Burunche’s Blog

Maccabees is one of the books of the Apocrypha, Christian literature that has not been included in the main list of Biblical books. There is a great deal of useful information in some of these books. Guzik continues with his explanation:

ii. 1 Maccabees 1:29-32 and 1:52-61 describe how Antiochus persecuted the Jews. 1 Maccabees 1:41-50 describes his blasphemies. By some estimates he was responsible for the murder of more than 100,000 Jews.

· And after two years fully expired the king sent his chief collector of tribute unto the cities of Juda, who came unto Jerusalem with a great multitude, and spake peaceable words unto them, but all was deceit: for when they had given him credence, he fell suddenly upon the city, and smote it very sore, and destroyed much people of Israel. And when he had taken the spoils of the city, he set it on fire, and pulled down the houses and walls thereof on every side. But the women and children took they captive, and possessed the cattle. (1 Maccabees 1:29-32)

· Then many of the people were gathered unto them, to wit every one that forsook the law; and so they committed evils in the land; and drove the Israelites into secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for succour. Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side; and burnt incense at the doors of their houses, and in the streets. And when they had torn in pieces the books of the law which they found, they burnt them with fire. And whosoever was found with any book of the testament, or if any committed to the law, the king’s commandment was, that they should put him to death. Thus did they by their authority unto the Israelites every month, to as many as were found in the cities. Now the five and twentieth day of the month they did sacrifice upon the idol altar, which was upon the altar of God. At which time according to the commandment they put to death certain women, that had caused their children to be circumcised. And they hanged the infants about their necks, and rifled their houses, and slew them that had circumcised them. (1 Maccabees 1:52-61)

· Moreover, king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people, and every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king. Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath. For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws of the land, and forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the sabbaths and festival days, and pollute the sanctuary and holy people: set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine’s flesh, and unclean beasts: That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation, to the end they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances. And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king, he said, he should die. (1 Maccabees 1:41-50)

f. Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices: This was fulfilled in the terrors of Antiochus Epiphanes. The Jews, especially their leaders, invited God’s judgment upon them through Antiochus because of their sin.

i. The first attack of Antiochus against the Jews of this time was to settle a rivalry for the office of high priest. A pious high priest, Onias III, was removed from office and was replaced with his brother Jason because Jason bribed Antiochus. Then in 172 B.C. another brother (Menelaus) gave Antiochus an even bigger bribe and replaced Jason. A year later Menelaus started selling many of the temple’s gold utensils to raise money to pay off the bribe. Onias III rebuked him, and Menelaus had him murdered. Meanwhile, Jason gathered armies and fought against Menelaus to regain the office of High Priest. Antiochus Epiphanes came in to Jerusalem in 171 B.C. to defend the man who paid him a bigger bribe to be the High Priest.

ii. “This was the reason why God set over them such a breathing devil, as was Antiochus, for a punishment of their open impiety and formal apostasy.” (Trapp)

5. (13-14) The duration of the sanctuary’s desecration: 2,300 days.

Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?” And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”

a. Then I heard a holy one speaking: Many think this nameless holy one is an Old Testament appearance of Jesus. This is possible, but there is not enough information to be certain.

b. How long will the vision be? Daniel didn’t ask this question; he heard the holy ones speaking together and one of them asked the question. They wanted to know how long the sacrifices would be suspended and how long the sanctuary would be desecrated.

c. For two thousand three hundred days: Literally, Daniel heard a holy one say “two thousand three hundred mornings and evenings.” Bible students debate if this means 2,300 days or 1,150 days. 2,300 days is almost seven years.

i. Either understanding is possible, but it is more likely that this means 2,300 days. The date when the temple was cleansed is well established as December 25, 165 B.C. If we count back 2,300 days from then, we come to the year when Antiochus Epiphanes began his persecution in earnest (171 B.C.).

ii. However, if we take it to mean 1,150 days it can refer to the time the temple was actually desecrated. Philip Newell makes this case: “For a duration of time during which 2300 daily sacrifices would ordinarily have been offered, one at evening and one in the morning, as specified in Exodus 29:38-43. Since there are two of these daily, the actual time period involved is 1150 days, or slightly over three years. This, in fact, was the time of the Maccabean tribulation, 168-165 B.C., at the end of which the sanctuary was ‘cleansed’ by Judas Maccabeus in his restoration of the evening and morning sacrifices (2 Maccabees 10:1-5).”

iii. This passage has been a favorite springboard for elaborate and fanciful prophetic interpretations. A popular and tragic interpretation of this passage took one year for every day, and William Miller used 2,300 “year-days” to calculate that Jesus would return in 1844 (2,300 years after Cyrus issued the decree to rebuild the temple). His movement ended up giving birth to the Seventh-Day Adventists, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and several other movements.

iv. We can know that Miller and other “year-day” theories are wrong because this passage was fulfilled before the time of Jesus. Jesus recognized that the temple was properly cleansed and rededicated when He attended the Feast of Dedication, commemorating the cleansing and rededication of the temple after the desecration brought by Antiochus Epiphanes (John 10:22).

v. Adam Clarke’s comments show what a hold the year-date approach had to many of his time: “Though literally it be two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings, yet I think the prophetic day should be understood here, as in other parts of this prophet, and must signify so many years. If we date these years from the vision of the he-goat, (Alexander’s invading Asia), this was A.M. 3670, B.C. 334; and two thousand three hundred years from that time will reach to A.D. 1966, or one hundred and forty-one years from the present A.D. 1825.” There is no foundation for Clarke’s approach, and it has led many others off into serious error.

d. Then the sanctuary shall be cleansed: This amazingly specific prophecy was written some 350 years before the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. Great prophetic fulfillment like this demonstrates that God not only knows the future, He also guides the future.”

Reading some of these explanations, you might feel as if you’re getting mental constipation! One thing to notice is the dangers of attempting to adapt a particular interpretation to fit one’s personal theories. Tomorrow we will see what the Angel Gabriel has to say when he explains things to Daniel. What is most important for us is that we continue to trust our Sovereign God to manage the affairs of the universe appropriately. God is still on the throne, and evil WILL be defeated. May God help us to trust where we cannot see!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You to manage eternal affairs, no matter how frightening events might seem. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 8:8-12 The goat is succeeded by four other leaders

The goat became very powerful. But at the height of his power, his large horn was broken off. In the large horn’s place grew four prominent horns pointing in the four directions of the earth. Then from one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew very great. It extended toward the south and the east and toward the glorious land of Israel. Its power reached to the heavens, where it attacked the heavenly army, throwing some of the heavenly beings and some of the stars to the ground and trampling them. It even challenged the Commander of heaven’s army by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to him and by destroying his Temple. The army of heaven was restrained from responding to this rebellion. So the daily sacrifice was halted, and truth was overthrown. The horn succeeded in everything it did.

David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary gives this explanation:

4. (9-12) The strong horn that arises from the four horns of the male goat.

And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.

a. A little horn which grew exceedingly great: This was fulfilled in one of the four successors to Alexander the Great. Since the dominion of this horn was extended toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land, we can identify the historical fulfillment of this little horn in Antiochus IV Epiphanes who ruled over Syria and Israel’s land under the Seleucid dynasty.

i. Israel’s land was contested between the dynasties of Seleucid and Ptolemy, but the Seleucids gained power over the region in the days of Antiochus III (198 B.C.).

ii. Antiochus IV gained the throne of his father (Antiochus III) by murdering his brother, the former king Seleucus Philopator. The son of Philopator was the rightful heir to the throne, but Antiochus IV had him held hostage in Rome. Antiochus IV legitimized his rule mainly through flattery and bribery.

iii. Antiochus IV assumed the title Epiphanes meaning, “illustrious” and alluding to deity. The ancient Jews twisted his name into “Epimanes” meaning, “madman.”

b. The Glorious Land: In the Hebrew, the same term was used for the land of Israel in Ezekiel 20:6 (the glory of all lands), Ezekiel 25:9 (the glory of the country), and in Daniel 11:16 and 11:41. Similar wording is used in Psalm 48:2.

i. We can rightly see the Glorious Land as the center of the world:

· It is the nerve center of civilization since the days of Abraham.

· It is the truth center from which flowed God’s revelation to man.

· It is the storm center of warring nations since the days of Joshua.

· It will be the peace center of the earth during the millennial reign of Jesus.

· It will be the home center for the Jewish people forever more.

c. He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host: Antiochus Epiphanes was an accurate and dramatic fulfillment of this prophecy in history – so much so that critics insist that the Book of Daniel must have been written after his time.

i. Antiochus Epiphanes exerted his dominion toward the south, toward the east, and toward the land of Israel.

ii. Antiochus Epiphanes murdered other rulers and persecuted the people of Israel (cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them).

iii. Antiochus Epiphanes blasphemed God and commanded idolatrous worship directed towards himself (exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host).

iv. Antiochus Epiphanes put a stop to temple sacrifices in Jerusalem (by him the daily sacrifices were taken away).

v. Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated the temple (the place of His sanctuary was cast down).

vi. Antiochus Epiphanes opposed God and seemed to prosper (he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered).

d. It cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground: The host and stars are symbols used in the Old Testament for angels, kings and leaders, or the people of God at large. This prediction was fulfilled in Antiochus Epiphanes and his attacks against rulers and against God’s people in general.

i. The terms stars of heaven (Genesis 15:5, 22:17, 26:4) and the hosts of the LORD (Exodus 12:41) are at times used of God’s people in general.

ii. “Undoubtedly it is the design here to describe the pride and ambition of [the ‘little horn’], and to show that he did not think anything too exalted for his aspiration.” (Barnes)

e. And trampled them: Antiochus was an infamous persecutor of the Jewish people. He wanted them to submit to Greek culture and customs and was more than willing to use murder and violence to compel them.

i. Antiochus’s suppression of the Jews came to a head in December of 168 B.C. when he returned in defeat from Alexandria. He ordered his generals to seize Jerusalem on a Sabbath. There he set up an idol of Zeus and desecrated the altar by an offering of swine and sprinkling the pig’s juices in the sanctuary. Sacrifice stopped because the temple was desecrated.”

Notice that any time God gives prophecy, there are always nay-sayers who try to claim that the texts were written at the time of the events and not centuries earlier. But Daniel is rightly numbered among the prophets because of these visions. Why can’t God reveal future events to believers if He chooses?

Tomorrow we will continue to describe the horrors committed by Antiochus Epiphanes, but for now we must remember that no matter how awful, how threatening a dominating world leader may seem, eventually God in His Wisdom will remove that man. May God help us to continue to trust His timing and His power so that we will not be paralyzed by fear when we see such men appearing to succeed.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, we praise You, that You are all-powerful and all-knowing and that tyrants only succeed temporarily because You allow them to do so. Help us to continue to trust You and to worship You, no matter what. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Again, I am relying heavily on David Guzik’s marvelous Enduring Word commentary. If you want to dig deeper, check out the full text at https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/daniel-8/

Daniel 8:1-27 Daniel’s Vision of a Ram and Goat

During the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, I, Daniel, saw another vision, following the one that had already appeared to me. In this vision I was at the fortress of Susa, in the province of Elam, standing beside the Ulai River. (This vision takes place about 550 B.C. during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson, Belshazzar.)

As I looked up, I saw a ram with two long horns standing beside the river. One of the horns was longer than the other, even though it had grown later than the other one. The ram butted everything out of his way to the west, to the north, and to the south, and no one could stand against him or help his victims. He did as he pleased and became very great.

While I was watching, suddenly a male goat appeared from the west, crossing the land so swiftly that he didn’t even touch the ground. This goat, which had one very large horn between its eyes, headed toward the two-horned ram that I had seen standing beside the river, rushing at him in a rage. The goat charged furiously at the ram and struck him, breaking off both his horns. Now the ram was helpless, and the goat knocked him down and trampled him. No one could rescue the ram from the goat’s power.

Guzik tells us, “This vision happened while Babylon was securely in power. Though the vision will deal with the emergence and destiny of the Greek Empire, the Greek Empire was not much of anything at the time the prophecy came to Daniel.”

The ram was the national emblem of Persia, and rams were stamped on Persian coins as well as on the headdress of Persian emperors. The two horns represent the Medes and the Persians, with the Persians emerging later but being stronger. The Medo-Persian Empire made conquests to the north (Scythians), south (Egyptians), and west (Greeks) but none to the east.

The male goat represents Greece. Guzik tells us, “From ancient history we know this wasn’t a strange symbol. The goat was a common representation of the Greek Empire. “Newton very properly observes that, two hundred years before the time of Daniel, they were called, the goats’ people.” (Clarke)”

Across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground: This prophetic description of the male goat was proved to be accurate regarding the Greek Empire.

· The Greek Empire rose from the west of previous empires.

· The Greek Empire rose with great speed (suddenly… without touching the ground).

· The Greek Empire had a notable ruler, Alexander the Great (a notable horn).

· The Greek Empire had a famous war with the Medo-Persian Empire (I saw him confronting the ram).

· The Greek Empire and the Medo-Persian Empire greatly hated each other (with furious power… moved with rage). Some of the greatest, fiercest battles of ancient history were fought between the Greeks and the Persians.

· The Greek Empire conquered the Medo-Persian Empire (no one that could deliver the ram from his hand).

· The reign of the notable leader of the Greek Empire was suddenly cut short (the large horn was broken).

· After the end of Alexander the Great’s reign, the Greek Empire was divided among four rulers (in place of it four notable ones came up).

· The four rulers of the Greek Empire after Alexander ruled their own dominions, not the entire empire together (came up toward the four winds of heaven).

i. Alexander did not divide the empire among his four generals himself. His four leading generals divided it among themselves by force after his death. The four generals were:

· Cassander, ruling over Greece and its region.

· Lysimachus, ruling over Asia Minor.

· Seleucus, ruling over Syria and Israel’s land.

· Ptolemy, ruling over Egypt.

c. The male goat grew very great: The greatness of Alexander’s Empire was not only in its vast dominion but also in its cultural power. Alexander the Great was determined to spread Greek civilization, culture, and language across every land he conquered.

i. As God guided history, He used Alexander’s passion to spread Greek culture to prepare the world for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because of Alexander’s influence, koine (common) Greek became the common language of the civilized world – and the language of the New Testament.”

Tomorrow we will continue with the explanation of this vision, but look at how God has arranged world events so that at the right time, the world will be speaking Greek as a common language. Many times, we look at world events and feel as if nothing can possibly help us; yet, God is still on the throne and He is still in control. May God help us to trust Him, even in the midst of chaos.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to remember that You know the end from the beginning and that You order events to accomplish Your perfect will. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 7:15-28 The Vision Is Explained

I, Daniel, was troubled by all I had seen, and my visions terrified me. So I approached one of those standing beside the throne and asked him what it all meant. He explained it to me like this: “These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth. But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever.”

Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, the one so different from the others and so terrifying. It had devoured and crushed its victims with iron teeth and bronze claws, trampling their remains beneath its feet. I also asked about the ten horns on the fourth beast’s head and the little horn that came up afterward and destroyed three of the other horns. This horn had seemed greater than the others, and it had human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly. 

As I watched, this horn was waging war against God’s holy people and was defeating them, until the Ancient One—the Most High—came and judged in favor of his holy people. Then the time arrived for the holy people to take over the kingdom. Then he said to me, “This fourth beast is the fourth world power that will rule the earth. It will be different from all the others. It will devour the whole world, trampling and crushing everything in its path. Its ten horns are ten kings who will rule that empire. Then another king will arise, different from the other ten, who will subdue three of them. He will defy the Most High and oppress the holy people of the Most High. He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will be placed under his control for a time, times, and half a time.

But then the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and completely destroyed. Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him.” That was the end of the vision. I, Daniel, was terrified by my thoughts and my face was pale with fear, but I kept these things to myself.

God has given Daniel a prophecy of what will happen throughout human history and in the end times. Ever since Daniel has recorded these prophecies, people have tried to apply them to various empires. But the final kingdom, the one represented by the small arrogant horn that wages war on the saints, has yet to manifest itself. Does this kingdom already exist? Is it about to manifest itself? Only God has the answer to those questions.

What can we do with such prophecies? First, remember that God remains on the throne, no matter which empire dominates international politics. Second, remember that God is the One who allows empires to rise and fall. For centuries, many people believed that the ancient empires mentioned in the Old Testament never existed. Only when archaeology developed did it become apparent that the Old Testament was quite accurate and that these glittering empires that once struck fear into millions of hearts had faded into obscurity.

Finally, we need to remember that we must remain faithful to the One True Living God, no matter which empire is dominating. I have Facebook friends who serve in Kiev, Ukraine and who regularly describe Russian attacks. No matter how much the Russians may desire to reconstruct the Soviet Union, God remains in control.

God favors those who worship Him and serve Him whole-heartedly. The survival of our nations rests on our willingness to remain faithful. May God help us, so that we will be consistent and persistent. God gave Daniel these visions because Daniel could be trusted to transmit them accurately without editorializing or manipulating God’s facts. Can the same be said of us? If God gives us information, are we prepared to honestly relay it, or would we try to put our own spin on it? Daring to be a Daniel means absolute honesty, no matter how shattering a revelation might seem.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to trust that no matter how frightening events might seem, You are still on the throne as the Ancient of Days, the Almighty Ruler of the Universe. Thank You for giving these revelations to Daniel. Open our eyes that we might see those things You want us to learn. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 7:1-14 Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts

(Much of the information for today and tomorrow comes from David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary on Daniel 7. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/daniel-7/

Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon, Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is what he saw.

In my vision that night, I, Daniel, saw a great storm churning the surface of a great sea, with strong winds blowing from every direction. 

Having described most of the important parts of his life, Daniel now goes back to describe several visions that God has given him. This first vision takes place sometime in 553 B.C., the first year when Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson, is ruling the Babylonian Empire. This vision begins with a great storm churning up a great sea with strong winds from every direction. The sea is presumably the Mediterranean Sea while the storm indicates a sudden onset of spiritual chaos.

Then four huge beasts came up out of the water, each different from the others. The first beast was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was left standing with its two hind feet on the ground, like a human being. And it was given a human mind.

This vision echoes the first vision God gave Nebuchadnezzar decades earlier. The first beast is like a lion, likely representing the Babylonian Empire. But the lion is humbled by having its eagles’ wings removed, anticipating the conquest of the Babylonian Empire by the Medes and Persians.

Then I saw a second beast, and it looked like a bear. It was rearing up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And I heard a voice saying to it, “Get up! Devour the flesh of many people!”

Many people feel this second beast represents the Medo-Persian Empire, while the three ribs represent their three great military conquests: Babylon, Egypt, and Libya. David Guzik says, “The slow, crushing armies of the Medo-Persian Empire were well known. They simply overwhelmed their opponents with superior size and strength. The Medes and Persians are compared to a bear on account of their cruelty and thirst after blood, a bear being a most voracious and cruel animal.”

 Then the third of these strange beasts appeared, and it looked like a leopard. It had four bird’s wings on its back, and it had four heads. Great authority was given to this beast.

“The leopard was known for its sudden, unexpected attacks. This one was especially swift (with four wings), and clever (having four heads).

i. Each animal is mighty, but dominates its prey in a different way. “The lion devours, the bear crushes, and the leopard springs upon its prey.” (Strauss)

ii. The leopard represented the Greek Empire. Alexander the Great quickly conquered the civilized world by age 28. “Nothing in the history of the world, was equal to the conquests of Alexander, who ran through all the countries from Illycrium and the Adriatic Sea to the Indian Ocean and the River Ganges; and in twelve years subdued part of Europe, and all Asia.” (Clarke)

iii. After his death his empire was divided into four parts (four heads). Specifically, the four heads were Casander, Lysimachus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy, who inherited Alexander’s domain after his death.”

Then in my vision that night, I saw a fourth beast—terrifying, dreadful, and very strong. It devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled their remains beneath its feet. It was different from any of the other beasts, and it had ten horns.

“The fourth beast was indescribable, and uniquely horrific in its power and conquest.

b. Different… it had ten horns: In the ancient world horns expressed the power and fearsomeness of an animal. This fourth beast was so strong it had ten horns.

i. Different people picture this in different ways. Some suggest that the ten horns were actually two five-pointed antlers, rather than ten separate horns.

ii. In historical fulfillment, the fourth beast represents the Roman Empire, which was the largest, strongest, most unified and enduring of them all.

iii. “There is an unmistakable correspondence between these horns and the ten toes of the dream image (ch. 2), and the mention of iron in the teeth suggests the legs and toes of iron in that image.” (Archer)

As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them. Three of the first horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly.

This small horn, obviously a ruler of some kind, forces three other rulers out of power. So far, we don’t know the identity of this ruler; however, at some point in history, it will become obvious.

I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like purest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire, and a river of fire was pouring out, flowing from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him; many millions stood to attend him.

The Almighty God, the Ancient of Days, sits in judgment. The description alone is magnificent. “His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like purest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire, and a river of fire was pouring out, flowing from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him; many millions stood to attend him.” Read this description and ask yourself: When you are praying, are you praying to the Almighty God or to something smaller?  

Then the court began its session, and the books were opened. I continued to watch because I could hear the little horn’s boastful speech. I kept watching until the fourth beast was killed and its body was destroyed by fire. The other three beasts had their authority taken from them, but they were allowed to live a while longer.

When God the Almighty Ruler of the Universe takes His throne in judgment, no evil empire, not even the antichrist, can stand against Him. This fourth beast and all its horns will be completely destroyed. There might be remnants of the other empires that continue for a little while, but only until God chooses to remove them.

As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.

This prophecy is one of the first Old Testament prophecies of the coming of Jesus Christ. The description is wonderful and again is worthy of study and meditation.

Tomorrow we will continue with this vision, but why has God given this vision to Daniel, of all people? God has trusted Daniel because God knows Daniel will transmit the information accurately and honestly. Others might twist the vision or try to put their own spin on it. God trusts Daniel, just as Nebuchadnezzar and Darius the Mede have trusted him.

Obviously, Daniel is a man of sterling character. Do we meet the Daniel standard? Can we be trusted with responsibility, with power, with money, or with information from God? It’s been said that “Character is what you do when nobody is watching.” May God help us so that we will always strive to meet the Daniel standard, no matter the circumstances and no matter what pressures we might encounter.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, sometimes these visions are frightening; yet, You are the Ancient of Days and nothing is hidden from You. Help us to trust You and to follow Daniel’s example, no matter our circumstances. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 6:1-28 Daniel in the Lions’ Den

Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests. Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.

Well! It’s a new day in the old Babylonian Empire and Darius the Mede is now in control. As a savvy ruler, Darius divides the kingdom into 120 provinces with a high official over each province. Then Darius appoints Daniel and two others to supervise these administrators. Naturally, Daniel performs admirably, demonstrating God-given ability. Darius is so impressed that he is ready to place Daniel as the Chief Administrator over the entire empire.

The other bureaucrats have been fuming about Daniel for years as he has ascended to increasingly more important positions. If only they can catch Daniel out, they can destroy his career, gaining power for themselves in the process. But “He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.”  There must be a way to bring Daniel down, but HOW?

Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. So they concluded, “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.”

So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, “Long live King Darius! We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions. And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.” So King Darius signed the law.

Darius might be a savvy ruler, but he also has an ego that won’t quit. When all these leaders come presenting what purports to be a unanimous request that everyone in the kingdom should pray to him for the next thirty days, Darius thinks, “Why not? I AM the supreme ruler.” Blinded by pride, Darius fails to appreciate the schemes underlying this proposal until he has signed this ridiculous request into law. In these days, the law of the Medes and Persians is absolute; once an edict has become law, there are no means for reversal. The scheming administrators are rubbing their hands in glee and dancing little victory dances, for they know that now they can catch Daniel.

But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help. So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions?”

“Yes,” the king replied, “that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”

Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.”

Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament. In the evening the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.”

Before going to the king, these plotters meet outside the palace, slapping one another high fives and doing little victory dances. After years of trying, these guys feel they are eliminating this obnoxious Hebrew do-gooder completely! “Okay, Bel-te-shaz-zar! Let’s see how you get out of this one!”

So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”

A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.

WOW! The king is seriously concerned about Daniel. Not only does Darius refuse all food and drink, but he cannot sleep at all that night.  

Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”

Notice the king hurries anxiously to the lions’ den. Generally, kings don’t hurry anyplace; they send messengers to investigate and bring them back information while they sit grandly in the palace. And the king is in anguish, another emotion generally foreign to most sovereign rulers.

Daniel answered, “Long live the king! My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”

Notice how graciously Daniel speaks to Darius. Daniel might be tempted to be impertinent; however, he respects Darius’ authority and also reassures Darius that his intentions are honorable.

The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God. Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.

Again, this is one of the most satisfying conclusions to any Bible story. Not only are the wrong-doers punished, but they and their families are thrown to the lions. The lions are so eager to attack these people that the lions tear them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.

Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you!

“I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end. He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

What can we gain from this story? First, Daniel has been honoring the Lord for his entire life; he doesn’t simply start at the time of the king’s edict. It is actually Daniel’s practice of routine worship that gives his enemies the idea of twisting it to use against him.  

Next, Daniel persists in prayer and worship, even when Darius issues an edict against such practices. It is of supreme importance that Daniel continue to relate to God, whether he lives or dies.

Daniel maintains his respect for Darius, even when Darius is forced to carry out his own foolish order.

Darius lives to bitterly regret having been manipulated by greedy jealous counselors to have Daniel thrown to the lions.

And finally, when God delivers Daniel from the lions, Darius orders his subjects to worship and fear Daniel’s God. Darius learns much more quickly than Nebuchadnezzar did, for Darius believes this miracle while Nebuchadnezzar had to be humbled for seven years before he acknowledged God as sovereign.

Make no mistake! We can suffer for doing the right thing, and God might or might not deliver us. But we can also trust that the God who shut the lions’ mouths if fully capable of delivering us from any threat.

May God help us to trust Him at all times.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You, even when we are suffering and facing extreme threats to our existence and our ministries. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 5:13-31 Daniel Explains the Writing

So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles brought from Judah by my predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar? I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods within you and that you are filled with insight, understanding, and wisdom. My wise men and enchanters have tried to read the words on the wall and tell me their meaning, but they cannot do it. I am told that you can give interpretations and solve difficult problems. If you can read these words and tell me their meaning, you will be clothed in purple robes of royal honor, and you will have a gold chain placed around your neck. You will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

Daniel answered the king, “Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means. Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar. He made him so great that people of all races and nations and languages trembled before him in fear. He killed those he wanted to kill and spared those he wanted to spare. He honored those he wanted to honor and disgraced those he wanted to disgrace. But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. He was driven from human society. He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them.

“You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself. For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! So God has sent this hand to write this message.

“This is the message that was written: Mene, mene, tekel, and Parsin. This is what these words mean: Mene means ‘numbered’—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end. Tekel means ‘weighed’—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up. Parsin means ‘divided’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was dressed in purple robes, a gold chain was hung around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. That very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian[e] king, was killed. And Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.

Belshazzar threw a feast for his nobles, trusting in the strong defenses of the city of Babylon. Again, Guzik gives us this information: “Belshazzar was not afraid of the siege surrounding the city. He was confident because of Babylon’s impressive defenses and his vast supplies.

i. Conservative calculations set the dimensions of the ancient city of Babylon like this:

· The outer walls were 17 miles (27 kilometers) long.

· These walls were 22 feet (7 meters) thick and 90 feet (28 meters) high.

· The outer walls also had guard towers another 100 feet (30 meters) high.

· The city gates were made of bronze.

· A system of inner and outer walls and moats made the city very secure.”

But if all these defenses were there, how did the Medes conquer Babylon?

“The ancient Greek historian Herodotus relates that the Persian King Cyrus conquered Babylon by diverting the flow of the Euphrates into a nearby swamp. This lowered the level of the river so his troops marched through the water and under the river-gates. They still would not have been able to enter had not the bronze gates of the inner walls been left inexplicably unlocked. This was exactly what God predicted in Isaiah 44:28-45:7 and Jeremiah 51:57-58. God opened the gates of the city of Babylon for Cyrus, and put it in writing 200 years before it happened.

Isaiah 45:1-2 “This is what the Lord says to Cyrus, his anointed one, whose right hand he will empower. Before him, mighty kings will be paralyzed with fear. Their fortress gates will be opened, never to shut again. This is what the Lord says: “I will go before you, Cyrus, and level the mountains.I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.”

Jeremiah 51:57-58 says, “I will make her officials and wise men drunk, along with her captains, officers, and warriors. They will fall asleep and never wake up again!” says the King, whose name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:
“The thick walls of Babylon will be leveled to the ground, and her massive gates will be burned. The builders from many lands have worked in vain, for their work will be destroyed by fire!”

i. “In October 539 BC, Cyrus advanced into lower Mesopotamia and, leaving Babylon till last, conquered and occupied the surrounding territory. Seeing which way the wind was blowing, Nabonidus of Babylon deserted his city, leaving it in the charge of his son Belshazzar… the taking of Babylon was as bloodless and effortless as Daniel 5 implies.” (Motyer, in his commentary on Isaiah)

ii. The fall of mystery Babylon will be like the fall of real Babylon – sudden, sure, and in the midst of her worst blasphemies. “Empires do not stand by human might, man-made machines and missiles. There is not a wall high enough nor thick enough to prevent a nation from falling when God pronounces that nation’s doom.” (Strauss)

Belshazzar was trying to bolster his courage by conducting an orgy and praising useless deities. But when the One True Living God weighed in, none of Babylon’s defenses were sufficient. Today many of us are horrified at Russia’s war against Ukraine; yet, God can still deliver Ukraine if enough of us pray persistently. From Daniel’s youth, he was accustomed to pray several times a day, and he continued that practice until he died. May we consistently and persistently turn to God, confessing, praising, worshiping, and requesting. God has promised to hear us and to answer. It is left to us to obey.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, we praise You for Your glorious might and Your power over the affairs of men. Graciously look upon Ukraine and deliver her from this unjust war. Help all of us to continue in prayer, trusting that You are working in ways we neither see nor understand. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 5:1-31 The Writing on the Wall

Many years later King Belshazzar gave a great feast for 1,000 of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. While Belshazzar was drinking the wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver cups that his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. So they brought these gold cups taken from the Temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. While they drank from them they praised their idols made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, near the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote, and his face turned pale with fright. His knees knocked together in fear and his legs gave way beneath him.

The king shouted for the enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers to be brought before him. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me what it means will be dressed in purple robes of royal honor and will have a gold chain placed around his neck. He will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom!”

But when all the king’s wise men had come in, none of them could read the writing or tell him what it meant. So the king grew even more alarmed, and his face turned pale. His nobles, too, were shaken.

But when the queen mother heard what was happening, she hurried to the banquet hall. She said to Belshazzar, “Long live the king! Don’t be so pale and frightened. There is a man in your kingdom who has within him the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, this man was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your predecessor, the king—your predecessor King Nebuchadnezzar—made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon. This man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has exceptional ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”

Who was Belshazzar? David Guzik in his Enduring Word Commentary gives us the answer: “When we come to Daniel 5, Nebuchadnezzar is no longer the king of Babylon. How did it pass from Nebuchadnezzar to Belshazzar? The ancient historian Berosus gives us the following order of events:

· Nebuchadnezzar died after a 43-year reign.

· His son, Evil-Merodach (described in 2 Kings 25:27-30 and Jeremiah 52:31-34) ruled for only two years when he was assassinated by his brother-in-law Neriglassar, because his rule was arbitrary and licentious.

· Neriglassar (mentioned as Nergalsharezer in Jeremiah 39:3, 13) ruled for four years until he died a natural death.

· His son, Laborosoarchod, only a child and of diminished mental capacity, ruled for only nine months when he was beaten to death by a gang of conspirators.

· The conspirators appointed Nabonidus, one of their gang, to be king. He ruled until Cyrus the Persian conquered Babylon.

b. Belshazzar the king: For a long time, historians and archaeologists knew that Nabonidus was said to be the last king of Babylon, not Belshazzar (who was Nabonidus’ eldest son). The solution to this so-called discrepancy was apparent when evidence was uncovered indicating not only Belshazzar’s association with Nabonidus on the throne, but also demonstrating that during the last part of his reign Nabonidus lived in Arabia and left the conduct of the Kingdom of Babylon to his eldest son Belshazzar. i. There was no additional mention of Belshazzar, the eldest son and co-regent with Nabonidus, until the Nabonidus Cylinder was discovered in this century. It is now displayed in the British Museum.

ii. According to Babylonian records, Belshazzar became co-regent in the third year of Nabonidus’ reign (553 B.C.) and continued in that capacity till the fall of Babylon (539 B.C.).

iii. It is most likely that at the time of Daniel 5, Nabonidus had gone out to fight the Medo-Persian army and had been already captured. Those armies now surrounded Babylon, and were looking for a way into the strongly defended city.”

 With the Medes surrounding the city, Belshazzar threw a party for his nobles and brought out the vessels his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had looted from the temple in Jerusalem so that his nobles could drink wine from these consecrated objects. Evidently, Belshazzar had already proven himself to be foolish and had refused to learn anything from the sufferings of his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar. When Belshazzar desecrated the holy vessels from the temple in Jerusalem by drinking from them and praising demons rather than the One True Living God, he sealed his fate and that of his city.

God proceeded to write a warning with his finger on the wall. It’s possible that the writing was in Hebrew, a language none of the Babylonian magicians and astrologers would have understood. Obviously, the queen mother was not part of the orgy at the palace and she had far more sense than did her son, for she remembered Daniel. It’s also obvious that by this time, Daniel had faded into the background while the Babylonian astrologers and magicians had gained favor, likely because they would tell the king what he wanted to hear.

The story of the handwriting on the wall has passed into common parlance and is now used to indicate a warning that should be obvious to the meanest observer. The spectacle described in this story reminds me of a video I saw years ago about a family who chose to have a “hurricane party,” remaining in their home rather than evacuating from the path of the storm as did their neighbors. Already drunk, the husband insisted that everything would be fine. Sadly, the house was mostly destroyed and the innocent wife, who had pleaded to evacuate, was killed when struck by a falling beam. The last scene of the video showed the husband, now sober, grieving as he realized the results of his poor judgment.

We might read this story and feel complacent or even superior. After all, we would never do such a thing; we would certainly heed God’s warnings. But is that statement true? Through the years, we have watched as people have tried to convince themselves that there were no problems in a situation when major issues were already in abundance. Misplaced loyalties, fear of betrayal, fear of others discovering malfeasance-there are all kinds of reasons why people will steadfastly ignore God’s handwriting on the wall. May we confess our sins regularly, so that when God wants to show us something, we are prepared to receive it.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to keep close accounts with You, confessing our sins swiftly so that when You want to tell us something, we will be prepared to receive it. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 4:28-37 The Dream’s Fulfillment

“But all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’

“While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.’

“That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws.

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

“After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever.

His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’

“When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”

Well, Nebuchadnezzar’s dream comes true! One fine morning, Nebuchadnezzar is striding around his palace, “‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’”  Oh, Nebuchadnezzar! YOU JUST SAID THE WRONG THING!!!

“While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.’”

How it happens, we don’t know, but suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar goes crazy and his bewildered advisers can think of nothing to do but drive him out into the wilderness. “He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws.”

But God’s timing is perfect, and at the end of the seven years, Nebuchadnezzar regains his sanity and his kingdom.

“After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever.

His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’

“When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”

Reading this story, we might think of several world rulers to whom we wish something similar would happen. Vladimir Putin is someone who immediately comes to mind, while many of us might nominate several others. But the question for us is this: What does it take for us to recognize that God is sovereign and that we can only be his servants? How many of us secretly feel that we have created our own kingdoms and that we are unassailable?

May God help us, so that we will honor Him in everything we do.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to honor You as our Sovereign Lord and King in everything we do. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Daniel 4:1-27 Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream about a Tree

King Nebuchadnezzar sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you!

“I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how powerful his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, his rule through all generations.

“I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace in comfort and prosperity. But one night I had a dream that frightened me; I saw visions that terrified me as I lay in my bed. So I issued an order calling in all the wise men of Babylon, so they could tell me what my dream meant. When all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers came in, I told them the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant. At last Daniel came in before me, and I told him the dream. (He was named Belteshazzar after my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)

“I said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too great for you to solve. Now tell me what my dream means.

“‘While I was lying in my bed, this is what I dreamed. I saw a large tree in the middle of the earth. The tree grew very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see. It had fresh green leaves, and it was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. All the world was fed from this tree.

‘Then as I lay there dreaming, I saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven. The messenger shouted, “Cut down the tree and lop off its branches! Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Chase the wild animals from its shade and the birds from its branches.
But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze
and surrounded by tender grass.

Now let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the wild animals among the plants of the field. For seven periods of time, let him have the mind of a wild animal instead of the mind of a human. For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses—even to the lowliest of people.”

“‘Belteshazzar, that was the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now tell me what it means, for none of the wise men of my kingdom can do so. But you can tell me because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’

Daniel Explains the Dream

“Upon hearing this, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) was overcome for a time, frightened by the meaning of the dream. Then the king said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, don’t be alarmed by the dream and what it means.’

“Belteshazzar replied, ‘I wish the events foreshadowed in this dream would happen to your enemies, my lord, and not to you! The tree you saw was growing very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see. It had fresh green leaves and was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. That tree, Your Majesty, is you. For you have grown strong and great; your greatness reaches up to heaven, and your rule to the ends of the earth.

“‘Then you saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, “Cut down the tree and destroy it. But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven. Let him live with the animals of the field for seven periods of time.”

“‘This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to my lord the king. You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses. But the stump and roots of the tree were left in the ground. This means that you will receive your kingdom back again when you have learned that heaven rules.

“‘King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.’”

Despite all the miracles Nebuchadnezzar has witnessed, he remains unrepentant and refuses to worship the One True Living God. But God loves Nebuchadnezzar and wants to break that royal pride so that he will realize there is only one God and King and that he is not it. God sends Nebuchadnezzar a frightening dream and the king immediately sends for Daniel to interpret it.

God portrays Nebuchadnezzar as a huge tree whose protection and fruits supplied all the creatures in the world. But a holy messenger commanded the tree to be cut down and the stump to be bound with bands of iron and brass to hold it together. Then God decrees, “Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven. Let him live with the animals of the field for seven periods of time.”

What can Daniel say? The interpretation is frightening; yet, he must give it accurately. “‘This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to my lord the king. You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses. But the stump and roots of the tree were left in the ground. This means that you will receive your kingdom back again when you have learned that heaven rules.”

All Daniel can do is to beg Nebuchadnezzar:” ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.’”

We don’t know what Nebuchadnezzar has been doing, but obviously, he has been wicked and has been merciless to the poor. Now God is giving the king a final warning, one that eventually comes true.

This story illustrates Daniel’s courage, for who wants to advise the most powerful ruler of the world that he’s a miserable sinner who is about to suffer for his sins? Why should God warn Nebuchadnezzar in this fashion?

It’s tempting to divide Biblical characters into good guys and bad guys; however, God views people differently than we do. God loves Nebuchadnezzar and wants him to repent and worship Him rather than himself. But God has already demonstrated His power by saving the three young men from a fiery furnace and Nebuchadnezzar has settled for giving a weak warning for people to respect God but not necessarily to worship Him alone. Now it’s time for God to deal directly with Nebuchadnezzar.

The question for us is simple: How much work does it take for God to get OUR attention? How many of us are actually worshiping ourselves, rather than God? Even when we attend worship services, are we actually worshiping God or are we admiring ourselves, our dedication, our performance? May God help us so that we worship Him and Him alone!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to truly worship You and You alone. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.