God Shuts Mouths but Opens Another
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning church.
How many of us have felt at one time or another that somebody did not want you around?
Maybe those folks had a different opinion than you, maybe different thought patterns, either way you knew that it was obvious that they did not want you around.
There is no doubt that Daniel knew about Shadrach, Mishak and Abendego and their experience in the furnace of chapter 3.
And now in Chapter 6 we have no doubt that Daniel has same mindset and same conviction as they did when they said,
“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
“But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
The three Hebrews told Nebuchadnezzar that their allegiance to God will always above his government or for that matter any idol somebody tried to place over them.
Here Daniel tells Darius the same thing.
Loyalty to God is not subject to debate or vote (cf. Acts 4:19–20) and all four Hebrew men, this issue was settled in their hearts long ago, and way be for the reign of this Darius the current King.
Remember Balshazzar is now dead and Darius is ruler over Babylon.
There were many who did not want Daniel around and as you will see Daniel got put into a hot spot of his own…
So turn with me today to Daniel chapter 6.
Daniel 6 beginning in verse 16.
The Scriptures tell us this…
Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.”
A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel.
Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den.
When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever!
“My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.”
Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: “May your peace abound!
“I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel;
For He is the living God and enduring forever,
And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
And His dominion will be forever.
“He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Prayer…
1st today know this church.
We Can Have Peace in God’s Plan (6:16–18)
We Can Have Peace in God’s Plan (6:16–18)
Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.”
A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel.
Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
Daniel is now serving Darius.
Also Daniel is the 3rd ruler in the land.
Daniel, is not a teenager anymore; Daniel is a grown man well into his 80’s and the remarkable is taking place; he is still serving God.
But not everybody was happy with Daniel.
Daniel started to rise in influence and stature and Darius was impressed with Daniel and he wanted to make him 2nd in command.
But what happens the other Satraps were going to do everything in their power to keep Daniel from obtaining that position.
They tried to accuse him, but could not find fault.
So they came up with another way.
They decided to bring the king a law that would make it illegal to bow down to anything else besides the king and he signed it.
They played to the Kings vanity.
What about Daniel???
Daniel continued to worship God, he bowed down in prayer to God; not Darius.
So they brought this before the King.
Even though Darius did not want to he commanded that Daniel be thrown “into the lions’ den” (v. 16).
The den was probably a pit with an opening at the top.
As Daniel was about to be thrown into the pit, his friend, the king, spoke to Daniel:
May the God you serve rescue you….
The king had hope for his friend.
For Daniel there is only one hope; the hope and peace in God.
Church you can have peace in God’s plan for you.
Daniel was cast into the lion’s den, and “a stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den” (v. 17).
I guess this was to be sure the eighty-year-old man would not jump out!
The king also sealed Daniel’s tomb “with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing in regard to Daniel could be changed.”
How happy Daniel’s enemies would have been watching that den sealed by the King.
But the King did not share in their joy.
He fasted, he did not have any music played, he could not sleep, but the other satraps who schemed this all up were probably celebrating.
The king knew he had been tricked.
What about Daniel?
In the whole first section of Chapter 6 we see the scheme, we see the conspiracy take shape, we see the carefully crafted words meant to manipulate and trick the king into signing a law.
Make no mistake church; Satan is crafty.
Manipulative people will always manipulate.
Manipulative people; narssasitic people will always make themselves into the victim.
They will talk and scheme and try to win people over to their side.
What about Daniel?
Where is Daniel in all the scheming?
Probably praying, because Daniel would have been one of the 1st to hear of the new law, but did he change?
No.
Did he compromise?
No.
Why would he; he stood on truth.
His foundation was set.
He trusted in the Lord then and always, so he did not have to speak.
He did not have to try and get people to agree with them.
He just served God in every way and every situation.
He had peace in the plan.
The enemy is savy.
When you serve God you should expect to be challenged.
You will face obstacles in your path.
Daniel had peace in God’s plan.
Do you?
Are you following man centered ideas and thoughts or are you following God.
Not mans version of God but God.
Often in our me centered culture we have this idea that what we think is the most important.
I mean after reading the Bible when we ask, “What the passage meant to me?” versus what it means from God in the context in which it was given.
If we do not seek God’s meaning then we are participating in man centered theology.
That is a problem….
When we take our disobedience and blame somebody else for it; that is a problem.
But if you are truly following the leading of God; then God will give you peace in His plan.
Not peace in your plan, but peace in His plan.
Daniel did not walk into the Lions Den, but was tossed into the Lions den.
He was tossed into a life or death situation, but do we ever hear him speak?
Did he speak when accused?
Did he speak when apprehended?
Did he cry injustice?
No.
Not a word, not a peep.
Daniel only has one thing to say the whole chapter.
Why?
Because he is willing to ride it out in God’s plan.
He was ok with God’s plan no matter how it turned out.
See there is a lot of people who are not comfortable with God’s plan.
They no matter what, they will push their agenda instead of just getting on the bus.
Our life would be better if we just get on the bus.
Where God takes you, go.
Where God leads, go.
Where God wants you, go.
But church you have to be comfortable in where and what God has for you.
You have to be at peace with it; Daniel was.
2nd
We Can Be Sure of God’s Strength (6:19–24)
We Can Be Sure of God’s Strength (6:19–24)
19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den.
So as we can see; Darius was worried and as soon as dawn broke; he went to check on Daniel.
Again sort of like Mary Magdalene and the other Mary in Matthew 28:1, Darius went “at the first light of dawn” (v. 19) to the tomb holding what might remains of Daniel’s body.
I think he thought Daniel would be dead.
He get there and he calls out to Daniel
When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
What does he hear?
Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever!
“My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.”
I mean if we sort of look at this rest of the passage.
It is like Daniel sort of says in our words;
Good morning King, I hope all is well with you, I had a great night of rest I hope you did I to. I mean I had some company that was a little scary but they are good too. They kept me warm and they are so cute…
Guess what King?
My God sent an angle to me; he shut the mouths of the lions.
He protected me.
Just for you let me tell you why He did this.
He did this because I honored Him, I followed Him, I trusted Him.
It did nothing wrong to you and I put it in His hands.
And I will always do that…Do you want to join me King?
You see the words Daniel spoke here are the only words of Daniel in the whole book.
Check this out, Darius did not join Daniel in the lions den, did he.
Who eventually did?
His accusers…they were cast in and they were devoured.
In our fallen world there is a sadness that goes along with the Salvation of people.
And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel.”
The seed is always followed by the crushing of the snakes head.
Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.
Jesus saves people who fear death.
He saves them by dying so there can be life.
See Daniel was delivered from death, but there are those who sought to destroy him and they died a death that they cannot recover from.
It is a terrible end to their life.
What about Daniel?
You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
Greater is God who is in you than he who is in the world.
Greater is God who in dwells with us that those who are with God.
Church there will always be those who seek to drag you down, seek to discredit your witness, but you are to cling to God not man.
Daniel was innocent; not perfect, not sinless, but he kept his faith in God with an unwavering confidence in God’s plan for his life and un wavering confidence in God’s strength to see him through all of it.
Greater is God in you than you.
Church there will always be those who play the righteous.
There will always be those who seek to sub plant God in your life.
Great is our God.
…
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Lastly today; these closing verses provide the perfect ending to the 1st half of the book of Daniel.
It give us a glimps into some; who recognize God but never truly know God.
This is the end of the first section of the book as well as to the miracle of Daniel’s deliverance.
Darius, whatever his ultimate spiritual condition, confessed the supreme authority of “the God of Daniel” (v. 26). (Daniel, 130)
Here is what you can know…
We Can Know That God Will Use You to Make Him Famous
We Can Know That God Will Use You to Make Him Famous
Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: “May your peace abound!
“I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel;
For He is the living God and enduring forever,
And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
And His dominion will be forever.
“He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
In Chapters 2, 3 and 4, Nebuchadnezzar had praised Daniel’s God in a more and more respectful way as time went on.
In Chapter 5 there was no praise from Belshazzar.
Here Darius virtually encapsulates the theology of the whole book of Daniel.
It is a song of praise which tells us of what God has done and points us forward.
Forward to what God is about to unfold for us in the 2nd part of the book.
What does that tell us?
It tells us that God can make those who don’t know Him tell others of His greatness.
You think this does not happen?
What do you think?
Does this happen today…you bet it does.
How about Christmas?
Million celebrate the birth of the King of Kings and most do not even know it.
No matter what they think they are celebrating; they are celebrating the birth of the Jesus.
Darius was impacted by God’s deliverance of Daniel.
Call it a miracle; call it what you want, but God did it.
Daniel also points us forward to what is going to happen in the end times…
There is a promise we find in Revelation 5 and 7.
Verse 25 we see it begin with “May your peace be abound.”
But what follows…”tremble before the God of Daniel”.
They’re is greatness in God but also sorrow in God.
The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord;
He turns it wherever He wishes.
God Can Use Unbelievers to Proclaim His Glory (6:26–28)
This proclamation by Darius speaks to God’s greatness universally (v. 26) and personally (v. 27).
Speaks to his nature, he is the living and eternal God.
Speaks to his sovereignty, his kingdom will not be destroyed or brought to an end (v. 26).
Today’s text God honors his faithful servant.
Just as he blessed and honored Daniel under the Babylonians, Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar, he does so again under the Persians and Darius (that is, Cyrus the Persian; v. 28).
There is a truth that James points us to.
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
Church know that God uses you to proclaim His glory.
He used Daniel and He can use you!
He will use you to make Him famous.
Don’t think your witness is not important.
Don’t think your witness cannot make a difference, but to be effective you must expose that witness to others.
Daniel did.
God honored Him.
Daniel did; greater is God in Him than those who are in the world.
Greater is God in you.
….
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How Does the Text Point to Christ?
How Does the Text Point to Christ?
Throughout the Bible, especially the Old Testament, God uses what is called a typology to point us to a coming deliverer, a rescuer, in fulfillment of the first gospel promise in Genesis 3:15.
God uses typology; Daniel is a type of Christ
God uses typology; Daniel is a type of Christ
Typology is a figure or a type of illustration that points us to Jesus.
It’s not surprising that the early Church saw in Daniel in the lion’s den, a foreshadow of the resurrection of Jesus, for as Daniel was brought out of a den that had been sealed by the official rings of those in power, so was the Lord Jesus Christ raised from a tomb which had been sealed by those officials with their rings of power. (“Daniel in the Lion’s Den”)
Again make no mistake the Bible is all about Jesus.
Sometimes our Lord uses events like the Passover in Exodus 12.
Other times he uses things like the temple and the sacrificial system.
Most often the typology is displayed in individuals like Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, and Daniel.
Most often the typology is displayed in individuals like Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, and Daniel.
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Listen to how Tim Keller points us to think about this as it relates to Jesus in the Bible…
Jesus is the true and better Adam, who passed the test in the garden, His garden—a much tougher garden—and whose obedience is imputed to us.
Jesus is the true and better Abel, who though innocently slain, has blood that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for our acquittal.
Jesus is the true and better Abraham, who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go into the void not knowing whither He went.
Jesus is the true and better Isaac, who was not just offered up by His Father on the mount, but was truly sacrificed for us all while God said to Abraham, “Now I know you love Me because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love from Me.”
Now we at the foot of the cross can say to God, “Now we know that You love me because You did not withhold Your Son, Your only Son whom You love, from me.”
Jesus is the true and better Jacob, who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserve so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace that wake us up and discipline us.
Jesus is the true and better Joseph, who is at the right hand of the king and forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his power to save them.
Jesus is the true and better Moses, who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant.
Jesus is the true and better Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God’s justice, now gives us water in the desert.
Jesus is the true and better Job—He’s the truly innocent sufferer who then intercedes for and saves His stupid friends.…
Jesus is the true and better David, whose victory becomes His people’s victory though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.
Jesus is the true and better Esther, who didn’t just risk losing an earthly palace, but lost the ultimate heavenly one, who didn’t just risk His life, but gave His life, who didn’t say, “If I perish, I perish,” but said, “When I perish, I will perish for them to save My people.”
Jesus is the true and better Jonah, who was cast out into the storm so we could be brought in.
He’s the real Passover Lamb.
He’s the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the true lamb, the true light, the true bread. (“What Is Gospel-Centered Ministry?”)
Indeed Jesus is all of these things.
And to them we may rightly add, Jesus is the true and better Daniel, who having been lowered into a lion’s den of death, emerges early the next morning alive and vindicated by his God.
Church greater is our God…embrace Him.
Prayer….
