Verse by verse teaching - Daniel 4:10-12 " A Tell of a Tree"

Daniel chapter 4, verses 10 through 12 this morning. The title of the message is A Tell of a Tree. Understanding Bible Prophecy. A Tell of a Tree. understanding Bible prophecy. We've been studying a letter that was written many years ago, hundreds of years before Christ came. by the ruler of the Babylonian World Empire, King Nebuchadnezzar. King Nebuchadnezzar is relaying the story of the second dream that God had given him. And what happened in the wake of him receiving that dream? And after the worldly wise men failed to interpret the dream that God had given the king, he finally called in Daniel. whom he knew was filled with the Spirit of God, and could interpret that dream for him. Let's now look in verse ten together. As Nebuchadnezzar tells Daniel his dream, he said, Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for your precious word. And I pray, Father, for each and every person here this morning How special it is to see them, Father, here, setting aside the time, Lord of this day, to honor you. To come hear your word, to feast, Father, on the scriptures that you've given us, Father, as you told your apostles to feed your sheep. Lord, we sit here as sheep this morning, dear Lord God, waiting to be fed by your word. Teach us, Lord, I pray. Open our eyes. And have us to look steadfastly to your truth as you reveal it to us. In Jesus' wonderful name, Father. Amen. Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed. In other words, this is what I dream, Daniel. And to make sure that we know that he didn't see this with his eyes, that there was some vision happening in front of us, he says that they were the visions of his head. Now let's look at the dream. He said, I saw and behold a tree in the midst of the earth. And this is where we have to slow down a little bit. And we have to study the scriptures. The Bible says tells the pastors, study to show yourselves approved. unto God a workman that needs not to be ashamed, right, the dividing the word of truth. And it it takes study to understand God's Word. But the most beautiful thing about studying God's word is, do you know what the best teacher of God's Word is? God's Word. That's right. The Bible is the best commentary on the Bible. And so what we're going to do this morning, we're going to be learning some fundamentals of understanding Bible prophecy as we're reading this. This is not a subject on Bible prophecy. We're just going to be studying the scriptures verse by verse as always. But as we do so, we're going to have truth revealed to us about how to understand Bible prophecy. Nebuchadnezzar said, I saw and behold a tree in the midst of the earth. Bible prophecy, which the book of Daniel is, Bible prophecy is uh very symbolic. Now, it doesn't mean that the prophecies are symbolic. The truths that the prophecies teach are not symbolism. They're literal. They're real. They're solid. They're reality. But symbolism is often used to communicate to us these truths. And it usually usually serves a twofold purpose Number one, by using symbolism, God can keep the people in the dark in the dark. People who don't know God, who don't cherish his word, they can read it and they'll go right over their heads. They stay in the dark. Number two, people who are in the light of Christ can be illuminated by the illustrations. And so the subject of the dream here, if you'll look, he said, I saw and behold a tree in the midst of the earth. The subject of this dream is a tree. Okay? The details of this dream are going to get quite amazing. But don't get lost in the details as you listen to the dream. Remember the story is about a tree. Now Nebuchadnezzar said that this tree was where? In the midst of the earth. So this wasn't a tree from heaven. It's not some heavenly tree This is a tree that's in the midst of the earth. And being in the midst of the earth, that means it was part of the earth and it was accessible to those who lived there. Okay? The tree was part of the earth and accessible to those who live there. Listen to how the book of Genesis, chapter 2, verse 9, describes two special trees that were in the Garden of Eden. You'll see it's the same way. Genesis two nine says, And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also where? In the midst Of the garden and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. So the trees of life and knowledge of good and evil were in the midst of the garden. That means they were part of the garden because God planted them there, and they were accessible to those who lived there. Because they had the ability to take and eat from either one of them. We know that because they did, from the one they weren't supposed to. But they had the ability. It was part of the garden. It was accessible to those who lived there. So being in the midst of the earth, Nebuchadnezzar saw this tree that was part of the earth. And it was accessible to those who lived there. Now keeping this in mind, Nebuchadnezzar continued saying, look back in your text, and the height thereof was great. So this tree was very tall. It was a great high tree. This was a very tall tree in the midst of the earth. And knowing the principles of Bible prophecy. We can understand many aspects of this dream before we ever read the interpretation. In fact, we can understand Some aspects of this dream that aren't revealed in the interpretation by understanding the fundamentals of Bible prophecy, which we'll look at this morning. And the first thing we need to understand is this. God does not focus Bible prophecy on anything other than man. Repeat that again. God does not focus Bible prophecy on anything other than man. The kingdom of God is not about puppy dogs, kitty cats, and trees. It's about people. Bible prophecy is always centered on the gospel and focused on the human race. Repeat that again. Bible prophecy is always centered on the gospel and focused on the human race. So if a tree is the subject of the prophecy, then a man or a group of people are going to be represented by the tree. You see how that works? If Bible prophecy is centered on the gospel, but it's focused on the human race, then the tree, this isn't going to be a prophecy about a tree. God didn't uh uh uh be start his church and come and die for trees and die for kitty cats and die for puppy dogs. He died for mankind. And so the dream is about a tree, but the tree is going to be representing a man or a group of men or people that that man represents. Does that make sense? So understand that about Bible prophecy In the Bible, here's another lesson you need to know about Bible prophecy. In the Bible, people are often compared to trees. In the Bible, people are often compared to trees. See, if you understand these principles. Then when you read other prophecies in the Bible or parables in the Bible, then suddenly your mind will start to work and apply those principles. But in the Bible, people are often compared to trees. The book of Jude. Chapter uh chapter one, there's only one chapter. But the book of Jude, verse 12, B, the apostle Jude described false teachers as, quote, trees. whose fruit withereth without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. See how that works? It's about trees describing people. And since the tree in Nebuchadnezzar's dream was a tree of great height, then we know that it represents a dominant figure in the earth You see how how we're getting this now? It represents a dominant figure in the earth. Now that we know what the tree was, let's see what the tree did. Nebuchadnezzar said, look in verse 11 with me. It said, the tree grew. The tree grew. Now when a tree grows, it predominantly grows one way. How? Up It gets higher, it grows up, and then of course it pro it grows proportionally thicker as well. So the the growth of this tree signifies its increased stature growing up. Its increased strength growing out. See how that works? So let's first consider its increased strength. Nebuchadnezzar said the tree grew, look back in your text, and was what? Strong. So this tree represents a dominant figure on earth whose dominance grew and whose strength was multiplied. Okay? Nebuchadnezzar went on to say, look back in your text, And the height thereof reached unto heaven. Now if you have a pen and you have your Bible open, underscore the words, reached unto heaven. Reached unto heaven. That's significant. The height of the tree reached unto heaven. Now, let me ask you this. Does the height of a tree Normally reach into heaven? No, doesn't reach into heaven. This is uh an extraordinary growth. This is an unnatural growth. The high of the tree reached into heaven. So the tree, the person, grew exceeding high. Lofty. And this represents the person being greatly exalted above the other people. See how that works? But since the height reaches unto heaven then this tree is probably exalting itself above measure. You see how that works? The tree is higher than the other trees, but since the tree actually reaches unto heaven, then the tree is apparently exalting itself in its heart, up above where it's supposed to be. Kind of reminds me of the devil. Doesn't it you? How he exalted himself higher than he was supposed to be. He wanted to be like God, still wants to be God. So the Bible says that we should exalt God alone and not ourselves. Speaking of God, the Bible says in Psalm 66, 7. It says, God ruleth by his power forever, his eyes behold the nations, let not the rebellious exalt themselves. So even if a tree is exalted all the way up to heaven, that's wrong for a person to exalt themselves up to the place to where God only has a right to be. A tree growing and reaching unto heaven has the idea of a man or a nation exalting themselves beyond the natural place, the natural position that God has given them in creation, and if they are attempting to lift themselves up in power, to where God belongs they're wrong. In Isaiah chapter fourteen, verse four. God told Isaiah to prophesy against the king of Babylon. Now in this particular prophecy in Isaiah, Isaiah is not prophesying against King Nebuchadnezzar. King Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon. He's prophesying against one of his descendants before Babylon fell. But the whole point, the whole truth is the same, that his descendants carried on that self-exalted spirit They're in Babylon. Now listen to what he says. This is how the Bible becomes the best teacher of the Bible. Listen to what the prophet Isaiah said. God told Isaiah in Isaiah 14, 4, that thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon. We are studying this morning about the king of Babylon and say, how hath the oppressor ceased? the golden city ceased. Now remember Babylon was the golden city because Nebuchadnezzar was the head of gold in that first dream, remember? And now the golden city is ceasing. It's coming to its end, okay? As we learned in the first prophet against uh the first uh dream that was a prophecy. Now that uh after the head came the silver and then the brass and then the iron and then the iron and clay. Remember, and that represented subsequent nations, uh world powers coming into uh into existence. So God is talking about the golden city of Babylon ceasing and coming to an end, and now continuing his prophecy. against the king of Babylon. Listen to what God says about the king in Isaiah 14, 12. By the way, this prophecy in Isaiah 14, 12 is not only talking about Nebuchadnezzar uh excuse me, the king of Babylon, it's also talking about Satan. It's what we call in theology a double reference prophet. prophecy. It speaks about something on earth that's temporary and something that's spiritual that's more eternal. Okay? A greater spiritual truth. is being addressed indirectly while a less significant spiritual truth is being addressed immediately. Watch what God says to the king of Babylon. In verse 12 of the same chapter, how art thou fallen from where? Heaven. Now where was the tree exalted to? The tree was exalted unto heaven. Now, if he's saying, how art thou fallen from heaven, what is that tree going to do? That tree is going to fall. You see how the Bible explains the Bible? So he says, he says, How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning? How art thou what? Cut down to the ground. Which didst weaken the nations. For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend where? Into heaven. Now you see how this tree works. The tree was exalted unto heaven. The tree said in his heart, I will ascend into heaven. Watch what he says here. Now, this can't be said directly about Lucifer. Because Lucifer, when he fell, where was he? He was in heaven. Okay? But this is talking about uh Nebuchadnezzar uh excuse me, the king of Babylon, which was Nebuchadnezzar's descendant at this time, directly to about him, Nebuchadnezzar by this time when this prophecy was given had already passed away. But it's still to the king of Babylon, so the principle applies. And so he exalted himself, tried to exalt himself up to heaven in his heart, just like Nebuchadnezzar did. He lifted himself up unto heaven as this tree. He said, For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the Most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell to the sides of the pit, God said. And so this is a double reference. This is where God is speaking to the king of Babylon directly. in the prophecy, because he told Isaiah, Take up a proverb against the king of Babylon. He's speaking to the king of this fallen world, Satan, indirectly. Lucifer, you see? And so he talks to one And he addresses the other. Again, the same way that when Jesus spoke to Peter, he said, Get thee behind me, Satan. So he's speaking to Peter directly, he's speaking to the devil indirectly. And the same way when God addressed The serpent in the Garden of Eden. He speaks to the serpent directly. You're going to crawl on your belly. But while speaking to the serpent, he speaks to Lucifer or the devil. indirectly, and he says, I'm going to put in between between your seed and the one, between thy seed and her seed. It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel. And so, and that's how come the devil becomes the great serpent in the book of the Revelation. God speaks to one directly, he speaks to the greater spiritual truth indirectly. A double reference prophecy. But we see here in this text clearly that the tree is being self-exalted in the heart. Up to heaven, attempting to intrude to a place where only God has a right to be. I'm going to be the ruler of this world. I will be the master of this world. By the way, have you noticed That your communist dictators. Have you noticed that Adolf Hitler? Have you noticed that Karl Marx? Have you noticed that all these people that try to achieve global power? Have you noticed that atheism is at the heart of it? I told my Genesis of Jesus class this morning that atheism is a religion. Atheism is a religion. That makes itself God. The people who practice atheism, you know what they're saying? God did not create us. We created ourselves. We all just pop right on up and look at us. Look what we've done. Look how far we've come. We used to be a monkey, now we're a man. We used to be little amoebas floating around in a pool, and look what we've done here. No, God has made us, we've made ourselves. And so they put themselves in the position of God. And then when they try to take over the world and they have these global ambitions of conquering the world, you know what they're doing? They're rising up in their heart and they're saying, I will rule the world. I'll be like the Most High. And that's what they're trying to achieve. And so God is speaking here to Nebuchadnezzar in this dream. Now Just a few verses. Before the prophet Isaiah compared Babylon to uh this tree that gets cut down to the earth, he compared the inferior kingdoms of Babylon to the to trees. Speaking of how the nations rejoice at the coming fall of Babylon, that great big tree that went up to heaven in Isaiah 14. 8, Isaiah 14. 8, Isaiah said, yea the fir trees rejoice at thee. And the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, that means cut down, no feller, what's a feller? It's a tree cutter, right? Have you ever heard of felling trees? No feller or no tree-cutter is come up against us. So in God's prophecy against the king of Babylon, king of Babylon is a tree that's ascended up to heaven. And what happens? All the other nations, their cedar trees, their fir trees, and and uh they say, man, since you got sawed down and cut down. Then we've had nobody try to come cut us down. That's because Babylon was a harsh and cruel kingdom that was that was conquering the other kingdoms. Amen. Whoa, we're all excited that the that big tree is cut down. So by comparing other Bible prophecies Such here as here in Isaiah, we can clearly see that the tree of Nebuchadnezzar's dream that we're reading about this morning is speaking about a man, uh his power, his pride, and his nation. Continuing to describe the tree in his dream, as we look back here in the book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar said, It grew up to heaven, look back in your text, and the sight thereof to the end. of all the earth. The sight thereof. That means everyone could see it. Everyone could see this tree as he as he's dreaming about this tree. It grew so tall and spread out so far. That everyone in the world could look and see that tree. All eyes of the world were on that tree. Do you know what this is telling us? This is telling us that this man and nation in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, represented by this tree. gained global attention. You see that? It gained global attention. I read the other day that Donald Trump was the most famous man on earth. Now not the most popular, not the most well-loved, or not the most hated But definitely the most famous man on earth. Would y'all agree with that? I would too. The most famous man on earth. I don't think anybody would dispute that Nigeria Christians are hoping Trump will help with their cause from being persecuted by the Muslims. Israel has been relying on Donald Trump to help with their cause. Iran was recently humbled by Donald Trump. South American drug lords are being bruised by him. Major nations such as China, Russia, Japan, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the likes have all been greatly impacted by his policies. The nations of the world have had to make major trade adjustments because of him. All the world has their eyes on the tall and mighty tree in Washington, D. C. , Donald Trump And if we apply that understanding, how we can see how all the world has their eyes on him, if we apply that here to Daniel, then we can understand how this tree in Nebuchadnezzar's dream was seen to to the end of all the earth, except on a much grander scale. Nebuchadnezzar said, look now in verse 12. The leaves thereof were fair. Now if you know anything about trees, then you know that the leaf of a tree reveals the tree's health and beauty. Isn't that right? And you look at a tree and it's got all spotted brown leaves and it's the middle of spring, something's wrong. Leaves are yellow and withering, something's wrong. But when they're nice and green or in the fall, when they're beautiful, red and yellow, and you know, everything's healthy and and beautiful. So this tree represents a not only a powerful man and nation, Not only a nation that like that, but it its tree, its leaves were fair. It was politically healthy, and it was much to be admired. Nation was powerful, politically healthy, much to be admired, its beauty, he continued saying, look back in your text, and the fruit thereof much. the fruit thereof much. So this tree had much fruit. Now the fruit of a nation is what we would call today its gross domestic product. The fruit of this tree is its gross domestic product. Think of the word product. A product is something that is produced. Comes from the same root word, right? It's something produced is and and And its product is the the uh result of that production, whatever's being produced. And guess where fruit is found In the grocery store? What section? The produce section. So what the dream is telling us Is that this tree, this man, this empire was an economic giant It was very productive in the global market. And being so productive, the Bible says, look back in your text, and in it was meat for all. That means there was enough food in that tree to supply food for the entire world, for anyone who wanted it. You see what this tree is representing here? A powerful man, a powerful nation. A beautiful, thriving, healthy economy, and at the center of it all, a very prideful heart because of it. You know what should be at the center of all of that? What kind of heart? A thankful heart. But instead, the tree had a prideful heart. We're going to learn that as we go. But being that the fact that it exalted itself up to heaven, it had a prideful heart. Otherwise, it would have had it would have been exalted lower and it'd been looking up and giving thanks to heaven. So a global empire provides global stability. All of our lives We have known economics on the basis of competition, haven't we? That's all we've ever known. One store competing with another store. one nation competing with another nation. But can you imagine what it would be like if the whole world belonged to the same nation? and served the common good and a common God. Now make no mistake, the world empires in times past, Babylon included, they were often cruel and they were self-serving. No doubt about that. But they did provide global stability. And that global stability always resulted in global advancement When you're studying history, especially biblical history, you will see that the world empires provided global stability, and when there was global stability, there was global advancement. Before Jesus came, you had the Greek Empire, World Empire. And the Greeks were big in literature. And because of that, our Bible was written in our New Testament was written in Greek, right? And then after the Greeks, the Romans took over, they conquered Greece. When the Romans took over, they were known for their highway system. Building highways, linking all of their their s cities and countries and their dominion, trying to build highways. In fact, some of their roads are still in existence today. Y'all ever seen a picture of their roads, the Roman roads? Some people have. Look it up in Encyclopedia. You can still go to Europe today and still see the roads that the Roman Empire built. Amazing. Well, so when when Jesus comes, you have trade language, so that when the Bible is written, you have more people understanding Greek and the Bible can be produced. And all these other different nations in the trade language, just like English is the trade language today. You go to China, most people speak English. And so they learn it because it's the trade language. So you had a trade language that was Greek, then you had the Roman road system. So the the the gospel could be spread more freely, travel was easier, and and and uh there was networking between the nations. Global stability provides global advancement. The economic success of this powerful tree provided global sustenance and, look back in your text, the beast of the field had shadow under it. The beast of the field had shadow under it. The tree not only sustained the world with food, but it supplied it with shelter It not only sub sustained the world with food, remember the fruit of the tree was meat for all, but it supplied it with shelter. It gave shade, and the beasts of the field were able to Go under its shade and have shelter under that tree. Now, take your pen, underscore the word beasts. Beasts. Now go down a little further and underscore the word fouls. Man, this is fun, folks. I hope you're having as much fun as I am. Underscore the word fouls. Now go back and underscore the word field. Now underscore the word heaven So in this text, we see beasts and birds And these beasts and birds live respectively in the field and in the heaven. Two categories of living creatures, both sustained and given shelter by this exceedingly tall tree. During the times of this tree, the world empire and its ruler, God used this empire to sustain both the heathen And the holy. Both the heathen and the holy. In your Bible, when you see the word beast, draw a line out to the margin. Write the word heathen. When you get through doing that, go up to the word foul, draw a line out to your margin, write the word holy. Not only were the heathen nations cared for. But the holy people of God were protected. Now, one thing we've seen in the book of Daniel is this So far, Daniel and his godly friends, remember they had been taken after Babylon conquered Israel. Again, you go read about the encyclopedia That's just what happened. And we're reading about that here in the Bible, and we get the inside story. When Babylon conquered Israel, they took Israelites, certain Israelites captive, brought them back to Babylon and put them to work. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, or Daniel is Belt what do they call him? Belteshazzar. Yeah. But they they brought them back, changed their names. and put them to work. Now what happened when God brought them back to Babylon? Were they oppressed or were they promoted? After that first dream, what happened? Daniel interpreted the dream, and King Nebuchadnezzar promoted Daniel and then promoted his uh friend Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and now they're ruling uh and and now a ruling class there in Babylon. And so what happens is Babylon is actually protecting the people of God. They may not be realizing that, but that's what's happening. Because all throughout the history of the world, do you know what's been happening? The devil has been trying to exterminate the Jewish people. Kill them off. Right now he wants to exterminate the Jews Sabbath. He wants to exterminate Christians Sabbad. You look all over the world, you'll never see Christians exterminating other people What you see are the Christians who are getting exterminated. The Christians sometimes rise up and they'll fight. That's okay. But they never just go out and say, let's just go start exterminating everybody and make everybody Christians, like the Muslims do. So there is a agenda, an evil agenda to exterminate Christians and to exterminate Jews And so what happens here in this land, you have the beasts of the field who are finding shelter under the tree. That represents the heathen nations. They find shelter under the tree, global stability. But separate from the heathen nations, you have the fowl of the heaven that are in the tree as well. And that shows that God used this global stability and a time to provide protection to the remnant of God, the Jews. and also to provide protection for the faith of God in those people, to keep it sustained and protected Okay? So that's what we see here. Not only were the heathen nations cared for, but the holy people of God were protected. Nebuchadnezzar didn't understand the dream. He didn't understand what we're understanding now. He's simply telling Daniel what he saw. And he said, the beasts that filled were given shelter by the tree. Look back in your text. And the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the bows or the limbs thereof. The fowls of the heaven dwelt in the bows thereof. Now listen to how Jesus. Describe the kingdom of God. Now understand the whole time that we're in existence in this world as a church, We are living in two parallel kingdoms. The kingdom of this world and the kingdom of God. Okay? When you become a believer in Jesus Christ, you are born again, and you are then made a citizen of God's kingdom. So we have dual citizenship. Don't even have to have a passport for to be a citizen of God's kingdom. We're just here. But we're dual citizens So while we may be American citizens, living in a tree, so to speak, we are also citizens of God's kingdom. So you have two kingdoms running parallel and we're having to dwell in both. We're serving Our king is being part of the kingdom of God, but we're having to dwell in the kingdom of men while we're doing it. And while we're doing it, we're waiting on our king to come. to establish his kingdom on earth. That's really what Christian life is about. Because one day we'll have a global uh a global uh government But it won't be made, it won't be from fallen man. It'll be the man Christ Jesus who will be ruling and reigning. All right? And so keep all that in mind now. And listen to how Jesus described the kingdom of God in Luke 13, verses 18 through 19. Then said he. Unto what is the kingdom of God like? In other words, how can I describe the kingdom of God to you? What kind of imagery Can I use to explain to you the kingdom of God? Now watch how Jesus described the kingdom of God. He says, and whereunto shall I resemble it? What does it resemble? Verse 19, it is like a grain of mustard seed. Now, a mustard seed is a little tiny seed, but it's a seed. It's a seed. And God's kingdom starts with a seed Jesus described the kingdom of God as a seed on numerous occasions. Once he called it a seed of corn. He said, unless a corn of grain falls from the ground and dies, it abides alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. Another time he described the kingdom of God. He was talking about a man going out and sowing in his field. He's sowing seed in his field. And then an enemy comes along, he starts sowing bad seed in his field. And one pops up wheat, the other pops up weeds. And the sower is Jesus. And he's going out sowing the gospel seed. And those who receive the gospel seed, they pop up and they become wheat. Those who receive the lies of the devil, they grow up and they become weeds. And then when Jesus comes back, the owner of the field, he separates the wheat. from the tares. He separates the believers from the unbelievers. But the kingdom of God always begins with a seed, and that seed is the gospel seed, and that seed is sown by Jesus through his people, his believers. Every time I preach the gospel and I tell someone how to be saved, you know what I'm doing? I've taken that little seed out. And I'm sowing that seed. But in this situation, when Jesus is describing the kingdom of God, he is using a seed that's exceedingly small. That's insignificant to man. That's something that would be lightly esteemed to man. But watch what the seed does. He says, How am I going to describe it? Verse 19, it is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and cast into his garden. And thank God Jesus has sowed his seed. God, Jesus had a garden in the beginning, and man fell. Jesus has another garden now. And man is going to be redeemed. He cast the seed in his garden and it grew. The seed grew and waxed or turned into what? Look at it, a great tree. Isn't that amazing? So now you have another kingdom that's also a great tree. Now Nebuchadnezzar has a dream of a great tree. Jesus has the reality of a great tree. The difference between Nebuchadnezzar's tree And Jesus' tree or kingdom is that one's going to fall, the other's going to rise up and stand forever. That's why you and I do not need to put our hope in Donald Trump, in the kingdoms of this world. You can vote for him. But don't trust in them. He's gonna get old, he's gonna get sick, he's gonna die, and in the meantime, he's gonna make mistakes. I voted for him twice But my faith is in the king to come. I'm praying for my president. I'm waiting on my king. You see how that works? That's how it's supposed to work So we got two great trees. And God is going to show Nebuchadnezzar an incredible truth. Nebuchadnezzar. You've got a great kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar, you're a great man. I've made you that way. But Nebuchadnezzar, you need to understand this. Everything in this world. No matter how high and how strong and how beautiful and how powerful it becomes, everything in this world that does not have its root And that mustard seed of the gospel is going to fall. It's going to fall And that's why we all have to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, It waxed a great tree, and what happened when the tree waxed great? Look in Luke 13, 19. It waxed a great tree, and what happened? The fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. That's us. Now the grain of mustard seed and the gospel message again is exceedingly small. The sower is Jesus Christ. He and the message of that seed is the message of what Jesus did for man on the cross. And by believing, it be causes us to become part of God's kingdom, which continues to do what? Every time someone believes in Christ as their Savior, that kingdom grows. and grows and grows and grows and for the past 2,000 years we've been preaching the cross of Christ and that That cree tree keeps getting taller and bigger and stronger as we go, as more people get added to it, and the fowls of heaven come and lodge in its branches. And although the tree in Nebuchadnezzar's dream was not the kingdom of God, it was used to help sustain the people of God. Just as God, thankfully, is using America now to help sustain believers Hey, the the the America right now, by God's grace, Donald Trump has put together a faith commission, a religious commission, to help make sure and protect religious liberties. for us here in America and also the America God has been using to help protect Jewish people in the nation of Israel. We are citizens of God's kingdom, but we presently dwell in the bowels or the bows, the limbs of a temporary earthly kingdom. In summation, Nebuchadnezzar said of the tree in his dream, look now as we look in the last of verse 12, and all flesh was fed of it. It was a global economy that provided global sustainability. And now that we understand how prophecy uses trees to describe people and kingdoms. We can understand that the trees of this earth can only feed us one way, and that's physically and temporarily. But the tree of God's kingdom, which sprung up through the gospel seed, can sustain us spiritually. And eternally. And that's the tale of a tree that we all need to tell. And with that, we'll close. Man, I tell you what. The Bible is exceedingly complex. But when it teaches itself, it's amazingly clear and simple, is it not? Father, we thank you so much for your precious word. Thank you for walking us step by step through your scriptures. We pray, Father, for next week in the verses as we continue to study this wonderful truth. Reveal to us your truths. Help us to understand the scripture and gaining more knowledge about ourself. about the life we have, and praise God in Christ Jesus the life to come. In his precious name we pray. Amen.