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In the heart of ancient Mesopotamia, a city rose that challenged the heavens.
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[Music] Babylon, colossal walls, bronze gates,
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and hanging gardens that shone like paradise itself.
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On the throne, a man who believed he ruled the world. Nebuchadnezzar, King of
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Kings, Lord of peoples and nations. His word was law. His glory seemed
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eternal. And no army dared to face him.
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But no human throne is unshakable before the God who rules over all kingdoms.
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This is the story of a king who went from glory to madness, from pride to
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downfall, and from humiliation to restoration.
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[Music] A story where the majesty of Babylon
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bows before the eternity of the living God.
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[Music]
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The walls of Babylon rose like colossi before the desert,
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reflecting the glory of an empire that seemed eternal.
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Shining towers, gates covered in bronze,
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soldiers marching in rhythm.
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Everything exuded power.
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The Euphrates River cut through the city like a silver serpent, bringing life and
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grandeur.
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In the heart of this empire on a golden throne supported by stone lions
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there was Nebuchadnezzar the king of kings.
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Your eyes piercing and firm observe the riches conquered and your heart
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overflowed with pride.
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There is no kingdom like mine. Who would dare resist the arm of Babylon?
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However, amidst the splendor, a defeated people were silently crying. Men, women,
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and children of Jerusalem had been taken captive.
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Among them, four young people with a firm look stood out.
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Daniel, Hananiah, Mishel, and Ezariah,
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enslaved and taken to court, they represented the hope of a god who did
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not remain silent even in exile.
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[Music] One night, Nebuchadnezzar was troubled by a dream.
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His breathing became heavy. Sweat covered
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his forehead. Upon waking up, he shouted,
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"Guards, call all the wise men magicians and enchanters. I want them to reveal
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the dream and the interpretation to me. If they do not, they shall die."
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The throne room filled with frightened men. One of the leaders whispered,
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"Your Majesty, tell us the dream and we will interpret it." But the king roared,
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"No, you must tell me what I dreamed and also the meaning. That way, I'll know if
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you're not lying to me." Panic spread. No one dared to speak.
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Then the decree was issued.
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All the wise men would be executed.
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Among them was Daniel, who upon hearing the sentence looked up to the sky and
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said to his friends,
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"Let us pray to the God of the heavens, for only he can reveal what is hidden."
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[Music] That night, Daniel received the revelation in visions.
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At dawn, he was taken before the king.
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The imposing room was silent except for the sound of the sovereigns breathing.
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Nebuchadnezzar looked at him with disdain. So,
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can you tell me the dream I had? Daniel Humble replied,
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"There is no wise man nor magician. There is no fortune teller who can reveal this mystery, O king, but there
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is a God in heaven who reveals sacreds. He has shown you what is to come.
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The king leaned in, intrigued, and Daniel continued,
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"In your dream, you saw a great statue. Its head was made of pure gold, its
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chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, and
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its feet part of iron and part of clay. As you watched, a stone cut without the
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aid of hands struck the feet of the statue and shattered it.
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The entire idol was reduced to dust, carried away by the wind, and the stone became a mountain that filled the whole
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earth.
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Silence fell over the hall. The eyes of Nebuchadnezzar widened, for these were
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exactly the images that tormented him. He stood up abruptly, the golden robe
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dragging on the floor. That's it. That's exactly what I saw.
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Daniel concluded, "You are the head of gold, O king. God has given you power,
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strength, and glory. But after you other kingdoms will come until the Most High
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establishes an eternal kingdom that will never be destroyed.
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Nebuchadnezzar was astonished. His pride was mixed with fear. For a moment, his
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heart trembled before the revelation of a power greater than his own. He fell
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face down and declared before the court.
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Certainly your God is God of gods and Lord of kings.
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But even though he had recognized the glory of the most high, the seed of pride had not been uprooted. The king's
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heart remained swollen. And the idea of being just one part of a statue deeply
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disturbed him. Deep down, a spark of defiance began to grow.
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If he were the head of gold, he would make himself not just a part, but the
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entirety of the glory. And so while the palace resonated with
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the triumph of the interpretation, Nebuchadnezzar was already secretly plotting the construction of something
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that would forever mark his sovereignty. [Music]
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The distant roar of Babylon's furnaces echoed, heralding a new act of the
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divine drama that was just beginning. The sun burned high over the plain of
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Dura where King Nebuchadnezzar had ordered the erection of a monument never
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before seen. [Music]
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The dust rose under the workers's feet
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while hammers thundered and ropes pulled blocks covered in gold.
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When the last piece was in place, a colossal statue stood before the crowd,
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shimmering in the light as if it were the sun itself. It was not just the golden head of the
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dream, but the entire statue from the feet to the crown, coated in pure gold.
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[Music] It was the reflection of the arrogance of a man who refused to be just part of
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a greater destiny. On the scheduled day, people, nations,
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and languages gathered in front of the statue. Drums were drumming, trumpets were
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echoing, and the king's herald proclaimed in a firm voice,
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"Oh peoples of all the earth, as decreed by Nebuchadnezzar, when you hear the
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sound of the trumpet, the flute, the harp, the liar, and all kinds of music,
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bow down and worship the statue the king has erected. Anyone who does not bow
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down will be immediately thrown into the burning furnace.
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The crowd trembled. The sound of the instruments filled the air
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and like waves everyone fell face down before the golden image.
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[Music]
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All except three figures remained firm. Hananiah, Mishel, and Azeriah.
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Their eyes did not turn to the statue, but to the invisible sky above them.
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Soldiers grabbed them and dragged them to the king's makeshift throne.
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Nebuchadnezzar with a fiery look stood up and shouted,
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"Is it true, Shadrach, Mach, and Abednego, that you do not worship my
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golden statue? I give you one last chance. When you hear the music, bow
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down. Otherwise, you will be thrown into the furnace. And what God will be able
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to save you from my hand? The three young men, even when
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surrounded by warriors, responded with calmness.
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Hananas spoke first. "Oh, Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to
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answer about that. Behold, our God whom we serve can deliver us from the furnace
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and from your hand. But if you do not know, O king, that we
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will not serve your gods, nor worship the statue you have erected.
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Nebuchadnezzar's face twisted in anger. He shouted to the gods.
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Increase the fire seven times more. Tie them up and throw them now.
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The flames roared like enraged beasts.
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The soldiers who approached were consumed by the heat, falling dead at the edge of the furnace.
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[Music] But the three young men were thrown
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inside. The crowd held its breath.
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The king on his throne leaned forward to see better. His eyes accustomed to
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victory now widened. [Music]
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Didn't we throw three men tied up into the fire?
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Yes, O king. So I see four men loose, walking
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unharmed in the flames, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.
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Silence fell over the plane. The fire that was supposed to consume became the
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stage for a miracle. The young people walked through the flames as if they were crossing a
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garden, and the radiance of the divine presence shone.
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Nebuchadnezzar stood up with a choked voice. Shadrach, Meach, and Abednego, servants
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of the most high God, come out and come here.
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They came out, and the crowd was amazed. Not a single hair burned, nor any smell
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of smoke on their clothing. The shaken king proclaimed before
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everyone, "Blessed be the God of these men, who
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sent his angel and delivered his servants. Therefore, I decree that no
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people speak against this God, for there is no other who can deliver like this."
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[Music] The crowd cheered, but inside Nebuchadnezzar's heart, the battle was
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still not won. He had recognized the divine power, but his soul remained
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dominated by the thirst for glory. For him, the experience was not a
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surrender, but a confrontation with a mysterious force that needed to be
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understood or challenged.
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That night, the king wandered alone through the marble corridors of the palace. His hands touched the cold
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walls, [Music] and their thoughts burned more than the
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flames that could not consume the young ones.
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If this god governs over everything, why did he choose me to reign? Why does he
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show me signs but not take the scepter from me? Maybe it's because I'm still
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destined for something greater.
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The night wind passed through the columns, bringing the echo of the trumpets that had announced the worship
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of the statue. Nebuchadnezzar took a deep breath,
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trying to understand the mysteries.
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But while seeking answers, a new omen began to take shape. Something more
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unsettling than the golden statue or the fiery furnace.
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And in the depths of the night, the king would close his eyes to find another
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vision that would change the course of his life forever.
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[Music] Night fell over Babylon, but
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Nebuchadnezzar's heart found no peace.
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He walked restlessly through the hanging gardens, lit by torches that danced in
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the wind. [Music] The murmur of the water falling in
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cascades did not ease the weight on his mind.
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Suddenly, a dream took hold of him with force. It was so vivid that it seemed more real than being awake.
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He saw before him a gigantic tree that reached the heavens. Its branches spread
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across the entire earth, and all creatures found shelter in its shade.
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[Music] The birds were making nests among its
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green leaves. The animals were resting under its canopy.
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And people used to eat its abundant fruits.
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The king gazed with pride at that majestic tree until a powerful voice
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echoed from the heavens. Cut the tree and destroy it.
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However, leave the stump with its roots in the ground, bound with chains of iron
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and bronze, until the dw of heaven passes over it and it is humbled among the wild animals.
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Seven periods of time will pass until you acknowledge that the Most High rules
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over the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever he wishes. The vision
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disappeared, but the heart of Nebuchadnezzar remained in torment.
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Upon waking up, his body trembled and he immediately ordered.
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Call me Daniel. Only he can reveal this mystery.
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Daniel entered the palace humble as always and bowed before the king.
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Nebuchadnezzar, anxious, described every detail of the dream, his voice choked
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with unease.
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When it ended, there was silence as they watched the prophet. Daniel lowered his
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head and his expression became serious.
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Tell me the truth, no matter how hard it is, speak.
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Daniel took a deep breath, then responded with regret.
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Oh king, if only the dream were against your enemies,
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the tree you saw is you, Nebuchadnezzar. Your kingdom has spread to the ends of
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the earth, and your glory has reached the heavens. But the decree of the most high is this. You will be expelled from
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among men and will live with the animals of the field. You will eat grass like oxmen, and the dew of heaven will soak
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your body. You will remain like this for seven periods of time until you recognize that the most high rules over
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the kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes. However, as it was said that
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the trunken roots would remain, this means that your kingdom will be returned to you when you recognize that heaven
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reigns. The words echoed through the hall like
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thunder. The king remained silent, staring intently at Daniel. His wounded pride
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fought against the fear burning inside him.
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Daniel in a soft voice added, [Music]
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"Therefore, O king, accept my advice. Renounce your sins by practicing
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righteousness and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor." Perhaps this way you will prolong your
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tranquility. Nebuchadnezzar rose from the throne with
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heavy steps and walked towards the balcony.
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Their eyes wandered over the moonlit walls.
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the temples filled with incense and the streets bustling with life. He clenched
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his fists and muttered, "How can a man be compared to a cut down
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tree? How can the greatest king on earth be
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cast down to the ground like an animal? No, I will not accept this fate. Babylon
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is eternal and I am its crown.
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Daniel in silence withdrew, knowing that the king's words revealed more than just
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stubbornness. They were signs that the prophecy was
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about to come true.
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The following days brought apparent calmness.
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Nebuchadnezzar resumed his routine of banquetss, parades, and political decisions.
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[Music] The nobles bowed before him, and the city kept cheering his name.
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In his heart, the shadow of the dream did not leave. Sometimes at night, he would wake up with a start. Hearing the
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echo of the heavenly voice, seven times will be fulfilled.
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[Music]
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A whole year has passed.
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The king seemed to have forgotten the warning. His heart, intoxicated by glory, ignored the call to humility.
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He kept building temples and palaces, convinced that his greatness would never end.
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[Music]
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Until one afternoon, as he gazed at the horizon from the royal terrace, the
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sun's rays reflecting off the golden walls, Nebuchadnezzar opened his arms
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and exclaimed in a resounding voice capable of echoing throughout the city.
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[Music] Is this not the great Babylon that I have built with the power of my strength
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and for the glory of my majesty?
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The words were still echoing when suddenly a voice from the sky broke the silence.
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Oh Nebuchadnezzar, it has been declared to you. The kingdom has passed from you.
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You will be expelled from among men, and your dwelling will be with the animals of the field until you learn that the
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Most High rules over the kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes." The
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king trembled, his body wavered, his mind plunged into darkness. His eyes,
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once full of pride, now lost their reason.
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The guards ran to support him,
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but he roared like a beast, tearing off the royal cloak, falling to the ground
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before everyone. And so the dream of the felled tree
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began to come true.
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The palace of Babylon fell into silence after the celestial cry.
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The nobles drew back. The guards glanced at each other in fear. And the king, once an absolute sovereign, fell to his
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knees, tearing off his royal adornments as if they were useless weights. His
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eyes lost the shine of reason. His body overtaken by spasms moved like that of a
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cornered animal. The servant shouted, but no one dared to come near. The decree of heaven had been
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fulfilled. Nebuchadnezzar was expelled from his own court.
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The man who ruled peoples and nations now wandered through the fields around the city. His bare feet sank into the
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damp earth, and his mouth, once full of powerful decrees, was filled with herbs
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and roots. The beard grew messy, and his hair
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lengthened and hardened like feathers,
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and her nails curved like sharp claws.
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The shepherds who were taking their flocks saw it from afar and murmured among themselves,
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[Music] "Is it him? Is this King Nebuchadnezzar, the conqueror of Jerusalem, the Lord of
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the land?" Yes, but the most high humbled him. Who
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can resist his hand? [Music] Days turned into months and months into
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years.
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The king lived under the morning dew, howling at the moonlight,
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and the animals of the field became his companions. His mind, consumed by madness, wandered
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between shadows and fragmented memories. Sometimes a human roar still echoed from
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his lips. My Babylon, my glory.
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But then his voice was lost in animallike growls.
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Inside the city, the throne was empty.
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The nobles ruled in silence, fearing to conspire against the king, as they still
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considered him untouchable by divine decree.
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Seven eras passed, seven long periods of humiliation in which the proud one was
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reduced to dust. Nature marked your body but also
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prepared your soul. So on a calm morning when the sun was
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rising over the golden fields, something different happened.
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Nebuchadnezzar looked up to the sky. For the first time in years, his mind opened
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and the darkness dissipated like smoke before the wind. He took a deep breath,
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feeling the breeze on his face and murmured clearly,
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"The heavens, the heavens rule." And in that moment, his reason was
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restored to him. The animal was silent, and the man became king again.
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He fell with his face to the ground and cried not from pride but from
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repentance. Her tears mixed with the earth and her
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heart was broken before the most high.
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While still in the field, voices echoed among the guards who watched him from afar.
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It's the king. Look, he's come to his senses. See his eyes. They're no longer filled with madness.
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They ran and soon the news reached the city. [Music]
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The nobles gathered and Daniel in the middle of the crowd raised his voice.
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The most high God has fulfilled what he said. Now, as he promised, he will return the kingdom to his servant.
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Nebuchadnezzar was taken back to the palace. His clothes were changed, his body
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washed, his beard trimmed. [Music] When he re-entered the throne room, the
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marble columns echoed the steps of a changed man.
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He no longer walked with his chest puffed up with arrogance, but with the demeanor of someone who had faced
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judgment and received mercy.
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The people crowded the streets. When they saw the king restored, they did not
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hear decrees of personal glory from him, but a song of surrender.
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I, Nebuchadnezzar, look up to the heavens and bless the most high. His sovereignty is eternal
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and his kingdom lasts from generation to generation. The inhabitants of the earth
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are like nothing before him. For he does as he pleases with the army of heavens
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and among men. No one can stop his hand nor ask, "What are you doing?
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The words filled with truth echoed like thunder over the crowd.
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Those who once feared him now respected him in a new way. Not for the power of
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his sword, but for the authority of his experience with the god of the heavens.
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[Music]
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But deep inside the king, there was still something to be said. He needed to
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bear witness before everyone, not just his people, but all nations, that human
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pride is dust before the divine majesty.
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And so his mouth opened again to proclaim, this time not his glory, but
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that of the eternal God.
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And while the city celebrated his return, Nebuchadnezzar knew his story
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was no longer that of a conqueror, but of a man who had been broken and restored to serve as an example to all
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the kings of the earth.
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The cheers were still echoing when the king, seated once more on the throne, asked for silence with a gesture.
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The light that came through the tall windows spilled over the marble and reshaped the room as if the sky, not
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gold, rained there. Nebuchadnezzar took a deep breath. His
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gaze no longer had the hard gleam of pride, but the firmness of someone who
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had experienced ruin and found mercy. He began to speak, and there was no
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fanfare, just truth.
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Peoples, nations, and languages listen. Nebuchadnezzar
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12 I, Nebuchadnezzar, once raised my heart like a tower, but I was brought down, lived among the animals, ate the
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grass of the field, and lost my sanity. Your daughter, then I lifted my eyes to
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the heavens and understood, "The most high rules and gives the kingdom to whom he wills."
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A murmur spread through the hall. The princes who once bowed out of fear now
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bowed with respect. Daniel stayed in the shadow of a column, attentive. The king continued,
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"Issue a decree throughout the entirety of my empire. Let this story be
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published so that the proud may remember. Glory belongs to God."
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The scribes approached with tablets and reads. Nebuchadnezzar dictated with
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pauses as if weighing each syllable. [Music] I saw a tree that reached the heavens. I
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went to that tree and was cut down, but the trunk was bound with iron and
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bronze, and the dew of heaven covered me until I confessed that heaven rules.
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It then my reason was returned to me. May honor was restored and I returned to
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the throne not by merit but by grace.
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Daniel called by the king approached. Nebuchadnezzar looked at him with gratitude.
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Man of God, your word was faithful. What advice do you now offer to a king who
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has returned from the dust? Daniel answered gently, "Be fair. Have mercy on
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the poor. Judge without bribery. Honor the God who raised you."
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The king nodded as if finally finding the way. Then new days began in Babylon. The
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taxes were eased. Judgments became swift and just. The temples of the idols grew
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quiet. And the palace doors opened to the humble.
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[Music]
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In the squares, people talked about the king's miracle. Some mocked in secret,
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others with tearary eyes repeated. The sky rules.
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One afternoon on the terrace where he had once boasted, Nebuchadnezzar gazed
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at the city. The sun was setting, igniting the walls with a light not from
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gold, but from the twilight itself.
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By his side, Daniel remained silent. The king said,
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"Here was my downfall. Here I confessed. Here also begins your testimony."
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As night fell, the king called a meeting in the grand courtyard. Torches burned
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like earthly constellations.
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Amidst the people, the three young men who came out of the furnace were visible, firm, and composed.
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Nebuchadnezzar raised his voice. Sadroch, Mach, and Abednego. In front of
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everyone, I give thanks for your God. I
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wish I had learned from your fire before knowing my madness.
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Hananas replied, "The Almighty writes straight on lines
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we cannot see.
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Then the herald read the final proclamation. Let it be known throughout my empire.
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The heavens rule, pride leads to downfall, and the most high can humble those who walk in arrogance.
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It was not a threat, but a loving warning carrying the weight of a life
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shattered and rebuilt. [Music]
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That same night, Nebuchadnezzar went to his chambers. Before sleeping, he knelt.
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[Music] Lord of the skies, I who thought I was the master of time was counted like the
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dew of a morning. Keep me in the truth. The room became quiet.
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[Music]
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The city breathed and the stars seemed to lean over Babylon.
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Over the years, the king's reputation changed color. From a feared conqueror,
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he became a wise sovereign. Travelers would say,
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"In Babylon, a man tasted dust and found true glory."
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In schools, the boys learned not only laws and measurements, but also the song
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of the restored king. [Music]
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And when Nebuchadnezzar's days were fulfilled, there was no despair in the palace.
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There was a ceremony. [Music]
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He called his officials and said, "The stone that strikes the feet of iron
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and clay will fill the earth. Governments will come and go, but the
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unshakable kingdom remains.
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[Music]
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[Music]