Salvation in Symbols and Signs

Daniel Four, Part 1

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

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Series Code: SISS

Program Code: SISS000087S


00:01 Music...
00:30 James: Okay, we are moving on but not really
00:34 because Daniel chapter 4 is connected to Daniel chapter 3
00:38 which is connected to Daniel chapter 2
00:40 which is connected to Daniel chapter 1,
00:41 not just in the sense that they are the same book
00:45 but in the sense of the experience of Nebuchadnezzar.
00:47 Yvonne: Hmmm...
00:48 James: Chapter 4 is the summary
00:50 of Nebuchadnezzar's conversion experience
00:53 and chapter 4 is actually his testimony...
00:56 his testimony...
00:58 "They overcame by the blood of the Lamb,
01:00 and by the word of their testimony... " Revelation 12
01:02 we're already connected to Revelation, you see that?
01:04 Yvonne: Yeah.
01:05 James: And it's really cool because
01:08 Nebuchadnezzar is the guy that goes in
01:10 and basically takes out God's people
01:13 and he's the heathen king that's ruling the world...
01:16 he's the guy that's forcing people to worship an image
01:19 and giving the interpretation... "I'm going to kill you... "
01:23 and now Nebuchadnezzar is writing a chapter of the Bible,
01:27 a chapter, see... Daniel doesn't write this...
01:29 Daniel doesn't write this about Nebuchadnezzar...
01:32 Nebuchadnezzar writes this.
01:33 This is his personal testimony that he's writing out.
01:35 Daniel is like, "You should write that out
01:38 because I'd love to have... I... you should write that. "
01:41 Yvonne: Yeah.
01:43 James: Everyone has a testimony, doesn't matter who you are
01:44 everyone has a testimony
01:45 and Nebuchadnezzar has this powerful testimony
01:49 not because of all the things he's been through necessarily
01:52 but because it's a testimony of how God has worked in his life
01:55 and that's the testimony that we bear...
01:57 how God has worked in our lives
01:59 so, let's have a word of prayer
02:00 and then we'll jump right in to Daniel chapter 4.
02:02 Yvonne, would you like to pray for us?
02:04 Yvonne: Sure. "Father, thank You so very much
02:06 for bringing us together once again
02:07 to study Your Word
02:09 and to get these truths that You have for us, Lord,
02:13 these relevant practical applications of Your Word,
02:16 we thank You so much for them.
02:18 We ask for the guidance of Your Holy Spirit
02:21 and we ask You Lord to accept our offering to You this day,
02:25 in Jesus' name, amen. "
02:27 All: Amen.
02:28 James: All right, Daniel chapter 4...
02:30 let's just read... Jason, can we read the first four verses?
02:34 Jason: Sure... "Nebuchadnezzar the king,
02:37 to all peoples, nations, and languages
02:39 that dwell in all the earth:
02:41 peace be multiplied to you.
02:42 I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders
02:46 that the Most High God has worked for me.
02:48 How great are His signs, and how mighty His wonders!
02:51 His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
02:54 and His dominion is from generation to generation.
02:57 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house,
03:00 and flourishing in my palace. "
03:01 James: One more... sorry.
03:03 Jason: "I saw a dream which made me afraid,
03:05 and the thoughts on my bed
03:07 and the visions of my head troubled me. "
03:09 James: Hmmm... hmmm...
03:10 you know, it's when we're being troubled,
03:12 it's when we're at peace...
03:13 it's when we're prospering and when we're in peace and safety
03:16 that sometimes God stirs up the waters a little bit.
03:19 Yvonne: Yeah, yeah.
03:20 James: Because when we get all relaxed and lackadaisy
03:23 that's the time when we're susceptible to going astray...
03:27 to going in the wrong direction...
03:28 and so, he's again working...
03:32 God is again working with Nebuchadnezzar
03:33 and he's working through a dream.
03:35 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm...
03:36 James: "I had a dream... I had a vision that troubled me"
03:38 and when I think about this, he's in a false security...
03:42 he's in this world but not in the eternal world...
03:44 that's where he's at
03:46 and so, God wants to stir us up
03:48 and I think about how Nebuchadnezzar opens this up
03:52 and it's so powerful because basically he says,
03:55 "Peace be multiplied unto you. "
03:58 Yvonne: Hmmm... Jason: Hmmm...
03:59 James: What? Who is that?
04:02 That sounds like Paul doesn't it?
04:03 You know what's really interesting about Paul
04:05 and Nebuchadnezzar?
04:07 Nebuchadnezzar persecuted God's people...
04:09 Paul persecuted God's people. Yvonne: Hmmm...
04:12 James: Both of them went through this incredible experience
04:14 where they saw Jesus the Son of God
04:17 and through that whole experience,
04:19 they started preaching the gospel...
04:21 "Peace be multiplied unto you...
04:23 grace from our Lord Jesus Christ... "
04:25 this is what Nebuchadnezzar... this is him converted right here
04:28 he's just going back and he's telling his experience.
04:29 Yvonne: Yeah...
04:31 James: It's powerful isn't it? Yvonne: Yes indeed...
04:33 and he's proclaiming that God is the most high God.
04:36 James: "How great are His signs!
04:38 and how mighty are his wonders!"
04:39 Yvonne: Yes, he is... he is praising God.
04:42 James: He's a 100% converted right here
04:44 and we're going to see that more and more
04:46 when we get into the rest of the story... it's a powerful story,
04:48 any more thoughts to that before we move on?
04:49 Jason: As I was reading it... and I was just like,
04:53 "Who is this guy now? after reading about him before,
04:57 yeah... what took place?"
04:59 James: You know what Jason, that's a really good point...
05:02 that's a really good point isn't it?
05:04 Because I remember, when I first became a Christian,
05:06 I was a party guy
05:07 and I didn't think I was a bad guy,
05:10 I thought I was better than a lot of people
05:13 but I was... I was a bad guy...
05:15 and... and when I gave my heart to Jesus,
05:20 a lot of my friends were like, "Wow, you've changed...
05:24 you have changed... we are interested... "
05:28 I remember one... one... one time I went to church,
05:31 there were six of my friends there
05:32 and they were just there because they'd seen a change...
05:34 I hadn't told them much... they were just there
05:35 because they'd seen the change in me
05:37 and they just all wanted to come to this church.
05:38 So, Nebuchadnezzar to change... like, what happened to him?
05:42 That's a really good point.
05:43 Jason: That's almost like when we were talking before
05:47 in a previous program
05:48 about how Nebuchadnezzar wanted what the three Hebrews had.
05:54 James: He saw they had no fear,
05:57 they saw they were sold out for God...
05:59 and he was mad at himself, remember, we've thought that,
06:02 he was mad at himself.
06:03 All: Hmmm... hmmm... hmmm...
06:04 James: Now he's got it...
06:06 he's not far from every one of us,
06:07 we can have that... it's just...
06:09 we don't have to be thinking, "Oh, that's for somebody else"
06:12 and this is what I like about Nebuchadnezzar and Paul.
06:15 These guys were bad guys...
06:16 like, Nebuchadnezzar was a bad guy...
06:18 he had... he was a K I L L A... right?
06:22 "You look at me wrong... you're done... "
06:26 dunghill house... and... and now he's transformed.
06:30 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm...
06:32 James: If God can transform Nebuchadnezzar...
06:33 God can transform anybody.
06:35 I think that's the message here
06:36 that God is trying to communicate.
06:38 "You're not too far gone... you haven't done too much...
06:40 you're not too bad... you're not too terrible...
06:43 you're not... you're not as bad as you think you are
06:45 I can save you. "
06:46 There is mercy... there is forgiveness...
06:50 there is transformation that can take place in your life.
06:51 Every single person on Planet Earth needs to know that, yeah.
06:54 Yvonne: And look how much more powerful it is
06:56 to have this in Nebuchadnezzar's words...
06:59 instead of Daniel talking about Nebuchadnezzar's transformation,
07:04 Nebuchadnezzar is saying to himself...
07:08 he's saying... giving praise to the Most High God
07:12 so, you see the guy in the last chapter
07:16 was ready to burn up everybody and kill everybody
07:18 and this guy is praising the Most High God...
07:22 he's saying, "There's something bigger than me...
07:24 bigger than I am... "
07:26 so, that to me... I mean... our testimony...
07:29 our own personal testimony is so powerful...
07:32 so much better than me telling about your journey, Jason...
07:37 that's okay... but you telling about your journey,
07:40 it makes all the difference you know,
07:43 because people see the difference in you.
07:45 Jason: Yeah.
07:46 Yvonne: So, that's what Nebuchadnezzar did.
07:48 James: And there's a place...
07:50 there's a place for everyone of us...
07:51 Yvonne: Yes.
07:53 James: Sometimes we think "Oh, the preacher...
07:54 that's his place... he needs to preach and share. "
07:57 No, we all have a testimony
07:58 so, God made a place for Nebuchadnezzar
08:00 in this inspired book of Daniel...
08:02 this prophetic book of Daniel...
08:03 and Daniel, you know, the humility there,
08:06 "Yeah, you write that,
08:07 we'll put it in but you write that... this is your story...
08:09 there's a place for you in this story...
08:11 there's a place for you in the Bible...
08:12 there's a place for you in God's history book...
08:14 there's a place for you...
08:16 there's a place for every single person...
08:17 even the worst... there's a place for you. "
08:19 Yvonne: Yeah.
08:20 James: So, all of that is coming together here
08:22 in these first few verses, it's really powerful.
08:23 Yvonne: At the beginning of his testimony,
08:25 he says he was lying in his bed
08:27 and he had a vision that troubled him...
08:30 again, anxiety... "This is who I was... "
08:33 so, he's talking about his journey
08:36 and he's talking about who he was.
08:38 This is the guy we used to see...
08:40 "I was lying in my bed and I was really troubled... "
08:43 but then, he goes on... and then we see what happens.
08:48 Ivor: I think you can... even verse 7 and 8
08:52 which we haven't read yet is really very interesting to me.
08:54 Yvonne: Hmmm...
08:55 Ivor: Because it says, "Then came in the magicians,
08:57 the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers:
08:59 and I told the dream before them. "
09:02 "Wait a minute... didn't we do this before?"
09:05 Yvonne: Yeah, right, haven't been here before...
09:07 Ivor: "Haven't we been here before? are you... are you...
09:09 are you going back and forth?
09:11 Are you being double minded?
09:13 Are you swayed?
09:14 I mean, you know who to go to first...
09:16 why are you going back to your gods... "
09:19 Yvonne: "Why are you wasting time?"
09:21 Ivor: "And so, I told them the dream...
09:22 I told the dream before them;
09:24 but they did not make known unto me
09:26 the interpretation thereof. "
09:27 The next verse doesn't say,
09:28 "I commanded them all to be killed... "
09:30 you know, it's like, again he is like...
09:32 he's mellowed... he's a different person
09:35 but there is that swaying back and forth
09:37 "But at the last Daniel came in before me,
09:41 whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my God"
09:43 you know,
09:44 "and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods:
09:47 and before him I told the dream, saying... "
09:49 then he goes into the dream but you just see this anxiety
09:54 same thing happens... "I'm going to call on my gods"
09:56 but at the same time he doesn't command that they all be killed
10:00 he goes to Daniel... Daniel tells him the dream
10:03 so, you see this struggle... you know,
10:06 the good that I would... I do not...
10:08 Yvonne: Yes.
10:09 Ivor: Same struggle as Paul, right? and it's just...
10:12 it's very interesting to see that confidence...
10:16 to actually see him growing... see his battle between...
10:19 "Do I follow the Lord or do I go back to my old ways?"
10:23 Yvonne: Yeah, yeah.
10:25 James: "I'll try one more time...
10:26 I'm going to try the world one more time... "
10:28 Yvonne: Yeah. Jason: Yeah.
10:29 James: "My expectations are lower this time
10:30 so, if they don't meet my expectations,
10:32 I'm not going to kill them but I'm going to try
10:34 and give them one more chance...
10:35 see if this is real...
10:36 whoa... yeah, it doesn't work...
10:38 because the first time I tried this with them,
10:41 I didn't really know the dream...
10:42 so, maybe I was... maybe that was unfair...
10:44 that was unfair... let me try it again...
10:46 this time, I'll give them the dream... and then...
10:48 yeah, they'll probably give me the interpretation... "
10:50 "Whoa... man... they can't even deliver the interpretation,
10:54 they can't really fulfill my... satisfy my needs...
10:56 so, they really can't at all... the world really can't do that,
10:58 you know, you go back to the world
11:00 but really... it's... it's even more empty now. "
11:02 You're giving it a second chance... a third chance...
11:05 but it really doesn't do it.
11:06 I would love that... that's powerful.
11:08 All right, so let's pick up with dream then in verse 9,
11:11 Jason, do you want to read for us?
11:13 Let's read from verse 9 all the way down to verse, I think, 18
11:19 yeah verse 18... 9 to 18.
11:21 Jason: Okay, "Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians,
11:24 because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you,
11:28 and no secret troubles you,
11:29 explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen,
11:32 and its interpretation.
11:34 These were the visions of my head while on my bed:
11:37 I was looking, and behold,
11:39 a tree in the midst of the earth,
11:41 and its height was great.
11:43 The tree grew and became strong;
11:46 its height reached to the heavens,
11:48 and it could be seen to the ends of all the earth.
11:50 Its leaves were lovely, its fruit abundant,
11:53 and in it was food for all.
11:56 The beasts of the field found shade under it,
11:58 the birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches,
12:01 and all flesh was fed from it.
12:03 I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed,
12:07 and there was a watcher, a holy one,
12:11 coming down from heaven.
12:12 He cried aloud and said thus:
12:14 'Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
12:17 strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
12:20 Let the beasts get out from under it,
12:22 and the birds from its branches.
12:24 Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth,
12:28 bound with a band of iron and bronze,
12:31 in the tender grass of the field.
12:33 Let it be wet with the dew of heaven,
12:36 and let him graze with the beasts
12:39 on the grass of the earth.
12:40 Let his heart be changed from that of a man,
12:43 let him be given the heart of a beast,
12:46 and let seven times pass over him.
12:49 This decision is by the decree of the watchers,
12:52 and the sentence by the word of the holy ones,
12:55 in order that the living may know
12:57 that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,
13:00 gives it to whomever He will,
13:03 and sets over it the lowest of men. '
13:05 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen.
13:09 Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation,
13:14 since all the wise men of my kingdom
13:16 are not able to make known to me the interpretation;
13:19 but you are able,
13:20 for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you. "
13:22 James: Wow! I love that last sentence,
13:26 he starts out and you can see him wrestling
13:28 he says, "I asked Daniel to come in...
13:30 Daniel to come in
13:32 who is Belteshazzar according to my gods... "
13:34 so, he's... he's... he's going back and forth...
13:36 Daniel... Belteshazzar... Daniel... Belteshazzar,
13:38 "Now, Daniel, give me the interpretation,
13:40 because all our magicians...
13:42 they haven't been able to give me this interpretation. "
13:43 Yvonne: Yeah.
13:45 James: And, you know, it's amazing...
13:46 some of the stuff that he's bringing out here
13:48 where he talks about...
13:49 that God is setting up over the world... the basest of men.
13:55 James: And again, that's our same theme right here
13:58 that God is interested in the basest of men.
14:01 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm...
14:02 James: But one of the thoughts that I really love here
14:04 in verse 15...
14:05 and this could be a sermon title...
14:07 All: Laughter.
14:08 James: "Nevertheless... "
14:09 just "Nevertheless... " I just love that.
14:12 Nevertheless... this is going to happen...
14:14 this is happen... all this is going to be...
14:16 these calamities are going to take place... nevertheless...
14:18 no matter what happens in our lives,
14:20 no matter how much is taken from us...
14:22 no matter how much we lose,
14:24 no matter how low we come... nevertheless...
14:26 there's... there's a band... there's a hope...
14:29 there's... there's a prodigal father...
14:31 there's... there's... there's someone who is with us
14:35 all the way to the end...
14:37 He will never leave us nor forsake us... nevertheless...
14:39 and to me, that's the hope that Nebuchadnezzar has...
14:41 that's the hope that Daniel is going to bring to him
14:44 through this whole calamity.
14:45 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... hmmm...
14:47 James: What are your thoughts guys?
14:48 Yvonne: I love the fact that... okay, so this tree
14:53 it... it was strong and powerful and all that
14:57 but then, chop down the tree, cut off its branches...
15:02 strip off its leaves... scatter its fruit...
15:04 the beasts get out from under it...
15:07 the tree is now just desolate...
15:10 except... that bond with iron... a band of iron and bronze...
15:17 iron... which is so strong
15:19 that that root is not going to be destroyed.
15:23 That is the covering that God has over our lives, I love it.
15:29 Jason: I like the fact that they had to...
15:32 well, King Nebuchadnezzar had to resort back
15:35 to God's servant Daniel...
15:38 he tried, like you said, Pastor Myers,
15:41 he tried the world... he tried these other guys
15:45 but he had to go back to God
15:48 and... and he... I mean...
15:50 he should have gone there in the first place,
15:52 but it was... it was what he had to resort back to.
15:57 James: Yeah, the world disappointed him again
15:59 and he... and he... but it's really cool, I think,
16:03 it's a powerful message that when the world disappoints us,
16:06 we can still go back to God.
16:08 We could say, "Whoa, no way...
16:09 you should have come to me first... "
16:11 Like, hey, Daniel could have said,
16:12 "Well, wait a minute, you just told me
16:14 that you went to the wise men that couldn't figure it...
16:16 why didn't you come to me first?"
16:17 We can cop an attitude, you know what I'm saying?
16:19 But no... God says, "I'm here...
16:20 when everyone else disappoints you, I'll still be here.
16:22 Even though you went to them first...
16:24 I'm glad you came to Me. "
16:26 Yvonne: Yes... yes... Jason: Yeah, that's beautiful.
16:29 Yvonne: That is beautiful.
16:30 Ivor: God saves the best for last.
16:31 All: Hmmm...
16:33 Ivor: As you have the story of Jesus at the wedding feast...
16:39 Yvonne: Changing the water into wine.
16:42 Ivor: He says, "Right now, let me give you the real thing"
16:44 and they say, "You saved the best for last"
16:47 so... yeah...
16:49 Yvonne: Yes... it's good.
16:51 James: All right, any other thoughts
16:53 before we get into... into the... to the next verse?
16:55 I say "the next verse"
16:57 because I want us to spend a little bit of time on this verse
17:00 Jason, can you read for us verse 19?
17:03 Jason: Sure, "Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar,
17:06 was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him.
17:09 So the king spoke, and said,
17:11 'Belteshazzar, do not let the dream
17:13 or its interpretation trouble you. '
17:15 Belteshazzar answered and said,
17:18 'My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you,
17:21 and its interpretation concern your enemies!'"
17:24 James: Whooo... this is an amazing verse right here,
17:28 this is an amazing revelation of the heart and spirit of Daniel
17:32 okay, he knows what the dream is...
17:34 he knows what the dream is but he is astonished...
17:38 he is waiting... he's like,
17:40 "How do I tell Nebuchadnezzar this?
17:42 How do I... how do I tell him the truth
17:45 but do it in a way that will win his heart. "
17:47 He... he's reluctant...
17:50 some of us don't have a reluctant bone in our body.
17:52 Yvonne: Hmmm...
17:54 James: Like, "This is the truth, you need to hear it...
17:55 yeah, I need to tell you that... now you just... "
17:59 you know what I'm saying? Yvonne: Yeah.
18:00 James: Daniel is like, "Man, I got to... this is... "
18:02 and so, this is how he does it, he says,
18:04 "This dream... " which God gave him...
18:06 is... "your enemies are going to love this dream...
18:08 this is for those who hate you... "
18:11 wow, Daniel... he's so reluctant...
18:14 but what I love about this even in his reluctance...
18:16 which Nebuchadnezzar sees
18:18 and therefore, I think it softens his heart,
18:20 even in his reluctance, he still tells him the dream.
18:22 Yvonne: Hmmm...
18:24 see some of us are...
18:25 we don't have a reluctant bone in our bodies
18:26 but others are so reluctant that we don't say anything.
18:29 Yvonne: Right... that's right.
18:31 James: You got the two extremes Yvonne: That's right.
18:32 James: No reluctance... and like,
18:33 so reluctant that we're not going to say a word.
18:35 Yvonne: That's right.
18:36 James: Daniel is just... for us he's portraying
18:38 his perfect balance. Yvonne: Yes.
18:40 James: The reluctance... but still being faithful to God,
18:43 the reluctance... but still being faithful to God.
18:45 James: "This is to your enemies... "
18:46 in the very next verse... then he says,
18:48 got to get my glasses on...
18:50 "The tree which thou sawest... "
18:51 I'm not going to read the whole verse...
18:52 "The tree which thou sawest... " so he goes right into...
18:54 "I'm going to tell you what it is. "
18:55 Yvonne: Right.
18:56 James: But Nebuchadnezzar knows at this point
18:58 that Daniel is reluctant... that he's wrestling with this.
19:01 James: Right? We need to ask God...
19:04 how can we be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves
19:06 we don't... as Christians,
19:08 we don't have to be in people's faces,
19:10 you know, we don't have to be that upset,
19:12 angry... Yvonne: Confrontational...
19:14 James: Yeah, confrontational, "You're going to hell... "
19:16 yeah but... that...
19:17 Ivor: Shall we call fire down on them?
19:19 James: Yes, yeah... yeah.
19:23 we need to come... and... and again...
19:25 this is three angels' messages...
19:26 we need to come with the everlasting gospel first.
19:29 Before we get into... the Mark of the Beast...
19:32 the fire and brimstone...
19:33 we got to come with the everlasting gospel first,
19:35 the everlasting gospel prepares the way
19:37 for the rest of the message
19:39 and that's what we see Daniel doing here,
19:41 he's preparing the way for the rest of the message.
19:42 He's coming with the gospel, he's coming with this grace...
19:46 this heart of grace toward Nebuchadnezzar.
19:48 and I think that's what...
19:49 part of what wins Nebuchadnezzar's heart.
19:52 Yvonne: Yeah... because Nebuchadnezzar sees
19:54 that Daniel didn't really want to tell him,
19:57 because he... he said... let's see here...
20:00 James: "Don't let it trouble you... " he said.
20:02 Yvonne: Yeah, "Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar,
20:05 was astonished for a time...
20:06 so the king spoke, and said,
20:08 'Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation
20:11 trouble you... '"
20:12 he saw in his face... he didn't want to...
20:14 he knew that it wasn't good news...
20:17 you know, just like Joseph telling
20:20 the baker and the other guy in prison
20:24 what their dreams were
20:26 the steward... the baker and the steward...
20:29 what their dreams were... one had a good dream
20:32 and the other didn't have a good dream...
20:34 in this case, Daniel didn't really want to say either
20:38 but he had to tell him... he had to be faithful to God
20:43 and he... he was what?
20:44 James: He was reluctant but he was not negligent.
20:46 Yvonne: Right.
20:48 James: He was reluctant but he wasn't negligent.
20:49 Yvonne: Right... James: That's a balance there.
20:51 Yvonne: That's important.
20:52 James: In Colossians 4 verse 6, it says,
20:53 "Let your speech or conversation or communication
20:57 be always with grace seasoned with salt. "
21:00 Yvonne: Hmmm...
21:01 James: Now, sometimes I think, we as Christians...
21:04 our conversation or the way we communicate
21:07 is like an entree of salt seasoned with grace.
21:11 Yvonne: Hmmm... Jason: Hmmm...
21:13 James: I love potatoes and when I eat potatoes,
21:16 I like a little bit of salt on them
21:17 but the main entree is the potatoes.
21:19 So, the Bible is saying,
21:20 the main entree needs to be grace
21:22 but don't leave off the salt,
21:23 because the world is bland with iniquity,
21:25 I mean, we need some salt, you are the salt of the earth
21:27 so you got to put some salt on there
21:28 but have you ever eaten things that are just too salty?
21:30 Yvonne: Yes. Jason: Yes.
21:32 James: Or can you imagine a pile of salt
21:33 with some potatoes sprinkled on?
21:35 we just get people the truth and we say,
21:37 "and by the way, Jesus loves you... "
21:38 Yvonne: Right.
21:39 James: "I've got to let you know that...
21:41 so you know... "
21:42 it needs to be entree Jesus... entree grace... entree love...
21:46 but put the salt on... and that's what Daniel does.
21:49 He... he... he is reluctant... the grace is coming through...
21:53 and he makes sure to put the salt on it.
21:55 Yvonne: That's good.
21:57 James: Any other thoughts there before we move on?
21:58 Jason: No...
22:01 James: All right let's go... verses...
22:03 Yvonne, would you read verses 20...
22:05 how far should we go Ivor?
22:08 Ivor: Say, let's go down to 24... 23...
22:11 Yvonne: 23... "The tree that you saw,
22:14 which grew and became strong,
22:16 whose height reached to the heavens
22:18 and which could be seen by all the earth,
22:20 whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant,
22:23 in which was food for all,
22:25 under which the beasts of the field dwelt
22:27 and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home...
22:31 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong;
22:35 for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens,
22:38 and your dominion to the end of the earth.
22:41 And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one,
22:45 coming down from heaven and saying,
22:47 'Chop down the tree and destroy it,
22:49 but leave its stump and roots in the earth,
22:53 bound with a band of iron and bronze
22:55 in the tender grass of the field;
22:57 let it be wet with the dew of heaven,
23:00 and let him graze with the beasts of the field,
23:02 till seven times pass over him... "
23:05 Ivor: You can actually go ahead and keep reading till verse...
23:08 verse 29.
23:11 Yvonne: Okay,
23:14 "this is the interpretation, O king,
23:16 and this is the decree of the Most High,
23:19 which has come upon my lord the king:
23:21 they shall drive you from men,
23:23 your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field,
23:26 and they shall make you eat grass like oxen.
23:29 They shall wet you with the dew of heaven,
23:31 and seven times shall pass over you,
23:34 till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,
23:38 and gives it to whomever He chooses.
23:40 And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump
23:45 and roots of the tree,
23:46 your kingdom shall be assured to you,
23:49 after you come to know that Heaven rules.
23:52 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you;
23:56 break off your sins by being righteous,
23:59 and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor.
24:02 Perhaps there may be a lengthening
24:05 of your prosperity. "
24:06 James: I would stop right there, that's good.
24:08 Ivor: Hmmm... hmmm...
24:09 James: Whoooo... Yvonne: Wow!
24:11 James: So, Daniel comes right out and he says,
24:13 "It is thou O king... "
24:14 reminds me of Nathan with David..
24:16 ."You... you are the man... it's thou O king... "
24:18 it's the straight testimony.
24:19 Jason: I think that, like, towards the beginning
24:22 the king might have been feeling this dream...
24:25 like, he was probably like, "Yeah... what are you...
24:27 what are you going to tell me?"
24:28 Because when he was saying in verse 21,
24:31 "Whose leaves... " oh, no, no, no...
24:33 let's go to verse 20,
24:35 "The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong,
24:37 whose height reached to the heavens
24:39 and which could be seen by all the earth,
24:41 whose leaves were lovely and it's fruit abundant,
24:43 in which was food for all,
24:44 under which the beasts of the field dwelt,
24:46 and in whose branches the birds of the heaven
24:49 had their home... it is you, O king... "
24:52 so, he was probably like... he was probably like,
24:56 "Oh well, you know... you know, Daniel... you know...
24:59 yeah, that's me... "
25:00 and then when he went on he was probably like,
25:04 "I'm not feeling this interpretation... "
25:06 Yvonne: Yeah... yeah.
25:07 James: And Daniel was faithful to share it.
25:10 Yvonne: Yes... yes.
25:11 James: There's going to be times
25:12 when we're going to have to say some difficult things...
25:14 some challenging things...
25:15 if we're going to be faithful to Christ,
25:17 but look where it led,
25:19 I mean, look what happened to Nebuchadnezzar
25:22 because Daniel was faithful.
25:24 Nebuchadnezzar not only heard some hard things
25:27 but he experienced some hard things.
25:29 What Daniel predicted
25:30 through the dream that was given to Nebuchadnezzar by God
25:33 came to pass.
25:35 It didn't actually have to come to pass... I don't think...
25:37 because Daniel gives him an option, he says,
25:40 "Hey, you know, you could actually... "
25:41 what does it say there?
25:43 "You could actually break away your sins... " verse 27...
25:47 "by righteousness... " by doing what's right
25:49 "and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor... "
25:51 which I think is... which I think is really cool...
25:53 because bottom line in Matthew 25...
25:57 when Jesus comes He says,
25:58 "Hey, what did you do for those that were in prison
26:02 and those who needed water and those who needed clothes
26:04 and those who needed food?"
26:05 That's the bottom line of Christianity...
26:07 "Religion pure and undefiled is this... to visit the widows
26:10 and the orphans in their affliction. "
26:11 That's the bottom line... it's not arguing...
26:13 it's not preaching...
26:14 it's... it's ministry... it's the bottom line...
26:16 so, I love the way Daniel puts that, it's so powerful.
26:20 Any other thoughts before we close?
26:22 because we're running out of time.
26:23 Yvonne: If he had some anxiety before...
26:27 if Nebuchadnezzar had anxiety before...
26:30 after hearing this... this dream...
26:32 but even... he still has an "out"
26:35 where Daniel says, "Break off your sins
26:38 by being righteous and merciful and perhaps... "
26:43 now, it didn't say that the dream wasn't going to happen,
26:46 "there would be a lengthening... "
26:49 so, it's still going to happen.
26:51 Ivor: It's... it's interesting to note that...
26:53 and we talked about this a little bit earlier
26:55 that that tree reaching into the heavens
26:58 kind of signified Nebuchadnezzar's sins
27:01 reaching to a very high place.
27:04 You know, pride goes before destruction,
27:07 and a haughty spirit before a fall... "
27:08 and he is exalting himself
27:10 and I think in the next Program that we do,
27:14 we're going to stay on Daniel 4...
27:16 I'm going to bring out some prophetic insights
27:19 that will really, like, help us again to see,
27:22 how this relates to us in our time. "
27:24 All: Hmmm... hmmm...
27:25 Ivor: So, yeah... keep that in mind.
27:27 Yvonne: Yeah, good... this is good...
27:30 James: It is... Yvonne: Meaty...
27:31 Ivor: It's meaty. Jason: Yeah, it is.
27:33 James: It's practical... it's dealing with pride.
27:36 Yvonne: It is, that's right.
27:37 James: We all have it. Yvonne: That's right.
27:38 James: It just comes out of us you know, and...
27:40 but God knows how to deal with that...
27:42 we can trust Him with that. Yvonne: Amen.
27:43 James: And we can trust other people too into God's hands,
27:45 that's what Daniel is doing,
27:46 he is trusting Nebuchadnezzar into God's hands...
27:48 which is sometimes important for us to do
27:50 so, praise God.
27:52 Jason: Amen.


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Revised 2020-06-08