2024-09-29 - - Daniel 2:24-XX

From Crisis to Clarity

Intro: The evening of January 20, 1987, folks all across the USA turned on their TVs to watch the series “Unsolved Mysteries” For the first time. Stories of Cold Cases, Murders, abductions, aliens, etc.

Link:

Like Unsolved Mysteries, there was one in Babylon at it was just revealed to Daniel the prophet and soon to the King.

Review:

1. Daniel recognized the Crisis

2. Daniel Sought Wisdom & Guidance From The Lord

3. Daniel Received & Respond to God’s Revelation

4. Daniel Expressed Gratitude and Gave Thanks

Daniel 2:24–45 (NKJV)

24 Therefore Daniel went 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; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.”

Daniel went BOLDLY before Arioch, the executioner, and said:

Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon

Take me before the King So I can interpret the kings dream

25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, “I have found a man of the captives of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation.”

Arioch comes back to the king with Daniel, and says King, Daniel says he has your answer.

26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?”

Daniel approached King Nebuchadnezzar with wisdom & tact.

It’s interesting to note that Daniel, He didn’t know the NT or the Sermon on the Mount, b/c they didnt exist yet in his time but

He knew how to treat his enemies.

He was willing to rescue the pagan advisers.

27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king.

Daniel essentially says, NOPE, I can’t nor can any of your other wise men, BUT...

28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these:

Daniel says, God can and he has shared with you

What will happen in the future, the END TIMES, its prophetic in nature

Be Resolute 4. God Displays His Wisdom and Power (Dan. 2:24–45)

In reply to the king’s question, Daniel immediately gave all the glory to the God of heaven, and in this he reminds us of Joseph when he interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams (Gen. 41:16).

29 As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be.

“WHAT WILL BE”

30 But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

Daniel states that he is nothing special compared to anyone else, He just is close to God and is willing to be used of God.

Application 1 If you know Christ as your Savior, you don’t have to be someone special and unique to do something mighty and great with God. All you have to do is to be willing to be used by God and drawing close to Him, then He will reveal to you what it is He is doing and what He wants you to do.

Be Resolute 4. God Displays His Wisdom and Power (Dan. 2:24–45)

Nebuchadnezzar must have been shocked when Daniel even told him that he knew the king had been worrying about the future of his kingdom before he had this dream. The dream was God’s answer to his concerns, for God revealed the future sequence of the Gentiles’ kingdoms and how Gentile history would climax with the appearance of an eternal kingdom.

Be Resolute 4. God Displays His Wisdom and Power (Dan. 2:24–45)

The phrase “latter days” (“last days,” “last times”) is found frequently in Scripture, beginning with Genesis 49:1 and ending with 2 Peter 3:3. Our Lord ushered in the “last days” with His death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven (Heb. 1:2; 1 Peter 1:20), so we are living now in that period of time when God is “wrapping things up.” God has plans for the “latter days” of Israel (Gen. 49:1; Deut. 31:29; Dan. 2:28) which will climax with Messiah returning to earth and being received by His people (Hosea 3:5; Micah 4:1; Joel 2:28–29). The “last days” for the church include perilous times (2 Tim. 3:1), the apostasy of many, and the rise of scoffers and deniers of the truth (2 Peter 3:1ff); and this period will end when Christ takes His church to heaven (1 Thes. 4:13–18).

Application 2. Again if you know Christ as your savior, you don’t have to be someone special and unique to do something mighty and great with God. All you have to do is to be willing to be used by God and drawing close to Him, then He will reveal to you what it is He is doing and what He wants you to do.

HOWEVER

Also know that, “The fastest way to see the work of God through your life stopped is to begin to think it’s because you’re special.” - Jon Courson

Unsaved: Daniel was used by God to save the wicked sinful demonic worshipers. Although they were used in wicked ways and did many wicked anti God things, God still loved them and saved them from annihilation from the king, their homes were spared and saved. Like them, God also wants to save you from your annihilation that is much worse, separation from God.

ABC

John 3:16–17 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

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31 “You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome.

32 This image’s head was of fine 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 clay.

34 You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.

35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 “This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king.

37 You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory;

38 and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold.

39 But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.

40 And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others.

41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay.

42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.

43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.

44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

45 Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”

Challenge: Perhaps you may be currently facing a challenge, or one might come unexpectedly this week. Take it to Jesus and share it with a trusted Christian friend or the church so we can pray with you. Be BOLD in seeking God’s guidance, and be BOLD in following His direction as you address the challenge, trusting that He will guide you through it. And remember to give thanks to God throughout the process, keeping a heart of gratitude for all His help.

Saved: If you know Jesus as your Savior and someone approaches you for help, be BOLD. Pray with them and for them, and ask God how He wants you to assist them.

Unsaved: If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior and have never trusted in Him, know that His help is only guaranteed if you have a relationship with Him. There are many benefits to being His child—benefits that you won’t experience or be guaranteed if you don’t know Him as your Savior. Acts 16:31 “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

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