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 4: Verses 1-3)
1 Nebuchadnezzar
the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth;
Peace be multiplied unto you. 2 I thought it good to shew the
signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. 3 How
great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an
everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation – Daniel
4:1-3
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: This pious PROCLAMATION prompted by “King Nebuchadnezzar” was no doubt announced
sometime AFTER he had passed through his
personal PROPHETIC experience wildly “written” here by “Daniel” in this next challenging chapter. In
this nigh NARRATIVE we will “learn” of
this meandering monarch’s looming laments
of which began LEADING this pagan parador down a very DARK road,
eventually placing him in perpetual “Peace” with the Almighty “God in heaven” Himself. As a RIGHTEOUS result, herein lies a sweet SPIRITUAL
biography culminating with a complete CONVERSION of the eternal “soul” of this cunning “King
Nebuchadnezzar” and the joyous
journey through his pragmatic PRIDE unto – God’s Peaceful PARDON!
Concerning
the heinous HISTORY of
humanity throughout these trying “times of the gentiles” themselves, we find
that ALL of the sordid Shahs,
aloof Ayatollahs, increscent Imams, heinous Hitlers,
maniacal Mussolinis, satanic Stallins, pious
Popes or
pitiful Pastors coupled with ANYONE else within this wicked “world” system deeply desiring
to set up their personal POLITICAL
and self-diluted SPIRITUAL crumbling “kingdoms”
here on planet earth have utterly FAILED
to corporately create the universal – Utopia they SEEK!
Therefore,
may this credible CHRONOLOGY of chaos carefully “written”
by this “beloved” godly man “Daniel” become a stern WARNING unto such rank rulers and
menacing monarchs of whom may be seriously
seeking to ESTABLISH their own self-designed EMPIRES made
of misguided “man” through
their immensely INTIMIDATING
erratic egos – BEWARE!
Chapter 4: Nebuchadnezzar’s Tree is Toppled!
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: Beginning
back in chapter 1 we found that “Daniel” and his THREE caring
“companions” named “Mishael,
Azariah, and Hananiah” were NOT willing to “eat” the “king’s
meat” nor “drink”
the “king’s wine” nor would
they DO the terrible “things”
that were DONE within “Babylon”
proper. And as a RIGHTEOUS result, “King Nebuchadnezzar” is
completely confounded by these humble “Hebrew” lads. WHY? Because as he confronts
them, questions them and diligently directs
them, he finally “finds” that
they WERE indeed “ten times” the “better” than absolutely ANYONE else in his caustic “kingdom” realm. Therefore, In terms of
their integrity, their intelligence
and their education these GODLY guys were fully “found
to be” wonderfully way BEYOND the wanting “wisdom”
of the wayward wicked “world”
abroad. Rather, “they” were EACH greatly “given” over unto – God’s Wisdom!
Next
in chapter 2 we found that “Daniel” is greatly “given” the right RESPONSIBILITY of
soundly solving an incredible problem. The maniacal “Nebuchadnezzar” had been “given” a sensational SERIES of
daunting “dreams” of which NO one “knew” nor could ANYONE insightfully
“interpret” as such. However,
young “Daniel” indeed COULD and
definitely DID do so! And as a right result, the “King Nebuchadnezzar” was absolutely awestruck
by the amazing capability of “Daniel”
to verify “visions” and
determine “dreams” to thus
rightly “interpret” them in
kind. And all this “time” our
great “God in heaven” was
driving a willful WEDGE into the meandering – MIND of Nebuchadnezzar!
Then
in chapter 3 the dire “decree” dictated by the “King Nebuchadnezzar” woefully “went out” of which DEMANDED that
absolutely EVERYONE belligerently “bow
down” to his idiotic IDOL of incessant “idolatry”
in heart. However (with the ABSENCE of daring “Daniel”
as the Prime Minister promoted), “Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego” chose respectfully
to NOT obey the corrupt “king”
and were thus IMMEDIATELY thrown into the “burning
fiery furnace” as a result! And there APPEARED along
with them ONE as was “like the
Son of God” in kind. Finally, as they promptly emerged
from the “fiery” flames, there
was NO brandish burning nor even the smell
of such “smoke” found to be “upon” them. Thus, “King Nebuchadnezzar” had once AGAIN experienced
the glorious “God in heaven”
wonderfully – @ WORK!
Now
we will carefully “consider”
this following fourth chapter of which concludes with the CLIMAX of
a nebulous “Nebuchadnezzar’s”
Biblical biography as he seemingly arrives
unto a full FAITH in the Sovereignly eternal – ONE true God!
The King's PROCLAMATION!
To
begin with, it is quite CLEAR
that indeed “Nebuchadnezzar the king”
actually PENNED this
terrific “Peace” treatise
himself. And no doubt it was “written”
with the assistance of his deeply DEDICATED director
“Daniel” under the incredible INSPIRATION of
the “Holy Ghost” Himself:
Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all
people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be
multiplied unto you – Daniel 4:1
Notice
that this FINAL inscription from the “king”
is poised in the FIRST person sense as he sweetly sends
as BLESSING of purposeful “Peace”
to be “multiplied” unto “all” of the appointed “people, nations, and languages” throughout
“all the earth” under his
Divinely determined domain. WHY?
Because this powerful “passage”
represents his powerful personal testimony in HOW he
had eventually came to boldly “believe” in the absolute ONE and ONLY true glorious “God in heaven” alone – Spectacular SPIRITUAL Saga!
I thought it good to shew the
signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me – Daniel
4:2
In
other words, “Nebuchadnezzar the king”
is specifically saying: “I
will tell you the TESTIMONY of how I came to BELIEVE in the most
high God ABOVE all doomed demon deities of this FALSE religion of
maniacal man!” This is a GLORIOUSLY
grand “good shew” indeed – His GREAT God!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: These Sovereignly shown “signs and
wonders” are used frequently together THROUGHOUT the
heralded “Hebrew” language of
the Old Testament to indicate mighty “miracles”
manifested abroad…
And I will
harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply
my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt – Exodus 7:3
Or hath God
assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation,
by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by
war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out
arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your
God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? – Deuteronomy 4:34
And shewedst signs and wonders upon
Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of
his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou
get thee a name, as it is this day – Nehemiah
9:10
How he had
wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in
the field of Zoan – Psalm 78:43
They shewed
his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham – Psalm 105:27
Behold,
I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are
for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of
hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion – Isaiah
8:18
Which hast
set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this
day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast
made thee a name, as at this day; And hast brought forth thy people Israel
out of the land of Egypt
with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong
hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror – Jeremiah 32:20-21
Therefore,
the “king” is purposely PROCLAIMING that
he has SEEN enough serious “signs
and wonders” that had been wonderfully “wrought” before him to without
a doubt KNOW that the coming “Kingdom”
of the “God in heaven” is
infinitely – Far BEYOND Everything!
How great are his signs! and how
mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion
is from generation to generation – Daniel 4:3
Similarly,
“Darius” the mighty monarch of
the “Medes” will powerfully PROCLAIM the
very same sentiments later in our Sovereign saga
through the lauded “life” of
the DEVOTED man “Daniel”
in kind:
He
delivereth and rescueth, and he
worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth,
who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions – Daniel 6:27
This
nigh narrative is much akin to the Biblical account
orated by the submitted steward “Steven” found nestled within the New Testament book of Acts concerning
“Israel’s” Divine DELIVERANCE from
the looming “land of Egypt”
through their great “God’s”
many “wonders and signs”
as such:
He brought them
out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land
of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty
years – Acts 7:36
Truly,
TODAY’S waning “world” of sordid SCEPTICS scampering
abroad are indeed FOUND to be woefully – WITHOUT Excuse!
PROPHETIC PROMISE: Here “Nebuchadnezzar
the king” was powerfully PREACHING
unto “all the earth” as far as
he perceived it THROUGHOUT his rigorous rule and right reign
resolved. In fact, as our “Lord Jesus Christ”
powerfully PROCLAIMED unto His “Jewish”
daring “disciples” regarding
their city “Jerusalem”
in the nigh “Nation” of
insolent “Israel” during the “Great Tribulation” period to “come” of which will take place THROUGHOUT the
entire “earth” sent from “heaven” above, He had this to “say” concerning the somber “signs and wonders”
galore GIVEN them at that TERRIBLE trying “times of the Gentiles” within human
history:
And this gospel of the kingdom
shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then
shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation,
spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let
him understand:)… For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since
the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except
those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the
elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you,
Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false
Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch
that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have
told you before – Matthew 24:14-15 & 21-25
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
And
HERE in our serious “study” series “we” find this REGENERATED renegade
pagan pontiff is NOW
purposefully pontificating of just “How great” the sensational “signs and wonders” of this Supreme Being’s
“everlasting kingdom” and
Divine “dominion” are deeply dominating
absolutely EVERYTHING tantamount
THROUGHOUT the great “God of
heaven’s” grandiose “generations
to generations” granted forever – Evermore
ETERNALLY!
Beloved,
herein lies the beguiled BEGINNING of the personal testimony
formulated by a piously pagan “king”
as the very FIRST God-appointed
monarch in the “latter
days” encompassed WITHIN the treacherous “times
of the Gentiles” providing human HISTROY with
his very own – Spiritual Biography!
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"
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.