Truth Project: The Statue

Welcome to Truth Matters with Dr. Cheryl Davis. On today's broadcast, she discusses the statue made in the image of Nebuchadnezzar and directed for the people in Babylon to worship, including Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. It is an awe-inspiring narrative of four young Hebrew men held in captivity in a pagan nation, deeply devoted to serving the Lord, facing death, and unwilling to worship an earthly idol. We are continuing through the book of Daniel. I hope you have been enjoying our broadcast and looking into the book of Daniel and his revelation for the end times.

I think they are still very relevant to the events that are going on today. We begin in chapter three, and as some of you may know, chapter three is where Nebuchadnezzar builds the image of gold. So we're going to get into the image of gold and really look back at where Nebuchadnezzar has come from in chapter two. So let's go back to chapter two, verse 47, and this is really where Nebuchadnezzar's mindset is.

The king answered Daniel and said, truly, your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret. So in this case, Nebuchadnezzar was a focal witness of his faith in the Lord in chapter two, but by the time we get to chapter three, he has built himself an idol. According to the Septuagint, which is the oldest Greek version of the Old Testament, there were 16 to 20 years between the end of chapter two and the beginning of chapter three.

I would say in 16 to 20 years is plenty enough time to backslide. So let's get into chapter three and read verses one through six. Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose weight was 60 cubits and its width was six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura in the Providence of Babylon. And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the providences to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the providences gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and paucity, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. This is very interesting. As I said previously in chapter 2, verse 47, he really gets an image of God and an understanding of God and is a vocal witness of his faith in the Lord. But by the time we get to here, about 16 to 20 years later, he's building an image of himself. So let's go over this image.

It's really an awkward type structure. It's 60 cubits high, which is about 90 feet high. Six cubits wide is nine feet wide. As you know, the number of the Antichrist is 666, and that is revealed to us in Revelation 13, 18. Revelation chapter 13, 18 is the number of mankind.

Nebuchadnezzar's statue was not only a reflection of his own altered ego and desire to be worshipped, but symbolic of a coming emperor who will likewise build an idol demanding people everywhere to worship him as Messiah. That day is approaching quickly as we see signs mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24 coming into reality. Certainly we are getting closer, and it's an important time to get our lives right with God. Dr. Davis will continue her teaching through the Book of Daniel on her next broadcast, leading us in the coming weeks to the seven visions of Jesus and the Book of Revelation.

Welcome to Truth Matters with Dr. Cheryl Davis. I'd like to reference the handwriting on the wall by Dr. David Jeremiah. I'm just going to read this as this gives us a great example of Nazi Germany. In the late 1930s, it was written, One cannot be a good German and at the same time deny God. But an avow of faith in the eternal Germany is an avow of faith in the eternal God. Whoever serves Adolf Hitler serves Germany, and whoever serves Germany serves God.

Later on in 1942, this was written. There's a lot of talk in Germany about Hitler's messianic characteristics, the thesis that Hitler is a miraculous being sent by a supreme power and that he is capable of mystic communion with the German masses is gaining greater currency. Consequently, the attack on Christian religion becomes more severe.

In Germany, no attempt is made to stamp out the faith in the supernatural. The policy is more blasphemous. It is to replace Christ. Religion is now counterfeited rather than dismissed.

This extraordinary tendency is perhaps without parallel during the last two thousand years. The Nazis are trying to create an anti-type of Christianity. They have made their leader their God.

We know that is historically true, as we can verify that in history. Nebuchadnezzar was trying to unify the people around his image. When the mass of humanity was gathered on the plain of Dura, shading their eyes from the reflection of the beating desert sun and the golden image, the king gave orders to his professional preacher, a herald with a loud voice. As all false gods have their own pulpitiers, the king had this man who told the crowd what he was paid to say.

He announced that when the orchestra played, everyone had to hit the ground. Worship or burn were the only options. Autocrats have often merged religion and politics as a means of unifying and gaining absolute power over the lives of people. This was the case with Nebuchadnezzar, Hitler, and other tyrants throughout history who have abused their power to oppress the people of God, thinking of themselves as some kind of deity. Dr. Davis continues her thoughts on Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and the day Nebuchadnezzar saw Jesus in the fire. This is an example of Nebuchadnezzar establishing religion. Although it pales in comparison to God, it is a false religion. But he is establishing his own religion within Babylon in order to unify the nation in which he would have more submission and control over them.

This is the epitome of an egotistical ruler, similar to Hitler. Let's move on to verses 8 through 15. Therefore, at that time, certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever. You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, leer, impository, and symphony with all kinds of music shall fall down and worship the gold image. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast in the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image in which you have set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, asking them, Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, leer, impository, and symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good. But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands? Adolf Hitler was a master of using politics and religion to unite the people of Germany during the 30s and 40s. He was a type of antichrist and a foreshadow of the one to come who will do all in his power to eradicate the tribulation saints and the Jews, establishing himself as the one true God. But his mission will fail because Jesus, the Messiah, will return in all his glory to rule the nations and establish peace for a thousand years. While trouble is ahead, everlasting peace is on the horizon. Please join Dr. Davis and Truth Matters for our next broadcast and our journey through the book of Daniel. Join Dr. Cheryl Davis for Truth Matters on Christian 105 and discover God's plan for the future.

Welcome to Truth Matters with Dr. Cheryl Davis. When Daniel purposed in his heart in verse 8 to not defile himself with King's delicacies, and he was able to see that God had provision over Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in chapter 1. And chapter 2 was Nebuchadnezzar's second experience with God as the dream that Nebuchadnezzar had that Daniel could only interpret and that his magicians could not. And Nebuchadnezzar makes the shallow commitment in chapter 2 to God. And the third chapter is his third experience with God, seeing the fourth like the Son of God in the fiery furnace and witnessing a Christophany.

But again, that was a shallow commitment, and we know that by virtue of the definition because he needed a fourth warning. But this is his fourth experience with God, but his final warning before judgment. So we'll get into what this dream means as Daniel interprets it in 19 through 27.

So let's read verses 19 through 27. Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. So the king spoke and said, Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you.

Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you and its interpretation concern your enemies. And here we see where Daniel is compassionate on behalf of Nebuchadnezzar, because when he hears the dream from Nebuchadnezzar, his thoughts troubled him. I believe that Daniel respected Nebuchadnezzar, but also he cared for him. But I believe he had a compassion for his lost heart and tried to help him numerous times. But by seeing this fourth dream and knowing its interpretation, it troubled Daniel. But King Nebuchadnezzar told him, Do not let it trouble you. Just go ahead and give it to me straight.

So this is what he does. In verse 20 through 27. The tree that you saw which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens, and which could be seen by all the earth, whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, and which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home. It is you, O king, who have grown and become strong, for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens and your dominion to the end of the earth. And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field, let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field till seven times pass over him. This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my Lord the king. They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever he chooses. And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you after you come to know that heaven rules. Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you. Break off your sins by being righteous and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.

So interestingly, this is a warning. As you see, Nebuchadnezzar is that great, vast tree. He was known as the modern ruler, the known world at that time. He has dominion over all of the earth at that time. Basil's heart was not in the place that it needed to be, and God needed him to know him and needed to get his heart where he wanted it.

And where he wanted his heart was this. He wanted him to know that in order that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men. So he wanted Nebuchadnezzar to realize that God's rule was higher than his. And that God is sovereign over whom he gives it to, because he gives it to whomever he will and sets over it the lowest of men. So it's not that he has to have a certain status to be a ruler or to be a king. That it could be even the lowest of men.

The downfall of many leaders in history, like Nebuchadnezzar, has been their narcissistic personality of being self-absorbed in their own sense of greatness. That they failed ultimately in their life purpose because they failed to heed the advice and guidance of others, and especially the Holy Spirit. If God has been speaking to you and you're not sure what he's saying, perhaps Dr. Davis can be of help. You can reach us by emailing Dr. Davis at CherylDavis at ProjectTruthMatters.com or write her at P.O.

Box 159, St. Paul's, North Carolina, 28348. You can connect with Truth Matters on Facebook or visit our website at ProjectTruthMatters.com. Truth Matters with Dr. Cheryl Davis is a ministry of The Truth Project. Learn the truth of what God has to say. It's all in the Bible. Join Dr. Cheryl Davis and Truth Matters weekdays and weekends on WCLN Christian 105, where truth is strong.