Communion

This week we will be commemorating ANZAC day, a very sad day in our history when 2779 of our soldiers followed orders and went to their deaths at Gallipoli. Another 5212 we’re wounded. We commemorate ANZAC day every year because otherwise we would quickly forget what those soldiers did for us. We remember their deaths helped buy our freedom today. That freedom which we often take for granted. 

Every year at Easter there’s a debate over whether the shops should be opened. Some people don’t want to stop and to take time to reflect on the meaning of Jesus death and resurrection. They want freedom of choice. For them Freedom is the freedom to do whatever you want. Stopping to think why they had the freedom they do is out of the question.

It’s been 3 weeks since Easter But here at PCC we have Communion every week because we don’t want to forget, we need to pause and reflect. Every time we have Communion we tell the story. Communion is a memorial. To remember the body of Christ broken for us and his blood poured out for the forgiveness of our sins. It’s our ANZAC day every week.

In the light of Christ, we see our wretchedness. Like Peter, we can say « go away from me because I am a sinful man ». The Bible says to examine ourselves before taking Communion. That’s because it’s more than just a memory, it’s about our relationship with Christ.

But rather than shrink back because of our sin, Jesus wants us to draw near to him at Communion. He loves us. Our relationship with him should be at the forefront of our minds. Is there anything we need to say sorry for? 

The Communion was a very important part of the growth of the early church. Peter preached his first message after Pentecost reminding the crowd of their sin and how they had crucified Jesus but he was raised. They knew the grave was empty and 3000 responded and repented of their sins.

Acts 2:40-47

And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 

Does anybody feel fear we are living in a perverse generation?

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 

Yes we can be saved out of this wicked generation which rejects God.

Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Once our relationship is right, we want to meet with Jesus every day! That’s what was happening in the early Church, that made it grow so quickly. Communion is an integral part of that. 

Daniel 5

Today we continue on with our series on Daniel being up to chapter 5.

In chapter 1, Daniel and his friends were taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar over 1000 km away  as the crow flies to Babylon. They were indoctrinated into the Babylon culture and religion but they vowed to be loyal to the Lord their God no matter what even though they were just teenagers.

In chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar had his 1st terrifying dream of the statue of gold, silver, bronze, iron and clay and heard its interpretation, how 5 kingdoms would come before a great rock would finally come and smash them all, very applicable to us today while we wait for Jesus to soon come again.

In Chapter 3, Nebuchadnezzar rebelled against his dream and built the great gold statue of himself and required the whole world to worship himself.

But in Chapter 4 God taught him who really ruled and humbled him, causing him to go insane and live like an animal for 7 years until just like in the story of the prodigal son, he came to his senses, repented and went home. And because of the Lord’s mercy and kindness he was fully restored in his royal household.

No more is heard about the life of Nebuchadnezzar. His reign ended with his death in 562 BC. His final years were in peace and security and his son Belshazzar eventually came to the throne as the 5th and final king to reign in Babylon during the 23 year period afterwards. Daniel was now in his 80’s. It’s interesting that the kings son Belshazzar had a very similar name to Daniel’s new name Belteshazzar. It makes me think that Nebuchadnezzar had named his son after Daniel. What high hopes we have for our children ! But Belshazzar was not a good man as it turned out. He became the consummate playboy, living a life of opulence and debauchery off his inheritance.

Chapter 5 tells the story of the last day in the life of Belshazzar. History tells us it was October 14th 539 BC, 23 years after the death of Nebuchadnezzar. By this very day, the Medes and the Persians had already laid siege on the city. They were outside and Belshazzar knew it but he showed no concern whatsoever. Why did he feel so safe and secure?

1. The Greek historian Herodotus claimed that "Babylon surpasses in wonder any city in the known world" and specifically praised the walls which he said were 56 miles (90 kilometres) long, 80 feet (24 metres) thick, and 320 feet (97 metres) high.

2. The Ishtar gate for example was 50 feet (15 metres) high, and the original foundations extended another 45 feet (14 metres) underground.

3. All the gates of Babylon were made of solid bronze 

4. The river Euphrates ran underneath and through the city so it had an endless supply of water

5. Among other buildings, the city contained the king’s palace. This was protected on one side by the Euphrates and on the other side by high walls. It was a fort inside a fort.

6. Babylon had enough food supply and storage to feed the city for 20 years.

Before we get too impressed by the size of Babylon, we should mention the size of the Holy Jerusalem in comparison which will descend out of Heaven from God.

Revelation 21:14-18

Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

One cubit (length from elbow to tip of middle finger) = 18 inches / 45.7 cm 

One furlong = 1/8 of a mile / 201.168 metres.

12000 furlongs  = 1500 miles

New Zealand is about 1000 miles long.  

Therefore the dimension of the Holy Jerusalem is 1500 miles cubed, 1.5 times the length of New Zealand in every direction. 

If the walls of Babylon were 56 miles long, the walls of the Holy Jerusalem are 1500 x 4 miles = 6000 miles. And it is 1500 miles high !

And the thickness of the walls of the Holy Jerusalem is;

144 cubits = 216 feet / 72 yards /  66 metres which is approximately 3 times the thickness of the Babylon walls.

You can read about the rest of the Holy Jerusalem in Revelation 21-22, about the walls being made of jasper and the gold city, the 12 jewel foundations, the river of life and the tree of life. 

But back to Babylon 2500 years ago and the last day in the life of Belshazzar.

Daniel 5:1-4

Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.

Notice the extent of Belshazzar’s arrogance. He showed contempt for man and God.

Firstly contempt for man, throwing a great drunken party while the Medes & Persians were already outside laying siege at the gates. His thinking was, this is the safest city in the World, I am the greatest, party on!

He had a false sense of security because he placed his trust in what man had made. Do not put your trust in what man has made, instead put your trust in the Lord.

This was the great flaw in his thinking as there always is whenever we place our trust in things that are made by man. At the time of Babylon's fall in 539 BC, the King of the Medes and Persians was Cyrus and he had a simple plan. Ever played chess against a better player and suddenly found yourself checkmated to your great surprise? Cyrus diverted the waters of the Euphrates so that his troops could march through the riverbed into the unsuspecting city. Thus, the waters of the Euphrates were 'dried up' and Babylon was conquered in one night.

But secondly and even worse was his contempt for God. Can you imagine the state of his mind in bringing the holy vessels from the temple of Jerusalem to his drunken party. The holy vessels were stored away but he gave the command to bring them out to use for his drunken  party of debauchary. He had no respect for Israel’s God. The vessels were used in the worship of Lord. To use holy things for unholy purposes is to mock God. He knew the prophecy of the fall of Babylon but he rejected it publicly.

We should fear the Lord. You and I are vessels of God. We are to use our bodies as holy vessels not for unholy purposes.

Are we overconfident in ourselves with a solid house, a good job, plenty of food to eat, friends, a pension fund. We also can be deluded into thinking we are secure in the things we have. We can be relying on those things and not on God.

Daniel 5:5-9

In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 

In the middle of a drunken party,  sobriety comes suddenly. A gigantic hand appears in the spotlight of the lamp stand and a finger begins writing on the wall. This is where we get our phrase the writing is on the wall, which means that the future is not good and plain for everyone to see.

Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other. 

We’ve all seen the cartoon where the character is so afraid that we hear the sound of their knees knocking. The idea is that he wet himself with fear. He was so afraid he cried out loudly.

The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” Now all the king’s wise men came, but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation. Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished.

But the wise men of Babylon couldn’t understand the words that God had written. The Bible tells us the natural man cannot understand the things of God, they are foolishness to him. We are so blessed when we can understand the Bible. To the unsaved person, it sounds like gobbledegook. The ability to understand spiritual truth only comes from the Holy Spirit. It does not come from human intellect. This can be a warning for Bible Theologians who think the knowledge they have learned makes them superior to other Christians. The Holy Spirit is in every Christian. We should respect every Christian because the Lord gives them understanding of the Bible and of spiritual things and may well want to teach us something important through them.

Because of all the commotion, the Queen comes in. Even she appears not to be joining in his night of debauchery up to this point.

Daniel 5:10-12

The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. The queen spoke, saying, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change. There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”

The Queen knew all about Daniel and advised Belshazzar to call on Daniel. Daniel wasn’t at the party, he probably wasn’t invited and wouldn’t have wanted to go anyway. It is quite likely Daniel was retired from active service as he was now in his 80’s.

Daniel 5:13-17

Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. Now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the interpretation of the thing. And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”  Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

Daniel may have even thought his life and influence were over. But here he is called out of retirement. In times of quietness in our lives, we should still be faithful to the Lord in the small things. We don’t know when next the Lord will call on us, it can be when we are very old. I saw a wonderful video this week of an elderly woman with dementia. She couldn’t remember anything, about the last meal she had, or close family members but as soon as she was asked who Jesus is, she spoke so beautifully about him and how she loved him. Daniel told the King he could keep his gifts and title, he wasn’t interested. His only interest was in serving the Lord. The king had no authority over him ! 

Daniel 5:18-21

O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. And because of the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down. 

Daniel reminded Belshazzar that his inheritance was only because it was the most High God who had appointed Nebuchadnezzar and all his success was just because the Lord purposed it. It was nothing to do with Nebuchadnezzar or Belshazzar ! But Nebuchadnezzar at first rejected that lesson and soon learned the hard way as we heard last week. Pride comes before a fall.

But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.

This had all happened more than 23 years ago. Sin / rejection of God is a very serious thing. Sin brings death to a nation and to an individual but the free gift of God is eternal life. God had restored Nebuchadnezzar once he had been humbled and acknowledged that God is God.

Daniel 5:22-28

“But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. 

Belshazzar’s rebellion was very great. God gave Nebuchadnezzar 12 months and then 7 years. Belshazzar had 23 years to think about the testimony of his father and he had only developed contempt for God and man. His time was up. You don’t know the day you will die. Today is the day of salvation. If you haven’t ever done so, you need to humble yourself today before the Lord, it is a very serious thing to refuse the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house 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, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. 

Our heart can stop at any moment.  The Lord has our very breath in his hands. There is a path that people who reject God follow and it begins with a lack of fear of the Lord. 

Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written. “And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”

What a horrifying moment for Belshazzar. The Lord’s judgment has been passed and couldn’t be reversed. Because he wouldn’t glorify God, he had been found wanting.  He had lost it all. All he would have for all eternity was regret. 

Daniel 5:29-31

Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

Belshazzar made an empty proclamation. Like Esau, he had lost it all. His life was over.

The Medes and Persians built a dam to stop the river Euphrates flowing through Babylon. They were able to march in to Babylon on the dry waterbed underneath the walls. Babylon was completely unprepared ans easily defeated, Belshazzar was executed and Darius the Mede took over the Kingdom.

The Bible says;

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Many people are like Belshazzar. They show contempt for God, waste their inheritance and live their lives in rebellion to what God has said. But eventually, they pay the price. In fact the Bible says we all have fallen short of the glory of God. None of us have done what we could have with our lives. We are all facing a horrendous judgement for our sins. The wages of sin is death. But there is a way out. The Gospel is good news. The free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. He has paid the penalty for our sins. By his stripes we are healed. 

Daniel 4

Today we continue on with our series from Daniel and are up to chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar’s 2nd dream. 

If you remember in chapter one, Daniel and his friends were part of the elite in Israel who had been taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar over 1000 km away  as the crow flies to Babylon. They were only teenagers but were forced indoctrination into the Babylon culture and religion, even having their names changed to to honours the gods and idols of Babylon. Daniel had made a vow not to defile himself and they had stood firm in refusing food from the king, an incredibly courageous thing to do, especially as teenagers.

You will remember chapter 2 and Nebuchadnezzar’s 1st dream of the statue of gold, silver, bronze, iron and clay and its interpretation, how 4 kingdoms have already passed but a 5th is to come, relevant to us today while we wait for Jesus to come again. We can see in Chapter 2 that God is already at work in Nebuchadnezzar’s life but he wasn’t converted yet, his heart had not yet been changed even though he had witnessed a miracle.

In fact he had seen 2 miracles. He had also witnessed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego walking around safely in a fiery furnace with a 4th man who looked like a god.

Even though he had witnessed these 2 great miracles, his heart was not changed. He rejected the interpretation of the dream. You will also remember Sean’s message from chapter 3 and Nebuchadnezzar’s response to his dream was to build a fully gold statue as a monument to himself and require everyone to worship it. Jesus reminded people that their hearts are desperately wicked. Though people may hear the truth, even experience a great miracle, it is not enough to convert someone. Don’t be surprised by a friend who is given proof of God but quickly forgets. Conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit and we see the evidence in a changed life.

Chapter 4 is written at least 7 years after chapter 2, maybe as many as 20 years after. Chapter 4 is the only chapter not written by Daniel, it is written by Nebuchadnezzar himself. It is Nebuchadnezzar’s testimony of a changed heart. Isn’t it wonderful when someone we least expect is converted and has a changed life ? We all love to read about what happened to change their life. I remember my brother telling me how he related to this particular story of Nebuchadnezzar and it was why they came to name their eldest Daniel.

You will notice in his language a different person, someone who had been humbled and changed. He starts off by wishing everyone in the world peace and praising God in Heaven. He’s no longer the dictator bellowing out instructions.

Daniel 4:1-3

Nebuchadnezzar the king, To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: 

Peace be multiplied to you. 

I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me. How great are His signs, And how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And His dominion is from generation to generation.

When everything is right with the world, we wish everyone peace and happiness to share in our joy. And we especially want to tell everyone what the Lord has done for us !

The structure of the letter is very engaging, it’s no longer dictatorial. Someone taught me the French way to write a relational letter. You. Me. You and Me ! There’s still a lot of « me » in Nebuchadnezzar’s letter but it is a humbled « me ».

Instead of orders, he writes « I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me. »

It is good to declare what the Lord has done for us ! Our testimony is powerful and along with the blood of the Lamb, defeats the Devil as we heard in last week’s Easter message from Revelation 12. No one can deny your testimony as a Christian. This is how you overcome. Recall all the things the Lord has done for you and don’t keep it secret, declare it ! The Lord deserves our praise for what he has done for us. 

Daniel 4:4-7

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. 

Nebuchadnezzar was by his own confession, flourishing. Interesting way to describe yourself. “How are you?”. “I’m flourishing, thanks”. Nebuchadnezzar had had great success, he was at the peak of his powers but that was the moment that God chose to bring him down so that he would know that Heaven rules, not him.

He had everything the World had to offer, he had absolute power, wealth and success but his heart was troubled. Many people today have a nice home, a good job, a large pension fund but they aren’t happy because those things without the Lord cannot satisfy. 

I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. Therefore I issued a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation.

When people experience hard times, where do they turn first? Often anyone or anything but God. Nebuchadnezzar called on his trusted wise men. 

But there is evidence of a change in him. This time Nebuchadnezzar asks the wise men of Babylon only for the interpretation and not for the dream as well. He also doesn’t threaten to cut them into pieces if they can’t tell him. 

Daniel 4:8-12

But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God),

Notice he was still following his god but he did acknowledge the Spirit of the Holy God in Daniel. Quite like many Hindu’s recognise Jesus as a God amongst their gods. Jesus calls us to leave it behind and follow him. Separate ourselves from the World and it’s idols.

and I told the dream before him, saying: “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation. 

Others can recognise when the Lord is with is. Nebuchadnezzar really respected Daniel and was ready to wait this time. He had already been a witness to Daniel’s courage with the first dream about the statue and of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego standing up for their faith. We often don’t realise the impact our faith and courage can have on others.

“These were the visions of my head while on my bed: I was looking, and behold, A tree in the midst of the earth, And its height was great. The tree grew and became strong; Its height reached to the heavens, And it could be seen to the ends of all the earth. Its leaves were lovely, Its fruit abundant, And in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches, And all flesh was fed from it.

The dream sounds very good so far. But it doesn’t stop there, it becomes macabre.

Daniel 4:13-17

“I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. He cried aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get out from under it, And the birds from its branches. Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth, Bound with a band of iron and bronze, In the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew of heaven, And let him graze with the beasts On the grass of the earth. Let his heart be changed from that of a man, Let him be given the heart of a beast, And let seven times pass over him. ‘This decision is by the decree of the watchers, And the sentence by the word of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, Gives it to whomever He will, And sets over it the lowest of men.’

Yes, Heaven is watching us. If you think all these cameras around the city and in our homes are intrusive, you’d better know that the Lord in Heaven is watching you and recording all your actions. Big Brother is watching you. Nebuchadnezzar was used to being the highest authority in his Empire, he had absolute power and he may have sensed that he was the great tree in the dream. But what would have unnerved him about this dream was there was a judgement issued by a watcher, a holy one coming down from Heaven to cut down the tree. Was his Kingdom about to end, he remembered his 1st dream many years ago and its interpretation very well. The end of a kingdom means only one thing, the death of the King. Was his life about to end ?

He had learned of his frailty as a man and declared in v17; 

That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, Gives it to whomever He will, And sets over it the lowest of men.’

He repeats this same statement in v25.

Who is the watcher, the holy one coming down from Heaven? We know that is Jesus, who is God in the Flesh. 

In Philippians 2:5-11

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

At this point in Nebuchadnezzar’s life, he knew there was a God in Heaven above him, who he feared terribly but he had not repented of his sins and the Lord was not the Lord and King of his life. One day everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father whether they are in Heaven, on the Earth or under the Earth in Hell. We can either make and confess Jesus Lord and King of our lives now in this life but if we don’t and end up in Hell, we will still, with terrible regret, confess him as Lord. 

Daniel 4:18-21

“This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.” Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. So the king spoke, and said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies! 

The little detail in this passage confirms it is Nebuchadnezzar writing the chapter because he calls Daniel by the Babylonian name Belteshazzar.

Nebuchadnezzar had been an evil man and Daniel had every reason to hate him but instead Daniel is very concerned for Nebuchadnezzar. If someone refuses to repent, we know that God is going to deal harshly with them, we should also be concerned.

“The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth, whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home—

Daniel 4:22-26

it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth. “And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him’; this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 

Nebuchadnezzar had made decrees over others in his life, but now the tables were turned and the Most High God, whom he feared, was making a decree over him.

They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses. “And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules.

While Nebuchadnezzar had been merciless with his decrees in the past, here we see the kindness of the Lord. Yes, Nebuchadnezzar was going to go through a hard time but he would be restored after 7 years. In Nebuchadnezzar’s case, he lost his mind. He lived like an animal in the fields for 7 years. Does this sound a little like the story of the prodigal son who ended up eating with the pigs.  The Lord disciplines the ones he loves. 7 years is a long time but it would come to an end  once he had learned that Heaven rules. Once he had been humbled, the discipline would end. I think we can all accept that we need to change but it is human nature to think it can be done quickly. God’s work in reshaping us can take many years. Nevertheless, he is faithful to his promises. Nebuchadnezzar would be restored.

Daniel 4:27-33

Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.” All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 

Daniel gave Nebuchadnezzar the best advice he could give. Repent. Stop giving in to evil and start doing good. Show mercy to the poor. To repent is to humble yourself before God. To admit our way is the wrong way is humbling. Faithful preachers and evangelists tell sinners to repent.  Today is the day of salvation. There must be some action to show your heart has been changed. Words aren’t enough. A prayer at the front of the church is not enough. Some people know all the right words, they know the Bible, but there is no evidence of a changed heart, they have not repented of their sins. That’s the bottom line. The clock is ticking. would Nebuchadnezzar listen? The answer was no.

At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” 

Nebuchadnezzar was given 12 months and there was no change. He credited the success of Babylon to himself, he gave no credit to God.

While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.” That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.

You don’t know how long the Lord will give you. Heaven is watching, judgement is coming. Could it be today that your time is up ? How long has New Zealand got ?

Heaven is watching and waiting for sinners to repent and come home. Today is the day of salvation. God will be merciful to you today. 

Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard way. 7 years of insanity. 7 years wasted. Nebuchadnezzar lost his mind and became like a beast for 7 years. I suppose in that time God took care of him as a man takes care of an animal. Living on the streets can teach you there is a God in Heaven who looks after you when no one else does. Like the prodigal son, Nebuchadnezzar came to his senses. He realised he had a home.

Luke 15:17-19

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’

Daniel 4:34-37

And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, “What have You done?” At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.

At the end of the 7 years, Nebuchadnezzar comes to his senses and goes home with a humble and grateful heart. Nebuchadnezzar praises God but this time it’s from his heart, there has been a lasting change. In his final statement he acknowledges that pride was his downfall, that the Lord is able to bring down those who walk in pride. When someone mighty falls, it is a sign that God is in Heaven. The Church belongs to Jesus, it is not our Church. He sets how things shall be, not us.

If there is hope for someone who had been as evil as Nebuchadnezzar, then there is hope for each of us.

When I survey the wondrous cross

on which the Prince of glory died,

my richest gain I count but loss,

and pour contempt on all my pride.

Isaac Watts 1707

Resurrection Sunday 2024

15 years ago it was nearly Easter and I was preparing for my first ever sermon. I had broken my leg playing football only 5 months before and I was just about up and walking properly again. My plans to start a Soccer Academy had come to fruition just one week before I broke my leg during Labour weekend 2008, it felt like such a disaster at the time ! But with help from others, the Soccer Academy continued through to Summer with me on crutches and by Autumn, the opportunity to preach came up for Easter. Funnily enough, I can also pinpoint the start of our journey to France to that very week in April 2009. My old life died when I broke my leg and a new life was born ! 

I always like to revisit that message I gave back then on Resurrection Sunday 2009. 

In December 2022 we finished a 12 part series on the Apostles Creed and the resurrection of Jesus nearly 2000 years ago and of the Dead in the future is an essential part of the Christian faith including the Easter story in statements 4, 5 and the hope of resurrection it brings us in statement 11. It is our great hope enough to sustain us for whatever life may throw at us. How the World needs this Good News right now ! 

Paul in fact said that the resurrection of the body is very easy to believe so we don’t need to spend time on that today.

1 Corinthians 15:35-38

But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body.

Instead we can focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus. I started reading this week in Matthew 25, this was after Jesus had entered Jerusalem on the donkey at Passover time. 

The last chapter of Matthew is the shortest out of the last chapters of the 4 gospels.

At Passover, Jerusalem would swell in number from 25,000 to an estimated 150,000.  Remember Pilate and Herod were there for the Passover and they heard the large crowds shouting « Hosanna to the Son of David » the crowds recognised him as the Messiah and thought he was coming to take over, no wonder Pilate and Herod were shaken to the core. The first thing Jesus did was to  go to the temple and driven out the merchants, no wonder the Pharisees and other leaders were scared that the Romans wouldn’t stand for a riot.

All the chapters after Jesus had entered to Jerusalem up to his death on the Cross are full of darkness, judgement and pain. Condemning the Pharisees, overturning the tables in the temple, the prophecy about the fall of Jerusalem and the end of the world, stars falling from heaven, the final judgment, betrayal, failure, abandonment, sorrow, despair, torture and death.

The destiny of the entire human race hang in the balance in that week of terrible suffering.

John 12:31-33

Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

But that makes us ask if the Devil has already been judged and cast out, why is there so much pain in the world? Why is the Devil still at large ? The reason is that the Devil was cast out of Heaven and down to Earth.

Revelation 12:10-12

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

Though the Devis already judged, the judgment of mankind is still to come. Because evil men and women deliberately choose the Devil over God, thereby inviting him in. They only have ourselves to blame! But there is a way out !

Good Friday was a dark day in human history when mankind crucified the Son of God. But it is called Good Friday for a reason. In what appeared to be a day of utter defeat, God was putting in place the means by which all mankind could be saved. It was both a day of victory for evil and a day of victory for good. Only God could have pulled it off in such circumstances. We look at what is happening in wars around the world and it looks like evil is triumphing. We do not want to be like the disciples all doom and gloom when Jesus had told them the opposite, that he would rise again. Similarly, we have been told that when we see all these things that were spoken of by Jesus and the prophets happening in our time, that our redemption is near, Jesus is coming soon ! So we must not be negative, all doom and gloom either. Instead, now is the time to be excited and motivated to tell others the Good News of the Gospel.

Then in Matthew 28, suddenly light breaks through on Sunday morning. Suddenly the world is the right way up again. Isn’t that just the way life is. Some give up hope on Friday when the sky is dark and death comes, they don’t make it to Sunday. The Jesus Film was faithful to the account in the Gospel of Luke but I’m not aware of any film that followed the account in Matthew;

Matthew 28 is written below for comparison sake.

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Nevertheless it is worth today to look at the evidence for the resurrection and how the world has tried to explain it away. Other than the 4 gospels, there have been a number of good books written on the topic.

1. Former sceptics such as the lawyer Frank Morison (Who Moved the Stone ?) 

2. Former agnostics like the student Josh McDowell (Evidence that Demands a Verdict)

3. Former atheists like the journalist Lee Strobel (The Case for Christ) 

4. and the cold case detective J Warner Wallace (Cold Case Christianity)

When you hear the arguments that have been put forward by the sceptics and balance that against your own knowledge of the truth and personal experience, I am confident you will cast any doubts aside and believe just as the writers intended. 

Let’s have a look again at these false explanations of the Resurrection. As the Cold Case Detective would say, we want to eliminate the wrong suspects from our enquiries and having eliminated all the other suspects, be left with the truth. First of all then; 

1. Swoon Theory: That Jesus didn’t actually die but somehow revived in the tomb, rolled the stone away, walked out and recovered. To do this Jesus would have had to survive the beating and lashing he received that ripped open his flesh, the nails in his hands and feet, more than 6 hours nailed to the cross, and a spear thrust into his side and up into his heart. Then after 2 nights in the cold tomb and in critical condition with severe loss of blood, roll the very heavy stone away (up to 2 tonne), walk out past the Roman Guard, and within a few hours appear to the women and disciples fit and well. We can very safely assume the executioners had done their job and that Jesus had died. When Jesus was speared, doctors say that the blood and water coming out was proof of death. John who was at the crucifixion testified; 

John 19:33-35

But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.

2. Hallucination – The people that claim they saw Christ after he died were only hallucinating. Well that sure was a lot of people hallucinating! This theory is very poor for a number of reasons; 

1. The number of witnesses 

1 Corinthians 15:3-8 tells us

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

2. The number of sightings – at the tomb, on the road to Emmaus, the upper room on 2 occasions, at the lake and on the Mount of Olives. 

3. They were physical encounters not just sightings. Jesus encouraged the disciples to touch him and told Thomas to put his hand in the holes in his hands and side. 

4. They all testified the same type of story that they had heard him speak, seen him, touched him and eaten with him. With a hallucination you would find that one person’s was quite different from another’s. Hallucinations are very individualistic in that respect. 

3. Impersonation  – The person they met wasn’t the real Jesus. It’s true that quite often in their encounters, people didn’t recognise him or naturally doubted at first. In one of the funniest passages in the bible in Matthew 28:16-17 were told;

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

However the fact they didn’t recognise him was more to do with; 

• They weren’t expecting to see a dead man alive again

• His body was resurrected and was somewhat different. 

However their lack of recognition was always temporary and after hearing him speak or eating with him, the Bible tells us suddenly they would recognise him. It is not possible that an impostor could have fooled his family not to mention the disciples who’d been living and travelling with him those last 3 years. Also could anyone other than the Son of God have ascended into Heaven right before their eyes? 

4. Spiritual Resurrection – This theory was sadly put forward by modern scholars. They say that the story is only an illustration of the truth of new life after death. So what they’re really saying is that Christ’s body remained in the tomb. They’re missing one crucial fact – the empty tomb! But also the encounters were definitely physical not spiritual. Jesus told the disciples specifically that he was definitely not a ghost. In Luke 24:39

Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

In fact Jesus resurrected body should give us great hope of a physical resurrection; 

• He could appear in different forms so they didn’t recognise him (Mark 16:12) 

• He could eat 

• He could appear and disappear 

• He could pass through solid objects like the door not because he was a ghost but as Winkie Pratney said, because he was more solid than the door! 

5. The Wrong Tomb – The suggestion here is that the women and the disciples went to the wrong tomb. This is not credible for several reasons; 

• The tomb was right there at Calvary where the crucifixion had taken place 

• The women and John who were at the crucifixion could see the body being buried a short distance away. One may have been mistaken but not all of them. 

John 19:41-42

Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.

• There was a Roman seal on the tomb with guards standing over it and it was easily identifiable 

• Most importantly, Jesus’ enemies the Jewish Leaders and the Romans could not produce the body or show the correct tomb. The body was definitely missing and the tomb was definitely empty

6. Theft – All of the previous theories are ruled out leaving the only one the Jewish Leaders could offer at the time. That the disciples had stolen the body. Actually they knew it wasn’t true but they wanted to try and squash the story there and then. This is found in 

Matthew 28:12-15

When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

Apart from what is written in Matthew, what else disproves the claim that the disciples stole the body? 

• The evidence of the linen cloth and swath being left behind neatly folded.

John 20:7

and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.

People hurrying to steal a body wouldn’t bother to undress it and leave the clothes folded neatly behind. That clearly points to Jesus himself.  This detail is quite humorous to me, personally I think Jesus knew his Mum was coming down to the tomb later and he knew he’d better leave a tidy bed ! 

• The disciples were not willing or able to take on a Roman guard of well disciplined battle ready soldiers; 

• Their hopes and dreams of Jesus being the Messiah had been crushed 

• They were grief stricken over the loss of their friend 

• They had all run away less than 2 days before and were hiding in the upper room. Only the women were brave enough to venture out first thing on Sunday morning. 

• The only fighting man among them was Simon the Zealot 

• There was no reason to move him. Jesus had been buried honourably in the best tomb paid for by a rich man 

• It didn’t do them any favours to tell people that Jesus was alive – they were persecuted and eventually killed because of their testimony. If they had stolen the body, then all but one of them died for a lie. 

So there you have them. Six suspects ruled out because they don’t stack up under cross examination. Still you have to explain the empty tomb. 

So who do you believe? The eye witness accounts or the critics writing 2000 years later? 

All of which leaves us with the only true explanation, that Jesus really did rise from the dead. This is what the gospel writers wanted us to know about God. That in his kindness, all he wants from us so we can be saved is our belief. Believing in the Resurrection is the key to our salvation. 

God promises in Romans 10:9

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

That week and a half back in April 2009 as I prepared for my first sermon on April 12th, I sat down and read the accounts in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and tried to put myself in the story. I’d encourage you to do the same. The more I read and challenged them with my own questions, the more sense they made to me. They seem so full of real responses, of accurate pictures of ordinary life being invaded by the extraordinary and in no way do they attempt to gloss over the weaknesses of the characters in the story. They don’t paint the disciples as heroic souls who battled against the Romans and fought for Jesus. They are very honest accounts of doubt, of fear and surprise and joy found in a new reality with real hope. 

That really is the challenge for me. That having been convinced about the Resurrection and receiving the new life, of then letting it motivate and change me on a daily basis. Then telling others what I’ve discovered. Yes we need to believe for our salvation but we owe God more than just belief. What does this mean to you? How do you answer Jesus’ question; 

John 11:25-26

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Daniel 3

 

Daniel 2

Today we continue on with series on Daniel.

If you remember in chapter one, Daniel and his friends were part of the elite in Israel who had been taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar over 1000 km away  as the crow flies to Babylon. They were only teenagers but were forced indoctrination into the Babylon culture and religion, even having their names changed to to honours the gods and idols of Babylon. Daniel had made a vow not to defile himself and they had stood firm in refusing food from the king, an incredibly courageous thing to do, especially as teenagers.

You might be interested to learn that the book of Daniel is the only book of the Bible written in 2 languages. Hebrew, his mother tongue and Aramaic the language of the Babylonians demonstrating that Daniel was bilingual. 

Ch1  is in Hebrew 

Ch2-7 Aramaic - language of gentiles - suggesting a message for us. 

Ch 8-12 in Hebrew suggesting a message for Israel.

Notice they are still teenagers when chapter 2 begins. 

Daniel 2:1-6

Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. 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. And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.” Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.” The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”

Nebuchnezzar was an evil man, his go to method of dealing with problems was to cut people in pieces. He wasn’t joking. In Jeremiah you can read how he ordered King Zedekiah of Judah’s sons to be executed, then blinded Zedekiah so that the last thing he would see was the murder of his sons, before taking him in captivity along with the rest of the elite of Israel to Babylon.

A wicked, murderous man is not going to sleep well. Nebuchadnezzar made an  order for them to tell him the dream and the interpretation. Surely only a psychopath would make an unreasonable request like that. It is certainly revealing of a cruel heart. Even so, if the wise men had the dream, it would have been easy for the them to come up with an interpretation. Any old fortune teller or even a psychologist can do that. When Nebuchadnezzar wouldn’t tell them the dream, the wise men of Babylon protested. 

Daniel 2:7-12

They answered again and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.” The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.” 

Nebuchadnezzar wouldn’t bow to their request, he wanted the truth, he knew there was something ominously important about his dream.

The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, “There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.” For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

There is only so far human rationalism can take you. Psychologists can only do so much. They cannot help you with deep spiritual problems, especially ones that come from sin. We aren’t just flesh and blood, man is also spirit.

Here they say something very revealing - that the gods dwelling is not with flesh. Many people believe in a god out there somewhere but who’s not interested in humanity. There can be no personal relationship with him as far as they are concerned. Worldly wisdom can’t give you a relationship with God. Other religions put God out there somewhere but he is not their Father, their friend. Only in Christianity God experienced humanity. Only the Gospel gives hope. In fact Jesus is called Emmanuel, God with us. The message of the Gospel is God became flesh and dwelt amongst us. 

Daniel 2:13-18

So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; he answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel. So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 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.

Daniel heard the knock on the door and went to answer it. There stood Arioch his executioner with his sword. Most people would react with terror, not Daniel. Whatever he said to Arioch, he got a stay of execution and permission to go and see the king. 

Daniel did not have the interpretation when he boldly went and asked Nebuchadnezzar for more time, he had courageous faith. He was taking a risk not to have his head chopped off there and then but a bigger risk that if he didn’t get the dream and the interpretation that Nebuchadnezzar would do something far worse to him. Remember Nebuchadnezzar is not a nice guy. There are situations in life which you cannot solve, where you are completely reliant on the Lord. Furthermore, the stakes are raised even higher if you’ve got it wrong. Are you facing a situation like that today? Only God can save you. Not your own wisdom, not friends not parents not the government not any doctor. And without a relationship with him, you have nothing. So what did Daniel do? Pray !!! Not as a last resort when all else had failed. Daniel’s relationship with God was from when he was very young. He had confidence that the Lord would answer his prayers.

Notice though that Daniel asked his friends to pray with him. Jesus said when 2 or 3 are gathered in his name, he is is there in the midst of them. That’s why we have Share, Care and Prayer every week at PCC. We have 25 here on a Sunday morning, it a very good time to pray together for the help in the spiritual battles we are in !

Daniel 2:19-24

Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. 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. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him. “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.” Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.”

Daniel’s first response was to thank God for revealing the dream and to praise the Lord for who he is. Often we thank God for helping us but Daniel also gave the Lord the praise he deserves for all the things he does for us. That’s a good thing for us to do in Church and in private when we remember the things the Lord has done just in the last week.

Daniel 2:25-30

Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, “I have found a man of the captives of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation.” 

Once Arioch heard that Daniel had the dream and interpretation, he quickly took Daniel to the king. I’ve no doubt Nebuchadnezzar was losing patience with Arioch for not carrying out his orders on Daniel immediately and had threatened Arioch as well. Arioch wanted to tell Nebuchadnezzar the good news and save his own skin as well !

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?” 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. 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: 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. 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.

Daniel makes it clear to Nebuchadnezzar that it was not Daniel’s wisdom but God alone in Heaven who revealed the dream. He makes it clear there’s nothing special about himself that he could do it by his own ability, no reason to feel special. Do we ever take credit for something God has done? It’s tempting to do, isn’t it ?

Daniel 2:31-36

“You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. “This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king.

This was the dream that gave Nebuchadnezzar sleepless nights. He had a sense of foreboding. The statue was huge and intimidating. The value of the materials decreased from head of gold down to silver down to bronze, then iron then finally iron and clay. We know in the Olympics the value of the gold, silver and bronze medals. Conversely, the strength of the metals increases from head down to legs. Iron is stronger than bronze which is stronger than silver which is stronger than gold. Only the iron and clay mixed together are obviously weaker, so the foundation is weak. Nebuchadnezzar had a strong sense that something was dreadfully wrong despite all outward appearances of the strength of Babylon. Many people appear strong to the world but underneath they are not right with God and have that same sense of foreboding.

Daniel 2:37-42

You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold. 

Daniel starts by calling  Nebuchadnezzar the king of kings. But Daniel was not merely flattering the king. He tells him that God is the one who put Nebuchadnezzar in charge, it is God who reigns.

But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.

This was a dream about the future going on to the last days, so relevant for us today. It is said that the Chapter 2 dream is from man’s perspective on Earth and later on in Chapter 7 that the dream about the future is from God’s perspective in Heaven.

Daniel told the king that there would be another kingdom that would supersede his.

The vision that Daniel saw was 100% prophetically accurate, far clearer and superior to anything Nostradamus wrote who people rave about today.

There is no doubt of the identity of the 4 empires that have already passed. First the Babylonian empire, then the Mede-Persian empire, then Alexander the Great and the Grecian empire, then the Roman Empire. You must remember that the last 2 empires were far in the future when Daniel gave the interpretation. Even the silver chest and arms of the Mede-Persian empire were nearly 70 years in the future at this point in time.

Daniel 2:43-45

As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”

Many people have speculated about what will be the final empire of iron and clay right at the end of history before Christ comes. Some are now saying that the iron represents machinery and the clay represents man and therefore the final empire will be made up of people who are part human, part machine. But the fact that Daniel’s interpretation specifically mentions mingling with the seed of men alludes to what we see today, medical science tampering with semen or human DNA, even mixing with animal DNA in the attempt to create a superior human race.  What isn’t hard to imagine now is that this will finally bring forth a Beast-like creature, part human, part animal something akin to the movie the Island of Doctor Moreau. Who would have thought of that years ago but now it is not difficult to believe. Daniel 7 tells us that 10 kings will arise out of a 4th beast, we will come to that later. But we can definitely say that the ten toes of iron and clay are these 10 kings and the Rock will come and smash them, bringing down the entire world system.

The final kingdom is the Kingdom of God which will reign forever. This kingdom has already started when Jesus came. 

Luke 16:16

“The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.

But remember Jesus came as a servant and died as King of the Jews. Even though he is already the King of all those who believe the Gospel, He will be crowned Supreme King over all when he returns. King Charles waited 73 years to be crowned King but Jesus has been waiting 2000 years !

After that, Man will never reign again. No more House of Windsor, no more White House, no more Kremlin, no more Empires !

Daniel 2:46-49

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. 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.” 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. 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.

When Nebuchadnezzar realises the truth of what Daniel told him and the extent of the revelation from God and the glory of the Kingdom of God, he starts worshipping, it’s not very clear but he appears to be worshipping Daniel rather than the Lord, though words of praise for the Lord come out his mouth. Some people are too much in awe of God’s servants and fail to recognise that it is the Lord they should be worshipping.

But to God be the Glory !

Daniel 1

Last week there was a common message running through the service of the Church and us as individuals being salt and light in our community. We heard from the Sermon on the Mount that the people God blesses are the ones who have a character the opposite of what the World thinks is a measure of success. We finished with a prayer asking the Lord to give us strength to be the true Church, salt and light here in little old Papatoetoe. Amen.

A pinch of salt is all that’s needed to change a meal from tasteless to tasty. The small light of your mobile screen can light your way in the night.

A word was brought for the day and is our memory verse for next week is;

Ephesians 1:3-6

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

As I prepared this week to link last weeks message on being salt and light, to our next series on Daniel and Revelation, I came across a message from Peter Krol, an author and collegiate missionary with DiscipleMakers, a Christian campus ministry based in Pennsylvania.

Elites like Jacinda Ardern and Emmanuel Macron have been trained by the WEF in Global Economics and Politics with common humanist objectives. But God often uses the least in the sight of the World to fulfil his agenda, laughing at the humanists. Remember it’s the Meek who will inherit the Earth. If young Daniel and his friends can revolutionise the kingdoms of the earth in God’s name while living in captivity, there is no reason that God cannot use us to transform our community here in Papatoetoe with the gospel. 

Consider the year 605 B.C. The 10 Northern tribes of Israel had already been scattered by the Assyrian invasion about 100 years before. With only two remaining governing tribes in Israel, the Southern tribes of Judah (which controlled Jerusalem) and Benjamin were losing power and significance. Judah is the tribe from which we get the name the Jews. Incidentally Jesus is known as the Lion of Judah and Paul was a Benjamite. Babylon now rules the world, with Nebuchadnezzar as king and general. Then the unthinkable happens and seemingly the Lord abandons Israel. 

Daniel 1:1-4

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god. Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

What sorrow there would have been in Israel that day. As judgement on evil in Israel, the Lord purposes war and their deadly enemy to defeat Judah. Nebuchadnezzar besieges Jerusalem, and the city falls because the Lord hands it over to him.

Nebuchadnezzar took the cream of the Judah crop into captivity. It seemed to be the end of Israel as a nation. But the Lord is faithful to his promise to Abraham. From this great tree that has been cut down to the roots, new young shoots will one day emerge.

Thus begins the book of Daniel: clarifying the Lord is in control of the situation even in such a dark hour. I know I would have felt condemned in such a moment.  But Daniel had a strong faith in the Lord’s goodness which inspired him to three key world-changing behaviours. Since he understood God rules all earthly kingdoms, he would 

1. Settle Down

2. Start Small 

3. Win Big

Daniel had the humility that showed why the Meek will inherit the Earth.

Settle Down

Daniel 1:5-7

And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.

Daniel and his three friends are abducted, transported to Babylon, and indoctrinated in the Babylon arts, culture and religion. They learn the literature and language of a hostile nation. They’re groomed for civil service as cultural elites. They’re trained to embody new customs and proclaim the glories of false gods—like Bel and Nebo/Nego—by bearing their names. But they don’t stage a protest or instigate a riot. They don’t plot a rebellion. They don’t even refuse to participate. They take it right on the chin and keep moving.

You need the Holy Spirit within you to resist the World’s influence like that. How many children from Christian homes will emerge from the state schools and universities with their faith intact having been indoctrinated with evolution, gender ideology, tolerance, economics and so on.

Imagine one day New Zealand being overrun by the army of a Communist nation or overtaken from within by Islamic extremists who demand that all citizens must bow five times each day for mandatory prayer to Allah.  No cafés and restaurants are allowed to open during daylight hours for the month of Ramadan. They even change your name to Mohammed. Could you stand up to that? Daniel and his friends were able to do it partly because they were soaked in the Word of God and partly because the Lord gave Jeremiah a prophecy for them to hold on to. You need both the Word and the Spirit.

Jeremiah 29:1-11

Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remainder of the elders who were carried away captive—to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. (This happened after Jeconiah the king, the queen mother, the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.) The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the Lord. For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. 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.

The Lord knew they needed help, so he inspired the prophet Jeremiah to write them a letter. He told them to “build houses . . . plant gardens . . . take wives . . . multiply there. . . . Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare”. He told them it would be 70 years until God brought them back, so they should make the most of the time. Daniel obeyed. He settled down and served the neighborhood. He became a model student and a pillar of the community.

Jesus has given us a similar set of commands. Go to all nations to make disciples. Do not love the world, or the things in the world, but love your neighbor as yourself. Honour everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. In other words, settle down and be good citizens.

But we know our employers today are forcing all kinds of compromise on their staff. Daniel was facing the same challenge. 

Start Small

Daniel 1:8-10

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. Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king.” 

The manager at your workplace is usually answerable to someone up the chain. The chief of the eunuchs liked Daniel and didn’t want to enforce the rules on him but felt had no option as his head was on the block

Daniel 1:11-13

So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.”

Although seeking to be a good citizen, Daniel resolves not to defile himself. The problem, however, is that he doesn’t have much control over his life. He appeals to the chief eunuch, but his request is denied. So Daniel wisely goes down the chain of command to the steward but this time he proposes a 10-day test. We tend to escalate problems, but Daniel went in the opposite direction. If the husband won’t do it, ask the wife to make the husband think it’s his idea. If that doesn’t work there’s always the kids 😂

Note these things about the test:

1. The test is small. Daniel does not protest, petition, refuse, or revolt. He simply proposes a new menu with a trial period.

2. The test is tentative. The fact that Daniel proposes a time period implies that he’s willing to go back to the defiling food (and try a different plan) if it doesn’t work.

3. The test is out of Daniel’s control. Picture this New Year’s resolution: “I’ll eat healthy food for 10 days. If I come out fatter, prettier, and smarter than the rest of my generation, then I’ll know it was a good idea, and I’ll persevere.” Yeah, right. He’s obviously expecting God to do something supernatural.

Daniel doesn’t get anxious about stuff he can’t control. He focuses on what he can control (not his menu or his health, but his ability to request a slight change), and he begins there. After all, if God is really in control, it just might work! And of course, it does.

Daniel 1:14-16

So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies. Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

How do you and I handle big problems? Not many stay calm and rationale like Daniel. The economy tanks. The election doesn’t go your way. You lose your job or business. Your name is mud. The world is full of evil, envy, abuse, and pain. What can you do about it?

Start small. God knows when you are faithful in small things. Like when you picked up that piece of rubbish and put it in the bin. Submitting your report before the deadline. Donating some clothes or something to the food bank. You can talk to one person about your hope in Christ. You can offer to pray with someone. You can do the next small thing, whatever it may be.

Win Big

Daniel settles down and starts small, but his influence has reverberated through the ages. Notice how much he wins. As Daniel takes his small steps of resistance, the Holy Spirit blows in to transform the situation completely.

Daniel 1:17-21

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. Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm. Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.

First, he won Nebuchadnezzar’s respect. It’s as though the Prime Minister came to Papatoetoe, interviewed a few teenagers at Pap. High, and concluded they were 10 times more useful to him than his Cabinet. Only God can give such wisdom. But that’s not all.

Second, he wins Babylon’s empire. Interestingly, the chapter concludes with a throwaway detail—that Daniel’s tenure continued until the first year of King Cyrus? That detail is important because  Cyrus was king of Persia, not king of Babylon. Cyrus was the guy who destroyed Babylon and set up a new empire. So God’s man Daniel not only outlasted Nebuchadnezzar, he also survived the Persian takeover and maintained his influence. Nebuchadnezzar thought he was building his empire by capturing Daniel, but God was really building his. Why does chapter 1 end with Cyrus’s first year? Because that year was 539 B.C., roughly 70 years after the initial exile. It was the year Cyrus permitted the Jews to return and rebuild.

Ezra 1:1-4

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem. And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.

And Daniel was there, advising King Cyrus to issue the proclamation.

But that’s not all. Daniel won the world’s attention. More than 500 years later, his influence is still being felt when advisers from Babylon (remember that “magi” is a Persian word) trek across the world to see the one who was born King of the Jews. He told them the signs of the King’s advent (see Daniel 8 - 12, especially chapter 11), so they watched and waited until they finally saw his star in the east and went to worship him. Daniel rested in God’s sovereignty and paved the way for the Messiah to take over the world. What phenomenal influence!

“Winning big” is not about getting your best life now. It’s not even primarily about changing the world or making it a better place. It’s about trusting Jesus to change the world.

Extra 

A City Isn’t a City Without the Church | Peter J. Leithart | First Things

Made me think of how God deals with criminals - they are put outside the city. Imagine if our cities were like that. The citizens have a right to be there but if they become criminals, they are put outside the city rather than in a prison within a city. Furthermore, any dangerous criminals would be put in a prison outside the city. Of course, we would all end up outside the city without grace. But I’m talking about repeat offenders. For the most serious cases, no more than 3 strikes and you’re out.

It also made me think of Vannes, where the Cathedral is central to the city and at a high point. The centrality and health of the Church is important to the city’s health. Even the bells ringing and a call to worship bring an order to the city. Therefore a government should always give a high place to the Church unless of course it becomes corrupted. At that point it should be able to appeal to the highest Church authority to replace corrupt ministers. Smaller churches in the area should be reporting to the Central church. 

What then would be the God ordained central church in say Papatoetoe ?

Antichrist call to remove bishops from the House of Lords

The purity of the Church should be a concern for the government. Calls such as in this article have arrived because the Church has been corrupt. Why has it not dealt severely with pedophile priests. Here the government has the authority to step in and should.