Series: Resilience  
Message: Patience  
Preacher: Japhet De Oliveira

Refresh: Open with prayer. Read or listen to Psalm 14.

Read: Daniel 7 & 8 - As you read in the NLT translation, note 1-3 insights/questions that arise. 

Reflect: Daniel 7 is considered one of the summit chapters for the whole Bible, just like Isaiah 40, Matthew 24 or Revelation 14. While it focuses on judgment which can seem terribly frightening, we must remember that the Trinity are on our side with only Satan as the accuser. Jesus is our judge and advocate.  The court metaphor exists to encourage us to take a reality check on our life.  When you consider all the images, what is important to remember is that not all of these would have been new to people nor Daniel. Symbols were used throughout the Bible. Like “The Great Sea”: connected to the story of Exodus, the sea is a place of unfathomable fear, and Daniel 7:17 explains that the sea represents the earth. The sea was always seen as dangerous and mysterious. Solomon was the only King in Israel’s history to build a navy and go further. The sea was referred to as restless (Isaiah 57:20), God could tame it (Psalm 107:23-29), and the nations were like the sea (Isaiah 17:12,13). You also have the “Great Beasts.” After the fall, animals were no longer under total human control. So figuratively they represent powers that are opposed to God and again in the same verse, they are listed as kingdoms. Later in history Israel was to be invaded again, this time totally caught by surprise as the Romans arrived via the sea. Hence the imagery of the beasts coming from the sea are affirmed and connected later in the sister book to Daniel, Revelation.  The underlying message as we fly through these beasts and arrive through the judgment to the kingdom established under Jesus is that our patience has a good result. This was a powerful reminder to Daniel who would have been placed on the sidelines at this time. 

Recalibrate: 

1. What images or metaphors would you have used today to describe powers that dominate and persecute people?
2. What in your life is out of control and patience is the only thing you can hold on to? 

Respond: Pray for insight.

Research: Explore and line up the symbols of Daniel 2 (gold, silver, bronze, iron, iron and clay, stone from mountain) with Daniel 7 (lion, bear, leopard, beast, 10 horns and little horn, Ancient of Days).