HopeLives365

Guest (Male): When our names come up in judgment, Jesus steps forth. He says, "This man is one of mine. This woman is one of mine. I shed my blood for them. I pardoned them. I removed their guilt. This man, this woman, is one of mine."

This is HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message, a series in the book of Daniel, week four, part five. Enjoy and remember, you can always catch up with past messages and stay up to date with HopeLives365 and Pastor Mark by going to hopelives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: Welcome to our concluding study in the book of Daniel. I'm so delighted that you have joined us. We're going to take a fast trip through the entire book of Daniel. So let's pray as we do that. Father in heaven, thank you for the book of Daniel. Thank you for the fact that you are moving in our world today in the fulfillment of the prophecies that we read in Daniel. Now, as we study this book and look at it in the large picture of the book, move upon our hearts. Open our minds so we can see your word, in Christ's name, amen.

The book of Daniel is one of the two great prophetic books of the Bible. The book of Daniel and the book of Revelation are companion books that reveal God's end-time message for humanity. What does the word Daniel mean? Daniel. Anytime you see a word in the Bible, a name in the Bible that ends with EL, that has to do with Elohim or a name for God. Dan means judgment or the tribe of judges. Here in the book of Daniel, we read about the God of judgment.

Now, in the Old Testament, the judge was not necessarily the one who condemned you. You and I, when we think about going before a judge, we think about being condemned. But in the Old Testament, the judge was one that vindicated you, the one that made all things right, the one that weighed the evidence and wanted to exonerate you if possible. So the name Daniel means the God of justice and judgment, the God that will vindicate us in the great controversy, the God that will make all things right in the great controversy between good and evil, the God that sits upon his throne and rules and will triumph over the principalities and powers of hell.

Now, of all the books of the Bible that we have, there is one that Jesus said to study, and that's found in Matthew the 24th chapter. Jesus told us to study the book of Daniel. Now, Jesus also says that Daniel is a prophet. Matthew chapter 24 and verse 9 and onward. Here, Christ speaks of false Christs and false prophets. In verse 11, he speaks about lawlessness. He speaks about the gospel going to the end of the world. Then in verse 15, he makes this striking statement in Matthew 24:15.

Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, the abomination of desolation has to do with the destruction of the earthly temple by Titus and the Roman armies. And so he says, when you see that spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, whoever reads, let him understand. The Bible says that Daniel is a prophet. And it says Jesus said, read and understand Daniel. So the understanding of the book of Daniel is critically important for a people that live in end time.

So let's summarize the book of Daniel. We'll go chapter by chapter and summarize the entire book. Now, there are three things about each chapter in the book of Daniel that we should notice. First, what does this chapter say about the character of God? Secondly, what does this chapter say about end events? And thirdly, what does this chapter say about our life today? In Daniel chapter 1, we begin with a defeat for the true God, but we end with a great victory for the true God.

In Daniel chapter 1, verse 1 and 2, "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god." Here in chapter 1, we begin with a defeat for the true God. There's the battle of two kings, Nebuchadnezzar and Jehoiakim. There are two cities, Babylon and Jerusalem.

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacks Jerusalem. He overthrows Jerusalem, devastates it. He takes young men captive. Why would God allow this? It seems that this is a great defeat for God. Nebuchadnezzar, a wicked king. Babylon, the center of immorality and materialism and godlessness. Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon overthrow Jehoiakim and Jerusalem. But notice something interesting. In Daniel 1, verse 2, it says the Lord gave Jehoiakim the king of Judah into Nebuchadnezzar's hand. The Lord gave. The word for Lord there is Adonai, and that very word is a word of God's permissive authority.

So God does not create evil. God does not cause evil. God does not bring heartache and disaster upon us. But sometimes God allows it to demonstrate his purposes. He is still the Lord. Now, in chapter 1, you have the Lord brought to forefront three different times. You have first, verse 2, the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into Nebuchadnezzar's hand. You have verse 9, God brings Daniel into favor. And you have verse 17 and onward. It says for these four men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in dreams. And verse 20, he's found 10 times better than all the wise men in the king's court.

So three times God is brought to bear. First, he allows Jerusalem to fall. He allows Daniel to go into captivity. Secondly, he brings Daniel into favor. And thirdly, God exalts Daniel so his wisdom is 10 times better. When God allows wickedness to prevail for a short time, he does that to demonstrate his power and glory in the part of his people. The book of Daniel chapter 1 begins with the defeat for the true God, but it ends with a great victory for the true God. Daniel and his friends become the leading scholars in the empire, and Daniel becomes the prophet in the empire interpreting the king's dreams and giving hope for the future of the world as kingdoms rise and fall. Daniel continues.

You know, there are times in our life when we go through heartache and sorrow and disappointment, and we say, "God, where are you?" And God speaks back and he says, "I'm still in control." Notice what happens when Daniel's in captivity. He's not bitter. He's not resentful. But in Daniel chapter 1, verse 8, it says Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore, he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Daniel purposed. Daniel determined. Daniel chose.

Daniel made an everlasting decision that he would be faithful to God. When we go through trial and difficulty, but make that decision to be faithful to God, God honors that and brings us out of that trial and difficulty to a place of exaltation, to a place of benefit, to a place where we thrive, not merely survive. What are the themes of Daniel chapter 1? First, God is a God that turns defeat into victory. God is a God that turns sorrow into joy. God is a God that turns what Satan does around for the benefit of his people.

Secondly, in this chapter, we find that as we go through trials and difficulties, but choose to serve God, as we purpose in our heart to serve God, God honors us. Thirdly, what does it say about end events? It says in the final analysis, when the kingdoms of this world called Babylon in the book of Revelation pass away, God's people will pass on to another kingdom, just like Daniel passed from the kingdom of Babylon to the kingdom of Medo-Persia. Kingdoms rise and fall. Kings sit on their thrones and are deposed. Wicked men rule for a short period of time.

But Daniel chapter 1 teaches us that truth forever on the scaffold, as James Russell Lowell said, wrong forever on the throne, yet that scaffold sways the future, and beyond the dim unknown stands God keeping watch over his own. Daniel chapter 2, 3, and 4 are a unit. In Daniel chapter 2, God is revealed as the true prophet. In Daniel chapter 3, he's revealed as the deliverer or the priest who intercedes. In Daniel chapter 4, he is the king of kings and Lord of lords. Let's summarize those chapters. In Daniel chapter 2, Daniel has a great dream.

And in that dream, he dreams of a great image: head of gold, breast and arms of silver, thighs of brass, legs of iron, representing four great nations that would rule the world: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. And then the Roman Empire is broken up, 10 divisions of Rome. But then, when there's the attempts to unite that empire, the Bible says as iron does not cleave with clay, the nations would not unite. The nations of Europe would never be permanently reunited. And there's a rock cut out without hands, the supernatural coming of Jesus Christ.

Daniel 2, God's the true prophet. He's predicted Babylon. He's predicted Medo-Persia. He's predicted Greece. He's predicted Rome. Any schoolchild that studied history knows that. The Roman Empire was not divided by a fifth ruling empire. It broke up. What is the next event? We're not living in the head of gold, the breast and arms of silver, the thighs of brass, the legs of iron, the feet of iron and clay. We're living right down in the toenails of that image, when soon the coming kingdom of Christ will come. And I love the way it's put in Daniel chapter 2.

Guest (Male): We'll be right back with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you're enjoying today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered biblical truths of scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence his life-changing truths with others. You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now back to Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: Daniel chapter 2, looking there at verse 44. "In the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and this kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." Kingdoms rise and fall, but God's kingdom stands forever. What does Daniel chapter 2 say to you and me? First, it says he's the God who knows the future, the God that knows the end from the beginning. What does it say about our life?

If God could guide the destiny of the nations for 2,500 years from Daniel's time to our time, he certainly could guide our lives. We can put our lives in his hands and trust him. What does it say about end events? This world is not going to end on some collision course and be destroyed by some thermonuclear warfare. It is rather a world in the hands of God, and God's going to set up his kingdom. Daniel chapter 3. Nebuchadnezzar doesn't like the image of Daniel 2. He doesn't like the head of gold, Babylon, being followed by the breast and arms of silver.

So he creates his own image, 60 cubits high, 6 cubits wide, about 90 feet high, 9 feet wide, including the pedestal. And he sets it up on the plains of Dura. In Daniel chapter 3, a universal world ruler establishes a universal decree, condemning all to death that don't fall down and worship the image. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Daniel's three friends, do not fall down. They're thrown into a burning fiery furnace. And here the king looks into that furnace. Daniel 3, verse 25, he says, "Look, he answered, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

Jesus leaps into the flames. They are not singed. There's no smoke on their body. There's no burn on their body because Christ has protected them. The wicked men that threw them into the flames are consumed by the heat as they throw them in. Who is that form of the fourth? He is Jesus Christ. He is the mighty deliverer. What does chapter 3 say to you and me about God, about our life, about end events? First, it says that God's a mighty deliverer. He is our mighty deliverer. He's our intercessor in a time of need, as scripture says in Hebrews chapter 4, "Come confidently to the throne of grace that you might find help in time of need."

It says he is the mighty deliverer. What does it say about our life today? It says whatever you're going through, whatever trial, whatever difficulty you're going through, when you're going through the flames of life, those flames of life may be a divorce, may be intense loneliness, it may be cancer, it may be heart disease or some other problem with family. When you're going through that, when you are in your flames, know that Jesus is there with you. What does it say about end events? Just like in Daniel 3, in Revelation, there will be a mighty world ruler.

There will be a union of church and state with the beast power. There will be commands to violate the commandments of God. There will be forced and compelled worship. But God's people, going through the trial, going through the difficulty, going through the challenge, God's people will be delivered by Jesus Christ our Lord. Daniel chapter 1, the God who turns defeat into victory. Daniel chapter 2, the God who reveals the future. Daniel chapter 3, the God who is deliverer of his people. Daniel chapter 4, the God who's king over all. Nebuchadnezzar, in his pride, Nebuchadnezzar, in his arrogance, says, "Is not this great Babylon I have built?"

He has a dream of a tree. The tree spreads wide. Birds of the field eat off that tree, and the beasts shade underneath the tree. But as they all do, that tree is chopped down, and there's a stump left with a band of iron and brass. Iron in the Bible represents authority. Brass represents salvation. By the authority of God, the stump is preserved for salvation purposes. What does the falling down of the tree mean? Daniel says to Nebuchadnezzar, "Your kingdom is represented as that tree. You are that tree."

"And Nebuchadnezzar, you will wander out among the animals and the beasts. You'll crawl around like an animal for seven years." It's called lycanthropic insanity that comes on a person suddenly, and they crawl on the floor as a beast or as a cat grunting and groaning. Nebuchadnezzar was sitting in his palace, robed in his royal robes, feasting in the banquet hall, listening to the royal concerts. But one day, he lost it. He became insane, perceived he was an animal, went out and wandered among the beasts. He lost it in a day.

But then after seven years, he looks up into heaven. And as he looks up into heaven, he acknowledges the God of heaven. In Daniel chapter 4, it says this, "All this," verse 28, "came upon King Nebuchadnezzar." But what happens? Verse 34, "And at the end of the time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever and ever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation."

Nebuchadnezzar looks to heaven. And as he looks to heaven, he says, "Lord, you are King of Kings. Humble my arrogance. Crash my pride. All I want to do is depend upon Jesus, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords." What does Daniel chapter 4 say? It says, first, about God, that God is the true King. God is the true sovereign. He's the true ruler of the universe. What does chapter 4 say about our life? It says that arrogance and pride only leads us to disappointment and disaster and devastation. It says walk humbly before our God.

What does the Lord require of thee, Micah chapter 6, verse 8, what does the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to walk humbly before God, depending on God? What does it say about end events? At end events, it says that God will reign again as King of Kings. He will reign again as Lord of Lords. Daniel 1, the God who turns defeat into victory. Daniel 2, the God who knows the future. Daniel 3, the God who delivers his people. Daniel 4, the one who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Daniel chapter 5.

He's the God of justice and judgment. Belshazzar, grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, throws a wild feast. While he's throwing that feast, the Medes and Persians are coming to Babylon. They're about ready to attack it. But in that banquet hall that night, the wine flows. Babylonian men, drunken Babylonian men, with their long, wealthy, rich Babylonian robes, these aristocrats hold close perfumed and veiled and scantily dressed Babylonian women. Conscience is at half-mast. There's immorality going. Belshazzar brings the vessels from the temple at Jerusalem that he's robbed into that banquet hall.

The golden candlestick from the temple illuminates the wall, and on that wall a bloodless hand says, "Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin. You are weighed in the balances and found wanting." That night Darius, king of the Medes and Cyrus of the Persians, attack and Babylon is overthrown that night. What does Daniel chapter 5 say about God? It says God is a God of justice and judgment, that one day judgment will be meted out. What does it say to you and me? It says there's a last party, there's a last dance, there's a last cigar. What does it say?

It says there's the last night of pleasure. It says that every single one of us one day will face the judge of the universe. If there's ever a time to be committed to Christ and give him our bodies and not have the pleasure center of Babylon with the smoking, the drinking, with the immorality, that time is now. This is no time for playing around with Christ. It's no time for playing around with eternity. There is a judgment that's coming upon this world. Daniel chapter 6. Daniel's at the end of his life now.

And at the end of his life, he goes from the kingdom of Babylon to the kingdom of the Medo-Persia. He is so faithful. You know, Daniel's faithfulness was seen by the leader of the empire of the Medes and Persians. The wise men of Babylon have faded away. Medes and Persians now rule, and their aristocrats go to the king and they say, "King, you appointed Daniel over all the princes. King, you appointed Daniel over all of the empire to check on your accounts. But king, we have an idea."

"Let's say that anybody that prays to any other God beside you, king, he'll be thrown into a den of lions." The king gets duped. He signs that decree. Daniel prays before his open window. Daniel doesn't hide his commitment to God. Daniel does not hide his allegiance to the sovereign Lord. Daniel does not hide his dedication to the King of the universe. He prays before the open window. Crawling on their bellies as the wretched men that they were, hiding behind bushes, they look up into the window and they say, "Daniel is praying!"

They run to the king. They say, "King, look, Daniel chapter 6." Here we go. Verse 13. "So they answered and said before the king, 'That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due respect to you, O king, or the decree that you've signed, but makes his petition three times a day.' And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and he set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him."

But they said to him, "O king, know, O king, that it's the law of the Medes and Persians, and that no decree or statue which the king established may be changed." So he has Daniel cast into the den of lions. The king spends that night fasting, no music is brought before him. Now, I want you to imagine this. Daniel is in a dirty, stinky, smelly, poop-filled den of lions. But Daniel puts his head on some big cat and goes to sleep. And the king is in some palace with every earthly advantage of music and food, whatever he wants to eat. He puts on his royal pajamas. He slips in between his silken sheets. But he cannot sleep. He tosses and turns all night. You see, my friend, it's not what's around you or your circumstances that enable you to sleep necessarily. It's what's inside of you.

Guest (Male): You've been listening to HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at hopelives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark.

Mark Finley: But there is a peace that passes all understanding that gives us a calmness of spirit. Daniel in the lions' den. God shuts the mouths of the lions and Daniel is miraculously delivered. What does chapter 6 say about God? He's a mighty deliverer. What does it say about you and me in the lions' den of our life? You know, the Bible says, 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 7 and 8, it says, "The devil walks around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour." And verse 8 says, "Casting all your care upon Him because He cares for you." Jesus cares for you. When the devil's temptations roar in your ear, know that you have a mighty deliverer.