SECOND THESSALONIANS by Paul Southern

https://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Southern/Paul/1901/thes2.html

SECOND THESSALONIANS

1. THE TITLE

This epistle is called II Thessalonians because it is the second of two letters addressed to "the church of the Thessalonians" (1:1).

2. THE WRITER

Paul, who wrote the first Thessalonian letter, was also the writer of this one. This fact we learn from the first verse of chapter one.

3. TIME AND PLACE OF WRITING

This letter was probably written from Corinth in A.D. 53, and just a few months after the first epistle. Two things indicate this date: (1) the fact that almost the same conditions are described in each -- persecution and trial; expectation of the Lord's hasty return; idleness in view of the Lord's speedy return; disorderly conduct; (2) the fact that Silas and Timothy were with Paul at the time each letter was written (I Thessalonians 1:1; II Thessalonians 1:1).

4. THE EPISTLE

For information concerning Thessalonica and the establishment of the church there, the student is referred to the section on I Thessalonians. The reasons for writing this second letter are apparent. The chief object was to correct an erroneous idea among the Thessalonians that the Lord would return soon and bring the world to an end. In the first letter, Paul tried to comfort them concerning their Christian dead. His effort did more than he intended. They expected Christ to return during their lifetime, hence many quit their secular work and were just waiting in idleness for His coming (II Thessalonians 3:6-13). The second letter attempts to correct these errors, and to warn the church concerning false teachers who tampered with Paul's authority. This is the shortest letter written by Paul to any church. The general theme is patient waiting for the Lord. There is a lack of special greetings. The epistle has been called a letter of warning.

5. EXERCISES FOR STUDENT ACTIVITY
1. Question
1. Name the things commendable in the church (1:3,4).
2. What will become of those who obey not the gospel? (1:5-10).
3. Compare the introduction with that of I Thessalonians (1:1,2).
4. Tell of the moral disorders in the church (3:6-11).
5. How are we to deal with the disorderly? (3:6,14,15).
6. What advice does Paul give about idlers? (3:12).
7. What indicates Paul's name had been forged? (2:1,2,15; 3:17).
8. What will precede the Lord's second coming (2:3).
9. Who is the man of sin? (2:4-12).
10. When will the man of sin be destroyed? (2:8).
11. How are people called to be Christians? (2:13-15).
12. How did Paul conduct himself while in Thessalonica? (3:7-9).
13. In his request for prayer, what does Paul ask? (3:1-5).
14. What happens when one refuses to believe the truth? (2:10,11).
2. Complete the following quotations:
1. "If any would not _______________, neither should he _______________."
2. "Yet count him not as an _______________, but admonish him as a _______________."
3. "_______________yourselves from every brother that walketh _______________."
4. "And for this cause God shall send them a strong _______________."
5. "For we behaved not ourselves_______________ among you."
6. "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a _______________ away first, and that _______________ of sin be revealed, the son of _______________."
3. Topics for further study
1. Using the Thessalonian letters as a source, write a brief paper on the second coming of Christ.
2. Discuss the judgment of the wicked as set forth in II Thessalonians.
3. What does the epistle teach concerning labor relations and economic conditions?
4. Give evidences that the Thessalonians had misunderstood Paul's teaching regarding Christ's second coming.
5. What attitude should the church have toward a brother that is withdrawn from?

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

Gifts Of Judgment GEORGE L. FAULL

 

https://steve-finnell.blogspot.com/2017/02/gifts-of-judgment-george-l.html

Gifts Of Judgment

GEORGE L. FAULL

Dear Brother Faull,

I heard you say that the men who teach that the apostolic gifts continue today are inconsistent, for if the good gifts exist, the judgmental gifts continue, too. I do not understand what you mean by that. Would you explain?

The apostolic gifts were not merely the gifts of tongues, and healings, raising the dead, making the deaf to hear, the blind to see and the lame to walk. That is only half of the story. There is another side to the coin. Namely, the apostles had the power to bring judgment or even death on the disobedient.

God did not only empower His Old Testament prophets with the ability to do miracles of supply, He also endowed them with the ability to bring judgment on rebels. In fact, in a crisis when God's man was questioned, or their authority suspect, God empowered them to defend their office. Remember Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and how they were swallowed alive by the earth for questioning Moses and Aaron?

Numbers 16:30-32, "(30) But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that [appertain] unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. (31) And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that [was] under them: (32) And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that [appertained] unto Korah, and all [their] goods."

When Elisha was mocked by the children who inferred that if he had the power of Elijah, he should be able to be translated as Elijah was, bears came out of the woods and devoured them.

II Kings 2:23-24, "(23) And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. (24) And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them."

Again, Uzziah the king was smitten with leprosy for usurping the priest's role.

II Chronicles 26:18-21, "(18) And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, [It pertaineth] not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither [shall it be] for thine honor from the LORD God. (19) Then Uzziah was wroth, and [had] a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. (20) And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he [was] leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. (21) And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, [being] a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son [was] over the king's house, judging the people of the land."

Other such examples could be given to demonstrate that God secures the honor of His specially appointed servants. The New Testament, likewise, bears out this truth.

1. When Ananias and Sapphira lied to Peter, they soon lay in death. (Acts 5:1-12)

2. Herod, who killed James and imprisoned Peter and sought his life when Peter escaped, was eaten of worms and died. (Acts 12:1-ff)

3. Peter also must have threatened Simon the sorcerer, for he said,

Acts 8:24, "Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me."

4. When Elymas the sorcerer withstood Paul, Paul cursed him to be blind for a season, and he instantly became so.

Acts 13:8-12, "(8) But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. (9) Then Saul, (who also [is called] Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, (10) And said, O full of all subtility and all mischief, [thou] child of the devil, [thou] enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? (11) And now, behold, the hand of the Lord [is] upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.(12) Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord."

5. Paul ordered the Church to deliver the incestuous man at Corinth over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

I Corinthians 5:5, "To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."

We do not know if a physical malady came upon him, but Paul did likewise to Hymenaeus and Alexander.

I Timothy 1:20, "Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme."

When Paul wrote the Corinthians who questioned his apostleship, and some affronted him, Paul said he was quite prepared to revenge all disobedience with action and not just words. His boast of having such power was not an idle boast. He preferred, however, to build them up, not destroy them.

II Corinthians 10:6-13

He reminds them again in chapter 12 that they may find him unfavorable when he comes with power to execute judgment on the disobedient. Likewise, he says that he may use severity according to the power which the Lord gave him.

II Corinthians 13:10, "Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction."

His argument in these chapters are: "If you seek proof of Christ in me, I shall come with the power of God and 'proof' will be given."

6. The apostle John also says of Diotrephes, who resisted him, "Wherefore if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth." What was he going to do, "tickle him with a feather?" Not hardly.

Those in the apostolic office were not as those who merely walked in the flesh. Listen to Paul:

II Corinthians 10:2, "(2) But I beseech [you], that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. (3) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (4) (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) (5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (6) And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. (7) Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he [is] Christ's, even so [are] we Christ's.

(8) For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: (9) That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. (10) For [his] letters, say they, [are] weighty and powerful; but [his] bodily presence [is] weak, and [his] speech contemptible. (11) Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such [will we be] also in deed when we are present.

II Corinthians 13:1-2, "1 This [is] the third [time] I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. (2) I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare."

Again, I Corinthians 4:21, "What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and [in] the spirit of meekness?"

If the prophetic gift continues, and God is still revealing His Word, why do not these "so-called" apostles and prophets have the power to blind and strike men dead? Why aren't those who oppose them miraculously eaten of worms or swallowed alive or made lepers or devoured by bears? One fourth of the miracles in Acts were judgmental!!! Even our Lord cursed a fig tree so that it miraculously dried up in one day.

The truth is, these false apostles, prophets, and miracle workers no more have the ability to miraculously do evil than they do to do miraculous good. They do not reveal truth for they cannot confirm their authority by miraculous judgment any more than they can confirm their words by raising the dead.

Question: Has there been any one this century that Christians should have feared, lest these terrible judgments come upon them? If so, I know of none; least of all the leaders of the charismatic movement: Jimmy Swaggart, Jimmy Jones, Jimmy Baker, Jimmy Roberson, Oral Roberts, Robert Tilman, Earnest Ansley, Kathryn Kuhlman, Amiee Semple McPherson, A. A. Allen, Pat Robinson, W. V. Grant, and all the other professionals who have made a fortune at pretending the gifts. Those of this group that are dead, have died from alcoholism, cancer, or suicide, and almost every one of the above has been involved in shameful scandals, not for the cause of Christ, but their own sins.

7 Lessons Learned From Saul’s Flaws by Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

https://thepreachersword.com/2013/03/13/seven-lessons-learned-from-sauls-flaws/

7 Lessons Learned From Saul’s Flaws

We’ve been watching the History Channel’s presentation of The Bible from Executive Producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett.  The reaction has been interesting.

Movie critics called it “fractious and overwrought,” “a further piece of evidence that drama and reverence don’t mix well,” and “a mini-series full of emoting that does not register emotionally.”

Predictability the Christian Post and similar news outlets have hailed The Bible as “awesome,” inspiring, and “spot on.”

I’m somewhere in the middle.  I’m a visual person.  So, I like watching Bible films. Although they’ve missed some details, and added others not in the Bible, I’ve enjoyed watching it so far.

Last night’s portrayal of King Saul was striking.  God records both the great men and women who trusted in Him, as well as those who were flawed and failed to be faithful.  Saul is one of the latter.

Years ago I heard a leadership lesson by John Maxwell on Saul’s mistakes.  These seven points are based on that lesson.

Flaw #1: Saul made rash decisions and promises.   (1 Sam. 14:24; 24:16-22; 26:25)

         He made a decree that anyone who touched food before a certain time would be killed.  When it came time to enforce it, he did not.  He rashly offered the  sacrifice, not waiting for the prophet Samuel.  He made a bad decision by disobeying God in sparing Agag and the spoils of war.

Saul was foolhardy, reckless, and irresponsible.  Not good qualities for a person seeking the favor of God. 

Flaw #2: He Was Overly Influenced by Others’ Opinions. (I Sam. 13:8-9; 14:44-45; 25:24; 15:27,30

To keep His army happy, Saul usurped Samuel’s position. He reneged on his vows.  He disobeyed the direct command of God.  He was afraid of not  being honored by the people.

When we care more about people’s opinion of us than God’s favor, we are in trouble.

Flaw #3: He vacillated Between Self-Depreciation and Self-Glorification.

The Bible shows the severe swing in his moods and attitude.  At first he was aware of his humble origin, but later builds a moment to himself (1 Sam. 15:12). On one hand he doubted and seemed unsure of himself, at other times he was prideful and disdainful.

Both extremes are a recipe for spiritual failure.

Flaw #4:  He Often Showed Little or No Interest in the Things of God.

             Jefferson Scott said, “Saul is never said anything resembling a personal relationship with God”   As you read Samuel and as I watched The Bible, it is apparent that Saul did not show the close relationship to God as did Abraham, Moses or Joshua.

There is danger for Christians to confuse our knowledge of God with really knowing God. Growing close to God. Developing intimacy with God.

Flaw #5:  He Couldn’t Handle Anyone Receiving More Praise than He Did.

         Saul was a jealous man. Most notably in his attitude toward  David.  (I Sam. 18;7, 8) John Maxwell is fond of saying, “There is no success without a successor.”  King Saul clearly did not want to see David
as his successor.

It is often said that “The people’s capacity to achieve is determined by their leader’s ability to empower.”  Saul did not empower God’s chosen successor. It hurt Israel. David.  And Saul himself.  Don’t allow the sins of envy and jealousy to hurt your work in the Kingdom.

Flaw #6:  He Doubted the Loyalty of Those Closest to Him and Drove them Away.

         This is true of David, as well as his son Jonathan, and his daughter Michal.  Because Saul lived a life that didn’t justify their loyalty, he didn’t receive it.  Or deserve it.

“Travel the high road” is good advice in relationships.  Men and women seeking to influence others for God’s cause must be honest, open and loyal.

Flaw #7: He Failed To Show Courage When Challenged by His Enemies

The Bible showed two examples of Saul’s failure to demonstrate courage when his people needed it most.  First in his reluctance to trust God in fighting the Philistine giant, Goliath ((I Sam. 17:11).  Then at the end of his life during the Philistine war.(I Sam. 27:5)

What is Courage?  Courage is fear that has said it’s prayers,”  wrote Karl Barth.  Saul hadn’t said his prayers.

Leadership requires courage.  The core of Christianity is courage.  It takes courage to stand for truth.  Say “no” to sin.”  And not be conformed to the world.

The Bible provides for us both positive and negative examples. The thesis of The Bible is a well intended motto–“Trust in God!”

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

 

"THE GOSPEL OF MARK" The Apostles Of Christ (3:13-19) by Mark Copeland

 

                                     "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                               The Apostles Of Christ (3:13-19)

INTRODUCTION

1. Important to the ministry of Jesus was the appointment and training of His apostles...
   a. Men who would follow Him and continue His work after His death
   b. Men who themselves would experience great suffering and martyrdom

2. In our text (Mk 3:13-19), we read of their appointment...
   a. To be with Him and later sent out to preach, heal, and cast out demons
   b. Luke tells us that the selection was proceeded by a night of prayer - Lk 6:12

[In another lesson (on Mt 10:1-4), attention is given to the identity
and history of each man.  In this lesson, I wish to focus on their
overall ministry for Christ and the world.  To wit, they served as...]

I. WITNESSES FOR THE RESURRECTION

   A. THEY WERE EYEWITNESSES OF JESUS' RESURRECTION...
      1. Jesus had shown Himself alive through various proofs - Ac 1:1-3
      2. Jesus commissioned them to testify concerning Him - Ac 1:8
      3. Peter explained that the apostles were to be witnesses for the resurrection - Ac 1:21-22
      4. Thus they testified again and again - Ac 2:32; 3:15; 4:33;5:30-32; 10:39-41; 13:29-31

   B. OFFERING A SOLID BASIS FOR OUR FAITH...
      1. Jesus expected us to believe in Him through their word - Jn17:20
         a. Apart from their gospels and epistles, we know little of Jesus
         b. They tell us of His life, miracles, and resurrection
      2. The manner of their lives and death give credibility to their testimony
         a. They suffered greatly for their faith - 1Co 4:9-13; 2 Co 11:23-28
         b. All but John suffered martyrdom

[The apostles served the important role of providing reliable testimony
that Jesus arose from the dead, so that our faith in Him might rest on a
solid basis!  They also served as...]

II. AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST

   A. REPRESENTATIVES WITH A MESSAGE...
      1. Sent out to preach the gospel to every person - Mk 16:15-16
      2. Given a "ministry of reconciliation" - 2Co 5:18-19
      3. Proclaiming that message as Christ's ambassadors - 2Co 5:20-21
      4. Even when they were bound in prison - Ep 6:19-20

   B. TELLING THE STORY OF SALVATION...
      1. Pleading with all to be reconciled to God - 2Co 5:20
      2. Pleading as co-workers with Christ, not to receive the grace of God in vain - 2Co 6:1
      3. Warning of the danger of refusing Christ and His message - He 12:25-29
      4. Warning of what will happen to those who obey not the gospel- 2Th 1:7-9

[The apostles as ambassadors of Christ revealed the good news of
salvation to the world.  Have we accepted their message in faithful
obedience?  But consider also their role as...]

III. TEACHERS FOR THE DISCIPLES

   A. CONTINUING THE WORK BEGUN BY JESUS...
      1. Jesus did not reveal all things during His earthly ministry - Jn 16:12
      2. The Holy Spirit would reveal all the truth to the apostles - Jn 16:13-14
      3. The Holy Spirit would remind them of things Jesus said - Jn 14:25-26
      4. This was part of the Great Commission given to them - Mt 28:19-20
      5. Declaring the whole counsel of God - Ac 20:27
      6. Teaching all things that pertain to life and godliness - 2 Pe 1:3

   B. BECOMING THE AUTHORITY FOR THE CHURCH...
      1. Continuing steadfastly in their doctrine - Ac 2:42
      2. Receiving their words as the word of God - 1Th 2:13
      3. Accepting what they wrote as the commandments of the Lord - 1Co 14:37
      4. Rejecting them is thus paramount to rejecting Christ - 1Th 4: 1-2,8; cf. Lk 10:16

[Through His apostles, Jesus continues to instruct His church as we
continue steadfastly in their teachings!  Finally, the importance of the
apostles is seen by their role in the...]

IV. FOUNDATION FOR THE CHURCH

   A. TOGETHER WITH CHRIST...
      1. The church is built on Christ, as the chief cornerstone - Ac 4:10-12; 1Co 3:11
      2. But the apostles are also part of the foundation of the spiritual building - Ep 2:19-22
      3. Their names are even depicted as written on the foundation for
         the New Jerusalem, which is the Lamb's bride (the church) - Re 21:9-10,14

   B. SERVING AS THE BASIS OF...
      1. Our faith, through their eyewitness testimony - 2Pe 1:16-18
      2. Our doctrine, through their teaching - Ac 2:42
      3. Our hope, through their message - Ep 3:5-6

CONCLUSION

1. The world owes a great debt to the apostles of Jesus Christ...
   a. Without whom they would know little of Jesus of Nazareth
   b. Without whom they would have little reason to believe in Him

2. As disciples of Christ, let us be sure to give them the honor and respect that is their due...
   a. By continuing steadfastly in their doctrine
   b. By respecting the authority of their doctrine

Indeed, the moment we begin to drift away from the apostles of Jesus
Christ, we begin to drift away from that great salvation made possible by Him...! - cf. He 2:1-4  

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

A Naturalist's Strong Case Against Abiogenesis by Jeff Miller, Ph.D.

 

 

https://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=5884

A Naturalist's Strong Case Against Abiogenesis

by	Jeff Miller, Ph.D.

According to the evidence, in nature, life only comes from life,¹ making belief in naturalism and atheism (which require abiogenesis—life from non-life) a blind faith.² In fact, naturalism is a self-contradictory belief, since a naturalist must believe in such unnatural phenomena.³ And yet, such rational truths are regularly neglected by today’s naturalist-dominated scientific community. Ironically, some acknowledge the total failure of naturalism to provide a reasonable explanation for how life came from non-life and proceed to (unconsciously) make a case against it that is as good as the case creationists have long made against abiogenesis. Hostile witness testimony is powerful evidence, since hostile witnesses are less likely to acknowledge the claims made by those they dislike or with whom they disagree. A good example of hostile witness testimony that supports creationist arguments about abiogenesis is a recent article in New Scientist by Michael Marshall entitled “Life’s Big Bang.”⁴ Here are some telling quotes from the article that we could not have said better.

On the Long-standing Failure of Naturalists to Explain the Origin of Life

• “Many ideas have been proposed to explain how it began. Most are based on the assumption that cells are too complex to have formed all at once, so life must have started with just one component that survived and somehow created the others around it. When put into practice in the lab, however, these ideas don’t produce anything particularly lifelike. It is, some researchers are starting to realise,⁵ like trying to build a car by making a chassis and hoping wheels and an engine will spontaneously appear. The alternative—that life emerged fully formed—seems even more unlikely.”
• “An early idea put proteins in the driving seat. In the 1950s, biochemist Sidney Fox discovered that heating amino acids made them link up into chains…. However, the proteinoids never got much further. Some researchers still hunt for lifelike behaviour in simple proteins, but the idea that proteins started life on their own has now been largely rejected.”
• “More recently, much research has focused on an idea called the RNA world…. However, biochemists have spent decades struggling to get RNA to self-assemble or copy itself in the lab, and now concede that it needs a lot of help to do either.”
• “Perhaps, then, membranes came first. David Deamer at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has championed this option. In the 1970s, his team discovered that lipids found in cell membranes could be made when two simple chemicals, cyanamide and glycerol, were mixed with water and heated to 65°C…. Nevertheless, he now accepts that this isn’t enough, because lipids can’t carry genes or form enzymes.”
• “A handful of scientists argue that life didn’t begin on Earth, but elsewhere in the universe, and that it was carried here on meteoroids and other space bodies…. The idea is called ‘panspermia’. Aside from the fact that this simply relocates the problem of how life got going, we also haven’t found evidence of life elsewhere. If panspermia were true, bacteria would be raining down on Earth from space, and neighbouring worlds like the moon would be scattered with their remains. But there is no evidence of incoming bacteria, and moon rocks are sterile. Furthermore, space is hostile to life. In experiments where bacteria were placed outside the International Space Station, even exposures of a year took a heavy toll. This leaves a window for life to travel within the solar system, but it is a narrow one: the trip from Mars to Earth would take many months at least. Travel from other stars would take millennia, so looks impossible.”

Translation: the arguments that have long been used in support of abiogenesis, and which continue to be promoted in textbooks, are all acknowledged now to be wrong based on the physical evidence.

Naturalists: “The Origin of LIfe Is Apparently More Complicated Than We Thought.”

• “The problem with understanding the origin of life is that we don’t know what the first life was like. The oldest accepted fossils are 3.5 billion years old,⁶ but they don’t help much. They are found in ancient rock formations in Western Australia known as stromatolites and are single-celled microorganisms like modern bacteria. These are relatively complex: even the simplest modern bacteria have more than 100 genes. The first organisms must have been simpler. Viruses have fewer genes, but can reproduce only by infecting cells and taking them over, so can’t have come first.”
•  “Life can be boiled down to three core systems. First, it has structural integrity: that means each cell has an outer membrane holding it together. Second, life has metabolism, a set of chemical reactions that obtain energy from its surroundings. Finally, life can reproduce using genes, which contain instructions for building cells and are passed on to offspring…. Life’s three core processes are intertwined. Genes carry instructions for making proteins, which means proteins only exist because of genes. But proteins are also essential for maintaining and copying genes, so genes only exist because of proteins. And proteins—made by genes—are crucial for constructing the lipids for membranes. Any hypothesis explaining life’s origin must take account of this. Yet, if we suppose that genes, metabolism and membranes were unlikely to have arisen simultaneously, that means one of them must have come first and ‘invented’ the others.”

Translation: life is (in the words of intelligent design advocates) “irreducibly complex.” All necessary components for life had to be in place from the beginning, or life could not exist, making naturalistic theories for the origin of life implausible, irrational, and fideistic.

“Well, If Simple Explanations Don’t Work…”

What is the naturalists’ response to the above crushing admissions? Even though the only other “naturalistic” option “seems even more unlikely” according to Marshall, naturalists are essentially conceding the irreducible complexity of life, but are continuing to deny the decisive, rational evidence of a Designer that is demanded by their laboratory findings. If  “simple explanations of how life got started don’t add up,” Marshall says, the explanations (contrary to common sense) must be complex instead. “The shortcomings of these simple models of life’s origin have led Deamer and others to explore the seemingly less plausible alternative that all three systems emerged together in a highly simplified form”: the “everything-first idea” for the origin of life. Really?

Proving the legitimacy of that “less plausible alternative,” Marshall explains, has been the pursuit of various laboratories over the last several years. While acknowledging the shortcomings of their results as well (e.g., “pieces of the puzzle are still missing,” and “It remains to be seen whether [they—JM]…can work”), Marshall admits that, nevertheless, they “are our best model yet…. Perhaps the most persuasive argument [for complexity—JM] is that the simpler ideas don’t work.” But assuming the first life was more complex makes abiogenesis even less plausible, as he admitted. How is that a good solution to the problem? Marshall continues: “As is the case with many things in life, the beginning was probably more complicated than we had thought.” (Wait, haven’t creationists been saying that all along?) Translation: since we can’t get a simple brick to make itself in order to start building a house (we’ve tried), the solution must be that the whole house, comprised of intricate design, complexity, and bricks was accidentally (and magically) manufactured all at once…without a manufacturer. Better option: Hebrews 3:4—there was a manufacturer for the house: “For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.”

 Endnotes

¹ Jeff Miller (2012), “The Law of Biogenesis [Part I],” Reason & Revelation, 32[1]:2-11, http://apologeticspress.org/apPubPage.aspx?pub=1&issue=1018; see also, Jeff Miller (2017), Science vs. Evolution (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press), second edition, pp. 61-110.

² Jeff Miller (2013), “‘Unlike Naturalists, You Creationists Have a Blind Faith,’” Reason & Revelation, 33[7]:76-83, http://apologeticspress.org/apPubPage.aspx?pub=1&issue=1125&article=2164.

³ Jeff Miller (2017), “Evolution Is Self-Contradictory,” Apologetics Press, https://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?article=5468.

⁴ Michael Marshall (2020), “Life’s Big Bang,” New Scientist,  247[3294]:34-38. Emphasis is added throughout the following quotes.

⁵ New Scientist is published in the U.K., explaining the variant spelling of many words throughout the following quotes.

⁶ Note that scientific and biblical evidence supports a young Earth, on the order of thousands, not billions, of years. See Jeff Miller (2019), “21 Reasons to Believe the Earth is Young,” Reason & Revelation, 39[1]:2-11.

Suggested Resources

A Reaction to Big Bang Euphoria by Trevor Major, M.Sc., M.A.

https://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=1124

A Reaction to Big Bang Euphoria

by	Trevor Major, M.Sc., M.A.

Q.

I have heard that recent findings from a NASA satellite support the Big Bang theory of the origin of the Universe. Is this correct?

A.

In 1992, newspapers plastered new findings about the Big Bang theory across their front pages. The Associated Press quoted physicist Joel Primack as saying that the new scientific data represent “one of the major discoveries of the century.” The reports often are couched in highly religious terms, suggesting that scientists have found the “Holy Grail of cosmology.” What is all this talk about, and what is its significance to the biblical record of creation?

BACKGROUND

The Big Bang theory rests on three basic assumptions: (1) that from some sort of original “cosmic egg,” itself smaller than a single proton, hydrogen and helium atoms were created and ultimately gave rise (through a process called “nucleosynthesis”) to 99% of the visible matter in the Universe; (2) that the heat generated by this initial process has cooled to only a few degrees above absolute zero; and (3) that the Universe is expanding away from a central point. These points have been discussed in a previous article (Major, 1991). But how is the current controversy related to these assumptions, and what ramifications do these new findings have on biblical creation?

Although the extremely high temperatures thought to be associated with the Big Bang could not be measured directly, evolutionary cosmologists felt that one day it might be possible to find a remnant of these temperatures in what they termed “background” radiation—the “afterglow” of the Big Bang. In 1965, two scientists from Bell Laboratories, Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, pointed an improvised radio telescope into space and found a uniform background radiation of three degrees above absolute zero (3-Kelvin). Cosmologists took this as evidence for the Big Bang, and Drs. Penzias and Wilson subsequently were awarded a Nobel Prize for their discovery. In 1989, NASA launched its Cosmic Background Explorer satellite (COBE), and it began its survey of deep space. It, too, found a 3-K temperature (or, more correctly, 2.735 ±0.06 K, measured to an accuracy of one in 10,000).

There were still serious problems with the Big Bang theory, however. For example, in any Big Bang scenario—according to evolutionists’ assumptions about initial conditions—the Universe can contain no more than 10% protons, neutrons, and other ordinary matter found in stars, planets, etc. What makes the rest of the matter—90-99% of the Universe—still is a mystery. Cosmologists do not know what it is, and have not found direct evidence of its existence. One suggestion is that it consists of “cold dark matter”—“cold” because it cannot interact with other matter (except gravitationally), and “dark” because it cannot be seen. Evolutionists need this matter—both known and unknown—to allow for expansion and galaxy formation. If this extra matter did not exist, the ordinary matter of the Universe would have scattered into the empty reaches of space without ever coming together to form galaxies.

The problem is, the Universe is “lumpy.” There are clusters of galaxies, for example, which stretch 550 million light years across the sky. The cold dark matter theory cannot account for this, and circumventing this problem is what the current controversy is all about. Big Bang supporters now are suggesting that the “cosmic egg” had small defects—minor variations that could grow into major variations. The existence of these “minor variations” should have had some effect on the background radiation. However, until now, the evidence of any serious fluctuations in the background radiation has been conspicuously absent, leaving the Big Bang concept riddled with problems for which there seemingly were no solutions.

When NASA’s COBE satellite reported its first results, those results supported previous findings of a uniform background radiation. A second survey was carried out to an accuracy not of one in 10,000, but to one in 100,000. The current media reports are all about the results of this last survey, which evolutionists say documents the existence of minor variations in the background temperature of the known Universe.

COMMENTS

These variations are presumed to represent early defects, which could explain how the Universe got to be so “lumpy.” However, most people likely are unaware of the infinitesimal nature of the variations being reported. In reality, the “variations” differ by barely thirty-millionths of a Kelvin from the approximate 3-K background. Some scientists doubt that these are large enough to account for the large-scale structure of the Universe (see Flam, 1992). So, while scientists were relieved to find variations, they have been forced to admit that the results are not exactly what they need to “fix” the theory.

Recent articles in science journals also make mention of other concerns. For example, the measured temperature variations, according to the principal investigator, George Smoot, are “well below the level of instrumental noise.” In other words, the variations may turn out to be statistically unimportant, because the instruments are not accurate enough to produce the published results. Al Kogut, who also worked on the initial research project, said: “You can’t point to any one point in the data and say that’s signal and that’s noise” (see Flam, 1992). These evolutionists believe, of course, that they are observing a real phenomenon, and not just instrument noise. [It should be pointed out, however, that the variations were not apparent from the raw data. They were “extracted” by manipulating COBE’s data.]

CONCLUSION

These recent findings are not an unqualified success, and should be downgraded from “greatest discovery” to “interesting,” and from “proof” to “possible corroboration.” The British journal Nature commented: “The simple conclusion, that the data so far authenticated are consistent with the doctrine of the Big Bang, has been amplified in newspapers and broadcasts into proof that ‘we now know’ how the Universe began. This is cause for some alarm” (1992, p. 731).

Not so long ago, adherents of the Big Bang held to a smooth Universe, and pointed with pride to the uniform background radiation. Then they found large-scale structures, and revised their “predictions.” Now they have found infinitesimal variations, and are hailing them as the greatest discovery of the century. We must urge caution when a theory, claiming to be scientific, escapes falsification by continual modification with ad hoc, stopgap measures. Certainly there is no need for George Smoot to say, “If you’re religious, it’s like looking at God.” This statement spurred the media to seek comments from various religious quarters. According to the Associated Press, the “Rev. Mr. Burnham said many theologians will find having another confirmation of the big bang theory to be very compatible with the belief that God created the universe out of pre-existent chaos.” However, the idea that God just started the creation and left it to evolve on its own is not supported anywhere in the Bible. The evolutionists’ time scale is inconsistent with biblical chronology, and the creation record tells us that God created the heavenly objects on the fourth day. This order of creation differs markedly from the evolutionary account. Overall, this new discovery is not anywhere near as conclusive as its promoters claim. The Big Bang theory still is rife with problems.

REFERENCES

Major, Trevor (1991), “The Big Bang in Crisis,” Reason & Revelation, 11:21-24, June.

Flam, Faye (1992), “COBE Finds the Bumps in the Big Bang,” Science, 256:612, May 1.

Nature (1992), “Big Bang Brouhaha,” 356:731, April 30.

All Religion Is Bad Because Some Is? by Kyle Butt, M.Div.

https://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=2342

All Religion Is Bad Because Some Is?

by	Kyle Butt, M.Div.

In logical discussions, a straw man is a weak, illogical position that is easily refuted. The more powerful, logical position is then coupled with the straw man, and both are said to fall together, yet the stronger position never actually is refuted by the opposition. For example, suppose a person stated that he owned a congenial, safe dog. The man’s neighbor argued that such was impossible. The opposing neighbor then recounted a story about a family’s pet pitbull that went berserk and killed someone. Then he stated that this incident proves that all pets are dangerous. Does his argument follow from the evidence? Of course not. He might have proven that one family’s pitbull was dangerous, but he did not prove that all pets are dangerous. In fact, it would be easy to multiply numerous examples of dangerous pets, but proving those specific pets to be dangerous could not logically be applied to all pets.

This idea must be understood when reading modern atheistic writings that purport to prove that the ideas of God and formulated religion are detrimental to society. Their argument, in a nutshell, goes like this: Since we can list examples of religions and religious fanatics that were (or are) harmful or detrimental to society, then all religions or ideas about God are harmful or detrimental to society.

So that the reader does not think that this author is, himself, constructing a straw man, let us consult the writings of a very popular, militant atheist by the name of Christopher Hitchens. Hitchens has been critically acclaimed as “one of the most prolific, as well as brilliant, journalists of our time” according to the London Observer. The Los Angeles Times stated that he is a “political and literary journalist extraordinaire.”

One of Hitchens’ most popular recent books is titled god Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. Notice that his subtitle is broad enough to lump all religions into it: Islam, New Testament Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. Hitchens then proceeded, in the pages of his book, to list many horrible things that people have done in the name of “religion.” He said: “Religion has caused innumerable people not just to conduct themselves no better than others, but to award themselves permission to behave in ways that would make a brothel-keeper or an ethnic cleanser raise an eyebrow” (2007, p. 6). Hitchens even titled chapter two, “Religion Kills.” In it he wrote: “Here, then, is a very brief summary of the religiously inspired cruelty I witnessed... ” (p. 18). He then recounted horror stories of several moral atrocities perpetrated in the name of “religion.” Furthermore, Hitchens stated: “If one comprehends the fallacies of any ‘revealed’ religion, one comprehends them all” (p. 126).

Can Hitchens and others document atrocities performed in the name of religion? Of course they can. Does this prove that all religion is false, and that if a person can spot a flaw or comprehend a fallacy in one religion, then he has effectively disproved the validity of all religions? Absolutely not. Can you imagine what would happen if this type of argument were used in other areas of life? Apply such thinking to food. Many foods are poisonous and kill people, thus all foods should be avoided. Apply it to electricity. It is the case that many people have died while using electricity, thus all electrical use is detrimental to society. Or apply it to activities like swimming. Many have drowned while swimming, thus all swimming leads to drowning and should be avoided. What if it were applied to surgery? Since it is true that thousands of people have died during surgery, or as a result of surgery, then all surgery should be avoided because it all leads to death or is in some way physically detrimental to society. Obviously, the ridiculous idea that all religion is detrimental to society because it can be proven that some religions are, should be quickly discarded by any honest, thoughtful observer.

New Testament Christianity does not stand or fall based on the validity of other competing religions. In fact, Hitchens and others are right to assert that many religions are detrimental to society. But they are wrong to lump true Christianity in with the rest of the useless lot. New Testament Christianity is unique, logically valid, historically documented, and philosophically flawless. It does not crumble with various other religions that are filled with “vain babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge” (1 Timothy 6:20). Instead, New Testament Christianity as personified in the life of Jesus Christ shines as the truth that makes men free (John 8:32).

[NOTE: It should not be understood that Hitchens and others attack Christianity solely using the straw man argument. They do present other, more specific arguments that are answered in other Apologetics Press materials. It should be observed, however, that the straw man is a frequently used, favorite tactic that needs to be understood and specifically refuted.]

REFERENCE

Hitchens, Christopher (2007), god Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (New York: Twelve).

Moonrise by Gary Rose

What a spectacular picture! The moonrise reflecting upon the water in thousands upon thousands of tiny islands of light. And that moon, with its slightly reddish-gold hue is contrasted by different colored clouds; WONDERFUL!

Frankly, I don’t think about moonrise very much- sunrise,yes; moonrise,no. But moonrise is important, and as I think about the following passage from the book of Genesis, I realize how important. Genesis chapter 1 says…

Genesis 1 ( World English Bible )

¹³ There was evening and there was morning, a third day.

¹⁴ God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of sky to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years;

¹⁵ and let them be for lights in the expanse of sky to give light on the earth;” and it was so.

¹⁶ God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars.

¹⁷ God set them in the expanse of sky to give light to the earth,

¹⁸ and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good.

It is a human failing of mine to read something and gloss-over some important fact. Notice verse 13 above. Evening is listed first; odd isn’t it. For me, the day begins at sunrise, not sunset. So, I read the chapter once again… humm, the other days do the same- evening first. Next, I consulted a half dozen other translations- same thing.

One other thing, that moon, that underestimated moon (by me) rules over the night. Now, it may be a lesser light, but it is still important. I know that different cultures have the day beginning at different times. Humm, I wonder if I should rethink my concepts of time passage to coincide with the Bible.

Well, this is probably much to do about nothing, or maybe not? You decide. As for me, I intend to pay more attention to moonrise in the future. And, try to read my Bible a bit slower to understand more of what is being said. How about you?

 

Bible Reading for December 9 and 10 by Gary Rose

 

Bible Reading for December 9 and 10

World  English  Bible

 

Dec. 9

Daniel 1-4

Dan 1:1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Jerusalem, and besieged it.

Dan 1:2 The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god: and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

Dan 1:3 The king spoke to Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in certain of the children of Israel, even of the seed royal and of the nobles;

Dan 1:4 youths in whom was no blemish, but well-favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and endowed with knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability to stand in the king's palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the language of the Chaldeans.

Dan 1:5 The king appointed for them a daily portion of the king's dainties, and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years; that at its end they should stand before the king.

Dan 1:6 Now among these were, of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

Dan 1:7 The prince of the eunuchs gave names to them: to Daniel he gave the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

Dan 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's dainties, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

Dan 1:9 Now God made Daniel to find kindness and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs.

Dan 1:10 The prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse looking than the youths who are of your own age? so would you endanger my head with the king.

Dan 1:11 Then said Daniel to the steward whom the prince of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

Dan 1:12 Prove your servants, I beg you, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.

Dan 1:13 Then let our faces be looked on before you, and the face of the youths who eat of the king's dainties; and as you see, deal with your servants.

Dan 1:14 So he listened to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.

Dan 1:15 At the end of ten days their faces appeared fairer, and they were fatter in flesh, than all the youths who ate of the king's dainties.

Dan 1:16 So the steward took away their dainties, and the wine that they should drink, and gave them pulse.

Dan 1:17 Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

Dan 1:18 At the end of the days which the king had appointed for bringing them in, the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

Dan 1:19 The king talked with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.

Dan 1:20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in all his realm.

Dan 1:21 Daniel continued even to the first year of king Cyrus.

Dan 2:1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep went from him.

Dan 2:2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.

Dan 2:3 The king said to them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.

Dan 2:4 Then spoke the Chaldeans to the king in the Syrian language, O king, live forever: tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.

Dan 2:5 The king answered the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if you don't make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.

Dan 2:6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor: therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.

Dan 2:7 They answered the second time and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.

Dan 2:8 The king answered, I know of a certainty that you would gain time, because you see the thing is gone from me.

Dan 2:9 But if you don't make known to me the dream, there is but one law for you; for you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, until the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.

Dan 2:10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man on the earth who can show the king's matter, because no king, lord, or ruler, has asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean.

Dan 2:11 It is a rare thing that the king requires, and there is no other who can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.

Dan 2:12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

Dan 2:13 So the decree went forth, and the wise men were to be slain; and they sought Daniel and his companions to be slain.

Dan 2:14 Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and prudence to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, who was gone forth to kill the wise men of Babylon;

Dan 2:15 he answered Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so urgent from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.

Dan 2:16 Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would appoint him a time, and he would show the king the interpretation.

Dan 2:17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

Dan 2:18 that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Dan 2:19 Then was the secret revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

Dan 2:20 Daniel answered, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever; for wisdom and might are his.

Dan 2:21 He changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings, and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding;

Dan 2:22 he reveals the deep and secret things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

Dan 2:23 I thank you, and praise you, you God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we desired of you; for you have made known to us the king's matter.

Dan 2:24 Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and said thus to him: Don't destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation.

Dan 2:25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus to him, I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation.

Dan 2:26 The king answered Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?

Dan 2:27 Daniel answered before the king, and said, The secret which the king has demanded can neither wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor soothsayers, show to the king;

Dan 2:28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these:

Dan 2:29 as for you, O king, your thoughts came into your mind on your bed, what should happen hereafter; and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what shall happen.

Dan 2:30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but to the intent that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

Dan 2:31 You, O king, saw, and behold, a great image. This image, which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before you; and its aspect was awesome.

Dan 2:32 As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass,

Dan 2:33 its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay.

Dan 2:34 You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.

Dan 2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them: and the stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

Dan 2:36 This is the dream; and we will tell its interpretation before the king.

Dan 2:37 You, O king, are king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory;

Dan 2:38 and wherever the children of men dwell, the animals of the field and the birds of the sky has he given into your hand, and has made you to rule over them all: you are the head of gold.

Dan 2:39 After you shall arise another kingdom inferior to you; and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

Dan 2:40 The fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that crushes all these, shall it break in pieces and crush.

Dan 2:41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, because you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.

Dan 2:42 As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

Dan 2:43 Whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cling to one another, even as iron does not mingle with clay.

Dan 2:44 In the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sovereignty be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

Dan 2:45 Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the king what shall happen hereafter: and the dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.

Dan 2:46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, and worshiped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an offering and sweet odors to him.

Dan 2:47 The king answered to Daniel, and said, Of a truth your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing you have been able to reveal this secret.

Dan 2:48 Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him to rule over the whole province of Babylon, and to be chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.

Dan 2:49 Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel was in the gate of the king.

Dan 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits, and its breadth six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

Dan 3:2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, 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.

Dan 3:3 Then the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Dan 3:4 Then the herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, peoples, nations, and languages,

Dan 3:5 that whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up;

Dan 3:6 and whoever doesn't fall down and worship shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

Dan 3:7 Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Dan 3:8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought accusation against the Jews.

Dan 3:9 They answered Nebuchadnezzar the king, O king, live for ever.

Dan 3:10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image;

Dan 3:11 and whoever doesn't fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

Dan 3:12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded you: they don't serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.

Dan 3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

Dan 3:14 Nebuchadnezzar answered them, Is it on purpose, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don't serve my god, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

Dan 3:15 Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made, well: but if you don't worship, you shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that god that shall deliver you out of my hands?

Dan 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

Dan 3:17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

Dan 3:18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.

Dan 3:19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

Dan 3:20 He commanded certain mighty men who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

Dan 3:21 Then these men were bound in their pants, their tunics, and their mantles, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Dan 3:22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Dan 3:23 These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Dan 3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste: he spoke and said to his counselors, Didn't we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered the king, True, O king.

Dan 3:25 He answered, Look, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the aspect of the fourth is like a son of the gods.

Dan 3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace: he spoke and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God, come forth, and come here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came forth out of the midst of the fire.

Dan 3:27 The satraps, the deputies, and the governors, and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies, nor was the hair of their head singed, neither were their pants changed, nor had the smell of fire passed on them.

Dan 3:28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke 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 have changed the king's word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

Dan 3:29 Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak anything evil against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill; because there is no other god who is able to deliver after this sort.

Dan 3:30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Dan 4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.

Dan 4:2 It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked toward me.

Dan 4:3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

Dan 4:4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.

Dan 4:5 I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

Dan 4:6 Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

Dan 4:7 Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers; and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known to me its interpretation.

Dan 4:8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I told the dream before him, saying,

Dan 4:9 Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.

Dan 4:10 Thus were the visions of my head on my bed: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and its height was great.

Dan 4:11 The tree grew, and was strong, and its height reached to the sky, and its sight to the end of all the earth.

Dan 4:12 The leaves of it were beautiful, and its fruit much, and in it was food for all: the animals of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

Dan 4:13 I saw in the visions of my head on my bed, and behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from the sky.

Dan 4:14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the animals get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches.

Dan 4:15 Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of the sky: and let his portion be with the animals in the grass of the earth:

Dan 4:16 let his heart be changed from man's, and let an animal's heart be given to him; and let seven times pass over him.

Dan 4:17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.

Dan 4:18 This dream I, king Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and you, Belteshazzar, declare 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.

Dan 4:19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken mute for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered, Belteshazzar, don't let the dream, or the interpretation, trouble you. Belteshazzar answered, My lord, the dream be to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your adversaries.

Dan 4:20 The tree that you saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to the sky, and its sight to all the earth;

Dan 4:21 whose leaves were beautiful, and its fruit much, and in it was food for all; under which the animals of the field lived, and on whose branches the birds of the sky had their habitation:

Dan 4:22 it is you, O king, that are grown and become strong; for your greatness is grown, and reaches to the sky, and your dominion to the end of the earth.

Dan 4:23 Whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from the sky, and saying, Cut down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of the sky: and let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him;

Dan 4:24 this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come on my lord the king:

Dan 4:25 that you shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field, and you shall be made to eat grass as oxen, and shall be wet with the dew of the sky, and seven times shall pass over you; until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.

Dan 4:26 Whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree; your kingdom shall be sure to you, after that you shall have known that the heavens do rule.

Dan 4:27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be a lengthening of your tranquility.

Dan 4:28 All this came on the king Nebuchadnezzar.

Dan 4:29 At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon.

Dan 4:30 The king spoke and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?

Dan 4:31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from the sky, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from you:

Dan 4:32 and you shall be driven from men; and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field; you shall be made to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over you; until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.

Dan 4:33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled on Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and ate grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky, until his hair was grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

Dan 4:34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him who lives forever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation.

Dan 4:35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or tell him, What do you?

Dan 4:36 At the same time my understanding returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned to me; and my counselors and my lords sought to me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added to me.

Dan 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase.

Dec. 10

Daniel 5-8

Dan 5:1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

Dan 5:2 Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, might drink from them.

Dan 5:3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines, drank from them.

Dan 5:4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

Dan 5:5 In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

Dan 5:6 Then the king's face was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; and the joints of his thighs were loosened, and his knees struck one against another.

Dan 5:7 The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever shall read this writing, and show me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Dan 5:8 Then came in all the king's wise men; but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation.

Dan 5:9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his face was changed in him, and his lords were perplexed.

Dan 5:10 Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: the queen spoke and said, O king, live forever; don't let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your face be changed.

Dan 5:11 There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and the king Nebuchadnezzar your father, the king, I say, your father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

Dan 5:12 because an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of dark sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.

Dan 5:13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, Are you that Daniel, who are of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah?

Dan 5:14 I have heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.

Dan 5:15 Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known to me its interpretation; but they could not show the interpretation of the thing.

Dan 5:16 But I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations, and dissolve doubts; 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 about your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Dan 5:17 Then Daniel answered before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

Dan 5:18 You king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty:

Dan 5:19 and because of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would he killed, and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he raised up, and whom he would he put down.

Dan 5:20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

Dan 5:21 and he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the animals', and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys; he was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky; until he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that he sets up over it whomever he will.

Dan 5:22 You his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this,

Dan 5:23 but have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house 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 brass, iron, wood, and stone, which don't see, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways, you have not glorified.

Dan 5:24 Then was the part of the hand sent from before him, and this writing was inscribed.

Dan 5:25 This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

Dan 5:26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God has numbered your kingdom, and brought it to an end;

Dan 5:27 TEKEL; you are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting.

Dan 5:28 PERES; your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

Dan 5:29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Dan 5:30 In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean King was slain.

Dan 5:31 Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

Dan 6:1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;

Dan 6:2 and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give account to them, and that the king should have no damage.

Dan 6:3 Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

Dan 6:4 Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault, because he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

Dan 6:5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

Dan 6:6 Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and said thus to him, King Darius, live forever.

Dan 6:7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong interdict, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

Dan 6:8 Now, O king, establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn't alter.

Dan 6:9 Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the interdict.

Dan 6:10 When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.

Dan 6:11 Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.

Dan 6:12 Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's interdict: Haven't you signed an interdict, that every man who shall make petition to any god or man within thirty days, save to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn't alter.

Dan 6:13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn't regard you, O king, nor the interdict that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.

Dan 6:14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him.

Dan 6:15 Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no interdict nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.

Dan 6:16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke and said to Daniel, Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.

Dan 6:17 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.

Dan 6:18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep fled from him.

Dan 6:19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions.

Dan 6:20 When he came near to the den to Daniel, he cried with a lamentable voice; the king spoke and said to Daniel, Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?

Dan 6:21 Then said Daniel to the king, O king, live forever.

Dan 6:22 My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me; because as before him innocence was found in me; and also before you, O king, have I done no hurt.

Dan 6:23 Then was the king exceeding glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

Dan 6:24 The king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den.

Dan 6:25 Then king Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.

Dan 6:26 I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and steadfast forever, His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed; and his dominion shall be even to the end.

Dan 6:27 He delivers and rescues, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

Dan 6:28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Dan 7:1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head on his bed: then he wrote the dream and told the sum of the matters.

Dan 7:2 Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the sky broke forth on the great sea.

Dan 7:3 Four great animals came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

Dan 7:4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I saw until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand on two feet as a man; and a man's heart was given to it.

Dan 7:5 Behold, another animal, a second, like a bear; and it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth: and they said thus to it, Arise, devour much flesh.

Dan 7:6 After this I saw, and behold, another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the animal had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

Dan 7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and, behold, a fourth animal, awesome and powerful, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet: and it was diverse from all the animals that were before it; and it had ten horns.

Dan 7:8 I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots: and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Dan 7:9 I saw until thrones were placed, and one who was ancient of days sat: his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels burning fire.

Dan 7:10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

Dan 7:11 I saw at that time because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke; I saw even until the animal was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burned with fire.

Dan 7:12 As for the rest of the animals, their dominion was taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

Dan 7:14 There was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Dan 7:15 As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.

Dan 7:16 I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.

Dan 7:17 These great animals, which are four, are four kings, who shall arise out of the earth.

Dan 7:18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.

Dan 7:19 Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth animal, which was diverse from all of them, exceedingly terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet;

Dan 7:20 and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke great things, whose look was more stout than its fellows.

Dan 7:21 I saw, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

Dan 7:22 until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

Dan 7:23 Thus he said, The fourth animal shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

Dan 7:24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings.

Dan 7:25 He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.

Dan 7:26 But the judgment shall be set, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end.

Dan 7:27 The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole sky, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Dan 7:28 Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts much troubled me, and my face was changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

Dan 8:1 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, even to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first.

Dan 8:2 I saw in the vision; now it was so, that when I saw, I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision, and I was by the river Ulai.

Dan 8:3 Then I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.

Dan 8:4 I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; and no animals could stand before him, neither was there any who could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and magnified himself.

Dan 8:5 As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west over the surface of the whole earth, and didn't touch the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.

Dan 8:6 He came to the ram that had the two horns, which I saw standing before the river, and ran on him in the fury of his power.

Dan 8:7 I saw him come close to the ram, and he was moved with anger against him, and struck the ram, and broke his two horns; and there was no power in the ram to stand before him; but he cast him down to the ground, and trampled on him; and there was none who could deliver the ram out of his hand.

Dan 8:8 The male goat magnified himself exceedingly: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and instead of it there came up four notable horns toward the four winds of the sky.

Dan 8:9 Out of one of them came forth a little horn, which grew exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the glorious land.

Dan 8:10 It grew great, even to the army of the sky; and some of the army and of the stars it cast down to the ground, and trampled on them.

Dan 8:11 Yes, it magnified itself, even to the prince of the army; and it took away from him the continual burnt offering, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.

Dan 8:12 The army was given over to it together with the continual burnt offering through disobedience; and it cast down truth to the ground, and it did its pleasure and prospered.

Dan 8:13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who spoke, How long shall be the vision concerning the continual burnt offering, and the disobedience that makes desolate, to give both the sanctuary and the army to be trodden under foot?

Dan 8:14 He said to me, To two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

Dan 8:15 It happened, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, that I sought to understand it; and behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

Dan 8:16 I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

Dan 8:17 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, son of man; for the vision belongs to the time of the end.

Dan 8:18 Now as he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face toward the ground; but he touched me, and set me upright.

Dan 8:19 He said, Behold, I will make you know what shall be in the latter time of the indignation; for it belongs to the appointed time of the end.

Dan 8:20 The ram which you saw, that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.

Dan 8:21 The rough male goat is the king of Greece: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

Dan 8:22 As for that which was broken, in the place where four stood up, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not with his power.

Dan 8:23 In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce face, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

Dan 8:24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do his pleasure; and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the holy people.

Dan 8:25 Through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in their security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

Dan 8:26 The vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true: but seal up the vision; for it belongs to many days to come.

Dan 8:27 I, Daniel, fainted, and was sick certain days; then I rose up, and did the king's business: and I wondered at the vision, but none understood it. 

 

Dec. 9

2 Peter 2

2Pe 2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction.

2Pe 2:2 Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned.

2Pe 2:3 In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn't linger, and their destruction will not slumber.

2Pe 2:4 For if God didn't spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;

2Pe 2:5 and didn't spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly;

2Pe 2:6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly;

2Pe 2:7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked

2Pe 2:8 (for that righteous man dwelling among them, was tormented in his righteous soul from day to day with seeing and hearing lawless deeds):

2Pe 2:9 the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment;

2Pe 2:10 but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries;

2Pe 2:11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, don't bring a railing judgment against them before the Lord.

2Pe 2:12 But these, as unreasoning creatures, born natural animals to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil in matters about which they are ignorant, will in their destroying surely be destroyed,

2Pe 2:13 receiving the wages of unrighteousness; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and blemishes, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you;

2Pe 2:14 having eyes full of adultery, and who can't cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing;

2Pe 2:15 forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing;

2Pe 2:16 but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A mute donkey spoke with a man's voice and stopped the madness of the prophet.

2Pe 2:17 These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever.

2Pe 2:18 For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error;

2Pe 2:19 promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for a man is brought into bondage by whoever overcomes him.

2Pe 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

2Pe 2:21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

2Pe 2:22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb, "The dog turns to his own vomit again," and "the sow that has washed to wallowing in the mire."

Dec. 10

2 Peter 3

2Pe 3:1 This is now, beloved, the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you;

2Pe 3:2 that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandments of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior:

2Pe 3:3 knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts,

2Pe 3:4 and saying, "Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."

2Pe 3:5 For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water, by the word of God;

2Pe 3:6 by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.

2Pe 3:7 But the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

2Pe 3:8 But don't forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

2Pe 3:11 Therefore since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness,

2Pe 3:12 looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?

2Pe 3:13 But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

2Pe 3:14 Therefore, beloved, seeing that you look for these things, be diligent to be found in peace, without blemish and blameless in his sight.

2Pe 3:15 Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you;

2Pe 3:16 as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

2Pe 3:17 You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness.

2Pe 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.