Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, Human Right, Theology, Uncategorized

The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached

This week, my article will be a bit different. I am posting a sermon by one of the fathers of the first Great Awakening, Jonathan Edwards. He gave the sermon to the Congregational Church in Enfield, Connecticut on July 8, 1741. Many pastors and theologians agree, that this is the best sermon given in what is now the US.

Read it slowly and digest it. In this modern age of so-called Christianity, many may not like the message. It speaks of two great themes of the Christian faith, God’s Sovereignty and deserved judgment in HELL. And the sole fact that it is God alone that holds us from that judgment.

This is the type of message that the world, and many Christians, need to hear.

SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD

Their foot shall slide in due time (Deut. xxxii. 35).

In this verse is threatened the vengeance of God on the wicked unbelieving Israelites, who were God’s visible people, and who lived under the means of grace; but who, notwithstanding all God’s wonderful works towards them, remained (as ver. 28.) void of counsel, having no understanding in them. Under all the cultivations of heaven, they brought forth bitter and poisonous fruit; as in the two verses next preceding the text. The expression I have chosen for my text, Their foot shall slide in due time, seems to imply the following doings, relating to the punishment and destruction to which these wicked Israelites were exposed.

That they were always exposed to destruction; as one that stands or walks in slippery places is always exposed to fall. This is implied in the manner of their destruction coming upon them, being represented by their foot sliding. The same is expressed, Psalm lxxiii. 18. “Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction.”

2. It implies, that they were always exposed to sudden unexpected destruction. As he that walks in slippery places is every moment liable to fall, he cannot foresee one moment whether he shall stand or fall the next; and when he does fall, he falls at once without warning: Which is also expressed in Psalm lxxiii. 18, 19. “Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction: How are they brought into desolation as in a moment!”

3. Another thing implied is, that they are liable to fall of themselves, without being thrown down by the hand of another; as he that stands or walks on slippery ground needs nothing but his own weight to throw him down.

4. That the reason why they are not fallen already, and do not fall now, is only that God’s appointed time is not come. For it is said, that when that due time, or appointed time comes, their foot shall slide. Then they shall be left to fall, as they are inclined by their own weight. God will not hold them up in these slippery places any longer, but will let them go; and then at that very instant, they shall fall into destruction; as he that stands on such slippery declining ground, on the edge of a pit, he cannot stand alone, when he is let go he immediately falls and is lost.

The observation from the words that I would now insist upon is this. “There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God.” By the mere pleasure of God, I mean his sovereign pleasure, his arbitrary will, restrained by no obligation, hindered by no manner of difficulty, any more than if nothing else but God’s mere will had in the least degree, or in any respect whatsoever, any hand in the preservation of wicked men one moment.

The truth of this observation may appear by the following considerations.

There is no want of power in God to cast wicked men into hell at any moment. Men’s hands cannot be strong when God rises up. The strongest have no power to resist him, nor can any deliver out of his hands.—He is not only able to cast wicked men into hell, but he can most easily do it. Sometimes an earthly prince meets with a great deal of difficulty to subdue a rebel, who has found means to fortify himself, and has made himself strong by the numbers of his followers. But it is not so with God. There is no fortress that is any defence from the power of God. Though hand join in hand, and vast multitudes of God’s enemies combine and associate themselves, they are easily broken in pieces. They are as great heaps of light chaff before the whirlwind; or large quantities of dry stubble before devouring flames. We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth; so it is easy for us to cut or singe a slender thread that any thing hangs by: thus easy is it for God, when he pleases, to cast his enemies down to hell.

What are we, that we should think to stand before him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down? They deserve to be cast into hell; so that divine justice never stands in the way, it makes no objection against God’s using his power at any moment to destroy them. Yea, on the contrary, justice calls aloud for an infinite punishment of their sins. Divine justice says of the tree that brings forth such grapes of Sodom, “Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?” Luke xiii. 7. The sword of divine justice is every moment brandished over their heads, and it is nothing but the hand of arbitrary mercy, and God’s mere will, that holds it back.

3. They are already under a sentence of condemnation to hell. They do not only justly deserve to be cast down thither, but the sentence of the law of God, that eternal and immutable rule of righteousness that God has fixed between him and mankind, is gone out against them, and stands against them; so that they are bound over already to hell. John iii. 18. “He that believeth not is condemned already.” So that every unconverted man properly belongs to hell; that is his place; from thence he is, John viii. 23. “Ye are from beneath.” And thither be is bound; it is the place that justice, and God’s word, and the sentence of his unchangeable law assign to him.

4. They are now the objects of that very same anger and wrath of God, that is expressed in the torments of hell. And the reason why they do not go down to hell at each moment, is not because God, in whose power they are, is not then very angry with them; as he is with many miserable creatures now tormented in hell, who there feel and bear the fierceness of his wrath. Yea, God is a great deal more angry with great numbers that are now on earth: yea, doubtless, with many that are now in this congregation, who it may be are at ease, than he is with many of those who are now in the flames of hell. So that it is not because God is unmindful of their wickedness, and does not resent it, that he does not let loose his hand and cut them off. God is not altogether such an one as themselves, though they may imagine him to be so. The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow. The glittering sword is whet, and held over them, and the pit hath opened its mouth under them.

5. The devil stands ready to fall upon them, and seize them as his own, at what moment God shall permit him. They belong to him; he has their souls in his possession, and under his dominion. The scripture represents them as his goods, Luke xi. 12. The devils watch them; they are ever by them at their right hand; they stand waiting for them, like greedy hungry lions that see their prey, and expect to have it, but are for the present kept back. If God should withdraw his hand, by which they are restrained, they would in one moment fly upon their poor souls. The old serpent is gaping for them; hell opens its mouth wide to receive them; and if God should perrnit it, they would be hastily swallowed up and lost.

6. There are in the souls of wicked men those hellish principles reigning, that would presently kindle and flame out into hell fire, if it were not for God’s restraints. There is laid in the very nature of carnal men, a foundation for the torments of hell. There are those corrupt principles, in reigning power in them, and in full possession of them, that are seeds of hell fire. These principles are active and powerful, exceeding violent in their nature, and if it were not for the restraining hand of God upon them, they would soon break out, they would flame out after the same manner as the same corruptions, the same enmity does in the hearts of damned souls, and would beget the same torments as they do in them. The souls of the wicked are in scripture compared to the troubled sea, Isa. lvii. 20. For the present, God restrains their wickedness by his mighty power, as he does the raging waves of the troubled sea, saying, “Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further;” but if God should withdraw that restraining power, it would soon carry all before it. Sin is the ruin and misery of the soul; it is destructive in its nature; and if God should leave it without restraint, there would need nothing else to make the soul perfectly miserable. The corruption of the heart of man is immoderate and boundless in its fury; and while wicked men live here, it is like fire pent up by God’s restraints, whereas if it were let loose, it would set on fire the course of nature; and as the heart is now a sink of sin, so if sin was not restrained, it would immediately turn the soul into a fiery oven, or a furnace of fire and brimstone.

7. It is no security to wicked men for one moment, that there are no visible means of death at hand. It is no security to a natural man, that he is now in health, and that he does not see which way he should now immediately go out of the world by any accident, and that there is no visible danger in any respect in his circumstances. The manifold and continual experience of the world in all ages, shows this is no evidence, that a man is not on the very brink of eternity, and that the next step will not be into another world. The unseen, unthought-of ways and means of persons going suddenly out of the world are innumerable and inconceivable. Unconverted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering, and there are innumerable places in this covering so weak that they will not bear their weight, and these places are not seen. The arrows of death fly unseen at noon-day; the sharpest sight cannot discern them. God has so many different unsearchable ways of taking wicked men out of the world and sending them to hell,that there is nothing to make it appear, that God had need to be at the expence of a miracle, or go out of the ordinary course of his providence, to destroy any wicked nian, at any moment. All the means that there are of sinners going out of the world, are so in God’s hands, and so universally and absolutely subject to his power and determination, that it does not depend at all the less on the mere will of God, whether sinners shall at any moment go to hell, than if means were never made use of, or at all concerned in the case.

8. Natural men’s prudence and care to preserve their own lives, or the care of others to preserve them, do not secure them a moment. To this, divine providence and universal experience do also bear testimony. There is this clear evidence that men’s own wisdom is no security to them from death; that if it were otherwise we should see some difference between the wise and politic men of the world, and others, with regard to their liableness to early and unexpected death: but how is it in fact? Eccles. ii. 16. “How dieth the wise man? even as the fool.”

9. All wicked men’s pains and contrivance which they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ, and so remain wicked men, do not secure them from hell one moment. Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it; he depends upon himself for his own security; he flatters himself in what he has done, in what he is now doing, or what he intends to do. Every one lays out matters in his own mind how he shall avoid damnation, and flatters himself that he contrives well for himself, and that his schemes will not fail. They hear indeed that there are but few saved, and that the greater part of men that have died heretofore are gone to hell; but each one imagines that he lays out matters better for his own escape than others have done. He does not intend to come to that place of torment; he says within himself, that he intends to take effectual care, and to order matters so for himself as not to fail.

But the foolish children of men miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust to nothing but a shadow. The greater part of those who heretofore have lived under the same means of grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to hell; and it was not because they were not as wise as those who are now alive: it was not because they did not lay out matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape. If we could speak with them, and inquire of them, one by one, whether they expected, when alive, and when they used to hear about hell ever to be the subects of that misery: we doubtless, should hear one and another reply, “No, I never intended to come here: I had laid out matters otherwise in my mind; I thought I should contrive well for myself: I thought my scheme good. I intended to take effectual care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that time, and in that manner; it came as a thief: Death outwitted me: God’s wrath was too quick for me. Oh, my cursed foolishness! I was flattering myself, and pleasing myself with vain dreams of what I would do hereafter; and when I was saying, Peace and safety, then suddenly destruction came upon me.

10. God has laid himself under no obligation, by any promise to keep any natural man out of hell one moment. God certainly has made no promises either of eternal life, or of any deliverance or preservation from eternal death, but what are contained in the covenant of grace, the promises that are given in Christ, in whom all the promises are yea and amen. But surely they have no interest in the promises of the covenant of grace who are not the children of the covenant, who do not believe in any of the promises, and have no interest in the Mediator of the covenant.

So that, whatever some have imagined and pretended about promises made to natural men’s earnest seeking and knocking, it is plain and manifest, that whatever pains a natural man takes in religion, whatever prayers he makes, till he believes in Christ, God is under no manner of obligation to keep him a moment from eternal destruction. So that, thus it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell, and they have done nothing in the least to appease or abate that anger, neither is God in the least bound by any promise to hold them up one moment; the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up; the fire pent up in their own hearts is struggling to break out: and they have no interest in any Mediator, there are no means within reach that can be any security to them. In short, they have no refuge, nothing to take hold of, all that preserves them every moment is the mere arbitrary will, and uncovenanted, unobliged forbearance of an incensed God.

APPLICATION

The use of this awful subject may be for awakening unconverted persons in this congregation. This that you have heard is the case of every one of you that are out of Christ.—That world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone, is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell’s wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor any thing to take hold of, there is nothing between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up.

You probably are not sensible of this; you find you are kept out of hell, but do not see the hand of God in it; but look at other things, as the good state of your bodily constitution, your care of your own life, and the means you use for your own preservation. But indeed these things are nothing; if God should withdraw his band, they would avail no more to keep you from falling, than the thin air to hold up a person that is suspended in it.

Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider’s web would have to stop a falling rock. Were it not for the sovereign pleasure of God, the earth would not bear you one moment; for you are a burden to it; the creation groans with you; the creature is made subject to the bondage of your corruption, not willingly; the sun does not willingly shine upon you to give you light to serve sin and Satan; the earth does not willingly yield her increase to satisfy your lusts; nor is it willingly a stage for your wickedness to be acted upon; the air does not willingly serve you for breath to maintain the flame of life in your vitals, while you spend your life in the service of God’s enemies. God’s creatures are good, and were made for men to serve God with, and do not willingly subserve to any other purpose, and groan when they are abused to purposes so directly contrary to their nature and end. And the world would spew you out, were it not for the sovereign hand of him who hath subjected it in hope. There are black clouds of God’s wrath now hanging directly over your heads, full of the dreadful storm, and big with thunder; and were it not for the restraining hand of God, it would immediately burst forth upon you. The sovereign pleasure of God, for the present, stays his rough wind; otherwise it would come with fury, and your destruction would come like a whirlwind, and you would be like the chaff of the summer threshing floor.

The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose. It is true, that judgment against your evil works has not been executed hitherto; the floods of God’s vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the mean time is constantly increasing, and you are every day treasuring up more wrath; the waters are constantly rising, and waxing more and more mighty; and there is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, that holds the waters back, that are unwilling to be stopped, and press hard to go forward. If God should only withdraw his hand from the flood-gate, it would immediately fly open, and the fiery floods of the fierceness and wrath of God, would rush forth with inconceivable fury, and would come upon you with omnipotent power; and if your strength were ten thousand times greater than it is, yea, ten thousand times greater than the strength of the stoutest, sturdiest devil in hell, it would be nothing to withstand or endure it.

The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligatioti at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood. Thus all you that never passed under a great change of heart, by the mighty power of the Spirit of God upon your souls; all you that were never born again, and made new creatures, and raised from being dead in sin, to a state of new, and before altogether unexperienced light and life, are in the hands of an angry God. However you may have reformed your life in many things, and may have had religious affections, and may keep up a form of religion in your families and closets, and in the house of God, it is nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction. However unconvinced you may now be of the truth of what you hear, by and by you will be fully convinced of it. Those that are gone from being in the like circumstances with you, see that it was so with them; for destruction came suddenly upon most of them; when they expected nothing of it, and while they were saying, Peace and safety: now they see, that those things on which they depended for peace and safety, were nothing but thin air and empty shadows.

The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet it is nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment. It is to be ascribed to nothing else, that you did not go to hell the last night; that you was suffered to awake again in this world, after you closed your eyes to sleep. And there is no other reason to be given, why you have not dropped into hell since you arose in the morning, but that God’s hand has held you up. There is no other reason to be given why you have not gone to hell, since you have sat here in the house of God, provoking his pure eyes by your sinful wicked manner of attending his solemn worship. Yea, there is nothing else that is to be given as a reason why you do not this very moment drop down into hell.

O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder; and you have no interest in any Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you ever have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment. And consider here more particularly

1. Whose wrath it is: it is the wrath of the infinite God. If it were only the wrath of man, though it were of the most potent prince, it would be comparatively little to be regarded. The wrath of kings is very much dreaded, especially of absolute monarchs, who have the possessions and lives of their subjects wholly in their power, to be disposed of at their mere will. Prov. xx. 2. “The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: Whoso provoketh him to anger, sinneth against his own soul.” The subject that very much enrages an arbitrary prince, is liable to suffer the most extreme torments that human art can invent, or human power can inflict. But the greatest earthly potentates in their greatest majesty and strength, and when clothed in their greatest terrors, are but feeble, despicable worms of the dust, in comparison of the great and almighty Creator and King of heaven and earth. It is but little that they can do, when most enraged, and when they have exerted the utmost of their fury. All the kings of the earth, before God, are as grasshoppers; they are nothing, and less than nothing: both their love and their hatred is to be despised. The wrath of the great King of kings, is as much more terrible than theirs, as his majesty is greater. Luke xii. 4, 5. “And I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell: yea, I say unto you, Fear him.”

2. It is the fierceness of his wrath that you are exposed to. We often read of the fury of God; as in Isaiah lix. 18. “According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay fury to his adversaries.” So Isaiah lxvi. 15. “For behold, the Lord will come with fire, and wifh his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.” And in many other places. So, Rev. xix. 15, we read of “the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” The words are exceeding terrible. If it had only been said, “the wrath of God,” the words would have implied that which is infinitely dreadful: but it is “the fierceness and wrath of God.” The fury of God! the fierceness of Jehovah! Oh, how dreadful must that be! Who can utter or conceive what such expressions carry in them! But it is also “the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” As though there would be a very great manifestation of his almighty power in what the fierceness of his wrath should inflict, as though omnipotence should be as it were enraged, and exerted, as men are wont to exert their strength in the fierceness of their wrath. Oh! then, what will be the consequence! What will become of the poor worms that shall suffer it! Whose hands can be strong? And whose heart can endure? To what a dreadful, inexpressible, inconceivable depth of misery must the poor creature be sunk who shall be the subject of this!

Consider this, you that are here present, that yet remain in an unregenerate state. That God will execute the fierceness of his anger, implies, that he will inflict wrath without any pity. When God beholds the ineffable extremity of your case, and sees your torment to be so vastly disproportioned to your strength, and sees how your poor soul is crushed, and sinks down, as it were, into an infinite gloom; he will have no compassion upon you, he will not forbear the executions of his wrath, or in the least lighten his hand; there shall be no moderation or mercy, nor will God then at all stay his rough wind; he will have no regard to your welfare, nor be at all careful lest you should suffer too much in any other sense, than only that you shall not suffer beyond what strict justice requires. Nothing shall be withheld, because it is so hard for you to bear. Ezek. viii. 18. “Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them.” Now God stands ready to pity you; this is a day of mercy; you may cry now with some encouragement of obtaining mercy. But when once the day of mercy is past, your most lamentable and dolorous cries and shrieks will be in vain; you will be wholly lost and thrown away of God, as to any regard to your welfare. God will have no other use to put you to, but to suffer misery; you shall be continued in being to no other end; for you will be a vessel of wrath fitted to destruction; and there will be no other use of this vessel, but to be filled full of wrath. God will be so far from pitying you when you cry to him, that it is said he will only “laugh and mock,” Prov. i. 25, 26, &c.

How awful are those words, Isa. lxiii. 3, which are the words of the great God. “I will tread them in mine anger, and will trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.” It is perhaps impossible to conceive of words that carry in them greater manifestations of these three things, vis. contempt, and hatred, and fierceness of indignation. If you cry to God to pity you, he will be so far from pitying you in your doleful case, or showing you the least regard or favour, that instead of that, he will only tread you under foot. And though he will know that you cannot bear the weight of omnipotence treading upon you, yet he will not regard that, but he will crush you under his feet without mercy; he will crush out your blood, and make it fly, and it shall be sprinkled on his garments, so as to stain all his raiment. He will not only hate you, but he will have you, in the utmost contempt: no place shall be thought fit for you, but under his feet to be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

The misery you are exposed to is that which God will inflict to that end, that he might show what that wrath of Jehovah is. God hath had it on his heart to show to angels and men, both how excellent his love is, and also how terrible his wrath is. Sometimes earthly kings have a mind to show how terrible their wrath is, by the extreme punishments they would execute on those that would provoke them. Nebuchadnezzar, that mighty and haughty monarch of the Chaldean empire, was willing to show his wrath when enraged with Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego; and accordingly gave orders that the burning fiery furnace should be heated seven times hotter than it was before; doubtless, it was raised to the utmost degree of fierceness that human art could raise it. But the great God is also willing to show his wrath, and magnify his awful majesty and mighty power in the extreme sufferings of his enemies. Rom. ix. 22. “What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endure with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?” And seeing this is his design, and what he has determined, even to show how terrible the unrestrained wrath, the fury and fierceness of Jehovah is, he will do it to effect. There will be something accomplished and brought to pass that will be dreadful with a witness. When the great and angry God hath risen up and executed his awful vengeance on the poor sinner, and the wretch is actually suffering the infinite weight and power of his indignation, then will God call upon the whole universe to behold that awful majesty and mighty power that is to be seen in it. Isa. xxxiii. 12-14. “And the people shall be as the burnings of lime, as thorns cut up shall they be burnt in the fire. Hear ye that are far off, what I have done; and ye that are near, acknowledge my might. The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites,” &c.

Thus it will be with you that are in an unconverted state, if you continue in it; the infinite might, and majesty, and terribleness of the omnipotent God shall be magnified upon you, in the ineffable strength of your torments. You shall be tormented in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and when you shall be in this state of suffering, the glorious inhabitants of heaven shall go forth and look on the awful spectacle, that they may see what the wrath and fierceness of the Almighty is; and when they have seen it, they will fall down and adore that great power and majesty. Isa. lxvi. 23, 24. “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.”

4. It is everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery. When you look forward, you shall see a long for ever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all. You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh, who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it, gives but a very feeble, faint representation of it; it is inexpressible and inconceivable: For “who knows the power of God’s anger?”

How dreadful is the state of those that are daily and hourly in the danger of this great wrath and infinite misery! But this is the dismal case of every soul in this congregation that has not been born again, however moral and strict, sober and religious, they may otherwise be. Oh that you would consider it, whether you be young or old! There is reason to think, that there are many in this congregation now hearing this discourse, that will actually be the subjects of this very misery to all eternity. We know not who they are, or in what seats they sit, or what thoughts they now have. It may be they are now at ease, and hear all these things without much disturbance, and are now flattering themselves that they are not the persons, promising themselves that they shall escape. If we knew that there was one person, and but one, in the whole congregation, that was to be the subject of this misery, what an awful thing would it be to think of! If we knew who it was, what an awful sight would it be to see such a person! How might all the rest of the congregation lift up a lamentable and bitter cry over him! But, alas! instead of one, how many is it likely will remember this discourse in hell? And it would be a wonder, if some that are now present should not be in hell in a very short time, even before this year is out. And it would be no wonder if some persons, that now sit here, in some seats of this meeting-house, in health, quiet and secure, should be there before to-morrow morning. Those of you that finally continue in a natural condition, that shall keep out of hell longest will be there in a little time! your damnation does not slumber; it will come swiftly, and, in all probability, very suddenly upon many of you. You have reason to wonder that you are not already in hell. It is doubtless the case of some whom you have seen and known, that never deserved hell more than you, and that heretofore appeared as likely to have been now alive as you. Their case is past all hope; they are crying in extreme misery and perfect despair; but here you are in the land of the living and in the house of God, and have an opportuniry to obtain salvation. What would not those poor damned hopeless souls give for one day’s opportunity such as you now enjoy!

And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands in calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God. Many are daily coming from the east, west, north and south; many that were very lately in the same miserable condition that you are in, are now in a happy state, with their hearts filled with love to him who has loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. How awful is it to be left behind at such a day! To see so many others feasting, while you are pining and perishing! To see so many rejoicing and singing for joy of heart, while you have cause to mourn for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit! How can you rest one moment in such a condition? Are not your souls as precious as the souls of the people at Suffield*, where they are flocking from day to day to Christ?

* a town in the area

Are there not many here who have lived long in the world, and are not to this day born again? and so are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and have done nothing ever since they have lived, but treasure up wrath against the day of wrath? Oh, sirs, your case, in an especial manner, is extremely dangerous. Your guilt and hardness of heart is extremely great. Do you not see how generally persons of your years are passed over and left, in the present remarkable and wonderful dispensation of God’s mercy? You had need to consider yourselves, and awake thoroughly out of sleep. You cannot bear the fierceness and wrath of the infinite God.—And you, young men, and young women, will you neglect this precious season which you now enjoy, when so many others of your age are renouncing all youthful vanities, and flocking to Christ? You especially have now an extraordinary opportunity; but if you neglect it, it will soon be with you as with those persons who spent all the precious days of youth in sin, and are now come to such a dreadful pass in blindness and hardness. And you, children, who are unconverted, do not you know that you are going down to hell, to bear the dreadful wrath of that God, who is now angry with you every day and every night? Will you be content to be the children of the devil, when so many other children in the land are converted, and are become the holy and happy children of the King of kings? And let every one that is yet out of Christ, and hanging over the pit of hell, whether they be old men and women, or middle aged, or young people, or little children, now harken to the loud calls of God’s word and providence. This acceptable year of the Lord, a day of such great favours to some, will doubtless be a day of as remarkable vengeance to others. Men’s hearts harden, and their guilt increases apace at such a day as this, if they neglect their souls; and never was there so great danger of such persons being given up to hardness of heart and blindness of mind. God seems now to be hastily gathering in his elect in all parts of the land; and probably the greater part of adult persons that ever shall be saved, will be brought in now in a little time, and that it will be as it was on the great out-pouring of the Spirit upon the Jews in the apostles’ days; the election will obtain, and the rest will be blinded. If this should be the case with you, you will eternally curse this day, and will curse the day that ever you was born, to see such a season of the pouring out of God’s Spirit, and will wish that you had died and gone to hell before you had seen it. Now undoubtedly it is, as it was in the days of John the Baptist, the axe is in an extraordinary manner laid at the root of the trees, that every tree which brings not forth good fruit, may be hewn down and cast into the fire.

Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, Theology, Uncategorized

Desafío, devoción y consecuencias

La humanidad tiene dos elecciones que hacer en esta vida Para seguir a Dios o para desafiar a Dios (que está siguiendo a Satanás).Jesús el Hijo y Dios el Padre han dejado claro a través de toda la escritura, que solo hay estas dos elecciones Una conduce a la vida eterna con Dios, la otra conduce a la condenación eterna.
Hoy veremos una historia en Daniel que ilustra estas dos elecciones Conocemos la historia del rey Nabucodonosor de la antigua Babilonia Sabemos cómo su sueño del estatuto multimetálico fue interpretado por Daniel.
Daniel 2
Y en el segundo año del reinado de Nabucodonosor Nabucodonosor soñó sueños, con los que su espíritu estaba turbado, y su freno de sueño de él Entonces el rey mandó llamar a los magos, y a los astrólogos, y a los hechiceros, y a los caldeos, para mostrar al rey sus sueños Entonces vinieron y se pusieron delante del rey. Y el rey les dijo: He soñado un sueño, y mi espíritu se turbó para conocer el sueño Entonces habló los caldeos al rey en siriaco, oh rey, vive para siempre: di a tus siervos el sueño, y mostraremos la interpretación El rey respondió y dijo a los caldeos: La cosa se ha ido de mí: si no me hacéis saber el sueño, con la interpretación del mismo, seréis cortados en pedazos, y tus casas serán hechas estercolero Pero si muestras el sueño, y su interpretación, recibirás de mí regalos y recompensas y gran honor; por tanto, muéstrame el sueño, y la interpretación del mismo Respondieron otra vez y dijeron: Que el rey diga a sus siervos el sueño, y mostraremos la interpretación del mismo El rey respondió y dijo, Sé con certeza que ganarías tiempo, porque ves que la cosa se ha ido de mí Pero si no me haces saber el sueño, sólo hay un decreto para ti; porque has preparado palabras mentirosas y corruptas para hablar delante de mí, hasta que cambie el tiempo; por tanto, dime el sueño, y sabré que podéis mostrarme la interpretación de ello Los caldeos respondieron delante del rey, y dijeron: No hay hombre sobre la tierra que pueda mostrar el asunto del rey: por tanto, no hay rey, señor, ni gobernante, que pidiera tales cosas a ningún mago, ni astrólogo, ni caldeo Y es raro lo que el rey exige, y no hay otro que pueda mostrarlo delante del rey, excepto los dioses, cuya morada no es con carne Por esta causa el rey se enojó y se enfureció mucho, y mandó destruir a todos los sabios de Babilonia. Y salió el decreto de que los sabios fueran asesinados; y buscaron que mataran a Daniel y a sus semejantes. Entonces Daniel respondió con consejo y sabiduría a Arioc el capitán de la guardia del rey, que había salido a matar a los sabios de Babilonia: Respondió y dijo al capitán del rey Arioc: ¿Por qué es tan precipitado el decreto del rey? entonces Arioc hizo saber la cosa a Daniel Entonces entró Daniel, y deseó del rey que le diera tiempo, y que mostraría al rey la interpretación Entonces Daniel fue a su casa, e hizo saber la cosa a Hananías, a Misael y a Azarías, sus compañeros: Que desearían misericordias del Dios del cielo acerca de este secreto; que Daniel y sus semejantes no perecieran con el resto de los sabios de Babilonia Entonces el secreto fue revelado a Daniel en una visión nocturna. Entonces Daniel bendijo al Dios de los cielos Respondió Daniel y dijo: Bendito sea el nombre de Dios por los siglos de los siglos; porque la sabiduría y el poder son suyos; y cambia los tiempos y las estaciones; quita reyes y establece reyes: da sabiduría a los sabios, y conocimiento a los que saben entendimiento: revela las cosas profundas y secretas: sabe lo que hay en las tinieblas,y la luz mora con él Te doy gracias y te alabo, oh Dios de mis padres, que me has dado sabiduría y poder, y me has dado a conocer ahora lo que deseábamos de ti; porque ahora nos has dado a conocer el asunto del rey Por eso Daniel entró a Arioc, a quien el rey había ordenado destruir a los sabios de Babilonia: fue y le dijo así; No destruyas a los sabios de Babilonia; tráeme delante del rey, y mostraré al rey la interpretación. Entonces Arioc trajo a Daniel delante del rey apresuradamente, y le dijo así: He encontrado un hombre de los cautivos de Judá, que dará a conocer al rey la interpretación. Respondió el rey y dijo a Daniel, que se llamaba Beltesasar: ¿Puedes darme a conocer el sueño que he visto y su interpretación? respondió Daniel en presencia del rey, y dijo: El secreto que el rey ha exigido no pueden los sabios, los astrólogos, los magos, los adivinos, mostrar al rey; Pero hay un Dios en el cielo que revela secretos y hace saber al rey Nabucodonosor lo que será en los últimos días. Tu sueño y las visiones de tu cabeza sobre tu cama son estos; En cuanto a ti, oh rey, tus pensamientos vinieron a tu mente sobre tu cama, lo que sucederá en lo sucesivo: y el que revela secretos te hace saber lo que sucederá Pero en cuanto a mí, este secreto no me es revelado para sabiduría alguna que yo tenga más que ningún viviente, sino por causa de ellos que darán a conocer la interpretación al rey, y para que conozcas los pensamientos de tu corazón Tú, oh rey, viste, y contemplas una gran imagen. Esta gran imagen, cuyo brillo era excelente, estaba delante de ti; y su forma era terrible. La cabeza de esta imagen era de oro fino, su pecho y sus brazos de plata, su vientre y sus muslos de bronce, sus piernas de hierro, sus pies parte de hierro y parte de barro. Tu viste hasta que una piedra fue cortada sin manos, el cual hirió la imagen sobre sus pies que eran de hierro y barro, y los partió en pedazos Entonces fue el hierro, el barro, el bronce, la plata, y el oro, hechos pedazos, y se hizo como la paja de las eras de verano; y el viento se los llevó, que no se les halló lugar; y la piedra que hirió la imagen se convirtió en un gran monte, y llenó toda la tierra Este es el sueño; y diremos su interpretación delante del rey. Tú, oh rey, eres rey de reyes; porque el Dios del cielo te ha dado reino, poder, fuerza y gloria. Y dondequiera que habiten los hijos de los hombres, las bestias del campo y las aves del cielo las ha entregado en tu mano, y te ha puesto por gobernante sobre todos ellos. Tú eres esta cabeza de oro. Y después de ti surgirá otro reino inferior a ti, y otro tercer reino de bronce, que gobernará sobre toda la tierra. Y el cuarto reino será fuerte como el hierro; por cuanto el hierro rompe en pedazos y somete todas las cosas; y como el hierro que rompe todo esto, se romperá en pedazos y moretones. Y mientras viste los pies y los dedos de los pies, parte del barro de los alfareros y parte del hierro, el reino se dividirá; pero habrá en él fuerza del hierro, por cuanto viste el hierro mezclado con arcilla de espejos. Y como los dedos de los pies eran parte de hierro y parte de barro, así que el reino será en parte fuerte, y en parte quebrantado Y mientras viste hierro mezclado con barro de espejos, se mezclarán con la simiente de los hombres: mas no se partirán unos a otros, así como el hierro no se mezcla con barro Y en los días de estos reyes el Dios del cielo levantará un reino, que nunca será destruido: y el reino no será dejado a otros pueblos, sino que romperá en pedazos y consumirá todos estos reinos, y se mantendrá para siempre Por cuanto viste que la piedra fue cortada del monte sin manos, y que rompe en pedazos el hierro, el bronce, la arcilla, la plata, y el oro; el gran Dios ha hecho saber al rey lo que sucederá en lo sucesivo: y el sueño es seguro, y su interpretación segura. Entonces el rey Nabucodonosor cayó sobre su rostro y adoró a Daniel, y mandó que le ofrecieran una oblación y dulces olores. El rey respondió a Daniel y dijo: De cierto es que vuestro Dios es un Dios de dioses, y un Señor de reyes, y revelador de secretos, viendo que podías revelar este secreto Entonces el rey hizo a Daniel un gran hombre, y le dio muchos grandes regalos, y le hizo regidor sobre toda la provincia de Babilonia, y jefe de los gobernadores sobre todos los sabios de Babilonia Entonces Daniel pidió al rey, y puso a Sadrac, Mesac y Abednego, sobre los asuntos de la provincia de Babilonia; pero Daniel se sentó a la puerta del rey.
Pero como veremos en el capítulo 3, el rey decidió frustrar la visión y construyó una estatua de oro macizo y ordenó adoración a la imagen Esto es un presagio de Apocalipsis 13:15 ‘Y tenía poder para dar vida a la imagen de la bestia, que la imagen de la bestia debería hablar ambos, y porque todos los que no adoraran la imagen de la bestia deberían ser asesinados.’
Daniel 3
Nabucodonosor el rey hizo una imagen de oro, cuya altura era de sesenta codos, y su anchura de seis codos: la puso en la llanura de Dura, en la provincia de Babilonia Entonces Nabucodonosor el rey envió a reunir a los príncipes, a los gobernadores y a los capitanes, a los jueces, a los tesoreros, a los consejeros, a los alguaciles y a todos los gobernantes de las provincias, para venir a la advocación de la imagen que Nabucodonosor el rey había puesto Entonces los príncipes, los gobernadores, y capitanes, los jueces, los tesoreros, los consejeros, los alguaciles, y todos los gobernantes de las provincias, fueron reunidos a la advocación de la imagen que Nabucodonosor el rey había puesto; y se pusieron delante de la imagen que Nabucodonosor había puesto Entonces un heraldo clamó en voz alta, A vosotros os está ordenado, oh pueblo, naciones y lenguas, que a qué hora oigáis el sonido de la corneta, la flauta, el arpa, el saco, el salterio, el dulcimer y toda clase de musiqueos, os postráis y adorad la imagen de oro que el rey Nabucodonosor ha puesto: Y el que no caiga ni adore, será arrojado la misma hora en medio de un horno de fuego ardiente. Por tanto, en aquel tiempo, cuando todo el pueblo oyó el sonido de la corneta, flauta, arpa, sacos, salterio y toda clase de musique, todo el pueblo, las naciones, y las lenguas se postraron y adoraron la imagen de oro que había puesto Nabucodonosor el rey, por lo cual en aquel tiempo se acercaron ciertos caldeos, y acusaron a los judíos Hablaron y dijeron al rey Nabucodonosor, oh rey, vive para siempre Tú, oh rey, has hecho un decreto, que todo hombre que oiga el sonido de la corneta, flauta, arpa, cilicio, salterio y dulcémele, y toda clase de musick caerá y adorará la imagen de oro: Y el que no caiga ni adore, para que sea arrojado en medio de un horno de fuego ardiente. Hay ciertos judíos a quienes has puesto sobre los asuntos de la provincia. de Babilonia, Sadrac, Mesac y Abednego; Estos hombres, oh rey, no te han mirado: no sirven a tus dioses, ni adoréis la imagen de oro que habéis puesto Entonces Nabucodonosor en su rabia y furor mandó traer a Sadrac, a Mesac y a Abed-nego Entonces llevaron a estos hombres delante del rey Nabucodonosor habló y les dijo: ¿Es verdad, oh Sadrac, a Mesac y a Abed-nego, no sirváis a mis dioses, ni adoréis la imagen de oro que he puesto? Ahora bien, si estáis preparados para que en qué tiempo oigáis el sonido de la corneta, la flauta, el arpa, el saclo, el salterio y el dulcémele, y toda clase de musique, os postréis y adoréis la imagen que he hecho; bueno; pero si no adoráis, seréis arrojados a la misma hora en medio de un horno de fuego ardiente; ¿y quién es ese Dios que os librará de mis manos? respondieron Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, y dijeron al rey: Oh Nabucodonosor, no tenemos cuidado de responderte en este asunto. Si es así, nuestro Dios a quien servimos puede librarnos del horno de fuego ardiente, y él nos librará de tu mano, oh rey. Pero si no, sé tú, oh rey, que no serviremos a tus dioses, ni adoraremos la imagen de oro que has puesto Entonces Nabucodonosor estaba lleno de furia, y la forma de su rostro fue cambiada contra Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego; por eso habló, y mandó que calentaran el horno una siete veces más de lo que solía calentarse. Y mandó a los hombres más valientes que estaban en su ejército que ataran a Sadrac, a Mesac y a Abed-nego, y que los echaran en el horno de fuego ardiente Entonces estos hombres fueron atados en sus abrigos, en sus mangueras, y en sus sombreros, y en sus otras vestiduras, y fueron echados en medio del horno de fuego ardiente Por lo tanto porque el mandamiento del rey era urgente, y el horno excediendo caliente, la llama del fuego mató a los hombres que tomaron Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego Y estos tres hombres, Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, cayeron atados en medio del horno de fuego ardiente Entonces el rey Nabucodonosor se asombró, y se levantó apresuradamente, y habló, y dijo a sus consejeros: ¿No arrojamos tres hombres atados en medio del fuego? Respondieron y dijeron al rey: Verdadero, oh rey Respondió y dijo: He aquí, veo a cuatro hombres sueltos, caminando en medio del fuego, y no tienen daño; y la forma del cuarto es como el Hijo de Dios Entonces Nabucodonosor se acercó a la boca del horno de fuego ardiendo, y habló, y dijo: Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, vosotros siervos del Dios altísimo, salid, y venid acá Entonces Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, salieron de en medio del fuego Y los príncipes, gobernadores, y capitanes, y los consejeros del rey, estando reunidos, vieron a estos hombres, sobre cuyos cuerpos el fuego no tenía poder, ni un pelo de su cabeza estaba chamuscado, ni se les cambiaban los abrigos, ni el olor del fuego había pasado sobre ellos Entonces Nabucodonosor habló, y dijo: Bendito sea el Dios de Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, que ha enviado a su ángel, y ha entregado a sus siervos que confiaban en él, y han cambiado la palabra del rey, y dado sus cuerpos, para que no sirvan ni adoren a ningún dios, excepto a su propio Dios Por eso hago un decreto: Que todo pueblo, nación, y la lengua, que habla cualquier cosa mal contra el Dios de Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, será cortada en pedazos, y sus casas serán hechas un estercolero; porque no hay otro Dios que pueda librar después de esta especie Entonces el rey promovió a Sadrac, Mesac y Abed-nego, en la provincia de Babilonia.
Las dos elecciones para toda la humanidad están presentes en esta historia Ambos grupos en esta historia muestran las tres partes de elección a favor o en contra de Dios El desafío, la devoción y la consecuencia.
Desafío
Por Dios: Los tres hombres de Israel desafiaron la orden del rey y se negaron a inclinarse ante la estatua.
Contra Dios: El rey desafió el mandato de Dios de tener sólo a Él como Dios.

Devoción
Por Dios: Los tres de Israel dijeron que, aunque Dios no los salvara de la muerte, todavía lo adorarían.
Contra Dios: Los soldados del rey, incluso después de que el fuego fuera más caliente que nunca, se dedicaron a seguir órdenes de colocar a los tres de Israel en el fuego.

Consecuencia
Para Dios: A pesar de ser arrojados al infierno ardiente, los tres no fueron perjudicados, sus ataduras se desprendieron, su vestimenta intacta Pero lo más importante, incluso el rey vio su redención El Hijo de Dios antes de que se encarnara “Lo, veo a cuatro hombres sueltos, caminando en medio del fuego, y no tienen daño; y la forma del cuarto es como el Hijo de Dios.” (Daniel 3:25).
Contra Dios: La elección de seguir las órdenes del rey, costó la vida a los soldados La llama que el rey ordena que se caliente, se convirtió en el juicio de fuego de Dios a los soldados Esto un presagio del fuego final que caerá sobre esta tierra. ‘y cuando los mil años hayan expirado, Satanás será desatado de su prisión, Y saldrán a engañar a las naciones que están en los cuatro cuartos de la tierra, Gog y Magog, para reunirlos en la batalla; cuyo número es como la arena del mar. Y subieron sobre la anchura de la tierra, y rodearon el campamento de los santos y la ciudad amada; y descendió fuego de Dios del cielo, y los devoró.’ (Apocalipsis 20:7-9).

Al ver en esta historia, vemos las consecuencias de a quién servimos Solo hay dos elecciones: Dios o Satanás Si no eliges ser salvo por la sangre de Cristo y seguirLO, entonces sigues a Satanás Incluso si crees que te sigues solo a ti mismo, el desafío a Dios es seguir a Su enemigo, Satanás.
Las elecciones son: Eternidad con Dios en el Cielo o Eterna Condenación en el Infierno.
Josué lo dijo mejor. ‘Y si os parece mal servir al Señor, escogeos hoy a quién serviréis; ya sean los dioses a los que sirvieron vuestros padres que estaban al otro lado del diluvio, o los dioses de los amorreos, en cuya tierra habitáis; pero a mí y a mi casa serviremos al Señor.’ (Josué 24:15)

Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, Theology, Uncategorized

Defiance, Debosyon, at Bunga

Ang sangkatauhan ay may dalawang pagpipilian na gagawin sa buhay na ito. Ang sumunod sa Diyos o ang suwayin ang Diyos (na sumusunod kay Satanas). Si Jesus na Anak at ang Diyos Ama ay nilinaw sa pamamagitan ng lahat ng banal na kasulatan, na mayroon lamang ang dalawang pagpipiliang ito. Ang isa ay humahantong sa buhay na walang hanggan kasama ang Diyos, ang isa ay humahantong sa walang hanggang kapahamakan.Ngayon ay titingnan natin ang isang kuwento sa Daniel na naglalarawan ng dalawang pagpipiliang ito. Alam natin ang kuwento tungkol kay Haring Nabucodonosor ng sinaunang Babilonya. Alam natin kung paano ang kanyang panaginip tungkol sa multi metal na palatuntunan ay binigyang kahulugan ni Daniel.

Daniel 2At nang ikalawang taon ng paghahari ni Nabucodonosor ay nanaginip si Nabucodonosor ng mga panaginip, na kung saan ang kaniyang espiritu ay nabagabag, at ang kaniyang pagtulog ay naputol mula sa kaniya. Nang magkagayo’y iniutos ng hari na tawagin ang mga salamangkero, at ang mga astrologo, at ang mga mangkukulam, at ang mga Caldeo, sapagka’t upang ipakita sa hari ang kaniyang mga panaginip. Kaya’t sila’y lumapit at tumayo sa harap ng hari. At sinabi ng hari sa kanila, Ako’y nanaginip ng panaginip, at ang aking espiritu ay nabagabag upang malaman ang panaginip. Nang magkagayo’y nagsalita ang mga Caldeo sa hari sa Siria, Oh hari, mabuhay ka magpakailan man: sabihin mo sa iyong mga lingkod ang panaginip, at aming ipapakita ang kahulugan. Sumagot ang hari at sinabi sa mga Caldeo, Ang bagay ay nawala sa akin: kung hindi ninyo ipaaalam sa akin ang panaginip, kasama ng kahulugan niyaon, kayo’y puputolputol, at ang inyong mga bahay ay gagawing isang dumi ng dumi. Datapuwa’t kung inyong ipakita ang panaginip, at ang kahulugan niyaon, kayo’y tatanggap sa akin ng mga kaloob at mga gantimpala at malaking karangalan: kaya’t ipakita ninyo sa akin ang panaginip, at ang kahulugan niyaon. Sila’y sumagot uli at nagsabi, Sabihin ng hari sa kaniyang mga lingkod ang panaginip, at aming ipapakita ang kahulugan nito. Sumagot ang hari at sinabi, Nalalaman ko nang may katiyakan na inyong matatamo ang panahon, sapagka’t nakikita ninyong ang bagay ay nawala sa akin. Datapuwa’t kung hindi ninyo ipaalam sa akin ang panaginip, ay iisa lamang ang utos sa inyo: sapagka’t kayo’y naghanda ng mga kasinungalingan at mga salitang bulok na magsalita sa harap ko, hanggang sa ang panahon ay mabago: kaya’t sabihin ninyo sa akin ang panaginip, at aking malalaman na inyong maipapahayag sa akin ang kahulugan niyaon.Sumagot ang mga Caldeo sa harap ng hari, at nagsabi, Walang lalake sa lupa na makapagpapakita ng bagay ng hari: kaya’t walang hari, panginoon, o pinuno, na humingi ng gayong mga bagay sa sinomang salamangkero, o astrologo, o Caldeo. At ito’y isang bihirang bagay na hinihingi ng hari, at walang ibang makapagpapakita nito sa harap ng hari, maliban sa mga dios, na ang nananahan ay hindi may laman. Dahil dito’y nagalit ang hari at labis na nagalit, at inutusang lipulin ang lahat ng pantas ng Babilonia. At ang kautusan ay lumaganap na ang mga pantas na lalaki ay papatayin; at hinanap nila si Daniel at ang kanyang mga kapwa upang patayin.Nang magkagayo’y sumagot si Daniel na may payo at karunungan kay Arioch na kapitan ng bantay ng hari, na nagsilabas upang patayin ang mga pantas sa Babilonia: Siya’y sumagot at sinabi kay Arioch na kapitan ng hari, Bakit ang utos ay nagmamadali sa hari Pagkatapos ay ipinaalam ni Arioch ang bagay kay Daniel. Nang magkagayo’y pumasok si Daniel, at hiniling sa hari na bigyan siya ng panahon, at ipahayag niya sa hari ang kahulugan. Nang magkagayo’y nagsiparoon si Daniel sa kaniyang bahay, at ipinaalam ang bagay kay Hananias, kay Misael, at kay Azarias, na kaniyang mga kasama: Na sila’y magsisipagnais ng mga awa ng Dios ng langit hinggil sa lihim na ito; upang si Daniel at ang kanyang mga kapwa ay hindi mapahamak kasama ng iba pang mga pantas na tao sa Babilonia.Nang magkagayo’y nahayag kay Daniel ang lihim sa isang pangitain sa gabi. Pagkatapos ay pinagpala ni Daniel ang Diyos ng langit. Sumagot si Daniel at sinabi,

Purihin ang pangalan ng Diyos magpakailanman at walang katapusan:

sapagkat ang karunungan at kapangyarihan ay sa kanya:

At kaniyang binabago ang mga panahon at ang mga kapanahunan:

kaniyang inaalis ang mga hari, at nagtatayo ng mga hari:

siya’y nagbibigay ng karunungan sa mga pantas,

at kaalaman sa mga nakakaalam ng pag unawa:

Inihahayag niya ang malalim at lihim na mga bagay:

alam niya kung ano ang nasa dilim,

at ang liwanag ay nananahan sa kanya.

Pinasasalamatan kita, at pinupuri kita, Oh ikaw na Dios ng aking mga ninuno,

na nagbigay sa akin ng karunungan at kapangyarihan,

at ipinaalam mo sa akin ngayon ang aming ninanais sa iyo:

sapagkat ipinaalam mo na ngayon sa amin ang bagay na hari.Kaya’t pumasok si Daniel kay Arioc, na inordenan ng hari na lipulin ang mga pantas na tao sa Babilonia: siya ay yumaon at nagsabi ng ganito sa kaniya; Huwag mong lipulin ang mga pantas na lalake sa Babilonia: ipasok mo ako sa harap ng hari, at aking ipapakita sa hari ang kahulugan. Nang magkagayo’y isinugod ni Arioch si Daniel sa harap ng hari na nagmamadali, at ganito ang sinabi sa kaniya, Ako’y nakasumpong ng isang lalake sa mga bihag ng Juda, na magpapaalam sa hari ng kahulugan. Sumagot ang hari at sinabi kay Daniel, na ang pangalan ay Beltsasar, Ikaw ba’y makapagbibigay alam sa akin ng panaginip na aking nakita, at ng kahulugan niyaon Sumagot si Daniel sa harapan ng hari, at nagsabi, Ang lihim na hiniling ng hari ay hindi maipakikita ng mga pantas, ng mga astrologo, ng mga salamangkero, ng mga manghuhula, sa hari; Datapuwa’t may Dios sa langit na nagpapahayag ng mga lihim, at nagpapaalam sa haring Nabucodonosor kung ano ang mangyayari sa mga huling araw. Ang iyong panaginip, at ang mga pangitain ng iyong ulo sa iyong higaan, ay ito; Tungkol sa iyo, Oh hari, ang iyong mga pagiisip ay pumasok sa iyong isipan sa iyong higaan, kung ano ang mangyayari sa kabilang buhay: at siya na nagbubunyag ng mga lihim ay nagpapakilala sa iyo kung ano ang mangyayari. Datapuwa’t tungkol sa akin, ang lihim na ito ay hindi inihayag sa akin dahil sa anumang karunungan na mayroon ako nang higit kay sa sinumang nabubuhay, kundi dahil sa kanila na magpapaalam ng kahulugan sa hari, at upang malaman mo ang mga kaisipan ng iyong puso.Ikaw, Oh hari, ay nakakita, at narito ang isang dakilang larawan. Ang dakilang larawang ito, na ang ningning ay napakaganda, ay nakatayo sa iyong harapan; at ang anyo niyaon ay kakila kilabot. Ang ulo ng imaheng ito ay yari sa pinong ginto, ang kanyang dibdib at ang kanyang mga bisig ay pilak, ang kanyang tiyan at ang kanyang mga hita ay tanso, ang kanyang mga binti ay bakal, ang kanyang mga paa ay bahagi ng bakal at bahagi ng putik. Nakita mo hanggang sa ang isang bato ay pinutol nang walang mga kamay, na humampas sa larawan sa kaniyang mga paa na yari sa bakal at putik, at pinagputolputol ang mga ito. Nang magkagayo’y ang bakal, ang putik, ang tanso, ang pilak, at ang ginto, ay pinagputol-putol, at naging gaya ng mga dawag ng mga bakuran ng tag-init; At sila’y dinala ng hangin, na walang dakong nasumpungan para sa kanila: at ang batong humampas sa larawan ay naging malaking bundok, at napuno ang buong lupa.Ito ang panaginip; at sasabihin natin ang kahulugan nito sa harap ng hari. Ikaw, Oh hari, ay hari ng mga hari: sapagka’t binigyan ka ng Dios ng langit ng isang kaharian, kapangyarihan, at lakas, at kaluwalhatian. At saan man nananahan ang mga anak ng tao, ang mga hayop sa parang at ang mga ibon sa langit ay ibinigay niya sa iyong kamay, at ginawa kang pinuno sa kanilang lahat. Ikaw ang ulo na ito ng ginto. At pagkatapos mo ay babangon ang ibang kaharian na mas mababa sa iyo, at ang isa pang ikatlong kaharian na tanso, na siyang maghahari sa buong lupa. At ang ikaapat na kaharian ay magiging matibay na parang bakal: yamang ang bakal ay nagsisira at sumasakop sa lahat ng bagay: at gaya ng bakal na nagsisira ng lahat ng ito, ay magsisipagputol putol at magsisira. At samantalang nakikita mo ang mga paa at daliri ng paa, bahagi ng putik ng mga palayok, at bahagi ng bakal, ang kaharian ay hahatiin; ngunit magkakaroon sa loob nito ng lakas ng bakal, yayamang nakita mo ang bakal na hinaluan ng putik na putik. At kung paanong ang mga daliri sa paa ng mga paa ay bahagi ng bakal, at bahagi ng putik, gayon ang kaharian ay magiging bahagyang malakas, at bahagyang masira. At samantalang ikaw ay nakakita ng bakal na hinaluan ng putik na miry, ay makikihalubilo sila sa binhi ng mga tao: nguni’t hindi sila magkakadikit sa isa’t isa, gaya ng bakal na hindi nahahalo sa putik. At sa mga kaarawan ng mga hari na ito ay magtatayo ang Dios ng langit ng isang kaharian, na hindi kailanman malilipol: at ang kaharian ay hindi iiwan sa ibang bayan, kundi ito’y magsisipagputol putol at lulubusin ang lahat ng kaharian na ito, at ito’y mananatili magpakailan man. Yayamang nakita mo na ang bato ay pinutol mula sa bundok nang walang mga kamay, at na pinutol nito ang bakal, ang tanso, ang putik, ang pilak, at ang ginto; ipinaalam ng dakilang Dios sa hari kung ano ang mangyayari sa kabilang buhay: at ang panaginip ay tiyak, at ang kahulugan niyaon ay tiyak.Nang magkagayo’y nagpatirapa ang haring Nabucodonosor, at sinamba si Daniel, at iniutos na sila’y maghandog ng isang handog at mga mabangong amoy sa kaniya. Sumagot ang hari kay Daniel, at nagsabi, Sa katotohanan nga, ang inyong Dios ay Dios ng mga dios, at Panginoon ng mga hari, at tagapaghayag ng mga lihim, yamang maaari mong ihayag ang lihim na ito. Nang magkagayo’y ginawa ng hari si Daniel na isang dakilang lalake, at binigyan siya ng maraming dakilang kaloob, at ginawa siyang pinuno sa buong lalawigan ng Babilonia, at pangulo ng mga gobernador sa lahat ng pantas na lalake sa Babilonia. Nang magkagayo’y humingi si Daniel sa hari, at kaniyang inilagay si Sadrach, si Mesach, at si Abednego, sa mga gawain ng lalawigan ng Babilonia: nguni’t si Daniel ay naupo sa pintuang daan ng hari.Ngunit tulad ng makikita natin sa kabanata 3, nagpasiya ang hari na hadlangan ang pangitain at nagtayo ng rebultong solidong ginto at iniutos ang pagsamba sa imahen. Ito ay isang foreshadowing ng Apocalipsis 13:15 ‘At siya ay may kapangyarihang bigyan ng buhay ang larawan ng hayop, upang ang larawan ng hayop ay parehong magsalita, at maging sanhi na ang maraming mga ayaw sumamba sa larawan ng hayop ay dapat patayin.’

Daniel 3Si Nabucodonosor na hari ay gumawa ng isang larawang ginto, na ang taas ay tatlong pung siko, at ang lapad niyaon ay anim na siko: kaniyang itinayo sa kapatagan ng Dura, sa lalawigan ng Babilonia. Nang magkagayo’y nagsugo si Nabucodonosor na hari upang tipunin ang mga prinsipe, ang mga gobernador, at ang mga kapitan, ang mga hukom, ang mga ingat yaman, ang mga tagapayo, ang mga sheriff, at ang lahat na pinuno ng mga lalawigan, upang lumapit sa paglalaan ng larawang itinayo ni Nabucodonosor na hari. Nang magkagayo’y ang mga prinsipe, ang mga gobernador, at mga kapitan, ang mga hukom, ang mga tagapagingat yaman, ang mga tagapayo, ang mga serapido, at ang lahat ng pinuno ng mga lalawigan, ay nagtipon-tipon sa paglalaan ng larawang itinayo ni Nabucodonosor na hari; at sila ay tumayo sa harap ng imahen na itinayo ni Nabucodonosor. Nang magkagayo’y sumigaw ng malakas ang isang tagapagbalita, Sa inyo’y iniutos, Oh bayan, mga bansa, at mga wika, Na sa panahong inyong marinig ang tunog ng korneta, plauta, alpa, sakopa, salterio, dulcimer, at lahat ng uri ng musika, kayo’y magpatirapa at sambahin ang larawang ginto na inilagay ni Nabucodonosor na hari: At ang sinomang hindi magpatirapa at sumamba ay ihahagis sa gitna ng nagniningas na nagniningas na hurno. Kaya’t nang panahong yaon, nang marinig ng buong bayan ang tunog ng korneta, plauta, alpa, sackbutt, psaltery, at lahat ng uri ng musika, ang lahat ng mga tao, ang mga bansa, at ang mga wika, ay nagpatirapa at sumamba sa larawang ginto na itinayo ni Nabucodonosor na hari.Kaya’t nang panahong yaon ay lumapit ang ilang Caldeo, at inakusahan ang mga Judio. Sila’y nagsalita at sinabi sa haring Nabucodonosor, Oh hari, mabuhay ka magpakailan man. Ikaw, Oh hari, ay gumawa ng isang pasiya, na ang bawa’t tao na makaririnig ng tunog ng korneta, plauta, alpa, sakopa, psaltery, at dulcimer, at lahat ng uri ng musika, ay magpapatirapa at sasamba sa larawang ginto: At ang sinomang hindi magpatirapa at sumamba, upang siya’y ihagis sa gitna ng nagniningas na nagniningas na hurno. May ilang Judio na iyong inilagay sa mga gawain ng lalawigan ng Babilonia, sina Sadrach, Mesach, at Abednego; ang mga lalaking ito, Oh hari, ay hindi nagbigay-pansin sa iyo: hindi sila naglingkod sa iyong mga dios, ni sumasamba man sa larawang ginto na iyong itinayo.Nang magkagayo’y si Nabucodonosor sa kaniyang galit at galit ay nag utos na dalhin si Sadrach, si Mesach, at si Abednego. Pagkatapos ay dinala nila ang mga lalaking ito sa harap ng hari. Nagsalita si Nabucodonosor at sinabi sa kanila, Totoo ba, Oh Sadrach, Mesach, at Abednego, hindi ba kayo naglilingkod sa aking mga dios, ni sumasamba man sa larawang ginto na aking itinayo Ngayon, kung kayo ay handa na sa oras na inyong marinig ang tunog ng korneta, plauta, alpa, sackbutt, psaltery, at dulcimer, at lahat ng uri ng musika, kayo ay magpapatirapa at sasamba sa larawang aking ginawa; mabuti: subalit kung hindi kayo sasamba, kayo ay itatapon sa oras ding iyon sa gitna ng nagniningas na nagniningas na hurno; at sino ang Diyos na yaon na magliligtas sa inyo mula sa aking mga kamay? Sina Sadrach, Mesach, at Abednego, ay sumagot at nagsabi sa hari, Oh Nabucodonosor, hindi kami maingat na sagutin ka sa bagay na ito. Kung gayon, ang ating Diyos na ating pinaglilingkuran ay may kakayahang iligtas tayo mula sa nagniningas na nagniningas na hurno, at ililigtas niya tayo sa iyong kamay, O hari. Ngunit kung hindi, alamin mo sa iyo, Oh hari, na hindi kami maglilingkod sa iyong mga dios, ni sasamba man sa gintong larawan na iyong itinayo.Nang magkagayo’y si Nabucodonosor ay puno ng galit, at ang anyo ng kaniyang visage ay nabago laban kay Sadrach, kay Mesach, at kay Abednego: kaya’t siya’y nagsalita, at iniutos na kanilang initin ang hurno nang makapitong beses na higit kay sa nakasanayan na mapainit. At kaniyang inutusan ang mga pinakamakapangyarihang lalake na nasa kaniyang hukbo na igapos si Sadrach, si Mesach, at si Abednego, at ihagis sila sa nagniningas na nagniningas na hurno. Nang magkagayo’y ang mga lalaking ito ay iginapos sa kanilang mga balabal, ang kanilang mga hosen, at ang kanilang mga sumbrero, at ang kanilang iba pang mga kasuotan, at itinapon sa gitna ng nagniningas na nagniningas na hurno. Kaya nga dahil sa ang utos ng hari ay kagyat, at ang hurno ay labis na mainit, ang apoy ng apoy ay pumatay sa mga lalaking yaon na nagdala kina Sadrach, Mesach, at Abednego. At ang tatlong lalaking ito, si Sadrach, si Mesach, at si Abednego, ay nahulog na nakatali sa gitna ng nagniningas na nagniningas na hurno. Nang magkagayo’y nagulat si Nabucodonosor na hari, at nagmadaling bumangon, at nagsalita, at nagsabi sa kaniyang mga tagapayo, Hindi ba’t naghagis tayo ng tatlong lalake na nakatali sa gitna ng apoy Sila’y nagsisagot at sinabi sa hari, Totoo, Oh hari. Sumagot siya at sinabi, Narito, nakikita ko ang apat na lalaking nakawala, na naglalakad sa gitna ng apoy, at wala silang nasaktan at ang anyo ng ikaapat ay katulad ng Anak ng Diyos.Nang magkagayo’y lumapit si Nabucodonosor sa bibig ng nagniningas na nagniningas na hurno, at nagsalita, at nagsabi, Sadrach, Mesach, at Abednego, kayong mga lingkod ng Dios na kataastaasan, magsilabas kayo, at magsiparoon kayo rito. Nang magkagayo’y si Sadrach, si Mesach, at si Abednego, ay nagsilabas sa gitna ng apoy. At ang mga prinsipe, mga gobernador, at mga kapitan, at ang mga tagapayo ng hari, na nagkakatipon, ay nakita ang mga lalaking ito, na sa kanilang mga katawan ay walang kapangyarihan ang apoy, ni isang buhok sa kanilang ulo ay inawit, ni ang kanilang mga balabal ay nagbago, ni ang amoy ng apoy ay dumaan sa kanila. Nang magkagayo’y nagsalita si Nabucodonosor, at nagsabi, Purihin ang Dios ni Sadrach, ni Mesach, at ni Abednego, na nagsugo ng kaniyang anghel, at nagligtas sa kaniyang mga lingkod na nagsitiwala sa kaniya, at nagbago ng salita ng hari, at nagbigay ng kanilang mga katawan, upang hindi sila maglingkod o sumamba sa anomang dios, maliban sa kanilang sariling Dios. Kaya’t ako’y gumagawa ng isang kautusan, Na ang bawa’t bayan, bansa, at wika, na nagsasalita ng anomang bagay ay nagkakamali laban sa Dios ni Sadrach, ni Mesach, at ni Abednego, ay puputulin, at ang kanilang mga bahay ay gagawing isang dumi ng dumi: sapagka’t walang ibang Dios na makapagliligtas ayon sa ganitong uri. Pagkatapos ay itinaguyod ng hari sina Sadrach, Mesach, at Abednego, sa lalawigan ng Babilonia.Ang dalawang pagpipilian para sa buong sangkatauhan ay naroroon sa kuwentong ito. Ang dalawang grupo sa kuwentong ito ay nagpapakita ng tatlong bahagi ng pagpili para sa o laban sa Diyos. Ang pagsuway, ang debosyon, at ang resulta.

Pagsuway

Para sa Diyos: Sinuway ng tatlong lalake ng Israel ang utos ng hari, at tumangging yumuko sa rebulto.

Laban sa Diyos: Sinuway ng hari ang utos ng Diyos na Siya lamang ang Diyos.

Debosyon

Para sa Diyos: Sinabi ng tatlo sa Israel na, kahit hindi sila iligtas ng Diyos mula sa kamatayan, sasambahin pa rin nila SIYA.

Laban sa Diyos: Ang mga kawal ng hari, kahit na ang apoy ay mas mainit kaysa dati, ay nakatuon sa pagsunod sa mga utos upang ilagay ang tatlo ng Israel sa apoy.

BungaPara sa Diyos: Sa kabila ng pagkahagis sa nagniningas na impiyerno, hindi napinsala ang tatlo. Ang kanilang mga gapos ay bumaba, ang kanilang mga damit ay hindi nahawakan. Ngunit higit sa lahat, maging ang hari ay nakita ang kanilang pagtubos. Ang Anak ng Diyos bago siya nagkatawang tao. “Narito, nakikita ko ang apat na lalaking nakawala, na naglalakad sa gitna ng apoy, at wala silang nasaktan; at ang anyo ng ikaapat ay katulad ng Anak ng Diyos.” (Daniel 3:25).Laban sa Diyos: Ang pagpili na sundin ang utos ng hari, ay nagdulot ng buhay sa mga kawal. Ang apoy na utos ng hari na gawing mas mainit, ay naging apoy na paghatol ng Diyos sa mga kawal. Ito ay isang foreshadowing ng huling apoy na babagsak sa mundong ito. ‘at pagka ang libong taon ay lumipas, si Satanas ay palalayain sa kaniyang bilangguan, At lalabas upang linlangin ang mga bansa na nasa apat na sulok ng lupa, si Gog at si Magog, upang tipunin sila sa pakikipagdigma: ang bilang nila ay gaya ng buhangin sa dagat. At sila’y umahon sa lawak ng lupa, at pinalibutan ang kampamento ng mga banal sa palibot, at ang minamahal na bayan: at ang apoy ay bumaba mula sa Dios mula sa langit, at sila’y nilamon.’ (Apocalipsis 20:7-9).Nakikita natin sa kuwentong ito ng kasaysayan, nakikita natin ang mga bunga ng ating pinaglilingkuran. Dalawa lang ang pagpipilian: ang Diyos o si Satanas. Kung hindi mo pinili na maligtas sa pamamagitan ng dugo ni Cristo at sumunod sa KANYA, kung gayon sinusunod mo si Satanas. Kahit na naniniwala ka na sinusunod mo lamang ang iyong sarili, ang pagsuway sa Diyos ay ang pagsunod sa Kanyang kaaway, si Satanas.

Ang mga pagpipilian ay: Walang Hanggan kasama ang Diyos sa Langit o Walang Hanggang Kapahamakan sa Impiyerno.Mas maganda ang sinabi ni Joshua. ‘At kung tila masama sa inyo ang maglingkod sa Panginoon, piliin ninyo sa araw na ito kung sino ang inyong paglilingkuran; kung ang mga dios na pinaglingkuran ng inyong mga magulang na nasa kabilang dako ng baha, o ang mga dios ng mga Amorrheo, na sa lupain ay nananahan kayo: nguni’t tungkol sa akin at sa aking sangbahayan, ay maglilingkod kami sa Panginoon.’ (Josue 24:15)

Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, Theology, Uncategorized

Defiance, Devotion, and Consequence

Mankind has two choices to make in this life. To follow God or to defy God (which is following Satan). Jesus the Son and God the Father have made it clear through out all of scripture, that there are only these two choices. One leads to eternal life with God, the other leads to eternal damnation.

Today we will look at one story in Daniel that illustrates these two choices. We know the story of King Nebuchadnezzar of ancient Babylon. We know how his dream of the multi-metal statute was interpreted by Daniel.

Daniel 2

And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.   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.   And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.   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.   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.   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.   They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.   The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.   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.
   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.   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.   For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.   And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
   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:   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.   Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.   Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:   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.
   Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.   Daniel answered and said,
Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever:
for wisdom and might are his:
   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:
   He revealeth the deep and secret things:
he knoweth what is in the darkness,
and the light dwelleth with him.
   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.
     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.   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.   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?   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;   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;   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.   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.
     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.   This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,   His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.   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.   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.
   This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.   Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.   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.   And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.   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.   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.   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.   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.   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.   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.
   Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.   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.   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.   Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

But as we will see in chapter 3, the king determined to thwart the vision and built a statue of solid gold and commanded worship to the image. This is a foreshadowing of Revelation 13:15 ‘And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.’

Daniel 3

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.   Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.   Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, 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.   Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,   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:   And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.   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.
   Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.   They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.   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:   And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.   There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
     Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.   Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?   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?   Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.   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.   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.
   Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.   And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.   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.   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 Abednego.   And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.   Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.   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.
   Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.   And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, 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.   Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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.   Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 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.   Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

The two choices for all of mankind are present in this story. Both groups in this story show the three parts of choice for or against God. The defiance, the devotion, and the consequence.

Defiance

For God: The three men of Israel defied the order of the king, and refused to bow to the statue.

Against God: The king defied the command of God to have only Him as God.

Devotion

For God: The three of Israel said that, even if God would not save them from death, they would still worship HIM.

Against God: The soldiers of the king, even after the fire was hotter than it had ever been, were devoted to following orders to place the three of Israel in the fire.

Consequence

For God: Despite being thrown into the blazing inferno, the three were not harmed. Their binds came off, their clothing untouched. But most important, even the king saw their redemption. The Son of God before he became incarnate. “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.” (Daniel 3:25).

Against God: The choice to follow the king’s orders, cost the soldiers their life. The flame that the king order to be made hotter, became the fire judgment of God to the soldiers. This a foreshadowing of the final fire that will fall on this earth. ‘and when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.’ (Revelation 20:7-9).

Seeing in this story of history, we see the consequences of whom we serve. There are only two choices: God or Satan. If you don’t choose to be saved by the blood of Christ and follow HIM, then you follow Satan. Even if you believe you follow only yourself, defiance of God is following His enemy, Satan.

The choices are: Eternity with God in Heaven or Eternal Damnation in Hell.

Joshua said it best. ‘And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ (Joshua 24:15)

Christianity, doctrine, faith, Theology, Uncategorized

New Year, New Start, But in Need of a New Life

Today starts a new year. And most people will name their resolutions for a new start. Things that are named are like: stop smoking, exercise more, eat healthier, be nicer, not take lip from others, and the list goes on. And while these things are good, most will admit (if they are honest) do not last in their daily walk through the year. But what is needed is a new life.

I don’t mean just walking away from job or family and start over. I mean real life. While Paul is writing to the Romans, he speaks of the new life we all need. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:1-4)

There are three things Jesus the Christ said in one statement that gives us a new start to an eternal new life. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6). In this statement, Jesus speaks three things that we, as a depraved and corrupt humanity, need to hear.

He is the way. Luke restates this in his accounting of the Acts of the Apostles. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

He is the truth. “Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.” (Psalms 25:5). “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32).

He is life. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:4) “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36) “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24)

Jesus told John in His revelation, that those without being written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, the eternal penalty is death. “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:12-15)

Eternal condemnation and punishment or Eternal grace and mercy. No other choice is optional. So as you start the new year, kneel at the Cross of Christ and begin a new life that will be eternal in grace and mercy. Or continue making resolutions that only work on the outer person and not the soul, and receive eternal damnation at the end of your last earthly breath.

May God draw you, bless you, and lead you to the eternal kingdom of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ.

CP News and Perspective

Independent journalist and Op/Ed writer.

Tag Archives: hell

The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached

Desafío, devoción y consecuencias

Defiance, Debosyon, at Bunga

Defiance, Devotion, and Consequence

New Year, New Start, But in Need of a New Life