Christ’s kingdom
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Week 5 unpacks Daniel 7’s four beasts and the Son of Man’s eternal dominion. Jesus fulfills this messianic vision (Mark 14:62), restoring Adam’s dominion (Psalms 8). The spiritual kingdom challenges dispensationalism, offering hope to saints amid persecution.
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Week 4 examines Daniel 5’s judgment on Belshazzar and Daniel 6’s lions’ den deliverance. The four kingdoms’ decline contrasts Christ’s eternal kingdom. God’s justice humbles the proud, while His mercy saves the faithful, urging trust in His sovereign plan.
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Week 3 explores Daniel’s chiastic structure, centering on the Son of Man (Daniel 7). The fiery furnace (Daniel 3) and Nebuchadnezzar’s humbling (Daniel 4) highlight God’s sovereignty and mercy. Aramaic-to-Hebrew shift underscores Christ’s kingdom, encouraging faithfulness in trials.
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Week 2 examines Daniel 2’s statue, symbolizing empires (Babylon to Rome) crushed by Christ’s eternal kingdom. Exile, rooted in Deuteronomy 4, disciplines Israel for redemption. Daniel, an exilic prophet, bridges Old Testament promises to Christ, revealing God’s sovereign plan over history.
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G.K. Beale’s “eschatology precedes soteriology” frames salvation as God’s cosmic restoration, from Eden to Christ’s resurrection. Daniel’s visions of empires, the Son of Man, and resurrection align with this, revealing God’s sovereign plan. Salvation is participation in God’s eternal kingdom, inspiring hope and purpose.