The Courage To Stand
Daniel Chapter 5 and 6
Today we’ll continue in our series on the Book of Daniel.
The title for today’s message is The Courage to Stand.
This is the 5th message of 8 in our series.
Rumsfeld famous statement is:
“Reports that say something hasn’t happened are always interesting to me because as we know, there are known knowns: there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns: that is to say we know there are some things [we know] we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns-the ones we don’t know we don’t know. And if one looks throughout the history of our country and other free countries, it is the latter category that tends to be the difficult one.”
But concerning this latter more difficult category, the unknown, unknowns in Acts 17 Paul says:
22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said,
“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
You see, we have been in a book entitled Daniel, and it is a rich text full of prophecies, miracles, interpretations of dreams and visions, and supernatural events, but remember, this book is meant to point to the living God and His Son Jesus!
This is the significant fact that makes these courageously stand. It is what makes us courageously stand even in the midst of or in the prospect of suffering.
Add a note
Daniel Chapter 5:
1 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.2 Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
Belshazzar
Nebuchadnezzar died in in 563 BC and was succeeded by his son, Evil Merodach, which is translated from Akkadian language which means Man of Marduk. Marduk was an Akkadian name for the god Bel, which is the namesake of Belteshazzar (man of Bel) and Belshazzar (Bel protect the king). Evil Merodach would be assassinated by his brother in Law Neriglassar who was a General under Nebuchadnezzar. Neriglassar died after 4 years and was succeeded by his son Labashi marduk (Marduk = Bel).
Who was murdered 9 months later and the throne went to Nabonidus, who would spend a great deal of time away from Babylon and left his son Belshazzar in charge of the kingdom while he was away. Eventually Nabonidus died, and Belshazzar would be the last Chaldean leader of Babylon. Which is where we find ourselves in the text today, the end of his reign.
Verses 2-4
2 Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father[a] had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
They were essentially using the items from the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem to worship little g gods.
The word in verses 5 and 6 say:
5 Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. 6 Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.
Add a note
Daniel was brought in and proclaimed to Belshazzar the history of Babylon and their rebellion, then he says in verse 22-23:
22 And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23 but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.
Daniel was bold not because he held a high position in the Kingdom, but because God was with him. He stood courageously.
Even though he stood courageously, he was humble before his God.
He was humble, even when those around him were arrogant. Humility does not mean lack of boldness.
Daniel would be retained in the service of King Darius the Mede. He would be appointed as one of the three high officials, to whom all the Satraps would give account. Darius would go to Daniel, Daniel would go to the Satraps. The Satraps would go to Daniel, and Daniel would go to King Darius.
Think of it as a “Chain of Command”.
Well one day, the Satraps were looking for a reason to submit a complaint to the King against Daniel, but they weren’t courageous, they were cowards.
Verses 6:6-7
6 Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 7 All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
Add a note
Daniel heard of the decree that had been made by the King, and he went immediately to his house and did as he had always done.
Verses 6:10-11 say,
10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God.
It is important that we note here that Daniel wasn’t doing this to be rebellious, he was doing what he had always done.
What are some things that you recently have seen that have challenged what you have always done.
If there is nothing that is challenged with what you have always done, then that too may be saying something.
This is an encouragement to be found faithful!
God is worthy, and has met the challenge for us.
As I have always said and will continue to say, this book is entitled Daniel, but it is all about the living God engaging the world. He does that through at least in this case, people of faith.
Add a note
Verses 16-18 show this trap that had been set is now being transitioned by the Lord to a moment of testimony.
16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” 17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.
The King was genuinely concerned for Daniel, and Daniel’s courage was transformational for those who witnessed.
Daniel was not doing this for any reason except his courageous faith.
He wasn’t trying to be rebellious. He wasn’t trying to prove someone wrong.
He had a heart to remain faithful to His God no matter what.
This testimony is transformational.
It would lead others to faith.
Vseses 26 and 27 say:
26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,
for he is the living God,
enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
and his dominion shall be to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues;
he works signs and wonders
in heaven and on earth,
he who has saved Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
Daniel got it, he remained faithful even in the most trying of times.
When his flesh would have said just give up, he courageously stood.
This is not only true of Daniel, it is true of us.
Add a note
Paul says in Romans 8:12-17
2 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.1 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
We are not in our forever home here, we who know Christ are heirs with Him.
We are His body, and He bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
But there will be times when we are called to courageously stand.
Why does it require courage to stand, not because times and things are easy, but because they are hard, but we have a great inheritance and are called to walk with Christ.
Add a note
