CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES
05-19-13
(Dan 1:1-7) In the third year of the reign
of Jehoiakim king of Judah [605 B.C.] came
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon [Mat 2:1,2 illustrates a
situational similarity] unto Jerusalem, and besieged it
[Heb: adversary, assaulted, beset, bind (up), distressed, enclosed, lay
siege]. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with
part of the vessels [Heb: instruments] of the house of God:
which he carried into the land of Shinar [a plain in Babylon]
to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the
treasure house of his god. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz [a
Babylonian eunuch] the master of his eunuchs, that he
should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and
of the princes; Children [thus still imprintable,
formative, persuadable, teachable] in whom was no blemish, but
well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in
knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability
[Heb: vigor, force: strength] in them to stand in the
king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of
the Chaldeans [Babylonians]. And the king appointed them a
daily provision of the king's meat [Pers.: pathbag;
portion of meat], and of the wine [Heb: wine (as
fermented); by impl. intoxication] which he drank: so nourishing
them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before
the king. Now among these were of the children of Judah,
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Unto whom the prince of the
eunuchs gave names [a name change indicates a change in
character. How would you like to be named by a eunuch?]: for he gave
unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach;
and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.
1.
Commentary:
In these opening verses, Daniel establishes the “writing convention” that he
repeatedly uses throughout the Book of Daniel, namely, that of using
things to represent people. In this initial instance, Daniel
parallels in circumstance the vessels of the house of God
being taken to the land of Shinar (Babylon) with the children
of the house of God being taken to the land of Shinar (Babylon),
wherein the children represent godly containers (vessels) of wisdom,
knowledge, and science.
2.
eunuch = Heb: a castrated man [the male testicles removed]; a
eunuch; by impl. valet (espec. of the female apartments), and thus a
minister of state:--chamberlain, eunuch, officer.
3.
Commentary:
“the king’s meat” = pathbag, this Persian word, rather than food in
general, more specifically connotes actual “meat” which strongly
implies a carnivorous and violent nature, especially
when placed in contrast to its replacement “pulse” (Dan
1:12) which strongly implies a herbivorous and peaceful nature.
The Bible tells us that Satan is “the god [or king] of this world” (2
Cor 4:4). When we mix the king’s “meat” with the king’s intoxicating “wine,”
we become the typical rather useless imbecilic drunk.
a.
imbecile = Dict: 1. a person of defective mentality above the grade
of idiocy. 2. mentally feeble.
(Dan 1:8-21) But Daniel purposed in his heart
that he would not defile [Heb: soil: pollute, stain]
himself with the portion of the king's meat [Pers.:
pathbag], nor with the wine which he [the king] drank:
therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not
defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender
love with the prince of the eunuchs. And the prince of the eunuchs said
unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat
[Heb: food] [in general] and your drink: for why should he see
your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall
ye make me endanger my head to the king. Then said Daniel to Melzar,
whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah, Prove [Heb: test] thy servants, I beseech thee,
ten days [referral to the Ten Commandments]; and let them give
us pulse [Heb: something sown, i.e. a vegetable] [connoting
farmers rather than hunters] to eat, and water to drink.
Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of
the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest,
deal with thy servants. So he consented to them in this matter, and
proved them ten days [an allusion to the duration of the Old
Testament]. And at the end of ten days [and the beginning of
the New testament] their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in
flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat
[Pers.; pathbag]. Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat,
and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse. As
for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning
and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in,
then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And
the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. And
in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them,
he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that
were in all his realm. And Daniel continued even unto the first year of
king Cyrus.
1.
Commentary: “understanding in all visions and dreams” = is a
reference to the nine gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor 12:7-11), of which three
gifts are mentioned in this verse: “knowledge,” “wisdom,” and “understanding
in all visions and dreams,” the latter being the interpretation of
tongues.
(Dan 3:7-12) Therefore at that time,
when all the people heard the sound [Heb: voices] of the
cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music,
[suggesting an overabundance of the hypnotic voices of] all the
people, the nations, and the languages [this is the second example of
Daniel’s “things to people” writing convention], fell down and
worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king [in
his flesh] had set up. Wherefore at that time certain
Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. They spake and said to the
king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. Thou, O king, hast
made a [unchangeable] decree, that every man that shall
hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer,
and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image: And
whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast
into the midst of a burning fiery furnace [a type of Hell,
i.e. God’s wrath]. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the
affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego;
these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods,
nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
(Dan 3:13-19) Then Nebuchadnezzar in
his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and
said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye
serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if
ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute,
harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down
and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not,
ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace;
and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O
Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning
fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if
not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not
serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which
thou hast set up. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and
the form of his visage [Chald.; face] was changed
against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and
commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times
[complete, “full”] more than it was wont [Chald.: usually] to be
heated.
1.
Commentary:
“full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against” = The
completion of Nebuchadnezzar’s internal transition from “fury” (Dan 3:13)
into “full of fury” (Dan 3:19) was visible and externally accompanied by the
transition of his countenance (appearance), completely revealing the reality
of who he actually was, i.e., “the antichrist,” “against”
Jesus Christ, an impersonation of Jesus Christ, destined to “be
revealed in his time” (2 Thes 2:6).
a.
“changed” = (Mat 17:2) And [Jesus] was transfigured
[Gk: metamorphoo; changed] before them: and his face did
shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
2.
Commentary:
Understanding that Satan is a fallen angel with limitations and not
omnipotent as is God, we may reasonably infer from biblical examples (Luke
22:3; John 13:27; 14:30) that Satan can only inhabit one body at one time.
Satan has to live (dwell) someplace, and without doubt he prefers a host
human body for his access to the broad spectrum of the human body’s
inherent capabilities, rather than a lesser host and access to the much
fewer capabilities of an animal (snake, swine).
3.
Commentary:
May we herein state that Nebuchadnezzar was not merely a type and shadow of
“the antichrist,” as were and are all unsaved peoples, but
Nebuchadnezzar was also in fact, at that time, “the antichrist,”
the then current “head” or leader of the antichrist body, and within whom
Satan lived. Nevertheless, Nebuchadnezzar was merely one “host” person in a
long historical series of “the antichrists” who have been, in
chronologial sequence, personally inhabited by Satan and thereby controlled
by Satan. The following is a brief list of powerful men who were some of the
possible candidates for “the antichrist” through their bodily
habitation and possession by Satan: Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun, Ivan the
Terrible, Vlad the Impaler, Joseph Stalin, Pol Pot, and Adolf Hitler. Please
look around you logically, and who do you suppose currently occupies
the most powerful position in the entire world and has ample
narcisstic character and behavior traits to be an excellent candidate for
Satanic possession, if he is not already thus possessed and has thereby
become the latest inheritor of the title (and crown) of “the
antichrist.” Spirits don’t die, and if Satan is not dead, he
definitely dwells in somebody NOW. You pick who you think that
person is. Choices and consequences.
Dan 3:20 And he commanded the most
mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego [with Nebuchadnezzar’s law], and to cast them into
the burning fiery furnace [Hell, the wrath of God]. Dan 3:21
Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and
their other garments [altogether, “their choices”], and were cast
into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Dan 3:22 Therefore because the
king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame
of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego. Dan 3:23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace [i.e.,
were cast into Hell]. Dan 3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was
astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his
counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound [by the law of
this world] into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the
king, True, O king. Dan 3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men
loose [i.e., resurrected], walking in the midst of the
fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of
God.
Dan 3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to
the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and
come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst
of the fire. Dan 3:27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the
king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon
whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed,
neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
Dan 3:28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and
delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's
word, and yielded their bodies [Rom 12:1], that they might
not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Dan 3:29 Therefore I
make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any
thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut
in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no
other God that can deliver after this sort. Dan 3:30 Then the king promoted
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
1.
(Rom 12:1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Amen
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