NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S NIGHTMARE: Not a "heart of gold", but a "head of gold". This is the nightmare of the world-spirit. They have feet of clay, mixed with the iron of "Roman" rulership, and they will be utterly and radically destroyed by something they can't control. This "dream" actually covers history from contemporary to Daniel all the way forward to Israel's demise in 70 AD.
Keeping the proportions of a "body" in mind, let's just look at the Four Kingdoms of Daniel (repeated in Daniel 7). Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon are obviously the head of gold. Nebu was INSANE. He thinks he was put in place, as head, to put the world right and control it. Mede-Persia is the arms and chest of silver (Cyrus). The brass belly and thighs is Greece (Alexander). The legs of iron are Rome. Now, checking the proportions, we have Babylon-66 years, Mede-Persia-207 years, Greece-168 years, and Rome-119 years. GOD gave "a kingdom, power, strength and glory" to each ruler (2:37) . Add them up. They come to 560 years - or 70 AD when Jerusalem was destroyed.
FEET OF CLAY: This is the point of the whole vision: Don't get lost in the timeline. Here is the absolute point of this dream: THIS IS ABOUT JESUS! The feet of clay mingled with iron are Roman iron (from the legs) and Jewish clay. They were destroyed by the "Stone that became the Mountain". In fact, Jerusalem was crushed like powder and everyone and everything totally burned up. Jesus fell on His enemies and TRANSFERRED THE KINGDOM to the SAINTS! (God's elect) This terminal event is not the end of the world, but the end of Judaism and the old covenant. Following 70 AD, world dominion belongs to the saints through Jesus, and Rome continued as a mere vassal state to Christ Jesus, Who rules the nations "with a rod of iron". Judaism was removed as a force standing in the path of the Church.
THE NEVER-ENDING KINGDOM: The "mountain" "grows up" to fill all the earth. This shows that someone other than Nebuchadnezzar, someone other than Rome, someone other than the Jews - is ruling now! THIS IS NOT A CHRISTIAN UTOPIA! The very idea is foreign to Bible teaching. Seeking an earthly paradise is a heathen goal. We seek Jesus, "the Kingdom and His righteousness" (Matt 6:33) BUT, God's Kingdom (2:44) "shall never be destroyed." Any concept of the Church as defeated or "other-worldly" is condemned right here in Daniel. This world order does NOT culminate in an evil government by an antichrist! Christians stand to your feet! Our Kingdom is NEVER going to end! 2:44 says "IT SHALL STAND FOREVER."
"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure."
RESPONSE: The Hebrew men defied the kings command, but they weren't DEFIANT. They had a higher calling to present their bodies to God, not to the government. They had a submissive attitude to authority, without obeying its antichristian commands. Just like the disciples in Acts. They defied the law and preached publicly, but submitted to their jail terms when they were arrested. (even tho the jails couldn't hold them!) God is not obligated to do what we want Him to! We must make up our minds when we are being persecuted, whether by other people, or by our own FLESH that wants what it wants, that we won't bow, that is, we won't fear, we won't panic, we' won't compromise, we won't take the "easy way out"! No matter what God does or does not do in our behalf! God's purposes will stand. We must adapt ourselves to fit. We serve God and do not allow substitutes or counterfeits to take His place in our lives.
1 PETER 4:7 - 5:14
STRENGTHENING OUR FAITH IN GOD: First, the flesh must die - all thoughts of self-preservation, demanding our own way, and all complaining must be "crucified with Christ." If that doesn't happen, we can't be truly happy and joyful because our defaults all point back to US! Instead of at Jesus Christ.
Second, physical suffering is a "type" or "shadow" or "example" of how our self-life dies, because the "crucified life" is a life full of love. To walk in love and minister as a servant, the flesh must have been dealt with. (4:7-11)
Third, fire is a good thing: it destroys SELF. This fire is not just to "melt" us, but to "smelt" us - to remove the impurities of the flesh. As we glorify God in the fires (Isa 24:15), trust Him with the outcomes (the "rest" of faith) - our bad habits, unclean thoughts, undesired wants, etc. actually drop off and are burned - without our conscious cooperation or "help". We "rejoice" "with exceeding joy", and are "happy" and the "spirit of glory" rests on us and we usually don't even know it!
Fourth, this love that is able to manifest itself because of the death of SELF, extends to the Church: Elders are seasoned believers who lead the church. It is not a position of privilege as much as it is one of responsibility. No one goes into the ministry for the money, but rather being called by God to lovingly care for the "sheep". If you read thru the entire chapter 5, you will see that Church life is one of submitting to one another - men, women, elder, younger - not demanding your rights, not self-preserving, and not complaining (Gold Rules for Christians).
Fifth, stand "firm in the faith": This is the same word as being "strengthened” in the faith - Peter's goal and message from the beginning. The purpose of strong faith is to resist (stand strong against) "your enemy the devil" , and for going thru your fiery sufferings. NOW we see that the end result is that GOD (not you) will "make you perfect". This is a very special word in the original language, being translated in Mark 1:19 as "mending" - meaning "to untangle, repair and restore to usefulness" AND, He makes us strong (resolute), stronger yet (vigorous, and set us on a strong foundation. Strong, steadfast, unshakable, AND loving.
RESPONSE: I used to read 1 Peter as a book about suffering. I didn't see the purpose in suffering, and I certainly didn't understand the necessity to crucify the flesh. Suffering, to me, meant being bullied, being ignored, being insulted, being sick, poor, etc. Negative! Negative! Negative!
Since then, I have discovered that the kind of suffering
this is talking about is not demanding
my own rights, not giving in to self-preservation (or self-defensiveness), and
not complaining - while being tried and tested by fire: relatives who think
I'm nuts, people who demand things of me, doing jobs I hate, working while
everyone else is playing. You know what
I am talking about. It's "unfair"! We must learn to serve while afraid, while
tired, while threatened, when no one else is, when the job is
unpleasant.....all without complaining.
Our default is JOY, "unspeakable
joy" that is "full of
glory". THAT TAKES FAITH. When our faith is strong at those times, we
experience REST. We are victorious,
strong, and happy. PSALM 119: 81-94
PROVERBS 28:15-16
Wicked rulers make their own rules, cruel as a lion, hungry as a bear - and do what they want to the weak. He hopes to gain by this....but his days are numbered.
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