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The Story of Nebuchadnezzar – Why Was This King Turned Into an Animal_ _ Bible Stories · truthunedited

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Speaker 1: In ancient times, when empires rose and fell like the
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Speaker 1: waves of the sea, one figure stood out above all others,
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Speaker 1: a man whose name would echo through the centuries, not
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Speaker 1: only for his power and wealth, but for his extraordinary
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Speaker 1: encounter with the almighty God. This is the story of
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Speaker 1: nebucud Nezar, the greatest king Babylon ever knew, long before
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Speaker 1: Jesus Christ walked the earth, in an era when the
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Speaker 1: world seemed endlessly vast and mysterious, God used this pagan
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Speaker 1: king as an instrument of his will. The life of
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Speaker 1: nebucud Nezar shows us how even the most powerful rulers
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Speaker 1: on Earth are still in the hands of the Lord.
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Speaker 1: The story you're about to read is filled with epic battles,
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Speaker 1: dazzling palaces, prophetic dreams, and supernatural displays of divine power.
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Speaker 1: It's a journey that takes us from the heights of
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Speaker 1: human pride to the depths of humiliation, and finally to
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Speaker 1: restoration through divine grace. What makes this story so fascinating
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Speaker 1: is that we're not talking about a fictional character. Nebukud
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Speaker 1: Nezar was real. Archeologists have found his name engraved on
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Speaker 1: ancient bricks and historical records. The Bible tells us about
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Speaker 1: him in striking detail, showing how God can reach even
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Speaker 1: those who seem farthest from his ways. So let's travel
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Speaker 1: back more than two thousand, six hundred years and meet
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Speaker 1: this extraordinary king, his remarkable conquests, and his life changing
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Speaker 1: encounter with the God of Israel. The year was six
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Speaker 1: o five b C. The young prince nebukud Neza, strong
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Speaker 1: and ambitious, had just received the news that would change
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Speaker 1: not only his life, but the fate of entire nations.
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Speaker 1: His father, King Nabopalasa, had died. The crown of the
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Speaker 1: rapidly growing Babylonian Empire now rested on his head. In
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Speaker 1: the Book of Daniel, Chapter one, verse one, we read,
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Speaker 1: in the third year of the reign of Jehoyakim, king
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Speaker 1: of Judah, nebucad Nezar, King of Babylon, came to Jerusalem
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Speaker 1: and besieged it. This verse marks the beginning of this
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Speaker 1: powerful monarch's reign. When nebucud Nezar took the throne, he
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Speaker 1: inherited an empire already on the rise. His father, a
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Speaker 1: skilled general, had freed Babylon from Assyrian control and laid
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Speaker 1: the groundwork for a new regional superpower. But it was
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Speaker 1: nebucud Neza who would truly elevate the kingdom to unimaginable heights.
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Speaker 1: Under his rule, Babylon quickly became the dominant force throughout
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Speaker 1: the Middle East. No other kingdom could match its military strength,
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Speaker 1: wealth or cultural influence. The prophet Jeremiah, in Chapter twenty seven,
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Speaker 1: verse six, wrote, now I will give all your countries
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Speaker 1: into the hands of my servant, nebucud Nezar, king of Babylon.
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Speaker 1: This verse reveals something surprising. Even though he was a
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Speaker 1: pagan king, nebucad Neza was a tool in God's hands.
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Speaker 1: The Lord had greater plans in motion using even this ruler,
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Speaker 1: who didn't know him. The empire Nebucadnezza commanded was truly remarkable.
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Speaker 1: Its territory stretched from the turquoise waters of the Persian
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Speaker 1: Gulf in the east to the shores of the Mediterranean
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Speaker 1: Sea in the west. Many different nations lived under his rule. Babylonians, Assyrians, Syrians, Phoenicians,
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Speaker 1: and Jews, among others, all paid tribute to Babylon, and
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Speaker 1: foreign kings sought alliances with this mighty monarch. At the
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Speaker 1: heart of this vast empire stood the city of Babylon,
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Speaker 1: located on the banks of the Euphrates River in what
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Speaker 1: is now Iraq. It was an ancient city, but nebucud
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Speaker 1: Neza would transform it into something far beyond what anyone
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Speaker 1: had imagined. First, however, he had to ensure that no
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Speaker 1: rival power threatened his rule. Early in his reign, Nebucadnza
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Speaker 1: proved he would be an even more more ambitious leader
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Speaker 1: than his father. He knew that to keep his empire strong,
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Speaker 1: he had to defeat his greatest rival. At that time,
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Speaker 1: Babylon's biggest adversary was the mighty Egypt, ruled by Pharaoh
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Speaker 1: Neko the Second. In an impressive show of military might,
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Speaker 1: nebucad Nezza faced the Egyptian army in the famous Battle
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Speaker 1: of Carkamish along the banks of the Euphrates. In the
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Speaker 1: Book of Jeremiah, chapter forty six, verse two, we find
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Speaker 1: this account and concerning the army of Pharaoh Necho, king
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Speaker 1: of Egypt, which was by the Euphrates River at Carcamish,
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Speaker 1: and which nebucad Neza, King of Babylon, defeated. In the
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Speaker 1: fourth year of Jehoyakim, son of Josiah, King of Judah.
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Speaker 1: The victory was overwhelming. The Egyptian army, with its war
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Speaker 1: chariots and well trained soldiers, was utterly defeated. Nebucad Neza
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Speaker 1: secured control over Syria and Canaan, and no power in
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Speaker 1: the Middle East could now challenge Babyloni supremacy. With the
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Speaker 1: path clear, the king turned his eyes to Jerusalem, the
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Speaker 1: city of the people of Judah. In three successive campaigns
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Speaker 1: over several years, he completely subdued the small Jewish kingdom.
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Speaker 1: The first invasion took place in six O five b C,
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Speaker 1: shortly after the Battle of Carkamish. In Second King's Chapter
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Speaker 1: twenty four, verse one, we read during Jehoiakim's reign, Nebucadneza,
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Speaker 1: king of Babylon, invaded and Jehoyakim became his vassal for
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Speaker 1: three years, but then he turned and rebelled against Nebuchadneza.
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Speaker 1: During this first campaign, nebucud Nezar took captives back to Babylon,
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Speaker 1: including young nobles from Judah such as Daniel and his friends.
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Speaker 1: He also carried off part of the treasures from the temple.
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Speaker 1: The second invasion came when the King of Judah a
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Speaker 1: tempted to rebel Nebucadneza would not tolerate disobedience. In Second Kings,
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Speaker 1: Chapter twenty four, verse two, the Bible says the Lord
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Speaker 1: sent Babylonian Rami and Moabite and Ammonite raiders against him
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Speaker 1: to destroy Judah, in accordance with the word of the
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Speaker 1: Lord proclaimed by his servants the prophets. It was in
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Speaker 1: five hundred ninety seven b C that the Babylonian king
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Speaker 1: returned in full force, taking even more captives and treasure.
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Speaker 1: Among the prisoners was King Jehoyakin and many nobles. The
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Speaker 1: third and final invasion led to the complete destruction of
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Speaker 1: Jerusalem in five eighty six b C. In Dscian Kings,
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Speaker 1: Chapter twenty five, verse one, we find this somber account.
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Speaker 1: So in the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, on the
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Speaker 1: tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuka Nezzar, king of Babylon,
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Speaker 1: marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He encamped outside
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Speaker 1: the city and built siege works all around it. The
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Speaker 1: siege lasted nearly two years, and the famine inside the
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Speaker 1: city became so severe that people began to eventually the
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Speaker 1: Babylonians managed to break through the walls Solomon's temple, The
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Speaker 1: pride of the Jewish people was set on fire and destroyed.
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Speaker 1: The city that had once been called the Joy of
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Speaker 1: the whole Earth was now in ruins. During these invasions,
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Speaker 1: nebuca Neza took thousands of Jews captive to Babylon. This
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Speaker 1: marked the beginning of the famous Babylonian Captivity, a seventy
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Speaker 1: year period during which the people of Judah lived in exile.
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Speaker 1: In Second Kings twenty four fifteen, the Bible says he
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Speaker 1: carried Johoyakin away to Babylon. He also took the King's mother,
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Speaker 1: the king's wives, his officials, and the leading men of
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Speaker 1: the land. He took them into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.
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Speaker 1: Among the treasures Nebuchadnezzar took back with him was something
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Speaker 1: deeply precious to the Jews, the sacred objects from Solomon's temples.
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Speaker 1: We read in Second Kings twenty four thirteen. As the
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Speaker 1: Lord had declared, Nebucadnezza removed the treasures from the Temple
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Speaker 1: of the Lord and from the royal palace, and cut
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Speaker 1: up the gold articles that Solomon King of Israel had
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Speaker 1: made for the temple of the Lord. Further details are
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Speaker 1: found in Secu Chronicles thirty six and seven. Nebucadnezza also
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Speaker 1: took to Babylon articles from the Temple of God and
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Speaker 1: put them in his temple. There these sacred treasures were
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Speaker 1: placed in the temple of the Babylonian god Marduk As
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Speaker 1: war trophies meant to show everyone that Babylon's God was
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Speaker 1: stronger than the God of Israel, or so nebucud Neza
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Speaker 1: believed at the time he had yet to encounter the
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Speaker 1: true power of Daniel's God. With the wealth he amassed
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Speaker 1: through military campaigns and the tribute collected from conquered nations,
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Speaker 1: Nebucadnezza transformed his capital into a truly dazzling city. Babylon
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Speaker 1: became the most magnificent sin of the ancient world, admired
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Speaker 1: by all who visited it. In the Book of Daniel,
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Speaker 1: Chapter four, verse thirty, we find the king himself speaking
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Speaker 1: proudly about his city. Is not this the great Babylon
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Speaker 1: I have built as the royal residence by my mighty
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Speaker 1: power and for the glory of my majesty. Imagine arriving
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Speaker 1: in Babylon at that time. From a distance, you'd see
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Speaker 1: its massive walls rising like mountains shaped by human hands.
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Speaker 1: As you approached, you'd be awe struck by the sheer
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Speaker 1: size of those fortifications. The walls were so wide that
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Speaker 1: two horse drawn chariots could ride side by side on top.
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Speaker 1: Many considered these defenses completely impenetrable. The prophet Jeremiah refers
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Speaker 1: to these fortifications in Jeremiah fifty one fifty three. Even
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Speaker 1: if Babylon ascends to the heavens and fortifies her lofty stronghold,
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Speaker 1: I will send destroyers against her, declares the Lord. As
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Speaker 1: you entered the city, you'd pass through the magnificent Ishtar Gate,
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Speaker 1: Babylon's main entrance. It was an impressive structure, covered in
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Speaker 1: blue glazed bricks and adorned with colorful images of bulls
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Speaker 1: and dragons. For those arriving in Babylon, the site of
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Speaker 1: this splendid gate was the first sign of the city's
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Speaker 1: greatness and the power of its king. Walking through the wide,
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Speaker 1: well planned streets, you'd see people from every nation of
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Speaker 1: the Empire, a true cultural melting pot, merchants selling exotic goods,
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Speaker 1: soldiers in shining armor, priests in long robes, all moving
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Speaker 1: to the rhythm of the world's greatest city. At the
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Speaker 1: city's center stood what many believed to have been a
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Speaker 1: reconstruction of the ancient Tower of Babel. Known to the
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Speaker 1: Babylonians as Etemenanki. This enormous pyramid shaped structure was dedicated
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Speaker 1: to Marduk, Babylon's chief god. From its top one could
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Speaker 1: see the entire city and the Euphrates River winding through
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Speaker 1: it like a blue ribbon. But perhaps the most extraordinary
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Speaker 1: construction commissioned by Nebuchadnezza was the famous Hanging Gardens. It
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Speaker 1: said he built them to please his wife, Queen Amitas,
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Speaker 1: who missed the green mountains of her homeland. Media these
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Speaker 1: lush gardens were built on a series of terraces, one
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Speaker 1: atop another, creating the illusion of a green mountain in
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Speaker 1: the middle of a desert city. Water for the gardens
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Speaker 1: came from the Euphrates River, brought in by an ingenious
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Speaker 1: pumping system. Fruit trees, fragrant flowers, and exotic plants from
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Speaker 1: every corner of the empire flourished there, forming an artificial
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Speaker 1: paradise that left visitors in awe. These gardens were so
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Speaker 1: extraordinary that they were considered one of the seven wonders
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Speaker 1: of the ancient world. Although the Bible doesn't directly mention
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Speaker 1: the hanging gardens, they were certainly part of the magnificence
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Speaker 1: that the king himself refers to in Daniel four thirty.
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Speaker 1: Along with the city's other monuments, they demonstrated how deeply
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Speaker 1: nebucad Nezza wanted his capital to be remembered forever as
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Speaker 1: the greatest city the world had ever seen. During the
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Speaker 1: Jewish captivity, Nebucadnezzar had an idea that would change not
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Speaker 1: only his reign but his own life. He decided to
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Speaker 1: select talented young men from among the captives to serve
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Speaker 1: in his royal court. He sought intelligent individuals who could
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Speaker 1: learn the Babylonian language and customs. In Daniel one three
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Speaker 1: four we read then the king ordered Ashpannahs, chief of
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Speaker 1: his court officials, to bring into the King's service some
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Speaker 1: of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility.
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Speaker 1: Young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for
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Speaker 1: every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and
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Speaker 1: qualified to serve in the king's palace. Among these young
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Speaker 1: men were four friends who stood out from the rest, Daniel, Hananiah, Michael,
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Speaker 1: and Azariah. The Babylonians gave them new names in an
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Speaker 1: attempt to erase their Jewish identity. Daniel was called Belteshazzar,
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Speaker 1: Hannanaiah became Shadrak, Michael became Meshakh, and Azariah became a Bednago.
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Speaker 1: But despite their new names, these young men were determined
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Speaker 1: to remain faithful to their God, even while living in
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Speaker 1: a foreign land. In Daniel one eight we find a
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Speaker 1: powerful example of courage, but Daniel resolved not to defile
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Speaker 1: himself with the royal food and wine. God honored the
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Speaker 1: faithfulness of these young men. In Daniel chapter one, verse seventeen,
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Speaker 1: we read to these four young men, God gave knowledge
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Speaker 1: and under standing of all kinds of literature and learning,
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Speaker 1: and Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.
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Speaker 1: The turning point in the relationship between nebucud Nezar and
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Speaker 1: these Hebrew youths came when the king had a disturbing dream.
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Speaker 1: It was so troubling that he couldn't sleep any more.
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Speaker 1: He summoned all his wise men, magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers,
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Speaker 1: and gave them an impossible task, not only to interpret
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Speaker 1: the dream, but to first tell him what the dream was.
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Speaker 1: In Daniel two five to six, the King says, this
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Speaker 1: is what I have firmly decided. If you do not
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Speaker 1: tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I
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Speaker 1: will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned
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Speaker 1: into piles of rubble. But if you tell me the
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Speaker 1: dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts
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Speaker 1: and rewards and great honor. Naturally, none of the Babylonian
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Speaker 1: wise men could fulfill this impossible demand. In Raged, the
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Speaker 1: king ordered the execution of all the wise men in
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Speaker 1: the kingdom, including Daniel and his friends. When Daniel learned
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Speaker 1: of this, he asked the king for some time, and
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Speaker 1: together with his friends, prayed earnestly to God. In Daniel
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Speaker 1: two nineteen we read the result. During the night, the
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Speaker 1: mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel
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Speaker 1: praised the God of Heaven. Daniel was brought before the
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Speaker 1: king and not only revealed what the dream was, but
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Speaker 1: also explained its meaning. The King had dreamed of a
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Speaker 1: massive statue with a head of gold, chest and arms
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Speaker 1: of silver. Belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron,
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Speaker 1: and feet partly of iron and partly of clay. Then
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Speaker 1: a rock cut out not by human hands, struck the
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Speaker 1: statue on its feet, shattering it completely. The rock grew
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Speaker 1: to become a huge mountain that filled the entire earth.
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Speaker 1: Daniel explained that the statue represented four successive kingdoms, beginning
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Speaker 1: with Babylon the head of gold, followed by three others.
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Speaker 1: The ROCs symbolized the Kingdom of God, which would one
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Speaker 1: day destroy all earthly kingdoms and establish an eternal one.
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Speaker 1: Nebucud Nezar's reaction was astonishing. In Daniel two forty six
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Speaker 1: forty seven, we read, then King nebucad Nezzar fell prostrate
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Speaker 1: before Daniel and paid him honor, and ordered that an
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Speaker 1: offering and incense be presented to him. The king said
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Speaker 1: to Daniel, surely your God is the God of gods
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Speaker 1: and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries,
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Speaker 1: for you were able to reveal this mystery. Impressed by
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Speaker 1: Daniel's wisdom, the king promoted him to a position of
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Speaker 1: great authority. In Daniel two forty eight, we read, then
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Speaker 1: the King placed Daniel in a high position and lavished
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Speaker 1: many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the
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Speaker 1: entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of
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Speaker 1: all its wise men. This was just the first of
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Speaker 1: several remarkable encounters between the powerful king of Babylon and
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Speaker 1: the God of Israel. But nebucad Neza still had much
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Speaker 1: to learn about who truly rules over the kingdoms of
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Speaker 1: the world. Some time later, perhaps inspired by the dream
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Speaker 1: of the statue, Nebucanza had a grand idea, one that
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Speaker 1: nearly cost Daniel's friends their lives. He ordered the construction
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Speaker 1: of a massive golden statue, which gleamed under the desert
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Speaker 1: sun like a golden beacon. In Daniel three one two
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Speaker 1: we read about this impressive structure. King nebucad Neza made
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Speaker 1: an image of gold sixty cubits high and six cubits wide,
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Speaker 1: and set it up on the plain of Dura in
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Speaker 1: the province of Babylon. He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates,
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Speaker 1: and all the other provincial officials to come to the
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Speaker 1: dedication of the image he had set up. The statue
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Speaker 1: stood about twenty seven meters ninety feet tall, the height
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Speaker 1: of a nine story building. It was likely not solid gold,
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Speaker 1: but covered in gold leaf. Still, it represented unimaginable wealth.
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Speaker 1: For the unveiling ceremony, the king summoned all the officials
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Speaker 1: of his empire. During the event, a strict order was
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Speaker 1: announced in Daniel three four six. We read, then the
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Speaker 1: herald loudly proclaimed, nations and peoples of every language, this
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Speaker 1: is what you are commanded to do. As soon as
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Speaker 1: you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe,
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Speaker 1: and all kinds of music, you must fall down and
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Speaker 1: worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
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Speaker 1: Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be
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Speaker 1: thrown into a blazing furnace. It was a clear display
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Speaker 1: of the king's absolute power. Everyone was to bow before
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Speaker 1: the statue when the music played, likely as a sign
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Speaker 1: of loyalty not just to the idol, but to nebucad
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Speaker 1: Nezzer himself and the Babylonian Empire. But three men could
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Speaker 1: not obey this command, Shadraq, Mishak and Abdnago, Daniel's friends.
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Speaker 1: As faithful Jews, they knew what the Lord had commanded
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Speaker 1: in Exodus twenty three to five. You shall have no
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Speaker 1: other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself
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Speaker 1: an image. You shall not bow down to them or
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Speaker 1: worship them. When the music played and everyone a bowed,
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Speaker 1: the three men remained standing. It didn't take long for
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Speaker 1: jealous officials to report them to the king. In Daniel
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Speaker 1: three twelve, we read their accusation. But there are some
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Speaker 1: Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the
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Speaker 1: province of Babylon, Shadrac, Bishakh and Abednego, who pay no
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Speaker 1: attention to you, your majesty. They neither serve your gods
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Speaker 1: nor worship the image of gold you have set up.
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Speaker 1: Nebucad Nezza was furious. How dared these Jewish captives defy
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Speaker 1: his authority. He summoned them at once, giving them one
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Speaker 1: last chance. In Daniel three point fifteen, he says, now,
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Speaker 1: when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe,
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Speaker 1: and all kinds of music, if you are ready to
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Speaker 1: fall down and worship the image I made very good.
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Speaker 1: But if you do not worship it, you will be
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Speaker 1: thrown immediately into a blazing furnace, then what God will
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Speaker 1: be able to rescue you from my hand? The response
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Speaker 1: of these three young men is one of the most
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Speaker 1: inspiring examples of faith in the entire Bible. In Daniel
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Speaker 1: chapter three, verses sixteen to eighteen, they reply. Shadrak, Mishak
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Speaker 1: and Abednego answered and said to King nebucad Nezar, we
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Speaker 1: have no need to answer you in this matter. If
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Speaker 1: we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we
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Speaker 1: serve is able to deliver us from it, and he
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Speaker 1: will deliver us from your Majesty's hand. But even if
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Speaker 1: he does not, be it known to you, o King,
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Speaker 1: that we will not serve your gods or worship the
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Speaker 1: golden statue you have set up. They weren't just willing
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Speaker 1: to die for their faith. They declared that their God
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Speaker 1: could save them, but even if he chose not to,
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Speaker 1: they would still remain faithful. This response made nebucud Nezza
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Speaker 1: even more furious. In Daniel three point nineteen, we read
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Speaker 1: then Nebucudneza was filled with fury, and the expression on
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Speaker 1: his face changed towards Shadrak, Mishak and Abtnago. He ordered
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Speaker 1: the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual.
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Speaker 1: The furnace was so intensely hot that the soldiers who
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Speaker 1: threw the young men into it were killed instantly by
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Speaker 1: the heat. But something extraordinary happened. As nebucud Neza looked
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Speaker 1: into the flames, he saw not three, but four men
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Speaker 1: walking unharmed in the fire. In Daniel three twenty four
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Speaker 1: twenty five, we read his astonished reaction. Then King nebucad
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Speaker 1: Nezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared
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Speaker 1: to his counselors, did we not cast three men bound
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Speaker 1: into the fire? They answered, and said to the King, yes,
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Speaker 1: O King, he answered and said, but I see four
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Speaker 1: men unbound walking in the midst of the fire, and
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Speaker 1: they are not hurt. And the appearance of the fourth
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Speaker 1: is like a son of the gods. Who was this
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Speaker 1: fourth figure? Many scholars believe it was a pre incarnate
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Speaker 1: appearance of the son of God himself, protecting his faithful servants.
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Speaker 1: Stunned by this miracle, nebucud Nezza called the three men
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Speaker 1: out of the furnace. To his amazement, not even the
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Speaker 1: smell of smoke clung to their clothes. The fire had
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Speaker 1: no power over them because they were protected by the
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Speaker 1: One True God. Confronted with this overwhelming display of divine power,
23:08
Speaker 1: the king did something unexpected. In Daniel three twenty eight
23:12
Speaker 1: to twenty nine, he declared nebucad Neza said, blessed be
23:16
Speaker 1: the God of Shadrak Meshach and Abednego, who has sent
23:20
Speaker 1: his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him.
23:23
Speaker 1: They defied the king's command and were willing to give
23:26
Speaker 1: up their lives rather than serve or worship any god
23:30
Speaker 1: except their own God. Therefore, ay issue a decree that
23:34
Speaker 1: anyone from any people, nation, or language who speaks against
23:38
Speaker 1: the God of Shadrak Meshak and Abednego shall be cut
23:41
Speaker 1: into pieces and their houses turned into rubble, for there
23:45
Speaker 1: is no other God who can save in this way.
23:48
Speaker 1: This was a momentary recognition of the power of Israel's god.
23:54
Speaker 1: Nebuka Nezar admitted that no other god could perform such
23:57
Speaker 1: a miraculous rescue. However, he wasn't yet ready to abandon
24:01
Speaker 1: his own gods and fully serve the Lord. That transformation
24:05
Speaker 1: would take more time and a far more humbling, extraordinary
24:09
Speaker 1: experience for the Mighty King of Babylon. For now, the
24:15
Speaker 1: three young men were promoted to even higher positions in
24:20
Speaker 1: the kingdom. Daniel three thirty says than the king promoted Shadrach,
24:25
Speaker 1: Meshak and Abednego in the province of Babylon. Nebucadnza's empire
24:30
Speaker 1: continued to grow and thrive. His capital city became more
24:34
Speaker 1: magnificent by the day, and his name was feared and
24:37
Speaker 1: respected among all known nations. But there were still lessons
24:41
Speaker 1: the proud king had to learn, and God, in his
24:46
Speaker 1: infinite wisdom, was already preparing the next chapter of this
24:50
Speaker 1: remarkable story. After many years of peace and prosperity, something
24:56
Speaker 1: strange happened to King nebucad Nezar. One night, while resting
25:00
Speaker 1: in his royal chambers, a disturbing dream invaded his sleep.
25:05
Speaker 1: It wasn't like an ordinary dream that vanishes upon waking.
25:09
Speaker 1: This one lingered in his mind, leaving him anxious and confused.
25:13
Speaker 1: In Daniel chapter four, the king himself recounts what happened.
25:18
Speaker 1: I Nebucanza was at ease in my house and flourishing
25:22
Speaker 1: in my palace. I had a dream that made me afraid.
25:26
Speaker 1: As I lay in bed. The images and visions that
25:30
Speaker 1: passed through my mind terrified me. In this new dream,
25:34
Speaker 1: the king saw an enormous tree, so tall that it
25:38
Speaker 1: seemed to touch the sky. But it was no ordinary tree.
25:42
Speaker 1: It was so vast that it could be seen from
25:45
Speaker 1: the farthest corners of the earth. Daniel four ten eleven says,
25:49
Speaker 1: these are the visions I saw while lying in bed.
25:53
Speaker 1: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in
25:56
Speaker 1: the middle of the earth. Its height was enormous. The
25:59
Speaker 1: tree tree grew large and strong, and its top touched
26:03
Speaker 1: the sky. It was visible to the ends of the earth.
26:07
Speaker 1: It was a magnificent tree. Its branches were full of
26:11
Speaker 1: delicious fruit, providing food for every one. Wild animals found
26:16
Speaker 1: shelter beneath it, and birds made their nests in its branches.
26:20
Speaker 1: All living creatures fed from it. Daniel four twelve continues,
26:24
Speaker 1: Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it
26:27
Speaker 1: was food for all under it. The wild animals found shelter,
26:31
Speaker 1: and the birds lived in its branches. From it, every
26:34
Speaker 1: creature was fed. But the dream took a frightening turn. Suddenly,
26:39
Speaker 1: a heavenly figure appeared, someone the king described as a watcher,
26:44
Speaker 1: a holy one coming down from heaven. In Daniel four
26:47
Speaker 1: thirteen to fourteen, nebicad Nezse recalls in the visions I
26:52
Speaker 1: saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before
26:56
Speaker 1: me was a holy one, a watcher coming down from heaven.
27:00
Speaker 1: He called in a loud voice, cut down the tree,
27:03
Speaker 1: and trim off its branches, strip off its leaves, and
27:07
Speaker 1: scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it,
27:10
Speaker 1: and the birds from its branches. This celestial being ordered
27:14
Speaker 1: that the tree be cut down. All the animals and
27:17
Speaker 1: birds that had found refuge in it were driven away,
27:21
Speaker 1: Its fruit was scattered, and its leaves were stripped. It
27:24
Speaker 1: was a scene of devastation, But one part of the
27:28
Speaker 1: tree was left intact. The heavenly watcher gave a strange
27:32
Speaker 1: command about the stump, the remaining part. Daniel four fifteen says,
27:37
Speaker 1: But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron
27:40
Speaker 1: and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of
27:43
Speaker 1: the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven,
27:47
Speaker 1: and let him live with the animals among the plants
27:50
Speaker 1: of the earth. Even stranger was what the messenger from
27:53
Speaker 1: heaven said. Next, he spoke of a transformation that would
27:57
Speaker 1: happen to him, as if the tree represented a person.
28:02
Speaker 1: In verse sixteen, the watcher continues, let his heart be
28:06
Speaker 1: changed from that of a man, and let him be
28:08
Speaker 1: given the heart of a beast, and let seven times
28:11
Speaker 1: pass over him. What could that possibly mean? A tree
28:15
Speaker 1: with a human heart that would be turned into the
28:18
Speaker 1: heart of an animal, and what were those seven times?
28:22
Speaker 1: The king was even more puzzled. The watcher explained that
28:26
Speaker 1: all of this had a clear purpose, to show that
28:29
Speaker 1: there is some one greater than the kings of the earth.
28:32
Speaker 1: Daniel four seventeen reveals this decision is by the decree
28:37
Speaker 1: of the watchers and the sentence by the word of
28:40
Speaker 1: the Holy Ones, in order that the living may know
28:44
Speaker 1: that the most high rules in the kingdom of men,
28:48
Speaker 1: gives it to whomever he will, and sets over it
28:51
Speaker 1: the lowest of men. When he awoke, Nebucaneza felt a
28:56
Speaker 1: tightness in his chest. What did that strange dream mean?
29:00
Speaker 1: Was it a warning? A threat? He had to find out.
29:05
Speaker 1: With his heart still racing from the disturbing vision, nebucud
29:09
Speaker 1: Neza summoned all the wise men of his kingdom, astrologers, enchanters, diviners,
29:15
Speaker 1: and magicians gathered before the royal throne. The king told
29:19
Speaker 1: them every detail of the dream, hoping someone could explain
29:23
Speaker 1: its meaning. In Daniel four seven, he admits, then the magicians,
29:29
Speaker 1: the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and
29:34
Speaker 1: I told them the dream, but they did not make
29:37
Speaker 1: known to me its interpretation. One after another, Babylon's wise
29:42
Speaker 1: men tried to decipher the bizarre dream, but none succeeded.
29:46
Speaker 1: Some looked confused, others visibly nervous. Perhaps they were afraid
29:51
Speaker 1: to say something the king wouldn't like. After all of
29:54
Speaker 1: them failed, nebuchad Neza had an idea. There was a
29:58
Speaker 1: man in his kingdom who had interpreted did one of
30:00
Speaker 1: his dreams before many years ago, a man with a
30:04
Speaker 1: special connection to the spiritual realm. Daniel four eight to
30:10
Speaker 1: nine recounts. But at last Daniel came before me. His
30:15
Speaker 1: name is Beltishazzar, according to the name of my God,
30:20
Speaker 1: in him is the spirit of the Holy God. And
30:23
Speaker 1: I told the dream to him, saying, Beltishazzar, chief of
30:27
Speaker 1: the magicians, I know that the spirit of the Holy
30:30
Speaker 1: God is in you, and no mystery baffles you. Tell
30:34
Speaker 1: me the visions of my dream and its interpretation. Daniel
30:38
Speaker 1: listened carefully as the King described the great tree that
30:42
Speaker 1: reached to the heavens, it's cutting down by order of
30:45
Speaker 1: the heavenly watcher, and the strange transformation of a human
30:50
Speaker 1: heart into that of an animal for seven times. When
30:53
Speaker 1: the King finished, Daniel was silent. The expression on his
30:57
Speaker 1: face showed deep concern. What he saw in the King's
31:01
Speaker 1: dream troubled him deeply. Daniel four nineteen says. Then Daniel,
31:07
Speaker 1: whose name was Beltishazzar, was astonished for a time, and
31:12
Speaker 1: his thoughts troubled him. So the King spoke and said, Beltishazzar,
31:17
Speaker 1: do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you.
31:21
Speaker 1: Beltishazzar answered and said, my Lord, may the dream concern
31:26
Speaker 1: those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies.
31:31
Speaker 1: Daniel was hesitant. The interpretation he had was not good.
31:36
Speaker 1: It was a difficult message he had to deliver to
31:38
Speaker 1: the most powerful man on earth. But Daniel knew his
31:42
Speaker 1: highest loyalty was to God, and he had to speak
31:45
Speaker 1: the truth, even if it hurt. With courage, he began
31:48
Speaker 1: to explain the tree you saw, which grew and became strong,
31:53
Speaker 1: whose height reached to the heavens, and could be seen
31:56
Speaker 1: by the whole earth, whose leaves were lovely, and its
32:00
Speaker 1: fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which
32:03
Speaker 1: the beasts of the field lived, and in whose branches
32:06
Speaker 1: the birds of the heavens had their nests. You, o King,
32:11
Speaker 1: are that tree. For you have grown and becomes strong.
32:16
Speaker 1: Your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and
32:19
Speaker 1: your dominion to the end of the earth. Nebucad Nezar's
32:23
Speaker 1: face turned pale. The tree in the dream was him,
32:27
Speaker 1: his greatness, his kingdom, his power, all represented by that
32:31
Speaker 1: magnificent tree. But if the tree was him, what did
32:34
Speaker 1: it mean for the tree to be cut down? Daniel continued,
32:38
Speaker 1: with a voice that was firm but kind. And inasmuch
32:43
Speaker 1: as the King saw a watcher, a holy one, coming
32:46
Speaker 1: down from heaven and saying, chop down the tree and
32:48
Speaker 1: destroy it, But leave the stump and roots in the earth,
32:52
Speaker 1: bound with iron and bronze in the grass of the field.
32:56
Speaker 1: Let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and
32:58
Speaker 1: let his portion be with the beasts of the field
33:01
Speaker 1: till seven times pass over him. This is the interpretation,
33:06
Speaker 1: o King, And this is the decree of the Most
33:09
Speaker 1: High which has come upon my lord the King. Daniel
33:12
Speaker 1: four twenty four twenty five reveals the terrifying meaning. You
33:17
Speaker 1: shall be driven from among men, and your dwellings shall
33:20
Speaker 1: be with the beasts of the field. They shall make
33:23
Speaker 1: you eat grass like oxen, and you shall be wet
33:26
Speaker 1: with the dew of heaven. And seven times shall pass
33:30
Speaker 1: over you till you know that the Most High rules
33:33
Speaker 1: in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever
33:36
Speaker 1: he chooses. The sentence was clear. Nebucud Nezza would lose
33:41
Speaker 1: his sanity and behave like an animal for seven times.
33:46
Speaker 1: He would be removed from his throne and palace. He
33:50
Speaker 1: would live with the wild animals and eat grass like
33:53
Speaker 1: an ox But there was hope. Daniel explained that just
33:57
Speaker 1: as the stump and roots of the tree were left
33:59
Speaker 1: in the ground, nebucud Nezar's kingdom would also be preserved
34:03
Speaker 1: for him. In Daniel four twenty six, he explains, and
34:07
Speaker 1: inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump
34:10
Speaker 1: and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured
34:14
Speaker 1: to you after you come to know that Heaven rules.
34:17
Speaker 1: Daniel ended his interpretation with a sincere plea, there was
34:21
Speaker 1: a way the king might avoid this terrible punishment. Daniel
34:25
Speaker 1: four twenty seven says, Therefore, O King, let my advice
34:29
Speaker 1: be acceptable to you. Break off your sins by being righteous,
34:34
Speaker 1: and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps
34:38
Speaker 1: there may be a lengthening of your prosperity. It was
34:42
Speaker 1: an appeal for the king to humble his proud heart.
34:45
Speaker 1: If he acknowledged that his power came from God and
34:48
Speaker 1: began to treat people with justice and compassion, maybe the
34:52
Speaker 1: judgment could be averted. Nebucud Nezzar listen to Daniel's words
34:56
Speaker 1: in silence. Would he follow this wise counsel. After hearing
35:01
Speaker 1: Daniel's interpretation, nebucud Nezza was shaken for a few days.
35:06
Speaker 1: He even considered changing his ways, But soon the daily
35:09
Speaker 1: affairs of ruling the kingdom returned to the forefront of
35:13
Speaker 1: his mind, and the divine warning began to fade away.
35:17
Speaker 1: The months went by, the king continued expanding his empire,
35:21
Speaker 1: building new palaces and strengthening his army. Meanwhile, his pride
35:25
Speaker 1: grew alongside his power. Daniel four twenty nine tells us
35:30
Speaker 1: twelve months later, as the king was walking on the
35:33
Speaker 1: roof of the Royal Palace of Babylon. A full year
35:36
Speaker 1: had passed since the disturbing dream. It was a beautiful
35:40
Speaker 1: day in Babylon. The sky was clear, and a gentle
35:44
Speaker 1: breeze blew over the royal Palace. Nebuchadnezza climbed up to
35:48
Speaker 1: the roof top to enjoy the view of his magnificent city.
35:52
Speaker 1: From up there he could see everything, the temples with
35:56
Speaker 1: their gleaming towers, the hanging gardens he had built, the
36:00
Speaker 1: massive walls protecting the city, and the Euphrates River cutting
36:05
Speaker 1: through the middle like a blue ribbon. It was a
36:07
Speaker 1: breath taking sight. As he admired his capital, a deep
36:12
Speaker 1: sense of pride filled the king's heart. He had completely
36:15
Speaker 1: forgotten Daniel's warning, forgotten that his power had come from God.
36:20
Speaker 1: Daniel four thirty records his words. The King said, is
36:25
Speaker 1: not this the great Babylon I have built as the
36:27
Speaker 1: royal residence by my mighty power and for the glory
36:31
Speaker 1: of my majesty. Notice the words he used, I have
36:35
Speaker 1: built my mighty power, my majesty. There was no recognition
36:41
Speaker 1: that God had given him this power and these riches.
36:44
Speaker 1: All the credit went to himself. Nebucadnezzar saw himself as
36:49
Speaker 1: a god, the sole author of all his achievements. There
36:54
Speaker 1: was no gratitude in his heart, only pride. He truly
36:58
Speaker 1: believed that his strength, his intelligence, and his leadership were
37:02
Speaker 1: the only reasons for his success. He had entirely forgotten
37:06
Speaker 1: how Daniel had interpreted his first dream years earlier, saying, you,
37:11
Speaker 1: o King, are the king of kings. The God of
37:14
Speaker 1: Heaven has given you dominion and power, and might and
37:17
Speaker 1: glory Daniel two thirty seven. Nebucanz's heart was filled with
37:23
Speaker 1: unchecked pride. He had no humility to acknowledge that his
37:28
Speaker 1: power and position were gifts from God. There was no
37:31
Speaker 1: sign of gratitude for what he had received. And it
37:35
Speaker 1: was precisely at that moment, when his pride reached its peak,
37:40
Speaker 1: that divine judgment fell on him. While the proud words
37:46
Speaker 1: still echoed in the air, something extraordinary happened in the
37:50
Speaker 1: middle of that sunny day, at the height of the
37:53
Speaker 1: king's arrogance, a powerful voice came from heaven. Daniel four
37:58
Speaker 1: thirty one says, even as the words were on his lips,
38:02
Speaker 1: a voice came from heaven. This is what is decreed
38:06
Speaker 1: for you, King nebucud Nezzar, Your royal authority has been
38:09
Speaker 1: taken from you. Picture the scene. Just moments earlier, nebucud
38:15
Speaker 1: Nezza had been boasting of his immense power, and the
38:18
Speaker 1: next instant, a voice from heaven announces that his kingdom
38:21
Speaker 1: has been taken away. The guards and servants near by
38:25
Speaker 1: must have frozen in fear. Do sir. Heavenly voice continued
38:31
Speaker 1: repeating the judgment. Daniel had explained a year earlier. You
38:35
Speaker 1: will be driven away from people and will live with
38:38
Speaker 1: the wild animals. You will eat grass like the ox.
38:42
Speaker 1: Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge
38:46
Speaker 1: that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on
38:49
Speaker 1: earth and gives them to any one he wishes Daniel
38:54
Speaker 1: four thirty two. What happened next was so bizarre that
38:58
Speaker 1: even to day doctors try to make sense of it.
39:01
Speaker 1: Nebukud Nezar, the mighty King of Babylon, began to change
39:05
Speaker 1: right before everyone's eyes. Daniel four p. Thirty three describes
39:10
Speaker 1: it like this. Immediately what had been said about nebucud
39:14
Speaker 1: Nezar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and
39:19
Speaker 1: ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with
39:23
Speaker 1: the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the
39:25
Speaker 1: feathers of an eagle, and his nails like the claws
39:28
Speaker 1: of a bird. A terrifying transformation overtook the King. It
39:33
Speaker 1: wasn't a full physical transformation. He didn't literally become an animal.
39:38
Speaker 1: The change happened in his mind. Today, modern medicine might
39:42
Speaker 1: diagnose it as a severe mental disorder. In ancient times,
39:48
Speaker 1: some called it lycanthropy, a condition in which a person
39:51
Speaker 1: believes they are an animal. The Great King began acting
39:55
Speaker 1: like an ox. He stopped speaking like a human and
39:58
Speaker 1: began making animal like sounds. He no longer ate human food,
40:03
Speaker 1: but grazed on grass. He refused to live in his palace,
40:08
Speaker 1: preferring the outdoors like a wild animal. His hair grew
40:12
Speaker 1: long and tangled, wild like eagle feathers. His nails extended
40:16
Speaker 1: into long, curved claws like a bird's talons. His once
40:21
Speaker 1: clean and perfumed body, treated with the finest oils, was
40:25
Speaker 1: now filthy and soaked with dew. The most powerful man
40:29
Speaker 1: in the world was now crawling on all fours, eating
40:32
Speaker 1: grass like cattle. What a dramatic fall from royal palaces
40:36
Speaker 1: to open fields, from robes of purple and fine linen
40:40
Speaker 1: to a naked, filthy body, From extravagant banquets to grazing
40:45
Speaker 1: on grass. This was the extreme humiliation God allowed to
40:50
Speaker 1: happen to Nebuchadnezza. The man who thought of himself as
40:54
Speaker 1: a god now lived like an animal. The one who
40:57
Speaker 1: refused to acknowledge divine authoroy now didn't even have human dignity.
41:03
Speaker 1: Those who saw the king in this state must have
41:05
Speaker 1: been horrified. How could the great Nebucanza have fallen so low?
41:11
Speaker 1: Some may have felt pity, others may have secretly mocked him,
41:15
Speaker 1: but all surely recognize this as a sign there are
41:19
Speaker 1: powers greater than the kings of the earth. The Bible says,
41:23
Speaker 1: nebucud Nezza remained in that animal like condition for seven times.
41:27
Speaker 1: Daniel four sixteen had foretold, let his mind be changed
41:32
Speaker 1: from that of a man, and let him be given
41:35
Speaker 1: the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by
41:38
Speaker 1: for him. What did seven times mean? Many scholars believe
41:43
Speaker 1: it refers to seven years. Imagine that the greatest king
41:46
Speaker 1: on earth living as a wild animal for seven long years.
41:50
Speaker 1: During this time, nebucad Nezza was completely removed from royal duties.
41:55
Speaker 1: He couldn't possibly govern in that condition, So how did
41:58
Speaker 1: the empire keep running? The Bible doesn't give specific details
42:02
Speaker 1: about how the kingdom was managed during the king's absence.
42:07
Speaker 1: It's likely that his advisers and family members took control.
42:11
Speaker 1: Perhaps his son Amelmaduc evil Meridach served as regent until
42:16
Speaker 1: the u king returned to normal. These temporary rulers likely
42:21
Speaker 1: kept the king's condition a closely guarded secret. It would
42:24
Speaker 1: have been incredibly dangerous for the stability of the empire
42:28
Speaker 1: if Babylon's enemies found out their mighty king was grazing
42:32
Speaker 1: like an ox in the palace fields. They must have
42:34
Speaker 1: come up with stories to explain the king's absence from
42:38
Speaker 1: public ceremonies. Perhaps they claimed he was ill, or away
42:42
Speaker 1: on distant military campaigns, or engaged in religious rituals that
42:47
Speaker 1: required isolation. Any excuse was better than the embarrassing truth. Meanwhile,
42:54
Speaker 1: nebucud Nezza was living through his period of humiliation. Day
42:58
Speaker 1: after day, year after year, he experienced life as an animal.
43:02
Speaker 1: He had no crown, no throne, no servants. He had
43:05
Speaker 1: been reduced to the most basic condition, And what was
43:09
Speaker 1: the purpose of such a severe punishment, Daniel had explained
43:13
Speaker 1: it clearly, until you acknowledge that the Most High is
43:16
Speaker 1: sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to
43:20
Speaker 1: any one he wishes Daniel four twenty five. This was
43:25
Speaker 1: the divine purpose to teach nebuchad Nezza that despite all
43:29
Speaker 1: his power and wealth, he was not the master of
43:32
Speaker 1: his own destiny. Above him was a far greater power,
43:37
Speaker 1: the God of Heaven, the same god worshiped by Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach,
43:41
Speaker 1: and Abednego. It was a lesson in divine sovereignty versus
43:46
Speaker 1: human pride. No matter how high humans rise, no matter
43:51
Speaker 1: how many kingdoms they conquer, or how much wealth they accumulate,
43:55
Speaker 1: they are still under God's authority. Scripture tells us in
43:59
Speaker 1: various places that God opposes the proud, but shows favor
44:04
Speaker 1: to the humble First Peter five five. What happened to
44:08
Speaker 1: Nebucudnzz was a dramatic demonstration of this principle. For seven
44:13
Speaker 1: long times, the king remained in his beastlike condition, but
44:17
Speaker 1: the time of humiliation was not permanent, and when it
44:21
Speaker 1: finally ended, the world witnessed something equally astonishing. The restoration
44:27
Speaker 1: of the king. After seven long periods, likely seven years,
44:32
Speaker 1: something extraordinary happened to nebucadn Neza. In the midst of
44:36
Speaker 1: his animal like state, A flicker of human awareness returned
44:39
Speaker 1: to his disturbed mind. Daniel four thirty four recounts this
44:44
Speaker 1: crucial moment at the end of that time, I, Nebucudza,
44:50
Speaker 1: raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored.
44:54
Speaker 1: Then I praised the most high. I honored and glorified
44:58
Speaker 1: him who lives forever. His des dominion is an eternal dominion.
45:02
Speaker 1: His kingdom endures from generation to generation. Picture the scene.
45:08
Speaker 1: Nebucud Nezar, with long tangled hair, claw like nails, and
45:13
Speaker 1: a filthy body, suddenly stops grazing like a beast and
45:18
Speaker 1: looks up for the first time in years. His eyes
45:21
Speaker 1: show the spark of human intelligence. Something had changed. What
45:26
Speaker 1: does it mean to raise my eyes toward Heaven? It
45:29
Speaker 1: wasn't just a physical movement, It was a gesture of recognition.
45:35
Speaker 1: At last, he was looking beyond himself toward the God
45:39
Speaker 1: who rules over all. And with that simple act came
45:42
Speaker 1: the return of his sanity. His mental faculties were restored.
45:47
Speaker 1: He could think clearly. Again, he could speak as a human,
45:51
Speaker 1: no longer grunting like an animal. His identity returned. He
45:55
Speaker 1: remembered he was nebucud Nezar, king of Babylon. But he
45:59
Speaker 1: came back changed. His first act upon regaining his reason
46:04
Speaker 1: was not to demand royal robes or fine food. He
46:08
Speaker 1: didn't call for his servants or plan revenge against those
46:11
Speaker 1: who had seen him in his humiliating state. His first
46:15
Speaker 1: act was to praise God. The man who once declared,
46:19
Speaker 1: is not this the great Babylon I have built, was
46:22
Speaker 1: now blessing the most high and acknowledging his eternal rule.
46:26
Speaker 1: What a staggering transformation, Nebucadnezzar continued his reflection. All the
46:32
Speaker 1: peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does
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Speaker 1: as he pleases with the powers of heaven, and the
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Speaker 1: peoples of the earth, no one can hold back his
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Speaker 1: hand or say to him, what have you done? Daniel
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Speaker 1: four thirty five. These words reveal a complete transformation in
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Speaker 1: his way of thinking. Once he saw himself as the
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Speaker 1: center of the universe, a god among men. Now he
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Speaker 1: understood that even the most powerful king on earth is
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Speaker 1: regarded as nothing compared to the greatness of God. He
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Speaker 1: recognized that no one can obstruct God's plans or question
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Speaker 1: his actions. After this genuine recognition of divine sovereignty came
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Speaker 1: Nebucudnezzar's full restoration. Daniel four thirty six states, at the
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Speaker 1: same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and
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Speaker 1: splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom.
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Speaker 1: My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was
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Speaker 1: restored to my throne and became even greater than before.
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Speaker 1: The councilors and nobles who had governed during his absence
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Speaker 1: now welcomed him back to the throne. Perhaps they had
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Speaker 1: kept a chamber ready for him in the palace, hoping
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Speaker 1: he would return one day. Now that day had come,
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Speaker 1: his appearance quickly changed. The wild hair was cut and combed,
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Speaker 1: the long nails were trimmed, His body was washed and perfumed.
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Speaker 1: Royal garments replaced his nakedness. The crown returned to his head.
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Speaker 1: He was once again King nebucud Nezza, but a very
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Speaker 1: different man on the inside. The Bible says he not
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Speaker 1: only regained his kingdom, but was given greater greatness. This
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Speaker 1: suggests that his empire became even stronger and more prosperous
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Speaker 1: after his restoration. Perhaps the people, witnessing the remarkable change
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Speaker 1: in their king, devoted themselves to him with even greater loyalty.
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Speaker 1: But the greatest change was in the king's heart. Daniel
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Speaker 1: four thirty seven records his public testimony. Now I nebucud Nezzar,
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Speaker 1: praise and exalt and glorify the King of Heaven, because
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Speaker 1: everything he does is right, and all his ways are just,
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Speaker 1: and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
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Speaker 1: This verse reveals something truly extraordinary, the greatest pagan king
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Speaker 1: of the ancient world publicly declaring that the God of
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Speaker 1: Israel is the true King of Heaven. He acknowledges that
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Speaker 1: God's ways are righteous, even the harsh path of humiliation
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Speaker 1: he had endured, And his final sentence captures the most
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Speaker 1: important lesson he learned. He is able to humble those
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Speaker 1: who walk in pride. Nebucadn Neza learned the hard way
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Speaker 1: that pride comes before a fall, and that no one
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Speaker 1: is above divine authority. The king of Babylon issued an
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Speaker 1: official decree recounting his entire experience. This decree preserved in
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Speaker 1: Daniel four became a testimony to the entire empire that
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Speaker 1: there is a God greater than all the Babylonian gods,
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Speaker 1: greater than all the kings of the earth. Nebucudneza's restoration
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Speaker 1: was complete, not just a return to his throne, but
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Speaker 1: a transformation of his heart from arrogant pride to jen
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Speaker 1: in humility before God. Nebucud Nez's extraordinary experience changed more
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Speaker 1: than just his immediate behaviour. It transformed his entire legacy
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Speaker 1: as a king. In the years following his restoration, people
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Speaker 1: could clearly see a difference in the way he ruled
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Speaker 1: and interacted with others. Before his humbling experience, nebucud Nezza
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Speaker 1: was known primarily for his military power, his impressive building projects,
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Speaker 1: and his heavy hand over conquered peoples. Afterwards, although he
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Speaker 1: remained a powerful king, his character revealed new qualities. The
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Speaker 1: changes in his character and policies aren't specifically detailed in
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Speaker 1: the Bible, but based on his final confession in Daniel four,
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Speaker 1: we can imagine that he ruled with greater justice and mercy.
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Speaker 1: Remember Daniel's advice to him, break off your sins by
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Speaker 1: practicing righteousness and your iniquities by showing mercy to the
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Speaker 1: poor Daniel for twenty seven. It's likely that after his restoration,
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Speaker 1: Nebucanza followed this council. Perhaps he improved conditions for captives
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Speaker 1: within his empire, including the Jews. Maybe he began to
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Speaker 1: show more respect for the customs and beliefs of conquered
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Speaker 1: peoples instead of simply enforcing Babylonian ways. His view of power, authority,
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Speaker 1: and purpose clearly shifted. Before he saw his power as
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Speaker 1: something he had earned by his own merit for his
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Speaker 1: own glory. Afterward, he understood that power comes from God
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Speaker 1: and must be used according to divine purposes. At the
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Speaker 1: beginning of his reign, Nebucanza's goal was simply to expand
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Speaker 1: his empire and increase his personal glory. After his transformation,
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Speaker 1: he likely saw his role as a steward of the
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Speaker 1: power intrusted to him by God, with the responsibility to
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Speaker 1: use it for the good of the people. The final
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Speaker 1: years of Israign, as far as we can tell from
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Speaker 1: historical and biblical records, were marked by wisdom and humility.
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Speaker 1: He remained a great king, but now with a different spirit.
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Speaker 1: When Nebucadnzer finally died around five hundred and sixty two BC.
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Speaker 1: He had ruled Babylon for approximately forty three years, one
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Speaker 1: of the longest and most successful reigns in ancient history.
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Speaker 1: His son, Evil Merodach, also known as Amel Mardak, took
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Speaker 1: the throne after his death. In Zecid Kings twenty five
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Speaker 1: twenty seven twenty eight, we read something interesting about this
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Speaker 1: new king. In the thirty seventh year of the exile
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Speaker 1: of jehoiac In, King of Judah, in the twelfth month,
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Speaker 1: on the twenty seventh day of the month, Evil Meridac,
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Speaker 1: King of Babylon in the year he began to reign,
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Speaker 1: released Jehoiacin King of Judah from prison. He spoke kindly
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Speaker 1: to him and gave him a seat above the seat
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Speaker 1: of the kings who were with him in Babylon. This
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Speaker 1: benevolent treatment toward the captive Jewish king might reflect the
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Speaker 1: positive influence of nebucud Neza in his later years. Perhaps
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Speaker 1: he taught his son to respect the people of God. Unfortunately,
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Speaker 1: Evil Meridac didn't reign for long. After just two years,
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Speaker 1: he was assassinated in a palace conspiracy. In the years
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Speaker 1: that followed, several kings rose and fell quickly on the
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Speaker 1: Babylonian throne. Babylon's story continued for a few more decades
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Speaker 1: after Nebucudnz's death, but the empire was never as strong
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Speaker 1: as it had been under his rule. Finally, in five p.
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Speaker 1: Thirty nine b C, about twenty three years after Nebucudnes's death,
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Speaker 1: Babylon fell to the Persians, led by Cyrus the Great.
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Speaker 1: The fall of the Babylonian Empire had been foretold by
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Speaker 1: God's prophets long before it happened. Isiah even mentioned Cyrus
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Speaker 1: by name a round one hundred and fifty years before
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Speaker 1: he was born. In Isaiah forty five one, we read,
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Speaker 1: this is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus,
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Speaker 1: whose right hand I take hold of, to subdue nations
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Speaker 1: before him and to strip kings of their armor. That
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Speaker 1: prophecy was fulfilled with precision. Just as nebucud Nezza had
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Speaker 1: been a tool in God's hands to bring judgment on
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Speaker 1: Judah for its sins, Cyrus would be used by God
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Speaker 1: to set the Jews free from Babylonian captivity and allow
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Speaker 1: them to return to Jerusalem. In fact, this might be
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Speaker 1: nebucud Nezza's most enduring legacy not his military conquests, not
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Speaker 1: his grand monuments, but the lesson his life teaches that
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Speaker 1: the God of Heaven is sovereign over all the kingdoms
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Speaker 1: of the earth, and that he humbles those who walk
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Speaker 1: in pride. And so ends the extraordinary story of nebucud Nezzar,
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Speaker 1: the king whom God transformed from a proud ruler into
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Speaker 1: a humble mann who acknowledged the King of Heaven. It's
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Speaker 1: a powerful lesson, isn't it. Even the most powerful man
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Speaker 1: on earth had to bow to God's sovereignty. This story
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Speaker 1: reminds us that pride can bring anyone down, but humility
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Speaker 1: opens the door to restoration and divine blessing. If you
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Speaker 1: enjoyed this Bible story and want to discover more fascinating
55:23
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