2019-10-13
Pastor Jonathan Falwell
Key verse: Daniel 2:20 (NKJV) Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His.
Last week, we began a discussion on the life of Daniel and his friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Our focus last week was on the one determination they made in the face of opposition and attack; they purposed in their hearts they would not defile themselves. They would not compromise, no matter what. As a result, God honored their devotion and commitment. Today, let’s look at their time in captivity and how God continued to honor and protect them in the face of a crazy king, a jealous public, and an uncertain future.
Daniel 2:1-5 Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was sotroubled that his sleep left him. 2 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. 3 And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.” 4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.” 5 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.
- Life’s not fair
- One of the greatest lessons we must learn in life is that not all things will work out as they should, sometimes we are unfairly wronged
- Our response in those moments determine the level of our faith and the content of our character
Daniel 2:11-13 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.” 12 For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise menof Babylon. 13 So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men;and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.
- All we can do is trust God
- We often times put our hope and faith in everything but the one person who can bring us through
Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God
- We must clearly accept and believe God is our only source
Daniel 2:17-19 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 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 menof Babylon. 19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
- God is our only hope
Daniel 2:27-28 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. 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:
In our lives today, there are always moments when we are “under the gun” and not sure what to do to escape. Our decisions in the crucible of opposition and attack will determine our success or failure.
Who and what will you trust?