Well, good morning, everyone. Brother Obi Williams is in Rocky
Mount this morning preaching for the brethren there. Let's
remember him. There will be a conference there
this weekend, Friday night, Saturday morning, Sunday morning. Brother
Bruce Crabtree is the speaker. Anyone would like to hear him?
And we rejoice with Brother Landon Freeman. He has expressed his
desire to confess the Lord in believer's baptism. And he will
have the privilege of doing that in the service this evening.
Let's have a word of prayer. Our high and holy Heavenly Father,
Lord, we come to you this morning. As beggars of mercy, Lord, we
come to you in. Great need we need. A savior
we need to hear of our Savior Lord. We need the comfort of
knowing that. We belong to him. And. We come begging for bread. Lord,
we come begging for a word from you. We are so thankful to be
gathered in your name. Lord, we do not realize how privileged
we are to be gathered in your name, not unto us, oh Lord, but
unto thy name. We pray that you might open the
word to us today, Lord. We pray that you might speak
to us. We desire to hear your voice
today. We pray that you might bless
the word, Lord, to our hearts. We pray that you might bless
your people, Lord. Let us truly see Christ and see
the gospel of Christ. We pray for our teachers right
now. We pray for our children. We're so thankful to you for
the Children that you have raised up in this congregation, Lord,
we pray for them. We pray that your hand might
be on them. We pray, Lord, that they are
among your chosen people. And we pray that you would give
those teachers wisdom and a word that a seed might be planted.
We pray, Lord, for all of your people everywhere. We have loved
ones here that are going through illness of different kinds, Lord,
and all over this world, all your people that are going through
trials and troubles, and we pray for them, Lord. Please, please
be with them. Keep us near to you. Keep us focused on you, Lord.
Just help us, we pray. Have mercy on us for Christ's
sake, amen. Turn with me to Daniel chapter
3. Daniel chapter 3. I want to show
you something amazing. I will recap it here in just
a moment, but do you recall what's going on so far in this story
of Daniel? Do you remember well enough what's
going on to know what has happened and what Daniel has said to Nebuchadnezzar
concerning his dream and all those things? If you have that
in your mind, Look with me at chapter 3, verse 1. It says, Nebuchadnezzar the king made
an image of gold. Now, does it strike you how amazing
man is? The ignorance of man, is it not
amazing? The blindness, the deafness,
the foolishness of man's hell-bent nature to run headfirst into
destruction. That's what man wants to do in
spite of God's warning to man. Look at chapter two, verse 31. Here's a little recap, okay?
It says, Thou, O King, sawest, this is Daniel interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's
dream. 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." Look at the end of verse 38.
He said, thou art this head of gold. It's you, you saw yourself
to be this head of gold. Look at verse 45, it says, for
as much as thou saw us that the stone that was cut out of the
mountains, out of the mountain without hand, that's Christ.
And that it break in pieces, the iron, the brass, the clay,
the silver, and the gold, it broke it in pieces. 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. Now look at chapter three, verse
one. It says, Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold. That's amazing, isn't it? That
is amazing. That is man. That's mankind. That is just like man. That's
what man does. The very thing that God warns
man against, that's what man does. Man by nature is so blatantly
rebellious to the Word of God. Man by nature has no regard for
the Word of God. Now, according to the commentary
writers, From the end of chapter two to the beginning of chapter
three, from the time that Daniel interpreted the dream to the
time that Nebuchadnezzar made this image was about 16 years. That's how much time passed in
the white space before it says chapter three, 16 years. By this point, Daniel's warning
was out of sight, out of mind. And if you add the three years
that they were in prison and the two years before he saw the
dream, it's been roughly 21 years that they've been in Babylon
now. Israel has been in Babylon, taken captive. By this point,
Israel is well-integrated and well-saturated with Babylon. And what we're gonna see in the
message in a moment is, but for the grace of God, there goes
Israel with Babylon. but for the grace of God. But
what I want us to see for this Bible study is, and this is what
I want us to expose here, man's natural desire to be God. Man's natural desire, whether
man fully realizes it or not. Man has a natural desire to steal
the glory away from God by being his own God. That's what man
wants to be, his own God. Man naturally says, I will not
have that man reign over me. Man wants to be his own God. The great rebellion of free will
I want to expose free will this morning. The great rebellion
of free will. It started with the adversary
saying, I will be God. I will make myself to be just
like God. There were two falls that took
place in God's creation. Two falls. Number one, the fall
of the angels. And then number two, the fall
of man. Both of those falls came from
the rebellion of free will. Both of them. The angels thinking
and man thinking that they had a free will. Now with the angels,
a remnant was spared from that rebellion immediately. A remnant
was saved From that fall, immediately, based on Revelation 12 verse
4, it's believed that when our Lord cast our adversary out of
heaven, one-third of the angels fell with him. But two-thirds were preserved
from that fall. With man, all of them fell. All of them fell. I'm looking
at a bunch of fallen creatures in Adam. In Adam, all of mankind
inherited the rebellion of free will, man's will, my will, my
glory, my honor, my praise. It started with the adversary
and it has infected the nature of every man and woman on this
earth. Turn with me over to Isaiah 14,
back to Genesis, a few books to Isaiah. 14. The heading at the top of my
page says the desolation of Babylon. From Genesis to Revelation, Babylon
represents, you're gonna see Babylon, Babylon, it's in Genesis,
it's in Revelation. It represents sin, it represents
idolatry, it represents false religion in trying to exalt self. It came from the Tower of Babel,
trying to exalt self. through our own works, and that
started right here. This is where it started. Isaiah
14, verse 12. It says, how art thou fallen
from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning? How art thou cut
down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations? 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 God." Which is exactly what he said to Adam and Eve. He said, if you rise up against
Him in rebellion, you'll be just like Him. And it's because of that rebellion
right here that the Lord said in verse 15, yet thou shalt be
brought down to hell to the sides of the pit. They that see thee
shall narrowly look upon thee and consider thee saying, is
this the man that made the earth to tremble that did shake kingdoms? that made the world as a wilderness
and destroyed the cities thereof that opened not the house of
his prisoners. All the kings of the nations,
even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house, but
thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch. And
as the raiment of those that are slain thrust through with
a sword that go down to the stones of the pit as a carcass trodden
undefeat, Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because
thou hast destroyed thy land and slain thy people. The seed
of evildoers shall never be renowned. No man, no thing is ever going
to be glorified above Jesus Christ, the God of heaven and earth.
Nothing, no one, ever. But man has been infected with
a nature that very foolishly and very ignorantly believes
that he will be. And I want us to see that from
our text, okay? I want us to see what man by
nature has naturally done to try to steal the glory away from
God. We're gonna see a comparison
of what Nebuchadnezzar wanted for himself compared to what
God the Father has decreed to only be reserved for Jesus Christ. Nebuchadnezzar wanted something
for himself and God has declared that this is only reserved for
Jesus Christ. Starting with the fact that Nebuchadnezzar
is not the head of anything. Not the head of anything. He
is the head. Christ is the head of the body. Christ is the head of all things. In all things, Christ has the
preeminence. That means he's number one. He's
first. Nebuchadnezzar, in his dream,
he saw himself as being the head. The head of gold. And that's what all men and women
by nature see themselves to be. This image that Nebuchadnezzar
made, it was for his own glory. He made this for his own glory.
And in seeing this comparison we're about to see, this will
expose the sinful nature of all men and women, all right? Go
back to Daniel 3. Verse 1, it says, Nebuchadnezzar the king made
an image of gold whose height was threescore cubits and the
breadth thereof six cubits. And he set it up in the plain
of Dura in the province of Babylon. It was 90 feet tall and nine
feet wide. An image that all could easily
see. The scripture says of our Lord,
every eye is going to see him. And that's how it's going to
be. Every eye is going to see him. Verse 2 says, Then Nebuchadnezzar
the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, the
captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, 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, the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the
counselors, 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. Now, hold your place
right here. Put a marker if you want to in
Daniel. because we're going to flip back
and forth for a minute. Go with me to Matthew 25. Matthew
25. Verse 31, Matthew 25 verse 31, it says, When the Son of Man shall come
in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He
sit upon the throne of His glory, and before Him shall be gathered
all nations. All nations shall be gathered. Gathered, brought, commanded,
drawn, they're coming, all nations. Second Corinthians 510 says we
must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. We must all. Revelation 20 verse 12 even says,
I saw the dead, small and great, whether they were nobodies on
the earth or great people on this earth. I saw the dead, small
and great, stand before God, everybody. all souls are going
to be gathered in that great dedication day. All right, flip
back to Daniel 3. Verse 4 says, Then an herald
cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
that at what time you hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp,
sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, you fall
down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king
hath set up. All right, flip with me over
to 1 Thessalonians 4. 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 13. But
I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which
are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no
hope. For if we believe that Jesus
died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus
will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the
word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the
coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel."
When our Lord returns, when he comes back in his glory, and
Harold is going to cry out, all right? We're making a comparison
from what happened with Nebuchadnezzar to what is only reserved for
Jesus Christ, what he demanded and commanded for himself. God
has demanded and commanded only for Jesus Christ. When our Lord
comes back and Harold is going to cry out, an announcement is
going to be made. And everybody here is going to
hear it. That's something to me. But I'm
telling you, every soul sitting in this room right now is going
to hear it. Like in the old days when God
spoke out loud and when things happened, it's going to happen.
And Harold is going to cry out, verse 16, for the Lord himself
shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God. We are going to hear
music. We're going to hear music. The
commanding charge of the symphony of God will ring out. Turn over to 1 Corinthians 15. First Corinthians 15 verse 51
says, behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we
shall all be changed. Speaking of God's people in a
moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trump. I don't know how many times the,
the sounding charge will go out. Maybe seven. I don't know. But
on the last one, at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound. The music of God Almighty shall
play. The king seated on the throne,
his orchestra shall be heard. It's going to be heard. Go back
to Daniel 3. Verse 6, it says, and whoso falleth
not down and worshipeth shall the same hour be cast into the
midst of a burning fiery furnace. Turn to 2 Thessalonians 1. 2 Thessalonians chapter 1. Verse 7, it says, and to you
who are troubled, rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,
taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished
with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord
and from the glory of His power, when he shall come to be glorified
in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe because
our testimony among you was believed in that day. Now I wrote down
a few scriptures here and I can quote them to you. You can listen,
but turn to at least the first one with me. Go to Hebrews 10. Verse 26, it says, For if we
sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the
truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. What that
means is if we go back to works after God has revealed the finished
free grace of Christ to us. After God has revealed the blood
of Christ, paying the full debt for our sins, and it's finished. If we go back to trying to earn
a righteousness before God, there's no more sacrifice for sins. That's
unbelief. That's what it is. Verse 27,
but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation
which shall devour the adversaries." Fiery indignation. Hebrews 12,
verse 29, and again, I can read some of these to you. It says,
and actually just turn over there, it's two pages. Hebrews 12, 29. Our God is a consuming fire. Our God is a consuming fire. Just listen to 2 Peter 3 verse
7. It says, the heavens and the earth, which
are now by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto
fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly man.
That's what all of this is reserved to right now. Revelation 20 verse, Revelation 20, verses 12 to 15,
they say, I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God.
The books were opened. Everything that sinful man had
done, it's all coming up. And another book was opened.
Thank God for that other book. That's the book of life. That's
the book of all the souls that were placed in Christ, redeemed
in Christ. 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, whoever
was not found in Christ, was cast into the lake of fire. Nebuchadnezzar is a picture of
man trying to steal God's glory. He said, you better bow to me
or I'm going to throw you in my fire. He is a picture of man trying
to steal God's glory from him. We're going to find out through
this story of Nebuchadnezzar and every story in the word of
God, every word in this book tells us that it cannot be done. It cannot be done. Now let me
give you one more comparison here. Go back to Daniel 3. This is actually a non-comparison. But Daniel 3, verse 4, it says, And Harold cried aloud, to you
it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, that at what time
you hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sacbot, psaltery,
dulcimer, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the
golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up. and whoso
falleth not down and worshipeth, the same hour shall 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 music, all the people The
nations, the languages fell down and worshiped the golden image
that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Now, you know this story, don't
you? You've heard it since you were
a child, this story of the fiery furnace. You know that there
were some men who did not fall down in worship. We're about
to look at this in just a minute, okay? Some men did not fall down
in worship. Nebuchadnezzar demanded that
everybody do it, and everybody didn't do it. There was a rebellion
to Nebuchadnezzar's command, a rebellion to his authority
and his sovereignty on the matter. This is where the comparison
ends. With Nebuchadnezzar, he failed and his word didn't stand. But that'll never be the case
with Jesus Christ. Never. I'll close the Bible study
with this. Go with me to Philippians 2. Philippians 2. Philippians 2 verse 5, let this
mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in
the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God,
but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of
a servant and was made in the likeness of men. and being found
in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto
death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath
highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every
name. That at the name of Jesus, every
knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and
things under the earth, even in hell. And that every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the
Father. In the end, there is not a soul
who has ever stood on this earth that will not bow the knee to
Jesus Christ. Every soul is either going to
bow in worship and praise or in defeat and condemnation. But in the end, every knee will
bow to him. Every knee will bow. And that's
where all comparisons end. And he alone reigns at the top
of everything. all things. May all glory be
to Him in all things. Amen.