PAY ATTENTION TO GOD'S PROPHETIC WORD FOR OUR DAY

Conclusion of Picking Up Prophetic Strands

The 7th chapter of Daniel's gripping prophecy also brings us into the time of the end. It relates an even in the first year of Babylonian King Belshazzar. Then in his 70's Daniel has "a dream and visions of his head upon his bed."  How those visions frighten him!  "See there!" he exclaims.  "The four winds of the heavens were stirring up the vast sea. And four huge beasts were coming up out of the sea, each one being different from the others." (Daniel 7:1-8, 15) What remarkable beasts!  The first is a winged lion, and the second is like  bear. Then comes a leopard with four wings and four heads!  The unusually strong fourth beast has large iron teeth and ten horns. In among the ten horns rises "a small" horn having "eyes like the eyes of a man" and "a mouth speaking grandiose things" What grotesque creatures!

Daniel's visions next turn heavenward.  (Daniel 7:9-14) "The Ancient of Days," Jehovah God, is seen sitting gloriously enthroned  as Judge.  'A thousand thousands minister to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand keep standing before him.'  Judging the beasts adversely, God takes rulership away from them and destroys  the fourth beast. Lasting rulership over "the peoples, national groups and languages" is vested in "someone like a son of man."  This points to the time of the end and to the enthronement of the Son of man, Jesus Christ, in the year 1914. 

Readers of the book of Daniel are sure to have questions. For instance, what do the four beasts of Daniel chapter 7 represent?  What is the explanation of the prophetic "seventy weeks" of Daniel 9:24-27? How about Daniel chapter 11 and the prophetic conflict of  "the king of the north" and "the king of the south"?  What can we expect of these kings in the time of the end?

Jehovah has granted insight into such matters to his anointed servants on earth, to "the holy ones of the Supreme One," as they are called at Daniel 7:18. Moreover, "the faithful and discreet slave" has made provision for us to gain further insight into the inspired writings of the prophet  Daniel.  (Matthew 24:45) This is not available  through the recent release of the book  Pay Attention to Daniel's Prophecy!  This beautifully illustrated 320-page publication covers ever part of the book of Daniel. It deals with each faith-building prophecy and every narrative recorded by the beloved prophet Daniel.

Next time:  Conclusion of PAY ATTENTION TO GOD'S PROPHETIC WORD FOR OUR DAY-Real Meaning for Our Day

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000