WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:18.000 The city of my birth was Atlantic City, known as the Playground on the Atlantic. Six miles long boardwalk. It was the first ever boardwalk constructed on one side is the Atlantic Ocean and now in Atlantic City which is famous for casinos. 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:31.120 As you walk along the boardwalk you have the Atlantic on your right. If you're going north then you would have the casinos on your left. And I remember walking by and hearing piped from one of the casinos. 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:47.379 You often heard the sound of slot machines, people winning prizes, etc. to entice you in. But there was a kind of a loudspeaker. I remember it was quite striking. And the loudspeaker had somebody's voice and they were saying, 00:00:48.000 --> 00:01:02.920 act in haste, repent at leisure. I thought, what a timely message. But I guess the idea was time is short, have fun, have fun now and you can worry about the consequences later. 00:01:02.920 --> 00:01:20.740 You'll be happy to know that I kept walking. I didn't go into that particular or any casino that day. But it struck me because that is in many ways in a nutshell the lesson that we see in the life of big King Nebuchadnezzar. 00:01:20.739 --> 00:01:30.539 Act in haste, repent at leisure. And we have here what we describe in the Bible as an illustration or an example. 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:43.719 Jonathan Edwards, when he was writing the most famous biography or compiling the life and diary of David Brainerd. 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:51.340 In his introduction, he said there are two ways of representing and recommending true religion to the world. 00:01:51.459 --> 00:01:55.900 The one by doctrine and precept and the other by instance and example. 00:01:56.560 --> 00:01:59.920 Both are abundantly used in the Holy Scriptures. 00:02:00.620 --> 00:02:03.519 So you have doctrine and precept. You can go to the letters of Paul. 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:05.739 You can go to the prophetic writings. 00:02:05.739 --> 00:02:08.139 Or you can look at examples. 00:02:08.919 --> 00:02:13.759 Where God gives you an example of someone who learned a lesson. 00:02:14.500 --> 00:02:20.859 Our theme tonight is the response that God requires to his message. 00:02:21.500 --> 00:02:25.299 You see, he not only sets the terms and conditions of the gospel. 00:02:25.819 --> 00:02:29.439 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son. 00:02:29.959 --> 00:02:34.280 But he sets the terms and conditions that we are to respond with. 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:40.199 But whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. 00:02:40.920 --> 00:02:49.740 Now in the Bible there are often two truths that are coupled together so closely that you cannot separate them. 00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:53.280 You cannot separate faith and repentance. 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:55.139 This is our theme tonight. 00:02:55.699 --> 00:03:00.580 These are the two things which God requires which really are the two sides of the same coin. 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:03.620 You cannot repent without believing. 00:03:03.620 --> 00:03:06.640 Nor can you believe without repenting. 00:03:07.240 --> 00:03:12.580 So sometimes in the Bible you see one of these truths articulated. 00:03:13.640 --> 00:03:16.420 Remember when Jonah preached in Nineveh. 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:18.039 What did the people do? 00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:19.280 They repented. 00:03:19.819 --> 00:03:22.060 They turned from their evil ways. 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:25.180 And they turned to God in sackcloth and ashes. 00:03:25.960 --> 00:03:31.980 And God relented from his threatened judgment of that city and of its people. 00:03:31.979 --> 00:03:34.000 They turned from sin. 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:37.280 But they just didn't kind of turn abstractly. 00:03:37.739 --> 00:03:41.359 The turning motion was turning from and turning to. 00:03:42.019 --> 00:03:46.620 They turned in faith to the God who had previously threatened judgment. 00:03:47.359 --> 00:03:50.039 And now the cause for such a judgment had disappeared. 00:03:50.500 --> 00:03:54.419 Because they had turned from their sin, from their evil ways. 00:03:54.620 --> 00:03:56.000 And they had turned to God. 00:03:56.000 --> 00:04:00.620 The instance and example that we see here is quite remarkable. 00:04:01.620 --> 00:04:07.120 King Nebuchadnezzar was the king of the greatest empire of the age. 00:04:07.219 --> 00:04:08.599 The Babylonian Empire. 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:12.039 And his kingdom was the great kingdom. 00:04:12.819 --> 00:04:17.420 And when he surveyed the city of Babylon and the surrounding empire. 00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:23.800 He recognized his power, his authority, his honor, his glory. 00:04:23.800 --> 00:04:30.960 But you'll notice in this chapter three things were placed before the king. 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:33.280 First of all, he was warned. 00:04:34.259 --> 00:04:35.720 Remember, he had a dream. 00:04:36.620 --> 00:04:38.620 And we're told, again, this is quite remarkable. 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:46.100 Because generally speaking, when you are reading the Bible, the Bible is written by the particular authors. 00:04:46.900 --> 00:04:50.319 The prophet or the spokesman. 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:57.779 But here, it's almost as if there's an interlude where King Nebuchadnezzar inserts a testimony. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:04:58.779 His story. 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:00.779 Quite a remarkable story. 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:04.920 He says in chapter four and verse one. 00:05:05.339 --> 00:05:09.639 King Nebuchadnezzar to the nations and peoples of every language who live in all the earth. 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:11.439 He's not only addressing his empire. 00:05:11.699 --> 00:05:12.980 He's addressing all peoples. 00:05:13.420 --> 00:05:15.819 He's saying, folks, I've got something to tell you. 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:17.500 It doesn't matter where you're from. 00:05:17.779 --> 00:05:19.680 It doesn't matter what your culture is. 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:22.280 It doesn't matter what your nationality is. 00:05:22.680 --> 00:05:27.540 I want you to hear what God has done in my life. 00:05:28.220 --> 00:05:35.360 It's my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders, verse two, that the most high God has performed for me. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:37.720 How great are his signs. 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:39.280 How mighty his wonders. 00:05:39.699 --> 00:05:41.079 His kingdom is an eternal kingdom. 00:05:41.199 --> 00:05:44.759 His dominion endures from generation to generation. 00:05:44.759 --> 00:05:49.699 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. 00:05:49.939 --> 00:05:51.579 All was well. 00:05:52.719 --> 00:05:53.740 I had a dream. 00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:55.800 And that made me afraid. 00:05:56.439 --> 00:06:02.939 As I was lying in bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. 00:06:02.939 --> 00:06:08.199 We see God giving the proud king a warning. 00:06:09.319 --> 00:06:11.860 Rousing him from his contentment. 00:06:12.259 --> 00:06:15.100 Rousing him from his satisfaction. 00:06:15.660 --> 00:06:17.560 And troubling his mind. 00:06:17.560 --> 00:06:29.280 And many of God's people can testify that one of the first steps in their religious awakening was a troubling reminder. 00:06:29.800 --> 00:06:34.079 Whether something they heard or something they read or something that somebody shared with them. 00:06:34.340 --> 00:06:38.019 In this case, the warning came by means of a dream. 00:06:38.019 --> 00:06:44.579 But the dream was even more terrifying because the dream did not have an interpretation. 00:06:45.079 --> 00:06:47.439 What does the dream mean? 00:06:48.120 --> 00:06:51.659 So not only does God warn Nebuchadnezzar in a dream. 00:06:52.079 --> 00:06:56.599 God provides a prophet who can interpret the dream. 00:06:57.099 --> 00:06:58.240 So you have a warning. 00:06:58.839 --> 00:07:01.959 And the warning is then accompanied by information. 00:07:02.859 --> 00:07:04.959 He's warned and he's informed. 00:07:04.959 --> 00:07:09.079 So the dream is laid out before us. 00:07:09.819 --> 00:07:11.659 Then Daniel is brought in. 00:07:12.239 --> 00:07:14.019 We've met Daniel before. 00:07:14.239 --> 00:07:17.899 Daniel was a young man at the very beginning of the book of Daniel. 00:07:18.339 --> 00:07:23.000 We've seen his interactions with the emperor before. 00:07:24.299 --> 00:07:29.519 And when he hears the dream, he himself is terrified. 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:35.039 And the king said, Belshazzar, don't let the dream or its meaning alarm you. 00:07:36.060 --> 00:07:40.719 And Belshazzar said, I wish this dream related to somebody else. 00:07:41.419 --> 00:07:47.219 King, I wish I could tell you that this was the enemies who were the tree in your dream. 00:07:48.159 --> 00:07:50.579 He said, King, unfortunately the tree is you. 00:07:51.539 --> 00:07:52.759 This is your empire. 00:07:53.319 --> 00:07:54.519 This is your story. 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:58.899 This warning is meant for you and you alone. 00:07:59.799 --> 00:08:00.819 So you have the warning. 00:08:01.639 --> 00:08:06.120 And then you have the information to explain what the warning means. 00:08:07.180 --> 00:08:11.579 And the prophet Daniel then closes with a word of advice. 00:08:12.359 --> 00:08:13.419 A word of counsel. 00:08:14.479 --> 00:08:18.120 He tells the king what will happen. 00:08:18.120 --> 00:08:27.860 Verse 26, the command to leave the stump of the tree with its root means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that heaven rules. 00:08:28.540 --> 00:08:32.720 So he gives a detailed interpretation of a detailed dream. 00:08:34.060 --> 00:08:35.500 But he closes with this. 00:08:36.179 --> 00:08:40.840 Therefore, your majesty, be pleased to accept my advice. 00:08:41.740 --> 00:08:42.899 I can't command you. 00:08:42.899 --> 00:08:48.059 I don't have the authority to tell you, O king, what to do. 00:08:48.139 --> 00:08:49.419 But I'm going to give you some advice. 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:52.220 And my advice is this. 00:08:53.019 --> 00:08:57.019 Renounce your sins by doing what is right. 00:08:57.679 --> 00:09:00.939 Your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. 00:09:01.539 --> 00:09:06.879 It may be that then your prosperity will continue. 00:09:07.559 --> 00:09:08.720 The warning of the dream. 00:09:09.379 --> 00:09:10.799 The information of Daniel. 00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:13.740 And now this word of timely advice. 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:16.579 King, you've been warned. 00:09:17.559 --> 00:09:19.319 This is your life. 00:09:19.899 --> 00:09:20.919 This is your kingdom. 00:09:21.500 --> 00:09:23.139 You are that tree. 00:09:23.879 --> 00:09:25.500 Now I'm going to give you some advice. 00:09:25.959 --> 00:09:27.240 You asked me for an interpretation. 00:09:27.539 --> 00:09:29.179 I'm going to give you some advice. 00:09:30.039 --> 00:09:32.599 And this kind of, as a little bit of a sidebar, 00:09:33.419 --> 00:09:38.299 I think it was Francis Schaeffer who said that we are to give honest answers to honest questions. 00:09:38.299 --> 00:09:41.740 So if people have questions, try your best to answer them. 00:09:42.359 --> 00:09:47.399 Many questions, however, are very complicated because easy questions have easy answers. 00:09:47.539 --> 00:09:55.399 The questions that people have, where we've come from, where we're going, why certain things have happened, why other things haven't happened. 00:09:55.399 --> 00:10:03.919 But what I think is interesting here is Daniel answered the question that he was asked, but he did more than that. 00:10:04.860 --> 00:10:05.919 He did more than that. 00:10:06.439 --> 00:10:09.199 He wasn't asked for advice, but he gave advice. 00:10:09.720 --> 00:10:13.019 Sometimes people don't ask for advice, but they need advice. 00:10:13.019 --> 00:10:18.500 Some people don't ask for direction, but they need direction because they're wandering aimlessly. 00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:20.539 He says, I'm going to give you some advice, king. 00:10:20.699 --> 00:10:21.879 It's time to repent. 00:10:22.500 --> 00:10:24.100 It's time to turn from your sin. 00:10:24.500 --> 00:10:29.259 It's time to keep, to stop making yourself the center of the story. 00:10:30.019 --> 00:10:31.639 This is my advice, oh king. 00:10:32.179 --> 00:10:33.419 I'm just a prophet. 00:10:33.960 --> 00:10:37.659 I'm just a stranger in a strange land. 00:10:38.139 --> 00:10:39.500 I'm one of your exiles. 00:10:39.639 --> 00:10:41.439 You brought me here from my home. 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:43.380 But I'm going to give you some advice. 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:45.700 So the king had a warning. 00:10:46.440 --> 00:10:49.460 The king was then given the information to understand the dream. 00:10:50.020 --> 00:10:55.100 And the prophet said, you really need to listen to what I have to say, oh king. 00:10:55.840 --> 00:10:58.860 And for a time, it seems that all was well. 00:10:59.580 --> 00:11:01.020 Twelve months had passed. 00:11:01.680 --> 00:11:04.660 Maybe the king had actually heeded the warning. 00:11:05.260 --> 00:11:08.120 Maybe the king had actually accepted the advice. 00:11:08.120 --> 00:11:24.480 Maybe the king decided, as strange as it seems, this unusual man from an unusual place with an unusual God who is telling me, the king, that he advises me to renounce my sins. 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:28.279 You see, all the king wanted to do was to know what the dream meant. 00:11:29.240 --> 00:11:32.940 Whereas Daniel says, actually, king, there's a problem here. 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:34.639 And you're the problem. 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:36.060 You're sin. 00:11:36.860 --> 00:11:37.759 You're evil. 00:11:38.259 --> 00:11:39.480 You're wickedness. 00:11:39.820 --> 00:11:44.440 That instead of being kind, you are an instrument of oppression. 00:11:45.159 --> 00:11:46.180 Twelve months pass. 00:11:47.060 --> 00:11:47.759 Verse 29. 00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:52.939 And the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace. 00:11:53.720 --> 00:12:06.600 He said, is not this great Babylon, the great Babylon that I have built as the royal residence by my mighty power for the glory of my majesty? 00:12:07.439 --> 00:12:10.000 He decided not to take Daniel's advice. 00:12:10.700 --> 00:12:12.639 He decided not to heed the dream. 00:12:13.059 --> 00:12:16.299 He decided to ignore all that he had been told. 00:12:16.419 --> 00:12:17.059 He's the king. 00:12:17.059 --> 00:12:18.819 He can do whatever he wants. 00:12:19.159 --> 00:12:28.179 And as he surveys his city, his palace, his glory, he wants to say it because what he sees demonstrates. 00:12:29.099 --> 00:12:30.739 Look how great I am. 00:12:31.179 --> 00:12:32.799 Look how great my palace is. 00:12:32.899 --> 00:12:34.299 Look how great my city is. 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:37.099 And look how great my empire is. 00:12:37.799 --> 00:12:39.319 Well, God had something to show him. 00:12:39.959 --> 00:12:41.159 God wanted to tell him. 00:12:41.739 --> 00:12:45.059 But then if he didn't listen to what God said, God was going to show him. 00:12:45.059 --> 00:12:52.599 And sometimes if we're honest, we know what's right and we know what's true and we know what's good. 00:12:52.939 --> 00:12:53.759 We know it. 00:12:54.219 --> 00:12:56.779 But sometimes God needs to show us. 00:12:57.259 --> 00:13:02.599 Sometimes he needs to show us the folly of thinking that we are in charge. 00:13:03.059 --> 00:13:07.079 Sometimes he needs to show us that we are not in control. 00:13:07.500 --> 00:13:10.319 That we do not know everything about everything. 00:13:10.320 --> 00:13:16.840 The king did not heed the advice of Daniel. 00:13:17.560 --> 00:13:20.240 And all that was promised came true. 00:13:21.080 --> 00:13:22.360 You see, God's word is true. 00:13:23.360 --> 00:13:26.400 God's word is always true. 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:29.500 When he invites, it's a genuine invitation. 00:13:30.100 --> 00:13:32.439 When he threatens, it's a genuine threat. 00:13:32.939 --> 00:13:35.919 When he teaches, it's genuine instruction. 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:39.079 When he encourages, it's genuine encouragement. 00:13:39.399 --> 00:13:41.679 When he promises, it's a genuine promise. 00:13:42.100 --> 00:13:47.740 Whatever his word says is true in the terms in which it is given. 00:13:48.600 --> 00:13:49.819 So the king is warned. 00:13:49.820 --> 00:13:56.200 The king ignores the warning and God fulfills all that he had promised to do. 00:13:56.760 --> 00:13:58.840 All the glory departed immediately. 00:13:59.400 --> 00:14:04.640 All the honor, all the prestige, all the trappings of power disappeared. 00:14:05.500 --> 00:14:08.520 And the king is now grazing like an ox. 00:14:08.780 --> 00:14:11.280 The king is now drenched with dew. 00:14:11.700 --> 00:14:18.620 The king looks like, acts like, and appears to be an animal in the field. 00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:21.539 How the mighty hath fallen. 00:14:22.340 --> 00:14:24.700 That's what pride does, does it not? 00:14:25.379 --> 00:14:29.220 Pride, I'm told in the book of Proverbs, comes before a fall. 00:14:30.100 --> 00:14:31.379 A haughty spirit. 00:14:32.340 --> 00:14:36.080 And this is a sin that you don't need to be an emperor to have. 00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:41.220 Pride is where you place yourself at the center of the scene. 00:14:41.799 --> 00:14:45.200 Pride is where you tend to use I, me, and my. 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:49.440 Rather than you, or they, or our, or his, or hers. 00:14:50.160 --> 00:14:55.259 So pride is an ever-present danger that we need to repent of. 00:14:56.120 --> 00:15:01.240 Now, we're told that the drenching with dew. 00:15:01.480 --> 00:15:06.520 We're told that the living, eating grass of the field like an ox. 00:15:06.920 --> 00:15:08.960 This is not the final word. 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:11.660 Because remember we talked that there was a stump. 00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:13.800 There was going to be a stump. 00:15:14.460 --> 00:15:18.700 And even though the stump was overlaid, it was still there. 00:15:19.220 --> 00:15:25.100 The stump was there, the roots were there, and the promise of restoration was there. 00:15:25.660 --> 00:15:27.000 But what was required? 00:15:27.700 --> 00:15:33.900 What was required was that the king had to come back to his right mind. 00:15:33.899 --> 00:15:38.199 The king had to come back to his senses. 00:15:39.399 --> 00:15:45.819 So we're told in verse 31, as the king, the lip words were still on his lips. 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:50.819 As he was speaking, there was a voice that came from heaven. 00:15:51.659 --> 00:15:53.679 Notice, Nebuchadnezzar speaks. 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:57.639 But as it were, his speech was overspoke. 00:15:58.539 --> 00:16:02.179 You know how sometimes it's not polite to interrupt someone when they're speaking. 00:16:02.179 --> 00:16:05.319 It's not polite to interrupt the king when the king is speaking. 00:16:05.599 --> 00:16:08.759 However, a greater king can interrupt a lesser king. 00:16:09.239 --> 00:16:12.159 And the lesser king was interrupted in the middle of his speech. 00:16:12.579 --> 00:16:15.259 And the king of kings has something to say. 00:16:16.139 --> 00:16:19.359 This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar. 00:16:19.899 --> 00:16:22.279 Your royal authority has been taken from you. 00:16:22.739 --> 00:16:24.279 You will be driven away from the people. 00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:26.319 You will live with the wild animals. 00:16:26.479 --> 00:16:27.839 You will eat grass like the ox. 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:36.680 Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth. 00:16:36.899 --> 00:16:39.639 And gives them to anyone he wishes. 00:16:40.800 --> 00:16:44.139 Repentance literally means a change of mind. 00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:47.620 Remember the parable of the two sons. 00:16:47.940 --> 00:16:50.840 Jesus said there were a father with two sons. 00:16:51.340 --> 00:16:53.280 The younger son comes to the father. 00:16:53.400 --> 00:16:54.840 He wants his share of the inheritance. 00:16:54.840 --> 00:17:01.120 And he then takes that share and he spends it in wild living. 00:17:01.820 --> 00:17:05.980 And when he's in the far country, he has nothing to eat. 00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:11.500 And even the pigs that he's now tending, he longs to eat the food that he is feeding them with. 00:17:12.259 --> 00:17:13.900 He came to himself. 00:17:14.519 --> 00:17:17.079 He came back to his right mind. 00:17:17.559 --> 00:17:20.240 He remembered what his father was like. 00:17:20.539 --> 00:17:22.819 He remembered what his father's house was like. 00:17:22.819 --> 00:17:27.099 And he said, even in my father's house, the servants are well fed. 00:17:27.480 --> 00:17:28.539 And here I am. 00:17:28.619 --> 00:17:29.519 I am starving. 00:17:30.099 --> 00:17:32.159 Wishing I could eat the food of pigs. 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:35.399 He comes to his right mind and he returns. 00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:37.859 What happens to Nebuchadnezzar? 00:17:38.059 --> 00:17:40.659 He comes to his right mind. 00:17:40.919 --> 00:17:45.519 And he turns to the one alone who can save him. 00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:50.779 When we told this, that all that was immediately done, it was fulfilled. 00:17:51.619 --> 00:17:52.440 Driven away. 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:53.680 Ate grass. 00:17:53.900 --> 00:17:54.859 Body drenched. 00:17:55.240 --> 00:17:59.539 His nails grew so long like the claws of a bird. 00:18:00.180 --> 00:18:02.279 But notice that that's not the end of the story. 00:18:02.420 --> 00:18:06.180 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar. 00:18:06.339 --> 00:18:09.339 You see, you have a framework here in this chapter. 00:18:09.859 --> 00:18:13.440 Nebuchadnezzar begins with personal testimony and he ends with personal testimony. 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:20.100 I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes towards heaven and my sanity was restored. 00:18:20.600 --> 00:18:22.740 His mind was restored to him. 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:25.460 Quite literally, a change of mind. 00:18:25.880 --> 00:18:28.360 A mind of an animal, the mind of a man. 00:18:28.700 --> 00:18:36.039 The mind of one who had no regard for God was now a mind of one who had regard for God. 00:18:36.360 --> 00:18:38.320 His sanity was restored. 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:41.740 And how do we know that his mind was changed? 00:18:42.639 --> 00:18:45.039 Then I praise the Most High. 00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:49.799 I honored and glorified him who lives forever. 00:18:50.839 --> 00:18:51.359 Wait, wait, wait. 00:18:51.460 --> 00:18:56.980 The last thing this man said is not this the great Babylon I have built. 00:18:57.220 --> 00:19:02.539 As the royal residence by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty. 00:19:02.539 --> 00:19:09.579 Maybe what Nebuchadnezzar just experienced was the advice that Daniel had given him. 00:19:10.339 --> 00:19:11.899 Turn from your sin. 00:19:12.519 --> 00:19:14.119 Turn from your wickedness. 00:19:14.519 --> 00:19:15.859 Turn from your pride. 00:19:16.339 --> 00:19:17.839 Turn from your self-centeredness. 00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:20.000 And acknowledge the king. 00:19:20.339 --> 00:19:21.659 The king of kings. 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:24.339 So his mind was restored. 00:19:24.619 --> 00:19:29.339 And the evidence of a restored mind was a right relationship with the king. 00:19:29.339 --> 00:19:32.599 He's no longer telling us of how great he is. 00:19:33.019 --> 00:19:35.539 He's now telling us how great God is. 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:41.119 A change of mind and a transformation of heart. 00:19:42.199 --> 00:19:47.000 Because he goes on to say, let me tell you about his dominion. 00:19:47.539 --> 00:19:48.159 It's eternal. 00:19:48.659 --> 00:19:50.000 It has no beginning, no end. 00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:53.679 Now, I can't give you the exact year. 00:19:54.639 --> 00:19:57.179 But the Babylonian Empire came to an end. 00:19:57.180 --> 00:19:59.500 You can read about it in Daniel chapter 5. 00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:03.060 His grandson, Belshazzar, threw a banquet. 00:20:03.240 --> 00:20:04.600 And that was the end of the story. 00:20:05.460 --> 00:20:06.440 Belshazzar gone. 00:20:06.560 --> 00:20:09.560 The Medes and the Persians replaced the Babylonians. 00:20:09.860 --> 00:20:12.019 The Greeks replaced the Medo-Persians. 00:20:12.160 --> 00:20:13.580 The Romans replaced the Greeks. 00:20:13.799 --> 00:20:14.620 And so on. 00:20:14.740 --> 00:20:15.440 And so on. 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:16.240 And so on. 00:20:16.580 --> 00:20:17.860 Human empires rise. 00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:19.240 And human empires fall. 00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:27.599 But Nebuchadnezzar's restored mind says the king, the most high, has an eternal dominion. 00:20:28.140 --> 00:20:30.940 And his kingdom endures from generation to generation. 00:20:31.500 --> 00:20:34.700 And all the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. 00:20:35.259 --> 00:20:37.319 He does as he pleases. 00:20:37.940 --> 00:20:40.620 Now, you see, Nebuchadnezzar thought he was that king. 00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:42.940 He thought, I can do what I please. 00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:45.220 I can live as I want. 00:20:45.220 --> 00:20:48.079 I can say what I want to say. 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:55.360 Until he was walking along the balcony of his palace. 00:20:55.960 --> 00:20:58.920 Then he realized, actually, I can't do what I want to do. 00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:01.240 I can't say what I want to say. 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:04.279 Because there is an authority that is higher than me. 00:21:05.480 --> 00:21:08.019 He now acknowledges that authority. 00:21:08.920 --> 00:21:10.600 Now, you might say, well, okay. 00:21:10.599 --> 00:21:13.579 You know, he's restored to his sanity. 00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:15.879 He's restored, we're told, to his kingdom. 00:21:16.259 --> 00:21:19.519 He actually had a greater end than a beginning. 00:21:19.699 --> 00:21:23.039 Even though his beginning of his kingdom was a glorious beginning. 00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:25.519 We're told that his throne was restored. 00:21:25.659 --> 00:21:27.480 That his advisors came to him. 00:21:27.879 --> 00:21:31.439 And that he was, his kingdom was even greater. 00:21:32.279 --> 00:21:35.819 So you might wonder, well, is there any evidence here of faith? 00:21:35.980 --> 00:21:39.439 Is there any evidence here of a relationship with God? 00:21:39.440 --> 00:21:43.059 Well, let me just show you just by comparison. 00:21:44.340 --> 00:21:46.440 At the end of Daniel chapter 2. 00:21:47.400 --> 00:21:49.880 Remember, that was another dream sequence. 00:21:50.120 --> 00:21:52.860 Where the, where Daniel interpreted the dream. 00:21:52.980 --> 00:21:54.480 But if you remember Daniel chapter 2. 00:21:54.900 --> 00:21:57.100 The king says, I've had a dream and it's bothered me. 00:21:57.920 --> 00:22:01.259 And he said to his enchanters, his diviners, his astrologers. 00:22:01.340 --> 00:22:02.880 Tell me the meaning of the dream. 00:22:03.320 --> 00:22:04.799 And they say, king, just tell us the dream. 00:22:04.860 --> 00:22:05.480 We'll tell you the meaning. 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:06.080 No, no, no. 00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:07.180 You need to tell me the meaning. 00:22:07.259 --> 00:22:08.340 I'm not even going to tell you the dream. 00:22:08.339 --> 00:22:11.459 And the astrologer said, nobody can do that, king. 00:22:12.039 --> 00:22:13.720 And then Daniel comes on the scene. 00:22:13.819 --> 00:22:16.199 And Daniel tells the king the dream that he had. 00:22:16.439 --> 00:22:17.740 And the meaning of the dream. 00:22:18.579 --> 00:22:20.240 In verse 47 of chapter 2. 00:22:20.339 --> 00:22:23.000 The king said to Daniel, surely your God. 00:22:23.379 --> 00:22:25.740 Is the God of gods and the Lord of kings. 00:22:25.859 --> 00:22:27.000 And a revealer of mysteries. 00:22:27.480 --> 00:22:29.679 For you were able to reveal this mystery. 00:22:29.959 --> 00:22:32.240 So he praises the God of Daniel. 00:22:33.099 --> 00:22:34.519 At the end of chapter 3. 00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:37.920 You remember the story of the three young men thrown into the fire. 00:22:38.639 --> 00:22:40.379 In verse 28 of chapter 3. 00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:45.579 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 00:22:46.740 --> 00:22:50.759 So he acknowledges Daniel's God. 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:54.700 He acknowledges Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's God. 00:22:54.700 --> 00:22:57.640 But he does so in a very distant way. 00:22:57.640 --> 00:23:27.620 He acknowledges Daniel.