Fear Not Over The Future
Fear Not Over The Future | May 23, 2024
Over the past few years, uncertainty has filled the hearts and minds of even those with strong faith. Your apprehension about trusting those in political leadership and biased news is warranted. However, the unchanging and steadfast promises of Scripture still stand, and the message is clear: Fear not over the future because God's reign will not be stopped.
To solidify this understanding, consider the dreams and visions of prophecy found in the book of Daniel:
"In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream. 2 Daniel said: 'In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. 3 Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea' " (Daniel 7:1-3).
Daniel's night vision represents four world empires, symbolized as four beasts. It's important to note that these four empires are the same ones Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream in chapter two. Here, in chapter 7, the lion represents King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Next, the second beast is called a bear, representing the Medo-Persian Empire. The third beast is pictured as a leopard representing Greece. Finally, the fourth beast of bronze claws represents the Roman Empire. Although this dream spoke of recent rules of power like Nebuchadnezzar, there was also a prophetic symbolism.
The conditions of Daniel's time troubled him greatly, similar to the troubles in our cities and country today. Nevertheless, the verses below show us that God comforted Daniel with promises, which we share today:
Daniel 7:15-18, "I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. 16 I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this. So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things: 17 'The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth. 18 But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.' "
These four kings and kingdoms have a shelf life, as eventually, they will come to an end, and Christ will reign supreme. God assured Daniel that the authority of these kings would cease, and God's people would live and reign eternally.
Armed with this knowledge, we can face the future without fear. Instead, we can place our unwavering faith in God's benevolence and mercy, knowing He holds the ultimate outcome in His hands!
To solidify this understanding, consider the dreams and visions of prophecy found in the book of Daniel:
"In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream. 2 Daniel said: 'In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. 3 Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea' " (Daniel 7:1-3).
Daniel's night vision represents four world empires, symbolized as four beasts. It's important to note that these four empires are the same ones Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream in chapter two. Here, in chapter 7, the lion represents King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Next, the second beast is called a bear, representing the Medo-Persian Empire. The third beast is pictured as a leopard representing Greece. Finally, the fourth beast of bronze claws represents the Roman Empire. Although this dream spoke of recent rules of power like Nebuchadnezzar, there was also a prophetic symbolism.
The conditions of Daniel's time troubled him greatly, similar to the troubles in our cities and country today. Nevertheless, the verses below show us that God comforted Daniel with promises, which we share today:
Daniel 7:15-18, "I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. 16 I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this. So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things: 17 'The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth. 18 But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.' "
These four kings and kingdoms have a shelf life, as eventually, they will come to an end, and Christ will reign supreme. God assured Daniel that the authority of these kings would cease, and God's people would live and reign eternally.
Armed with this knowledge, we can face the future without fear. Instead, we can place our unwavering faith in God's benevolence and mercy, knowing He holds the ultimate outcome in His hands!
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