What would the world look like without: Deception, Lies, Hate, and Evil?

 

What would the world look like without:

Deception, Lies, Hate, and Evil?

 

Can you even grasp such a place? You would not sign a contract that a lawyer had drafted to ensure that both sides honor the agreement.  You would not have to lock your doors or have an alarm system.  There would be no reason for worrying about pedophiles or someone harming your child.  There would be no one teaching your child that God made a mistake when He made them a boy or a girl. There would be no prison, nor crooked politicians.

 

It would be a place where love and truth would be all you knew, a world I would like to live in.  Maybe this will come as a shock, that was God’s design, that the world He made for the first man and woman was to live in a world void of all the things we deal with in our present age.  A world void of evil, of putting self before others, of hate, anger, and all the other things listed above.

 

I enjoy pies, and when I see a pie on the counter, I use logic to understand it did not get there without a pie maker.  So, I’ve used the same logic to a vast universe that I live in must also have a designer, and He must be God.  

 

If God is the creator, and out of the vast universe, He chose a planet He called Earth, to make it where it would support an environment with life.  He begins the account in a book called Genesis.  He introduces us to Himself. 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.  God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

The first five verses tell about the first day of Creation. Now I'm sure you want to learn about day two, well, get a Bible and read about days 2,3,4,5.

 

But I do want to share the 6 day with you, “And God said, 'Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so.  And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”  And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.  And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.  And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”

Can you allow your imagination to go there, a world where you have dominion over the other life forms?  That would be a paradise, and God called it Eden.  If you're still with me and are reading chapter 2:7, you are going to experience God creating man.  Verse 7, “Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”  I know this is redundant, but if a pie needs a pie maker, a man needs a creator.

Now, this might be a shock to many in 2025, but God made man to work.  Let's explore that, in Genesis 2:15-17, we not only see that truth, but the one thing man was not to do; ^“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Note: Not a physical death, but a spiritual death.  And every person since Adam has the same problem.

 

What happened to this perfect world? You and I sure did not experience such a place.  Man would not have broken the one thing God, his Creator, told him not to do, would he?  Well, that's where it gets interesting.  Picking up the account in Genesis 2:20-23, ^“The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam, there was not found a helper fit for him.  So, the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept, took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.  And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man, he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”

 

Now pay attention to verse 24-25,  ^“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.  And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”  That was before that old serpent deceived Eve and got her to eat the fruit from the tree of good and evil.  The first act was to hide from God and make a garment to hide their nakedness.  And then lie and blame Eve and her the serpent  The book of Revelations, chapter 12:9, exposes that old serpent: “And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”  Now that old devil and his angels were also once in heaven, and the devil was the most of the most, and he was also a creation, and full of self and pride, wanted to be like God.  He has been messing with you and me and everyone since his fall, and yet a day is coming where he will be bound up for a thousand years, and Jesus will be on the earth as Lord of Lords, and King of Kings.  You find that in Revelations 20:2, “And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,”

Now, a God who could speak a universe into being, make man out of dust, and breathe life into his earth suit, must know that Adam and Eve are going to mess up this perfect world, so why did He create man?  I could show you many verses that explain why, but Scripture tells us that God is Love, not that He knows how to love, but that He is Love.  And you nor I would not have made a man when we knew that a day would come when He would ask His Son, His only Son, to step out of being worship, and take on the form of a baby, born of a virgin, and be rejected by God’s chosen people Israel, and die for people that despised Him.  John 3:16-20,  ^“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.  This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.”

 

I have a sign on our back porch that reminds me that God loves sinners and messes like me.  “Smile, you Rascal, God knows all about you, and He loves you anyway”.  And He knows all about you, too.

 

From our Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

 

 

 

 

The Interpretation of the Vision

  

Daniel 8:15-27

 

April 1, 2024

 

The Interpretation of the Vision

When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man.  And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”  So, he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”

And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and made me stand up.  He said, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end.  As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia.  And the goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king.  As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power. And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise.  His power shall be great—but not by his own power, and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints.  By his cunning, he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind, he shall become great. Without warning, he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand. The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”

And I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about the king's business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it.

I can only imagine David’s shock at hearing the voice from heaven saying, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”  You and I would have hit the ground faster than Daniel.  I believe God is often speaking to us, but we will not slow down and sit in a quiet place and listen for His voice.  Blaise Pascal, who lived a very short life of 37 years, left this counsel: “All men's miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone.”  It is not a new problem; he lived in the 1600s.  But Daniel knew that, and he waited on God to speak, and he did what God told him to do.

 

Gabriel explained that what Daniel had seen was something that was at the end of what is referred to as time.  The Ram with the two horns will be the Media and Persia, or as it is referred to, Irian.  The Goat that comes with one horn that is broken and four horns come out, and one grows bigger than the others, is Greece.  In verse 8, we see four kingdoms come from Greece, and they were the “four kingdoms”: Macedonia and Greece, Thrace and Asia Minor, Egypt and Palestine, and Syria and Persia.  This has taken place, and it was after the “first king” of Greece, Alexander the Great. The phrase “the vision of evenings and mornings” describes the period when this vision would be fulfilled – four centuries later, in 167-164 B.C., and in a future Antichrist.  Daniel must seal the vision because of its impact on prophecy.  Daniel sealed up the vision by recording it.  The prophecy of Daniel carries the principle of dual fulfillment.  Both Antiochus and the future Antichrist are in view.  Antiochus only foreshadows the Antichrist. 

 

This we know from the book of Revelation, we see the Man of Lawlessness.  The future Antichrist will form alliances with other nations and achieve world influence, and will attack the Jews.  The coming Antichrist will do much greater violence than Antiochus did.  The future Antichrist will gain power through a peace program.  Direct judgment from God terminates his 

rule. The verses are in green at the end or by Grant Richison.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Daniel's Vision of the Ram and the Goat

 

Daniel 8:1-14

 

March 31, 2024

 

Daniel's Vision of the Ram and the Goat

In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first.  And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal.  I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last.  I saw the ram charging westward and northward, and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.

As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.  He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath.  I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power. Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.

Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land.  It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them.  It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown.  And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.  Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?”  And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”

 

I asked the lady on my phone to tell me how many years 2,300 days and it is 6.3 years.  Once more, this is referring to a time yet to come.  The Ram in the vision was a warrior with little or no compassion.  Next, Daniel sees a male goat with one horn between its eyes, it comes from the west without touching the ground, and he not only dislikes the Ram, but it also destroys the Ram.

 

Daniel also saw the Goat becoming great and strong; it attacked all that was Holy, and the sanctuary was overthrown.  But the goat with the big horn was broken off, and four horns came out, and one was greater than the others.  I am beginning to feel as if I write like the talking heads on TV.  They just repeat what is already known.  But this is of great value for me to have insight into Daniels's vision.  One must keep in mind that in the future, it will happen, and yet today it has not.

 

But the one that grew great among the four will be empowered by the old serpent, the devil, and he will be against all that is good, all that is holy, and will do his best to kill the saints of the living God.  You must reread these verses; And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown.  And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.

Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?”  And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”  Jesus shows up!

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

Daniel's Vision Interpreted

  

Daniel 7:15-28

 

March 30, 2024

 

 

Daniel's Vision Interpreted

“As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me. I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this.  So, he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things.  ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’

“Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions.  As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

“Thus, he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces.  As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom, ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones and shall put down three kings.  He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end.  And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’

“Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.”

My prayer is that pastors and teachers will call all things what God calls them.  I will never forget Ronald Reagan calling the Soviet Union an Evil empire, and it was only months before it was dismantled.  It was not Reagan who dismantled it; it was God.  When we call things what God calls them, we see Him do the impossible.  

If you are putting your trust in anything but the Righteous Right Hand of our God, your ladder is on the wrong wall.  Daniel's vision is about a time that has not yet happened, but soon, very soon, we are going to see Jesus coming in the clouds, with a mighty host.

But, before that day, we will see times like never before seen in the past, and at the end of seven years, the return of Jesus to reign for a thousand years, and the old serpent, the devil, or Satan will be bound for that time.

Saints, that is what Jesus calls His followers, it is not about what you have done, but about Him, about Grace, so call yourself what God calls you.  And remember that when it looks impossible, it probably is; But God is a God of the impossible.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Son of Man Is Given Dominion

                                                                    Daniel 7:13-14

 

March 29, 2024

 

The Son of Man Is Given Dominion

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven
 there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days
 and was presented before him.  And to him was given dominion
 and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages
 should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
 which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

I am sure you have heard someone say timing is everything. Amazingly, this week we are celebrating the Rison Lord.  Yes, He is Risen indeed.  

Do you recall John’s vision in Revelation Chapter 5, where no one was able to open the Scroll with the Seven seals, no one in heaven or earth, and John began to weep, till an elder said Do not weep, the Lamb will open the seal.  And the Scroll was given to the Lamb, and this is what happened; 

“Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,  saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”  And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Many years stood between these two visions, but it was about the same happening, it has not taken place yet, but keep looking to the Eastern Sky, He coming back.  Soon very Soon.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

The Ancient of Days Reigns

 

Daniel 7:9-12

 

March 28, 2024

 

The Ancient of Days Reigns

 “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.
A stream of fire issued and came out from before him;
a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.

“I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire.  As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

John's vision in Revelation talks of two beasts. The first beast is a symbolic picture of the Antichrist, and the dragon is Satan (cf. Revelation 12:9).  And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. (Note: Satan fell from Heaven, and the angels who followed him in the rebellion.)

The second Beast in Revelation is who I believe Daniel is referring to.  I believe that is the false Prophet.  Revelation 13:11-18, “Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, and it spoke like a dragon.  It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.  It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people,  and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast, it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.  And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.  Also, it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,  so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.  This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666”

Yesterday, we said it would be a hard time for those of us who would not worship the Beast, but it comes down to whom do you believe and trust, and whom do you fear?  Many fear what man can do, but how they will be confronted with the man of lawlessness, who opposes all that is holy, and puts himself out as God.

You must pray for those who will go through the Tribulations, and this is the reason found in Revelation 14:9-11. ^“And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.  And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

 From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

Note: We have had many Antichrists since Jesus left Earth to sit at the right hand of the Father.  But the old Serpent will be the one referred to in Revelation.

 

Does God’s Love Supersede or Void His Requirement?

 Does God’s Love Supersede or Void His Requirement?

 

Let’s begin in the book of 1 John 4:8, - But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:16 - So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

 

Those two Scriptures make clear that God is Love, and if we do not love, we are not abiding in God.

 

We also find in the book of John in chapter 3 that mankind needed love. Yes, they needed something greater than goats, bulls, and doves as an atonement for sin.  For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23.  That shows us a need, and John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

 

In three verses, we have the answer to our question. Yes, God is love, and we need His love, and without it, we cannot abide in love.  But He also is just, and rejection of His gift of His Son to pay for your and my sin brings about His condemnation. 

 

Does God require His Church to put Love for the Lawless above all of His Commandments we are to live by?

 

We find this in Romans 13:1-2, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”  When the government violates God’s command, (no worship service or call a special day to honor Homosexuality), at that point, we the Church, are to take a stand as Peter and the apostille did in Acts 5:29, “But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” 

Our Lord Jesus was very clear on who you should render to in Mathew 22:21, 
They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”  It all goes back to a question asked of Jesus, how can I be acceptable to God?  Matthew 22:35-39, ^“And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.  “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”  And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Now as one who has taught and been taught the Truth of Scripture, I have some bad news, It is impossible for you to love in the Entergy of the flesh.  It requires God to do it all for you, but that comes with abiding in Him.

Yes, we are called to Love, but also to Stand Firm on Honoring what God honors.  Let me close this with two verses for each of us to ponder; 1 John 3:4, “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.”  And 1 John 2:4, “Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

When God shows Himself in Your Life

 Daniel 6:14-28

 

March 26, 2024

 

 

When God shows Himself in Your Life

Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him.  Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”

Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”  And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.  Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.

Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.  As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”  Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!  My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also, before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So, Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him because he had trusted in his God.  And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you.  I make a decree that in all my royal dominion, people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end.  He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.”  So, this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

When a leader knows he has been had by those who are to be his counselors.  A Wise leader tries to correct. Can you see the best minds in his kingdom have had this foreigner, a Jew, in charge of them, and they were envious, jealous, and conspired to not just get him fired, but killed.   And I bet once the king signs the document, they claim victory.

But God, yes, Daniel was a man who feared and loved God, and God showed grace to that man.  What looked at the moment as a victory for them not only backfired but caused the loss of life of all of them and their families.

We know God showed up and saved Daniel, but something great happened: Darius became a believer in the God of Daniel.

Do you know the God Daniel served?  Look at Romans 10:9-10. It is about declaring and believing “Jesus is Lord,” and that God raised Him from the dead; you have this promise: you will be saved.  Yes, you will spend eternity with Jesus, and He will send His Holy Spirit to dwell within you.  The old man is dead; you are a new creation in Christ.

From the Back Porch, 

Bob Rice

 

Daniel and the Lions' Den

                                                                    Daniel 6:1-13

 

March 25, 2024

 

Daniel and the Lions' Den

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account so that the king might suffer no loss.  Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.  Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.  Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever!  All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors, and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.  Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.”  Therefore, King Darius signed the document and injunction.

When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house, where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.  Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God.  Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.”  Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”

 

Are you glad we do not use lion’s dens as a form of punishment for people who break the rules?  Many of us in the USA have seen evil people who have schemed to remove a man or woman from office by lies. It happens often, just ask President Donald Trump.  

 

What was the source of this evil act that these men planned against Daniel?  Jealousy, based on fear and hate, he was not one of them; he had values and was honest, and they were sure he would honor his God over the king’s command.

 

We are approaching Easter, a time we celebrate our Lord’s victory over death and the grave.  For He has risen indeed and is sitting at the right hand of our Father, He is the one that Daniel loved and feared, not man.  Evil men were used because of fear and hate to have Jesus nailed to the Cross, so why should we be surprised at the actions of evil men in 2024?  And the jealousy we are seeing today at President Trump stems from the same source, the one that has come to kill, steal, and destroy, found in John 10:10, and the thief is none other than the devil.

 

My prayer is not that God will save President Trump because no fault can be found in him, but that our Nation was not built on jealousy, lies, and hate, but on truth and justice for all.  And if evil can destroy one who has served our nation, our nation has no future.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting

  

Daniel 5:8-31

 

March 29,2024

 

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting

Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah.  I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.  Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter.  But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now, if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation.  O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty.  And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled.  But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him.  He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will.  And you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,  but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.

 “Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed.  And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin.  This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting;  Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” 

Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

That very night, Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed.  And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

Daniel has always been one of my heroes; it would be very hard to find a Daniel in 2024.  Daniel feared God, and Daniel trusted God with everything, including his life.  We do not have Scripture to tell us why Daniel did not leave with the other exiles.  In that he was a man under the total authority of God, it is my belief he was kept to be God’s voice to a king who had the power to have him killed.  As stated, Daniel knew whom he served and that his God was able to keep the hungry lions from harming him; what could a pagan king do, unless it was God’s will?

 

Few men have that much faith and fear of God, that they stand and say like Daniel's three friends said to Nebuchadnezzar, “our God can save us, but even if He does not, we will not worship your God.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

The Handwriting on the Wall

  

Daniel 5:1-12

 

March 19, 2024

 

The Handwriting on the Wall

King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.  Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.  Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.  They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

Immediately, the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote.  Then the king's color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.  The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”  Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation.  Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed.

The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, “O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change.  There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods.  In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”

 

When God’s hand writes on the walls of your heart, whom do you seek to make clear the meaning of the words?  For me, it was back in my thirties, and I like King Belshazzar tried to use what God had set aside for His Temple, and use it.  I was being used by God in a movement called “The Lay Witness Mission.”  As one of many who were picked to lead, my job was to pray and ask God to show me whom to ask to go as witnesses of what He had done for them.

 

We would be invited by a pastor to a local Church and spend Friday, through Sunday in the home of the member, and our lay people would share both in the home and lead out in small groups and some gave testimony in the main services, Unlike King Belshazzar I knew and worship the I Am, the God of heaven and Earth.  The God who is three in one, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  

 

But like the king's dad, I got full of myself and the praise of men, and I allowed lust and pride to enter my heart.  I did not see a human hand write on a wall, but I had God's Spirit send men who most told me what a low life I was, and I was fully aware of that.  I went to see a man whom I had read and was sure would give me wise counsel.  He told me to ignore what others were saying and follow my heart.  For some reason, I knew his words were empty and much later read in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”  I became aware that the man had left his wife and was having a relationship with a lady.  One can never be too careful about whom they seek counsel.

This and the conviction of Scripture began the writing on the walls of my heart, and God sent me to my Daniel, his name was Ted Anderson, a lawyer, a wise and quiet man, who, like me, knew and had a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  He was used to allow me to see into the future what my foolish heart was leading me to, not peace or joy, but loss of everything I valued and needed.

Do you have a Daniel that loves God and you enough to tell you the Truth?

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice