¤[music ends]¤¤
00:00:17.65\00:00:19.61
>>John Bradshaw: It
was an unlikely start
00:00:19.65\00:00:21.45
for a prophet of God.
00:00:21.48\00:00:23.25
While a teenager,
Daniel was taken from his home
00:00:23.28\00:00:26.12
in Jerusalem when the
Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar
00:00:26.15\00:00:29.49
attacked and
conquered Jerusalem.
00:00:29.52\00:00:32.76
That once great
nation Israel, great no more.
00:00:32.79\00:00:37.03
The first king of Israel
was King Saul, then King David,
00:00:37.07\00:00:39.70
then King
Solomon, then Rehoboam.
00:00:39.73\00:00:42.57
It was during Rehoboam's
reign that Israel divided
00:00:42.60\00:00:45.94
into Israel, the
10 northern tribes,
00:00:45.97\00:00:48.78
and Judah, the
two southern tribes.
00:00:48.81\00:00:51.98
The Assyrian Empire conquered
the 10 northern tribes of Israel
00:00:52.01\00:00:55.45
in around 720 B.C.,
00:00:55.48\00:00:57.49
and the people were absorbed
into the surrounding nations.
00:00:57.52\00:01:00.72
That left only Judah remaining--
00:01:00.76\00:01:02.72
that is, the two
tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
00:01:02.76\00:01:05.96
In 605 B.C.,
Judah was conquered,
00:01:05.99\00:01:08.73
and that's when Daniel was
taken into Babylonian captivity.
00:01:08.76\00:01:13.34
Babylon's territory included
what today we would call
00:01:13.37\00:01:16.84
southern Turkey,
Syria, Iraq, part of Iran,
00:01:16.87\00:01:21.64
and down the Mediterranean coast
00:01:21.68\00:01:23.31
through Lebanon, Israel, Jordan,
and on to part of what today
00:01:23.35\00:01:27.65
we would call Saudi Arabia.
00:01:27.68\00:01:29.95
The intent of Babylon was that
Daniel and others of the youth
00:01:29.98\00:01:33.46
of Judah would be
trained to work in the machinery
00:01:33.49\00:01:36.29
of the Babylonian government.
00:01:36.32\00:01:38.23
They were even given
Babylonian names to help
00:01:38.26\00:01:40.76
in their reprogramming, part
of giving them new identities.
00:01:40.80\00:01:45.07
But even in the midst of
a completely pagan society,
00:01:45.10\00:01:48.84
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael,
and Azariah--or Belteshazzar,
00:01:48.87\00:01:53.54
Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, as they were renamed--
00:01:53.58\00:01:57.58
remained faithful to God.
00:01:57.61\00:01:59.88
And they demonstrated
that faithfulness in a profound
00:01:59.91\00:02:03.08
and maybe even an unlikely way.
00:02:03.12\00:02:06.12
[whoosh]
00:02:06.15\00:02:07.79
¤[music swells]¤
00:02:07.82\00:02:09.29
[tinkling sound
of wind-blown sand]
00:02:09.32\00:02:10.96
[whoosh, distant bell rings]
00:02:10.99\00:02:14.93
[wind blowing, sand swishing]
00:02:14.96\00:02:18.93
As we look at Daniel, chapter 2,
00:02:18.97\00:02:21.40
what will unfold before us
will form the basis of a thread
00:02:21.44\00:02:25.44
of Bible
prophecies that reach down
00:02:25.47\00:02:28.51
all the way to the end of time.
00:02:28.54\00:02:30.48
What we unearth in Daniel
2 will provide a foundation
00:02:30.51\00:02:33.48
on which rests Daniel 7, Daniel
8, Daniel 9, and Daniel 11.
00:02:33.52\00:02:39.09
Even the prophecies of the book
of Revelation are built on top
00:02:39.12\00:02:43.22
of this prophecy in Daniel 2.
00:02:43.26\00:02:45.29
There's nothing else
like it in the Bible.
00:02:45.33\00:02:48.43
This really is the
master key to Bible prophecy.
00:02:48.46\00:02:53.44
The first half of the
book of Daniel is history,
00:02:53.47\00:02:56.54
generally speaking,
00:02:56.57\00:02:58.34
and the second half
of the book, prophecy,
00:02:58.37\00:03:00.61
although Daniel, chapter 2
is both history and prophecy.
00:03:00.64\00:03:05.78
But before we forge
ahead, let's review.
00:03:05.81\00:03:09.68
Arriving in Babylon, Daniel
and his friends were privileged
00:03:09.72\00:03:12.59
to be granted a
special favor by the king:
00:03:12.62\00:03:15.56
They would eat food that he
provided especially for them.
00:03:15.59\00:03:19.56
Daniel 1, verse 5 says,
"The king appointed for them
00:03:19.59\00:03:22.26
"a daily provision
of the king's delicacies
00:03:22.30\00:03:24.90
and of the wine which he drank."
00:03:24.93\00:03:27.14
Except these Hebrew
boys wouldn't eat his food,
00:03:27.17\00:03:30.94
some of which was unclean
00:03:30.97\00:03:32.77
and which had most
likely been offered to idols.
00:03:32.81\00:03:36.14
And as servants of God,
they wouldn't drink alcohol.
00:03:36.18\00:03:39.68
These young men, with
no influence, no rights,
00:03:39.71\00:03:43.05
and no bargaining power in
Babylon, wouldn't dishonor God.
00:03:43.08\00:03:47.99
As a result, they could have
very easily been put to death.
00:03:48.02\00:03:51.56
Even the man in
charge of them feared that
00:03:51.59\00:03:53.50
if they didn't eat the
king's food, they'd do poorly
00:03:53.53\00:03:56.87
and, as a consequence of
that, he would be executed.
00:03:56.90\00:04:00.34
So, Daniel and his
friends proposed a test,
00:04:00.37\00:04:03.24
that for 10 days they'd
be allowed to follow the diet
00:04:03.27\00:04:05.94
that they were used to:
00:04:05.97\00:04:07.28
"'Please test your
servants for ten days,
00:04:07.31\00:04:09.14
"and let them give us vegetables
to eat and water to drink.' ...
00:04:09.18\00:04:13.52
"And at the end of ten days
their features appeared better
00:04:13.55\00:04:16.89
"and fatter in flesh
than all the young men
00:04:16.92\00:04:19.59
who ate the portion of
the king's delicacies."
00:04:19.62\00:04:22.49
As God said in 1 Samuel 2:30,
00:04:22.52\00:04:25.26
"Them that honour
me I will honour."
00:04:25.29\00:04:28.30
It was a demonstration
of the blessing of God--
00:04:28.33\00:04:31.47
and of how you'll prosper when
you choose to put God first.
00:04:31.50\00:04:36.50
I can imagine someone saying,
00:04:36.54\00:04:37.81
"Why did these boys make
such a big deal about food?"
00:04:37.84\00:04:41.08
Except people don't get
to decide what is and isn't
00:04:41.11\00:04:45.05
a big deal in the eyes of God.
00:04:45.08\00:04:47.98
If God has spoken
and made known His will,
00:04:49.32\00:04:52.25
then God's followers
choose to stand on that.
00:04:52.29\00:04:55.96
This is one of the
things plaguing the world today:
00:04:55.99\00:04:58.96
people departing from the
Word of God because they think,
00:04:58.99\00:05:02.60
"That's not so important,"
00:05:02.63\00:05:04.03
or because they feel like
the Bible is behind the times,
00:05:04.07\00:05:07.64
people choosing to move
when societal standards move,
00:05:07.67\00:05:11.84
instead of remaining
faithful to the Word of God.
00:05:11.87\00:05:15.18
David said that the Bible
is to be "a lamp to [your] feet
00:05:15.21\00:05:18.98
and a light to [your] path."
00:05:19.01\00:05:20.58
If culture and the Bible
are at odds with each other,
00:05:20.62\00:05:24.25
we follow the Bible.
00:05:24.29\00:05:25.69
If society and the
Bible don't see eye to eye,
00:05:25.72\00:05:28.79
we stand on the Bible.
00:05:28.82\00:05:30.79
For Daniel, God's Word was
everything, and that commitment
00:05:30.83\00:05:35.03
to God's Word made it possible
for God to bless Daniel richly.
00:05:35.06\00:05:39.27
Oh, Daniel wasn't being brave;
00:05:39.30\00:05:41.54
he was being a
genuine follower of God.
00:05:41.57\00:05:45.27
King Nebuchadnezzar was
so impressed with Daniel
00:05:45.31\00:05:47.44
that he made him
one of his counselors,
00:05:47.48\00:05:48.94
one of the group the Bible
refers to as "his wise men"--
00:05:48.98\00:05:52.65
a great honor.
00:05:52.68\00:05:54.65
But before long, that
made life really difficult
00:05:54.68\00:05:59.32
for the young Hebrew.
00:05:59.35\00:06:00.36
¤[soft music]¤
00:06:00.39\00:06:01.69
Here's what happened.
00:06:01.72\00:06:02.92
One night King Nebuchadnezzar
had a remarkable dream.
00:06:02.96\00:06:07.00
It was so impressive it caused
him to wake up from his sleep.
00:06:07.03\00:06:10.73
When he woke, he was aware
he'd had a significant dream,
00:06:10.77\00:06:14.44
but he couldn't
remember what it was.
00:06:14.47\00:06:16.97
And because it was believed
that the gods communicated
00:06:17.01\00:06:19.71
with rulers through dreams,
the king was eager to know
00:06:19.74\00:06:23.11
not only what he dreamed,
but what the dream meant.
00:06:23.14\00:06:27.35
He knew what to do.
00:06:27.38\00:06:28.48
He'd call his wise men together
00:06:28.52\00:06:30.05
and have them fill
in the gaps for him.
00:06:30.09\00:06:34.06
Except the wise
men weren't so wise.
00:06:34.09\00:06:36.36
Like the people in Hans
Christian Andersen's folk tale
00:06:36.39\00:06:38.76
discovering the emperor
wasn't wearing any clothes,
00:06:38.79\00:06:42.13
King Nebuchadnezzar discovered
he'd been wasting his money
00:06:42.16\00:06:45.47
employing these phonies.
00:06:45.50\00:06:48.10
They said, "O king, live
for ever: tell thy servants
00:06:48.14\00:06:51.51
the dream, and we will
shew the interpretation."
00:06:51.54\00:06:54.64
But the king meant business:
00:06:54.68\00:06:56.04
"If ye will not
make known unto me
00:06:56.08\00:06:58.08
"the dream, with the
interpretation thereof,
00:06:58.11\00:07:00.55
"ye shall be cut in pieces,
00:07:00.58\00:07:02.45
"and your houses
shall be made a dunghill.
00:07:02.48\00:07:04.99
"But," he said, "if you shew the
dream, and the interpretation
00:07:05.02\00:07:08.36
"thereof, [you]
shall receive of me gifts
00:07:08.39\00:07:10.96
"and rewards and great honour:
00:07:10.99\00:07:12.86
therefore shew me the dream,
and the interpretation thereof."
00:07:12.89\00:07:17.87
And here's where we
start to see the long reach
00:07:17.90\00:07:20.60
of the book of Daniel and the
profound importance of Daniel,
00:07:20.64\00:07:24.24
chapter 2, a chapter that has
made believers out of atheists
00:07:24.27\00:07:28.64
because it is
so undeniably true.
00:07:28.68\00:07:33.15
Daniel 2 is going to make
some stunning predictions,
00:07:33.18\00:07:37.49
which history can now
reveal have all come true.
00:07:37.52\00:07:42.19
Now, what many people don't know
is that the book of Revelation
00:07:42.22\00:07:46.26
is based on the
prophecies of the Old Testament.
00:07:46.29\00:07:49.76
In fact, around
three-quarters of the verses
00:07:49.80\00:07:52.30
in the book of Revelation
quote from or contain illusions
00:07:52.33\00:07:56.20
to the Old Testament.
00:07:56.24\00:07:58.37
Revelation calls on Zechariah,
Ezekiel, Exodus, Jeremiah,
00:07:58.41\00:08:02.94
Isaiah, Hosea, Psalms,
and many more, including,
00:08:02.98\00:08:08.05
and significantly, Daniel.
00:08:08.08\00:08:11.09
The Tree of Life?
00:08:11.12\00:08:12.32
Well, that's found in Ezekiel,
at least the imagery for it,
00:08:12.35\00:08:15.62
as it's expressed in Revelation.
00:08:15.66\00:08:17.56
The woman of Revelation
17 comes from Jeremiah.
00:08:17.59\00:08:21.33
The seven last
plagues harken back to Exodus.
00:08:21.36\00:08:24.63
Where John wrote, "I...saw a
beast rise up out of the sea,
00:08:24.67\00:08:28.04
having seven
heads and ten horns,"
00:08:28.07\00:08:30.44
John got that imagery
from Daniel, chapter 7.
00:08:30.47\00:08:33.78
We'll look at that
in a later program.
00:08:33.81\00:08:36.28
The book of Daniel builds
on the information found here
00:08:36.31\00:08:40.45
in Daniel, chapter 2.
00:08:40.48\00:08:42.12
Nebuchadnezzar's
dream is hugely significant.
00:08:42.15\00:08:46.69
In the second chapter of
Daniel, the king of Babylon
00:08:48.69\00:08:51.86
has a dream he cannot remember,
a dream that would form
00:08:51.89\00:08:55.33
the basis for
end-time Bible prophecy.
00:08:55.36\00:08:58.60
He tasks his wise men
with recalling and explaining
00:08:58.63\00:09:02.27
the dream, but
they're unable to do so.
00:09:02.30\00:09:04.64
In fact, they ask the king
to tell them what the dream was
00:09:04.67\00:09:08.98
so that they could then
interpret what he tells them.
00:09:09.01\00:09:12.95
But they were
stalling, and the king knew it:
00:09:12.98\00:09:15.68
"I know of certainty
that ye would gain the time,
00:09:15.72\00:09:18.02
because ye see the
thing is gone from me."
00:09:18.05\00:09:19.99
They appealed to him:
00:09:20.02\00:09:21.16
"There is not a
man upon the earth
00:09:21.19\00:09:22.52
"that can shew
the king's matter....
00:09:22.56\00:09:23.86
"There is none other that
can shew it before the king
00:09:23.89\00:09:26.39
except the gods, whose
dwelling is not with flesh."
00:09:26.43\00:09:29.86
Although they
were right about that,
00:09:29.90\00:09:31.90
the king didn't pay them not
to know things of this nature.
00:09:31.93\00:09:35.84
"For this cause the king
was angry and very furious,
00:09:35.87\00:09:38.87
and commanded to destroy
all the wise men of Babylon."
00:09:38.91\00:09:43.75
Now, this was a problem
for Daniel and his friends.
00:09:43.78\00:09:47.15
While for some reason
they were not in that assembly,
00:09:47.18\00:09:50.45
they'd shown themselves
to be of such high caliber
00:09:50.49\00:09:53.29
that the king included them
among his cadre of counselors.
00:09:53.32\00:09:57.79
So when he said,
"Kill the wise men,"
00:09:57.83\00:10:00.80
that included Daniel,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
00:10:00.83\00:10:06.13
When Daniel found out
what was going on, he "went in,
00:10:06.17\00:10:09.14
"and desired of the king
that he would give him time,
00:10:09.17\00:10:12.21
and that he would shew
the king the interpretation."
00:10:12.24\00:10:14.84
¤[music ends]¤¤
00:10:14.88\00:10:16.18
So, what do you do in
a situation like this?
00:10:16.21\00:10:19.81
Daniel's life was
very much on the line,
00:10:19.85\00:10:22.95
as well as the
lives of his friends.
00:10:22.98\00:10:25.72
What do you do when you're
in an impossible situation?
00:10:25.75\00:10:29.76
When there's no earthly way out?
00:10:29.79\00:10:32.96
Daniel knew exactly what to do.
00:10:32.99\00:10:35.83
Remember, he'd been
in this situation before
00:10:35.86\00:10:37.63
in the previous chapter
when he'd stood for his faith,
00:10:37.67\00:10:41.20
and God poured out His blessing.
00:10:41.24\00:10:44.17
Daniel believed the
same thing would happen here.
00:10:44.21\00:10:47.34
He "went to his house, and made
the thing known to Hananiah,
00:10:47.38\00:10:50.75
"Mishael, and
Azariah, his companions:
00:10:50.78\00:10:53.62
"that they would desire mercies
of the God of heaven concerning
00:10:53.65\00:10:57.25
"this secret; that Daniel and
his fellows should not perish
00:10:57.29\00:11:01.79
with the rest of the
wise men of Babylon."
00:11:01.82\00:11:04.79
They prayed.
00:11:04.83\00:11:07.23
And you can imagine
that would have been a time
00:11:07.23\00:11:08.96
of earnest, intense prayer.
00:11:09.00\00:11:11.70
But they would
have been confident:
00:11:11.73\00:11:13.37
"God, we know You can do this."
00:11:13.40\00:11:17.44
Now, keep in mind what
they were asking God to do.
00:11:17.47\00:11:21.28
They were asking God to
show them what another man
00:11:21.31\00:11:24.65
had dreamed and to tell
them what that dream meant.
00:11:24.68\00:11:29.35
That's no small thing, but they
knew what God was capable of.
00:11:29.38\00:11:34.36
They knew about the time when
the king of Syria was at war
00:11:34.39\00:11:36.76
with Israel, and no
matter what Syria planned,
00:11:36.79\00:11:39.89
Israel was a step ahead.
00:11:39.93\00:11:41.46
The king of Syria was so
perplexed by this that he said,
00:11:41.50\00:11:44.37
"Who is the traitor
that's telling my plans
00:11:44.40\00:11:46.13
to the king of Israel?"
00:11:46.17\00:11:47.54
And one of his servants
said, "None, my lord, O king:
00:11:47.57\00:11:51.17
"but Elisha, the prophet that
is in Israel, telleth the king
00:11:51.21\00:11:54.74
of Israel the words that [you
speak] in [your] bedchamber."
00:11:54.78\00:11:58.51
God was telling
Elisha what was going on.
00:11:58.55\00:12:01.18
Did Daniel and his
friends know God could place it
00:12:01.22\00:12:03.72
in the heart of
someone to know certain things?
00:12:03.75\00:12:06.42
They knew. They knew God
could bring water out of a rock,
00:12:06.45\00:12:10.33
carpet the ground with food,
and raise the dead to life.
00:12:10.36\00:12:14.36
They knew. They prayed,
00:12:14.36\00:12:17.27
and "then was the
secret revealed unto Daniel
00:12:17.30\00:12:20.17
"in a night vision.
00:12:20.20\00:12:21.64
Then Daniel
blessed the God of heaven."
00:12:21.67\00:12:25.14
And Daniel entered the
presence of this great ruler,
00:12:25.17\00:12:27.54
Nebuchadnezzar,
and he had a message:
00:12:27.58\00:12:30.61
"You, O king, were watching;
and behold, a great image!"
00:12:30.65\00:12:34.62
Interesting. God wants to
reach the heart of an idolater,
00:12:34.65\00:12:38.92
and He shows him an
idol, a statue, in his dream.
00:12:38.95\00:12:42.52
"This great image, whose
brightness was excellent,
00:12:42.56\00:12:45.56
stood before thee; and the
form thereof was terrible."
00:12:45.59\00:12:49.70
You can imagine what's going on
in the mind of Nebuchadnezzar.
00:12:49.73\00:12:52.50
Hours before this, he was about
to execute his entire staff
00:12:52.53\00:12:56.37
of advisors, but now
the lights are coming on.
00:12:56.40\00:12:59.81
Recognition of his remarkable
dream is starting to dawn.
00:12:59.84\00:13:04.01
Daniel is explaining to
him exactly what he dreamed.
00:13:04.05\00:13:09.85
And think about what's
going on in the mind of Daniel.
00:13:09.88\00:13:12.99
Hours before, an executioner
was knocking at his door,
00:13:13.02\00:13:16.86
but Daniel discovered
that the God who was faithful
00:13:16.89\00:13:19.36
when he refused to
eat the king's food
00:13:19.39\00:13:21.76
has been faithful to him again.
00:13:21.80\00:13:24.13
Daniel now describes the image:
00:13:24.17\00:13:27.37
"This image's
head was of fine gold,
00:13:27.40\00:13:30.27
"his breast and
his arms of silver,
00:13:30.31\00:13:32.67
"his belly and...thighs
of brass, his legs of iron,
00:13:32.71\00:13:36.08
his feet part of
iron and part of clay."
00:13:36.11\00:13:40.75
Notice, Daniel was
specific about this.
00:13:40.78\00:13:44.45
He didn't speak in generalities
00:13:44.49\00:13:46.42
but got down to the
details, and for good reason.
00:13:46.45\00:13:50.86
What God had communicated
to King Nebuchadnezzar
00:13:50.89\00:13:53.56
would form the basis
of end-time prophecy.
00:13:53.60\00:13:56.77
It would be the platform
upon which the final events
00:13:56.80\00:13:59.77
of human history would be based,
00:13:59.80\00:14:02.17
taking us down to the
very end of time as we know it.
00:14:02.20\00:14:06.04
Daniel told the king
that, as he saw in his dream,
00:14:06.07\00:14:08.48
"a stone...cut out without
hands,...struck the image
00:14:08.51\00:14:12.38
on its feet" and broke
up the entire image, which
00:14:12.41\00:14:15.38
"became like [the] chaff [of]
the summer threshing floors"
00:14:15.42\00:14:18.92
and was blown away by the wind.
00:14:18.95\00:14:21.09
"The stone that struck the
image became a great mountain
00:14:21.12\00:14:24.83
and filled the whole earth."
00:14:24.86\00:14:27.50
And notice Daniel's humility:
00:14:27.50\00:14:29.53
"This is the dream,"
he said, "and we will tell
00:14:29.56\00:14:33.07
the interpretation
thereof before the king."
00:14:33.10\00:14:35.17
Now, that's humility.
00:14:35.20\00:14:37.17
When a pastor raises up a large
church or gets a high profile
00:14:37.21\00:14:40.14
or seems to have some
significant gift or talent,
00:14:40.18\00:14:43.24
when the musician hears applause
and receives the adulation
00:14:43.28\00:14:46.21
of a crowd, humility
can be hard to come by.
00:14:46.25\00:14:50.72
That's a dangerous thing.
00:14:50.75\00:14:52.72
Whatever your calling in
life, don't do it for the crowd,
00:14:52.75\00:14:56.22
for the massaging of
the ego, for the glory.
00:14:56.26\00:14:59.66
Let the glory go to God.
00:14:59.69\00:15:02.43
When it becomes
about homes and planes
00:15:02.46\00:15:04.30
and a glamorous lifestyle,
you're on dangerous ground.
00:15:04.33\00:15:09.34
Jesus said the attitude of
the servant of God isn't to bask
00:15:09.37\00:15:13.17
in glory but to say, "We
are unprofitable servants:
00:15:13.21\00:15:18.05
we have done that
which was our duty to do."
00:15:18.08\00:15:21.25
There is zero question that
if Daniel hadn't been humble,
00:15:21.28\00:15:25.89
you wouldn't read
his name in the Bible.
00:15:25.92\00:15:29.16
So, we have the
remarkable dream--
00:15:29.19\00:15:32.16
now for the
incredible interpretation.
00:15:32.19\00:15:35.93
Young Daniel is in the
presence of a great monarch
00:15:35.96\00:15:38.93
who had subdued
kingdoms and conquered nations.
00:15:38.97\00:15:42.20
The man who had
conquered Daniel's nation,
00:15:42.24\00:15:44.57
whose forces had,
in all likelihood,
00:15:44.61\00:15:46.74
killed Daniel's
family and friends.
00:15:46.78\00:15:49.48
And now Daniel
interprets that king's dream.
00:15:49.51\00:15:53.42
He says, "You, O
king, are a king of kings.
00:15:53.45\00:15:57.25
"For the God of heaven
has given you a kingdom,
00:15:57.29\00:15:59.79
power, strength, and glory."
00:15:59.82\00:16:01.96
And then he says, "You
are this head of gold."
00:16:01.99\00:16:06.46
Notice how bold Daniel is.
00:16:06.49\00:16:08.46
First, "You're not as
great as you think, king.
00:16:08.50\00:16:11.80
"God put you
where you are, not you.
00:16:11.83\00:16:14.37
"And then, your kingdom
isn't going to last forever.
00:16:14.40\00:16:18.77
You're not the entire statue;
you're just the head of gold."
00:16:18.81\00:16:23.35
He goes on to say, "After
thee shall arise another kingdom
00:16:23.38\00:16:26.51
inferior to thee,"
which is a shocking thing
00:16:26.55\00:16:29.35
to tell a monarch, but
it's exactly what happened.
00:16:29.38\00:16:32.29
That story is told in Daniel
5 when the Medo-Persian armies
00:16:32.32\00:16:36.19
marched into
Babylon and took the city.
00:16:36.22\00:16:39.46
And Daniel goes on:
00:16:39.49\00:16:40.63
"And another
third kingdom of brass,
00:16:40.66\00:16:42.83
which shall bear
rule over all the earth."
00:16:42.86\00:16:45.17
Medo-Persia was
conquered by Greece,
00:16:45.20\00:16:47.70
And then, "The fourth kingdom
shall be strong as iron,"
00:16:47.74\00:16:51.11
Daniel stated,
explaining that it would
00:16:51.14\00:16:53.24
"break in pieces and bruise."
00:16:53.27\00:16:55.81
That's the Roman Empire.
00:16:55.84\00:16:58.68
And what would happen to Rome?
00:16:58.71\00:17:00.65
"And whereas thou
sawest the feet and toes,
00:17:00.68\00:17:02.65
"part of potters'
clay, and part of iron,
00:17:02.68\00:17:04.82
"the kingdom shall be divided;
but there shall be in it
00:17:04.85\00:17:08.66
"of the strength of the
iron, forasmuch as thou sawest
00:17:08.69\00:17:11.26
the iron mixed with miry clay."
00:17:11.29\00:17:13.40
Rome wouldn't be
conquered as other nations were.
00:17:14.36\00:17:18.73
Rome would be divided.
00:17:18.77\00:17:22.44
Notice the
specificity of all this:
00:17:22.47\00:17:25.37
First, Babylon,
then an inferior kingdom,
00:17:25.41\00:17:29.18
that would be conquered,
as would the third kingdom.
00:17:29.21\00:17:32.85
Daniel said there would be four
great powers that would rule--
00:17:32.88\00:17:36.08
no fifth kingdom.
00:17:36.12\00:17:38.05
Daniel said Rome would
be divided, and it was.
00:17:38.09\00:17:41.06
Rome was not conquered
by another mighty empire.
00:17:41.09\00:17:44.06
It collapsed for a
variety of reasons,
00:17:44.09\00:17:46.83
one of which was corruption,
00:17:46.86\00:17:48.06
including serious
moral corruption--
00:17:48.10\00:17:51.57
a lesson to global powers.
00:17:51.60\00:17:53.90
Now, let's get some more detail.
00:17:53.94\00:17:56.64
From 605 B.C.,
Babylon ruled this vast region
00:17:56.67\00:18:00.94
for almost 90 years.
00:18:00.98\00:18:03.91
But in 539 B.C.,
00:18:03.95\00:18:06.48
the
Medo-Persians invaded Babylon.
00:18:06.51\00:18:09.25
They attacked at night
when the ruler was drunk
00:18:09.28\00:18:12.42
and his people complacent.
00:18:12.45\00:18:14.86
This new kingdom
ruled for over 200 years.
00:18:14.89\00:18:18.76
But then, that was all
changed by the ancient Greeks.
00:18:18.79\00:18:23.23
Heavily outnumbered, Alexander
the Great managed to defeat
00:18:23.26\00:18:26.50
the Medo-Persians at the
Battle of Arbela in 331 B.C.
00:18:26.53\00:18:31.84
So now Greece ruled the region.
00:18:31.87\00:18:34.84
Over time,
Alexander's empire broke up
00:18:34.88\00:18:37.31
into smaller Greek kingdoms.
00:18:37.35\00:18:39.85
The Romans
conquered these kingdoms
00:18:39.88\00:18:41.88
and ruled for over 600 years.
00:18:41.92\00:18:44.85
Big changes were to come.
00:18:44.89\00:18:46.86
The Roman Empire was
divided into 10 nations,
00:18:46.89\00:18:50.26
which we'll explore
later in this series.
00:18:50.29\00:18:53.76
Now, keep in mind, this
prophecy forms the basis of
00:18:53.80\00:18:56.90
and frames our understanding
of later prophecies.
00:18:56.93\00:19:01.10
This information is the
foundation of what comes later
00:19:01.14\00:19:05.31
in both Daniel and Revelation.
00:19:05.34\00:19:08.38
Daniel, chapter 2 presents
an incredible opportunity
00:19:09.38\00:19:13.15
for skeptics and cynics.
00:19:13.18\00:19:15.65
This unfolding of
future history would have to be
00:19:15.68\00:19:18.52
either the mother
of all coincidences
00:19:18.55\00:19:21.36
or evidence that
the Bible is reliable.
00:19:21.39\00:19:24.96
Some atheists have come
face to face with Daniel,
00:19:24.99\00:19:27.60
chapter 2 and chosen to follow
Jesus because the evidence
00:19:27.66\00:19:31.93
in favor of the Bible is
just too great to ignore.
00:19:31.97\00:19:35.77
We see that the
Bible can be trusted,
00:19:35.80\00:19:37.81
that God can be trusted,
00:19:37.84\00:19:39.47
that prophecy is
worth investigating,
00:19:39.51\00:19:41.88
that prophecy
provides us with a road map,
00:19:41.91\00:19:44.18
with light for the future.
00:19:44.21\00:19:46.55
And this prophecy shows us
00:19:46.58\00:19:47.92
that the Bible is
its own best interpreter,
00:19:47.95\00:19:51.65
that you can
let the Bible speak.
00:19:51.69\00:19:54.56
And God is in
control of history.
00:19:54.59\00:19:57.49
He says four kingdoms,
and there are four kingdoms.
00:19:57.53\00:20:01.56
He knows ahead of time
what's going to happen.
00:20:01.60\00:20:04.63
Meaning, there's
nothing in the world
00:20:04.67\00:20:06.74
that takes Him by surprise.
00:20:06.77\00:20:08.77
And there's something else.
00:20:08.80\00:20:10.34
The least likely person in
the world to convert and become
00:20:10.37\00:20:14.84
a follower of the one true
God was King Nebuchadnezzar.
00:20:14.88\00:20:18.85
But here in Daniel 2,
God gives Nebuchadnezzar
00:20:18.88\00:20:22.82
clear evidence that God exists.
00:20:22.85\00:20:25.22
In time, Nebuchadnezzar
would come to realize that.
00:20:25.25\00:20:29.32
The seeds were sown in Daniel 1,
where Daniel made a bold stand
00:20:29.36\00:20:32.86
for God, and then in
Daniel 2, where Daniel prayed
00:20:32.89\00:20:37.17
and God answered his prayer
00:20:37.20\00:20:39.43
and spoke to the
heart of a heathen king.
00:20:39.47\00:20:43.77
Daniel is a book of salvation.
00:20:43.81\00:20:46.98
It's not just
kingdoms and beasts and stories
00:20:47.01\00:20:50.05
and time prophecies.
00:20:50.08\00:20:51.78
Daniel is a book in
which God is striving
00:20:51.81\00:20:54.98
with the hearts of
people to come to Him in faith.
00:20:55.02\00:20:58.65
Nebuchadnezzar, the
man who conquered Judah,
00:20:58.69\00:21:01.82
God was working
to reach his heart.
00:21:01.86\00:21:05.33
And if God can reach a hardened
idol-worshiping monarch,
00:21:05.36\00:21:09.73
there's no one He cannot reach--
00:21:09.76\00:21:12.40
your family members,
your friends, or you.
00:21:12.43\00:21:16.74
God is reaching
out to you today,
00:21:16.77\00:21:19.31
urging you to accept the
Word of God as authoritative,
00:21:19.34\00:21:23.11
to trust not only the
Bible but the God of the Bible.
00:21:23.14\00:21:27.22
Read Daniel 2 and
you'll see we're not dealing
00:21:27.25\00:21:29.75
with fairy tales and fantasies,
00:21:29.78\00:21:32.15
but instead with a
remarkable document that speaks
00:21:32.19\00:21:34.52
of a good God, an all-knowing
God, who gave a heathen king
00:21:34.56\00:21:38.16
an impressive dream and
then put the interpretation
00:21:38.19\00:21:41.93
of that dream into the
heart of a young captive
00:21:41.96\00:21:45.10
so that an undeserving,
hardhearted king might be saved.
00:21:45.13\00:21:49.67
Speaking to
Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel said,
00:21:49.70\00:21:52.67
"The dream is certain, and
its interpretation is sure."
00:21:52.71\00:21:57.65
And that's true of God's Word.
00:21:57.68\00:21:59.65
It's certain, and it's sure,
00:21:59.68\00:22:02.65
demonstrating not only
that God knows the future,
00:22:02.68\00:22:06.49
but that God's plan
for your future is good.
00:22:06.52\00:22:11.16
Now, look at how
Daniel 2 concludes:
00:22:11.19\00:22:13.50
"You watched while a
stone was cut out without hands,
00:22:13.53\00:22:16.93
"which struck the image
on its feet of iron and clay
00:22:16.97\00:22:20.60
"and broke them [to] pieces.
00:22:20.64\00:22:22.67
"Then the iron, the
clay, the bronze, the silver,
00:22:22.70\00:22:25.74
"and the gold were crushed
together, and became like chaff
00:22:25.77\00:22:30.11
"from the summer
threshing floors;
00:22:30.15\00:22:32.15
"the wind carried them away so
that no trace of them was found.
00:22:32.18\00:22:35.95
"And the stone that struck the
image became a great mountain
00:22:35.98\00:22:40.36
and filled the whole earth."
00:22:40.39\00:22:43.09
Here's how Daniel explains that:
00:22:43.12\00:22:45.19
"And in the days of these kings
the God of heaven will set up
00:22:45.23\00:22:49.26
"a kingdom which
shall never be destroyed;
00:22:49.30\00:22:52.47
"and the kingdom shall
not be left to other people;
00:22:52.50\00:22:55.20
"it shall break in pieces
and consume all these kingdoms,
00:22:55.24\00:23:00.24
and it shall stand forever."
00:23:00.28\00:23:03.31
That's the return
of Jesus to this earth.
00:23:03.35\00:23:06.68
When the kingdoms of the
world have all passed away,
00:23:06.72\00:23:09.92
what will be left?
00:23:09.95\00:23:11.49
The answer?
00:23:11.52\00:23:12.85
God's eternal kingdom.
00:23:12.89\00:23:16.06
Jesus is returning to this
earth one day, one soon day.
00:23:16.09\00:23:20.33
Daniel 2 says God
wants you to be ready.
00:23:20.36\00:23:23.93
And you can be ready
through faith in Jesus Christ.
00:23:23.97\00:23:28.74
How is it with your heart today?
00:23:28.77\00:23:30.64
Have you made the decision to
trust the God who demonstrates
00:23:30.67\00:23:33.31
in Daniel, chapter 2
that He can be trusted?
00:23:33.34\00:23:35.98
Have you made the decision
in your heart to make the Bible
00:23:36.01\00:23:38.75
your rule of faith and practice?
00:23:38.78\00:23:40.98
This document that
Daniel, chapter 2 demonstrates
00:23:41.02\00:23:44.12
beyond a shadow of a
doubt can be trusted.
00:23:44.15\00:23:47.76
If you're willing
to trust God today,
00:23:47.79\00:23:50.13
you can believe in God for
the gift of everlasting life.
00:23:50.16\00:23:54.83
Now, there's something
that I'd love for you to have.
00:23:54.86\00:23:57.23
It's a little book that
I've written to go along
00:23:57.27\00:23:58.93
with this very
series of programs
00:23:58.97\00:24:01.20
on the first few
chapters of the book of Daniel.
00:24:01.24\00:24:03.57
It'll bless your life.
00:24:03.61\00:24:05.57
It's absolutely free, and I'd
love you to get it right now.
00:24:05.61\00:24:10.18
>>Announcer: To
get today's free offer,
00:24:10.21\00:24:11.75
"The Stories of Daniel,"
00:24:11.78\00:24:13.35
call 800-253-3000.
00:24:13.38\00:24:15.95
That's 800-253-3000.
00:24:15.98\00:24:19.15
You can request "The
Stories of Daniel" online
00:24:19.19\00:24:21.59
at iiwoffer.com.
00:24:21.62\00:24:24.89
You can write to the
address on your screen
00:24:24.93\00:24:26.49
or text "freedaniel" to 71392.
00:24:26.53\00:24:30.67
"The Stories of
Daniel," faith-building stories
00:24:30.70\00:24:33.97
given by God to prepare
you for the major events
00:24:34.00\00:24:36.64
of earth's last days.
00:24:36.67\00:24:38.64
"The Stories of Daniel,"
00:24:38.67\00:24:40.54
call 800-253-3000.
00:24:40.58\00:24:43.31
Go to iiwoffer.com
00:24:43.35\00:24:46.11
or text "freedaniel" to 71392.
00:24:46.15\00:24:50.09
Grow your faith as you
prepare for the return of Jesus.
00:24:50.12\00:24:53.49
>>John: He was a troubled
child and a troublemaker,
00:24:55.16\00:24:58.76
but when he
gave his life to God,
00:24:58.79\00:25:00.86
George Müller
became a global sensation
00:25:00.90\00:25:04.17
whose life of faith in
God has been an example
00:25:04.20\00:25:06.90
to people all over the world.
00:25:06.94\00:25:09.44
Don't miss "Men of
Faith: George Müller."
00:25:09.47\00:25:12.47
We'll visit Bristol in England,
where Müller was a church pastor
00:25:12.51\00:25:16.44
before building orphanages
which raised, educated,
00:25:16.48\00:25:19.55
and provided vocational training
for thousands of children
00:25:19.58\00:25:23.55
without Müller ever
asking anyone for money.
00:25:23.59\00:25:26.96
He was the man who
relied on God for everything,
00:25:26.99\00:25:30.19
the man whose father begged
him not to be a missionary.
00:25:30.23\00:25:33.53
We'll visit the museum dedicated
to his life and ministry
00:25:33.56\00:25:36.93
and speak to those responsible
for preserving his legacy today.
00:25:36.97\00:25:40.84
Learn how you can have faith in
all circumstances at any time.
00:25:40.87\00:25:45.54
Don't miss "Men of
Faith: George Müller,"
00:25:45.57\00:25:48.41
brought to you
by It Is Written TV.
00:25:48.44\00:25:51.98
>>John: Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:25:54.32\00:25:56.35
exists because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:25:56.38\00:26:00.12
To support this international
life-changing ministry,
00:26:00.16\00:26:02.66
please call us
now at 800-253-3000.
00:26:02.69\00:26:07.10
You can send your
tax-deductible gift
00:26:07.13\00:26:08.73
to the address on your screen,
00:26:08.76\00:26:10.17
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:26:10.20\00:26:14.27
Thank you for your prayers
and your financial support.
00:26:14.30\00:26:16.44
Our number
again is 800-253-3000,
00:26:16.47\00:26:20.18
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:26:20.21\00:26:23.98
>>John: Let's pray together now.
00:26:25.31\00:26:27.28
Father in heaven, we're grateful
that You can be trusted.
00:26:27.32\00:26:30.79
We thank You for this
precious document, the Bible,
00:26:30.82\00:26:33.66
and that it contains accounts
00:26:33.69\00:26:35.06
like this one in
Daniel, chapter 2.
00:26:35.09\00:26:37.73
You've demonstrated that You
are in charge of human history.
00:26:37.76\00:26:41.63
You've demonstrated
that You know the future
00:26:41.66\00:26:43.60
before it begins,
and You've demonstrated
00:26:43.63\00:26:46.27
that You are interested
in drawing all to Yourself,
00:26:46.30\00:26:50.74
even hardhearted heathen
kings like King Nebuchadnezzar.
00:26:50.77\00:26:55.48
Friend, how is
it with your heart?
00:26:55.51\00:26:57.31
Have you
trusted the Word of God?
00:26:57.35\00:26:59.05
Have you chosen Jesus
as your Lord and Savior?
00:26:59.08\00:27:01.92
Can you deny God's love for you?
00:27:01.95\00:27:05.79
Witnessing it right now,
00:27:05.82\00:27:07.66
would you
surrender to that love?
00:27:07.69\00:27:09.82
And say, "God, let Jesus be my
Savior; I claim Him as my own.
00:27:09.86\00:27:14.56
Thank You for
forgiving my sins."
00:27:14.60\00:27:17.57
As that prayer has been prayed,
00:27:17.60\00:27:19.03
we thank You,
Father, for hearing.
00:27:19.07\00:27:21.04
We thank You today
that "the dream is certain,
00:27:21.07\00:27:25.04
and the interpretation is sure."
00:27:25.07\00:27:28.14
Keep us close to Your heart
00:27:28.18\00:27:29.81
in preparation for Your
eternal kingdom, we pray,
00:27:29.84\00:27:33.85
in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:27:33.88\00:27:37.32
Thank you so
much for joining me.
00:27:37.35\00:27:39.12
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:39.15\00:27:40.96
Until then, remember:
00:27:40.99\00:27:43.06
"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:27:43.09\00:27:47.40
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:27:47.40\00:27:52.13
¤[dramatic,
triumphant theme music]¤
00:27:52.17\00:27:56.17
¤[music ends]¤¤
00:28:26.97\00:28:28.97