God is Always Moving



Daniel 7:5-6 (and 2:39)
39 Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.


5 And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’

6 After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it.



The dream of Daniel continues, on track with the dream of Nebuchadnezzar. The four kingdoms that Daniel sees in this dream are:


                                       Nebuchadnezzar’s Statue              Daniel’s Dream

  The Babylonians --                  Head                                          Lion

  The Medo-Persians --        Chest & Arms                             Bear - lopsided

  The Greeks --                      Leopard                                  Belly & Thigh

  The Romans --                Terrifying Beast                           Legs and Feet



In Daniel’s dream, the kingdoms are represented by beasts; in Nebuchadnezzar’s by the sections of the giant statue. Today we deal with the second and third kingdoms.


The Medo-Persians are represented by the bear in Daniel’s vision. The bear stands higher on one side than the other, which is rather odd. Commentators believe that is because the Persians were a stronger force than the Medes. Thus the bear is lopsided. We will encounter yet a third vision in chapter 8 that deals with these same kingdoms.


Imagine Daniel’s thoughts and musings as he ponders these visions and dreams. God has decided to tell a human what is coming in the near and distant future. That doesn’t happen very often. God is working out the plan of salvation even though mankind just thought life was moving along as normal. And that is our take home point for today. Even if we cannot see God moving – He is.

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