GOD’S WORD FOR YOU
DANIEL 7:10
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10 A river of fire was flowing out from before him. Thousands upon thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.
In ancient times, royal or national records were often kept in a building in one of the cities where kings lived. Many kings had both a summer palace and a winter palace. One such building in Egypt which contained documents known as “The Amarna Letters” was dubbed the Bureau of Correspondence of Pharaoh by archaeologists. It contained some three hundred fifty letters (all clay tablets) and another thirty documents that are mythological epics and what appear to be school books. People expected that their kings would not only read and answer his mail, but that he would also keep those things in an archive. This was the regular practice in Egypt, Sumeria, Babylon, and Persia as well as many other nations.
Daniel sees a glimpse of God’s “archive.” But the books there are not records of letters, but rather “a record of all of our thoughts, words, and actions.”
Let’s back up and see what is happening. In the vision, the Ancient of Days, who is God the Father, is enthroned in fire, and there are flaming wheels on or under that throne, showing God’s rapid and urgent mobility. Now the prophet sees that there is also a river of fire, either the kind of burning river of lava that flows from volcanoes, or a line or ribbon of flames coming to life, igniting in front of God’s throne and going out before him. To interpret this, Daniel later says very simply that the power of the Antichrist, the eleventh horn, “will be taken away and completely destroyed forever” (Daniel 7:26). Therefore we know that the flames are meant to punish the Antichrist, and they go out wherever God needs them to go.
The Ancient of Days is also waited upon by many angels, with many (thousands upon thousands) to serve, and many more (ten thousand times ten thousand) standing before him. The number of angels is vast; enormous. “You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly” (Hebrews 12:22). And when Jesus was betrayed, he said to the disciples who tried to defend him, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53). I suspect that we will learn that there are far more angels in heaven that we thought there would be when we arrive there.
The angels “served” the Ancient of Days. This unusual word looks like it might be based on the Hebrew word for “sun” (shemesh), but in fact the Aramaic root is related instead to another Semitic word, shemes, which is “servant” in Egyptian (ϣεμϣε, shemshe, in Coptic) and similar forms in Arabic. As a verb we translate with “minister” or “serve.” The angels have two main functions. First, they serve God. They do this by singing his praises and by doing whatever errands or business he sends them to do. Second, a part of that business is to serve mankind by protecting us from unseen dangers. We also know that they love and even long to study the word of God and learn from it. However unlikely it may seem to us, it is possible that these powerful spirits are even blessed by our own study of God’s word, and benefit from it (1 Peter 1:12).
Daniel saw that “the court was seated.” In a typical city, this would have meant that there were some elders of the city on hand in the city gate to hear questions, accusations or grievances from residents and to judge them (Ruth 4:1-2). Such a court’s “a learning place” where men discover whether law or wisdom is for them or against. In a high court, such as that of a king, a sitting court meant that the king or judge was present and doing the work of that court. Therefore, when God’s court is seated, it is the Day of Judgment.
Next, Daniel saw that the books were opened. Here we return to the subject of God’s archives. The books that were opened include more than the wrongdoing of mankind. They show other things as well.
They record the names of all of God’s elect believers. “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16). And again: “Their names are in the book of life” (Philippians 4:3).
They record the crosses and suffering of God’s people. “Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll–are they not in your record?” (Psalm 56:8).
They record the faith of God’s holy people. “A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name” (Malachi 3:16).
They also record the sinful thoughts, words, and deeds of unbelievers. “I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books” (Revelation 20:12).
Some of our dogmaticians, trying to be as thorough and as accurate as possible, have considered that there may be more than one kind of book. One is the Bible itself, for “All these things (that is, doctrine and the way of faith and salvation) are in the book of life.” So says a wise believing teacher (Sirach 24:23). The other one, the one with believer’s names (Philippians 4:3), they consider to be more metaphorical. This one is mentioned quite often: Exodus 32:32-33; Revelation 20:12; 20;15; 22:19, and Daniel 12:1. The mention of these books is for our benefit, perhaps not all that different from when God is described in human (that is, anthropomorphic) terms, such as his clothing in this chapter. He wants us to understand what he means, and so he tells us or shows us in ways that people of all ages (that is, of all centuries and cultures) can understand.
Therefore this passage proclaims both the law and the gospel for us. It is law because God’s holy fire is present to punish all without faith and all who do not know him (2 Thessalonians 1:8). It is gospel because God keeps every one of his promises, and since he has had each of us, his believing people, in mind since before the beginning of creation (Ephesians 1:4), we are confident that he will do as he has promised. When he comes to judge the universe, he will remember us and bring us safely home to heaven with him (Isaiah 11:12; Mark 13:27).
Heaven and earth will pass away, but God’s words will never pass away (Mark 13:31).
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
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Archives at St Paul’s Lutheran Church https://splnewulm.org/daily-devotions/ and Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel: www.wlchapel.org/connect-grow/ministries/adults/daily-devotions/gwfy-archive/2025
Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, New Ulm, Minnesota
God’s Word for You – Daniel 7:10 The Ancient of Days