Music...
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Hello and welcome once
again to Daniel All Access.
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Our chapter-by-chapter
walk through the book of Daniel
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and the
prophecies that are therein
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but more than just looking
at the prophetic landscape,
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asking and
answering the question, "What"
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we want to seek to
ask and answer "Why"
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why these things happened...
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we want to take a look at the
people, the places, the times
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and then try to
mine as best we can
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what these
prophecies have to say to us
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here in the latter stages
of the history of this earth
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so, I thank you for joining us.
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Tonight we want to
look at Daniel chapter 4.
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The title of the message is,
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"Thoughts On My
Bed Visions in My Head"
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and we're getting ready to
bid adieu to Nebuchadnezzar
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but before we
say "goodbye" to him,
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he has much to say to us
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as we take a look
at Daniel chapter 4
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and try to see what God
has to say to our hearts
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this very night.
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I ask you to
join with me in prayer
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as we prepare for
our sitting together.
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"Dear Father, we do thank
you for the privilege we have
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of studying the... your Word...
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we know that your Word
is a lamp unto our feet
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and a light unto our path.
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We know that there is
much truth in your Word
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and we ask for clarity of mind
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and for the presence
and power of the Holy Spirit
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that we may know
and understand and do
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because we know
that it is in the doing
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that we are made
like Christ Jesus
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and we thank you, dear Father,
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in Jesus' name, amen. "
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Pause.
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Most Biblical scholarship agrees
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that Daniel chapter
4 is autobiographical.
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Nebuchadnezzar is
writing for himself
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about himself
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and he structures
his "self-revelation"
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I guess, we can call it
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almost in real time
and... and... flashback...
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it's almost as
though he's... he's...
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he's writing one of
those air socks fill neurs
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from the '40s and '50s
here in the United States.
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Chapter 4 opens as
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an enraptured Nebuchadnezzar
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and I guess, that's
the way we could call it.
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He... he's... he's...
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he is gushing over
the goodness of the Lord,
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he... he opines on the goodness
and greatness of Israel's God,
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let's hear his words.
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The Bible says, "Nebuchadnezzar
the king, to all peoples,
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nations, and languages
that dwell in all the earth:
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Peace be multiplied to you.
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I thought it good to
declare the signs and wonders
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that the high God
has wrought towards me,
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How great are His signs,
And how mighty are His wonders!
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His kingdom is an
everlasting kingdom,
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And His dominion is from
generation to generation. "
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These are the words of
someone who is under conviction.
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This is a
person who is impressed
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with what he sees of
the power of Israel's God.
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Verses 1 through 3
are praise in real time.
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He is repeating now a
pattern that we've seen before
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and we will see
it again and again,
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so, he is praising God.
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Then in verse 4,
Nebuchadnezzar begins a... a...
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dare I say... a soliloquy
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in a flashback.
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It is sometimes
stark... it is sometimes dark...
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it is stylized
many times, it is earthy
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but it consumes
verses 4 through 10.
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He is telling us
somewhat after the fact
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why he is praising God
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and why his heart is so
filled with elegant praise.
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Pause.
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Verses 1 through
3... he is saying,
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"I am praising Him
and here is why... "
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Now, Nebuchadnezzar
begins to talk about his life
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and his time,
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he says, "You
know, I was doing good,
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things were going
good in my kingdom,
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I was doing good personally,
things were moving along smartly
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the empire was in order
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all were safe...
all were settled...
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everybody was sound...
everybody was sanguine,
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we were doing very, very well
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and in Daniel chapter 4
verse 5, something happens
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Nebuchadnezzar says,
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"I saw a dream
which made me afraid,
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and the thoughts on my
bed and the visions of my head
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troubled me. "
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So now, here
comes another dream,
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everything is going along
well but here is a second dream
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that is sent by
God to Nebuchadnezzar.
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Now this is...
this is important.
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God is sending
Nebuchadnezzar a second dream.
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This alludes to the fact
that maybe that first dream
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didn't have its
full desired effect,
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so, God is sending
him now a second dream.
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Israel had 42
kings, you remember that?
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And of the 42, if you take
out Saul and David and Solomon,
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you've got 19 in Israel
and you've got 20 in Judah
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one woman in Judah...
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and of that 39, only
eight were good kings.
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The rest, the Bible says,
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did evil in the
sight of the Lord.
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That's... that's a
pretty sorry number
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pause
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so, God now is
spending, what may seem to be
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an inordinate amount of time
working with Nebuchadnezzar.
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Now, this is very, very
important for several reasons
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but the one that
comes to mind immediately
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is this fact,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
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God does not waste time, amen.
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God is en efficient God
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if God puts in work
on somebody or something,
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it's going to turn out well
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and you'll notice, God
is spending a lot of time
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on Nebuchadnezzar.
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This is two
dreams to a heathen king.
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God took the time
to send him two dreams
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and both dreams troubled him.
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So, he's troubled again...
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they are spaced apart by
a good little bit of time
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but God is still wrestling with
and working with Nebuchadnezzar.
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So, God sends
him a second dream.
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The Babylonian Kingdom
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was in its
ascendancy for a short 70 years.
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Nebuchadnezzar ruled Babylon
for 40 of those 70 years.
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So, for a great length of
time, he was on the throne.
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We are several
years now into his reign
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and God sends him, in mercy,
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a second dream.
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This one, bless your
heart, he remembered,
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he knew this dream...
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he didn't know what it meant
but he knew what he dreamed
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and it scared him.
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So now, he calls his
constellation of wise men,
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that's what they're there for,
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they're on
staff... they're paid...
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they live at the
behest of the king...
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their job is to
settle the king's nerves
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when things happen
that he does not understand,
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that's their job.
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Now, here's... here's
something very interesting,
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when I... when I
discovered the connection here,
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I thought it
really rather interesting.
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You remember in
Daniel chapter 2,
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Nebuchadnezzar had a dream
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that he could not
remember what he dreamt,
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you remember that...
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all right...
Nebuchadnezzar says to
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the wise men
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tell me the dream tell
me the interpretation...
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the wise men say,
"You tell us the dream,
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we'll tell you
the interpretation,
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we are... we are
translators or interpreters,
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we are not mind readers
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so, tell us the dream...
we'll tell you what it means. "
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Well, he doesn't
remember the dream,
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so they say, "Well,
if you can't tell us,
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we cannot tell you... "
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Now, here in Daniel chapter
4, what is interesting...
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if you go down to verse 18,
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Nebuchadnezzar says
this after he calls Daniel,
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he says, "I... I
told them the dream,
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and they still
couldn't interpret it. "
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So, they have the dream...
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"This is what I remembered,
this one's in my head,
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I gave them what the dream was
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and they still
couldn't do any good,
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still could not interpret it"
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and the question you want to...
you may want to ask is, "why?"
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Why?
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I think it is because
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God didn't want to
give that sacred message
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to profane lips
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I truly believe that God
did not want those wise men...
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those astrologers...
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those people who communicate
with the devil and the dead...
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God did not want His word
coming out of their mouths.
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Pause.
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It occurs to me that
God... the God we serve
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is somewhat selective
about the mouths He uses
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to disseminate His message,
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amen...
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God doesn't want just
anybody preaching for Him,
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that's the truth.
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Remember in the New
Testament, there was this lady
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who was following
the disciples and saying,
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"These are the men of God,
these are the holy men of God"
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and the disciples turned
around and cast the devil out
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and got folk all upset
because they were losing money,
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God is very,
very, very selective
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about who He uses
to preach His Word
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and God did not want His
word coming out of their mouths,
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Psalm chapter 31
verse 18, the Bible says,
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"Let lying lips be mute"
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and so, there is no way in
this instance... as I see it,
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that God would
use this motley crew
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of soothsayers and
Chaldeans to carry his message.
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Why? Because they
would not give God the glory.
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These guys speak to the devil,
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they speak to spirits,
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and if they had
gotten the message,
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they would have
either given credit to Satan
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or taken the credit themselves
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and that's not what God wants,
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you see, God was trying
to reach Nebuchadnezzar,
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God was trying to
save Nebuchadnezzar.
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God was trying to convict
and convert Nebuchadnezzar
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and so His message had
to come through the mouth
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of a converted individual.
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So, there's no way God's
going to allow these Chaldeans
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to speak for Him
00:12:03.79\00:12:06.05
because God would
not get the glory.
00:12:06.09\00:12:10.23
So, again, they fail
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and Daniel is called.
00:12:13.36\00:12:16.36
Now, it's
interesting because to my mind,
00:12:16.40\00:12:18.83
since Daniel came
through the first time,
00:12:18.87\00:12:22.47
I would think the king would
go to Daniel the second time
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but evidently Daniel
was the last man on the list
00:12:25.84\00:12:29.54
and when he got to Daniel,
00:12:29.58\00:12:31.78
of course, Daniel had
the answer to the dream.
00:12:31.81\00:12:35.68
Pause.
00:12:35.72\00:12:37.42
A second quick Accent Point...
00:12:37.49\00:12:38.82
Access Point.
00:12:38.85\00:12:40.69
This is the second dream
sent by God to Nebuchadnezzar.
00:12:40.72\00:12:45.29
I remember, some time ago,
00:12:45.33\00:12:47.33
listening to the
testimony of a young lady
00:12:47.40\00:12:49.70
and she was saying,
00:12:49.73\00:12:51.07
"I told God, 'Lord, I'm going
to give you one more chance
00:12:51.10\00:12:53.44
to prove yourself to me'"
00:12:53.47\00:12:54.80
and what she didn't
understand was, God was saying,
00:12:54.84\00:12:57.81
"I'm going to give you
one more chance to accept me"
00:12:57.84\00:13:00.91
and this is what...
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this is what is
happening to Nebuchadnezzar.
00:13:02.31\00:13:03.98
This second dream... is
God giving him another chance.
00:13:04.01\00:13:08.78
Aren't you... aren't
you glad we serve a God
00:13:08.82\00:13:10.85
of second
chances and third chances
00:13:10.89\00:13:12.89
and fourth
chances and fifth chances
00:13:12.95\00:13:14.92
and on and on and on and on...
00:13:14.96\00:13:17.79
God doesn't
give up after one try
00:13:17.83\00:13:21.06
and so, He is
giving Nebuchadnezzar
00:13:21.10\00:13:24.97
a second
opportunity to accept Him.
00:13:25.00\00:13:28.84
Pause...
00:13:28.87\00:13:31.24
Here's a side bar...
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I want to show you a text that
for years kind of confused me
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and I put it in here because
00:13:40.72\00:13:42.72
it sort of fits in
what we're talking about.
00:13:42.75\00:13:44.79
The Bible says this in John 7:17
"If any man will do His will,
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he shall know the doctrine,
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whether it be of God, or
whether I speak of myself. "
00:13:53.13\00:13:57.90
Now, when I first
ran across that...
00:13:57.93\00:14:00.70
it seemed rather confusing to me
00:14:00.74\00:14:03.47
because it seemed backwards.
00:14:03.51\00:14:05.41
You know, it seemed backwards,
00:14:05.44\00:14:07.28
once you know what
to do... then you do.
00:14:07.31\00:14:13.15
Does that make sense?
00:14:13.21\00:14:15.28
Yeah, if you ask my
wife to change a flat,
00:14:15.32\00:14:19.92
well, you don't want to do that
00:14:19.95\00:14:21.29
because she doesn't
know how to change a flat,
00:14:21.32\00:14:24.03
she's never changed a flat,
00:14:24.06\00:14:25.39
she probably could do it,
00:14:25.43\00:14:26.76
if someone told
her how to do it,
00:14:26.80\00:14:29.63
but you can't ask
her to change a flat
00:14:29.66\00:14:33.23
unless you show her how...
00:14:33.27\00:14:35.80
so it occurs to me
00:14:35.84\00:14:37.67
that
00:14:37.71\00:14:39.67
"knowing how"
comes before "doing"
00:14:39.74\00:14:42.18
"if you want me
to do... show me how"
00:14:42.21\00:14:44.65
but the Bible
seems to be saying,
00:14:44.68\00:14:47.75
"Do... then you'll know how"
00:14:47.78\00:14:51.15
and that always...
that always confused me...
00:14:51.22\00:14:54.16
just seemed like it was...
it was... it was backwards.
00:14:54.19\00:14:56.89
How can you do
unless you know what to do
00:14:56.93\00:15:02.86
or how can you do what you know
00:15:02.90\00:15:06.84
when you don't know what to do.
00:15:06.87\00:15:09.94
Pause.
00:15:10.01\00:15:14.14
The answer is...
and the Bible says,
00:15:14.18\00:15:16.88
you have to be willing first.
00:15:16.91\00:15:20.68
Now, this is
very, very important.
00:15:20.72\00:15:23.75
you have to be willing.
00:15:23.79\00:15:27.29
Now, let me give you a text...
00:15:27.32\00:15:29.62
the context of
this text is "giving"
00:15:29.66\00:15:33.26
but I think it fits in here
00:15:33.29\00:15:35.10
without doing
violence to the text
00:15:35.13\00:15:36.46
and that's 2nd Corinthians
chapter 8 and verse 12,
00:15:36.50\00:15:43.34
2nd Corinthians 8 and verse 12
00:15:43.37\00:15:45.81
we will read
just the first part.
00:15:45.87\00:15:48.24
The Bible says, "For if
there be first a willing mind,
00:15:48.28\00:15:55.95
is it accepted?"
00:15:55.98\00:15:57.62
So, when you come to the Lord,
00:15:57.65\00:15:59.79
you've got to come with a heart
00:15:59.82\00:16:04.03
that is willing
to do those things
00:16:04.06\00:16:07.33
that God has
asked you to do, amen.
00:16:07.36\00:16:11.13
When you open your
Bible, you've got to be willing
00:16:11.17\00:16:14.60
to observe and obey everything
that God is pleased to show you.
00:16:14.64\00:16:20.24
Pause.
00:16:20.28\00:16:21.94
Why would God be obliged
to reveal something to you
00:16:21.98\00:16:26.95
that you have no intention
of surrendering yourself to?
00:16:27.02\00:16:31.95
Pause.
00:16:31.99\00:16:33.49
Now, let me advise...
let me say this quickly...
00:16:33.52\00:16:35.92
God can and has done that,
00:16:35.96\00:16:39.06
we serve a loving God
00:16:39.09\00:16:41.56
and there are many,
many stories in the Bible
00:16:41.60\00:16:45.23
and we all know some
00:16:45.27\00:16:47.00
of people who have come to
God with their fist balled.
00:16:47.04\00:16:50.84
Pause.
00:16:50.87\00:16:52.71
They've come to God with
the intention of fighting Him
00:16:52.74\00:16:55.04
and He has shown
them and warned them
00:16:55.08\00:16:59.51
but when you come to God
00:16:59.55\00:17:03.49
and you are willing to do
whatever He asks you to do,
00:17:03.52\00:17:08.22
it sort of puts a
little onus on God
00:17:08.29\00:17:10.96
to hear you a little better.
00:17:10.99\00:17:12.33
It's just like
you have two children,
00:17:12.36\00:17:14.26
one child is
obedient and follows
00:17:14.30\00:17:16.26
and one child just doesn't want
to hear anything you have to say
00:17:16.30\00:17:19.93
now, you love both children,
00:17:19.97\00:17:21.80
but the truth is,
you can do a little more
00:17:21.84\00:17:25.07
for the one who
is obedient amen.
00:17:25.11\00:17:27.51
Does that make sense?
00:17:27.54\00:17:29.04
Yeah, if a child is
willing to listen and obey,
00:17:29.08\00:17:33.21
you can help them more
than one who simply rejects
00:17:33.25\00:17:37.32
everything you have to say.
00:17:37.35\00:17:38.69
When I was a pastor
00:17:38.72\00:17:40.79
and had a lady in my
church, she had two...
00:17:40.82\00:17:42.42
she said, "One
keeps me on my knees
00:17:42.46\00:17:44.93
and one keeps me
praising the Lord. "
00:17:44.96\00:17:46.33
She had a... she had a girl
00:17:46.39\00:17:48.36
who was so brilliant...
she was reading the New York...
00:17:48.40\00:17:51.53
The Sunday New
York Times at age five.
00:17:51.57\00:17:53.97
The Sunday New York
Times is 750,000 words.
00:17:54.00\00:17:56.87
It's thick... thick... thick
00:17:56.91\00:17:58.27
and if you've been to New York,
00:17:58.31\00:17:59.64
you know that
Sunday New York Times...
00:17:59.67\00:18:01.01
that... that's like carrying
a weight around with you.
00:18:01.04\00:18:03.04
At five she's reading
the Sunday New York Times...
00:18:03.08\00:18:05.38
that sailed through school...
00:18:05.41\00:18:08.12
graduated from
Andrews University...
00:18:08.15\00:18:10.32
just sailed through school...
00:18:10.35\00:18:11.69
that was the girl...
00:18:11.72\00:18:13.12
anything her
mother said, she would do
00:18:13.15\00:18:15.32
and then she had the boy,
00:18:15.36\00:18:16.99
she said, "This one
is wearing my knees out"
00:18:17.03\00:18:19.19
he's just
wearing my knees out...
00:18:19.23\00:18:21.50
same kids... same parents...
00:18:21.53\00:18:22.86
but she could do more for
the one who wanted to listen
00:18:22.90\00:18:27.10
than the one who did not
00:18:27.14\00:18:28.90
and so, the Bible is saying,
00:18:28.94\00:18:30.64
"There must first
be a willing mind"
00:18:30.67\00:18:32.94
and if you're willing...
00:18:32.97\00:18:34.51
you will know if you're
surrendered to the God...
00:18:34.54\00:18:38.51
to God... rather...
00:18:38.55\00:18:40.02
so, in verse 8
Nebuchadnezzar writes
00:18:40.05\00:18:44.09
but at the last,
Daniel came before me,
00:18:44.15\00:18:48.16
finally, he comes to Daniel.
00:18:48.19\00:18:49.69
Now, we don't know
how much time elapsed
00:18:49.72\00:18:53.56
between Daniel
chapter 2 and Daniel chapter 4
00:18:53.60\00:18:58.17
but truly, Daniel should
have been first on the list
00:18:58.20\00:19:01.74
and I cannot understand
why we'll go to friends...
00:19:01.77\00:19:04.97
we'll go to colleagues...
we'll go to workmates...
00:19:05.01\00:19:08.14
we'll go to
everybody to get advice
00:19:08.21\00:19:09.98
and then if it doesn't work...
then we'll want to go to God
00:19:10.01\00:19:12.61
and God ought to be first, amen
00:19:12.68\00:19:14.95
that ought to be
the first place you go,
00:19:14.98\00:19:17.35
so, Daniel comes at the end...
00:19:17.39\00:19:20.06
well praise God
he's got the insight
00:19:20.09\00:19:23.22
and he's got the
Spirit of God in him
00:19:23.26\00:19:26.29
and I like the insight provided
by the Spirit of Prophecy
00:19:26.36\00:19:30.30
as to the social,
psychological dilemma
00:19:30.33\00:19:33.60
that Daniel finds himself in.
00:19:33.64\00:19:35.90
Now watch the... watch
the... the interplay here,
00:19:35.94\00:19:38.81
the interplay
between Daniel... the Lord...
00:19:38.84\00:19:42.14
and the king...
00:19:42.18\00:19:43.51
let's look at the state of
play in Babylon at this time
00:19:43.55\00:19:47.48
in the aftermath
00:19:47.52\00:19:48.85
then we'll look at
the "what" and "why"
00:19:48.88\00:19:51.45
and the dream itself.
00:19:51.52\00:19:52.85
Again, in the sort
of film noir flashback.
00:19:52.89\00:19:56.96
A quote from Prophet and Kings.
00:19:56.99\00:19:58.96
"To Daniel the meaning
of the dream was plain,
00:19:58.99\00:20:03.57
and its
significance startled him.
00:20:03.60\00:20:06.67
He was astonied... "
00:20:06.70\00:20:09.00
now that's an interesting word,
00:20:09.07\00:20:10.41
when I looked it up, I
thought it was a misprint
00:20:10.44\00:20:12.64
but evidently,
two centuries ago,
00:20:12.67\00:20:14.81
"astonied" was part
of the English language.
00:20:14.84\00:20:17.55
It means the same as
"astonished" means now
00:20:17.58\00:20:20.15
but it's "astonied" it
means "dazed and bewildered
00:20:20.22\00:20:23.62
for one hour. "
00:20:23.65\00:20:24.99
So, Daniel has the answer
00:20:25.02\00:20:28.72
but when he got the answer,
00:20:28.76\00:20:32.49
it really sort of knocked
him on his heels a little bit.
00:20:32.53\00:20:36.10
He wasn't expecting
what that dream meant.
00:20:36.13\00:20:39.03
Now, the king didn't
know exactly what it meant,
00:20:39.07\00:20:42.44
but he knew it wasn't good.
00:20:42.47\00:20:45.01
The Court wise men
were... as we say... clueless
00:20:45.04\00:20:50.05
and Daniel now knows the dream
00:20:50.08\00:20:53.35
but he is so overwhelmed...
00:20:53.42\00:20:56.62
so blown away by
its interpretation
00:20:56.65\00:21:01.62
that he cannot speak.
00:21:01.66\00:21:03.16
Pause.
00:21:03.22\00:21:05.19
Now, that's the "what"
00:21:05.23\00:21:07.10
let's take a moment and
try to examine the "why"
00:21:07.13\00:21:10.50
let's get some
idea of the theological,
00:21:10.53\00:21:15.60
sociological context
for this part of the book
00:21:15.64\00:21:19.31
and we find that in
Prophets and Kings, page 516.
00:21:19.37\00:21:23.01
Going to summarize.
00:21:23.04\00:21:24.38
So, Nebuchadnezzar
now has two dreams.
00:21:24.41\00:21:28.32
He is humble and
praises God by the first one,
00:21:28.35\00:21:32.99
he sets up a golden image...
00:21:33.02\00:21:36.29
a prelude to the
"fiery furnace" incident,
00:21:36.32\00:21:41.76
he is humbled by the
"fiery furnace" incident,
00:21:41.80\00:21:47.24
he praises the Lord...
00:21:47.27\00:21:49.70
he promotes
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
00:21:49.74\00:21:54.01
so now we understand
the spiritual state of play
00:21:54.04\00:21:59.48
in this part of
Daniel chapter 4.
00:21:59.51\00:22:02.78
Here's the Access Point.
00:22:02.82\00:22:04.59
Again we're in
Prophets and Kings.
00:22:04.65\00:22:06.89
"Nebuchadnezzar nevertheless
00:22:06.92\00:22:11.23
at times had ascribed
to the favor of Jehovah
00:22:11.26\00:22:15.76
the glory of his kingdom
and the splendor of his reign. "
00:22:15.83\00:22:22.10
Now, that's
very, very interesting
00:22:22.14\00:22:23.87
that this heathen king
00:22:23.91\00:22:26.88
realized that his
success was not all due
00:22:26.91\00:22:33.88
to his own effort sometimes
00:22:33.92\00:22:37.49
pause
00:22:37.52\00:22:38.85
and that is the
crux of the problem.
00:22:38.89\00:22:43.49
He's got some good traits
00:22:43.53\00:22:47.06
but he doesn't give
credit where credit is due.
00:22:47.10\00:22:53.37
Does that sound
like anybody you know
00:22:53.40\00:22:54.74
or anybody you've ever met?
00:22:54.77\00:22:56.20
Not all bad... just not
willing to give God the glory
00:22:56.24\00:22:59.77
so Nebuchadnezzar
sometimes realized and said,
00:22:59.81\00:23:03.38
"You know, this
isn't me... there's a God"
00:23:03.41\00:23:06.92
and of course, once Daniel
and the Hebrew boys came in,
00:23:06.95\00:23:10.12
he is constantly hearing
about and knowing about God.
00:23:10.15\00:23:13.25
He is aware of the
God of the Hebrews,
00:23:13.29\00:23:15.12
God has made
Himself known to him
00:23:15.19\00:23:16.93
and there were times
00:23:16.99\00:23:18.73
when in his
more sanguine moments
00:23:18.76\00:23:20.86
he thought to himself,
00:23:20.90\00:23:22.26
"You know, there's got to
be a God helping me with this,
00:23:22.30\00:23:25.57
this can't all be me. "
00:23:25.60\00:23:27.80
So, there were times
when he was ready to admit
00:23:27.84\00:23:30.84
that God was helping him
00:23:30.91\00:23:33.91
and that the
splendor of his reign
00:23:33.94\00:23:36.21
was not the
work of his own hands
00:23:36.24\00:23:38.38
but that it was
indeed the work of God.
00:23:38.41\00:23:42.05
Nebuchadnezzar's noble
conception of God's purpose
00:23:42.08\00:23:48.06
concerning the
nations was lost sight of
00:23:48.09\00:23:50.76
later in his experience;
00:23:50.79\00:23:52.83
but when God humbled
him on the plains of Dura,
00:23:52.86\00:23:56.30
he again acknowledged God. "
00:23:56.33\00:23:58.23
See, God's going to force him
00:23:58.27\00:24:00.10
to acknowledge God.
00:24:00.14\00:24:03.24
God... the Lord we serve
will not tell you how to decide
00:24:03.27\00:24:11.15
but He will make
you decide, amen.
00:24:11.18\00:24:15.08
God will back you into a corner
and make you make a decision,
00:24:15.12\00:24:18.79
you will determine
what that decision is
00:24:18.82\00:24:21.29
but God will
back you into a corner
00:24:21.32\00:24:23.79
and make you decide
00:24:23.83\00:24:25.39
and Nebuchadnezzar...
when he went out on Dura
00:24:25.46\00:24:29.16
and he put the three Hebrew
boys in the fiery furnace,
00:24:29.20\00:24:31.63
he put them in... tied and bound
and then when he goes to look
00:24:31.70\00:24:35.87
not only are they
not tied and bound
00:24:35.90\00:24:38.11
but there's a
fourth person in there
00:24:38.14\00:24:40.31
he realized that God
takes care of his own.
00:24:40.34\00:24:44.18
That's a humbling experience,
because the 90-foot golden image
00:24:44.21\00:24:50.35
was a personal thing with him
00:24:50.39\00:24:53.09
and God took that personal
issue and made it personal
00:24:53.12\00:24:57.96
and saved those
three Hebrew boys
00:24:57.99\00:25:01.06
and showed him the
power of the Most High God
00:25:01.10\00:25:04.93
so, it was humbling
00:25:05.00\00:25:06.33
and in the light of that,
00:25:06.37\00:25:09.77
he gave glory to God.
00:25:09.80\00:25:13.21
So, God is getting
through to Nebuchadnezzar.
00:25:13.24\00:25:17.95
The problem is, he
hasn't learned how to grow
00:25:17.98\00:25:21.88
and that is something
that we need to learn today
00:25:21.95\00:25:25.82
Brothers and
Sisters, Ladies and Gentlemen,
00:25:25.85\00:25:27.49
how to grow in grace.
00:25:27.52\00:25:29.52
Ellen White talks
about the spiritual heat.
00:25:29.56\00:25:31.66
There are times
when you come to church
00:25:31.69\00:25:33.63
or when you have a particularly
nice spiritual experience
00:25:33.66\00:25:38.20
and she calls
it, "Spiritual Heat"
00:25:38.23\00:25:43.07
you feel warmed by the
fires of the Holy Spirit,
00:25:43.10\00:25:45.27
pause
00:25:45.34\00:25:48.68
the job for the Christian
is to take that feeling
00:25:48.71\00:25:53.11
and grow in it,
you know what I mean?
00:25:53.15\00:25:56.92
And grow in it... to...
to move from grace to grace,
00:25:56.95\00:26:00.52
from strength to strength
00:26:00.56\00:26:01.89
and grace to grace and
strength to strength...
00:26:01.92\00:26:04.49
the job of the Christian is
to grow in Christ every day.
00:26:04.53\00:26:09.83
The job of the Christian
is to move from conviction
00:26:09.86\00:26:15.64
to conversion,
00:26:15.67\00:26:17.64
they are not the same.
00:26:17.67\00:26:20.04
All conversion
starts with conviction.
00:26:20.08\00:26:26.15
Conviction is the sense
that something is wrong.
00:26:26.18\00:26:29.78
you know it's wrong,
00:26:29.82\00:26:31.45
you're convicted
that something is wrong.
00:26:31.49\00:26:33.12
Conversion is God getting in
00:26:33.15\00:26:36.56
and helping you to turn the
wrong and make it right, amen,
00:26:36.59\00:26:40.60
so, conviction will have you
say what Nebuchadnezzar said.
00:26:40.63\00:26:44.60
"God is a God of all Gods...
00:26:44.63\00:26:46.84
a King of all
Kings... the Lord of all Lords"
00:26:46.87\00:26:48.94
but that's only
the starting point,
00:26:48.97\00:26:50.74
that's not the end
of your experience,
00:26:50.77\00:26:52.47
that's just the beginning.
00:26:52.54\00:26:53.88
You got to go from
conviction to conversion.
00:26:53.91\00:26:58.08
You've got to grow in
grace and grow in strength
00:26:58.11\00:27:02.38
and so,
Nebuchadnezzar has shown us
00:27:02.42\00:27:05.05
a pattern of conviction
00:27:05.09\00:27:07.46
he was convicted when
he heard about the statue,
00:27:07.49\00:27:10.56
he was convicted on the plains
of Dura at the fiery furnace,
00:27:10.63\00:27:14.90
so, he's convicted... but his
conviction has yet to translate
00:27:14.93\00:27:19.20
into conversion.
00:27:19.23\00:27:21.60
He has not learned that it
is important for us to grow
00:27:21.64\00:27:26.84
in Christ and in
our knowledge of Him
00:27:26.88\00:27:31.41
so he's humble...
but he's not quite where
00:27:31.45\00:27:34.62
God wants him just yet.
00:27:34.65\00:27:39.32
I'm in Prophets
and Kings, page 514.
00:27:39.35\00:27:44.69
"An idolater by
birth and training,
00:27:44.73\00:27:49.96
and at the head of
an idolatrous people,
00:27:50.00\00:27:52.97
he had nevertheless an innate
sense of justice and right,
00:27:53.00\00:27:59.14
and God was able to
use him as an instrument
00:27:59.17\00:28:03.95
for the fulfillment
of His Divine purpose. "
00:28:03.98\00:28:08.68
Now that's very interesting,
00:28:08.72\00:28:10.79
he is an idolater, he's a pagan,
00:28:10.82\00:28:12.32
but somewhere in his
heart, he knows what justice is
00:28:12.35\00:28:16.16
and he knows what "right" is
and he knows right from wrong,
00:28:16.22\00:28:20.46
it's there inside his heart
00:28:20.50\00:28:22.30
but he's working
against his training,
00:28:22.33\00:28:25.13
he's working
against his background,
00:28:25.17\00:28:27.87
he's working against all
the people that surround him
00:28:27.90\00:28:30.47
and that's why,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
00:28:30.51\00:28:31.91
it is important for Christians
00:28:31.97\00:28:34.31
to surround
themselves with Christians.
00:28:34.34\00:28:36.71
Pause...
00:28:36.75\00:28:38.45
Amen.
00:28:38.48\00:28:40.12
Now, I'm not
saying that Christians
00:28:40.15\00:28:44.09
should only be with Christians
00:28:44.12\00:28:45.82
because I think we have
a call to take our salt...
00:28:45.85\00:28:48.86
salt and light to the world,
00:28:48.89\00:28:50.83
but your inner circle...
those that you listen to...
00:28:50.86\00:28:56.03
those that you spend time with,
00:28:56.06\00:28:58.10
those that you associate
with on a regular basis,
00:28:58.13\00:29:02.60
ought to be people
traveling the same road as you
00:29:02.64\00:29:07.08
who think like you do,
00:29:07.11\00:29:09.61
now they don't
think exactly like you do
00:29:09.64\00:29:11.38
but as far as
accepting the Lord...
00:29:11.41\00:29:13.75
who are walking
the same road as you...
00:29:13.78\00:29:16.02
who know the
same God that you know
00:29:16.05\00:29:18.22
and who are serving
the God like you are.
00:29:18.25\00:29:20.09
You can spend a lot of
time with non-Christian people
00:29:20.12\00:29:24.26
or people who
don't like the Lord...
00:29:24.29\00:29:26.09
or people who
don't serve the Lord,
00:29:26.13\00:29:27.90
or people who... who have
no God-consciousness at all...
00:29:27.93\00:29:32.03
and maintain your
Christian stability.
00:29:32.10\00:29:35.10
Your inner circle...
00:29:35.14\00:29:37.21
those that you
listen to and dialog with...
00:29:37.24\00:29:40.31
and get a lot of information
from and time with...
00:29:40.34\00:29:43.14
ought to be people
who think as you do
00:29:43.21\00:29:45.55
and who love the Lord as you do.
00:29:45.58\00:29:47.42
That's how you
strengthen yourself.
00:29:47.45\00:29:49.28
Now, if you're
going to win people
00:29:49.35\00:29:51.12
studying with...
with non-Christians...
00:29:51.15\00:29:53.22
my brother-in-law
has a Bible Study Group
00:29:53.25\00:29:55.26
that meets on Tuesdays
at his house down in Panama,
00:29:55.29\00:29:58.13
that group has grown
from five now to 20 plus
00:29:58.19\00:30:03.50
and of that 20
plus, I think only three
00:30:03.57\00:30:07.47
are baptized members of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:30:07.54\00:30:10.81
the rest are all non-Adventists.
00:30:10.84\00:30:13.24
Couple of doctors in the
group, an attorney in the group
00:30:13.27\00:30:16.01
but they're there
to talk about Jesus.
00:30:16.04\00:30:19.21
They're there to
learn about the Lord.
00:30:19.28\00:30:22.42
So, they spend time together
00:30:22.45\00:30:24.19
but it's time that is spent in
trying to learn about the Lord.
00:30:24.22\00:30:28.22
So, it is important
that you surround yourself
00:30:28.26\00:30:31.03
with people who love the
Lord like you love the Lord
00:30:31.09\00:30:33.60
and so, Nebuchadnezzar is at
the head of an idolatrous nation
00:30:33.63\00:30:37.73
and he is by training
and by nature and by nurture
00:30:37.77\00:30:40.84
an idolater
00:30:40.90\00:30:42.34
but there's
something inside his heart,
00:30:42.37\00:30:44.61
he knows there is a God,
00:30:44.64\00:30:46.17
he knows that
the Lord loves him,
00:30:46.21\00:30:48.28
he knows that
there's something more here
00:30:48.31\00:30:50.88
than what I can see
and what I can accomplish.
00:30:50.91\00:30:53.42
He's got an
innate sense of justice,
00:30:53.45\00:30:55.88
he knows right
and he knows wrong,
00:30:55.92\00:30:58.32
yeah, he's hot-headed...
yeah, he can be rash...
00:30:58.35\00:31:01.22
yeah, he can be impulsive
00:31:01.26\00:31:02.96
but deep down inside
there's something there
00:31:02.99\00:31:07.03
and God knows it.
00:31:07.10\00:31:08.43
You know, I'm so glad
00:31:08.46\00:31:10.40
that we serve a Lord
00:31:10.43\00:31:12.37
a God... who can
file off the rough edges
00:31:12.40\00:31:16.94
amen
00:31:17.01\00:31:18.34
because the truth is,
all of us have rough edges.
00:31:18.37\00:31:22.44
Amen.
00:31:22.48\00:31:23.81
Everybody's got something,
00:31:23.85\00:31:25.78
we all got places where
we need to be sanded down
00:31:25.81\00:31:29.12
and Nebuchadnezzar
had a lot of places
00:31:29.15\00:31:31.65
where he needed
to be sanded down
00:31:31.69\00:31:33.42
but beneath that rough exterior,
00:31:33.46\00:31:35.12
God saw that there was
something there worth saving
00:31:35.16\00:31:39.19
and that's why I am so
glad that I serve a God
00:31:39.23\00:31:42.86
who looks beneath my
rough exterior, amen.
00:31:42.90\00:31:45.90
He knows there's
something good down there...
00:31:45.93\00:31:48.90
and Nebuchadnezzar had
something good down there,
00:31:48.97\00:31:50.97
God just had to get to it,
00:31:51.04\00:31:52.77
He just had to get
at it but it was there
00:31:52.81\00:31:54.74
and that's why God is
giving him first chance...
00:31:54.78\00:31:58.08
second chance...
00:31:58.11\00:31:59.71
and we're going to see in just
a little bit... third chance
00:31:59.75\00:32:03.99
because He knew
that he was worth saving.
00:32:04.02\00:32:07.42
I'm actually glad God
says, "Hey, she's worth saving"
00:32:07.46\00:32:10.73
"he's worth saving"
00:32:10.76\00:32:12.86
"they're worth saving"
00:32:12.89\00:32:14.90
and God calls you...
00:32:14.93\00:32:16.87
and I think, only
when we get to heaven
00:32:16.90\00:32:18.63
will we be able to look back
00:32:18.67\00:32:20.74
and see the stony road
that God brought us over,
00:32:20.77\00:32:23.74
you know, because when you're...
00:32:23.77\00:32:26.41
when you're close to
it you can't always see it
00:32:26.44\00:32:28.91
but I think in heaven,
one of the we will marvel at
00:32:28.94\00:32:31.35
is how God protected us
00:32:31.38\00:32:33.15
when we weren't
looking out for ourselves,
00:32:33.18\00:32:35.45
when God directed us
00:32:35.48\00:32:37.49
when we weren't
directing ourselves,
00:32:37.52\00:32:39.12
how God guided us
00:32:39.15\00:32:40.89
when we didn't know
where we were going,
00:32:40.96\00:32:43.02
how God brought people
into and out of our lives
00:32:43.06\00:32:45.86
that we didn't even
know were for our benefit,
00:32:45.89\00:32:48.33
and how God did so many things
00:32:48.36\00:32:50.40
to file down those rough edges
00:32:50.43\00:32:52.73
to make us fit for
the kingdom of heaven
00:32:52.77\00:32:55.14
and that's
precisely what God is doing
00:32:55.17\00:32:57.51
with Nebuchadnezzar here,
00:32:57.54\00:32:58.87
he is filing down Nebuchadnezzar
00:32:58.91\00:33:01.61
because he has for this rough,
00:33:01.64\00:33:04.41
rash,
hot-headed, impulsive king...
00:33:04.45\00:33:07.68
He's got something He
wants to do for him...
00:33:07.72\00:33:10.59
with him.. to
him... and through him.
00:33:10.62\00:33:14.72
Pause.
00:33:14.76\00:33:16.93
I'm in Prophets and Kings,
you know how I... I... I debated
00:33:16.96\00:33:20.46
"How much Spirit of
Prophecy should I put in this?"
00:33:20.50\00:33:22.10
But one of the things I like
about the Spirit of Prophecy...
00:33:22.16\00:33:24.67
it sheds light
on the Biblical text
00:33:24.70\00:33:26.87
because the Bible
doesn't have time really
00:33:26.90\00:33:29.37
to go into all
the nuances but we...
00:33:29.40\00:33:31.84
we see the Biblical text
and then the... the... the...
00:33:31.87\00:33:35.34
narrative is filled
in by wonderful quotes
00:33:35.38\00:33:40.32
from the Spirit of Prophecy
00:33:40.35\00:33:41.68
so, "It is not surprising
that the successful monarch,
00:33:41.72\00:33:46.39
so ambitious and
so proud-spirited,
00:33:46.42\00:33:49.22
should be tempted to turn aside
from the path of humility. "
00:33:49.26\00:33:53.83
A lot of stuff
is being said there,
00:33:53.86\00:33:56.67
one, he is being successful,
00:33:56.70\00:33:58.87
Babylon, under Nebuchadnezzar,
was the envy of the world,
00:33:58.93\00:34:06.21
so, this non-Jewish king...
00:34:06.24\00:34:10.91
this non-Jehovah-loving
emperor is having success.
00:34:10.95\00:34:16.85
That's a fact...
and the fact also is,
00:34:16.89\00:34:20.66
that when things are going good,
00:34:20.69\00:34:23.96
sometimes, it
enters into our mind
00:34:24.03\00:34:26.29
that we don't need the Lord.
00:34:26.33\00:34:27.66
Amen.
00:34:27.70\00:34:29.03
Yeah, bills are being
paid... wife is doing well...
00:34:29.06\00:34:34.50
husband's doing well...
00:34:34.54\00:34:36.00
kids doing well in school...
00:34:36.04\00:34:37.44
everything's going well...
00:34:37.51\00:34:38.84
sometimes we're
tempted to think...
00:34:38.87\00:34:40.41
"Well, I can handle this,
00:34:40.44\00:34:43.95
because
everything is going well"
00:34:43.98\00:34:46.31
and
Nebuchadnezzar is doing well.
00:34:46.35\00:34:48.68
He is an instrument of God
00:34:48.72\00:34:51.35
pause
00:34:51.39\00:34:53.56
and yet he is beginning to
slip back into the path of pride
00:34:53.62\00:35:02.26
and away from
the path of humility.
00:35:02.30\00:35:06.27
Nebuchadnezzar wasn't
out fighting and conquering
00:35:06.30\00:35:10.91
he spent a lot of time
building and decorating.
00:35:10.94\00:35:15.51
Now, of course,
he had the Hebrews
00:35:15.54\00:35:19.01
to help him run the kingdom,
00:35:19.05\00:35:21.18
in fact, that's why Daniel,
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
00:35:21.22\00:35:25.99
were selected.
00:35:26.02\00:35:27.36
Remember, we
said the first night,
00:35:27.39\00:35:28.82
they were bright,
they were handsome,
00:35:28.86\00:35:30.36
they were good
looking, they were smart,
00:35:30.39\00:35:32.89
and that he took
them for those reasons,
00:35:32.93\00:35:35.43
so that they could
help him run the kingdom
00:35:35.46\00:35:37.97
and before this
is done, we find...
00:35:38.00\00:35:39.60
Daniel's third in the kingdom,
00:35:39.63\00:35:41.24
these Hebrew boys
are promoted twice
00:35:41.27\00:35:44.57
so, they're
running the Government...
00:35:44.61\00:35:46.11
Nebuchadnezzar, basically,
has a lot of time on his hands
00:35:46.14\00:35:49.24
and when you got a
lot of time on your hands,
00:35:49.28\00:35:52.58
sometimes that can get
you into a lot of trouble.
00:35:52.61\00:35:55.82
So, he is
beautifying his capital city
00:35:55.85\00:35:59.69
and archeologists say...
00:35:59.75\00:36:03.86
and this is
what they... they say
00:36:03.89\00:36:06.03
that the "golden city...
the praise of the whole earth. "
00:36:06.06\00:36:09.93
He made that city beautiful.
00:36:09.96\00:36:11.80
As we said the other night,
Babylon was not a large empire
00:36:11.83\00:36:15.60
as far as empires go
00:36:15.64\00:36:16.97
of the great empires, Babylon
was actually the smallest
00:36:17.01\00:36:19.91
as far as
territory was concerned
00:36:19.94\00:36:22.51
but as far as beauty and riches,
00:36:22.54\00:36:25.05
from what the
archeologists and scholars say,
00:36:25.08\00:36:28.68
it was by far
the most beautiful...
00:36:28.72\00:36:32.15
the most opulent...
the most gorgeous...
00:36:32.19\00:36:34.62
and a lot of that was due to
the building of Nebuchadnezzar.
00:36:34.66\00:36:38.56
He ruled 40 years out of the
70 and he spent a lot of time
00:36:38.59\00:36:42.36
making his
palace and his country
00:36:42.40\00:36:44.73
and his city beautiful
and the envy of the earth.
00:36:44.77\00:36:49.34
but here is the
danger of success.
00:36:49.37\00:36:52.41
Remember I asked you yesterday,
what is the better teacher,
00:36:52.44\00:36:54.74
success or failure?
00:36:54.78\00:36:56.11
There is a danger of
success... here it is.
00:36:56.14\00:36:59.31
Ellen White tells us,
00:36:59.35\00:37:01.62
"... it is the full cup
00:37:01.65\00:37:03.85
that must be most
carefully balanced... "
00:37:03.89\00:37:08.12
amen.
00:37:08.16\00:37:09.72
Now, what's it saying?
00:37:09.79\00:37:11.36
Have you ever filled up your
glass just a little too full?
00:37:11.39\00:37:16.16
You know, you turn on
one of those spigot things...
00:37:16.20\00:37:18.83
those punch things
that... at a party...
00:37:18.87\00:37:20.60
and you try to turn
it off and it keeps...
00:37:20.64\00:37:22.34
you know, it just keeps on going
00:37:22.37\00:37:23.71
so, you leave your glass there
00:37:23.74\00:37:25.07
and it's getting
closer and closer
00:37:25.11\00:37:26.44
and closer and closer to the top
00:37:26.47\00:37:27.98
so, now you got
a really full glass
00:37:28.01\00:37:29.58
and you got to be
really, really careful, amen,
00:37:29.61\00:37:33.85
you do, because a full glass
00:37:33.88\00:37:36.85
or a full cup is
much more dangerous
00:37:36.89\00:37:41.52
than an empty cup.
00:37:41.59\00:37:42.92
If you have an empty cup,
00:37:42.96\00:37:44.29
you can put your finger through
the cup handle and spin it...
00:37:44.33\00:37:45.79
you can do anything you want...
00:37:45.83\00:37:47.16
but once you get a full...
and if it's right at the brim
00:37:47.20\00:37:50.20
you've got to be very careful.
00:37:50.23\00:37:51.97
Now, there's a
spiritual lesson there
00:37:52.00\00:37:53.57
that if God is
really blessing you,
00:37:53.60\00:37:57.51
you've got to be very careful,
00:37:57.54\00:37:59.77
amen... yeah you do
00:37:59.81\00:38:02.64
because the natural tendency is
00:38:02.68\00:38:05.81
to take those
blessings for granted
00:38:05.85\00:38:08.95
and to ascribe to yourself
00:38:08.98\00:38:11.59
the power and
glory of those blessings,
00:38:11.62\00:38:13.86
so, a full cup... if
God is really blessing you
00:38:13.89\00:38:16.76
and everything is going right,
00:38:16.79\00:38:18.26
and everything
is going perfectly,
00:38:18.29\00:38:20.06
that's when you got
to be very, very careful
00:38:20.10\00:38:22.30
because that's when,
00:38:22.33\00:38:24.47
as they used to say in
the old Negro Spiritual,
00:38:24.50\00:38:27.44
"Your foot might slip
and your soul get lost"
00:38:27.47\00:38:30.31
so, if you're really enjoying
the blessings of the Lord,
00:38:30.34\00:38:33.14
be very, very careful,
00:38:33.17\00:38:34.54
one: be thankful
for those blessings,
00:38:34.58\00:38:36.51
two: give the glory to God
00:38:36.54\00:38:38.21
but be very careful because
sometimes you can lose out.
00:38:38.25\00:38:44.59
Pause.
00:38:44.62\00:38:49.92
I'm back in Prophets and
Kings, "Hardening his heart"
00:38:49.99\00:38:54.66
now, where have we
heard that before...
00:38:54.70\00:38:56.50
from a ruler?
00:38:56.53\00:38:57.87
"Hardening his heart, he
used his God-given talents
00:38:57.90\00:39:03.71
for self-glorification... "
00:39:03.77\00:39:06.14
that's sad...
00:39:06.17\00:39:07.74
"exalting himself above the God
00:39:07.78\00:39:12.25
who had given
him life and power. "
00:39:12.28\00:39:16.69
Now, let me ask you a question,
want to get very pragmatic,
00:39:16.72\00:39:19.52
pause
00:39:19.55\00:39:23.53
how many here think
that Wintley Phipps...
00:39:23.56\00:39:27.30
is not aware that
he is a good singer?
00:39:27.33\00:39:31.00
Pause.
00:39:31.03\00:39:32.80
Do you think he knows that?
00:39:32.83\00:39:34.47
Sang for five or six
Presidents, sang for the Pope,
00:39:34.50\00:39:37.97
sang all over,
00:39:38.04\00:39:39.37
you think he knows
he's a good singer?
00:39:39.41\00:39:40.74
I think he does.
00:39:40.78\00:39:42.84
You think Pastor John Lomacang
knows he's a pretty good singer?
00:39:42.88\00:39:46.61
Pause.
00:39:46.65\00:39:48.68
Do you think Yvonne Lewis...
baptized her 30 years ago,
00:39:48.72\00:39:51.59
making six
figures with her voice
00:39:51.62\00:39:54.42
well over 100,000 dollars
00:39:54.46\00:39:55.96
do you think she
knows she can sing?
00:39:55.99\00:39:58.46
Pause.
00:39:58.49\00:40:00.46
Is there any sin in
knowing that you have a talent?
00:40:00.50\00:40:03.47
Pause.
00:40:03.50\00:40:05.43
Now, if you can do something
and you know you can do it,
00:40:05.50\00:40:09.14
is that sinful?
00:40:09.17\00:40:10.81
Do you think
Michael Jordan knows...
00:40:10.84\00:40:12.77
knew that he was one of the
best basketball players ever?
00:40:12.81\00:40:16.24
See, there is no sin in
knowing that you have a gift
00:40:16.28\00:40:20.62
because if you don't
know you have a gift,
00:40:20.65\00:40:24.02
then you'll never know
how to improve the gift,
00:40:24.05\00:40:27.32
you've got to know
you've got it... if you got it
00:40:27.36\00:40:29.72
amen
00:40:29.76\00:40:31.09
so, those who
have gifts have to know
00:40:31.13\00:40:35.00
so that they can improve them.
00:40:35.06\00:40:36.50
The Bible says,
"Whatever you do,
00:40:36.53\00:40:37.93
do all to the glory of God. "
00:40:37.97\00:40:40.07
So, before you
can give it to God
00:40:40.10\00:40:42.37
as a return on His investment,
00:40:42.40\00:40:44.21
you got to know you have it,
00:40:44.24\00:40:46.01
amen.
00:40:46.07\00:40:47.41
If you're... if
you're... if you're smart
00:40:47.44\00:40:49.51
and everybody's
staying up late studying
00:40:49.54\00:40:51.51
and studying and studying
00:40:51.55\00:40:52.88
and you can just
look at it one time
00:40:52.91\00:40:54.68
and then zip through
00:40:54.72\00:40:56.18
that's a gift...
00:40:56.22\00:40:57.65
and if you've
got it, you know it.
00:40:57.69\00:40:59.09
The United States
Chaplain, Barry Black
00:40:59.12\00:41:01.72
has a photographic memory,
00:41:01.79\00:41:03.12
he preaches from
his head no notes...
00:41:03.16\00:41:05.23
I cannot do that,
00:41:05.26\00:41:06.59
you think he knows
that he has a gift from God?
00:41:06.63\00:41:09.43
Of course he does...
00:41:09.46\00:41:10.93
the problem is not in
knowing that you have a gift,
00:41:10.97\00:41:13.97
the problem is...
or the question is...
00:41:14.00\00:41:16.84
"Who gets the glory?"
00:41:16.87\00:41:19.87
Amen.
00:41:19.91\00:41:21.31
That's what it's all about,
00:41:21.34\00:41:23.28
who is going to get the glory.
00:41:23.31\00:41:25.18
Who is going to be glorified
by my use of this gift?
00:41:25.21\00:41:30.32
So he's hardening his heart,
00:41:30.35\00:41:32.79
he's got a talent but he's
using it for self-glorification.
00:41:32.82\00:41:38.69
He is taking from God the
glory that only belongs to Him
00:41:38.73\00:41:44.57
and Ladies and Gentlemen,
00:41:44.63\00:41:45.97
when you try to
inhale all of the oxygen
00:41:46.00\00:41:49.60
and don't give God
the glory He deserves,
00:41:49.64\00:41:53.38
you're really
on dangerous ground
00:41:53.41\00:41:55.34
because the Bible
says, "Every good gift
00:41:55.38\00:41:57.95
and every perfect gift
comes from the God of heaven"
00:41:57.98\00:42:04.05
and so, Nebuchadnezzar is
moving in a horrible direction,
00:42:04.09\00:42:08.89
he is hardening his heart,
00:42:08.92\00:42:10.83
what he doesn't know
is that spiritually...
00:42:10.89\00:42:14.46
it is time to grow up.
00:42:14.50\00:42:17.73
"... His passion as a
builder, and his signal success"
00:42:17.77\00:42:22.30
see that's a...
he's having success...
00:42:22.34\00:42:24.11
things are going pretty good,
00:42:24.14\00:42:26.11
so, "his signal success
00:42:26.14\00:42:28.41
in making Babylon one of
the wonders of the world,
00:42:28.44\00:42:31.75
ministered to his pride... "
00:42:31.78\00:42:33.95
his city was
beautiful and he knew it.
00:42:33.98\00:42:36.79
He had put more
money into his city
00:42:36.82\00:42:39.55
and he was aware of it.
00:42:39.59\00:42:40.92
it ministered...
boosted his pride and his ego
00:42:40.96\00:42:44.09
"... until he was in
danger of spoiling his record
00:42:44.13\00:42:48.46
as a wise ruler
whom God could use"
00:42:48.50\00:42:50.67
he was... he
had a good record...
00:42:50.70\00:42:52.80
he was doing some good things
00:42:52.83\00:42:54.60
and he was in danger
of spoiling that record
00:42:54.64\00:42:58.01
as someone that God
could continue to use
00:42:58.04\00:43:01.38
so God was using him
00:43:01.41\00:43:03.14
"as an instrument
00:43:03.18\00:43:04.81
for the carrying out
of His Divine purpose... "
00:43:04.85\00:43:07.92
Ladies and
Gentlemen, I submit to you,
00:43:07.95\00:43:09.72
if God is blessing you,
00:43:09.75\00:43:11.85
He's not blessing you
so that you can walk around
00:43:11.89\00:43:14.16
puffed up saying, "I am blessed"
00:43:14.19\00:43:16.32
amen
00:43:16.36\00:43:17.76
if God is blessing you,
00:43:17.79\00:43:19.49
He is blessing you so that
you can be a better vehicle
00:43:19.53\00:43:23.26
for the Word of God.
00:43:23.30\00:43:25.83
Why does God give a
person more Holy Spirit?
00:43:25.87\00:43:30.04
Why does He give
him more blessings?
00:43:30.07\00:43:32.04
The same reason you put
heavy-duty shock absorbers
00:43:32.07\00:43:35.94
on the back of your pickup truck
00:43:35.98\00:43:38.31
so you can carry more weight
00:43:38.35\00:43:40.65
that's why God blesses.
00:43:40.68\00:43:42.55
And so, God was
blessing Nebuchadnezzar
00:43:42.58\00:43:44.55
because He wanted to use
Him as a vehicle... as a...
00:43:44.59\00:43:48.89
as an instrument to
do great things for Him
00:43:48.92\00:43:52.03
and Nebuchadnezzar is
taking all the glory to himself.
00:43:52.06\00:43:55.33
He is doing exactly the opposite
00:43:55.36\00:43:57.47
of what God wants him to do
00:43:57.50\00:44:00.14
and he now is
beginning to spoil his record.
00:44:00.17\00:44:04.07
So, in mercy, God
gives the king another dream.
00:44:04.11\00:44:07.98
It's a bad dream,
00:44:08.01\00:44:09.34
it was given
ironically at the same time
00:44:09.38\00:44:13.62
that things were going so well,
00:44:13.65\00:44:16.12
things are going
well for the Jews,
00:44:16.18\00:44:18.29
things are
going well for Daniel,
00:44:18.32\00:44:20.42
things are going well for
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,
00:44:20.46\00:44:23.73
things are going
well for Nebuchadnezzar
00:44:23.76\00:44:25.89
and in Daniel 4:4,
00:44:25.93\00:44:28.20
"... I Nebuchadnezzar
was at rest in my house,
00:44:28.23\00:44:33.10
and flourishing
in my palace... "
00:44:33.13\00:44:36.20
he admits it,
00:44:36.24\00:44:37.57
things were going
good... flourishing...
00:44:37.61\00:44:40.68
kingdom going well...
00:44:40.71\00:44:42.18
I'm going well...
00:44:42.24\00:44:43.61
and everything is going well,
00:44:43.65\00:44:47.25
that's when this
second dream comes in.
00:44:47.28\00:44:50.62
Pause.
00:44:50.65\00:44:52.05
So, Daniel now is
given an interpretation
00:44:52.09\00:44:56.09
in the midst of this
prosperity that says,
00:44:56.12\00:45:00.10
"It's all going to end...
00:45:00.13\00:45:02.80
not for the
country... but for the king. "
00:45:02.83\00:45:07.14
This is a
personal interpretation.
00:45:07.17\00:45:12.61
The Bible says,
"Daniel was astonished"
00:45:12.64\00:45:15.84
Ellen White says, "astonied"
00:45:15.88\00:45:18.21
"he was
nonplussed, he was dumbfounded"
00:45:18.25\00:45:22.72
he knows he's got
to give bad advice
00:45:22.75\00:45:26.92
to a king who
doesn't like bad news.
00:45:26.96\00:45:31.06
When I was a pastor, we
used to have Prayer Meetings
00:45:31.09\00:45:33.73
called, "Don't
give me no bad news"
00:45:33.76\00:45:35.96
and it was Prayer Meetings
where we just had praise,
00:45:36.00\00:45:38.57
no one... we didn't talk
about our aches or our pains
00:45:38.60\00:45:40.47
or our challenges,
00:45:40.50\00:45:41.84
just praise reports for
the whole Prayer Meeting,
00:45:41.87\00:45:43.54
we did that, maybe,
once every couple of months,
00:45:43.57\00:45:45.24
we had a, "Don't give me
no bad news" Prayer Meeting.
00:45:45.27\00:45:49.51
Well, Daniel serves a
"Don't give me no bad news king"
00:45:49.54\00:45:53.72
he doesn't want any bad news
00:45:53.75\00:45:55.65
and Daniel's got
some real bad news for him
00:45:55.68\00:45:58.75
pause
00:45:58.79\00:46:00.76
no way he can make this nice
00:46:00.82\00:46:02.59
pause
00:46:02.62\00:46:04.73
this is a king who twice before
00:46:04.76\00:46:07.03
had given
orders of extermination
00:46:07.06\00:46:09.26
so he is not shy about
ordering the death of people
00:46:09.30\00:46:12.77
and Daniel has
got to give him news
00:46:12.80\00:46:15.10
and he's little a
worried about this,
00:46:15.14\00:46:17.44
now, I'm going to say this,
00:46:17.47\00:46:18.81
"I don't think
Daniel was afraid"
00:46:18.84\00:46:20.18
there are times when
he could have been afraid,
00:46:20.21\00:46:22.34
I don't think he's afraid,
00:46:22.38\00:46:23.71
Daniel had proved
that he trusted in his God
00:46:23.75\00:46:25.78
and when you trust in God
00:46:25.81\00:46:28.12
you can speak before
any ruler or any king
00:46:28.15\00:46:30.29
you can tell him the truth,
00:46:30.32\00:46:31.65
He trusted in God...
00:46:31.69\00:46:33.02
but he is... he is disturbed
00:46:33.05\00:46:35.19
because things are going so well
00:46:35.22\00:46:37.66
and this interpretation...
this dream is saying
00:46:37.69\00:46:41.80
that things are not going to go
well for this particular king.
00:46:41.83\00:46:47.80
So, Daniel cannot
speak... and the king speaks
00:46:47.84\00:46:53.91
and... and again...
00:46:53.94\00:46:56.44
you know, when you
read the Word of God
00:46:56.48\00:46:58.58
and you see
these little nuances,
00:46:58.61\00:47:00.12
these little... these little
changes in how things work
00:47:00.15\00:47:04.92
you know that the
Spirit of God is working
00:47:04.95\00:47:06.92
and here is one of them.
00:47:06.96\00:47:08.29
We're in Daniel
chapter 4 right at verse 19.
00:47:08.32\00:47:13.33
Daniel can't
speak, he's astonished
00:47:13.36\00:47:16.30
so, Daniel
doesn't comfort the king,
00:47:16.36\00:47:19.23
the king comforts Daniel.
00:47:19.27\00:47:22.70
Pause.
00:47:22.74\00:47:24.47
Nebuchadnezzar...
calling him Belteshazzar...
00:47:24.51\00:47:29.21
calling him by
his Chaldean name,
00:47:29.24\00:47:32.51
he says, "Do not let the dream
00:47:32.55\00:47:35.38
or its
interpretation trouble you"
00:47:35.42\00:47:38.12
that's interesting
00:47:38.15\00:47:39.95
that's the king
speaking to Daniel.
00:47:39.99\00:47:42.42
He doesn't know
what the dream means,
00:47:42.46\00:47:44.86
he knows it's bad,
00:47:44.89\00:47:47.30
he doesn't know what words
00:47:47.33\00:47:49.46
are about to come
out of Daniel's mouth,
00:47:49.50\00:47:52.73
and yet he sees
how shook up Daniel is
00:47:52.77\00:47:55.90
so, the king... the person
who is about to get the bad news
00:47:55.94\00:48:01.08
says, "Don't let it trouble you,
00:48:01.14\00:48:03.01
it's going to be all right. "
00:48:03.04\00:48:04.75
You can tell the
Spirit is working
00:48:04.78\00:48:06.55
and working in a very strong way
00:48:06.61\00:48:08.32
when the king is
trying to comfort Daniel
00:48:08.35\00:48:09.98
as it was for Daniel
trying to comfort the king.
00:48:10.02\00:48:12.05
Nebuchadnezzar doesn't
know what Daniel's about to say,
00:48:12.09\00:48:14.69
he doesn't know what's
coming out of Daniel's mouth,
00:48:14.72\00:48:17.26
he knows it can't be
good and yet he says,
00:48:17.29\00:48:20.16
"Don't let it bother you... "
00:48:20.20\00:48:21.96
the Holy Spirit is working.
00:48:22.00\00:48:23.70
So, the Spirit of
God is moving here.
00:48:23.77\00:48:25.77
That little exchange is
testament to what God can do
00:48:25.80\00:48:29.90
to change a mind and heart.
00:48:29.94\00:48:31.77
You know,
sometimes we look at people
00:48:31.81\00:48:33.14
and we don't see how
they ever will be saved.
00:48:33.17\00:48:36.41
How the Lord
ever breaks that down.
00:48:36.44\00:48:40.28
You know God
can do all things...
00:48:40.32\00:48:42.32
He can do anything but fail...
00:48:42.38\00:48:44.29
and some of the
people who we think
00:48:44.35\00:48:46.02
are the hardest nuts to crack
00:48:46.05\00:48:48.02
my dad was one of them,
00:48:48.06\00:48:49.96
70 plus years...
fighting against God.
00:48:49.99\00:48:52.73
My wife, Irma, her dad...
00:48:52.76\00:48:54.86
same one... all his
life... fighting against God
00:48:54.90\00:48:57.53
and then one day, my
father gets on the phone
00:48:57.57\00:49:00.14
and calls and says,
00:49:00.17\00:49:01.50
"Could you come home and
study the Bible with me?"
00:49:01.54\00:49:04.64
Pause...
00:49:04.67\00:49:06.71
And so, I fly
home... no... drove home...
00:49:06.74\00:49:09.61
and for one week...
studied the Word of God together
00:49:09.64\00:49:13.68
and that was in May,
00:49:13.72\00:49:16.95
I flew back home in
October of the same year
00:49:16.99\00:49:22.82
baptized him... and then
mid-November my mother called
00:49:22.86\00:49:27.80
and said, "Come home,
your dad just had a stroke,
00:49:27.83\00:49:30.43
he's dead. "
00:49:30.47\00:49:31.80
Pause.
00:49:31.83\00:49:34.20
Who knew... God can
tear down strongholds,
00:49:34.24\00:49:39.24
God can do things that
we didn't think He could do.
00:49:39.27\00:49:42.64
God can do anything but fail
00:49:42.68\00:49:45.48
and so, He's giving
Nebuchadnezzar another chance.
00:49:45.51\00:49:49.85
Here's the
dream... very quickly.
00:49:49.88\00:49:52.19
Tree... strong and mighty...
00:49:52.22\00:49:54.22
height reaches to heaven,
00:49:54.26\00:49:56.16
lovely leaves...
abundant fruit...
00:49:56.19\00:49:59.33
enough for all the
beasts of the field...
00:49:59.39\00:50:02.50
birds of the air
come and nest under it.
00:50:02.53\00:50:05.30
A mighty tree...
a beautiful tree...
00:50:05.33\00:50:07.74
a full tree...
a luscious tree...
00:50:07.77\00:50:10.21
a tree that
provides for other people
00:50:10.27\00:50:12.64
and in verse 23, Nebuchadnezzar
hears for the second time,
00:50:12.67\00:50:16.95
"This is you... you
are that great tree,
00:50:16.98\00:50:20.62
but there's a holy
watcher who came from heaven...
00:50:20.65\00:50:24.72
that's the good news...
00:50:24.75\00:50:26.82
now Nebuchadnezzar,
00:50:26.86\00:50:28.76
I've got to give
you the bad news,
00:50:28.79\00:50:30.93
because the holy watcher said,
00:50:30.96\00:50:33.03
'chop it down'
00:50:33.06\00:50:35.83
chop it down... but leave
the stump and the roots intact
00:50:35.86\00:50:43.47
and in the earth
00:50:43.51\00:50:45.14
let it get wet
with the dew of heaven
00:50:45.17\00:50:47.81
but leave it intact...
00:50:47.84\00:50:49.88
why?
00:50:49.94\00:50:52.35
'... we must know
that Heaven Rules... '
00:50:52.38\00:50:55.68
Nebuchadnezzar, you have to know
00:50:55.72\00:50:58.72
that heaven rules. "
00:50:58.75\00:51:01.32
We've got to know
that heaven rules.
00:51:01.36\00:51:05.36
Now, let me say this because
my time is slipping away from me
00:51:05.39\00:51:08.06
and this is
very, very important.
00:51:08.10\00:51:09.43
"This is one of
the greatest miracles
00:51:09.46\00:51:14.54
in the Word of God. "
00:51:14.57\00:51:16.27
We never look at it
that way but it is...
00:51:16.30\00:51:20.01
it... it's... it's an incredibly
great miracle from the Lord.
00:51:20.04\00:51:23.81
Think about it.
00:51:23.85\00:51:26.38
That dream told Nebuchadnezzar,
00:51:26.41\00:51:29.78
"You are going to lose your mind
00:51:29.82\00:51:33.12
and be driven
from the company of men
00:51:33.15\00:51:40.60
for seven years...
00:51:40.63\00:51:43.26
you'll be living
outside, eating grass,
00:51:43.30\00:51:47.60
you won't
communicate with anybody
00:51:47.64\00:51:50.27
and no one will
communicate with you
00:51:50.31\00:51:52.84
and for seven years,
00:51:52.87\00:51:56.11
I'm going to perform
an ongoing miracle. "
00:51:56.14\00:52:00.02
Nebuchadnezzar
couldn't take care of himself,
00:52:00.05\00:52:03.89
so, that miracle was happening
every day for seven years
00:52:03.95\00:52:08.66
amen
00:52:08.69\00:52:10.16
it's a powerful miracle...
00:52:10.23\00:52:12.33
it's one of the
greatest in... in the Bible.
00:52:12.39\00:52:14.90
God promised, "No one's going
to take your kingdom from you"
00:52:14.96\00:52:19.33
now that could have
happened, couldn't it?
00:52:19.37\00:52:22.34
Yeah, when Sennacherib
failed to... to conquer Israel,
00:52:22.37\00:52:27.11
he went home and
his own sons killed him.
00:52:27.14\00:52:29.61
That didn't happen.
00:52:29.64\00:52:31.41
"So, you're not going to have
insurrection in your family,
00:52:31.45\00:52:33.75
no other kingdom
is going to come in
00:52:33.78\00:52:36.45
and take your kingdom from you.
00:52:36.48\00:52:38.15
You will be kept...
00:52:38.19\00:52:41.26
you're... you know, you're...
00:52:41.29\00:52:43.63
you're
basically out of your mind
00:52:43.66\00:52:44.99
someone could say,
"You know, we should just
00:52:45.03\00:52:46.56
put him out of his misery"
00:52:46.59\00:52:47.93
Nebuchadnezzar
would not have known
00:52:47.96\00:52:50.47
he would have
been none the wiser,
00:52:50.50\00:52:53.03
and yet, for seven years,
God kept the kingdom sound,
00:52:53.07\00:52:58.47
He kept enemies from invading,
00:52:58.51\00:53:02.04
He kept the
kingdom from disintegrating
00:53:02.08\00:53:05.48
and He kept Nebuchadnezzar...
00:53:05.51\00:53:07.92
his... his... you know,
he didn't have any hygiene,
00:53:07.95\00:53:11.85
his nails are growing long
and his hair is growing long
00:53:11.92\00:53:15.79
and his skin is
like eagle's feathers
00:53:15.82\00:53:17.89
and you know he's
not showering or bathing,
00:53:17.93\00:53:20.43
he's just... he's just
living out there... eating grass
00:53:20.46\00:53:22.93
but God is keeping
him for seven long years.
00:53:22.96\00:53:29.37
That is a continuing miracle,
00:53:29.40\00:53:30.74
it is one of the greatest
miracles in the Word of God...
00:53:30.77\00:53:34.28
Old Testament or New
00:53:34.31\00:53:36.04
and God is doing
this... I say again...
00:53:36.08\00:53:38.81
for a heathen king
who Ellen White says,
00:53:38.85\00:53:41.55
by training... by nurture...
00:53:41.58\00:53:45.85
by nature...
00:53:45.89\00:53:47.36
this is a pagan guy
00:53:47.39\00:53:49.52
but God sees
something in him worth saving
00:53:49.56\00:53:53.23
and so, at the
end of seven years,
00:53:53.26\00:53:57.73
one day in the
providence of God,
00:53:57.80\00:54:02.24
pause
00:54:02.30\00:54:04.51
God changes things...
00:54:04.54\00:54:06.88
pause
00:54:06.91\00:54:09.54
one day he is insane
00:54:09.58\00:54:13.31
the next day he is sane
00:54:13.38\00:54:17.05
one day he is eating
grass like an animal,
00:54:17.09\00:54:22.46
the next day, he is eating at
a table with a knife and fork.
00:54:22.49\00:54:28.16
One day he cannot communicate
with anybody or anything,
00:54:28.20\00:54:32.23
totally dependent upon God,
00:54:32.27\00:54:34.77
the next day he stands
up and acts like a man.
00:54:34.80\00:54:41.48
It's a marvelous,
marvelous miracle.
00:54:41.51\00:54:46.48
Ellen White says that the
impressions given by God to us
00:54:46.51\00:54:54.46
unless we really accept them
00:54:54.49\00:54:57.79
through the power
of the Holy Spirit,
00:54:57.83\00:54:59.19
we will lose them
00:54:59.23\00:55:00.93
but it was during
this seven-year period,
00:55:00.96\00:55:06.37
or, perhaps more accurately,
00:55:06.40\00:55:09.57
at the end of
this seven-year period,
00:55:09.60\00:55:14.68
that this heathen
king found his Lord.
00:55:14.71\00:55:20.88
When he came back
from the wilderness,
00:55:20.92\00:55:24.52
he was a changed man
00:55:24.55\00:55:27.16
and more than that,
he was a converted man.
00:55:27.19\00:55:33.26
It was during this period
00:55:33.29\00:55:35.56
that God got
through to Nebuchadnezzar
00:55:35.60\00:55:41.74
and even the words of
his mouth were different.
00:55:41.80\00:55:50.18
Pause.
00:55:50.21\00:55:51.68
God changed him
00:55:51.71\00:55:53.68
and God converted him.
00:55:53.72\00:55:56.08
This time when he
speaks for the Lord,
00:55:56.15\00:55:59.75
he's not just
speaking from the head,
00:55:59.79\00:56:03.39
he is speaking from the heart,
00:56:03.43\00:56:07.06
he is a converted man,
00:56:07.10\00:56:10.40
he is now a child of God
00:56:10.47\00:56:13.70
and he knows and understands
what God wants to do.
00:56:13.74\00:56:20.58
So, let's look at verse 19,
00:56:20.61\00:56:22.21
Pause.
00:56:22.24\00:56:28.58
Ellen White says,
00:56:28.62\00:56:29.95
"At the end of the time... "
00:56:29.98\00:56:32.09
or rather... this is
Nebuchadnezzar speaking,
00:56:32.12\00:56:33.76
this is Nebuchadnezzar
speaking, Daniel 4:19,
00:56:33.79\00:56:37.33
"At the end of the time,
00:56:37.36\00:56:38.93
I Nebuchadnezzar
lifted up my eyes to heaven
00:56:38.96\00:56:42.66
and my understanding
returned to me... "
00:56:42.70\00:56:46.37
his understanding returns
00:56:46.40\00:56:48.70
and then he goes into
a time of praise to God.
00:56:48.74\00:56:55.18
He talks about the
goodness of the Lord,
00:56:55.21\00:56:57.71
he talks about the
greatness of the Lord,
00:56:57.75\00:57:00.18
he talks about the
Lord's ability to set up kings
00:57:00.22\00:57:04.55
and bring kings down,
00:57:04.59\00:57:08.06
God pulled Nebuchadnezzar
00:57:08.09\00:57:11.46
basically, from
the scrap heap of life.
00:57:11.49\00:57:14.83
He plucked him out of Babylon...
00:57:14.86\00:57:18.47
when we think of Babylon,
00:57:18.50\00:57:19.83
we think of
everything that is anti God
00:57:19.87\00:57:22.04
but God called Nebuchadnezzar.
00:57:22.07\00:57:25.71
Nebuchadnezzar, at the end,
00:57:25.74\00:57:29.31
acknowledged his
dependency upon God
00:57:29.34\00:57:32.05
and Ellen White says,
00:57:32.08\00:57:34.28
"These are the
last words recorded
00:57:34.32\00:57:36.65
about Nebuchadnezzar
in sacred history. "
00:57:36.69\00:57:39.55
Nebuchadnezzar,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
00:57:39.59\00:57:42.46
is a saved man...
00:57:42.49\00:57:44.76
his name is written
in the Book of Life.
00:57:44.79\00:57:47.90
Audience: Amen.
00:57:47.96\00:57:49.30
Shall we pray, "Father God,
00:57:49.33\00:57:50.67
we thank you,
Lord... we praise you
00:57:50.70\00:57:53.20
because truly... truly...
00:57:53.23\00:57:56.10
you are a good and
gracious and great God
00:57:56.14\00:57:59.71
and we see how
you called this king
00:57:59.77\00:58:03.95
and made him your child
00:58:03.98\00:58:06.48
please Lord, do that for
each and every one of us,
00:58:06.51\00:58:10.52
make us your children,
00:58:10.55\00:58:13.39
in Jesus' name, amen. "
00:58:13.42\00:58:16.22