Daniel 7:15-18 Video Devotional

Posted on Dec 29, 2020 by admin in Video Devotional | Tags: , ,

“As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me. I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’– Daniel 7:15-18

It may seem a bit overzealous to take this entire chapter in one devotional, but it really can’t be split up easily and the prophecy comes down to a fairly basic idea. Daniel’s vision of the four beasts is crazy and intimidating to read through but can be understood by knowing how it fits in the book. Chapter 7 is part of the section of detail that comes before it, not the rest of the prophecy afterward. We know this because of the language break after chapter 7. Along with that, these early chapters act as mirrors of each other, each reaffirming their common themes and ideas (chs 2&7, 3&6, and 4&5). Chapter 2 and 7 both talk about a vision of future kingdoms that reign in power, but are not eternal. They are all taken down by the greatest kingdom, the kingdom of God Most High.

When we consider the recurring theme that is consistent throughout the book so far (righteous suffering leads to God’s glory and people’s salvation) and connect that to what Daniel said in the middle of the chapter 7 vision (between the vision and its interpretation), we see the culmination of what righteous suffering does. It leads to eternal victory! There is a reward that comes with righteous suffering and a promise that one day, it will end, because God Most High will reign and His reign will be permanent.

Whether or not you look at these visions as being kingdoms from the past (Greeks, Romans, etc…) of kingdoms of the future (end times), the main idea holds consistent – righteous suffering leads to our victory. What does this mean for you? It means to hang on, knowing that you are joining with Christ through that suffering and people who see what you go through are receiving testimony of the gospel through your life.


Daniel 2:36-45 Video Devotional

Posted on Nov 3, 2020 by admin in Video Devotional | Tags: , , , ,

“This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.” – Daniel 2:36-45

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the kingdoms enters us into the beginning of the prophetic illustrations of the book. In it, we see a frightening statue with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, middle and thighs of bronze and legs of iron and feet of partly iron and partly clay. Then the statue was struck by a giant boulder and crushed it all to where the wind then blew the dust into the air.

These kingdoms that represented the statue were worldly kingdoms (Babylon was the head of gold), which would follow one after another, whose focus was self and sin. They will fill God’s world with violence. These kingdoms were then destroyed by the final kingdom, God’s permanent kingdom, confronting the evil of the worldly kingdoms, bringing righteousness and justice that the previous kingdoms ignored.

Simply put, it was a warning to Nebuchadnezzar that his kingdom would receive its retribution and be destroyed. Those who rely on the kingdoms of the world should take this to heart and be afraid. Worldly kingdoms will end. God’s kingdom will rule forever (this is a spiritual kingdom – please do not in any way think I am referring to the U.S. as God’s kingdom). Us Christians, who have chosen to live in the Kingdom of God on earth will reap the benefits of God’s restoration, but the entrance fee must be required: salvation through Jesus that leads to repentance and obedience. We should be comforted by this passage with the knowledge that God will restore everything to the way it was meant to be. Justice will be served!


Genesis 49:8-12 Video Devotional

Posted on May 7, 2020 by admin in Video Devotional | Tags: , , , ,

“Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you.

Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up.He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes.

His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.” (Genesis 49:8-12)

In previous devotionals, we have already discussed the undeserved nature of Judah’s blessing and promise. He certainly did not earn his opportunity to be in the line of kings. That said, He was the patriarch of the tribe of Judah, and that tribe is blessed in some serious ways.

What we see in this passage is basically a direct line to Jesus. Again, friends, Jesus is the blessing! He is the culmination of and the reason for all of the blessings of the Old Testament. The whole point is to get to Jesus. While this blessing incorporates more than just Jesus (Judah’s line of kings encompasses more than the King of kings), it clearly references Him. The peaceful kingdom full of plenty [hinting at the final kingdom full of peace and plenty – heaven]; the eternal kingship and reference to obedience of the peoples (referring to more than one people group); the hints at wine and grapes [His sacrifice] – these all foreshadow the Savior. 

Jesus is clearly the One who was prophesied about throughout Genesis and the rest of the Old Testament. Jesus is the blessing. Jesus is the gospel. The good news isn’t just about Jesus, it IS Jesus! He didn’t bring the message of God, He IS the message of God. The good news of our salvation is the life Jesus lived. We are blessed because of Jesus! Praise Him who gave His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45)!


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