WEBVTT 00:00:00.919 --> 00:00:03.720 Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:05.740 taking this journey together to read the Bible 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:09.140 in a year. Today's reading is from the book of 00:00:09.140 --> 00:00:13.880 Daniel, chapters 2 and 3. Chapter 2 Now in the 00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:16.699 second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar 00:00:16.699 --> 00:00:19.399 had dreams, and his spirit was so troubled that 00:00:19.399 --> 00:00:21.940 his sleep left him. Then the king gave the command 00:00:21.940 --> 00:00:25.120 to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, 00:00:25.399 --> 00:00:27.739 and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. 00:00:28.059 --> 00:00:30.679 So they came and stood before the king, and the 00:00:30.679 --> 00:00:32.960 king said to them, I have had the dream, and 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:35.679 my spirit is anxious to know the dream. Then 00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:38.420 the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, O 00:00:38.420 --> 00:00:41.320 king, live forever. Tell your servants the dream, 00:00:41.420 --> 00:00:43.880 and we will give the interpretation. The king 00:00:43.880 --> 00:00:46.039 answered and said to the Chaldeans, My decision 00:00:46.039 --> 00:00:49.020 is firm. If you do not make known the dream to 00:00:49.020 --> 00:00:52.140 me, and its interpretation you shall be cut in 00:00:52.140 --> 00:00:55.060 pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash 00:00:55.060 --> 00:00:57.759 heap. However, if you tell the dream and its 00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:00.259 interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, 00:01:00.420 --> 00:01:03.520 rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:07.060 dream and its interpretation. They answered again 00:01:07.060 --> 00:01:09.560 and said, Let the king tell his servants the 00:01:09.560 --> 00:01:12.260 dream, and we will give its interpretation. The 00:01:12.260 --> 00:01:14.719 king answered and said, I know for certain that 00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:17.400 you would gain time, because you see that my 00:01:17.400 --> 00:01:20.530 decision is firm. If you do not make known the 00:01:20.530 --> 00:01:22.930 dream to me, there is only one decree for you, 00:01:23.030 --> 00:01:25.430 for you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt 00:01:25.430 --> 00:01:29.010 words before me till the time has changed. Therefore 00:01:29.010 --> 00:01:31.390 tell me the dream, and I shall know that you 00:01:31.390 --> 00:01:34.049 can give me its interpretation. The Chaldeans 00:01:34.049 --> 00:01:36.569 answered the king and said, There is not a man 00:01:36.569 --> 00:01:39.650 on earth who can tell the king's matter. Therefore 00:01:39.650 --> 00:01:43.469 no king, lord or ruler has ever asked such things 00:01:43.469 --> 00:01:46.829 of any magician, astrologer or Chaldean. It is 00:01:46.829 --> 00:01:48.989 a difficult thing that the king requests and 00:01:48.989 --> 00:01:51.209 there is no other who can tell it to the king 00:01:51.209 --> 00:01:54.209 except the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh. 00:01:54.430 --> 00:01:56.930 For this reason the king was angry and very furious 00:01:56.930 --> 00:01:59.370 and gave the command to destroy all the wise 00:01:59.370 --> 00:02:02.650 men of Babylon. So the decree went out and they 00:02:02.650 --> 00:02:05.129 began killing the wise men and they sought Daniel 00:02:05.129 --> 00:02:08.419 and his companions to kill them. Then with counsel 00:02:08.419 --> 00:02:11.439 and wisdom, Daniel answered Ariok, the captain 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:14.240 of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill 00:02:14.240 --> 00:02:16.520 the wise men of Babylon. He answered and said 00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:19.039 to Ariok, the king's captain, Why is the decree 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:21.879 from the king so urgent? Then Ariok made the 00:02:21.879 --> 00:02:25.039 decision known to Daniel. So Daniel went in and 00:02:25.039 --> 00:02:27.460 asked the king to give him time, that he might 00:02:27.460 --> 00:02:29.919 tell the king the interpretation. Then Daniel 00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:32.400 went to his house and made the decision known 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:35.819 to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 00:02:36.060 --> 00:02:38.580 that they might seek mercies from the God of 00:02:38.580 --> 00:02:41.020 heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel 00:02:41.020 --> 00:02:43.460 and his companions might not perish with the 00:02:43.460 --> 00:02:46.219 rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret 00:02:46.219 --> 00:02:48.560 was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:51.979 Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered 00:02:51.979 --> 00:02:54.539 and said, Blessed be the name of the God forever 00:02:54.539 --> 00:02:57.979 and ever. For wisdom and might are his, and he 00:02:57.979 --> 00:03:00.379 changes the times and the seasons. He removes 00:03:00.379 --> 00:03:03.580 kings and raises up kings. He gives wisdom to 00:03:03.580 --> 00:03:06.280 the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:09.939 He reveals deep and secret things. He knows what 00:03:09.939 --> 00:03:12.680 is in the darkness, and light dwells with him. 00:03:12.860 --> 00:03:15.520 I thank you and praise you, O God of my fathers. 00:03:15.560 --> 00:03:17.900 You have given me wisdom and might, and have 00:03:17.900 --> 00:03:20.879 now made known to me what we asked of you. For 00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:23.360 you have made known to us the king's demand. 00:03:24.310 --> 00:03:26.849 Therefore Daniel went to Ariok, whom the king 00:03:26.849 --> 00:03:29.509 had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. 00:03:29.750 --> 00:03:32.430 He went and said thus to him, Do not destroy 00:03:32.430 --> 00:03:34.830 the wise men of Babylon. Take me before the king, 00:03:34.949 --> 00:03:36.990 and I will tell the king the interpretation. 00:03:37.490 --> 00:03:39.949 Then Ariok quickly brought Daniel before the 00:03:39.949 --> 00:03:43.009 king and said thus to him, I have found a man 00:03:43.009 --> 00:03:45.270 of the captives of Judah who will make known 00:03:45.270 --> 00:03:48.069 to the king the interpretation. The king answered 00:03:48.069 --> 00:03:50.490 and said to Daniel, whose name was Belshazzar, 00:03:50.590 --> 00:03:53.169 Are you able to make known to me the dream which 00:03:53.169 --> 00:03:56.789 I have seen? and its interpretation? Daniel answered 00:03:56.789 --> 00:03:59.050 in the presence of the king and said, The secret 00:03:59.050 --> 00:04:01.789 which the king has demanded, the wise men, the 00:04:01.789 --> 00:04:04.590 astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers 00:04:04.590 --> 00:04:07.349 cannot declare to the king. But there is a God 00:04:07.349 --> 00:04:10.550 in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made 00:04:10.550 --> 00:04:13.389 known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in 00:04:13.389 --> 00:04:16.089 the latter days. Your dream and the visions of 00:04:16.089 --> 00:04:19.629 your head upon your bed were these. As for you, 00:04:19.670 --> 00:04:22.389 O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your 00:04:22.389 --> 00:04:25.139 bed. about what would come to pass after this, 00:04:25.259 --> 00:04:28.040 and he who reveals secrets has made known to 00:04:28.040 --> 00:04:31.139 you what will be. But as for me, this secret 00:04:31.139 --> 00:04:33.600 has not been revealed to me because I have more 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:36.560 wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:38.699 who made known the interpretation to the king, 00:04:38.860 --> 00:04:41.399 and that you may know the thoughts of your heart. 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:44.740 You, O king, were watching, and behold, a great 00:04:44.740 --> 00:04:47.980 image. This great image, whose splendor was excellent, 00:04:48.220 --> 00:04:51.430 stood before you, and its form was awesome. This 00:04:51.430 --> 00:04:54.750 image's head was of fine gold, its chest and 00:04:54.750 --> 00:04:58.230 arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 00:04:58.470 --> 00:05:02.930 its legs of iron, its feet partially of iron 00:05:02.930 --> 00:05:06.230 and partially of clay. You watched while a stone 00:05:06.230 --> 00:05:09.470 was cut out without hands, which struck the image 00:05:09.470 --> 00:05:12.790 on its feet of iron and clay and broke them in 00:05:12.790 --> 00:05:16.180 pieces. then the iron the clay the bronze the 00:05:16.180 --> 00:05:19.220 silver and the gold were crushed together and 00:05:19.220 --> 00:05:21.620 became like chaff from the summer threshing floors 00:05:21.620 --> 00:05:25.120 the wind carried them away so that no trace of 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:27.579 them was found and the stone that struck the 00:05:27.579 --> 00:05:30.459 image became a great mountain and filled the 00:05:30.459 --> 00:05:33.860 whole earth this is the dream now we will tell 00:05:33.860 --> 00:05:36.399 the interpretation of it before the king you 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:39.740 o king are a king of kings for the god of heaven 00:05:39.740 --> 00:05:42.850 has given you a kingdom power, strength, and 00:05:42.850 --> 00:05:45.170 glory. And wherever the children of men dwell, 00:05:45.310 --> 00:05:47.769 or the beasts of the field, and the birds of 00:05:47.769 --> 00:05:50.550 the heaven, he has given them into your hand, 00:05:50.670 --> 00:05:53.269 and has made you ruler over them all. You are 00:05:53.269 --> 00:05:56.029 this head of gold. But after you shall arise 00:05:56.029 --> 00:05:58.689 another kingdom inferior to yours, then another, 00:05:58.810 --> 00:06:01.490 a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over 00:06:01.490 --> 00:06:03.949 all the earth. And a fourth kingdom shall be 00:06:03.949 --> 00:06:06.829 as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in 00:06:06.829 --> 00:06:09.730 pieces and shatters everything. And like iron 00:06:09.730 --> 00:06:12.370 that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces 00:06:12.370 --> 00:06:15.610 and crush all the others. Whereas you saw the 00:06:15.610 --> 00:06:18.610 feet and toes partially of potter's clay and 00:06:18.610 --> 00:06:21.110 partially of iron, the kingdom shall be divided. 00:06:21.350 --> 00:06:23.509 Yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, 00:06:23.569 --> 00:06:26.389 just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 00:06:26.589 --> 00:06:28.949 And as the toes of the feet were partially of 00:06:28.949 --> 00:06:31.370 iron and partially of clay, so the kingdom shall 00:06:31.370 --> 00:06:34.290 be partially strong and partially fragile. as 00:06:34.290 --> 00:06:36.670 you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay they will 00:06:36.670 --> 00:06:39.250 mingle with the seed of men but they will not 00:06:39.250 --> 00:06:42.410 adhere to one another just as iron does not mix 00:06:42.410 --> 00:06:45.689 with clay and in the days of these kings the 00:06:45.689 --> 00:06:48.470 god of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall 00:06:48.470 --> 00:06:50.930 never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not 00:06:50.930 --> 00:06:53.610 be left to other people it shall break in pieces 00:06:53.610 --> 00:06:56.790 and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand 00:06:56.790 --> 00:07:00.120 forever inasmuch as you saw that the stone was 00:07:00.120 --> 00:07:02.759 cut out of the mountain without hands and that 00:07:02.759 --> 00:07:05.720 it broke in pieces the iron the bronze the clay 00:07:05.720 --> 00:07:09.220 the silver and the gold the great god has made 00:07:09.220 --> 00:07:11.639 known to the king what will come to pass after 00:07:11.639 --> 00:07:14.800 this the dream is certain and its interpretation 00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:18.199 is sure then king nebuchadnezzar fell on his 00:07:18.199 --> 00:07:21.540 face prostrate before daniel and commanded that 00:07:21.540 --> 00:07:23.519 they should present an offering and incense to 00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:26.439 him The king answered Daniel and said, Truly 00:07:26.439 --> 00:07:29.519 your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:32.720 and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal 00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:35.279 this secret. Then the king promoted Daniel and 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:37.819 gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler 00:07:37.819 --> 00:07:40.459 over the whole province of Babylon, and chief 00:07:40.459 --> 00:07:42.879 administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:46.519 Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, 00:07:46.540 --> 00:07:49.000 Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:52.279 province of Babylon. But Daniel sat in the gate 00:07:52.279 --> 00:07:57.360 of the king. Chapter 3 Nebuchadnezzar the king 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:00.680 made an image of gold whose height was 60 cubits 00:08:00.680 --> 00:08:04.060 and its width 6 cubits. He set it up in the plain 00:08:04.060 --> 00:08:06.600 of Dura in the province of Babylon, and King 00:08:06.600 --> 00:08:09.180 Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the 00:08:09.180 --> 00:08:12.160 satraps, the administrators, the governors, the 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:15.279 counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:18.220 and all the officials of the provinces to come 00:08:18.220 --> 00:08:21.439 to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar 00:08:21.439 --> 00:08:23.720 had set up. So the satraps, the administrators, 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:26.199 the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, 00:08:26.379 --> 00:08:28.740 the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials 00:08:28.740 --> 00:08:31.800 of the provinces gathered together for the dedication 00:08:31.800 --> 00:08:34.220 of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set 00:08:34.220 --> 00:08:36.919 up, and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar 00:08:36.919 --> 00:08:40.360 had set up. Then a herald cried aloud, To you 00:08:40.360 --> 00:08:43.100 it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 00:08:43.399 --> 00:08:46.059 that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, 00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:50.159 flute, harp, lyre and psaltery in symphony with 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:52.960 all kinds of music you shall fall down and worship 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:55.600 the gold image that king nebuchadnezzar has set 00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:58.200 up and whoever does not fall down and worship 00:08:58.200 --> 00:09:00.899 shall be cast immediately into the midst of a 00:09:00.899 --> 00:09:04.039 burning fiery furnace so at that time when all 00:09:04.039 --> 00:09:06.200 the people heard the sound of the horn flute 00:09:06.200 --> 00:09:09.519 harp and lyre in symphony with all kinds of music 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:12.899 all the people nations and languages fell down 00:09:12.899 --> 00:09:16.000 and worshipped the gold image which king nebuchadnezzar 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:19.590 had set up Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans 00:09:19.590 --> 00:09:22.090 came forward and accused the Jews. They spoke 00:09:22.090 --> 00:09:24.470 and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live 00:09:24.470 --> 00:09:27.350 forever. You, O king, have made a decree that 00:09:27.350 --> 00:09:29.769 everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, 00:09:30.009 --> 00:09:33.070 harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all 00:09:33.070 --> 00:09:35.830 kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the 00:09:35.830 --> 00:09:39.070 gold image. And whoever does not fall down and 00:09:39.070 --> 00:09:41.230 worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning 00:09:41.230 --> 00:09:44.169 fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you 00:09:44.169 --> 00:09:46.370 have set over the affairs of the province of 00:09:46.370 --> 00:09:49.190 Babylon. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These 00:09:49.190 --> 00:09:52.049 men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. 00:09:52.269 --> 00:09:55.149 They do not serve your gods or worship the gold 00:09:55.149 --> 00:09:58.269 image which you have set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar, 00:09:58.269 --> 00:10:01.429 in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, 00:10:01.450 --> 00:10:04.269 Meshach, and Abednego. So they brought these 00:10:04.269 --> 00:10:07.269 men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying 00:10:07.269 --> 00:10:10.269 to them, Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 00:10:10.470 --> 00:10:13.309 that you do not serve my gods or worship the 00:10:13.309 --> 00:10:16.669 gold image which I have set up? Now if you are 00:10:16.669 --> 00:10:19.129 ready at that time, you hear the sound of the 00:10:19.129 --> 00:10:22.830 horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony 00:10:22.830 --> 00:10:26.029 with all kinds of music, and you fall down and 00:10:26.029 --> 00:10:28.929 worship the image which I have made, good. But 00:10:28.929 --> 00:10:31.509 if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately 00:10:31.509 --> 00:10:34.610 into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And 00:10:34.610 --> 00:10:37.429 who is the God who will deliver you from my hands? 00:10:38.169 --> 00:10:40.470 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and 00:10:40.470 --> 00:10:43.149 said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no 00:10:43.149 --> 00:10:45.659 need to answer you in this matter. If that is 00:10:45.659 --> 00:10:48.399 the case, our God, whom we serve, is able to 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:51.059 deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and 00:10:51.059 --> 00:10:53.919 he will deliver us from your hand, O king. But 00:10:53.919 --> 00:10:56.460 if not, let it be known to you, O king, that 00:10:56.460 --> 00:10:59.539 we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship 00:10:59.539 --> 00:11:03.129 the gold image which you have set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar 00:11:03.129 --> 00:11:06.149 was full of fury, and the expression on his face 00:11:06.149 --> 00:11:08.909 changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 00:11:09.049 --> 00:11:11.509 He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace 00:11:11.509 --> 00:11:14.389 seven times more than it was usually heated, 00:11:14.549 --> 00:11:17.049 and he commanded certain mighty men of valor 00:11:17.049 --> 00:11:19.909 who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, 00:11:19.950 --> 00:11:22.450 and Abednego, and cast them into the burning 00:11:22.450 --> 00:11:26.039 fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their 00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:28.720 coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:30.879 other garments, and were cast into the midst 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:33.440 of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore, because 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:36.820 the king's command was urgent, the furnace exceedingly 00:11:36.820 --> 00:11:40.100 hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who 00:11:40.100 --> 00:11:42.580 took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and 00:11:42.580 --> 00:11:45.139 these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:48.149 fell down bound into the midst of the burning 00:11:48.149 --> 00:11:51.190 fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished, 00:11:51.289 --> 00:11:54.289 and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his 00:11:54.289 --> 00:11:58.110 counselors, Did we not cast three men bound into 00:11:58.110 --> 00:12:00.610 the midst of the fire? They answered and said 00:12:00.610 --> 00:12:03.610 to the king, True, O king. Look, he answered, 00:12:03.809 --> 00:12:06.850 I see four men loose, walking in the midst of 00:12:06.850 --> 00:12:09.429 the fire, and they are not hurt, and the form 00:12:09.429 --> 00:12:13.340 of the fourth is like the Son of God. Then Nebuchadnezzar 00:12:13.340 --> 00:12:15.919 went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:18.620 and spoke, saying, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 00:12:18.779 --> 00:12:21.539 servants of the Most High God, come out and come 00:12:21.539 --> 00:12:24.360 here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:26.980 from the midst of the fire, and the satraps, 00:12:27.019 --> 00:12:29.740 administrators, governors, and the king's counselors 00:12:29.740 --> 00:12:32.679 gathered together, and they saw these men, on 00:12:32.679 --> 00:12:35.740 whose bodies the fire had no power. The hair 00:12:35.740 --> 00:12:38.500 of their head was not singed, nor were their 00:12:38.500 --> 00:12:41.080 garments affected, and the smell of fire was 00:12:41.080 --> 00:12:44.169 not on them. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, Blessed 00:12:44.169 --> 00:12:46.669 be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 00:12:47.129 --> 00:12:49.509 who sent his angel and delivered his servants 00:12:49.509 --> 00:12:52.230 who trusted in him. And they have frustrated 00:12:52.230 --> 00:12:55.090 the king's word and yielded their bodies that 00:12:55.090 --> 00:12:57.830 they should not serve nor worship any god except 00:12:57.830 --> 00:13:01.309 their own god. Therefore I make a decree that 00:13:01.309 --> 00:13:04.470 any people, nation or language which speaks anything 00:13:04.470 --> 00:13:07.629 amiss against the god of Shadrach, Meshach and 00:13:07.629 --> 00:13:10.429 Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses 00:13:10.429 --> 00:13:13.309 shall be made an ash heap because there is no 00:13:13.309 --> 00:13:16.870 other god who can deliver like this. Then the 00:13:16.870 --> 00:13:19.169 king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 00:13:19.169 --> 00:13:27.210 in the province of Babylon. I hope you enjoyed 00:13:27.210 --> 00:13:29.789 today's reading as much as I did and I look forward 00:13:29.789 --> 00:13:31.850 to seeing you again tomorrow to continue on our 00:13:31.850 --> 00:13:33.950 journey. God bless you and have a great day.