Topics: pressure, integrity, dignity
I. Restless rulers make unjust demands
* The king wanted to know if his advisors had true interpretive skills!
- The king said to them, "I had a dream and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream" (Daniel 2:3).
- The Chaldeans answered the king and said, "There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any magician, conjurer, or Chaldean. Moreover, the thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it to the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh" (Daniel 2:10, 11).
- So the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they looked for Daniel and his friends to kill them (Daniel 2:13).
II. Wise believers exhibit diplomacy and tact
* Daniel responds with divine wisdom and decisive action!
- Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to Arioch, the captain of the king's bodyguard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon; he said to Arioch, the king's commander, "For what reason is the decree from the king so urgent?" Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king (Daniel 2:14-16).
- See 2 Timothy 2:24-3:1.
III. Wise believers recruit prayer partners
* Daniel understood that seeking God is the top priority!
- Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, about the matter, so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon (Daniel 2:17, 18).
- Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart (Luke 18:1).
Sermon by Pastor Rod Akins September 20th, 2020
