Daniel 2:12-30 | What Prophecy Actually Is

Cornerstone Church

Subscribe

Download

Share

00

00:03

All right, let's get started with Daniel chapter 2 verses 12 to 30.

00:09

Rick, would you mind opening us in a word of prayer? Sure. Father, we thank you for this beautiful day.

00:16

Thank you for the opportunity to come and look into your word. Pray that you would reveal some of its mysteries to us just as Daniel revealed mysteries to Nebuchadnezzar.

00:28

We thank you for this opportunity to dig in a little bit, and thank you for Jeff's preparation.

00:33

In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Last week, we saw the exposing of false prophets.

00:43

These astrologers, enchanters, necromancers, Chaldeans that worked for the king were impotent when it came to something actually verifiable or testable.

00:57

He came to the point where he, the king, decided that he would not want to hear their interpretation, but wanted them to tell him, first of all, what he dreamed.

01:09

Now, there's some people that say that actually he had forgotten what he dreamed. Some commentators read that way.

01:15

Matthew Henry took it that way. I don't think that's the case. I think he came to a breaking point and realized, if I tell them what

01:23

I dreamed, they're simply going to make up an interpretation and just make it fit.

01:30

Because the reason I say that it seems that way, he's very angry with them. It seems that something has snapped in his mind that these guys have been cheating me all along, and he wants to test them.

01:44

And therefore, what he's noticing is that they're false prophets. That they're false prophets.

01:50

And that led me last week to introduce the false prophecies of one named

01:55

Brian Simmons, who's associated with Bethel Church, and how he claims to have brought a new translation of the

02:03

Bible. But it's very much driven by his emotion and his dreams and his visions.

02:09

His unorthodox interpretations of Scripture.

02:16

And himself being really the only scholar, although he says he consults a couple others from time to time.

02:22

But really, it's his translation of the Bible. He calls it a new dynamic form.

02:29

The problem with Brian Simmons and the quote unquote prophecy that he brings is that it's very subjective to his own feelings and whims.

02:40

It's not grounded in Scripture. Today, what we're going to do is move on from Daniel 2, 1 to 11, where we see what passes for prophecy.

02:54

And move on to the genuine thing. And in contrast to a very prophet -centered,

03:02

Brian Simmons -centered vision of prophecy, what you'll notice in the verses that we see today is a very

03:10

God -centered theology. It's very centered on God, and Daniel's approach to this is not exalting himself at all.

03:20

It's very humble. The humility of Daniel is evident in what we see.

03:27

So over against all this false prophecy, today we're going to see the genuine thing, which I much prefer to false prophets.

03:34

I don't know about you, but I get very tired of hearing the opinions of men and would like to hear from God.

03:44

So, let's dig in. We left off at verse 11. And Rick, if you could read for us verses 12 to 16.

04:38

Very good. So before we have anything prophetic, anything supernatural happening here,

04:44

I want you to notice the discretion, the prudence of Daniel. This is a man operating according to the book of Proverbs.

04:54

This is a man who has wisdom and discretion. He's not hot -headed. He's not emotional.

05:00

In fact, his very ability to curry favor with the king, to be able to go into him and talk to him, is related to his prudence and the way he carries himself.

05:13

He's not just fanciful. And why is it that the king does want to see

05:20

Daniel when he has so much anger? Daniel was at first lumped in with the others and he was set for the chopping block.

05:29

And yet Daniel can walk in to see the king. Well, there's some debate on the timeline of what's happening here.

05:38

If you notice back in chapter 2, verse 1, we're told this occurs in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar.

05:48

Now, how long was Daniel preparing before he was brought in as a wise man to the king?

05:55

Three years. So wouldn't this only be his second year of training? There are some that take it that way, but I actually think what's happening here is that there's an overlap between the father of Nebuchadnezzar and the reign of Nebuchadnezzar solo.

06:14

So this is referring to Nebuchadnezzar reigning solo, not in partnership with Nabopolazar.

06:22

So Nabopolazar is Nebuchadnezzar's father, and he'll die in 605 BC, but there's a period of time from 608 to 605 where there's some overlap.

06:32

So what this is referring to, I think, is the solo reign of Nebuchadnezzar, beginning in chapter 2, verse 1.

06:40

So Daniel has completed his three years of preparation. Now he's been functioning as a wise man, and the king has taken notice of him.

06:50

So he's able to go into the king because he's earned that respect, and the king is beginning to realize that this is a man that has prudence and discretion.

06:59

And of course, that's exactly what's pointed out in verse 14. Nothing supernatural happening here.

07:06

There is simply prudence and discretion. Verses 17 to 18.

07:14

Barbara, would you mind being my next reader? 17 to 18?

07:20

Yes. Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

07:33

He urged them to plead for mercy from God of heaven concerning the mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

07:44

Okay. The next mark of true prophecy, the first being prudence and discretion.

07:50

This is a person who is operating with wisdom, not wild -eyed, crazy hair with this prophetic appearance, as you might see on one of the television shows.

08:04

There's a prudence, there's a discretion, and a credibility that comes. But the second thing is a humble seeking of the

08:11

Lord. Notice in verses 17 and 18. He goes to his companions and told them to seek mercy.

08:22

Mercy, which cannot be demanded. It is a seeking of God. That word seek is important because it's not coming from a place of presumption.

08:34

The prophet does not see himself as above everybody else and having in themselves some great wisdom or power, but it's a seeking of mercy from the

08:45

God of heaven concerning the mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

08:56

Here you see humility. Daniel does not have confidence in himself.

09:01

He knows he needs a gift from God. In 1

09:07

Corinthians chapter 14, verse 1, we're told to pursue love and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

09:19

That's interesting. What is it in the New Testament that we do prophetically?

09:28

What is referred to in 1 Corinthians 14, 1? We're told we're to pursue prophecy. To edify, to encourage, and to comfort.

09:37

Correct. The very next verse, right? 1 Corinthians 14, 2, tells us the encouraging, the comforting, the edifying of the church.

09:45

It doesn't here refer to some special person in the church who is the prophet of the church.

09:51

The prophet Joseph Smith. The prophet David Koresh. The prophet Chris Vallotton. The prophet et cetera, et cetera.

09:58

Vallotton would be with Bethel Church. There is a humility, and it is to bring forth the prophetic word.

10:05

To bring application of what God has said, having sought God through his word, to make application of that to our lives.

10:14

It is a more modest claim than the one who sets himself up as the prophet.

10:20

Even Daniel, who Jesus in the New Testament calls a prophet, who is a prophet.

10:26

He has the opposite prophet. Although the Hebrew scriptures will arrange Daniel not with the prophets, but with the

10:32

Ketuvim, with the writings. In our arrangement of the Old Testament, he is arranged with the prophets.

10:39

And he is a prophet. Jesus said so. And yet, he's not operating in and of his own strength.

10:45

The first thing we see in him is the humility to go call friends and to say, we need to seek the

10:52

Lord. There is a God -centeredness to Daniel. First of all, discretion and a humility that comes with that office of his prudence, his wisdom.

11:03

But here now, when he is in a bind, he doesn't have the resources in himself.

11:10

It says, he went to his friends to seek mercy from the God of heaven. There's a humility there.

11:17

I think, as with Jesus, there is not only humility, but authority that comes from his relationship with God.

11:28

Yeah, yeah. The authority. What do you mean by authority there? Well, he uses, he goes to the

11:34

Word to declare the truth. And he has received truth from the

11:41

Father. That's a perfect transition to the next point. Because what Daniel is going to receive in verse 19 is revelation.

11:51

Yeah, but Daniel is a prophetic writer of scripture. He's given something that you and I would not have access to.

12:01

This prophetic word, Daniel is going to be given it for the purpose of building up the church later,

12:08

Israel in this context. Daniel is given a mystery. It's an unveiling.

12:14

Okay, so let's look at 219a. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night.

12:27

How do you think that came to him? How do you picture that happening? Dream? Think so?

12:33

A lot of people think that. The commentators are divided. They leave it as an open question. But it would make sense that if Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a dream, and it's a vision of the night, that he was having a dream.

12:48

That he fell asleep, resting in God, and he had the very dream that Nebuchadnezzar dreamt. Or like the Apostle John of Revelation, it could have been an open -eyed vision.

12:55

Yes, very well could have been. In the night. And it could have been that he refused to sleep, but was seeking the

13:02

Lord in the night. Which is a very common thing for Daniel to do in the book. So he's staying up praying.

13:08

But in any case, he sees a vision. It could be right before his face, like Peter saw. It just looked like a veil being dropped from heaven.

13:15

And the sheet with all the animals on it. He's seeing that as if it's happening right in front of his face.

13:21

It could have been like that. Isn't there evidence in Daniel, the visitation of an angel also?

13:27

Yes. Provided a vision. Yes. Later in the book, we'll see he has multiple visions. Yeah.

13:33

Whether this happens in sleep or waking, in either case, he knows without a doubt that God answered the prayer.

13:40

It's an unveiling as we read from chapter two, verse four, all the way through chapter seven, verse 28.

13:51

There's a shift in the text. Now, the Old Testament is written in which language?

13:57

Hebrew. But when you get to chapter two, verse four, it suddenly splits and begins in Aramaic.

14:07

Notice it to four. Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic.

14:14

Oh, King, live forever. And from here, from that verse on, we're actually receiving revelation in Aramaic.

14:22

Isn't that amazing? What would that tell us about this section of scripture? Very good.

14:33

It's pertaining to the Gentiles. Yeah. Prior to this, through chapter two, verse three, it's pertaining to the

14:41

Jewish people. What will happen in this vision is a picture of what's going to happen in these pagan

14:47

Gentile countries. What is Nebuchadnezzar's language? Chaldean.

14:53

So he's Babylonian. Aramaic could be very well spoken by them.

14:59

But in any case, it's not Hebrew. It's a Gentile tongue. And that's actually what he's hearing them speak.

15:06

So it seems like the Chaldeans, whoever they are, they speak

15:12

Aramaic. And the king certainly understands Aramaic because that's the language he's hearing this in.

15:17

Right? So it's a Gentile tongue that they speak. And it could well be that that's the predominant language there.

15:25

In Babylon. Okay. Yeah.

15:42

What's that? Aramaic? Yes. Yep.

15:50

Yep. Yep. That was. And then Greek ultimately would overtake the Roman Empire. But prior to that, this is probably the most ubiquitous language present everywhere.

16:00

Aramaic. So that's interesting. But it's not without meaning. Why would that be the case?

16:06

Because this is dealing with the Gentiles. One of the problems with the subjective false prophecies that we're getting from these modern day so -called prophets is that they come right out of the mind of the individual.

16:24

They're very subjective. And he then just tells you what it means. What we have in contrast here with this real genuine prophecy is that it's testable.

16:35

It's verifiable. It's clear. And this is very important.

16:41

It corresponds and correlates with other scripture. So the way we interpret scripture is with scripture.

16:48

The Bible knowledge commentary makes this point here. He said he said the author of the

16:56

Bible knowledge commentary here at this point says the prophet is seldom left to his own ingenuity to discover the truth.

17:08

He seldom left to his own ingenuity to discover the truth.

17:16

What does that mean? Daniel here is not left to his own ingenuity to discover the truth.

17:25

It's all God. It came from God. And what would he mean by ingenuity though?

17:31

Creativity. His mind. Creativity. His mind. It's subjective to his own thought and trying to connect dots.

17:40

Oh this could mean that or that. No. It corresponds to other scripture. So one of the things that the

17:48

Bethel movement has been pushing through this false prophet whose name is

17:54

Brian Simmons is that they're the next event on the prevent prophetic timetable is not the rapture of the church.

18:05

It is according to them the glorification of the church. What's the glorification of the church?

18:13

Not the rapture. You know what? They say this it is this outpouring this unveiling.

18:23

This opening of an understanding of who the church really is and taking up that mantle to take dominion.

18:36

It's dominion. Yeah. Kingdom now theology that there's and they were very big on this in 2020 because they thought that 2020 was the tribulation of the church.

18:46

And so with all of these horrible things happening, you know with the covid but really the government response to that was what was so oppressive and the medicines that they were pushing all of these things were man -made but they were interpreting that as the tribulation of the church and it was preceding what will be happening anytime now in their timetable the glorification of the church.

19:15

Where people begin to realize through their kinetic theology

19:21

Jesus had done nothing except by dependence on God that all of his miracles are repeatable.

19:31

The greater things of the book of John are not the salvation of souls, but that we would do the very kind of miracles that Jesus did.

19:43

Because Jesus had can in the kenosis had emptied himself of his Divine prerogatives and his miracles are the very things we're going to do.

19:54

So in the the visions and the dreams of Chris volatile Brian Simmons the

19:59

Bethel movement and a lot of this Pentecostal world. The next step is the glorification of the church where we're going to see the raising of the dead, which is why when they had a boy die in their church might have been a girl when they had a child die was a girl.

20:17

Yeah, they prayed and they prayed for days for her to be resurrected until it wasn't a week later.

20:24

They finally buried her as she was decomposing right there in the church.

20:30

Why? Oh, wow.

20:39

Yeah, you know, ultimately they're trying to usher in the kingdom where the church is glorified first and that prepares the way for the coming of Christ.

20:50

In many ways Bethel and this group holds to Orthodox theology. They still look to Jesus and I think there are many people within the movement more so the people that are, you know, just attending the

21:04

Supernatural School of Ministry that are saved. They're genuine Christians that are that are looking for Christ, but these dreams and these visions keep taking them off track chasing after these these illusions, which are nothing more than subjective and it's not allowing

21:21

Scripture to interpret Scripture. They're coming now to the book of Revelation as if they have a new deeper unveiling.

21:30

Do you know what they say the locusts that come out of the smoke of the pit? Yes times helicopter.

21:39

No, they say it is the religious who oppose them.

21:44

They're the smoke screen the smoke screen. That's keeping the veil over a majority of people not to see who they really are.

21:55

Do you see that? It's creative. It's very creative. Yeah. Yeah, and they're against the literal interpretation of Revelation.

22:04

Now realize what we're getting into now with these prophecies of Daniel. The two are apocalyptic and they go hand in glove.

22:13

You can't understand Revelation without being and you really don't have the full light on Daniel without Revelation to see how the time.

22:21

Let's turn quickly to Luke 21 24 Janet. If you could read that when we get there, but Luke 21 24.

22:32

There were a miracle. So I mean all perform your yes, and I can see what people might think.

22:43

Yeah, they can reproduce that somehow right following through the early church.

22:50

If you start off with an error of this degree this magnitude, right then down the line.

22:56

Of course, you've heard the analogy you're miles apart many of the errors that people in the charismatic world begin with are fairly small at the beginning, but ultimately lead to a wide gulf further down the line.

23:12

So this canonic theology where someone says well Jesus emptied himself and they go too far in what he emptied himself of which is namely being in heaven and being worshipped with angels as well.

23:25

No, he left behind his ability to do miracles in and of himself, you know emptied something of his

23:31

Divinity. That's canonic theology. Now, what you do is you take the next step and you say well everything

23:38

Jesus did walking on water raising Lazarus after four days that should be part of our expectation for the church.

23:46

And so now what you have is a very man -centered theology where you think the

23:52

Holy Spirit is going to use you to the quality of miracles that what Jesus did a small error in Kenosis which is actually a big deal theologically, but it results practically in wild things like what they're doing.

24:09

So, yeah. 24. Yeah. And they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led away captive into all nations and Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the time of the

24:21

Gentiles are fulfilled. Okay, this is what Jesus refers to as the times of the

24:29

Gentiles. Rich, you're an expert in these areas. What are the times of the Gentiles? From the time of Babylon to the end of the

24:39

Gentile rule. Right. Okay, what will mark the end of the time of the

24:46

Gentiles and God restoring and reestablishing his work with Israel?

24:53

Ultimately, I believe when Jesus rules and reigns. That's the final end of the times of the Gentiles? Yeah. Yeah, I'm looking at the rapture, the rapture of the church and then the restoration of the

25:08

Daniel 70th week. He resumes the program with Israel. Right, we're between 69 and 70, right?

25:16

Yeah, right now we're in that gap period between the 69th and 70th. We'll get to that when we get to Daniel chapter 9.

25:22

The reason I bring it up now, though, is because what Daniel is given, let's look again, we'll go back to Daniel chapter 2 verse 19.

25:32

Daniel is shown a mystery. We haven't seen what it is. We're going to get to that in chapter 2.

25:40

It's a mystery of the times of the Gentiles. The times of the

25:47

Gentiles. What's going to happen in the Gentile nations? It's written in Aramaic and it is going to show

25:55

Babylon and then the Medo -Persians and then the Greeks and then the

26:01

Romans. All of the trampling underfoot of the

26:07

Jews by these Gentile powers, which is allowed by God until the end times.

26:14

And you can't understand what these things mean without scripture. You interpret scripture with scripture.

26:23

So what we have from Daniel here is a revelation. We're told that he received it, but it's very objective.

26:30

And in order to understand it, we're going to have to allow scripture to interpret scripture. We'll leave it at that point for now.

26:39

Now let's go on to verses the second half of 19 through 23. Carol, would you mind reading that for us?

26:46

Sure. 2, 19b through 23. Then Daniel praised the

26:52

God of heavens, saying, Praise the name of God forever and ever.

26:58

For he alone has all wisdom and power. He determines the course of world events. He removes kings and sets others on the throne.

27:06

He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars. He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in the darkness.

27:15

Though he himself is surrounded by light. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for you have given me wisdom and strength.

27:25

You have told me what we asked of you and revealed to us what the king demanded. Amen. Notice here, praise and thanksgiving.

27:37

Genuine prophecy inspires praise and thanksgiving. There are false prophets, as we saw in chapter 2, 1 to 11, and as we still see today.

27:49

But that doesn't mean there aren't genuine prophecies. Genuine prophecy, one of the marks of it, is what we see here.

27:57

It inspires praise to Almighty God. It glorifies God. The result of Daniel answering,

28:05

Bless be the name of God forever and ever. This delight in the things of God.

28:11

He changes times and seasons. He removes kings and sets up kings. As we'll learn, that's what this vision was about, that Daniel had received.

28:20

And Daniel understands it. He has received this wisdom from God. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.

28:31

He reveals deep and hidden things. There is a such thing as genuine prophecy.

28:43

On our left, we have the higher critics who read the book of Daniel and try to naturalize everything.

28:53

They, of course, will come to this late date for Daniel in the first century. How could

28:58

Daniel have known what empires would come and fall unless it was a late date? They will push that date as far back because they're unbelieving.

29:08

They don't believe that God reveals hidden things. And then you have another wild extreme where people consider themselves to be prophets and are bringing new revelation.

29:20

I think where we ought to sit is in the word of God, delighting in the prophecies that he's given in his word.

29:28

Is this prophecy still fresh to you? I mean, think about it. If somebody came to your church with a new and fresh word from the

29:36

Lord. By the next Sunday, that's old hat. What's so new and fresh about it?

29:43

The minute it's given, it's already in the past while you're still thinking about its meaning. That's the nature of time.

29:50

Did you ever hear that saying? What's new isn't true. What's true isn't new. Yeah, that's good.

29:56

Yeah. The point here is that what is given in writing and given to us is given for us to us and to our children forever.

30:04

We should have as much delight in God giving to Daniel a prophecy so many hundreds of years before Christ 400 some years.

30:16

As if he just spoke it to us yesterday. That's, I think, the big problem with these false prophets.

30:22

They're always looking for a new revelation, something new and exciting, something that no one else has ever seen before.

30:29

Some new unveiling, some new epic or era of the church. Because they're not content with what

30:37

God has already said. Your heart should be blessing God to realize that he's already given this prophecy through Daniel.

30:46

Not through some some new guy running around the country through Daniel. Why is he not enough?

30:53

This prophecy should inspire the same kind of praise in us. As if it was just spoken yesterday.

31:01

And what makes it so amazing is that it was spoken so many hundreds of years before Christ ultimately reveals

31:08

Christ in his kingdom and all things are fulfilled in him. So it inspires praise as we go through the true and the genuine prophetic as we have in the written word.

31:19

Our hearts are filled with praise and delight in the God who reveals secrets, deep and hidden things.

31:26

But Nebuchadnezzar wasn't apt to accept this until the fiery furnace and seeing the miracle of their deliverance.

31:37

Well, actually, when Daniel tells him, because he's been so troubled by it. So Nebuchadnezzar is kind of like a roller coaster.

31:43

This is his first peak, right? When he gets this, he had been so troubled. He's amazed that Daniel could tell him what he dreamt and what it means.

31:51

And he actually believes that's what's going to happen. It's just that his kingdom is not going to fall while he's still there. So he's good.

31:57

And he is just through the roof excited. Then later he'll build a statue to himself because he's still an idolater.

32:04

And then he'll see the miracle of Daniel in the lion's den. And, you know, all of these things. You would think this should have been enough.

32:12

Yes, but it wasn't enough for him. Yeah, he wasn't there yet. And it's questionable whether he was ever genuinely saved.

32:18

Yeah. Yeah. Even though at the end of chapter four, he will profess the sovereignty of God.

32:24

He's lost his mind for a time and he confesses it with his mouth. But is that the same way that Balaam and Balak, Balaam confessed

32:34

God? And then he subsequently introduced sexual immorality to seduce the people from within.

32:41

But when he was up on the mountain, all he could do is bless Israel. So Balaam is not a true prophet.

32:47

And yet he's blessing Israel. I think in the same way, it's more likely that Nebuchadnezzar is being forced by almighty

32:54

God to give praise and to honor his name. But in his heart, he remains a wicked pagan king all his days.

33:02

More than likely the case. Not sure, though. There's debate on that. And you'll read the commentators are divided.

33:08

What do you guys think? Do you think Nebuchadnezzar is ever genuinely saved? Well, if you read Daniel 4, 34 and 35, it sounds like he came to know the one true

33:19

God. Well, he gave himself to God. And that, I think, is even the thesis statement of the book. As I said last week,

33:25

I think that is a crucial statement. It comes from the mouth of Nebuchadnezzar. And in verse 37, I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the king of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just.

33:37

And those who walk in pride, he is able to humble, which has just happened to him. So that seems like a pretty definitive testimony.

33:46

Yeah, but look at chapter 2. If you look at chapter 2, verse 47, look what he's saying.

33:52

Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings. That sounds like a true profession.

33:58

And then the next thing he's doing is building a statue to himself and saying, bow down and worship. So he's a wild card.

34:04

Like I said, he's a roller coaster. And we don't need to know, do we? We'll find out. We'll know one day if he's there or not.

34:11

You know, the prophet said, there should be enough for Nebuchadnezzar to see this, that he should know who

34:16

God is. But when you look at two places, when Christ came, all the miracles he was doing, and they didn't believe.

34:23

And they didn't want to kill him. And then we know in Revelation, at the end, at the end when

34:30

Christ rules, there will be many beliefs. And they're going to all go against the kingdom. Yes.

34:36

Yeah. And what's this theme of John that I've been stressing a lot? John 8, 31, John 6, 66.

34:43

There's many who are disciples who believe. But in the end, they turn away because they're never actually, truly, genuinely converted.

34:54

Judas. Judas is a perfect example. And many of the saints, angels, believe, yet they turn away.

35:03

Good word. That's a fact. They know who he is, but they have nothing to do with it. That tells us the distinction between having a head knowledge and a heart transformation.

35:15

Genuine conversion has to be, yeah. It'll affect the affections and your actions.

35:20

All right. So, in 24 to 26. Remember, by his prudence and his wisdom, he had won the friendship and the trust.

35:45

Now, notice, this requires favor with Ariok. Because for Ariok to go to the king and say,

35:51

I got someone, he's got to be convinced he's got it. Otherwise, why didn't you just carry out my command?

35:58

I told you to kill these guys. They're all quacks. Now, off with your head, too. So, God has granted this favor with men.

36:12

He wants a little credit here, too. Among the exiles from Judah. And he did.

36:18

He stepped up to bring them in. Got to give him credit where credit's due. The king declared to Daniel, whose name was

36:27

Belteshazzar. Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?

36:34

He wants to be real clear. You're not about to pull the same ruse. You're saying you actually have the dream.

36:41

Because he wants to hear that. Chapter 2, verse 27.

36:48

Daniel answered the king and said, and I love this. No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked.

37:06

And I like it because he's actually pretty aggressive here. He didn't need that first preface.

37:12

He could have said, the God of heaven reveals this. But he couched it with an apologetic.

37:20

And church, this is another reason why apologetics is good and right. He actually tears down arguments before he goes on.

37:29

He sets the true God up over against the lies of the astrologers and the enchanters.

37:38

We are told, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11, 3 and 4.

37:44

In 2 Corinthians 10, verse 4. Time and again, we are told to demolish arguments.

37:52

And every stronghold of pretense that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. Take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.

38:00

That's referring to apologetics. The super apostles. Today we have super apostles.

38:07

Running around our country. And they're prophetic in their gifting. And many people chase after them.

38:14

They really do. But we demolish arguments. And take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.

38:27

Yeah. Yep. And that's the only way it's going to happen. These deceivers need for their own sake to be refuted.

38:37

If they have hope of coming to repentance. If perhaps God would grant them repentance. And coming to the knowledge of the truth.

38:43

After having been captured by the devil to do his will. The way that's going to happen is if they're confronted with their lies.

38:51

This is mercy to those astrologers. Look, all your stargazing couldn't do any good.

38:59

Now I'm going to tell you the truth. You see, you have to tear down the lie at times. You have to attack at the point of deceit.

39:07

So he does that. He says no wise man, enchanter, magician, astrologer can show the king the mystery.

39:15

But verse 28, 29. Now I want you to notice as we read this.

39:21

Where he gives the glory. He is not even. While he gives this great. He's a prophet.

39:26

He's the prophet Daniel. He is the prophet Daniel. But look at the humility of his heart.

39:34

There is a God in heaven. Who reveals mysteries. And he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar.

39:42

What will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head. As you lay in bed are these.

39:49

To you, O King. As you lay in bed came thoughts. Of what would be after this. And he who reveals mysteries.

39:57

Made known to you. What is to be. Where's the glory? He who reveals mysteries.

40:03

Amen. And it comes right at the beginning of verse 28. There is a God in heaven.

40:09

There is a God in heaven. He's giving the glory. He's pointing up. To God and not assuming.

40:17

He's not posturing himself. In fact, he even says. Look, God gave it to you.

40:22

Just like he gave it to me. He gave you the dream first. Then he told me after he told you.

40:28

He doesn't. He doesn't grandstand himself. I love that about Daniel throughout the book.

40:34

He's so humble. He starts by going in prayer. He calls his friends and hey. Pray with me.

40:40

This is intense. But he's got this calm about him. He's humble before God.

40:46

And when God gives him this prophetic gift. He gives the glory back to God. Then lastly in verse 30 for today.

40:53

But as for me. This mystery has been revealed to me. Not because of any wisdom that I have.

41:03

More than all the living. This is why I started this lesson the way

41:09

I did. It's because when I listen. To the false prophets in our era.

41:17

It is always. To present them as having the wisdom. That we've been missing all along.

41:25

The mystery of the Shemitah. The mystery of the unveiling.

41:30

Of this and the deeper meaning. Was actually this all along. And we have discovered this new.

41:36

And we are the chosen generation. And the vision of the wild horses.

41:42

That's Cheryl Brian Simmons wife. That Alabama is the place of the wild horses. And blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

41:49

Chris Valiton prepare for re -entry. And the hundred and forty four thousand. Are the glorified people.

41:55

Here in America that are going to be. The shining ones of Daniel 12. Enough. It's nonsense.

42:02

It's all about you being the secret. Revealer of the great mystery. That we've all missed.

42:08

How about the humility of Daniel? It would be better if you said that. And you were dancing around and shaking.

42:15

Oh, and they do. They shake and it makes them think. Like they just got hit with some lightning bolt.

42:21

And then he speaks in tongues a little bit. Oh, he must really be receiving from God. Then he keeps blowing into the microphone.

42:28

Like that. The anointing is coming from his spirit into theirs. But it's all presenting him as the holy conduit.

42:36

Of this power. And it's obnoxious. It's the exact opposite of Daniel.

42:42

He even says. And before we get into the mystery next week. We'll just end here. It's not because of any wisdom that I have.

42:50

More than all the living. But in order that the interpretation may be known. To the king. And that you may know the thoughts of your mind.

42:58

He's just interpreting a dream. That the king had. That God is going to give the glory.

43:04

For revealing ahead of time. Isn't that great? I just love the humility of Daniel.

43:10

I love how he seeks God. I love how he doesn't grandstand. And I love how he brings the true prophetic word.

43:18

To be interpreted by scripture. Scripture interpreting scripture. Not the fanciful imaginations of man.

43:23

It's interesting that Nebuchadnezzar. In a sense. Shows humility.

43:29

In being totally confused. Nebuchadnezzar is. And recognizing that somebody else.

43:37

Can bring. The truth to him. And when Nebuchadnezzar gets the word. He really is humbled by it.

43:44

His mind is blown. He says there's no God. But you're God. He's the king the Lord. Now of course he has this problem of reverting.

43:51

But all right. So let's close in prayer. Who would like to close this? John Atole.

43:57

Can I call on you to close this in prayer? Heavenly Father.

44:03

Precious. Loving. Caring. Wonderful God. Lord. We thank you

44:11

Lord for this teaching. And we thank you for your word. And we thank you for this.

44:17

Example of humility Lord. We all seek. To be that humble. And so Lord I do ask that you would.

44:25

Bless that upon us. And we just ask all these things in your son's name. Amen. Next question.