The Source of True Wisdom
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in American history, forever known as 9/11...
Where were you?
What do you remember about that day? About the following week?
A question I’ve been thinking about a lot over the past week has been: “Are we as a country in a better place today than on that horrific morning, twenty years ago?”
As I look at the current state of our country it’s hard for me to believe that we are. In fact, in 9/11 we focused a lot of our attention on the enemies we had from other countries, not really understanding that it was the enemies within who would do far more damage to the country than those outside the country.
In fact, today we have many people on television and even in the government who would have us believe that January 6th was worse, that America is to blame for 9/11, or that because of the sins of the past we deserved what happened that day.
In many ways, it would be understandable if one believed that wickedness had actually won.
Bearing this in mind, last week we began a study that will take us through the book of Daniel.
The name of this series is God Is In Control, because that will be the constant reminder throughout this book, and something we as believers must always remember, regardless of the wickedness around us.
Last week we saw that because God is in control, we must respond with faithfulness in following His pathways and receiving His provision.
This morning we will see that part of Him being in control means that He is the source of all true wisdom.
Learning this, we will see how we should respond to Him if we want to be wise too.
There is a lot of reading in this passage, and I want to read it all, stopping at times to comment or clarify parts.
I want to challenge you to try to imagine that you are in the king’s court, watching as all of this is taking place...
Body
Body
The Troubling Dream (vv. 1-4)
The king has a dream that he doesn’t understand...
Shakespeare’s Henry IV: “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.”
He calls all the wise men of Babylon to help interpret the dream (except Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael & Aziariah).
The wise men of Babylon agree to help. But, as we will see, there is more to the story.
The Impossible Demand (vv. 5-11)
The king doesn’t simply want them to interpret the dream, he wants them to tell him the dream. Why would he do that?
I believe he is testing them. He doesn’t trust them, for whatever reason, and he wants them to prove themselves.
If they can’t prove themselves, he will not only have them killed, but their families as well.
And their homes will be destroyed and turned into a garbage dump.
Can you imagine what it would be like to have nutty leaders who threatened their own people?
The wise men of Babylon plead with Nebuchadnezzar, making the point that no one on earth can do what the king is asking.
And for once, they are actually right. No man, by his own power, could do such a thing.
The Death Sentence (vv. 12-16)
The king is so furious because of the wise men’s inability to meet his demands, that he orders all of them be killed, including Daniel and his companions.
In fact, it’s likely that Daniel was first on the kill list. Why? Who knows. But, God would use this, none-the-less.
When the captain of the king’s guard comes looking for them, Daniel asks what’s going on.
In an incredible show of faith, he asks for an audience with the king…even though God hasn’t yet told him the dream or the interpretation!
Daniel knows that God has always been faithful to His faithful ones, and He wouldn’t let Daniel or his friends down now.
Prayer Requested (vv. 17-18)
When adversity arises, Daniel does what a man of God ought to do: holds a prayer meeting!
Seeking the Lord in prayer should always be our first and best response to adversity...
Praise Rendered (vv. 19-23)
God responds to their prayers and reveals the dream and it’s interpretation to Daniel.
Does God still speak through dreams?
Daniels next response is to give God the praise for answered prayer.
Three parts to Daniel’s praise song:
Praise and adoration for God’s wisdom and power.
Praise and adoration for God’s sovereignty.
Praise and adoration for the wisdom and power God has given him personally.
These are great reasons to praise God in our own lives!
Audience Received (vv. 24-30)
Interesting note: Daniel not only intercedes on his behalf and the behalf of his friends, but on the behalf of unworthy wise men of Babylon.
Passion for God should lead to compassion for others!
Daniel says he can both tell and interpret the dream, however, not by his own strength but by the True God.
Daniel makes in crystal clear that God is in control.
Verses 31-49
The Dream (vv. 31-35)
The king saw a statue:
Head of gold
Arms and chest of silver
Stomach and thighs of bronze
Legs of iron
Feet of iron and clay mixed
Then a giant stone, not made from human hands, crushes the feet and the entire statue crumbles. But the stone becomes a great mountain.
This means that Nebuchadnezzar was intelligent enough to realize that this dream didn’t bode well for him…he just didn’t know how so.
The Interpretation (vv. 36-45)
To begin, let’s try to understand it as Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar would understand it:
The great nation of Babylon is the golden head, the crown jewel of the ancient world.
Another kingdom coming after, but inferior is the silver.
Then another kingdom after that is the bronze sections.
The next kingdom is represented by iron, then iron mixed with clay.
In almost all of these, the kingdom that came before was more glorious, but the new kingdom was more powerful. (Except the iron mixed with clay.)
But, a stone would crush them all, turning them into nothing.
This would become a mountain that would truly be the greatest of all kingdoms.
Now, historically, which kingdoms are these?
There is some disagreement, but I’ll share the most popular:
The silver represents the Medo-Persia Empire, followed by the bronze for the Greek Empire.
The iron legs are another kingdom that crushes all, likely Rome.
The challenge comes with the iron mixed with clay...things get messy…
Some say this is the divided or even revived Roman Empire, which Christ will ultimately overcome in the last times.
I disagree.
Every element wasn’t intended to be parsed like that. That comes from people trying to fit it into their eschatology, not allowing Scripture to speak for itself.
The point is: This nation will not be as strong as it appears (notice the metals decrease in value, but increase in strength).
It will ultimately be overcome by the stone and the mountain.
The important aspect is not the feet of clay, but the stone and the mountain that follows.
We should quickly be able to identify the stone…it’s the same one the builders rejected! Christ Jesus himself.
And the mountain is his church…and the kingdoms of the earth will never overcome his church!
Isn’t that great to know?
The Response (vv. 46-49)
Daniel and his friends are promoted because of Daniel’s ability to tell the king his dream…but really because God brought it about by revealing the dream and it’s interpretation to Daniel.
Verse 29: “…and he who reveals mysteries...”
But, of course, Nebuchadnezzar misses the point, giving glory to Daniel. And next week we will see that Nebuchadnezzar didn’t retain the lesson.
So What?
So What?
God is in control so seek His guidance.
Throughout Scripture we see wisdom exemplified not necessarily by the smartest person in the room, but the person who chooses the best and noblest end.
That person will use the most appropriate and effective means to achieve the best and noblest end.
They do this because they seek God’s guidance, not man’s.
Something we all must bear in mind: Worldly power cannot solve spiritual problems.
Many, if not most of our problems today can ultimately be attributed to spiritual problems. Spiritual problems always lead to other problems.
We must deal with our spiritual life first before we can ever hope to have anything else fall into place.
God is in control so pray to Him and give Him praise.
Daniel’s prayer is built around the idea that God was ultimately a greater power than the power of earthly kings.
Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
Those who don’t go to Him in prayer will have no reason to praise Him either.
Conversely, those who do go to Him in prayer will always have ample reason to give Him praise.
In fact, I would go so far as to say you could test that theory and see if it’s true.
God is in control so His people must be willing to be used by Him, no matter the cost.
True wisdom is knowing that no matter what station of life you are in, God has put you there to be used by Him.
If we take this approach, then we too would see incredible things in our lives!