SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/4/2023 9:32 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-3 “Intro to Daniel 2:31-49”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference:
Daniel 2:31-49
Message of the
verses: Once again I ask you to look
up these verses on your own.
This will be the last SD on the introduction of Daniel
2:31-49 from John MacArthur’s sermon that we have been looking at over the last
two days. One thing to remember and that
is this sermon was preached by MacArthur 44 years ago, but the things that he
taught then are clearly happening in our world today.
“Now,
stay with me. Though Assyria and Egypt had tried repeatedly to overthrow
Jerusalem they had never succeeded. Why? They were always thwarted by the power
of God. And of course, Assyria and Egypt are seen as the great enemies of
Israel because Egypt is to the south and Assyria is to the north and east.
Assyria and Egypt on many occasions have tried to destroy Israel. They had
tried to sack, plunder and wipe out Jerusalem but they never succeeded. Century
after century after century, they were thwarted in that effort and the reason
is it was not yet God’s time. Jerusalem would not be trodden down by the
Gentiles - listen - until the wickedness of Jerusalem was full.
“And
finally, when God said that’s all I’ll take, then Nebuchadnezzar came then the
decimation of Jerusalem. Then the people were carried into captivity and this
begins the times of the Gentiles. Dominion was removed from the nation Israel.
Now as we come to Daniel, Israel is in captivity. Daniel is serving as a
captive Jew, however because of his capabilities and talents has been elevated
to serve in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar to assist him to work with Jewish
affairs. Because of his faithful, uncompromising and amazing character, he has
a very unique place in the land.
“Now
Daniel then begins with the times of the Gentiles. Now let me just say this.
Immediately, in chapter 2, God gives to Daniel the prophecy through the dream
of Nebuchadnezzar that describes this period of history. It describes it from
the beginning to the end, how it ends, that’s even described as well. And as I
studied that, I thought to myself, “Well, why does such a prophecy come at the
very beginning of the times of the Gentiles?” If it’s going to last for
thousands of years - it’s already lasted over 2,000 years - if it’s going to
last for all this period of time, why give this prophecy at the very beginning?
Well, I think there’s a good reason.
“I
think as soon as Israel went into captivity, as soon as the land of Judah was
taken in captivity, as soon as God’s people knew that Gentiles were ruling in
their land, God wanted them to know that that was not a permanent thing. Why?
Because if they felt that it was all over for Israel permanently, they would
have begun to question the credibility of God. Because God at many times said
He would never forsake His people, He would ever keep his covenant, He would
always fulfill his promise, He would never forget Jerusalem. And so I believe that
no sooner are they in captivity than God immediately reveals the fullness of
the plan from beginning to end. The start of the times of the Gentiles and the
ending of the times of the Gentiles when Israel returns to its place of glory,
so that they will know that God has not failed in all His good promise.
“At
this time when the prophecy comes in chapter 2, Jerusalem is in ruins, the
temple is torn down, Judah has been destroyed, and the sacred vessels of the
temple have been carried off and placed in a temple of an idol. The Glory is
departed from between the cherubim and the arc of the covenant. Ichabod has
been written over the people. The children of Israel stand of the banks of the
rivers of Babylon hanging their harps on the willows because they have no song
to sing, and the immediate question is has God forever forsaken His people? And
the ringing prophecy of Daniel 2 says no. No.
“Is
this the end? Has God forgotten His covenant? Are all the promises lost? Is
God’s word untrue? No. And so comes immediately this fantastic, incredible
revelation. Now let’s look at it. In the first 31 verses of Daniel 2, we have
the dream received. We’re not going to go back over that. If you were here last
week, you got in on it. The dream was received. One night, Nebuchadnezzar, this
pagan king who didn’t believe in the god of Israel, was just about to go to
sleep and as he was lying on his bed, according to verse 29, he was lying on
his bed thinking, he began to think about his empire and he ruled the – the
known world and he was the most powerful monarch there was.
“And
he – he began to think about what will happen when I die? What is it going to
be like in the future? And as he was musing over these thoughts he fell asleep
and he dreamed some dreams, the Bible says. One of those dreams was a very
special one given to him by God. He knew he wouldn’t be around forever. He had
seen other empires come and go. He became deeply concerned about his own empire
and so he dreamed a dream. One of the dreams, the one that God gave him was a
picture - now watch this - of history from Nebuchadnezzar to the return of
Jesus Christ, an incredible prophecy in a dream.
“The
period that he saw was the time of the Gentiles, the world rulers during the
setting aside of Israel. Look now at verse 28 – and that’ll frame it for you –
of chapter 2. “there is a God in heaven,” – says Daniel – “who reveals secrets
and makes known to the king, Nebuchadnezzar, what shall be” - now watch this -
“in the latter days.” Now, there is a key phrase, and we’re going to kind of
give you some teaching tonight.”
Well
that is the end of the introduction to Daniel 2:31-49 and if you want to hear
or read the rest of this sermon go to www.gty.org
search for sermons and chose Daniel chapter two and look at the second sermon
on the list.
8/4/2023 9:47 AM
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