Main Study 4: Let me prove it to you! (Part 3)

Before you start, in the first week, we learnt that it is the Holy Spirit that teaches us the truth about God's Word (John 16:13), and, He freely offers that gift and teaching to those who claim it with a whole heart, with the result been that when we search and seek with our whole surrendered heart, WE WILL find Him! (Jeremiah 29:13). So before you carry on, ask God to guide you (Philippians 4:6, 7), compare everything with the Bible (Isaiah 8:20), and believe that God will guide you! (Mark 11:24).

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If you do not know what this image is about, it would be best if you go back to the blog post entitled "Main Study 2: Let me prove it to you! (Part 1)" and work your way from there till you get to this point! For those who do know what this image is about, we pick up the amazing and powerful account from Daniel 2.

Remember, Isaiah 46:9-10 tells us that God proves Himself to be the TRUE GOD through prophecy (which is the act of telling the future). Looking through the Bible, we see many prophecies which show that God laid out A LOT of proof in the Bible to show that God's claim of being God is true and proven. We then went to Daniel 2, where we saw that Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon who has taken captive some of the Israelites from his invasion of Judah (Daniel 1:1, 4), has had troubling dreams (Daniel 2:1).

On a side note, if you remember the first main study, the Bible told us that God's Word is TRUTH (John 17:17), meaning that anything that does not harmonise with God's Word (the Bible) is false. So here we have a very TRUE historical account that ACTUALLY happened! Any apparent contradictions with history, or even with itself, can and will, through prayer and diligent searching for truth, be found to be an AMAZING line of harmony with history and other scriptures! So here we have, the MOST reliable account of history given to us, that is, God's Word, and it is written for YOU. 

So we find ourselves back to Daniel 2:36. Previously, Daniel has just told Nebuchadnezzar his (that is Nebuchadnezzar's) dream, and it was correct. Even before that, we see Daniel praying for a revelation of that dream, and God answers his prayer (Daniel 2:18-19) and Daniel answers and gives us some powerful attributes of God (Daniel 2:20-23), and yet, on a personal note, in the awesome power and strength and might of God, who removes and sets up kings, and concerns Himself with such big powers of the world, the Bible would still tell us this:

"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! [If] I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee."- Psalm 139:17-18

God's thoughts about YOU are so numerous! God even says this!

"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of [my] hands; thy walls [are] continually before me." - Isaiah 49:15-16

Even in God's INFINITE power, He still remembers someone like me and you, we are continually on His mind! In fact, He loves us so much that the Bible tells us this:

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."- Philippians 2:5-8

The Bible tells us that Jesus, who is God, did not think it robbery to be equal with God. (For example, Satan wants to be like God (Isaiah 14:14) but he can never be God because he just is not God; the created can never turn into the Creator. Only God can be God, for any other being to be called God would be a false claim, so for Satan to call himself God would be robbing God. But Jesus is God and did not think it a robbery to be called God!) That is the infinite level of status Jesus had! He is God! But He would then lower Himself to an infinite level of humiliation, that is, to mine and your level, just so that He could die for our sins on the cross and give to us, if we accept it by faith, eternal life! That is why we see in Matthew 1:21-23 we see that another name for Jesus (the one who shall save us from our sins) is Emmanuel, which as the Bible says, means "God with us." God's INFINITE power does not affect how He sees His finite children (Psalm 103:13).

We then saw that the dream that God gave to Nebuchadnezzar, which is to tell us of "what shall be in the latter days" (Daniel 2:28), contained the following (read Daniel 2:31-35):

A great image

A head of fine gold

Breast and arms of silver

Belly and thighs of brass

Legs of Iron

Feet of Iron and Clay

"...A stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet [that were] of iron and clay and brake them into pieces. 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."

Then we saw that in Daniel 2:36, Daniel starts to interpret the dream, and this was given to him by God, so this interpretation must also be true! In Daniel 2:37, 38, as we saw last time, it says "Thou, O king [art] a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 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."

Babylon is the head of gold.

The Babylonian Empire

Notice Daniel 2:38, Daniel tells us that Babylon is a world empire because "wheresover the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of heaven hath he given into thine hand..." The Bible tells us Babylon goes all the way back to Genesis 11:9, and look what principles it was founded on! Babylon ruled from 605-539 B.C. Then what happened next? The Bible tells us!

In Daniel 2:39 it says "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 Bible tells us that another kingdom was to arise! Now, imagine that you are king, and you hear that! What would you think?

As Babylon was a world empire, that means the second empire also has to be a world empire! Do you remember in "Let me prove it to you! (Part 2)", we saw the Bible mentioned a prophecy about Cyrus? Cyrus was the king that overthrew Babylon (Isaiah 45:1-3). This second kingdom, represented by the chest and arms of silver, is the kingdom of the Media-Persia. They ruled from 539-331 B.C. By God's grace, in a later study, we will see that the Bible even names this kingdom! (Daniel 8:20).

Territory of the Persian Empire

We also see in Daniel 2:39 that the next kingdom is another world empire! This kingdom, which is represented as the belly and thighs of brass, as history concretely backs up, is the kingdom of Greece! This is also named with stunning detail later in Daniel! (Daniel 8:21). Greece ruled from 331-168 B.C.

Territory of the Greek Empire


In Daniel 2:40 it says "And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdues all [things]: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise." The next kingdom is also a world empire, and here Daniel gives us the detail of its crushing power and destructive capability.

The legs of iron represented Rome. Rome conquered, and ruled from 168 B.C.- 476 A.D. It's brutality is a commonly noted feature of history!

Territory of the Roman Empire

So we have so far that the Bible has outlined far into the future the ruling powers of the world! Once again, God proves Himself! But He does not stop there! After this, the Bible does not say that Rome was conquered. In Daniel 2:41 it says "And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay." The Bible tells us that fourth kingdom will be divided! History tells us that no kingdom conquered Rome, but it was victim of decline and corruption, and broke up from the inside. The Bible told us how the fourth kingdom was going to end, BEFORE IT HAPPENED!

In fact, in Daniel 2:42, the Bible gives even more detail to the split! It says "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." We see the kingdom being broken up. In fact, we can assume that this statue had ten toes, and the kingdom of Rome broke up into 10 separate nations, these being: 

• Anglo-Saxons: English 
• Suevi: Portugal
• Lombards: Italy 
• Alemanni: Germans 
• Burgundians: Switzerland 
• Vandals: don’t exist today
• Visigoths: Spain 
• Heruli: don’t exist today
• Franks: France 
• Ostrogoths: don’t exist today

The modern nations you see listed came out of these ten separate nations! Daniel 2:42 told us that a divided Europe (which came out of a broken Rome) was going to exist! These have existed since 476 A.D. to the present. Once again, we see history prove this (and the present!)

God goes EVEN further! Daniel 2:43 tells us "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." Every kingdom so far has been a world empire, until Rome falls and we have divided nations! Now we see the divided nations trying to cleave together!

Here we see that these divided nations shall mingle together, but they shall not cleave one to another! That word cleave is also seen in Genesis 2:24 to explain the true marriage relationship. This shows that these nations would be marrying and intermingling, but never coming to true unity together! Yet again, we see this in history! By the time of World War 1, all the ruling houses of Europe were related, but this didn’t prevent this terrible war!

All attempts to bring Europe under the leadership of one person have failed because the Word of God said they would!

A very important point is in Proverbs 16:12 which says "[It is] an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness." Righteousness is obedience (1 John 5:17 tells us that "All unrighteousness is sin..." and 1 John 3:4 says "... sin is the transgression of the law." So unrighteousness is disobedience, and so, obedience is righteousness!) The truth is this, no kingdom lasts in disobedience to God's Law! Just as no child can stay disobedient and linked in a true relationship to their parents, it is the same with God! Even in a more far reaching sense, no being on this Earth can expect to defy the laws of nature and live, and it is the same with God's Law too! (We will study this more thoroughly at a later date.) We can see through history that these kingdoms have walked over God's Law, and as a result, just could not last!

So Daniel got to the end of the dream, and there was one thing left to explain. Everything so far has been proven by history to come through exactly as the Bible foretold, and so it is a DEFINITE that the next kingdom would also come! Daniel 2:44 tells us "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." The last event in the dream/prophecy brings an everlasting kingdom.

Psalm 145:13 says "Thy kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion [endureth] throughout all generations." So here we see that the everlasting kingdom is God's! Here are some other texts to show this:

"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."

Daniel 4:3

"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed."

Daniel 7:13-14

This text shows that the Son of man receives dominion, glory and a kingdom, and his kingdom is that which shall NOT be destroyed, we saw this in Daniel 2:44! The last kingdom is the everlasting kingdom of Christ! 

"For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

2 Peter 1:11  

As sure as Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, Rome, Divided nations of Europe happened, is as sure as the return of Jesus Christ to this Earth! Prove it? Just look at Daniel 2. 

Do we know when it is coming? No. But the Bible tells us that it IS very soon! The certainty of God's Word is shown in Daniel 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."

God has just made known to you the future, and He said that the dream is certain, and the interpretation is certain! Now watch what Nebuchadnezzar says, which proves what the Bible has taught us throughout these last few studies, found in Daniel 2:47, it says: 

"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."

Nebuchadnezzar admits to God, YOU HAVE PROVEN IT! What God claimed to be, He really is! He also claims to be your Saviour (Isaiah 43:3), so that means He is! The Second coming of Christ is SURE, and so the question we should then ask ourselves, how can I be ready? What is it that will make me ready? (The answer will blow you away!)

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in the present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

Titus 2:11-14

To be ready for Jesus, our need is Jesus, so what are you waiting for?

God Bless,

Adam

Main Study 3: Let me prove it to you! (Part 2)

Before you start, in the first week, we learnt that it is the Holy Spirit that teaches us the truth about God's Word, and, He freely offers that gift and teaching to those who claim it with a whole heart. So before you carry on, ask God to guide you, compare everything with the Bible, and believe that God will guide you!

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So last week, we looked at the issue of proving things! The simple point was made that everyone must prove what they claim to be! We then saw that God, when He rightfully claimed to be THE ONLY God, also gave proof of His claim. As a recap we saw that in Isaiah 46:9, 10 it said:

"Remember the former things of old: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else; I [am] God, and [there is] none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times [the things] that are not [yet] done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure."

(If you are wondering what the [ ] mean, in the KJV, and other versions, the translators have added words to the text; this is called supplied words. As the Hebrew and Greek is translated directly into the English, the sentence structures are very hard to understand, as would be estimated due to the difference in language structure, so, the supplied words help the reader to read the passage in a more grammatically correct way.)

So we saw that God tells us that through prophecy (the act of telling the future), He gives us proof of His claim of being God. We also saw that Peter affirms this proof in 2 Peter 1:19, that above seeing Jesus transfigured with his own eyes, he had a "more sure word of prophecy." Then we looked at a few prophecies that we can link to history and see that the Bible was accurately correct! God had once again proven His claim, that He is God! Not only this, in John 14:29, Jesus adds that through seeing prophecy fulfilled, we may believe!

An additional point is found in 2 Peter 1:19:

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts."

The Bible says that we would do well to take heed of prophecy, in the same way we would take heed of a light when we were in a dark place! This shows the importance of prophecy. "...until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts."... The Greek translation for day star means 'morning star'. Revelation 22:16 tells us this:

"I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."

Jesus says that He is the morning star! So the Bible tells us that we should take heed of prophecy until Jesus arises in our hearts! It always links to the gospel!

So in Part 2, we will be looking at Daniel 2, a prophecy that, once again, fulfils the claim of Isaiah 46:9, 10. This, and really all the posts, are by no means exhaustive... that is the beauty of God's Word, it is infinite (Isaiah 40:8), so read this prayerfully, then study it more thoroughly! 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God..." God wants to teach YOU personally.

Reconstruction of the Ishtar Gate

So we start in Babylon. The context is found in Daniel 1 (read it through). We are introduced to an invasion in Daniel 1:1: 

"In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it." 

In Daniel 1:3-5, Nebuchadnezzar tells Ashpenaz, chief of the eunuchs, "that he should bring [certain] of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes" and the characteristics of these people are listed in verse 4. The plan was to teach the "learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans." Added to this, the king appoints a daily provision of the king's meat, and his wine, to nourish them for three years that at the end of it, "they might stand before the king."


Reading through the chapter, we see qualities that all of God's people should seek to attain to, only through relying on Christ! (John 15:5). Daniel and his friends stand up for right principles and come off far better than those who followed the regime set out in verse 5! (A beautiful example of Romans 12:1-2). At the end of the three years, we see that the Hebrew boys "in all matters of wisdom [and] understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians [and] astrologers that [were] in all his realm." (Daniel 1:21)

We then go to Daniel 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."

Now we see that Nebuchadnezzar "dreamed dreams" and his spirit was troubled so much so that he could not sleep! This dream that he dreamt must have been a very disturbing dream!

Nebuchadnezzar dreaming

Now in Daniel 2:28, 29, we see what the dream was about:

"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; 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." 

So in this passage, we see that Nebuchadnezzar's dream was about what shall be in the latter days and what shall come to pass hereafter. God (He that reveals secrets) was making known to Nebuchadnezzar what shall come to pass! In other words, God revealed to Nebuchadnezzar prophecy. In light of what we learnt last week, God is going to (once again) prove His claim of being the one and true God to Nebuchadnezzar, and to us.

So did Nebuchadnezzar understand his dream? In Daniel 2:2-11, it says: 

"(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. 
(3) And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.
 (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. 
(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. 
(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. 
(7) They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it. 
(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. 
(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. 
(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. 
(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." 

Clearly, Nebuchadnezzar did not understand his dream! (1 Corinthians 2:14). He puts in some drastic measures to try and understand the dream. The Chaldeans ask the king to tell them the dream and they would tell the king the interpretation, but Nebuchadnezzar replies "The thing is gone from me: if we 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. 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 result of not being able to tell the dream and the interpretation is death.

In fact, Nebuchadnezzar adds his own 'prove it' challenge! Notice verse 9, the Chaldeans have claimed to be able to tell the interpretation, but Nebuchadnezzar says if you can tell me the dream, then I know that you can tell me the interpretation!

In verse 10, the Chaldeans admit that "There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter..." They also admit something else... "...there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh." Compare this with Daniel 2:28, the Chaldeans know that only the God of heaven can show the dream to the king! This proves the claim of Isaiah 46:9, 10 again!

So did Nebuchadnezzar start the death decree? Daniel 2:12-13 tells us:

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

The death decree did begin! Imagine that! Daniel and his friends discover that they are about to be killed because of the anger of the king! So how did Daniel deal with this? What would you do? In Daniel 2:14-18 it tells us: 

"Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise [men] of Babylon: He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why [is] the decree [so] hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise [men] of Babylon." 

Daniel answers to Arioch, and asks him why the death decree is so hasty from the king! Then Daniel is brought up to speed about the previous events. Daniel then goes to the king and asks him for time and also tells him "that he would shew the king the interpretation." This shows Daniel's faith. Daniel knew that the God answers prayers (Mark 11:24) and so told the king that he would show the king the interpretation. Then Daniel goes and tells his friends and they prayed to the God of heaven concerning the secret, so that he and his friends should not perish. 

So did God answer his prayer? Daniel 2:19-23 says:

"Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 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 revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what [is] in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. 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."

Yes! God answered his prayer! Then Daniel thanked the God of heaven! (Psalm 33:21 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18) Notice the attributes and capabilities of the God of heaven! Wisdom and might are His, He changes the times and the seasons, He removes kings and sets up kings, He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the understanding, He revels the deep and secret things, He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him (all these deserve more study! This shows what a MIGHTY God He is!) Daniel now knows the king's matter!

So, what was this dream about? We know that it somehow tells what shall come to pass in the future! (Daniel 2:28, 29). Daniel 2:31-35 says:

"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. This image's head [was] of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 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. 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."

A representation of the image

So Nebuchadnezzar sees:

• A great image, whose brightness was excellent, and whose form was terrible (formidable, dreadful)
• The image had a head of fine gold
• Breast and arms of silver
• Belly and thighs of brass
• Legs of iron
• His feet part of iron and clay
• A stone being cut out without hands, which smote the image at his feet and broke it to pieces, and everything is broken to pieces and becomes like chaff 
• The stone that smote the image becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth.

The dream has been foretold. Now jumping to Daniel 2:47, which says:

"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."

So God gave Daniel the correct dream! Nebuchadnezzar knows this too! So what is the interpretation? What does this dream mean? How does it tell what will come to pass? Probably more prominent is the question of what does it have to do with me?

Daniel 2:36 says:

"This [is] the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king." 

So Daniel starts to interpret the dream...

Daniel 2:37, 38 says:

"Thou, O king, [art] a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 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." 

So Daniel states the power of Nebuchadnezzar, and the fact that his kingdom is a world empire. Also, Daniel states who gave Nebuchadnezzar that power and kingdom! If you remember Daniel 2:21 which told us that God "removeth kings, and setteth up kings"; the point is repeated. Daniel lets Nebuchadnezzar know that the only reason why Nebuchadnezzar was in his position was because God put him there. In fact, God prophesied Nebuchadnezzar's power in Jeremiah 27:5-7 and his title 'king of kings' was also given to him by God (see Ezekiel 26:7). This once again, adds to God's claim in Isaiah 46:9, 10.

Daniel says "Thou [art] this head of gold." Here we have our first interpretation. Nebuchadnezzar is pointed out as the head of gold, and hence, his kingdom (Daniel 4:30). Babylon is the head of gold.

Next week we will finish of the rest of the dream.

God Bless,

Adam

Main Study 3 Delayed!

Hello everyone!

2 Timothy 2:15 tell us to study to show ourselves approved! The main study for this week will be postponed until due notice as I need to study it out more before I post it! So my apologies if you were expecting it this week!

However, read Daniel 2, as it will be based on this chapter!

God Bless,
Adam