Daniel

Daniel 7: The Son of Man will reign

Begin in prayer

Before we open Daniel 7 and see the Son of Man, please ask God to show us the kingdom that will never be destroyed.

Who is this King of glory? Yahweh of Armies is the King of glory! Selah.

Psalm 24:10

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us the Son of Man and the kingdom You gave Him, and help us to see Christ as the King. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

In the first year of Belshazzar, Daniel has a dream and writes down the sum of it. Four great animals come up from the great sea, and Daniel is told they are four kings. The last animal is awesome and strong, with iron teeth and ten horns, and a little horn speaks great things. Then thrones are placed, the Ancient of Days sits, the judgment is set and the books are opened. One like a son of man comes with the clouds and is given dominion, glory and a kingdom. Daniel is troubled, and he is told that the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever.

As you read Daniel 7, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God, the Ancient of Days, gave the Son of Man an everlasting kingdom that will never be destroyed.

This is the first vision Daniel received, in the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon (verse 1). He saw four great animals come up from the sea, and he was told they are four kings (verses 3 and 17). Then thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days sat down to judge (verses 9 and 10). One like a son of man came with the clouds to the Ancient of Days (verse 13). He was given “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom,” and His kingdom “shall not be destroyed” (verse 14). Jesus took the name Son of Man for Himself, and He spoke of coming with the clouds (Mark 14 verse 62). However fierce the powers on earth, God judges them, and the everlasting kingdom is given to the Son of Man. The text does not name the four kingdoms here, so we say only what it says.

How does Daniel 7 show us that God, the Ancient of Days, gave the Son of Man an everlasting kingdom that will never be destroyed?

Four great powers rose up from the sea.

Four winds broke out on the great sea, and four great animals came up one after another (verses 2 and 3). The first was like a lion, the second like a bear, and the third like a leopard (verses 4 to 6). The fourth was awesome and strong, with great iron teeth and ten horns (verse 7). Daniel was told they are four kings, and the fourth is a fourth kingdom (verses 17 and 23).

The Ancient of Days sat to judge.

Thrones were placed, and one who was ancient of days sat, in clothing white as snow (verse 9). Thousands of thousands ministered to Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him (verse 10). The judgment was set, and the books were opened (verse 10). The fourth animal was slain, and the others lost their dominion (verses 11 and 12).

The Son of Man received an everlasting kingdom.

One like a son of man came with the clouds of the sky to the Ancient of Days (verse 13). He was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, so that all peoples should serve Him (verse 14). His dominion is everlasting, and His kingdom will not be destroyed (verse 14). Jesus told His judges that the Son of Man would come on the clouds (Matthew 26 verse 64). The saints of the Most High, God's holy people, will receive the kingdom (verse 18).

Memorise

There was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion.

Daniel 7:14

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, the Son of Man is King, so do I need His forgiveness?

Daniel saw one like a son of man receive “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom.” Jesus used that name, the Son of Man, when He stood before His judges.

Before He received that kingdom, the Son of Man went to the cross. There He bore the punishment of His people, and His one sacrifice was enough once for all. He rose from the grave and sits at God's right hand.

So come to the King. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. Everyone who trusts Him will find forgiveness now, and a place in a kingdom that will never be destroyed.

Parent's note

Tell your children that God gave the Son of Man an everlasting kingdom, and that Jesus is the Son of Man. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart. Parents, verses 19 to 25 describe fierce kingdoms and a horn that makes war on the saints, so please tell them gently.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for the kingdom He gave the Son of Man, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone.

Hebrews 2:9

Father, thank You that You gave the Son of Man an everlasting kingdom. Thank You that Jesus tasted death for sinners and now reigns. Please bring us to bow to Him and trust Him as King. Amen.