Daniel #9 - Guidance for an Uncertain Future (Nov 15, 2020)

Daniel 8:1-27

The Hardest Part of Suffering | One of the main ways we get through hard times in life is by looking ahead to the future. By looking ahead, we are alleviated of our current suffering. What makes suffering the hardest is the uncertainty of the future. For us, present concerns with the pandemic and the divisions of our country certainly occupy our daily attention. What makes this even worse is not knowing when it will end. The same was true for the exiles. They longed for the day that God would restore them to some sense of normalcy. Deep down, they believed that God’s redemption would end their suffering.

The main idea we have observed in Daniel is that God is in control, even when it doesn’t seem like it. Daniel, his friends, and their fellow Israelites had witnessed God act in exile. Whether it was a fiery furnace, a lion’s den, or a confusing vision, God demonstrates to His people that it is possible to live with hope even when the future is most uncertain. This powerful truth applies to us today. The apocalyptic visions we encounter in Daniel give us a new way of seeing our present and looking toward the future in view of God’s sovereignty. The answers we find may not be what we like, but they are what we need. The vision in Daniel 9 confronts three of the most powerful idols in American culture and American Christianity: planning, pace, and power.

1.  What will Happen? - Planning

Daniel’s vision includes a ram, a multi-horned uni-goat, and a little horn that was most arrogant and directly opposed to God. He describes a violent battle between the ram and the goat, and the horns that represent kingdoms that would overtake each other in due time. Though symbolic and cryptic, the vision addresses the question, “What wiill happen in the future? Will the bad really go away?” The answer given is that it is not for us to know. Daniel receives visions from God that are detailed, but also mysterious and not fully understandable. Daniel, a faithful prophet, is left in despair for several days following this vision (9:27). This is a feeling that we often share with Daniel when the future is uncertain. What’s most clear in this vision is that things go from bad to worse! We rightly ask, “How does this help!?” The answer is that the Bible does not give us naive view of the future, similar to a placebo.

Scripture challenges us to take a realistic view of the future. The purpose of the vision in Daniel 9 is not to show him what is there, but who is there. God doesn’t reveal what will happen so that we can merely know the details of the future; God’s revelation shows us that He knows the future. We have been living in a what-will-happen state for most of 2020. We continually question what will happen in the coming months and years. But the message for us is this: Are we trusting God to make His plans happen, or are we trusting God to make our plans happen? Let us take hold of the realistic view and trust in God’s plan rather than our own. As Jesus reminds us, “what I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand (Jn 13:7).

2. How Long? - Pace

As the vision of the battle is described, a pertinent question is asked by a heavenly observer. “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled?” (9:13). We are likely asking the same question: how long? The answer God provides here (8:14) is: not forever. Sin, evil and suffering will not last forever. But we would do well to remember that God’s pace is different than our own. This answer does not invalidate our feelings. Observe how this question is repeated throughout the Scriptures.

• My whole being is shaken - how long, O Lord? (Ps 6:3)

• How long Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will I store up anxious concerns within me? (Ps 13:1-2)

• How long Lord? Will you hide forever? (Ps 89:46)

• How long, Lord, must I call for help and you do not listen or cry out to you about violence and you do not save? (Hab 1:2)

Even though Daniel receives a direct answer, “2,300 evenings and mornings” (9:14), it is not automatically comforting. Difficult times still feel long. We ought to take comfort in the fact that it will not last forever and that during this time, we can mature in faith, hope, and love. Our cries of “How long?” are echoed in heaven and draw us into God’s promise that He has set a limit on sin and evil. Instead of looking for the exact timing on the “timer”, we should look to the God who sets it

3. How will God Prevail? - Power

God gave Daniel a vision of a terrible future. Think about the implications of it. Daniel and the Israelites were already in a bad situation; they were exiled to Babylon. This vision concerns other nations and kings that would arise and bring more chaos and destruction. It looked as if things would go from bad to worse. So what is the point of the vision? God wants to prepare us for even the worst that the future can bring. One small verse in this terrible news for Daniel gives us hope –“Yet he will be broken - Not by human hands (9:25)”. All human attempts to become God or stand against him will not only be stopped; they will be broken. These efforts are no match for God’s power. 

That brings us to two very important questions: when the future is uncertain, how will God prevail, and how will we persevere? Not by human hands. This is the toughest answer of all, but the most hopeful of all. Daniel understood this answer, which contributed to his breakdown and despair (9:27). To live with hope for an uncertain future, we must be broken too. The answer targets the very things we cling to so often - self-reliance, individual strength, and our own fortitude. The reality is that if this answer doesn’t break us, then we don’t really understand grace. 

The answer shows us how to apply the doctrine of grace to our uncertain futures. The Scriptures are replete with examples of how our salvation and everything we have in Jesus Christ is a result of grace, not by works. Here’s how this applies to our futures = We do not work for and earn the future we want from God; rather, we are given the future God wants for us as a gift. There is nothing we can do with human hands to change the love He has for us in Jesus Christ. If this is true our future is filled with his grace, love and favor for us – no matter what! When we let go of trying to earn the future we want from God, we are broken by grace and unbreakable in life. 

The grace of God leads us not to passivity, but it frees us to trust in God with the future and to do what he calls us to do. After Daniel was worn out and exhausted for several days after this vision, what did he do? He got up and went about the king’s business (9:27). It is ok to feel despair and even to be immobile at times. We must process this in our own time and seek to renew our trust in God that we might be lifted up and resume our work. Let us not be defined by despair and brokenness, but let us rise up and attend to the king’s business.

REFLECT OR DISCUSS

1. What about the message is most relevant to you today? What questions did it raise for you? What is most challenging for you about the uncertainty of the future in our current time of difficulty? What are you looking to for hope for your future?

2. What is the difference between a naive view of the future (ie “look for silver lining”, “it will be ok!”) and a realistic view of the future according to Scripture? Why is this important to keep in mind?

3. It was asked in the sermon, “Are we trusting God to make His plans happen in our lives, or are we trusting God to make our plans happen for our lives?” What’s the difference? How have you experienced this dynamic at work in your life.

4. Observe some of the “how long?” verses listed above. What do these declarations teach us about how we can and should pray in hard times? Do you pray or have you prayed like this? If so, what impact has it had on you? If not, why not?

5. Daniel 9:27 is good news tucked into this vision of a hard future. This statement teaches us to apply to doctrine of grace to our futures. We could summarize it like this - We do not work for and earn the future we want from God; rather, we are given the future God wants for us as a gift. How do you find yourself trying to build or earn the future you want from God (with your human hands)? What might it look like to trust God for the future He wants to give you as a gift of grace?

6. Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-9. What does this passage teach us about how to be “unbreakable” in life? How is God calling you to go about the King’s business as you trust him for your future?

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Daniel #8 - The Son of Man (Nov 1, 2020)

Daniel 7:1-28

Introduction: We are continuing our series in Daniel to learn from his example of exile in Babylon and understand how it can be significant for us today. As we begin to navigate the latter half of the book of Daniel we will consider several visions. These visions are apocalyptic in nature and not always easy to understand, but they can teach us a great deal about God and his sovereignty. We can learn, alongside Daniel, that visions from God can give us a clearer perspective of the world around us and why we can always place our hope in Him.

What is Apocalyptic Literature?
The book of Daniel is divided into two clear parts. Chapters 1-6 are the stories of Daniel and his friends living faithfully in exile. Chapters 7-12 make up the visions of Daniel. Daniel wrote down and preserved his strange visions, most of which left him confused, terrified, and disturbed. These strange visions are what scholars call apocalyptic literature. When we hear the word apocalyptic, we typically think of chaos, destruction, and despair related to some sort of end-of-the-world scenario. However, this is not the main focus of apocalyptic literature in the Bible. The main focus of apocalyptic literature is on God’s present and future rule over history. There are two important things we need to know about apocalyptic literature to interpret it correctly:

1) Apocalypse means “a revealing” or “unveiling”. These parts of the Bible pull back the curtain between heaven and earth to uncover things that are hidden to us. The book of Revelation is called “Revelation” because that is the translation of its Greek title “Apocalypse”.
2) Apocalyptic literature is about the revealing of God and his hidden work in the midst of chaos, disorder, and confusion. The Bible’s apocalyptic visions come from times when it was darkest and hardest for God’s people to see any sign of hope. This is the case for the visions in Daniel, when God’s people were in exile. These difficult visions are meant to give us hope by showing us how to look beyond the chaos, disorder, and confusion of our world to God and the certainty of his purpose. Let’s turn to Daniel chapter 7 and consider some important characteristics about this vision.

1.  A Realistic Vision | Daniel spoke about a vision that gave him great distress and terror. He saw four huge beasts coming up from the sea – a lion with eagles wings, a bear with 3 ribs in his mouth, a 4-headed winged leopard and a monstrous beastly thing with iron teeth. Alongside these beasts was a little horn with eyes and a mouth that is speaking (Dan 7:3-8). This is certainly confusing, and we are not at fault to inquire what it means. Daniel provides some insight when he asks this very question and is told that it relates to four kings (Dan 7:15-17). Instead of immediately trying to discern who the kings represent, it is important to interpret the vision in its context. The interpretation given to Daniel reveals that these beasts symbolize kingdoms that have life and expression from Daniel’s day until the day the Son of Man reigns fully and forever. In other words, this vision gives us a way to see the whole of human history.

Using the symbolic number four, it also points us backward to chapter 2 where Nebuchadnezzar had a dream of a statue that also had four parts related to human kingdoms. Daniel 7 gives us a very different vision of these same kingdoms. In chapter 2, the vision was of impressive, strong, and glorious kingdoms, and in chapter 7 we see them portrayed as beastly, terrifying, and violent. Which one is true? The answer is: both!

Should we be optimistic or pessimistic about earthly kingdoms, politics, and history? Neither. We should be realistic.

The Bible does not give us a purely pessimistic view of human history. We can misinterpret this vision if we only see it on its own. “Everything is evil and corrupt!” Not so. God’s common grace resides even in the most unlikely places, even Babylon. This is one of the shocking messages of Daniel. Yet…

The Bible does not give us a purely optimistic account of human history. This misinterpretation would say: Just obey God, be a good citizen, and you will be healthy, wealthy, and free from trouble. Not so. Daniel was one of the most obedient and faithful prophets in the Bible, yet he was exiled, forced into service, and nearly executed. 

The Bible gives us a realistic vision of human history. We need to see things how they really are: the good potential of kingdoms, and their beastly nature impacted by sin. These elements will be at work in ALL human kingdoms and systems of government. Daniel 7 opens our eyes to the beastly potential in human kingdoms. This means we must not assume that if we elect a certain leader, or change certain laws, then everything will be happy and grand. We also should not assume that all hope is lost, and we are to flee and withdraw from all human kingdoms. God is at work in our world, even when at its most “beastly” and we must look to him to realign our vision.

2. A Hopeful Vision | The vision in Daniel 7 gives does more than help us see realistically. It gives us a hopeful vision in the face of chaotic situations around us. Let us not forget that alongside the vision of the beasts, there is a vision of a heavenly realm with thrones. Here we see the Ancient of Days seated on a throne, and a Son of Man given dominion (Dan 7:9-14). We are seeing two visions occur simultaneously in this passage and that is important because at the same time that the beastly kingdoms roar, the King of the heavenly kingdom reigns. 

The Ancient of Days takes his seat upon a throne - a picture of God’s eternality, immutability, power, and sovereignty. God is sitting on the throne not only in sovereignty and power, also in judgment. The vision assures us that all wrongs will be accounted for and made right. No human kingdom can promise this.

But the Ancient of Days is not alone, there is another - a Son of Man. In this vision, the Son of Man confers with the Ancient of Days, destroys the beasts and rules forever in a glorious kingdom (Dan 7:13-14). Who is this Son of Man, and how does he come?

• Who is this Son of Man that comes? - He is clearly a human figure, but with divine power and glory. It is not a coincidence that Jesus’ favorite designation of himself is the Son of Man. In fact, the High Priest tore his robes when he heard this because he knew to whom Jesus was referring (Mt 26:64-65). The Son of Man receives glory, power, and honor that belongs to God alone. What we see in Jesus claiming to be the Son of Man is that he is both God and man. Daniel’s vision highlights a dramatic irony. Humanity uses the freedom given by God to try and become God, and in doing so we become beasts. On the contrary, the gospel is that God uses his sovereignty to become man and in doing so re-humanizes us. 

• How does the Son of Man come? - In direct contrast to the suffering and terror that the beasts inflict, the Son of Man comes in humility. Jesus claims that he came “not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk 10:45). He came not with the power of force, but with the power of service, suffering, and sacrificial love. This is a message of hope because God understands what it is like to live among the beasts, yet without sin. In Daniel, we see a glimpse of this Son of Man and he is certainly worthy of glory, honor, power, and dominion because he comes not out of the sea like a beast, but down from heaven as a servant. The Son of Man is our only hope in world of beastly kingdoms. 

3. A Proleptic Vision | We all know the familiar stress of watching an event (like a sporting event or an election) without knowing the outcome. If you are emotionally invested at all it can often reach a point at which you don’t even enjoy it! Thankfully, we do not have to live this way as a Christian. Not only does Daniel give us a realistic vision and a hopeful vision, he also gives us a proleptic vision. What does this mean? Proleptic vision is when a future act or development is represented as if already accomplished or existing. That’s what this vision is!

Daniel’s vision was a powerful message about God for all generations in human history. The Ancient of Days reigns on His throne, and the Son of Man is guaranteed dominion and glory in the face of beasts. This is the Gospel - Jesus, the Son of Man, is reigning now and will one day reign fully and forever in his kingdom of people from every tribe, nation, and tongue. 

As a Christian today, it is all too easy to get swallowed up in the chaos and disruption of our time. Whether it is a health crisis, a political class war, or an economic downturn, Jesus is our proleptic King. If you feel weary, remember that it won’t last forever. Christians don’t live for the future, we live from the future. We live from the future by seeing the time we live in for what it really is: light momentary afflictions preparing for us an incomparable and eternal weight of glory. To live from the future is not an escapist hope. The vision of Daniel is not only about how God will save individual souls from beastly kingdoms of this world, it is about how God will restore his rule and kingdom over this world. This vision gives us a deeply personal hope, but one that overflows into a public (political) hope. With this hope in the proleptic victory of Christ, we are free from fear and free to love others in light of how God has loved us.

REFLECT OR DISCUSS

1. What about the message is most relevant to you today? What questions did it raise for you?

2. What is your prior understanding of apocalyptic literature? Does it cause you concern, fear, or confusion? How do you view this genre in the context of the Bible?

3. In what ways are you challenged to have a realistic vision about the world around you? Are you generally more optimistic or pessimistic? Do you feel the desire to consider the opposing perspective in the challenge to be realistic? 

4. Read Ephesians 6:10-20. What are some examples of systemic or spiritual evil you have witnessed in your life? How does God command you to take your stand against evil that exists around you and sometimes shows up in your heart?

5. How does the second part of Daniel’s vision make it a hopeful vision? What resonates with you the most? Does it give you encouragement?

6. Read Mark 10:35-45. What qualities does Jesus manifest as the Son of Man? How is this different than the rulers of earthly kingdoms?

7. What does it mean to live from the future as a Christian? How does this challenge your perspective of the chaotic situations we have experienced as a country this year?

8. Read Daniel 7:28. What about this statement from Daniel resonates with you? What does it mean to keep this matter in your heart?.

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Daniel #7 - The Lions' Den (Oct 25, 2020)

Daniel 6:1-28

Introduction: We are continuing our series in Daniel to learn from his example of exile in Babylon and how it can serve as a model for us today. After King Nebuchadnezzar conquered and ransacked Jerusalem, Daniel was taken away from his home and brought into a strange land. The Bible, in fact, teaches that every person is an exile – when Adam and Eve chose independence from God, humanity was exiled from Eden, away from the presence of God and life as he created it to be. The Bible also teaches that to be a Christian is to be an exile; to be a citizen of the kingdom of Jesus means that we are never fully home in any earthly kingdom, nation or place. The story of the Lions’ Den raises and answers 3 questions about life in exile to guide us in remaining faithful to God - no matter what - and helping us to remember that God will be faithful to us, even in most challenging and terrifying of circumstances.

1. What’s the Real Threat? 

That’s easy – the hungry, ferocious creature with huge, sharp teeth and claws! But notice how the story doesn’t emphasize any particular fear of the lions on the part of Daniel? On the other hand, King Darius – the one who made (or ultimately agreed to) the decree – is a mess.  He spent the night fasting, unable to sleep, while Daniel is calm and composed throughout. This sounds incredible, but Daniel was able to identify the real threat – and once he dealt with this, he was able to handle the lesser (though very real!) threat of the lions’ den.

The real threat was not about losing his life in the lion’s den; it was that he might lose his trust in God because of the lion’s den. Here at 80+ years old, Daniel was faced again with what the Bible presents as the greatest threat to a human being: to trust anything other than God with our lives, security and destiny. That is the greatest danger and threat; the bible tells us all sin stems from unbelief, not trusting God to be who He is and do what he said he will do.

Throughout his life in exile, Daniel faced this threat: do I trust and obey God when it is safe and comfortable and makes sense to me? OR do I trust and obey God - period, no matter what?  This question is of central importance at all times but especially important in seasons of exile. When we face challenges, disruption and trials, can we identify the real threat?

2. How Should We Respond?

Daniel saw the real threat. So what was his response? v10 says he did “just as he had done before”. Daniel acted like nothing changed! When a new ruler, a new kingdom, a new threat and vicious attack were directed at him, Daniel went to his house to pray, with windows open to Jerusalem, down on his knees, praying and giving thanks to God – as he always had.

The story is very careful to make sure we know that Daniel didn’t pray because of the decree that would put his very life in danger. He prayed because that is what he always did. Prayer was what trained him to see the real threats to his faith and how to handle them – calmly.

Thus, this is not a case for SOS/emergency prayer (although God certainly hears those too!) but rather a case for regular, habitual, everyday prayer as the most powerful response to threats we know and threats that we don’t know about yet. What does a rhythm of prayer like this accomplish?

• ·It puts us back in our place – a seemingly small detail is that Daniel got down on his knees; but as CS Lewis wrote, the body ought to pray as the soul. Another commentator said: “[Kneeling] reminds you of your true position. It’s as if you say, ‘I am a servant. He is the King. I do not live in a democracy but under a monarchy… I am always a beggar at the throne of grace, and though it a throne of grace, I never forget it is a throne’”. Remember that Daniel was already a very powerful man in the Persian government, but he knew his place before the Almighty God.

• It puts everything else back into place – literally the entire government has lined up against Daniel – and his response is to pray. Which is proven more powerful in the end? An important learning from this is that prayer is political. The very act of true prayer is politically subversive because by kneeling before God as King you are saying NOTHING has more authority/power than God and his law. And yet, which side was doing more good to their country and its people?Let this be a reminder that our goal is not to defeat an opponent or win a culture war, but rather – by our lives, words and actions – to follow and bear witness to our true King and his kingdom.

3. What Result Can We Expect?

So when we respond to threats by trusting in God, what result can we expect?  The story of the Lions’ Den tells us: God will overrule all threats and evil intentions to rescue all who trust in Him. But this does NOT mean:

• If we are faithful, trust and obey Him, God won’t allow us to face the lions’ den

• If we are faithful, trust and obey Him, God won’t let us go into the lions’ den

• If we are faithful, trust and obey Him, God must deliver us from the lion’s den

In Daniel’s case, God’s rescue comes in and through the lions’ den – Daniel had to enter, and God brought him out and accomplished his will through this trial. God promises us that he will stand with us and never desert us. He will overrule even death itself for the one who trusts in Him. Don’t be afraid of the lion’s mouth. The worst that can happen is that we would be safely brought into his heavenly kingdom. (see 2 Tim. 4:16-18).

The person who believes this will be bold and calm, no matter how serious the threat may seem. In order to have this kind of bold, calm trust – we have to see that Daniel points us to an even greater Daniel who faced an even greater threat. Like Daniel, Jesus was innocent of any and all charges yet framed by the jealous leaders of his day, arrested while on his knees in prayer, pronounced guilty even though innocent, put in a tomb cut out of rock and sealed away.  But unlike Daniel, who escaped unscathed, Jesus was whipped, beaten, nailed to a cross, suffered and died. When the stone was rolled over his tomb, He was dead. But on the first light of the 3rd day – he rose in an even greater triumph and vindication than Daniel.

If Jesus is alive, then for the one who trusts Him and boldly obeys him, death is not to be feared. If Jesus is alive and risen, you are loved by the sovereign king of the universe, and nothing is more powerful than this sovereign God who loves you; even death is not the end. This means no matter what threat we are facing – you can trust in Jesus. He promises to overrule all threats and evil against us and work it for our ultimate good.

REFLECT OR DISCUSS

1. What about the message is most relevant to you today? What questions did it raise?

2. What do you see as the greatest threat in your life right now? Why? How might this story help you reframe this threat in light of the greater threat to trust something other than God for your rescue, security and destiny? What are you tempted to trust in other than God to deal with this threat?

3. What is your reaction to Daniel’s response to the threat he faced – to continue his practice of everyday regular kneeling prayer? How would this help him face the terrifying threat of death in a lions den? How might this practice help you face your threats?

4. What is your current practice of prayer? How can you take steps toward a more regular rhythm of prayer? How can other people help make this happen?

5. Read Psalm 22 and look for the references to the lion’s mouth. This Psalm was the Psalm in Jesus’ heart and on his lips as he was dying. What difference does it make when we believe Jesus went into the greater Lion’s mouth of the cross for us? What difference does it make as we face threats to know he was victorious over death and is alive? \

6. Below are the two results we can expect from the person who trusts in Jesus no matter what threat they are facing. Which do you most need right now?

   • Uncompromising boldness: If Jesus gave it all for me, I can be bold and risk it all for Him. When I do, he will be with me. Like Daniel in the den, I will never be alone.

   • Unflinching calm: Since Jesus is alive, I don’t need to rely on human wisdom, power and strength. Nothing is stronger than the power of quiet faithfulness to God. As Daniel faced the lions calmly on his knees, I can calmly trust God no matter what.

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Daniel #6 - The Writing on the Wall (Oct 18, 2020)

Daniel 5:1-30

Introduction: We are continuing our series in Daniel to learn from his example of exile in Babylon and understand how it can be significant for us today. After King Nebuchadnezzar conquered and ransacked Jerusalem, life as normal was gone for Daniel. He couldn’t worship at the temple. He was taken captive to Babylon, and he was called to serve in a tense political and cultural climate. In exile, Daniel had to wrestle with core questions of faith like never before. There is a profound application for our lives as we are also living in a kind of exile: a post-Christian, politically toxic, painfully divided, pandemic-centered world, where everything has changed. The hopeful truth we can learn from Daniel is that his life in exile shaped his faith and character for the better. Even when the future seems unclear, God is still in control, and He calls us to humble ourselves and draw near to Him.

A Tale of Two Kings | A contrast between two kings set the tone for God’s final judgment on Babylon as witnessed by Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar had built Babylon into a great empire. He was a conqueror, a strong ruler, and a terror to anyone who opposed him. King Belshazzar was the opposite: a partier and a drunkard who built nothing. He held a feast and desecrated gold and silver vessels originally taken from the temple in Jerusalem to commemorate his idols. Nebuchadnezzar had eventually humbled himself before God, but Belshazzar refused to do the same even though he knew of God’s sovereignty. The writing on the wall, interpreted by Daniel, is a stark reminder of what will come of those who do not humble themselves before an almighty God. After Daniel interpreted the message, King Belshazzar was killed, and his kingdom was divided and given into the hands of the Medes. At the movement of a finger, the great kingdom of Babylon was no more.

1. A Comedy 

The story of King Belshazzar is one of comedy. The circumstances of his fear and his mother’s consolation of him are certainly comedic, but what is more laughable is when earthly rulers lift themselves up to the place of God. Our proud claims, attempts at glory, and illusions of power are laughable to God. God is characteristically opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble (Ps 2:4, Jam 4:6). We must not take this to mean that all human affairs are so far beneath Him that He does not consider us and our suffering. God always wants to reorient us to Himself, and He does so in a variety of ways. The writing on the wall can help us clear up our thinking, take a lighter stance toward our circumstances, and redirect us to what is most important. Consider today. If God is real and Jesus is at His right hand, then anyone who acts like this isn’t true, especially politicians and leaders, are themselves part of a comedy. The writing is on the wall for every human kingdom, every Tower of Babel, and every Babylon, so let us not join in Belshazzar’s feast!

2. A Tragedy

The story of King Belshazzar is one of tragedy. It is about what happens when a person does not humble their heart before God. The writing is on the wall for all human pride. The tragedy is when we know this but don’t humble our hearts

1. The Tragedy of Prideful Knowledge - King Belshazzar did not humble himself even though he “knew” about God and what had happened with Nebuchadnezzar before him (5:22). King Belshazzar did not allow his head knowledge to impact his heart. Knowledge alone won’t change us until we humble our hearts. Daniel’s words to Belshazzar are equally true for us: “But you have not glorified the God who holds your life-breath in his hand and who controls the whole course of your life” (5:23). The writing on the wall is not just for someone else. It is for us, and our hearts must embrace it.

2. The Tragedy of Distraction - King Belshazzar was feasting when he should have been mourning and grieving his sin. We know that Belshazzar did not humble his heart before God, but a good question is: how do we humble our heartsw? The book of James helps us here: The gap between the head and the heart is the gap of grieving. James reminds us that humbling ourselves is mourning, and drawing near to God is grieving (Jam 4:7-10). He is not saying to live in perpetual gloom but to mourn and grieve when necessary. Let us not forget that even in a pandemic, it is possible to feast and miss the writing on the wall. Anything we build apart from God in pride is opposed by God and will fall

3. A Victory

The story of King Belshazzar is not merely a comedy about when people try to play God, nor a tragedy of living in pride, but also a victory for the kingdom of God. When God seemed most absent and weak, mocked by Belshazzar’s idolatrous feast, He was working out a victory that no one in Babylon could stop. God took out Babylon by the movement of a finger, and it points to something much greater: God is always in control. The writing is on the wall for all sin, all idolatry, all injustice, evil, and even death itself.

Even though the future is often unclear, and everything can seem like a fog around us, this story tells us that some things remain clear and apparent. The writing is on the wall for all human pride and arrogance. God’s kingdom has come to us in Jesus Christ. God is in control, and He is working things together for good. Just when it seemed like God was absent and mocked, He was working a victory over Babylon that would bring down the prideful kingdom forever. When Jesus was being mocked and ridiculed on the cross, he was bringing an end to all sin, suffering and death. He was opening up his kingdom to the humble. In Jesus, we have something better than a finger writing on a wall to remind us. His victory over sin, evil and human pride, assure us that, even when we can’t see it – He is at work and will never forsake the humble who take refuge in Him.

REFLECT OR DISCUSS

1. What about the message is most relevant to you today? What encouraged you? Challenged you?

2. Have you ever experienced a time in life in which the “writing was on the wall”? How did your realization impact your behavior?

3. Read Psalm 2. How does God’s laughter help us return to reason?

4. Can you think of any other biblical examples in which a character’s pride gets in the way of their relationship with God? What are ways in which your pride gets in the way of your relationship with God?

5. Which tragedy - prideful knowledge or distraction - is most relevant to you? Have you ever acted like Belshazzar? How? How did it turn out?

6. Read James 4:7-10. What about this passage challenges you as you humble yourself and “draw near to God?” What place does morning and grieving have in humbling our hearts and keeping us from pride? What are ways we can learn to lament and mourn over all the challenges we are facing currently?

7. How could God be working in your life today to remind you of your victory in Christ? Is there some head knowledge that has yet to sink into your heart?

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Daniel #5 - The One in Charge (Oct 11, 2020)

Daniel 4:1-37

Introduction: We are continuing our series in Daniel to learn from his example of exile in Babylon and understand how it can be significant for us today. After King Nebuchadnezzar conquered and ransacked Jerusalem, life as normal was gone for Daniel – he couldn’t worship at the temple, he was taken captive to Babylon; he was called to live (and serve!) in a political and cultural climate that put immense pressure on him to fear or compromise. In exile, Daniel had to wrestle with core questions of faith like he never had before. There is profound application for our lives as we are also living in a kind of exile: a post-Christian, politically toxic, painfully divided, pandemic-centered world, where everything has changed. But the hopeful truth about Daniel is that his life in exile formed his faith and character in a way that would not have happened had life remained “normal” for him. Daniel was written to give us hope that this can be true of us too.

The Deep Question | When we are living through hard times, trials, a pandemic, or political upheaval (or all of the above), there is a question underneath all the other questions, a question underneath all our fears, anxieties and anger: Who’s in charge? Are political leaders in charge? Scientists? The pandemic itself? Am I in charge? What about my personal rights, my desires, my fears? Or is a good, wise and loving God still in control and at work? This passage was written to show us the power of knowing in the core of our hearts that God is in control – even when it doesn’t seem like it to us.

1. Who’s in Charge? 

Nebuchadnezzar was one of the most powerful rulers in history – and he knew it (v4). But he experiences yet another dream that eludes his wise men and greatly frightens him. Only Daniel is able to provide the explanation that he seeks.  In this dream, a giant and splendid tree – which in the Ancient Near East was a common symbol for a great kingdom – is chopped down by an order from heaven.  But why?

v17 tells us: This is so that the living will know that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and give[s] it to anyone he wants and sets the lowliest of people over it. In other words, to show Nebuchadnezzar (and everyone else) who is in charge. The purpose of the dream is to inform those who think 1) ‘I am in charge’ that God is in charge – not you. 2) ‘Those with power and influence over my life are in charge’ that God is in charge – not them; God rules over all.

Although it looks like Nebuchadnezzar has the upper hand on Daniel and the Jewish people, this is not the case. God is Most High! God can reduce the mightiest ruler to a beast – crawling around and eating grass. God is saying ‘don’t be afraid of Nebuchadnezzar; don’t live in anxiety as if your life depended on political powers, cultural forces, or personal challenges… I am Most High. I am in charge’.  This is a truth we need to believe deeply into our core. But did Nebuchadnezzar himself learn it?  And how do we do it today?

2. How We Learn Who’s in Charge

If we’re being honest, the interpretation (and solution) to the dream is fairly obvious. But how did Nebuchadnezzar miss it? He was simply too prideful to admit that he wasn’t actually in charge. He only learned the truth when he was chopped down; humbled like a wild beast. Most of the time, that is truly the only way for us let go of our pride: to have it completely and utterly taken away – or, in other words, have our tree chopped down.

But Nebuchadnezzar had a chance – Daniel advised (and perhaps even desired?) that he humble himself before God. Of course, the Bible tells us that Nebuchadnezzar did not take this advice. But what might be the most humbling thing of all is the great lengths to which we will go in order to avoid humility (particularly in times of comfort or success), even when we intellectually understand the truth.  Our hope is the great lengths that God will go in order to teach us who is in charge – not because He is hating us, but because He loves us and wants to save us from ourselves.

The best thing that can happen to us is whatever it takes for us to realize that God is in charge. Nebuchadnezzar was looking down on high from his palace. He then suddenly found himself in the grass looking down (humbled). But in v34 we see how he finally learned - “I looked up to heaven and my sanity was restored”.

• Humility in the Bible is not learned by looking down on ourselves; that is another form of self-obsession. True humility is learned by looking up – to heaven.

The gospel is that the Most High King humbled himself to save us. He didn’t just humble himself to experience what man experienced, to come down to walk on the earth and feel the grass between his toes; He went down much further than that. Far more shocking, more unbelievable than a man becoming a beast, is God becoming a man to die. It’s the only way anyone could be saved. This is the most humbling message of all – in our sin we can do nothing to save itself, God must do everything. In his love, seeing we can do nothing, Jesus willingly humbled himself for us.

3. What Happens When We Learn This

Did Nebuchadnezzar truly learn humility? Archaeologists have found inscriptions on buildings where he claimed to be a just, meek and humble man. While we may never get an answer about Nebuchadnezzar, but from this story, we can see what happens to the person who truly learns humility.

1. (The end of) Vanity: We are no longer the center of the world; rather the focus is on God and others. ‘True humility does not know that it is humble. If it did, it would be proud from the contemplation of so fine a virtue.’  

2. Sanity: If God is indeed Most High, then pride in ourselves is the greatest insanity – that is, thinking that we are in charge, or living as if any other human being or leader has control of the outcome. Sanity in this sense leads to praying (as we were meant to) that God will give us whatever will teach us humility.

3. Humanity: Humility humanizes us. Humble people humanize others. Pride separates and dehumanizes. So much in our culture today can only be described as savage – physical attacks, demeaning and degrading words, violence – pride makes us beasts not human beings.

 Christianity as a belief system, when understood and lived correctly, is more humbling than any other BUT IS ALSO more humanizing than any other belief system.  The logical end of secularism concludes that we are merely the most accomplished of beasts, while other religious-based belief systems feed human pride based on our personal piety and good works (the good are in, the bad are out; the moral are above the immoral). The Gospel, though, says that the humble are in and the proud are out. Everyone is in equal need of Jesus. To be a Christian is to believe that our only hope in life is that the Most High God humbled himself to save us. A lack of humility in a sinner saved by grace is a slap in the face of the Most High God – the one who is in charge who humbled himself to save us.

REFLECT OR DISCUSS

1. What about the message is most relevant to you today? What encouraged you? Challenged you?

2. Do you agree that the question underneath our anxiety, fear and anger in troubling times is the question “Who’s in charge?” Why or why not?

3. What difference would it have made for the Jewish exile to know that Nebuchadnezzar wasn’t really in charge over them? What difference would it make for you to believe that God is in charge over your most challenging circumstance right now? How can we remember God is in charge when it seems like other things are ruling over our lives?

4. How did Nebuchadnezzar learn that he wasn’t in charge? Why do most of us have to be “chopped down” in order to finally look up to God in humility.

5. How does the gospel humble us more than any other belief system? How does the gospel humanize us more than any other belief system?

6. How can humility help with our sanity, our mental health, in such challenging times?

7. Where are you most struggling with pride? How is this affecting your life and relationships? What might a step toward humility look like for you?

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