In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Daniel 7:13-14
The visions of the final victory of Christ are given to us for our encouragement, and we are redirected in our thoughts, values, priorities, and hopes when we meditate on them. The world that we see today, overrun with advertisers, will one day pass away. Every earthly political system will one day be destroyed. Every business will eventually go under. Every power that opposes God or that seeks to compete with Him – no matter how subtly and cleverly – will one day be no more.
But the dominion and reign and kingdom of our God will stand forever.
Daniel wrote these words after the vision of four beasts representing four world powers: a lion with wings like an eagle, representing Babylon that had quickly descended upon weaker powers; a bear, representing the Persian Empire that overpowered its opponents; the leopard with four wings, representing Greece, swifter and quicker than Babylon, conquering nation after nation under Alexander; and then the fourth beast with iron teeth, representing Rome with its military and legislative power. These were the powers of that era of world history, stretching from 600 BC to 100 AD, yet they each fell, and it has been the same since on this earth.
We, as God’s children, as followers of Christ, are to do as the Israel captives were told while they lived in Babylon: “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile” (Jer. 29:7). We are to seek the good of this world and serve as God’s messengers and servants to be blessings to others. But our hearts can never truly rest here. This world is not our home; we are only passing through. We are citizens of another kingdom, and our hopes and investments are laid up in eternity. We work ultimately not for the benefit of this temporal world, but for the good of God’s eternal kingdom.
If this hope is in us, our priorities are changed. Our hopes are eternal. Our ultimate direction will determine how we live today. Have you caught this vision of God’s eternal kingdom in your heart? Let it settle there and meditate on the meaning for you. Not only shall He defeat all who oppose Him, but He will also cure every disease, mend every heart, and establish every believing person in Christ for eternity.