1
00:00:00,650 --> 00:00:04,530
There are men who spend their lifetimes seeking

2
00:00:04,530 --> 00:00:07,750
to prove that the Bible is not all

3
00:00:07,750 --> 00:00:09,370
that it purports to be.

4
00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:19,740
Their whole premise for their doctorates are trying

5
00:00:19,740 --> 00:00:25,460
to take some aspect of the Bible and

6
00:00:25,460 --> 00:00:28,300
show that it isn't all that it claims

7
00:00:28,300 --> 00:00:29,220
to be.

8
00:00:30,260 --> 00:00:33,600
One of the favorite tactics of these men

9
00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:35,660
are to take the various books of the

10
00:00:35,660 --> 00:00:39,100
Bible and to try to prove that they

11
00:00:39,100 --> 00:00:44,000
are not written by those authors that they

12
00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:45,780
claim to be written by.

13
00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,460
And the book of Daniel has come under

14
00:00:49,460 --> 00:00:54,960
this cloak of what they call higher criticism,

15
00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:59,120
as there have been many who have tried

16
00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,660
to prove that the book of Daniel was

17
00:01:02,660 --> 00:01:04,920
not really written by Daniel.

18
00:01:05,580 --> 00:01:10,480
And one of the basic premises for their

19
00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:14,960
proof is that it would be impossible to

20
00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:18,560
describe with such accuracy events that had not

21
00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:19,920
yet taken place.

22
00:01:21,300 --> 00:01:26,500
Therefore, it was written by some man a

23
00:01:26,500 --> 00:01:31,300
couple of centuries later after the fact and

24
00:01:31,300 --> 00:01:35,020
that he put the name of Daniel to

25
00:01:35,020 --> 00:01:35,360
it.

26
00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:40,780
And they, of course, take the fact that

27
00:01:40,780 --> 00:01:44,620
there are about three Greek words in the

28
00:01:44,620 --> 00:01:48,200
book of Daniel and there are some Persian

29
00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:49,960
words in the book of Daniel.

30
00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:54,440
And it is written partially in Hebrew and

31
00:01:54,440 --> 00:02:02,680
partially in the Aramaic, the ancient language of

32
00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:10,560
Assyria, which is like the Chaldean language.

33
00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,400
And they use this as their basis of

34
00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:16,940
proof that Daniel was not really the author.

35
00:02:17,140 --> 00:02:20,220
But to me, the fact that he uses

36
00:02:20,220 --> 00:02:25,080
some Greek words, Persian words, and both Hebrew

37
00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:29,840
and Aramaic only go to prove that Daniel

38
00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,360
indeed was the author and was all that

39
00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,000
the book purports him to be, that is,

40
00:02:36,500 --> 00:02:40,640
a wise man, a counselor, and in the

41
00:02:40,640 --> 00:02:43,140
court of the king where he would have

42
00:02:43,140 --> 00:02:46,280
met Greeks, he would have met Persians, he

43
00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:48,240
would have met people from all over the

44
00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:52,240
world in his capacity as an officer in

45
00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:53,740
the Babylonian kingdom.

46
00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:58,940
And I think that these endeavors by these

47
00:02:58,940 --> 00:03:01,500
people to bring doubt upon the Word of

48
00:03:01,500 --> 00:03:04,640
God has no value at all.

49
00:03:04,640 --> 00:03:09,080
They have written their doctorates and many expositions

50
00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,220
on it, but it's a waste of time

51
00:03:12,220 --> 00:03:17,440
and energy to consider their arguments just to

52
00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:21,540
say that with each argument they present, there

53
00:03:21,540 --> 00:03:25,520
is a very powerful argument to refute what

54
00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:26,420
they presented.

55
00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:28,820
And when you look at the whole thing,

56
00:03:29,020 --> 00:03:32,160
it turns out that indeed Daniel was the

57
00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:35,220
author and they have not proved anything but

58
00:03:35,220 --> 00:03:37,580
their own foolishness.

59
00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:41,960
So I don't like to get all involved

60
00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:45,580
in those areas of reproving that which is

61
00:03:45,580 --> 00:03:46,560
already true.

62
00:03:46,860 --> 00:03:48,840
Truth doesn't need to be defended.

63
00:03:49,780 --> 00:03:53,540
And so we aren't going to go into

64
00:03:53,540 --> 00:03:56,740
the arguments of the authorship of the book.

65
00:03:56,740 --> 00:04:00,300
We'll just assume that it is all that

66
00:04:00,300 --> 00:04:03,280
it purports to be, that Daniel indeed was

67
00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:08,160
the author, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and

68
00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:14,340
we will leave the critics and those men

69
00:04:14,340 --> 00:04:20,700
who love to tamper and dabble in those

70
00:04:20,700 --> 00:04:22,220
things to their own follies.

71
00:04:26,350 --> 00:04:30,850
One of the tragic things about seminary education

72
00:04:30,850 --> 00:04:33,330
is that you learn all of these arguments.

73
00:04:34,430 --> 00:04:38,530
In fact, you'll spend a whole semester in

74
00:04:38,530 --> 00:04:41,410
seeking to determine the authorship of Daniel and

75
00:04:41,410 --> 00:04:44,810
you'll study all of the papers that have

76
00:04:44,810 --> 00:04:47,110
been written by the various people and the

77
00:04:47,110 --> 00:04:50,190
arguments, pro and con, on the authorship of

78
00:04:50,190 --> 00:04:50,450
Daniel.

79
00:04:50,450 --> 00:04:53,550
And you can use a whole semester, the

80
00:04:53,550 --> 00:04:56,530
study of Daniel, and the whole semester will

81
00:04:56,530 --> 00:04:59,750
be involved in trying to determine authorship and

82
00:04:59,750 --> 00:05:02,250
you'll never really get into what it says.

83
00:05:03,130 --> 00:05:08,550
And that to me is a waste of

84
00:05:08,550 --> 00:05:09,210
time.

85
00:05:10,830 --> 00:05:12,850
What does God have to say to me?

86
00:05:12,930 --> 00:05:14,130
That's what's important.

87
00:05:17,190 --> 00:05:19,130
In the third year of the reign of

88
00:05:19,130 --> 00:05:26,470
Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar, the

89
00:05:26,470 --> 00:05:29,510
king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem and besieged it.

90
00:05:30,350 --> 00:05:33,190
So this would be the year 607 B

91
00:05:33,190 --> 00:05:38,330
.C., the first siege of Jerusalem, when it

92
00:05:38,330 --> 00:05:40,670
fell to Nebuchadnezzar.

93
00:05:41,750 --> 00:05:45,750
And the Lord gave to Jehoiakim, king of

94
00:05:45,750 --> 00:05:49,350
Judah, into his hand, with the part of

95
00:05:49,350 --> 00:05:51,330
the vessels of the house of God, which

96
00:05:51,330 --> 00:05:54,190
he carried into the land of Shinar, into

97
00:05:54,190 --> 00:05:56,610
the house of his God, and he brought

98
00:05:56,610 --> 00:05:59,250
the vessels into the treasure house of his

99
00:05:59,250 --> 00:05:59,610
God.

100
00:06:00,070 --> 00:06:03,830
And the king spake unto Aspenaz, the master

101
00:06:03,830 --> 00:06:06,350
of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain

102
00:06:06,350 --> 00:06:08,890
of the children of Israel and of the

103
00:06:08,890 --> 00:06:11,690
king's seed and of the princes.

104
00:06:12,810 --> 00:06:16,930
Now, this in itself is a fulfillment of

105
00:06:16,930 --> 00:06:22,150
a prophecy in Isaiah chapter 39, verses 6

106
00:06:22,150 --> 00:06:26,710
and 7, where Isaiah was speaking about how

107
00:06:26,710 --> 00:06:31,050
that Judah was going to fall to Babylon.

108
00:06:31,830 --> 00:06:34,550
And he declares, Behold, the days come that

109
00:06:34,550 --> 00:06:36,690
all that is in thine house, he's talking

110
00:06:36,690 --> 00:06:42,600
to the king, Hezekiah, and that which thy

111
00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:44,900
fathers have laid up in store until this

112
00:06:44,900 --> 00:06:46,620
day shall be carried to Babylon.

113
00:06:46,860 --> 00:06:49,220
Nothing shall be left, saith the Lord, and

114
00:06:49,220 --> 00:06:52,220
of thy sons that shall issue from thee,

115
00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:55,800
which thou shalt beget, they shall take away

116
00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:57,920
and they shall be eunuchs in the palace

117
00:06:57,920 --> 00:06:59,920
of the king of Babylon.

118
00:07:00,100 --> 00:07:03,220
Now, this was a hundred years earlier, actually

119
00:07:03,220 --> 00:07:08,120
105 years in 712 B.C. Hezekiah had

120
00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:11,220
been sick and he prayed to God and

121
00:07:11,220 --> 00:07:13,140
he recovered from his sickness.

122
00:07:14,100 --> 00:07:18,860
And there came certain emissaries from Babylon with

123
00:07:18,860 --> 00:07:22,580
messages of congratulations that you're well again.

124
00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,960
And Hezekiah showed these men from Babylon all

125
00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,620
of the treasures there in the house of

126
00:07:29,620 --> 00:07:30,020
God.

127
00:07:30,940 --> 00:07:34,040
And so Isaiah came to Hezekiah and he

128
00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:36,040
said, Who were these men that were here?

129
00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,280
And he said, Oh, they're emissaries from a

130
00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,720
country that's far away, a place called Babylon.

131
00:07:42,700 --> 00:07:45,720
And he said, What did they want?

132
00:07:45,780 --> 00:07:47,720
And he said, Well, they just wanted to

133
00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:49,820
tell me that they were glad that I

134
00:07:49,820 --> 00:07:51,240
recovered from my illness.

135
00:07:51,980 --> 00:07:53,880
And he said, What did you show them?

136
00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:56,520
He said, I showed them all of the

137
00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:58,160
treasures in the house of God.

138
00:07:58,220 --> 00:08:02,240
And Isaiah became angry and he prophesied that

139
00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:04,220
these Babylonians would come back and they will

140
00:08:04,220 --> 00:08:06,500
carry away all of that treasure to Babylon

141
00:08:06,500 --> 00:08:08,840
and they'll take the young men and the

142
00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:11,720
princes and carry them away captives.

143
00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:15,680
105 years later it happened.

144
00:08:17,220 --> 00:08:21,400
Nebuchadnezzar came and as the Scripture here records,

145
00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:23,680
he carried away the treasures from the house

146
00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:26,260
of God to put in the house of

147
00:08:26,260 --> 00:08:27,300
his God in Babylon.

148
00:08:27,860 --> 00:08:29,580
And then he ordered that they bring some

149
00:08:29,580 --> 00:08:31,620
of these fine young men of the princes

150
00:08:31,620 --> 00:08:34,940
and all from Israel in order that they

151
00:08:34,940 --> 00:08:38,220
might groom them to stand in the Babylonian

152
00:08:38,220 --> 00:08:38,580
court.

153
00:08:40,820 --> 00:08:46,040
And so they had chosen children in whom

154
00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:50,700
was no blemish, but well favored, good looking,

155
00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:54,980
skillful in all wisdom, cunning in knowledge and

156
00:08:54,980 --> 00:08:56,600
understanding science.

157
00:08:57,020 --> 00:09:00,760
And such as had ability in them to

158
00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,200
stand in the king's palace whom they might

159
00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:06,880
teach the learning and the tongue of the

160
00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:07,540
Chaldeans.

161
00:09:08,020 --> 00:09:10,580
So they took the cream of the young

162
00:09:10,580 --> 00:09:11,000
men.

163
00:09:13,300 --> 00:09:18,880
They took those who were skillful in science

164
00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:23,560
and understanding, good looking, strong.

165
00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:26,880
And they carried them away to Babylon to

166
00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:32,240
teach them the Chaldean language in order that

167
00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,610
they might stand in the court of Nebuchadnezzar

168
00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:39,160
as an advisor and as a counselors to

169
00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:40,500
Nebuchadnezzar.

170
00:09:41,680 --> 00:09:45,980
So the king appointed unto them the daily

171
00:09:45,980 --> 00:09:49,940
provision of the king's meat and of the

172
00:09:49,940 --> 00:09:51,320
wine which he drank.

173
00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:54,280
And so he nourished them for three years

174
00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:56,080
that at the end thereof he might bring

175
00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:57,100
them before the king.

176
00:09:58,620 --> 00:10:02,100
The idea was, of course, three years of

177
00:10:02,100 --> 00:10:06,820
training, learning the Chaldean language, learning the customs

178
00:10:06,820 --> 00:10:09,100
of the court and all in order that

179
00:10:09,100 --> 00:10:11,760
they might stand in the court of the

180
00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:12,060
king.

181
00:10:14,560 --> 00:10:21,080
Now, the king's meat was meat that no

182
00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:24,480
doubt was sacrificed to his pagan gods.

183
00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:28,540
In those days, a person, whenever they butchered

184
00:10:28,540 --> 00:10:31,100
a lamb or a cow or whatever, they

185
00:10:31,100 --> 00:10:34,220
would usually offer it as a sacrifice to

186
00:10:34,220 --> 00:10:38,580
their gods and then they would go ahead

187
00:10:38,580 --> 00:10:39,800
and eat it themselves.

188
00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:41,880
In other words, you sort of roast it

189
00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:44,280
and you take the fat and burn it

190
00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:45,380
unto the gods.

191
00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:47,600
But it was offered as an oblation or

192
00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:49,540
a sacrifice to the gods and then you

193
00:10:49,540 --> 00:10:50,160
ate it.

194
00:10:52,220 --> 00:10:56,120
The butchering was sort of a religious ritual

195
00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:00,600
and this, of course, carried on far beyond

196
00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:03,480
the Babylonian period on into the New Testament.

197
00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:07,640
It was a common practice among the Greeks

198
00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:11,320
and all to have the same type of

199
00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:18,180
a religious ritual in the butchering of any

200
00:11:18,180 --> 00:11:18,740
animal.

201
00:11:18,740 --> 00:11:21,000
So you would butcher it and offer the

202
00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,880
blood and all as an oblation unto your

203
00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:26,920
god and then they would take the meat

204
00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,860
and serve it in the restaurants or they

205
00:11:30,860 --> 00:11:33,620
would sell it in the butcher shops and

206
00:11:33,620 --> 00:11:33,860
all.

207
00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:37,160
And it was a real problem for a

208
00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:38,980
Christian who wanted to eat meat.

209
00:11:40,140 --> 00:11:42,420
You know, you wouldn't want to eat meat

210
00:11:42,420 --> 00:11:44,900
that had been offered as a sacrifice to

211
00:11:44,900 --> 00:11:45,980
some pagan god.

212
00:11:45,980 --> 00:11:49,540
And so it was a real problem because

213
00:11:49,540 --> 00:11:52,220
it was hard to buy meat that wasn't

214
00:11:52,220 --> 00:11:54,100
killed in a ritualistic way.

215
00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:57,780
So Paul the Apostle, in order to help

216
00:11:57,780 --> 00:11:59,480
the Corinthians, said, hey look, when you go

217
00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:01,380
to the butcher shop to buy a steak,

218
00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:05,100
don't ask the butcher, was this offered to

219
00:12:05,100 --> 00:12:05,920
a god?

220
00:12:06,700 --> 00:12:08,420
He said, just buy it, don't ask any

221
00:12:08,420 --> 00:12:09,520
questions, you know.

222
00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:13,400
And for your conscience sake, buy it and

223
00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:14,480
take it home and enjoy it.

224
00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:16,360
And if you go out to eat dinner

225
00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:18,800
at somebody's house, don't say, you know, was

226
00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:21,500
this offered to a god as a sacrifice?

227
00:12:21,940 --> 00:12:24,380
He said, just eat what is set before

228
00:12:24,380 --> 00:12:26,040
you asking no questions.

229
00:12:27,140 --> 00:12:29,520
And that's where that comes from.

230
00:12:29,620 --> 00:12:32,860
It's when you are visiting someone and they

231
00:12:32,860 --> 00:12:36,100
offer you a roast beef or something, just

232
00:12:36,100 --> 00:12:38,000
eat what is set before you asking no

233
00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:38,540
questions.

234
00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:41,660
For conscience sake.

235
00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:46,020
Because, he said, we realize that it really

236
00:12:46,020 --> 00:12:47,300
doesn't make any difference.

237
00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:51,120
You know, we receive everything with thanksgiving and

238
00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:53,040
all things are to be received.

239
00:12:53,260 --> 00:12:57,040
But Daniel did not want to have any

240
00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,540
part of eating meat that had been sacrificed

241
00:12:59,540 --> 00:13:01,660
to pagan deities.

242
00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:09,700
And so he requested that he be freed

243
00:13:09,700 --> 00:13:13,200
from this particular portion that the king offered

244
00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:14,480
in a few moments.

245
00:13:14,680 --> 00:13:17,420
But that's to give you the reason why

246
00:13:17,420 --> 00:13:21,140
Daniel did not want to eat the king's

247
00:13:21,140 --> 00:13:21,380
meat.

248
00:13:22,020 --> 00:13:25,260
Now from the children of Judah, there was

249
00:13:25,260 --> 00:13:30,640
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

250
00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:35,460
In the Hebrew, these are actually beautiful names.

251
00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:37,060
All of them relate to God.

252
00:13:37,060 --> 00:13:41,760
But Daniel means God is judge.

253
00:13:43,180 --> 00:13:46,200
Hananiah is beloved of the Lord.

254
00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:48,100
What a beautiful name, Hananiah.

255
00:13:49,660 --> 00:13:51,980
Some of you young parents wondering what you

256
00:13:51,980 --> 00:13:53,820
might name your next son.

257
00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:56,640
It's really a beautiful name.

258
00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:58,040
Beloved of the Lord.

259
00:13:59,020 --> 00:14:00,100
I love that name.

260
00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:04,660
Mishael, who is as God.

261
00:14:05,620 --> 00:14:09,820
And Azariah, the Lord is my help.

262
00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:14,580
And so they have beautiful names all relating

263
00:14:14,580 --> 00:14:16,520
in some way to the Lord.

264
00:14:17,860 --> 00:14:21,160
But the prince of the eunuchs gave them

265
00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:25,180
Babylonian names that all related to the Babylonian

266
00:14:25,180 --> 00:14:25,800
deities.

267
00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,520
And so to Daniel he gave the name

268
00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:36,760
of Belteshazzar, which means Belle's prince.

269
00:14:37,740 --> 00:14:40,200
Belle was one of the gods of the

270
00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:41,200
Babylonians.

271
00:14:43,650 --> 00:14:46,770
To Hananiah he gave the name of Shadrach.

272
00:14:49,140 --> 00:14:53,220
And Shadrach means illumined by the sun god.

273
00:14:56,490 --> 00:14:59,350
To Mishael he gave the name of Meshach,

274
00:15:00,050 --> 00:15:02,950
which means who is like Shaq.

275
00:15:02,950 --> 00:15:06,690
Shaq was another one of the Babylonian deities.

276
00:15:08,410 --> 00:15:14,070
And to Azariah he gave the name Abednego,

277
00:15:14,950 --> 00:15:19,570
which means the servant of Nego, which was

278
00:15:19,570 --> 00:15:22,310
another one of the Babylonian deities.

279
00:15:23,210 --> 00:15:27,470
So, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Belteshazzar, these are all

280
00:15:27,470 --> 00:15:32,350
the profane names that were given to them

281
00:15:32,350 --> 00:15:36,530
by the eunuch in Babylon as they took

282
00:15:36,530 --> 00:15:40,950
away from them their Hebrew names which related

283
00:15:40,950 --> 00:15:41,790
to God.

284
00:15:44,170 --> 00:15:47,750
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he

285
00:15:47,750 --> 00:15:50,490
would not defile himself with the portion of

286
00:15:50,490 --> 00:15:53,610
the king's meat nor with the wine which

287
00:15:53,610 --> 00:15:54,290
he drank.

288
00:15:55,070 --> 00:15:57,290
Therefore, he requested of the prince of the

289
00:15:57,290 --> 00:16:00,690
eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

290
00:16:00,690 --> 00:16:03,570
Daniel did not want to defile himself with

291
00:16:03,570 --> 00:16:06,470
this meat offered to pagan deities with the

292
00:16:06,470 --> 00:16:06,810
wine.

293
00:16:07,570 --> 00:16:10,050
And so he requested that he not have

294
00:16:10,050 --> 00:16:10,890
to eat it.

295
00:16:11,930 --> 00:16:15,510
Now, God had brought Daniel into favor and

296
00:16:15,510 --> 00:16:17,790
tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

297
00:16:19,150 --> 00:16:21,170
And the prince of the eunuchs said unto

298
00:16:21,170 --> 00:16:26,370
Daniel, I fear the Lord, the king, who

299
00:16:26,370 --> 00:16:29,270
has appointed your meat and your drink.

300
00:16:30,090 --> 00:16:32,630
For why should he see your faces worse

301
00:16:32,630 --> 00:16:35,050
liking than the children which are of your

302
00:16:35,050 --> 00:16:35,430
sort?

303
00:16:36,410 --> 00:16:38,790
Then shall you make me in danger of

304
00:16:38,790 --> 00:16:40,110
my head before the king.

305
00:16:40,310 --> 00:16:43,910
Now look, Daniel, I am fearful of the

306
00:16:43,910 --> 00:16:44,210
king.

307
00:16:44,550 --> 00:16:45,610
I respect him.

308
00:16:46,090 --> 00:16:47,850
And he gave me command to feed you

309
00:16:47,850 --> 00:16:48,210
this stuff.

310
00:16:48,330 --> 00:16:49,850
And if you don't eat this and you

311
00:16:49,850 --> 00:16:53,170
guys get thin and skinny, then my head

312
00:16:53,170 --> 00:16:55,390
is in danger because I'm the one in

313
00:16:55,390 --> 00:16:59,210
charge of making sure that you're strong and

314
00:16:59,210 --> 00:17:01,850
healthy when you come to stand before him.

315
00:17:03,130 --> 00:17:06,490
Then said Daniel to Melzar, who was the

316
00:17:06,490 --> 00:17:11,710
prince of the eunuchs, he said, let's just

317
00:17:11,710 --> 00:17:15,790
have a testing period for ten days.

318
00:17:16,329 --> 00:17:19,550
Let them give us paltz, which is a

319
00:17:19,550 --> 00:17:25,390
grain cereal to eat, and water to drink.

320
00:17:26,050 --> 00:17:29,850
Then let our countenances be looked upon before

321
00:17:29,850 --> 00:17:31,970
thee in the countenance of the children that

322
00:17:31,970 --> 00:17:34,470
eat the portion of the king's meat.

323
00:17:34,870 --> 00:17:37,890
And as you see, deal with your servants.

324
00:17:38,430 --> 00:17:41,570
So he consented to this matter.

325
00:17:42,110 --> 00:17:44,490
And for ten days, and at the end

326
00:17:44,490 --> 00:17:47,910
of the ten days, their countenances, that is

327
00:17:47,910 --> 00:17:52,010
Daniel and his friends, appeared fairer and fatter

328
00:17:52,010 --> 00:17:54,090
in flesh than all of the children, which

329
00:17:54,090 --> 00:17:56,030
did eat the portion of the king's meat.

330
00:17:56,650 --> 00:17:59,330
So Melzar took away the portion of their

331
00:17:59,330 --> 00:18:01,650
meat and the wine that they should drink,

332
00:18:01,710 --> 00:18:04,170
and they were able to eat the grains,

333
00:18:04,370 --> 00:18:05,030
the vegetables.

334
00:18:06,530 --> 00:18:12,970
Thus Melzar, and for these four children, God

335
00:18:12,970 --> 00:18:16,990
gave them knowledge and skill in all of

336
00:18:16,990 --> 00:18:19,590
the learning and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding

337
00:18:19,590 --> 00:18:21,870
in all visions and dreams.

338
00:18:21,870 --> 00:18:26,070
Now at the end of the days, that

339
00:18:26,070 --> 00:18:28,010
is the three years that they were in

340
00:18:28,010 --> 00:18:31,430
this training period, the king had said that

341
00:18:31,430 --> 00:18:33,890
they should bring them in, and then the

342
00:18:33,890 --> 00:18:35,870
prince of the eunuchs brought them before Nebuchadnezzar,

343
00:18:36,470 --> 00:18:38,830
and the king communed with them, and among

344
00:18:38,830 --> 00:18:42,670
them all, none was found like Daniel, Hananiah,

345
00:18:43,030 --> 00:18:46,890
Mishael, Azariah, that stood before the king, and

346
00:18:46,890 --> 00:18:50,090
therefore they were brought to stand before him.

347
00:18:51,090 --> 00:18:54,050
And in all matters of wisdom and understanding

348
00:18:54,050 --> 00:18:56,570
that the king inquired of them, he found

349
00:18:56,570 --> 00:19:00,290
them ten times better than all of his

350
00:19:00,290 --> 00:19:03,210
magicians and astrologers that were in all of

351
00:19:03,210 --> 00:19:03,730
his realm.

352
00:19:04,390 --> 00:19:07,990
And Daniel continued through the entire reign of

353
00:19:07,990 --> 00:19:16,150
Nebuchadnezzar and his grandson Belshazzar, and even into

354
00:19:16,150 --> 00:19:19,250
the first year of King Cyrus, so on

355
00:19:19,250 --> 00:19:23,010
through the reign of Darius and King Cyrus.

356
00:19:25,290 --> 00:19:27,810
Now in the second year of the reign

357
00:19:27,810 --> 00:19:33,110
of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit

358
00:19:33,110 --> 00:19:36,650
was troubled, and his sleep was taken from

359
00:19:36,650 --> 00:19:36,950
him.

360
00:19:37,510 --> 00:19:40,910
Then the king commanded to call the magicians

361
00:19:40,910 --> 00:19:44,210
and the astrologers and the sorcerers and the

362
00:19:44,210 --> 00:19:46,690
Chaldeans to show the king his dream.

363
00:19:47,490 --> 00:19:50,070
So they came and they stood before the

364
00:19:50,070 --> 00:19:52,110
king, and the king said unto them, I've

365
00:19:52,110 --> 00:19:55,210
dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled

366
00:19:55,210 --> 00:19:56,370
to know the dream.

367
00:19:57,710 --> 00:20:00,330
So the Chaldeans spoke to the king in

368
00:20:00,330 --> 00:20:04,910
Syriac, and so part of this book is

369
00:20:04,910 --> 00:20:08,650
written, and in fact at this point, from

370
00:20:08,650 --> 00:20:13,230
chapter 2 verse 4 on to chapter 7

371
00:20:13,230 --> 00:20:18,370
verse 28, this book is written, because it

372
00:20:18,370 --> 00:20:21,450
says they spoke to him in Syriac, the

373
00:20:21,450 --> 00:20:27,310
book is written in this language of Aramaic,

374
00:20:27,390 --> 00:20:29,870
which was the ancient Syrian language.

375
00:20:30,870 --> 00:20:32,410
O king, live forever!

376
00:20:33,730 --> 00:20:36,430
Tell thy servants the dream, and we will

377
00:20:36,430 --> 00:20:37,930
show you the interpretation.

378
00:20:39,150 --> 00:20:41,850
The king answered and said to the Chaldeans,

379
00:20:42,510 --> 00:20:44,030
I've forgotten it.

380
00:20:45,230 --> 00:20:47,570
If you will not make known unto me

381
00:20:47,570 --> 00:20:51,710
the dream with the interpretation, you'll be cut

382
00:20:51,710 --> 00:20:54,510
to pieces, and your houses shall be made

383
00:20:54,510 --> 00:20:55,210
a dunghill.

384
00:20:56,230 --> 00:20:58,190
But if you show the dream and the

385
00:20:58,190 --> 00:21:01,330
interpretation thereof, you shall receive from me gifts,

386
00:21:01,510 --> 00:21:02,650
rewards, great honor.

387
00:21:03,010 --> 00:21:05,330
Therefore, show me the dream and the interpretation.

388
00:21:06,630 --> 00:21:09,010
They answered again and said, let the king

389
00:21:09,010 --> 00:21:12,030
just tell the servants his dream, and we

390
00:21:12,030 --> 00:21:14,030
will show you the interpretation.

391
00:21:14,490 --> 00:21:17,190
And the king answered and said, I know

392
00:21:17,190 --> 00:21:19,930
of certainty that you would gain the time,

393
00:21:19,950 --> 00:21:22,030
because you see that I have forgotten the

394
00:21:22,030 --> 00:21:22,350
dream.

395
00:21:22,850 --> 00:21:24,990
But if you will not make known unto

396
00:21:24,990 --> 00:21:27,410
me the dream, there is but one decree

397
00:21:27,410 --> 00:21:28,110
for you.

398
00:21:29,050 --> 00:21:31,670
For you have prepared lying and corrupt words

399
00:21:31,670 --> 00:21:34,130
to speak before me till the time be

400
00:21:34,130 --> 00:21:34,590
changed.

401
00:21:34,730 --> 00:21:38,110
Therefore, tell me the dream, and I shall

402
00:21:38,110 --> 00:21:40,930
know that you can show me the interpretation

403
00:21:40,930 --> 00:21:41,750
thereof.

404
00:21:43,010 --> 00:21:45,290
And the Chaldeans answered before the king and

405
00:21:45,290 --> 00:21:47,190
said, Look, there's not a man on the

406
00:21:47,190 --> 00:21:51,230
earth that can show the king's matter.

407
00:21:51,450 --> 00:21:55,110
Therefore, there is no king, lord, nor ruler

408
00:21:55,110 --> 00:21:58,050
that has asked such things of any of

409
00:21:58,050 --> 00:22:01,090
his magicians or astrologers or Chaldeans.

410
00:22:01,230 --> 00:22:02,550
Ah, come on, king.

411
00:22:02,810 --> 00:22:04,110
You know, let's be fair.

412
00:22:04,770 --> 00:22:06,910
No man knows what a man dreams.

413
00:22:06,910 --> 00:22:08,570
No man can show you this.

414
00:22:09,490 --> 00:22:10,750
Look in history.

415
00:22:10,930 --> 00:22:13,670
No king has ever demanded such a ridiculous

416
00:22:13,670 --> 00:22:15,850
thing from his counselors.

417
00:22:18,540 --> 00:22:21,220
It's a rare thing that the king requires.

418
00:22:22,500 --> 00:22:24,560
There's none other that can show it before

419
00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:28,020
the king except the gods, whose dwelling is

420
00:22:28,020 --> 00:22:28,880
not with flesh.

421
00:22:30,260 --> 00:22:35,400
Now, they were dealing with the wrong man

422
00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:37,060
because Nebuchadnezzar is a hothead.

423
00:22:38,740 --> 00:22:42,120
He was always becoming angry and very furious

424
00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:44,100
until his conversion.

425
00:22:46,140 --> 00:22:48,840
For this cause, the king was angry and

426
00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:54,000
very furious, and he commanded that all of

427
00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:55,480
the wise men be destroyed.

428
00:22:57,820 --> 00:22:59,980
And the decree went forth that the wise

429
00:22:59,980 --> 00:23:02,600
men should be slain, and they sought Daniel

430
00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:04,180
and his fellows to be slain.

431
00:23:04,180 --> 00:23:12,520
Now, we notice the tremendous power of Nebuchadnezzar.

432
00:23:16,500 --> 00:23:18,060
Autocratic control.

433
00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:23,940
He was the final word.

434
00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:27,400
His word was law.

435
00:23:30,660 --> 00:23:36,040
He could order these men all eliminated, cut

436
00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:36,780
them to pieces.

437
00:23:37,340 --> 00:23:38,540
His word was law.

438
00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:42,780
When we get into the next empire, as

439
00:23:42,780 --> 00:23:50,110
we get into chapter 5 and 6, as

440
00:23:50,110 --> 00:23:54,810
we get into the Medo-Persian Empire, we

441
00:23:54,810 --> 00:23:57,670
notice that when the king made a decree

442
00:23:57,670 --> 00:24:02,970
and signed it, that he was subject then

443
00:24:02,970 --> 00:24:04,850
to the law of the Medes and the

444
00:24:04,850 --> 00:24:07,590
Persians, which once a decree had been signed,

445
00:24:07,690 --> 00:24:09,070
it could not be changed.

446
00:24:09,070 --> 00:24:12,850
He did not have the same type of

447
00:24:12,850 --> 00:24:17,930
autocratic control and power as did Nebuchadnezzar.

448
00:24:20,100 --> 00:24:27,640
Probably no man has been vested with so

449
00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:32,340
much power in the history of mankind as

450
00:24:32,340 --> 00:24:33,940
was Nebuchadnezzar.

451
00:24:34,020 --> 00:24:37,580
So much control over the world and over

452
00:24:37,580 --> 00:24:38,900
the lives of people.

453
00:24:40,180 --> 00:24:43,000
That is why in the interpretation of his

454
00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,160
dream, he said, your kingdom will be replaced

455
00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:47,520
by an inferior kingdom.

456
00:24:47,660 --> 00:24:49,540
Not inferior as far as strength.

457
00:24:50,100 --> 00:24:52,680
The Medo-Persian Empire was very powerful and

458
00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:55,280
a very wealthy, but as far as the

459
00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:59,480
control by the king, much less.

460
00:24:59,620 --> 00:25:02,000
He was subject to the laws of the

461
00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:04,900
land, whereas Nebuchadnezzar was the law himself.

462
00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:07,060
His word became law.

463
00:25:09,330 --> 00:25:11,710
So he was very furious.

464
00:25:11,930 --> 00:25:14,770
He ordered the execution of his wise men

465
00:25:14,770 --> 00:25:20,050
and Daniel answered with the counsel and wisdom

466
00:25:20,050 --> 00:25:22,830
to Ariok, who was the captain of the

467
00:25:22,830 --> 00:25:26,650
king's guard, who was commissioned to go out

468
00:25:26,650 --> 00:25:28,570
and to slay all of the wise men.

469
00:25:29,390 --> 00:25:32,470
And he said to Ariok, why is the

470
00:25:32,470 --> 00:25:34,790
decree so hasty from the king?

471
00:25:35,910 --> 00:25:38,610
Then Ariok made the thing known to Daniel.

472
00:25:40,110 --> 00:25:42,370
Daniel went in and he desired of the

473
00:25:42,370 --> 00:25:44,190
king that he would give him a little

474
00:25:44,190 --> 00:25:47,210
time and he promised to show the king

475
00:25:47,210 --> 00:25:48,250
the interpretation.

476
00:25:49,510 --> 00:25:52,870
Then Daniel went to his house and made

477
00:25:52,870 --> 00:25:55,830
the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,

478
00:25:55,930 --> 00:25:59,510
his companions, that they would desire mercies of

479
00:25:59,510 --> 00:26:01,870
God of the God of heaven concerning this

480
00:26:01,870 --> 00:26:04,830
secret that Daniel and his fellows should not

481
00:26:04,830 --> 00:26:06,570
perish for the rest of the wise men

482
00:26:06,570 --> 00:26:07,070
of Babylon.

483
00:26:07,330 --> 00:26:09,790
So Daniel went into the king and he

484
00:26:09,790 --> 00:26:10,990
said, look, give me a little time.

485
00:26:11,070 --> 00:26:12,450
I'll come and I'll tell you the dream

486
00:26:12,450 --> 00:26:13,110
and interpretation.

487
00:26:15,290 --> 00:26:16,870
Then he went to his buddies and said,

488
00:26:16,930 --> 00:26:18,550
hey, it's time for a prayer meeting, fellas.

489
00:26:20,710 --> 00:26:22,690
We got to get some information, you know,

490
00:26:22,730 --> 00:26:23,890
our necks are on the line.

491
00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:33,980
Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in

492
00:26:33,980 --> 00:26:34,800
a night vision.

493
00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:38,160
Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

494
00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:43,680
Now it is, I think, important to the

495
00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:46,180
story and for us to know that Daniel

496
00:26:46,180 --> 00:26:52,160
at this point was probably around 19 or

497
00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:54,220
20 years of age.

498
00:26:56,500 --> 00:26:59,940
He was probably around 16 years old when

499
00:26:59,940 --> 00:27:03,480
he was carried as a captive to Babylon.

500
00:27:05,120 --> 00:27:07,260
Just a very young man.

501
00:27:11,660 --> 00:27:14,080
Just a very young man when he purposed

502
00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:16,300
in his heart he wasn't going to defile

503
00:27:16,300 --> 00:27:18,620
himself with the king's meat.

504
00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:23,660
It shows that somewhere along the line, Daniel

505
00:27:23,660 --> 00:27:29,160
had excellent training in the ways of God

506
00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:30,580
and in the things of God.

507
00:27:32,140 --> 00:27:34,860
That even by the age of 16, these

508
00:27:34,860 --> 00:27:40,000
things were so deeply embedded that as he

509
00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:43,520
is carried away to a far country where

510
00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:47,040
he is away from the influences, the spiritual

511
00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:50,580
influences under which he grew up, still he

512
00:27:50,580 --> 00:27:56,440
maintains such integrity in spiritual matters.

513
00:27:57,340 --> 00:27:59,700
Absolutely glorious to behold.

514
00:28:00,460 --> 00:28:02,360
And to realize that even as a very

515
00:28:02,360 --> 00:28:06,580
young man he had such high principles, high

516
00:28:06,580 --> 00:28:07,540
ideals.

517
00:28:09,140 --> 00:28:13,060
And the depth of his spiritual character is

518
00:28:13,060 --> 00:28:16,880
expressed here after God reveals to him the

519
00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:18,900
dream and the interpretation.

520
00:28:19,740 --> 00:28:25,040
As we read Daniel's response to God and

521
00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:29,240
realize here's just a young man in a

522
00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:33,060
far country, but he shows such depth of

523
00:28:33,060 --> 00:28:35,340
spiritual character.

524
00:28:36,340 --> 00:28:39,940
Daniel answered the Lord and said, Blessed be

525
00:28:39,940 --> 00:28:42,980
the name of God forever and ever.

526
00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:46,840
For wisdom and might are His.

527
00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:50,180
And He changes the times and the seasons.

528
00:28:50,740 --> 00:28:53,520
He removes kings and sets up kings.

529
00:28:53,980 --> 00:28:57,380
He gives wisdom unto the wise and knowledge

530
00:28:57,380 --> 00:28:59,360
to them that know understanding.

531
00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:03,100
He reveals the deep and secret things.

532
00:29:03,580 --> 00:29:06,080
He knows what is in the darkness and

533
00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:07,680
the light dwelleth with Him.

534
00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:12,460
I thank Thee and praise Thee, O Thou

535
00:29:12,460 --> 00:29:15,480
God of my fathers, who has given me

536
00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:18,380
wisdom and might and has made known unto

537
00:29:18,380 --> 00:29:21,160
me now what we desired of Thee, for

538
00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:24,460
You have now made known unto us the

539
00:29:24,460 --> 00:29:25,380
King's matter.

540
00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:30,280
And this to me is just a marvelous

541
00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:33,640
expression of praise and thanksgiving unto God which

542
00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:38,120
shows a real depth of spiritual character in

543
00:29:38,120 --> 00:29:39,240
such a young man.

544
00:29:41,250 --> 00:29:43,610
I think that a lot of times we

545
00:29:43,610 --> 00:29:47,130
perhaps think, well, you know, he's too young

546
00:29:47,130 --> 00:29:52,230
to really have much spiritual maturity or to

547
00:29:52,230 --> 00:29:54,750
be able to share much in spiritual things.

548
00:29:54,750 --> 00:29:58,830
But I look at Daniel.

549
00:29:59,030 --> 00:30:00,170
I look at Jeremiah.

550
00:30:00,870 --> 00:30:04,430
These young men who started their ministry so

551
00:30:04,430 --> 00:30:09,990
early and the depth of spiritual understanding that

552
00:30:09,990 --> 00:30:12,930
they had, even while young.

553
00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:18,040
Therefore Daniel went in unto Ariok, whom the

554
00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:20,000
king had ordained to destroy the wise men

555
00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:20,460
of Babylon.

556
00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:22,780
He went and said thus unto him, Destroy

557
00:30:22,780 --> 00:30:24,420
not the wise men of Babylon.

558
00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:26,220
Bring me in before the king, and I

559
00:30:26,220 --> 00:30:28,260
will show unto the king the interpretation.

560
00:30:29,340 --> 00:30:31,940
Then Ariok brought in Daniel before the king

561
00:30:31,940 --> 00:30:34,100
in haste and said unto him, I have

562
00:30:34,100 --> 00:30:36,000
found a man of the captives of Judah

563
00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:38,460
that will make known unto the king the

564
00:30:38,460 --> 00:30:39,360
interpretation.

565
00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:43,460
The king answered and said to Daniel, whose

566
00:30:43,460 --> 00:30:47,200
name was Beldeshazzar, Art thou able to make

567
00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:49,460
known unto me the dream which I have

568
00:30:49,460 --> 00:30:51,300
seen and the interpretation thereof?

569
00:30:51,340 --> 00:30:54,240
And Daniel answered in the presence of the

570
00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:58,020
king and said, The secret which the king

571
00:30:58,020 --> 00:31:02,800
has demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers,

572
00:31:02,900 --> 00:31:05,980
the magicians, the soothsayers show unto the king.

573
00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:11,300
But there is a God in heaven that

574
00:31:11,300 --> 00:31:14,420
revealeth secrets and makes known unto the king

575
00:31:14,420 --> 00:31:17,180
Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days.

576
00:31:17,300 --> 00:31:19,720
Thy dream and thy visions of thy head

577
00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:21,460
upon thy bed are these.

578
00:31:21,460 --> 00:31:27,080
Now, first of all, make note that Daniel

579
00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:32,040
does not take personal credit for the interpreting

580
00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:32,980
of the dream.

581
00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:37,600
King says, I understand you can make known

582
00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:38,940
to me the dream and the interpretation.

583
00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:41,840
Daniel says, look, the wise men, the astrologers,

584
00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:42,700
none of them can do it.

585
00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:45,920
But there's a God in heaven who reveals

586
00:31:45,920 --> 00:31:52,160
things and he gives credit to God for

587
00:31:52,160 --> 00:31:56,780
the interpretation, for the understanding and interpretation of

588
00:31:56,780 --> 00:31:57,260
the dream.

589
00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:02,180
I think that this is something that if

590
00:32:02,180 --> 00:32:07,280
anyone is at all interested in becoming involved

591
00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:09,200
in the work of the Lord, it is

592
00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:13,760
important to note this particular aspect of Daniel.

593
00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:17,140
That he was not about to take credit

594
00:32:17,140 --> 00:32:18,620
for what God had done.

595
00:32:21,420 --> 00:32:26,060
He immediately points to God as the source.

596
00:32:27,140 --> 00:32:29,380
And he gives credit to God.

597
00:32:29,660 --> 00:32:31,940
He does not let the king give him

598
00:32:31,940 --> 00:32:33,380
credit or give him honor.

599
00:32:33,740 --> 00:32:35,680
But he points the king to God.

600
00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:38,300
There's a God in heaven who reveals things

601
00:32:38,300 --> 00:32:40,160
and he has made known.

602
00:32:42,580 --> 00:32:49,090
Secondly, the dream is for the latter days.

603
00:32:49,830 --> 00:32:52,530
So it is a dream that has prophetic

604
00:32:52,530 --> 00:32:54,210
significance.

605
00:32:58,130 --> 00:33:00,150
The things that are going to come to

606
00:33:00,150 --> 00:33:02,710
pass here on the earth.

607
00:33:03,410 --> 00:33:05,550
But as for me, now notice he's not

608
00:33:05,550 --> 00:33:06,090
taking credit.

609
00:33:06,210 --> 00:33:10,450
As for me, this secret is not revealed

610
00:33:10,450 --> 00:33:12,910
to me for any wisdom that I have

611
00:33:12,910 --> 00:33:14,350
more than anyone else.

612
00:33:15,410 --> 00:33:18,330
But for their sakes, that shall make known

613
00:33:18,330 --> 00:33:21,630
the interpretation to the king that you may

614
00:33:21,630 --> 00:33:22,990
know the thoughts of your heart.

615
00:33:23,050 --> 00:33:24,690
God didn't do this for me because I'm

616
00:33:24,690 --> 00:33:25,470
something special.

617
00:33:25,650 --> 00:33:28,890
Because I have anything over anybody else.

618
00:33:29,770 --> 00:33:33,170
He's not trying to exalt himself in this

619
00:33:33,170 --> 00:33:33,570
at all.

620
00:33:33,790 --> 00:33:35,670
He does seek to exalt God.

621
00:33:36,390 --> 00:33:39,250
But not seeking to promote or exalt himself.

622
00:33:39,850 --> 00:33:42,030
And so important for anyone involved in any

623
00:33:42,030 --> 00:33:44,570
kind of ministry, not to try to exalt

624
00:33:44,570 --> 00:33:47,150
yourself, but to just seek to bring glory

625
00:33:47,150 --> 00:33:47,570
to God.

626
00:33:47,850 --> 00:33:50,250
Now, he tells the king what he dreamed.

627
00:33:51,350 --> 00:34:00,460
But notice he said, Thou, O king, saw

628
00:34:00,460 --> 00:34:02,340
and behold a great image.

629
00:34:03,180 --> 00:34:06,700
And this image, whose brightness was excellent, stood

630
00:34:06,700 --> 00:34:11,219
before thee, and the form thereof was awesome.

631
00:34:12,340 --> 00:34:14,679
So you saw this great image.

632
00:34:14,860 --> 00:34:15,320
Awesome.

633
00:34:16,260 --> 00:34:16,739
Bright.

634
00:34:17,980 --> 00:34:22,000
The image head was of fine gold, his

635
00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:24,420
breast and his arms of silver, his belly

636
00:34:24,420 --> 00:34:27,179
and his thighs of brass, his legs of

637
00:34:27,179 --> 00:34:30,139
iron, his feet part iron and part of

638
00:34:30,139 --> 00:34:30,580
clay.

639
00:34:31,699 --> 00:34:36,120
And you were watching till a stone was

640
00:34:36,120 --> 00:34:39,940
cut without hands, which smote the image upon

641
00:34:39,940 --> 00:34:42,940
his feet that were of iron and clay

642
00:34:43,469 --> 00:34:45,320
and broke them in pieces.

643
00:34:46,260 --> 00:34:48,699
Then was the iron, the clay, the brass,

644
00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:51,219
the silver, the gold, broken to pieces together

645
00:34:51,219 --> 00:34:54,080
and became like the chaff of the summer

646
00:34:54,080 --> 00:34:55,040
threshing floors.

647
00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:59,200
And the wind carried them away that no

648
00:34:59,200 --> 00:35:01,040
place was found for them.

649
00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:04,340
And the stone that smote the image became

650
00:35:04,340 --> 00:35:07,840
a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

651
00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:11,440
So this was the dream that Nebuchadnezzar had

652
00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:12,440
that troubled him.

653
00:35:15,420 --> 00:35:19,280
This is the dream, Daniel said, and we

654
00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:22,380
will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.

655
00:35:24,500 --> 00:35:27,700
Thou, O king, art a king of kings,

656
00:35:28,140 --> 00:35:30,700
for the God of heaven has given you

657
00:35:30,700 --> 00:35:33,660
a kingdom, power, strength and glory.

658
00:35:34,700 --> 00:35:37,060
And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the

659
00:35:37,060 --> 00:35:38,440
beasts of the field, the fowls of the

660
00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:40,780
heaven, hath He given into thine hand and

661
00:35:40,780 --> 00:35:43,580
hath made thee ruler over them all, for

662
00:35:43,580 --> 00:35:46,000
thou art this head of gold.

663
00:35:49,780 --> 00:35:52,620
Now, we skipped a verse, and it is

664
00:35:52,620 --> 00:35:53,300
an important verse.

665
00:35:53,420 --> 00:35:54,080
I want to go back to it.

666
00:35:54,100 --> 00:35:59,450
Verse 29, he said, As for thee, O

667
00:35:59,450 --> 00:36:02,530
king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon

668
00:36:02,530 --> 00:36:03,390
thy bed.

669
00:36:04,010 --> 00:36:06,150
What should come to pass hereafter?

670
00:36:06,830 --> 00:36:09,150
And he that reveals secret is made known

671
00:36:09,150 --> 00:36:09,570
unto thee.

672
00:36:09,610 --> 00:36:10,570
What shall come to pass?

673
00:36:12,530 --> 00:36:15,210
Before Nebuchadnezzar had gone to sleep, he was

674
00:36:15,210 --> 00:36:17,230
wondering in his mind, what's going to happen

675
00:36:17,230 --> 00:36:17,930
to the world?

676
00:36:21,180 --> 00:36:22,660
What does the future hold?

677
00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:28,420
And so, this dream pertains to the future.

678
00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:33,820
God is in this dream, giving him history

679
00:36:33,820 --> 00:36:39,080
in advance as he lays out the kingdoms

680
00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:41,260
that would rule over the earth.

681
00:36:42,700 --> 00:36:49,140
The first world-governing empire, the Babylonian empire,

682
00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:50,600
the head of gold.

683
00:36:52,870 --> 00:36:56,910
But after thee, there shall arise another kingdom

684
00:36:56,910 --> 00:37:01,630
that is inferior to thee and another third

685
00:37:01,630 --> 00:37:04,510
kingdom of brass, which will bear rule over

686
00:37:04,510 --> 00:37:05,210
all the earth.

687
00:37:06,030 --> 00:37:10,250
Notice, these are world-dominating empires bearing rule

688
00:37:10,250 --> 00:37:11,570
over all the earth.

689
00:37:12,300 --> 00:37:15,170
And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as

690
00:37:15,170 --> 00:37:18,350
iron, for as much as iron breaks in

691
00:37:18,350 --> 00:37:21,410
pieces and subdues all things, and as iron

692
00:37:21,410 --> 00:37:24,370
that breaks all things shall it break in

693
00:37:24,370 --> 00:37:25,670
pieces and bruise.

694
00:37:25,790 --> 00:37:28,310
And whereas you saw the feet and the

695
00:37:28,310 --> 00:37:33,030
toes, part of potter's clay and part of

696
00:37:33,030 --> 00:37:35,690
iron, the kingdom shall be divided.

697
00:37:36,290 --> 00:37:38,990
But there shall be in it of the

698
00:37:38,990 --> 00:37:41,170
strength of iron for as much as thou

699
00:37:41,170 --> 00:37:43,090
sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

700
00:37:43,770 --> 00:37:46,170
And as the toes of the feet were

701
00:37:46,170 --> 00:37:49,430
part of iron and part of clay, so

702
00:37:49,430 --> 00:37:52,210
the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly

703
00:37:52,210 --> 00:37:54,550
weak or brittle.

704
00:37:55,410 --> 00:37:59,190
And whereas you saw iron mixed with miry

705
00:37:59,190 --> 00:38:02,790
clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed

706
00:38:02,790 --> 00:38:03,430
of men.

707
00:38:04,250 --> 00:38:06,970
That is, there would not be a monarchy,

708
00:38:06,970 --> 00:38:11,830
but there would be more of a democracy

709
00:38:13,270 --> 00:38:20,410
kind of a thing, a confederacy of states,

710
00:38:21,190 --> 00:38:25,270
but not a strong dictatorship or monarchy as

711
00:38:25,270 --> 00:38:25,630
such.

712
00:38:26,750 --> 00:38:28,630
You saw the iron mixed with the miry

713
00:38:28,630 --> 00:38:30,390
clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed

714
00:38:30,390 --> 00:38:30,870
of men.

715
00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:35,640
And they shall not cleave one to another,

716
00:38:35,780 --> 00:38:38,120
even as iron is not mixed with clay.

717
00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:45,800
And in the days of these kings shall

718
00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:49,320
the God of heaven set up a kingdom

719
00:38:49,320 --> 00:38:51,740
which shall never be destroyed.

720
00:38:52,300 --> 00:38:55,100
And the kingdom shall not be left to

721
00:38:55,100 --> 00:38:58,620
other people, but it shall break in pieces

722
00:38:58,620 --> 00:39:02,060
and consume all these kingdoms and it shall

723
00:39:02,060 --> 00:39:03,540
stand forever.

724
00:39:04,220 --> 00:39:06,160
For as much as you saw that the

725
00:39:06,160 --> 00:39:08,660
stone was cut out of the mountain without

726
00:39:08,660 --> 00:39:11,220
hands and that it broke in pieces, the

727
00:39:11,220 --> 00:39:13,120
iron and the brass, the clay, the silver,

728
00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:15,680
the gold, the great God hath made known

729
00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:17,840
to the king what shall come to pass

730
00:39:17,840 --> 00:39:22,580
hereafter, the dream is certain, the interpretation is

731
00:39:22,580 --> 00:39:22,960
sure.

732
00:39:23,860 --> 00:39:26,500
So this great image, the head of gold,

733
00:39:26,580 --> 00:39:32,280
representing the Babylonian empire, the first world dominating

734
00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:36,420
empire, which was to be replaced by an

735
00:39:36,420 --> 00:39:41,240
inferior empire, the arms and chest of silver

736
00:39:41,240 --> 00:39:46,620
or the Medo-Persian empire, which was to

737
00:39:46,620 --> 00:39:50,340
be replaced by the brass stomach or the

738
00:39:50,340 --> 00:39:55,180
Grecian empire, which was to be supplanted by

739
00:39:55,180 --> 00:39:59,400
the legs of iron, the Roman empire.

740
00:40:00,960 --> 00:40:04,760
But then he saw the feet of iron

741
00:40:04,760 --> 00:40:12,500
and clay with ten toes, weaker than just

742
00:40:12,500 --> 00:40:14,740
the iron because you have the mixture of

743
00:40:14,740 --> 00:40:20,060
iron and clay, not a strong monarchy but

744
00:40:20,060 --> 00:40:25,390
more of a confederacy and yet it is

745
00:40:25,390 --> 00:40:28,230
related to the Roman empire because it is

746
00:40:28,230 --> 00:40:29,190
part iron.

747
00:40:31,740 --> 00:40:34,480
So because of this and of course the

748
00:40:34,480 --> 00:40:38,640
subsequent vision of Daniel in chapters 7 and

749
00:40:38,640 --> 00:40:47,910
8, in which Daniel declares that the second

750
00:40:47,910 --> 00:40:50,250
empire will be the Medo-Persian and the

751
00:40:50,250 --> 00:40:55,180
third will be the Grecian and of course

752
00:40:55,180 --> 00:40:57,120
we know from history that the fourth was

753
00:40:57,120 --> 00:41:07,080
the Roman empire, Bible scholars for years

754
00:41:08,020 --> 00:41:13,380
have been looking for a confederacy of European

755
00:41:13,380 --> 00:41:20,900
nations to join together with treaties that would

756
00:41:20,900 --> 00:41:28,100
become and will become the final world governing

757
00:41:28,100 --> 00:41:28,860
empire.

758
00:41:30,760 --> 00:41:36,320
Since the Roman empire there has not been

759
00:41:36,320 --> 00:41:39,140
a world governing empire.

760
00:41:40,500 --> 00:41:46,560
It was of course Hitler's dream to become

761
00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:51,820
a world ruler and he sought to establish

762
00:41:51,820 --> 00:41:57,000
a world governing empire through the super race

763
00:41:58,820 --> 00:42:03,020
but he never accomplished his dream.

764
00:42:04,020 --> 00:42:08,220
It is the goal of communism to develop

765
00:42:08,220 --> 00:42:11,460
a world dominating empire.

766
00:42:12,460 --> 00:42:19,720
The communist will not fulfill their dreams but

767
00:42:19,720 --> 00:42:22,800
Bible scholars and I can show you books

768
00:42:22,800 --> 00:42:26,000
that were written back in the twenties, back

769
00:42:26,000 --> 00:42:32,220
in the thirties, by Bible scholars, Dr. Talbot,

770
00:42:34,140 --> 00:42:43,850
Arnold Gableen, William Newell, who all

771
00:42:43,850 --> 00:42:49,090
in their books predicted that there will arise

772
00:42:49,090 --> 00:42:55,670
in Europe a confederacy of ten nations who

773
00:42:55,670 --> 00:43:01,310
will link themselves together with treaties and that

774
00:43:01,310 --> 00:43:06,050
this ten nation federation in Europe will become

775
00:43:06,050 --> 00:43:09,370
the final world dominating empire.

776
00:43:12,940 --> 00:43:18,320
Because the ten toes are part iron, the

777
00:43:18,320 --> 00:43:22,580
nations that become are joined together will be

778
00:43:22,580 --> 00:43:26,020
related to the Roman empire or nations that

779
00:43:26,020 --> 00:43:28,480
were involved in the Roman empire.

780
00:43:30,770 --> 00:43:33,310
But because there is also the mixture of

781
00:43:33,310 --> 00:43:38,990
clay so that you have a democracy among

782
00:43:38,990 --> 00:43:43,190
them, the nations having equal parts that won't

783
00:43:43,190 --> 00:43:45,750
be one nation ruling over them all but

784
00:43:45,750 --> 00:43:49,090
the nations ruling together as a confederacy.

785
00:43:52,640 --> 00:43:56,800
So that we as Bible students have been

786
00:43:56,800 --> 00:44:01,800
watching Europe for the development of a ten

787
00:44:01,800 --> 00:44:04,140
nation European community.

788
00:44:06,880 --> 00:44:11,710
And of course at the beginning of this

789
00:44:11,710 --> 00:44:17,310
year among the Bible scholars there was tremendous

790
00:44:17,310 --> 00:44:23,830
excitement as Greece signed the treaty and became

791
00:44:23,830 --> 00:44:28,930
officially the tenth nation of the European community.

792
00:44:30,470 --> 00:44:34,970
Now the thing that is especially relevant and

793
00:44:34,970 --> 00:44:41,530
significant is verse 44 of chapter 2 where

794
00:44:41,530 --> 00:44:44,050
the Lord said, And in the days of

795
00:44:44,050 --> 00:44:50,160
these kings, that is the ten kings, when

796
00:44:50,160 --> 00:44:54,160
this ten nation European confederacy has been formed,

797
00:44:54,160 --> 00:44:57,480
in the days of these kings shall the

798
00:44:57,480 --> 00:45:00,420
God of heaven set up a kingdom which

799
00:45:00,420 --> 00:45:01,740
will never be destroyed.

800
00:45:01,900 --> 00:45:05,180
So that he does declare that the coming

801
00:45:05,180 --> 00:45:09,980
of Christ will take place during the time

802
00:45:09,980 --> 00:45:13,660
of the rule of these ten kings of

803
00:45:13,660 --> 00:45:15,160
the European community.

804
00:45:19,670 --> 00:45:22,930
The fact that the European community has been

805
00:45:22,930 --> 00:45:29,920
formed is extremely significant from a biblical standpoint.

806
00:45:31,560 --> 00:45:34,500
Now there are many other passages that relate

807
00:45:34,500 --> 00:45:35,800
to this in the scriptures.

808
00:45:36,760 --> 00:45:40,600
The ruler that will ultimately arise from this

809
00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:44,660
ten nation European confederacy, the power that will

810
00:45:44,660 --> 00:45:48,720
be given to him and his rule over

811
00:45:48,720 --> 00:45:52,340
the earth as is described in other passages

812
00:45:52,340 --> 00:45:55,520
throughout the Bible as well as Daniel gives

813
00:45:55,520 --> 00:45:57,720
us quite a bit of insight towards the

814
00:45:57,720 --> 00:46:00,300
latter part of the book of Daniel concerning

815
00:46:00,300 --> 00:46:02,020
this man of sin that is going to

816
00:46:02,020 --> 00:46:02,660
arise.

817
00:46:03,160 --> 00:46:07,680
But to me, the really exciting thing is

818
00:46:07,680 --> 00:46:11,540
that we in seeing the formation of the

819
00:46:11,540 --> 00:46:18,660
European community could very well be seeing exactly

820
00:46:18,660 --> 00:46:23,080
what Daniel was prophesying here as we see

821
00:46:23,080 --> 00:46:26,080
the Roman Empire in a sense being revived

822
00:46:27,260 --> 00:46:29,660
in the European community.

823
00:46:30,560 --> 00:46:37,020
And we see its growing strength especially in

824
00:46:37,020 --> 00:46:37,900
economy.

825
00:46:41,240 --> 00:46:45,400
And we see its industrial might as it

826
00:46:45,400 --> 00:46:46,440
is being developed.

827
00:46:49,150 --> 00:46:52,170
The European community has a potential G.M

828
00:46:52,170 --> 00:46:54,410
.P. that is double that of the United

829
00:46:54,410 --> 00:46:54,990
States.

830
00:46:57,340 --> 00:47:00,200
And it is certainly one of the most

831
00:47:00,200 --> 00:47:04,360
powerful forces in the world today as far

832
00:47:04,360 --> 00:47:07,480
as economic and industrial.

833
00:47:08,680 --> 00:47:11,580
It is not yet a military force.

834
00:47:13,650 --> 00:47:15,150
That will come later.

835
00:47:17,450 --> 00:47:22,250
But I'm always excited to realize that it's

836
00:47:22,250 --> 00:47:26,050
during the time of the ten kings that

837
00:47:26,050 --> 00:47:28,770
the God of heaven shall set up a

838
00:47:28,770 --> 00:47:31,510
kingdom which will never be destroyed.

839
00:47:32,270 --> 00:47:34,570
The coming of Christ and the kingdom of

840
00:47:34,570 --> 00:47:35,850
Christ upon the earth.

841
00:47:36,390 --> 00:47:41,150
The stone not cut with hands that grows

842
00:47:41,150 --> 00:47:43,230
into a mountain to cover the earth.

843
00:47:43,970 --> 00:47:46,690
And to realize that we're coming to those

844
00:47:46,690 --> 00:47:47,210
days.

845
00:47:48,450 --> 00:47:53,470
It's just almost incredible that we see the

846
00:47:53,470 --> 00:47:57,450
ten nation European community being formed.

847
00:47:58,850 --> 00:48:03,250
Now they say, but Spain and Portugal want

848
00:48:03,250 --> 00:48:03,810
to come in.

849
00:48:03,910 --> 00:48:04,770
That is correct.

850
00:48:05,270 --> 00:48:06,330
Then there will be twelve.

851
00:48:06,670 --> 00:48:08,750
Well, there will be ten.

852
00:48:11,610 --> 00:48:14,350
Maybe Greece will drop out or maybe the

853
00:48:14,350 --> 00:48:17,370
Lord will come before Spain and Portugal can

854
00:48:17,370 --> 00:48:17,890
get in.

855
00:48:20,030 --> 00:48:21,970
But there will be ten.

856
00:48:25,220 --> 00:48:30,700
We will get in Daniel chapter 7 a

857
00:48:30,700 --> 00:48:35,240
corresponding vision of Daniel in which it will

858
00:48:35,240 --> 00:48:41,860
amplify just a little more fully this ten

859
00:48:41,860 --> 00:48:46,860
horns that come out of this Roman Empire.

860
00:48:47,380 --> 00:48:50,740
And the little horn that arises and destroys

861
00:48:50,740 --> 00:48:51,600
three and all.

862
00:48:51,600 --> 00:48:53,420
But we'll get to that when we get

863
00:48:53,420 --> 00:48:54,600
to chapter 7.

864
00:48:55,940 --> 00:49:02,010
Nonetheless, I cannot read this second chapter of

865
00:49:02,010 --> 00:49:04,550
Daniel and look at what's happening in the

866
00:49:04,550 --> 00:49:07,750
world today without getting extremely excited.

867
00:49:09,550 --> 00:49:11,550
Because we're coming right down.

868
00:49:11,730 --> 00:49:15,510
And like the Lord said, the dream is

869
00:49:15,510 --> 00:49:18,810
certain and the interpretation is sure.

870
00:49:21,220 --> 00:49:25,820
And it has followed the very sequences that

871
00:49:25,820 --> 00:49:26,640
were predicted.

872
00:49:31,360 --> 00:49:34,840
And it is significant that since the Roman

873
00:49:34,840 --> 00:49:37,620
Empire, you have not had a world governing

874
00:49:37,620 --> 00:49:38,220
empire.

875
00:49:39,340 --> 00:49:42,440
And yet there will be one final world

876
00:49:42,440 --> 00:49:43,260
governing empire.

877
00:49:43,840 --> 00:49:46,220
Ten kings related to the Roman Empire.

878
00:49:48,430 --> 00:49:51,490
Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and

879
00:49:51,490 --> 00:49:52,590
worshiped Daniel.

880
00:49:53,510 --> 00:49:56,170
And he commanded that they should offer an

881
00:49:56,170 --> 00:49:58,750
oblation and sweet odors unto him.

882
00:49:59,790 --> 00:50:02,570
And the king answered Daniel and said, Of

883
00:50:02,570 --> 00:50:07,700
a truth, it is that your God is

884
00:50:07,700 --> 00:50:10,580
a God of gods, and a Lord of

885
00:50:10,580 --> 00:50:13,740
kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing that

886
00:50:13,740 --> 00:50:15,740
you could reveal this secret.

887
00:50:16,700 --> 00:50:19,400
Then the king made Daniel a great man

888
00:50:19,400 --> 00:50:21,600
and gave him many great gifts and made

889
00:50:21,600 --> 00:50:24,320
him a ruler over the whole province of

890
00:50:24,320 --> 00:50:26,720
Babylon and a chief of the governors over

891
00:50:26,720 --> 00:50:28,200
the wise men of Babylon.

892
00:50:28,700 --> 00:50:33,600
And then Daniel requested of the king that

893
00:50:33,600 --> 00:50:37,220
he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the

894
00:50:37,220 --> 00:50:39,220
affairs of the province of Babylon.

895
00:50:39,520 --> 00:50:41,700
But Daniel sat in the gate of the

896
00:50:41,700 --> 00:50:42,040
king.

897
00:50:42,200 --> 00:50:45,460
So Daniel spoke to them about his three

898
00:50:45,460 --> 00:50:48,400
friends and got them important positions.

899
00:50:51,280 --> 00:50:57,020
Now in chapter three we find Nebuchadnezzar defying

900
00:50:57,020 --> 00:51:00,440
the revelation of God.

901
00:51:02,700 --> 00:51:05,280
Remember in his dream he saw the image

902
00:51:05,280 --> 00:51:06,700
with a head of gold.

903
00:51:07,200 --> 00:51:08,480
Thou art the head of gold.

904
00:51:09,700 --> 00:51:12,900
But it had a chest of silver for

905
00:51:12,900 --> 00:51:15,860
the Babylonian Empire was to be replaced by

906
00:51:15,860 --> 00:51:19,400
an inferior empire, the Medo-Persian Empire.

907
00:51:21,020 --> 00:51:27,000
But Nebuchadnezzar in defiance of God and the

908
00:51:27,000 --> 00:51:31,420
revelation of God made an image of gold

909
00:51:31,420 --> 00:51:36,500
whose height was three score cubits or sixty

910
00:51:36,500 --> 00:51:41,220
cubits and the breadth thereof was six cubits.

911
00:51:41,620 --> 00:51:44,660
You're getting into the sixty-sixes here.

912
00:51:45,410 --> 00:51:48,540
And he set it up in the plain

913
00:51:48,540 --> 00:51:51,320
of Dura in the province of Babylon.

914
00:51:52,740 --> 00:51:55,840
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together

915
00:51:55,840 --> 00:51:58,680
the princes, the governors, the captains, the judges,

916
00:51:59,000 --> 00:52:02,120
the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all

917
00:52:02,120 --> 00:52:04,080
of the rulers of the provinces to come

918
00:52:04,080 --> 00:52:07,540
to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar

919
00:52:07,540 --> 00:52:08,680
the king had set up.

920
00:52:10,750 --> 00:52:13,230
Then the princes and governors, captains and all

921
00:52:13,230 --> 00:52:18,070
gathered together and a herald cried aloud to

922
00:52:18,070 --> 00:52:20,410
you it is commanded, O people, nations and

923
00:52:20,410 --> 00:52:24,010
languages, that whatever time you hear the sound

924
00:52:24,010 --> 00:52:25,750
of the cornet, the flute, the harp, the

925
00:52:25,750 --> 00:52:28,490
sackcloth, the psaltery, the dulcimer and all kinds

926
00:52:28,490 --> 00:52:31,050
of music that you fall down and worship

927
00:52:31,050 --> 00:52:34,850
the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has

928
00:52:34,850 --> 00:52:35,270
set up.

929
00:52:35,990 --> 00:52:38,790
And whoso will not fall down and worship

930
00:52:38,790 --> 00:52:42,010
the same hour will be cast into the

931
00:52:42,010 --> 00:52:45,110
midst of a burning fiery furnace.

932
00:52:46,150 --> 00:52:48,370
So Nebuchadnezzar not to be messed with.

933
00:52:50,670 --> 00:52:53,190
You have your choice either bow down to

934
00:52:53,190 --> 00:52:55,230
it or be cast into the burning fiery

935
00:52:55,230 --> 00:52:55,770
furnace.

936
00:52:56,990 --> 00:52:58,790
Therefore at that time when all the people

937
00:52:58,790 --> 00:53:00,930
heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp,

938
00:53:01,090 --> 00:53:03,690
sackcloth, psaltery and all kinds of music all

939
00:53:03,690 --> 00:53:06,070
the people and the nations, languages fell down

940
00:53:06,070 --> 00:53:09,390
and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the

941
00:53:09,390 --> 00:53:10,430
king had set up.

942
00:53:12,960 --> 00:53:18,620
Now Nebuchadnezzar becomes in Scripture what we call

943
00:53:18,620 --> 00:53:27,980
a type of the Antichrist who we read

944
00:53:27,980 --> 00:53:35,030
in Revelation chapter 13 makes an image and

945
00:53:35,030 --> 00:53:38,210
he gives power unto this beast or this

946
00:53:38,210 --> 00:53:39,710
image to speak.

947
00:53:42,480 --> 00:53:46,240
And he demands that the whole world worship

948
00:53:46,240 --> 00:53:49,540
this image that has been given power to

949
00:53:49,540 --> 00:53:50,180
speak.

950
00:53:57,300 --> 00:54:04,900
We've been reading a lot about the advancement

951
00:54:04,900 --> 00:54:11,640
of our science and especially of the capacities

952
00:54:11,640 --> 00:54:12,860
of computers.

953
00:54:15,800 --> 00:54:21,200
There is even talk of creating computers that

954
00:54:21,200 --> 00:54:26,950
will be smarter than men and will perhaps

955
00:54:26,950 --> 00:54:32,520
one day rule over man because of their

956
00:54:32,520 --> 00:54:32,960
wisdom.

957
00:54:35,530 --> 00:54:39,490
Within computers there is already developed the capacity

958
00:54:39,490 --> 00:54:45,320
of chips, voice chips so that they have

959
00:54:45,320 --> 00:54:47,960
little calculators that you can buy and as

960
00:54:47,960 --> 00:54:51,020
you punch the numbers it will give you

961
00:54:51,020 --> 00:54:53,200
the number but then it will speak the

962
00:54:53,200 --> 00:54:58,700
answer as well as display it.

963
00:55:01,060 --> 00:55:09,340
Already in dialing wrong numbers you get the

964
00:55:09,340 --> 00:55:11,860
operator that says what number did you dial

965
00:55:11,860 --> 00:55:13,580
and you tell them the number and then

966
00:55:13,580 --> 00:55:20,320
you hear the number 6462575 has been changed

967
00:55:20,320 --> 00:55:22,640
to and it gives you the new number

968
00:55:22,640 --> 00:55:24,940
and it's a computer that is a voice

969
00:55:24,940 --> 00:55:25,620
computer.

970
00:55:27,310 --> 00:55:29,310
Power to speak.

971
00:55:30,890 --> 00:55:34,970
Now up until just you know the last

972
00:55:34,970 --> 00:55:38,310
few years it seemed to be a totally

973
00:55:38,310 --> 00:55:40,970
impossible thing to make some kind of an

974
00:55:40,970 --> 00:55:43,970
image and give that image the capacity to

975
00:55:43,970 --> 00:55:45,330
think and to speak.

976
00:55:49,120 --> 00:55:51,500
It could very well be I don't say

977
00:55:51,500 --> 00:55:53,440
that it is but it could very well

978
00:55:53,440 --> 00:55:59,180
be that the image that has been created

979
00:55:59,180 --> 00:56:02,520
by this man of sin that is going

980
00:56:02,520 --> 00:56:07,220
to arise will be a highly sophisticated computer

981
00:56:09,430 --> 00:56:13,010
which will be used to govern the world.

982
00:56:17,250 --> 00:56:26,240
Nebuchadnezzar made an image 60 cubits high, 6

983
00:56:26,240 --> 00:56:31,480
cubits broad and demanded that everyone worship that

984
00:56:31,480 --> 00:56:34,360
image and anyone who refuses to worship the

985
00:56:34,360 --> 00:56:36,320
image would be put to death.

986
00:56:39,170 --> 00:56:43,610
The man of sin the beast that arises

987
00:56:43,610 --> 00:56:47,710
out of the sea in Revelation 13 makes

988
00:56:47,710 --> 00:56:51,430
an image and demands that everyone worship the

989
00:56:51,430 --> 00:56:54,290
image and if anyone refuses to worship the

990
00:56:54,290 --> 00:56:56,650
image he has power to put to death.

991
00:57:02,820 --> 00:57:04,900
We see an interesting parallel.

992
00:57:06,640 --> 00:57:10,280
There were three young men Shadrach, Meshach, and

993
00:57:10,280 --> 00:57:14,000
Abednego who refused to bow to the image

994
00:57:15,890 --> 00:57:20,410
but God miraculously preserved them through the fire.

995
00:57:22,240 --> 00:57:26,080
In the book of Revelation we read of

996
00:57:26,080 --> 00:57:30,880
144,000 that God is going to seal

997
00:57:30,880 --> 00:57:36,480
and take safely through the great tribulation the

998
00:57:36,480 --> 00:57:38,620
fiery judgment of God that is coming upon

999
00:57:38,620 --> 00:57:39,060
the earth.

1000
00:57:43,180 --> 00:57:53,060
Now, the big question here when Shadrach, Meshach,

1001
00:57:53,180 --> 00:57:55,800
and Abednego were reported to Nebuchadnezzar that they

1002
00:57:55,800 --> 00:57:58,760
did not bow and worship the image the

1003
00:57:58,760 --> 00:58:01,300
question what about Daniel?

1004
00:58:05,780 --> 00:58:10,000
Do you think that Daniel bowed to the

1005
00:58:10,000 --> 00:58:10,440
image?

1006
00:58:12,480 --> 00:58:13,760
I think not.

1007
00:58:16,460 --> 00:58:19,000
Daniel had purposed in his heart he would

1008
00:58:19,000 --> 00:58:21,140
not defile himself with the king's meat.

1009
00:58:22,240 --> 00:58:26,280
His commitment to God was so complete I

1010
00:58:27,600 --> 00:58:30,060
am certain that Daniel did not bow.

1011
00:58:30,060 --> 00:58:37,570
Then why wasn't Daniel reported with Shadrach, Meshach,

1012
00:58:37,670 --> 00:58:38,190
and Abednego?

1013
00:58:42,020 --> 00:58:45,520
Obviously, Daniel must not have been there.

1014
00:58:49,130 --> 00:58:52,390
He was probably away on business of the

1015
00:58:52,390 --> 00:58:53,490
affairs of state.

1016
00:58:56,820 --> 00:58:58,900
For had he been there he surely would

1017
00:58:58,900 --> 00:58:59,740
not have bowed.

1018
00:59:02,160 --> 00:59:04,980
That of course becomes extremely interesting in that

1019
00:59:04,980 --> 00:59:09,210
Daniel is a type of the church and

1020
00:59:09,210 --> 00:59:12,590
when the great tribulation the fiery judgment comes

1021
00:59:13,630 --> 00:59:19,250
when the Antichrist is demanding that people bow

1022
00:59:19,250 --> 00:59:22,210
down and worship the image that he has

1023
00:59:22,210 --> 00:59:25,230
created the church won't be there.

1024
00:59:26,510 --> 00:59:27,770
It's gone.

1025
00:59:30,760 --> 00:59:33,460
It won't go through the fiery furnace.

1026
00:59:34,960 --> 00:59:36,460
It's been delivered.

1027
00:59:37,820 --> 00:59:40,000
Caught up to meet the Lord in the

1028
00:59:40,000 --> 00:59:45,820
air and forever with the Lord and thus

1029
00:59:45,820 --> 00:59:49,220
will not be here when the Antichrist makes

1030
00:59:49,220 --> 00:59:53,700
the scene and creates the image and demands

1031
00:59:53,700 --> 00:59:54,720
that the image be worshipped.

1032
00:59:54,840 --> 00:59:57,440
The church, Daniel, is out of the picture

1033
01:00:00,100 --> 01:00:03,100
but it is the faithful remnant of the

1034
01:00:03,100 --> 01:00:06,500
Jews who turn to Christ after the rapture

1035
01:00:06,500 --> 01:00:08,640
of the church that God will seal as

1036
01:00:08,640 --> 01:00:11,120
the three Hebrew children and take them through

1037
01:00:11,120 --> 01:00:11,720
the fire.

1038
01:00:14,250 --> 01:00:19,550
So a very beautiful typology in this story

1039
01:00:19,550 --> 01:00:20,190
in Daniel.

1040
01:00:21,110 --> 01:00:23,370
Now in verse 8, chapter 3, at this

1041
01:00:23,370 --> 01:00:26,610
certain time the Chaldeans came near and they

1042
01:00:26,610 --> 01:00:28,070
accused the Jews.

1043
01:00:28,910 --> 01:00:31,450
They spake and said unto King Nebuchadnezzar, O

1044
01:00:31,450 --> 01:00:32,510
King, live forever!

1045
01:00:35,320 --> 01:00:37,400
Thou, O King, have made a decree that

1046
01:00:37,400 --> 01:00:40,060
every man when he hears the sound of

1047
01:00:40,060 --> 01:00:41,980
the cornet and the music and so forth

1048
01:00:41,980 --> 01:00:44,700
shall fall down and worship the golden image.

1049
01:00:44,700 --> 01:00:47,820
And whoso does not fall down and worship

1050
01:00:47,820 --> 01:00:49,860
that he would be cast into the midst

1051
01:00:49,860 --> 01:00:51,220
of the burning fiery furnace.

1052
01:00:51,400 --> 01:00:54,940
Now there are certain Jews whom thou hast

1053
01:00:54,940 --> 01:00:56,700
set over the affairs of the province of

1054
01:00:56,700 --> 01:01:00,160
Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and these men,

1055
01:01:00,300 --> 01:01:02,200
O King, have not regarded thee.

1056
01:01:02,640 --> 01:01:05,440
They serve not your gods nor worship the

1057
01:01:05,440 --> 01:01:07,440
golden image which you have set up.

1058
01:01:08,580 --> 01:01:12,260
Then, O hothead Nebuchadnezzar, his rage and in

1059
01:01:12,260 --> 01:01:16,020
his fury he commanded Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

1060
01:01:16,020 --> 01:01:18,000
and they brought these men to the king.

1061
01:01:18,140 --> 01:01:19,800
This guy's always in a rage.

1062
01:01:22,400 --> 01:01:24,500
And Nebuchadnezzar spake unto them and said, Is

1063
01:01:24,500 --> 01:01:27,060
it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?

1064
01:01:28,900 --> 01:01:32,420
Do not ye serve my gods nor worship

1065
01:01:32,420 --> 01:01:34,780
the golden image which I have set up?

1066
01:01:36,080 --> 01:01:39,440
Now if you're ready, that at the time

1067
01:01:39,440 --> 01:01:41,220
that you hear the sound of the music,

1068
01:01:42,600 --> 01:01:45,120
you will fall down and worship the image

1069
01:01:45,120 --> 01:01:47,200
which I have made, then all will be

1070
01:01:47,200 --> 01:01:47,740
well.

1071
01:01:48,000 --> 01:01:50,620
But if you do not worship, you will

1072
01:01:50,620 --> 01:01:52,980
be cast the same hour into the midst

1073
01:01:52,980 --> 01:01:54,840
of a burning fiery furnace.

1074
01:01:55,140 --> 01:01:59,040
And who is that god that shall deliver

1075
01:01:59,040 --> 01:02:01,220
you out of my hands?

1076
01:02:06,600 --> 01:02:10,160
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to

1077
01:02:10,160 --> 01:02:14,800
the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we're not even careful

1078
01:02:14,800 --> 01:02:16,620
to answer you in this matter.

1079
01:02:21,330 --> 01:02:25,950
If it be so, our god whom we

1080
01:02:25,950 --> 01:02:30,090
serve is able to deliver us from the

1081
01:02:30,090 --> 01:02:31,250
burning fiery furnace.

1082
01:02:32,230 --> 01:02:35,070
And he will deliver us out of your

1083
01:02:35,070 --> 01:02:37,190
hand, O king.

1084
01:02:38,150 --> 01:02:42,610
But if not, be it known unto thee,

1085
01:02:42,670 --> 01:02:46,410
O king, that we will not serve thy

1086
01:02:46,410 --> 01:02:49,370
gods nor worship the golden image which you

1087
01:02:49,370 --> 01:02:50,090
have set up.

1088
01:02:51,270 --> 01:02:52,390
Now, God is able.

1089
01:02:52,510 --> 01:02:54,250
The god that we serve can deliver us

1090
01:02:54,250 --> 01:02:55,650
out of your burning fiery furnace.

1091
01:02:56,550 --> 01:02:58,510
He will deliver us out of your hand.

1092
01:02:58,590 --> 01:03:01,190
And even if he doesn't, we're still not

1093
01:03:01,190 --> 01:03:02,190
going to serve your gods.

1094
01:03:02,270 --> 01:03:03,470
We're still not going to bow down to

1095
01:03:03,470 --> 01:03:04,090
your image.

1096
01:03:06,190 --> 01:03:08,010
Now, we're not even careful how we answer

1097
01:03:08,010 --> 01:03:08,390
you in this.

1098
01:03:08,470 --> 01:03:10,210
This is a set matter with us.

1099
01:03:10,270 --> 01:03:11,490
We're just not going to do it.

1100
01:03:13,190 --> 01:03:19,000
These guys had such commitment, such commitment to

1101
01:03:19,000 --> 01:03:20,940
God that God is able, if He wants

1102
01:03:20,940 --> 01:03:22,980
to deliver us, if He doesn't want, we're

1103
01:03:22,980 --> 01:03:24,020
still not going to bow.

1104
01:03:25,340 --> 01:03:27,200
Our lives are in God's hands.

1105
01:03:27,320 --> 01:03:28,900
He can do with us whatever He wants.

1106
01:03:28,960 --> 01:03:30,600
But we're going to be faithful to God

1107
01:03:30,600 --> 01:03:33,100
and true to God and God will be

1108
01:03:33,100 --> 01:03:34,200
faithful to us.

1109
01:03:35,560 --> 01:03:38,240
And whatever God does with us is fine.

1110
01:03:39,340 --> 01:03:40,520
We're not worried.

1111
01:03:40,680 --> 01:03:44,380
We're not concerned, Nebuchadnezzar, about your decrees or

1112
01:03:44,380 --> 01:03:45,520
your threats at all.

1113
01:03:45,680 --> 01:03:47,460
You don't scare us, Nebuchadnezzar.

1114
01:03:48,740 --> 01:03:53,000
You don't move us because our trust is

1115
01:03:53,000 --> 01:03:53,720
in God.

1116
01:03:54,080 --> 01:03:57,260
The God that we serve is able to

1117
01:03:57,260 --> 01:03:57,800
deliver us.

1118
01:03:57,920 --> 01:04:01,780
And if He doesn't, we're still not going

1119
01:04:01,780 --> 01:04:02,040
to bow.

1120
01:04:04,360 --> 01:04:10,480
Then old Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury and

1121
01:04:10,480 --> 01:04:12,800
the form of his visage was changed.

1122
01:04:12,940 --> 01:04:15,120
I mean, his whole attitude towards these three

1123
01:04:15,120 --> 01:04:16,780
fellows was changed completely.

1124
01:04:18,200 --> 01:04:20,760
And he spoke and commanded that they should

1125
01:04:20,760 --> 01:04:24,100
heat the furnace seven times hotter than it

1126
01:04:24,100 --> 01:04:25,980
was ever heated before.

1127
01:04:28,990 --> 01:04:32,230
And he commanded the most mighty men that

1128
01:04:32,230 --> 01:04:35,390
were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach,

1129
01:04:35,510 --> 01:04:37,710
and Abednego and to cast them into the

1130
01:04:37,710 --> 01:04:38,730
burning, fiery furnace.

1131
01:04:41,080 --> 01:04:43,340
And these men were bound in their coats,

1132
01:04:44,440 --> 01:04:48,320
their hoes, their hats, and their other garments

1133
01:04:48,320 --> 01:04:53,680
and were cast into the burning, fiery furnace.

1134
01:04:53,680 --> 01:05:04,750
Now, in Israel today, you

1135
01:05:04,750 --> 01:05:12,610
see these various Orthodox Jews, and there are

1136
01:05:12,610 --> 01:05:14,350
some of them that have these little black

1137
01:05:14,350 --> 01:05:21,450
hats and their black coats and black hosiery.

1138
01:05:21,530 --> 01:05:24,210
They wear sort of knickers with black hosiery

1139
01:05:25,050 --> 01:05:26,610
and they have long curls.

1140
01:05:26,610 --> 01:05:28,790
They're the Hasidics and they have these long

1141
01:05:28,790 --> 01:05:33,610
curls down the sides of their heads here.

1142
01:05:35,030 --> 01:05:38,950
And when he describes binding them with their

1143
01:05:38,950 --> 01:05:40,850
hats and their coats and their hosiery and

1144
01:05:40,850 --> 01:05:43,130
all, I get a picture of some of

1145
01:05:43,130 --> 01:05:46,530
these Hasidic Jews that you see over in

1146
01:05:46,530 --> 01:05:46,970
Israel.

1147
01:05:47,690 --> 01:05:50,010
Probably didn't look like that, but that's the

1148
01:05:50,010 --> 01:05:54,110
mental picture that I get as he binds

1149
01:05:54,110 --> 01:05:56,070
them with their hats and their hoes and

1150
01:05:56,070 --> 01:05:58,930
their coats and casts them into the midst

1151
01:05:58,930 --> 01:06:00,070
of the burning, fiery furnace.

1152
01:06:01,750 --> 01:06:06,170
Therefore, because the king's commandment was urgent and

1153
01:06:06,170 --> 01:06:10,410
the furnace was exceeding hot, the flame of

1154
01:06:10,410 --> 01:06:13,130
the fire killed those men that took up

1155
01:06:13,130 --> 01:06:14,610
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

1156
01:06:15,950 --> 01:06:20,030
And these three men fell down in the

1157
01:06:20,030 --> 01:06:22,250
midst of the burning, fiery furnace.

1158
01:06:23,650 --> 01:06:27,910
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished and he

1159
01:06:27,910 --> 01:06:29,710
rose up in haste and he spoke.

1160
01:06:30,570 --> 01:06:33,710
And he said to his counselors, Did not

1161
01:06:33,710 --> 01:06:37,070
we cast three men bound into the midst

1162
01:06:37,070 --> 01:06:37,770
of the fire?

1163
01:06:37,850 --> 01:06:39,850
And they said unto the king, True.

1164
01:06:42,200 --> 01:06:46,120
He answered and said, Lo, I see four

1165
01:06:46,120 --> 01:06:49,960
men loose and they're walking in the midst

1166
01:06:49,960 --> 01:06:53,160
of the fire and they have no hurt.

1167
01:06:54,200 --> 01:06:57,520
And the form of the fourth is like

1168
01:06:57,520 --> 01:06:59,060
the Son of God.

1169
01:07:00,180 --> 01:07:04,580
What a marvelous, exciting experience.

1170
01:07:05,820 --> 01:07:07,780
Hand of God, the God that we serve

1171
01:07:07,780 --> 01:07:10,160
is able to deliver us out of your

1172
01:07:10,160 --> 01:07:11,340
burning, fiery furnace.

1173
01:07:14,220 --> 01:07:18,260
So here they are walking around in the

1174
01:07:18,260 --> 01:07:19,140
midst of the fire.

1175
01:07:20,660 --> 01:07:23,280
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of

1176
01:07:23,280 --> 01:07:25,380
the burning, fiery furnace and he spoke and

1177
01:07:25,380 --> 01:07:30,120
said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of

1178
01:07:30,120 --> 01:07:33,940
the Most High God, come forth.

1179
01:07:35,880 --> 01:07:36,820
Come on out.

1180
01:07:36,960 --> 01:07:43,220
Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came forth from

1181
01:07:43,220 --> 01:07:45,320
the midst of the fire and the princes

1182
01:07:45,320 --> 01:07:47,600
and the governors and the captains and the

1183
01:07:47,600 --> 01:07:50,780
king's counselors being gathered together saw these men

1184
01:07:50,780 --> 01:07:53,880
upon whose body the fire had no power.

1185
01:07:54,620 --> 01:07:58,060
Nor was a hair of their head singed.

1186
01:07:58,240 --> 01:08:00,620
Neither were their coats changed.

1187
01:08:00,800 --> 01:08:03,220
Nor the smell of fire had passed on

1188
01:08:03,220 --> 01:08:03,600
them.

1189
01:08:03,820 --> 01:08:07,160
Then Nebuchadnezzar spake and said, Blessed be the

1190
01:08:07,160 --> 01:08:10,380
God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who has

1191
01:08:10,380 --> 01:08:13,400
sent his angel and delivered his servants that

1192
01:08:13,400 --> 01:08:16,140
trusted in him and has changed the king's

1193
01:08:16,140 --> 01:08:18,880
word and yielded the bodies that they might

1194
01:08:18,880 --> 01:08:22,040
not serve nor worship any God except their

1195
01:08:22,040 --> 01:08:22,460
own God.

1196
01:08:22,460 --> 01:08:25,380
Do you see Nebuchadnezzar making another proclamation here?

1197
01:08:26,240 --> 01:08:30,020
Therefore, I make a decree that every people,

1198
01:08:30,200 --> 01:08:34,960
nation, language which speak anything amiss against the

1199
01:08:34,960 --> 01:08:37,380
God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be

1200
01:08:37,380 --> 01:08:39,939
cut in pieces and their houses shall be

1201
01:08:39,939 --> 01:08:42,220
made a dunghill because there is no other

1202
01:08:42,220 --> 01:08:44,240
God that can deliver after this sword.

1203
01:08:44,979 --> 01:08:47,660
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

1204
01:08:47,660 --> 01:08:48,760
in the province of Babylon.

1205
01:08:49,520 --> 01:08:55,920
So, oh, Nebuchadnezzar, quite an interesting character in

1206
01:08:55,920 --> 01:08:58,180
his wrath and in his decrees.

1207
01:09:05,319 --> 01:09:11,109
Now Nebuchadnezzar the king, a proclamation unto all

1208
01:09:11,109 --> 01:09:13,790
the people, nations, languages that dwell in all

1209
01:09:13,790 --> 01:09:17,410
the earth, peace be multiplied unto you.

1210
01:09:18,410 --> 01:09:20,330
I thought it good to show the signs

1211
01:09:20,330 --> 01:09:22,250
and wonders that the high God hath wrought

1212
01:09:22,250 --> 01:09:22,890
toward me.

1213
01:09:23,250 --> 01:09:26,050
How great are his signs and how mighty

1214
01:09:26,050 --> 01:09:27,430
are his wonders.

1215
01:09:27,890 --> 01:09:31,670
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and his

1216
01:09:31,670 --> 01:09:36,130
dominion is from generation to generation.

1217
01:09:36,689 --> 01:09:39,450
Listen to these words of Nebuchadnezzar.

1218
01:09:40,450 --> 01:09:41,550
Sounds like a convert.

1219
01:09:43,600 --> 01:09:45,359
And I personally believe he was.

1220
01:09:47,649 --> 01:09:49,010
He tells now his story.

1221
01:09:49,210 --> 01:09:50,790
I am going to tell you his story.

1222
01:09:51,770 --> 01:09:54,210
He said, I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in

1223
01:09:54,210 --> 01:09:54,990
my house.

1224
01:09:54,990 --> 01:10:00,210
I was prospering in my palace and I

1225
01:10:00,210 --> 01:10:03,550
saw a dream which made me afraid and

1226
01:10:03,550 --> 01:10:05,910
the thoughts upon my bed and the visions

1227
01:10:05,910 --> 01:10:07,750
of my head troubled me.

1228
01:10:08,610 --> 01:10:11,830
Therefore, I made a decree to bring in

1229
01:10:11,830 --> 01:10:13,670
all of the wise men of Babylon before

1230
01:10:13,670 --> 01:10:15,410
me that they might make known unto me

1231
01:10:15,410 --> 01:10:17,130
the interpretation of the dream.

1232
01:10:17,710 --> 01:10:20,850
There came in the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and

1233
01:10:20,850 --> 01:10:22,950
all the soothsayers and I told them the

1234
01:10:22,950 --> 01:10:25,530
dream, but they could not make known to

1235
01:10:25,530 --> 01:10:26,530
me the interpretation.

1236
01:10:27,090 --> 01:10:30,290
But at last Daniel came before me whose

1237
01:10:30,290 --> 01:10:32,770
name was Belshazzar according to the name of

1238
01:10:32,770 --> 01:10:35,090
my God in whom is the spirit of

1239
01:10:35,090 --> 01:10:35,990
the holy gods.

1240
01:10:36,250 --> 01:10:38,770
And before him I told the dream saying,

1241
01:10:39,230 --> 01:10:43,550
O Belshazzar, master of the magicians, because I

1242
01:10:43,550 --> 01:10:45,470
know that the spirit of the holy gods

1243
01:10:45,470 --> 01:10:48,070
is in thee, no secret troubles thee.

1244
01:10:48,210 --> 01:10:50,570
Tell me the visions of my dream that

1245
01:10:50,570 --> 01:10:53,070
I have seen and the interpretation thereof.

1246
01:10:53,930 --> 01:10:55,830
And thus were the visions in my head

1247
01:10:55,830 --> 01:10:56,910
in my bed.

1248
01:10:57,990 --> 01:11:00,970
I saw and behold there was a tree

1249
01:11:00,970 --> 01:11:02,890
in the middle of the earth.

1250
01:11:03,430 --> 01:11:05,290
It was very tall.

1251
01:11:06,530 --> 01:11:09,730
The tree grew and was strong and the

1252
01:11:09,730 --> 01:11:12,810
height thereof reached into heaven and the sight

1253
01:11:12,810 --> 01:11:15,790
thereof unto the end of the earth and

1254
01:11:15,790 --> 01:11:18,390
the leaves thereof were fair and the fruit

1255
01:11:18,390 --> 01:11:20,570
was very much.

1256
01:11:21,390 --> 01:11:24,710
And in it there was meat for everyone.

1257
01:11:25,010 --> 01:11:27,150
The beast of the field had shadow under

1258
01:11:27,150 --> 01:11:27,330
it.

1259
01:11:27,390 --> 01:11:29,110
The fowls of the heaven dwelt in the

1260
01:11:29,110 --> 01:11:32,030
bowels thereof and all flesh fed from it.

1261
01:11:32,770 --> 01:11:34,710
And I saw in the visions of my

1262
01:11:34,710 --> 01:11:37,870
head upon my bed and behold a watcher.

1263
01:11:38,290 --> 01:11:39,390
Now this is interesting.

1264
01:11:40,030 --> 01:11:42,010
And a holy one, a watcher and a

1265
01:11:42,010 --> 01:11:43,530
holy one came down from heaven.

1266
01:11:44,750 --> 01:11:48,410
And he cried aloud and said, Cut down

1267
01:11:48,410 --> 01:11:49,050
the tree.

1268
01:11:49,790 --> 01:11:51,270
Cut off his branches.

1269
01:11:52,170 --> 01:11:54,710
Shake off his leaves and scatter his fruit.

1270
01:11:55,150 --> 01:11:57,010
Let the beast get away from under it

1271
01:11:57,010 --> 01:11:58,770
and the fowls from his branches.

1272
01:11:59,830 --> 01:12:02,850
Nevertheless, leave the stump of his roots in

1273
01:12:02,850 --> 01:12:04,770
the earth even with a band of iron

1274
01:12:04,770 --> 01:12:06,670
and brass in the tender grass of the

1275
01:12:06,670 --> 01:12:08,530
field and let it be wet with the

1276
01:12:08,530 --> 01:12:10,530
dew of heaven and let his portion be

1277
01:12:10,530 --> 01:12:12,030
with the beast in the grass of the

1278
01:12:12,030 --> 01:12:12,310
earth.

1279
01:12:12,310 --> 01:12:15,390
Let his heart be changed from a man's

1280
01:12:15,390 --> 01:12:17,970
and let a beast's heart be given unto

1281
01:12:17,970 --> 01:12:21,790
him and let seven times pass over him.

1282
01:12:22,890 --> 01:12:25,350
This matter is by the decree of the

1283
01:12:25,350 --> 01:12:29,250
watchers and the demand by the word of

1284
01:12:29,250 --> 01:12:32,150
the holy ones to the intent that the

1285
01:12:32,150 --> 01:12:35,770
living may know that the Most High rules

1286
01:12:35,770 --> 01:12:38,410
in the kingdom of men and gives it

1287
01:12:38,410 --> 01:12:41,550
to whomsoever He will and sets over it

1288
01:12:41,550 --> 01:12:43,130
the basest of men.

1289
01:12:45,320 --> 01:12:47,920
This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen.

1290
01:12:48,120 --> 01:12:52,440
Now thou, O Beldeshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof

1291
01:12:52,440 --> 01:12:54,460
for as much as all of the wise

1292
01:12:54,460 --> 01:12:55,940
men of my kingdom were not able to

1293
01:12:55,940 --> 01:12:58,600
make known the interpretation, but you are able

1294
01:12:58,600 --> 01:13:00,080
for the Spirit of the Holy God is

1295
01:13:00,080 --> 01:13:00,460
in you.

1296
01:13:01,600 --> 01:13:06,400
Then Daniel, whose name was Beldeshazzar, was astonished

1297
01:13:06,400 --> 01:13:07,600
for about one hour.

1298
01:13:08,400 --> 01:13:10,380
His thoughts troubled him and the king spoke

1299
01:13:10,380 --> 01:13:13,040
and said, Beldeshazzar, don't let the dream or

1300
01:13:13,040 --> 01:13:14,800
the interpretation thereof trouble you.

1301
01:13:15,420 --> 01:13:17,720
And Beldeshazzar answered and said, My lord, the

1302
01:13:17,720 --> 01:13:24,890
dream is for those that hate you, and

1303
01:13:24,890 --> 01:13:28,130
the interpretation is something your enemies will enjoy.

1304
01:13:29,390 --> 01:13:31,810
For the tree that you saw, which grew

1305
01:13:31,810 --> 01:13:33,930
and was strong, whose height reached into heaven,

1306
01:13:34,370 --> 01:13:35,630
and the sight of all that were upon

1307
01:13:35,630 --> 01:13:37,170
the earth, whose leaves were fair and the

1308
01:13:37,170 --> 01:13:39,830
fruit was very much, and in it was

1309
01:13:39,830 --> 01:13:41,830
meat for all, under which the beasts of

1310
01:13:41,830 --> 01:13:44,130
the field dwelt and so forth, it is

1311
01:13:44,130 --> 01:13:48,790
you, O king, that have grown and become

1312
01:13:48,790 --> 01:13:51,770
strong, for thy greatness has grown and reaches

1313
01:13:51,770 --> 01:13:54,210
unto heaven and your dominion to the end

1314
01:13:54,210 --> 01:13:54,770
of the earth.

1315
01:13:55,370 --> 01:13:58,590
And whereas the king saw a Watcher and

1316
01:13:58,590 --> 01:14:00,730
a Holy One coming down from heaven and

1317
01:14:00,730 --> 01:14:04,150
saying, Hew down the tree and destroy it,

1318
01:14:04,230 --> 01:14:06,130
yet leave the stump of the roots thereof

1319
01:14:06,130 --> 01:14:08,370
in the earth, even with a band of

1320
01:14:08,370 --> 01:14:10,530
iron and brass, till the tender grass of

1321
01:14:10,530 --> 01:14:11,930
the field, and let it be wet with

1322
01:14:11,930 --> 01:14:13,590
the dew of heaven, and let the portion

1323
01:14:13,590 --> 01:14:15,130
be with the beasts of the field till

1324
01:14:15,130 --> 01:14:16,150
seven times Passover.

1325
01:14:16,370 --> 01:14:19,370
And this is the interpretational king, this is

1326
01:14:19,370 --> 01:14:21,690
the decree of the Most High, which has

1327
01:14:21,690 --> 01:14:23,730
come upon my lord the king.

1328
01:14:24,510 --> 01:14:28,530
They shall drive thee from men, and thy

1329
01:14:28,530 --> 01:14:30,770
dwelling place will be with the beasts of

1330
01:14:30,770 --> 01:14:33,250
the field, and they shall make thee to

1331
01:14:33,250 --> 01:14:37,250
eat grass as an ox, and they shall

1332
01:14:37,250 --> 01:14:39,810
wet thee with the dew of heaven, and

1333
01:14:39,810 --> 01:14:43,870
seven times shall Passover thee, till you know

1334
01:14:43,870 --> 01:14:46,550
that the Most High rules in the kingdom

1335
01:14:46,550 --> 01:14:48,970
of men and gives it to whomsoever He

1336
01:14:48,970 --> 01:14:49,270
will.

1337
01:14:49,970 --> 01:14:51,990
And whereas they commanded to leave the stump

1338
01:14:51,990 --> 01:14:53,930
of the tree roots, thy kingdom shall be

1339
01:14:53,930 --> 01:14:57,030
sure unto thee after that you have known

1340
01:14:57,030 --> 01:14:58,650
that the heavens do rule.

1341
01:14:59,370 --> 01:15:02,390
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable

1342
01:15:02,390 --> 01:15:06,370
unto thee and break off thy sins by

1343
01:15:06,370 --> 01:15:10,870
righteousness and thine iniquities by showing mercy to

1344
01:15:10,870 --> 01:15:13,790
the poor, for it may be a lengthening

1345
01:15:13,790 --> 01:15:14,930
of your tranquility.

1346
01:15:15,610 --> 01:15:18,270
So he had this dream, the tree and

1347
01:15:18,270 --> 01:15:19,110
the whole thing.

1348
01:15:20,410 --> 01:15:22,810
And as Daniel interprets it, the tree is

1349
01:15:22,810 --> 01:15:23,930
you, Nebuchadnezzar.

1350
01:15:24,370 --> 01:15:27,790
You've become great and powerful and this great

1351
01:15:27,790 --> 01:15:29,370
kingdom is given unto you.

1352
01:15:29,990 --> 01:15:35,130
But you've been lifted up in pride Now,

1353
01:15:35,290 --> 01:15:37,330
the interesting thing to me is there are

1354
01:15:37,330 --> 01:15:39,770
watchers that are watching the whole affair.

1355
01:15:40,010 --> 01:15:41,370
Do you know that your life is being

1356
01:15:41,370 --> 01:15:41,910
watched?

1357
01:15:45,230 --> 01:15:46,110
That's sort of awesome.

1358
01:15:47,590 --> 01:15:49,630
These watchers from heaven who are down here

1359
01:15:49,630 --> 01:15:50,510
watching you.

1360
01:15:53,930 --> 01:15:56,590
And he had in this dream the insight

1361
01:15:56,590 --> 01:15:58,910
into these watchers who had come from heaven

1362
01:15:58,910 --> 01:15:59,930
and were watching him.

1363
01:16:02,240 --> 01:16:04,140
And he heard one of them say, Hew

1364
01:16:04,140 --> 01:16:05,940
down the tree, cut off the branches.

1365
01:16:11,100 --> 01:16:13,720
Until seven times, let him go out and

1366
01:16:13,720 --> 01:16:15,700
live with the wild beast until seven times

1367
01:16:15,700 --> 01:16:17,020
are passed over him.

1368
01:16:17,580 --> 01:16:23,620
The seven times are probably a year and

1369
01:16:23,620 --> 01:16:24,380
three quarters.

1370
01:16:27,060 --> 01:16:33,760
Referring to the summer, fall, winter, spring rather

1371
01:16:33,760 --> 01:16:35,140
than seven years.

1372
01:16:36,680 --> 01:16:38,760
And so for a year and three quarters,

1373
01:16:40,040 --> 01:16:42,260
King Nebuchadnezzar was to be insane.

1374
01:16:43,900 --> 01:16:45,960
He was to live with the oxen out

1375
01:16:45,960 --> 01:16:46,680
in the field.

1376
01:16:47,580 --> 01:16:50,180
He was to eat grass like a wild

1377
01:16:50,180 --> 01:16:50,700
animal.

1378
01:16:52,000 --> 01:16:58,160
This was to continue until he realized that

1379
01:16:58,160 --> 01:17:01,040
the God in heaven is the one who

1380
01:17:01,040 --> 01:17:04,640
rules over the earth as far as establishing

1381
01:17:04,640 --> 01:17:08,760
kingdoms and setting in power those whom he

1382
01:17:08,760 --> 01:17:09,220
will.

1383
01:17:11,620 --> 01:17:15,500
God still rules in the overall sense.

1384
01:17:18,220 --> 01:17:22,060
And sometimes God puts evil men into power

1385
01:17:22,060 --> 01:17:26,660
in order to bring judgment upon the people.

1386
01:17:28,950 --> 01:17:32,150
But God rules overall.

1387
01:17:34,790 --> 01:17:37,310
So after Daniel interpreted, he said, Now look

1388
01:17:37,310 --> 01:17:39,210
King, straighten up man, live right.

1389
01:17:41,430 --> 01:17:43,070
You know, it may be that you can

1390
01:17:43,070 --> 01:17:45,850
increase the days of your peace because you

1391
01:17:45,850 --> 01:17:47,170
know, this is going to come on you.

1392
01:17:47,530 --> 01:17:50,330
But maybe by living right, you can forestall

1393
01:17:50,330 --> 01:17:50,890
it a bit.

1394
01:17:52,330 --> 01:17:54,270
And so for a year, there were no

1395
01:17:54,270 --> 01:17:55,450
furies or rages.

1396
01:17:56,710 --> 01:17:59,970
The king was marching, watching his Ps and

1397
01:17:59,970 --> 01:18:00,530
Qs.

1398
01:18:03,910 --> 01:18:06,570
But all of this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar

1399
01:18:06,570 --> 01:18:10,330
at the end of 12 months as he

1400
01:18:10,330 --> 01:18:12,570
was walking in the palace of the kingdom

1401
01:18:12,570 --> 01:18:13,230
of Babylon.

1402
01:18:14,670 --> 01:18:23,570
Now, according to the ancient historians, Babylon was

1403
01:18:23,570 --> 01:18:27,030
just a place of marvel and beauty.

1404
01:18:28,390 --> 01:18:31,850
They described the hanging gardens of Babylon.

1405
01:18:32,070 --> 01:18:34,770
They were one of the seven wonders of

1406
01:18:34,770 --> 01:18:36,070
the ancient world.

1407
01:18:38,840 --> 01:18:41,940
They described the walls that surrounded the city,

1408
01:18:42,060 --> 01:18:46,100
the glory, the grandeur of this marvelous city

1409
01:18:46,100 --> 01:18:46,620
of Babylon.

1410
01:18:50,410 --> 01:18:53,290
And so Nebuchadnezzar was walking there in the

1411
01:18:53,290 --> 01:18:57,130
midst of the gardens, the beautiful city, the

1412
01:18:57,130 --> 01:19:02,910
palace, and the king spake and said, Is

1413
01:19:02,910 --> 01:19:06,530
not this great Babylon that I have built

1414
01:19:06,530 --> 01:19:09,230
for the house of the kingdom by the

1415
01:19:09,230 --> 01:19:12,110
might of my power and for the honor

1416
01:19:12,110 --> 01:19:13,490
of my majesty?

1417
01:19:16,500 --> 01:19:22,540
Boasting in himself that I have built with

1418
01:19:22,540 --> 01:19:24,740
my power for my majesty.

1419
01:19:25,220 --> 01:19:27,160
And while these words were in his mouth,

1420
01:19:30,870 --> 01:19:32,390
there fell a voice from heaven.

1421
01:19:32,390 --> 01:19:34,530
One of the watchers said, he'd been watching

1422
01:19:34,530 --> 01:19:38,570
him, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is

1423
01:19:38,570 --> 01:19:42,130
spoken, the kingdom is departed from thee.

1424
01:19:43,510 --> 01:19:48,050
And they shall drive thee from men, and

1425
01:19:48,050 --> 01:19:50,110
thy dwelling place shall be with the beast

1426
01:19:50,110 --> 01:19:50,890
of the field.

1427
01:19:51,230 --> 01:19:53,170
And they shall make thee to eat grass

1428
01:19:53,170 --> 01:19:54,170
as oxen.

1429
01:19:54,530 --> 01:19:57,690
And seven times shall pass over thee until

1430
01:19:57,690 --> 01:20:00,710
you know that the most high rules in

1431
01:20:00,710 --> 01:20:02,950
the kingdom of men and he gives it

1432
01:20:02,950 --> 01:20:04,570
to whomsoever he will.

1433
01:20:05,690 --> 01:20:08,090
And in the same hour was the thing

1434
01:20:08,090 --> 01:20:09,630
fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar.

1435
01:20:10,110 --> 01:20:11,650
He was driven from men.

1436
01:20:11,730 --> 01:20:12,870
He became insane.

1437
01:20:13,510 --> 01:20:16,050
He did eat grass as the oxen.

1438
01:20:16,530 --> 01:20:18,410
His body was wet with the dew of

1439
01:20:18,410 --> 01:20:21,390
heaven till his hair was grown like eagle's

1440
01:20:21,390 --> 01:20:24,330
feathers and his nails like bird's claws.

1441
01:20:25,070 --> 01:20:27,870
And at the end of the days, I,

1442
01:20:28,030 --> 01:20:32,250
Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes unto heaven and

1443
01:20:32,250 --> 01:20:36,370
my understanding returned unto me and I blessed

1444
01:20:36,370 --> 01:20:39,950
the Most High and I praised and honored

1445
01:20:39,950 --> 01:20:43,630
Him that lives forever whose dominion is an

1446
01:20:43,630 --> 01:20:47,950
everlasting dominion and His kingdom is from generation

1447
01:20:47,950 --> 01:20:49,070
to generation.

1448
01:20:49,670 --> 01:20:51,850
And all the inhabitants of the earth are

1449
01:20:51,850 --> 01:20:53,290
reputed as nothing.

1450
01:20:53,730 --> 01:20:56,390
And He does according to His will in

1451
01:20:56,390 --> 01:20:58,970
the army of heaven and among the inhabitants

1452
01:20:58,970 --> 01:21:01,730
of the earth and none can stay His

1453
01:21:01,730 --> 01:21:05,630
hand or say unto Him, What doest Thou?

1454
01:21:06,690 --> 01:21:10,030
He came into a consciousness of the power

1455
01:21:10,030 --> 01:21:13,430
of God and the sovereignty of God who

1456
01:21:13,430 --> 01:21:15,090
rules over the universe.

1457
01:21:15,490 --> 01:21:17,090
And no man can say to God, What

1458
01:21:17,090 --> 01:21:17,930
are you doing?

1459
01:21:20,660 --> 01:21:23,440
At the same time, my reason returned unto

1460
01:21:23,440 --> 01:21:26,040
me and for the glory of my kingdom,

1461
01:21:26,440 --> 01:21:29,180
my honor and my brightness returned unto me.

1462
01:21:29,180 --> 01:21:32,300
And my counselors and my Lord sought unto

1463
01:21:32,300 --> 01:21:35,200
me and I was established in my kingdom

1464
01:21:35,200 --> 01:21:39,020
and excellent majesty was added unto me.

1465
01:21:39,520 --> 01:21:45,420
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor

1466
01:21:45,420 --> 01:21:47,040
the King of heaven.

1467
01:21:49,750 --> 01:21:51,490
That sounds like conversion to me.

1468
01:21:53,680 --> 01:21:57,620
All whose works are truth and His ways

1469
01:21:57,620 --> 01:22:02,580
judgment and those that walk in pride, He

1470
01:22:02,580 --> 01:22:04,980
is able to abase.

1471
01:22:07,680 --> 01:22:11,780
So, this final proclamation of Nebuchadnezzar, a very

1472
01:22:11,780 --> 01:22:16,080
interesting proclamation of the faith that He had

1473
01:22:16,080 --> 01:22:20,760
come to as He believed in God and

1474
01:22:20,760 --> 01:22:22,760
in the power of God and in the

1475
01:22:22,760 --> 01:22:26,800
sovereignty of God over the universe.

1476
01:22:27,580 --> 01:22:28,620
Very exciting.

1477
01:22:29,800 --> 01:22:33,940
I think that we will hold off on

1478
01:22:33,940 --> 01:22:37,200
the remainder and next week we'll take chapters

1479
01:22:37,200 --> 01:22:40,900
5 through 8.

1480
01:22:42,720 --> 01:22:45,720
So, we'll cut Daniel up in four chapter

1481
01:22:45,720 --> 01:22:49,120
sections so we can spend a little more

1482
01:22:49,120 --> 01:22:49,880
time in it.

1483
01:22:50,460 --> 01:22:53,780
And fascinating, interesting book and you've got some

1484
01:22:53,780 --> 01:22:57,840
great reading next week as we get into

1485
01:22:57,840 --> 01:23:00,580
Daniel's chapters 5 through 8.

1486
01:23:01,880 --> 01:23:03,120
Exciting prophecies.

1487
01:23:04,120 --> 01:23:07,140
Father, we do acknowledge that You are the

1488
01:23:07,140 --> 01:23:16,410
Lord, the King, the Ruler over all the

1489
01:23:16,410 --> 01:23:16,870
universe.

1490
01:23:18,250 --> 01:23:20,250
We acknowledge Your sovereignty.

1491
01:23:22,290 --> 01:23:24,210
We realize, Lord, that none of us can

1492
01:23:24,210 --> 01:23:26,110
really challenge You to say what are You

1493
01:23:26,110 --> 01:23:28,830
doing because You do things after the counsel

1494
01:23:28,830 --> 01:23:32,030
of Your own will and after Your own

1495
01:23:32,030 --> 01:23:32,670
purposes.

1496
01:23:34,370 --> 01:23:36,610
God, we bow before Thee and we submit

1497
01:23:36,610 --> 01:23:40,900
our lives to Thee that we might be

1498
01:23:40,900 --> 01:23:43,260
ruled over by Thy Spirit.

1499
01:23:44,980 --> 01:23:49,880
Lord, we thank You for the commitment of

1500
01:23:49,880 --> 01:23:53,000
Daniel and of his three friends.

1501
01:23:55,790 --> 01:23:57,910
Lord, help us that we too might make

1502
01:23:57,910 --> 01:24:00,390
a full commitment of our lives unto Thee.

1503
01:24:02,600 --> 01:24:05,130
To have that same kind of confidence and

1504
01:24:05,130 --> 01:24:09,050
trust that Your ways are best.

1505
01:24:10,250 --> 01:24:12,470
Knowing, Lord, that You can do whatever You

1506
01:24:12,470 --> 01:24:12,830
want.

1507
01:24:13,910 --> 01:24:17,530
Take our lives now and use them as

1508
01:24:17,530 --> 01:24:20,850
You see fit to glorify Thy name.

1509
01:24:22,270 --> 01:24:23,230
Bless this week.

1510
01:24:24,670 --> 01:24:26,050
Lord, strengthen us.

1511
01:24:27,310 --> 01:24:28,270
Guide us.

1512
01:24:29,270 --> 01:24:30,730
Keep us in Thy love.

1513
01:24:31,390 --> 01:24:34,510
In Jesus' name, Amen.