Faith in the Fire: The Wisdom of God Destroys The Wisdom of Man!
Faith in the Fire • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
Dream
Dilemma
Deficiency
Decree
Dream
Dream
Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him.
Nabupolasser was the Father of Nebuchadnezzar
2nd year even though it is at the end of the 3 year training.
As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
The Dreams Were Given to Nebuchadnezzar to Reveal Daniel
The Dreams Were Given to Nebuchadnezzar to Reveal Daniel
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.
God Spoke to People in Dreams and Was Not Unusual
God Spoke to People in Dreams and Was Not Unusual
Then He said,
“Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision;
I speak to him in a dream.
Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
magicians - educated
astrologers - star gazers
sorcerers - spoke to the dead
Chaldeans - they were the talkers
Our world today puts together world forums to determine what’s going to happen
And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.”
There was a dream that really hit him.
Chaldeans believed dreams could be deciphered by how their life went after dreams.
The figured out certain patterns and determined what dreams meant.
They had libraries of dream manuals to determine what people’s dreams meant.
Old Testament 2:1-49: A Troubling Dream
Typically, however, it was only the central theme of the dream that was significant for interpretation, rather than all the details. Interpretation of dreams included identifying the meaning of the symbols in the dream, declaring its meaning, consequences and the timing of the events it addresses, and composing an appropriate response to the dream. The response could include apotropaic rituals to defend against the portents or actions that the king should take.
Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”
The Dilemma
The Dilemma
Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”
The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap.
However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”
They answered again and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.”
They want the dream because they have no divine revelation!
The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm:
if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.”
The Deficiency
The Deficiency
The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, “There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean.
No one can read the future
The stars do not determine attitudes nor outcomes of life!
Astrology is demonic
It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
No one can read the mind
Satan cannot read the mind
We are fooled into speaking and expressing our thoughts and emotions to people and then they use them against us!
For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.
Unforgettable Daniel
Unforgettable Daniel
All things are possible with God
Daniel is the man for a crisis
God Can Use Certain People in a Crisis
God Can Use Certain People in a Crisis
Daniel Has Composure!
Daniel Has Composure!
Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon;
Daniel does not panic in the crisis!
Daniel spoke with counsel meaning appropriately!
Daniel spoke with the wisdom and discretion of God!
he answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel.
Courageous!
Courageous!
So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation.
The wise men asked for time: they wanted to go to the dream manuals and to hear the dream!
Daniel asked for time
Daniel already knew he could interpret the dream!
As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Why did the King give Daniel time?
And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.
Communion
Communion
Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions,
Daniel communed and conferred with the men of God!
that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
Daniel consulted God in prayer!
In all things Pray!
We approach a crisis on our knees
We don’t approach men as the final answer but we approach God
They all approached God
Not like the world who looks at statistics!
Commendation
Commendation
Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
Daniel praised God
Daniel gave the glory to God!
Daniel answered and said:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
verse 21 is omnipotence
verse 21 is omnipotence
He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.
verse 22 is omniscience
verse 22 is omniscience
Commends
Commends
“I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers;
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 demand.”
Daniel in all his learning he stayed with God!
Compassion
Compassion
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 is in control and in control
Daniel asks for the wise men not to be slayed!
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.”
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?”
He doubts the supernatural
Humility
Humility
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 wants to show the true God is real
The pagan God’s are not real
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:
God is shown to be real through his people!!!!
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.
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 gives God the Glory!!!!!
Ezekiel Names 3 righteous men!
Conclusion
Conclusion