#Nebuchadnezzar promotes Daniel

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

1 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. 2 So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.”

4 Then the astrologers answered the king, “May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

5 The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. 6 But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.”

7 Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

8 Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: 9 If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”

10 The astrologers answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. 11 What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans.”

12 This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.

14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. 15 He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.

17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20 and said:

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. 21 He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. 23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.”

Daniel Interprets the Dream

24 Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him.”

25 Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means.”

26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?”

27 Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these:

29 “As Your Majesty was lying there, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. 30 As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.

31 “Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure 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 baked clay. 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 “This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. 37 Your Majesty, you are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; 38 in your hands he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.

39 “After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. 40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. 41 Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. 42 As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

44 “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. 45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.

“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. 47 The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”

48 Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. 49 Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court. — Daniel 2 | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide. Cross References: Genesis 18:28; Genesis 31:42; Genesis 37:36; Genesis 40:5; Genesis 40:8; Genesis 40:12; Genesis 41:8; Genesis 41:14; Genesis 41:16; Genesis 41:25; Genesis 41:28; Genesis 41:39; Numbers 12:6; 1 Kings 1:31; 2 Kings 10:27; 2 Kings 25:28; 1 Chronicles 29:11-12; Esther 2:19; Esther 4:11; Job 9:17; Psalm 2:9; Psalm 50:10; Psalm 76:10; Isaiah 47:13; Daniel 1:6-7; Daniel 1:19; Daniel 3:1; Daniel 3:22; Daniel 4:7; Daniel 5:7; Matthew 3:2; Acts 10:25; Acts 27:24; Romans 13:1; 1 Corinthians 14:25; Hebrews 4:13; Revelation 1:1; Revelation 20:11

[freebiblestudyhub]

How Long Did Biblical Daniel Live?

The biblical figure of Daniel is one of the most remarkable characters in the Old Testament, known for his wisdom, faithfulness, and prophetic visions. His life story, primarily found in the Book of Daniel, offers readers a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of a devout man living in exile. Daniel's life spans several key moments in Israel’s history, including the Babylonian exile and the rise and fall of great empires.

However, despite the richness of Daniel’s life story, one question that remains largely unanswered is how long did Daniel live? The Bible provides some information about the timeline of his life, but the exact length of his life is not clearly specified. This article will explore what the scriptures say about Daniel’s life span, his age during significant events, and the broader historical and theological context of his time.

The Life of Daniel: An Overview

The Book of Daniel is one of the major prophetic books in the Old Testament, and it combines both historical narrative and apocalyptic visions. The book is divided into two sections:

Chapters 1-6 focus on the historical narrative, detailing Daniel’s life in the Babylonian court, his rise to prominence, his refusal to worship idols, and his miraculous deliverance from danger (such as the lions' den).

Chapters 7-12 contain Daniel’s apocalyptic visions, where he receives prophecies about future kingdoms, the end times, and the coming of the Messiah.

Daniel is introduced in the Bible as a young man among the first group of Jewish exiles taken to Babylon during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar in the 6th century BC. The book of Daniel does not explicitly give a timeline for his birth or death, but it offers clues that allow us to estimate the approximate length of his life and the years in which he lived.

Daniel’s Early Life: The Exile to Babylon

Daniel was part of the first wave of captives taken to Babylon in 605 BC, during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II. This is mentioned in Daniel 1:1-6, which states that Daniel was taken to Babylon as a teenager, along with other young men of noble or royal descent, to serve in the king’s court. It’s reasonable to assume that Daniel was in his early teens, possibly around 14-16 years old, when he was taken into exile.

Key Event: Daniel’s Training and Rise to Power

Daniel, along with his three friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, stood firm in their faith despite the pressures of the Babylonian court. They refused to eat the king’s food and were trained in the ways of the Babylonians. Despite their youth, they impressed the king with their wisdom and understanding (Daniel 1:17-21). By the time of Nebuchadnezzar's second reign (which occurred shortly after Daniel's training), Daniel was already seen as one of the wisest men in the kingdom.

Daniel’s rise to prominence is documented in Daniel 2, where he interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s troubling dream, which no one else could interpret. His interpretation led to his elevation to a high position in the kingdom, and his friends were also promoted. This event likely occurred when Daniel was still in his late teens to early twenties.

The Age of Daniel During Key Events

Since the Bible does not give specific dates for Daniel’s birth or death, we can estimate his age during various key events based on the historical context provided in the book. Below are some significant moments in Daniel’s life and his likely age at the time.

1. The Vision of the Four Beasts (Daniel 7)

In Daniel 7, Daniel has a vision of four great beasts, symbolizing four empires that would rise and fall. This vision occurs in the first year of Belshazzar’s reign (Daniel 7:1), which is believed to be around 553 BC. If Daniel was around 14-16 years old when he was taken into captivity in 605 BC, then he would have been approximately 50-52 years old at the time of this vision.

2. The Writing on the Wall (Daniel 5)

In Daniel 5, the writing on the wall occurs during the reign of King Belshazzar, who was the last ruler of Babylon before the empire was conquered by the Medes and Persians. The mysterious handwriting that appeared on the wall predicted the fall of Babylon. This event happened in 539 BC, when Daniel was summoned to interpret the writing. Given that Daniel was likely around 70 years old at this time, he was an elder statesman who had witnessed the rise and fall of several empires.

3. Daniel’s Final Vision (Daniel 10-12)

In Daniel 10-12, Daniel receives his final vision, in which he sees detailed prophecies concerning the future of Israel, the coming of the Messiah, and the end of days. This vision occurs in the third year of King Cyrus of Persia, which is approximately 536 BC. By this point, Daniel was likely in his mid-70s to early 80s, which suggests that he had lived a long and faithful life of service to God in the courts of foreign kings.

Daniel’s Death and Final Years

The Bible does not provide a clear account of Daniel’s death or the precise number of years he lived. However, based on the clues in the Book of Daniel, we can make an educated estimate:

The Book of Daniel ends with Daniel receiving a promise from God regarding the ultimate victory of His kingdom (Daniel 12:13). The book does not provide any further details about Daniel’s life after this vision, leaving us with no direct indication of his death.

Daniel is still alive at the time of King Cyrus’s decree in 536 BC, which allowed the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem. Since there is no record of his participation in the return journey to Jerusalem (which occurred shortly after the decree), it is likely that Daniel either chose to stay in Babylon or passed away shortly thereafter.

Thus, Daniel likely lived to be around 85-90 years old, depending on his exact birth year and the dating of the events in the Book of Daniel.

Theological and Symbolic Importance of Daniel’s Long Life

While the Bible does not emphasize Daniel’s age, the longevity of his life serves several theological and symbolic purposes:

1. Faithfulness to God in Exile

Daniel’s life is a testimony to faithfulness to God even in difficult circumstances. Despite being taken as a young captive to Babylon, Daniel remained steadfast in his faith and maintained his integrity even in the face of pressure to conform to pagan practices. His long life, which spanned the reigns of multiple kings and empires, demonstrates the power of faithfulness over time.

2. The Role of Wisdom and Prophecy

Daniel’s long life enabled him to serve in various governmental capacities and be a witness to many historical events, such as the fall of the Babylonian Empire and the rise of the Persian Empire. His wisdom and prophetic insight were not only valuable to the kings he served but were also essential to the preservation of God’s message for future generations.

3. Endurance and Hope for God’s People

Daniel’s enduring faith serves as a model for God’s people, showing that God’s plans often unfold over a long period of time. Daniel’s life also foreshadows the ultimate hope for the Jewish people, offering them encouragement during their exile, and pointing forward to the coming Messiah who would bring deliverance and salvation.

Conclusion

While the Bible does not explicitly tell us how long Daniel lived, we can estimate that he likely lived to be around 85-90 years old, based on historical events and his age at key moments in the book. Daniel’s long life spanned several key periods in Israel’s history, from the exile to Babylon to the rise of the Persian Empire. His faithfulness to God, his wisdom in interpreting dreams, and his prophetic visions about the future have made him one of the most revered figures in the Bible.

Daniel’s life serves as a powerful reminder that faith, integrity, and wisdom can endure even in the most challenging circumstances. His story is not just about the length of his life but about the depth of his commitment to God, which continues to inspire believers around the world today.

[tiand]

Today's Word With Joel and Victoria Osteen - Double Trouble

Today’s Scripture Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon. Daniel 3:30, NLT Today’s Word In Daniel 3, when the three Hebrew teenagers in today’s Scripture refused to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden idol, he was so angry that he threatened to throw them into a fiery furnace. Sometimes you have trouble because you’re doing…

[salvationcall]

Daniel Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Daniel Taken to Babylon, Daniel 1:1-7 Daniel’s Faithfulness, Daniel 1:8-21 Chapter 2 Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream, Daniel 2:1-13 God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream, Daniel 2:14-23 Daniel Interprets the Dream, Daniel 2:24-45 Daniel and His Friends Promoted, Daniel 2:46-49 Chapter 3 Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Image, Daniel 3:1-7 Daniel’s Friends Disobey the King, Daniel 3:8-18 Saved in…

[prju77]

Fourth In The Fire!

Beloved, when in the fiery trials of life – from persecution, affliction, consequences or refinement – the enemy covets your compromise. He craves to see you crumble under the heat. Know these trials are on the rise as the enemy becomes bolder in showing himself. In these times, I ask you to trust Me just as the faithful three in the furnace. At all costs, please do not compromise! Not your faith, not your hope, and not your worship.

If you don’t, you invite Me to be that fourth in the fire with you. No fire can consume Me for I am the Fire of fires!

I promise to bring you under the protection of My wing. I will see to it that the only thing scorched on you are the cords that bind you, for I am the Master Protector and Deliverer of My people.Release all fear to Me.

Let Me shield you until the fire has ceased. You will not come out smelling burned. You will come out smelling like the flowery fragrance of Heaven because you stayed close to Me. Then all will know you serve the Most High God, faithful to those who trust Him!

Activation: Read Daniel 3 and then ask yourself what areas you are experiencing a fiery trial. Is it at work, church, home, ministry, finances, or relationships? Whatever the area, repent for compromising in any way through doubt, lost hope, retreat, etc. Invite God in to be “the fourth in the fire” with you. Release it all to Him, and receive His peace. In complete trust, take His hand and allow Him to protect you. Acknowledge the fire is temporary, and He will fulfil His promise of seeing you through to the end. Then fix your eyes on Jesus your living hope, knowing He will deliver, restore and promote you for your faithfulness.

Daniel 3:25 (NIV) "[King Nebuchadnezzar] said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods”

Isaiah 43:2 (NIV) "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze!"

[curtiscroachblog]

Honour God today

Word for Today written by Bob and Debby Gass

Sunday 5th May 2024

'The fourth is like the Son of God.' Daniel 3:25 NKJV

There comes a time when we have to face our fears and take a stand for what we know is right. That's what Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego did. They risked their lives when they refused to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar's idol. They could have rationalised, 'I'll bow on the outside, but not on the inside,' or 'I'll just pretend the idol is Jehovah.' But they took a stand for what is right, and it set the stage for miracles. 'Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished...saying to his counsellors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God"' (Daniel 3:24-25 NKJV).

When you place yourself in a defenceless position, it sets the stage for God to show up. But if Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego had bowed to the idol: (1) they would not have received promotions; (2) the Jewish people would not have gained protected status within the Babylonian kingdom; (3) idol worship would have continued in Babylon; and (4) Nebuchadnezzar would not have experienced a life-changing encounter with God. 'Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God...who sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him...there is no other God who can deliver like this." Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon' (Daniel 3:28-30 NKJV).

By honouring God, you position yourself for him to bless and honour you.

[trustfallwithgod]

Day 11: His Ways, Not Ours

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.

Ever tried feeding a sick cat/pup medication? Ever brought them to the vet? How does one explain that the very thing they fear and struggle with is actually good for them? We can’t. Simply because our ways are higher than theirs. There’s no wiggle room for this: our understanding of existence and a future they do not imagine, are simply not concepts that they can fathom the way we do.

Job 13:15 finds itself mirrored in yet another passage of the Bible: Daniel 3.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[a] from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

God's miraculous intervention in a moment of crisis is not always promised. If it were, believers would not need to exercise faith. The lesson here is that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God and were determined to be faithful without any guarantee of deliverance.

Whatever is happening in your life, when the pressure is increasing, all the more you have got to hold on. You prayed that God will save you from the fire, you thought that God would save you from the fire, but yet it remains. But don’t despair, cos when the devil is turning up the heat, so too is God ever increasing His shield as He promised in Isaiah 43:

Thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Fires are great trials, but they also refine. Like a silversmith, working to purify silver until he sees his reflection. So too is God waiting to see His reflection in you. Through God's miraculous deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that day, Nebuchadnezzar declared that the remaining Israelites in captivity were now protected from harm and were guaranteed freedom of worship. And Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego received a royal promotion.

[vinceleemiller]

Faithful To Testify About The Trial | Daniel 3:24-30

GET THE BOOK: Daniel: A Strong Man Is Faithful here https://amzn.to/3ToZqOk

Do you testify to others about your fiery trial of faith?

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. — Daniel 3:24-30

We live in times ruled by the spirit of Babylon. Satan roams the earth, and men like Nebuchadnezzar still exist. They will till the end of this time. This means we're going to have trouble in this life. We might even have long seasons of fiery trials. We will experience trials on a macro-level in the world, in our countries, with governments, politicians, and leaders. We'll also experience trials on a micro-level in our marriage, family, workplaces, and personal lives. Somedays, the furnace of these trials is going to rage on both levels. 

Occasionally, the heat is going to get turned way up. But know this — a man of faith always has God standing by their side. God will stand by you through the fire, even when a vengeful spirit walks you to the edge of the furnace and pushes you in. God will not let you be burned. Not a hair on your body. Not a singe of your skin. Not even a smell of flame. But you'll have to have faith that the Spirit of God is greater than the spirit of this world.

In fact, I bet you have a story like this—a tale of a test where God intervened for you. This story is a testimony of God’s greatness and faithfulness through you. It’s worth recalling and retelling because it tells the tale of a faithful God who is ready to save. 

So do that today. Testify about God by telling the tale of your trial and his salvation. Give some hope to others who are walking through the same test or trial that you did. Because the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is not the only great story of God’s salvation. It’s one of many God has done through men just like you.

God, use our stories to testify about the great works you do. As we share them, may they testify to your faithfulness and greatness and help others know there is hope in their tests and trials. May our stories of you be salvation to others. In Jesus’s name, amen. If you liked this devotional series, check out the 30-day Devotional Book that partners with this study—Daniel: A Strong Man Is Faithful, which you can find on Amazon at the link below.  https://amzn.to/3ToZqOk

Check out this episode!

[quantumcartography]

Since I feel so absolutely normal about this, I was thinking about all the other parallels of The Unwanted Guest and the Book of Daniel. See, one of the things that happens in several chapters of of Daniel is the king of Babylon being disrespectful or mean and then God doing something that shows Daniel and his friends are the chosen people. Like Daniel gets thrown into a den of lions and the lions don't eat him or Daniel's friends get thrown into a fire and emerge unscathed. But I think the best parallel is Daniel 2.

In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream and goes to consult his court attendants and prophets as to what it means. But he refuses to tell his court magicians what his dream actually is (either because he forgot or he's testing them.) So no one can do it but then Daniel, who was a guest of the court at the time, gets a vision of the dream through God. He then goes to Nebuchadnezzar and explains that he had dreamed of a statue made of all these different materials before being crushed by a stone that grew into a mountain covering the Earth. He explains that the statue is his and various other kingdoms of the world that will all eventually fall but the stone is the Kingdom of Israel who will rule forever as per God's decree.

Now, generally I feel like it's a given to say you shouldn't go into the court of a king who just kidnapped your people from their homes and who had just threatened to execute his court magicians and tell him that his dream was telling him that his kingdom is going to be "broken in pieces and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors ... so that not a trace of [it] could be found." (Daniel 2:35) But, because this is God's book, Nebuchadnezzar instead prostrates himself before Daniel and gives him many gifts and praises his God and then promotes him to the seat of Chief Prefect of all wise men consultants to the king.

But this equation of impossible task from a ruler + threat of death + divine intervention + a prophet being ruthless in the face of the cruel ruler = the prophet winning is pretty much an exact mirror of The Unwanted Guest.

I dunno, that is a small thing but I'm obsessed with it

Daniel and The Uninvited Guest

PALAMEDES     (As if reciting) “And her body was like the chrysolite, and her face as the appearance of lightning, and her eyes as a burning lamp: and her arms, and all downward even to the feet, like in appearance to glittering brass.”

I was writing about something else entirely when I dug into the context of this quote and it rocked my whole socks. Context for those who don’t remember it: in this scene, the Voice that Palamedes has been talking to finally reveals herself as Dulcinea. After admitting his love for her and promising to find her on the shores of the River, he asks to see her “for the first time and the last.” He then has a light shone on him and he recites this quote from Daniel 10:6. After that, she asks if she was cute and Pal responds “You’re perfect.”

I am, needless to say, obsessed with this scene.

Now, the book of Daniel is one of apocalyptic prophecy (apocalypse here meaning a truth being revealed to a person by way of a divine source.) At this point in the Bible, the Jews have been captured from Israel by the Babylonians and have been displaced into Babylonian territory. The book recounts the visions of prophet Daniel that allude to the eventual restoration of the Jewish people to their homelands under the reign of Cyrus the Great. In Daniel 10 specifically, Daniel is mourning for Israel by fasting for three weeks when he is visited by an angel who tells him that he is fighting to return him and his people to their homeland. Daniel 10:6 is a description of this angel, who in the passage isn’t called an angel but vaguely referred to as a “certain man.” Only Daniel can see this certain man but all the men around him are gripped by fear and run away and even Daniel was terrified throwing himself face down and trembling at the sight of this certain man.

As a quick aside, I learned something from the magnificent Dan McClellan, a biblical scholar who is very active on TikTok and YouTube, about angels in the Old Testament. He recently posted a video discussing this in detail but I will try and do it justice. The theory among biblical scholars is that many instances where angels are present in the Old Testament were originally instances of God themself appearing before a person. That’s why these excerpts have people seemingly talking directly to God and why these angels inspire such fear because it’s assumed the only time a person would see God is when they die.

So this quote in this context, is when Palamedes is stuck inside the body of Naberius Tern and fighting against Ianthe’s soul for control. The reason why he’s doing this is to hopefully find a safe place for the Sixth House after spending months being held by Blood of Eden as political captives. While in this fight with Ianthe, he’s helped and supported by the soul of Dulcinea who he describes looking like an angel. Not an angel in terms of beauty or grace, but as unassailably powerful, perfect and righteous as dawn's first light, a face made of precious gems that cannot be cut and a body made of brass like the finest armor. This is a form untouchable by flaw or fault.

The two narratives have clear parallels. They are stories about a people's restoration and salvation. And since this takes place in the middle of Nona the Ninth, the connotation is clear that he will live to see his people saved and returned home. And he does, he becomes Paul and they guide their people back to the Dominicus system. But this also underscores just how much he loves her. He loves Dulcinea like an angel. He loves her like a homecoming. He loves her like a vision of rapture in the wasted desert of his enemy. He loves her like the promised end of death itself. He loves her like the indelible weight that love brings on one's soul.

[timdcook4]

“You, O king, were looking, and behold, there was a single great image; that image, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was rising up in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. The head of that image was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. “This was the dream; now we will say its interpretation before the king. You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory; and wherever the sons of men inhabit, or the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has made you rule with power over them all. You are the head of gold. But after you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule with power over all the earth. Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. Now in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron; it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay; they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not cling to one another, even as iron does not combine with clay. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will cause a kingdom to rise up which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself stand forever. Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will happen in the future; so the dream is certain, and its interpretation is trustworthy.” Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and did homage to Daniel and said for them to present to him an offering and fragrant incense. The king answered Daniel and said, “Truly your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries since you have been able to reveal this mystery.” Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him rule with power over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. And Daniel sought of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego over the administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel was at the king’s court.

Daniel 2:31‭-‬49 LSB

[carltonblaylock]

Daniels Friends are Promoted

Daniel 3:26-30                      26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. 27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw…

[carolap53]

Living an Obedience-Based Life TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman

06/24/2023

"They trusted in Him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God."

- Daniel 3:28b

Have you ever known someone who lived an outcome-based Christian experience? This means that their decisions are made based on the positive or negative outcome, not on absolute obedience.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three men who lived an obedience-based life. When King Nebuchadnezzar passed a law that said all were to worship his idol, these young men determined they would not worship anything other than God. You can be sure these men did not make this decision at the time of the decree. Their decision actually had been made years earlier. Their convictions were already in their hearts.

Each of us must come to a place of knowing what our boundaries are in given situations. What will you tolerate from your employer? What situation crosses the line for you? Where are the boundaries for questionable practices in your life? If these are not worked out ahead, you will live a life of situational ethics, determining what decision to make based on the merits of the situation.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were willing to die for what they believed. In this case, they were delivered from the fiery furnace. God used their faithfulness to impact a king, and they were promoted to higher positions.

Are you an obedience-based Christian? Or are there situations that can move you based on the outcome? God wants to know that we will stand firm on the issues that are important to Him, no matter what the outcome may be. God is looking for those who are radical in their obedience. Does this describe your commitment to Christ? If not, pray for this kind of conviction. The Lord will honor you for this.

[shesharesomething]

But, If not.

Decree Devotion

God you will deliver.

Daniel 3 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.[d] 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside[f] the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

God's deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego was a great victory of faith for the Jews in captivity. God protected them from harm, comforted in their trial and showed he alone is the true God over all. Nothing can bind us if God wants us to be free.

Let us trust God in every situation. Be thankful that our future is in God's hands.

Thank you Lord for reminding me to stay in your presence, to continue to believe and trust in you even in struggles, to pray diligently and meditate your word. Lord I pray for Ate Elp, may you heal her, give her the strength, favor and comfort. I pray you will help me Lord to be productive today. Thank you Lord for everything. In Jesus name. Amen.

[steveezekiel]

GOD IS SOVEREIGN [Daniel 2A]

1. “Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAD DREAMS; AND HIS SPIRIT WAS SO TROUBLED THAT HIS SLEEP LEFT HIM.

2. Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

3. And the king said to them, “I HAVE HAD A DREAM, AND MY SPIRIT IS ANXIOUS TO KNOW THE DREAM.”

4. Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”

5. The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap.

6. “However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.” ”

Daniel 2:1-6 (NKJV)

• One of the ways God humbles those who are great is through their dreams.

- God gave Nebuchadnezzar the DREAM that made him restless—he was troubled that his sleep left him.

- God had spoken to great and powerful people in the Bible days through DREAMS, and still does in the contemporary time.

- God spoke to Abimelech, King of Gerah, through a dream when he took Abraham's wife—Sarah (Genesis 20:1-18).

- God spoke to Laban through a dream that he should speak neither good nor bad to Jacob, when the latter fled from him.

IN other words, Laban was told by God not to harm Jacob: "It is in my power to do you harm, BUT THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER SPOKE TO ME LAST NIGHT, saying, 'Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad" (Genesis 31:29).

- God spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt through dreams and gave the interpretation TO Joseph (Genesis 41:15-45).

• Dream is one of the spectacular ways God uses in communicating with mankind: His children, the Believers; Or the heathens, the unbelievers.

- God can give a dream to warn, rebuke, correct, reveal hidden things, and to show future events.

- Those who belong to God and are walking with Him would always understand the dreams which are from God. In other words, the dreams of a person who is of the household of faith, a Believer, would always come with the interpretation.

• In most cases God humbles those who seemed to be difficult, who would want to prove stubborn, THROUGH dreams.

- Nebuchadnezzar had a dream which he could not remember nor interpret when he woke up.

- This is one of the reasons why any minister of God should not idolize any MAN, no matter the greatness of the person.

- God can permit a problem in someone's life and put the key to solve the problem in the hand of His chosen servant.

- The truth is:

If God wanted to announce or promote any of His Ministers, He would cause such a minister to solve the problems of a person or people, and through it, their works or ministries would be announced.

- God's servants are the instruments He uses in bringing His will Or counsel to the fulfilment.

- God raised each of His ministers for different purposes.

THUS, whatever God has raised you to accomplish should be done.

- As a Minister you are raised to solve people's problems. You are to interpret the dreams of the people, and in the process of doing that, your own dreams of fulfilling your assignment would be interpreted.

- Your greatness or promotion is in the work of interpreting the dreams of other people.

GIVE people hope, courage, and direction.

- Many are confused, they are in the valley of decisions, but God has raised you to give them hope, bring them out of the valley of hopelessness where they have found themselves.

• Remember, many have troubles in their heart like Nebuchadnezzar had, and they needed someone to tell them their dreams and the interpretation—be there to do that for them.

GOD has raised you for that purpose!

- As a leader you should be able to see farther than the people you are leading.

YOU should be able to help the people discover their dreams and interpret THEM.

- Of course, YOU cannot dream for them, but you can help them, guide them, teach them to discover their dreams, and assist them to interpret the dreams.

- The ability to help them interpret their dreams is given you by God.

8. “The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm:

9. “If you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.” ”

Daniel 2:8-9 (NKJV)

• To interpret the people's dreams:

YOU must be in the Spirit.

YOU fast and pray often.

YOU give yourself to The Word of God—study it, confess it, and live it, or practice It.

• What does it mean to interpret the people's dreams:

IT means to solve their problems, answer the questions in their heart.

- You can only give what you have, thus you have to equip yourself to be able to do that—and that is BY developing yourself as a leader.

YOU develop yourself by burying your head in the Word of God: "BE DILIGENT TO PRESENT YOURSELF APPROVED TO GOD, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).

- I discovered that a good number of ministers do not have time to study the Word of God, particularly those who build their ministries on their gifts.

- You do not build a ministry on gifts, you build it on the Word of God.

IF you built a ministry on gifts, when the gifts ceased, or you who has the gifts are not THERE in person, the ministry stops functioning.

GOD is the Owner of His Church, and the Church should be built on His Word.

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

Peace.

TO BE CONTINUED

[dailyaudiobiblechronological]

9/14/2022 DAB Chronological Transcription

Daniel 1 - 3

Welcome to the Daily Audio bible Chronological, I'm China. Today is the 14th day of September, welcome. Great to be here with you today. I hope you had a great time yesterday where we left off just to spend some time with the Lord. I don't know if you listened to yesterday's podcast. I would encourage you to really felt the Lord was speaking kind of corporately and also individually. But yes, I really hope that that was a good time. You are a journaler, that you journaled, and if you're someone who is a verbal processor like I am, that you were able to verbally process that with the Lord. But anyways, I am excited about today. Just another day in the word of the Lord and excited to be here with you today. But today we are in the book of Daniel we're in chapters one through three, continuing on with the New International Version for this week.

Commentary

This story is crazy in a way that I have not even fully ever really understood. So if we go all the way back to the beginning of the story so we're reading about Daniel, Daniel's training in Babylon. So there is a choosing of some men, and they are going to be trained for three years, and then they're going to enter the king's service. And so some of these people who are going to be some of these men who were chosen from Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, which is kind of like, oh, they're all together, they're buddies. Let's follow them. Let's follow them around and see what story comes to be. And this is the part of scripture where I'm like, this is incredible. I mean, all of it is truly incredible. So Daniel, he's not going to defile himself with this royal food and royal wine. He asked the chief official from permission to not defile himself, basically saying, can I have permission to not eat this. And the official is like, Listen, my lord, the king who's assigned your food and drink, I'm afraid of him. Why should he see you looking worse than any other young men your age? He would have my head because of you. Basically saying, dude, I'm afraid of this guy. Please don't look worse than these other people. Just do it, please, so that the king doesn't kill me. That's kind of like what's happening here. And then Daniel speaks to the guard whom the chief official appointed over Daniel and Hananiah and Mishael and Azariah. He's like, please test us. Give us nothing but vegetables and water to drink. So this is kind of what we call now modern day the Daniel fast. And so they have this test that they ask for. And then at the end of the time of the test, they appeared to be better looking than all the other men that were in training with, which I'm like, okay, interesting, weird flex, Daniel, but okay. And so then at the end of this time the king brings them into his service. Chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar, the king talked with them and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. So I'm not sure how many men there were but apparently these four are shining bright every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. And Daniel remained there until his first year of King Cyrus. So then in the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar is having these dreams which feels very much like a foreshadowing to Pharaoh when Joseph is having these dreams in totally different stories but that feels somewhat similar, right where he's expected to or someone else will have these dreams and they don't get interpreted the right way. And then there's like death involved. It's like this threatening with death if you don't get what I dreamed correctly and interpret it, you're going to die. And then there's a man of God who steps in and says this is what it means, here you go. And then they're promoted. That's exactly what happened to Daniel. And then so really, this shows that Daniel has favor with the king and also God gets the glory through Daniel's life like he is saying I'll interpret your dream. Sure, here's what it means. And so he gets promoted, he goes away. So this is the part of the story that feels interesting to me. I'm not sure how much time passes, I don't know, I can make a guess but I feel like it would not even be close to what is real. We end chapter two with moreover at request, at Daniel's request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon while Daniel himself remained at the royal court. So then it enters into chapter three and immediately King Nebuchadnezzar is setting up an image of gold ye-high ye-wide and he's setting it in the province of Babylon. He's saying whenever you hear music you are going to bow down to this thing. Like right after he has this moment of the Lord's glory being revealed to him and Daniel gets promoted and then it's like boom, Nebuchadnezzar is like I'm going to make this image of gold and everybody should worship it. And these three men who he already had favor like they already were, he never said he was impressed by them because they were ten times more wise than any other bozos. The worst looking ones that were eating royal food and drink, they have this favorite, they already have this twinkle in the kings eye and then they don't bow down and then there is a threaten and there's a following up with what he said. You're going into the blazing fire, into the blazing furnace and what's so crazy to me is the whole thing is wild, right? There's people dying just because they're throwing them into the fire yet these men are not even being touched. Like, no hair is being singed. There's no smell of smoke, which is wild. That is a miracle. But the part that really gets me every single time is I thought we put three men down there. Yeah, we did. Okay, well, there's a fourth one down there, and he looks like a son of the gods. Okay, so are we seeing Jesus in this fire right now? So this is the part that really I'm sure there's so much debate and theological standpoints on that I won't get into, but this story is just incredible and amazing. And if anything, it's like faith, elevating, and also just like the great length that the Lord will go to to get his name revealed. And I'm just so thankful for these men who lived honest lives and who were committed to the point of death for the Lord and his will.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you for the sweet truth that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. And I thank you for these men's stories, their lives that they committed before you and just all the signs and the wonders that you performed before them and that you ultimately received the glory. And God, I just thank you for that. And I pray that that just gives us the encouragement that regardless of any situation, any leadership position or training position, I thank You, God, that we can invite you into it and we can serve you faithfully and that we do not have to fear man. And Lord, I just thank you for that, and it's in Your name we pray, amen.

Outro

I have a special guest with me here today. It doesn't normally happen, but while I am reading today, I got my little buddy here. Do you want to say hi? You say, mama. Mama. What about your chickens? What does the chickens say? That is my very sweet little Reagan Brave. I have her in the studio with me for just a minute, and she is very interested with the microphone, but then also, like, very curious about what is actually happening. When I put the headphones on her, she does not want anything to do with it, but, man, she's enjoying a delight. So hopefully that brightens your day a little bit today. But that is all for today. I'm China. I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer Line

Hello, this is Samantha from Tennessee in September 6, and I am calling to pray for Tilly from Florida. Lord, you are the great physician, and you know exactly what's going on with Tilly's heart. And I pray that his heart would beat according to Your will, that you would heal every atrium and every ventricle and every artery in his body, Lord, and that he would be able to live according to Your purpose. Thank you for your healing. I also pray for Your encouragement and Your strength. In him, lord holy Spirit, please fill him with everything that he needs so that he can live fully in Jesus name, amen.

Hi, DABC fam, this is Leslie from Kentucky, and I wanted to pray for adopted a God from Illinois. She said that her daughter's husband committed suicide. And I just wanted to say I'm sorry for your loss. My condolences. That suicide must be hard for anyone to deal with. Okay. God bless your daughter. Help her family to go through this hard time. Anyone that is also dealing with suicidal thoughts is thinking about just wanting to take it all away, just want to give up. I help them know that they have a career that belongs that don't believe in you. Help them to see that they have a family that our friends that love them, they don't have anyone. God helps them to find you, realize that you are all they need and they don't need anything else in this life that they just need you if they're going through anything that just doesn't go their way. And God bless daughter. Sorry. Adopted a who is tested positive with covid, helped you to recover quickly. And God just bless anyone who still struggles with Kovac. And God, just thank you for being a good God and serious person, and you're just never praying, amen. God bless you guys.

Hey, DABC. It's Renee from Florida. Good morning. I just want to lift Amanda up again and her whole entire family in prayer. Heavenly Father, we just come to you right now and we just ask oh, my God, that you will help her husband find the right job. Lord, she's worried about him and rightfully so. And, you know, and you can help him. And God, we're just praying and believing that you have something big and better for him and father with her son who has autism. I have a son who's 27. And I just want to encourage you, Amanda, because my son was diagnosed with Asperger's way long time ago, very young, at a very young age, and I ended up having to take the option of putting him on medication. And I don't know that I did the right thing, but he went through regular school, he went through college, he learned to drive, and now he's working for the state. So I don't know if that was the option you were talking about, but I hope that you will not feel bad by taking a medicine that could help these kids to do better in school. I sometimes wonder if I did the right thing or not. I may never know. But I know that my son is definitely better on the medication than he is without it. I'm really hit by your story, and I'm just uplifting you and I pray for you and your husband. And I just want to say to Carla, who called in for the first time, who just listens. I also felt very self sufficient. And now I have to ask for help all the time. So don't be afraid to ask for help. We love you. I'm so glad you came on and said that. God bless everyone. Bye.

[evangelistdag]

How can I say thanks?

Ephesians 4:1-2

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

To walk worthy of your calling or the great favour that has been shown to you, you must be humble. 

What It Means To Be Puffed Up Like Nebuchadnezzar

Now SOME ARE PUFFED UP, as though I would not come to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, NOT THE SPEECH OF THEM WHICH ARE PUFFED UP, but the power.

1 Corinthians 4:18-19

1. You are puffed up like Nebuchadnezzar when you do not listen to warnings from the pastors and the prophets.

Nebuchadnezzar was warned by the prophet to humble himself before the Lord. God speaks to men through his servants the prophets, the pastors and the teachers. Men often disregard and manhandle the servants of the Lord who speak for Him.

Nebuchadnezzar was warned by the prophet Daniel. He refused to listen and he paid the price for that. The price he paid was to have a mental illness for seven years. It was only by the mercy of God that He was not totally removed from office.

I have often wondered as politicians lambasted pastors for speaking the truth. The politicians wanted the ministers of the gospel to tow their line and say things that would favour their cause. They wanted the pastors to promote their party. If you do not heed to the voice of the pastor, you may pay a heavy price.

I once met a rich man in a public place. I told him, “You must be born again.” I don’t know why I told him that he had to be born again. I guessed that I sensed the need for this man to repent. This man was so incensed by my message to him. He got angry and shouted at me in front of everyone. My counsel was not acceptable to him. This is what Daniel begged from Nebuchadnezzar, “Please let my counsel be acceptable unto you.”

Wherefore, O KING, LET MY COUNSEL BE ACCEPTABLE UNTO THEE, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.

Daniel 4:27

Because this rich man had created such a scene, I decided to say nothing further. He was someone I hardly knew and I knew I would not see much of him anymore. I did meet him again in about three months. This time, however, I said nothing to him. I mumbled a civil greeting and moved on.

A few weeks later, I got a message that this man wanted to see me. I wondered why this person would want to see me of all people. Apparently, he had been taken ill and was in hospital. As his condition worsened, I got another urgent call. But before I was able to see him, he passed away.

I spoke to someone who saw him die. This rich man died a frightening death as he passed into the arms of waiting evil spirits. Indeed, he did not die the death of a righteous man. As the rich man hung in the balance between life and death, his confidence, his boldness and his strength were taken away. He was gripped with fright as he saw the demons and evil spirits gathering around to take him away into outer darkness.

He died shrieking and crying, “Can you see them? They are coming for me!” He would grab the people standing around his bed and say, “Can’t you see them? They are coming for me!” Dear friend, you may laugh and mock when the pastor speaks but a day will come when you will not laugh. Pastors and prophets are messengers of God. You must be careful about what you say to pastors. You must be careful about how you handle their words!