Daniel #3

            Father God Thank you for giving us the precious time to hear the words of the Holy Spirit. Help us to put these precious words in us and to walk in the light of these words. Help us to be the ones who know what the world will be like in the Word of God, not by listening to the words of the people of the world. We earnestly pray that God will help us not to be afraid as we watch the news of the world, but to receive answers in the word of God. Thank you for giving us the wisdom you gave to Daniel today. Thank you for the wisdom that is in the Holy Spirit. Whenever we pray, help us to use that wisdom so that we, like Daniel, can know for sure what will happen in the future and live in hope. Thank you and we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

            (Daniel 2:14-18 KJV) ¶ Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Their lives were in jeopardy. Daniel bought some time. He talked to Ariok and promised that he will find out the dream and the interpretation if he was given some time, otherwise he’ll die if he got it wrong. Unlike the other magicians, Daniel didn’t promise to tell the interpretation if he was told what the dream was. This is a man of God. People in the world will just lie and do a mediocre job and move on. Who’s gonna know? If prophecy doesn’t get fulfilled it won’t matter as people will forget everything. But Daniel made it clear. After all, this was his absolute reliance on God. God gives wisdom and shows all to those who absolutely relies on him. God will never give understanding to a person who has one foot in the world and the other in God. People who does not fully trust the Lord when hearing the word of God. People who don’t believe in the Lord’s help, will never understand the Word unless they trust in His power. No understanding equals no works. One cannot bear fruit because there is no works. So does believing in Jesus. When you are first saved, you really have to believe with the determination that if you don’t really give your life to Jesus, you will die. People who simply write their names on church register will never understand the Bible. That is why only who understand bear fruit 30, 60, and 100 fold. We bear the fruit of God’s Word in our lives. In other words, the word becomes flesh. Therefore, life becomes that resembles the Lord. So here, Daniel, as a representative took a bullet for the team.

            Daniel tells his companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the situation in verse 17. They did not question each other about what to do. Folks, churches shouldn’t have meetings. What would you like me to do? What is your opinion? Nothing will ever be solved. The same goes for the working world. Companies that have many problems and have bunch of meetings inevitably go bankrupt. So does the church. God’s people have no place to stand because many people speak their opinions in the meetings. A person who prays receives answers. But in a meetings, a decision is made by a majority vote. This is not how church operates. The Church is not a democracy. The church is theocracy. The church is where God has the absolute power. That is why no problem can be solved without prayer. And whenever there is a problem, all have to gather together, pray, and receive answers on the spot. Then, If you’ve prayed, you have to wait for an answer. Many pray about things even when there is no need to. God has already told us to do this or that through His Word. Those type of things has already been answered by the Lord. Something really special happened to Daniel here. As verse 18 says: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; They prayed to the God of heaven to ask for mercy. A person facing death but does not pray but seeks out people and tries to solve them is not yet a man of God. If we really understand the Bible, we must know that prayer is the best no matter what the problem. Even small things. Gold helps me find it when I lose something and I pray about it. He sometimes show me where where I left it while I pray. God answers those who pray about small to large issues. It is evil to worry and not pray to God. This is an evil heart. Prayer is the only way to solve the problem. Understanding the Bible is not possible without prayer. When reading the Bible, there is a difference between a person praying and just reading the Bible. That’s why people who understand each and every detail through the Bible, are not only wise but also get solutions to small and big problems as they live very clearly and purely. That is why it is impossible to understand the Bible without the guidance and illumination of the Holy Spirit. Those who do not have the Holy Spirit and those who do not pray cannot understand the Bible. Prayer is the basic attitude of those who read the Bible. You can’t do it without praying. And if you don’t understand, leave it behind and start praying. Then, through preaching, through word study, and through prayer, the person who prays receives understanding. Those who hold on to this Word and pray will understand when they hear it. We have bible study every week. You know what we’re doing next week. There is a night and day difference between a person who prays while reading the scripture in advance and a person who just comes to the study. So, those who do not pray cannot do anything.

            So, what happened after they prayed? Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. (Daniel 2:19 KJV) This wasn’t a dream while sleeping at night. Daniel had vision at night. A vision is what you see when you really need it. Pastor Song once had a vision. He saw it once in a word. He is living his life according to that vision. It’s  testifying that Word according to the Word. The word he had received back in 1989, he went to Jerusalem and proclaimed it through radio broadcast: (Matthew 3:9 KJV) And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Various unclean beasts came down wrapped in a giant sheet in a vision while Peter prayed at the sixth hour. And God told him to kill and eat during this vision. This was a serious problem for Peter for he had never eaten anything common or unclean. It wasn’t a coincidence. God already showed the vision to Cornelius when he prayed. This was all a preparation to meet Cornelius. God only shows us to accomplish His will, but what happens to our business for our own benefit is what the devil shows us. Don’t be fooled. God gave this vision to not only to Daniel, but for us know in advance what will happen in the Millennial Kingdom and all the details of the great tribulation described in the Book of Revelation. He did not show the vision for Daniel to avoid death. It’s was not for self-interest. That’s why Daniel blessed God.

            (Daniel 2:20 KJV) Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: To gain wisdom and power, you must completely turn your face toward God. (Daniel 2:21-22 KJV) And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. Even non-believers know that Some divine figure dethrones all kings and ruins kingdoms. Evil kings and presidents are brought down.” Haven’t dictators fallen one by one throughout the course of history? How could a person who has received the understanding and knowledge of God not know? (Job 28:28 KJV) says to depart from evil is understanding. A person with understanding departs from evil. Understanding is the wisdom to understand the Word of God. To understand God’s word is to depart from evil, and only by departing from evil can one receive understanding. So the Lord told his disciples to deliver us from evil: (Matthew 6:13 KJV) (Daniel 2:21-22 KJV) Therefore God giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. Everything is in the word of God. There are many skeptics about what’s going to happen in the future online and on TV these days. Don’t rely on things like this, but we must realize that the word of God says. And you have to understand that the events unfolding around the world are reflections of what is already revealed in the Bible. An unwise person soley relying and believing the news of the world events without the word of God is sure to be deceived. Tricked by the devil for sure as fear will enter their hearts and be full of worries. Fully Understand the book of Dan