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Daniel #3

            Father God Thank you for giving us the precious time to hear the words of the Holy Spirit. Help us to put these precious words in us and to walk in the light of these words. Help us to be the ones who know what the world will be like in the Word of God, not by listening to the words of the people of the world. We earnestly pray that God will help us not to be afraid as we watch the news of the world, but to receive answers in the word of God. Thank you for giving us the wisdom you gave to Daniel today. Thank you for the wisdom that is in the Holy Spirit. Whenever we pray, help us to use that wisdom so that we, like Daniel, can know for sure what will happen in the future and live in hope. Thank you and we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

            (Daniel 2:14-18 KJV) ¶ Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Their lives were in jeopardy. Daniel bought some time. He talked to Ariok and promised that he will find out the dream and the interpretation if he was given some time, otherwise he’ll die if he got it wrong. Unlike the other magicians, Daniel didn’t promise to tell the interpretation if he was told what the dream was. This is a man of God. People in the world will just lie and do a mediocre job and move on. Who’s gonna know? If prophecy doesn’t get fulfilled it won’t matter as people will forget everything. But Daniel made it clear. After all, this was his absolute reliance on God. God gives wisdom and shows all to those who absolutely relies on him. God will never give understanding to a person who has one foot in the world and the other in God. People who does not fully trust the Lord when hearing the word of God. People who don’t believe in the Lord’s help, will never understand the Word unless they trust in His power. No understanding equals no works. One cannot bear fruit because there is no works. So does believing in Jesus. When you are first saved, you really have to believe with the determination that if you don’t really give your life to Jesus, you will die. People who simply write their names on church register will never understand the Bible. That is why only who understand bear fruit 30, 60, and 100 fold. We bear the fruit of God’s Word in our lives. In other words, the word becomes flesh. Therefore, life becomes that resembles the Lord. So here, Daniel, as a representative took a bullet for the team.

            Daniel tells his companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the situation in verse 17. They did not question each other about what to do. Folks, churches shouldn’t have meetings. What would you like me to do? What is your opinion? Nothing will ever be solved. The same goes for the working world. Companies that have many problems and have bunch of meetings inevitably go bankrupt. So does the church. God’s people have no place to stand because many people speak their opinions in the meetings. A person who prays receives answers. But in a meetings, a decision is made by a majority vote. This is not how church operates. The Church is not a democracy. The church is theocracy. The church is where God has the absolute power. That is why no problem can be solved without prayer. And whenever there is a problem, all have to gather together, pray, and receive answers on the spot. Then, If you’ve prayed, you have to wait for an answer. Many pray about things even when there is no need to. God has already told us to do this or that through His Word. Those type of things has already been answered by the Lord. Something really special happened to Daniel here. As verse 18 says: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; They prayed to the God of heaven to ask for mercy. A person facing death but does not pray but seeks out people and tries to solve them is not yet a man of God. If we really understand the Bible, we must know that prayer is the best no matter what the problem. Even small things. Gold helps me find it when I lose something and I pray about it. He sometimes show me where where I left it while I pray. God answers those who pray about small to large issues. It is evil to worry and not pray to God. This is an evil heart. Prayer is the only way to solve the problem. Understanding the Bible is not possible without prayer. When reading the Bible, there is a difference between a person praying and just reading the Bible. That’s why people who understand each and every detail through the Bible, are not only wise but also get solutions to small and big problems as they live very clearly and purely. That is why it is impossible to understand the Bible without the guidance and illumination of the Holy Spirit. Those who do not have the Holy Spirit and those who do not pray cannot understand the Bible. Prayer is the basic attitude of those who read the Bible. You can’t do it without praying. And if you don’t understand, leave it behind and start praying. Then, through preaching, through word study, and through prayer, the person who prays receives understanding. Those who hold on to this Word and pray will understand when they hear it. We have bible study every week. You know what we’re doing next week. There is a night and day difference between a person who prays while reading the scripture in advance and a person who just comes to the study. So, those who do not pray cannot do anything.

            So, what happened after they prayed? Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. (Daniel 2:19 KJV) This wasn’t a dream while sleeping at night. Daniel had vision at night. A vision is what you see when you really need it. Pastor Song once had a vision. He saw it once in a word. He is living his life according to that vision. It’s  testifying that Word according to the Word. The word he had received back in 1989, he went to Jerusalem and proclaimed it through radio broadcast: (Matthew 3:9 KJV) And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Various unclean beasts came down wrapped in a giant sheet in a vision while Peter prayed at the sixth hour. And God told him to kill and eat during this vision. This was a serious problem for Peter for he had never eaten anything common or unclean. It wasn’t a coincidence. God already showed the vision to Cornelius when he prayed. This was all a preparation to meet Cornelius. God only shows us to accomplish His will, but what happens to our business for our own benefit is what the devil shows us. Don’t be fooled. God gave this vision to not only to Daniel, but for us know in advance what will happen in the Millennial Kingdom and all the details of the great tribulation described in the Book of Revelation. He did not show the vision for Daniel to avoid death. It’s was not for self-interest. That’s why Daniel blessed God.

            (Daniel 2:20 KJV) Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: To gain wisdom and power, you must completely turn your face toward God. (Daniel 2:21-22 KJV) And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. Even non-believers know that Some divine figure dethrones all kings and ruins kingdoms. Evil kings and presidents are brought down.” Haven’t dictators fallen one by one throughout the course of history? How could a person who has received the understanding and knowledge of God not know? (Job 28:28 KJV) says to depart from evil is understanding. A person with understanding departs from evil. Understanding is the wisdom to understand the Word of God. To understand God’s word is to depart from evil, and only by departing from evil can one receive understanding. So the Lord told his disciples to deliver us from evil: (Matthew 6:13 KJV) (Daniel 2:21-22 KJV) Therefore God giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. Everything is in the word of God. There are many skeptics about what’s going to happen in the future online and on TV these days. Don’t rely on things like this, but we must realize that the word of God says. And you have to understand that the events unfolding around the world are reflections of what is already revealed in the Bible. An unwise person soley relying and believing the news of the world events without the word of God is sure to be deceived. Tricked by the devil for sure as fear will enter their hearts and be full of worries. Fully Understand the book of Daniel. It tells us about what’s coming. Understand the book of Revelation. It contains everything, also in Ezekiel, including Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, the Gospels and the prophets. Just by knowing this one book, the Holy Bible, you will receive clear understanding of what will happen in the future. This is wisdom and understanding, and this is the only way we realize deep and secret things.

            (Daniel 2:23 KJV) I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter. God showed Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in a vision unto Daniel. Dreams come and go as they are vivid in the beginning but fade away as time goes by. Visions however last forever very clearly and vividly. It’s something we never tend to forget for it is given by God, as He shows specific things to specific people. Some people claim to see visions daily. But if you look at the contents of the vision, it has nothing to do with God’s will. The devil can show things like that too you know. Many are deceived like this out there. There are many who misunderstand themselves to be very spiritual due to such phenomena. A person who understands the word of God, which is Spirit, is a spiritual person. Just because you see a lot of visions doesn’t make you a spiritual person.

            (Daniel 2:24-30 KJV) ¶ Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation. Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation. The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; 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. 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. Look how humble Daniel’s answer is. First of all, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers will not be able to tell you. Remember: These people were fortunetellers back then. Magnifying themselves all while enjoying the king’s provisions of the royal palace, sweet talking to the king. These fake fortunetellers lived off of the king all while giving him advice and what not through the sorceries bestowed upon by the devil. They wielded great powers within the king’s realm. However, God had Daniel solve and interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and blow the covers of the soothsayers. In fact, they would’ve all died if it wasn’t for Daniel, a man of God. Daniel did not claim to solve the dream with his own powers. Had someone done such thing in our modern times, he’d end up on the Guinness Book of Records. Fame and fortune would be up this sort of man in no time once it’s on the Internet and on TV. Daniel put God first, again in (Daniel 2:28-29 KJV) But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; 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.

            And he told him so that King Nebuchadnezzar would know that these things would happen in the future. God showed Nebuchadnezzar how this world would perish in the latter days since he was the greatest king alive at the time. How the kingdom of God will arrive. How the millennial kingdom arrive. How a kingdom no longer ruled by man, but ruled by our Lord. God allowed such knowledge unto Daniel to know about these things. He didn’t boast about what he knew. In the book of Daniel, the phrases “latter days,” “hereafter,” and “end” come up a lot. The book of Daniel is about the end of the world. It connects with the book of Revelation. In Revelation, an angel appeared to John. So when John tried to bow down to him, he said, “I am a prophet like you. Don’t worship me, but worship God.” Any guesses who this might be? I believe this to be Daniel. Because the Lord commanded Daniel to seal up the book. But told John to open it. That’s why Daniel was blessed. latter days mean the end of this world. The end of this world ruled by Satan. The end of this world ruled by principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and evil spirits. That is why the end of this world is: First, when Jesus first arrived. That’s why He died on the cross. The world is already come to an end. As for why the end came to an end, the Lord blotted out all the sins brought on by the devil and died on the cross. He resurrected. The devil is the one who has the power of sin and death. But the Lord overcame that. Overcoming the devil is the ruler of the world has already been judged. He has yet to be executed. There still work to do, saving people like us, as there is time left to do God’s work. But the devil is already judged. Therefore the lord said in (John 16:7-11 KJV) ¶ Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter (The Holy Spirit) will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because (Satan) the prince of this world is judged. Because the devil knows he has been and is still being judged, knowing his time is running out, knowing that he will soon fall into the lake of fire, he still roams around like a roaring lion looking for people to devour. To take people with him into that lake of fire. That is why the First Coming of Christ is also the end of the world. Likewise, the Second Coming of Christ on earth, when the Lord binds the devil and throws him into the bottomless pit is also the end of the world. Ultimately, it can be applicable for the First Coming or the Second Coming as the end of the world. Because the Jews rejected their king, the execution was postponed from the First Coming to the Second Coming. That is why, we are able to see what has happened so far and what will happen through the vision shown to Nebuchadnezzar.

            (Daniel 2:31-35 KJV) ¶ 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. 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. 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. The vision shown to Daniel is before us. All have come true exactly as it is written before us. People can’t see it even though they read this vision. They have eyes, but cannot see; and they have ears, but cannot hear. All of God’s words are visions. If you don’t see this vision, you won’t understand it. Even with this vision laid out in plain sight, if you don’t believe in the millennial kingdom, you will never see it. Just by understanding this, you can tell the world what will happen in the future as it is, and you can explain the past as history. Indeed, there is nothing more tragic than the children of God not understanding these words. They simply cannot see the vision all because they do not study the word of God. Daniel could not have done this if he didn’t have an absolute trust in God. The Lord said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (Matthew 22:37 KJV)

It means to believe. This is the true believer. Doing God’s work is to believe in those whom the Lord has sent. Only when we believe in this do we know that everything is given by the Lord, and we do the work of the Lord first. Those who don’t do it to live and eat for the rest of their lives. Soley Living and dying for the perishable. You cannot eat the food that bears fruit that leads to eternal life. The disciples did too. They went to get something to eat while the Lord was sitting down to meet the woman of Sychar. All they ever thought about was perishable food. To whom was the Lord asking when he said believing in Him is doing God’s work? It was towards all who came to the Lord seeking perishable food. Even the disciples at that time had less faith than the Samaritan woman at the well. She believed in the Lord at the time. She knew He was the Messiah. That is why she received the Holy Spirit first. What does it mean by when she left her waterpot, and went her way into the city (John 4:28 KJV) ? It means she gave up seeking perishable food of the world and went into the city first and preached the gospel, so the whole village came before the Lord. The same is true today. The people of God see the vision through this word. But fake Christians see strange visions, lead people down the wrong path, as they utilize that vision towards their personal fame. Daniel claimed God showed him everything. He didn’t say he saw it on his own. Daniel was a prophet used by God. In the New Testament the Lord Himself said ¶ But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: (Mark 13:14 KJV)

The Jews won’t acknowledge Daniel to be one of them because he spent his life in the Gentile nation. However God showed the contents of dreams in detail one by one, and in the process of interpreting them, he showed what would happen on earth over the next hundreds of years, what foreign nations would rise, what kingdoms would appear, and how the kingdom of God would actually be fulfilled. Once again from (Daniel 2:32-33 KJV) 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 value of a metal should depend on its specific gravity. A specific gravity of 10 means it is 10 times heavier than water, and 5 means that it is 5 times heavier than water. However, the higher the specific gravity, the higher the value of the metal. People still love Gold these days. The specific gravity of gold is 19.3. It is 19.3 times heavier than water. The top of the image is made of the heaviest, gold. Then silver is said to be 10.47, only about half. That’s why silver is cheaper, of course. Then brass. Brass is only about 8.1. So it is less valuable than silver. And iron is only 5. The value is less. Of course, clay is only about 2. Compared to water, it is only twice as much. As the metals of the image  descends from top to bottom, it gradually degenerates into something lighter and of lesser value, and at the very bottom it is mixed with clay and iron. What would this be? God is showing us that the human world will gradually deteriorate. Even if the United States and Europe seem incredibly powerful. Europe is becoming just like iron and clay mixture. There are still parts of iron of Rome left in the mix. The same with United states. That’s why the absurd postmillennialism claims the world is getting better and better. Faulty belief that the Lord will come once all people of the entire world are completely born again. How splendid it must have been in the days of Nebuchadnezzar. Because it was pure gold. Modern Europe or America are no comparison as they are just fragile mixture of iron and clay as they are only about the size of the toes. This is total opposite claim of the world is getting better by the evolutionists. In fact, I’ve heard recently that things will get worse before it gets better. It sounds pretty silly to today’s scientists and modern people, but that’s how it actually the world is turning out.

            Verse 32 says Babylon is pure gold. The Babylonian Empire reigned as the most powerful in the world from 606 to 536 BC. Not only is this golden head representing King Nebuchadnezzar, but it is also representing the Babylonian kingdom. After the king, another kingdom inferior to him will arise. And Another third kingdom will follow. We’ll stop here for today and continue next time.

            Let us pray. Thank you Father God as you have shown us accurate visions through your Word, and we pray Lord that while we are studying the book of Daniel, among the clear visions, that we boldly speak of the visions the Lord has revealed to the people of the world so that they will understand and repent before Jesus, the stone cut without hands returns. Help us to bear witness first, believe that the Lord will provide all our needs, and help all the saints become soldiers of the cross with the faith that the Lord adds to when we go forth. Lord we pray that none waste their entire life seeking only the perishable food. Help us, Lord, so that we can become warriors of faith who eat the fruit that leads to eternal life, and open our eyes and ears of faith to see the exact vision in it whenever we hear and read the Holy Bible. By doing so, help all of us to be born again, to see your vision clearly, to know what will happen in the future, and to be all who convey the message to the people of the world. Thank you and we pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.