Daniel 6 The Lion's Den: Obedience, Defiance and Testimony

 The point of the first 6 chapters of Daniel is "God is Sovereign". Recap... chapter 1 taken captive, refused to eat from the kings table. Chapter 2 Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Chapter 3 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. Chapter 4 humiliation of Nebuchadnezzar, chapter 5 Belshazzar's wall.

Daniel 6:1 (ESV) "It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom;"

Who is Darius? Some think it is another name for Cyrus or a title. It could also be Ugbaru who we learned last week was a general and governor. It could just be a guy named Darius. The Bible is criticized many times because they cannot find proof of certain people do not exist in historical writings and then archeologist discover something that proves the Bible true! (example Belshazzar, Jonah and Nineveh and Jericho.)

Daniel 6: 2-3 (ESV) "and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom."

The 120 satraps were in charge of the provinces and there were 3 others over the 120 and Daniel was one of those 3 and was about to be promoted. Daniel was about 80 yrs. old at the time of this story.

I. Use your gift! Don't stop short of the finish line.

Daniel was 10 times better than all of the magicians/enchanters, understanding in wisdom and literature. He gave understanding of dreams and visions.

1 Corinthians 9:24 (ESV) "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it."

2 Timothy 4:7 (ESV) "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

Daniel 6:4-5 (ESV) "Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. Then these men said, 'We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.'"

II. Be Blameless

What does it mean to be blameless? It does not mean sinless. Job, Noah and Moses were said to be blameless. They were suitable for service.

Psalms 119:1 (ESV) "Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!"

Philippians 2:14 (ESV) "Do all things without grumbling or disputing,"

III. A pure life is the best apologetic 

Psalms 24:4 (ESV) "He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully."

1 Peter 4:15-16 (ESV) "But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name."

People don't care about what you know until they know that you care.

IV. Jealousy will ruin your life. 

Proverbs 14:30 (ESV) "A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot."

The satraps were jealous of an 80 yr. old slave who had spent most of his life in captivity.

The works of the flesh found in Galatians 5...you should squash it before it squashes you!

Daniel 6: 6-9 (ESV) "Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, 'O King Darius, live forever! All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.' Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction."

The laws of the Medes and Persians, once written could not be revoked. It was seen as a weakness to apologize.

Daniel 6:10 (ESV) "When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously."

Daniel prayed in private. He wasn't trying to make a point. He was just obeying God. There are times for public prayer, but private prayer is important. Daniel prayed 3 times a day... he was willful. It showed that Daniel believed that God had ultimate authority. God is my judge and I am living for that. It took courage.

Examples of private (hidden) prayers... 1 Kings 8:22-53, Ezra 10:1, 1 Kings 18:36-37, Matthew 15:36, Acts 4:23-31

Example of public prayer... See You at the Pole. If the heart behind public prayer is to draw attention to yourself then it would be seen as wrong.

V. We must honor God no mater the cost 

If there were consequences for following Jesus, would we still follow Him? We must honor God no matter the cost (position, promotion, life)

Acts 5:29 (ESV) "But Peter and the apostles answered, 'We must obey God rather than men.'"

Daniel was faithful.

Daniel 6:11-18 (ESV) "Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, 'O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? ' The king answered and said, 'The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.' Then they answered and said before the king, 'Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.' Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, 'May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!' And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be charged concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him."

The king loved Daniel. He was concerned for him. Darius would not have shown concern for anyone else. 

2 Corinthians 5:20 (ESV) "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."

VI. Are you representing Christ well? 

Daniel was a great example to other believers and pagans alike. Daniel lived through several kings and remained faithful to God. 

Daniel 6:19-23 (ESV) "Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, 'O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?' Then Daniel said to the king, 'O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.' Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den, and kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God."

VII. Be Merciful and Point People to Jesus. 

Was the man (angel) in the lions den the same as the man (angel) in the fire with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? Daniel seemed to have gotten more rest than the king that night! God is able to deliver. Daniel gave God all the glory. Just as Daniel pointed everything back to God, we should be merciful and point our persecutors back to Jesus.

Daniel 6:24 (ESV) "And the king commanded, and those men who maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions-they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces."

Just to prove the lions ferocity. The accusers and their families were tossed into the pit. God did not save them!

Closing scripture: 

Daniel 6:25-28 (ESV) "The King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: 'Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.' So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian."

The Handwriting on the Wall Daniel 5

 Scene Setter: It is 539 BC, Nebuchadnezzar has been dead for 24 years. His son, Evil-Merodach, ruled for 2 years, was  assassinated by his brother-in-law, Neriglessai who was a general in Nebuchadnezzar's army when they took Jerusalem. Neriglessai ruled for 4 years and died. His son ruled for 9 months and was murdered. Nabonadus is now the ruler of Babylon and is married to Nebuchadnezzar's daughter. He did not spend much time in Babylon, but chose to stay in other parts of the Empire, so his son Belshazzar is the co-regent and ruler of the city of Babylon. Babylon is known as the "gateway to the gods". The city is the largest city in the world at this time. It covered 3 1/2 square miles. 2 1/2 miles were located within the city walls. The walls were 75' thick at the base and 330' high. It was surrounded by a large moat and had 100 strongly fortified gates. The city was stocked with enough food for many years and the Euphrates River flowed through the city and was their water source. The river had large metal grates that prevented invaders from entering by boat. The city was considered invincible. During this story the city was under siege by the Medes/Persians, but the people were not afraid because of how fortified the city was. So during the siege Belshazzar threw a big party!

Daniel 5:1-4 (ESV) "King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand. Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote."

During this wild party King Cyrus' general Ugbaru, went upstream from Babylon and diverted the flow of the Euphrates river, thereby reducing the water level well below the water gates. This occurred at night during the Big Party, so no one (of consequence) noticed! Ugbaru's army waded into the city, under the water gates (knee deep water), clamored up the banks inside the city and took it totally by surprise with very little resistance. How do we know all this (it is not recorded in the bible)? This story was recorded by the Greek historian Herodotus. So while Belshazzar is hosting his Big Party, the Persian army was infiltrating the city...virtually un-noticed. 

Meanwhile back at the party...

Daniel 5:5-25 (ESV) "Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. Then the king's color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, 'Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.' Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. The King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed. The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, 'O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father-your father the king-made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.' Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, 'You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writings and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.' Then Daniel answered and said before the king, 'Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored. Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. And this it the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN."

The inscription: MENE, MENE = numbered

                           TEKEL = to weigh

                           PARSIN = to divide

The interpretation Daniel 5:26-28 (ESV) "This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians."

Remember Nebuchadnezzar's dream? The head of gold/ chest of silver. It is coming to fulfillment 

Daniel 5:29-31 (ESV) "Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old."

Darius and Cyrus were the same man.

The prophets said this would happen...no one believed that it would until it happened.

The point of this story is exactly the same as....

Chapter 2 Nebuchadnezzar's dream/image...YAHWEH is Sovereign!

Chapter 3 Shadrach, Meshach, and A!bednego... YAHWEH is Sovereign!

Chapter 4 Nebuchadnezzar's insanity....YAHWEH is Sovereign!

Chapter 5 Handwriting on the wall...YAHWEH is Sovereign!

and we will see in Chapter 6 Daniel and the Lion's Den...YAHWEH is Sovereign!

The point...God is Sovereign! Sometimes we struggle with this because we question why God permits bad things to happen. The prophets struggled with this as well. God uses everything for His glory.

Habakkuk 1:1-7/12b-13 (ESV) "The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you 'Violence!' and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted. 'Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves.' 'O LORD, you have ordained them as a judgement, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof. You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?'"

Why do you allow unrighteous people to thrive and punish the righteous?

Remember God's Sovereignty does not eliminate your free will

Daniel 4:27 (ESV) "Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity." 

Daniel was telling Nebuchadnezzar...if you change this insanity would not come upon him.

Daniel 5:22-24 Daniel told Belshazzar that he had not humbled his heart, but he had been proud and he knew of the warnings given to his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar.

Application

Wisdom Suggests 

1. You should recognize God for who He is!

2. You should humble yourself before Him! If you do not humble yourself...He will humble you. Every person who defies the Lord will be humbled. Every great nation, every great Emperor falls. 

3. You should surrender to His will.

4. You should choose to serve Him.

There is no need to complicate this!!!

2 Timothy 2:20-21 (ESV) "Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work."

God is going to use you to accomplish His purpose. You decide how  He will use you. "You can be a flowerpot or a chamber pot."

Joseph-slave in Egypt/Pharaoh...flowerpot/chamber pot 

Gideon-"the least in Israel"...flowerpot 

Samson-defiled his calling....chamber pot

Jonah- ran from God...chamber pot

The people in Romans 1 who refused to thank Him

God used all of these to accomplish His purpose! He is going to have the final say! You may have a bold and great kingdom, but it will fall, you will wither and die and will stand before Him in judgement.

Genesis 1:27-28 (ESV) "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'"

We don't just sit back and let it be done...we do it in...

1. Recognition of Him

2. Appreciation of gifts and opportunities 

3. In conjunction with His will

4. In partnership with Him

One more thing...

You should do all this under the Lordship of His Son Jesus Christ.

John 5:23 (ESV) "that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Father who sent him."

Some have never surrendered to Him as Savior and Lord. Give this sermon some consideration. All of us need to periodically revisit our commitment to Him.

Daniel 4: Pride goes before destruction

 Nebuchadnezzar was very proud. We are all subject to being proud at some point in our lives. God has a way of using the humble and humbling the proud.

Daniel 4:1-4 (ESV) "King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace."

This portion of the chapter seems to be written in the 1st person by Nebuchadnezzar. Of course we don't know for sure. But what we do see is that he praises God at the beginning and then again at the end of the chapter. Is this the same Nebuchadnezzar that is seen in the first 3 chapters? We do not know. Some believe that it was Nebuchadnezzar II. He was the son of Nabopolassar. He was the founder and first king of the Neo Babylonian Empire 626-605 B.C. He led a revolt against the Neo-Assyrian Empire. He could have been named after his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar I 500 years earlier Babylonian Empire known for defeating the Elamites and recovering the idol of Marduk. Nebuchadnezzar II grew Babylon to great power and former glory. He built huge structures, canals, the Hanging Gardens (one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world), the Temple of Marduk. He built the Babylon Gate to the Gods or heaven. He also built a very tall building; The House of the Foundation of heaven of earth. It may have been built in the same location as the tower of Babel. They believed this was where their god descended. The Ishtar Gate was built with blue bricks with lions, bulls and dragons which represented their gods Marduk and Ishtar. This gate had the following inscription; "Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, the faithful prince appointed by the will of Marduk, the highest of princely princes, Beloved of Nabu, of prudent counsel, who has learned to embrace wisdom, who fathomed their divine being and reveres their majesty. The untiring governor, who is constantly concerned with the well-being of Babylon and Borsippa, the wise, the humble, the first born son of Nabopolassar."

Others believe that it could have been Nabonidus. (Babylon had 3 kings in 6 years after Nebuchadnezzar II, they were violently removed) Then Nabonidus came to power. He is not from royal blood. He was probably a general with connections to priesthood. He pushed out Marduk and brought in the mood god Sin. He moved the capital to Teyma and built a palace in the desert oasis. He was focused on securing trade routes and archaeology of temples. His son Belshazzar is the king in chapter 5 of Daniel. In the 1800's the Nabonidus cylinder was found that had Belshazzar's name engraved on it. Belshazzar was the last king. In the 50's a Dead Sea Scroll was published that included the Prayer of Nabonidus which describes a similar story.

Which is it? We don't really know, but a powerful King in the most powerful empire and proud.

Daniel 4:5-19 (ESV) "I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. At last Daniel came in before me- he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods- and I told him the dream, saying, 'O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. The tree grew and became strong, and  its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it. I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. He proclaimed aloud and said thus: 'Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. Let his mind be changed from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him. The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.' This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you."

I. Have compassion for your enemies 

Matthew 5:44 (ESV) "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,"

Don't be like Jonah! He was mad at God when he showed mercy to his enemies. 

As the king told Daniel his dream, Daniel knew the interpretation. Was Daniel worried about telling the king, or did Daniel have compassion on his enemy?

Daniel 4:20-27 (ESV) "The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived- it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of it's roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,' this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity."

II. Don't water down the truth  

Ephesians 4:15 (ESV) "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,"

III. Call to repent 

Romans 2:14 (ESV) "For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law."

We as believers should call people to repent. We can't live a life like we want to and sprinkle a "little of Jesus" on top and expect to be saved. It doesn't work that way. 

How hard was it for Daniel to share the truth with the king? How hard is it for us to share the truth with those around us?

Daniel 4: 28-29 (ESV) "All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,"

The king did not lose his mind for 12 months. He did not repent.

IV. God is Patient, but eventually time runs out. 

2 Peter 3:9 (ESV) "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."

Daniel 4: 30-37 (ESV) "and the king answered and said, 'Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?' While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, 'O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox. and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to who he will.' Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws. At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, 'What have you done? At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble."

V. God can save even the "most lost" 

1 Timothy 1:15 (ESV) "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost."

There is no one that God cannot save!

VI. God is sovereign over all earthly powers 

Psalms 2: 10-12 (ESV) "Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him."

Daniel 2: 21 (ESV) "He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;"

VII. Good times can make us prideful 

Deuteronomy 8: 11-14 (ESV) "Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery,"

When we get prideful...humility is coming!

CS Lewis Mere Christianity "the great sin"

"There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; I have heard people admit that they are bad-tempered, or that they cannot keep their heads about girls or drink, or even that they are cowards. I do not think I have ever heard anyone who was not a Christian accuse himself of this vice (pride). There is no fault which makes a man more unpopular. And no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it ourselves, the more we dislike it in others. Christians are right ; it is pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began. Other vices may sometimes bring people together: you may find good fellowship and jokes and friendliness among drunken people or unchaste people. But pride always means enmity- it is enmity. And not only between man and man, but enmity to God."

VII. God uses hard times to bring his people back. 

That is what the exile is all about. It is always good for all of us to examine our own hearts.

Proverbs 3:11-12 (ESV) "My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights."

Closing Scriptue

Psalm 25:8-10 (ESV) "Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies."

Daniel 3: Faith for the Fire

 Recap Daniel 2- Nebuchadnezzar had dreams about 4 kingdoms, Daniel told the king what his dream was and then interpreted the dreams. Daniel gave God the credit and Nebuchadnezzar praised God and promoted Daniel over Babylon. Daniel promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to administrators over Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar's heart was stirred but his heart was not changed.

Daniel 3:1-7 (ESV) "King Nebuchadnezzar made and image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasures, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasures, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And the stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And the herald proclaimed aloud, 'You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.' Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up."

Babylon was located where the tower of Babel was erected. Now Nebuchadnezzar is building a golden image of the king. The kings heart was not changed and he wanted to be worshiped.

Daniel 3:8-12 (ESV) "Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, 'O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.'"

Were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego set up to get rid of them? They would not bow before the golden image and worship the king. They were following what they had been taught  to worship only God.

Exodus 20:4-5 (ESV) "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,"

It is a clear cut distinction between Christians and those not in Christ.

Luke 16:10 (ESV) "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much."

I. Real Faith Stands Out 

1 Timothy 4:12 (ESV) "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."

We ought to be an example.

1 Peter 2:12 (ESV) "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation."

John 15:8 (ESV) "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."

If you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Does your life show the world that you are a believer.

Daniel 3:13-15 (ESV) "Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, 'Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?'"

Nebuchadnezzar had a short memory. He began to hate believers in God.

II. Real Faith Brings Out the Contempt of the Wicked 

2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV) "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,"

John 15:18 (ESV) "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you."

John 3:19-20 (ESV) "And this is the judgement: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed."

The wicked hate the righteous because it show where they lack. We need to love the haters. When you are mocked, rejoice that you are worthy to suffer.

Proverbs 16:18 (ESV) "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."

III. Real Faith = Submission 

Luke 6:46 (ESV) "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?"

IV. Real Faith Produces Confidence 

Daniel 3:16-18 (ESV) "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.'"

These young men were talking to the king and believed that God would deliver them one way or another. They were not afraid. Protestant work ethic is/was a thing if we work hard and do what is right God will bless us. 

1 John 5:14 (ESV) "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us."

Galatians 6:9 (ESV) "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV) "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

Sometimes God uses normal things, means and people. God can bless this life and we should use those that He gives us. When we honor God we should believe that God will bless us and we should give glory for those things.

Hee Haw song "Gloom despair and agony on me. Deep dark depression, excessive misery. If it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all. Gloom despair and agony on me."

Charismatics vs Traditional.... Don't put your faith in faith...We trust that God can and often he will, BUT even if he doesn't we still serve the Lord.

V. Real Faith Yields to God's Will 

Even if God doesn't deliver us we know He is still good and He still has a plan. Faith is not a rabbits foot or a vending machine. God doesn't always give you what you "want", but we should serve Him. God will deliver us in the end. Sometimes God delivers in this life, sometimes He doesn't, but He always COMPLETELY delivers His people.

Peter was in prison (Acts 12) and God delivered him and he was free, but Peter still died a martyrs death. God is good in both situations.

Paul was delivered multiple times and yet he had a "thorn in his flesh" throughout his life. It kept him humble.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV) "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'"

Hebrews 11:32-38 (ESV) "And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets- who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated- of whom the world was not worthy- wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth."

God loves both the good and the bad. God is good in both groups. There is reward for the sufferers.

Daniel 3:19-25 (ESV) "Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were known into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, 'Did we not cast three men bound into the fire? They answered and said to the king, 'True, O king.' He answered and said, 'But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.'"

Who is the 4th man? Was it an Angel? Some say it was Jesus. No matter who it was (I believe it was Jesus) these young men were saved from the fire. They didn't even smell like smoke!

Daniel 3:26-27 (ESV) "Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, 'Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!' Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them."

VI. Real Faith Saves 

This is a picture of how God saves us COMPLETELY!

Romans 8:1 (ESV) "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Ephesians 2:8 (ESV) "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,"

Romans 4:7-8 (ESV) "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin."

Psalms 32:1-2 (ESV) "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit."

When we are saved - we are COMPLETELY SAVED!

It is a miracle when a soul is saved, only God can do that! Once you are saved, God doesn't see the unrighteous, He sees the righteous.

Closing Scripture:

Psalms 91:1-4 (ESV) "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler."

Daniel 2:1-49

 Daniel 2:1-49 (ESV) "In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. And the king said to them, 'I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.' Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic, 'O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.' The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, 'The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. But if you show the dream and its interpretation.' They answered a second time and said, 'Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.' The king answered and said, 'I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm- if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.' The Chaldeans answered the king and said, 'There is not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.' Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. He declared to Arioch, the king's captain, 'Why is the decree of the king so urgent?' Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. And Daniel went in and requested the king to approach him a time, that he might show interpretation to the king. Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said: 'Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king's matter.' 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: 'Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.' Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: 'I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.' The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, 'Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?' Daniel answered the king and said, 'No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made know to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.' 'You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.' 'This was the dream. Now we tell the king its interpretation. You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all-you are the head of gold. Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix wiht one another in marriage, but the will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.' Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. The king answered and said to Daniel, 'Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.' Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king's court."

Clues to interpretation...

Vs.28 "What will be in latter days..."

Vs 29 "What is to be..."

Vs 42 "God has made known to the King what shall be after this."

So the interpretation is about

    1. Future events

    2. Future kingdoms

The dream addresses 5 kingdoms, described as parts of a image...

    1. Head of gold

    2. Chest of silver

    3. Belly and thighs of bronze

    4. legs of iron (feet mixed with clay)

Universal interpretation....almost

    1. Gold head is Babylon

Daniel 2:38 (ESV)  "and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all-you are the head of gold." Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom would stand for 60 years. The empire fell to Cyrus the Great in 539 B.C.

    2. Silver chest is the Medo-Persian Empire

 (Bible characters in this empire...Cyrus/Darius/Xerxes/Artaxerxes) It was prophesied by Daniel/2 Chronicles/Ezra/Isaiah. This empire lasted about 200 years.

    3. Bronze belly is the Greco-Macedonian Empire (Greeks). 

Alexander the Great was able to conquered from (present day) Yugoslavia to India. He died in 323 B.C (at the age of 32). The kingdom was divided among 4 generals slowly, gradually fell to Rome-lasted 250-300 years.

    4. Legs of Iron (feet mixed with clay) is the Roman Empire. 

This empire was very powerful. However it had many weakness and fell apart by internal decay. Daniel 2:42-43 (ESV) "And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay." The empire's weakness included moral decay/political corruption/unemployment in the middle class (due to excessive slavery)/high taxes to support military (a vast empire)/eventual invasions by Germanic tribes/ the rise of Christianity which opposed many Roman practices and traditions.

This leads to the 5th kingdom...The Kingdom of God 

The big question... Daniel 2:44 (ESV) "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever."  Who are those Kings?

Theologians differ...    

    1. 10 toes are the 10 Emperors of the Roman Empire (Past/fulfilled)

or 2. 10 European nations that come from the Roman Empire (future/not yet fulfilled)

OR... 1. Was God's Kingdom established during Roman era- in reference to Christ's 1st coming (the birth of Christ/eventual success of the Kingdom)

OR... 2. Smashing of Kingdoms is still in the future; fulfilled at the 2nd coming of Christ

So God's Kingdom came gradually or suddenly.

Gradual...

Daniel 2:35b (ESV) "But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth."

Matthew 13:31-33 "He put another parable before them, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.' He told them another parable. 'The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.'

In 313 AD edict of Milan legalized Christianity in Rome. 380 AD edict of Thessalonica Christianity became the state religion of Rome

Sudden....

Matthew 24:27 (ESV) "For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man."

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 (ESV) "Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, 'There is peace and security, ' then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."

It is both the growth of the kingdom over time and the 2nd coming of the Lord.  

The "toes" are not explained. It could be fulfilled or not yet 

Revelation 17:12-14 (ESV) "And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beasts. These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beasts. They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful."

So the debate continues...but there is no debate on the primary message.

Daniel 2:44 (ESV) "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,"

God's Kingdom....

1. Shall never be destroyed.

2. Shall not be left to "another people".

3. Shall put all earthly kingdoms to an end.

4. It shall stand forever.

Application

    1. When things looked hopeless (for God's people) God gave us a vision of a future hope!

Jeremiah 27:5 (ESV) "It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me."

We Christians are recipients of that HOPE!

    2. Many powers have ruled...but all human kingdoms fall!

Matthew 16:18 (ESV) "Simon Peter replied, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the /living God.'"

Babylon/Persian/Greece/Rome/Nazi Germany & Japan/ Russia/ China/USA will fall before God.

No human kingdom will stand before God. God has an orchestrated plan.

    3. Word events (bad news) should not bring Christians to despair! 

Isaiah 46:8-10 (ESV) "Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purposes,"

Isaiah 46:11b (ESV) "I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it."

    4. God is in no hurry to establish His final kingdom. 

These events occurred 2600 years ago (600 years before Christ). All these kingdoms oppressed the Jews. 400 years of silence before Messiah. We are in a hurry, but God is not.

    5. You want to be apart of THAT Kingdome  (God's Kingdom/Eternal Kingdom)

    6. You CAN be apart of that Kingdom!

John 1:11-13 (ESV) "He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."

John 3:5-7 (ESV) "Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again.'"

Closing Scripture: Hebrews 12:28 (ESV) "Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,"

Daniel 1: Conviction, Courage, and Confidence

 Recap: Judah was invaded in 605 B.C. many were sent off into exile in Babylon. Jeremiah 52:28-30 (ESV) "This is the number of the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year, 3,023 Judeans; in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem 832 persons; in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Judeans 745 persons; all the persons were 4,600." 2 Kings 24 tells us that 10,000 men were taken into exile. Only a few Judeans were left in Jerusalem. 50-75 young men were taken and enrolled into "The University of Babylon". It was hoped that these men would learn how to be Babylonians and would teach the other exiles how to be Babylonians.

Daniel 1:8 (ESV) "But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself."

I. Conviction 

We can learn a lot from Daniels conviction. Daniel was given a clear command, but chose not to eat from the king's table. Why? This food had been offered up to idols first, not "clean" it did not meet God's dietary restrictions for his people. Daniel and his friends would not defile their bodies. 

Christians must stand for truth. Some have gotten wishy washy on this.

James 4:4 (ESV) "You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." 

Proverbs 25:26 (ESV) "Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked."

Do not apologize for God! We don't have authority to change God's word, nor should we want to. We  should honor God. Daniel didn't sugarcoat it. He says the food/wine would defile his body. He stood for truth.

    A. Conviction can make life hard 

    Daniel 1:9-10 (ESV) "And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, 'I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.'"

The eunuch thinks he will be harmed if Daniel and his friends don't eat from the king's table. Daniel's plan is that they only eat veggies and water for 10 days. He wasn't planning on this diet forever. Daniel did uncommon things with great results...Faithfulness

Eric Liddel- the pride of Scotland- in 1924 refused to race on Sundays. People did not understand his conviction.

Jaelene Hinkle a US female soccer player. Was chosen to play for the US National team. She decided that she could not wear a "Pride" jersey with the rest of the team in 2017. She believed it went against her beliefs. Jaelene was removed from the US National team and never played for the US. 

We may not always see it, but God honors obedience.

John 14:23 (ESV) "Jesus answered him, 'If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."

Do we make compromises?

II. Courage 

Daniel had an uncommon courage. He brought a request before an evil king. Only one boy was willing to act upon his belief.

    A. Courage comes from a clean conscience

Proverbs 28:1 (ESV) "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion."

Our problem is that we don't have a clear conscience. How do we get a clean conscience?

1 John 1:9 (ESV) "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Proverbs 28:13 (ESV) "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy."

Repentance leads to life- Acts 11:18 (ESV) "When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, 'Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.'"

Disobedience leads to deceit and kills relationship with God and people.  Luke 13:3&5 (ESV) "No , I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." "No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

    B. Courage comes from time with the King

Who kneels before God can stand before any man. Daniel a man of prayer we will see late at the lion's den, but we see the effects of it here. Do we really spend time with God? Do we really know him? Is his Spirit really working in us?

2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV) "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."

Courage comes from confidence that God will deliver.

III. Confidence 

Daniel 1: 11-13 (ESV) "Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 'Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see."

Daniel was saying that they were going to honor God and then they could test them and see if they were better off. God was working through Ashpenaz (the eunuch). He had guts. He could have been killed if Daniel wasn't stronger than the others. God is working even when it doesn't seem like it. Daniel knew that God was going to come through. We do that when we tithe. We trust God to provide. We do that when we share the Gospel with someone. In Daniel 3 we see that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stand up to the king and say that they would not bow down to him, but they would honor God even if he didn't rescue them.

Daniel 1:14-16 (ESV) "So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. so the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables."

George Muller 1800's Germany/England built 5 orphanages in England. He helped thousands of orphans, gave away 250,000 bibles. He paid tuition for hundreds of children to go to school. During his lifetime in answer to prayer he raised the equivalent of $129,000,000 which he gave away, and when he died he had only a little money left. The trust he set up continues to support missionaries around the world. It also holds the record for the most of nearly 18,000 children cared for during the 150 year life of the orphanage. One morning, Muller awoke to the news that the orphanage, which housed 300 children, had no food. Muller instructed the housemother to seat all the children in the dining room. He thanked God for the food, and they waited for God to provide, as He always did. With in minutes, a baker knocked at the door, "Mr. Muller", he confessed, "last night, I could not sleep. Somehow, I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in." The next knock revealed a milkman whose cart was broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the cart was fixed, the milkman explained, so would the children like some free milk? Mr. Muller helped 10,024 orphans during his life time. When children became old enough to be independent, Muller prayed with each individually, placing a Bible in their right hand and money in their left. He explained to the children that if they held onto what was in their right hand, God would always make sure something was in their left.

Daniel 1:17-21 (ESV) "As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus."

The Revelation of God is ALWAYS better than the wisdom of men.

The Babylonians were skilled, but they could not understand the dreams of the king. God gave Daniel the gift of interpreting dreams.

Proverbs 30:5 (ESV) "Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him."

1 Corinthians 1:20 (ESV) "Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?"

1 Corinthians 1:25 (ESV) "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

We are not smarter than God. Seek to honor God and trust him with the result. Confess...repent...spend time with God....trust him...stand firm....be courageous.

Closing Scripture

Psalms 147: 7-11 (ESV) "Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre! He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills. He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry. His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love."

Daniel 1: The Exile Begins

 Through bible stories we see God's faithfulness played out in people's lives. We can learn so much through much these stories.

Daniel was taken captive around 605 B.C. . He was a teenager. Israel was divided into the 10 northern tribes (Israel) and the 2 southern tribes (Judah). The northern tribes had been taken into exile by the Assyrians 100 years earlier.

Daniel 1:1-2 (ESV) "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim King of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god."

Why would God do this to his people? The people had become so wicked to the point of child sacrifice. The leadership was wicked, there was no justice. They were defying God's law of the sabbath, they were mocking the prophets.

Psalms 106:37 (ESV) "They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons;"

Jeremiah 25:3-11 (ESV) "For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, to this day, the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken persistently to you, but you have not listened. You have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear, although the LORD persistently sent to you all his servants the prophets, saying, 'Turn now, every one of you, from his evil way and evil deeds, and dwell upon the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers from of old and forever. Do not go after other gods to serve and worship them, or provoke me to anger with the work of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.' Yet you have not listened to me, declares the LORD, that you might provoke me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm. 'Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: Because you have not obeyed my words, behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the LORD, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations. I will devote them to destruction, and make them a horror, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. Moreover, I will banish from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the grinding of the millstones and the light of the lamp. This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years."

I. God used the wicked to discipline his people. 

He can still do that. We are not promised smooth sailing. We should always examine our lives and repent when we are wrong.

II. God disciplines his people out of love and for their good.

Jeremiah 24:4-7 (ESV) "Then the word of the LORD came to me: 'Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans. I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up."

The exiles would ultimately be blessed. God was wanting his people to love him more.

Proverbs 3:11-12 (ESV) "My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights."

God has a good plan. We may not always see it in the moment, but we will see that his plan works.

Matthew 10:28 (ESV) "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

III. Fear God Most  

We as believers need to fear God the most. We need to respect and honor our leaders but our highest/ultimate allegiance should be to God.

Daniel was taken captive during the first exile. The Babylonians would return twice more and destroy the city and the temple during the 3rd siege. The "land of Shinar" was the location of Babel in Genesis 11:2 and is modern day Iraq. They were ruled by a pagan king who worship Marduk/Bel who was the chief god and accompanied by a serpent/dragon. They took the items from the temple in Jerusalem and used to serve food and wine in the pagan temples. God's plan was to discipline his people and to eventually humble the Babylonians. God is working even when it seems like he is not.

Daniel 1:3-4 (ESV) "Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans."

The boys that were taken captive and sent into exile may have been descendants of King Hezekiah.

Isaiah 39:7 (ESV) "And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon."

Isaiah warned the people of Judah. These boys were nobles and the best of the best. They were handsome, intelligent, teachable. The plan of the Babylonians was to change these boys to fit their society and then influence the other exiles. They tried to take their identity in God and enrolled them into the "University of Babylon" where they stripped them of their identities, changed their names, their diets, and tried teaching them the "ways of the Babylonians" and the Babylonian world view. These boys were taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans, divination and knowledge.

The Babylonians were known for:

- Tracking and plotting of the stars. They believed that the stars could predict things. Some believe that the Magi that came at Jesus' birth were from Babylon.

- They were know to study sheep liver markings to determine the future.

- They kept detailed records of the dreams of royalty and would match them up with events that happened to find a connection. Divine communication.

- God can interpret dreams. He did that with Joseph in Egypt and with Joseph and Mary before Jesus' birth. Here he did that with Daniel. There is no doubt teachings and practices contradicted YHWH. 

- The point of this was to strip the identity and give them a new identity. This is the goal of Satan today through social media, the media to get people to stop identifying with the truth. 

Daniel 1:5-7 (ESV) "The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego."

These boys names were "God honoring" like "God is my judge" and the Chaldeans gave them names in which they twisted them to say the similar thing but to honor their gods Abu, Bel and Nebo. They were stripping their identities and mocking them, their God, their families, their heritage. The enemy loves to confuse and harm youth.

IV. Are we preparing our children for opposition? 

It is real easy to become complacent where we live, because we don't see the threat. Our kids will fight some of these things.

Proverbs 22:6 (ESV) "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."

V. Are we prepared for opposition? 

Are we firm in our faith? It is important to train our children, but also ourselves.

1 Peter 5:8-9 (ESV) "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world."

Ephesians 6:10-13 (ESV) "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm."

The best way to prepare is to REALLY know God, spend time getting to know truth and the one who gives truth.

VI. How do we prepare? 

We need accountability. We need to be plugged into Sunday School, plug into groups at church. 

There weren't many that stood firm, but these 4 boys did.

Daniel 1:8 (ESV) "But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself."

If there was ever a time for Daniel to go along to get along in would be at this time, but Daniel did not.

Lord, help us to be faithful, stand firm in the faith, turn from our sin and to you. Let us grow together.

Closing Scripture

Ephesians 6:14-18 (ESV) "Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and , as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,"