Dealing With Crisis To The Glory Of God Series

Dealing with Crisis to the Glory of God

Daniel 2:1-28, 45b-49

Dealing with a Crisis to the Glory of God requires Wisdom (Daniel 2:14; Proverbs 9:10; James 1:5)

How do we become Wise?

Wisdom begins…With a Reverence for the Lord

Wisdom grows …With a Humility for ourselves

Wisdom grows…

As we humbly seek the counsel of God’s People

As we humbly pray to the Lord

As we humbly give glory to God

As we humbly receive the blessings of God…

And share the blessings of God!

Intro

Slide

Good Morning. Happy Father’s Day. We are continuing our series through Daniel called “When in Babylon…?” learning how we can live in a culture and society that is opposed to living for the Lord.

Slide

This morning we are going to jump right into our text, so if you would turn with me to Daniel 2, we are going to read the first part of the chapter to get an indication of the situation and talk about that before we get into what the Lord wants us to learn from this chapter. So, let’s begin in Daniel 2 and read Daniel 2:1-13

1 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. 2 So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, "I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means."

4 Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic,"

O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it."

5 The king replied to the astrologers, "This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. 6 But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me."

7 Once more they replied, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it."

8 Then the king answered, "I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: 9 If you do not tell me the dream, there is just one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me."

10 The astrologers answered the king, "There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. 11 What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men."

12 This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.

Pray

Ok, well things look pretty bleak for Daniel and his friends.

Due to no fault of their own, they are sentenced to death because the king became angry with some of his “wise men” because they could not accomplish a task that was humanly impossible. Talk about frustrating.

Have you ever had to deal with what seemed like an impossible situation?

A boss that wants something completed that can’t be done in the time frame he gives?

A parent that no matter what you do, it is never good enough. You try and try but there expectations are impossible to achieve!

Maybe it is some other situation that you will not be able to resolve and the consequences for not resolving it are severe?

Whatever the case you probably are not facing anything near as bad as Daniel and his friends. Talk about impossible. He is going to be put to death for something he wasn’t even involved in

How is a man or woman of God supposed to deal with a crisis like this in a way that gives glory to God?

Slide

Let’s continue on and see how Daniel deals with it and learn how might be able to deal with Crisis to the glory of God.

Daniel 2:14-16

14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. 15 He asked the king’s officer, "Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?" Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.