There's so much in the separate one of the longer chapters in the book
And so we're not really going to be able to you know preach every little thing that's in there unfortunately
But try to give an overview and hit some of the main points here in Daniel chapter 1 if you remember
Basically Daniel Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were among all the captives that were taken from the land of Judah
They've been taken captive into the land of Babylon and they've been made eunuchs
And they were basically forced into a system where they had to learn all the ways the Chaldeans
They were being trained and brainwashed and all the false gods and false things there
But they took a stand and stood up for God and refused to sin or do anything against their conscience and God blessed them
And they ended up being more successful than all the others who compromised around them
Now in Daniel chapter 2
Nebuchadnezzar has a dream
It says in verse number one in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams where with his spirit was troubled and his sleep break from it
Basically he woke up in the middle of sleeping and he was upset
He was sometimes you have a dream and you wake up perturbed and agitated and that's how it was with Nebuchadnezzar
So he woke up from this dream, but he couldn't remember what the dream was
So he has all these guys and they're listed in verse number two there
It says then the king commanded to call the magicians and the
Astrologers and the sorcerers and the Chaldeans for to show the king his dreams
So they came and stood before the king now all these are things that the Bible speaks against by the way
astrology magicians
Sorcery these are all wicked and satanic
Occultic type things you can see it back in the law of Moses all throughout the Bible book of Revelation
Condemned sorcery witchcraft and by the way
There's nothing new under the Sun and today the same things are out there
And it's becoming more and more prevalent among young people. They love Harry Potter
They love the lion the witch in the wardrobe. They love what's the other one that the Twilight and the
What else is popular?
That's the Lord of the Rings and all these different things where they're chanting spells and this idea even Star Wars to an extent
This idea of black magic and white magic we were we were not soul
I think we were on our way to court and you remember this Ryan. We're on our way to court. We were at the
Breakfast and the lady there that was that was the worker
You know I began to give her the gospel and and witness her and it turned out she said well
You know I'm Wicca
She said my mom is a priest in Wicca and it's white magic and it's do no harm
And I said you really believe in that stuff, and she said oh, yeah
I believe in it. You know and I went through the whole plan of salvation with her
She didn't get saved, but hopefully down the road
She'll get saved because she definitely heard the gospel
But this is prevalent today, and it's becoming more and more prevalent, and it's it's satanic. It's witchcraft. It's everything
That's demonic. It's Ouija boards. It's it's the video games that promoted
It's the movies that pro and so we need to be aware of these things and God warned many times against these things
But
Nebuchadnezzar is a heathen unsaved man, and so this is who he's going to this is basically his religion
So he goes to all his phony
Religious people these people who are going to tell him what his dream was it says in verse 3 and the king said of them
I've dreamed a dream and my spirit was troubled to know the dream then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac
That's a language by the way. Oh
King live forever
Tell thy servants the dream and we will show the interpretation the king answered said to the Chaldeans
The thing is gone from me if you will not make known unto me the dream with the interpretation thereof
He shall be cut in pieces and your houses shall be made a dunghill now you wonder. Why is he so angry?
Why is he so upset just right out of the gate?
They ask him okay. Tell us your dream will interpret it for you next thing
You know he's talking about chopping them up and turning their house into a dunghill
Well, you're gonna understand in a second. Why he's so angry
It says in verse 7 they answered again
And said let the king tell his servants the dream and we will show the interpretation of it the king answered said I know of
Certainty that you would gain the time because you see the thing is gone from me
But if you will not make known unto me the dream there is but one decree for you for you have prepared
Lying and corrupt words to speak before me till the time be changed so basically
He wants he doesn't remember what his dream was and he wants them to tell them what he dreamed and then to interpret it for
Him they can't do that. You know they don't know what he dreamed, and he explains that look. I know what you're gonna
Do I'll tell you what I dreamed, and then you'll just make something up
You know and how is he gonna know whether the interpretations right or not, but he says you know if you?
Tell me what the dream was and the interpretation then I'll know you're telling the truth
But of course they couldn't do that so he gets angry
And he says he's gonna and then they argue with them
I'm gonna skip some of this for sake of time
But basically they keep arguing with them and and saying that's not fair and all this stuff
And it says in verse 12 for this cause the king was angry and very furious and commanded to destroy all
The wise men of Babylon and the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain and they sought to slay
Daniel they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain because they were wise men, too
They've been brought captive in chapter 1 they were being trained in all the
Institutions of higher learning and they were being groomed and geared to be wise men in Babylon
But what's interesting is Daniel and his friends were not in the group that was called to interpret the dream
The ones who were called were just the sorcerers the magicians the astrologers. They were all phonies
They were all charlatans. They were fake. That's why they couldn't do a real miracle here. They couldn't really
Determine this dream and this secret of the man's heart
But the decree goes out to just kill all the wise men
So even people who were not part of these phony cultic practices
Just all of the wise men all of the basically religious leaders and and
Philosophers and those type of people now what's interesting here?
Is that even though Daniel and his friends had nothing to do with this? They're gonna be killed
They're on the list to die because it says in verse number
13 at the end and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain now look Nebuchadnezzar
Realized that these sorcerers were a bunch of phonies, but notice how it just poisoned him basically
It's all the wise men against all religion
And I've seen this so many times people will be part of a phony cultic religion like a Jehovah's Witness
Mormonism something like that and then they'll reject it
And then they'll basically just become an atheist and just be turned against all religion
How many times you've been out knocking doors soul-winning you knock on somebody's door
And they I don't want anything to do with church, you know slam the door shut
Curse you out why because they had a bad experience with some phony church somewhere
Maybe even if it's bad anybody say Oh Baptist forget that you know because they'd had a bad experience
With some wicked Baptist Church somewhere that lied to them, or you know with all the things that go on today
They kids today are being molested in phony churches all over the place, and then it poisons the well against real Christianity
but let me tell you something just because a
Church is wicked or a religion is wicked or a person is wicked that doesn't mean that the Bible isn't true
that doesn't mean that Christianity is not real and basically when people preach a false gospel and
False prophecy that's going to cause people to just react reject Christianity as a whole just to reject all religion and become
Atheistic now that's not going to be any excuse for them. They're going to hell
You know it's between them and God whether they accept or reject Jesus Christ
But let me tell you something there's nothing more wicked than a false teacher and a false prophet according to the Bible
The devil himself is transformed into a minister of light the Bible says it says he's transformed into an angel
of light and his ministers are transformed into ministers of light because the devil would love to put out all his
false wisdom and false religion and false
Christianity in order to confuse people, but also the disillusion people and burn people to where they'll say man
I don't want anything to do with Christianity. I don't want anything to do with religion
I don't want anything to do with the Bible, and that's what you see here these these phony
Prognostic haters and sorcerers basically just pushed Nebuchadnezzar to the point where he just said well
Just destroy them all even Dan. You know I like Daniel, but just destroy him, too
So look what it says in verse 14
Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard
Which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon he answered and said to Arioch the king's captain
Why is the decree so hasty from the king say why is he doing this?
It says then Daniel went in or then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel then Daniel went in desired of the king that he
would give him time and that he would show the king the
Interpretation then Daniel went to his house and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishal and Azariah those are Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
His companions that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the
Rest of the wise men of Babylon now. It's funny because they told the king okay
We're gonna interpret it for you, and then they're like okay. We better pray or something
It's like if they said they were gonna do it before they even had the answer so I mean they had faith, right?
But then again they also had nothing to lose right, so they're just like oh, yeah, we can do this
We're gonna interpret this and then they just like okay guys
Let's start praying and figure out how we're actually gonna do this now
So then they go and they start praying and now the four of them basically get together and start praying and
Begging God to save them here and to show them the dream well verse 19
It says then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision
Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven Daniel answered and said blessed be the name of God
Forever and ever for wisdom and might are his and he changeth the times and the seasons
He remove of Kings and set it up Kings he giveth wisdom under the wise and knowledge to them that know
Understanding he reveal it the deep and secret things he knoweth
What is in the darkness and the light dwells with him?
I thank thee and praise the O thou God of my fathers who has given me wisdom and might and has made known unto me now
What we desired of thee for thou hast made known unto us the king of Aaron out chapter 1 and chapter 2 both
Emphasize over and over again how all wisdom and knowledge comes from God
I mean he says over and over you're the one who gives the wisdom to the wise you're the one who gives knowledge and
Understanding and skill and wisdom and this is a theme throughout the book of Daniel later on the book of Daniel
You'll see this come up again and again and yet we think that the source of learning is to go to the heathen
To go to the university you know to go to a school or a cemetery or a seminary or to go to some
Heathen bookstore or something and look I know there's knowledge out there
And I know that there are things you can learn from people
But you know what this is the source of knowledge and wisdom and understanding right here the fear of the Lord is the beginning of
knowledge
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom the fear of the Lord at the beginning of understanding
And if you really want to be an intellectual and intelligent person start with this book right here
Learn it read it study this will make you
Intelligent in every area of life the Bible says the law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul and then he said making
wise the simple
God's word will educate you
Honestly the people that I've known who were not very smart people they were not intelligent type people
I've seen them get saved and start reading this book
And I've watched their intelligence increase in every area of life. It's true
I've watched their their language become more articulate, and they were able to express themselves better
I watched them do better at math and science and history literally because of the fact that God gives
Understanding and knowledge and the reason that we live in a society
That's dumbed down
The reason that children today come out of high school with a lot less knowledge than they used to is because they've taken away
the cornerstone of all knowledge and learning and education and wisdom right here the Holy Bible and you take this away from them and
Education is going to fall on its face
Honestly the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God and the most intelligent people
I know are people who know the Bible true
God is the one who gives skill knowledge understanding wisdom all these different things they come from God
You want to be a smart person and everyone ought to want to be a smart person
God is not impressed by foolishness or ignorance or stupidity we ought to learn the Bible read the Bible every day
You say well is there a degree for do I get a degree to put on my wall for that no
But you know what you will have the knowledge and understanding that will help you live this life
Provide for your family do what you need to do make the right decisions in your life
and this book will guide you and direct you and God will make you wise and
Wisdom is more precious than rubies the Bible says it's better than gold
Wisdom is more to be desired than gold than silver. He said get
Wisdom and you get it from God you don't get it anywhere else
What would you rather have money or wisdom wisdom can help you make the money that you need
But money is not going to give you wisdom
wisdom comes from God
So he says here that God is the one who gives wisdom knowledge understand, but look at verse 22
He revealeth the deep and secret things he knoweth
What is in the darkness and the light dwells with him now just the subject in the Bible of secret things God?
Revealing secrets is actually something that's mentioned throughout the Bible, and I want to go to just a few scriptures look at Deuteronomy 29 29
5th book of the Old Testament Deuteronomy 29 and
I want to show you this passage on secret things the Bible says in Deuteronomy 29 29
the secret things
Belong unto the Lord our God
But those things which are revealed
Belong unto us and to our children forever that we may do all the words of this law now
We're going to come back to that
But he said there are things that are revealed that belong to us and to our children forever
And there are other things that are the secret things that belong to God
we're going to come back to this verse, but look at psalm 25 psalm 25 and
verse number 14
psalm 25 14 the Bible reads
Give me one second to get there the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him
And he will show them his covenant now that covenant that he's talking about is the word of God
If you study the book of Psalms when he talks about God's covenant he's referring to God's Word turn to Matthew 13
Matthew chapter 13 I'm only gonna have you turn a few more places, but in Matthew 13 you can go ahead and turn there
I'll read Luke 8 while you're turning there
Luke chapter 8 verse 16 you're in Matthew 13 35
Luke 8 16 says this
No, man when he had lighted a candle covereth it with a vessel or put it that under a bed
But said it that on a candlestick that they which enter in may see the light for nothing is secret
That shall not be made manifest
Neither anything hid that shall not be known and come abroad take heed therefore
How ye hear for whosoever have to him shall be given and whosoever have not from him shall be taken away
Even that which he seemeth to have you're in Matthew 13 look at verse 35 the Bible reads
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying I will open my mouth in parables
I will utter things to talk about Jesus Christ preaching I will utter things which have been kept
Secret from the foundation of the world go to one more place
Romans 16 Romans chapter 16 all read for you John 18 20
And then I'll explain this to you, but go to Romans 16 John 18 20 says this
Jesus answered him I spake openly to the world I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple
Whither the Jews always resort and in secret have I said nothing look at Romans 16
Romans chapter 16 last chapter of the book of Romans look at verse 25 now to him that is a power to establish you
That that's a old word for establish
according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ
According to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began and watch the next verse
But now is made manifest and by the scriptures of the prophets
according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all
Nations for the obedience of faith, so he explains here that look there were things in the past that were secret
But he said now they're being revealed now
They're manifest now through what Jesus Christ preached on this earth and through what he's writing them in the book of Romans
Which is God's Word being penned down the Holy Ghost is
Speaking through him here, and he writes these things down. He's saying now. They're being revealed now through the scriptures
They're being revealed now. They're manifest now. We see the whole big picture now
We know what's going on now with that in mind go back to where we started in Deuteronomy 29 29
He said in Deuteronomy 29 29 the secret things belong unto the Lord our God
Now according to all the scriptures we read in the New Testament are those things still secret today
No, because he said they were secret now. They're revealed
Jesus said I'm revealing to you
I'm speaking to you things that have been kept secret since the foundation of the world and through the scriptures
Through the prophets through the book of Romans through Jesus Christ. They're being revealed
He says the secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed now
That's talking about things that had already been revealed at that time
Okay revealed with a D on the end past tense the things that are revealed
Belong unto us and to our children forever that we may do all
The words of this law now all the verses that we looked up on the secret things it was always talking about God's Word
Romans 16 was talking about God's Word
John 18 Luke 8 Matthew 13 all the is Psalm 25 mentioned his covenant
All of these things are talking about God's Word. This is a great verse on the preservation of God's Word
Because notice here about Genesis through Deuteronomy, which was what was revealed to them at that time the first five books of the Bible
They said those things which are revealed
Belong unto us and to our
children forever
That we may do all the what the words of this law now today
people attack the preservation of God's Word, but Jesus said heaven and earth shall pass away, but my
Words shall not pass away. It says in the book of Isaiah
He said this word, and I'm paraphrasing, but he said the word that I put in thy mouth Isaiah
He said it will be in the mouth of your children and your children's children
From this time forth and forevermore
Once God revealed his word through the writing down of the scripture. He promised to preserve it
The Bible says the words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in the furnace of Earth
Purified seven times thou shalt keep them o Lord thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever
He said heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away
the secret things
God reveals through his word God revealed them to Daniel by the word of God, okay?
And today we have them revealed in the written word of God in the scriptures as it said in Romans 16 25 26
so go back to Daniel chapter 2 and
So God's word is preserved now many people will say this well
Word for word you got to go back to the originals
And you know all we have today is a copy of a copy of a copy and they'll say well it was pure
You know when it was first written
Thousands of years ago in a different language it was pure
But today you know it's been passed down and copied and copied and translated, and so this is pretty close
This is the best we got no way God promised to preserve it. He said he preserved every word
He said man should not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded on the other guy
He said till heaven and earth passed
He said it is easier for heaven and earth to pass
Then for one shot or one tittle to pass from the law till all be fulfilled and all hasn't been fulfilled
And it hasn't passed away, and I'm holding it in my hand here preserved today in this generation
We have God's Word we don't have to wonder. Oh, it's pretty close pretty close isn't good enough if I'm gonna stay everything
I believe everything I do for the rest of my life is based on this book. I don't want it to be close
I want to be exactly what God said
And then they'll say well only the original is inspired
inspiration means that it was spoken by God and the Bible says in
Exodus 20 verse 1 and God's fake all these words say now are these the words that God's fake or not
And if they're not
If they're not then I want to know where they are and I want to get those words you say well
It's a different language. What language was Daniel chapter 2 in do you remember that word that?
syriac
So wait a minute what if we go if we go back to the Hebrew is that going to be good enough?
This wasn't originally Hebrew was it it was originally in syriac
Look at Daniel 4 1 are you in Daniel?
Look at Daniel 4 1 chapter 4 verse 1 says Nebuchadnezzar the king unto all people
nations and
Languages that dwell in all the earth peace be multiplied unto you when Daniel chapter 4 was originally written
It was written in all languages and sent out to all people in their native language
And it was God's Word isn't Daniel chapter 4 God's Word
Absolutely, and let me tell you something in Acts chapter 2 at the day of Pentecost
Men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost in foreign languages
So let me ask you this was what they were saying in those foreign languages
And it said it was every nation and listed 17 individual languages was what they were saying
Just roughly pretty close to God's Word
They were speaking as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and yet in 17 different languages. They were speaking God's Word
Because God is not confined to one language
If he were he would have wrote the whole Bible in that language
And yet part of the Bible is in Hebrew and part of it's in Greek and part of it's in Syriac and so therefore
God can speak and you know does that surprise you that God can speak more than one language and
People will want to limit God and say God's Word can only be in Greek well
that's if you're in the New Testament you know, but in the Old Testament has to be Hebrew and
I literally think that God
Purposely gave us the Bible in two major languages
so that it because I think that if God would have given us the Bible just in one language we would start to worship that
language and
then we would start to worship the people that speak that language and
That's what you have today a lot of people have a Jew worship going on where they think that the Jews are some kind of
A superhuman some kind of a god-man on this earth when in reality. He's made all nations of the earth of one blood
He said a in Christ there's neither Jew nor Gentile neither bond nor free
He said hey to the Jew first and also to the Greek is damnation or salvation the choice is up to them
He said he that believeth on the Sun has everlasting life
But he that believeth not the Sun should not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him unless he Jewish
He was talking to a Jew when he said that and he said if you don't believe on Jesus Christ
God's wrath is on you not God's blessing God's wrath
He said to the Jews think not to say within yourselves
We have Abraham to our father
For I say to you that God is able to these stones to raise up children and Abraham and God is not limited to that
One language of Hebrew. That's why he gave us the New Testament in Greek
And you can translate that book into any language you want and and this is coming from somebody who speaks multiple languages
I go out soul winning and speak Spanish and win people to Christ as soon as the service is over
I'm going to teach a German class because I speak fluent German with my wife every day
Because I've spoken the I've read the Bible cover to cover in in German
I've read the Bible the New Testament cover to cover in Spanish five times
I've read the pot the New Testament cover to cover twice in Romania
Look you can express God's Word in all these languages and people will make statements like well
You always lose something in the translation show me that in the Bible show me in the Bible
You lose something in the translation
I'll show you God speak in 17 different languages saying it was God's work
And so don't don't believe what you always hear people say they're just trying to get you to lose faith in your English Bible
Because they want to get up and tell you well, I know you're reading in plain English, but let me tell you what it really means
I'm gonna tell you what it really means
But the Bible says what it means and it means what it says and
Everybody wants to get up and
Go down deep and stay down long and come up dry to find some hidden meaning and so forth
There's no secret in this book here
This is the secret revealed. It's plain. I
Love what Paul said in 1st Corinthians. Therefore we use great plainness of speech. He said look we're speaking clearly here
Things in the Old Testament are sometimes a little bit of an enigma a dark saying but in the New Testament
They're revealed the secrets are revealed and that's where we live and we have the whole Bible and so in Daniel chapter 2
Getting back into this God revealed the secret unto Daniel. He prayed and
God revealed him through the Word of the Lord. He revealed him a secret now
How are you gonna get the secret things of the Bible revealed unto you the same way
not through Google not through a concordance or a lexicon or a Bible dictionary or a
commentary
Honestly the secrets of God's Word will be revealed to you through prayer all throughout the book of Daniel
It's like this look at him and his four friends praying and God reveals them the truth
You say well God doesn't speak that way you're right he speaks through the Word of God, but still prayer
Will help you understand the Bible look at Daniel you don't have to turn there
But later on in the book in Daniel chapter 9 he prays and fasts
But he didn't do a total fast
He actually ate just bread and water for 21 days and he prayed and begged God to help him
Understand the book of Jeremiah that he had in front of he's reading the book of Jeremiah
Trying to understand it and he prayed for 21 days until God revealed unto him the meaning of certain passages in the book
of Jeremiah, and you know many times in my life. I've had passage in the Bible
I struggle with and I prayed for a week or two on that passage and prayed and kept reading other Bible
Looking for the answer praying praying praying and God revealed me the answer and that is the best way to learn not to go run
to some
electronic media to find the answer now look
I I don't think there's anything wrong with using a concordance
You know if you're just using a concordance because you're saying you know what was that verse again that talked about
Revealing a secret and you say okay. I'm gonna look up the word secret and find it
But you know what you can't just rely on these things as your tool for understanding the Bible
You need the Holy Spirit to understand the Bible and it's and prayer will help if you ask God
You shall receive you know you ask God give me with the Bible says if any of you lack wisdom
Let him ask of God
They give it to all men liberally and a prayed-if not and it shall be given him God says if you ask for wisdom
he'll give it to you and
There have been many things that I asked for wisdom on and I didn't get the answer right away necessarily it took Daniel 21 days
of fasting and
Really serious prayer, but you know eventually God revealed unto me the answer that I was looking for
through prayer and through reading of the Bible
The answers are all in the Bible
It's not that I prayed and God gave me some new scripture some new words some new revelation
The answer was in the Bible all the time
But I prayed for God to help me to find it and God helped me to find that answer because the answers are all in
The Bible God has revealed all the secrets
but it's going to take diligence and work to dig down and find it and it's going to take reading reading and more reading and
Reading through the Bible once cover to cover is not going to cut it
Reading it five times cover to cover is not going to cut it
I mean you got to read it again and again and again and again to in order to
Mine out of it all the truth, and you'll never you'll still never get it all
But we need to get back to a generation of young people that will grow up and know the Bible unlike the previous generation
Doesn't know the Bible in most cases
Man get up behind the pulpit don't know what they're talking about we in our generation need to rise up and say you know what?
We are going to learn the Bible. We're not just going to take it for it. We're not just going to rely on some commentary
I'm sick and tired of these commentaries. I'm sick of them
You know you go in the office of the pastor, and you got all the commentaries and all
Theology is you know that stuff is a crutch to lean on for somebody who doesn't study to show themselves approved unto God
That's what it is
It's true. Just a crutch. Oh, let me just go find a quick answer
Instead of studying to show thyself approved unto God and that's what we need to do young old child
Study the Bible read the Bible and so that's how Daniel got wisdom
That's how you're gonna get wisdom through God's Word through prayer verse 24
I gotta hurry therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon
He went and said thus to him destroy not the wise men of Babylon
bring me in before the king and I will show unto the king the interpretation and
I'm gonna skip for sake of time
But look at verse 27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king and said the secret which the king had demanded
Cannot the wise man. He's just rubbing it in they can't do it cannot
The wise man the astrologers the magicians the soothsayers showing the king he's saying cuz they're a bunch of phonies
Because they are liars you're right
But he said there is a God in heaven that
Revealeth secrets and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days
Thy dream and the visions of thy head upon thy bed are this God is a God that reveals secrets
He didn't leave us in the dark
He left us with his word to be a light unto our feet a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path
He doesn't want us to be ignorant
That's why there's a Bible in every Dollar Tree in America
Practically you can get the Bible in any nation in this world because he wants to reveal secrets. He wants to reveal to us the truth
He says I'll tell you what the dream was. He says in verse 31 thou o king sauced and behold a great image
This great image whose brightness was excellent
Stood before the end the form thereof was terrible the word terrible is our modern word of terrifying
Terrible doesn't mean bad. It just means terrifying it makes you afraid because it's just so
Intimidating would be another word that you can think of and I'm just going to just explain this for sake of time
Basically, he sees this giant image and the head is made of gold
that the chest area and the arms are made of silver the
Stomach and the legs are brass and then down at the bottom the feet are made of iron
And then the toes are partially iron and partially clay. He explains that these are kingdoms. He says the head of gold is that
Nebuchadnezzar's
worldwide
Empire
Probably the first worldwide empire in the history of mankind the greatest to that point
Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian Empire was the ultimate head of gold of human government basically
then after Amy said there's going to be one that's going to rise up that's going to be inferior to you it's not going to
be as great of a kingdom and
basically chose this part of the body to represent it because of the fact that the two arms would represent it because it was a
Split Kingdom it was called the Medo-Persian Empire this comes up later in the book of Daniel the Medes and the Persians
That's why it's the two arms and the chest area
That's the silver kingdom after the Babylonian Empire then later on the book of Daniel
Explained that the third kingdom is going to be the Greek Empire
That's the brass Kingdom, and then the iron Kingdom would be the Roman Empire okay, and he explains that
We'll come down a little bit. We'll jump back into the text here
It says in verse number
34 it says thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands
Which smote the image upon his feet?
That were of iron and clay and break them to pieces
of course when you break the feet of the image, what's going to happen the whole thing is going to come crashing down and
So it says that the the stone that was cut out without hands
Smote the feet that were of iron and clay and break them pieces
Then was the iron the clay the brass the silver and gold broken to pieces together and became like the chap of the summer
Thrushing floors and the wind carried them away that no place was found for them and the stone that smote the image became a great
Mountain and filled the whole earth then he goes into the interpretation thereof and he explains what I already explained to you
But it says in verse number
44 and in the days of these kings talking about the ten kings the the ten toes of the feet
It says in the days of those kings shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom
Which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people
But it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand forever
For as much as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it break in pieces the iron
The brass the clay the silver and the gold the great God have made known to the king what shall come to pass
Hereafter and the dream is certain and the interpretation thereof sure
Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and worshiped Daniel
We'll get to that in a moment
But you see here he knew right away that it was the truth because if you have a dream and forget it
If someone would start to tell you the dream again, it's gonna come back. Oh, yeah, that's I remember now
and so as Daniel's telling him this dream, he knows that is what I dreamed and
So, of course, he's just shocked and amazed that Daniel was able to reveal the stream
Now
The stone that was cut out without hands is referring to Jesus Christ
We don't have time to turn to all the places, but we're going to turn to a couple of places
We're going to turn to first Psalm 2 and then Revelation 2 those are the last two places. We're going to turn tonight
Besides Daniel 2 Psalm 2 and Revelation 2 if you want to get your finger there ready for us to look at those
But you see all throughout the Bible Jesus Christ is referred to as the chief cornerstone
He said the stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner many times throughout the Bible
He's referred to as the cornerstone the rock of our salvation the chief cornerstone
Over and over again and of course this human government world empire structure that went from the Babylonian Empire
They already had it all organized and everything so when the Medo-Persian Empire took over that
Infrastructure and bureaucracy was already in place
The Greek Empire was able to build upon that
Foundation when Alexander the Great came in and took over and then the Roman Empire builds upon a lot of that same structure
That was already there when they had the Roman Empire
Now when did Jesus come?
During that Roman Empire right during that time of those kings as it were
Jesus Christ came for the first time he appeared on this earth
Not to set up his millennial kingdom, but he did say that the kingdom of God is in your hearts
You know he basically came as the king the king of kings and lord of lords now
He came to be the sacrifice for the sins of mankind the first time he came he lived a perfect life
he was tempted in all points as we are yet without sin and
He was basically you know of course beaten crucified
died he was buried he rose again and
He was
Anointed and and crowned and his kingdom was set up at that time in a sense
But not his physical earthly kingdom that hasn't happened yet. That's still coming
So basically there's a double meaning and throughout the book of Daniel as well as throughout a lot of Old Testament prophecies
There's a lot of double meaning
There's one immediate meaning that you can see of like okay
This is happening right now the Babylonian Empire the Medo-Persian Empire the Greek Empire the Roman Empire
Okay, but then there's also going to be the second coming of Jesus Christ
Which will also be characterized with a similar pattern of events with ten kings if you remember in in
Revelation chapter number 17 we're not going to turn there for sake of time, but it talks about the ten kings
That will basically give their power onto the Antichrist the ten toes here are indicative of that
They'll give their kingdom of the Antichrist
Which is basically like a new Roman Empire in the sense of the fact that the Bible talks about the woman
riding on the scarlet colored beasts in Revelation 17 and now the seven heads of the beast are the seven
Mountains upon which the woman sitteth of course the sit that the Rome is the city of seven hills
That's where the Antichrist known as the Pope is seated right now in Rome and Vatican City of the Roman Catholic Church
Catholic means universal it's always been a universalist religion
It's also known as Babylon which is what we're talking about here with the Babylonian Empire
Babel was the place where they were going to build a tower to reach unto heaven
And I'm just cramming this all into like three minutes even though it could be hours and hours fixed about it
But basically Babel Tower of Babel was a one-world religion a one-world government
You remember the Tower of Babel, and they were trying to work their way up to heaven
Well in the end times there's going to be the Antichrist
Where there will be a one-world government a one-world religion?
They'll worship the Antichrist and the word Catholic means universal they believe that they're working their way to heaven
They're trying to earn their way to heaven. They don't believe that salvation is a gift of God
That's by grace through faith. They believe it's earned and worked for and they have this religion. That's a universal church religion and
that religion
Will be merged and formed with a lot of other religions in this world to crown the Antichrist
when all nations basically worship him and
Those who are not in the book of life will receive the mark of the beast in the right hand or in their forehead and so
forth well when that happens basically when the Antichrist comes and
Nebuchadnezzar is a picture of the Antichrist and in chapter 3 he's going to command them to worship an image of him
Just like one day there will be an image of the Antichrist the people will be commanded to worship
But when the Antichrist comes
False Christianity including Roman Catholicism will say this is the second coming of Jesus Christ
the
Jews and I'm talking about Judaism
I'm not talking about a race of people I'm talking about a religion the Jews will say this is the Messiah
Because they're still looking for the Messiah. They don't believe Jesus Christ was the Messiah
They're gonna accept the Antichrist as their Messiah the Christians so-called the false
Christianity will say this is the second coming of Jesus Christ
You know the Islamic people will say this is the fifth Imam or whatever the Buddhists will say this is the seventh Buddha
you know those in those in religions like Sikhism and
Other religions they have a figure that they're looking for the Krishna or what you know whatever they call it
this man
The Antichrist a literal man the man of sin the son of perdition
Will stand up and proclaim himself to be God in the flesh the Messiah
The the ruler of the world the king of kings and Lord of Lords and of course he's an imposter
and
Of course the Roman Catholic system will be part of this not the whole thing
But the Roman Catholic system is the one that goes back the furthest isn't it in the Middle Ages who was setting up?
a
Government an empire that spanned nations that spanned a large part of the world that kept people in darkness that that
taught them a lying doctrine and made illegal to read and write and to print books and all these different things and plunged Europe into
Darkness and an ignorance and so we can get go on and on about that, but I don't want to get too deep
I'm just trying to just give you a quick overview some people know what I'm talking about some people don't
Depending on how much Bible you know or
Little lot some of what I'm talking about
But the bottom line is this this is indicative of the first coming of Christ and the second coming
But when he talks about here is mainly referring to the second coming because he's referring to Jesus Christ setting up a kingdom
That will never be destroyed setting up an empire that will never be replaced
Like the Babylonian Empire was replaced by the Medo-Persian Empire
Jesus Christ Empire will never be replaced you say well gonna last a thousand years
No, he's gonna set up his thousand-year reign on this earth
But then it says he's gonna after the white throne judgment have a new heaven and a new earth
And we will reign with him forever and ever the Bible says in Revelation chapter 22
Now let me show you these two scriptures. I had you turn to Psalm chapter 2 you remember how the the stone
That was cut out without hands not a man-made stone
That stone represented Jesus Christ that was going to shatter the feet of that image and the whole image would come crashing down
Look at Psalm 2 with that in mind the Bible says in Psalm 2 verse number 7
I will declare the decree the Lord had said unto me thou art my son
This day have I begotten thee ask of me
And I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession
This is Jesus Christ can inherit all things
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron
Does that sound familiar with that passage in Daniel 2 thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel now?
Do you remember what the toes were made of?
Potter's clay do you remember that it says be wise now therefore? Oh ye kings
Be
Instructed ye judges of the earth
Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling kiss the son lest he be angry and you perish from the way
When his wrath is kindled, but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him go to Revelation 2 where I had you turn
Revelation 2 last book in the Bible, and he says in Revelation 2 he quotes Psalm 2 where we just were
It says in verse number
26 and he that overcometh and
Keepeth my works unto the end to him will I give power over the what?
Tim will I get power over the nation's and he shall rule them with a rod of iron as the
Vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers
Even as I received of my father, and I will give him the morning star even at the near let him hear what the Spirit
Sayeth unto the church so basically Jesus Christ is going to destroy
All human government
I mean all the wicked Empire that the Antichrist will have set up because when Jesus Christ returns there will have been that one world
government that whole bureaucracy that whole structure of government that has mankind enslaved
Just like the Babylonian Empire was oppressive the Medo-Persian Empire was oppressive the Greek Empire
We learn about these things in school like they're so wonderful how they created this one world system
It was great because everybody had paper money, and they could all just you know travel around everybody speak the same language
Yeah
But they also had to be tax and a press and have all these rules imposed on them and so and it wasn't anything as
Bad as what we're dealing with today because they didn't have the technology to oppress back then like they do today
But we're heading toward this one world government
Jesus Christ is going to crush it and set up his own kingdom and destroy the Antichrist destroy that whole wicked Babylon
Universalist Catholic globalist system it's going to be destroyed and Jesus Christ's kingdom will be set up
it'll never be replaced and
We will rule and reign with Christ will be rewarded in that way
Based upon the works that we did for Christ while we're on this earth. He'll say well done now good and faithful servant
He'll say you know be thou over ten cities the Bible teaches in some cases
He'll say be thou over five cities be thou over two cities. You've been faithful in the little things
I'll give thee power over great things
So that's what this is talking about let's hurry up and finish here
But you understand what he's saying here about these earthly kingdoms being replaced by
Jesus Christ's kingdom that will last forever
He's explaining to Nebuchadnezzar. What's going to happen in the latter days
So of course Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and worshiped Daniel should he have worshiped Daniel
Now remember in the New Testament every time they worship Paul worship John worship Peter
They got angry and ripped them up off their feet said we're men don't worship us
I want what was the last time you saw the Pope do that?
What was the last time you saw the Pope?
When people are bowing down and worshiping him because they literally do that what was that time you saw him lean over and pick my
Yeah, I'm just a man. I put on my pants. Oh whoops. I don't wear pants
I wear a dress, but you know I put on my dress one leg at a time like you do
I put on my bright red shiny boots. You know one at a time. I'm just a man
No, they love the worship
They were if he don't tell me that if the Pope landed at Sky Harbor Airport people wouldn't be worshipping him
People would literally be just trying to touch the hem of his garment
And they would literally fall upon their faces, and they've never washed their hand again after they touched it
It's true, and so they were you know Daniel should not have been worshiped here
But Nebuchadnezzar is a heathen man even in Daniel chapter 4
He's still not saved at the end of chapter 4 he gets saved, but he starts out unsaved at the beginning of chapter 4
So he commands that they should offer an oblation and sweet odors unto him now at the beginning
Daniel said look I want you to know going into this. It's not because of my wisdom. It's not me
There's a God in heaven that reveals secrets
God is only revealing this because he wants you to know the truth Nebuchadnezzar and
Because he doesn't want us to be killed. That's why he revealed it to us
It's not any special intelligence or wisdom, but again Nebuchadnezzar missed the whole point and just starts worshipping Daniel
He should have throw worshiping God
that Daniel preached
So it says in verse number
47 the king answered unto Daniel and said of a truth. It is that your God is a God
What?
He's not a God. He's the only God
Now I know the Jehovah's Witness Bible says in John 1 1 in the beginning was the word and the word was with God
And the word was a God
But my Bible says that there's only one God one Lord one faith one baptism and so that's false
So Nebuchadnezzar still doesn't get it does he? Oh, he's a God of God
No, he's the God and that's what he says at the end of chapter 4 when he finally figures it out a
God of gods and a Lord of Kings no
He's the king of kings and Lord of Lords according to Revelation, and he says and a revealer of secrets
No, he's the only true revealer of secrets
Seeing thou couldest reveal this secret then the king made Daniel a great man
Daniel was already a great man. You know the king can't make him a great man
You know he he made him a great man. He was already a great man
Okay, but you know then the king made Daniel a great man and gave him many great gifts and made him ruler over the whole
province of Babylon and chief of the governor's over all the wise men of Babylon
So instead of them being killed they all live and Daniel becomes the most important head guy out of all of them
But look what Daniel does you know Daniel doesn't just want to take all the glory and the credit for himself here because it wasn't
Even Daniel it was just God revealed it to him and so look what it says in verse 49
Then Daniel requested of the king and he said Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon
But Daniel sat in the gate of the king so he didn't forget about his friends
He went and helped them out got them some special treatment got them put in a better position
and of course in chapter 3 the saga continues with
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego still standing up for God and being thrown into a fiery furnace that we'll cover next week
Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer father. Thank you so much
That you are a revealer