Music...
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James: All right, we are back
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and we are moving
into Daniel chapter 2.
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We left a few
verses in Daniel chapter 1
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that we're going to connect
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because they do
connect really well.
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Daniel chapter 2 is
the first prophetic chapter
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in the book of Daniel...
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there are four...
well, maybe five...
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including Daniel 9
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so, Daniel 2 is
going to lay the foundation
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for a number of other prophetic
visions that Daniel sees,
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Daniel 7... Daniel
8... 9... and then Daniel 11
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which is... as we've
noted the hardest chapter...
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not only in Daniel
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but perhaps the
hardest prophetic chapter
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in the whole Bible,
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so, we're going to need to
really lay a solid foundation
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in Daniel chapter 2
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and that's going to be exciting,
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this is one of the most profound
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and yet basic
prophecies in Scripture...
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a lot of people... a lot of
Christians understand this...
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see this...
interpret this in unity
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which is really a cool thing
because it lays a foundation
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I think, for understanding
the rest of the prophecies
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and from there, we can
really get a good springboard
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into what Daniel is saying
in the rest of these prophecies.
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So, we need to start
with a word of prayer, yeah,
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and then we can jump right in.
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Jason, would you
like to pray for us?
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Jason: Sure, yeah,
"Dear heavenly Father,
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we thank you for allowing us
to study together once again,
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we just ask that as
we cover this material,
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that you will
help it to stay with us
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as we go through it
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and help us to
remember what we're learning
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and to be able to then
go out and teach others
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what we're learning as well.
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We ask for your Holy Spirit
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to lead, guide and
direct this conversation,
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in Jesus' name we pray, amen. "
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All: Amen.
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James: So, let's
begin in Daniel chapter 2
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and let's just start
looking at these verses.
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Yvonne, would you like to
read for us Daniel 2 verses 1...
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I'm going to say,
all the way through to
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verse... let's just
read this whole thing,
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all the way through to verse 12.
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Yvonne: Okay...
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"Now in the second year
of Nebuchadnezzar's reign,
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Nebuchadnezzar had dreams;
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and his spirit was so troubled
that his sleep left him.
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Then the king gave the
command to call the magicians,
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the astrologers, the sorcerers,
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and the Chaldeans to
tell the king his dreams.
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So they came and
stood before the king.
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And the king said to
them, 'I have had a dream,
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and my spirit is
anxious to know the dream. '
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Then the Chaldeans
spoke to the king in Aramaic,
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'O king, live forever!
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Tell your servants the dream,
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and we will give
the interpretation. '
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The king answered and
said to the Chaldeans,
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'My decision is firm:
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if you do not make
known the dream to me,
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and its interpretation,
you shall be cut in pieces,
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and your houses
shall be made an ash heap.
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However, if you tell the
dream and its interpretation,
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you shall receive from me
gifts, rewards, and great honor.
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Therefore tell me the
dream and its interpretation. '
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They answered again and said,
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'Let the king tell
his servants the dream,
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and we will give
its interpretation. '
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The king answered and said,
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'I know for certain
that you would gain time,
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because you see
that my decision is firm:
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if you do not make
known the dream to me,
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there is only
one decree for you!
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For you have agreed to speak
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lying and
corrupt words before me
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till the time has changed.
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Therefore tell me the dream,
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and I shall know that you can
give me its interpretation. '
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The Chaldeans
answered the king, and said,
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'There is not a man on earth
who can tell the king's matter;
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therefore no
king, lord, or ruler
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has ever asked such
things of any magician,
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astrologer, or Chaldean.
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It is a difficult
thing that the king requests,
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and there is no other
who can tell it to the king
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except the gods, whose
dwelling is not with flesh. '
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For this reason the king
was angry and very furious,
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and gave the command to destroy
all the wise men of Babylon.
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James: All right.
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Ivor: I just
want to say something
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that Yvonne you need
to do a whole program
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where you just read the
Bible, I think that will be nice
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because you read
with such... like...
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Yvonne: Oh, praise the Lord.
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James: It took me
back to my childhood.
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Ivor: Yeah, like I was...
James: Oh, it's bedtime stories.
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All: Laughter.
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Yvonne: Praise the Lord.
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James: There is something
really incredible about this,
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and I hope I can
put it into words.
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Daniel is in a
situation in Babylon
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where his entire belief
system... his God... The God...
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has been completely
humbled before the nations.
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Basically, his God
is seen as a weak God...
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He has no power...
He has no strength...
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He's been
conquered by the Babylonians
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all the vessels
of His worship...
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His house... had been taken
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and put it in the house
of the gods of Babylonians...
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and Daniel is now a Eunuch...
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and he's basically captive
with the rest of his people,
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and in that context,
God establishes Himself
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as we're going to see...
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He establishes
Himself among the Babylonians
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by giving the king a dream.
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Not chariots... not horsemen...
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not ships... a dream...
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in other words,
God is going to conquer
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this king and his
entire nation with a dream.
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Jason: Hmmm...
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James: We have so... sometimes
we just struggle with like,
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"How can God get me
out of this situation?"
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"How can God get me
out of that situation?"
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"This is just impossible...
that's impossible... "
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we look at our might
and we look at our power
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and we look at our influence...
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we look at everything
we have and we're thinking,
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"Maybe this can do it. "
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God doesn't need all of that...
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He doesn't need any of that.
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So, the point that you
get as you read this...
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I hope you guys...
it's so beautiful is...
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all the wise men of
Babylon are beside themselves,
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they have no clue
how how to help...
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they just can't do it
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and then... and so there's so...
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the decree is so
intense... they're so afraid...
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they're so uptight about what's
happening here... so anxious...
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that they are the ones that
actually lay out the fact...
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there's nobody that can
do this... there's no...
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only the Gods of heaven could
deliver it... there's no one...
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and so, they're just...
they're just paving the way...
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they're rolling out the
red carpet for Daniel...
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for God to just step in
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and completely overthrow
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all of their wisdom...
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all of their
strength... all of their power.
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You see that?
It's... it's amazing...
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it's beautiful the
way this is all laid out.
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Ivor: I think we
shared this earlier...
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I think in the very beginning
of the Revelation part,
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we talked about God's
challenge to all the other gods.
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Right? "If your god is a
God, let him tell the future. "
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Yvonne: Yes.
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Ivor: Such a simple thing.
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"If your god is God,
let him tell the future
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that we may know
that this is a God... "
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and as you look at what's
happening with these wise men,
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you know, they realize,
like, telling the future...
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telling... first of all
even trying to understand...
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know what he... what he dreamed.
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Yvonne: Exactly... exactly.
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Ivor: And I don't
know if you see...
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I mean, when I
read this chapter,
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one of the most amazing
things about this chapter to me
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is when Daniel comes
before Nebuchadnezzar
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and he says, "Okay, king,
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you were lying on your bed...
here's what you were thinking,
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before you went to sleep
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so I'm not even going to
tell you what you dreamed,
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I'm going to tell you
what you were thinking
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before you went to sleep. "
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Yvonne: Wow! yes.
James: Wow! Hmmm... hmmm...
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Ivor: And I can imagine,
as soon as the king hears
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"Before you went to sleep,
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you were thinking
about future things. "
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He's already like,
"Whoa! what just happened?"
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Right? I think
whatever Daniel said...
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Daniel was going
to say from then on...
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he had the king right there.
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James: In his
pocket. Yvonne: Yeah.
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Ivor: "This is
what you were thinking,
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before you went to
sleep... " that's just amazing.
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James: That's beautiful.
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Yvonne: Isn't it
interesting how, you know,
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even now, people
who go to Psychics
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and Astrologers and stuff
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and say, "Tell
me what's going on?"
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And they... the thing that's
interesting to me about this is
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is that there is no way
that they could fake it.
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They couldn't fake it...
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they could fake it if
he had told them the dream
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because then they could
give some fake interpretation
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and then, you know, and
it sounded good or whatever,
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but you have to
start from scratch
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and tell me
what the dream was...
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there's no way
they can fake that.
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All: Hmmm... hmmm...
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Yvonne: So, all of
their, you know, shenanigans
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and stuff like
that... they could not fake it
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and it just really made
it so much more authentic
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when Daniel came
on the scene and said,
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"This is what
you were thinking...
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this is what you dreamed... "
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I mean, that's really...
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Ivor: This is what it means.
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Yvonne: Yeah,
this is what it means.
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Jason: Yeah.
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Yvonne: Oooh, look
at God! He stepped in.
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James: So, the
stage is set right here,
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you see how... how
powerful this is...
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the stage is set
for God to step in
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and I think that the practical
application of this is...
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is really significant also.
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We, as individuals have our own
"Nebuchadnezzar experience... "
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we're troubled,
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there are
thoughts that trouble us...
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there are dreams
that trouble us...
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there are
experiences that trouble us...
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and we go to a psychiatrists
and we go to our doctors
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and we go to people
for help and we read books
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and we might be able to get
a little bit of direction here
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and a little bit
of direction there,
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I'm not saying that there
isn't some wisdom in this world,
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a lot of people have
great experience and education
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that can really help us in
certain areas but ultimately...
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ultimately, the wisdom of
this world is going to fail
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when it comes to those things
that are beyond their ken...
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beyond what they
can actually see.
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Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm...
00:10:05.43\00:10:06.77
James: There are things
that are troubling our hearts...
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there are things that
are troubling our minds...
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there is a destiny
that we've been made for,
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there's an experience that...
that we have been created for
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that nothing of this
world can help us to figure out.
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Yvonne: That's right.
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James: That help can
only come from heaven...
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there is a God in heaven...
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that help can
only come from heaven
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and so, all of us are
going to go through this
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"Nebuchadnezzar experience"
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and all of us are
going to come to the end
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of the things of this
earth that can help us.
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We're going to realize
they can't help us anymore,
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there's nothing else they can do
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and at that point, we
need to make a decision,
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"Are we going to transition
now into the heavenly realm?"
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"Are we going to transition into
something that is spiritual...
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something that the Word of
God leads us to... for help?"
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and that is our
Savior Jesus Christ.
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Yvonne: I think that's
such a great point Pastor James,
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because, you know,
when you think about...
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we have... we
have at our disposal
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the Omniscient...
Omnipotent God of the universe
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and instead, we
go everywhere else...
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instead of asking
Him what we should do
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or how we should
do various things
00:11:09.46\00:11:12.13
and... and He is the One
that can tell us what to do
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but we... we go everywhere else
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because we're not used
to going to God and saying,
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"What should we do?"
00:11:21.48\00:11:22.81
We're not used
to that but that...
00:11:22.84\00:11:24.85
that to me is a
great point and I think...
00:11:24.88\00:11:26.82
I think it would be
important for our Viewers to...
00:11:26.88\00:11:30.52
to really take that to heart
that we have the Omnipotent,
00:11:30.55\00:11:34.26
Omniscient God and
we go everywhere...
00:11:34.32\00:11:36.89
your best
friend... anybody else...
00:11:36.93\00:11:39.46
go to God first.
00:11:39.49\00:11:41.13
Jason: I think part
of that is the fact that
00:11:41.16\00:11:43.53
people like
immediate gratification
00:11:43.57\00:11:45.60
so they want
something that they can just...
00:11:45.63\00:11:48.64
they can just go and
get an answer right away,
00:11:48.67\00:11:51.67
but, God will
provide you with an answer.
00:11:51.71\00:11:55.11
Yvonne: He will.
00:11:55.14\00:11:56.48
Jason: But yeah, I think
00:11:56.51\00:11:58.38
that's the society we live in...
it's a "Microwave society... "
00:11:58.41\00:12:01.15
that people want what they want
00:12:01.18\00:12:02.58
and they want it now,
00:12:02.62\00:12:03.95
but, you can go get
fast food... get it now...
00:12:03.99\00:12:09.52
James: Heat it up and eat it up.
00:12:09.56\00:12:11.09
Jason: Yeah, that's right,
00:12:11.13\00:12:13.40
or you can go to a
fine dining establishment
00:12:13.43\00:12:16.40
and get quality...
00:12:16.43\00:12:17.77
God is "quality
out of this world. "
00:12:17.80\00:12:20.67
Yvonne: Leave it to
Jay to come up with food.
00:12:20.70\00:12:22.90
All: Laughter.
00:12:22.94\00:12:25.07
James: Here's
something else here
00:12:25.11\00:12:26.68
that I think is
really significant
00:12:26.71\00:12:28.18
and that is, is
that like Nebuchadnezzar
00:12:28.21\00:12:30.15
a lot of people are
surrounding themselves
00:12:30.18\00:12:32.05
with the wisdom of
everything but God.
00:12:32.08\00:12:33.92
Jason: Hmmm...
hmmm... Yvonne: Yes.
00:12:33.95\00:12:35.78
James: And God
hasn't proven it to them yet
00:12:35.85\00:12:37.25
you know, Nebuchadnezzar
probably didn't have any respect
00:12:37.29\00:12:39.45
for the God of Daniel.
00:12:39.49\00:12:40.82
"He hasn't been proven to
be a strong God or helpful God
00:12:40.86\00:12:43.73
but all my wise men,
all my astrologers... "
00:12:43.76\00:12:45.66
there are a lot of
people in the world
00:12:45.69\00:12:47.33
that really
don't know who God is
00:12:47.36\00:12:49.33
or don't know the resource
that they have in God...
00:12:49.36\00:12:52.20
the help that they have in God.
00:12:52.23\00:12:53.74
That's the way I was and
I was raised in religion.
00:12:53.77\00:12:56.30
Babylon was a religious system,
it wasn't non-religious...
00:12:56.34\00:12:58.67
it wasn't Atheistic.
00:12:58.71\00:13:00.04
I was raised in
a religious system
00:13:00.08\00:13:01.44
and there was a lot of
confusion about that because
00:13:01.48\00:13:04.48
being raised in a religious
system that believes in God...
00:13:04.51\00:13:07.32
that advocates God
and points you to God
00:13:07.35\00:13:10.59
and yet doesn't
really know how to direct you
00:13:10.62\00:13:12.92
to get the help
that you need from God.
00:13:12.95\00:13:14.69
I don't think
this Babylonian System
00:13:14.72\00:13:16.39
knew how to help
Nebuchadnezzar to get the help
00:13:16.42\00:13:18.76
that he needed from God
until Daniel came along.
00:13:18.79\00:13:20.83
Yvonne: Hmmm...
00:13:20.86\00:13:22.20
James: And there was a
man that came into my life...
00:13:22.23\00:13:23.57
his name happened to be Dan also
00:13:23.60\00:13:26.33
who directed me
to get help from God
00:13:26.37\00:13:29.27
even though I was
raised in a Christian home...
00:13:29.30\00:13:31.74
I was raised in
a Catholic home...
00:13:31.77\00:13:33.78
and I knew to go to church
and I knew the Lord's Prayer,
00:13:33.81\00:13:37.81
and I knew "Our
Father" the "Hail Mary"
00:13:37.88\00:13:40.22
I knew the Lord's
Prayer but I didn't know Jesus
00:13:40.25\00:13:42.58
and I didn't know the
help that He was for me
00:13:42.65\00:13:44.92
until Dan who had just
become a born-again Christian,
00:13:44.95\00:13:48.79
started witnessing to me
00:13:48.82\00:13:50.66
and I wasn't
interested in what he was...
00:13:50.69\00:13:52.16
he was like, talking about Jesus
00:13:52.19\00:13:53.70
and I was like, "You don't
do that in public, Dan... "
00:13:53.73\00:13:55.40
you know, it was just like...
00:13:55.43\00:13:57.00
but... but the
words... they went in
00:13:57.03\00:13:59.33
and some of them
lodged in my heart
00:13:59.37\00:14:01.64
and basically what he
told me was really simple.
00:14:01.67\00:14:04.44
He told me there was a
God Who cared for me...
00:14:04.47\00:14:07.04
a God Who died for me...
00:14:07.08\00:14:08.41
a God who rescued me
00:14:08.44\00:14:11.31
before I even needed rescuing,
00:14:11.35\00:14:13.05
who had a plan from
the foundation of the world
00:14:13.08\00:14:15.55
and I am elaborating... he
made it a lot simpler than that,
00:14:15.58\00:14:18.55
I'm elaborating
on this a little bit
00:14:18.59\00:14:20.29
but he introduced me to
a God who was my friend...
00:14:20.32\00:14:23.26
a God Who would
take in my burden...
00:14:23.29\00:14:24.89
that was...
00:14:24.96\00:14:27.46
He was there to remind me
00:14:27.50\00:14:29.03
that He had already
placed that burden upon Himself
00:14:29.06\00:14:31.73
on Calvary's tree
00:14:31.80\00:14:33.74
and when I realized
that and went to Jesus
00:14:33.77\00:14:37.07
and gave Him those sins...
pushed me individually...
00:14:37.11\00:14:39.87
not going to another
person... whatever...
00:14:39.91\00:14:41.31
went directly to God,
00:14:41.34\00:14:42.91
I experienced the freedom
00:14:42.94\00:14:44.45
that I had never
experienced before in life
00:14:44.48\00:14:47.02
and this is what God
wants from Nebuchadnezzar
00:14:47.05\00:14:50.12
and Nebuchadnezzar
represents every single person
00:14:50.15\00:14:52.85
in the whole wide world.
00:14:52.89\00:14:54.22
Yvonne: Hmmm...
00:14:54.26\00:14:55.59
Ivor: I think Nebuchadnezzar...
the wise men...
00:14:55.62\00:14:57.53
because, I think the one
question that everyone has is,
00:14:57.56\00:15:01.50
"What lies ahead?"
00:15:01.53\00:15:05.03
You know, "What
is the future about?"
00:15:05.07\00:15:07.80
Right? Why am I here?
00:15:07.84\00:15:10.91
And this chapter...
00:15:10.94\00:15:13.94
this book really helps
to answer that question
00:15:13.98\00:15:17.58
because when my
"Daniel" came into my life,
00:15:17.65\00:15:21.22
he showed me Daniel...
00:15:21.25\00:15:23.75
and in showing me Daniel...
in showing me these prophecies,
00:15:23.79\00:15:27.92
that's what led me to go,
00:15:27.99\00:15:29.42
"Okay, if there is a God that
cared enough to show me this,
00:15:29.46\00:15:33.40
then, whoa! this
God is looking over me
00:15:33.43\00:15:37.53
and He's basically saying,
00:15:37.57\00:15:38.90
"Look, I want you to
trust me with your future. "
00:15:38.93\00:15:40.74
That's the only
purpose of prophecy.
00:15:40.77\00:15:43.07
Prophecy is just God saying,
00:15:43.10\00:15:45.37
"Will you trust
me with your future?"
00:15:45.41\00:15:47.38
Yvonne: Oh, yeah.
00:15:47.41\00:15:48.74
Ivor: "Because I know the
thoughts that I have for you. "
00:15:48.78\00:15:51.18
Right? "Thoughts of peace...
00:15:51.21\00:15:52.68
thoughts to give
you an expected end. "
00:15:52.71\00:15:54.05
Yvonne: Yes.
00:15:54.08\00:15:55.42
Ivor: The only
purpose of prophecy is
00:15:55.45\00:15:56.79
for you to be convinced
that if God knows the future,
00:15:56.82\00:16:00.52
He has your future in His hands
00:16:00.56\00:16:02.16
and you should trust Him with it
00:16:02.19\00:16:03.76
because He wants to
spend eternity with us.
00:16:03.79\00:16:05.79
Right, so, I mean...
00:16:05.83\00:16:08.36
it's, I think, we
are... are in a sense...
00:16:08.40\00:16:12.33
that Nebuchadnezzar...
00:16:12.37\00:16:13.70
the wise men who have no clue,
00:16:13.74\00:16:15.07
like, "Wait... what? what?
00:16:15.10\00:16:16.74
what is this stuff
happening in the world around us
00:16:16.77\00:16:18.31
and we're trying
to make sense of it
00:16:18.37\00:16:19.81
and trying to put
our spin on it... "
00:16:19.84\00:16:21.24
and God comes in and says,
"Look, this is what it is. "
00:16:21.28\00:16:24.68
All: Hmmm... hmmm...
00:16:24.71\00:16:26.05
Ivor: And that, I think,
is one of those powerful draws
00:16:26.08\00:16:30.29
when you're like,
00:16:30.32\00:16:31.72
"Okay, I'm going to put
my future in Your hands,
00:16:31.75\00:16:34.19
because I trust
You... I trust You. "
00:16:34.22\00:16:35.79
All: Hmmm. Yvonne:
Yes, it's beautiful.
00:16:35.82\00:16:37.33
James: There's another thing
here that I think is significant
00:16:37.36\00:16:40.60
and we're just talking about
00:16:40.63\00:16:41.96
how this dream is really for
00:16:42.00\00:16:45.07
the world...
00:16:45.10\00:16:46.43
I mean, I just want us to
emphasize this a little bit more
00:16:46.47\00:16:48.77
God gave this dream
to Nebuchadnezzar...
00:16:48.80\00:16:51.54
a heathen king
who didn't know Him.
00:16:51.57\00:16:53.61
He didn't give
this dream to Daniel
00:16:53.64\00:16:55.58
or one of Daniel's friends,
He gave it to Nebuchadnezzar.
00:16:55.61\00:16:57.38
God loves people...
00:16:57.41\00:17:00.08
"God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son. "
00:17:00.12\00:17:02.85
God loves
Muslims... God loves Hindus...
00:17:02.88\00:17:05.89
God loves Atheists...
God loves Christians...
00:17:05.92\00:17:08.89
God loves
Agnostics... God loves Pagans...
00:17:08.92\00:17:11.86
God loves the world
00:17:11.89\00:17:13.23
and this is the picture
that we see in Daniel chapter 2,
00:17:13.26\00:17:16.10
this is the first picture
we see in Daniel chapter 2.
00:17:16.13\00:17:19.07
God so loved the world
00:17:19.10\00:17:20.74
that He gave His
only begotten Son...
00:17:20.77\00:17:22.27
it is imprinted
in Daniel chapter 2,
00:17:22.30\00:17:23.74
and so, what's
really interesting here is,
00:17:23.77\00:17:26.57
when you get to verse 4,
"Then spake the Chaldeans
00:17:26.61\00:17:30.95
to the king in Syriack... "
00:17:30.98\00:17:32.61
Daniel chapter 2 and verse 4
all the way to Daniel chapter 7,
00:17:32.65\00:17:39.65
the end of Daniel chapter
7, is all written in Aramaic.
00:17:39.72\00:17:43.12
It's not written in Hebrew.
00:17:43.16\00:17:44.79
Yvonne: Oh...
00:17:44.86\00:17:46.59
James: And some people
have puzzled over that...
00:17:46.63\00:17:47.96
you know, some of
the Theologians...
00:17:48.00\00:17:49.83
"Why... why is
this written in Aramaic
00:17:49.86\00:17:51.57
and the rest is
written in Hebrew...
00:17:51.60\00:17:53.03
the beginning and...?"
00:17:53.10\00:17:54.50
because this is primarily...
00:17:54.54\00:17:56.37
God is wanting to
reach the world...
00:17:56.40\00:17:57.94
the world of Daniel's
time and the world of our time.
00:17:57.97\00:18:00.61
He wants to tell people,
"I've got a message for you
00:18:00.64\00:18:03.11
and I've written
it in your language. "
00:18:03.14\00:18:04.48
Yvonne: Wow!
James: "This is for you. "
00:18:04.51\00:18:05.85
When you get to Daniel 8,
00:18:05.88\00:18:07.22
it starts getting a
little more complicated,
00:18:07.25\00:18:08.58
like, "Daniel, I want
to tell you some details
00:18:08.62\00:18:09.98
about this 70
weeks and your people...
00:18:10.02\00:18:11.85
and your people, and your people
00:18:11.89\00:18:13.22
and your people... "
00:18:13.25\00:18:14.59
but God also has a
message for the world.
00:18:14.62\00:18:15.96
Yvonne: Hmmm...
00:18:15.99\00:18:17.33
James: And so, this
is a constant reminder...
00:18:17.36\00:18:19.56
the very language
in which it is written
00:18:19.59\00:18:22.00
is a constant reminder that
God has a care for the world,
00:18:22.03\00:18:24.77
and as Christians,
sometimes we think,
00:18:24.80\00:18:26.57
"Okay, we're in... we
got it... God's got us...
00:18:26.60\00:18:29.17
the rest of you guys... if
you can get your acts together,
00:18:29.20\00:18:31.87
you can join us up
here... " you know.
00:18:31.91\00:18:33.34
Now, God is out searching...
00:18:33.38\00:18:34.74
He's the... He's the shepherd
looking for the lost sheep,
00:18:34.78\00:18:36.95
right, He knows the sheep's
not going to be coming home
00:18:36.98\00:18:39.11
without Him going to find them.
00:18:39.15\00:18:40.52
Yvonne: Right.
00:18:40.58\00:18:41.92
James: And God's
sheep are everywhere.
00:18:41.95\00:18:43.28
So, so that's one of
the overlying principles
00:18:43.32\00:18:46.99
that we see here now,
00:18:47.02\00:18:48.52
we're going to see this
develop just a little bit
00:18:48.56\00:18:50.23
in Daniel's own experiences,
00:18:50.26\00:18:51.83
he goes into this
prayer chamber here,
00:18:51.86\00:18:53.53
we're going to...
we'll look at that,
00:18:53.56\00:18:55.16
but I want to get back
here to the verses we left out
00:18:55.20\00:18:59.27
as we go on,
00:18:59.30\00:19:00.64
unless anyone has
some other thoughts
00:19:00.67\00:19:02.37
or questions in these verses,
00:19:02.40\00:19:04.17
I want us to go on now
and read a few more verses
00:19:04.21\00:19:05.87
can we do that?
00:19:05.91\00:19:07.41
Yvonne: Oh yeah.
00:19:07.44\00:19:08.78
James: Jason, why
don't you start us off here
00:19:08.81\00:19:11.85
in verse 13... oh...
do we... yeah, verse 13,
00:19:11.88\00:19:14.72
we left off where
the decree went forth...
00:19:14.75\00:19:17.55
he was angry...
he was furious...
00:19:17.59\00:19:18.92
and he's going to kill, destroy
all the wise men of Babylon,
00:19:18.95\00:19:24.66
so, let's read verses 13 all
the way through to verse 18...
00:19:24.69\00:19:28.33
13 to 18...
00:19:28.36\00:19:31.17
Jason: Okay, "So
the decree went out,
00:19:31.20\00:19:33.20
and they began
killing the wise men;
00:19:33.23\00:19:35.17
and they sought Daniel and
his companions, to kill them.
00:19:35.20\00:19:38.84
Then with counsel and
wisdom Daniel answered Arioch,
00:19:38.87\00:19:42.48
the captain of the king's guard,
00:19:42.51\00:19:44.75
who had gone out to
kill the wise men of Babylon;
00:19:44.78\00:19:47.68
he answered and said to
Arioch the king's captain,
00:19:47.75\00:19:50.62
'Why is the decree
from the king so urgent?'
00:19:50.69\00:19:53.66
Then Arioch made the
decision known to Daniel.
00:19:53.69\00:19:56.56
So Daniel went in and
asked the king to give him time,
00:19:56.62\00:20:00.83
that he might tell the
king the interpretation.
00:20:00.86\00:20:02.96
Then Daniel went to his house,
00:20:03.00\00:20:05.13
and made the decision known to
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
00:20:05.17\00:20:09.94
his companions,
00:20:09.97\00:20:11.31
that they might seek
mercies from the God of heaven
00:20:11.34\00:20:14.14
concerning this secret,
00:20:14.18\00:20:15.51
so that Daniel and his
companions might not perish
00:20:15.54\00:20:18.28
with the rest of the
wise men of Babylon. "
00:20:18.31\00:20:21.45
James: All right now,
just to get us back now
00:20:21.48\00:20:24.72
to verses that we left
out in Daniel chapter 1.
00:20:24.75\00:20:27.96
You'll notice that
Daniel doesn't know
00:20:27.99\00:20:31.89
about this decree right away...
00:20:31.93\00:20:33.26
like the decree goes
forth to kill the wise men...
00:20:33.29\00:20:35.86
your translation...
what translation is that?
00:20:35.90\00:20:37.37
Jason: New King James.
James: Is that New King James?
00:20:37.40\00:20:38.77
Your translation is a
little different than mine,
00:20:38.83\00:20:40.17
mine says, "The
decree went forth
00:20:40.20\00:20:41.57
that the wise men
should be slain... "
00:20:41.60\00:20:43.00
so, they hadn't been slain
yet, "they should be slain"
00:20:43.04\00:20:46.81
and so, now that the
decree has gone forth,
00:20:46.84\00:20:49.94
all of a sudden, we hear
about Daniel being involved
00:20:49.98\00:20:52.31
and we know right
away that Daniel didn't...
00:20:52.35\00:20:54.92
he wasn't with the wise men yet,
00:20:54.95\00:20:57.45
he wasn't there yet,
00:20:57.49\00:20:58.82
because he would have
known about this decree
00:20:58.85\00:21:00.89
but he didn't
know anything about it,
00:21:00.92\00:21:02.26
all the wise
men knew about it...
00:21:02.29\00:21:03.63
all the wise men were brought
in... Daniel was left out,
00:21:03.66\00:21:04.99
now, why is that?
00:21:05.03\00:21:06.36
We go back to verse 1
of Daniel 2... it says,
00:21:06.39\00:21:10.87
"In the second year of
the reign of Nebuchadnezzar,
00:21:10.90\00:21:13.64
Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams,
00:21:13.67\00:21:15.10
wherewith his
spirit was troubled,
00:21:15.14\00:21:16.47
and his sleep brake from him. "
00:21:16.50\00:21:17.84
Okay, if you compare that with
Daniel chapter 1 and verse 5,
00:21:17.87\00:21:24.88
it says that
Daniel and his friends
00:21:24.91\00:21:27.68
were going to be
trained for three years...
00:21:27.72\00:21:30.45
for three years...
00:21:30.49\00:21:32.29
then you go back to... or
go forward now to verse...
00:21:32.32\00:21:36.83
verse 17 of Daniel chapter 1,
00:21:36.86\00:21:40.96
and let's just read
verses 17 all the way to 21.
00:21:41.00\00:21:44.10
Yvonne, would you like
to read those verses for us?
00:21:44.13\00:21:47.57
Yvonne: Sure, "As
for these four young men,
00:21:47.60\00:21:49.74
God gave them
knowledge and skill
00:21:49.80\00:21:51.61
in all literature and wisdom;
00:21:51.64\00:21:53.07
and Daniel had understanding
in all visions and dreams.
00:21:53.14\00:21:56.78
Now at the end of the days,
00:21:56.81\00:21:58.78
when the king had said
that they should be brought in,
00:21:58.81\00:22:00.98
the chief of the eunuchs brought
them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
00:22:01.02\00:22:04.35
Then the king interviewed them,
00:22:04.39\00:22:06.49
and among them all
none was found like Daniel,
00:22:06.52\00:22:09.22
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah;
00:22:09.29\00:22:11.79
therefore they
served before the king.
00:22:11.83\00:22:14.33
And in all matters of
wisdom and understanding
00:22:14.36\00:22:17.50
about which the
king examined them,
00:22:17.53\00:22:19.63
he found them
ten times better... "
00:22:19.67\00:22:21.77
that's the ten times...
00:22:21.80\00:22:23.61
"ten times better than all
the magicians and astrologers
00:22:23.64\00:22:27.11
who were in all his realm. "
00:22:27.14\00:22:28.68
Keep going?
James: Yeah, one more.
00:22:28.71\00:22:30.38
Yvonne: Oh,
"Thus Daniel continued
00:22:30.41\00:22:32.41
until the first
year of King Cyrus. "
00:22:32.45\00:22:34.58
James: Okay, so,
there were three years
00:22:34.62\00:22:36.38
that they were to be educated
00:22:36.42\00:22:37.89
and at the end of those three
years, they were brought in,
00:22:37.92\00:22:39.95
when they were
brought in, it says here...
00:22:39.99\00:22:41.72
and I just want to
read this again in verse 17,
00:22:41.76\00:22:43.29
I don't know if you caught this,
00:22:43.32\00:22:44.66
"As for these four children,
God gave them knowledge
00:22:44.69\00:22:46.39
and skill in
learning and wisdom:
00:22:46.43\00:22:48.26
and Daniel had understanding
in visions and dreams. "
00:22:48.30\00:22:51.50
Wooo... so, this
visions-and-dreams thing
00:22:51.53\00:22:54.30
must have happened before
the three years were over,
00:22:54.37\00:22:56.47
how did the king
know he had understanding
00:22:56.50\00:22:57.84
in visions and dreams?
00:22:57.87\00:22:59.37
Read again verse 1 of chapter 2,
00:22:59.41\00:23:00.84
"In the second year of
the reign of Nebuchadnezzar,
00:23:00.88\00:23:03.28
he had a dream. "
00:23:03.31\00:23:04.65
They're being
trained for three years...
00:23:04.68\00:23:06.58
in the second year,
Nebuchadnezzar has a dream
00:23:06.61\00:23:08.85
and this dream that he has
involves all of the wise men
00:23:08.88\00:23:13.25
but Daniel wasn't brought in
00:23:13.29\00:23:14.62
because he was
still in training...
00:23:14.66\00:23:15.99
he's in his
second year of training.
00:23:16.02\00:23:17.36
Yvonne: Right.
00:23:17.39\00:23:18.73
James: So then, Daniel
hears about this decree
00:23:18.76\00:23:20.20
because even though he was
not included with the wise men
00:23:20.26\00:23:22.20
as far as
interpreting the king's dream,
00:23:22.23\00:23:24.20
he is included with the
wise men as far as being killed.
00:23:24.27\00:23:27.17
All: Hmmm...
00:23:27.20\00:23:29.07
James: So, when the
guys go forth to kill Daniel
00:23:29.10\00:23:30.84
because he's being
trained to be a wise man,
00:23:30.87\00:23:32.61
Daniel is like,
"How come we're dying?
00:23:32.64\00:23:35.01
What's going on?" Right?
00:23:35.04\00:23:36.38
"What's going on?"
00:23:36.41\00:23:37.75
"Oh, well, there's a
decree that's gone forth
00:23:37.78\00:23:40.02
because the king has had a dream
00:23:40.08\00:23:41.42
and none of the wise men... "
00:23:41.45\00:23:42.78
"Well, let me try...
before you kill me... "
00:23:42.82\00:23:44.62
All: Laughter.
00:23:44.65\00:23:45.99
James: I mean, and so... you
see what's taking place here,
00:23:46.02\00:23:48.92
so, because it's
in the second year...
00:23:48.96\00:23:50.83
because Daniel... as
we know goes through it...
00:23:50.86\00:23:52.86
interprets the dream
00:23:52.89\00:23:54.56
and gives the
dream and interpretation,
00:23:54.60\00:23:56.80
that's why when he
comes in before the king
00:23:56.83\00:23:58.77
after three years,
00:23:58.80\00:24:00.14
the king says, "This
guy has understanding
00:24:00.17\00:24:01.87
of dreams and visions
00:24:01.90\00:24:03.24
and he has ten times the
knowledge of everyone else... "
00:24:03.27\00:24:05.44
so, you see how God set that up?
00:24:05.47\00:24:07.31
God is setting all of
this up in the meantime
00:24:07.34\00:24:10.05
making sure...
00:24:10.08\00:24:11.41
the dream could have come in the
fourth year of Nebuchadnezzar
00:24:11.45\00:24:12.78
or in the fifth year...
but it came in the second year
00:24:12.81\00:24:14.35
while Daniel is
still in training
00:24:14.38\00:24:15.72
and so, Daniel
wasn't part of the wise men
00:24:15.75\00:24:18.22
because you can imagine the
wise men might have taken credit
00:24:18.25\00:24:20.52
if Daniel came forth
when he was already...
00:24:20.56\00:24:23.16
so he wasn't in
there yet, you see...
00:24:23.19\00:24:24.69
Yvonne: Oh yeah... that's good.
00:24:24.73\00:24:26.36
James: It's all
set up perfectly.
00:24:26.39\00:24:28.03
The red carpet
is just out there...
00:24:28.06\00:24:29.66
everything is going
to be put out of the way
00:24:29.70\00:24:32.00
and that's the way
it is in our lives.
00:24:32.03\00:24:33.90
Our lives look
like they're confusing
00:24:33.94\00:24:35.70
and you know, sometimes we can
come in contact with this trial
00:24:35.74\00:24:39.04
and it's like,
Daniel has this major trial,
00:24:39.07\00:24:41.44
and Daniel doesn't
get upset about the trial.
00:24:41.48\00:24:43.85
He's thinking, "What's God...
00:24:43.88\00:24:46.01
how is God
working through this?"
00:24:46.05\00:24:47.48
Sometimes we can
get in contact...
00:24:47.52\00:24:48.95
come in contact with
this major trial in our life
00:24:48.98\00:24:51.12
when we can be
overwhelmed by it...
00:24:51.15\00:24:52.59
"No... don't be
overwhelmed Daniel... "
00:24:52.62\00:24:55.22
God has this
perfectly figured out,
00:24:55.26\00:24:56.83
you see what I'm
saying? Yvonne: Yeah.
00:24:56.89\00:24:58.49
James: We think the
trial is going to destroy us...
00:24:58.53\00:25:00.76
it's going to kill us...
00:25:00.80\00:25:02.13
no, God has this
perfectly figured out,
00:25:02.16\00:25:03.50
the timing is perfect
00:25:03.53\00:25:04.87
and Daniel didn't
get anxious about this,
00:25:04.90\00:25:07.17
what did he do?
00:25:07.24\00:25:08.57
The Bible says in Philippians
4, "Be anxious for nothing;
00:25:08.60\00:25:11.94
but in all things by
prayer and supplication
00:25:11.97\00:25:14.88
make your requests
be known unto God. "
00:25:14.94\00:25:16.85
So this is what Daniel does
00:25:16.88\00:25:18.21
but he doesn't do it by himself,
00:25:18.25\00:25:19.81
remember we talked yesterday
about the relationship...
00:25:19.85\00:25:22.58
relation integrity...
we need community...
00:25:22.65\00:25:25.32
Daniel has community.
00:25:25.35\00:25:26.86
All: Hmmm... hmmm...
00:25:26.89\00:25:28.29
Yvonne: He goes
and gets his crew.
00:25:28.32\00:25:29.66
James: He goes
and gets his crew...
00:25:29.69\00:25:31.09
He goes and gets his crew...
00:25:31.13\00:25:32.46
Jason: That's why it's important
to have a good support system.
00:25:32.49\00:25:35.50
Yvonne: Hmmm...
hmmm... Hmmm... hmmm...
00:25:35.53\00:25:37.23
James: Where two or
three are gathered together...
00:25:37.27\00:25:39.03
any other thoughts there?
00:25:39.07\00:25:41.17
All right, we're going
to touch on something here
00:25:41.20\00:25:45.27
in the last couple of minutes
00:25:45.31\00:25:46.64
that I think is... is something
we can chew on for a little bit
00:25:46.68\00:25:49.98
and we'll come back to it.
00:25:50.01\00:25:51.35
Jason: Question
for you. James: Yes...
00:25:51.38\00:25:52.71
Jason: What was that verse
00:25:52.75\00:25:54.45
where we were
comparing Daniel chapter 1?
00:25:54.48\00:25:57.02
James: Yeah, verse 5
with Daniel chapter 2 verse 1
00:25:57.05\00:26:01.66
and that was the three years
00:26:01.69\00:26:04.06
and we were comparing
that to Daniel chapter 1
00:26:04.09\00:26:06.39
verses 17 to 21.
00:26:06.43\00:26:07.76
Jason: Okay.
00:26:07.80\00:26:09.13
James: Yeah, so
we were showing how
00:26:09.16\00:26:10.93
he was being
trained for three years,
00:26:10.97\00:26:12.73
it was the second year when
Nebuchadnezzar had the dream
00:26:12.77\00:26:15.30
and so, Daniel was brought in...
in addition to the wise men
00:26:15.34\00:26:19.04
in that second year...
00:26:19.07\00:26:20.41
he gave the interpretation...
00:26:20.44\00:26:21.78
after three years,
Nebuchadnezzar was like,
00:26:21.81\00:26:23.14
"These guys are
smart, these guys are... "
00:26:23.18\00:26:24.88
Jason: I never noticed that.
00:26:24.91\00:26:26.78
Yvonne: Yeah, isn't that great?
00:26:26.82\00:26:28.65
Jason: That is good.
Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm...
00:26:28.68\00:26:30.69
James: So, we want to
look at something here
00:26:30.72\00:26:32.95
that's really powerful,
our time is running out,
00:26:32.99\00:26:35.62
so, we won't... we
won't expand upon it too much
00:26:35.66\00:26:38.19
but in Daniel chapter 2,
00:26:38.26\00:26:40.36
and in the verses
we read about Daniel,
00:26:40.40\00:26:41.90
it's interesting that
Daniel is in his spirit
00:26:41.93\00:26:47.70
asking Arioch for time
00:26:47.77\00:26:49.37
and immediately
going in before God
00:26:49.40\00:26:52.11
with his friends to have prayer
00:26:52.14\00:26:53.61
and I think that
is a reminder to us
00:26:53.64\00:26:55.58
that there is nothing too big...
00:26:55.61\00:26:57.51
there's nothing too
overwhelming in this life
00:26:57.55\00:26:59.41
but that it is a call to prayer.
00:26:59.45\00:27:01.55
Yvonne: That's right.
00:27:01.58\00:27:02.92
James: We need to rely on God,
00:27:02.95\00:27:04.42
we need to go to God and give
Him the burdens that we have
00:27:04.45\00:27:06.62
and give Him
those burdens in prayer,
00:27:06.65\00:27:08.36
and as we step
into that experience,
00:27:08.39\00:27:09.99
we are going to find that in
our weakness, we become strong
00:27:10.03\00:27:12.59
to face the trial...
00:27:12.66\00:27:14.16
but also that prayer
is going to transform us.
00:27:14.20\00:27:15.96
Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm...
00:27:16.00\00:27:17.33
There's a transforming power...
00:27:17.37\00:27:18.70
transforming influence
that prayer has with Daniel,
00:27:18.73\00:27:21.30
I'm just going to
leave you with this thought,
00:27:21.34\00:27:22.70
Daniel goes in and his prayer...
00:27:22.77\00:27:25.41
the reason he's
going in is because
00:27:25.44\00:27:26.94
his prayer is that
he should not perish
00:27:26.98\00:27:29.04
with the rest of
the wise men of Babylon.
00:27:29.08\00:27:31.08
I want you to think about that
00:27:31.11\00:27:32.95
because when Daniel comes
out of that prayer chamber,
00:27:32.98\00:27:35.98
when he comes
out of that prayer,
00:27:36.02\00:27:37.42
his whole
mindset is different now,
00:27:37.45\00:27:38.82
the way he thinks is different,
00:27:38.85\00:27:40.19
and even Daniel needs to
be changed or transformed
00:27:40.22\00:27:43.76
or grow and
mature just like we do.
00:27:43.79\00:27:45.79
Sometimes as Christians
00:27:45.83\00:27:47.56
we can be
overwhelmed with who we are,
00:27:47.60\00:27:49.00
but God says,
"I'm still in charge...
00:27:49.03\00:27:50.63
I'm still transforming...
00:27:50.67\00:27:52.00
I'm still working upon you...
00:27:52.03\00:27:53.37
I'm going to finish the
work that I started in you,
00:27:53.40\00:27:54.74
don't be discouraged. " Amen.
00:27:54.77\00:27:56.10
All: Amen.
00:27:56.14\00:27:57.47
James: We're out
of time for this one.
00:27:57.51\00:27:58.84
Jason: Wow!
00:27:58.87\00:28:00.21