DS #15 A Review

The book of Daniel is rich with powerful insight on how we can change the way we live Jesus. Let's open God's Word together and discover this is The Encouraging Word featuring the Bible based Dr. Don Wilton well-known author evangelist seminary professor and pastor and today, let him be your pastor. In these moments of opening God's word and gaining insight. We also love your encouragers to pray for you. 866-899-WORD will connect you with one of us, not just now but 24 hours a day. That's 866-899-9673 email us at online@tewonline.org would love to pray with you and pray for you and get you connected with some great resources to help you grow in your faith. Now let's open our hearts together as we study the book of Daniel with Dr. Don Wilton on the Friday edition of The Encouraging Word. I want you to turn with greater couple of passages go with me to Revelation chapter 17 and verse 15 are you gonna really need your Bible ship Revelation chapter 17 and verse 15. Look what happened. The woman on the beach. Then the angel said to me, the Walters soul did you get that the Walters you soul where the prostitute sits, all peoples, multitudes, nations and languages not only came to read the next verse, but you can't help noticing it because we gonna come back to the beast and the team you soul will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to leave her naked. They will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. Whatever you do don't let go of Daniel chapter 7 like I can. We just might better deal go back to Daniel chapter 7 quickly December 1 go back to verse five the and thought it was tall, get up and eat your fill of flesh. Go to chapter 7 it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts and had taken hold what I was thinking about the loans they was before me, a novel which came up among them, listen to chapter 17 of the book of Daniel in verse 16 the beast and the 10 horns you soul will eat her flesh and I will with fire in the middle of this, the Walters, one of the Walters all the Walters in the mixed of the Mediterranean, which symbolically represent all the people. These people find themselves in conflict with one another. All right, go to Isaiah go with me to Isaiah chapter 57 you want to keep her finger and eyes are there for just a little while to go back there on a number of occasions. Isaiah chapter 57 and verse 20. The Bible says about the wicked are like the waters that cited the wicked are like the tossing of the turbulent sea which cannot rest. These waves cost up my and mud. Keep your finger then go to Isaiah chapter 17. Go back to Isaiah chapter 17 sold Avatar up in just a moment. Folks, but it's very important for us to see this. Isaiah chapter 17 I love to hear all is prejudiced or in chapter 17 verses 12 and 13. Listen to what the word satiate the word says oh the ranging of many nations. They range like the raging sea. Oh the role of the peoples.

They rule the roaring of great Walters. Although the people's role like a surgeon Walters when he rebukes them by flee far away they are driven before the wind like a trough on the heels like tumbleweed before the guy you in the evening saw Butera and before the morning they all gone. Just want to give you some background to the consistency with which scriptures quite the sea and the turbulence of the sea with people like you and me and the conflict in which we find ourselves now what Daniel is going to do in his vision here.

He's going to actually superimpose nations upon this conflict and it's not going to take much imagination to understand where this conflict comes from. And so it is that the first beast that Daniel sees coming up out of the sea well what is agreeing to come up out of the sea means two things are coming up out of the sea means that the beast is one of us. He's coming up all the peoples are you with me. All right, but it also geographically good lien well that he's coming up out of the great sea which means that he's going to rise up out of the Mediterranean region. That is why there is a strong argument strong school for that suggests that the antichrist is going to come from the Roman region from the romantic tribes and I think there's a lot of validity and that even though I don't think that you and I could be absolutely definitive.

At that point, but I remember we got a look at that to give all right, let's look at the snow. I've given you some background here. I want to read that verse again just to help you if you haven't got completely confused by now burst to my vision at night I looked there before me with the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea great beasts, each different from the others came up of the sea. Well let's have a look at these four beasts, and folks I can tell you right now, we normally get through these four beasts are not going to have to let them prowl for a couple more months all right I just don't want to. I don't want to rush through the space to my chair and if we don't do this properly. We don't stand a chance down the record we we may never recover. We gonna get eaten alive by these lines and lipids are beast number one is the line it's go to verse four. The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings with 2.0 it was lifted from the ground so that stood on 2 feet like a man in the heart of man was given. Now let's just look at this this is fascinating. The first thing that we've got to understand is that historically and currently most nations have as they symbol some kind of animal. For example, the lion well do you know that many of the teams that play representing nations on my off the animals. For example, the British lion's that's what I call, I called the British Lions.

The South Africans where I was born.

Anybody know what I called the South African springboks. Thank you. The springboks that's her dear all right what about Australia. The Australian wallabies the Australian wallabies. All right, not wombats or koala bears that's too soft for rugby.

I called the Australian wallabies. What is the American team called the American Eagle product American leaders.

Once the symbol of America legal. What about the Russians.

The bear, the Russian bear to symbol everywhere you can go to see the Russian bear club suite we could we could go all and on and on and on we could talk about lions and leopards and cheetahs Eagles even to this very day.

Many of the school teams that we have flying in the school in intercollegiate Auburn Tigers, and in all these different animals that you get they represent. But relations are particularly symbolic and effective. All right, not having given you that background yet.

Daniel say is the first was like a lion that what part of speech. What figure of speech is that is not a metaphor or simile that is a simile it using the word logical as in other words, it is. It's almost a metaphor. Metaphor is a direct comparison. Daniel is not saying that the first beast wall was a line he signed. It was like a lion and the soon as you get the word logical as you got a comparative analysis. You are immediately invited to ask a question. Why is this nation compared to a lion but this is a rather unusual looking line if we would do a map or some kind of drawing of this line we going to have some interesting time it's coming out of the water. We know that the lien was the symbol of Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar. We know that the word of God settled that trust back in chapter 2 of the book of Daniel, ending historical writings.

It is the symbol of Babylon, but there was something about this line that was interesting. First of all, let's just think for a moment about a line what is a lion, symbolic of love. It is a symbolical animal power and strength. The king of the jungle.

I want you to think about maybe could Ms. I want you to think about the Babylonian Empire.

Just think about that. Turn with me very quickly. Ezekiel Ezekiel chapter 29 that's just prior to the book of Daniel. For those of you that are struggling. Ezekiel chapter 29 and verses three through five, Ezekiel 29 versus three through five. Listen to what the word of God seems forgiving. Don't do that on purpose. I know will get back to that interesting moment Dr. Don Wilton just a moment conclude today's message for Dr. Don wants me to remind you here for you. In fact, so many folks have been asking and ram lots book Jesus in me all about experiencing the Holy Spirit as a constant consistent website right now@twonline.org that's key on warranty vesting book.

You also invest in our ministry partnership, we pray, consider discovering more online online Margie questions, give us a call 866-899-9673 again that numbers to connect with resources that, in part, but mostly which is one of praying with 48 68999673 let's get back today's message with Dr. Don Wilton speak to him and say this is what the sovereign Lord says I'm against you narrow king of Egypt you write monster lie among your streams and I'm going to read all the rest of it but I'm going to tell you that in this instance, Egypt and the Egyptian attorneys were compared to a great monster. Go to chapter 32 Ezekiel chapter 32 verse two, Ezekiel chapter 32 in verse two Son of Man typed up a lament concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and cite to him you all like a lion among the nation. You are like a monster in the seas thrashing about in your streams churning the water with your feet and not being streams go with me to solve Psalm 74 Psalm 74 turn back there with me very quickly. Psalm 74 verse 13 Psalm 74 in verse 13 it was you split open the scene by your power you broke the heads of the monster in the Walters it was you crushed the heads of the videophone and gave them food and gave him his food to the creatures of the desert, etc. etc. from not give you these passages in the context because that's not our purpose. All I want to illustrate the unites just three of them. There are many of them right throughout the text that I'm going to tell you that right throughout Scripture, and particularly in the book of Revelation you going to find repeatedly how that animals are used to depict people and kingdoms and by moral character a moral character. You see, we've got to see what is taking place as that which stands in opposition to everything that God is well, something interesting happened here this animal represented power and strength.

The line go with me quickly to the book of Jeremiah go back to Jeremiah chapter 49 Jeremiah chapter 49 in verse 19 show you something rather interesting here, and again, I'm not going to read this whole passage, but it's important to understand it in context. Otherwise we not going to understand the symbolism behind the line of verse 19 to 22 like a lion coming up from Jordan's thickets to the rich pasta land. I will trace even from its landing an instant as the chosen one will appoint for this who's likely. And who can challenge me what Shepherd can stand against me. You notice how the shepherd and the lion will put in opposition here therefore hear what the Lord is planned against Egypt, and what is purposed against those living team and the young of the flock will be dragged away. He will completely destroy the plaster because of their at the sound of their full the tremble. Their cry will resound to the Red Sea and Eagle soar and swoop down, spreading its wings over the bar's room in the hearts of Edom's warriors will be like a hawk of the woman in labor.

Now we've got an interesting cross-reference you because inverse goal. Daniel say is the first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle wings do what is an eagle means that it can truly fly that's exactly what happened in the Babylonian Empire. The Babylonian Empire like no other Empire had ever flown before the word of God say is I watched until its wings with all something was taken away from the Babylonian Empire laws align the symbol of power and strength. It could fly, it could do most unimaginable things it could conquer the earth, but Daniel Lenny's vision Walters and all of a sudden those wings the capability to soul above the heavens and do great things is removed, it is taken away from Babylon. That's what the word of God tells us, and listen what happens, and it was lifted from the ground so that it's on to the black man or I want you to go back to Daniel chapter 4 it's remind ourselves about then you could Ms. in the Babylonian Empire just to remind you where we been already chapter 4 and verse 33 in verse 33 memo all of this in verse 28 happened to King Nebuchadnezzar verse 33. He was the most high Sauber. They reigned over everything. They were in charge.

They were really in control immediately. Verse 33 what happened. What is being said about Nebuchadnezzar was pooh-poohed. He was driven away from people and eight cross like cattle.

In other words folks he had his wings clipped he was brought down besides his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until Lee's head like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird at the end of that time Nebuchadnezzar raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored to see that there not what happened when he sanity was restored yesterday was. He was high and lifted up.

He was the most time he thought he was alive, and God the soul, maybe you could measure Babylon conquered the world God came along and clipped his wings brought him down late in feet up on the black and animal putting back on his 2 feet and all you recognize the sovereignty of God. God gave him the heart of the man God gave back to him the daily essence of what it means to serve the Lord. So it is in verse 36 of chapter 4, at the same time that my sanity was restored my honor and my spleen better will return to me for the glory of my kingdom and verse 37 and so it is that now I King Nebuchadnezzar. Having regained the heart of a man praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven because everything he does is wrapped in all these ways are just about as you walk in pride he is able to humble those who walk in pride he is able to humble now is that complex. What is the central theme about the prophecy of Daniel, the same theme is the sovereignty of God.

God is in control, God places really wants to place and God removed. He wants to remove God honors those who honor him and here we have the first vision.

Remember we looking at prophecy in microcosm we looking at the rise of the Babylonian empire which is like a lion had wings to soul.

Got to the point at which under Nebuchadnezzar's leadership.

They said excuse me, we are greater than I King Nebuchadnezzar. The sovereign God of the universe bow down and worship me. And if you don't bow down and worship me. I'm gonna put you in the make a graven image of myself and you you worship me don't execute you and I met with a lot of violence. God says you think you are the king you let me show you what I'll do. I'm going to put the wings.

I'm going to cut them and I'm gonna bring you down and I'm gonna make you become like one of the animals until he sanity was restored and when he sanity was restored.

He returned back to the God most high, and it is Nebuchadnezzar himself who makes the most dramatic statement at the end of chapter 4, those who walk in pride. God is able to humble.

Now let's look at verse four.

One more time.

The first was like a lion, and had the wings of an eagle.

I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it's still going to feed like a man in the heart of a man was given to this prophecy is God's perspective and focus what we going to discover as we move through this prophecy as we begin to discover the relations off relations and then as we begin to move into that which has yet to be, we gonna be able to easily decide what hasn't happened yet. This is already happening.

We going to discover something you can bring on the collapse of the stock market, you can bring on the death of my spouse, you can interrupt my life in many what you want is one thing that on God's God is in control story was praying today I pray he would not let this moment pass. This is been a great week of Bible study on encouraging us to lunch and we can if God's cold just spring numbers 86689 word 866899967 getaway pastor… Are you ready to pray this prayer with me right now. They have gone on Jesus that he died on today.

I repent of my sin and I can face my sin to the Lord Jesus and I gave him a part in my life in Jesus name I pray, amen. If you prayed that pray from your heart and you given your life to Christ. I welcome you to the family of God. You are my brother, my sister in Christ. Let's get engaged together because we are connected together for ever as believers in Christ and don't leave whatever you do is I'll be right back. If you join the family of God. If you given your heart to Christ in these moments together. Let us put some wonderful resources in your hands will help you grow absolutely free.

Dr. Don's prepare them for you if you given your heart to Christ or come home and dedicated your life to Jesus we are here at 8668.

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