Hello Again Neighbor,
Have you ever had a VISION; or, a DREAM from the Almighty? I have. In fact, I have more than a handful.
There are (3) three that have played a HEAVY ROLE in what I believe; and, what I PURSUE to understand.
Mine didn't BEGIN until I was in College and came on the heels of intentionally seeking the face of the one who can heal what is broken within me.
“And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions."
- Joel 2:28
Should you turn to ACTS 2:17 you will discover it repeats this prophecy of Joel verbatim.
When we arrive at Daniel Chapter 2 we discover King Nebuchadnezzar has had dreams; and, his spirit was so troubled his sleep left him. I wish I could say I didn't know what that was like. Unfortunately I've experienced this myself rather personally. Waking up in a cold sweat. Hyperventilating. Troubled. Within my own most troubling dream/vision I sat up in bed and I cried out to Yeshua (not even fully awake) thus waking myself; my wife; and, my children out of a dead sleep with my fervent troubled cry. Indeed several have been most terrifying.
He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds.
And the LORD said to them, “Now listen to what I say:
"If there were prophets among you, I, the LORD, would reveal myself in visions. I would speak to them in dreams."
Just as Pharoah (head of Egypt) would be given dreams by the Most High to be interpreted by the Hebrew named Joseph; so would King Nebuchadnezzar likewise have a dream that would also be interpreted by another Hebrew.
Apparently the Most High God has decided that HE will speak to mankind; and, often to elicit some change in circumstances for the nation to whom HE is speaking.
In this case the nation is BABYLON; and, the vision is given through its King Nebuchadnezzar who is mentioned some (104) one-hundred four times in the AMP Bible; and, (88) eighty-eight times in the NKJV, NIV, ESV, CSB, NASB20, NASB95, & LSB Versions.
This man Nebuchadnezzar II ("May Nebo Protect the Crown") was likewise given dreams and visions; just as Pharaoh had been given dreams; and, visions. It is likely not even his true name; but, rather is a throne name.
Pharoah's vision was meant to help preserve life. It was meant to convey a message that Joseph would interpret; and, use to shepherd Egypt during a time of great crisis. Nebuchadnezzar's vision however came upon the heels of something else.
The Text tells us the vision was during Nebuchadnezzar's 2nd year ruling.
Nebuchadnezzar I:
Ruled from approximately 1125 to 1104 BC. He was a ruler of the Second Dynasty of I-sin who famously defeated the Elamites and recovered the stolen sacred statue of the god MARDUK.
Nebuchadnezzar II:
Ruled from 605 to 562 BC. He is the much more famous king featured extensively in the Bible, known for conquering Jerusalem, exiling the Jews, and building grand architectural marvels like the Ishtar Gate and the legendary Hanging Gardens.
The Character we are reading about in Daniel is Nebuchadnezzar II.
𒀭𒀝𒆪𒁺𒌫𒊑𒌶
(Nabû-kudurri-uṣur)
This is most likely a Throne Name as it means:
- "Nabu protect my heir" or
- "Oh Nabu Watch over My Eldest Son").
As a result of this dream King Nebuchadnezzar who rules many lands of the middle east calls his magicians; the astrologers; the sorcerers; and, the Chaldeans to tell the King his dreams.
Why?
I suspect that His dream has fled from him. Ever have that happen? You have a dream then upon waking it flees from you; and, its memory is all but a mist that has evaporated leaving you wonder with amazement?
* Astrologers (Conjurers) אשּׁפים
We are instructed that the Chaldeans spoke to the King in Aramaic.
Hence, it is quite likely that the King likewise answered them back in Aramaic.
The Aramaic was the common tongue; the everyday language in the Babylonian Empire; and, also in Assyria; and, likewise in Persia. All these nations utilized both the Aramaic; and, the Cuneiform to rule their nations.
Aramaic was NOT the language of the Official Government Documentation.
It was the everyday tongue. Why have I repeated this now?
Because it is important to recognize what language the Children of Judah were reading, writing, and speaking by the time they returned to the Land we call Israel.
HERE ARE (2) TWO BOOKS ON ARAMAIC INCANTATION BOWLS FROM BABYLON
FRIENDS THIS HERE IS ROCK HARD ARCHEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE!!!
The people of Judah who had been captives in Babylon for over 70 years had a challenge. They couldn't understand the HEBREW anymore. Only the Priestly class could. Those who had known it died off in the captivity. The rest became accustomed to the Aramaic. Teaching it to their sons and daughters.
*** HINT ***
You should study them. Then. Compare them to the MT Masoretic Text.
You will notice the differences. They exist for a reason. You won't like it.
Pay attention to the MEMRA of YHVH within them.
MEMRA is an Aramaic word meaning "WORD"
SIMILIARLY to how DABAR in Hebrew means "WORD"
The King was obviously disturbed as we see by his decision to cut the men to pieces; and, burn their houses to ash heaps if they do not reveal to him the meaning behind this vision; this dream that has vexed Nebuchadnezzar so despondently. In response he chooses to threaten them with violence; and, death, unless He is given what he demands. Give me what I want. Or I'll KILL you. He is DESPERATE to remember; and, understanding this dream that has fled from him as his eyes opened and the light of day erased it like the morning dew that evaporates with the sun.
He also tells them that IF they can tell him the dream; and, its interpretation they would receive gifts, rewards; and, great honor. He is bribing them with their deepest desires; and, their very lives. Just tell me the dream; and, its interpretation!!!
"The Chaldeans answered the king; and said 'There is not a man on earth who can tell the King's matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. It is a difficult thing that the King requests; and, there is no other who can tell it to the King EXCEPT THE GODS, whose dwelling is not with flesh."
Have you ever had a dream; and, then upon waking it flees from you? And you struggle to remember it? I suspect that is what was happening to King Nebuchadnezzar. I suspect his memory upon waking was fading. So he calls those men in his kingdom whom he believes can offer him the answer he seeks. What he asks of them is not possible. Not by any natural means. Nebuchadnezzar is so enraged that the text tells us that a decree went out; and, they began to kill the Wisemen.
Daniel 2:14
"Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch the Captain of the King's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise of Babylon; he answered and said to Arioch the King's Captain,
'Why is the decree from the King so urgent?'
Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel. So Daniel went in and asked the King to give him time, that he might tell the King the Interpretation.
Then Daniel went to his house; and, made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of Heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise of Babylon.
Then the Secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision."
Daniel 2:26
"Then the King answered and said to Daniel whose name was BELTESHAZZAR
'Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have see; and, it's interpretation?'
Daniel answered in the presence of the King, and said:
'The Secret which the King has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the King. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets; and, HE has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days.'
Daniel 2:31:
"You oh King, were watching and behold a great image! This great image whose splendor excellent, stood before you; and, it form awesome. This image's head of fine 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 clay."
(4) FOUR METALS & CLAY. 4 MAJOR DIVISIONS.
"You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.
ITS FEET HAS 10 TEN TOES
Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver; and, the gold were crushed together; and, became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found.
NEIGHBOR. I TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
THIS CRUSHING (BY THE STONE)
IT SHALL OCCUR IN THE SUMMER
And the stone that struck this great image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the King."
Daniel 2:37
"You O King, a King of Kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; and, wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given into your hand; and, He has made you ruler over them all -- You are this head of Gold.
"...But After you shall rise another kingdom
inferior to yours..."
"...then another, a third kingdom of bronze,
which shall rule over all the earth."
(the belly and thighs of bronze)
"...And the Fourth Kingdom shall be as strong as IRON, in as much as IRON breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like IRON that crushes will break in pieces and crush all the others.
This (4th) Kingdom will break into pieces and crush the geography (and people) of the previous (3) three. In order to properly decipher this riddle in Daniel we must examine both the Bible; and, history as we scour its details for clues that will help us to accurately and with wisdom answer the one who has questions.
"...whereas you saw the feet and toes partly of potters clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the IRON shall be in it, just as you saw the IRON mixed with CERAMIC CLAY. And the toes of he feet partly of IRON and partly of CLAY, so the kingdom will be partly strong; and, partly fragile.
As you saw IRON mixed with ceramic CLAY, they will mingle with the seed of men; but, they will not adhere to one another; just as IRON does not mix with CLAY.
And in the days of these kings [The 10 Kings: feet and toes] the God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and, the Kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever."
*** 4 METALS. 4 DIVISIONS. 4 CLUES ***
"In as much as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands...and that it brake in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold the great God has made known to the King what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him."
[HONORING DANIEL LIKE A GOD WITH THE OFFERING & THE INCENSE]
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."
"Then the King promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and, he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon; and, chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. Also Daniel petitioned the king; and he sat Shadrach, Meshach; and ,Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the King."
The Vision that was given to both King Nebuchadnezzar & to the prophet Daniel.
Friends. Neighbors. Thank you for taking the time to read this article. If you like it I just ask that you would share it. We shall be exploring the Kingdom of Babylon in great detail. Examining it from the lens of it's God's; it's Temples; it's Calendar; it's religious festival's; and how they point to an older culture and a story of our origins that are frankly difficult to consider due to their prophetic implications.
Why am I sharing this with you?
To well acquaint you with...
The Servant of the Living God named Daniel.
To help you to see what he saw.
To hear what he heard.
To know what he may have known.
All in a bid to hep you understand this prophetic book;
and, how it ties directly into the book of Revelation
The revealing of the ten (10) toes.
The Divided Empire.
Iron and Clay.
That you may see what time it is.
Because I am to be its witness.
Just as you are also to be its witness.
There are many whose blood shall be shed.
By those who worship the dragon.
They are already among us in many nations.
Their intention is to fight until the last great day.
To strive in the way of Allah.
To fight until all submit to Allah.
To fight until all the unbelievers...
are either converted to the Way of Islam
or to be killed by those who believe
they are doing a service to their God.
Just as Mehemet II.
The 21 Year Old Sultan.
Who Conquered Constantinople.
The very rider upon the White Horse in Revelation 6:2.
The Ottoman Empire Conquering the Capital of Christendom.
May 29, 1453
The one whom History calls:
"The Father of Conquest"
"The Conqueror"
The one who goes out conquering and to conquer...
The Letters to the Seven Churches.
The most important cities of the Byzantine Empire.
The Ottomans referred to them as "The Romans."
Judaism refers to the Romans as "Edom."
But what the the Bible say?
Come along with me and find out.
In the mean time.
Study out. "Edom"
Look up every place it appears.
In the Bible and the Apocrypha.
Within the Bible repeatedly it declares.
Edom is Esau.
Esau is connected to Ishmael.
Via Marriage. And.
The Worship of Ishmael's God.
Neighbor the seals have been opening since the 14th Century.
We are much further along within the book of Revelation.
I have much to share with you from the six (6) years I lead a men's study group at CRC Norco Men's Prison where I would discover my love for both teaching; and, the very book of Daniel itself as his soul speaks to me through the study of its words recorded in both Aramaic; and, Hebrew. Of all the people in the Kingdom of Heaven I would like to meet HE would be in the top 5. I would want to inquire of him how he managed to hold fast to his faith in spite of everything he endured.
Thank you brother in Heaven for recording your words. I have spent many hours pouring over them.
For you oh reader; may the spirit of the Living God
speak to your soul too.
See you in the next post.
Shalom
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