But God

Prayer

Daniel 2 NIV

1 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. 2 So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.” 4 Then the astrologers answered the king, “May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.” 5 The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. 6 But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.” 7 Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.” 8 Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: 9 If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.” 10 The astrologers answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. 11 What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans.” 12 This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death. 14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. 15 He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him. 17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 18 He urged them 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. 19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20 and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. 21 He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. 23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.” 24 Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him.” 25 Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means.” 26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?” 27 Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these: 29 “As Your Majesty was lying there, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. 30 As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind. 31 “Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth. 36 “This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. 37 Your Majesty, you are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; 38 in your hands he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold. 39 “After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. 40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. 41 Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. 42 As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay. 44 “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. 45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. “The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.” 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. 47 The king said to Daniel, “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.” 48 Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. 49 Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.

An impossible situation…

Daniel 2:1–5 NIV

1 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. 2 So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.” 4 Then the astrologers answered the king, “May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.” 5 The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble.

For the King…

this situation bothered him so much that he was not able to sleep. Have you ever been there? Have you ever had something that cost you rest? You’re unable to lay your head down at night in peace and your thoughts race through your brain. Unable to find shut eye…they are searching for meaning, searching for answers, and morning after morning you awake to even more heaviness on your spirit. More and more restlessness?

And we learned from verse 29…the king was restless and had no peace concerning his future and the future of his kingdom. And so, he kept having a dream, and this dream was causing him to lose sleep.

Daniel 2:29 NIV

29 “As Your Majesty was lying there, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen.

What/OR Who do you turn to in those situations?

Because King Nebuchadnezzar turned to someone to try and find peace, trying to find answers and trying to find rest for his soul…he went on the search. And so he called upon

-the magicians

-the enchanters

-the sorcerers

-the astrologers

He tried to turn to a higher power, but he didn’t turn to the proper higher power.

And we need to be careful, here. We need to be discerning about things but we also need to be discerning in love. Let me talk to you a minute about the occult. Because we are entering days where the occult is more prevalent than it ever has been before. Almost 2 years ago, my family and I had an experience I won’t forget. We were driving down West 10th Street…Cauldron and Thorne, circling the block, parking in the lot next to the store and praying against the enemy but freedom for those who were held captive and who were deceived…

Because we do not wrestle flesh and blood…but powers and principalities

Ephesians 6:11–13 NIV

11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Remember we are called to take a stand, but taking a stand in love.

And so King Nebuchadnezzar was seeking help, answers and a higher power…so he turned to the wise men of his kingdom…

We know that demons have powers and abilities. We also know that the enemy cannot create anything new, and so they work lies and deception.

1 Timothy 4:1 NIV

1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

2 Timothy 3:1–7 NIV

1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

2 Timothy 4:1–5 NIV

1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

And the wise men knew they couldn’t do what the king was asking…

Daniel 2:11 NIV

11 What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans.”

For the Astrologers

Life’s Not Fair

They were in an impossible situation.

Do this or die…

Now where were Daniel, Azariah, Mishael and Haniniah at this time? Were they before the king? I have to say I don’t think so.

Daniel 2:12–13 NIV

12 This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.

Remember this is the 2nd year of King Nebuchadnezzar’s reign

I think they were still in school.

There is an important biblical lesson that reveals itself here in this chapter. Daniel is not a chronological book. It doesn’t start at the beginning and work its way all the way to the end following the times that it happened. We have to watch/read carefully to determine when certain things take place. But the author does give us clues as to when things took place.

So the last chapter ended with the end of daniels life after he is in his 80’s, but now we are right back to the 2nd year reign of Nebuchadnezzar.

And there is debate as to what that actually means and how is it that Daniel and the boys are considered wise men.

First theory… First, Nebuchadnezzar was the son of the king of Babylon and co-reigned with his father for several years. When he first laid siege to Jerusalem, his father was actually the king and died in Nebuchadnezzar’s first year. Nebuchadnezzar reigned for two more years. They would only give him credit for two years when he began to reign as a single king rather than co-regency.

That’s plausable…that’s possible…

Second theory…

There is also another possible theory; that is, in Babylon, in your first year of reigning as king, it wasn’t counted until your second year. It would start the second year, so it would be three years but they would only credit him for two. We do the same thing with counting our years on this earth or how many years have we been married. Well Amy and I have celebrated our 15th anniversary but in all actuality are 16 Christmas’ deep and we are coming up on our 16th Easter. Though we have only been married for 15 years.

I don’t like that theory that much…so I have my own, but remember…this is just my theory and you should decide for yourself what to believe.

My theory…

They were still in school. Training to be wise men. And this incident is what caused them to find such favor with King Nebuchadnezzar.

I believe this is the incident that is referred to in Daniel 1:17-19

Daniel 1:17–19 NIV

17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. 18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service.

See the astrologers and wise men were in a do or die situation and the King’s order was made…y’all are going to die…but they had to find Daniel and the boys…they were not before the king at the time he was seeking for answers…

Daniel 2:13–15 NIV

13 So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death. 14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. 15 He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel.

He wouldn’t have needed an explanation if he was there… It just makes sense that he was still in training, still in school. But God wasn’t done with him yet!

Two of the most powerful words put together in all the english language and perhaps my favorite phrase…

But God.

But God had a different plan for Daniel, Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael.

Daniel 2:17–25 NIV

17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 18 He urged them 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. 19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20 and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. 21 He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. 23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.” 24 Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him.” 25 Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means.”

But God.

Life is not fair…but God is good.

Daniels’ but GOD

Daniel 2:25–29 NIV

25 Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means.” 26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?” 27 Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these: 29 “As Your Majesty was lying there, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen.

But there is a God in Heaven.

See what is impossible with man is possible with God.

‘But God’ – two of the best words to hear in a story. God is so good to his children. This can be evidenced through Scripture which is full of ‘but God’ moments.

If you’re in a season where you are waiting on God, encourage your faith by reading through these, some of our favorite, ‘but God’ moments in Scripture.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

– Romans 6:23

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able . . .

– 1 Corinthians 10:13

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

– 1 Corinthians 3:6

When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead . . .

– Acts 13:29-30

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

– Matthew 19:26

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

– Psalm 73:26

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

– Genesis 50:20

To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, LORD my God, brought my life up from the pit.

– Jonah 2:6

Who are you trusting in this morning? Do you need to realign your heart to the God of Heaven’s Armies and put your trust in Him?

Because he is good. He is God…He is Good God Almighty…