Music...
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Hello once again and
welcome to Daniel All Access.
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In this
particular sitting together,
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we look at Daniel chapter 3.
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The title we
have called: Chutzpah
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and we'll
explain what Chutzpah is.
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If you're from New York City
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or if you happen
to be an Ashkenazi Jew
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or a place that is populated
by people of Jewish faith,
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you know what a Chutzpah is.
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It is a very common word
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in Yiddish language
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and it has filtered
into our English language,
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we look at
Daniel chapter 3 today
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and I think
we're beginning to see
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that there is a lot
in the book of Daniel
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that rides just
below the surface there...
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there's the
obvious prophetic plain
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on which the book is written
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but once you begin to
dig, there is a lot in Daniel
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and it has a lot
to say to us today.
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So, we welcome you once
again to Daniel All Access...
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we will have prayer
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and then let us launch out into
Chutzpah... Daniel chapter 3.
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"Father God, again we praise you
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and thank you for your
goodness, your grace...
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we thank you for the Word
which is a lamp unto our feet,
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a light unto our path.
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We are thankful Lord for
Jesus, Savior and friend...
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and we're thankful
for the prophetic waymarks
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that let us know
and give us assurance
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that God has been... is now...
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will always be
with His people...
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and that we need not fear
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for the way has been
clearly delineated...
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it has been marked out...
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and we need but
to walk in that way
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for that is the
way that leads to glory
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and we thank you dear
Father, in Jesus' name, amen. "
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Audience: Amen.
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Want to begin this afternoon...
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this
presentation with a side bar
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that has bearing on what we
will be talking about shortly,
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this is a quote
from Ellen White,
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she says, "Are there those here
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who have been
sinning and repenting
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sinning and repenting
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and they continue to do
so till Christ shall come. "
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She talks about
sinning and repenting
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and sinning and repenting
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and she says,
"Our lives ought not be
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an endless round of
sinning and repenting...
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sinning and repenting. "
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I had a friend who...
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bless his heart,
we grew up together
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but he spent a
lot of time in prison
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and every time he went
to jail, he got converted
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and when he got out of
jail he forgot about the Lord
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sinning and repenting...
sinning and repenting
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and that does bear on our
presentation this afternoon
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and you will see
"sinning and repenting"
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in the life of Nebuchadnezzar.
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Ellen White lets us know
that sinning and repenting
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denies victory in Jesus Christ,
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you know, sooner or later
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God's people have
to be overcomers, amen.
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You've got to overcome,
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you can't sin and
repent and sin and repent
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and sin and
repent... and sin and repent.
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I remember as
children, we would do something
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and we would sin as it were...
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and it was fairly easy
for us to... to repent...
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we just watched my dad
and my dad would do this,
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and we would repent...
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Audience: Laughter...
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we'd repent... it was
fairly easy to get us to repent
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the moment that belt
came off... we repented.
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It didn't keep us
from sinning again,
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but we repented
at... at that moment
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and so, Ellen White says
our lives ought not to be
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this endless round of
sinning and repenting,
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sinning and repenting,
sinning and repenting...
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because it denies
the victorious life.
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Christians ought to
have victory in Jesus.
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Sooner or later, we
have got to be overcomers
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and that overcoming
is promised in Scripture.
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So, notice the
statement of Nebuchadnezzar,
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we ended with this
in our last sitting...
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Nebuchadnezzar in
Daniel chapter 2 verse 7...
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Daniel chapter 2, verse...
rather... 47... forgive me...
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Daniel 2:47 here's what it says,
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"... truly your
God is a God of gods,
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the Lord of kings and
a revealer of secrets...
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truly your God is a God
of gods... Lord of Lords...
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revealer of secrets"
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that sounds like a statement
that's coming from somebody
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whose heart has
been touched, amen.
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Yeah, he's seeing
what God has done.
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He's seeing how God can
take control of situations
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and so, for a
while... Nebuchadnezzar is...
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I don't want to say, "converted"
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I would say, "convicted"
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he's convicted
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he's convicted that he is
in the presence of a people
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who serve a God
who can get stuff done,
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who can do things...
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who is a God of
power and a God of might
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and we will come to deal
with this on two more occasions,
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there are two more
very distinct times
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when
Nebuchadnezzar makes a statement
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just like that
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but he is guilty of
sinning and repenting,
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sinning and repenting.
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The truth is, it is far too easy
for us to lose our way sometimes
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even after we have been
convicted... of what is right.
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So, the king for a
time walks in the impression
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made upon him by the dream.
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Daniel tells him the dream...
he is impressed with the dream
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and... you know... how
many have ever gone to church
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and you... you... you come away
from your experience at church
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and you say to
yourself, "You know what?
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I will never, ever sin again. "
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Audience: Laughter.
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And when you say
it... you mean it, amen.
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you do...
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but the devil knows
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even as those words are
coming out of your mouth,
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you can't keep that...
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and neither... neither...
and the Lord knows that too
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which is why the
Bible says that if we sin...
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we have an
advocate with the Father
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because, you
know, sometimes we fall
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so when Nebuchadnezzar
made that statement,
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he was impressed
with what God was doing.
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He was impressed
with the power of God.
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He had a "head
knowledge" of the Lord,
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but it was not buttressed
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by a "heart
knowledge" of the Lord.
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I've heard sermons in church
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where the pastors
preached and I felt so bad...
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and I said, "Lord, will
I ever make the grade...
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will I ever be
right... will I ever make it?"
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And I... and I said...
and I've said to myself,
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"Lord, I'm going to do better"
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and for a while,
I do better, amen.
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Audience: Amen.
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And then you find
yourself slipping back...
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doesn't mean you
don't want to do better,
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it simply means that...
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it simply means
that when you say,
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"I have decided to follow Jesus"
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you know what Satan says?
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"I have determined
you're not gonna follow Jesus"
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Audience: That's right.
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Amen... yeah... you...
you... you come in strong...
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you believe it and you mean it
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but there's an
adversary called the "Devil"
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who goes about as a roaring lion
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who is just as
determined as you are...
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in fact, he's more
determined than you are,
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because he knows
his time is short...
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so the battle begins and
you know the truth is this,
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the greatest
battle you will ever fight
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is against the
person sitting next to you.
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Audience: No... no...
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Hmmm... hmmm... the greatest
battle you will ever fight
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is the person that you look
at every morning in the mirror
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when you brush your teeth.
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Audience: Yes.
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Murray: Amen... Audience: Amen.
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The hardest battles...
the greatest battles...
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the most consistent...
persistent... incessant battles
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you will fight
are against yourself.
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Pause...
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And the battle
begins the day you determine
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to give your life to the Lord.
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So, the moment you
say, "I've decided... "
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Satan says,
"Yeah" too "I've decided"
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and as they used to say
in the streets of New York,
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"It's on now... "
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because you got to fight.
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So, we see that Daniel
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had said to Nebuchadnezzar
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and given praise to God and
the impression of that dream
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really stuck in his mind
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but through all of
that interpretation,
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the one thing that stood
out in Nebuchadnezzar's mind
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was the one sentence,
"Thou art this head of gold... "
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Daniel said a lot to
him, he talked about kingdoms
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and kingdoms and
kingdoms going up
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and kingdoms coming down
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but the thing that
stuck in his head...
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the thing that
touched his heart...
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"I'm that head of gold...
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and me... I'm the golden boy"
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And Ellen White says,
"for a while, he was convicted"
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but that... that, "thou
art this head of gold... "
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stayed with him
and stayed with him
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he heard all of God's
words but what he bit down on
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was "thou art this head of gold"
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that statement made a
deep impression on his mind.
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You see this... this is a man...
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who's already got ego issues,
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he's a proud man...
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he's got issues with ego,
he thinks a lot of himself
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he has unlimited
power... unlimited authority...
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and it's a
dangerous combination.
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When you got a person
in control of a kingdom
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who's not in control of himself,
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you know who else that
was said about, by-the-way,
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Saul... as the
first king of Israel...
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Ellen White
tells us about Saul...
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never had self-control...
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and never knew the
influence of the Holy Spirit...
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never was surrendered to God
00:11:12.70\00:11:14.80
so now, you have a person
who cannot control himself
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let's make him in
control of the kingdom...
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bad combination...
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Nebuchadnezzar is
the same kind of guy.
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Can't control himself...
can't control his passions...
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but he's in control
of a whole kingdom...
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pause
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and bless his heart
Babylon was doing well.
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It was prosperous, it was rich,
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it was secure and
it was doing quite well
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and Nebuchadnezzar... in
the wake of this prosperity,
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we're told in
"Prophets and Kings"
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began to slowly
slip back into idolatry.
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Pause.
00:12:02.68\00:12:04.69
Let me ask you a question.
00:12:04.72\00:12:06.86
Which do you think
is the better teacher?
00:12:06.89\00:12:10.59
Success or failure?
00:12:10.63\00:12:13.03
Audience: Failure.
00:12:13.06\00:12:15.40
Which is the better teacher?
00:12:15.43\00:12:16.87
Audience: Failure.
00:12:16.90\00:12:18.70
Always failure...
00:12:18.73\00:12:20.44
yeah, you learn
lessons stubbing your toe
00:12:20.47\00:12:24.47
that you would not learn
if you didn't stub your toe.
00:12:24.51\00:12:27.81
Failure is the better teacher.
00:12:27.84\00:12:30.75
Sadly, it is that way
00:12:30.78\00:12:32.71
and so, Nebuchadnezzar
was having great success
00:12:32.75\00:12:37.19
and as soon as
things started going well,
00:12:37.22\00:12:41.36
he forgot about the
dream... country's going good...
00:12:41.39\00:12:45.26
"I'm doing well in my
palace, everything is well... "
00:12:45.29\00:12:49.10
he begins to step
back away from God
00:12:49.13\00:12:53.60
and he begins to return to
his former idolatrous life.
00:12:53.64\00:12:59.61
Pause.
00:12:59.67\00:13:01.41
This is in
"Prophets and Kings" page 504.
00:13:01.44\00:13:05.21
"The wise men of his realm,
taking advantage of this... "
00:13:05.25\00:13:10.95
that's his
easing away from God...
00:13:10.99\00:13:13.12
"and of his return to idolatry
proposed that he make an image
00:13:13.15\00:13:18.39
similar to the one
seen in the dream... "
00:13:18.46\00:13:21.50
that's why I say, "You've
got to listen to you take...
00:13:21.53\00:13:23.53
who you take your counsel from"
00:13:23.57\00:13:25.23
amen... can't
listen to everybody.
00:13:25.27\00:13:26.90
So, they suggested that
to him but he didn't fight it
00:13:26.94\00:13:32.27
"and set it up where all
might behold the head of gold
00:13:32.31\00:13:38.41
which had been interpreted
as representing his kingdom. "
00:13:38.45\00:13:44.52
So the idea came to him,
"Hey man, you're the king,
00:13:44.55\00:13:48.86
why don't you make an
image entirely of gold
00:13:48.89\00:13:55.56
and... and that will...
that will be impressive"
00:13:55.60\00:14:02.24
and when you
already have ego problems,
00:14:02.27\00:14:06.27
and somebody
flatters you like that,
00:14:06.31\00:14:10.05
you're going to bite on that.
00:14:10.08\00:14:12.55
You know, Ellen
White isn't buying this,
00:14:12.58\00:14:14.52
she says, "We should never
be too... too flattering...
00:14:14.55\00:14:17.69
of any pastor no
matter how good his sermon is
00:14:17.72\00:14:22.02
because you put him in danger. "
00:14:22.06\00:14:23.59
Now, if you're
impressed by a sermon,
00:14:23.63\00:14:27.30
tell him, "the sermon
impressed me... not you"
00:14:27.33\00:14:33.20
Audience:
Amen... Murray: Amen...
00:14:33.23\00:14:35.94
"I was moved by the message...
00:14:35.97\00:14:39.31
I wasn't moved by you... "
00:14:39.37\00:14:40.78
amen...
00:14:40.84\00:14:42.74
"I was moved by the message"
00:14:42.78\00:14:44.88
because first of all,
people don't move people.
00:14:44.91\00:14:47.85
Pause.
00:14:47.88\00:14:49.58
It is the
Spirit that quickeneth"
00:14:49.62\00:14:52.42
flesh prophets...
00:14:52.45\00:14:53.79
so, if you're
moved by the sermon,
00:14:53.82\00:14:55.46
tell him, "I'm
moved by the sermon"
00:14:55.49\00:14:57.53
but keep the
personality out of it
00:14:57.56\00:14:59.53
because some people
would develop a taste for that,
00:14:59.56\00:15:03.16
it's like sugar...
all you want is sugar
00:15:03.20\00:15:06.70
then you start doing
things to get more sugar.
00:15:06.74\00:15:09.70
So, praise the Lord,
not the person... amen.
00:15:09.77\00:15:12.21
Audience: Amen.
00:15:12.24\00:15:13.58
So, they're
praising Nebuchadnezzar
00:15:13.61\00:15:15.38
and since he
doesn't know any better,
00:15:15.41\00:15:17.11
he's going for it...
00:15:17.15\00:15:18.48
he's ruling the nation...
00:15:18.51\00:15:19.85
"Why shouldn't the
kingdom last forever?
00:15:19.88\00:15:22.65
We're rich...
00:15:22.68\00:15:24.39
we got a wall so big and so
high nobody can get through it,
00:15:24.45\00:15:27.86
maybe we will last forever. "
00:15:27.89\00:15:31.56
Prophets and Kings, page 505,
00:15:31.59\00:15:34.56
"The symbolic representation
00:15:34.60\00:15:38.03
by which God had
revealed to king and people
00:15:38.07\00:15:41.50
His purpose for the
nations of the earth
00:15:41.57\00:15:44.97
was now to be made to serve
00:15:45.01\00:15:47.61
for the
glorification of human power. "
00:15:47.64\00:15:49.84
See, that's when
you get into trouble.
00:15:49.88\00:15:51.95
When you stand in the way
of what God is trying to do.
00:15:52.01\00:15:56.79
God was trying to
save Nebuchadnezzar
00:15:56.82\00:15:59.59
but God was also
trying to bring a message
00:15:59.62\00:16:02.36
to that
kingdom... to that empire...
00:16:02.39\00:16:05.59
and to the world.
00:16:05.63\00:16:07.03
So, Nebuchadnezzar now
00:16:07.06\00:16:10.03
is standing
between God and His purpose
00:16:10.07\00:16:14.20
for the people He loves...
00:16:14.24\00:16:15.80
bad position to be in.
00:16:15.84\00:16:17.37
That's like standing
in the middle of traffic
00:16:17.41\00:16:19.51
on I-57 you
don't want to be there
00:16:19.54\00:16:22.71
so, Nebuchadnezzar is taking
something that God has ordained
00:16:22.74\00:16:28.68
for His purpose and
turning the glory to Himself
00:16:28.72\00:16:33.39
bad position to be in
00:16:33.42\00:16:35.96
some place you don't want to be
00:16:35.99\00:16:37.99
and something
you don't want to do.
00:16:38.03\00:16:42.70
Just so, we're
connecting the dots...
00:16:42.73\00:16:46.00
let's look at a
couple of things.
00:16:46.03\00:16:49.24
The sin of
Nebuchadnezzar at this point
00:16:49.27\00:16:54.04
lay not even so much in his
sliding back to his old ways
00:16:54.08\00:17:00.32
the sin lay in the presumption
00:17:00.35\00:17:04.19
that he could alter the
will and way and work of God.
00:17:04.25\00:17:10.13
Pause.
00:17:10.16\00:17:11.49
See that's the
message for us today
00:17:11.53\00:17:13.03
what we talked
about this morning...
00:17:13.09\00:17:14.70
all of that inbreeding...
00:17:14.73\00:17:16.06
the sin was... they
thought they could alter
00:17:16.10\00:17:20.87
the will... the
way... the work of God.
00:17:20.94\00:17:23.84
You can't
change the will of God,
00:17:23.87\00:17:27.04
you can't change the way of God,
00:17:27.08\00:17:30.01
nor can you
change the work of God,
00:17:30.05\00:17:32.95
you got to cooperate with God
00:17:32.98\00:17:34.88
and we'll see this
again in Daniel chapter 7,
00:17:34.92\00:17:37.32
we'll see it again
in Daniel chapter 9.
00:17:37.35\00:17:40.06
Man can only cooperate with God.
00:17:40.12\00:17:45.19
So, God put a symbol there,
00:17:45.23\00:17:47.96
90-foot man
00:17:48.00\00:17:51.23
Nebuchadnezzar says,
"Let's make it all gold...
00:17:51.27\00:17:56.64
because I want my
kingdom to last forever. "
00:17:56.67\00:18:02.01
Pause.
00:18:02.04\00:18:03.95
"The symbol designed of heaven
to unfold to the minds of man...
00:18:03.98\00:18:12.35
of men... rather...
00:18:12.39\00:18:14.72
important events of
the future was to be used
00:18:14.76\00:18:19.93
to hinder the spread
of the knowledge of God...
00:18:19.96\00:18:25.13
the knowledge that God desired
the world to receive... "
00:18:25.17\00:18:29.57
So, God's got one purpose...
the devil's got another...
00:18:29.60\00:18:34.04
and Nebuchadnezzar is
moving towards the devil.
00:18:34.08\00:18:37.21
"The enemy of mankind knew
that truth unmixed with error
00:18:37.25\00:18:43.28
is a mighty
power to save, amen. "
00:18:43.32\00:18:45.92
Audience: Amen.
00:18:45.95\00:18:47.29
Pure truth...
that's why when you...
00:18:47.32\00:18:48.72
when you join a church...
00:18:48.76\00:18:50.09
if you're going to give your
life to a religious community,
00:18:50.13\00:18:52.59
make sure they're
teaching the truth...
00:18:52.63\00:18:54.80
the whole truth...
and nothing but the truth.
00:18:54.83\00:18:57.73
That's the only reason
that you join a church.
00:18:57.77\00:19:00.57
That's the only reason that
you give your life and your work
00:19:00.60\00:19:03.17
to any religious community
00:19:03.20\00:19:04.54
because it's... it's
telling you the truth
00:19:04.57\00:19:06.61
and giving you a
way to Jesus Christ.
00:19:06.64\00:19:09.21
You don't join because
the preacher is good looking
00:19:09.24\00:19:12.31
or handsome or speaks well,
00:19:12.35\00:19:13.68
you don't join because
there's 30,000 people in there
00:19:13.72\00:19:16.05
every weekend
00:19:16.08\00:19:17.42
you don't join
because they got good music
00:19:17.45\00:19:19.35
and they got a good choir,
00:19:19.39\00:19:20.72
you don't join because
you like what's going on,
00:19:20.76\00:19:24.89
you join because
truth is being taught, amen.
00:19:24.93\00:19:28.86
Audience: Amen.
00:19:28.90\00:19:30.63
And if truth is not
being taught in your church,
00:19:30.67\00:19:35.40
then you got to go find
one where truth is being taught
00:19:35.44\00:19:38.64
because if truth
is not being taught,
00:19:38.67\00:19:41.18
it can't help you in this life,
00:19:41.21\00:19:42.84
and it surely can't
show you the way to heaven.
00:19:42.88\00:19:44.91
Amen.
00:19:44.95\00:19:46.28
Truth unmixed with
error is a powerful tool
00:19:46.31\00:19:50.09
but once you slip
a little error in...
00:19:50.12\00:19:52.95
then you got a
tool for the enemy
00:19:52.99\00:19:56.46
so, let me say again,
00:19:56.49\00:19:57.86
"The enemy of mankind knew
that truth unmixed with error
00:19:57.89\00:20:02.56
is a mighty power to save
but when used to exalt self...
00:20:02.60\00:20:07.74
when used to exalt self...
00:20:07.77\00:20:10.91
and to further
the projects of men
00:20:10.94\00:20:14.94
it becomes a power for evil. "
00:20:14.98\00:20:18.81
And that is what
Nebuchadnezzar was doing.
00:20:18.85\00:20:24.82
He was turning the
truth of God into a lie
00:20:24.85\00:20:30.83
through personal exaltation.
00:20:30.86\00:20:34.60
Pause.
00:20:34.63\00:20:38.43
I need to say this...
00:20:38.47\00:20:39.90
pause
00:20:39.93\00:20:44.44
everybody who
speaks frankly to you,
00:20:44.47\00:20:50.58
and who tells you that the sun
does not rise and set on you,
00:20:50.61\00:20:57.19
and who puts you in your place
00:20:57.25\00:21:01.42
and maybe sometimes even
speaks a little firmly to you,
00:21:01.46\00:21:06.33
is not necessarily your enemy.
00:21:06.36\00:21:10.77
Pause...
00:21:10.80\00:21:12.67
Amen.
00:21:12.70\00:21:14.50
Conversely, everybody who
tells you how great you are
00:21:14.54\00:21:21.11
and how cute you are
00:21:21.14\00:21:24.91
and how bright you are
00:21:24.95\00:21:28.25
and how wonderful you are
00:21:28.28\00:21:31.59
and that the sun does
indeed rise and set on you,
00:21:31.62\00:21:35.92
is not necessarily your friend.
00:21:35.96\00:21:39.43
Amen.
00:21:39.46\00:21:40.80
Audience: Amen... yes...
00:21:40.83\00:21:42.60
Yeah, people say things
for all kinds of reasons,
00:21:42.63\00:21:45.50
Just because somebody
puts you in your place
00:21:45.53\00:21:48.04
and tells you... you're not as
hot stuff as you think you are
00:21:48.07\00:21:52.01
that doesn't mean
that they're your enemy,
00:21:52.04\00:21:53.44
they're just
telling you the truth,
00:21:53.48\00:21:54.91
what you want, Ladies
and Gentlemen, is truth
00:21:54.94\00:21:58.41
now, we're told
Bible... Spirit of Prophecy...
00:21:58.45\00:22:01.88
that we ought to
speak the truth in love
00:22:01.95\00:22:04.69
but sometimes...
00:22:04.72\00:22:06.45
sometimes... you will
forgive my prerogative English
00:22:06.49\00:22:09.79
"there just ain't
no way to make it nice"
00:22:09.82\00:22:12.26
pause...
00:22:12.29\00:22:14.06
amen...
00:22:14.10\00:22:15.80
does not Ezekiel say,
00:22:15.86\00:22:18.37
"If you see a
brother falling into sin
00:22:18.40\00:22:21.57
and you don't say anything
00:22:21.60\00:22:23.57
and he is lost...
00:22:23.61\00:22:25.21
his blood will I
require at your hand. "
00:22:25.24\00:22:28.38
So, sometimes, you can
find a nice euphemistic way
00:22:28.41\00:22:33.01
to tell the truth
that doesn't hurt feelings
00:22:33.05\00:22:35.48
and everybody is
happy and we all smile...
00:22:35.52\00:22:37.92
hold hands and sing, "Kumbaya"
00:22:37.95\00:22:39.45
but sometimes... "Amen"
00:22:39.49\00:22:43.86
you got to kind
of put it out there.
00:22:43.89\00:22:46.46
You're doing wrong...
00:22:46.49\00:22:48.66
that's evil... that's ungodly...
00:22:48.70\00:22:51.07
say it in love... and
pray that it's taken in love
00:22:51.10\00:22:54.90
and so these astrologers wanted
to get back on the gravy train,
00:22:54.94\00:23:00.54
now, remember just...
just a few years before...
00:23:00.58\00:23:04.65
a little while before...
they were slated for death...
00:23:04.71\00:23:07.78
they were all going to die,
00:23:07.85\00:23:10.12
but that has
passed and time has passed
00:23:10.15\00:23:13.42
and they want to get back in.
00:23:13.46\00:23:14.92
Daniel has been...
has been elevated...
00:23:14.99\00:23:17.23
he's got a... he's
got a brand-new job,
00:23:17.26\00:23:19.46
he's making good money,
00:23:19.49\00:23:21.30
the three Hebrew boys...
00:23:21.33\00:23:23.06
in fact, I like Daniel
because he looked out...
00:23:23.13\00:23:25.10
he looked out for
the Hebrew boys...
00:23:25.13\00:23:26.77
he said, "Nebuchadnezzar,
00:23:26.84\00:23:28.17
listen, don't just
give me a good job,
00:23:28.20\00:23:29.54
give my boys a good job too. "
00:23:29.57\00:23:31.54
So, Nebuchadnezzar was so
happy... everybody got jobs
00:23:31.57\00:23:34.08
but they got
promoted over the local guys
00:23:34.11\00:23:40.35
so now, they want back in
00:23:40.38\00:23:43.15
so, they're thinking...
00:23:43.18\00:23:45.95
and we see this again in
Daniel chapter 6, by-the-way,
00:23:45.99\00:23:48.06
they're thinking, "We
got to do something here,
00:23:48.09\00:23:52.23
we got to do something
here to get back in... "
00:23:52.26\00:23:56.16
ah... okay... okay...
00:23:56.20\00:23:57.53
"Why don't you make this
image, make it all of gold
00:23:57.57\00:24:00.30
put it on the plains of Dura...
and here's... here's what you do
00:24:00.34\00:24:04.07
here's what you do
00:24:04.11\00:24:05.84
call everybody in
from all over the empire
00:24:05.87\00:24:09.91
and make them all bow down...
00:24:09.94\00:24:12.61
make everybody hit the
ground when the music plays. "
00:24:12.65\00:24:16.52
And if you're a person
who's got a pretty big ego,
00:24:16.55\00:24:20.39
that sounds pretty good...
00:24:20.42\00:24:21.76
the whole world on
their face before you.
00:24:21.79\00:24:26.26
"I like it... "
00:24:26.29\00:24:29.33
pause...
00:24:29.36\00:24:32.03
and so he went for it.
00:24:32.07\00:24:34.17
That's why I say to you,
"Everybody who compliments you
00:24:34.20\00:24:37.01
and flatters you
00:24:37.04\00:24:38.44
and tells you how
wonderful you are,
00:24:38.47\00:24:40.54
is not
necessarily your friend. "
00:24:40.58\00:24:42.58
So he took the bait
and he built an image
00:24:42.64\00:24:46.55
the exact same
dimensions... 90 feet tall...
00:24:46.61\00:24:50.49
9 feet wide...
00:24:50.52\00:24:51.85
indicating his intention
00:24:51.89\00:24:53.96
that Babylon
should stand forever. "
00:24:53.99\00:24:57.76
Pause...
00:24:57.79\00:24:59.79
There is a Jewish word
that I learned in New York...
00:24:59.83\00:25:03.73
it is the title
of our message today,
00:25:03.77\00:25:06.70
it's called: Chutz - pah
00:25:06.74\00:25:08.57
I was trying to...
to teach Joe O'Brien
00:25:08.60\00:25:10.94
how to say,
"Chutzpah" the other day
00:25:10.97\00:25:13.24
we were working on the bulletin.
00:25:13.27\00:25:14.61
Chutzpah is a Yiddish word,
00:25:14.64\00:25:17.21
now, Yiddish is an
Eastern European amalgamation
00:25:17.25\00:25:21.82
of classic
Judaism and... and German
00:25:21.85\00:25:24.92
and it's got a
little Polish in there
00:25:24.95\00:25:27.96
and it's got some... some
other Eastern European things
00:25:28.02\00:25:30.89
and it developed over the years
00:25:30.93\00:25:33.23
as the Jewish Community
made it's way into Europe,
00:25:33.26\00:25:35.66
they just picked up terms
00:25:35.70\00:25:38.23
so, when you're in New
York, I think Janey Pauley...
00:25:38.27\00:25:42.40
you spent some time in New
York and... and... and... and...
00:25:42.44\00:25:47.71
the English in New York City
is filled with Jewish sayings,
00:25:47.74\00:25:53.01
isn't that true?
00:25:53.05\00:25:54.38
All kinds of...
the world "Schlep"
00:25:54.42\00:25:55.75
now if you're not familiar,
00:25:55.78\00:25:57.65
you don't even know
what "Schlep" means,
00:25:57.69\00:25:59.02
"Schlep" is like to take a trip
that's kind of a drudgery...
00:25:59.05\00:26:01.96
"I got to schlep to Carbondale
00:26:01.99\00:26:03.32
to go all the way to
the health food store"
00:26:03.36\00:26:04.86
but in New
York... that's common.
00:26:04.89\00:26:06.23
The word "nosh"
00:26:06.26\00:26:07.60
there's a store in New
York called "Bagel nosh"
00:26:07.63\00:26:10.17
"nosh" means to just
kind of chew on something
00:26:10.20\00:26:12.80
it means just... to
nibble... that's you know...
00:26:12.83\00:26:15.30
"Schlemiel"
we'll talk about that,
00:26:15.34\00:26:17.54
we got a sermon... I think
it's Daniel chapter 9 called,
00:26:17.57\00:26:19.71
"Schlemiel Schlemazl"
00:26:19.74\00:26:21.61
a "Schlemiel" is a
person who makes bad decisions
00:26:21.64\00:26:24.48
and suffers for them
00:26:24.51\00:26:26.05
and a "Schlemazl"
is a person who suffers
00:26:26.08\00:26:28.25
because of the bad
decisions of others...
00:26:28.28\00:26:30.12
a "Schlemiel" is a person
who spills his... his hot tea
00:26:30.15\00:26:33.96
and the "Schlemazl" is a person
who the hot tea gets spilled on.
00:26:33.99\00:26:37.83
You know, all
kinds of... of Jewish...
00:26:37.86\00:26:40.10
and it's all into... mixed into
the English in New York City
00:26:40.13\00:26:46.03
and to be honest,
I miss some of those
00:26:46.07\00:26:48.27
because the
Jewish expressions...
00:26:48.30\00:26:50.41
the Yiddish expressions are
very, very colorful expressions
00:26:50.44\00:26:54.54
so you got now "Chutzpah"
00:26:54.58\00:26:58.45
spelled: Chutzpah
00:26:58.48\00:27:01.38
like... like Hanukkah and really
00:27:01.42\00:27:03.85
to pronounce it correctly,
the word is: hhhoodspah...
00:27:03.89\00:27:06.99
yeah, it's hhhoodspah...
00:27:07.02\00:27:09.66
not just: hoodspah... you
got to do it: hhhoodspah...
00:27:09.69\00:27:12.79
and if you're
Jewish, it's very easy,
00:27:12.86\00:27:15.56
just hhhoodspah...
00:27:15.60\00:27:16.93
I was trying to get
Joe to do it the other day
00:27:16.97\00:27:18.30
and he couldn't quite get there
00:27:18.33\00:27:19.90
and I can't blame
him, you got to practice...
00:27:19.93\00:27:21.60
but Chutz - pah
00:27:21.67\00:27:23.00
Chutzpah is a Yiddish word
00:27:23.04\00:27:24.54
which simply
means: shameless audacity,
00:27:24.57\00:27:28.08
impudence,
supreme self-confidence,
00:27:28.11\00:27:31.58
cheek, gall or nerve
00:27:31.61\00:27:35.08
so, to use it in a sentence,
00:27:35.12\00:27:37.39
"You know, he's
got a lot of chutzpah
00:27:37.42\00:27:40.52
bringing that thing to church"
00:27:40.56\00:27:42.72
got a lot of nerve
00:27:42.76\00:27:44.49
it's chutzpah...
00:27:44.53\00:27:45.96
it's chutzpah.
00:27:45.99\00:27:47.36
So, Yiddish is a
very wonderful dialect
00:27:47.40\00:27:50.67
and it's very, very colorful
00:27:50.70\00:27:52.47
and so,
Nebuchadnezzar had the chutzpah
00:27:52.53\00:27:57.67
to make an
image entirely of gold
00:27:57.71\00:28:01.48
in opposition to
what God had declared.
00:28:01.51\00:28:05.25
Many scholars see
Dura as a large plain
00:28:05.31\00:28:09.12
to the northeast
of... of... of Babylon.
00:28:09.15\00:28:12.92
I found some... some... some...
some scholars that say that
00:28:12.95\00:28:16.22
that Dura was
inside the city of Babylon
00:28:16.26\00:28:19.06
but it doesn't really make sense
00:28:19.09\00:28:20.43
because of the number of people
that were called to the...
00:28:20.46\00:28:25.57
called to the plain... in order
to bow down before the statue.
00:28:25.63\00:28:30.64
The Bible indicates that
there were representatives
00:28:30.67\00:28:34.54
from all across the
provinces of Babylon.
00:28:34.58\00:28:38.51
The entire
Empire was represented.
00:28:38.55\00:28:40.98
Pause.
00:28:41.02\00:28:42.85
They were to come and
worship the golden statue...
00:28:42.88\00:28:48.02
a representation of the
privileges... prerogatives
00:28:48.06\00:28:53.19
and prestige of
the king himself.
00:28:53.23\00:28:55.83
The setting up of the image
00:28:55.86\00:28:59.10
was a construct of
vanity, ego and pride
00:28:59.13\00:29:05.67
and when you come to the Lord,
00:29:05.71\00:29:08.78
the one thing...
well not the one thing
00:29:08.81\00:29:12.05
but, some of the
things, you got to let go
00:29:12.08\00:29:15.12
are your vanity... your
ego and your pride, amen.
00:29:15.15\00:29:21.49
Audience: Amen.
00:29:21.52\00:29:22.86
I would say this...
00:29:22.89\00:29:24.23
we understand from
the Spirit of Prophecy
00:29:24.26\00:29:27.23
in fact, let me
ask you this way,
00:29:27.26\00:29:29.76
anybody knows what the
number one sin the church is?
00:29:29.80\00:29:32.27
Audience: Pride.
00:29:32.30\00:29:34.14
Pride... you got
it... pride... pride.
00:29:34.17\00:29:38.41
We're told it is
the hardest to diagnose
00:29:38.44\00:29:42.64
pause
00:29:42.68\00:29:45.35
and almost impossible to cure
00:29:45.38\00:29:48.42
and everybody is infected
to a greater or lesser degree
00:29:48.45\00:29:53.89
with it
00:29:53.92\00:29:56.22
hmmm... hmmm...
00:29:56.26\00:29:58.13
so everybody's got pride
00:29:58.16\00:30:00.73
and if you're thinking...
you don't have pride,
00:30:00.76\00:30:03.33
you really got pride...
00:30:03.37\00:30:05.47
Audience: Laughing
00:30:05.50\00:30:06.94
and you got a problem.
00:30:06.97\00:30:08.30
That's why it's
so hard to diagnose
00:30:08.34\00:30:10.94
because everybody knows
00:30:10.97\00:30:12.74
the person next to them has it.
00:30:12.77\00:30:14.78
Audience: Laughter.
00:30:14.84\00:30:16.61
But not the
person in the mirror...
00:30:16.64\00:30:19.98
hardest to diagnose and
almost impossible to cure
00:30:20.02\00:30:26.52
and I am so glad
that Ellen White said,
00:30:26.55\00:30:28.22
"Almost impossible to cure"
00:30:28.29\00:30:29.86
amen... Audience: Amen.
00:30:29.89\00:30:31.43
It's tough... but
it can be cured...
00:30:31.46\00:30:34.96
you can get rid of pride...
00:30:35.00\00:30:37.07
and everybody's got some of it
00:30:37.10\00:30:39.17
amen... we all got some
00:30:39.20\00:30:42.54
but we got to surrender to Jesus
00:30:42.57\00:30:45.54
and
Nebuchadnezzar had a lot of it.
00:30:45.57\00:30:48.51
Lot of ego... a lot of pride...
00:30:48.54\00:30:51.45
and no one to check him...
00:30:51.48\00:30:53.95
no one to stop him.
00:30:53.98\00:30:56.55
Vanity, ego and pride...
00:30:56.58\00:30:59.75
the wise men appealed to these
negative traits of character,
00:30:59.79\00:31:05.79
they flattered him
and he took the bait.
00:31:05.86\00:31:10.10
Pause...
00:31:10.13\00:31:15.90
Prophets and Kings, page 504.
00:31:15.94\00:31:19.77
"With
enthusiasm" Ellen White says,
00:31:19.81\00:31:24.51
"born of
boundless ambition and... "
00:31:24.55\00:31:29.22
what's the word?
00:31:29.25\00:31:30.62
Audience:
pride... Murray: pride...
00:31:30.65\00:31:32.35
"he entered into
council with his wise men
00:31:32.39\00:31:35.32
as to how to bring this about"
00:31:35.36\00:31:38.09
the idea that the
world would bow to him
00:31:38.13\00:31:42.46
really pleased him...
00:31:42.50\00:31:45.60
now, to me...
that would scare me
00:31:45.63\00:31:48.07
wouldn't it?
00:31:48.10\00:31:49.80
People coming to bow...
00:31:49.84\00:31:51.17
I tend to get a little
antsy with too much praise.
00:31:51.21\00:31:55.48
I do...
00:31:55.51\00:31:57.85
everybody likes
a good "atta boy"
00:31:57.88\00:32:00.12
amen...
00:32:00.15\00:32:01.62
everybody likes a
good pat on the back.
00:32:01.65\00:32:03.49
Everybody likes a good
"you did well... God bless you"
00:32:03.52\00:32:08.82
but when people lay
it on with a spatula,
00:32:08.86\00:32:11.66
you know, when they're
just ladling praise on you,
00:32:11.69\00:32:14.36
you got to be careful
with that kind of thing
00:32:14.40\00:32:17.03
and so, his ego is being fed...
00:32:17.07\00:32:20.24
these guys are
saying, "Let's do it"
00:32:20.27\00:32:23.07
and so he dives in
kind of with both feet
00:32:23.10\00:32:25.71
this is what it's
all about for him,
00:32:25.74\00:32:29.08
and he likes this idea...
00:32:29.11\00:32:32.98
it... it
aggrandizes itself to him
00:32:33.01\00:32:38.39
the idea that he may
have an indestructible kingdom
00:32:38.42\00:32:44.16
which will last forever,
00:32:44.19\00:32:46.73
so they set up the statue
00:32:46.76\00:32:49.20
and the edict went out
that when you hear the music
00:32:49.23\00:32:53.94
every face ought to
be facing the ground.
00:32:53.97\00:32:59.04
This was personal
for Nebuchadnezzar
00:32:59.07\00:33:05.31
and evidently he
himself didn't even know
00:33:05.35\00:33:09.55
that the three
Hebrews didn't bow down.
00:33:09.58\00:33:13.79
He wasn't aware...
00:33:13.82\00:33:15.82
I mean, you had tens of
thousands of people there
00:33:15.86\00:33:19.96
and he couldn't see
all of those many thousands
00:33:20.00\00:33:24.07
he had to be told,
00:33:24.10\00:33:25.97
"Hey, man, you know
there are some people out there
00:33:26.03\00:33:31.21
that are not bowing down. "
00:33:31.24\00:33:32.57
Pause...
00:33:32.61\00:33:35.74
What do they call those
people? The Whistleblowers.
00:33:35.78\00:33:39.15
Pause.
00:33:39.18\00:33:41.88
They came and told him that
some people weren't bowing down.
00:33:41.92\00:33:48.99
Here's the access point.
00:33:49.02\00:33:50.36
"The fiery furnace was
the prescribed punishment
00:33:50.39\00:33:54.30
for any and every offender
00:33:54.33\00:33:56.83
regardless of race,
rank or privilege. "
00:33:56.87\00:33:59.33
So, the fiery
furnace wasn't just put there
00:33:59.37\00:34:01.77
for the Hebrew boys,
00:34:01.80\00:34:03.34
that was standard punishment
00:34:03.37\00:34:05.51
for everybody
who didn't bow down.
00:34:05.54\00:34:07.58
Regardless of
race... regardless of rank...
00:34:07.61\00:34:11.48
regardless of privilege...
00:34:11.51\00:34:12.85
if you didn't bow down,
00:34:12.88\00:34:14.22
that was going
to be your last...
00:34:14.25\00:34:15.65
now verse 7 informs us
that when the music played
00:34:15.68\00:34:19.72
almost everybody bowed down...
00:34:19.75\00:34:23.46
just about everybody...
00:34:23.49\00:34:26.29
now the fact is,
00:34:26.33\00:34:28.56
we don't know where the
Hebrew boys were standing
00:34:28.60\00:34:34.60
pause...
00:34:34.64\00:34:38.71
we only see them
standing together...
00:34:38.74\00:34:40.51
but we don't know if
they came from the same tribe.
00:34:40.54\00:34:44.15
How nice it would have been
if you had one standing there
00:34:44.18\00:34:50.72
and one standing there
00:34:50.75\00:34:53.12
and one standing there...
00:34:53.15\00:34:55.42
each standing alone
was standing for the Lord.
00:34:55.46\00:34:59.33
Amen.
00:34:59.39\00:35:00.73
Because the truth is,
00:35:00.76\00:35:02.10
sometimes, you're not
going to get a lot of people
00:35:02.13\00:35:04.50
to stand with you
00:35:04.53\00:35:06.30
sometimes, you're going
to go through some stuff
00:35:06.33\00:35:08.54
and even those who love you
can't go through it with you.
00:35:08.57\00:35:13.17
Amen.
00:35:13.21\00:35:16.08
There are going to
be some experiences
00:35:16.11\00:35:17.45
that you and Jesus
have to go through alone.
00:35:17.48\00:35:20.38
Your mate can love you...
they can take care of you...
00:35:20.42\00:35:25.92
they can encourage you
00:35:25.95\00:35:27.86
but sometimes
it's just you and God
00:35:27.89\00:35:31.33
amen... just you and the Lord.
00:35:31.36\00:35:35.70
Pause...
00:35:35.76\00:35:37.10
So, we don't know if
they're standing together
00:35:37.13\00:35:38.53
or they were standing alone
00:35:38.57\00:35:40.94
but they were standing, amen.
00:35:40.97\00:35:43.30
Audience: Amen.
00:35:43.34\00:35:45.04
Pause...
00:35:45.07\00:35:46.71
So, here's the word,
00:35:46.74\00:35:48.44
"There are certain Jews
00:35:48.48\00:35:51.41
whom thou has set over
the affairs of the province
00:35:51.45\00:35:54.85
of Babylon,
00:35:54.98\00:35:56.52
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego...
00:35:56.55\00:35:59.55
they have not regarded
thee: they serve not thy gods,
00:35:59.59\00:36:06.09
nor do they worship the golden
image which you have set up. "
00:36:06.13\00:36:09.76
Whistleblowers...
00:36:09.80\00:36:11.13
"Some guys out there King...
00:36:11.17\00:36:12.87
they're not
paying attention to you
00:36:12.93\00:36:15.40
they're not bowing down... "
00:36:15.44\00:36:17.61
"As the three Hebrew
boys stood before the king,
00:36:17.64\00:36:21.11
he was convinced that
they possessed something
00:36:21.14\00:36:24.58
that the other wise men of
the kingdom did not have. "
00:36:24.61\00:36:29.55
Now, here's what
I found interesting.
00:36:29.58\00:36:31.85
When you stand for the Lord,
00:36:31.89\00:36:34.46
people can tell if
the Lord is in your life
00:36:34.52\00:36:40.40
even if they don't like
the fact that He's there.
00:36:40.43\00:36:44.60
Amen.
00:36:44.63\00:36:46.53
Yeah, when... when
Christ is in your life,
00:36:46.57\00:36:50.11
there are certain
carriage to your life
00:36:50.14\00:36:53.17
certain way you
conduct yourself...
00:36:53.21\00:36:56.14
when Christ stood before Pilate,
bloody, battered, beaten...
00:36:56.18\00:37:01.75
Pilate knew, "This is not
just some ordinary criminal"
00:37:01.78\00:37:07.09
it was his intent...
"Let me run out here...
00:37:07.16\00:37:10.93
convict this
guy... go back to bed...
00:37:10.96\00:37:13.29
get some sleep... "
00:37:13.33\00:37:14.66
but when he saw Jesus,
00:37:14.70\00:37:16.03
he knew, "He's
not an ordinary guy"
00:37:16.06\00:37:19.53
and Nebuchadnezzar... when
he saw these three Hebrew boys,
00:37:19.57\00:37:24.21
was convinced of the same thing.
00:37:24.24\00:37:26.88
These are not ordinary people
00:37:26.91\00:37:29.41
and they have something
that my wise men do not have.
00:37:29.44\00:37:34.38
There's something
in these three people.
00:37:34.45\00:37:38.49
He knew that he was in
the presence of some people
00:37:38.52\00:37:42.22
that were different...
that were special...
00:37:42.26\00:37:45.49
that had stood...
00:37:45.53\00:37:48.16
Pause...
00:37:48.20\00:37:51.53
These Whistleblowers
00:37:51.57\00:37:53.47
were motivated by jealousy
00:37:53.50\00:37:56.67
and we see this over
and over and over again.
00:37:56.71\00:37:59.54
Daniel, later on, gets his turn
at being the object of jealousy
00:37:59.57\00:38:05.08
a few chapters hence...
00:38:05.11\00:38:07.68
jealousy is the same emotion
that motivated Lucifer in heaven
00:38:07.72\00:38:14.22
it's almost the original sin.
00:38:14.26\00:38:16.62
Pause...
00:38:16.66\00:38:19.06
In a word... jealousy
over the honors and positions
00:38:19.09\00:38:26.03
held by Hananiah,
Azariah, Mishael...
00:38:26.07\00:38:30.17
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego...
00:38:30.21\00:38:31.71
is what motivated
these men to point them out.
00:38:31.74\00:38:36.28
"O king, live forever!"
00:38:36.34\00:38:38.78
you got three guys
who are foreigners...
00:38:38.81\00:38:42.82
you gave them our jobs...
they're ruling over us...
00:38:42.85\00:38:47.39
you elevated them to
positions in the Government
00:38:47.42\00:38:51.93
that we should have...
00:38:51.96\00:38:54.00
we should occupy...
00:38:54.03\00:38:55.36
and now, O king, respectfully,
00:38:55.40\00:38:58.23
they're thumbing
their nose at you... "
00:38:58.27\00:38:59.97
pause...
00:39:00.00\00:39:04.84
and the word in the Hebrew
is, "They are flagrantly...
00:39:04.87\00:39:10.31
flagrantly
violating your decree... "
00:39:10.35\00:39:16.58
pause...
00:39:16.65\00:39:19.12
in short... "Hey man, they
ain't paying you no mind. "
00:39:19.15\00:39:25.03
Pause...
00:39:25.06\00:39:29.10
"So, now we know
that you missed this
00:39:29.13\00:39:33.94
and out of
respect for your lordship,
00:39:33.97\00:39:37.67
we just thought,
you ought to know. "
00:39:37.71\00:39:41.34
Pause...
00:39:41.38\00:39:44.81
"They don't regard you...
00:39:44.85\00:39:47.48
they don't
regard your kingdom. "
00:39:47.52\00:39:53.46
Pause...
00:39:53.49\00:39:56.12
"Then with his hand
stretched upward in defiance,
00:39:56.16\00:40:00.60
he demanded...
00:40:00.66\00:40:02.50
and who is the God
00:40:02.53\00:40:04.30
who will deliver
you out of my hand?"
00:40:04.33\00:40:08.90
Pause...
00:40:08.94\00:40:15.21
That's a very
dangerous statement...
00:40:15.24\00:40:18.51
we've heard
statements like that before,
00:40:18.58\00:40:21.78
when Moses went to Pharaoh
and said, "Let my people go"
00:40:21.82\00:40:28.96
Pharaoh said, "Who is this
God that I should let you go?"
00:40:28.99\00:40:36.13
you see... when...
00:40:36.16\00:40:39.00
when you shake your finger
in the face of God like that,
00:40:39.03\00:40:43.10
you kind of force
God to introduce Himself.
00:40:43.14\00:40:47.74
Amen.
00:40:47.78\00:40:49.58
You kind of force Him
00:40:49.61\00:40:53.82
to re-acquaint you
with Him and His power.
00:40:53.85\00:40:57.75
So, when you say,
"Who... who is this God?"
00:40:57.79\00:41:01.62
Well, now, God's got to
say, "Okay, here is Who I am. "
00:41:01.66\00:41:06.76
Amen.
00:41:06.80\00:41:08.23
So, Nebuchadnezzar says,
00:41:08.26\00:41:15.07
"Who's the God
00:41:15.10\00:41:16.44
that's going to pull
you out of this situation?"
00:41:16.47\00:41:20.81
Pharaoh said...
and bless your heart...
00:41:20.84\00:41:26.11
Sennacherib said it... remember
he sent that letter to Hezekiah?
00:41:26.15\00:41:30.82
And he said... "first
let me tell you something
00:41:30.89\00:41:35.79
what you need to know is,
every country has a God...
00:41:35.82\00:41:40.73
pause...
00:41:40.76\00:41:42.63
everybody's got a God...
00:41:42.66\00:41:44.33
and when they see us
coming, they pray to that God...
00:41:44.37\00:41:49.77
and my record says,
00:41:49.80\00:41:54.41
no God has delivered
any country from my hand...
00:41:54.44\00:41:59.71
so don't let Hezekiah
tell you that your God has...
00:41:59.75\00:42:04.99
because history
says, 'No God has. '"
00:42:05.02\00:42:09.86
Pause.
00:42:09.92\00:42:11.36
So, now you put God on notice,
00:42:11.39\00:42:13.80
you kind of called God out
00:42:13.83\00:42:16.63
"Don't let Hezekiah fool you
00:42:16.67\00:42:19.40
because nobody's
been able to do it. "
00:42:19.43\00:42:22.24
Well, now, God's got to show
Sennacherib... this is different
00:42:22.27\00:42:25.67
because you're
dealing with the real God now.
00:42:25.71\00:42:28.84
So, Sennacherib
loses the battle...
00:42:28.88\00:42:30.98
excuse me... goes home...
00:42:31.01\00:42:32.38
and his own children
slay him in his own temple.
00:42:32.41\00:42:35.68
Pause.
00:42:35.72\00:42:38.49
So now Nebuchadnezzar's saying,
00:42:38.52\00:42:41.16
"Nobody's going to save you...
00:42:41.22\00:42:43.79
nobody's going to be
able to deliver you...
00:42:43.83\00:42:47.00
pause...
00:42:47.03\00:42:53.27
and a fiery furnace is going to
be heated... this very hour. "
00:42:53.30\00:43:00.14
Now, you got
to... looking at this...
00:43:00.18\00:43:02.24
you got to say one
thing for Nebuchadnezzar,
00:43:02.28\00:43:04.15
he didn't... he didn't
blow up, he gave them...
00:43:04.18\00:43:05.98
he gave them a second chance,
00:43:06.01\00:43:07.35
he really did...
00:43:07.42\00:43:08.75
he said, "Okay, maybe you
didn't hear the music... "
00:43:08.78\00:43:12.35
pause...
00:43:12.42\00:43:16.02
you know,
"maybe you didn't hear,
00:43:16.06\00:43:18.29
so, I'll give
you another chance...
00:43:18.33\00:43:20.56
I'll give you another shot...
00:43:20.60\00:43:25.03
and when you hear the music,
00:43:25.07\00:43:29.47
just bow down... "
00:43:29.50\00:43:30.97
pause...
00:43:31.01\00:43:33.54
now, this is a hot-headed
guy who's not accustomed
00:43:33.58\00:43:38.01
to having people go against him,
00:43:38.05\00:43:40.72
but he's given
them another chance.
00:43:40.75\00:43:43.39
Remember, not long before,
00:43:43.42\00:43:46.96
he had ordered the
murder of his wise men,
00:43:46.99\00:43:49.82
so he's given
them a second chance,
00:43:49.86\00:43:51.36
he's stepping out of
his... his normal routine...
00:43:51.39\00:43:54.60
"I'll give you another chance"
00:43:54.63\00:43:55.96
pause...
00:43:56.00\00:43:58.47
and when you hear
the music, bow down"
00:43:58.53\00:44:02.70
pause...
00:44:02.74\00:44:05.37
"and if not, furnace is ready"
00:44:05.41\00:44:09.04
now let me show you something
from the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:44:09.08\00:44:11.78
"he stretched his hand... "
00:44:11.81\00:44:14.35
and in Daniel 3:15...
00:44:14.38\00:44:18.22
he says, "No
God can deliver you"
00:44:18.25\00:44:21.92
and that's the pivotal line...
00:44:21.99\00:44:25.63
pause...
00:44:25.69\00:44:31.93
I don't know how many...
00:44:31.97\00:44:35.07
how many Jews came out
of Israel into Babylon,
00:44:35.10\00:44:44.05
when Nebuchadnezzar deported
the last... with Zedekiah,
00:44:44.08\00:44:49.15
he pretty much
cleaned out the whole country.
00:44:49.18\00:44:55.19
So, there were a lot
of Jews in Babylon...
00:44:55.22\00:45:01.20
and I'm going to assume
00:45:01.26\00:45:03.83
some of them were there that day
00:45:03.87\00:45:06.67
but the Bible
says, "Only three stood"
00:45:06.70\00:45:10.91
where was everybody else?
00:45:10.97\00:45:14.34
Pause...
00:45:14.38\00:45:16.88
Surely there were more there
than... than just those three,
00:45:16.95\00:45:23.08
but the Bible
says, "Only three stood"
00:45:23.12\00:45:27.96
pause...
00:45:27.99\00:45:30.59
"When
Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah,
00:45:30.63\00:45:33.29
he relocated what was tantamount
to the entire population. "
00:45:33.33\00:45:37.60
Well, where was everybody else?
00:45:37.63\00:45:40.27
Only three stood.
00:45:40.34\00:45:44.21
Pause...
00:45:44.24\00:45:47.41
You know, as I said before,
00:45:47.44\00:45:48.78
sometimes there's no
nice way to bring bad news.
00:45:48.81\00:45:53.35
Pause.
00:45:53.38\00:45:56.38
So, the three Hebrew boys
said, "We are not careful...
00:45:56.45\00:46:01.29
we're not going to
march... watch our words...
00:46:01.32\00:46:04.49
we're not going to
be politically correct,
00:46:04.53\00:46:07.63
we're not going to try to figure
some nice way to say that"
00:46:07.66\00:46:11.77
the word is, "Cashach"
00:46:11.80\00:46:14.70
it means "not necessary"
00:46:14.74\00:46:17.57
so the Hebrew
worthies told the king,
00:46:17.61\00:46:22.68
"It is not necessary for
you to give us another chance...
00:46:22.71\00:46:27.52
it's not necessary...
00:46:27.55\00:46:30.02
because nothing
different is going to happen.
00:46:30.09\00:46:34.29
We're not going
to watch our words,
00:46:34.32\00:46:36.62
we're not going to find
some politically correct way
00:46:36.69\00:46:39.36
to spin this,
00:46:39.39\00:46:41.36
we're not going to
try to say something
00:46:41.40\00:46:44.40
to make your ego feel good,
00:46:44.43\00:46:46.80
play the music as
often as you want...
00:46:46.84\00:46:51.71
we will not... we
cannot bow down. "
00:46:51.77\00:46:56.61
Audience: Amen... amen.
00:46:56.64\00:46:58.21
Now, that's... that's... that's,
that's, that's tough to say
00:46:58.25\00:47:02.32
to a guy who you
know is a reactionary,
00:47:02.35\00:47:04.65
you know he's not
going to take that well,
00:47:04.69\00:47:06.99
you know he's not going to say,
00:47:07.02\00:47:08.36
"Well okay,
I'll give you a pass,
00:47:08.39\00:47:09.72
God bless you...
you can go home now. "
00:47:09.76\00:47:12.46
"Not necessary to
give us another chance
00:47:12.49\00:47:15.23
because we're not
going to bow down,
00:47:15.26\00:47:17.53
we're not going to change... "
00:47:17.57\00:47:19.23
now, the Bible says that...
00:47:19.27\00:47:20.84
that the king's decree
was so urgent and so hasty,
00:47:20.87\00:47:27.28
that they heated
up the furnace so hot
00:47:27.31\00:47:31.91
that it even killed the
people that put them in there,
00:47:31.95\00:47:34.55
this is how urgent it was,
00:47:34.58\00:47:36.12
this was a pivotal time in
the history of God's people.
00:47:36.15\00:47:42.69
Now, let me... let me show
you something that is... is...
00:47:42.72\00:47:49.20
is... is very, very important,
00:47:49.23\00:47:51.77
I said that in
Exodus you got Pharaoh,
00:47:51.80\00:47:55.90
and in 2nd
Chronicles, you got Sennacherib
00:47:55.94\00:47:59.94
now, you've got Nebuchadnezzar
giving a second chance
00:47:59.97\00:48:03.81
that has been rebuffed
00:48:03.85\00:48:05.35
because they're
never going to bow down,
00:48:05.38\00:48:07.65
there's no nice way
to deliver that message
00:48:07.68\00:48:09.92
but what you've
got to understand is,
00:48:09.95\00:48:14.06
and what they understood,
00:48:14.09\00:48:16.79
is that, when you
stand up for Jesus...
00:48:16.83\00:48:22.86
pause
00:48:22.90\00:48:24.83
Jesus will stand up for you.
00:48:24.87\00:48:26.80
Audience: Amen... praise God.
00:48:26.84\00:48:28.74
Now, that's hard to understand
when money is rolling out
00:48:28.77\00:48:34.08
and not coming in
00:48:34.11\00:48:35.81
and you got more bills
at the end of the month
00:48:35.84\00:48:38.15
than you got money to pay
00:48:38.18\00:48:39.51
and you got
problems in your life
00:48:39.55\00:48:41.95
and... and... and...
you're challenged on your job
00:48:41.98\00:48:46.45
but the truth is,
00:48:46.49\00:48:48.96
when you stand up for Jesus,
Jesus will stand up for you.
00:48:48.99\00:48:55.03
He is on the record
as standing up for you.
00:48:55.06\00:48:58.17
He has to stand up for you.
00:48:58.20\00:49:00.27
He's going to be
faithful to His Word
00:49:00.30\00:49:02.84
even when we are not faithful.
00:49:02.87\00:49:06.27
So, Daniel chapter 3 verse 18,
00:49:06.31\00:49:09.61
"Let it be known O king,
we do not serve your gods,
00:49:09.64\00:49:14.22
nor will we worship the gold
image that you have set up. "
00:49:14.25\00:49:19.72
Sometimes, you just
have to plant your feet
00:49:19.75\00:49:21.49
and stand for the Lord,
00:49:21.52\00:49:22.89
there's just no
way to get around it.
00:49:22.92\00:49:24.49
There's no way to make
that message sound nice...
00:49:24.53\00:49:27.93
there's no way to
make it sound pretty,
00:49:27.96\00:49:29.96
you've got to just
stand for the Lord.
00:49:30.00\00:49:31.97
You're the king,
you're the king of this empire
00:49:32.00\00:49:35.64
but we cannot bow down,
00:49:35.67\00:49:40.04
we must stand up, amen.
00:49:40.08\00:49:44.41
Audience: Amen.
00:49:44.45\00:49:45.91
The Bible gives us no indication
that anybody else stood...
00:49:45.95\00:49:51.45
and that's sad...
00:49:51.49\00:49:52.82
but the truth is... many
times we have to stand alone.
00:49:52.85\00:49:56.32
So, whatever the
number was, only three stood
00:49:56.36\00:50:00.46
and they stood strong
and God stood with them.
00:50:00.50\00:50:04.60
Others caved in... they did not
00:50:04.63\00:50:08.50
but before we point
a finger at the others,
00:50:08.54\00:50:12.44
this is a sober,
convicting question
00:50:12.47\00:50:16.24
that each of us
must ask ourselves,
00:50:16.28\00:50:20.02
everybody will be asked,
00:50:20.05\00:50:22.48
"How much does
Jesus mean to you?"
00:50:22.52\00:50:27.12
Husband can't
answer that for wives,
00:50:27.16\00:50:30.76
parents cannot
answer that for children,
00:50:30.79\00:50:34.33
it's a single solitary question
00:50:34.36\00:50:37.27
that everybody has to
answer for themselves.
00:50:37.30\00:50:41.04
What does Christ mean to you?
00:50:41.07\00:50:45.04
How much is Christ worth to you?
00:50:45.07\00:50:48.98
If the world turns its
back, will you stand for Jesus?
00:50:49.04\00:50:54.05
If everybody
leaves, will you stay?
00:50:54.08\00:50:56.99
How much is He worth to you?
00:50:57.02\00:50:59.65
Not only will you
answer that question in mind,
00:50:59.69\00:51:03.32
you will have to answer
that question in action.
00:51:03.36\00:51:06.93
The King James Version says,
"We're not going to be careful,
00:51:06.96\00:51:10.87
we're not going to be delicate,
00:51:10.90\00:51:12.53
we're going to
stand for the Lord. "
00:51:12.57\00:51:15.00
And when they
stood for the Lord,
00:51:15.04\00:51:17.31
the Lord stood for them.
00:51:17.37\00:51:20.58
So now, the king loses
his cool and then verse 19...
00:51:20.61\00:51:25.65
they go into the fire.
00:51:25.68\00:51:27.28
Pause...
00:51:27.32\00:51:31.52
I often wonder what
that experience was like.
00:51:31.55\00:51:35.32
They're tossed
into a fiery furnace
00:51:35.36\00:51:38.59
and the king went
down to watch them burn
00:51:38.63\00:51:43.03
pause...
00:51:43.06\00:51:46.84
and he says to those around him,
00:51:46.87\00:51:49.50
"But wait...
00:51:49.54\00:51:52.07
didn't we throw
three guys in there?
00:51:52.11\00:51:56.68
Where did the
fourth one come from?"
00:51:56.75\00:52:01.25
Pause.
00:52:01.28\00:52:03.05
He said, "We threw in
three bound... tied down...
00:52:03.08\00:52:08.86
and they're in there dancing...
00:52:08.89\00:52:11.86
and there's a
fourth guy in there,
00:52:11.89\00:52:15.20
who looks like
the Son of the God. "
00:52:15.23\00:52:18.53
Can you imagine that scene?
00:52:18.57\00:52:23.81
Looking at some
of the archeology,
00:52:23.87\00:52:29.94
they think that the furnace
was a kiln for baking bricks...
00:52:29.98\00:52:34.08
baking mud bricks... you know...
00:52:34.12\00:52:36.55
big open hearth furnace,
lot of fire at the bottom
00:52:36.58\00:52:39.65
big enough for men to be in
00:52:39.69\00:52:41.82
because they bake
bricks in large quantities,
00:52:41.86\00:52:44.89
so he was looking
into a burning furnace,
00:52:44.93\00:52:48.53
and there before
his astonished eyes,
00:52:48.56\00:52:52.10
are four people walking
in the midst of the fire
00:52:52.13\00:52:57.24
incredible!
00:52:57.31\00:52:59.87
God standing up for His people
00:52:59.91\00:53:03.71
because His
people stood up for Him.
00:53:03.75\00:53:06.41
Daniel chapter 3:25,
00:53:06.45\00:53:09.02
"... and the fourth
is like the Son of God"
00:53:09.05\00:53:13.12
or a son of the gods:
00:53:13.15\00:53:15.46
a 'Divine Being'"
00:53:15.49\00:53:16.99
he didn't quite know
precisely who it was,
00:53:17.03\00:53:19.89
but he knew it
wasn't an earthly creature,
00:53:19.93\00:53:22.70
he knew it wasn't
somebody he had put in there,
00:53:22.73\00:53:26.23
somebody else had got in there
00:53:26.30\00:53:28.24
and He looks different
from the other three...
00:53:28.27\00:53:29.80
got to be God...
00:53:29.84\00:53:31.24
pause...
00:53:31.27\00:53:33.07
a divine being...
00:53:33.11\00:53:34.54
pause
00:53:34.58\00:53:40.22
"And the princes, the governors,
00:53:40.28\00:53:43.25
the captains, and
the King's counselors,
00:53:43.28\00:53:45.55
being gathered
together, saw these men,
00:53:45.59\00:53:48.79
upon whose bodies
the fire had no power,
00:53:48.82\00:53:52.39
nor was an hair
of their head singed,
00:53:52.43\00:53:55.93
neither were
their coats changed,
00:53:55.96\00:53:59.77
nor the smell of
fire had passed on them. "
00:53:59.80\00:54:03.17
Can you imagine...
00:54:03.20\00:54:04.54
you set a trap for somebody
00:54:04.57\00:54:07.14
and God totally undoes
what you're trying to do.
00:54:07.18\00:54:11.71
That's why Ladies and Gentlemen,
00:54:11.75\00:54:13.78
you don't have
to lie awake nights
00:54:13.82\00:54:15.82
trying to get even with folk,
00:54:15.85\00:54:17.82
amen...
00:54:17.85\00:54:19.25
Just live your life for Jesus.
00:54:19.29\00:54:21.52
God will get your back...
00:54:21.56\00:54:24.89
God will look out for you.
00:54:24.93\00:54:28.20
Somebody does you
wrong... the Bible says,
00:54:28.23\00:54:30.53
"Vengeance is
mine says the Lord"
00:54:30.57\00:54:32.03
Now, that's not God
saying, "I'm a vengeful God"
00:54:32.07\00:54:34.27
He's saying, "Don't
you try to get vengeance,
00:54:34.30\00:54:36.47
don't you try
to get vengeance...
00:54:36.50\00:54:38.71
let me take care of it. "
00:54:38.74\00:54:40.68
Amen...
00:54:40.71\00:54:42.04
You don't have to
look out for yourself...
00:54:42.08\00:54:43.41
God will look after you...
00:54:43.45\00:54:44.78
just because someone
does something to you,
00:54:44.81\00:54:46.15
don't lie awake nights trying to
plan ways to get back at them,
00:54:46.18\00:54:48.45
hmmm... hmmm...
00:54:48.48\00:54:49.82
God's going to
take care of it, amen.
00:54:49.85\00:54:51.62
Just do good.
00:54:51.65\00:54:52.99
So, what this text is saying is,
00:54:53.02\00:54:55.56
those very people
00:54:55.59\00:54:57.09
who had plotted against
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
00:54:57.13\00:55:01.16
saw that their
plot came to nothing
00:55:01.20\00:55:05.03
and saw the
protection that God gives
00:55:05.07\00:55:08.84
to those who stand up for Him.
00:55:08.87\00:55:10.21
Audience: Amen.
00:55:10.24\00:55:11.57
How aggravated
they must have been
00:55:11.61\00:55:13.98
to see God step in
00:55:14.04\00:55:16.31
on time... every time...
00:55:16.34\00:55:19.51
and of course, you
know what Nebuchadnezzar did
00:55:19.55\00:55:22.98
because you know what
kind of a rash person he is,
00:55:23.02\00:55:26.39
"Let's throw them in now... "
00:55:26.45\00:55:28.92
and Nebuchadnezzar said,
"Come out and come here... "
00:55:28.96\00:55:34.16
let's read Daniel 3:27
00:55:34.20\00:55:38.37
coats not changed...
00:55:38.40\00:55:42.50
not even the smell of smoke,
00:55:42.54\00:55:44.17
not even the smell of smoke...
00:55:44.21\00:55:45.81
pause...
00:55:45.84\00:55:49.31
God is so good...
00:55:49.34\00:55:51.88
the Bible says,
"The angel of the Lord
00:55:51.91\00:55:54.78
encampeth around about
them that fear Him... "
00:55:54.82\00:55:57.82
and does what? "delivers"
00:55:57.85\00:55:59.95
the lesson is that God delivers.
00:55:59.99\00:56:05.59
Pause.
00:56:05.63\00:56:09.03
By the end of the chapter,
this is what I think is cute
00:56:09.06\00:56:15.57
because this
happens three times,
00:56:15.60\00:56:18.01
you remember, after chapter 2,
00:56:18.04\00:56:20.31
Daniel and the
Hebrew boys got promoted
00:56:20.38\00:56:23.68
well, here, at
the end of chapter 3,
00:56:23.71\00:56:26.98
Daniel and the Hebrew
boys get promoted again,
00:56:27.02\00:56:31.02
so, every time
they get in trouble
00:56:31.05\00:56:35.09
and God brings them through,
00:56:35.12\00:56:37.06
they get
promoted... they get promoted.
00:56:37.09\00:56:40.23
Later on, we're going to see
00:56:40.26\00:56:42.43
under... under the
Medo-Persian Empire
00:56:42.46\00:56:45.33
Cyrus really
thinks, "You know what?
00:56:45.37\00:56:48.20
I ought to just give
Daniel the whole kingdom,
00:56:48.24\00:56:50.11
I'll just let
him run everything,
00:56:50.14\00:56:51.91
let him be the Prime Minister"
00:56:51.94\00:56:53.61
so, every time God
brings them through,
00:56:53.64\00:56:55.78
they get promoted.
00:56:55.81\00:56:57.15
So when you serve God,
00:56:57.18\00:56:58.75
not only do you
get back what you lost,
00:56:58.78\00:57:00.32
you get a little bit more...
00:57:00.35\00:57:01.68
Audience: Amen.
00:57:01.72\00:57:03.15
Amen... that's
the God that we serve
00:57:03.18\00:57:05.05
and Nebuchadnezzar
makes the second proclamation,
00:57:05.09\00:57:09.32
pause...
00:57:09.36\00:57:13.63
they get promoted...
00:57:13.66\00:57:15.00
again, Nebuchadnezzar
is impressed by the Lord...
00:57:15.03\00:57:18.70
let me close with a statement
from the New Testament.
00:57:18.73\00:57:22.37
"What shall we say in
response to these things?
00:57:22.40\00:57:26.34
If God be for us,
who can be against us?"
00:57:26.37\00:57:35.78
The lesson of Daniel
chapter 3 is simply this,
00:57:35.82\00:57:41.46
"God will never let you fall...
00:57:41.49\00:57:45.06
He will never leave you...
00:57:45.09\00:57:47.30
nor forsake you
00:57:47.33\00:57:49.10
you stand up for Him
00:57:49.16\00:57:51.50
He will always
stand up for you. "
00:57:51.53\00:57:56.17
Audience: Amen. Murray: Amen.
00:57:56.20\00:57:57.54