THE WISE SHALL THE STUDY OF DANIEL … A TESTIMONY DAN 4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people,...
Transcript of THE WISE SHALL THE STUDY OF DANIEL … A TESTIMONY DAN 4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people,...
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THE STUDY OF DANIELTHE WISE SHALL
UNDERSTAND
THE STUDY OF DANIEL
ROBERT W. TOZIER
WWW.CREATIONREVELATION.ORG
Creation Revelation
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Robert & Mary Tozier
WWW.CREATIONREVELATION.ORG
At Sunrise Southern Baptist Church
Las Vegas, NV
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The Wise Shall Understand
Dan 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made
white, and tried; but the wicked shall do
wickedly: and none of the wicked shall
understand; but the wise shall understand.
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The Wise Shall
Understand
The Study of Daniel
Lesson 10
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Opening Prayer
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PRIDE
Daniel 4:1-17
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PRIDE BRINGS A
FALL
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PRIDE BRINGS A FALL Chapter 4 of Daniel is a lesson of how God
can bring a proud man low.
Nebuchadnezzar has witnessed firsthand
the power of Daniel’s God.
This chapter may be viewed as an
illustration of God’s dealings with all
people.
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PRIDE BRINGS A FALL It is made abundantly clear that God is
sovereign, and puny individuals and
nations will eventually be brought low
before the sovereign God.
All will one day bow their knees to the
Almighty.
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A TESTIMONY
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A TESTIMONYDAN 4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all
people, nations, and languages, that dwell in
all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
2 I thought it good to shew the signs and
wonders that the high God hath wrought
toward me.
3 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.
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A TESTIMONY Nebuchadnezzar is now speaking.
This is his testimony in his own words.
The style is such that it may have been
copied by Daniel from state papers.
The literary style resembles the style of
Nebuchadnezzar’s ancient inscriptions.
The character of Nebuchadnezzar
presented in this chapter corresponds
with ancient descriptions of him.
According to Adam Clarke:
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A TESTIMONY“[Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people]
This is a regular decree, and is one of the
most ancient on record; and no doubt was
copied from the state papers of Babylon.
Daniel has preserved it in the original
language.”
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A TESTIMONY Something has happened to him – We see
a change in attitude.
Now he wishes peace on Earth.
This testimony was probably issued about
the year 570BC; Nebuchadnezzar died in
562BC.
He acknowledges the God of Daniel.
Has he turned from idols to serving God?
He gives praise to God.
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A TESTIMONY He addressed all peoples with the
intention of making known the supremacy
of God.
John Walvoord writes that his praises to
the God of Daniel is no definite indication
that he has forsaken his other Babylonian
gods.
Other commentators, such as John
Phillips and H. A. Ironside, believe that he
has converted to the true God of Daniel.
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A DREAM
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A DREAM Nebuchadnezzar is now going to describe
a dream he had.
DAN 4:4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in
mine house, and flourishing in my palace:
5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and
the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of
my head troubled me.
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A DREAM Nebuchadnezzar now begins to give
testimony of a dream that he had
experienced.
The first person account beginning in
verse 1 is a success story.
It reads like a witness of salvation, like a
Bible "tract.“
However, notice the wording of verses 4,
he “was at rest” and he was “flourishing in
my palace”.
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A DREAM He had conquered the surrounding world,
now he was at rest with great riches in his
palace.
He was also occupied with making
Babylon one of the world’s most fabulous
cities.
All was right with his world, then, he had a
dream.
The words translated “made me afraid”
are much stronger than that.
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A DREAM The words convey great terror or fright.
He was indeed “troubled,” “really
troubled.”
Many times when things are going well
and our bank account is full we begin to
congratulate ourselves, then disaster
strikes.
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A DREAMDAN 4:6 Therefore made I a decree to bring
in all the wise men of Babylon before me,
that they might make known unto me the
interpretation of the dream.
7 Then came in the magicians, the
astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the
soothsayers: and I told the dream before
them; but they did not make known unto me
the interpretation thereof.
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A DREAM Nebuchadnezzar knew there was a God
because he had witnessed His mighty
works.
But Nebuchadnezzar lacked a personal
acceptance and relationship.
He therefore relied on the same magicians
who had failed him before, and they failed
him again.
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A DREAMDAN 4:8 But at the last Daniel came in before
me, whose name was Belteshazzar,
according to the name of my god, and in
whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and
before him I told the dream, saying,
9 O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians,
because I know that the spirit of the holy
gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee,
tell me the visions of my dream that I have
seen, and the interpretation thereof.
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A DREAM The guilty never want to hear the truth,
they want their prophets to convince them
of "smooth things."
ISA 30:8 Now go, write it before them in a
table, and note it in a book, that it may be for
the time to come for ever and ever:
9 That this is a rebellious people, lying
children, children that will not hear the law of
the LORD:
(Continued)
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A DREAM10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to
the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right
things, speak unto us smooth things,
prophesy deceits:
11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of
the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to
cease from before us.
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A DREAM Paul is saying the same:
2TI 4:3 For the time will come when they will
not endure sound doctrine; but after their
own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from
the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
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A DREAM Finally, reluctantly Nebuchadnezzar turned
to Daniel for the truth as revealed by
Daniel's God.
Daniel is addressed as “master of the
magicians” honoring Daniel’s high rank
and wisdom.
It may be that the intent is that Daniel was
a master of scholars.
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A DREAMDAN 4:10 Thus were the visions of mine
head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in
the midst of the earth, and the height thereof
was great.
11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the
height thereof reached unto heaven, and the
sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit
thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the
beasts of the field had shadow under it, and
the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs
thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. (Continued)
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A DREAM13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my
bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one
came down from heaven;
14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down
the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off
his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the
beasts get away from under it, and the fowls
from his branches:
(Continued)
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A DREAM15 Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots
in the earth, even with a band of iron and
brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let
it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his
portion be with the beasts in the grass of the
earth:
16 Let his heart be changed from man's, and
let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let
seven times pass over him.
(Continued)
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A DREAM17 This matter is by the decree of the
watchers, and the demand by the word of the
holy ones: to the intent that the living may
know that the most High ruleth in the
kingdom of men, and giveth it to
whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it
the basest of men.
In verses 13 and 17, the word "watcher" is
translated from a Chaldean word meaning
"angels".
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A DREAM "A watcher and an holy one" does not
necessarily indicate two beings, but rather
may refer to the character of the watcher
as being holy.
Other Bible scholars believe that "an holy
one" is a separate being from the
"watcher".
We will take a special look at the being
called "a watcher."
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THE COURT OF
THE WATCHERS
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERSNotice now in verse 17:
DAN 4:17 This matter is by the decree of the
watchers, and the demand by the word of the
holy ones: to the intent that the living may
know that the most High ruleth in the
kingdom of men, and giveth it to
whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it
the basest of men.
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERS You should be aware that the watchers are
mentioned in the Noncanonical Book of
Enoch as being the class of angel that
were the 200 fallen Angels mentioned in
Genesis 6:2 and Jude verses 14 and 15.
Also according to the Book of Enoch
these angels descended upon Mt Hermon
(Enoch 6:5-6.
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERSEnoch 7:10 Then they took wives, each
choosing for himself, whom they began to
approach, and with whom they cohabited;
teaching them sorcery, incantation, and the
dividing of roots and trees.
11 And they conceiving brought forth giants.
The “dividing of roots and trees” speaks
of genetic manipulation, and may include
something akin to GMOs (Genetically
Modified Organisms) & possibly a hint of
transhumanism.
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERS
Certainly the Book of Enoch suggests the
teaching of all kinds of abominable things.
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERS
Daniel 4:17 indicates that there is a
council of watchers (angels) in heaven
over which God presides supreme.
The decrees of this heavenly court are
executed on the earth.
The decrees of God are said to be that of
this council.
In Daniel 4:24, in reference to Daniel 4:17,
the decree of the most high is said to be
that of the watchers – notice Daniel 4:24:
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERS
DAN 4:24 This is the interpretation, O king,
and this is the decree of the most High,
which is come upon my lord the king:
Watchers execute God’s decrees.
They are His ministers or agents.
Psalm 89 refers to a council of angels.
Most scholars believe that the word
translated “saints” (lit. holy ones) in
Psalm 89 refers to angels.
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERS
Notice the literal translation given by
Young’s Literal Translation (YLT):
Psa 89:5 and the heavens confess Thy
wonders, O Jehovah, Thy faithfulness also
[is] in an assembly of holy ones.
6 For who in the sky, Compareth himself to
Jehovah? Is like to Jehovah among sons of
the mighty?
7 God is very terrible, In the secret counsel
of His holy ones, And fearful over all
surrounding Him. YLT
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERS
Revelation 4:2-8 gives us a picture of the
throne room of God.
REV 4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit:
and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and
one sat on the throne.
3 And he that sat was to look upon like a
jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a
rainbow round about the throne, in sight like
unto an emerald.
(Continued)
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERS
4 And round about the throne were four and
twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four
and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white
raiment; and they had on their heads crowns
of gold.
5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings
and thunderings and voices: and there were
seven lamps of fire burning before the
throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
(Continued)
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERS
6 And before the throne there was a sea of
glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of
the throne, and round about the throne, were
four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the
second beast like a calf, and the third beast
had a face as a man, and the fourth beast
was like a flying eagle.
(Continued)
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERS
8 And the four beasts had each of them six
wings about him; and they were full of eyes
within: and they rest not day and night,
saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,
which was, and is, and is to come.
These verses describe creatures that
were "full of eyes", had six wings each,
and cried "holy, holy, holy, Lord God
Almighty" day and night.
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERS
Isaiah 6:1-3 also describes the creatures
around God's throne as Seraphim, each
having six wings and crying "holy, holy,
holy is the Lord of Hosts":
ISA 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I
saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high
and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
(Continued)
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERS
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one
had six wings; with twain he covered his
face, and with twain he covered his feet, and
with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy,
holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole
earth is full of his glory.
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERS
Ezekiel 1:5-10 describes four similar
creatures, but probably not the same, as
these creatures had four wings each:
EZE 1:5 Also out of the midst thereof came
the likeness of four living creatures. And this
was their appearance; they had the likeness
of a man.
6 And every one had four faces, and every
one had four wings.
(Continued)
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERS
7 And their feet were straight feet; and the
sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's
foot: and they sparkled like the colour of
burnished brass.
8 And they had the hands of a man under
their wings on their four sides; and they four
had their faces and their wings.
9 Their wings were joined one to another;
they turned not when they went; they went
every one straight forward.
(Continued)
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERS10 As for the likeness of their faces, they
four had the face of a man, and the face of a
lion, on the right side: and they four had the
face of an ox on the left side; they four also
had the face of an eagle.
At best we can only speculate as to the
meaning of the four beasts with 6 wings
and full of eyes around the throne (Rev 4).
Symbolically the beasts around the
throne represent the fourfold nature of
Jesus Christ.
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THE COURT OF THE WATCHERS
The lion signifies His kingship, the calf
speaks of His humble servitude to
mankind, the creature like a man recalls
His humanity, and the flying eagle speaks
of His divinity.
These creatures parallel the theme of the
gospels:
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THE FOUR
CREATURES
AND THE
GOSPELS
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THE 4 CREATURES & THE GOSPELS
The four creatures around God's throne
parallel the Gospels:
The Kingship of Christ The Lion Matthew
Christ as the Servant The Ox Mark
The Humanity of Christ The Man Luke
Christ as the Divine Word The Eagle John
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THE 4 CREATURES & THE GOSPELS
Jewish tradition says that Israel camped
under four standards:
East Judah Lion
North Dan Eagle
West Ephraim Ox
South Reuben Man
In the center was the tabernacle, which
contained the Shekinah, or the symbol of
Divine presence.
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THE 4 CREATURES & THE GOSPELS
Christ will rule with:
Kingly righteousness with hatred of evil,
answering to the lion springing terribly
on the victim.
Laborious diligence in duty, the ox
bound to the soil.
Human sympathy, the man.
Contemplation of heavenly truth, the
eagle.
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THE 4 CREATURES & THE GOSPELS
The Four Creatures, or Beasts, around
God's throne, which we saw described in
Revelation 4:2-8 and Isaiah 6:1-3, are the
"watchers", they are full of eyes.
They make this declaration in Revelation
4:11:
REV 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive
glory and honour and power: for thou hast
created all things, and for thy pleasure they
are and were created.
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THE 4 CREATURES & THE GOSPELS
The watchers speak of God's creation
over which Jesus Christ will exercise
authority to subdue it and redeem it from
the curse (Gen 3).
The watchers are a particular class of
angels with “some involvement with
executing the judgmental decrees of
God, including their official
pronouncement to mankind.”
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THE 4 CREATURES & THE GOSPELS
They watch day and night “over the
affairs of God, making sure His
commands are put into effect.”
In the next lesson we will return to
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
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End of The Study of Daniel
Lesson 10
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Closing Prayer
Creation Revelation
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Robert & Mary Tozier
WWW.CREATIONREVELATION.ORG
At Sunrise Southern Baptist Church
Las Vegas, NV