Daniel said: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea.”
Daniel 7:2
One night Daniel was lying in bed, tossing and turning in his sleep. As he slept, God gave him a dream and a vision of “the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea.” One could say Daniel was restless, and something deeply disturbing was going on in his soul. But right then, in the midst of chaos, God spoke to him in a language that he understood. You see, God had given Daniel the ability to understand dreams and visions. And what Daniel was able to discern is that despite the chaos that was happening in the land; and despite the rise and fall of mighty kingdoms, God was in control and God would restore peace through the coming of his Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. The message to Daniel and the people of his day, was hold on to the hope that is in Christ Jesus because God’s divine hand is directing the affairs of man.
Today, many people cannot sleep restfully. With so much going on around the world, many are afraid and uncertain of what tomorrow’s wind might bring. One could say just as it was in Daniel’s day, it is today. The four winds are once again, churning up the great sea. These winds are causing great chaos and turbulence upon the earth. There are strong political winds, complex religious winds, constantly changing social winds and unpredictable economic winds swirling all around and creating uncertainty and great distress in the world.
Amidst this turbulence, God is, and he still speaks to his people in a language that we understand. For it is he who said, “My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me (John 10:27). In these chaotic times God is speaking. Do you hear him, and do you discern him? Through the prophet Isaiah, his word reminds us, “When you pass through the waters (chaos), I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers (turbulence), they will not overwhelm you (Isa. 43:2).”
Dear friend, the kingdoms of this world, no matter how mighty they may be, will not save us. They will all be swept away. But we have a God who is with us. We have a Father who assures us, that no amount of chaos in the world will overwhelm us when we are hidden in him. He reminds us that a time is coming when his Son, Jesus the Messiah, will return to establish an eternal Kingdom. A kingdom of restoration and transformation. A kingdom of hope and peace. A kingdom that bestows eternal life on all who fear God. As the days grow darker, pray without ceasing, and look up for your redemption draws near. Hallelujah!