2013-11-10
Daniel Part 2 - The Dream - Intimacy, dependence, humility
Steve Lane

A. Review – History and Daniel's resolve

Jerusalem and Judea taken by the Babylonians in 605BC Israel already fallen to Assyria in 722BC Nebuchadnezzar 1st invasion 605BC, 2nd 597BC, 3rd 587BC
Daniel carried to Babylon in 605BC. His career spanned over 70 years and two world powers Daniel 1:21

Babylon conquered by Persia in 539BC and in 320 BC by Alexander the Great by Rome in 146BC

Themes: God is sovereign, power of prayer, God's plan for the ages, the faithfulness of Daniel

Verse 8 Daniel resolved... Daniel 2:8
Daniel and his partners
God gave them knowledge and understanding. Daniel deeply understood this

Will you resolve? Will you purpose in your heart now, resolve to live your life to bring glory and honor to God? To live for His purpose in the world in His strength

B. The King has a dream and Seeks the Truth Daniel 2:1-13

They had gotten away with it for many years but the The king wanted authentic not pretend

C. Daniel Prays Daniel 2:17 - 23

His first inclination was to turn to God, he had urgency but did not panic. Faith
He set aside the time to pray, really pray
He enlisted help from his trusted partners
He prayed like a man accustomed to praying
In private and later in public he takes no credit for what came from God
Loyalty to God
Cultivate this! For it Reveals the source of Daniels humility!
Faith, intimacy and real dependance on God. This sets him up to be used greatly of God.

How tragic to one day to find out we took for ourselves credit and honor intended for God

D. Our more common response Daniel 2:24–25
A more typical human response “I have found a man...”

E. A Typical element of God's work – Points of human impossibility Daniel 2:26-30
Acknowledges the king's kingly desire to look to the future

F. The Dream Daniel 2:31 - 45
Kingdoms of the statue – Babylon, Greece, Rome and the later revived Rome
The Stone – Christ and then the millennial kingdom in catastrophic suddenness Roman 9:33, Luke 20:18

G. The Result Daniel continually lives for and purposed in his heart Daniel 2:46-49
The result is what Daniel was looking for... that God would be revealed and honored
Our purpose and call the same but more specific (make disciples)
Consider... character of; faith, courage, intimacy, prayer, humility but also his partnerships when possible and his right engagement of the world

God seems to allow men to build his kingdoms but God reserves His real work of changing men's
hearts to the humble.