Daniel was a prophet who regularly moved in the visionary realm.
Essentially, visions can be classified into two varieties: internal and external. An internal vision is the kind that we sometimes call an impression or a mental picture. We see the picture with our mind’s eye, but the picture itself comes from the Lord. An external vision is what we also sometimes call an open vision, where we see the vision with our natural eyes, but it’s often superimposed over whatever is going on in the natural world around us. Daniel moved in both.
In the seventh chapter of the Book of Daniel, the prophet records his summary of a graphic and powerful vision he received while in bed one night:
Daniel said, “I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it”
(Daniel 7:2-4).
These verses contain two important phrases that help explain Daniel’s success as a visionary prophet: “I was looking” and “I kept looking.” As soon as the vision began, Daniel was looking for its meaning and kept looking until the end. One of the dangers I have
become aware of in walking in the prophetic seer capacity is what I call revelation fixation: becoming so impressed with what we see that we quit looking. We get hung up on the images themselves to the point where we stop seeing and never press on to understand their meaning. It is as though we think the vision is an end in itself rather than an instrument God wants to use to teach us something.
Daniel did not let himself get caught up in revelation fixation.
Throughout the course of the vision he said, “I kept looking.” He was determined to stay alert to the end so he could understand what God was fully showing him.
In his vision, Daniel saw a succession of four beasts rise from the sea. The first was like a lion with eagle’s wings. The wings were plucked off, the lion stood on two feet like a man, and a human mind was given to it. Next came a beast like a bear, which was told to
“devour much meat.” The third beast was like a leopard with four bird’s wings and four heads, and which was given dominion. Daniel
“kept looking” and saw the fourth beast, “dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet…” (Dan. 7:7b). It also had ten horns. As Daniel continued to watch, another, smaller horn grew and ripped out three of the other horns and took their place.
This horn “possessed eyes like a man and a mouth uttering great boasts” (Dan. 7:8b).
What Daniel was witnessing was a vision of the revival of evil. He did not let it rest there, however, as he “kept looking.” Because it is vision that sustains a people, Daniel wanted to look beyond the revival of evil to see the Lord’s response to it. He was not
disappointed:
I kept looking until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, its wheels were a burning fire. A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before Him; thousands upon thousands were attending Him, and myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; the court sat, and the books were opened. Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed (Daniel 7:9-14).
Unimpressed with the visionary revelation concerning what the evil one was going to do, Daniel kept looking for something higher, an even greater revelation. He did not give in to revelation fixation.
Daniel did not stop looking until he had seen a vision of the Son of man and His Kingdom being extended throughout the earth.
Like Daniel, we live today in the midst of a revival of evil, so we need a vision to sustain us as a people—a vision that shows us clearly how the promises of God are more than all the power of evil.
Let us then be a people of vision who will not perish, but will walk together in hot pursuit of the Lord, so that we too will be able to hold before our eyes an all-consuming vision of the conquering Son of Man and the Ancient of Days sitting upon His throne. Keeping our vision of the Lord clear before us will sustain us through the many labors of our lives and ministries.