♪ We believe in Christ the King of glory ♪ ♪ We come to you, O God, we come to you ♪ ♪♪ ♪ ♪ How you doing sir? ♪ Thank you so much. Here we go. ♪ ¶¶ ♪ Thank you. Thank you, everyone. Good morning, everybody. It's good to see your smiling faces. We apologize for being late, but we're blaming it on Kyle. He has following pastor's way of not looking at a clock and just sharing what's on his heart, even if nobody's listening. I was just checking to see if you were listening. OK. A few announcements. They're in your bulletin, but I'm going to highlight them. Ladies' Christmas tea is coming up very quickly. And the Christmas outreach that the Warrens are heading up, that's coming up on the 13th. And there's a sign-up sheet downstairs by the coffee machine. So please, if you're interested, help them out and sign up. The next announcement. You've got to listen to this, or the wrath of Catherine will descend upon this church. The Thanksgiving lunch is next Sunday. It's early this year, so we have to have an idea of who's coming. So please talk to her today so Wayne knows how many turkeys to roast, and so Catherine doesn't get any gray hairs over it. But that would really help us out by RSVPing. Let's worship the Lord today. And thank you, Jesse and Brant, for leading. I'm a little upset with them that they haven't invited me seriously to join the ensemble, but. Three times. I'm waiting for seven. That's the perfect number. All right. If you don't already have your worship folder, you'll need to get one. We'll look at that in a minute. I put on here the definition of Chalcedon, and we're going to do a responsive reading together. Let me just reemphasize that to let us know about next week. You're going to bring the sides. I'm going to fry. Turkey it'll be air fried. No oil. So don't worry about that and You guys that have been part of that you've enjoyed it in the past, but I need to know whether to get you know Three or four or four or five or however many it is. So let her know also We will have a catered Christmas lunch. That's on the 28th and of December. I know it's a bit off, but we're going to fully cater that one. We're going to pay for the meal. And you can bring friends and family. It's Christmas time, so it's not a problem. But again, you just need to let us know how many will be in your group, and even more so on that one, because we need to purchase that as well. Also, I'm going to send out some reminders about some things over the next few weeks. But one of the special things we're going to have is a Wednesday Christmas Eve service. And I've scheduled it for 5 to 6. I hope most of you can make it. It'll be a great time. And so, again, I'll send out some emails on that to remind you about that as well. All right. You're, this definition of Chalcedon, from time to time I like to put things like this in your worship folder and draw our attention to it. If you want to know more about it, I'll have a brief essay coming out on Thursday of this week. By the way, we're gonna see how this goes, but I'm sending out through that sub stack Mondays will be our fighter verse that we have just to write a little brief devotional about it Won't take you long to read it then the catechism on Tuesday and this one is tough because it deals with the eternal wrath and judgment and That can be a difficult one for people to grasp that that'll be up then Wednesday I'll give the study notes for our Wednesday evening service and Thursday hour try to write some sort of essay from time to time and this week's essay will be on this Chalcedon statement which is interesting. Now what you have here in this worship folder is not the statement. Instead it's a responsive reading based on the statement that kind of conveys that idea. Essentially this council met in 451 And it was really about getting together and definitively describing the nature of God and specifically Jesus Christ. There were a lot of confusion that arose at that time, different ways of thinking about Christ. And so this gathering together, this council as we call it, it really emphasized the idea that Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man. There is only one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. And think about it. The only way that you would have to have a mediation from both sides, God and man. No wonder there's no salvation, no way to the Father other than through Jesus Christ. And that's what this is about. And particularly his nature then, to describe it in further detail, Carl Sagan gets into the mystery of it is. Because of what it is, how could he be 100% of one and 100% of the other? And that's what scripture declares. That's what God has revealed in his holy word. Which by the way, that's what my sermon today will focus on. The revelation of God. He reveals and makes known what is unknowable from our perspective. All right. So let's go ahead then and read this together, and then I'll lead us congregationally in a word of prayer. This responsive reading begins this way and you do your part here on congregation and notice all at the end. We confess Jesus Christ as one Lord, the only begotten Son of God. Truly God and truly man, perfect in dignity and perfect in humanity. He is of the same essence with the Father according to his divine nature. Like us in all things except without sin. We confess that he exists in two natures. The distinction of his natures is never destroyed. Not two persons, but one and the same son, the eternal word made flesh. with him be the glory forever and ever, amen. Let us pray. What great truth it is for us to know you have revealed this truth in your holy word. Understandably, when we begin to think of who you are, it is really beyond our grasp. Give us faith to trust you in your revealed word. May we trust and savor the significance of this truth. May it not just be theological concepts that dance around in our mind, but it may be an expression of the delight of the glory of who you are. beyond really our full grasp, and yet we have a glimpse of that glory and we're thankful for it. We're thankful that we have a delight in you, a great desire to obey you, a direction, if you will, to want to walk in newness of life. This is a great gift that we have been given, a change of heart. And I pray, Father, that we will continually renew that heart, renew it by the truth of your word, encouraged by the faithfulness of your people, as we gather together indeed on this Lord's Day to exalt your holy name. I pray, Father, that this blessing that we have, this stewardship of this great truth, this mystery unknown to most in the world, I pray, Father, that you will use us as instruments, like candlelight shining forth the glory of your grace. I pray, Father, for many sons and daughters to see and to savor Jesus Christ and confess him as Lord. May all of us as we collectively gather together indeed confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and may it be a great comfort and delight knowing that you also control all things. Nothing is chaotic Nothing is confused from your perspective. Like little children, may we reach up and grab the very hand that is reaching down and already holding on to us. May we feel your presence in our worship today and in our life each day. May the glory of who you are redound in brighter ways, I pray in Christ's name, amen. Good morning. Please take your hymnals and turn to page 28 and stand. I hope you came ready this morning to praise and honor and glorify God. If not, let's use these songs to get you there. To God be the glory, great things He hath done, so loved He the world that He gave us His Son, who yielded His life, an atonement for sin. and open the life gate that all may go in. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice. O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son, ♪ And give him the glory, great things he hath done ♪ ♪ O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood ♪ ♪ To every believer, the promise of God ♪ ♪ The vilest offender, who truly believes in God ♪ ♪ That moment from Jesus the pardon receives ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Let the earth hear his voice ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Let the people rejoice ♪ ♪ O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son ♪ and give him the glory, great things he hath done. Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done, and great are rejoicing through Jesus the Son. ♪ But purer and higher and greater will be ♪ ♪ Our wonder, our victory when Jesus we see ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Let the earth hear his voice ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Let the people rejoice ♪ O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son, and give him the glory, great things he hath done. Amen. Very good. We'll turn to 449. We will sing, Because He Lives. Because I live, you will live too. John 14, 19. What a reason to rejoice. God's greatest son, great God in Jesus, he came to love, heal, and forgive. He lived and died. to guide my partner. An empty brain is there to prove my Savior lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone because I know he holds the future and life is worth the living just because he lives. A street too cold a newborn baby, and feel the pride and joy he gives. The greater still, the calm assurance, This child can face uncertain days because he lives, because he lives. I can face tomorrow. Because he lives, all fear is gone. Because I know, he holds the future. And life is worth the living. Just because he lives And then one day I'll cross the river I'll find my son No more with pain And then as dead His way to victory. I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives. Because He lives, I think things tomorrow Because he lives, all fear is gone. Because I know, he holds the future. And life is worth the living. And now 280, redeemed how I love to proclaim it. I hope you're smiling by now. Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it. Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed through His infinite mercy. His child and forever I am. Redeemed, redeemed. Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed, redeemed, this child and forever I am. Redeemed and so happy in Jesus, no end which my rapture can turn. I know that the light of his presence Redeemed, redeemed Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb Redeemed, redeemed His child and forever I am. I think of my blessed Redeemer. I think of Him all the day long. I sing, for I cannot be silent. His love is the theme of my song. Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed, redeemed, his child and forever I am. I know I shall see in his beauty the King in whose law I delight. ♪ Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps ♪ ♪ And giveth me songs in the night ♪ ♪ Redeemed, redeemed ♪ ♪ Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb ♪ ♪ Redeemed, redeemed ♪ Thank you for seeing, maybe see it. Good morning church. What a selection of hymns this morning, amen. Fortunately, I have the restraint to not just stand up here and preach a whole sermon on the truths we can hear in those hymns. To God be the glory. Because he lives, I can face tomorrow. And if you're redeemed, I know you love to proclaim it. It is my privilege this morning to proclaim to you the holy word of God. The assigned text is Psalm 36. I was tempted to just be brief, read the psalm, and pray. But I know if he doesn't have enough time to finish what he has to say, he'll just pick up next week. So I have a little bit more I want to give to you today. Let's quickly look, before we get to Psalm 36, to Ephesians chapter 2. Now, when you are short on time, it is dangerous to dive into a book like Ephesians. Once you get started, it is very difficult to stop. But we'll look at Ephesians chapter two, verses one. I'll make myself stop after verse 10. But in that section of Ephesians, we see a dichotomy that is a constant theme in scripture. And we're gonna read there because it's a theme also in Psalm 36. If you pay attention, it is a central theme in life to the Christian life. That dichotomy is a comparison between the spiritually dead and those whom God has made alive and raised to be seated with Christ in the heavenly places. If you are redeemed, that applies to you. You see the comparison between the wicked who do not fear God, they do not reject evil, compared with those who do know God. If you know God, you fear God. And they are described as the upright of heart in Psalm 36. It's a comparison between the transgressor and the repenter. the condemned compared with the redeemed. Anytime I have the opportunity to read scripture with you, I hope to find a way to show you the gospel. And I hope in this comparison, you see the gospel, that you see the glory of God and the change and the difference between the two. that you can recognize in your own life the path that you were once on and give praise to God if you're no longer counted among the condemned. If you see, when we look to Psalm 36 and verse 5 through 9, the immediate jump from a description of the transgressors, those who do not reject evil, The next thing that you'll see is an immediate praise to God for who he is and what he's done. Let's give glory to God in our praise, consider the text together, starting in Ephesians chapter two. And you were dead. in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience, among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved, and raised us up with him, and seated us with him, in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages, he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing. It is the gift of God. not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Psalm 36. Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart. There is no fear of God before his eyes, for he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit. He has ceased to act wisely and do good. He plots trouble while on his bed, He sets himself in a way that is not good. He does not reject evil. Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens. Your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God. Your judgments are like the great deep. Man and beast, you save, O Lord. How precious is your steadfast love, O God. The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life. In your light do we see light. Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart. Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. There, the evildoers lie fallen. They are thrust down, unable to rise. Let's pray. Father, we praise you this morning for your holy word, for your revelation to us, where we learn about you and we learn about ourselves. And we see the difference. We see your holiness. We see your glory. We see your grace and mercy and love. So many perfect attributes. And I just pray for your people that our response would continually be praise to this revelation. I pray that we would consider the difference that you've had in our lives the way we were dead in trespasses and sin and give praise to you for the work of Christ in making us alive. I pray that we would always be able to see and recognize the gospel and the fact that it's for your glory. I pray for us today that we would have our hearts and minds thirst for your word. That we would desire always to proclaim this redemption And we would remember we are ambassadors for you in this world that is lost. Use us for your will and for your glory in this place and in our lives. Amen. If you'll take your hymnals one more time, 583, give thanks to God and stand. I would encourage you, as we lead up to the Thanksgiving season here, well, we are in the Thanksgiving season, but up to Thanksgiving, find something to be thankful for in your lives. This week, what's been on my mind is the second verse of this song, he stood and stretched his mighty hand, he bowed himself, became a man, a gulf that only love could span, his love endures forever. When Christ came, it wasn't just the cross he had to endure, he had to endure becoming and living among us for 33 years. How our every actions must have just hurt him with the sin all around him. He gave a lot for us. Let us be thankful. Thanks to God for He is good, His love endures forever. Give praise to Him, the Lord abhors, His love endures forever. He spread the earth and sea and sky. He filled them all with light and life. May God alone be lifted high. His love endures forever. Give thanks to God for He is good, His love endures forever. He brought us out from sin and death, His love endures forever. He stood and stretched his mighty hand. He bowed himself, became a man. A gulf that only love could span. His love endures forever. Give thanks to God for He is good, His love endures forever. Rejoin the song that never ends, His love endures forever. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him, all creatures near below. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. His love endures forever. Thank you. You may be seated. Jesse and church Daniel chapter 2 we'll be looking at Daniel chapter 2 and get into this narrative. I'm going to read the text, part of it, one through 30, and we'll see what we can get through. When I get to that point of reading it, I just encourage you either to follow along or just listen, and put your mind back in this story as it unfolds, because that is how this text is preserved for us, a story. It's memorable in that way and it's helpful to kind of follow the storyline and we'll get to the first part of it. And the main point that I want to emphasize more than anything else is this idea that it is God who reveals mysteries. We talked about that and I didn't pipe up because we had a lot of piping up going in our ministry training class, but from Galatians, I think it was 323, about faith being revealed. You'll see the connection here. It isn't that faith didn't always exist. As you pointed out, Kyle, but faith is fully made known and manifested by Christ Jesus. And this is what God does in what is previously unknown, hence a mystery. It is God, the God of heaven, who alone reveals really what man cannot know. And from this text in Daniel, you also see that it is God who rules what man cannot control. From our perspective, we think we know everything and control everything, and we don't either, either one. That verse in 28 in Chapter 2 is where I'm emphasizing today more than anything else in this dream that is given to Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel's response is, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. That's what you need to know. The mystery is something that is previously unknown. Now God has made it known, revealed it. We live in a world that prizes answers. We carry little devices, most of us, in our pockets, pocketbooks, and some of you lose it all the time. I digress. But nevertheless, you think that it has a promise to answer just about everything. But a doctor calls with results. A child wanders away from the Lord. The nation shakes. At such moments, the world's experts grow quiet. And that's the scene that we have in Babylon. The king can't sleep. His counselors can't help him. And so fear fills the palace. And into the silence, a sentence comes by Daniel, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. God is not distanced. He is not stumped. He rules what men cannot control. He reveals what men cannot know. This dream that Nebuchadnezzar has is hidden from the wise men of his day, but not from the Lord. And Daniel, on his part, he doesn't panic. He's put in a great predicament of life and death, but he has faith in God and trusts him. And what does he do? Pray. He prays to God and God answers. God gives Daniel the answer. And Daniel's response, as we hopefully will get to it, is praise to God. He stands, he speaks to a pagan king, and he tells him about the Most High God. That's the fundamental movement in this text. Let's read it together. Listen attentively. Imagine yourself in this circumstance. It begins in chapter 2, and Daniel, in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams. His spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. Then the king commanded the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to be summoned and to tell the king his dreams. And so they came in and stood before the king, and the king said to them, I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream. And then the Chaldean said to the king in Aramaic, O king, live forever. Tell your servant the dream, and we will show you the interpretation. Verse five. Well, the king answered and he said to the Chaldeans, the word from me is firm. If you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you should be torn limb from limb and your houses will be laid in ruins. But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you should receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. And therefore show me the dream and its interpretation. And they answered a second time and said, well, let the king tell his servants the dream and we'll show you its interpretation. The king answered and said, I know with certainty that you're trying to gain time because you see that the word from me is firm. If you did not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You've agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show its interpretation." He's setting them up, isn't he? Maybe he suspects they're not as wise as they purport to be. Verse 10. Well, the Chaldeans answered the king and said, there is not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand. For no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of a magician or enchanter or a Chaldean. The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. Because of this, the king was angry and very furious, and he commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. That's the predicament. So the decree went out. The wise men were about to be killed, and they sought Daniel and his companions to kill them. And Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Ariok, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. He declared to Ariok, the king's captain, why is this decree of the king so urgent? Then Ariok made the matter known to Daniel. And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time that he might show him the interpretation to the king. And then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions. And he told them to seek mercy from God, the God of heaven, concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven, Listen to his blessing. Verse 20, Daniel said, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever. To whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons. He removes kings and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise. For you have given to me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you. For you have made known to us the king's matter. " Therefore Daniel went in to Ariok, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went, and he said thus to him, Do not destroy the wise man of Babylon. Bring me before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation. Then Ariad brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus to him, I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation. The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation? And Daniel answered the king and said, no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked. But there is a God in heaven. There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lie in bed are these. To you, O King, as you lay in bed came the thoughts of what would be after this. And he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind. Let us pray. We do pray that you give us wisdom and insight into what you have revealed here in your holy word, that we might grow in that grace and knowledge of you. I pray this in Christ's name. Amen. Well, hopefully you followed along in the story. When you have a narrative, it is helpful to tie it together. And this story that's mentioned here is, however, more than just about this ancient court at that time back then. That's what it is, and you need to know the story. But it has great application. Many, certainly a word for anxious hearts, When wisdom, human wisdom that is, collapses, the people of God seek God for his mercy. And when the answers arrive, they give him praise or glory. They stand before a watching world when they point to God like Daniel did here, a God in heaven. And today we're going to move from that crisis, as this narrative portrays it, into the very confession of a courageous witness, in this case Daniel and his friends, who declares that indeed it is God who is the revealer of mysteries. This is set up really in this narrative by this disturbing dream that Nebuchadnezzar, the king, has. It's enough that it really troubles him. Notice here in verse 1, he's troubled. His sleep leaves him. His insomnia here isn't by accident. God providentially intervenes in a way to bring all of this about. Remember, it is God who controls everything. From our perspective, we think it's accidental and incidental. There is nothing that's accidental in that sense, that God isn't providentially involved and has a purpose. And if you want to know what it is, I'll give it to you briefly. It's his glory, which happens to be you're good if you love God and are called according to his purpose. His sleep is disturbed. This displays God's sovereignty, his supremacy. And in particular case, the revealer of mysteries. Notice he's going to reach out to wise men in verse two. Do you see the groups? You have the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans. He gathers everybody. from every source of information and wisdom that he can get. This is a troubling dream to him, whatever it is. And I say, although he doesn't say it specifically, I think he kind of knows what the dream is about. It's not that he doesn't know. He's putting them to a test because he doesn't want to hear what he normally gets from these people. They tell him what he wants them to tell them, what he wants to hear. This is how most people are. that they have itching ears, if you will, and they'll gather around prophets to tell them what they want to hear. They won't tell them what God is saying. And so he gathers them. They stand before him in verse two. He summons this full range. Just briefly, and this will give you a categorical idea, and I'll compare it contextually to perhaps how it might relate today again. Remember, you look at the story, what was really going on historically, and remember there is an application that reaches beyond that, okay? So this is a real event. These are real people. It's not symbolic of something else in that sense. But it is applicable. So you have the magicians. If you would have looked them up, the magicians and studied who this is talking about, these are people that had sacred writings, omens, symbolic arts. They're similar, if you will, to the Egyptian priestly scribes. These are people that had interpreters of dreams, if you will, and omens, highly educated religious intellectuals with a degree of mysticism and scholarship, if that helps. Modern parallels might be the religious academics or liberal theologians, for that matter, who interpret Scripture apart from God's divine revelation. They treat God's revelation as symbolism and myth and moralism, in the sense, the moral of the story. And I'm not trying to diminish him. I think Jordan Peterson is a great and brilliant scholar. But he's falling short of the wisdom of God. And he's done much to talk about God and the scriptures. It's replete through a lot of his material. But he misses it by a mile because he thinks these are moralistic stories. That's not what it is. It's the very voice of God. It's not mythological, he understands that, but they're not just moralistic stories in the sense that you can just then implant your own idea of what is being communicated and that's where he falls because you can see how you can make just about anything mean anything. I call it Humpty Dumpty hermeneutics. People try to figure out that poem and they just put whatever they want to in it. The author has a purpose and a meaning in it. The author here is God, and we have to strive to get his meaning first, and then we can understand its application. The magicians might also be described as self-help gurus, if you will, that they have insight to life, and they're going to tell you how to get along and how to make it. It might be secular philosophers who have some sort of moral existential light that they want to share, but that is not the light in reference to God. Cultural experts, if you will, writing about meaning and destiny, but deliberately leaving out the Most High God who is the revealer of secrets, of knowledge, of mysteries. The second group, the enchanters, Anciently here, these are people who seem to channel supernatural powers, at least they claim to. The enchanter, it brings up the idea of making chants. This is part of that kind of religious activity where you're chanting to bring about some sort of mantra or contact with the supernatural Modern parallels might be new age practitioners who go through these practices with crystals and energy vibrations and things like that. Psychics and mediums who then claim to be able to speak to the spiritual world. Today's enchanters market spirituality without repentance. don't call for a submission to a sovereign God. Third group here is the sorcerers. These would have been occultists, really, engaging in various occult-type rituals, spells, and charms to kind of manipulate those occultic powers. And today, you'll have similar groups we might call Wiccans, occult groups, if you will, and engaged in entertainment to some degree and culture, tarot reading, astrology apps, horoscopes, yeah, that's where it's all at, spell books and things like that. And in addition to that kind of thing, I might also suggest that From a slightly different perspective, but almost doing the same thing with data, you have modern technocrats who try to manipulate data to do what? To engage in control with political power, and they replace their spiritual sorcery with the information that they think they have. All of this data says that this is going to happen, so therefore we need to do something about it. Think climate control. And that's what it is. It's not about controlling the climate. It would be about you, who they wish to control. Finally, this Chaldean group here, these are the astrologer priests, the intellectuals, if you will, advising the king about science and political counsel. These were eventually, had a huge influence, and they were really amalgamated into Babylon, so you can almost use the interchangeable to say Chaldeans and Babylonians in that way. They specialized in looking at the stars and creating some sort of scientific application and relevance of it. I would say modern parallels to that might be the political strategists and advisors who look to their own human wisdom and strategy without a reverence or fear for God. They assume that the physical universe itself explains everything. The Chaldean of today might sit on a news panel or a global summit stage, confident in human expertise that can predict and manage the future, yet oblivious to the Lord who actually controls it. This is Babylon. These are these groups. He gathers them together, these wise men, who represents the best of Babylonian intellect and religion. But they fail. They fail. They fail because they don't look to the source, who is God. Proverbs 8, 14, I'll read it for you, where God, declares, I have counsel and sound wisdom. I have insight. I have strength. By me, kings reign. Rulers decree what is just. By me, princes rule and nobles and all who govern justly. It is God. God is sovereign. Daniel puts it this way in verse 21. He changes times and seasons. He removes kings and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. Scripture constantly reminds us of the source of wisdom and knowledge. Ours is limited. But God, it is God, Psalm 33, who brings the counsel of nations to nothing. You'll see it here in these nations that are pointed out in Daniel, but it applies to all nations. Isaiah 40, God declares he brings princesses to nothing. This isn't new to God. The answers to the best sources of their time fail. Notice verse 4 in our text here. The king wisely doesn't want to reveal aspects of his dream. Perhaps he didn't remember all of it, but I think he remembered enough of it to know whether they were lying to him. And so that's pretty savvy in doing so. And so he gathers them together, but the Chaldeans, that's representing all of these that I've mentioned. They said, there's not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand. This is good. They do recognize that. And furthermore, notice here further down in verse 11, and no one can show it to the king except the gods. That was their imagination. of God. And then it was plural, which is, again, wrong. But nevertheless, their idea of a higher power. But they, whose dwelling is not with flesh, that is, they don't really interact with mankind. Again, they've missed the mark totally. They don't know God. They don't know about God and His interaction with the world. And so, as Paul would tell the church at Corinth, God has made foolish the wisdom of the world. They can't get there because they've never began with the right starting place, and that is God. It is God who is true. These idols, the imagination of who God may be, is simply that. It isn't real, and they cannot help, and they cannot save. Pagan ideas and ideology, they can predict. They can sound pretty good. They can speculate and occasionally get things right. You know, the old saying about the clock can be right twice a day, except for ours. Andy fixes it. But nevertheless, revelation belongs to God alone. True, absolute revelation. And so the king is mad now because they said they can't help him. Only these idea that they have of God can help and their idea of God is that God doesn't interact with the world. They're wrong. They don't know God. God's going to demonstrate that he does interact with mankind and particularly in this mediator with Daniel. So verse 12. The king is angry. And that might be an understatement. He's furious now. In fact, what he wants to do is kill them all. Pride is ruined in his mind. It's wounded. And so now he turns in a very violent way. He's a fool. He's a fool and he gives vent to his foolish spirit. And that's demonstrated here. He makes a rash decision. He's going to destroy them all. And in a narrative, look for that, look for the peak moment of a crisis or a problem that then is going to be resolved. This is the crisis here. But there's a man who is not affected by the crisis the same way, and that would be Daniel. He has godly composure and wisdom even in the midst of chaos and great confusion. And so, verse 14, notice here how Daniel responds when he is brought up. I do think it's interesting that he's pointed out first, him and his friends, Because they're going to go kill the godly man first, you know. The rest of them, they're going to have to kill the rest of them, but maybe the king will get tired after he sees them all getting slaughtered. So they're first in line. Daniel is not panicked here. It says he replies then, once he hears what's going on, he replies with prudence and discretion, it says. This talks of the condition of his heart that he's in. He embodies what James 3.17 says about wisdom. It is pure and it's peaceable. He knows God's in charge. He's not panicked. He isn't anxious. Could be a time of panic, maybe should be. But again, here is a demonstration of his full faith in God. He's trusting God and asking God to resolve the crisis in his life. And beloved, if you really know who God is, which these guys didn't, these magicians and Chaldeans and whatnot, But if you know who God is, he'll be able to keep you in perfect peace because your heart and mind is stayed on him. See Isaiah 26, 3. That's the heart of Daniel. He stands like a lighthouse in the midst of a storm, pointing to the glory of God firmly, although everything else seems to be falling apart. He's steady. Spurgeon put it this way, calmness in the hour of peril is not natural. It's the serenity of one who casts every care upon God. Verse 17, that's what Daniel does. He calls upon God, which by the way, if you find yourself in chaos, confusion, and terrible circumstances as he did of no fault of his own, What's his first response? Panic or prayer? It's prayer. Mind you that prayer is not a light thing. I think too often we think of it in that way, but here it isn't. Notice in verse 17, He goes to his house, and not even by himself, he forms a little prayer meeting of other godly men that are with him. Hananiah, Meshel, Azariah, his companions. He tells them, then, let's seek mercy from God, because it's only God that can help us. And when you're in a helpless situation, sometimes that's when you actually figure that out. All the wise men can't help, but God can. In this case, it is God who knows the answer and he could reveal, and it is God who controls all things. He controls what is uncontrollable, his circumstances. So they pray. They go to seek the mercy from God concerning this mystery so that they wouldn't be destroyed. This is what the early church did, beloved, in Acts. They gathered together on a regular basis. And part of their gathering, a big part of it, was simply to pray. They were in a tough situation. I think about our brothers and sisters in Nigeria, that's been in the news. There's a lot of other places as well. That's just the popular one where Christians are being slaughtered. When you're in that kind of dark and difficult situation, you know what you do? Gather together and pray. And they did. And that's gone on in here, too, to make their requests be known to God. When crisis hits, Daniel doesn't form some sort of committee to figure out how they're going to get it all resolved. They go to God in prayer. And that's what we should do as well. That's faith's first reflex, to seek God's mercy, not human management of the circumstances. It is a call to trust God, to have faith in Him, to recognize that He will respond to demonstrate His glory, which is our greatest good. And God will use prayer to change things, not his mind, but things. We talked about that before, that God ordains not only the ends, but the means to accomplish it. And one of those means to accomplish his purposes and his will is prayer. You would say, well, why would he want to do this? because it displays his glory and you get to see it because you have cried on him for his mercy, for his grace, and then he has demonstrated it and you more than anyone else would know that God has granted that. It is this time of prayer that brings about what God has purposed and he has invited us to join in that so we can glory in him. This might be a weak illustration because I just thought of it, but if you had a sports team and you went to go see it, and you're wearing the colors of the team, and you're in part of that crowd, and your team wins, guess what? Everybody wins! They're all jumping up and down like they scored the final touchdown, or basket, or whatever sport they're playing. Because they're engaged in part of it. They've been cheering on all along. They've done their part, and that cheering has been sufficient in that case, been somewhat supportive and so forth. It isn't that God needs our support in that way, it's that he invites us into the pleasure of that great joy. So pray. Go to God. It has a great working, James would put it this way, the prayers of a righteous man avails much, even if you don't understand it. The righteousness isn't talking about how well you are, it is that you're righteous in Christ, you have confessed your sin, then go to him in prayer. He invites you in. He will hear you. And even if you don't know what to pray, the Holy Spirit will take care of that problem and communicate the very heart of what you're trying to express. That's Daniel's direction here. This collapse of human wisdom is then demonstrated in the story, this composure of a godly man to respond totally different than the rest of the world. And God does grant him his request, and you'll find that in verse 19 and following, and what Daniel does in response to that. The mystery was revealed to Daniel. And what does Daniel do in response? He blessed the God of heaven, verse 19. This is a miracle. It's a mystery given to him in the middle of the night. That's the idea of a vision. He is near to God. He fears God, and God gives him this blessing, and his response is great praise. You can see that in verses 20 through 22. Notice here in the text, he blesses God's name forever, that is, the person of who he is, and forever and ever, talking about God and his perfections continuing. But notice the specific things he says in verse 20. He belonged what? Wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons. He removes kings and he sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness and in the light. The light dwells with him. This wisdom and might is really who God is. Do you know him? No wonder if you need wisdom, you're supposed to do what? Ask of God. Where else would you go? Of might, it is that he can do what you cannot do. It is not limited in any way. Paul would finish out the chapter 11 in Romans, oh, the depth and riches and wisdom of the knowledge of God. And I pray that you would know him. His providence is mentioned here in this verse 21, the first part, it is God who changes times and seasons and kings. Again, from our perspective, yeah, you need to be responsible and do your part in voting and canvassing and doing whatever it is you do, but ultimately know this, that it's up to God. God is providentially in control. There's wisdom that he gives and he's generous, verse 21, he will give it generously to all. Wisdom has the idea more than just information, it has how to use it. There are a lot of people that are very smart and know a lot of things, a lot of facts, but what do you do with them? How do you use them? That wisdom comes from God. And it does mention this revelation here as well. And it is indeed, and I think hopefully I'll get to expand that in a greater way. But he reveals that, and in case I don't get to it fully, I'll go ahead and mention it now because somehow I think I'm going to run out of time. Remember Hebrews, how it began? God spoke in many ways in different times. But he has now spoken to us through what? The sun. You see, don't expect to get a dream at night and it to be a vision of revelation of the mysteries of God. He has done that on specific occasions, and that's when you find in the book of Daniel. But God would also have to give the interpretation of it. That's a miracle. Could you expect that now? The answer is no, because now he has spoken to us through his son. You see, it has been fully revealed in Christ Jesus. In Christ Jesus fulfills and reveals all of the mystery of God that is sufficient for us from now to eternity. There is no additional revelation. There's not another book that somebody is going to find somewhere and get some crazy glasses and interpret it. That's a lie of the devil because it's looking away from Christ. that there isn't another man that comes along after Christ and is another prophet named Muhammad with another message. Sorry, that's a lie. It's going to lead you to absolute judgment. God has spoken. through his son. Jesus Christ appointed apostles, sent ones, authenticated them by miraculous signs and wonders that did diminish in their time as this canon of scripture was completed. It is not a coincidence that the final book here Begins in Genesis, that's the beginning. The last book is what? The revelation of Jesus Christ. He has made him known. And how does it end? Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus. Look to Christ. Learn of him. John would even put in here, if you add something to it, the judgment that's mentioned in the book of Revelation, that's what you'll get. Don't add. Don't play. Know this, though, that God is the one who reveals that mystery. And the revelation of the end times is fully known in the very Word of God. We may not fully apprehend and understand all of it, but we know where it is. And we can go look at that for our understanding of that revelation. But it is God who gives that revelation, that's verse 23. And Daniel says, I praise you, I give thanks because you've given me this and you have made known to me what we have asked. He praises God for that. His response is courage. Verse 24, he's a humble man and he responds in great courage. And notice this in verse 24, so God gives him the answer, the interpretation. Now he's got a get out of judgment free card, right? But it's just Daniel and the friends. They're the only ones that came up with the answer. And what they can get is power and privilege, resources, money, whatever. But you know what his first thoughts are? Look at verse 24. Don't destroy the wise men of Babylon. Bring me before the king. That's an interesting thought, isn't it? He prays and pleads for the preservation of these wise men who probably pointed Daniel and his friends out first. Take them. They're the newcomers. You probably need us. Daniel displays what we would call common grace for humanity, even to those who opposed him. This is the humility of faith and trust in God. This reminds me of Christ on the cross who prays, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Daniel's request, like that of Christ, is a common grace. These men were idolaters, deceivers, as I've already mentioned. But God preserves them through the intercession of his servant. Daniel doesn't excuse their sin, their ideas and their ideology, they're all wrong. But he demonstrates in his statement the mercy of God to restrain his wrath for the sake of his purposes. This is what Christ does in his prayer. It doesn't bring eternal forgiveness, but expresses God's patience in withholding judgment. You know how I know that God is patient and merciful? I've said this before, but I'll say it again. We're breathing. There's people outside right now that are ignoring God and rebelling against him. But God is patient with them. This is God's mercy. giving them an opportunity to repent. As Peter would say, the Lord's not slow to fulfill his promise. His promise is that judgment is certainly coming, and it's been demonstrated time and time again. But he is a patient and merciful God. He isn't willing, this is his heart's attitude, that any should perish, but all should reach repentance. This restraint of wrath reveals the depth of God's goodness. And his delay in judgment is an offer to repent. And that's what it is even this day. Repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Even in this pagan court. So Daniel in verse 26 then goes before the king and Daniel says that no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show the king the mystery that the king has asked. He's already heard that, but yet he was so mad he wanted them all dead for saying that. He didn't want to hear what they had to say, so he confirms that nobody can know. But one, and that's the note here, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. And how would that king know, and us as well, from we look at this historical narrative, because he did make it known. He says he has made this known. And he tells them what it's going to be. It's going to be what's going to happen. And by the way, as we look through the book of Daniel, all that he said was going to happen. It's all future. Guess what? It did happen. And guess what you can know is that God knows. And he is the revealer. He is the source. He is the one that you can trust. Don't listen to the magicians. the sorcerers, the Chaldeans, the enchanters of our day or any day. Look to God. No man can know this, but God in heaven can. Verse 29. He says, this has been revealed to me not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living. He's humble in the fact that he has this, but it isn't because of his own insight, his own intellect. This was that God would be glorified. It's a very humble expression of truth and faith where Daniel deflects all praise to God and the messenger then fades and the message shines. That's our desire in the proclamation of this truth. Not that I figured it all out and I've got a way to tell you something better about everything. I want to show you God and you can learn of him. God is then revealed and glorified. The pagan gods here then are distant and mute. They can't say anything, they don't know anything. Instead, you have God who is near and speaking. He's near with Daniel and speaking, his God's servant, and he's speaking. This is the God who is indeed the revealer of mysteries. Remember when I noted here that they said, well, the gods know, at least this is the Chaldeans and the Chanters, they said that the gods know, but they're not dwelling with us. They live apart and separate. If only they knew John's revelation in John 1. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of man." You see, it is Christ who then brings that life and glory to us in a divine revelation where John would say in verse 14, and the word became flesh and dwelt among us. This is beyond the thoughts of the pagan men of that time. It is that Christ himself, that full revelation of God, in him dwell all with treasure of wisdom and knowledge, see Colossians 2. And as I mentioned earlier, it is in these last days he's spoken how by his son what was impossible in their mind in Babylon, came to Bethlehem. And it's a great season we get to celebrate. God with us. Emmanuel. Let's pray. Father, I do pray that our hearts would be encouraged and perhaps even convicted By our anxiety, our lack of faith, may it grow. May assurance grow in you, our confidence in you, regardless of the world in which we live. You indeed are the revealer of all mysteries. So may we look to you for answers, not just today, but in all times. I pray this in Christ's name. Amen. I'm going to give you a moment privately where you're at to respond to Christ in any way he's spoken to you today through his word. If you need prayer, I'll be up front afterwards, but take a moment now. Father grant us great trust in you who rule over the nations to bring our concerns to the throne of grace that we might find help in our time of need and may we continually praise Christ our Lord in his name we pray amen Let's all stand and turn to 626. I Love to Tell the Story, 626. I love to tell the story of the sea kings above. of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love. I love to tell the story because I know it's true. It satisfies my longing As nothing else can do I love to tell the story Will be my gleaming glory To tell the old, old story Of Jesus and His blood Amen. Let's go ahead and pray and we'll be dismissed. Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen and amen. You're dismissed. ♪ Yeah.