Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18
Visions of the Four Beasts
In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down the dream: I, Daniel, saw in my vision by night the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea, and four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another.
Daniel’s Visions Interpreted
As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me, and the visions of my head terrified me. I approached one of the attendants to ask him the truth concerning all this. So he said that he would disclose to me the interpretation of the matter: ‘As for these four great beasts, four kings shall arise out of the earth. But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever—for ever and ever.’
Reflection
OK, that reading is weird. This dream is not an ordinary dream of Daniel's. This dream is a dream with a divine revelation. This dream is special in it's message for humankind. The four winds were from heaven and were stirring up the sea. The sea represents humankind. So it is in these heavenly winds that the world is put into motion. I can't help but to mention the creation story and how God's Spirit was moving over the waters. Chaotic waters that God took under his control and brought in order. Perhaps there is a similarity to these winds from heaven that bring order to the waters of the sea.
This passage actually skips the dream and jumps to the interpretation of the dream. We skip to the people of God. We skip the vision to the saints of God. We skip to the believers in God, not just the chosen people, not just the Israelites, but all believers. And these people will be in community with each other. These saints of God will be in relationship with God and one another. Not through there own merit, but through the saving grace of God in Jesus Christ, who came and lived and died to redeem all of creation and bring all who believe in him together as one people and one nation of the saints. Saints from all walks of life. This is a communion of the people of God, for whom Jesus lived and died and rose again.
Prayer
Lord, how we seem to be in those chaotic waters of division and sin upon this earth. We live, we divide, we separate ourselves from one another and from you in our selfish pride and our selfish and stubborn hearts. Forgive us this day. Forgive me when I live to divide. Draw me in to you and to those you give to me this day, that we may unite in the love of Jesus. Calm the stirred up waters of my soul and my world that we may rejoice as one with all the saints of heaven and praise your name and your glory... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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