Bible Study Notes for Lord’s Day,
August 9, 2009
Daniel 2 Part 2
Seek Mercies from the God of Heaven
Introduction Daniel and his three friends are in captivity in Babylon.
God especially gifted them to serve in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar,
in order to bring a godly influence and righteous change in pagan
Babylon. At a point, Nebuchadnezzar had a very troubling dream,
which was an opportunity for God to work in his life through the
prophetic ministry of Daniel.
Daniel 2:1-28
1 Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar
had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him.
2 Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers,
the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So
they came and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them,
“I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream..”
4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, “O king,
live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the
interpretation.”
Nebuchadnezzar knew that they were faking it, planning to make up
some lame interpretation after he told them the dream. So, he told
them that if they were really in touch with “the gods”
that they should be able to tell him the dream and the interpretation.
Of course, they were unable to, so Nebuchadnezzar ordered the execution
of all the wisemen, and this included the new guys who had come
from Israel - Daniel and his friends.
Daniel 2:16-19
16 So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that
he might tell the king the interpretation. 17 Then Daniel went to
his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah, his companions, 18 that they might seek mercies from the
God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions
might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then
the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed
the God of heaven.
He went and told the king the dream, the interpretation, even going
so far as to say,
Daniel 2:45 “The dream is certain, and its interpretation
is sure.”
Nebuchadnezzar was profoundly affected, even falling on his face
before Daniel, and a beachhead was establish for faith in the One
True Living God, right in the courts of of the king of pagan Babylon.
This raises the question - How was Daniel able to do this? How did
he have such a hotline to God? Why did God answer him and not the
other wisemen?
And, even thinking about our own situations, why do some Christians
seem to get more interaction, information, favor from God than others?
God has a better relationship with some people than others, ranging
from those He won’t give the time of day, to those He knows,
trusts and confides in.
Are there some keys here to having a closer relationship with God?
Many people, even some Christians today would agree with the pagan
wisemen, who said, “God doesn’t live around here, and
He doesn’t speak to us.” Is it possible to be a little
more like Daniel?
Note, as we get into this: Daniel was one of those unique people,
one of God’s special friends, so his example, though inspiring,
in some aspects may not fit the average Christian. Let’s take
a realistic look at this:
Factors in Communicating with God:
1. Humility - Daniel 2:17-23, 26-28
17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 that they might
seek mercies from the God of heaven.
19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So
Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said:
“ Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
21 And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.
23 “ I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers;
You have given me wisdom and might,
And have now made known to me what we asked of You,
For You have made known to us the king’s demand.”
26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar,
“Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen,
and its interpretation?”
27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The
secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers,
the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. 28
But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made
known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your
dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these:
29 As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your
bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals
secrets has made known to you what will be. 30 But as for me, this
secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than
anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation
to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
Notice Daniel’s humility. Moses was another one of God’s
special friends.. Num 12:3-8
3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were
on the face of the earth.)
4 Suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come
out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!” So the three
came out. 5 Then the LORD came down in the pillar of cloud and stood
in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And
they both went forward. 6 Then He said,
“Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision;
I speak to him in a dream.
7 Not so with My servant Moses;
He is faithful in all My house.
8 I speak with him face to face,
Even plainly, and not in dark sayings;
And he sees the form of the LORD.
Why then were you not afraid
To speak against My servant Moses?”
It’s a great way to approach God when you need help - in humility.
2. Desperation - Daniel 2:17-18
17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 that they might
seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that
Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the
wise men of Babylon.
Matt 17:21 "However, this kind does not go out except by prayer
and fasting."
God responds to our desperation. If we don’t really care, He
may not either.
3. Persistence and Unity
17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 that they might
seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that
Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the
wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in
a night vision.
Luke 18:1
1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray
and not lose heart
Seeking the Lord may take some time - Fasted 3 days - Gateway Bible
Church
Matthew 18
19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning
anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in
heaven.
Pentecost - believers prayed 10 days in one accord. Daniel and his
friends prayed persistently and in agreement.
4. Faith - Daniel 2:16
16 So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he
might tell the king the interpretation. He believed God was going
to give him the answer.
James 1:6-8
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts
is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let
not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Daniel prayed in faith - he knew God was going to help him.
5. Loyalty - Daniel 1:8
Daniel and his friends were give food which had been dedicated to
pagan deities. To eat it would have meant that he was forsaking
Yahweh in favor of new gods.
8 But 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. Loyalty.
Numbers 12:7-8
My servant Moses;
He is faithful in all My house.
8 I speak with him face to face,
Even plainly, and not in dark sayings;
And he sees the form of the LORD.
2 Chronicles 16:9
9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole
earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is
loyal to Him.
It’s true - God is more loyal to people who are loyal to Him,
not fooling around with the world, the flesh and the devil.
6. Righteousness - Daniel 1:8
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself.
He wanted nothing in his life which would separate him from God.
Isa 59:2
2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your
sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
1 Peter 3:7
7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving
honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together
of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
God told an ungodly, unrighteous king one time, “Even if Moses
and Samuel stood before me, I would not grant your request.”
James 5:16 The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails
much.
If God is going to interact with us, He want to know that we are
on His side, and that He can trust us. If we’re living in unrepentant
sin, it’s less likely that He will hear us, less likely that
He will speak to us, guide us, and answer our prayers.
7. Calling - The destiny of your life can effect how God speaks
to you. Daniel obviously was put in the right place at the right
time to accomplish God’s purposes in Babylon. He and God needed
to communicate, and he needed God’s special guidance and favor
to fulfill his destiny and fulfill God’s plan for the world
at that time.
If you have a special calling to be a key person in a given situation,
it’s likely you will also have unique lines of communication
with God that others don’t have, related to your calling.
8. Occasion - Sometimes God speaks or acts on our behalf where then
are unique situations. Queen Esther, “For such a time as this”,
special circumstances.
29 As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your
bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals
secrets has made known to you what will be. 30 But as for me, this
secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than
anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation
to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
1. To save their lives
2. To impart knowledge of God’s ways, future kingdoms, even
to the time of the end.
This was a special occasion.
9. Gifting - Daniel 1:17
17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill
in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all
visions and dreams.
Others were not gifted this way. In the church, not everyone is
gifted the same way, take prophets for example. The fact that there
are prophets in the church means that not everyone hears from God
the same, and that some are to give messages from God to others,
which they cannot hear directly themselves.
Prophets, please don’t let the rest of us down. You are uniquely
gifted to hear and speak the word of God to us. “Word of God
speak, would you pour down like rain, washing my eyes to see your
majesty.”
10. Education - Daniel and friends studied the talents and abilities
God had given them. If you are gifted to interact with God in a
certain way, study your gifts, pay attention to what’s happening
and how.
1 Timothy 1:14
14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you
by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.
2 Timothy 1:6
6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in
you through the laying on of my hands.
Educate yourself on how to pray, how to hear from God.
11. Experience - Daniel was a young man, new to these experiences
with God, but he learned from them, built upon them, and became
a veteran of seeing a need, seeking the Lord, receiving the answer,
and resolving the problem for the glory of God.
Sometimes we enjoy our experiences with God, but then forget what
happened, how it happened, and we have to reinvent the wheel all
over again the next time.
A suggestion - write down your experiences with God. Make a journal
of what the situation was, how you approached God, what happened,
what He said, how you applied it, and the outcome. Don’t let
your experiences with God be wasted. Build upon them.
12. Confidence - 2:45b Notice Daniel’s confidence in his relationship
with God, his experience with God, and what God told him:
“The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”
Notice the very next thing that happened:
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel,
and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to
him. 47 The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God
is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets,
since you could reveal this secret.” 48 Then the king promoted
Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over
the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all
the wise men of Babylon. 49 Also Daniel petitioned the king, and
he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the
province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
Amazing results! How was this outcome achieved?
16 So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he
might tell the king the interpretation.. 17 Then Daniel went to
his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah, his companions, 18 that they might seek mercies from the
God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions
might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then
the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed
the God of heaven.
20 Daniel answered and said:
“ Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
21 And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.
23 “ I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers;
You have given me wisdom and might,
And have now made known to me what we asked of You,
For You have made known to us the king’s demand.”
Conclusion There are some aspects of Daniel’s communication
with God which you and I may not be able have, due to his unique
calling, mission, situation and gifting.
However, the average Christian should be able to hear many things
from God, have your prayers answered, and have God do miraculous
thing on your behalf.
The Act of Seeking
1. Humility - recognize your need, your situation, your desperation.
Fervent prayer. Get your friends to help pray with you and for you.
2. Faith - awareness of His goodness, mercy, desire to help you
3. Focus - cut out all distractions, even fast and pray
4. Spend Time - Jeremiah 29:11-13
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD,
thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will
listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search
for Me with all your heart.
Be patient when waiting on God. Be on His schedule, be at His disposal.
5. Be prepared to write -
6. Be wide open to receive anything -
7. Receive not just information, but proper application - In this
case, it was tell the King NOW. At the end of Daniel, “Go your
way, Daniel, it’s for the distant future, at the time of the
End.”
17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 that they might
seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that
Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the
wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in
a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
Pastor Steve Boggan
Living Waters Christian Fellowship
Heritage Ranch by Lake Nacimiento, CA
Website - livingwaters.cc
