Sunday Morning 11.6.11
jmichaelwalls
The Dream Revealed to Daniel
Daniel 2:19-30
Introduction: We saw previously how Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. It
disturbed him so much that it awakens him out of sleep. Then he demands
that his "dream team" to tell him the dream and the interpretation of the
dream. Of course these men were frauds. They only told the king what he
really wanted to hear. Now they are exposed for all to see. He is very
furious and makes an irrational decision to put all these "wise men" to
death.
Then the fearless prophet comes to the king and asks for a period of
reprieve. He grants it. Instead trying to Daniel and his three friends
trying to put their heads together, they go to the God of heaven who
knows all things. That is part of His very nature. He knows every
thought, deed, and even dreams of a man. God had given this dream to
Nebuchadnezzar. He is going to reveal part of the plan of the ages to
come to the world.
Daniel was a real man of faith. Many of the pictures that we have Daniel
in this book are that he was a man of prayer. The difference between his
prayers and the prayers of some is that he believed that God was a prayer
answering God. God always answers prayer for His children. It may be yes.
The answer may be no. Sometimes it may be wait. But He does answer
prayer. This is not going to be a lesson on prayer but it is practicality
of this book. What does Jeremiah said about our prayer answering God?
Jeremiah 33:3
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty
things, which thou knowest not."
The only time God is deaf is when our prayers are not scriptural. Only
time God does not answer is when we don�t ask. Matthew 7:7-8
"Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it
shall be opened unto you:" "For every one that asketh receiveth; and he
that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."
This is one of those tried and proven verses of scripture. I have seen
God answer and give the request of our hearts many times. But it started
with my asking.
We pick up in verse nineteen. Between the previous verse and this one,
Daniel goes home and goes to bed. Daniel shows that he is still a man of
faith. He is trusting in the Lord for the answer to their petition. He
was not worry. Worried men don�t sleep usually. They pace the floor.
Daniel is not worry. He is waiting for God to answer so he goes to bed.
Then does God answer their prayer and petition. Daniel knew both the
passage and principle of Proverbs chapter three and verses four and five.
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding." "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy
paths."
I. DANIEL�S PRAISE Vs. 19-23
A. He praised the Lord because wisdom and might is His. God knows all
things. This is called God�s omniscience. He also can make all things
known.
He is in control of all. There is nothing and no one as powerful as God
is! This is God�s omnipotence. All real power and might belongs unto the
Lord. Do you realize that Daniel is starting his praise for who God is
instead of what He did?
Matthew 28:18
"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me
in heaven and in earth."
Why is it that we don�t get wisdom from the Lord? It is usually found in
the fact that we never asked for wisdom. James 1:5-8
"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." "But let him
ask in faith, nothing wavering." "For he that wavereth is like a wave of
the sea driven with the wind and tossed." "For let not that man think
that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is
unstable in all his ways."
He praised the Lord that He is in control. The Lord alone can change the
times and the seasons. Nebuchadnezzar was not in control of the events
that had come to pass. God was in control. It was the hand of God
exercising His control. God alone is in charge of time and eternity. Man
will not stand on Mount Zion and proclaim that time is no more. Only the
Lord will do that.
He praised the Lord that He sets up kings and also removes kings. Kings
rule only at the discretion of Almighty God. Nebuchadnezzar was ruler at
that time by the hand and permission of God. God chose Nebuchadnezzar for
this time.
He praises God and thanks Him because He gives wisdom unto the wise. The
Lord shows the wise of the world that He is the source of all wisdom and
does not use conventionally means to do so. He uses the foolish of this
world to confound the wise. All the king�s "dream team" thought they were
so smart. But God showed His might in revealing the dream and the
interpretation to Daniel.
He praises the Lord not only for wisdom but also for understanding. What
is the real beginning of knowledge? Proverbs 1:7
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise
wisdom and instruction."
Until a man fears God, then he will never get real wisdom, knowledge and
understanding. He may have more college degrees than a thermometer. He is
really ignorant outside of the fear of the Lord. All his work is really
for naught for time and eternity because he never came to a saving
knowledge of Jesus Christ.
F. He praised the Lord for God revealed the secret things.
Nebuchadnezzar�s dream was basically gone. Only God could reveal it. The
"dream team" was all devil worshippers. They just could not reproduce the
dream that Nebuchadnezzar could not recall. But God gave the dream and
the interpretation to Daniel. Daniel most likely recalled that very of
scripture memorized in his youth.
Deuteronomy 29:29
"The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which
are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do
all the words of this law."
This time of praise Daniel was giving the Lord all the praise, honor,
adoration and thanksgiving to which the Lord was entitled.
G. He praised the Lord made known that was in darkness and was the light.
1st John 1:5
"This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto
you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."
God�s kingdom is one of light and Satan�s is one of darkness. God brought
this dream from the kingdom of darkness unto the kingdom of light. It was
His will to do so.
Daniel was not proud either. He thanked the Lord for revealing this to
him as he and his friends had made petition unto the Lord. He was humbled
and surrendered fully to the Lord�s will in all areas of his life
including his ego.
II. DANIEL PROCEEDS Vs. 24-25
He proceeds with compassion. It is seen in his first request to the man
who was in charge of killing the "dream team". He asks to spare the lives
of the "wise men". Daniel knew that if these men would die by this man�s
hand they would go to hell. These "wise men" were spared by the request
of Daniel. We are saved for Jesus� sake. Ephesians 4:32
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ�s sake hath forgiven you."
He proceeds with confidence in the Lord. He knew God had given him the
dream and interpretation. So why should he be confident?
III. DANIEL�S PROCLAMATION Vs. 26-30
Daniel very quickly lets the king know this important truth. It is the
key verse of this chapter. "But there is a God in heaven." He shows that
the "dream team" would have not been able to help the king but God was
going to do so through His servant, Daniel.
God was about to show part of His mighty power. He is about to show that
Nebuchadnezzar was not all that. God alone is the power of this world.
Exodus 15:6
"Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O
LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy."
What does the Lord have the power to do?
1. He has the power to save. Hebrews 7:25
"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto
God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."
2. He has the power to satisfy. Psalm 107:9
"For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with
goodness."
If alcohol could satisfy, why does a person take more than one drink? If
drugs could satisfy, why does a person take them more than once? If
chocolate could real satisfy, then why must I eat more than one piece?
Only God can satisfy completely.
3. He has the power to secure. John 10:27-29
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give
unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any
man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater
than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father�s hand."
I am glad that He is doing the holding.
Conclusion: Let�s see if we can pull this all together with some of the
practical lessons.
There is a God in heaven that knows all and controls all. He is willing
to work on the behalf of His children.
God is to be praised. This should not only for what He does for us but
also who He is.
We can stand confident in our Lord.
We should have compassion on the lost. We may be able to lead them to
Christ with our compassion.
We should and must be people of faith. Our faith is not in device or
thing but wholly leaning on His Word.
Next time, we will be looking at the dream and the interpretation of the
same. It will show the time of the Gentiles and the future.
Pastor Mike Walls
Freedom Baptist Church Smithfield, NC
http://freedombaptistchurchnc.wordpress.com/
http://iglesiabautistalibertad.wordpress.com/
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