'As I looked, thrones were set in place,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat.
His clothing was as white as snow;
the hair of his head was white like wool.
His throne was flaming with fire,
and its wheels were all ablaze.
A river of fire was flowing,
coming out from before him.
Thousands upon thousands attended him;
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
The court was seated,
  and the books were opened.'

DANIEL 7:9–10

'In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.'

DANIEL 7:13–14

 

Reflection

The coronation of King Charles III was among the most splendid ceremonies any of us is likely to see. There were gowns, crowns, fanfares, and all manner of fuss. But the throne had no blazing wheels or rivers of fire, not even the subjects of his own nation worshiped him, and no one is under any illusions that his reign will last particularly long given his mature years.

This part of the book of Daniel is written in a genre known as 'apocalyptic literature.' It's concerned with the end times and conveys meaning via vivid symbolic representations of spiritual ideas. This vision isn't telling us God will sit on a combustible chair. It's a picture of the unity of God the Father and God the Son and of their majestic, awesome power and holiness. It tells us that although every single human leader in history has been disappointing at best, we can hope for better. In fact, we can hope for the best.

And the vision of perfect leadership we see throughout the Bible, and particularly in Jesus, isn't just for the future – it's for now. If you're a leader in any capacity, you have the opportunity to model godly character and to do good work as you manage your people. You're not all-powerful – but the all-powerful one calls us to lead in his image, not the image of earthly kings, presidents, or CEOs.

Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Where I have influence over others, please help me to lead as Jesus would in my place.