At first you may wonder how a message of hope could come through the appearance of four terrifying creatures. But God in His wisdom gave Daniel visions of future events. They show that God is in control over all the rulers and armies of the world. We look forward with hope for the day when the final kingdom of God comes, which will bring peace that will last forever!
Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.
The _Iliad_, a famous epic poem written by a man named Homer, featured a chimera, a beast with body parts from a lion, a goat, and a snake. The poem was written about 300 years before Daniel had his vision in Babylon.
You don’t have to wait for a beast to arrive to start living like you’re part of the kingdom of God. Organize a family meeting and, as a group, make suggestions for how your family can make changes to live more like the kingdom Jesus talked about.
Most High God, fill my heart with hope for the day when Your holy, everlasting kingdom will come. Amen.