Evidence of a Godly Life
Book of Daniel | The Sovereignty of God • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 1 viewDaniel revealed his godly character in opposition to a wicked and ungodly world.
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Focus Passage: Daniel 2:14-30
14 Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to Arioch, the captain of the king’s bodyguard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon;
15 he said to Arioch, the king’s officer, “For what reason is the decree from the king so harsh?” Then Arioch informed Daniel of the matter.
16 So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him a grace period, so that he might declare the interpretation to the king.
17 Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter,
18 so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his friends would not be killed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven;
20 Daniel said, “May the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him.
21 “It is He who changes the times and the periods; He removes kings and appoints kings; He gives wisdom to wise men, And knowledge to people of understanding.
22 “It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him.
23 “To You, God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, For You have given me wisdom and power; Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You, For You have made known to us the king’s matter.”
24 Thereupon, Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to kill the wise men of Babylon; he went and said this to him: “Do not kill the wise men of Babylon! Take me into the king’s presence, and I will declare the interpretation to the king.”
25 Then Arioch hurriedly brought Daniel into the king’s presence and spoke to him as follows: “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can make the interpretation known to the king!”
26 The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?”
27 Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the secret about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, sorcerers, soothsayer priests, nor diviners are able to declare it to the king.
28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days. This was your dream and the visions in your mind while on your bed.
29 As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would take place in the future; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will take place.
30 But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more than in any other living person, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.
Outline
Daniel’s speech was marked by wisdom (vv. 14-15)
Daniel’s speech was marked by wisdom (vv. 14-15)
14 Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to Arioch, the captain of the king’s bodyguard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon;
15 he said to Arioch, the king’s officer, “For what reason is the decree from the king so harsh?” Then Arioch informed Daniel of the matter.
When Daniel was approached by Arioch, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon, he did not just rebut or have haste in this response. The Scripture states that...
1. Daniel’s speech was prudent and showed judgement - ‘…Daniel replied with discretion and discernment...’
1. Daniel’s speech was prudent and showed judgement - ‘…Daniel replied with discretion and discernment...’
It would be safe to say that Daniel did not have a swift tongue and chose his words wisely. He truly followed the advice of Solomon.
23 One who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles.
2. Daniel’s speech shows that he understood the gravity of the situation
2. Daniel’s speech shows that he understood the gravity of the situation
The idea before us is that Daniel had a “spiritual taste” about the situation. He accessed the situation. Understood the gravity. Took all that in and then responded. This is wisdom. We find recorded that, he did not just rebut or have hast in his response. How many of us need to take a lesson from the wisdom of Daniel in this situation in our own lives.
3. Daniel’s speech showed wisdom in asking for clarification not rebuke - ‘…what reason is the decree…so harsh...’
3. Daniel’s speech showed wisdom in asking for clarification not rebuke - ‘…what reason is the decree…so harsh...’
Not only was Daniel’s speech marked by wisdom, but...
Daniel’s life was marked by prayer (vv. 17-19, 30)
Daniel’s life was marked by prayer (vv. 17-19, 30)
17 Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter,
18 so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his friends would not be killed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven;
30 But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more than in any other living person, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.
1. Daniel understood the power prayer (v.17)
1. Daniel understood the power prayer (v.17)
Daniel’s first response was not one of fear. It was not one of fright. It was not one of concern. He went to his brothers. He went to his fellow God fearers and said, let us come together. He wasn’t about getting them together to be frightened, but he had something greater in mind. He wanted them to get together to pray. He knew what the early church would find out, prayer changes things. When God shows up the place shakes. Daniel was seeking what the disciples received.
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
God showed up.
2. Daniel under the sufficiency of prayer (v.18)
2. Daniel under the sufficiency of prayer (v.18)
Daniel did not threaten. He did not quake. He dropped to his knees in prayer for he knew prayer was enough. He knew that through prayer God could change things. God could make a way where there was no way. God could bring an answer where there seemed to be no answer. That is the sufficiency of prayer. That is the power of prayer. Because Daniel prayed and prayed in faith. Because of his faith in God...
3. Daniel understood that God answers prayer (v.19)
3. Daniel understood that God answers prayer (v.19)
Once the answer was given to Daniel, he approaches the king and addresses him with humility but honesty. He lets him no the answer to the dream of the king is not because of something special about him, but only that God was choosing to use him, this secret has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more than in any other living person. He says God has a message for you king and you want to listen to it, for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.
Daniel was filled with a spirit of worship (vv. 20-23)
Daniel was filled with a spirit of worship (vv. 20-23)
20 Daniel said, “May the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him.
21 “It is He who changes the times and the periods; He removes kings and appoints kings; He gives wisdom to wise men, And knowledge to people of understanding.
22 “It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him.
23 “To You, God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, For You have given me wisdom and power; Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You, For You have made known to us the king’s matter.”
Daniel’s prayer was not just a simple prayer. It was a passionate prayer. A prayer that knocked on very doors of heaven. It was prayer that was ushered to the throne of God. As we look at this prayer, we see what spirit filled, worshipful prayer truly is. May our prayers be marked by the characteristics of Daniel’s prayer.
1. Daniel’s prayer was filled with adoration - ‘…May the name of God be blessed forever and ever...’
1. Daniel’s prayer was filled with adoration - ‘…May the name of God be blessed forever and ever...’
Daniel and his friends acknowledged who God is. They acknowledged his wisdom, his power. They acknowledged his sovereignty, It is He who changes the times and the periods.
2. Daniel’s prayer was filled with humility - ‘…He gives wisdom to wise men, And knowledge to people of understanding…It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things...’
2. Daniel’s prayer was filled with humility - ‘…He gives wisdom to wise men, And knowledge to people of understanding…It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things...’
Daniel understood that which Nebuchadnezzar wanted was impossible by any man. No man could do what the king wanted. He states as such. He tells the king such.
26 The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?”
27 Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the secret about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, sorcerers, soothsayer priests, nor diviners are able to declare it to the king.
3. Daniel’s prayer was filled with a dependence on God - ‘…He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him…You have made known to me what we requested of You, For You have made known the king’s matter...’
3. Daniel’s prayer was filled with a dependence on God - ‘…He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him…You have made known to me what we requested of You, For You have made known the king’s matter...’
When Arioch brought Daniel to the king to reveal his dream, he came before the king with humility and dependence. His humility was not addressed to the king nor was his dependence. Daniel was humbly dependent upon God for the answer and He knew that God gave the answer that was needed. He testifies to God’s greatness. He states further to Nebuchadnezzar, However, there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days.
Within that dream, God was letting Nebuchadnezzar, the most powerful person in the world at that time, that there was One greater than He, and it was He Himself, the God of creation. He was sovereign. He controlled history. He was warning Nebuchadnezzar, I’m coming for you. You will repent and you will come to me.
What was Daniel’s response to this revelation, as He continued to pray to God?
4. Daniel’s prayer was filled with thanksgiving to God - ‘…To You, God of my fathers, I gave thanks and praise...’
4. Daniel’s prayer was filled with thanksgiving to God - ‘…To You, God of my fathers, I gave thanks and praise...’
When is the last time you came to God with thanksgiving? When is the last time that you came to God in prayer and just said, Thank you? What a testimony of a righteous person. A testimony that reveals thanksgiving to all that God has blessed them with, to all that God has shown them.
May our prayers be prayers of adoration, humility, dependence and most definitely, thanksgiving.
Conclusion
Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Samuel, Daniel, David, Peter, James, John the Baptist, and John the Beloved all had different personalities. All have different gifts and talents. All had different lives and offices within the household of faith. However, all them had a life that marked by characteristics and similarities that revealed they were men of God. What were these spiritual traits?
They all had...
Speech marked by Godly wisdom
a life guided by and marked by prayer
a spirit of worship about them
May we, who claim to be children of God, Christians, have these three markings in our life. For if we don’t, we may not be saved as we think.