Daniel 7:28
Thus ends the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face turned pale. But I kept the matter to myself."
Thus ends the matter.
This phrase signifies the conclusion of Daniel's vision, which is a significant prophetic revelation concerning future kingdoms and the ultimate establishment of God's eternal kingdom. The phrase indicates a sense of finality and completeness, suggesting that what has been revealed is both comprehensive and authoritative. In biblical context, "the matter" refers to the vision of the four beasts and the Ancient of Days, which symbolizes God's sovereignty over human history.

As for me, Daniel,
Here, Daniel personalizes the account, emphasizing his role as the recipient of the vision. Daniel is a key figure in the Old Testament, known for his wisdom and faithfulness in exile. His personal involvement underscores the gravity of the vision and its impact on him. Daniel's experiences in Babylon, serving under various kings, provide him with a unique perspective on the rise and fall of empires, which is central to the vision.

my thoughts troubled me greatly,
Daniel's reaction to the vision is one of deep distress and concern. This reflects the overwhelming nature of the revelation, which includes terrifying images and profound implications for the future. The troubling thoughts may also stem from the vision's depiction of persecution and suffering for God's people, as well as the eventual triumph of God's kingdom. This emotional response highlights the seriousness of prophetic visions and their impact on the prophets who receive them.

and my face turned pale.
The physical reaction of turning pale indicates fear and anxiety, common responses to divine revelations in the Bible. This reaction underscores the intensity of the vision and its effect on Daniel's well-being. In the ancient Near Eastern context, such a physical response would be understood as a natural reaction to encountering the divine or receiving a message of great significance.

But I kept the matter to myself.”
Daniel's decision to keep the vision to himself suggests a period of contemplation and reflection. This may indicate the need for discernment and understanding before sharing the revelation with others. In the broader biblical narrative, there are instances where prophets are instructed to seal or keep certain revelations until the appointed time. This phrase also highlights the personal burden that prophetic insight can place on the prophet, as they grapple with the weight of divine messages.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Daniel
A prophet and a key figure in the Old Testament, known for his faithfulness to God amidst exile in Babylon. In this chapter, he receives a vision of four beasts and the Ancient of Days.

2. Babylon
The empire where Daniel was exiled. It represents a place of testing and revelation for Daniel as he interprets dreams and visions.

3. Vision of Four Beasts
A prophetic vision given to Daniel, symbolizing four kingdoms that will rise and fall before the establishment of God's eternal kingdom.

4. Ancient of Days
A title for God, emphasizing His eternal nature and sovereign authority over all earthly kingdoms.

5. End of the Matter
Refers to the conclusion of the vision and its interpretation, which leaves Daniel deeply troubled.
Teaching Points
Understanding Prophetic Visions
Prophetic visions often use symbolic language to convey spiritual truths. Seek wisdom and discernment through prayer and study to understand these symbols.

Emotional Responses to Revelation
Like Daniel, we may feel troubled by revelations of future events. It's important to process these emotions through prayer and trust in God's sovereignty.

Keeping Matters to Oneself
There is wisdom in discerning when to share revelations and when to keep them private, seeking God's timing and guidance.

God's Sovereignty Over Earthly Kingdoms
Despite the rise and fall of earthly powers, God's kingdom is eternal. This truth should anchor our hope and perspective.

Faithfulness in Exile
Daniel's example encourages us to remain faithful to God even when living in a culture that does not honor Him.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Daniel's response to the vision in Daniel 7:28 reflect his character and relationship with God?

2. In what ways can we apply Daniel's example of keeping troubling matters to ourselves in our own lives?

3. How do the themes of Daniel 7 connect with Jesus' teachings on the end times in the Gospels?

4. What can we learn from Daniel about maintaining faithfulness in a culture that is opposed to God's values?

5. How does understanding God's sovereignty over earthly kingdoms impact our view of current world events?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Revelation 13
The imagery of beasts in Daniel 7 is echoed in Revelation, where beasts also symbolize earthly powers and kingdoms opposed to God.

Philippians 4:6-7
Daniel's troubled thoughts can be contrasted with Paul's exhortation to present our requests to God and receive His peace.

Matthew 24
Jesus' teachings on the end times resonate with the themes of kingdoms and divine judgment found in Daniel's vision.
Daniel's First VisionE. B. Pusey, D.D.Daniel 7:4-28
The First Two Visions of the Book of DanielT. R. Birks, M.A.Daniel 7:4-28
The Four BeastsOutlines by London MinisterDaniel 7:4-28
The Symbolical BeastsW. White.Daniel 7:4-28
The Vision of the Four BeastsWilliam M. Taylor, D.D.Daniel 7:4-28
Vision, of Four Wild BeastsT.Kirk.Daniel 7:4-28
Godly Obedience the Basis of Permanent DominionJ.D. Davies Daniel 7:15-28
The Great AntagonistH.T. Robjohns Daniel 7:15-28
People
Belshazzar, Daniel
Places
Babylon
Topics
Account, Affrighted, Alarmed, Alarming, Changed, Cogitations, Color, Colour, Countenance, Daniel, Deeply, Ended, Face, Greatly, Grew, Heart, Hitherto, Kept, Matter, Mind, Myself, Pale, Point, Revelation, Thoughts, Trouble, Troubled
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Daniel 7:27

     1140   God, the eternal
     2233   Son of Man
     2345   Christ, kingdom of
     2376   kingdom of God, coming
     4938   fate, final destiny
     5295   destruction
     7155   saints
     8271   holiness, purpose
     9136   immortality, OT

Daniel 7:23-27

     1469   visions

Daniel 7:24-27

     9115   antichrist, the

Daniel 7:26-27

     5454   power, God's saving

Library
Christ's Own Testimony Concerning Himself.
THERE is but one rational explanation, of this sublime mystery; and this is found in Christ's own testimony concerning his superhuman and divine origin and character.[49]49 This testimony challenges at once our highest regard and belief from the absolute veracity which no one ever denied him, or could deny, without destroying at once the very foundation of his universally conceded moral purity and greatness. Christ strongly asserts his humanity, and calls himself; about eighty times in the Gospels,
Philip Schaff—The Person of Christ

The Christ of the Gospels. By Rev. Professor Schaff.
THE life and character of Jesus Christ is truly the Holy of Holies in the history of the world. Eighteen hundred years have passed away since he, in the fullness of time, appeared on this earth to redeem a fallen race from sin and death, and to open a never-ceasing fountain of righteousness and life. The ages before him anxiously awaited his coming as "the Desire of all nations;" the ages after him proclaim his glory, and ever extend his dominion. The noblest and best of men under every clime hold
Philip Schaff—The Romance of M. Renan, and the Christ of the Gospels

The Apocalypse.
1. The word Apocalypse (Greek Apokalupsis) signifies Revelation, the title given to the book in our English version as well from its opening word as from its contents. Of all the writings of the New Testament that are classed by Eusebius among the disputed books (Antilegomena, chap. 5. 6), the apostolic authorship of this is sustained by the greatest amount of external evidence; so much so that Eusebius acknowledges it as doubtful whether it should be classed among the acknowledged or
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

The Captivity of Judah.
Eze., Dan., Lam. The Ten Tribes Lost. After the fall of Samaria we hear but little of the ten tribes. They were carried off into the regions of Ninevah by the Assyrians. All effort to locate them has failed and no doubt will fail. Sargon, in an inscription found at Ninevah, said that he carried away into captivity 27,290. These were perhaps leaders of Israel whom he thought might lead a revolt. He sent others back to take their place and the Israelites seemed to have mingled with the races about
Josiah Blake Tidwell—The Bible Period by Period

Communion Again Broken --Restoration
Cant. v. 2-vi.10. The fourth section commences with an address of the bride to the daughters of Jerusalem, in which she narrates her recent sad experience, and entreats their help in her trouble. The presence and comfort of her Bridegroom are again lost to her; not this time by relapse into worldliness, but by slothful self-indulgence. We are not told of the steps that led to her failure; of how self again found place in her heart. Perhaps spiritual pride in the achievements which grace enabled her
J. Hudson Taylor—Union and Communion

The Ecclesiastical Trial
Over the Kedron, up the slope to the city, through the gates, along the silent streets, the procession passed, with Jesus in the midst; midnight stragglers, perhaps, hurrying forward from point to point to ask what was ado, and peering towards the Prisoner's face, before they diverged again towards their own homes.[1] He was conducted to the residence of the high priest, where His trial ensued. Jesus had to undergo two trials--the one ecclesiastical, the other civil; the one before Caiaphas the
James Stalker—The Trial and Death of Jesus Christ

Jesus at Capernaum.
Beset by an idea, gradually becoming more and more imperious and exclusive, Jesus proceeds henceforth with a kind of fatal impassibility in the path marked out by his astonishing genius and the extraordinary circumstances in which he lived. Hitherto he had only communicated his thoughts to a few persons secretly attracted to him; henceforward his teaching was sought after by the public. He was about thirty years of age.[1] The little group of hearers who had accompanied him to John the Baptist had,
Ernest Renan—The Life of Jesus

The Danger of Deviating from Divine Institutions.
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." St. Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles. The care of the churches gathered among them devolved particularly on him. At the writing of this epistle he had no personal acquaintance with the church to which it is addressed.* Epaphras, a bishop of the Colossians, then his fellow prisoner at Rome, had made him acquainted with their state, and the danger
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

Jesus Stills the Storm.
(Sea of Galilee; Same Day as Last Section) ^A Matt. VIII. 18-27; ^B Mark IV. 35-41; ^C Luke VIII. 22-25. ^b 35 And that day, { ^c one of those days,} ^b when the even was come [about sunset], ^a when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. { ^b he saith unto them, Let us go over unto the other side.} [Wearied with a day of strenuous toil, Jesus sought rest from the multitude by passing to the thinly settled on the east side of Galilee.] ^a 19 And there
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

A vision of the King.
ONE of the most blessed occupations for the believer is the prayerful searching of God's holy Word to discover there new glories and fresh beauties of Him, who is altogether lovely. Shall we ever find out all which the written Word reveals of Himself and His worthiness? This wonderful theme can never be exhausted. The heart which is devoted to Him and longs through the presence and indwelling of the Holy Spirit to be closer to the Lord, to hear and know more of Himself, will always find something
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

The Situation after the Council of Nicæa.
The council (a) had testified, by its horrified and spontaneous rejection of it, that Arianism was a novelty subversive of the Christian faith as they had received it from their fathers. They had (b) banished it from the Church by an inexorable test, which even the leading supporters of Arius had been induced to subscribe. In the years immediately following, we find (c) a large majority of the Eastern bishops, especially of Syria and Asia Minor, the very regions whence the numerical strength of the
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

A Treatise of the Fear of God;
SHOWING WHAT IT IS, AND HOW DISTINGUISHED FROM THAT WHICH IS NOT SO. ALSO, WHENCE IT COMES; WHO HAS IT; WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS; AND WHAT THE PRIVILEGES OF THOSE THAT HAVE IT IN THEIR HEARTS. London: Printed for N. Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, over against the Stocks market: 1679. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and "a fountain of life"--the foundation on which all wisdom rests, as well as the source from whence it emanates. Upon a principle
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Birth and Early Life of John the Baptist.
(Hill Country of Judæa, b.c. 5.) ^C Luke I. 57-80. ^c 57 Now Elisabeth's time was fulfilled that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. 58 And her neighbors and her kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her [mercy in granting a child; great mercy in granting so illustrious a child] ; and they rejoiced with her. 59 And it came to pass on the eighth day [See Gen. xvii. 12; Lev. xii. 3; Phil. iii. 5. Male children were named at their circumcision, probably
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Second visit to Nazareth - the Mission of the Twelve.
It almost seems, as if the departure of Jesus from Capernaum marked a crisis in the history of that town. From henceforth it ceases to be the center of His activity, and is only occasionally, and in passing, visited. Indeed, the concentration and growing power of Pharisaic opposition, and the proximity of Herod's residence at Tiberias [3013] would have rendered a permanent stay there impossible at this stage in our Lord's history. Henceforth, His Life is, indeed, not purely missionary, but He has
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

History of the Interpretation.
1. AMONG THE JEWS. This History, as to its essential features, might, a priori, be sketched with tolerable certainty. From the nature of the case, we could scarcely expect that the Jews should have adopted views altogether erroneous as to the subject of the prophecy in question; for the Messiah appears in it, not in His humiliation, but in His glory--rich in gifts and blessings, and Pelagian self-delusion will, a priori, return an affirmative answer to the question as to whether one is
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

His Future Work
The Lord Jesus Christ, who finished the work on earth the Father gave Him to do, who is now bodily present in the highest heaven, occupying the Father's throne and exercising His priesthood in behalf of His people, is also King. To Him belongeth a Kingdom and a kingly Glory. He has therefore a kingly work to do. While His past work was foretold by the Spirit of God and His priestly work foreshadowed in the Old Testament, His work as King and His glorious Kingdom to come are likewise the subjects
A. C. Gaebelein—The Work Of Christ

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