Sermon: A Glimpse Into the Future
Summary: As God gave Nebuchadnezzar a glimpse into the future, he gives us a glimpse into the future and shows us that he is always on the throne and establishes his eternal kingdom with will put an end to all other kingdoms. The encourages us to remain faithful to our heavenly King even in the midst of kingdoms that are in opposition, because they will be abolished, but God’s reign is eternal.
Text: Daniel 2
Scripture Reading: Is 4:8-13
Intro:
1. Have you ever had weird or scary dreams?
a. Mom used to tell me about her dreams from being a girl
i) There was the dream about following a line of Christians and the lion on the rock roaring to try and scare her away
ii) Dream of having American Baby boy who would become American military leader
b. I used to have recuring dream – preaching, and realize missing an article of clothing
c. Usually agreed that dreams have something to do with the stresses and thoughts in your life
d. Text this morning dealing with different kind of dream
2. In Bible there was a different kind of dream
a. Not like dreams people typically have
b. Sometimes they are called visions.
c. In other words, this was a revelation from heaven
i) We saw it with the dream Joseph had that his brothers would all bow down to him
ii) We saw it with Pharaoh’s dream of seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine
iii) We see it with Peter when he received the vision of the animals that were unclean but are now clean
3. In Daniel 2, a dream/vision is the centerpiece…
I. (Dan 1:1-9) Nebuchadnezzar’s Troubling Dreams and Search for Answers
A. Time: In the second year of his reign
1. Not count his ascension year, which would have been partial year
2. That makes the second year the third year of Daniel’s training
3. Daniel would have been a newbie
B. The King called his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and Chaldeans/astrologers (Tom Eddins would read, “cooks, quacks, morons)
1. They experts with their books, look at animal entrails, the stars, etc.
2. Normally, you tell them the dream, they might refer to their books or go through whatever method they had to interpret it
3. But Nebuchadnezzar would not tell them the dream. Why?
a. Suspected they made it up. Didn’t trust them
b. Could be open to abuse, manipulate the king and his actions
c. So… IF they could tell the dream, then they could interpret
C. Notice (v.10-11) – No man on earth can do it, only the gods who do not live on the earth
D. Result: (v.12-16) – ALL the wisdom men are sentenced for execution
1. Daniel, among the wise men, acted with wisdom and prudence
2. Daniel, one of the newbies asked for an audience with the King to make known the interpretation
II. (Dan 2:17-19) The Answer Comes from The God
A. Daniel’s first response:
1. Tell his friends so they seek mercy from the God of Heaven (not from any other so called-god)
2. Result: God revealed the dream and the interpretation
B. Daniels next response: Bless the God of Heaven (Dan 2:20-23)
1. V.20 – Aramaic says, “the” God (Elaha), not just God (Elah)
a. Necessary in an environment like Babylon that mas many gods
b. Identifies this as the God of Heaven, not a Babylonian deity
2. Notice what Daniel acknowledges about the God of the Heavens…
a. God has wisdom and might
b. God changes times and seasons
c. God removes kings and sets up kings
d. God gives wisdom and knowledge to the wise
e. God reveal deep and hidden things
f. God is the one who has given Daniel wisdom and insight
3. What did Daniel’s training have to do with this? NOTHING. It was all God
C. Daniel Instructs the King
1. (Dan 2:25-26) Are you able to make known the interpretation?
2. (Dan 2:27-28) Daniel can’t, but three is a God in Heaven…
3. (Dan 2:29-30) Nebuchadnezzar was worried about what would come after this, so God revealed what was coming
D. ILL: People worry about what will happen to their work after they die
1. May have heard of the cemeteries in Culiacan, in Sinaloa Mexico
a. Drug lords have built larger and larger mausoleums for themselves and family members
b. Spend over million dollars on them
c. Look like luxury condos, or chapels
d. Worried about the future even after they die
2. (Eccl 3:11) 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
a. People want to know what future holds
b. Even more, people want to know that what they have contributed has some sort of significance, meaning
c. We don’t know what will come…
3. But it is God who knows the future…
III. (Dan 2:31-45) God gives True Perspective on History
A. Several things revealed
1. Nebuchadnezzar’s Kingdom will not last forever
a. Might have seemed incredible that world power would be consigned to the ash heaps of history
b. But it happened to Babylon, same as many other impressive kingdoms
2. Other Kingdoms will come and go
a. Other world powers have risen and fallen
b. Some of them we know very little about
3. Does not identify Kingdoms by name, but likely refers to:
a. Gold – Babylon
b. Silver – Medes/Persians
c. Bronze – Greece
d. Iron – Rome
e. Iron & Clay – Roman Kingdom with many parts
B. Lessons to Remember from this?
1. God is Lord of History
a. Daniel acknowledged this in his prayer
b. Fall of Assyria, previous Kingdom, due to God’s will
c. Rise of Nebuchadnezzar was because of God
2. Notice how each succeeding kingdom is less precious and glorious
a. Gold, silver, bronze, Iron, Clay
b. Like so many other things in this life. Get old, worn out, die
c. Contrary to what we think, things don’t get better with man.
3. Last Kingdom is different from that rest
a. Not part of the statue – Something different entirely
b. Came from a rock, not cut with hands - Who is the Rock? Our Lord
c. Will put an end to all the other kingdoms of the world
d. It will never be destroyed and stand forever
e. Becomes a mountain, dwarf the statue – More people, larger, longer
C. May not know the exact identities of the kingdoms in statue, but it is crystal clear what the mountain is! - Kingdom of God!
1. It is not of this world
a. (Jn 18:36) Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world.
2. It’s Values are Different than Kingdom of the World
a. (Mt 5:3) “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
b. (Mt 5:10) “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
c. (Mt 18:4) Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
d. (Eph 5:5) For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
3. It is eternal
a. (Heb 12:26-28) 26 …“Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,
b. (1 Cor 15:24) Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.
D. Like Nebuchadnezzar, God gives us a glimpse into the future. What do to?
1. (Mt 7:12) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
2. (Mt 4:17) 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[a]
3. (Jn 3:3-5) 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
4. (Mt 6:33) But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Concl:
1. Have you been born again? (inv)
2. This falls under a category of biblical theology called “Eschatology” – Study of the consummation of God’s promises
a. Purpose– Not to come up with time tables. Misses the point
b. Purpose is perspective – God is in control of flow of history bringing it to its conclusion
c. Purpose: Encourage faithfulness and trust in God
3. A couple of encouraging passages:
a. (2 Timothy 4:18) The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
b. (Rev 11:15) 15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”
4. Always remember this
a. When those in charge try to get you to conform to their values
b. When those in charge try to reeducate you and change your thinking
c. When those in charge try to make you put them before God, making one small compromise after another
d. When you are ostracized, shunned, marginalized
5. All rule, power, and authority will be abolished, but he reigns forever