Through the Bible with Les Feldick
LESSON 1 * PART 2 * BOOK 81
THE SON GIVEN DOMINION AND A KINGDOM – 2
Daniel 7:9-14
Okay, good to see everybody back again. You’ve had your coffee and your break. Again, for those of you watching us on television, remember, we always make four of these in an afternoon and in between times have a coffee break. That’s the reason that we keep it informal. For those of you that are joining us, we trust that you will learn to study the Word, and many of you are. My, we are so thrilled with the response that we’re getting of people finally learning to study and to enjoy this Book.
I had a phone call the other day. You could just sense the young man’s exuberance. He said, “Les, I’ve never found anything so exciting.” And it is! It’s a glorious Book! And this is what I like to show—how all the Scriptures fit together. And you know, the scornful out there, they don’t have a clue, do they? They just don’t have a clue.
All right, we’re going to pick up again where we left off back in Daniel chapter 7. But I want to go back to verse 14, even though we discussed it in the last half hour. I want to come back because I’m beginning to realize more and more that most of Christendom, most Church people, has no concept of this earthly Kingdom.
They may have heard the term “millennial,” or they may have heard the term “the thousand years,” but they have no concept that this is literally going to be a Kingdom with a King and ruled with government. It’s going to be without any sin, without any of the curse. But nevertheless, there are going to be flesh and blood humans from every nation on earth that are going to be involved in this glorious coming Kingdom.
Now just to show you how it has been referred to all though Scripture, even though we did a series on the Kingdom not too long ago, we’re going to rehearse it again. But before we go back, let’s look at verse 14. God the Son came before God the Father in verse 13, now verse 14:
Daniel 7:14
“And there was given him (to the Son) dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, (Plain as English can make it. And in this Kingdom–) that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: (He’s the King!) his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
Now I say this with some trepidation. I’m convinced that this earthly Kingdom is going to slip on into eternity. Fortunately, the Lord led me to a well-written book way back, I think maybe even before Iris and I were married. It was written by a theology professor not in Dallas Theological Seminary, but of Dallas Bible School of sorts. I had a gentleman in one of my classes the other night who vows up and down that he was in that Bible School and he probably would be able to find the book for me again. But anyhow, the book was just simply laying out so clearly this concept of the 1,000 year rule and reign of Christ, and how that even at the end of the 1,000 years it will go right on into eternity.
Now on that basis, let’s come back and look at Revelation again before we go back further into the Old Testament. Come with me to Revelation 21, and I say this with trepidation. I don’t put this in concrete by saying, now this is the way you’ve got to believe it. But to me it’s worthy of thinking. It’s worthy of considering that since this 1,000 year Kingdom reign is spoken of over and over as forever and ever and ever, then it must go into eternity. Now are those people in the Kingdom going to go in as flesh and blood? No, I don’t think so. I think they’ll receive an eternal body of sorts. But nevertheless, come back to Revelation 21. This is interesting.
We know that this universe is going to be totally melted down and dissolved according to II Peter and other Scriptures, but here in chapter 21 we’ve got an interesting concept. Revelation 21 verse 1, and just look at what it says. After the Tribulation and after the 1,000 years, after the Great White Throne—nothing left but eternity, and what does John see?
Revelation 21:1
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: (That’s what it says.) for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.”
Now let’s go back to Peter. I can’t just make mention of something and not let you read it with your own eyes. Come back to Peter, and I have to look a minute whether it’s first or second, it is chapter 3, I know. II Peter chapter 3—let’s go back and look at it. I think we did it in our last taping session, which is only a program or two if you watch it every day. But if you’re just watching it by the week, it’s already quite a while back. II Peter chapter 3 verse 10, now remember, the “day of the Lord” starts at the beginning of the Tribulation, but it carries all the way through the Kingdom. Everything now is under the Lord’s control.
II Peter 3:10
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens (Plural. Now I look at that to be the solar system, the stars, the universe.) shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements (In other words, all the materials that make up these stars and these planets.) shall melt with fervent heat, (Well, naturally, because when you have the destruction of matter, you generate heat. That’s part of chemistry and physics.) the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also (See?) and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”
Now you’ve got to remember that when this thing happens, the 1,000 year Kingdom has already passed, even the glory of it. It’s going to be burned up. Now verse 11:
II Peter 3:11-12
“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, (Just literally melted down to nothing.) what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holiness and godliness, 12. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God (That is the onset of eternity is the way I look at that.) wherein the heavens (the universe) being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements (in other words, all the materials that make up matter) shall melt with fervent heat?”
II Peter 3:13
“Nevertheless (Peter says by inspiration) we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” Now, I don’t think Peter’s talking about the millennial Kingdom. I think he’s talking about this new heaven and new earth of Revelation 21. Well, be that for now, if you don’t agree, that’s fine. I’ve got no problem with that, but it’s worthy of thought.
Now then, if you’ll come back to Daniel chapter 7 again, being reminded that the constant language is that this 1,000 year heaven and earth Kingdom will not end at 1,000 years, but it will go on into eternity because of this kind of language. Look at the last half of verse 14 once again, if you will.
Daniel 7:14b
“…his dominion (That is Christ as King of Kings and LORD of LORDS over this earthly Kingdom) is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” It’s going to somehow slip on into eternity.
All right, but now just to emphasize again how much the whole Old Testament puts on this concept of an earthly Kingdom, we’re going to go back and hit just a few of these verses. Because, you know, I get letter after letter—Les, don’t ever stop repeating. Repeat and repeat and repeat.
Luther, how many years have you been sitting here? Almost all the way from the beginning. And here not too long ago he came up at break time and he says, “Les, don’t ever stop repeating.” You remember, don’t you? He said, “Today I saw something that I never saw before.” Well, it’s not because he hasn’t got what it takes. He’s human. And for all of us, it just bears repeating and repeating and repeating; then all of a sudden it just begins to make sense.
All right, so come back with me to Exodus chapter 19. I think this is the first time we have a definitive reference to a coming Kingdom. Now in latent language it’s in the Abrahamic Covenant. Of course it is. And in latent language it’s in some of the other covenants. But by the time we get to the Davidic Covenant, it’s for real. David is the first King in the long bloodline of families that will lead to the King of Kings, Jesus of Nazareth.
Now here in Exodus 19, if I’m not mistaken, is the first reference to a coming Kingdom. And it’s a reference, of course, to the 1,000 year or millennial Kingdom. All right, start at verse 3 of Exodus 19 so that you get the setting. Israel has just come out of Egypt. They’re gathered around Mount Sinai, and God calls Moses up into the mountain. You know the account of all that.
Exodus 19:3a
“And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called…” Now again, I always emphasize these terms of Deity, especially back here in Exodus. Moses goes up unto God and the LORD—now God involves Elohim, the whole Triune Godhead. But who’s the LORD? God the Son. So here you have the Triune God on the one hand, but immediately now it’s God the Son who speaks.
Now that reminds me. Do you remember when I first started teaching years and years ago? We were in John’s Gospel chapter 1 verse 1, and what is the term of Deity for the Son? What’s He called? The Word! “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God…and by him were all things made that are made.”
All right, then you remember, what did I put on the board? Word! What do we do with words? Communicate! Exactly. So whenever God communicates with the human race, I don’t care where, when, or how, it’s always God the Son. Now mark that down if you don’t remember anything else today. Whenever God speaks, under whatever circumstance or whatever purpose, it’s always God the Son. Let me just prove it to you.
Come back—keep your hand in Exodus. You know, I told my last seminar, I guess that was when we were in Branson, that I do this all the time. I said you’ve just got to get used to me. This is the way I teach. Come back with me to Hebrews chapter 1. And you know, when people try to tell me through letter or a phone call once in a while that God spoke to them and told them something uniquely pertinent to the situation, I say, “Now wait a minute. God isn’t doing that today. God is not talking to any human being today. Don’t come and tell me what God told you, because I won’t buy it.” Because when God finished what’s between these two covers, the Word of God ended. It’s complete. And don’t you buy any of this rubbish where they say, well, I’ve had a special revelation from God. No, they haven’t. It hasn’t come from God. And here’s the reason scripturally.
Hebrews 1:1
“God, (the Triune, Elohim God) who at sundry times and in divers (or various) manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,” Well, of course He did. All the Old Testament writers were prophets. Moses was a prophet. Daniel, who we’re studying now, was a prophet. The Lord Himself called him that in Matthew 24. All right, but now look at verse 2.
Hebrews 1:2a
“Hath in these last days…” You remember what I said in the last half hour? When are the last days? Beginning with Christ’s first advent. And then the day of the Lord starts with the Tribulation. But the last days of Scripture are from Christ’s first coming all the way through. Because according to the Old Testament, there was no inkling of a 2,000 year Age of Grace. It was all going to keep right on going. So this is a reference to Christ’s first coming when He was here on the planet.
Hebrews 1:2a
“God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,…” Now you grammar people, what tense of the verb is that? Past tense, absolutely. And what does past tense mean? That’s ended. God has spoken. It’s over. It’s complete.
Now I’ll show you another Scripture. Put your hand in Hebrews, we’re going to have some fun, aren’t we? Okay, now come back a few pages to Colossians chapter 1, Colossians chapter 1 and drop in at verse 25. Remember now, this is Paul the Apostle writing to the Church at Colossi. He’s writing during his prison experience. Won’t be much longer and he’ll be put to death. Now look what he says, and I dare say 99% of Christendom, even most fundamental, do not know what this verse says. Let’s look at it.
Colossians 1:24-25a
“(Paul—up in verse 23) Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up (or bring to the full) that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh (In other words, his suffering, suffering for the sake of the Gospel.) for the body’s sake, which is the church: 25. Whereof I am made a minister,…”
Now you remember how I emphasized Acts chapter 9:15—when God told Ananias to go thy way, for he, Saul of Tarsus, is a what? Chosen vessel unto me. And you remember how I pointed out that word chosen? Out of the thirty times that the word chosen is used in the New Testament, only once in this verse in Acts 9:15 does it use the verb, or the Greek, that means divinely chosen. That’s what Saul’s Apostleship is. He was divinely appointed to be God’s spokesman here on earth. And that’s why people have to learn, whether they like it or not, that we take God’s orders through His designated Apostle. All right, so he says:
Colossians 1:25
“Whereof I am made a minister, (by Divine appointment) according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, (See how we get it? Through the Apostle Paul, which is given to me for you. Now here’s what I came back here for. I wish we had it on the screen. It isn’t up there, but I wish it were.) to fulfill the word of God;”
Now those of you who have got Greek Dictionaries at home and a Strong’s Concordance—there they got it on the screen. I’m going to read it again, for the sake of our television audience.
Colossians 1:25
“Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God.”
Now just leave that on the screen, guys. When you get home, you find a good Greek Dictionary, or many of you have the Strong’s Concordance. This word “fulfill” means to bring to an end, to fill up, to finish. There are about four or five other words and they all mean the same thing—that when the Apostle Paul finished his letter to II Timothy, that completed the Word of God. Not the Book of Revelation. I refuse, and I have for 30 years, to believe that John wrote in A.D. 95. Now, I know that’s what tradition says, but tradition be blamed. I’m just not going to listen to it. This verse says it all—that to the Apostle Paul was given the wherewithal to complete the Word of God.
All right, now then, with that come back with me to Hebrews. Maybe I made my point. I hope so. Back to Hebrews chapter 1. If I’m not careful, I’m going to run out of time before I get back to Exodus. All right, Hebrews chapter 1, again. Let’s read it quickly.
Hebrews 1:1-2a
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2. Hath in these last days spoken (Past tense, it is finished.) unto us by his Son,…” Now, can you get it any plainer than that?
Now we’ve already lost my theme. Who is the Communicator? God the Son. God the Son always. Under any circumstance it has to be God the Son who communicates between the Triune God and the human race.
All right, now with that, come back to Exodus 19. This is why, even though God called to Moses and brought him up to Mount Sinai, when it came time for God to speak, who is it? God the Son! The LORD, L-O-R-D, and LORD is always a reference to Jehovah, who is God the Son. All right, my, that took me a long time to get full circle, didn’t it? All right, now verse 3:
Exodus 19:3-4a
“And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, (Now this is Jesus speaking in His Old Testament theophany.) Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4. Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings,…”
Now be careful. Did they fly? How’d they go? Well, they walked. And the reason I do this, is because when the remnant of Israel leaves Jerusalem in the middle of the Tribulation, the Scripture says again they’re going to what? Fly like eagles. But they’re not going to fly. It’s going to be a supernatural exodus under God’s control. And that’s the point I’m trying to make. All right, so He says:
Exodus 19:4b-5
“…and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. 5. Now therefore, (Now remember, Israel is just fresh out of Egypt.) if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye (the Nation of Israel) shall be a peculiar (an intrinsic) treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:” That’s why we call them the favored Nation, the Chosen People, however you want to put it. God said so. Oh, I know, Satan’s in control, but God is still above it all. Now here comes the verse I came back for. Took me fifteen minutes to get there. Can’t help that. Verse 6:
Exodus 19:6a
“And ye (the Nation of Israel) shall be unto me a (What’s the next word?) kingdom…” Now listen, whenever you see a word like that, don’t just run over it. Stop and think. What are the requirements of a Kingdom?
What do you have to have? You’ve got to have a King. Well, that doesn’t do any good. What does he have to have? He has to have subjects. Well, they’re not going to be floating around out in space someplace. Where are they? In a geographical area of land. Got it? A Kingdom then is going to involve a King and people and land, territory. All right, so they are to be:
Exodus 19:6b
“…a kingdom of priests, and an holy (or a set apart) nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.”
All right, now since I haven’t got an awful lot of time left in this half hour. Come up all the way with me to Isaiah. Otherwise, if I had more time, I would stop in II Samuel chapter 7 where God announces to King David that a Kingdom is coming out of his bloodline.
But let’s, for sake of time, jump all the way up to Isaiah chapter 9 where we have a good description. Verses you are all aware of, but most people don’t understand because they have no idea of this coming earthly Kingdom. Isaiah chapter 9 and jump in at verse 6. Now remember, Isaiah is writing, prophesying to Israel. Not to the world in general, but rather Israel.
Isaiah 9:6
“For unto us (to the Nation of Israel) a child is born, unto us a son is given: (And I tie that in with John 3:16.) and the government (the means of controlling this nation) shall be upon his shoulder: (the Son that God gives) And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Now those are all titles of the Son of God, of Christ, of Jesus of Nazareth.
Isaiah 9:7
“Of the increase of his government (as King) and peace there shall be no end, (Which again means, I think, that it’s going to go into eternity.) there shall be no end, (It’s going to be upon the throne of David, which was on Mount Zion in Ancient Jerusalem, and Mount Zion is still in Jerusalem.) upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment (or rule, government) and with justice (There’ll be no corruption in His Kingdom.) from henceforth even for ever. (See that?) The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
All right, now since that is going to involve all the tongues and tribes, back up with me now to the very early part of Isaiah chapter 2. Now, I know this is repetition, but like I said, this is what most of us need.
Isaiah 2:2
“And it shall come to pass (It’s going to happen. Hasn’t yet, but it is coming.) in the last days, that the mountain (which is a word for Kingdom in Old Testament language) that the mountain (or the Kingdom) of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, (In other words, it’ll be above any kingdom that’s ever existed.) and shall be exalted above (smaller kingdoms or) hills; (And here’s the key.) and all nations (Every nation on earth is going to what?) shall flow unto it.”
Jerusalem will be the capital of the world. All the ramifications of this worldwide Kingdom under Christ’s control will be headed up in Jerusalem. It will be the very vortex of all the activity.