Mills Memorial Baptist Church
Sunday Morning Worship - 3/1
  • O Say But I'm Glad
  • Ten Thousand Reasons
  • When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

      • Daniel 2:16–23KJV1900

      • Daniel 2:16-17KJV1900

      • Daniel 2:18-19KJV1900

      • Daniel 2:20-21KJV1900

      • Daniel 2:22-23KJV1900

  • Daniel 2:16-23
    There are seasons when the hardest part of life is not what you know.
    It is what you don’t know.
    You don’t know what the doctor will say.
    You don’t know what that phone call will bring.
    You don’t know what the economy will do.
    You do not know what tomorrow looks like for your family.
    And when answers are missing, fear is always ready to fill the silence.
    That is one reason God gave apocalyptic revelation.
    The word apocalyptic, doesn’t mean end of the world, or total destruction or when the zombies will come out…
    Apocalyptic literally means an unveiling.
    It is God pulling back the curtain just enough to remind His people that He is not guessing about tomorrow.
    He rules the future, just as He does the present.
    Now, I know whenever a preacher says “apocalyptic,” some folks immediately think, “Finally, we’re going to map out Revelation.”
    So let me give you a quick, steady overview in the way many we as Baptists understand the broad timeline, and then I’m going to bring us to Daniel, because Daniel teaches us how to live while we wait, that is what I want to focus on.
    Here is the big picture.
    Jesus is coming again.
    The next major event we look for is the rapture of the church, when Christ gathers His people to Himself.
    After that, Scripture describes a time of great tribulation on the earth that will last for seven years….3 1/2 years of peace followed by 3 1/2 years of chaos and destruction.
    At the end of that time, Christ returns visibly and bodily in power and glory, He takes control of the world.
    Then comes the millennial reign of Christ, when He rules as King for a thousand years.
    During this time the church rules and reigns with Christ, all the unsaved, who survived the Tribulation live in peace on the earth.
    After that is the final judgment, and then the new heaven and new earth, where God dwells with His people forever.
    It’s important to understand through all of this that Revelation is not given to satisfy curiosity.
    Revelation is given to strengthen faith, to steady obedience, and to fix our eyes on Jesus.
    Revelation 1:1 calls it “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.”
    That is the main point.
    If you want a fuller walk through Revelation, I would encourage you to listen to the Revelation series we preached, because we took our time and handled it carefully.
    You can find it on Youtube at the Mills Memorial channel - I am setting up a playlist for the sermons on Revelation.
    But for today, I want to show you what apocalyptic truth is supposed to do in the heart of a believer.
    Daniel 2 is a crisis chapter, and it is also a comfort chapter.
    It shows us what a believer does when the future feels threatening.

    I. What Apocalyptic Revelation Does

    In order for us to understand what Apocalyptic literature, we need to understand it’s purpose.
    So what is its purpose?

    A. It Unveils God’s Control

    Apocalyptic revelation is God pulling back the curtain to show that history is not random and the future is not out of His hands.
    Isaiah says of God…that He is the one…
    Isaiah 46:10 KJV
    10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times the things that are not yet done, Saying, My counsel shall stand, And I will do all my pleasure:
    I don’t know about you That does not make me fearful, that makes me steady and comforted that He is in control.
    It means the Lord is never just reacting to things that happens.
    It means the Lord is always ruling, and in control.
    Have you ever gone on a long road trip with small children.
    The kids in the back seat keep asking, “Are we there yet?”
    They have no sense of distance or timeline.
    But the parent knows the route.
    The parent knows the destination.
    The parent knows what is ahead, and what the next turn will be.
    God is not merely a passenger in your life.
    God is the One who knows the road and rules the road.
    Psalm 103:19 KJV
    19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; And his kingdom ruleth over all.
    He is in charge!
    So when you read Daniel and Revelation, you are not just learning events.
    You are learning that God is King, even when earthly kings act like they are.
    A. W. Tozer said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
    If you think God is shaky, you will be shaky.
    If you remember God is sovereign, you will be able to breathe again.

    B. It Humbles God’s People

    These passages were never given to make believers proud or argumentative.
    They were given to move us toward reverence, repentance, and worship.
    If prophecy makes you arrogant, you missed the purpose.
    If prophecy makes you panicked, you missed the purpose.
    Revelation 1:1 does not say “The Revelation of your great understanding.”
    It says “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.”
    So apocalyptic revelation should put us on our knees, not put us on a pedestal because we know so much.
    It should make us careful, not cocky.
    It should make us worshipful, not combative.
    Imagine a man standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon for the first time.
    He does not walk up and say, “This is no big deal.”
    Well…I might say a man who has any understanding at all ofo the World around him…one that is not a fool.
    No, He grows quiet.
    He feels small.
    He becomes careful with his steps.
    And in a far greater way, when God shows us His power over all kingdoms and His plan for the ages, the right response is humility.
    Charles Spurgeon said, “God is too good to be unkind, and He is too wise to be mistaken.”
    That kind of truth does not produce swagger.
    That kind of truth produces surrender.

    C. It Calms Our Fear

    God reveals these truths because He knows the unknown can stir anxiety and insecurity in His people.
    Apocalyptic truth is not meant to make you obsessed with headlines.
    It is meant to steady you when you do not have enough information.
    Why? Because…
    Psalm 46:1 KJV
    1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
    So the Bible does not always give you every detail you want.
    But it always gives you the God you need.
    Think about the difference between stumbling in the dark and walking with a lamp.
    In the dark, every step feels risky, and your mind starts imagining dangers you can’t even see.
    But when you have a flashlight, you still can’t see the whole road.
    You can’t see five miles ahead.
    You can’t see every turn.
    But you can see enough to take the next step without falling.
    That’s what God’s Word does for God’s people.
    Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet.”
    It doesn’t give you the whole map.
    It gives you the next faithful step.
    That is what apocalyptic revelation does.
    It reminds you the dark is not empty.
    It is governed by God.
    And that brings us to Daniel 2, because Daniel shows us how this truth works when pressure is real.

    II. See How God Reveals Secrets to Daniel

    Before we step into the pressure of Daniel 2, it helps to remember who Daniel is and why he is even in Babylon.
    Daniel is not in his homeland.
    He is not serving a godly king.
    He is a young Jewish man, most likely between 17-20 years old.
    And He has been carried away from his homeland when Babylon conquered Jerusalem.
    He has been taken from everything familiar and placed inside a pagan empire that is proud, powerful, and that is hostile to the God of Israel.
    And yet, even in that setting, Daniel has already made one settled decision.
    He will belong to the Lord no matter where he lives.
    Daniel 1 tells us he “purposed in his heart” that he would not defile himself, and God honored that faithfulness.
    So by the time we reach chapter 2, Daniel is serving in the king’s court, trained in Babylon’s learning, surrounded by pressure, and still trying to live clean in an unclean place.
    But now the King has had a troubling dream and is demanding an answer about it, or he is going to kill all the wise men of Babylon, including Daniel and His friends.
    That means this moment is not just about a dream.
    It is about what happens when a faithful believer is caught in a crisis he did not create, in a world he cannot control.
    And that is exactly where many of God’s people find themselves at different times in life.

    A. Feel The Pressure Daniel Faced

    Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him.
    He demanded not only an interpretation, but the dream itself.
    The wise men of Babylon could not answer him.
    The king’s response was death, all the wisemen would be killed.
    13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
    So Daniel is not dealing with mild stress.
    Daniel is facing a deadline with life on the line.
    That matters because this passage is not written from a calm porch, sitting on a rocking chair.
    It is written in the midst of a crisis.
    If God can steady Daniel here, God can steady you where you are.

    B. Notice Daniel’s First Move

    16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.
    Daniel does not bluff.
    Daniel does not pretend.
    Daniel does not rush into empty words.
    He asks for time.
    There is wisdom in that.
    Some of the biggest regrets in life come from words spoken too quickly.
    Proverbs 29:20 KJV
    20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
    Daniel teaches us that faith is not frantic.
    Faith can pause.
    Faith can think.
    Faith can seek God before it speaks.

    C. See Daniel Turn The Crisis Into Prayer

    17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
    Daniel does not isolate.
    He does not carry it alone.
    He gathers believers and asks them to seek mercy from the God of heaven.
    That is one of the most practical lessons in the whole book.
    When pressure rises, prayer needs to rise.
    When you cannot see the future, don’t guess.
    Go to God.
    James 4:2 KJV
    2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
    Daniel’s prayer meeting is not just filler in the story.
    It is the whole engine, pushing the story to it’s full purpose.
    And sometimes God delays answers, not because He is absent, but because He is drawing us into dependence.

    III. Learn What God’s Sovereignty Produces in God’s People

    A. Confidence Instead Of Panic

    19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
    God can make known what no man can know.
    God can open what no man can open.
    God can provide what no man can produce.
    Psalm 2 describes the nations raging, and plotting against God and HIs people…but verse 4 says
    Psalm 2:4 KJV
    4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: The Lord shall have them in derision.
    So Daniel does not need to melt down.
    He needs to trust.
    And that is what he does - The Bible says he received the answer in a night vision — most likely a dream…Daniel went to sleep!
    He did not worry — He trusted…and went to sleep.
    You may not get every detail you want about your future, but you can have confidence in the God who holds your future.
    The Second thing we see God’s Sovereignty produce in us is…

    B. Gratitude Instead Of Pride

    Daniel’s next move is worship.
    Daniel 2:20–23 is a praise song in the middle of a crisis.
    20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: For wisdom and might are his: 21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, And knowledge to them that know understanding: 22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: He knoweth what is in the darkness, And the light dwelleth with him. 23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, Who hast given me wisdom and might, And hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: For thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.
    In other words, Daniel does not take credit for what God revealed.
    He gives glory to the One who reveals the truth.
    That is a critical lesson for us.
    When God answers prayer, we should not brag like we solved the problem.
    We bow like we received it.
    The third thing God’s Sovereignty produces in the Christian is…

    C. Steady Obedience Instead Of Speculation

    Daniel does not use revelation as entertainment.
    Daniel uses revelation to serve faithfully where God placed him.
    That is what apocalyptic truth is meant to produce.
    It anchors you so you can live right now without being swept away by fear or obsession.
    The goal is not to predict every detail.
    The goal is to be faithful until Jesus comes.
    A church can waste a lot of energy trying to argue over timelines while neglecting daily obedience.
    God did not give prophecy so we would stop working.
    God gave prophecy so we would keep working with hope.

    IV. Respond With Faith That Finishes Strong

    How do we do this?
    Let me give you three principles that will help.

    A. Bring Your Unknowns To God

    Daniel could not solve this problem with talent, and You cannot solve every fear with planning.
    There are seasons where the only safe place is prayer.
    Philippians 4:6–7 calls us to bring everything to God and promises peace that guards the heart.
    Philippians 4:6–7 KJV
    6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
    Some of us are tired because we have been carrying tomorrow like it is our job.
    God is inviting you to hand it back.

    B. Thank God For What You Already Know

    Daniel thanked God for who God is.
    God is wise.
    God is mighty.
    God is in control.
    Sometimes the strongest faith statement is not, “I know what will happen.”
    Sometimes the strongest faith statement is, “I know who holds what will happen.”
    The great preacher Charles Spurgeon often said, “When you cannot trace His hand, trust His heart.”
    When you can’t see what God is doing — trust who you know God is!

    C. Live Faithfully In The Present

    Apocalyptic revelation is not an excuse to stop living.
    It is fuel to keep living.
    Daniel still had to walk into the palace.
    Daniel still had to speak.
    Daniel still had to serve in a pagan culture without becoming pagan.
    That is our call too.
    We wait on the Lord.
    We renew strength through Him and His Word.
    And then we keep walking.
    We do not use prophecy as an escape from obedience.
    We use prophecy as a reason to obey with confidence.

    Conclusion

    This is how I have felt led by God to close this series.
    He closes it by reminding us that the future is not random.
    The future is ruled by God.
    And the God who rules it invites His people to pray, to trust, to worship, and to obey.
    Some of you are weary because you have been trying to carry tomorrow alone.
    Some of you are anxious because you want answers God has not given yet.
    Some of you are discouraged because the world feels unstable.
    So here is the decision.
    Will you let the unknown drive you to fear, or will you let it drive you to the God of heaven.
    Will you live on speculation, or will you live on the solid ground of God’s sovereignty.
    Will you respond like Daniel responded.
    Will you seek mercy.
    Will you worship when God answers.
    Will you serve faithfully when God sends you back into the pressure.
    And if you have never come to Christ, the greatest unveiling you need is not a timeline, it is a Savior.
    Jesus is the King who will return, and He is the Lamb who was slain for sinners.
    Come to Him today.
    If you are saved, take one step this week that proves you trust God with the future.
    Pray before you panic.
    Thank God before you see results.
    Obey God even when you do not know the next chapter.
    Because strength for the journey is found in this.
    God rules what we cannot.
    God reveals what we need.
    God is worthy of our trust.

      • Isaiah 46:10KJV1900

      • Psalm 103:19KJV1900

      • Psalm 46:1KJV1900

      • Proverbs 29:20KJV1900

      • James 4:2KJV1900

      • Psalm 2:4KJV1900

      • Philippians 4:6–7KJV1900

  • I Have Decided to Follow Jesus
  • Victory in Jesus
Mills Memorial Baptist Church
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989-843-6433
https://millsmemorial.faithlifesites.com
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