Deeper Reflection
One important theological and discipleship theme in Daniel 7 is spiritual warfare: “that horn was waging war with the saints” (v.21). The biblical theology of spiritual warfare begins at Genesis 3:17 – right after the first humans were deceived by the serpent and fell into sin and came under God’s judgment. It was God who initiated the war: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed.” This points to the sovereignty of God in spiritual warfare. In this war, there is the divinely assured win: “He shall bruise you on the head.” However, the win in the war includes wounds: “you shall bruise him on the heel.” The high point of the war-win-wounds of Genesis 3:17 is the cross.We do see the war-win-wounds of Genesis 3:17 in the spiritual warfare in Daniel 7. In “waging war” against God’s people the horn was “overpowering them” (Dan 7:7): the “wounds” in the war. It appears that God’s people are losing in the war. In this war, a choice must be made: commitment to God or compromise with the enemy. We lose in the war when we compromise. Commitment to God is persevering faithfulness to Him at all costs. We are to be faithful “until the Ancient of Days came”, which is “the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom” (v.22). Thus, perseverance is critically necessary for faithfulness. How we need to pray to be “strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience” (Col 1:11, NIV).