00:00 Introduction and Superstitions

01:19 Child Dedications and Church Events

01:45 Debate Reactions and Political Commentary

03:43 Introduction to the Book of Daniel

04:48 Daniel's Captivity and God's Sovereignty

07:33 The Daniel Diet and Youth Ministry

12:26 Nebuchadnezzar's Troubling Dream

14:32 The Rise and Fall of Empires

14:52 The Future Roman Empire and the Stone

15:43 America's Absence in Biblical Prophecy

17:09 The Enemies of Israel: An Acronym

18:14 Christian Nationalism and America's Role

20:18 Daniel's Absence and Nebuchadnezzar's Statue

24:12 The Fiery Furnace: Faith Under Fire

27:03 God's Deliverance and Nebuchadnezzar's Proclamation

28:00 Concluding Prayer and Reflections

Hey everybody.

2

Welcome back to another episode

of the daily Bible podcast.

3

Here on Friday.

4

That's right.

5

Friday, Friday.

6

Yeah, Friday the 13th.

7

Is it, it is Friday the 13th.

8

Have you, are you?

9

I see that you're wearing your

lucky rabbit's foot and your

10

fingers are crossed right now and

are, so are your legs, your arms?

11

No.

12

And your eyes only statement about that.

13

These truisms.

14

I'm standing with my legs

crossed, but that's about it.

15

Um, yeah.

16

It's very much.

17

I think we talked about that.

18

Why 13 is unlucky?

19

I don't think that there's any

real satisfactory answer out there.

20

I don't think we ever came up with it yet.

21

And that's part of the, I guess it's fun.

22

Right.

23

You just have these weird, like

super what do you call them?

24

Superstitious superstitions, where

they just kind of emerge at a set.

25

I'm sure there there's some kind of pagan

origins somewhere down the line, right?

26

And it just carried through don't

you don't walk into the ladder.

27

Don't step on a crack

break, your mother's back.

28

Did you ever ride in the car with somebody

who, when they went through a red light,

29

would kiss their hand and touch the roof?

30

Um, it feels vaguely familiar,

but it's been a long time.

31

That's ever happened.

32

Yeah.

33

Weird things like that.

34

I mean, you did that several times on the

way when we were driving in new Braunfels.

35

When we came down and we were, we

were scoping the place out and we were

36

driving and you kept on doing that.

37

I was curious about.

38

And then we asked, yes, he,

I didn't do that though.

39

Um,

40

Yeah.

41

Any ways.

42

Yeah.

43

Hey, uh, Hey child

dedications this weekend.

44

That's right.

45

That's exciting.

46

Yep.

47

We've got that.

48

Duncan.

49

I think we've got almost 12 kids, 12 kids.

50

I think something like that.

51

Yeah.

52

Yeah.

53

That's a lot of under 12.

54

Duncan dedications.

55

No, no, that'd be cool though.

56

If we handed them a bag of Dunkin donuts,

when they got down on stage, just as okay.

57

Tongue and cheek and not

to the Presbyterians.

58

Yeah.

59

Although they don't dunk, they sprinkle.

60

That's true.

61

They don't.

62

They don't.

63

Yeah.

64

Well, you know what everything's

changed since the debate.

65

Everything has changed exactly

what we thought would happen.

66

Everything the big

shakeup is taking place.

67

It was a whole lot of helpful information.

68

I'm so glad I watched it.

69

I'm so glad I spent time reviewing it.

70

I didn't watch it.

71

Um, are you even a Christian?

72

That's the question?

73

Am I an American?

74

Maybe that's the bigger question.

75

No.

76

Uh, yeah, I didn't watch it again.

77

I just was like, and then when

I started to see the Twitter

78

comments on it, And he's like, I'm

definitely not watching this now.

79

Couldn't do it.

80

I needed it.

81

So I watched a few minutes

of it live and then I watched

82

the rest of it after the fact.

83

Yeah, sped it up a bit.

84

And it was unsatisfying, which I,

you know, I expected some of that.

85

Yeah.

86

It was still revealing in its own way.

87

Eh, I don't think Trump

won in a technical sense.

88

I don't think he did a good job.

89

I think common, learn

about eating animals.

90

Well, you know, You know?

91

Yeah.

92

And that's the thing.

93

It's not hard to get them off track.

94

If you want him to go, bazonkers,

you know, just say something about

95

his character, his administration,

and he'll just go off.

96

So.

97

I think she did a great job.

98

Strategy-wise in getting him.

99

Way, far away from the issues

that really would have mattered

100

in him scoring some points.

101

So she was surprisingly.

102

Good.

103

I was always.

104

I mean, she showed some restraint.

105

She wasn't amazing.

106

Like, no, I don't think she walked away.

107

The clear, like, yeah, she's

got, she's a shoe in, but.

108

I felt like Trump really

just did not do a good job.

109

He hasn't handed to him.

110

I would, I would have talked about man.

111

I was shot in the head.

112

And I came back I'm here

and God protected me.

113

I'm here for this moment because

that seemed to go off the new cycle.

114

And then that would have just

brought up all the things that she's

115

done terribly she's in the office.

116

And he does that with his,

with his closing argument.

117

So he did some of that, but.

118

I was unsatisfied.

119

I just, I just wish it

would've gone differently.

120

And even though that hasn't gone

the way that I'd hoped, we'll

121

see what God does with that.

122

We will, we will, uh, oh.

123

Oh, and is certainly

confident about the future.

124

Going strong.

125

Yeah.

126

He sent on an ex hot take.

127

Trump's going to win.

128

He might win big.

129

I don't know what he knows, but he

knows people in high places probably.

130

Being in control of all of this

it's appropriate that we're

131

studying the book of Daniel now.

132

This is a super appropriate.

133

That's the best season for it.

134

It really is Daniel one,

two and trace three.

135

Uh, yeah, we opened up the book of Daniel.

136

6 0 5 BC.

137

So we're jumping back.

138

We left.

139

And now we're backing up.

140

Um, and we're back up in 6 0 5 BC.

141

Uh, Daniel was probably using the

Jewish calendar while Jeremiah

142

may have been using the Babylonian

calendar and counted the session

143

year there of, uh, of Nebuchadnezzar.

144

And so that's why there might be a dis

discrepancy here or of Joey can brother.

145

Um, and that, that's why you

see a discrepancy between the

146

fourth year and the third year.

147

And in all of that, just put a pin in

that for a minute, because when we get

148

to chapter nine, The Jewish calendar

is going to factor back in and that's

149

going to be important for us there.

150

And one of the other differences

between the Jewish calendar

151

in our, our modern calendar.

152

Is the Jewish calendar only has 300 days.

153

Did you know that?

154

300 days.

155

I know that their calendar does

end up being different from ours.

156

Ain't no, that it wasn't an exact number.

157

Yeah, that's helpful.

158

Yeah.

159

So, um, yeah.

160

When we get into chapter nine,

that's gonna matter more.

161

But chapter one here.

162

Uh, we opened up in 65 BC and

DOB through Daniel makes it very

163

clear what's happening here.

164

This is not a random defeat.

165

This is not a happenstance

that takes place.

166

This is not an accident.

167

This is not an indictment on

Israel's lack of preparation.

168

This is God, God is

orchestrating these events.

169

And it says in verse two, the Lord gave

Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand.

170

At the, what was going

to do a lot of giving.

171

In the first chapter here, he's going

to give Joey, he came, he's going

172

to give the vessels of the house.

173

He's going to give some of the best

and brightest of the Israelite youth.

174

Then he's going to start giving to

Daniel, Hannah and I, as Ryan Michelle,

175

he's going to give them favor.

176

He's going to give them wisdom.

177

He's going to give them knowledge.

178

He's going to do all of these things.

179

Uh, here with his people.

180

And so chapter one of the book of Daniel,

just drips with God's sovereignty, he

181

is there behind the scenes, operating

all of these things and we get the.

182

The peak at that, we get to see that

because we get to read this from our

183

perspective, but here you have Daniel

and his three friends taking captive.

184

You probably know the story.

185

Uh, they're, they're taken to Babylon,

they're put into Harvard of Babylon

186

and they're also said, Hey, you

can have some of the King's food.

187

They say, no, we don't want to do

that because that would defile us.

188

The reason being a lot of that food

would have been offered to false gods

189

before it would have been served to the

Israelites or some of it may have even

190

been prohibited food and Daniel and his

three friends knew the Torah well enough.

191

And this speaks to who they were

even before they get to Babylon

192

that they said, we can't do this.

193

This is going to defile us.

194

God gives them favor.

195

They could have been executed

for even making the request.

196

God gives them favor.

197

They're not executed.

198

He caused them to look better than

everybody else around in there found

199

even smarter at the end of their

training than all of their peers

200

and even all of the Kings Wiseman.

201

Uh, who had had their positions for

who knows how long at that point.

202

So chapter one opens by setting the

stage for us by getting Daniel and

203

his three friends there in Babylon,

because God wanted to use them.

204

There.

205

And then a verse.

206

Uh, 21 gives us the final note there.

207

Of the chapter that Dina was going

to be there until 5 30, 9 BC.

208

That's how long?

209

From six to five to 5 39 BC, he's going

to be there for, for quite a long haul.

210

Faithfulness.

211

Sometimes it works out in our

favor and it shows that God

212

protects us in these moments.

213

Sometimes faithfulness results

in good things happening.

214

As, as this happened here, he

puts the right people in place.

215

God allows the right.

216

Protections to be in place.

217

All the things are working

out in their favor.

218

That's not always the case.

219

And we're going to have to talk

about that, especially as, as

220

we forecast whatever future

America has for us as Christians.

221

We just have to be aware of the

fact that there are times in

222

history where God intervenes and

he intervenes on their behalf.

223

It works out great.

224

There are times where there's not the

case, but here's a good time where

225

we can celebrate that safe, man.

226

Thank you Lord, for taking care of these

people and, and evidence that he'll do the

227

same for us in some way, shape or form.

228

Ultimately not even death can

separate us from the love of God

229

and Christ Romans chapter eight.

230

Uh, but sometimes it does in

terms of its temporariness.

231

Sometimes there is a death.

232

Sometimes there is at least a threat

of death, as well as soon seat.

233

But talk to us about the Daniel diet.

234

Should we be jumping on this?

235

I know it's not as popular anymore, but

I'm looking to drop a couple pounds.

236

I want to join the Daniel diet.

237

Tell me about that.

238

Yeah, there, there.

239

Uh, we should never fast

for physical appearances.

240

In fact, Jesus condemns that it right

in the new Testament, he says, when you

241

fast don't look like you're fasting,

try to look better than, than that.

242

And don't mope and

everything else like that.

243

And so the Daniel diet was

popularized by book of that name

244

that came out not so long ago.

245

Well, I guess a while ago now,

from this point of view, Yeah.

246

When did regret that we are old back

in the nineties would be my guess.

247

No, is it that long ago?

248

I would get.

249

Diet book release date.

250

Typing it in right now

you're on pins and needles.

251

The web has said, okay, here we go.

252

December 3rd, 2013.

253

Oh, wow.

254

Take your recent than I thought.

255

Yeah.

256

Well, it was wrong then it was, would

have been wrong back in the nineties team.

257

This is not a prescription for us.

258

This was an evidence of a

GT one, which is God thing.

259

One.

260

This is a miracle that God performed.

261

If you eat.

262

Vegetables and drink water.

263

You're not going to be found

looking better than somebody who's

264

eating protein and, uh, eating the

delicacies and things like that.

265

And the other thing too, you

have to remember at this time.

266

The standard of physical beauty

and appearance was different than

267

what it is in today's society.

268

To be a little bit.

269

Rotund and plump was a good thing.

270

And, uh, and certainly.

271

Certainly the water and vegetables.

272

We're not going to do that for

Daniel and his three friends.

273

And yet at the end, they're found looking

better, whatever that subjective standard

274

was for the king of Babylon than anybody

else that they were measured up to.

275

So this is not for us to do

this is for us to be in awe.

276

Uh, when we look and say, wow, God,

this is evidence that you're moving

277

here, such a fair point to an end,

to be fair in our Bible in the ESPs

278

says that they were fatter in flesh.

279

Uh, it might be a bit misleading.

280

Maybe they were more plump fatter.

281

But it's probably better to

understand that as healthier looking,

282

whatever, whatever that standard

of appearance was in that time.

283

And that time in situation,

they looked better.

284

And so this was a, an act

of God intervening on their

285

behalf, again, in their favor.

286

God worked in their favor, despite

the odds of working against them.

287

So this is again, God's hand of

intervention, probably don't start

288

a Daniel diet anytime soon, but

if you know, there's nothing wrong

289

with eating fruits and veggies.

290

Hey, let's all just be clear on that.

291

Right?

292

It's an unprocessed food.

293

Eat some good meats.

294

I'm sure that's going to

be better for you overall.

295

That's probably a healthy diet period,

but this is not the point of that.

296

That's true.

297

That's fair.

298

Yeah.

299

Uh, by the way.

300

Estimate.

301

How old are these,

these kids at this time?

302

We don't know for sure.

303

What kids.

304

Well, yes.

305

Seven or eight?

306

No, but maybe 15, 16 years old.

307

So youth.

308

A kid is probably closer

to like eight, 10 rage.

309

I don't know, man.

310

I, when you turn 40, you're

going to start calling people.

311

Oh, I know, man.

312

It's just.

313

Eight over the hill.

314

And you're like, that's a kid.

315

They're 39.

316

You know, like you're a kid right now.

317

Get out of my lungs kid.

318

No.

319

Um, but th the estimate I've

seen some estimates of 15 to

320

16 years old at this point.

321

Amen.

322

Right.

323

And that's amazing.

324

And in both of us and, and

you can, you still have had

325

experience with youth ministry.

326

And this is one of the reasons why we

take that so seriously, because when

327

you look at men like this young men like

this, it's, it's not fair for us to.

328

To look at the youth in our churches

and just say, well, let's just entertain

329

them so that they don't cause any

problems and not expect too much of them.

330

I think the way that you lead our student

ministry here and having the past it

331

in California in the way that I've had

had that approach in the past as well.

332

We're going to set the bar high and

call them to that because we see what

333

God's doing in the lives of these here.

334

No.

335

Are they saved?

336

Are they not saved?

337

That's going to be a big question

with a youth presently in our context,

338

because you can't expect an unbeliever

to act like a believer, right.

339

But there's no age limit to salvation.

340

And when you're dealing with

somebody who is saved, we can

341

expect big things from our students.

342

And we should, I think it was George Bush

who said something about the effect of a

343

sub, the soft bigotry of low expectations.

344

Um, there's a book called a do hard things

by Alex Harris, the Harris brothers.

345

Uh, yeah.

346

But both of them, I believe

co-wrote that book right?

347

I think it's that one.

348

Yeah.

349

Whoever they are.

350

The Harris brothers.

351

Uh, related to former pastor Josh Harris.

352

Uh, anyway, it's a good book.

353

Uh, it's a, it's a really great place.

354

And it shows in a demonstrates all

throughout their pages about the

355

way that God has used young people.

356

In fact, there's, there's good

evidence that the, the apostles

357

themselves as disciples were young

men, they were not, you know, you see

358

the images of them on some of the.

359

Renaissance paintings or some of the

images that you'll search on Google

360

and they look like they're 40 year

old, 50 year old men who already are.

361

I know I learned some things grizzled.

362

Right.

363

And that's just not the case.

364

In reality.

365

These were really young men.

366

I mean, teens to early twenties

is the very likely expectation

367

of how old these men were.

368

Yeah.

369

And that's because they were

thought of as men early on.

370

Yeah.

371

Mary being as young as

13, some suggestions.

372

Yep.

373

So again.

374

Yeah, you're right.

375

That's a, that's an important point

for us to realize we're talking about

376

a younger demographic of people.

377

We think about them differently.

378

We should hold the bar higher.

379

Yeah.

380

Yeah.

381

Especially John.

382

John was probably the youngest of all

the disciples, which is what leads

383

people to, to portray him in pictures.

384

Like Leonardo's last supper, right?

385

As somewhat feminine, a

little more feminine looking.

386

It's not that he was trying

to communicate that he was.

387

Feminine puberty yet, but that

he was a younger, a younger man.

388

Daniel chapter two, chapter two, Daniel

is going to feature dreams, quite a

389

few of them, uh, from Daniel himself.

390

But, but before we get to

Daniel, there's going to be

391

dreams that Nebuchadnezzar has.

392

And so in chapter two, we find the first

of these and Nebuchadnezzar has a dream.

393

It says in verse one, his spirit was

troubled and his sleep will left him.

394

So this is a troubling dream for

a grown man so much so that he's

395

unable to fall back asleep and.

396

He calls all his Wiseman and he

doesn't want them to just flatter him.

397

He doesn't want them to just, you know,

whisper sweet nothings into his ear

398

about how everything's gonna work out.

399

Well, this dream was significant

enough that he said, no, you need

400

to tell me what my dream was too.

401

So I know that I can trust

what your interpretation is.

402

None of them can do it because

that's an impossible task.

403

And so he orders everybody

should be killed.

404

And then Daniel perfectly reasonable.

405

Yeah.

406

Yeah.

407

I'm just going to put you on that.

408

Although, I, you know, you, you think

here's a king that knew he had been.

409

Deceived by these men and was aware

of the deception and yet was willing

410

to put up with it to a certain extent.

411

And then, you know, I think this is just

years and years and years, probably of him

412

just being frustrated with the fact that,

okay, you guys are under worthless am.

413

By paying you for it.

414

Yeah.

415

Um, Daniel catches wind of it.

416

Daniel says, hold on,

give me some, some time.

417

And here we begin to see

the great faith of Daniel.

418

Because Dino says, let me

ask God to do the impossible.

419

And believes that he can.

420

And so verses 14 through 19 Daniel

trusts God and asks him for time

421

to answer the King's demand.

422

And then he and his friends.

423

Uh, prey and they received

the answer from the Lord.

424

And before running off to tell the

king, they stop first, before they go

425

and say, hold on king, don't do this.

426

Uh, look at us, we've got the answer

they turn and they worshiped God.

427

And that's a hallmark of Daniel.

428

Andy's three others.

429

Their humility is worth noting.

430

We're going to talk about humility

quite a bit this weekend, as we

431

get into the upper room and here

we see such a good example of this.

432

They were not after the, the

acclaim and the power and the glory.

433

Uh, they were after magnifying the

Lord and they do that in private.

434

And they do that when they

have the opportunity in public.

435

So Daniel goes before the king

says, Hey king, listen up.

436

Uh, you need to know that the

God of heaven has revealed this

437

to you and here's the dream.

438

So he has the statue, the head of gold,

the chest and arms of silver, the middle

439

and thighs of bronze, the legs of iron.

440

Feet of iron and clay.

441

And then there's the stone

that comes out of a mountain.

442

And the head of gold.

443

It works out to being Babylon,

the chest and arms of silver.

444

He.

445

Told is going to be another nation

that comes in and replaces him.

446

That's going to be

Medo-Persia historically.

447

Uh, then you've got the

middle and thighs of bronze.

448

That's going to be another nation still.

449

We're going to find out that

that's going to be Greece.

450

And then you've got the legs of

iron, which is the Roman empire.

451

And that's going to be, you know,

time of Jesus' Roman empire, uh,

452

in, in the surrounding decades.

453

Uh, centuries even.

454

Uh, around that.

455

And then you, you get to the feet

of iron and clay, and this is still

456

the Roman empire, but this is the,

the, perhaps the future Roman empire.

457

This is the we're going to find

out that eventually there's

458

going to be 10 Kings and.

459

And so that's depicted here is the

separation of the iron and clay because

460

iron and clay don't bind well together.

461

And so we're going to see that

this is going to be a future roam.

462

That's not going to be as

strong as the original Rome was.

463

And in fact, that's going to be indicated

even more so because the stone that's

464

cut out of a mountain without hands is

going to hit the statue at those feet and

465

it's going to destroy the whole thing.

466

It was that, and that is Jesus.

467

That's the millennial kingdom.

468

That's, that's the, the expectation of

the Davidic king from all the way back

469

in, in a second team of seven, who's

going to have a kingdom that's going

470

to reign forever and ever without it.

471

And so we see.

472

Uh, Jesus, who will come on the scene yet?

473

Future.

474

Depicted there in the stone.

475

You missed the section.

476

I didn't.

477

And maybe I missed it here.

478

Uh, where's the America in this.

479

Can you just point that out?

480

Oh, versus that.

481

They're not there.

482

Eric is not on the Zane.

483

They're not there.

484

As great as we are, and

we're not in the Bible.

485

Right.

486

So, and that's a great point, isn't it?

487

Because these are some of the most

powerful nations that have ever

488

walked the face of the earth and God

is using them as an object lesson.

489

I say, look, all of these mighty

nations and you know, the.

490

The Mito Persians.

491

The.

492

The Greeks, the Romans, I mean, these

are some amazing empires people.

493

I mean, we Revere these people

for other work in there.

494

Your strength.

495

The all that they offer.

496

Um, and yet it, God said, and they're

off the scene and it's almost like God's

497

making the point over and over again.

498

Look, you can look to the human strength

and the most powerful of kingdoms.

499

And yet they're never going to,

they're never going to stand up.

500

To the strength of God.

501

It's a simple thought and it's almost

like, oh yeah, it's so obvious.

502

But why do we often give so much

deference to these human institutions?

503

God can not make the point any stronger.

504

The rock, the rock of Christ is going

to crush all the kingdoms and every knee

505

will bow and every tongue will confess.

506

It includes America.

507

And for whatever reason, God chose

not to even put us on the map.

508

Right.

509

We're one of the strongest and

mightiest super powers ever

510

to walk the face of the earth.

511

And yet nowhere in the Bible, do you even

have a hint of us, which I think is an

512

important thing for us to take note of.

513

It's a lesson in our humility.

514

Speaking of, in a way for us to

say, look, this isn't about us.

515

This is about Christ.

516

Let's keep our minds fixed

on what really matters.

517

But election matters.

518

Yes.

519

We want to care for that.

520

Pray for that.

521

Pray for our leaders.

522

But ultimately Jesus is going to

rule and reign and that we can trust.

523

Yep.

524

Yeah.

525

I heard somebody talking on something

I was listening to today about the

526

enemies of Israel and he gave an acronym.

527

Uh, for how we can remember

the enemies of Israel.

528

So he it's, this it's eat.

529

A big purple.

530

Great.

531

This sounds complicated.

532

I'm already not eat a big purple grape.

533

Right?

534

Okay.

535

So first is E that's Egypt, right?

536

So Egypt was Israel's

first grade enemy then.

537

All right.

538

Uh, Syria.

539

A E a.

540

Big Babylon by weight, eat a okay.

541

B.

542

Big is Babylon.

543

Alright.

544

Right.

545

Purple.

546

It's Persia.

547

And then G is grape is Greece.

548

Oh, gee is crepe.

549

Okay.

550

So you get a big purple grape.

551

Okay.

552

I'd never heard that before.

553

And this guy like rattled it off,

like, Hey, we all know the acronym.

554

I was like, wait a minute.

555

I don't know that acronym.

556

Yeah.

557

Who said that first?

558

Yeah.

559

I don't recall that one

eat a big purple grit.

560

So these are the enemies

of Israel of God's people.

561

Right.

562

Okay guys.

563

So they were talking north and south here.

564

Right?

565

Cause obviously that's Syria Babylon.

566

Right.

567

I think it needs more

letters for clarification.

568

Well, and then you have

a room at the end there.

569

So it's like, Eat a big

purple group right now.

570

Really.

571

I

572

really need it reflexively, respectfully.

573

So you just mentioned.

574

Uh, America's not here.

575

What do we do with the people

and they're sensational and

576

you'll, you'll find them on.

577

Sometimes on TBN or maybe you're at the

bookstore and you'll come across a book

578

and it's like, America is new, a Babylon.

579

America is the new Rome

and that's who we are.

580

That's fair.

581

So I think there is something to

be said about us being part of the

582

world system that opposes Christ.

583

Absolutely.

584

So if you want to say we're in

there, we're in that we're in a

585

collection of enemies, opposed to

Jesus and his people then okay.

586

We're in the Bible in that sense,

but there's no specific in a specific

587

sense, you know, we're not, the

Egyptians are not the Babylonians.

588

And I think that's important for us to

realize, because it puts us in our place.

589

I mean, Christian nationalism.

590

You've talked about this before.

591

I think it's good.

592

It's a good instinct to say, look, I want,

I want the nation to honor Judeo-Christian

593

values and to have Judeo-Christian

laws has served us so well.

594

I understand that instinct

and even respect it.

595

Uh, on the other hand,

We're just not here.

596

Right?

597

I w I element that, but I

also see that as a sign.

598

Okay.

599

That means we're going to

be on the opposing side.

600

You said this before, pastor PJ.

601

You know, when Jesus comes

back, where are the enemies?

602

We're not, we're not on the

side of Jesus saying go Jesus.

603

Yep.

604

You know, not make Jerusalem.

605

Great.

606

Again, we're going to be on

the opposite side and it's not

607

a good, hopefully we won't.

608

No not we, we as an American.

609

Yeah.

610

Yeah.

611

You know, the plural corporate, we, so

all that to say, I just think it's, it's

612

helpful for us to see that for the sake of

calibrating, our expectations, not say no.

613

I'm not, I'm not cynical by any stretch.

614

I'm not a cynic.

615

Right.

616

I don't think the worst

thing's going to happen.

617

I just know that what scripture

says leads me to believe.

618

Okay.

619

We're probably not going to be on

the side of justice, therefore.

620

Pray for my nation.

621

Pray for my leaders.

622

Pray for my pastors.

623

I want to be sure that I'm setting

my expectations appropriately and

624

looking toward to the ultimate end

and not just the proximate one.

625

Yeah.

626

And there's great confidence for

us to, to be had to chapter two

627

has always, in my mind, stuck out

the way of summarized it is this is

628

future history in the eyes of God.

629

This is from, from Daniel's perspective.

630

This is none of this has happened yet,

but in God's perspective, because he's

631

sovereign over the affairs of mankind.

632

It's.

633

It's as good as done it, his

history he's recording it this way.

634

It's like, this is what's going to happen.

635

Right.

636

We're going to see that again.

637

Uh, later on in the book as well.

638

Chapter three though.

639

This is probably one of the more

well-known stories in the book of Daniel.

640

This one and chapter six.

641

Um, chapter three though, you've

get, you've got the focus on Hannah

642

and I as Ray and Michelle pastor.

643

Rod.

644

Where is Daniel in chapter three.

645

Was he falling down and

bound down to the statute?

646

Um, I think he was on a vacation, probably

just chilling by one of the rivers,

647

the Tigris Euphrates, just hanging out.

648

I don't know, man, we don't know.

649

We don't know.

650

And that's, that's part of the

interesting part because he's just

651

not there and there's no information

telling us about what he's doing.

652

So we just assume, okay.

653

He's not on the scene for some reason.

654

Right.

655

And one of the things that we

notice about Daniel after chapter

656

two is the king invest quite a

lot of trust in him and Daniel.

657

Uh, pretty quickly moves up the

corporate ladder, so to speak in Babylon.

658

And so it happens.

659

They've sent you on travel.

660

Totally.

661

It's.

662

It's very likely that the king had

dispassionate him, sent him out to another

663

part of the empire, something like that.

664

There's no reason for us to

believe that Daniel is not

665

standing up with his three friends.

666

If he's there.

667

No.

668

Um, when you look at the rest of

the book, that would be totally.

669

Out of place with, with the

rest of the book of Daniel.

670

So Daniel is not here wherever he is.

671

He's not here.

672

But the chapter opens

in and never can answer.

673

There's so many times you just

shake your head would never

674

can answer and be like, dude.

675

Really.

676

Like you just heard about all

this and this is your response.

677

And so Nebuchadnezzar says, Hey, I

want to create this giant statue, dude.

678

He's all in, man.

679

He just got told I'm the

I'm the golden head or the.

680

I'm going for it then.

681

Let me just make this thing come to pass.

682

Right?

683

He's fulfilling the prophecy, right?

684

Depending on the measure of

the cubit, this thing that this

685

image that he wants to set up.

686

Made of gold or at least

overlaid with gold.

687

It's going to be about 90 feet

tall by nine feet, foot wide.

688

Like this is going to be a massive,

is that as tall as the, uh, the sphere

689

over in downtown Dallas, that reunion.

690

Oh, I dunno.

691

That's a good question.

692

It's nine stories.

693

Nine stories, how the hotel

is reunion tower that's.

694

So.

695

Google's got to have it.

696

I'm sure.

697

Google are flashing.

698

61 feet.

699

So, so it's a little taller than that.

700

It's almost double reading and

tower, which is impressive.

701

How tall is the Washington monument?

702

We were there this summer and

that was, that was massive.

703

I remember standing at the base of

that thing going, oh my goodness.

704

This thing is.

705

It's 550.

706

Wait, this says 39 inches tall.

707

That's not right.

708

That's never right.

709

39 inches tall.

710

Monument area 555 feet.

711

Okay.

712

So this thing is 90 by nine foot.

713

So it's not, it's not that

that's not Washington.

714

Let's just do a different compare.

715

I'll tell is your house 10

basketball hoops on top of it?

716

It's that tall.

717

Okay.

718

So historically then is I've seen

all the pictures that I see in,

719

you know, the Awana curriculum and.

720

And the grace curriculum.

721

Shows a statue of king

Nebuchadnezzar's right.

722

Is that what we should expect?

723

Is there anything else that we should

expect based on historical documentation?

724

I mean, it's the text isn't clear.

725

Aye.

726

I leaned towards that.

727

There's at least some self-glorification

here because of chapter two

728

and him saying never cares.

729

You are the head of gold.

730

And so there's definitely a

move here from Nebuchadnezzar to

731

parts to bring glory to himself.

732

Uh, which also fits with the events

that take place in, uh, in chapter

733

four, as well as we'll find out.

734

I mean, never can, as there was

not a guy that was shy of, of

735

glory in self-glorification.

736

So I think we can't say for sure it

is a depiction of him, but I think

737

it's a safe assumption that it was

at least supposed to represent him.

738

Yeah.

739

That's fair and no matter what,

no matter what it was, it was

740

meant to reflect his glory.

741

That's what we're getting at.

742

So some suggest it was an obelisk.

743

Uh, large.

744

Symbol of strength, like

the Washington monument.

745

That's great.

746

A little bit weird.

747

Yeah.

748

Yeah, it has implications.

749

You know, for what it suggests.

750

Yep.

751

All those things.

752

Yep.

753

Or it could have been one of the gods.

754

One of the gut Marduke was there,

their chief God in Babylon.

755

So it could have been Marduke or one

of the other gods that they served.

756

I mean, he's actually a,

I think Nebuchadnezzar is

757

named after one of the gods.

758

Um, and then in the case, Uh, all

this to say it could have been him.

759

It could have been something else.

760

It's not really consequential.

761

Yeah.

762

And what happens is he sets us up and

say, I want everybody to worship this.

763

And, uh, sure enough, the, the, the

awful music plays and here comes the,

764

the Jews, these three Jews in particular.

765

Uh, Hannah and I as Ryan, Michelle,

or Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

766

And they don't fall down and worship.

767

And in verse 12, the.

768

The, uh, The people come and some of

them do at least, and they accused them.

769

And what's interesting here is they

think that this is a negative thing.

770

They, they make this as an accusation

when really, I mean, for those three,

771

this is a badge of honor that they're

saying they're not sitting there going.

772

Don't tell him, don't

tell him, don't tell them.

773

They're going.

774

Yeah, you're right.

775

We didn't.

776

And we know that to be true

because Nebuchadnezzar gives them

777

another chance to do it again.

778

And that's when you get one of the most

manly virile moments in all of scripture.

779

When these three look at the

most powerful man in all of God's

780

creation at the moment, and they

tell him they're like teens.

781

Yeah, we don't, we don't

need to say anything to you.

782

In fact, if you want to throw

us in the furnace, go ahead,

783

throw us in the furnace.

784

Our God is able to deliver us from that

and he will deliver us from your hand.

785

And so here you see just such immense

faith from these teenagers, these youth.

786

As they're saying fine.

787

We're not going to bow down to you.

788

And if you throw us in that

furnace, so be it do it.

789

We have a God that is able,

there's no guarantee you were

790

talking about this earlier.

791

Sometimes it works out for us.

792

Th there's no guarantee.

793

There was no guarantee that they

were going to walk out of the

794

furnace if we die in the furnace.

795

So be it, we're still going to be

delivered from your hand because

796

we trust our sovereign God in that.

797

Um, And so I think in, in this instance,

these three are, are admirable.

798

It's, it's one of those moments

that you read that and you're

799

like, oh yes, like the fist pump,

like, let's go, let's do this.

800

When you see sort of

boldness from these youth.

801

Yeah.

802

One of the things that stands out to me.

803

I would really like to know

the men behind the scene.

804

Because obviously, I don't know

how old they are at this point.

805

Maybe certain amount of years

of past, they could be a little

806

older than they came in at 6 0 5.

807

But I want to know the

men behind the scene.

808

These men were obviously trained by

some of the Babylonians in order to

809

become representatives and, and in

certainly, uh, you know, some kind of

810

propaganda arm of the arm of Babylon.

811

Uh, but who's behind the scenes.

812

Here's why I say this.

813

These guys are not stalwarts

of the faith out of nowhere.

814

Right.

815

Thriving in Babylon does

not happen on accident.

816

You don't become a man in this caliber

of this way in shape without having

817

some kind of strength behind you.

818

So I assume that what's happening

here is, is someone someone's behind

819

the scene, men that are taking.

820

The initiative to save young men.

821

Let me help you understand who the God

of our fathers is, and to make sure that

822

you continue to remain faithful to them.

823

So they're respected.

824

I admire their faith, but it

is not without some kind of

825

root, I assume there's a system

behind them to support this.

826

If, no one else, maybe Daniel being

the leader has been training them

827

and who knows what's going on, but

there's certainly something going on.

828

So that you can thrive in Babylon.

829

And that, that should be an encouragement

to us as parents who are raising

830

our kids in Babylon, just because we

live in a nicer part of Babylon where

831

they're a little more conservative

government behind our names.

832

We still, we still should want this

for our kids and that's going to mean

833

an intentionality on our part too,

to help them thrive with that a lot.

834

And this shows us it can be done.

835

Yep.

836

It can't be done.

837

It can't be done the

rest of the story there.

838

They're spared.

839

There's a fourth, that's

in the fire with them.

840

We, we think this might

be the angel of the Lord.

841

That's in there with them and they're

delivered in what must've been a

842

hilarious scene to everybody watching

Nebuchadnezzar stands up and goes over to

843

the furnace and yells into the furnace.

844

Hey, are you guys okay?

845

Come out.

846

And, uh, and they do, they come

out and there's not any evidence

847

of fire anywhere on them.

848

And then you see the King's response

and there's a couple of things.

849

And we'll talk about this

more in chapter four.

850

Uh, as well tomorrow.

851

That that causes to say, okay, didn't

ever get never kinders or get it.

852

Did he come to faith?

853

Because he makes this proclamation

verses 28 through 30 that no one

854

should impugn the God of Israel

under the penalty of death.

855

And so now we're starting to say, okay,

it's never going as we're a believer.

856

And if you tune back in with us tomorrow

in chapter four, we're going to have

857

even more question to say, okay, is

that because you're a believer and

858

you'll find out our answer there.

859

We're not going to tell you right

now, but, uh, Suffice it to say, God,

860

God honors their obedience in here.

861

And yeah, it doesn't

always work out that way.

862

But for these three, it did.

863

Let's pray.

864

And then we'll wrap up this

episode of the daily Bible podcast.

865

God, we thank you for,

uh, examples of faith.

866

We thank you for situations like this.

867

We can read your word and

say, wow, this is faith.

868

Uh, unrivaled.

869

This is faith in action.

870

This is fate that we want, that

we desire that we should have,

871

and we pray that you'd make us.

872

Ready to be men and women of faith.

873

Uh, like this, should

it get to that point?

874

Uh, while we're still alive, at least we

pray that we would raise up generations

875

in our church of, uh, young men and young

women who come to know Christ and are

876

raised to have bold and courageous faith.

877

Like we see here.

878

Uh, with these three and do great things.

879

The border.

880

We pray through such

men and women of faith.

881

And we asked this in,

pray this in Jesus name.

882

Amen.

883

And then.

884

All right.

885

I'll keep her in your Bibles and tune

in again tomorrow for another episode

886

of the daily Bible podcast by out by.