The Faith We Live By In Every Age

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Sermon Scripture

Daniel 6:10 ESV

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

Daniel

Is it...

God - His sovereign control over all time and kingdoms

Man - The faithfuls needed perseverance and reliance on Him that they may live righteously as Daniel

Prophetic Events - These I believe are used to display the prior two but are not themselves the main point. These build the context by which the prior two are shown to be of great application to every Christian of every age, at every time, through every season.

The Book of Daniel:

Daniel is divided into two sections. brings us through much of the history of the life and ministry of Daniel, while takes us through the prophesies that God shows Daniel. In , we witness Daniel as confident in God. We witness the Kings of Daniels time as troubled and Daniel as steadfast in God even in the midst of great threats and deadly actions of kings of the earth. In we see Daniel anxious, confused and even witness his color change in distress, not at his current circumstance but because of the things that God shows him.

Daniel as is often is the case with us, does not know what to do with what God has showed him. It seems so despairing, and even though God preserves the saints, the events seem as too much to bear or comprehend. What should Daniel do with what he has seen but does not understand?

For us you could say the same thing - this prophesy thing, I don’t understand. I get the first half of the book, but once we get to the prophesy stuff, “what am I to do with it?” or…what is the book of Daniel really all about.

Where do I look and to where do I direct my ears and eyes to truly grasp Daniel?

Is it...

God - His sovereign control over all time and kingdoms

Man - The faithfuls needed perseverance and reliance on Him that they may live righteously as Daniel

I offer to you this, this morning church: The second half of Daniel brings the testimony, discipline and application of Daniel beyond the life of Daniel. In other words Daniel displays a great truth that will and does remain a great truth for every Christian, throughout every age, not matter how great the despair or tribulation.

Wether in the fiery furnace or the den of lions or under the crushing feet of a world leader it is right and true to petition God and God alone. The righteous live by faith.

Romans 1:17 ESV

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Romans 1:16–17 ESV

Galatians 3:11 ESV

11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Hebrews 10:28 ESV

28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.

Hebrews 10:38 ESV

38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

Galatians 3:11

shall perhaps most stick in our head if we are seeking proper understanding and application of the book of Daniel. Allow me to read the last portion of Daniel to begin to bring forth what the Word of God is declaring.

Hebrews 10:38

Daniel 12:8–13 ESV

8 I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” 9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. 11 And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. 13 But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”

Shut up & Sealed - The events shall be unaltered until it’s fulfillment. God is in sovereign control.

No matter what the coming age brings. No matter what powers Satan wields upon this earth and whatever the great tribulation that comes, God will deliver His people

Daniel 6:10 ESV

The Document:

A ordinance to enforce that no one can petition any god or man for thirty days except for to king Darius with penalty of death by the lions den.

Petition - a formal request

The petition idea is sold to King Darius as a way of establishing him as the highest authority. Darius would be seen as the one from whom provision comes and all are dependent upon.

However the petition is pursued by the high officials as a way to handicap Daniel. The officials knew that Daniel was fully dependent not upon Darius but upon His God. Because of this, Daniel was set apart, however the officials sought to use Daniels strength against him, yet they failed to recognize how strong His strength (God) was.

Note: Daniel does not petition the King not to sign the decree. Daniel does not petition the King to withdraw the new law and Daniel does not petition the King to make an exception to the law. This would have seemed reasonable given the favor that Daniel had before the King. The King would have certainly worked to protect Daniel.

Note: Daniel’s response is in perfect unity with truth. Daniel is faithful to God by simply living fully by the truth of God. To petition a king for permission to petition the King of Kings, when the King of Kings himself has given you permission makes no sense. The trap to avoid was not for Daniel to pray to His God but rather for him not to pray. And avoid it he did.

Daniel’s House:

Nothing changed for Daniel. He went to where he had always gone and did just what he had previously done. However, we note here that Daniel was not caught ignorantly in his habit. Rather we read when Daniel new that the law was signed, he prayed in just as public of a manner as he had prayed previously. Why? Because Daniel believed that God was/is God.

Upper Chamber

Opened toward Jerusalem

Toward Jerusalem

Prayer

On His Knees

3 Times a day

Gave thanks before his God (as he had done previously)

Note the word previously.

Yes, this word and the knowledge displayed by the high officials teach us that faithful petition of his God was a daily discipline/routine for Daniel, however it should also drive us to seek, how? How had Daniel “given thanks” before? How had Daniel, petitioned his God before? Indeed, this word “previously” brings us right back to witnessing the beginnings of Daniels rise.

Daniel 2:17–23 ESV

17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. 21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; 22 he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. 23 To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”

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