The Book of Daniel

Nebuchadnezzar had insomnia; he could not sleep. If you have insomnia remember God is awake all night so you can sleep. Sleep is a gift from God.Psalm 121:4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.” Psalm 127: 2 It is vain for you to rise up early,To sit up late,To eat the bread of sorrows;For so He gives His beloved sleep.”Psalm 4:8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”Daniel 2:22 He reveals deep and secret things;He knows what is in the darkness,And light dwells with Him.”You may not know what the future holds but you know the One who holds the future, He knows what is in the darkness so concentrate on your relationship with the One who knows and do not get so paranoid about what you do not know. Thank God we know the One that knows.There is no past, present or future with God, He sees everything in the now and He knows what is ahead for us. He can control all the governments of this world; the Almighty God controls our worlds as well and we give Him thanks for that.  Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream, King of Babylon:Daniel and his friends sought mercies from the God of Heaven to reveal the King’s dream to them.Daniel 2:19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven”.Daniel 2:27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. 28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: 29 As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. 30 But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.”Head of Gold: Babylon 605BC-539BCBreast and Arms of Silver: Medo-Persia 539BC-331BCBelly and Thighs of Brass: Greece 331BC-168BCLegs of Iron: Rome 168-476AD Feet of Iron and Clay: Papal Rome & Modern Nations of Europe 476AD-Second Advent (cannot mix, feet will be smashed by Rock Ps 118:22)Daniel 2:31 “You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. 32 This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.36 “This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. 37 You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; 38 and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold. 39 But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. 41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”10 Horns of which anti-Christ will come in Daniel 7, Western Europe: Spain, England, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy & Portugal & 3 non-existing anymoreSatan’s goal is to prove that there is no God or to replace GodIsaiah 14 – Satan cast downDaniel 4 This is the Chapter about pride and what happens when you get involved in pride. Nebuchadnezzar was self-obsessed and filled with pride.This Chapter was written by Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel 4:1-3 reason for the story. To tell us how God has worked in his life and what God did in his life, this is actually Nebuchadnezzar’s testimony. The second dream happened about 30 years after the first dream. Daniel 4:4-8. The reason Daniel is called by Nebuchadnezzar is because he recognized that in Daniel was the Spirit of the Holy God and this is mentioned 3 x in this chapter, Daniel 4:9 “Belteshazzar (Daniel), chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.”Nebuchadnezzar was the greatest Pagan king and ungodly to the core, he noticed that there was something different in Daniel, a spirit-filled Jew, he wanted to talk with Daniel.  Like with us today, if you are prosperous and all is well, you care less if there is a Spirit-filled man around but when you are going through difficult stuff you are going to be drawn to people that know God.The dream is about this magnificent tree that he saw and then a messenger from Heaven who comes down and help him to understand what the tree means.Daniel 4:10 “These were the visions of my head while on my bed:I was looking, and behold,A tree in the midst of the earth,And its height was great.11 The tree grew and became strong;Its height reached to the heavens,And it could be seen to the ends of all the earth.12 Its leaves were lovely,Its fruit abundant,And in it was food for all.The beasts of the field found shade under it,The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches,And all flesh was fed from it.” This tree was the picture of power and influence.Daniel 4:13 “I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. 14 He cried aloud and said thus:Daniel 4:14 ‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.Let the beasts get out from under it,And the birds from its branches.15 Nevertheless leave the stump (Nebuchadnezzar) and roots in the earth, (if the stump stays it could be resorted)Bound with a band of iron and bronze,In the tender grass of the field.Let it be wet with the dew of heaven,And let him graze with the beastsOn the grass of the earth.16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man,Let him be given the heart of a beast,And let seven times pass over him.  17‘This decision is by the decree of the watchers,And the sentence by the word of the holy ones,In order that the living may know (get away from how great you are Nebuchadnezzar)That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,Gives it to whomever He will,And sets over it the lowest of men.’18 “This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.”Interpretation of the Dream:Daniel 4:19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. So the king spoke, and said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you.”Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies!20 “The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth, 21 whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home— 22 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth.23 “And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him’; 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25 They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.26 “And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.” (He was judged fairly by God)28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of the twelve months (he could have changed to do right but he did not) he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” (He was overcome by pride and arrogance like Lucifer – God resists the proud)31 While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! 32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.”33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.”34 And at the end of the time (end of 7 years) I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: (God giving grace to the humble and restored Nebuchadnezzar)For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,And His kingdom is from generation to generation.35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;He does according to His will in the army of heavenAnd among the inhabitants of the earth.No one can restrain His handOr say to Him, “What have You done?”36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.”Humility is not thinking less of yourself (you are something, God’s creation) but it is thinking of yourself less (more of others). Do not be so full of yourself put Christ on the throne of your life. Get your eyes off of yourself and onto others. We are here to be useful and profitable to others.We help ourselves when we help others. Find some time to get inside of the life of others in need of your help. Ask God to give you a vision for others who need your assistance.Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”