Hello friends!
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Welcome to Books of the Book.
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We are presently engaged in an
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exciting study of the book of
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Daniel and my name is Ty Gibson.
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And I'm James Rafferty and
right now we are transitioning
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to a different power in Daniel
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Chapter 6 and we are
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transitioning from the power
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of Babylon to the
power of Media Persia.
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We see in Daniel 2 these four
kingdoms that are revealed to
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King Nebuchadnezzar and we
have moved from the head of gold
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to the chest of silver.
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Media Persia was a kingdom
that was to follow Babylon
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in this secession
and Darius is the ruler.
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He is establishing his kingdom
in place of the Babylonian
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kingdom and as he
establishes his kingdom here in
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verse 1 in and onward.
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He decides that he is
going to set as one of the
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principal rulers,
presidents in his kingdom.
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One of those rulers was
part of the kingdom of Babylon.
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Who do you think that is?
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Daniel of course.
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Daniel and let's read here
in verse 1, Daniel Chapter 6.
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"It pleased Darius to set
over the kingdom 120 princes,"
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"which should be
over the whole kingdom. "
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"And over these," verse 2,
"three presidents; of whom"
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"Daniel was first; that the
princes might give an account"
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"unto them, and the
king should have no damage. "
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And it says in verse 3,
"then this Daniel was preferred"
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"above the presidents and
princes, because an excellent"
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"Spirit was in him; and
the king thought to set him"
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"over the whole realm. "
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This is amazing, Daniel again
emerges in this story as one
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who distinguishes himself
by virtue of his integrity.
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He has purposed in
his heart to serve God.
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He has been faithful in
his commitment to the Lord.
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He has been faithful in his
service to this foreign power,
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even though he is a captive,
a slave in a foreign land.
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He serves with all his might
and talent as though he were
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in his own homeland.
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Daniel is a person of incredible
character and integrity.
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This works itself out in
the king, King Darius, of the
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Medes and the Persians.
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He recognizes Daniel and
he determined in verse 3,
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to sit Daniel over the
entire realm, only second to the
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king himself and this of
course begins to arouse jealousy
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in the hearts of those other
presidents and princes that
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are in the kingdom but don't
have the same character and
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integrity as Daniel.
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So they begin to contrive
and to lay a trap for Daniel.
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What is so incredible about
this is Darius recognizes in
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Daniel this excellent Spirit.
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He has already seen that
he is capable and the whole
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point is that we are in a
political environment here.
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Everyone is on the take.
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Everyone has a
price and Daniel doesn't.
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Daniel is
different from everyone else.
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He has an excellent spirit
and I would venture to say
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that he has the Spirit of God.
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He has an other
centered, selfless Spirit.
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So he is not into
any of this for himself.
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He is not
thinking about himself.
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When Darius looks at
Daniel, he says there is a man I
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can trust because there
is nothing about him that is
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going to make a decision
that will benefit himself.
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It is all going to be
other centered decision-making.
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I think that even
though he is one of the 3
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presidents, I think
that I will set him above
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all of the presidents.
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I see that I can trust this man.
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This is the essence
basically of why these
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presidents are upset.
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These other presidents
and princes are upset because
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in the political environment
everyone has a price,
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everyone is on the
take, and they are out to get
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something for themselves.
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As long as Daniel
is head over them,
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that is not going to happen.
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Daniel doesn't even
aspire to a higher position.
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He is just doing his best.
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He is being faithful.
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He is being honest and
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serving the king in what
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ever capacity he has placed in,
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and it is his integrity
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that begins to elevate him
in the estimation of the king.
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These individuals who begin to
conspire against Daniel James,
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they begin to look at him
and examine him, and even as his
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enemies, it says down in verse
4, that he was faithful and
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there was no fault
that they could find in him.
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He was other centered,
selfless service, and he had
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honor and integrity, he
had obedience, he had purity.
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All these characteristics
of who Daniel was.
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His person, appealed to Darius.
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Darius saw these because
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Darius himself, I think, was
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developing these characters
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in his own heart and mind.
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We will see that as
the story progresses.
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So it is amazing when you
think about it, it is amazing
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that some one could
stand in a political realm, a
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political environment
and enemies can't find fault.
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There is a lot of
mudslinging that goes on
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in a political environment.
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As soon as someone is
aspired to a certain position,
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the other opponent is
going to get the garbage on
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that person and get
it out in the public.
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So here we see the
presidents and princes trying to
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find something on Daniel.
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They are trying to get
something on him and they
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can't find anything.
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He is standing before
his enemies without fault.
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So in verse 5 they come to
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the only conclusion they can
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and that is that they are
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going to seek to
find fault in Daniel.
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It says in verse 5
"to find fault in Daniel"
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"concerning the
law of his God. "
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They know that Daniel
is faithful, that Daniel is
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filled with integrity
and if they are going to trip
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him up, if they are going
to trap him, they are going
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to have to somehow
capitalize on his strengths,
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not on his weaknesses.
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They cannot see any weaknesses.
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It is amazing so
they come before the king,
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they assemble before the
king and they praise him,
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they flatter him, O
Darius live for ever.
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Then they speak a lie, and
in every political situation
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you have about a 90%
truth and just a little bit
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of a lie, that is
taking place here, verse 7.
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"All the Presidents of
the kingdom, the governors,"
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"and the princes, the
counselors, and the captains,"
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"have consulted together
to establish a royal statute,"
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"and to make a firm decree,
that whosoever shall ask a"
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"petition of any God or
man for 30 days, save of thee,"
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"O king, he shall be
cast into the den of lions. "
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Now that is not true.
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All of the princes and
governors have not consulted
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together, they
left one person out.
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Daniel has not been included
in this consultation for
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a deliberate purpose.
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But the president
believes, the king I should say,
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believes them.
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He trusts them and thinks
that they have his well-being.
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He is flattered, this is a
great idea the king is thinking,
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you mean 30 days?
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Everyone will be focused
on me and nobody will be able
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to recognize any gods authority
or any other human beings
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authority except for
me, that's a great idea.
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Pride is intoxicating, pride
can cause us to do things, or to
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be deceived into doing
things we wouldn't normally do.
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So that is what they are
using, they are using the
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intoxicating influence of pride.
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This is the influence that
Satan, our enemy used to gain
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our obedience and allegiance.
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It is the same
influence they are using
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here towards Darius.
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And yet we know that
the king, in this instance,
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just like Nebuchadnezzar,
is one upon whom the Lord
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has taken an interest.
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The Lord wants the
heart of king Darius.
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He wants to bring him to
himself for eternal salvation.
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You see in the king that
he is inclined to the Lord.
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Yes, in fact maybe more
so than Nebuchadnezzar was.
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We will see these
principles later on.
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It behooves us to recognize
how that even good people,
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people who are inclined in
the right way, and when I say
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good I use that term loosely.
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How much they, we can,
can be influenced deceptively.
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How pride can be used to
intoxicate us and mislead us in
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a way that causes us to
make decisions to make choices
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that are not in
harmony with God's will.
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It can be
hurtful to other people.
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The king was a smart
guy, but you can see here that
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appealing to his pride, his
arrogance and their flattery
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skewed his reasoning
power and he doesn't even see
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what they are up to.
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Somehow he is blind to
their plan because we learn,
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as the story goes on,
that the king of course favors
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Daniel, he doesn't want
any harm to come to Daniel.
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That's why he placed
him above his kingdom.
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The moment that he
realizes what is taking place,
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it says there in verse 14
that the king "was greatly"
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"displeased with himself. "
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This is an indication that
here is a man with a true heart,
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who has
sensitivity to the moving of
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God's Spirit upon him.
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He is displeased with himself.
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This is the king, he doesn't
need to be displeased with
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himself, but Daniel's life
is of value to the king and he
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realizes that he has been
tricked, he has been deceived.
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He doesn't want Daniel to
be subjected to this deception
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and this harm, he
wants Daniel to be delivered.
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Absolutely and what is
powerful about this story,
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as you are looking at the
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king you see in many
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instances a type of Christ.
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You see the Spirit of Christ
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and His attitude the way he
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responds and you know God's
spirit is working on his heart.
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He is responding to that.
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You also see in Daniel
something that is interesting.
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I don't know if you have
ever experienced this Ty.
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I have been in situations,
as a Christian, as a believer,
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where I have been uncomfortable,
perhaps, praying publicly.
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I travel a lot, I'm in an
airport and getting some lunch.
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There are people all around
me and I am not sure if people
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are going to look at me
funny, or think funny things
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if I pause and pray.
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Daniel here is a powerful
testimony of the necessity
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to connect with God in prayer.
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In all times and
in all situations.
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He is not sitting in an
airport, it is not a little
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thing for Daniel, this is huge.
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This decree goes forth, it
is signed and it goes forth.
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No man can ask a petition
of any gods save of Darius.
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When it goes forth it says
in verse 10, "when Daniel knew
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that the writing was
signed," he knew it was signed.
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"He went to his
house," his windows were open,
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he didn't close them.
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"His chamber windows were
opened towards Jerusalem,"
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"he kneeled upon his knees
three times a day, and prayed,"
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"and gave thanks before
his God, as he did aforetime. "
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Now what is incredible about
this, it is not just that he
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prayed, not that he just
prayed even though his life was
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at stake, here I am
wondering if I should pray
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for my lunch in an airport.
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His life is at stake,
if he prays he is dead.
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But he does it openly,
just like he did before time.
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He does not close his
windows and shut the doors.
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He doesn't openly and
when he prays he says,
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thank you Lord, thank you.
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You know what he is saying,
he is saying, thank you Lord
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because I know that You
have a plan in all of this.
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As bad as this looks,
as difficult as this seems,
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as great of a trial,
friends that may be coming
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upon you in your life.
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As dark as your circumstances
may be, you can praise
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the Lord because that is
no time for you to sever your
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connection with God.
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That is no time
for you not to pray.
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When you are most needy,
when you are most overwhelmed,
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when you are most
discouraged, that is the time to
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maintain that connection
with God and to thank God
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because He is going
to do something powerful
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through you to His glory.
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So James, Daniel knows that
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the decree has gone forth.
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He knows his life is in
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danger and he understands
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his situation, but he is
unwavering in his faithfulness.
00:12:15.73\00:12:20.00
He is free from fear.
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He absolutely is unwavering
and he is not concerned with
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the outcome, he is not
himself engaging in counter
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manipulation maneuvers
in order to save himself.
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As you pointed out
earlier, Daniel is governed by a
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deep-seated other centeredness.
00:12:41.82\00:12:43.96
He is genuinely concerned
for the king, and he is as
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evidenced, in previous
chapters, he is even concerned
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for his enemies, those who
are contriving against him.
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Daniels heart is set upon
faithfulness to his God and
00:12:57.11\00:13:00.94
a genuine concern and love
for his fellow human beings,
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even his enemies.
00:13:04.75\00:13:06.08
He just precedes as is his
daily habit to kneel down and
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pray, he is not concerned
with the outcome for himself.
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He is confident that God
has a whole matter in hand.
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This is powerful Ty,
because basically what Daniel is
00:13:17.43\00:13:20.80
doing he is saying, I
don't trust in earthly powers.
00:13:20.86\00:13:24.17
I don't trust in
the favor of kings.
00:13:24.20\00:13:26.27
I don't trust in my
situation or circumstances.
00:13:26.30\00:13:29.07
Daniel could think will
I could figure this out.
00:13:29.10\00:13:31.84
I have been made number one
ruler even though I came from
00:13:31.87\00:13:34.78
Babylon, I have a lot of pull
and influence with the king.
00:13:34.81\00:13:37.51
He doesn't trust any of
that because that can perish in
00:13:37.55\00:13:40.22
a moment, it
can perish in a day.
00:13:40.25\00:13:41.68
His complete trust
and loyalty is with God.
00:13:41.72\00:13:45.49
I think it is a
powerful testimony.
00:13:45.52\00:13:46.99
I think that is what God is
wanting for you and me friends.
00:13:47.02\00:13:49.82
I think God wants us to
put our complete trust in Him
00:13:49.86\00:13:52.96
and not in the
circumstances of life.
00:13:52.99\00:13:55.63
Not in the favor of kings,
or princes, or presidents.
00:13:55.66\00:13:59.73
He wants us to put
our complete trust in Him.
00:13:59.77\00:14:01.97
Then we can have joy and
peace and we can know that
00:14:02.00\00:14:04.81
the outcome is going
to be good and positive
00:14:04.84\00:14:06.71
for Him and for us.
00:14:06.74\00:14:08.41
Don't go away we
will be right back!
00:14:08.44\00:14:10.15