ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT
SUMMARY OF EVENTS JUNE, 2009
The Bible tells us in The Books of Daniel and Revelation that as the Tribulation begins, a New World Order - One World Government - will rise up from the old Roman Empire (Europe). This world government is described as a mix of both iron and clay. Iron is strong and clay is moldable. We know this One World Government will be strong like iron and probably Democratic (shapeable), fitting the description of clay.
This One World Government - Revived Roman Empire - could either come from today's UN as presented in the "Left Behind" book series, or it could develop out of the European Union (EU), or start with the EU and develop into the UN. The rise of the EU as an Economic Powerhouse in the early 21st century has led many Bible prophecy scholars to speculate that the Anti-Christ will rise out of the EU.
The Bible also tells us that the Anti-Christ will rule this One World Government through a 10 Nation Alliance. This could be an alliance through the UN or the EU.
The Western European Union (WEU) was initially conceived through the Treaty of Brussels in 1948 (the same year Israel became a nation after 2,000 years without a homeland or a country). The WEU developed into a 10 Nation mutual intergovernmental self defense treaty which also promoted economic, cultural and social collaboration.
In June, 2008, Ireland voted down the EU Lisbon Treaty and in 2005, France and Netherlands voted down the EU Constitution. At this time, the 10 Nation WEU is the only military alliance Europe has established and firmly in place.
Whether the One World Government will come from the UN, the EU, or both, we do know that one charismatic leader will take it over after the sudden disappearance of millions of Christians throughout the world (The Rapture of the Church). Then Anti-Christ will put down rebellions by 3 of the 10 Nations in order to gain complete control of this global government. He then will establish a universal religion that focuses on a so-called "mutual respect" for all peoples, not on following Jesus Christ.
Anti-Christ will also establish an economic system where all people must be marked in the right hand or forehead in order to buy or sell. People who refuse this "Mark" and/or become believers in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior during the Tribulation will begin to be persecuted by Anti-Christ and other non-believers starting around 2 years into the Tribulation.
This World Leader, the Anti-Christ will also make or confirm a seven year peace treaty with Israel, but in the middle of the 7 years, he will declare to the Jewish Nation, "I have brought you the peace you have sought for so long, I am your Savior". Then Israel's eyes will be opened and they will realize they have trusted the wrong man, the Anti-Christ. They then shall passionately seek Jesus Christ.
Anti-Christ will then set out to destroy the Jewish Nation of Israel, who worship the only true and all-powerful God and creator of the universe. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
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ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT
& THE MARK
Commentary by Jon Courson
VIDEO
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Revelation 17:6-7
…and when I saw
her, I wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me,
Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman,
and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten
horns.
Initially, we
saw the woman riding the Beast (verse 3). Here, we see the Beast
carrying the woman—a small, but I believe, important change of
terminology as Antichrist employs the false religious system to serve
his own agenda.
Revelation 17:9
And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
Only one city in history is known as “The City of Seven Mountains”: Rome.
Revelation 17:12, 13
And the ten
horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom
as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have
one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Daniel 7 tells
us that the ten horns of the beast signify the ten nations of the
revived Roman Empire. Since the Rapture has happened at this point,
Antichrist and this ten-nation federation will be of one mind.
Revelation 17:14 (a)
These shall make war with the Lamb…
The bottom line, the only goal, the one objective of Antichrist is to destroy Jesus.
Revelation 17:14 (b)
…and the Lamb
shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and
they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Because Jesus is the Lord of lords and the King of kings, Antichrist will be unsuccessful in his attempted coup.
THE BEAST WHO WAS MARKED
A Topical Study of
Revelation 13:16–18
John wrote this Book of Revelation while on an isolated island, wearing clothing that looked more like a towel than what we wear today, during a period in history when the highest form of technology was a mule, and when the world’s economy was based on bartering. Therefore, what makes this passage so absolutely intriguing is that John describes precisely that which is upon us economically and culturally.
For centuries, this passage confused Bible scholars. While they knew it was true, exactly how it would happen was beyond their wildest imaginations. But for us, this is no big deal, for we are accustomed to buying and selling numerically.
The banking industry has been pushing hard for a cashless society for many decades. Why? Every check costs a bank between thirty-five and sixty cents to process. Electronic transactions, on the other hand, cost one cent. Banks have a very real interest in seeing us move toward an electronic funds transfer system. So do small business owners, due to the multimillion-dollar price they pay for employees who steal from the till.
Not only are banks and businesses eager to see a cashless society, but the IRS is as well. The government loses what is estimated to be one trillion dollars a year in the “underground” economy—the system whereby employees are paid in cash in order to avoid the paper trail that would require them to pay taxes.
Technology for a cashless society has been around for decades. The only reason we have not seen it implemented until recently is not due to a lack of technology, but rather to a phobia with technology. Because people my age and older are somewhat techno-phobic, we have been reluctant to embrace technology. But that’s changing. Why? It is partially due to the fact that the older generation is dying. You see, the kids who have grown up with Nintendo are not intimidated by technology in the least.
Even more than this, our culture has changed in such a way that even we who are older are feeling a need to move into a cashless society. Consider the reasons why.…
Crime. So many people are being ripped off after withdrawing money from Automated Teller Machines, that cities like Berkeley, California, are passing ordinances making it illegal to stand within one hundred fifty feet of an ATM unless making a transaction.
Drugs. Drug lords don’t write checks. The entire drug culture is based on the exchange of cash, rendering a record of such transactions nonexistent. Consequently, the most effective way to curb drug traffic would be to get rid of all cash.
Taxes. On television one week was a story on the various ways the wealthy in our society legally avoid paying one penny on their vast amounts of income—one of which is to deal solely with cash. Because the taxes of commoners like you and me go up radically as a result, people are demanding something be done to restore equity in our tax system. How can this happen? One of the easiest ways is to get rid of cash.
Enter the debit card. VISA alone has issued one million combination credit/debit cards worldwide to people using numbers to buy and sell, just as John prophesied. But it gets even more amazing. There is a MARC card. MARC stands for Multi-technology Automated Reader Card. It’s given to Armed Forces personnel. In addition to accessing economic transactions a la a VISA card, the MARC card contains a computer chip with the medical and personal history of the holder, giving him clearance for all sorts of weapons and other technology.
But more than that, his location can be pinpointed anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds. The practicality of this in times of war is understandable—but so are the problems. Because like a VISA card, a MARC card can be easily lost or stolen, the solution to this problem has been biometrics—where clearance to a secured area is obtained by the scanning of one’s palm. But due to even the most undetectable interference (like hand cream) biometrics has not proven to be as practical as originally hoped. Such is the reason for the introduction of an ATM that would identify customers simply by reading the iris of their eyes. However, even these can run into problems due to something as simple as a contact lens.
The only solution seems to be what John prophesied two thousand years ago when he wrote that Antichrist will require everyone to receive a mark in his right hand or forehead. Certainly we’re not far from this. A recent newspaper article I read addressed the fact that we are approaching the time when the key to all transactions will be a computer chip imbedded in the hand. Already, horses in St. Louis are required to have such a chip under their manes for identification purposes. Cats in San Francisco carry such chips containing their vaccination records and identification so that if lost, their owners can be notified. There is even a proposal to use such technology on convicted felons in Southern California.
Although horses in St. Louis, cats in San Francisco, and felons in Orange County might seem a world away, one’s children don’t. With the growing threat of kidnappings, parents will be much more likely to welcome such technology.
There’s only one problem: John tells us the mark of the beast will seal the fate, will doom the one who accepts it. You see, with the acceptance of his number, one pledges total allegiance to Antichrist. That is why the Lord warns people—not only in the Word, but with two prophets in Jerusalem, 144,000 Jewish Billy Grahams spanning the globe, and an angel flying across the sky, saying, “Don’t take the mark.” But most will. Most will say, “It makes too much sense not to.”
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. Revelation 13:18
Knowledge is one thing, but wisdom is another. Knowledge is information. Wisdom is application. Theories abound as to what the number 666 refers. Some believe it refers to a type of UPC code. Others suggest that because in both Greek and Hebrew, letters are used as numbers, the letters in Antichrist’s name add up to 666. But I don’t believe this is the primary point John is making.
The best commentary on the Bible being the Bible, when you want to know what a verse or phrase means, look to the Bible for the interpretation. And in Genesis 4, we find the account of someone else who was marked with “the number of man.”
And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. Genesis 4:1
The Scofield Bible correctly renders this verse: “I have gotten a man, even Jehovah, the Lord.” Why would Eve say this? Because after she and Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, God promised that her seed would crush the head of Satan (Genesis 3:15). Consequently, when Cain was born, she believed him to be the one who would free mankind from the power of Satan. It wasn’t long until she realized Cain was not the deliverer, as evidenced by the name she gave her second son: Abel, or literally, “hopeless.” You know the story. After his self-sufficient sacrifice was rejected by God, Cain killed Abel. As a result, Cain was banished to the wilderness, with a mark to protect him.
Follow this with me. Abel is thought to be hopeless, unimportant, nothing. Cain was thought to be the Promised One. But Cain proves to be antichrist, that is, “in place of Christ”—while Abel is a picture of Christ.…
• Abel was a shepherd (Genesis 4:2).
• Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).
• Abel brought a lamb to sacrifice to God (Genesis 4:4).
• Jesus offered Himself as the Lamb of God (John 1:29).
• Abel was hated by his brother (Genesis 4:5).
• Jesus came to His own and His own received Him not (John 1:11).
• Abel was slain by his brother (Genesis 4:8).
• Jesus was crucified by His brethren (John 19:6).
• The blood of Abel cried out to God (Genesis 4:10).
• The blood of Jesus speaks of better things (Hebrews 12:24).
• Abel submitted to the directive of the Father (Hebrews 11:4).
• Jesus always does the things that please the Father (John 8:29).
What does this have to do with you?
Everything.
“Understand,” said John, “the number of the beast is the number of man: 666.” Throughout Scripture, six is the number of the flesh. The fleshly Cain mentality can rise up in you and me. How? By saying,
“The sweat I pour out, the good I do, the things I accomplish are going to be more impressive to God than just killing a bloody lamb. Through my energy, my initiative, my efforts I will impress God.”
Some today say, “I’m a Rotarian; I’m a Republican; I attend PTA; I coach Little League. I’m putting together a pretty good basket of fruit. I don’t need this bloody stuff: Christianity, Bible study, Communion. I can do something much more intellectually creative, much more beautiful. I can do it. I can pull it off.”
But the Bible says,
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). And because you’re marked with your own efforts, you’re marked for damnation. You’ve fallen short. You need a Savior, a Sacrifice to die in your place.”
Even believers can be caught up in the spirit of 666 when they say,
“I don’t need to pray. I can figure out my career on my own. I’m reading books. I’m attending seminars. I know what’s best for my kids, my family, my future.”
We’re either of the spirit of Cain, saying, “I’m a hard worker. I’m a creative thinker. I’m a good guy”—or of Abel who’s humble, broken, and dependent upon God.
Here’s the good news. God has one simple thing to say to you who are struggling in marriage, in parenting, in relationships, in school:
“Talk to Me. Spend time with Me. Humble yourself before Me. Seek My face. Wait and see what I’ll do in your life. Fight the tendency to be Cain, and watch how I’ll bless you.”
May God keep you from the number of man, the mark of Cain, the mark of the beast. May this be a time in your life when you are recommitted to dependency and brokenness before the Lord. Herein is wisdom, gang: Seek first the kingdom, and everything else will fall into place (Matthew 6:33).
One World Government
Daniel: Chapter 2 Study listed below Chapter 7 Study
A Study of Daniel 7
The first six chapters of Daniel are autobiographical history. That is, they speak mainly of the story of Daniel personally. The final six chapters of Daniel are not autobiographical history but incredible prophecy, for they deal with future events. At least in Daniel’s day, they were future events. From our perspective, many of them have already come to pass…
Daniel 7:1
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.
Chapters 7 and 8 actually take place between chapters 4 and 5. In chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar was humbled for seven years before he was restored. In chapter 5, the kingdom was taken from Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson, Belshazzar. Here, however, Belshazzar had just come into power and it was at this time that Daniel had another vision…
Daniel 7:2
Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
Revelation 17:15 tells us the “great sea” refers to the nations of the world. Thus, out of the nations of the world four beasts will arise.
Daniel 7:3, 4 (a)
And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings.…
The lion with eagles’ wings speaks of the Babylonians, synonymous with the head of gold in chapter 2. Archaeological discoveries verify that the national emblem of Babylon was a lion with wings.
Daniel 7:4 (b)
…I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
The wings were plucked off of the lion and it was given the heart of a man. This speaks of what happened to Nebuchadnezzar. Because of the pride of his heart, God humbled him and he became beastly. When he turned to the Lord, however, he was given a new heart and he stood on his feet once again.
Daniel 7:5 (a)
And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear…
The bear speaks of the Medo-Persian empire, synonymous with the arms of silver in chapter 2. With an army of two and one-half million men, the Medes and Persians lumbered along like a bear.
Daniel 7:5 (b)
…and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
The three ribs speak of the three empires immediately devoured by the Medes and Persians: the Babylonians, the Egyptians, and the Lydians.
Daniel 7:6
After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
The leopard speaks of the Greeks and is synonymous with the belly of brass in chapter 2. With only 35,000 troops, Alexander could strike quickly and was brilliant in strategy. The four heads represent the four generals who took over his empire after his death.
Daniel 7:7
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
The fourth beast speaks of the Roman Empire and is synonymous with the legs of iron in chapter 2. Out of it, we see ten horns, synonymous with the ten toes of Daniel 2. The horns and toes speak of a confederation of ten nations coming out of the old Roman Empire.
Daniel 7:8
I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
The little horn is synonymous with antichrist. Although there will be some kind of power struggle, he takes control of the ten-nation confederation. How? From a human perspective, he will be incredible. With the intellect of Thomas Jefferson, the leadership skills of Lincoln, the global strategy of Nixon, the oratorical skills of Churchill, the iron fist of Josef Stalin, the charisma of a Kennedy, he will be humanly impressive.
In other words, when antichrist shows up, he won’t be wearing a black cape and twirling his mustache. He will draw people to him like a magnet. Seven of the nations will immediately say, “Lead us.” Three will resist initially, but they will be overtaken ultimately.
Daniel 7:9–14
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
It would have been of great comfort to the captive Jews in Babylon to know that a kingdom not of men but of God was coming that would never end.
Daniel 7:15–18
I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
In chapter 2, we saw that Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was of a huge image of a man with a head of gold, chest of silver, belly of brass, and legs of iron. Man’s perspective of world history and the governments that would come was stately, valuable, impressive. But here in chapter 7, we see God’s perspective of those same empires. They’re not gold, silver, brass, and iron but beasts.
Daniel 7:19–22
Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Perhaps because it was the only one described as “exceeding dreadful,” Daniel asked for more instruction concerning the fourth beast.
Daniel 7:23, 24
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
The fourth kingdom, or Rome, is the one from which the little horn, or antichrist, will arise.
Daniel 7:25 (a)
And he shall speak great words against the most High…
Antichrist will be such a great orator that he will capture the imagination of the entire world.
Daniel 7:25 (b)
…and shall wear out the saints of the most High…
Who are these saints? In Revelation 12, we see who antichrist was against…
And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time… Revelation 12:13, 14 (a)
What is “a time, times, and half a time”? “A time” speaks of one year; “times” speaks of two years. Thus, this is three and one-half years. At the midpoint of the seven-year Tribulation period, antichrist will suddenly wage war against the Jews. When he first comes on the scene, he’ll win the approval of the entire world. But, after three and one-half years, he’ll show his true colors when he erects an image of himself in the temple and demands to be worshiped as God. God, however, will protect Israel by taking her to a place in the wilderness—most likely the rock city of Petra.
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. Revelation 13:7
The church already having been raptured, the saints mentioned here are the people of Israel as well as the Gentiles who will be saved during the Tribulation period.
Daniel 7:25 (c)
…and think to change times and laws…
During the French Revolution an attempt was made to do away with the seven-day week because of its religious implications and to institute a ten-day week in its place. Perhaps antichrist will make the same attempt.
Or perhaps this refers to the possibility that, although he knows the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, he thinks he can beat the rap and be victorious in the end.
Daniel 7:25 (d)
…and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Antichrist will be successful—but only for three and a half years.
Daniel 7:26, 27
But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
This world leader, this little horn, this big-time power is going down. All dominions shall serve Him—Jesus Christ. Oh, when will man understand this?
Inscribed on the United Nations building in New York City are these words…
…and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Isaiah 2:4 (b)
The problem is, the first part of the verse is omitted…
And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people… Isaiah 2:4 (a)
They left out the fact that the Lord is the One who will bring peace. Man’s attempts at government are beastly at best. What does a beast do? He angers easily. He guards his territory ferociously. He sheds blood callously. You never see a group of bears marching to save the rabbits. What beasts want, they go after. They take whatever they can get. And they expand their territory whenever possible. That’s why God sees these empires as beasts. It’s a Person, not a program that will bring peace.
Man does not have the ability to rule himself. He’s sinful and corrupt to the core. But the Ancient of Days is coming. And a kingdom that is right and beautiful, true and equitable will follow.
Daniel 7:28
Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
When he saw world history from God’s perspective, Daniel was troubled. But he kept the matter in his heart.
A Study of Daniel 2
The second chapter of Daniel has been called the backbone of Bible prophecy for Daniel 2 unlocks the rest of the prophecies of the Book of Daniel, which, in turn, unlock the prophecies of the Book of Revelation. For a good handle on eschatology—the study of end times—you need to be thoroughly familiar with the Book of Daniel and of chapter 2 specifically.
Daniel 2:1
And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
Psychologists tell us that ninety percent of a person’s free mental time—the time not devoted to a specific activity—is spent wondering about the past or worrying about the future. Nebuchadnezzar was no exception.
Daniel 2:2, 3
Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.
Schooled in the ancient literature and writings of other cultures, the Chaldeans were the most educated men in the empire. “Tell me what my dream means,” Nebuchadnezzar said.
Daniel 2:4
Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.
“Tell us the dream,” the Chaldeans said, “and we’ll give you the interpretation.”
Daniel 2:5, 6
The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.
“If you are as wise as you say you are, you should be able to tell me not only the interpretation, but the dream itself,” Nebuchadnezzar answered. “Either tell me what I dreamed, or you guys are through.”
Daniel 2:7–11
They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it. The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof. The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
“There is not a man on earth that can do what you ask,” the Chaldeans said.
Daniel 2:12
For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
Is there anything in tarot cards, astrology, palm reading? Yes. The devil is in them and that’s why we’re to stay away from the them. The Bible says very clearly that magic of any sort is to have no place in the life of the believer because the enemy uses it as a hook to get us involved in realms of the demonic.
Having said that, there are tremendous limitations as to what Satan can actually do. That’s why these men couldn’t answer Nebuchadnezzar’s demand.
Daniel 2:13, 14
And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:
Because of the failure of the Chaldeans to tell Nebuchadnezzar his dream, all of the wise men—including Daniel—were to be killed.
Daniel 2:15, 16
He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.
Daniel asked for permission to speak to the king. “Give me some time,” he said, “and I will tell you your dream as well as the interpretation.”
Daniel 2:17, 18
Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
Don’t you know that Daniel and his friends had one powerful prayer meeting that night?! They were literally praying for their lives. They needed to have revelation. They desired it desperately and they prayed accordingly.
Nebuchadnezzar took his problems to bed. Daniel took his to God—and what a difference that makes.
Daniel 2:19
Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
When Daniel received an answer, did he run out in order to save the lives of those in jeopardy? No, he stopped and blessed the God of heaven.
Daniel 2:20–23
Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.
Daniel stopped and offered praise before he went out to save lives. I think that’s an invaluable lesson. So often the Lord shows us something or gives us something and we can’t wait to get going. In reality, before we run out, we should slow down and look up. We should worship and give thanks.
I think of the ten lepers in Luke 12. Jesus told them to go their way and show themselves to the priest. And as they went, they were healed. All ten rejoiced—but only one came back and thanked the Lord. “You are made whole,” Jesus said to him. All ten were healed—but only the one who came back and worshiped was made whole, which speaks not only of his body but his soul and spirit, as well. Are we like the nine or are we like the one?
I like Daniel because he wasn’t just a prayer warrior, but a praiser and a worshiper.
“But that’s not efficient. Time is running out. You don’t have time to pray.” That’s the voice of Judas. As Mary offered the alabaster box of oil to Jesus, Judas said, “That money could have been used for something much better, for feeding the poor.”
But Jesus said, “What she is doing shall be spoken of throughout the world wherever the Gospel is preached” (see Mark 14:9).
Like Daniel, Mary was a praiser, a worshiper. And the Lord commended her.
Daniel 2:24–28
Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation. Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation. The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
Daniel didn’t say, “I can tell you your dream.” He said, “Only the Lord can give you the information and understanding you seek.” I believe this was why Daniel was used from the time he was a young man all the way until he was eighty-five. He didn’t take credit. The fastest way to see the work of God through your life stopped is to begin to think it’s because you’re special.
Daniel 2:29, 30
As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.
“The Lord is simply using me as an errand boy in order that you might have answers to those things about which you’re concerned,” Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 2:31–35
Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
What a dream! Nebuchadnezzar saw a massive image of a man with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, a brass belly, iron legs, and feet and toes a mixture of iron and clay. Looking at this huge statue, Nebuchadnezzar saw a stone not cut with hands come rolling down. It hit the statue in the feet and pulverized it entirely. Suddenly, the stone became a great mountain that filled the entire earth. No wonder Nebuchadnezzar was troubled!
Notice that the head, arms and chest, belly, and the legs regressed in value. That is, gold is of greater value than silver, which is of greater value than brass, which is of greater value than iron. These four metals in this single image speak of world history in its entirety as it relates to Israel from the time of Nebuchadnezzar until the coming of Christ.
Daniel 2:36–38
This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
The Babylonian empire, an absolute monarchy, had a greater effect on the known world than any other empire in history. That is why it was represented by gold.
Daniel 2:39 (a)
And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee…
The Medes and the Persians would overthrow the Babylonians in 530 b.c. The Medes and Persians, represented by two arms of silver were a constitutional monarchy.
Daniel 2:39 (b)
…and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
The Medes and Persians would be overthrown by the Greeks in 330 b.c. Alexander had conquered the known world. Heartbroken and depressed that there were no more worlds to conquer, he died at the age of thirty-three in a drunken stupor. Contrast this with Another who died at thirty-three years of age, One who conquered sin and death, Jesus Christ. The Grecian empire was represented by brass because, as an oligarchy, it was less powerful than the Medo-Persian Empire.
Daniel 2:40
And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
The Greeks would be unseated by the Roman empire. Although they crushed everyone into bloody submission, the Romans, represented by brass, had a limited democracy, which made it even less powerful than Greece’s oligarchy.
After four empires, the succession stops because in a.d. 70, the Romans annihilated Israel. The Jews scattered and Israel was never again a sovereign nation—until 1948. Suddenly, the prophetic clock miraculously started ticking again when Israel re-emerged as an independent nation. And now we see the appearance of the last world power…
Daniel 2:41–43
And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
In the feet, the composition is changed. These ten toes which are part iron and part clay don’t hold together. In May, 1948, Israel became a nation once again. In May, 1950, two years later, six nations came together, formed the Treaty of Rome, and instituted a new, resurrected, Roman empire. They called it the European Common Market.
Daniel 2:44, 45
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
In the time of the ten nations, a stone not cut with hands comes down and strikes the feet. The entire image is pulverized. The stone is the Rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ. Peter says that, to the Jews, He is s a stone of stumbling (1 Peter 2:8). Indeed to this day, the Jewish people, for the most part, still stumble over Jesus being the Rock. To the Jews He is a stone of stumbling, 1 Corinthians 1 declares. To the Gentiles, He’s a stone of crushing. He comes and grinds them out.
…Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. Matthew 21:42 (b)–44
Concerning Jesus, the Rock of our salvation, we either are broken before Him or will be broken by Him. The choice is ours.
There are those who say that the kingdom will be ushered in as Christians change the economic, political, and educational systems. That is, we’ll bring the King back by changing America. But that is heresy. As seen in Daniel, the stone doesn’t come to convert the kingdoms of the world. It comes to crush them. It comes instantaneously, explosively, cataclysmically, and all of the empires—the great image of gold, silver, brass, and iron—are wiped out in a moment.
That is not to say we shouldn’t be concerned citizens, praying for our country. But if you think that by changing America, we’ll bring back the kingdom of God, you are sadly mistaken. The ultimate solution is when the King Himself comes back and strikes the feet of the image. Down it will go. And in its place, Jesus Christ will rule and reign. Oh, glorious day that will be!
Daniel 2:46–49
Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
Unfortunately, Nebuchadnezzar doesn’t say to Daniel, “Your God is my God.” He says, “Your God is pretty impressive.” Nonetheless, Nebuchadnezzar is making the first of a series of steps that will eventually lead him into the kingdom of God.
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