Hello
Friends!
Welcome
back
to our Encouraging Concepts Bible
study series focused on the powerfully PROPHETIC picture portrayed in the Old Testament book
of Daniel painted as a panoramic
landscape of World History in FIVE successions “written” in
ardent ADVANCE some 2,600 years ago…
“The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST, PRESENT
& FUTURE!”
The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST,
PRESENT & FUTURE (Chapter 2: Verses 29-36)
29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts
came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he
that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. 30 But as for me, this
secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living,
but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and
that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. 31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This
great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form
thereof was terrible. 32 This
image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and
his thighs of brass, 33 His
legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 34 Thou 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. 35 Then 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. 36 This
is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king – Daniel 2:29-36
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: The man “Daniel” is an incredibly RARE kind
of “man” indeed and that is EXACTLY the
real reason our great “God”
used him greatly. And that is also WHY when the prophet “Ezekiel” had rightly recited the “three” rare RIGHTEOUSLY magnificent “men”
of promised PROPHETIC Biblical history, he had poignantly placed “Daniel” intently IN their midst…
Though these three men, Noah,
Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their
righteousness, saith the Lord God.
If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that
it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts: Though
these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor
daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. Or if
I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I
cut off man and beast from it: Though these three men were in it, as I live,
saith the Lord God, they
shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered
themselves. Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon
it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast: Though Noah, Daniel, and Job
were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God,
they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own
souls by their righteousness – Ezekiel 14:14-20
And
even though he was a contemporary of the prophet “Ezekiel” himself, our daring “Daniel” was not ONLY a uniquely unusual fellow... He was
indeed “God’s” great – CHOICE Servant!
Therefore,
as we CONTINUE to pick up our serious “study” where we left off previously
concerning this EXCITING adventure, we find yet another choice CHARCTER trait
of which “Daniel” held in heart – Humility…
As for thee, O king, thy thoughts
came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he
that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass – Daniel 2:29
Here
“Daniel” diligently DETAILS the thorough “thoughts”
moving within the “mind” of the surely shaken “king Nebuchadnezzar”
as he pondered what should “come
to pass” in the FUTURE tense. And we also find yet ANOTHER magnificent Name for “God”
as the Almighty “that revealeth secrets” of
which was NEW up to that “time”
in human history and had NEVER been used until then. WHY?
Because it is Him ALONE of Whom shall “maketh known”
these thrilling “things” that were – SOON to Come!
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: The “children of
Israel” within the CHOSEN city of “Jerusalem” had once been SUPREME in all the “nations’ throughout the lands
abroad. WHY? Because the “most High” Himself had diligently “divided to the nations their inheritance” and thus “separated the sons of Adam” as He “set the bounds” for them. And it was made known that “Jacob is the lot of his inheritance” and the “Lord’s portion is his
people” of whom were personally
PRESENT there in the “days of old” for very “many generations” to come:
Remember the days of old, consider the years of many
generations: ask
thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. When the most High divided to the
nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people
according to the number of the children of Israel. For the Lord’s portion is his people; Jacob is the
lot of his inheritance – Deuteronomy 32:7-9
However,
due to their deep DISOBEDIENCE the torrential “times
of the Gentiles” themselves were ushered in with the PROPHESIED belligerent “Babylonian” complete “captivity” conjured by “King Nebuchadnezzar” and it was then
that the grand “glory
of the God of Israel” had decidedly “departed” from the “threshold of the Lord’s house” nestled within the “midst of the city” in full. In fact, it was the great “prophet” of this calamity named “Ezekiel” had boldly “beheld” the DEPARTURE of the Holy Spirit’s
great “Shekinah” glory.
Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the
house, and stood over the cherubims. And the cherubims lifted up their
wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the
wheels also were beside
them, and every one stood
at the door of the east gate of the Lord’s house; and the glory of the God of
Israel was over them
above – Ezekiel 10:18-19
Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels
beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and
stood upon the mountain which is on
the east side of the city – Ezekiel 11:22-23
And although “Assyria” followed by “Egypt” and then initially followed
by “Babylon” itself, had all tried REPEATEDLY in historic “times”
past to overtly overthrow the city of “Jerusalem” itself, they were HELD back by the perfect POWER of
our great “God” through His Divine Intervention in kind. However, when the full measure
of waning “wickedness” active throughout ALL of imprudent “Jerusalem” was finally FILLED up, this cunning “King Nebuchadnezzar” was indeed the chosen instrument BY our great “God” to
become the FIRST great monarch PLACED in reigning power
during the period of Biblical history rightly “known” as
the “times of the Gentiles” proper. Therefore, the PROPHESIED pre-determined dominion was then TAKEN away
from jaundice “Jerusalem” for a certain “season” and grandly GIVEN over to pagans – The GENTILES!
HUMILITY in CRISIS!
“But as for me” continues “Daniel” in his HUMBLE conversation with “king Nebuchadnezzar” as he eagerly insists
that he can NOT take any of the credit for this “revealed secret” what so ever. WHY? Because he is NOT anyone special nor is he BETTER than anyone else…
But as for me, this secret is not
revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their
sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou
mightest know the thoughts of thy heart – Daniel
2:30
In
other words, “Daniel” denotes that the
grand “God of heaven” has given “you” this demanding “dream”
in its FULL measure “O king”
and He WILL faithfully and finally FULFILL it as He has spoken! It is “God”
of Whom ALONE is the right “revealer of
secrets” and He has done this for HIS own Sovereign purposes. What an honorable “heart” of helpful HUMILITY
in whole! The man for a CRISIS is indeed rightly related to himself
in his own “heart” and to his “God in heaven” as the loving “Lord” of all. And he is rightly
related to other people as he seeks to LOVE them and thus NOT think of himself as the – BETTER Brother!
Forgotten Dream Foretold!
The
once great “nations” of the “Gentiles” and their “kingdoms
of men” will indeed ALL eventually GO the way of the “flesh”
and ultimately END in full ruin in kind. WHY? Because anything BUILT upon the maniacal “might
of man” and the waning “wisdom of man”
will certainly SUFFER the same deterioration since our
Original FALL into
deep “dissipation” just like EVERY other
“nation” in history gone before. And as a
rank result, “we” too have “feet of clay” much like the multi-metallic
gigantic “great image” diligently described
by “Daniel” as being “terrible” of which represents the
sadistic “seed of men” in kind:
Thou, O king, sawest, and behold
a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before
thee; and the form thereof was terrible – Daniel
2:31
And
wherever anything is blindly BUILT upon the bewildered “brightness”
of menacing “men” themselves, it is
indeed – Built FOR Dissolution!
Therefore, the “dream”
that this “King Nebuchadnezzar” experienced was descriptive of an UNSTABLE top-heavy and DETERIORATING depiction of an “image” of
a mesmerizing “man” adorned with a “head” made with “fine gold” followed by a bright “breast” and “arms of silver” including a “belly” and “thighs of brass” withholding two “legs of iron” supported by “feet” that were made “part of iron” and “part of clay” mixed together in kind:
This image's head was of fine
gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His
legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay – Daniel 2:32-33
Here the “interpretation” given by “Daniel” of the “King's” dense “dream” of this idyllic “image” was actually the real REVELATION of the emerging world "empires" eerily encompassed within the “times of the Gentiles” of which were CLOSE at hand. Thus, “Daniel” had perfectly PROPHESIED that there were indeed FOUR grandiose “Gentile” monarchies to come – Gentile World Powers!
ONE: The “head” of
fostered “fine gold” represented the FIRST great superior monarchy HISTORICALLY held by “King Nebuchadnezzar” through to until his grandson “Belshazzar” from 606 B.C. to 539 B.C. known as the – Babylonian Empire!
TWO: The “breast
and arms of silver”
represented the SECOND great inferior monarchy HISTORICALLY held by “Darius the Median” and “Cyrus the Persian” from 539 B.C. to 330 B.C. known as the – Medo-Persian Empire!
THREE: The “belly and thighs of brass” represented the THIRD great inferior monarchy HISTORICALLY held by Alexander the Great and his subsequent foursome of Generals from 330 B.C. to 63 B.C. known as the – Graeco-Macedonian Empire!
FOUR: The “legs of
iron” represented the FOURTH great inferior
monarchy HISTORICALLY held by Rome from 63 B.C. to 330 A.D. known as the – Roman Empire!
Here we find that HISTORY was pre-written in an avid ADVANCE notice by our great “God” Himself of Whom ALONE knows the “end”
from the “beginning” revealed in this dramatic – Dream DECLARED!
We must notice the process
of deep DETERIORATION as indicated by the composition
of the mandated METALS denoted in this ire “image” as
such: The grand “gold” is fully followed by sleek “silver” of which is then followed by bright “brass” of
which is then followed by irregular “iron” and is then finalized by co-opted “clay” of
pragmatic PUBLIC OPIINION as it is purposefully PRIORITIZED within a prominent
place on the “world” stage abroad. WHY? Because “God” is practically PROMISING that the tyrannical “times of the Gentiles” in the perverted POLITICAL sense – Are NOT
Improving!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: The FOURTH great monarchy represented by
the Roman Empire has NOT yet reached its FINAL form
during the “times of the Gentiles” within human history. WHY? Because the FUTURE fulfillment
of this gargantuan “government” to one “day” arrive on the sordid scene
is seen symbolically here via the miry MIXTURE of
the “iron” along with the “clay” within these “ten toes” contained in the frail “feet” of
this surreal structure. The total territory of which once upon
a “time” had corporately constituted the now EXTINCT existence of the ancient Roman Empire will (in the seemingly NEAR future)
utterly undergo a political REVIVAL of sorts. HOW? It will apparently REAPPEAR through a confederated European conglomerate
encompassing certain “Gentile” man-made “kingdoms” each clamoring to “come” by the noxious number totaling
the sum of “ten” within this caustic “clay” composition. This rank realm represents
a dire DIATRIBE of demonized DEMOCRACIES denoting a rank representation
of reigning rule bolstered BY the “people” and FOR the “people” to which WILL eventually ensue into a
mass MOB of political fickle fodder for the PROPHESIED person of “anti-christ” as the “son of perdition” and “Wicked” wonder to be rightly “revealed” when his terrible “time” comes. Of course this PROPHETIC plan will Sovereignly be greatly “given” over to this “Beast” of
a man BY the only TRUE glorious “God in heaven” from the resulting ashes of a – MAN-MADE Mayhem!
This maniacal menace
will expeditiously “exalteth himself
above all that is called God” and in blatant blasphemously will go on “shewing himself that he is God” during “his time” of roughly ruling the ENTIRE planet through a full-orbed
– One World Satanic
System!
Little children,
it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it
is the last time… Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?
He is antichrist, that
denieth the Father and the Son – 1 John
2:18 & 22
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except
there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of
perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or
that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing
himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told
you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be
revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only
he who now letteth will let, until
he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom
the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the
brightness of his coming: even
him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and
signs and lying wonders, and
with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they
received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this
cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that
they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness – 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12
In fact, ALL the great “world”
wars of the PAST have brazenly brought into the PRESENT a powerful political posterity unto our current “times”
proven precisely as human “history” itself has CLEARLY concluded – FORETOLD by the FEET!
However… There IS also an eternal Sovereign solid smiting “stone” that was “cut out without hands” to come! This purposeful pre-determined
dire “dream” landscape is “rightly” referring to absolutely NO human intervention
what so ever as He will severely “smote the image” upon its “feet” powerfully PULVERIZING it into many
fragmented “pieces” as
perfectly PREDICTED long ago through
the wonderful “Word of God” itself:
Thou 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 – Daniel 2:34
PROPHETIC PROMISE: Incidentally, this “stone” is also a righteous representation pertaining
to the PROMISED return of the literal and personal
long-awaited Second
Coming of our sweet “Savior” and loving “Lord Jesus Christ” Himself – BACK to EARTH!
Then 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 – Daniel 2:35
According
to modern-day ardent archaeologists, “King
Nebuchadnezzar’s” chief false “god”
was bemoaned as Bel-Merodach and was rightly referred to by
the satanic name Shadu Rabu of which means “great mountain”
and roughly represents an eerily IMAGINED all-powerful goofy “god”
of sorts. And this loony LEGEND laments in that Bel-Merodach found himself in a battle with
another gross “god” named Tiamat the dragon of chaos. And as a rank
result, Bel-Merodach had deeply defeated the terrible Tiamat in full. HOW? By sending a hurricane to conjure up a
willowing “wind” of which “carried” away Tiamat
the dragon as the chided ”chaff of the
summer” thrashed on the “threshingfloors”
in kind. Thus, this particular PROPHESIED
poignant “passage” no doubt pointed DIRECTLY towards
“King Nebuchadnezzar’s” satanic system
of a false and fatal – Torrid THEOLOGY!
However,
“Daniel” powerfully proclaimed that
actually in REALITY the stronger “stone that smote
the image became a great mountain” and no doubt WILL brilliantly
“fill the whole earth” in its
entirety. In other words, “Daniel” declares to “King
Nebuchadnezzar” directly that his little “g”
so-called gaudy “god” will be – Righteously REPLACED!
POIGNANT POINTS: The Sovereign sweet “stone” of
which sternly “smote” this DEMONICLY dark “image” will in turn Himself BECOME a grandiose “great mountain” filling the “whole earth” abroad:
Because ye have said, We have
made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the
overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have
made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: Therefore thus
saith the Lord God, Behold, I
lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a
sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste – Isaiah
28:15-16
Jesus saith unto them, Did ye
never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same
is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is
marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken
from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And
whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall
fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had
heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. But when they sought
to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a
prophet – Matthew 21:42-46
Powerfully PICTURED here in these serene “scriptures” are the serious “sins” of the nation “Israel” and her just “judgment” firmly followed by the just
“judgement” of the “Gentile” nations in kind. The non-compliant “nation” of insolent “Israel” had seriously “stumbled” upon this sweet “stone” of sacrifice. WHY? Because for them “Jesus Christ” was a silly “stumbling stone” and the rudely REJECTED ridiculous “rock of offense” denied. And as a coinciding CONSEQUENCE they were broodily “broken” as a whole. Similarly, for the “Gentiles” to wrongly REJECT Him will rightly RESULT in their being completely “broken” when this strong “stone” finally “falls” upon THEM as well. Therefore, they
TOO will be “ground to powder” by this “falling stone” Himself – ETERNAL Destruction!
This falling “stone” to
Whom “God” speaks of here in this “dream” denotes the SAME Person performing HIS work
in severely “smiting” the indulgent “image” that fully foreshadows the coming “Kingdom” of which WILL one dire “day” be
eagerly established along with the righteous RETURN of
our “Lord Jesus Christ” as the enthroning – KING of kings and LORD of lords!
Now at last, “Daniel” poignantly PROMISES that “we”
will totally “tell” of its TRUE insightful ‘interpretation” itself:
This is the dream; and we will
tell the interpretation thereof before the king… – Daniel 2:36
And just WHO is
the “we” that is mentioned here? Perhaps this “we”
rightly represents “Daniel” and his “three” faithful “companions” named “Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah” in kind. And it may also represent “Daniel’ caringly coupled WITH his great “God of heaven” combined. Either way, this demanding “dream” is about to be rightly REVEALED to the concerned “king” just as he has death-defyingly – DEMANDED!
More to
follow… STAY tuned!
In
closing:
REAL REFLECTIONS: The twelve chapters of “Daniel” are powerfully PROMISED prophecies depicting the unfolding
of the HISTORIC events of which will take place leading up to
the literal “time” of the SECOND awaited
physical “coming” of our loving “Lord Jesus Christ” back to the earth:
And 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 – Daniel 2:44
And
our SERIOUS study of these PROPHECIES will
rightly REVEAL to each student of God's wonderful “Word” that the events FORETOLD
some 2,600 years ago could
possibly be FULFILLED in the seemingly near future…
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"
