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The Greatest Story Ever Told How To Read And Understand THE PROPHETS (Daniel, Part 2)

Facts About The Prophets 4 Major Prophets (long) Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel 12 Minor Prophets (short) Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi Date: All written between BC Format: Collections of individual prophecies

Only God is Great! Daniel 4 Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream (4:4-18) The Interpretation (4:19–27) Nebuchadnezzar’s Humbling (4:28–33) Nebuchadnezzar’s Exaltation (4:34–37)

Dream of a Large Tree (4:4-18) Wise men couldn’t interpret it King shares vision with Daniel Huge fruitful tree that gave food and shelter to many creatures A holy one comes down to earth and makes this proclamation Chop it down, lop off branches, strip its leaves Leave stump in the ground with band of iron/bronze Let “him” become like a beast of the field Let seven periods of time pass by

Interpretation of the dream (4:19-27) You are going to be humiliated Advice: Stop sinning! Practice righteousness, show mercy, and God may perhaps lengthen your reign. I wish this dream were about your enemies! You are the tree

Trivial Pursuit What player squats an average of 300 times during a doubleheader? What became America’s first organized sport, in 1664? What U.S. city did Indiana Jones take off from on his adventures in Raiders of the Lost Ark?

Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation (4:28-33) The boast The judgment You shall be made like a beast “until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will” Immediately it happened Driven from among men

Trivial Pursuit What did cleaning crews remove 600 pounds of from the Statue of Liberty in 1990? What was Shadrach’s Jewish name? What state’s gourmets devour 3.6 cans of Spam per second, double the rate of the rest of the U.S.?

Nebuchadnezzar’s Exaltation (4:34-37) The confession “His dominion is an everlasting dominion” “His kingdom endures from generation to generation” The restoration Glorified the King who was greater than he would ever be

Progression of Conversion “Truly, your God” Daniel 2:47 “Their God” Daniel 3:29 “My God” Daniel 4

God Rules! “that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.” (Daniel 4:17) “...till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” (Daniel 4:25) “…until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” (Daniel 4:32) “…I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever…” (Daniel 4:34)

Sound Familiar? “At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;” (Daniel 4:34) “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever” (Daniel 2:44)

God is Able to Mend Broken Lives Out of the ashes comes a man who wants to tell you about what God has done. “those who walk in pride he is able to humble” (Daniel 4:37) Tax collector and Pharisee “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)

King Over All The great and mighty persecutor of Israel, the destroyer of Jerusalem, was humbled by God’s grace and brought to confess God’s mercy. He blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever ‘Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.’ (Matthew 10:39) ‘What does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life’ (Mark 8:36)

KING OVER ALL “At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven…and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’” (Daniel 4:34-35)

podium Table for water/OJ Table for coffee/food table Starting Point 14 chairs table