Daniel’s prophetic visions of four great world empires then points to a fifth, the kingdom of God, which will completely replace all that came before it. It will be led by God Himself in the person of Jesus Christ.
Daniel gives us our first introduction to this new king five centuries before Jesus was born to the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. Here the Son of Man is seen approaching the Ancient of Days, God the Father, after being glorified by offering Himself as a sinless sacrifice on the cross for all believers, then being raised to life on the third day as the first-born of many from the sting of death.
13 “I was watching in the night visions.
Behold, One like a Son of Man,
coming with the clouds of heaven.
He approached the Ancient of Days,
and was brought into His presence.
14 Dominion, glory and sovereignty were given to Him
that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will never pass away,
and His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14 (TLV)
There is a parallel passage in the New Testament book of Revelation in which the glorified Christ is also seen approaching God the Father’s throne in heaven after His victory over sin as the sacrificial Lamb of God. He is then given a throne and full authority to reign over all of heaven and earth, with His followers becoming a kingdom of priests (kohanim).
9 And they are singing a new song, saying,
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals.
For You were slain,
and by Your blood
You redeemed for God
those from every tribe and tongue
and people and nation.
10 You have made them for our God
a kingdom and kohanim,
and they shall reign upon the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders—their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands. 12 They were chanting with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea and everything in them, responding,
“To the One seated on the throne
and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor
and glory and power forever and ever!” Revelation 5:9-13 (TLV)
After so much suffering that has taken place at the hands of evil leaders under the influence of dark powers, the coronation of Jesus Christ will bring relief and joy to believers everywhere. Kingdom principles of justice, equity, compassion, and love will be the rule everywhere. Every tear will be wiped away, and the grief and heartache of the past will be forgotten, never to return. It will bring a new heaven and a new earth for believers to enjoy and to serve in throughout eternity.
Maybe you are thinking, “I could never be good enough to be a part of that fifth kingdom”. The Good News is that no one but God is truly good enough. We all rely on faith in the saving power of Jesus Christ, who loved us enough to go to the cross for our eternal salvation. All scripture points to the Messiah and the grace of God that His loving sacrifice makes possible. It is abundant and available to all, no matter our past. He is right there to reach out to in a spirit of humble reverence.
Reflection
Have I considered reaching out for the saving grace of God through Jesus Christ? He has been there all along, loving each of us, in every moment of our lives, both good and bad. He offers us unmatchable comfort for our hurts, serenity, and peace, along with complete forgiveness, and a future of restoration and rejuvenation. Invite Him into Your heart today and you will never regret that wise and joyous decision.
Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on me. I come to You as a sinner who wishes to live a better life and to walk in the light of Your goodness. Heal me through the power of the cross and Your resurrection from the dead. Grant me eternal citizenship in Your coming kingdom so that I may be with You forever. Teach me to serve You and others for Your glory today and always. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Daily Meditations from the Genealogy of Jesus 