Reading from Daniel chapter 2, which is on page 884 in the Red Church Bibles there, starting at verse 1.
In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams. His mind was troubled and he could not sleep.
So the king summoned the magicians, the enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed.
When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them, I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.
Down to verse 10.
The astrologers answered the king, there is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks.
No king, however, great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer.
What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods and they do not live among men.
This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon.
Verse 24.
Then Daniel went to Ariok, whom the king had appointed, to execute the wise men of Babylon and said to him,
Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king and I will interpret his dream for him.
Down to verse 31.
You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue, an enormous dazzling statue, awesome in appearance.
The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze,
its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay.
While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands.
It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them.
Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time
and became like chaff on a threshing floor in summer.
The wind swept them away without leaving a trace,
but the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.
This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king.
You, O king, are the king of kings.
The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory.
In your hands he has placed mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds of the air.
Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all.
You are that head of gold.
After you, another kingdom will rise inferior to yours.
Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth.
Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, for iron breaks and smashes everything.
And as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others.
Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron,
so this will be a divided kingdom.
Yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay.
As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.
And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture
and will not remain united any more than iron mixes with clay.
In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed,
nor will it be left to another people.
It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.
This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands.
A rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.
The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future.
The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honour
and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him.
The king said to Daniel,
Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries,
for you were able to reveal this mystery.
Thanks, Kirsty.
Well, keep your Bibles open at Daniel chapter 2.
Yes, it is a long chapter.
And no, we're not going to be here forever looking at it all.
But there is so much there.
So let's turn to God's word now.
Amen.
Let's pray.
Father, you are the great God who not only made the world,
but has spoken truth into this world.
And yet we are people who need to understand that word to us.
We need the help of your Holy Spirit to reveal
the mysteries that are contained in your word.
We need your Holy Spirit to show us what the truth is and how it applies to us.
And so we pray that you would be active amongst us,
helping us to see the God who is revealed in this chapter we're about to look at,
the God that we are to trust.
So please help us now.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
So, can anybody tell me what's going to happen next week?
Where will I be?
And what will you be doing?
What's the world going to be like in 50 years' time,
if you're still alive?
Or will the world even exist?
We all think and dream about the future.
Who's going to win the next election?
What's going to happen in Syria and Iraq?
Will Ireland recover financially?
Or is there another recession on the way?
Or perhaps you're more concerned with personal things.
Who will I marry?
Where am I going to live?
What kind of job will I get?
Will I pass my exams?
What will I do when I retire?
We all dream about the future.
And King Nebuchadnezzar, the character we meet in chapter 2,
has a dream.
Look at verse 1.
In the second year of his reign,
Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams.
And his mind was troubled,
and he couldn't sleep.
It sounds a little bit more like a recurring nightmare.
But we know from later in the story
that this was a dream about the future.
Look at verse 45.
The quote at the very end of verse 45.
The great God has shown the king
what will take place in the future.
The dream is true,
and the interpretation is trustworthy.
So this dream that Nebuchadnezzar has
reveals God's plan for the world
and what is to come.
It's about the future.
And like us,
Nebuchadnezzar was desperate to know
what was going to happen.
After all, he was king of the Babylonian Empire,
the world's leading superpower at the time.
So as we encounter Nebuchadnezzar's dream,
there are four things we learn about the future,
especially God's plan for the world.
So here's the first thing we learn from this dream.
And it's this.
The future is hidden from us.
Look at verse 2.
The king summoned together the magicians,
the enchanters, sorcerers, astrologers,
which wasn't just people who looked at the stars,
but wise people,
to tell him what he had dreamed.
So here we have this select group,
which represented the world's best mediums,
astrologers,
analysts,
economists,
and scientists,
all together.
They were highly trained,
university graduates,
all leading experts in their fields.
Collectively,
they had a vast,
vast knowledge
of things that had taken place in the past,
and they had a great understanding
of things that were happening in the world
at the time.
This was the king's,
if you like,
think tank.
His personal advisors
to tell him
what was going to happen
and how they should be prepared
for the future.
And whenever a dream came along,
that was a great opportunity
for them to be involved.
Look at the rest of verse 2.
So they came in
and they stood before the king.
He said to them,
I have had a dream that troubles me
and I want to know what it means.
The astrologers answered,
the king in Aramaic,
which was the language of the whole empire
and even beyond,
so that meant this was a message
that was to be for the whole world.
O king, live forever.
Tell your servants the dream
and we will interpret it.
Give us the dream, O king,
and we'll tell you
what would be good policies to make,
what taxes to introduce,
what nation we should attack next.
But Nebuchadnezzar is no dope.
He knows there are plenty
of phony fortune tellers and analysts
who will see this as an opportunity
for promotion and a little bit more pay.
They could spin any old lie
if they wanted to.
So the king is clever.
He applies a little bit of pressure.
Verse 5.
The king replied to the astrologers,
this is what I have firmly decided.
If you do not tell me what my dream was,
so there to tell him what he was dreaming,
and interpret it,
if you can't tell me these things,
I will have you cut into pieces
and your houses turn to piles of rubble.
But if you tell me the dream
and explain it,
you will receive from me
gifts and rewards and great honour.
So tell me the dream
and interpret it for me.
Nothing like a torturous death
to focus the mind.
No payoffs here if you get it wrong.
It's off with your head.
But even with the threat
of their lives hanging over them,
they still can't deliver.
Verse 10.
The astrologers,
these wise learned men
answered the king,
there's not a man on earth
who can do what the king asks.
No king, however great and mighty,
has ever asked such a thing
of any magician or entranter
or astrologer.
The answer is crystal clear
to the king.
The future,
it's hidden from us.
We simply do not know.
Now,
you mightn't have
your own personal astrologer
or analyst to hand.
But don't tell me
that you've never had
a little peek
at your stars.
Or maybe you're a secret listener
to Mystic Meg.
We might think it's all quite funny
to have a little look
and a little listen.
But you know what,
it's very common
for people to go
to a spiritualist
or a psychic
just to know
what their career prospects
are going to be like.
Or people who go
and have a look
at their hand.
Do you see that long line
that comes down here?
It'll tell you
how long you're going to live.
Only recently,
I talked to someone
who was so concerned
for their family's welfare,
they paid 50 euro
to have a card reading.
It's not just fun.
People seriously believe
that there are those
with special gifts
and abilities
who can tell us
the future.
But perhaps you're a bit
sceptical of the spirit world.
Maybe instead you just like
to listen to what
the economists have to say.
Should we buy
or should we sell?
Do we invest
or do we sit tight?
Looks like Apple's
a good one
to invest right now.
Well,
the fact that we're
still suffering
from a world recession
suggests that
they don't really know
too much either.
Have you ever noticed
that the government
that is in power
always predicts
a bright and beautiful future?
Those in opposition
predict doom.
Well,
look at verse 11.
What the king asks
is too difficult.
No one
can reveal it.
No one can reveal
the future to the king
or to me
or to you
or to anybody else.
You may remember
the famous prediction
by the BBC weatherman
Michael Fish
who told quite confidently
there was no danger
of any hurricane.
The next day
Britain woke up
to find half the country
flattened.
The point is
while astrologers,
scientists,
economists
can't see
into the future
we all
to some degree
live our lives
around what people
say about the future.
Did you hear
what so and so said?
Better adjust my life
to that.
we live life
trusting people,
investing our security
in things
and those people
who really have
no idea
what the future holds
and where the universe
and history
is headed.
Doesn't it all seem
a little bit foolish
to be trusting in people
and what they think
is going to happen?
Well thankfully
there is one
who does know.
Second,
the future
has been
revealed to us.
Well with no answer
for the king,
the king
loses
the rag.
Verse 14
When Ariok,
the commander
of the king's guard
had gone out
to put to death
the wise men
of Babylon,
Daniel spoke to him
with wisdom and tact.
He asked the king's officer
why did the king
issue such a harsh decree?
Ariok explained
the matter to Daniel
and at this
Daniel went into the king
and asked for some time
so that he might be able
to interpret the dream
for him.
So Daniel returned
to his house
and he explained
the matter to his friends
Hananiah,
Mishael and Azariah.
He urged them
to plead for mercy
from the God of heaven
concerning this mystery
so that he and his friends
might not be executed
with the rest of the wise men
of Babylon.
During the night
the mystery
was revealed
to Daniel
in a vision.
Do you see
where Daniel turns?
He doesn't turn
to the financial section
of the Irish times
or the Babylonian times.
He doesn't check out
his star sign.
No.
He turns to
verse 18
the God
of heaven.
This great God
he turns to
in praise
because it is God
who revealed
the mystery.
Look at the end
of verse 19.
Then Daniel
praised the God
of heaven
and said
praise be
the name
of God
forever and ever
wisdom
and power
are his.
He
changes times
and seasons.
He
sets up kings
and disposes them.
He
gives wisdom
to the wise
and he
gives knowledge
to the discerning.
He
reveals deep
and hidden things.
He
knows
what lies
in darkness
and light
dwells with him.
I thank
and praise you
O God
of my fathers.
You
have given
me wisdom
and power.
You
have made
known to me
what we asked
of you.
You
have made
known to us
the dream
of the king.
This
is our
all wise
and sovereign
God
who
changes
kings
as quick
as he
changes
the weather.
Here
is our
all
powerful
all
knowledgeable
God
who
reveals
what is
hidden
and he
knows
what is
secret.
In reality
we've got
no idea
at all
what's
going to
happen
this
afternoon
never mind
in 20
years
time.
We
can't
see if
we're
going to
have
good
health
or bad
health.
Whether
we're
going
to
be
successful
or have
a life
of
struggles.
We
don't
know
if
we're
going
to
get
married
or
if
we'll
remain
single.
If
our
children
will
outlast
us
or
if
we
will
outlast
them.
But
there
is a
God
who
does
know.
Verse
22
He
reveals
deep
and
hidden
things.
He
knows
what
lies
in
darkness.
You
see
we
might
think
that
man
has
the
ability
to
see
into
the
future.
That's
what
we're
led
to
believe
every
single
day.
But
it's
God
alone
who
reveals
the
future.
Look
at
verse
25.
Ariad
took
Daniel
to
the
king
at
once
and
he
said
I
have
found
a
man
among
the
exiles
from
Judah
who
can
tell
the
king
what
his
dream
means.
The
king
answered
Daniel
also
called
Belshazzar
are
you
able
to
tell
me
what
I
saw
in
my
dream
and
interpret
it?
Daniel
replied
no
wise
man
enchanter
magician
or
diviner
can
explain
to
the
king
the
mystery
he
is
asked
about
but
there
is
a
God
in
heaven
who
reveals
mysteries.
He
has
shown
King
Nebuchadnezzar
what
will
happen
in
days
to
come.
You
see
Daniel
knows
it's
not
him
it's
God
sees
all
of
history
all
of
time
from
beginning
right
to
the
very
end
nothing
that
happens
in
between
is
hidden
from
him
in
fact
it
is
God's
very
intention
that
we
know
what
is
going
to
happen
look
at
verse
29
he
doesn't
want
us
to
be
in
the
dark
he
wants
to
reveal
things
to
us
look
at
verse
29
as
you
were
lying
there
O
king
your
mind
turned
to
things
to
come
and
the
revealer
of
mystery
showed
you
what
is
going
to
happen
as
for
me
this
mystery
has
been
revealed
to
me
not
because
I
have
greater
wisdom
than
the
other
living
men
but
so
that
you
O
king
may
know
the
interpretation
and
that
you
may
understand
what
went
through
your
mind
God
not only
knows
the
future
he
actually
reveals
the
future
to
us
he
reveals
deep
and
hidden
things
so
is
God
going
to
reveal
my
future
does
that
mean
when
I
have
a
dream
God
is
speaking
to
me
about
my
future
or
should
I
expect
and
maybe
ask
God
to
when
I
sleep
at
night
please
God
give
me
a
dream
or
a
vision
about
what's
going
to
happen
to
me
next
week
because
there
are
many
people
who
claim
that
is
what
God
actually
does
well
I'm
just
not
quite
sure
about
that
one
not
because
he
can't
but
because
of
what
God
has
actually
said
himself
in
the
Bible
look
at
Hebrews
chapter
1
I
have
it
on
the
screen
there
so
you
can
read
it
from
there
Hebrews
chapter
1
verses
1
to
3
here's
what
it
says
in
the
past
God
spoke
to
our
forefathers
through
the
prophets
through
people
like
Daniel
at
many
times
and
in
various
ways
sometimes
God
spoke
audibly
sometimes
through
a dream
or a
vision
he even
spoke
through
a donkey
but
in
these
last
days
verse 2
he has
spoken
to us
by
or
through
his
son
whom
he
appointed
heir
of
all
things
and
through
whom
he
made
the
universe
the
son
is
the
radiance
of
God's
glory
and
the
exact
representation
of
his
being
you
see
the
climax
of
God's
revelation
is
his
son
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
God
does
tell us
what the
future
is
but
the
future
is
not
about
us
it's
all
about
his
son
so
we
mustn't
think
of
God
as
our
own
little
personal
fortune
teller
who's
there
to
tell
me
about
my
life
who
I'm
going
to
marry
and
where
I'm
going
to
work
and
what
church
I
should
attend
and
what
I
should
have
for
breakfast
and
whatever
else
you
want
God
to
tell
you
and
the
pastor
down
the
personal
message
for
everybody
after
the
service
by
the
way
after
the
collection
has
been
taken
what
your
life
is
going
to
be
that's
really
not
where
it's
at
claiming
to
have
personal
messages
from
God
just
feeds
our
self
centred
sinful
lives
we're
not
the
centre
of
the
universe
we're
not
to
confuse
our
fuzzy
thoughts
and
our
colourful
pictures
with
God's
spoken
words
yes
God
is
concerned
about
our
lives
deeply
yes
God
does
have
a
plan
for
your
life
but
that
plan
is
revealed
through
his
son
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
Jesus
is the
climax
of
God's
revelation
salvation
it's
all
about
him
and
the
future
revolves
around
him
not
you
or
me
so
what
is
the
plan
what
is
going
to
happen
well
thankfully
the
future
is
unveiled
for
us
third
God
doesn't
give
each
of
us
a
personal
plan
for
our
lives
he's
not
a
little
magic
genie
where
we
kind
of
have
him
in
the
corner
and
give
him
a
gold
its
chest
and
its
arms
were
of
silver
its
belly
and
thighs
of
bronze
its
legs
of
iron
its
feet
partly
of
iron
and
partly
of
baked
clay
so
we've
got
this
huge
big
statue
in
four
sections
the
gold
the
head
then
we've
got
silver
across
the
chest
then
bronze
for
the
thighs
and
iron
mixed
with
clay
down
at
the
feet
but
look at
verse
34
while
you
were
watching
a
rock
was
cut
out
not
by
human
hands
and
it
struck
the
statue
on
its
feet
of
iron
and
clay
and
smashed
them
what
did
all
this
mean
well
two
big
things
first
oh
I
haven't
got
it
there
you
can
just
listen
here's
the
first
big
thing
man
made
kingdoms
are
destined
to
fall
man
made
kingdoms
are
destined
to
fall
look
at
the
statue
in
verse
36
because
here's
where
the
interpretation
comes
this
was
the
dream
and
now
we
will
interpret
it
to
the
king
you
oh
king
are
the
king
of
kings
the
god
of
heaven
has
given
you
dominion
and
power
and
might
and
glory
the
end
of
verse
38
you
are
the
head
of
gold
so
nebuchadnezzar
yes
you
have
power
but
remember
this
it's
god
who's
given
you
the
power
to
rule
you
are
the
head
of
gold
you're
the
one
who
has
this
great
big
superpower
of
an
empire
but
nebuchadnezzar
verse
39
after
you
another
kingdom
will
rise
inferior
to
yours
your
empire
nebuchadnezzar
is
going
to
be
blown
out
of
the
water
somebody
else
is
going
to
come
along
and
take
your
place
next
a
third
kingdom
one
of
bronze
will
rule
over
the
whole
earth
you
think
your
empire
is
big
well
another
one
is
going
to
come
that's
going
to
even
be
greater
and
bigger
than
yours
finally
verse
40
there
will
be
a
fourth
kingdom
strong
as
iron
for
iron
breaks
and
smashes
everything
and
as
iron
breaks
things
to
pieces
so
it
will
crush
and
break
all
the
others
you
think
a
world
empire
is
big
there's
going
to
be
an
even
greater
one
than
that
now
we'll
come
back
to
these
kingdoms
in
more
detail
when
we
get
to
chapter
7
if
you
want
to
ask
me
about
them
afterwards
you're
welcome
to
but
we'll
get
to
the
detail
later
on
but
for
now
I
want
us
to
look
at
their
downward
spiral
now
sooner
does
one
kingdom
rise
Nebuchadnezzar
and the
Babylonian
empire
then
another
one
comes
along
and
takes
its
place
and
the
further
that
we
seem
to
go
into
the
future
the
more
fragile
the
kingdom
seem
to
be
verse
42
as
the
toes
were
partly
iron
and
partly
clay
so
this
kingdom
will
be
partly
strong
and
partly
brittle
and
just
as
you
saw
iron
mixed
with
baked
clay
so
the
people
will
be
a
mixture
and
will
not
remain
united
any
more
than
iron
mixes
with
clay
yes
the
kingdoms
are
going to
be
strong
and
powerful
they're
going
to
take
over
other
nations
and
they're
going
to
invade
and
they're
going
to
do
all
these
sorts
of
things
but
they
won't
last
they're
going
to
break
up
they're
going
to
divide
they're
brittle
they're
going
to
disintegrate
and
they're
all
going
to
fall
apart
just
think
about
it
for
one
minute
where
is
the
great
Babylonian
empire
today
it's
actually
Iraq
with
its toppled
leader
Saddam
Hussein
and
in
its
place
a
dispersed
people
what
do we
have
a
broken
government
at war
with
ISIS
you
couldn't
get a
more
divided
and
broken
nation
it's
fallen
apart
it's
disintegrated
or what
about
Britain
who
rules
the
waves
even
Scotland
wants
to
break
away
now
one
writer
put it
like
this
kings
and
kingdoms
presidents
and
dictators
democracies
and
tyrannies
and
monarchies
come
and
go
they
rise
and
fall
only
to
enter
the
landfill
of
history
man-made
kingdoms
and
governments
and
rulers
they
are
all
destined
to
fall
so
that's
the
first
thing
we
see
from
this
dream
that's
unveiled
before
us
we
cannot
trust
the
kingdoms
and
rulers
of
this
age
because
they
will
all
fall
apart
the
second
thing
we
do
learn
though
is
that
God's
eternal
kingdom
will
stand
forever
so we
move
from
looking
at
the
statue
to
looking
at
the
rock
look
back
at
verse
34
while
they
were
watching
a
rock
was
cut
out
not
by
human
hands
and
this
rock
struck
the
statue
on
its
feet
of
iron
clay
and
smashed
them
then
the
iron
the
clay
the
bronze
the
silver
and
the
gold
were
broken
to
pieces
at
the
same
time
and
they
became
like
chaff
on
a
threshing
floor
in
summer
literally
they
were
just
reduced
to
dust
the
wind
swept
them
away
without
leaving
a
trace
but
the
rock
that
struck
the
statue
became
a
huge
mountain
and
filled
the
whole
earth
what
was
this
rock
what
did
it
mean
well
look
down
at
verse
44
he
tells
us
what
it
means
he
says
in
the
time
of
those
kings
the
god
of
heaven
is
going
to
set
up
a
kingdom
that
will
never
be
destroyed
nor
will
it
be
left
to
another
people
it
will
crush
all
those
kingdoms
and
bring
them
to
an
end
but
it
will
itself
endure
forever
this
is
the
meaning
of
the
vision
of
the
rock
cut
out
of
the
mountain
but
not
by
human
hands
a
rock
that
broke
the
iron
the
bronze
the
clay
the
silver
and
the
gold
to
pieces
what
a
wonderful
dream
god
through
the
dream
promised
he
was
going
to
set
up
a
kingdom
that
wasn't
made
by
man
but
a
kingdom
made
by
god
a
kingdom
not
of
human
hands
of
governments
and
powers
that
we
see
today
but
established
by
the
god
of
heaven
and
this
kingdom
would
be
greater
and
stronger
and
more
powerful
and
above
all
it
would
be
eternal
never
to
be
destroyed
look
at the
middle
of
verse
44
it
will
crush
all
those
kingdoms
and
bring
them
to
an
end
but
it
itself
will
endure
forever
this
is
god
if you
like
pulling
back
the
curtains
unveiling
the future
just giving
a glimpse
of what's
going to
happen
he will
bring to
an end
every
man made
kingdom
he will
remove
and destroy
every
king
and he
will
establish
his
kingdom
with
his
king
for
all
eternity
the
future
has
been
unveiled
to
us
which
brings
us
to the
last
one
the
future
is
present
among
us
Daniel
looked
forward
didn't
he
to this
powerful
eternal
kingdom
he
started
a
time
in
history
when
the
dream
was
revealed
these
were
all
things
to
take
place
soon
verse
45
the
end
of it
says
the
great
god
has
shown
the
king
what
will
take
place
in
the
future
but
here
we
are
today
in
2014
where
we
stand
at
a
point
in
time
when
the
kingdom
has
already
come
what
Daniel
longed
for
and looked
to
has
already
come
among
us
well
why
do
you
say
that
well
if
you
want
you
can
have
a
look
at
Luke's
gospel
chapter
1
verse
31
let
me
read
to
you
what
it
says
there
where
the
angel
came
and
spoke
to
Mary
and
she
said
you
will
be
with
child
you
will
give
birth
to
a
son
you
will
give
him
the
name
Jesus
he
will
be
great
and
he
will
be
called
son
of the
most
high
and
the
Lord
God
will
give
him
the
throne
and
he
will
reign
forever
his
kingdom
will
never
end
and
as
Jesus
went
about
his
earthly
ministry
performing
his
miracles
casting
out
demons
raising
the
dead
he
could
say
to
the
people
who
followed
him
the
kingdom
of
God
has
come
to
you
repent
and
believe
I
says
Jesus
am
God's
king
I
am
here
present
in
the
world
to
establish
God's
eternal
kingdom
would
come
not
by
weapons
of
force
not
by
brutality
but
sacrificially
by
his
death
on
the
cross
his
resurrection
from
the
grave
because
by
his
death
he
was
making
it
possible
for
people
like
you
and
me
to
be
able
to
enter
into
his
kingdom
to
be
forgiven
of
our
sin
to
be
made
pure
and
right
so
that
we
could
enter
into
his
pure
and
perfect
kingdom
and
his
resurrection
proves
beyond
all
doubt
that
he
is
God's
reigning
and
ruling
king
he's
the
one
who
defeated
the
grave
who
defeated
death
and
he
reigns
and
he
rules
over
all
he
says
my
kingdom
has
come
and
I
will
establish
the
kingdom
and
you
can
be
a
part
of
it
that's
why
we
sang
those
songs
at
the
beginning
God
our
rock
ascribe
greatness
to our
God
the
rock
he
is
our
refuge
our
tower
of
strength
he
is
the
place
where
we
find
our
security
he's
the
rock
of
peace
he's
the
one
who
gives
us
these
things
because
his
kingdom
has
come
but
like
Daniel
we're
also
looking
forward
to
the
fulfillment
of
his
kingdom
it
has
come
it
is
here
present
among
us
but
not
in
all
its
completeness
because
there is
still
opposition
to
Jesus
and
his
rule
and
his
reign
and
one
day
the
risen
Lord
Jesus
is
going
to
burst
into
this
world
again
he
is
the
rock
he's
the
rock
that's
been
cut
out
of
the
mountain
that
will
wipe
out
every
final
and
last
opposition
to
his
rule
he's
the
rock
that's
going
to
come
and
crush
and
smash
and
destroy
his
enemies
once
and for
all
he is
the
rock
that will
be the
huge
mountain
we read
at the
end of
verse 35
that will
fill
the whole
earth
and
for
and for
those
who
trust
in
God's
promise
this
rock
the
Lord
Jesus
is
our
refuge
he's
our
place
of
peace
he's
our
security
he will
bring us
to a
land of
blessing
and
reward
the
future
is
all
about
his
son
his
kingdom
and
his
eternal
reign
it's
not
about
you
or
me
if
it's
about
us
it's
about
us
turning
to
him
and
when
he
comes
all
God's
people
will
celebrate
at
last
and
they
will
declare
with
one
voice
God's
kingdom
has
come
that's
where the
future
is
heading
Jesus
has
come
are
we
in
his
kingdom
are
we
living
for
his
kingdom
are
we
trusting
in
the
one
who
knows
the
future
let's
pray
our
father
god
we
thank
you
that
you
are
the
eternal
king
the
one
who
is
lord
over
all
the
one
who
is
reigning
and
in
charge
we
confess
we
do
not
know
the
future
and
we
dare
not
trust
anyone
else
or
anything
else
but
we
trust
only
you
so
help
us
in
this
world
where
we
do
not
know
and
where
we
cannot
see
to
walk
by
faith
trusting
in
the
king
who
has
come
and
the
king
who
one
day
will
come
we
praise
you
for
who
you
are
in
Jesus
name
amen