So remember, Daniel sees four beasts coming out of the sea, a great throne room, a Judge who disperses judgment, and God hands all dominion over to his son. And here's what happens next. But remember, this following text will sound like Daniel woke up from the night vision, but he is still interacting with it. 

As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me. I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. — Daniel 7:15-16

As men, when we see something we don't understand, we instantly start looking for understanding. This is one of the features of being human. And as confusion increases, our desire for understanding increases. But the problem with mankind is that most of the time, in pursuing answers, we will seek human solutions or arrive at our preferred answers. I see men do this all the time. They look to make natural sense of spiritual problems. And as a result, they land on their preferred interpretations only because they prefer them. And deep down, they know their natural interpretations and preferences do not make sense. Here is just one example. Over the last couple of years, we have used the phrase "follow the science" when we know we have not entirely followed the science, but we have followed our human preferences.

But I love what Daniel does in this instance. Within his night vision, when he is anxious and alarmed, he is immediately honest about his experience. He does not stand around in a crowd of tens of thousands and act like he knows what's happening when he does not. Remember, in this dream, he imagines he is standing in a courtroom with millions of people gathered where God and Jesus disperse judgment from the fiery throne. And Daniel is confused, while no one else seems to be. That's because they all get it. They know who the beasts are. They know the Judge. They know his dominion. It's Daniel who is confused. So Daniel does what he knows is right. He asks someone he knows who understands to give him an interpretation.

Fellas, I want to make three assertions today. First, this text calls us to spend more time listening to God's Truth by reading God's Word. The Bible is the only truth. It speaks about all matters and contains all understanding. It gives us an understanding of every problem and contains a solution for every issue. Reading the Bible is exactly like the experience Daniel is having in this night vision. It's like consulting an angelic being in the courtroom of God and getting answers for every judgment God makes into the unforeseeable future. It's way better than settling for human solutions that we contrive, which have a small chance of working. Second, the journey to understanding always begins by being honest with ourselves about our anxieties. Most men are afraid to do what Daniel does here, yet what he does is pretty simple. In his anxiety and alarm, he seeks guidance. You see, the honest, open, and transparent (H.O.T.) man will find answers. And the sooner you do this, the more you'll become available to the solutions found in his truth. But there's a third assertion. It is tied to the first and the second. It's this — we have to find the right men to point us the way. And that's the third thing Daniel does well. He sees something he doesn't understand, so he doesn't make up his interpretation. Instead, in his anxiety and alarm, he asks someone who does understand and gets the interpretation.

So fellas, what do you need to work on today? Spending more time in God's Word? Getting honest about your anxieties? Or finding a godly man to point you the way? And don't leave these questions unanswered. Reflect on one of these questions, and then do something about it today.

ASK THIS: What do you need to work on: Spending more time in God's Word? Getting honest about your anxieties? Finding a godly man to point you the way?

DO THIS: Act on one of the questions above today.

PRAY THIS: God, you are in control. I am going to do things your way today.

PLAY THIS: God Really Loves Us.

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