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 19-27)
19 Then
Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his
thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the
dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and
said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation
thereof to thine enemies. 20 The tree that thou sawest, which
grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight
thereof to all the earth; 21 Whose leaves were fair, and the
fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the
field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their
habitation: 22 It is thou, O king, that art grown and become
strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion
to the end of the earth. 23 And whereas the king saw a watcher
and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and
destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a
band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet
with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field,
till seven times pass over him; 24 This is the interpretation,
O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the
king: 25 That 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. 26 And whereas they
commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto
thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. 27 Wherefore,
O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by
righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be
a lengthening of thy tranquility – Daniel
4:19-27
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: This NEXT demonstrable
“dream”
description must have been an absolute SHOCK for
the menacing “mind” of this
nebulous “Nebuchadnezzar”
to consider. And as “Belteshazzar”
his trusted Prime Minister had rehearsed
these “troubled thoughts” in
their fulness he became greatly CONCERNED regarding
the FUTURE to completely “come“
and what it would mean for his commanding “king’s” earthly “kingdom” at hand. However, these Sovereignly settled
“seven times” would eventually
reveal a real – Righteous REFORM!
Here
in these poignant “passages”
the prophet “Daniel” will
proceed to PROPHETICALLY provide the daunting details of
the “dream” and the incredible
insights of its invasive “interpretation”
in kind:
Then Daniel, whose name was
Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The
king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation
thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to
them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies – Daniel
4:19
WHY was
“Daniel” so adamantly “astonied” for the while of “one hour” and thus thoroughly “troubled” here? Was it because he did NOT know
the “dream” or the correct “interpretation” as such? NO! He was totally “troubled” because he DID indeed
know the intricate details and as a “righteous” result, his HEART of
complete COMPASSION was hurting for the nebulous “Nebuchadnezzar” and was thus seriously saddened
over this somber situation. And the “king” could CLEARLY see
the “trouble” that was tormenting
his HUMBLY submitted “servant” as such and therefore provides
real reassurance to lovingly “let not the dream, or the interpretation”
become a BURDEN to behold. In other words: “Do NOT be AFRAID to TELL me!”
Then “Belteshazzar” further
lamented in sorrow that this distressful “dream” could be DIRECTED at
only “them that hate” his
commanding “king” and the
insolent “interpretation” be
meant FOR his eager “enemies”
instead – Caring COMPASSION!
And
there is a Biblical difference between caring COMPASSION and
coarse COMPROMISE to be sure. Therefore, “Daniel” confidently CARED for his confused “king” while simultaneously
objectively OBEYING his glorious “God”
in Kind. HOW? By soundly “speaking” what he MUST solidly
“speak” as a CHOSEN principle
“prophet” sent BY our
loving “Lord” Himself:
The tree that thou sawest, which
grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight
thereof to all the earth; Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much,
and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon
whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation. It is thou, O
king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth
unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth – Daniel
4:20-22
Here
“Daniel” proclaims this
problematic POINT unto this keen “King
Nebuchadnezzar” of which the “God
of heaven” is making in His Divine DECLARATION of directed “dominion” domination ~ “It is thou, O king!”
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: This Divine “decree” sounds very FAMILIAR indeed. HOW? The Eternal “Lord God of Israel” had
also SENT His aptly APPOINTED
prophet “Nathen” had swiftly “said” the very SAME thing
of “Thou art the man”
as he CONFRONTED king “David”
in kind…
And Nathan said
to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel… - 2 Samuel 12:7a
Many
“preachers” in within the pious
pulpits of TODAY will blatantly back DOWN in a
very SERIOUS crisis quite likened unto this sordid
scenario. However, the TRUE man of “God”
such as “Daniel” will NOT back
down – “YOU’RE the Man!”
The King's Tree TOPPLED!
Then
the HARD part of “Daniel’s” tree-top MESSAGE of
a “seven times” turmoil to “come” is diligently DELIVERED via
an “holy one” unto the noxious
“Nebuchadnezzar” of which he WILL excruciatingly experience
due to his OWN personal PRIDEFILLED paradise…
And whereas the king saw a
watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down,
and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even
with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be
wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the
field, till seven times pass over him – Daniel
4:23
It
is indeed quite CLEAR that “king
Nebuchadnezzar” is going to be wholly HUMILIATED and
will thus lose his manic MIND as a righteous result. WHY? Because he is soon
to belligerently become a DEBASED
brash “beast” of whom is
Divinely driven intensely INSANE for a sanctifying
season of “seven” full
yearning YEARS as a direct
DISCIPLINE Sovereignly sent FROM
the great “God of heaven”
Himself. And this deranged drama is deeply “decreed” at the very HEIGHT of
the “king Nebuchadnezzar’s”
grandiose – God GIVEN Glory!
Daniel INTERPRETS the TREE!
PROPHETIC PROMISE: Here NOW is the intentional “interpretation”
of the tremendous “tree”
poignantly purposed by The “most
High” residing in “heaven”
above as a PROPHETIC provision unto “Daniel’s”
lethargic “lord the king” as a
woeful warning wake-up…
This is the interpretation, O
king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the
king: That 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 – Daniel 4:24-25
”And” quite THANKFULLY there
is also a righteous ray of HOPE of
which “whereas” was caringly “commanded” to beholden…
And whereas they commanded to
leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after
that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule – Daniel
4:26
The
“king’s” sole “stump” and his taunt “tree roots” were to be left
completely intact. WHY? Because “Nebuchadnezzar” was NOT going
to physically die nor entirely lose
his personal PROPHESIED position at this “time”
in history according to the Sovereign wonderful “will”
of our great “God” in glory.
Therefore, after “seven times”
have purposely “passed over”
the corrupt “king” himself as
a solemn 7-year sentence, he
would indeed rightly RECEIVE his reigning “kingdom”
back once again. However, it will be only “after”
he has learned his looming LESSON as
such: “till thou know that the most High
ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will”
and to keenly have “known”
that the glorious “God” of the
high “heavens” absolutely “rules” completely – Over ALL Things!
Having
said that, “Daniel” now makes
an “acceptable” avid APPEAL of a comforting
care-filled “counsel” unto the
“king” as such:
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel
be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine
iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy
tranquility – Daniel 4:27
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: In other words, “Daniel” pleas unto “Nebuchadnezzar” to lovingly “let” there be real “righteousness” in his personal
life along WITH the poignant PROOF by soundly “shewing
mercy to the poor” through dedicated deeds unto
those of whom are in DESPERATE need. The “king”
must boldly break AWAY from his self-righteous serious
“sin” and innate “iniquities” by eagerly entering
into a “righteous” realized RELATIONSHIP with
the ONLY true glorious “God
in heaven” Himself…
Behold,
thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee
shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath
glorified thee. Seek ye
the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he
will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon – Isaiah 55:5-7
Jesus
said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And
the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself – Matthew 22:37-39
Hearken,
my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith,
and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw
you before the judgment seats?... If ye
fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour
as thyself, ye do well… What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath
faith, and have not works? can faith save him?... If a brother or sister be
naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in
peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things
which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath
not works, is dead, being alone – James 2:5-6, 8 & 14-17
As
a “righteous” rendering, the “king” must personally PROVE this
rigorous resolution through SPECIFICALLY showing
“mercy” unto the “poor” people abroad. WHY? Because this subdued SECTOR of
any society is always the very LEAST able
to reciprocate in kind. And as a reveled RESULT there will thus “be” a much likely “lengthening” of a true “tranquility” in kind – Total TRANSFORMATION!
There
was indeed MUCH to be changed in the “king’s” looming LIFE at
this point. However, even AFTER this daunting “dream”
and its inescapable “interpretation”
presented, this noxious “Nebuchadnezzar”
rankly REFUSED to righty “break
off” his sensuous “sins”
at this trying “time”
of antiquity. And as we will soon “learn”
in our NEXT serious “study” session, it becomes quite apparent
that this confused “king”
himself appears to eventually – Become a Beloved BELIEVER!
Imagine
a MODERN version of a presiding President of the United
States becoming a raving maniac
meandering around upon the lush lawn of the White House, enclosed in a little “bronze” foisted fence
in where EVERYONE around the entire WORLD could gaze upon him as he crawls
around on all fours, grazing on the green “grass” as an outward “oxen” dripping “wet” with the dawning “dew of heaven” directly for a FULL sobering
“seven” yielded – YOKED Years!
WOW! Perhaps
with this little ILLIUSTRATION noted, “we”
as true “believers” alive TODAY can
more FULLY begin to conceive what was ACTUALLY taking
place here with “king Nebuchadnezzar” in the proper CONTEXT of
these powerful “passages”
perfectly PROVIDED for each of “us”
to seriously “consider” in our
own lives. What an incredible Holy – Heart-felt HUMILIATION!
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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