PM Dec 4th Dan 4

December 4^th Daniel 4 The dream of the tree

1: Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 2: I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. 3: How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. 4: I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace: 5: I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6: Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. 7: Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. 8: But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying, 9: O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. 10: Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. 11: The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: 12: The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. 13: I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; 14: He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: 15: Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: 16: Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. 17: This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. 18: This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.

The dream comes true

19: Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. 20: The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 21: Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: 22: It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. 23: And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; 24: This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: 25: That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 26: And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. 27: Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. 28: All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 29: At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30: The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? 31: While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 32: And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. 33: The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

Nebuchadnezzar converted

34: And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 36: At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellers and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. 37: Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

Daniel 5 Belshazzar’s feast

1: Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. 2: Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. 3: Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. 4: They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. 5: In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6: Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. 7: The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. 8: Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. 9: Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied. 10: Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: 11: There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; 12: Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation. 13: Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? 14: I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. 15: And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing: 16: And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. 17: Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18: O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: 19: And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. 20: But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: 21: And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. 22: And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; 23: But hast lifted up thyself against the LORD of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: 24: Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. 25: And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26: This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27: TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28: PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. 29: Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. 30: In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. 31: And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Daniel 6 Daniel in the den of lions

1: It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 2: And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 3: Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4: Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5: Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. 6: Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. 7: All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellers, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 8: Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 9: Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. 10: Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. 11: Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12: Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 13: Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. 14: Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15: Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. 16: Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. 17: And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. 18: Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him. 19: Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 20: And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? 21: Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. 22: My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. 23: Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. 24: And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den. 25: Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 26: I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 27: He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. 28: So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Daniel records the letter that Nebuchadnezzar sent to every nation. He said l thought it was good to show the signs and wonders that the high God has done to me. Then he recounts the vision he received and all its meaning and how Daniel had been able to reveal its secrets. This vision was of a great tree that grew so large that its top reached heaven and all the birds of the air nested in its branches. Then he told of a watcher – a holy one who came down from heaven and he said cut off the branches and cut down the tree but leave its stump. The stump was to be banded with an iron and brass band. Then the image changes to a man who is to be driven out by men and is to live as a beast and eat grass. He is to be given a beasts heart and seven years are to pass him by. This was to be done so that all men might know that ‘The most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whoever he will, and sets over it the lowest of men’. Daniel was called upon to explain the dream. Daniel had to wait one hour for the interpretation. Daniel explains that this dream is about the king himself. Nebuchadnezzar the king would be cut down and driven out to eat grass like an ox until seven years had passed. Only after seven years will be acknowledge that God rules the kingdom of men. It was twelve months later that the king was walking in his garden and glorying in all he had done when the execution of the decree of the holy ones is carried out. he heard a voice from heaven and he was driven out to eat grass like an ox and his hair was like feathers and his nails like claws. At the end of 2520 days his reason returned to him and he blessed God. And so this is the subject of his letter. Next the story moves on to King Belshazzar who made a feast for 1000 guests and they drank wine from the golden vessels from the sanctuary in Jerusalem. In the same hour a hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall. After searching for a man to translate the message eventually Daniel explains the message was that God had weighed him and found him wanting. The kingdom was to be divided and given to the Medes and Persians. Daniel was decorated and made third in the kingdom but that night Belshazzar was killed and Darius (who was sixty two) the Mede took control of the kingdom. Darius the Mede set up a new form of government. There were one hundred and twenty princes and over them three and Daniel was over them. Daniel was not liked so the princes plotted his downfall. They could find no fault in Daniel apart from his worship of the Lord. So they appealed to the king to make a law that stated that no man was to ask any petition of God or Man unless it came through the King. They knew Daniel would never stop praying. The punishment for not obeying would be to be thrown into the den of lions. The Medes thought that any law they passed must be fore kept and never broken so they thought they had Daniel. But they never reckoned in the God of Daniel. Daniel was arrested and put in the lions den. In the morning the king came and called for Daniel. Daniel answered politely that God had sent his angel and shut the lions mouth. The king commanded that the men who plotted against Daniel were thrown into the den. They were killed before the touched to floor. Then Darius wrote to every nation telling them of Gods deeds and that all men were to worship the Lord of heaven.

AM Dec 4th 1John 3

December 4^th 1 John 3 Love one another

1: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2: Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3: And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 4: Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5: And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6: Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7: Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8: He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9: Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10: In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 11: For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12: Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. 13: Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 14: We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15: Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16: Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17: But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18: My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19: And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 20: For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21: Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 22: And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 23: And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 24: And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

John next moves on to the interesting subject of Sonship. He states that Sonship is firmly established on the basis of the Love of God. Sonship is what unites the believer to God and also what separates him from the world. John says that it is not clear what he and his readers will be like in the future but he does know that when Christ comes they shall become like him. All of those who have the hope of resurrection (the Jewish hope) purifies himself (humanly speaking) John in this passage describes his readers under the Law and defines sin as breaking the Mosaic law. The Jew who abides in Christ puts away sin. John says do not be led astray, righteousness is measured by doing right actions. (The Christians righteousness is totally different it is the very righteousness of Christ - given on the basis of Grace and Faith) Those who are born of God cease from habitual sin. And love is the key to living righteously. Righteousness is seen in acts of love. This is why charity is the height of Israel’s legal righteousness. We should not be surprised if the world hate us. We aught to be like Christ and lay down our lives for our brethren. The faith of a godly man is seen in acts of love. Then John gives as good a description of the Jew under the Law. ‘Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight’. God under law gives his blessing to those who do what is right. However we under grace receive the blessings of God even though we do not do what is right under the Law. Christians are just not under the law, they are under Grace. The Key for the Jew was righteous acts. The key for the Christians is walking in the Spirit. For the believer under the law John reminds them that their obligation is to believe Gods message and live righteously according to the Mosaic Law.

NB It is difficult to understand this teaching in relation to the Christian today. There are things that are the same for us but there are things that are more that are a contrast. Often John uses ‘Us’ and ‘We’. We must remember that Johns Ministry as an Apostle was to primarily to the Jews, that they might accept Jesus of Nazareth as the Jewish Messiah.

PM Dec 3rd Dan 1

December 3^rd Daniel 1 A. The Personal History of Daniel (Written in Hebrew) Daniel in Nebuchadnezzar’s court.

1: In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2: And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. 3: And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; 4: Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. 5: And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. 6: Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 7: Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego. 8: But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9: Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. 10: And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king. 11: Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12: Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. 13: Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. 14: So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. 15: And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat. 16: Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse. 17: As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18: Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19: And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. 20: And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. 21: And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

Daniel 2 B The Prophetic History of Daniel Relating to the Gentile world (Written in Aramaic Nebuchadnezzar’s dream

1: And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. 2: Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3: And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. 4: Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. 5: The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 6: But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof. 7: They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it. 8: The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. 9: But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof. 10: The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. 11: And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. 12: For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13: And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. 14: Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: 15: He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. 16: Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. 17: Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 18: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19: Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20: Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 21: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: 22: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. 23: I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter. 24: Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation. 25: Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation. 26: The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? 27: Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; 28: But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; 29: As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. 30: But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. 31: Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 32: This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 33: His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 34: Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 35: Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 36: This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. 37: Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 38: And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. 39: And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. 40: And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. 41: And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 42: And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43: And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. 44: And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45: Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

Daniel is rewarded

46: Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. 47: The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. 48: Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. 49: Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

Daniel 3 The fiery furnace

1: Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2: Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellers, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3: Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellers, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4: Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 5: That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 6: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 7: Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 8: Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 9: They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 10: Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: 11: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12: There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 13: Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king. 14: Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15: Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 16: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17: If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18: But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Three brave men

19: Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20: And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21: Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22: Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23: And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24: Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25: He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 26: Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 27: And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellers, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 28: Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 29: Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 30: Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.

In this wonderful prophetic book Daniel begins by recounting the story of his capture and transportation to the city of Babylon. This occurred in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim – king of Judah. It was the Lord who delivered him into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar also took the holy vessels of the temple and he put them in the house of his god in the land of Shinar. Then the king ordered that Ashpenaz who was master of the eunuchs to select some of the children of the king and of the princes. He was specifically to look for children that were perfect specimens of health, children who were well liked, skilled in solving problems, very bright in all areas of knowledge, having some understanding of the sciences and able t have the confidence to hold their own in the company of the king. These were selected to be taught the language and education of the Chaldeans. The king also appointed them a daily provision of the kings meat and the wine and they were to study for three years and afterward they were to come into the kings court. (At this stage he would probably place them in positions of authority over the Jews and possibly over his own people) Among the children that were selected was Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The king gave them new names. Daniel was called Belteshazzar, Hananiah was called Shadrach; Mishael was called Meshach and Azariah was called Abed-nego. Daniel had been forced from his home, they had changed in language and changed his name. They had set him on an educational programme. All these things he could not change but he was not going to allow himself to change his diet. There were two things here, first the possibility of food offered to idols and secondly the eating of non Kosher food. Daniel decided he would not defile himself by eating the food and drinking the wine from the king. So Daniel requested of the master of the eunuchs that he might be allowed to pass on this diet. Daniel was very much liked and loved by the master of the eunuchs so he said to Daniel, l am afraid of the king and he might hurt me if you refuse the kings food. This was difficult for Daniel. Its one thing making a decision that affects himself but this affects someone that he cares for. Daniel answered Melzar (who had been appointed over him) Prove us to yourself. Give us just ten days grace and let us eat pulse and water then after ten days come and look at us and if we are not more healthy then we will eat the kings meat. Daniel knew diet and he knew the affects of a diet of pulse and water. After the ten days Daniel was vindicated. As a result of the determination of these four young men to keep themselves faithful to the dietary requirements of the Mosaic law God blessed them giving them knowledge skill and wisdom and to Daniel God gave him understanding in all visions and dreams. (Visions are waking dreams) After the three years Nebuchadnezzar found these four young men to be outstanding in all matters of wisdom and understanding. In fact he found then ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers in his kingdom. In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar (with Daniel at his side) he dreamed a dream in which he was deeply troubled. Dreams in scripture are Gods ways of getting the attention of men in the absence of scripture, therefore they often come to Gentiles. Nebuchadnezzar called his wise men and told them that he had had a dream and they were to tell him of its meaning. But he was not going to tell them of the dream. None of them could tell the meaning of the dream because none of them knew what it was. He also said if you do not tell me the dream then l will destroy you and your houses. The wise men criticised the king for his harshness and this made him furious so he issued a decree to kill all the wise men - including Daniel. When Arioch came to kill Daniel he asked why it was so urgent and then Daniel requested an audience with the king. Daniel asked for time to enquire of the Lord. Daniel and his three friends prayed to God to make this known. In the night Daniel had a vision of the kings dream and Daniel blessed God for it. His prayer is a model of Daniels understanding. Daniel comes before the King and not only gives the interpretation but also its meaning. It’s interesting that Daniel refers to God as ‘The God of heaven’. This is consistently the name used to describe God to Gentiles. Daniel explains that the dream is a picture of the latter days. (i.e. the days preceding the Messianic kingdom) Daniel also disclaims any personal wisdom in knowing these things. All glory goes to the Lord the revealer of secrets. The dream was of a great statue who was made of various types of metal. A head of gold, breasts of silver, belly and thigh of brass and legs of iron and feet of iron and clay. Then Daniel told of the stone that came and hit the feet of clay and iron causing the whole image to fall. Then Daniel explains that Nebuchadnezzar is the head of gold and that there will be four other empires that will arise after him. he also says that the God of heaven has set him up and that others will follow. Then Daniel went on to say that God will establish a kingdom that will never be destroyed. Nebuchadnezzar honoured Daniel and made him governor of Babylon and head of the wise men. Daniel requested that his three friends might take this post and that he would attend on the king (Sitting in the gate of the king). The next thing that happened in this long and detailed story is that Nebuchadnezzar made a huge image nearly 76 feet high and made of gold. Then it was commanded that whenever anyone heard any music they were to turn and bow to the image. Those who did not bow were to be thrown into the furnace. The three friends of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who were set over the affairs of Babylon refused to bow down. They are brought before the king and they give their answer to the charge against them. They say they are very careful to answer, They say Our God who we serve is able to deliver us but even if he does not then we will not bow down to this image. The furnace is heated up seven times hotter and they are thrown into it bound hand and foot. The fire killed the men who threw them in! Then the king is astonished because in the fire he can see four men walking – and the forth is like the son of God. Then the king called on them to come out of the fire and they came out completely unharmed and even without the small of the fire on their clothes. Then the King worshipped the God of heaven and he made a decree that all the earth was to worship the God of heaven.

AM Dec 3rd 1John 2

December 3^rd Don’t love the world

15: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17: And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Jesus is the Christ

18: Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19: They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 20: But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 21: I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22: Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23: Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. 24: Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25: And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. 26: These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27: But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. 28: And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29: If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

Next John turns to the believer’s relation to the world. And he says you should have no relationship. This world passed sentence on Christ and we are to follow his example. We are to go forth unto him outside the camp! The world is in the hands of the Evil one and if we become entranced with the world and drawn in to the world then the love of the Father is not in us. All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life is to be left behind by the believer. Notice that these three things were seen in the temptation of Adam and Eve in the Garden and they were seen in the temptation of Christ. Satan addresses three aspects of human life – Firstly, The flesh. He takes something perfectly legitimate and moves the temptation into a forbidden area. He does it through the needs of the body for food, drink, sex, work. All of these things are good for us but he moves them into the extremes and that is sin. Godliness is found in restraint! Secondly, the lust of the eye is the beautiful things we see all around us. When he tempted Christ he showed him the kingdoms of the world and their glory. What a sight and what a wonderful set of scenes he must have seen. However for Christ it meant nothing. Not all that glittered was gold and he was used to the glory of heaven itself! He turned from this temptation – it had no appeal to him. Thirdly, The pride of life. Everyone needs to feel they have a place in life. That they feel important at some level. However to think more highly of ones self than one aught to think is pride. Eve thought she was being really clever in sinning. Cleverer than God! So you see Satan takes things which are good and moves them into the extreme level and that is sin and this is what attracts us in temptation. John says simply, This world is temporary but whoever does the will of God will be eternal. This is the Jewish hope, righteousness in action and the promise of eternal life. The greatest blaspheme that John brings forth here is the denial of Jesus as the Messiah of Israel. John says, Go back to the message you heard from Christ while he was calling Israel to himself and let that message of the Kingdom, remain in you. He says, live righteously – so that when Christ returns you will not be ashamed at his coming. The test of being born again for the Jew is - Do you live righteously according to the law?

PM Dec 2nd Eze 46

December 2^nd Ezekiel 46 The Prince and the festivals

1: Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened. 2: And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening. 3: Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths and in the new moons. 4: And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD in the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish. 5: And the meat offering shall be an ephah for a ram, and the meat offering for the lambs as he shall be able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah. 6: And in the day of the new moon it shall be a young bullock without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram: they shall be without blemish. 7: And he shall prepare a meat offering, an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs according as his hand shall attain unto, and an hin of oil to an ephah. 8: And when the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of that gate, and he shall go forth by the way thereof. 9: But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it. 10: And the prince in the midst of them, when they go in, shall go in; and when they go forth, shall go forth. 11: And in the feast and in the solemnities the meat offering shall be an ephah to a bullock, and ephah to a ram, and to the lambs as he is able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah. 12: Now when the prince shall prepare a voluntary burnt offering or peace offerings voluntarily unto the LORD, one shall then open him the gate that looketh toward the east, and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, as he did on the sabbath day: then he shall go forth; and after his going forth one shall shut the gate. 13: Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt offering unto the LORD of a lamb of the first year without blemish: thou shalt prepare it every morning. 14: And thou shalt prepare a meat offering for it every morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of an hin of oil, to temper with the fine flour; a meat offering continually by a perpetual ordinance unto the LORD. 15: Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meat offering, and the oil, every morning for a continual burnt offering. 16: Thus saith the Lord GOD; If the prince give a gift unto any of his sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons'; it shall be their possession by inheritance. 17: But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty; after it shall return to the prince: but his inheritance shall be his sons' for them. 18: Moreover the prince shall not take of the people's inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their possession; but he shall give his sons inheritance out of his own possession: that my people be not scattered every man from his possession. 19: After he brought me through the entry, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers of the priests, which looked toward the north: and, behold, there was a place on the two sides westward. 20: Then said he unto me, This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, where they shall bake the meat offering; that they bear them not out into the utter court, to sanctify the people. 21: Then he brought me forth into the utter court, and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and, behold, in every corner of the court there was a court. 22: In the four corners of the court there were courts joined of forty cubits long and thirty broad: these four corners were of one measure. 23: And there was a row of building round about in them, round about them four, and it was made with boiling places under the rows round about. 24: Then said he unto me, These are the places of them that boil, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people.

Ezekiel 47 Healing waters from the Temple

1: Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. 2: Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side. 3: And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. 4: Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins. 5: Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over. 6: And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river. 7: Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8: Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. 9: And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. 10: And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. 11: But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt. 12: And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

The boundaries of the land

13: Thus saith the Lord GOD; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions. 14: And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another: concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance. 15: And this shall be the border of the land toward the north side, from the great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad; 16: Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazar-hatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran. 17: And the border from the sea shall be Hazar-enan, the border of Damascus, and the north northward, and the border of Hamath. And this is the north side. 18: And the east side ye shall measure from Hauran, and from Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the land of Israel by Jordan, from the border unto the east sea. And this is the east side. 19: And the south side southward, from Tamar even to the waters of strife in Kadesh, the river to the great sea. And this is the south side southward. 20: The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side. 21: So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel. 22: And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. 23: And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 48

1: Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazar-enan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan. 2: And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Asher. 3: And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Naphtali. 4: And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Manasseh. 5: And by the border of Manasseh, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Ephraim. 6: And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Reuben. 7: And by the border of Reuben, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Judah. 8: And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the offering which ye shall offer of five and twenty thousand reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the other parts, from the east side unto the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it. 9: The oblation that ye shall offer unto the LORD shall be of five and twenty thousand in length, and of ten thousand in breadth. 10: And for them, even for the priests, shall be this holy oblation; toward the north five and twenty thousand in length, and toward the west ten thousand in breadth, and toward the east ten thousand in breadth, and toward the south five and twenty thousand in length: and the sanctuary of the LORD shall be in the midst thereof. 11: It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray. 12: And this oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites. 13: And over against the border of the priests the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand. 14: And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for it is holy unto the LORD. 15: And the five thousand, that are left in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane place for the city, for dwelling, and for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst thereof. 16: And these shall be the measures thereof; the north side four thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and five hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the west side four thousand and five hundred. 17: And the suburbs of the city shall be toward the north two hundred and fifty, and toward the south two hundred and fifty, and toward the east two hundred and fifty, and toward the west two hundred and fifty. 18: And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy portion shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward: and it shall be over against the oblation of the holy portion; and the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city. 19: And they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel. 20: All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare, with the possession of the city. 21: And the residue shall be for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy oblation, and of the possession of the city, over against the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the east border, and westward over against the five and twenty thousand toward the west border, over against the portions for the prince: and it shall be the holy oblation; and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof. 22: Moreover from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city, being in the midst of that which is the prince's, between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin, shall be for the prince. 23: As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side unto the west side, Benjamin shall have a portion. 24: And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west side, Simeon shall have a portion. 25: And by the border of Simeon, from the east side unto the west side, Issachar a portion. 26: And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west side, Zebulun a portion. 27: And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad a portion. 28: And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar unto the waters of strife in Kadesh, and to the river toward the great sea. 29: This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their portions, saith the Lord GOD. 30: And these are the goings out of the city on the north side, four thousand and five hundred measures. 31: And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi. 32: And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan. 33: And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun. 34: At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali. 35: It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.

The Lord explains what will happen regarding the opening and shutting of the gate of the inner court. It will be opened only on the Sabbath and on the days of new moon. The Prince – David will enter the temple by this route. Then the Lord lists the sacrifices that will be offered unto the Lord. When the people come before the Lord those who live in the north will enter by the south gate and vice versa. They will not leave the same way they came in. the Lord gives more instructions regarding sacrifices and where they are to be performed. Then the Lord showed Ezekiel the river that came out of the threshold of the temple. The river soon becomes a brook then a river by measure. First ankle, then knees, then waist deep, then waters to swim in. On each side of the banks of the river there will be trees. The river after running south will then be parted half to go east into the Dead Sea thus making it able to have fish again and the other half of the river will flow west to the Mediterranean Sea. The fruit of the trees on each side of the river will never fail. Next the Lord sets the boundary of the land that Israel will possess. The Lord specifies exactly the land each tribe will possess. There will be twelve gates for each of tribe of Israel. The city of Zion will have a new name – THE LORD IS THERE.

AM Dec 2nd 1John 2

December 2^nd 1 John 2 B. God is Love Obeying Christ

1: My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3: And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4: He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5: But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6: He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Love the brethren

7: Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 8: Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 9: He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10: He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11: But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. 12: I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. 13: I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14: I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

At first John seems to be saying that Christians can be sinless. Of course John is not saying that at all because previously he has said that, ‘If we say we have not sin then we are liars’. So what is John saying? Well John is saying that Christians do not sin as a deliberate a specific course of action day after day. They sin but not as a daily plan of action. Then John says, If (or when) any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He is the propitiation for our sins. He is the sacrifice that takes away the guilt of sin by taking away the offence. God is propitious. That is He is kind! There is nothing that you need to do to make him propitious! He is propitious. Christ has in himself made a sacrifice to put away ALL YOUR SIN. And not just yours but also the sin of the Whole world. (The issue God has with the world is NOT SIN! The issue God has with the world is HIS SON! And whether men accept him or not! Then John goes on to say that those who are saved - keep his commandments. Here we get a glimpse of the fact the John is writing to believers of Israel. Christians are not under commandments! But the saved of Israel are. John takes them back to the commandment of Christ given during the age of law, which is that his followers are to love one another and this will be the token of salvation. Next John writes to three classes of believers and gives exhortation suitable to their station in life. To the Little Children he says your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. To the Fathers they have known the eternal Christ. To the young men they have overcome the wicked one. Then he has more to say to each group. Little children - have known the Father. Fathers - have known him that is from the beginning. Young men - are strong, and the word of God abideth in them and they have overcome the wicked one. Which group do you belong to?