Participants:
Series Code: SISS
Program Code: SISS000089S
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00:01 Music...
00:29 James: Okay, we are in Daniel chapter 5. 00:31 Yvonne: Yes. 00:33 James: The story continues 00:34 and this time it continues with Nebuchadnezzar's grandson 00:37 so, Belshazzar has all the same opportunities 00:41 as Nebuchadnezzar 00:42 and I love this story because 00:44 even though it doesn't end 00:45 the same way Nebuchadnezzar's story ends, 00:47 where Nebuchadnezzar is like sealed for heaven... 00:50 he's going to be there, right? 00:51 Yvonne: Hmmm... 00:52 James: Belshazzar takes a different direction. 00:54 What it tells us though is that God wants everyone in heaven. 00:58 The Bible tells us... God is not willing that anyone would perish 01:02 but that all would come to repentance. 01:04 By the way, that's 2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 9. 01:06 God wants everyone in heaven 01:08 but He doesn't force us to be there. 01:11 We still have the freedom of choice. 01:13 Yvonne: Right. 01:14 James: Nebuchadnezzar eventually chose for heaven and for God... 01:17 Belshazzar against... he didn't choose for heaven and for God 01:21 and that's why I love this prophetic picture here 01:23 because even though it's a sad picture 01:25 and it must be sad for God's heart, 01:26 it still identifies where the choice or the decision lies. 01:31 It... it lies with us... 01:32 God is not against us, He's not against any human being 01:35 He wants us to be there 01:37 and we're going to see that as we read through this story, 01:38 it's really powerful to read through this. 01:40 So, let's begin with a word of prayer, 01:41 who would like to pray for us? 01:43 Jason: I'll pray. James: Thanks Jason. 01:44 Jason: "Dear heavenly Father, 01:46 we thank you for what we've been learning thus far 01:50 and Lord, as we continue to journey 01:51 deeper into this story line, 01:53 we ask that you would please help this to strengthen 01:56 our walk with you 01:58 and help these lessons to strengthen the Viewers' walk 02:01 and the Listeners' walk with you as well, Father, 02:04 please be with us now as we continue in our study, 02:08 in Jesus' name, we pray, amen. " 02:09 All: Amen. 02:10 James: So, a little bit of historical background... 02:13 Belshazzar is surrounded 02:17 by the armies of the Medes and Persians right here 02:20 and his father, Nabonidus, is out fighting 02:26 in another part of the kingdom... 02:27 he's fighting the Medes and Persians 02:29 so, Nebuchadnezzar is probably dead by now, he's passed away 02:32 and so, you've got the father, Nabonidus, 02:34 and then, you've got the grandson, Belshazzar 02:38 and surrounded but feeling pretty much at ease, 02:41 he's in Babylon... 02:44 it's surrounded by the River Euphrates running through it 02:47 and he's got walls that are wide enough 02:49 to race chariots side by side 02:51 he's got all the fruit and food and water that he needs 02:54 and so, that's where we pick up this... this picture... 02:57 and let's just read in Daniel chapter 5, 03:00 let's start in verse 1 and how far should we read? 03:03 We should read all the way to verse 9? 03:04 Yeah, 1 through 9. 03:06 Yvonne: Okay, you want me to read? 03:08 James: Yeah, please. 03:09 Yvonne: "Belshazzar the king made a great feast 03:11 for a thousand of his lords 03:13 and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. 03:15 While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command 03:19 to bring the gold and silver vessels 03:21 which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple 03:24 which had been in Jerusalem, 03:25 and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines 03:29 might drink from them. 03:31 Then they brought the gold vessels 03:33 that had been taken from the temple of the house of God 03:35 which had been in Jerusalem; 03:37 and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines 03:40 drank from them. 03:42 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, 03:46 bronze and iron, wood and stone. 03:48 In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared 03:52 and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall 03:56 of the king's palace; 03:57 and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 04:01 Then the king's countenance changed, 04:04 and his thoughts troubled him, 04:05 so that the joints of his hips were loosened 04:08 and his knees knocked against each other. 04:11 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, 04:14 the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. 04:16 The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, 04:19 'Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, 04:23 shall be clothed with purple 04:25 and have a chain of gold around his neck; 04:27 and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. " 04:30 Now all the king's wise men came, 04:32 but they could not read the writing, 04:35 or make known to the king its interpretation. 04:37 Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, 04:40 his countenance was changed, 04:41 and his lords were astonished. " 04:43 James: Hmmm... hmmm... good. 04:44 Yvonne: Shall I stop there? 04:46 James: Yeah, let's stop there. Yvonne: Okay. 04:48 James: So, here is the scenario, he's having a party 04:51 and his world is falling apart. Yvonne: Right. 04:53 James: And it applies so much to today... 04:55 where we are right now. 04:57 The world is partying and everything is falling apart. 04:59 Yvonne: That's true. 05:01 James: We're just living for the party, 05:02 we're just living for the good life 05:04 and all around us, things are just crumbling 05:07 and we want to escape that, 05:10 I think that Belshazzar wants to escape that, 05:11 he wants to escape reality. Yvonne: Right. 05:13 James: And so, what does he do? 05:15 As soon as he starts tasting the wine, 05:17 he goes back to the former days. 05:19 "Hey, bring those cups of gold and silver 05:22 and those precious vessels... 05:24 gold, silver and precious things... 05:27 the gold... the silver and the precious things 05:28 that we have control of... 05:30 bring those things so that we can live in the past... " 05:33 right? We're going to live in the past. 05:35 We're not going to think about the future, 05:36 we're not going to think about the fact 05:38 that Babylon is about to fall and that all things are... 05:40 where you want to think in the past... 05:42 and I think that's where we are sometimes. 05:44 We're living in something that isn't real 05:46 to our present situation, does that make sense? 05:48 All: Hmmm... hmmm... yeah... 05:50 James: And in this context, we see... 05:53 and you guys jump in with any thought you have right here 05:55 but in this context, we see them drinking in verse 4 05:59 and praising the gods of gold and silver and brass 06:03 and iron and wood and stone, you know, 06:06 motorcycles and snowmobiles and computers 06:09 and land and houses and guns and our investments 06:13 and our music and all the gods of this world... 06:17 all the things that are made out of things of this world... 06:20 that's what they're praising... 06:21 now, I don't think it's wrong for us to have stuff... 06:24 we need to have stuff... 06:25 God even promises to provide us the things that we need 06:29 so we can occupy while... while... till He comes 06:32 but to praise those things... 06:34 to worship those things... 06:36 to lift those things up... to make... 06:38 put our identity in those things... 06:40 I think that's where we... 06:41 we see these guys going a little bit too far 06:44 and a lot of times we do that 06:46 because we don't have anything else. 06:47 I think it's really interesting that when I became a Christian 06:50 when I accepted Christ... 06:52 one car went out the window... 06:53 another car went out the window, 06:54 my motorcycle went out the window... 06:56 the house went out the window, 06:57 the drums went out the window... everything went out 06:59 because they became less valuable to me 07:02 than what I found in Jesus. 07:04 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 07:05 James: Now, I have a house and I have a car... 07:07 and I don't have a motorcycle 07:09 because my wife doesn't want me to have one... 07:10 Jason: I can see that. 07:12 James: Yeah, we have... we have a couple of things... 07:14 but they're not the center of my life anymore. 07:16 Yvonne: Right. 07:18 There are things that we have to facilitate ministry... 07:21 to facilitate family... to facilitate what we need to do 07:24 but they're not the center. 07:25 Before... they were the center of my life, 07:27 "Look at my motorcycle... look at my... 07:28 look at this... this is who I am... " 07:31 people go out with you because you've got this nice car, 07:34 people like you because you got this nice house, 07:36 people... no that's not who you are. 07:37 Yvonne: That's right. 07:39 James: You are identified in Jesus 07:40 and those things are secondary 07:42 but for Belshazzar, they were number one. 07:45 Yvonne: When I was in the world and singing 07:48 and you make a lot of money in the music industry 07:50 well... you can 07:52 and I... I accumulated a lot of stuff 07:55 but the thing to me was, 07:58 it was always, "Okay, I want that... " 08:01 and then when you get it, 08:03 it's like, "Okay, so, what's next?" 08:05 because it doesn't fulfill you 08:07 so, you have all of this "stuff" 08:10 but it doesn't... it... it... it... 08:13 there's a hole in your soul that only Jesus can fill 08:16 and you're going around trying to accumulate things 08:20 but that never does it 08:22 and I remember thinking, "Oh wow! 08:25 oh... I love that fur coat... 08:27 like, I'm going to get that fur coat soon, 08:29 so now, how many jingles do I need to do 08:31 to get that fur coat?" 08:32 And then you think about it and then you get the fur coat 08:34 and then it's like, "Okay, so, so then what?" 08:38 So, the Lord had me get rid of the fur coat... 08:42 not that it's wrong... I still have a fur coat 08:45 but that's not the point, 08:46 the point is... that's not what I'm reaching for. 08:51 James: Yes, that's not your identity... 08:53 Yvonne: No... James: that's not who you are. 08:54 Yvonne: No... it's about... you know, 08:56 and the coats that I have just so everyone knows... 08:58 they're really old but... you know... 08:59 just so nobody says, 09:01 "Are you buying fur coats now?" 09:05 No, we're talking like... 09:07 as old as Jay almost but... 09:08 Jason: I've got to have some water on that. 09:12 James: But for a coat, that's really old. 09:15 Yvonne: Yeah, oh, that's true, but to me... it's like, 09:19 you have to fill that hole with something... 09:22 we all have a hole 09:24 and God made that hole for Him to fill 09:27 and we can run all around and try to fill it with other things 09:31 if we want to, but ultimately, we won't feel fulfilled 09:34 until we fill it with Him... 09:36 till He fills that hole. 09:37 Jason: Yeah. 09:39 James: I love that because God is... 09:40 we could say that God's bringing judgment on Belshazzar 09:44 but I think what God is also doing is... 09:46 He's trying to help him feel his need... 09:48 what you just mentioned, Yvonne. 09:49 So, he thinks he's satisfied in all this 09:52 and then, all of a sudden, he's scared to death. 09:54 Yvonne: Right. 09:55 James: He needs help desperately 09:56 and he can't find it in his wise men... 09:58 just like the story of... of Nebuchadnezzar... 10:00 he can't find it anywhere in his kingdom at this point 10:04 something's going to happen now in a minute 10:07 where he's going to find some possible help 10:10 but right now, he can't find it and so, God... 10:13 many times he brings out the rug from under us, 10:15 He shows us how absolutely empty everything is 10:18 so that we can feel our need... 10:20 and we feel our need... we're afraid... 10:21 we're scared, like, "What in... " 10:23 at that point, God can step in 10:25 and I think that God does step in 10:26 but I think that it would have been a shock 10:29 even maybe perhaps... a "Nineveh" experience 10:32 for Belshazzar to turn around at this point, 10:34 I don't it wouldn't have been possible though... 10:36 I think it could have been possible 10:37 but what's going to happen here 10:39 is very similar to what we see in Revelation 10:41 is that they "repented not of their deeds... " 10:43 they repented not of their deeds... 10:44 they had gone so far... and they repented not of their deeds. 10:46 I think something else could have happened here 10:48 and God would have been opened to him, 10:50 we're going to look at that 10:51 as we get into more of these verses. 10:52 Ivor: I'm looking at this verse, 10:55 now, my mind's just kind of been running off 10:56 while you guys were talking so, I'm sorry... 10:58 please forgive me... 10:59 Yvonne: But you were listening. 11:01 Ivor: I was... I was listening one ear 11:03 and listening to something else with another ear 11:05 but it's interesting that this is the fall of Babylon... 11:10 like, this is the chapter in which Babylon falls 11:13 and it's interesting that the thing that happens 11:15 is that the king takes the... the vessels 11:19 from the temple of the Lord and... to drink out of them 11:24 so, as far as I know, there is only one article of furniture 11:29 that had vessels from which you could drink 11:32 and that was the Table of Shewbread 11:34 and the Table of Shewbread was located 11:37 on the north side of the sanctuary. 11:40 Yvonne: Ooooh... 11:41 Ivor: It was on the sides of the north. 11:43 The Table of Shewbread also represented the Word of God 11:45 and so... and by the way, the Table of Shewbread 11:49 was the one article that was changed out every Sabbath. 11:53 So, it actually... 11:55 the Table of Shewbread pointed to... 11:57 the highlight day was the Sabbath. 11:59 Yvonne: Hmmm... 12:00 Ivor: So, it's interesting that what Babylon is doing here is 12:02 they're taking something that belongs to the Lord 12:04 and profaning it with wine... 12:06 profaning it with wine... 12:08 and this is when... when this action happens, 12:11 "Okay, I've been merciful... merciful... 12:14 now, this thing... when you profane this thing... 12:18 that's when Babylon falls. " 12:20 So, that's just something that I want you guys to keep 12:23 in the back of your mind, right, 12:25 when they take the holy things of God 12:28 and begin to use it in a profane way, 12:30 this is where Babylon is finally declared fallen. 12:35 James: It is interesting because you got in Revelation 18... 12:38 Babylon... with a golden cup and the wine in the cup 12:41 and that wine is fornication... 12:43 that wine is unfaithfulness to God. 12:45 Yvonne: "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, 12:46 because she has made all nations drink of the wine 12:48 of the wrath of her fornication... " 12:50 and they're drinking... 12:52 wow! this is... I didn't even... I didn't connect it before. 12:56 Ivor: You made this point a little earlier 12:58 that in Daniel 11 verse 40, the king of the north... 13:01 in those verses has power over gold and silver 13:06 and then it says, the precious things of Egypt as well 13:08 but what are those vessels of gold and silver 13:11 that he suddenly has power over? 13:13 And if we're seeing Daniel 1 through 5, 13:16 is a snapshot of what happens on a larger scale. 13:19 Yvonne: Hmmm... 13:20 Ivor: Global scale in verses 40 to 45... 13:22 that's very interesting because that really brings 13:26 into prominence this issue of the Table of Shewbread 13:29 being on the sides of the north... 13:31 and that having to do with the Sabbath 13:32 and by the way, where does Satan want to sit in heaven? 13:35 On the sides of the north. 13:37 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 13:39 Yvonne: Hmmm... oooh... 13:40 James: And Medo-Persia... you've got Cyrus... 13:42 he's the anointed but he's one that's coming... 13:45 Babylon falls... this is the replacement. 13:48 Okay, let's keep going here 13:49 because we're getting ahead of ourselves a little bit... 13:51 we want to keep up with the text... 13:52 the text in front of us, so... 13:54 Jason: We forgive you for not listening to us... 13:55 James: These guys know more... we'll talk... we'll talk later. 14:00 All: Laughter. 14:02 James: Okay, let's read.. Jason, can you read for us... 14:04 just start with verse 10 and read all the way through to... 14:08 verse... hmmm... yeah, verse 16. 14:14 Jason: Okay... 14:15 "The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, 14:20 came to the banquet hall. 14:22 The queen spoke, saying, 'O king, live forever! 14:25 Do not let your thoughts trouble you, 14:27 nor let your countenance change. 14:29 There is a man in your kingdom 14:30 in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. 14:33 And in the days of your father, 14:35 light and understanding and wisdom, 14:37 like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; 14:40 and King Nebuchadnezzar your father... 14:43 your father the king... 14:47 made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, 14:50 and soothsays. 14:52 Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, 14:57 interpreting dreams, 14:58 solving riddles, and explaining enigmas 15:01 were found in this Daniel, 15:03 whom the king named Belteshazzar, 15:05 now let Daniel be called, 15:08 and he will give the interpretation. ' 15:09 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. 15:12 The king spoke, and said to Daniel, 15:15 'Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives from Judah, 15:18 whom my father the king brought from Judah? 15:21 I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, 15:25 and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom 15:28 are found in you. 15:30 Now the wise men, the astrologers, 15:32 have been brought in before me, 15:34 that they should read this writing 15:36 and make known to me it's interpretation, 15:38 but they could not give the interpretation of the thing. " 15:42 That sounds familiar... 15:43 "And I have heard of you, 15:44 that you can give interpretations 15:47 and explain enigmas. 15:49 Now if you can read the writing 15:53 and make known to me its interpretation, 15:55 you shall be clothed with purple 15:57 and have a chain of gold around your neck, 15:59 and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. " 16:01 James: Wow! Yvonne: Hmmm... 16:03 James: It's really interesting isn't it 16:05 that he doesn't know who Daniel is. 16:06 Yvonne: It is. 16:08 James: "Is he... is that for real? 16:09 are you for real? you don't know who Daniel is? 16:10 well, what...?" 16:12 Yvonne: Do you think he's retired by now, 16:13 I mean, he's old... he's really old... 16:15 do you think he's kind of retired? 16:16 James: I think he's kind of retired 16:17 but I think that the king is being political here. 16:22 I think he knows who Daniel is. 16:24 I think later on in the story we're going to find 16:26 that he... he should know who Daniel is. 16:28 He should know... he should know the story 16:31 and he's acting like he doesn't know the story 16:33 because what happens a lot of times is, 16:35 when people are confronted with the truth, 16:38 I imagine that grandfather Nebuchadnezzar 16:42 held little Belshazzar on his lap 16:44 and told him the story... his testimony. 16:46 I can imagine he told him 16:48 because grandfather Nebuchadnezzar's like... 16:50 in here he's called "father" 16:51 but that's because the Bible doesn't use it... 16:53 at least doesn't use "grandfather" 16:55 so, if we trace it back to the Bible, we're going to find 16:57 I imagine that he told him the story again and again 17:00 until he was a young boy 17:01 and I imagine that Nebuchadnezzar... 17:04 because of his experience with God 17:06 just wanted all of his family to be saved... 17:08 like, He wants them all to know God... 17:10 you know what I'm saying? 17:11 And so, we're sharing the story and they're making choices... 17:13 they're making choices... we're going to see this as we go on 17:16 but the thing that I think is... 17:18 another thing that's really interesting here 17:20 is... the Queen Mother remembers who Daniel is. 17:22 Yvonne: Yeah. 17:24 James: She remembers... and she was back in... 17:26 it's interesting how she comes into the picture here 17:29 but she sounds like... 17:30 it sounds like she is not Belshazzar's wife 17:33 but either the wife of... 17:35 it's either his mom or his grandmother. 17:37 Yvonne: Right. 17:38 James: The Queen Mother... and then... 17:40 another thing that's interesting here is... 17:42 he says, "If you give me the understanding of this dream, 17:47 I'm going to give you three things... 17:48 I'm going to give you clothing of scarlet... or purple... 17:51 it says there... King James says "scarlet" 17:54 a chain of gold around your neck 17:55 and you're going to be third ruler in the kingdom 17:57 and Daniel is probably thinking to himself, "Wait a minute... 18:00 God already told me though my sins be as scarlet, 18:03 they'll be as white as snow, why do I need "scarlet"? 18:05 Yvonne: Right. 18:07 James: God already promised me 18:08 that I'll be walking on streets of gold. 18:10 Why would I want to settle for a gold chain? 18:12 God already told me 18:14 that I'm going to be sitting on a throne with Him, 18:16 why would I want third rulership in a kingdom 18:19 that's about to fall? 18:21 Yvonne: Right. 18:22 James: We don't think that way... 18:23 we... we settle for the stuff this world has to offer us. 18:26 We settle for the wealth... the gold chains... 18:30 we settle for the prestige... the clothing... 18:34 the things that we get... but they're covered with scarlet 18:36 in other words, they're... they're sinful... 18:38 we get that stuff through sin and we settle for prestige 18:41 that isn't even close to what God has for us in heaven. 18:44 We want all of that... we settle for all of that... 18:47 reminds us of the temptation of Christ... 18:49 "I'll give you all these things if you worship me. " 18:50 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 18:52 James: Daniel had his... his focus on heaven... 18:54 he was like, "I don't want any of that stuff, 18:56 why would I want that stuff?" 18:57 Yvonne: Right... right. 18:59 James: It's... it's interesting that 19:00 one of the reasons why Satan's bribes or temptations 19:03 have so much power over us 19:04 is because we don't have ourselves in heavenly places. 19:06 If we have ourselves in heavenly places... 19:08 see, Pharaoh was that way... Pharaoh... 19:10 I mean... excuse me... Moses was that way... 19:12 Moses was... was next in line... 19:14 I mean, he was the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 19:15 and it says in... in Hebrews 19:18 that he chose to suffer affliction 19:20 with the people of God 19:22 than to have the pleasure of sin for a season. 19:23 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 19:25 James: His mind... because he looked forward to the reward... 19:27 his mind was in the right place... 19:28 Daniel's mind is in the right place... 19:30 like, "I'm not going to settle for this... 19:32 I know this world is coming to an end and I... " 19:35 and when we have our focus on heaven 19:37 and we can see what God has for us there, 19:39 that's when these temptations start losing their power over us 19:42 that's where we need to be at. 19:43 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 19:45 Yvonne: He had a spirit of contentment... 19:47 he wasn't... he... he wasn't coveting power 19:49 because he's already been powerful... 19:51 you know, he's experienced that... 19:53 he wasn't trying to get a lot of money 19:55 with the gold chain or anything... 19:57 he is like... "You know what? 19:58 I don't want any of your stuff... 20:00 it's tainted anyway... 20:02 just like... let me just tell you what God said. " 20:05 James: Now, that's the key point we haven't got to that yet 20:06 but let me just tell... 20:08 "You may not... I don't need the stuff 20:09 but I'm still going to tell you what God said. " 20:10 Yvonne: Right... right. 20:12 James: I'm still going to be faithful. 20:13 Jason: To me it seems like Belshazzar... 20:14 he just thought he was living his best life... 20:18 as the young folks say, "they... " 20:20 he just thought he was living his best life. 20:23 He had his concubines... he had his wives... 20:26 he had his alcohol... he had all these things... 20:29 he's partying... super... 20:31 has all this money and all this other stuff 20:33 and thinking he's living his best life, 20:35 and then he sees this hand writing on the wall 20:39 and that's when it gets real. 20:40 That's when that partying and... I bet you he's sobered up. 20:45 That's what it seems like... he just got sober... 20:48 just real... real quick... 20:49 Ivor: It's interesting because now he's like, 20:52 "Yeah, I'll make you third ruler in kingdom... " 20:55 he doesn't even know him... 20:56 I mean, like... he's just like... 20:59 "Ah... " I mean... 21:00 really, he's treating this kingdom really flippantly... 21:03 or he is so terrified that now none of this stuff matters. 21:07 "Hey, take the kingdom and you got... " 21:09 but at that point, it's like... it's too late. 21:12 Jason: Or his selective amnesia wore off... 21:14 like, you were saying how his grandpa... 21:17 James: Yeah. Jason: Yeah. 21:19 Yvonne: The other thing to me was that this keeps coming up 21:23 how inept the soothsayers and the magicians 21:27 and the astrologers were, I mean, they, you know... 21:30 they... they... it's like the kings don't learn 21:33 because they keep calling on these guys 21:35 and they're worthless... they haven't been able to do it 21:38 in his grandfather's administration... 21:41 his father's administration most likely... or in his... 21:45 they're just... you know... 21:47 but it's... God had a plan 21:49 and it is His way of exalting Daniel 21:53 and letting Belshazzar know who God is. 21:57 James: Hmmm... hmmm... Jason: hmmm... hmmm... 21:58 James: I think it's a really good point... God has a plan... 22:00 a lot of times we look at Daniel... 22:02 we look at this God that lifts up kings and brings down kings 22:05 which he's about to do here with Babylon... 22:07 we think, "Oh... 22:08 so God's the One that's in control of everything... " 22:12 that's the conclusion we leave with... 22:14 God's in control of everything 22:15 and half the people in a Daniel Seminar might leave... 22:19 they're going, "Yes, God's in control, 22:20 He's got a plan... " 22:22 and the other half of the people are like, 22:23 "So, God's in control of this world... 22:26 who would want to follow a God like that? 22:28 Look at all the evil... look at all the bad stuff. " 22:30 So, it's really important for us to understand 22:32 which this brings out... that God has a plan 22:36 but you have a choice. 22:37 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... Yvonne: Right. 22:39 James: And you can choose... you can still choose the evil... 22:41 you can still choose the bad... 22:42 and your choices will impact other people... 22:44 God doesn't have a plan that includes... 22:46 He... God is not a micro manager... 22:48 God is a micro organizer. 22:50 Jason: Hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... 22:52 James: He's not a micro manager, He's a micro organizer. 22:53 Yvonne: That's good... that's good. 22:55 James: So, He has an organized plan for your life 22:57 and He has an organized plan of salvation 22:59 and He would love for you to get on board 23:01 with His plan that He has for your life and for organization 23:03 but if you choose not to... 23:05 He's not going to force it on you 23:06 and thereby, you're going to see a lot of evil in this world, 23:08 a lot of pain in this world, a lot of suffering in this world 23:10 but God is not responsible... He doesn't want that to happen. 23:13 Jesus said that we should pray, 23:15 "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven... " 23:18 which means, it's not being done on earth as it is in heaven. 23:21 "Deliver us from evil... " which means, 23:24 there are a lot of things 23:25 that are happening in this world that are evil 23:26 that God wants to deliver us from 23:28 but we've got to pray and ask Him to do that... 23:30 we've got to put our will on His side. 23:31 I think that's really important 23:33 when we look at the book of Daniel. 23:34 Yvonne: It's good. 23:36 James: Okay, so, any other thoughts here? 23:39 All right, so, let's read now the last... 23:42 should we read the last section, is that what we said? 23:48 No, let's go from verses 17 to verse 23... 17 to 23... 23:53 Yvonne, would you like to read that? 23:55 Yvonne: Sure... "Then Daniel answered, 23:57 and said before the king, 23:59 'Let your gifts be for yourself, 24:01 and give your rewards to another; 24:03 yet I will read the writing to the king, 24:05 and make known to him the interpretation. 24:07 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father 24:11 a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. 24:14 And because of the majesty that He gave him, 24:17 all peoples, nations, and languages trembled 24:20 and feared before him. 24:21 Whomever he wished, he executed; 24:24 whomever he wished, he kept alive; 24:26 whomever he wished, he set up; 24:28 and whomever he wished, he put down. 24:30 But when his heart was lifted up, 24:33 and his spirit was hardened in pride, 24:35 he was deposed from his kingly throne, 24:38 and they took his glory from him. 24:40 Then he was driven from the sons of men, 24:43 his heart was made like the beasts, 24:45 and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. 24:47 They fed him with grass like oxen, 24:49 and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, 24:51 till he knew that the Most High God 24:53 rules in the kingdom of men, 24:55 and appoints over it whomever He chooses. 24:58 But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, 25:03 although you knew all this. 25:05 And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. 25:09 They have brought the vessels of His house before you, 25:11 and you and your lords, 25:13 and your wives and your concubines, 25:15 have drunk wine from them. 25:17 And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, 25:19 bronze and iron, wood and stone, 25:22 which did not see or hear or know; 25:24 and the God who holds your breath in His hand 25:27 and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. " 25:31 James: All right, so, this is really powerful. 25:34 First of all, hypocrisy exposed... 25:37 "You knew all of this... what? you knew all of this 25:40 and if you know that story, 25:42 you know that I am part of that story... " 25:44 and then the other thing is the gospel exposed 25:46 and it's so beautiful here... 25:48 when you read these words in verse 23 25:50 "God in whose hand thy breath is, 25:53 and whose are all thy ways, you have not glorified... " 25:56 you got to... you got to think... 25:57 you got to think New Testament here... 25:59 you got to think Matthew 5 where Jesus talks about... 26:03 you know, and Acts 17 26:05 where Paul talks about this whole idea 26:07 that there's not a sparrow that falls... 26:09 there isn't a hair of your head that isn't numbered... 26:11 God knows all of your needs... He knows where you are... 26:13 He gives us life and breath and all things. 26:16 You've got to see that 26:18 gospel-saturated relationship that God has 26:20 with each and every person right here, 26:23 and that's what Daniel is bringing out... 26:25 he's bringing him the gospel first and foremost 26:26 and he's bringing him the gospel 26:28 because he wants him to turn away from this idea 26:30 of rewarding me with a chain and scarlet and with a position 26:34 and just humbling yourself 26:35 and that possibility is still there 26:37 and when you get to the end of the story, 26:39 he doesn't humble himself... he gives Daniel the gold 26:41 and the position and the robe 26:43 which just confirms him in his unrepentant state 26:46 and then, right then, the kingdom falls. 26:48 So, basically what you have here is this beautiful picture 26:52 of Daniel reminding him of past history... past prophecy... 26:55 and including in that... and that's what we're trying to do, 26:58 including in that this idea that 27:00 God loves every individual on planet earth... 27:03 He gives life and breath to all things. 27:05 All: Hmmm... hmmm... 27:07 James: Any other thoughts? 27:08 We try to close this out in 48 seconds... 27:11 All: Laughter... 27:14 James: It's like Hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... yeah... 27:16 keep reading now... keep reading. 27:18 Ivor: I think... I don't think we should touch this last part. 27:21 James: No, no, we're not going to. 27:23 We're going to connect that to Daniel 6 27:25 because we can do that transition right there. 27:27 Daniel 5... the last verses that go into the fall of Babylon 27:31 and then, Darius the Mede and boom... we're in chapter 6, 27:35 where Darius sets up his kingdom and goes through 27:37 and he includes Daniel 27:39 so... but any other thoughts on this last part 27:41 in the last 15 seconds? 27:42 Yvonne: No, this was really good. 27:44 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 27:46 James: Yeah, it's good stuff... we just need to remember 27:48 that God loves all people 27:49 and He gives everyone an opportunity 27:51 and He wants everyone to be in heaven... 27:52 everyone... but we still have freedom of choice. 27:55 God is a micro organizer not a micro manager... 27:58 we still have to choose. |
Revised 2020-06-22