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Jean Ross: Good morning,
friends, and welcome again to
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"Sabbath School Study
Hour," here at the Granite Bay
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Seventh Day Adventist Church
in Sacramento, California.
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I'd like to welcome those
who are joining us, across
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the country and
around the world.
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I know we have a number of
online members that tune in
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every week to
study our lesson with us.
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I'd also like to welcome our
regular Sabbath School members
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that are here.
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And I know we have some
visitors that are joining us.
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A very warm
welcome to all of you.
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Thank you for coming
and studying our lesson.
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We have a very
important study this morning.
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Over the past few
weeks, we've been looking at
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the Old Testament book,
the Old prophetic Testament
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book of the book of Daniel.
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I was going to say David
but there's no book with David.
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But it's the
other "D," it's Daniel.
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And today we find ourselves in
Daniel chapter 5 and it's lesson
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number six if you're following
along in your lesson quarterly.
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It's lesson number six, "From
Arrogance to Destruction," is
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what we'll be looking at, a
king by the name of Belshazzar.
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But before we get to all of
that, just like to remind our
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friends about our
free offer for today.
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It's one of the "Amazing Facts"
Study Guides and it's entitled
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"No Turning Back," and we'll
be happy to send this to you.
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All you'll need to do is just
text the code "SH137" to the
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number 40544 and we'll send
you a link as to where you can
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download and study this Study
Guide or, if you'd like to get a
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hard copy of it, the number to
call is 866-788-3966 and you can
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just ask for Study Guide Number
146 and we'll be happy to send
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that to anyone
who calls and asks.
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Well, before we get to our
study, as we always do, we like
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to begin by lifting our voices
in song and I'd like to invite
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our young ladies to come forward
and they're going to be leading
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us in our Sabbath
School hymn this morning.
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¤¤¤
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¤ Standing on the
promises of Christ my King, ¤
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¤ through eternal ages
let His praises ring. ¤
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¤ Glory in the highest,
I will shout and sing. ¤
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¤ Standing on the
promises of God. ¤
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¤ Standing, standing, ¤
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¤ standing on the
promises of God my Savior. ¤
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¤ Standing, standing, ¤
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¤ I'm standing on
the promises of God. ¤
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¤ Standing on the
promises that cannot fail, ¤
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¤ when the howling storms
of doubt and fear assail, ¤
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¤ by the living Word
of God I shall prevail, ¤
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¤ standing on the
promises of God. ¤
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¤ Standing, standing, ¤
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¤ standing on the
promises of God my Savior. ¤
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¤ Standing, standing, ¤
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¤ I'm standing on
the promises of God. ¤
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¤ Standing on the
promises of Christ the Lord, ¤
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¤ bound to Him eternally
by love's strong cord, ¤
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¤ overcoming daily
with the Spirit's sword, ¤
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¤ standing on the
promises of God. ¤
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¤ Standing, standing, ¤
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¤ standing on the
promises of God my Savior. ¤
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¤ Standing, standing, ¤
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¤ I'm standing on
the promises of God. ¤¤
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female: Thank you for singing.
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Jean: Let's bow
our heads for prayer.
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Dear Father in heaven, we thank
You that we're able to gather
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together and open up Your
Word and study a very important
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passage of Scripture, one that
has historical significance and
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context but also has important
truths and prophetic insights
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for our time.
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So we just pray in a special way
that Your Spirit would come and
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guide our hearts and our minds
and lead us into clearer and
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full understanding of
those things that we need to
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understand and know for we can
see that the time is at hand.
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So bless our time
together, in Jesus's name, amen.
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This morning, as mentioned,
we're going to be studying
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Daniel, a very important passage
of Scripture and Daniel and
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Revelation, one
of my favorite books.
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I know it's Pastor Doug's
favorite books as well, studying
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those two prophetic books,
and so we decided to do this in
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tandem.
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So we're going to
be teaching Daniel 5.
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If you have your Bibles, you can
open up to that passage or our
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lesson study, and we'll
study through this passage.
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Doug Batchelor: Brian said
I'm supposed to stand here.
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Jean: Okay, I'll
move my stuff over here.
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Doug: I'm following orders.
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Morning, everybody.
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You know, sometimes we
do a little team teaching.
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That way, you get the lesson
in stereo and so get a little
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better perspective.
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This is a lesson that actually
touches on both Daniel and
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Revelation.
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It's talking about the fall of
Babylon, which you find in both
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of those great prophetic books.
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And I want to welcome our
friends who are watching online.
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We're going to be doing
lesson six and it's called,
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"From Arrogance to Destruction."
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"From Arrogance to Destruction."
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And we have a memory verse.
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And the memory
verse is from Daniel 2:21.
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I--we'll appreciate if
you want to say it with us.
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If you're in your lesson, it's
from the New King James Version,
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Daniel 2:21.
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Are you ready?
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"And He changes the times and
the seasons; He removes kings
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and raises up kings; He gives
wisdom to the wise and knowledge
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to those who
have understanding."
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What does that say?
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Quote from Daniel chapter 2 but
it talks about what's going to
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happen in Daniel chapter 5.
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Now, Daniel 5
is--it's a great passage.
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Matter of fact, I was just
sharing with Pastor Ross and we
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haven't really rehearsed what
we're going to say, so we're
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praying for the Spirit's leading
but Daniel 5 is--it is one of
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the pivotal chapters in the
Bible because it is a transition
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between empires.
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Daniel 5 is one of the
most prophesied events in
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the Old Testament.
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It's talking about the fall of
Babylon and we'll get into it in
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more detail later but it's
prophesied many, many times and
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many details of the fall
of Babylon are foretold in
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the Old Testament by
prophets such as Daniel,
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Isaiah, Jeremiah, and
they foretold what was going to
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happen, incredible detail.
It's an event in history.
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Some of the things
in history you find
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them in the Bible, you
don't find them anywhere else.
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Or there might be one or two
other historians but multiple
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historians comment on this
event, even ancient historians.
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And so we've got a pretty good
picture of what happened here.
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Maybe we'll start by going to
Daniel chapter 5 and if you want
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to read the first few
verses here, Pastor Ross.
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Jean: If you have your
Bibles, Daniel chapter 5, and
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we're going to start
reading here in verse 1.
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It says: "Belshazzar the
king made a great feast for a
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thousand of his lords, and
he drank wine in the presence of
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the thousand.
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While he tasted the wine,
Belshazzar gave the command to
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bring the gold and the
silver vessels which his father
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Nebuchadnezzar had taken from
the temple which had been in
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Jerusalem, that the king, his
lords, his wives, his concubines
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might drink from them.
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Then they brought the golden
vessels that had been taken from
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the temple of the house of God
which had been in Jerusalem; and
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the kings and his--the king and
his lords, and his wives, and
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his concubines drank from them.
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They drank wine, and praised the
gods of gold and silver, bronze,
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iron, wood and stone."
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Doug: All right, well,
first of all, let's get a little
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historical background
of what's happening here.
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It talks about
Belshazzar as the king.
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Technically, he is a co-king
with his father, Nabonidus.
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And what happened, there's
quite a bit of intrigue when
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Nebuchadnezzar died.
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Nebuchadnezzar reigned about 40
years and the last time we saw
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him, he had turned to the God
of heaven, he praised the God of
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heaven, he made several decrees
about the God of heaven, and
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there was a little
bit of rivalry going on.
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The Babylonians were loyal
to Tammuz and their other gods.
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They had kind of been threatened
by the Jews in the empire that
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were spreading their religion.
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You know, we're having that
problem right now in China with
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Christianity.
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A little threatened by that.
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We're having that problem now
with some of our missionaries in
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India that's technically a Hindu
country and there's been a lot
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of restrictions and some of
the Hindu priests are threatened
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that Christianity is spreading.
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Interestingly, Pastor Ross and
I were together in Hyderabad,
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India, a couple of years ago.
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Where would you think the
biggest Christian church would
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be in the world?
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Think it'd be in
a Christian country.
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It's in India.
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It's in a Hindu country.
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So you can see why they're a
little threatened there by the
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growth of it.
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And they didn't like the
way the religion of the Jews
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was taking root.
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When Nebuchadnezzar died there
was a little bit of intrigue
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that took place and his
immediate son was assassinated
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soon after and then there
was a temporary king that was
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overthrowed that was sort of
a false pretender to the throne.
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And when the dust settled after
all the palace intrigue, the
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son-in-law--he had married
Nebuchadnezzar's daughter,
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Nabonidus, he became king.
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And after a few years and he had
fought a few battles, he retired
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and he went--he was real
big on promoting the moon god
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called Sin.
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That's how you spell it, S-I-N.
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But it's the moon god.
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And the people in the kingdom
didn't like that he wasn't
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exalting Tammuz and Marduk
and their other local gods.
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And he went to other empires and
began to excavate and Nabonidus
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is believed to be one of the
oldest archeologists in history.
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He was excavating and trying
to date the history of ancient
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temples to Sin, the moon
god, and trying to restore them.
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And finally, he had no
real interest in managing the
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kingdom.
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He left the kingdom to his
15-year-old son, Belshazzar,
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while he was off fighting
other battles and doing his
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excavations and
going down to Arabia.
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And you know, Pastor Ross, I
think it's just interesting, the
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amazing difference between
two 15-year-olds in Babylon.
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One 15-year-old came 70 years
earlier, named Daniel, and he
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was poor in the kingdom but
he decided to put God first.
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When tempted with all of
the Babylonian delicacies, he
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exercised self-control
and showed restraint.
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He had control over
what he ate and drank.
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Here, when Babylon falls, you've
got someone else who came to the
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throne at 15 and had no control
and lived for--he lived a
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totally hedonistic life and it's
just such opposite pictures.
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One is full of the
devil and one's full of God.
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Jean: Absolutely, well, it's
interesting, Pastor, that you
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mention the parallel between
Belshazzar and Daniel when he
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first came.
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Also interesting to note that
Daniel received a Babylonian
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name, Belteshazzar, when
he first came to the kingdom.
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So you've got Belteshazzar which
we know is Daniel, you've got
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Belshazzar.
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Both of them come to this
place or come to a position of
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prominence when
they are very young.
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Both end up in a rulership
position, 'cause you read later
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on in the chapter, for
just a short period of time when
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Babylon falls to Cyrus and the
Medo-Persians that technically
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it talks about Daniel being
third ruler in the kingdom.
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So both come to a position of
rulership and yet the contrast
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is so clear.
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Daniel is a
worshiper of the true God.
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You can see his faith, his
devotion, his trust in God, and
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you see the worship of the false
god through Belshazzar and what
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he does.
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And we find a parallel even
at the end of time, a contrast
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between true worship and false
worship right up 'til the end of
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time between those symbolically
representing those of Babylon
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and then those
who are true to God.
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Doug: Yeah, you've got, like,
the contrast of new Jerusalem
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and Babylon that
you find in Revelation.
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Now, as we talk about the fall
of Babylon, keep in mind, aren't
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there a couple of passages
in Revelation that discuss this?
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Jean: Yeah, matter of fact,
it's part of the three angels'
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messages that we talk
about in Revelation chapter 14.
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The second angel says,
"Babylon is fallen, is fallen."
00:13:14.16\00:13:17.46
And in chapter 16 of Revelation,
maybe we'll look at that verse a
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little later, it talks about the
drying up of the River Euphrates
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and it's a reference to
one of the plagues that come.
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So there's great significance
to this historical event, the
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downfall of Babylon, and then
its symbolic representation that
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we find in the New Testament
and the drying up of the River
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Euphrates in a symbolic
form has not yet occurred.
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It's part of these plagues that
come just before Jesus comes.
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But we learn something
about that from the historical
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application.
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Doug: Now, just to tell you
what's going on, when Belshazzar
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has his feast, he already
knows that the Persians working
00:13:49.96\00:13:55.40
with--in cooperation with the
Medians, there is a Median king
00:13:55.43\00:14:00.74
named Darius, Darius.
00:14:00.77\00:14:03.07
His son-in-law is Cyrus.
00:14:03.10\00:14:04.51
He is a Persian but he married
Darius's daughter and the
00:14:04.54\00:14:09.08
Persians actually are a stronger
kingdom but they joined together
00:14:09.11\00:14:13.58
to overthrow Babylon.
00:14:13.62\00:14:15.68
They've made their intentions
very clear and Belshazzar is
00:14:15.72\00:14:20.42
saying, "I don't really care.
00:14:20.46\00:14:22.26
I'm not afraid.
00:14:22.29\00:14:23.22
You're never getting
through these walls."
00:14:23.26\00:14:24.83
And the historians say the walls
of Babylon were formidable.
00:14:24.86\00:14:28.86
Let me just give a moment to how
warfare worked in Bible times.
00:14:28.90\00:14:34.17
You really had to
conquer the capital.
00:14:34.20\00:14:37.01
You know, if you want to kill a
snake, you've got to cut off its
00:14:37.04\00:14:39.14
head.
00:14:39.17\00:14:40.21
And Babylon was the capital.
00:14:40.24\00:14:42.81
The way they did it back
then, they didn't send in aerial
00:14:42.84\00:14:45.01
bombing, other than
catapults and arrows.
00:14:45.05\00:14:47.05
They couldn't fly planes
and drop drones, drone-bombs.
00:14:47.08\00:14:51.39
You had to camp outside the
city and you would besiege it.
00:14:51.42\00:14:54.52
You'd try to starve them into
surrender by surrounding it.
00:14:54.56\00:14:57.29
Several examples of
Bible sieges in the Scripture.
00:14:57.33\00:15:00.73
Nebuchadnezzar had a siege on
Jerusalem and you can read where
00:15:00.76\00:15:04.77
the Assyrians besieged Samaria.
00:15:04.80\00:15:06.90
The Romans besieged Masada.
00:15:06.94\00:15:08.54
It's not in the
Bible but it's in history.
00:15:08.57\00:15:10.87
They'd surround them and the
idea would be they can't get any
00:15:10.91\00:15:14.18
food in, they can't get any help
out, and it's very expensive to
00:15:14.21\00:15:19.71
feed an army every day.
00:15:19.75\00:15:20.72
You ever try that?
00:15:20.75\00:15:22.65
And so it was a waiting game.
00:15:22.68\00:15:25.59
And Babylon, because the river
ran under the walls and they had
00:15:25.62\00:15:28.52
silos full of food and the city
was so big they actually had
00:15:28.56\00:15:32.23
some gardens in growth in
the city, they said, "We can
00:15:32.26\00:15:35.43
withstand a siege of 20 years.
00:15:35.46\00:15:36.73
You can't afford to besiege us.
00:15:36.77\00:15:38.27
You'll never get over the walls.
00:15:38.30\00:15:39.60
You'll never get
through the gates."
00:15:39.63\00:15:40.94
They had double walls,
they had guard posts everywhere.
00:15:40.97\00:15:44.37
To show that he wasn't afraid,
the feast of Tammuz comes along,
00:15:44.41\00:15:48.24
so the night that this all takes
place is October 11, 1539, and
00:15:48.28\00:15:53.98
during the feast of Tammuz he
says, "We're going to have this
00:15:54.02\00:15:56.89
big party," that is described
in the first few verses.
00:15:56.92\00:16:00.22
After the king begins to
taste the wine, he's under the
00:16:00.26\00:16:03.89
influence of the wine and he
begins to do something the king
00:16:03.93\00:16:07.23
should not do.
00:16:07.30\00:16:08.26
Now, does the Bible
talk about kings drinking?
00:16:08.30\00:16:10.10
It's not very advised.
00:16:12.13\00:16:13.34
You want to read, Pastor Ross,
Proverbs 31 there in the--under
00:16:13.37\00:16:16.64
Belshazzar's feast,
Proverbs 31 and 4 and 5?
00:16:16.67\00:16:19.71
Jean: It tells us there, "It
is not for kings, O Lemuel," it
00:16:19.74\00:16:22.64
is the name of the one
that it's referring to.
00:16:22.68\00:16:24.31
"It is not for kings to
drink wine, nor for princes
00:16:24.35\00:16:27.62
intoxicating drink; lest they
drink and forget the law, and
00:16:27.65\00:16:31.65
pervert justice of all
those who are afflicted."
00:16:31.69\00:16:36.02
Then you find in Ecclesiastes
chapter 10, it says: "Woe to
00:16:36.06\00:16:38.86
you, O land, when your king is
a child or your princes feast in
00:16:38.89\00:16:42.33
the morning.
00:16:42.36\00:16:43.53
Blessed are you, O land,
when your kings are the sons of
00:16:43.57\00:16:45.67
nobles and your princes feast at
the proper time for strength and
00:16:45.70\00:16:49.44
not drunkenness."
00:16:49.47\00:16:51.04
Doug: Yeah, some people live
to eat and others eat to live.
00:16:51.07\00:16:54.41
And you want a king who's going
to eat at the right time for
00:16:54.44\00:16:56.98
strength and not for
gluttony or drunkenness.
00:16:57.01\00:17:00.45
And so Belshazzar is a
young king who is a glutton.
00:17:00.48\00:17:06.39
The historians tell us that
he was so--he was just a really
00:17:06.42\00:17:10.26
brutal king.
00:17:10.29\00:17:12.13
Xenophon, one of the ancient
historians, says that out on a
00:17:12.16\00:17:16.13
hunting expedition with his best
friend, his friend caught up
00:17:16.16\00:17:21.24
with the prey before
the king did and shot it.
00:17:21.27\00:17:23.17
The king was so
upset, he killed his friend.
00:17:23.20\00:17:25.21
He wanted to shoot the prey.
00:17:25.24\00:17:26.47
And I can cite some other things
to you that he was just a really
00:17:26.51\00:17:29.48
abominable person.
00:17:29.51\00:17:33.62
Jean: You know, it's also
again, a key characteristic is
00:17:33.65\00:17:36.58
you've got this king,
Belshazzar, who seems to have no
00:17:36.62\00:17:39.29
self-control whereas you have
Daniel, the contrast, both of
00:17:39.32\00:17:42.92
them young when they come to
prominence in the kingdom, who
00:17:42.96\00:17:46.06
first of all, right at the very
beginning of the book of Daniel,
00:17:46.09\00:17:48.26
Daniel chapter 1, it talks about
Daniel's commitment, he and his
00:17:48.30\00:17:51.07
three friends, not to defile
themself with the king's food
00:17:51.10\00:17:54.34
and with his drink.
00:17:54.37\00:17:55.60
So, again, a contrast is set up
between those who are worshipers
00:17:55.64\00:17:58.27
of the true God that recognize
their body as the temple of the
00:17:58.31\00:18:00.88
Holy Spirit, whereas those
who worship the false gods, they
00:18:00.91\00:18:03.58
don't recognize any importance
of self-control, especially in
00:18:03.61\00:18:08.58
the area of eating and drinking.
00:18:08.62\00:18:11.09
Doug: Yeah, and if you're
surrounded by an enemy army that
00:18:11.12\00:18:14.09
wants to attack, should
you be fasting or feasting?
00:18:14.12\00:18:18.09
When they should have
been praying, they're partying.
00:18:18.13\00:18:22.26
And he's--really, it's
high-handed rebellion against
00:18:22.30\00:18:25.40
God.
00:18:25.43\00:18:26.40
The other thing is,
he's showing he's not afraid.
00:18:26.43\00:18:28.97
We mentioned before, there were
multiple Hebrew prophecies that
00:18:29.00\00:18:32.54
talked about
the fall of Babylon.
00:18:32.57\00:18:35.04
Belshazzar was acquainted with
those and he was acquainted with
00:18:35.08\00:18:39.98
Daniel interpreting his father's
dream of the image, that there
00:18:40.02\00:18:42.65
would arise another kingdom.
00:18:42.68\00:18:44.49
He didn't want that.
00:18:44.52\00:18:45.49
He's saying, "I'm not afraid.
00:18:45.52\00:18:46.79
Babylon's going
to continue forever."
00:18:46.82\00:18:48.32
And then, he doesn't go take
the vessels from one of the many
00:18:48.36\00:18:52.66
other kingdoms they conquered.
00:18:52.69\00:18:54.20
He specifically takes the
vessels from the Jewish temple
00:18:54.23\00:18:57.23
'cause he knows about the Jewish
God, the Jewish prophecies.
00:18:57.27\00:18:59.43
He knows his grandfather turned
to Jehovah, and he's mocking the
00:18:59.47\00:19:03.94
God of Israel by praising
not Jehovah with the temples
00:19:03.97\00:19:07.98
from--with the vessels from
the temple; he fills the vessels
00:19:08.01\00:19:10.98
with Babylonian wine.
00:19:11.01\00:19:13.01
What's in the cup of
the woman in Revelation 17?
00:19:13.05\00:19:15.98
Jean: Intoxicating wine.
00:19:16.02\00:19:18.05
Doug: Yeah, and he praises
the idols with the vessels made
00:19:18.09\00:19:22.59
to worship God.
00:19:22.62\00:19:24.49
And, by the way, if you're going
to go into battle, don't drink.
00:19:24.53\00:19:29.50
The Bible talks about
Ben-Hadad, 1 Kings 20, verse 16.
00:19:32.03\00:19:36.20
Ben-Hadad and his 32 kings were
getting drunk at the command
00:19:36.24\00:19:39.67
post and, because they were
drunk, Ahab who had a little
00:19:39.71\00:19:43.18
bitty army, Ahab goes out and he
fights with the Assyrians and he
00:19:43.21\00:19:49.08
trounces them 'cause they were
drunk and the king gave a really
00:19:49.12\00:19:51.95
ridiculous order.
00:19:51.99\00:19:53.42
He said, "If they came up
for peace, take them alive.
00:19:53.46\00:19:55.66
If they've come out
for war, take them alive."
00:19:55.69\00:19:57.83
Well, it's really hard if you're
fighting against soldiers that
00:19:57.86\00:20:00.46
want to kill you, if
you try and take them alive.
00:20:00.50\00:20:02.26
And, anyway, it's 'cause he was
drunk and he gave a really dumb
00:20:02.30\00:20:06.80
order.
00:20:06.84\00:20:07.90
So what does the Bible
have to say about drinking?
00:20:07.94\00:20:11.47
Why don't you read a little more
of what it says here, or just a
00:20:11.51\00:20:14.84
couple more verses in chapter 5.
00:20:14.88\00:20:17.08
Jean: So now we're on chapter
5, verse 5, is where we're going
00:20:17.11\00:20:19.61
to pick it up from.
00:20:19.65\00:20:21.05
Maybe, Pastor Doug, you want to
say something about verse 4 just
00:20:21.08\00:20:23.32
before we do that.
00:20:23.35\00:20:24.55
It says: "They drank wine," you
spoke about that, "and praised
00:20:24.59\00:20:26.62
the gods of gold, silver,
bronze, iron, wood, and stone."
00:20:26.65\00:20:30.99
Doug: Yeah, good point.
00:20:31.03\00:20:32.79
Jean: Yeah, early in the
study you might be saying, "Wait
00:20:32.83\00:20:34.46
a minute, these--we've come
across these metals before," and
00:20:34.50\00:20:38.13
you find, of course, in Daniel
chapter 2 where you have the
00:20:38.17\00:20:40.37
great statue, the head of gold,
chest and arms of silver, belly
00:20:40.40\00:20:43.54
and thighs of brass, legs of
iron, feet of iron and clay, it
00:20:43.57\00:20:47.08
doesn't say anything here about
clay but it does say wood, and
00:20:47.11\00:20:50.18
then you have a stone
that strikes the image.
00:20:50.21\00:20:52.65
Doug: Yeah, the number
for calculating with the
00:20:52.68\00:20:54.85
Babylonians, you might not
be surprised to learn, is six.
00:20:54.88\00:20:59.09
We live on the decimal
system where we calculate in the
00:20:59.12\00:21:02.09
western world with the tens.
00:21:02.12\00:21:03.96
Babylonians have the
decimal system of six.
00:21:03.99\00:21:07.20
And do you know a roulette wheel
has how many--a trick question,
00:21:07.23\00:21:12.10
ha, ha, ha.
00:21:12.13\00:21:13.07
How many slots does
a roulette wheel have?
00:21:13.10\00:21:16.34
Thirty-six.
00:21:16.37\00:21:17.84
How many degrees in a circle?
00:21:17.87\00:21:19.17
Three hundred and sixty.
00:21:19.21\00:21:21.54
Do you know that if you take a
roulette wheel--there's reasons
00:21:21.58\00:21:23.98
for that, for 360 degrees.
00:21:24.01\00:21:25.61
It all goes back
to this Babylonian.
00:21:25.65\00:21:27.92
How many days in a Jewish year?
00:21:27.95\00:21:30.29
Three-sixty.
00:21:30.32\00:21:31.52
And so there's actually good
mathematical readings--reasons
00:21:31.55\00:21:33.76
but do you know if you take a
roulette wheel and you add the
00:21:33.79\00:21:36.69
first number plus the second
number, 1 plus 2 is 3, plus the
00:21:36.73\00:21:39.73
third number, plus the fourth
number, when you get to 36, it
00:21:39.76\00:21:42.43
adds up to 666?
00:21:42.46\00:21:44.80
So Babylon is--a lot of their
math ended up coming to their
00:21:44.83\00:21:49.14
magical number of 666.
00:21:49.17\00:21:51.47
So they got six metals here
for worshiping the false gods.
00:21:51.51\00:21:54.98
Jean: And, of course, our
time system today is built on 60
00:21:55.01\00:21:58.31
seconds and 60 minutes in
an hour, so we've got that
00:21:58.35\00:22:00.75
connection dating all the
way back to Babylon and, again,
00:22:00.78\00:22:05.09
Revelation, the number 666
appears, a counterfeit of the
00:22:05.12\00:22:08.82
true Trinity, a manmade
substitute, three sixes, and
00:22:08.86\00:22:12.86
that's a whole
'nother study on its own.
00:22:12.89\00:22:14.23
Doug: It's manmade worship.
00:22:14.30\00:22:15.10
Man is made on
what day of the week?
00:22:15.13\00:22:18.17
Sixth day of the week.
00:22:18.20\00:22:19.53
Something else here that you
might find interesting, he takes
00:22:19.57\00:22:24.01
what from the
temple of the Lord?
00:22:24.04\00:22:25.97
The vessels.
00:22:26.01\00:22:27.04
Let me just read a few
verses about the vessels.
00:22:27.08\00:22:30.48
Daniel 5: "They brought in
the golden vessels that they had
00:22:30.51\00:22:34.05
taken from the temple," and then
you look in 2 Chronicles 36: "In
00:22:34.08\00:22:39.59
the spring of the year,
Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought
00:22:39.62\00:22:42.32
to him, to Babylon with him, the
precious vessels from the house
00:22:42.36\00:22:45.59
of the Lord."
00:22:45.63\00:22:46.80
Keep in mind Nebuchadnezzar came
to Jerusalem more than once:
00:22:46.83\00:22:49.53
first time when he carried
off Daniel, he didn't destroy
00:22:49.56\00:22:51.73
everything.
00:22:51.77\00:22:52.90
He put in sort of a puppet
king, one of the sons of Josiah.
00:22:52.93\00:22:56.67
He took Daniel and a number of
captives and wise people back to
00:22:56.71\00:22:59.77
the kingdom. He
took the holy vessels.
00:22:59.81\00:23:01.34
He didn't burn the temple.
00:23:01.38\00:23:02.91
When they rebelled later,
11 years later, then he came,
00:23:02.94\00:23:05.61
he destroyed the temple.
00:23:05.65\00:23:06.51
But he already
had the sacred vessel.
00:23:06.55\00:23:08.75
Some of these vessels go all
the way back to the wilderness.
00:23:08.78\00:23:13.56
They were built by Moses
and they were in the tabernacle.
00:23:13.59\00:23:17.79
This was later greatly expanded
by Solomon added to those
00:23:17.83\00:23:22.36
vessels, but they still had some
of the original vessels where
00:23:22.40\00:23:26.07
the Shekinah glory had lit over
these vessels in the wilderness.
00:23:26.10\00:23:30.17
These are sacred vessels of God,
meant for the worship of God, as
00:23:30.21\00:23:34.28
holy as any article could
be, and he begins to mock God.
00:23:34.31\00:23:39.28
Now, what does the
Bible say a vessel represents?
00:23:39.31\00:23:42.02
Let's read a
couple of verses here.
00:23:44.35\00:23:45.65
1 Thessalonians 4:4: "That
each of you should know how to
00:23:45.69\00:23:49.19
possess his own vessel in
sanctification and honor, not in
00:23:49.22\00:23:54.20
passion like the
Gentiles who do not know God."
00:23:54.20\00:23:57.17
God is the
potter, we are the clay.
00:23:57.20\00:23:58.80
We are vessels.
00:23:58.83\00:24:00.74
And He wants the
vessels full of His Spirit.
00:24:00.77\00:24:02.67
The Bible says: "Do not be drunk
with wine which is dissipation,
00:24:02.70\00:24:06.34
but be filled with the Spirit."
00:24:06.37\00:24:08.81
So these vessels, instead
of being filled with the holy
00:24:08.84\00:24:11.18
things of God, are
filled with Babylonian wine.
00:24:11.21\00:24:13.98
This is the point, I
think, where Belshazzar actually
00:24:14.02\00:24:16.12
crosses the line and commits
the unpardonable sin; Spirit of
00:24:16.15\00:24:19.59
prophecy says so.
00:24:19.62\00:24:20.76
When that hand comes, that
bloodless hand, and it actually
00:24:20.79\00:24:25.26
says, "fingers."
00:24:25.29\00:24:27.03
Jean: And that 
we find in verse 5,
00:24:27.10\00:24:28.56
it says: "In the
same hour the fingers of
00:24:28.60\00:24:30.97
a man's hand appeared and wrote
opposite the lampstand on the
00:24:31.00\00:24:33.17
plaster of the wall of the
king's palace; and the king saw
00:24:33.20\00:24:37.21
the part of the hand that wrote.
00:24:37.24\00:24:38.97
The king's countenance changed,
and his thoughts troubled him,"
00:24:39.01\00:24:42.01
sort of a understatement there
because you're going to see what
00:24:42.04\00:24:44.78
happens here.
00:24:44.81\00:24:45.95
"So that the joints of his
hips were loosed and his knees
00:24:45.98\00:24:48.75
knocked against each other."
00:24:48.78\00:24:50.42
So he was filled with fear when
this hand appeared and began
00:24:50.45\00:24:53.76
writing on the wall.
00:24:53.79\00:24:54.96
Doug: Yeah, and I won't take
it too far but when it says,
00:24:54.99\00:24:58.69
"The loins of his hips were
loosed and his knees knocked
00:24:58.73\00:25:01.96
together," some commentators,
more than one, say,
00:25:02.00\00:25:06.67
"He lost control of his loins,"
and basically wet himself.
00:25:06.70\00:25:12.14
Jean: Now, it's interesting
to note, you can't miss this
00:25:12.17\00:25:14.48
point.
00:25:14.51\00:25:15.54
You have a hand
writing on the wall.
00:25:15.58\00:25:17.08
We know who that hand is.
00:25:17.11\00:25:18.91
It's God that is writing
and it's words of judgment.
00:25:18.95\00:25:21.58
How many times do we have
recorded in the Bible that God
00:25:21.62\00:25:24.59
writes?
00:25:24.62\00:25:26.76
Now, something occurred earlier
to this on Mount Sinai where God
00:25:26.79\00:25:29.82
wrote, and God
wrote with his finger.
00:25:29.86\00:25:32.53
What did he write?
00:25:32.56\00:25:33.96
Ten Commandments.
00:25:34.00\00:25:35.46
And here you find a king who has
set aside the commandments of
00:25:35.50\00:25:39.77
God and, as a result, the hand
writes on the wall and what does
00:25:39.80\00:25:42.74
the hand write on
the wall? Judgment.
00:25:42.77\00:25:45.47
The next time you find God
writing, it's in the person of
00:25:45.51\00:25:48.61
Christ and you read about it
in the Gospels where Jesus knelt
00:25:48.64\00:25:52.08
down and wrote on the ground,
the dust, in the dust there on
00:25:52.11\00:25:54.62
the temple floor, when they
brought the woman who was caught
00:25:54.65\00:25:57.65
committing adultery.
00:25:57.69\00:25:59.05
And here we find
Jesus giving mercy.
00:25:59.09\00:26:00.86
So you find the law; you break
the law, there is judgment; but
00:26:00.89\00:26:06.33
in Christ you find
mercy and forgiveness.
00:26:06.36\00:26:09.06
And there is one more time,
Pastor Doug, where you find
00:26:09.10\00:26:11.83
writing and that's in Revelation
where it says: "God will write a
00:26:11.87\00:26:15.30
new name on
those who are saved."
00:26:15.34\00:26:17.97
Doug: That's right.
00:26:18.01\00:26:19.07
Jean: So you find writing
is rather important, it's
00:26:19.11\00:26:21.44
significant.
00:26:21.48\00:26:22.64
The law; you break the law,
you've got judgment; but God
00:26:22.68\00:26:25.68
offers mercy through Christ.
00:26:25.71\00:26:28.32
Those who receive that mercy,
they have the promise of heaven,
00:26:28.35\00:26:31.65
a new name written upon them.
00:26:31.69\00:26:33.86
Doug: You know, it probably
is worth mentioning that just
00:26:33.89\00:26:36.76
before the fall of Babylon,
which you know is going to
00:26:36.79\00:26:38.63
transpire momentarily, you see
that there is a disregard for
00:26:38.66\00:26:43.70
holy things.
00:26:43.73\00:26:46.84
The things that preceded the
fall of Babylon are some of the
00:26:46.87\00:26:49.47
same things that preceded the
fall of Rome and, unfortunately,
00:26:49.50\00:26:52.24
will be the same things that
precede the fall of any great
00:26:52.27\00:26:54.98
nation.
00:26:55.01\00:26:56.44
Let me just read to you
something from Edward Gibbon's
00:26:56.48\00:26:59.35
classic called "The Rise--The
Decline and Fall of the Roman
00:26:59.38\00:27:02.58
Empire."
00:27:02.62\00:27:04.02
He lists five reasons
that he believe that Rome fell.
00:27:04.05\00:27:08.46
"The undermining of the dignity
and sanctity of the home.
00:27:08.49\00:27:12.73
Increasing taxes and
spending of public money
00:27:12.76\00:27:15.83
for bread and circuses.
00:27:15.86\00:27:18.03
The mad craze for pleasure with
sports becoming more exciting
00:27:18.07\00:27:21.47
and more brutal.
00:27:21.50\00:27:24.01
The building of gigantic
armaments where the real enemy
00:27:24.04\00:27:27.54
is the decadence of the people.
00:27:27.58\00:27:29.84
And the decay of religion with
faith fading into mere form."
00:27:29.88\00:27:35.05
Philip Myer in his book, "Rome:
Its Rise and Fall," made this
00:27:35.08\00:27:38.55
observation of the Romans:
"Almost from the beginning, the
00:27:38.59\00:27:41.89
Roman state was gross and
immorality was one of the main
00:27:41.92\00:27:44.86
agencies to which must be
attributed the undermining of
00:27:44.89\00:27:48.96
the originally sound moral life
during the days of Octavia and
00:27:49.00\00:27:52.33
Augustus Caesar,
of Roman society.
00:27:52.37\00:27:55.70
So absorbed did the
people become in the indecent
00:27:55.74\00:27:58.87
representations of the stage,
they lost all thought and care
00:27:58.91\00:28:02.34
for the affairs of life."
00:28:02.38\00:28:03.65
The people who were supposed
to be ruling the country were
00:28:03.68\00:28:05.58
partying and the country of
Rome was run by secretaries.
00:28:05.61\00:28:08.95
The reason--this is
something else from history.
00:28:08.98\00:28:10.85
The reason I mention the fall of
Rome is it was the same kind of
00:28:10.89\00:28:14.39
issues that you see in Babylon,
is that people were living for
00:28:14.42\00:28:18.16
pleasure, they were being
irresponsible with spending, and
00:28:18.19\00:28:22.33
you also see that
marriage was falling apart.
00:28:22.36\00:28:26.07
Typically, the men started
out drinking alone in Babylon.
00:28:26.10\00:28:30.34
You notice that the feasts in
the book of Esther, the king got
00:28:30.37\00:28:34.51
drunk and he said, "Let's bring
in Vashti for all the men to
00:28:34.54\00:28:37.88
drool at."
00:28:37.91\00:28:39.28
And here, when the drinking
progressed in Babylon, it says:
00:28:39.31\00:28:44.42
"And he invited the wives,"
you read on later, it says: "and
00:28:44.45\00:28:48.69
concubines."
00:28:48.72\00:28:50.36
This was not much short of an
orgy that was going on here and
00:28:50.39\00:28:54.30
they're praising the gods,
which is what happened to Rome.
00:28:54.30\00:28:56.53
And there's other countries
I won't mention that are faced
00:28:56.56\00:29:01.84
with some of the same issues.
00:29:01.87\00:29:03.84
Losing respect for that which is
holy, respect for marriage and
00:29:03.87\00:29:07.21
for order, self-control,
that's when the kingdom falls.
00:29:07.24\00:29:12.55
Jean: And, of course, a
characteristic that we have is
00:29:12.58\00:29:14.45
they were lovers of pleasure,
more than lovers of God.
00:29:14.48\00:29:16.69
That is a reference that we find
even to our time, and just think
00:29:16.72\00:29:20.52
about how much time and money
is spent on entertainment in our
00:29:20.56\00:29:24.89
society versus how much time
and money is spent upon seeking
00:29:24.93\00:29:28.83
truth or coming to know
God or even protecting marriage
00:29:28.86\00:29:33.80
and the family.
It's quite amazing.
00:29:33.84\00:29:35.07
If you look at the parallels of
these empires and their collapse
00:29:35.10\00:29:39.57
and what's
happening in our world today.
00:29:39.61\00:29:42.91
Indeed, we can see signs that
that kingdom represented by that
00:29:42.94\00:29:47.18
stone cut out without hands
is soon to come and that, of
00:29:47.22\00:29:51.12
course, is a reference to
Christ and the Second Coming.
00:29:51.15\00:29:53.82
Doug: Now, looking at the
clock, I'm going to hasten along
00:29:53.86\00:29:56.59
here.
00:29:56.62\00:29:57.59
So this--these fingers appear.
00:29:57.63\00:29:59.96
Notice it was finger that wrote
the Ten Commandments and it
00:30:00.00\00:30:01.70
says, "Jesus with his
finger wrote in the dust of
00:30:01.73\00:30:03.90
the temple floor"?
00:30:03.93\00:30:05.60
This finger appears
and begins to write.
00:30:05.63\00:30:08.00
It's over against the
candlestick, where it's
00:30:08.04\00:30:10.71
positioned, and history seems
to say it was a prominent place
00:30:10.74\00:30:13.34
across from the throne that he
had seated where he was drinking
00:30:13.38\00:30:18.05
in front of everybody.
00:30:18.08\00:30:19.61
And he's astonished.
00:30:19.65\00:30:22.42
You notice it's Nebuchadnezzar
who looks in the furnace.
00:30:22.45\00:30:24.32
He's the first one to
notice the Son of God.
00:30:24.35\00:30:27.22
And here, Belshazzar's the
first one to see the words of
00:30:27.26\00:30:30.96
judgment, and he
is--he just goes to pieces.
00:30:30.99\00:30:34.03
He is shaking, his
knees knocked there.
00:30:34.10\00:30:36.10
He was so bold and defiant and
mocking God a minute ago, and
00:30:36.13\00:30:39.93
now--do you know what
the word "Daniel" means?
00:30:39.97\00:30:42.84
My God is judge.
00:30:42.87\00:30:44.47
"El" means Elohim.
00:30:44.51\00:30:45.94
God Dan judge, one of the
names of the sons of Israel.
00:30:45.97\00:30:50.01
And so Daniel's called in and
judgment is called in, into the
00:30:50.05\00:30:56.18
halls of Babylon.
00:30:56.22\00:30:59.09
So they see this writing and
after they recover from total
00:30:59.12\00:31:03.39
shock, everyone is frozen in
place, all their faces, drain
00:31:03.43\00:31:06.80
from blood and
they're terrified.
00:31:06.83\00:31:09.13
All the partying stops, and
eventually the king says, "Bring
00:31:09.16\00:31:14.20
someone in to read the writing."
00:31:14.24\00:31:15.54
Maybe you want to
read that real quick.
00:31:15.57\00:31:16.87
Jean: So you'll pick up the
story here in verse, let's see,
00:31:16.91\00:31:20.11
verse 7.
00:31:20.14\00:31:21.24
It says: "Then the king
cried aloud to bring in the
00:31:21.28\00:31:23.08
astrologers, the
Chaldeans, the soothsayers.
00:31:23.11\00:31:25.08
The king spoke, saying to the
wise men of Babylon, 'Whoever
00:31:25.11\00:31:28.52
reads the writing, and tells the
interpretation, shall be clothed
00:31:28.55\00:31:31.62
with purple and have a chain of
gold around his neck; and shall
00:31:31.65\00:31:34.72
be the third ruler in the
kingdom--' Now all the king's
00:31:34.76\00:31:37.66
wise men came, but they could
not read the writing, or make
00:31:37.69\00:31:40.50
known the king's interpretation.
00:31:40.53\00:31:42.86
Then King Belshazzar was greatly
troubled, and his countenance
00:31:42.90\00:31:46.10
was changed, and his
lords were astonished."
00:31:46.13\00:31:49.57
Doug: These are the thousand
lords he had boldly invited in,
00:31:49.60\00:31:53.07
probably leaders in the war
against Persia, and--to party
00:31:53.11\00:31:55.51
and celebrate and to mock
that they were not afraid.
00:31:55.54\00:32:00.38
This is the third time in the
book of Daniel that the king has
00:32:00.42\00:32:04.42
brought in his local wise men,
the Babylonian wise men, and
00:32:04.45\00:32:09.49
they don't have the answer.
00:32:09.52\00:32:12.59
And it's going to be the
third time that the Hebrew
00:32:12.63\00:32:15.40
has the answer.
00:32:15.43\00:32:16.97
You know, Jesus, when he was
talking to the Samaritan woman,
00:32:17.00\00:32:21.27
she wanted to
engage him in an argument.
00:32:21.30\00:32:23.77
She said, "What mountain should
we worship on, our mountain,
00:32:23.81\00:32:26.98
Mount Gerizim,
or Mount Jerusalem?"
00:32:27.01\00:32:28.91
And Jesus said
something shocking.
00:32:28.94\00:32:30.38
He said,
"Salvation is of the Jews."
00:32:30.41\00:32:34.35
Now, there's a lot of talk
these days about anti-Semitism.
00:32:34.38\00:32:37.75
Technically, do you know
that every Arab is a Semite?
00:32:37.79\00:32:40.79
So anti-Semitism is
not technically just being
00:32:40.82\00:32:44.13
anti-Jewish.
00:32:44.16\00:32:45.79
Anyone who was from
the descendants of Shem was
00:32:45.83\00:32:49.26
a Semite.
00:32:49.30\00:32:50.53
That's where
the word comes from.
00:32:50.57\00:32:52.03
But the Bible tells us God chose
the Jewish nation and delivered
00:32:52.07\00:32:56.50
truth to them.
00:32:56.54\00:32:58.27
Paul says, "To Israel
were given the oracles of God."
00:32:58.31\00:33:01.54
So that's why you see several
times when these pagans are
00:33:01.58\00:33:03.75
saying, "What is truth?"
00:33:03.78\00:33:04.88
God points them
back to the Jewish book.
00:33:04.91\00:33:07.95
Now Jews are not saved
any more than anyone else.
00:33:07.98\00:33:09.85
If they don't believe,
they're not children of Abraham.
00:33:09.88\00:33:11.39
But Paul says, "To the Jew
first," because the gospel, the
00:33:11.42\00:33:15.66
truth, was given to them
first, "then to the Gentile."
00:33:15.69\00:33:18.49
So if he wanted to understand
what the truth was, it came from
00:33:18.53\00:33:22.10
this book.
00:33:22.13\00:33:23.33
Doesn't come from the Bhagavad
Gita or the Qur'an, but it's
00:33:23.37\00:33:26.50
this book, from the
people that he chose.
00:33:26.53\00:33:28.87
Does that make sense?
00:33:28.90\00:33:30.04
So he has to bring in Daniel
to explain what does it mean?
00:33:30.07\00:33:35.14
But how does he
find out about Daniel?
00:33:35.18\00:33:37.68
Jean: You'll find over here
in verse 10, it says: "Then the
00:33:37.71\00:33:39.98
queen came in," so, of course,
the wise men and the astrologer,
00:33:40.02\00:33:42.95
they couldn't give
the meaning of the words.
00:33:42.98\00:33:44.92
Verse 10 says: "And the queen
came in before, because of the
00:33:44.95\00:33:47.76
words of the king and his lords,
and came to the banquet hall.
00:33:47.79\00:33:51.03
The queen spoke and
said, 'O king, live forever!
00:33:51.06\00:33:53.36
Do not let the thoughts trouble
you, nor let your countenance be
00:33:53.40\00:33:56.23
changed.
00:33:56.26\00:33:57.50
There is a man in your kingdom
in whom the Spirit--in whom is
00:33:57.53\00:34:01.70
the Spirit of the Holy God.
00:34:01.74\00:34:03.71
In the days of your father,
light and understanding and
00:34:03.74\00:34:05.94
wisdom, like the wisdom of
the gods, were found in him; and
00:34:05.97\00:34:09.21
King Nebuchadnezzar
your father--your father the
00:34:09.24\00:34:12.01
king--made him chief of the
magicians, the astrologers, the
00:34:12.05\00:34:14.88
Chaldeans, the soothsayers.
00:34:14.92\00:34:16.58
Inasmuch as an excellent spirit,
knowledge, and understanding,
00:34:16.62\00:34:19.69
interpreting dreams, solving
riddles, and explaining enigmas
00:34:19.72\00:34:24.59
were found in this Daniel, whom
the king named Belteshazzar, now
00:34:24.63\00:34:28.60
let Daniel be called, and he
will give the interpretation.'"
00:34:28.63\00:34:32.73
Doug: Yeah, it's interesting
that they had exhausted all of
00:34:32.77\00:34:36.34
the local opportunities.
00:34:36.37\00:34:37.84
By the way, the queen mother,
according to historians, was
00:34:37.87\00:34:43.41
Nitocris.
00:34:43.45\00:34:44.58
She's the
daughter of Nebuchadnezzar.
00:34:44.61\00:34:45.91
It was for her mother that
Nebuchadnezzar built the hanging
00:34:45.95\00:34:50.09
gardens of Babylon which were
still in full bloom during the
00:34:50.12\00:34:53.99
time that this was all going on.
00:34:54.02\00:34:56.76
Daniel's got a reputation.
00:34:56.79\00:34:57.99
You hear this mentioned twice
in Daniel 5 and Daniel 6, one in
00:34:58.03\00:35:03.80
whom is an excellent spirit.
00:35:03.83\00:35:06.53
Now if somebody told you, "I
think you're spirit possessed,"
00:35:06.57\00:35:09.24
how would you feel?
00:35:09.27\00:35:11.37
I mean, if I
hadn't said this first.
00:35:11.41\00:35:12.94
If someone accused you of being
spirit possessed, you'd probably
00:35:12.97\00:35:15.08
take it as an insult.
00:35:15.11\00:35:16.51
But don't you want
to be spirit possessed?
00:35:16.54\00:35:19.81
Depends, doesn't it?
00:35:19.85\00:35:21.25
You've got to qualify that.
00:35:21.28\00:35:23.45
The Bible says everyone who
knew Daniel knew he was spirit
00:35:23.49\00:35:25.95
possessed.
00:35:25.99\00:35:27.49
He had an
excellent spirit in him.
00:35:27.52\00:35:30.59
And says this in chapter 6,
in Daniel chapter 6, verse 3:
00:35:30.63\00:35:34.46
"Because an
excellent spirit was in him."
00:35:34.50\00:35:36.63
Then Pastor Ross just read
this in verse 12: "An excellent
00:35:36.67\00:35:41.00
spirit of knowledge,
understanding, interpreting
00:35:41.04\00:35:44.07
dreams, solving riddles,
explaining enigmas, was found in
00:35:44.11\00:35:47.44
this Daniel."
00:35:47.48\00:35:49.11
Now this is the one time
it says, "Who the king named
00:35:49.14\00:35:51.05
Belshazzar--or Belteshazzar,"
but all the other times now, in
00:35:51.08\00:35:55.48
this chapter, he's not being
called by his Babylonian name.
00:35:55.52\00:35:57.72
He's not even pretending.
00:35:57.75\00:35:59.72
He's
going--Nebuchadnezzar's dead.
00:35:59.75\00:36:01.12
He's not going by that name.
00:36:01.16\00:36:02.22
He's called
Daniel everywhere else.
00:36:02.26\00:36:04.29
He's gone back to
his name in this section.
00:36:04.33\00:36:07.30
And so the king's--calls Daniel.
00:36:10.17\00:36:11.47
Do you want to read
verse 13 and up to 15?
00:36:11.50\00:36:16.04
Jean: Yeah, it says, verse
13: "Then Daniel was brought in
00:36:16.07\00:36:18.24
before the king.
00:36:18.27\00:36:19.44
The king spoke, and said to
Daniel, 'Are you that Daniel in
00:36:19.47\00:36:22.28
whom is one of the captives from
Judah, whom my father the king
00:36:22.31\00:36:26.21
brought out of Judah?
00:36:26.25\00:36:27.68
I have heard of you, that
the Spirit of God is in you, and
00:36:27.72\00:36:30.49
that light and understanding and
an excellent wisdom are found in
00:36:30.52\00:36:33.76
you.
00:36:33.79\00:36:34.89
Now the wise men, the
astrologers, have been brought
00:36:34.92\00:36:36.86
in before me, and they should
read the writing and make known
00:36:36.89\00:36:39.29
to me the interpretation,
but they could not give the
00:36:39.33\00:36:41.66
interpretation of the thing.
00:36:41.70\00:36:43.37
And I have heard of you, that
you can give interpretations and
00:36:43.40\00:36:46.63
explain enigmas.
00:36:46.67\00:36:48.27
Now if you can read the
writing and make known to me the
00:36:48.30\00:36:50.97
interpretation, you shall
be clothed in purple and have a
00:36:51.01\00:36:54.41
chain of gold around your neck,
and shall be the third ruler in
00:36:54.44\00:36:57.88
the kingdom.'"
00:36:57.91\00:36:59.01
Doug: All right,
now, when the king says
00:36:59.05\00:37:00.72
this, make sure that you have
in your mind's eye his voice is
00:37:00.75\00:37:03.85
quivering with fear.
00:37:03.89\00:37:05.65
The burning letters are
still blazing on the wall.
00:37:05.69\00:37:08.29
Nobody knows what it means.
00:37:08.32\00:37:09.46
You all know it says, "Mene,
mene, tekel, upharsin," or
00:37:09.49\00:37:13.46
"Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin."
00:37:13.50\00:37:15.80
No one's exactly sure the
pronunciation because we're not
00:37:15.83\00:37:18.77
even exactly sure if it's some
form of Aramaic but the king is
00:37:18.80\00:37:24.37
paralyzed with fear,
his voice is shaking.
00:37:24.41\00:37:27.31
I also like where the
queen says, "There is a man."
00:37:27.34\00:37:31.48
So here, you've got
the king is petrified.
00:37:31.51\00:37:34.52
Daniel is fearless.
00:37:34.55\00:37:37.35
Daniel knows what
the prophecies say.
00:37:37.39\00:37:40.02
He knows what's going to happen.
00:37:40.06\00:37:41.66
Daniel knows that Babylon's
going to fall that night.
00:37:41.69\00:37:44.03
Typically, when a foreign power
comes in, they slaughter all of
00:37:44.06\00:37:47.76
the administrators that were
true to the former government.
00:37:47.76\00:37:50.73
Daniel's not afraid.
00:37:50.77\00:37:52.87
And he knew that God
was going to watch over him.
00:37:52.90\00:37:54.80
So here you've got Daniel is
possessed, fearless, he is the
00:37:54.84\00:38:01.71
old man and he's standing up
against this wise young king who
00:38:01.74\00:38:06.48
says, "Look, I'm going to give
you a gold and I'm going to give
00:38:06.51\00:38:08.38
you a purple robe and you're
going to be third ruler in the
00:38:08.42\00:38:15.26
kingdom," and
he--Daniel could care less.
00:38:15.29\00:38:17.56
He says, "You won't have
anything to give in a few
00:38:17.59\00:38:19.59
hours."
00:38:19.63\00:38:21.13
He says, "Your titles
are going to be meaningless."
00:38:21.16\00:38:23.20
Now, keep this in mind.
00:38:23.23\00:38:25.00
When the devil is offering
you the pleasures of sin for a
00:38:25.03\00:38:27.70
season to sacrifice your life
for eternity, you need to say to
00:38:27.74\00:38:31.61
the devil what Jesus said to
Daniel--I'm sorry, what Daniel
00:38:31.64\00:38:37.15
said to
Belshazzar: "Keep your gifts.
00:38:37.18\00:38:41.52
Let your gifts be for yourself."
00:38:41.55\00:38:43.69
It's like when Simon there in
Acts offered Peter money for the
00:38:43.72\00:38:47.06
Holy Spirit, Peter said, "You
can perish with your money," and
00:38:47.09\00:38:52.33
the devil's often trying
to offer people earthly gain.
00:38:52.36\00:38:57.33
One thing that also stands
out is just where the queen, she
00:38:57.37\00:39:00.74
says, "There is a man."
00:39:00.77\00:39:03.04
She evidently has great respect
for Daniel and the God of
00:39:03.07\00:39:05.64
Daniel.
00:39:05.67\00:39:06.51
Jean: Remember
the context of this.
00:39:06.54\00:39:07.61
You've got the queen.
00:39:07.64\00:39:08.84
This is not Nebuchadnezzar or
rather, this is not Belshazzar's
00:39:08.88\00:39:11.21
wife.
00:39:11.25\00:39:12.35
Rather, this would be the
queen mother, the daughter of
00:39:12.38\00:39:15.62
Nebuchadnezzar and, of course,
she was the one that married
00:39:15.65\00:39:18.39
Nabonidus who was the ruler.
00:39:18.42\00:39:21.06
Belshazzar was the second ruler.
00:39:21.09\00:39:24.69
And that's why he says, "If you
can answer this, I'll make you
00:39:24.73\00:39:27.86
the third ruler."
00:39:27.93\00:39:29.20
The reason why he could make him
the third ruler was because he
00:39:29.23\00:39:31.57
is only the second ruler.
00:39:31.60\00:39:33.23
Now, his father wasn't there.
00:39:33.27\00:39:34.64
Probably out at some oasis
in the desert, not interested in
00:39:34.67\00:39:39.51
ruling from Babylon.
00:39:39.54\00:39:40.84
So you have the queen mother
coming in, the daughter of
00:39:40.88\00:39:43.71
Nebuchadnezzar, and she
recounts the story of Daniel.
00:39:43.75\00:39:47.25
Now, it might seem in your
first reading that Belshazzar's
00:39:47.28\00:39:50.65
ignorant concerning Daniel and
the things that had happened to
00:39:50.69\00:39:53.86
his father.
00:39:53.89\00:39:54.99
But you remember, one of
the things that happened to
00:39:55.02\00:39:56.32
Nebuchadnezzar, at least
his grandfather, was that for a
00:39:56.36\00:39:58.59
period of time he went insane,
thought he was an animal and for
00:39:58.63\00:40:02.33
seven years was outside
eating grass like the oxen.
00:40:02.36\00:40:06.63
This was not something that was
hidden to the people of Babylon,
00:40:06.67\00:40:10.27
nor to the royal seed.
00:40:10.31\00:40:12.07
Belshazzar knew about this.
00:40:12.11\00:40:13.27
He had heard about this.
00:40:13.31\00:40:14.54
He knew about the interpretation
given by Daniel, yet he chose to
00:40:14.58\00:40:19.28
ignore it.
00:40:19.31\00:40:20.45
Doug: I think it mentions
this in--you start in verse 17,
00:40:20.48\00:40:23.25
says: "Then Daniel answered, and
said before the king, 'Let your
00:40:23.28\00:40:26.52
gifts be for yourself, and
give your rewards to another.'"
00:40:26.55\00:40:29.06
Usually, you don't tell a
king, "Keep your gifts," yeah.
00:40:29.09\00:40:31.76
"Yet I'll read the writing to
the king," and normally, if you
00:40:31.79\00:40:39.47
said to a king, "Keep your
gifts," they'd chop off your
00:40:39.50\00:40:43.30
head at the--on the spot.
00:40:43.34\00:40:45.87
But he wants to know
what the writing means.
00:40:45.91\00:40:48.04
"I'll read the writing to the
king and make known to him the
00:40:48.08\00:40:49.98
interpretation.
00:40:50.01\00:40:51.48
O king, the Most High God gave
Nebuchadnezzar your father,"
00:40:51.51\00:40:55.42
they used to use
that word interchangeably.
00:40:55.45\00:40:57.52
They didn't say "grandfather."
00:40:57.55\00:40:59.19
"A kingdom, majesty,
glory, honor, and because of the
00:40:59.22\00:41:01.69
majesty that He gave him, all
peoples, nations, and languages
00:41:01.72\00:41:04.86
trembled and feared before him.
00:41:04.89\00:41:06.66
Whoever he wished, he executed;
whoever he wished, he kept
00:41:06.70\00:41:09.80
alive; whoever he wished, he set
up; whoever he wished, he put
00:41:09.83\00:41:12.77
down."
00:41:12.80\00:41:13.60
He'd rule with absolute power.
00:41:13.64\00:41:15.77
"But when his heart was lifted
up, and his spirit was hardened
00:41:15.80\00:41:19.37
in pride, he was deposed from
his kingly throne, and they took
00:41:19.41\00:41:22.98
away his glory from him.
00:41:23.01\00:41:24.58
He was driven from the sons of
men, and his heart was made like
00:41:24.61\00:41:27.48
beasts', and his
dwelling was with wild donkeys."
00:41:27.52\00:41:30.49
That's something new
you don't read earlier.
00:41:30.52\00:41:32.45
"And they fed him with grass
like oxen, and his body was wet
00:41:32.49\00:41:35.92
with the dew of heaven, until
he knew the Most High," that's
00:41:35.96\00:41:40.50
Jehovah, "God rules in the
kingdom of men, and appoints
00:41:40.53\00:41:44.20
over it whoever He chooses.
00:41:44.23\00:41:45.93
But you his son, Belshazzar,
have not humbled your heart,
00:41:45.97\00:41:50.17
though you knew this."
00:41:50.21\00:41:51.44
So did Belshazzar know?
00:41:51.47\00:41:52.67
He said, "You knew about the
true God and you've lifted up
00:41:52.71\00:41:56.88
your--you've lifted yourself
up against the Lord of heaven.
00:41:56.91\00:42:00.58
Against the Lord of heavens
you've brought the vessels of
00:42:00.62\00:42:04.02
His house before you, and you
and your lords, and your wives
00:42:04.05\00:42:06.62
and your concubines,
have drunk wine from them.
00:42:06.65\00:42:09.76
And you've praised the gods of
silver and gold, and bronze and
00:42:09.79\00:42:12.93
iron, and wood and stone, that
do not see or hear or know..."
00:42:12.96\00:42:19.77
You know, you better hope the
Persians are coming to rescue
00:42:19.80\00:42:21.14
Daniel because Daniel has just
told the king, "Keep your gifts,
00:42:21.17\00:42:24.81
and the gods
you're praising are dumb.
00:42:24.84\00:42:27.08
They don't know anything."
00:42:27.11\00:42:29.48
Here, they'd been drinking and
toasting the health of this god
00:42:29.51\00:42:31.98
and the health of that god,
and Daniel says, "Your gods are
00:42:32.01\00:42:33.98
dead. They're not gods."
00:42:34.02\00:42:36.52
How do you get away
with that unless you know?
00:42:36.55\00:42:38.52
I don't think it was very long
after Daniel said this before
00:42:38.55\00:42:42.56
they heard the shouts of
the Persians coming through the
00:42:42.59\00:42:44.99
gates.
00:42:45.03\00:42:46.06
He wouldn't have lived
very long, I don't think.
00:42:46.09\00:42:49.03
"He appoints over
it whoever He chooses."
00:42:49.06\00:42:51.77
And he said,
"Your praise your gods.
00:42:51.80\00:42:53.97
But the God who holds your
breath in His hand, who owns all
00:42:54.00\00:42:58.24
of your ways, you
have not glorified.
00:42:58.27\00:43:01.58
Then the fingers of the hand
were sent from Him, and this
00:43:01.61\00:43:05.35
writing was written.
00:43:05.38\00:43:06.88
And the
inscription was written."
00:43:06.92\00:43:08.25
Pastor Ross, do you want
to tell us what it means?
00:43:08.28\00:43:10.82
Jean: You've got those four
words there: "Mene, mene, tekel,
00:43:10.85\00:43:14.32
upharsin."
00:43:14.36\00:43:15.36
And scholars believe
that that's probably Aramaic.
00:43:15.39\00:43:19.13
You remember the first part of
the book of Daniel is written in
00:43:19.16\00:43:22.23
Aramaic, the rest is in Hebrew,
starting in chapter 8 I believe.
00:43:22.26\00:43:26.07
The rest of the Old Testament is
Hebrew, the New Testament's in
00:43:26.10\00:43:28.44
Greek.
00:43:28.47\00:43:29.64
But we have a few chapters here
in the book of Daniel that's
00:43:29.67\00:43:31.54
actually written in Aramaic.
00:43:31.57\00:43:32.51
So the words do have
a meaning in Aramaic.
00:43:32.54\00:43:34.84
"Mene" means counted.
00:43:34.88\00:43:36.88
So if it's just a direct
translation, you could say,
00:43:36.91\00:43:40.28
"Counted, counted."
00:43:40.32\00:43:41.45
"Tekel," weighed,
and "Upharsin," divided.
00:43:41.48\00:43:45.99
So if you were to just look at
the words, it would be "Counted,
00:43:46.02\00:43:49.39
counted, weighed, divided."
00:43:49.42\00:43:51.86
So it's possible that maybe the
wise men could read these words
00:43:51.89\00:43:55.56
but they couldn't understand
its meaning or its significance.
00:43:55.60\00:43:58.37
They understood its significance
because, remember when something
00:43:58.40\00:44:01.34
is repeated in the Bible, it
stresses that it's important so
00:44:01.37\00:44:04.44
it says, "Counted,
counted, weighed, divided."
00:44:04.47\00:44:08.21
Doug: Babylon's fallen, fallen.
00:44:08.24\00:44:09.94
Jean: Yup, absolutely.
00:44:09.98\00:44:11.38
Doug: Two times.
00:44:11.41\00:44:12.55
Jean: And Revelation talks
about Babylon being fallen,
00:44:12.58\00:44:14.48
being fallen, so here
you have Daniel coming in.
00:44:14.52\00:44:17.12
He gives the meaning but he
also builds a little on it and
00:44:17.15\00:44:19.62
explains its significance
and you find that in verse 26.
00:44:19.65\00:44:22.89
Maybe I'll just read through
26 to the end of that section.
00:44:22.92\00:44:26.76
It says then, "This is the
interpretation of each word.
00:44:26.80\00:44:30.33
MENE: God has numbered your
kingdom, and finished it; TEKEL:
00:44:30.37\00:44:33.97
You have been weighed in
the balances, and found wanting;
00:44:34.00\00:44:36.71
PERES: Your kingdom has been
divided, and given to the Medes
00:44:36.74\00:44:39.71
and the Persians."
00:44:39.74\00:44:41.21
Then it says: "Belshazzar gave
the command, and they clothed
00:44:41.24\00:44:44.21
Daniel with purple and put a
chain of gold around his neck,
00:44:44.25\00:44:47.42
and made a proclamation
concerning him that he should be
00:44:47.45\00:44:50.59
the third ruler in the kingdom."
00:44:50.62\00:44:52.79
Now, what I find interesting
here is here, actually, Daniel
00:44:52.82\00:44:56.56
allows them to put on this robe
of purple and this chain of gold
00:44:56.59\00:45:01.06
representing his position.
00:45:01.10\00:45:02.46
He's the third
ruler in the empire.
00:45:02.50\00:45:04.87
Now Jesus made a promise to the
righteous and he said, "The meek
00:45:04.90\00:45:08.44
shall inherit the earth."
00:45:08.47\00:45:10.74
Daniel is the third
ruler, he's definitely meek.
00:45:10.77\00:45:15.14
When Jesus comes again, you have
the Father who is the supreme
00:45:15.18\00:45:19.41
ruler, Christ who rules,
and then his people will rule as
00:45:19.45\00:45:23.62
well.
00:45:23.65\00:45:24.95
The Bible speaks about us,
the redeemed, being seated on
00:45:24.99\00:45:27.89
thrones.
00:45:27.92\00:45:29.02
So here you have Daniel
representing in a type or a
00:45:29.06\00:45:32.59
sense God's people at
the end that shall rule.
00:45:32.63\00:45:36.06
And here, Daniel does
rule when Babylon falls.
00:45:36.10\00:45:40.47
When do the righteous
rule and inherit the earth?
00:45:40.50\00:45:43.71
When spiritual Babylon falls.
00:45:43.74\00:45:45.91
So you can see a number of the
parallels here that we find in
00:45:45.94\00:45:48.14
this passage.
00:45:48.18\00:45:49.14
Doug: Yeah, absolutely.
00:45:49.18\00:45:50.85
So let me tell you what happened
historically and this plays into
00:45:50.88\00:45:54.25
Revelation also.
00:45:54.28\00:45:55.88
While this party is going on,
Cyrus the Persian and his army
00:45:55.92\00:45:59.32
had diverted the course, the
regular course, of the Euphrates
00:45:59.35\00:46:02.36
River.
00:46:02.39\00:46:03.56
I mean, he had a whole army
digging a ditch into a dry lake
00:46:03.59\00:46:07.13
bed, huge, massive dry lake bed
that had dried up in the summer.
00:46:07.13\00:46:11.03
They then, at the appropriate
time, they broke the damn.
00:46:11.07\00:46:14.07
They waited 'til the last minute
to break a damn that would
00:46:14.10\00:46:16.17
breach it so the river would run
out of its natural course and
00:46:16.20\00:46:19.27
spill off into this lakebed
which is downstream several
00:46:19.31\00:46:22.51
miles and, you know, Belshazzar
knew they were doing some big
00:46:22.54\00:46:26.45
excavation on
the river upstream.
00:46:26.48\00:46:27.98
He had spies that were watching.
00:46:28.02\00:46:30.29
And all of a sudden, the river
level where it ran under the
00:46:30.32\00:46:33.15
walls of Babylon, went down.
00:46:33.19\00:46:35.59
The Persians had bribed two
Babylonians inside the palace
00:46:35.62\00:46:39.29
who agreed to defect.
00:46:39.33\00:46:41.40
They helped unlock some of
the gates and their names are
00:46:41.43\00:46:45.87
actually given by, it's either
Heroditus or Xenophen, and they
00:46:45.90\00:46:52.04
came in under the walls in
the midst of the party that was
00:46:52.07\00:46:55.21
going on.
00:46:55.24\00:46:57.25
They started shouting,
people were shouting for being
00:46:57.28\00:46:59.08
overcome.
00:46:59.11\00:47:00.42
The soldiers began to shout like
it was a party and they couldn't
00:47:00.45\00:47:02.18
tell whether it
was a war or a party.
00:47:02.22\00:47:04.22
Now doesn't that sound like
what happened at the golden calf
00:47:04.25\00:47:06.52
story?
00:47:06.55\00:47:08.82
And by the time they figured out
what was going on, the soldiers
00:47:08.86\00:47:14.56
were drunk, they had been
partying along with the king.
00:47:14.60\00:47:17.60
The inner gates had been left
open and they swarmed into the
00:47:17.63\00:47:22.74
city with hardly--the only loss
of life was the king and his
00:47:22.77\00:47:26.84
cabinet immediately around him.
00:47:26.88\00:47:29.01
And he was
able--Cyrus was able to come in.
00:47:29.04\00:47:31.61
Cyrus himself did
not come in for a month.
00:47:31.65\00:47:33.72
But his leaders came in, took
the city that night through the
00:47:33.75\00:47:37.52
drying up of the Euphrates.
00:47:37.55\00:47:40.02
Now, do we find the drying
up of the Euphrates mentioned
00:47:40.06\00:47:42.12
somewhere else?
00:47:42.16\00:47:43.36
Jean: Matter of fact,
you find it right here.
00:47:43.39\00:47:45.76
Let me read it, Pastor
Doug, seeing as you bring it up.
00:47:45.79\00:47:47.46
It's chapter 16 in
Revelation, verse 12.
00:47:47.50\00:47:49.83
It says: "And the sixth angel
poured out his bowl on the great
00:47:49.86\00:47:52.60
River Euphrates and its water
was dried up so that the way of
00:47:52.63\00:47:56.24
the kings of the
east might be prepared."
00:47:56.27\00:47:58.27
Now, of course, we're not
talking about literal River
00:47:58.31\00:48:00.78
Euphrates today, but water
in Bible prophecy represents
00:48:00.81\00:48:03.98
multitudes and nations
and kindreds and tongues.
00:48:04.01\00:48:06.11
What brought about the downfall
of historical Babylon was the
00:48:06.15\00:48:09.55
drying up of
the River Euphrates.
00:48:09.58\00:48:10.89
What brings about the downfall
of symbolic Babylon in the last
00:48:10.92\00:48:13.89
days, the multitudes of people
that have given their support to
00:48:13.92\00:48:18.29
this power, this apostate
religious power, Babylon, they
00:48:18.33\00:48:22.10
realize finally that they have
been deceived and they withdraw
00:48:22.13\00:48:25.43
their support.
00:48:25.47\00:48:26.47
It says it makes way
for the kings of the east.
00:48:26.50\00:48:29.67
Kings of the east would
represent Christ and his angels
00:48:29.70\00:48:32.07
coming to bring deliverance
to God's people and that's when
00:48:32.11\00:48:35.78
Babylon falls and the
meek inherit the earth.
00:48:35.81\00:48:38.95
Doug: Now there
are several prophecies.
00:48:38.98\00:48:40.28
We'll see how many
we can get through here.
00:48:40.32\00:48:42.32
There are more prophecies about
the fall of Babylon than any
00:48:42.35\00:48:44.89
other Old Testament event, other
than the Coming of the Messiah.
00:48:44.92\00:48:50.13
It says in Isaiah 44, verse 27:
"Who says to the deep, 'Be dry
00:48:50.16\00:48:55.16
and I will dry up your rivers.'"
Keep in mind, Isaiah writes
00:48:55.20\00:48:58.00
this, what, 500 years earlier
or many years earlier, maybe not
00:48:58.03\00:49:01.27
500 years earlier.
00:49:01.30\00:49:03.91
Isaiah 45:1: "Thus says the
Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus."
00:49:03.94\00:49:07.48
Only two times, or no, a
little more than two times.
00:49:07.51\00:49:10.71
Only a few times in the Bible
does God foretell the name of a
00:49:10.75\00:49:14.12
king years before he's born.
00:49:14.15\00:49:15.95
You have king Josiah was named
long before he was born and
00:49:15.98\00:49:20.62
Cyrus.
00:49:20.66\00:49:21.86
Now, of course, the angel said
Jesus's name but He was born
00:49:21.89\00:49:24.16
shortly after that, and John.
00:49:24.19\00:49:25.79
But it said: "To subdue nations
before him, to loose the armor
00:49:25.83\00:49:30.67
of kings, to open before him the
double doors, so the gates will
00:49:30.70\00:49:34.30
not be shut: 'I will go before
you, make the crooked places
00:49:34.34\00:49:37.87
straight; I will break in pieces
the gates of bronze,'" that
00:49:37.91\00:49:41.98
means they had great
iron and bronze bars.
00:49:42.01\00:49:44.15
They said they'll
never get into Babylon.
00:49:44.18\00:49:46.48
"'I'll give you the treasures of
darkness,'" all the treasures of
00:49:46.51\00:49:49.38
Babylon came to him.
00:49:49.42\00:49:51.72
Jeremiah said, "'A sword is
against the Chaldeans,' says the
00:49:51.75\00:49:55.36
Lord, 'against the inhabitants
of Babylon, against her princes
00:49:55.39\00:49:58.16
and her wise men.
00:49:58.19\00:49:59.36
A sword against the
soothsayers and the fools.'"
00:49:59.39\00:50:02.80
They couldn't answer it.
00:50:02.83\00:50:04.03
"'A sword against the mighty
men--'" It says the mighty men
00:50:04.07\00:50:05.83
would not be able to fight,
they'd be drunk, they would be
00:50:05.87\00:50:08.34
overcome with fear like women.
00:50:08.37\00:50:10.07
All these things were foretold.
00:50:10.11\00:50:12.24
Jeremiah 50, verse 38: "A
drought is against her waters.
00:50:12.27\00:50:15.84
They will be dried up for the
land of carved images and they
00:50:15.88\00:50:19.68
are insane with their idols."
00:50:19.71\00:50:22.15
And one more prophecy that's
interesting: Jeremiah even
00:50:22.18\00:50:25.55
foretold that it would happen to
the third son of Nebuchadnezzar,
00:50:25.59\00:50:29.36
that there would be
only three Babylonian kings.
00:50:29.39\00:50:32.29
You read in Jeremiah 27, verse
6: "And I now have given all
00:50:32.33\00:50:37.17
these lands to the hand
of Nebuchadnezzar the king of
00:50:37.20\00:50:39.57
Babylon, my servant, and the
beasts of the field I've given
00:50:39.60\00:50:42.77
to him to serve him.
00:50:42.80\00:50:44.04
So all nations shall serve him
and his son and his son's son
00:50:44.07\00:50:50.45
until the time of his land
comes," the judgment, in other
00:50:50.48\00:50:53.35
words.
00:50:53.38\00:50:54.25
And that's
exactly what happened.
00:50:54.28\00:50:55.85
It was the three that--three
generations from Nebuchadnezzar
00:50:55.88\00:51:00.32
including Nebuchadnezzar that
ruled and then Babylon fell.
00:51:00.36\00:51:04.73
And the same way that there was
a bloodless hand that went to
00:51:04.76\00:51:08.43
the temple when Jesus died
on the cross and ripped the veil
00:51:08.46\00:51:10.97
from top to bottom, here there
was another bloodless hand and
00:51:11.00\00:51:14.64
that was the end of an
age, an epic, you could say.
00:51:14.67\00:51:18.04
When the veil was rent here,
there was an end to an age when
00:51:18.07\00:51:21.98
that hand wrote in--on the
walls of Babylon that judgment.
00:51:22.01\00:51:25.71
Jean: It's also interesting
to note that just before Babylon
00:51:25.75\00:51:27.85
falls, there is a special
type of judgment that occurs.
00:51:27.88\00:51:30.89
Before Jesus comes, there is a
judgment that takes place and we
00:51:30.92\00:51:35.46
read about that in
the book of Revelation.
00:51:35.49\00:51:37.96
Well, we want to thank
those who joined us online.
00:51:37.99\00:51:39.89
I know, Pastor Doug, we're out
of time but we want to remind
00:51:39.93\00:51:41.96
our friends who are joining us
about our free offer for today.
00:51:42.00\00:51:45.33
It is one of our
"Amazing Facts" Study Guides.
00:51:45.37\00:51:47.37
It's entitled,
"No Turning Back."
00:51:47.40\00:51:49.10
If you'd like to receive a free
copy of this, the number to call
00:51:49.14\00:51:51.67
is 866-788-3966.
00:51:51.71\00:51:54.61
Just ask for offer number 146.
00:51:54.64\00:51:56.95
We'll be happy to send that to
anyone who calls and asks or you
00:51:56.98\00:52:00.38
can text the code, "SH137" to
the number 40544 and you'll be
00:52:00.42\00:52:07.09
able to receive a download and
read it online or on your phone
00:52:07.12\00:52:11.03
or whatever device, computer,
and you can learn more about
00:52:11.06\00:52:14.46
this.
00:52:14.46\00:52:15.63
It actually talks here about
the unpardonable sin and kind of
00:52:15.66\00:52:18.87
what happened when judgment
came to Belshazzar and Babylon.
00:52:18.90\00:52:22.57
So, great study.
00:52:22.60\00:52:24.74
Doug: Well, thank you,
friends, for joining us.
00:52:24.77\00:52:26.27
God willing, we'll study His
Word together again next week.
00:52:26.31\00:52:29.18
male announcer: Don't forget
to request today's life-changing
00:52:31.85\00:52:34.55
free resource.
00:52:34.58\00:52:35.98
Not only can you receive this
free gift in the mail, you can
00:52:36.02\00:52:38.35
download a digital copy
straight to your computer
00:52:38.39\00:52:40.59
or mobile device.
00:52:40.62\00:52:41.82
To get your digital copy of
today's free gift, simply text
00:52:41.86\00:52:45.39
the key word on your screen to
40544 or visit the web address
00:52:45.43\00:52:49.96
shown on your
screen, and be sure to select
00:52:50.00\00:52:52.97
the digital download
option on the request page.
00:52:53.00\00:52:55.20
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word with
00:52:55.24\00:52:58.31
"Amazing Facts," wherever
and whenever you want and most
00:52:58.34\00:53:01.91
important, to
share it with others.
00:53:01.94\00:53:04.31
announcer: "Amazing
Facts" Changed Lives.
00:53:08.58\00:53:11.05
Roy: I grew up here in
New York City, I guess dealing
00:53:16.16\00:53:20.20
with all the temptations that
you would have in a big city.
00:53:20.23\00:53:23.50
Everything that you could
imagine that you could run into,
00:53:23.53\00:53:26.47
drugs, crime, was always here.
00:53:26.50\00:53:30.67
When I was at a young age, I
actually got into trouble with
00:53:30.71\00:53:33.84
the law and my only out was to
join the military at the time in
00:53:33.88\00:53:38.78
order to not do time.
00:53:38.81\00:53:40.75
So I left New York and traveled
the world a little bit while I
00:53:40.78\00:53:44.72
was in the military.
00:53:44.75\00:53:45.62
Eventually, I came back.
00:53:45.65\00:53:49.06
Having grown up as a hip hop
kid I eventually found myself
00:53:49.09\00:53:52.89
working in the
music business, actually.
00:53:52.93\00:53:55.26
I worked at a couple of major
radio stations, hip hop, reggae.
00:53:55.30\00:53:58.53
I was at all the big
reggae shows, working them.
00:53:58.57\00:54:01.07
No matter what I did to try and
satisfy myself, nothing really
00:54:01.10\00:54:05.81
worked.
00:54:05.84\00:54:07.01
I remember I used to play
at this one club in Manhattan.
00:54:07.04\00:54:09.68
Used to play there
every Friday night.
00:54:09.71\00:54:11.98
So I came home one Saturday
morning after leaving the club
00:54:12.01\00:54:15.58
and I turned on the video
channel like I usually do.
00:54:15.62\00:54:19.19
So, there was this guy in the
video channel talking and he was
00:54:19.22\00:54:23.19
definitely out of place but the
things that he was saying just
00:54:23.22\00:54:27.60
totally amazed me.
00:54:27.60\00:54:28.80
I had never heard anyone speak
about the Bible like this before
00:54:28.83\00:54:32.40
so I started coming home early
on Saturday mornings just to
00:54:32.43\00:54:36.07
catch this show.
00:54:36.10\00:54:37.31
I found the things that he was
saying absolutely amazing to the
00:54:37.34\00:54:41.04
point where it literally made
me stop and start to think about
00:54:41.08\00:54:47.08
how I was living my life.
00:54:47.12\00:54:48.82
So I found that all of these
things that I had been doing to
00:54:48.85\00:54:50.82
try and find happiness were
actually not making my happy at
00:54:50.85\00:54:55.29
all, but were really
just leaving me empty inside.
00:54:55.32\00:54:58.29
When I started reading the Bible
and it started to make sense, I
00:54:58.33\00:55:02.56
started to make changes.
00:55:02.60\00:55:04.20
I even tried to keep the Sabbath
which I failed at miserably.
00:55:04.23\00:55:08.47
So I was actually invited by
"Amazing Facts" to go to see a
00:55:08.50\00:55:13.34
live series at one of the local
churches but after going the
00:55:13.38\00:55:17.21
first night I ended up going
another night and another night.
00:55:17.25\00:55:20.22
I stayed for the entire series.
00:55:20.25\00:55:22.68
That was the day I made a
decision that changed the rest
00:55:22.72\00:55:25.39
of my life forever.
00:55:25.42\00:55:26.62
I gave my life to Christ and
everything was different after
00:55:26.65\00:55:29.62
that.
00:55:29.66\00:55:30.89
I made a decision to give up the
music business, stop hanging out
00:55:30.93\00:55:33.60
at all of the clubs.
00:55:33.63\00:55:34.73
I made a decision that
was eternal for me and for my
00:55:34.73\00:55:37.40
family.
00:55:37.43\00:55:38.27
I started going to church.
00:55:38.30\00:55:43.51
I got a position in church where
I was actually in charge of the
00:55:43.54\00:55:45.87
personal ministries department.
00:55:45.91\00:55:48.31
And the same "Amazing Facts"
studies that changed my life, I
00:55:48.34\00:55:52.01
actually got to share them with
people and sit down with them
00:55:52.05\00:55:55.82
and tell them about Jesus.
00:55:55.85\00:55:58.15
¤¤¤
00:56:00.59\00:56:03.73
¤¤¤
00:56:06.90\00:56:15.20
Doug: On several occasions,
scientists have demonstrated
00:56:17.34\00:56:19.84
that people and even creatures
can struggle with depression
00:56:19.87\00:56:23.28
when exposed to
continual darkness.
00:56:23.31\00:56:25.85
This can be seen every year in
the winter months in the Arctic
00:56:25.88\00:56:28.68
regions.
00:56:28.72\00:56:29.92
The beautiful village of Rjukan,
Norway, is situated in a deep
00:56:29.95\00:56:34.06
valley where mountains block the
sun's rays for about six months
00:56:34.09\00:56:37.36
every year.
00:56:37.39\00:56:39.33
This, of course, keeps the 3400
residents in a state of shade
00:56:39.36\00:56:42.86
and sometimes depressing
darkness throughout the winter.
00:56:42.90\00:56:46.23
Then the town leaders got a
bright idea to help illuminate
00:56:46.27\00:56:49.90
their village
during the murky months.
00:56:49.94\00:56:52.11
In October 2013, Rjukan
installed an array of three
00:56:52.14\00:56:57.05
gigantic 550 square foot
mirrors on a nearby mountain
00:56:57.08\00:57:02.32
1000 feet above the town.
00:57:02.35\00:57:03.75
The computer-controlled and
solar-powered mirrors track the
00:57:03.79\00:57:07.92
sun through the winter months
and reflect a giant beam of
00:57:07.96\00:57:11.59
sunshine down to the town
square, brightening their lives.
00:57:11.63\00:57:15.76
If you visit Rjukan in the
winter months today you can
00:57:15.80\00:57:18.67
often see the people gathered
or sitting on benches around the
00:57:18.70\00:57:22.54
town square, bathing
in the reflected sunshine.
00:57:22.57\00:57:26.14
Like those mirrors on the
mountain, the Bible says that
00:57:26.17\00:57:29.74
Christians are to reflect the
light of Jesus who is the light
00:57:29.78\00:57:32.28
of the world
into this dark planet.
00:57:32.31\00:57:34.48
Matthew 5:14 says: "You
are the light of the world.
00:57:34.52\00:57:37.85
A city that is set on
a hill cannot be hidden.
00:57:37.89\00:57:40.92
Nor do we light a lamp and
put it under a basket, but on a
00:57:40.96\00:57:44.03
lampstand, and it illuminates
everybody in the house.
00:57:44.06\00:57:47.83
Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good
00:57:47.86\00:57:51.23
works and glorify
your Father in heaven."
00:57:51.27\00:57:54.67
So, friends, use today to
brighten the life of someone
00:57:54.70\00:57:57.44
else by reflecting Jesus.
00:57:57.47\00:58:00.38
¤¤¤
00:58:00.41\00:58:06.82