![]() ![]() Daniel was more than 90 years old when these events unfolded. Sunday school pictures of a ruddy-faced lad in a lions' den have scant resemblance to the actual situation described in this sixth and last chapter of Daniel's life story. Two equally evil kings demonstrated two equally vital messages: God's complete pardon for the humble and God's sure judgment for the proud. In this chapter, Daniel uses King Belshazzar's sacrilege to declare that the rebellious reap the consequences of wrath, however secure their present. In chapter four, Daniel used King Nebuchadnezzar's conversion to affirm that the repentant reap the rewards of grace, however bleak their pasts. Session Fiveĭaniel's Declaration of Righteous JudgmentĬhapter five of Daniel is the flipside of chapter four. And that he did! When Nebuchadnezzar ultimately regained his mind and rule, he plainly stated what "the peoples, nations, and men of every language who live in all the world" needed to learn as a result of his demise. Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar that he was going to have a great fall. The meaning was as simple as it was scary. God gave him that reminder through a dream that terrified the king, and he again called for Daniel to interpret the vision. Nebuchadnezzar needed a reminder about the limits of his greatness and glory. By their words and actions, they proclaim a truly biblical faith: confidence in a sovereign God regardless of the outcomes. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not operate on the popular notion that faith is about having confidence in expected or desired outcomes. Genuine faith remains strong amid dire circumstances and uncertain outcomes. In Daniel's response to the collapse of his own circumstances, we will learn what faithfulness to God looks like when the bottom does fall out. We live in a fallen world and, like everyone else, may face crippling disappointment and disaster. Believers are not insulated from life crises. What do you do when the bottom falls out of your career, your family's security, your health? What do you do when things just go horribly wrong? Though we don't like to think about it, we all know the unthinkable can happen. What genuine faith looks like when the bottom falls out Session Twoĭaniel's Response in the Face of Suffering At great risk of losing his life, he chose to remain undefiled by pagan Babylon. Daniel lived out this kind genuine holiness. They inspire and challenge us to also stand strong for God's truth and righteousness. As they stand strong in the face of trails, they bear witness to the reality of their Lord and Savior. Holy people are powerful tools in the hands of God. There are risks, reasons, and rewards for remaining undefiled by the world. ![]() He ran into several trying situations that may have caused him to lose faith or bend from his beliefs, but Daniel stayed strong. Throughout the first six chapters of Daniel, we learn about how to remain faithful in all circumstances. While we most often remember Daniel as the one in the lions' den, there was a lot more to his life. ![]()
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