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

Nebuchadnezzar Restored

                                                                     Daniel 4:34-37

 

March 18, 2024

 

Nebuchadnezzar Restored

At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
And he does according to his will among the host of heaven  and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

At the same time, my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me.  Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

This morning was a cloudy day It was early morning and Jan and I once more were amazed at the Majesty of our God as the beauty of the sunrise.  Jan was overcome with how God had blessed us to have such a view of His handwork.  

I asked her if she could go back in her mind to a time when a young couple was living in a 12X60 trailer in Oden, Texas, on 5.5 acres.  And I ask, did you dream of someday living in a home like this with the resources God has provided?  Her answer was no.

I went on to say that we never planned on this, but we did plan on being used by God in our understanding of a servant to our Master relationship.  We planned to keep the very nice home we lived in, in Spring, Texas, and go to volunteer at the Billy Graham Training Center, The Cove, in Asheville, NC.  Did I say that was our plan, but it was not God’s?

A friend whom I had gone to High School with and had not seen for 40 years worked for a very large oil company as a Vice President, and I called on him to try to get more of their business.  He invited Jan and me to come to his open house, where he said I would see many people from our time in Corpus Christi.  And that was all God’s doing; the call did not get me more business, but it did change our plans to God’s.  It reminded me once more that my ways or not His way, and that His thoughts are higher than mine by billions.

As His servants, we have been provided a beautiful home, resources, friends, and neighbors we love, but the greatest gift is a personal relationship with Jesus. 

When we lived in Spring, Texas, for a period, I became proud of all that I had accomplished. I did not have to eat grass like the king, but I came to a very clear understanding, like Nebuchadnezzar, of this truth.

“. . . my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”  Let me close with this: God loves you, and He desires that you know His Son, not just about Him, but seek Him, for He is not far from you.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

Note: Few men can acquire the power and wealth of Nebuchadnezzar, and not become full of themselves.  Power and wealth often bring about pride, and that puts a man in the camp with the enemy.

 

Can Satan tell the Truth?

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Can Satan tell the Truth?

 

Can Satan, the evil one, the devil, tell the truth?  Now that is a very interesting thought, in that we live in a world that does not talk much about this created being.  If he knows the truth, and I believe that can be proven, then does he ever tell the truth?  How did he become Satan? Was he always evil? Does he have a plan that includes you and me?

 

In the book of Genesis 3:14, we see a serpent talking and tempting Eve.  What was it about? It was about “Truth”, God had commanded Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, all others were ok.  But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, God said, “For in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”  So, the serpent shows up, and he is not called Lucifer, nor the devil, nor is he called Satan.  But he has the character of the devil.  What does he say to Eve, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?  Eve tells the serpent what God has said, and this is his reply, “You will not surely die.  For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  Did they die? 1 Corinthians 15:22 “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”  Also, look at Romans 5:12, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”  That is the first account in Scripture of something evil tempting man.  As I stated earlier, the serpent had the attributes of Satan, and we will see more of this.  To make any other claim would be to add to Scripture, and God has made clear the danger of doing so.

 

Satan does show up in the book of Job. We do not know the author, but we can know God breathed it and put it on paper through a man.  Many scholars regard it as the oldest book in the Bible.  Job 1:6 states the following: “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.” What happens when Satan shows up in heaven, God asks him what he has been up to.  The conversation goes like this: “The Lord said to Satan, ‘From where have you come?’  Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”  And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil.”  And you know the rest of the story, Satan asks God, “Does Job fear God for no reason?”  So, God gave Satan the ok to mess with all of Job’s stuff, but not to touch Job.  I hope you got that part; Satan had to get permission to mess with Job.

 

My desire to make clear that Satan or the devil comes at us with many schemes, Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 11:3, “But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”  Paul is warning you and me to be on guard of men who would add to God’s written word, men who take liberties with the Scriptures; in verses 13-14, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.  And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”  Do you like to read the end of the book to see how it is all going to come out; God has given us that, but he has also told us more about this enemy of ours in Revelation 20:2, “And he sized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, …” Then what, what did he call Satan, that ancient serpent, the one that was in the Garden with Eve.  He was not Lucifer; he was that ancient serpent, and God called him the devil and Satan.  Does God have a plan for Satan, you better believe it, and it is stated in Revelation 20:10, “and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”  

 

In the book of John 12:31, Jesus said, “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.”  Who is Jesus referring to as the ruler of this world?  In John 14:30, Jesus also refers to the ruler of this world.  Satan either has or will be given the power to control the “Man of Lawlessness”, I believe that is referring to the Anti-Christ.  This will only happen after the Holy Spirit, the “Spirit of Truth,” is removed from the earth, or the body of Christ is removed.  Look at 2 Thessalonians 2:7, “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work.  Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.”  Look at verse 9, “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”

 

Many want to tell us that Satan is a paper tiger, but in Hebrews 2:14, it is written, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”  Jesus came to destroy the one who has the power of death, and he tells us that the being is the devil.  The good news is that Satan no longer has that power; it was removed at the cross.  In John 18:37, Jesus tells us why he came into the world, and that was to bear witness to the truth.  We have all read that truth will set us free, and that’s what Jesus did. Look at 1 John 3:8-9, “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.  The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.  No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed (Jesus) abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning.”  How long has he been sinning, from the beginning?

 

What about man’s authority?  In the book of beginning, Genesis 1:28, “ This authority was given to Adam in the beginning.  No one knows how long it was before Adam and Eve sinned, but after they sinned, their role changed.  You can read what God said to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:16-19.  I know that man was no longer in fellowship with God; his desire became for self, and God said he chose a new father, the devil.

 

Does Satan have authority over this world?  He has made this claim; he made it to the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 4:5-6, “And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you, I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.”  What did Jesus do? Remember, Jesus is truth; He does not just know the truth, Jesus is truth. This was Jesus' reply: “It is written, ‘you shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”  Jesus did not tell Satan he was a liar, and that the earth was under man’s authority. The real temptation may have been the return of this authority, which was delivered to Satan, without a cross.  We do know that it is not written that God gave Satan authority over the earth, but it is implied that Adam delivered this authority to Satan.

 

I would be negligent if I did not state the following: the Scripture states; there are only two types of people on this earth, those who have God as their Father and those who have the devil as their Father.  John 8:42-44, Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here.  I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.  Why do you not understand what I say?  It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.  You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.  He was a murderer from the beginning and has nothing to do with the truth because there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”  I am sure you just got the answer to the title question.  Satan is a liar; he has nothing to do with truth.  Who is “Truth”, the God-man, Jesus?

 

You and I and all who have lived since Adam have needed to be set free from the control of Satan.  Paul is on trial before King Agrippa, and he is telling the king what happened to him on his journey to Damascus.  He is explaining how he was going with the authority and commission of the chief priests to persecute Christians.  He is telling how he met Jesus on that road and how he was converted from a killer of Christians to a follower of Christ.  In the book of Acts 26:15-16 and 18, And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’  And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.  But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which I will appear to you, verse 18, “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”   

  

Satan may be a paper tiger to some, but he has done a great job of blinding the minds of unbelievers.  Look with me at 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing.  In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”  So, he is the reason many are blinded to the gospel, and he is also an adversary of everyone who claims the name of Jesus Christ.  Look how he challenges the ones who are in Christ.  You and I are told to put on the whole armor of God so that we will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”  And once more, we are told to take up the whole armor of God so that we will be able to stand.  I do not know about you, but that does not sound like I’m in a fair fight.  The Scriptures are very clear that this battle is against rulers. Question: Who are they, and who do they rule?  Against the authorities, once more, what authorities and who do they have authority over?  If Satan is just a paper tiger with a big bark and no bite, what and who are these cosmic powers over this present darkness, and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places?  We'd better get dressed in the armor that God has given us for this battle.  It is armor for the unseen world, and it is armor for the seen also.  You cannot see the armor, but the demons and Satan can. You cannot see the armor, but the angels and the Lord Jesus Christ can.  Get dressed each morning for this cosmic battle; it is real, and if you are in Christ, you have the right to this armor.

 

The authority that was lost or given to Satan at the fall has been returned to Christ.  But it is His authority, not yours.  The Scriptures state the following in John 14:6: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  It requires all men to come to this truth; without it, the only father they have is the devil.  But to those who have believed and received the gift of forgiveness of sins by faith in God’s only Son, and by the blood he shed for their sins, they only have authority as they abide in Christ.  The New Testament, from beginning to end, tells us we must abide in Christ. He has given us all we need to live life, for He is life, and He is our life.  But we must abide, look at John 15:4, “Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in me.”  When we enter into Christ, we get all He has to give; we cannot get more, and He has given us Himself.

 

The Christian life is not about your authority but about your choices!  I am reading “The Rest of the Gospel by Dan Stone and David Gregory, and it is an excellent book on letting Jesus live the Christian life in you.  He is the only one who can live it.  The following quote from page 161, “But God purposely created us with the possibility of choice, and we reap the results of our choice.  We never escape that, then or now.   In God’s love, He lets us choose.  He says, “If you want to go the way of the world, go.  If that’s where your love and affection are, you go.  But you’ll reap what you have chosen.”

Does that mean all is not of grace? No.  God does do it all.  Only He can live the life.  And only he can work in us, enabling us to be willing cooperators with Him.  But He has left us a role.  Our role is availability.  We are available to the Lord to live His life through us.  What Mary said to the angel Gabriel applies to every believer: “Behold, the bond slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).  That’s availability.  Mary was willing.  God was the one who did it.

Our availability releases God’s ability.  So, we trust the Lord to do it through us.”

 

My prayer is that this is a clear account of who Satan is.  What authority and power has he been given?  And only we who have bowed our knees to the Lord Jesus Christ recognize that all authority is in Christ.  Never forget that the choices you make determine what you reap.

 

From our Back Porch,

 

 

Bob Rice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel Interprets the Second Dream

                                                                 Daniel 4: 19-27

 

March 15, 2024

 

Daniel Interprets the Second Dream

Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies!  The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived—it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.  And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’ this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king,  that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.  And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules.  Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

 

Many of us who go by the name Christian need to grasp this truth; till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.    The Church is not a denomination, nor a building, it is the body of Christ coming together to worship the Lord, Jesus Christ.  It consists of many different personalities, skin colors, and convictions.  But our identity should never be found in anything but being a follower of Jesus Christ.  If you put a political party as your identity, and not that you’re an alien, and Earth is not your home.  Many spend more time identifying with a political party, but never share what Jesus has done for them.

I would be willing to bet the farm that the king was not a nice man, but God called him a servant, and it is God that put men and women in the office they hold, and often it about judgement, but sometimes it a guy like President Trump that comes across as bully and yet keeps his promises and the country prospers under one we do not like his personally.

Let me end with a great quote: 

“Instead of saying Lord, I don’t know how I am going to do this

                                             Say

Lord, can’t wait to See How You Do This.”

From our Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream

                                                                     Daniel 4:4-18

 

March 14, 2024

 

Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream

 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace.  I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed, the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me.  So, I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.  Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation.  At last, Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation.  The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great.  The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth.  Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

“I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven.  He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches.  But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.  Let his mind be changed from a man, and let a beast's mind be given to him, and let seven periods of time pass over him.  The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’^, This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.

 

The magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and he told them the dream, but they could not make known to him its interpretation.   These men are a metaphor for a world system filled with educated, ignorant people who have no understanding of the ways of God.

 

Daniel feared, trusted, and listened to the voice of God, and that was the man the King needed to be calling on for wise counsel.  Our world will always run to the men who are well-educated and wise in business, or other fields.  Our current president, who holds the title, has a lot of very ignorant educated people around him, and he or someone is listening to them, as they attempt to destroy the foundation our nation was built on.

 

We, the Church, were called to let others see Jesus in us, to talk with God, to listen to God's Spirit that lives in us, and to go and tell about all that Jesus has done for us.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

 

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

 

Daniel 4:1-2

 

March 13, 2026

 

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Highest God has done for me.  How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.

 

A pagan king to whom the Highest God calls His servant, and is it necessary to define servant? A servant is someone who carries out the will of the master.  We do understand that King Nebuchadnezzar had no understanding that it was God who was allowing him to be so successful.  

 

The king put three men in a burning fiery furnace; a heat seven times hotter than normal, and yet he witnessed 4 men, and the fourth looked like a son of the gods, his words.  He called the three young Jewish men who refused to bow to serve his god, and they came out untouched.

 

He had witnessed God's power, which was previously unknown to him, and like him, many who identify as Christian are in the same place.

 

Jan and I have been blessed to know Bob & Carmen Pate.  Jan volunteered as a counselor at the Pregnancy Assistance Center, where Carmen was the director.  They also went to the same church as us, and Bob is a very quiet and godly businessman with a degree in theology.  Carmen has been a voice on Christian radio for a number of years and is currently the Host for Saving Grace, a broadcast ministry for Grace School of Theology.  

 

Carmen was diagnosed with leukemia, and she battled it for six years. We saw both her faith and trust in God grow, even down to the wire of just weeks to live without a bone marrow transplant.  What Jan and I witnessed was just like that fiery furnace of King Nebuchadnezzar when God showed up. Carmen and Bob witnessed a young man from somewhere in the world giving his bone marrow that was a perfect match, and he, like the king, did not know why he did so.

 

When you witness something like this, it changes your understanding of how mighty our God is.  It also humbles you to better understand your role as a servant and His as a Master.

 

From our Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

 

Acknowledgment is not Worship

 

 

Daniel 3:18-30

 

March 12, 2024

 

 Acknowledgment is not Worship 

 

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated.  And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace.  Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

 

One must wonder if Nebuchadnezzar, in his rage at the Jewish young men telling him they would not worship or bow down to his god, made him think that a hotter furnace would be too much for God.

 

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

 

I can only imagine what is going on in the king’s head as he thinks he is going to see a barbecue of these three men, and instead, he witnesses four, and his words are, the fourth looks like a son of the gods.  We do not know if it was Michael, the Prince of Israel, or some other angel; the important thing is that God showed up, and a fire that killed the ones who threw them in the furnace did not have power over them.  It is never the question God can, but is it His will to do so?  And like these three, knowing our God is mighty to save.

 

Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.  Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore, I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.”  Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

 

They were moved by what their eyes saw, and they acknowledged the Most High God of these three men, but nowhere do we read that at this moment the king bowed a knee to God.  Many who go by the name of Christian also have gone through the religious steps of walking down an aisle in a church building, getting baptized, acknowledging the need for Jesus, but are not willing to have Him be the authority over them.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice 

The Fiery Furnace

 

Daniel 3:8-18

 

March 11, 2024

 

The Fiery Furnace

Therefore, at that time, certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews.  They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever!  You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music shall fall down and worship the golden image.  And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar, in furious rage, commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So, they brought these men before the king.  Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?  Now, if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.  If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.  But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

 

A foolish king who wants all the people to bow to his rule, and when confronted with three young men who know who the True God is, and have no doubt He has the power to save them, and that He loves them.  We see Faith in action, and not fear in control.   They stood, and have we not been taught to stand and look to God?  Ephesians 6 gives this command: "Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil." "Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." 

 

We also see God being confronted by this foolish king, and it comes to my mind when we see Fear rule in the hearts of so many whose actions were not an act of Faith in a God who has the power to keep COVID-19 from harming you.  For me and my house, we believe our God was bigger, and so did so many others who were fired because they did not bow to the little liar who told us he was science, or the pharmaceutical companies.  It was our government's golden image, and it was a dark time for our nation and God’s Church.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Highways of My Life

  

            The Highways of My Life

 

I enjoy the highways of life, especially the eight-lane ones. When I was
a small child, the highways led to new adventures with little risk. Mom
and Dad were always there to ensure that I was a small danger. 

When I became a teenager, the highways seemed so bright. 

I knew that my happiness had to be in flight.

As a young man, I acquired a wife, and the highways seemed so

right together. Risk? What risk? The highways seemed to call. The faster you
drive, the less your conscience sees, the small pitfalls.

The world called me to the fast lane and promised many things. Things of
pleasure, hope, and fun, but it did require one little thing. I had to
get into a faster lane. One that required so much time, but it promised
power and wealth, and maybe even fame.

The highways of this world seemed to offer me real life, but the risks
were greater, and almost cost me my life. One day on my eight-lane highway to hell, I met a nonreligious man. He told me about his Father...another nonreligious Spirit. He talked about the highways of my life as if He had been with me all along. He knew all the curves, potholes, dead ends, and construction.

His love and understanding of my life drew me from the highway to His
rest stop. It was at that rest stop that I learned that He was the Master
Designer of all. At his rest stop, I was given a book; He called the
manufacturer's handbook. It was all about Him and His Father and His
promises.

I needed to stop at that rest stop. Afterward, I was not the same, and
when I re-entered the highway, it was only one lane. The Master Designer
had told me it would be a narrow road, but he did not tell me everything.
I have discovered that His narrow lane runs down the middle of my old
eight-lane highway. Yes, it goes against the traffic, and all the high-risk travelers

 kept going faster and faster to nowhere.

Have I ever gotten off the narrow lane and back onto the eight-lane highway? 

The answer is yes, and I have had a few wrecks. But the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Master Designer, has promised to pick me up, and He is faithful, to return me to the contraflow, narrow lane.

This is what happened to me one day on the way to hell.

Bob Rice

Nebuchadnezzar's Golden Image

 

Daniel 3:1-7

 

March 9, 2023

 

Nebuchadnezzar's Golden Image

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.  Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.  Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.  And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.  And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.”  Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

That golden image has long been gone, but the God of heaven and earth and everything that is still reigns over the affairs of man.  A very powerful man with great wealth is often the easiest person to think they are great and the maker of their power and wealth.  Nebuchadnezzar was full of himself and wanted to force others to worship him.  

The Creator of everything that is or will be is Jesus Christ. He is referred to as the Word that was with God, in that he was God; you will find Him referred to so in John chapter 1:1-3.  The enemy of our soul hates our Lord, and he has this as his goal: to kill, steal, and destroy, whereas the Word, our Lord and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, came to bring life in its fullness.

It is one thing to be liked, but only God is to be worshiped.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice