Ezekiel 48
Ezekiel names the portions each tribe has and where their location is. So like many of the Falashans living in Ethiopia who know they are from the tribe of Dan; if they remain patient and wait on the Lord they can see that their land borders Asher and goes from east to west.
The gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel, Reuben, Judah, Levi, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, and name of that city from that day forward will be, "the Lord is there (v31-35)." With so many references that the Lord will be on the earth, it is hard to see why people desire to go to heaven so much? These twelve gates you have to go through to enter into the Father's kingdom.
Ezekiel's book started with a scary vision of what he called living creatures that we found out to be angels of God, it talked much about the destruction and disobedience of Israel towards their God; then it read on the recovery and finally the redemption. The Lord is merciful to His people and will again gather the children of Israel into peace with Him on the earth.
We move into the book of Daniel now.
Three years into Jehoiakim's reign as king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar came into Jerusalem and took out holy vessels of the Lord and brought some slaves on with him. The king of Babylon ordered his men to bring some of the children of Israel who were of the kings seed, who didn't have any handicaps, handsome and good looking, skillful in wisdom, had good knowledge and understanding of science, and were trained enough to be before a king. He was to bring these people of the captivity and train them in the language of the Chaldeans.
The king gave them food daily, treated them well, gave them wine, and nourished & trained them 3 years so they can work for the king. You notice the good seeds of Israel were not dummies; but skilled people. Here, captured slaves were put in high offices of the administration to help the administration; but to also help regulate and control the rest who are rebellious. While that probably took place, we see the king had enough respect to train the top smart men in sciences to put them to work in the higher positions of his government.
In this group the king took to understudy and also train of the Jews were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were renamed respectively, Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Daniel didn't want to eat the meat of the king nor drink the wine so he proposed do something else in order not to defile himself. The king of Babylon's eunuchs had favor for Daniel, he must've been a cute guy or he had a humble and likable personality.
17As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
So Daniel propose to eat beans and veggies and drink water; and in 10 days, his flesh was better than those eating meat and drinking wine. Daniel and his companions mentioned earlier, God had given them knowledge, skill in wisdom, and specifically to Daniel great understanding in all visions and dreams.
So the three years finished and just like a modern day American Idol show the winners were set to be chosen and Daniel and his 3 buddies were chosen by the king to stand before him. Just as Pharaoh went to Joseph for wisdom and Joseph trained Pharaoh's senators, king Nebuchadnezzar went to Daniel in all matters of wisdom and understanding; and found Daniels answers to be ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in his realm.
Daniel was a smart and understanding fellow who the Lord looked after in his captivity. He had the top position the kings cabinet and continued until the first year of king Cyrus.
In Nebuchadnezzar's second year; he had a series of bad dreams that really bothered him to the point he couldn't get any sleep and he called up all his wise men to first tell him his dream. He could not even remember the dream; but it bothered him so dearly. It was so bothersome to him that he threatened to kill his wise men if they could not tell him the dream and interpretation (v1-5).
The kings magician told him it is not possible for a man to tell you your dream with no description of the dream. That person may as well tell you what you are thinking as well. They told the king on the gods can show him his dream. However, when you call yourself an astrologer, doctor, magician, or sorcerer, you have to live up to your title, especially if you're being paid. So the king was angry and called to destroy all wise men in Babylon, and it came also to have Daniel and his boys killed.
Daniel asked why the king is so upset and making such a hasty decree. For Daniel not to know that means they did not bother to bring him to the table to attempt to answer the king; but they bring him out to be killed. We know people are not fair at all in their dealings.
Daniel asked to have time that he would provide the kings dream to him; and he and his buddies prayed to God and the Lord gave Daniel the answer in a dream that night. Daniel having a big heart told the king not to kill all these false prophets and magicians and psychics; because they could never show you what you needed.
Daniel removed himself from the picture and told the king that the God of Heaven will show him his dream.
34Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
35Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
This was the dream; the king saw a great image, bright and excellent standing before the king and it looked terrible and dreadful. The images head was made of fine gold, his chest and arms were made of silver, his belly and thighs were made of brass, and his legs were made of iron and his feet part iron and part clay.
Then the king saw a stone being cut out without hands and the image was hit on the feet by the stone and it broke the feet into pieces, then the whole image was broken into pieces and carried away in the wind. The the stone that crushed the image became a great mountain that filled the entire earth.
Pretty neat huh?
44And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
So Daniel told him his own dream; then proceeded to tell him what it meant. The Lord has made Nebuchadnezzar king over the entire earth, the first man to rule the entire earth. After Nebuchadnezzar another kingdom slightly inferior (hence going from gold to silver) will rule, and after them a third kingdom (brass). Then a fourth kingdom will be strong as iron. Now the toes and foot is part of the the fourth kingdom but it is a mixture of nations, some strong some weak (iron and clay). In the days of the toes, these are kings, the God of Heaven will set up a kingdom and this kingdom will never be destroyed nor passed on to another people or generation, breaking all these kingdoms before it and it will stand forever.
Daniel let the king know that the God of Israel has shown him what will come here after and that the dream is certain and the interpretation of it is sure. Now when someone can tell you what you dreamed and tell you what it means, and finally your conscious is relieved of the burden you've been carrying, naturally you'll want to fall down and worship that person as the king Nebuchadnezzar did to a captive he took out of Jerusalem.
The king was convinced that Daniel's God was God and promoted Daniel greatly even over other Babylonians and Daniel then promoted his guys. They didn't get big headed and forget their God as so many people do today when they receive money and prestige.
Here in chapter three, possibly a few years after Daniel promotion Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold that was 60 cubits high, 6 cubits wide, and he invited all his high ranking officials and citizens to come worship the statue or image. And they announced that when the music from 6 different instruments play, everyone is to bow down and worship the golden image that the king set up (v1-5).
If you saw the numbers there they add up to 666, sixty cubits high, 6 wide, and 6 different instruments; this ties in with the end of the Gentile dynasty when the Lord returns.
6And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
Who ever did not fall down and bow would be thrown in a fiery furnace. High officials of Babylon knew that many Jews would not go for it; so they accused them of not obeying the kings order.
So they told on Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) that they would not worship the kings image and the king asked them is it true that they did not want to worship the kings image. Quite naturally, these men knew obeyed the first four commandments and were not going to bow down and worship an image.
They were not even careful or respectful in their response, plainly stating that they don't know if God will save them from the furnace, but they know He is able to do it, but one thing is for sure they are not serving any other god. This made the king very upset and he ordered the furnace to be seven times hotter than it was, really testing their faith. We have to ask ourselves today, is our faith at that level?
And some mighty men of the king put them in.
The fire was so hot that the men who threw the Hebrew boys in got burned up to death. However, the king became amazed when he looked into the midst of the furnace and saw four men silhouette's walking about in the fire, without being hurt, not burning up, and the fourth man the king reported to look like the Son of God, Jesus.
This reminded me of the burning bush in Moses day; the Lord controls fire and He is also a consuming fire. These men faith preserved them and the Lord delivered them.
30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
The king ordered the men out and acknowledged their God, they did not smell like fire or smoke and the king blessed their God, who sent an angel to deliver them because they trusted in Him. So he made a decree that all peoples should serve the God of the Jews, and if not they will be cut in pieces. Serving God also came with a public promotion in man's realm.
Here the king is addressing the people and nations under his control; that is all the earth, and he is telling of his times when he had the troubling dream. He brought in his wise men who could not do anything to for him; but finally Daniel the captive Jew who revealed it to him from God.
He began to tell a vision he had about a tree that grew strong and a holy one from heaven came and chopped the tree to a stump.
They changed the heart of it from a man to a beast and allowed "seven times" pass by that is seven years for it to be like this. This was to show the living that the most High God rules the kingdom of men, even if man is the physical ruler; he is suppose to obey God.
So Daniel now is telling this dream and it is woefully against the king.
25That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
The king is the tree; it is he who began to think he has built this great kingdom by himself and was not given it by God. It is the king who will be chopped down and wander the forest like a beast for seven years. The Lord is doing this to humble him because he was boasting himself too much.
Daniel finished telling the king his dream; and obviously the king did not take heed and 12 months later he began boasting of the great kingdom he put together and how he built everything himself.
While he was in the middle of speaking, a voice came from heaven saying the kingdom is departed from him. He did just as the dream he had that Daniel told him and he was in the wild like a beast eating grass like oxen, waking up with dew on him, in plain he lost his mind and went crazy or mad. After seven years he return to his right mind and blessed the Lord again. He realized that it is actually true, the Lord rules among men; and He just doesn't deliver for His people; but He actually controls the entire world (v31-36).
He was reestablished as ruler, this time he was with the Lord.
Moving into chapter 5 of Daniel, we see a seed of Nebuchadnezzar, the bible called him his son, Belshazzar, threw a big party to over a thousand of his officials and they were getting drunk or crunk as I hear some rappers say. Belshazzar was so wasted that he commanded the vessels of God be brought in, that at one time holy priest used in performing God's work.
He had them bring them in that his princes, wives, and concubines could drink out of them. The key here is that they drank wine with these vessels and praised materials; so the Lord ended this party with a smash.
A hand, not even, just four fingers of a man's hand wrote on wall and people could only see the four fingers, and the king saw the four fingers.
Quickly his mind sobered up and he became scared, so scared his knees were knocking together. You have to imagine seeing fingers float over to a wall, write a note, and disappear. You know someone or something is in the room and can kill you next. I can just hear the music stopping and everyone just looking at each other.
The king cried out with a loud cry commanding the wise men to come in as in his fathers day; but none of them could interpret the writing, and he fear more and more. Finally, the queen remembered trusty dusty old Daniel who did Nebuchadnezzar's dreams.
The king knew of Daniel, and asked him to break down the writing on the wall (and yes, this is where this statement comes from).
The king offered him great gifts, even the kingship if he could tell the dream; but Daniel refused telling him to give it to others and keep the gifts; but he will tell the king the meaning. He reminded the king of how God worked in the days of Nebuchadnezzar; how the Lord sets up and removes rulers.
25And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
Belshazzar saw how God humbled Nebuchadnezzar, but still he did not humble himself to this God, and then throw a party using God's vessels and praising other gods of materials, so the Lord sent a hand to give you a message.
26This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
28PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
The meaning of the writing in verse 25 was God has numbered your kingdom and finished it. The king has been weighed on a scale and doesn't weigh anything, and his kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
Quickly get an encyclopedia sitting in your home and look up the Medes and Persians and see who ruled the world before them. Daniel is breaking it down for us world history. Thus Daniel became the third ruler, but he turn the job down and that very night was Belshazzar assassinated and when the smoked cleared, Darius the Median took over the kingdom at 62 years of age.
So Darius came in and ordered his kingdom; with 120 princes who report to 3 presidents, and Daniel was the first president and verse three tells us why. The king really wanted Daniel over the whole realm because of wisdom and understanding. This brings along men who hate, especially when they see a captive Jew being promoted ahead of them. So they begin to plot to bring Daniel down.
They could find nothing on Daniel because Daniel knew that if you keep God's law you will find favor with God and with me as written in the proverbs, and you are to keep the laws of the land you're captive in. So these men sought out to get him based on the laws of God. For instance around the world and in the United States it is legal for a man to marry a man in some states; but it is not permissible in the laws of God; this would cause controversy if Barack Obama utterly banished gay marriage. He probably would not have got the job.
So they looked to get Daniel in one of these types of instances concerning the law of God in order to get Darius to go against him and remove him.
10Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
The presidents and princes chalked up a bogus law that they were able to get the king to sign all in plots to get Daniel. And when Daniel saw it was signed, he went in prayer, facing Jerusalem (as Solomon prayed for God to open and hear), three times a day minimum, giving thanks to the Lord.
Then the men caught Daniel praying, breaking the law they just had signed and reported him; the king loved Daniel and fought to get him around the silly decree he signed but the pressured to have the law upheld.
The king finally had to consent and toss Daniel into the den of lions and told Daniel that his God will deliver him. The king couldn't sleep that night and in the morning came to see if Daniel was okay. When you need a smart man on your team to help you run your administration, putting them in a den of lions is not going to sit easy.
Daniel reported to the king, first off by speaking it let's us know he was alive, but he told Darius that God has sent an angel to shut the mouth of lions and put a peace over their hearts. The king was glad and had Daniel removed; and had those men who accused Daniel to be thrown in, along with their children, and wives and the lion made a meal of them. Those wicked men got to see their children and wives being torn by lions because they were jealous and wanted another man's position.
26I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
27He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
During this time, children of Ham, Gentiles, and Semitics; all had to have known about the true and living God of Israel.
In this chapter we are going to go backwards back into Belshazzar's rule and pick up some things that Daniel went through and saw. Daniel had his own dreams and wrote them; he saw four winds of heaven on the great sea and four great beast come out of the sea all different from one another.
The first was like a lion with eagles wings, the second beast was was like a bear and it had three ribs in the mouth of it and was ordered to eat up much flesh (v1-5).
9I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
10A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
The third beast was a leopard, and it had four wings of a bird on it's back, it also had four head and much power. The last and fourth beast he saw he didn't get a name for it; it was dreadful and terrible, iron teeth, stamped on everything, it was different from all the other beast and it had ten horns on it's head. With more consideration, Daniel saw another little horn come out of this beast and it plucked out three of the ten horns it already had by the root.
This little horn had eyes like a man and a mouth speaking great things.
Then came the Ancient of days, Jesus, with hair like pure wool, a throne of fiery flame, and many stood before Him being judged and the books were open. This right here in verses 10 is the white throne judgment, which will be conducted after the 1,000 years of peace on the earth, and we're reading it here in the Old Testament.
That little horn that was speaking great things spoke until it was killed and his body was thrown in the burning flame. Here in verse 11 is the lake of fire we read about in Isaiah chapter 66. Daniel saw the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and dominion, glory, and a kingdom was given to Him by the other Ancient of days, the Father, and all people on the earth will serve Him and His kingdom will not be destroyed. All of this troubled Daniel; and I know it did because reading it troubled me.
An angel stood by to tell Daniel what this dream means. You see we do not have to interpret the dream, just let God do it for us. First off, these four great beast are four kingdoms to rise out of the earth (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome - look them up in your encyclopedia).
However, the saints of the most High will take the kingdom and have it forever. Daniel wanted to know more about that terrible beast that God couldn't even name an animal that it was equivalent to and I want to know more about them as well.
25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
That little horn speaking crazily and great and was killed and thrown in the fire, it made war with the saints. Do you consider yourself a saint? This man will be after you or your children in some time come.
This beast is going to devour the whole earth and break it into pieces, it will do this in great measure during the great tribulation.
The ten horns on his head are ten kings, the little horn will pluck up three of these kings. Now as for those great words he was speaking, he was speaking them against the Most High God, this horn changed God's laws and even changed the times.
This horn has power now; but he will have absolute power (which we know corrupts absolutely), during the great tribulation, which is a time and times and the dividing of time. Time is a year; remember Nebuchadnezzar went mad 7 times; that was 7 years. Times is two years, that's a total of three, and a dividing of time is half a year; that is 3 and a half years of power given to this little horn to rule the earth.
27And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
28Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
However, the little horn will be destroyed and the kingdom and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven will be given to the saints of God and all will obey Him. This dream really changed Daniels life and his thinking; and I know it did because reading it really changed mine.
Two years later, Daniel had another dream and vision and he saw a ram by a river, the ram had two horns, one higher than the other (the higher one came last). The ram pushed in all directions, no animal could stand before it (Medo-Persia). While this was happening, a male goat came up out of the west, it moved quickly not even touching the ground with a notable horn between it's eyes (Alexander the Great of Greece).
The goat knocked down the ram and crushed it; no one could stop it nor help the ram. Alexander the great took over immediately after the Persian rule and he did so quickly and powerfully. He took over the world fast and dominantly. The Greek Empire was great and strong, then the horn was broken, Alexander died young, and four notable ones took over. Look up Alexander the great and when he died, you will see four generals took over his kingdom and spread out over the face of the earth ((1) Cassander 2) Lysimachus 3) Ptolemy 4) Seleucus).
And it is out of these four horns that the little horn that spoke boastfully against God came from; and he became great, he was the general who spread to Rome and developed the Roman Empire, which is the fourth and dreadful beast.
The little horn magnified himself, he took away the daily sacrifice, which will erroneously set back up in the future by the Jewish people. I saw erroneously because when JESUS died on the cross, there is no need and use of animal sacrifice.
This little horn cast the truth to the ground and all that he practiced prospered. Now the two angels that are relaying this to Daniel, one asked the other, how long will it be from the daily sacrifice and the sin that makes the land desolate, which was given to the little horn to walk all over be (v13)?
And he said, 2,300, then the sanctuary will be cleansed. Now I've thrown in the names of the historical figures, however, the bible will give us more clarification; but I want to read it with understanding.
19And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.
20The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
Now we are sure that these two men who are revealing this to Daniel are not men; they are just appearing as men. Angels can appear as anything to you. We see the man say, "Gabriel, make this man understand this vision!" So Gabriel will proceed to do his job, bring light, bring truth.
After Daniel fell, Gabriel let him know the vision will be for the time of the end, the end as in before the Lord returns the second time. The ram with the two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. I could have waited till you read it here; but I felt you needed to read it with understanding right away for it to make sense and you do not have to go back and reread it again.
The male rough goat is the king of Grecia (Greece) and that was Alexander the great. His four generals stood up after he fell; but they didn't have as much power as he did. Now those four generals spread out and developed kingdoms; but Rome's stood most powerful, and a king, very fierce, and understands dark sentences, meaning this king knows what's going on just as well as the top readers of the bible. He knows all of what we're reading right now.
He is going to wonderfully destroy people, holy people though, and create policies to tangle people, and do miracles, magnify himself, and come in peace. However, in the name of peace, he will destroy many people. He will be so confident in his borrowed strength and power, that He is going to fight against the One who gave him his power, the Lord God, and he will then be broken without hands.
26And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.
27And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.
Now we know who the first three beast were clearly, Babylon, Medes and Persians, and Greece. Historically we can go see who took over power after Greece and see it was the people ruling during the time of Jesus, the Romans. The Roman Empire is the one who produced the last king who is so fierce.
Now the vision is for many days, it's a historical and future walk, and when Daniel was done with them he was sick for certain days, amazed at the vision, and did not even fully understand it.
This concludes today's reading; we will finish this tomorrow. Peace and grace in the name of Jesus Christ.
The gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel, Reuben, Judah, Levi, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, and name of that city from that day forward will be, "the Lord is there (v31-35)." With so many references that the Lord will be on the earth, it is hard to see why people desire to go to heaven so much? These twelve gates you have to go through to enter into the Father's kingdom.
Ezekiel's book started with a scary vision of what he called living creatures that we found out to be angels of God, it talked much about the destruction and disobedience of Israel towards their God; then it read on the recovery and finally the redemption. The Lord is merciful to His people and will again gather the children of Israel into peace with Him on the earth.
We move into the book of Daniel now.
Daniel chapter 1
The king gave them food daily, treated them well, gave them wine, and nourished & trained them 3 years so they can work for the king. You notice the good seeds of Israel were not dummies; but skilled people. Here, captured slaves were put in high offices of the administration to help the administration; but to also help regulate and control the rest who are rebellious. While that probably took place, we see the king had enough respect to train the top smart men in sciences to put them to work in the higher positions of his government.
In this group the king took to understudy and also train of the Jews were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were renamed respectively, Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Daniel didn't want to eat the meat of the king nor drink the wine so he proposed do something else in order not to defile himself. The king of Babylon's eunuchs had favor for Daniel, he must've been a cute guy or he had a humble and likable personality.
17As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
So Daniel propose to eat beans and veggies and drink water; and in 10 days, his flesh was better than those eating meat and drinking wine. Daniel and his companions mentioned earlier, God had given them knowledge, skill in wisdom, and specifically to Daniel great understanding in all visions and dreams.
So the three years finished and just like a modern day American Idol show the winners were set to be chosen and Daniel and his 3 buddies were chosen by the king to stand before him. Just as Pharaoh went to Joseph for wisdom and Joseph trained Pharaoh's senators, king Nebuchadnezzar went to Daniel in all matters of wisdom and understanding; and found Daniels answers to be ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in his realm.
Daniel was a smart and understanding fellow who the Lord looked after in his captivity. He had the top position the kings cabinet and continued until the first year of king Cyrus.
Daniel 2
The kings magician told him it is not possible for a man to tell you your dream with no description of the dream. That person may as well tell you what you are thinking as well. They told the king on the gods can show him his dream. However, when you call yourself an astrologer, doctor, magician, or sorcerer, you have to live up to your title, especially if you're being paid. So the king was angry and called to destroy all wise men in Babylon, and it came also to have Daniel and his boys killed.
Daniel asked why the king is so upset and making such a hasty decree. For Daniel not to know that means they did not bother to bring him to the table to attempt to answer the king; but they bring him out to be killed. We know people are not fair at all in their dealings.
Daniel asked to have time that he would provide the kings dream to him; and he and his buddies prayed to God and the Lord gave Daniel the answer in a dream that night. Daniel having a big heart told the king not to kill all these false prophets and magicians and psychics; because they could never show you what you needed.
Daniel removed himself from the picture and told the king that the God of Heaven will show him his dream.
34Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
35Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
This was the dream; the king saw a great image, bright and excellent standing before the king and it looked terrible and dreadful. The images head was made of fine gold, his chest and arms were made of silver, his belly and thighs were made of brass, and his legs were made of iron and his feet part iron and part clay.
Then the king saw a stone being cut out without hands and the image was hit on the feet by the stone and it broke the feet into pieces, then the whole image was broken into pieces and carried away in the wind. The the stone that crushed the image became a great mountain that filled the entire earth.
Pretty neat huh?
44And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
So Daniel told him his own dream; then proceeded to tell him what it meant. The Lord has made Nebuchadnezzar king over the entire earth, the first man to rule the entire earth. After Nebuchadnezzar another kingdom slightly inferior (hence going from gold to silver) will rule, and after them a third kingdom (brass). Then a fourth kingdom will be strong as iron. Now the toes and foot is part of the the fourth kingdom but it is a mixture of nations, some strong some weak (iron and clay). In the days of the toes, these are kings, the God of Heaven will set up a kingdom and this kingdom will never be destroyed nor passed on to another people or generation, breaking all these kingdoms before it and it will stand forever.
Daniel let the king know that the God of Israel has shown him what will come here after and that the dream is certain and the interpretation of it is sure. Now when someone can tell you what you dreamed and tell you what it means, and finally your conscious is relieved of the burden you've been carrying, naturally you'll want to fall down and worship that person as the king Nebuchadnezzar did to a captive he took out of Jerusalem.
The king was convinced that Daniel's God was God and promoted Daniel greatly even over other Babylonians and Daniel then promoted his guys. They didn't get big headed and forget their God as so many people do today when they receive money and prestige.
Daniel 3
If you saw the numbers there they add up to 666, sixty cubits high, 6 wide, and 6 different instruments; this ties in with the end of the Gentile dynasty when the Lord returns.
6And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
Who ever did not fall down and bow would be thrown in a fiery furnace. High officials of Babylon knew that many Jews would not go for it; so they accused them of not obeying the kings order.
So they told on Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) that they would not worship the kings image and the king asked them is it true that they did not want to worship the kings image. Quite naturally, these men knew obeyed the first four commandments and were not going to bow down and worship an image.
They were not even careful or respectful in their response, plainly stating that they don't know if God will save them from the furnace, but they know He is able to do it, but one thing is for sure they are not serving any other god. This made the king very upset and he ordered the furnace to be seven times hotter than it was, really testing their faith. We have to ask ourselves today, is our faith at that level?
And some mighty men of the king put them in.
The fire was so hot that the men who threw the Hebrew boys in got burned up to death. However, the king became amazed when he looked into the midst of the furnace and saw four men silhouette's walking about in the fire, without being hurt, not burning up, and the fourth man the king reported to look like the Son of God, Jesus.
This reminded me of the burning bush in Moses day; the Lord controls fire and He is also a consuming fire. These men faith preserved them and the Lord delivered them.
30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
The king ordered the men out and acknowledged their God, they did not smell like fire or smoke and the king blessed their God, who sent an angel to deliver them because they trusted in Him. So he made a decree that all peoples should serve the God of the Jews, and if not they will be cut in pieces. Serving God also came with a public promotion in man's realm.
Daniel 4
He began to tell a vision he had about a tree that grew strong and a holy one from heaven came and chopped the tree to a stump.
They changed the heart of it from a man to a beast and allowed "seven times" pass by that is seven years for it to be like this. This was to show the living that the most High God rules the kingdom of men, even if man is the physical ruler; he is suppose to obey God.
So Daniel now is telling this dream and it is woefully against the king.
25That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
The king is the tree; it is he who began to think he has built this great kingdom by himself and was not given it by God. It is the king who will be chopped down and wander the forest like a beast for seven years. The Lord is doing this to humble him because he was boasting himself too much.
Daniel finished telling the king his dream; and obviously the king did not take heed and 12 months later he began boasting of the great kingdom he put together and how he built everything himself.
While he was in the middle of speaking, a voice came from heaven saying the kingdom is departed from him. He did just as the dream he had that Daniel told him and he was in the wild like a beast eating grass like oxen, waking up with dew on him, in plain he lost his mind and went crazy or mad. After seven years he return to his right mind and blessed the Lord again. He realized that it is actually true, the Lord rules among men; and He just doesn't deliver for His people; but He actually controls the entire world (v31-36).
He was reestablished as ruler, this time he was with the Lord.
Daniel 5
He had them bring them in that his princes, wives, and concubines could drink out of them. The key here is that they drank wine with these vessels and praised materials; so the Lord ended this party with a smash.
A hand, not even, just four fingers of a man's hand wrote on wall and people could only see the four fingers, and the king saw the four fingers.
Quickly his mind sobered up and he became scared, so scared his knees were knocking together. You have to imagine seeing fingers float over to a wall, write a note, and disappear. You know someone or something is in the room and can kill you next. I can just hear the music stopping and everyone just looking at each other.
The king cried out with a loud cry commanding the wise men to come in as in his fathers day; but none of them could interpret the writing, and he fear more and more. Finally, the queen remembered trusty dusty old Daniel who did Nebuchadnezzar's dreams.
The king knew of Daniel, and asked him to break down the writing on the wall (and yes, this is where this statement comes from).
The king offered him great gifts, even the kingship if he could tell the dream; but Daniel refused telling him to give it to others and keep the gifts; but he will tell the king the meaning. He reminded the king of how God worked in the days of Nebuchadnezzar; how the Lord sets up and removes rulers.
25And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
Belshazzar saw how God humbled Nebuchadnezzar, but still he did not humble himself to this God, and then throw a party using God's vessels and praising other gods of materials, so the Lord sent a hand to give you a message.
26This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
28PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
The meaning of the writing in verse 25 was God has numbered your kingdom and finished it. The king has been weighed on a scale and doesn't weigh anything, and his kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
Quickly get an encyclopedia sitting in your home and look up the Medes and Persians and see who ruled the world before them. Daniel is breaking it down for us world history. Thus Daniel became the third ruler, but he turn the job down and that very night was Belshazzar assassinated and when the smoked cleared, Darius the Median took over the kingdom at 62 years of age.
Daniel chapter 6
3Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
5Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.So Darius came in and ordered his kingdom; with 120 princes who report to 3 presidents, and Daniel was the first president and verse three tells us why. The king really wanted Daniel over the whole realm because of wisdom and understanding. This brings along men who hate, especially when they see a captive Jew being promoted ahead of them. So they begin to plot to bring Daniel down.
They could find nothing on Daniel because Daniel knew that if you keep God's law you will find favor with God and with me as written in the proverbs, and you are to keep the laws of the land you're captive in. So these men sought out to get him based on the laws of God. For instance around the world and in the United States it is legal for a man to marry a man in some states; but it is not permissible in the laws of God; this would cause controversy if Barack Obama utterly banished gay marriage. He probably would not have got the job.
So they looked to get Daniel in one of these types of instances concerning the law of God in order to get Darius to go against him and remove him.
10Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
The presidents and princes chalked up a bogus law that they were able to get the king to sign all in plots to get Daniel. And when Daniel saw it was signed, he went in prayer, facing Jerusalem (as Solomon prayed for God to open and hear), three times a day minimum, giving thanks to the Lord.
Then the men caught Daniel praying, breaking the law they just had signed and reported him; the king loved Daniel and fought to get him around the silly decree he signed but the pressured to have the law upheld.
The king finally had to consent and toss Daniel into the den of lions and told Daniel that his God will deliver him. The king couldn't sleep that night and in the morning came to see if Daniel was okay. When you need a smart man on your team to help you run your administration, putting them in a den of lions is not going to sit easy.
Daniel reported to the king, first off by speaking it let's us know he was alive, but he told Darius that God has sent an angel to shut the mouth of lions and put a peace over their hearts. The king was glad and had Daniel removed; and had those men who accused Daniel to be thrown in, along with their children, and wives and the lion made a meal of them. Those wicked men got to see their children and wives being torn by lions because they were jealous and wanted another man's position.
26I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
27He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
During this time, children of Ham, Gentiles, and Semitics; all had to have known about the true and living God of Israel.
Daniel 7
The first was like a lion with eagles wings, the second beast was was like a bear and it had three ribs in the mouth of it and was ordered to eat up much flesh (v1-5).
9I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
10A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
The third beast was a leopard, and it had four wings of a bird on it's back, it also had four head and much power. The last and fourth beast he saw he didn't get a name for it; it was dreadful and terrible, iron teeth, stamped on everything, it was different from all the other beast and it had ten horns on it's head. With more consideration, Daniel saw another little horn come out of this beast and it plucked out three of the ten horns it already had by the root.
This little horn had eyes like a man and a mouth speaking great things.
Then came the Ancient of days, Jesus, with hair like pure wool, a throne of fiery flame, and many stood before Him being judged and the books were open. This right here in verses 10 is the white throne judgment, which will be conducted after the 1,000 years of peace on the earth, and we're reading it here in the Old Testament.
That little horn that was speaking great things spoke until it was killed and his body was thrown in the burning flame. Here in verse 11 is the lake of fire we read about in Isaiah chapter 66. Daniel saw the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and dominion, glory, and a kingdom was given to Him by the other Ancient of days, the Father, and all people on the earth will serve Him and His kingdom will not be destroyed. All of this troubled Daniel; and I know it did because reading it troubled me.
An angel stood by to tell Daniel what this dream means. You see we do not have to interpret the dream, just let God do it for us. First off, these four great beast are four kingdoms to rise out of the earth (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome - look them up in your encyclopedia).
However, the saints of the most High will take the kingdom and have it forever. Daniel wanted to know more about that terrible beast that God couldn't even name an animal that it was equivalent to and I want to know more about them as well.
25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
That little horn speaking crazily and great and was killed and thrown in the fire, it made war with the saints. Do you consider yourself a saint? This man will be after you or your children in some time come.
This beast is going to devour the whole earth and break it into pieces, it will do this in great measure during the great tribulation.
The ten horns on his head are ten kings, the little horn will pluck up three of these kings. Now as for those great words he was speaking, he was speaking them against the Most High God, this horn changed God's laws and even changed the times.
This horn has power now; but he will have absolute power (which we know corrupts absolutely), during the great tribulation, which is a time and times and the dividing of time. Time is a year; remember Nebuchadnezzar went mad 7 times; that was 7 years. Times is two years, that's a total of three, and a dividing of time is half a year; that is 3 and a half years of power given to this little horn to rule the earth.
27And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
28Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
However, the little horn will be destroyed and the kingdom and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven will be given to the saints of God and all will obey Him. This dream really changed Daniels life and his thinking; and I know it did because reading it really changed mine.
Daniel chapter 8
The goat knocked down the ram and crushed it; no one could stop it nor help the ram. Alexander the great took over immediately after the Persian rule and he did so quickly and powerfully. He took over the world fast and dominantly. The Greek Empire was great and strong, then the horn was broken, Alexander died young, and four notable ones took over. Look up Alexander the great and when he died, you will see four generals took over his kingdom and spread out over the face of the earth ((1) Cassander 2) Lysimachus 3) Ptolemy 4) Seleucus).
And it is out of these four horns that the little horn that spoke boastfully against God came from; and he became great, he was the general who spread to Rome and developed the Roman Empire, which is the fourth and dreadful beast.
The little horn magnified himself, he took away the daily sacrifice, which will erroneously set back up in the future by the Jewish people. I saw erroneously because when JESUS died on the cross, there is no need and use of animal sacrifice.
This little horn cast the truth to the ground and all that he practiced prospered. Now the two angels that are relaying this to Daniel, one asked the other, how long will it be from the daily sacrifice and the sin that makes the land desolate, which was given to the little horn to walk all over be (v13)?
And he said, 2,300, then the sanctuary will be cleansed. Now I've thrown in the names of the historical figures, however, the bible will give us more clarification; but I want to read it with understanding.
19And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.
20The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
Now we are sure that these two men who are revealing this to Daniel are not men; they are just appearing as men. Angels can appear as anything to you. We see the man say, "Gabriel, make this man understand this vision!" So Gabriel will proceed to do his job, bring light, bring truth.
After Daniel fell, Gabriel let him know the vision will be for the time of the end, the end as in before the Lord returns the second time. The ram with the two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. I could have waited till you read it here; but I felt you needed to read it with understanding right away for it to make sense and you do not have to go back and reread it again.
The male rough goat is the king of Grecia (Greece) and that was Alexander the great. His four generals stood up after he fell; but they didn't have as much power as he did. Now those four generals spread out and developed kingdoms; but Rome's stood most powerful, and a king, very fierce, and understands dark sentences, meaning this king knows what's going on just as well as the top readers of the bible. He knows all of what we're reading right now.
He is going to wonderfully destroy people, holy people though, and create policies to tangle people, and do miracles, magnify himself, and come in peace. However, in the name of peace, he will destroy many people. He will be so confident in his borrowed strength and power, that He is going to fight against the One who gave him his power, the Lord God, and he will then be broken without hands.
26And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.
27And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.
Now we know who the first three beast were clearly, Babylon, Medes and Persians, and Greece. Historically we can go see who took over power after Greece and see it was the people ruling during the time of Jesus, the Romans. The Roman Empire is the one who produced the last king who is so fierce.
Now the vision is for many days, it's a historical and future walk, and when Daniel was done with them he was sick for certain days, amazed at the vision, and did not even fully understand it.
This concludes today's reading; we will finish this tomorrow. Peace and grace in the name of Jesus Christ.
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Peace & Grace
Peace & Grace
