Introduction
Daniel had been granted by King Nebuchadnezzar some time to tell the king the dream that had greatly bothered the king and then to share its interpretation. Daniel immediately upon returning home tells his friends the matter of concern and they join him as part of his prayer team. And Daniel and his prayer team were effective because God revealed to Daniel in a night vision the dream and its interpretation. He got the answer first because he went to God seeking the answer. The Bible says you have not because you ask not. And secondly he got his answer because he used a prayer team to help him bring the request to God. Such a serious matter required the actions of a prayer team.
And I gave you a Scripture to show you the effectiveness of a prayer team.
Matthew 18:19–20 ““Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.””
We talked about the urgency of having a prayer team a couple of weeks ago, and I hope by now you have talked with someone about being part of your prayer team.
Daniel’s actions should have taught us that the first line of offense when there is a matter of grave concern is prayer. And Daniel also teaches us that their are times I have to call in reinforcements to pray with me. Daniel did just that- Daniel and his three companions went to God in prayer, and Daniel received his answer.
But Daniel’s instruction to us did not stop there. The answer was received but praying for that request was not complete until Daniel praised God for the answer. And that is exactly what Daniel did, He broke out in praise to God.
And the lesson for us is that our personal petitions to God are not complete until we praise God for whatever the answer might be.
Now, Daniel having prayed for his request and having received the answer and breaking out in praise, he now in haste needs to follow up with the king. Peoples lives are at stake. So Daniel seeks out Arioch, the captain of the guard, to arrange for Daniel to immediately appear in the presence of the king.
So let’s see what we can learn when Daniel with answer in hand arranges this all important meeting with the king through Arioch.
Scripture
Daniel 2:24–28 (NKJV)
24 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.”
25 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.”
26 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?”
27 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. 28 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...
Point #1
Daniel shined because his first concern when finding Arioch was for the safety of the wise men of Babylon. These were not his friends; these are the people who took him captive; they would be considered his enemy.
24 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.”
The Babylonians were the ones who took Daniel and his companions captive and brought them 700 miles to Babylon. It was the Babylonian who destroyed their beloved Judah. It was the Babylonians who took items from the temple in Jerusalem and brought them to Babylonian. It was the Babylonians who forced these young men to attend three years of classes to learn about Babylon and their gods.
How could Daniel show compassion to the people who done all these things to him and his friends and destroyed his country and stole from God’s temple in Jerusalem? Only if he had a whole lot of Jesus in him. In my flesh, I could not show compassion because they have hurt me and my companions and they destroyed my homeland.
Daniel could have told Arioch in his flesh speaking, “when you are finished killing the wise men of Babylon come back to me and hopefully by then I will be able to meet with the king and give him the dream and its interpretation.
And there are Christians, maybe some in this church , that cannot do what Daniel had done and that is show compassion to someone who has hurt them or those who you don’t like. Deep in your heart, you hope that they get what is coming to them.
Daniel shined in this situation; but I know many Christians who have not shined when placed in a Daniel type situation- where you should bless someone you do not like or who has hurt you. Remember, Daniel only did what Jesus tells each one of us to do.
Luke 6:27–28 (NKJV)
27 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
Can you do what Daniel did in this situation? And bless your enemies? If you can you will shine.
Point #2
Arioch attempted to take credit for something that God revealed to Daniel so that the captain of the guards can make himself look good before the king.
25 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.”
Arioch goes in before the king and announces to the king that I have found a man who can tell you the dream and its interpretation. Arioch is positioning himself to look good in the eyes of the king.
I say that because if you look back at verse 24 that it was Daniel that searched out Arioch; not the other way around.
Let me tell you when Christian men and woman try to position themselves like Arioch to make themselves look good in somebody’s eyes, there is no shine.
Let me give you some examples how Christians do this.
You walk up to someone in church who you know has been going through some tough times and you tell them you have been praying for them and you haven’t, you are positioning yourself to look good in that other person’s eyes.
In a conversation with another Christian you tell them that God told you something that God didn’t tell you. You have thrown around God’s name to better position yourself in the other person’s eyes. There is no shine in that.
You say people don’t do that. Let me give you a Biblical example: Yes they do!
Luke 18:10–14 (NKJV)
10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
In the eyes of God, you never shine when you are trying to position yourself; you shine when you humble yourself.
Point #3
Daniel shows us one of the best ways to shine is to point people to Jesus. When you are able to point others to Jesus, you are really shining.
26 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?”
27 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. 28 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...
The king asked Daniel a very direct question. “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?
Arioch if he was the one who got the dream and the interpretation and was standing before the king, he would have answered yes, King, I am ready to tell you the dream and its interpretation. And probably most of the world would answer that way.
But look at how the man of God answers. Nobody can do this, not even me, but the God of heaven can and I happen to know him.
Daniel did not claim that he was some great wise man; he did not claim to know the mysteries of life. He just tells the king, I know the One who can.
As a Christian, who wants to shine, our claim to fame has to be: “I know the One who can.”
I know the One who can answer prayer; I know the One who can heal; I know the One who can reveal mysteries.
When it is not you and it is all God, you shine.Attempt to shine on your own and you will fall flat on your face.
Thoughts to Ponder
Are you a Christian that reaches out to all people or only those like you?
Do I come across to others as a prideful Christian or do others see a humble spirit in me?
