Good Morning! - Dan. 4.1-3.- God's Everlasting Kingdom.

Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in

all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I thought it good to show the signs

and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. How great are his signs!

and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and

his dominion is from generation to generation (Dan 4:1-3).

We have spent some time looking at the Bible types in Dan 3:29-30. Let's look further at Nebuchadnezzar.

"Chapter four is going to give us a great deal more information about this man Nebuchadnezzar than we have had before. Actually, there was a skeleton in the family closet—something I am sure they didn't boast of: Nebuchadnezzar suffered from a form of insanity. This chapter is a leaf of history taken from the archives of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar's form of insanity is pretty well identified and known today, and it is something which a number of world rulers have suffered from" (McGee).

All people, nations, and languages. At first glance it would seem that he is addressing all the people, nations, and languages that he has incorporated into his vast Babylonian Empire, at least 120 provinces. Nebuchadnezzar reigns in Babylon after a long and bloody struggle with the Assyrians to the north, especially its capital city of Nineveh. Assyria destroyed the city of Babylon; Babylon is rebuilt and then the nation of Babylon finally destroyed Nineveh. Nebuchadnezzar II has made political peace with all these former enemies by destroying their ability to make war.

When conquering a country, it is not desirable to destroy everything. Land is almost useless unless you leave enough people on it to engage in occupations to produce tax revenue and to serve as buffer zones around the main kingdom. We may also assume that with such a vast geographical area controlled by the central government of Babylon, many pockets of land are virtually untouched by their conquerors. Whether within his kingdom or those outlying areas not important enough to occupy, he is wishing them all to know the God he has discovered.

Peace be multiplied unto you.

It would be pointless for him to be wishing his conquered neighbors to have more and more peace since he has imposed peace upon them. Here he is talking about a brand new kind of peace—a spiritual and heart peace. The kind of peace he never had before. That's the way God's people think. If they are right with God they want everyone to have the peace and joy they have. If they don't have peace, they hate anyone who says they have peace. "If I can't have peace I'm going to see to it that you don't have peace." Being a church member will not give you peace. A lot of church members don't know the Lord. This is nothing new.

The kind of peace Nebuchadnezzar speaks of can only come to people who truly know God. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Rom 5:1). Peace WITH God is in a legal sense. No conflict with God…."the peace which He made by the blood of the Cross. It is the peace which can come to a sinner's heart that is all right now because of the penalty which Christ paid—God is for him now and God is on his side. Back of all the trouble and travail that is in the world today, back of all the troubled hearts, is the question of sin. Things are not right" (McGee).

Peace OF God is more of an emotional state or sense of well-being imparted by the Holy Spirit into the spirit of man. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Php 4:7)

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful (Col 3:15).

His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom – "Nebuchadnezzar was doubtless led to this reflection by what had occurred to him. He, the most mighty monarch then on earth, had seen that his throne had no stability; he had seen that God had power at his will to bring him down from his lofty seat, and to transfer his authority to other hands; and he was naturally led to reflect that the throne of God was the only one that was stable and permanent. He [was] convinced that God reigned over all, and that his kingdom was not subject to the vicissitudes which occur in the kingdoms of this world. There have been few occurrences on the earth better adapted to teach this lesson than this" (Barnes).

Dan Carr

Memory Verses for This Week: (If you know your phone number you can memorize Bible verses.)

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. (Dan 3:17-18)

Good Morning! Dan. 3.29-30 (4th Part).

Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which

speak any thing miss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego,

shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there

is no other God that can deliver after this sort. Then the king promoted

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon (Dan 3:29-30).

There is some repetition written into these four parts dealing with Dan. 3:29-30. It is not out of laziness but out of concern that we review what is being said. Bible types are amazing and important. God is the master-teacher. There is no other book like the Bible. We usually prefer a devotional to be primarily inspirational and to inform us with little or no effort on our part. But if we are willing to be patient and serious about learning, we can advance quickly in our understanding. Studying Bible types is profitable.

Nebuchadnezzar is a type of the anti-Christ. Another type is the image he built in Daniel 3 which is a type of an image that will be set up by the anti-Christ. Today we are awaiting the construction of a Jewish temple on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem. The stones for the new Jewish temple have been sawed and crated for at least forty years. The anti-Christ will set up a satanic image inside that new temple. Satan will perform a miracle by giving life to the image and causing it to speak (Rev.13:15). Daniel 3 is related to the beginning of the times of the Gentiles. Revelation 13 marks the end of the times of the Gentiles.

The fiery furnace is a type of the great tribulation that is coming on the earth. Daniel introduces this seven-year period as the seventieth week (Daniel 9:24-27). This "week" of seven years will begin with promises to the Jews, followed by achievement in peace and prosperity. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had prosperity and prominence for a while and then suddenly they were in the fiery furnace. The Jewish people in the land of Israel will experience a great trial of affliction and death, hotter than any trials before in their long history. I suggest that you read all of Daniel chapter 9.

The Hebrew youth are a type of the Israelites who will be preserved during the great tribulation. The anti-Christ will do his best to kill all Jews just like Hitler tried it. He will also try to kill all Christians who have turned to the Lord during those awful days. Revelation 7 tells us that the 144,000 sealed Jews, 12,000 from each tribe, will be preserved and will go about preaching the gospel of the kingdom. "…later they will be seen still standing on the other side of the tribulation (Revelation 15:2), brought through the tribulation victorious over the beast, his image, and his mark (666)" (Strauss).

The workers who threw the Jews into the furnace are a type of the final doom of the anti-Christ who persecuted the Jews and Christians during the great tribulation. And then shall that Wicked [one] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders (2Th 2:8-9).

And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city(Jerusalem): and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them (Rev 20:9).

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever (Rev 20:10).

And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone (Rev 19:20)

God said to Abraham: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed (Gen 12:2-3).

"Those who have persecuted the chosen people of God will one day meet their own doom in the lake of fire. History is repeating itself and will continue to do so until our Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth and sets the world aright. We can well afford to believe God and wait the day of His righteous vindication.

"The Babylon of Daniel 3 is a type of the spirit of Babylon that will make a last effort to unite all the world in one religion (Revelation 17). The city of Babylon was the site of Nimrod's tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). It pictures the system and spirit of Babylon in the world of today. Political and religious Babylonianism will continue to spread its influence and power throughout the earth until the end of the age.

"With the end time coming upon us, the problems become more complex. We do not look for any man's world betterment program to succeed, but we do look for that "blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13) (Abbreviated from notes by Strauss).

It remains to be seen whether ancient Babylon will be completely rebuilt and then destroyed to fulfill prophecy, or whether Babylon resides in its spirit and influence and will be destroyed "in one hour."

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

Dan Carr

Memory Verse for This Week:

While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease (Gen 8:22).

Quotation for this week: "As by this theory, innumerable transitional forms must have existed. Why do we not find them embedded in the crust of the earth?." —Charles Darwin, Evolution or Creation, p.139.

Good Morning! - Dan 3.29-30 (3rd part).

Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and

language, which speak any thing miss against the God of

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces,

and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is

no other God that can deliver after this sort. Then the king promoted Shadrach,

Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon (Dan 3:29-30).

The book of Daniel is about the coming and passing of time—to the end of this age. Sunrise and sunset illustrate that truth beautifully as does this photo by Yair Karelic in Israel. The book of Daniel contains both history and prophecy (history written in advance). Sometimes the prophecy is simply a clear statement in words. Sometimes the prophecy is embedded in a type—that is, a figure or picture revealed through a person, place, or event. The Bible is full of types. There is also the device that we call a primary and secondary fulfillment of prophecy. A preliminary event or person partially portrays the big event or person that is to follow.

Nebuchadnezzar is a type of the anti-Christ, the man of sin who will come to world power after the Church of Christ (the real believers) are caught up to Heaven while the anti-Christ is in power. He will force all religions into one unit under one head. This will be Satan's ecumenical church. Anyone who refuses to conform in every way will be killed (Rev.13:4-15). (Rub your curser over the reference and access the passage. Click the little speaker icon at the top for excellent reading of Rev.Ch.13. The next little icon will bring up the Matthew Henry Commentary on the passage.)

"There is a close parallel between Daniel 3 and Revelation 13. In both chapters there is a ruling despot and an image to be worshipped. Nebuchadnezzar is a type of the political 'beast' who creates an image of himself as an object of state worship. In each instance the image is external, visible, magnificent, and impressive"

The image in Daniel 3 is a type of an image that will be set up by the anti-Christ. Today we are awaiting the construction of a Jewish temple on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem. The stones for this temple have been sawed and crated for at least forty years. I heard of them that long ago. The temple IS going to be built. But shortly after the temple is built, the anti-Christ will set up a satanic image inside the temple.

Jesus referred to this: When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (Mat.24:15) (Go here and listen to entire chapter)

Satan will perform a miracle by giving life to the image and causing it to speak (Rev.13:15). Daniel 3 is related to the beginning of the times of the Gentiles. Revelation 13 marks the end of the times of the Gentiles.

We will continue with at least one more study relating to Daniel 3:29-30. It is extremely important to grasp the basic outline of the simple prophecies contained in chapters 2 and 3. Tomorrow's newspapers are rolled up in Daniel and Revelation.

(Information in this letter may be found in "The Prophecies of Daniel" by Lehman Strauss. However, this study is standardized in various study Bibles and several books that include "Daniel" in their titles. Strauss is one of my favorite writers and his books on Daniel and Revelation are outstanding. I have heard him speak many times in Bible conferences and radio. The bibliography in his book on The Prophecies of Daniel includes 48 other writers including McGee, DeHaan, Ironside, Larkin, Pentecost, Epp, Pettingill, etc. Good writers can also be found at www.e-Sword.net). Walvoord and Rice are also favorites on Bible prophecy.

Dan Carr

Memory Verses for This Week: (If you know your phone number you can memorize Bible verses.)

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. (Dan 3:17-18)

Quotation for this week: "Often a cold shudder has run through me, and I have asked myself whether I may have not devoted myself to a fantasy." —Charles Darwin, Life and Letters, 1887, Vol. 2, p.229.

Good Morning! - Dan. 3.29-30 (2nd part).

Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak

any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be

cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other

God that can deliver after this sort. Then the king promoted hadrach, Meshach,

and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon (Dan 3:29-30).

Nebuchadnezzar is impressed but not converted. He is forced to recognize the true God of the Hebrews, but not ready to abandon his own gods he has served all of his life. He will place God at the head of all the other gods. Isn't that also the American way? To keep God around in case of an emergency but to preserve all our other programs that are the real controlling power in our lives. He was famous for his elaborate palace of hanging gardens and a system for watering the plants. The Tower of Babel was not far away.

He is impressed that the God of the three Hebrews is able to preserve His own in a hot fire and that this God can give him dreams and young men to recall and interpret those dreams. God can write history in advance, before it occurs. But Nebuchadnezzar is going to discover another principle: the one true God does not tolerate false gods. He will tolerate other gods for a while, but not forever.

For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else. (Isa 45:18)

…the LORD saith,..them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed (1Sa 2:30).

The Built-in prophecy. Contained in this story is an ad′um·bra'tion – To give a sketchy outline of. To overshadow; shadow or obscure. (Amer.Her.Dict.) In short, the figures in the story represent things to come.

The fiery furnace is a picture of the great tribulation that is to come on the earth between the rapture of the true church and the return of Christ to sit upon the Throne of David in Jerusalem. Thus, the fiery furnace portrays the intense suffering during that time.

Nebuchadnezzar is a picture of the beast out of the sea, the Antichrist of Revelation 13:1. The last world ruler. The image of gold represents the abomination of desolation of which the Lord Jesus spoke. The three Hebrew children represent the remnant which will be miraculously preserved during the Great Tribulation period.

Daniel is not mentioned in this chapter at all. He wasn't around. He was out on kingdom business. He is therefore, a picture of the redeemed ones who are to be removed before the Great Tribulation. The fourth man in the fire represents the Lord Jesus who will be with His people in the day of the Great Tribulation" (abbrev. from McGee).

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (Joh 16:33)

... I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen (Mat 28:20).

Dan Carr

Memory Verses for This Week: (If you know your phone number you can memorize Bible verses.)

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. (Dan 3:17-18)

Quotation for this week: "Often a cold shudder has run through me, and I have asked myself whether I may have not devoted myself to a fantasy." —Charles Darwin, Life and Letters, 1887, Vol. 2, p.229.

Good Morning! - Dan. 3:29-30 - There Is No Other God

Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak

any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be

cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other

God that can deliver after this sort. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach,

and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon (Dan 3:29-30).

Separation of church and state? Our Bible text today reminds me of that subject. Please indulge my short detour from Babylon to America. We hear a lot about this in America today but most of it is completely out of context with its history and constitutional meaning. There is always a need to keep the government out of the exercise of religion and conscience. In our country, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;"….(Amendment I to the Constitution of the United States).

That's the whole thing. All of it. It's all about what Congress cannot do. There's nothing about what churches can't do or about prayer or Bible reading in public schools or football games except that Congress shall keep out of it. The Supreme Court has never been appointed by the Constitution to be a legislating body. Thomas Jefferson feared it would one day do that— corrupt into an oligarchy (a government controlled by a small group of people).

There's nothing in our constitution about preventing religious influence on government. Our Supreme Court made that up out of thin air. It could become lawful by an act of Congress and ratification by the states as a constitutional amendment. But that has never occurred. Nine old men in black robes have begun telling the churches what they can do and not do and to tell graduating seniors they cannot mention God.

In our Bible text today, the first world-power monarch is telling everybody in his kingdom that if anyone says a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego he will be cut to pieces and his house made into a garbage heap. But isn't that a good thing when the government says you can't talk against the true God of Heaven? In a theocracy such as in Old Testament Israel there was a death penalty for speaking against God. Well, in this case Nebuchadnezzar got it right but it's close to an accident and with his case of insanity he's just as liable to go the other way if his mood changes.

If God is running the show, that kind of power works. If fallen man is running the show, that kind of power is extremely destructive. When Christ rules the world from the throne of David His Father in Jerusalem, it will be with a rod of iron. But while corrupt humanity rules, we have to have a separation of powers and limit the powers of government.

Nebuchadnezzar is using coercion; brute force to shut every one up. We don't have such a government in the United States. We have a republic where we elect people in our behalf to make and enforce laws. In a pure democracy, everybody votes on everything. It's a very inefficient and crude kind of government. Everybody votes on what color to paint the Whitehouse. In a republic, the elected congress empowers someone to decide what color to paint the Whitehouse and everyone has to chip in to buy the paint.

In America, people decide matters of religion and conscience by persuasion but not by coercion. But our nine-judge Supreme Court has begun to decide church matters directly and indirectly. It is going to get worse before it gets better. The so-called "hate crimes" bills are just a warm-up. Bible Christianity is increasingly being singled out in America by hostile groups in our courts and all levels of government.

…there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. This is the big picture in our verses today. Nebuchadnezzar got it right. It is also true that the God of heaven is in charge of the human governments of the world as we are going to see in the next chapter of Daniel. We may be called upon to suffer as the despised ones. Today around the world thousands of Christians are in jail and thousands in our life time have died for their faith in Christ. "When Peter preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, he got three thousand souls. When Stephen preached in the power of the same Holy Spirit, he got three thousand stones and gave up the ghost" (Evang. Fred Brown).

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy (1Pe 4:12-13).

If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters (1Pe 4:14-15).

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (1Pe 4:16).

I am including these verses because I believe a time of increasing persecution is coming upon genuine Christians in America if there is not a great spiritual awakening. I would be glad to be wrong about this but I don't think I'm wrong. If you go with the flow you'll make it ok. But if you live Bible Christianity, you will suffer for it. The worst persecution against Christians is always from government power. Patrick Henry witnessed Baptist preachers in stocks and others preaching from the jailhouse windows in Virginia just before making his famous speech: "Give me liberty or give me death."

For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God (1Pe 2:19-20).

For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: (1Pe 2:21).

Dan Carr

Memory Verses for This Week: (We are carrying these verses over another week for memorizing. Copy onto cards and carry with you. If you know your phone number and where you live, you can memorize Bible verses.)

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. (Dan 3:17-18)