There Is a God in Heaven (Part 2 of 2)

If we think that the reason why the Bible talks about future events is so that we can spend a lot of time trying to predict important dates we are missing the point. Today on Truth for Life Alastair big teachers from Daniel chapter 2. As we considered the true nature of God's kingdom and I think are six things in my notes here. I want to expand on them. But I'll give them to the coathanger.

You can have your own clothes on them later, but here we in noticing how Daniel approaches this number one.

He was tactful.

He was tactful that almost goes without saying that is that I think is a good time for that to get your answer wrong. At this point we're here to kill you all.

Verse 14 then Daniel replied with prudence, and discretion super NES me with prudence and discretion, he doesn't overreact. Despite the fact that his personal prospects are not bright go stark raving nuts, but he does take the initiative again his confidence in God did not make them indolent. His confidence in God propelled him into action. Consider how many opportunities that we have missed class tracking like of initiative. I weave often abuse the opportunity by Blustering heavy handedness that was nowhere close to prudence and to discretion he was he was tactful. Secondly, it was practical verse in verse 17 then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to have and I and he told them to make sure that we pray to God. Verse 18 to seek nurses from heaven concerning this mystery and and so that so that Hannah clause that will have a prayer meeting so that we don't get killed is pretty practical so that we don't get executed. How much how much of self-preservation was involved in this. I will have to wait to find out.

But in actual fact, you will notice the practicality and spirituality are quite happy to share the same bed. Three. Tactful.

He's practical. Thirdly, he's prayerful. The explanation of verse 17 was fueled for his intercession and the implication in verse 19 seems to be that this season of prayer may actually have been prolonged during the night. He was not only prayerful, but he was thankful again where in verse 19 and the ministry was revealed to Daniel in the vision of the night and Daniel bless the God of heaven, and he thanked him how God desires from is a thankful heart. There was no possible way out yet.

Like others before and after he'd acted in supreme confidence that God would supply away if it was necessary for all children of Dustin feeblest rail in the do we trust nor finding to fail thy mercies how tender our firm to the end, our maker, defender, Redeemer and friend and he was purposeful again in keeping with the purpose established in chapter 1 is prayer doesn't remove them from the realm of action. Rather, as we see in verse 24, Daniel went to Eric, whom the king is appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said, thus to him, not destroy the wise men of Babylon.

Okay is very straightforward. Do not destroy them. Please do not execute them take me to the King and I will interpret the dream, but actually he was humble. He was humbled to he.

He knew the source of his ability and there's an obvious contrast, actually between the approach of area in verse 25 and the approach of Daniel in verse 28.

I hope your Bible is alternate because otherwise you just it is going well I suppose it's in their but in verse 25, then area brought in Daniel before the king and his and said thus to him. I have found among the exiles from Judah, a man will make known to the king the interpretation know you didn't. You absolutely didn't area the little rascal BC. He's trying to take credit for himself a caning I marry your main man I know these guys were not doing good but I I have found on the and and and here is contrast with the with our man Daniel. When the king system. 26. Are you able to make known to me the dream that I've seen Daniel answer the king. No wise men, enchanters, magicians, astrologers can show to the kingdom ministry. The king is asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals see that said is not humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.

Then follows the explanation of the dream. This is where some of you get really excited and agitated and get out your coloring pencils.

Well I have I have great discouragement for you in this regard because I want to tell you something that is very very important that you understand that is that in the apocalyptic sections of Daniel and when we say, apocalyptic, apocalyptic literature, the ability to unveil the future to pull the curtain back is aware and given insight into the victory of God that apocalyptic literature is not there in order that it might create for us the ability to understand the detailed plan of God for the future or for the future generation. It's not they are in order to help us drop our calendars, but it is there to assure every generation since the sixth century BC, and often contrary to the appearance of things that God is still on the throne, and that the future is securely in his hands.

If we get that then we can enjoy multiple cups of coffee. Debating the kingdom was there appearing their demise, and so on. We can bury ourselves under that kind of thing and simultaneously miss the overarching issue that the kingdoms of this world will eventually crumble to nothing and the kingdom of God will prevail. That is the big picture. That is the big story. And yet, please don't what it unsettles me. I'm so used to the reverse the that that the flag of the matter is that I grew up with the 10 toes of the beast. I grew up with all of that stuff. I live 63 years of my life disapproving just about every file that was ever told to me since I was five years old and finally one morning I think I banged my head as I fell out of my bed and I got it were not supposed to be preoccupied with these things were supposed to understand that the stone that was not formed by human hands that brought down the kingdoms of the world is none other than the stone over which men stumble on the rock upon which men stand, namely Jesus. So if you're stand back from the picture far enough you go all along with my grandchildren. I get it. But if you stand too close to that individual nose up there along with all your crazy friends. You may fifth Verde Valley in the circumstances of the pagan king God is in control of his sleep patterns in the circumstances of the White House. God is in control. Elizabeth McQueen sweeps and awakens, according to the providence of God, the rulers of Saudi Arabia read as a result of his providential care and that is contained in this unfolding story. It's made clear the interpretation is made clear graphically as he describes the statute from top to bottom a top-heavy structure unstable, unable to move destruction caused by the impact of a rock that is not current with human hands. Verse 34 verse 35 graphic picture of the statute being pulverized to find dust and causing us to reflect on the words of the force on the ungodly are not so over there like the chaff which the wind drives away.

Meanwhile, the stone grows into a huge mountain, filling the air and Daniel is brutally frank in explaining the meaning of the dream to the King the time remaining to the Empire. He was building was comparatively short would go through the ongoing development in the course of human history.

It would help to give place and she to three or four other empires, each in its own way impressive and mighty that development itself would ultimately reveal to all the greatness and the magnificence of the structure resting as it was on crumbling clay clearly could not bear it for very long until eventually, this kingdom, the nurturance that will last for time immemorial. I hope you will take time to read this again there verse 37 you will king the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom the power and the might and the glory and introduce hand. He is given wherever they dwell, the children of man. The beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens making huge rule over them all. You are the head of gold. While that's that was that was kind of reassuring was not what a great start and how what or how good that he could speak so clearly this this statue because of the head of gold.

I've got good news for you.

You are the head of gold, but I need you to know. He says that the reason you are the head of gold is because he who is the Lord of kings has established you. There is you have such a small view of history, you can understand world history without a Bible. Incidentally, it's not. It's not possible to make sense of the unfolding drama of humanity. Apart from the story of redemptive history that reveals that with the fall of man that is a great spiritual conflict that ride that is that is like you are a faultless San Andreas Fault line that runs at the very heart of humanity. How else are we to make sense of this – why Daniel is able to come and say you are this head of gold. This is your kingdom. This is the Babylonian kingdom, but the only reason you have a kingdom is because he verse 47, who is the Lord of kings has given its due and he says to them there's going to be other kingdoms 39 to 43. They will crumble one after another. Traditionally we thought of them in terms of the Babylonian the Medo Persian the Greek the kingdom of Empire of Greece, and finally a wrong. But he says the kingdom of God will not disintegrate the kingdom of God will not be left to other people. I like to see him him apart side they reluctantly join me every so often it's it it begins the day thou gave us Lord is ended. The darkness falls aside behest to the ER morning hymns ascended your praise shall sanctify our rest and exist some wonderful verses and we thank you that your church on sleeping as air flows onward into night is constantly praising you and possibly bring us on but it finishes like this, so be it Lord, so be it Lord, thy throne shall never like Eric's proud empires pass away for your kingdom stands and grows forever till all your creatures on your sway I love you and I have to say to you at this point in our history I think is going to be important for you to get up in the morning for us to get up in the morning and reaffirm these essential truths for the stabilizing of our mind.

For the preparing of our interactions with the community that is working from an entirely different worldview to take a leaf from Daniel who was acting in a way that was courteous and with discretion with prudence because actually march of what is characterized evangelical Christianity in its public face and characterizes eyes is not marked by this kind of skillful, tactful prayer for humble significant belief in a sovereign God who is in control of things that there is no need for panic. There is no need for all of this vociferous angry venting.

Why, because of what we're learning here in Daniel chapter 2 now fast-forward to the end of the chapter was fast-forward about half a millennium, 500 years on the Roman Empire is clearly in control for no money to get Scotland pretty good job. Otherwise, good old Hadrian's Wall and it is in that environments where Rome currently reigns supreme. The divinity steps down into time in the form of an angel and appears to the most unlikely slip of a girl called Mary, and makes this declaration. Do not be afraid, Mary, for you find favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

I would be enough would not. He he will be called great will be called the son of the most high God notice and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and all of his kingdom there will be nowhere. In other words, the stone in Daniel two is about to appear. The kingdom comes first in the appearing of Jesus continues in the proclamation of the gospel throughout the world, which is where we are now and will be brought to consummation when Christ returns in power and great glory.

So the already in the not yet.

Is there as the Scriptures unfold. And here we live and aren't we so often just like those disciples who were so desperately in need of the work of the Holy Spirit. We want take time to throw him under the bus, but there they were. They did not do a particularly good job of picking up on the clear instruction of the greatest teacher who's ever lived. And even after his resurrection as he meets with them. What is their preoccupation the kingdom have a question Jesus, are you at this time going to reveal the kingdom to Israel. Are you actually bring it all to fruition their thinking geographically, their thinking nationally. They are thinking wrongly so Jesus says is not for you to fiddle about with times and seasons. Would to God that many of us have just paid attention to such a simple observation would've saved us a lot of time reading books, but it is not for you to know the times and the seasons are not irrelevant but is not your preoccupation. Let me tell you what I wanted. I want you to go into all the world and preach the gospel to make disciples of all nations for that is how my kingdom comes. That is how my will is done.

That is how the kingdom will be ushered in.

Not national not territorial, not spatial but international. In fact, the quest of humanity that is revealed in the United Nations in the G8 in the European common market that is an understandable quest is the quest for reconciliation between people who have routinely been at animosity with one another is an understandable quest and when they read our Bibles, we find that that is actually answer only in one place and that is at the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ and so we have to go out and say that to the world and our intelligent friends that are you kidding me, are you suggesting for a moment, the pivotal event of Human History Took Pl. outside of Jerusalem.

All that time ago in the death of a Galilean carpenter whose name was Jesus.

And you're going to swallow hard and then you're going to say that's exactly what I'm telling.

I'm not surprised at your reaction because Paul who once thought as apparently you think wrote to the Corinthians, and he says my dear friends, this message of the gospel is absolute foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God. The same power that God revealed in getting to his servant Daniel the ability to interpret the dark, disturbing doubts of the pagan king 600 BC. We are to set our focus on sharing the gospel and make disciples of all nations coming preoccupied about the future. Timing of God's kingdom. That's the challenge from today's message on Truth for Life with Alistair Begg. Please keep listening. Alister will be right back to close in prayer.

Well today I want to take a minute and tell you what a privilege it is to learn from the Bible, right alongside you every day here on Truth for Life. God's word is a lamp to our feet to light to our path. It's truth alone is what leads us to God's kingdom.

That's why we teach directly from the Scriptures here on Truth for Life, so that, as Alister says God's word can do God's work in the lives of those who listen. We hope this is your experience that as you listen.

Your life is being changed by God in a remarkable way. In fact, that's our prayer. As this program goes out each day. It's listeners like you who enabled these life-changing messages to be heard. Each day some of you have made a regular commitment by joining with us as truth partners truth partners give each month they choose the amount of their donation and they recognize that all gifts make a difference. In fact, the collective giving from this group is what brings Alister's teaching to a worldwide audience.

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This is Alister's brand-new book in this book he takes a candid look at our society's growing intolerance of biblical beliefs as secularism gains a further foothold in many challenges you to consider how you respond when you are pressured to go along with the flow. Instead of obeying God brave by faith follows the story of Daniel and his friends while they were exiled in Babylon, but the focus isn't on Daniel's faithfulness. It's on Daniel's God when you read brave by faith. You will learn how to trust God for the courage it takes to stand strong for your faith request brave by faith.

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Thank you father that when we get to the end of the Bible, we realize that the kingdoms of our world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he will reign forever and ever. This does not make us bombastic or proud. It is immensely humbling and can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's blood died he for me cause to shame his pain to me – pursue amazing life. How can it be that my car would die for me, Lord help us to display this amazing love of the Lord Jesus by life and via live as you give to his days remaining upon this earthly journey, for we pray commending our loved ones, our friends and our enemies into your care. In Christ's name on a bottle team.

Enjoy your weekend as you are able to worship with your local church. Join us again on Monday as we learn how our view of God's sovereignty shapes how we respond to persecution Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life where the Learning is for Living