Collision With Prophecy

Collision With Prophecy #2:
God's Day-Planner

God's Not Involved?

There's an attitude about God current in our society: that He doesn't care what happens here; that if He exists, He's busy somewhere else; that the Lord has forsaken the earth (Ezekiel 8:12). Yet the Word of God informs us that this is incorrect. In fact, the very idea of it makes Him angry (Ezekiel 9:9-10). Now the idea of God being "angry" may not be politically correct, but that never stopped Him before. What angers God is the pain and suffering that sin causes; and so He is against sin. Sin hurts the people He created—you and me. And that makes Him angry.

Sin is not natural. It's hurtful. It hurts His children. And so He's not been idle; He's not been sleeping. The eye of the Lion of the tribe of Judah is open. His all-wise gaze takes in all the needs of a sin-impacted universe, and as He intervenes in the affairs of humankind, the tread of His footsteps is carefully measured.

You'll recall from our meeting last night how we saw that when God is defied, eventually there comes a point of intervention. We saw how when there was a collision with prophecy on the plain of Dura, the form of the Forth—Jesus, the Son of God—appeared in the fiery furnace. God intervened to save His faithful followers from a Babylonized worship, bowing down before a pagan image. We saw how this was one of the two key passages that Revelation 13 plays-off of.

Tonight friends, we're going to see that not just any method of interpreting prophecy will do. God's method, inwrought in the Scriptures, is to be our means of knowing where we are in the flow of time, and just how close we are to the day when God will shut down this crying planet and put an end to the affront of sin for all eternity.

In prophecy, heaven has marked-out the step-by-step progress of the conflict between good and evil. Progressing point-by-point along the fulfilling trail of prophecy, the Ancient of Days has marked the days, and planned how to meet man and lead him home from sin.

His anger comes because of who He is--His all-wise and all-knowing character. It is not rash or unfair. He acts only in strict mercy and fairness. People ask me, "brother Larry, if there is a good God, why is the world so bad?" And do you know what part of the answer is? If God didn't have an important agenda with humankind, why then, He'd have ended the suffering and pain long, long ago. In fact, He never would have permitted the situation to develop.

But God does have a most awesome agenda (as we'll learn in walking through this brief series of meetings). And in order to attain His end—to accomplish everything on His agenda—everything in His "day-planner," we might say—He has remained in control of the situation and done something very special for humankind. And that's what we're going to look at today: Does He have things under control? and has He, in order to accomplish His long-term goals, given to humans a trustworthy Book containing an authentic prophetic preview of where He (and we) are going? My conviction, and one I believe you'll share, is yes.

Let me show you why.

The Dream of the King of Babylon

Take your Bible and turn to the book of Daniel (near the middle). We are looking for chapter two; Daniel two, and its second chapter . . .

The pagan King of Babylon was troubled in his sleep—by a dream given to him by God (Daniel 2:1; Daniel 2:29, 45). So troubled was he that he summoned his "think-tank," his diverse band of magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, chaldeans, and all manner of miscellaneous intellectuals and pointy-heads (Daniel 2:2). To the gathered horde of diverse advisors came the word of the king: "I have dreamed a dream, and I am concerned and wish to know what it means" (Daniel 2:3). The assembled crowd of religious cranks and crackpots, this drab-faced group of experts and acolytes, proponents of a multitude of pagan gods and idols, responded, "Tell us the dream and we will interpret it for you" (Daniel 2:4).

This was far from being the first time that the king had sought the advice of these experts. He was skeptical of them. Somehow he knew that if he were ever really to understand this dream, a revelation just as supernatural as the dream itself must be given. Consider what happened:

Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon, the then-superpower of most of the (so-called) "civilized" world. Just two years previous to the events we are about to examine, the nation of Israel had been invaded. Many captives had been carried away to Babylon, among them Daniel and his three friends. Like all kings, even pagan kings, Nebuchadnezzar had many things on his mind. His kingdom was powerful, his city a wonder, his safety assured, his needs and desires catered to; his will supreme. But all of this wasn't enough. Even kings dream dreams.

One night the God of heaven (not Nebuchadnezzar's god at all!) gave to him a dream (Daniel 2:1). What he saw startled him. He awoke from the startling revelation, his mind feverishly working, trying to understand what it all meant. Early in the morning he sent for all of his advisors (Daniel 2:2).

Babylon was an astonishing pagan metropolis, immersed in religious pluralism. Scores upon scores of temples and worship-places dotted the illustrious city. For each false-deity worshiped, there was a set of priests and devotees, from the least deity to the greatest. Nor was there any shortage of advisors in the court of the king. At His command the throne-room was thronged wall-to-wall with his motley mass of pagan religionists—chaldeans, magicians, soothsayers, astrologers, and necromancers—specialists in reading chicken entrails and kindred means of ascertaining the will of the gods.

At the king's command, there was instant silence. He told them that he had had a dream and wished to know what it meant. The foremost in his audience responded, "O king, live for ever. Tell thy servants the dream and we will shew the interpretation." But the king declared that he could not remember the dream, and that one of two fates awaited them: either tell him what was in the dream and receive rewards and honors, or don't and be killed! (Daniel 2:3-6).

They sought to change Nebuchadnezzar's mind, but staunchly he refused. He charged them with trying to "buy time." Trembling, they confessed, "There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter . . . there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh" (Daniel 2:7-11). Inflamed with anger at this response, Nebuchadnezzar commanded the destruction of all the "wise men" of Babylon (Daniel 2:12-13).

Having a stable of religionists at hand to press their diverse experiences and doctrines didn't help when God spoke to Nebuchadnezzar by dreams. They admitted that none merely human could tell what it meant. It was out of human hands. Only a source from beyond could supply an answer to a dream from beyond. People can gather today in Roswell, New Mexico, or here or there, or dial 1-800 and listen to a self-proclaimed "Psychic" (who can tell you the future but not your credit card number), in their search for truth. But the God of heaven is the only Being knowing the answers of heaven, and we need to seek for His answers.

God Reveals the Dream to Daniel

Now Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed- Nego), had been carried away to Babylon and placed "in training" to fulfill future duties as wise-men in the court of the King. But their enforced education at Babylon University was about to be cut-off by the king's decree. All the wise-men were to be killed. However, before carrying out the decree, Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, went straight to Daniel, explaining what the king had ordered. Next, Daniel was allowed to go in before Nebuchadnezzar and ask for time in order to discover and reveal the information sought by the king (Daniel 2:14-16).

Although the king had been unwilling to grant time to the other wise men, he did grant it to Daniel. In tests of wisdom a year before, Daniel and his friends had far outshone the others, demonstrating great promise (Daniel chapter 1). Nebuchadnezzar had not forgotten.

Daniel returned to his quarters and told Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. Together, all united in prayer that God would reveal the dream and thus save their lives. That night, as Daniel slept—as he dreamt—God showed him what Nebuchadnezzar had seen the previous eve (Daniel 2:17-19). Far from being absent and indifferent, the God of heaven was closely acquainted with what his children were facing, and quite interested in placing new ideas before the mind of Nebuchadnezzar. If he would be willing to turn and follow the God of heaven, every provision would be exhausted to win him.

Some people think that God doesn't care about them—that He's only interested in a pre-selected list of favorites. But the testimony of the book of Daniel is that God spontaneously reached out to a pagan king, an idol-worshiping hot-head. That's the way God is. He is interested in me and you and everyone. He is interested in those who have already been following Him as well as those who have never known Him or even who have turned their back on Him. He still reaches out. He still loves. He still saves. It's not too late.

When Daniel understood the dream, he didn't rush straight to the king; He stopped to pray. Our world has forgotten their prayer, but is no less true:

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 2:20-23.

Daniel knew that ultimately, God is in charge. Wisdom and might—the revealing of what God knows—are His. And whether in vision or through this Bible—the Word of the Living God—He can and will give wisdom and might to those honestly seeking for it. As we progress through these meetings we too must join together in seeking wisdom and might from the God of heaven.

Daniel Tells the King the Dream

So Daniel went in to the king, to share what God had given him. First, he pointed out the inability of the other wise men to show the dream, and that apart from God even he, Daniel, was unable to know the dream. But the God of heaven had shown him, and now he proceeded to tell it to the king:

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. This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. Daniel 2:31-36.

What all the king's wise men and spiritual advisors had been unable to do, the God of heaven did through His prophet Daniel. To the astonished king came an exact recounting of what he had seen in his dream. But then even more amazing came the interpretation. From the very pages of God's Day-Planner as it were, was revealed to the king and to Daniel and to us, what shall be in the latter days . . .

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. And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. 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. 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. 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. Daniel 2:31-45.

Daniel's God-Given Interpretation of the Dream

Starting with the kingdom of Babylon, step-by-step heaven unfolded the sequence of events to unroll the scroll of time. "You, O King [Nebuchadnezzar and the kingdom of Babylon] art this head of gold." But while Babylon would excel the other kingdoms to come, in most respects the following kingdoms would be weaker, and so were represented in the prophecy by metals and substances of lesser value. "And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee" (Medo-Persia, see Daniel 8:20). Babylon ruled until 538 B. C., and was followed historically by the Medo-Persian empire, dominating the nations from 538 B. C. to 323 B. C. But a mighty kingdom arose in Greece, led by none other than Alexander the Great. In sequence, this nation was the third great world power (Daniel 8:21). Finally, by 200 B. C. the rise the iron Empire of Rome became an indisputable reality, a military juggernaut conquering all in its path (Daniel 2:40).

Notice a point of interest here in the amount of space the book of Daniel gives to each of the kingdoms. In vv. 37 and 38, Babylon gets two verses. The next kingdom in sequence, Medo-Persia, receives only half of the 39th verse. The third kingdom in sequence, Greece only receives the last half of that verse. But the fourth kingdom, "strong as iron," unquestionably Rome, covers a space of four verses, most of it used to explain the prophetic developments involving the feet and toes of the image. We can understand the significance of the Babylon portion of the prophecy, since the dream was given under the reign of Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon. The limited space given Media-Persia and Greece is because, while they were the super-powers of their eras, their impact on the overall spiritual conflict between good and evil was not outstanding. But the fourth kingdom, Rome, is a very different story.

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. Daniel 2:40.

These words point to the strength and power of the Roman Empire. But after the apex of its might, this vast kingdom would be weakened by division. Listen:

And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potter's 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. Daniel 2:41-43.

"The kingdom shall be divided" points to a time after its rise to power, when the empire would be split-up. The mixture is of clay and iron--two rather unmixable elements. Part of Rome's strength would remain, but there would be a weakening. The image from the dream doubtless had two feet and thus ten toes. What is also interesting is that many of the apocalyptic prophecies parallel each other. That is, using different symbology, they cover the same events. In that light, there is a clear comparison to be drawn between Daniel two and Daniel seven. The seventh chapter of Daniel shows the same things:

Both prophecies present a general outline of four great kingdoms that would mark the development of the powers of history, and in the end the division of the fourth kingdom.

Rome was divided into ten kingdoms:

1. The Visigoths --> Spain.
2. The Anglo-Saxons --> England.
3. The Franks --> France.
4. The Alemani --> Germany.
5. The Burgundians --> Switzerland.
6. The Lombards --> Italy.
7. The Suevi --> Portugal.
8. The Heruli --> Rooted up.
9. The Ostrogoths --> Rooted Up.
10. The Vandals --> Rooted up.

Daniel seven, which we'll look at in depth as we identify the first beast of Revelation 13, goes into detail about Rome and "its feet and toes" phase of Daniel two. Rome actually has two phases, a pagan phase, and another phase sometimes called "religio-political." During that period, she uproots three of the ten horns described in Daniel 7. We'll look more deeply into that in another message. But for now, let us note that after the "fall of Rome," she actually remained, but in the divisions making up the original European nations.

Daniel two predicts this: "They shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another." During this period, these ten European divisions made their historic attempt to bind together. Intermarriages between the monarchies were sprinkled through the continent in an effort to bring peace. During this period the European monarchies sought to marry-off their princes and princesses with each other to forge cordial relationships between the nations. But it didn't work. Instead, a train of wars continued to plague that continent for centuries.

But now let us consider the next two, key verses: 44 and 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 forever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it break 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. Daniel 2:44-45.

Do you notice that God sets up, "in the days of these kings," "a kingdom which shall never be destroyed." This kingdom "breaks in pieces and consumes" all these kingdoms, and stands forever. What does the stone representing God's kingdom do? It breaks in pieces the kingdoms composed of all of the elements of the image.

God has been at work from ages past. He has been at work among the journeyings of man since long ago. He's walked through time, laying the boundaries within which nations would be allowed to expand and decline. He's managed the providences of history carefully, so as not to take away man's free will, nor to so soften the workings of evil so much that we wouldn't realize its evil. He's walked the finest of lines, and He's walked it down to our own day.

Today we don't want to admit it--that God has built His houseo of prophecy very convincingly--that He's followed through in exquisite detail and precision--that He has steadily walked through the ages down to our very day, and that we are all accountable with our Maker. But if we are not (yet) convinced, this was not true of Nebuchadnezzar after Daniel's recitation. His reaction is recorded for all posterity:

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 Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

Conclusion

The book of Daniel teaches us that not just any authority will "do" in spiritual matters. Not just any religion will "do." And not just any style of prophetic interpretation will "do." God plans the days, He plans the years. He has a purposed agenda. He has an unfailing goal. He will end all sin for all eternity, but in a manner that preserves the precious freedom of the beings He has made.

Friends, when the push of error was met by the shove of truth, the diverse designer-religions of the Babylonian acropolis were unable to save their followers. Their religious wise men, with all their erudition and education, would have been destroyed but for the merciful intervention of the God of heaven. They were forced to admit that they could not reveal what God only knew. Having the biggest temple or the best music in town was of none effect when it came right down to life and death. The most carefully finessed and professionalized farce, is still nothing more than a carefully detailed fraud.

When the authority of all the gods of Babylon, and especially the preeminent deity Marduk was tested, then whose authority prevailed when we looked at that last night? The God of heaven prevailed; His authority was what mattered. His prophet told what was reality. Tonight we've seen in this mighty image that God showed Nebuchadnezzar, that when His stone-kingdom comes--when, as He has foretold, prophesy collides with our thin little homespun visions of our own designer realities--all the little finessed rationalizations won't amount to anything but dust blowing into the wind. Friends, this whole world with which we are so familiar is going to come crashing down in the mother of all armageddons.

Will you be a part of the stone kingdom that becomes a mountain and fills all the earth, or will you finally be found in the gale with the chaff? God is treading through history, step-by-step; truth is on the march. A day of accounting is coming in the which we will see the return of our King. Jesus, the Rock of ages is returning to this earth, where every eye shall see Him.

Won't you join me there on His side?

You know, they say that "history," really is "His" story. He doesn't put everything at the beginning of the story, or everything at the end of the story, or even everything at the very middle of the story. But we know this: He has placed us down at the end of the story--you and me. May we rise to the occasion. God doesn't plan for His people to be passive in the end-time. He wants us active. Don't miss our next meeting as we look at an issue that has been prophesied to come to fruition in the end-time--the time at which I believe we are now living. Bring your Bible with you to Axe of the Ages!

Last Modified 9 November 2000