Holy Scriptures and Israel

Narrator: Shalom. Holy Scriptures and Israel is a ministry designed to share with the Jewish people the good news of the Lord Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah, and to instruct Christians on the Jewish roots of their faith. And now, teaching God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective, here is Gideon Levytam.

Gideon Levytam: The study of Daniel chapter two. And then verse 31 and Darius, the Mede, took the kingdom, being about three score and two years old. And so at the end of chapter five of the book of Daniel, by that time the Medo-Persian became this as we look at our image again. Very important to look at the image. The head is gold, but the breast and the arms of silver.

And so in verse 39, he says, and another after this shall arise, another kingdom, but notice it says inferior to thee. Inferior to thee. In other words, the Medo-Persian kingdom did not have the same authority. The kings did not have the same authority as the monarch of the Babylonians.

And so there are two, the Medes and the Persians. There are two kingdoms that are united, but they are two kingdoms, and they did not have the same privilege that the Babylonian had. And interestingly here that he is using now silver. Why silver?

Well, the Medo-Persians were known to be a people that knew how to collect taxes. One of the things they did is they built many roads to enable them to get their taxes, which were made out of silver. Taxes from everywhere. And they were very, somebody said that they had a very good IRS system, tax collecting system.

And so God in his foreknowledge, knowing what will characterize this kingdom, he's saying the head is Babylon, is gold. The chest and the arms is a second kingdom, inferior, not as powerful if you will, not as much authority as the Babylonian had, but they're a little bit inferior. Two kingdoms united together, the Medo-Persian. They are together, united, but represented by the two arms, inferior, having the color or the metal silver, which represents that which will characterize the Medo-Persian.

Okay, let's go down now in verse 39b, the third kingdom. So the Babylonian began in 586 BC. The Medo-Persian began their rule in 539 BC when they took over Babylon. Now in 331 BC, the Grecian is the third kingdom. It says Daniel now gives us the interpretation of the belly and the thighs of brass.

And he says another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. Now I want you to turn for a second to Daniel chapter 11, please, just for a second. Daniel chapter 11, it is so interesting that Greece is mentioned in the book of Daniel as well. And it's very well known that the Grecian empire began with Alexander the Great.

And Alexander the Great was a young man who conquered very much. Now those who know history can tell us a lot about it, but he had conquered and apparently he died very young, at about 32 or 33 years of age. And when he died, four of his captains had taken over the kingdom, and it had been divided into four sections, but there were two primary, the north and the south, which have been taken hold much longer, much more powerful.

Daniel chapter 11, and verse one and two. Actually, I'll read just verse two. And now I will show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than they all. And by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.

And a mighty king shall stand up and so on. He's speaking about Alexander the Great, the king of Grecia, the Greek individual that eventually had conquered so much until he was about 33 years old. He died and eventually his captains had taken the kingdom and divided it into four areas, especially the northern and the southern, which is the Syria and Egypt.

Okay, now you notice that so far, we have the gold, the silver, and the brass. By the way, the brass, it had been said that the Grecian, the Greek's army was using a lot of the material of the brass in their military equipment. And so one of the things that characterized the people of Greece at that particular time was the various equipment they were using in their warfare had been made with brass, and that's one of the reasons why the word for brass was given to the Grecians.

But up to now, you notice interestingly that we find the three names: the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, the Greek, mentioned in the book of Daniel. But it is so interesting that the next kingdom is not mentioned by name at all in the book of Daniel. And we find out now in verse 40 to verse 43, Daniel now gives us the interpretation of the legs and the feet of iron.

That is the fourth kingdom, and this kingdom name is not mentioned in the book of Daniel. Babylon is mentioned, the Medo-Persians are mentioned, the Grecians are mentioned, but the fourth kingdom is not mentioned. It is very interesting, and yet we know it from history that in approximately 63 BC, the Romans became the next ruling empire here in this world and took it over from the Greeks.

In verse 40 to 43: And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things. And as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided, but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

And then notice verse 42: And as the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly broken or fragile. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men, but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

Again, just to point out, we saw Babylon, the gold. Medo-Persian, the Mede and the Persian. Then we saw the Grecians, beginning with Alexander the Great and then divided into the north and south: north of Israel Syria, south of Israel Egypt. And now we are dealing with the Roman Empire. This is verse 40. Now the Roman Empire has more than one stage.

In fact, it has three stages. Once we're going to get to chapter seven, there is an additional two stages that are mentioned in Daniel chapter seven. But here first of all, in verse 40, we have the united stage. It will begin with the united stage, and then it will begin in verse 41 with what you call the divided kingdom.

And I'm going to read verse 41: Whereas thou sawest the feet and the toes, part of potters' clay and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided, and there shall be in it of the strength of iron forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. The kingdom shall be divided. And it could be applied to the time where Constantine had divided the east and west.

In other words, in Constantinople, there was one area that had to deal with the east, and the west is Rome. Instead of getting everything straightly from Rome, it had been divided into the two division stage. And then lately, later, it's going to be at the end, the ten-toes stage is the final stage.

And I'm going to read now verse 42 and 43 now, and it says: As the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men, but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

And so notice verse 42: As the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay. By the time the Roman Empire is going to get to the last stage of the ten toes, this is the time where the next verses will tell us how the Roman Empire will be ended. This is again very important. You notice that the Roman Empire in verse 40 began as a united kingdom, and then the two-stage kingdom, east and west in the earlier present age of the church age.

Then there will be the final stage of the Roman Empire when the end time, when the Messiah will come and will make an end to the total kingdom or if you will, the time of the Gentiles. So three stages: united stage, divided stage, and then finally ten division stage at the second coming of the Messiah. So now if we'll take the total picture of the image, we see Babylon, and I gave you the date 586, the Babylonian began.

Then the Medo-Persian began at 539 BC. Then the Grecians, headed up of course by Alexander the Great, 331 BC. And then the Roman Empire began at about the 60s or 63 BC and will end at the second coming of the Messiah. Now we of course live, a lot of people are talking about the revival of the Roman Empire.

We look today at Europe, and we see that there is ten nations, for example. There are many more than ten nations, but oftentimes people look at the Roman Empire who will revive. And some would say that it's not only limited to Europe, but it will be a union that will come from every area of this world and divide itself into ten areas or ten kingdoms here in this world.

It will be easier if we read chapter seven to help us. And so sometime before the coming of Messiah, somehow, there will be a ten-division stage, where the ten toes represent a ten-division stage when the Messiah will finally come and will smite that image or the revived Roman Empire, will smite it in its last stage form, and the whole time of the Gentile will end with the reign of the Messiah with restored nation Israel under his kingship in the Promised Land, in the land of Israel.

Notice verse 44 and 45. We want to look at this, because that's still part of the dream. Verse 44 and 45 says: In the days of these kings. Which kings? The kings of the ten-toes stage. These are the kings that he's speaking about. In the days of these kings, those ten toes represent ten kings, shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.

And the kingdom shall not be left to other people. Notice the word "other people." Why doesn't say the kingdom shall not be left to people? He said the kingdom shall not be left to other people, other than the nation of Israel, headed up by the Messiah himself. So at the time that the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.

The Babylonian kingdom, the Medo-Persian kingdom, the Grecian kingdom had been destroyed, and the Roman or the revived Roman Empire will be destroyed. But this kingdom, which the God of heaven will set up, will never be destroyed. It says here it shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron and the brass and the clay and the silver and the gold, the great God has made known unto the king, listen again, what shall come to pass hereafter. And the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof is sure.

Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel said, listen, what you have dreamt is certain. And the interpretation that I have given you is sure. God is going to end up the time of the Gentile with the establishment of a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. How he's going to do it? The stone. You notice the stone? The stone as he says here which will be cut without hand and shall break in pieces the whole image.

Now turn with me quickly to one verse, Matthew 21 verse 42. Jesus saith unto them, did ye ever read in the scriptures: the stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

And listen now: and whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken. But then the second half of verse 44: but on whomsoever it, this is the stone, shall fall, it will grind him to pieces. This is in judgment. But the verse prior to that: did ye ever read in the scriptures the stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner. This is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes.

This verse, by the way, has been taken from the book of Psalm 118 verse 22 and verse 23. The stone which the builders, this is Israel, disallowed, did not accept, this stone became the head of the corner. Now for many generations, Israel have not accepted the Messiahip of Yeshua, Messiahip of Jesus. But one day the same stone that had been disallowed, right now he's already the cornerstone, but he's coming in the future, and he will fall upon this image, and the whole image is going to be completely destroyed.

And as Daniel said it in our chapter, chapter two, this kingdom will never be destroyed, and it will not be left to other people. Now before we close, I just want to give you a couple of verses if you write down quickly. Many times we find in the scripture the word "stone" applied to the Messiahip, to the Lord Jesus the Messiah: Psalm 118 and verse 22, Isaiah chapter eight and verse 14, Isaiah chapter 28 and verse 16, Zechariah chapter three and verse nine, the verse we read in Matthew 21 and verse 44, Acts chapter four and verse 11, 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse four, and 1 Peter chapter two and verses one to eight.

The stone which the builders reject became the head of the corner. Three things I just want to mention we learn from this image. Number one: the times of the Gentiles will go through four different empires: the Babylonian, the Medo-Persians, the Grecians, and the Romans. The time of the Gentile, that's the first thing we learn.

Number two: the times of the Gentile will come to an end in the second coming of the Lord Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah. The time of the Gentile will end when the stone that been cut without hand fall on the toes, the last stage of the Roman Empire, and the whole time of the Gentile have ended with the beginning of the Messianic kingdom, headed up by the Messiah and restored nation Israel.

Thirdly, the third lesson we learn from this image is that in the time of the Gentiles period, the Jewish people, and it's so true even today, may be finding themselves in a very high level of positions in this world. You notice Daniel, you notice Nehemiah, you notice Ezra, you notice Zerubbabel, in the various history of Israel. Even today, Jewish people even though they are not as a nation established as Messiah has not been established there, establishing them in the land.

Yet the Jewish people in various areas will find themselves in high positions sometimes. And yet they are waiting the day when there will be a total national restoration headed up by the stone which the builders reject, who one day become the chief cornerstone, who one day will establish a kingdom which he promised to the people of Israel.

So those three lessons we learn from this image is that there will be four different kingdoms, it will come to an end at the second coming of the Messiah, and finally the Jewish people, while waiting for this coming day, there will be placed, some of them, in various important positions. And of course, beloved, we know that in this present day, every Jewish person must come to faith in the Messiah in order to be redeemed, just like anybody else.

Jewish people need the Messiah just like non-Jewish people need the Messiah. But the nation of Israel that will be in one day establish in the Promised Land, it's still awaiting a future day. And they're going to be receiving it under the headship of the Messiah. Now let's close the chapter with the last verses. Listen and I'm reading the last verses. Look at the reward, the reward that Daniel now received.

Verse 46, 47, 48 and 49, and we're going to stop. Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and he worshipped Daniel, and he commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odors unto him. The king answered unto Daniel and he said, of a truth it is that your God is the God of gods and Lord of kings and the revealer of secrets seeing thou could reveal this secret.

Then the king made Daniel a great man, and he gave him many gifts, and he made him ruler, notice that, he made him ruler over the whole provinces of Babylon and at the chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. But not only him, listen, verse 49: Daniel requested the king that he set Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon, but Daniel sat at the gate of the king.

Notice then the king Nebuchadnezzar made Daniel and his friends, he put them in a very high level position in the kingdom of Babylon, and yet the nation of Israel as a nation was still scattered, was still in the dispersion, was still waiting the day when the Messiah, the stone which the builders reject, when they will finally accept him, recognize that Yeshua, remember like he says in the New Testament we read, ye shall not see me henceforth until ye're going to say, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. In Hebrew, Baruch haba b'Shem Adonai. At the end of the image, the timing of the image, Israel going finally will accept him, and they're going to receive him as the Messiah, their Lord and their savior, and the Messianic kingdom will be established. And we long for that day. May God haste the day and may it come soon. Can we say amen to that?

Narrator: You have been listening to Holy Scriptures and Israel with Gideon Levytam. Gideon teaches God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective. For more information about this ministry, write to Holy Scriptures and Israel, Box 1411, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, L0S 1J0, or visit our website at holyscripturesandisrael.com. You are also invited to Gideon's weekly Bible teaching on Fridays at 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM and Saturdays at 1:00 PM at Willowdale Christian Assembly Hall, 28 Martin Ross Avenue in Toronto. Holy Scriptures and Israel is made possible by your prayers and financial support. If you would like to support the program, visit holyscripturesandisrael.com. God bless you. Shalom, shalom.