Exiles Live for the Sake of Others
Notes
Transcript
Warren Brosi
September 24, 2023
Dominant Thought: The God of heaven reveals His kingdom mission through His love for people.
Objectives:
I want my listeners to understand the contrasts between evil and good.
I want my listeners to feel compassion toward friends and foes.
I want my listeners to seek God’s wisdom.
To begin today, I want us to play a game of opposites or contrasts. For example if I say, HOT, then the opposite would be COLD. If I say, ROUGH, you’d say SMOOTH. Got it? The opposite of WET is…DRY. TALL…SHORT. LIGHT…DARK. LOW…HIGH. EARLY…LATE. FAST…SLOW. EASY…DIFFICULT/HARD. OLD…NEW. Sometimes we can learn about something by seeing a contrast. As Daniel and his Hebrew friends quickly found out. Life in Babylon is quite different: different food, language, literature, and customs to name a few.
As we look at Daniel 2, I want to ask four questions to help us contrast two kingdoms: the kingdom of Babylon and the kingdom of God. I’m thankful for Shane Woods Lesson 3 in the Next Level series on Daniel for the inspiration of looking at this chapter through the lens of contrasts.
First, Who do you trust? (Daniel 2.1-4, 17-23). Nebuchadnezzar’s primary advisers were magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers. In visiting with Dr. Mark Mangano of Lincoln Christian University, who authored a College Press Commentary on Esther and Daniel, he reminded me that these magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers were “plugged into the demonic.” These enchanters and magicians would discern the will of god by studying the internal organs of an animal. The would take the liver of a sheep and study the “texture, color and shape of various parts of the organ” (Tremper Longman III, How to Read Daniel,p. 56).
While you may not be taking internal organs out of animals to discern God’s will, where is your trust? Many trust doctors with their lives and it is wise to do so, but many people have more faith in their doctor than Almighty God.
Notice where Daniel and his friends place their trust. Upon hearing the edict that all the wise men will be put to death, Daniel and friends pray to God for mercy (Daniel 2.18). They trust the God who hears our prayers. They pray together and God grants them the answer to their prayer by giving Daniel a vision of the dream.
Listen to how Daniel responds to the answered prayer (read Daniel 2.20-23). He praises/blesses God and affirms wisdom and power are His. He acknowledges that God changes seasons. We officially entered fall this week. God deposes kings and raises other up. No matter who is in the white house or governing nations around the globe, God is the one who is on the throne. God reveal deep and hidden things. Daniel praises God for answering His prayer. So, the question is: What do you trust: evil or good, the devil or God?
Second, What do you value? (Daniel 2.6, 24). Nebuchadnezzar valued money and wealth. If the wise men could interpret his dream, then he would give them gifts, rewards, and great honor (Daniel 2.6). He place his value on money at the expense of people. He was willing to kill those who didn’t interpret his dream. Babylon places a high value on money and stuff.
In Revelation 18.9-20, the apostle John sees a vision of the fall of Babylon which represents any city, culture or people opposed to God. Listen to how the people who became wealth by living in Babylon respond. READ Revelation 18.9-20. They weep, and mourn when they see their wealth destroyed. They are “terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe! Woe to you, great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls! In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!” (Revelation 18.15-17).
Compare the values of Babylon to the values of Daniel and his friends. Daniel advocates for the wise men’s lives (Daniel 2.24). Daniel valued the lives of those who were his enemies and tapped into demonic power. Even some Christians thought Daniel should have waited until the other wise men were executed before he shared with the king the message of the dream. Daniel steps up and rescues the lives of his friends and his enemies.
It sounds like the ways of Jesus, doesn’t it? Remember what Jesus taught in Matthew 5.43-44? Here the words of Jesus:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
In summary for this sermon, we could say, The God of heaven reveals His kingdom mission through His love for people. Daniel was following the ways of our heavenly Father by caring for the lives of his friends and his enemies. Interesting that at the end of Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar falls before Daniel and pays him honor. Nebuchadnezzar does confess, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery” (Daniel 2.47). Nebuchadnezzar showers Daniel with gifts and a promotion. And Daniel advocates for his friends, and requested the king give Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego promotions, too.
So, as we find ourselves living in Babylon, a culture that values stuff over people, purse the God of heaven who loves friends and foes. We will surprise the people in Babylon in how we care for people.
In Faith For Exiles, one of the practices of Resilient Disciples is: Curb Entitlement and Self-Centered Tendencies by Engaging in Countercultural Mission (p. 175). Resilient Disciples “want others to see Jesus reflected in me through my words and actions (90%)” (p. 180).
Third, With what weapons do you use? (Daniel 2.5, 13-18). Nebuchadnezzar fought with the weapons of death and political power. Most of the wise men were his allies. And in a moment of rage, he was willing to kill them and destroy their homes. He even passed an edict that would declare the death of all the wise men—even Daniel and his friends who may not have even been consulted.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Daniel fought differently. It might better to say he spoke differently: with prudence and with prayer. He spoke with wisdom and tact (Daniel 2.14). The English Standard Version says Daniel spoke with prudence and discernment. In The Message, we read, “Daniel wisely took him aside and quietly asked what was going on.” Proverbs 15.1 describes how Daniel may have answered Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard.
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
In Babylon, shouting hurtful, angry messages in public or on social media will not help. Peter reminds us to always be prepared to give an answer for the hope we have but to do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3.15).
A second weapon Daniel used was prayer. It is a weapon, we will see him wield frequently in this book especially in Daniel 6 and Daniel 9. He urged his friends to “plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon” (Daniel 2.18). God answered their prayer and Daniel responds with praise and blesses God’s name (Daniel 2.20-23).
On Wednesday, September 20, 2023, we hosted a group of over 30 people in the Potawatomi Trail of Death Memorial Caravan. The group appreciated our lunch. One of members of the caravan said she appreciated our prayer for the meal. She said, “We’ve been to several churches for a meal and not all of them prayed.” I responded, “We are praying church.”
How’s your speech? Prudent and prayerful?
Fourth, To whom do you belong?? (Daniel 2.4,29,36-47). Nebuchadnezzar was the reigning monarch of the known world at the time. The wise men address him, “May the king live forever!” (Daniel 2.4). Daniel addresses him as “Your Majesty” (Daniel 2.29, 31, 37). Even in the dream Nebuchadnezzar has, he is represented by the head of the statue made of gold (Daniel 2.36-38).
So, to whom do you belong, self or Jesus?
Notice the message of the dream. The statue with the different parts of metal: gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay. They represent successive kingdoms that will be progressively weaker. Then, a rock taken from a mountain not by human hands destroys the statue and the kingdoms.
Only one kingdom will endure. The kingdom of God. So, whereas Babylon fell and the other great kingdoms of the world fell or will fall, only God’s kingdom will never be destroyed (Daniel 2.44). Daniel 2 concludes in similar fashion as Daniel 1, “Daniel himself remained at the royal court” (Daniel 2.49). He was able to serve in the courts of Babylon while he maintained his allegiance to the God of heaven, the revealer of mysteries.
So, to whom do you belong? Self or Jesus, the king of Kings and Lord of Lords.