Bible Studies
He Is the Living God (Dan. 5:31-6:5)
Series: There is a God in Heaven (Studies in the Book of Daniel)Introduction:
1. Throughout the text of Daniel there is a contrast between the gods the various nations served and the God of heaven whom Daniel served. 2. In chap. 6 Daniel’s enemies attempt to use his faith in God as a means to destroy him. Their plot not only fails, but also results in Daniel’s greater success as a governmental leader in the Medo-Persian Empire. 3. The culture of the 21st century seems to be challenging our faithfulness to God in more powerful ways than in previous generations. 4. How should we respond? What can we learn from Daniel’s experiences? Can we, like he did, influence our culture to consider our God positively? I believe the lessons of Dan. 6 are very powerful in teaching us how we should respond to influence our culture, but the lessons may not be what you expect.Discussion:
I. Daniel lived a life that evidenced his faith in God (6:1-5).A. King Darius noticed him because of the life that he lived.
1. Darius appointed Daniel one of three commissioners over his kingdom.
2. He planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom.
B. The other leaders of the kingdom noticed him too.
1. They noticed him rising to the top.
2. Evidently they were jealous of his success and they sought out a way to bring a charge against him before the king.
C. What they saw.
1. They saw a man faithful in his execution of his responsibilities.
2. They saw a man in whom they could find no ground for accusation.
3. They saw a man in whom there was no negligence and no corruption.
4. Is this what people see when they evaluate you? This was the evaluation of Daniel’s enemies.
D. We need to live lives like this.
1. Matt. 5:16: Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
2. Failure to do so causes others to speak against our God.
a. King David despised God when he took Bathsheba the wife of Uriah to be his wife (2 Sam. 12:10). By this deed he gave occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme and so the consequence of his sin was the death of his son (2 Sam. 12:14).
b. Paul wrote that the name of God was blasphemed among the Gentiles, because of the stealing, adultery, and robbery practiced by the Jews (Rom. 2:24).
c. We speak of the growing decline of our culture and how we should evangelize the lost, but are we by our lives crippling the Lord’s work?
II. Although Daniel’s enemies created a situation designed to destroy him Daniel continued his practice of praying openly three times per day (cf. Psa. 55:17) (6:6-9, 10-13).A. Daniel was not flaunting the king’s command, nor did he hide his regular practice.
1. Some want to flaunt their practices, as if to say, “I am not doing what you say and you can’t make me.” Such an approach manifests hostile defiance, not faith.
2. Some want to hide their practices. A short while ago I received an email about performing wedding ceremonies. The individual recommended I stop performing wedding ceremonies entirely in order to avoid conflict with homosexuals requesting marriage.
3. It might be argued, “Daniel did not have to pray three times a day with his windows open.” Hiding manifest timidity, not faith.
B. The king was powerless to deliver Daniel (6:14-15).
III. Daniel was delivered because he trusted in his God (6:16-24).A. The king said, “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.”
B. The king worried about Daniel all night.
C. The king asked, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
D. So Daniel was delivered “because he trusted in his God.”
E. Daniel’s malicious accusers were thrown into the lion’s den.
IV. God was glorified (6:25-28). Cf. Heb. 11:33: “shut the mouths of lions.”A. Darius demanded that all in his kingdom fear and tremble before the God of Daniel.
B. He identified Him as “the living God, whose kingdom would not be destroyed and whose dominion was forever.”
C. Notice the impact that Daniel’s faith had throughout the kingdom to honor the Lord. But what if Daniel’s life had been marred by corruption, negligence, and unfaithfulness to the king and to the Lord?
V. What lessons can we take away from this?A. This account reminds us that God is still in control.
1. God is still in control even though there is a new king.
2. God even controls lions.
B. It is because God is in control that faithful trust in Him is called for.
1. Daniel did not attempt to take matters into his own hands.
2. He did not hide his practice.
3. He did not get into a fight with accusers.
4. He did not rally his troops.
5. He did not attempt to rally a political movement.
6. He just entrusted his life to God.
C. When government law contradicts the rule of God we must obey God rather than men (Acts. 5:29).
1. But this should never be with an attitude of flaunting the government.
2. It should never be done with violence, nor high-handed defiance.
D. Faith that is constant, even to the point of risking your life turns heads in the secular culture.
1. Daniel’s constant faith influenced Darius, the other rulers and the kingdom.
2. “But what about prayer in schools?” Doesn’t this passage teach us that we ought to demand prayer in public schools?” I don’t think so!
3. It is true that teachers are prohibited from offering prayers in state-run schools in this country.
4. But we must realize that we cannot compel or force people to faith. We would not appreciate Muslims instituting prayer to Allah in public schools, nor would we appreciate Buddists instituting prayer to Buddah in public schools.
5. Some argue that we need to hang the Ten Commandments in public buildings and exhibit Christmas displays on government property.
6. Such attempts are misdirected. Not that prayer is bad, nor the Ten Commandments. But state mandated religion is not a good thing. It is a worldly approach that attempts to use power to demand prayer. It is the same approach being used to demand the performance of marriages between those of the same sex.
7. There is a sense in which Daniel’s enemies were trying to force their religion on him by means of the government. This is the same kind of thing that had occurred in chapter 3 with the demand to worship the golden image.
8. It is impossible to compel people to faith by force, governmental or otherwise.
9. Daniel risked his life for his faith and it turned the heads of a polytheistic culture. If we want to turn the heads of our secular and religiously diverse culture then we need to live the faith that Daniel lived. We cannot defeat the prince of this world by using the same tactics he uses. Our power is in our God who is in control and thus our faith is in Him.
Conclusion:
1. He is the living God. 2. His dominion is forever. 3. He delivers and rescues. 4. He delivered Daniel. 5. He will deliver us.
