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 3: Verses 1-7)
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was
threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the
plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then
Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and
the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and
all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which
Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the
judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of
the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that
Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that
Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then an
herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the
cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye
fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set
up: 6 And whoso falleth not down and
worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery
furnace. 7 Therefore at that time, when
all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery,
and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell
down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up – Daniel 3:1-7
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: In our previous “study” sessions through Chapter 2 we discovered daunting “dream” details of “King Nebuchadnezzar” and the incredible “interpretation” provided by “God” through the young lad “Daniel” as a PROPHETIC backdrop
to the coming “world” history
extending throughout the trying “times of the
Gentiles” themselves…
And they
shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led
away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden
down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be
fulfilled – Luke 21:24
The FOUR chapters in which faithfully FOLLOW the great “dream” of this “Babylonian” leader found earlier
in chapter 2 are of a HISTORICAL nature to OUR day. And MANY historical EVENTS are also captured
of which have totally TRANSPIRED during the “ruling” reign of “Nebuchadnezzar” and his successor grandson named “Belshazzar” then followed by
“Darius” the “Mede” in tow. These challenging
chapters also describe the manic MORAL conditions of which held sway during these first TWO great waning – World EMPIRES!
Incidentally, the modern tumultuous textual
criticism of which has CONTINUED to charge this book “written” by the prophet “Daniel” of being a faked
FORGERY has been
completely SILENCED by the archeological direct discoveries
of the Babylonian Cylinders of Cyrus alongside Nabonnaid coupled with the Annalistic Tablets of which rightly RECORDS the daunting details of
these – Deeply DARK Days!
Chapter 3: Idolatry Decreed by Nebuchadnezzar
We
rightly remember the great strength of CHARACTER and
vigorous VIRTUE of the young “Hebrew”
lad named “Daniel” as
correctly chronicled in chapter 1 and chapter 2 of
this amazing HISTORICAL
narrative. His UNCOMPROMISING stand taken AGAINST the caustic consumption of the
“king’s meat” and “wine” of the “vine” along with a plethora
of ancient pagan activities associated with the “Babylonian” culture are indeed – ENCOURAGING to Behold!
And
now as we BEGIN to unpack chapter 3
of this sweet Sovereign saga, we
become MUCH better acquainted with “Daniel’s” three caring “companions” named “Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael” themselves.
But, WHERE in the world is “Daniel”
himself? Good Question! Perhaps
our loving “Lord” Sovereignly decided
to rightly REDIRECT him completely
OUT of the manic Monarch “King
Nebuchadnezzar’s” countryside CONTAINMENT to attend some OTHER
very important business as the Prime Minister representing “Babylon” itself at this particular
turbulent “time” of trial
to come. WHATEVER the real reason may have been,
we WILL find these “three” young lads will CONFIDENTLY stand
firm – Courageously ALONE!
IDOLS and ICONS!
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: The Old
Testament itself EVERYWHERE explicitly
pronounces that there are absolutely NO other
goofy “gods” but the ONE and ONLY true
great “God of heaven” above.
And Holy Writ completely CRUSHES literally ALL ignorant “idols” and
insolent “icons” incarcerated
deep within the helpless “heart”
of rebellious “sinful”
mankind. WHY? Because these
idiotic “idols” are the
mimicking man-made sordid “stone”
and worthless “wood” and
meaningless “metal” monsters
of the man-centered manic “mind”
and heinous “heart” and elated
“emotions” in kind. Whether
they are totally tangible or innately intangible
in nature. Whether they are erected externally or invited internally
in kind. Absolutely ALL idolatrous “idols”
mindlessly manufactured by the helpless HAND of
meandering “man” are overtly OBILTERATED by
our great “God” Almighty…
And God spake all these words,
saying, I am the Lord thy
God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of
bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee
any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that
is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt
not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and
fourth generation of them that hate me, And shewing mercy unto thousands of
them that love me, and keep my commandments – Exodus
20:1-6
And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the
people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the
people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against
the Lord, and against thee;
pray unto the Lord, that he
take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a
fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every
one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a
serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a
serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived… – Numbers
21:6-9
The graven
images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver
or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therin: for
it is an abomination to the Lord thy God… Neither shalt thou set thee up any
image; which the Lord thy
God hateth… – Deuteronomy 7:25 & 16:22
Go and cry unto
the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your
tribulation… – Judges 10:14
Now it came to pass in the third
year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king
of Judah began to reign. Twenty and five years old was he when he began to
reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name
also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah. And he did that which was right in the
sight of the Lord, according
to all that David his father did. He removed the high places, and brake the
images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that
Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to
it: and he called it Nehushtan. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him
among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he clave to
the Lord, and departed not
from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses… – 2
Kings 18:1-6
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name
give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. Wherefore should the
heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath
done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of
men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see
not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither
speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is
every one that trusteth in them… – Psalms 115:1-8
Then said I unto
them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not
yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the Lord your God – Ezekiel 20:7
And
although this is the very FIRST and pointed PRIMARY
common “commandment” contained
within the Sovereignly sound “Scriptures”
themselves of which were greatly “given”
to the “Jewish” people of
national “Israel” as a whole,
such man-made infamous IDOLATRY quite readily REMAINS a looming REALITY found throughout the tumultuous
“times” tucked away WITHIN the alluring annuls
of human HISTORY itself – Man-Made IDOLATRY!
Do NOT Bow Down!
The
THREE caring “Hebrew”
captive “companions” named “Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael” rightly KNEW that
an insolent “idolatry” was
completely UNACCEPTABLE to their great “God”
of absolutely ALL things. Therefore, they also KNEW that
it would NOT purposely PLEASE Him if they were to
belligerently “bow down”
to this eerie “image” made of
gorgeous “gold” of which had
been erected by the nebulous “Nebuchadnezzar the king” himself…
Nebuchadnezzar
the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the
breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province
of Babylon – Daniel 3:1
Archeologists have uncovered
a large square MASS made of brick in that area of which may have served as the foundation
for this “image of gold” to be erected upon. Setting up this colossal
caper in the vast flat “plain of Dura” would have added to its impressiveness,
allowing for the greatest view from the VAST number of people in “Babylon” proper. Therefore, if ANYONE were found
to be stubbornly “standing” upright, they would have been very conspicuous
while EVERYONE else had begrudgingly “bowed down” upon their fickle “faces” fully fallen – Woeful WORSHIP!
The
amount of “time” that has transpired
between “Daniel’s” intense “interpretation” and the eerie ERECTING of
this immense “image of gold”
is NOT made “known”
to us in the Sovereign “Scriptures”
themselves. However, here “Nebuchadnezzar the
king” constructs this ENORMOUS impenitent “image”
deep down upon the “plain of Dura” located just a few
miles southeast of the “province of Babylon” as an our-right
insolent IDOLATROUS act of self-adoration of a HEINOUS human
heart. And this ALL seems very strange in the
looming LIGHT of his
daunting “dream” told unto “Daniel” earlier:
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. 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… The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a
truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a
revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret – Daniel 2:31-33 & 47
Not
ONLY was the “head”
of this mega multi-metallic incremental “image” itself CAST out
of pure “gold” as such, the ENTIRE framework
itself was monstrosity mined “made” completely out of “fine gold” (possibly overlaid
as “thin plates” upon a wooden
sub-structure) as was the “work”
practice of that “time” in
Biblical history:
And they did
beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue,
and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning
work… – Exodus 39:3
Sadly,
even the dire demonstration of pure POWER found
to belong ONLY unto the great “God
in heaven” did NOT seem to overtly override the
unbelievable PRIDE of this caustic “king”
as an evasive egomaniac gone wild. In fact, when “Daniel” began to intensely “interpret” this daunting “dream” in its far-reaching
scope, no doubt “Nebuchadnezzar”
had foolishly tuned out the other DETAILS and perhaps thought to himself: “Hey, I’M the heralding “HEAD” of grand “GOLD”
and therefore EVERYTHING is absolutely INFERIOR unto ME!”
This is nothing LESS than a manic man-centered
humanistic WILLFUL form of – Wicked SELF-WORSHIP!
SIX… SIX,… SIX…
PROPHETIC PROMISE: Incidentally, these PROPHESIED particular
“60” (“threescore cubits”) times “6” (“six cubits”) as two “sixes” in measurements “made” unto a MANDATED nigh “number of a man” sounds
eerily FAMILIAR as such…
And they
worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast and they worshipped the
beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?...
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast:
for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and
six… And deceiveth them that dwell on
the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight
of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an
image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the
image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not
worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he
causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a
mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And
that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the
beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let
him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number
of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six – Revelation 13:4 & 14-18
Thus,
“Nebuchadnezzar” is no doubt a
preliminary practicing PROTOTYPE picture of the PROPHESIED coming “Antichrist”
figure attempting to eagerly ESTABLISH an ominous one-world
unadulterated UNITY through an incredible STRATEGIC display of demonic grandeur. And
as we know, “six” is the “number” of fallen “man” himself. Conversely, “seven” is the “number” of pure PROFECTION Divine
and is rightly – Reserved ONLY for God!
Therefore,
this corrupt “king” had
mindfully “made” an
intentional IMMENSE insolent “image”
out of grandiose “gold” of
which massively measured to a high “height” of a full “threescore cubits” and a broad “breadth” of
some “six cubits”
wide. WOW! That actually equates to a whopping 90 FEET high total BY a freakish 9 FEET wide abreast
and was completely cast as such – Menacingly MADE of Gold!
And as HISTORY diligently denotes,
the ancient Caesars amongst did
themselves EXACTLY the very same
thing. WHY? Because they eagerly desired the ENTIRE radiant Roman Empire to
willfully WORSHIP them as a grand “god” via a
piously POLITICAL position ultimately
culminating through a UNIFYING collaboration…
Then
Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and
the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and
all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which
Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the
treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces,
were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the
king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up
– Daniel 3:2-3
Notice
how the REPETITION of these vital verses are a soundly subtle
and hardily humorous insight into the utter LACK of
personal integrity displayed by “all” these LAME leaders
“gathered together”
from throughout the Empire. WHY?
Because it reiterates the frustrating FACT that they were “all” the acting big-wigs
among the “provinces”
abroad appointed by none other than “Nebuchadnezzar” himself. And absolutely NONE of “them”
had the COURAGE to say “NO!” regarding this diabolical
“dedication of the image”
ceremony representing the lude LIKENESS of
this self-absorbed caustic “king”
of which he himself had “set up” accordingly. Thus, “they” had ALL solemnly “stood before the image” and were
nothing LESS than a pragmatic
procession of bumbling lemmings BLINDLY following
each other OVER their consorted conscience in
kind. Each of “them” had coyly
COMPROMISED any contained CONVICTIONS that may have held true and
thus mindlessly in angst – ALL Gathered!
Babylonian BANDSTAND!
Next,
we find a “herald”
henchman had “cried aloud”
unto the “people, nations,
and languages” in the COMMON
vernacular of addressing a conglomerate assembly. And he
gives them ALL this caustic COMMAND to obey:
Then an
herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp,
sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship
the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up – Daniel 3:4-5
The
“at what time”
refers to an absolute exacting moment. And when the MASSES of
these mindless “people”
would “hear”
the sensuous “sound”
of the Babylonian Bandstand
playing their mundane “musick”
they were COMMANDED to fully “fall down” with their faces
to the ground for wanton “worship” in surreal SUBMISSION to
this grotesque “golden image”
of which “Nebuchadnezzar the
king” had surely “set up” wholly unto HIMSELF as
a grandiose “god” figure of
sorts. Therefore, the ENTIRE nation of “Babylon”
is brought TOGETHER to include the leading dignitaries
of the maniacal man “Nebuchadnezzar”
for this wicked WORSHIP ceremony. Here the Royal
Orchestra all ready to go. And
when they “hear” their cue EVERYONE is readily REQUIRED to boldly BOW unto his massive “image” standing before
them – EGO Eccentric!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: Music has ALWAYS been
a part of sensuality and is directly connected
with the PAGAN practice of
WORSHIP unto idiotic “idols”
mindlessly MADE by the hindering hands of
man. And as is true of EVERY other “good”
thing that “our” great “God in heaven” has indeed “given” unto us, Satan the “created”
angelic “fallen” being of whom
was ORIGINALLY poised the
aptly “anointed” and capable “covering cherub” has surely
used his maniacal “music” via
his perverted “pipes” of belligerent “beauty” to pragmatically PROMOTE his
waning “world” system of EVIL in
full:
Thou hast been in Eden the garden
of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the
diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and
the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was
prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed
cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain
of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou
wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was
found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst
of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as
profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub,
from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy
beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast
thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the
iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of
thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in
the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the
people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt
thou be any more… – Ezekiel 28:13-19
And
NEVER has the arch EMEMY of our “soul”
done a BETTER job with his insatiable “iniquities” than in our CURRENT days…
TODAY!
Thus,
for anyone throughout “Babylon”
who abruptly REFUSES to
immediately “fall down” before
this “golden image”
constitutes a treasonous act and will be “cast into” the besieging “burning fiery furnace” as a severe PUNISHMENT proper:
And whoso
falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of
a burning fiery furnace – Daniel
3:6
In
other words, if you are standing in overt OPPOSITION to the groping greatness
of “Nebuchadnezzar” and his “fiery”
fierce FURY unfurled – That’s ALL
Folks!
Sadly,
MOST pragmatic “people” will rankly respond
to the ever-present EXTERNAL coming circumstances and pious peer
pressure influences. “Therefore” they constantly conform
to absolutely whatever is rankly REQUIRED of
them, RATHER than to “live”
by the influence of INTERNAL
principle…
Therefore
at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp,
sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and
the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar
the king had set up – Daniel
3:7
However,
something ELSE was also going on here BEHIND the
scenes in the chided “court”
of the “King Nebuchadnezzar”
as well. Everyone had DECIDED to foolishly “fall down” on their faces. All EXCEPT for
“three” young men. And they REALLY stuck
out like a sore thumb amongst the
caustic CROWD pleasers
themselves. WHY? Because “they” had aptly already
dutifully DECIDED within “their” humble “hearts” that “they” would defiantly DECLINE this
demonic dictate – NEVER Bow DOWN!
Beloved,
representative here is the TYPICAL approach
from the looming LARGE
group of “people”
completely COMPRISED of a non-thinking
and intently intimidated brood floundering
in full flux! WHY? Because they WILL do absolutely WHATEVER it takes to get
what they WANT by loosely
“living” on the lowest
level of compromise brashly “bowing down” before the present powers
that be. And they are avidly AFRAID to personally lose
their popular POSITION in
kind. Therefore, in coy COWARDNESS
they will choose a condition of consuming – Complete COMPROMISE!
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"
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