Daniel, a man greatly beloved
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In every crowd there seems to be one individual who stands out above the rest. This could be for a variety of reasons. It could be their personality. It could be their position. It could be their looks. It could be their ability.
As we come to the end of the book of Daniel, I would like to take one final look at the book’s namesake, Daniel.
On three different occasions, near the end of the book, Daniel is addressed as a man greatly beloved.
At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.
And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.
And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
Daniel stood out.
Daniel stood out.
He stood out to God as we can see from these verses.
He stood out to those around him.
And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
What was it about Daniel that caused him to stand out?
Daniel was an educated man.
Daniel was an educated man.
Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
Probably most of us here realize that a good education is important. That’s part of the reason why we have the ministry of South Charlotte Baptist Academy.
This past Friday, I was giving a tour of the Academy to a prospective parent who currently has a child in the first grade. When I showed her work that was done by one of our current first grade students, she was thoroughly impressed. Her child wasn’t doing anything like that in his public school.
Daniel was an educated man but it wasn’t his education that made him stand out.
Daniel was a man of conviction.
Daniel was a man of conviction.
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Even the word knows that “conviction” is a desirable trait to have.
In a Forbes article entitled, “Why the Best Leaders Have Conviction,” the writer said,
“Conviction in a leader is an incredibly valuable yet increasingly rare trait.”
Daniel was a man of conviction but it wasn’t his conviction that made him stand out.
Daniel was a man of wisdom.
Daniel was a man of wisdom.
And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
That’s it, you may say, I need more wisdom!
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
It is possible to have both wisdom and conviction. However...
Daniel was a man of wisdom but it wasn’t his wisdom that made him stand out.
Daniel was a man who feared God.
Daniel was a man who feared God.
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;
But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:
This is a big one!
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Yes, we all need to fear God more and fear people less. And yet....
Daniel was a man who feared God more than any man - including the king - but it was not that that made him stand out.
Daniel was a man of prayer.
Daniel was a man of prayer.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
Daniel was a man of prayer but it wasn’t his prayer life that made him stand out.
Daniel was a man of courage.
Daniel was a man of courage.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
We all need to be greater prayer warriors. But....
Daniel was a man of courage but it wasn’t his courage that made him stand out.
Daniel was a man of God’s Word.
Daniel was a man of God’s Word.
In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
“I need to study God’s Word more!” And, while that may be true....
Daniel was a man of God’s Word but it wasn’t his study of God’s Word that made him stand out.
Daniel was a man of brokenness.
Daniel was a man of brokenness.
We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Yes, we need to call sin sin! We need to be serious about sin in our lives. We should not justify it. We should not sweep it under the rug. We should not act as if it hasn’t happened.
Ill: Getting frustrated this past Friday.
Daniel was a man of brokenness but it wasn’t his brokenness that caused him to stand out.
The lessons learned from Daniel should not simply be one of “Do this” and “Don’t do this.” Some may say, “I need or want to be like Daniel. What do I need to do?” You can’t simply try to come up with a “formula” that will somehow “magically” make you a spiritual giant like Daniel
That’s exactly what people have tried to do with the Daniel Fast. Based on Daniel 1:8 and 10:2-3, an entire cottage industry has been built around the Daniel Fast.
“The Daniel Fast is a religious partial fast that is popular among Evangelical Protestants in the United States in which meat, wine, and other rich foods are avoided in favor of vegetables and water for typically three weeks in order to draw the believer closer to God.”
As if simply changing our diet will make us more spiritual.
Let me ask you, “What do you think was most important to Daniel?”
· His diet?
· His social standing?
· His position within the government?
· His education?
· His influence?
· His great wisdom?
· His Biblical knowledge?
· Or His relationship with God?
Daniel was a man greatly loved by God because Daniel greatly loved God.
God made a “big deal” about Daniel because Daniel made a “big deal” about God.
Daniel stood out to God because God stood out to Daniel.
While there are many passages in Daniel that attest to this, I’ll share just one:
My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
Now, before I go on, allow me to address one major “hang-up” that some may have.
God did not love Daniel anymore than He loves any one of you here this morning. God never has and never will play favorites!
The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: Therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins. You and I have never been so loved! No one, this morning, can throw a pity party and say, “God just doesn’t love me!” That is hogwash and a lie from the Devil. God loves you!
But, “Pastor Campbell”, you say, “that still doesn’t answer the question, ‘Why was Daniel a man greatly beloved?’”
Allow me to share with you two Biblical truths to illustrate what made the difference in Daniel’s life.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Jesus told his disciples, “…Without me ye can do nothing.” Do you get it? It’s that simple!
Daniel could do nothing without God!
Daniel could do nothing without God!
· He could not have developed educationally without God.
· He could not have been a man of conviction without God.
· He could not have been a man of wisdom without God.
· He could not have “feared God” without God.
· He could not have been a man of prayer without God.
· He could not have been a man of God’s Word without God.
· He could not have been a broken man without God.
And neither can you or I! Please let that sink in, “Without God, you can do nothing!”
Go ahead and fill in the fill blank: “Without God, I cannot __________.”
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
Why? Because without God you and I can do nothing!
Daniel let His light shine!
Daniel let His light shine!
And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
This was John’s testimony of Jesus Christ - “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Increase there means “become greater in size, amount, intensity, or degree.”
Did you realize this — God does not have a dimmer switch.
· God is already at 100%
· He is 100% powerful.
· He is 100% glorious.
· He is 100% majestic.
· He is 100% perfect.
· He is 100% wise.
· He is 100% loving.
Get the point? God, in no way, can become greater!
Decrease means, “make smaller in size, amount, intensity, or degree.” It is the exact opposite of increase.
“God must increase - become greater, but I must decrease - get smaller.”
But, Pastor Campbell, how can God increase if He’s already at 100%?
Illustration: Flashlight inside bag.
Now, hold on, because here is something that I just found exciting
Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
That was Christ’s testimony of John! John made a big deal about God and God made a big deal about John! That’s exactly what Daniel did! Self must be taken out of the way. Everything must be all about God!
So, why was Daniel a man greatly beloved. Because, before they were ever put to paper, he learned two very important lesson; two lessons that we all must learn this morning.
1# Without God we can do nothing.
2# God must increase; we must decrease.
More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.