THINK TOGETHER
Can you name any famous kings or queens? What makes someone a good king or queen?
READ TOGETHER
The first half of the book of Daniel is full of really cool stories that show us the goodness and power of God. Do you know the “Daniel in the lion’s den” story? Or the one where King Nebuchadnezzar lives like an animal for seven years? Or what about the story we looked at yesterday – the “fiery furnace” story?
The second half of the book of Daniel is a bit trickier to understand though. It is full of visions and prophecies instead of stories. But these prophecies have the same purpose as the stories – to show us the goodness and power of God. To show us that Nebuchadnezzar’s not the king of the world, and neither are you. But God is. And Jesus is.
In Daniel chapter seven we get to read one of the most important prophecies about Jesus in all of the Bible. Here it is:
Daniel 7:13-14.
13 “I [Daniel] saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
Daniel sees the “Ancient of Days” seated on a throne in Heaven. Who do you think that is? (God)
Then Daniel sees “one like a son of man” coming to the Ancient of Days. Who do you think this “Son of Man” is? (Jesus)
What does the Ancient of Days give to the Son of Man? (dominion, glory, an everlasting kingdom)
What does this vision tell us about Jesus? It tells us that Jesus is the greatest of all kings. That God will give Jesus an eternal kingdom. That Jesus will have all the power on earth. And that everyone on earth will serve Jesus and not Nebuchadnezzar. And not you or me.
When Jesus came to earth as a human being he called himself the Son of Man. But listen to what else Jesus said about being the Son of Man in this verse in Matthew:
Matthew 20:28. the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Jesus is the Son of Man, the king of the universe, the one that everyone will serve, but he is also the one who came to serve us. He is the king of the world that died for the sins of the world, giving his life as a ransom, or payment, for us. The prince who rides on the clouds, and stands before God’s throne was born in a manger and died on the cross for you. And that is the kind of loving king that is worthy of all our praise and all our service.
Because of Jesus my life has been saved and now I can live with God forever in Jesus’ kingdom.
With Jesus I canserve him by being a servant to others like he was.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Watch this “Son of Man” scene from the movie Tarzan. Talk about how Tarzan wanted to be like the apes and how he had to learn how to be like the apes. In the same way Jesus wanted to be one of us and he had to learn how to be “wise and strong” and serve the apes like the song says. But also emphasize that Jesus is the eternal Son of God who never messed up (unlike Tarzan).
Also here’s two great songs by CityAlight that connect to Daniel 7.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus,
You are a good and gracious king. Help me to be a servant just like you are.
Amen.
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