Thriving In Babylon | Thriving Nations

Last Week – Living in the tension
We do that by understanding the NATURE of politics in this world…

Politics are downstream of philosophy (how we think) and morality (what we do)

Sum up of Daniel’s story

Chapter 1: Captivity

• Introduced to Daniel and his friends
• Captives take from their home by invading Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar
• Given new identities – Names of new pagan Gods
• Educated in the ways of Babylon but remain faithful
• God rewards them…

Daniel 1

17 God gave these four young men knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. Daniel also understood visions and dreams of every kind. 18 At the end of the time that the king had said to present them, the chief eunuch presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king interviewed them, and among all of them, no one was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they began to attend the king. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and mediums in his entire kingdom.

Chapter 2: Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

• Nebuchadnezzar has a disturbing dream
• He orders all his “wise men” to interpret, but they cannot
• Decrees…

 

Daniel 2

5 …“My word is final: If you don’t tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be made a garbage dump.
Daniel gathers his friends to pray for God to give them wisdom and direction

• God answers by giving Daniel both the DETAILS of the dream and the INTERPRETATION
• Daniel Goes before Nebuchadnezzar…

Daniel 2

26 The king said in reply to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to tell me the dream I had and its interpretation?”

27 Daniel answered the king, “No wise man, medium, magician, or diviner is able to make known to the king the mystery he asked about. 28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has let King Nebuchadnezzar know what will happen in the last days.
Daniel give the correct interpretation

Daniel 2

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell facedown, worshiped Daniel, and gave orders to present an offering and incense to him. 47 The king said to Daniel, “Your God is indeed God of gods, Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.” 48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.

Chapter 3: Fiery furnace

But How quickly kings forget…

Sometime in the future…

• Nebuchadnezzar builds a gold statue of himself for people to worship
• Makes a decree that all must worship it at a specific sound, and those who do not will be killed
• Some wise men plot against the Jews and tell the king of their rejection of worship
• Nebuchadnezzar confronts them…

 

Daniel 3

15 Now if you’re ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire—and who is the god who can rescue you from my power?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. 17 If the God we serve exists, then he can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he can rescue us from the power of you, the king. 18 But even if he does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”

Chapters 4-5: King’s judgment

Story of what happens to those who worship power and authority

• Turns them into beasts
• Nebuchadnezzar turns into one

Chapter 6: Lions Den

New King

• Daniel was put into one of the highest seats of authority
• Causes jealousy in his peers
• They trick the new king

Daniel 6

10 Daniel went into his house when he learned that the document had been signed. The windows in its upstairs room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
We know the rest of the story

• Daniel doesn’t get eaten
• The king turns to the Lord

The book of Daniel ultimately teaches us a PATTERN and a PROMISE

Pattern:

Worldly people and kingdoms become BEASTS when they don’t acknowledge God’s rule and Kingdom

 

Promise:

God will one day DEFEAT the beasts and rescue His world

• This is the tension…

We should be asking this question…

HOW could Daniel live in this TENSION?
Find that answer here…

Daniel 9

2 In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the books according to the word of the Lord to the prophet Jeremiah that the number of years for the desolation of Jerusalem would be seventy. 3 So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
This is what Daniel was reading…

Jeremiah 29:1

1 This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining exiled elders, the priests, the prophets, and all the people Nebuchadnezzar had deported from Jerusalem to Babylon. 3 …The letter stated:

4 This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Find wives for yourselves, and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and give your daughters to men in marriage so that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease. 7 Pursue the well-being of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it thrives, you will thrive.”

11 For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

12 You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you”…

How do Christians help the nations to thrive?

1: Christians help nations thrive by understanding Authority

1st, Christians understand that ALL authority begins with God

 

John 19

10 So Pilate said to him, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?” 11 “You would have no authority over me at all,” Jesus answered him, “if it hadn’t been given you from above.

 

2nd, Christians understand that God has given rulers/governments authority

 

Romans 13

1 Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. 2 So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. 4 For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. 5 Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience. 6 And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks. 7 Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.

 

We understand that God uses both the righteous and the wicked for his purposes

 

BIBLICAL DISOBEDIENCE

• We follow God’s authority over ANY OTHER AUTHORITY
• Even at a great cost

 

3rd, Christians understand that authority should be used to help nations flourish but should never be worshiped

• Daniel did not run from authority
• But he did not trade his character to keep it

When the city we are in thrives, we will thrive

• We pursue human flourishing ANYWHERE, and ANY TIME we are

There is always a risk that those who are given authority will bend to worshiping it

• we are not those people

2: Christians help nations thrive by being a prophetic voice

Prophetic: Speaking the revelation God’s truth, word, and way
Daniel spoke the truth to EVERY KING IN POWER

• Even at the cost of his life

We speak truth to ALL those in charge and remind them WHO they will be accountable to

• God’s kingdom over political affiliation

We do not cozy up to those in authority, but ALWAYS SPEAK TRUTH TO THEM

• We are bound to God’s truth

This is the LIGHT IN THE DARK

• Salt of the earth