Why Bad Things Happen To Good People Series

Text: Daniel chapter 8

Title: Why bad things happen to good people

Introduction

The theme of the entire book of Daniel is the sovereignty of God

Here again in chapter 8 we have more irrefutable evidence that our God is both all-knowing and all powerful.

In Daniel chapter 8 God gives Daniel a vision of a Ram and a vision of a Goat.From now on every time you see a ram or a goat -remember God is all knowing and all powerful! Never mind that the only ram we might see is a ram truck

So here is the evidence in Daniel 8 that our God is all-knowing

1. In V3-8 –The vision of the ram and the goat

“I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later. I watched the ram as he charged towards the west and the north and the south. No animal could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.

“As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between his eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. He came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at him in great rage. I saw him attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering his two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against him; the goat knocked him to the ground and trampled on him, and none could rescue the ram from his power. The goat became very great, but at the height of his power his large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven.”

The irrefutable evidence that our God is all all-knowing is found in verses 19-22

“He said: I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end. The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes is the first king. The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power.”

Illustration: Daniel received the vision in the 3rd year of Belshazzar (v1)

The 3rd year of Belshazzar was 551BC

There was a king of Greece (Alexander the Great) who defeated the kingdom of Media and Persia. He did this in 331 BC. 220 years after Daniel was told it would happen

Illustration: 220 years ago (1790) George Washington was the president of America

What are the chances of George Washington predicting that 220 years into the future the president would a senator from Illinois?

God knew!

God knows everything!

He knows every thought

He knows the number of hairs on our head

He knows when a sparrow falls to the ground

He knows the answer to every problem

God is all-knowing

Then when we look at v23-25 of Daniel 8 we see the irrefutable evidence that our God is also all-powerful

(V23-25) “In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a stern faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the Holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, BUT NOT BY HUMAN POWER.

This powerful king will be destroyed by a more powerful God!

The power of man is no match for the power of God

Our God is a miracle working God

He heals the sick

He raises the dead

Our God is all knowing and all powerful

Notice the reaction of Daniel to the vision. (v27)

I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay ill for several days. Then I got up and went about the king’s business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding.

•There was something about this vision that was beyond understanding for Daniel

•There was something about this vision that made Daniel ill

•There was something about this vision that appalled Daniel

What was the problem with the vision?

If God is all knowing and if God is all powerful then why does He allow bad things to happen?

Why does He allow people to suffer and die if He is all knowing and all powerful?