Daniel Chapter 7
Verse 1
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon – Daniel’s stories in Chapters 1-6 are given in chronological order, as are the prophecies in Chapters 7-12. Therefore, as we begin the prophetic portion of Daniel, it is necessary to back up somewhat in history. The events of this chapter took place in the year 553 BC, nearly 14 years before the fall of Babylon, when Daniel was approximately 70 years of age.
Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed – Daniel had what we would call a prophetic dream. The prophecy given in this dream is closely related to the dream of the great image in Chapter 2, and covers the same span of history. However, the prophecy of Daniel 7 is from a slightly different perspective, and it provides more detail.
Daniel 7 was written especially for the people of God. It reveals Satan’s efforts to control the world and his attempts to destroy God’s people. It also reveals God’s response, as He guides history and finally convenes the judgment in heaven to unmask Satan’s activities and vindicate His people.
Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts – Daniel recorded this dream especially for us (1 Peter 1:12). Notice that his description of the dream is only a summary of all that he saw.
Verse 2
The four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea – This prophecy is given using symbolic language. Each item described in the dream represents something else. The Bible itself gives us the keys to interpreting these symbols.
Winds are a symbol of strife, war, bloodshed and destruction (Jeremiah 25:31 – 33; 51:1, 16; see also Ezekiel 7:1, 2). (SOP 1)
The sea represents multitudes of people, the nations of the earth (Revelation 17:15; Isaiah 17:12, 13).
When symbolic winds and waters are placed together, it represents “nations which are warring for world dominion.” Notice that the four beasts described in this dream arose from the sea while the winds were blowing upon the sea. It was through war and strife that they gained world dominion. (SOP 2)
Verse 3
Four great beasts came up – These four beasts represent world kingdoms that arose to power one after another (Daniel 7:17, 23). Down through history, animals have often been used to symbolize nations. Modern examples are the eagle (United States), a bear (Russia), and a lion (Great Britain). This prophecy is God’s political cartoon of world history.
Verse 4
The first was like a lion – The lion represents Babylon (Jeremiah 4:7; 50:17) (605 – 539 BC), and it corresponds to the golden head of the image. It is no coincidence that the lion was used by the Babylonians as a symbol of their nation. Lions, even winged lions, are found on their seals and monuments. Thousands of tiles depicting lions were placed along the processional way entering the city of Babylon.
And had eagle’s wings – Wings in Bible prophecy represent speed of conquest (Ezekiel 17:3, 12, Lamentations 4:19, Habakkuk 1:6 – 8).
Its wings were plucked off – Plucking of the wings represents the time when Babylon would no longer be swift to conquer the nations. It refers especially to the less powerful rulers that followed Nebuchadnezzar, under whom Babylon lost her glory and power.
It was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it – This represents the loss of Babylon’s lion-like qualities, and her rising up in pride and rebellion against God (see Daniel 5:20 – 23). The man’s heart symbolizes Babylon’s change of character after Nebuchadnezzar’s death.
Verse 5
Suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear – The bear represents the kingdom of the Medes and Persians (Daniel 5:31, 8:20) (539 – 331 BC), and it corresponds to the chest and arms of silver in the image. The sudden appearance of the bear indicates that its rise to power would be sudden and unexpected.
It was raised up on one side – This symbolizes that one of the two co-ruling kingdoms would be more powerful than the other. This detail is remarkably true to history. When the kingdom began, the Medes were predominant. But the Persians soon took over and the Medes receded into the background. Through the latter part of its history, the kingdom was ruled exclusively by Persian kings.
And had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth – The three ribs in the bear’s mouth represent the three nations which the Medes and Persians conquered in order to ascend to power. Lydia (ancient Turkey/Anatolia) was conquered in 547 BC, Babylon was overcome in 539 BC, and Egypt was forced to submit in 525 BC.
Notice that these three ribs were held in its mouth, and not chewed up and digested. This symbolizes that Medo-Persia did not absorb these powers, but controlled them by its “fangs.”
And they said thus to it: “Arise, devour much flesh!” – We are not told who “they” are, but it is clear that Someone behind the scenes is giving Medo-Persia permission to conquer (compare with Daniel 2:37, 38). The phrase, “devour much flesh” also gives us a glimpse into the character of this kingdom. The Persian kings that ruled after Cyrus were noted for their intolerance and cruelty.
Verse 6
After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard – The leopard represents the kingdom of Greece (331 BC – 168 BC), and it corresponds to the belly and thighs of bronze in the image.
Which had on its back four wings of a bird – The leopard is in itself a swift animal, but this leopard has four wings. This represents that Greece would conquer the world even more swiftly than Babylon.
That is exactly what happened. Alexander the Great conquered the whole Near East, from Egypt to the Indus Valley in India, in just 3 years. Nebuchadnezzar took 13 years to reach a stalemate with Tyre, but Alexander conquered Tyre in only eight months.
The beast also had four heads – The four heads represent the four divisions of Alexander’s empire after his death. The four generals that took charge of these divisions are Ptolemy (who ruled Egypt, Palestine and part of Syria), Cassander (who ruled Macedonia and Greece), Lysimachus (who ruled Thrace and part of Asia Minor), and Selecus (who ruled other portions of Asia Minor, northern Syria and Mesopotamia).
And dominion was given to it – Notice that the leopard did not take dominion, but dominion was given to it. This is another glimpse behind the scenes, where God is guiding history and giving the kingdom those whom He chooses.
Verse 7
Behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong - The fourth beast represents the Roman Empire (168 BC – 476 AD), and it corresponds to the iron legs of the image. Daniel did not compare this terrifying beast to any specific animal, but the book of Revelation makes it clear that this beast is a dragon.
It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it – What made this kingdom “different” was its cruelty. With huge iron teeth it devoured everything it encountered, and then it broke in pieces what it could not carry off. It even spitefully trampled on the residue that it abandoned.
It was this kingdom that employed the horrors of crucifixion as a means of capital punishment. Rome crucified our Lord and martyred the apostles. A high point of the ‘Roman Holiday’ was the slaughter of Christians, either as burning torches in the Colosseum or as food for ravenous beasts.
And it had ten horns – The ten horns represent the ten kingdoms (476 AD – 538 AD) into which the Roman Empire was divided when it fell apart. The ten horns correspond to the ten toes of the image.
Germanic tribes from the continent of Europe swept down upon Rome, breaking it apart and dividing it among themselves. These tribes later became the nations of Western Europe. Following is a list of these tribes and the nations they became.
Germanic Tribe European Nation
Alemanni Germany
Anglo-Saxons Britain
Burgundians Switzerland
Franks France
Suevi Portugal
Visigoths Spain
Lombards Italy
Heruli now extinct
Vandals now extinct
Ostragoths now extinct
Verse 8
I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots – As Daniel was contemplating the ten horns, he noticed another “little” horn growing up among the ten, and pushing out three of the first horns as it came up. This little horn represents Papal Rome (538 – 1798 AD), and it corresponds to the mixture of iron and clay in the image’s feet and toes. The three horns that the little horn uprooted as it came into existence are the Heruli, the Vandals and the Ostragoths.
And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man – Eyes represent wisdom and understanding (Ecclesiastes 2:14, Ephesians 1:18). This horn has human eyes, indicating that it would have human wisdom and understanding.
And a mouth speaking pompous words – The fact that this little horn has a mouth suggests a prominent spokesperson at its head. Later on we will find that the pompous words spoken by this “mouth” are words of blasphemy.
This little horn will prove to be the great antichrist of Bible prophecy. At the time of the Protestant Reformation, all the reformers understood that the little horn was the Roman Catholic Church. But through the counter-reformation, the church introduced new methods of prophetic interpretation to divert the attention of the world away from the Papacy as the antichrist. This effort has been amazingly successful. Today we stand nearly alone in the belief that the little horn is the Papacy.
Because the identity of the little horn is so disputed, we need positive biblical proof of its identity. Consider the following list of identifying characteristics, all taken from the description of the little horn in Daniel Chapter 7.
1. The little horn arose from the fourth beast (vs. 8). The fourth beast represents the Roman Empire, so the little horn must also be a Roman power. This is also represented by the mixture of iron with the clay in the feet and toes of the image.
The Papacy precisely fulfills this point of identification, being Roman in all its dimensions. Notice the following:
a. The Papacy is called the Roman Catholic Church.
b. The official language of the Vatican is Latin, the language of ancient Rome.
c. In its official documents, the Vatican employs Roman numerals.
d. The headquarters of the Papacy is Vatican City, which is geographically located in Rome.
e. The architecture at the Vatican is Roman. A comparison between the architecture of ancient Rome and the Vatican shows them to be virtually identical.
f. The religion of the Roman Catholic Papacy was inherited from Pagan Rome. Beginning with the Roman emperor Constantine, all sorts of pagan practices were brought into the church. In fact, the title Pontifex Maximus (Supreme Pontiff) used by the pope was first used by the pagan Roman emperors.
g. Historians and theologians consistently emphasize that Papal Rome inherited and perpetuated the Roman Empire, but in a different way. It was a religious-political system.
2. The little horn arose among the ten horns (vs. 8). The ten horns represent the divisions of Western Europe, so the little horn must have arisen in Western Europe. (Notice that these first two characteristics restrict the geographical location of the little horn to Western Europe.)
The Papacy fulfills this point of identification, having arisen in Rome, Italy, right in the heart of Western Europe.
3. The little horn arose after the ten horns (vs. 24). According to historians, the ten horns were established as independent kingdoms by 476 AD, so this must mean that the little horn arose to power some time after the date 476 AD.
The Papacy fulfills this point of identification. After Pagan Rome fell in 476 AD, the Papacy could not exercise its absolute sovereignty over the nations of Europe until they were subjected to its control. Three of these kingdoms, the Vandals, the Heruli and the Ostragoths, were rebellious and refused to submit to the Bishop of Rome, and it was a number of years before they were subdued.
4. The little horn would pluck up three of the first ten horns by the roots (vs. 8). Verse 20 explains that three of the first horns would fall before the little horn, and verse 24 tells us that the little horn would subdue three kings (horns). In other words, three of the first ten nations would disappear from history!
The Papacy fulfills this point, having uprooted three of the ten kingdoms. This is how it happened: Seven of the ten barbarian kingdoms were converted to Christianity and submitted to the authority of the Bishop of Rome. However, three of the kingdoms converted to Christianity but embraced the heretical teachings of Arius, who taught that Christ was not God but a created being. Being a threat to the supremacy of Rome, these three kingdoms were uprooted by the civil powers, acting under the influence of the Bishop of Rome. The Heruli were destroyed in 493 AD, the Vandals in 534, and the Ostragoths in 538.
5. The little horn would speak pompous [great, KJV] words against the Most High (vs. 20, 25). Revelation 13:5explains what these words would be, namely, blasphemy. What is blasphemy according to the Bible? It is when a merely human power claims to be God on earth, and when it thinks that it can exercise the prerogatives and functions of God (see John 10:30 – 33; Mark 2:7).
The Papacy does claim to be God on earth, and also claims the right to exercise the prerogatives of God (see 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4). Notice the following quotes taken from Roman Catholic sources that confirm this:
The New York Catechism states:
“The pope takes the place of Jesus Christ on earth. . . By divine right the pope has supreme and full power in faith and morals over each and every pastor and his flock. He is the true Vicar of Christ, the head of the entire church, the father and teacher of all Christians. He is the infallible ruler, the founder of dogmas, the author of and the judge of councils, the universal ruler of truth, the arbiter of the world, the supreme judge of heaven and earth, the judge of all, being judged by no one, God himself on earth.” (Quoted in Lorraine Boettner, Roman Catholicism, p. 127)
Pope Leo XIII stated in an Encyclical Letter dated June 20, 1894:
“We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty.” (The great Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII, p. 304.)
Notice the following words from the Baltimore Catechism:
“The priest does not have to ask God to forgive your sins. The priest himself has the power to do so in Christ’s name. Your sins are forgiven by the priest the same as if you knelt before Jesus Christ and told them to Christ Himself.” (Quoted in Lorraine Boettner, Roman Catholicism, p. 197.)
Before we look at the following blasphemous statements, it is important to understand the Roman Catholic view of the Mass. In their view, 1) the priest has the power to change the bread into the real flesh of Jesus and the wine into His real blood. 2) Christ is contained in His totality (known as “ubiquity”) in each host distributed by the priest. 3) Because Christ is totally present in each host, the host is worshiped by the priest and the faithful. Obviously, for these concepts to be true, the priest would have to exercise the powers of Almighty God. And this is just what the Roman Catholic Church believes. Notice the following words of St. Alphonsus de Liguori:
“With regard to the power of the priests over the real body of Jesus Christ, it is of faith that when they pronounce the words of consecration the Incarnate Word has obliged himself to obey and come into their hands under the sacramental species. We are struck with wonder when we hear that God obeyed the voice of Josue-The Lord obeying the voice of man-and made the sun stand still when he said move not, O sun, towards Gabaon, , . . . .and the sun stood still.
But our wonder should be far greater when we find that in obedience to the words of his priests-HOC EST CORPUS MEUM-God himself descends on the altar, that he comes wherever they call him, and as often as they call him, and places himself in their hands, even though they should be his enemies. And after having come, he remains, entirely at their disposal; they move him as they please, from one place to another; they may, if they wish, shut him up in the tabernacle, or expose him on the altar, or carry him outside the church; they may, if they choose, eat his flesh, and give him for the food of others.” (St. Alphonsus de Liguori, Dignity and Duties of the Priest or Selva, pp. 26, 27.)
“Thus the priest may, in a certain manner, be called the creator of his Creator, since by saying the words of consecration, he creates, as it were, Jesus in the sacrament, by giving him a sacramental existence, and produces his as a victim to be offered to the eternal Father. As in creating the world it was sufficient for God to have said, Let it be made, and it was created-He spoke, and they were made-so it is sufficient for the priest to day, ‘Hoc est corpus meum,’ and behold the bread is no longer bread, but the body of Jesus Christ. ‘The power of the priest,’ says St. Bernardine of Sienna, ‘is the power of the divine person; for the transubstantiation of the bread requires as much power as the creation of the world.” (St. Alphonsus de Liguori, Dignity and Duties of the Priest or Selva, pp. 33, 34.)
6. The little horn would be a persecuting power (vs. 21, 25).
The Roman Catholic Church has been an ardent persecutor of dissenters throughout its history. It has been conservatively estimated by historians that at least 50 million ‘heretics’ were killed during her 1260-year rule.
Some today believe that the Roman Church has since changed in character, that this persecution could never again take place. But this is not the case. (SOP 3)
7. The little horn would intend [think, KJV] to change God’s times (vs. 25).
The Roman Catholic Church also fulfills this point. Obviously this refers to her change of the Sabbath, from the seventh day to the first day of the week. But the Catholic Church has also changed God’s timetable of prophetic events, having invented two false systems of prophetic interpretation to rival historicism.
As noted previously in these studies, the great reformers such as Martin Luther studied the books of Daniel and Revelation and concluded that the Papacy was the antichrist of Bible prophecy. To counteract this teaching, two Spanish Jesuit priests were charged with the task of creating alternative methods of prophetic interpretation. Luis de Alcazar created Preterism and Francisco Ribera created Futurism.
Preterism and Futurism seem to be complete opposites, but they have one thing in common. One relegates prophecy to the distant past, while the other pushes prophecy off into the future. But both make Daniel and Revelation irrelevant for our day, and thereby change God’s prophetic times. The incredible thing is that virtually all of the Protestant churches have since accepted these false methods of prophetic interpretation.
8. The little horn would have the audacity to try to change God’s holy law (vs. 25).
An examination of the Ten Commandments, as listed in many different Roman Catholic catechisms, reveals that they have indeed tried to change God’s law. The second commandment forbidding image worship is consistently omitted. Because this leaves only nine commandments, the tenth is divided into two. In addition, the fourth commandment has been abbreviated to “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy,” leaving out the portion identifying the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath. And the faithful are encouraged to attend mass and rest on Sunday in fulfillment of the commandment.
The church freely admits to changing the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday. Notice the following quote from The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, 1957 edition, by Peter Giermann:
“Question: Which day is the Sabbath day?
“Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day.
“Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?
“Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (A. D. 336), transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.”
9. The little horn would be different from the ten horns (vs. 24).
The Roman Catholic Church is indeed a different power than the kingdoms that came before her. The fundamental difference is that the Papacy is an amalgamation of church and state. The Bishop of Rome became not only the head of the church, but he was given the throne vacated by the Caesars.
10. This power would govern for a time and times and a half a time (vs. 25).
A “time” is a year (see Daniel 4:16, margin). So one time is a year, times (dual) is two years, and a half a time is half a year. This adds up to three and one-half years, or 1260 days. In Bible prophecy, literal days symbolize years (Numbers 14:34, Ezekiel 4:6), so this power would govern for 1260 years.
The Roman Catholic Church fulfills this point, having ruled over Europe for exactly 1260 years! The church came to supreme power in 538 AD when the last of the rebellious kingdoms were uprooted. And on February 10, 1798, General Berthier entered Vatican City, arrested Pope Pius VI and took him captive to Valence, France, where he died in exile. It was the intention of Napoleon to eradicate the Papacy as an enemy of the republic. It is important to realize that the Papacy, as a church, did not cease to exist in 1798, but its civil authority was removed.
This list of ten identifying characteristics, all taken from Daniel Chapter 7, proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the little horn is the Roman Catholic Papacy. It is the only power in history that fulfills to the letter all ten points.
Verses 9, 10
Up to this point in the dream, Daniel has been shown events taking place on earth. We have seen more than 2,400 years of war and strife among the nations, as they contended with one another for world dominion. But now, as the vision continues, God abruptly lifts our eyes from earth to heaven.
Don’t miss the fact that this judgment takes place at a specific time in world history. In verse 8 we saw the little horn rule for 1260 years, its rule ending in 1798 AD. And now in verse 9 we see the judgment begin in heaven. In other words, this judgment begins some time after 1798.
I watched till thrones were put in place [cast down, KJV] – The thrones spoken of here are the judges’ seats during the judgment. Notice that they are being put into place just before the presiding Judge is seated. This scene took place in the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary on October 22, 1844.
And the Ancient of Days was seated – The Ancient of Days is God the Father, the presiding Judge. The very first business of the court is the seating of the Judge.
His garment was white as snow – The Father’s white garments represent His perfect righteousness and impartial justice.
And the hair of His head was like pure wool – His white hair portrays Him as wise and venerable.
His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him – This is a description of God’s glory. To Daniel, God’s throne appeared to be made of fire that emanated out in streams (Hebrews 12:29).
A thousand thousands ministered to Him – These are the attending angels, ready to serve God’s every command.
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him – These are the myriads of angels surrounding the throne (compare with Revelation 5:11). They are the observers at the judgment.
The court was seated [judgment was set, KJV] – Literally, “began to sit.” As previously noted, this scene marks the beginning of the judgment. (SOP 4)
And the books were opened –These are the books of record, used when conducting the judgment. They are: 1) The Book of Life (Revelation 3:5), a record of every person who has entered the service of God, 2) the Book of Remembrance (Malachi 3:16), a chronicle of the good deeds of every saint, and 3) the Book of Records (Ecclestiastes 12:14; Revelation 20:12), listing the sins of mankind.
Verse 11
Daniel’s attention is briefly brought back to the earth. Even while the judgment is taking place in heaven, the little horn continues its blasphemous speech on earth. This continues until the dragon beast is slain (remember that the little horn is on the head of this beast) and its body burned (see Revelation 19:19, 20).
Verse 12
Although the kingdoms represented by the four beasts have long ago disappeared, their false religion and philosophies have been perpetuated in the little horn. It is in this sense that “their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.”
Verse 13
Daniel’s attention is again directed back to the judgment taking place in heaven:
Behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! – Before Daniel’s wondering eyes, Jesus comes into view! The clouds are actually myriads of escorting angels (Psalm 104:3, 4; Matthew 24:30. Also notice the next phrase in this verse, where “they” are referred to as bringing Jesus before the Father, obviously a reference to the angels.).
He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him – This is NOT describing the Second Coming, because Jesus is being brought before the Father to begin the judgment. (SOP 5)
Verse 14
This verse reveals to us the underlying purpose of the judgment. At the conclusion of the judgment, Jesus will receive His eternal kingdom from the Father, and then return to the earth for His people (Luke 19:11 – 15). (SOP 6)
Verses 15, 16
Instead of rejoicing at the thrilling conclusion of the dream, Daniel admits that he is grieved and troubled. Apparently he was more caught up with the horrors perpetrated by the four beasts and the little horn against God and His saints than with the glorious power granted to the Son of Man. So Daniel approached an attending angel (possibly Gabriel) and asked for an explanation, which was given.
Verses 17, 18
Notice that the angel only briefly touches on the earthly kingdoms, giving no details. Quickly he brings Daniel’s focus to the conclusion of the judgment, when Jesus receives His eternal kingdom and shares it with the redeemed.
Verses 19, 20
Instead of rejoicing at the good news and keeping his eyes fixed on Christ, Daniel continued to worry about the details of the history of the beasts, which had so powerfully impressed him. So he asked the angel for a further explanation of the fourth beast and the horns on its head.
Verses 21, 22
In response, the angel first showed Daniel a ‘mini-vision,’ in which the little horn successfully warred against the saints until God convened the judgment and ruled in their favor.
Verses 23 – 27 are a further explanation by the angel of what Daniel has just seen.
Verses 23 - 25
Quickly passing over the fourth beast and the ten horns, the angel then gave more information about the little horn and its activities.
Verses 26, 27
Again the angel brings Daniel to the focal point of the vision. The purpose of the judgment is to pass sentence upon the little horn, take away its dominion, and give the kingdom to Jesus who will share it with the saints. The angel concluded by reminding Daniel that God’s kingdom will be eternal, with no more sin and rebellion.
Verse 28
After the dream and the explanation were ended, Daniel was still greatly troubled. His experience is a powerful reminder for us. We tend to make the same mistake as Daniel, and place our focus more on the beasts and the little horn than on the judgment.
The heart of the message of Daniel 7 is the judgment going on right now in heaven. The rest of Daniel’s dream points forward to the judgment, and it should be our main focus as well. Why? Because the judgment is very good news for God’s people!
Look again at Daniel 7:22. The purpose of the judgment is to vindicate God’s people, not condemn them. For thousands of years Satan has misrepresented the saints and influenced the wicked to hate and persecute them. The reason God convenes the judgment is to set the record straight before the onlooking universe. We have been falsely accused, and we should be looking forward to our day in court!
So why is it that so many ignore the judgment? Perhaps it is because of fear. Many feel unworthy and unready to face the record of their life. It is true that our every thought and deed will be brought into judgment (Ecclesiastes 12:14). And God will not overlook one unconfessed and unforsaken sin. But God has granted us this time of probation, that we might search our hearts through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, confess every sin, and put them all away through His power.
The judgment simply confirms the fact that our sins have all been forgiven. The final act of the judgment is to permanently blot out our forgiven sins from the record books of heaven. This is why the judgment is also called the cleansing of the sanctuary.
Before we leave Daniel 7, let’s consider one more aspect of the judgment that makes it such good news for God’s people.
In this judgment, who is the presiding Judge? God the Father (Daniel 7:9).
What is our relation to Him? He is our Father, and we are His children (1 John 3:1).
As our Father, how does He feel toward us? He loves us so much that He gave His own Son to redeem us (John 3:16).
In this judgment, who is the deciding Judge? Jesus (John 5:22).
What is our relation to Him? He is our elder Brother (Hebrews 2:11).
Why has the Father granted Jesus the authority to decide our cases? Because He became one of us and was tempted like we are (Hebrews 4:15). Only He can be completely merciful and faithful when deciding our cases (Hebrews 2:17).
In this judgment, who is our Defense Attorney? Jesus, who intercedes for us (Hebrews 7:25) and speaks in our behalf (1 John 2:1).
In this judgment, who is the prosecuting attorney? Satan (Revelation 12:10). But notice what our Defense Attorney has to say to him in the judgment (Zechariah 3:1, 2).
In this judgment, who is the Witness? Jesus, the faithful and true Witness (Revelation 3:14).
Think of it! In this judgment, the presiding Judge is your Father and the deciding Judge is your Elder Brother. Not only that, but your deciding Judge is also your Defense Attorney and your only Witness. Talk about a stacked deck! In this judgment the question isn’t what you’ve done, it’s Who you know!
The question we all need to ask ourselves is, do I know Jesus as my Saviour and Lord? If I do, my case is secure. I can’t lose in the judgment! (Romans 8:31, 33, 34).
Spirit of Prophecy Quotations
1 “Winds are a symbol of strife. The four winds of heaven striving upon the great sea represent the terrible scenes of conquest and revolution by which kingdoms have attained to power.” – The Great Controversy, page 440.
2 “Earthly governments prevail by physical force; they maintain their dominion by war; but the founder of the new kingdom is the Prince of Peace. The Holy Spirit represents worldly kingdoms under the symbol of fierce beasts of prey; but Christ is "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."” – Christ’s Object Lessons, page 77.
3 “The Roman Church now presents a fair front to the world, covering with apologies her record of horrible cruelties. She has clothed herself in Christlike garments; but she is unchanged. Every principle of the papacy that existed in past ages exists today. The doctrines devised in the darkest ages are still held. Let none deceive themselves. The papacy that Protestants are now so ready to honor is the same that ruled the world in the days of the Reformation, when men of God stood up, at the peril of their lives, to expose her iniquity. She possesses the same pride and arrogant assumption that lorded it over kings and princes, and claimed the prerogatives of God. Her spirit is no less cruel and despotic now than when she crushed out human liberty and slew the saints of the Most High.
“The papacy is just what prophecy declared that she would be, the apostasy of the latter times. 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4. It is a part of her policy to assume the character which will best accomplish her purpose; but beneath the variable appearance of the chameleon she conceals the invariable venom of the serpent.” – The Great Controversy, page 571.
4 “Thus was presented to the prophet's vision the great and solemn day when the characters and the lives of men should pass in review before the Judge of all the earth, and to every man should be rendered "according to his works." The Ancient of Days is God the Father. Says the psalmist: "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God." Psalm 90:2. It is He, the source of all being, and the fountain of all law, that is to preside in the judgment. And holy angels as ministers and witnesses, in number "ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands," attend this great tribunal.” – The Great Controversy, page 479.
5 “[Daniel 7:13, 14 quoted] The coming of Christ here described is not His second coming to the earth. He comes to the Ancient of Days in heaven to receive dominion and glory and a kingdom, which will be given Him at the close of His work as a mediator. It is this coming, and not His second advent to the earth, that was foretold in prophecy to take place at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844. Attended by heavenly angels, our great High Priest enters the holy of holies and there appears in the presence of God to engage in the last acts of His ministration in behalf of man--to perform the work of investigative judgment and to make an atonement for all who are shown to be entitled to its benefits.” – The Great Controversy, pages 479, 480.
6 “Christ, as stated by the prophet Daniel, will receive from the Ancient of Days in heaven, "dominion, and glory, and a kingdom;" He will receive the New Jerusalem, the capital of His kingdom, "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Daniel 7:14; Revelation 21:2. Having received the kingdom, He will come in His glory, as King of kings and Lord of lords, for the redemption of His people, who are to "sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob," at His table in His kingdom (Matthew 8:11; Luke 22:30), to partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb.” – The Great Controversy, page 426.
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