that our hymn talked of: `` May Christ our intercessor be And through His blood and merit Read from His book that we are free With all who life inherit. Then we shall see Him face to face, With all His saints in that blest place Which He has purchased for us.'' This is our comfort. Christ's blood was shed for us. His merit is applied to our accounts. He reads from His book, the Lamb's book of life, that we are free and we shall inherit eternal life. In that life which does not end, we shall see God face to face, without fear. We will not be blinded by His holiness because, by the Lord's mercy we too are made holy. We too are His saints. This all comes to us at the cost of Jesus' life, through which He purchased our salvation. No, we ought not fear the Old Man. The Ancient of Days will find us not guilty in the judgment. All who believe in Christ will be saved from the punishment for their sins. This it says in Daniel 7, but the verses did not get included in our reading. Verse 22 says, `` ...until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.'' Because of the Lord's favorable judgment, we do not need to fear Him. Because Christ already died in our places, we are judged not-guilty, and we will possess the kingdom. I invite you to read the entire account in Daniel 7 this week. Even better, read all of Daniel. When you do, you will see for yourself that in God's Word we find the assurance that the end is coming and a judgment will occur. We also find assurance that our case will come out favorably. We have nothing to fear for our future is looking bright, for we are on our way to the blest place which was purchased for us by the blood of Jesus Christ. Amen.