Daniel 7:1; 8:1; 10:1 – The View from the Map Room
A soldier in the trenches knows the battlefield like the back of his hand. He knows what high ground the enemy holds. He knows how much ammunition his platoon has left and which sniper position is his biggest threat.
Yet even as he and his comrades are hemmed in and beaten down, he can be completely unaware of developments in other theatres. He can be ignorant of the fact that the enemy is losing ground elsewhere and that his allies are advancing at a breakneck speed. The war is bigger than one soldier’s experience.
I think that’s a helpful way of thinking about the Book of Daniel. The first 6 chapters and the last 6 chapters have very different styles. One focuses on stories, the other on surreal visions. One is familiar, the other is not. Yet, it helps to realise that they are both describing the exact same thing – the war between the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of Darkness.
Chapters 1 to 6 give us the view from the trenches. We stand with Private Daniel and his comrades as they are bombarded by enemy forces. We are heartened as we see God giving them victory, yet their lives are but one battlefield in a far larger war. Chapters 7 to 12 complete the picture. It is like we are stepping into the map room at Command HQ. We see the full devastating extent of the forces of darkness as they strike out in various theatres of war.
We realise that they are far more powerful than we ever thought possible and yet we also see something else: as the Commander in Chief moves the symbols around the map, we realise the outcome is certain. Satan’s strategic position is hopeless and Christ’s armies have him in their grasp.
Yes, there are many skirmishes to be fought, including ferocious battles in your own life. But the winning side is not in doubt. Satan and his minions cannot win. King Jesus has triumphed and will triumph. Jesus Christ wins.
Questions
- What, if anything, do you know about the second half of the book of Daniel?
- If all Scripture is given by God and is useful for us, what does that say about Daniel 7-12?
Prayer Points
- Pray that the Holy Spirit would help you to grasp the message of these chapters over the next few weeks.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.