Dan 7:9-10 | KingComments | STEP | Daniel also sees that “thrones” (pay attention to the plural!) are set up. A throne speaks of government, but also of justice. At that moment, Daniel, as an Old Testament believer, cannot be told who will take their place on these thrones. They are vaguely referred to by the term “court” ( ). In the light of the New Testament we know who this will be. The book of Revelation shows that on these thrones the believers of the Old Testament and New Testament will sit, represented in twenty-four elders ( ). Daniel does see that on one particular throne Someone takes His seat, namely “the Ancient of Days”. ‘The Ancient of Days’ is God. The appearance and behavior, presented in the “vesture” of this Ancient of Days, indicate that He is perfectly pure and holy. His Person radiates impeccable and powerful respectability, which is given an extra accent by “the hair of His head” that is “like pure wool”. The description of the Ancient of Days corresponds to that of the Lord Jesus as the Son of Man ( ). It is one of the many proofs in Scripture that the Lord Jesus is God. The characteristics of the throne of the Ancient of Days indicate a consuming judgment that is exercised without any mitigation and without any resistance being possible. For the execution of the judgment countless angels are at His service. Before the judgment is carried out, proof of its fairness shall be provided. The books will be opened. These books contain a flawless record of the charges (cf. ). No one who is judged shall have any reason to question or contradict the reason for his conviction. No one shall have a reply ( ). The fact that there are wheels on the throne indicates that the government of God is dynamic. The fact that the wheels are of burning fire means that He judges iniquity. He is the acting God. God’s government is in motion, a movement that always goes forward. God has a purpose, He always works towards it. For this He leads the course of history and events. He is the One Who was and is, and also the One Who comes, in which we see Him acting ( ). The trial focuses on “the horn” that speaks “boastful words”. Those boastful words become the reason for his condemnation. They are the expression of a total rejection and slander of God. That is why the beast is slain. Note the change from horn to beast. The beast and the horn represent the same. The horn is the ruler, the beast is the revived Roman empire. In the horn we see the representative of that empire. After the beast is slain, its body is destroyed and thrown into the lake of fire. The fact that its body is destroyed does not mean that this person ceases to exist, for as the first living being, the beast, along with the false prophet, ends up in hell ( ). With this judgment of the beast and the fourth empire, the rule of the other empires is also taken away. The other empires did not exist anymore as world empire. They were included in the next empires. That is to say, they had not fully ceased to exist. They still existed as empires, but without (world) rule. God has set the time of each empire. In the end time, the times in which we live, we see that these empires take their place on the world stage again. In today’s Iraq, the former Babylon revives, Iran is the former Persia and Greece speaks for itself.

‏ Daniel 7:9-10

A Glimpse Into God’s Court

Daniel also sees that “thrones” (pay attention to the plural!) are set up. A throne speaks of government, but also of justice. At that moment, Daniel, as an Old Testament believer, cannot be told who will take their place on these thrones. They are vaguely referred to by the term “court” (Dan 7:10). In the light of the New Testament we know who this will be. The book of Revelation shows that on these thrones the believers of the Old Testament and New Testament will sit, represented in twenty-four elders (Rev 4:4 ; Rev 20:4).

Daniel does see that on one particular throne Someone takes His seat, namely “the Ancient of Days”. ‘The Ancient of Days’ is God. The appearance and behavior, presented in the “vesture” of this Ancient of Days, indicate that He is perfectly pure and holy. His Person radiates impeccable and powerful respectability, which is given an extra accent by “the hair of His head” that is “like pure wool”. The description of the Ancient of Days corresponds to that of the Lord Jesus as the Son of Man (Rev 1:13-15). It is one of the many proofs in Scripture that the Lord Jesus is God.

The characteristics of the throne of the Ancient of Days indicate a consuming judgment that is exercised without any mitigation and without any resistance being possible. For the execution of the judgment countless angels are at His service. Before the judgment is carried out, proof of its fairness shall be provided. The books will be opened. These books contain a flawless record of the charges (cf. Rev 20:12). No one who is judged shall have any reason to question or contradict the reason for his conviction. No one shall have a reply (Mt 22:12).

The fact that there are wheels on the throne indicates that the government of God is dynamic. The fact that the wheels are of burning fire means that He judges iniquity. He is the acting God. God’s government is in motion, a movement that always goes forward. God has a purpose, He always works towards it. For this He leads the course of history and events. He is the One Who was and is, and also the One Who comes, in which we see Him acting (Rev 1:8).

The trial focuses on “the horn” that speaks “boastful words”. Those boastful words become the reason for his condemnation. They are the expression of a total rejection and slander of God. That is why the beast is slain. Note the change from horn to beast. The beast and the horn represent the same. The horn is the ruler, the beast is the revived Roman empire. In the horn we see the representative of that empire. After the beast is slain, its body is destroyed and thrown into the lake of fire. The fact that its body is destroyed does not mean that this person ceases to exist, for as the first living being, the beast, along with the false prophet, ends up in hell (Rev 19:20).

With this judgment of the beast and the fourth empire, the rule of the other empires is also taken away. The other empires did not exist anymore as world empire. They were included in the next empires. That is to say, they had not fully ceased to exist. They still existed as empires, but without (world) rule. God has set the time of each empire.

In the end time, the times in which we live, we see that these empires take their place on the world stage again. In today’s Iraq, the former Babylon revives, Iran is the former Persia and Greece speaks for itself.