Ezekiel 29:1-21 Prophesy Against Egypt

Introduction

[Study Aired August 26, 2024]

Today’s study is about King Pharoah and Egypt. The Lord told Ezekiel to speak His words concerning the impending destruction of Pharoah and also the desolation of the land of Egypt. The chapter also promise a restoration for the Egyptians after forty years and the giving of the land of Egypt by the Lord to Nebuchadnezzar as a reward for the destruction of Tyre. The chapter ends with a promise of the Lord’s goodness to the people of Israel who represents His elect.  

The Prophesy Against Pharoah, the King of Egypt

Eze 29:1  In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 29:2  Son of man, set thy face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt: 
Eze 29:3 Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself. 

The tenth year in the tenth month on the twelfth day of the month spiritually suggests that it is when the sins of our flesh have become complete (significance of the number 10) that the Lord (significance of the number 12) comes to us with His word. His coming is the beginning of the judgement of our old man. 

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Verse 2 shows us that the King of Egypt, Pharoah, is the focus of the Lord’s words. The question is, who does Pharoah signify spiritually?  To answer this, we need to look at what is said about Pharoah in verse 3 which states that the King of Egypt, Pharoah, is the great dragon that lies in the midst of his rivers. In the following verses, the rivers are the same as the deep which refers to the sea:

Isa 44:27  That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:

Eze 31:15  Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when he went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him. 

The midst of thy rivers in verse 3 refers to the sea of flesh. The King of Egypt lying in the midst of his rivers therefore means that the King of Egypt or Pharoah is our flesh. Just as we represent Christ and therefore, we can be referred to as Jesus, the children of Satan (Those who live by the flesh) who is the great dragon, can be referred to as the great dragon. Thus, the King of Pharoah is not Satan but represents our flesh or old man who is empowered or influenced by Satan.

Act 9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 
Act 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 

Here in verse 3, Pharoah is saying that he has his own river and has made it for himself. The river here is the false doctrines emanating from our flesh, that is, man’s wisdom and traditions, which the devil is using to deceive the whole world.  

Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 
Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 

Mar 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 
Mar 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 

Eze 29:4  But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick unto thy scales. 
Eze 29:5  And I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers: thou shalt fall upon the open fields; thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered: I have given thee for meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven.

In view of the sins of our flesh, the Lord comes to us with His judgement. In verse 4, the Lord is saying that He will put hooks in our jaws and will cause the fish of our rivers to stick unto our scales by putting us out of the midst of our rivers. Putting the hooks in our jaws means the Lord will be dragging us. The scales in this case, spiritually indicates the pride of our old man as shown in the following verse:

Job 41:15  His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.

The Lord used the phrase “I will make you fishers of men” to refer to those that He will drag to Himself through the apostles. The fish of our rivers in verse 3 therefore refers to us His elect who were dominated by our old man or flesh through the deception of the false doctrine of man’s wisdom and tradition which makes us proud.

Mat 4:18  And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 
Mat 4:19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

In verses 4 and 5, the Lord is saying that He will bring us up out of the midst of our rivers by throwing us into the wilderness where we shall fall into the open fields and not be gathered together. In this situation, we become like meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven. As the Lord’s elect, we shall surely be delivered from all the false doctrines of man’s wisdom and traditions. However, verses 4 and 5 show us that the Lord’s deliverance is through an evil experience which starts with the Lord dragging us into the wilderness which represents Babylon or the physical churches of this world where we are starved of the word of the Lord. 

1Sa 3:1  Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. (ESV)

This Babylon is also likened to open fields which means that the churches of this world is part of the world system. At this stage, we, His elect, are not part of the assembly of the church of the firstborn as we have not yet been gathered together with His people as the Lord has promised. 

Jer 29:14  And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive. 

During this walk with the Lord in the wilderness or open fields, we are given as meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven. The beasts of the field refers to these men who walk in the flesh but parade as apostles of Christ in the churches of this world, deceiving us. This is how the apostles, Peter and Jude, referred to them:

2Pe 2:12  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

Jud 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 

As Jesus indicated, the fowls of the heaven signify the devil or evil one when He explained the parable of the sower to His disciples. 

Mat 13:3  And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 
Mat 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 

Mat 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the wayside. 

Being meat to the fowls of the heaven therefore means that we become victims of the devil as every word of the Lord that is shown in our hearts is  taken away.

Eze 29:6  And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. 
Eze 29:7  When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand. 

In verse 6, the house of Israel here refers to the Lord’s elect. The inhabitants of Egypt signify all those who walk according to worldly principles of man’s wisdom and tradition which we were being fed with when we were in the churches of this world. It also means all those who are dominated by the flesh. Verse 6 shows us that walking in the flesh is likened to a staff of reed or an unreliable walking stick. The verse is therefore telling us that as the Lord’s elect (house of Israel), we shall come to see that we cannot rely on our walk in the flesh or worldly principles before Him. 

Verse 7 shows us the unreliability of our flesh in serving the Lord. When we depends on our flesh or the worldly wisdom and traditions of this world, we are going to be disappointed. The verse likens our walk in the flesh as walking with a stick which when we use, it splinters and tear up our shoulders and when we lean on, it breaks and wrench our backs. All of this is showing us that there is no good thing in our flesh or our old man when it comes to serving the Lord.

Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 
Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 
Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 
Rom 7:21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 
Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 
Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 
Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 
Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. 

As we can see from Romans 7:24-25, when we are under the control of our old man or flesh, we are wretched, poor and blind until the Lord Jesus Christ comes to us with His judgement. 

The Benefits of the Judgment of the Lord

Eze 29:8  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring a sword upon thee, and cutoff man and beast out of thee. 
Eze 29:9  And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and they shall know that I am the LORD: because he hath said, The river is mine, and I have made it. 
Eze 29:10  Behold, therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia. 
Eze 29:11 No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years. 

Verse 8 is shows us the way the Lord comes to deal with us to destroy our old man or flesh – by  coming to us with His judgement. The Lord’s judgement in this case is the sword which He uses to cut off man and beast from our lives. The man and beast here refers to the beast within manor our flesh, which the Lord deals with through the spirit of His mouth (sword) and His brightness.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:  

The land of Egypt in verse 9 refers to our bodies when we are under the dominion of the flesh. In such a state, we are just like anybody pursuing the things of this world. As indicated earlier, the rivers in verse 9 symbolize the false doctrines of man’s wisdom and traditions of this world. These rivers are what sustain Egypt or Babylon. At the time of Jacob and his sons, Egypt represents Babylon. Here in verses 9 and 10, the Lord has promised to come and judge our old man or body (the land of Egypt) together with destruction of her rivers which is the false doctrines. The land of Egypt becoming desolate and waste implies that nothing can grow on the land since there is no water or river to nourish the land. Since the land is our bodies, the Lord’s judgment ensures that our old man or flesh together with the false doctrines in our heavens are destroyed, paving the way for the birth and growth of our new man created after the image of Christ.

It is instructive to note that in verse 11, we are told that the land shall not be inhabited for forty years and that no foot of man or the foot of beast shall pass through it. The number forty signifies the period of our fiery trial or judgement. 

Gen 7:4  For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
Gen 7:17 And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.

As the Lord’s elect, our period of judgment lasts until our last breadth. This implies that during this period of our lives as we are being judged by the Lord in this life, our land shall not be inhabited by any beast or man. That is to say that our old man or flesh shall be put to death and shall not have any influence in our lives again. 

Psa 119:67  Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
Psa 119:71  It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. 

Psa 119:75  I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.  

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. 
Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.  

Eze 29:12  And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries. 
Eze 29:13 Yet thus saith the Lord GOD; At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered: 

As indicated earlier, Egypt also refers to Babylon. The Lord making Egypt the most desolate country in the world means that the Lord shall destroy Babylon within us through His judgment of our old man. The forty years represents the period we are being judged in this life. 

Rev 16:17  And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 
Rev 16:18  And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 
Rev 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 

Outwardly, the Lord shall judge Babylon in the fulness of time.

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 
Rev 18:5  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 
Rev 18:6  Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. 
Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 
Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

In verse 13, we are being assured that the Lord’s judgment of Babylon will result in the saving of our brothers and sisters in Babylon as they will be gathered together after a symbolic forty years. 

Eze 29:14  And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation; and they shall be there a base kingdom. 
Eze 29:15 It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations. 

These verses continue to assure us that the Lord’s judgement of Babylon shall result in restoration as He brings again the captivity of Egypt. As indicated, Egypt represented Babylon at a certain stage of the Lord’s people and therefore the Egyptians represent our brothers and sisters in Babylon of which we were part of when we were in the churches of this world, conforming to its worldly standards. In verse 14, the Lord is saying that the Egyptians shall possess their land. This implies that the Lord’s judgement shall result in the possession of their soul just as the people of Israel, the Lord’s elect, shall possess their bodies and offer them as living sacrifices to the Lord. However, as stated in verse 14 and 15, our brothers and sisters in Babylon shall not be given to rule the nations as they shall be the basest of the kingdoms. As stated in verse 15, they shall no more rule over the nations. It is only the Lord’s elect who are given to rule the nations of this world as they overcome the flesh or old man through the Lord’s judgment in this age. 

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 
Rev 2:27 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.

Eze 29:16  And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord GOD. 

A simpler rendition of this verse is as follows:

Eze 29:16  The nation of Israel will never trust Egypt again. The people of Israel will remember how wrong they were whenever they turned to Egypt for help. Then they will know that I am the Almighty LORD.'” (GW)

The house of Israel in verse 16 refers to the Lord’s elect. As the Lord’s elect, we shall not have confidence in the flesh which is the hallmark of all those who walk in the flesh who are symbolically represented by Egypt. As the Lord takes us though His judgment to destroy our old man or flesh, we shall come to remember how wrong we were when depended on our flesh or have confidence in our flesh. At the end of the day, this process of the Lord’s judgment will cause us to know who the Lord really is as we come to have the mind of Christ.

Php 3:3  For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 
Php 3:4  Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 
Php 3:5  Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 
Php 3:6  Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 
Php 3:7  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

The Reward for King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon

Eze 29:17  And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 

The first day of the first month of the twenty-seventh year when the Lord came to Ezekiel is very significant. The number one symbolizes that everything is from the Lord. The number twenty-seven is used in the Bible to signify the visiting of the Lord with His goodness after His judgment. This is made clear in the following verses:

Gen 8:14  And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried (after the flood).

2Ki 25:27  And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;   

This implies that the word of the Lord spoken to Ezekiel on the first day of the first month in the twenty-seventh year, is to show us the goodness of the Lord as He comes to visit us after we have gone through His judgment.

Eze 29:18  Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it: 
Eze 29:19  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army. 
Eze 29:20 I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me, saith the Lord GOD. 

These verses show us the goodness of the Lord which is extended to all His creation, even people who do not know Him. In verses 18 to 20, the Lord is saying that He is a rewarder even to the people of this world that He uses to judge us. Here the Lord is rewarding the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar  with the land and people of Egypt for sending him to conquer Tyre. Seeing that our Lord is a rewarder, we are assured that He will surely come to us with His reward!! Faithful is He who has called us!! 

Heb 11:6  And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 
Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 

Spiritually, the verses also show us how the Lord is rewarding our brothers and sisters in Babylon even for the work that He has given to them – to keep the multitude from coming to know Him in this age.

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 
Mat 13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 

If we look around, we can see how the Lord has given to the churches of this world, the wealth of this world (Egypt) even for this evil work that they are doing. 

Rev 18:16  And saying, Alas, alas, that great city (Babylon), that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 
Rev 18:17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 

Eze 29:21  In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the LORD. 

In this verse, the Lord is telling us that He has not forgotten His elect and that He will cause us to be strong in Him through what He gives to us through what every joint supplies. That is what will guarantee our reward in the fulness of time as we come to know Him.  Knowing this, we can clearly see that our labor shall be rewarded even in this life and in another age. However, what we receive here in this life is only a down payment for the real riches that awaits us.

Mat 19:27  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 
Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 
Mat 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 

May the Name of the Lord be praised!! Amen!! 

Dan 4:19-37  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall

[Study Aired March 14, 2024]

In this fourth chapter of Daniel we learn about this second dream that parallels the first dream in chapter 2. Both dream images represent Nebuchadnezzar, the statue in the first dream and then the tree of great height in the second dream. The all gold statue that Nebuchadnezzar made in chapter 3 is based on the dream of the statue in the second chapter. The dream is one (Gen 41:25), and both of these dreams are demonstrating what is within every human being. There are progressive steps that need to be taken in order to bring us to see the beast on the throne (Ecc 3:18-19, Deu 7:22) of our own hearts, and the Lord uses these dreams, and the resultant effect of them in Nebuchadnezzar’s life, to teach us something about ourselves (1Pe 1:12, 1Co 10:11). 

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. 
Ecc 3:19  For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts [Dan 2:31-34, Dan 7:3-8]; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity [Gen 2:17].

Deu 7:22  And the LORD thy God will put out those nations [“they themselves are beasts“] before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee [progressive judgment of the land which our bodies represent].

1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the statue being hit on the feet with a stone inwardly represents the beginning of judgment in the life of God’s elect (1Pe 4:17, Paul struck down Act 9:3-4, process of judgment expressed by three days of blindness Act 9:8-9) where all those empires are judged as a result of Christ and His Christ coming into our lives to hit this statue on its feet that stands on a faulty carnal foundation as opposed to the only true foundation Jesus Christ (Mat 16:18). After this happens, the kingdom of God flourishes in our heavens and fills all the earth within us (Dan 2:35). We also make an idol of gold to ourselves, which represents the statue of chapter two, or the beast being healed of its deadly wound of Revelation 13:12.

At the first, when we come into an awareness of our own sinfulness as a result of our feet being hit by the stone on our feet, the beasts of the field do increase upon us. Like Israel fleeing from Egypt, our sinful nature is in hot pursuit of us like the armies of Pharaoh’s day wanting to put us back into bondage. The dispensational view of these statues tell the same story when applied to the unconverted world that the elect will begin to judge when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ (Rev 11:15, Dan 2:34).

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Dan 2:35  Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; 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. [We fill up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ today (Col 1:24). That is what fills our whole earth today within us, as all the nations within us are judged so that the elect in turn will be prepared to judge all the nations of the world in the future (Rev 11:15)]

The interpretation of this second dream in chapter 4 reveals to us what must happen to Nebuchadnezzar and to each of us, to have the statue of all gold destroyed in our heavens (Dan 3:1). We are told this of the judgment that comes upon Nebuchadnezzar: “Seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.” The “seven times passing over thee” represents the seven last plagues that must be poured out, or passed over us, in order to enter into the fullness of the kingdom of God in the first resurrection. God causes those seven times passing over us to destroy our old man and bring us to be convinced that we are His future rulers who now know (“till thou know“) “that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will” (1Co 1:26, Eph 1:1-6, 2Pe 1:10, Eph 1:18). God has promised we will inherit His kingdom as a result of going through the afflictions, persecutions, tribulation and suffering of this life (Mat 19:29), conditions that are symbolized by those “seven times shall pass over thee” [“seven last plagues”], and it is His good pleasure to give us that kingdom, so God won’t fail in administering to us the judgments we must go through (Rev 15:8, Luk 12:32, Act 14:22, 1Pe 4:17).

For you see your calling, brethren:

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

Eph 1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 
Eph 1:2  Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 
Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 
Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 
Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 

2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Eph 1:18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Mat 19:29  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Dan 4:19   Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. 

Nebuchadnezzar represents the carnal first-man Adam, and when [we] Daniel begins to interpret the dream he has, we are troubled and astonished [astonied^H8075] because we know that there is judgment involved in this interpretation, which happens when we fall into the hands of the Lord (Heb 10:31-33). Nebuchadnezzar, our old man, says, “Don’t let the dream bother you, (let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee.)” Nebuchadnezzar is not troubled because he does not realize what is going to come upon him at this stage, and even with the dream interpreted, it does not change him, but rather witnesses against him at first (Luk 12:19). The dream should bother us greatly and move us to have a Godly fear. However, Nebuchadnezzar has no such Godly fear, which is the problem, just a dream that needs interpreting from God at this stage, and the intent of the dream will not be understood until he goes through God’s wrath, which will come in the form of his having “his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him.“

H8075 shemam shem-am’

(Chaldee); corresponding to H8074: – be astonied.

Total KJV occurrences: 1

H8074 shâmêm shaw-mame’

A primitive root; to stun (or intransitively grow numb), that is, devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a passive sense): – make amazed, be astonied, (be an) astonish (-ment), (be, bring into, unto, lay, lie, make) desolate (-ion, places), be destitute, destroy (self), (lay, lie, make) waste, wonder.

Total KJV occurrences: 89

Heb 10:31  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 
Heb 10:32  But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; 
Heb 10:33  Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. 

Luk 12:19  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. “The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?“

Being ‘astonied’ for one hour is a symbol of the day of the Lord, “Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him“, which is what this event in Nebuchadnezzar’s life typifies for us. Daniel is troubled because he has been shown that there will be enemies come up against the king. “Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.” Those enemies of Nebuchadnezzar represent his own iniquities that are going to chasten and scourge him (Jer 2:19), symbolized by both the cutting down of the tree of great height that represents Nebuchadnezzar, and then having “his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him.“

Jer 2:19  Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts. 

Dan 4:20  The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 
Dan 4:21  Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: 
Dan 4:22  It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. 
Dan 4:23  And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; 

Before we are judged by the Lord, He witnesses against us and shows us who we are (Rev 3:17) and then sends an angel of God (that represents the body of Christ) who has the power to hew down the tree [second dream] and the empires within us, typified by the statue [first dream] (Jer 51:20).

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 

Jer 51:20  Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; 

Nebuchadnezzar is being counseled by Daniel, and all of these words, “Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth” are summed up by saying, “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.“

The solution to overcoming this high-minded spirit of Nebuchadnezzar is to bring judgment upon him, which is what is going to happen as described with these verses, “And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; (Jer 51:20) yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him.“

The “watcher” in the king’s life is Daniel, who by God’s grace has been faithful to stand on the word of God and interpret the dream to king Nebuchadnezzar, revealing in type and shadow these verses which must also occur in order for us to be brought to repentance, and in this parable for his/our high-mindedness, “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” (Rev 3:18-19, Heb 12:6).

The progression of judgment is also shown in the king’s life as the wood, hay and stubble are gotten out of the way in type and shadow with the hewing down of the tree (wood, hay, stubble 1Co 3:12), but there is more judgment to come for Nebuchadnezzar. The roots and the stump that has the iron band and copper band must also be destroyed in order for Nebuchadnezzar to ‘go on to perfection on the third day’ in type and shadow (gold, silver, costly stones 1Co 3:12), which only occurs after the king has “his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him.“

To put this story in other terms, let’s consider all the wealthy and powerful people of the world throughout history whose lives have had “dominion to the end of the earth” just like the rulers of all the empires that make up the statue of Daniel in the first dream. The way Daniel interacts with Nebuchadnezzar demonstrates the humility that must be formed within the body of Christ and the firmness to not shun to declare the whole counsel of God’s will to all the world during the reign of the saints and in the lake of fire, great white throne judgment (Act 20:26-28). God is preparing His people today to do just that (1Co 6:1-3).

Act 20:26  Wherefore I testify unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
Act 20:27  For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God.
Act 20:28  Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood. 

1Co 6:1  Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 
1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 
1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Dan 4:24  This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: 
Dan 4:25  That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 

These verses in Galatians (Gal 4:1-6) best describe what is happening  to Nebuchadnezzar with “the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king“. Like Nebuchadnezzar, we go into Babylon by being driven away from the world, “they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven.” We think we have come out of the world when in reality we are still abiding “with the beasts of the field.” It is the decree of God that is dragging us (Joh 6:44) so that our dwelling place will be with the churches of Babylon where “they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven“. This eating of grass and being wet with the dew of heaven represents the word of God but it is not the strong meat of God’s word. Nevertheless, this stage is critical, and we must go through it and Lord willing, get beyond it if He permits (Heb 6:3). The only thing that can free us from being a bondservant to the schoolmaster is the “seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.” Nebuchadnezzar going through this chastening process is a type of the kingdoms of the world, all the empires on the statue, that will one day be purified in the lake of fire, called the great white throne judgment (Dan 4:37). 

Gal 4:1  But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all; 
Gal 4:2  but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father. 
Gal 4:3  So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world: 
Gal 4:4  but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 
Gal 4:5  that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 
Gal 4:6  And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Heb 6:3  And this will we do, if God permit.

Dan 4:26  And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. 
Dan 4:27  Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. 

Daniel further confirms that this eating of grass and being wet with the dew of heaven represents the word of God. However, it is not the strong meat of God’s word, and that is because the churches of Babylon have not been given to go beyond (Heb 6:3), symbolized by the band of iron and brass and the stump of the tree roots being left. The whole stay of bread and water is not being received with a beastly heart that wraps God’s word around the idol of our carnal hearts, and therefore it is taken away (Isa 3:1). Unless we are crushed under the stone (Mat 21:44), which is symbolized by the process of “till seven times pass over him“, we would remain a nēpios^G3516 (Gal 4:1) and not a mature son of God, a uihos ^G5207(Eph 4:13), who has been blessed to go unto maturity in this life, not hiding our talent in the earth (Heb 6:3, Mat 25:25). The stone falling on us of Matthew 21:44 is what destroys “the stump of the tree roots“, leaving us with the mind of Christ that does not boast against the spiritual root and vine, Jesus Christ, who is doing the work within the body of Christ (Rom 11:18-21, Joh 15:5).

Another way to look at this is that during the reign of the saints we will always be provoking people to love and good works regardless of the fact that we know there will be no conversion, which is another reason Daniel says these words, “let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.“

Rom 11:18  Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

The churches of this world are “commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots“, and it is by God’s decree that it must be that way for now. Daniel, all in type and shadow language, goes on to point to how the king can become a mature son of God with these words, “Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.” The command to “leave the stump of the tree roots” is needful and necessary in order that “thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.“

It always comes back to the sin of iniquity, which is self-righteousness, that when it is burned out of us, will produce the works within us which will give us Christ’s peace (“a lengthening of thy tranquillity“) in knowing that these are His works within us that we have worked out in fear and trembling by His power (Php 2:12-13). Daniel’s type and shadow counsel will be acceptable to those who are accepted in Christ, of which counsel Nebuchadnezzar is only hearing at this point, demonstrating that he is not a ‘disciple indeed’ in type (Joh 8:31-32). The fruit of our life, as a result of Christ abiding in us, is captured with the statement, “shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.” The fruit of pure religion will have us visiting the fatherless and widow in their affliction, the fatherless and widow representing the body of Christ whose assembling we don’t forsake, being careful to maintain good works, “may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity” (Jas 1:27, Heb 10:25, Tit 3:8).

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Tit 3:8  Faithful is the saying, and concerning these things I desire that thou affirm confidently, to the end that they who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men:

Dan 4:28  All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 
Dan 4:29  At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 
Dan 4:30  The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? 
Dan 4:31  While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 
Dan 4:32  And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 

All this came upon king Nebuchadnezzar and set the stage for the destruction of his old foundation which is why it was “at the end of twelve months [number for foundations positive or negative] he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.”  While walking in his own palace, with the beast on the throne of his heart, the king spoke these words, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?” This is the iniquity that has manifested, the pride of life in full bloom, which is now going to be judged by God. Nebuchadnezzar cannot acknowledge God’s sovereignty, and so, instead of saying “Except the LORD build the house, (Php 2:12-13) they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Psa 127:1), he says, “I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty.

Psa 127:1  A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 

God does a quick work in the lives of those in whom He is working, and so it is worded this way to remind us of this truth, “While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee” (Pro 16:18-19, Luk 19:22, Pro 16:4-5).

Pro 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 
Pro 16:19  Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. 

Luk 19:22  And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

Pro 16:4  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. 
Pro 16:5  Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. 

God has hardened the king’s heart and caused him to err, no one else did it (Isa 63:17). This is the decree of the Lord through the watchers who represent the elect (Dan 4:17), “And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will” (Eph 1:11). So, not only has this decree gone forth for the elect in this age in our own hearts and minds, but it will also go out to all men, in time, who will, each in their own order, come to the knowledge of the truth of God’s plan of salvation, which requires that we humble ourselves under His mighty hand, which is only possible through Christ (“seven times shall pass over thee).“

Dan 4:33  The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
Dan 4:34  And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 

The events we are reading now regarding the king’s life being “driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws“, parallel with the prodigal son who is brought to his senses only after he has been brought very low (Luk 15:17-20). This eagle is the negative one that is bound to the earth, and not soaring in the heavens as John represents in his gospels, and Nebuchadnezzar’s nails are like birds’, again connecting him to an unkempt beast that eats and forages things in the earth with his over-emphasized beastly condition.

Luk 15:17  But when he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger!
Luk 15:18  I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight:
Luk 15:19  I am no more worthy to be called your son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
Luk 15:20  And he arose, and came to his father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

Nebuchadnezzar’s experience is typical of what every man will experience. The details will be different for each person whose stripes will be as many or as few as God has predestined (Luk 12:47-48). However the end result will be the same as they were for Nebuchadnezzar who declared the end result of his chastening from God with these words that acknowledge His might and power as he blessed and honored Him that lives forever, “at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation“. This acknowledgement of God’s greatness is a far cry from the earlier verses where Nebuchadnezzar has not yet even rightly identified God working in Daniel’s life but rather refers to Daniel’s God as one of “the holy gods” (Dan 4:8-9). The statement “from generation to generation” reminds us that we are all the beast being spoken of here in this story and that it is those who are judged first (1Pe 4:17) who will come to their senses, after they identify with all the beasts of the field as the generation who is guilty of all the blood of the prophets from Abel to Zacharias (Luk 11:50).

Luk 11:50  that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;

Dan 4:35  And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 
Dan 4:36  At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. 

If God is working with us in this age, what we will learn after we have been humbled in our flesh is that “all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” (Eph 1:11, Isa 46:10, Rev 3:7).

Eph 1:11  in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will; 

Isa 46:10  declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure; 

Rev 3:7  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth:

It is at this same time that we are humbled and brought to our senses by God’s chastening that we are told,  “At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.” In other words, God will restore that which He takes away if we are granted to endure His chastening (Heb 12:7). When we are converted through that experience we will be able to save ourselves and those who hear us, both in this life and in that which is to come (1Ti 4:16), “and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.“

Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 
Heb 12:8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

1Ti 4:16  Take heed to thyself, and to thy teaching. Continue in these things; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee.

Dan 4:37  Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

Nebuchadnezzar clearly identifies “the King of heaven” whom he is now praising, extolling and giving honor to, acknowledging Him with these words, “all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.” These words typify for us the end result of the elects’ own sojourn in this life where we’ve been given to lose our life by having the pride of life burned out of us, as was the case with Nebuchadnezzar, in a type and shadow manner, who states of God, “those that walk in pride he is able to abase” (Rev 4:9-11). 

Rev 4:9  And when the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth for ever and ever, 
Rev 4:10  the four and twenty elders shall fall down before him that sitteth on the throne, and shall worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 
Rev 4:11  Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created.

It’s also interesting to note that there are a couple of other mentions of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 5, but that’s it. The new king has come on the scene, whose name is Belshazzar, the son of Nebuchadnezzar, who, unlike his father, did not learn from his idolatrous ways and ends up being slain (Dan 5:30). Lord willing, we will look at that next week.

The Book of Daniel – Dan 4:1-18  Let seven times pass over him

[Study Aired March 7, 2024[

Dan 4:1  Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
Dan 4:2  I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me
Dan 4:3  How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. 
Dan 4:4  I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace: 
Dan 4:5  I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 
Dan 4:6  Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. 
Dan 4:7  Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. 
Dan 4:8  But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying, Dan 4:9  O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. 
Dan 4:10  Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.
Dan 4:11  The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: 
Dan 4:12  The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
Dan 4:13  I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; 
Dan 4:14  He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: 
Dan 4:15  Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: 
Dan 4:16  Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. 
Dan 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. 
Dan 4:18  This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

In this study we will look at how the ‘dream-is-one’ principle is brought to life in God’s word with this particular section of Daniel, which speaks of a tree in the midst of the earth that is paralleled with the other dream that Nebuchadnezzar had of the statue in chapter 3 (Dan 4:10, Dan 3:1).

Dan 4:10  Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.

Dan 3:1  Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

Both the statue and the great tree of height represent Nebuchadnezzar and his influence on mankind, which influence has come from Satan, the god of this world (2Co 4:4, Rev 13:4), who has ruled in the hearts and minds of mankind since Adam and Eve. Nebuchadnezzar’s father is Satan, and like Christ and God, they are of one mind, and so what speaks to Nebuchadnezzar and his evil dealings on this earth is a reflection of the deeds of his father, the devil (Joh 8:41), who God has given to be the head of all the powers and principalities of this life against which we wrestle until this day, and can only overcome through Christ within us who is far above all those powers and principalities (Eph 6:12, Eph 2:3, Eph 1:21).

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 

Eph 1:21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 

The progression being shown now in chapter 4 is that Nebuchadnezzar, or Satan, is going to be bound for a season, and this binding is represented by the “band of iron and brass” that will be put around the stump of the tree that was felled (Dan 4:23).

Dan 4:23  And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; 

That period of the tree being bound with iron and copper represents the time during the thousand-year reign of the saints when Satan is bound (Rev 20:7), and is no longer able to destroy or deceive humanity at this point. Without the adversary’s influence on humanity and the spirit of God within anyone, there can be no spiritual growth taking place throughout the reign of the saints. The “stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces” is just the start of the rule of God’s kingdom over the kingdoms of this world, and those kingdoms will be ruled over with a rod of iron, a rulership symbolized by the band of iron around the stump of the fallen tree of great height. The copper band signifies that the world will produce the best that the flesh can produce but nothing beyond copper, no spiritual growth (Dan 2:34, Rev 11:15  iswasandwillbe.com/metals_copper-part-2/). 

This stone that hits the feet of the statue represents Christ and His Christ who will be given to be the rulers of the kingdoms of this earth (Rev 11:15). So the iron and copper band represents the unconverted hearts of mankind that cannot overcome during this stage and yet are producing many wonderful works in the earth, and yes, learning of His righteousness, but keeping it in hearts that are yet carnal (Isa 26:9). The iron ring being bound around the stump and the copper ring also represent the inability of Satan at this time to sift any of humanity or destroy their many wonderful works of copper until he is loosed for a season. The physical destruction of all flesh that is brought about by Gog and Magog typifies the spiritual destruction of the man of sin that will occur in the lake of fire where all of humanity and all the angelic realm will be judged, again the natural preceding the spiritual as it always does (Rev 20:7). 

The lion will in fact lie down with the lamb during the thousand-year reign of the saints under Christ, and that lion represents Satan at this time in history who has not yet been released from the bottomless pit, the abussos within all of mankind (Isa 11:6, Rev 20:3). Satan, like Christ, never went anywhere. Christ went into the clouds when he was ascending to heaven which represents His ascending into the hearts and minds of His people, the great cloud of witness (Heb 12:1), and Satan was bound in the bottomless pit, or the abussos of humanity, until the time that he was predestined to rise up out of the pit to accomplish the destruction of all flesh. This same scenario was carried out with Judas who, at a predestined time, betrayed Christ, as all the disciples did on that night. Judas was in their midst and betrayed Christ at the precise time it was ordained to happen (Joh 13:27).

All of these different variations of a normally ferocious beast lying down with normally tame beasts found in Judges 14:4 tells us the same point. Satan will be stayed at this point in his ability to affect humanity, and humanity will be in no danger of his spiritual influence on their hearts and minds. It will be a very productive time in the earth and a fattening of fatlings, as God has ordained this all to seek an occasion against humanity that will come at the end of this dispensation which is void of grace (Jdg 14:4).

Isa 11:6  The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 

Jdg 14:4  But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

Nebuchadnezzar will have “seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will” (Dan 4:32). These ‘seven times passing over’ typify the complete setting of the stage for both the devil and all of humanity to be judged in the lake of fire, where the eighth will be of the seven (Rev 17:11), meaning they will go into perdition, which is their time of judgment in the lake of fire resulting in their being purified and given salvation. 

The judgment of  Nebuchadnezzar’s life, or the seven times passing over, is not just symbolized by this one event with his being driven away and having his portion with the beasts of the field, nor was it accomplished by his seeing Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego delivered from the fiery furnace, or by seeing Daniel delivered from the lions’ den later in chapter 6 of Daniel. This rod of iron, like judgment upon Nebuchadnezzar, is not changing his heart, but nevertheless it is progressively happening, as it does in the spiritual realm for God’s elect via the seals, trumpets and vials. Judgment does not preclude that there will be conversion, which can only happen through the stone falling on us (Mat 21:44), or the lake of fire event, that will occur to all of humanity at the end of the thousand-year reign (1000 represents that process of judgment on flesh 10x10x10=1000 [2Pe 3:8]). 

Mat 21:44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

2Pe 3:8  But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day [the judgment that is symbolized as 1000 years (Rev 20:7) during that time is as one day, because it is typical of the one day of the Lord in the lake of fire. This concept of 1ooo as 1 and 1 as 1000 is another way of saying what Christ said in John 3:5)].

This judgment of Nebuchadnezzar symbolizes the judgment in the earth during the thousand years with a rod of iron that does not change the heart of mankind. The theme in Nebuchadnezzar’s life is like that of Pharaoh of Moses’ time, who God repeatedly softened and hardened his heart for our sakes, to show us that we are the clay in the Master Potter’s hand, Who does what He wants and as many times as He has ordained (Rom 9:17). He will harden and soften anyone of our hearts as He sees fit (Isa 63:17). Ultimately, Nebuchadnezzar never truly repented despite all these miracles that were being done right before his eyes, and this typifies how Satan and all the world will not change, regardless of all the miracles that occur during the rule of the saints on this earth, most notably the fact that they are seeing the resurrected body of Christ right in front of them (Luk 16:31, Isa 30:20).

Rev 17:11  And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 

Isa 63:17  O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance. 

Luk 16:31  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Isa 30:20  And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: 

God will fill the earth to its completeness [7] (Hab 2:14) during the reign of the saints with His word, that is the complete “seven times shall pass over thee”, washing of the word, being baptized with water and then being baptized with fire in the great white throne judgment (1Co 15:46, Joh 3:5, Rev 20:14-15). 

1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 

Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 

Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 

Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

It is later, after this natural judgment of the earth, that the seven last fiery spiritual plagues will be poured out upon humanity in the lake of fire and upon Satan (Rev 19:20, Rev 20:10, Rev 20:14-15). Chapter 3 typified the judgment of the elect via, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Christ’s judgment in this life, whereas Nebuchadnezzar’s judgment represents the judgment of the rest of humanity that is progressive and concludes in the lake of fire. The dream is one in that all men will be judged but each man’s judgment, and angels’ judgment is in the order God has ordained (Heb 9:27-28, 1Co 15:23-25).

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 
Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 

1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1Co 15:24  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 
1Co 15:25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

Dan 4:1  Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 
Dan 4:2  I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. 
Dan 4:3  How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. 

Nebuchadnezzar declares the great works which God did toward him to “all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you” and typifies the initial peace that the rule of the saints will bring when God’s government is established. In reality his saying “Peace be multiplied unto you” is the same as saying  “Peace, peace; when there is no peace” seeing the lasting peace that passes all understanding can only come through Christ  (Jer 8:11, Php 4:7).

Jer 8:11  For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Nebuchadnezzar is driven out to live with the beasts of the field and loses his mind to ultimately be given a healthy mind. Initially, we read, “The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field.” This event is also analogous of Satan’s kingdom being taken from him during the thousand years (Rev 11:15).

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. 

Nebuchadnezzar expresses his desire to let these things be known regarding what God has shown him via the miraculous deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and he wants everyone to know, “I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.” Those works were wrought toward him, but they did not change who he was inwardly, which parallels with the unchanged heart of mankind during the thousand-year reign of the saints, who will see many miracles being performed by the saints, but their hearts will not be changed by those events. Nebuchadnezzar can see “How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation” as he acknowledges God’s miracles and greatness like Nicodemus did in the night, but was yet unconverted (Joh 3:2).

Joh 3:2  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had to be judged and put through fiery trials as types of the elect whose words were being tried by fire (1Pe 1:7), actions which God accomplished according to His good pleasure (Php 2:12-13). The judgment of the Hebrew children typifies the elect being judged first today (1Pe 4:17), and the judgment of Nebuchadnezzar typifies the judgment of the rest of the world being judged later during the reign of the saints and then in the lake of fire. These verses demonstrate that God was judging Nebuchadnezzar in his dreams (Job 33:15-19).

Job 33:15  In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; 
Job 33:16  Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, 
Job 33:17  That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
Job 33:18  He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. 
Job 33:19  He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:

God’s kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, “everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation” because He alone can declare the end from the beginning, from “generation to generation“, from age to age, in each book He has written that will be part of that everlasting kingdom (Psa 139:16). The generations of old, prior to Pentecost, typify for us what was accomplished through others for our sakes so we could understand how we are given dominion over sin today through Christ (1Pe 1:12). God’s elect are the generation today with Christ abiding in us who understand that we are guilty of all the blood of the prophet’s from Abel to Zacharias. Each generation accomplishes exactly what God has determined according to the counsel of His own will (Luk 11:51, Eph 1:11).

Psa 139:16  Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them.

Luk 11:51  From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 

Dan 4:4  I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace: 
Dan 4:5  I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 
Dan 4:6  Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. 
Dan 4:7  Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. 
Dan 4:8  But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,
Dan 4:9  O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. 

The dream is one, the great statue of chapter 3 is Nebuchadnezzar, and the tree of great height in chapter 4 is him as well. We know that the statue represents all the empires of the world, so this tree of great height should likewise represent all men of the earth who have been influenced throughout the ages by Satan who is typified by Nebuchadnezzar (Mar 8:24).

Mar 8:24  And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.

This is the second time Nebuchadnezzar has a dream, or as he puts it “thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.” In both instances he initially seeks to “bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream“, which demonstrates his leaning unto his own flesh even after already having been clearly shown God’s power and gift to interpret the dream in the first instance with Daniel. Even when he finally does call upon Daniel, he refers to him from his mindset saying, “in whom is the spirit of the holy gods“, and “because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee“, thinking of the God of heaven and earth as being connected with “the spirit of the holy gods” (Isa 45:5).

Isa 45:5  I am Jehovah, and there is none else; besides me there is no God. I will gird thee, though thou hast not known me; 

Nebuchadnezzar makes a decree to bring in this group prior to calling on Daniel, “Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.” This group represents Babylon who cannot discern the spiritual matters of God because they are spiritually discerned. Nebuchadnezzar is blind and deaf and not discerning the voice of the true shepherd, and yet does finally call on Daniel after all other avenues are exhausted (1Co 2:14), “ whose name was Belteshazzar [secret treasure gatherer (PNB);  lord of the straitened’s treasure (BDB)], according to the name of my god.

1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Nebuchadnezzar’s going to “the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers” first to find an answer to the dream he had (Dan 4:7) typifies our going into Babylon first to try to find the answer to the dreams and visions we’ve been given of God, but it takes the church, represented by Daniel, in order for that manifest knowledge to be made known to the king, (Eph 3:10). “O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.“

Dan 4:10  Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.
Dan 4:11  The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
Dan 4:12  The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. 

These first three verses define what Satan’s kingdom looks like. It is appealing like the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and spoken of in desirable terms seeing this is what this tree represents in the midst of the earth (Gen 3:6, Gen 2:9). It is in the night that God gives this vision to Nebuchadnezzar while he is asleep, telling us that he won’t be able to understand the vision, being spiritually blind represented by his sleep upon his bed.

Gen 3:6  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Gen 2:9  And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 

Verses 11 and 12 are a reiteration of the dream of the statue that also represents what filled the whole earth with its empires. “The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth” (Dan 4:11). The tree grew like the nations of the world have grown. The tree was strong like the many strong empires represented in the statue. The height of the tree reached unto heaven, which symbolizes the high-mindedness of the first man Adam controlled by powers and principalities in the heavens. All this is just as the case was with the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The tree’s influence is able to be observed throughout all the earth, again just as the statue that had the same influence over all the various empires that Satan, who is the god of this world, rules over.

The fruit of the tree is then described in verse 12, which, as mentioned, was desirous and representing the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 3:6) that has been the sole source of provision for the kingdoms of this world which have had the whole stay of bread and water taken away from them (Isa 3:1). That water and bread reside only on the tree of life that is presently being guarded by a flaming sword which turns every way, “to keep the way of the tree of life” (Gen 3:24). Of this tree that represents the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we read, “The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.“

Dan 4:13  I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; 
Dan 4:14  He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:

The “watcher and an holy one” that came down from heaven in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream makes a loud cry, “Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches” and typifies the heralding of the angel of the Lord and the great voices in heaven spoken of in Revelation 11:15 who represent the elect of God (Isa 40:9, Oba 1:21). 

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Isa 40:9  O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God!

They are told to cut down the tree, which represents Babylon falling (Rev 14:8), and the branches represent the many harlot churches of the great whore that must fall, along with the leaves and the fruit that represent the millions of false doctrines which have brought no healing to the nations that God’s elect are going to be used to judge and destroy and replace with the undefiled word of God that will heal the nations in time (Rev 22:2). The beasts, meaning mankind, are told to get “away from under it“, which is another way of saying “come out of her my people.” “The fowls from his branches” having to get away typifies the need to come out from under the snare of the fowler who is the devil (Pro 6:5) who has twisted God’s words and blinded the world into believing in another Jesus (Mat 16:18-19, Luk 13:32).

Pro 6:5  Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Dan 4:15  Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: 
Dan 4:16  Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

The timeline of this tree being felled is symbolically at the start of the thousand-year reign of the saints (Rev 20:4), and a greater judgment is to come at the end of the thousand years that will do away with “the stump of his roots in the earth” (Rev 20:7-8, Rev 20:14-15, Mal 4:1). In the meantime, they remain along “with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.“

The band of iron and copper represent the current condition of man’s heart without the influence of Satan at this time in the earth. He is being withheld at this stage from humanity, as described in these verses, (2Th 2:3-8), until he is revealed, which is when all the world will be judged along with the devil, and then that man of perdition will be destroyed by the brightness of His coming [lake of fire judgment] (2Th 2:3-8). The world is not spiritually mature here, symbolized by this tree stump being “in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.” Tender grass is for the spiritually young, as is the dew from heaven which is not rivers of living water that proceed from those who have God’s spirit within them in this age. The beasts in the grass of the earth are again telling us that the world cannot go on to spiritual maturity without God’s spirit within (Rom 8:9), which makes it possible for us to digest the stronger meat of the word (Heb 5:14).

Mal 4:1  For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 
2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 
2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 
2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Dan 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. 
Dan 4:18  This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

“This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones” represents the authority that is given to the body of Christ during this time of rulership, and the Lord has put the weak of the world in charge “to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” It’s true that Nebuchadnezzar represents the basest of men for our sakes, representing and typifying the ‘not many noble, weak of the world, chief of sinners’ elect who identify with these words now, “the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” That kingdom of God is within the elect now who understand that all things are ours and that God does not need the wise of the world to establish His kingdom on this earth (1Co 1:26-29, Eph 4:4, 2Pe 1:10).

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 
1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 
1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 
1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Eph 4:4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 

2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 

The Lord will ultimately have the world turn to the elect for the answers to all of their spiritual questions and concerns, as typified by this situation where Nebuchadnezzar went to Daniel to understand the interpretation of his dream. “Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.” The timeline of the world being given the true undefiled words of God have a yet unconverted world expressing their gratitude in the typical manner that Nebuchadnezzar did, who acknowledges in his own words that Christ is in us by saying, “for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.” Nebuchadnezzar does not know Daniel’s ‘new name’ and calls him “Belteshazzar” which brings to mind these verses that speak of Christ and his Christ (Mar 6:3-4, Rev 2:17). 

Mar 6:3  Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. 
Mar 6:4  But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

Rev 2:17  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Next week we will look at the second half of this chapter where Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is interpreted by Daniel in the rest of chapter 4 (Dan 4:19-37). 

The Book of Daniel – Dan 3:1-30  I see Four men Loose, walking in the midst of the fire

[Study Aired February 29, 2024]

Dan 3:1  Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 
Dan 3:2  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 
Dan 3:3  Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 
Dan 3:4  Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 
Dan 3:5  That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 
Dan 3:6  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:7  Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
Dan 3:8  Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 
Dan 3:9  They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.
Dan 3:10  Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:
Dan 3:11  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
Dan 3:12  There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 
Dan 3:13  Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. 
Dan 3:14  Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 
Dan 3:15  Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 
Dan 3:16  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 
Dan 3:17  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
Dan 3:18  But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Dan 3:19  Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 
Dan 3:20  And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
Dan 3:21  Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:22  Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Dan 3:23  And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:24  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 
Dan 3:25  He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 
Dan 3:26  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 
Dan 3:27  And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
Dan 3:28  Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
Dan 3:29  Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.
Dan 3:30  Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

If we follow the flow of the first three chapters of the book of Daniel, a pattern emerges which reveals the problem, the cause, and now in chapter three, the solution regarding how we are to overcome in this life as the body of Christ.

Chapter one introduced how the undefiled word of God is likened to the food that Daniel and his companions will eat while in captivity, as opposed to the king’s meat which typifies the churches of Babylon who have had the whole stay of bread and water taken away by the Lord, which is the problem (Isa3:1).

Chapter two explains how all the empires of the world have been blinded by the power of Satan that is manifested throughout the ages and represented by the dream about a multi-part statue of which Nebuchadnezzar dreamed. The dream is further interpreted in the seventh chapter of Daniel and Revelation 13:1-3 where various creatures are connected with the different sections of the statue. 

This statue represents the cause of all of humanity’s sinful behavior throughout the ages. The source of that cause is Satan who is typified by the head of the statue, which head is Nebuchadnezzar, a king of kings who ruled over Babylon as Satan has ruled over the kingdoms of this world, all being accomplished according to the counsel of God’s will (2Co 4:4, Eph 1:11). To make this connection even more evident for us, we have the composite beast spoken of in Revelation 13:1-2 which shows how all these beasts in Daniel chapter 2 and 7 are the same beast spoken of in Revelation 13:2, which beast is identified in Revelation 13:18 revealing that this beast is all mankind, and his destruction is prophesied and likened to the man of perdition spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8.

2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 
Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon [Satan, the god of this world, represented by the dragon] gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

The third chapter points to the solution through the miraculous destruction of this statue and all the beasts connected within us, a process of judgment typified by three men, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego” and Christ, the angel who is in the midst of the fire with them making all this possible. These four men represent the whole of the elect who will be used to save all of humanity. We learn in this chapter, very graphically, that we are delivered from the bondage of sinful flesh by going into the fiery furnace, which is the same as going through the Red Sea and being put in the lion’s Den is where we learn how God can stay the mouth of the lions that represent the devil who wants to sift like wheat the people of God (Luk 22:31-32). These three events typify for us how the man of perdition is destroyed by the brightness of his coming, which man of perdition is symbolized by this great statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (2Th 2:8).

Dan 3:1  Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 

Nebuchadnezzar was being shown, by the interpretation of the dream by Daniel, that he is the beast, and instead of repenting in sackcloth and ashes, he rather takes the interpretation of the dream to mean that he ought to build a statue in its likeness and have the people come and bow down and worship this idol. These actions point to these verses in Revelation that parallel what Nebuchadnezzar is doing.

Rev 13:9  If any man have an ear, let him hear [Nebuchadnezzar did not hear].
Rev 13:10  He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 
Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 
Rev 13:12  And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 
Rev 13:13  And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 
Rev 13:14  And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 
Rev 13:15  And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

Nebuchadnezzar’s newly made statue is “threescore cubits [60 cubits], and the breadth thereof six cubits [6 cubits]” telling us that it represents mankind with those sixes in the measurements. It is built in the “plain of Dura” that is “in the province of Babylon” as it represents that time when we are a defiled temple of God whose Adamic height is connected to the beast [6.6.6] as well as the breadth of six cubits. The word Dura means “circle or dwelling”, and a circle has 360 degrees in it, which is a multiple of six [6x6x10] that points to our Adamic dwelling place that is carnal and not able to inherit the kingdom of God (1Co 15:50). It is not just the head that is gold now, but the entire image is made of gold, which confirms that Nebuchadnezzar, who was the head of gold in the dream, has affected every other lesser empire (the rest of the statue) with his proud and vain spirit, explained in these terms below in Revelation. His golden image is cankered as he has not been ‘tried in the fire’ and as such remains spiritually blind to the spiritual captivity that he is in, as is all the world – the entire statue.

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 
Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Dan 3:2  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 
Dan 3:3  Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

This section of scripture points to Revelation 13:15. The statue that Nebuchadnezzar had built of gold, which he demanded the people to either worship or they would be killed, represents how the god of this world will demand our unwavering acceptance and worship of his idolatrous ways that permeate society today (1Jn 5:19). How Satan accomplishes this deception is through the multitude of leaders who provide a perverted version of that safety that can only come through God’s counsel found in the body of Christ (Eph 3:10). The world’s counsellors are typified by those who Nebuchadnezzar gathered together, “the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.” The reason they have been gathered together is to stand in a unified way to acknowledge the beast [mankind’s power in themselves independent of God] that is represented by Nebuchadnezzar’s statue, “and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up“. This gathering to do what Nebuchadnezzar requires of the people puts them all in the category of Revelation 13:8.

Rev 13:15  And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

Rev 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Dan 3:4  Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 
Dan 3:5  That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 
Dan 3:6  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 

There we have it! Comply or die is the command that is set forth. The herald crying aloud is like the negative blowing of the last trump that will summon the first resurrection (1Co 15:52). This heralding we’re reading is a cry unto captivity in the devilish world of the sensual, being associated with “the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick“ and compelling the masses to “fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up” or else you will be “cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” The music represents the unified strong delusion of Babylon whose mantra says “in essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity”, taking away the singleness and undivided mind of Christ (2Co 11:3-5) and leaving the power in the hand of the beast to determine what is essential and not essential. All of this signifies how the man of sin operates on the throne of our hearts, demanding our acknowledgement of his power and rule, and wanting us to do nothing less than worship him, making Satan the sovereign figure in our life rather than God and Christ  (Joh 17:3).

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 
2Co 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
2Co 11:5  For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

Dan 3:7  Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 
Dan 3:8  Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.

These verses again demonstrate the unity that is found in the world in regards to worshiping the beast and claiming our own righteousness and free moral agency in this life. It is “all the people, the nations, and the languages” who come and fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. What unites all the world is the belief that they have free moral agency [the golden image], and unless our names are written in the Lamb’s book, that is what the carnal mind will just naturally believe, all the while thinking the things of the spirit as being foolishness for they are spiritually discerned (Rev 13:4-7, 1Co 2:14). We will be hated by all men for his name’s sake, and it is “certain Chaldeans  [who] came near” at this time of worshiping the beast who “accused the Jews“, the Jews being a type of the elect who are hated and persecuted for obeying the commandments of God that we’ve been granted the patience and faith of Christ to hold fast to as a crown of life (1Co 2:15-16, Rev 2:10, Rev 3:11, Jas 1:12, 1Jn 5:2). It is “certain Chaldeans” who came near to king Nebuchadnezzar to be accusers of the brethren, the “certain” implying not all have this role in life, but God has already ordained the ones who would betray Christ and His Christ, and it is they of our own household that “certain Chaldeans” signify, just as it was the religious of Christ’s day, the Sadducees and Pharisees (Mat 10:36, Joh 6:71, Act 20:29, Php 3:18).

[See this article from Mike Vinson on this subject: Enemies of His Own Household]

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast [“all the people, the nations, and the languages“]: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 
Rev 13:5  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 
Rev 13:6  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 
Rev 13:7  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations [“all the people, the nations, and the languages“. This shows us that we all go into captivity (Rev 13:10) and it is the very few who are called out of Babylon by God’s great power (Eph 2:8)] 

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 

Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown [1Co 2:15-16].

Jas 1:12  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

Dan 3:9  They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 
Dan 3:10  Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:
Dan 3:11  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
Dan 3:12  There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Dan 3:13  Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. 
Dan 3:14  Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

This section of scripture reminds us that the world is looking at what the body of Christ is doing, and are bringing their report to ‘the powers that be’ to let them know that “they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Satan knows he has a short time, and the fidelity of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is making Nebuchadnezzar furious in this story as does the faithfulness of the saints in this life cause Satan’s wrath to manifest (Rev 12:12). 

Rev 12:12  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

Our life is a vapor that appears for a little while (Jas 4:14), and so in that sense Satan knows “he hath but a short time” to try and deceive the very elect, if it were possible, in every age since Pentecost (Mat 24:24). Of course it is not possible, and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego being brought before the furious king was all purposed by God (Eph 1:11) to give a witness to Nebuchadnezzar and all others of the greatness of the God of heaven and earth that they serve (Mar 13:9). 

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Mar 13:9  But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.

Dan 3:15  Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 
Dan 3:16  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 
Dan 3:17  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 
Dan 3:18  But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

God has set the stage for the words that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are about to give to the king, and the first thing they tell him is, “There is no need for us to give you an answer to this question” [BBE], meaning “We already have our minds made up in regard to what we are going to do and so will answer you what God has given us the power to proclaim, and what He proclaims is that we are more than conquerors through Christ and that whether we are delivered or destroyed by this fire, we will live unto the Lord and be delivered regardless.” Their answer typifies the faithful witnesses we have been called to be through Christ (Rev 11:3, Rev 11:7) and whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s, and He will deliver us and not a hair on our head will be hurt (Luk 21:18). This all implies that our spiritual status in the Lord, our crown, is not going to be taken from us if we believe and know that we are more than conquerors through Him in every dire circumstance, via the faith of Christ we’ve been given (Mar 13:11, Rom 14:8, Rom 8:37, Eph 2:8-9).

Luk 21:18  But not a hair of your head will come to destruction. 

Mar 13:11  And when you are taken and given up to be judged, do not be troubled about what to say: but whatever is given to you in that hour, say: because it is not you who say it, but the Holy Spirit.

Rom 14:8  As long as we have life we are living to the Lord; or if we give up our life it is to the Lord; so if we are living, or if our life comes to an end, we are the Lord’s. 

Rom 8:37  But we are able to overcome all these things and more through his love. 

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Dan 3:19  Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

As we submit to Christ and resist the devil, he will flee from us (Jas 4:7), and regardless of what men can do to our flesh (Mat 10:28), we are being told with this story not to fear men, but fear God (Luk 12:5) who is all-powerful and able to take us through the fiery trials of this life (1Pe 4:12) which will perfect His workmanship in us (1Co 10:13, Eph 2:10). The furnace being “seven times more than it was wont to be heated” typifies for us the seven plagues that must be poured out upon God’s elect. Those plagues represent the cup we drink in this life (Rev 15:8) that Christ makes a way for us to partake of by the power of God who calls us to be more than conquerors through Him (Mat 20:23, Rom 8:37). 

Luk 12:5  But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Mat 20:23  And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Dan 3:20  And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:21  Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:22  Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 
Dan 3:23  And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Binding Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego by the most mighty men that were in his army, and casting them into the fiery furnace, represents how we are bound by our sins. It is “their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments” symbolizing their own righteousnesses, that cleaves to us in this flesh and must be thrown into the fiery furnace where Christ is in the midst to loose us from it (Joh 8:36).

The king’s commandment was urgent and the furnace was exceedingly hot, so that these mighty men who were putting them in the fire were killed themselves. These men represent the wood, hay and stubble (1Co 3:12), the carnal and natural things that are the first to be burned out of us (1Co 3:13-15). 

1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 
1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Dan 3:24  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 
Dan 3:25  He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 

Here we see God defying the laws of physics which tells us that nothing is impossible for our Father, and when He says He won’t try us beyond what we can endure He means it (1Co 10:13), and will always make a way for us to bear the trials He gives us, even if they destroy our flesh, or the proud image of the beast that we all start off as. The natural man “Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied” and asked his counselors, “Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” of which they responded “True, O king.“

Nebuchadnezzar then says “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” which is really an incredibly encouraging statement for us to contemplate. First of all there are “four men loose” which symbolizes that the whole [4] world will be loosed from sinful flesh or set free from sin by that fourth man who is in the midst of the fire, Jesus Christ (Joh 8:36, Rev 5:3, Act 4:12, Luk 17:24). It also tells us that the elect who are represented by the other three men will be saviors who come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau, setting the world free from sin with Christ as the Lord’s scapegoat (Oba 1:21). Three men in the fire also represents the process of judgement [3] we must go through in this life as God’s elect if we are going to be purified by God’s word which is likened to fire (Jer 23:29, 1Pe 4:17).

Jer 23:29  Is not my word like as a fire? [Joh 1:1] saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? 

Dan 3:26  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 
Dan 3:27  And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
Dan 3:28  Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

Nebuchadnezzar came near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, but he did not get in it, symbolizing that he has not changed yet, but is being witnessed to, as the world will be, by those who have gone through the fiery words of God’s judgment in this life that will prepare the bride for the rulership that is set before the church (Rev 20:6). Again Nebuchadnezzar asks them to “come forth.” However, he does not go toward them because no man can go to the son unless the Father drags him (Joh 6:44). This also shows us how the Lord will use wicked men to accomplish His purpose in the elect, of being dragged into fiery trials (Psa 17:13, Luk 21:12, 1Pe 4:12, Rev 2:10).

Psa 17:13  Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

Luk 21:12  But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

So they came forth and witnessed to all that had occurred to “the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.” This all represents the witness that the elect will be to the world, showing them what God can do through the weak of the world, the not many noble or mighty of this world, who are judged first (1Co 1:26-29, 1Pe 4:17), and whose garments are spoken of in this way at this stage, “upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them” (Isa 33:14-15, Mal 3:2, Rev 16:15, Luk 21:18).

Isa 33:14  The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Isa 33:15  He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

Mal 3:2  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap<:

Rev 16:15  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

Luk 21:18  But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

Nebuchadnezzar then spake, and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.” The angel who is sent is Christ (Joh 20:21, Joh 3:17-18) who is our savior, and God’s elect are sent for the same purpose of being saviors who are prepared to be those saviors through a process of suffering with Christ, enduring fiery trials symbolized by this event with “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego” (Heb 1:13, Oba 1:21, 2Ti 2:11-12). The elect are called out of Babylon to yield their lives to Christ long before giving the ultimate sacrifice as was demonstrated here in this story. This tells us that he who is faithful in little is faithful in lots (Luk 16:10). The servants trusted in God, and that trust is forged through the many fiery circumstances the Lord causes (2Co 1:9). The world will change its evil ways as a result of the miraculous new creation they will see when the first resurrection occurs “and have changed the king’s word“, but this change of attitude is not a permanent conversion of the mind.

2Ti 2:11  It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 

Luk 16:10  He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

2Co 1:9  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

Nebuchadnezzar does not typify someone who is converted at this point, but rather someone who has to see a sign, which is for the unbelieving (1Co 14:22, Joh 20:29), after which he says, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.“

1Co 14:22  Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

Joh 20:29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. [in type-and-shadow faith that is not unto salvation in their case, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego believe the Lord can deliver them through life or death (Rom 14:8), without having to see him before they claim this news to Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 3:16-18)]

Rom 14:8  For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

Dan 3:29  Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 
Dan 3:30  Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon. 

Nebuchadnezzar’s enthusiasm is not to be mistaken as conversion and is more akin with an ‘anon with joy’ spirit (Mat 13:20) receiving of those things that “the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego“, not his God, but rather their God, has performed. 

Nebuchadnezzar makes this decree, symbolic of the wrath of God that will abide on all mankind until it does not (Rom 1:18), words typifying what will happen to the first man Adam in all mankind: “Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill.” In the negative shadow, Nebuchadnezzar is still in charge and calling the shots independent of truly understanding the sovereignty of God. 

Christ and His Christ, typified by Daniel (a type of Christ),  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, understand today that God is sovereign. However, Nebuchadnezzar at best, can only make a decree: “That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.” Again he points to the outward miracle but does not have a change of heart in regards to his own personal relationship with God. He believes in God, in other words, like the Christians today and the Jews in Christ’s day who Christ said believed on him, but needed to continue in the truth to become disciples indeed, who are crushed under the stone as a result of being blessed to continue in the truth (Joh 8:30-36, Mat 21:44, Joh 6:44).

Mat 21:44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Nebuchadnezzar then promotes “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon“, typifying for us when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of the Lord and His Christ (Rev 11:15). This represents what will happen during the thousand-year reign of the saints, and like Israel of old, the Israel of God (Gal 6:16) will ‘spoil the Egyptians’ (Exo 12:36), as Nebuchadnezzar is doing by promoting “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.“

Next week, Lord willing, we will get into chapter 4 of Daniel where one of the main lessons being shown is how pride comes before a fall.

Dan 4:30  The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? 
Dan 4:31  While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 

Pro 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 
Pro 16:19  Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

The Book of Daniel – Dan 2:1-30  My spirit was troubled to know the dream

[Study Aired February 15, 2024]

Dan 2:1  And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
Dan 2:2  Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 
Dan 2:3  And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. 
Dan 2:4  Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. 
Dan 2:5  The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 
Dan 2:6  But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof. 
Dan 2:7  They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it. 
Dan 2:8  The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. 
Dan 2:9  But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof. 
Dan 2:10  The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
Dan 2:11  And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. 
Dan 2:12  For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 
Dan 2:13  And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. 
Dan 2:14  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: 
Dan 2:15  He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. 
Dan 2:16  Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. 
Dan 2:17  Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 
Dan 2:18  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. 
Dan 2:19  Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 
Dan 2:20  Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 
Dan 2:21  And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: 
Dan 2:22  He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
Dan 2:23  I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter. 
Dan 2:24  Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation. 
Dan 2:25  Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation. 
Dan 2:26  The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? 
Dan 2:27  Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
Dan 2:28  But 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 these; 
Dan 2:29  As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. 
Dan 2:30  But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. 

We are told in God’s word to “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1Co 14:40), and the order of events in Daniel’s life is therefore significant regarding how the Lord prepared him in advance to be made ready to interpret the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 2 of Daniel. What the body of Christ has to do in order to be “ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” is “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts” (1Pe 3:15). The sanctification process is typified by eating the right foods and rejecting the kings food, “the portion of the king’s meat“, which was looked at in chapter 1 of Daniel, and God is the one who is able to sanctify us through Christ who has made that very request of our Father (Joh 17:17) on our behalf so that we can come out of Babylon and be saved by grace through faith, which is a gift of God given to the body of Christ (Eph 2:8).     

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Joh 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

When God’s word sanctifies us, it prepares our hearts to stand up against the powers and principalities we wrestle against in our heavens (Eph 6:12), typified in this second chapter by king Nebuchadnezzar. Having done all, we stand (Eph 6:13) with a clear conscience and are now able to understand how these next verses in Peter (1Pe 3:16-22) apply to the body of Christ concerning the ‘sanctification of the Lord God in our hearts’ of verse 15 (1Pe 3:15). Daniel’s many fiery experiences in his life, including this one with Nebuchadnezzar, typify for us (1Pe 1:12) what the body of Christ will go through and be blessed to endure through Christ (2Ti 2:10, Php 4:13).

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1Pe 3:16  Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. [your way of life]
1Pe 3:17  For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 
1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 
1Pe 3:19  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 
1Pe 3:21  The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 
1Pe 3:22  Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Daniel is a type of the elect who has been made ready to suffer for well doing, and his God-given ability to interpret the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar will deliver him and his friends from the king who was intent on killing those who could not interpret these dreams he had. Satan’s goal is to sift us like wheat, but the gates of hell won’t prevail against the body of Christ. However, that does not stop the adversary from doing all that God’s counsel (Eph 1:11) permits, even to the point that he would deceive the very elect if it were possible (Mat 24:24).

The “very elect” of Matthew 24:24 are also represented by Noah who was one of those eight souls preparing the ark at that time. That preparation of the ark represents the sanctification process going on in the body of Christ, who are continuing in the truth (Joh 8:31-32), making us ready for the storms that will come up against us in this life (Act 14:22, Luk 17:26-28). As always we are not looking solely for some dispensational interpretation of what this second chapter talks about, but rather first and foremost, we are asking our Father for the understanding of how these prophecies and events in the life of Daniel apply to us today, right now (1Co 10:11).

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples,[“eight souls were saved by water“] and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 

Luk 17:26  And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
Luk 17:27  They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Luk 17:28  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Dan 2:1  And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. 
Dan 2:2  Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 

The first signified statement (Rev 1:1) we want to take note of in verse one is that these dreams that Nebuchadnezzar dreamed were in the “second year” of his reign, meaning they are going to witness against something (“wherewith his spirit was troubled“). Sending the word of God results in healing, but as always there is a process that must take place in order for this healing to take full effect in the ones that the words are being sent to and witnessing against (Psa 107:20-22, Isa 55:11).

Rev 1:1  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

Psa 107:20  He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. 
Psa 107:21  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Isa 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

The prophecies that are connected to the dreams Nebuchadnezzar experienced had ultimately brought him to acknowledge the power of God working in the life of Daniel, seeing he was able to interpret what no one else was able to interpret. Daniel represents the angel of God that is used to help us understand the truth of what remains a hidden sealed parable in our heavens until the Lord brings His messenger or angel to us to show us that the dream is one, simplifying the message (the ‘dream is one’ principle)  for us so that it becomes clear in our heavens. Christ in us, our hope of glory, is that angel who gives us the ability to speak the truth plainly, and speak no proverb  (Rev 22:6, Act 8:31, Gen 41:25, 2Co 11:3, Joh 16:29).

Rev 22:6  And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

Act 8:31  And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? [the man Christ Jesus (1Ti 2:5, Eph 3:10)] And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

Gen 41:25  And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do. 

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity^G572 [singleness – the dream is one] that is in Christ. 

G572 haplotēs  hap-lot’-ace

From G573; singleness, that is, (subjectively) sincerity (without dissimulation or self seeking), or (objectively) generosity (copious bestowal): – bountifulness, liberal (-ity), simplicity, singleness.

Total KJV occurrences: 8

God’s sovereign hand was upon Nebuchadnezzar causing these very detailed dreams so that “wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him“, which symbolizes the second part of this verse of John 3:36, “he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Nebuchadnezzar typifies our old man of sin who must be troubled in order for God to get our attention. The dreams that Nebuchadnezzar had got him looking for answers, and like all those that God works with, we must first go into Babylon and seek the counsel of those who have no true spiritual insight, typified by “the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans” that Nebuchadnezzar reached out to, to “shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.“

Dan 2:3  And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. 
Dan 2:4  Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. 
Dan 2:5  The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 
Dan 2:6  But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

The Chaldeans coming to the king speaking in Syriack typifies for us how the world hears the world in their own Babylonian language (1Jn 4:5-6). This was a work of God that was not going to be understood or interpreted by the unbelieving who are represented by the Chaldeans and Nebuchadnezzar. Then the severity of God against our old man is expressed through what Nebuchadnezzar says to the Chaldeans, “The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.” These Chaldeans were stopped dead in their tracks with this part of the king’s statement, “The thing is gone from me“, especially seeing the consequence of them not being able to answer it would mean their death. This dream was forgotten and yet the king was insisting that it be remembered and interpreted or they will die. The spiritual lesson for God’s elect is that if the dream that is one is forgotten and not interpreted, we will die in our sins (Joh 8:24).

Then the second part of the sentence, “if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof“, reminds us that the dream can be interpreted by Christ and His Christ who have that great honor, “gifts and rewards and great honour“, of being able to interpret the dream today in order that we might be in that blessed and holy first resurrection as a result of continuing in the truth, enduring to the end of this life (Rev 20:6). The dream will be interpreted by God, and it takes the destruction of our flesh, the “ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill” to happen in order for us to live unto righteousness. Christ has done that for us, and we are now doing that for each other as we follow His exemplary life (1Pe 2:24, Col 1:24). The dream is truly one.

Joh 8:24  I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

1Pe 2:24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Dan 2:7  They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it. 
Dan 2:8  The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. 
Dan 2:9  But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.

These “magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans“, these four representing the whole world, were feigning not hearing him the first time when he said, ‘the dream has left me’, and so they asked again, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.” The king saw through their delaying tactics and basically said, ‘I knew you would take this approach of asking me again and stall for time ,”because ye see the thing is gone from me“.’ In type and shadow, the king is not going to have any part of this carnal reasoning that is trying to preserve its flesh through the wisdom of men and not the power of God (1Co 2:5), so they are between a rock and a hard spot here for our sakes, to show us that it is only God who can make a way where there appears to none (1Co 10:13).

The king then insists that there is only one fate for these lying messengers who “have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me…till the time be changed“, in other words, until the situation just blows over and is no longer a pressing matter. No, he won’t settle for that and so goes on to say, “Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.“

Nebuchadnezzar was being driven to know what these dreams mean, it seems a matter of life and death to him, as it is a matter of spiritual life and death for the body of Christ, “therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof” (Isa 33:6, Joh 10:4-5, Joh 8:31-32). It is this God-given desire to hear the voice of the only true shepherd that can “shew me the interpretation thereof.”

Isa 33:6  And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.

Joh 10:4  And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free

This persistence of king Nebuchadnezzar also typifies the zealousness of Christ who was consumed for the temple that we are, wanting to show us what the dream is and the interpretation of it through the zealous work that He is accomplishing through a peculiar and zealous people, who are called, like Christ, to drive out the sheep, the oxen, and pour out the changers’ money and overthrow the tables within us (Joh 2:17, 1Co 3:16, Tit 2:14, Joh 2:14-16). 

Joh 2:14  And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 
Joh 2:15  And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; 
Joh 2:16  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.
Joh 2:17  And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. 

Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 2:15  These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Dan 2:10  The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
Dan 2:11  And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

These next couple of verses demonstrate for us, in type and shadow, the spirit of antiChrist that is in this world, with such phrases as “there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh” and “there is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter.” This is true; no carnal man can show these things, and we don’t need a carnal man teaching us (1Jn 4:2-4), but we do need to acknowledge that Christ has come in the flesh, and that there is a remnant which God has preserved through His spirit who have the hope of glory within them (Col 1:27) and are, as such, able to interpret the dream and be used of God to overcome the spirit of antiChrist that is in this world (1Jn 2:27-28). Daniel typifies for us just such a man.

1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: [Col 1:27, Rom 8:9]
1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 
1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 

1Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. 
1Jn 2:28  And now, little children, abide in him; [Joh 8:31-32] that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

Dan 2:12  For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
Dan 2:13  And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. 

Nebuchadnezzar, at this stage of the story, represents the beast with the ten horns that hates the whore, represented by “the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans” typifying Babylon or the church systems of this world, false prophets who cannot be of any help to the king (Rev 17:16).

Rev 17:16  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 

Dan 2:14  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: 
Dan 2:15  He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. 
Dan 2:16  Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. 
Dan 2:17  Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 
Dan 2:18  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. 
Dan 2:19  Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

Daniel is now sent forth “with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard“, wanting to stay the hand of Nebuchadnezzar who planned to “slay the wise men of Babylon.” This reminds us that God must send forth His word to bring about healing (Psa 107:20), and He does this through His little fold, typified by Daniel in this instance, who asked this question of “Arioch the captain of the king’s guard…Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.”

Psa 107:20  He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Daniel typifies for us what we must do to stay the wrath of God against us, as we cry out day and night for each other to be avenged (Luk 18:7) and are heard in that we feared God as Christ did on this earth (Heb 5:7). These events with Daniel going to Arioch typify for us ‘kissing the son now lest he be angry’ of Psalm 2:12. Daniel was asking and seeking and knocking, as we should in our pursuit of truth, and his diligence was rewarded, and he was given the audience with the king he needed in order to ask, “that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.“

Luk 18:7  And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 

Psa 2:12  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. 

After Daniel made this request to Arioch (whose name means ‘lion like’), he made the situation known to his three companions, “Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions.” This typifies for us how we need the body of Christ, each member to be a joint supplying in love, praying fervently for each other prayers that will avail much (Jas 5:16). The three men demonstrate that we are in this process together as one body, with the same spirit that is offering up these prayers like incense day and night (Rev 8:4, Rev 4:8). 

Rev 8:4  And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. 

Rev 4:8  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 

It is after Daniel goes to his companions and asks of them, “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” that “Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.” Then and not before! (our old man has to be dead, symbolized by sleep, in order to perceive the spiritual instructions God gives us in this life [Job 33:14-18])

Job 33:14  For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. 
Job 33:15  In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; 
Job 33:16  Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, 
Job 33:17  That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. 
Job 33:18  He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

Dan 2:20  Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 
Dan 2:21  And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: 
Dan 2:22  He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
Dan 2:23  I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.

Now Daniel offers up the sacrifice of thanksgiving to God, acknowledging Him as being the One who has given the wisdom and might that are His to give (Rev 7:12). He also acknowledges the sovereignty of God and that He is the Father of lights who gives every good and perfect gift from heaven (Jas 1:17) by saying, “And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.” He goes on to show how God answers us so abundantly above what we can ask or think (Eph 3:20) with this sentence, “He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.” Daniel then thanks and praises God who has given him “wisdom and might“, and made known to him what he desired of Him; this all pointing to a type of the elect whose praise is continually upon our lips for His mercy and love toward us in this age, revealing great mysteries to us that prophets and kings have desired to know and have not known (Heb 13:15, Luk 10:24).

Heb 13:15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Luk 10:24  For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Dan 2:24  Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation. 
Dan 2:25  Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation. 
Dan 2:26  The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? 
Dan 2:27  Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; 
Dan 2:28  But 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 these; 

These last verses we will look at tonight see Daniel going to Arioch whom Nebuchadnezzar ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon beseeching him to “Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.” Daniel is then brought before the king in haste as one of the captives of Judah, symbolizing for us that when we are slaves to Christ, living sacrifices whose whole lives are dedicated to His service, we are then given the spiritual riches we need through Him to accomplish the works God has called us to in this age (Php 4:19).

Php 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 

The king asks Daniel if he can make known the dream and the interpretation thereof, and then Daniel gives a very clear witness for our sakes, to make known where this understanding and interpretation are coming from. Firstly, he tells them there is no revelation in the earth that is going to benefit him, “The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king” and then contrasts that declaration with, “But 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 these.“

Dan 2:29  As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.
Dan 2:30  But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.

The thoughts of the king were given to Nebuchadnezzar upon his bed, a place that symbolizes where we are spiritually asleep and not able to rightly divide and discern the vision and dream that are one, unless the Lord sends the prophet of God to us who also received his vision in a dream and by the grace of God was able to understand the dream. The king in the earth is receiving knowledge and dreams that he is not permitted to remember so that Daniel, the servant of God, can come along to say, “But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.“

This is the heritage of the saints being discussed here in type and shadow, as Saviors will come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau (Oba 1:21) with the knowledge that they have been blessed to read, hear and keep in this life for the sake of others, to a world that has been spiritually asleep and deceived by the devil (Rev 1:3, Isa 26:9, 2Co 4:4). God ultimately gives us that knowledge for the sake of others “that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart“.

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S. 

Isa 54:16  Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. 
Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment [the great white throne judgment (Rev 20:6)] thou shalt condemn [Rev 20:10-12]. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

In the next study we will get into the actual dreams and their meaning for the body of Christ today (Dan 2:31-49).

[Study Aired December 6, 2021]

Dan 4:19  Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. 
Dan 4:20  The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 
Dan 4:21  Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: 
Dan 4:22  It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. 
Dan 4:23  And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; 
Dan 4:24  This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: 
Dan 4:25  That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 
Dan 4:26  And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. 
Dan 4:27  Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. 
Dan 4:28  All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 
Dan 4:29  At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 
Dan 4:30  The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? 
Dan 4:31  While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 
Dan 4:32  And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 
Dan 4:33  The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws. 
Dan 4:34  And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 
Dan 4:35  And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 
Dan 4:36  At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. 
Dan 4:37  Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. 

The previous study on the first part of Daniel Chapter 4 relates to the dream that Nebuchadnezzar had. We came to see that we are the tree that must be cut down because of our self-righteousness, signified by the tree’s height which reached the heavens and became a shade for all kinds of beasts. As indicated, being cut down means that we are going to be judged, and the result of this cutting down is to cause the beasts to leave the tree. In other words, our judgment brings about the dying of the beast within our old man.

Dan 4:14  He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:

Fortunately, our judgment does not destroy us. As a stump of a tree, we are given to grow again in the newness of the spirit.

Job 14:7  For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. 
Job 14:8  Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the soil,
Job 14:9  yet at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant. (ESV)

Isa 6:13  And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.” The holy seed is its stump. (ESV)

Today’s study focuses on coming to realize that we are beasts and the blessedness of this revelation.

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

Dan 4:19  Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.

The question is, “Why was Daniel astonied for one hour?” According to Strong, being astonied means being amazed or to wonder. We must remember that Daniel being amazed was because Nebuchadnezzar told him about his dream in which a very tall tree reaching the heavens with the beasts of the field dwelling in its shade and the birds of the heavens living in its branches was going to be cut down but not completely destroyed. As we indicated in the previous review, the tree represents us in our time in Babylon when the beast within, influenced by the devil, dominated us, and as a result we became worse off and needed to be judged signified by the cutting down of this tree. When we come to realize, through the scriptures, who we really are and that we need to be judged, we naturally become amazed of this revelation just as Daniel wondered for one hour. Being astonied means that our Lord had caught Daniel’s attention.

A similar reaction was shown by Moses when he wondered at the bush burning which was not being consumed. Again, the bush represents us, and the burning of the bush refers to our judgment. The bush burning and yet not being consumed means that our judgment will not destroy us. It is only our old man who is being put to death. It is the same as the tree being cut but the stump being left. Moses wondering at this sight means that the Lord had caught Moses’ attention.

Act 7:30  And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.
Act 7:31  When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,
Act 7:32  Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.

These verses indicate that when our Lord gets our attention, by the revelation of who we are and the need to be judged, it is then that we begin to hear the voice of the Lord clearly.

In Daniel 4 verse 19, we are told that Daniel was amazed for one hour. The use of one hour in the scriptures usually relates to the fact that judgment is around the corner or it is being meted out speedily. The following scriptures are examples:

Rev 18:10  Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Rev 18:17  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,

Rev 18:19  And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

What we are being told in Daniel 4 verse 19 is that when we see who we really are and the fact that we are going to be judged, it means that our judgment is just around the corner. It is through this judgment that we get to hear the voice of the good shepherd.

Surprisingly, when Daniel heard the dream, his initial reaction was that the dream was for Nebuchadnezzar’s enemies. We all in our time in Babylon, thought that judgment was for others but not for us.

Dan 4:20  The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 
Dan 4:21  Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:
Dan 4:22  It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

Here we are being shown that we are the beast as we see Daniel telling Nebuchadnezzar that the tree represents him. It is the same as the prophet Nathan telling David that the rich man in the parable which he told David was David.

2Sa 12:1  And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
2Sa 12:2  The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
2Sa 12:3  But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
2Sa 12:4  And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
2Sa 12:5  And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
2Sa 12:6  And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
2Sa 12:7  And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

In this parable Nathan told David, the emphasis was on the rich man, just like king Nebuchadnezzar being rich in the sense that he had grown strong, and his greatness reached the whole world. Spiritually, richness signifies self-righteousness or iniquity. This is made clear by David’s reaction against the rich man. He suggested that such a man must die. He thought he was righteous and would not do such a thing and did not consider that he was the rich man until Nathan revealed it to him.

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

It is a great blessing of the Lord to cause us to come to know who we are and the fact that we need to be judged. Without this realization of who we are, it is impossible to know Christ.

Mar 10:24  And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
Mar 10:25  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

The whole story of Jesus’ encounter with the rich young man was to bring out the point that we need to know ourselves as being the worst sinner. The rich man believed in his self-righteousness. Jesus telling him to go sell all he had to come and follow Him is another way of saying that the young man must be poor or must come to the realization that he is spiritually poor before salvation can be his.

Mar 10:17  And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
Mar 10:18  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
Mar 10:19  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
Mar 10:20  And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
Mar 10:21  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
Mar 10:22  And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

The man going away is to let us know that it is impossible for those who consider themselves as righteous (rich) to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Dan 4:23  And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; 
Dan 4:24  This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
Dan 4:25  That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

As we have indicated, we are the tree stump that will receive the dew of heaven which is the word of the Lord that is able to make us grow again in Him. To eat grass like oxen is to let us know that we are beasts. The seven years of Nebuchadnezzar becoming a beast represents the complete time of our walk in Babylon when we come to realize that we are beasts.

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

In verse 23, the tree stump being bound with iron and brass means that we are dragged by the Lord to Himself. The stump must be left in the tender grass of the field so that it will get wet with the dew of heaven. This is to suggest that our Lord will plant us in the church of the first born or the New Jerusalem so we can be beneficiaries of what every joint supplies, which is the word of God. Remember that grass of the field positively represents the elect.

Zec 10:1  Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

“Thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field” signifies that we are being sent as sheep in the midst of wolves. In other words, we shall suffer persecution and be hated by all men.

Mat 10:16  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Mat 10:17  But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
Mat 10:18  And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

Mat 24:9  Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

The statement “Till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdoms of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will” means that all Nebuchadnezzar was about to go through was for the express purpose of coming to know Christ and His ways. The whole process of cutting down of the tree with the remains of the tree stump in the midst of the tender grass of the field, the falling down of dew of heaven and the making of Nebuchadnezzar to eat grass like oxen are all for the objective of coming to know how Christ is intervening in the circumstances of humanity to select a few (vessels of mercy) in this age and to make the rest of humanity vessels of wrath. The purpose for this is that:

Rom 9:22  What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Rom 9:23  And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

This purpose is repeated in the next verse as follows:

Dan 4:26  And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.

The heavens do rule in verse 26 is the same as saying that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men or that Christ is the source of every human endeavor. That is also to say that Christ, with all the heavenly and earthly resources, is in the process of transforming a few as marred clay into His image for the purpose of bringing in all humanity as His sons in the lake of fire age.

Gen 1:26  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Gen 1:27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

This process of transformation is also highlighted by the following:

Jer 18:1  The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
Jer 18:2  Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
Jer 18:3  Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

The heavenly and earthly resources available to Christ, and to us as His Christ, are as follows:

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

As verse 26 stated, Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom shall not be taken away from him after he comes to know that heaven rules in the affairs of men. This is to let us know that it is through this process of judgment that we ensure the kingdom of heaven will be ours.

2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2Pe 1:11  For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The question is, “What things must we do to ensure that the kingdom of heaven shall be ours as stated in 2 Peter 1:10?” The preceding verses show us what to do. In saying this, we are not declaring that salvation is through our effort. God who has called us will enable us.

2Pe 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

All these qualities we need to ensure that our calling and election are established, are obtained through the process of judgment signified by the cutting down of the tree.

Dan 4:27  Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. 

If we accept that we are beasts and that we are going to be judged in our lives for our sins, then we have come to a place where our sins, together with our iniquities, shall be broken off and replaced by His righteousness. We shall know the Lord’s mercies and will therefore, be able to show mercy to all humanity in the age to come.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

Dan 4:28  All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 
Dan 4:29  At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 
Dan 4:30  The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?

The number twelve stands for the number of Christ. So, what these verses are telling us is that it is when Christ comes into our lives, our iniquity of self-righteousness becomes obvious. Nebuchadnezzar, priding himself that it is his effort or power that he has built a kingdom, is the same as saying that it is through our own self-righteousness that we shall inherit the kingdom of God. It is at this point that the Lord comes in with His brightness to reveal and to destroy the old man or the wicked within us.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Dan 4:31  While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 
Dan 4:32  And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

In verse 31, its says that while the king was boasting about his effort in building the kingdom, the voice of the Lord fell from heaven. It is unusual to describe a voice as falling from heaven. This voice of the Lord is the same as the Lord himself. So, the voice of the Lord falling from heaven is the Lord coming down to us from heaven with the brightness of His coming, which is His words. The Lord coming to us is to judge us as indicated by the pronouncement of judgment by the Lord on Nebuchadnezzar.

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God.

We have already indicated that the whole issue of Nebuchadnezzar being driven from men to become like a beast and to dwell with them for a period seven years is for the purpose of coming to know Christ and His ways. That is what it means when the scripture says that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men. The kingdom being given to whomsoever he will signifies that the kingdom of heaven is given as a gift, and therefore not obtained by our own efforts.

Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Dan 4:33  The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws. 

Hearing the voice of the Lord through His words that we are marred in the hands of the potter, and therefore need to be judged, means that our judgment is right at the corner!! It was when Nebuchadnezzar heard the voice of the Lord concerning his transformation into a beast that his judgment came at the same hour.

Rev 18:10  Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Rev 18:17  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,

Dan 4:34  And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 

This verse is showing us the benefits of our fiery trials. In the first place, at the end of Nebuchadnezzar’s trials, he lifted up his eyes to heaven. Lifting his eyes to heaven is another way of saying that he has come to realize that his help comes from the Lord.

Psa 121:1  A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 
Psa 121:2  My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
Psa 121:3  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Our fiery trials also bring to us understanding as we see Nebuchadnezzar getting understanding through his trials. In the scriptures, getting understanding is the same as getting wisdom, and wisdom means the fear of the Lord. So, through our trials, we are given to know the fear of the Lord.

Job 38:36  Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

Job 39:17  Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.

Pro 9:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Our fiery trials bring us to appreciate the wonderful works of the Lord regarding how He takes us through trials, delivers us from our trouble, and brings us into our safe haven.

Psa 107:8  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 
Psa 107:9  For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
Psa 107:10  Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
Psa 107:11  Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
Psa 107:12  Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
Psa 107:13  Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:14  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
Psa 107:15  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Dan 4:35  And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Verse 35 continues with the benefits of our trials. We come to realize that everything happening to us, and the world at large, is according to the counsel of God and that no one can resist His will.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Rom 9:19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

Dan 4:36  At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.

We are being told here that when we get reason or understanding, we shall inherit the promise which is the joy that is set before us. As we indicated earlier, getting understanding occurs through our fiery trials as we see Nebuchadnezzar’s reason or understanding returned to him together with the restoration of his kingdom after his ordeal as a beast of the field.

2Co 4:17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 
2Co 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Dan 4:37  Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

We cannot help but give praise and glory to our Lord for His wonderful work of salvation which He is doing in our midst. In the fullness of time, all humanity will give Him the glory and honor for all he has done for humanity!!

Rev 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Rev 5:11  And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
Rev 5:12  Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
Rev 5:13  And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Dan 4:1-18  The Most High Rules in the Kingdom of Men

[Study Aired November 29, 2021]

Dan 4:1  Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 
Dan 4:2  I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. 
Dan 4:3  How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. 
Dan 4:4  I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace: 
Dan 4:5  I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 
Dan 4:6  Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. 
Dan 4:7  Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. 
Dan 4:8  But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying, 
Dan 4:9  O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. 
Dan 4:10  Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. 
Dan 4:11  The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: 
Dan 4:12  The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. 
Dan 4:13  I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; 
Dan 4:14  He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: 
Dan 4:15  Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: 
Dan 4:16  Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. 
Dan 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. 
Dan 4:18  This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee. 

Last week’s study of Daniel chapter 3 focused on who we are and how, through our fiery trials represented by the furnace, those called and chosen are not given to worshiping the image created by Nebuchadnezzar which represents our old man or the beast within.

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 

Today’s study is about a dream Nebuchadnezzar had and what this dream spiritually signifies. This dream shows us who we are as a beast and the need for us to go through judgment to learn righteousness.

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. 

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. 
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Dan 4:1  Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 

This verse shows us that what we are going to read in this chapter is addressed to all the people of the world, that is, all humanity. We must understand that what Nebuchadnezzar was going to unveil in the dream he had affects all humanity. However, as we are aware, it is only the elect who can understand the implication of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream on their lives. This is because it is not given to all humanity to understand the word of God in this age except those elected by God who are privileged to do so.

Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 

Dan 4:2  I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. 
Dan 4:3  How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. 

As we shall see later, the signs and wonders God has wrought in the life of Nebuchadnezzar, of which he was telling the whole world, relates to the revelation of who he was and how the Lord dealt with him. Our Lord showing us who we are and coming to deal with our old man is the wonderful work that is spoken of by Nebuchadnezzar in these verses. The Psalmist also talks about this wonderful work of the Lord as follows:

Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 
Psa 107:32  Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

The details of this wondrous work of the Lord are as follows:

Psa 107:23  They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
Psa 107:24  These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. 
Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. 
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. 
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. 
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

This wonderful work of the Lord starts with us going down to the sea and doing business in great waters. Going down to the sea and doing business in great waters means being ruled by the flesh and conforming to the standards of this world. This gives the Lord the occasion to come and judge us by raising a storm which causes us to come to our wits’ end. In our desperation, we cry to our Lord to deliver us just like Paul cried:

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Our Lord comes in to calm the storm and bring us to our safe haven. That is to say that through this experience, we learn righteousness and become the sons of God. That is the wonderful work of the Lord or the signs and wonders of His work that Nebuchadnezzar is bringing to our attention so we can praise the Lord!!

Psa 107:22  And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. 

The rest of Daniel chapter 4 deals with Nebuchadnezzar’s dream which unveils who we are as we go through Babylon and the steps the Lord takes to deliver us.

Dan 4:4  I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace: 
Dan 4:5  I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 

We thought we were at rest and basking in our own self-righteousness in Babylon just like Nebuchadnezzar, when Christ came into our lives and ‘all hell broke loose’. As we are aware, our Lord Jesus coming into our lives is not for peace but a sword. That is exactly what happened to Nebuchadnezzar.

Mat 10:34  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 
Mat 10:35  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 
Mat 10:36  And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 

Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

Dan 4:6  Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. 
Dan 4:7  Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. 

The wise men of Babylon are the magicians, astrologers, the Chaldeans and the soothsayers. These men represent the leaders of the various religious organizations of the world whose delicacies have made rich the merchants of the earth (the church leaders) and have caused all the people of the world to drink of the wine of their fornication.

Rev 18:3  For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

These wise men are not given to know the truth and therefore do not have the mind of Christ. As a result, they cannot interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar which is given to those whose eyes are being opened and their ears hearing what the spirit of the Lord is saying.

Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 
Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 

This is what the Lord says of these scribes and Pharisees of today who represents the wise men of Babylon:

Mat 23:4  For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

Mat 23:13  But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.  
Mat 23:14  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 
Mat 23:15  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Dan 4:8  But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,
Dan 4:9  O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.

In verse 8, the last person to come before the king to attempt interpreting the dream was Daniel. Daniel represents the elect and, as indicated, the wise men who came earlier stand for Babylon. As we know, the flesh always comes first before the spirit. We had to be in Babylon first before we were given to worship God in spirit.

1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 
1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 
1Co 15:48  As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 
1Co 15:49  And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

We, the elect, are the ones who are given to know the mind of Christ just like Daniel and therefore, we can interpret the dream of the king or the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is a parable that those who have not been given the mind of Christ cannot understand or interpret.

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 
Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

As we continue in Him, the secret things of the Lord will be made known to us.

Luk 8:17  For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

Jer 33:2  Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; 
Jer 33:3  Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Dan 4:10  Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. 
Dan 4:11  The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: 

According to the word of God, a tree represents man. A good tree therefore signifies the elect, and a bad tree stands for all humanity who are not given to know Christ in this life.

Mar 8:24  And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.

Psa 37:35  I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

Mat 7:18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Psa 52:8  But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

Psa 92:12  The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

All humanity, including the elect, starts as bad trees. Those predestined to become the sons of God in this life, however, are transformed to become good trees later in life. The characteristics of the tree in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream qualifies it as a bad tree as described in verse 10 and 11. In verse 10, it is stated that the height was great. Also in verse 11, it is shown that the height of the tree reaches heaven.

Eze 31:3  Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches and forest shade, and of towering height, its top among the clouds. 

Eze 31:10  “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because it towered high and set its top among the clouds, and its heart was proud of its height, 

Rev 13:5  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

What we are being told is that the height of the tree here symbolizes the pride of man. We become proud because we think we control our own destiny and that it is through our effort that we have become righteous. This is the self-righteousness, which is iniquity, spoken of by Ezekiel.

Eze 33:13  When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

Verse 11 also states that the tree grew and became strong. As we age in life without Christ, the old man within us also becomes more entrenched in wickedness and therefore we end up being worse off than when we started.

2Ti 3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Again, in verse 11, it is stated that the tree was visible in all parts of the world. This visibility of the tree refers to the worshiping of the beast by all humanity, which is becoming more and more obvious as we see the increase in wickedness in all humanity as we go from bad to worse.

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 

Rev 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Dan 4:12  The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

We must remember that this dream is about Nebuchadnezzar who represents who we were when we were in Babylon. This verse compares to the following scripture:

Mat 13:31  Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 
Mat 13:32  Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Matthew chapter 13 verses 31 and 32 can be interpreted to mean that we all take the grain of mustard seed which is the word of God and turn it into images of men or false doctrines which strengthens the devil’s (fowls of the heaven) influence or hold on us as it empowers the old man or the beast within.

Eze 16:17  Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,

That is what happens to us in Babylon. We become worse off than when we started. Daniel 4:12 talks about our deplorable state in Babylon.

Dan 4:13  I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; 

According to Strong, the word ‘watcher’ means an angel or a messenger. So, the holy one and the watcher represent our Lord Jesus and His Christ. It is the Lord Jesus, the Chief messenger, who came to announce to us that we, His elect, must be judged for our sins. In other words, we must be cut down as a tree. We, as His Christ, are also carrying the same message that to learn righteousness, one must be cut down or judged.

1Pe 4:17  For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

Dan 4:14  He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: 

In our marred state in Babylon, our Lord comes into our lives to judge us. This judgment is signified by the hewing down of the tree, the cutting off of its branches, the shaking of its leaves and the scattering of its fruit. We are the tree that is being cut down.

Eze 17:24  And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it.

The end result of cutting down this tree is that the beasts get away from it. This is another way of saying that the beast or the old man within us is put to death. The fowls getting away from the tree branches is to let us know that we are no longer under the dictates of the devil. In other words, the devil is no longer our father.

Mat 3:10  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 

Joh 8:44  You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

It is when this cutting down of us as trees is accomplished that we learn righteousness.  We can therefore live righteously because the beast within us is dying, and the devil is no longer our father.

Isa 26:8  In the path of your judgments, O LORD, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul. 
Isa 26:9  My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

The import of this dream Nebuchadnezzar had is the same as Ezekiel’s prophecy to Pharoah, king of Egypt.

Eze 31:1  And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 31:2  Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness? 
Eze 31:3  Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs. 
Eze 31:4  The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants, and sent out her little rivers unto all the trees of the field. 
Eze 31:5  Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth. 
Eze 31:6  All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations. 
Eze 31:7  Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters. 
Eze 31:8  The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chesnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty. 
Eze 31:9  I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him. 
Eze 31:10  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast lifted up thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height; 
Eze 31:11  I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness.
Eze 31:12  And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him: upon the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the rivers of the land; and all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have left him.
Eze 31:13  Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven remain, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches:

We can see that it is our pride that causes us to be cut down. While in Nebuchadnezzar’s case, we were not told who was going to do the cutting down, in this case, Ezekiel said that judgment would be meted out by strangers and the terrible of the nations. This is referring to one of the four sore judgments of the Lord – the noisome beast. The end result is that it leads to the destruction of the old man.

Eze 14:21  For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? 

Dan 4:15  Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: 

On a positive note, the tree stump that is left is the elect. When we are judged (cut down) by the Lord, we are not destroyed completely. It is our old man or the beast within that is destroyed, and we are left as a tree stump to grow again at the scent of water which is the word of God. In verse 15, being wet with the dew of heaven means receiving the word of God.

Job 14:7  “For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. 
Job 14:8  Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the soil, 
Job 14:9  yet at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant. (ESV)

Isa 6:11  Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, 
Isa 6:12  and the LORD removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. 
Isa 6:13  And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.” The holy seed is its stump. (ESV)

The tree stump being bound with iron and brass means that we are dragged by the Lord to Himself. In verse 15, it is also mentioned that the stump must be left in the tender grass of the field so that it will be wet by the dew of heaven. This is to suggest that our Lord will plant us in the church of the first born or the New Jerusalem so that we can be beneficiaries of what every joint supplies, which is the word of God. Remember that grass of the field positively represents the elect.

Zec 10:1  Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

The last statement of verse 15 is that the tree stump’s portion should be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. This signifies that we, as our Lord’s elect, are being sent as sheep in the midst of wolves. In other words, we shall suffer persecution and be hated by all men.

Mat 10:16  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 
Mat 10:17  But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 
Mat 10:18  And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 

Mat 24:9  Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

The physical implication of verse 15 was that Nebuchadnezzar would not be destroyed totally but would become like the beast of the fields so that he would appreciate the fact that he is a beast just like all of us. The next verse explains this point.

Dan 4:16  Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

The period for Nebuchadnezzar to come to the realization that he is a beast was seven years, which signifies the complete period of time that we come to realize during our time in Babylon that we are beasts. Coming to know that we are beasts is the beginning of the process of the Lord to make us His sons.

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

Dan 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

According to Strong, the word “watchers” here means holy angels. The watchers and the holy ones are all the same. They represent the elect. This whole issue of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is to bring to our attention the fact that our Lord is at the center of all that takes place in our lives, both good and evil. The Lord giving the kingdom to whomsoever he will means that we play no part in our salvation. As a matter of fact, it is God who has chosen us before the foundations of the world. We did not choose ourselves.

Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Rom 9:19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 
Rom 9:20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 
Rom 9:21  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 
Rom 9:22  What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 
Rom 9:23  And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

The Lord setting the kingdom up being ruled over by the basest of men means that He chooses the stupid things of this world to confound the wise and the prudent to the effect that no flesh shall glory in His presence.

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 
1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 
1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 
1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Dan 4:18  This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

As we have said earlier, it is those who have been given eyes to see and ears to hear who have the mind of Christ and are therefore given to know the interpretation of the mysteries concerning the kingdom of Heaven which is signified by Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Dan 2:24-49  That Thou Might Know the Thoughts of thy Heart

[Study Aired November 15, 2021]

Dan 2:24  Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation. 
Dan 2:25  Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation. 
Dan 2:26  The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? 
Dan 2:27  Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; 
Dan 2:28  But 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 these; 
Dan 2:29  As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. 
Dan 2:30  But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. 
Dan 2:31  Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 
Dan 2:32  This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 
Dan 2:33  His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
Dan 2:34  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 brake them to pieces.
Dan 2:35  Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; 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.
Dan 2:36  This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
Dan 2:37  Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
Dan 2:38  And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
Dan 2:39  And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
Dan 2:40  And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
Dan 2:41  And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
Dan 2:42  And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
Dan 2:43  And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
Dan 2:44  And in the days of these 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 for ever.
Dan 2:45  Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
Dan 2:46  Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.
Dan 2:47  The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
Dan 2:48  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 governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
Dan 2:49  Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

The first part of Daniel Chapter 2 emphasizes the point that it is those who deny themselves the king’s meat and wine and focus on drinking the water of the word who are given the ability to understand deep and hidden things of God. In other words, they are given to know the mind of Christ which is symbolized by Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The religions of this world, including Christianity symbolized in Chapter 2 by astrologers, magicians, sorcerers and Chaldeans, are not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Our review last week ended with Nebuchadnezzar’s dream being unveiled to Daniel as he sought the Lord in prayer together with the other three Hebrew men. This resulted in praise and worship of the Lord by the young Hebrew men. As we are given to know the mind of Christ through the word of God, we cannot help but to praise and worship our Lord for this privilege and honor.

Dan 2:19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
Dan 2:20  Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
Dan 2:21  And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
Dan 2:22  He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
Dan 2:23  I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.

Today’s study focuses on the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ through the dream of Nebuchadnezzar and the reward that is set before us as we continue to be transformed by the renewing of our minds in Christ Jesus.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Dan 2:24  Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.

Arioch means servant of the moon god. In this life, we are either serving the devil or Christ. Being a servant of the moon god means Arioch represents all who are not given to know Christ in this life but are ruled by the beast or serve the devil. According to verse 24, Arioch is the one ordained by the king to destroy the wise men of Babylon. This means that Babylon shall be destroyed by those ruled by the beast, who are represented by the ten horns, as they shall hate the whore or Babylon and shall destroy it as the Lord has put it in their hearts to do so.

Rev 17:12  And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
Rev 17:13  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

Rev 17:16  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
Rev 17:17  For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

Dan 2:25  Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.

As indicated, Arioch represents those ruled by the beast, that is, the world. Inwardly, Arioch represents the old man, and Daniel represents the new man. As we continue in the Lord, it will become obvious to the old man that the new man is the one who knows the mind of Christ and therefore has come to replace him. This is exemplified by Arioch telling the king that he has found a man (Daniel) to interpret his dream. It is also demonstrated by Saul admitting to David that David is meant to replace him as king.

1Sa 24:16  And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
1Sa 24:17  And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
1Sa 24:18  And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.
1Sa 24:19  For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.
1Sa 24:20  And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.

Outwardly, what this verse means is that a time is coming when people of the world, signified by Arioch, will clamor for God’s elect to come and solve their problems. In other words, they will require the Lord’s elect to come and rule over them.

Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

The fact that Arioch brought Daniel before the king in haste means that our rulership shall be accomplished within the twinkle of an eye.

1Co 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Dan 2:26  The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?

As shown in the Daniel Chapter 1 review, the name Daniel being changed to Belteshazzar is to let us know that it is to through judgment we grow or mature in the knowledge of the glory of God. Being able to know the dream and its interpretation is being able to know the mind of Christ and His ways.

Dan 2:27  Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;

The wise men here represent the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans which symbolize Babylon, which stands for the religions of this world including Christianity. Since those in Babylon are given over to lies, it is impossible for them to know the mind of Christ, much less His ways.

Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

Dan 2:28  But 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 these;
Dan 2:29  As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. 
Dan 2:30  But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. 

For the sake of the Lord’s elect, nothing that is hidden shall remain a secret. Our Lord is willing to grant us access to the mysteries of the kingdom. As the word of God says, it is our Lord’s glory to conceal a matter and it is His joy when we come searching out the matter!!

Luk 8:17  For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

Jer 33:3  Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Pro 25:2  It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

In verse 29, we are told that the revelation of the secret things of God will surely come to pass in our lives first. Later, all humanity will experience the revelation of the secret things of God.

Mat 24:32  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

As Daniel stated, the secret things of God are revealed to us, not because we are wiser than those living, but because we were chosen before the foundations of the world. This revelation that we are receiving of the Lord is for the sake of all humanity including us who are experiencing it first.

Joh 12:30  Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

In verse 30, we are given to know that Nebuchadnezzar is being shown the dream and its interpretation for the purpose of knowing the thoughts of his heart. Here Nebuchadnezzar represents us who are being shown the truth of the word of God about us, so we will come to know who we are. This is who we are:

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

Dan 2:31  Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.
Dan 2:32  This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 
Dan 2:33  His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 
Dan 2:34  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 brake them to pieces.
Dan 2:35  Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; 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.

The inward interpretation of this dream by Nebuchadnezzar is as follows:

The image of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream symbolizes who we are in Adam. In other words, our old man.  As indicated in verse 30, the essence of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is that he might know the thoughts of his heart. That is to say that we may come to know what is in us, which is our old man or the beast. The stone cut out without hands represents Christ or the word of God which comes to smite the image or the old man. This stone can also be regarded as the new man after the image of Christ which grows to fill our whole being as the old man becomes chaff or destroyed and carried away by the wind of God’s words.

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

The outward application of this image is given to us as follows:

Dan 2:36  This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
Dan 2:37  Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
Dan 2:38  And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

We must remember that Nebuchadnezzar does not represent an elect and so he could not understand what the spirit was saying about the dream he had. He was therefore given only the outward or the physical interpretation. However, within this physical interpretation, there is the spiritual implication. Once we are ruled by our carnal minds, we cannot understand spiritual things.

1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

The head in the dream represents the Babylonian kingdom headed by Nebuchadnezzar. In 625 B.C, his father founded the New Babylonian Empire which became one of the first of the world empires. Babylonian conquest knew no bounds. In 605 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar added the Egyptians to his conquest.

Jer 46:2  Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaohnecho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah.

The fact that Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom is described as gold is significant. In our time in Babylon, signified by gold here in the dream, we turn the precious word of the Lord into images of men or idols of the heart which is the same as false doctrines. Thus, we turn the words of the Lord into a stumbling block of iniquity during our time in Babylon powered by the old man (the image in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream) who is also empowered by the devil.

Eze 16:17  Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,

These false doctrines lead us to covetousness as demonstrated by Achan coveting the gold of the spoil.

Jos 7:21  When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

Dan 2:39  And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

The kingdom that came after the kingdom of Babylon was the Persian empire led by Cyrus the great. King Cyrus was the divine instrument for the release of the Jews from the Babylonian exile (Isaiah 44:28 and Isaiah 45:1-14). A few years after the fall of Babylon, Cyrus issued a proclamation which permitted the Jews to return to their own land. He restored the sacred vessels of the temple which had been carried to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar (Ezra 1:1-11).

The Persian kingdom is described as silver.  The Hebrew word for silver, by implication, is money. In addition, the Hebrew root for the Hebrew word for silver (H3700) means desire, be greedy, long or sore. These are negative applications of the word silver. So, as we can see, silver is synonymous with greed. Our time in Babylon was characterized by our greed or desire for the riches of this world or mammon.

Isa 56:11  Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

1Ti 3:3  Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

1Ti 3:8  Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

After the Persian empire came the Greek empire led by Alexander the great. He was an ancient Macedonian ruler and one of history’s greatest military minds who, as King of Macedonia and Persia, established the largest empire the ancient world had ever seen. His kingdom was divided among his four generals.

This third kingdom was described as brass, which is synonymous with copper in the King James version of the Bible. Copper refers to our state as carnal babes in Christ. In our carnal state in Babylon, Christ’s words have no place in our hearts because we cannot hear them. We end up even trying to kill Christ in our brothers who tell us the truth about the word of God.

Joh 8:40  But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

Dan 2:40  And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. 

The fourth kingdom to succeed the Greek Empire was the Roman Empire, which is symbolized by iron. On a negative note, iron refers to us being instruments of death while in Babylon.

Num 35:16  And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

We therefore become murderers as shown in the scriptures:

Luk 11:49  Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: 
Luk 11:50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 
Luk 11:51  From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. 

Dan 2:41  And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 
Dan 2:42  And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 
Dan 2:43  And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

In verse 40, we are told that iron breaks in pieces and subdues everything. That is a positive application of iron, which represents the word of God. The clay symbolizes false doctrines or lies of mankind. Mixing iron with clay means mixing the truth of the word of God with lies by the religions of this world to oppress all mankind. However, since naturally, it is impossible to mix iron with clay, what this means is that such oppression will not last as the truth will always prevail. This is spiritually what it means by the statement, “They shall mingle themselves with the seed of men.”

Outwardly and physically, the mixing of iron and clay means the following:

During Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of nations, their practice was to transport the citizens of a conquered nation into Babylon and simultaneously send different nations’ citizens to occupy the conquered cities. The rationale behind this practice was to destroy any sense of patriotism in those who have been conquered. Other empires which came after Babylon also perpetuated this practice. That is what it means by the statement “They shall mingle themselves with the seed of men” in verse 43. (Refer to Mike Vinson’s response: “What does the mingling with the seed of men in Daniel mean?”) As we can see in verse 43, this practice had not worked and will continue not to work.

2Ki 17:23  Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.
2Ki 17:24  And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.

Dan 2:44  And in the days of these 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 for ever. 
Dan 2:45  Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. 

As indicated in verse 44, all these human kingdoms shall not stand the test of time. They will all be destroyed and replaced by the kingdom of heaven when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 

Inwardly, the old man’s kingdom in us shall be destroyed by the stone cut out of the mountain without hands. This stone here represents Christ and His words which will destroy the old man. This is taking place in our lives as the Lord comes into our lives with the brightness of His coming.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

The iron, the brass, the clay, the silver and the gold represent all the false doctrines of man’s wisdom that we have learned in Babylon. All these will be removed from our heavens by the brightness of our Lord’s coming to us.

Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that the dream was certain and the interpretation sure. This is to assure us that whatever our situation is currently, in the final analysis, the old man shall be destroyed. The old man does not pose any challenge to our Lord. He will surely come through for us at the set time. What He starts, He is able to finish!! He will not leave us alone as half-baked believers. Our Lord has the mandate to present us blameless before our God and the zeal for our houses to be cleansed has consumed Him!!

Psa 69:9  For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

Dan 2:46  Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. 

What this means is that in the fulness of time, our brothers and sisters in Babylon will come and worship us.

Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

In another perspective, Nebuchadnezzar here represents us who become enchanted as our brethren expound the secret things of the kingdom of God. We naturally fall to worship those who minister to us just as Nebuchadnezzar fell down to worship Daniel. This scenario is similar to what happened to Apostle John when he was thrilled by the angel who revealed Christ to him. He also wanted to worship the angel, but the angel prevented him because he was just like us, a messenger of the gospel.

Rev 22:8  And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9  Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. 

David showed us the way to give God all the glory and honor when his soldiers risked their lives to get water for him in the enemy’s camp. He poured the water away as an offering to the Lord because he felt that he did not deserve such an act. He recognized that it is only the Lord to whom we have to bow or die or risk our lives.

2Sa 23:14  And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 
2Sa 23:15  And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! 
2Sa 23:16  And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. 
2Sa 23:17  And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

Dan 2:47  The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. 

Are we not blessed to be those whom the Lord is revealing all the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven to us? Surely, we are blessed beyond measure!!

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Dan 2:48  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 governors over all the wise men of Babylon. 
Dan 2:49  Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king. 

The king giving many great gifts to Daniel is to let us know the spiritual blessings that our Lord has bestowed on us so that we can finish the race marked out for us and win the prize.

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 

Eph 4:8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

This gift refers to all things that pertain to life and godliness. We do not bring anything of ours to the table of our salvation. All is of God!!

2Pe 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 
2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Becoming partakers of His divine nature through escaping from the corruption that is in the world through lust is what these great gifts from the Lord are achieving in us. That is what will guarantee us the prize, which is also the joy that is set before us. This joy entails reigning with Christ when the kingdoms of this world becomes the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.  In verse 48 and 49, Daniel and the three Hebrew men were made rulers to assure us that we shall also possess the crown of rulership in the fulness of time.

1Co 10:11  Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27  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.

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Part 61 Discussion

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Isa 14: 24-27 I Will Break The Assyrian In My Land, And Upon My Mountains Tread Him Under Foot

Isa 14:24  The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
Isa 14:25  That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.
Isa 14:26  This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.
Isa 14:27  For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

As we learned earlier in this prophecy, the Assyrians and the Babylonians are the same Chaldean peoples. The Assyrians were the earlier of the two empires with its capital of Nineveh.

Isa 23:13  Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.

Isa 47:1  Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.

1Ki 11:29  And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
1Ki 11:30  And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
1Ki 11:31  And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
1Ki 11:32  (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)

Isa 8:1  Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz. [Hasting to the booty, swift to the prey]
Isa 8:2  And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.
Isa 8:3  And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz.
Isa 8:4  For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.

Later the king of Assyria also conquered the southern kingdom of Judah and took its king, Manasseh, captive to Assyria:

2Ch 33:11  Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
2Ch 33:12  And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,

Manasseh was one of the worst kings of Judah, but like King Ahab of the northern kingdom of Israel, Manasseh humbled himself while in Assyrian captivity in Babylon, and the Lord had great mercy on Manasseh and returned him to the throne of Judah.

2Ch 33:13  And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.

During the days of the king of Assyria,​ Babylon was but one of the cities of the Assyrian empire. When Assyria conquered Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel, the king of Assyria sent many men from Babylon to occupy the cities of Israel because Babylon, at that time,​ was subject to the king of Assyria:

2Ki 17:24  And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.

But after God had used Assyria to punish His own people,​ He then used the Babylonians to destroy the king of Assyria and to usurp rulership over all the cities and kingdoms of the Chaldeans:

Isa 10:12  Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.

It is this verse of Isa 10:12 to which our study today refers:

Isa 14:24  The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
Isa 14:25  That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

What Christ and His Father had "sworn... [and] thought... and [had] purposed", and what they purpose to this very day, is to "punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks". This 'king of Assyria is but an earlier symbol of the king of Babylon, who is just an earlier symbol of the second beast of Revelation 13.

Both of these kings defy their Creator. Let's look at what each of these men ha​s said in their heart in defiance of their Creator:

Here is the boasting of the king of Assyria:

2Ki 18:31  Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:
2Ki 18:32  Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.
2Ki 18:33  Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
2Ki 18:34  Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?
2Ki 18:35  Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?

Here is the boasting of the king of Babylon:

Dan 4:30  The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?

And this is the what the beast within every man does:

Rev 13:5  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Is this not exactly what the kings of Assyria and Babylon do? Of course it is. Just as the king of Babylon, a Chaldean, followed the king of Assyria, who was also a Chaldean, so also here in their final manifestation we again have two appearances of the same beast within all men. But instead of being called 'the king of Babylon' here in his final Biblical manifestation he is called "another beast coming up out of the earth":

Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Rev 13:12  And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

This second beast "comes up out of the earth", as contrasted with the first beast which "came up out of the sea":

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that he was the "head of gold" on the doomed image of which Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed and then forgotten. No doubt the Babylonian empire was superior to the Assyrian empire simply because Babylon conquered Nineveh and the Assyrians. The truth is that both were the same Chaldean peoples, as Isaiah demonstrates many times.

Here are but a few of many examples how both Assyria and Babylon are called 'Chaldeans':

Isa 23:13  Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.

Isa 43:14  Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.

Isa 47:1  Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.

So it is with the two beasts of Revelation 13. The 'sea' is as much a part of the '​earth' as Assyria is a part of the Chaldeans, as these verses demonstrate:

Gen 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Gen 1:2  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Exo 15:10  Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
Exo 15:11  Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Exo 15:12  Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

Now that we know that the Assyrians and the Babylonians are one and the same very religious Chaldean peoples,​ we can understand why these verses concerning the king of Assyria are here with this parable against the king of Babylon, and we will also understand why the Lord tells us He will "break the Assyrian in [the Lord's] own land, and upon [His] mountains.

Isa 14:25  That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

But there is one more little nugget we can glean from the judgment of the Lord upon "Babylon the Great" (Rev 17: 5). That nugget is given to us in the last two verses of our study. After addressing both the king of Babylon and the king of Assyria in this 14th chapter of Isaiah, the very next verse tells  us this:

Isa 14:26  This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.
Isa 14:27  For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

What we are being told here is what we are really being told everywhere we read about the judgment of Babylon. Babylon is not judged in a vacuum. The Truth is that the judgment of Babylon is the judgment of the whole world, as we were just told: "This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations".

So once again Babylon is not just the Christian world, rather Babylon is "the whole earth... all nations", and all the "kings of the world" over whom "Babylon the great" has been given dominion for so long.

Notice what happened to Nebuchadnezzar,​ the king of Babylon which has been written for our sakes:

Dan 4:1  Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
Dan 4:2  I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.
Dan 4:3  How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
Dan 4:4  I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:
Dan 4:5  I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
Dan 4:6  Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.
Dan 4:7  Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
Dan 4:8  But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,
Dan 4:9  O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
Dan 4:10  Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.
Dan 4:11  The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
Dan 4:12  The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

We know that the kingdom of Babylon did not rule over the entire physical planet, but it did rule over everything of any consequence at that time, including eventually, Egypt.

Jer 46:24  The daughter of Egypt shall be confounded; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north.
Jer 46:25  The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saith; Behold, I will punish the multitude of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods, and their kings; even Pharaoh, and all them that trust in him:
Jer 46:26  And I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants: and afterward it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith the LORD.

What is said of Babylon in scripture symbolizes what is being said of the whole world:

Isa 14:26  This ["parable against Babylon" -​ Isa 14:4] is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.

Isa 14:4  That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

This universal application of the judgment of the king of Babylon here in Isaiah is the same message being given to us in Revelation 17 and 18. Look at how universal the influence of Babylon The Great is stated to be. Babylon's dominion is over "the kings of the earth":

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Rev 17:2  With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

Rev 17:15  And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Rev 17:18  And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

Cities like Jerusalem, Babylon, Tyre, Sidon, etc. in scripture are always addressed as women. Women in scripture, are always the Biblical symbol of both true and false religion. It is religion which is "that great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth". This particular woman,​ who reigns over the kings of the earth,​ has a special hatred for the Lord's elect. The fact is that all religions of men harbor deep-​seated enmity against Christ and His doctrine. They one and all hate the doctrine of Christ mainly because Christ's doctrine teaches us that none of us are free to do as we please:

Gen 45:4  And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
Gen 45:5  Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
Gen 45:6  For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
Gen 45:7  And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Gen 45:8  So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

That was the same conclusion the Lord delivered to Nebuchadnezzar when Daniel interpreted his dream about the tree that nourished the whole earth:

Dan 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

That is the same message Christ gave to Pilate when Pilate thought Christ's life was in his hands:

Joh 19:11  Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

And finally that is also the same message Christ has for us concerning the affairs of this earth since the time of His death and resurrection:

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

These verses are telling us that even the thoughts and actions of all whose religion is contrary to the doctrine of Christ are actually as much a work of Christ through the power given Him by His Father as Joseph's brothers selling him into Egyptian slavery and the Jews delivering Christ up to Pilate to be crucified​. It was all nothing more or less than "what [His] hand and [His] counsel determined before to be done".

Act 4:26  The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
Act 4:27  For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
Act 4:28  For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

It wa​s the religious leaders who delivered Christ up to be crucified,​ and it will always be that same "great city" which will again deliver Christ up to be crucified again:

Luk 13:33  Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

Physical Jerusalem typifies "the great city" which still wants to destroy those who follow the Lord:

Rev 11:7  And when [the "two witnesses"] shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

When the Lord's hypocritical people were removed from Jerusalem, they were taken to Babylon:

2Ki 24:15  And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
2Ki 24:16  And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

Babylonian captivity produced a spirit of true repentance in just a very few of those who knew what the Lord had done to Jerusalem. It was only a small minority of the Lord's people who came out of Babylon to rebuild the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, and our Lord tells us it is and always will be that way, until the end:

Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

What this chapter is revealing to all with eyes that see and ears that hear, is that God's calling is to all men everywhere, and it is this whole world which makes up "Babylon the great,​ the mother of harlots and of abominations of the earth."

Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev 17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

Rev 17:18  And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

So the king of Assyria and the king of Babylon are both just earlier manifestations of this great city which is also called "the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth". It is of this system that all who have been​ given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God are commanded:

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

Next week, if the Lord wills, we will learn that even our most personal weaknesses and faults must be destroyed and burned up before we can come back to the kingdom of God.

Those weaknesses and faults are symbolized as the nations which are​ closest to us. Israel's most intimate enemy was the Philistines, and these are our verses for our next study which will bring us to the end of this chapter:

Isa 14:28  In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.
Isa 14:29  Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.
Isa 14:30  And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant.
Isa 14:31  Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times.
Isa 14:32  What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.

Hi Mike,

Always grateful for your work and responses. I am re- reading for the umpteenth time “After the Counsel of His Own Will”. The reference to ‘sovereignty’ made me think of Dan 4:17 and especially the phrase “the basest of men”. Now I have used this phrase somewhat carnally to be able to point out that the leaders God has provided are, of course, these base men. But looking at the e- sword — the most HighH5943 rulethH7990 in the kingdomH4437 of men, H606 and givethH5415 it to whomsoeverH4479 H1768 he will, H6634 and setteth upH6966 overH5922 IT the basestH8215 of men. H606 — There are Greek references to whom He is setting the Kingdom up over, but that little “it” has no Greek word attached to it which means or could mean that God is not necessarily setting up ‘base’ men over us but rather He is setting up Kingdoms over ‘base’ men. My Greek is limited to my interpretations of e- sword, amateurish at best. But if I am assigning a label to our leaders which God is not then I would like to correct my error and my thinking. I know this is trivial, but I appreciate the time you may take to respond.
Your brother in Christ,

J____

Hi J____,

Thank you for your question, and it is not “trivial” when you are seeking proper understanding.
You ask if the word “basest” in Dan 4:17 is a proper translation, and the reason you wonder about that is because you have noticed that there is no corresponding Hebrew number in Strong’s or in e- sword for the word ‘it’.

Here is how you word this question:

There are Greek references to whom He is setting the Kingdom up over, but that little “it” has no Greek word attached to it which means or could mean that God is not necessarily setting up ‘base’ men over us but rather He is setting up Kingdoms over ‘base’ men. My Greek is limited to my interpretations of e- sword, amateurish at best. But if I am assigning a label to our leaders which God is not then I would like to correct my error and my thinking. I know this is trivial, but I appreciate the time you may take to respond.

Here is the verse you reference:

Dan 4:17  This matter [ is] by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Yes, you are right, there is no number for the word ‘it’.

I am sure you are aware that I make no claim of being either a Greek or Hebrew scholar. I rely on George V. Wigram to locate every entry in scripture, of every Hebrew and Greek word, and I use James Strong’s definitions only as I see them in “the sum of God’s Word” (Psa 119:160), supplied by e- sword via the efforts of George V. Wigram.
With that in mind I looked in my e- sword and saw that Strong’s number for this word is H8215 and it appears only this one time here in Dan 4:17. But the base or root of the word ‘basest’ is Strong’s number H8214, and that word is translated with four different English words which all carry the same thought. They are abase, put down, humbled and subdue. Here is where those translations are found.

H8214
  (Aramaic)
shephal
Total KJV Occurrences: 5
abase, 1
Dan_4:37
down, 1
Dan_5:19
humbled, 1
Dan_5:22
put, 1
Dan_5:19
subdue, 1
Dan_7:24

So it is obvious that the Hebrew word behind the English word ‘basest’ in Dan 4:17 can properly be translated into many English words which all carry with them the concept of being low. Here is Strong’s definition of the word translated ‘basest’ in Dan 4:17.

H8215
shephal
shef- al’
(Chaldee); from H8214; low: – basest.
You say:

There are Greek references to whom He is setting the Kingdom up over, but that little “it” has no Greek word attached to it which means or could mean that God is not necessarily setting up ‘base’ men over us but rather He is setting up Kingdoms over ‘base’ men.

Without being a Hebrew scholar, I can safely tell you that “setting up kingdoms over base men” definitely is not the point being made. In fact when you read what is taking place in this chapter, “the basest of men” is a very good translation, simply because this whole chapter is talking about what God did to Nebuchadnezzar, and not what the kingdom of Babylon did. This chapter deals with the prophecy about God striking Nebuchadnezzar with insanity and yet keeping Nebuchadnezzar as the king of Babylon. In other words, you and I are insane until we are made whole.
With that in mind, let’s reconsider the verse in question and notice why it is worded as it is. Here is Dan 4:17 along with the preceding verse.

Dan 4:16  Let his [ Nebuchadnezzar’s] heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.
Dan 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

“The holy ones” are God and Christ. It is by their decree that Nebuchadnezzar is given the heart of a beast and is actually driven from among men and for seven years eats grass like an ox. Nevertheless “the intent [ of God was] that men may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and give it to whomsoever He wills and sets up over it the basest of men” [ men with the heart of a beast]. It was for that reason that God retained Nebuchadnezzar’s position as the king of Babylon. What this tells us is that “the basest of men” is the very same thing as “the chief of sinners.”

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

That is the message of this chapter, and an insane king is the type of “the basest of men… the chief of sinners”. The fact of the matter and the spiritual message here is that we are all insane Nebuchadnezzar, ruling over the lies of Babylon and all of Babylon’s provinces within us. If we think this is talking about Nebuchadnezzar only, or if we think that the apostle Paul is the most wicked person who has ever lived, then we simply have not yet been given eyes to see these words:

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Rev 1:3  Blessed [ is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Rev 22:7  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

These are all written “for our admonition” and not for the admonition of Daniel or Nebuchadnezzar, even though no doubt, they felt that is was for them. Here is what the spirit reveals about all the events of the Old Testament:

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [ Greek – aions, ages] are come.

“Christ in you” (Col 1:27) is “the ends of the ages”. It is only those in whom He dwells who are experiencing “the ends of [ the end product of] the ages.” So Peter also informs us of this same Truth with even more pertinent details.

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith [ the end product, “the ends of the ages”], even the salvation of your souls.
1Pe 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [ that should come] unto you:
1Pe 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

“Not unto themselves but unto us they did minister…” So this story of Nebuchadnezzar is for our admonition and not at this time for Daniel’s or Nebuchadnezzar’s admonition. These things all happened to Nebuchadnezzar so that we can see that it is we who have experienced the miracle of having our dream told to us about the great image and its destruction by a stone cut out of the mountain without hands, which destroyed that image, which was nothing less than an image of ourselves, an image of the beast.

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
Rev 13:14  And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

It is we who have built an image of ourselves and demanded that the whole world fall down and worship us. It is you and I who have cast God’s elect into the fiery furnace and yet were shown God’s mercy when He delivers them from our rage and fury. Then after all of that, we are made to know that we will be driven from among men and driven insane, and still we worship ourselves and take God’s glory to ourselves.

Dan 4:18  This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise [ men] of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou [ art] able; for the spirit of the holy gods [ is] in thee.
Dan 4:19  Then Daniel, whose name [ was] Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream [ be] to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.
Dan 4:20  The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
Dan 4:21  Whose leaves [ were] fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it [ was] meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:
Dan 4:22  It [ is] thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
Dan 4:23  And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and [ let] his portion [ be] with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;
Dan 4:24  This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
Dan 4:25  That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
Dan 4:26  And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
Dan 4:27  Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
Dan 4:28  All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
Dan 4:29  At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
Dan 4:30  The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
Dan 4:31  While the word [ was] in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, [ saying], O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
Dan 4:32  And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling [ shall be] with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
Dan 4:33  The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.

“Until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men” is just how long God’s wrath endures upon us. It is symbolized by “seven times.”

Joh 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Do not be one of the foolish ones who says, ‘These are words for blasphemers, and I have never blasphemed God, and I will never know His wrath.’ Here is the truth of that matter, and here is the truth of the lesson of this 7th chapter of Daniel.

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

It would have been real nice if Paul had just left out ‘the world’ and ‘death’, but God’s Words are “a two- edged sword”, and Paul did not leave out those words. It would have been nice if He had said ‘only the good things to come are yours’, but that is not what he was inspired to say. Here is the Truth of this matter:

Ecc 9:2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

It is “one event” which is experienced by all of mankind in his own order.

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Chris t shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1Co 15:24  Then [ cometh] the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

Nebuchadnezzar was “in Adam” just as all men are. So if we read of the apostle Paul calling himself “the chief of sinners” and we think those words apply only to him, then we do not yet believe that we must “live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. If on the other hand we read of Paul and think of ourselves as “the chief of sinners”, and we read of Nebuchadnezzar and we think of ourselves as insane men with “the heart of a beast”, then maybe God is showing us mercy and bringing us out of our seven times under His wrath.
I hope this helps you to see you certainly are right to repent of assigning these words to Barak Obama or Hugo Chavez, and that you now know who God was really speaking of when He said that “He places over the kingdoms of men [ within us] the basest of men” [ you and me].

2Sa 12:7  And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

Your brother in Christ,
Mike