THE THRONES WERE CAST DOWN
Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. 11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. 12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
These “thrones” were literally thrones of actual kings of various and successive world kingdoms. These kings shall be physically born and come to literal power. And they shall overcome the previous world power according to the dictates of the Lord God. Isaiah 42:9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. 48:3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass. 5 I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.
They are the Lord God’s ‘shepherds’ for the masses of peoples on the earth, for whatever purposes He has in their day. They are under his sovereign rule and control! Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. John 19:10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
King Cyrus of Persia was God’s servant, although Cyrus did not know the Lord! For all men are God’s servants, although all men are not God’s sons! Isaiah 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. Isaiah 45:1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; 4 For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. 5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
We see all these kings in the image of the man in chapter two of Daniel’s writings. (See Daniel 2:36-45). They are set forth there as elements that make up the divisions of the image. The head of gold represents Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian empire. (Dan. 2:38) The Persian empire is listed next as the “breast and arms of silver.” (Dan. 2:32,39). The next is the kingdom of the Greeks, represented by “the belly and thighs of brass.” (Dan. 2:32,39). The next is the Roman Empire, set forth as iron. (Dan. 2:33, 40). Every one of these came into being exactly as the Lord prophesied! As does the kingdom of Christ! Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed:
Josephus, the Jewish historian, recorded that around the year 330BC, Alexander the Great rode into Jerusalem and was met by the High Priest in his full ornamental dress, along with other ruling elders and priests. It is recorded that they showed him these scriptures, revealing to him his part of God’s prophesied history. Josephus states that he was so impressed by this and by a dream he had previously, that he left Jerusalem untouched by his usual devastation.
Whether one tends to believe this account or not, (for it is greatly protested by some historians), it does not change the absolute fact that all these kingdoms arose exactly as the Lord God had predicted through his prophets.
Therefore let us proceed to that last kingdom. For Daniel keeps looking till the (earthly) thrones were cast down. Then he sees the Eternal God sit upon his sovereign throne as the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days. This is nothing more than the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ entering into his mediatorial glory after his death, burial and resurrection!
Acts 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
And Peter preached concerning this at Pentecost. Acts 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, (speaking of King David of Israel), and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 33 (Now referring to the Lord Jesus, he states), Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
And then it clearly states in our text in verse fourteen listed above, that when the Son of God was ascended, there was given him a kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. For his dominion is an everlasting dominion. Jesus Christ is presently reigning Lord!
The King of kings made a very informative statement to Pilate at his ‘trial.’ John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. In this statement the Ancient of Days began to show through the Son of man the nature of the gospel kingdom in comparison to the earthly, visible kingdoms of man.
Speaking to Nicodemus he related how one obtains evidence of, and entrance into his spiritual kingdom. John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. For as one gains entrance into and activity within the natural kingdoms by simply being born. So one sees and enters into Christ’s spiritual kingdom by being born again, or, from above. John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
As we have already seen, Christ’s kingdom is an everlasting kingdom! Unlike all the other physical kingdoms, ruled by literal men, this kingdom shall never be taken over by any future, or succeeding king, or kingdom! Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. Daniel 7:18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
But where is the kingdom of Christ? It is where the Father’s will is being done on earth as it is in heaven! Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
Not every member of every family is in the kingdom! Luke 12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: 52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. 53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Not every member of every local church is truly within the spiritual kingdom! Revelation 2:13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. 14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
But the arrival of the kingdom has come to pass! Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
Some of those living in the days of the Lord’s ministry were present at Pentecost to ‘see’ his kingdom began! Mark 9:1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
Like food and drink nourish the physical body, the provisions of the kingdom of Christ nourish the soul! Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
It is the completion of this kingdom alone which shall bring forth the end of the age! Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
The kingdom is not advanced, nor identified by the teaching of religious dogma, but by the spiritual revelation of the Holy Spirit to the heart. It is not contained within organizations, but within organisms! 1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
The evidence of one having been effectually called into the Lord’s kingdom is a ‘worthy walk!’ 1 Thessalonians 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
Those who are poor in spirit are the blessed ones who are brought into Christ’s kingdom. Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Luke 18:25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
Being covetous, yearning for the world’s goods and only physical comforts, will exclude one from the kingdom! Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 1John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
Pastor Gene Breed
December 6, 2017
